Category Archives: soap opera

Jan26

January 25, 2024 – Jordan Requests Brick’s Help, Hand It Over, Early Star, Nina’s Message, Bad Choice Of Words, A Goodbye, Feline Travelers, Happy Birthday & Space

Posted on January 26, 2024 by theresakp

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At The Savoy, Robert puts a bouquet on one of the tables and asks N’neka what she thinks. She says, elegant, but not fussy, and he says, that’s exactly what he wanted. There’s already been one celebration here tonight. This’ll be just one more. About that other thing he wanted… She says, that’ll be ready to go in about fifteen minutes, and he says, perfect. He slips her some cash, and she says, wow. The woman of his dreams must be pretty special. He says, she is. Very special… indeed. Diane walks in followed by Sonny and Alexis.

On the phone, Finn tells Violet that he won’t be home to tuck her in tonight… Because he’s at work… Working… Okay, he’ll do his best. Be good for the babysitter… He loves her too. He loves her so much. Elizabeth asks if Violet is okay, and he says, she told him to save a lot of lives. Depending on how this trial goes, he may not be able to save lives anymore.

Jordan opens the door to Brick and thanks him for coming. He says he had to, to mark this unprecedented occasion.

Kristina tells Molly, counting 40 days from the day of conception, her niece – or nephew – is going to be a Libra, which means they’re going to be intelligent and curious, just like Molly and TJ. There’s a knock at the door, and Molly opens it to TJ. He says, she called at a good time. His last two patients rescheduled. What’s going on? Is Kristina okay? Molly says, Kristina’s pregnant, and he says, it worked? Molly says, it worked. They’re going to be parents. He hugs her.

Walking into the station, Chase asks if Dante is sure there are only 24 hours in the day, because he’s pretty sure that defense attorney had them on the stand longer than that. (I feel his pain. Not about being on the stand, but a day that must be more than 24 hours.) Dante says he’s never been cross-examined to that degree, and Chase says, it would have been faster if they’d reenacted the entire crime and investigation for the jury. (Ha-ha!) Dante says, but then the defense attorney couldn’t have asked him the same question like, 29 times. Chase says he’d almost rather Diane Miller cross-examine him… Dante gives him a look, and Chase tells him that he said, almost. Dante says he has to bring in Esme Prince and ask her for a statement, when Laura comes in and says, they’ll have to do more than that if they’re going to keep Port Charles safe.

Laura says, Heather Webber told her that she wants Esme to go to prison, and Dante says, wow. He never thought he’d agree with Heather Webber on anything. Laura says, she wants her daughter close to her so she can look after her, and Dante says, she’s not going to be looking after her if she’s in prison. The state will. Laura says, according to Heather, Esme came to visit her as soon as Ace was taken. Heather tried to convince her to run away before they could reinstate the charges against her, and Esme said, no. She said it was because of Ace, but Heather thinks it’s because she wants revenge. Chase says, it takes a psycho to know a psycho, and Dante says, so Spencer was right. Esme remembers everything. Laura says, Heather confirmed it, but Chase says, she’s not the most reliable though. Heather Webber has zero credibility. She has to be working an angle. Laura says, agreed. She’s not to be trusted, but she thinks, in Heather’s own crazy way, she seems to genuinely care about her daughter. She seems determined to save her. Chase says, great. Esme almost hurt a lot of people, and that was before she wanted payback. Laura says, now she’s desperate and she has nothing to lose. They’ve got to arrest her before she does something terrible. (Um… The mayor has no concept of the law?) Dante says, he’s sorry, but they can’t do that.

Brick says, the Deputy Mayor was the last person he expected to call asking him for information, but Jordan says she reached out as a private citizen. He says, a private citizen who used to be the Police Commissioner, and she says, let it go, for the purposes of this conversation at least. He says, okay. So why is he here? She says she’s been working on a project – off the books – and asks him to have a seat. She tells him that she was looking for someone with detective prowess who could also keep a secret. She thought he’d be the perfect man for the job. He says, perfect man… prowess… So much flattery packed into a couple of sentences. Not that he minds. She asks if they can talk about this, and he says, okay. He wonders why she thinks she can’t talk to the PCPD about this project, but she says she can’t involve the PCPD. It could put them in a bad spot. He says, but she doesn’t mind dragging him into this? and she says, he is the bad spot. He laughs and says he appreciates her directness, but maybe they should lean towards the flattery again. She says, he’s a known associate of Sonny Corinthos. She’s aware of his skillset and knows he can be discreet. He says, she seems to know a lot about him, and she says, they have a file. He says he appreciates her going through the trouble. What’s in the file? She says, that’s classified, and he says, the good stuff usually is. So what’s the mission, should he choose to accept it?

Robert says he sees Diane brought back-up, and she says, Sonny and Alexis? She ran into them outside. But considering how their last date went, back-up might have been a good idea. He says he’s hoping they can put all that behind them tonight, and she says she hopes so too. He says, she looks especially beautiful this evening, and she says, he’s off to a rousing start. She sees the flowers, along with a bottle of champagne and glasses, and says, this is lovely. He says he wanted to show her just how much she means to him, and she listens to the music for a moment. She says she loves this song. Was that his doing too? He says, it was. Would she care to dance? She says, no, and he says, no? He thought all women loved guys who danced. She says, that certainly depends on the woman. She does, but then again, she’s a fabulous dancer, despite her penchant for leading. (Same.) But she doesn’t want a dance partner tonight. He says, whatever she’s looking for, tell him and it’s hers, and she says, okay. An apology.

At the bar, Alexis tells Sonny that she was at a convention out of town. It started early and ran late. She got a Ride Share and he dropped her two blocks from here and she didn’t want to miss Spencer, so she ran all the way here, for nothing. What about him? He says he had some business to take care of. He missed the party, but he said his goodbyes outside. She thanks him for keeping her company. She really wasn’t looking forward to going home anyway. She goes home and thinks about all the things she has to do and then she worries about everything. She doesn’t think he was in much of a rush to get home either, was he? He says he’s going to go there after he leaves here. He saw Kristina. He takes it they haven’t spoken lately. She says she’s just respecting some boundaries, taking a step back. She thinks she overstepped. He says, her? Overstep? She says, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? and he says he thinks it’s good she’s taking a step back. She says, it’s not like she has a choice, and he says, whatever the reason, it’s a good thing. She says she hopes so, because it’s killing her.

TJ says he can’t stop smiling, and Molly says, her neither. He says, they’re going to have a baby. He thanks Kristina and hugs her. She says she’s honored to be a part of it, and he says, she’s so much more. She made the most wonderful thing happen for them and they’ll never be able to thank her enough. Kristina says, the look on their faces right now is all the thanks she needs. He says, she might feel differently during labor. How is she feeling? Don’t hesitate to tell her OB if she’s feeling… Kristina tells him that he doesn’t have to be a doctor right now. Just be a dad. It’s okay. TJ says he’s going to be a dad, and Molly says she can’t wait to hold the baby and smell that little baby smell. He says, and play airplane while they feed their baby mashed bananas and smile like idiots while they wipe the mashed bananas off their baby’s face… Molly says, and our hair… Kristina says, and the floor and the chair… TJ stops smiling, and Molly asks, what’s wrong? He says he can’t help but think they got excited like this before. They talked about this before and it didn’t work out.

Elizabeth says, Violet will love Finn no matter what job he has. She thinks he hung the moon, and she happens to think Violet is right. And she’s convinced he’s going to win this lawsuit. He says he’s grateful for her conviction. He wishes he shared it. Tomorrow the trial starts, and his future will be in the hands of twelve people in the jury box. Twelve people who never practiced medicine, who apparently only care if he’s nice or likeable. How does he defend himself without coming across as defensive? How does he share his medical expertise without being arrogant? She says, he’s passionate about his job. He cares deeply about his patients. That will come through, and in the end, those twelve people will wish he was their doctor. He asks how she can be so confident, and she says, because she’s inspired by him every day. He says, that might be the nicest thing she’s ever said to him, and hugs her. He can’t imagine going through this without her. Martin knocks at the door and says, apologies, including for the late arrival. He’s afraid it was unavoidable. Now why did Finn need to see him?

Molly tells TJ that they’re using a new surrogate now. What are the odds of that happening to them twice? He says he thinks it happens to anyone. The first trimester is so delicate. Kristina makes them sit and tells them that they’re not spiraling down this rabbit hole. They have to have a little faith and just take a breath. TJ says, she’s right, and Kristina says, none of them knows what the future holds, but if the worst-case scenario does happen, then they’re going to handle it, the three of them, together. And if and when they’re ready, they can try again. Most importantly, they’re a team now. TJ tells her, if he hasn’t said it before, she’s a rock star, and she says she knows. Her sister is just like her, but better.

Alexis tells Sonny, it’s not like she doesn’t talk to the girls at all. She just keeps the conversation light and superficial. She wants to be careful not to alienate them. He says she shouldn’t worry so much, and she says, why? Does he know something she doesn’t know? Has he spoken to Kristina? He says he’s not going to break any confidences here, but he believes she knows Alexis’s heart was in the right place. She says, good. She appreciates that, but she thinks they would prefer she keep her distance and she wants to respect that. He says, no matter how badly she wants to? and she says, Molly is going to be a mom and Kristina’s going to carry her baby. What could go wrong? So she’s just going to bring joy into their lives and enjoy their journey. He says, she has to keep following their lead. Look what happened to him. He lost his family because of the pain he caused them. She doesn’t want that in her life. She says she just wants to reiterate this one thing again. The laws regarding fertility and reproduction are like the wild west, specifically… He says, does she know how many times she’s said this to him already? and she says, he thinks she’s neurotic, doesn’t he, and he just wants her to shut up and be a grandma. He says, she’s already said her concerns about the girls. Just move on. She says she’s trying, when both of their phones ring. She says, Molly, and he says, Kristina.

Jordan says she knows she asked Brick here, but she has to go. He says, too bad. They were just getting to know each other’s files. She says, they’re not going to talk about her and she’s already familiar with his file. He asks if she ever wonders about stuff that’s not in the files, and she says she can live with the mystery. He says, really? He would have expected the opposite. She says she’s been defying expectations her whole life, and he says he’d like to hear more about that. She says she’s been in touch with a contact. They were supposed to provide her with some information and reach out with a location, but she hasn’t heard back. He says, and she’d like him to track her contact down, and she says, they may have broken off contact because of certain… complications. He says, what kind? and she says, the federal kind. He says, what exactly is the nature of this project? and she says she can’t tell him. He says he sees. Let him get this straight. She wants him to put his neck on the line, with certain agencies he might add, but she doesn’t want to tell him why. She says, it’s better for everyone if she doesn’t, and he says he recalls her using words like discreet and knows how to keep a secret just a minute ago. She says she did, and she meant it. He says, good, because he knows how to keep all secrets – past, present, and future. She says she doesn’t doubt that, but she needs to keep the circle of trust small. For now. If he does this for her, she’ll owe him a favor as Deputy Mayor, no questions asked. He says he does love being owed, but he wants inside that small circle soon. She says, one step at a time, and he says, okay. He’ll start by triangulating her contact’s whereabouts. She says she’s not giving him her phone, but he says he doesn’t need her phone, just her number. He hands her his phone and she puts the number in. She says, don’t abuse it, and he says he wouldn’t dream of it. He leaves, and in the hallway, he puts his phone in his pocket and says, yeah. Gotcha now. I guess there’s my answer about where Zeke is. He’s been replaced.

Dante says, if the DA can reinstate some or all of the charges, then they’ll get a warrant for Esme’s arrest, and Laura says she’s already talked to Robert about it. He’s got one of his ADAs make one up right now. He’s hoping to get a judge to sign off on it tonight. He says, that’s great. They wait for them, then make a move. She asks if there isn’t anything they could do in the meantime. Heather really made it seem like Esme was primed to do something drastic. He says he could bring her in on some false pretense and see if he can get her to spill about the stuff she did with Cameron and Joss and Trina. Maybe that would be long enough to hold her for 24 hours, or at least long enough for Robert to reestablish the charges again. Chase joins them and says, 24 hours is better than nothing, and Dante says, but the problem is, Esme hasn’t been charged with a crime. Visiting her mother’s not illegal. Nikolas on the other hand, is a fugitive. He held Esme prisoner for months and is facing charges of kidnapping and assault. He’s got Esme’s child. In the eyes of the law, Esme is going to be looked at as the victim here. Laura says, then they should tell her that. She doesn’t want Esme to be badgered or bullied in any way. She just wants her contained so she’s safe from herself and they can get all of this other stuff sorted out. Chase says he’ll go with Dante as back-up, and Laura says, her too. She really thinks she can talk Esme off the ledge. Dante says, let’s just hope she hasn’t already disappeared.

Martin says he knows Finn is nervous, but his trial starts tomorrow. His advice is that Finn do something he enjoys, as long as it has nothing to do with the lawsuit or medicine. Cook a good meal. Watch a game. Maybe parcheesi. Listen to music. The fact is, he’s as prepared as he’s ever going to be, and worrying about things that haven’t happened yet is counterproductive. Finn says, as much as he’d like to take Martin’s advice, they’ve found something that might help with his defense. Martin says, and he’s just hearing about it now? and Elizabeth says, they weren’t sure it would do any good. They’re still not. Martin suggests they let him be the judge, and Finn says, Dennis Muldoon saw another doctor in Beechers Corners months before Muldoon ever approached him.

Robert says he’s sorry if he’s upsetting Diane. Shall we dance? He holds out his hand, and she says, he’s sorry for what exactly? He says, for… upsetting you of course (🍷), and she says, yes, of course (🍷). Absolutely. Because? He says he has no idea what he did, and she says, not a clue? Not an inkling? He says he’s not a mind reader, and she says, this time we have the DNA evidence to connect Corinthos to a crime and finally put the bastard away. Your guy’s going down… love, and there’s not a thing you can do about it. He tells her that when she says it that way, it sounds aggressive, and she says she’s sorry. Was there a more lighthearted, festive version he wanted to relay? He says he’s confused. They enjoy sparring with one another. She says she loves sparring with him. That wasn’t sparring. That crossed a line. Forget crossed, it blew right past it. He says he’s still confused, and she says she’s confused as to why. He says, none of that was about her. He was talking about Sonny. He was talking about taking down a defendant in court. Frankly, he’s not sorry about any of that.

Kristina says, Alexis and Sonny have great timing, and Alexis says, they were together when she called. They ran into each other at The Savoy. Kristina says, they were hanging out at The Savoy? and Alexis says, they don’t typically hang out, but when she’s with Kristina’s dad, he is… Sonny says, amazing. They were saying goodbye to Spencer again. Kristina says, that’s right. He and Trina are off to Paris. There’s a knock at the door, and TJ says, that’s probably his mom. He lets Jordan in, and they hug. Molly says, it looks like the gang’s all here, and Kristina thanks Jordan for coming. She knows this was a spur of the moment thing, but they have some news they wanted to share, and they didn’t want to wait. The procedure worked, and she’s pregnant with Molly and TJ’s baby. Obviously, they’re going to confirm it with a blood test, but… Sonny says, congratulations to all of them, and TJ tells Jordan, congratulations mee-maw. (I say, Jordan is not a mee-maw.) Jordan says, don’t ruin this.

Finn says, the doctor could only speak in hypotheticals, but she said if she did see a patient similar to Muldoon, she would have referred him to an oncologist, but they don’t know if Muldoon ever followed up on that referral. Martin says, they waited until the eleventh hour to tell him because this Dr. Sawyer isn’t willing to go on the record? and Elizabeth says, she skirted the line, but she definitely said enough to confirm it. Finn says, they don’t even know the name of the oncologist Muldoon was supposed to see, and Elizabeth says, right now, it just seems like a dead end. Martin says, not necessarily. There is one avenue they can explore.

Diane says, so Robert didn’t actually mean his apology? and he says he’s sorry for being unnecessarily harsh, but it’s his job to put men like Sonny away. She says, not just men like Sonny – Sonny. It has become abundantly obvious that he has a personal, and she might add highly unprofessional, vendetta against her client. He says, does he enjoy watching a known racketeer hide behind family and friends, hell, even the mayor? No, he doesn’t. Unlike Sonny, he works within the law. He can’t prosecute unless he has evidence. This time he has evidence. She says, and he couldn’t wait to use it. Here’s the crux of her problem – he gloated. He says, tell him something. Is she offended by the fact he might win or that Sonny might lose?

Alexis says she’s so happy that this is finally happening for Molly, and Molly says, is she though? Tell her the truth. Is she actually happy this is happening?

At The Invader offices, Dante says, no sign of Esme. He checked the breakroom and the lunchroom. He’s running out of rooms. Laura says, maybe she’s gone for the day, and Chase says, maybe Alexis knows where she is. They walk into Alexis’s office and see Doc on the floor, unconscious. Laura runs to him, and Chase says he’s going to call dispatch. Dante says, he’s still breathing, and Laura says, he has a pulse. They’ve got to get him to the hospital. Can he hear her? Please wake up. She taps his face lightly and says, what happened? Tell her.

Martin says he knows several private investigators that can help them out, including Sam McCall. One way or another, he’s going to get somebody looking for this unspecified oncologist tonight. At the risk of sounding like a cliché, if there’s a chance Muldoon had an inkling he had cancer, it will blow Finn’s cased wide open. Finn says, even if they do find this oncologist, they don’t know if they can provide anything that will help the case, but Martin says, leave that to him. What about the things Finn can control? Namely his testimony. For God’s sake, remember, only answer the question asked. Martin doesn’t want him to elaborate or help out. No information is offered unless explicitly asked about. Got it? Finn says he’s got it. Martin and Alexis have been abundantly clear. Martin says, good, because Finn’s testimony is either going to save him or damn him.

Alexis says she’s always and forever on Kristina’s side and TJ’s side and Molly’s side. She’s thrilled for both of them. She hugs them, and Molly asks Jordan if she can believe this, and hugs her. Alexis tells TJ, congratulations. He has to know how happy she is that her daughter found the perfect partner. He says he got pretty lucky too, and she says, they’re going to be great parents. She hugs him, and Jordan says, yes, they are. TJ says he has to add that at this early stage of their pregnancy, they’re not telling anyone who’s not in this room that they’re pregnant. Alexis’s phone rings, and she steps away. TJ says, they’ll make a big announcement after the first trimester, and Sonny says, nobody is going to know anything until they say so. TJ thanks him, and Kristina says she bought a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne just for this occasion. Jordan says, that sounds good, but Alexis says she’ll have to take a raincheck. Sonny asks, what’s going on? and she says, just an incident at work. Molly asks if everything is okay, and Alexis says, everything will be fine. It’s a beautiful night. Don’t let this ruin it. She tells Molly and Kristina that she loves them, and dashes out.

Diane says, Robert has lost her. She doesn’t understand the distinction, because no attorney likes to lose. He says, there’s an impartial nature here between the attorney/client relationship, and she asks where he went to law school. That is absolutely not true. She’s extremely partisan. She’s her client’s advocate. He says, come on. She’s gotten the better of him in court more than once. She’s smart as a whip. Too smart to believe that someone like Sonny is innocent of all the charges he’s faced over the years. She says, it doesn’t matter what she believes or what she knows or what she understands. It is her duty, it is her obligation as a defense attorney to provide the best, the most vigorous defense possible. One that is rooted in logic and evidence, for her clients. Anything less, and she’s derelict of her duty. He says, this is a whole lot more than a client just getting a vigorous defense, and she asks why she feels like he wants her to say something. He says he just wants her honesty, and she says, okay. He says, is Sonny her client, or is that murdering bastard her friend? She says, Sonny Corinthos is one of her best friends. Now does that change the way he looks at her?

Chase asks Alexis if Esme Prince was in this morning, and she says she saw Esme when she came in. She seemed fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. Although she doesn’t think Esme would have clocked in until after she left. Chase asks if Esme has access to her office, and Alexis says, she does. So does the cleaning staff. Why is Esme his focus? An officer tells Chase that they found something, and hands him a paper inside an evidence bag.

Elizabeth says, your testimony could damn you? What happened to, Finn having a relaxing evening? Martin says, forgive him. He doesn’t mean to sound alarmist. As discussed, it’s almost certain Miss Miller is going to raise questions about Finn’s substance abuse. Elizabeth says, Finn’s been sober for years. His past addiction can’t be used against him now, can it? Martin says, if it is, he’ll object on the grounds of medical privacy, but there’s a chance he’ll be overruled, and the judge will allow Miss Miller to ask Finn questions about his drug use. Finn says, so not only does he have to defend himself as a doctor, he has to defend his sobriety as well, and Martin says, forewarned is forearmed. Those questions get asked, just answer truthfully and forcefully. The fact is, they only have his word that he was sober when he treated Muldoon. In the end, that’s all this trial is really about. Just make sure when he gets on that stand, the jury meets the man Martin knows him to be, and he’ll win.

Robert says he sees Diane as a sharp, passionate woman, and she says, they have that in common at least. He says he admires her desire to go that extra distance for her clients. That will never change. She says, but he doesn’t approve of her friendship with Sonny, and he says, she knows what Sonny’s done. He guesses he can’t understand how she looks past that. She says she would think it’s similar to how he can look past all the blood on Anna’s hands, and he says, that’s different. She asks, how is that different? and he says, she’s the mother of his child. Diane says, Sonny also has children, but she guesses that doesn’t give him a special dispensation as far as Robert is concerned. What about Holly? He says, what about her? and she says, as far as she knows, Holly didn’t bear any of his children, yet he can look past her alleged crimes? He says he can’t be responsible for everyone he went out with, and she says, no one’s asking him to. She’s also not judging him. Because she knows there’s more to both Anna and Holly than meets the eye. Just as there is more to Sonny. So can he accept she’s friends with Sonny without holding it against her? He asks if she can accept it’s his mission to put people like Sonny away, and she says, and if she can’t?

Sonny says he wants to make a toast. Having a child can be difficult at times, but it’s one of the most incredible experiences a person can have. He just wants to say he’s so happy they’re going to be able to share in the joy of watching their child grow up. Just like he did. Jordan says, to all of them and to her new grandchild, and they all clink glasses and say, cheers!

A doctor comes out of the room where Doc is, and Laura asks, how’s her husband? The doctor says, he’s stable. He’s sending Doc for tests now. She asks if she can see him first, and he says, just for a minute. On the verge of tears, she goes in and goes to Doc’s bedside. She smooths his hair and asks him to come back to her. Please. She takes his hand and says she needs him to tell her what she already knows in her bones, that it was Esme who did this. She promises she’ll bring Esme to justice. There are still so many things she and Doc want to do together, and she doesn’t want to do one more minute of this life without him.

In the hallway on the phone, Dante asks if Chase found anything, and Chase says, a letter to Esme from a woman named Maggie. Dante says, Maggie Fitzgerald? That was Esme’s old nanny. Chase tells him, she said she took a position with another family, and she wants Esme to come visit. (Wait. What? Wasn’t she involved with the whole Ryan thing? Why would she be inviting Esme over?) Dante asks, where? and Chase says, Toronto.

Martin says, if they’ll forgive him, he’s going to track down Sam, get her looking for that mystery oncologist. He points at Finn and says, deep breath. He leaves, and Finn says, deep breath. He takes one and says, so much for relaxing. Elizabeth says, it’s not over yet. There’s still time. He asks what she suggests, and she says her boys are having a sleepover, which means her house is empty. She can cook him dinner, they can listen to music… or he could listen to the game… He says, always music. Maybe some from that playlist she made when they were driving to Vermont. She says, after that, who knows? She puts her arms around him and asks if he’s good at parcheesi. He says he’s excellent at parcheesi… and a lot of things, and kisses her.

Robert says he guesses they’ve reached an impasse, and Diane says she would never ask him to apologize for who he is and what he does. He says, and he doesn’t want her to apologize for caring about Sonny. She says, what happens if they can never fully see eye to eye on this issue? and he asks, where does that leave them? He knows he’s not always good at expressing himself with these things, but he really does care about her. She says she feels the same way, and she’s not going to give up on what they’re building. He says, there’s really only one solution, and she says, let’s hear it. He says, they leave Sonny and the clients in the courtroom, and she says she totally accepts those terms. They sit back down, and Robert says, they can do this. She laughs and says, yes, they can.

Jordan hugs TJ and says, he knows she’s going to spoil this baby like crazy, right? and he says he won’t even try to stop her. Sonny says he’s very proud of Kristina. She gave TJ and Molly an incredible gift. She says, Molly is her sister and she’d do anything for her, and he says, any parent would pray to have that bond she and her sister have. He knows she’s happy right now, but just know the road is never going to be without challenges. Anything she needs – anything – she can always come to her dad. They hug.

Chase asks if Alexis recognizes this, showing her the sculpture Doc got whacked with, and she says she keeps it on her credenza. He asks if anything else looked disturbed to her, but she tells him, it’s hard to say if she can’t go through everything. Does he really think Esme attacked Doc? He says, she’s their primary suspect, and he has a bad feeling she’s not going to stop with Doc.

Still in the room with Doc, Laura calls Spencer and leaves a message. She says she knows he’s on his way to Paris, but she needs him to call her back as soon as he gets this. It’s about Esme. She leaves the room, and Dante asks if Doc is awake yet, but she says, not yet. She can’t help thinking about how long he might have been lying there. Dante says, he’s going to be fine. He has the best doctors here. They’re going to take care of him. She says she wants all that to be true, and he says, it is. She says, any word about Esme? and he says, they tracked the credit card she used to get a one-way bus ticket to Toronto. (Well, at least she’s being thrifty with Alexis’s money.) Laura says, any idea who she knows up there?

Tomorrow, Chase tells Jordan that they need the address for where to find Esme; Trina asks if Spencer is going to teach her; Laura says, Anna is the next, most qualified candidate; and Valentin asks Nina, what’s the plan for taking back what’s hers?

🏆 Worth Fighting For…

Oh for Pete’s sake, just give it to them already.

Sonya Eddy’s Family Fighting To Get Her Daytime Emmy Award

👶🏻 Career Baby…

She was already a vet by the time she got to GH.

Check Out Baby Cosette Abinante Starring With Zendaya!

👠 Haters Gonna Hate…

Nina just needs to make better choices. Maybe not the choices a middle school girl would make.

Cynthia Watros Shares a Message With Nina’s Fans — and Haters!

💎 She Did Not Say That…

Check and mate.

RHOBH Season 13: Dorit Kemsley Calls Crystal Kung Minkoff a ‘Child Bride’

Crystal Kung Minkoff Shades Dorit Kemsley’s Marriage After ‘Child Bride’ Comment

👽 Trekking On…

While I didn’t watch his Star Trek stint, I loved Alien Nation.

https://people.com/star-trek-enterprise-actor-gary-graham-dead-at-73-8548168

https://www.startrek.com/news/remembering-gary-graham

🐈 Adventuresome Kittehs…

Who doesn’t love a cat in a beret?

https://people.com/couple-trained-cats-to-travel-to-europe-exclusive-8546602

🦛 No Baby Anymore…

Hippos are the cutest things – those tiny ears!

https://people.com/fiona-the-hippo-turns-7-cincinnati-zoo-shares-birthday-tribute-8549355

🌏 No Man Is a Peninsula…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the Friday free-for-all. Until then, stay safe; stay not ghosting, but if you do, stay gone forever; and stay leaving the clients in the courtroom if you’re a defense attorney dating the DA.

Jan25

January 24, 2024 – Laura Visits Heather In Pentenville, Barcelona Is Inflicted With Beverly Hills & Merengue

Posted on January 25, 2024 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Esme rifles through a drawer in Alexis’s desk and takes out a credit card. She gets on the laptop and starts to book a flight, when Doc walks in, startling her.

The Savoy is decorated for a major party, and Trina says she can’t believe Curtis arranged all this when he just got out of the hospital yesterday. I can’t believe he got out of the hospital already. He says he has a daughter that is smart enough to be accepted into the Sorbonne for a semester abroad in Paris. He’s going to make sure her sendoff is special, so they’re going to send her off in style. Trina says, her present is seeing that his procedure seemed to work, and there’s a possibility he’ll be walking by the time she gets home. She feels much better about leaving now. He says he and her mother will be expecting a lot of messages from her. Portia says, they want to hear about all of her experiences, when Spencer runs in. He asks Trina if he’s late to the party, and she says, not at all, but she thought he was coming with his grandmother and Doc. He says he’s sure they’ll be on their way.

Kristina lets Molly into her apartment and says, this is a rare sight. Molly asks what she means, and Kristina says, it’s not often she sees her sister out of the courthouse while the sun is still shining. Molly says, the afternoon hearing got pushed to tomorrow, and then her favorite organic food store just called to tell her about a new shipment of fruits and vegetables that just came in, so she went grocery shopping for Kristina. She knows how much Kristina would rather have a burger and fries from Charlie’s, but since she already had the implantation, she thought… She’s being pushy, isn’t she? Kristina says, Molly is a Davis, so she’d expect nothing less, and Molly says, if it’s too much, just tell her. She’ll back off. Kristina says she’s fine. She appreciates Molly asking. Molly says, one of the bags needs to be refrigerated, and Kristina says she’s pretty well stocked, so they might have some trouble fitting it in. Molly says, when she and TJ moved in together, there was never enough room for their stuff until she watched this amazing how to organize your fridge video. It changed everything. Come on. She’ll show Kristina. I want to see this too. What site is that on?

James says he can’t find his firetruck, and Maxie asks if he checked under his bed. He says he did and it’s not there, and Maxie says, check his toybox and his closet. He says, okay, and runs off. Maxie tells Felicia, he’s not going to find it, and follows. Spinelli comes out, and Felicia asks how it’s going living with Maxie. He says, it’s most agreeable. He’s loving all the family time after dinner. He’s reminded about how great a mom Maxie is. All that’s a bonus. Living with his daughter fulltime is tremendous. It was a very sound financial strategy, pretending he has nowhere to live. The rent he’s paying Maxie should be helping her make ends meet. Felicia says she has to agree. Maxie seems much less stressed. Maxie comes back and asks what they’re talking about. Felicia says, good coffee, and Spinelli says, very good. There’s a knock at the door, and Spinelli answers. It’s Cody, and Spinelli says, sorry. They don’t need any cookies. He tries to close the door, but Cody walks past him, saying, that’s good, because he’s not selling any. He says hello to Maxie and Felicia.

In the visiting room at Pentenville, Heather calls to Laura and waves her arm. Laura goes over, and Heather thanks her so much for coming. This is an honor. A visit from the mayor. It’s going to give her bragging rights around here. She also wants to offer her sincere condolences about Barbara Jean Spencer’s passing. She knows Laura and Bobbie had their share of disagreements, but she’s sure… Laura says, the only reason she’s here is because Heather claims to have information on her grandson Ace. Heather says, their grandson she means? Yeah, she does. She knows Nikolas took off with him. Laura asks, how on earth could she know that? and Heather says, Esme told her when she came to visit.

Maxie says she got Cody’s text earlier, but why is he stopping by? and he says, it’s just something that happened at James’s last riding lesson. She asks if something went wrong, but he says, no. That kid’s a natural. James runs in and asks what Cody is doing here, and Cody says he got James a present. James opens the box and says, cool. New boots. Cody says, the ones James has now are a little tight for him, and James says, they pinch his toes. Maxie says, when Aunt Nina gave him those boots for Christmas, he said they fit him, and he says, they did. Now they don’t. Cody says he guesses James’s feet grow fast, and Maxie says she knew the boots were a bit on the small side, but he was so excited about them. James says, these boots are awesome. Mom said he was going to have to wait until his birthday to get new ones. James walks off, and Maxie tells Cody, those boots are too expensive, but Cody says he’s making great money at Deception now. He’s got to spend it on something. It’s no big deal. He’s just happy to see James so enthusiastic about horses. He loves it when someone takes to riding so quickly. Felicia says, it’s a very thoughtful gesture, but Spinelli says, it’s something he should have asked Maxie about first. James says he wants to try them on.

Esme asks if Doc is spying on her, and he says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to sneak up on her. She was just so focused on her work. She says she didn’t mean to snap at him. He startled her, and she’s been a little on edge since Nikolas stole her son. He says, actually, that’s why he’s here. He’s surprised she came into work at all. She says she can’t just sit home and worry about Ace. She has to find a way to move forward, no matter how impossible that might seem. What other choice does she have? He says, you tell me, and she says she’s been through this nightmare before, but when Victor Cassadine took Ace away from her, at least she knew Spencer was with him. Ace has no idea who Nikolas is, and he’s going to be very scared and he’s going to be very confused. Doc says, personally, he believes that Nikolas will take good care of Ace, but of course (🍷) she’s going to worry. She says she can’t do anything but worry. Did he come here just to check in on her? He asks why that’s so difficult to believe. He thought they all got along quite well when she was living with him and Laura. She says, sure, but that was because of Ace. He says, because of Ace, and her. She is his niece after all. She says she knows. It just feels strange. He says he understands. May he ask her a question? Why didn’t she tell anyone that Nikolas had taken Ace? Not even the police.

Molly says she’s surprised to see how well-stocked Kristina is. She’s normally more of a take-out gal. Kristina says, that was before she agreed to be Molly’s surrogate, and Molly says, she’s really taking this seriously, isn’t she? Kristina says, of course (🍷). She’s all in. She’s going to eat healthy until her niece – or nephew – arrives. Molly asks if that means she’s already pregnant.

Ava asks how Portia is holding up, and Portia says she’s putting on a brave face, so Trina doesn’t realize how nervous she actually is. Trina lives in the dorms, but she’s a local girl. She’s never been more than 50 miles outside of the city for more than two weeks. Now she’s going to Paris, halfway around the world, for four months. Ava says, look at it this way. It’s one hell of an excuse to plan a trip to Paris. Portia says, that’s a good idea, and Ava says she’s going to miss Trina a lot too. It’s going to be tough with her half a world away. Why don’t they lean on each other then? Portia says she thinks that’s a good idea.

Marshall says, Portia told him that Trina’s going to be living in a dorm. Where will Spencer be staying? Spencer says he actually found this really quaint pied-da-terre in the Latin Quarter near Trina’s dorm, and Stella asks how he plans on occupying his time while Trina’s in school. He says he’s actually been to Paris quite a few times. There’s always something to do. Trina joins them and says she thinks they’ve been interrogating Spencer long enough, but Marshall says, who’s interrogating? He’s just showing an interest in Spencer’s plan. Stella says, Spencer can take care of himself, can’t he? and Spencer says, yes, ma’am. Trina suggests they talk to Joss, and she and Spencer go to the bar.

Trina asks if Josslyn has seen Laura and Doc, but she says she hasn’t. Spencer says he’s sure it’s nothing to worry about. He thinks they’re just running late. At least that’s what Laura texted him. Josslyn asks if he thinks Laura actually lied to him, but he tells her that he’s not saying that. He’s just saying he doesn’t think it’s the worst thing that there’s going to be an ocean between the two of them. Trina says she knows Laura loves him, and Spencer agrees, but says he just doesn’t think she likes him all that much right now. Trina says she just thinks something important must have kept her away, but Spencer says he thinks he may have lost her support.

Laura asks when Esme visited Heather, and why? and Heather says, sometimes a girl just needs her mother. Speaking of which, how the hell is Leslie? Do they still talk or… Laura says, let’s stay focused on Esme, all right? Because last she heard, Esme was terrified of Heather after she saw Heather attack Dr. Gatlin-Holt at Windymere. Why would Esme visit her? Heather says, because she was distraught over Laura’s son kidnapping her child. Laura says she has talked to the police about that, and because her son is the child’s father, they don’t consider that kidnapping. Heather says, there you go. That’s exactly why Esme came to see her. Esme realized she’s the only person she can trust. Laura says she doesn’t believe Heather. Actually, she and Esme have become very close ever since she gave birth to Ace. Heather says, that was before she remembered all the horrible things Laura’s family did to her.

Kristina tells Molly that she meant she’s going to eat healthy for as long as it takes, not that she’s pregnant. It’s been less than a week since the implantation. (Ha-ha! Sounds like a field of crops.) Molly says, of course (🍷). She doesn’t know what she was thinking. Kristina says she didn’t want to get Molly’s hopes up, but Molly says, no. It’s silly of her to jump right to that. Kristina says, the plan is, she’s going to wait a couple of days and take a home pregnancy test. That way, they can avoid a false negative. Molly says, that’s a very logical thing to do, and Kristina wonders where her phone is. She’s been losing things like crazy lately. Speaking of which, the craziest thing happened at Charlie’s. This woman came in and she was furious. She was insisting she left her phone right here on the bar. She was waving her hands around and kept saying how it was such an expensive upgraded phone. Meanwhile, she had her phone right in her hand the entire time. Isn’t that crazy? Molly says, that’s crazy… or they could just take a test now. She pulls out a pregnancy test.

Cody puts the boots on James and says, whoops. He guesses he’s new to buying kids’ boots. James says he thinks they’re perfect, and stumbles around. Cody says he got them from a real saddlery, so he can just exchange them. Let him call the guy. He steps outside, and Spinelli follows. He says he knows what Cody is doing, but it’s not going to work. Cody says, okay. What is he doing again? Spinelli says, he’s taking advantage of Maxie’s generous nature, and Cody tells him, says the guy who’s living in Maxie’s house?

Josslyn says she wants updates and pictures of everything. All the beautiful places Trina and Spencer go to. Trina says she wishes Josslyn could just come with them, and Josslyn says she has her classes at PCU, but she was thinking she could come to Paris for spring break. Trina says she’d love that, and Spencer says he feels as her boyfriend, he should get a say in that, but Trina and Josslyn both say, no. Trina says, then it’s settled, and they laugh. Spencer says he has to check on something real quick, and takes out his phone. Trina asks if there’s any news about his dad. She still can’t believe his dad took Ace like that. Spencer says he let his father take Ace, and he even delayed telling Esme so he could give Nikolas a bigger head start. Josslyn asks why he would do that. She’s no friend of Esme’s, but to take her kid like that? That’s pretty harsh, especially when he does nothing but talk about what a lousy dad Nikolas was. Does he think Nikolas is going to be any better for Ace? Spencer says, the situation has changed, and Trina asks, how? He says he’s pretty sure Esme has her memories back.

Portia tells Stella, it’s really been an emotional past few days, right? There’s been some highs, like Curtis coming home and possibly being able to walk again. But then there’s the lows, like Trina leaving for four months and being halfway around the world. Stella asks, is Trina’s leaving troubling her or the fact that Spencer is going to be with her? and Portia says she thinks she’s learned to accept the fact that Trina needs to make her own decisions in her life. She’s a young lady and she’s decided that Spencer is part of that life. Okay, fine, but Portia can’t stop thinking about all the turmoil that follows Spencer wherever he goes. Wouldn’t it be better for her to go to Paris without him?

Laura says, Esme got her memories back? When did that happen? Heather says, the night of Christmas Eve. She went back to Windymere where Laura’s horrible, criminal son held her prisoner for months and months. She guesses it brought it back for her. Laura asks why Esme wouldn’t mention that to her, and Heather says, she didn’t want to go to prison. Duh. Come on. They both know the charges related to that stupid sex tape are still hanging over Esme’s head. Laura asks why Heather would put her own daughter at risk by revealing her secret. Heather knows she’s the mayor. She doesn’t think Laura is going to go straight to the PCPD? Heather says she knows Laura will. Then they’ll put Esme here in Pentenville where she belongs… with her mother.

Marshall asks how Curtis is doing, and Curtis says, glad to be out of the hospital. He knows everybody is just doing their job, but the constant check-ins and nurses and all the noise from the machines, it’s kind of hard to sleep in the hospital. Last night he got about seven hours. It felt pretty good. Marshall says he can imagine, but he knows Curtis. Something’s got him on edge. Curtis says he’s fine, but Marshall says, no, he’s covering, which is his right. But if there’s any way he can help, even just by listening, he wants to. Curtis says, the thing is, for the first time he has real hope that he might walk again. They both know hope is no guarantee, but in some ways, the uncertainty is harder than just accepting he’ll be in this wheelchair for the rest of his life. That’s not a fun reality. It’s a harsh fact that he can wrap his brain around though. Marshall says, as opposed to having a glimmer of hope that might never be realized, and Curtis says, exactly. If he tells himself that he can walk again and he never does, it will be like being paralyzed all over again. Marshall says he hears Curtis. Hope takes courage. Fortunately, Curtis is the most courageous man he’s ever known.

Maxie says, they can’t get these boots scuffed up or Cody won’t be able to exchange them for boots that actually fit James’s feet. James asks if the store is going to take them back, and Felicia says, he heard Cody. He said he’s going to take care of it. James says he can ride a horse in the too small boots, but Felicia says, he just told them that they pinch his toes. James says, or he could ride in snow boots or sneakers. They could get the money back for them instead. Then he’ll give it to Maxie to help pay the bills.

