Tag Archives: Below Deck Mediterranean

June 7, 2024 – Jake Sees Finn At the Brown Dog Bar, Everything Emmy, Shahs Now, Bad Timing, Sandy On Deck, More Last, Dragons Plus One, Black Barbie, Don’t Worry, Stanley’s Pups (!), Quote Octet & Queen

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Hey, whatever happened to Roxie, Finn’s bearded dragon? Just curious.

Willow is with Wiley in the pool, when Drew comes in. Wiley hollers to him, and she says, Wiley is excited to see him. So is she, but she’s not as exuberant about it. He says he’s excited to see them too. He didn’t know the Navy SEALs were training here today. Wiley says he wishes there were SEALS in the pool (although it’s questionable as to which kind he means), and Willow says she’s glad they’re not. It will be hard enough getting him out of the water today. Drew says he hears that, and she says, of course (🍷) he does. He and Wiley are kindred spirits. It’s good to see him. He says, it’s good to see her too, but he’s surprised to see them bobbing around in here. Willow says, Wiley thinks the hotel pool is more fun than the one at the Quartermaines. She can’t say he’s wrong and it’s a gorgeous day. Drew says he had a similar thought process himself, and she says, great minds. Amelia is loving her swimming lessons. She’s a proud mini fish. Drew says, amazing. So if Amelia is a mini fish, what does that make Wiley? Wiley says, a shark, and dives under the water.

Nina walks into the pool area on the phone. She says she needs them to hear her on this. Crimson is an elite publication and they’re not giving a discounted ad rate to a gym equipment company… She doesn’t care what Mr. Cain said. It’s still not happening. She watches as Drew gets in the pool.

Dex sees Gio at the towel bar and says he didn’t expect to see Gio here. When did he start working at the MetroCourt? Gio says, this morning. Can he interest Dex? He holds out a towel and says, fresh from the dryer. Dex says, Gio read his mind. So did Olivia put him to work? Gio says, good guess. He’s living at the Quartermaines and said he was looking for a part-time job, and here he is. Dex says, Olivia did him a favor. There are definitely worse places to work. Gio says he’s with Dex there. Aunt Olivia promised that he could be off duty early enough to watch the NBA finals, even if it goes to seven games. Dex says, here’s hoping, and Gio says he’s been following all season. He can’t wait for game two on Sunday night. (I assume it’s on ABC.) Dex says, be warned, and looks at Josslyn. The lifeguard is a big sports fan. She’s fierce and a terrible loser, so if Gio is rooting against her team and his team wins, don’t gloat. Josslyn and Dex smile at each other.

Going into Chase’s apartment, Chase tells Brook that he doesn’t know if he’s being strategic or just avoiding the thing he dreads. Maybe they should have gone to Finn’s first like they planned. She says, they still could. What would he say to Finn? Chase says, you son of a bitch, how could you use our dad’s death as an excuse to dive into a bottle? She looks at him, and he says, not the best approach, huh? She says, certainly justified, but no. She doesn’t think Finn would have a good response to that. Chase says, he’s sick. It isn’t his fault. Addiction is a disease. He knows this. He has training for this, and he’s still so angry and frustrated and disappointed that Finn would do this to Violet. And his dad. She says, and him, and he says, frustrated and angry will get them exactly nowhere. They need to come up with a plan. A way to confront Finn, get him into recovery, and most of all, protect Violet.

At the Brown Dog Bar (remember that place?), Jake and his friends Gordo and Dale take a seat in a booth. Jake asks what they do now. Does somebody take their order or what? Gordo tries to get the bartender’s attention, but he says, the bartender’s not even looking this way. He guesses if they want a drink, they have to go to the bar. Jake says, if they do that, they’ll be carded. Gordo will be fine, he has a fake ID, but Jake has nothing. He’ll just be out here twisting. Gordo tells him, relax. Nobody ever gets carded here. Jake asks how he knows, and Gordo says he just knows. He asks Dale if he’s got this, and Dale says, no problem. They give their money to Dale, who says, three of their best cheap beers coming up, and goes to the bar. Jake looks over and sees Finn at the bar, sitting next to a woman.

The woman says, here’s to ignoring first impressions, and Finn says, okay, clinking glasses with her. He holds up two fingers, and she says she wasn’t sure she was going to come over here. She was afraid he was going to be one of those dark, brooding types, but she figured, what the heck, and came on over. She’s glad she did because he is all kinds of fun. (I doubt Finn has ever been called all kinds of fun before.) Finn says, really? Huh. They clink glasses again as Jake watches Finn down the shot.

Wiley pops out of the water, and says, how about this time? Nina watches them, and Drew says, that was like, fifteen seconds. He’s going to have to hold his breath a little bit longer to be a Navy SEAL, but he has a lot of time to figure that out. Willow says, ever since she mentioned to Wiley that Drew was in the Navy, all he’s talked about is how he wants to be a Navy SEAL. He’s less certain, though, about what that is. Drew says, he’s got a lot of time to figure that out. The Navy will be lucky to have him. Willow says, and Wiley will be lucky to have Drew as his mentor, and Wiley asks if he’ll get a uniform. Nina smiles and walks toward the pool, but she literally runs into Gio, who drops the towels he’s holding. She says she’s so sorry, and helps him pick them up. She doesn’t know where her mind was at just now. He says, somewhere good, he hopes, and Wiley yells, Grandma Nina! He gets out of the pool, and she wraps him in a towel. She says, look how big he’s gotten, and hugs him.

Chase says he doesn’t know where to start with Finn or with Violet. The day his dad died, and Brook took Violet to Bobbie’s, Finn completely broke down. He knew he’d screwed up and told Chase to pour the rest of the bourbon down the sink. He made a bad choice, but it was like Finn was getting back on track, and he bought it. Brook says she would have thought the same thing, but he says, no, she wouldn’t. She says, they have very different experiences with substance abuse. The Quartermaines have a lot of history with it and there was this couple down in Bensonhurst… Anyway, she knows how to recognize it for exactly what it is. He says, what kind of detective is he if he’s this naïve? and she says, believing in his brother says nothing about his work as a detective. He says he bought Finn’s whole act. The remorse, the resolve to do better, and Finn lied to him. She says, he didn’t do it on purpose. It’s part of the disease. He says, reading about it is one thing. Experiencing it firsthand is another. He keeps thinking about when Finn was at their dad’s memorial. He was shaking hands and wiping away tears, putting on this whole devoted son act. Then he’d sneak away to the bar and have a few tequila shots. And for the record, he bought the whole devoted son act too. She says, it’s not necessarily acting. He could be a devoted son in mourning and an addict who just had a relapse. Chase says he defended Finn to Elizabeth. She was worried about Finn, and he said everything was okay. She says, he has to give himself a break. Finn isn’t the only one who just lost his dad. Chase is in mourning too, and he’s way too close to Finn and the entire situation to see it clearly. If this was a case, he’d take himself off of it. He says, but it’s not a case. He can’t hand Finn off to someone and say, good luck to the both of you. She says, even if he could, he wouldn’t do it. Finn is his brother. He says, she’s right. He loves Finn and wants to help him through this, even though he’s madder at Finn than he’s ever been. She says, no one can disappoint you like the people you love the most. That’s why they call addiction a disease. He says he knows. And when he’s less angry, he’ll remember that Finn is suffering too. She says, they both love Finn and want to treat his situation compassionately, but their main priority has to be protecting Violet. He asks, so how do they shield Violet when her father is falling apart?

Jake tells Gordo that he had to go – now, and Gordo says, why? What’s wrong? Jake says, his mom’s boyfriend is here and if her boyfriend sees him, he’s dead. Gordo asks, what’s he doing here? He thought Jake said he’s a good guy. Jake says he doesn’t know. He’d thought he was.

Finn tells the woman that he signed up for Doctors Without Borders right out of med school, right after he graduated, and she says, so she’s having drinks with a fun doctor? Lucky her. Did he go anywhere good? he says, no. The good places don’t usually need them. He was in Rota, the Mariana Islands. She asks if people were shooting at him, but he says, no, not really. A lot of people needed help and didn’t have anywhere else to get it. Their operating room was a tent. She says, he’s lived quite the life, and probably save quite a few along the way. He says, not enough, and she asks if that’s why he’s here in Port Charles. Dr…? He suggests they leave the names out of it, and she says she doesn’t see why not. They’ve been doing just fine without them so far. He says, just think of him as in town to visit family, and she asks, how bad is it going? She’s only asking because he’s sitting in this place with her instead of doing whatever families do when they visit. He says, just taking in the local sights, and she says, he sure is. And she hopes he feels welcome. She’s also hoping there’s something she can do to make his trip memorable. He downs another shot. (I’m getting drunk just watching.)

Willow goes over to Wiley and Nina, and Nina says she’s sorry. He was just coming out. Wiley says, Grandma Nina is here, and Willow says she can see that, and says hi to Nina. Nina says, nice to see her, and Wiley asks if she’s going swimming, but Nina says she doesn’t think she’s dressed for swimming. Actually, she came here to look for his Uncle Drew, but maybe some other time, okay? Wiley says, sure. Swimming’s always good. Nina says she thinks so too, and Wiley says, the Quartermaines have a big pool too, and they have a big blow-up thing that looks like a duck. He thinks she’d like swimming there. He does. Willow says, they’ll see about that, and sits down with Wiley. Drew gets out of the pool and says he heard Nina was looking for him. What does she need? Willow says, Wiley smells like chlorine, and Drew says, there’s a pre-swim lotion you can put on your skin that prevents the chlorine from getting through. Willow asks if that’s something he learned from the Navy, but he says, no. He actually read it in Crimson. They had a few ads for it, or is he just imagining things? Nina smiles at him.

Dex says, here’s to Josslyn’s first day of lifeguarding, and she thanks him. She says, here’s to no running, fighting, or cannonballs, and he says he bets she can get two out of three. Trina says that’s not what she wants to hear, and Josslyn thanks him for remembering it’s her first day. He says, she knows how much he loves swimming, and she says, it’s a good thing he got those stitches out. Otherwise, she’d have to stop him from getting in the pool. He says, that might be easier said than done, and Trina says she heard about what happened to him at Brook’s wedding reception. That’s insane. He says, it was a little, but it’s over and he’s okay. Thanks to Joss. She’s the one who took him to the ER and made him wait to get stitches. He would have gone home, put some ice on it, and probably wound up with a scar. Trina tells him, some people say a scar makes you look a little daring, and he says, but then people as how you got it and he’d have to explain it. Some things are best left forgotten. He looks at Josslyn, and so does Trina.

Brook brings Chase something to eat, but he says he’s not hungry. She says she knows, but he has to keep his strength up. Wow. She thought she’d have more time before she’d see her mother. He says, there are worse things, like sitting around feeling helpless. He just lost his dad. He can’t risk losing his brother too, and he can’t let Violet get caught up in Finn’s mess. He thought Violet would be reason enough for Finn to get back on the wagon. Brook says, she hasn’t been so far, and he says, she’s right. A person can’t be an addict’s only incentive to get sober. She says, they have to do more than just cross their fingers and pray that things don’t go from bad to worse. If Finn is in denial about his drinking, he’s certainly not going to think there are any problems when it comes to Violet. Chase wonders how Violet is going to feel about whatever they decide to do. How does this end without one or both of them hating us? She says, Finn is going to hate whoever makes him confront his drinking, and there’s absolutely nothing they can do about that. And yeah, Violet might think she hates them for a little while. He says, it’s better than leaving her with her father… He can’t believe he just said that. She says, if he hadn’t, she would have.

Dale comes back with the beers, and Gordo says, see? Told you we wouldn’t get carded. Good job. He takes a long sip, and says, the best money can buy. Their money anyway. Jake continues to watch Finn, and Gordo says, chill out. Drink his beer. Jake says, the last thing he needs is for Finn to see him drinking, and Gordo says, yeah. He’s really taking in the beauty of this place. Come on. That guy hasn’t looked at anything but that woman in half an hour. He’s not sure that guy knows there is anything else in this bar. Jake says, shut up. His dad just died. Gordo says, he looks real sad, but Jake says, he doesn’t know. This doesn’t mean anything. He would never do this to Jake’s mom.

The woman puts her hand on Finn’s leg and says, there must be other things he’s dying to see besides the inside of this bar. She can think of a few things that might be of interest. Finn motions for the bartender to come over and asks if there are any liquor stores around this establishment, but the bartender says, not really. Finn says, how about that bottle there? and points. That’s a nice bottle. Would he be willing to part with it? The bartender says, they’re not supposed to, and Finn says he knows that, and puts a fifty on the bar. How does he feel about that bottle now? The bartender scoops up the bill and puts the bottle on the bar. The woman says she loves the sight of a man taking care of business, and Finn picks up his drink. He says, here’s to taking care of business, and they clink glasses.

Trina says she’s going to grab herself an iced tea while Josslyn and Dex catch up. Does anybody want one? They say, no thanks, and Trina leaves. She bumps into Gio, who maybe needs glasses, and he says he’s so sorry. She says, that’s okay, and he says, for some reason, he’s like a human bumper car today, but she says, he’s okay. It’s fine. He says, it’s not, but he promises he’s not always such a klutz. He was just going to check in with Josslyn. Trina says she would probably hold off if she were him. Those two used to be together and now they’re not, but it looks like they’re patching things up. He says, they obviously still like each other, and she says, that’s what she keeps trying to tell them. She loves them, but they’re exhausting. He says he comes from a long line of nosy Italians, so he has to ask. Why did they break up in the first place? She says she doesn’t know all of the details, but it had something to do with Josslyn’s stepfather. Technically, ex-stepfather, which is bonus points for Josslyn. Sonny Corinthos is basically awful.

Dex asks if Trina knows everything that went down between him and Sonny, and Josslyn says she told Trina that Sonny assaulted him. She didn’t get into the details and probably won’t. He says, Sonny tracked him down in the park the other day, and she says she doesn’t see any fresh wounds or bullet holes, so she guesses that’s progress. He says, Sonny told him the bad blood between them was done, and he could live his life however he wants. Even become a cop. She says, wow. Dex doesn’t need his permission, but she’s a little surprised. He says he’s surprised too, and she asks if Dex believes him. It’s the least he could do after trying to kill Dex, but it’s Sonny, so… He says he believes Sonny hates him, but he also believes Sonny has taken the target off his back. She says she can finally breathe, and he says, him too. She says she guesses it’s a fair trade. Dex doesn’t press charges and Sonny leaves him alone. He says he’s just ready to put Sonny and whatever he does or doesn’t do behind him, and just focus on what’s in front of him. That’s all that matters.

Drew tells his future frogman to come along and let Willow and Nina talk lotions. He goes back into the pool with Wiley, and Willow says, Nina and Drew seem to be working well together. Nina says, it’s amazing how perspectives can change. They respect each other as professionals and that’s been nice. Willow says, however they managed it, they seem to be in a more peaceful place, and they both look happier. Nina says she’s certainly on board for more peace, and Willow says, he’s so good with Wiley and Amelia, and of course (🍷) his own daughter. Nina says, he really is. She’s never seen Drew Cain like this.

The woman whispers something to Finn, and Jake says, you’ve got to be kidding me. That’s it. He gets up, but Gordo says, hang on. Not here. Jake says, he doesn’t need to do this to his mom, but Gordo says, if Jake gets in his face here, they’re all going to get busted, right? Jake says, right.

Finn says he needs to go. He needs to get out. He needs some fresh air. He picks up the bottle and tells the woman, let’s go, and she says, that‘s an excellent idea. She follows Finn out, and Dale tells Jake that he’s really sorry. Jake thanks him and says he’s sorry, but he has to get out of here. He leaves, and we see the two empty shot glasses on the bar.

Brook says, Violet doesn’t have a passport, does she? and Chase says he’s not sure. She says, if they need one, they’ll get one, and he asks why exactly Violet needs a passport. She says, because they’re going to take Violet with them to Italy while Finn is at rehab. What’s that saying about seeing the world through a child’s eyes? He says he doesn’t know, but he knows the saying about abducting a minor and taking them across state and international lines. It’s a felony. She says, they’re not kidnapping Violet, but he says he’s pretty sure Finn’s going to say they did in court. He loves that she’s willing to bring Violet on their honeymoon, but Finn’s never going to go for it, and Violet’s not going to want to go if Finn’s not 100% behind it. And if he’s being honest, he doesn’t think child abduction is the answer to all of their problems. She says, what if they keep it local? and he says, like a scavenger hunt? Where Finn goes around town looking for his own child? (Ha-ha-ha!) She says she can tell by the tone of his voice that he’s not completely on board, and he says, it’s a terrible plan. It’s actually one of her most troubling. Her family would be proud. She tells him that he always knows exactly what to say, and he says he knows she came up with that plan just to take the edge off. She asks if it worked, and he says, no, but he loves her for it anyway, and they kiss.

Gio says, Sonny Corinthos is Josslyn’s ex-stepfather? and Trina says, yes, to her eternal regret. He says his family thinks Uncle Sonny is second only to the Pope in terms of greatness, and she says, Uncle Sonny? He says, Sonny’s not really his uncle, more like his benefactor. Sonny’s been really good to him. She says, okay. She’s happy for him, but pretty much everyone in Port Charles has an opinion about Sonny. Some good, some bad. She just knows there’s some bad history when it comes to Joss. He says he’s sorry to hear about that, but now that they’ve gotten that settled, tell him. Why did she have such a weird look on her face when they first met? Did he do something, or have they run into each other before?

Finn brings the woman to his apartment, and he looks at all the boxes. He flashes back to packing up Gregory’s stuff and picking up the shoes Gregory wore at the wedding. The woman asks if those are the things from his border work. These boxes, are they his Doctors Without Borders stuff? He nods and says, it’s hard to believe he lived that life. It feels like it happened to somebody else. She says she sure likes the doctor guy who’s living this life, but he says he doesn’t. He doesn’t like anything about him. She smooths his hair back and says, hey. Come on, sugar. This is not the time to be sad. Anything he’s feeling, she can take it away. He asks how she’s going to do that, and she says, how about this? and kisses him. Doesn’t that feel better? He nods and she says, and this, kissing him some more. (I’ve been basically yelling, no, no, no! at the TV since they left the bar.)

Jake goes into the hospital and finds Elizabeth at the reception desk. She says she didn’t expect to see him until later. She thought he was going to the movies with Gordo. He says, they were, but… She asks, what happened? and he says he met up with Gordo and Dale, and they were on their way to the movies, and they passed this dive bar. He’s talking super sketchy, and they saw Finn coming out. She asks if he’s sure it was Finn, and he says, positive. And he wasn’t alone. She says, great. He’s found himself a drinking buddy. Jake says, sort of. He was with this lady, like with her with her, and it was pretty obvious he’d been drinking with her.

Elizabeth turns away, and Jake says he’s sorry, but she says, he has nothing to apologize for. He says he didn’t want to tell her, but he had to, right? and she says, he absolutely had to. She’s glad he did. Thank you. He says, sure, and she says she’ll handle this when she’s done here, but he says he doesn’t know. That might not be the greatest idea right now. She says, don’t worry. She’s got this. She’ll see him at home, okay? He says, okay, and she leaves. He takes out his phone and makes a call. He says, it’s Jake. My mom’s got a situation. She needs you.

Chase tells Brook that there’s got to be something they can do that doesn’t mean them spending their honeymoon in separate prison cells fighting assorted felony charges. Brook says, okay. What if they make something happen at the Q’s house that Violet just won’t want to miss? He says he’s listening, and she says, they tell her that all the kids are out of school, that there’s tennis and swimming and horseback riding and barbecues every night. He says, like summer camp, and she says, exactly. He says, that sounds promising. Are they just talking about this or doing it? She says, we are doing it, baby. And all the Quartermaine adults will take turns on supervising shifts, work schedules permitting. He says, because of his dad, he has some time off he could use, and she says, and she can work from anywhere. So they’ll just say they’re spending a few weeks at the Quartermaines. He says, and there will be a bunch of cousins and pseudo cousins and assorted rugrats running around playing with Violet. She says, not bad, huh? and he says, yeah. He’ll talk to Finn tomorrow, assuming that he’s sober. She says, and with Violet staying with the Qs, they can do some sort of intervention. Get him to see what kind of trouble he’s in. Chase asks if she’s sure her family is going to be okay with this. He can’t imagine Tracy will be. It’s a lot. (One more kid? And Violet no less? Hardly.) She says, then they’ll tell her the truth, privately. Tracy and Finn are friends. She should know anyway that her friend is in trouble. Then she can help them get the rest of the family on board. He says, that might be a leap, and she says, maybe. But at the end of the day, every last Quartermaine is going to be doing this, no matter what it takes.

Nina and Willow sit by the pool, and Nina says, the lotion. It’s called DermaPool and it’s fantastic. It contains shea butter and green leaf extract in it. It leaves a moisturizing coating on the skin and vitamin C neutralizes the chlorine. Olympic swimmers swear by it. They had medalists that were actually part of the ad campaign at Crimson, and they were great. It also helps with pool rash and swim hair… Willow says, swim hair? and Nina says, you know how chlorine can change some hair green? Willow says she didn’t know it had an official name, and Nina says, Crimson has boxes of DermaPool in storage. Why doesn’t she send Willow a couple of boxes?… She can really overdo it sometimes. The last thing Willow needs is a truckload of product showing up on her doorstep. Willow says, that’s okay, and Nina and Drew exchange glances.

Trina is on her laptop at a table, and Gio says, sorry. The way people go through towels, you’d think they never saw one before. Trina says, people go wild when they’re not the ones doing the fluffing and the folding, and he says, that makes sense. At the risk of trying her patience, is she sure they never met before? He’s positive he’d remember someone like her. She says she promises they haven’t, but she will admit that if she looks at him just the right way out of the corner of her eye, he does look like someone she used to be close to. He says, why used to be? Why aren’t they close anymore? She says, he died, and Gio says he’s sorry. He’s an idiot. She says, no. You know what? I’ll just… She dashes out, and Josslyn looks at Gio.

Willow tells Wiley that they have to get home. Mommy has a date. He says he doesn’t like that idea, and she says, it’s with daddy. He’s taking her to dinner. Wiley says, okay then, and she says she’s glad he approves. Nina asks if they’re going anywhere fun, but Willow says she has no idea. It’s a new place Michael wants to try. Nina says, nice. She’s sure wherever they go, it’s going to be lovely. She should get back to Crimson before they send out a search party. They still have some things to iron out before they launch the next issue. She tells Wiley that it was really, really great spending some time with him, and he says he knows. Let’s do it again. She says she hopes this is the start of an incredible summer for him and Amelia. She hopes they have lots of adventures and lots of fun and lots of swimming. He says he already told his mom that he’s going to swim every day this summer, and Willow says, he’s not lying. He started telling her about his swim plan in February. Nina says, that sounds like a great plan. It was really good to see Willow. Willow says, it was nice seeing Nina too. Wiley loved it. Nina says, and if she ever needs DermaPool… Willow says she knows who to call. Nina leaves as Drew watches.

Josslyn catches up with Trina and asks if she’s okay. Trina says, yeah. She just went to the ladies’ room. Josslyn says she saw Trina take off. Did Gio say something? She’ll beat him up if he did. Trina says, Gio didn’t say anything wrong. It’s just that sometimes some things will just hit her a certain way, and memories of Spencer will flood in and just knock the wind out of her. Josslyn says she’s so sorry, and Trina thanks her. She thinks it’s best if she just goes home. Josslyn says she’s going to be off soon, and they could go somewhere. They could talk or go see a movie. Whatever she wants. Trina thanks her, but thinks it’s best if she just has some alone time tonight. Josslyn says, of course (🍷), and hugs Trina. She says, but she’s here, and Trina says she knows. She leaves, and Dex comes back. He asks if Trina is all right, and Josslyn says, not at the moment, but she will be. He asks if something happened, and she says, not really. She thinks that grief just snuck up on her. He says, it’s going to take her a while to get over Spencer, and Josslyn says, it is. She really loved him. She feels so bad for Trina. He says, there’s been some big losses lately. What he keeps trying to say and keeps screwing up is, every moment is precious. They both know that life is short, so have dinner with him.

Chase says he wishes there was something they could do to fix Finn right now, and Brook says, her too, but they can’t lock him in a cage for his own good. He says he desperately wants Finn to stop drinking before he hits rock bottom, and she says she knows. They just need to remind him that the stakes are different for him than they are for other people. On top of everything else, Finn is a doctor at GH. People know him from there. If he keeps this up, word is going to get out. He says, if Finn does something he truly regrets and can’t take back, he’ll never recover. There will be nothing left of the Finn they knew and loved.

Elizabeth approaches Finn’s apartment and almost knocks, but then lets herself in with her key. She sees Finn and the woman sitting on the sofa, the woman’s legs on Finn’s lap, and the nearly empty bottle on the table with two glasses. Elizabeth is stone-faced and Finn just looks drunk.

On Monday, Curtis tells Drew, this is just the right time to do this; Willow tells Michael, if Drew can start fresh with Nina, maybe she can too; Nina tells Maxie, this is the price they pay for dancing with the devil; and Finn wants a chance to explain.

