Tag Archives: Adam Sandler

November 26, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Drew Asks Willow To Marry Him, Soap Suds, This Week in Reality, Weekend Watching, Final Bow, Good Carpet, Thanksgiving Tradition, The Latest In Faunae, A Bit Less Than 10 Quotes & Song

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What I Watched Today

(Weekday bites, Friday’s whole GH enchilada & media minutiae)

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…                                                                           

Monday:

In bed with a sleeping Jack, Carly flashed back to telling him that she wasn’t backing out and kissing him. Jack woke up and asked if she had any regrets, but she said, no. She made her choice and was sticking to it.

At the hospital, Lucas apologized to Elizabeth for being grumpy. He hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep his first night at Windymere. She asked if he wanted to talk about it, and he said, everything was great until it wasn’t.  

Dante visited Rocco at the detention center.

At the station, Turner told Nathan that Dalton was supposed to come to her office at 9 am and never showed.

Laura went to her office and Sonny was there. He told her that they needed to conduct business as usual, and she said her priority was Rocco. She was going to work quickly to get him out of there. Sonny said he needed to tell her what happened to Dalton.

Jason went to see Britt and said he wouldn’t have left unless it was absolutely necessary. She said she knew how it worked. Why was he there? He said he wanted to make things right.

Jack said hurting Carly was the last thing he’d wanted and not telling her that Vaughn was in the WSB did that. He was doing what he could to keep his work life separate from her family life. She said they both had to figure out how they fit together, but it might take a while. She went to shower, and Jack called Josslyn and asked where his update was. Josslyn was in bed with Vaughn.

Sonny said it wouldn’t be long before the cops were asking questions and asked if Laura had any trouble with her car. She said, no, but she didn’t look in the trunk, and he said there were no traces inside or out. She asked if there was anything that would link her to the body, but he said there was no body.

Josslyn told Jack that she’d told her mom that it was Lucas’s choice to move in with Marco and they should support him. Her mom was furious, but she scored points with Lucas and thought he considered her a confidant. Jack said he’d follow up later and told her to make up with her mother. She asked if it was for the good of world security or his and Carly’s relationship, and he said, both. She wondered if Jack knew she and Vaughn had spent the night together, and Vaughn said he hoped not.

Jason said Britt could trust him and asked her to tell him what her connection to Dalton was. She said she appreciated that he came back and accepted his apology, but didn’t understand what he expected. He said, the truth. Without it, he couldn’t help her. She said she wasn’t asking for his help. It was her problem to deal with. He could do what he did best and leave.

Turner told Nathan that she’d called Dalton more than once and there had been no answer or returned calls. If she didn’t hear from him within an hour, she was going to ask Nathan to take him into custody. She was starting to believe he’d set up Rocco.

Rocco told Dante that he hadn’t destroyed Dalton’s lab, and Dante said he believed him. Danny and Charlotte were also backing him up and were going to testify. Rocco said they couldn’t. Charlotte was already on the PCPD’s radar and if Drew found out Danny was involved, Danny would never see Scout again. Dante said it was one thing when it was a misdemeanor, but Rocco was facing criminal felony charges. It was their best strategy. Rocco said, what if it backfired? but Dante said it wouldn’t. Rocco stepped up for them, and they wanted to step up for him.

Jack asked what was troubling Carly, and she said she didn’t know what Josslyn had been thinking, encouraging Lucas to move into Windymere. She’d made no allowances that Sidwell was their housemate. She asked Jack’s opinion, and he said it wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but he thought she should make peace with Josslyn and Lucas.

Josslyn told Vaughn that Lucas didn’t deserve this. He was kind and generous, and he’d been through so much. His last ex scared him so much, he moved away for years. Now he was finally back and with a guy she knew was bad news and living on Spoon Island with Jenz Sidwell and whatever lethal project Sidwell was working on, but she couldn’t warn him. She’d had the worst fight with her mom while thinking, she was so right. Lucas should never have moved in. Vaughn said she needed to consider the bigger picture. What was more important, Lucas’s broken heart or shutting down Faison’s final project? She said, obviously shutting down Sidwell was for the greater good, but she hated that Lucas would be collateral damage and would end up with one more broken heart.

Lucas told Elizabeth that he felt Marco still blamed Sonny for his mother’s death. He thought what happened was a tragedy, but couldn’t put it on Sonny. Sonny and Marco’s mom were sort of close, and he could see how Marco thought Sonny played a part. Eventually that happened when Marco disappeared. He flashed back to telling Sonny that if he touched Marco again, he’d be back with the police, and said Marco had plenty of reasons to hate Sonny. Sonny had never faced the consequences for the things he’d done. Since Measure C failed, it didn’t look like he would. Elizabeth said she supported his relationship, but a lot of people he cared about, cared about Sonny. Maybe he should take a step back and let Marco fight this battle on his own.

Jason said he’d never tell Britt how to live her life, but there was one key difference between them. She had an illness. She may hate the idea of needing anybody, but there would come a day when she was going to need someone.

Dante said that didn’t mean Rocco wasn’t in trouble. What he did was dangerous, stupid, and illegal, and had serious consequences. He didn’t deserve to be in there. He needed to stay strong for 24 hours and get to his bail hearing. Rocco said he could do that and asked if Dante thought he’d be home for Thanksgiving. Dante said he didn’t know.

Laura said she’d been up all night searching her apartment for anything that tied her to the body, and Sonny asked if she found anything, but she said she didn’t. Somebody went to a lot of trouble to put Dalton’s body in her trunk and might have taken extra steps to tie her to it. He said that was smart, and she said it occurred to her that maybe she’d played into their hands, covering it up. She thought they should put the body back and she should tell the truth, but she’d keep him out. He said she couldn’t do that. She’d already lied to Nathan, and Nathan knew he’d helped her with her tire. She would open them both up to potential criminal charges. Their grandson already had charges of his own. Rocco was better off with Dalton dead. She said she guessed he was right, and he said he’d never lie to her. She told him that what she’d said to Dalton could be considered a motive, but he said, no body, no crime. She had to live her life and act surprised when she found out Dalton disappeared. Martin walked in with flowers and saw Sonny there. He said she’d won the election, but Mr. Corinthos had jeopardized the whole damn thing.

Josslyn said she’d signed up for the risk, and Vaughn said, but Lucas didn’t. She said she hated lying to the only people she trusted and using someone she loved who was completely innocent and putting them in danger. She snuggled against him and said she didn’t know what to do with all of that. He said if the moment came when she couldn’t take it anymore, he’d back her when she said it was time to get Lucas out of the situation. If Brennan didn’t go for it, they’d do it themselves. She said it would put them both in a lot of danger, and he said, probably, but if she took the risk for her uncle, he’d take the risk for her. They kissed.

Carly said, Jack thought she should apologize to Josslyn and Lucas? and he suggested she reach out to Lucas and apologize for not taking his relationship seriously. Marco would eventually reveal who he was to Lucas, who would be sadder, but wiser. She said she understood Lucas, but didn’t understand why Josslyn supported his decision. Jack said maybe Josslyn supported his happiness, but Carly said, the path to happiness didn’t run through Windymere. He said it was clear she and Josslyn had a special bond and loved each other very much, and she said it meant so much to her that he understood how important her daughter was to her. He said she was just as important to him, when his phone chimed. She said she was going to check on the food, but he said, don’t call on his account. He had a last-minute meeting.

Martin asked if Sonny being in Laura’s office was wise, since he nearly cost her the election, but Sonny said they were family. They had a grandson in trouble. Laura said if the public had concerns, she’d have a press conference and answer any questions, and Sonny said he didn’t want to waste any more of her valuable time. He was going to see Rocco. Sonny left, and Martin said nobody had more respect, love, and concern for her grandson, but she couldn’t be blind to who Sonny really was.

Turner told Nathan that she had to pull the plea deal, but now the forensics report said there was nothing in the lab to back up Dalton’s accusations. Nathan wondered if Dalton didn’t want to perjure himself, and she said he’d dug one helluva hole for himself with the DA’s office. Dante came in and said he’d just come from visiting Rocco. He was terrified. Turner said she was doing everything to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. Keep her posted. She left, and Dante asked what she meant. Nathan said he thought she was trying to get Rocco off.

Britt told Jason that she was in remission and felt and looked great. He asked how long she thought it would last. Any time he broached the subject, she was vague. She said maybe she didn’t like talking about it or thinking how it would end. She lived in the now. He said he understood, but she’d seemed healthy since he found her and she never gave him a good explanation. Was working at the Five Poppies what she had to do to stay in remission?

Carly met Josslyn outside the hospital, and said she was there to see Lucas, but was glad she ran into Josslyn. She was sorry about how she’d acted. She was upset about Lucas and took it out on Josslyn. She wished she could say she’d stop worrying, but she couldn’t. Josslyn said Carly wouldn’t be her mom if she wasn’t worried about something, and Carly said she didn’t want it to come between them. Josslyn said she was sorry for not backing Carly. She understood why Carly didn’t want Lucas to move to Windymere, but obviously Lucas cared for Marco and moving in was up to them. Carly said she’d handled the situation badly, but she wasn’t wrong to worry. What kind of man moved his boyfriend in with a man as dangerous as Sidwell? Did she think Lucas could trust Marco?

Lucas said he saw Marco was in pain and wanted to help, but Elizabeth said he couldn’t ignore the animosity between Sonny and Sidwell. There were things he didn’t know about, which was probably a good thing. Just support Marco and celebrate him, but don’t go all in for him against Sonny. He already lived on an island. Don’t isolate himself further and cut himself off from his family.

Dante said Turner was prosecuting the case, but Nathan said he got the impression that the forensics report was good news for Rocco and bad news for Dalton, who was a no-show. He thought Dalton was running scared because he’d given a false statement. Dante said he was sending a car to the house and the university. They had to find this guy now.

Rocco had obviously been roughed up, and the guard tried to make excuses, but Sonny told him, stop lying. If he didn’t, he had no idea what kind of trouble Sonny could land on him.

Vaughn met Jack, who said he assumed Vaughn had something for him. Vaughn said he’d gotten information from a friend that Dalton was throwing them back at the Brown Dog. When he got there, Dalton was pretty loose. Jack asked if he was loose enough to be useful, and Vaughn said he was saying things he shouldn’t. He’d told Josslyn that he had another lab off campus. Jack said, Josslyn was there? and Vaughn said Dalton was liquored up enough to be sloppy and it was a good opportunity, so he called Josslyn in. Jack asked if he wasn’t worried about her safety, and Vaughn said he’d trained her, but hung around in case she needed back-up. Jack asked if that was all he did.

Carly told Josslyn that Marco was smart enough to know who his dad was. If he was willfully ignoring it, he only cared about what he wanted and he wanted to move Lucas in. If that was the case, he didn’t love Lucas at all. Josslyn said, maybe he didn’t, but it didn’t matter. Lucas made his decision, and from his point of view, it sounded like she was making him choose between her and Marco, and she didn’t think Carly would like who he chose.

Rocco said it looked worse than it was, and the guard tried to make excuses again, but Sonny told him to shut his mouth. The guard left, and Sonny asked, what happened? Rocco said he was fine. They’d pulled the guy off before he could do much. Sonny asked why someone came after Rocco, and Rocco said he didn’t know, but thought it was because his dad was a cop.

On the phone in his car, Nathan said there was no sign of Dalton on campus. He was at the MetroCourt, and Dalton wasn’t there either, but his car was in the parking lot. Housekeeping let him into Dalton’s room, but he couldn’t trace Dalton’s phone. He was going to contact Dalton’s assistant to see if they could give him something. Dalton’s disappearance could delay the bail hearing. Dante said there was no way Dalton was going to set Rocco up then drop off the face of the planet. They had to find him and get Rocco out today.

Britt said it was her life and her condition. Jason didn’t get a say. Jason said he wasn’t judging her, but still wanted to help. Whatever her terms were, he’d accept them. She didn’t have to face this alone. He let her down and would probably do it again. He wasn’t perfect, but he was doing his best. He knew sometimes his best wasn’t enough, but she could trust him. She was pushing him away, but he wasn’t going anywhere. He was going to prove she could trust him.

Laura said Martin had forged Monica’s will, but he said he’d been trying to right a wrong. She said he was trying cheat Tracy, and he said Tracy drove him to it… All right. She was right. It was stupid and not the smartest move, but anything he did paled in comparison to what Sonny committed every day. Laura said Martin didn’t know Sonny or what he did, but Martin said he’d like to think he knew her. He got why she’d had a blind spot for their brother, but Sonny was the same. She said Sonny and Cyrus were nothing alike, but he said he wasn’t sure. He’d push Cyrus away and Cyrus would pull him back in. Deep down he was convinced there was something good because of Cyrus’s genuine love for their mother and his sincere desire to have a relationship with them. That’s why he always made excuses for Cyrus making the same mistakes. There was a whole lot more to Sonny than she was willing to admit. She said Sonny had sense of justice. He could tell the difference between who was innocent or guilty, unlike their brother. He said Sonny was a gangster and corrupt. The closer she was to him, the more likely she was to get pulled down with him. For instance, she won the election and Measure C was done, but Sidwell wouldn’t stop until he made her and Sonny pay for it. Laura flashed back to Sonny saying, somebody didn’t like the results, and her telling him, it was Sidwell. She told Martin that he may be right.

Rocco said, please don’t tell his dad, and Sonny said it wasn’t about his dad. It was about him. His dad may be a cop, but he was Rocco’s grandfather and everybody in there, kids included, knew his name. He was all for people facing the consequences of their actions, but they all knew Dalton had framed Rocco. Rocco said he could stick it out for 24 hours. His dad said there would be bail hearing. Sonny said he wanted Rocco home for Thanksgiving. He wanted everybody to know that if they messed with Rocco, they messed with him.

Laura said she knew Martin was coming from a place of love and concern, but Sonny was a true friend. She knew if she was ever in trouble, she could call him, and he’d always come through for her. Martin said she should think about the stakes, when Dante came in. He said he thought she should know that Henry Dalton had gone missing.

Jason said he was going to keep coming back until she told him what was going on. She said he was going to pay the price, and he said he wasn’t going to let her pay the price anymore. There was a knock at the door and Britt opened it to Nathan, who asked if she’d seen or heard from Henry Dalton. She said, no. Why? Nathan said Dalton had disappeared.

Elizabeth said Lucas didn’t have to defend Sonny or support Marco, but stay neutral, and Lucas said it was a fair point. He wished Carly felt the same. She’d taken Sonny’s side and crossed a big line. Recently, she’d said Marco was just using him. Elizabeth said Carly was just worried, but he said she had no respect for his relationship or him.

Carly told Josslyn that she hated how it ended with her and Lucas. It wasn’t okay and she needed to make up. Josslyn asked how she was planning on doing it, but Carly said she didn’t know. She’d say she was sorry. Josslyn asked if she could make a suggestion, and Carly said she could. Josslyn said, maybe not ambush him at work. Give him a few minutes to figure it out. Carly said that was probably a good idea. Even though they disagreed and fought, she still loved Josslyn. Josslyn said she loved Carly too, and they hugged.

Jack said Vaughn had no idea what he was getting into. He’d overstepped with Dalton. A bunch of guys came out, and Jack told them to take care of Vaughn. Vaughn said, what’s going on? and Jack said he warned Vaughn not to pursue a relationship with Josslyn. This was what happened when people disobeyed his orders. Take him away. The guys dragged Vaughn out of the alleyway.

Tuesday:

At the hospital, Elizabeth told Michael that the doctor would be with him soon. If he was hoping to talk to Willow, she wasn’t there. She’d been put on administrative leave until after the trial. He said everything Elizabeth was doing for Willow spoke volumes about who she was as a person. Not many people would let Willow stay with them. She said, Willow wasn’t with her. She moved out.

Willow drug her suitcase into Drew’s house and looked at the photo of them on the mantel. Drew came out and said this was the best thing to happen to him in a long, long time. How did it feel being home?

At the PC Grill, Obrecht looked at The Invader headline, Professor Henry Dalton Files Charges Against the Mayor’s Son, when Nina joined her. Obrecht said Nina needed to use her editorial powers for good and do a story on Rocco and the gross miscarriage of justice from the PCPD.

On Lulu’s porch, Alexis told Danny that they were going to rehearse his and Charlotte’s statements. They needed to be flawless and consistent. Lulu said, once the statements were on record, they could leverage obstruction of justice charges at Dalton and free Rocco. Laura answered the door and said Charlotte had a test, but Lulu was picking her up. Alexis said, if all went well, Dalton would be finished for good.

Britt went to see Rocco and asked, what happened?  

Outside the house, Lulu told Charlotte that her best bet to help Rocco was to do whatever Alexis said, and Charlotte said, anything for Rocco. Nathan came along and asked if Lulu had a second, but she said, not really, and asked if he wanted to come in. He said he couldn’t stay and neither could she.

At the station, Sonny found Turner in the interrogation room talking with an officer, and said he needed a private conversation with her. The officer left, and Turner asked how he thought it looked, a known criminal barging in and demanding a private meeting. Sonny said he didn’t care how it looked. He cared about his grandson and wanted him released now.

Charlotte went inside and Alexis asked, where was her mom? Charlotte said, outside talking with Detective West. It sounded important.

Lulu said she couldn’t leave, but Nathan said Rocco needed her now.

Rocco said he’d be fine, but Britt asked the guard if that was what they did around there, let an injured kid walk around. The guard said it was just a few cuts and bruises, and Britt said she was a doctor and wanted a first aid kit. If anything was infected, they were looking at a lawsuit. Rocco said she shouldn’t be nice to him since he’d stolen the key fob from her. That was how he got in the lab. They were just starting to know one another and he broke her trust. He was really sorry. She said none of it mattered and asked if it had been an officer or another kid, and he said, a kid. Sonny knew and would take care of it.

Turner said she couldn’t give preferential treatment to Rocco, and Sonny said his grandson had been roughed up, assaulted in the detention center. They both knew he shouldn’t be there in the first place. Fix it. Get Rocco out or he would.

Ava visited Sidwell, and he asked, to what did he owe the pleasure of this delightful surprise? Ava said her gallery just received a treasure trove of art that perfectly aligned with his taste, but he said he wasn’t in a mindset to discuss art. She asked if she could help with something else, and he asked if she knew of any piers for sale. She said she was sorry the ballot box hadn’t gone his way, and he said he wasn’t a gracious loser. Shed said nobody hated losing more than she did, but maybe there was a silver lining. Now that he and Sonny weren’t fighting over the piers, perhaps there was space for peace. He said he doubted Sonny had ever known peace or ever would.

Nina told Obrecht that it wasn’t the subject for Crimson, but Lulu was a respected journalist with connections to news organization. Plus, of course (🍷), she had access to the subject. Obrecht said, not at the moment. Rocco was in the juvenile detention center pending a bail hearing. He’d been targeted by this grandmother’s political rivals and their cronies, and she wouldn’t be a passive witness to injustice. Nina suggested she not do anything impulsive that would get him in more trouble, and Obrecht said, like Nina had done for Willow. Nina said Rocco had a village protecting him, but Willow had no one… except for Drew.

Willow said it felt strange, and Drew said now they could live the life they’d always dreamed of. She wondered how he could live there like nothing happened, and he said, the same way he met all challenges – thinking of her. She gave him strength. She asked if he wasn’t afraid someone would come back and finish the job.

(Okay, hear me out. What if Drew hired someone to do it? Someone who would know how to wound him without killing him, so he could pin it on Michael.)

Michael said, Willow moved back in with Drew, didn’t she? and Elizabeth told him that she’d said goodbye this morning. He said Drew probably pitched it as a good legal strategy. If the victim welcomed her back… Elizabeth said it would make a strong statement to the jury. She didn’t understand it, but Willow seemed to love Drew and believed he was her best chance to get her kids back. He wondered if she had a way to convince Willow otherwise, and she asked if he thought Willow could have access to the kids. She knew it was a sacrifice, but wasn’t it one worth making for the kids?

Turner said they’d established she didn’t take orders from Sonny and didn’t take kindly to threats. She was prosecuting Rocco’s case by the book. If she was going to take him down, she’d do it without using his grandson. Sonny said he’d given her the benefit of the doubt, and she used the photos Dalton came up with of his destroyed lab. They both knew he’d destroyed it himself to frame Rocco. What was the hold up? She said she’d been scheduled to question Dalton about the lab photos, but he didn’t show up and she was having a hard time locating him. Sonny flashed back to looking in Laura’s trunk, and Turner said it appeared Professor Dalton was missing.

Ava told Sidwell that Sonny’s current situation was a perfect example. He’d scored a victory with the election, then his grandson was arrested breaking into a lab at PCU. Sidwell said he hoped Rocco wasn’t too traumatized. Detention centers were not kind to men like him.

Britt asked Rocco what Sonny was going to do. Whack a 16-year-old? Rocco said he hoped not. Sonny would get into trouble. Britt said Sonny could take care of himself. In fact, she thought he was liable to make it worse. That’s why he had to get out of there. She told the guard to watch Rocco closely. If Rocco got so much as hangnail, they’d regret it. She left and the guard asked if she was Rocco’s mom, and he said, no. Just someone close to him.

Drew said Michael had put two bullets in his back and tried to rob him of his life and future with Willow and her kids. But he failed and Drew survived. Willow said the way he saw the world was one of the first things that made her fall in love with him, and he said if she had bad memories of the house, they could buy something new. What mattered most was that she felt safe. Willow said she was just overwhelmed, and he asked if she was having second thoughts about moving in or being with him at all.

Nina said she’d stopped by Elizabeth’s and Aiden told her that Willow moved back in with Drew, and Obrecht asked what was wrong with her that she kept going back. She’d been accused of his murder. Nina said Drew knew about Willow’s history of being controlled and used it against her, and Obrecht said, Willow was in her current position not only because of Drew, but because of Nina. She foisted an alibi on Willow, then reneged on it, and sold her out. Nina said it was because of Obrecht too. Obrecht made her think Willow was behind terrorizing Sasha. Obrecht said she still thought so, and Nina said, so she’d wrongly assumed Willow did it and tried to protect her. Obrecht said Nina made her look guiltier. Nina said there was something she’d done to try and save Willow that she actually did regret, and Obrecht said she had a feeling about that. Nina shot Drew, didn’t she?

Danny said they’d heard Professor Dalton was testing on animals, and Charlotte said they wanted to prove it, but needed access to the lab. Danny said, so they lifted a key fob and snuck in during the debate while the campus was distracted. They didn’t find any animals or cages or anything. Charlotte said they were careful not to touch anything, just some papers, and Danny said, but they put them right back. Dalton came in and they hid. Charlotte said she and Danny were about to get caught, when Rocco made a noise, and Danny said, and gave himself up. Charlotte said, to protect them, and Danny said, that’s when Dalton punched Rocco.

Nathan brought Lulu to the detention center to see Rocco, who swore he was okay, but Nathan said he didn’t think they could wait until the bail hearing. Rocco was being targeted for his connections and any time there was dangerous for him.  

Sidwell apologized for Ava coming all that way to listen to him bemoan politics. He’d make it up to her. She said he could come to the gallery and look at the new pieces by Gavin Zeigler, and he said he’d be there. Britt came in and said she needed to speak to Sidwell, but he told her that it was impolite to barge in on the middle of his meeting. Britt said she wasn’t as ill-mannered as he thought. Ava was more than welcome to stay.

Turner told Sonny that the forensics analysis turned up no evidence to support Dalton’s accusations. She suspected that’s why he didn’t show up or answer her calls. Sonny said he knew he could use her to frame Rocco. Now she had proof. What now? She said, Dalton’s disappearance combined with Rocco being at risk was grounds for her to push for an immediate hearing, and she left.

Nina said she didn’t shoot Drew, even though she wanted to, and Obrecht asked what she’d meant. Nina said she’d betrayed a friend, Portia Robinson. Unfortunately, Willow’s defense hinged on pinning the crime on someone else. Obrecht said she assumed that would be Michael, and Nina said, another suspect could only help. Portia did have a motive, but the police didn’t know it. All she did was make sure the information got back to Alexis Davis. Portia’s friendship was valuable to her, and she may have thrown Portia under the bus for nothing. Apparently, Michael’s alibi wasn’t as iron clad as first assumed.

Michael said he respected what Elizabeth was saying, but he was there for his burn treatment, and he relived the whole thing at every appointment. Not just the fire and physical agony, but he was completely alone in Germany, which was its own kind of agony. Elizabeth said she was sorry, and Michael said Willow made no effort to visit him. She said, Willow did try to visit, but he said, one time, and Drew made sure they didn’t see each other. Willow wasn’t the one who set up the calls with his kids; Kristina was. Drew was the man Willow wanted to be with and went back to him no matter what. They could have each other, but not his kids. It wasn’t about keeping Willow away from Wiley and Amelia. It was about protecting them from Willow and Drew.

Willow said she wanted a future with Drew, but she was going to be found guilty. Michael’s father was so powerful, and Sonny and his connections controlled everything and everyone in town. Drew said Alexis was an incredible lawyer and she’d be exonerated. He loved her and loved Wiley and Amelia like his own, and thought she loved Scout the same way. She said she did, and he said he wanted a life with them desperately. That’s why he wanted to ask her – he went down on one knee – Willow Tate, will you marry me?

Alexis said Rocco didn’t tell her that Dalton punched him, and Danny said he was probably embarrassed. Laura asked if they were also embarrassed, and Danny said, kind of. Charlotte said they figured it was Rocco’s story to tell. They didn’t want to contradict him. They were afraid Dalton would lie more. Danny insisted they were telling the truth. Dalton hit Rocco in the stomach. When Dalton found out they knew, he’d realize the trouble he was in and drop the charges. Charlotte said, and Rocco could come home.

Lulu asked if Nathan thought Rocco had been targeted because of his connections to Dante, and he said, or Sonny or both. She said they couldn’t leave him, and Nathan said he had this. He told the guard that he was taking Rocco into custody and bringing him back to the PCPD. If his superiors had a problem with that, talk to ADA Turner.

Michael told Elizabeth that he’d tried every viable option – shared custody, supervised visits – and reached the same conclusion. It wasn’t Wiley and Amelia’s job to be their mother’s salvation. Willow had plenty of chances, but the truth was, she was where she was because of her choices. He thought his kids deserved better than a mother charged with attempted murder.

Willow asked if Drew was sure, and he said he’d never been more sure. No church wedding or big show. Just her, him, Scout, and the people who supported them. She said the list wasn’t long, and he said, so what? They’d show a united front, and it would lead to the charges being dropped. There was no better defense than having him as her husband. She’d be found innocent, and they’d be in a great place to win custody back. Willow said she’d been married before because of circumstances and wanted the next time to be for the right reason. He said it would be. It was going to help her case, but that wasn’t why he was asking her. He was asking her to marry him because he loved her. Didn’t she love him?

Sidwell told Ava that he was terribly sorry, but he had to deal with an irritating bit of business. He’d walk her out. He took Ava to the door, then went back to the living room. He told Britt to watch her step. It wasn’t the first time she’d barged in uninvited when he had company. She was getting sloppy and it wasn’t a good look. She saw what happened to Dalton and he doubted she wanted to suffer the same fate.

Laura asked if they were sure it was the story Charlotte and Danny wanted to go with, and Charlotte said it was the truth. Jason said if the cops caught them in a lie, it could blow up, and that wasn’t good for anyone, and Alexis told them, once they said it on the record, they’d have to live with it, for better or worse. Were they sure they didn’t want to change their minds? Danny said, for sure, and Alexis told them to stay there. She, Laura, and Jason went outside.

At the station, Sonny saw Rocco come in with Nathan and Lulu, and asked, what happened? Lulu said, Nathan happened, and Nathan said it was temporary until the bail hearing. Sonny said Turner was working on it, and Nathan told Rocco to wait in the interrogation room. Sonny asked if he could sit with Rocco, and Nathan said, of course (🍷). Lulu said she couldn’t thank Nathan enough. He was amazing, but she had to ask if he risked his job.

Ava asked if she could join Obrecht and Nina, and Obrecht said, sit. Ava said Obrecht’s daughter didn’t share her decorum, and Obrecht asked what Britt did now. Ava said she was in the middle of a sale and Britt barged in, forcing her client to end the meeting. Nina said, which client? and Ava said, Jenz Sidwell. Obrecht said he seemed to be a powerful man. Maybe Britt went to see if he could help Rocco. Ava said she understood. Sidwell was quite a powerful man and in a short time made himself quite a force in Port Charles.

Britt said Sidwell had to acknowledge that her father’s research would die with her if she didn’t finish. Only she could get the job done and didn’t need a timeline. She did admit she needed him, and not just for the medicine. She needed his help because Rocco was in danger. He asked if something happened to dear Rocco.

Britt said Rocco had been assaulted. Dalton was dead and there was no reason Rocco should still be locked up. Sidwell said it was ample reason to nudge Sonny and Mayor Collins along. Call it unforeseen repercussions for their failure to cooperate. She said, oh my God. He did this. He had Rocco attacked. He said he had eyes and ears everywhere and a long reach to go with them. It was in her best interest to remember that.

Nathan told Lulu, if there was fallout, there was fallout. He was supposed to be looking out for Rocco. Lulu said he did more than anyone. He kept his promise, and she couldn’t be more grateful. Turner came out and said she got a call from the juvenile detention center. They said Nathan had pulled Rocco out and said they could talk to her if the staff had a problem with it. Lulu asked if she was aware Rocco had been assaulted, and Nathan said he was doing her a favor. He made sure that people knew, even the kids she accused were protected from violence. She said she’d back him this time, but don’t do it again.

Rocco thanked Sonny for staying, when Turner came in. She said she got a bail hearing for later today and didn’t see it being denied. Rocco would sleep in his own bed tonight. He was lucky that a lot of people cared about him.

Outside, Alexis told Laura and Jason that the kids were so lying. They can’t go on record. It wouldn’t hold up and making a false statement was a crime. They could end up charged. Laura asked if it could wait until Lulu got back. She was sure Lulu would have a lot to say.