On the phone, Cody says, awesome. Thank you very much. Spinelli says he’s Georgie’s father and he’s paying Maxie rent. And the only reason he’s living here is because his apartment is flooded and completely uninhabitable, which is a completely different situation than Cody trying to suck up to James with expensive gifts. Cody says, lighten up. They’re just boots. Spinelli says, maybe to Cody they are, but James has had more than one father figure come in and out of his life. Unfortunately for James, his real father Nathan tragically died before he was born, and thank God for Grandpa Mac, but every time Maxie gets involved with someone, the kids can’t help but get attached. First it was the atrocious Peter August, then Austin, who wasn’t nearly as reprehensible as Peter, but still, they came into his life and out of his life, and that’s really, really hard for kids to understand. Cody says, slow down. He’s just giving James riding lessons. He’s not trying to romance Maxie. Spinelli says, oh please. He knows Cody. He’s all too aware that Cody is just a scheming blackmailer hiding behind the veneer of rugged cowboy charm. Cody says he had no idea. Spinelli thinks he’s charming.

Kristina says she just told Molly, it’s too soon to take a test, and Molly says she knows it makes sense to wait. But the waiting is literally driving her crazy. Kristina says she sees that and feels the same way, but it’s just too early. Molly says, actually, this particular test says it can detect HGT hormones five days earlier than any other test on the market. Kristina says, what if it’s negative? and Molly says, they already know they might get a false negative. Then they’ll take another test in a few days like Kristina said. If it’s positive, then the waiting’s over and they’ll know the IUI procedure worked and she’s pregnant.

Spencer tells Trina and Josslyn that Esme called him Spence, which she hasn’t called him since this past New Year’s when she washed up on the deck of the Haunted Star. And it’s just her attitude. She’s different. The things she’s saying are a lot sharper. Josslyn asks why he didn’t tell them sooner, and he says he’s telling them right now. Everything has happened very quickly. After Ava pressed charges against Esme for breaking and entering into Windymere he thought that was going to be the solution to their problems, that Esme would go to prison. But she got six months probation, which means Ace can still be living with her. There are a million reasons for him to hate his father, but he knows that Nikolas is going to do everything in his power to protect Ace. If Esme does have her memories back, there’s no telling how she’ll use his little brother as a pawn. They all know what the old Esme is capable of. Trina says she just wishes he’d said something the second he suspected it, and Josslyn asks what they’re supposed to do now. Do they talk to the DA and ask him to prosecute Esme on the original charges? Trina says, the reason he dropped the charges on drugging her and making that awful revenge porn of Josslyn and Cam was because Esme claimed not to remember, and it would be too difficult of a conviction. But if she has her memory back now… Spencer says, there’s no way for them to know for certain. And she’s not going to admit to it. They do need proof, because if this goes to trial and Esme is somehow able to convince a jury she’s innocent, then that’s it. They get one shot at this. Josslyn says she’s been waiting for the real Esme to show herself. She’ll get them proof. The two of them just need to focus on going to Paris. Do not let Esme take that away from them. Spencer says, but what if this goes to trial? and she says, then they both fly back. Trina thanks her, and Spencer says, please be careful. Because Esme’s not going to give up Ace lying down. She’s planning something. Josslyn says, like what? and he says he doesn’t know, but nothing good.

Esme tells Doc, going to the PCPD would be useless. Despite the fact Nikolas had never met Ace before he took him, it doesn’t matter. he’s still Ace’s father. Spencer has made that perfectly clear. She’s powerless. Doc says, she’s right. There may not be much the authorities can do, but that doesn’t mean she’s alone. He and Laura have done everything they can to support her. Why not come to them? She says, Nikolas is Laura’s son and Spencer is her grandson. Why would Laura side with her over them, and even if she did, would it really make a difference? Nikolas disappeared on her for months. She couldn’t track him down then, and she can’t track him down now. He says he wouldn’t underestimate what Laura is willing to do for her family.

Laura says, so Heather wants Esme to go to prison, and Heather says, it’s the only way she can look out for her little girl. She tried to get Esme to leave town, but she completely refused. She said it was about Ace, but she can tell Esme is hellbent on revenge. Laura says, revenge against who? and Heather says, take her pick. Any number of people who have wronged her, but if she was to speculate, she’s pretty certain Spencer and Trina are at the top of Esme’s hit list.

Kristina says, she’s usually the one with impulse control issues, and Molly says she knows. She’s being pushy and totally out of control. Kristina says, it’s okay. She knows where this comes from. Molly really wants to be a mom. Molly says, and see TJ be a dad. Has she thanked Kristina enough for doing this? Kristina says, she has. She’s beyond happy. Her phone dings, and Kristina says, there it is. One sec. This might be work. She sees a text from Blaze: Thinking of you. Hope you’re having a great day! Kristina texts back: It just got a lot better. Call u later? She sees Molly looking at her and says, what? Molly asks who the text is from.

Maxie says, that’s a very generous offer, but Cody gave James these boots as a gift. They’re his. James says he’s heard her talk about money. Sometimes she doesn’t think he’s listening, but he is. Maxie says, he shouldn’t be listening in on her conversations, and Felicia says, money is a grownup problem. He has better things to think about. He says, like horses? and Maxie says, yes, like horses, hugging him.

Spinelli says, Maxie is too trusting. She has this bad habit of always seeing the best in people, whether they merit it or not. Then she ends up getting hurt. She deserves better. Cody asks if he’s jealous. Is that what this is about? He likes Maxie, yes. The same way he likes Mac and Felicia. The same way he likes Georgie or James or little Bailey Lou. They’re almost like family to him, but he’s not Spinelli’s competition. If Spinelli wants to date Maxie, he’s not standing in Spinelli’s way.

Curtis says he’s got to brag just a little bit more. Trina getting into the Sorbonne is a huge accomplishment. Trina thanks him, and he says, she’s a remarkable young woman and she deserves to be celebrated. She hugs him.

Heather says she knows Esme better than anybody, but Laura says, Heather has known Esme less than a year, right? And during that time, Esme didn’t even remember who she was. Heather says, but she does now. It’s a miracle really. She’s seen the real Esme and Esme is just like her. But unfortunately, she’s just like her father too. Sometimes, she is too stubborn for her own good. Esme refused to take her advice about this. Since she’s locked up in here, she needs Laura. Please, for the sake of their shared grandson, will Laura help her?

Trina hugs Ava and thanks her so much for everything. The list of the small art galleries in Paris, she’s honestly going to try and see every single last one. She just hopes they’ll put up with her communication through the translator app. Ava says, a lot of people in Paris speak English. Don’t assume though. Try to say a few words in French and they’ll be much more receptive. Trina says she’ll remember that, and Ava says she just wants Trina to have the most fabulous time. Trina says she wouldn’t have gotten into the Sorbonne if it wasn’t for her internship at Ava’s gallery, but Ava says she thinks having The Chuck on Trina’s resumé made it more impressive. Trina says she’s not talking about prestige. She’s talking about the encouragement and support Ava gave her. Ava taught her to trust her instinct regarding art and to be more confident about speaking her mind. Ava says, Trina is giving her too much credit, and Trina says, then they can agree to disagree.

Spencer thanks Portia for including him in the party, but she says, the party was actually Curtis’s idea. He says he wants her to know how important Trina’s happiness is to him, and she says she doesn’t really doubt his feelings for Trina. It’s just that he’s no stranger to trouble and she doesn’t want trouble finding Trina, here or in Paris.

Esme tells Doc that coming to work wasn’t her best idea. She can’t really focus, and she doesn’t want to break down here, so… Doc says he doesn’t think Alexis would mind if they borrowed her office for a few minutes. Please sit down with him. Esme sits, and he asks what he has to do to convince her that there are people here who want to help her. She says she doesn’t think anyone wants to help Ryan Chamberlain and Heather Webber’s daughter, and that’s always who she’ll be. He says, yes, but she’s also Ace’s mother, and she says, what if she never sees her son again? He says he and Laura will do everything in their power to bring him back to her. She’s a good mother. She says, who’s done terrible things, or so she’s told, and he says, we can’t change our past, but we can try to do better going forward. She says, what if we don’t know how? and he says, we ask for help. She says she doesn’t think it’s that easy, and he says, granted, letting people in, showing who you really are, is never easy, but it can change your life. Would she like to change?

Spinelli says, his romantic feelings for Maxie ended years ago, and Cody says, really? Because the look on his face whenever she’s in the room says otherwise. Is he worried it’s been too long to get her back? If his romance game is a little off, Cody can give him some pointers. Spinelli says, never, and Cody says, if Spinelli changes his mind, let him know. Some people say he’s charming. James runs out and asks if Cody called the store. Cody says, sure did. It’s all taken care of. They’re going to swap out those boots for ones that fit. James asks if Cody can stay a while, and Cody says, sure. Why not? James says, come to his room and pick out a game they can play, grabbing Cody’s hand and dragging him inside.

Cody runs through the living room with James, and says, they’re going to get a game. Maxie tells Felicia that she’s upset that James knows she’s worried about money. What kind of parent is she that her kid thinks he has to take care of her? Felicia says she thinks James’s generosity is a beautiful thing. He gets it from his mom. Spinelli comes back in and asks if everything is okay. Maxie says she just needs a minute and leaves the room. Felicia asks if Spinelli is done giving Cody a hard time, and he says he thought she didn’t trust him either. She says she had her doubts, but she was wrong about Cody. He should give Cody a chance.

Kristina says, it was the weekend bartender at Charlie’s. Juggling schedules is one of her many jobs there. Molly says, the way she was smiling, she thought the text was from someone Kristina liked. She says she does like him, but not like that. He’s a great guy. He’s solid and kind and has a really great work ethic. He’s only working at Charlie’s part-time because he has another fulltime job. He’s in training; he’s a competitive athlete. She was smiling because he’s covering a shift for her this weekend. Molly says, she’s close with the staff at Charlie’s, isn’t she? and Kristina says she is. They all share in the same insanity there. Five of them went out last weekend and they had such a great time. Molly says, being pregnant is going to cause such a huge disruption to Kristina’s life. She knew that already and it’s hitting her all over again. Kristina says, hopefully not that huge. Not until the second trimester, right? The sooner they know, the sooner they can plan things and figure it out. Molly says, does that mean… and Kristina suggests they find out if she’s pregnant.

Portia says she’s busted, she knows, and wipes her eyes. Trina says, no tears. If Portia cries, she’s going to cry. Portia says she’s sorry. She really can’t help it. Her little girl is growing up. She’s headed to Paris. Trina says, it’s only going to be four months, and Portia says she knows and she’s going to be okay. She wants Trina to have so much fun and all the experiences she can possibly have. She’s in awe of Trina. She’s in awe of Trina’s strength, her beauty, her wisdom… She’s going to miss Trina. Trina says she loves Portia, and they hug. Portia says she loves Trina too.

James and Cody play Connect Four and Cody says, James is too good at this. He thinks he’s been hustled. James asks what that means, and Cody says, like when you ask someone to play a game when you already know you’re going to win. James says, but he hasn’t won yet, and Cody says, that’s a very good point. He still has a shot. Felicia tells James to show Cody how it’s done, and tells Spinelli that Cody is really good with James, doesn’t he think?

Molly and Kristina sit on the sofa, waiting, when a timer goes off. Kristina asks if Molly is ready, and Molly says, is she? Kristina says, as she’ll ever be. Should they… Molly says she can’t look. Can Kristina do it? Kristina picks up the test, and Molly says, Kristina was right. It’s too early. They’ll take another test next week. Kristina says, they don’t need to take another test, and Molly says, she means… Kristina says she’s pregnant, and they hug.

Laura asks what Heather wants her to do, and Heather says she’s really worried that Esme is going to get herself in much worse trouble if she goes after Spencer and Trina. She needs to save her daughter from herself. Please, find Esme. Find her daughter and stop her before she does something horrible.

Esme tells Doc that she does want to change. Will he help her? He says, all she had to do was ask, and she gets up. She paces as she talks and says, all she wants to do is be a good mother to Ace and raise him in peace, instead of having to constantly explain the past and apologize. She realizes people find her responsible for people getting hurt, but she has to focus on the future, on her son and getting him back and doing whatever it takes – she picks up a sculpture from the bookcase – to keep him with her. She whacks Doc over the head with the sculpture, and he falls out of the chair onto the floor. She says, oh, Uncle Kevin, I’m not falling for that. You can save your pity for Spencer and Trina.

Curtis says, before the meal is served, he’d like to propose a toast. To Trina and Spencer, much love and best wishes on your exciting new adventure. Everyone raises their glasses and toasts to Trina and Spencer. Spencer tells Trina that he’s very excited to put the past behind them. And he’s really, really looking forward to their future. He kisses her.

Tomorrow, Robert asks if Diane is offended that he might win; Brick asks, what’s the mission, should he choose to accept; Laura says, Dante and Chase have to arrest Esme before she does something terrible; and Alexis asks if Sonny knows something she doesn’t know.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

I literally force myself to put on Bravo. Another beautiful vacation wasted on (for the most part) women who don’t appreciate or deserve it.

Everyone packs for Barcelona. Sutton wonders if she should take a separate suitcase for shoes and handbags. She tells Avi that she’ll do her underpinnings and she’s done. I only include that because I’ve never heard anyone use the word underpinnings before. She tells Avi that she’s taking Merce with her. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Merce Cunningham Studio is the best in the dance world. She went there when she first came to NYC. She tells Avi that she has to pack Merce’s ashes, and Avi says, this is against his religion. In her interview, she says she’s had his ashes for 12 years. She wanted to release them in a significant way and make the trip meaningful. Avi tells her to make sure they don’t blow back in her face, and I’m reminded of Sonja Morgan’s dog on OG RHONY.

The women meet at the airport, and in Crystal’s interview, she says she thinks Spain is a good restart. There’s something about sangria. In Erika’s interview, she says, the trip is starting on a good note. No one is killing each other at LAX. So far, so good. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she’s never been Spain, but always wanted to go. She’s looking forward to the food, the culture, the men, and the life. On the plane, Dorit puts on Chanel PJs and Crystal says, they cost more than her wedding dress. The text says that Crystal’s PJs were $8.99. Good for her. The women bring a million pieces of luggage, but no judgement here. I’m the worst. I go away for a weekend, and it looks like I’m going for a month. But on this Kyle and I agree – you don’t know what you’re going to need until you get there. Suddenly, we’re in Barcelona and on a luxury bus. Sutton says, they’re going to draw for rooms. Good thing Ramona isn’t there. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Sitges (a town nearby) is where the Merce Cunningham Dance Company first performed in Europe. How amazing is that? She tells the group that they’re going to play a game and there’s a prize for the winner. The game is called All of a Sutton. Crystal says, we’ll play a game about me and call it me, and Sutton asks, what is the name of one of her cats? Erika says, Prints, which is correct. Sutton asks, what was her first job in NYC? and Kyle says, stripper, but Garcelle says, that’s Erika. Erika says, nothing has changed, and Sutton says she was a nanny. She asks what her father’s name is, and Crystal says, Mr. Sutton. Kyle says, John, and there are questions about her kids and her cars. Erika is the winner, and in her interview, Garcelle says she’s Sutton’s bestie, but she can’t know everything. In Erika’s interview, she says she knew every answer. Who’s Sutton’s best friend? Sutton presents Erika with a tiara from her store.

No big shock, the house is beyond amazing. They’re welcomed with Sangria and host Zoë tells them that the house was built in the 14^th century by one of the most famous wine producing families in Spain. She warns them that it’s haunted, and Erika says she knew it. She felt it. In Erika’s interview, she says she has the ability to smell different spirits. Dorit goes, waaah! and in Annemarie’s interview, she says, they all know who goes first in the horror movies. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, since it’s between her and Annemarie, she hopes it’s Annemarie. Okay, that’s actually pretty funny. Zoë says, the ghosts are little people and super friendly. In Kyle’s interview, she wonders what Zoë is talking about. Aliens? Erika wonders if it’s garden gnomes, and tells the women, just embrace it. Zoë says, they’ll be serving cocktails and tapas, and Garcelle says she wants the least haunted room. Another no surprise, all of the rooms are gorgeous and they’re more like suites. In her interview, Erika says she doesn’t need ghosts or little people in her life. She’s on medication and trying hard to remain stable. Erika messes with the ceiling access to the attic, and in her interview, Kyle says, don’t open vents and don’t go to the attic or basement. Everyone knows that. A camera guy drops something and scares the hell out of Dorit. In her interview, Garcelle says she’s never traveled with glam before. She’s got to keep up with these bitches. The bar in Dorit’s closet falls, probably because it’s not used to 1000 pounds hanging from it, and in her interview, she says, Chanel does not belong on the floor. As Kyle unpacks, Dorit critiques her wardrobe, and in Dorit’s interview, she says she doesn’t know this Kyle. She gets that Kyle wants to show off her body, but what was she thinking when she was packing? Is she looking for her next husband in Spain?

There’s a self-serve bar outside, and live music. In Annemarie’s interview, she says, there are doors in the house that look like they shouldn’t be opened, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says she doesn’t play with that sh*t. She’s Haitian, and where she’s from, there’s voodoo and witchcraft. She’s heard stories like a body turning into a goat at an open casket funeral and doesn’t want any part of it. We see that Erika’s new tiara says C’est moi on it, and she wears it to dinner. Chef Storm introduces himself, and in her interview, Garcelle says, Chef Storm can feel free to rain all over her. She tells Erika that they can tag team him, and Erika says she doesn’t even mind being second. In Erika’s interview, she says, things instantly got better in the place, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, he can cook, he has an accent, we’re in Spain. Olé.

They go inside to a table set with beautiful rustic décor, and Sutton says she brought a special guest. She wants to introduce Merce Cunningham, world renowned choreographer. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, he meant so much and he’s in a Ziploc bag. Put her in a Berkin, not a Ziploc. Sutton says, Twyla Tharp (one of my favorites) studied under him, and in Erika’s interview, she says, Merce Cunningham was a legend. She felt like a loser not knowing who he was. She got checked by Mikey asking what’s wrong with her. Sutton says, they had a special relationship, and in her interview, she says, they had a real bond. She worked for him as a studio manager, and he liked her as a dancer and he liked her work ethic. We see photos of Sutton as a dancer and it’s a surprise to me. She says, he was such a unique person, and didn’t mind her quirkiness. He was one of the most important men in her life. She tells the women, when her father died, he was the first one to call her. They got super close. The tapas begins, and they check to see if the chef is wearing a wedding ring. In Crystal’s interview, she says, all the women are like, pay attention to me! I like your food! There are foodgasms all around, but since we’re not allowed to have fun, Annemarie says, there’s an elephant in the room and she needs to get something off her chest. Last weekend a lot of things were said and she apologizes for her part. She talked to Sutton and hopes their in a better place. Sutton says she was fine with the esophagus stuff. (At this point, Sutton’s small esophagus is right up there with Munchausen, Pantygate, and Puppygate.) What she has a problem with is Annemarie saying she’s lonely and insecure. We flash back to Annemarie saying she’ll wake up to her amazing husband, amazing kids, and amazing life. Thank God she’s not lonely and insecure. Sutton says, there are three divorcees at the table, and she was lonelier during her marriage. Either he was traveling or asleep because he worked so much. Annemarie shouldn’t use the word lonely. Annemarie says, she owns that, which has become meaningless since circa LisaR. Several of them were angry, things were said, and she’s sorry for anybody else her words affected. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, so if you’re single, you’re lonely and insecure? She’s single too. Is Annemarie implying that you’re lonely and desperate if you don’t have a man? If Annemarie has an apology for her, don’t apologize.

Crystal asks if Annemarie is calling her insecure, and Annemarie says, they’re getting to her. She wants to talk about the Crystal situation and tells the women that she and Crystal met at a holiday party prior to her being on the show. The first thing Crystal said about the women is that they weren’t intelligent, nobody was educated, and they were shallow. Crystal says, that’s ridiculous, and Garcelle says, they’re all educated. In Dorit’s interview, she says, Crystal is nowhere near as educated as they are. When she was a child bride, busy getting married at 12, they were busy graduating college, building businesses, and doing things to educate themselves. Crystal tells them that she wouldn’t say that stuff to someone she just met, and she doesn’t feel that way. We flash back to Crystal’s interview where she said, the women are savvy, but clearly not educated. She tells them that she didn’t say that, and in Garcelle’s interview, she says, Crystal has a history of thinking they’re less smart than she is. We flash back to a whole bunch of stupid stuff, including the violated debacle, and Garcelle says, she thinks Crystal believes that some of them are not as astute as she is. Astute. There’s a word for her. Annemarie says, Crystal told her that they were fake socialites, and she was the only true socialite in the group. In Erika’s interview, she wonders if this is a Northeast/Southeast thing and are they doing cotillion. In Dorit’s interview, she says she feels Crystal could have said that. It’s her excuse for not being interesting; because my intellect is too high. No, you’re boring. Crystal tells them that she never said she was a socialite. She did say she was very social. In Annemarie’s interview, she says, when she and Crystal first met, she thought Crystal was crazy telling her this information. Now that she’s getting to know Crystal better, she’d say it’s on brand. She says, Crystal needs to think she’s better than the rest of them, and Crystal says, they’ve met six times. Give her an example of how she thinks she’s better. Annemarie says, right now because she’s not being honest. In Kyle’s interview, she says, obviously, something about Annemarie provokes Crystal. Crystal is usually reserved with her thoughts and feelings. She’s never seen Crystal respond like this, and thinks Annemarie and Crystal need to talk alone, so she doesn’t have to hear it. In Crystal’s interview, she says, Annemarie said she wants to bring lightness and fun, but she’s antagonistic, combative, and dismissive. Annemarie tells Crystal that she’s acting like a hormonal teenager. She wants to thank Crystal for giving Crystal something to talk about and making Crystal’s ass relevant. (That makes zero sense, but go on.) In Annemarie’s interview, she says she’s sorry she triggers Crystal, and that Crystal finds her life interesting. Crystal has nothing to talk about except her. Dorit suddenly becomes the voice of reason and says, they’ve been up a long time, and she thinks they should put a pin in it. Annemarie says, don’t take her kindness for weakness, and Crystal says, she’s not kind. Annemarie says she’s always kind, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, it was perfection. Now let’s ruin it by saying Crystal hates them because they’re stupid and vapid. That’s not how she thought this was going to work. They go to bed, and Garcelle asks, what the hell happened?

Just a couple of things. I think what Annemarie does is give them a grain of truth, but then she embellishes. IMO to the point where she goes from believable to not so believable. Like maybe Crystal did say that about them being uneducated, although I don’t think she was necessarily talking about book learning. She probably meant ignorant. But then Annemarie has to add that thing about being a socialite. Nope. Not buying that one. Crystal has never said she was a socialite, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of the others say they were either. No doubt Sutton was, but I don’t remember her even talking about it. And Crystal has nothing to talk about? She’s married to the Brave Little Toaster guy and her brother is a huge pop star in China. And that’s just two things. I think Annemarie is trying to make her own ass relevant. And kind? Far, far from it. She’s a bully who’s moved on from Sutton to Crystal. So far, Annemarie’s track record shows she’s the uneducated one who embellishes the truth. And don’t even get me started on what Dorit said in her interview about Crystal. It’s already all over the place online.

In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s 1 am and she’s scared to go to Sutton’s room, but she’s going anyway. She knows there’s a room with a crib and she doesn’t want to see it. She doesn’t know who’s in the crib and she doesn’t want to. She tells Sutton that she doesn’t want to sleep with ashes staring her in the face, but she wants snacks. In her interview, Garcelle says, after Sutton talking all night in Vegas, here she is, sleeping with her again. In the morning, Sutton visits Crystal and asks how she’s feeling. Crystal says, Annemarie is a lot. She doesn’t think Annemarie listens. Sutton says, Annemarie called her a liar to the whole group, but Crystal says she doesn’t think anyone believes her. Erika asks if Dorit thinks Crystal called them shallow, and Dorit says she doesn’t think Annemarie is flat out making it up. In Erika’s interview, she says she thinks there’s a ring of truth. She doesn’t think Annemarie pulled it out of nowhere. She tells Dorit, if they’re so uneducated and shallow, why be here? Sutton asks why Crystal is letting Annemarie off the hook, but Crystal says Sutton needs someone to tell her that it wasn’t said to feel better. She doesn’t. In Sutton’s interview, she says, she and Crystal have had some challenging times, and we flash back to that. She thinks with some friendships, you have to take a deep dive to come up fresh. They’ve both come into a fresh air spot where they like each other’s company. She wants Annemarie and Crystal to nip this in the bud and build a better friendship. Sutton tells Crystal to stick up for herself, but Crystal says she’s treading lightly. Sutton says, Crystal needs to tell her.

Erika says she has happy news to share. Two decisions have been handed down by the district court of appeal regarding the earrings. The court wants the trustee to prove the earrings were paid for with client money. Remember when she said the story isn’t over? What she said was going to happen is happening. Don’t rush to judgment. They still have a fight, but a win is a win, and the court said, hold on. In Kyle’s interview, she says she thinks Erika feels vindicated. So many doubted her, and Erika told them, give her a minute. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she wishes Erika would let the earrings go and give back to the victims, even though she’s not guilty. You need good karma. Sutton suggests that maybe when Erika is so loud, they can’t hear, and in Erika’s interview, she says she can’t control people’s reactions, but she expected more. She doesn’t need to have them throw their arms around her, but she needs acknowledgment that what she said would happen is happening. They leave for a trek to an old church in Sitges, and Sutton says, it’s like herding cats here. In her interview, Erika says she’s disappointed at the lack of passion for her favorable ruling, when they were so passionate last year. Therapy, therapy, therapy. They take two cars on a long, scary, winding road, and suddenly Crystal says she needs to get out of the car. She’s going to be carsick. They stop and she gets out. Crystal shows them her hands; they’re swollen, and her veins are popping out. Garcelle runs over to Annemarie and asks what it means. Annemarie looks at Crystal’s hands and says, they are big. Holy crap. Is she sure she’s even a nurse? In Kyle’s interview, she says, the universe works in mysterious ways. Yesterday, Crystal and Annemarie were at each other’s throats. Now Crystal is at Annemarie’s mercy. Kyle tells them that she’s calling 9-1-1.

Next time, lots of shopping; Sutton apologizes to Kyle; Sutton says she’s sorry she wasn’t a better friend to Kyle; Garcelle tries to clear the air with Dorit; and Sutton breaks down about her dad.

☔️ Baby, the Rain Must Fall…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap, tea, and tidbits, since Southern Charm is thankfully over. Until then, stay safe, stay using your inside voice on public transport, and stay trying to do better going forward since you can’t change the past.

Jan24

January 23, 2024 – Curtis Is Tested After Surgery, New Ones, Last Bow, Salty Talk, No Surprise, Farewell, The Big One, Halftime, Puppy (!) Bowl & Do It

Posted on January 24, 2024 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the ax throwing place, Chase asks how Brook got so good at this, and she says, visualization. He asks what exactly she’s visualizing, and she says, not what, who. Lucy Coe. Brook nearly gets a bullseye.

At the hospital, Finn says, maybe this was a bad idea, but Elizabeth asks, since when is going to a meeting a bad idea? He says, maybe his time would be better spent going over his defense with his attorney, but she says, honestly, until they get more information about what Muldoon was up to before seeing Finn, she doesn’t think he and Martin have a lot to talk about. He says, maybe she’s right, and she says, something told him he needed this meeting today. She thinks he should trust his instincts. He says, who needs instincts when he’s got her?

Jesse pops the cork on a bottle of champagne, and Tracy asks if there’s ever been a more satisfying sound. Scotty says, if there is, he hasn’t heard it. Gregory comes over to the table and asks, what’s the occasion? but Scotty says he doesn’t think they need an occasion. Does Tracy? She says, they definitely don’t.

Lucy tells Martin that there’s nothing going on with her and Scotty. Look at the guy. He is clearly otherwise engaged. He asks, then why does she keep looking over there? What is so captivating about Scott Baldwin?

At the hospital, Portia tells Stella and Trina, so good of them to come, and Stella asks, where else would they be? Trina says, Curtis needs them, and Stella says, whatever happens today, good or bad – Portia says, please let it be good – Curtis will know he still has his family behind him. Portia asks if Trina is okay, and Trina says, she just wants this to work. Portia says, they all do. Trina asks if they should go in, and Stella says, Curtis shouldn’t be alone right now, but Portia says, don’t worry. He’s not alone.

Marshall says, the doctor should have been here by now, but Curtis says, Dr. Martel got pulled into emergency surgery. He’ll be here as soon as he can. Marshall says, isn’t that fitting, and Curtis says, what? Marshall says, Curtis reassuring him, on today of all days, and Curtis says, it beats the alternative. Marshall says, which is? and Curtis says, this endless loop going on in his head. Did the surgery work or didn’t it? Marshall says, a question only the doctor can answer.

Anna goes to the hospital reception desk, and TJ asks how he can help her. She says she was supposed to meet his mother for drinks last night, but she never showed up at the restaurant. He says, it’s not like his mother to be a no-show, and she says she knows. It’s not like her to leave messages unanswered either. So she wondered if TJ knew where she was or if he’s heard from her. He says, no, but he wonders… She says, what? and he comes around the desk. He says, she’s been conducting her own investigation into his uncle’s shooting, and Anna says, of course (🍷) she has. He says he was with her yesterday when she got her first lead, her first solid one anyway. He asked her if she would be safe, and she said she would be. She says, but now he’s concerned. So is she. He asks if Anna thinks his mom is in trouble.

Anna tells TJ that his mom knows better than to go it alone. The nature of the lead suggested back-up was warranted. He says, maybe under normal circumstances, and she says, these are anything but? He says his mom is tracing the gun that shot Uncle Curtis. What if she took a calculated risk and got in over her head? Anna says, it’s possible, and he says he’s calling the PCPD, when Jordan walks in. Anna says, there she is. They were getting worried. TJ asks if she’s okay, and Jordan says, yeah. She’s fine. He says, she’s wearing the same clothes as she did last night. Where has she been all this time? (Speaking of which, whatever happened to Zeke?)

The meeting leader recites the Serenity Prayer and asks if anyone would like to share. Finn raises his hand and says he’s Hamilton. He’s an addict. And he’s also a doctor.

Marshall says, Curtis has to stay positive, and Curtis says, he’s being positive, but he’s also being realistic. He wants with every fiber in him for this procedure to be a success, but if it weren’t… Marshall says, then they’ll deal with that. They’ll deal with that together. Curtis thanks him, and Marshall says, better late than never, right? He spent most of his life running away, and left Irene to raise Curtis and his brother. He was so terrified he’d hurt them. Curtis says, that’s most of his life. He’s here now. Marshall says, that’s because of Curtis. Curtis taught him to overcome that fear. Curtis says he has no fear of a setback. If those doctors walked in right now and said, we’ve done all that we can do. We’ve gone as far as we can and this is as good as it gets, he could handle that. But when he thinks about having to look Portia in the face, and Trina, and Aunt Stella, he sees that disappointment in their eyes. That would gut him. Marshall says, but it won’t break him.

Stella says she thinks she’ll go to the chapel and light a candle, and Portia says, it couldn’t hurt. Trina says, light one for her, and Stella says, she’s got it. She leaves, and Portia says, now Trina can talk to her. Trina says, how can she fly to Paris when they don’t know what’s happening with Curtis? Portia says, she’s going. She and Trina’s father both want her to go. Trina says, even if it’s with Spencer? and Portia says, is he her first choice for a travel companion? No. Trina knows he’s not, but he makes her happy. She can see that. And if Trina ever has children, she’ll realize that all you ever want for them is just to be happy. When she thinks about herself in Paris does it make her feel all warm, kind of good inside? Trina says, yeah, and Portia says, Curtis wouldn’t want to deprive her of that feeling. So she’s going to go, and she’s going to experience life, and it’s going to be amazing. She’s going to live, laugh, love, all the things. And what she’s going to do for sure is send Portia pictures and text her constantly. Trina laughs and says, okay, when her phone rings. Portia asks if that’s Spencer, and Trina says, she’s going to call him later, but Portia says she thinks Trina should take it. They need all the support they can get today, right? Trina leaves to take the call, and Elizabeth sits down. She asks if Portia needs a shoulder and puts her arm around Portia. She says she’s got two of them, but Portia says, one should suffice.

Lucy says, there’s really no reason for Martin to be jealous, and Martin says, except for her seeming inability to take her eyes off the man. Lucy says, did she and Scotty have a moment once upon a time? Yeah, but it was a long, long time ago. She barely remembers it. Why dwell on it? He says, because from what he understands, that moment has a habit of reoccurring. But if her history with Scotty is just that – she says, it is – why does the prospect of discussing it get her all scrunched up? She says she’s not scrunched up, but he says he sees scrunches. She says, then she sees insecurity…ness, and it’s not a good look. She gets up and he asks where she’s going. She says she’s sorry. Does she need his permission to go to the ladies room? He says, no. By all means. She thanks him and stomps off.

Tracy asks if Gregory would care to join them, and he thanks her, but says he’s well-aware three is a crowd. She says, no. The more, the merrier. Right, Scott? Scotty says, huh? and she asks if she’s keeping him.

Lucy slams her purse onto the vanity and looks in the mirror. She says she’s not scrunched. She’s not scrunched up at all. Scotty better not be laying it on too thick with Tracy. She digs in her bag for a nail file, and hears someone come in. She asks if they’d happen to have an emery board. She snagged her nail. Martin says he’s fresh out, and glances under the stalls. He asks if the coast is clear, and she says she’s in here by herself. What is he doing in here? He says, Scott Baldwin. He wants the truth, the whole truth, and he wants it now.

Chase asks when Brook turned on Lucy, and she says she was never a huge fan of hers. She’s a lot. He says, no question. Did he ever tell her about the time Lucy came into the PCPD locker room when he was coming out of the shower? She checked him out, then demanded he sing at the Nurses Ball. She says she remembers hearing something about that. She tried to block it out, but now that he reminded her, it’s just another reason to visualize. She throws the ax, still not quite getting a bullseye, and he says he doesn’t buy it. She’s been co-existing with Lucy for years, at work and outside of it. They’re not personal friends, but they’ve always been cordial with each other. What changed? Brook says, Lucy crossed the line with her grandmother.

Lucy says, this is inappropriate. Martin is in the lady’s room. He says, when another lady shows up, he’ll make himself scarce. Dammit. He thought she was different. She says she is different… and he says, she knows all about his history with women, his exes. One emotional bloodbath after another, and she said she understood, that she loved him for him. She says she did… She does, present tense. He walks to the door, and she says she loves him now, but he walks out. She looks in the mirror and says, that went well.

Scotty tells Tracy that there’s no place he’d rather be and no one he’d rather be with. He sees Martin come out and says, but he does have to use the little boy’s room. He asks if Gregory would mind keeping his lovely companion company while he’s gone, and Tracy says, take his time. They’ll pick up right where they left off when he gets back. He leaves, and Tracy tells Gregory, don’t. He says he didn’t say anything, and she says, he doesn’t have to say a thing. Just believe her when she tells him, it’s not what it appears. He says, she doesn’t owe him an explanation, and rubs his chest. She asks, what’s the matter? and he says, heartburn. You’d think he would have learned by now; citrus is not his friend. She says, they call it antacids for a reason, and he says, touché. He should probably get going. Does she think Scotty will forgive him if he leaves his lovely companion unattended? She says, uh-huh. Backgammon rematch, soon. He says, she’s on, and walks to the elevator.

Portia asks Elizabeth, how’s Finn? And her? She knows that malpractice lawsuit can’t be easy on Elizabeth either. Elizabeth says she came by to support Portia, remember? but Portia says, Elizabeth taking her mind off of all of this is helping. Elizabeth says, between his dad and the lawsuit, it’s a lot. Too much sometimes. Portia says, thank goodness Finn has her to lean on, and Elizabeth says she just hates seeing him struggle like this. He just wants to prove to everyone that GH and his patients are right for putting their trust in him. Portia says, Elizabeth knows she’ll testify to that at his trial, and Elizabeth says she knows. Elizabeth thanks her and says she really appreciates that, and so will he. Portia’s turn. Portia says, that’s all the distraction she gets? and Elizabeth asks, how’s Curtis? Portia says, he’s walking a fine line~~, no pun intended~~. They all are. Positive, but still realistic. Hopeful, but not too hopeful. Elizabeth says, sounds impossible, and Portia says, it is, but Curtis is determined to face whatever comes his way. Elizabeth says, and her? and Portia says she’s determined too, but life isn’t fair, and they’re not guaranteed a happy ending. Elizabeth says, but she’d really like one, and Portia says she keeps having this dream. She and Curtis are at the rehearsal dinner and they’re dancing. And she gets the feeling she had that night. Curtis’s arms are around her and they’re moving together so beautifully. And Curtis is so strong. He’s so graceful, it’s like they’re floating. That moment must be imprinted in her heart and on her body. It feels so real. Then she wakes up and Curtis is lying next to her. And she realizes they’re never going to dance again. Not like that. She cries a little and says, but now maybe they can. She just can’t stop herself from hoping. Elizabeth says, her too.

Jordan says, look at TJ, being all observant about his mother’s clothes, and he says, she didn’t answer. She says she’s been going non-stop since she saw him. She hasn’t had a chance to go home and change. He says, so she hasn’t slept, and she says she plans on going to bed very early tonight. He says, it’s about Curtis’s shooting, isn’t it? and Anna says she got concerned when Jordan didn’t turn up for that drink and went radio silent. She just thought she’d ask TJ if he’d heard from her, that’s all. Jordan says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean for anyone to worry. As they can see, she’s fine. TJ says she has to check on Uncle Curtis, and Jordan asks him to tell Curtis that she’s thinking about him. TJ says he will. Stay safe. Please. Jordan says, that’s the plan, and TJ leaves. Jordan asks if Anna thinks he bought that, and Anna says she thinks he’s just happy she’s in one piece. Does Jordan want to tell her what happened when she followed that lead? Jordan says she never got that far. Somebody stopped her.

Jordan tells Anna that she’d just gotten her first break in the case, a possible clue to the origin of the rifle that shot Curtis. Anna says, that’s great, and thanks Jordan for cluing her in and calling for back-up instead of going it alone. Jordan says, like she’s never done the same, and Anna says, that’s fair. So what happened? She was stopped? Jordan says, more like intercepted, by two men. Anna asks if they hurt her, and Jordan says, no, but they were all business. One minute, she’s outside, trying to arrange a meeting; the next, she’s on the wrong side of a two-way mirror, across from these strangers staring at her. Jordan flashes back to what looks like an interrogation room. She sits at a table, opposite two men in suits, standing. She says, they’re FBI? Why all the subterfuge then? If they’re investigating the shooting of Curtis Ashford, they’re on the same side. Anna asks what they wanted, her cooperation? but Jordan says, nope. They wanted her to back off.

Marshall comes out of Curtis’s room, and Stella asks, how’s their boy doing? He says, it’s Curtis. Holding it together for everyone else’s sake. She says, and him? and he says he’s never been one to believe in miracles, but he does believe in his son. She says, shame on him. Miracles happen every day. Just look at how they’ve managed to remain friends. He says, she means in spite of what happened between them on Christmas Eve? and she says, it was just too much eggnog. He says he hates eggnog (me too), and she says, all those memories of Irene. He says, maybe, but he felt something, and he’s got a sneaking suspicion she did too. She says, something that should never, ever be.

Portia asks Curtis how it’s going, and he says, it’s going. She asks if there’s anything she can do or get him, and he asks her to get the rest of the family. Tell them that he wants to see them.

On the phone, Lucy leaves a message for Martin. She asks him to just listen to her. He has it wrong about Scotty. She doesn’t care about Scotty… Of course (🍷) she cares about him, he’s her friend, but it’s not the same way she cares about Martin. Would he just call her please. Call her back, or better yet, come see her. He’s absolutely right. She’s different from his exes. Give her a chance to prove it. Please, please, please. She flashes back to telling Martin that she feels she has so much more life to live and asking him to do it by her side. She remembers him kissing her and thanking her for coming back to him. She says, dammit, Martin. He’s made her mascara run. A hanky suddenly appears in front of her, and she takes it, saying, she knew Martin would come back. But she turns to see that it’s Scotty.

Tracy sees Gregory leaning against a sofa and asks what he’s doing here. She thought he left. He says he can’t move.

Brook tells Chase that she gets to Maxie’s office and there’s Lucy telling her grandmother that Luke may have been the love of her life, but that Laura was the love of his. And then she goes on to say that the reason her grandmother is alone is, she’s unlovable. Have a little compassion, a little sympathy. If that’s too much to ask, a little basic tact? But no, not Lucy. She basically told Brook’s grandmother that she was grieving a man who never loved her, and that’s completely untrue. Chase says, and Tracy knows that. He doubts what Lucy said hit Tracy anywhere near as hard as it hit Brook, but Brook says she disagrees. Her grandmother comes off tough, uncaring, even abrasive, but underneath it all, she’s got a really soft heart. She’s trying to protect it. Does he want to know the worst part? He says, there’s worse? and she says, the whole thing was a con. Lucy deliberately said those hurtful things to shine a spotlight on her grandmother’s loneliness so that Scott Baldwin, of all people, could swoop in and romance her. He says, but to what end? and Brook says, if she had to guess, it was to trick her grandmother into marriage, so she’d have to pay him off with her Deception shares to get rid of him. He says, and Scotty would turn the shares back over to Lucy. Brook says, despicable, right? Not that it would have ever worked. Her grandmother saw through those two right from the start. But no one gets to do that to her without paying a price. He says, except her, but she says, it’s a totally different concept. Lucy does not deserve Deception; Maxie does. Besides, she’s only scheming within the family. The same thing her grandmother would do to her.