🏆 Winning Daytime…

The winners.

https://people.com/daytime-emmys-2024-winners-list-8653423

The important winners.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/daytime-emmys/the-2024-daytime-emmy-award-winners

Red carpet gallery.

https://parade.com/tv/daytime-emmy-awards-red-carpet-fashion-outfits-2024

History maker.

https://people.com/daytime-emmys-2024-dick-van-dyke-becomes-oldest-winner-guest-performer-in-drama-8652791

🌍 Where In the World Is Reza Farahan…

This was another reality show I actually liked. Yeah, there was fighting and fussing, and Mike… Well, let’s not talk about him. But it had tons of heart, and it was the real deal. I need someone to root for and this group was worthy of cheering on.

📹 Nice Try…

Doubtful I’d have watched this before the whole Rust tragedy anyway. He just doesn’t seem like a good guy.

https://people.com/alec-baldwin-reality-show-not-ideal-timing-rust-trial-source-exclusive-8659398

👩‍❤️‍👩 There Went the Brides…

After the wedding and other hookups.

https://extratv.com/2024/06/04/captain-sandy-on-married-life-and-below-deck-hookup-shockers-exclusive/

Who was in attendance.

Supposedly, there was no shade intended on excluding Captain Lee.

🌁 Are We There Yet…

The latest news on The Last of Us. Sounds great if we ever get to see it.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-last-of-us-season-2-will-expand-on-unseen-stories-from-game/

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-last-of-us-season-2-episode-count-seasons-3-and-4/

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/the-last-of-us-four-seasons

🐉 Caution – Dragons Ahead…

This makes me want to give it another try.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-review

A spinoff of a spinoff.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/game-of-thrones-sea-snake-spinoff-steve-toussaint

💃🏾 Evolution Revolution…

This is definitely on my must-see list.

https://ew.com/shonda-rhimes-black-barbie-documentary-trailer-8658080

🕸 Not So Itsy Bitsy…

Everybody, calm down. It’s not going to bite you or your pets, and it doesn’t have wings. Actually, my first thought was, I hope I get to see one.

https://people.com/joro-spiders-2024-everything-to-know-8659303

🐶 Move Over Montreal…

The pups are taking over the ice. More on the Stanley Pup.

https://people.com/stanley-pup-adorable-rescue-dogs-take-nhl-ice-8659802

https://www.nhl.com/fans/2024-stanley-pup

📠 Quotes of the Week

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.Albert Einstein

A mathematical formula for happiness: Reality divided by Expectations. There were two ways to be happy: improve your reality or lower your expectations. – Jodi Picoult

The border to eternity is never ahead of us. It runs parallel to life and can be crossed over at any moment by old and young. – Reinhard Bonnke

As I get older, I am becoming more selective of who I consider a friend. I find that I would rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies. – Steve Maraboli

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. – John Powell

I believe the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity, is daring to dare.Dr. Maya Angelou

I am under no obligation to make sense to you. – Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Be yourself, but not too much.  – Jasmine Pineda, 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?

⛺️ Oh Those Summer Nights…

Join me on Monday for a little soap and a little Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting others’ boundaries at the beach or pool (also, please don’t leave litter behind), and stay remembering addiction is a disease, and give grace, but don’t excuse it.

June 3, 2024 – Carly Gives Sonny a Reality Check, Blog Revamp, No Wine On Deck, New Pairing, Inside Scoop, Number One, Who’s On Stage, Furbabysitting & Born

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Poor Jason can’t get any real work done. Two gunmen slip into the coffee warehouse, but he can feel it. He chucks his clipboard, takes out his gun, and ducks behind some shelves before shots come his way. There’s a shootout and Jason hits one of the gunmen. The other is apparently a coward and runs out.

Carly says, if Jason doesn’t sell his half of the coffee business to Sonny, what does he plan on doing about it? Sonny says, it’s just business, but Carly says, it isn’t. Sonny made it personal when he insisted Jason was the enemy. Sonny says, that’s who he is now; he’s working with the Feds. He was free to make a choice how to handle it. Sonny made his. She says, he told her that what happens next is on Jason. What the hell does that mean? What did he do?

Kristina sits at a beautifully set table in Blaze’s room and says, when Blaze surprises a girl with dinner, she really goes all out. And her favorite chocolate cake for dessert. She can’t believe Blaze remembered that. Blaze says, to be fair, Kristina talks about the chocolate cake a lot, and Kristina says, yeah, because it’s her favorite. Not that she’s complaining, but what’s the occasion? Blaze asks if she needs an occasion to spoil Kristina… Maybe there’s a little something else going on here. She knows Kristina has been having a hard time with what she saw at the wedding reception. She just wanted to do something to show Kristina that she’s not alone. She’s here. Kristina says, that’s really sweet of her, and thanks her. It has been hard lately. It’s been hard facing the reality of who her dad actually is, but talking to Dante really helped because she could see he was struggling with the same issues. Blaze says she’s glad, and Kristina says, also, being here with her like this makes her feel even better. She feels so safe with Blaze. She used to think the only person in this whole world who really understood her was her dad, and now she knows that’s not true because she has Blaze. Blaze says, Kristina does have her, and Kristina says she knows. She’s glad Molly doesn’t know about this because if she did, Molly would be out of control, and she really can’t handle that. She asks Blaze, what’s wrong? and Blaze says, Molly does know. She told her.

Ava records on her phone: Welcome to the first US exhibition of the work of Lagos based Harriet Nikia, exclusively at the Jerome gallery, when… She says, dammit, and rewinds. She says, welcome to the first… when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Natalia, who says, she hopes this isn’t a bad time. Is it?

Deanna brings Jack into his hospital room and says, he did a good job keeping up with her on his walk. Now he should get some rest. She helps him back into bed, and he says, being in a hospital is a lot like being in a casino. You have no idea what time it is. (Didn’t Heather say that too?) Deanna says, his stab wound might be healing, but his aim is to regain his flexibility with two or three walks a day. He says, it’s always good to have a goal, and the guard handcuffs him back to the bed. The guard’s phone dings, and he says, there’s a disturbance on the third floor. They need his help. Jack says, take your time. He’s not going anywhere. Deanna says, they’ll be fine, and Jack thanks her. She follows the guard out, and Jack takes out a paperclip and undoes his cuff. He gets out of bed and finds some conveniently stashed scrubs in a drawer in his room.

Jason tosses the gunman’s gun aside and checks for a pulse. He hears someone and draws his gun, but it’s Anna coming in with her gun drawn. She says, he seems to have a dead man on his floor, and he says, there was a second shooter, but he got away. She asks if he got a look at him, but he says, no. He was too busy returning fire. She asks if he has any idea who sent them, and he says, she got here right after the shooting stopped. That’s perfect timing, unless she’s watching the place. She says, what? No, it was a coincidence. She was coming over here to get more details about Sonny attacking Dex. She heard shots and she drew her weapon. She’s going to call this in. She takes out her phone, they hear sirens, and she says, it appears someone beat her to it.

Sonny says he doesn’t have to explain himself to Carly after all her lies and broken promises. She says she never lied to him about Jason, and he says, just broken promises. Is that better? She asks if he knows what she thinks, and he says he’s sure he’s going to hear it. She says, he still hasn’t made up his mind about Jason. Deep down, Sonny still trusts him. He might want to hate Jason, but he still trusts him. He asks if that’s what she thinks and starts to leave, but she grabs his arm and says, wait a second. He came here for the reality check he knew she would give him, so here it is. He never had a friend like Jason, and he never will. And even now, after everything Sonny has accused him of, Jason still has his back. And he knows it. Deep down he feels it. He says, does he? and she says, does he know why he’s struggling with all of this? Because he can’t erase Jason from his life. And if they’re both being honest, he doesn’t want to. He says he didn’t come here to bare his soul to her. He’s going upstairs to see Blaze. She asks if he’s serious. Please tell her that he’s not going up there to ask Blaze to defend him to Kristina.

Blaze says she’s so sorry. Telling Molly was a complete accident. Kristina says, how? How does someone say something like that by accident? Blaze says she ran into Molly outside of Kelly’s. At first, it was a totally normal conversation. Then Molly wanted to talk about what happened with Kristina at the wedding, so she thought Molly knew about Kristina’s dad, but it turns out she was just fishing. Kristina says, of course (🍷) she was. Of course (🍷) she was just fishing. That’s what Molly does. She gets information out of people. She’s a lawyer. She’s a damn good one too. She can’t believe Blaze fell for that. Kristina gets up and Blaze follows. Blaze says, Molly could tell by her reaction that something had happened, and she was afraid that if she didn’t tell Molly, she would just ask Kristina and it would upset Kristina even more. So she told Molly what Kristina’s dad did to Dex and that she witnessed it and called Blaze from the ladies’ room. Kristina asks why Blaze didn’t tell her this right away, and Blaze says she didn’t want to make it a bigger thing that it was, so she assured Molly that Kristina and the baby are fine. Kristina says she highly doubts Molly believes Blaze. Molly and TJ are already convinced she’s not responsible enough to take care of this child as it is. Now, this is definitely not going to help. Blaze says she’s so sorry. If she could take it back, she would. Kristina says, this is really bad. Molly is an ADA. She has the power to prosecute Sonny even if Dex doesn’t file charges for himself. Blaze says, she seemed completely fine when they said goodbye. She didn’t seem upset at all. In fact, she said she was headed to their mom’s house. Did Kristina see her there? Did she say anything about it? Kristina says, no. She said nothing. And that makes it even worse.

Ava says she assumes Natalia is here to see Sonny. He isn’t home yet. She’s expecting him very shortly though. Natalia is welcome to wait if she’d like. Natalia says, okay, thanks, and Ava invites her in. She asks if she can get Natalia a drink, but Natalia says, no thank you. She actually comes bearing alcohol because she remembered that single malt scotch Sonny like so much, so she picked him up a bottle. Just to say thank you for inviting her to the Quartermaine wedding. Ava says, that’s so thoughtful. She heard it was a very lively affair, especially the reception. Natalia says, was it?

Jack slips out of his room wearing the scrubs. He goes out to a stairwell, leans on the railing, and says, son of a bitch. Valentin is at the top of the stairs, and Jack says, it took him long enough to make this happen. Valentin says he’s got to give Jack credit. Not everyone would stab themselves in the stomach. He doesn’t know how many people would have thought of that, since there are other ways to communicate. Jack says he’ll remember to tell Valetin that when he’s the one behind bars, and Valentin says, the last time they talked, they agreed they weren’t going to see each other face to face. So this better be important.

Jack says he has information that couldn’t wait, and Valentin walks down to him. Valentin asks where he got this information from and how much did it cost, and Jack says, suddenly now money’s an object? Nothing. It was completely free. It came from Carly Spencer. Valentin says, now Jack has his attention, and Jack says, Carly came to visit him in Pentenville. She wanted information, then let something of her own slip. He knows which three letter agency is investigating Pikeman – FBI. Valentin says, he heard that from Carly Spencer? and Jack says, it seems the FBI relocated an agent to Port Charles, specifically to investigate Pikeman. John Cates. Valetin says he’s aware of John’s presence, and Jack tells him, do the math. If the FBI went through the trouble to bring Agent Cates here, they can safely assume they’re also the ones responsible for creating Alan Jacobs aka Jason Morgan and having him infiltrate Pikeman. Valentin says, now they know that Jason Morgan is reporting to the FBI.

In the interrogation room, Ann comes in with a recorder and tells Jason, let’s start from the beginning, shall we? He says, she knows everything he already knows. He was working, and two men he didn’t recognize came into the warehouse. They opened fire; he fired back. One is dead and the other one ran away. She asks if he has any idea who might have sent the gunmen, but he says, no. She asks if anyone has threatened to kill him, and he says, ever? She says, recently, say, where it could have been overheard by witnesses, like outside the MetroCourt ballroom for instance. Diane walks in and says, okay. Not another word. An officer tells Anna that he’s sorry. He tried to stop her. Anna says she can handle it. Don’t worry. He leaves, and she says, Diane got here fast. Diane says she happened to be in the area and came right here when she got the call. So she’d like a word with him alone. Anna says, fine, and leaves. Diane asks Jason, who tried to kill you? and he says, there were two shooters. One’s dead and one got away, but she has to get to Sonny and warn him that the cops are going to come to question him.

Sonny says he doesn’t need Carly’s permission to tell him what’s best for his daughter, and starts to walk away. She says, come on. Wait. She knows how much he loves Kristina and how much he cares about that baby, but if he pressures Blaze to intervene with Kristina, he’s only going to push Kristina further away. He has to let Kristina reach out to him first. He says, what if she doesn’t? and Carly says, it might take longer than he wants, but he has to let Kristina come to terms with this on her own, and she’ll definitely contact him. Despite what Kristina saw him do, she loves him fiercely, and that doesn’t just go away. But if he tries to manipulate Blaze into talking to Kristina, Kristina is going to find out, and she’s going to see it as him going behind her back and that’s just going to make everything worse. He says he knows what’s best for his daughter and goes to the elevator. His phone rings, and he says, Brick, can this wait?… How many shots were fired?… Cops there?… All right. Thanks for letting him know. He’ll handle it.

Blaze says, considering the fact that Molly didn’t bring up what Sonny did to Dex means that she trusts Kristina, but Kristina says, really? They don’t even trust her to go to the grocery store or take a yoga class. Does Blaze think they’re going to be okay with the fact that she’s been hiding from them? That she freaked out in a public restroom after seeing her father brutally attack someone? Blaze says, she doesn’t even know that Molly told TJ, but Kristina says, she told TJ. If she hasn’t yet, she’s about to. This is so bad. Now they’re going to start putting more restrictions on her… Blaze says she knows Kristina is worried about a lot of things right now – her dad and the baby – but please don’t let herself spin out. Molly and TJ are rational people… Kristina says, Blaze doesn’t know them like she does, and Blaze says, Kristina… but Kristina says, no. She trusted Blaze. She trusted her more than anyone and Blaze has completely betrayed her. She walks out. (Please don’t let them break up. They have more chemistry than all the other couples put together.)

Diane says, Sonny just ordered a hit on Jason, and he’s worried about her warning him? and Jason says, she’s Sonny’s lawyer. It’s her job. She says she’s his lawyer too. And right now, she’s a lot more worried about keeping him alive than she is warning the man who just tried to have him killed. Her phone rings, and she sees it’s Sonny. Jason says, she should answer it. Go ahead. Diane answers, and Sonny says, Brick just told him there was trouble at the coffee warehouse. He rubs his forehead and says he needs her to meet him there. She says she’s sorry. She’s with another client at the moment, when Jason gestures to her. She says, hang on, putting the phone on mute, and Jason asks if that’s Sonny. She says, he wants her to meet him at the coffee warehouse, and Jason tells her, go. He’ll be fine. She says, he just shot and killed a man. He claims it’s self-defense, but there’s no guarantee the police are going to believe him. It’s more likely they won’t. He says, either Anna is going to release him or she’s not; either way, he’ll be fine. Sonny might not be. He’s going to say something incriminating if she’s not there to protect him. Diane says she’ll just assume Jason knows what he’s doing, and tells Sonny that she’s on her way. Sonny says he’ll see her there, and Jason thanks her. She says she wants him to think about something. While he’s in here worrying about Sonny, how does he know Sonny isn’t planning another hit on him? She leaves.

Ava says she takes it that means Natalia didn’t stay for the reception, but Natalia says she did. Sonny insisted she see the MetroCourt Garden all decked out for the party, so she couldn’t say no. Ava asks if she enjoyed herself, and Natalia says, it was an interesting evening. Sonny knew everybody, but she only knew her daughter, and Kristina of course (🍷). Ava asks if she stayed until the very end, and Natalia says she doesn’t know when Allison and Kristina left, but she got tired and Sonny was off socializing. She just thought she shouldn’t overstay her welcome, so she went up to bed. Ava says, it sounds like everybody had a lovely time. And it must have been nice for Sonny to see Blaze and Kristina so happy together. Just between the two of them, Kristina has been a bit of a problem child over the years. Natalia says, really (and I say, Ava, why?), and Ava says, she’s made some bad decisions. Luckily, Natalia’s daughter isn’t one of them. Natalia says, while they’re sharing, she has to say their relationship is a little too unconventional for her liking, and Ava says, in what way? Natalia says, they’re not really a normal couple, are they? Kristina is pregnant with her sister’s baby. She’s holding hands with Allison out in public. She’s scared to death someone is going to take a picture and sell it to the tabloids when her daughter’s career is taking off. It’s going to be such a scandal. Ava says, would it be? It’s 2024. She thinks most people seem to be very comfortable with both those things. And since Natalia and Sonny have struck up a friendship, she should know, career worries aside, Sonny is completely supportive of Kristina in every way, sexual identity included. Natalia says, it would seem so. She just can’t say she’s of the same mind.

Carly sees Kristina coming out of the elevator and calls to her. Kristina says she’s sorry. She was in her own head there for a minute. Carly says she knows Kristina has a lot on her mind, and Kristina says she does. Carly says, baby brain. It’s a real thing. She used to go to the freezer to get some ice cream and open the door and just stand there staring, wondering what she went there for, and the ice cream is sitting right there. (Am I pregnant???) She asks if Kristina is feeling okay, and Kristina says she feels great with the baby. Honestly, whenever she feels it kicking or moving around or making her uncomfortable, it’s kind of nice because she knows it’s safe and healthy. She knows it sounds kind of weird. Carly says, it doesn’t sound weird; it sounds perfect. Kristina says, it’s crazy how much she cares about this little life growing inside of her, considering it’s not hers. But it is hers for nine months, right? Carly says she thinks it’s amazing what Kristina is doing for her sister. It’s selfless. And this little baby may be her niece or nephew one day, but it’s always going to be a part of her. Kristina thanks her for saying that, and Carly says, just like Kristina is always going to be a part of her father.

Valentin tells Jack that they already knew Jason Morgan was working with one of the agencies. All Carly has done is confirm it was the FBI. Jack says he’s glad Valentin is taking the news so well, but it does present a problem. If Jason knows Valentin is heading up Pikeman… Valentin says, but he doesn’t. Otherwise, he’d be sharing a cell with Jack. Jack says, then don’t do anything to draw attention to himself. Leave Jason Morgan well alone.

Anna tells Jason that she just saw Diane leaving. Does he want to postpone this conversation until she can be present for it? He asks if he needs her, and she says, it’s his right. She encourages him to protect himself. He says he’s fine, and she says, okay. They found the dead guy’s ID. They put him through the system, and wouldn’t you know he’s had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. He’s a low-level member of an organization with ties to the big guys downstate. She shows him the gunman’s picture on her tablet and asks if Jason recognizes him. Jason says he’s been away for a long time, and Anna says she’ll take this as a yes. It seems his organization has done business with Sonny in the past. Jason tells her, like he said… She says, he’s been away a long time. She doesn’t believe this man was a stranger to him. She thinks Jason knows exactly who he worked for. Why doesn’t he just say it? It was Sonny who tried to have him killed.

At the warehouse, Detective Bennett says, Sonny needs to let them do their jobs, and Sonny asks what he’s talking about. This is his place. He’s checking the damage. Diane comes in and says she advised him not to talk to the police. Sonny asks where she’s been, and she says she got here as fast as she could. She introduces herself to Bennett, and he says, Detective Bennett. Please be advised that her client is a person of interest. She says, for what crime? Surely not this, because Mr. Corinthos wasn’t even in the building when shots were fired, so how could he be a person of interest? Bennett says, she’ll be able to get more information down at the station, and she says, fine. She’d like to speak with her client first, however. Please tell her that he’s not denying her client his right to speak with his attorney, because that’s not going to end well for him. He tells her, make it quick, and she says, oh, okay. Diane and Sonny go into the office, and Diane says, he knows she can’t help him unless he tells her the truth. Was he responsible for that?

Sonny says he can’t tell Diane what happened tonight, but he can tell her this, he had nothing to do with it. He wasn’t even here. Jason uses this place as his office. Maybe she should ask him the same question. She says, Jason was here tonight when two armed men broke in and started shooting at him, one of whom ended up very dead. If Sonny wants her to represent him to the very best of her ability, he has to tell her everything she needs to know before those cops take him into custody.

Anna tells Jason, sit down, and reluctantly, he does. He says he’s told her all he knows, and she asks if he has a death wish. He says, no, and she says, really? Because that’s not what it looks like. He just came within an inch of being killed tonight, and he’s still protecting Sonny. He says, he’s not… and she says, they both know that Sonny threatened to kill him the other day. How many bullets is Jason going to take for him? She gets loyalty. She understands it, but she thought he was smarter than this. He’s looking out for Sonny, and Sonny is sending people off to kill him. When does it end? And how much blood will be shed before it does?

Valentin says he’s meeting a very interesting side to Jack. Jack’s got issues, and he’s not just talking about the stitches in Jack’s side from his self-inflicted stab wound. He thinks Jack needs to relax. He thinks Jack needs to delegate, trust other people. Jack says he thinks Valentin is forgetting how he got where he is and the people who helped him do it. It took Valentin a long time to get to the top. It’ll only take him seconds – Jack looks down the stairs – to fall all the way back down. Valentin asks if they’re threatening each other, and Jack laughs. Valentin says he’s going to assume it’s the painkillers talking. So heal up and let him take care of everything. Jack says, they don’t even know what Jason told Cates about Pikeman’s operations, and Valentin says, assuming he knows anything. He may not. Jack says, Valentin wants to put their entire operation at risk over may not. Jason Morgan was smart enough to infiltrate Pikeman without getting caught. If he puts the pieces together… Valentin says, calm down. Once Jason Morgan figures things out – assuming he does – Sonny will already have taken him off the chessboard and saved them both the trouble. (Oh ho! Got it.)

Jack says he doesn’t know how long the guard will be occupied. He has to get back to his room before the guard does. Valentin says, okay, but can they get one thing straight? Once Sonny eliminates Jason, he’ll get word to Jack in Pentenville. Until then, they are not to talk to one another. Jack asks what he’s supposed to do. Stab himself again when he wants some fresh air? Valentin says, he’s an enterprising fellow. He’ll find something to do. Join a book club. Make a friend. It’ll be fine. Jack says, Valentin has been stalling for months. When the hell is Valentin going to get the charges against him dropped? Valentin says he hears Jack. He just needs a little bit more patience. Because if they shine a light on the WSB/Pikeman connection, it’s going to backfire. It’s all going to blow up in their face. So stay strong. Be patient. He has everything under control.

Kristina says, obviously, Carly knows what’s going on between her and her dad, and Carly asks if they can sit. Kristina nods, and they sit down. Carly says, Jason called her right after he broke up the fight. He told her that Kristina saw Sonny attack Dex and threaten to kill him. Kristina says, then she also knows everything Josslyn ever said about her dad is true and she’s so stupid for even arguing with her because Josslyn was right all along. Carly says she loves her daughter more than anything, but Josslyn has her own issues with Sonny, and Kristina tells her, it doesn’t even matter what Josslyn said. She knows what she saw, and she keeps seeing it over and over and over again. Watching her dad be so violent and out of control. Carly says, it must have been so awful for Kristina. She’s so sorry Kristina had to go through this. Kristina says she thinks it’s something that all of Sonny’s kids have to go through eventually, right? Carly knows that more than anyone with Michael. She’s just the idiot who took so long to finally see the truth. Carly says, she’s not an idiot, and Kristina says, not anymore, because now her eyes are wide open. And whether Dex files charges against her father or not, she’ll never forget what she saw her dad do. So now, she’s just ashamed she didn’t admit what she saw right in front of her sooner. Carly says, that’s because she wanted to see the best in Sonny. It’s because she loves her dad. Kristina says, Carly loved him too once, but does she think she really knew him?

Ava says, it sounds like Natalia doesn’t approve of her daughter’s relationship with Kristina, and Natalia tells her that she could say that. Ava says she doesn’t want to pry, but is it because they’re gay? and Natalia says, no. She’s not a prude. Whatever people do behind closed doors, that’s their own business. She just feels like gay people, or whatever alphabet soup they’re calling themselves these days, they’re flighty. They’re just not very serious about life. (Regardless of what she believes about sexual identity, that’s an odd statement to make.) Ava says she doesn’t think that’s true at all, but Natalia tells her that she just said herself that Kristina has had her own problems with bad decisions. Ava says, years ago. She was younger. You could say the same thing about a lot of straight people too. Kristina’s really gotten herself together. She works hard. She’s very serious about her baby. Natalia says, that choice of words is very interesting because it’s not really her baby now, is it? and Ava says, not in the way Natalia is talking about it, no. Natalia says, right. So she’s going to be pregnant for nine months, give birth, and just hand the baby over. To her, it just seems like Kristina and Allison think, wouldn’t it be so fun to have a baby because we don’t have to do any of the hard work or be serious about it. What are they going to do? Visit the child every once in a while, or take it to an amusement park sometimes? (I don’t think she understands how this works.) Ava says she’s sorry if this offends Natalia, but she thinks that is just a very unfortunate way to look at this beautiful thing that Kristina is doing for her sister. Natalia says, Ava is entitled to her opinion, as is she. She does try to stay open-minded. It’s just that if her way of thinking is considered old fashioned, so be it. (It’s not even old fashioned; it’s just weird.)

