Tag Archives: Below Deck Down Under

Aug19

August 18, 2023 – Anna Discovers the Truth, PS, Back Again, Drama Chat, Ultimate Legacy, Sharing, VanderMash, The Con, From Dead To Flowers, Tasty, Unusually Cute, An Eighter Of Quotes & Never Gonna

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny shows up at his old Carly’s place late at night, and she says, please tell her everyone’s okay. He says, everyone is okay, and she tells him that Donna’s been asleep for a while. He says he figured, and she says, yet here he is. He must want a favor.

Tracy sits in the nook with her head on the table and a towel over it. Eddie/Ned puts on the light, and she groans and says, whoever you are, go away. She pulls the towel off her head and ha-ha-ha! It’s Tracy with a hangover looking more disheveled than we’ve ever seen her.

Kristina says she was under the impression that things were good between her and Molly, and Molly says, they were… They are. Kristina says, but not good enough for Molly to invite her to a family gathering, but Molly says, it wasn’t a family gathering. Kristina says, except for one sister it was, and Molly says, it’s getting late and TJ’s going to be getting back… Kristina says, TJ is the one who told her about Kristina’s sushi party; the one she had for their mother, their sister, and her mother-in-law. She guesses her invitation got lost in the mail.

Getting ready for bed, Dante says his terrible day is over, and Sam says, he wouldn’t believe what happened to her tonight. He says, try him, when his phone rings. He says, Detective Falconari… You checked the surrounding areas too?… So Valentin Cassadine’s car never entered the ELQ parking garage the night Anna Devane’s townhouse burned down… Okay. He hangs up and says, why are you lying to Anna?

Anna and Valentin go into a room at the MetroCourt, and he says, it’s a lot nicer than the place she stayed last night. The MetroCourt was booked, but it’s available now. She can have it as long as she wants to. She says she guesses this is home, but he says, it’s not home; it’s just temporary. As far as hotels go, it’s pretty comfortable. She’s always liked staying in hotels. She says, but she had a home to come back to and now she doesn’t.

Gregory tries to sweep the beads from the table into his hand, but some of them end up on the floor. Finn comes in and says he’ll get that. He picks up the beads and sits next to Gregory on the couch. He asks if Gregory is okay, and Gregory says, he’s fine. He’s just tired… and clumsy. Finn asks if that’s why he fell, or is it something else? After a pause, Gregory says, it’s something else… something awful, and Finn asks if he’s sick. Gregory nods, and Finn asks if he’s been diagnosed. Gregory says, yes, and Finn says, maybe he can help. Will Gregory tell him what it is? Gregory says, ALS.

Eddie/Ned says, good evening, and Tracy says, it would have to be him. He says he never took her for someone who was a hard partier, and she holds up her hand, saying, stop talking and just leave. She reaches for a bottle of aspirin and knocks it on the floor. She groans and puts her head in her hands. Ned picks it up and says, she’s drunk as a skunk, but she says, no. She’s not drunk. She just wishes the room would stop spinning.

Anna looks through some shopping bags and tells Valentin that she doesn’t even know what she bought. What’s wrong with her? He says, her house burned down, and she says she’s been through worse. He says, that’s true, and she says she wasn’t in any danger. She was out running. Thank God Charlotte wasn’t there. She was with Dante and Sam, and Valentin was at ELQ. She needs to get it into her head that she has a lot to be thankful for, and she needs to just move on. They sit down, and Valentin says, she’s not a machine. She lost her house. It was a violation, and they can be thankful no one was killed, but she doesn’t have to pretend it doesn’t hurt. She says, it really does, and he says he’s with her. She’s going to get through this. They’re going to get through this together, and they’ll find who did this to her and stop them from doing it again. Does she trust him?

Carly says, if this is about Avery having another sleepover, she’s welcome here anytime, but Sonny says, the Avery situation is under control. Carly says she’s glad to hear that. Ava must be relieved. She was really worried about… something. He says he’s not here for a favor. Actually, he’s in a position to do her a favor. She says, no thank you.

Sam wonders what’s up, but Dante says, it’s nothing that can’t wait. But there is something that can’t wait. Sam asks, what? and he says, this, and kisses her. No matter what kind of day he has, he knows when he gets to see her, everything’s going to be okay. She says, he stole her line, and he says, it’s his line because he just said it. She tells him that she was going to say, when she has a day where she thinks she won’t be able to sleep at night, she thinks about coming in here and getting into bed with him and turning out the lights, and everything else just melts away. They kiss, and he says, maybe the should talk a little bit before they turn out the lights. Her first. She says, he can go first, but he says, she knows how rock-paper-scissors work. She says, since she was twelve, and they play. She picks rock and he picks scissors, and rock beats scissors. She says, her crazy day. Where does she start? Molly and Kristina are headed for World War III.

Molly says, this is so typical, and Kristina says, Molly not inviting her to something? She agrees. Molly says, no. Kristina’s reaction. Is she not allowed to have a dinner party and invite who she wants? Kristina says, Molly invited everyone in the family but her, and Molly says, fine, she’ll say it; Kristina wasn’t invited. But despite what Kristina always thinks, it wasn’t about her. It was about Molly and TJ. She wanted to share the good news with mom and Sam and Jordan that they found a surrogate.

Finn says, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and Gregory says, yeah. Finn says, there are other conditions that have the same early symptoms. Is he certain? Gregory says, yes. When he told Finn he was going to Milwaukee for a seminar, he was actually in Rochester at the Mayo Clinic. They did extensive testing and the results were conclusive. Finn says, that trip was over six months ago. He’s known all this time? Gregory says he’s sorry. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Finn. Finn asks, why not?

Anna comes out from her shower, and sees Valentin pouring some wine. She says, he read her mind, and he asks what they’re going to toast to, handing her a glass. She says she has no idea, and he says, then to us. To our future together, which can only get less complicated and less dangerous. She says she’d like to believe that, and they clink glasses. He says, she may not believe it now, but they have a lot to be grateful for, and she promises not to keep wallowing in self-pity. He says, it’s not self-pity. She’s been traumatized and she’s dealing with some very powerful emotions. She’ll work through them. She says, and they’re going to find out who’s behind this, and he says, yes, but in the meantime, he has something to talk to her about. It’s something important. He’s going to buy season tickets to the ballet in New York. Charlotte still loves dance, and he knows she does too, so why doesn’t he buy three tickets? She can join them. She says her house just burned to the ground, and someone is trying to kill her, and he’s talking about Swan Lake. He says he can’t think of anything he’d rather do than spend time with the two women he loves most in this world. And he likes Swan Lake. She says she likes it too, and he’s about to kiss her, when there’s a knock at the door. Anna wonders who it is, and he opens it to Martin. Anna says, it’s a bit late for a business call, and Valentin says, whatever this is, he’ll deal with it quickly. He goes out into the hall with Martin and closes the door.

Tracy tosses a couple of pills in her mouth and drinks some water. Ned says, Leo told him that a guy like him needs 15½ cups of water a day, and she says, Leo’s a very smart kid. She can’t tell him how grateful she is Leo’s not here now. She holds her head, and Ned says, she doesn’t seem very experienced at this sort of thing. She says, if by that he means she doesn’t look like someone who gets drunk all the time, she didn’t get drunk this time. He says, she didn’t? and she says, no, she did not. Well, she did, but it wasn’t her fault. Somebody insisted on putting too much alcohol in those Mai Tais at the MetroCourt pool… ugh. He asks if some old bartender was trying to loosen her up for her dough, but she says, no. Actually, it was not some old bartender trying to loosen her up; it was Ned’s daughter. Not that he even acknowledges that he has one. She rubs her forehead.

Finn says he doesn’t understand. Gregory didn’t think he could handle it? Gregory says, it wasn’t Finn; it was him. After all these years, they were finally getting to spend time together as a family; Finn, his brother, Violet, and him. It was so special. Finn says, it is, and Gregory says, the big stuff, Christmas and Halloween with Violet; and the little things, him bringing over muffins from Eckert’s or showing Violet videos of Uncle Chase singing. Finn says, it wouldn’t have changed, but Gregory says, of course (🍷) it would. It will. It already has. When he looks at Finn, he can see it in Finn’s eyes, he knows what this disease does. Finn knows he’s dying.

Sonny says, Carly’s not even going to listen to him? and she asks if he can’t listen to her. Did he not hear her down at the police station? He says, that was different. He was there to help Ned and she was there, so he thought he’d help her. She says, he decided she needed help. He didn’t listen to her. He says, and when she turned him down, she spent the night there. She says, and she was fine with that. She can take care of herself. He says he’s sure she can, and she says, it’s taken a while, but they’re both moving on. They respect each other and want each other to be happy. And as he can see, there’s no For Sale sign in the front yard because Kelly’s is doing great. She’s going to take care of herself on her own, so whatever his favor is, no thank you; she doesn’t want it.

Dante asks why Molly didn’t invite Kristina, and Sam says, because she was revealing her big news that she and TJ had found a surrogate who was perfect. She thinks Molly didn’t want to hurt Kristina’s feelings. He says he understands that. It is Molly’s decision. Sam says she understands that too. She also understands Kristina being hurt. She’s sorry. She shouldn’t be going on like this. He asks, why? and she says, because of the situation he and Lulu had with Maxie. He says, that’s okay. It was a long time ago. TJ and Molly have to realize this is a big decision. You can’t take this lightly. She asks if he thinks Molly’s making the right choice by not having Kristina be the surrogate.

Kristina says, that’s great. She hadn’t realized Molly and TJ were even interviewing surrogates yet. Molly says, they wanted to keep it quiet, and Kristina says she gets that. She’s sure mom, Sam, and Jordan were thrilled to hear the news. Molly says, they were very happy for her and TJ. This is what they want. Kristina says she knows, and Molly says, the woman they found is perfect, and she’s willing to go through the process right away. Kristina says, that’s very exciting, and Kristina says, it is. After everything they’ve gone through, there’s still a good chance she and TJ could have a child within the next year. Kristina says she’s happy Molly is so happy, and Molly says she planned on telling her first thing tomorrow. Kristina says, just not tonight with the rest of the family, and Molly says she wanted it to be a happy occasion. She knew mom, Sam, and Jordan would be happy for them. Kristina says, and she wouldn’t? She would have spoiled all that? Molly says she doesn’t know. They’ve been getting along so well, but she didn’t want to take the chance that tonight would turn into a discussion about why they turned to a surrogate instead of Kristina. Kristina says, now that everyone is gone and Molly brought it up, why are they paying a stranger to have their baby when she was willing to do it?