Danny told Charlotte that his dad could see in his head, and she said, maybe he could, but as long as the ADA believed them, they’d stick to the story. Alexis, Laura, and Jason came back, and Alexis said, listen up. They knew Charlotte and Danny were lying. It made no sense. Rocco would have told her if Dalton punched him. If they said Dalton had, they’d both face serious charges. Think about Scout. Danny said that’s all he’d been doing. What kind of role model would he be if he didn’t defend his brother?

Laura said they understood what the kids were trying to do, and Jason said it was reckless. Laura said, but they’d never have to go to court because Dalton was… Jason said, Dalton was nowhere.

Drew went to the Grill and sat down at Nina’s table. He said, what a treat running into them. He was inviting them to his place for a Thanksgiving celebration. He promised they didn’t want to miss it. Dessert was going be spectacular.

Willow found Elizabeth at the hospital and asked if she had any plans for Thanksgiving. Elizabeth said Cameron and Jake weren’t going to be home, and Aiden was going to see Lucky. Other than that, she’d been busy at work and hadn’t given it that much thought. Willow said she’d love for Elizabeth to come to Drew’s and be her maid of honor. (That would be matron, but letting it pass.) She showed Elizabeth her ring and said Drew asked her to marry him again and she said yes. Say she’ll come. Elizabeth said, of course (🍷), and they hugged. Michael watched from around the corner.

Wednesday:  

Brook told Chase that Thanksgiving evoked the kitchen curse. There was no way they’d cook a successful turkey in this house.

Lulu brought Rocco home and said Charlotte and Danny were anxious to see him. She told him that she loved him.

At the gallery, Ava asked Trina if Jordan was interested in the pieces she’d shown her, but Trina said Jordan would be taking her business elsewhere, which was on her. She told Jordan that she’d make sure her dad never went back to her.

Stella met Curtis at the PC Grill, and he asked if she’d like to go to Café Cherie instead. She saw Martin and Drew sitting at the bar and said, not a chance. If anyone should leave with their tail between their legs, it was Drew.

Martin asked what was with the last-minute dinner, and Drew said he had some exciting news about him and Willow.

Obrecht went to Drew’s, and Willow asked what brought her by. Obrecht said she understood Willow was getting married, and Willow asked if Obrecht was there to change her mind.

At the station, Dante told Nathan that Rocco was on his way home. He knew Nathan caught flack for it, but he appreciated Nathan pulling Rocco out. It wasn’t easy seeing him like that. Nathan said Dante would have done the same for him. He was happy to help. Dante said Nathan was not only a good friend, but a good cop, and he wanted Nathan’s help on a case. He wanted to take another look at who shot Drew. Nathan asked, why?

Charlotte asked what they did to Rocco, and Rocco said, kind of badass, huh? Didn’t girls like scars? Danny said they liked tats, and Jason said they had to make sure he never had to go back. Danny said, Dalton was straight up lying about the lab, and Lulu told the kids to catch each other up while she and Jason talked.

Ava said she thought Trina and Jordan got along, but Trina said she’d realized that Jordan had been waiting in the wings, right there ready to exploit the weakness in her parents’ marriage. She told Jordan that she’d keep her father from going back to her. Ava said she could deal with losing a sale, and Trina said her father would listen to her. Ava said giving an ultimatum ran the risk of resentment, but Trina said she didn’t care. She resented her. Portia came in and said, resented who?  

Nathan asked if the PCPD hadn’t done its thing, and Dante said it was more preemptive. Alexis was going to blame the PCPD for botching the investigation and he wanted to work on an effective counter argument. Nathan asked if Chase wouldn’t be a better choice to help, but Dante said he wanted Chase to be as far away from the case as possible.

Willow asked if Obrecht was going to tell her that she was making a huge mistake, but Obrecht said that wasn’t why she was there. Drew wouldn’t be her first choice for Willow’s life, but she wasn’t there to criticize. Willow was family and even if she didn’t agree with Willow’s decision, Willow still had her support. Willow thanked her, and Obrecht said Willow should thank her mother for talking sense into her.

Martin congratulated Drew and asked, when is the big day? Drew said, Thanksgiving. They were keeping it simple, just close friends and family. He hoped Martin could make it. Martin said, sure, and Drew asked if he was willing to officiate. Martin said he felt it was his duty to ask if it wasn’t an ill-conceived idea to bolster Willow’s look at the trial, and Drew said he thought it would have a good effect on the jury, but he loved Willow and couldn’t wait to make her his wife. Martin said, after everything that happened, he didn’t think Drew would win Willow back, and Drew said he always got what he wanted. Martin said, except Measure C, and Drew said he had everything he really wanted. Now he was concentrating on revenge against those who’d crossed him.

Chase said he was ready to take on the challenge, and Brook said Groundhog Day was underrated. She’d suggested Olivia give up and get a pizza oven. He said he thought he could make a great turkey, but she said it had been 30 years since an edible turkey had been served on Thanksgiving. He said the two of them could conquer everything and he wanted to do something nice for everyone. Michael came in, and Brook said they were talking about the possibility of cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Michael asked if it wouldn’t be easier to get a pizza oven, but Brook said maybe they could finally pull it off this year. She asked if Michael wanted to help, but he said he and Chase shouldn’t be together in a room full of knives.

Curtis said if Stella was going to give Drew the stink eye all night, it wouldn’t be a good time. They might as well leave. Stella told him to distract her with something more important. How were things with him and Portia? Did they reconcile yet?

Trina hugged Portia and asked what she was doing there. Portia said she was hoping Trina could have dinner with her. Ava was welcome to join them. Ava said she had things to finish up, and Trina said she was sorry, but she had plans with her dad and Aunt Stella. Did Portia want to come? Portia said it was sweet of her to offer, but she thought it best if she didn’t go. Have fun and tell them that she won’t be able to make dinner on Thanksgiving. Dr. Randolph needed to see her father. He wasn’t doing well and she was covering for her. Trina asked if that was how it was going to be from now on, that her parents couldn’t be in the same room. Portia said, of course (🍷) not, but Trina said she felt like her family was being torn apart. Portia said that would never happen. They’d always work together to do what was right by her. Trina said she knew they were trying, but she was worried she’d lose one of them, and Portia said, that would never happen. They hugged, and Ava flashed back to Nina telling her about throwing Portia under the bus as a possible suspect.

Dante said Chase had a bias about Willow and he wanted to look at other suspects, and Nathan asked where they should start. Dante suggested they start with Michael.

Brook said Chase had nothing against believing Michael was a cold blooded killer, and Chase said he believed Willow was innocent, but had to be objective. Michael said Chase believed he knew Willow so well, and Chase said he did. Michael said then it should come as no surprise that she and Drew were getting married on Thanksgiving.

Willow asked if Obrecht meant Nina, and Obrecht said she and Nina were together when Willow’s fiancé ran in to share the news. Initially, she was less than thrilled. Willow said she was sure Nina felt the same way, and Obrecht said she did, but after Drew left, she had a moment and realized the most important thing was that Willow was happy. Was she happy? Willow said, of course (🍷), and Obrecht said Willow’s mother believed they should support her wholeheartedly. Willow said she appreciated the gesture and asked Obrecht to thank Nina. Obrecht said she could thank Nina herself. Wasn’t it time she made amends with her mother?

Outside, Jason asked if Lulu told the kids, but she said, not a word, and she was told not to bring them in to give their statement. Turner was supposed to question Dalton, but he didn’t show up. The police went to PCU and the MetroCourt, but there was no sign of him. Jason said, he took off, and she said, possibly. She wondered if Sonny had something to do with it.

Nathan said Michael had the strongest motive and weakest alibi. He had access to the weapon and access to the room Willow was staying in at Elizabeth’s house. Dante said, Anna issued a warrant the next day, and Nathan said, she found the gun. Michael had motive, a weak alibi, and access to the weapon. He had the opportunity to plant the weapon and a motive to do it. There was a lot they couldn’t ignore. Dante said Alexis was going to point in Michael’s direction, but Nathan said, if Michael and Jacinda stuck to their story, she wouldn’t get anywhere. And Nina didn’t do Willow any favors by giving a fake alibi. Dante said the security footage showed Nina as being at her apartment at the time Drew was shot. Unless she found another way out. Nathan said Nina would have told them to protect Willow. He thought Nina was a long shot.

Willow asked how she could forgive Nina, and Obrecht said her mother loved her. Willow said Nina had a pattern. She screwed up, begged forgiveness, then screwed up again. Obrecht said if Willow had no forgiveness for those who made mistakes, married life wasn’t for her, and Willow said she was tired of it. Obrecht said she understood Nina made mistakes, but Willow was acting like an ungrateful, petulant child. From the moment Nina found out Willow was her daughter, Nina had done nothing but love her. Nina had made mistakes, but fought for her and protected her and stood by her side. Yet Willow could turn her back on Nina even when she admitted she was wrong. That’s not how family worked. It was time for her to make amends with her mother. There was a knock at the door, and Obrecht said, now was her chance. She opened the door to Nina.

Michael said he’d overheard Willow invite Elizabeth to the wedding, and she was sporting Lila’s engagement ring. Brook said she was sorry. It was appalling. Chase said, it wasn’t Willow’s idea. It was Drew’s.

Trina left, and Portia told Ava that she heard Trina say she resented her. Was she talking about her or Jordan?… Never mind. Ava said she promised it wasn’t Portia, and Portia said they both knew that could change quickly if it turned out that Curtis wasn’t the father. She wasn’t telling anyone until after her first trimester. Because of her age, she wanted to take things one step at a time and wasn’t getting a paternity test until then. She was afraid of losing Trina. Ava said there was something else that could end up separating her from her daughter.

Curtis said he and Portia were going through with the divorce, and Stella said, even with a child on the way? He said they’d co-parent, but she said it wasn’t the same. He showed her the sonogram and said, check this out, and she said she could hear the love and joy in his voice. He said he missed out when Portia was pregnant with Trina. This was a whole new experience. She said that’s why they needed to stay married, so he didn’t miss out on his child’s life for one moment.

Martin said Michael was still at the top of Drew’s revenge list, and Drew said he wished he’d claimed to remember Michael shooting him, but he’d waited too long. Martin said now that Willow had been arrested, the court would assume he was protecting her, and Drew said he could have spared her the trial. Martin said Alexis was doing everything she could, and Drew said, she’d better or she wouldn’t see her grandchild. Martin said Alexis was a damn fine attorney. She believed in her clients and believed in proving their innocence. Drew said he’d feel better if Martin was her co-counsel, but Martin said Alexis was a one-woman show. They best thing was to step back and let her do her thing. Drew said if it went wrong, he’d hold the both of them responsible, and Martin said the best wedding present Drew could give Willow was hiring Alexis, but Drew said the best wedding present would be Willow’s freedom and getting her children back. That included putting Michael behind bars. Once he achieved those goals, he could focus on the other people who’d made the mistake of crossing him.

Charlotte thanked Rocco for saving them, but said he needed to think out the ramifications. He was the grandson of the mayor and Sonny Corinthos. The media might be harsher on him than Dalton. Rocco said it was the right thing and he’d do it again, including breaking into the lab. Charlotte said, even though they’d found no proof? and Rocco said, it was kind of exciting. Danny said, it was pretty good, and Charlotte said, until they got caught, but Rocco said, admit it. She was thrilled. She said, it was pretty cool.

Jason asked if that was Lulu’s way of asking if Sonny had Dalton killed. He could assure her that Sonny didn’t. Lulu said that was a relief, but if Dalton had just run off, that meant he could pop back up anytime.

Chase said Drew put the ring on Willow, and Michael said, and she accepted and agreed to marry his uncle. Brook said, Willow just forgave him? She didn’t know what Willow was thinking, but it wasn’t good. Michael said, unless Willow loved Drew or thought it made her look innocent. Maybe both. He didn’t give a damn anymore. Brook said he had a point. What if it was a ploy for Willow to stay out of prison?

Obrecht said she’d told Nina to wait in the car, and Willow said, so Obrecht could butter her up? Nina said she told Obrecht this was a bad idea. She’d just go. Obrecht said they needed to work things out before the wedding, and Nina said Drew had invited them, but if Willow didn’t want her to go, she wouldn’t. Willow asked why she’d want to come. Nina hated that she was with Drew and hated Drew. She’d hired a hooker to drug Drew to break them up. Nina said that was true, but she’d learn to accept it if it meant she could be a part of Willow’s life again. She missed Willow. If Willow could find it in her heart to forgive her, she guaranteed she’d disappoint Willow again, but promised she’d love and support her for the rest of her life, no matter what. Just give her another chance.

Ava said Nina told her in confidence, but she felt justified telling Portia, since Nina broke hers first. Nina’s alibi fell apart and she was desperate to get the heat off her daughter. So she decided to shine the light on an alternative suspect. Portia asked if Nina knew about Drew blackmailing her.

Trina joined Curtis and Stella and said the Thanksgiving shopping was done. They were prepared for tomorrow. Stella thanked her, and Trina said, of course (🍷). Stella said she still didn’t know how many she was cooking for and asked if Trina’s mother was coming. Trina said her mother had to work and wanted her to say she was sorry, and Stella said, remember to take her a plate. Curtis said she’d be missed, but especially at this time of year, they should focus on their blessings, and Trina said, all they had was each other. That was no guarantee a couple of months ago. She was scared they were going to lose Stella when she was targeted for fraud. Stella said she knew whose fault it was. Drew used the power of his office to target her family, and she thought it was way past time she said something.

Martin said Drew still had a grudge against Curtis, when Stella approached them. She said, good evening, Congressman Cutthroat. How many lives do you plan on destroying this evening?  

Michael left, and Chase said he was under the impression that Brook was considering the possibility that Michael might be guilty. She said she changed her mind. It happened yesterday at the hospital. She was worried about her dad and Michael stopped by. He was supportive about Rocco, Gio, her dad, all of it. She told him that she wished she could reach out to Gio. The way Dante had spoken to him was horrible. Michael called Gio to come to the hospital so they could talk. Chase asked how it went, and she said, better than she could have imagined. Gio finally understood her choice to give him up and a weight lifted off of her. For him too. He called her mom. He said, thanks, mom, and she thought her heart would burst. Chase hugged her.

Willow said she was telling Aunt Liesl that she gave Nina chance after chance, and she kept screwing it up. But she’d also made a few mistakes, and Nina stood by her through all of them. Nina said she always would if Willow let her, and Willow said, that’s what family did. And since they were family, maybe they could work on having a relationship. Nina said she would be so grateful, and Willow said she wasn’t sure she could ever fully trust Nina or that they would be as close as they once were, but she was willing to overlook that part. The truth was, she missed Nina too.

Portia said she couldn’t believe Nina betrayed her, and Ava said Nina didn’t actually say she threw Portia under the bus and didn’t go to the cops. Portia asked if Ava thought it was her, and Ava said if she had to guess, it was. Nina said she felt terrible. Portia said she didn’t give a damn. She thought they were friends and in this together. She trusted Nina. Ava said she was sorry. She felt partly responsible for putting them in touch with each other. Nina didn’t know why Drew was blackmailing Portia or that she tampered with Heather Webber’s test results. Portia said it didn’t matter. The police would figure it out. They’d question Drew and Brad if they could find him. She’d lose her job and career and be arrested for attempted murder. What if she was convicted? She couldn’t give birth in prison.

Nathan said, what about Carly? and Dante said, Drew and Michael ran Aurora together and she’d have access to the Quartermaine estate on occasion. Nathan said, what about framing Willow? and Dante said, it was possible. Nathan said, Carly had access to the weapon and confessed to Anna that she’d wanted to kill Drew. Framing Willow was a no-brainer. Dante said Carly had been in Elizabeth’s house before they found the gun, and Nathan said you’d think her alibi of being with the WSB Bureau Chief was a slam dunk, but Dante said, not when it was her boyfriend. Nathan said they also had Tracy and Sonny, but Tracy saved Drew’s life, and he thought Dante’s dad would be smarter than that. Dante said it wasn’t the right direction. So what was Nathan’s take? Nathan said he thought the investigation was comprehensive. Carly and Michael were question marks, and he thought they should take a look at Curtis.

Martin told Stella that it wasn’t the time to have this conversation, while at the table, Trina asked if Curtis thought they should stop her, but he said, no. Let her cook. Drew said Stella didn’t want to cause a scene, and she said just because she didn’t want to, didn’t mean she wouldn’t. She had nothing to be embarrassed about, but he should crawl up under the bar in shame. He’d abused his power of office to get her investigated by the government and threatened with prison. It was completely and utterly corrupt, and he did it all to get back at her nephew. Drew said his understanding was that she was the one who was accused of corruption and fraud, but he understood when you reached a certain age, things got confusing. Stella lunged for him, but Martin held her back and said they regretted the misunderstanding. The government overstepped and they were wrong. Clearly, the situation had been resolved. Couldn’t they let bygones be bygones? Stella said, as a friend, she asked him to reconsider working for this snake. Drew destroyed everything he touched. She didn’t believe Willow shot him, but she was in this mess because half the town was outraged by him. Drew asked if she was saying it was his fault, and she said, a smarter man would have changed his ways, but he was just as despicable as ever. She wasn’t surprised someone shot his ass. He deserved it. Curtis approached and asked if she’d like to come back to the table. She told him that she had nothing more to say to this sorry excuse for a man. She didn’t want to ruin her appetite. Drew suggested Curtis remind his aunt that investigations could be reopened.

Charlotte said no one could find Dalton, and Danny said he hoped Dalton was gone for good. Charlotte said if Dalton couldn’t testify, there was no case and Rocco was in the clear.

Jason told Lulu, even with Dalton gone, they had to face reality. The kids had strong connections to Sonny, Britt, and Valentin, who all had a long list of enemies that wouldn’t hesitate to use them. Lulu said the kids had targets on their backs. They had to keep them safe.

Chase said he was happy for Brook and knew how much it meant to her. Brook said it gave her hope that she and Gio could have a relationship, and it was all because of Michael. Chase said he’d been so focused on Willow’s innocence, he’d forgotten how kind and caring Michael could be and how Michael was there for Brook when he wasn’t. It was a reminder to keep his priorities straight. She was the most important thing. He hoped she believed that. She said, of course (🍷) she did, and he was her number one priority. Just to prove it, she’d help him roast the turkey. But just in case, there was a new pizza place that was supposed to be great.

Nina said it would be a fresh start, and Willow said, in that case, she hoped Nina would come to the wedding. Nina said she’d be there. Obrecht said, now they had something to truly celebrate, and they had a three-way hug.

Nathan said Nina told him there was a way to prove Michael wasn’t with Jacinda when Drew was shot, and Dante said, if that happened, Michael would go to the top of the suspect list. Nathan suggested they look at Curtis.

Ava said no one was looking at Portia, but Portia said, what if they did? and Ava said she’d answer questions – with a lawyer, of course (🍷). Nina didn’t know what the blackmail was about, but Portia should be prepared. Portia said she appreciated the warning. Ava was a true friend, unlike Nina. Because of Nina, she might have to account for her whereabouts, which would land her in a different kind of trouble.

Dante said, why Curtis? and Nathan said he was an ex-cop and a P.I. and would know how to cover his tracks. He also couldn’t account for his whereabouts. Dante said he’d been at the Brown Dog with Jordan, but Nathan said, supposedly, he’d been in his office alone at the time Drew was shot. Dante said, personally, he felt like Curtis had the weakest motive, and Nathan said he didn’t know Curtis well enough to tell about the business angle, but the investigation into his aunt was personal. While he didn’t admit it, they knew Drew was behind it. Then, after the shooting, the investigation went away. Maybe something else was going on. Dante said, maybe Nathan was right. They should take another look at Curtis’s alibi.

Trina said, that was intense, and Stella said it felt good to give Drew a piece of her mind. But then she started to wonder if she was provoking him. Curtis said, don’t worry. He’d protect his family from Drew by any means necessary.

Martin said if Stella wasn’t off Drew’s revenge list, he couldn’t work for him, but Drew promised not to go after her. Besides, she’d suffer enough when he destroyed her beloved nephew. Martin asked if he thought Curtis shot him, and Drew said, absolutely, especially after the blackmail he had on Curtis’s wife magically disappeared. Michael needed to be the one to go down for it though. As for Curtis, he’d find another way to make him pay.

🫔 No enchilada this week because GH is not on Thursday or Friday.

Next week, Drew and Willow’s wedding day and Thanksgiving in Port Charles.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

It flitted through my mind, but I’m not feeling it. Besides, I’m not so sure Nathan is really himself.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/would-lulu-and-nathan-make-a-good-couple-on-general-hospital-vote-now/

What fans think about Carly and Jack, and what Jack thinks about Carly and Jack.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/heres-what-general-hospital-fans-think-carly-should-do-about-jack-brennans-betrayal/

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-chris-mckenna-dishes-carlys-revenge-jacks-surprise-move-against-vaughn-excl/

I hadn’t known they dated IRL.

https://ew.com/genie-francis-calls-dating-general-hospital-costar-kin-shriner-her-happiest-time-11855131

Are they on?

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/are-the-soaps-airing-new-episodes-on-thanksgiving-heres-the-full-schedule/

Something for the Quartermaines to think about.

https://nypost.com/2025/11/22/us-news/this-li-pizzeria-went-viral-for-its-thanksgiving-pie-with-all-these-trimmings/

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Mediterranean

In Max’s interview, he worried that he’d made a mistake hooking up with Kizzy, since he liked Cathy better. I just can’t. Guest Imran quickly sets the tone by saying the crew are their servants, so karma docked the yacht due to huge swells. No surprise, this prompts Imran to tell Captain Sandy how to drive. In Kizzy’s interview, she said there was something about Cathy that didn’t feel real. Nobody actually did their job was that perfect.  Cathy made her feel small, and she hated that someone had the power to do that to her. Once again, Nathan floundered as a bosun, and Captain Sandy told him to get his sh*t together. She was pissed.

Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City

The group went to lunch, sans Britani, and asked Lisa and Meredith, WTF? Lisa said she’d just vented to a friend and suddenly she was the bad guy, and Meredith acted like she didn’t know what they were talking about. As usual, everybody was concerned about everybody else, instead of looking in the mirror. Lisa met with Britani and apologized. She suggested they move on with respect and dignity, and I nearly choked on my coffee.

Southern Charm

The show began with Craig having a massive hangover and saying he never had a healthy relationship with alcohol while he was single. We flashed back to him being a mean drunk, proving his point. It looks like this show is starting to get like Below Deck Med with all the crossover romancing. Yeah, let’s call it romancing. Even after watching it twice, I still wasn’t sure who wanted to zoom who. Apparently, Salley is into Craig, who is feuding with Venita. Venita said Salley didn’t know what a girl’s girl was, but she probably doesn’t need to worry, since Craig is clueless. Failing to see his opportunity one night in a hot tub, in their respective interviews, Shep said Craig wasn’t that aggressive of a dater, and Austen said Craig was a p*ssy. Rodrigo was worried that it would be Venita vs Craig again and Salley would side with Craig. In Rodrigo’s interview, he said if he was wrong, he’d eat one of Craig’s pillows. He didn’t want Venita getting hurt.  Shep tried teach Austen to surf, and Salley had a bring-a-single-friend singles party. Austen’s girlfriend Audrey came for a visit, and in Madison’s interview, she said Austen was with Audrey because he knew it was the only way to better himself, but he really wanted something to light a fire under his ass. Austen said he liked it long distance, but Audrey seemed more interested in settling down. He began his wishy-washy act with her, so I predict they won’t be together much longer.

This was the best I could find at the time of posting.

Vanderpump Rules: Raise Your Glass to 11 Seasons was a filler for Bravo’s Thanksgiving week. Not that I minded because, LVP. While Andy did some chatting with her and talked between segments, it was mostly scenes from VanderDays gone by. There was also some never-before-seen footage and a sneak peek at the next generation at SUR.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/andy-cohen-reveals-vanderpump-rules-original-show-title

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/vanderpump-rules-season-12-trailer-cast-premiere-date-spoilers-details

Random Reality Items

She’s not wrong.

Filed under: You can’t fire me; I quit.

New York is again in the house.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

The Green Book: Guide to Freedom. Paramount+. A travel guide published by Black postal worker Victor Huge Green from 1936 to 1967, it listed the establishments that welcomed Black people. My only beef with this film was that it wasn’t long enough. Eventually listing more than 9,500 hotels, restaurants, etc., they only showed the tip of the iceberg and I would have loved to see more. In a rare moment of actually hearing me, my husband got me a reprint of the book for my birthday.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/25/us/green-book-documentary-trnd

Zombie Apocalypse. Amazon Prime. This is a fun zombie apocalypse romp, nothing you have to put a lot of thought into. A group of survivors are making their way across the country to get to Catalina led by Ving Rhames (one of my favorites). While that’s incentive enough to watch it, the bonus of a zombie tiger didn’t make me mad.

https://slate.com/culture/2011/10/zombies-the-zombie-boom-is-inspired-by-the-economy.html

Otherlife. Amazon Prime. A film about a revolutionary new drug that lets you slip into virtual reality, and in a surprise to no one, the government decides to use it for their own supposed gain. As usual, where technology could and should be used for good, instead it poses a whole new set of problems. I thought this wasn’t bad and the critics seemed to love it, but personally, I found it dragged in spots.

https://slate.com/technology/2017/11/sci-fi-has-been-warning-us-about-virtual-reality-addiction-since-the-1990s.html

Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy. Netflix. A film all about how we shop, why we shop, what we shop for, and how they get us to buy it. There wasn’t much I didn’t already know, but I love documentaries like this, so I really enjoyed it. It also made me rethink dumpster diving.

https://movieweb.com/netflix-documentary-watch-before-christmas-buy-now-shopping-conspiracy/

https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/ending-of-buy-now-the-shopping-conspiracy-bait-and-switch-im-not-upset-about-it

🥀 Farewell Dear Count…

Aww. He was so purdy back in the day. I saw his Flesh for Frankenstein in 3-D, along with Blood for Dracula (both Andy Warhol films), at a revival house and laughed at inappropriate moments. RIP to a legend.

https://www.slashfilm.com/2035543/udo-kier-x-rated-movie-flesh-for-frankenstein-before-netflix-adaptation/

👠 The Green/Pink/Red Carpet…

Behold Wicked for fashion.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37975/wicked-for-good-new-york-premiere-celebrity-red-carpet-fashion

🦃 Loving a Parade…

Everything you need to know about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Believe me, you’re better off watching it on TV, especially this year when it’s going to be windy and freezing. The first year I was in NYC, I went to see it. Not only did I have to get out there at 6 am, I thought I’d never be warm again. I did have one year when the office I worked for overlooked the route and we watched it from there while sipping mimosas and noshing on bagels. If you can do that, by all means, go.

https://www.macys.com/s/parade/

🐕 Animals Trending…

🐶 An extra big balloon dog. I wonder how many clowns it took to blow it up.

https://people.com/freida-the-dachshund-balloon-returning-to-the-2025-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-11857028

🧹 A wickedly trendy name.

https://people.com/wicked-causes-shake-up-in-top-trending-pet-names-of-2025-11856116

🦛 She’s single and loves walks on the beach.

https://people.com/worlds-oldest-living-hippo-celebrates-52nd-birthday-11854641

🪇 Quotes of the Week

I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending. – Mister Rogers

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.Benjamin Franklin

Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other. – Randy Pausch

My songs will pass and be forgotten. What counts, however, is that I sang them. – Father Andrew Greeley

Opportunities don’t just happen, you create them. – Chris Grosser

Look at her. She’s giving me the side-eye. – Manon Berryman, talking about a goat at a goat farm, 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way

Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.Ann Landers

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them. – Ray Bradbury

If you don’t believe me, then google it. – Cesar Faison (Anders Hove), General Hospital

🍗 Counting My Blessings…

Until next week, stay safe; stay having a wonderful Thanksgiving, whether it’s alone with your cat, serving at a soup kitchen, or with strangers, friends, or family (I’ve done all those things); and stay focusing on your blessings always.

November 25, 2024 – Michael Records Drew’s Double-Cross, Bye-Bye-Bye, More Capable Deckhand Needed On Deck, Traveling & Song

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Michael is in the living room when Drew comes in. His phone rings, and Michael asks if he’s going to answer it. Drew says, it’s Curtis. He’ll call back. Michael asks if they’ve talked today, but Drew says, not yet, and thanks Michael for agreeing to meet with him. They have urgent matters to discuss.

At the boxing gym, Curtis leaves a message for Drew to give him a call as soon as he can. It’s important. He flashes back to Michael saying that Drew is going to double-cross him after Drew is squared away in DC.

As soon as the attending nurse is gone, Lulu sits up and rubs her legs. She puts her feet on the floor and leans on the bed while working her feet.

Sonny, Alexis, and Kristina stand outside the courtroom, and Alexis asks if Kristina is nervous. Sonny says, she’ll be great, and Kristina says she just wants it over so Ava can pay for the baby’s death. Alexis tells her to keep her composure, stay calm, and don’t let Ric rattle her. Molly and TJ arrive, and Molly says, Kristina’s got this.

Josslyn and Trina enter the courtroom, and Ava smiles at Trina. Trina sits down, and Gio comes in and sits with Josslyn on the opposite side. Everyone comes in from the hallway, and the bailiff says, all rise. Court is now in session. The judge tells them to be seated and announces that it’s The People of the State of New York versus Ava Jerome. Sonny stares at Ric.

Jordan walks into the gym and Curtis says he’s working out his frustrations. She asks if he wants to talk, and he says he could use a sounding board. She says, sound away, and he says he has reason to believe someone he trusts is keeping a secret from him. It involves someone important to her. She asks, who? and he says, Drew.

Drew says, Jason didn’t explain the reason behind attacking him, but it’s no surprise. He was wondering if Michael could shed light on the situation. Did Michael tell Jason that he and Willow kissed? Michael says he did, but he didn’t know Jason would come after Drew. Drew says he believes it. Violence is more Jason’s speed, Michael says, Jason is protective of him, and Drew says he hopes he and Michael are able to work it out, and not drag others into it. Michael says, usually he’d confide in Willow, but this time, he couldn’t, and Drew says, it’s his fault (agreed) and he’s sorry (debatable). He knows it’s hard, but if Michael wants to talk, he will. If they’re going to get past it – and he hopes they can – they need to have a truthful conversation, one that neither one of them are looking forward to. Michael says, about what? and Drew says. Willow.

