What I Watched Today
(Weekday bites, Friday’s whole GH enchilada & media minutiae)
General Hospital
🥢 Weekday Bites…
Monday:
Nothing to see here. Memorial Day rerun.
Tuesday:
Brook asked Lois if Gio was really her son and Lois said, yes.
Emma followed Gio to the Quartermaines and he told her that his entire life was a lie. He couldn’t stay there. She said she wasn’t going to stop him. She was coming with him.
Michael said he’d missed Wiley, and they were having a sleepover at Grandma Carly’s. He left with Wiley, and Jason told Willow and Drew if they followed Michael, they’d never see Wiley again.
Lulu and Cody had a beer on her porch. She asked how Dante was, and he said Dante was mad, confused, and in shock. He told Dante what he’d known. Lulu said she was sorry the way it came out, but at least now Dante knew the truth. Cody wasn’t sure they made the right call.
Lois told Brook that she and Gloria were trying to do the right thing. They decided to keep Gio close, and they were only trying to look out for Brook’s child. No child was ever more loved. Brook said she couldn’t breathe, and Lois held her.
Emma asked where Gio wanted to go, and he said, anywhere but here. On the way out, they ran into Tracy coming in. She said Drew framed her and had her arrested. Then Jason left her stranded at the police station. She asked what they were doing there instead of the Nurses Ball. What was wrong? Gio flashed back to overhearing he was Brook and Dante’s son and smashing his violin. He said Tracy kept reminding him that he wasn’t a Quartermaine, but the joke was on him. It turned out he was family.
Willow asked Jason where Michael was taking Wiley, when her phone rang. She asked the nanny where Amelia was now and told Jason that he had no right to take her baby. Jason left and Carly said she would see Nina in court. Sonny said he had something to take care of and Nina asked him to hear her out.
Trina brought Kai back to the apartment and he said he couldn’t get over how beautiful her voice was. Every single thing about her was beautiful.
Cody asked if Lulu was the one who told Gio, and she said she was pretty sure he’d overheard her and Lois talking. Cody said it was on him too, but maybe confronting Lois at the Nurses Ball wasn’t the best idea. He hadn’t given enough thought to how it would affect Gio and equated Gio’s experience to his, but their situations weren’t the same. He’d never felt like he fit in, but Gio grew up with a family who adored him, and they blew it all to hell. Lulu flashed back to Carly saying she’d put this train in motion and needed to get off the track before she got leveled.
Lois brought Brook some water and Brook wanted to hear everything. Lois said Gloria knew Camilla desperately wanted a baby and Camilla was thrilled with the opportunity to be a mother. It was a relief that they could watch over Gio, and she could tell Brook with absolute certainty that her baby went to a loving home. It seemed like the perfect solution, but then Camilla got sick and passed. Gio’s world had fallen apart, and they thought it was wrong to tell him at that point. She was trying to do the right thing. Dante came in and asked, the right thing for who?
Sonny said Jason was acting on Michael’s wishes and Michael had a right to see the kids. Nina said she thought Michael’s return would calm things down and they could make him see compromise was what was best. Sonny said, unless or when Willow got away from Drew, this was how it was going to be. He wondered if Nina could get Willow to see who Drew really was. Drew had runed Willow’s life, tanked her marriage, and she was about to lose her kids. He hoped Drew was worth it.
Michael came back to the house and Sasha was there with the kids. He said he’d missed them so much.
There was champagne waiting at the apartment, and Trina said it was Stella’s way of celebrating her performance, since she couldn’t be there. Kai made a toast to Trina’s undeniable shooting star and to Aunt Stella for being Aunt Stella. Trina felt bad that she was having an amazing night while Gio was having a night from hell. At least Emma was with him and would make sure he was okay. Kai said he had experience in thinking everything was fine and having it suddenly come crashing down. Trina had it too when she’d lost Spencer. Trina said she’d been thinking about it lately, and her mom helped her realize that she didn’t want to lose someone else she cared about.
Tracy told Gio that she’d spent the better part the evening being detained by the man. What was she supposed to know? He said he’d assumed she was in on it. Brook and Dante were his parents, which made her his great-grandmother. Congratulations! It’s a boy! She told him to start at the beginning, but he told her to ask Lois. She said, it was him all this time. He was her great-grandson. He started to leave, but she told him, don’t take another step.
Brook told Dante that she was sorry. She got pregnant that summer – their summer – in camp. She couldn’t tell him because she didn’t know how. She was young and scared out of her mind. She felt so lost and didn’t know what to do. She only knew she couldn’t terminate the pregnancy, so she had the baby and gave it up for adoption. She’d sworn she’d never tell anybody, and swore she didn’t know their child was Gio until tonight.
Emma told Tracy that they were heading out, but Tracy said that wasn’t okay. She wanted Gio to tell her what happened and why he believed that Brook and Dante were his parents. Gio told her that Lois had said they were. He’d overheard her, but it was the truth. Tracy said she understood wanting to run, but he didn’t get to say he was family and just waltz out the door. He was her family. She had two sons, a granddaughter and a grandson. Now she had a great-grandson. She showed him a photo of Edward and Lila, and said they were his great-great-grandparents. Everything in this house was his and everybody who lived there was related to him. Don’t push them away.
Cody said he’d never forget the look Gio’s face, and Lulu said, he looked so lost and betrayed. It made her heart hurt. Cody said, for Gio, Brook, and Dante. He knew she hadn’t wanted it to go down like this, but he couldn’t help feeling guilty. They’d been blinded by the lie and couldn’t see the reason the lie was there in the first place. So many people’s lives had been ripped apart. (Like someone didn’t tell Lulu that was going to happen every five minutes.) Lulu said, things had changed, but it was for the better. It was good that Dante knew. Cody said now Gio knew Camilla hadn’t been his mom, but Lulu said, no one could take away the love they’d shared. Cody doubted Gio appreciated that right now, and Lulu said, maybe someday. Cody said he hoped Gio wasn’t out there alone.
Dante wondered why Brook never told him later, and she said, once she decided to give the baby up, she felt it would be cruel. She didn’t want to burden him with something that couldn’t be changed and make him suffer like she was. He said they had to put all that aside. They had a son who was in trouble. She said she had to find Gio, when Tracy texted that Gio was at the house and to come quickly. Lois wanted to come with them, but Brook said, like hell.
Michael tucked Wiley in and said they would talk in the morning. He told Wiley about flying over the ocean and said his love for Wiley and his sister was bigger than the ocean. Bigger than anything. He was back and now everything would be different.
Trina said she never thought she’d feel so strongly about someone again, then Kai came along. At first, she thought he was a bit of an arrogant jerk and was embarrassed she’d judged a book by its cover. He was neither of those things. She didn’t know how to handle the attraction and felt guilty because of Spencer. Kai said he was a goner from the night Trina dumped her drink on him, and she said she got there at the end. He told her, it was just the beginning, and they kissed.
Trina said Josslyn had texted and was spending the night at her mom’s, so she and Kai had the place to themselves. Kai asked if she was sure she wanted to do this, and she said she definitely wanted to. They got busy and there was a song part.
Continuing to justify her thoughtlessness, Lulu said, even when change was good, it was hard, and Cody said, Gio’s entire reality had been turned on its head. She said it was worth it if it meant the truth came out. Dante was an amazing father, and despite her many faults, Brook was a loving person and had Chase to rein her in when she went off the rails. She thought Brook would be a good mom. Gio believed he was an orphan and now had a whole other family who would accept him the way the Scorpios had accepted Cody. (It’s mindboggling how clueless she is.)
Brook said it had been her baby and Lois had pretended like she was calling the shots. Meanwhile, she had nothing to do with it. She’d agreed to a closed adoption with the understanding that neither of them knew where the baby went. If Lois changed the plan, she should have told her. They could have figured it out together. Lois reached for Brook’s arm, but Brook shook her off and said what she’d done was unforgiveable. She had zero excuse. She’d lied to everybody, including her own daughter, for 22 years, and lied to Gio his entire life. The list went on. Lois said she wished she could go back, but Brook said that meant nothing to her. Stay away from her and her son. She left, Dante following after giving Lois a look, and alone, Lois sobbed.
Trina and Kai basked in the afterglow. Trina said she hadn’t wanted Kai as a partner, but was glad. He was one of the best things to happen to her. Kai said he felt the same way.
Michael flashed back to Sasha telling him that she didn’t think it was healthy to raise her child as a Quartermaine. He told her that he’d missed the kids so much, and she said he looked great. She asked if he was in any pain, but he said nothing he couldn’t manage. He asked about her, and she said she was great. He thanked her for helping with Amelia, and she said, Amelia knew her from the Quartermaines’. She and Jason thought it would be less scary if she went with him to pick Amelia up. He thanked her for sending the sonograms and said he didn’t want her to start worrying he’d go back on his word and try to be part of the baby’s life. He wouldn’t do that unless she changed her mind.