Finn says, six months. They could have done so many things. Gregory says, the last six months have been perfect. What he didn’t want was to be a burden to Finn, or have Finn spend time with him out of some sense of obligation. Finn says, that wouldn’t have happened, but Gregory says, of course (🍷) it would. He knows Finn and Chase. He’s so proud of both of them, and he and Finn finally got the time to know each other. Finn says, that’s meant everything to him. He’s the one who’s sorry. He’s sorry for costing them all that time. Gregory says, there’s no need to rehash that now. Getting to know Finn and getting to understand and appreciate his incredible accomplishments over the years has been so rewarding for him. Finn and his brother make it almost impossible for him not to be one of those obnoxious bragging fathers. Finn says he’s one of those too, when it comes to Violet, and Gregory says, Violet, what a gift she is. Every single moment he spends with his granddaughter is even better than he imagined. Finn says, she pretty much thinks her grandfather’s the greatest guy in the world, and Gregory asks how she’s going to feel when all he can do is sit and stare at her, when he can’t even speak her name?

Ned asks, why would Brook give Tracy too much booze? and Tracy says, Brook’s up to something and she should have known the minute she saw the fire eater. He says, fire eater? and she says, it was a luau, with tiki torches and leis. He says, sounds like fun, and she says, he would think so. She should have gone right back down to the lobby and ordered a car. He says, it sounds like maybe she had a lot of fun. What’s wrong with that? She rubs her temples, and says, that’s all he ever thinks of; having fun and being Eddie Maine. Anything to avoid facing the reality of his life.

Valentin says, Martin understands this is critical, and Martin says he does. Valentin asks if he’d act like it, and Martin says, his fee, as exorbitant as it is, grants him 24-hour access, but doesn’t give him or any other client the right to abuse him. Valentin says, point taken. He has a lot on his mind. Martin says he understands, and yes, it’s hot off the wire. He gives Valentin an envelope, and Valentin checks out some paperwork inside. He says, looks good, and thanks Martin, opening the door. Martin says, he’s welcome. Although why he insisted on doing this tonight instead of first thing tomorrow morning makes no sense to him. Anna hears that part, and Valentin goes inside and sets down the envelope. Anna asks if it’s important, but he says, not really. Why Martin insisted on coming by in the middle of the night makes no sense to him.

Ned says, Tracy wants him to face the reality of his life, which means she wants him to ride around in limousines and pretend to be some hotshot tax dodging executive. She says, it’s a start. Or he could just stop singing on street corners, and running around all night to sleazy bars, and getting arrested for fighting. He asks if it’s embarrassing to her somehow, and she says, it’s embarrassing to the whole family. He says, so it’s best to just shut Eddie up? and she says, he’s not Eddie. He says, and she wants to prove that by having someone strap him to a table and have electricity shot through his head. She says, what? and he says, I’m on to you, lady. He overheard her tell Olivia that she wants him committed.

Carly says she doesn’t know if Sonny knows this, but Drew is in solitary confinement. Sonny says he knows, and Carly says, of course (🍷) he knows; he’s protecting Drew. She’s really worried about him. She knows he went through worse in Crete, but still. Sonny says, he’s been through a lot. He’ll get through this. She asks if Sonny thinks he can get a message to Drew, and he says he might be able to do better than that.

Finn says, Gregory has to give Violet more credit. She constantly surprises him by how much she understands. Gregory says he hopes Finn is right, and Finn asks what the doctors told him in terms of prognosis. Gregory says, luckily, he was still in the first stage when he went to the Mayo Clinic; muscle cramps and occasional difficulty walking. Finn says, and now? and Gregory says, it’s progressed. His hands cramp more frequently than before. Finn asks, what happened tonight? and Gregory says he was trying to help Violet make some bracelets. He could barely hold on to the thread. He doesn’t think she noticed, but then she got up to get some clasps from her bedroom and he tried to stand up to shake out his hands, and that’s when he fell. Thank God she wasn’t here to see it. Finn says, but she came back in, and Gregory says he told her he tripped over the coffee table (he did not; he said it was probably a bead on the floor). She had to watch him struggle to get back up on the couch. He knows he can’t hide his disease any longer, and he’s so ashamed about tonight.

Molly says she’s so glad she didn’t invite Kristina tonight, and Kristina says, she’s made that perfectly clear. Just answer the question. Why would she rather a stranger have her baby as a surrogate, when her own sister offered to do it for her months ago? Molly says, with a surrogate, they sign a legal, binding document, and Kristina says she knows how it works; she rents out her womb and throws in her egg at a discount. Molly says, both sides benefit. She gets money she needs for her family, and they get the child they want. Kristina says, the child they want; there it is. As opposed to the child she’s offering to give them that they clearly do not want. Molly says, the surrogate is performing a service, not racing around town working on some pie-in-the-sky project, and letting everyone know she’s saving her poor sister from her own infertility. Kristina says, if Molly has some stranger as her surrogate, she’s not even going to be related to the baby.

Sam says she’s sorry. She shouldn’t have put Dante on the spot like that. It’s a really confusing situation. He says he gets it, and stop apologizing. They’ll be playing rock-paper-scissors all night long. It’s a personal thing for Molly and TJ, that’s all. He’s sure Kristina had the best of intentions when she offered to be their surrogate. Sam says she understands that, but Kristina and Molly haven’t been close lately. He says he knows she loves her sisters and wants to fix all kinds of things for them, but maybe this one… She says she should let them work it out for themselves. He says, maybe, and she says, he’s right. Now it’s his turn. Spill. He says, it was just kind of a regular weird day, and Cody shows up at the station while Gladys is there, filing a restraining order against Cody on Sasha’s behalf. Cody loses his mind completely in the middle of the squad room, saying, Gladys is the one having Sasha drugged. He lost it. He went crazy, and Dante and Mac had to restrain him. She asks if he had to arrest Cody, but he says, not this time. Those two hate each other. She says, Cody and Gladys? Definitely. He says, and the whole time this is happening, he’s investigating Anna’s townhouse burning down.

Valentin asks if Anna left him some hot water, but she says she feels like the MetroCourt has an unlimited supply. He says, give him five minutes, and goes to the shower. She’s about to look at the envelope, when her phone rings. Dante says, sorry to call so late, but there’s something he thought she should know. He had one of their tech guys look at the ELQ security footage from the night her house burned. Valentin’s car never exited or entered the ELQ parking garage. He had them check the surrounding area to see if the car was parked somewhere else too, but they got nothing. She says she sees, and he says, Valentin told her the reason he went to ELQ was, there was a water main break and he was concerned about the mainframe computer? She says, that’s right, and he says, there was no water main break. She says, thanks for that information, and listens to hear if the shower is still running. She takes the envelope, and looks at the papers inside. It’s an invoice or something with Pikeman’s letterhead.

Tracy says she did ask Olivia to commit Ned, and he says, because he embarrasses her? She says, because this can’t go on. She thought just maybe if he was in a hospital, they could help him stop faking this ridiculous… He says he’s not faking anything. He is Eddie Maine. And by the way, he didn’t ask to be in this house. They all want him here. So he’s trying to make them understand he can’t choose to be who he is. He’s Eddie Maine and there’s nothing he can do about it. She says, okay. He’s Eddie Maine, but she’s Ned Quartermaine’s mother, and she’s never going to stop fighting for her son.

Finn says, Gregory has nothing to be ashamed of, but Gregory says he does. He’s so selfish to put his daughter at risk. Finn says, that’s okay, but Gregory says, no. He shouldn’t have agreed to watch her alone tonight. Somehow, he convinced himself he’d be okay. Finn says, it turned out okay, but Gregory says he had no right to take that risk. The other night, he went to one of those hatchet throwing places and he did it. Maybe it’s human nature, but he thinks he’s been trying to convince himself that he can beat this thing, or at least hold it off, but that’s just denial. He needs to stop that before he puts someone else in danger like he did Violet. Finn says, it’s happening to Gregory and he has to figure it out on his own, and Gregory says he needs to stop driving. He shouldn’t have been driving this long. Finn says, so stop driving. No one’s going to judge him for how he’s handled this so far. No one’s going to judge him. Finn wishes he’d had someone to talk to besides his doctor. Doing this all on his own all this time must have been hell. Gregory says, Alexis knows. She was snooping around and they got in a big argument, and he collapsed. He had to tell her. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Finn. He didn’t want to see the look on Finn’s face that he’s seeing right now.

Carly asks if this is the favor Sonny came over here to talk to her about, and he says, before she turns him down, hear him out. She says she’s listening, and he says, when he got news of Drew’s situation, he did some digging and he has a connection with someone who could arrange for Drew to get out of solitary early. So when he’s released, she’ll be able to go see him. She asks if Drew is going to owe anybody anything, but he says, absolutely not. She asks what it’s costing him, and he says, from the look on her face, it means everything to him. She sits next to him on the sofa and says, Drew’s going to wonder why the sudden change. He says, when she talks to him, just tell him no strings attached. It’s just a gift from him. She says, he knows Sonny is protecting him. She doesn’t know how he’s going to feel about this. Sonny says, it’s not a gift to him; it’s a gift to her. She asks if there are any stipulations for her if she accepts.

Sam comes back in the bedroom and says, it looks like Dante’s rotten day is still with him. He says, it’s just hitting close to home this one, and she says, and he can’t get into specifics. He says he can tell her that Valentin is being dishonest with Anna, and she laughs, saying, when has Valentin ever been honest? He says, she’s right, but it’s weird. Valentin really cared about Anna, and she cares about him. He told her all this pretty surprising stuff, then he lies about where he was the other night. Sam says she’s not that surprised about it. She knows he lives a complicated life. Who knows what he’s got going on? Dante says, he wants to know what Valentin’s got going on because his daughter’s in the room down the hall.

Anna lies awake, but pretends to sleep when Valentin gets into bed. He turns out the light, and she opens her eyes. She says, he lied to her.

Gregory says he understands. Finn’s a doctor; one of the best. He knows all about this hideous disease. Finn knows what it’s going to do to him. Finn says he looks at Gregory now, and he looks fine; he looks good. Gregory says, that’s what’s so hard to grasp. He looks in the mirror, he feels good, but he knows this thing is in there somewhere. Finn says he also sees the man he grew up with. The man who used to toss him so high in the air, and he was never once afraid Gregory wouldn’t catch him. Gregory says he remembers that guy too. As you get older, try to hang on to that self-image as long as you can. The thought that he’ll be less than that for Finn, for Violet… Finn says, never less. He’s still that man, and he will always be that man, no matter what happens. Gregory thanks him for that, and Finn says, he knows what Gregory is facing, so there’s no point in trying to tell him no, because he’ll be by Gregory’s side every step of the way from here on out. Gregory tells him, do what you have to do, but he has one favor to ask, and Finn says, anything. Gregory says, help me tell your brother. Because he’s afraid it’s going to crush Chase. Finn says, it will, and they’ll be there for him. He tells Gregory that he loves him and starts to cry. Gregory says he loves Finn too, and they hug.