Lulu exercises her feet and gingerly walks across the room. She catches herself on the sofa and sits. She hears Cyrus at the desk saying, Turning Woods was a good choice for Lulu’s short-term care, but he was able to find a better long-term care facility in South Carolina. Lulu’s mother is in sync with his plans. The doctor says he’ll need written permission from Lulu’s mother, and Cyrus says, of course (🍷). When Lulu is ready to be moved, he’ll have his sister sign off on it. The doctor lets Cyrus into Lulu’s room, where she’s back in bed, still pretending to be in a coma. Cyrus tells Lulu, he’s here now. Don’t worry. He’ll take care of her.

DA Turner says, here they have a tragedy so devastating, it’s hard to talk about. An innocent baby is dead, leaving the world before she had a chance to take her first breath. The loss was compounded because it didn’t need to happen. The baby’s death was not natural. She was murdered. When the jury is presented with the evidence, it will show how the defendant Ava Jerome violently attacked and shoved an 8 months pregnant Kristina Corinthos-Davis through a window with such force, it shattered the window, Kristina plunging three stories down into the pool, where she sustained severe injuries, losing the baby. We flash back to Kristina’s fall, and the DA says, imagine the depravity, taking into account this woman’s history of dangerous behavior and the callous disregard for others. Ava’s ties to violence and organized crime are well documented. The prosecution will provide evidence and by the time they rest, there will be no doubt about Ava Jerome’s guilt. They’re here to make sure justice is served, justice for Kristina and the one person who can’t be here, innocent little Baby Irene Davis-Ashford, who is precious and deeply missed.

Ric says, before the trial is over, he’ll prove that Ava Jerome is innocent of the crime she’s been wrongly accused of. He wants them to focus on the word the DA used – tragedy. It’s beyond dispute that a tragedy occurred. A baby died and everyone involved is deeply and profoundly affected by this tragedy. But no matter how terrible, a tragedy is not necessarily a crime. The prosecution talked about his client’s past, years ago. His client has made mistakes. She’s done things she deeply regrets. But this trial is not about a long time ago. It’s about what happened on the day in question, and if at the end, they believe Ava, with intent, pushed Kristina out a window. If they do, find her guilty, but he doesn’t believe they will, because he intends to prove Kristina Corinthos-Davis went to Ava’s hotel room in anger with ill intentions, and in the resulting argument, she is the one responsible for the horrible accident. He knows how hard it is to hear. It’s sad and uncomfortable, but it is also the truth Baby Irene Davis-Ashford would be alive were it not for the actions of her surrogate mother. And by the time the trial is over, they’ll know that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Drew tells Michael that he’s sorry for what happened between him and Willow. He was completely in the wrong, no excuses. Michael says he’s glad to hear Drew say that, and Drew says he hopes somehow, someday, Michael can forgive him, and they can move past it. Michael asks why he’d want to do that, and Drew says, as bad as it was, it was one time, one kiss. It happened in the moment and with a few too many drinks. No excuses. And it’s never going to be repeated. Michael asks if he’s sure, and Drew says, absolutely. Michael’s got a terrific marriage and beautiful children. Willow is committed to Michael. Don’t let a few minutes of bad judgement on his part jeopardize that. He’ll do everything in his power to make up for the damage. Let him try.

DA Turner asks what Natalia remembers, and Natalia says she was having coffee with her daughter when they heard a loud crash. They looked up and saw a woman falling, screaming. We flash back to Kristina crashing through the window, and Natalia says, it was horrible. She violently crashed through the window, and there was broken glass and pieces of the pane falling. People were screaming and the woman was face down in the pool, not moving. The lifeguard, Josslyn Jax, immediately entered the pool and gave first aid.

Gio says, Josslyn told him to grab a backboard, so he ran to get it.

Josslyn says she slowly turned the woman over and that’s when they all realized it was Kristina. She was unconscious, and her face was cut and bleeding. Josslyn learned in first aid class that if you suspect a head or neck injury, be careful moving the person. She was especially concerned because she knew Kristina was pregnant.

Natalia says, her daughter was dating Kristina, and she was hysterical. The DA asks how Kristina appeared, and Natalia says, she was cut up and bleeding. She wasn’t moving. They weren’t even sure she was breathing. They were scared she was dead until Josslyn said there was a pulse. So all they could do was watch…

Josslyn says she didn’t want Kristina to be alone, so she rode in the ambulance. At one point, Kristina regained consciousness. She told Kristina that she’d stay with her, and she was going to be okay. DA Turner asks if Kristina said anything, and Josslyn says, she asked about the baby.

Trina says, it happened so fast, and the DA asks what she did. Trina says she grabbed some towels for Josslyn to use. She looked up and saw the broken window… DA Turner asks if there’s a problem, and Trina says, no. The DA says, let her help. Trina told the officer that she looked up and saw Ava Jerome standing in the window Kristina had fallen from. Trina looks at Ava, who sort of nods, and the DA asks what Ava was doing. Trina says, looking at the pool. Then she closed the curtains. The DA asks what she thought about her boss and friend in that moment, but Ric objects. It calls for speculation. The objection is sustained, and the DA says she has no further questions. Ric asks Trina, what was the distance between her and the room? She heard the glass breaking and the scream and looked up. Correct? Trina says, yes, and Ric says, she witnessed the fall, but not who or what caused it? Trina says, yes, and he has no further questions. (Why didn’t the DA focus more on Ava closing the curtains? It seems like an odd thing to do unless you don’t want people to see something.)

Cyrus tells Lulu that he’s working on getting her transferred as soon as possible, when two nurses come in. One of them says, they need a moment alone with the patient, and he asks if it can wait. She says, unfortunately, no, but they won’t be long. Cyrus tells Lulu that he’ll be back, and leaves. The nurses talk about three new patients coming in as they tend to Lulu. They leave, and Lulu undoes all the equipment attached to her. She listens at the door, looks around, and steps out. She closes the door and goes down the hall.

DA Turner asks Dr. Navarro if she was Miss Corinthos-Davis’s OB/GYN, and the doctor says, yes. The DA asks her to tell them about Kristina’s pregnancy, and Dr. Navarro says, Kristina and the baby were healthy, and the baby was developing normally. She projected a safe, healthy delivery…

Another doctor (whose name I can’t remember) says, Kristina fell multiple stories and landed on her abdomen. The strong impact caused blunt force trauma, which led to a placental abruption, a separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, causing massive hemorrhaging. The mother and baby were in a serious condition. DA Turner asks, what happened afterward? and the doctor says, they did an emergency C-section, but unfortunately, were unable to save the baby. The DA says, in his professional opinion, what was the cause of death? He says, blunt force trauma from the fall, and the DA has no further questions. Ric says, when the doctor examined Kristina, he found her wounds to be consistent with a crash out a window. Did his observation imply any defense wounds? The doctor says, he’s not certain, and Ric says, so he can’t be sure if Kristina was pushed or attacked, and the doctor says, her wounds were consistent with the broken window. Ric says, so no bruising came from shoving, just the fall itself? but the doctor tells him, it’s impossible to say. Ric has no further questions, and the judge calls for a recess. Ava asks when Ric is going to start acting like a lawyer and save her, and he says, when the next witness is called. She says, Kristina.  

Jordan asks what makes Curtis think that Drew is keeping something from him, and Curtis says that he believes Drew is starting to be evasive. She says, that’s not like Drew, and he says, if he told her who brought it to him, she might believe it, but it has to stay between them. She says, of course (🍷), and he says, Michael told him that Drew is planning on making him CEO of Aurora and he’s going back to Wellness. Jordan says she doubts Drew would do something like that.

Michael asks how Drew is planning on making up for kissing his wife, and Drew says he’s planning on rebuilding Michael’s trust. One way is to make him permanent CEO of Aurora. Has he thought about Drew’s offer? Michael says he’d like to take Drew up on it, but before they finalize it, is Drew offering it to him solely to get back in his good graces? Drew says, it’s partially to earn Michael’s forgiveness, but they both know Michael is the perfect person for the job. Michael says, because? and Drew says, he has C-suite experience and knows the company. Michael ran the company when he was away. Michael says, what about Curtis? and Drew says, Curtis is a great friend and an amazing employee. For an interim CEO, he was perfect, but when it comes to leading the company, Michael is the company’s future, not Curtis.

Lulu peeks out a door and goes through another hallway. She opens another door slightly and hears the doctor telling the receptionist, Lulu Spencer has been cleared for transport. As soon as they get the paperwork from Cyrus, she can be moved. She could be moved as soon as tomorrow. The receptionist says, Cyrus is dedicated to his niece, and the doctor says, the mayor is lucky to have a brother who cares so much. Lulu looks pretty worried, as we all would.

Sonny says, Kristina is doing great, and Alexis says she knows how hard it is to hear. Kristina says she’s got to keep it together. It’s the only way to get Ava convicted. The judge comes back, and DA Turner calls Kristina Corinthos-Davis to the stand.

Curtis says, Drew repeatedly told him that he was happy and proud of his performance, and Jordan says, they’re probably just playing phone tag. He says, Drew did just get elected. He’s busy. He’s sure when they connect, Drew will explain.

Michael asks when Drew is going to make the announcement, and Drew says he thinks the best thing is to let Curtis know he’s a valued employee and did a great job in the interim, but lacks the experience to do it long-term. He’ll secure board approval and put his assets in a blind trust. Then Curtis will go back to Wellness with a bump in pay and Michael will take over as CEO. Michael asks how Drew thinks Curtis will handle him breaking his promise, but Drew says he implied Curtis might get the job. It was not a promise. The bottom line is, it’s his company and he can run it as he sees fit. Curtis is capable at the helm, but Michael is family, and family comes first. Michael says he’s glad to hear Drew say that, and we see that he’s recording the conversation on his phone. Drew says he would never choose Curtis.

Lulu sees a fire alarm and pulls it. The doctor says, it’s not a drill. He has to find out what’s going on. He and the receptionist leave, and Lulu goes behind the desk, taking clothing and a duffel bag out of a drawer. She goes into another room.

The DA asks how Kristina’s pregnancy came about, and Kristina says, her sister Molly and Molly’s partner TJ were trying have baby. They were struggling, so she offered to help. DA Turner says, and they agreed, and Kristina says, yes. She was happy because she knew she was giving them the thing they wanted most in the world- a baby. She knew Molly would have been and someday will be an incredible mother. She got pregnant right away. The DA asks Kristina to tell her more about navigating a healthy pregnancy, and Ric objects due to relevance. The DA says, it’s of the utmost relevance regarding Kristina’s state of mind, and the judge overrules. Kristina says, everything went well. She felt good throughout the pregnancy. She sang to the baby, ate the baby’s favorite foods, and played music. The baby was feisty. She moved a lot, especially when Kristina ate chocolate. The baby loved chocolate. She felt like she was accomplishing something special and was the happiest she’s ever been. Ric says, they know she was happy. It’s not relevant to the charges, which the prosecution is well aware. The DA asks how Kristina knew the defendant, and Kristina says, Ava and her father had a relationship and share a child together, her half-sister Avery. DA Turner says, this is going to be painful, but they need to talk about the day Kristina was injured. Kristina says she’s ready to talk what Ava did to her.

Cyrus asks if he can go back in to see Lulu, but the receptionist tells him, because of the fire alarm, they have to do a bed check on every patient. She tells him that it was a malfunction, and it happens from time to time. He says he just doesn’t like leaving Lulu alone.

Outside, Lulu changes behind a rock and finds a ponytail band in the pocket of the hoodie she’s wearing. She says, girl, thank you.

DA Turner asks Kristina, what happened on the night in question? Why was she in Ava’s hotel room? Kristina says, Ava and her father were in a custody dispute over her half-sister Avery. Ava had subpoenaed her to testify against her father, and she went to Ava’s hotel room to ask her to recall the subpoena. She told Ava that she didn’t want to testify, and she was worried about Avery watching her mother tear her family apart. Ric objects, but it’s sustained, and Kristina says she pleaded with Ava, but she refused. Ava got furious and said she’d enjoy watching Kristina testify against her father. When Kristina said she wouldn’t, she yelled and grabbed Kristina’s arm and pushed her through the window. (I guess this is the Reader’s Digest version with… let’s call them embellishments.)

Michael says, it sounds good. He and Drew have a deal. They shake hands and Drew says he’s happy. He knows it will take time, but he’s grateful for Michael meeting him halfway. Michael says he wants to set things right and he’s optimistic about Aurora’s future. Drew says, the sky’s the limit. He’s got go check in with his DC office. They’ll talk soon. He leaves and Michael retrieves his phone from the bar. He listens to it with his earbuds and says, it’s good. He calls Curtis.

Michael says he heard Curtis reached out to Drew, and Curtis says he didn’t like the position they were in after they talked. He and Drew need to have an open and honest conversation. Michael says, how’s this for open and honest? and plays the recording.

Lulu walks down the road and yells for help.

Curtis listens as Drew says, family comes first. Michael says, Drew would have never chosen Curtis over him. Does Curtis believe him now? Curtis says, yeah, and Michael says, they can change this. Will Curtis have a word with him?

DA Turner asks what Kristina remembers after the fall, and Kristina says, the next thing she remembers is the feel of the glass breaking. She knew she was falling and remembers screaming, then everything went black. The DA asks, what’s the next thing remembers? and Kristina says, coming to in the ambulance. Josslyn was there and told her that she was going to be okay. She must have passed out, because the next thing she knows, she woke up in the hospital. She was in a lot of pain and confused. She didn’t know what happened, and the doctor told her that her baby didn’t make it. She didn’t need be told. She just knew. Mother’s intuition. She could feel the baby was not inside of her anymore. That’s when she really understood why the baby wasn’t on the inside of her. She knew because Ava had pushed her through the window and killed her daughter. DA Turner says, no further questions.

Ric says he’ll be brief. Why is Kristina lying?

Tomorrow, Lucky tells Elizabeth that the sooner they have answers, the better; Sonny says he doesn’t trust Ric, and Alexis says, he shouldn’t; Ava asks if Ric is planning on defending her at any point in this trial; and Lulu tells a driver that she could use a ride.

🧼 Another One Bites the Dust…

I have to admit, I was shocked, but I understand it. Not everybody wants to play the same character for a million years.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Captain Glenn jumps out of bed, and Gary tells someone to get Emma. He also grabs Davide, and keeps yelling, hello! The captain teleports to the deck and wonders how the other boat got so close. Gary says he thinks they’re dragging. Guest Brandon comes out to investigate, and pretty soon all the guests are up and watching the action. Keith takes some of them out in the tender. Gary says, they’re going to crash into the rocks, and Captain Glenn says, they’re dragging toward them. Emma gets Daisy and Danni up, and Gary yells, get fenders! to anyone who will listen. The captain asks where Emma is, and Gary says he told her to change. Gary tells Keith to knock on the hull. Give it a hard knock. Keith bangs on the boat and Captain Glenn tells him to try the forward cabin. Finally, a dude emerges, and Keith tells him, wake up. You’re drifting. Brandon says, smells like pot, and Keith says, he’s way to calm. They’re stoned as hell. In Keith’s interview, he says, banging into a superyacht is not a bill you want to pick up. Gary says, it’s been more than enough excitement for one night. Everyone rubs their eyes, and now that they’re all wide awake, they go back to bed. Danni and Keith dry dishes, and Danni talks about tensions between her and Diana. She says, Daisy thinks things are her fault. She’s over the bad vibes. Keith says, in a team environment, it’s easy to point fingers, and in Danni’s interview, she says she thought it would be a more enjoyable experience. It’s been a dark and stressful and dry time on the boat. She just wants to act her age and have fun. Keith says, they’re all struggling.

Last day of charter. Daisy says she’s glad the charter is over, and Emma says she’s actually ecstatic. Daisy tells her not to let her insecurity push her out. Jump up to help and do something. Emma has a hard time putting the covers on the deck furniture cushions, while Captain Glenn explains what happened last night to the guests. Co-primary Sherry says she thought they were being boarded by pirates. Emma tries to hang a flag, and Gary has to show her how to do it again. He tells her to make sure it’s at the top and not half-mast. No one’s dead. Captain Glenn tells Gary, there have been a lot of close calls. It’s a struggle to properly manage people. You can’t teach motivation. Emma bitches to Danni, and Gary tells the captain that Emma can’t drive a tender. She doesn’t get it. Captain Glenn says he’ll see what he can do. Emma tells Danni that she thinks they want to get rid of her, and in her interview, she says feels Gary’s patience wearing thin and she’s stuck in No Man’s Land. Danni says, at the end of the day, if that’s what she thinks is happening, it’s Captain Glenn’s decision. Captain Glenn texts to find out the availability of deckhands. 

The food porn that is eggs benedict is paraded out, and in Cloyce’s interview, he says he’s hitting his stride. He’s excited to continue to grow and push his own boundaries and culinary capabilities. Gary asks if the guests would like the rope swing, and Emma deals with a splinter in the crew mess while Diana gags while watching her. Gary calls Emma to help with the rope and does a demonstration on how to use it for the guests. Using a pokey pole, Emma is supposed to catch it to bring it back, but she can’t seem to do it. It just keeps bouncing off and she almost falls in the water. In Gary’s interview, he says, it’s quite sad, but come on. It’s not hard. The guests swing on the rope, and it looks like mega fun. Sherry says she can’t go in the water, or her hair will be a snarly mess. Danni tells Keith that she doesn’t like him when he’s in uniform. He’s mean. He says he’ll get out of it, but she says she doesn’t know if she’d trust him. When he has his belt on, he’s the rudest person she’s ever met. He’s a d*ck. In Keith’s interview, he says, Danni can dish it out, but she can’t take it. It’s got to be on her terms and he’s over it.

Anchor is home, and Keith tells Danni that he’s sorry. He didn’t think he was mean. In Danni’s interview, she says, since they’ve broken up from doing absolutely nothing, he’s been a d*ck. She’s not even trying and she’s still getting rejected. They’d be better off with staying the f*** away from each other for the rest of their lives. Emma huffs and puffs, but can’t detach the stern line from the tender. Captain Glenn asks Gary to give Emma a hand, and in Gary’s interview, he says, this shouldn’t require two people. This is taking his time, and he can’t be there for the guests or Captain Glenn if he’s showing a deckhand how to do everything little thing on the boat.

The boat heads for Igy Marina, and the guests pack. Sherry says, the crew has been magical with their fairy wands, dust, and glitter that they spread every day. Emma tells Gary that she doesn’t know what to do because he and Keith always do it. Gary instructs her, and she realizes that he did show her before. She says she’s sorry. She hasn’t done day docking in a long time. Gary tells Captain Glenn that he can kick to port, and then has to show Emma how to tie a knot that she finds confusing. He says, it’s the most basic knot, and in Emma’s interview, she says she’s frustrated with herself. It’s something she knows she can do, something she’s done before, but for some bizarre reason, she’s overthinking everything and making stupid mistakes. She cries in wheelhouse, and Davide asks, what’s wrong? She says she keeps f***ing up, and in Davide’s interview, he says, Emma is her own worst enemy. She’s so scared of messing up, it’s preventing her from doing nearly everything. She tells him that she doesn’t want to make a thing out of this and asks him not to mention it to Gary. The captain calls the crew to be on dock to give the guests a good sendoff. After all the hugs and goodbyes, co-primary Phillip says, they delivered on everything. They were treated like family and the crew will always be family. They appreciate it. He gives Captain Glenn the tip envelope, and they leave. The captain says he loves this part and blows the horn. He tells the crew, back to work.

Daisy asks what Danni and Diana thought of charter five. Any feedback or what they could improve. Danni and Diana just look at each other, and Diana says she doesn’t know. Daisy says, it was her favorite charter. They can always improve, and they could try to be quicker with the décor. Some things are taking too long and it’s annoying. She’d rather they be done quicker so they have time to chill. It’s less stressful. There’s basically no reaction, and she thanks them. In Daisy’s interview, she says, there’s a lot being said without a lot of words. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t understand why she’s number one on Daisy’s target list. Daisy tells Emma that Danni and Diana are slowly starting to hate her, and Danni tells Diana that they never chill. Daisy will just ask them to do something else. In Diana’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to be involved in this situation. She needs them both. In Danni’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to be chief stew. If Daisy feels threatened, it’s not her fault. If Daisy has issues that she doesn’t want to resolve, fine. She’ll just get back to work.

The boat gets straightened up and Captain Glenn calls for the tip meeting. He says, now is when the midseason blues can kick in. Keep rising above. Cloyce knocked it out of the park for the Sweet 16 party. Always be striving. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, they should never underestimate his power. The captain says he’s not sure the deck team is firing on all cylinders, but thanks them for last night. It’s important to stay vigilant. The tip is $18K or 1722 euros each, which I might normally think is cheap, but it was a quick, no muss, no fuss charter. He thanks everyone for their efforts and champagne is poured. He says he wants to point out that the boat was in good shape after last night. He’d like to find it that way every time. Let their hair down, but clean up afterward. Sounding like Scrooge talking to Bob Cratchit, he says, they have the whole day off tomorrow. They’re going to explore local caves and he’ll be joining them. He loves caves. Then he’s leaving and they can enjoy the rest of the day at O Beach Club. In Danni’s interview, she says she’s stoked. She hopes she bumps into Anthony. His text banter is as good as his real-life banter. She reads a text that says, they have unfinished business, and he’ll see her on her next day off.

In the master suite, Gary says, Captain Glenn knows he has a problem with Emma and her lack of initiative and willingness to work. The captain says he was trying to show her things, but she was struggling with basic knots. She’s not a capable deckhand. There’s only one choice. Gary says he didn’t want it to come down to that, but he has to agree, and the captain says he’s already looking for somebody new. The dreaded conversation has to happen. In Captain Glenn’s interview, he says, Emma has had ample opportunities to prove her value, but she hasn’t taken them. Gary says he’s going to cry, and after chickening out a few times, he knocks at Emma’s cabin. He asks if they can have a chat and asks her to go to the master. Emma tells Diana that she’s getting fired.

In the master, Gary tells Emma to have a seat. Captain Glenn says he doesn’t know how to put this, but right now she’s not delivering what they need. She’s not showing the initiative and experience that’s needed to do the job. They’re having to pick up the slack and need somebody that has more skills than she’s showing. They have to let her go. Gary says, it’s not easy for him. Maybe he’s not explaining things right. Emma says she’s not going to embarrass herself more. They’ve obviously made up their minds. The captain says he likes her potential, but she says she doesn’t want to continue the conversation. She jets out of her seat and to the door, and Captain Glenn tells her to come back. She can’t run away. Emma says she really doesn’t want to right now, and leaves.

Emma tells Daisy that she’s been fired. She’s not where she needs to be. She couldn’t finish the conversation. It’s literally the most embarrassed she’s ever been. Daisy says, no. Emma is thinking the worst thing now, but sometimes they need a stronger person in a situation. Emma says she can’t have that conversation, but Daisy says, sometimes you have to hear these things. In Emma’s interview, she says, no wonder Gary couldn’t look her in the eyes. He’s a coward. She tells Daisy that she’s the scapegoat, but Daisy says she doesn’t know that unless she talks to Captain Glenn. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Emma doesn’t see her own shortcomings. Emma tells Diana and Danni what happened, and they hug her. Emma says she’s going to have a cigarette, calm down, and talk again. She asks Captain Glenn if she can have 10 minutes, and he says, absolutely. She goes out on deck.

Daisy, Danni, and Diana follow Emma, and Daisy says, she’s going to be okay. Talk to Captain Glenn. She knows Emma doesn’t want to. Emma says she’s thinking about how she’s embarrassed her parents, but Daisy says, she hasn’t done anything to embarrass herself. Danni says, she’s a legend. She’s got this. Emma goes back in and tells the captain that she’s sorry. She’s ready to carry on. On deck, Diana asks, what the f*** just happened? Captain Glenn says he feels bad, but it’s not a rash decision. She needs to get more experience. She has some good experience already, but not enough. She needs to get more. That’s it. She thanks him, and on deck, Gary calls his mom. He says he’s terrible. He had to let a chick go and she didn’t take it well. She’s lazy and lacks initiative, but maybe he needed to show or teach her better. His mom tells him to stop trying to please everyone and don’t get too drunk because he’s feeling bad. Gary tells Cloyce and Davide about Emma not being able to do her job and needing more experience. Emma says, this is not how she wanted the season to end, and in her interview, she says she feels a bit at a loss. She needs a few days to absorb it. She knows her anxiety flairs up and she needs to be better at accepting something and learning from it. She’s met amazing people, and it would have been a lot harder without the people who made her smile. She’s forever grateful. She leaves, and Gary says, what the f***? She didn’t even say goodbye.

Danni wonders who’s coming, and Diana says she doesn’t want to change cabins, but Danni says she’s hoping for a new boy. The captain calls a crew meeting, and says he wants to explain exactly what’s going on. Emma is gone. He made a choice and let her go. He liked Emma, but she wasn’t able to do her job the way they needed her to do it. In Keith’s interview, he says he has mixed emotions, shock and guilt. Emma didn’t say goodbye. Captain Glenn says he’ll find a replacement before the next charter. The crew leaves for a night out, and Davide says, when Gary is in a bad mood, everybody has to be. They go to a restaurant and Keith orders a round of espresso martinis for the table, as a team. On the boat, the captain finds out he can get a deckhand in two days. Gary leaves the table, and Daisy says, it’s a sad day and a hard day, but that doesn’t take away from their accomplishments. Gary drinks some tequila at the bar inside, comes back to the table, and guzzles his martini. He says he’s going to get f***ed up and be the life of the party. Daisy asks him to go for a smoke and asks how he is. He says he’s a bit down. He feels like he could have been a better teacher and leader, but she says, they can only manage someone who wants to be managed. She doesn’t think it was the wrong decision, and thinks he knows that deep down. Don’t be hard on himself. What’s important is trying to learn and grow. She tells him to say he’s okay, and he says he guesses so. He says he’s feeling better. He’s a bit drunk. Daisy says, the day started low, but she’s happy they ended on a high. They go back to the boat.

Danni asks if Keith filled the hot tub and says she doesn’t know how Daisy does it. There’s a lot of loud reactive personalities. Daisy tells Keith that she doesn’t resonate with the girls, and he says he thinks they’re immature, especially Danni. She said he was an a-hole when he’s in uniform. Daisy says she hopes he doesn’t take it to heart. She’s had a positive experience with him. He says he can speak to her. She’s the one person he can be himself with. Gary and Davide make shots, and Cloyce eats cake in the galley. Gary starts throwing lollipops at Davide and hits him in the eye. They’re so drunk, they think it’s hysterically funny that Davide is bleeding all over the white sofa. Danni walks in and says, Gary, what did you do?

To be continued…

🐕 Pet Friendly Travel…

I can’t imagine traveling with my dogs, but if you have well-behaved furbuddies, here are some tips.

https://people.com/holiday-tips-for-pet-owners-evan-antin-8747736

🪑 Sitting At the Kids’ Table…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and my take on Red One, last weekend’s big screen watch. Until then, stay safe; stay always putting a used utensil on your plate, not the table; and stay not being so scared of messing up, it prevents you from doing nearly everything.

December 7, 2023 – Marshall Gets a Visitor From the Past, Not Very Charming In Jamaica, It’s Pat, Happy Hanukkah & 8 Crazy Nights

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Violet tells Greogry and Alexis that they have to find the perfect tree, and Gregory says, perfection is the enemy of the good. Violet asks what that means, and Alexis says, it means, sometimes when you’re looking for perfection, you miss something quite special. Violet says, okay. She’ll be on the lookout for a special tree.

Robert says he doesn’t get a tree himself, but he’s delighted Diane invited him to help pick out hers. She smiles at him.

Curtis says he’s got to hand it to Marshall. He can decorate the hell out of a Christmas tree. He and Portia have tons of ornaments between them, yet Marshall managed to get all of them on the tree. Marshall holds an angel ornament in his hand that says First Christmas, and Curtis asks if that one broke. Marshall says, just his heart. He recognized this ornament the moment he unwrapped it from the tissue paper. Curtis’s mama made this one their first Christmas together.

At an unidentifiable restaurant, Lucy sets down two drinks and says, something fruity and fun for her and something olive-y for Scotty. He says she sure knows what he likes, and she says, after their entangled history, she’d better. He says, with her busy schedule, he’s glad she could pencil him in, and she says she always makes time for him. He says he wishes Liesl would do that, but she’s running around from conference to conference. She’ll do anything just to stay away and forget about him, but he’s glad he has a friend like Lucy. They clink glasses.

Anna asks Dante why they’re meeting at the morgue. Is there another murder? He says, nothing like that. He just wants to keep it quiet. He got a look at the final arson report on her house. She asks if it was Charlotte.

Carly is doing work at a table in Kelly’s, when Brennan walks in. He says, they meet again.

Curtis says he’s surprised mom never told him that she made an ornament marking their first Christmas together, and Marshall says, they were newlyweds. He had a great gig with a club band, so he was out late most nights. They managed to get themselves a tree, but he was always too busy to help decorate it. Christmas Eve rolls around, and he comes home to find the tree strung with lights, but just one ornament is on it. He figured, she mad now. He started apologizing, promising to stay up late and do whatever she needed him to do, but she said, no, no need. Curtis’s mama liked that tree just like that. This tree here is a beaut, but that first tree with this one ornament, that was the best tree he’d ever seen. He hangs the angel in a prominent spot.

Lucy says, what she loves about Scotty is, he doesn’t judge her; he never has. He sees her core and doesn’t judge her heart or her soul. Although he has judged several of her relationships. He says, like she hasn’t judged his, and she says, that’s because she just wants what’s best for him. So if it couldn’t be her… He says, go on, and she says, it could have been. They tried, on the legit end of the downlow, but that stupid, stupid affair did cost her relationship with Doc. Such a messy scene that upended everything. It was such a wake-up call, and she did have to reevaluate her life. She thinks that’s why they know they make better friends than lovers. He says, they have changed course a few times, and she says, several times, but somehow, they still stay connected… because of their daughter. By the way, has he heard the latest on Serina?