Anna says she knows how deep Jason’s loyalty to Sonny goes. She used to look at him through rose colored glasses herself. But what if the person he used to know no longer exists? Or worse, it was an illusion all along, and Sonny never really was the man Jason believed him to be? (That would be one long ruse.) An officer comes in with an evidence bag containing a phone and says, forensics thought Anna would want to look at what they found. She thanks him and he leaves. She puts on gloves and tells Jason that it might have been useful for reporting back to whoever it was that ordered the kill.

Natalia gets up and asks Ava to do her a favor and make sure Sonny gets her gift. Ava says, of course (🍷). She’ll walk Natalia out. Ava opens the door and says she enjoyed their chat. They should do it again sometime. Natalia says, perhaps, and leaves. Ava closes the door and sits down. She sees that her phone was still on record and listens to Natalia saying that she just feels like gay people, or whatever alphabet soup they’re calling themselves these days, are flighty and not very serious about life. She half-smiles.

Carly tells Kristina that she married a complicated man, and she knew that going in. And without making excuses for Sonny, he was capable of many things – great love, great anger. She watched Sonny have incredible highs and amazing lows, but he was never downright cruel. He always had a reason for doing what he did, and he never hurt someone just because he could. Kristina asks if she thinks he’s the same man now, or does she think he’s changed? and Carly says, that’s hard to answer because they’re not as close as they used to be, so she doesn’t know. But what she does know is the bond that Kristina has with him. Her father loves her more than anything. He brags about her all the time. He would give up his life for her. So she has to decide how much that matters, and where it fits into the relationship she has with Sonny, along with the stuff she’s learned about him recently. About to cry, Kristina says, what if it doesn’t fit at all? and Carly takes her hand and says, then she’s going to have to really think about if she can live her life without her dad.

Sonny tells Diane that he’s been trying to figure out what those guys wanted, but nothing makes any sense. They’re a coffee warehouse. It’s not like they have product here that anybody wants to steal. They don’t keep a large amount of cash here. He opens a desk drawer, takes out a metal box, and says, they do have small bills for cash expenses. He opens the box and says, everything is right there. Does she see that? She says, all right. So it wasn’t about the money. They must have had some other target in mind. He says, whatever they wanted, they didn’t get it, and Jason made them pay for breaking in. So why is it his problem?

The guard sees the door to Jack’s room is open a bit and hurries in. Jack raises the hand that has the cuff on it and says, miss me? The guard closes the door, and Jack smiles.

Anna tells Jason, only one number in the call history. She’d really like to know who it belongs to. She dials the number, and it rings a few times. Valentin says, is it done… Just tell him if it’s been done. Anna looks stunned, and Valentin frowns and hangs up.

Tomorrow, Chase tells Brook that it’s the best way to pay tribute to his dad; Elizabeth talks to Finn about his drinking; Drew asks how Carly feels about the possibility of that; and Sonny says he has to confess something.

🔎 Reviewing the Situation…

I have some things coming up in my life that, while positive, will require a lot of my time, so I had to rethink what I’m doing with my time now. I adore GH and while it might sound weird, I even enjoy typing it out. It’s sort of like being sucked into their world and leaving mine behind for a while. However, the reality shows have become another story.

Personally, I think the Housewives are dead, but Andy won’t let them lie down. I’m not sure what it is about these shows in general, but they’re all starting to smell like The Real World did when it took a turn from being incredibly interesting and something to look forward to, to a mess of drunken hot tub sex. It’s like they start off well, but within a few seasons, it turns into one big screaming match, or worse. I have the feeling production has a lot to do with it, possibly using cattle prods to urge the cast to create drama for screen time. I’m sure alcohol doesn’t hurt either. It isn’t quite as bad in the shows where there’s an actual job involved, like Below Deck, but where the hell are they getting some of these crew members? And who knows what will happen with Vanderpump Rules? I think Lisa should move on rather than mother a new brood at SUR. It’s all been too much of a steady diet of argument and angst. In an informal poll of my friends, we all agreed that we’d rather less arguing, more fun.

Perhaps production is catching on. The most embarrassing Housewives of all, New Jersey, aren’t even having a Reunion due to animosity. (See below.) And another season at all is questionable. Good job, Teresa. But here’s a thought. Maybe it’s time to scrap the whole thing and do something fresh. Or at least actually real. The exception seems to be the 90 Day Fiancé franchise on TLC. The first time I watched it wasn’t on purpose. I thought it sounded stupid, but I was waiting for the next show to come on. I was immediately hooked and have loved the spinoffs. These people are going through a real process and have real problems. Not whether or not they can get on a yacht with their sister-in-law or if they can be in the same room as their lying, cheating ex while they’re living their best life.

While I won’t leave them behind totally, it’s time for them to go into the background. Less time spent with others’ stories and more time spent on my own. So recaps will be less detailed, some scrapped altogether, and GH possibly only a couple of times a week, but always on a Friday. I hope those of you who read this blog will come along for the overhaul, and if there are ever any ideas for change or improvement, let me know.

https://people.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-season-14-reunion-canceled-exclusive-8655924

Below Deck Mediterranean

Aesha is back as chief stew and so is Captain – teamwork makes the dream work – Sandy, on a 180-foot yacht called the Mustique. This season is in Greece, and from the preview, it looks like there will be some crying too. No doubt after drinking. There’s already a leak in the forward cabin, so we’re off to a good start.

Iain (pronounced Ian), who was called Mr. Magoo by his parents prior to landing on his misspelled name, is the bosun. Chef Jono, who calls himself a culinary architect, will be providing the food porn this season. Elena is back and aspiring to be a chief stew. Nathan, Joe, and Gael are the deckhands, and Bri is another stew. Bri says she has room to improve with her cocktail skills, but I get an inexperienced overall vibe. Elena thinks the crew is exceptionally good looking, but it’s rare when one of them isn’t. There are no ugly people in yachting. The deckhands are bummed to find out Gael is taken, by an engineer no less.

Influencer Jacob is the first primary, bringing along his fellow internet besties. In Aesha’s interview, she can’t believe these kids are taking pictures and living it up on a superyacht, while she’s living in a van with her boyfriend and sh*tting in a bucket. When the provisions come in, the provisioner is having some issues, so there’s no wine, prosecco, or champagne. At the protocol meeting, Captain Sandy tells them, pressure makes us better. I must be perfect by now. Luckily Aesha finds one bottle of champagne in the crew mess for the welcome.

The guests are very young and very excited. Captain Sandy finally calls the provisioner, not asking, but telling them to send wine. The provisioner agrees to send over a few things until their bigger order can get there. There’s still no rosé or red wine, and the captain tells them, it’s unacceptable.

Athens is the oldest capital city in Europe, and the captain points out all the places that aren’t covered in tourists, but will be now. Like that lake in the Progressive commercial. Bri grew up with a maid and finds laundry a real challenge. She takes so long, Aesha wonders if she’s blowing on the garments to dry them. In Bri’s interview, we find out she’s never made it through a season in her three years of yachting. There’s the usual battle with the slide, and not surprisingly, the guests record everything for social media posterity. They’re not too happy about the laundry delay and not wrong in saying, it’s a great service, but if it can’t be fulfilled, it’s bullsh*t. Aesha finds out provisions have gone in the wrong water taxi and tells the provisioner, your company f***ing sucks. The chef doesn’t have lobster either, and decides to work with the crab legs he wisely bought.

Elena travels with her costumes, which she says are 10% PG-13, and wears a sequined top with metallic spandex pants to serve dinner. There’s a disco party afterward, even though this bunch wasn’t a twinkle in their parents’ eyes in the 70s. Maybe even their grandparents. There’s a confetti gun involved, and all I can think is, someone is going to have to clean up that mess. Late night munchies are requested after the guests get in the hot tub, and in her interview, Elena says she feels overwhelmed and needs help. She tries to wake Jono to rustle up some snacks, and he says, I don’t think so. Nice, since a good portion of the tip relies on food. Rather than press the issue, Elena tells the guests that all they have is grilled cheese. One of them wonders what’s in grilled cheese. Maybe he should actually take a look at the internet sometime instead of just posting content.

While Elena is wondering what the hell she’s going to do, somehow the guests coral Gael and demand the drinks they’ve been waiting for. Gael ends up helping Elena out, and in Elena’s interview she says, Jono’s selfish behavior is making her look bad. She gives waking him up another try, and in Jono’s interview, he says he hates being woken up. Aw, me too, princess. Elena tells him that she’s giving him another chance before this becomes a problem for him. It isn’t going to be good for him. In his interview, Jomo says, bitch, are you stupid? This is not going to be good for you.  

Next time, missing pants, Elena in tears, and the first crew night out.

Best quote tonight: Nothing’s lost until mom can’t find it. – Iain Maclean

Meet the cast:

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37027/below-deck-mediterranean-season-9-meet-the-cast

💘 Another Shocking Twist…

Didn’t see this one coming, but it’s cute.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-josh-kelly-and-chloe-lanier-are-dating

🍹 Ladies Who Lunch…

Looks like stiff competition this year, but no surprise, I’m rooting for Finola Hughes.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/inside-the-emmy-nominated-actresses-lunch

💣 The Victor Before the Last One…

What the original bad guy is up to now.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/days-of-our-lives/catch-up-with-soap-star-thaao-penghlis

🎷 They’ve Got Essence…

This looks like an amazing line-up.

https://www.essence.com/gallery/efoc-2024-performers/

🐩 Most Trusted…

Much easier than caring for an actual celebrity.

https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/blog/pets/favorite-famous-pets/

🌻 Because It’s June…

Join me next time for soap and whatever’s worthy. Until then, stay safe, stay enjoying what summer life has to offer, and stay not promising a great service if it can’t be fulfilled. Or as Captain Lee would say, don’t let your mouth write a check your ass can’t cash.

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

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Below Deck Mediterranean

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

👽 Not Luke Skywalker’s Father…

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

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

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dex sees Nina leave Cyrus’s room.

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

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

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

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

Below Deck Mediterranean

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

🫶🏾 He Had a Dream…

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

January 8, 2023 – Felicia Reveals the Results Of the DNA Test, More Gay Fun Less Hotel On Deck & City

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly is in Kelly’s by herself, remembering Bobbie. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, we’re closed, but the knocking continues. She opens the door, and Elizabeth is there.

Felicia tells Cody that she knows it wasn’t right and she definitely crossed the line, and Maxie says, she didn’t just cross it. She ran over it and torched it behind her. Cody asks how she could do this, and she says she’s been noticing his reactions to certain situations and thought something was off. He says, literally how? He never gave her a sample. She says, he didn’t have to. She took a few strands of hair the hairstylist used on him at Home & Heart. Maxie says, that was such a violation. How could she do that? Cody says, it looks like deception runs in the family.

On the phone in an unidentified restaurant, Lucy says she realizes they’re out of season, but it’s very, very important they find them… Because a friend of hers passed away and those were her favorite flowers. It would just mean everything to her if they could find them… She appreciates it and thanks them for trying. She tells Scotty that she’s really not trying to be difficult. She’s just wants to show proper respects. He says, she’s got his.

At the PC Grill, Brook tells Tracy that the results of the new face cream are incredible. These numbers are exciting. Tracy says, good, but she’s clearly not paying attention and Brook says, it’s understandable she’s distracted today. She knows this is a hard time for Tracy, losing Bobbie so soon after Luke. Tracy says, yet more proof that life can change in the blink of an eye, and Brook suggests they do this another time. They can reschedule. Tracy sees Martin walk in and says, no need.

Willow walks into Sonny’s old kitchen and hugs Josslyn, saying, sorry about Bobbie. We’re never ready to lose the people we love. Josslyn thanks her, and Willow asks if she needs anything or if she can do anything, but Josslyn says, no. She’s just glad Willow is here. Willow sees Michael, and the moss bowl🎍turns its back to him.

Dante goes into the interrogation room, telling the officer that he can take it from here. The officer leaves, and Sonny says he appreciates Dante coming in to ask him questions, but Dante knows he doesn’t talk to cops. Dante takes Sonny’s cuffs off, and Sonny asks if they’re doing this off the record. Dante says, this isn’t about the assault on Cyrus. Bobbie Spencer died.

Elizabeth says she knows this is a difficult time for Carly, and she probably wants to be alone, but she heard about Carly’s mom. She’s really sorry for Carly’s loss. Carly thanks her, but says, they’re closed, and Elizabeth says she knows. She doesn’t want to eat. She just wanted to be here to feel closer to Bobbie. She doesn’t want to intrude, but if there’s anything she can do for Carly or her family, please don’t hesitate to ask. She loved Carly’s mom. She starts to leave, but Carly asks if she wants to come in for a cup of coffee. Elizabeth says she’d love that, and they go inside.

Tracy says, Martin was supposed to be here with Lucy, and Brook says, Tracy invited Lucy and Martin to their business lunch? She must be a glutton for punishment. Tracy says she has to take care of something, and gets up. Brook tells her to ask him to join them, and Tracy goes over to Martin’s table. She asks, where’s his worst half? and he’s like, say what? She says, Lucy’s assistant said she was going to have a lunch date with him, yet here he is all by himself. She knows Lucy didn’t blow him off for work because she’s not at the office. Where is she? He asks if she’s aware that Bobbie Spencer passed away, and she says, yes, she is. Bobbie was her sister-in-law. He says, then it shouldn’t exactly be hard for her to comprehend why Lucy’s not in the mood for a lunch date. She says, Lucy and Bobbie had a feud for decades, and he says, it’s true they had a complicated relationship, but the truth is, Bobbie’s death has hit Lucy very hard. As a matter of fact, if she must know, Lucy and Scotty are together right now. They’re planning something for Bobbie’s memorial. Tracy laughs and says, those two together? Nothing good’s going to come from that.

Scotty says he wants to do everything in his power to honor Bobbie, but shrubbery’s not exactly his expertise, and Lucy says she knows. She’s not a florist, but the floral presentation at Bobbie’s memorial needs to be big and epic and beautiful to honor her life. She’s just so afraid that Bobbie’s flowers aren’t in season. What if they can’t find them? He says, she will. He’s seen her work magic before, and he wouldn’t want to bet against her, but he does admire her for doing this. She and Bobbie weren’t exactly copacetic. Lucy says, he’s right. They definitely had their issues. He tells her that he’d say so. Lucy was willing to get in trouble because she thought Bobbie wasn’t doing the Nurses Ball the way she wanted it done. She says, it’s just that she thought she could do it better, that she could raise more money. She and Bobbie did fight a lot, but somehow, she has this feeling that deep down there was mutual respect, and now they’ve run out of time. She’s not going to be able to make it right with Bobbie, and she’s going to regret that for the rest of her life. He says he feels the same way she does.

Sonny thanks Dante for telling him about Bobbie, and Dante asks if that’s all he’s got to say. Sonny says, until his attorney is present, and Dante says, come on. Sonny and Bobbie were friends for decades. That’s got to hurt. Sonny says he wasn’t expecting it, and Dante sits down. He says he heard and didn’t want to not tell Sonny with everything going on with Nina. He just wants Sonny to know he’s here for him, okay? Sonny says, really? and Dante asks if Sonny doesn’t believe him. Sonny says, Dante had him arrested, and Dante says, sometimes he’s a cop, but he’s Sonny’s son 24/7, and what he’s seeing right now as his son, kind of scares the hell out of him.

Felicia tells Cody that she’s not going to apologize for looking out for her husband. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for her family, and she just had to know if her suspicions were correct. He says he gets it. She just wanted Mac to know the truth, but Mac’s not the only person involved here. Sasha comes in and asks if she’s interrupting, and Maxie says she doesn’t mean to be rude, but they’re in the middle of something sensitive. Cody says, that’s okay. He and Sasha have actually talked about Felicia questioning the DNA results, and Maxie says, they discussed this before? Sasha says, don’t blame Cody. She actually brought it up. After what Maxie’s mom said on Christmas Eve, she just sort of mentioned it without thinking. She figured it didn’t matter since they all knew the truth. Cody says, Felicia actually just ran another DNA test to see if he was Mac’s son, and Sasha says, oh, wow. Okay. So that’s what’s going on here. If Felicia ran her own test, then she knows for sure Cody wasn’t lying. Felicia says she does. She really thought there was something else going on here, but she guesses her instincts were wrong this time. Cody is not Mac’s son.

Maxie says, of course (🍷) Cody isn’t Mac’s son, and she can’t believe Felicia thought he was, especially after the first DNA test. Felicia says she hopes Cody can forgive her, and he says, there’s just one thing he doesn’t understand. No one had to know about this if she’d just kept quiet, so why did she tell him? Felicia says, because it’s the right thing to do. He’s important to her family, and that means a lot to her. She doesn’t want there to be any secrets between them. She can admit when she’s done something wrong, and she doesn’t repeat her mistakes… Well, not often. He says he appreciates that. He knows telling him couldn’t have been easy, so they’re good. Maxie says, change of plans. She’s going to take the afternoon off and spend time with her mom. She thinks they could both use it. Felicia says she’d love that, and Maxie says, great. Let’s get out of here. She’ll call Sasha to reschedule. Maxie leaves with Felicia, and Cody asks, what the hell just happened?

Carly says she can make Elizabeth a BLT, or she thinks they have some pastries… Elizabeth says, Carly doesn’t need to take care of her. She’s going through a lot right now. She knows they’ve never been close – it’s probably easier that way – but if Carly needs to talk or just cry, she’s here for her. Carly thanks her and says she really appreciates that. She thinks she could use one of those pastries. Carly goes in the back to find something to help her eat her feelings, and she says, what? Dammit!

Sonny says, Dante doesn’t have to worry about him, but Dante says he disagrees. Sonny’s looking pretty rough. Maybe he just hit his breaking point with everything that’s going on. Sonny says he’s fine, but Dante says, he’s not. If he was, he wouldn’t have beaten someone up for no reason, even Cyrus Renault. Sonny says he appreciates Dante’s concern, but they both know he can’t separate being a cop from being his son. He doesn’t expect Dante to. Diane walks in and asks for a moment alone with her client, and Dante says, absolutely. He’ll be out there if they need him. He leaves, and Diane says, the arrest report says second degree assault. She’s just going to assume it was self-defense. Sonny says, no. Cyrus never raised a hand to him.

Willow asks how Josslyn is holding up, and Josslyn says, she’s okay… She means, not. She just misses Bobbie so much already. Willow says she knows, taking Josslyn’s hand. Losing Bobbie was just so unexpected. Michael says, thankfully, they have each other to lean on, and Willow agrees. She asks if Carly is here. She’d like to offer her condolences. Michael says, she’s at Kelly’s. She just needed some time alone. They’re all pretty much in shock. Josslyn says, mom’s devastated, and Willow says, of course (🍷) she is. Her heart breaks for Carly. Josslyn says she’s going to check on Avery and Donna, and leaves. Michael says, it’s good to see Willow, and she asks why he didn’t call her last night. She would’ve come over. He says, she’s here now, and she hugs him. She says she’s so sorry. She loved Bobbie too.

Sasha closes the door and tells Cody that she knew something was off when Felicia showed up at Home & Heart for no reason. Even Maxie was suspicious. And the way Felicia was watching him. There was just something about it that made her curious. So she followed Felicia and saw her taking hair out of the hairbrush they’d been using on him. So she figured Felicia was going to run another paternity test on him and Mac. He says, wow. The PCPD could use a detective as good as her. She says she didn’t actually know she was right until she saw Felicia telling a messenger to take an envelope to the lab. Fortunately, she was able to swap out the hair sample. He says, with whose hair? and she says, hers. He says, right. So he guesses she knew the results would come back negative. (Oh, okay. He’s not going to ask just how she swapped out the samples? Did she mug the messenger?) She says, or she was about to get the biggest surprise of her life, and he says he appreciates her going through all that trouble for him, but she really shouldn’t have done it. She asks, why not? She thought he was dead set about the truth of him being Mac’s son coming out. He says he ia, because he committed a crime, and she just implicated herself in it.

Martin says, the thought occurs, he shouldn’t have to abide Tracy’s continually snide comments about the woman he loves. Tracy sits down and tells him not to tie himself in a knot defending Lucy Coe. She has chosen to take solace from Scott Baldwin. He says he means it. Just because they don’t get along doesn’t mean she has to grab every single opportunity to tear Lucy down when she should be grieving. Tracy asks if Lucy has chosen to share her feelings about Bobbie’s passing with him, and he says, that doesn’t mean anything. She’s obviously processing an unexpected loss. She says, or Lucy doesn’t want him to see her real self. She doesn’t want to let him in, because if he knew the real sordid story about what Lucy did to Bobbie, he’d run for the hills. But there is one person who knows Lucy Coe, warts and all, and through every despicable act has stood by her. That’s Scott Baldwin.

Lucy says, reliving that horrible, horrible, horrible bet she made with Damien Smith, it not only hurt Bobbie, but it hurt Tony too, poor sweet Tony. And she deserved all the anger. She just had no respect for their marriage, but if she could take it back, she sure as heck would. He says, what a pair they were, and she says she doesn’t want to speak ill of the dead, but Bobbie was no saint all the time. People forget, but not always. He says, she would be the first one to admit that. When Bobbie brought her brother to this town, his life definitely changed. Lucy says she doesn’t want to judge Bobbie, because she’s lived her life in the grey area morally speaking – she can’t seem to help it – but Bobbie made mistakes too. But that’s the difference. Somehow, people forgave her and she rose above it and they looked up to her. Lucy doesn’t think it’s fair. Why didn’t she ever get that? He says, maybe if she was a nurse, she would have been forgiven… What did he just say? Lucy’s voice breaks as she says, if she tells him something right now, does he swear it will never leave this table? Does he swear? He says he promises, and they lock pinkies.

On the phone, Diane says she appreciates all the information… Absolutely, yes. Please call her if anything changes. She thanks them, and tells Sonny that it’s his lucky day despite being in custody. Cyrus Renault is in guarded, but stable condition. Sonny says, so is he going to make a full recovery? and she says, presumably. She can’t make any promises, but given Cyrus’s history of violence and the fact that he was recently incarcerated, she should be able to get Sonny bail. He thanks her, and she says, he pays her because she’s the best. She’ll go start the paperwork. Once he’s released, they should talk about next steps regarding Nina. Does he want her to start divorce proceedings?

Carly bangs on the sink, and says, stupid sink. She can’t believe this. It picks today of all days to do this again? Elizabeth comes in and asks, what’s the problem? Carly says, this sink. It keeps backing up and no matter what she does, she can’t fix it. It’s just infuriating. Elizabeth asks if she has a wrench, and Carly gets one out of a cupboard and gives it to her. Elizabeth says, by the way, it’s not the sink; it’s the pipes. She goes underneath the sink and bangs on the pipe. The water goes down, and Carly asks how she did that. Elizabeth says she used to work here, remember? This sink was always a problem. It used to drive Carly’s mother crazy. Carly starts to cry and says she’s sorry. She knows it might seem small to Elizabeth, but it’s not; it’s big. All she wants is to run Kelly’s so smoothly that it will make her mom proud and not let her down. Elizabeth says, Carly couldn’t. She was everything to her mom. Carly thanks her.

Michale asks how the kids are, and Willow says, they’re fine. He asks if she told them, but she says, no. Not without him there. She thinks that’s something they should do together. He says he agrees, and the moss bowl🎍agrees with his agreement. He hated being away from her last night. He tossed and turned for hours. He missed her being next to him. He knows he messed up and he messed up bad, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. She says she wishes it was that simple; she really does. But this has her looking at their relationship with new eyes. He really hurt her.

Cody says, Sasha made herself an accessory after the fact. Why would she put herself in the middle of his mess? She says, seems like a minor risk after what he did for her, and he says, the last thing he wants to do is put her in a bad position, but she says, he didn’t. It was her call and she never hesitated for a second. He thanks her and says he appreciates it, but next time, can she give him a heads up? He was this close to confessing everything to Felicia. She says she admits Felicia surprised her. She had no reason to admit what she did. She must really care about him. He says, yeah, or her family does. He’s grown really attached to them. To James, to Maxie, and to Mac, and he’s lying to all of them. He hates it. She says she knows he does, and he says, Felicia had the guts to tell the truth, but he still doesn’t. She says, it’s more complicated for him than it is for Felicia. She wouldn’t face any legal consequences by telling the truth. (Wait. What? She just had a DNA test done without his knowledge or consent.) He wonders why he let Scotty talk him into that stupid WSB lawsuit. Because he saw the possibility of a big payday, and it ended up costing him a family.

Michael says he wasn’t trying to hurt Willow. Just the opposite. He was trying to prevent her from being hurt. She say she understands why he did it, but she’s not okay with him lying to her, even if it’s a lie of omission. He says he’s sorry, and she says she knows he is, and this is the worst possible time for this to happen. His grandmother just died and that’s where his focus is, where it should be, but even though she’s going to be here to support his family during this difficult time… He says, she needs space, and she says, yes. But she’s going to bring the kids over after she gets off work. She’ll see him then. She leaves and Josslyn comes back. He asks how much she heard, and she says, enough to know he messed up bad. What did he do? He says he found out that Nina reported mom and Drew to the SEC, and he kept it from everyone.

Sonny tells Diane, right now, he just wants to get out of here. His family just suffered a big loss. Bobbie just passed away. Diane says she heard about that; all of her condolences. But they’ve got to discuss the Nina of it all. He says he understands, but she’s not a priority right now. His children just lost their grandmother and Carly just lost her mother… She says she’s got it. She’s going to see about getting him released. She leaves.