Ned asks if loving her son means locking him away somewhere, and Tracy says, stop being so dramatic. If he overheard her saying that, he also overheard Olivia refuse. And she’s his… She has final say. He says, but he’s watched Tracy. She can be very persuasive. What’s to stop her from changing Olivia’s mind about putting him away? She says, answer her something. If he’s so worried about them having him put away, why is he still here? Why isn’t he at Sonny’s? He says, Sonny is a nice enough guy, but too many goombahs around. Tracy says, there it is. She knew it. You are in there, Ned. Somewhere.

Sonny says, there’s no strings attached in there for Carly either, but he’s sure Drew is going to be happy to get out of that little cell. He wants to be clear, this is for her – or not. It’s her decision. She says, he’s unbelievable, and he says, yes. She says, he came to the police station the other night and he was so offended when she said he couldn’t help her. He came up with a favor he knew she couldn’t turn down. He says, maybe he’s just being nice, and she says, yeah, he is, but he still wins. He asks if that’s a yes, and she says, yes, please get Drew out of solitary. He says, all right, and gets up. He’ll let her know when it’s done. He heads for the door, and she says, thank you. He says, you’re welcome, and leaves.

Molly says, that was mean, even for Kristina, and Kristina says, that came out wrong. Molly says she thinks Kristina said exactly what she meant, and Kristina says, fine. If they’re saying what they really mean, why doesn’t Molly say what she really means. She would rather have a baby from a stranger than one from her own sister. Molly says, yes, and it’s true she might not be biologically related to the baby, but TJ will be, and that baby is going to be created for them as a result of their love for each other. Kristina says, if she had the baby for Molly… Molly says, if she did, it would be a gift for my sister, and no one would ever be allowed to forget it. Kristina says, wow. She guesses she never realized how selfish and insecure Molly is. She leaves.

Sam says, Charlotte is Rocco’s sister, so she and Dante need to find a way to get along with Valentin. Dante says he knows, and he’s glad she’s here with them, especially with a threat to Anna. She says, burning down someone’s house is definitely a threat. Any theory on why Valentin would lie to Anna? He says, not yet. He never really trusted that guy. She says, as much as they don’t trust him, she really does believe Valentin loves Charlotte, and she doesn’t think he’d ever do anything to hurt her. Dante says he agrees. Intentionally, he wouldn’t hurt her, and he probably loves Anna. She says, but he doesn’t think Anna trusts him, and he says, no, and neither can they.

Valentin asks what Anna said, and she glances at the Pikeman envelope as she turns to him and says, he lied to her. He said he was going to be five minutes, and he was way closer to fifteen. He says he’s sorry; the water felt good. He kisses her, and she says she’s so exhausted. He says, so sleep, and kisses her forehead. They turn back to back, but their eyes stay open.

Tomorrow, Carly tells someone that she’ll be there; Anna tells Valentin, it’s unsettling when someone you know is acting strangely; Sonny says, maybe we should just call this off; and Cyrus tells someone, we meet again.

💣 GH FYI: Mason did say the boss was a woman. So I’m not crazy. Well, maybe I am, but I didn’t imagine that. The theory is that there are already enough female villains on the canvas – i.e. Selina and Gladys – so they changed the boss to a man. Still, just a wee bit insulting to viewers’ intelligence.

👨‍👧‍👧 One Of the Boys…

Jake pops back before they can excuse his absence with back to school.

Hudson West Returns to GENERAL HOSPITAL!

🗽 Discuss Amongst Yourselves…

The new RHONY cast talks about their favorite subject – themselves.

Real Housewives of New York Open Up About Season 14 Reboot

🦕 Old New York…

Well, if the Countess says it’s cool, it can’t possibly be uncool. But did they get the yacht?

Luann de Lesseps Promises ‘Good Drama’ on Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip

🦘 Not Down Under…

More on the Deck drama that rocked the franchise. I actually tried to catch this episode the other night, but came in too late. And I’m not desperate enough to hunt it down on Peacock. Not yet anyway. João ended up as one of the replacements, much to the mini distress of Aesha.

Aesha Scott Shares What Didn’t Air on Below Deck as Producer Addresses Luke & Laura’s Firings and Reveals Team’s “Valiant Effort” to Intervene, Plus Captain Jason Speaks

🍸 VanderBreak Is Officially Over…

I couldn’t figure out how Graham was bait here, but we know she’s prone to flights of fantasy.

Raquel Leviss Accuses LVP of Not Genuinely Caring, Claims James Taught Dog Graham to Bite, & Dog Was Used as “Bait” for Vanderpump Rules Return, Slams “Villain Narrative,” Plus Talks Family & Podcast Plans, & Death Threats

I’ll definitely be getting Ariana’s new book. I requested and got Fancy AF Cocktails for Christmas after it came out, but this looks a whole lot juicier better. I dunno about Scheana’s music, although I have to admit Good As Gold is on one of my playlists.

Brock Davies Fires Back at Raquel’s Podcast Interview as Ariana Madix Announces New Book Will Cover ‘Scandoval’ Drama & Relationship With Tom Sandoval, Plus Scheana Releases Music About Scandal

The minutiae.

Kristen Doute Claims Raquel Leviss Was “Telling Some Truths” After She Alleges James is “Violent,” Denies Being Silenced With Pump Rules Spinoff as Raquel Reacts to Kristen’s Shocking Comments

🎪 More Bravo Than You Can Shake a Stick At…

All the guests at BravoCon 2023.

Full List of BravoCon 2023 Bravolebs Revealed

💐 Not Those Flowers, Lizzie…

This looks suspiciously like a V.C. Andrews book.

https://undeadwalking.com/2023/08/04/alycia-debnam-carey-lost-flowers-alice-hart/

🌍 Padma Is the New Waldo…

Where in the world is she?

https://www.padmalakshmi.com/taste-the-nation

🐙 Behold the Unusual…

I want them all.

https://www.alwayspets.com/s/cutest-unusual-pets-754c25d1fa0043c2

🐚 Quotes of the Week

Immature love says, I love you because I need you. Mature love says, I need you because I love you. – Erich Fromm

If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes. – John Wooden

What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will. – Epictetus

Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. – Albert Einstein

You can’t make somebody your number one if you’re always their number two. – Judge Star Jones, Divorce Court

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – C.S. Lewis

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

🧋 Drinking the Milkshakes In My Yard…

Let’s reconvene on Monday really Tuesday for soap and whatever tea I can pull out of a hat. Until then, stay safe, stay living your best life as your best self, even if it’s only in your mind, and stay never judging how someone is handling their illness.

Jul20

July 19, 2022 – In the Thick Of Trina’s Trial, Demanding Diamond, Many Spoiled Returns, Get In Line, Aussies On Deck & Hot

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

TJ lets Willow into an exam room, and she says she assumed it was about work, but this is medical? She didn’t even know he was on an OB rotation. He says, this isn’t an OB visit, and she says, okay, then what? He says, after she fainted, he ran a series of tests. She says, that’s how they figured out she was pregnant, and he says, yes, but they have to go over the rest of the results. She has an elevated white blood cell count. She says, that’s it? She knows from nurse’s training that it’s normal to have an elevated white blood cell count during pregnancy. He says, that’s true, but from what he sees, he doesn’t think it’s related to her pregnancy, and she says, he thinks she’s sick while she’s pregnant.

Michael and Dante spar at the gym, and Dante says, Rocco can do better than that. Just because Michael’s having a baby, he’s taking it easy on him? Michael says, Dante couldn’t be more wrong. Willow’s good news makes him feel like he can take on the world. Even losing the ELQ merger with Aurora, seems way more manageable now. Face it, your brother is one happy guy. Cody walks in and says, I’ll have what he’s having.

Britt walks past the elevator as Brad comes out, and he says he knows he’s early, but he figured they have time to get a drink at Charlie’s before they head over to the Haunted Star. She says she’s sorry. She should have called him, but the day got away from her. She has one more appointment. He says, that’s okay. He guesses they’ll have to start drinking when they get to the Haunted Star. Now go tell her patient to take two aspirin and call her in the morning. She says, yeah… That’s the thing. She can’t join him tonight. Something’s come up. He asks if she forgot she had plans, and she says, not exactly. He asks if she double-booked herself, and she says, sort of. He says, and it’s not work related? and she shakes her head. He says, oh my God. Does she have a date?

Esme tells Spencer, even if she could guarantee Trina goes free, why in the world would she? Trina, Joss, and Cam have been badmouthing her all across town. Why would she do them any favors? He says, because if she ever wants to know who her birth mother is, she’ll make sure that the judge knows the truth. She’s the only person who can do that.

On the stand, Josslyn says, she knows Trina was in her bedroom the entire time before she and Cameron went to their bedroom, and Arden asks if she can prove that. Were there security cameras all over the cabin? The cabin belongs to Josslyn’s stepfather Sonny Corinthos, so she can see that as a real possibility. Josslyn says, there are no security cameras inside the cabin, and Arden says, which means what exactly. Josslyn says, which means she doesn’t have proof that Trina didn’t leave her bedroom, and Arden says, to be clear, she can’t account for the defendant’s movements from the moment she went into her room to the moment she and Mr. Webber went into theirs. Because of that, won’t she concede that there was plenty of time for her so-called friend, who has already been established to have been filled with jealousy and resentment, to make sure the phone was set up to record Josslyn’s most intimate moments without her knowing? Diane objects, saying, this is pure conjecture on the ADA’s part, and the judge sustains. He tells Arden to watch her step, and Arden says, no more questions. Rory walks into the courtroom.

TJ says, he was there the first time Willow fainted at GH, and that was months before she got pregnant. That’s what prompted him to run this battery of tests; just to be on the safe side. She says, so he thinks there’s a chance something’s wrong with her? but he tells her, all he’s saying is, they need more information. He knows she just finished nursing school, and she’s been under a lot of pressure. So they might be able to chalk this up to anxiety or stress, but there’s also a chance there’s another medical explanation. They have to explore all possibilities. She says, obviously, he thinks there’s a good chance something is wrong. What isn’t he telling her?