Violet calls Gregory to look at a tree, and Alexis says she’s going down another aisle to see if she can find something special. Alexis sees Diane telling Robert that she thinks it’s this one. Imagine this tree covered in lights, lots of ornaments. He asks if she’s got all that, and she says, absolutely. He says, what about mistletoe? and pretends to hold some over her head. They see Alexis and everyone says hi. Robert says he’s here with Diane to select a Christmas tree, and Alexis says, that’s new. She doesn’t recall Diane ever having a tree. Robert says he thought she said she had one every year, but Diane says, she told him that she thinks of having one every year, but this year, she’s following through. It’s the start of a new tradition; one of many, she hopes. Violet and Gregory come around the corner, Violet saying, come on, let’s go this way. Gregory sees Diane and says, what an unfortunate coincidence running into her.

Brennan asks if he can join Carly, or is she too busy? She says she can take a break and tells him to have a seat. He sits down, and she asks if he’s here for another burger, but he says he’s going to try the BLT. He’s heard raves about it. Carly says, it’s the house specialty. Does he want fries or coleslaw with that? He says, fries, of course (🍷), and Carly calls the server over, and tells her, this gentleman would like the BLT with fries. She asks if he wants a shake, because their shakes are legendary, but he says, water’s fine. He has to cut the calories somehow. The server leaves, and Carly asks how he’s enjoying Port Charles.

Dante says, there’s nothing in the report that ties Charlotte to the fire, and Anna says, thank God. He says, it’s a huge relief, and she agrees. She says, any indication of who’s responsible? and he says, they have pinpointed another suspect. She says, let’s hear it, and he says, the morning after the fire, evidence was found in the bushes outside her house, scraps of fabric. They tested positive for the same accelerant used to start the fire. She says, so the arsonist leaving the scene would have caught their garments on the hedge or something, and he says, they were also able to lift DNA from the fabric. They match the late Jameson Forsythe.

Violet asks why it’s unfortunate to see this lady, and Diane tells Robert that she thinks she’s had enough tree shopping for tonight. Besides, it’s a little chilly out. Robert says, they’ll find something to warm her up, and they tell everyone goodnight. Violet asks, who is that lady? and Alexis says she was going to inspect some trees down there. Does Violet want to scope them out first? Violet says, sure, and skips off, Gregory telling her to stay where they can see her. Alexis asks Gregory, was that really necessary?

Robert asks what that was all about, and Diane says she’s representing the family that’s suing General Hospital for malpractice. He says, so what? Everyone is entitled to representation. It’s nothing personal. Diane says, it gets personal when the doctor at the center of the lawsuit is your son, and Gregory Chase’s son is Dr. Hamilton Finn. He says she had more tact than Professor Chase, and she thanks him for noticing. He says he promised her something warm. Let’s go.

Anna tells Dante, so Forsythe would have set the fire, thinking the last copy of the mission report was in her house, but he couldn’t be certain of that, so he would have kept her under surveillance and would have seen her and Robert move the trunk to Maxie’s apartment. So Forsythe would have been watching the night that Charlotte was shot? Dante says, he was probably waiting for the cops and everyone to leave and the apartment was empty, to go in and get the report and any supporting evidence. She says, now that Forsythe is dead, murdered, what happened to the report?

Brennan says, Port Charles has definitely surprised him, and Carly says, in what way? He says, the cuisine, obviously, and she says, obviously. He says, and the people seem friendly, and she says, they’re pretty friendly, for the most part. He says he’s enjoyed getting to know the city. He runs through the park every morning past the Port Charles Museum. She says, The Chuck. That’s what the locals call it. He thanks her for the correction and says he hasn’t had a chance to visit yet, but he plans to make time for it. She asks how long he’s staying in Port Charles, but he says he’s not sure. As of right now, his visit is open-ended.

Marshall says, mama never told Curtis that story? and Curtis says, maybe it made her miss Marshall too much. Marshall says he’d hate to think he ruined Christmas for Curtis’s mother, but Curtis says, he didn’t. He told Marshall that when they got the tree. Christmas was mom’s favorite time of the year. He remembers she would wait until December 1st before she’d start decorating, but when she did, look out. She went all in: garlands, ribbons, wreaths, Christmas music from Mahalia Jackson to The Jackson 5, Bing Crosby to Aretha, and 24/7 music. He does believe that’s why he loves Christmas so much to this day. That’s when mama was always her happiest.

Lucy says, even though she was the surrogate and didn’t give Serina her biology, she feels deep down she gave Serina part of her spirit heart, and Scotty says, it sounds like something New Age. What he does know is, they really made a great kid. Lucy says, they literally did, when her phone chimes. She says, remind her not to take any text from work, because Tracy Quartermaine being involved with Deception is the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen. Scotty says he’s really sorry Lucy gave away all of her stock at Deception, including the tie breaking vote with ELQ, and Lucy says she’s really sorry too. But sometimes you have to sacrifice for those you love, and she, Maxie, and Sasha are not taking any salary right now to make sure they don’t have to lay off any of their staff. He says, Dominique was Serina’s biological mother. She was all heart, but he thinks Lucy is right. He thinks Serina did get her spirit heart.

Portia walks into the house on the phone, and says she looks forward to getting all the details. She asks if Curtis and Marshall decorated the tree. It’s so beautiful. Curtis says, she can credit pops with most of it. He even managed to get both their ornaments on this one tree. She says she sees, and she’s in awe. It even smells like Christmas around here. Marshall says he’s pleased she likes it. And if they’ll excuse him, he’s stepping outside to get a breath of fresh air. Curtis says, it’s kind of cold out, but Marshall says he likes the cool. Portia tells him that there’s a throw on the chair, but he says he’ll be fine and goes outside. She asks if Curtis and his dad had fun decorating, and Curtis says, yeah. Like he said, his dad did most of the work. He just kept Marshall company. They reminisced. Pops told him a great story about this one. He shows her the angel ornament.

Outside, Marshall sits down. Irene sits next to him and says, he should use that blanket. He’ll catch his death out here.

Scotty says he loves that Serina is running around Florida saving all the manatees, but he hopes she settles down one day and maybe he gets a little grand toddler to bounce on his knee. Lucy says, don’t tell anybody, but he really is an old softie, and he says, she wouldn’t want to be a grandmother? She says she’d have to wrap her mind around it… She doesn’t think she’d mind because she likes the age she is right now. She kind of likes the hard-earned wisdom, and she really is becoming the woman she wants to be. She knows who she is and she certainly knows what she wants. But that doesn’t change the younger Lucy who was fearless and curious about everything, and who saw endless possibilities. Or the thirty-something Lucy, who actually relished being in her bra and panties in front of everybody at the Nurses Ball. He says, she liked being half-naked up there? and she says she didn’t at first. She was kind of mortified, but by the third or fourth time – don’t tell a soul – but she just pretended to be embarrassed, because she knew she looked damn good. He says, yes, she does.

Gregory tells Alexis, Finn did nothing wrong. The Muldoon family is already grieving their loss. The last thing they need is some lawyer swooping in to make a buck. She says she’s going to stop him right there. Diane is a shark, but she’s not a vulture. She’s also not the attorney who filed this suit. She’s a litigator. She’s a trial attorney and she took over this case because it went to trial. She’s also on retainer with the Muldoon family, so she has a legal and financial responsibility to look out for them. And quite frankly, from the facts of this case, she’ll probably win.

Brennan says he has a complex business situation that he has to untangle and get up and running, and Carly asks what kind of business he’s in. he says he’s a security consultant. He sets up security systems, both cyber and the real world, everything from individuals to large companies. She says, so he used to be a spy, and he says he could tell her, but then he’d have to kill he. She laughs, and he says, in all seriousness, why would she think that? She says, because her ex-husband uses a security consultant, and he used to be a spy. Seems to be where all the best security people learn their craft. He says, in his case, she’s mistaken, but he’s still really good, and she says, ex-military? That would be the same thing, right? Diane and Robert walk in, and Carly says she’ll be right back. She asks how Diane is, and Diane says, in desperate need of hot chocolate. Carly asks Robert, how are things? and he says, busy. Never a dull moment. They’d like two beverages to go. They’re planning on an excursion. Carly tells them, right this way, leading them to the counter. She says, one hot chocolate for Diane, and coffee for Robert? but Robert says, hot chocolate. He’s actually quite fond of it. Diane says, but don’t let it get out. It will ruin his carefully crafted grouchy image. Brennan glances over at them, obviously not wanting to be seen.

Dante says, so Forsythe was obviously a pro. There’s no way he keeps that report on his person. Anna says she doesn’t think for one second that he would have destroyed it. He wasn’t the only person involved in the op. He would have kept that for leverage. He says, or insurance, and Anna says, like she did. She doesn’t think Forsythe acted alone. Someone else is involved, she knows it. He says he thinks she’s on to something here, when the M.E. walks in. He says, if they’re here to view Jameson Forsythe’s body, it’s gone.

Gregory asks if Alexis believes Finn committed malpractice. He thought they were on the same page with this. She says, he knows how much she loves his son, and she thinks he’s an excellent doctor, but she’s looking at this from a legal perspective. And there’s a strong argument to be made that he should have pushed for more testing when Muldoon first came to see him. Gregory says, doctors test based on symptoms presented. Of course (🍷) there’s tons of tests he could have run, but are they practical medically, not to mention financially? She says, again, she’s not saying Finn is guilty. She’s saying there’s an argument to that effect and Diane is going to make that, because that is the way the law works. He says, spoken like a former legal eagle, and she says, yes. Facts and testimony matter greatly, but in the end, it’s the attorney that makes the most compelling argument to the jury. And yes, she used to be an attorney and she misses it.

Lucy thanks Scotty for the compliment. He’s always been such a sweet talker. But with his rakish good looks and his pocket squares, she thinks he could be the next Golden Bachelor. He says, maybe if the contestants looked like her, but she says she wouldn’t. She thinks this is just all about him being at loose ends over Liesl. He says he’s not here to sing the blues. What’s going on with her? Why is she flying alone?

Marshall tells Irene that Curtis says Christmas was still her favorite time of year. He’s glad that his leaving didn’t change that. That’s what he regrets, missing all those Christmases with her and the boys. Why did he ever leave?

Portia says, mulled wine, huh? Did Curtis make this or did Marshall? Curtis says he put out the wine while dad was trimming the tree, and she says, they make a very nice team. This is a very welcome end to a long, long day. He says he can have one of these waiting for her every night from now until Christmas, and she says, be careful. He doesn’t want to start spoiling her now, but he says, that’s the plan. It’s a ramp up until her real Christmas present. She says, mysterious. She likes it. She may have something special for him, but it’s not a present. It’s the chance to walk again.

The M.E. tells Dante that he can’t stand when these agencies just swoop in here, no warning, demanding this and that, going through his records. Dante asks what agency he’s referring to, and he says, the WSB. They took Forsythe’s body, the autopsy, and all the related reports. Dante gets on his phone and tells Anna, they classified the arson report. He can’t even access it. Anna says she assumes he went old school and made a copy, but he says, no, he didn’t. He didn’t have time. What about the M.E.’s autopsy notes? Does he have those? The M.E. says, they took everything, but it’s interesting he mentions an arson report. The victim had a partially healed burn on his left leg.

Carly asks if Diane and Robert are headed to Christmas festivities, and Diane says, they just came from Rice Plaza. If she’s planning on getting her Christmas tree from the Port Charles Pioneers, hurry, because they’re going fast. Carly asks if they have good ones, and Diane says, they do. She found a good one, but the shopping trip was cut short by work complications. She’s going to have to circle back. Carly says, that’s too bad, and Robert says he did offer her a consolation walk in the park. It’s all nicely lit up, very festive. The city tree isn’t let yet, but… Carly says she thinks it sounds romantic, and Diane chuckles. Carly thanks them for stopping in, and they thank her and leave. The server tells Carly that Brennan’s order is up, but when Carly goes to give it to him, he’s gone.

Lucy tells Scotty that she’s the one who’s been ignoring Marty. She’s been so focused and all-consumed about Deception; she just feels awful about it. Scotty says, why? She’s a busy person. Martin should be paying attention to her. She says, he’s attentive and everything. She’s the one who has limited availability. He asks why she should go out of her way. Martin should be paying attention to her at all times. He would be.

Curtis says he’s sure Portia means well. He just doesn’t want to get his hopes up for some Christmas miracle. She says she completely understands that. Of course (🍷) not. But please hear her out. She sets their glasses on the side table, and says she came across this study on an experimental procedure, and one of the subjects was a man paralyzed from the waist down. After the procedure, this man could walk with full body support in only eleven days. He asks if she’s saying this is a possibility for him.

Marshall says, Irene begged him not to go. Said she’d stand by him no matter what, but he wouldn’t listen. He left her and his boys. Told himself that he was sparing his family from his illness. Maybe he was just sparing himself from being less than in her eyes. It was all a lie, a misdiagnosis. He starts to cry and says he never had schizophrenia. And he’s so sorry. He’s just so sorry. He sobs, and Irene gently turns his face to her and says, Marshall Ashford, you have been given a gift. You have a clean bill of health and you reconnected with your son. Why do you waste one more second looking back at something that can’t be changed instead of living the life you have now? It’s beyond her.

Alexis says, just so Gregory understands, she’s Team Finn. In fact, she helped Martin prepare him for his deposition earlier. He says, she did? How did it go? She says she didn’t pull any punches. She played Diane’s part. She was opposing counsel. He says, no wonder she argued there was a case to be made by Diane, and she says, yeah. She thinks Finn is more prepared now. She has to confess she rather enjoyed it. Cross-examining him, trying to trip him up, finding the weaknesses in his testimony… Gregory says, being ruthless, and she says, with a purpose. She was using the skills she spent all those years developing. He says, back on that judiciary bike. Riding it with the wind to her back. She says, it’s hard to believe she’s not going to practice law ever again, and he says he’s sorry. He knows how it is, being confronted with something you used to be great at when you can’t do it anymore. She says she’s sorry. He wins. She promises not to complain or pine away over her career loss again, but he says he’s not comparing losses. He’s just saying he understands. He knows she was an excellent lawyer. She thanks him, and leans over to see Violet standing near a tree. She asks if that’s the one.

Dante says he doesn’t remember a burn being mentioned, and the M.E. says, a lot was happening at the time. Dante flashes back to the M.E. saying there was a bruise on Forsythe’s left heel; it wasn’t new and didn’t come from the vehicle striking him. Dante remembers being given the key from Forsythe’s shoe, and tells the M.E. that his partner was able to get a match on the guy’s fingerprints. Anna asks how old he thinks the burns were, and the M.E. says, between three and four months. Dante thanks him for taking the time to meet with them. They appreciate it. He’d also appreciate it if the M.E. wouldn’t mention this to anyone. The M.E. says, what would be the point? He has no proof. The WSB took it all, which is a gross abuse of power. He’s never seen anything like it. He works with federal and state agencies all the time. None of them swoop in and take what they want with impunity like this. He sure hopes someone can rein them in. He leaves, and Dante asks what Anna thinks. She says she thinks someone’s gone to a great deal of trouble to clean this up.

Brennan walks into Kelly’s and Carly says, he’s back. He says, sorry about that. He holds a bouquet of flowers behind his back, and she says she never pegged him for the dine and dash type – or more accurately the order and dash – but people can surprise you. He says he got an overseas call, and the reception was dicey. He needed to call back on his satellite phone, which he realized he left in his hotel room. So he left, fully intending to return and pay for his meal. And on the way back, he saw these. He shows her the bouquet and says he hopes she accepts them with his apologies.

Irene says, worrying over things that happened 30 or so years ago won’t change anything, and it won’t absolve him of a thing. But the here and the now, that’s what matters. The only thing the past can do for you is let you learn from it, so you don’t make the same mistakes going forward. He says, what do you do with the feelings? He left her and her boys. He starts to weep again, and she says, let it go. She was angry and hurt at first, but she didn’t let it stop her from living her life. She had a lot to figure out. She struggled some, but she enjoyed life plenty. Her boys were a handful, but they were her pride and joy, and she still managed to have a full life. He touches her face, and she says, and yes, she missed him, and she thought about him all the time. But she didn’t let herself worry, waste her life thinking about what could have been. She lived her life, and she loved living it. And that’s what she wants for him. He’s safe. He’s alive. Be thankful for the life he’s had with his beautiful family, their family. Their son needs him, and Marshall is right here for him. Isn’t that something? She’s so thankful for that. Isn’t he? He nods, and she says, he may not have been here in the past, but he’s here now. So enjoy this Christmas and every Christmas to follow, and she’ll be right here enjoying it with him. That’s the best gift he can give her. She squeezes his hand and disappears. He feels the air where she was, kisses his hand, and looks up.

Portia tells Curtis, this procedure is in the very early stages of human trials, but as soon as she read it, she knew he’d be the ideal candidate. Before he was shot, he was in perfect health, great physical condition. And she hopes he doesn’t mind, but she submitted his name and medical records. Before he gets mad, she just heard back. They’re considering him to be part of a trial. He takes an audible breath and asks why she would submit his name without telling… He’s got it. She didn’t want to get his hopes up. She says, again, this is in the very early stages, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to walk again. But this is a chance. He thanks her, and she kisses him.

Lucy says, Scotty knows she appreciates getting attention from him, as long as they maintain their boundaries. He says he still feels that spark between them. Does she? She says, nostalgia. He’s feeling nostalgia. She thinks they’re both feeling nostalgia. They can’t deny their past and they’ll always be connected because of Serina, but she’s with Marty, and he’s hoping to get back with Liesl. It could happen, and if not, she’s sure he’ll find someone very wonderful to be with. She has to go. She thanks him for the conversation and the drink. If he hears from their daughter, please remind Serina to call her mom when she hits dry land. He says, okay. He’ll catch her later. She says, of course (🍷) he will, and she leaves.

Violet tells Gregory that she felt the needles and they’re not dry. It’s fresh. He says, good, and she says, it’s not too tall, but it’s tall… and nice with no bald spots. Alexis says she doesn’t see any, and Gregory says, now if they can just track down a salesperson. Violet says, but she doesn’t want this one, and Alexis says she thought Violet liked it. Violet says she does, but it’s too pretty. Someone else will want it. She wants to find a tree that’s not so pretty, but special, and give it a home. Gregory says, sounds like a plan. Why don’t they look down that aisle there?

Carly says she appreciates Brennan’s apology, but the flowers weren’t necessary. He says, they’ll just go to waste in his hotel room. Won’t she accept them? Come on. They’ll add a little more Christmas cheer to the place. She says, okay, and thanks him. His food had to be wrapped up and she’s sending it to the homeless shelter, but she’ll put another order in for him. She sets the flowers by the sink, and he says, let’s save that order for another day. He’s in the mood for something a little more elevated. Can he take her out to dinner? She thanks him, but says she’s seeing someone, and he says, of course (🍷). Why wouldn’t she be? It’s his loss. He puts some money on the counter and says it should cover his bill. He heads for the door, and she says, he didn’t come here for the BLT, did he? He says, no, but he’s glad he came. He leaves, and looks in the window, smiling at her as he passes.

Anna says she thanks Dante for everything he’s done, but she’ll take it from here. He asks what she’s talking about. He’s not dropping out of this. She says, Forsythe came for the report because he’s named in it. Then someone else wanted him and the report eliminated, someone who’s probably incriminated in the report also. And whoever it is, they’ve got a lot of power and enough resources to murder Forsythe, disappear the body, classify any mention of it, so they can’t access it. He says, right. We’re looking for someone high up in the WSB food chain who was there on the day of that blown op. She says, not we, me, and he says, she’s a loose end too. He’s not letting her do this on her own. She says, but it’s her past. She’s not going to put anyone else she cares about in danger. It’s cost her too much. So she’s good. She’ll just handle this alone. She thanks him and leaves. He takes the bag with the key in it out of his pocket.

Tomorrow, Chase says he and Brook have an announcement to make; Lois and Olivia agree something is a disaster; Violet picks her Christmas tree; and Tracy is in shock about something.

Southern Charm

Montego Bay, Jamaica. Craig video chats with Paige and says he wants to the go the blue hole. There’s also a waterfall and rapids, and he’s left it up to the group which they want to do. Madison talks to Brett, who’s going snowboarding, and Madison says, she’s going cliff jumping. So heh. Whitney brings Shep coffee, and Shep says he’s not disappointed in their accommodations. Whitney says, when he was a kid, his best friend was Jamaican. He spent his summers here. His first stepdad was related to Ian Fleming who wrote the James Bond novels here. He tells Shep that he got lost finding his room last night, and Shep says, he came down for a nightcap and saw Taylor and JT walking the other way. We see a clip of them together, and Shep says, if they hooked up, he feels sad for her. Whitney laughs and Shep says he has nothing against JT… Whitney says, it would be a revenge ploy, and Shep says, single Taylor is a dangerous woman. In Shep’s interview, he says, Taylor’s of the ilk that thinks she needs a guy, but that’s a whole other discussion. He tells Whitney, it’s time to be more like Paige, and Whitney says, the whole purpose of the trip was to introduce Paige and see how she could integrate with Craig’s friends. In Whitney’s interview, he says, Craig is delusional. He thinks the world is flat. Shep says he has no faith in any relationships anymore.

At the pool, Taylor gets a text that seems disturbing, and Madison comes out, sitting on the chaise next to her. We hear crickets for a while, then Madison says, it was funny running into Taylor and JT. In Taylor’s interview, she says she and JT have a good time. He makes her laugh, but she feels like he’d be a lot to handle. She tells Madison that they grabbed a drink or ten and chatted until 4 am, and in Madison’s interview, she says she doesn’t see them together. Maybe Taylor thinks he’s her only ally. She’s been on the outs with people in the group and it’s not a good feeling. Madison says she and Taylor haven’t spoken since JT’s dinner, and we flash back to Madison being ripping Taylor a new one. Madison apologizes to Taylor, and says she was getting fed things about Taylor that didn’t match up with what she’s known and seen. Taylor says she appreciates it. She’s going through a tough time. Madison says she thinks Taylor is a good person, but hates Taylor’s part in hurting Olivia. Taylor says she’s apologized multiple times, but it keeps coming up. A friend just texted her about a Page Six article that says she and Austen hooked up. We see the headline, and in Taylor’s interview, she wonders why someone has to stir the pot. She tells Madison that they find something else to talk about, and it comes back to her again. Olivia sees the article and says, what the f***? In Olivia’s interview, she says she’s taking a trip to get things off her mind, and someone sent her a Page Six article about Austen and Taylor. She hasn’t even had coffee yet. Here’s a thought. Coffee first, phone later.

The group meets in the lobby, and in her interview, Taylor says, clearly, Olivia saw the article and she knows Olivia is upset. In Olivia’s interview, she says, of course she’s upset, and in Austen’s interview, he says, this is his nightmare right now. Craig announces that those going to the blue hole, hop on the bus in the front. If they’re going with Shep’s locale of choice, get in the bus in the back. Shep says, they’ll meet afterward, and Craig says, they won’t be far from each other and there’s an awesome restaurant nearby. They get in the buses, and in her interview, Olivia says, does she want to get in the bus with her ex best friend and ex-boyfriend, or the bus with the bus with her ex best friend’s two exes? Door number two please. They roll out, and in the Shep bus, Madison says, this is her last hurrah. She and Brett are going to start trying to have a baby. Austen says he thought she was adamant about not having another child, but Madison says, Brett is the most fabulous guy on earth (I’m paraphrasing), so why not give him a child? Austen says, she didn’t want to give him a child, and she says, he is a child and she couldn’t take care of two. Madison talks fertility, and it has to be explained to Austen that every chicken egg doesn’t make a chicken. In Austen’s interview, a producer tells him that eggs have to be fertilized first. I understand Austen’s puzzlement because a lot of people have it. We raised chickens when I was a kid, and no, you won’t get an egg with an embryo inside when you buy a carton at the store, like some people will tell you. Craig asks, who else is getting pregnant? and Austen hopes nobody.

On the other bus, Shep asks how JT’s night ended. Where did he and Taylor go? JT says, they played ping-pong, and proceeded to drink until 5 am. Shep asks if they retired to their own rooms, and JT says, they did. Shep asks if he’s sure about that, and JT says, if Shep is asking if they hooked up, it’s a no. In JT’s interview, he says, Shep likes to fish, but once the fish is off the line, it’s no longer his business where the fish sleeps. Taylor is a grown woman and makes her own choices. Once again, JT proves what little respect he actually has for women, comparing Taylor to a fish. Everyone is checking their phones, and it seems the Page Six article is flying around. In Venita’s interview, she says, the Band-Aid keeps getting ripped off. Just when the wound is about to heal, Page Six says, I’ll take that. In Austen’s interview, he says he’s finally in a good place with Olivia, when the article drops. And it’s not like there’s any new information. In Shep’s interview, he says, it’s upsetting because it makes it more real when you read something you already knew. They’re trying to heal, and it opens the wound. The article says that Shep is supportive of Austen and Taylor, and Shep says, it makes him sound like a p*ssy. Olivia says, maybe he is, and Shep asks what he should do. Should his position be all fire and brimstone, and should he never speak to Taylor again? He’s worried about Taylor’s trajectory in life. He wants to help her weather the storm. Venita says, she set up the rainfall, and in her interview, she says, Shep doesn’t need to protect her. It’s not his role anymore. Let it go. Olivia says, the whole town thinks they had sex, and Venita says, she trusted both individuals who betrayed her. Shep says, Taylor texted, asking if he wanted to hang out. When he said he thought it would be a bad idea, she said, fine, she’d hang out with Austen instead. Olivia says, Taylor is using Shep to heal, and he says, it’s pure immaturity. Olivia says, it’s a character flaw, and Shep says, it’s complicated, but Olivia says, it shouldn’t be.

Dunn’s River Falls. This place looks incredible, and Shep says, it’s like a waterpark. Guide Andre tells them that they’re 600 meters above sea level. Stick close, be safe, and put on water shoes. He asks if they’re ready for fun and does a bird call. They mess around at a whirlpool, do some climbing, and take photos. In Shep’s interview, he says he thinks JT might be water repellent. He’s definitely not amphibious. He points out that a scene from Cocktail was filmed there.

Island Gully Falls. Another magnificent spot. Guide Sam gives the group water shoes, and in Madison’s interview, she says she’d rather step on a rusty nail than wear those shoes. They’re horrible. The sound and texture and water between her feet is gross. Sam shows them a platform they can jump from that’s 12 feet above the water, which is 30 feet deep. In Craig’s interview, he says he doesn’t like heights, but you have to get outside your comfort zone. He wants to do what he can to take the focus off the betrayal they’ve surrounded themselves with. In Madison’s interview, she says, jumping into the blue water feels like Tomb Raider, but she’s about to have another baby, so she’s going to have best time of her life.

Craig has ordered fish for the blue hole crew, and Taylor eats a fish eyeball. In her interview, she says, it tastes tough and chalky. She’s an adventurous eater. Rocky Mountain oysters… If you know you know. They go to the beach, where JT continues to wear his baseball cap even in the water. Ugh. He tells Rod that it’s a nice way to rest before tonight. Last night was hard. We flash back to the uncomfortable dinner, and JT says, when your face is on a national thing for being a d-bag, you have to make a change. Rod thinks JT has a chance with Taylor. Not after she sees this show he doesn’t.

Taylor tells Austen that she wakes up and sh*t is out on the internet and Olivia is pissed at her. She wonders if it’s that or Olivia just hates her. She’s tired of them both being the literal topic of conversation for two months. Austen says, she didn’t talk to him either, and he’s sick and tired of feeling like he did things wrong at every turn. Taylor says she’s thought it over and doesn’t know what upset Olivia. Austen calls Craig over and asks what the tone was last night with Olivia. Craig says he thinks Olivia is terrified to let them back in, and then find out more than a kiss happened. Madison suggests setting the record straight. Taylor says, they’ve talked for months, and Madison says, or tell them to STFU, get over it, or don’t. Taylor tells her, that’s what they’ve been saying. There’s nothing else to do. It makes her question if they were friends to begin with. Friends don’t treat you that way. Craig says, she hooked up with Olivia’s boyfriend, and Taylor says, people have betrayed her and she didn’t react that way. Craig says, everyone handles it differently. What is her goal? To be cordial and civil again? Taylor says she’d love to be friends again, but Craig says, he doesn’t think she can be friends with both Austen and Olivia. Sometimes you have to break up with people. The only way to move forward – he’s just the messenger – is to tell the truth. If they’re saying the truth is already out there, they’re at a standstill. Until they tell the truth, according to Olivia, she’s done with them.

Craig says, the restaurant they’re going to is Miss T’s, and it’s true, authentic, and awesome. It’s super cute, and the tables are covered with colorful scenes. I wonder if I could buy one. The blue hole group gets there first, and Craig orders all the appetizers, saying he’s a big apps guy. The other bus arrives, and Leva calls Olivia, so she stays on the bus to talk. She tells Leva that everyone is asking if she’s okay except the people involved. Everyone is saying they fully hooked up. She saw things they said, and the timeline doesn’t match up. In the first conversation she had with Taylor, Taylor said it was after New York, but the headline said it was recently. Leva tells her to talk to JT. She’s so angry at the two of them for Olivia’s sake. She believes they hooked up more than once. In Olivia’s interview, she says, the more she thinks about it, the more angry she gets. It doesn’t make sense and she feels like an idiot. Leva says, if she were Olivia, she’d watch her back. Shep asks how Taylor’s day was, and she says she’s tired. He says, this too shall pass, and tells her to get ahead of the article. Say she f***ed up, she loves and respects Olivia, and would love to get back to a place where they can be friends. Taylor says, they had that conversation already, and Shep tells her, say it again.