Carly says, it’s funny. She always knew Elizabeth worked with her mom at GH, but she forgot Elizabeth used to work here (me too). Elizabeth says, it was so long ago. She’s known Carly’s mom for as long as she’s been in Port Charles. Bobbie was there for her in one of the darkest moments of her life. She honestly doesn’t know if she would have been able to get through it if it weren’t for Bobbie. Bobbie understood exactly what she was going through, and she definitely needed that. She was so steady and gentle, and so compassionate. Carly’s mom and this place became kind of a refuge for her. She was safe here, and she owes Bobbie so much for that. She thinks that’s why she wanted to be here right now. Because when everything in her life was falling apart, she knew she could always count on Bobbie. She thinks she just wanted to feel that security again.

Carly says she thinks being a nurse was the perfect job for her mom. No one was better at taking care of people. Elizabeth says, Bobbie showed her how to treat others. She’s always tried to put that into practice at GH. Pay it forward for her. Carly thanks her, and Elizabeth says, her mom may be gone, but she left an incredible legacy, and that’s how she’s going to live on. Not just in the hearts of her family, but in everyone who strived to bring a little compassion and kindness back into this world. Carly thanks Elizabeth for talking to her about her mom, because it’s exactly what she needed. She thanks Elizabeth for being her friend and staying. It’s what her mom would have done. They hug and Elizabeth leaves.

At the cemetery, Maxie tells Felicia that she’s glad they decided to come here today. Felicia says, her too, and puts flowers on BJ’s grave, touching the headstone. She says, say hello to your mom, sweet girl, and takes Maxie’s hand. She says she sure misses Bobbie, and BJ.

Josslyn asks, why make a deal with Nina? and Michael says, because when he went to tell dad the truth, he couldn’t go through with it. He was so happy and so in love. If he would have found out Nina turned Drew and mom into the SEC, it would have broken his heart. The same with Willow. Every single time Willow let Nina in, Nina disappointed her or worse. He thought he was protecting his family from Nina. She says, at their mother’s expense? and he says, that’s easy for her to say. She’s not in his position. Does he regret lying to mom? Yes, he does, but he didn’t have any good choice here. She says, telling the truth would have been a good one, and he asks if she’s ever lied to protect someone she loves.

Diane says, Sonny is a free man. Cyrus Renault being a convicted felon worked in their favor and she was able to secure his bail. So go home, deal with what he needs to deal with, then call her. They’ll circle back to their previous conversation and discuss next steps. Sonny says, okay,and thanks her. Dante comes in and closes the door. Sonny says he just wants Dante to know that he heard every word Dante said before and he appreciates it. Dante says he understands why Sonny didn’t want to talk to him before. He didn’t want to arrest Sonny. Sonny says, Dante was doing his job; he’s a cop. He wants Dante to know he’s also his son and he loves him. Dante says he loves Sonny too, and if Sonny wants to talk, he’s literally down the hall. Sonny says, he can count on it.

Lucy tells Scotty that she can’t believe she never realized she was jealous of Bobbie. That’s why Bobbie always got under her skin. She was able to break out from her past and redeem her reputation, and people looked up to her for that. And she resented Bobbie for that. Bobbie had what she wanted. Bobbie had everyone’s respect and the admiration she craved. What’s funny is, in the end, maybe she and Bobbie weren’t so different after all. If she could have just gotten over all her jealousy and pettiness, maybe they would have ended up being friends. He says, if she was here and Lucy told her that… Lucy says, Bobbie would probably laugh in her face, but he says he doesn’t think so. He thinks they could have been friends. Bobbie could hold a grudge, but she was also very forgiving. She forgave him time and time and time again. She did not deserve all the things he did to her. Lucy says she feels the same way, and she cries. Scotty hands her a napkin, and their hands touch.

Tracy tells Martin, Lucy Coe is just one step away from her next misdeed. And for as long as she can remember, Scotty has always been her go-to guy. Does he want to be collateral damage? Be her guest. Just don’t ever say she didn’t warn him. She goes back to her table, and Brook asks what that was all about. Or does she even want to know? Tracy says, Lucy and Scotty are trying to put one over on her, but they’ve clearly forgotten who she is. Once you cross her, she destroys you.

Carly flashes back to Bobbie telling her, just like when Aunt Ruby died, they’ll get through Luke’s death together. She looks around Kelly’s and sighs.

Josslyn says she doesn’t agree Michael’s decision, but she’s not going to fight with him. She can’t be mad at him now that grandma’s gone. She needs him. He says, the most important thing now is that their family sticks together, and they hug. He says, they’ll get each other through this.

Diane tells Dante to please look after his father. Without breaking attorney/client privilege… He says he’s got it.

Sasha says, Cody is in this position now because there are people in his life he cares about, that he doesn’t want to hurt. He says, she’s right. He guesses he’s not used to people sticking their necks out for him like she did. She says she guesses he’s just going to have to face the fact he’s not alone in the world anymore, and he says he has a partner in crime now.

Maxie tells Felicia that she misses Bobbie so much. At least they know she’s with BJ now. It’s a small comfort, but it helps. She wasn’t ready to lose Bobbie yet. It hurts so much. Felicia says she knows, and hugs Maxie. She says, at least they have memories of her and that gets them through, and they have each other. That makes it hurt a little bit less.

Tracy tells Brook that she doesn’t know when Scotty and Lucy concocted this scheme, but clearly, they’re exploiting what they perceive as her loneliness. Brook says, how dare they use her like this? After all those nasty things Lucy said to her about Luke, she can’t believe Lucy would try to use Tracy’s grief to her advantage. Tracy says, anything Lucy does is believable, but she’s going to use their faults against them, and they’ll never see it coming. In fact, they’re going to dig their own graves. Brook says, good. Make them pay for it. She does know how much Tracy misses Luke. She just hopes dealing with this doesn’t distract her from dealing with those feelings. Tracy slides some papers toward herself and asks what they’re working on.

Lucy tells Scotty, oh no, no, no. She forgot to order the forget-me-nots. He says he doesn’t think Bobbie would care about the forget-me-nots, but she says, that’s not the point. The point is, they’re symbolic. They have to honor Bobbie properly, and then they’ve got to get back to doing what they do best. He asks what that means, and she says, it means marrying him off to Tracy Quartermaine and bringing her down. Scotty rubs his forehead, Lucy says, ta, and leaves.

Carly turns out the lights and looks around Kelly’s. She says, oh mom. How am I gonna do this alone? She walks outside and finds Sonny there.

Tomorrow, Curtis tells Portia that he promised he’d never do that again; Alexis asks Greogry, what comes next; and Laura says, Esme has to tell the truth.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Ugh. Back to the old Deck.

Captain Sandy calls Max to the bridge and says she doesn’t like to be lied to. Don’t do it again. He said there was no food and pitched a fit, when there was pasta. Max says he didn’t want pasta, and the captain tells him, then say he doesn’t want it, not that there’s no food. What he did was wrong, and he needs to say he’s sorry. Max says, no, and leaves, and Lara says, he’s a baby. The captain follows Max to the bow and says she understands he’s hungry and tired. Lara wonders if Haleigh is coming back, but Luka says he’s not sure. Max tells the captain that he can’t digest pasta, and she says, he did lie to her. In her interview, she says she doesn’t tolerate lying or insubordination. She would have talked to the chef, and Jack would have been blindsided. Max’s lie affected other people, and that’s not okay. She tells Max that she thinks he’s just frustrated. He has a new schedule, needs food, and she’ll make sure he gets it. Kyle talks to primary Billy and guest Chris, and says, it’s been an interesting ride for him. We flash back to Kyle’s season, and he tells them that he had expectations coming in and thinks that was his downfall. Billy complains about Jack not hearing him on the temperature of the meat. He says, if the chef doesn’t listen, there’s no value in telling him anything, and Kyle says he’ll chat with Jack. In Tumi’s interview, she says, the saving grace with Lily is that she’s reminded Tumi that in being chief stew, she’s in a position to allow people time and space to grow, Max gets food! and in his interview, he says he’s tired and hungry, and become angry. He marvels at how the words hungry and angry are similar, which leads me to believe he’s never heard the word hangry. He says he needs to take a breath and watch cat videos on YouTube. I do like the simplicity of Max.

Tumi tells the guests that they have access to a castle in Genoa for the day, Santa Margherita. In her interview, she says she’s been missing Kyle. His part in this charter was bringing the energy they need. They complement each other. There are charters she’s better at, like the Florida girls, but in dealing with demanding Billy, Kyle has the energy to manage it. Kyle tells Tumi about Billy’s chef complaint, and says he’s not feeling his best, so he’s lying down. Luke tells Captain Sandy that Katie Flood is in Portofino, and the captain asks if he has a crush on her. He’s smiling like it’s a crush; she can tell. In Luka’s interview, he says, the captain doesn’t have a clue, and it’s best for her not to know these things. Tumi asks Luka to meet her, and tells him the plans for going to the castle. Luka radios Max, but Lara says she’ll go. Max is tired and needs to digest his food. In his interview, Max says he was awake at 3 am, then he was fighting for food. In Lara’s interview, she says, Max can go to bed and suck his thumb. She doesn’t want to hear complaining. Lily plays a guessing game with the guests, and Jack tells Tumi that he’s doing classic combinations on small plates for the guests’ Dine in the Dark dinner. Luka teaches Jessika how to drive the tender, and in Jessika’s interview, she says, it’s exciting with Luka. It’s weird. Normally, she likes medium ugly guys because they stick around. In Luka’s interview, he says he’s Max’s boss and he’s been up since 6 am with no break. If he tells Max to do something, do it. The guests go to the castle, and I decide there are just too many stairs in Italy, watching Lily carry a ton of stuff up to the top. In the crew mess, the captain teases Luka about texting his girlfriend, and Luka says, Katie wants to see them. Captain Sandy says she knew it was Katie because of his face. He’s smitten. In her interview, Jessika says, what f***ing girlfriend? and Luka asks, what’s smitten? In Tumi’s interview, she says, the captain has no idea what’s going on. She’s wondering how Luka is going to get himself out of this one.

Luka tries to change the subject by talking about the jet ski, and says, Katie used to go out with one of his mates. Because we’re in kindergarten, Captain Sandy says, Luka likes her, and in her interview, Jessica says, what the f***? over and over. She thinks Luka looks guilty. He’s been making out with her and has a crush on some girl? She’s triggered. Tumi tells Jack, that was awkward, and the guests come back, saying that lunch at the castle was fabulous. The captain checks on Kyle, and asks, how’s his head? He says he’s struggling, and she tells him to let her know if he doesn’t feel better. In Lara’s interview, she says she was a bartender for two years. She and the other bartender would take off their shirts and do body shots and the tips came rolling in, but that won’t work with this group. Lily makes margaritas, which seems fitting. Back on the boat, Luka says, when he tells Max to do something, he has to do it, and Max says he’s exhausted, but Luka says he is too. He doesn’t want to be controlling, but wants Max to give his energy. He can’t complain or go to his room. Max says he just wants five f***ing minutes. It’s physic what he does [sic]. In Max’s interview, he says he doesn’t appreciate Luka talking to him like a child. He picks up the guests and brings them back. They rave over the excursion, saying it was amazing, really cool, and the service was impeccable. Billy tells Tumi that the secret to Dine in the Dark relies on service; they have to explain where things are. The pressure is on Tumi. Tumi says she’s got them. In Jack’s interview, he says, there have got to be strong flavors. You taste first with your eyes. It’s weird, but true. Now he can do what he wants because they can’t see it. In Lily’s interview, she says, Max has a wacky personality. He makes her laugh though. Lara tells Max, stop fornicating and let’s go. Tumi explains to Jessika how they have to direct the guests, and Jessika thinks it’s going to be messy. In Tumi’s interview, she says she’s never done Dine in the Dark. It’s going to be a test of her communication skills.

The first course of oysters mignonette is served, and Tumi gives the guests guidance on where the utensils are. Billy says he doesn’t know what it is, but it’s good. Someone actually guesses accurately, and they take a shot. In Lily’s interview, she says, in a week, she’s gone from rubbish to good. Think of how she’ll be in a year. Jessika tells Lily, Luka is a f***boy, and explains about him texting Katie. She’s not even going to look at him. In Jessika’s interview, she says, all she can think of is, f***boy, avoid, avoid, avoid. She’s hurt, but she has to focus on work. The guests chase the next course of yellowtail with saffron sauce around the plate, which is pretty amusing. Lara tells Luka what Jessika said, and he says, it’s awkward. He’s got to speak her. In Luka’s interview, he says, obviously, he likes Jessika more than a friend, but they’re not in a relationship. He and Katie are just friends, even if he’s texting her as more than friend… Ugh. This guy. Again, like my local K-Mart. He started of strong and went downhill. The captain checks in on dinner, surprised that the guests really can’t see, and Tumi says, the next course is more complicated because they need two utensils. Ribeye with peppercorn sauce is served. Luka tells the captain that she got him in trouble, but she says she had no idea. In her interview, she says, don’t hate the player; hate the game. Luke texts Jessika and says he knows she’s pissed off, but Captain Sandy was joking. Chocolate mousse with poached pear, otherwise known as a major candidate for Food Porn of the Year, is served for dessert. I taste it with my eyes. When one of the guests guesses pear, another says, pair of what? reminding me of the dad jokes I grew up with. Jessika tells Tumi that she’s trying to avoid Luka, and Tumi asks if she thinks she’s just being emotional. Jessika says she doesn’t know. They’ll see if she gives in when she’s f***ed up. But she’s not f***ed up now, so she’s not giving in. In Tumi’s interview, she says, between Jessika’s disastrous love life, Kyle being ill, and Lily thriving, they’re doing really well. Luka texts that he’s sorry if he pissed Jessika off. He spoke to Captain Sandy. In Luka’s interview, he says he’s trying to prove his innocence. He’ll have to look into getting a lawyer. Definitely not Sandy. Jessika says she’s going to bed. She has no energy to do this.

The guests want late night snacks, and Lily makes guacamole with Max assisting. Luka texts Natalya that he misses her, and she texts back that she misses him more. What’s wrong with this jerk? In Lily’s interview, she says, the last boat she was on, she was the only stew on an 82 foot sailboat. She tells Max, obviously she’s not a critically acclaimed chef, and it’s taking so long, the guests wonder if they should have just asked for milkshakes. Then they wonder if she died. In Lily’s interview, she says she wouldn’t eat this herself, and tells them, it has a massive kick, but they like it. Max goes on anchor watch. In the morning, Captain Sandy sees bad weather ahead, and announces, all hands on deck. She wants to depart before it gets worse. Lara says her body is sore and she has the chills, and in her interview, she says she woke up feeling really rough. Having Haleigh off, she doesn’t want to say anything. Luka says, she’s got the flu, but Lara insists she doesn’t. Kyle stumbles out, and Tumi asks Lily to pack for the guests, then asks Jessika about Luka. Jessika says, Luka wanted to hang out when the charter was over, but she gets attached when she keeps hanging out with someone. She might as well enjoy the last few days, then that’s it. She asks what Tumi thinks, and Tumi tells her to decide for herself, and she’ll tell Jessika what she thinks after it’s over. Kyle says he’s here now, and in his interview, he says, finally the pain is gone. But even when he wasn’t present, the interior did well. Tumi is the boss bitch he came to work with. He hugs Billy and says, when they came, he got a migraine, and now that they’re leaving, he’s feeling fantastic. In Max’s interview, he says she’s knows Luka’s just doing his job, and deep down, he’s a good guy. They can make a reset like on an iPhone. Jessika texts Luka to meet her in the captain’s office. They meet, and he says, all good? She says, no bad vibes, and noticing them, Tumi says, it’s ridiculous. In her interview, Jessika says, the situation is annoying, but at the same time, it’s not her business who Luka is talking to. In his interview, Luka says, just because he’s talking to Katie, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. Everyone has feelings. Wow. What an Einstein. Tumi says, this is why she doesn’t have relationships with Scorpios. In her interview, Jessika says she’s going in eyes open. In Luka’s interview, he says he never suggested they had a relationship. It’s no strings. Imagine if people found out he was texting Natalya.

They dock, and in Lara’s interview, she says, honestly, she feels like a bag of d*cks. She just wants to dock the boat so she can go to bed. Captain Sandy tells the crew to get in their whites for guest departure, and they do the usual. Billy says, the charter was amazing, Tumi’s team was incredible, and after a stumble, Jack was great. More gay fun, less hotel. In Jack’s interview, he says, if that’s the only critique Billy can give, he’ll give himself a pat on the back. The guests leave, and Captain Sandy tells the crew to meet for the tip meeting. She gets a text from Haleigh, who says she’s spent two days throwing up non-stop. The captain radios the crew and says, since no one is here, she’s taking the cash. The crew hurries in and she says she bought herself some shoes with the tip money. She tells them that they’re almost there. Having said that, they came together. Even though they were down a person, they did an excellent job. They should always want to be there for each other. She tells Tumi that she’s impressed and proud, and she’s especially proud of Lily. The deck team, the same; they killed it. She thanks the crew, and says, with that…. the tip is $32K, the biggest the entire season. I’m pretty sure it’s the biggest in any season of the franchise, and they clink glasses. Even though she didn’t say, I figured it to be $4000 each. In her interview, Tumi says, girl, yes! This specific charter made her feel good. If she can manage to make it a success with people less experienced, she can give herself a pat on the shoulder. Haleigh texts Luka that she’s still throwing up, and Lara goes to bed. Jessika says, they’re getting drink drank drunk, and Luka tells Lara, rest up. In Lara’s interview, she says she’s worried about missing the last charter. It will be Luka doing all the work. Max doesn’t do sh*t. I’ve decided it’s like a big PJ party to Max.

The crew gets ready to go out, and for whatever reason, Max stays on board. They go to a restaurant that Tumi pronounces civilized. Lily thanks the crew for allowing her to be a part of them, even though she came in late, and Tumi says, she’s so improved. Jessika says, Lily is now a now badass, and they wonder why Max stayed behind. On the yacht, Max lounges in his robe. In his interview, he says he loves his robe. It’s so bougie. You can shoot a hip hop clip in it because it’s so cool. To his credit, he checks on Lara. At the restaurant, Luka asks if Jessika wants to go to France after the charter is over, and she says, might as well. In her interview, she says, Luka is in damage repair mode. Why did she say yes? When she gets approval or attention, it feels good. She can admit that. They move on to a bar, get loud, and kind of dance. Lily does a backbend, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s the first night out no one has drama. This is the chaos she’s looking for. They go back to the boat, and Lily says she’s going to wake up Prince What’s-His-Name. Jessika gets in Luka’s bunk, and he puts up a privacy towel. Lily climbs in with Max, and in Max’s interview, he says, she smells like alcohol and cigarettes. When you talk to me, move 45 degrees on the left.

In the morning, six hours to charter, Captain Sandy texts Haleigh to see how she’s feeling. She sees Lara and asks, what’s wrong? Lara says she feels fluey; she has body chills. The captain wonders if she should be on board and decides she’s getting Lara off the boat. Lara says she understands and tells Luka. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, if Lara is down and Haleigh doesn’t come back, she’ll be down to Max and Luka. She won’t be able to leave the dock. She has to abide by the Safe Manning document. She calls to get a doctor for Lara ASAP, and in her interview, she says she has to meet the safety requirements. How is she going to get off the dock with only two deckhands? Haleigh texts that she’ll call. It’s been a rough two days.

Next time, Jessica says she’s going to Cannes with Luka; Captain Sandy misses Natalya’s organizational skills; Jeff tells Natalya to come see them; and Natalya makes Jack promise not to tell anyone she’s coming.

☔️ That Rainy Day Is Now…

Join me tomorrow for more soap angst and Golden Globes talk. Until then, stay safe; stay contemplating one thing you would like to happen in 2024 and then make a plan to bring it into being; and stay admitting when you’ve done something wrong and not repeating your mistakes. At least not often.

January 5, 2024 – Sonny Packs Nina’s Bags, He’s Back, Two More, AMC Gallery, Salty Talk, Even Saltier, Scammed, She Does, Last One, Globing It, Midnight, Puppy Bowl (!), Quotes For a New Year & Future

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

By the memorial wall at GH, Felicia talks to Maxie on the phone. Felicia thanks Maxie for the offer, but declines, and Maxie says, if she changes her mind, let her know. She knows how much Bobbie meant to her. Felicia says she knows how much Bobbie meant to Maxie. Is she sure she doesn’t want to take the day off? Maxie says she needs to keep busy. She can’t believe Bobbie is gone. Felicia says, neither can she. She’ll call Maxie when they’re finished. Anna comes along, and she and Felicia hug and cry.

Cody comes to Maxie’s office and says, greetings, I was… What’s wrong? Maxie says, everything.

Sam hugs Drew and says, it’s good to see him. She invites him in and asks, how’s Carly? He says, she’s staying strong and missing her mom, and Sam says she didn’t know Bobbie that well, but she did always admire her. He suggests she give Carly a call, and she says, of course () she will. He says, not just about that. About some other news that came out that he doesn’t really want to get into right now. She says she’s sure Carly will catch her up to speed, and he says he came by to pick up Scout to get her new uniform. He’s sorry; he should have called first. She says she wishes he had called. She could have saved him a trip. He asks if Scout is okay, and she says, Scout’s fine. He says, if this morning doesn’t work, it will have to be this afternoon. He doesn’t mean to rush her, but Scout is starting at Westwood Academy on Monday… Sam says, about that. Scout won’t be going to Westwood Academy.

On the phone at Sasha’s, Nina leaves a message for Willow, saying, it’s her again. She knows she’s probably the last person Willow wants to talk to right now, but she’s begging Willow to please let her explain. She knows Willow is probably sick of hearing her say that, but call her please. She sees Sasha and says, she’s not going to call, is she? Sasha says, give her time, and Nina says, why should Willow call her? There’s no explanation, there’s no excuse for her doing what she did. Sasha says, that’s probably how Willow feels, and Nina thanks her for her honesty. She also thanks Sasha for putting her up last night. She really didn’t want to be alone. Sasha says, anytime. And when she does finally speak to Willow, she’ll find the words.

Dante rouses Laura, who’s snoozing in a chair in Cyrus’s hospital room. He asks if she spent the night here, but she says she didn’t. Doc insisted she go home, but then she couldn’t sleep, so she came back first thing. She must have dozed off. He says he takes it Cyrus hasn’t regained consciousness, and she says she doesn’t think so. Not yet anyway. But since her brother isn’t talking, perhaps Dante can fill her in. Does the PCPD know who attacked her brother?

Sonny opens the penthouse door, and Frank says he’s sorry. He told her that Sonny said no visitors. Lois says she told him that Sonny would make an exception, and Sonny nods. Frank tells her to go in, and Sonny says, make it fast. Ava’s at the gallery and the kids are at Carly’s and he just wants to be alone. She says, he will be once she leaves. Has the cleaning crew been here already? He asks, why? and she says, because she knows him, of all people, wouldn’t take his new wife’s betrayal lying down, yet she sees no sign of a rampage and not a shattered glass in sight. He says, people change, but she says, not that much. Ah! She sees luggage. Is he taking this act on the road? He says he’s not going anywhere. Nina is.

Felicia says she’s really glad Anna is here, and Anna says, there’s nowhere else she’d rather be. Bobbie wouldn’t want Felicia to do this alone. Felicia thanks her and cries a little, and Anna asks if she’s ready. Felicia says she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be ready.

Maxie says, Bobbie Spencer died, and Cody says he’s so sorry. He only met her briefly at the Nurses Ball, but he’s really sorry she lost her friend. She says, it was more than that. When she was a kid, Bobbie was married to her Uncle Tony. Her cousin BJ was Bobbie’s stepdaughter first, then she sealed the deal and adopted BJ. Long story short, BJ died when a drunk driver plowed into their school bus, and she was gone. She was seven years old. He says, that’s awful, and Maxie says she was six at the time and she’d been waiting on a heart for her heart transplant that she thought would never come, and the heart that’s in her body right now is from Bobbie’s daughter, because Bobbie and her Uncle Tony gave it to her. He says, Bobbie sounds like an incredibly strong and generous woman, and Maxie says she could go to Bobbie for anything, especially all those years her mom wasn’t around. Now she couldn’t get rid of her mom if she tried, but back then, Bobbie was her go-to. She was everyone’s go-to. She lived to help people. She wasn’t sentimental about it. She did not mince her words. If you did something wrong or made a mistake, she told you, but she did it because she cared about people. And now she can’t imagine Port Charles without Bobbie Spencer.

Sam tells Drew, Scout has been tied up in knots about this. She has nightmares. She’s a nervous wreck. He says, then he’ll go talk to her, but she says, Scout isn’t here. Rocco took her out to breakfast. (How old is Rocco now? He drives? He pays for breakfast?) Drew says he sees, and she says, he sees what? He says, she’s got her appetite back, so he’s assuming Sam told her it’s okay she’s not going to Westwood. She says, he doesn’t understand. She was so anxious. He says, so Sam just made this decision unilaterally. There was no phone call, no texting him, no discussion… She says, actually, she had to make a choice. She could reassure their daughter right away or wait until she spoke to him, and she chose peace. She figured they’d talk about it when he got here. He says, after Sam told her it was okay. Isn’t that a little backwards? She agrees she should have spoken to him, and he thanks her. He says he’s glad they agree on that much, and she says, just like he should have come to her before he pitched the idea to Scout in the first place. (Booya!)