Dante starts to introduce Cody to Michael, but Cody says, Michael’s the one who gave him the tour of the Quartermaine stables; made him feel right at home. Michael says, it’s funny Cody calls himself a mere stable hand, because to Leo, he’s already a legend, and Cody says, Leo is a great kid. He’s positively fearless with that horse of his, unlike some people that he knows. Dante asks if Cody is talking about him. He was a city kid; he did great. Michael says, that’s enough for him. They can stay and beat each other’s brains in if they want. He has to meet Willow at GH. In case Cody can’t tell by the big grin on his face, he and Willow are having a baby. Cody congratulates him, and asks Michael to give his best to Willow. Michael says he has to hit the showers. If he’s late he could catch a hard time. Cody says, really? Willow seemed like such a sweetheart to him. Michael says he wasn’t talking about Willow. He was talking about her OB, Britt Westbourne. Cody says, no kidding; small world. Michael asks if he knows Britt.  

Brad says, normally he would be upset about Britt blowing him off, but since she’s practically on the verge of spinsterhood, he’ll give her a pass – this time. She says, she’d love to argue his characterization of her love life, except he’s spot-on. He says, some friendly advice. All she needs to be is the charming, vivacious woman he knows she can be. She says, thanks for the pep talk. She feels so much better about her date tonight.  He says, if she’s not excited about her date, why is she doing it? Is she jumping back into the dating pool because she’s looking for love, or is she just tired of holding on to all her secrets? She asks what that means, and he says, whatever’s weighing on her; what she can’t tell him about? Maybe it’s past time she did.

Diane reminds the court of the difference between a sex tape and revenge porn. A sex tape is made with consent; revenge porn is made without consent. She asks if Josslyn or Cameron ever consented to being recorded, and Josslyn says, no. Neither one of them knew anything about the video; not until it popped up on the screens at PCU. Diane says, yet despite the prosecution’s best efforts to put words in Josslyn’s mouth, Josslyn claims to know her best friend could never have done this. Josslyn says she knows Trina couldn’t, and Arden objects. She says, to use Diane’s words, it’s pure conjecture on the witness’s part. Josslyn says, it’s not conjecture, because she knows exactly the type of person Trina is. She’s known Trina since middle school. Trina is her best friend in the entire world. Josslyn tears up, and says, Trina is there for her on her good days, and more important, Trina is there for her on her bad days. Trina knows right from wrong, and Josslyn knows exactly the type of friend Trina is. She is the type of friend to stick by you when everybody else turns and runs. Diane says, so knowing her best friend, could Josslyn ever imagine that Trina would go to such extreme lengths to humiliate her and Cameron? Josslyn says, never. She doesn’t think Trina would even know how to get a black market phone, let alone use it against them. Diane asks how Josslyn knows it was a black market phone, and she says she doesn’t. All she knows is, a second phone that was a black market phone was found in Trina’s purse, identical to Trina’s real phone; same model, same case. Diane says, but it’s Josslyn’s belief – her conviction – that someone, anyone, could have purchased that phone, and Josslyn says, not anyone. One person did this, and she knows exactly who that person is.

Esme tells Spencer, once Trina recorded Joss and Cam having sex for the first time – which is mind bogglingly horrific – she made it go global. Those are facts; all the evidence says so. He says he agrees with her that the evidence is stacked against Trina, but there’s one catch. Esme asks, what’s that? and he says, they both know Trina didn’t record that revenge porn or distribute it, because Esme did.

Diane says, if Trina Robinson did not make that revenge porn, who did? and Josslyn says, it’s Esme Prince. When Esme’s boyfriend, Spencer Cassadine, wanted to break up his father’s marriage to Ava, Spencer began to stalk Ava, and asked for Esme’s help. Esme lit Ava’s car on fire, and left the hospital ID badge of Ava’s dead daughter Kiki beside the car. That seems like the kind of demented mind that would make revenge porn, don’t you think? Arden objects, and says, she’s aware of Spencer Cassadine getting convicted for stalking his stepmother, but his girlfriend was never charged with anything. Can the witness provide any shred of proof of her claims? Judge Young sustains, and tells Diane, no more speculation; he just wants facts. Diane says, absolutely. She just has a few more questions. She asks what Josslyn’s GPA was her freshman year of college, and Josslyn says, 4.0. Diane congratulates her, and asks who her dorm roommate was. Josslyn says, Trina, and Diane asks who if Trina will be Josslyn’s roommate her sophomore year. Josslyn says, absolutely, and she and Trina smile at each other. Diane has no further questions.

TJ says he’s not keeping Willow in the dark about anything. There are questions though, and that’s why he’s booked her for another series of tests tomorrow. She says, to be clear, this doesn’t concern the baby. This is about her health, correct? He says, correct. Her issue, if there is one, predates the pregnancy. It’s likely the two situations aren’t related. She has an appointment with Dr. Westbourne later. Keep that, and whatever it is, they’ll deal with it.

Cody tells Michael, you might say, he and Britt ran into each other the other day, and Dante says, what Cody means is, he parachuted into the MetroCourt pool, landed on Britt, and they both fell into the water. Michael says, that was all over social media, and Cody says, to be fair, she was standing in his landing zone. Michael says, skydiver, stable hand; is there anything Cody can’t do? Cody says, plenty. Pay a mortgage, ride sidesaddle blindfolded, make babies. He’s never been able to achieve any of those things, so don’t let him keep Michael from that appointment. Dante tells Michael, good luck, and tell Willow he said hi. He’s sure mom and baby are going to be fine. Michael leaves, and Cody says, Dante’s brother seems like a nice guy. Dante says, the best, and Cody asks if he’s chopped liver, but Dante says, no. Cody is the guy who dogged Britt after he told Cody not to.

Britt tells Brad, all she wants is to give this matchmaking thing a chance. If for no other reason than to get her mother off her back. He says, fair enough. So is her date someone he knows? Someone he doesn’t know? Is he hot? She says, he’s rough around the edges, and he says, on the right person that could be hot. Is he hot? She says, he doesn’t seem trustworthy, and Brad says, not to be redundant, but that could be hot on the right person too. She says, fine. He’s hot, in a rough, rustic, scruffy way. He bruises well, and by that she means, he’s one of those guys who actually looks good beaten up. Weird. And then there’s the fact they have nothing in common, and they don’t even like each other. Brad asks how she knows, if they haven’t even met… O.M.G. It’s him, isn’t it? It’s parachute guy.

Jordan is now on the stand, and Arden asks her how this illicit video came to the attention of the PCPD. Jordan says, they received a report from PCU, where the video was first distributed. Then in the course of their investigation, their office got an anonymous tip on their hotline as to the alleged perpetrator’s identity. Arden says, by alleged perpetrator, she’s referring to the defendant, correct? and Jordan says, yes. Arden asks, what happened when they brought Trina in for questioning? and Jordan says, Trina agreed without hesitation, and never asked for legal representation. She said she would do anything to find the person who humiliated her closest friends, Josslyn Jax and Cameron Webber. Arden asks what Jordan found in Trina’s possession, and Jordan says, she had two cell phones in her purse; one that was hers, and one that was nearly identical that she couldn’t account for. Arden holds up the phone in a plastic bag, and says, this is the unaccounted for cell phone, and this is the forensics report on this phone. She gives the report to Jordan, and asks if Jordan can tell them what it says. Jordan says, the digital footprint confirms this cell phone was used to upload and send the video, also known as the revenge porn, to the PCU community. Arden says, anything else? and Jordan says, after its final usage, this phone was never turned on again. Arden asks if there’s anything else that ties the phone to the defendant, and Jordan reads, Miss Robinson’s credit card information was encrypted and used to purchase images of the artist Richard Molineaux. Arden says, in other words, according to Jordan’s own forensics department, the only person tied to that revenge porn video is the defendant Trina Robinson, and Jordan says, the evidence seems to suggest that, yes.

Spencer tells Esme, at first, he didn’t want to believe it. There was a time when he had deeper feelings for her than he ever knew possible. When he brought her home to Port Charles… She says, he means when he asked for her help with his plot to destroy his father’s marriage, and he says, and when she agreed, she raised the stakes by a thousand. He never asked her to torch Ava’s car, and would have never suggested she put Ava’s dead daughter’s hospital ID beside it. That is just so incredibly cruel. But that’s who she really is, isn’t it? Cruel. Joss warned him about her; Trina warned him about her. Hell, even Cam, who gave her the benefit of the doubt, went out of his way to warn him that she was dangerous, and even still, he wanted to believe in her. But then when that video of Josslyn and Cam came out, she couldn’t wait to show it to him. She pretended to be horrified, but he could see it written all over her face how happy she was. Then she insisted it had to be Trina who made it. That’s when he started to wonder and waver, and when he decided to voice his fears that maybe she was the one behind the revenge porn, she instantly came up with a pregnancy scare. She says, he thinks she made that up? and he says, not then. He still wanted to believe in her. But when Trina was arrested, he couldn’t look the other way anymore. Everything Josslyn was saying, and that Trina had done her best not to say, it was all true. Esme was the one who made that video, and she was the one who distributed it to the world. He yells in her face, it was you all along.

Michael finds Willow at the hospital, and says he wondered if he had the wrong time. Is she okay?  

Britt tells Brad, go on, say it. She’s going out with the bum who parachuted into her life, and couldn’t even apologize for almost drowning her. He says, honestly, he’s happy for her. She’s a smart woman. If she decided to give parachute guy a second chance, good for her. She thanks him for saying that, but they both know this will probably end in disaster, and he says, sure seems like it. So he has to ask again, why is she even doing it? and she tells him, he’s supposed to say, it’s going be great, but right now, she’s late to see a patient.

Cody and Dante go into the steam room, and Dante tells Cody to fess up now. He saw Cody all over Britt on the 4th. What’s going on with that? He warned Cody away from Britt, and first thing, his interest level goes through the roof. It’s classic. Cody says, about Dante’s warning about Britt. Given how Dante feels about Britt, his guess is, Dante isn’t going to feel too good about them going on a date.

Esme says, Spencer is right. When they first met, he was an angry, lost self-centered little boy, and thanks to her, he not only lost his virginity, he turned out to be an angry, lost, self-centered man. She can’t believe, after everything she’s done for him, standing by his side when even his own father turned his back on him, this is how he repays her. He says, all she ever did was work her own agenda, and she says, enough. He had his say, now it’s her turn. If he thinks he can just go riding back to Trina, he’s an even bigger fool than she thought. He’s even sadder and more pathetic than when she first met him. They were together at that cabin, remember? She couldn’t have planted that phone even if she wanted to, because when she’d had enough of Josslyn’s holier than thou attitude, they left – together. His precious sweet Trina could have planted that phone and did. There’s simply no way he can get around that. He says, of course (🍷) there is.