Tracy says she’s calling an ambulance, but Gregory says, no. She says, he just told her he couldn’t move, but he says, no ambulance. Please. They’ll just have to admit him, and it will be impossible to get him out of it. She says, he’s not going to die on her watch, and he says he’s not dying. Not today anyway. She asks if he can sit, and he says, yeah. She helps him to the sofa and asks if there’s any medication he can take that would help. They sit, and Tracy asks, what happened? He says he felt a twinge in his chest in the restaurant. He got short of breath and thought a little fresh air might help. She can see how far he got. She says she’s so sorry, and he says he needs to stay strong, at least until the wedding. She says, yes, he does. It’s a can’t miss event. She understands from Brook that he’s been tapped to officiate. He says he tried to decline, but Chase and Brook wouldn’t take no for an answer. She says, good. That’s settled. Now they just have to tank Olivia’s idea of a wedding cake. Wait until she tells him what Lois thinks… He says, Tracy. Don’t do this.

Finn says, besides being a father, being a doctor is what defines him most. Being a healer. And if his ability to practice medicine gets taken away, it becomes really scary because, what is he? They have this saying, recovery is a journey, not a destination. Never has that been more true than it is today. There’s no finish line for them; they’re never done. They just keep on going and try not to mess up too much along the way. It isn’t easy, is it? He thinks he’s doing it, and he’s proud of himself for that.

Curtis says, okay, fam, listen up, and Stella says, somebody means business. Curtis says he does. No more fake smiles and forced positivity. Portia says, they’re just trying to… and he says he knows. He knows what they’re trying to do and he appreciates it, but it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to be terrified that the procedure didn’t work. God knows he is. But whatever happens today, good or otherwise, they just have to agree right now to accept it and move forward, whatever that looks like. Because he knows one thing. No hospital or wheelchair can keep him down. Are they good? Marshall says, they are clear, and Stella says, crystal. Trina says she’s never been prouder of Curtis and hugs him. He says, that’s how he feels when he looks at her, when TJ comes in. He asks if everything is okay, and Portia says, everything is great. TJ says, Dr. Martel wanted him to let them know he’s on his way, and the examination will begin. Curtis says, bring it on.

Anna says, Feds are notorious at guarding their own turf, but Jordan says, this was more than that. She flashes back to saying she’s told them everything she knows. Now it’s time for them to return the favor. Suit #1 says, they can’t risk her compromising the investigation, and she says, listen to her. Her ex-husband, and one of the best men they’ll ever meet, almost died. He’s literally fighting to get back on his feet. She can help them find out who’s responsible if they’re not too proud or territorial to let her. There’s a knock at the door, and Suit #2 answers. Jordan tells Anna that she doesn’t know who was on the other side of that door, but whoever it was, put the fear of God into those agents. Anna asks what she was thinking at this point, and Jordan says, truthfully, she was wondering just how far they were willing to go to keep her quiet.

Anna asks, what was the resolution? How did Jordan get out of there? Jordan says, whoever the agents spoke to, must have been calling the shots, and Anna asks, what makes her say that? Jordan says, because as soon as that door was closed again, everything changed. Suit #2 closes the door and whispers something to Suit #1. Suit #1 tells Jordan, we’re done here, and she says, she can go? Suit #2 says, they apologize for the inconvenience. There’s a car waiting right outside for her. Jordan asks, who was at the door? and Suit #1 says he’s afraid they can’t answer that. She says, what the hell is going on? and Suit #2 says, trust us. It’s better for all involved if you stay out of it. Jordan tells Anna, then that was it. She was walked to a town car and advised to stick to her desk at city hall. Anna says, which of course (🍷) she won’t, and Jordan says, after that, not a chance.

Dr. Martel says he sees the gang’s all here, and Curtis says he couldn’t have done it without them. Portia says, and he’ll never have to, and Marshall says, when he gets out of that chair, they’ll be standing right beside him, cheering him on. Stella tells TJ, don’t even think about kicking them out, and TJ says he wouldn’t dare. Dr. Martel says, that support is going to be a plus, and Trina says, good, because that’s how this family rolls. The doctor says he’s ready when Curtis is, and Curtis says, go ahead. Bring it on.

Finn comes out of the meeting and Elizabeth is waiting for him. He asks if she’s been here the whole time, but she says she hasn’t. As much as she loves him, she still has a job. She just knew the meeting was breaking up, so she wanted to wait for him. If that sounds like pressure, it’ll never happen again. He says he’s really glad she’s here. He’s grateful for her.

Lucy asks what Scotty is doing in here. Tracy can’t see them. Get walking before she sees them together. He says he’d like to know what’s going on with her and Martin, and she says, that’s funny. That’s the same question Martin asked her about him. He says, that’s the million-dollar question, so what’s the answer? and she says she told him that Scotty was old. That he was old news. Specifically, that they were old news. He says, old news, huh? Old hat. Is that how she sees him? She says, down, boy. Those baby blue bedroom eyes are wasted on her. He says he remembers how she used to like these blue eyes… in her boudoir. (I’m dying.) She says, don’t do that, and he says, do what? She says, he has a job to finish, and that’s what he’s going to do. She grabs his arm and steers him to the door, saying, now get out there and finish it. Go. He leaves and she follows him.

Gregory says, whatever’s going on with Tracy and Scott Balwin – she says she told him – is none of his business. But Chase and Brook are his business, and their wedding needs to be perfect. It needs to be a joyous occasion that they can look back on and celebrate long after other things are forgotten. She says, forgetting will be impossible, and he says, so no more petty fighting with Lois and Olivia about the reception. Go argue with Ned about anything. All that matters is those two beautiful souls belong together and they all do everything they can to make that happen. Do they understand each other? She says, they do. How’s the breathing? He says, better actually. So is his energy. Which is why she attempted to rile him up. She says, attempted? She thinks she succeeded.

Brook gets a bullseye, and tells Chase, now that’s what I’m talkin’ about. It pays to visualize. Chase wants to think about their super, and Brook asks what the super ever did to him. Chase says, he still hasn’t fixed the radiator, and Brook says, that’s a little inconvenient… He says, inconvenient? They used to walk around their apartment in next to nothing. Now Brook is constantly wearing sweats. Talk about frustrating. She says, poor baby, handing him the ax. Maybe there’s something she can do to change that. He says, she’s going to ditch the sweats? and she says, no. And risk hypothermia? They can go to bed earlier, spend more time there together, generate body heat. He says, let’s do that, starting now. He kisses her, and throws the ax behind her, getting a bullseye.

Tracy says, Yuri will be waiting for them outside, and Gregory says, Yuri doesn’t have to do that, but Tracy says, yes, he does. She pays him. Well, Monica pays him, and she’s been assured that if he’s not driving for Monica, he’s available to her. Gregory says he can call a Ride Share, and she says, congratulations on mastering the technology necessary to call a complete stranger with unknown driving ability to pick you up in their car and take you to a destination their GPS may or may not be able to find. He’s coming with her. She helps him stand up and asks, how did that feel? He says, surprisingly okay. He’s sorry if he interrupted her time. She says, he interrupted nothing, and he says, really? It sure seemed like she was on a D-A-T-E. She says, just goes to show you, appearances can be deceiving, and they leave.

Scotty and Lucy come out, and seeing the empty table, Lucy says, this is just great. He tells her, just take it easy, will ya? and asks Jesse if Tracy is still here. Jesse says, she told him to tell Scotty that something came up, and he clears the table. Lucy says, wow. This is a record, even for Scotty. The champagne is barely uncorked, and he ran Tracy off already. He says, that’s because he was focused on her, and she says, fortunately, she thinks they can still do some damage control. She takes out her phone and tells him to give her his credit card. He says, I beg your pardon? and through clenched teeth, she says, give me your credit card. He takes it out, and she says she’d like to order a dozen… make that two-dozen beautiful white roses. They’re going to the Quartermaine mansion… You do? Of course (🍷) you know the address. On the card, please say, until next time. X-O-X-O Scott. Thank you… Hold on. She snaps her fingers, then snatches the card from Scotty. She says she’s got it.

Finn thanks Elizabeth for not letting him talk himself out of that meeting. He realized he needed to be with people who are in the same fight he is. He hopes his story gave them a little bit of encouragement because they encourage him every day. She asks if he knows what she loves most about him, and he says, it can’t be just one thing. She says, one of the things she loves most about him – he says, go on – is his generosity. She’s sure he helped all of those people at the meeting just like he helps all his patients. In one way or another, we’re going to prove that. He says, we? and she says, he’s stuck with her. They kiss.

Jordan tells Anna, the agents who nabbed her were clearly just messengers. Someone’s pulling the strings behind the scenes. Anna says, taking on the Feds is no small feat. She’s going to need back-up. Jordan says, there’s no telling where this is going to lead, and Anna says, that’s precisely her point. Jordan has to admit she’s going to need a second pair of eyes. Jordan says, if Anna is offering up hers, she’d be a fool to say no. She thanks Anna, and Anna says, Jordan would do the same for her. Jordan says, in a heartbeat, and they leave together.

Curtis takes Trina and Portia’s hands, and Dr. Martel says, the surgery could not have gone better, but as with any procedure… Curtis says he knows. The doctor didn’t want to get his hopes up. Dr. Martel says, it doesn’t necessarily mean the spinal cord damage was repaired, and Curtis says he’s ready to find out. Dr. Martel takes a big safety pin from TJ, and pokes Curtis’s left heel. He asks if Curtis feels anything, but Curtis says, no. The doctor pokes him closer to the toes, and says, how about that? Curtis says he feels that, and everyone gets all excited. Dr. Martel says, this is great news. It’s no guarantee he’ll walk again… Curtis says, but it’s a start. It’s a good start. Everyone hugs and laughs.

Tomorrow, Portia asks Stella if it wouldn’t be better for Trina to go to Paris without Spencer; Spinelli says he knows what Cody is doing and it’s not going to work; Molly tells Kristina, if it’s too much, tell her and she’ll back off; and Laura asks how on earth Heather knows this.

📖 Twice the Fun…

The man who plays two characters also has two careers now. TODAY – January 24, 3 pm ET.

Chat Live With Soap Star-Turned-Author Jon Lindstrom!

🩺 Hospital Changes…

Is this what’s responsible for the awful storyline of Carly taking over Crimson?

GENERAL HOSPITAL Names New Headwriters

🥀 Dimming the Lights…

Another soap star leaves the stage.

https://people.com/david-gail-actor-dead-beverly-hills-90210-port-charles-8546901

🧂 Double Portion Of Salt…

Ugh. This was awful. And I don’t care what Andy says. Either production knew Monica was involved with Reality von Tease or they’re really bad at their jobs, since I assume they vet the Housewives.

https://ew.com/the-real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city-reunion-part-3-recap-8548300

Doubtful she’ll be back. If the others won’t film with her, there’s no point.

Andy Cohen on Monica Garcia’s Future With The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

🗽 Our Girl’s Boy…

This is probably no surprise to anyone. The legend continues.

Ramona Singer’s New Boyfriend Accused of Being ‘Obnoxious’ on NYC Night Out

☄️ Doffing My Cap…

The original Dawn of the Dead is one of my all-time favorites. The remake is actually excellent, but it didn’t have the subtext about consumerism like the first one did.

https://ew.com/david-emge-died-dawn-of-the-dead-8547146

🏆 Anyone’s Guess…

It looks like some stiff competition, but it stinks that they snubbed Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig. Seriously, WTF?

https://people.com/oscars-2024-nominations-full-list-8547089

🏈 During the Break…

The most important part of the Super Bowl.

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

🐶 Bowling For Pups…

Hear all about it.

Yes, I know I’m obsessed.

https://www.greenmatters.com/pets/puppy-bowl-2024-lineup

🤹‍♀️ 100% Chance Of Absurdity…

Join me tomorrow for soap and Sutton’s small esophagus. Until then, stay safe, stay listening before speaking, and stay being positive, but realistic.

Jan23

January 22, 2024 – Esme Asks Another Poor Choice For Advice, Final Crew Night Out Plus One & Ice

Posted on January 23, 2024 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

So, it wasn’t a dream. Just the stupidest plan ever.

Drew tells Nina to meet the new Editor-in-Chief of Crimson, and Carly walks in. Carly thanks him for this amazing opportunity, and Drew says he can’t wait to see how her fresh, new perspective is going to benefit Crimson. Nina applauds slowly and says, well played.

On the phone in her office, Lucy says she doesn’t understand the hold-up. When is he going to give her an update on their little operation? At the MetroCourt, Scotty says he’s just trying to get his ducks in a row with Tracy, but the good news is, he’s meeting her at the MetroCourt this morning. She asks how he made that happen, and he says he told her the truth. Lucy says, which truth? and he says, the truth about her. Lucy asks what that even means. She’s coming there right now. He says, she’s going to cramp his style, and she says, what style? She heads for the door, telling him that he’s going to explain every word he’s said to Tracy or she’s going to pull every hair… Martin says, there she is, and kisses her. He asks where she’s running off to in such a hurry.

Tracy comes into the restaurant, and Scotty says he’s glad she could make it. She says, against her better judgement. He said he had something to tell her. He says, the service is kind of slow in here. Why don’t they go someplace else? He takes her coat, but she grabs it back, saying, I don’t think so. Never let them take you to a second location. (Ha-ha-ha! The one thing I learned from Bo Diedl.) He asks if that isn’t what they tell potential crime victims, and she says she’s here against her will, isn’t she?

Chase and Brook come in and find Gregory at a table. He says, Brook’s grandmother is here. Should they ask her to join them? Book says, look who she’s here with. She hardly wants to get involved with whatever Tracy has going on with Scotty. Chase says, Brook is right. Besides, they want to have a personal conversation with him. It’s about the wedding. Brook says, and his part in it.

At the hospital, Spencer tells Laura, it’s getting late. Maybe she can talk with Dante alone. He has a lot to do before his trip to Paris. She asks if he doesn’t think he’s done enough, and he says he knows she disagrees with him about his decision to give Ace to his father, but it’s very difficult for him. She says, doing the right thing is rarely easy, which is why he’s going to stay right here and tell the PCPD everything he knows about Ace’s kidnapping.

Sitting at a table, Esme tells someone that they’re right. She should have been more careful. They warned her and she didn’t listen. Now this has happened and they’re the only person she can turn to. Heather says, tell your mother everything.

Gregory says he’ll help in any way he can, and Chase says, good. He was hoping Gregory would say that. Would he officiate their ceremony?

Scotty says he’s known Tracy a long time, and he’s never seen her do anything against her will. She says, true, and for the life of her, she doesn’t know why she agreed to meet him today. He says he thinks she has him wrong. He knows she sees him as shallow as a mud puddle, but he believes in truth, justice, and the American way. Justice is why he became a lawyer, and justice is why they’re here today. Lucy has it in for her. She says, do tell.

Lucy says she didn’t even know Martin was back. He didn’t call her. He says, because he didn’t want to spoil that adorable look of surprise on her face when he walked in the door. She says she’s definitely surprised, and he says he’s sorry he wasn’t here to support her during Bobbie Spencer’s funeral, but he thought he could start making it up to her with two all-day passes to the MetroCourt spa. Say the word, and her facial awaits. She says, that’s so sweet. Sweet and special. She loves their facials, and their body scrubs are divine, but is it okay if she takes a raincheck? He says, sure, but he has to admit he was looking forward to spending some time with her. He hasn’t seen her in days. She says she knows, and she’s missed him so, so much, but she has meetings booked through lunch. She was just going to grab a bite to eat at the MetroCourt. He says, by herself? and she says, he knows how she loves their pancakes. He says he does. He recalls that on the first morning they spent together. He kisses her, and she says, what she recalls from that morning is how sexy he looked in that Santa suit. He says his sartorial choices have changed since then, but his companionship is still as charming as ever. Will she allow him to escort her to the MetroCourt? He holds out his arm and says, she knows she wants it. She takes his arm, and they leave.

Dante asks when Laura realized Ace was missing and who does she think is responsible? She says, the situation is rather complicated, and Spencer says, his brother is with their father. Dante says, Nikolas is back in town? and Laura says, he was. She didn’t see him though. Dante says, so what happened? He just walked in and took Ace? Nobody noticed? She says, not exactly, and Dante says he doesn’t think he understands. Spencer says he let his father take Ace.

Heather says, Nikolas took Ace? How dare he? Eame says, he thinks he’s untouchable. He thinks he can do whatever he wants. Heather says, of course (🍷) he does. What’s his mother have to say about her precious son kidnapping her grandchild? Esme says she hasn’t actually told Laura yet. She would have too many questions; number one being, why hasn’t Esme contacted the police yet? Heather says, of course (🍷) she can’t. Not without Spencer shooting his mouth off about the old Esme being back. Esme says, which is why she went to see Spencer’s Great Uncle Cyrus. Heather says, Cyrus Renault? Do not buy into that guy’s evangelizing. The gospel truth is, he cannot be trusted. Esme says, he proved that to her himself. She was desperate and he didn’t even offer any help. Heather says, surprise, surprise, and Esme says, which is why she’s here. She was hoping Heather would have an idea about what her next step might be. Heather says, run. And when she thinks she’s far away enough from Port Charles, run some more.

Nina says, that seems worthy of the Port Charles Players, and Drew says he’s really glad she enjoyed it. Now get out. Carly says, before she goes, who tipped her off to the insider trading in the first place? and Nina says, Carly should really ask her good friend Olivia. If Olivia wasn’t running her mouth so indiscreetly, she wouldn’t have overheard. Her voice does carry. Carly says, eavesdropping. Shocker. Drew says, now go, and Nina says, with pleasure. Before she leaves, she just has one question. Now that the two of them have humbled her, are they finally even?

Gregory says, they want him to officiate their wedding? and Chase says, they want someone to lead them through their vows who knows them personally. Brook says, someone they love, and Chase says, there is nobody who can put into words the significance of the commitment they’re about to make to each other more eloquently than Gregory. Gregory says, it would be a privilege, and Brook says she’s sensing a but here.

Spencer says he’s very, very sorry to have wasted Dante’s time, but as he can see, the police aren’t necessary in this situation. His baby brother wasn’t kidnapped. Dante says, technically, by New York State law, he’s correct, and Laura says, she told him it was a complicated situation. That’s why she didn’t report that Ace was… abducted. Dante says, it would have been considered kidnapping had Esme had a legal custody order. Otherwise, the statute, the default, is that both parents get custody. There are extreme situations where it could be considered kidnapping when one parent takes the child without the other’s permission. Spencer says, this isn’t an extreme situation. His father just wanted to spend some time with his son. Dante says, right, without Ace’s mother knowing, who’s been raising him up until this point. What’s Esme have to say about all this? Laura says she’s sure Esme is going out of her mind. Hasn’t she made a report? Dante says, no, and Spencer says, this proves what he was saying. Esme doesn’t want to go to the police right now, not given the stakes. Dante asks, what stakes are higher than a missing child?

Esme says she thinks Heather is right about her leaving Port Charles. As soon as she finds Ace, no one in this town is ever going to see her again. Heather says, she can’t wait that long. She has to leave now. Esme says, without her son? No, never. Heather says, she doesn’t have a choice. Esme has no allies or anybody to help her. Except her. And she’s a little preoccupied – she waves to the guard – at the moment. It’s going to come out that Esme got her memory back, no matter what Spencer does or doesn’t do. Esme says, Heather doesn’t know that, but Heather tells her, think. What is she going to do, keep pretending that Ace is in the next room? Esme told her that Laura and Doc come to visit him all the time. They’re going to figure out real quick that something’s up. And what is she going to do when she can’t produce Ace? Esme says she hadn’t thought that far ahead, and Heather says, they’re going to figure it all out, and then they’re going to drag Esme back to court, stand her on trial for everything she did. Unless she wants to spend the rest of her life in prison, she’s got to make a break for it. Now, before it’s too late. Esme says, but what about Ace? Is she just supposed to abandon her child the way Heather abandoned her?

Drew says, Nina had to know there would be a certain reckoning. Her actions caused a lot of pain to a lot of people and nearly destroyed lives. These are the kinds of things that can’t go unanswered. Nina asks if they don’t think she’s suffered enough. She lost her husband, she lost her daughter, and now apparently, her job. For something she did that was completely legal, informing the SEC that insider trading had occurred. Carly says, well, Drew’s the boss, and it’s completely legal for him to fire her. Nina says, Carly’s loving this, isn’t she? Kicking her when she’s completely down. Nina starts to walk to the door, and says, before she goes, now that she’s the condemned woman, may she ask when they’re going to put her out of her misery? Carly says, that’s up to her, and Drew asks if the pity party is almost over. They have a magazine to run, and she’s not entitled to their time any more than she’s entitled to a job here. Nina tells Carly that they have two things in common. They’ll do anything for their family and they both know how to settle a score. Drew says, enough. Just get out or he’ll throw her out. Nina and Carly lock eyes.

Nina says, no use staying when your moment is over. Drew got to see her face when he told her that she was fired. Was it everything he was hoping for? He says, just leave, and she says, but now the fun is over, because now they actually have to run a magazine. She puts on her sunglasses, says, good luck, and leaves. Drew closes the door, and Carly looks like she’s pouting. He says, what’s wrong? ~~She says she doesn’t know squat about running a magazine.~~

Laura tells Dante that Spencer is convinced Esme hasn’t made a report about Ace being missing because she’s afraid the DA’s office is going to reinstate the charges against her. Dante asks, why she would be afraid of that all of a sudden? Trina agreed to drop the charges because DA Scorpio said the charges wouldn’t stick and the jury wouldn’t convict because Esme couldn’t remember the crimes she committed. Spencer says, she couldn’t then, but she can now, and Dante asks if he’s saying Esme has her memory back. Spencer tells him, that’s exactly what he’s saying. And he’s also saying, Dante should go and arrest her instead of his father.

Heather says she didn’t abandon Esme. She gave Esme up because it was what was best for her at the time. Esme says, running off without her son is not what’s best for him, and Heather says she understands. Of course (🍷) it’s not, but temporarily relinquishing custody of Ace will ensure her liberty. They both know Nikolas is a feckless dilettante with an overactive libido (even the lowlifes are well-read in Port Charles), but he’s not going to hurt Ace. Go find a place to hide where she can regroup. And then someday soon – she lowers her voice – she’s busting out of this joint, and they’ll join forces and find Ace together. The same way she found Esme. Esme says, look how well that turned out, and Heather says she may be behind bars, but she’s got her daughter back in her life. And that is worth every second in this hellhole. Esme says, they missed out on a lot of time together, and she can’t fathom being separated from her child for even a fraction of that. She wouldn’t know if he was eating. She wouldn’t know if he was sleeping. And it would kill her. Heather says she understands. It’s hard, but Nikolas has Ace, and they don’t have the resources right now to track him down. Esme has to play the long game here. Esme asks if she’s just supposed to hide out all alone while Spencer and Trina sail off into the sunset, and Heather asks if she’s speaking as a mother right now, or as a jealous ex.

Tracy says, Scotty and Lucy are thick as thieves. Why betray her? He says, because he thinks it’s wrong that Lucy is gunning for her, and Tracy asks if Lucy has a specific plan to get even with her. He says, she knows Lucy and her half-baked schemes. She’s always got something going on in that crazy head of hers. She says, and whatever Lucy is cooking up, he deemed bad enough to warrant warning her. Why? He says, that’s simple. He’s seen Lucy’s wrath, and he wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it. She says, that’s very gallant, but isn’t that exactly what he’s risking, becoming Lucy’s target? He says he can handle anything Lucy throws at him. And now that he’s tipped Tracy off, so can she.

Martin says he thinks their reunion calls for some champagne. What would Lucy say to some mimosas? She says she’d love it, but she told him, she has all those meetings later. She really needs to stay sharp. She looks over and watches Scotty talking to Tracy.

Gregory says he’s so touched by their offer, but officiating at their wedding isn’t as simple as just leading them through their vows. Brook says, she and Chase thought he might have some concerns, so they went ahead and did some research. Actually, the process is super simple. It won’t take him any time at all to get licensed online. Gregory says, they’re a step ahead of him. He doesn’t know what to say. Chase tells him, say yes. It would mean the world to them. Gregory says he wants them to know how honored he is, but he’s sorry. He’s going to have to decline.

Lucy continues watching Scotty and Tracy, and Martin says, it’s been a hell of a year for them, and he doesn’t want to risk losing Lucy again. She says, he doesn’t have to. She really wants to focus on the future now, their future. He says he’s really glad to hear her say that. This might sound childish, but he just thinks they’ve felt off lately. As a matter of fact, he was beginning to wonder if her feelings about him had changed.

Gregory says, their wedding day is going to be a celebration of their love, and after everything Brook and Chase have gone through to get to that moment, he wants everything to be perfect. Chase says, that’s what they want to, which is why they want him to be a part of it. Gregory says, and he will be. He’ll be the beaming father, watching it all happen, and it will fill him with joy to witness it. But he can’t promise any more than that. He may not be at his best. Brook says, they know ALS is unpredictable, so Chase has already worked with the venue to address every possible accessibility and accommodation. So he doesn’t have to worry about a thing if he needs any extra help. Gregory says, she’s so sweet, and he appreciates them both going above and beyond for him to make this happen. But it isn’t just the mobility issue. Chase says, then what is it? and Gregory says he knows they’ve both done their research on ALS. They’re aware this disease can affect his ability to speak. Actually, it already has. He’s had some issues lately. He would hate to preside over such a momentous day and not be able to make himself understood.

Drew says he thought they were on the same page about firing Nina, and Carly says, they are. She deserved to go. Up until she crossed that threshold, it was all about sticking it to them. He says he’s getting her out of his life, out of his business, all of it, and she says, yes, and the win is going to be for nothing if Crimson tanks and goes out of business. He says, that’s not going to happen. Crimson’s in great shape. She says, okay. This is his business. This is his area of expertise. He knows what he’s doing. So she’ll stay on as Crimson’s Editor-in-Chief and she’ll keep that seat warm for the moment, but he’s going to have to find someone with more experience to take over, and soon. He asks if she’s sure about that, and she says, they were both sure about that. He tells her that the knows they said she would take this job temporarily, but why does it have to be that way? Why couldn’t Carly love it and want to do it forever?

Nina goes into the bathroom and sees Olivia, who says, it’s been a while. Nina says she hasn’t seen Olivia since it came out that she was the SEC informant, and Olivia says, and her husband wasn’t.

Dante says he understands that Esme put Spencer and his friends through hell, and he wants her to pay for his crimes just as much as Spencer does. Spencer says, good news. He’s a cop. He can make that happen. Laura says, it’s not that simple, and Dante says, unfortunately, Esme’s slip of the tongue and Spencer’s gut feeling that she’s got her memory back isn’t enough for the police to arrest somebody, or even detain somebody who is, in the eyes of the law, an innocent person. Spencer says, innocent? This is Esme Prince they’re talking about. Dante says, they’re also talking about him. Maybe he should be arresting Spencer instead.

Laura says, Dante wouldn’t actually arrest Spencer, and Spencer says, and charge him with what? He didn’t break any laws when he handed Ace over to his father. Dante says, no? How about aiding and abetting a fugitive? Did he forget his father is a wanted man? Did he forget he had an obligation to report seeing him? Spencer says, it’s interesting because he’d think Dante, of all people, would understand what it’s like to love a complicated father. Hasn’t Dante been struggling with whether or not to report Sonny for his many crimes over the years? He believes Sonny once shot Dante over that. Laura asks what Spencer is doing and tells Dante that she’s sorry about this. She doesn’t know what’s gotten into her grandson. It’s been a very emotional day. Dante says, it’s okay, and tells Spencer, don’t worry. He’s not going to arrest him. It’s not going to help them find Ace. But he will issue a bulletin for Nikolas now that they know he as in town last night. Spencer says he wasn’t trying to knock Dante’s old man or Dante’s love for him. He was simply trying to point out the lengths family will go to for one another. Dante says, let him give Spencer a piece of advice. When you love family, you know they don’t always make the best and most legal decisions. Spencer says, point taken. His only goal was to protect his little brother, and given what he knows about Esme, he believes he did the right thing by letting his father take him. Dante says, the problem is, Esme might have something to say about that. He’s got to get her statement. Time to bring Esme in.

Esme tells Heather, this isn’t about jealousy. This is about vengeance. She wants every single one of them to pay. Heather says, that’s my girl, and Esme says, Nikolas, Spencer, Trina, Ave, they’re all going to get what they deserve. Heather says, of course (🍷) they are, and they’re going to make it happen. Does Esme think she’d really allow those ingrates a single moment of peace in their miserable lives after they conspired to kidnap her grandson? Esme says, but what can Heather do from behind bars? and Heather laughs. She says, incarceration has never been an impediment to justice for her. Just leave it all to mommy. Esme asks if this form of justice has ever involved locating a millionaire fugitive before, and Heather says she knows that face. Esme’s father used to make it all the time. Esme doesn’t believe she can do this. Esme says she doesn’t exactly know what to believe anymore, and Heather promises they’ll find Ace, but Esme just can’t go off on her own trying to do this by herself. Remember what she told Esme last time. She’s in the best possible position. Ryan is gone. Cold in the ground or six feet under, whichever way she wants to think about it, and the cops have nothing on her. Fly free, little birdie. Esme says she remembers something Heather told her last time – Ace is everything. Without her son, she has nothing. Heather says, if Esme has never trusted anyone in her life, trust her. Nobody loves her like her mom. She’s going to have everything she wants, but she’s got to play it smart.

Carly says, Drew wants her to stay on as Editor-in-Chief of Crimson magazine. That wasn’t the plan. He says, plans change. Think about it. Nina didn’t know anything about running a magazine when she started here. She learned as she went. Carly isn’t that familiar with publishing, but she knows how to run a company. Carly says she does, but that’s not the issue. She let him make her Editor-in-Chief of Crimson so she could see Nina’s face when she took something Nina loved. He says, and they accomplished that. Did she see the way Nina slunk out of here? (Just for the record, there was no slinking, but I’ve already determined Drew is delusional with this whole thing.) Carly says, it was very rewarding, but it can end there. She doesn’t want to make a decision this big for the wrong reason. He says, her taking this job doesn’t have to just be about sticking it to Nina. It can be about so much more. Think about it. They keep everything that’s working, obviously, but they can get rid of things they don’t agree with and make it their own. (In other words, it ain’t broke, but they’re going to fix it.) He asks if she has any idea how rewarding that would be, and she says, what about Bobbie’s?

Olivia says, why pile on somebody who’s already in a bad place? Not even Nina. Nina wipes tears from her eyes, and Olivia asks, what happened? Nina says, Drew fired her from Crimson, and Olivia says, what? Nina says, and he hired Carly as Editor-in-Chief, and Olivia says, Mary, Mother of God. She’s got to say, she did not see that coming. Nina says she seconds that, and Olivia says she knows Nina put a lot of herself into Crimson. This has got to hurt. Nina says she doesn’t get Olivia. She’s Carly’s best friend, yet she offered to help Nina plan her wedding. she made Olivia’s husband her fall guy and she found out Nina was the one who blew the whistle on Carly and Drew, and she said nothing. Why? Olivia says, to keep the peace. Nina and Sonny were newly married, and Nina and Carly were co-existing, and Drew was out of prison. What good would it do to bring up all the things Nina’s done? It’s not going to give Carly and Drew any of the time back they lost. It was just going to hurt Sonny. So she kept quiet. She convinced Ned to do the same… She tells Nina, don’t feel like she has to thank her or anything.

Scotty says he’s not saying anything to Tracy that he hasn’t already said to Lucy. He told her to stop doing anything to Tracy, especially after everything she’s been through. Tracy asks what that’s supposed to mean, and he says, she lost Luke not that long ago. She says, irrelevant, and he says, is it? He thinks he can relate. He thinks when you’re lonely you can recognize it in someone else. He didn’t just ask her here to tell her about Lucy. He wanted to see how she was. He wanted to check on her. He’d like to be her friend.

Lucy asks why Martin would question her feelings for him, and he says, it’s kind of embarrassing. The fact is, he let someone get inside his head. He notices her watching Tracy and Scotty, and flashes back to Tracy telling him that Scotty has stood by Lucy through every despicable act. He gets up, and Lucy asks, where is he going? He says, she’s going to have to forgive him. Suddenly, he’s lost his appetite.

Chase says, if accepting this role makes Gregory feel uncomfortable, or he hates the idea of all eyes being on him, that’s one thing. But if he thinks they’re going to be disappointed because his words don’t come out perfectly when he’s marrying them, then he’s wrong. What matters is what he says, not how he says it. Gregory says he appreciates that, but it’s Brook’s day too, and Chase can’t speak for her. Brook asks if he’s met her. She has no problem giving her opinion. He says, true. That’s one of the things he likes about her. She thanks him and says, please listen to her. She’s telling him how they both feel. if he wants their wedding day to be perfect, there’s no way it’s going to be perfect unless he marries them.

Dante asks if either of them have seen Esme, but Laura says she hasn’t seen her yet today. Esme’s also not returning any of her calls or texts. Spencer says he doesn’t know where she is either, and Dante says he’ll see what he can turn up. If Spencer sees his father again… Spencer says he won’t, but Dante says, if he does, call the police. It’s in both their best interests. Laura thanks him for looking into this, and asks him to call her with any updates, no matter how small. Dante says, will do, and leaves. Spencer says he’s sorry. He knows Laura is angry with him for letting his father take Ace. She says she’s not as angry as she is worried. if he’s right about Esme and she’s reverted to her old ways, they should not underestimate her. There’s no telling what she could do now.

Esme says she used to be terrified of Heather, and she knows she’s said some unkind things to her. Heather says, who hasn’t? and Esme says, but now that she’s become a mother, she sees things differently. She can appreciate how Heather always knew how she was and what she was doing. Heather stopped at nothing to protect her. That’s the kind of mother she wants to be. Heather says, and she will be, someday soon. Remember what she said. Right now, Esme’s just got to bide her time. Esme gets up and says, thank you, Heather… mother, for everything you’ve done for me, but taking it slow doesn’t work for me. I’m out of time. Heather says, whatever she’s thinking of doing, don’t, and Esme walks out. Heather gets up and calls after her, saying, don’t do it. She’s about to follow, but a guard holds her back.

Gregory says, the two of them seem to be in complete agreement about this, so who is he to argue with the bride and groom about what they want on their wedding day. So he’d love to officiate the ceremony. Chase says he’s so glad, and Brook says, he’s made them so happy. Gregory says he does have one request though, and Brook says, anything. He asks if they could have a back-up officiant just in case, and Chase says, sure, if it would make him feel more comfortable, but they’re not going to need it.

Scotty says he thinks he and Tracy had fun today. He thinks they should do this again real soon. What does she think? She says she’s not saying no, and he asks bartender Jesse for a bottle of their finest champagne. They’re celebrating. He gives Tracy a thumbs up and she smiles.

Lucy asks, what’s gotten into Martin? and he says, what’s gotten into her? After a while, her repeated inattention starts to stick in his throat. She says she’s sorry. He’s right. She’s been very, very distracted. He knows Tracy Quartermaine has made her life a living hell recently. He can’t really blame her for wanting to keep an eye on Tracy. Come on. She promises he’ll have her full, undivided attention. She’ll stop. Please. Just stay. He says, on one condition, and she watches Jesse pour the champagne. She says, anything, and he says, tell him what the hell is going on with her and Scotty.

Carly tells Drew that being hands on at Bobbie’s is so important to her. It’s a part of her mom that she gets to hold onto now that she’s gone. She doesn’t want to let that go. He says he doesn’t want to either. He would never ask her to sacrifice something that means so much to her. He doesn’t know what it is. He guesses seeing her here like this, her as Editor-in-Chief at Crimson could be so incredible, so meaningful to both of them, but they don’t need Crimson for that. They can be that to each other. She says she thinks what they have is special, and he says, she’s right. She says, but they’re talking. Her mom did double duty at the diner and at GH. He says, she’s every bit as capable and hard working as Bobbie was, and Carly says, Bobbie set the bar pretty high, but she hopes she can make her mother proud. He says, she is making her proud, and Carly says she doesn’t know. What if they try this and it doesn’t work, and something has to give? He says, then she decides which job she wants to step away from and he’ll support her no matter what, whatever decision she makes. But he hopes she can take a second and picture how incredible she’d be running Crimson. The more the thinks about it, the more the thinks she’d be amazing. She says, we would be amazing. Let’s do it. Let’s be partners, personally and professionally. He says, deal, and they kiss. She says, they’re going to be spending a lot of time together. Is he sure he’s not going to get sick of her? He says, never, and she says, good answer. They kiss again.

Olivia says she’s not okay with the things Nina did. She caused a lot of pain for the people Olivia cares about most. Call her crazy. She still believes that peace is possible. Nina is suffering a lot of losses right now, but they don’t have to be permanent. She looks at Nina’s photo of Willow and the kids, and says, the best thing for Nina to do right now is to move on, gracefully, for everyone’s sake. She hands Nina the photo, and Nina says, she’s probably right. Olivia leaves, and Nina goes over to the mirror. She says, but if Carly and Drew want a war, they’ve got one.

Drew takes Nina’s nameplate off the desk and gives it to Carly. Carly throws it in the wastebasket and says, under new management.

Tomorrow, TJ asks if Anna thinks his mom is in trouble; Stella tells Marshall, shame on him; Finn tells Elizabeth that he knew this was a bad idea; and Martin wants the whole truth from Lucy.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Natalya texts Jack not to tell anyone she there that she plans on joining them later. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, because they’re stuck, Tumi is under the most pressure. She’s organized an excursion, a theme dinner, and a party. The guests need to feel taken care of even if they’re stuck. The guests deem breakfast excellent, and Tumi calls the provisioner to reserve a pool for a foam pool party. In Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s a test on her. These are difficult guests in a difficult situation. She wants to prove to herself that she’s a great chief stew and she wants to come out a great chief stew. The captain tells the guests to enjoy their foam pool party, and one of the guests whines that they’re not being not challenging, but it looks so nice out. Kyle says, they’re ready to go to Portofino, and asks if Max wants to come. Tumi tells Jack to shoot for nine with dinner, and he says he’s doing a surf and turf. Tumi tells Jessika that the dinner set up is on her and the guests leave. The captain sighs looking at the weather, and in Luka’s interview, he says, this season has been a massive learning curve. The most difficult thing was managing difficult personalities. There’s no one more random than Max. A producer asks how Max challenged him, and Luka says, with f***ing everything.

In Portofino, guest Stephanie complains that she can’t get anything on her phone, and they go shopping. Kyle says, shoes, girls, shoes. Back on the boat, Luka tells Jessika to do the laundry later, and in Jessika’s interview, she says she’s been single for 7 months. She’s not scared to jump back into a relationship, but it will take the right guy. If she and Luka had that conversation and wanted to date, she would consider it. The guests have lunch at a restaurant, and Tumi tries to radio Jessika. In Tumi’s interview, she says she’s like the conductor of an orchestra. She likes to make sure everything is done. She has faith in Jessika, Lily, and Max, but not Lily and Max together. They’re not the most desirable team. She wants to teleport back to the boat. Guests Jeff and Stephanie snipe at each other, and everyone heads for the pool foam party. Max and Lily arrive at the pool with supplies, and they can barely get the stuff there because they’re so inept at carrying it. Jeff and Stephanie continue to argue on the way there, and in her interview, Tumi says, their arguing makes her never want to get married. They’re a marriage contradictive poll. Kyle tells Jessika about the fighting in the van, and dinner is set up, along with the red-carpet photo thing. Lily puts floaties in the pool, but the foam machine isn’t working well. The guests arrive at the beach club, Tumi putting on her tutu for the occasion. In Max’s interview, he says, the pool foam looks like five days old cheesecake. It’s a disaster. No music. No foam. The guests wonder what’s up, and he explains the machine isn’t working. The guests whine.

Guest Erik says, it’s a foamless foam party, and in Luka’s interview, he says, Max might as well have used a bubble wand. Kyle says, it’s going to be the best foam party ever, and Lily serves the guests shots. In Tumi’s interview, she says, disaster is an understatement. She’s the head of the department, so it falls on her. She’s at a loss and feels nothing. On the yacht, Jessika tells Haleigh that the theme is Hollywood glam, and they decorate. Haleigh asks what Jessika is doing during her hiatus, and Jessika says, she and Luka were looking at hotels. She thinks she likes Luka more than she should. She plans to be drunk the entire time. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Max and Lily spent hours organizing the foam party and there’s no foam and no party. He needs to collect his thoughts and reorganize. Lily makes up a racing game with the floaties, then they play chicken in the pool. In the galley, Jack tells Jessika that he’s making a feast for kings, and in Jack’s interview, he says he wants to send the guests out with a bang. He wants them to ask for take home boxes. There’s going to be food everywhere. Kyle tells Max that this machine is the saddest thing and suggests putting in more packets. Foam finally starts pumping out, and the guests all scream. In his interview, Kyle says, look at the instructions. He wonders how Max missed one and two; insert soap, turn on water. He brought the party to number five where it says, enjoy. In her interview, Tumi says, thank God for Kyle, and Stephanie says, it was a satisfying foam party.