In the hallway, Dante tells Laura that they have their people canvassing the area outside the church and checking all the traffic cameras, but so far, there is no suspect in Cyrus’s attack. Laura says, it’s not like he has any shortage of enemies either. He’s done a lot of damage in this community. He says, and yet, here she is sitting vigil, and she says she guesses whether she likes it or not, he’s still a member of her family. And what she’s learned from her son Nikolas is, although she may not like the way he behaves sometimes, she still has the need to let them try to do better. Dante says he appreciates her sticking to her principles, even though Cyrus has never given her a reason to, and she looks in the room window. She says she thinks he’s waking up, and they go back in.

Laura asks if Cyrus can hear her (FYI, his bruised face makeup is amazing), and he says, an angel with the face of his sister. She says, no angels here. He’s still very much among the living. He says, so he sees, and she says she’s going to try and get his doctor. She leaves, and Dante asks if Cyrus can tell him what happened. Cyrus says, someone seems to have brought him to General Hospital. This is the second time the good people here have snatched his life back from the jaws of death. Dante says, he’s a very lucky man, and Cyrus says, not lucky, blessed. Dante says, right. He’s the victim of a brutal assault. Why doesn’t Cyrus help him lock up whoever did this to him? Cyrus says, like the local constabulary cares, and Dante says, try him. Give him a name and he’ll haul them down to the precinct by the end of the day.

Lois says she’s not surprised Sonny is evicting Nina. The last thing she expected was two neatly packed suitcases. She figured he’d just throw her stuff over the balcony. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says, checking up on a friend. He says, she checked up on him. She can go ahead and go. She tells him that she needed to say she didn’t mean to blow up his life. She just thought he deserved to know the truth. He says he appreciates it. He wishes the other people in his life were as honest as her. She asks where he’s banishing Nina to. Outer Mongolia? An ice floe? Buffalo? He says, she owns the hotel. She can stay there for now. Lois says, for now? Does that mean he’s not done with her for good?

Felicia asks if Anna is ready, and Anna says, whenever Felicia is. Felicia unlocks Bobbie’s office, and they go inside. Felicia picks up Bobbie’s stethoscope and looks at it, and we see all the photos on the credenza. Felicia says, look at all these, and picks one up. This was from Anna’s wedding to Robert. Anna says, she was loved by so many people, and Felicia says, because she loved them. She was always the first to show up for people, the first to extend a hand. She was the anchor for her family, and for this hospital. Felicia cries and Anna puts her arm around Felicia’s shoulders and says, these photos tell the story of a life well-lived.

Drew says, so this isn’t about Scout not going to Westwood Academy. It’s about Sam getting back at him because he didn’t consult her about Scout? Sam says, no, of course (🍷) not. She’s just pointing out the fact that he put her on the spot when he announced Scout was going to Westwood in front of their daughter. He says, she’s right. He did blindside her. She says, exactly. All she’s saying is they can both do better. Of course (🍷) if she could do it over, she would come to him first. He says, then why didn’t she? Scout has been feeling this way for a while. She says she thought Scout might change her mind. At least she hoped Scout would. But the closer it got, the more she seemed to dread it, and her immediate concern was for Scout’s well-being. He says, and his isn’t? but she says, that’s not what she’s saying. He says, really? Because it sure sound like what he says and what he wants doesn’t matter at all. She thinks she gets the final word when it comes to what’s best for their daughter? (Will someone please smack this guy?)

Dante says, the doctor is in with Cyrus now, and Laura says, great. Was he able to identify his attacker? Dante says, probably, but he’s not, and she says, why not? He was the victim. Dante tells her that Cyrus said – and he quotes – as I await my eternal reward, so to shall law enforcement await my cooperation. She says she thinks she liked him better before his conversion, and they laugh. Did he say anything else? Dante says, Cyrus told him that his attacker was not to be blamed, that his so-called frailty was the reason his injuries were so bad. She asks what he can do with that, and he says, nothing really. Without a name and without any evidence, they can investigate, but it’s not going to go anywhere. She says, without an account from the victim or an eyewitness, he can’t bring a case, can he? Dante says, if only there was someone he trusted that he could tell the truth to, like say… his sister?

Nina says she shouldn’t be here. She’s putting Sasha in a really odd, awkward position. She’s friends with Michael and Willow, and on good terms with Carly. And Sonny still thinks of her as family. Sasha says, every one of those people knows she considers Nina family too, and Nina thanks her. Sasha says, Nina’s not a fugitive. It’s not a crime for her to be here, so stop acting like it is. Nina says, okay. Once again, she’s managed to make herself Public Enemy #1. Sasha says, who cares what people think? Nina still has friends.

Sonny asks what Lois wants from him, and she sees his hand and says, whoa. It looks like he did break something after all. What was it this time, a wall? Somebody’s face? He says, a lot of things were broken yesterday, and she says, as she recalls, one of those things was his marriage, but he is still wearing his wedding ring. He says, so what? and she says, when Brenda betrayed him, he thought she was dead to him dead. Yet still wearing that ring indicates he’s not done with Nina yet, suitcases or not. He says he gave up a lot to be with Nina. It felt like the whole world was against them. Lois says she sees. So if he takes off that ring and throws it in the river, he’s proving all the naysayers, right? He says he doesn’t care what people think, and she says, true that. Who cares what they think? What does he think? He says he thought he fell in love with someone who made mistakes, owned up to them, and learned from them. But now, he finds out Nina is a traitor. She went against his family for months and lied to him. He won’t forget that.

Laura goes back in Cyrus’s room, and he tells her, the doctor says he’ll live, thanks to the grace of God. She says, it wasn’t God who put him in this hospital bed though. Why doesn’t he just tell her what happened? He wonders if she’s asking as the mayor or as his family, and she says, both. What kind of relationship are they going to have if he can’t tell her who beat him within an inch of his life? He says, once she knows the answer, she may well be sorry she asked.

Laura says, Sonny Corinthos did this to him? and Cyrus says, why the shock? She says, because she doesn’t think Sonny’s that easily provoked, and he asks if they know the same Sonny Corinthos. She says she knows he has a temper. He yells. He throws things. He breaks things. Cyrus laughs and says, he’s been known to break more than things, and she says, still, it would be highly unusual for Sonny to beat someone up himself, and randomly, to the point of putting them in the hospital. He says, wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous… Proverbs. Sonny is a deeply unhappy man. He took his feelings of hurt and betrayal out on a convenient target – me. She says, why though? What did Cyrus do to betray him? He says, not him. Sonny was sinned against by his spouse. She asks if he’s talking about Nina, and he says he was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, so Sonny unleashed his frustrations on him.

Sasha says, Nina must have assumed Carly and Drew would end up in prison. Carly’s daughter Donna is what? Five? Six? Drew’s daughter Scout is a few years older. However angry Nina was at the parents, it’s unlike her to do something cruel to those girls. Nina says, it is. She wasn’t thinking. She had tunnel vision and could only think about her pain, nobody else’s, so why would anyone forgive her? Sasha says, after what she did to Nina, Nina should have never spoken to her again, and look at them. Here they are. And if Nina could forgive her, give others a chance to do the same for her. Nina says, that’s what she wants, and Sasha says, then let it happen. Don’t force it like every instinct in her body is screaming to do. Let it be and she might get what she wants. Nina says, what she wants may be very different than what she deserves.

Sonny tells Lois, Nina tried to get Carly locked up, separated from her children. Donna is just a little girl. Lois says, not only that, but Nina profited from Carly’s misfortune, right? Nina ended up with Carly’s half of the MetroCourt. That snake is lining her pockets with his ex’s misery. She’s never had much to say about Carly, but she didn’t deserve this. He says, Nina crossed the line, too many lines, and she says, if Nina could do something so reprehensible to the mother of his children, what else is she capable of? Does he believe he can ever trust her again? Then again, love doesn’t just disappear overnight.

Maxie asks if there are any issues with Cody’s pay, but he says, no. If he knew he could make this much money without rigging poker games, he would have become a spokesmodel a long time ago. She says, what about a poker game? but he says, that’s all part of his checkered past. Doesn’t she want to know how he’s going to spend his honest living? She says, okay, how? and he says, real estate. She says, oh, and he asks if she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. She says she was just surprised. She sees why he’d want to move out of the Quartermaine stable… He says, hell no. Those stables are better than some people’s homes, and he’s a long way from giving up on Mama Q’s cooking. She says she hears that, and he says he’s thinking about an investment property. She asks if he has a place in mind, because Lucy, with all of her many professions, is also a real estate agent. He says, maybe on the next one, but for now he’s going to start with Serenity. She says, that sounds like a commune, but he says, it’s the estate he grew up on. She says she thought he told them that he had a tough childhood, and he says, it was the worst. They treated him like the hired help. She asks why he’d want to buy the property then, and he says, it would bring everything full circle. His mother was the original owner. She says, right, and because Dominique was his mother, he’s the rightful heir to Leopold Taub’s fortune.

Anna and Felicia pack up Bobbie’s things, and Felicia says, a mug? Anna looks at it and says, a vase maybe, or a pen holder? Felicia takes out Bobbie’s first hospital ID and cries. She says, look. She kept it all this time. Anna says, so young, and Felicia picks up a nurse’s cap. She asks if Anna ever saw pictures of Bobbie in her first uniform, and Anna says she did. Those hats, the things the nurses wore back then. Felicia says, she pulled it off, and Anna says she doesn’t know how that hat stayed on with all that mane of red hair. Felicia says, they all had the hair, and they laugh. Felicia says, she just realized, she’ll never get to laugh with Bobbie again. She cries and Anna hugs her.

Anna says, it’s a lot. Looking back over someone else’s life, you realize what people saw in them, what you saw in them. She thinks there’s beauty in that though, and Felicia agrees. She says, doing this with Anna made all the difference, and Anna says, it was an honor to help. Felicia tells her, Bobbie once said, grief is more bearable when you can help someone else. And the way we honor the ones that we’ve lost – she cries – is to embrace the living. Her phone rings, and she says, yes, this is Felicia Scorpio… The results are ready? She’ll be right there. Anna asks what that’s about, and Felicia says, the living.

Laura says, so according to Cyrus, the confrontation was completely personal, not business related at all, and Dante says, it’s not like Sonny to settle old scores like that. She says she knows. Cyrus was apparently privy to some information about Sonny’s marriage, something Sonny didn’t know. Did his father say anything to him? He says, not a word.

Sam tells Drew that she’s not trying to impose anything on Scout, and she’s not trying to get back at him. She’s just saying, they need to be on the same page when they make such a huge change in their daughter’s life. He says, she’s right and he’s sorry. He doesn’t know why he picked a fight with her. She says, then why did he? They don’t fight, especially over how they raise their daughter. Does he want to tell her what’s really going on? He says he guesses he felt hurt that Scout didn’t let on how she felt about Westwood Academy. He thought they formed a really good bond since he’s been back. She says, of course (🍷) they have, and he says, then why did Scout tell her and not him. She doesn’t feel she can come to him? She says she thinks Scout saw how excited he was and didn’t want to disappoint him. Scout loves him. She loves being close to him. She doesn’t want that to change. He asks what kept Sam from coming to him, and she says she knows how much he hated missing out on being Scout’s dad, not being able to be her father all those years Victor had him locked up in Greece. He says, and now, he lost even more time, because of Nina.

Nina tells Sasha, everyone told Sonny, Nina, she’s a liar. Nina, she can’t be trusted. It’s like she went out of her way to prove them right. She’s not equipped or qualified to be someone’s mother, or a grandmother, or a wife. Sasha says, that couldn’t be further from the truth, and Nina says, truth or not, it’s what everyone believes. Sasha says, not everyone. Kristina and Dante supported their relationship. Nina says, Kristina and Dante supported it as long as she was making their father happy, which is definitely not the case anymore. Dante will probably stay out of the fray, but Kristina? Kristina will gladly rain hellfire down on her every chance she gets. Sasha says, what about the kids? They all love her. Nina says, they do love her, and she loves them. But that doesn’t matter anymore; that’s all over. Carly will make sure of that. Sasha says, that’s not entirely Carly’s decision, and Nina says, Michael hates her. Willow and Sonny… Sasha says she wouldn’t completely count out Willow, but Nina says, Sasha didn’t see her face when Willow found out what she did. She recoiled, literally. Who blames her? Her own daughter did that. Sasha say she’s so sorry, but Nina says she has no one to blame but herself. Sasha says, what’s done is done. Nina has accepted it; that’s great. She’s owned up to it; that’s even better. Now she just has to ask herself, what can she do to fix it?

Sam tells Drew that she’s had Nina’s number since she came to Port Charles ten years ago, and she knows firsthand what that woman is capable of when she gets scorned. Wow. No wonder he came in hot today. He thanks her for giving him and out, but to be honest, their issues have nothing to do with Nina. He made decisions about Scout’s life without including Sam, and that’s not fair. She thanks him for saying that, and he says, she’s gone so far out of her way to include him in every aspect of Scout’s life. She says, that’s why she didn’t want to undercut the whole Westwood thing, and he says, even if she didn’t think it was a good idea? She tells him, that’s not what she said. Actually, she thinks Westwood is a fantastic school. Molly and Kristina loved it, and she thinks Scout might love it one day too. Give her some time and maybe just a little space. He says, and not uproot her in the middle of a school year. He sees her point. Finally. She says she thinks this is their first difference of opinion in raising their daughter. She doesn’t know what to do. Where do they go from here?

Lois says, Sonny is right and she’s sorry. He tells her that he didn’t say anything, and she says, he didn’t have to. his face said it all, then his shoulders seconded it. She gets it. It’s none of her business. She doesn’t have a right to say how he should live his life. He says, she doesn’t judge him, does she? and she says, of course (🍷) she doesn’t. That is not what friends do. Now go get her some rubbing alcohol so she can tend to his knuckles. Go. He leaves, and there’s a knock at the door. She says, what? The bodyguard’s on a coffee break? She opens the door, and Dante is there. She tells him, come in, and he asks if his father is here. She says, he is, and she’s so glad Dante is here because Sonny’s had a really rough morning. He’s going to be so happy to see his son is here. Dante says, not today he won’t.

Maxie says, Cody buying the estate to get his childhood revenge seems hollow, and he says, in what way? She says, like Bobbie and her brother Luke. They had a very tough upbringing too, and she asked Bobbie one time how she was able to move past it. She said, nursing gave her a sense of purpose. So what she wants to ask is, what is Cody’s purpose? He says he’s not sure. He doesn’t even know if he has a purpose. Felicia walks in and says, nonsense. They all do.

Cody tells Felicia, hello, and she says, sorry for eavesdropping. Occupational hazard. Maxie says, that’s not still her occupation, and Cody says, actually, he’s glad she overheard them, because she’s done a whole bunch of things, right? She says, and then some, and he says, so maybe she could give him some insight on finding his. She says she sure can. First, you start by being honest with yourself, and then you extend that honesty to others. He says, all right, that sounds easy enough, and she says, for instance, he could start with being honest about having his DNA tested to determine if he’s Mac’s son. Maxie tells her, stop. She asked Felicia to drop this. Felicia says she knows, but she didn’t, and Cody tells her, it’s like he said; the test came up negative. She says, not that test. That was last year’s test. He says, then what is she talking about? and she says she’s talking about the new test she ran on him behind his back.

Drew says he guesses he and Sam are just going to have to figure out a way to navigate this, and she say she’s sure they will. He says, then maybe they can revisit the whole Westwood Academy thing next year… if Scout wants it. She says, a lot can happen in a year, and he says, doesn’t he know it. He hates the fact that Scout was worried about disappointing him. She says, that’s just kids. Most of them anyway. He says, when he sees her, he’s going to make sure she knows that no matter what she does or says, he’ll always be her biggest fan. Sam says, well, she’s his, and he says, still? She says, always, and he says, that’s something. Sam says she knows he’s a had a really, really tough year. Scout’s not the only one who cares about him. So if he ever needs to talk, she’s here. He thanks her and leaves.

Laura says she told Dante, and Cyrus says, that couldn’t have been easy, especially given the high esteem in which she holds Sonny. She says, this is not about her and Sonny. It’s about him, first and last. He says, she flatters him. Fortunately, the sins of pride have long since lost their allure. She says, what about sins of omission, because it’s clear to her that he’s holding back a lot here, and he says, what’s clear is that she’ll always be inclined to defend her friend Corinthos, even after he’s attacked her own brother. She says she’s known Sonny for decades – decades. She’s known him a lot less. He says, as he’s told her on several occasions, Sonny Corinthos is no better than the man he used to be, and she says, he knows what her terms are with him if he wants to be a member of her family. He says, more than anything, and she says, so he needs to prove to her that he’s worthy of her trust. And that doesn’t mean running around quoting the Bible all the time. It means proving it to her through his actions. He says, whatever she requires of him, he shall do.

Sasha says she told Willow that she noticed Willow and Nina had one common virtue, and Nina says, it’s nice to know she has a virtue right now. What is it? Sasha says, they both have a great capacity for forgiving, and Nina says she hopes Sasha is right. She prays her daughter will forgive her, especially since her husband never will.

Lois tells Dante that she’s sorry, but whatever this is, is going to have to wait. He says, she needs her to back off and let him do his job, when Sonny comes out. Lois says, looks who’s here, and Sonny hands her the alcohol and a towel. He says he guesses bad news travels fast, and Dante says he just heard about Nina. He’s sorry. Sonny says he appreciates it, and Dante says he also apologizes in advance for this. He goes to the door, and says, Officer Carter…  Carter comes in, and Lois says, he’s Dante’s own father, but Sonny says, that’s all right. It wouldn’t be the first time for either of them. Lois says, not another word until Sonny’s lawyer is present. What is going on? Dante says he just came from seeing Cyrus Renault at GH. He really wishes he didn’t have to do this, but he does. Carter says, Michael Sonny Corinthos, I’m placing you under arrest for the second-degree assault of Cyrus Renault. He puts the cuffs on Sonny and gives Sonny his rights.

On Monday, Cody tells Felicia, it looks like deception runs in the family; Lucy asks Scotty to swear it will never leave this table; Carly says, this is exactly what she needed; and Sonny asks if this can be off the record.

🧊 Stone Cold Coming In…

If you don’t know, now you know.

I can’t believe I missed the special, although I’m sure it’s not disappearing from HULU any time soon.

This includes Jason’s history. Read it if you want your head to explode. It’s one thing watching on the daily, but seeing it all at once is a lot.

What Happened to Jason on GENERAL HOSPITAL

🏥 Many Happy Returns…

A blast from the past.

And the not-so-distant past. IMO, the most Nikolas of the Nikolases.

🌲 Pine Valley Lookbook…

All My Children through the decades.

🧂 Salt Encrusted Ricochet…

Jen claims Heather is a liar in Gucci and she’s going to sue everyone.

https://people.com/jen-shah-responds-heather-gay-claim-gave-her-black-eye-rhoslc-8421629

In probably the most truthful moment, Andy says, if they’d gotten that money shot, they would have used it.

👠 Needs More Salt…

I think all scenes from the Housewives franchise should be reenacted by drag queens.

In the final twist, production pleads ignorance. They also admit they would have told the others. Isn’t that cheating?

💸 Don’t Let This Be You…

Seriously though? There are a few red flags here, but a good rule of thumb is, if you didn’t initiate the call, don’t give out the information. If you think it might be legit, call the bank or credit card company yourself and verify.

https://people.com/andy-cohen-says-he-was-scammed-out-of-a-lot-of-money-8421079

⚓️ Here Comes the Captain…

Captain Sandy is tying the nautical knot.

🧛🏻‍♂️ Fading Shadows…

I think this show is too funny.

https://ew.com/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-to-end-season-six-8418335

🏆 Going For the Globes…

Sunday, January 7th, 8 pm EST, on CBS or Paramount+.

🎊 After the Ball Is Over…

Relive the moment. Or live it if you missed it.

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/live-new-years-eve-times-square-ball-drop-2024/

🐶 It’s Never Too Early…

Get ready for those Bowling puppies.

https://www.chiff.com/articles/puppy-bowl.htm

📌 Quotes of the Week

Whoever you are, whatever your dream, you have to be strong in your head and strong in your heart. Be strong. There’s no quitting in the person who wants it bad enough. – Carly Patterson

The setback will be the set up. – Carrie Bernans

If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. – Lao Tzu

Google me, bitch. – Angie Katsanevas, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The beautiful thing about learning is no one can take it away from you. – BB King

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. – Dr. Phil

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man. – Benjamin Franklin

Everyone’s talking about it, especially those who weren’t invited. – Mamie Fish (Ashlie Atkinson), The Gilded Age

Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to. – Bill Vaughan

Celebrate endings, for they precede new beginnings. – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. – Neil Gaiman

🛹 Sliding Into the New Year Like…

Join me on Monday really Tuesday for soap and getting back on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay being more focused on what’s on the inside than what the outside looks like, and stay honoring the ones you’ve lost by embracing the living.

December 27, 2023 – Brook Comes To Tracy’s Defense, TempMaxie, Soap Roll Call, Her Future, But Is He, Almost Quit, News Of Us, What’s On the Eve, Holiday Pet (!) Mix & Party

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Kristina and Molly show up at Alexis’s house, and Alexis says, there they are, my pride, and most of the time, my joy. She thanks them for coming and says she knows it’s early. She asks if they want coffee, but they both say they’ve reached their limit. (I didn’t know there was a limit.) Molly asks, what’s so important she needed to see them before work? and Kristina says, her voice sounded really tense on the phone. Alexis invites them to sit down, and says she’s sorry TJ couldn’t make it, but it’s probably best they speak first, just the three of them. Molly wonders why she feels like they’ve been called to the principal’s office, but Alexis says, they’re not in any trouble… yet.

At Deception, Lucy rifles through photos and papers on her desk, mumbling, and Tracy asks if she can’t do anything quietly. TempMaxie (see below) asks if they want coffee before the senior leadership meeting, but Lucy suggests they just dive right in. Oh wait. They can’t, because the leader of their leadership meeting isn’t here. Maxie says she’s sure Brook will be here any second, and Lucy asks what kind of company Tracy and her granddaughter are running. Tracy says she lightened Lucy’s workload by 51%, which means Lucy should have 51% more time to rifle (coincidence!) through photo proofs and wrangle her spokesmodel. Lucy says, Tracy shouldn’t even be in this office, never mind breathing their rarified Deception air. Tracy says, and yet, here she is, and Lucy says, as if she could miss Tracy, but she sure would love to try.

Brook says, if her grandmother finds out she’s late for the meeting because she can’t find her… Chase says, her bag’s over there, and she thanks him. She says she’s just going to grab a coffee on the way, and he says, brewed, in her travel mug, holding it out to her. She asks if he’s psychic, and he says he doesn’t have to be; he knows her routine. She says, he’s the best. What does he have planned for his day off? He says he’s trying to find wedding venues that accommodate guests with mobility issues, and she sits next to him. He says he wants his dad to have the time of his life at their wedding, and Brook flashes back to Gregory saying that time isn’t on his side. His Christmas wish is to see his son get married to the love of his life. She tells Chase, you and me both.

Finn dashes into an exam room, where Gregory is sitting, and says he was told Gregory was in here. Does Gregory want to tell him what happened? Gregory says he’s fine. He just got a bit overheated. Finn looks at the IV bag and says, this is for aggressive fluid replacement. They don’t just give it to people who are a bit overheated. Does Gregory want to tell him what’s going on?

At Kelly’s with Felicia, Robert orders coffee, and Felicia says, nothing to eat? Is he feeling okay? He says he’s not hungry, and she says, he’s probably full because he already ate with Diane. He says, she didn’t bring him here to discuss his personal life, and she says she didn’t know that was an option, but he’s right. She’s sorry. They need to talk family. He asks if something happened with Mac, but she says, Mac is fine. There’s a mystery she wants solved before he comes back, and she needs Robert’s help.

Sasha finds Cody at the stables and says, it looks like he’s having a busy morning. He says he was just hammering out one of Comet’s old horseshoes, but he always has time for her. What’s up? She says she wasn’t sure if she could beat Comet in a contest for his attention, and he says, totally. Nobody else. What brings her by? She says she came to warn him. He’s in trouble.

Scotty goes to the counter at Kelly’s and tells the server that he hears some people try to eat their feelings. He thinks he’s going to be that guy, because he has a lot of feelings. She gives him a menu and asks what she can get him. He says, everything… from the left side of the menu. And a cup of coffee. He’ll be at his table.