Diane says, so an anonymous tip claimed Trina Robinson filmed and distributed the revenge porn. Is there any way to identify the source of that anonymous tip? Jordan says, no. If people thought their identities could be made public, they wouldn’t get the number of tips they get. That’s why it’s anonymous. Diane says, of course (🍷). So anyone could leave a false tip and suffer no repercussions whatsoever. So how did Trina behave when Jordan hauled her into the PCPD for questioning? Jordan says, there was no hauling her in; she came in voluntarily. Diane says, voluntarily? That’s interesting. Jordan already testified that Trina asked for no counsel to be present, but when Jordan began to question her, was she defensive? Jordan says, no; she was very cooperative. She kept repeating that Josslyn and Cameron were her close friends, and she wanted to do whatever was possible to catch the person responsible for the revenge porn. Maybe it’s because her dad was a officer, but she was very eager to do the right thing. Diane says, so when Jordan opened Trina’s bag, and found the other phone… Jordan says she didn’t open Trina’s purse; Trina did. Diane says, Jordan is saying Trina herself opened her bag and produced the other phone? and Jordan says, that’s correct. Diane asks, in her many years of public service as Police Commissioner, in Jordan’s experience, is that the way a guilty person behaves? Arden objects, and says, they’re not doing a composite sketch of a common criminal. Jordan says, actually, she’d like to answer the question. She thinks it’s relevant. Judge Young says, she may answer the question, and Jordan says, Trina did not act anything at all like a guilty person. As she said, Trina’s main goal was to be helpful. Diane has no further questions, and Arden calls Rory to the stand.  

Willow tells Michael, there’s nothing wrong with her. She’s just nervous about their first consultation with the OB. Britt comes around the corner, and congratulates them. She takes it from the way they’re smiling, this is welcome news. Willow says, they weren’t trying to get pregnant, but yes, it’s exciting, and Michael says, they can’t wait to welcome the newest member of their family. Britt says, in that case, she asks the expectant father to wait here while she does a brief exam. Willow hangs back, and Britt promises it won’t take long. And she hopes to give them both a very pleasant surprise. Willow goes follows her into the exam room.

Dante says, he should have known better. Warning Cody to stay away from Britt is like catnip; it’s like forbidden fruit. Cody says, it’s just one date. What’s the big deal? She’s Co-Chief of Staff at the hospital. She can’t be that bad. Dante asks if Cody remembers when the counselors took them hiking on Olsen’s Peak, and Cody says, of course (🍷) he does. Dante was always a few steps behind him. Dante says, there was a sign that said, in big red letters, do not veer off the path. And what did Cody do? He veered them off the path, and they almost got mauled by a bear. Cody laughs, and says, he’d never seen Dante run so fast. Lighten up. There isn’t any danger, there isn’t any fun.

Esme says, at least Ava tried to buy her off. All Spencer can do is try and bluff her. He says, the truth is, he thought to himself, how can I try to twist Esme’s arm? Then it hit him. What would Esme do? For weeks she’d been pretending to sympathize with Joss because she and Cameron hadn’t slept together yet. She even made a major production  of insisting they get the master bedroom at the cabin. And when they got back from skiing, before she came in with the drinks, she was the only person not in the living room. He, Trina, Joss, and Cam were all there, but she was off by herself. He figures that would give her plenty of time to go into the master bedroom and set up that black market phone. Her back is to him, and she smiles. She says, that’s a clever theory, but he doesn’t have proof. She turns to him, and he says, but he’s not done. When they got back to town, he realized he’d forgotten something, and that gave her the very convenient excuse to go back to the cabin to pick up what he’d forgotten, as well as retrieve the phone that she’d recorded on. Once she retrieved it, she sent the video to the PCU server, and planted it in Trina’s purse. She says, okay, Agatha Christie. How could she have known Trina couldn’t handle her booze well and go to her room. Is he accusing her of being a psychic now too? He flashes back to finding the pills in Esme’s closet, and says, no, not psychic. He tries to touch her, but she backs up, and he says, she’s psycho for sure, but he doesn’t think she’s psychic. The reason she knew Trina would pass out is because Esme spiked her hot toddy with those pills of hers; the ones he found in her closet. He showed them to Britt Westbourne, and she told him what could happen if they’re mixed with alcohol. Esme drugged Trina to set her up, and Britt told him if the dosage had been off, even by a little, she could have injured Trina; maybe even killed her. He strokes Esme’s arm, and asks if she still thinks he’s bluffing.

Arden asks if, when Rory was on duty recently, he was called to a disturbance at a notorious biker bar, The Highsider. He says, that is correct. It was a fairly routine complaint; a fight had broken out. She asks what he found when he got there, and he says he’s not sure he understands the question. There was a bar fight. He arrived after another unit had broken it up. Arden tells the judge that she’s submitting an eyewitness statement from another member of the PCPD. They reported two underage girls who were caught up in this brawl. She asks Rory if they’re in the courtroom, and Diane objects, asking, what does any of this have to do with the charges against her client? Arden says, when Officer Cabrera answers the question the connection will be obvious, and Judge Young allows it. Arden repeats the question, and Rory says, yes, they’re in the courtroom. She asks him to state their names, and he says, Josslyn Jax and Trina Robinson. She thanks him, and says, there’s an even more important question she needs him to answer. Why were Josslyn and Trina in the bar that night?  Um… won’t this ultimately hurt Arden’s case?

Britt lets Michael into the exam room, and says, Willow is a bit early, but there’s a good chance they can detect a fetal heartbeat. Willow asks Michael to hold her hand, and Britt puts the gel on her. They hear it, and Willow says, that’s the baby’s heartbeat. Britt says, sure is, and Michael says, she had him worried there, but it’s strong and steady. Everything’s okay now.

Cody asks Dante why he wouldn’t date Britt. She’s beautiful, she’s successful, and she scraped him up in an alley, and gave him a ride to Dante’s place. Why can’t Dante just be happy for him? Dante says he is happy for Cody, but he’s just looking out for him, since he seems to be incapable of doing it himself. Cody says, so he’s a charity case, and Dante says he’s Cody’s friend. He gave Cody a couch, kept him out of jail, Dante’s mom hooked him up with a job at the Quartermaine stables; what does that say? Cody says, that Dante put in a good word for him, and Dante says, he didn’t do it out of charity. He did it because they’re friends. They hadn’t seen each other in a long time, but he minute he saw Cody falling out of the sky, he knew Cody hadn’t changed a bit. Cody says, Dante has. Maybe it’s because he’s a dad, or maybe it’s the badge, but Dante is different from the kid from Bensonhurst he used to know. Dante says, yeah, he is; he grew up. Maybe Cody should try it sometime.

Spencer says, Esme set up an innocent woman who could potentially go to prison, not to mention what she did to Joss and Cam with the sex tape. He backs her up as he’s talking, and says, he’ll give her this much; she was thorough in her revenge. She found a way to take them all down. She pushes him back, and says, he thinks he’s got it all worked out. What does he expect her to do, walk into that courtroom and trade places with Trina? He says, no, he doesn’t expect her to do that. Doing that would require a conscience, something she clearly doesn’t have. But if she was smart enough to frame Trina, then she’s smart enough to clear Trina without incriminating herself. She says, Trina really means that much to him, and he says he thinks the more pertinent question is, how much does Esme’s mother mean to her? She throws the paper on the table, and says, oh my God, you ass. After all the lies he told her, he expects her to believe he found a match for her DNA. He picks up the paper, and says, he has the evidence. She can look for herself. He can tell her the name. Or she can walk out and let Trina take the fall. It’s up to her. What’s more important to her; ruining Trina’s life or finding her mother?

Rory says, Josslyn and Trina were carrying fake IDs. He confiscated them, and let them off with a stern warning never to try that again. Arden says, very understanding of him, but were they only at that bar that night to drink alcohol as minors? He says he’s not sure what she means, and she puts a folder on the stand, saying, that document is a rap sheet for a bartender, Oz Haggerty, who was working at that same bar. Can he read off the crimes that bartender was arrested for? He reads, petty theft, and he had a prior for trafficking in stolen electronics. She asks if he can be more specific. What kind of electronics? He says, mostly black market cell phones, and she says, he sells black market cell phones. The kind that Trina’s best friend Josslyn, according to her testimony, said the defendant would never know how to buy. Again, Arden might be enthusiastic, but she’s not real bright. Although, outcomes aren’t always logical in Port Charles.

Michael asks if Willow is okay, and Willow says, they just heard their baby’s heartbeat. She’s never been better, or happier. They hug.

Britt thanks TJ for referring a new patient to her. Willow’s pregnancy is progressing nicely. They just heard the baby’s heartbeat. He says, that’s great to hear, but he needs her to keep him in the loop about Willow. She asks why, and he suggests they go to her office, and he’ll fill her in.

Cody tells Dante, he doesn’t have a kid or a steady career, but he’s growing up in his own way. Believe it or not, he’s already making plans for his future. Dante says, by being a stable boy? Come on, man, it’s even got boy in the title. Um… Michael said hand, not boy. Cody tells him, make as many jokes as he wants. He’s going to prove Dante is wrong about a lot of things. Dante says, including Britt Westbourne? and Cody says, the matchmaker herself matched them up. Dante says, here’s hoping the match doesn’t turn into a dumpster fire. If it does, remember his old pal warned him otherwise.

Esme says, Spencer is doing all of this because he thinks he can win Trina over? She clears Trina’s name, and Trina’s all his? Who is delusional now? Even if Trina did have feelings for him, she’s moved on. Or hasn’t he seen her with the hot rookie cop? He asks if that’s her final answer, but she says, he’s given her a lot to think about. He tells her, don’t think long, because this deal isn’t going to be on the table indefinitely, and she says, as a reminder, she’s not the one on trial. And as for him, if she hears he tried to play hero on his own, and go to Trina with this conversation, he will never get what he wants. He holds up the paper, and says, neither will she. She says, if it comes to choosing finding out who her mother is, and hurting him the way he hurt her, don’t be so sure he’ll know what she’ll choose. She leaves, and Spencer drops the paper on the table. Esme paces in the foyer, then leans against the wall, looking sick.  