Captain Sandy compliments Jessika on the table décor, and Jessika welcomes the guests back. The captain tells Jessika that she rocked it, and Jessika says, fake it til you make it. In Jessika’s interview, she says, it feels good to have everyone acknowledge her decorating. Her confidence has grown exponentially. A producer asks if she wants to be more of a leader than a follower now, but she says, no. Kyle tells Jessika that it’s been the hardest charter season. One more week and he’d have to check in a psyche ward. Food porn is served, and Stephanie bitches that they live in an apartment. Jeff has no suits and goes to rummage sales. Jack comes out, and the guests applaud, telling him that it was awesome tonight. Natalya texts Luka that she just landed in Genoa, and in Luka’s interview he says he doesn’t know what’s going on Natalya’s boyfriend or her intentions. He has no expectations. He didn’t invite her and he’s going to act like he had no idea she was here. He asks if she’s coming to crew night, and she asks if he wants her to. He says, yeah, and she says, it will be wild.

The captain calls Lara, who says she’s feeling better. She’s ready to come back. Captain Sandy says, they’ll see her after the guests depart. Katie texts Luka to FaceTime her, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he sees Luka texting and smiling, and he’s not texting Jessika. He knows Katie through stew Courtney, and notes Luka is giddy. Not like ha-ha, but ooh lala.

Kyle tells Tumi about Katie, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s exactly what she thought. She tells Kyle, that sh*t is going to come out, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, part of him wants to tell Jessika, but part of him says he’s out. But will he stop gossiping? No. It’s who he is at his core. Max says he and Lily make a great team. Naked friendship. It’s time for the guests to say goodbye, and primary Victor says, they did a fantastic job, even though the weather was out of their control. He thanks them for everything and gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope. They leave, and the captain says, it’s the final countdown. She tells everyone to get in their reds and gather for the tip meeting. Everyone is all excited, and Jack texts Natalya that they just finished. She texts back, shhh, and texts Luka to dress sexy. Lara arrives, and in her interview, she says she’s happy to be reunited with the crew and she’s ready for a last crew night out. They’re going to tear the f***ing city up. Kyle tells Lara about Luka texting Katie, and she asks if it looked like he was flirting. Kyle says, yes, and Lara wonders where it would go after this. Kyle says, nowhere, and Lara says, maybe leave it. Jessika walks in and wonders what they’re talking about. Lara asks why she was outside the door, and she says she heard her name and the majority of what they said. Kyle says he saw Luka smiling at his phone and thought it was her. In Jessika’s interview, she says, what the f***, again? Kyle says she didn’t want to ruin her night, but she says, it’s not ruined. Why would she want to go to Cannes? Luka can go get his d*ck wet somewhere else. If he wants to play games, she’ll play games. The captain radios the crew for their final meeting.

Captain Sandy says, it’s their final time together. They got through the season with almost everyone. It’s been an absolute joy working with them. The final charter was challenging. She praises Tumi’s character, saying even though she was exhausted, she still brought a smile and maintained her composure. That’s leadership. She’s a rock star. Jack’s enthusiasm in the galley is a rarity for a chef, and Luka belongs on the bridge, not the engine room. She tells them all, nice work. The tip is $15K or $1,153 each. The captain says, the total they made for the season was $182K or $14,200 each. They each made almost $15K. Kyle says, holy crap, and in Lara’s interview, she says she’s thinking of the Gucci boots and all the bitches she can take on holiday. Captain Sandy says she’s going to dinner with them, and they all get ready. Natalya texts Luka that he can tell his girlfriend he won’t need her services, and in Jessika’s interview, she says she’s absolutely over it. Tonight is her revenge on Luka.

Wearing a silver jacket with black pants, Captain Sandy joins the crew in the mess, and they leave. Haleigh says, cheers to no drama tonight, and Lara says, welcome to the fun van, bitches. They get to the restaurant, and the captain says, it’s absolutely beautiful. She’s not wrong, and we find out it was a private palace in the 15^th century. Captain Sandy tells them that if she says the f-word, that means she’s pissed, and in Lara’s interview, she says, Captain Sandy is a great mentor. She never had a captain speak that way to her, and it’s changed her career for the better. And it will only get better from now on. Natalya texts Luka that she can’t wait to see him, and Jessika tells him to stop talking to his other girlfriends. She says, Luka is a f***boy, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s one thing to be wasted in front of the captain. It’s another to be wasted in front of one who doesn’t drink. The captain says she has to get back and call her girl. She’ll wake them up at 9… just kidding. She says, it was a pleasure to have dinner with them on their last night and tells them to have fun. Kyle hugs her and she leaves. Haleigh says, now she can take her t*ts out, and Jessika tells Luka that he’s a ho. In Luka’s interview, he says, Jessika is trying to start drama, but he’s not taking the bait. They’re not in a relationship. It’s f***ing ridiculous. Lara says, Jessika is playing the same game Luka is, and Luka says, he’s got back-ups. In his interview, he says he doesn’t know what to do. Natalya is going to show up soon. He has too many things to deal with and he’s more busy on a night out than at work. Kyle tells Max that Natalya is going to be at the club, and Max asks if they’ve talked, but Kyle says, she’s blocked him. In Kyle’s interview, he says, some of them knew Natalya was coming, but no one thought to tell him. He feels betrayed in this moment. He and Lara talk in Afrikaans, and he says he’s not stupid. She says, Natalya told them not to tell anyone, and he says he thought of her as a sister. Kyle goes to the bar, and Tumi joins him. she wonders what just happened, and Kyle tells her that Natalya is coming. His anxiety is sky high. He cries and says his anxiety is pouring through his eyes. Tumi says, she will never be on their level, and Kyle says he was just being him again, and on the final day she reminds him the devil is here. Tumi says, the devil will always be here. They have to learn to navigate around the devil. The crew moves on to the club.

In Kyle’s interview, he says he didn’t want to tell Jessika about Luka. That’s probably why no one told him about Natalya. He doesn’t want to see her tonight. Ugh. Here she comes, in a bra and boring slacks. She hugs Jack and Luka, and Kyle looks sick. I feel sick for him, and in his interview, Kyle says, the Lord is testing him today. Kyle hugs Natalya, and Tumi asks if she wants a drink. In Tumi’s interview, she says, at this point, she doesn’t give a sh*t. The season is done. Get her drunk and get her the hell out of here. Jessika says, if they can, why can’t she, and she chats with a couple of guys, then kisses one. Luka tells Natalya that Jessika is trying to make him jealous and kisses her. In Max’s interview, he says, Luka has power over women. With great power comes great responsibility. He’s losing his respect for Luka. Being an equal opportunity kissing bandit, Jessika comes on to Lara. In Lara’s interview, she says, Jessika is trying to make Luka jealous. She acts like she doesn’t care, but clearly, she does. She’s hurt and that’s why she’s acting that way. Lily falls on the beach and Max laughs. Natalya goes over to Kyle and says, she’s not sleeping. She was up at 4 am and anxious. He says he understands and has something to say to her. He realizes in her getting involved in the conversation with Max (remember when Max wanted to be included in LGBTQIA+?), she was trying to defuse the situation. He took his anger out on her, and what he did was wrong. He’s been through a lot and what he says is from the heart. He’s genuinely sorry, and when she’s ready, he hopes they can be friends. They hug, and I just shake my head. In Kyle’s interview, he says, with his final apology, he’s seeking closure. This is the end for him, and he has a sense of relief. Jessika tells Natalya, bitch, what’s up? Don’t look at her boyfriend. Natalya says, that’s for them to sort out. She’s not getting involved in that sh*t. Jessika runs off, and in Luka’s interview, he says, he wasn’t expecting it to be like that, for Natalya to come in that hot, but he’s glad she did. Haleigh says he needs to be honest with Jessika, and in Jack’s interview, he says, what’s going on with this boat? Lily is pretty messy at this point, and Max tells Jessika that he has no respect for Luka. In Max’s interview, he says he wants to show Jessika that she’s not alone. He kisses her, and Max tells her that she kisses well. Lily is like, what the f***? and Jessika says, sorry, Lil. He’s a good kisser. She runs off.

Max tells Lily, it was for revenge, as Jessika stumbles to her cabin. Luka follows, and Kyle says he’s not involving himself in this sh*t. Luka suggests Jessika get in her cozy clothes. In the hallway, Lily says she’s hurt her leg, and no one cares. Jessika says she’s second place, and Luka says he saw her at the club. How was it? Jessika says, great, and Luka pulls a shirt on her. In Lara’s interview, she says, Jessika still has feelings for Luka. It’s sad to see her throw herself at a guy who doesn’t want her. Lara tells Jessika that she’s 26 and still doing this. She has no respect for herself. Is she okay? Maybe she needs a mental check. In Kyle’s interview, he says, Jessika is aware Luka has multiple women he’s speaking to, but she still wants to be with him. That’s her business. Live her best life. Jessika says she’s not looking for a relationship and goes with Luka to his cabin. Lily tells Max that she hurt her leg, and Jessika tells Luka that he’s a whore. He asks what she is, and she says, she’s just living. Then they get busy. Because they’re both idiots.

In Lily’s interview, she says she woke up with a UDI, an unidentified drinking injury. It’s a great start to the day. Everyone stumbles around, and Tumi bangs some pans, saying, it’s time to wake up. In her interview, Lily says she’s disappointed in Jessika and Max. She doesn’t care. It was a great fling. Fun times… In Tumi’s interview, she says, Lily looks like a bloody trainwreck, and the captain tells everyone, good morning. Rise and shine. Lily says she can’t straighten her leg, and Captain Sandy says, that’s not good. Lily says, it’s fine, but the captain says, no, it’s not, and calls for a doctor. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s the last day, but a crew member is injured, and she needs to follow protocol. Get her off the boat and to see a doctor. The crew packs, and Jessika wonders if they can get drunk again. She wants to find the boy she kissed. In Luka’s interview, he says he has big regrets. BDL – Bad Decision Luka – came out last night. He’s spotless with work, but the ladies get him in trouble. It never works out. Lily says, f*** her life, and the captain says, Lily is still signed on to the boat, so she has to get her to a doctor. This is her goodbye. In Lily’s interview, she says she wants to live her life with no regrets. Everything you do, you learn from. She could be chief stew. Max says, all good things must come to an end, and tells the captain, goodbye. Everyone says their goodbyes, and Max says he has a helicopter on the sundeck waiting for him. In Max’s interview, he says, freedom, liberty, finally, and sings La Marseillaise, the French national anthem. In Jessika’s interview, she says she learned a big lesson with Luka and needs a lot of time to get over the entire thing. She hopes to never have to relive another f***boy era. Lara says, if she could marry Luka, she would.

Tumi tells Kyle that she loves him so much and asks if he and Natalya have made up. He says he’ll see when he gets off the boat. He goes to the bridge to say goodbye to the captain, and she says, another journey. He sniffles and tells her, only happy tears. He went through a very dark season and can’t thank her enough for the extra chance and opportunity. She’s not only his captain, but a good friend. He respects who she is, and she’s amazing at what she does. They hug, and Captain Sandy says, he’s a good person. In Kyle’s interview, he says, if the captain hadn’t given him a second chance, he has no idea where he would have been going. It was the catapult he needed internally to learn how to control his emotions. He’d be able to navigate being a chief stew now and he’s immensely thankful. All he has to say is, you bitches, goodbye.

Captain Sandy tells Luka that everything about him is a leader, and in Luka’s interview, he says he doesn’t want to say goodbye. He and the captain have built a strong relationship. He started as a deckhand, and she put him in the bosun position. He’s now comfortable going the captain route. Tumi goes to the bridge, and Captain Sandy calls her The Tuminator. She asks how Tumi’s first job as chief stew was, and Tumi says, rough. They laugh, and Tumi says, her whole career has been rough, but that’s how you grow. The captain says, that’s leadership, and in her interview, she says, Tumi came in late, but she turned it around and continued to move forward, an excellent chief stew trait. Tumi says she’s learning to navigate curveballs, and in her interview, she says she needs a vacation ASAP. And a therapist.

In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she loves being a captain. It’s in her blood. She’ll be a captain until the day they put her in the ground… or set her on fire. She laughs.

And with that, this awful season with these awful people is blessedly over.

👽 Not Luke Skywalker’s Father…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and whatever interesting tidbits the internet coughs up. Until then, stay safe, stay not posting someone else’s picture or info without asking, and stay living your life with no regrets and learning from everything you do.

Jan20

January 19, 2024 – Drew Makes a Replacement, A Thought, Custom Made, Side Work, Joke’s On Her, Reaction, VanderSpin, Dragon 2, Late Return, Which Ones, He’s Back, Best Bowl, One Dozen Quotes & Winter

Posted on January 20, 2024 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura says, Cyrus’s health must be improving. He looks better. Cyrus thanks her and says, dropping the charges against Sonny Corinthos has revitalized his spirit. His soul is unburdened, so his body can heal. She asks, what led to this unburdening? and he says, accountability. He acknowledged his role in the attack. How he provoked Sonny at the wrong time instead of giving him grace. If he’d simply turned around and walked away, the beating would never have happened. Once he realized that, he was able to let his anger go, and he found peace. She asks if that’s why he called her last night and wanted her here first thing in the morning, to share this epiphany? He says he called her because there’s a lost soul in need of her help. Spencer walks in and Cyrus says, welcome, nephew. You’re right on time.

Ava hears someone come into the gallery, and says she told Trina to take the day off. She turns around and sees it’s Esme. She asks what the hell Esme wants. She’s not welcome here. Esme says, please don’t kick her out. She needs Ava’s help.

Willow says hi to Adam, and he asks where he is. She says, he’s at General Hospital, and he asks, why? She says, because his friend saved his life.

Carly finishes with an interview for a ~~Kelly’s~~ Bobbie’s manager, when Sam walks in. She says, Carly looks underwhelmed, and Carly says, she’s perceptive. She guesses that’s what makes Sam such a great P.I. If she’s looking for something new, perhaps Carly can interest her in the exciting world of shift management.

Nina goes to her office, where movers are removing everything. She asks what they’re doing here, and one of them says, moving. She says, they must be on the wrong floor, but he says, they’re on the right floor. She says, they can’t be because this is her office. They have to leave immediately and tell that guy to bring her stuff back or she’s calling security. He says, they’re just doing their job, and she says, what job? Who ordered this? Drew walks in and says he did. He tells the guys, good work, and suggests they take a break, giving them money for coffee (which I notice he says like caffee) and muffins. They leave, and Nina says, what the hell? He can’t just order her out of her own office. It’s trespassing. He says, no, it’s business. He owns Aurora; Aurora owns Crimson. He knows she’s the Editor-in-Chief of Crimson, but he’s still her boss. Until now. She’s fired. (Okay. I won’t get into how many shades of wrong this would be in the real world, and the lawsuit that would happen. I’ll just keep telling myself, it’s only a soap…)

In the chapel, Josslyn asks how Dex found her, and he says, when she didn’t answer his calls, he went by her dorm. He ran into her RA Kylie, and she told him what happened. He came here and looked around until he found her. She says, her phone died. She’s sorry she didn’t pick up his call. So much was going on. He says, obviously. Why didn’t she call him when she got here? She says she didn’t want to bother him. She knows how he feels about Adam and figured he had enough. He says, if she’s going through something, he wants to know and help if he can. That’s how this works. Got it? She says, got it. She suggests they check on Adam, see if he’s awake. She needs to apologize to him. He asks what she needs to apologize for, and she says, he freaked out because she told the RA that he was in trouble, but Dex says, she has nothing to apologize for. The people who need to be apologizing are Adam’s parents.

Willow asks if Adam remembers anything from last night, but he says, not really. He’d had too much to drink at a frat party. She says, Josslyn Jax found him alone in Rice Park, and he says, sometimes when he drinks, he wanders. It’s a bad habit. She says, he also ingested a lot of pills, and he says, for a cold. She says she’ll let the doctor fill him in, but he says he’d really like to get back to his dorm. She says, he’ll have to be cleared by the attending before he can be released, and he asks when that will be. She says, he had to have his stomach pumped last night. She doesn’t want to alarm him, but he’s lucky to be alive. He says, lucky me.

Carly tells Sam, business is going great, really great. That’s why she has to hire more staff. It’s a really good problem to have, but she just wants Bobbie’s to live up to its namesake. Sam asks what she’s talking about. Bobbie’s is thriving because of her. Onward and upward. Carly thanks her and says she needed to hear that. What can she get Sam? Sam says she’s going to wait to order until Drew gets here, and Carly says, she’s meeting him now? Sam says, actually, five minutes ago. He’s running late. Carly says she hates to break it to Sam, but she’s going to be waiting a long time for Drew.

Nina says, Drew is making a big mistake, and he says, maybe, but it’s his mistake to make. She asks if he honestly thought she’d just roll over and accept this. What about Michael? Drew might own Aurora, but Michael runs it. What does he think Michael will have to say about this? Drew says, hooray?

Cyrus says he’s grateful Spencer came, and Spencer says he didn’t know Laura would be here. She says, nor I, you, and asks Cyrus, what’s going on? He says he thought they should both know he had a visitor here late last night. Somebody who needed his help, who was desperate and alone, who felt everything had been taken from her. Spencer says, Esme, and Laura asks why Esme would come here. Cyrus asks if Spencer wants to explain the rest or should he do it for him? and Laura says, enough with the mystery. Somebody better tell her something. Spencer says he saw his father last night.

Ava says, one too many knocks to the head? and Esme says, does Ava think she wants to be here asking for her help? Ava says, at least she didn’t have to break in. Now leave or she’s going to call the cops. Esme asks if she hasn’t already done that. Ava tried to send her to prison. Ava says, funny. That’s where she thinks criminals belong. Esme says, Ava’s right. She shouldn’t have broken into Windymere, and what Ava did is entirely justified. Ava asks what she wants. Spit it out. Esme says, has she seen Nikolas? and Ava says, why? Has she? Esme says, no, and Ava wonders why she asks. Esme says, because he’s kidnapped her son.

Laura says, Nikolas came back to Port Charles? Where is he? Spencer says, he was here last night. He’s already gone. Laura says, her son came and went without her even knowing. At least Spencer got to see him. It must have been quite a shock though. Did he say why he risked coming back to Port Charles? Spencer says, he came here to take Ace with him… and I let him.

Dex says, Josslyn told him about the pressure Adam’s parents put him under. No wonder he cracked. She says she just can’t believe he’s this messed up about his grades. They’re better than hers, and hers are pretty good. Dex says, it’s not about his GPA. He feels shame for letting his parents down. He wants them to be proud of him. She says, but he acts like he can’t stand them, and Dex says, just the opposite. Adam loves his parents and feels like a failure because he can’t live up to their expectations. She asks if that’s how it was for him, and he says, not exactly. If there was any part of him that wanted to please his parents, it got burned out pretty quickly. He only found peace with his family when he walked away. He just hopes Adam doesn’t have to make the same choice. She says, he really needs help, doesn’t he? and Dex says, he’s going to need a good friend, and that’s what she’s been. She says, let’s go see how he’s doing.

Adam apologizes to Willow for being edgy. He just wants to get out of here. She says she bets, but they need to have the attending check him out first, okay? Portia comes in and says, he’s up. How is he feeling? He asks if she’s the attending, and she says she’s Dr. Robinson. She’s the Co-Chief of Staff here. He says, wow. Then she can definitely sign him out. When can he leave? Willow says she’ll check on the attending and see if Dr. Wallace is available. She leaves, and Adam says he’s really sorry, but last night was just a complete, huge misunderstanding. He’s sorry if he caused trouble, but his friend Josslyn just overreacted. So if she could sign him out, that would be great. She says she happens to know Josslyn Jax, and she doesn’t overreact much. Neither does the staff here at the hospital. She thinks it’s pretty clear what happened here, and anyway, he’s going to have to be cleared by a psychiatrist before he can be discharged. It’s hospital policy. He says, Dr. Robinson… Is she Trina’s mom? She says she is, and he says, Trina’s told him a lot about her. She says, he’s friends with Trina, so she has to take especially good care of him, right? He says, cool. So let him out. She says, if after his evaluation, they all agree that what happened last night is just an unfortunate accident, then he can be discharged. If not, then they’ll have to take the next steps. He asks what that even means. Are they going to keep him here or something? Doesn’t he have rights? What if he doesn’t consent to it? She says, of course (🍷) he has rights. Absolutely, but some of those rights are determined by his diagnosis. They want the absolute best outcome for him, and if they determine he’s a threat to himself or anyone else, they can’t let him leave. It’s hospital policy and standard practice. The on-call psychiatric attending should be here soon, and his parents… He says, they can’t know, and she tells him calm down. He says, please. They can’t know.

Ava asks when Nikolas took Ace, and Esme says, during the hearing. Spencer was supposed to bring Ace to the courthouse, but he never showed up. Nikolas came to the apartment and convinced Spencer to give him her baby. Ava says, that’s unbelievable. And she never saw Nicholas in Port Charles? Esme says, no. He hid from her like the coward that he is, but Spencer let Nikolas take Ace. She can’t believe Spencer would betray her like that. She thought they were getting along. She thought Spencer hated his father… Ava says, like father, like son, self-serving, duplicitous, and Esme says, Ace doesn’t even know Nikolas. He’s going to be so scared and so confused. Nikolas doesn’t know what Ace likes. He needs his mother. She can’t be without her son. She cries and says, he’s all that she’s got. Ava says, it’s a terrible thing to be separated from your child, and Esme says, so she understands. Ava says, unfortunately, she does, but why come to her? and Esme says she thought Nikolas might not be able to stay away from her. Ava says, unfortunately, and Esme says, so she’s right, isn’t she? Nikolas came to see her. Ava says, Nikolas was here, and Esme says, thank God, but Ava says, he’s gone now, and Esme’s never going to find him.

Laura says, Spencer let Nikolas take Ace? How could he do such a thing? He says he had no choice. His little brother wasn’t safe with Esme. She says, come on. She’s proven herself to be a good mother and he knows it. Does Esme know Nikolas took her baby? Cyrus says, that’s why she came to see him last night. She wanted his help tracking Nikolas down. Laura asks why Esme thought he could help her, and Cyrus says, she thinks he has powerful contacts and thought he’d be amenable because Nikolas and Ace are his relatives. Of course (🍷) he’s related to them through Laura, so he knew he had to do the right thing and inform her. He asked Spencer here so he could be the one to explain. Spencer says, Cyrus is all about his soul, right? And confession being good for it? Cyrus says he’d hope so. Spencer is the one who took a child from his mother. Spencer says he did not take Ace, and Laura says, no. He just handed Ace over like he was returning a package. How could he do such a thing? She can only imagine how Esme is feeling right now. How could Spencer take a baby from the only family he ever knew? Spencer says, because he loves his brother, and he’s not going to allow him to be raised by some psychopath, but Laura says, he goes back to that whenever it’s convenient for him. Esme’s worked hard to overcome her past. Spencer says, Laura doesn’t understand. He knows the truth now. Esme’s been lying. She remembers everything.

Portia says, they had to call Adam’s parents because according to his PCU medical records, they’re his emergency contact. Adam asks what she told his parents, and she says she told them he was here and that he’d had a medical emergency. He asks if she told them about the pills, that he tried to hurt himself, and she asks if that’s what happened. He says, no. It was just an accident. She says, okay. Here’s the deal. He’s over 18, so he’s considered to be an adult. As far as they’re concerned, they can’t share any of his information without his permission. He thanks her, and she says, but his parents are still going to have questions. And whether or not last night was an accident, he’s still going to need a support system in place. So she’s imploring him to please be honest with the doctor who’s going to evaluate him. Be honest with his parents, and most importantly, be honest with himself.

Portia leaves and asks if there’s any word on the psyche attending. Is it Dr. Wallace? Willow says, he’s still doing rounds in the west wing. He’ll be down in a second. How’s Adam? She feels so bad for him. Josslyn said he’s under a lot of pressure at school. She just hopes if Wiley or Amelia ever feel pressured at school, they come to her. Portia says she doesn’t get it. Kids these days have so much pressure on them. The bullying, the isolation, school shootings, everything that’s going on in the world. Depression and anxiety are an epidemic for this generation, and it breaks her heart. Josslyn and Dex come by, and Josslyn asks Portia if Adam is awake yet. Portia says she didn’t know Josslyn was here. Did she sleep here last night? Josslyn says she just wants to make sure Adam is okay, and Portia says, he’s awake. He cannot have any visitors right now. That’s really all she can tell Josslyn. A man goes to the reception desk and says he’s here to see Adam Wright. He was brought in last night. He wants to see his son.

Carly says, Drew mentioned he had a meeting at Aurora this morning, and Sam says, they’ve had this on the books for a week. Carly says she’s sure it was last minute. He must have forgotten. Drew would never leave her hanging. Sam says, so she thought. Never say never, she guesses. Carly asks what that means, and Sam says she and Drew have been out of step lately. That’s why she scheduled this meeting, to see if they could iron some things out. Carly asks if this is about the situation with Scout’s school. She doesn’t believe Drew meant to undercut Sam. Sam says, actually, they’ve resolved that issue, but things are still really tense, and they have been since he got home from Pentenville. Maybe it’s just her… Never mind. Carly says, don’t do that. Talk to her. What’s going on? Sam says, Carly probably spends the most time with Drew. Since he’s been back, hasn’t she noticed that he’s changed?

Drew says, as Nina pointed out, Michael just runs Aurora. He happens to own it, so he gets the final say. Nina says she gets it. Either Micahel disagrees with him about firing her and running Crimson into the ground or he doesn’t know. Michael may have Sonny’s last name and he may hate her, but he’s a Quartermaine through and through. He doesn’t let his personal feelings interfere with the balance sheet. Drew says, don’t forget he’s a Quartermaine too, and she says, maybe he should take a page out of his nephew’s book. She has run a tight, profitable ship for years. She saved Crimson from bankruptcy when Julian Jerome tried to run it in the ground and use it as a tax write-off. Now Crimson is one of the top fashion magazines in the country. It is Aurora’s flagship title and it’s her baby. Speaking of, what kind of father tanks his company and destroys his child’s legacy? Isn’t Scout a major shareholder? He gets in Nina’s face and tells her, don’t you dare bring my daughter into this. (I say, or what? You gonna hit me? which is what Nina should say.)

Carly tells Sam, Drew had a horrific experience in Pentenville, and he’s struggling. She thinks that’s to be expected ~~after 3 years in a dungeon in Crete first that affected him not at all~~. Just when he was getting his bearings, they found out Nina was the one who called the SEC on them. And that very same night, they found out her mother died. She thinks Drew’s angry. She’s angry. Sam says she understands that, but Drew is angry at the world. Carly is directing her anger toward Nina, and rightly so. Carly says, her instincts are telling her to strike back, but she wants to be more like her mom. She wants to focus on what’s important, and right now, keeping her legacy alive and honoring her is so important. She hopes she’s succeeding, but she doesn’t know. Sam says, Bobbie would be really proud of her right now. Carly thanks her and says, but Bobbie also gave people second chances. Maybe that’s what they need to do for Drew. Give him some grace and double down on their support. Sam says she hears Carly, and don’t get her wrong, she’d do anything to support Drew, aside from the issue with Scout and the school. If there’s any way she can help him… Does Carly have any idea how she can do that? She’s listening.

Drew asks what he ever did to Nina. Did he harm her in some way? She says, it wasn’t about him. It was always about Carly. He says, two people were reported to the SEC. Did she just forget about him? She didn’t care that he was collateral damage? She didn’t care that he just got back into his daughter’s life, and he was ripped away again? Right after he helped save Nina’s daughter’s life, so she just cares about her daughter, not his? She says she’s sorry, and she was very grateful. She didn’t know he’d be the one to go to prison. He says, she didn’t want to know. She didn’t care. She was just so hellbent on destroying Carly. He thinks it’s insecurity. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says, Wiley and Amelia love Carly. They’re so much closer to Carly than they are to her. Willow too, for that matter. And Sonny and Carly. Their bond is dysfunctional, but it’s also unbreakable, and he doesn’t think she can stand that, so she wanted to get Carly out of the picture. Nina wanted her out by any means possible. Nina asks if he can just stop talking. Yes. She did what she did, and she won’t deny it, but she thinks this is a perfect opportunity for him to acknowledge his part. He is responsible for putting himself at risk. He says, Carly’s investment was a well-intentioned act of support, with no nefarious motive whatsoever. Nina, on the other hand, just wanted to take Carly out. And now he wants to take Nina out. Nina says she wants to give him fair warning. Don’t use all these feelings to influence his business decisions. Talk to legal. He can’t just fire her. She may not own the company, but without her, there is no magazine. He says, she’s not telling him anything he doesn’t know, and she asks if he’s telling her that he would shutter Crimson just to get rid of her. He says he’s telling her that he would do anything to make her pay for what she’s done.

Portia introduces herself to Adam’s father, and he asks, where’s Adam? Is he okay? She says, he’s resting and he still needs to be seen by an attending. He says, Adam drank too much and made a fool of himself. Does that really require further consultation? She says, it requires them to be as thorough as possible, and he says he doesn’t want her running up their bill with all kinds of extra charges. Adam’s already squandered the money they’ve invested in his education with this foolishness, which is exactly what they were afraid of. Now when can he take his son home? Portia says she’ll go check his status, and walks away. Josslyn follows her and says, Adam can’t go. He needs to stay here and get help. He absolutely cannot go home. Wright says, and why is that? What does she know about his son that he doesn’t? (Hint: Probably everything.)

Esme asks if Ava helped Nikolas kidnap her son, but Ava says she would never do anything like that. Esme says, then why was he here? Why did he come looking for Ava? Did he want Ava to help him get her out of the way? Is that why Ava pressed charges against her? Ava says, that’s ridiculous. She didn’t know Esme had broken into Windymere. She didn’t know Laura was going to convince her to confess to it. Esme says, just tell her how to find Nikolas, please, but Ava says she can’t. He’s a Cassadine. He’s got money, he’s got resources, he’s got the private islands. If Laura couldn’t find him, does Esme really think she’ll be able to? Esme says she’s not giving up on her son. She has resources too. Ava says, Esme has no idea what she’s getting herself into, and her resources can’t possibly compete or compare. Esme asks if she looks helpless. She’ll do whatever it takes to find her son. Maybe she has a dangerous ally of her own. Ava says, oh really? Like who? Esme says, Cyrus Renault.

Cyrus says, Esme told him that Spencer threatened to have the old charges reinstated against her. When he questioned her, she wouldn’t say how this might be possible. Spencer says, because she doesn’t want anyone to know that she’s regained her memory, and Cyrus asks how he knows that. Spencer says, because of the little things she was saying. He was with her before her arraignment at the PCPD. She kept going back to how everyone hated her and how she was the one being persecuted. Then he pointed out to her that these are things that sound like the old Esme. As soon as he said that, she backed off. Laura says, how would he expect her to react? She confessed and she expressed true remorse over what was really a Class-A misdemeanor, and still Ava had to press charges. Spencer says, she told him that Ava wanted her to pay for what she supposedly did to Trina, as though Ava and Trina are the ones overreacting, and she’s the one being persecuted in this situation. Laura says she’s sorry. She doesn’t see this as proof that Esme regained her memory. Spencer says, she called him Spence. That’s what she used to call him, back when they were together. She hasn’t used that name for him since she lost her memory. Laura says, so she called him by his nickname, and he says, when he told her that his father had taken Ace, she told him that she was going to the police and was going to report the kidnapping. He threatened her and said, if she does that, he’s going to tell the police that she has her memory back and they’re going to reopen the investigation. As soon as she heard that, she seemed like she couldn’t risk it. Laura says, maybe she couldn’t risk being thought of as a suspect when she’s so desperate to get her son back. He gave Ace away based on a suspicion, not based on something he knew, and certainly nothing he could prove. Spencer says he does know that Esme has regained her memory, and Cyrus says he’s sorry to interrupt, but memory or not, Esme is still going after her son. She came to him asking for his help. Who else is she going to go to? And if Esme is successful, what will she do when she finds Nikolas?

Carly tells Sam that she thinks the best thing they can do for Drew is, just be honest with each other and keep talking, and to give him some time. She’s going to do everything she can on her end. Sam says, just so she knows, she’s not alone in this. There are plenty of people who care about Drew. Carly says, but what happened to Drew is on her. She’s the one who bought the Aurora stock because she had to inflate the price, even after Drew told her not to, over and over again. And he took the fall just to protect her. Sam says, he insisted on doing that, but Carly says, he wouldn’t have been faced with that choice if it weren’t for her to begin with. So she’s going to do everything in her power to make up for it. Sam says, as long as helping him doesn’t come at her own expense, because that’s the last thing he would want.

Nina asks Drew, what about the staff? They’re hard-working, they’re loyal, some of the best in the business. He’s willing to lay off all of those people just to get back at her. He says, that’s on her. He takes out an envelope and says, she signs this termination agreement or Crimson, with all its staff, is going out of business. One of the movers asks if they should start loading the boxes on the freight elevator, and Drew says he’ll have a look. He tells Nina that he’ll give her a moment to think about it. He leaves, and Nina tosses the papers in a box. She pauses and takes out a photo of Willow with Wiley and Amelia. Drew comes back and says, time’s up. Is she going to sign, or is she taking Crimson down with her? (I’m starting to think this is a dream or he’s really gone bonkers. A lot of it doesn’t make sense, even for a soap.)

Portia says, Josslyn found Adam in the park yesterday, and called emergency services. Wright says, she found him, or she was out drinking with him? and Dex says, Josslyn wasn’t drinking. She went to look for Adam because she was concerned for him. Josslyn says, Adam was alone and nearly passed out, and Wright says, they’ve been concerned about his behavior for quite a while. Josslyn says, really? and Wright says, this incident proves Adam is just not mature enough to live on his own. Josslyn says, it’s not a question about maturity. Adam needs help. He says he appreciates her concern and he’s grateful she called for help when she did, but he’ll take it from here. Josslyn says, he doesn’t understand. Adam has been hiding everything from him because Adam is afraid of what he’ll do. Wright asks why he would be afraid. He and his mother only want the best for Adam. Josslyn says, he just feels so much pressure, and Wright says, Adam has a very promising career ahead of him. He had the test scores to get into PCU. He’s maintained a 4.0 up until now. If he stays on track, he’ll be admitted to a top tier medical school. But now Adam is drinking and partying and squandering everything that he and his mother have worked hard to give him. She says, Adam isn’t partying. He’s self-medicating, having panic attacks. Portia thanks Josslyn and says she thinks she can take it from here. Why doesn’t Josslyn go home and get some rest? Wright asks who he has to speak to, to remove his son, and Dex tells Josslyn, let’s just let the hospital handle this, okay? Wright says, yeah. She’s done her part. Now please leave. This doesn’t concern her. Josslyn says, it should concern him that his son tried to kill himself last night.

Laura says she’s got to alert the police, but Spencer says, if she does that, the FBI could get involved, and who knows who else. Plus, if his father is captured, then Ace is going to get returned to Esme. (He really doesn’t get it, does he?) Laura says, they don’t even know if she’s regained her memory, and if she has, she still might do the right thing by her son. Cyrus says he agrees with Laura. He believes in the power of redemption. Spencer says, well, he doesn’t. Esme’s redemption is fake, and why is Laura still believing her? Is she really choosing Esme’s well-being over Ace’s? Laura says she’s being realistic, and the reality is that Ace would be safer if he was with them. He should have stopped his father. She just doesn’t understand why he didn’t come to her with his suspicions. She would have listened to him. They could have gone to the police together and made Esme face the things she’s done. Spencer says, what about his father~~, who up until ten minutes ago was the biggest asshat in the world~~? Should he have reported him as well? Laura says she would have never asked him to turn his own father in, but she knows Ace should be with them while all of the other stuff is getting sorted out. Spencer says, and what if it got sorted out in Esme’s favor? As far as he’s concerned, his father just saved Ace’s life. Laura says, don’t get her wrong. She’s glad that he’s starting to realize his father isn’t the heartless man Spencer’s made him out to be, but he has demonstrated some spectacularly bad judgement here and so has Spencer. His father is on the run. He’s being pursued by the authorities. This little baby has never been in more danger.

Portia tells Josslyn, that’s enough, and Dex says, let’s just go, but Josslyn says, Adam took a pack of antihistamines and washed it down with vodka. He knew what he was doing. Adam is so afraid of his father, he’d rather not live than face him. Wright says, she’s lying, and Josslyn says, doesn’t he even care? He pushed and he pushed until Adam reached his breaking point. Wright says he wants her gone – now! And if this girl comes within 50 feet of Adam, he’ll sue. (Um… we’ve already established Adam is over 18. I don’t think he can. Why is everyone being weird today?) Portia says, that’s unnecessary. She’s tired, she hasn’t slept all night, and she’s leaving right now. Why don’t they go to her office, and she can explain everything that’s going on with Adam, and they can wait for the attending there. Wright leaves with Portia, and Willow goes over to Josslyn and Dex. She says, Dr. Robinson won’t let anything happen to Adam, and Dex tells Josslyn, anything she says will just antagonize Adam’s father. She says, because he refuses to see the truth, and Dex says, Wright isn’t going to listen to her, but if she’s not here, he might listen to Dr. Robinson. Josslyn asks Willow to promise to keep an eye on Adam, and Willow promises. Josslyn says, okay then, and walks to the elevator with Dex, but then she quickly walks off.

Ava says, Esme is joking, but Esme says, Cyrus is going to help her find her son. Ava says, why? and Esme says, because he cares about his family. Ava says, Esme’s not his family. Ace may be a part of his family, but she is not. Esme says, but he promised, and Ava says, promised what exactly? Esme says, nothing. He promised her nothing. She starts to cry again, and says, her son is kidnapped. No one will help her and she’s all alone. She heads for the door, and Ava says, wait, but Esme says, stay away from me, and leaves.

Laura thanks Cyrus for coming to her, to them, about Esme, and he says, they’re family. Where else would he go? She leaves, and in the hallway, Spencer asks if she sees now. Esme went to Cyrus for help. Isn’t that proof she can’t be trusted? Laura says, it’s proof she’s desperate and will do anything to get her baby back, and he says, fine. Both can be true. She takes out her phone and calls the PCPD, asking for Dante. Spencer tries to take the phone, but she says, stop it. She has to do it. She tells them, it’s urgent… Dante answers, and she says, it’s Laura. My grandson Ace has been taken.

Josslyn looks in on Adam through the door window. Dex comes up behind her and gently guides her back to the elevator.

Nina signs the papers, and hands them to Drew. He says he’s surprised she gave in so quickly. She tells him, like she said, Crimson is her baby, and she’ll do anything to save her. (Besides this whole scene being in a parallel universe, is there some weird parallel with Ace here?) She’ll do anything for the employees, even if it means giving up everything she cares about. He asks if she thinks he’d really sabotage Aurora’s flagship title for her. Crimson was always going to be just fine. She says, so this was his plan all along, manipulate her sense of duty to her employees. He says, or maybe she just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to play martyr. She says, her employees are going to lose their jobs eventually anyway, and he says, former employees. She says, this magazine is nothing without her. Does he really think he’s going to get the photographers, the designers, the advertisers? The editorial staff will quit immediately. She made this magazine. This is her magazine. She’s irreplaceable. He says, and yet, he’s already replaced her. Carly walks in, and he says, meet Crimson’s new Editor-in-Chief.

On Monday, Nina says, they’re finally even; Martin asks where Lucy thinks she’s running off to in such a hurry; Esme says, you’re the only person I can turn to (Heather maybe?); and Dante says, maybe he should be arresting Spencer instead.

💭 I dunno about this. I’m guessing the closest Carly has come to editing a magazine is reading one, and wasn’t she just talking to Sam? Hard to believe Nina would say she’s irreplaceable along with all the other big talk, and this would also hardly be moving on for Carly after her speech on letting go. The whole thing was just weird.

🪆 Her Toy Story…

I keep forgetting she was in Five Nights at Freddy’s. I still haven’t seen it.

Jophielle Love Gets Turned Into a Toy!

🪂 On Their Off Time…

Writing mission completed.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jon-lindstrom-shows-off-his-first-novel

This sounds like a real headache. She took an amazing passport photo though.

GH’s Cassandra James Achieves a Major Milestone!

🤡 Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha and Then Some…

Apparently, the board-certified medical professional was called out by bigger board-certified medical professionals.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists Calls Out Annemarie Wiley

😘 She Doesn’t Care…

Sleeping with him was punishment enough.