Olivia goes inside, and tells JT that she chatted with Leva, and her advice was lean in on him. Leva told her that JT knows stuff she should know. JT says, at Day Chaser, Taylor said they had multiple sleepovers. We flash back to this revelation, and Taylor saying she even slept there when Austen and Olivia were dating. JT wonders if guy code and girl code are different, but Venita says, they’re the same. In Venita’s interview, she says, she thinks Olivia has a right to be upset. At this point everyone is tired and wants real answers and they’re not getting anywhere. Olivia says she appreciates JT opening up, and Shep says, it’s stunning and beautiful here. He thanks Craig for making it happen and wishes Paige were here. He hopes they can hang out with her more soon. Life is good. Life is beautiful. He hopes everyone is having a good time. Cheers to his friends. (In other words, how about them Mets?) Olivia says, it’s the Southern way; slap a smile on your face and say cheers. The food looks amazing, and  Shep says, maybe he and Taylor can hang tomorrow. Has she talked anybody? Friends or family? Taylor says, and her friends in Charleston reached out as well as a friend from New York. They said the way she’s being treated is wild. Shep is the only one who has her back. Shep says, they all do, but he knows her. Madison says she’s trying not to eavesdrop, but it’s kind of hard, and Craig asks if Olivia has tried talking to Taylor and squashing it. Olivia says, after the article, she hasn’t heard a single word from Taylor, and Craig says, he thinks Austen feels bad, but he’s the one who said they did nothing wrong. He asks why Austen hasn’t apologized, and Austen says he hasn’t had a chance to talk to her. Olivia says, he literally doesn’t know how to do that, and Austen says he’s exhausted over the never-ending carousel. Olivia asks if he’s tired of talking about what he caused. Don’t do dumb sh*t if he doesn’t want to be talked about. Austen says, Olivia is up and down. One day she hates him, and another day she doesn’t. She says she doesn’t have the truth or consistency about anything, so forgive her if her emotions are up and down. Austen says he’s being honest about it; it didn’t happen. Rod asks if they’re on the same planet, and Austen asks why Rod is bothering him. Rod says he’s watching Austen toy with Olivia’s emotions, but Austen says he’s not trying to do that. JT jumps up and says, how about a real apology? Austen has to f***ing end this. He’s an insecure boy in a man suit. Stand up and be a f***ing man. Just say he’s sorry. Austen tells him to shut up, and JT says he can’t watch this bullsh*t anymore. Wow. In the middle of a restaurant. In Jamaica.

In Austen’s interview, he says, none of this has anything to do with him. He’s going to therapy and trying to change and fix things. JT inserted himself in Austen’s relationship and it only got worse. It’s so bizarre. He tells Olivia that he’s sorry, and she calls him a lying POS. She says she’s not surprised by his part in it, but nobody is. He doesn’t acknowledge that he’s done anything wrong. Stop saying bullsh*t he doesn’t mean, like the other day when he said he still loved her. We flash back to that, and she says, he’s walking bullsh*t. JT tells her, well said, and in Craig’s interview, he says, in the past, Austen would get mad and spin out of control. Now he’s like, if it makes you feel better, yell at him. He’s going to let them yell and continue to control what he can. He’s learning. Craig asks if Taylor is good, and Madison says she heard Olivia say that Taylor matters, but Austen doesn’t. Shep says, they had that conversation, but Taylor didn’t listen. Taylor says, she can’t today, physically or emotionally, and in her interview, she says she feels like everybody is picking Olivia’s side. No one wants to hear her out except Shep. Shep gets up and says, they’re going back to the hotel; it’s not a short drive. Craig tells him, sit down. Your girlfriend is crying and we’re trying to fix sh*t. Shep says, it’s not we. Craig gets off scot-free because his girlfriend lives in New York. His relationship isn’t under a microscope. In Shep’s interview, he says, they give Austen a hard time because he doesn’t confide in them, but he doesn’t think Craig confides in them either. There’s no friction in his life that they know about. Craig says, Shep just ruined everything, and tells Shep to get in the bus. Shep tells him to make up his mind. Craig just told him to stay. Craig says, it’s better if Shep’s not here, and Shep says, Craig isn’t going to like what he has to say. It’s long distance. It’s a relationship. Craig says, Shep is drunk and an awful boyfriend, and Shep says, Craig gets off scot-free. Craig says, maybe that’s because he doesn’t cheat on his girlfriend. Shep goes there and says, maybe it’s the other way around. Let’s talk about that. Craig asks if Shep is f***ing nuts.

To be continued…

🍸 Shaking Not Stirring…

About that Bond connection and more.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/southern-charm-patricia-altschul-things-you-didnt-know

✡️ Hanukkah Sameach…

These are so cool. Be sure to check out the one made of shells.

https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/holidays/photos/hanukkah-around-the-world?ic1=triv_120723

🔫 No Red Ryder For You…

Come on by tomorrow for everything from soap to online nuts. Until then, stay safe, stay always having a backup plan in case things go sideways, and stay not wasting a second looking back at something that can’t be changed. Live the life you have now.

November 23, 2022 – Martin Teams Up With Valentin, Everything Parade, Thanksgiving & Song

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Drew punches the heavy bag at the gym when his phone rings. It’s a reporter from the Aurora affiliate in Tucson, and she tells him that she tracked down the last known location of the Friends of Peace and Love commune. He says, great work, but she says, unfortunately, that commune pulled up stakes years ago, and vanished into the Mohave Desert. Sonny walks in, and Drew says he appreciates the effort, but she’s got to keep searching. Somebody somewhere has to remember something; they have to remember Willow. Sonny says, sounds like he hit a dead end, and Drew says, it’s starting to seem impossible actually. Sonny asks what he means, and Drew says he’s looking somebody who remembers Willow when she was Callie Miller. He’s looking for Willow’s biological mother.

At the MetroCourt, Nina asks if Carly would care to see the cocktail menu. She recommends the Kir Royale. Carly says she’s just biding her time until her room is ready.

Chase asks what letter Brook was supposed to write, and Dante says, he doesn’t know? He knows Chase wants to be a cop again, so he mentioned to Brook that the Civilian Complaint Review Board might be open to reinstating Chase again if she wrote a letter explaining what happened with the incidents. Chase says, punching Valentin and Linc, and Dante says, if she told them Chase was defending her, and put some context around what happened, they would be open to reinstating him perhaps. Chase asks when he suggested this to Brook, and Dante says, a few weeks ago, but she’s busy so… Chase says, yeah, maybe.

Brook says, let her get this straight. Linc is offering to return her music, the songs she put her heart and soul into that he’s been profiting off of; selling as commercial jingles for dog food and paper towels. Linc says, the commercial tunes are non-negotiable; they’re sold forever. The rest of her songbook can be hers. She says, as long as she keeps her mouth shut about all those women Linc sexually harassed, including her.

Britt says, that’s a first; her mother is speechless. Obrecht says, this isn’t funny. When Britt says she’s sick, does she mean the Huntington’s disease has progressed? Britt says, they’ve known for over a year she has the marker. Still, to hear the doctor say it’s no longer theoretical, that the disease is affecting her, is pretty shocking. They can’t deny the truth. Obrecht says, they’ll get a second opinion, and a third. There’s a specialty clinic in Zurich. She’ll fly Britt there. Britt says, this isn’t not a matter of opinion; it’s a fact. The symptoms have started, and they’re not going away. They’re here to stay.

Valentin sees Martin at the pier, sitting with a cake that has one long thin candle in it. Valentin asks what Martin is doing here, and Martin says, missing Lucy. Valentin says, what’s with the cake? and Martin says, once upon a time, he told her how much he loved hummingbird cake, and how hard it was to find in upstate New York. She threw herself into learning how to bake one. Valentin says, that was thoughtful, and Martin says, yes and no. It was touch and go for a while; some of them were just dreadful. But she never gave up. He lights the candle, and says, eventually, she perfected it. So to answer Valentin’s question, what he’s doing here is trying to remember, because Valentin’s girlfriend murdered his.

Diane sees Robert at the MetroCourt restaurant, and asks if she can finally buy him that drink. Or is he waiting for somebody? He says, yes and yes, and she sits down. He says he’s waiting for his contact from the WSB to relieve him of this. He indicates the briefcase, and she says, he must have some very important papers in there, and he asks if she’s ever heard of the kid’s game Rock, Paper, Scissors. She says, Rochambeau. Paper covers rock, rock breaks scissors, scissors cut paper. But what does that have to do with that? He says, diamonds cut anything. She says he’s got diamonds in that case, and he says, not just any diamonds. Did she ever hear of the Ice Princess? Holly walks in, and flashes back to confessing to Robert that she’s been doing Victor’s bidding.

Sonny asks why Drew is interested in finding Willow’s biological mother, and Drew says, Willow is actually looking for her biological father as well… for her own reasons. Sonny asks if Drew is saying it’s none of his business, but Drew says he’s not trying to be mysterious. It’s no secret Willow was raised in a commune by a woman she thought to be her mother. The way Willow explained it to him was that she knew Harmony wasn’t the best parent, but Harmony was still her mom, and it gave Willow’s life a little structure. Now her life is one big mystery, so Willow’s made the decision to track down her parents, and Drew said he’d help, for Willow, and for Sonny’s son.  

Carly says, let her know when her room is ready, and Nina says, Carly’s staying here, in Nina’s hotel? Carly says she’s surprised Nina doesn’t know; she booked the honeymoon suite. Only the best. Brick’s on his way. He’s going to stay the night. Nina says, Carly spoke to Sonny, and Carly says she did. And she and Nina need to have a little chat. Nina says she doesn’t think it’s necessary, but Carly says, they need to get a few things straight before Nina tells more lies about her and her family.

Dante says, maybe Brook didn’t want to get Chase’s hopes up, so she didn’t tell him about the letter, and Chase says, that’s one explanation. Dante says, maybe she’s waiting for the right time. Although time is of the essence. The Review Board meets every quarter, and the next meeting is next week. Chase asks if Brook knows, and Dante says he tried to convey that to her. Chase says, which makes him wonder if Brook changed her mind about sending the letter ,or ever intended to send one at all.

Linc says, Brook is entitled to her opinion, but so is he. They don’t live in a corporate world with HR departments. They’re artists. They live by a different set of rules. She says, please, don’t give her that tired old line, and he says, they’re both adults here. What they’re talking about is a he said/she said situation, and in those situations, no one usually wins. That’s why his solution benefits them both. Once Brook signs an NDA, he’ll continue to promote Blaze, and Brook can focus on making Chase the next big thing. She can hear him perform her music the way she always dreamed it to be. Do they have a deal, or don’t they?

Valentin says he knows Martin needs somebody to blame for Lucy’s disappearance, but he’s wrong about Anna. Martin says, is he? In spite of all that evidence. The drone footage of Anna shooting Lucy was enough for the police, and enough for Commissioner Ashford to have Anna arrested and arraigned. And let’s not forget, when her prison transport miraculously crashes on the way to Pentenville, what does she do? She escapes. Forgive him, but he’s been around courtrooms long enough to know innocent people don’t run away. Valentin says, not if they’re if framed. Listen to him. She wasn’t just thinking about herself when she crawled out of that prison van. She wanted to find Lucy, hopefully alive, and bring her home. She wanted to identify the real perpetrator. More than anything, she wanted to make sure justice was served. That’s why he’s on the pier. He’s doing his part to help Anna. He’s retracing the steps of whoever… Martin asks if Valentin hears himself. He’s in love with the woman. His judgement is questionable at best. They got video. Even Valentin’s father thinks she did it. Valentin says, it’s in Victor’s best interest for the world to think Anna is guilty. Martin asks, how? and Valentin says, is he going to make a wish or what? Martin picks up the cake, and says, for Lucy. Valentin says, for Lucy, and Martin blows out the candle. Valentin says he hopes Martin’s wish comes true. He really does.

On the phone, Holly says, Robert’s in the MetroCourt restaurant with the briefcase handcuffed to his wrist… She understands. They can’t let Robert hand off the briefcase to the WSB… Yes, she knows. If the Ice Princess falls into the hands of the WSB, Ethan pays with his life. She knows… Get it to her soon. That’s what she needs to get the diamond. Sooner rather than later.

Diane tells Robert, everyone has heard of the Ice Princess; it’s the stuff of legend. He says, there’s a necklace made out of diamonds from the Ice Princess in the case, and Diane asks if she could have a look. Just a little one; she won’t tell anyone. Robert says, absolutely not. The less she knows about this, the better. Holly comes by, and asks if she can join them. Robert says, have a seat, and introduces Diane Miller, attorney extraordinaire and his frequent opponent in court. He tells Diane, meet Holly Sutton, his ex-wife, and a woman he trusts with his life. Holly says, Diane’s name sounds familiar. Didn’t she just… Diane says, cheat death? Yes. She thinks that’s one thing she and Holly have in common. Holly says, yes, but make that two. Clearly they’re both fond of this chap, even if he is a little paranoid. Robert says, he’s just cautious, and Holly says, nothing is going to happen in the middle of a restaurant. She has to powder her nose, but suggests a round of tequila shots, on her, for old time’s sake. (Bleh. Why is it always tequila?) She leaves, and Diane says, she’s lovely. She understands why Robert fell so hard for her back in the day. He tells her, don’t be fooled; she can be quite lethal. He guesses it’s a combination he finds irresistible. Trish comes by, and he asks for a round of tequila shots, something top-shelf. Trish says, coming right up. Johann sits at the bar, and Holly stands behind him, looking at her phone. She asks, have you got it? and he says, just as she asked, surreptitiously slipping her a vial. She says, this should do trick.

Dante says, Chase and Brook are both his friends. The last thing he wants to do is cause trouble for them. Chase says he appreciates Dante’s honesty. He just wishes Brook would have done the same and told him about the letter. Dante tells him, don’t go dredging up trouble. He knows Brook cares for Chase. He’s sure Brook meant to tell him, but… Chase says, show biz always seems to get in the way, and Dante tells him, Sam says the same thing to him about police work.

Linc says he’s offering Brook what she’s been asking him for, for months; ownership of her songs. Her music, her way, with a bonus that they’ll be sung by the guy who rocks her world. Tell him it’s not a win-win situation for everyone. She says, tell that to Blaze, and tell it to the next girl who comes off a flight from the Midwest with her own artistic dreams, but with the unfortunate luck of meeting him as her first contact in the music business. He says, they all come here with their wide open eyes. He just gives them what they want. She says, he’s just going to keep treating those future women the same way he treated her, as long as she keeps her mouth shut. He asks if he said that. She misunderstands him. He doesn’t want her silence. She asks if that isn’t the whole point of the deal he’s offering, but he says, to close this deal of theirs, he’s going to need much more.

Obrecht says, time is of  the essence. As it happens, there’s a conference in Toronto, and one of the leading experts in Huntington’s is attending. Britt says, Dr. Talone? Thanks to Austin, she was examined by Dr. Talone earlier today. Obrecht says, and? and Britt says, it turns out while she was on the run with dear old dad, and in prison, she was experiencing Stage 1 of Huntington’s without even knowing it. What she thought was just fear and anxiety turned out to be the opening stages of the disease. And now she’s progressed to Stage 3. Obrecht says she wishes Britt had told her that she was seeing Dr. Talone, so she could have been there for support, but Britt says, Austin was there, and he’s become a good friend to her. Obrecht says she’s glad Britt wasn’t alone. Was the doctor able to give her a prognosis? Britt says, five to fifteen years, but being realistic, Dr. Talone said, a year and a half from now, she could be in assisted living needing full-time care. Obrecht says, now that they have her prognosis, they can begin experimental treatments. They’ll engage a nutritionist; whatever it takes. Britt says she doesn’t need a doctor; she needs a mom. They hug, and Obrecht cries, saying, that, you shall always have.

At the gym, Drew says, Sonny is still here, and Sonny says he’s curious why Willow feels the need to search for her birth mother, when she didn’t want to be a part of her life. Drew says, that’s true, but now that Willow is pregnant, he thinks the doctors could use any family history, medically speaking. Sonny says he’s also interested in why Michael wouldn’t come to him to help find Willow’s birth parents, and went to Drew for help. Apparently, Sonny hasn’t been paying attention. Drew says he’s family too, and he and Michael they’re business partners, had the merger of ELQ and Aurora gone through. Sonny says, the merger that didn’t happen. He heard it’s caused problems for Drew and his ex.

Nina says she doesn’t need Carly to tell her that she misinterpreted something, and Carly says, misinterpreted her ass. Nina saw what she wanted to see, and couldn’t wait to accuse Willow of cheating on Michael. Nina tells Carly that she apologized to Willow, and does she know what America’s sweetheart said in return? And I quote, drop dead. Carly laughs, and Nina says, of course (🍷) Carly would think that’s funny, but Carly says she doesn’t think it’s funny. Willow has been struggling since her pregnancy began, and this kind of gossip isn’t helping. And Nina couldn’t give a damn. Nina says she was thinking about Wiley growing up in a broken home, and Carly says, the only home wrecker she knows is standing in front of her. Nina says, Carly had to bring in Sonny, but Carly says, let her make it clear. She doesn’t care about Sonny. Nina is welcome to him. And Nina can spread whatever malicious lies she wants about her and Brick. She could not care less. Nina wants to come at her? Bring it on. But when Nina goes after Carly’s son and his family, don’t pretend she’s thinking about Wiley. Nina is looking for payback because they don’t want someone like her around their son? How’s that working for her? Is she spending any time with Wiley?

Sonny says, when he brought Josslyn back to the house, Drew was there, and it’s no surprise. He wasn’t there for a family visit, and Carly confirmed as much today. Drew says, Carly told him about them? and Sonny says he knows they have to be discreet because of trading issues. He doesn’t know why Carly felt the need to tell him, but she pretty much told him about her and Drew. Drew says, honest to a fault, but Sonny says he doesn’t know anyone who knows Carly who would describe her as honest to a fault. Drew says, after Carly told him, how did Sonny react? and Sonny says, the thing with ex-spouses, it takes a while to find your way forward with each other. He told Carly that Drew’s not a threat to him, and he’s happy for her. Drew tells Sonny, it’s nice of him to say, but does he mean it?

Chase tells Dante, Sam makes a good point. If and when he’s lucky enough to wear the badge again, the last thing he wants to do is take work home. Dante says, Brook wouldn’t like that any more than Chase likes her keeping things from him, and Chase says, maybe she’s just being careful not to make things more complicated by writing the letter.

Brook says, assuming she agrees to keep her mouth shut about what a miserable misogynist Linc is, unfortunately, she knows firsthand that Linc sexually harasses women. What else could he possibly want? He says, like he told her, he’s not interested in her silence. He’s looking for a different narrative. Like she said, they worked together in the past, and she’s uniquely qualified to tell the world what kind of man he is. She says she doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He can’t be serious. He wants her to paint a good picture of him? He says, in every interview she gives, in every PR release she writes, she’ll sing his praises… Poor word choice. She can’t sing now, can she? He says, all he’s asking is that she speak from her heart, and she tells him, her heart says he’s a loathsome dirtbag who preys on vulnerable women. He says, fine, don’t speak from her heart; speak from her head. Because at the end of the day, she knows she’s not going to get a better deal than this. All she has to do is swallow her pride, and paint a picture of him that’s so warm and winning, it counters any false accusations that are out there… and those yet to come, from Blaze or anyone else. She says, he’s telling her, think defensively, because if there’s a bad narrative about him, she can be dragged down with him? He says, she has a reputation for being strong, some might even say feisty. So if she goes on the record in his favor, she’ll be extra motivated to nip in the bud any outrageous complaints about his less than gentlemanly behavior. Otherwise, she’ll look like a traitor to her sisters, or just a sellout who only cares about herself. She says, make no mistake, she sees him for exactly who he is, and he says, great. So this is a no brainer, right? If she really believes in Chase, she’ll go this extra mile.

Holly comes back, and asks why Robert and Diane are waiting to do their shots, and Diane says she just came back from an extended stay at General Hospital. Her doctors put the kibosh on alcohol for the next three weeks. Robert says he was being a gentleman, and waiting for Holly to return. She says, wait no more. Cheers. She downs her shot, and says, his turn. He says he knows she has holes in her memory, but surely she hasn’t forgotten their ritual? She says, he’s absolutely right and don’t call her Shirley. It’s not too late. She points to Diane’s shots, and Robert says, there’s only one way to drink a tequila shot. He says he was on a cruise… Holly sneaks the salt off the table, switching it with another salt shaker, and Robert says he met a woman who told him a phrase he never forgot. He puts the salt on his hand, and says, lick it. He licks the salt, and says, slam it. He downs the shot, puts the glass upside down on the table, and says, suck it. He bites into a lime, and says he’s still got it. Holly says, he certainly does.

Sonny tells Drew, he wouldn’t say he was happy for Carly if he didn’t mean it, and Drew says, he doesn’t mean to question Sonny’s word, but he knows Sonny and Carly had a long, complicated history. It woudn’t be a huge surprise if Sonny had mixed emotions about her moving on. Sonny asks if Drew has mixed emotions about Sam and Dante moving in together, and Drew says he guesses he waked into that one. Sonny says, Carly will always be Donna’s mother, and he only wants what’s best for her.

Nina says, Carly can’t waltz in here and insult her like she used to. Has she forgotten? She doesn’t own this hotel anymore; Nina does. Has she looked around? Nina not only hired a new chef, she’s added subtle yet significant touches to every aspect of this hotel. It’s thriving, from the restaurant to the spa. But she wouldn’t expect Carly to appreciate such things. Trish comes by, and Carly calls her over. Carly says, let her see this, taking a bowl off the tray Trish is carrying. Nina tells her, don’t, but Carly says she wants to see for herself the subtle changes Nina made. This looks like soup. Nina says, it’s potage, with a dollop of white truffle cream, so put it back. Carly says, does Nina want it? Because she can have it. Ugh. I hate when Carly acts like a middle schooler.

Dante says, Brook wants Chase to have it all; the star on his door, the badge on his chest, everything. He should have kept his mouth shut. Chase says he’s happy Dante told him about the letter. He just has to trust that Brook knows the right thing to say, and the right time to send it.

Brook calls Linc a bastard. She didn’t think he could sink any lower, now he wants her to cover for him? He says he’s just asking her to present a counter narrative, but she says she’s not doing it. He says, her choice, but then his offer goes away. And all she has left of her precious songs is more dog food jingles and a singing cop without a badge, or a future.  

Holly drinks her other shot, and Robert asks, what happened to their ritual? She says, times change, and she has to limit her salt intake, but come on, his turn. He says he thinks he’s had enough, and Holly says, Diane is her witness. She noticed since she came to Port Charles that their dashing and daring Aussie is in a bit of a rut. Robert is looking woozy, and she says, the right diet, the right exercise, a straight and narrow job. He even has the right friends. Personally, she thinks he needs to indulge in a few more unpredictable evenings, like tonight. Even with a hint of danger, and a few acquaintances that are slightly unreliable. Diane says, such as? and Holly says, her English accent always fools people into thinking she’s posh and proper, but she’s never claimed to be respectable. Has Diane? Diane says, she was involved with someone who worked for the mob, so there are a few people out there who would say she’s less than respectable, but she thinks Robert deserves a say in this. What does he say? Robert nods out, his forehead hitting the table.

Carly says she’s sure it’s amazing, putting the bowl back on Trish’s tray. Trish gets the hell out of there, when Drew and Sonny join them. Drew asks if everything is okay, and Carly says she was about to throw a bowl of soup in Nina’s face, but she changed her mind, because she has too much respect for this place and the people who work here. Not for herself apparently. Sonny tells Drew, thanks for helping Willow out with the search, and tells Nina, let’s go. They leave, and Carly asks if it’s true that Drew is going to help Willow find her birth mother, and he asks if that’s a problem.

Dante says, duty calls, and Chase says he’s glad they had this talk. Dante asks if Chase is sure. Maybe Chase is lying and he’s not happy Dante brought all this up. Chase says, Dante is just being a true friend, to him, and Brook. They bro hug, and Dante leaves.

Obrecht tells Britt that she’s so sorry. It’s her natural instinct to fix something, not nurture it. Her training, her medical knowledge comes so easily to her, but being a good mutter… She was given two children to love, and twice she failed. Britt deserves better. She deserves a mutter who will say and do all the right things, not her; not the woman whose obsession with Cesar Faison did this to her. She sobs, and Britt tells her, stop. Her Huntington’s disease isn’t Obrecht’s fault. And as much as she hates to admit it, it’s not her father’s fault either. She inherited it from him, but he inherited it too. It’s just the luck of the genetic draw. Obrecht says, no. She won’t let it win that easily. They’re both doctors, intelligent and well-trained. They have to fight back. They can’t let it win this easily. Britt says, there’s something she needs Obrecht to do, and Obrecht says, of course (🍷). Anything. Britt says, go home to Scott, but Obrecht says she can’t. Britt says she’s asking a favor. Please. Obrecht unexpectedly found love at this stage of her life with Scotty. She starts to cry, and says she wants Obrecht to embrace that, just like she needs to embrace being alone.

Linc says, either Brook is all in or… Chase asks if everything is okay over here. The conversation looked pretty intense. Linc says, they’re just getting the details of their agreement nailed down, but Chase says he wasn’t talking to Linc. He was asking his manager. Is Brook okay with Linc’s terms?

With not much cake left, Martin says, so much for the hummingbird cake. He doesn’t know about Valentin, but he doesn’t feel any better. Lucy’s still gone. Valentin says, Anna’s still out there on her own, but Martin says, at least Valentin knows she’s alive. He has people offering unsolicited advice, telling him, until they find a body, there’s reason to hope. It’s getting harder and harder to keep hoping. He guesses he misses her too much. Valentin says he’s sorry, and Martin says, so is he. If only she hadn’t come down here the night that shot was fired. Valentin says, two shots. There were two shots fired, weren’t there? Martin asks, what his point? and Valentin says, why two shots? If Anna was the shooter, she wouldn’t need two, especially at close range. Martin says, in the heat of the moment, but Valentin says, think about it. The police only found one bullet casing from Anna’s gun; the second one was never found. Martin says, so? and Valentin says he doesn’t know, but when he figures it out, that’s how he’s going to save Anna.

Diane shakes Robert, who’s dead to the world, and asks Holly if they should call an ambulance. Holly says, no; he’s just passed out after doing one shot. She guesses it’s true; they’re not as young as they used to be. Diane says she’s going to order him some black coffee, and Robert says he’s okay. Holly says, he’s hardly okay after one shot doing him in like this. She’s going to take him downstairs, and let him sleep it off. He says he’s got to wait for his contact. They should be here any minute. Holly says, he’s in no shape to do business, and asks Diane to do them a favor. Wait for Robert’s contact, and direct them to Robert’s room. Holly takes Robert away, as he babbles, but Diane isn’t liking it.

Diane tells Trish, she’s got to leave, but if Trish sees a man asking for Robert Scorpio or a man with a briefcase, please have them call the front desk and ask for Robert’s room. Sonny comes in with Nina, and says, it’s nice to see Diane up and about. They hug, and Diane says, it’s nice to be up and about. She greets Nina, and says she’s calling it a night. She leaves, and Nina hangs her head. Sonny says, she’s just got to let it go, and she says she’s trying, but someone needs to tell Carly that.

Drew says, Carly sounds surprised he’s helping Willow find her birth parents. She’s not opposed, is she? Carly flashes back to finding out Nina is Willow’s mother, then telling Drew that she isn’t. She says she has no objection, but she thinks it will be like finding a needle in a haystack. He’s going to need all the help he can get. He says, sounds like she has someone in mind, and she says, he’s looking at her.

Brook tells Chase, everything is clear to her now, and tells Linc, they’re good. Linc says, terrific. He knew he could count on her. Now to let Blaze in on the good news. Linc leaves, and Chase says, it’s not too late. Brook says, for what? and he says he trusts her to do the right thing for both of them. She knows that, doesn’t she? They walk to the door.

Obrecht says she can’t leave Britt at a time like this, but Britt says she means it. She needs time alone to gather her thoughts. Obrecht says, from the time Britt was tested, they’ve known Huntington’s disease would be a part of her life, but there was no way to know the timetable. It could have been decades before Britt showed the symptoms. But now that it’s happening… Obrecht cries, and says, if Britt needs a mom, then she needs her daughter, more than ever. They hug and cry.  

Martin tosses the cake box away, and tells Valentin, all gone, just like Lucy. Valentin says, not gone; missing. There’s a difference. Anna was set up to take the fall. Come on. They have work to do. Martin asks where they’re going, and Valentin says, they’re going to find out what really happened to Lucy.

On the phone, Diane leaves a message for Robert, saying, she doesn’t feel right leaving him alone with Holly. She has a bad feeling about all of this. So would he please call her when he gets this? Robert stumbles out of the elevator, looking disheveled, the handcuffs dangling empty from his wrist.

Holly opens the briefcase, and takes out the jewelry box. She removes the necklace, looking it over.  

Next week, in the hospital, Robert tells Diane, get Ashford here now; Jordan tells TJ, the DA was drugged; Laura tells Holly that she won’t take no for an answer; and Heather says she’ll tell everything… for a price.

🥁 Before the Parade Passes By…

Absolutely everything you need to know.

https://www.macys.com/social/parade/

The condensed version.

https://ew.com/tv/how-to-watch-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-2022/

Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them, from Martin Luther King Day to Arbor Day to Christmas to Valentine’s Day, are in one way or another about being thankful.Jonathan Safran Foer

Be thankful for what you have. Your life is someone else’s fairy tale. – Wale Ayeni

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. – Charles Dickens

After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations. – Oscar Wilde

🦃 Giving Thanks…

Clocking out early for Thanksgiving break, but join me on Monday for some soap and OG Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay thankful no matter what day it is, and stay remembering, until they find a body, there’s reason to hope. And on a soap, they can even find a body, and there’s reason to hope.

December 8, 2020 – Sonny Lays a Trap For Julian, Jim Gets a Surprise & Have 4x the Happy

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis comes out to find the apartment decorated, and Spanish music playing. Dressed festively, Jordan comes out, and says, ola, mi amor.

Cameron, Josslyn, and Trina walk into the hospital, and Cameron asks if she’s sure about this. Josslyn says, absolutely, and he wonders if there isn’t another way. Trina says she knows it’s a risk, but if they’re going to find out what happened to her dad, it’s a risk they have to take.

On the phone, Sasha tells Maxie not to reschedule. She promises she can make the trunk show work. Epiphany asks if she’s hitting the road, and Sasha says, good as new. Epiphany is glad to hear it, and asks, what’s next? Sasha says, work. She can’t imagine how much she missed at Deception. Epiphany says that wasn’t what she was talking about, but Sasha knew that, didn’t she?

Cyrus gets a  text, and tells Brando to get the car ready. He has a meeting at the MetroCourt. Brando asks if it’s with Sonny, but Cyrus says his business with Brando’s cousin is concluded. For now.