Diane says she just has a few questions for Rory. When he confiscated Josslyn and Trina’s fake IDs, did he ask why they were there? He says, yes, and she asks what they told him. He says, they were looking for the bartender who sold Esme Prince a black market phone, and Diane asks if it was a referral deal. Esme Prince got a groovy phone (ha-ha) off this guy, and they wanted one too. Arden objects, saying, counsel is leading the witness, but Judge Young says he’ll allow it. He tells Diane to get where she’s going, and she asks Rory if Josslyn and Trina were in The Highsider to purchase a black market phone. He says, no. They were looking for the bartender to ID Esme Prince. Diane says, and did he? and Arden objects, saying, hearsay. Officer Cabrera wasn’t present when Miss Jax and Miss Robinson allegedly spoke to Mr. Haggerty. The officer has no idea what was said, if anything. The judge says, sustained, and Diane says she has no further questions. Judge Young calls for an adjournment, and the bailiff says, all rise, as he leaves the courtroom.

In the hallway, Curtis says he thinks there’s reasonable doubt for sure, and Josslyn says she hates the way the ADA twisted her words. Trina says she doesn’t blame Josslyn. She knows Josslyn is just trying to help her. Jordan comes out, and she and Curtis nod to each other. Rory follows, and he and Trina exchange a look. Portia tells Trina, just hang in there, and hugs her.  

Tomorrow, Cody wants to get to know Britt better, if she’ll let him; Finn tells Chase that something is too good to be true; Brook tells Linc that she’s found something she wants more than fame; Sasha insists she’s not addicted; and Sonny tells Brando that he’ll take care of something.

👠 I Loved Her Too, But…

Lois was better than LisaR on her best day, but she wasn’t a cast member, nor is this The LisaR Show. I totally understand her grief, but this is going overboard with being demanding.

https://people.com/tv/lisa-rinna-slams-rhobh-for-not-properly-honoring-late-mom/

🍊 OC Slam…

Apparently, Tamra is not too happy with Jill outing her return.

https://www.etonline.com/tamra-judge-slams-jill-zarin-after-she-seemingly-spoils-her-rhoc-return-announcement-go-fk-yourself

But Jill claims she’s not the source. They were on Watch What Happens Live together tonight, so they must have kissed and made up. I wasn’t really listening.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1338372/jill-zarin-clarifies-comments-about-tamra-judges-rumored-rhoc-return

💎 Another Day, Another Suit…

I think Erika is a little smarter than Teresa Giudice, who I believe signed things just because Juicy Joe told her too. I wouldn’t say she was in on it, but I think she turned a blind eye.

Erika Jayne Sued for $750K by Nicolas Cage’s Ex for Alleged Fraud and Theft

🦘 I’ve been watching Below Deck Down Under, and while it’s entertaining enough, I’m a little disappointed. Some of the crew could vie with Jax Taylor and the most recent Sailing Yacht cast for worst people ever. It looks like mostly the deckhands are d-bags, one being a very entitled bad sport. I haven’t absorbed enough of it to get a good handle on the interior, except that they flirt shamelessly with the captain. I can’t say I blame them, since he’s movie star handsome. I also love Aesha, originally from Below Deck Mediterranean. She’s the chief stew on this one, and I remember her as always being positive and fun. And of course there’s the Barrier Reef. I don’t think it gets much more beautiful.

https://www.bravotv.com/below-deck-down-under

⏰ Beating the Clock…

Join me tomorrow for soap and those awful women from Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay not beating yourself up over the past, and stay being the type of friend who sticks around when everybody else turns and runs.

Feb19

February 18, 2022 – Lots Of Arrivals In Switzerland, Star Scare, Vet Return, Terry’s Date, Pick Up, Last One, Again, Wife Check, Full-Blown, Engaged, New Deck, Meme This, Half Presidential Quotes & Good

Posted on by
Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Visiting at Spring Ridge, Laura hugs Spencer, and says he doesn’t look too much worse for the wear. He asks her to please not say prison is agreeing with him, and she says, no, never, but it doesn’t seem to be hurting him too much either. He says, there’s a heatwave going on and no AC in his cell. Maybe as mayor, she could pull some strings. She says, it’s a state level issue, but she’ll do what she can. How is he doing? He says, as much as he’d like to spin some awful tale of woe, other than being bored and restless, he’s doing fine. His Uncle Victor is looking out for him. She says, that’s what she’s afraid of.

At the MetroCourt, Ava asks if it’s hot in here or it’s her, and Nikolas says, it’s definitely her. She tells him, focus. They have a lot to do before their vow renewal. Even a small ceremony needs planning. He says, the vows aren’t going to write themselves, but she says she’s not writing any. He asks if she’s going to wing it, and she says she’s just going to be spontaneous. She’s going to say what’s in her heart at the moment. Why? Is he planning a big speech about love, obsession, and eternity? He tells her, he wouldn’t say that, and she says she can’t wait. Even at his most Cassadine-esque, it won’t be too much over-the-top. He says he wants it to be poetic, and she says, like, there once was a girl named Jerome, who made Spoon Island her home. He laughs, and says, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. I love thee with breath and smiles, tears and with all my life, and if… Victor walks up, and says, and if God chooses, I shall love thee better after death.

Austin tells Obrecht, what Spinelli says, is the bug they planted on Victor didn’t malfunction. She says she knew it, and he asks if she thinks Victor just found the bug and destroyed it. She says, at least it worked long enough for them to overhear his plans for Drew Cain, and he says, but they’re still no closer to finding out where Peter took Maxie. Sam says, maybe they’re not, but Drew is, and he brought back-up.

WSB Field Office – Swiss/Austrian Border. Agent Malone lets Anna, Dante, and Drew into the office, and says, their resources are at Anna’s disposal. Malone wants to assure them that apprehending Peter August, aka Henrik Faison, is their highest priority. Anna thanks her and Agent Kreger, and reminds her that Drew and Dante have full clearance. Malone says, it’s good to see Dante is recovering from his ordeal in Ankara, and he says, she knows about that too, huh? She says, of course (), and tells Drew, and knowledge he has from his captivity with Peter would be of great use to them. Drew says, anything he can do to help, of course (🍷). Anna says, Malone interviewed the woman who found Maxie’s SOS on the mirror in the bathroom? and Malone says, yes. She was able to identify the photo of the hostage. Surveillance video captured an image of the car with two passengers, and they also have a license plate. Anna says, that’s great, and thanks her. She tells Dante and Drew, with any luck, they’re one step closer to finding Maxie.

On a plane, Felicia flashes back to Anna explaining why she doesn’t want Felicia coming along. She looks at car rentals on her tablet.

Maxie and Peter walk into a house, and Maxie says she gets why he felt safe here when he was a boy. This house is like one big architectural hug. He says, aptly put. He does love it here, out in the middle of nowhere, and since no one cared about him or his childhood, no one will ever associate him with this place, which makes it the perfect refuge. No one will ever find them here.

Spencer gives Laura some coffee, and she tells him that she gave Trina his gift. He asks if she liked it, and Laura says, she loved it. He has very good taste in friends. Trina is a lovely young lady. He agrees, and says, Trina is awesome, but if Laura can trust his judgement about his friends, can she trust his judgement about Uncle Victor? She says, Trina’s a very good person. His Uncle Victor, on the other hand… He says, she has a low opinion of him? and she says, his Uncle Victor is responsible for countless abductions and deaths, and let them not forget that he, and his brothers, and his father had a plan to take over the world by using that giant diamond, the Ice Princess, to mess with the weather patterns to freeze the world. He says, all he knows is, if it hadn’t been for Uncle Victor, he would be in Pentenville. She says, if he can find the good in Victor, why can’t he find the good in his own father?

Victor says, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the way she could turn passion into poetry is unparalleled. Ava says he surprises her. She thought he’d be more of a Sophocles fan. Victor says, he is – he brings a chair over to the table – but Sophocles couldn’t write a love story to save his life. Whereas he’s an incurable romantic. One of his hobbies is collecting romantic poetry; first editions, original letters. Actually, did they know – he sits down – that even today, if you were to acquire a genuine firsthand epistle, you could find a lock of the owners’ hair within? Ava says, the better to clone them with, and he says, sharp as a briar this one. Nikolas married well, but Ava’s assumptions of him are a little outdated. The most valuable lesson he learned as head of the WSB, was authoritarianism leads to admin. Not as much fun. Nikolas says, what a relief, and Victor says, even though he no longer wishes to control the world, he’s determined to save it. Preferably, one life at a time. Nikolas says, starting with his former co-conspirator, Peter August? and Victor says, Peter betrayed him in Greece. Why on earth would Victor want to help him? Nikolas says, so he could escape the law, and Ava says, good riddance. Everybody wants him dead, gone forever will suffice. Nikolas says, too bad he had to take Maxie with him, but Victor wouldn’t know anything about that, would he?

At the hospital, Sam tells Austin, Dante and Drew are with Anna in Zurich. They have a lead on Peter. Austin says, if they find Peter, they find Maxie, and Sam says, hopefully. Obrecht says, don’t assume it will be that easy. Despite Anna’s effort to apprehend him, Peter has slipped through her grasp at every turn. Not to mention the possibility that Drew might still be under Peter’s influence. Nein. If there’s any hope of catching and killing Peter, she needs to go to Zurich herself. Coming down the stairs, Britt says, no, she doesn’t. Obrecht says, as if Britt could stop her, and Britt says, by going after a homicidal fugitive, Obrecht is endangering herself and others. Involuntary commitment to the psyche ward for 72 hours. Boom. Obrecht says, Britt would abuse her power that way? and Britt says, to protect her from Peter and herself? Yes, she would. Obrecht says she’s impressed by Britt’s willingness to pretzel the rules, and touched by her concern, and yet, she’s still going. Britt says, try it, and she’ll harpoon Obrecht with a spear gun – again.

Malone says, the suspect was last tracked going into the Zurich mountains. Unfortunately, there are so many winding roads there, it’s difficult to search. Drew wonders if he could have headed back to the Audubon and to the border, but Anna says, the guard there would catch them. Dante says, they could ditch the car and find another one, or probably hike, and Malone says, unfortunately, it’s very possible for them to cross the border to France on foot since Switzerland is such a small country. Drew says, in other words, they’re running out of bread crumbs.

Peter says, Maxie will find it’s quiet here. It’s peaceful, and this place is equipped with everything they’d ever want. They can live here together peacefully and comfortably, without ever having to see anyone, except the caretaker. She asks if he really believes it’s possible to disappear, and he says, this property’s private; it’s isolated. None of their friends, family, or colleagues have any idea about it. And if he’s wrong, he has an escape plan all set.