Kathryn Dennis Reacts to Olivia Flowers, Thomas Ravenel Hookup Reveal

🍸 After the Rules…

It was bound to happen.

https://people.com/vanderpump-rules-spinoff-the-valley-starring-jax-taylor-brittany-cartwright-kristen-doute-premiere-spring-2024-8431186

The Vanderpump Rules Spin-Off The Valley Looks Terrible

🐉 Dragon Is Coming…

What’s up with Season 2.

https://winteriscoming.net/posts/hbo-responds-to-house-of-the-dragon-season-2-release-date-rumors

🐝 Fly Back To Us Soon…

Hopefully, we’re all still alive in 2025.

https://screenrant.com/yellowjackets-season-3-cast-story-everything-we-know/

https://www.etonline.com/yellowjackets-cast-teases-season-3-without-juliette-lewis-exclusive-217957

🏈 In Between Bowl…

The trailers anticipated during the upcoming Super Bowl.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/super-bowl-2024-what-trailers-commercials-deadpool-3-movies-tv/

🦸🏽 You’re Welcome, Canada…

Deadpool is the best.

https://comicbookmovie.com/deadpool/deadpool-3/deadpool-3-set-photos-reveal-multiple-variants-of-spoiler-in-upcoming-mcu-threequel-a208960

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12984525/deadpool-3-ryan-reynolds-sports-long-hair-marvel-hugh-jackman.html

🐾 Fluffy For the Win…

January 18, 2024 – Blaze Pays an Unexpected Visit to Kristina, The Finish Line Of an Uncomfortable Not-So Charming Reunion & Popcorn

Posted on January 19, 2024 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the Quartermaines’, Carly says, this seems a little too familiar, and Michael says, turnabout’s fair play. She says, it was almost a year ago when he accused her of playing God with Willow’s life because she hid the fact that Nina was Willow’s mother, and Michael says he was terrified. He was desperate… She says, don’t do that. He accused her of making a very crucial decision without considering the consequences for anyone, and he was right. He says, now he kept the truth about Nina being the SEC informant to himself, knowing that information would affect her and Drew and Willow and so many others. He should have seen this blowing up, but he didn’t. She says, when protecting their families, they can all have tunnel vision, but he tells her, just say it. He chose dad’s happiness over hers, and that he’s also a giant hypocrite.

At the Bistro, TJ asks if Jordan is tired or just full, and she says, content. This was really nice, and long overdue. He says, that’s on him, but she says she realizes he’s got a lot on his plate right now. Her phone dings, and she says, and so does she. He says, a Deputy Mayor’s work is never finished, and she says, something like that. He says he’s glad her new role is fulfilling, but he hopes it leaves room for a personal life. She wonders if he’s asking about her love life, but he says, more like hoping she’ll have time to babysit, because if everything goes according to plan, her grandchild was conceived today.

Kristina looks at the aftercare information for intrauterine insemination, when there’s a knock at her door. She opens it, and Blaze says, greetings, stranger. Remember me? Kristina asks what she’s doing here. She thought Blaze had another out of town stop on her tour. Blaze says she did, but a blizzard knocked the power out at the venue. So if Kristina doesn’t have any plans tonight, how about it? Can she come out and play? Just a thought, but why does no one ever look through the peephole or ask, who’s there? when someone’s at the door?

Drew sits next to Anna at the bar at Charlie’s and orders scotch, neat. Make it a double. Anna says, tough day at the office? and Drew says, tough decade. (I hear you, Drew.) Every time he thinks it’s taken a turn for the better, the universe kind of shuts that down. She says she’s sorry, but he says, no, he’s sorry. She’s sitting here with her drink, enjoying her book, and he just lays that on her and brings her down. He asks the bartender for another drink for Anna on him, and she says, that’s okay. He didn’t bring her down. He just made her realize how much she relates to everything he just said.

At the hospital, Esme tell Cyrus, wake up. She needs his help. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says she had nowhere else to go. He says, why? What’s the matter? She says, her baby’s gone. He’s been kidnapped by his own father.

TJ says, Kristina underwent intrauterine insemination today, and Jordan says, congratulations. She’ll be praying that the procedure is successful. He says, her and him both. He can’t believe it’s finally going to happen, even though they didn’t get here the way he thought they would. Not in his wildest dreams did he think Kristina would be their surrogate, much less their egg donor. She says she knows it took some time to get comfortable with that, and he says, it did, until he sat down with Kristina, and they talked it all out. He came to a real understanding about her thoughts and feelings about the whole thing. Kristina is as prepared as she can be, emotionally and physically, which is more than some people can say, right? She says, absolutely, and he asks, then why is she so quiet? She’s not weighing in nearly as much as Molly’s mother. Is she comfortable with Kristina being their surrogate? She says, it’s not up to her, and he says he knows. He’s asking. What does she really think?

Kristina says she was just planning on having an evening in tonight, and Blaze says, that sounds a lot better than anything thrown together by someone who just showed up at her door. Any chance she feels like having some company? Kristina says, sure, yeah, come on in. She’s not a great chef or anything, but she was going to make some pasta… Blaze says, she doesn’t have to entertain or play hostess. She was excited about seeing Kristina and totally forgot common courtesy. She should have called first. She apologizes. Kristina says, it’s okay, but Blaze says, no, it’s not. But in her defense, Kristina hasn’t been the easiest to get on the phone lately. Kristina says she knows. She’s been really busy. Blaze says she knows Kristina has a lot going on. Can she ask Kristina a question? Kristina says, okay, and Blaze says, why does it feel like she’s started pulling away?

Esme tells Cyrus that she went to Laura’s apartment to pick up Ace, and Spencer was there. He told her that he wanted to talk, and she should have realized he was just stalling her. Cyrus says he’s not sure he understands, and she says, well, understand this. While she was in a courtroom because of some stupid broken window at Windymere, Spencer was conspiring with his father to steal her baby. He says, this doesn’t sound like Spencer, but she says, yes, it does. He doesn’t know the real Spencer or the real Nikolas. He asks what the police said, but she says she hasn’t called the police. Spencer told her if she called the cops, he’d have her old charges reinstated against her. He says, that’s not Spencer’s call, but she says, he’ll convince the DA. Cyrus says he doesn’t know how. The way he understands it, she could easily sway a jury based on her memory loss. So how can Spencer hold that against her? Has something changed?

Michael tells Carly that he knew he couldn’t cut off Nina completely because Willow would be suspicious, but containing Nina would mitigate the damage. She says, blackmail for the greater good? and he says, if that makes him a hypocrite, so be it. He’s been called worse. She says she thinks that makes him his mother’s son. No one knows why he did the things he did better than she does. Although she can’t say it doesn’t hurt that he kept the things Nina had done to himself. He says he thought he was lessening the hurt by keeping quiet, and she says, how? He says, for Willow mostly. And for his dad. He seemed happy in his marriage, and she seemed happy with Drew and was moving on. She says, that’s all true, but he forgot the lesson they both learned about keeping secrets last year. Even with the best of intentions, keeping things buried can have unintended consequences. He says, and nothing ever stays buried.

Kristina says she’s been really busy with her youth center and everything with her sister and work, and Blaze says, she’s got a lot going on, but come on. She obviously did something to hurt Kirstina’s feelings and she never wants to do that. So help her. Kristina says she pulled away because Blaze pulled away, and Blaze says, when? Kristina says, at Rice Plaza. They were talking about their family traditions… Blaze says, Kristina said her presents a year ago were a pepper spray holster and free legal advice, and Kristina says, among other things. They’re hands sort of found each other and it was really nice. Then Brook and Chase came, and Blaze literally dropped her hand like it was on fire. Blaze says she didn’t realize she did that, and Kristina says, she did. She knows there are certain things Blaze hasn’t shared with her family, but that hurt. Blaze says she’s so sorry, and Kristina thanks her. She says, does Blaze think maybe that’s because she’s not out to her family? but Blaze says she’s not used to public displays of affection. She never has been. Her performance life is in the public eye. She shares so much of herself with her music, she wants to keep her private life just for herself. Kristina says she gets that. She understands Blaze’s life is more complicated than hers in that way, and that’s fine, but when she likes someone, she likes to show it and likes if they do too. Blaze says she’d like to be more like Kristina, but old habits die hard. It might take a bit before she’s as comfortable being in public as Kristina is. Can Kristina be a little patient? Kristina says she doesn’t know.

Jordan says, after everything TJ and Molly went through, she got the impression they wanted to take a break to process and regroup before they tried again. TJ says, they both thought waiting was their best option. But after Kristina volunteered to be their surrogate, he and Molly agreed it wouldn’t be fair to ask Kristina to put her life on hold for them indefinitely. Besides, is there ever a right time to have a child? If you wait for everything to be perfect, you’ll wait forever, right? She says she can’t answer that, and he says, this is the right decision. She says she’ll answer his question with one of her own. Would her opinion change his mind? He says, no, and she says, if it wasn’t clear, how his child comes into this world will never change how much she loves them. Got it? He says, got it, and she says she does love that he values her opinion, and she appreciates how thoughtful he is with every aspect of his life. If he ever truly feels he needs her take on something, she’ll give it to him, but from where she’s sitting, he’s doing just fine in determining his own destiny. And she couldn’t be prouder.

Michael says, part of him wishes he’d never gone looking for the truth, but Carly says, come on. Would he really be happier not knowing, while Nina was settling in to her happily ever after with his dad, getting closer to Willow after everything she’s done? He says, she’s right. he needed to know. He just regrets the way he handled the information. And to top it all off, he hurt the two most important women in his life. She says she’ll survive, but he says, she deserves better. She’s always had his back. No matter how many times he screwed up, he knew she always loved him unconditionally. She says, that’ll never change, and he says, even if the man she loves doesn’t feel the same way?

Drew says he just feels like a stranger to himself lately, and Anna says, angry, but impulsive? He says, yeah. How did she know? She says she feels the same. She guesses a lot has happened to them both since Greenland. He says he heard about her house being burned down and he heard about the other incident, and she says, this life she’s chosen, she’s seen a lot of terrible things, but shooting that young girl… Charlotte… that was the worst moment of her life. He says, she must have been devastated, and she says she doesn’t have words. She’s just been cycling through so many different emotions. He says, it’s exhausting, isn’t it? and she agrees. Then when you think about the people you believe you know the best, and you find out they are unrecognizable… That hurts. And it makes you feel so naïve, and stupid, and very, very sad. But she thinks mostly what she feels right now is anger.

Michael says he doesn’t remember the last time he saw Drew lose his cool like that, and Carly says, it doesn’t happen a lot. He says he’s sorry he put her in such a terrible position, but she says, Drew’s mad, but it’s not all about Michael. He’s struggling. He’s going through a lot since he got attacked in Pentenville. Michael says, no one ever comes out of Pentenville the same way they went in, but you move past it. With honesty and support and maybe talking to somebody, Drew will be able to move past what happened to him in Pentenville. Carly says, yeah. Of course (🍷) it might take a little time, but Drew’s an amazing man. And he’s not the only one. Michael says, not so amazing lately, and Carly says she’ll talk to Drew. He says he’s amazed at her love and forgiveness, and she says she’s always going to forgive him and she’s always going to love him. Know that. His apology tour’s not over. He’s going to have to make things right with Willow. There’s nothing more important than his wife and children, and he cannot let Nina damage this family more than she already has. The nanny says she’s sorry to interrupt, but Wiley is asking for his daddy. Michael thanks her and she leaves. He tells Carly the kids are upstairs because Willow’s working the late shift. He hasn’t seen much of them lately. Carly says, go, tuck in his son, and he thanks her. He leaves, and she takes out her phone.

Drew asks how Anna shook the anger, and she says she’ll let him know when she does. Did he know that anger is really just a byproduct of fear? (I did, from Dr. Phil.) He says, so it’s a symptom, and she says, according to her book, yeah. He asks if there are any other nuggets of wisdom in there, and she says she’s sure there is. She’s only on chapter one. Her focus is a bit off these days. She thinks she read one page three times, but she did grasp that anger/fear connection thing. He says, maybe the fourth time is the charm, and she says, maybe. She’s just biding time until her friend gets here. He says, it looks like she’s got a little bit of time to give that page another shot, and she says she wonders whether an antidote to betrayal is a sort of fellowship, in a way. He says, she might be on to something there. Her company has been medicinal. She says she’s never been called medicinal before, and he says, talking to her, he realizes he’s got to get the toxicity out of his life. She tells him to let her know how that goes.

Jordan’s phone dings, and TJ asks, who is blowing up his mama’s phone? She says she’s working on a special project, and he says, for the mayor’s office? She says, with the mayor’s permission, but the project is off the books, and he says, got it. Say no more. She says, it’s no secret from him. She and Curtis have been looking into his shooting. The alerts she’s getting could be her first solid lead. TJ says, promise him that she’ll be careful.

Esme tells Cyrus that she has no idea what’s going on in Spencer’s mind. All she knows is that she has no faith that the PCPD will help her get her son back from the mayor’s son. He says he’s sorry, but he was under the impression that his sister has been good to her and little Ace, and she says, Laura is the reason she’s in this situation. Laura told her to turn herself in and insisted she’d get a slap on the wrist, and then Ava pressed charges. He says, perhaps it’s time she turned to his brother Martin. He’s a lawyer. She says, he’s her lawyer. He was at her hearing. But a lawyer’s not going to do her any good. There’s no way she’s going to find Nikolas with traditional channels. Cyrus says, he’s also very resourceful, but she says, even if Laura and Martin can help her get Ace back, it won’t do her any good if she’s behind bars. He says, so she doesn’t really fear for Ace’s safety. This is less a matter of protection and more about possession. She asks if she’s being lectured by an ex-con, and he says, she sought him out. Besides, a rap sheet doesn’t preclude morality. Or motherhood, right? She says, right. Which is why she’s appealing to his better angels. He says, what makes her think she can trust him?

Kristina says she has no idea what it’s like to be a public figure. So she can’t even pretend to relate to Blaze’s sensitivities there. Blaze says she’s glad. She wouldn’t want that for Kristina. Kristina says, if she were dating someone in the public eye, she’d be willing to make some compromises, but it would really depend on what they were. It took her a lot of time and a lot of work to get to where she is today, to live authentically her truth, and she’s never going to go back to anything less than that. Blaze says, okay, so if she tries to do better and she’s conscious of her attitudes and behaviors, can they just pick up where they left off? Kristina says, that would be kind of tough. Her life is about major league change. Blaze asks if she means with the youth center opening, and Kristina says, that… and this, showing her the aftercare handout. As of this afternoon, she might be pregnant. Blaze looks at the sheet and says, this is major. No wonder she’s lying low tonight. How is she feeling? Kristina says, all right. How is Blaze feeling? Blaze says, it’s not a total surprise. Kristina made it very clear that she was going to be her sister’s surrogate. Kristina says, but now it’s a reality, and Blaze says, people get pregnant all the time and they find ways to hang out with other people. So will they. At least that’s what they talked about. Kristina says, but now that it’s actually happening, it’s a little hard to see how they’ll juggle that and be together, right? Blaze says, maybe, and Kristina says, here they are, taking the sheet from Blaze. It’s been really nice getting to know her… Blaze says, hang on. So their timing isn’t perfect. She’s missed Kristina, and she likes her a lot, a lot. Kristina says she likes Blaze a lot too, but she doesn’t know if that’s going to be enough.

Blaze says she feels so stupid. She should have picked up on the distance between them sooner, but it sounds like Kristina has made up her mind. Kristina says she’s not sure about much these days, which is why she thinks it’s probably best if they call it. Blaze says she guesses so, and gets up. She goes to the door and says she should have held Kristina’s hand at Rice Plaza and never let go. She walks out, and Kristina says she’ll see Blaze around. Blaze says, sounds good, and leaves. Kristina is pissing me off now. They have more chemistry than most of the couples on the show.

Carly leaves a message for Drew, telling him that she loves him, and Michael comes back downstairs. He says, Wiley is playing with a truck Nina got him. It took everything he had not to chuck it out the window, along with everything else associated with that woman. She says, okay, but being out of the family is going to kill Nina, and she has no one to blame but herself. He says, but is that justice? They both know Drew was just collateral damage. Nina wanted the SEC to get Carly sent to prison. Carly says she knows that, but now everyone knows that. And for her, the silver lining is, she doesn’t have to co-exist with Nina anymore. She doesn’t have to bite her tongue around her. She doesn’t have to serve Nina at her restaurant. She doesn’t have to listen to another sappy speech about why the two of them need to get along. She hates Nina for what she did to Drew, but now she doesn’t have to pretend otherwise. He says, she doesn’t want payback? and she says, yes, she wants payback, but she wants peace of mind more. Since her mother passed, she’s realized closure only comes from letting go. And she’s ready to move on. She suggests he does the same, and she leaves.

Anna says she doesn’t really have a picture of what her life is like after the WSB, and Drew asks if she knows what she wants it to look like. She says he thought she did, but now… He says, there’s no clock. She doesn’t have to put pressure on herself. She says, that’s very good advice. She doesn’t suppose he’d take it. His phone rings and he says, it’s Carly. She’s probably wondering where he is. She says, that’s really nice, to have someone wonder. It’s been her experience that after you ignore the first call, it just gets easier and easier to ignore the rest. They both have a lot of questions that they want to answer for themselves. But Drew has one thing for sure that she doesn’t. He says, what’s that? and she says, he has someone who loves him and wants to support him.

Esme says she doesn’t trust Cyrus. Not for a second. She doesn’t trust anybody. For all she knows, Laura could have known about Nikolas’s plan. He says, she’s accusing his sister of being party to a kidnapping, and she tells him that she’s saying she needs help. There must be something he can do. When she met him in the visiting room at Pentenville, he told her that he cared about family. Were those just empty words? Ace is his family, and he’s also hers. He’s been taken from her. He’s been taken from both of them. Is he going to let that stand?

Jordan tells TJ not to worry; she’s taking precautions. He says he hopes so, and she says she is. Especially now that Curtis is focused on his recovery and can’t provide back-up. He says, she’s not going to forget she’s not the top cop anymore, and she says, it’s not something you forget. If she discovers anything that even flirts with putting her in danger, she’ll turn over the investigation officially. Her phone dings, and he says, go. Take care of her investigation, safely. No danger flirting. Jordan says she hates to ask which one of them is the parent, but she guesses she can’t ask that for much longer.

Kristina sits on the sofa and says, I don’t know if you’re in there or not, or if you even exist yet, but hi. It’s me. Your Auntie Kristina, the crazy one. I am a mess. Clearly. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be talking to you. But you’re the only person who heard what just happened, so please just tell me whether I did the right thing or not. There’s a knock at the door, and Kristina opens it to Blaze holding a shopping bag.

Cyrus tells Esme that his own means are greatly reduced, but he still knows people who can make discreet inquiries on her behalf. And if there’s a trail, they’ll pick it up. She thanks him and asks, what’s the next step? He says he makes a phone call, and she says, that’s it? That’s all he can do? He says, no. He can also pray with her. He picks up his Bible.

Carly comes into Charlie’s and says, there’s the man she adores. Looks like he found some good company. Drew says he did indeed, and Anna says she didn’t get a chance to say, the service for Carly’s mother was really beautiful. They’re all going to miss her so much. Carly thanks her, and Anna says she’s going to call her friend to see where they are. It was nice talking with Drew. He says, her too, and she tells them to have a nice night. She leaves, and Carly sits down. She thanks him for calling her back and says she knows why he’s mad at Michael. He should have told them the truth. She wishes he would have. But she’s made some missteps herself when it came to protecting her family from Nina, so she really does understand. He says he and Michael are going to have to hash this out, and they will, but the bulk of his anger is reserved for Nina. Carly says, blech. Join the club. He says, the failed merger and her investment would have never been on the SEC’s radar if it wasn’t for Nina’s actions. It left him to the mercy of that judge and violent prisoners. It took him away from his daughter, his only child. She says she knows. She understands all that. It’s like she told Michael, there’s a silver lining. They don’t have to pretend to play nice with Nina anymore. They can put Nina in the rearview. He says, not him.

Willow walks into the Quartermaine mansion, and Michael says he didn’t expect her back so soon. He’ll get out of her way. He goes into the living room, and she follows him. She says, wait. How is he doing? She knows he had to have some rough conversations today. He says he got quite the beating from Drew, which he deserved. His mom gave him grace and understanding, which he really appreciated. She says she wants him to know that she didn’t tell Carly or Drew anything about his part in this, and he says he knows. It was Nina. She says, Nina approached her at the hospital. Carly and Drew found them, and it didn’t take Nina 30 seconds to throw it in their faces that he’d known the truth for months. He asks if she understands now why he went to the lengths that he did to protect her from Nina, and she says she does. And that’s the problem. Nina is petty, vindictive, envious, because – let’s be real – she wanted to send Carly to prison so that she couldn’t be a grandmother to Wiley and Amelia or competition for Sonny. Her mother is manipulative, insecure, and a liar, and she had the right to know that. He says he knew how hurt she’d be. Like he said, he was trying to protect her… She says she doesn’t want his protection. She wants the truth from him. Always. Nina’s awful, but that does not absolve him. He says he’s not looking for absolution; he’s looking for forgiveness. She says, that can’t happen overnight, and he says, it can’t happen if they’re apart like this. She says she’s too tired to get into this right now, and he says, then when? Wiley is at the door and asks if it’s time to go home.

At the pier on the phone, Jordan says, so they can tell her where the gun came from… Name the time and place… Okay. Got it. She starts to leave, but a man blocks her path. (For all her talk of being careful, she’s there by herself, and wasn’t even aware this dude came along?) She says, excuse me, but he won’t let her pass, and she asks if there’s something she can help him with. He says he can help himself, and she turns to face another man. He says, going somewhere?

Kristina says, Blaze is back, and Blaze says she thought she heard Kristina talking to someone. She can go if Kristina has company. Kristina says she doesn’t know if she has company or not yet. Did Blaze forget something? Blaze says, not exactly. She just wanted to tell Kristina that she may be right about everything. Maybe she’s not ready. Maybe Kristina has too much going on. Maybe this won’t work, but how will they know if they don’t try? Kirstina says, they won’t, and Blaze says she’s not a quitter, and she gets the feeling Kristina doesn’t like what ifs any more than she does. So what does she think? Will Kristina take a chance with her? Kristina says, it depends, and Blaze says, on? Kristina says, what’s in the bag, and Blaze says, all the ingredients for the dinner she’ll make while Kristina relaxes. She did a quick internet search on foods to avoid after an IUI, so there’s nothing processed, spicy, or hard to digest. She promises. Kristina says she’s going to guess there’s no wine in there either then, and Blaze says, no, but Kristina did mention she wanted to try coquito, so she got some stuff to make some… minus the rum. Kristina says, wow. She thought of everything. Blaze asks if it’s enough, and Kristina stands aside to let her in. All is forgiven by me.

Willow asks what Wiley is doing up. It’s way past his bedtime. Wiley says, daddy never came back up to read to him, and Michael says, if he’s still interested, he can read Wiley a story now. Wiley asks if they can do it at their house. He likes their house better than this one. Michael says, so does he, and Wiley asks, then why he hasn’t been home? Michael says he’s just been a little bit busy with work, but how about if he carries Wiley and Amelia to the gatehouse, and he can read Wiley a story there. Wiley says, yes, please. Will he stay with them tonight? Michael says, probably not tonight, and Wiley asks when they’ll all be together again.

Esme tells Cyrus, no offense, but she’s not going to waste time praying when she could be doing. She dashes off, and he gets out his phone. He says, apologies for the late hour, but when you get this message, please come see me right away. It’s of vital importance.

Drew says, Nina needs to pay for the damage she caused them and their families, and Carly says she agrees. And someday, she hopes Nina will. He says, not someday, now. And he knows exactly how to make her pay.

Anna leaves a message for Jordan, saying, she’s at Charlie’s Pub. She thought Jordan would be here by now. If she can’t make it, just let her know. Call her back.

At the pier, Jordan asks what the men want. Money? She starts to reach into her bag, and Dude #1 says he’s sure Deputy Mayor Ashford keeps her pepper spray in her purse. She asks who they are, and Dude #2 says, they’re going to need her to come with them. She says she’s not going anywhere until they identify themselves, and Dude #2 says, they’ll save the introductions for the ride. They hustle Jordan off, one on either side of her.

Tomorrow, Sam asks if Carly has noticed Drew’s changed since he’s been back; Nina asks if Drew thought she’d just roll over and accept this; Dex asks what Josslyn has to apologize for; and Laura lets Spencer have it. I can’t wait for that one.

Southern Charm – The Reunion – Part Two

After Olivia calls Taylor a sh*t friend and a sh*t human, they take a break. Shep tells Taylor to take a page out of his book. Silence is golden right now. She tells him, thanks, even though she didn’t need coaching. Rodrigo and Rod arrive, and Olivia continues to bitch about Taylor even though she really outed herself about T-Rav. Wow. She must have been blackout drunk. He reminds me of somebody’s creepy uncle who hangs out with the teens by the pool. Taylor says she was this close to not coming, and Austen wants to put a muzzle on the chihuahua that is JT, while JT whines to Rod about Austen.

They reconvene, and Andy welcomes Rod and Rodrigo. He points out that Rodrigo has been in a relationship the longest and asks why Rodrigo thinks the Charleston guys have a hard time settling down. Rodrigo says, it’s a college and tourist town, and a rotating platter of girls. Andy reads a post from a viewer who says, Rod got Olivia gluten-free bread. Don’t let this one go. Olivia says they have fun together, but the timing is off. A nice way of saying, not in a million years. Venita says, Rod is sweet and a gentleman, and Olivia needs someone to take care of her. Women supporting women. Andy says, they got a lot of comments about Olivia’s bra, and we flash back to Rod telling JT about the bra on the ottoman. Olivia says she knows how it looks and sounds, but she was getting comfortable. She was halfway out the door when Austen realized her bra was still there and she told him to throw it away. Madison says, it must have been beige, and Andy asks who thinks they did more than they’re saying. Shep isn’t too sure, and Rod says some vague thing about how he knows for a fact they didn’t. Olivia apparently has a new guy named Alex who lives in Dallas, and we see a clip of Austen golfing with them. Olivia says she took Madison’s advice to look outside Charleston. Even though Charleston still seems to be tagging along. Craig explains that Austen brought Olivia to the club, and now they both get invited there. Andy wonders why Austen gets a pass and not Taylor, and Olivia says, Taylor lied to her face multiple times, but Andy says, Austen also lied. Dodging around that, Olivia says she really tried with Taylor, but it didn’t get her anywhere. In watching the show back, she could see Taylor wasn’t thinking about her. Rodrigo tells her that she keeps saying she doesn’t want to kick Taylor when she’s down, but she was doing it all the time. Olivia says, she kept it positive and looked like an idiot, and when Rodrigo tries to talk, she tells him, shut up. He says, f*** you, since he’s the only one on stage with balls, and he’s had enough of her playing the death card.

Andy gives Olivia condolences about her brother Connor, and after floundering a little, since she doesn’t want to thank Austen and Taylor, Olivia says, everyone stepped up and she appreciated that. Andy asks how her family is, and she says, not good. Her parents are trying to get through and figure out their new reality. We find out that Taylor’s brother also passed away after filming wrapped, and Andy gives Taylor his condolences. There are a lot of jokes and sarcasm I can put in here, but I’m going to show restraint. As awful as they are, these are still people. Andy says, it must have been hard for Olivia to be on the outs with Austen when her brother passed. Olivia says, it was good they could put that aside, since Austen understood more than anyone. But then she does a 180 and says, everyone came to her room except Austen and Taylor. Then Austen was calling her inconsistent. We flash back to that, and I’m thinking, inconsistent? What we just saw was weird; her thanking them, then saying they weren’t there. She says, there was no grace and understanding from them, then Austen expected an apology from her. Okay, I agree with her there. He should have just let that one slide. Austen says, when they were in Jamaica, everything was fine, but then she turned on him and he wondered what happened. Andy wisely moves onto Venita disinviting Taylor to girls’ night, and we flash back to that. Venita says she was trying to protect Olivia’s peace, and Andy points out that last year, Venita and Olivia butted heads. I’d actually forgotten about that, but they flash back to remind me. Andy says, this year, Venita was Olivia’s champion. He asks, what changed? and Venita says, they made an effort between seasons. Olivia says she’s grateful; it helped them grow. Andy asks how Taylor felt about the women talking about her all season, and Taylor says, they were right. He asks if the women think, with time, they’ll be friends again, and Leva says she doesn’t want to see Taylor like this. Taking on the role of your parents, Venita says, they don’t hate Taylor. They’re just disappointed in her behavior. Madison says, there won’t be any sleepovers at her house – BA-DUM-CHH! – and they take a break. The producers tell everyone not to play with their mics so much.

Andy suggests they talk about Austen some more. A viewer points out that when Austen started on the show, he was called Shep’s protégé, and now he’s exactly like Shep. Austen says he only watched half the season, and Craig says he thinks Austen still has a chance to make a choice. He needs to stop making decisions where he’s disappointed in the consequences. Next to take on a parental role, JT says, who you hang out with is who you become. Craig needs to be careful. Craig asks if he should just cut Austen loose, but JT says, he should keep Austen at arm’s length. Craig says, if Austen wasn’t trying to get better, they wouldn’t be hanging out. Translation: Paige wouldn’t let them hang out. Craig says, if Austen stops working on himself, they won’t be hanging out. Translation: If Paige sees no progress is being made, Austen will be cut loose. Olivia thinks Craig is harder on Shep than he is on Austen, and Craig says he and Shep have a longer history. Andy says, Austen felt misrepresented on the show, and asks, what was misrepresented with his and Olivia’s relationship? Austen says, the merry-go-round of Olivia wanting to hang out with him, then being angry with him. Olivia says, they did a full stretch of traveling together after last season, and Shep says, Austen had every opportunity to commit to Olivia; she was ready. Austen found a loophole, saying their relationship wasn’t defined, so he could do what he wanted. It broke his heart seeing Austen throughout the season. He laughed about kissing Taylor. Craig says, Shep had suppressed his feelings, and he’s glad Shep is talking about it. Shep thought if he admitted he was mad at Austen, it would make him look weak. Shep says he felt like they were all in this together, and watching it back was super hard seeing Austen’s blasé attitude. Andy asks Austen what they didn’t show that he wants people to know, and Austen says he wasn’t prepared to answer that. He asks if Shep is angry because of the show or is it because of the past week or two? and Shep says he showed Austen grace (WOTD) and hoped he’d seen the light. Andy asks if he hopes they can get back to a good place, but Shep says, Austen has zero self-awareness. Craig says, Austen was loyal to Shep at BravoCon, and Rodrigo says, when Austen gave Shep the cold shoulder, it hurt Shep’s feelings. Austen says he doesn’t want to deal with Shep right now, and Rodrigo says, that’s why Shep is upset. Austen says he thought they needed a break.

Andy says, new kid on the block, JT, aimed to be the perfect Southern gentleman, and was determined to prove nice guys don’t finish last. He asks how JT’s first season was, and JT says, it was one of the most coolest things in his human experience. Andy says, JT’s mom Bunny got lots of love on social media, and JT says, fans at BravoCon wanted him to FaceTime her. She was cooler than him there. Andy asks if having four sisters played a part in JT’s gentlemanliness (yes, it’s a word!), and JT says he had an older sister and a brother, then three stepsisters later on. It turned the tide of power. Andy says, JT took heat from the guys this season, and we flash back to them making fun of JT all over the place. Andy asks Shep if JT is the new Craig to him, and Shep says he thinks JT likes the ribbing. Craig tells Andy, that’s what Shep said about him – Craig likes it – and Shep says, maybe he’s reading the room wrong. Andy says, JT came in saying he wasn’t in love with Taylor, when he clearly was. JT says he started off playing it cool, but he fell hard and he’s not ashamed to admit it. Andy says, JT has all the things Shep lacks, and Taylor says, JT is an amazing human being and fun to be around, but that’s not happening. Craig says, nice guys finish last, but Olivia says, Craig finished first. Craig says he had to be a little bad. Andy asks why JT brought up the sleepovers, and JT says, if he was in that situation, he’d want a buddy to tell him. Austen says, it was brownnosing at its finest, and Olivia says she doesn’t think she would have known if JT hadn’t said something. Rodrigo says, JT saw an opportunity to weasel his way in with Taylor, and then said he was here for Shep, using him to get to Taylor. Leva says, Rodrigo can’t gaslight someone for doing something right, and I’m trying to figure out how questioning JT’s motive is gaslighting. Genius of the year Rod says, things would have been different if it hadn’t happened, and Craig says, maybe JT thought he’d get the competition out of the way and be Olivia’s knight in shining armor. Leva says, over the summer, people came to her and said something was going on, and Shep says, JT brought the truth to light. Andy asks if Shep thinks they’re still lying, and Shep says, Taylor swore to him nothing happened, but he knows Austen and it’s hard to believe. Venita says she doesn’t think she’d tell her mama that she was thinking of dating someone if they weren’t f***ing, and Madison mimes dropping the mic. Andy says, it’s a good time for a break.

Andy says, things came to a head in the finale, and the group came to a place they’ve never seen. We flash back to Austen pushing ~~that little troll~~ JT off the barstool, and Austen says he attributes it to JT getting a rejection. We flash back to JT professing his love for Taylor, and Taylor saying she needs time. In other words, not a chance in hell. JT says, Austen pushed him first, and Austen asks if JT thinks he’d be with Taylor if it wasn’t for him. JT says, they have to bifurcate those two things because he wants to use a big word, and everyone is like, huh? He told Taylor that he loved her, and he called out Austen for being a sh*tbag. Taylor has nothing to do with that. Austen needs to wake up and learn how to be a man. Austen says, it’s JT’s first season and no one knows what a POS he is, just because he calls himself a gentleman. Andy asks, who’s to blame for the fight? and Shep says, JR was aggressive and forced Austen’s hand. He left when he saw where it was going. Leva says, you can’t make someone punch someone, and I want to throw a pie in her face. Austen says, JT got in his face, and Andy asks if they’ve talked since then, but Austen says, they haven’t spoken. Andy asks if either of them has apologized, and JT fails to see what he should apologize for. Andy says, he got in Austen’s face. Come on. He was trying to get Austen to punch him. Everyone is laughing at this point, and even JT has to smile, but he’s not budging, and says he was minding his own business. Craig says he would have knocked JT down, and Andy asks why JT holds Austen accountable and not Shep. JT says, Shep is upfront about who he is, where Austen manipulates women and lies his way out of things. He’s a narcissist egomaniac. A viewer says if they hear JT tell one more guy they need to apologize, they’re going to scream. We flash back to JT telling various dudes to apologize, and Craig asks if there’s anything Austen could do to better himself in JT’s eyes. JT says, Austen need to do the work. He wants to root for Austen, but he needs to be held accountable. This is the real therapy. Andy says, they do this every year, and we flash back to other Reunions. Austen says, JT claimed he coached Taylor to lie, and we flash back to Austen telling her, there’s no good time to tell Olivia. Taylor says she’s not good at this stuff and she was trying to protect Olivia. She didn’t know how to handle it and genuinely apologizes again to the people she’s hurt and Shep as well. Olivia says her heart breaks for what Taylor’s family is going through. She’s even more sad that she couldn’t be there for Taylor. She doesn’t wish any bad on her. Andy asks how they can move forward, but Olivia says, that’s not happening. They won’t be friends again, but she’s not going to make Taylor miserable or be negative. They’re moving forward, but not necessarily together. During the break, the girls complain about their dresses being uncomfortable. They look great though.

Andy says, they’re wrapping up a season that created cracks in the foundation of the group. He’s been watching the way Taylor looks at Shep and he feels there’s still emotion there. Taylor says, love is still there. She’s here for Shep. She’s happy for him and proud of him. Shep says he has love for her too, and Craig thinks they’re going to get married one day. Andy asks if Taylor loves Shep, and she says she always will. He asks if she’s in love with him, but she says, no. He asks if Shep is in love with Taylor, and Shep says he’d be lying if he didn’t say he made a mistake. He’s scared he’s going to look back at the one who got away. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t love her. Andy says, Shep is finally accessing his anger with Austen, even though he wasn’t in touch with it while living through it. And Austen feels like he’s had to take care of Shep when he’s misbehaving or drunk. Shep says he appreciates it. They’re working through it and Austen needs space. Andy wonders how they move forward, and Austen says he’ll always want to. He doesn’t know what the world looks like where he and Shep aren’t buddies. But he’s been an enabler for a long time. Andy says, they have to redefine what they do together. He asks what Shep thinks is the reason things went down, and Shep says he was suppressing everything because of his love for Austen. Maybe it’s time he cultivated relationships with other people. Craig says, they have a history, but he thinks Shep is finding his new normal. It’s important. Andy says he thinks they all agree that they should find people outside the friend group to date. He asks if JT exorcised the f***boy, but JT says, they’re not even halfway there. Austen says he took it all, and Andy says, they’ll try again next year.

In the spirit of good vibes, Andy produces glasses of Jamaican rum punch, and tin foil hats for everyone. He points out that Shep is drinking only juice and asks Shep to give the toast. Shep goes into a long thing, my takeaway points being, he’s soared like an eagle, slithered like a snake, and everything in between. There are no guarantees in life, and life owes you nothing. He ends with toasting to perseverance in the face of adversity, and they clink glasses.

Good on all of us who made it through this season of awful.

🪄 Gilding My Age…

Join me tomorrow for soap, a spot of tea but little sympathy, and pre-weekend fun. Until then, stay safe, stay praising publicly and criticizing privately, and stay realizing closure only comes from letting go.

Jan18

January 17, 2024 – Esme Discovers Nikolas Took Ace, Homeless Not Toothless Strikes Again & Child

Posted on January 18, 2024 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly lights a candle in the hospital chapel and says, miss you, mom, so much. Drew comes in and sits next to her, and they hug.

At work, Willow gets a call from Michael, who’s at the Quartermaines. She flashes back to yelling at him on the pier about blackmailing Nina and not letting her make up her own mind. She answers and he tells her that Wiley is putting on a puppet show for Amelia. It’s an epic saga about a family of four who adopts all the puppies at a local shelter. According to Wiley, especially the senior puppies because they deserve homes too. She says, that’s their boy, and he says he was hired to film it for her, so if she receives a mystery video, be prepared for some fine cinema. She says she looks forward to it, and he says, the kids are good, but they were wondering when she’s going to get home. So is he. He misses her.

Finn and Elizabeth go into his office, and he tells her that he appreciates the support, all of it. She says, he’d better, and he says he was thinking maybe it would best if she’s not here when the doctor shows up. He’s breaking a few rules, and it might get dicey. He doesn’t want her associated with any of it. She says, diceyness? and he thanks her for understanding. She says she thinks it’s cute how he wants to protect her, and he says, she’s not going anywhere, is she? She says, they’re in this together, and if this doctor has the information they need to win this lawsuit… There’s a knock at the door, and Finn and Dr. Sawyer introduce themselves. He thanks her for coming, and she says she’s actually here on another case, so the timing is perfect. He introduces Elizabeth and says she’ll be sitting in with them. The doctor asks how she can help. He needs a consult on a patient? He says he does. In fact, her input might be life altering.

Spencer asks how it went in court, and Esme says, he’d know if he’d been there like he promised. Now if he’ll excuse her, she’d like to take her son home. He says he thinks they should talk first, but she says she has nothing to say to him. She starts to go to Ace’s room, but he circumvents her. She says she doesn’t know what’s going on, but she wants her son, and she wants him now. He says, Ace is asleep. He sees no point in waking him up right now. Besides, he thought they should check in. She asks what he wants to know, and he says, why they let her go for starters. She says she’s sure he hoped she’d get sent up the river for the rest of her life, but he says, these days, he has mixed feelings about things like that. She says she doesn’t believe him. If any part of him cared about her, he would have brought Ace to her arraignment like she asked him to. He says, so she could play on the judge’s sympathies? but she says, so if worse came to worse, she could kiss her baby goodbye before they carted her away. But if it softened up the judge, sure, that would have been a nice bonus. He says, there she is, and she asks if he wouldn’t have done the same thing, like anyone would, but he says, it doesn’t matter now. She’s free, but she still hasn’t told him how. Did Ava drop the charges? She says, please. Ava would have brought her own electric chair if she could have gotten it past security. What does he want her to say? She pled guilty. He says he knows, and she asks if he’s surprised. He says, yes, and she tells him that she’s changed as a person. He says, either that or she brokered a deal, and she says, her lawyer and the DA’s office don’t want to clog up the system with a petty crime, and it’s not like she’s ever setting foot in Ava’s drafty castle again. So here she is and here she goes. She’s getting her son and taking him home. He steps in front of her and says, she can’t.

Dr. Sawyer asks to see the patient’s file, and Finn gives it to her, saying, he believes she’s familiar with the patient. Dennis Muldoon. She says she is. She was under the impression Mr. Muldoon had died. Finn says, he did, and she says, if there’s no patient, why does he need a consult? What’s this about? Finn says, Mr. Muldoon died shortly after coming to see him, and now Muldoon’s wife is suing him for malpractice. Dr. Sawyer says she’s sorry to hear that, and he thanks her. He says he was hoping her familiarity with the patient might shed some light, and she says, he’s hoping she can provide some information to assist with his defense? He says, yes, and she says she’s sorry. She can’t help him.