Drew and Willow ran into the station, and Drew told Mac that they wanted to report a kidnapping. Willow said it was her daughter, and they knew where she was. Drew said, Jason is the one who kidnapped her.
Cody told Lulu that family did Gio no good if he couldn’t trust them. He didn’t know how you came back from a lie this big. Lulu suggested it would happen with love, patience, and time. It wouldn’t be bleak forever. Everyone would help. He said he’d do what he could, and she said she would too, but he said she might want to lay low for a while. He said, goodnight, picked up the rest of his six-pack, and left.
Ned found Lois in the MetroCourt garden and looked at her grimly.
Tracy told Gio that the Quartermaines weren’t perfect, but they were his family, and he said he got that it wasn’t her fault, but he had a family. He loved his mother more than anything and lost her. Now he found out none of it was real. It was a complete lie. The family had now were a bunch of liars, so excuse him if he didn’t jump on the Quartermaine bandwagon. Brook and Dante walked in.
Wednesday:
Maxie met Nina at the Brown Dog Bar and Maxie said she watched the whole thing on TV. Nina said, it got worse when Willow found out Jason took Amelia. This would change everything for the custody hearing. The only way Willow would keep her children was if she ended things with Drew and there was one thing that could happen to push Willow to the edge. Maxie asked if Nina was going to tell Willow that she’d slept with Drew.
Drew said Mac had to arrest Jason, and Willow said Jason took Amelia. Mac asked, where? and Drew said, to Carly’s, but they might not stay, so Mac had to move quickly. Mac asked why Jason took Amelia, and Willow said, Michael told him to. Michael showed up at the Nurses Ball and left with Wiley. She assumed they were headed to Carly’s. Mac said what he was hearing was that the children were with their father. That wasn’t kidnapping. Drew said Jason wasn’t welcome in their house and had terrorized the babysitter. They police had to do something.
Carly came back to the house with Josslyn and Jason, and Josslyn hugged Michael. Carly hugged him and said nothing had been the same without him. He thanked Jason for getting Amelia and told him that it was smart to bring Sasha. He asked Carly if it was okay for them to spend the night, and she said it was more than okay. Donna would be thrilled to see him at the breakfast table, and she would too. Josslyn said his timing was impeccable, and Carly asked how he knew to come home.
Ned asked, why? and Lois said she was really sorry. He said, Brook had a baby when she was practically a baby herself and kept it from him? It was the biggest crisis of their daughter’s life and when she needed support, where was her father? Nowhere because Lois cut him out.
Gio said he was just leaving, but Brook said, don’t go. Please. Dante said they had to talk, and reached for Gio’s arm, but Gio said, don’t touch me. He had nothing to say to them. Brook said Dante didn’t know she’d been pregnant and didn’t know about him, and Gio asked, what was her excuse?
Ned wondered if Brook thought he’d be angry or ashamed. Did she think he’d disown her or think he didn’t care? Lois said, it wasn’t like that. What teenage daughter wanted to tell her father that she was pregnant? Brook was ashamed and needed her help, so she did what she thought was best for their daughter. Brook didn’t want to terminate the pregnancy, so Lois had to figure out how to get Brook out of town before she started showing. She didn’t want Brook’s whole life derailed because of one careless moment. Ned said he would have supported Brook and helped, and she said, maybe. Or maybe the Quartermaines would have swooped in and taken the baby as if it was another asset.
Brook told Gio that she had a baby and gave them up for adoption. She didn’t know if she had a boy or a girl or where they ended up, except it was a loving home. She didn’t know it was him. Gio said she didn’t want him and gave him away. Out of sight, out of mind. Brook said, that couldn’t be further from the truth. It wasn’t that she didn’t love or want him. She wasn’t ready to be a mother – she was just a kid – but she never forgot him. Gio asked if she ever came looking for him, but she said she didn’t think it was right to bust into his life and upend his whole world. He said, like what happened tonight, and Dante said Gio was angry and confused. He was too. Gio said they’d all been lied to, but it made no difference about what he thought. Brook said she was there to answer any questions, but Gio said it was too late. He was leaving. He walked out the door and Emma followed. Tracy said Brook had to let him go.
Nina said, Drew sold Willow on a fairytale romance, saying he was so in love with her, and Maxie said, and the whole time he was sleeping with her mom. Nina said if she told Willow, she’d see Drew for the liar he was, and Maxie said, one would only hope, but it didn’t guarantee Willow would get back with Michael. Nina said, all that mattered was getting Michael to a more equitable place regarding custody, and Maxie asked if Nina thought it would be easier if Drew was out of the picture. Nina said, exactly, but she didn’t know if she had the guts. What if she lost Willow? Maxie said it was a definite gamble, and Nina said Willow would know she said nothing while Willow threw her life away for a man she knew was lying the entire time. Willow was never going to forgive her for that.
Nina said, as a mother, she knew if she told Willow the truth, Willow might have a chance to hold on to her children. But as a mother, she couldn’t bear the thought of losing Willow. Maxie said she got it. Nina didn’t get the chance to raise Willow. Nina said she didn’t get the chance to be a mother to Nelle and Willow is her only child, and Maxie suggested she stay quiet for now.
Michael told Carly, as soon as he was strong enough, he called Diane and she told him about the court date. He arranged for a flight home asap. Josslyn said he looked great and asked if he was holding out on them, and he said he didn’t want to get their hopes up. After he talked to Diane, he thought surprise was the best strategy. Josslyn said, Willow was definitely surprised, when the doorbell rang. Jason left to get it, and Michael said he knew everyone would be at the Nurses Ball and figured it would be the best time. Jason brought Mac in and Carly asked what he was doing there. Mac said, investigating a kidnapping.
Ned said, the Quartermaines would have loved Brook’s child, and Lois said they would have, but they would have felt it was within their rights to control the child. Gio had the right to grow up to be whoever and whatever he wanted to be. It was her mom’s idea, but she was on board, and Gio grew up happy and healthy, and they were right there in case anything went wrong. She wasn’t thinking about how it might affect anyone 20 years later. Ned said he’d been living with his own grandson for over a year, and Lois said, it wasn’t fair, but she felt it was the best solution. She told herself it was what Ned would have wanted. Ned said she was right in saying it wasn’t fair, when Olivia came in. Ned said he was done here, and Olivia told him, go ahead. She had some words for her good friend Lois.
Dante said Gio was their kid, who Brook never told him about, and he barely knew, and Tracy said she’d let them talk privately. She wanted them to do her a favor. Try not to let their pain obscure the fact they met their son and he’s a wonderful boy. She left and Brook said Dante had every right to hate her. Dante said he didn’t hate her. He just didn’t know why she didn’t tell him. She said she was completely freaked. All she could think was that she’d screwed up and was in huge trouble. She didn’t want him to deal with that trouble too. They hadn’t made any promises. It was a summer romance. What would he have done if she’d told him? He said he had no idea. She never gave him the chance to have a choice. She knew he cared about her and respected her, and she returned that sentiment by lying to him for 22 years.
Emma brought Gio to the footbridge and said, this place was important to her mom. Whenever she needed a minute to think, she came here. Gio said it was peaceful, and Emma agreed. She thought he could take a minute to catch his breath and decide what he wanted to do next. He said he had no idea, and she put her hand on his.
Brook said she’d lied to Dante, and she was sorry, but she did what she had to do. He said she did whatever was easiest, but she said, none of it was easy. She didn’t know the first thing about being a mom. He said he’d like to think if she’d told him, he’d have done the right thing and stepped up. He got why she didn’t tell him then, but why not now? They were friends and she could have told him at any point. She said, too much time had passed, and the fallout seemed like it would be worse. Her only choice was to keep it buried. He asked if she would have told him if she hadn’t been forced to, and she says, probably not. When she gave the baby up, she thought they’d only meet if he came looking for her. She’d made peace with the fact he never did, because it meant he was content in his own life. She had no clue it was Gio, and they were living in the same house. Dante said, so Gloria and Lois knew. Who else? They heard Chase calling for Brook in the foyer, and then he walked in. He asked Brook if it was really Gio, and she nodded. He held her as she cried.
Lois told Olivia that there was nothing she could say that she hadn’t said to herself, and Olivia said they’d been best friends since preschool. They did everything together their entire lives. How could she? Lois said, Brook didn’t want anyone to know, but when she needed help, obviously, Lois told her mother. Olivia said, Lois was the closest thing she had to a sister. She would have never kept a secret like that from Lois. Lois said, until she was in the exact same position, Olivia couldn’t say what she’d do. She did what she thought was best for Brook and Gio’s privacy. Olivia said, Lois did what was best for herself. She set it up to keep her grandson close, so she didn’t have to share him with anyone, even his mother. Shame on her. Lois said she guessed the glass house Olivia was living in helped her to see clearly. How dare Olivia look down on her when she didn’t tell Sonny that Dante was his son.