Victor says he washed his hands of Peter back in Crete, but let’s not waste time on him. Not when they’re planning a family celebration. Ava says, actually, she and Nikolas decided to keep their vow renewal a very private affair. They won’t need anybody but the two of them. Victor hopes they change their mind, especially as he’s already picked out the perfect gift. Nikolas says, thanks, but no thanks, and Ava says she’s not one to turn down a Fabergé egg. Nikolas says, even if it’s stolen? and she says, depends where from. Victor says, actually, he was thinking of something a lot more valuable, and Nikolas says, such as? Victor says, a reunion between Nikolas and his son.

Spencer tells Laura, when he thinks about how close he and Nikolas were when he was a kid… What happened to that guy? She says she knows he feels like his father abandoned him, and he says, he pretended he was dead. It didn’t only feel like his father abandoned him, he did abandon him. She says, okay, but Spencer’s punished him for that, many times. Both he and Ava. He says he hates Ava. He knows she probably finds that a strong word, but it’s not. And as angry as he is at Ava for breaking her promise to him, and letting Valentin off the hook, his father did far worse. She says, his father never did anything as bad as Victor; never. He says, his dad was the reason Britt was a fugitive for years. He married Hayden, then turned against her. One by one, his dad has systematically removed the people Spencer cares about from his life, and who does he keep? Ava. And sure, Uncle Victor may be far from perfect… She asks if he heard the part about world domination, and Spencer says, at least he puts his family first. She says, a lot of evil has been done in the name of the family, and he says, he feels safe in here, knowing Victor Cassadine has his back. She looks at Samuel, and says she should go. Spencer says he understands; she has a city to run. She says, just remember, his father told him that he’s not alone, and Spencer said when he came out, he’d be willing to… He tells her, he said maybe, and she says, that’s a start. She tells him she loves him, and leaves.

Obrecht tells Britt, this is no time to stand on the sidelines; Maxie’s life is at stake. Sam says, even if Obrecht was able to gain access to a private jet, Zurich is at least eight and a half hours away. Who knows where Peter and Maxie will be by then? Austin says, Sam is in touch with Dante, right? but she says, it’s not like he keeps her posted on his every move. Austin asks, isn’t somebody keeping tabs on Victor? and Obrecht says he’s just grasping at straws, but Britt says, if Victor’s involved, Obrecht needs to tell them what she knows. Austin says, it seemed like a good idea at the time, and Britt asks what he did. He says, planted a bug on Victor Cassadine.

Anna says, Maxie left one earring with Louise when she and Peter dropped her at the firehouse, and the other one she left where she wrote her plea for help on the mirror in the restroom. So obviously, she’s actively trying to leave a trail for them, but unfortunately, point A and point B are two different continents and an ocean apart. Dante says, it really is amazing Peter didn’t find that message in the restroom, and Drew says, Maxie’s trail has led them as far as it can. They have to start thinking like Peter. Anna says, he’s right. For Peter, the mountains are any number of choices where he can hide.

Maxie says, so this place is difficult to find, but easy to leave? and Peter tells her, let’s just say he always finds his way out, and if they ever need it, it’s a short trip to the Audubon and over the borders. She asks, which border? Please say Italy or France. He says, this place was once a sanctuary to him; now it’s their refuge. In time, he hopes she’ll begin to see it as their home. He can see it now; her and him, and their little… She says, what? Why is he looking at her like that? He asks, what happened to her earrings? I say, maybe he is a keeper. What guy notices whether you’re wearing earrings or not?

Nikolas says, if Victor really wants to heal the rift between him and his son, he’ll respect their boundaries, and leave them to heal on their own. Victor says he’s been doing that for some time, and hasn’t noticed a lot of progress. Ever since that poor boy got back to Port Charles, he’s been bounced from place to place. Nikolas says, Spencer’s made his own choices, and Victor says, yes, he has, there’s no denying that. But one choice he didn’t make is his current surroundings in prison. Ava says, he did though. It’s called consequences. Victor asks if she really wants to cast herself as the wicked stepmother, locking the mischievous little prince up in the tower, and she says she gave that little prince every opportunity to make amends, and he has been unrepentant. Victor says, so this is how she intends to retaliate; denying him a place in their renewal celebration, a place in their lives? That’s what she wants for her stepson, to keep him looking in on his own family from afar? Come on. If Nikolas won’t listen to him, maybe he’ll listen to her. Laura approaches the table, and says, her son doesn’t need Victor’s help. Neither does Spencer. Nikolas asks how she can be so sure, and she says she’s just come from Spring Ridge. Victor gets up and asks her to sit, but she says she’s fine. Nikolas asks how Spencer is doing, and she says, better than anyone could have imagined because someone is looking out for him on the inside. Nikolas asks why he’s not surprised, and Ava says, an inmate, a guard, what? Laura says, at least one guard, and asks if Victor has anything to add. He says, if he’s taken steps to insure his great-nephew’s safety, then he can’t see any harm in that. He’s going to leave them to their lunch. Perhaps the ladies can talk some reason into Nikolas where he can’t, for Spencer’s sake. He leaves, and Laura says, yuk. She thought he’d never leave. She sits down, and Ava tells them, she hates to be the one to say it, but she thinks Uncle Victor has a point.

Austin tells Britt, on paper, the plan made a lot of sense. He threatened Victor, and her mom swooped in to his rescue, and planted a bug on his lapel. Britt asks if it worked, and Obrecht says, it did. They were able to overhear an entire conversation he had with a Yohan, certainly a henchman of some sort. Sam asks what they said, and Austin tells her,  Victor wants to find Peter as much as they do. Britt asks if he gave them a clue or lead, or something that could tell them where Peter’s taken Maxie, but he says, no; the bug was destroyed. Sam says, great. Victor knows they’re onto him. Britt asks if it occurred to either of them, that instead of Victor leading them to Peter and Maxie, they may have just tipped him off? Obrecht says, of course (🍷), and Britt says, of course (🍷) what? Obrecht says, isn’t it obvious?

Dante asks, what if Peter is just hiding in plain sight, playing tourist? and Malone says, there are plenty of places the suspect and hostage could hole up. Drew says, how about places where people still expect privacy? Where no one will notice if they stay in. Malone says, they have plenty of tourist towns with attractions, and Dante says, offbeat attractions? She says, there are plenty; museums and nature trails. There’s even an old salt mine that’s now a museum and boutique. Anna says, salt mine? Maybe Peter is telling them where he’s going in his own words.

Felicia looks at Zurich on her tablet, and says, think. What was that place called? She remembers talking to Peter, and saying, she hopes Maxie can forgive her for not making the wedding. He says, they both understand that her great-aunt is very ill, and if she didn’t mean the world to Felicia, she wouldn’t be traveling all the way to…  She says, it’s so small, it’s not even a town; it’s just a census designated place. He says, it sounds charming, and she says, it is. Maxie should bring him to visit sometime. It’ll give him a sense of scale. He’s such a city boy. He says, not always. In fact, his favorite place on earth is in the Swiss Alps, miles away from anywhere. On the plane, Felicia says, the Swiss Alps… where?

Maxie asks if Peter is really worried about her earrings, and he says, she’s never without them, yet here she is. She says she noticed on the plane that she’d lost one, probably in the mad rush out of Port Charles, when they had to leave their daughter. Since it was random costume jewelry, she threw out the other one. He says, it doesn’t matter. It’s only diamonds and rubies for her from here on out. She says she really doesn’t care about jewelry. She just wants her children to be safe. He says he misses their daughter too. They just have to give it some time; let the trail go cold. So all those agencies and his enemies find themselves discouraged. Then, one day when it’s safe, they can bring Louise to them. In the meantime, should the worst happen and they’re discovered, he’s prepared. He takes a gun out of the back of his waistband.

Nikolas says, Ava has to realize, his uncle’s offer to broker peace between him and Spencer is intended to achieve the exact opposite. Ava says, but if he succeeds where they’ve failed… Laura says, he will have ingratiated himself to the whole family, and indoctrinated Spencer to his cause. Nikolas says, Victor’s cause is going to be far worse than Spencer’s ever done to them, and Laura says, absolutely. Victor is devious in a very deadly way, and far more dangerous than Spencer could ever be. Ava says, the fact that they’re discussing him means they’re onto him. They’ll see him coming a mile way. If they play along, he might reveal his agenda. Nikolas says, it’s still a risk. It would be a mistake to underestimate his uncle. Laura says, she doesn’t think they’re doing that though. There is an alternative, one that could reunite Nikolas with his son, and undercut Victor at the same time. Nikolas says, what’s that? and Laura says, swallow his pride. Go visit his son at Spring Ridge.

Victor hugs Spencer, and says, he seems well, all things considered. Spencer says, whoever calls this place a country club has never actually been to one. Victor assumes Samuel is keeping an eye on Spencer, and Spencer says he’s well-protected. He knows he has Victor to thank for that, and he’s grateful. Victor says, even though Spencer’s grandmother considers him a bad influence? and Spencer says, is he? Victor says, to be completely honest, he’s given her little reason to think otherwise. If his concern for Spencer’s well-being is making it harder for him here… Spencer says, it’s not. Other than his grandmother, Victor is the one person he can count on. Victor says he finds that a little hard to believe. What about the lovely Esme? Spencer says, he thinks him being stuck here is a strain on Esme’s devotion, but Victor says he’s sure it’s just a lover’s spat. The ups and downs of life, as they say. She blew up a car for him. If that isn’t devotion, he doesn’t know what is. As for Spencer’s grandmother, the last thing Victor wants to do is get between him and his family. Spencer says, Victor is his family. They may want him to forget that, but he won’t.

Britt says, whatever Obrecht thinks is obvious, does it have something to do with where Peter’s taken Maxie? Obrecht says, that’s the obvious part; she knows where to find Maxie. Austin asks if she’s going to share, but she says she can’t waste her time explaining. She needs to contact Anna.

Anna says, Peter wrote this novel. It’s called The Severed Branch. Malone says, there’s a copy with the other materials, and gets it. Anna says, basically the whole book is an allegory for his childhood. She seems to remember he refers to working in the salt mines. Drew says, that’s a common expression, and she says, she knows, but in the book, the character refers to the salt mines with affection. Drew asks if she’s saying that’s where he took Maxie, and she says she doesn’t know. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s Liesl. She asks Obrecht, what’s going on? and Obrecht says, salt mine. Find the salt mines, and you’ll find Peter and Maxie. Anna says, that’s what they were just figuring out. Malone says, there are three salt mines in the country. Two up here – she points to the laptop screen – and the one she mentioned. Anna says, that’s a pretty large area, and asks if Obrecht can narrow it down. Obrecht asks if Peter ever mentioned the farm, and Anna says, what farm? Obrecht says, where he became the man he is today.  