Carly asks how Drew knew where to find her, and he says he came by the house. Pilar told him that she came here to be with Josslyn. Is she all right? Carly says, physically, she’s fine, but she’s had a very emotional night. Josslyn’s been very worried about her friend Adam who has been going through a very difficult time. This afternoon he tried to kill himself. Drew asks if he’s all right, and she says, he’s stable. Apparently, his parents put him under a crazy amount of pressure to succeed. Good grades aren’t enough. If you don’t get 100%, you’re a failure. And apparently Adam snapped and… He says he doesn’t understand how parents can put their kids through that. (Hey, wait…) Obviously, he wants the best for Scout and he’s going to push her to succeed, but mistakes are such an important part of life; that’s what you learn from. She says, it’s the story of her life, and he says, exactly, and look how she turned out. She says she just always tries to strike a balance with her kids. She wants them to excel, but she also wants them to be true to who they are. Michael and Josslyn are achievers. If they see a challenge ahead of them, they’re going to run right for it. He says, they take after her, but she says she doesn’t know about that. Morgan dreamed bigger than his follow-through, and Donna is so young, she hopes she doesn’t mess that kid up. He says, if she screws that up, Donna will let her know, and Carly says, she’s not afraid to speak her opinions. He says, Donna has incredible role models – Josslyn, Michael… She says, Josslyn is an incredible young woman and Michael is her rock. She couldn’t ask for a better son. He says, and he couldn’t ask for a better friend. She hugs him.

Michael asks if he and Willow can talk tonight when she gets home, and Willow sees Nina come out of the elevator, and says, tonight won’t work; maybe tomorrow. Kiss the kids goodnight for her. Nina comes to the reception desk, and Willow says she’s at work. What does Nina want? Nina says, just a few minutes. They haven’t spoken since New Year’s Eve, and there’s still a lot that needs to be said. Willow asks if she’s supposed to thank Nina for stabbing Carly and Drew in the back or for striking a deal with her husband so he would keep quiet about it.

Michael tells Wiley that he’ll come up soon to tuck him in, and Wiley says, mommy too? Michael says, mommy will come up and give him a goodnight kiss when she gets home from work, even if he’s already asleep. He thanks the nanny, and she takes the kids upstairs. Tracy and Ned come in, and Tracy asks if Michael will be joining them for dinner. Leo is insisting they wait for him. Michael asks her to tell Leo that he’s sorry, but he can’t make it. He’s just heading out. She says she hopes Leo lectures him; he’s getting very good at it. Michael says he’s looking forward to it, and asks Ned to return the proxy he gave him. Tracy asks why he’d do that, and Michael says, because the proxy was conditional on no one finding out Nina turned Drew and his mom in to the SEC. Tracy says, but Ned lived up to his end of the bargain. He wasn’t the one who outed Nina. Michael says he may lose what he loves the most over all this. So at the very least, Ned should lose control of ELQ.

Nina says she’s not going to try and justify what she did, and Willow says, that’s a relief. Nina says, but she’d like to explain why she did it. She knows Willow is at work, but just give her a date and a time. There’s just so much they need to say to each other. (I see Nina is going for the ignore-it-and-it-will-go-away approach.) Willow says she has nothing to say to Nina, but Nina says she thinks Willow does. If she were Willow, she’d want to let her have it. They’ve both had a lifetime of pain. If they could just share that with each other and come to a new understanding, she thinks they should do that, even if it’s the last conversation they ever have. Coming down the hall with Drew, Carly says, hasn’t Nina done enough damage? Can’t she leave Willow alone?

Carly asks if Willow is okay, because she’s five, and Willow says she’s fine. Carly asks if she’s sure, and Nina says, she’s a grown woman. Willow has no trouble telling her to get lost. Carly says, but Nina never goes away, despite turning her and Drew in to the SEC. Nina says, for a crime they actually committed, and Carly says, really? Nina is married to Sonny Corinthos. Nina came at her out of spite and others had to suffer. Nina says, not Michael, and Drew asks what that’s supposed to mean. Nina says, Michael hasn’t got around to telling him. She’s sure he’s going to. It’s not like it’s a secret anymore. Drew asks what she’s talking about, and Nina says she did inform the SEC about him and Carly. Everybody knows that now, but the reason it was kept a secret for so long was because Michael knew and said nothing.

Ned says, the proxy will be on Michael’s desk first thing in the morning. Is that soon enough? Michael thanks him, and Ned says, don’t misinterpret his willingness to return it as a victory. Michael says, there’s nothing to interpret. The proxy is his. He leant it to Ned and he wants it back. It’s just a matter of business. Ned says, the real issue is why Michael needed his silence, and that isn’t business. Michael withheld the truth about Nina from Sonny, from Willow, and most importantly from his mother and Drew, the ones most affected by Nina. Why? Michael flashes back to telling Nina that he’s trying to protect his family from her. His father is happy and he’s not going to take that away from him. He’s sure Sonny will be happy until he finds out the kind of woman she really is. She’ll see his family only when he says it’s okay to see them and she’s going to sell his mother her half of the MetroCourt back. Michael tells Ned that he was protecting his family, and Ned says, he’s just like grandfather, at his worst. Tracy tells Michael to disregard his cousin. He has a noble streak, but it only shows up when he wants to take the moral high ground. Ned thanks her for her support, and she says, about this little deal Michael made, Quartermaine to Quartermaine. She has never been prouder.

Finn asks Dr. Sawyer to please just hear him out, but she says she’d rather hear from his attorney. She’d be more than happy to testify in court or by deposition, but without a court order, she can’t violate doctor/patient privilege, even when the patient is deceased, as she’s sure he knows. He says he’s absolutely aware. Perhaps he can provide some context. She says, have his lawyer reach out to her. Until then, she really should be on her way. Elizabeth says, before Dr. Sawyer goes, just hear her out.

Esme says, who is Spencer to tell her that she can’t do anything? Ace is her son and she’s taking him home now. He says he needs to tell her something first, but she says, actually, he doesn’t. Trina already broke the news about her studying at the Sorbonne, and lucky him, he gets to go along for the ride. Now she knows where his priorities lie… He says, she knows nothing about his priorities, and if he didn’t care about Ace… She says, he made his choice. Just own it. He says, she’s right. He has made his choice. She says, and so has she. She’s bringing her son home where he belongs. He says, Ace’s home is not with her. Not anymore.

Carly says, there really is no rock bottom with Nina. Blaming Michael for what she did. Nina says she’s simply just telling them what Michael did. Drew says, it doesn’t make any sense. What reason could Michael possibly have to protect her? Nina says, he wasn’t protecting her. He was holding what she did over her head, using his silence as leverage. He was blackmailing her, forcing her to keep her distance from her daughter. Carly laughs and says she doesn’t know why she bothers listening, because every word out of Nina’s mouth is a lie. Nina says, fine. If Carly doesn’t believe her, ask Michael. Carly says she will because she knows she’ll get the truth from him, and Drew asks Willow if she’s sure she’s okay. Willow says, no, but she will be, and Drew and Carly leave. Willow says, if Nina hadn’t lost her before, she has now.

Dr. Sawyer says, if she’s learned one thing in her career as a physician, it’s to always listen to the nurses, and tells Elizabeth to say what she has to say. Elizabeth thanks her and says she can see Dr. Sawyer wants to help, that she has something to say. She’s not wrong about that, is she? Before Dr. Sawyer makes any decisions, there are a few things she should know about Dr. Finn. Elizabeth is sure she’s aware that he developed a cure for Blackwood’s Disease, but what she can’t know is, the very first person he saved with that cure was Elizabeth’s sister. And when that cure was finalized, Dr. Finn handed over the patent to the hospital, saving it from financial ruin. If this lawsuit prevails, he won’t be able to practice medicine anymore. And there’s no worse feeling that you can save someone, and not being able to. So please, could the doctor just stay and hear what they have to say?

Esme says, where the hell does Spencer get off telling her where Ace’s home is? He is not Ace’s father. Spencer says, no, he’s not. He’s Ace’s brother and he loves him very much. She says, prove it. Don’t go to Paris. Stay here with him… Right. She didn’t think so. She turns to go, and he says, when he told her that Ace’s home wasn’t with her anymore, he didn’t mean it the way she thought. She asks how he meant it, and he says, Ace is gone. She says, gone where? and he says, with our father.

Willow takes Nina into an exam room and says, she wanted to get everything out in the open? Go. Nina says, turning in Carly and Drew was a stupid, impulsive decision, but she was really upset at the thought of losing Willow and she lashed out. Willow says, lashed out? She’s a wrecking ball. Nina says, Willow is right. She’s a lot, but Willow has to understand. She knows Willow knows this, but Carly has kept her from both of her daughters. First Nelle, and then of course (🍷), Willow. Willow says, Nelle was dead by the time Carly figured out she was Nina’s daughter, but Nina says she only has Carly’s word for that. (And that’s not true, right? I think she knew before. There was that whole thing about how she knew Nelle as a kid.) Willow says, well, Nina can take her word for this. Carly didn’t tell her that Nina was her mother because she didn’t want to know. Nina says, she doesn’t mean that, but Willow says she does. After the visitation hearing, she told Carly that she didn’t want to find her birth mother for fear she might turn out to be as awful as Nina was. The joke’s on her because here Nina is, her birth mother. Petty, vindictive, and selfish to the core.

Ned says, since when is Tracy proud of Michael? and Tracy says, since he showed his true colors. What he pulled is definitely worthy of her father. Underneath that mild-mannered baby face, beats the heart of a true Quartermaine. Michael says, if doing right by his family finally makes him a Quartermaine in her eyes, then so be it. But he gave Nina his silence for the sake of his children and Willow, because they are his priority above everything and anyone else. Carly and Drew walk in.

Tracy says she guesses they have a lot to discuss, so why doesn’t Ned join her in the kitchen? She’s suddenly famished. Ned says, yes, treachery always improves one’s appetite, and follows her out. Michael says, so, Nina told them, and Carly says, she did, and she called Nina a liar. But for the first time in Nina’s life, she’s telling the truth. Isn’t she?

Nina says she agrees she’s made mistakes, and Willow says, mistakes? Please. It was all deliberate. Nina thought it through with care. She needed to hurt Drew in order to hurt Carly, and she was proud of what she’d done. Just like she enjoyed causing a rift between Michael and Drew and his mom. Nina says she actually didn’t want to tell them anything, but Willow says she was standing right there. Nina couldn’t wait to throw it in Carly’s face that Michael knew. Nina says, Michael was blackmailing her. He told her the only way he would keep quiet was if she let him decide when she could see Willow and the kids. Nina cries and says she agreed to it because losing Willow a bit at a time was better than losing her all at once. That’s what’s happening now. Willow says, Carly was right. All Nina does is lie to everyone. And the person she’s lying to the most is herself.

Dr. Sawyer asks how they propose doing this without violating confidentiality, and Finn says, very carefully. Off the record, strictly hypotheticals. Elizabeth says, and if Dr. Sawyer says, stop, they stop. Dr. Sawyer says, okay, and they sit down. Finn says, hypothetically, a patient who dies from Stage IV colon cancer, usually has been exhibiting symptoms for quite some time, yes? Dr. Sawyer says, yes, and he says, hypothetically, this patient may have been exhibiting symptoms for two or three months prior. She says, it would be a certainty that a patient in this condition would be symptomatic, and he tells her, say this patient had a history of traveling to remote locations. They exhibit symptoms consistent with colon cancer or any other maladies, and they tested positive for one or more of those maladies. Dr. Sawyer says, personally, she would screen for any and all unknowns to rule them out, and he says, including cancer? She says, correct. And if testing came up positive for cancer, she would certainly refer that patient to an oncologist… hypothetically.

Esme says, Nikolas was here, and Spencer says, yes. That’s why he didn’t bring Ace to court. His father came back, and he wanted to take him and Ace with him. She says, take him where? Where did Nikolas take Ace? Spencer says, Ace is safe, and she says, Ace is safe with her. Did Spencer at least fight him off? Spencer doesn’t have a scratch on him. Did he at least call the police? They have to find out where Nikolas took Ace. He says he doesn’t know where his father took Ace. She needs to accept Ace is gone though. (Spencer is seriously creeping me out, the way he’s talking.) She says, the hell she does. She’s Ace’s mother and his legal guardian. She takes out her phone and says, Nikolas has no right to her son, the son he abandoned. She’s calling the police. He says, put the phone away, and she says, you don’t tell me what to do, Spencer, and he asks if she doesn’t mean Spence. That’s what she used to call him, back when she was busy manipulating people and destroying their property, ruining their lives. He flashes back to her calling him Spence in the interrogation room, and he says, the old Esme, the one who lived to do her father’s bidding.

Elizabeth says, may I? and Dr. Sawyer says, if she has another hypothetical. Elizabeth says, of course (🍷). This is actually more of a procedural question. The doctor says, go ahead, and Elizabeth says, when she refers a patient to an oncologist, or any specialist really, does her office know if that patient made and kept their appointment? Dr. Sawyer says, like most practices, once they make the referral, it’s up to the patient to let them know if they followed up, and Elizabeth says, right. So hypothetically… Dr. Sawyer says, some patients we never hear back from. Soap looks all around.

Esme says, she called him Spence? and Spencer says, she did. She says, so what? and he says he thinks they both know what that means. She says, it means nothing, especially now that her son has been kidnapped. He says, it means that she’s back, the old Esme, the one who destroyed his entire world. She says, that’s a little melodramatic, but he says, no, it isn’t. Look him in his eyes and tell him that she doesn’t remember. Tell him that she doesn’t remember swan diving off of that tower and his father keeping her prisoner up there for months. Tell him that she doesn’t remember tormenting Trina and setting Ava’s car on fire and using him to drive a wedge between Ava and his father. All because her father put her up to it because of his sick obsession with her. Esme says she’s heard those stories, and that is all they are to her, but he says, no, no, no (a million noes). She remembers. She’s the same Esme. She’s the same Esme that targeted him in school, who convinced him that she loved him when she didn’t. And the new Esme – whatever that façade was – became very close to being a decent person and a good mother, but that Esme is gone. She’s back to being a puppet for her psychotic father. That is the Esme Prince he’s talking to right now, isn’t it? She says, oh my God. Nikolas didn’t just take Ace. Spencer gave him away, didn’t he? He gave Nikolas her son. Spencer looks like dark Sonny all of a sudden.

Nina tells Willow, that night at the church was a turning point for her. She confessed her sins. She owned up to everything she was doing, and she realized she was blaming Carly for everything because Carly kept her daughters from her, but the important thing is, she’s going to stop blaming Carly. And she’s definitely going to stop beating herself up for her mistakes. Willow says, on the subject of beatings, Drew was almost beaten to death in prison, and Nina says she feels terrible about that. Willow says, that changes exactly nothing. Nina was desperate to hide what she did from Willow. That’s why she made her deal with Michael. Nina says, no. She agreed to Michael’s terms because, believe it or not, she wasn’t just thinking of herself; she was thinking about Michael. Willow says, oh please, and Nina says she knew that if Willow found out Michael was making a deal with her, that he was willing to blackmail her for the sake of Willow’s happiness, that Willow’s marriage, her family, might have to pay the price. She just wants Willow to be happy. She wants the kids to be happy. She loves Willow. Willow says, Nina may have convinced herself that she had these noble motives, but all she really ended up doing was hurting her and Michael and her children and their other grandmother and Drew, the man who saved her life. It’s enough. She wants nothing more to do with Nina.

Tracy scarfs down some snacks in the pantry and tells Ned that she doesn’t hear any yelling. She wishes she could be a fly on the wall. She comes out into the nook and asks Ned if he wants some carrots and hummus. He says, no. He does not want a carrot or hummus. Does she even care how Michael played fast and loose with her own son? She laughs and says she can’t believe it. After all these years, he still doesn’t get it. She doesn’t care about Michael. He asks if she’s sure, because a minute ago, Michael was the apple of her eye. She says she’s always pleased when a Quartermaine acts like a Quartermaine. And when Michael does it, it is a thing of beauty. The man knows what he wants, and he’s very practical about how he’s going to go and get it. Right now he’s a little distracted with the Nina thing, but at some point, he’s going to turn his attention back to the family business. Ned better be prepared.

Drew asks why Michael would stay silent and protect Nina, but Michael says he wasn’t protecting Nina. He was protecting his family from Nina. Carly asks when he found out, and he says, at the wedding. She says, he didn’t object? but he says, the ceremony was already over. They were already married, and Drew was already in prison. Drew says, that makes it okay not to tell them? and Michael says, the damage was already done. It wouldn’t have gotten Drew out of prison. The only thing exposing Nina would accomplish was hurting his dad and Willow. Drew says, maybe he could have told him and Carly, and they could have decided what needed to be done. Michael says he knows what kind of woman Nina is, the vindictiveness, the total disregard for other people. He had to limit his children’s exposure to them. He had to protect them. He had to protect Willow. Carly says, by keeping information from them, and Michael says he went to tell dad. When he went to Sonny, he was so happy, saying how much he appreciated them accepting Nina into the family, and he couldn’t go through with it. He couldn’t crush Sonny’s happiness. So he went to Nina and blackmailed her instead. Drew says, so Michael put Sonny’s happiness ahead of their friendship, but Michael says he doesn’t see it that way. Drew says, the way he sees it, they were partners, family. He trusted Michael. Michael’s mother trusted him and this is how Michael repays them?

After Dr. Sawyer leaves, Finn asks how Elizabeth did that. Never mind. He thanks her for getting Dr. Sawyer to stay. She really is much better with people than he is, obviously. What she said… that was very kind of her. She says, just calling it as she sees it, and he says he doesn’t think anyone’s ever spoken about him the way she did. She says, they do, just not in front of him, and he asks if they’re afraid it will go to his head. She says, he’d be insufferable, and he says, when she’s right, she’s right. She suggests he stick around and hear one or two more good things, and he says, only one or two? She says, don’t get greedy. She wonders why Mr. Muldoon never mentioned Dr. Sawyer, and Finn says, and the oncologist referral? And why he never followed up on any of the tests Finn recommended. She says she gets why Mrs. Muldoon didn’t say anything, and Finn says, maybe she didn’t know. She says, maybe, but that would mean he hid it from her as well, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Finn says, they have to find that oncologist, and she says, then that’s what they’ll do. He says, it’s right around the corner. The sooner, the better.

Esme says, Spencer is something else. He goes on and on about how rotten and selfish his father is, and it turns out he’s no better. He does what he wants, he takes what he wants, and to hell with everyone else. He says, it wasn’t easy, but she says she doesn’t care if it was easy for him or not; he did it. He says, yes, he did. Because he thinks Ace will have a happier life with his father than with the daughter of Ryan Chamberlain. She says, who cares whose daughter she is? Ace is her son, and he and his father are going back to prison where they belong. He says, speaking of prison, if she goes to the cops with this, he’ll tell them that she got her memory back, and they’ll hold her accountable for everything. She says, because she called him Spence, and he says, that’s right. After she broke into Windymere and revisited the scene of the crime. Definitely suspect behavior, doesn’t she think? Can she really afford to risk it? She leaves, slamming the door behind her.

Tracy says, Ned is all that she cares about, him and Dillon. Let’s face it. Dillon doesn’t really have a head for business. Then there’s Brook. She does have Quartermaine instincts, but she doesn’t have Quartermaine priorities. Tracy is working on her. Then there’s Leo. Ned says, what about Leo? and she says she doesn’t care whose blood he is. That boy is her grandson, and she adores him. He says, and the rest of us? and she says, you and yours, that’s all I care about. Above all else. Is she pleased Michael and Drew are at each other’s throats? Of course (🍷) she is. it strengthens their position. Because the only way you’ll come out on top is if you’re standing on everybody else. Right? He says, she’s got a point.

Willow says she and Nina have nothing more to say to each other – ever. She’s going to get back to work. Nina says she knows that she hurt Willow, but she’s never going to stop hoping Willow forgives her someday. Maybe they can start over as mother and daughter. Willow says, Nina can hope all she wants. She’s done. She opens the door, and Nina says she knows Willow means that now and maybe it’s the end of them, but she’ll always be here if Willow needs her. Always. Willow walks out without looking back.

Michael says, Drew has to understand. By the time he found out… Drew says he does understand. He understands Michael more than ever. He tells Carly, let’s go, but she says she needs to talk to her son. He says, okay, and leaves. Michael says, so, where do we go from here?

Tomorrow, Blaze wonders why it feels like Kristina started moving away; Cyrus asks what makes someone think they can trust him; Carly tells Michael, keeping things buried can have unintended consequences; and Drew tells Anna that he might be on to something.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

God help and forgive me. Help me get through this show and forgive my evil thoughts during it. And maybe for even watching it in the first place, at least after LVP left. I expect nasty from Erika, who gave up fighting with others for Lent in exchange for embarrassing them. Kyle and Dorit are both dimbulbs, although I have a margin of sympathy for Dorit’s PTSD and that dolt of a husband’s reaction to it. I’m honestly starting to wonder if the whole Kyle/Mauricio thing isn’t made up just to keep her relevant. He just seems stoned all the time and she looks like a bad actress. The cherry on the Hills cake though is Annemarie. WTF? over and over. She’s practically incoherent in her arguments and apparently doesn’t have the knowledge google gave her. Vent over. Moving on.

Kyle visits Sutton and snoops in her refrigerator. In Kyle’s interview, she says, Sutton not eating much makes sense after seeing what’s in her refrigerator. In Sutton’s interview, she says, had she known Kyle was going to be nosing around her refrigerator, she would have put more food in there. They discuss the Celebration of Life event the night before, and Sutton asks where Mauricio was. Kyle says, he’s in Mexico City, and in her interview, Sutton says, she’s not accepting that excuse. Unless you’re in the hospital or dead, you show up for your wife and your wife’s dead best friend’s family. Kyle says, he’ll be at the Homeless Not Toothless gala, and we flash back to them all murdering the name. Kyle says she wants them to have a home and teeth, and Sutton wonders why they can’t remember the name. She tells Kyle how Garcelle told her that Annemarie was coming for her last night. She likes Annemarie. Why is Annmarie coming for her? Kyle says, Sutton let Annemarie lick her armpit (yuk), and we flash back to things you can’t unsee. Sutton says, Annemarie needs to shut up about her esophagus, and in her interview, Kyle says she’s seen Sutton get in fights over ridiculous things. We flash back to the ugly leather pants debacle, and Kyle says, maybe she’s met her match. Sutton shows Kyle a picture of the house near Barcelona where they’ll be staying, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, it’s been a tumultuous few months. She wants them to take this trip to have fun and remember they love each other. She tells Kyle that she doesn’t want to invite the nurse/doctor. Annemarie owes her an apology. Kyle says she can’t disinvite Annemarie, and Sutton says she won’t, but Annemarie owes her an apology.

Crystal calls Garcelle and asks what she thought of Kyle’s event. Garcelle says she thought it was beautiful, and Crystal says she was moved. She texted Kyle and said her friend would be grateful. Garcelle says, it was celebratory without being somber, yet it wasn’t such a party you forgot why you came. Crystal says, Annemarie forgot what the event was about. She implied Sutton had an eating disorder. We flash back to that, and Crystal wonders what Annemarie’s end game is. To shame Sutton? In Garcelle’s interview, she says, Sutton isn’t Annemarie’s patient and Annemarie just met her. Leave Sutton and her esophagus alone. Now she’s the esophagus police. Crystal says, Annemarie said she was a doctor when they met, and in Crystal’s interview, she says, they met at a holiday party. She said she was an anesthesiologist, not a nurse anesthetist. She wonders what else Annemarie is lying about. She tells Garcelle that she googled narrow esophagus and it’s very much a thing. Garcelle says, even in medicine, you can’t say something is true 100% of the time. Crystal says, the first thing that came up was that it’s genetic. Sutton said it ran in her family, so that’s good enough for her. In her interview, Crystal says, Annemarie told them that she couldn’t find anything on it, and it took her a minute to google it. Maybe she’s a doctor.

Dorit and PK go to check out the Hilton where the event is being held. In Dorit’s interview, she says, last year, there was a covid surge, so they had to postpone the gala. We flash back to the previous Homeless Not Toothless gala, and Dorit talks to security. PK tells her to trust her people, and in Dorit’s interview, she says she thinks the therapy session was beneficial. We flash back to Dorit telling PK what she needs from him, and in her interview, she says, he’s more present. He’s been listening more, and she feels more connected to him. She’s grateful for that. Dorit says, they’re expecting 400 people, and PK says, Paula Abdul and William H. Macy will be there, as well as a surprise they haven’t pulled off yet. He critiques the table décor, and says, it feels daytime. In her interview, Dorit says she loves that PK can say things she wouldn’t. Therapy didn’t solve all their problems, but it’s a good start. She’s hopeful that things are going to get better and better.

Crystal meets her brother Jeff for lunch and tells him about the trip to Ojai. She mentions Sutton licking Kyle’s toe, and Jeff wonders, what are they doing? He says, it was nice being back in Asia. He saw his ex, Vivi, and got some things off his chest. He’s wounded, but not mad. Vivi always felt like she wasn’t accepted by Crystal and their mom, and she’s not wrong. In Crystal’s interview, she says, Jeff’s girlfriends have always found her intimidating; she has a lot of strong opinions and expectations. She was trying to be protective, but realizes her approach was wrong. She tells Jeff that, being an only child, Vivi can’t understand, and Jeff says, true, but another woman in his life was always problematic for her and their mom. The woman in his life will have to accept they’re close, but so will Crystal and their mom. In her interview, Crystal says, she and her brother have always been close. When they were kids, people thought they were twins. When she met Rob, she was nervous that she would no longer be Jeff’s sister because she was a wife and mom, but things never changed. Jeff says he’s planning to spend more time in Asia. He’s going to spend half a year in Bangkok. He can do music or DJ. Crystal wonders if she pushed him too far, but he says he’s not trying to distance himself. He’s taking control of his life. In Crystal’s interview, she says she needs to accept her brother and what he wants, or it will create more of a wedge between them and she’ll lose him forever. Jeff says, their mom did a great job as a mom, and she did a great job as his sister. Their work is done. He makes his own decisions, and they need to trust they did a good job. Trust his judgement.

Everyone gets ready for the Homeless Not Toothless event, and the name is the gift that keeps on giving, since everyone is having lots of laughs over it. Rob is going to an event for The Brave Little Toaster, but he says he’ll meet Crystal later. On the way there, Mauricio asks Kyle about the Celebration of Life event, and she says, she wanted everyone to enjoy themselves, but still address the topic. In Kyle’s interview, she says, it would have meant something for Mauricio to show up, since he was close to Lorene also. We flash back to Lorene’s mother asking about him. She tells Mauricio that she’s going to be doing some traveling of her own. After the Barcelona trip, she’s going to Spain for work. In her interview, she says, he got a taste of his own medicine. She forgot tell him and he doesn’t get a heads up, so oops.

In Dorit’s interview, she says, everything is incredible. It’s exactly how she wanted, and she couldn’t have done it without PK. Erika runs into her dentist and he’s more flirtatious with her than I’d be comfortable with. In Kyle’s interview, she says, when she and Mauricio go to an event, there’s a lot of whispering and watching them. It feels strange. They’re analyzing every move and hand gesture. It’s very weird. Sutton arrives and tells the others that she has a magical esophagus. Don’t talk about her body behind her back. It’s not going to go well. They see Annemarie and call her over.

Annemarie introduces husband Marcellus, and when Sutton says, they’re talking now, she sends him to the bar. Sutton says, Annemarie picked the wrong person, but Annemarie won’t let her talk. Sutton says, excuse me, ma’am, and Annemarie tries to out ma’am her. In Erika’s interview, she says, you have to be careful. Where she’s from, this particular no ma’ am could get you slapped. Annemarie tells Sutton not to yell, when she’s not yelling, but when Sutton says she’s not, Annemarie calls her a liar. Annemarie tends to come in hot in a cartoonish way that’s very unattractive and awkward. She also keeps reminding everyone that she’s a board-certified nurse anesthetist. I’ve heard it four times in five seconds now. Sutton says she has a board-certified doctor, and knows what she has, even though Annemarie said she made it up. Annemarie says she didn’t, and Crystal says, she told them that Sutton lied. We flash back to Annemarie saying that, and Annemarie says she told them it was a potential lie. WTF is a potential lie? This woman is unreal. Everything she gets caught on, she changes around. She accuses Crystal of saying Sutton had an eating disorder, and Crystal asks if she’s out of her mind. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, they haven’t even gotten in the ballroom yet and they’re going at it. People are looking at them. It’s like they’re at the zoo looking at animals and they’re the animals. Sutton says, it was inappropriate to bring it up at Kyle’s event, and once again, Annemarie acts like she did no such thing. Crystal says, Annemarie literally talked two hours about it. She and Garcelle had to leave; it was so annoying. We flash back to the multiple times Annemarie discussed it with various groups of women, and Annemarie says, she was trained to be a critical thinker. Maybe Crystal would understand if she’d gone to med school. Crystal says, Annemarie didn’t go to med school, and Annemarie says, Crystal keeps downplaying her profession. Crystal says, she’s such a bitch, and in Annemarie’s interview, she says, Crystal said she wanted to go to med school – we flash back to that – but her husband wouldn’t have waited. She thinks Crystal resents her being in the medical profession. Crystal is taking out what she didn’t get to do on her. Annemarie says she apologizes for being concerned, and in Sutton’s interview, she says she appreciates Annemarie’s non-apology apology. She’ll take it because she doesn’t want to talk about her esophagus anymore.

Kyle tells Dorit that Annemarie and Sutton were arguing. It was heated, worked up, and elevated. Garcelle joins them, and Kyle says she never saw Crystal like that. She never knew Crystal had it in her. In Kyle’s interview, she says, they’ve wanted Crystal to find her voice, but screaming someone’s a bitch at a black-tie event wasn’t exactly what they were talking about. The women look at the stuff up for silent auction, and Dorit makes sure Sutton isn’t sitting by Annemarie. This teeny tiny old woman all in pink – who not surprisingly goes by the name of Pink Lady – says she appreciates Erika, who’s in Barbiecore, and they take photos. As they sit down at the table, Mauricio says he hears Sutton has an esophagus problem, and in her interview, Sutton says, if Mauricio can come to this, but not to the Celebration of Life event for his wife, that’s messed up. Dorit is introduced and she introduces Paula Abdul, who introduces Taylor Dayne. Taylor sings Tell It to My Heart, Erika sings along with her, and everyone acts stupid, getting up, waving, and hooting. This is really irritating since it’s a gala, not a concert. Afterwards, Sutton tells the women that they’ve got to stop this. Garcelle asks what they do, and Sutton says she likes Annemarie, but she didn’t like Annemarie going behind her back. Annemarie – who apparently cannot admit when she’s wrong – says she already explained. Dorit suggests they go home and take a deep breath. Kyle says, they want only positive energy when they go to Spain.

Everyone packs for Barcelona, and Kyle calls Sutton. She asks what the vibe is, and Sutton says, it’s an old city with cobblestone streets. Kyle says, it won’t stop the women from wearing high heels. Barcelona is not ready for them. Sutton says, there’s angst that needs to be worked out. Kyle’s mission is to tell Annemarie not to talk at them. In Kyle’s interview, she says, the fact that she has to mediate the fight about Sutton’s esophagus at this point is upsetting. But she feels like since she brought Annemarie into the group, she should fix things and play peacemaker. Annemarie calls Kyle and says she’s had time to think and reflect. She feels ridiculous and horrible. Kyle says, it was a lot, and for her to say it’s a lot says a lot. Crystal calls Erika, who says, ooh, Crystal called Annemarie a bitch. Crystal says, Annemarie was calling out Sutton for yelling when she was the one yelling. It didn’t make sense. Erika says, people communicate under stress in different ways. Thank God it wasn’t about her. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, Annemarie wants to be right because it’s a medical thing. Kyle tells Annemarie, maybe Spain will be the magic touch, and in her interview, she says, if they can get past their issues, they can have a fun, bonding experience. She’s not holding her breath. Annemarie says, Crystal owes her an apology for mocking her profession, and in her interview, she says she’s proud to be a nurse anesthetist. It’s difficult and challenging. Erika says she’ll be the referee and bring a whistle, and Crystal says, Annemarie might not talk to her. That’s even better. In Erika’s interview, she says, therapy works. It’s expensive, but it works. Kyle tells Annemarie that they don’t want to have these conversations on the plane. They don’t want to be kicked off. Annemarie says she wants to go in happy, positive, and looking forward to the trip.

Annemarie calls Sutton and says she’s coming with her heart in her hands. She’s sorry for her part in everything that happened. Sutton says, her part? and in Sutton’s interview, she says, how about her part being the only part? No ma’am. Annemarie says she’s sorry she pried into something Sutton didn’t want to talk about, but Sutton says she’ll talk about her esophagus all day. Annemarie says she’s sorry she talked… Sutton says, behind her back. She wants Annemarie to come on the trip and she’s looking forward to working it out. Annemarie says she did lick Sutton’s armpit. How many friends can she say that about? (Jeff is right. What are they doing?)

24 hours later. Flashes into the future. Annemarie says, when she met Crystal, Crystal said the women were not intelligent and shallow… Annemarie tells Crystal to bring it down a notch, which doesn’t go over big… Annemarie tells Crystal, thanks for giving her something to talk about and making Crystal’s ass relevant… Sutton says, don’t make the little people come out.

I must admit I’m intrigued about that last one.

To be continued…

❄️ Savoring the Snowflakes…

Hop aboard tomorrow for soap and a Reunion lacking Charm. Until then, stay safe, stay replacing something you borrowed if you broke it or lost it, and stay remembering, therapy is expensive, but it works.

Jan17

January 16, 2024 – Nina Makes a Deal With Cyrus, Adam’s Dad, A Message, Premature, Icon Of Days, Salty Talk, All About Emmy, Playing Dress-Up & White

Posted on January 17, 2024 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In Cyrus’s hospital room, Dex prepares a syringe. In the hallway on the phone, Nina talks with a client. She sees Sonny coming out of the elevator, and ducks around the corner. Sonny goes to the reception desk and asks where Cyrus’s room is. Dex is about to put the syringe into Cyrus’s IV, when there’s a knock on the window. Sonny peeks through the blinds that Dex stupidly left open and shakes his head. As Dex steps away, Cyrus grabs his arm. He asks what Dex is trying to do.

Josslyn runs into the hospital and asks Willow if her friend Adam Wright has been brought in. Willow says he has, and he’s with a doctor in exam room one, but she can’t go in there. Josslyn says she just wants to be nearby.

Finn examines Adam and tries to rouse him, while Elizabeth checks his vitals. A nurse shows Finn the pill packets and says, they may have been mixed with vodka. He says, that combo could do it. This kid meant business. He rubs Adam’s chest vigorously, telling him to wake up. Josslyn watches through the window.

Willow calls Carly and asks her to come to the hospital; Joss is here. Carly asks if she’s okay (maybe Willow should have led with that), and Willow says, she is, but she thinks Josslyn needs Carly. Carly says she’ll be right there.

Trina says, Esme must be relieved, and Esme says, yeah. Has Trina seen Spencer? He was supposed to bring Ace here. Trina says she hasn’t seen them, but it looks like Esme didn’t need that adorable baby boy to sway the judge’s opinion. She must be thrilled. Esme says, Trina must be disappointed in her sentence. She can understand why. Trina tells Esme not to presume knowing anything about her, but Esme says, come on. The revenge porn of Cameron and Josslyn, framing Trina for the crime. If the allegations were true and she was in Trina’s position, she wouldn’t be done with her until she was locked up forever.

Spencer tells Nikolas that he’s not leaving Port Charles. His life is here. His grandmother is here. Trina is here. Aunt Alexis is here and he’s not throwing that away. He’s not going to abandon everyone and everything just so he can go on the run with Nikolas. Nikolas says he knows he’s asking for a lot, but Spencer says, he’s not just asking for a lot; he’s asking for everything. Nikolas says, it’s the only option, at least for now, but Spencer says, it’s Nikolas’s only option, not his. Ace isn’t going with him, and neither is he. Nikolas says, it’s the only way for them to be together as a family. Spencer has to trust him on this. Spencer says, the thing is, he doesn’t trust Nikolas, and he’s not running away because he’s not like Nikolas. Nikolas says, doesn’t Spencer realize his brother is in danger if he stays here?

Elizabeth says, Adam’s blood pressure is dropping, and Finn asks if he’s had any history of substance abuse. Elizabeth says, he’s on dextroamphetamine, and Finn says, for ADHD? She says, correct, and he says, anything else? She says, he was brought in for a panic attack previously. Josslyn Jax brought him in, and she checked him in. Finn asks her to find out if he’s taken anything else, and she leaves.

In the hallway, Josslyn asks if Adam is all right, and Elizabeth says, they’re doing everything they can to help him, but she needs more information. Josslyn says she was there when he passed out. She called 911. Elizabeth asks if she’s the one who found the pills, and Josslyn says, yeah. She found them at the park. He was drinking and the pills had fallen out of his pocket. Elizabeth asks if Josslyn knows if he took them, and Josslyn says, no, but he couldn’t have taken them that long before she found him. Maybe an hour ago? Elizabeth says, it’s important they know as much about his medical history as possible. So has Adam used drugs in the past? Josslyn says, he has ADHD, so he’s taking something for that, and Elizabeth says, dextroamphetamine. Josslyn says, that’s it, and Elizabeth says, anything else? Josslyn says, not that she’s aware of, and Elizabeth says, what about the drinking? Josslyn says, Adam got really drunk New Year’s Eve, but other than that, she’s never seen him drunk. Elizabeth says, she’s been very helpful and thanks her for the info. Josslyn says, of course (🍷), and Elizabeth goes back into the exam room. Willow asks how Josslyn is holding up, and Josslyn says, Adam has been struggling for months. How did she not see it coming?

Sonny goes into Cyrus’s room and says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to interrupt. Can he have a word with Mr. Renault? Dex asks if that’s okay with Cyrus, and Cyrus says, it’s fine with him. Mr. Corinthos’ timing is positively providential. Sonny asks, why is that? and Cyrus says he has some news that will uplift Sonny’s spirits.

Trina says her parents raised her to know right from wrong, and Esme says, her parents didn’t raise her. Not that she could even remember if they did. Trina says her point is, she believes in the justice system, and for it to work, it has to be fair. So does she want Esme to pay for the horrible things she did to Joss, Cam, and her? Of course (🍷) she does. Because Esme broke the law multiple times and deserves to be punished for her crimes. That’s only fair. But she doesn’t deserve to spend time in prison for some petty breaking and entering where no one got hurt. As much as she dislikes Esme, she found herself agreeing with the judge. Esme says she’s surprised Trina can be so rational about this, and Trina says she wants to live her life looking ahead. She’s leaving Port Charles soon, and she doesn’t want her very justified anger toward Esme to hold her back. Esme says, she’s leaving town… Trina says, don’t get too excited. It’s only for one semester, but she was accepted to study at the Sorbonne in Paris. Esme says, congratulations. That seems like an amazing opportunity. Trina says, it is, and Esme says, but she knows Spencer is going to miss Trina like crazy when she’s gone. Trina says, he might, if he wasn’t coming with her.

Finn says some medical stuff to Elizabeth, and the other nurse asks if they shouldn’t get approval from one of the Co-Chiefs of Staff. Finn says he has no time for waiting. Let’s go. Elizabeth tells the nurse that Finn knows what he’s doing, and the nurse jets.

Willow says, it’s not Josslyn’s fault, but Josslyn says, all the signs were there. She knew Adam was in trouble. Willow says, but she’s not a mind reader. She couldn’t have predicted Adam was going to try and take his own life. Did he ever talk about suicide with her? Josslyn says, no. He never used that word. But more than once, he talked about how the pressure was never-ending. She was so worried about him that she told the RA what was going on with him. Willow says, it sounds like she did the right thing. She tried to get Adam help. Josslyn says, but it didn’t work. She thinks that’s what pushed Adam over the edge. Carly comes out of the elevator, and Josslyn hugs her. She says, Adam tried to kill himself. She found him in the park. Carly tells Willow, thank you.

Spencer asks, what makes Nikolas think Ace is in danger? He liked it better when Ace and Esme were both living here with his grandmother, but still. Nikolas says, as long as Ace is in Esme’s care, his brother is in danger, and Spencer says he knows Nikolas hasn’t been around, so he might not know this, but Esme is actually a very good mother to Ace. Nikolas says, she’s playing a part. Showing people what they want to see. But at the core, Esme is still the same viper that caused destruction in both of their lives… Spencer says he actually does believe this version of Esme loves her son, and Nikolas says, whatever love Esme has for Ace is outweighed by her curiosity about her former life. Doesn’t he get it? Esme wants to remember. That’s why she’s searching for her past. That’s why she went to Windymere and broke in. Spencer asks how Nikolas would know about that, and Nikolas says he told Spencer; he’s been watching things. Whatever stories Esme makes up about her reasons for going there, they both know better. Spencer says he’s wondered about Esme at times, and who’s to say whether she’s gotten her memories back, but how can they know that for sure? They don’t have any proof. They don’t have any evidence to back it up. Nikolas says, they both know what her true nature is. Esme’s still the same person who tormented both of them and relished watching their family in pain. She’ll cause more pain than running away with Ace, or worse.