Nina said, Drew’s strategy was to portray Michael as an absentee father who took off on his kids, and Maxie said, to have fun in a burn unit? Nina said it wouldn’t work anyway now that Michael was home, and Maxie said Ric was a good lawyer. Nina said she hoped he won, and Maxie said Sasha had gotten a subpoena. Ric probably thought she saw or heard something at the Quartermaines that would work in Willow’s favor. Nina said, Sasha would probably be a hostile witness now, with Jason in the mix. He thought of Michael as his son. Maxie said, if Cody hadn’t blown Sasha’s cover story, they would have believed Sasha met some guy in a bar, but Cody found out it was Jason. Nina asked when Sasha said she met a random guy, and Maxie said, the night before Halloween, the night before Sam died. Maxie’s phone chimed and she said, Bailey Lous was awake and asking for her. She had to go. Nina thanked her for the talk, and Maxie said she was sorry she wasn’t much help. Nina said she was more help than she knew.
Carly asked Josslyn to stay the night, and Michael said Wiley and Amelia would be glad to see her in the morning. Josslyn said, okay, and Carly said, a slumber party! Michael thanked Sasha for her help, and she said she was happy to do it. Welcome home. Michael thanked Jason for everything, and Jason said he was proud of Michael, and they hugged.
Chase asked if Brook was okay, but she said she didn’t know. Dante asked if Chase knew, but Chase said, not about Gio. Brook told him about the baby a few months ago. Dante asked if Chase didn’t think he should know, and Brook said he wanted to tell Dante, but she begged him not to. It was her job to protect Gio’s life, and she knew Dante wouldn’t stop until he found his son. It wouldn’t be fair for Dante to confront him and completely upend his life and tonight proved it.
Olivia told Lois that she didn’t tell Sonny about Dante because she had to protect her son from being weaponized by his father’s enemies. What was she protecting Gio from? Lois said she didn’t lock Gio away in a tower. He grew up in the neighborhood, surrounded by the best people. He was happy and didn’t want for anything. Olivia said, except his real parents, but Lois said, he didn’t long for them. He had a mother who loved him. Olivia said, until he didn’t. Lois let him be orphaned when he had a mother and father right there. Lois said, by then it was too late. She had to respect the choices that were made. Olivia asked if she’d ever talked to Brook about the possibility of keeping the baby, but Lois said she knew Brook wasn’t ready to be a mother. Olivia asked if Lois thought she was ready when she was pregnant with Dante. Yet it was the best decision she ever made. Lois said, but it came at an incredible cost. Olivia gave up so much when she gave birth. She was the life of the party, and then she was a scared, tired, single mother. Brook knew she didn’t want that and she didn’t want it for Brook. Olivia said, they could have helped Brook and Dante. And for the record, she sacrificed nothing. She didn’t know Lois at all and if this was the real Lois, she didn’t want to know her. She walked out.
Sonny walked in and Lois told him, have at it. She deserved it and everyone else had taken their shot. Sonny said he would have helped, and she said he did help, even though he didn’t know Gio was his grandson. He said he could have done more, and Lois said when Brook got pregnant, they didn’t know Dante was his son. When Camilla died, the truth came out and Sonny had so much on his plate, she didn’t want to add another whopper on top of it. He said, Gio lost his mom. Didn’t she think he’d want more family? She said, he loved Camilla. They had an otherworldly connection, and she couldn’t take that away from Gio too. He asked if she was trying to give him a relationship with his grandson when she asked him to pay for Gio’s musical education, and she said she thought that way, she could share Gio with him without the truth ruining all these lives. He said he wished it had been different, but he appreciated what she was trying to do. She said she appreciated him saying that. Brook and Olivia were done. Her daughter and her best friend wanted nothing to do with her anymore. Sonny touched her arm.
Tracy said she was glad Chase was here. Dante was hurt and angry. Brook said Dante had a right to be, and Dante said, Dante is still here. Tracy said he was and his anger was justified. Just don’t direct it at Brook. Direct it at Lois, whose unilateral decision making got them into this fiasco. Brook said Lois betrayed her trust. If that wasn’t bad enough, she confided in Grandma Gloria, and Brook didn’t know the half of it. Lois let her worry and wonder how the baby turned out while she was watching him grow up. They’d asked if anyone knew besides her grandma, but Gloria was the only one she knew of. Dante asked how the hell Gio found out. Why now? Tracy looked at Brook.
Willow asked where her kids were, and Mac said, at Carly’s, fast asleep. He looked in on them himself. Drew said Willow was their mother. Did he have to go above Mac’s head? Mac said, he could try, but it wouldn’t do him any good. He handed Willow a paper and said it was a court order. Michael had been granted emergency custody until the hearing. It was all legal and above board. There was nothing they could do.
Carly said she was happy Michael was home, mostly for Wiley and Amelia. They needed him. Michael said he needed them too. Being separated from them was the hardest part of his recovery. Josslyn went upstairs, and Michael said, Carly told Diane to move on with the divorce without telling him. She said she wanted him to focus on her recovery, but if he thought she overstepped… He said she did the right thing and thanked her, and she said she was so relieved. Was he sure he didn’t leave too soon? He said, if he did, he didn’t care. It was time for him to come home.
Nina asked the bartender if he’d worked the night before Halloween. It was actually the night Congressman Cain got punched. She thinks she asked him to call the police. The bartender said that was him. Why? She said a friend came in the same night and she was wondering if he remembered seeing her. She showed him Sasha’s picture, and he said, Sasha Corbin, the Deception model. He had a huge crush on her. She was hitting the vodka hard. Nina asked if she met up with anyone, and he said he wasn’t into gossip. She said she didn’t like gossip either, but she’d make it worth his while. She slid a $100 bill toward him, and he said, a dude did eventually join her. Nina asked if he’d be able to ID him, and he said, you don’t forget a $500 tip. She showed him Jason’s picture, but he said, that’s definitely not the guy.
In the car, Drew asked Willow, please don’t do this, but she said she had to try. He asked if she wanted him to come with her, but she said the guard wouldn’t let him in, and his presence wouldn’t make things easier. He said he’d be there if she needed him and she said she knew. She got out of the car.
Lois said Brook told her to stay away from her and Gio. She was so afraid she’d lost them both. Sonny held her as she sobbed.
Gio said he couldn’t believe what his Aunt Lois said. Really his Grandmother Lois. Emma said his head must have practically exploded, and he said that’s what happened when he said Brook and Dante were his parents. He was in a daze when Emma found him. She said she knew something was wrong and he insisted on playing, and he said, the show must go on. He looked out to the audience and saw his family, people he’d known his entire life, and part of him shut down. The other part lost it completely. Emma said she didn’t blame him, and he said all he could think was, did they know? Ned, Olivia, and Sonny are his grandparents. Is that why Sonny paid for his music school? Emma said she knew from her mom that Sonny helped people whether they were family or not. She wondered if she could ask him something, and he said, sure. She asked why he smashed his violin. She knew how important it was to him. He said, because the violin was the biggest lie of all.
Chase told Brook that it had been a rough day. Maybe they should go to bed and start fresh in the morning. Ned walked in, and Brook said she needed a minute with her dad.
Willow was about to knock on Carly’s door, when Michael opened it. She said, please don’t do this. Don’t take her children away from her.
Nina asked if the bartender was absolutely positive this wasn’t the man with Sasha that night, and he said it was Jason Morgan, and she wasn’t with him. Nina said, the other man who was a big tipper, did he leave with Sasha? and the bartender said, they were both hammered. They had their hands all over each other. Nina asked if they left together, and he said, lucky bastard. She said, it wasn’t his man, was it? and showed him a picture of Michael. He said, yeah, that’s the guy, and Nina smiled.
Thursday:
There was a knock at Lulu’s door. No surprise, it was Dante.
Tracy met Olivia in the foyer and said she guessed congratulations were in order. Olivia and Tracy’s son were grandparents.
Brook told Ned that she was sorry. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him or love him… He said it was all right and he understood. He hugged her and she cried.
Emma asked why Gio smashed his violin, and he said, because the violin was the biggest lie of all. He thought he got his talent from his mom and after she died, it made him feel like he was carrying a piece of her with him, but it turned out she wasn’t his mom.
Dante told Lulu that it was a messed-up night and he didn’t want to go around in circles. Did she tell Gio that he and Brook were his parents?
In the nook, Jason thanked Sasha for helping with Amelia, and she said she was relieved Michael was back. He deserved to be home with his children. She protectively touched her ever-growing bump.
Michael said he wasn’t discussing custody with Willow now. Go home. She asked him to let her say goodnight, but he said the kids were asleep. She said he knew the kids belonged with her, but he said, not anymore.
Lulu said Brook must have told Dante how she accidently on purpose found out, and he said he assumed she was the one who figured out the baby was Gio. Did she tell Gio? She said, no, but she did confront Lois in a dressing room at the Nurses Ball and thought Gio overheard. He asked why she did it, and she said, for him. She thought he deserved to know the truth and was only trying to help. He said she didn’t help anyone and made everything worse.