Martin bumps into Sonny on his way into the MetroCourt, and drops his phone. Sonny picks it up, and asks if Martin has a minute. Martin asks if it would matter if he didn’t. Sonny says, not really.

Sam and Danny play a board game, and Danny tells her that she hasn’t won once. Jason clears his throat, trying to signal Danny, and Sam calls a penalty. Danny says, it’s not football, and makes a winning move. He and Jason high-five, and Sam says she wants a rematch; no helping this time. Jason says he’ll play the winner, and suggests Danny see if Scout wants to play. Danny runs upstairs, and Sam says, since when does Jason cheat? He says it was for a good cause, and sits down. Sam says, what? and he tells her, he didn’t want to say anything in front of Danny, but he has a lot to tell her, and it’s about Julian. She says, what about him? and Jason says, he planted the bomb at The Floating Rib.

Curtis asks Jordan if he’s dreaming, or did they make a pit-stop in Cancun on the way back to Port Charles? She says, unfortunately, they’re back in Port Charles, but funny how much you can find in an airport gift shop. He asks where he was, and she says, testing the mescal. He says it was when she said she was checking on TJ, and she says, the ultimate multitasker. He asks what he did to deserve this, and she says, it’s what they did. They clink glasses and she says, happy belated anniversary.

Trina says, she saw her dad get shot. So that was real. He couldn’t have faked his death by himself; he had to have help. Josslyn says, from someone or someones at the hospital. Trina says if her dad taught her anything, it’s that there’s always a trail. She thinks they can find it by accessing his medical records. That’s where Cameron comes in.

Epiphany tells Sasha, the toxicology report crossed her desk. Whatever drug Sasha OD’d on, she’s never seen before and it’s no joke. Sasha says she’s learned her lesson, but Epiphany says, in her experience, it takes more than one. The best thing to do, is go straight to counseling. Sasha says she doesn’t need counseling; it’s not that serious. Epiphany says she’d better surround herself with people who will keep her true. Sasha says she will, and Epiphany says, and stay very far away from those who don’t.

Cyrus says, after Brando drops him off, he can have the rest of the night off. Brando says if Cyrus doesn’t mind, he’d rather stay close. Cyrus says Brando has volunteered a lot of time lately, and Brando says, things are volatile. Cyrus needs all the manpower he can get, and it helps to stay busy. Cyrus says if staying busy helps Brando cope with losing his son, he supports that, and Brando thanks him, but says, it’s more than the hours. He needs responsibility. Cyrus says, how so? and Brando says he can do more than drive Cyrus from place to place. He thinks he proved that with how he handled the Sasha situation. Cyrus says, did he though?

Sonny asks if Martin is all right, and Martin says, it’s been a trying day. His car was stolen. Sonny says he can track it, but Martin says he’s good. Sonny’s generosity surprises him. He was under the impression Sonny had no use for him. Sonny says, on the contrary. He has a lot of use for Martin. Martin asks, how? and Sonny says, for one, Martin is going to answer his questions. As a matter-of-fact, it’s just one question. Is Martin going to tell him where Julian Jerome is?

Sam asks if Jason has proof, and Jason says he does. He’s sorry to tell her this when the kids are home, but it couldn’t wait. She says she knew her father was a piece of garbage, but she didn’t think he had it in him to blow up a public restaurant. He says, it’s a long chain of events. Is she ready? She says, no, and he says, Julian knew Brad had Michael’s baby. He went to extreme lengths to cover it up, and Nelle must have figured it out somehow. She says, that Julian knew about Wiley? and he says, she used it to blackmail Julian into marrying her. It was either that, or she would tell Sonny. Sam says, and Julian knew Sonny would kill him. Jason says, but Nelle left the truth with Ryan. After Nelle died, Ryan called Sonny, and asked him to come to Pentenville. He was on the verge of telling Sonny something important about his family when he was stabbed in the back. They think it was someone sent by Cyrus. Sam says she heard Cyrus and Julian talking a lot. She doesn’t know what it was about, but this doesn’t sound good. He says, they thought Julian must have been so desperate, he went to Cyrus for help. She says, that’s why Brad ended up in the hospital. Cyrus was tying up Julian’s loose ends. He says, because of that, Julian owed Cyrus, and planted the bomb for him. She wanted proof, and they have the bartender Cyrus paid. He overheard them talking about him taking Danny to The Floating Rib, passed the information along to Cyrus, and Cyrus had Julian’s phone number. Sam asks if the bartender told Julian to bomb the restaurant, and Jason says, he told Julian to deliver the package to The Floating Rib. The bartender was scared out of his mind. He didn’t know who he was calling, or what he was setting in motion, but Julian did. She says, so Julian detonated the bomb on Cyrus’s orders because Jason was there.

Trina tells Cameron to log into the hospital records with his mom’s laptop. Download her father’s medical records, and they’re out of there. Cameron says, Trina’s mom works there too, but Trina says she was married to Taggert, and isn’t allowed to access them. It’s got to be him. Cameron says, it’s not like his mom leaves her password on a Post-It note on her computer. She changes it monthly, but there is a pattern. He thinks it’s descending sons, then a  two digit month and a two-digit year. Josslyn asks whose turn it is, and he thinks it’s him. She asks how many chances they get, and Trina says, four, then they’re locked out. They look over at the reception desk, and Sasha is talking to Epiphany, telling her that she went above and beyond. Cameron wonders what they do about Epiphany, and Josslyn says she can handle it, but Trina says, leave it to her. Sasha tells Epiphany that she just wants to get back to normal, and Epiphany says, as long as normal doesn’t include using. One more time could be her last. Sasha says she understands, and Epiphany says, good. Sasha asks if she had another bag when she came in, and Epiphany asks if there’s something missing. Sasha flashes back to the baggie of coke Cyrus left under her menu at the MetroCourt, and says, it’s not important.   

Brando says, if Cyrus thinks he could have handled it better, tell him. Cyrus tells Brando, he said as much when Brando left Sasha at the hospital. Brando asks if Cyrus would rather he have dumped her somewhere, and Cyrus says he wanted fate to have its way. Instead, Brando took her to the hospital himself, and they’re left to explain how it happened. Brando tells him not to worry. Sasha won’t blow his cover. She told him when he went to see her.  

Jordan says she remembered their anniversary when she read about a deep fried turkey disaster. He says he missed Thanksgiving too, and she says she called Kelly’s when she got home. He says, no way Kelly’s still had turkey with all the fixings, and she says, just enough for two. He says she’s amazing. A Mexican staged Cancun anniversary Thanksgiving feast. She says, so he’s not disappointed? and he asks, what more could he want? Unless she has Cyrus on ice somewhere.  

Martin tells Sonny, try Charlie’s, but Sonny says, Julian’s not there. Martin says it would be his best guess, and tries to walk away, but Sonny grabs him and tells him, have a seat. Take a load off. He smiles, and Martin sits. Sonny says, Julian did something that cost him his family and friends. He can’t go to anyone for help. Martin wonders why Sonny would think Julian would come to him, and Sonny says, Martin represented him. Martin says he represented Julian’s wife, and Sonny asks if Martin is telling him that he’s never helped Julian. Martin says, that’s a different question, and Sonny says, answer it. Martin says he’d prefer not to, but Sonny says, they’re not in court. The Fifth Amendment isn’t going to protect him there. Has Julian asked him for help? Martin says, yes.  

Sam tells Jason, she doesn’t know what to focus on, and Jason says he knows it’s a lot to take in. She says her father tried to blow Jason up, and people died. Her father lied to his own son about Wiley, and kept Wiley from his father. He didn’t care about anything. He didn’t care about the consequences. He just wanted to cover his own ass. This is going to kill Lucas. Jason says, Lucas doesn’t need know, and she asks what he means. Lucas is going to find out eventually when Julian resurfaces. He says, if they find Julian. He went MIA after the explosion, then when they pieced things together, they caught him at Windymere, and he jumped from the turret. Sam laughs, and says, so Julian is in the water. His body wasn’t found, so actually, he could be anywhere.

Jason tells Sam, it’s possible he’ll have to leave, and she says, stop. Please. She appreciates him telling her, but she just doesn’t want to know anymore. It makes her sick and sad that someone like her dad could do the things he’s done, and think he’s a decent man. He’s not; it’s completely insane. She starts to cry, and says, it’s insane to think he could live this life and live a lie, and everything would be okay for him. When you live the life of a mobster, you don’t get a happy ending. You just don’t. Jason’s phone rings, and Sonny asks Jason to meet him at the MetroCourt. Julian is alive, and he’s got a lead. Jason says, okay. He’s on his way. Sam tells him, if he has to go, go, and he says he’ll get back as soon as he can. He leaves, while she sits there and cries.  

Curtis tells Jordan, sorry, and she says, for what? He says, for bringing up Cyrus’s name tonight. Tonight is about anything but that. She asks if he doesn’t think Cyrus is hanging over her head too. She was away a couple of days, and look what happened. He says the bomb would have gone off with or without her; it could have been worse. Cyrus could have shipped in some product, and ordered her to keep the PCPD’s focus elsewhere. Her being there wouldn’t have made a difference.  

Josslyn asks if Cameron thinks it’s true that Trina’s dad could be alive. He says, honestly? No. He doesn’t think so. He thinks Cyrus lied, and Josslyn says, it’s the cruelest lie ever. Because Taggert’s death wasn’t horrible enough, now Cyrus is taking advantage of the way Trina’s dad died. He asks what she means, and she says she was with Oscar when he passed. Sonny was with Mike. They know they’re gone, but Morgan just disappeared. If someone said he was still alive, it would be harder for her to blow it off. Logically, she knows it’s impossible. It doesn’t make sense. If Morgan was still alive, where has he been the entire time? How could he possibly leave them to suffer? The truth is, she’d give anything to believe it; anything to have her brother back. She’d like to think she’s smart, decerning, and nobody’s fool, but she’d probably fall for it. Cameron says, the same with Trina, and Josslyn says, the last time Trina was with her dad, they were joking around. Then, the next thing she knew, someone was telling her that he’s gone. For Cyrus to make her believe something that can’t possibly be true is unforgivable. Cameron says, he’s a dirtbag, but Josslyn says, now that he opened the door, they have to go through it with Trina. Cameron says, she’s right. They owe it to Trina to follow her to the end, whatever the end is.

Trina tells Epiphany that she was looking for her. She’s hoping Epiphany can help her. Epiphany asks if there’s something Trina needs to talk to her about, and Trina says, her father.

Cyrus says Brando has taken quite an interest in Sasha, and Brando says a healthy relationship is in their best interest, given what happened. Cyrus asks how she is, and Brando says, upset, embarrassed; she wants to put the whole thing behind her. Cyrus says, that’s encouraging, but he knows better than to trust a woman in Sasha’s state. Brando says, because she’s an addict? and Cyrus says, because she isn’t. She was teetering close to the edge, but never went over. It’s a shame. Brando asks if Cyrus would rather she be hooked, and Cyrus says, addicts are easy to tame and train. Someone like Sasha is unpredictable. Brando seems to think he has a handle on her, and Cyrus hopes he does. Prove him wrong. Brando wanted responsibility, now he’s got it. Cyrus opens the door, and Sasha is standing there.

Curtis tells Jordan, there’s no upside in reexamining and relitigating every decision. She says she wakes up every day thinking of what she should have done differently. She goes to work wondering what would have happened if she hadn’t cooked up evidence. He asks how different she thinks it would be, and she says, Dev and Dustin would still be alive, and Lulu would be at home with her kids. He wonders if a lot of people would still be breathing. When Cyrus was in prison, they weren’t getting hooked on his product. Street corners weren’t being turned into war zones. Imagine how many lives she saved. She wants a way to stop Cyrus without it costing lives, but that way doesn’t exist.

Cameron tells Josslyn he could have sworn that was it. She says they only have one more try, and he thinks of something else. He puts in LizBaldwin, and says he’s in. Now they just have to figure out how to access the medical files.

Cyrus tells Sasha, what a pleasant surprise. She’s looking well. She asks if he’s disappointed, and he says, she’s angry. She asks if he thought she wouldn’t be. He didn’t visit once. She was laid up for days, and could have died. She thought he’d at least give her a courtesy check. He says he sent flowers, but she says, even his driver decided to stop by, considering he brought her there. What is it? Couldn’t he be bothered? He says he thought she’d prefer her space. She says she thought they had a connection. She guesses they were both wrong.

Trina says Epiphany was with her father when he died. How did it happen? Epiphany says Trina knows this. He got a blood clot from the gunshot wound. Trina says she knows what killed him, but what did Epiphany do to save him, and why didn’t it work?  

Jason sits with Sonny, who says Julian stole Martin’s car and took his cash. He has a tracker on the car. He asks if Jason can get away, and Jason says he can. Sonny says he shouldn’t have taken this long. He should have taken Julian out before, when Julian came back, but he didn’t want to deal with Alexis’s grief, so he waited. He’s taking him out now.

Danny comes downstairs, and asks, where’s dad? Sam says, he had to go out, and Danny guesses they’ll have the tournament another night. Sam asks him to sit with her, and asks how it’s been having dad at home. Danny says he and Scout love it, and she says, even though he can’t be there all the time? Danny says, he has to work, and she asks, what about game night? Does it bother Danny that his dad can’t make it. Danny can talk to her about anything; she won’t tell anybody. He says he hates how they never know when dad is going to leave or be back. It’s not fair. They can’t plan anything, and barely get to see him.

Sam says, things are unpredictable in their family, right? and Danny says, ya think? She knows it has to be hard, and he says, it’s not dad’s fault. She tells him that she’s not saying it’s anyone’s fault; they’re just talking about how they feel. Danny says, it’s great when dad is there, but it always ends. He has to leave, and never says why. Danny is afraid to ask, and it’s weird having guards. He hates that they follow him. His friends think it’s cool, but their parents are scared. That’s why he always goes to their houses, and they don’t come there. Sam says maybe she can talk some of the parents, but he says, they won’t listen. They’re afraid of dad. He doesn’t get why it has to be this way, and wishes it was different. He wishes they were a normal family. Sam holds him.   

Jason asks if Sonny hopes to take Julian alive, and give him to Cyrus, and Sonny says if Julian doesn’t cooperate, he’ll take Julian out. They’ll get Cyrus some other way. He tells Jason to pack, and they’ll meet back at his place. He has a few loose ends to tie up.

Cyrus tells Sasha, the mistake is his. He did enjoy their connection, but lacking faith, squandered it. Is it too much to ask for a second chance? She says she’ll consider it, and he says he’ll take that. She says, only because of him, and Cyrus says, Brando? She says Brando told her that Cyrus didn’t show up because he didn’t want her associated with the rumors that were swirling around. Cyrus says, Brando is more than a driver, isn’t he? He tells her that he must be going, but she says she just got there. He tells her, feel free to stay. He hopes she does. It shouldn’t take him more than an hour. He tells Brando that someone else will drive him; keep Sasha company in his absence. He leaves, and Brando asks what the hell Sasha thinks she’s doing. She says, getting her revenge.

Jordan says Curtis doesn’t know what it’s like, and he says, tell him. She says she would escort parents to the morgue, lock them into cold storage, and put them in front of a window. They would look through the glass, while the medical examiner pulled back the sheet. Another child dead because of Cyrus. She had to do that over and over, and realized she was no longer looking at their faces, but watching the clock, wondering what to have for lunch. Cyrus was killing her too, and she had to stop him by any means necessary. He says, that’s not how you make a hero, and she says she knows. He says, there are no heroes. Only people who didn’t have to make a hard choice. Maybe he doesn’t love her because of her choices, but because she made them.

Josslyn asks Cameron how it’s going, and he says, it’s going. She says, good going or bad going? and he says it’s taking longer than he thought.

Epiphany asks what Trina is going to do with the information, and Trina says she wants to fill in the blanks. There are things about what happened that she doesn’t get, that she took for granted. It was okay at first. She wasn’t ready to face it. Now enough time has passed, and she’s started to rethink things, and see them more clearly. There are details she missed at first. Her father was so strong, it makes no sense that he died. And why was he taken away so fast? His body was rushed off. Epiphany says she’s sorry Trina didn’t get to spend more time with her father, but the answers aren’t going to make her feel differently. Trina says, the only thing that would make her feel better is her father being alive. This is the next best thing. Epiphany says she thinks Trina needs to talk to her mother. Epiphany starts to walk away, and Trina tells her, wait, but Epiphany sees Cameron and Josslyn, and asks, what are you two doing?

Jordan thanks Curtis, saying she didn’t realize how much she needed to hear that. He’s sorry he didn’t say it before. She says, some anniversary, and he says, it’s pretty messed up. She tells him, she’ll drink to that, and he shows her a gorgeous necklace. He says she didn’t think he really forgot. She’s not the only one who can multitask. She says, it’s beautiful, and he says, she’s beautiful. He puts it on her, and they say I love you in Spanish.

Epiphany asks if that’s a hospital laptop, but Cameron says, it’s his. His and his mom’s laptop look similar, and they get them mixed up all the time. Trina thanks them for waiting, and asks if they’re ready to go. Josslyn tells Epiphany, bye, and Trina thanks her for the talk. The kids jet, and Epiphany says, mm-hmm. She shakes her head, and looks on her own laptop at Taggert’s medical records. It says, accessed one minute ago, and she shakes her head again.   

Sasha tells Brando, help her look for the drugs Cyrus gave her. He asks if she’s out of her mind, and she says they’re not for her. They’re for the police. She was told it was something new; something they hadn’t seen before. Maybe they can use it against Cyrus. He says, absolutely not. She’s leaving. She says Cyrus expects her to be there when he comes back, but Brando says he’ll come up with something. Get out. Forget Cyrus. She says she nearly died, and he says, that’s why she needs to stay away. She tells him, if she leaves, Cyrus won’t be happy with either of them, but he says, for her own good, leave it alone, and she leaves.

Cyrus sits near Martin at the bar, and Martin passes him a napkin. Cyrus reads, JJ stole my car this morning. Martin says he’s always told Cyrus that he wants nothing to do with his world, but he thought Cyrus deserved a heads up. Cyrus says he could have texted, and Martin says, well, why didn’t he think of that? The bartender asks if he wants another round, but Martin says, no thank you, and tells him, Cyrus is paying. He leaves, and the bartender gives Cyrus the bill to sign. He walks out, and Sonny watches out of the side of his eye. Sonny goes to the bar, and the bartender asks what he can get for Sonny. Sonny says he wants to pay for Mr. Gray’s drink, and the bartender says he’s off the hook. Cyrus covered it.

Jason gets his bag, and Sam says she didn’t hear him come in. He says he’s just there to grab some equipment, then he’s leaving. He’s not sure for how long, but long enough he’s going to miss game night. Sam says they already talked about it, and Danny is pretty upset. Jason says he’s sorry, and she says she knows he is, and so is she, because she finally gets it. All the time Julian tried to live this fantasy that was just really a lie. She can’t do that. She begins to cry, and says she can’t do it anymore. So when he leaves tonight, please don’t come back. They give each other a lingering soap gaze.

Tomorrow, Sasha says it’s a loaded question, Laura tells Cyrus that she wants something with every fiber in her being, and Jason wonders if Sam is asking him to move out.

The Haves and The Have Nots

When we last left, Jim and David walked in on Hanna going through financial papers, sitting on the bed upstairs at the Cryer house.

Jim tells Hanna to get her ass out of his house, and asks why she’s going through his private and personal information. David tells him, calm down, but Jim says he’s talking to the bitch. Hanna tells him, do it again, and he says, bitch. She writes something down, and starts putting the papers in her tote bag. He asks where she thinks she’s taking that information; she’s not taking it out of the house. He reaches toward her, and she raises a fireplace poker, saying, touch her, and watch her take his ass out. He says he’s not letting her take his financial information from the house, but she walks out of the room. Jim starts to go after her, and David stops him, hurting Jim’s shoulder. David reminds Jim that he’s just out of the hospital. He’ll deal with it. Jim says, then do it.

David follows Hanna downstairs, and she says, that man up there… He says he knows. Jim has been through a lot, and he’s in a lot of pain. She says, must have been his whole damn life. She has nothing to say to him. David asks  why she’s going through Jim’s papers, and she says, they’re Kathryn’s papers. David asks if she can tell him why she’s going through Kathryn’s papers, and she says, Jim needs to talk to his wife. David says, so she’s not telling him? and she says, no. He says he can’t let her take them out of the house, and she says, try and stop her. He tells her not to make this ugly, and she asks if he’s kidding her. She tells him, please, take them. Take them out of her hands. He says when he sees Kathryn, he’s going to tell her that Hanna was going through her personal effects, and she’ll be fired. She tells him, do that, and from the balcony, Jim tells him, stop negotiating with the maid. Take the papers. He can’t walk down the stairs; just grab them from the bitch. David says, hand them over, and Hanna picks up a candlestick. She says, take them, and he asks if she’s going to hit him. She says, yep. He’s trying to assault her. He says he’s not; he’s trying to take the Cryer papers. She says he’s taking nothing out of her hands, and he says, she’s not leaving. Hanna turns to the door, and when he moves toward her and tries to grab her arm, she whacks him in the head. She says she told him, don’t touch her. Jim yells down to call the police, and David says he’s bleeding. Hanna says she doesn’t give a damn, and Jim says, stay put. She says she sure will, and David calls 9-1-1, saying he’s a judge, and needs a police car. The maid is trying to steal belongings that don’t belong to her. Jim asks if they’re coming, and David says, there’s a car in the area. Jim says Hanna’s ass is going to jail, and David says he can press charges or Hanna can hand him the papers and walk out. She says she ain’t going nowhere, and Jim starts to come down the stairs, asking, who the hell does she think she is? David tells him, go upstairs, and Jim says, quit talking to the maid; that’s all she is. Since David won’t take the papers, he guesses he’ll have to. Hanna raises the candlestick, and Jim asks if she’s going to hit him. He has enough painkillers in him to get hit twice, and the candlestick cost more than she makes in a year. He suggests David make himself useful. Call Vinny and Mama Rose and ask his question. David says he will, but he’s not leaving Jim’s side. Jim says, excellent decision, and tells Hanna, put the candlestick down.

There’s a knock on Veronica’s door, and Celine walks in. She says they’re trying to get her fired, and Veronica says, this is not the Mexican border. She can’t just cross without permission. Go back out. Celine just looks at her, and Veronica says she’s not going to say it again. Celine asks if Veronica is serious. She’s upset. Veronica says, good. Take her ass out, and calm down. Celine says she can’t believe it, and Veronica says, believe it. Cross the border. Does Celine want her to help? Celine goes back outside, and Veronica says, now knock. She does, and Veronica tells her, knock again. She does, but walks in a beat before Veronica says, come in. Veronica tells her to go back out, and makes Celine do it all over again. When Celine is finally allowed in, Veronica says, that’s the trouble with people; they don’t know how come in legally. Celine says they’re trying to get her fired, and Veronica asks, who is they? Celine says, Jim and David. Veronica tells Celine that she’s being too loud in Veronica’s sanctuary, and Celine says she needs that job. Veronica asks what Celine’s meltdown has to do with her, and Celine repeats she needs her job. Veronica says, she can see that. Where did Celine get her purse and shoes? Off the Titanic? Celine says Veronica, said she’d help, and Veronica says she will. If working in the hospital, cleaning sh*t is that important to Celine, she’ll give them a call and let them know she’s representing Celine, and all of this will cease. Celine says, okay, but it makes her so angry. Veronica says, men do that. Celine talks quickly in Spanish about Jim being her son’s father, and Veronica asks if she looks like a person interested in Celine’s telenova. Celine says Veronica doesn’t have to be rude, and Veronica says Celine came in uninvited. She’s all Celine has. Celine tells Veronica, she’s just saying… and Veronica tells her, say less – in English. Is Celine challenging her? That would not be wise. Celine insists she’s not, and Veronica says, there’s the door. Celine thanks her, and Veronica says she can leave. If things don’t work out, Celine can always work for her. Celine says Veronica has a maid, but Veronica says she doesn’t think her maid is going to last too much longer, and Celine did a good job for Kathryn. Celine says if Veronica helps her get Jim, she’ll work for free, and Veronica says she’ll remember. In Spanish, Celine says, the daughter of a bitch will end up dying like a dog, and Veronica says her Spanish isn’t that fast. What did she say? Celine says she told Veronica that she was a sainted woman for helping her, and she hopes angels smile on her. Veronica says, keep that up, and Celine says, si señora. Veronica says, bye, and Celine says, adios. She leaves, and Veronica says, that bitch thinks she’s playing her. She’s got to find her Spanish dictionary.

Benny knocks on Rihanna’s office door, and asks if things worked out. She asks what he means, and he says she was sad when he was there before. She says, allergies, and he asks if she’s sure. She says she is, and asks if he had a chance to look at the listings she gave him. Did he find anything he liked? He says he likes the houses that are craftsman style, and she says those are her favorites. There are one or two models in a subdivision, and she asks when he wants to see them. He says, as soon as possible, and she says she’ll contact the builder. He says, perfect, and she thanks him for being concerned about her. He says he has a mother and a sister, and she says, it’s nice to hear. Some people have brothers and sisters who don’t care. He says he’s not that dude, and she thanks him. Not just for his business, but for being a kind person. She’ll let him know when he can look at the houses. He thanks her, and leaves.

Jim asks where the damn police are, and David says, they’re on the way. Jim says this woman sitting on his couch, her daughter took $8 million from him. He’s going to get it back. David says he knows, and Jim says he’s going after her son. David says, it’s a lot of money, and Jim says, damn right. He’ll be damned if he won’t get it back. David says he always does, and Jim says he doesn’t care who he has to kill. He’ll kill her miserable wretched daughter and that lowlife son of hers. She knows what he’s capable of when he’s angry. Hanna has been writing in a notebook the whole time, and Jim asks what she’s writing. David says, she’s taking notes, and Jim asks if Hanna has any idea what she’s taking notes on. This is high level financial information. Does she even know how to add past a maid’s salary? David tells Jim, be careful, and Jim asks, of what? David says Jim is on the verge of being racist, and Jim laughs, asking, why? David says because of the way he’s talking to his Black maid. Jim says he doesn’t care what color she is. It’s not racist; it’s elitist. He doesn’t think this maid is very bright. David tells him again to be careful, and say nothing more that’s offensive. Jim says he doesn’t give a damn about being offensive to Hanna, and David says he doesn’t either. He’s talking about offending him. Jim says he’s a lot of things, and will screw anything no matter what color. He can be called a lot of names, but he’s never been a racist. Hanna tells him, a lot of racists say that. Jim says, he’ll be a son of a bitch; it speaks. Hanna asks if David heard that; it. Jim says he didn’t mean to be offensive to either of them, but she has to understand, she’s in his house, uninvited, going through his financial personal papers. What’s her plan? To sue him? Take him to court? He tells David, he’s speaking as Hanna’s intellectual equal now. Let him help. The folder she has is called a portfolio. The numbers graph is called a P&L statement. Does she have any idea what that is? What the P or the L is? She says, profit and loss, for four businesses he’s been trying to get Kathryn to invest in. They’ve had a 30% loss every year, and they’re not taking advantage of the market tax break. They’ve been filing as a corporation, when they shouldn’t. They need to move and file for a 501C3, used to help people and turn a profit, and they’ll be protected from capital gains. Jim doesn’t know what to make of any of it, and Hanna asks if he has any other questions. I laugh, and Jim says, damn girl. I stand corrected.

Benny comes into the hotel room he’s sharing with Candace, and she asks if he’s still mad at her. He says, yeah. They’ve got to check out a place. She says they have one more day, and he says, fine. She suggests they talk about his house, and he asks if she’s getting on his good side. She says she is on his good side. He says that dude is her father. Doesn’t it matter to her? She says, no, and he asks, why not? She says she knew enough about how she was conceived. She doesn’t need more information. He says, speaking of that, did she take the test? She says, no, she didn’t, and he asks, why? She asks if they can talk about him. She picks up his phone and looks at a picture of Rihanna. She says, she’s cute. Is that why Benny is letting her help him with the house? So he can get it? She asks when they’re going to ear, and he says, let him get changed. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Mitch, and Benny says, oh, it’s him. Mitch tells him, don’t be like that. Seriously, is he still mad? Mitch admits it’s his fault. He messed up and he’s sorry. Benny says, don’t worry about it, and Mitch says, he’s not. Benny goes in to change, and Mitch asks, what’s wrong with him? Candace says, he’ll be fine, and Mitch asks, what happened when Benny saw him? Candace says Benny hit him, but the man wouldn’t hit back. Benny comes back out, and asks what Mitch would do, and Mitch says he’d do what he had to do, but respect his family’s wishes. Benny tells him, get the hell out, but Mitch asks where they’re going. Candace says she’s hungry, and Mitch says he is too, and asks to tag along. Benny asks why he’s hanging around, and Candace tells Benny, go get dressed. Mitch asks Candace what the hell is wrong with Benny, and she says he’ll be fine. Mitch asks if she’s okay, and she insists she’s fine. She tells Benny, hurry up, and Mitch hopes Benny is in a better mood when he comes out.

A doctor goes in to see Wyatt, and asks how he is. He says his wrists hurt, and she says he tried to kill himself. He says he doesn’t know what she’s talking about, and she asks if he wants to explain his wounds. He says he was scratched by a bear, and she says, okay, don’t tell her. He asks if she can get him some pain meds, but she says he’s had enough. She knows he has a drug problem. He says his only problem is, he can’t get enough. She says, that can be a problem. She has someone who wants to talk to him. He says unless they have big boobs and a trunk of cocaine, it’s not happening. She asks if he has any remorse for shooting his father. Does he remember? He says he does, and asks who the hell she is. She says she’s Dr. Patton, and she’s going to be helping work through difficult time. She’s a therapist, and she’s on his side. He says he’s not talking to a shrink. She asks how he feels on a scale of one to ten, and he says, why? She says, if he’s in a lot of pain, they can’t send him back to jail. He says he’s in terrible pain, now get out. She suggests they make a deal. If he lets her talk to him every day, she’ll make sure he stays out of jail, or he can go back tomorrow. He says, okay, they’ll talk. What does she want to talk about? She says, they’ll start tomorrow, and leaves. He says, damn.   