Robert asks why Felicia is still on about this Cody Bell thing, and she says her instincts tell her that Cody lied about those DNA test results. He says, if that’s the case, why is his brother saddled with this jerk? and she says, Mac has a right to know if Cody is his son. She knows Cody is no choirboy, and Robert says, ya think? He hadn’t been in town five minutes, and he almost drowned Britt Westbourne. She says, there wasn’t supposed to be somebody in that pool when he parachuted into it (there wasn’t; she was near the pool and he knocked her in), and Robert tells her, let’s say for instance, he came through the front door and offered his hand and said hi, like a normal person would do. She says, it was a publicity stunt, a job he was contracted and paid for, but Robert says, it was reckless endangerment and he got arrested. She says, he apologized to Britt, and she got over it. Why can’t Robert? He says, because he knows a con man when he smells one, and she says, which proves the exact point she was trying to make. Cody came to their house over the holiday and brought all these gifts for all of them. The kids adore him, and he fit right in. Robert asks if he brought receipts for the presents, and Felicia says, he cares about their family. She can feel it. She can see it. And there’s this undeniable bond between him and Mac and James. He tells her, let’s say he believes her. If she’s right, why would Cody lie about being a part of a family he cares about?

Cody wonders how he’s in trouble, and Sasha says, after Spinelli made him leave Mac and Felicia’s on Christmas… Cody says, Spinelli didn’t make him leave, but Sasha says, Spinelli was rude, out of line, and just completely wrong. After he left, Felicia said she hates not knowing the truth about him and Mac. He says, she knows the truth… a truth. She was at the hospital when he got the DNA results. Sasha says, but he never showed Felicia the printout and she thought that was strange, and he says, Felicia is pretty invested with him being a part of the family. He guesses it makes sense that she wouldn’t accept the results. Sasha says she thinks it’s more than a case of just being disappointed. She thinks Felicia is genuinely skeptical. He says, she was a P.I. and she’s married to a cop. She’s kind of conditioned to be suspicious. She says, Maxie didn’t buy her theory, but they know she’s right. He did lie about the DNA results; he is Mac’s son. And now Felicia is wondering why he’d pretend to be the son of Leopold Taub.

Brook closes the laptop and says, about the wedding… Chase says, she hasn’t changed her mind, has she? and she says, not on your life, kissing him. He says, then what’s up? and she says, if they’re going to do everything in their power to make sure his dad has the best time on their special day, it’s going to need to happen a little faster than they anticipated.

Gregory says he was doing hot yoga on an empty stomach. Dumb idea. Finn says, yes, very dumb. Since when is he doing hot yoga? Gregory says, Finn doesn’t need to hover; the fluids are already working. Dr. Matt comes in and asks what daredevil stunt Gregory was up to this time, and Gregory says, hot yoga. They don’t call it hot for nothing. But he already has his next quest lined up. Matt says he can’t wait to hear about it and asks how Finn is. Finn says he’s fine. He’s just making sure his dad’s okay. Matt says he’s about to examine Gregory right now, if Finn will excuse them, and Finn says, of course (🍷). He’ll be right outside. Gregory says, no need, he’s fine, and Finn reluctantly leaves. In the hallway, a woman comes up to Finn and asks if Gregory is okay. Finn says, he’s fine, and asks how she knows his dad. She says she’s the yoga instructor. She’s so glad he’s all right. She’s never had anyone collapse in her class before.

Molly says she can’t take any more bad news. It’s been a rough few months. Alexis says she knows Molly’s been through a lot, and this isn’t necessarily bad news. She’s happy for Molly and TJ, that they’re soldiering on through this journey to have a baby. She knows that’s what Molly really, really wants. And Kristina, giving her the most extraordinary, generous gift. Molly says, and Kristina knows how grateful she is. Kristina says, of course (🍷). She’s honored. Alexis says she just wishes the commitment they made to each other was legally binding, but it’s not. Their surrogacy arrangement presents what could be a really big legal problem.

Chase says he thought he and Brook agreed on a summer wedding. It’s not too far away, but it still gives them time to plan. She says, too much planning’s overrated. Who says they need this whole elaborate production? He says, she said that, but she tells him, what does she know? He says, Lois told him that she used to sketch her wedding gown in her school notebook, but she says, dreams change. He says he doesn’t want to rush this. He had a quickie wedding once, and they all know how that turned out. She says, they both know why he had that quickie wedding with Willow, and those reasons have nothing to do with why they want to be together. He says he knows, but he’s only doing this one more time, and he’s doing it with her. He wants it to be special. What’s going on? She says, when his dad pulled her aside on Christmas Eve, he said his Christmas wish was to see them get married.

Gregory says, well, doc? and Matt says, at the moment, his vitals look good. Gregory says he’s not surprised. He’s feeling better already. Matt says he’s already recovering from the dehydration, and Gregory says he’s guessing Matt’s prescription for recovery is lots of rest and plenty of fluids. Matt says, it is, and he’d like to admit Gregory for observation.

Alexis says she knows Molly and Kristina have done their homework on the medical side of things and they’re clear about that. She just doesn’t know that they’re clear on the legal implications. Kristina says, well, this baby’s mother is a brilliant lawyer, and Alexis says, she is, but she’s not a specialist in family law. Molly says, true, but she can draw up a contract, and Kristina says, and she can sign it. So lawyer/contract, they’re good. Alexis says she’s not sure that’s entirely true, because there is no binding agreement that she can sign that would make that baby Molly’s.

Maxie says, everyone needs time to adjust to their new corporate reality, and Tracy says, reality, Lucy. The opposite of what’s going on in your head. Maxie says, but they do have to be professional, and Tracy says, why start now? Lucy says she knows blackmail is Tracy’s go-to, but technically, blackmail is not professional, and Maxie says, this is a critical time for Deception. A lot is at stake for everyone who works here. For people who have rent and kids and have to grocery shopping on the way home. Bottom line, they need to make this work. Lucy says, Maxie is so right, but you know what’s not working? Tracy’s powers of manipulation. Judging from the fact Brook isn’t here, her powers are a big, fat flop. Tracy says, Lucy is well-acquainted with big, fat flops, from her marriages to business ventures. She just can’t seem to stick the landing. Lucy says she knows where she’d like to stick… and Maxie says, that’s enough. She can’t believe she has to talk to them like she does her children, but five minutes of silence, both of them. This lasts about three seconds, when Lucy says, Tracy doesn’t really care about Deception at all. She’s just bored and needs a distraction. Maxie says, it doesn’t work on her kids either, and Tracy says she can think of a thousand distractions more appealing than listening to Lucy, and Lucy says, but none of them would distract Tracy from the fact she has nothing to live for since Luke died. (Ouch! That was mean.)

Sasha says she knows the whole Taub necklace scam wasn’t the only reason Cody lied about the DNA results, and he says, Mac’s a good guy. Mac doesn’t deserve a son like him. She says, that couldn’t be further from the truth, but Felicia is a good P.I., and she’s going to dig and keep digging until she discovers the truth, and the fallout from that could be massive in ways he couldn’t expect. Trust her. She speaks from personal experience. He says, that whole Nina Reeves thing, right? and she says her situation was the complete opposite from his. She was hired by Valentin Cassadine to claim she was Nina’s daughter, but looking back, she realizes she could have mitigated a lot of damage if she’d just come clean. The fact that she stayed silent and got busted made the fallout so much worse. He says, maybe he should just move to Bolivia or some other county that doesn’t extradite Americans. Coming clean is not an option, and if Felicia finds out he’s Mac’s son, he’s going to Pentenville.

Felicia says she was hoping Robert and his extraordinary skill set could help her figure out why Cody would lie about those test results, because he’s right. It doesn’t make any sense. He says, take some advice from the man with the extraordinary skill set, and leave it. She says, if he thinks she can do that, he understands her even less than he understands Cody, and he says he understood all too well what kind of a grifter Cody was when he walked into Britt’s office and found them fighting over Taub’s necklace. She asks, what about Leopold Taub? and he says, this time last year, he went to seize Taub’s necklace, the one that Victor wanted. He goes into Britt’s office and they’re both there fighting over the necklace, both claiming ownership. She asks if they ever got it sorted out, but he says he doesn’t think so. Not since it was destroyed. She wonders if Cody ever contested any of Taub’s other assets, and he says, that would be a good question for a lawyer. She looks over at Scotty and says, indeed it would.

Chase tells Brook that he can understand his dad talking about his stamina, but worrying about his death seems seriously premature. Brook says she’s just telling him what Gregory told her; he doesn’t want them waiting too long. He asks if she thinks Gregory is holding something back, but she says she doesn’t know. She’s not going to the meeting; she’s calling the office. He says she doesn’t have to do that; he’ll be fine. She should go to her meeting. The last thing they need is Tracy coming around here looking for her. She says, that’s a good point, and hugs him. They’re going to make sure they do what’s best for everyone, okay? He says, whatever that is, and she gathers up her stuff and leaves. Chase’s phone rings, and he says he’s glad Finn called. Brook just told him something… Finn says, dad’s here at the hospital. He’s okay, but he took a fall. Chase says he’s on his way.

Alexis says she should have known Molly would have done research on the child/parent security act, and Molly says she’s familiar. She hasn’t studied it. Alexis says, because it’s new, which means it can be easily challenged, and Molly says she’s aware, but it does allow for surrogacy in New York. Alexis says, it does, but the surrogate has to be using a third-party egg donor, and Kristina asks if it really makes a difference. Molly says, a big difference actually, and Alexis says, in her case, she’s not using a third-party egg donor. She’s the donor and the surrogate. In this case, it’s called a genetic surrogacy, and the contract for a genetic surrogacy is not enforceable in the state of New York. Kristina says, okay, but if genetic surrogacy isn’t enforceable in the state of New York, they’ll just get pregnant in a different state. They’ll find some other workaround. Alexis says, there are always loopholes, because Molly will tell her, regulations exist because there are precedents. Kristina says, precedents and regulations and loopholes. She’s talking to them like they’re her court case, not her children. Alexis says she’s talking to them this way because they are her children, and she wants to make sure their best interests are protected. Kristina asks if it’s their best interests, or is Alexis really just trying to protect Molly from her?

Tracy tells Lucy not to say Luke’s name ever again, but Lucy says, Tracy doesn’t own Luke’s name, just like she never owned Luke. Tracy says, don’t, and Lucy says, Luke had many, many women in his life, and Tracy was just one of them. She barely cracked the top ten. Maxie says, don’t go there, but Lucy says, why? Why can’t she just tell the truth right to Tracy’s face? Luke was the great, true love of Tracy’s life, but does she know who the great, true love of Luke’s life was? Laura. (People who don’t even watch GH know that.) In fact, Tracy is probably just an also-ran to Holly. Tracy asks where she did her research, Wikipedia? Are they just naming exes now, because two can play that game. The great love of Lucy’s life, Doc, is so happily settled down with Laura. She guesses he doesn’t miss being burned by Lucy. Lucy says she happens to be in love with Martin now. She’s with Martin, and none of her loves married her to extort her. They didn’t stay married and try to escape from her all the time. The fact is, Tracy and Luke were in totally different countries when he died. She needs to know why Tracy did all this. Why did she steal Deception? Is it because she has more to look back on than to look forward to? Is it because her family just barely tolerates her, and when she stands looking around, she has nothing and nobody? She doesn’t see anything, is that it? She can keep doing it. She can keep scheming and using sarcasm as a distraction – Brook walks in – but you know what? Tracy is going to die just like she lived – unloved and completely unlovable. Brook says, who is Lucy to speak to her grandmother that way?

Chase says, hot yoga? Hot yoga is a challenge for people in the best of health. He did it once and it almost killed him, but Finn thinks there’s more to the story? Finn says, the instructor came with him to the hospital. She said he wasn’t just a little woozy. It seemed like he lost consciousness.

Gregory says he knows he overdid it, but is a hospital stay really necessary? and Matt says, his collapse may be the result of a temporary fluid loss… Gregory says, or? and Matt says, or this may be a new symptom of the disease.

Sasha says, even if Mac could arrest Cody for lying about the DNA results, she doesn’t believe he would, but Cody says, he wouldn’t have a choice, thanks to the lawsuit Scotty cooked up. Legally, he’s on the hook. She asks if Cody was suing the WSB for the value of Taub’s necklace? She thought he dropped that lawsuit. He says he did, but only after he was deposed and signed an affidavit saying he was Taub’s son. She says, and that is considered fraud? but he says, worse. It’s perjury. He’ll have to do time for that. She says, he may not. He broke the law for her and it turned out okay. He says he was willing to risk himself, but he doesn’t want to risk Mac. The potential scandal could impact his reputation on the force. Mac’s a good guy. He doesn’t deserve what Cody would do to his life. She asks what Cody thinks Mac would want for his life if he knew he was Cody’s father.

Felicia tells Scotty, sorry to interrupt. Does he have a minute? He says, yes. Sit down. She says, his breakfast companions might not feel the same, but he says, what breakfast companions? He’s alone again as usual. She asks if he tried again with Liesl, and he says he did. He presented his heart to her, and she threw it right against the wall. So they’re done, finished. She says she’s sorry. She respects him for trying. She thinks it’s really brave of him to put himself out there. He says he won’t be making that mistake again. He doesn’t know what went wrong with Liesl, but it was the last nail in the coffin of love for him. She says she’s really sorry to hear that. She just wanted to ask him a question, and then she’ll leave him to… whatever this is. He says, it’s breakfast, and what is her question? She says, Cody Bell, but he says, don’t bring up his name. She says, why? She thought they had a great relationship. He says he doesn’t have a problem with Cody. Cody just kind of goofed up his chances of getting back with Leisl a little bit. She asks, how so? and he says, Cody cost him a big payday.

Alexis says she’s trying to look out for both her daughter’s best interests, and Kristina says, really? She’s just focusing on the contract part of this because she thinks someone is going to violate it, that someone being her. Does Alexis just not trust she’ll abide by the terms? Alexis says, of course (🍷) she trusts Kristina. She’s just trying to look at all possible outcomes. Kristina says she appreciates Alexis advising them of the current statutes, but her concern isn’t really necessary. Alexis says she’s done research, and Molly says, she didn’t really have to go to the trouble, but Alexis says, it was no trouble really. She looks at some papers and says, do they know they can avoid any potential legal conflict between them by establishing parenthood after birth via adoption? (That’s what I was thinking.) Molly says she’ll look into it, but Alexis says, Molly doesn’t have to; she’s already done it. The first step is for Kristina to stipulate that she has no parental proprietary interest… Kristina says, Molly told her that she’d look into it, but Alexis says she can go over this. It’ll be really quick. Kristina says, no. Not for nothing, but Molly is the lawyer here, not her. (Another ouch.)

Cody says he has no idea what Mac would want when it comes to him, and Sasha says she could guess. Mac is a good guy, and she can’t see any world where Mac wouldn’t forgive him. And he’d never do anything to jeopardize Cody’s future. Cody says, what about Mac’s brother, Robert Scorpio, the DA? Not a fan. She says, that’s because Robert doesn’t know what she knows, and he says, what’s that? She says, how much has changed since he signed that affidavit. He put himself on the line for her, and she knows he hates to hear this, but she’ll forever be grateful. He says, they’ve been over this. Gratitude, no; friendship, yes. She says, speaking of friendships, he’s been a really good one. Dante and Sam… He says, they’ve been better to him, and she says, Maxie and all her kids, especially James. That little boy hero worships him. Cody says, he’s too young to know any better, but she says, maybe he knows Cody better than Cody knows himself. Cody has changed a lot, and the only way to prove that is to come clean. Today.

Felicia says, so Scotty and Cody were going to sue the WSB over Taub’s necklace? and Scotty says, yeah, but hush-hush. Nobody really knows about this, and he’s hoping Cody changes his mind. She says, so it was Cody who decided not to move forward, and he says, yes. After all the legal depositions and the filings, all the dirty work was done. She asks, why? and he says he doesn’t know why exactly, but the WSB blew up Cody’s asset and he felt Cody should be compensated. She says, so being Taub’s son would pay off big for Cody, and he says, huge, huge windfall. Why does she ask?

Brook says, Lucy knows nothing about her grandmother, which is insulting, because not only did she take Deception, she’s running it way better than Lucy ever did. And by the way, Lucy is sadly misinformed. Tracy Angelica Quartermaine is greatly loved by her whole family. A love Lucy couldn’t possibly understand how they express, because she’s nothing but a gold-digging outsider who managed to trap Brook’s great uncle into marriage for what, ten seconds? She’s been hanging around for years trading on her single share of ELQ, which Brook’s grandmother managed to get from Lucy, by the way. So now she’s out on the street, exactly where she belongs. Lucy says, Brook really has nothing to say… and Brook tells her, and by the way, Luke Spencer was the love of her grandmother’s life. She accepted him for exactly who he was, fought for him with everything she had, and stuck by him until the very end. Meanwhile, Lucy has thrown away every man who’s ever loved her, with both hands. So do not lecture her grandmother on love, because she understands it way better than Lucy ever will. Tracy looks at Brook proudly, and Lucy says, they can hold this meeting without her. She walks out, closing the door behind her, and Tracy tells Brook, thank you. Brook says she meant every word, and Tracy says, well, she’s still late. So what was more important than the meeting they had scheduled? Brook says, something happened with Chase’s father.

Matt says he wants to run some tests overnight. It could be that Gregory is no longer getting nutrients from food and water intake alone, or the collapse could have been because of his lung intake level falling below 50%, which the tests will show. If it has fallen below 50%, they’ll have to discuss options. Gregory says he’ll give Matt 24 hours to do anything he needs, but he has plans on New Year’s Eve, and nothing is going to stop him from making good on them.

Chase tells Finn, the yoga instructor isn’t a doctor. They don’t know what actually happened. Finn says he thought Chase should know. He left Chase out of the loop once before, and he promised not to let it happen again. Chase says, if dad believes he overdid it, doesn’t Finn think they should trust that? Finn says, dad’s not a doctor either, and Chase says he gets that. And he gets that facts are important, but so is faith. Finn says he doesn’t remember seeing that on the curriculum at med school, and Chase asks, doesn’t a patient’s state of mind effect their health? Finn says, of course (🍷) it does, and Chase says, then a little positivity can’t hurt. Matt comes out and asks why they don’t come in with him and their dad. He has an update.

Alexis says, when Kristina’s right, she’s right. It’s tough to know when to take off her legal hat and put on her mom hat, but either way, she’ll defend her daughters with everything she’s got, and that includes Kristina. Kristina says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to dismiss Alexis’s legal expertise or her concern for her daughters. Alexis says, but Kristina thinks she’s overstepping, and Molly says, it’s just that, for her and TJ, this whole journey has been about hope. Now with Kristina as their surrogate, it’s also one of implicit trust. The bond between her and Krissy is stronger than all the legal protections in the world. Kristina says, they’re sisters. Nothing is ever going to make them forget that. Alexis still looks worried.

Molly and Kristina put on their coats, and Alexis says, so it looks like her concern for her daughters has been outmatched by their belief in each other. Well done. Congratulations. Kristina says, it’s the truth, and Alexis tells them that she’s not going to say another word about it. What she did say isn’t because she doesn’t believe in them, because she does with all her heart. And she’s very proud of the way they stuck up for each other, even against her. She loves them both, and she loves the way they love each other. They have a three-way hug, and Kristina and Molly leave.

Gregory asks what Chase is doing here, and Chase says, Finn called and said Gregory was in the hospital. Where else would he be? Gregory says, Finn didn’t need to call Chase; he’s fine. Finn asks Matt, is he? and Gregory says, they’re going to admit him. They’re going to run some tests. 24-hours, that’s it, then he’s out of here. He asks Matt to tell his boys not to worry, and Matt says, an overnight stay is just a precaution. Chase says, precautions are good. He’s all for precautions. Matt says, good. He’ll go take a look at Gregory’s intake paperwork. He heads for the door, and Chase thanks him and says, and take good care of his dad. His dad promised his bride a dance at his wedding this spring. Matt leaves, and Gregory says, they decided on a date? Chase says, they did, and Gregory says he didn’t think it would happen so soon. Chase says, he and Brook decided they didn’t want to wait another minute to make it official in front of the whole family. He can’t wait to marry Brook. Gregory says he’s so happy for Chase, and Chase thanks him. Chase says he just has to… follow her orders and stay out of her way, and Gregory laughs.

Felicia goes back to the table, and Robert says he got a call from the office. He’s got to go. He asks if her conversation with Baldwin was of use, and she says, and how. He asks if she still thinks Cody is Mac’s son, and she says, more than ever. He says he’s not asking for any details, but if Cody chose not to be the son of a man like Mac Scorpio, does Mac need to know? She says, Mac has a right to know, and he says, so what’s the plan? Is she going to get Cody to ‘fess up to lying about the DNA results? She says, he’s held on to this secret for a long time, so no. Robert says he’d move on. It’s going to be hell to prove. He leaves, and she says, not for me.

Cody says he can’t just come clean, and Sasha says she guesses that’s ultimately up to him, but if he does decide to admit he’s Mac’s son, she’ll be right by his side. And if he doesn’t, she’ll keep his secret forever. He thanks her, and she says, that doesn’t mean the truth won’t come out, but it won’t come from her. She looks at her phone and says she’s got to go. She’s beyond late. He thanks her for being such a good friend, and she says, he deserves nothing less, and leaves.

Tracy asks if Gregory’s all right, and Brook says, yes. Things were just complicated. Tracy says, given the circumstances, that’s an acceptable excuse for Brook’s tardiness, but if she’s going to take the helm here, she has to follow Tracy’s example and act like a leader. If Tracy is going to give her this company, she needs to start taking it seriously. Brook says, oh, I am, granny. Very seriously.

Scotty puts more syrup on his pancakes, and Lucy says, keep that up and he won’t make it through the year. He says, who cares? and she says, oh come on. Buck up. She sits down and says she has a way for both of them to end up on top. He says, that sounds physically impossible, but he’s willing to give it a shot. She says, stop, focus, and not on these plates of food please. What is this all about? He asks what she wants, and she says she’s proposing a plan where she’s restored all she’s lost, and Scotty could land a big, fat chunk of change. He says he’s listening, and she says, they’re going to be big winners in 2024. Big winners. And Tracy Quartermaine is going to lose big time. He asks how he fits in, and she says, as a groom. He asks if she could repeat that. Did she just say the word groom? She says, yes, she did. He’s going to marry Tracy and they’re going to take her for everything she’s got.

Tomorrow, TJ says he and Kristina have to set some things straight; Lucy tells Scotty to get ready, because she’s just getting started; and Sonny asks if this is where Alexis wants him to tell her that she’s wrong.

☎️ Today the Role Of…

Since regular Maxie was in the preview, I’m guessing it was nothing major.

That’s Nicole Paggi as the Temporary Maxie Recast on GH!

🥀 Our Loss Is Heaven’s Gain…

This made me miss Passions all over again.

🗽 Model Of Legacy…

Some of the forgotten Wives. I met Kristen at a radio station cocktail party years ago. It was after the season where Ramona threw the glass at her. She seemed like a nice person, and I think she should run from any facet of this franchise.

🛟 Toxicity On Deck…

I just don’t see it this way. I thought Natalya was one of the worst human beings ever, but Kyle? Kyle is just gossipy and emotional, so don’t tell him anything you don’t want anyone to know. Problem solved, and hopefully, he’ll grow out of it. Whereas Natalya was deliberately mean, Kyle just gets all in his emotions and lashes out. Captain Sandy also thought he was the root of the problem, but I’ve disagreed with her before.

🥇 But At the Time…

It’s like Jerry said in Edward Albee’s Zoo Story, sometimes it’s necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly. But geez, don’t mention his stellar final season of Fear the Walking Dead or anything.

https://people.com/colman-domingo-nearly-left-acting-after-losing-big-break-role-8420368

🌁 And the Last Shall Be Divisive…

They seem to be focusing an awful lot on it being parallel to the game, but I don’t think this stuff is confirmed. What is confirmed is it not being aired until 2025… sigh…

https://screenrant.com/the-last-of-us-season-2-divisive-story-reason/

https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/i-cant-wait-for-the-last-of-us-season-2-to-air-but-im-also-dreading-it-heres-why

There’s a blink-and-you-miss-it teaser for The Last of Us, but mostly what HBO/Max has in store for 2024.

https://gizmodo.com/last-of-us-season-2-release-it-prequel-trailer-hbo-max-1851078003

🥂 To Rock Your Eve…

Stuff to watch if you don’t want to brave the night. Like me. Been there, done that, I’m good. Dick Clark might be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten on New Year’s Eve.

https://people.com/new-years-eve-specials-2023-everything-to-know-8420122

🐕 Holiday Assortment…

Good advice all year round.

https://people.com/how-to-keep-your-pet-safe-around-the-holidays-8417416

I don’t know how I missed this, but it’s very cute.

https://people.com/pets/adoptable-animals-model-halloween-costumes/

No one can say I don’t include cats. They’re not keen on costumes though, as a general rule.

https://people.com/mandy-moore-includes-cats-in-holiday-traditions-8418338

And last, but never least, the InstaDogs of Christmas.

🍇 12 Grapes For 12 Months…

Boomerang back tomorrow for soap and some New Year amusement. Until then, stay safe, stay being on time, but not early to a party, and stay not eating the entire left side of the menu if you have a lot of feelings.

December 18, 2023 – Dante Tells Anna About Finding the Report, Temporary Visit, Rainbow Pancakes On Deck & Spicey Wrapping

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Gregory knocks on Alexis’s office door and says, rumor has it she’s looking for him. She says, yes. A freelancer dropped the ball on the rezoning article, and she needs this done. Can he do it? It’s supposed to be in tomorrow’s edition. He says he’ll do what he can and takes the folder from her. Just so she knows, he has some plans in his near future. She says, does he now? What do these plans involve? He says, the defenestration of Tracy Quartermaine.