Tracy gave Olivia a drink and asked if she was all right, but Olivia said she didn’t know how she was. Gio was her grandson. She remembered when he was a baby. The whole neighborhood fell in love with him. She held him all the time and should have felt that she was holding her own flesh and blood. Tracy said Olivia wasn’t psychic – Olivia gave her a look – at least not then. Olivia wondered how Lois could do this to her and Ned, and Tracy asked if she’d talked to Ned. Olivia said, briefly, but he was in the living room with Brook now.
Brook said Ned had to be disappointed. She’d kept a huge secret and kept his grandson from him. He said he wished she’d come to him, but it was her life and he wasn’t going to second guess the choices she made. She said all she could think about was Gio. She’d wanted to meet her child for so long and it was a total nightmare.
Sasha said she was glad Michael was back and with his kids, but when it came to her and her baby, nothing had changed, and Jason said, obviously, they needed everyone to keep believing he was the father. She said, especially now that his custody case was coming up, and Jason said that he understood it wasn’t about Michael, but about what she needed. She said she felt like a hypocrite, but he said, it was two different situations. Michael could trust her, but couldn’t trust Willow. She said it was like nothing mattered but Drew and Willow was about to lose her children because of him.
Willow asked how Michael could say that. She was the children’s mother and had been their sole parent for months. He said she’d uprooted them from their home and forced them to play family with their great uncle, but she said they loved Drew and Scout and their new home. He said when he talked to Wiley, Wiley always had the same two questions. When was his daddy coming back and when could he and Amelia go home? That’s when it hit him that Willow had been putting her own wants and desires above the kids’ welfare. He had a court order to back him up. She said it was temporary, but he said he was going for full custody. He’d let her have a relationship with the kids on one condition.
Cody found Sasha in the nook, and said he’d come to check on Dante, but Yuri said he left. She asked why Dante wouldn’t be all right, and he said she didn’t hear what happened at the Nurses Ball.
Gio said he should go, and Emma said she wasn’t telling him what to do or how to feel, but she wasn’t leaving him alone. He said he didn’t need a babysitter.
Lulu told Dante that she was sorry. She’d never meant things to come out like this. He said she should have minded her own damn business, but she said she kept thinking about her experience with Charlotte and the time she missed out on. She didn’t want him and Gio to miss out. He asked why she didn’t just tell him, and she said Brook begged her not to. He said she’d never cared about Brook’s feelings before, and she said she never searched for his son. Things just started happening and she suspected it was Gio. Brook wasn’t just keeping a secret; she was lying. Dante said, Brook didn’t know it was Gio. He could buy her wanting to bring them together, but she just wanted everyone to see Brook as bad as she made Brook out to be. It didn’t excuse what Brook did, but Lulu allowed her petty rivalry to upend so many lives. And the one who paid the biggest price was the only one innocent in all of this – Gio.
Willow asked, what condition? and Michael said he’d give her access to the children if she ended her relationship with Drew. She also had to move out and have no contact. Willow said he was being spiteful because he hated seeing her happy, but he said he didn’t care if she was happy or not. He didn’t want that man around his kids. Drew was an awful person and had made her awful. Her life was imploding, and she was making one bad decision after another. Who did she love more, Drew or the kids? It’s time she made that decision. He closed the door, leaving her outside.
Willow went back to the car, and Drew asked, how’d it go? She told him to take her home. She wanted to get out of there.
Michael thanked Jason for coming back and suggested they talk outside. He wanted to thank Jason again for everything he did tonight and looking out for Sasha. Jason said it was no big deal, but Michael said it was a big deal letting everyone think he was the baby’s father. Jason said he’d do anything to protect Michael and his kids, and Michael said it felt wrong not helping Sasha, but Jason said she wanted to raise the baby on her own. Plus, he couldn’t give Willow more ammunition to use in court. Michael said, seeing Sasha made it hit home that the baby was coming soon, and Jason asked if he was hoping Sasha would change her mind. Michael said in an ideal world he’d like to be a father to his child.
Sasha said she felt bad for Gio, Brook, and Dante, and Cody said, it was a colossal mess. It didn’t have to be, and he believed it wouldn’t have been if he hadn’t stuck his nose in it. She said it sounded like Lulu would have uncovered it with or without his help, and he asked why he kept shooting his mouth off. First about Jason being her baby daddy and now this. She said she hated the term baby daddy, and he was just trying to do right by someone he cared about. He said he was sorry he hadn’t been a better friend to her, Dante, or Lulu. He should have told Lulu to drop it.
Ned asked if Brook was able to talk to Gio, and she said she tried to explain that she didn’t know he was her son, and she hadn’t lied. Gio was so angry and so hurt, he accused her of not wanting him and forgetting about him, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Ned said he’d understand when things settled down. It was Lois and Gloria’s doing, not hers. Brook said, just because you understand the facts doesn’t change the way you feel. What if he never gave her a chance to love him? Ned said he highly doubted that would be the case and they hugged.
Olivia said she kept thinking how Gio brought them all together, and Tracy said, oh God. Now she had blood ties to Sonny Corinthos. Olivia said, now she was a member of a large and ever-growing club, and Tracy said, all the more reason to run Sonny out of town. He’d been a terrible influence already and would do more to corrupt Gio. She wouldn’t have it.
Jason said he’d gotten to know Sasha and understood where she was coming from. She thought Michael was a great father. She wouldn’t have helped with Amelia if she didn’t believe that. She’d been through a lot and valued her independence. Michael said he’d do his best to respect her decisions. He knew it was going to be a knockdown, drag out fight with Willow and Drew. Jason asked if there was any room for compromise.
Willow told Drew that Michael was so cold and calculating. She’d never seen him like this. (I believe that’s what she said the last time he was like this.) He’s not the Michael she knew. Drew said, he wouldn’t let her see the kids? and she said, no, and if he got his way, she’d never see them again unless… she breaks things off with him. He said, obviously, that wasn’t going to happen, right? and she said she didn’t know if she had any choice. (What is wrong with this woman? If it was a choice between some guy and my dogs, I’d pick the dogs. Also, if everyone is calling you a donkey, you need to start looking in the mirror for the ears and tail.)
Gio said Emma had been great and now he was yelling at her. She said she was an old pro at getting yelled at. Go for it. He said what he needed was to wake up from this nightmare. Who knew what and when? And were they ever going to tell him? Emma said she thought Brook and Dante were telling the truth. They didn’t know he was their son. Dante didn’t know he had another son. Gio said he believed they weren’t lying. When Rocco had alcohol poisoning, Dante was honest about what he thought of him. He’d always wanted to know what his father thought of him and now he did. His father hated him.
Lulu said it wasn’t about trashing Brook or making her look any kind of way. Dante deserved to know he had a son… Dante said she should have told him immediately, as soon as she suspected it was Gio, and she said she wanted to. Carly warned her… He said, Carly knew? and she said she had to confide in someone. He said she confided in everyone – Carly, Cody, but not him. She said she was sorry, but she wasn’t the bad guy. Brook gave up their baby. He said he was pissed at Brook and would hash it out with her, but that was between them. Gio was feeling like trash now because she wanted to prove how terrible Brook was. For what? To get in his good graces? She asked if he thought she did this to win him back.
Michael said he told Willow that unless she left Drew and severed contact, she couldn’t be part of their children’s lives, and Jason said, assuming the case went his way. Michael said it would, and Jason asked what Willow said. Michael said she thought he was punishing her for being happy, and Jason asked if there was any truth in that. Michael said, maybe a little at first, but then he thought about Wiley and Amelia. The only thing that mattered was what was best for them. Willow kept putting her needs and Drew’s above the kids and he didn’t see that changing.
Willow said she didn’t want to end things with Drew, but Michael threatened to keep the kids from her, and Drew said he couldn’t. Michael just wanted her to think that. She said, why not? Now that Michael was back in Port Charles, everything changed. Drew said a judge would decide that. She didn’t want to surrender before she went to court. She wouldn’t lose. Trust him. He wouldn’t let that happen. Willow said she did trust him, but it was a huge risk, and he said, even if she gave in, who’s to say Michael would hold up his end of the bargain? She’d be all alone and at his mercy. Willow said he was right. She couldn’t trust Michael at all. She knew he could be a ruthless man, but how he spoke to her was just plain cruel. Drew wondered, what kind of person made a woman choose between her kids and the man she loves? Michael was using it as leverage, to get revenge. She said Michael told her that she was putting her needs above the kids, but that’s what he was doing. He kidnapped them just to keep her apart from them. Drew said, it was an ambush, and she said she couldn’t have such a vengeful cold-hearted man raising her children. She took off her rings and put them on the dashboard, and said she was planning on taking them off after the divorce was official, but after tonight, her marriage was over. She’d return them in the morning. Drew took one of the rings and said, not this one. This stayed with them.