Sonny says, they’re going to be fine in here, aren’t they? and Cyrus says he thinks they will. Dex leaves, and Cyrus says, believe it or not, he’s happy to see Sonny again, calling him Mr. Corinthos. Sonny says, the nurse is gone. He can stop with the Mr. Corinthos nonsense. If he’s got something to say, say it quick.

Nina sees Dex and asks why he’s dressed like that. Was he just in Cyrus Renault’s room? Dex says, she shouldn’t be here, and she asks if Sonny is in with Cyrus right now. She moves toward the room, but he stops her, saying, he’s sorry, but she can’t go in there right now. She says, so he is in there.

Cyrus says, what Sonny needs to know is, he’s a sinner, and Sonny says, that’s not news. Cyrus says he knows he’ll never be able to fully repent for his past. He begs for forgiveness from God every day, but he doesn’t know that the gates of heaven will open for him after the things he’s done. Sonny says, that’s an awful big wind-up. Can he just get to the point? Cyrus says, this is why he now has to live a fully penitent life. He’ll continue to try and atone for his sins and accept his punishment with grace. Sonny says, tick… tock, and Cyrus says, Sonny doesn’t need to send anyone else to do his dirty work. Sonny asks, why is that? and Cyrus says he won’t be pressing charges against Sonny. The case will be closed.

Trina heads for the door, but Esme says, wait. What does Trina mean, she’s going to Paris? She can’t believe Spencer would abandon his brother like that. Trina says, Esme moved out of Laura and Doc’s place. She made the decision that Spencer would see a whole lot less of Ace. Besides, this is a really great opportunity. Esme says, for Trina. What about Spencer? Isn’t this really selfish of her? Trina asks Esme to let her finish. She was going to say, Spencer didn’t want to leave her either. Besides, it’s not like he has a job or anything that ties him down here. Esme says, what about his grandmother? and Trina says, Laura spent a summer in Europe trying to track down Spencer’s dad. She thinks Laura can handle Spencer being away for one semester. Esme says, Laura will probably be okay with this, but what about Ace? What about her? Trina says, what about you, Esme?

Spencer says he knows what the old Esme is capable of, but there’s got to be a better way than taking off with her child, and Nikolas says, if there was a way he could stay in Port Charles and fight for custody, he’d do that. But if he stays, he’ll go to prison. Spencer says, the way he did, but Nikolas says, Spencer’s sentence was fairly brief. In his case, he doesn’t know when he’d be free again, and that does Ace no good. Spencer says, but he does have to face the consequences of his actions at some point, right? He has a family and one of his kids is a baby, so at some point it has to stop being all about him. Nikolas says he’s doing this for Ace. For all his flaws and failings, this isn’t a choice between him and a better man. It’s a choice between him and Esme. Spencer says, what if Esme wasn’t a factor? and Nikolas asks how that would even be possible. Spencer says, his grandmother convinced Esme to turn herself in to the PCPD for breaking into Windymere, and as the current owner of the property, Ava has decided to press charges. In fact, her hearing is being held right now. (I guess Nikolas wasn’t watching that closely.) If Ava gets her way, Esme’s going to be spending some time in prison. That will give Nikolas a window of opportunity to squash any legal problems he might have and file for custody of Ace. Nikolas says, even if Esme does go to prison, she still has rights. She won’t just roll over. Spencer says, but Nikolas is the father. He has just as much a right of claim as she does, right? Spencer’s phone rings and he says, it’s his grandmother. Maybe she has an update. Hey, are you at the courthouse with Esme?… Yes… Okay, thank you for telling me. Nikolas says, well? and Spencer says, she pled guilty. She’s not going to have to serve any time. She got six months probation. So Esme’s basically a free woman.

Josslyn tells Carly that she found Adam in the park. He was just sitting there trying to play his guitar, drinking from a bottle of vodka. Carly takes Josslyn’s hand and says, thank God she went to look for him. He tried to take his life. Josslyn says she can’t believe he took it this far, when Finn and Elizabeth come out. Josslyn asks Finn, how is he? and Finn says he understands Josslyn found Adam and called the ambulance, and they thank her for that. But they can really only speak to family. All he can say is, they pumped his stomach. Elizabeth says, he’s in stable condition – Josslyn says, thank God – thanks to her quick thinking. Finn says, he should make a full recovery, and Josslyn thanks them. Carly says, she did the right thing, and Finn says, they do need to speak to Adam’s parents though. Elizabeth says, they have Adam’s parents’ contact information, but Josslyn says, please do not call his parents. Carly says, they have to, but Josslyn says, she doesn’t understand. His parents are the reason he tried to kill himself.

Sonny tells Cyrus, in the state of New York, the victim doesn’t need to press charges. For assault, the state can pursue the case without him. Cyrus says, while that may be true, he wonders how much effort the DA will want to invest when the key witness says they were the one who provoked the assault. Sonny had gone to a church, trying to commune with God and search for answers. He came upon Sonny, and instead of responding with kindness, he responded with hostility and bitterness, maybe even malice. In other words, Cyrus sinned against him. So if the DA takes the case to trial and he’s called to testify, he’ll repent and beg for forgiveness. Sonny says, that’s the exact opposite of what he told the cops. What was the change of heart? Cyrus says he doesn’t understand, and Sonny asks what Cyrus did. Because if he can reverse his position just like that, there has to be something in it for him. So what does he want in return? That’s what he’s asking. Cyrus says, nothing. He’s aware a man in Sonny’s position might just want to finish the job he started. And since getting out of Pentenville, he’s really come to appreciate his freedom. His life might be really small now, but he cherishes it and he’d like to keep living it. Is that so hard to understand? Sonny says, for an average person, maybe, but for Cyrus, he doesn’t believe a word Cyrus is shoveling at him. Cyrus laughs and asks if Sonny would believe another person helped him see the error of his ways, and Sonny asks, who got to him? Cyrus says, the person asked him not to say, but Sonny says, who? Cyrus says, let him keep his word. It’s the only thing he has left.

Nina tells Dex, ever since Sonny found out what she did, he hasn’t been thinking clearly. She’s worried about him. If anything happens to him… Dex says, if Sonny wants her to know something, he’ll tell her himself. He’s genuinely sorry that it’s come to this. She says, her too. She’s not giving up on Sonny. She’s not going to stop loving him. She’ll do anything for the man that she loves. She walks away.

Josslyn tells Finn, Adam doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents. He would not want them to be involved. And he’s not a minor; he’s over 18. That has to count for something, right? Finn says, he’s currently unconscious and his parents are next of kin. They have to be notified. He’s really sorry, but that’s hospital procedure. Elizabeth says she knows Josslyn and knows her heart is in the right place, but if that was Cameron in there, doesn’t Josslyn think she should be notified? Josslyn says, it’s not the same thing. Adam’s parents are the problem. He’s terrified of them. He got an A-minus on a test, and they considered that a failure. Finn says he understands, but legally, Adam’s parents need to be notified. Carly thanks him and says, do what he needs to do. Finn and Elizabeth leave, and Carly sits down with Josslyn. Josslyn asks if they can’t at least wait until Adam wakes up and ask him if he wants his parents to know, and Carly says, she’s heard a lot about Adam’s parents this semester, hasn’t she? Josslyn says, it’s crazy the amount of pressure they put on him. The way he talks, they don’t even see him. It’s just about him getting the best grades to get into the right med school. Carly says, he seems to be leaning a lot on Josslyn too, and Josslyn says, yes. She thought she was helping. Clearly not. Carly says, she didn’t do anything wrong. Adam is lucky to have a friend like her. Josslyn says, when Adam’s parents find out what he did, Adam is never going to forgive her.

Esme tells Trina that she’s Ace’s mother and she thought Spencer wanted to be a part of his little brother’s life. Trina says, Spencer will always be part of Ace’s life. He’s just giving Esme the space that she said she wanted. Esme tells Trina that she said she wanted space. She didn’t say she wanted Ace’s brother on another continent. Trina says, it’s not like they’re not coming back to Port Charles. They’re going to be in Paris for one semester. (IKR? Again, everyone is acting like this is forever.) Esme says, what if they love living there and that one semester extends into the summer, and they decide to live there for another year? Spencer can party his way through Europe, leaving his brother totally behind. Trina says, Spencer is not going to do that. He’s way to loyal to Ace. Esme says, Trina is in love with Spencer. Of course (🍷) she’s going to say that. Trina says she can’t believe she has to defend Spencer to Esme, of all people. What has he done except help her and Ace? Esme says, Ace loves his brother. He lights up every time Spencer walks into the room, and Ace is too little to understand the difference between a parent and a brother. How is Ace going to understand Spencer hasn’t just completely abandoned him.\?

Spencer tells Nikolas that he doesn’t understand how this could have happened. Esme gets six months probation and no time in jail? Nikolas says, Esme wasn’t on trial for the revenge porn of Josslyn and Cam, or for framing Trina. This case was just about breaking and entering into Windymere. Like he said, Esme wouldn’t have broken into Windymere unless she thought it would help her get her memories back. Spencer flashes back to the interrogation room and realizing that Esme remembers. Nikolas says, if Esme was truly committed to starting a new life with Ace as his devoted mother, wouldn’t she want to avoid Windymere at all costs? Spencer remembers Esme calling him Spence, and Nikolas asks what he’s thinking. Spencer says he doesn’t know anything for sure. It’s really more so just a feeling. Nikolas says, a feeling about what? and Spencer says, Esme may not be telling the whole truth about why she broke into Windymere. She said something. It was a really, really small thing, so it might not mean anything. Nikolas asks what she said, and Spencer says, she called me Spence. That was the name she called him the whole time they were together, and she hasn’t called him that since she lost her memory. But then, earlier today at the PCPD, she called him Spence. It wasn’t just what she said, it was how she said it. It was the same tone, it was the same inflection, everything. It could just be a coincidence. Nikolas says, he knows better. It’s proof that Esme’s lying. She must have gotten her memories back. Spencer asks how they know that for sure, and Nikolas says, they can’t as long as she denies it, but is he really willing to trust her? Does he want to risk his brother’s life for Esme?

Willow says she’s got a call in to PCU requesting Adam’s parents’ contact information, and Finn says, after a psyche consult, he’s sure Adam will be put on a 72-hour hold. Maybe this will be a wake-up call for his parents to start taking better care of their son. Willow says, maybe.

Carly tells Josslyn, the situation with Adam’s parents sounds terrible. She can’t imagine putting that kind of pressure on her kid, but he tried to kill himself. This is really serious. Now his parents will be able to give him the support he needs. Adam’s clearly crying out for help. Josslyn says she just wishes she’d done something sooner.

Dex puts the wrapped syringe in a trashcan and sees Sonny in the hallway. He asks if Sonny changed his mind about Renault, and Sonny says, Cyrus is still poison in Port Charles. They’ve got to deal with him. They’ve just got to figure out another way. Dex says, what about the assault charge against Sonny? and Sonny says, somebody convinced Cyrus not to testify. Dex says, without the victim’s testimony… and Sonny says, Scorpio isn’t going to risk embarrassment losing a weak case. He’s just trying to figure out who convinced Cyrus to drop the charges. Dex says he might know, and Sonny says, who? Dex says, Cyrus wasn’t alone when he got here. There was someone in his room with him. Sonny says, who? and Dex looks down the hall at Nina.

Trina says, with Spencer out of the country, this could be Esme’s chance to prove she can go it alone as Ace’s mom. And yes, Spencer has helped out a lot, but it’s time for him to take a step back. Esme made the same point when she moved out of Laura’s place. Esme asks if she’s supposed to thank Trina now, like Trina is doing her this big favor, and Trina says, Esme can look at it however she wants, but she wants Esme to know that not for one second did they question her abilities as a mom. They were only thinking about Ace. She and Spencer don’t think about Esme at all. She has to go. She tells Esme, congratulations. She got what she wanted. Trina walks out.

Nikolas asks when Esme will be back for Ace, and Spencer says, the hearing is over. She’s a free woman, so any minute now. Nikolas says, they’re running out of time. If Spencer won’t come with him, Spencer has to give him Ace to get him out of Esme’s grasp. This is their only chance. Spencer says, when Ace was born, he was certain Nikolas was going to come back, and when he didn’t, he was furious with Nikolas. He swore he was going to make sure Ace had a stable childhood no matter what. Nikolas says he knows and he’s sorry. He shouldn’t have left. It wasn’t fair for him to leave Spencer to pick up the pieces. He knows it looks like he’s running away again, he swears this time it’s different. He’s not running away to escape punishment. He’s running away to protect his son. Let him be a father to Ace. And to Spencer. Let him do the right thing for their family. Let him save his son.

Elizabeth says, as awful as that was, it was nice seeing Finn back in his element. He thanks her for backing him up with the nurse. He realizes she was just following procedure. She says, yes, but he was making the right call.

Carly says, Josslyn tried to help Adam and he pushed her away. Then when he really needed her help, she was there for him and did the right thing. He’s going to understand. She’s so proud of Josslyn. Willow comes out and says she’s sorry to interrupt, but she thought Josslyn would want to know Adam is stabilized now, in case she wants to see him. Josslyn says she does. She just needs to grab something from her car. Carly stops her and says, or they could give him a night to absorb what happened and see him tomorrow. Josslyn says, no. She needs to see him today. Besides, she has something that belongs to him. She’ll be right back. She leaves, and Willow asks if Josslyn realizes she saved Adam’s life, but Carly says, no. She feels like she should have known what he was going to try.

On the phone, Nina says she needs confirmation first thing tomorrow, when Sonny comes up behind her. He asks what she did. What did she promise Cyrus? She says, nothing she couldn’t afford to part with. His freedom is that important to her. He asks, what made her think it was a good idea to strike a deal with Cyrus? and she says, Cyrus is going to drop all the charges against him, a fight that she caused. Sonny wouldn’t have attacked Cyrus if he wasn’t so upset with her. She’s caused a lot of trouble and made some mistakes. Everything is falling apart, and if she could go back in time, she would. She would change how she handled things, but that’s not a possibility. What is a possibility is her making a deal with Cyrus. All she’s trying to do is clean up the mess she made. He says, next time she gets the urge to help him, don’t. He starts to walk away, but she calls to him and he stops. She says she has to do something, and he says, this is his life. Stay away from his business. As a matter of fact, stay away from him. He stalks off, all dark Sonny like.

Elizabeth says, Adam is really lucky Finn cared more about saving his life than getting someone to sign off on his diagnosis. In life or death, there’s just no time to second guess. He says, they all made a difference in helping that kid. His life depended on making a split-second decision. It reminded him of why he loves being a doctor. It also reminded him of what he stands to lose if he can’t be one.

Carly tells Willow, on one hand, she’s very proud of Josslyn, of how she handled the situation. Willow says, on the other hand? and Carly says she hates how Josslyn feels responsible for him. We just want to protect our kids, right? Willow says, until life gets in the way. Josslyn comes back and says she’s ready to see Adam. If they don’t mind, she’d prefer to go in alone. Carly says, okay. They’ll be right here if she needs them. Josslyn thanks them and goes to the exam room.

Josslyn sees Adam unconscious and hooked up to oxygen. She sets down her stuff and his guitar and goes over to the bed. She says, it’s me, Josslyn, and sits down. She says she brought his guitar from the park. She knows how much he loves it. She takes his hand and says she’s going to stay with him until he wakes up. Because he’s not alone.

Nikolas says, Spencer has to know that taking Ace away with him is the best option for his brother, and Spencer says, the points he’s making about Esme are valid. If she does get her memories back, she has zero incentive to be honest about it. Nikolas says, so Spencer will let him take Ace with him? and Spencer says, yes. Nikolas says, he’s making the right decision, and Spencer says, his blankie is in his room. Nikolas goes to Ace’s room – even though he would have no clue where it is and the apartment has more than one floor – and Spencer says he really hopes he gets to see Ace again so he can keep reminding Ace how much he loves him. He bounces and kisses Ace and says, when he first learned about Ace, he wasn’t sure how to feel. And then he saw Ace and all he had was pure love for him. All he ever wanted for Ace was happiness and safety and love. Nikolas stands in the doorway, and Spencer says he doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he thinks he’s making the right decision. He hopes Ace remembers always that he has an older brother who loves him very much. Nikolas comes out, and Spencer says, if he ever hurts Ace, if he ever abandons him… Nikolas says, never, but Spencer says, listen to him. If he ever hurts Ace, he will find Nikolas and he will make him pay. Nikolas says he knows that.

Spencer says, he likes grapes, but they need to be cut into quarters, so he doesn’t choke. And as Nikolas can see, he’s a very good sleeper. (Ace has basically been passed out through this whole scene.) He likes to be read bedtime stories before bed; it helps him calm down. Nikolas says, got it. He asks Spencer to please come with them. The transition would be so much easier on his little brother, and honestly, he’d love it too. Spencer can’t know how much he’s missed him. Spencer says he’s glad he’s been able to play the role he has in Ace’s life. He has a life with Trina now, so he can’t. Nikolas says he understands, but he promises that one day, they’ll both be back. Spencer tells him not to make promises he can’t keep. Not to him, not to Ace. Nikolas says he swears they will, and Spencer says, just make sure that he’s looked after. That’s what’s most important. He hands Ace to Nikolas, and Ace barely opens an eye. And in perhaps the stupidest move Spencer has ever made, he opens the door, and Nikolas leaves with Ace.

Elizabeth tells Finn, good news. The doctor Muldoon saw in Beechers Corners is in Port Charles and she’s willing to meet with them. This could be his best chance to beat the malpractice suit.

Carly says she told Josslyn that Adam’s parents will only want the best for him. She sincerely hopes that’s true. Willow says, parents can have all the good intentions in the world, and they can still let their children down.

Nina says she talked to the station. Cyrus has his time slot as soon as Sonny’s case is officially thrown out. Then he can start spreading the Good Word. He says, praise the Lord, and she tells him, sure. Whatever you say. He smiles.

Sonny is in the elevator with Dex, and says, Dex impressed him today. Dex says he didn’t do anything, but Sonny says, the fact Dex was going to follow his orders lets him know he can count on Dex. Dex thanks him, and Sonny says, any questions? Dex says, just one. What are they going to do about Cyrus? Sonny says he’s going to make that bastard wish he hadn’t stopped Dex from putting him out of his misery.

Trina bursts into the exam room, and Josslyn thanks her for coming, hugging her. Trina says, of course (🍷). She dropped everything as soon as she got Josslyn’s text. How’s Adam? Josslyn says, the good news is, she found him, so the paramedics got him to the hospital in time. But she has no idea what she’s going to say to him when he wakes up.

Spencer leans on the mantel and notices Ace’s pillow (I think) got left behind. He scoops it up and opens the door. Esme is there.

Tomorrow, Esme says she’s taking Ace home, but Spencer says, she can’t; Nina says, if they don’t believe her, ask Michael; and Willow wants nothing more to do with someone. I’m hoping it’s Michael, but I’m guessing it’s Nina.

🏥 Meet the Parent…

He’s probably going to yell at Adam for not doing it right.

Steve Mize Cast as Adam’s Father on GENERAL HOSPITAL

🩺 Good To Be Home…

Looks like he’s hoping to make it a permanent address. I wouldn’t hate that.

Ryan Carnes Has a Special Message for GENERAL HOSPITAL Fans!

🥀 Gone Too Soon…

This is just too sad.

ALL MY CHILDREN’s Alec Musser Dead at 50

💫 Losing a Legend…

The soap world loses another great one.

Stars Pay Tribute to DAYS Icon Bill Hayes

Bryan Cranston Shares a Touching Tribute to DAYS Legend Bill Hayes

🧂 Throwing It Over My Shoulder…

They were at the point where everyone was talking over everyone, so A) no one was listening to anyone, and B) we couldn’t hear what anyone was saying clearly. Mary joined the group, and it was established that she’s not a backstabber. She’ll tell you to your face.

Pick your poison.

https://ew.com/the-real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city-season-4-reunion-part-2-8430550

https://people.com/rhoslc-recap-monica-garcia-explains-using-4-different-last-names-reunion-part-2-8430604

🏆 Emmy Cornucopia…

The winners.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2024/01/15/emmys-2024-complete-winners-list/72102243007/

Memories.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2024-primetime-emmy-awards-top-ten-memorable-moments-niecy-nash-betts-elton-john/

The red carpet and more.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/emmy-awards-2024-red-carpet/

And most important, fashion and beauty.

https://www.essence.com/gallery/beauty-75th-emmy-awards-2024/

https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/fashion-trends/511295/best-dressed-stars-emmys-2024/

I agree with most, but not all of these choices. I thought Niecy Nash-Betts looked very old-world Hollywood glam.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12966691/Emmy-Awards-WORST-dressed.html

Something random. This sounds like me – watch my purse, Carson.

https://people.com/ayo-edebiri-asks-carson-daly-to-hold-her-purse-after-emmys-awards-2023-win-8426544

🐩 Dress ‘Em Up, Show ‘Em Off…

These dogs are too cute.

https://people.com/courteney-cox-dresses-up-dogs-lily-bear-in-hilarious-video-8426672

I don’t know how old this article is, but it doesn’t matter. Cute pets are cute pets.

https://www.rover.com/blog/favorite-celebrity-pets/

🦹🏽‍♀️ Winding Up the Masquerade…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the never-ending season of Beverly Hills awfulness. Until then, stay safe, stay doing a periodic social media audit, and stay living your life looking ahead.

Jan16

January 15, 2024 – The State Of New York Versus Esme Prince, Stuck For the Final Charter On Deck & Dream

Posted on January 16, 2024 by theresakp

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Kristina goes to Sonny’s office and sees him concentrating at his desk. She says, that’s some serious reading he’s got going on there. She knows he wasn’t expecting her, so if it’s a bad time… He says he’s always happy to see her. It’s a never a bad time. He hugs her and says, her timing’s always perfect. He looks over to see the wedding photo of him and Nina, out of the frame and lying on the desk.

The reception nurse tells Nina that Cyrus is in room 1002. Dex watches has she goes into Cyrus’s room. Cyrus says, look who we have here. The Lord has blessed him with a beautiful visitor. She says, keep the Lord out of this. This is between her and him.

At the courthouse, Laura says she was hoping to run into Ava. Can they talk for a minute? Ava says, of course (🍷). What can she do for Laura? Laura says, drop the charges against Esme, and Ava asks, why would she do that?

Josslyn knocks at Adam’s door and says she really needs to talk to him. A guy answers the door and tells her that she can stop knocking. Adam’s not here. He left a few minutes ago. She says she really needs to see him. Did he say where he was going? The guy says he’s not Adam’s keeper. He stormed out of here with his guitar and my vodka. Josslyn thanks him and dashes off.

Ava tells Laura that she’s sorry, but she has no intention of dropping the charges. Esme deserves this. In fact, she deserves far worse after everything she did to hurt Trina. Laura says, that is a completely separate issue. Let her answer for those crimes when the time comes. Ava’s phone rings and she says she’s so sorry. She really has to take this. Laura goes into the courtroom and asks how Esme is holding up. Esme says she’d be a lot better if Spencer was here with Ace like he promised. Where is he?

Spencer says, father, and Nikolas says, hello, Spencer.

Cyrus says, Nina seems to be angry with him, and she says, you think? He says, but why? He helped her unburden her conscience. She says, he lied about being a priest, he listened to her confession, he ruined her marriage, he destroyed her relationship with her daughter. What did he expect, a thank you note? He says, it was all going to come out eventually. All he did was help her hasten the inevitable, and doesn’t she feel better without all the crushing weight of guilt hanging over her? She says, actually, she doesn’t. Did he feel better after he was sent to prison as punishment for his crimes? He says, she’s lashing out. He understands. The truth hurts, but just give it time. Now the healing process can occur.

Sonny asks, to what does he owe the honor of Kristina’s visit? but she says she doesn’t actually have a reason. She just wanted to say hi. He says, usually she’s so busy with everything going on, she can’t get away in the middle of the day. She says, everything is on track with the surrogacy. She just wanted to check on him. He says, so this isn’t just a drop-in. She’s checking up on him. She says, he’s had a lot going on. Everything with Nina, and getting arrested, Bobbie Spencer’s funeral… She just wanted to make sure he was okay. He says, that’s very thoughtful. He’s fine. She asks if he’s sure, and he says, yeah. He’s her dad, so she has to listen to what he says, and she says, the support thing works both ways. He’s always been there for her, and she can tell when something’s not okay. This is exactly where she needs to be right now.

On a park bench, Adam strums his guitar, when Josslyn comes along. She says she thought she’d find him here, and he says, why? Because she knows him so well? Or does she read his mind? He takes a sip from the bottle of vodka, and she sits down. She says she knows he’s mad, but if he would just let her explain herself… He says, it doesn’t matter. She doesn’t need to come up with some stupid excuse for narcing on him. It’s all right. What’s done is done. She says, it wasn’t narcing on him. She’s worried about him. She was just trying to get him some help. He says, if she was really his friend, she’d see that he wants to be alone. Go away. She says, no. That’s not how this works. It’s because she’s his friend that she’s staying.

Trina walks into the courthouse, and Ava says she didn’t know if Trina was going to be here or not. She takes it that Trina leaving the hospital is a good sign. Trina says, the best, and Ava says, Curtis is okay? Trina says, yeah. He’s already awake and talking to them. Ava says she’s so glad to hear it, and Trina says, they’re all so relieved. Now they’re just waiting to see if the surgery will help him walk again. Ava says, of course (🍷). Be sure to tell everyone in her family that she’s thinking of them. Trina says she will. Actually, she got to talk to her dad after his surgery, and he reminded her how important it is to focus on her future. So that’s exactly what she’s going to do.

Laura says she’s sure Ace and Spencer are on their way over, but she needs Esme to focus on herself right now. She knows she’s the one who convinced Esme to confess, and she completely understands that Esme would blame her for the trouble she’s in right now. Esme says, it’s fine. It’s not on Laura. It’s her own fault she’s in trouble. She’s the one who’s messed up, yet again. She guesses now all that’s left to do is pray for a miracle. Martin walks in, and Laura says, maybe one can be arranged.

Nikolas walks into the apartment and tells Spencer that he looks good. Spencer thanks him and says he is. Nikolas says he’s glad. Is Ace here? Spencer says, he’s asleep in his room, and Nikolas says he understands Spencer stepped up to take great care of his brother since he’s been gone. Thank you. Spencer says, Nikolas doesn’t need to thank him for loving his little brother, and Nikolas says, he just meant that Spencer could have let himself get caught up in who his mother is and how he came to be, and just handed him off to his grandmother. Instead, Spencer has taken great care of him. Spencer says, Nikolas has been keeping tabs on them? and Nikolas says he guesses he deserves Spencer’s surprise on that. He had to leave. They would have put him in prison. And although it seems like he never looked back, just because he wasn’t here doesn’t mean he stopped caring about Spencer and Ace. Spencer says he wasn’t sure how Nikolas felt about him, given the way they left things. After all, he did try to blackmail Nikolas into handing over custody of Ace. Nikolas says, that was very Cassadine of him, and they laugh. Spencer says he did what he thought was best for his little brother, and he’s thought so much about what he’d say to Nikolas if he ever saw him again. Nikolas says, if? and Spencer says, given the way they left things, he wasn’t so sure. He played out so many different scenarios in his head; where they’d be and how it would go. This time, seeing Nikolas standing here in front of him… Nikolas says, Spencer realizes how much he hates him. He doesn’t blame Spencer. He knows he failed Spencer and Ace. He left them both, and he deserves everything Spencer has coming for him, and he’s ready to take it. Spencer tells him, there’s only one thing left to say. He’s sorry.

Martin says, ADA Lansing-Davis, and Molly says hello to him and Laura. She asks how she can help them, and Martin says he was hoping they could discuss a deal for his client. He meant her and him; no impropriety intended. Laura says she’s just here as a grandmother. Her position as mayor should have no bearing on the conversation. Molly says, understood. With regard to the case, his client confessed to breaking and entering. It’s open and shut. Laura says, but Esme took responsibility for her crimes. She turned herself in. Nobody was hurt. There should be some leniency in a situation where a young woman has memory loss… Martin asks if she minds if he takes it from here, and Laura says, sorry. She leaves, and Molly says, the law is clear. Ava Jerome has decided to press charges and her office has the responsibility to pursue a conviction. He says, in that case, she should know he intends to advise his client to plead not guilty, which means there’s going to be a trial, and eventually she’s going to take that stand and get to tell her whole sordid story, complete with waterworks, he’s sure. Now correct him if he’s wrong, but juries tend to be sympathetic to young women who’ve been held captive against their will. Is she sure she’s going to get that conviction under those circumstances?

Ava tells Trina, that’s amazing news. Paris, and with Spencer? It’s so romantic, right? Long walks together along the Sienne. Visiting the Louvre together. Candlelit dinners with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Trina says, Ava is making her even more excited. She can’t believe this is really happening. Ava says, Trina deserves every second of it. That’s exactly why she decided to press charges against Esme. So Trina could see her brought to justice and finally close that chapter of her life.

Nikolas says he doesn’t understand. Spencer is sorry? For what? Spencer says he assumes Nikolas knows by now that Esme’s biological parents are Ryan Chamberlain and Heather Webber. Nikolas says he’s aware, yes. It’s both shocking, and given her behavior, not surprising at all. Spencer says, Esme conspired with her psychotic father to tear their family apart, and he fell right into her hands. And he’s sorry. Nikolas says, it wasn’t Spencer’s fault. Esme manipulated him, something they’re both very good at. Spencer says, little things that didn’t make sense. He was so blinded by his need to get back at Nikolas, he just didn’t see that. He made it very easy and he regrets that. Nikolas says he appreciates Spencer’s apology, but it’s not necessary. He bears responsibility for their failed relationship. He should have tried harder to make things better between them. Sure, Ryan and Esme might have been trying to destroy their relationship, but he gave them an opening. He let Esme get in his head about his marriage. And he slept with her. And he kept Esme prisoner at Windymere. Those were his choices, even if Ryan and Esme were pulling the strings. Spencer says, Nikolas hurt him, no doubt, but now he can see Nikolas hurt himself just as much. Nikolas says, maybe more. Now all he can do is take responsibility for his actions. Spencer says, like abandoning his newborn son so he could avoid going to prison?

Adam gets up and is about to take a swig from the vodka bottle, but Josslyn stops him. He tells her not to touch him. He doesn’t want her help. She says, this is exactly why she went to the RA. He’s not okay and she didn’t know what else to do. He says, she’s just like his parents. They don’t care about him. They just want to make him someone else’s problem. He takes a drink, and she snatches the bottle away from him, saying, that’s not why she did it. She’s worried about him. He needs to get some help. He says, nothing matters. He’s miserable… all the time. She can’t change that.

Nina says, healing. That’s what Cyrus thinks is about to happen here? This was all about him getting back at Sonny. He found an opportunity to use her to get back at Sonny and he took it. He says, she’s wrong. He has no quarrel with Sonny or his family. He simply saw two children of God hurt by lies and he wanted to ease their pain. She says, by listening to her confession under false pretenses, and he says, it was the best way for her to begin her journey to a life of authenticity. He has no ill will toward her, and if her marriage is floundering, he’s sorry. She tells him to spare her these empty words. If he’s truly sorry, prove it.

Sonny says he appreciates that Kristina is willing to spend time with her dad. She has one of the biggest hearts he knows, and he’s proud to be her father. But he’s fine. She says, as long as he says so, but if and when he needs her, know that she’s there. He says, she doesn’t have to worry about him. He’s been through a lot, and it takes a lot to keep him down. She says, it sure does. He’s one of the strongest people she’s ever met. He’s always been her rock and to think of him going to prison for assaulting Cyrus? Sonny flashes back to Dex saying, killing Cyrus gets rid of the man, but not necessarily the charges against him. The DA may even up the charges to manslaughter, saying Cyrus died as a result of his injuries. Sonny tells Dex that he wants to send a message; nobody crosses Sonny Corinthos. Dex tells him, there’s DNA. His knuckles are proof. Sonny asks if Kristina trusts him, and she says, always. He says he’s not going to prison, because he has a family who needs him. And he’s going to do everything he can to make sure he takes care of all of them.

At the hospital, now wearing scrubs, Dex’s phone dings, and he sends a text: On my way. The reception nurse says, he looks lost. Can she help him find out where he’s supposed to be? He says, no. He’s all good. She says, he’s supposed to be wearing a badge. Who is he? Dex says, he’s a temp orderly. It’s his first day. He must have left his badge in the locker room. He’s sorry. The nurse says she guesses it’s okay just this one time, but he’s not supposed to be on his phone while he’s working. He puts his phone in his pocket and says he appreciates her help.

Nina says, Cyrus thought that she needed to come clean to the people she hurt in her life in order to move on. He also told her that it wasn’t enough to feel sorry for lying to them, that she had to back it up with action. Isn’t that right? He tells her that he did say that, and she says, it’s time to practice what he preaches. If he’s truly sorry, he needs to make amends. He says he admits his apology might ring hollow to her without an accompanying act of contrition, and she says, there is something he can do. Drop the charges against Sonny.

Sonny tells Kristina that he’s been through a lot worse, and he always survives. She knows that, doesn’t she? She says, yeah, she knows. She believes in him, but she’s worried about him, even if for just selfish reasons. He says, what’s going on? and she says she’s afraid he’s not going to be here for her when she needs him. She can’t imagine going through this whole surrogacy thing with Molly and TJ without him here. He says, that’s not going to happen. He’s going to be here by her side the whole time. But she has to know she’s strong enough to do it on her own. She wipes tears away and says she knows. She thanks him and says, there was a time when she never would have had the courage to think of herself for Molly and TJ’s surrogacy. She would have just thought there was someone else, someone better. She never would have thought she could do it, but Sonny helped her see that she was capable of doing big, important, life changing things. He’s helped her find confidence in herself. That’s because of him. She takes his hand.

Trina says, Ava pressed charges against Esme for her? and Ava says she did, but Trina doesn’t seem very happy about it. Trina says she’s not sure how she feels about it. There’s a child involved. If Esme goes to prison, that little boy will be separated from his mother because of her. Ava says, Esme may be Ace’s mother, but she’s still the same conniving manipulator she’s always been. All she wants is for Trina to get fraction of the justice she’s due after everything Esme has put her through. then she can move on with her life without the burden of Esme Prince.

The bailiff says, all rise, and Ava and Trina go into the courtroom. The bailiff tells everyone, be seated, and the judge says, in the matter of the State of New York versus Esme Prince, how does the defendant plead?

Nikolas says, Spencer is right. He did abandon Ace, but Ace wasn’t the only son he walked out on. Spencer says he’s used to Nikolas disappearing by now, and Nikolas says he wants Spencer to know he regrets it. All of it. He hasn’t been a very good father to Spencer, and he doesn’t expect Spencer to forgive him for any of it. While he was away, he thought a lot about Spencer, about them. When he found out Spencer was his son and not Jax’s, he swore he was going to be the best dad anyone ever had, that Spencer would have the most normal childhood Nikolas could give him, and that Spencer would always know how much he loved him, but he failed at all that. But you can’t change the past, no matter how much you want to. It wasn’t all bad though, right? They had their moments. Some of his favorite memories are of him and Spencer when Spencer was very young. Spencer cries and says, Nikolas was his whole world. He loved Nikolas so much. Nikolas cries and says he loved Spencer too, fiercely. And no matter what else has happened between them, he wants Spencer to know that will never change. Ace cries from the other room, and Nikolas says, sounds like Ace is awake. Can he meet him?

Adam says, Josslyn doesn’t know what it’s like to be him, so stop pretending she does. She says, it’s true. She doesn’t have the same problems as he does. So maybe she’s not the best person to give him advice. But someone out there does understand if he’d just talk to them. Just come back to the dorms and get some sleep. They can figure out his next step together. He starts to nod off and falls into her lap. She sees some empty pill packets and shakes him, saying his name. She says, he’s got to wake up. Please.

Josslyn calls 9-1-1 and tells them that Adam has passed out. He’s been drinking vodka, and she thinks he took a bunch of pills. They’re in Rice Park, in an opening behind the Great Lawn. She’s going to put the phone down, but she’s staying on the line. She lightly smacks Adam’s face and tells him that he’s got to talk to her. Can he hear her? She gets no response.

Cyrus says he wishes he could help Nina, but he has no power over law enforcement. She says she doesn’t believe that, not for a second. He got Sonny into trouble; he can get Sonny out of trouble. Isn’t one of the tenets of his religion to forgive others just as God forgives you? He says, it is, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s Sonny’s victim. Sonny assaulted him. Why shouldn’t he seek justice? She says, because she can offer him something he wants more.

Sonny says, as much as he’d like to take all the credit for Kristina becoming such an amazing woman, they have to give her mom a little bit of credit. She says she knows mom supports her, of course (🍷), but what she gets from him is different. He says, she and her mom have a complicated relationship. He doesn’t want to get in the middle of it, but never doubt how much her mom believes in her. She asks if he and her mom have been talking about her, and he says, of course (🍷). Alexis always had misgivings about the situation. She didn’t know how complicated it was going to be, but it always came from love with Kristina and Molly. She never doubted who Kristina was or how much she was helping her sister. Kristina says she knows that now, but when Alexis first came at her with all these questions, whether or not she knew what she was doing or getting herself into, it took her back to all those times before when Alexis would underestimate her. It was like she would wait on the sidelines for Kristina to screw it up. Sonny asks if she’s ever talked to Alexis about it, but Kristina says, there’s no point now. It’s different. It’s different now because she’s different. She knows who she is and she knows she’s capable of meeting big challenges in her life. It’s kind of like how Sonny is so much better than the reputation that precludes him. People who don’t know him just assume he’s who they read about in the paper or what they see on the news. They have no idea how generous and kind he is, and how he’d do absolutely anything for the people he loves. And he’s always had this code of ethics, this unspoken code, that he lives by, and she feels like it almost got stronger from his time in Nixon Falls. Of course (🍷) she attributed that to Nina, but she guesses she was wrong there.

The judge asks how Esme pleads, and she says, guilty. He says, let the record reflect the defendant has entered a guilty plea. He understands a deal was struck just before this hearing began. Molly gets up and says, correct, your honor. In exchange for the defendant’s guilty plea, the DA’s office is seeking six months probation with no jail time. Ava jumps up and says, what? but the judge bangs his gavel and says, order. This court doesn’t tolerate outbursts. He asks counsel to approach the bench, and Martin and Molly go up front. Ava stomps over to Laura and asks, what the hell happened? Laura says she advocated for justice and the rest is up to the judge.

Spencer brings Ace out and says, this is your dad. Nikolas says, it’s so wonderful to finally meet him, and Spencer hands Ace to him. Nikolas says, he’s so big, and Spencer says, he’s a year old now. Nikolas says, he looks like Spencer. He has their ears, and Spencer’s grandmother’s nose. He cries as he rocks Ace and says, look at you.

Sonny tells Kristina, there are things that happened in Nixon Falls that continue to influence him. Nina wasn’t the only one. She says she liked Nina. She even forgave her for keeping him from them for so long. They were all so happy at the wedding, it felt like it was a fresh start. He says he thought it was, and she says, she was so vindictive with what she did to Carly and Drew, but she wasn’t after Drew; she was just trying to hurt Carly. And in the end, Nina didn’t get anything she wanted, and it cost her everything. Sonny flashes back to punching out Cyrus, then telling Dex to take care of him. He tells Kristina, sometimes we’re blinded by our own pain, and she says she’s the queen of reactionary behavior and lashing out. That’s why she admires Sonny so much. Nina couldn’t see the right path, but Sonny always has his eyes peeled.

Nina says, Cyrus has something she wants and she’s willing to give him anything he asks for in return. As far as she remembers, bargaining is still allowed in his religion. Is she right? He says, man does not live by bread alone, and she laughs, saying, certainly not him. He says, there may be some circumstances where a tithing is considered appropriate, and she asks if this is one of them.

The judge says, the court has heard from both attorneys and looked at the facts in the case. He’s satisfied that the deal was made in good faith and in accordance with the law. Esme Prince, I sentence you to the recommended six months probation. Esme breathes a sigh of relief, and he says, court’s adjourned. The bailiff says, all rise, and the judge leaves. Ava asks Molly, what the hell was that? and Molly says she understands Ava is upset. Ava says, Molly’s damn right she’s upset. She was the victim of a crime. Her house was broken into. Her safety was put at risk, and now Esme Prince gets to ride off into the sunset with probation? This is a travesty of justice. Molly says, Esme admitted to her crimes and showed remorse for her actions. No one was hurt in the crime, and it’s against the city’s best interest to try a case for such a relatively minor charge. Ava might not like it, but justice was served today. Molly leaves, and Ava tells Trina, this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Esme tells Martin, a few hours ago, everything was helpless. Now he was able to keep her out of prison. She can’t thank him enough. He says, she should thank Laura. She’s the one who convinced him to approach Ms. Lansing-Davis with the deal. But make no mistake. Esme is on probation now. She needs to be on her best behavior for the next six months or she will be looking at jail time. She says, understood, and he says, there’s no wiggle room here. She doesn’t so much as put a toe over the line.