Chase and Brook walk through Rice Plaza with Leo and Violet, and Leo wonders if Ned will still perform at the Gingerbread Jam. Brook says, he’s very busy catching up on everything he’s missed, but she’s sure he’ll pull out his guitar just for Leo. Violet says, maybe Chase can perform again. Last year, he and Blaze were epic. Chase says he appreciates it, but now that he’s back to fighting crime, he’s put his singing career behind him. Brook says, there’s one thing she and Violet agree on, and Violet says, just one? Brook says, everything her handsome, charming fiancé does is epic, and kisses him.

Blaze tells Kristina, then after midnight mass, her abuela invites everyone over for food I don’t catch the name of, and Kristina asks what something or other is. Blaze says, basically Puerto Rican eggnog. She can make Kristina some when she comes over. Kristina says she’d like that.

Dr. Navarro (I think, different actress) says she was sorry to hear about the miscarriage. Is their surrogate open to trying again? TJ says he’s afraid not. She took it really hard. The doctor says she’s sure. Setbacks like this are devastating for everyone, but they’re here, so she takes it they want to discuss options. TJ says, actually… Molly says, they already have a new surrogate.

At Laura’s apartment, temp Josslyn (see below) holds a gift to her ear, and Trina asks what she’s doing. Josslyn says, making sure it’s not ticking, and Spencer says, digital clocks don’t tick, but if she doesn’t want it… Trina says, it won’t kill her, she promises, and Josslyn says, Spencer shouldn’t have. He says, when she opens it, she’ll wonder how she ever lived without it. Josslyn says she’s sure. Besides, he’s already given her the greatest present ever – there’s a knock at the door – her best friend’s happiness. Spencer says, the gift that keeps on giving, and opens the door. Esme is there.

Brennan walks into Kelly’s, where he lives now, and says he was going to see if Carly needed help, but she seems to have everything under control.

Anna meets Dante at the morgue and asks if there’s a reason they keep meeting here. He says, yeah. He likes it here. There’s no security cameras and the people who are here are bad witnesses. She asks, why the secrecy? and he says he didn’t want to risk tipping anybody off. She asks what he’s been up to, and he shows her a manila envelope and says, investigating Jameson Forsythe.

Violet says she’s going to get a hot chocolate that’s all marshmallow, and Leo says, if it’s all marshmallow, why not call it a marshmallow? (He’s not wrong.) She tells him that the hot chocolate will be poured on top, and Chase tells them to get whatever hot chocolate marshmallow drink they want, and Brook says, they want to take them back to their parents as hopped up on sugar as possible. Chase says, here’s twenty bucks, handing it to Violet. Consider it her Christmas present. She says, not a chance, and tells Leo, let’s go. Brook tells them to stay where she and Chase can see them, and asks Chase, who’s next on his gift list? He says, besides his beautiful fiancé? and she says, Santa already brought her what she wants, looking at her ring. He asks if she’s sure she likes it, and she says, she loves it, but more importantly… He says, Maxie approves, and she says, yes indeed. Now who’s next on his gift list? He says, his dad. No pressure, but this has to be the most special Christmas his family has ever had.

Alexis says, no one understands the desire to send Tracy careening out of a window more than she does. In fact, typically, she’d help Gregory push her, but she didn’t enjoy prison the first time. He says, defenestration isn’t strictly accurate. There will be a fall from a great height, but he intends for Tracy to be flung at her own choosing and attached to a parachute. She says, Tracy is going to go skydiving with him? and he says, that’s the hope. Alexis says, he hasn’t asked her yet, and he says he heard she just got back from Amsterdam. He thought he’d go by her place and pitch it to her. Think she’d go for it? She says, he has a better chance of pitching a strikeout against Mickey Mantle, and he says, Micky Mantle’s been dead for 30 years. She says, exactly. It’ll never happen.

Esme tells Spencer, sorry. She was having a package delivered here and got a notification it was here. He gives her a box and asks, where’s Ace? She says, he’s fine, and he says, that’s not what he asked. She says she met this really nice biker couple who said they’d watch Ace. She didn’t catch their names, but they swore they wouldn’t sell the baby. He says, that’s funny, and she says, he’s in daycare. Relax. He says, she wouldn’t have to rely on daycare so much if she wouldn’t… Trina asks how the new place is, and Esme says, it’s cozy. Peaceful. She thanks Trina for asking, and Josslyn says, then again, anything’s cozier than a jail cell, right? Esme asks if she can talk to Trina for a second… alone, and Trina says, sure. They go into the hallway, and Spencer listens at the door, but Josslyn tells him, leave it.

In the hall, Trina asks, what’s up? and Esme says, Trina may not want to hear this, but thank you.

Anna asks if that’s what she thinks it is, and Dante says, it is. She’s welcome. He holds out the envelope, and she says she told him to stay out of it. He says he knows she did, but she’s not his boss anymore. He doesn’t have to listen to her. She says she told him not to get involved, because if he did, it could be dangerous, and he says he knows. The thing is, she’s his friend and she never turned her back on him, so he’s not turning his back on her. So does she want to see what’s in here or not? She takes the envelope and asks how he got it. He says, the storage locker at the train station, and she asks how he found out about it. He says, the M.E. found a key on Forsythe’s body and handed it over to him. Instead of logging it in as evidence, he kept it. She takes out the report and says, this is it. So she guesses Forsythe must have broken into her apartment that night. He says, that’s not all, and takes out the photos, setting them on the table. He says, here’s her, here’s Forsythe. Who’s that guy? Does she have any idea who that is?

Carly thanks Brennan, but says she doesn’t put her customers to work. He says he’s not just any customer, and she says, but then she’d have to hire him. Deal with the whole hour/wage thing, the insurance, stuff like that. Then she would lose him as her regular. He says, she noticed, but she tells him not to let it go to his head. She always notices when people keep coming around. It’s good business. He says, it looks like she’ll have his business for a while. She asks if he’s sticking around, and he says, it’s taken longer than expected to take care of the security issue in Port Charles. It’s the kind of thing that requires his personal attention. She says she’s sure he’ll figure out the situation soon enough, and he says he hopes not. He’s glad for an excuse to stay. She says, he likes the burgers here that much? and he says, the burgers, The Chuck, the hotel. Opportunities abound in Port Charles, and he intends to jump on every single one of them.   

Brook tells Chase not to worry about a thing, and he says he’ll try. She says, leave it to her and she’ll help him make this the best holiday for his dad. He says, if anyone can do it… She says, thank you. They’re at this beautiful holiday extravaganza, and if they don’t find anything to their liking here, they have the entire city of Port Charles and the internet. So they’ll start here and work their way outward. He says, all right. He and his dad are pretty similar, so if she could just give him a hint of what she’s getting him… and she tells him, like Violet said, not a chance. He says, she can’t blame a guy for trying, and she says, while they’re shopping for his dad, they can find something for Maxie and her kids. It’s so terrible that she’s struggling financially this Christmas, especially since it’s all her fault. He says, once she gives Maxie control of Deception, she’s not even going to remember how tough it is right now. She says, that’s not going to help Maxie through the next billing cycle. She needs to help Maxie right now.

Kristina tells Blaze that Molly and TJ are giving each other presents like the perfect pair of socks or an antique paperweight. Blaze says, they’re so cute, and Kristina says, then she and Sam exchange gifts. Sam got her a pepper spray holster, and she got Sam a pair of brass knuckles. Then her mom launches into this 30 minute, totally inspired speech, free legal advice on concealed weapons. And that was before the Cassadine contingent showed up. Blaze says, so the Davis branch of her family… Kristina says, they’re the sane ones, completely. The Cassadines? Everything Blaze has heard about them… the truth is so much worse. Blaze says, her family is insane, and Kristina says, tell her about it. Blaze says she loves it, and they surreptitiously touch hands. Brook approaches with Leo and Violet, and their hands move apart. Brook says she didn’t know Blaze was going to be here, and they hug.

Molly tells Dr. Navarro that her sister Kristina volunteered to be her surrogate. With Andrea unavailable, they talked it over and would like to get started as soon as possible. TJ says, they haven’t forgotten how much preparation went into this. Kristina knows she’ll be screened and undergo a mock cycle, ultrasounds, bloodwork… Molly says, they’re ready to screen egg donors, and they’re hoping Kristina will be successfully pregnant in the next couple of months. (How come they’re not using Kristina’s egg? Is that too weird?) The doctor says she’s afraid their timetable might be overly optimistic.

Anna tells Dante that she knows him all right. They didn’t have much contact during the operation, but he was involved. Did Dante read the report? Dante says he did. The botched op was trying to get a defector to the WSB, and their job was to escort him to safety. There were other names mentioned in the report besides Anna’s. Who is this guy? How does he tie in? She says, if she tells him… he knows, and he says, she’ll have to kill him. She says she won’t, but someone else might want to. Dante tells her, the way he sees it, knowledge is power, and the more they know, the better shot they have at staying alive and the better shot they have at taking these guys down. She says, don’t say she didn’t warn him. His name is John Brennan, and he was in field ops around the same time as her and Forsythe. Dante asks what he’s doing now. Is he still around? She says, oh yeah. He’s the current director of the WSB.

Carly tells Brennan, as luck would have it, Port Charles is pretty security conscious. They’re a major center for commercial shipping, medicine… He says, crime, and she says, that too. He’ll have plenty of business to jump on. He says, how about her? and she says, what about her? He asks if she feels safe here, and she says, security-wise? Yeah, sure, but she doesn’t live what one would call a typical life. He says he’s not surprised. There’s nothing typical about her. She says, that obvious, huh? and he says, despite the single mother, business owner exterior, she gives off a distinctly unconventional vibe. And he’s very much like to get to know her better.

Gregory says he doesn’t think Alexis is giving Tracy enough credit. He thinks she has an adventurous streak. Alexis says, she definitely has an adventurous streak. Anyone who flees the country as much as she did to avoid prosecution has a sense of adventure. Not to mention, she was married to Luke Spencer. He says he read about Luke in Lucy Coe’s book. He’s like the adventurer in us all. She says, exactly her point. Would Tracy jump out of a plane to avoid capture by either the authorities or the underworld? Easily. But would she jump out of a plane for amusement? He says he supposes only one way to find out, and she says she’s not trying to be a party pooper. Go ahead and ask her, but she doesn’t want him to get his hopes up. This is a big ask for Tracy. He says, it appears to be too big of an ask for everyone, but she says, that’s not true. What about Chase? he says, Chase would do it, but Brook would age thirty years waiting for him to land. She says, how about Finn? but he says, single parent. Violet has to come first. Oh well. Maybe this has to be the one item he won’t be able to check off his bucket list.

Brook says, look at Kristina and Blaze, thick as thieves. She’s glad they hit it off. Blaze says, you can never have too many friends. She loves all the little pop-up shops. Did they get anything good? Violet says, the grown-ups are here to shop. She and Leo are here to see Santa. Leo says, Violet’s here to see Santa, and Brook asks if he doesn’t want anything for Christmas. He says he wants a 3-D puzzle, and Violet says, then tell Santa, but Leo says, there is no Santa.

Josslyn tells Spencer, get away from the door, but he says he doesn’t think so. She asks if he isn’t always praising Trina for being smart and capable, and he says, yes, but… She says, if anyone can handle Esme without back-up, it’s Trina. Now how about if they open her present?

Trina asks, what exactly is Esme thanking her for? and Esme says she knows Trina encouraged Spencer to accept she was moving out. He was so opposed at first, it made it harder for her to do what they all knew was right, but Trina talked him down and made it possible for her to start over and stand on her own. So thank you. Trina says she needed Spencer to know her feelings. To be clear, she didn’t do it for Esme. Esme says she never assumed Trina did. She just… Trina says she asked Spencer to let it go for his own good. She loves Spencer and she intends to have a future with him, but he was trying to be a father to Ace, not a brother, and it was getting in her way. Esme says she figured it was something like that. Even so, Trina has been patient and even polite to her, which can’t be easy with everything she did to Trina. Trina asks if she doesn’t mean the old Esme, and Esme says she’s come to realize that even if she never remembers what happened, all the things she did to Trina, Josslyn, and Cameron… She has to take responsibility for her actions, past and present, so she wanted to thank Trina. But she also wants to apologize for everything she put Trina through. She knows it’s too little too late, but she really hopes it’s not nothing, and maybe someday Trina might even manage to forgive her. Who knows? They might even end up as friends. Trina says, that will never happen.

Carly says she’s happy to get to know Brennan as a customer, and he says, ouch. She says, maybe even as a friend, but she thinks she told him… He says, she’s seeing someone. He remembers. She says, keep remembering, and laughs, and he says, whoever this guy is, he doesn’t seem to know how good he’s got it. She says, he does and so does she, and Brennan asks if the someone she’s seeing is Donna’s father. She says, a different someone. She and Donna’s father are divorced. He says, his loss, and she says, since he’s going to be a regular, what can she get him to eat? He says, sorry. He was being intrusive, wasn’t he? Occupational hazard. She says, that’s okay. She’s an open book. But she doesn’t know a lot about him. He says, ask him anything, and she says, what she knows about him is, he likes to run, he likes burgers, he works in security. What else? He says, there’s one more thing she knows about him, and she says, what? He says, that he enjoys her company, and she laughs. His phone rings, and he says, sorry. He has to take this. He’ll see her again soon. He grabs his coat, and leaves.

Anna tells Dante that Brennan took over as head of the WSB when Frisco was ousted, but when they were part of that failed operation, he was stationed in London and provided remote support and logistics for them. Forsythe was a field agent; she was basically a courier. It was her job to pose as the defector’s girlfriend and get him across the border, which didn’t happen because he got caught and killed. Then the other part is, the money that was allocated to buy the defector’s cooperation was just never recovered. Dante says, so what does the Bureau think happened to all that money? and she says she thinks they chalked it up to intelligence failure. It’s all here – she picks up the report – the dates, the locations, the agents involved. That’s why she kept a copy. Just in case somewhere down the line, they decided to pin this screw-up on her. He says, so Brennan’s now in charge, and Forsythe is dead after going to great lengths to get his hands on that report. There’s got to be something in it worth hiding. She says she guesses Brennan just rose up through the ranks and that would have given him more and more clearance. Eventually, he would have had access to his own records and would have seen a copy of this report. Dante says, but now in his new position, he can’t be implicated for the death of a defector and ten million dollars missing. She says, that’s a lot of money. If they’re right about this, then Brennan wants to eliminate any and all traces of this report. He says, and anyone who knows about it.

On the phone, Dante says, his name is John Brennan, head of the WSB. They want to find out any information about him, news releases, that kind of thing. Anything that will tell them who he is or who he’s connected to… He thanks Sam and tells her, you be careful too. He tells Anna, it’s safe to assume this guy is in good standing with the other Bureaus, the FBI, the CIA… Anna says, yeah. He was always super slick. Dante says, Brennan wasn’t incriminated, but they know he was involved somehow. Forsythe was incriminated, and now he’s dead. She says, what they need is something that ties Brennan to the defector’s assassination. Possibly if they could find out anything on that missing money it would help. He says he might have something. He found this in the locker with the report. He hands her the wallet and asks what she thinks those numbers are. She says, it’s twenty-one digits. That’s the exact number needed for a Swiss bank account. He says, maybe that’s where the missing money is, and she says she doesn’t know that’s where it is, but that could be where it went, and that might lead them to the person who’s responsible for the botched operation. He says, they’ve got to stash this evidence somewhere where Brennan can’t get to it, and she says she knows someone they can call.

Violet says, there is too a Santa, and Chase says, of course (🍷) there is. Brook asks why Leo would say such a thing, and he says, it’s scientifically impossible for one man to visit every single house in the world in one single night. (Again, he’s not wrong.) Violet says, when daddy orders food on his phone, it comes in three minutes or less, and Kristina says, with technology, anything is possible. Leo says, but Santa didn’t have the internet hundreds of years ago. And even if Santa visited every house in the world for one second, that would still be between one and two billion seconds. He’d have to bend the speed continuum to do so. So it’s impossible for there to be a Santa Claus. Violet asks Chase, is it true? Is Santa impossible? Blaze suggests Brook and Chase take Leo shopping, and Brook asks if she’s sure. Blaze says, Brook asked her to trust her as a manager. Does Brook trust her? Brook says, sure, and Chase says, just don’t entice her into a rock and roll lifestyle. Chase and Brook leave with Leo, and Blaze squats down to Violet’s level. She says, here’s the skinny on Santa. The truth is, Leo’s right.

Dr. Navarro says, essentially, Molly and TJ are starting from scratch. Realistically, the soonest they can expect successful implantation is six months, and that’s if the surrogate gets pregnant on the first implantation. TJ asks if there’s anything they can do to expedite things, but she says she’s sorry. As they already know, it’s a painstaking process and there are strict procedures that have to be followed every step of the way. Molly says, they understand. They just let themselves get carried away. She tears up, and TJ puts his hand on her back.

Alexis says, hold it, and Greogry stops on his way out the door. She says, he doesn’t have to defenestrate her diving ambitions just yet. He says he sees what she did there, and she says, does this dangerous and insane thing that insane people do… Does he really want to do it? He says, very much so, and she says, and his condition doesn’t prevent it? He says, not yet, but who knows how long that’s going to last. She says, then she has an idea. Is he ready? He shrugs, and she says, then just do it. Jump. Finn, her, Chase, whoever he wants will be standing there cheerleading. Hopefully, he’ll land safely. Just jump. Does he have to jump out of a plane with somebody else? He says, no, he doesn’t, and she says, there you go. He says, in fact, there’s not a single item on his bucket list that requires a partner, but he wants one anyway. The time is coming when he’s going to be trapped in his own body, unable to put thoughts into words with his mouth or his hands. Essentially, he’s going to be alone with his thoughts and memories until the end of a very short, difficult life. If that’s the way he’s going to go, then he wants his still active, still alert brain to be overflowing with memories and experiences that he shared with people he loves. Experiences that they can tell their kids and grandkids about when he can’t, because he’s unable to or because he’s gone.

Blaze tells Violet, a lot of things are scientifically impossible until someone comes along and proves they’re very possible. I’m thinking, bumblebees, but Violet says, like Santa? and Blaze says, exactly. And here’s how she knows. When she was young and learning how to sing, her voice teacher told her it was too hard for her to hit a high C, that she didn’t have the pipes. But with a little belief in herself and a lot of practice – she sings – now I can sing as high as birds can fly. That’s not impossible after all, huh? Violet says she wants to sing like Blaze. Maybe she can ask Santa for singing lessons. Blaze says, why ask Santa when she’s right here? Kristina watches, smiling.

Alone in the doctor’s office, Molly says she feels bad, but TJ says, she’s hardly the first person to become emotional in the doctor’s office. She says, but she’s not those people. She’s her. She doesn’t do this. He says, why not forgive herself just this once. He teases her, saying, he won’t. He’s so embarrassed. She laughs and he says, that’s better. How does she feel about starting over? She says, her first impulse is full speed ahead, and he says, now that she’s had a second? She says, it’s a long and arduous process. Not just for them. Kristina’s ready to go now. She’s going to have to wait too, and if what happened to Andrea happens with Kristina… He says, she’s right. They need to both be ready to go through all of this again. She says, not to mention the expense, which is another emotional toll. He says he appreciates her mom offering to help them the first time, but he’s not comfortable asking her again. She says, her neither. So she guesses they’re on their own. Can they even do this? He says, they’re going to figure this out. Even if it means they have to do some budgeting, they’ll figure it out. She says, what just kills her is, a month ago, their dream was on its way to happening, and now… He says, they’re back at square one. It feels so… She says, out of reach. Again. He holds her.

Josslyn says, oh my God. It’s perfect. She takes out a dartboard with Spencer’s picture in the middle, and he says he figured the next time he does something that warrants getting a smack, she can save him the bruise. She says, he means he can save him the bruise. She just doesn’t know where she’s going to put it. She can’t put it up in their dorm room. Trina would flip out. He says, Trina knows about it. Josslyn says, Trina’s probably going to use it more than she will.

In the hall, Trina says she’s glad Esme’s changed. And she believes Esme is sincerely sorry. Esme says she really is… Trina says, maybe it’s a good thing that Esme doesn’t remember all the incredibly cruel things she’s done to her. But she does remember. There will never be a day where she or Joss or Cam will look at her and not remember. So they can be cordial, even friendly, but that, this right here, is as good as it’s going to get. Esme thanks Trina for hearing her out, and leaves. Trina goes back inside, and Josslyn asks what Esme wanted. Spencer asks what she said, and Trina tells him, it doesn’t matter what Esme said. It only matters what she said.

Sam comes into Kelly’s and orders a cup of coffee. She tells Carly, it’s going to be a long night. She and Dante are working on something. Carly leaves to get the coffee, and Sam looks up Brennan on Spyder-Finder. She sees an article: WSB NAMES NEW DIRECTOR: JOHN BRENNAN WILL HEAD THE WSB AFTER FISCO JONES OUSTER.

In a very clean alleyway, Brennan asks Hume if he has a location. Hume says, he put their hackers on it. They tapped the GPS system on Anna’s phone and traced her to General Hospital. From there, it’s pretty easy to access… Brennan says he’s not interested in Hume’s processes. Does he know where she is? Hume says, the General Hospital morgue, meeting Detective Dante Falconari. As soon as he connected Anna to Detective Falconari, his people backtracked Dante’s movements. Yesterday he visited a bank where he rented out a safe deposit box. Hours earlier, he was at a train station locker. Security footage shows him retrieving a small package. Brennan says, that must be where Forsythe stashed the report. Now that Falconari has it, Anna does too.

Walking out to the pier with Dante, Anna says, their contact should be here shortly. He’ll make sure the Bureau doesn’t get the evidence, and certainly not Brennan. Dante says, they make sure they secure that report, then go after Brennan himself, and Anna says, yeah. Wherever he is.

Hume asks what Brennan wants him to do, and Brennan says, find that cop and retrieve the report, if he has it with him. And make sure there are no physical or digital copies. Hume asks what Brennan wants him to do about Anna Devane.

Carly pours Sam’s coffee and sees the headline. She asks if that’s the guy Sam is investigating, and Sam says, yeah. He’s head of the WSB. Carly says, really. Because he told her that he was a security consultant. Sam asks if she knows him.

Gregory says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to unload in Alexis’s office. He’ll get to that report. He starts to leave, but she stops him, snatching the folder from his hand. She says, don’t worry about the article. They’ll run a horoscope. He asks if they don’t have one already, and she says, even astrologers need opposing viewpoints. Just ask a Gemini. He says, no. He wants to work. They can still make tomorrow’s deadline. She says, do whatever he wants, but she’s going to be spending the next three hours calling every single skydiving service in the country, specifically to this area, to check the safety reports, because she’s certainly not putting her life in the hands of some random cloud jockey. He says, she’s going with him? and she says, looks that way. He says, no. He didn’t mean to sway her. She made it clear… She says she changed her mind. Besides, it’ll be a good story. He says, for the paper? but she says, for his grandchildren, and hers.

TJ and Molly walk down the hall hand in hand, and he asks if she’s okay. She says she’ll be fine. It’s just, the last thing she wants to do is take more time. They’ve lost enough already. He says he feels exactly the same, but he thinks they should sleep on it. She says she knows he’s right, and he says, it’s just one more day. What’s one more day? Having a baby is the dream. Isn’t that worth waiting for? She says, of course (🍷), but she thinks they should be taking into account their surrogate too. Kristina has offered them this incredible gift, but that’s doesn’t mean there isn’t an expiration date. He asks if she thinks Kristina will change her mind, and Molly says, no, but she has a life of her own. Her center is scheduled to open in June. Are they going to ask her to push back the opening so she can get pregnant? Maybe they’re being selfish using her sister as their surrogate. TJ tells her that Kristina said she wanted to do this, but she asks if they should really ask Kristina to put her life on hold for them. She does know that pregnant women do stuff, right?

Kristina, Blaze, and Violet walk through Rice Plaza singing Deck the Halls, and meet Chase, Brook, and Leo. Brook asks if everything is good here, and Blaze says she thinks so, but someone’s going to have to tell Violet’s dad she’s taking singing lessons, every Wednesday from 4 to 5. Brook says, with Blaze? That’s amazing. Chase tells Blaze, what did he say about dragging her into a rock and roll lifestyle? and Blaze says she’s giving Violet singing lessons, not lifestyle instructions. Leo asks if they can go home now, and tells Violet that he’s sorry he challenged her belief in something that made her happy. Violet says, that’s okay, and Leo says, even if there’s no scientific explanation for it. Violet says, that’s okay too. Right, Blaze? Blaze says, absolutely, and Brook says, Leo is right. They have to get going. She and Chase leave with the kids, and Kristina says, good save. Does she have any more tricks up her sleeve? Blaze says, stick around and maybe she’ll find out. She can’t give away all her secrets. You have to work for them. She tells Kristina that she’s going to get them some hot chocolate and goes over to the vendor. Kristina flashes back to them touching hands, then being interrupted by Brook.