Olivia went into the living room and asked how it was going. Brook said, better, and asked if they could talk. Ned left to give them privacy, and Brook said she understood if Olivia was furious with her. She gave away Olivia’s grandchild and never told her. She was so sorry. Olivia said Brook was under no obligation to tell her anything. No one understood more than she did. She’d been a scared pregnant teenager once herself. Brook said Olivia kept the baby and it worked out, and Olivia said, until Dante went undercover and was shot by his own father because she never told them about each other. She understood more than anyone. Just remember one thing. She was always here for Brook, no matter what. Brook said she wouldn’t mind a hug, and they hugged.
Tracy told Ned that she had a confession to make. She knew Brook had a baby. He asked, for how long? Why didn’t she tell him? She said she just found out and Brook swore her to secrecy. She had started to look for her great-grandson, but somebody beat her to it. He asked if she knew who it was, and she said she had a pretty good idea.
Dante told Lulu that he never said she was trying to win him back, but she said, close enough. It never once crossed her mind to use the information to get back together with him. He said, it will never happen, and she said, obviously. He said she blew up the only chance of him having a relationship with his son, and she asked how it was her fault. He said, Gio wanted nothing to do with him, and she said she was sorry. She hoped he and Gio worked things out, but as far as they were concerned, she didn’t want him back – ever.
Sasha said she couldn’t think of what Cody could have said to get Lulu to back off, and he said he could have tried. It broke his heart tonight. Gio was so hurt and angry. He smashed his violin to pieces on the stage. He saw so much of himself in Gio. Discovering his life was a lie was super painful, and he didn’t like the people who raised him. Gio loved his mom, or at least he thought he did. Sasha said things worked out for Cody in the end. He was welcomed into an amazing family. Maybe the same would be true for Gio. He told her, that’s what Lulu said. He only hoped they were right. It didn’t have to be like this.
Michael told Jason that he didn’t like the idea of taking the kids away from their mother. They loved her, but he had to protect them. Jason said he knew it was a complicated situation, but he trusted Michael to do what was right. As always, Michael had his full support. Michael said that meant a lot, but he wasn’t sure the kids would feel the same way, and Jason said it was only a matter of time before Wiley and Amelia would know he did the best for them.
Willow said, that ring belonged to Lila, and Drew said she was his grandmother. He had as much right to it as Michael did. He understood if she didn’t want to wear it, but maybe one day when she was old enough, they’d give it to Amelia. Willow said Michael was going to use her infidelity against her, but Drew said Michael wasn’t squeaky clean. They’d dig up whatever Michael was hiding and then blow him out of the water. He started the car (I wondered, where’s Kristina with the wire cutters when you need her?) and they left.
Michael watched a sleeping Wiley and promise that he’d never leave him and his sister again. He kissed Wiley’s forehead.
Sasha said Cody couldn’t go back and change what happened. All he could do was learn from it. He said it wasn’t up to him to expose other people’s secrets, especially when a child was involved, and she said, sometimes parents kept secrets to protect their children. Those decisions should be respected and left alone. She caressed her bump.
Ned said, Lulu knew about the baby too? Was he the only one left in the dark? Tracy said Lois and Gloria were extremely unfair to him. He was an excellent father and would be an even better grandfather. He needed to work on being a better son though. While he was sipping cocktails, she was left to rot at the PCPD. Jason bailed her out. He said he called to check on her several times and was told she wasn’t available. He knew she could take care of herself. She was one of the strongest people he knew. It’s where Brook got her hutzpah. Tracy said he was flattering her to get her to forgive him, and he asked if it was working. She said, no, and he laughed.
Brook wondered if she’d made a mistake and should have kept baby like Olivia, but Olivia said the choice Brook made was as valid as hers. They both required massive sacrifice. They did what they thought was best at the time for themselves and their children. Nobody could fault them. Brook said, except Gio. She tried to talk to him, but he couldn’t get away from her fast enough. Olivia said, once he calmed down – and he would – they’d find him – and they would – and make sure he knew how much they all loved him.
Emma said Dante didn’t hate Gio, but Gio said she didn’t hear the things Dante had said. She said, even if Dante hated him – which he didn’t – he wasn’t alone. He had so many people who cared about him, her included. Why not come back to her grandma’s and stay for a while? She’d love it. He said he couldn’t impose, but she said, we can’t stay here. It was chilly. He said, we? and she said, where he went, she went. He just needed to decide where that was. He said, anywhere but here. The further away, the better. She said, okay. Let’s go.
Lulu told Dante, from now on, they’d stick to co-parenting Rocco. She didn’t even see the need to be friends. He said, sounds like a plan. He’d be back in the morning. He’d be the one to tell Rocco that he had a half-brother, not her. Other than that, stay out of his life please, and stay the hell away from Gio. She’d done enough damage. He left and she cried.
🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…
Elizabeth says, it’s been such a long time since she had a yogurt parfait from Perks. Now Ric just happened to show up with one. How weird. He says he does know her. He also got her a dragon berry juice. It’s good for everything. This stuff is going to change her life. She asks if he’s saying her life needs changing, but he says, no. She sounded like she needed cheering up, being cooped up in the house. Elizabeth said, it’s not that bad. She’s sad she missed the Nurses Ball. He asks if she got to watch it on TV, and she says, of course (🍷). The nurses were amazing, and it was hard to top Lucy, Felicia, Anna, and Spinelli. The fact that Spinelli filled in for Tracy at the last moment made it better. He says he can’t imagine which performance was denied because of Tracy’s arrest on the red carpet. There’s a knock at the door and Laura walks in.
Alexis tells Kristina and Lucky, for the record, this meeting is covered by attorney/client privilege. Please start by telling her everything that happened the night Kristina tried to kill Ava.
Carly asks if Curtis has a minute. She didn’t mean to interrupt. He says, no problem. Have a seat. He heard Michael was back from Germany and doing great. She says, better than they expected. They’re thankful and grateful. He says, Michael deserves it. He’s sure the rest of the family has a lot to catch up on. Tell Michael that he’ll reach out later. What can he do for her? She says she’s not sure if he’s aware, but Michael’s divorce proceedings start today. Michael would never ask for a favor, so she’s here to do it for him. Michael could really use his help.
Michael asks Sasha how she’s doing. Is she sleeping okay? Does she have any strong cravings? Does she want to sit down? The baby kicks, and she says, whoa. That was a good one. It’s been happening a lot lately. Does he want to feel it? She puts his hand on her bump.
Ava goes to Nina’s office and says she sounded panicked on the phone. What’s going on? Nina says, a little. She just got new information that could guarantee her daughter getting full custody of her children. Ava says, wonderful, but Nina says she doesn’t want to use it.
Emma wakes up (in a hotel room? a cabin?), but Gio isn’t there. She gets up and hears the door. He comes in and asks if she’s okay. She says she is now. She thought he took off. He says, no. He would never do that to her, especially now. She’s the only person on earth that he trusts.
On the phone, Brook thanks Anna for letting her know. Even if Gio’s not here, at least he’s with Emma. She’s sure they’ll hear from them any minute… She knows they will and just had to say thanks. Lois walks in and Brook tells her that Gio is with Emma. Lois asks if he’s okay, but Brook says she doesn’t have the right to ask that question. How could he possibly be okay?
Laura says she doesn’t usually barge in, but she didn’t want Elizabeth to stand up. She sees Elizabeth has company, so she’ll see her later. Elizabeth says, it’s okay. She and Ric were just catching up and drinking dragon berry juice. Would Laura like some tea? Laura says she’d love some, but can handle getting tea. Ric offers to get it and goes to the kitchen. Elizabeth says Ric just surprised her by stopping by with breakfast and dragon berry juice. Laura says she’s never heard of it, and Elizabeth says, Ric swears by it. He says it’s good for everything. Laura says she wouldn’t be surprised if Ric stopped by with dragon berry juice every time Lucky stepped out of the house, and Elizabeth asks if she’s suggesting Ric is watching the house and waiting for Lucky to leave. Laura said she’s suggesting he’s not above that behavior, and they laugh.
Alexis says, Kristina intended to kill Ava, and the accident hurt two other people, so that’s two other crimes. Kristina says she knows she shouldn’t have done it, and Alexis says, the crash was labeled an accident, but if the police investigate, they’ll tie her to the cut brake lines and she’ll go to prison. The question is, for how long? They both need to tell her everything that happened that day. Don’t leave anything out. Kristina says, they told her everything, but Alexis says she’s looking at mitigating circumstances, anything that can reduce Kristina’s culpability. So please walk her through the entire day. Kristina says she went to see Ava. They day before, her dad had collapsed, and Ava just stood there and didn’t do anything.