Nikolas says, he’s such a peaceful little guy, and Spencer says he’s surprised. He doesn’t usually take to strangers this quickly. He thinks Ace really likes Nikolas. Nikolas says, then he’s a very lucky man. He’s made so many bad decisions, so many wrong turns. But no matter what he’s done wrong, he needs Ace to know he’s a part of him, the very best part, and always will be. Spencer says, father… stay.

Adam is put on a stretcher, and Josslyn hands the empty packets to a paramedic, saying, she thinks he took these. She doesn’t know how many, but he washed them down with vodka. The EMT says he’ll pass this on to the doctor, and she asks if Adam is going to be okay, but they’re already moving.

Dex sees Nina leave Cyrus’s room.

Sonny calls Dex and gets voicemail. Sonny says he needs Dex to call it off. Don’t do it.

Laura asks how Esme is feeling, and she says, much better than she expected. She really thought she’d be in jail tonight. Laura says, she and Ace both are very happy she’s not, and Esme thanks her. She doesn’t know what magic Laura was able to pull, but Laura saved her. Laura says, it did get a little dicey there for a while, but she’s just glad it all worked out in the end. Tell her something. Is Esme happy she did the right thing? Esme says she’s glad she listened to Laura, and Laura says, good. Then listen to her on this other thing too. Now that she knows she’s been given probation, leave her past behind her and focus on her future. Esme says she will, and Laura’s phone dings. She says, duty calls. She has to run. She’s just so glad Esme gets to go home tonight. Esme says, her too, and Laura leaves. Esme turns around and sees Trina standing there.

Spencer says, Nikolas is in a lot of legal trouble now because of keeping Esme prisoner. Elizabeth was able to cut a deal. Maybe he can too. Nikolas says, there were extenuating circumstances for Elizabeth. He was the mastermind of the whole thing. He doubts the justice system will treat the two of them the same way. Spencer says, maybe not, but he does have the resources to retain Diane Miller, and she’s been keeping his Uncle Sonny out of prison for years. He thinks it’s at least worth a conversation. Maybe she can argue that he did what he had to in order to protect Ace… What? Nikolas doesn’t say anything, and Spencer says, he has no intention of staying in Port Charles, does he? Nikolas says he can’t, and Spencer says he should have known Nikolas was just passing through. Nikolas says, this time, it’s different, and Spencer asks, how so? Nikolas says, because this time he’s taking his sons with him.

Tomorrow, Trina says, Esme deserves to be punished for her crimes; Spencer says, it’s Nikolas’s only option, but not his; Nina says she’ll do anything for the man she loves; and Dex puts a syringe in Cyrus’s IV tube.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Sandy texts Haleigh, asking how she’s feeling, and Haleigh texts back that it’s been a rough couple of days. She calls and says she’s feeling better, and on her way back. Captain Sandy asks if she’s 100%, and Haleigh says she’s 101%. The captain says, they need able seamen, and radios Lara to stay in her cabin until she gets a doctor. The captain radios Luka, Tumi, and Jack for the final preference sheet meeting. Primary Victor is a neurosurgeon in Columbus, Ohio. He and his friends want a luxury vacation. Jack reads that they want a tasting menu and wine pairing, and Tumi says, the want to go to a local beach club and enjoy a foam party. Then in the evening, have a Hollywood glam red-carpet party. Captain Sandy says she wants to end on a high note. They can do this. In Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s the last charter and the last impression the captain will have of her. She’s hoping for one smooth charter. She hopes for a lot.

Provisions come in, and Max apologizes to the lobster. In Tumi’s interview, she says she likes Lily. She has an amazing personality, and their beautiful black sheep has energy that she doesn’t. Haleigh comes back, and in her interview, she says, the last three days were from hell. Dealing with the shenanigans that happen on the ship is crazy, but she’ll take it ten times over barfing in a hotel room. She saw Jesus for two days, but she’s good now. Lara says, Captain Sandy wants her off the boat, and a car comes for her. In Lara’s interview, she says, it’s been a great season. She’s made so much progress personally and becoming lead deckhand. She would hate leaving at the end of the season because she’s sick and missing the last charter. I’ll be back, bitches. Max makes fun of Lily wanting to cuddle, and says he forgives her. She was drunk. The captain calls Luka to the bridge and shows him a warning on the screen. She says, there are large waves, 3 meters. In her interview, she says, the wind blowing kicks up the sea. She can see all the boats are docked. It’s the final charter, and they’ve had one problem after another, but if she left, she’d be a bad captain, and everyone would be seasick. She radios the crew to meet in the main salon for a pre-charter arrival meeting, and tells the crew, it’s the last one. She’s looked at the weather and it’s not even close. They’re not leaving. The news won’t land easily, so they need to think of things to do with the guests. They can still kill it. In Kyle’s interview, he says, the season has been challenging. They had a bosun with unethical papers, he and Natalya fought, they got a new person, Natalya left, he and Jack fought, the crew dropped like flies, Lara left, and now they can’t leave the dock. He laughs and says he didn’t realize how much happened. He’s tired.

The guests arrive, and the captain says, they’re going to get creative. She welcomes them and says, they’re happy to have them. It’s their final charter and they want to make it incredible. Tumi will show them around, then she’ll come see them and talk to them about what’s next. Tumi serves champagne and gives the tour. Bringing on the luggage, Haleigh asks if they’re moving onto the boat, and Jessika says she doesn’t think the guests are going to take the news well. Captain Sandy sees the guests are gathered at the bar and explains that they won’t be leaving the dock. Guest Laurah asks if there’s a chance they’ll be able to, but the captain says, there are gale force winds. She’s sorry, but there’s nothing she can do to control it.

The captain tells the guests that she’s sorry. She loves leaving the dock too. It’s like landing and takeoff for a pilot. No one is leaving. The marina looks normal, but offshore it’s dangerous, and there’s nothing she can do to control it. Thank God the sun is out. Laurah asks if they can jet ski, but that’s a no, and Captain Sandy says she’s challenged the crew to entertain them. In her interview, the captain says, the pressure is on the crew. They need to distract the guests. If the guests say they’re bored, it’s too late; they failed. Laurah still isn’t getting it, and says, the weather is insane, but Kyle says, they can’t even leave for another port. Tumi and Luka look online for things to do in Genoa and check out tourist stuff. In Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s easier dealing with the demands on the preference sheets, but that’s out the window. They have to come up with a new plan, but she’s not a magician. She’s got a provisioner and google, and she’s winging it. Guest Jeff wanders into the galley and wonders if he can learn to cook. Max also googles things to do, and the guests sit down for lunch. In Jack’s interview, he says, stuck on the dock, the guests are food dependent and that’s on him. Whatever he can do to make them happy, he’ll do it. He’ll give a show. He’s a ballerina and will dance on the water. Jeff’s wife Stephanie says, the kids are calling, and Jeff says he’s going to throw the phone overboard. They snipe at each other, and in her interview, Tumi says, awkward. The captain checks on the guests, and Laurah whines about the weather being nice out, so it has to be explained yet again. She asks if they can get a refund. In the laundry, Lily laughs at a dude’s tiny underwear. Captain Sandy calls Luka and Tumi to the bridge and tells them that the crew has to be with the guests at all times. It’s on them. Maybe they can take a little boat ride. Laurah gripes that there’s not even a breeze, when she should be grateful it’s not pouring rain. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, the crew needs to keep their foot on the gas. She has a first-time chief stew and bosun, and the guests have expectations. She’s seeing a baseline energy, but this charter requires more than that.

Captain Sandy starts googling, and Kyle suggests going to the nearest bar and letting them loose. Jack texts Natalya that they’re stuck at the dock, and Luka suggests using the tender they have in the water to cruise around the port. The captain tells Tumi and Kyle to go with the guests, and in her interview, she says, the guests need to feel like they’re being taken care of. They’ll have two department heads on the boat and need to feel attention from them. In Luka’s interview, he says, they’re going to use the backup tender they keep on the dock. At least it’s something to offer. Natalya texts Jack, asking if it’s the last charter, and Jack texts back, yes. In Jack’s interview, he says he feels like he, Natalya, and Tumi would have been the dream team. They all have an amazing work ethic. It would be a perfect world without egos. Jeff asks if they’re the only ones who have ever had to stay on dock, and in Luka’s interview, he says, they’re going to cruise around the port and show them a whole lot of nothing. It’s the world’s sh*ttiest booze cruise. In Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s so embarrassing. Wow. Shipping containers. Look at that crane. Back on the yacht, Lily does a cartwheel. In her interview, she says, Max is funny. He’s crazier than most of the guys she goes for. She doesn’t see it going anywhere off the boat, but her parents got married in 21 days. Jeff asks if they’re doing anything else, and Tumi continues to google. In her interview, she says she feels like she’s a step behind the guests. She’s going to get a car to take them to Portofino and get them off the boat for a long time. Luka tells Jessika, this is the longest day in the world, and in his interview, he says he definitely dodged a bullet with the Katie thing. We flash back to Katie texting that she’s in Portofino, and the captain teasing him about his girlfriend. Luka says he didn’t do anything wrong, but he’s glad it’s blown over. Tumi calls the provisioner about Italian dancers, and he says he booked two modern dancers for her. Jeff complains to Captain Sandy, who says she’s doing everything she can. In the captain’s interview, she says, the guests are reminding her that they’re stuck every chance they get. She doesn’t want to fail the client, but so far, the team has failed.

The captain radios Tumi to meet in the galley. She tells Tumi that the guests are not happy. She wants a game night with the crew against the guests. Lily is their gamester. We flash back to Lily playing a game with the guests, and in Lily’s interview, she says, games are her bread and butter. Seeing people happy makes her happy. The guests get in the hot tub, and in the crew mess, Lily puts a bunch of stuff together for the games. While opening a green marker, somehow, the ink flies out and everywhere, mostly on her. In Haleigh’s interview, she says, it’s like a green murder scene. In Tumi’s interview, she says she can’t be mad. It’s so her. How? Captain Sandy tells Luka that the whole crew is participating in the games, and Luka tells Jack that it feels wrong without Lara. Tumi lets Captain Sandy know she ordered dancers, and the captain calls her The Tuminator. Jeff groans that he’s going to bed, but Stephanie is waiting for him. They bicker weirdly, and he says he’s counting the hours until they fly back. Jack works on the tasting menu, and in his interview, he says he’s out of his comfort zone, but he’s been a stripper, he’s made pizza, dealt with the women from Florida, and done Dine in the Dark. Now he’ll finally get to do whatever the hell he wants. Jessika tells Lily about going to Cannes with Luka, and in her interview, she says, she’s being a sucker. Of course, she has feelings for him, but she’s being present in the moment and enjoying the time they have together. Meanwhile, in his bunk, Luka asks Natalya to send nudes. Ugh.

The dancers arrive and Tumi gets them set up. Jeff thinks Jack should get a raise. In Tumi’s interview, she says she danced until she was around 16. She liked ballet; it was calming. She won’t be calm now until she sees the guests happy. The dancers perform, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s sensual and seductive. Woof. He’s been on this boat too long. In her interview, Tumi says, she doesn’t know if it was the dancers, the food, or the cocktails, but she feels like the guests’ coldness is starting to thaw. In Haleigh’s interview, she says she thinks Jack creates an excessive amount of dishes, but she’ll wash them. Tumi tells the guests that she’s thinking after breakfast, they could go to Portofino. Kyle says, it’s beautiful and only a 30-mile drive. Tumi leads the guests to the main salon where Lily says, they’re going to have a best dressed contest. They each have 30 seconds to pick what they want from her dress-up bin. This looks like a fun drinking game. Not so much Lily’s pick up the cereal box with your teeth game, which involves doing the splits to get close enough. Laurah seems to have forgotten she’s wearing no underwear, and her dress has a slit up the back. Even with the blur, I will never be able to unsee this, nor will the other guests or the crew.😧Jack texts Natalya, asking if she’s in Genoa, and she says she’s just passing through. He says, they’ll talk tomorrow. Kyle tells Tumi that the captain said she missed Natalya, and he feels pissed. She only knows one side of the story, Natalya’s side. In Kyle’s interview, he says he doesn’t think now is the time to tell the captain how he feels. He’ll has to face his own demons, but he’s had no time, and this is still triggering him. Natalya texts Luka that she’s coming to Genoa.

The guests go to bed, leaving a trail of feathers in their wake. In the morning, Kyle tells Captain Sandy that Lily was living her best life, and the guests were smiling. Luka is thrilled that the guests will be gone for the whole day, and Jack wonders what to wear to a foam party. Tumi tells him, anything his heart desires. My favorite food porn of the day, breakfast, is served. The captain asks the guests how game night was, and they tell her that Lily was fun and very flexible. Natalya texts Jack, asking to chat, and he goes out on deck. He’s wondering why she’s still there and suggests she come see them for a drink. He asks if anyone else knows, and she says, Luka. He asks if she wants him to tell everyone, but she says, don’t tell them. Kyle talks to Jessika about Natalya, and Jessika says, people who manipulate like her are scary and dangerous. In Jack’s interview, he says he’s pretty sure Kyle will be shook up. Jessika is a different ballgame, but it’s going to be explosive.

Next – the Season Finale – the guests go to the beach club; Lara returns and says, they’re going to f***ing tear up the city; Natalya joins the party; and Jessika kisses Max.

🫶🏾 He Had a Dream…

Drop in tomorrow for soap and what’s interesting and/or tea-worthy. Until then, stay safe; stay being mindful of others’ feelings, beliefs, and expectations; and stay not being so blinded by your own pain that it ends up costing you everything.

Jan13

January 12, 2024 – Sonny Tests Dex’s Loyalty, Return Reveal, Supporters, A Legend Remembered, Absurd, Competent, No Drama, Next Us, The Ones, After, Bowling Pups, X Quotes & Dry

Posted on January 13, 2024 by theresakp

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava walks into the gallery and Nikolas says, good morning. She says, not anymore, it isn’t, and he asks if she’s sent out the invites to her little party yet. She says, nope, and he says, they agreed she’d throw a party and invite Esme. Ava says, Esme’s partying days are over. At least for now. She’s in jail. You’re welcome.

Spencer meets Esme in the interrogation room, and she asks if Ace is okay. Did he miss her? Did he sleep? Spencer says, Ace is okay. Of course (🍷) he missed her, but they were able to keep him preoccupied until he fell asleep. He’s comfortable at Laura’s place. After all, it was his first home. She says she doesn’t want him upset, but he says, it seems like she’s the one who’s upset right now. Did she sleep? She says, of course (🍷) not. She was too keyed up about the hearing today. He says he gets it. Facing prison time is frightening. She says, of course (🍷) he gets it; he’s done this himself. She’s not worried so much about her. She’s just worried about what will happen to her son.

Portia is snoozing with her head on Curtis’s hospital bed, when Curtis wakes up. He asks how he did, and she says, flying colors. One for the record books. Stella comes in with coffee and says, look who’s up… again. Curtis says he was up before? and Stella says, yes, and he promised to buy her a new car. He says he has no recollection of that, and Portia says, nice try. He’s been in and out, but that’s to be expected, and he seems fully conscious now. He says he’s slept enough and he’s ready to take on the day. Stella says, time to spread the good news.

Josslyn asks where Trina is off to, and Trina says, GH to see about Curtis. Is she okay? What’s going on? Josslyn says she’s just second-guessing herself. She told the RA about Adam. He was just so drunk on New Year’s Eve and so upset about his parents possibly pulling him out of PCU. She just wants to help. Trina says, Josslyn doesn’t have to justify it to her. Josslyn says, Dex thinks Adam’s emotional problems are too big for her to handle by herself. She agrees, but she still feels like she ratted him out. Trina’s phone rings, and she asks Stella if everything is okay… Really?… Okay. She’s on her way. Josslyn asks, is everything okay? and Trina says, everything’s great. Curtis is awake.

Diane meets Robert at the PC Grill, and he says he’s so sorry about last night, but she says she completely understands. She’s just curious as to who or what was enticing enough to lure him away from what would have been a wonderful evening. He says, Sonny Corinthos.

Sonny and Dex walk into Sonny’s office at Pozzulo’s, and Sonny says, anything? Frank says, crib’s clean, and runs a device over Dex. Dex asks, what’s wrong? Did they find a bug? Sonny says he’s just being careful, and Frank says, he’s clean. Frank leaves, and Sonny says, he and Dex need to have a conversation. Once they do, it does not leave this office. They sit down, and Dex says, understood. Sonny says he needs Dex to do something important for him. It’s sort of a crucial test, and once Dex does this for him, there’s no looking back.

Josslyn hugs Trina and says she’s so glad Curtis is awake. Trina must be so relieved. Trina says, Josslyn has no idea. Is she going to be okay, or does she need to talk some more? Josslyn says she’s good. Go see Curtis… Trina’s dad she means. Trina laughs and says, that’s okay. She trips up all the time. (Hey, what happened to Taggert anyway?) Trina tells Josslyn not to beat herself up for talking to Kylie. Adam is really lucky to have a friend who cares so much. Josslyn says, thanks, and Trina opens the door. Adam is there, and she says she was just on her way out. She leaves, and Josslyn invites Adam in. He says he was surprised to get her text. He figured after New Year’s, she wouldn’t want to talk to him again. He was wrecked. It turns out frat parties aren’t his vibe. She says she was really worried about him. Has he heard from his parents, or have they said anything more about him leaving school? He says, they really want him back home, but he’d rather be anywhere but there. She says she knows problems with parents can be tough, but they’re not insurmountable. He says he gets that she’s being kind and tactful. He knows he should stand up for himself, but he’s just not strong enough.

Deanna tells Curtis that everything looks good. Just buzz if he needs anything. They all thank her, she says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Portia says, Dr. Martel came by earlier and should be back a little bit later, but he said the surgery went very well. No surprises, no complications, and he says it’s looking very positive. Curtis says, that’s good to hear. Now they just wait for the swelling to go down and maybe he can dunk a ball again. Stella says, big talk. She’s glad she’s here and not TJ. She knows he’d have something to say about that. Does Curtis want them to call his dad and tell him that he’s awake? Portia says, they probably should, right? but Curtis says, not if it means waking him up. Let him rest. Portia should get some rest too. Portia says she’s fine. She’s fresh as a daisy. He says, and twice as beautiful.

Esme asks if Spencer saw Ace this morning. She normally feeds him and gets him ready for daycare. Spencer says he fed Ace, and she says, he’s going to be so confused. His whole schedule is off. Spencer says, he’s fine, but she says, he won’t be if she disappears from his life. Growing up without a mother is awful. Isn’t that what Spencer told her? He says, Ace isn’t growing up without her. He’s not. She’s a good mother. She says, does he really mean that? and he says, yes, but he’s got to ask. Why would she sacrifice his safety and security so she could break into Windymere of all places? Why did she go there on Christmas?

Nikolas says, why insist on pressing charges against Esme? and Ava says, because the opportunity to right a wrong presented itself. Esme should already be serving a very long sentence for what she did to Trina and to Josslyn and to Cameron. In an hour, she’s going down to the courthouse and watch their judicial system in action. He says, so Esme’s hearing is today, and she say she wishes she could bring popcorn. Nikolas suddenly jets, and Nina calls Ava’s name. She comes in the back way and asks if Ava is with a customer. She thought she heard her talking to someone. Ava says she was on the phone. She’s been trying to reach Nina. What happened after New Year’s Eve? How did Sonny find out it was her who went to the SEC? Nina says, Sonny told Ava, but Ava says, he hasn’t said a word, and she thought it best to just stay out of his way. When Sonny feels betrayed, he’s downright dangerous.

Sonny says, Dex is aware of his legal troubles. Cyrus brought cops into a situation that should just have been between them. He seriously miscalculated. Dex says, in what way? and Sonny says, the only thing Dex needs to know is, things are going to change around here. He needs to go back to focusing on the business. He hasn’t been doing that lately. Cyrus was released from prison, and now he’s causing trouble – again. Dex asks if Sonny wants to suspend business until after his trial, but Sonny says, there’s not going to be a trial. That’s where Dex comes in. Dex has to take care of Cyrus for him. Dex says, to keep him from testifying? Does Sonny want him to scare Cyrus? Sonny says, to death.

Josslyn hands Adam something to drink, and he says, thanks, but she didn’t ask him over here to check his hydration, did she? She says, he’s right. She didn’t. And what he said about not being strong enough to talk to his parents? She thinks he can. He needs to tell them what’s going on with him. But when she said that he should talk to someone, she didn’t mean just her. There’s a knock at the door, and she says she went to someone for help. She opens the door to RA Kylie, and Adam says, she’s a snitch.

Nina says she’s guessing Sonny doesn’t know that Ava’s the one who encouraged her to turn in Carly and Drew, and Ava says, what? They’ve been over this. She did not encourage Nina and Nina knows it. She was just calling Nina’s bluff to make her see reason. She wasn’t supposed to actually go through with it, which Nina did without her knowledge and involvement. But Sonny doesn’t know she knew it was Nina. She doesn’t think she’d be staying at his penthouse if he did. She and Sonny have reached a place where they can almost trust each other for Avery’s sake. Nina says, don’t worry. She’s not going to put Ava in the middle of this. She’s afraid Sonny hates her now and she’s just going to have to deal with it on her own. Ava says she doesn’t think Sonny hates Nina. He just goes to a dark place when he’s hurt. And you know what they say; hurt people hurt people. Nina says her earth shattered when Sonny slammed the door in her face, and Ava says she’s sure it was painful, but she’s talking about Cyrus Renault. Nina says, what about him? and Ava says, she doesn’t know? Cyrus is in the hospital. Sonny beat him almost to death.

Trina says she’s so happy to see Curtis and runs to the bed to hug him. He says he’s happy for the same, and she says, how is he? How is he feeling? He’s not in any pain, right? He says, no. Her beautiful mom and his doctor have his pain management under control. Enough about him. How about her? She’s back in school. Did she get the classes she wanted? Portia says, that and then some, and Trina gives her a look. Curtis says, okay, what did he miss? and Trina says she was accepted to study at the Sorbonne for a semester abroad. He says, that’s great. Paris, that’s wonderful, the Louvre, all the artwork. She’s going to be in heaven. Plus, Paris is beautiful in the fall. She says, the thing is, she was accepted to study for the spring semester, and he says, as in this spring? Why hasn’t she said anything? She says she found out over the holidays and thought she wasn’t going to go. Portia says, it’s just such a wonderful opportunity, and Stella says, the chance of a lifetime. Curtis says, it absolutely is. Why wouldn’t she? Trina says she just thought that right now wouldn’t be the right moment to be so far away, and he says, for him? She says, if he’d rather she stay, she totally understands. She wants to. He asks if Portia and Stella mind if he talks to his child, Stella says, absolutely, and she and Portia leave.

Spencer tells Esme, look at that. Coffee, something to eat. He puts it in front of her and says, the coffee’s terrible though. She says she’ll take the terrible coffee. She’s not hungry. She pushes the plate aside, and he says, she should eat something. She has a big day ahead of her. He sits down and asks if she’s going to tell him what she was thinking; why she broke into Windymere. She says she was lonely. They had Ace and she was confused about her life. Windymere was the last place she was before she lost her memory. He says, it sounds to him like she went looking for her old memories, and she says, so she can be the most hated person in Port Charles again? Sure. Why doesn’t she go back to a time when everyone was against her? He says, that’s really interesting because the old Esme had a persecution complex as well. Maybe she’s closer to her than she thinks. She says she doesn’t have to imagine much. Everyone has already told her how terrible the old Esme was. You know what they say about first impressions. Her first impression of her former self has been a lasting one. She really wants to be a good person, but he has no idea how hard it is. He says he gets it. He knows what it’s like to have people judge you for your past actions, but the bottom line is, he doesn’t want her to go to prison. He thinks that Ace is going to be a lot happier if she doesn’t go away. She asks if he’ll bring Ace to the courthouse. She already misses him so much. She needs to see her baby. Please. Will he do that for her?

In the hallway, Portia asks Stella if she just blew it, bringing up that news about Trina. He just woke up from his surgery… Stella says, take a breath. She wanted to give him some good news and this is good news. Portia says, it is good news, but she’s tired. She’s really not thinking straight. She just should have waited, that’s all. Stella says, it’s no wonder. They’ve all gone home to sleep, and she’s been by Curtis’s side since he went into surgery. She has to take care of herself. Curtis still has a long road ahead of him, and he’s going to need her to support him.

Curtis asks if Trina has accepted yet, and she says, not yet, but the deadline is approaching. She knows he’s going to tell her to go, but when she thinks about not being here when he gets back on his feet… He says, there’s no guarantee he will walk again, but she says she has faith. He’s one of the strongest people she knows, and she knows he’s going to do anything to get back on his feet. He says, whether he does or doesn’t, it’s not helping if she passes on this amazing opportunity. She should go. He’ll be here when she gets back. Not right here, but he’ll be here. Who knows? Maybe he’ll be on his feet in time to see her there in Paris. Unless he’d be cramping her style. Because he doesn’t want to interfere with her solo adventure. She says, actually, she won’t be solo. Spencer’s coming with her.

Nina asks if Cyrus went to Sonny, but Ava says she thinks it was a case of wrong place, wrong time. Sonny found out about Nina, he went to the church, and Cyrus showed up and said something that triggered him, and Sonny lost it. Nina says, at the church? It was Cyrus who told Sonny that she was the one who tipped off the SEC. Ava asks, how the hell did Cyrus know? and Nina says, because she was in church. She was confessing her sins to a priest, but it wasn’t a priest. It was Cyrus Renault. He knows everything. Ava says, he knew before Sonny knew. She can see why that might push Sonny over the edge. Nina says, bragging to Sonny when Sonny was at his lowest, he deserved whatever happened to him. At least now Cyrus doesn’t have anything that he’s holding over either one of them. Ava says, Cyrus went to the cops. Sonny is facing assault charges. Nina says, he was arrested? and Ava says, he’s out now, but he’s going to have to go to trial. Nina says, Diane will get him off, right? and Ava says, Diane is a very good lawyer, but Cyrus hates Sonny. He’s not going to let this go. And the PCPD has been trying to put Sonny behind bars for decades. They’re not going to miss this chance.

Diane says, Robert doesn’t want to appear overconfident. That’s going to make it all the more disappointing when her client walks, yet again. Robert says, these charges aren’t business as usual. Whatever it was that set Sonny off, he almost killed a man with his bare hands. He’s simply here to see that Sonny pays for it. She says, he’s unusually and unprofessionally gleeful about this, but she is a professional, so she’ll remind him that her client is innocent until proven guilty. This community loves Sonny Corinthos, an exceptional businessman, a wonderful father. Cyrus Renault on the other hand, is a career criminal with a rap sheet that stretches across Texas. She doesn’t know why he’s bothering to bring this to trial. Who’s the more credible witness here? He says, Cyrus Renault, he’s a criminal. Then again, so is Sonny. Diane says, well… and Robert says, the thing is, they now have DNA that puts Sonny at the scene of the crime, which is actually going to put him away, and there’s not a thing she can do about that.

Sonny says, Dex has always come through for him when he’s asked. Dex has proven his loyalty. Sonny thinks there’s just one final step. Dex does this for him, they’ll always have his back. He won’t have to ask for anything. He’ll always be there for Dex. Cyrus is an old man. Nobody’s going to be surprised when his heart gives out on him. Dex says he guesses that makes sense, and Sonny asks what he means. Does he have something on his mind? Dex says, it’s not his place, and Sonny says, it’s not, but it’s a big ask. So if Dex has something on his mind, go ahead and spit it out. Dex says, killing Cyrus Renault gets rid of the man, but it doesn’t necessarily get rid of the charges against Sonny. The DA might even up the charges from assault to manslaughter, saying that Renault died as a result of his injuries. Sonny says, Robert Scorpio can do whatever he wants, but his case is going to fall apart if Cyrus isn’t there. Nobody saw him at All Saints. There are no witnesses to testify against him. There are no cameras in the church. He wants to send a message – nobody crosses Sonny Corinthos. He wants people to remember that. Dex says he’s sure they will, but he’s concerned about Sonny. There’s DNA. He wasn’t wearing gloves; his knuckles are proof. Sonny says, that’s what he pays Diane for, because she can discredit any DNA evidence if she has to. Dex gets up, and Sonny asks if he’s satisfied, or does he have something else? Dex looks at Sonny and Sonny says, disappointing. He gets up and says, if he can’t ask Dex to do something for him, that means Dex doesn’t trust him, which means he can’t rely on Dex. He told Dex from the beginning that he needs loyal men by his side. Is he loyal or not?

Curtis says, Spencer cares a great deal about Trina. He’s going to give her his two cents. Spend it how she likes. He thinks Paris should be about her. It should be about figuring out who she is, and the woman she wants to become. It’s only a semester, right? And Spencer will be here when she gets back. Won’t he?

Spencer tells Esme, don’t worry. He’ll bring Ace to the courthouse. She thanks him and says she still doesn’t know what she’s going to do. Ava’s intent on throwing the book at her for what she supposedly did to Trina. He says, supposedly? and she says she doesn’t remember any of it. She’s not denying the things people have said the old Esme has done, but to go to jail for something she doesn’t remember doing, when she’s no longer that person? Even Trina didn’t want that. He says, that’s correct. Trina convinced them all that it wasn’t fair and that’s why Esme wasn’t charged. Esme says, and Trina said she did it for Ace, and she appreciates that, but Ava doesn’t see it that way. Why can’t she just let it go? Spencer says, Esme broke into Ava’s home and actions have consequences, and she tells him, says the person who’s skirted consequences his entire life. He says, she remembers, doesn’t she?

Adam says he can’t believe Josslyn would do this to him. How can she get him in trouble like this? She says she was just trying to get him some help, and Kylie says, he’s not in trouble. Josslyn did the right thing coming to her. It’s okay. They want to help him. Adam tells Josslyn that she had no right to say anything, but she says she knows he’s unhappy. All he does is study and push himself. He barely even goes out. He says, that’s because it’s all he’s got, okay? Or that he had. Kylie says, school can be a lot of pressure, and Josslyn’s just being a friend. She’s already spoken to Health Services, and someone can speak to him today. The counselor sent a form to his student portal. He asks why she’d do that. His parents are going to see it.

Nina tells Ava that Sonny could go to prison because of her. It’s all her fault. Does she know where he is? Ava says, in his office maybe? and Nina says she has to help him. She has to do something. Ava says, no. She doesn’t think Sonny wants Nina’s help right now. Nina says, he’s still her husband and she loves him. She has to try. Ava says, okay. Good luck. Call me. Nina leaves, and Nikolas comes back in. He says, so Sonny’s not so untouchable after all. It’s about time that sanctimonious hypocrite was taken down a peg or two. Ava says, he’s still here, huh? and he says, so Esme’s hearing is definitely today? She says, uh-huh, and he says he supposes his mother and Spencer will be there. She says, that’s very likely. Like she said, you’re welcome. He says, what for? and she says, once Esme is behind bars, he won’t have to worry about sweet little Ace. He’ll be safe and sound with Laura. He says, then he guesses this is goodbye.

Diane says, Robert wouldn’t be the first public servant to get giddy at the thought of taking down Sonny Corinthos. So allow her to point out a few things that others have learned at great cost. He says, that sounds like a threat, but she says, don’t be silly. She’s simply observing that if he were to bring this to trial, the defendant is going to be far more appealing than the alleged victim. Does he even think he can impanel twelve jurors who will find Cyrus Renault more credible than Sonny Corinthos? Even if he was able to prove that Sonny attacked Cyrus, no one’s going to shed any tears at the fact that Cyrus finally got a taste of his own medicine. Robert asks if there’s nothing to be said for redemption here, and she laughs. He says, Cyrus Renault is now a man of God, beaten within an inch of his life in a church. What does she think the jury’s going to make of that?

Dex says he is loyal to Sonny. It’s his job to protect Sonny and protect his interests. And that includes speaking up when he sees potential problems. Sonny says he knows. He hears what Dex is saying, but this is something Dex needs to know. He’s going to make this happen and he thought Dex was up to the job. It’s just a shame Dex is going to fall short of his expectations, but it’s better he’s hearing about this now than hearing about it later. So let’s just erase any doubts we have here. Is Dex with him?

Adam says, his parents will go crazy if they think he’s out partying. They’ll think he has a drinking problem. Kylie says, no. His student portal is confidential. He says, she doesn’t get it. His parents forced him to give them his password when they found out he lied about having an internship. Kylie says she’s sure the counselor will be willing to talk to his parents. Don’t worry. Everything will be confidential. There are so many students going through tough times these days. It’s not that uncommon. Josslyn says, please, just listen to Kylie. She thinks talking to the counselor is a good idea, and it could really help him. She’ll even go with him if he wants. Kylie says, they can go over to Health Services right now, and Josslyn says, come on, Adam, please.

Ava says, goodbye? and Nikolas says, it’s time for him to leave Port Charles. He’s a wanted man. He held Esme captive and it’s too soon to make ~~almonds~~ amends with Spencer and his mother. He doesn’t have a place in Port Charles right now. She asks if he’ll be back, and he says he’s not sure as to when. She guesses this is goodbye then, and he turns to leave, but she calls him back. She says she’s really glad she didn’t kill him, and he tells her that she says the sweetest things. He touches her face and tells her to take care of herself. She says, him too, and he leaves.

Sonny says, Dex told him that he wanted to advance. He said he wanted to do something for the organization. The way he sees it, this is how Dex does it. Dex says he agrees that Cyrus is dangerous, and Sonny says he has no doubt that Cyrus is going to come after the people closest to him. His kids, his grandkids, Sasha, Carly – he puts his hand on Dex’s shoulder – Josslyn. They’re all in danger and he doesn’t want them to live like this forever. Dex says, what about Mrs. Corinthos? Is she being protected? Sonny says he will deal with Nina. Dex deals with Cyrus. Dex asks when Sonny wants him to do it, and Sonny says, immediately. Cyrus is weak. He’s exposed. Anything can happen in a hospital. Dex says, okay. How do they make that happen?

Portia and Stella go back into Curtis’s room, and Curtis asks if Trina is going to the hearing. Portia says, Trina told him about Esme breaking into Windymere, and he says, he’s guessing she’s sitting with Ava. Trina says she thought about it, but she wanted to be here with him. He says, don’t worry about him. He’s not going anywhere. Besides, she needs to see this through. This could mean Esme’s finally out of her life. He’s glad Ava pressed charges. Trina says, her too, and he asks what Esme was doing at Windymere anyway. It just seems strange. Trina says, no clue, and Stella says she still doesn’t trust her. Trina says, neither does she, but she does feel bad for Ace. If Esme goes to prison, he’ll have no parents.

Spencer asks if Esme is starting to remember, but she says, no. She’s just going off everything she’s learned of his past from Laura and Doc. An officer tells Esme that her lawyer’s here. He’ll take her back to get dressed for court. She thanks him and says, Spencer is still bringing Ace to court, right? He says he is, and she thanks him for coming. She says, I really need you on my side, Spence, and leaves, and he flashes back to her calling him Spence, and saying, he’s even more pathetic than when she first met him. He says, Spence.

Trina leaves, and Portia asks if she told Curtis everything about Paris. He says, she did, and Portia says, he knows she doesn’t like the idea of Spencer going to Paris with Trina. He says, neither does he, but hopefully, they won’t have to worry about that. Stella says, why is that? and Curtis says, if Esme goes to prison, Spencer’s not going to want his brother to be alone. He’s going to stay right here in Port Charles and raise Ace. Portia says, fingers crossed.

Robert says, Diane hasn’t touched her food. She doesn’t like it? She says, no. She just seems to have lost her appetite. Clearly, Robert doesn’t want to litigate this case on its merits. He’s just someone else who wants to take down Sonny. He says, anything at all to rid this town of Corinthos. Although he will miss Sonny’s coffee. She folds her arms, and he says, come on. Think of all the extra time she’ll have on her hands now that her biggest client is going away for the rest of his life. Whatever will she do? She says, oh golly. She’s sure she can find someone or something to keep her busy. She gets up and says, she’ll tell him this though, she won’t be busy with him. She walks out and he looks perplexed.

In his office, Sonny looks at his bruised knuckles, then puts the picture of Nina on his desk face down. There’s a knock at the door, and he says, come in. Frank brings him the mail and asks if there’s anything else he can get Sonny. Sonny says, no. He thinks he’s got everything under control.

At the hospital, Dex makes a call and says, come on, Joss, pick up.

Josslyn ignores Dex’s call, and Adam says he’s not going to Health Services, and they can’t make him. This is none of their business. Josslyn asks him to just please calm down, but he says she doesn’t want to hear this. Both of them, just leave him alone. And take the damn counselor off his portal. He storms out, and Josslyn asks Kylie, now what?

Leaving a message, Dex says, Josslyn doesn’t have to call him back. he just wanted to hear her voice and tell her how important she is to him. And let her know that no matter what happens with them, he loves her, and he always will. He sees a text from Unknown that says: Room 1002. He says, gotta go, and walks down the hall, noticing Nina at the reception desk.

Nina asks what room Cyrus Renault is in, as Dex listens from around the corner.

Spencer tells the sitter to enjoy the rest of her day. He’ll be taking Ace to see his mother in court. She thanks him and says she hopes everything works out for him. He says he’s sure it will, and she leaves. He says, one way or another, and flashes back to Esme saying, no deal, Spence. He says, she was lying. She remembers everything. There’s a knock at the door and he opens it. Nikolas is there.

On Monday, Ava asks Laura why she would do that; Kristina says, this is exactly where she needs to be right now; Nina says, if Cyrus is truly sorry, prove it; and the judge asks how Esme pleads.

💝 Bringing the Surprise Twist…

I hadn’t realized the woman playing BJ was the child who played BJ. Very clever!

That Was Brighton Hertford (B.J.) Playing the Reporter on GENERAL HOSPITAL!

Brighton Hertford Says Her GH Return Was “Serendipitous”

🌷 Bobbie’s Last Save…

I swear they didn’t address Famke by name, but I might have blinked and missed it.

Who Are Cornelia and Famke on GENERAL HOSPITAL?

👩‍⚕️ Memorializing a GH Icon…

Taking everything into consideration, it was worth the wait. It must have been tough on the actors though, pretending she was still alive. Obviously, there was going to be no recast.

The Why.

Why Bobbie’s Memorial Was Delayed on GENERAL HOSPITAL

The How.

GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers: Remembering Bobbie

Memories.

Kin Shriner Shares Special Memories of Jacklyn Zeman

🪙 In Random Stupid News…

This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard.

https://people.com/eminem-opposes-deposition-seeks-protective-order-against-gizelle-bryant-robyn-dixon-shady-trademark-dispute-case-8420744

⚖️ You’re All Out Of Order…

Who knows? It probably wouldn’t change the outcome anyway.

https://people.com/tom-girardi-deemed-competent-to-stand-trial-by-judge-reports-8421562

💤 For Those Who Still Care…

Teresa and Jennifer are so volatile, the rest of them can finally relax.

RHONJ Cast’s ‘Family Dinner’ Didn’t Include Teresa Giudice and Jennifer Aydin

Melissa Gorga Reveals Details Behind ‘Awkward and Weird’ RHONJ Cast Group Chat

🌁 News Of the Last…

What’s happened up until now. (First the earth cooled, then the dinosaurs came…)

https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-season-2-release-date-cast/

I don’t think it’s necessary either. It was a great episode, but a spinoff would just be depressing knowing the ending.

https://www.themarysue.com/will-there-be-a-bill-and-frank-the-last-of-us-spinoff-explained/

⚰️ Next Dead Up…

This looks like another winner. In all these spinoffs, it’s like they finally got the idea that Walking Dead was too stagnant.

https://ew.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-trailer-rick-grimes-action-8424639

https://ew.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-terry-o-quinn-character-8421730

https://ew.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-exclusive-first-look-pollyanna-mcintosh-jadis-8413410

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-rick-and-michonne-jadis-pollyanna-mcintosh-the-ones-who-live/

🎉 Not Letting Go Yet…

The overtime is probably pretty good.

https://www.justjared.com/2024/01/01/how-long-does-it-take-up-to-clean-times-square-after-new-years-eve-clean-up-details-revealed/

🐕‍🦺 Love the Players and the Game…

Who’s competing in this year’s Puppy Bowl.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/meet-the-players-of-puppy-bowl-xx

Mr. Bean!

https://people.com/puppy-bowl-2024-puppy-players-with-special-needs-8424973

🫦 Quotes of the Week

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. 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.)

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. – Spencer Johnson

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Your dream is a reality that is waiting for you to materialize. Today is a new day! Don’t let your history interfere with your destiny! Learn from your past so that it can empower your present and propel you to greatness. – Steve Maraboli

In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy. – Albert Clarke

I challenge you to let every day be a Friday. Permit yourself to be happy every day. – Joel Osteen

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. – Henry David Thoreau

You don’t have to be great at something to start but you have to start to be great at something. – Zig Ziglar

I’d say he was lying through his teeth, but he ain’t got none. – Amy Slaton referring to Glenn, 1000-Lb. Sisters

😐 Feeling Mediocre…

Return to this spot on Monday really Tuesday for soap and the final Med charter. Until then, stay safe, stay making time every day to do a small thing that brings you joy, and stay having faith even when there are no guarantees.