Rihanna is at her desk when Sandy walks in. He sits, and asks why she’s not answering his calls. She says she’s been busy, and he says, too busy to pick up the phone? She says she has a showing, and asks what he wants. He says she keeps moving, she changes jobs. She doesn’t think he can find her? This is his town. He tells her to think over what she owes him. She asks what she owes him, and he says, the money spent on clothes, cars, her apartment… She says she’ll pay him back every cent, and he asks if she thinks he wants the money. What he wants is her. She says, they’re through, but he says, no, they’re not. They’re not done; they’re taking a break. She says, they’re over, but he insists they’re not. Another realtor walks in, and asks if Rihanna is okay. Sandy says, she’s fine, and the woman says she was talking to Rihanna. Sandy says, the bitch is getting involved, and Rihanna says she’s fine. The woman says she doesn’t look fine, but Rihanna insists she is. Sandy tells the woman to get her ass out, and she says she’ll be in her office. Sandy says, good to know, and she leaves. Rihanna asks if Sandy wants to make her lose her job, and Sandy says, so? She says, that’s what he wants; for her to be dependent on him. She wants him to leave her alone. He asks where she moved to, and she says she’s not telling him. He says he’ll find out. How long is she going to be doing this? She knows she can’t get away from him. There’s no place on the planet where he won’t find her. He loves her, and if that means he has to love her to death, he will. She’s his. He tells her that he’ll see her later, and leaves. As he walks past the other realtor, he says, the bitch is back. The woman tells Rihanna, that man is going to kill her. She can’t let Rihanna continue to work out of the office. The other agents are getting restless. She’ll have to start working from home, and she needs to get some help. Rihanna asks, from who? and the woman says, the police. Rihanna says, his family is in bed with the police, and the woman says Rihanna has to do something. Rihanna says she knows, and the woman asks if she can drive Rihanna home. Rihanna says, no. She has to take the long way to make sure she’s not being followed.

Marty goes to see Kathryn, who asks him to give her some good news. He says, Wyatt is doing well, and she says, what about her? What about bail? He says, sorry. They don’t want to give it to her. She asks if he’s telling her that she has to stay there, and he says, looks that way. She says, how long? and he says, until the trial. She asks how long that is, and he says it, could be as much as two months. She says he has to get her out, but he says there’s nothing he can do. She says she’ll find someone who can, and he asks if she’s firing him. It will take a long time to get another attorney. She says she seems to have time on her hands, and he can’t even get her out. He says she’s in for murder, and she says she didn’t do it. He says she really shouldn’t fire him, and she says she just did. She’ll get the best in town. He says, not Veronica Harrington? and Kathryn says, she’s the best. She beats the hell out of him. He says he wouldn’t recommend it. Veronica may be a witness. The DA said he might call her. Let him talk to one more judge. Kathryn says he has one day, and he says he’s arranged for her to be alone in the cell, so no one will harm her. She says she doesn’t care; it’s still a cell. He says he’s on it, and she says he’d better be.

Veronica’s doorbell rings, and she lets one of her employees in. He asks how she is, but she says she’s not in the mood for small talk. She asks what he’s got for her, and he says she’s still being followed. She says, every time she leaves? Does he know the difference? The guy seems confused, and she says, when she gets in the car, does he know it’s her? He says she’s kind of unmistakable, and she asks if he’s flirting with her. He says, no, and she says, liar; he is. He says, if she likes, and she asks what else he’s got. Nothing on that birl Colby? He asks, what’s a birl? and she says, a boy/girl. The guy says, Colby is an escort, and Veronica asks where the guy from. He says, France, and she tells him to say it in French. Colby is a what? The guy says, escort, but it really doesn’t sound much different in French. She asks where Colby advertises, and he says, on a few pages. She says she wants all of the information, and he hands her a folder, saying, it’s all there. She thanks him, and glances through it. He says, anything else? and she says, yes. She wants him to look into someone else – Tanner; Officer Justin’s brother. She wants to see him today. She thanks him, and he starts to leave, when she asks again if he was flirting. He says he was, and she drains her glass. She moves closer to him, and says she might take him up on that one day, but first she needs his bloodwork. He’s cute. He says he’s been told, and tells her, if she takes care of him, he’ll take care of her. He leaves, saying, au revoir, and she laughs.

We hear police sirens, and David says, the police are there. Jim thanks him, and asks Hanna if she’s sure she doesn’t want to give him the paperwork. She says she’s not giving him anything, and he says, arrogant little… Does she realize she doesn’t have the money to get herself out of jail? She says he doesn’t know what she has actually. He asks if she has some of his $8 million. Her daughter would have had to give it to her, and he knows it’s not true; she hates Hanna’s guts. She says, not as much as Jim’s child hates him. She points to his shoulder, and asks if that’s where Wyatt shot him with the shotgun. He says, it is, and she wonders how much hate his child has to have for him, to shoot him with a shotgun. He says he doesn’t know, but he knows how much hate a man has to have for her son who won’t give him his damn money.

An officer comes in, and says Hanna has to come with her. She was told Hanna hit this man, indicating David, who says he’s a judge. The officer says, that’s assault, and Hanna asks if David told her that he put his hands on her when she told him not to. The officer says, he didn’t, and Hanna says, well, he did. She was defending herself. David says he doesn’t want to press charges; just give him the paperwork. Hanna says she’s not giving him anything, and he says that’s his paperwork. She says, it belongs to Kathryn, and Jim says he’s Kathryn’s husband. It belongs to him and Kathryn, and this is his house. Hanna says, which belongs to Kathryn. The officer says Hanna has to give him the paperwork; it’s not hers. Hanna takes out a folder, and tells the officer to take a look. See? She’s the executor of the estate. Jim says, what? and she says, that means she’s in charge of all of Kathryn’s affairs, and every bit of everything that goes on in this house. Jim asks if she’s telling him that she was made executor of Kathryn’s estate, and Hanna says, every bit. Now what was he saying about what she has or has not? Jim sits, open mouthed.   

Next time, Landon asks if Candace is pregnant, Jim visits Kathryn, David wants to see Vinny, and Jim shows up at Hanna’s house.

🌄 Off Into the Sunsetrise…

This has been one long day, although I suppose 2020 has been one long day. Moving on is looking promising, but until then, stay safe, stay uncompromising, and stay not tying up anyone’s loose ends except your own.

December 20, 2019 – Franco Learns About Drew, Close Call, Re-engagement, Wayne Revealed, Dog Tantrums, Ten Holiday Quotes Plus a Long One & Eight Crazy Nights

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

I miss the first millisecond. Nothing important, except Lucas is now breathing on his own. Elizabeth tells Julian that they’re all pulling for Lucas. Franco says he’s ready to go home. Elizabeth says she missed Franco, and he says if he’d known he was away, he would have missed her too. She gives him back his wedding ring, he puts it on, and they kiss.

Michael opens the door to Willow, who asks if everything is okay. His text was vague. He says he has some fun things planned for today, and thought she might want to join in.

Anna looks over some folders at her desk. Finn tells her that he just put Violet down for a nap, and he wants one too. Anna says it will take time, and he says he’s never second guessed himself so much. He wants to do things right. Are cartoons good or bad? Anna says the answers will change with his mood. Wait until the first time he hears himself say, because I said so. He says he’s looking forward to that. He asks what all that is on her desk, and she says, research. He says, on? and she says, her son.

Sporting an elf hat, Maxie tells Peter it breaks her heart to see so many kids in the hospital at Christmas. Peter says GH does its best to make it special, and she made them smile. Maxie wishes Lucas was awake to make fun of her hat. Peter says they should have a progress report soon, and it is the time of year for miracles. She asks if he’s ready for their next stop, and he asks if she’s sure they’re not intruding. Maxie says, she’ll love it. She sees the guard outside Nelle’s door, and says, someone’s been naughty.

Martin tells Nelle that she’s looking well. She says hospital gowns have always suited her. He asks if this was her big plan, to get stabbed? and she says, of course (🍷) not. He asks, what happened? and she says, a serial killer happened.

Brad tells Lucas that he doesn’t know what to do. That’s a lie. He at least knows what Lucas would want him to do. Send Wiley back to his true father, but what if he can’t? If he hadn’t come across Nelle that awful night, and taken a baby that wasn’t his, Lucas wouldn’t be there. He wants to make it right, but doesn’t know what to do. Julian comes in, and tells Brad, the test results are in. Brad kisses Lucas’s forehead, and follows Julian.

Michael says he’s taking a personal day, and knows how Willow loves spending time with Wiley, but it’s awkward with Wiley’s dads around. He asks if it’s still hard on her, and she says, no. She was just thinking of Lucas, and how horrible it all is. Michael says, hopefully, Lucas will get better. In the meantime, they can keep Wiley laughing. Willow says Michael has been great taking care of Wiley, and Michael says, of course (🍷). He’s family.

Martin says, Nelle wanted to be released, and this is how she engineered it? If she’d gotten killed, he would have gotten bupkis for his hard work. She’s unreliable. He has one question; why is she doing this?

Anna tells Finn that she can’t get the conversation with Jason out of her head. The list of crimes he believes Peter orchestrated is unbelievable. At the same time, considering Peter’s recent behavior, she can’t dismiss it out of hand. She’s pulled everything she can find, and is trying to make a connection to Brice and the gunman’s deaths. The gunman spent a lot of time in Pentenville, but up until about a week ago, he was in Europe, where he has no arrest record. He worked security for two companies, Eurotech and another one I don’t catch, before and after his stint in prison. Finn thinks the company names should mean something to him, and Anna says they’re known by the WSB to be DVX companies. Finn says, shell companies. Peter lived in Germany, so that would be the connection. Anna says Andre also has connections in Europe, and Brice spent time there. Finn asks if there’s nothing to single Peter out, and she says, no.

Amy tells Elizabeth the paperwork will be ready shortly. Jordan asks Franco to look at a photo of his assailant, but when he does, he says he’s got nothing. But they weren’t really after him. They were after Drew. He’s not telling her how to do her job, but maybe she should be speaking to Drew. Elizabeth asks if Jordan needs anything else, but Jordan says, that’s it. Amy tells Franco that his walking papers are in. Enjoy his homecoming. Elizabeth says, they will, and Franco asks her, what’s going on with Drew? She says they have a lot to talk about, but they’ll do it at home.

Anna says, neither Brice, nor the assassin were in Afghanistan, and Finn says, that implicates Shiloh. She says, exactly, but Shiloh has no known connection to Faison. Finn says, that implicates Peter, but she says, there’s no implication anywhere. Finn says she wants to exonerate him, and she says she wants to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s not guilty. Finn says, that’s impossible. It comes down to what she feels. She says, nothing contradicts Jason’s version of the events, but Finn says, Jason has his own bias. In the absence of real evidence, it comes down to who or what she believes. The doorbell rings, and Finn goes to get it. He brings back Maxie and Peter.

Michael and Willow roll a ball back and forth with Wiley, and discuss a ball rolling Olympics event. Willow asks how Michael got to be so great with kids. Being a big brother? He says, that’s part of it. There was actually a time where he had custody of his sister Avery. It’s a long story, and not complementary of him. Willow doesn’t believe it, but he says, believe it. It was a very complicated, messy, human situation, where everyone acted badly. Willow says she’ll reserve judgment on that. Michael says his biological father was AJ Quartermaine. AJ and his mom didn’t get along, and she left him for Sonny when Michael was two years old. Sonny was the only father he knew. AJ wanted him back, so there was an ugly custody fight. Flash forward to five years ago. AJ and Sonny hated each other, and Ava got thrown in the mix. AJ attacked Ava, and Sonny shot him. He died, but Michael didn’t know it was Sonny who shot him until a month later, and he went a little crazy. It was pretty bad, and he trumped up a legal excuse to get custody of Avery. He wanted to hurt his father, and knew nothing would hurt him more than taking Avery away.

Nelle says maybe she doesn’t need Martin. She got herself out; she can find a way to stay out. Martin says he’s her only prayer to get out before her 60th birthday. If she does exactly what he tells her, and sticks with the program; be a model prisoner. She asks why she should trust him, and he says it’s his only chance of getting paid. Jordan comes in, and asks how the prisoner is. Nelle gives her two thumbs up.

The doctor asks Julian and Brad if they’re waiting for Lucas’s mother, but Julian says they convinced her to get some rest, so go ahead. The doctor says Lucas’s brain swelling is down, but he slipped into a coma. Julian says he’s been in a coma since he got there, but the doctor says it was medically induced to help his body heal. Even after they reduced the sedatives, he’s not waking up. Brad asks, what happens now? and the doctor says Lucas can’t stay there indefinitely. He’ll have to be relocated. They think Turning Woods is the best option; they have long term care. They’ll transfer him as soon as Brad signs off. Julian asks, what’s the rush? and Brad says, they need the bed. Lucas isn’t healing fast enough, so they’re kicking him out. He walks off, leans against the wall, and slides down.

Elizabeth brings Franco in, and says, ta-da! Franco says, check it out, and looks at the huge Welcome Home sign. He asks if Aiden did that, and she says, of course (🍷). Look at what else he did. Franco sees  a cake on the table, and says, chocolate ganache; his favorite. He asks where Aiden is, and Elizabeth says he was invited to spend Christmas in Ireland. He was torn; He wanted to go, but wanted to be there to welcome Franco home. Cameron convinced him that Franco would want him to experience new places, and they took him to the airport this morning. He’s come a long way from the uncertain withdrawn little boy, and it has a lot to do with Franco. Franco says he just followed her lead. She says they can still have a celebration. Cameron and Jake will be home soon. He has no idea how much the boys missed him. And how scared they were, although they tried not show it. He says he can imagine, and he’s sorry he put them through it. She says they’re sorry he went through it. He says he didn’t. It’s a matter of perspective. To him, no time passed. She got the raw end of the deal. She says she’s glad he’s home; that’s all that matters. She asks how it feels, and he says, safe and warm, and familiar and new at the same time. It’s weird that he hasn’t seen Drew. He must be busy. Elizbeth says, it’s worse than that. There’s a lot they need to deal with, and in time he’ll adjust. Drew handled it wonderfully, and was determined to get him back. Franco asks where Drew is, and she says, he’s missing, and presumed dead.

Julian tells Lucas, take more time to rest. Don’t worry about Wiley. He’ll fix this thing. By the time Lucas wakes up, everything will be back on track. He’s going to wake up. He has to.

Amy finds Brad, and sits next to him on the floor. She says, it’s not the end. Lucas probably just needs more time. Brad says it’s his fault, and she tells him, don’t say that. He says, it’s true. Between the two of them, everyone knows Brad is the bad one. Lucas doesn’t lie, cheat, or break the law. He’s perfect. Amy says Brad is no angel, but what everyone knows is how much Brad loves Lucas, and how much Lucas loves him. She asks if some gossip would cheer him up. Guess who traded their cellblock for a hospital bed? Nelle. That wacko is back in Port Charles. Brad says he has to do something, and jets. Amy wonders if it’s something she said.

Nelle tells Jordan, they can’t make her go back. Jordan says they can, and Nelle asks how heartless can they be? Ryan nearly carved out her one kidney. Jordan says she’s exaggerating, but Martin says her release is premature, given her medical history. She’ll need more extensive tests. Jordan says, if the doctor says she needs them, she’ll get them. Otherwise, it’s back to prison. Martin says, let’s find out. As he follows Jordan out the door, he turns back to look at Nelle, and she mouths, do something.

Anna quickly clears her desk, and Maxie says they brought gifts. Anna says they shouldn’t have, and Maxie says they’re not for her. She’s been going through Georgie’s old clothes, and thought Violet could use some of them. They’re out in the car. Anna asks Finn to help Peter get them. Anna tells Maxie that she’s glowing. Peter has an effect on her. Maxie says he’s made her happy. She didn’t think it was possible. After Nathan died, she thought that was it. How many chances does one person get? But in walks Peter, now they’re building a life together, and a family. Anna says she’s thrilled for Maxie, and they hug.

Willow asks how long Michael kept Avery, and he says, three or four months. He realized his revenge was tearing his family apart and hurting the people he loved, especially Avery. The only solution was to give Avery back, and forgive his father. Avery was the easy part; forgiving his father, not so much. Eventually, he got there. Willow says, remarkable, but he says, not really. It was a shift in perspective. Avery wasn’t a trophy; she was just a little girl. After he focused on that, everything else fell into place. The point he’s making is, he played dad for a minute. He laughs, remembering when he brought Avery to work, and a big investor came in. He found Michael on the floor, playing blocks with Avery. He already looked young, and  needless to say, Michael didn’t close the deal. Willow says, that investor was short-sighted. Anyone playing blocks is engaging, thoughtful, and committed. If it had been her, she would have totally invested with him. Michael’s phone rings. It’s Amy, who says she was just with Brad. Lucas is still in a coma, and being transferred to long term care at Turning Woods. Brad is taking it hard, so she was wondering if Michael could bring Wiley to the hospital. Brad needs to see his son.

Brad walks into Nelle’s room, and she says, nice work, talking his way in there, especially considering what he’s going through. He says his husband being in a coma, and his son without his fathers? All of it is her fault.

Franco asks Elizabeth if there was no body, and she says the plane was found in the water. When it was determined there were no possible survivors, the search was called off. Franco says, it was because of him, but Elizabeth says, Drew was on the plane because he felt it was the right thing to do. Franco says, it’s not fair.

Brad tells Nelle, none of this would have happened if he hadn’t gotten involved with her. All of it happened because he didn’t have the guts to stand up and do what he should have done all along. What Lucas would want him to do – what’s best for Wiley.

Michael and Willow come into the hospital through the loudest sliding door ever. Michael gives Wiley to Willow, and says he wants to give Brad a heads up. Willow tells Wiley that someone is going to be happy to see him.

Anna tells Maxie, she’s happy to hear she and Peter are moving in together. She was a bit surprised though. She thought Peter was getting his own place. Maxie says, he was, but the deal fell through. That’s why he was on the pier the night he helped Dev and Wiley. Anna says, everything happens for a reason, and Maxie says she thinks so. Peter is great for her and James. They’ve finally moved past the baggage. Finn and Peter come back in, and Finn thanks Peter for the stuff. Peter says he didn’t have much to do with it. Finn asks how it’s going since the excitement at the hospital. Peter says he feels horrible that a man lost his life, but Franco is back to himself. It must be liberating, not being bogged down with Drew’s memories. Finn says, it must be.

Elizabeth tells Franco that she’s sorry. Franco wishes he could have tried to save Drew, and she says he did. He got Drew out of the house, and away from that horrible man. Franco says Drew died as a direct result of what was going on with him. Elizabeth says what Franco did changed everything. He, as Drew, chose to give Franco back his life because of what he did all those years ago.

She says she dreaded this moment, telling him about Drew. She knew how hard to would be. He holds her, and says Drew is the closest thing he’ll ever have to a brother. She says he can’t bring Drew back. The only way to honor him is to learn from his own life. Be happy and make the people he loves around him happy. He says he’s an expert at being whiny and bitchy. She says, he is not. Maybe a little. He says he’s so grateful for her. From now on, he’s grateful for everything. She says he has no idea how unbearable it was to see him, and it not really be him. Not just the lack of recognition – that was painful enough – but everything. The way he carried himself, the way he spoke, the way he said her name. He wouldn’t make inappropriate comments, or make her laugh with his terrible jokes. He says, they’re funny because they’re terrible. She says she would look in his eyes and search, but she wouldn’t see it. She sees it now, and she’s so happy. he says, if he makes her happy, that’s the single greatest achievement of his life. She says she loves him so much, and they kiss.

Jordan sees Julian, and says she heard Lucas was being moved. He says he just got off the phone with Lucas’s mother, and told her about Turning Woods. She says they’ve received the final report about Brad’s car.

Michael looks at his phone; Brad called. Martin comes by, and introduces himself, saying he has the honor and privilege of being Nelle’s attorney. Michael isn’t sure that’s an honor, and Martin says, Nelle is a remarkable young woman whose gone out of her way to turn her life around. Michael says, Nelle destroys anyone who crosses her path. Stay away. He walks, and Martin says, tough crowd.

Michael sees Amy, and tells her that Wiley is waiting with Willow. Where can he find Brad?

Anna asks if Maxie and Peter can’t stay longer, but Maxie says, it’s Christmaspalooza. They have the coat drive at Rice Plaza next. Anna asks if they’re going to  be there for Christmas, and Finn says, that’s the day that’s merry not happy. Anna looks at him, and he says she lives in America now. Maxie and Peter leave, and Finn says, they seem good. Anna says, better than good, and he asks what she’s thinking. She says she’s thinking of taking his advice. She’s going to give Peter the benefit of the doubt. He says she’s taking his advice? and he tells her, enjoy it while it lasts. He goes upstairs to check on Violet, and she straightens her desk. She flips through a folder on Peter, and says, no.

Franco and Elizabeth kiss. She pulls away, and he asks, what going on? She says, you know how it is when your head and your body are feeling two different things? That’s how she’s feeling. She knows she shouldn’t be upset… He asks, what’s going on? Just tell him; they’ll get through it. She says, when Drew was in his body, he had sex with Kim.

Jordan tells Julian, they were unable to determine the cause of the crash. There was too much damage to the undercarriage, and they can’t pinpoint how the brakes failed. He asks if they’re closing the investigation, and she says they have nothing further to learn. She tells him, good luck with Lucas’s transfer. She hopes he comes out of it.

Anna says, Eurotech, and looks in the gunman’s folder. She says, ugh; no. Peter was there at the same company at the same time the gunman worked there. She looks through pictures of Peter, obviously taken without his knowledge.

Michael looks in on Lucas. He tells Brad, sorry. He knows it wasn’t the news Brad wanted to hear. None of them did. Brad says, it was a lot to take in, and Michael says he brought someone to cheer Brad up, if he’s up to it. Wiley is here.

In the hallway, Willow holds Wiley, and Nelle rolls up in her wheelchair. She says, what a beautiful baby boy.

On Monday, Monica reads A Christmas Carol to the kids at the hospital, Robert calls Finn a Scrooge, Obrecht says Christmas is the time put aside their differences and spread good will, and Finn becomes Scrooge. I’m really looking forward to that.

🏥 Her Choice of Friends Scares Me…

I love Denise, but her being good friends with Brandi is scarier than any medical emergency.

https://extratv.com/2019/12/18/denise-richards-reveals-emergency-medical-scare/?adid=extra_eme_27315_2019-12-18_rightnow4

💍 Congratulations, I Guess…

Since they were divorced, but never really apart, it’s hard to get excited.

https://extratv.com/2019/12/17/reality-stars-robyn-and-juan-dixon-engaged-again-after-2012-divorce/?adid=extra_eme_27314_2019-12-17_rightnow1

🎭 Whose Mask Is It Anyway…

I’ve loved Wayne Brady forever. I was blessed to see him in Chicago on Broadway, and hung out afterward, to ask him to sign my program. There were quite a few of us waiting, and every time the stage door opened, you could feel everyone get ready. Then, when it wasn’t him, there was a collective feeling of disappointment. Now we call every letdown after anticipatory feels, a Wayne Brady moment. He did eventually come out and sign programs just in case you were wondering.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/bbs-wayne-brady-wins-the-masked-singer/?utm_source=email&em_hash=72048a93bc8188334dc1071a32fe8f3b

🐕 God’s Best Invention…

Dogs are the best! If you keep watching, there’s a whole sequence of videos of dogs throwing tantrums for various reasons. This first one is annoyed by a cat in her bed. It reminds me of when our cat used to deliberately sit in the middle of the doorway because the dogs were too afraid to go past him. The cartoons have it backward.

https://digg.com/video/dog-throws-a-temper-tantrum-when-she-catches-cat-sleeping-in-her-bed?utm_source=digg&utm_medium=email

🔔 Quotes of the Week

Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don’t quite know how to put our love into words. – Harlan Miller

A good conscience is a continual Christmas. – Benjamin Franklin

Hanukkah is about the spark of the divine in all of us made in God’s image. – Suzanne Fields

We’re not doing anything that hasn’t been done better by Burl Ives, God rest his soul. Possibly. I don’t know whether he’s dead or alive. – Arthur Spooner (Jerry Stiller), King of Queens

Nothing ever seems too bad, too hard, or too sad when you’ve got a Christmas tree in the living room. – Nora Roberts

Just as Hanukkah candles are lighted one by one from a single flame, so the tale of the miracle is passed from one man to another, from one house to another, and to the whole House of Israel throughout the generations.Judah L. Magnes

And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent… –  Taylor Caldwell

Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see. – The Polar Express

Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance—a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved. – Augusta E. Handel

Ho-ho-ho!Santa Claus

🎁 And One More…

Scrooge was better than his word.  He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father.

He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.  Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but his own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.

He had no further intercourse with Spirits; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.

May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

HappyHanukkah5

🎇 It’s a Mitzvah…

Have a happy, happy, happy, happy Hanukkah!

November 19, 2019 – Franco Says What We’ve Been Waiting To Hear, Braunwyn Has a Weaning Party, Worst Date, New Wife, New City, Stassi Spins Off, Teresa’s Latest & Adam Gives Thanks

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Elizabeth tells Franco, it’s not a good time; she’s working. He asks her to get someone to cover. It’s important. She tells him, he already said goodbye. What’s left to say?

Kim opens the door, and Hayden is there. Hayden says she was supposed to meet the agent for a walkthrough. She just rented the apartment.

Anna fiddles with setting the table, and tells Finn that she’s almost done. He says, it looks great, and gives her a huge vase of flowers. She tells him, they’re beautiful, and he says, like her. He asks if she cooked, and she says, Pizzulo’s cooked; she plated. Some things never change. Finn says, some things do, and she nods.

At Charlie’s, Julian tells Brook Lyn to hit the road, but she says he hasn’t told her what the fight was about. He asks why she cares, and she says, it must have been juicy for him to close up shop before the dinner rush. He says maybe he doesn’t need the business. She asks what he does need, and he says, time to think. If that’s okay with her. She says, bartenders are always listening to other people’s problems. It sounds like he needs someone to listen to his. And she needs a refill. How about if they make each other happy?

Lucas tells Brad, all he has to do is tell the truth. Is Obrecht holding something else over him? If he loves Lucas, it shouldn’t be this hard to tell the truth. Brad says he does love Lucas, and Lucas says, then trust him. What did Obrecht mean when she said she knew the cold hard facts about Brad and Wiley’s father? What else is Brad hiding from him?

Olivia hopes Ned doesn’t mind, but she asked Sonny to come over. Ned asks, why? and she says she’ll let him know when Sonny gets there. In perfect soap timing, Sonny walks in. She thanks him for coming, and he asks, what’s going on? She shows him a big manila envelope, and says she got it from the WSB.

Judge Madrigal says, after careful consideration of the evidence and testimony, both oral and sworn affidavit, she’s prepared to make her ruling. She asks the defendant to rise. She says, for the charge of murder in the first degree, she finds Sam not guilty. Sam hugs Diane, and Jason smiles.

Elizabeth tells Franco, don’t make it harder than it already is. Franco says he had an intense conversation with Scotty. She says she knows; Scotty told her. He asks if she knows what it was about, and she says, yes. He asks why he had to hear it from Scotty. If she knew that Franco had saved him when they were kids, why not tell him?

Kim tells Hayden, she didn’t realize there was already a renter. Hayden introduces herself, and asks if Kim owns it. Kim says she does. She was going to sell it, but Lucy told her it’s a buyer’s market, so she went back to making it a rental. Hayden says she got the same speech. She hopes she didn’t come too soon, and Kim asks if she’s moving in today. Hayden says, no. She’s just measuring, but she’s glad she caught Kim. Is there anything she should know? Kim says, it’s a great apartment. It’s spacious, and has beautiful views. She hopes Hayden will be as happy there as she was.

While they eat dinner, Anna says, another medical mystery solved thanks to Finn, but Finn tells her, it was a team effort. TJ first thought of rat poison, but they still have to figure out how Alexis ingested it. He congratulates Anna on rescuing Charlotte, but Anna says that was also a team effort. Jason arrived in a timely manner, and Charlotte was impressive. Most children would be too frightened to make a move, but she saw her chance, and didn’t hesitate. It was a thing of beauty. Cassandra was distracted, and Charlotte bit her. She thought Cassandra would have a stroke, she’s so worried about infection. She admits she shouldn’t take satisfaction in it, since Cassandra is most certainly dead. Finn says they can’t pretend they’re not relieved. Anna says she’d like to know who arranged it, and Finn asks if it wouldn’t be Valentin.

Olivia tells Sonny that she’s been writing to Dante. He asks, where? The WSB won’t tell them where Dante was sent. She says she sent the letters to the WSB office in Manhattan, then out of the blue, she got this back. Ned says, through some back channels, he contacted some old school friends who work in defense and intelligence. Maybe the WSB is ready to give them some answers. Sonny wonders if the WSB is giving Dante treatment for his PTSD. Maybe he’s recovered enough to tell them what’s going on. Olivia says that’s why she asked him over. They’re Dante’s parents. She thought they should open it together.

Sam takes Jason’s hand, and the judge tells Diane to advise her client that court is not adjourned. The defense made a compelling case for extenuating circumstances. Shiloh’s history of violence against Sam and her family is undeniable. The court finds her act wasn’t premeditated, however, the court isn’t persuaded that she acted solely in self-defense, nor that she exhausted her duty to retreat. Evidence and testimony indicate that Jason is more than capable of fending for himself, and his life wasn’t in jeopardy. Had Sam not chosen to fire the flare gun, Jason could have subdued Shiloh alone. For those reasons, on the charge of manslaughter and negligent homicide, the court finds Sam guilty. Please. Is she kidding me?

Gabriel says a bench trial was requested to expedite the proceedings, and he’s prepared to accommodate that by asking for immediate sentencing. Diane says they intend to appeal, and thinks it’s premature. The judge says they have the right to appeal, but the prosecution’s point is well-made, and she’s prepared to hear their arguments.