Curtis says, Michael is his friend, and he’ll help in any way he can, and Carly says, Willow and Drew are accusing Michael of abandonment. Curtis asks what the hell they’re thinking, and Carly tells him that they’re saying Michael could have gotten treatment in Baltimore and been close to Wiley and Amelia. He says, getting the best medical treatment shouldn’t cost Michael his kids, and she agrees. She says she hopes the judge sees through Ric’s argument, but just in case, it would be helpful if Aurora Media would remind people that Drew Cain is a con artist. He’s not a man who uses his position as congressman to help people. He uses his position to get revenge and settle scores. Curtis says, she’s preaching to the choir. He knows exactly the kind of man Drew is. She says, if they focus a media attack on showing all of Drew’s missteps since he took office, it could sway public opinion or it could help the judge rule in Michael’s favor. What does he think?
Nina tells Ava, the night Drew admitted he kissed Willow, Michael stormed out and stayed out all night. Willow told her because she was so worried. It was the same night Sasha found out Cody was her cousin, and they had to break up. The bartender at the Brown Dog Bar told her that Michael and Sasha were there. They got drunk together and left together. Ava says, so maybe they slept together, which would mean Michael is probably the father of Sasha’s baby. All Ric would need was the implication to get a judge to believe Michael cheated before Willow. Plus, that means Michael was hiding a pregnant mistress, which might be enough to get a judge to give Willow full custody. Nina says, exactly. Willow will get everything she wants. Ava asks why Nina hasn’t told Ric, and Nina says, one reason is that she loves Sasha and to exploit that Michael is the father of her baby would be a big betrayal. She doesn’t want to hurt Sasha.
Michael thanks Sasha for letting him feel the baby. It was a good one too. She says, they all are lately. She’s glad he was here when it happened. He says, him too. Actually, he was hoping to ask her for another favor. She says, of course (🍷). Whatever he needs. He says his divorce hearing is today. It would be great if she stayed with Wiley and Amelia while he was in court. She says she loves spending time with his adorable children, but she can’t watch them today. She’ll be at the hearing too. He asks, why? and she says, Ric is calling her as a witness.
Gio looks at his phone and sees tons of unread messages and missed calls. Emma says, a lot of people are probably trying to get in touch with him, but he says he’s not ready for any of that yet. She says he doesn’t have to be. At least not yet. She bets everyone is worried though. He says, half the messages are from people he doesn’t know. People who are so close to him, he doesn’t even have their numbers in his phone. Now they’re family. No. He doesn’t buy it for a single second. That’s also a lie. He’s supposed to believe Tracy prizes family blood relatives more than anything, and now that he’s an official Quartermaine, she cares what he thinks. Emma says, to be fair, Tracy doesn’t really care what anybody thinks, and Gio says, and there’s Sonny. He had some cool conversations with him about music. That’s it, and he’s supposed to think of Sonny as his grandfather now. No. Knowing they’re related doesn’t make him feel different. He’s not having fake relationships with any of them. She says she knows it’s hard, and he says, it’s also a lie. And he’s supposed to believe that Tracy prizes family above everything.
Brook asks why Lois is even here, and Lois says she was concerned about Gio. She knows Brook is furious with her, but she just wanted to make sure Gio was all right. Brook says she doesn’t know how he is. He couldn’t get out of here fast enough last night. All she knows is that Emma told Anna that they were together somewhere. Lois says, they’ve got to find him, and wonders if Anna can track Emma’s phone, but Brook says, no. Gio’s entire life blew up in his face. She needs to explain herself and ask forgiveness, but it’s not more important that Gio’s need for time and space. She’s not going to do to him what Lois is doing to her. Lois asks what she’s talking about, and Brook says, Lois came to get forgiveness and have Brook say she understands. She has no interest in taking care of Lois’s feelings after Lois betrayed her trust.
Lois says she hates what she did, but she only did it because she thought it was best for Brook and Gio. She did exactly what Brook asked and found the baby a good home. Brook says, with her own family, and Lois says, Camilla just lost her husband and said she felt like she had nothing to live for. Ma told her about the baby, and they could feel the light come back to her eyes. All she wanted to do was raise Gio and love him. She promised Brook that she’d find her child a good family and that’s exactly what she did. Brook says, Lois also lied to everyone, including her. Now she knows why Lois encouraged her not to tell Dante about the baby. Lois says she was trying to shield Brook. She was going through so much and she was so scared. Brook says, of course (🍷). All she wanted was to not be pregnant and for this to not be happening. Lois gave her the closest thing to it. She told Brook to tell no one, not even her dad. She could go on tour with Lois for a few months, have the baby, and go back to her life like nothing happened. Lois offered her a lifeline made of secrets and God forgive her, she took it.
Carly says, up until now, Aurora has been neutral, some would say charitable, about Drew’s behavior, but Curtis says he didn’t think it was right to use his platform to further his personal agency. That’s something Drew would do. She says she respects that, but isn’t asking him to print anything that’s not true. She just wants the world reminded that Drew seduced his nephew’s wife. Then he tried to dig up the Quartermaine crypt just to get back at Tracy. And let’s not forget the congressman embarrassed everyone in Port Charles with pictures of him with a sex worker. Curtis says, what about Drew accusing Tracy of drugging him? and Carly says, ketamine is a party drug. It’s more likely Drew took it recreationally. Otherwise, are they supposed to believe Tracy got her hands on some ketamine, dosed Drew, and left the evidence in her car? She doesn’t think so. Curtis admits the scenario seems unlikely. He wants to help Michael, but he can’t.
Michael wonders why Ric would want Sasha to testify unless he found out Michael was the father of her baby, and Sasha says that was her first thought too. But the only people who know are her, Michael, and Jason. Danny knows Jason isn’t the father, but doesn’t know who the father is. She thinks their secret is safe. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, yes. During her deposition, Ric’s questions were pretty straightforward. He wanted to know about Michael and Willow, but no baby related questions at all. Michael says, okay, good, and Sasha says, Diane, on the other hand, asked thoroughly about her seeing Drew and Willow kissing on July 4th, and the fact Willow asked her not to tell him, which Ric hated. Diane doubts Ric will call her as a witness. He says he’s glad Diane is on his side, and she says her too. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says, during the deposition yesterday, she realized if she had told him about Drew and Willow kissing when it happened, maybe it would have prevented all of this. Maybe he and Willow would have worked it out and they’d still be married.
Nina said she’d seen firsthand how much being pregnant again meant to Sasha, and Ava said, after what Sasha went through, she was sure. She was happy for Sasha. Nina said her too. Sasha had gone to great lengths to conceal Michael’s paternity. If that information were revealed, Sasha’s whole life would be turned upside down. Ava says, considering the father’s dysfunctional family, that’s the least of what could happen, and Nina says she doesn’t want to ruin Sasha’s happiness. Ava says she understands that, but Sasha did sleep with Michael. Why do they get to keep their dirty little secret when Willow’s life is out there on social media for everyone to comment on? Nina says, it’s not fair, but Drew is at fault. He turned Willow’s life into a circus. That’s another reason she doesn’t want to give Ric ammunition. If Willow gets full custody, she is never ever going to leave Drew.
Michael told Sasha that Drew made his way into the existing cracks in his and Willow’s relationship. If it had been as strong as he thought, there was no way Drew would have gotten between them. Sasha asks if he really believes that, and he says, absolutely. Looking back, as much as he loved Willow, he never saw her clearly. She says, Willow made it hard to see the real her, and he says he was so desperate to make her happy, he doesn’t think he knew who she was. He thought she was a good, honest person, someone better than him. So he made sure to show her only the best parts of himself. He kept a lot from her. He doesn’t think Willow ever got to know the real him. Sasha says she hears him taking responsibility, but what about Willow? He adored her and gave her everything she ever wanted, and she threw their marriage away. She deserves a sleaze like Drew. Michael says, she can have him. They can’t take away his kids.
Curtis says he would like nothing more than to remind the world how unfit Drew is for public office, but it could backfire spectacularly. He may run Aurora Media, but Michael is the majority shareholder. If he runs a smear campaign, Drew could wind up looking like a victim. He wants to take Drew down as much as Carly does, but that ain’t the way to do it. She says she guesses he’s right, and he says, don’t worry. He’s working on something else.
Elizabeth thanks Ric for breakfast, and he says, anytime. Madam Mayor, always a pleasure. Laura says, him too, and he leaves. Elizabeth says she hates to admit it, but the dragon berry juice is really good. She and Ric will always be friends, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t set firm boundaries. Laura says she’s sure Elizabeth has, and Elizabeth thanks her. She says, when it comes to Lucky, Ric is nothing but a problem, and Laura says, of course (🍷). Lucky sees Ric as a potential rival.
Kristina tells Alexis that she wasn’t thinking clearly. If not for Lucky telling her to leave when he did, the cops probably would have seen her. Alexis asks, how? and Kristina says she was freaked out and openly at the scene, but off to the side. Alexis asks, how many were at the scene? but Kristina says she doesn’t know. Lucky says he thinks there were two cops, four paramedics, and at least a couple of firefighters. At the time, everyone was too busy to notice, but cops have bodycams and could probably obtain the footage. Kristina says, the police definitely know she was there, and Alexis says, why? Was she interviewed? Kristina says, no, but she did tell Dante that she saw Ric’s crashed car.