Felicia says, what was the name? Peter said it; it was V something. She remembers Peter saying it was a quaint picturesque farm, tucked away from the world. The closest place is a tiny, remote village, miles away from anywhere. If it were any tinier, it would be a census designated place. She asks what it’s called, and he says, versteckte Wiese. It’s German. It means hidden meadow. On the plane, she looks up hidden meadow in the German translator.  

Maxie asks if Peter can put the gun away; he doesn’t need it right now. He says, of course (🍷), but he’s sure she doesn’t mind if he keeps it handy, and tucks it back into his waistband. She says, whatever he thinks is necessary, and he says he appreciates her faith in him. She says she can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic… not that she could blame him. There’s something she’s been struggling with for a while. She’s spent so much time being angry with him, and the whole time, he just said he  loved her, and he’s been doing everything for her and Louise. She didn’t believe him, and she was wrong. He was willing to leave Louise behind at that firehouse, the child he’s been longing to hold and care for. That’s not selfish; that’s the opposite. That’s when she realized love is what’s driving him. She takes his hands, and says, his love is the kind of love they can build their lives around. It’s not going to be easy, but one day Louise, Georgie, and James will be with them, and she just has to live in hope for that day, no matter what.

Nikolas says he’s not sure Spencer is going to be open to a visit from him, and Ava says, he’s Spencer’s father. He has to try. As angry as she has been with Spencer, she urges Nikolas to repair his relationship with him. He knows what she would give for another chance with Kiki. He says she’s right; he’ll reach out. Ava tells him, go, hurry. She thinks they all know where Victor was going when he left here, and Laura says, straight back to Spring Ridge to make sure she didn’t turn Spencer against him. Nikolas says, and if Victor has already put his plan in motion to reunite him and Spencer? Laura says, if Victor’s scheming and plotting ends up bringing them together, she’s all for it. Isn’t he? He says he’ll give it a shot, and she hugs him, saying, he won’t regret this. She’s proud of him. He leaves, and Ava says, giving Uncle Victor a pass, are we? Laura says, for now, and Ava wonders what she’s up to.

On the phone, Victor says, thanks for the update, and Spencer asks if everything is all right. Victor says, everything is splendid, except for one thing; he has to run. Spencer says he appreciates the time. Victor is a busy man. Victor says, nonsense. Spencer is family, Spencer says, likewise, and Victor thanks him. That’s why he wants Spencer to know he’s doing everything he can to change. At least change people’s perspective of him. Despite what people think, all he wants is what’s best for his family. Spencer says, he just wishes his grandmother would give Victor a chance, and Victor says, leave Laura to him, and keep his eyes on the prize; his freedom and his future. Spencer says, he’ll try, and Victor says, when Spencer leaves, he wants Spencer to walk out with his held high. Big things are in the wind. They’re going to need to stick together as a family, that includes Spencer and his father. Spencer says, his father… and Victor says, is a Cassadine. The future belongs to them, and Spencer. He’s the heir to all that and more.

Obrecht tells Anna, there was a youth camp where Peter used to spend his school holidays as a child. Find that farm and she’ll find Peter, and do what she has to do to bring Maxie home. Anna thanks her, and tells the others, this book could be a roadmap. Drew says, if it’s an allegory, how clear are the directions? Anna says, she doesn’t know, but there was a farm, and if she remembers it was close to the oldest salt mine. In the book, Peter refers to it as a place with all kinds of animals… and children.

Peter says, Maxie is right. They’ll make this place a real home for their whole family. She says, somehow she doesn’t see Mac and Felicia understanding, but if there’s anything he’s proven to her, it’s that there’s nothing he can’t make happen. He says he tries. This place is really well-equipped, but they should still make a list of personal items and requests, things they might want, for Gustav the caretaker to get for them in the village. She asks if this village has a name, and he says, versteckte Wiese. She tries to pronounce it, and he says, close enough. It’s so small, it only appears on local maps. It might be considered census designated place. She says she can’t wait to see it… when he trusts her enough. He says he knows she’ll love it. If she wants to familiarize herself with the area, there are some paper maps in the cabinet. The GPS signal is pretty spotty up here. She says she doesn’t want to get a signal. She just wants to get used to her new surroundings. She tells him, it’s cold in here, and he says he could turn the heat up. Or how about if he builds them a fire? She says she’d like that, and as soon as he turns around, she looks in the cabinet.

Spencer asks Samuel if there’s nothing anyone can do about the AC, but Samuel says, this is a government facility. Even Spencer’s uncle can only swing so much. Spencer says, anything’s possible, right? Who knows? Maybe one day he and his family will learn to get along. Nikolas walks in.

Laura tells Ava, Victor is bending over backwards to try and impress and win over Spencer. And that can only mean one thing; he’s going to use him. Ava asks if Laura has any idea what he’s planning, and Laura says, no, but she will find out.

Victor waits in an alleyway, and says, good God. It feels like Santorini in the middle of an eruption. (Is it February or August in Port Charles?) Osiris himself would be at home. He takes off his jacket, and sits on a crate, when Yohan arrives. Victor says he’s impressed. He didn’t think Yohan would be amenable to this kind of climate. Yohan says he can handle the heat, and Victor says, the question is, can Peter August? Yohan says, their man reports that Anna Devane has arrived overseas with Detective Falconari, and Drew Cain. Victor says, then their man needs to solve this problem right now. He wants Peter August dead. Is that understood? Yohan says, completely, and Victor says, good, and tell their man, Anna and Dante are expendable. If they get in the way, he shouldn’t hesitate to eliminate them, but Drew Cain is much too valuable to him to lose.

Britt says she believes Austin has rounds, and suggests he get back to them. He says, helping find Maxie isn’t interfering with his patient care, and she says, it might interfering with finding Maxie. Let the professionals do their job; they’ll keep him posted. He starts to leave, and Sam tells him that he doesn’t have to worry. Dante, Drew, and Anna will bring Maxie home. He says he hopes she’s right, and leaves. Obrecht says she shares Sam’s faith, but must remind her that, at one point or another, that schwein Henrik has outmaneuvered them all, herself included. Britt says, which is not easy to do, and Obrecht says, if Peter really is the severed branch from Cesar’s poisoned tree, believe me, he will not go down without a fight.

Malone says, if the book is any indication at all, the farm should be located somewhere here in the mountains. She points to the screen again. Agent Kreger’s phone rings, and it’s Yohan, who says, their mutual friend would like to know if he’s located the gentleman. Kreger goes out in the hall, and says, let’s just say he knows where to find him. Yohan tells him, just do what you have to do, and Kreger asks if there’s any additional instructions. Yohan says, Devane and Falconari are expendable; Drew Cain must not be harmed. Kreger says, that complicates things, and Yohan says Kreger is paid to handle complications. Get it done. Anna says, Peter is so arrogant, he won’t be able to resist proving he’s one step ahead of them, and he’s left them a clue, one that he thinks only he knows. It will link him to the farm, and that’s what they have to find.

The flight attendant says they’re about to land, and Felicia smiles. We see a map showing versteckte Wiese on her tablet.

Peter comes in as Maxie is looking at a map. He asks if she’s planning a hike, and she says she was thinking they might take a walk, and talk some more. He says, what a lovely idea, but he’s afraid it will have to wait until tomorrow. It’s getting dark soon. That’s when the wolves come out.

On Monday, Trina says she’s been keeping something from Josslyn; Spencer asks Nikolas to join him; Maxie says, all Peter will get is the truth from now on; and Dante says, they’re back to square one, and that can’t happen.

🩺 Yikes…

Glad to hear one of our National Treasures will be okay.

AMC Alum Susan Lucci Reveals Health Scare

🏥 Coming Back…

Weird how he has the same name as a head writer. How common could it be? It’s not like Joe Smith or something.

What Happened to Chet on GENERAL HOSPITAL

💘 Terry’s Valentine…

I’m hoping it works out with Chet.

Cassandra James Opens up About Terry’s Valentine’s Date on GH

💎 Recovery Time…

I needed to get myself together after just watching it.

RHOBH’s Sutton Stracke is Still Picking “Up the Pieces” After Aspen Trip, Addresses Erika Status, and Says She’s “Tired” After Mind-Boggling Season

🧂 Not So ShahMazing…

It’s not a good sign to be the last one standing. Unless you’re playing Squid Game.

Jen Shah’s Last Co-Defendant Changes Plea to Guilty as RHOSLC Star is Headed to Trial in March, What Does This Mean for Her?

🐹 Hamster Wheel…

Out of one suit and into another. And I don’t mean the kind they sell at Brook’s Brothers.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/18/erika-jayne-named-in-suit-for-aiding-and-abetting-tom-girardi/

📠 Progressive Vetting…

Oh please. Like it’s that hard to look up stuff about people.

https://pagesix.com/2022/02/11/andy-cohen-admits-housewives-vetting-is-work-in-progress/

🍸 No Way To Live…

I’m surprised being on the show didn’t give her an eating disorder.

https://people.com/health/vanderpump-rules-ariana-madix-had-a-full-blown-eating-disorder-when-she-joined-the-show/

🛥 I Really, Really Liked Him…

He’s one of my favorite Below Deck yachties of all time. I’m glad he’s met his match.

https://extratv.com/2022/02/09/below-deck-star-josiah-carter-engaged-to-longtime-bf/

🦘 Deck Down Under…

The latest in the franchise. There will still be no one like Captain Lee. Ever.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1319902/heres-your-first-look-at-the-below-deck-down-under-trailer-and-the-sexy-new-captain

🏈 Bowling For Memes…

Best memes of the Super Bowl.

The best and funniest Super Bowl halftime show memes, starring upside-down 50 Cent

https://www.stadiumtalk.com/s/super-bowl-memes-cfc7e6b3e6064775

💡 Quotes of the Week

I’m not concerned with facts. Not if they interfere with my beliefs. – Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski), The Gilded Age

A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t. – Jack Dempsey (Apparently, I’m a champion every morning.)

Sodies are bad. – Amy Slaton, 1000-Lb. Sisters

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

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Confucius

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

Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error. – Andrew Jackson

It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. – Harry S. Truman

99% of failures come from people who make excuses. – George Washington

Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching. – Thomas Jefferson (And today, they might be.)

By leadership we mean the art of getting someone else to do something that you want done because he wants to do it, not because your position of power can compel him to do it. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

🧱 Another Brick In the Wall…

The Walking Dead is back with the next part of its final season, so join me in what will no doubt be the wee hours of Monday. Or that day when you used to report to work after the weekend, for those no longer punching the clock. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping it real, and stay wary of great-uncles bearing protection.