Julian tells Brook Lynn, what he says goes no further. He and his associate had a disagreement. Brook Lynn says Julian was staring daggers at the guy. Julian says, maybe he deserved it. They were involved in a high stakes situation. Reputations were at stake; familial loyalties. Things money can’t buy. She says she knows all about family. She spent many years making sure her paths didn’t cross her nearest and dearest. Like a black cat. One of them is bad luck for the other. Julian says, that would be an understatement. His associate can’t be trusted to hold up his end of the deal, and she says, why risk it? Terminate the partnership. He says she took the words out of his mouth.

Brad asks Lucas if they can go somewhere more private. Everyone already assumes he’s in the wrong. Lucas says he’s Brad’s husband; the man who loves him. Talk to him. What does Obrecht have on him? Brad says, nothing, but that doesn’t stop her from inventing more lies and messing with them. She’s a miserable woman. Her own daughter prefers him over her. Lucas asks if it’s about Britt, but Brad says, no. Obrecht just wants to make him look bad, like Julian did. Lucas asks why everyone is after him, and Brad says, they’re jealous. Julian’s relationship history is a minefield, and Obrecht has been alone forever. He and Lucas are happy, and they’re not. Right? They’re happy, aren’t they?

Elizabeth asks what Scotty told Franco, and Franco says that he and Franco shared a part of his childhood. Jim Harvey sexually abused Franco, and Franco pushed him down the stairs, trying to protect him. He was injured and sent to a state home. At the time, it was assumed Franco was disturbed because no one had any idea what was going on. She says she considered telling him, but didn’t think it was her place. If she’d told him about Jim, she would have felt like she was betraying Franco’s trust. She hopes he understands. He says, after all she did, all her fighting to get Franco back, there was a line she wouldn’t cross because she loved him that much. She says she still does, and always will.

Gabriel tells the judge that Sam shot Shiloh in the back. She fired no warning shot, didn’t ask him to stand down, and gave him no chance to surrender. By her words and actions, she considered herself judge, jury, and executioner. She has an extensive criminal record of fraud and larceny. She was a grifter. That way of life first put her in the path of Shiloh. She has ties to the criminal underworld to this day, and the people request the maximum sentence.

Diane says, several weeks ago, a fellow prisoner, a vicious woman named Cassandra Pierce, injured a guard in an attempt to escape. When Sam had the chance to escape, she chose to stay with the guard until the police and paramedics arrived. That’s not the action of a criminal or a con. Sam fired the gun to save Jason, her ex-husband and the father of her son. She has two young children waiting for her at home, and strong ties to the community. Incarcerating her accomplishes nothing, but allowing her to return to her place as a productive member of society, benefits them all.

😱 Sidebar: Just as Franco begins to talk, ABC interrupts with the hearings again. No warning; no nothing. I momentarily freak. I can’t believe they’re busting in on the moment I’ve been waiting for. Then I get a grip, and go to my trusted secret site.

Franco tells Elizabeth, ever since he came to Port Charles, people have been weighing in on Franco; the good, the bad, and everything in between. He didn’t think it affected him. It was like hearing stories about a stranger. He doesn’t remember much about his life before he was sent to the state home. Names and faces; Bobby was one of them. To find out Bobby saved him, and made it possible for him to have a life… He was a SEAL, and he loved being a SEAL. Bobby made it possible for him to meet Kim, and he loves her. They had a child. There’s a lot about his life to love, but it’s not his life, is it?  This life belongs to Franco, and it’s time for him to give it back.

Hayden tells Kim, she’s been staying with her sister. It will be nice to have her own space again. Kim says she lucked out with the neighbors. Hayden says give her the dirt, and Kim says the lady upstairs is hard of hearing, and the man next door keeps to himself. Hayden asks how he is with noise, and Kim says, he’s tolerant. Just don’t play any metal. Hayden says she has a little girl. She’s a single mom, and thought the apartment would be the right size for the two of them. Kim says it’s cozy, but big enough that they won’t be on top of each other. Hayden can tell this place meant a lot to Kim, and Kim says, it did. It was home, and now it’s Hayden’s. If she has any questions, just have Lucy reach out to her. Kim takes her bag, and Oscar’s stuffed toy falls out. Hayden says, she’s a mom.

Finn asks about Anna’s travels. Any closer to finding Alex? She says she went through Alex’s records in Hungary, and followed her trail form Paris to Singapore to Dubai. She’s convinced Alex is more of a dilettante than a spy. She goes wherever the wind takes her or the money beckons. She guesses she’s been looking for answers, but she only has more questions. Finn asks why she came back. She says she hit a dead end, and had nowhere else to go. He says, he was the default, but she says her life is with him. She came back to be with him.

Ned says Olivia and Sonny probably want to read what’s in the envelope in private, and he has to call the probate lawyer anyway. He leaves, and Olivia says she’s afraid to open it. Sonny takes it, and opens it. He says he’s sorry; they sent them back. She spills her letters out on the table, saying, they never sent them. Sonny pulls a single sheet of paper out, and Olivia asks if it’s a form letter. They regret to inform her that her son no longer cares about her. Sonny says, it’s not a form letter. It’s for her. She looks at it, and says, it’s from Dante. She reads; mom, stop sending me letters. Sonny holds her while she cries.

Judge Madrigal thanks Diane and Gabriel for their well-considered arguments. She sentences Sam to two years in prison. Diane gets up, but the judge says she’s not finished. Diane apologizes, and the judge says, the sentence is neither the minimum or maximum. She took into consideration the threat posed by Shiloh, and Sam’s heroic actions during Cassandra’s escape. Accordingly, the court will ask that Sam be allowed early release, and to finish her sentence on probation or parole. Until that time, she’s remanded to Pentenville immediately. Court is adjourned.

Diane tells Sam and Jason that she’ll do everything in her power to persuade the parole board to release Sam. Jason asks, what about an appeal? Diane says she was under the impression that Judge Madrigal was fair and impartial. She doubts there will be any grounds for appeal, but she’ll do her best. Sam says she’s actually going to prison, but Diane says there are many avenues she can pursue. Jason asks for a moment, and Diane steps away. Sam whines that she’s going to be in prison for two years, but Jason tells her to just focus on what’s in front of her. That’s how they’ll get through this. One day at a time.

Julian says Brook Lynn is a good listener, and she says, it’s a gift. He says it helped to get it off his chest and clarify things. He puts some money on the bar, saying, time is money. She could have earned more elsewhere. She says he’s paying her for her time? He thinks she’s a hooker? He says he’s not judging. He heard her on the phone with her boss, saying he doesn’t own her. She says, that’s right; no one owns her. And no one pays her. He can keep his money. She hopes his partner screws him royally. She walks out. Outside she takes out her phone, saying, it can’t wait any longer.

Lucas asks if Brad thinks he’s unhappy in their relationship. Brad doesn’t know; is he? Lucas says all he’s ever wanted is Brad and Wiley. If anyone seems unhappy, it’s Brad. He doesn’t remember the last time Brad went a full week without being stressed out or snapping about something. Brad says he’s sorry, and Lucas says, what they had has grown into something bigger. They’re a family now. That’s why it hurts so much to think Brad is keeping things from him. Brad says Lucas has no idea what he’s done for their family. The choices he’s made; the prices he’s paid. Lucas says, obviously not, so clue him in. What has Brad done for their family that he couldn’t do with Lucas?

Elizabeth says she doesn’t understand, and Franco says he’s volunteering for the procedure reversal. He hopes it brings Franco back to her. She says, what about him? He was leaving town, and starting over with Kim. He says, Kim has to heal. He’s not someone who can help her with that. She asks if he told her, and he flashes back to his conversation with Kim. He says he told Kim that he owed it to Franco to do everything he could to get him his life back. Kim said, no matter what, she was leaving Port Charles, so he guesses he is too. Just in a different way. Elizabeth wipes a few tears away.

Anna says she missed Finn; she missed them. He says, he did too, but can’t help wondering if something else with Alex comes up, will she take off again? Anna admits she wants closure. She worries about Alex blowing back into town, and claiming Peter as her own. Finn understands. She’s gotten close to Peter. She’s been good to him, and shown him there’s a life after Faison. She says Alex could undo all that. If she comes back, and tells Peter that she’s his mother, whether she has proof or not, she could ruin everything. Finn says, it’s just a thought, but maybe if Anna spent more time with Peter, and had more influence in his life, it would lessen the impact. Instead of chasing after Alex, maybe Anna should commit to spending more time with Peter. Anna says things have changed a lot since she left. Now Finn has a daughter.

Finn thinks they could put off the discussion about Violet for tonight, but Anna doesn’t think they’ll do themselves any favors by avoiding it. Violet is going to change Finn’s life. He says, she already has. It all happened so fast. He knows he’ll need her help to figure things out, and he wants Violet to know her.

Kim tells Hayden that it will be a great apartment for her. Hayden apologizes for holding Kim up, but Kim says, it’s fine. Hayden wants to give her a proper sendoff. She takes out a bottle of champagne, and suggests they have a toast. From one mom to another.

Franco tells Elizabeth if she can put him in touch with Andre. Hopefully, they can start the procedure sooner rather than later. She asks, what about him? Does he want to take time for himself? He smiles, and says, after months of fighting, and insisting he have this procedure, taking him to court to have him committed, she’s trying to talk him out of it? She says, no. She wants him to have the procedure, but realizes it wasn’t her choice to make. It’s his. He asks what Franco told Cameron to tell her, and she says that he loves her and he’ll be back. He says, because that was Franco’s intention. Because Franco wants to come back to her, to his life with her. Franco has already decided and made his choice to have the procedure. He’s choosing to get out of Franco’s way.

Lucas says Brad doesn’t have to go it alone; they’re a team. Brad says, that’s the idea, but not the reality. The truth is, he’s been the one making the sacrifices and taking the hits. Lucas asks what he’s talking about, and Brad says Lucas doesn’t even see it. Lucas says he doesn’t, so let him in. Brad says he’s telling Lucas how he feels. Why isn’t that good enough? Lucas says because Brad isn’t being fully transparent. He’s clearly keeping secrets. Brad says he’s keeping their family together. If Lucas can’t accept that, and keeps looking for problems, he’s going to break them up. Is that what he wants? Lucas tries to grab Brad as he starts to walk out, but Brad brushes him off.

Ned asks, what’s going on? and Olivia tells him, don’t worry. Dante’s not dead. Sonny says, they’re dead to him. Ned looks at the paper, and says he’s so sorry. Olivia says, he’s ashamed of breaking. He feels that he has to protect his family, so he’s pushing them away. She gets that, but he can’t get better if they can’t reach him, and he’s refusing to let that happen.

Sam is cuffed, and she tells Jason to let the kids know she loves them and will call as soon as she can. Don’t bring them to see her. He says they’ll figure it out. They exchange I love yous, and she leaves with the guard.

Anna wishes she could see into the future, and Finn says he thought she was all about the unexpected. She says not where her children are concerned. He’s about to find that out for himself. He says he’s already there. Now that Violet is a part of his life, he’s obsessed with finding out what comes next. She says, whatever it is, she’ll be there for him. His phone dings, and he says, it’s Chase. He says it’s really important. Anna tells him, go. She’ll be there when he gets back. She promises. He kisses her, and says he’ll be quick.

Kim tells Hayden that she has a plane to catch, but save it, and share it with someone special. Hayden says she’ll take good care of the place, and tells Kim, good luck. She’s glad to have met her. Kim says, her too, and leaves. Outside, she looks a little stunned.

Franco asks if Elizabeth is all right. She says there are a million things she wants to say, but all she can come up with is thank you. He’s making a big sacrifice. He says, however it turns out, he’s ready. She says she’ll call Andre for him, and he says he’ll talk to her soon. She watches as he leaves.

Lucas looks at picture of Wiley and Brad on his phone.

Brad goes to Charlie’s and sees it’s closed. He bangs on the door, and asks Julian to open up. He knows Julian is in there. Julian turns the lights out, and Brad says he needs Julian. They can help each other. They need to stick together. Julian disappears into the back, and the cheese Brad stands alone.

Olivia grabs the letters, saying she’ll shred them or burn them. There’s no need to keep them. Sonny tells her, hold on. Don’t do that. Someday Dante will come back to them, and she’ll want them. She asks what she’s supposed to do. Say more prayers? Write more letters? For how long? Sonny says, for as long as it takes. Dante is protecting them, which means he still loves them, and he’s coming back. Ned tells her, you know what they say. Home is where they have to take you in, no matter what.

On cue, Brook Lynn breezes in, saying she almost broke her ankle getting back there. Ned says, Brook Lynn, and she says, hi daddy. I’m home.

Tomorrow, Chase confronts Finn about Violet, Valentin says Ava has Helena’s portrait, and Jason says he should have killed Shiloh from the start.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

Vicki and, Tamra meet for lunch. Tamra asks if Vicki has seen what Kelly is doing on social media. She’s been blocked. Vicki says Kelly blocked her too. Tamra says that Kelly claims she said Kelly pushed her mother down the stairs, but she’s taking the conversation out of context. Someone secretly recorded her conversation with Shannon, and posted it on the internet. She was telling Shannon about the terrible things that were said at the tea party – we flash back to that – but she was supporting Kelly, not spreading rumors. Tamra must think we’re all blind, deaf, and really, really stupid, along with having short term memory loss. Emily joins them, and Tamra says it’s been a crazy morning. Kelly’s gone to a level that’s psychotic.

While waiting for Shannon at a restaurant, Kelly calls brother Eric and mom Bobbi. In her interview, Kelly says, not having a relationship with her mother for the past two years has been hard on her. She tells Bobbi that she loves her, and she’s sorry for everything. She doesn’t like this. In Kelly’s interview, she says it takes a big person to say they’re sorry, but it feels good in her heart and conscience. She tells them that she misses them, and Eric says he misses her too. Bobbi says they’re good. She has no problem with Kelly. Kelly says she’s being attacked by everyone. Tamra said she threw Bobbi down the stairs. Bobbi says, you can get sued for defamation of character. She doesn’t know where Tamra is coming from, saying hateful things like that. In Kelly’s interview, she thanks Tamra, and says getting her mother back was the silver lining. She didn’t throw her mom down the stairs, she put her outside the door. She tells Bobbi and Eric that she’s meeting with Shannon. Shannon arrives, and Kelly says she just got off the phone with her mom and brother. Shannon tells Kelly that she looks pretty , and it’s possibly the first time she and I have agreed. I’m loving Kelly’s blue and white striped top. It’s tailored like a waistcoat. Shannon says she was up until three. She woke up saw Kelly’s text. Tamra told her that she was defending Kelly. She was repeating what was said, but she told Shannon that she felt like the others were bashing Kelly. Kelly says, they were, and Tamra is the culprit of all of it.

Tamra asks if they’ve seen what Kelly is doing. She’s been tagging Jim Bellino, when Tamra and Shannon are in a lawsuit with him. In her interview, Tamra says, she and Shannon are in a lawsuit together, and they’ve spent a half million dollars on legal fees. It’s been financially devastating. In Emily’s interview, she says she’s good friends with Alexis. We flash back to Alexis and Jim, being his usual a-hole self. Emily says Shannon and Tamra went on a podcast, said negative things about Jim’s personal life and business, and Jim sued them for defamation. She tells Tamra, it has nothing to do with Kelly. You can’t talk about someone publicly; there are repercussions for that. Tamra says Kelly knows what it’s cost her financially. Her kid’s college fund is being taken away.

Shannon says Kelly’s low blows cloud her good points. In Shannon’s interview, she says even though she won the case Jim had against her, they’re moving to the court of appeals. It’s like starting over again. She says Kelly knows the damage it can do. Kelly says Tamra did damage to her sick mother, and Shannon always sticks up for her. In Kelly’s interview, she says Shannon is of high intellect, but she’s getting manipulated by trailer trash Tamra. She thinks Tamra was probably Patty Heart’s captor. Look up Stockholm Syndrome in the dictionary, and there’s Tamra’s face. She tells Shannon that she can’t be a part of it. She says, Tamra is telling everyone that Shannon is a drunk, and Shannon says, give her a break. Kelly says she has the text, but she’s not stooping to Tamra’s level. In Shannon’s interview, she says she believes Tamra. They’ve reached a point in their friendship where they tell each other the truth. Shannon must be delusional.

Vicki says, Kelly needs psychological help. Emily says Kelly lashes out from a place of hurt, and Vicki tells her, they’ve all been through sh*t. Emily says she’s not giving Kelly a hall pass; it’s not right what happened with Shane. We flash back to Kelly calling him a little bitch, which I totally agree with. Vicki says, Kelly is an effing victim all the time. In Emily’s interview, she thinks a line has been drawn between Tamra and Kelly, and they’re only allowed to choose one side. It’s difficult, because she has no issue with either one of them, but if she has to pick a side, she’s going with the person she trusts, and that’s Kelly. Tamra says Kelly crossed a line.

Kelly tells Shannon that Tamra can do what she wants. Shannon doesn’t see her point-of-view, and Kelly is tired of it. Tamra has knocked her down, and she’s not putting up with it. Shannon is sorry Kelly feels that way, and Kelly says if Shannon wants to be a part of it, she’ll have to remove herself from the tres amigas. She gets up, and says, the good news is, she got back with her mother. Her mother hates Tamra. She told Kelly that Tamra is an evil person, and to stay away. She’s right. Kelly leaves Shannon sitting by herself.

In the car, Braunwyn tells Sean that her apartment will be perfect for her weaning party. In her interview, she says it’s something she invented. After 18 years of breastfeeding, she wants a celebration. She tells Sean that she told everyone to bring only inappropriate gifts. She’s excited to see what she ends up with. She hopes everyone embraces the spirit. Sean says she’ll have as much fun as she wants to, and Braunwyn says, it’s going to be epic. She and Sean stop at a gift store, and Braunwyn wants to get a humorous tea towel for Kelly. She wonders why Tamra wants to fight. Kelly said Tamra called her a drunk. Sean doesn’t understand why, since Tamra says nice things to her face. That’s not a good friend. She has to ask Tamra why. In Braunwyn’s interview, she says she’s shocked that Tamra said this. (I’m not.) They hit it off quickly. We flash back to them making out. Braunwyn says, if it’s true, it hurts, Sean asks if Tamra is coming to the party, and Braunwyn says when she invited Tamra, she thought Tamra was a friend. Sean says she’ll have to reach out. I suggest she do a freeze out. I’m so sick of Tamra. She does all the things she accuses others of doing. She’s not a Christian, she’s a freaking Pharisee.

On the way to a sex accessory store, Emily tells Gina that Shane thought she said Braunwyn was having a weenie party. In Gina’s interview, she says she’s never been to a weaning party unless you consider drinking an entire bottle of wine by herself when she was done breastfeeding, a party. Emily asks about Gina’s date, and Gina says, on one hand, meeting Dr. Hottie is the best thing that could happen to her, but Matt was so upset, he cried. It’s the first time she’s seen him cry in twelve years. In her interview, Gina says, seeing him cry for the first time, she feels he gets it; the family was impacted. And she believes he’s committed to wanting to repair it. Emily says, on the other hand, Matt hurt her deeply. In Gina’s interview, she says, on one hand (phrase of the night), she’s moving on, but on the other side, it feels good to be wanted and loved. It’s confusing. I’m not confused. He’s a dog with a bone, shedding crocodile tears. Stay away. They go into the store, and Emily asks if Gina is ready for some inappropriate gifts for the party. Emily explains to the clerk what they need, and the clerk says there’s no shortage of inappropriate items there. In Gina’s interview, she says, it sounds like it’s going to be a crazy orgy. She’s going to chuck dildos and run. In Emily’s interview, she says, anytime you get to be someone different is fun. She asks Gina if she thinks Braunwyn would like a swing, and asks the clerk if it’s good for three people or only two.

Shannon irons. Lots of ironing going on in reality TV this week. She gets ready to go to her first deposition. David’s attorney is going to ask her questions about the marriage. The divorce has been completely contentious. David’s attorney is Tamra’s old attorney, and she hears he’s a bulldog, so who knows how it will go? She calls her business manager, and says it needs to be up and running at the latest mid-July. In her interview, she says she created a low calorie food line, and she’s launching a website. She doesn’t want to rely David financially, but she’s uneasy not knowing what the final settlement will be. Her manager tells her to breathe. In Shannon’s interview, she says she still gets emotional, and a pit in her stomach, when she sees David. There’s so much anger when she sees him, but she feels stronger, both mentally and physically. She’s not very organized though. She’s trying to balance all of these folders and books, and I’m wondering why she didn’t use a tote bag.

Braunwyn meets Tamra at a bar. In Braunwyn’s interview, she says normally, if she’s uncomfortable, she doesn’t pick up the phone, but she hasn’t seen Tamra since the tea party, and wants to find out what made Tamra call her a liar Braunwyn says she doesn’t know where to start. Tamra called her a liar, but she didn’t bring up Kelly’s boyfriend. Emily asked how they’re doing. We flash back to the tea party, and Tamra says she wasn’t talking about that. Braunwyn says she thought Tamra meant she brought it up, and she owns her sh*t. Tamra says, as she does, and I choke on my coffee. Braunwyn says, the next night at dinner, Kelly said Tamra thinks she’s a drunk and didn’t like her tea party outfit. Tamra says Kelly asked what Braunwyn was wearing, and she said it was cute. Kelly takes a little information, and twists it. Braunwyn says she’d love it if Tamra would come to her if there’s a problem. Tamra asks if she looks like the type who wouldn’t. In her interview, Braunwyn says she was conflicted. She believed Kelly, but now she believes Tamra. She’s sure the truth is somewhere in the middle, but it doesn’t involve her. She’s taking a step back. She’s good with both of them, and it’s not her problem. Tamra says Kelly is going dirty, and she thinks it’s best if she doesn’t go to the party. Kelly’s temper scares her. Braunwyn suggests she come early and hang out beforehand. Tamra says, okay, but if Kelly comes at her, she’s leaving. Braunwyn says, fair enough. They hug, and Braunwyn says she was nervous because she really likes Tamra. Tamra says, what’s not to like?

Tamra gets her hair done, and Vicki joins her. Tamra shows her the cake, a pair of boobies with a bikini top double nip slip. Vicki says someone told her they’re lactating tonight; the party is about boobs. Tamra says, it’s weaning, and Vicki says, it sounds like a puppy. Shannon FaceTimes Tamra, and Tamra asks if she’s been crying. What happened? Shannon says she just got back from the deposition. She made the most money she ever has last year, but less this year, and they won’t look at that. Tamra says, no way Shannon is walking away with nothing, but Shannon says, it’s a possibility if they can find a case to support it. In Shannon’s interview, she says, even though it was common property, David started the business before they were married. The bulk of it grew after they were married, but if that’s not applied to her, she’s screwed. Shannon tells Tamra, seventeen years count for nothing. Tamra says all she can do is move forward. It’s just money. They hang up, and Tamra tells Vicki that Braunwyn just sent a picture of her boob. Vicki says, Braunwyn likes herself. Tamra is the one who invited her; she never heard from Braunwyn. Tamra says, Braunwyn has loyalty to Kelly, and Vicki says she’s going to drug test Kelly. We flash back to the reunion where Kelly said go ahead and test her.

At Braunwyn’s love shack, the bartenders take their shirts off, and the DJ sets up. The guests arrive, and it gets crowded pretty quickly. Vicki says she doesn’t need a swing. She has jungle gym with Steve at home. I find this really hard to believe. Tamra tells Braunwyn, Vicki thought it was a lactating party. Braunwyn says, that would be less fun. She’s done, but instead of being sad about having no more babies, she’s celebrating. She tells them that Kelly isn’t going to be there. She didn’t want the focus on her, since it’s about Braunwyn. Tamra breathes a sigh of relief.

Kelly goes out with friends to a restaurant. She thanks them for coming and supporting her. Drama free night. In her interview, she says she knows if she goes to the party, the sh*t will hit the fan. She wants to disengage, and be a stronger person. They toast to loyalty.

Gina is impressed be Braunwyn’s apartment. She asks about Kelly, and Tamra says she’s not coming. Gina asks if it’s a kind gesture, and Tamra shrugs, telling Gina, she has no words.

Kelly says Tamra told everyone she did a train, and threw her mother down the stairs. Pump the breaks, Becky. She admits to going off the handle, and she’s tried drugs, but doesn’t do them. Her brother put some things out there on the internet, and her mom took Eric’s side. Kelly says they’ve made amends, but any information Tamra knows about, she twists it. She’s dumber than a box of rocks.

Shannon shows up at Braunwyn’s party, and Braunwyn asks how it’s going. Shannon says her divorce trial starts on Monday. Gina asks what she means, and Shannon says David’s lawyer found a case that would support her getting nothing. In Braunwyn’s interview, she says, a stay-at-home mom raising three daughters is a job. If she and Sean got a divorce after she raised seven children, she’d expect to get everything. Vicki tells Shannon that Kelly isn’t coming, and Braunwyn says Kelly decided it’s her night, and didn’t want to be a distraction. Braunwyn knows they got into it a little at the tea party, and she bores Vicki, but she loves them all. She wants them to come with her to Miami, where she’s from. She and Sean are checking on some places they own. In her interview, Braunwyn feels that her personality will make more sense to them when they see her in Miami. They say she’s too loud, but everyone is like that there. She’s not crazy, she’s just from another city. Well, maybe a little crazy. She passes out gift bags that contain little blackboards inviting them to a party in Key West. Shannon says she’s not going; it’s where David started his affair, but Tamra says she’ll stay with Shannon. In Shannon’s interview, she says David went on a trip with an organization that included one woman. She believes David started his affair with her on one of the group retreats, and it was in Key West. She remembers him calling her. We flash back, and Shannon says David called her at midnight last night. He’s up until midnight when he’s in Florida. Why is he up late with other people, and not her? He says they’ll have to change that, and she tells him she’s going to hold him to it. She thinks that’s the night the affair started.

Emily spanks one of the bartenders. A pseudo cop comes in, with a woman in a low-cut shirt that says SWAT. He says there have been complaints of loud noises and lewd behavior. He looks at Vicki’s butt, and says it’s as he suspected. They have crack. Okay, I laughed. Vicki wonders if it’s a bachelorette party. Braunwyn gets lap dances, and tells Tamra that she’s not cheating on her. Tamra says that’s why she didn’t get a blonde. In Emily’s interview, she says she was thinking breasts, not shirtless guys, and not strippers. In Vicki’s interview, she says, here we go again. It reminds her of Mexico. She tells Emily, it’s not her jam, and Emily asks if Vicki wants to paddle her with the bitch paddle. Vicki leaves, and Tamra says, that’s the way to get Vicki to go; hire a stripper. Emily rides on a dude who motorboats her, and in her interview, Tamra says she thinks that’s the most action Emily has gotten in a long time. Braunwyn shouts, no more babies! Gina wonders if this is the way everyone does it when they stop breastfeeding. Braunwyn nearly falls, and flashes everyone. Gina says she didn’t have this sh*t at her bachelorette party.

Braunwyn asks if Shannon is okay. Shannon says she’ll go to Miami, but Key West is on her no fly list. She believes David started his affair there. Emily asks if he was there for work, and Shannon says, it was a work retreat, and there was one woman on the trip. Emily suggests it might help her heal to go, but Shannon says she’s not that kind of person. She doesn’t want to think about it. Emily says if she conquered it, she might feel empowered. Gina  tries to interrupt, telling Emily that Shannon said she’d conquered it. In her interview, Gina says she remembers when she found out about the affair with Matt. She couldn’t function or breathe. If Key West is a trigger, she doesn’t know if Shannon should go there. Shannon say she’s not emotional about the demise of her marriage, but she doesn’t want to bring up the memories. Braunwyn says Shannon has a legit girl gang with her.

Shan visits lawyer Ben, and says she’s been emotional since the deposition. Ben says he doesn’t blame her. Shannon says she was told no facial expressions; not a peep. It was hard watching David burst into laughter and smirk. In her interview, she says, it’s as nasty as it can be. A part of her wants to be amicable because she wants to be the best co-parent she can be. Shannon says she knew if she said anything, she’d start to cry, so she stayed silent. Ben doesn’t think she lost it; she kept it together admirably. He wanted to orient her as to where they’re going when the trial concludes. It’s common for permanent support to be less than temporary support, and her income has increased since the end of the marriage. Shannon says, it’s declining now, and Ben says it’s not the ideal time for her to go to trial, but he doesn’t know where it’s going to crack up. She says when David started his business, it was out of his rented place. He didn’t get his first million dollar job until after they were married. Shannon says, there’s no way they can argue it was a separate property. She helped him grow the business. They were married seventeen years, and she’s the mother of his kids. In her interview, Shannon believes she can support herself, but never thought it was a possibility that she was entitled to nothing. She guesses being at home with the kids adds up to nothing. She tells Ben that she’s emotionally and physically exhausted, but she’s not going to let David get the best of her.

Next time, Gina and Mett get a hotel room in Laguna, Shannon can’t wait clean her hands of the marriage and move on, the Miami trip, and Vicki gets engaged.

🙈 I’m being forced into watching Blind Date because it’s wedged into the half hour between two other shows. The second episode was as bad as the first. Worse, because it was the same. It’s like they took the worst people, put them in the worst show, and sent them on the most boring date. The name of it should be, Two Jerks in a Hot Tub, since that’s what it seems to amount to. It’s like watching the worst Tinder date ever. Maybe not the worst, but pretty bad. Tonight, one guy went on about how he had to take a pee, and then when in the hot tub, remarked that the water was warmer. Eww! Please, Bravo, get rid of this show yesterday.

🗽 Replacing Bethenny…

The new Real Housewife of New York

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/11/leah-mcsweeney-joins-rhony-cast/

🙋 Joining the Franchise…

This should be interesting. Will we see Sister Real Housewives?

https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/11/bravo-announces-real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city/

🍔 Basically…

Stassi is on a roll.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1094274/vanderpump-rules-stassi-schroeder-gets-her-own-show

🍷 In Giudice News…

Not so happy reunion.

https://radaronline.com/photos/teresa-and-joe-giudice-argue-during-italy-reunion/

Teresa at Bravocon.

https://radaronline.com/photos/teresa-giudice-parties-at-bravocon-after-tense-reunion-with-joe-fails-in-italy/

Keeping him in our thoughts and prayers.

https://pagesix.com/2019/11/18/teresa-giudices-father-hospitalized-with-pneumonia/

🍗 Before Hanukkah Comes…

Definitely drumstick worthy.