Emma asks if Gio slept at all, and he says, no. He just lied there all night thinking about all the people who’ve been lying to him. Emma asks if he thinks there are people besides Brook and Lois who knew, and he says, not Brook and Dante so much, but Sonny. He and Lois have known each other forever. If she told anybody, it would be him. And that would explain why Sonny’s been so generous, paying for his entire education and all his music stuff. Emma asks if he thinks Sonny lied, and he says he didn’t think his mother… Camilla would. Emma says, she didn’t tell him the whole truth, but she didn’t lie to him about her feelings. She was his mom and loved him. He says, Emma doesn’t know that, and she says she never met Camilla, but the way he talked about her and the stories about him growing up… All he needs to know is that he loved her and she loved him too.
Lois says she doesn’t have to apologize to anyone. She did what was right. Brook says, it wasn’t right. Instead of the closed adoption she agreed to, Lois gave the baby to her cousin. He grew up down the block. She used to babysit him and play with him, and she never knew he was her son. Lois says, it tore her up every single time, but when Ma suggested Camilla, she was too selfish to say no. She was so scared to send the baby out into the world. This way, she didn’t have to and could look over at him and make sure he was okay. Brook says, he wasn’t okay when Camilla died. She was an adult. Why not tell her then? Lois says, Gio was devastated when his mother died. What was she gonna do? Add to his grief by telling him that his mom wasn’t his mom? Brook says that’s an excuse, and Lois says, Brook was an adult trying to make it in the music business. She was taking every gig she could. Should she have called Brook and told her to come home? No. She gave Gio a good home and gave Brook her freedom and that was the right thing to do.
Alexis asks if the police know Lucky was there, and he says he ran over when he saw Elizabeth was one of the victims. He talked to the paramedics and followed the ambulance to GH. Alexis says, it doesn’t necessarily matter that Kristina witnessed the scene, and Ric and Ava’s footage from the garage doesn’t show Kristina cutting the brakes. Lucky says he thinks the only thing that’s incriminating is the car. That’s why he went to the impound, but the guy said it had already been crushed. He thought that was the end. Alexis says, now they know Ava bribed the guy to say that, because the car is hidden somewhere nobody knows. He asks, what’s the next move? and Alexis says, they need to stay as far away from this as possible. Even if the police know they were both there, it doesn’t necessarily connect them. Lucky says, that’s it? He wants to help in any way he can. Alexis says he’s been very helpful. She has a better idea of how the day went and where they’re most vulnerable. He says, okay, and Kristina thanks him. Not just for helping, but believing she never intended to kill anyone. He says, just call if they need him, and leaves. Kristina asks what Alexis thinks. Is there any way out of this?
Elizabeth says it sounds like Laura knows something. Did Lucky talk to her about Ric? Laura says, no, not at all, and she certainly never asked him about it. Mother’s intuition. When she watched Lucky looking at Elizabeth, it was so clear she was the woman he never fell out love with. Now they were living together again. Elizabeth says, it’s wonderful having him here. She just doesn’t know if it’s enough. When you love someone you know is good at rescuing you, but not so good at the mundane day to day stuff, what do you do to make the relationship work? Laura says, Lucky is so much like his father, and Elizabeth says, yes, and she knows how much Laura and Lucky’s father loved each other. Yet they couldn’t make it work. Maybe she’s naïve to think she and Lucky could.
Portia goes to Curtis’s office, and he says, they need to talk. She says, about what? and he says, the fact that Carly came by and asked him for help with Michael. He couldn’t do it because Drew was holding Portia’s crimes over their heads. She says, he’s not the only one who’s frustrated. She tried to stop Drew herself, but she failed.
Nina says, if she tells Ric the truth about Sasha and Michael, Willow will probably get full custody, and it will have worked out exactly the way Drew promised her. Ava says, and Nina doesn’t want to give him credit? and Nina says, no, but Drew already bought a house in DC. He was talking about bringing Willow and the kids there permanently. If Willow gets full custody, she’ll lose her daughter and her grandkids. Ava says, what happens if Michael gets custody? and Nina says she has no idea, but she knows Willow will want to stay here where Wiley and Amelia are. She has to believe that if Willow’s relationship costs her the children, she’ll eventually leave this man. So maybe she’s just better off in the long run if Willow doesn’t get full custody.
Elizabeth tells Laura that it’s wonderful having Lucky here, taking care of her the way he has. She actually feels like she can depend on him 100%. Does Laura think he’s happy here? Laura says she hopes so. But she thinks that’s what she wants. She wants him to live here with Elizabeth, the woman she knows he loves, and raise their child together. Elizabeth says, those are not bad things to want, but Laura says she doesn’t know if it’s right for both of them. She’d like them to figure out what’s right for them.
Ava says, Nina is in a no-win situation. Whatever choice she makes is a gamble. If Willow found out she knew about Michael and Sasha and didn’t tell her… Nina says, Drew made it perfectly clear that he wants Willow all to himself. And if he gets that, he’ll move them to DC in a heartbeat. Ava says she doesn’t envy either choice. They have ugly consequences. As a friend, the best advice she can give is for Nina to choose the consequences she can best live with.
Wiley says he was afraid Michael would be gone for a really long time, and Sasha asks why he thinks that. Wiley says, Uncle Drew told them that daddy couldn’t come back for a very long time, and Michael says, Drew was wrong. He’d never stay away a second longer than he had to. Daddy’s doctors fixed him up and he’s all better. Carly comes in and says, it’s so good to see him. Wiley asks if they can go swimming, and Carly asks what daddy thinks. Can they go swimming? Michael says, absolutely, and Wiley asks if mommy can come, but Michael says, not today. Sasha suggests they get their bathing suits on and takes the kids upstairs.
Alexis tells Kristina that the only way out of this mess is Ric’s car. As long as it exists, there’s proof the brake line was cut. Nothing Kristina or Lucky said could mitigate the attempted murder charges. Kristina says, so Alexis is going to continue to pay off Ric and Ava until they bleed the Cassadine trust dry? She hopes no one catches Alexis embezzling. Alexis says, until they find the car, Ava and Ric have the upper hand… until… unless she can get them to turn on each other. They’re both greedy, disgusting, duplicitous people. Kristina says, if they’re not in it together, they can turn on each other. How can we make that happen? Alexis says, we don’t do anything. Kristina doesn’t do anything. Let the PCPD investigate this. She’s got to stop being impulsive. Kristina says, maybe she should pay for what she’s done, but Alexis says, it will devastate Molly. If Kristina doesn’t intend to save her own life, do it for her sister.
Portia says she knows it was crazy to hire a sex worker, but she and Nina thought it would work, and Curtis asks if Nina knows what Drew has on her. Portia says she never told Nina why Drew wants to bring her down. It was enough that both of them needed to stop him. Curtis asks if they happen to know where Jacinda is now, and she says, Australia maybe. Nina gave her a lot of money to take an extended vacation somewhere remote. He says, so Drew can’t track her down, and Portia says, there’s one thing she hasn’t figured out. She and Nina drugged Drew. How did Tracy end up getting arrested or it? He says, Drew framed her.
Gio says he keeps remembering things about his mom, and Emma says, like what? Gio says, his dad Francis was in Iraq and before he died, he sent photos. Camilla never said Gio looked like him. She never said he had his dad’s eyes or his smile. She said he looked more like her side of the family. Emma says, now they know why, and Gio tells her, Camilla said when his dad was killed, she found out she was pregnant. She said having him saved her life. She called him her little miracle. Emma says, that was her truth. It makes sense, except the pregnant part. Having him come into her life at the lowest point, no matter how it happened, gave her a reason to keep on going. And he’s going to stand there and tell her that she’s not his mom. Gio says, she was definitely his mom. Brook is just the woman who gave him away.
Lois says, if she’d told Brook that Gio was her son after Camilla died, she wouldn’t have the life she has now. She wouldn’t be a strong, successful businesswoman working at Deception. She wouldn’t have met and married Chase. Would she have been willing to throw that away? Brook says, she’s asking the wrong question. Gio is her son, and all the choices Lois made robbed her of making her own choices for him. Now he’s an adult and she’ll never get the chance. Lois says she doesn’t know that, but Brook says, he won’t talk to her. She can’t help him through his identity crisis because he doesn’t trust her. Lois says, in time, he will, but Brook says, no, he won’t, because Lois showed them both that the one person you trust more than anyone in the world can lie to your face for years. So Lois should be asking how Brook can ever trust again, or Gio. She took away everything he knew about family and now he is no one.
Curtis asks how Drew knew she’d done something, and Portia says she has no idea… Wait a second. Brad is the only other person who knew. Curtis says, something else to hold over her head and it comes with serious jail time. If he can prove it. She says, he can’t prove her involvement. The ketamine traces back to Brad, an ex-con. Who’s going to believe an ex-con over her? He says he hopes she’s right. He has an idea on how to neutralize Drew. She says, okay. What is it? He says, they’ve got to do something Drew can’t do. They’ve got to find Jacinda.
Emma’s phone dings and she tells Gio that her grandma wants to know when she’s going to be home. He says, she should go back, but she says, he’s not getting rid of her that easy. He says he needs to get away and is thinking of a road trip to Canada. She says, okay, road trip it is. But he can’t just keep avoiding everybody. He needs to take care of how he really feels about family. Are they going back? He says, they’re going back.
Lois says she can make sure Gio knows no one was ever trying to hurt him, but Brook says, two things will never change. Gio will always know she gave him up, and she’ll always know Lois lied. Gio doesn’t want anything to do with her and she doesn’t want anything to do with Lois. Gloria walks in and says, hey! Don’t you dare talk to you mother like that. If you want to have out with someone, have out with me.
Alexis finds Laura in her office and asks if she forgot an appointment. Laura says, they didn’t have an appointment. She was looking over Ace’s trust fund and she’s very concerned. There seems to be a lot of money missing.
Elizabeth asks, how was the meeting? and Lucky says he went to see a lawyer about her car accident. She asks why he did that, and he says, because he knows more about her accident than he told her.
Michael tells Carly that he asked Sasha to watch the kids, but she couldn’t. She has to be in court. Did Carly know she was on the witness list? Carly says, Diane mentioned it. She thinks it’s a waste of time. What can Sasha testify to besides knowing Willow was sneaking around with Drew behind his back?
Ric goes to Nina’s office, and Ava says she didn’t expect him so soon. How did he make it back from his meeting in Beecher’s Corners so quickly? He says he has a fast car and knows a shortcut, and Ava says he’ll have to tell her all about it later. She’ll leave them both to it. She leaves, and Ric says he wanted to come by and make sure Nina is ready to testify. Nina says she actually doesn’t know what she’s going to say now, and he says he’s surprised. She has to testify to what she saw after Michael found out about the affair. She says, Michael let Willow take the children, and he asks if she has something new to add. Nina thinks about it.
On Monday, Brook asks if Lois regrets giving her baby to Camilla; Elizabeth asks what Lucky knows about her accident that he hasn’t told her; and Laura tells Alexis that 10 million dollars has been removed from Ace’s estate.
🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…
Take a peek. You know you want to.
https://www.soapoperadigest.com/photos/behind-the-scenes-at-the-gh-nurses-ball-2025/
💉 A Dose Of Reality…
Below Deck Down Under
How does a superyacht not have enough dishes for a 7-course meal?
The Valley
Wah-wah-wah. Poor Jax. He claimed it was the first time he’d allowed himself to be vulnerable, but I swear we’ve heard that several before. Keep throwing that against the wall, Jax. Maybe it will stick eventually. Brittany let him see Cruz and got a horrible therapy session for her trouble. In her interview, she said he wanted to re-live his pre-Brittany days and it was sad since he was a 45 year old father. Agreed.
On my wish list.
Summer House
The Reunion Part 1. I gritted my teeth during the Toegate discussion, especially the debate over how much time should be taken with a toe. The set design evoked a sleepover, which was kind of cool, but I was less than impressed with the wardrobe. As for Gabby’s… dress? No, just no. No. Usually, my only Reunion outfit complaint is it being too extra, but this made me wonder if they knew they were going to be on TV. Kyle had once mentioned on Watch What Happens Live that certain companies would not hire cast members from Summer House, which didn’t surprise me. Imrul also found out there was a downside to letting the world see your party side. He was disinvited from a nephew’s birthday party after they’d seen the show, not feeling he was the best example. As Dr. Phil says, when you choose the actions, you choose the consequences.
Random Reality Items
New Housewives and new Villains, which are kind of the same thing.
He’s off to a great start. I’ve been following that story. Very creepy and very NYC.
Could Kenya be twirling back anytime soon?
👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…
Pee-wee as Himself. HBO/Max. 2-part documentary. I loved this film. At the end of his life, Paul Reubens said, I wanted somehow for people to understand that my whole career, everything I did and wrote, was based in love. From the moment the film started, I got that from his eyes alone. I was a Pee-wee’s Playhouse fan and often watched it Saturday morning, usually with a hangover, along with Lighting Force, a half-hour poor man’s A-Team starring Wings Hauser and a half-hour Tarzan starring a very hot Tarzan. Reubens discusses his entire career and the evolution of Pee-wee Herman, which was fascinating. Some of it is not new news, like his arrest in a porno theater and later for possessing child pornography, both of which were ridiculous. His so-called possession was his vintage erotica collection, which was shown. It was a big stretch saying the photo in question, one out of hundreds, was of someone underage. Still, he bounced back. Speaking of collections, I thought I had a lot of needless stuff, but Reubens was quite the collector of everything, especially pop culture items. I could have spent days combing through his impressive treasure trove. My only complaint is that the film wasn’t longer.
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/pee-wee-as-himself-max-documentary-tv-review-2025
A few spoilers here.
Mickey 17. HBO/Max. Whenever Bong Joon Ho is involved, I’m in. Mickey is an Expendable, who does the most dangerous work while testing a planet for habitability and when they die – not if, when – they’re simply reprinted and sent back out again. This did make me wish we could reprint our bodies. Make mine thinner please. Only one version of an Expendable is allowed to be alive at the same time, and two Mickeys collide when one is presumed dead. It was a very busy film, so you might have to concentrate, but it was definitely a new concept worth watching.
https://movieweb.com/robert-pattinson-mickey-17-streaming-max/
A few spoilers here.
https://decider.com/2025/05/27/mickey-17-streaming-movie-review
Southern Comfort. AMC+, Amazon Prime, TubiTV, et al. This is an old film from 1981, but it doesn’t feel dated. I’d seen it long ago and for whatever reason, it popped into my head, and I had to watch it again. During the Vietnam War era, a group of National Guardsmen participate in a training exercise in the Louisiana bayou. It’s the perfect cautionary tale of don’t act like you own the place when you don’t. Brion James is exceptional as a local they capture when the stupidity of one of the Guardsmen gets out of hand. Even after all these years, it did not disappoint.
https://www.cbr.com/war-movie-southern-comfort-perfect-for-clint-eastwood-fans/
⚰️ Finale Of the Dead…
As I always say, if I need the ending explained, maybe I shouldn’t be watching it. Obviously, spoilers here, and although I won’t spoil anything, let it suffice to say, it wasn’t exactly uplifting.
https://ew.com/the-last-of-us-season-2-ending-explained-11740827
👑 Gilded Once More…
Great show. Great cast. The Gilded Age returns on June 22nd.
https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/the-gilded-age-season-3-premiere-date-photos/
🏆 Another Shot…
If you’ve never seen Hamilton on Disney+, you’re missing out. I actually call my subscription to their service a perpetual rental of the show.
https://ew.com/original-hamilton-cast-to-reunite-at-78th-tony-awards-11744341
🩰 Don’t Dream It, Be It…
It always amazes me how much work is put into these costumes. Although I do tend to put a lot of effort into my yearly Halloween theme.
https://ew.com/best-anime-central-2025-cosplayers-from-squid-game-star-wars-fantastic-four-11741525
🐾 Reaching For the Stars…
🐶 Dogs are college students too.
https://people.com/doug-the-pug-receives-unique-honorary-degree-11741828
🐩 A canine at Cannes.
https://people.com/who-is-the-fashionable-dog-on-the-cannes-red-carpet-11737825
🐕 Everything is beautiful at the ballet.
https://www.purewow.com/news/demi-moore-striking-photo-instagram
👄 Quotes of the Week
By hero, we tend to mean a heightened man who, more than other men, possesses qualities of courage, loyalty, resourcefulness, charisma, above all, selflessness. He is an example of right behavior; the sort of man who risks his life to protect his society’s values, sacrificing his personal needs for those of the community. – Paul Zweig
It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it. – Eleanor Roosevelt
I know now a loss can be a gift. A chance to grow. Losing has taught me to be a better winner and a better person, one who is always looking for opportunities to learn. – Serena Williams
We’re flawed because we want so much more. We’re ruined because we get these things and wish for what we had. – Don Draper (John Hamm), Mad Men, The Summer Man
Don’t spend major time on minor things. – Jim Rohn
If you can get someone to laugh with you, they will be more willing to identify with you, listen to you. It parts the waters. – Robert Orben
Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so intensely. – Percy Colson
He talks in the cadence of a leprechaun. – Kalani Faagata about Florian Sukaj, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiancé :The Last Resort
🌞 The Song Sings Itself…
Until next week, stay safe; stay using sunscreen now that you’ll (hopefully) be outside more (better yet, do your skin a favor and consider using it year-round); and stay never taking a lifeline made of secrets.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 