Josslyn says she’s late for a study session with Adam, and Trina says she thought Josslyn told him that he had to find someone else to study with. He’s nice enough – don’t get her wrong – but he’s not Josslyn’s responsibility. Josslyn says she feels bad for the guy. Darts later? Trina says she can’t wait, and Josslyn leaves. Spencer says, it’s just them now. How did things go with Esme? She says, surprisingly well. Esme thanked her for encouraging him to take a step back. He says he bets, and she says, then Esme apologized for everything she did before. He asks if Trina thinks she meant it, and Trina says she does, but that doesn’t mean she trusts Esme.

Holding Ace near the tree, an ornament in her other hand, Esme says, isn’t it beautiful? Their first ornament for their first Christmas tree. Now watch mommy. She flashes back to being locked in the tower at Windymere and decorating the tree with toilet paper. She remembers saying, what a way to end a year. Ironic, isn’t it Ace? The ornament in her hand falls to the floor and smashes.

Tomorrow, Brook tells Ned that nothing is going to stop her from making this right; Laura asks if Cyrus will do this for her; Nina says she needs Ava’s help before her world comes crashing down; and Sonny tells someone that they’ve already been replaced.

🏥 Dropping In To Port Charles…

About the temp Josslyn.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/courtney-fulk-is-the-temporary-josslyn-recast-on-general-hospital

Below Deck Mediterranean

Backtracking a little, Captain Sandy asks if Lily can do turndowns on her own. She needs Lily to be more aware and have initiative. Lily has to be able to do it on her own, and she’s giving Lily one more chance. She knows Lily is exhausted, but how a crew member maintains is how she decides to keep a crew member. She needs to rely on Lily, and so does Tumi. Check in and stay on top with the radio. Lily says she feels she’s got a method now, and in Lily’s interview, she says she has to change people’s perception of her. They haven’t seen what’s underneath these curtains. The captain calls Tumi to the bridge, and says she talked to Lily. Sometimes you need to take time with someone. They could know what they’re doing, but have the wrong attitude. She always hires based on character, not skills. Skills can be taught; character is more difficult. In Tumi’s interview, she says she was hoping the captain let Lily go, but clearly not. She’s tired of picking up the slack, and so are Kyle and Jessika. She needs Lily to step it up. In Jessika’s interview, she says, Lily’s mistakes are her mistakes, and Lily’s successes are her successes. It’s her problem if Lily isn’t successful, and she’s not willing to take the fall if Tumi notices Lily’s mistakes. On deck, Max hums opera and exercises his abs.

It’s time for the preference sheet meeting, and Captain Sandy says, it’s a repeat customer. Luka asks how their first charter went, and the captain says, not good. Primary Billy is the co-founder of an ad agency. We flash back to that cruise, and the captain reads that he’s happy to be back, and hoping they have a boat with working stabilizers and a slide. He’s bringing his fiancé Chris and six close friends. Jack says, they want a Brazilian steakhouse meal and local Brazilian dancers. Tumi ponders local Brazilian dancers in Italy, and Tumi says, they want to have a sparkles and glitter dance party on the sun deck after dinner. Jack says, they want a big gay breakfast, and Luka says, there will be lots of sausage. Tumi says, they’re also asking Captain Sandy to join them for breakfast. Jack says, they love caviar so he’s getting the most expensive, beluga. Captain Sandy looks like she’s all-in with this. Provisions come, and Kyle is still wrestling with a migraine. He asks Tumi if he can lie down, and in his interview, he says, he was struck at 10 pm and had zero sleep. If this is because it’s been an emotional charter season and the stress has built, he doesn’t know. Haleigh calls the captain and says she’s been throwing up all day; she has a stomach bug. The captain tells her to get rest and hydrate. When she feels better, they’ll pick her up. Jessika shows Lily how to smooth out pillows, and Luka tells Max that he’s on at 3 am. Max says, it’s f***ing him up, and in Luka’s interview, he says, there’s extra pressure because of the last charter. We flash to Captain Sandy griping about Luka getting the schedule together, and Luka says, he’s concerned about Max. When you’re down a crew member, there’s an unspoken rule that you pick up the slack. He would never tell his boss that he can’t do it. Tumi wonders what to do for Kyle, and in her interview, she says, Kyle being down is her worst nightmare. He has he most experience. She still needs to supervise Jessika, and that means she’d need Lily to be alone with housekeeping. No. She just tried to get Lily fired less than 12 hours ago. Imagine if she did. Tumi tells Lily that she needs to be as quick as she can; Kyle is down with a headache. Lily wonders what’s happening to everyone, and the captain says, holy cannoli. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, she’s giving Lily the opportunity to redeem herself, and now Haleigh is gone, and Kyle is down, and Kyle knows the guests. The worst pressure is on her. She wants to pull this off. Please let the weather be good. Jessika asks Tumi if Kyle is going to be down for the entire trip, but Tumi says she can’t think that far.

The guests arrive, and immediately ask about the slide. We flash back to the captain telling them it’s stuck in customs, and she assures them it will be out. The usual happens, and Tumi tells them that Kyle is ill, but not to worry; he’s coming. Primary Billy and fiancé Chris talk to Jack about the cuts of meat and the temperature of this evening’s steaks, and in Jack’s interview, he says he prides himself on his steaks. He worked in an American steakhouse. He explains how he cooks his steak, and says he’ll put his steak against anyone’s. Jack promises the guests there will be steaks of all temperatures. In Lily’s interview, she says, she thinks it will get easier. She can do whatever she puts her mind to. She has a Masters; cleaning is easy. In Max’s interview, he says, Haleigh is gone, and they have less crew. If you don’t sleep, you go loco. The four things needed are sleep, eating, rest, and loving. Lobster spaghetti, Dover sole, and asparagus are served for lunch. Chris wants a potato for the caviar, and Tumi tells Jack. She comes back, and then is sent for crushed ice. Chris says he’s not a huge fan of mint in his asparagus and he has my agreement on that one. He and Chris tell Tumi that they need another plate and another potato, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, with Haleigh sick and Kyle down, the last thing she needs is dealing with difficult guests. Her aim is to keep afloat. She tells Jack that the guests want two potatoes, and he tells her, 20 minutes. She relays the message and asks Billy if that’s okay, but he says, no. They don’t want them anymore. She brings that info back to Jack, who says he hates them already. He wonders if this is going to be the charter that breaks them.

They anchor, and in Jessika’s interview, she says she needs to fully trust Lily. She needs to be on service, which she wanted to do more, but Lily has to be on housekeeping alone. Good luck, Lily. Tumi checks on Jessika in the laundry, and in Tumi’s interview, she says she’s pleasantly surprised. Everything is pressed and in order. With housekeeping, it’s a different story, but she believes in miracles, and she’s hoping their Lilybet is a miracle. Max meets the guests and amuses them, and the guests do water sports. The guests get ready for the Brazilian dinner, and Jack goes over the menu with Tumi. Tumi asks Luka to pick up the dancers, and in Luka’s interview, he says, in yachting, communication is everything. Tumi gets an A for communication, and it’s about time. Tumi asks Jessika what the guests are drinking, and Jessika says, literally everything. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she has an awesome deck team. Luka is focused and can implement change. Tumi tells Lily to take all the glitz and glamour out of the cupboard, and Max does The Worm down the hallway, which Lara finds disturbing, as do I. The captain checks on Kyle and asks if he’s sick sick. Maybe he should go to the doctor. He should be better be now; this is not normal. She calls the marina nurse Terry and says she’s concerned about a crew member with a headache. She asks for Terry’s help to facilitate a doctor visit, then calls Luka to the bridge. In Lily’s interview, she says she’s a visual learner. She likes when Tumi shows her stuff, but she’ll never fold a towel the same way twice though. The captain tells Luka that Kyle is going to the doctor, and Luka asks Lara to drive him to shore. In Lara’s interview, she says, everyone is breaking. Who are they losing next? The guests see Kyle leave in the tender, and Kyle tells Lara that he has no idea what’s going on. In Tumi’s interview, she says, great. She needs Kyle’s energy this charter. The guests have a relationship with him, and it adds to their experience. She could never reach their level of craziness.

Tumi tells Jessika, it’s going to be a long night. Kyle left for the doctor. Jessika says she’s shook, and Tumi asks where Lily is. Jessika says, doing cabins, and Tumi checks on her. Lily says she’s made the same bed four or five times, and in Tumi’s interview, she says she’s shocked that Lily is managing. She’s actually proud of her. Kyle gets to shore, and Lara tells him, get better. Luka steals a kiss from Jessika, and in Jessika’s interview, she says she’s starting to like Luka a lot. Him showing her so much affection makes her think he likes her more. In Luka’s interview, he says, Jessika is funny and fun, and a producer asks if he’s worried about getting attached, but he says, no. Lara picks up the Brazilian dancers, and in her interview, she says, mamacita! They look good. They should give her dance lessons and she can teach them other lessons later. Chris says, he and Billy had a fantastic time in Rio, so they wanted to bring Rio to the Med. The dancers change into Vegas showgirl type costumes and do their thing, some of the guests dancing with them. The guests are seated for dinner and the rare steak is served first. Billy wants a couple of slices, and Tumi explains that it’s not the medium well he requested, but he doesn’t care. He takes a few bites, and tells Tumi that he wants it more done, as though his order came out wrong. He says, they went over what medium is, and there isn’t a range of temperatures. Instead of wasting her time explaining to him that medium takes longer to cook than rare, in Tumi’s interview, she says, he’s just looking for something to complain about. He took the rare steak even though she warned him.

Jack gives Tumi the well-done steaks, and suddenly everything is perfect with Billy. Tumi asks Jessika to help with the cabins, and Jessika finds Lily almost finished. In Jessika’s interview, she says, is this real? Lily is learning. Guest Matthew, who reminds me of entitled brat Spencer on GH, says, the boat is amazing, but they’re not getting much flavor. Dessert is served, and Matthew says, the dinner was super mediocre, but the dessert is really good. Somebody says, it’s glam party time, and Billy says he loved dinner. Tumi tells Lily that she’s proud of her, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, some people need time. She thrived when she was put on laundry and housekeeping. She figured out the navigation, and Lily needed the space to do that. Katie Flood texts Luka that she’s in Portofino, and in Luka’s interview, he says, they used to date, but now she’s a friend. She worked for Sandy in the past. We flash back, but for the life of me, I don’t remember this girl. A producer asks what their history is, but Luka says, they don’t have any. They hung out a few times. What are you getting at? Lily and Max play roughhouse in the galley, and in Lily’s interview, she says, she and Max have fun together. Lily puts glitter on guests’ faces, and Jack asks Max to help wash dishes. In Max’s interview, he says he can’t close his eyes or someone will find him a new mission. He has to be a British spy. Mission Impossible. Kyle texts Tumi, saying he’s spaying the night on land, but should be back tomorrow. In Jack’s interview, he says he was trained in classical cuisine. He’s not sure what a gay breakfast even means, but he’s making it rainbowy. Wearing a rainbow tutu, Tumi hauls a blow-up penis on deck, unsure of where to put it. She finally plops it near the table. The guests sit and Captain Sandy joins them. Tumi tells the guests that the breakfast special is rainbow pancakes, and Matthew snarks that the chef’s specialty is in food coloring. He could make those pancakes. In Tumi’s interview, she says, oh my God. Here we go. She likes chaotic guests, but the ones who have notes on everything are the ones she doesn’t want. She doesn’t need them nitpicking everything.

Captain Sandy says she knows the guests aren’t overjoyed and the missing link is Kyle. Billy asks about Leah, and the captain says, they’re living together now. She tells them about meeting on Facebook. After breakfast, the guests play with the water toys, and Kyle calls. He says he can come back if someone will come get him, and the captain says she’s sending the tender. She tells the guests that Kyle is returning and tells Luka that someone has to pick him up. Max volunteers, and in Max’s interview, he says he feels like an octopus. The tender will be a sweet escape. No one watching. He can do it twice if he wants. Tumi puts a blue wig on. Max picks up Kyle, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, they did a bunch of tests. He was exhausted and dehydrated with a migraine. He feels guilty and asks if this isn’t normally what celebrities are hospitalized for. Is he a celebrity? Captain Sandy says she’s so happy, and Kyle says, guess who’s back? In Max’s interview, he says he’s hungry and tired and has a right to be a bitch to everyone. Tumi tells Kyle that he should wait before going on deck. The energy is draining. Natalya texts Jack that she heard things were busy. Kyle goes out to see the guests, and Billy says, it’s about time. They hug. Max pokes around the galley for food, and Lara points out that there’s pasta, but Max doesn’t want pasta. He tells Jack, there’s no food, just meat. He whines to Captain Sandy that there’s no food and when he leaves, Lara says, Max just doesn’t want what’s there. The captain calls Max to the bridge and says she doesn’t like to be lied to. Don’t lie again. He said there was no food and pitched a fit when there was pasta. Max says he didn’t know there was pasta, and Lara is like, oh no. He asked her if it was from last night, and she said it was vegetarian pasta. He said he didn’t want it. Captain Sandy tells him not to say there’s no food when clearly, there’s food. What he did was wrong. He didn’t want that food. In the captain’s interview, she says she knows they’re down two crew members and knows it’s extra work and tiring, but she doesn’t like liars. Say he’s sorry. Max says – wait for it – no, and walks off. Captain Sandy says she understands he’s tired and hungry, and Lara says she didn’t want to make a scene, but the captain says, she didn’t.

Next time, Jessika says, things are getting exciting with Luka; Captain Sandy says, Luka is smitten with Katie, and Jess hears; Billy tells Jack, more gay fun, less hotel; Lara has to go to the doctor; and the captain is concerned she won’t be able to leave the dock.

❄️ Dashing, But No Snow…

Set a spell tomorrow for soap and the excavation of internet gems. Until then, stay safe, stay being patient and kind if something goes wrong, and stay not challenging a child’s belief in something that makes them happy, even if there’s no scientific explanation for it.

December 11, 2023 – Dex Tells Josslyn About His Past, A Drunk Guest Invades the Crew’s Privacy On Deck & Hey Sis

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Everyone applauds and cheers Violet’s song, and Violet gives kudos to Chase. Brook says, maybe she can get him a gig as a studio musician, and he says, never mind him. He thinks she’s found her next break-out performer. Finn tells him, bite his tongue, but Brook says, don’t worry. She thinks Violet’s a little young to go out on tour. Violet says, maybe, but she’s old enough to sing at their wedding. Please.

Marshall comes downstairs to find Curtis on the laptop, and he says, something tells him that Curtis isn’t working on his Christmas list. Curtis says he’s not, and if he gets his wish this year, he’s never asking for anything again.

Dex says, sorry he’s too busy to cook for Josslyn, but she says, she isn’t. He says, ouch, and she says she loves his cooking, but she was in the mood for sushi, and he hasn’t mastered that yet. He says he’s making dinner for her this weekend, and she says, if he insists. Only if she can help him. He says, deal. Any requests? She says she doesn’t know. Something cozy. Maybe his bolognaise. She knows. They can go to the store and get some ingredients and then on the way back, pick up a little Christmas tree for in here. He says, that’s okay. He doesn’t need a tree.

Sam says, they should figure out when to decorate the Christmas tree, and what is the deal with Christmas? and Dante says, she knows. A fat, jolly guy comes down the chimney, and then she buys him a bunch of presents. She throws a pillow at him and says, he’s hilarious. He says, tell him something he doesn’t know. She says she means, when are they going to go to the Quartermaines’ versus her mom’s and Willow’s… He says he doesn’t know. He thinks they have too many family members. She says, that’s not an answer, and kisses him.

Coming into the penthouse, Nina asks the guard to put her bags on the table and thanks him. Sonny comes out and asks how she is. She says, good, and they hug. He asks if she left anything at the store for other people to buy, and she says, make fun all he wants, but this is their first Christmas as husband and wife, and she’s going to go all out.

Looking at the tree, Olivia says, they do good work, and Lois says, Sister Joanne Claire would be proud. Olivia says, they’ve got a lot more house to go, but these two rooms look beaut-tee- ful. They hear the door slam, and hear Tracy say, no. They go out to find Tracy walking through the foyer with her luggage carrier, saying, no, no, no, no, no. This will not do. Not at all. Lois says, what won’t do? and Tracy says, it looks like Coney Island in here. Olivia asks if she’s got a beef with Coney Island, and Tracy says she’s home in the nick of time apparently. Leo comes downstairs and says, oh man. Christmas is ruined.

Nina pulls out some plushies and tells Sonny that she got them for Avery and Donna. She’s not sure who’s going to get which one. He says, they’ll love those, and she says she thought so too. She got ties for the guards and a new laptop for Dex. He says, she wasn’t kidding when she said she went all out, and she says, and she got riding boots for James. He’s really into riding these days. He’s even taking lessons from Cody Bell. He says, it looks like she’s thought of everything. What about Amelia and Wiley?

Dante tells Sam that he’s not too concerned about Sonny and Nina. they live down the hall, so they can stop in anytime for a drink. Sam says, there will be enough cookies for everyone. She bought two dozen from Aiden Webber. He says he’s trying to be good this year, but she says, no one’s good during the holidays. He kisses her and says, he won’t tell Santa, but she says, that’s not what she meant. Not only are Aiden’s cookies delicious, he’s using the money to pay his way to Paris. He wants to go to pastry school. Isn’t that cool? Dante takes the bag with the locker key out of his pocket at looks at it. She says, he didn’t turn the key in yet, and he says, if he had, it would have been long gone by now.

Josslyn asks if she’s dating the Grinch and didn’t know, but Dex says, no. She asks if he doesn’t celebrate, and he says he does. She asks why he doesn’t want a Christmas tree, and he says, because it’s a lot of work. You have to water it, decorate it, and sweep up all the pine needles. She says, oh, the horror, and he says, besides, Christmas is for kids anyway. She says, exactly. It’s the one time of year they’re reminded of how much interest credit cards charge all that childhood magic. He says, if you had that kind of childhood.

Brook hugs Violet and says, she should absolutely sing at their wedding, and Chase says, if not at the ceremony, definitely at the reception. Finn asks if they’re absolutely positive. Violet will remember this. Chase says, 100%, and Violet says, that’s a lot of percents. Elizabeth says, she’s got him there, and Finn says, she’s got him everywhere. Elizabeth says she’s so excited for Violet, and Gregory says, she’ll have to pick a special song. It’s a special day. Violet asks if he’ll help her, and he says he’d love to. Violet asks when they’re going to have their wedding, and Brook says, Violet would fit right in, in Bensonhurst. Violet asks if that’s a place where they have weddings, and Brook says, frequently. Violet asks if they’re having their wedding there, but Chase says, they haven’t figured that out. Elizabeth says, weddings take a long time to plan. Sometimes you have to pick a date that’s more than a year away. Violet asks if they’re going to wait a whole year.

Tracy says she’s been gone a pretty long time. Isn’t Leo happy to see her? Leo says, yes, and she says she senses a but in there. He says, but Christmas is fun and she doesn’t like fun. Olivia has to turn away, not being able to contain her laughter, and Tracy says she likes fun… occasionally, and Luke was a big believer in fun. Leo asks, when’s the last time? and she says, when she had fun? She thinks a moment and says she had fun at the luau with Brook. Lois says, luah? and Olivia says, there was a luau at the MetroCourt. Lois says, and Tracy went? and Olivia says she has photographic documentation. Lois says she’s got to see that, and Tracy asks, how is Leo? Leo says he’s good. Did she see any animals on her trip? She says she did. He should look in his Photo Ark book… a red deer and peregrine falcons. He says he will. Zoo or natural habitat? She says, okay, fine. She saw the falcon in captivity, but the deer she saw in nature. He says, cool, and she says, he should check it out. He says he will, and heads upstairs. He stops and says, the house looks pretty. Lois and Olivia thank him, and Tracy says, you know that expression, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Olivia asks, what is not beautiful about all this? and Tracy says, where to begin. Lois says, buckle up, and Tracy says, there’s way too much garland. Way too much garland. She walks into the living room and says, way too many ornaments, and the tree is in the wrong place. Face it. If her son was still in his right mind, they never would have been given free reign. Lois and Olivia look at each other.

Curtis tells Marshall, instead of taking years to possible regain mobility, he could be walking with full body support in a matter of weeks. Marshall says, it sounds like magic, and Curtis says, it may be. Marshall says, downsides, and Curtis says, it is an experimental procedure in the early stages of human trials, so there are a lot of unknowns and absolutely no guarantees. Marshall says, that’s a nice way of saying a lot of things could go wrong, and Curtis says, yeah, but what if it all went right?

Tracy says, Ned is Ned? No more Eddie Maine? Olivia says she thinks Eddie is always going to be a part of Ned, but yes. Her son’s memory is fully restored. Tracy asks, when? and Lois says, a week ago? Olivia says, give or take, and Tracy says, and no one thought to tell her. She guesses it makes sense. She’s only his mother. Olivia says she thinks they assumed Ned would want to tell her himself and in person, and Lois says, face to face. Olivia says, mano a mano, and Lois says, mano a mama. They laugh, and Olivia says, that’s a good one. Tracy asks if they’re done, and they both say, yeah. Tracy says she guesses it’s really lucky she came home. She might have gone to her grave thinking her son was lost to her forever. Olivia says, speaking of which, if Ned did not prompt this visit, why did she fly all the way home?

Chase says, they haven’t picked out a date yet, but they promise it will be way sooner than a year, and Brook says, way, way sooner. Violet asks if they mean it, and Brook says, as if she could wait any longer to marry Violet’s uncle. Violet says, give her a ballpark, and Finn says, Violet, making a cutting motion. Violet says she just wants to know how long, and would it be longer if there were two brides and two grooms there? Finn shakes his head, and Elizabeth says, oh no. Violet asks, what’s wrong? and Elizabeth says, how about them Mets? that star at the top of the tree is crooked. It has to be fixed right away. Doesn’t Finn think? Finn says, absolutely. Is there a tree doctor in the house? Violet says, Dr. Violet reporting for duty, and Elizabeth says, this is a very complicated Christmas tree surgery. Gregory asks if she’s sure she’s up for it, and Violet says, as sure as she’ll ever be. Finn says, they’ll take it. Pick up or ladder? Violet says, of course (🍷) pick up, and Elizabeth says, hurry up. The patient doesn’t have a lot of time. Finn asks if Violet is ready. One… two… three. He picks her up and brings her to the tree.

Josslyn asks if Dex didn’t have a Christmas tree growing up, but he says, they did. They did all of the ritual and all of the traditions, but it was all kind of for show. Like they were playing make-believe or something. Christmas was not a happy time in their house. She asks, why not? If he’s not comfortable, he doesn’t have to tell her, but she loves him and this is a part of him, so if he does want to share it, she’d like to hear. He says, it’s not all that original. His dad was a selfish SOB who cheated on his mom all the time. She says, and he knew? and Dex says, he didn’t exactly try to hide it. She says she’s so sorry; that’s awful. He says, the worst part is, she stayed with him, and Josslyn asks why he thinks she stayed. Dex says, he was successful. He gave her a good life, but he really thinks she just wasn’t strong enough to stand on her own. She says, that must have been really hard for him and his brothers to watch, and he says, for him, yes. For his brothers, not so much. They grew up to be just like their dad. He was the only one who didn’t play along. She says, and his brothers didn’t like that, and he says, that’s why they beat him up.

Dante says, the final arson report came back on Anna’s house, and Sam says, anything interesting? He tells her, you could say that. They found shreds of fabric in the bushes. It tested positive for the accelerant used to start the fire and the DNA was a match for this Jameson Forsythe guy. She says, the dead guy with the key, and he says, right. And because there was incriminating evidence against him in that report, Anna thinks he stole it. What she doesn’t know, is that he might have put it in his locker before he was murdered. Sam says, so Anna still doesn’t know about the key, and he says, he was going to tell her… Sam asks, what stopped him? and he says, the M.E. Get this. Forsythe’s body is gone. She asks what he means. It just disappeared from the morgue. He says, basically. The WSB had it confiscated.

Finn says, thank you, doctor, and Violet says, anytime. Brook says, her mom wants them to stop by the house. Chase asks if she said why, but Brook says, he knows Lois. She loves a good mystery. She thanks Finn for having them. This was so much fun. Finn thanks them for all the help with the tree, and Chase says, she’s a beaut. The perfect choice. There are hugs and congratulations, and Violet says she wants to know the wedding date as soon as they decide. Chase says, yes, ma’am, and Greogry welcomes Brook to the family. He asks if she’s sure about this, and she says, as sure as she’ll ever be. Gregory says, it was the best news he could get, and they go to the door, Violet calling, as soon as you decide. Brook says, they got the memo, and they leave. Finn says, okay, missy, and Violet asks who he’s calling missy. He says, the girl whose bedtime was over an hour ago, and she asks if grandpa can tuck her in. Gregory says he’d be delighted, and Violet hugs Finn and Chase goodnight. Gregory says, lead the way, and follows her to the bedroom.

Curtis says, Portia is the one who brought this procedure to his attention, and Marshall says, Portia signed off on this? Curtis says, she submitted him as a potential candidate, and Marshall says, so Portia is all right with him being a guinea pig, no matter the dangers involved. Curtis says, Marshall acts like she’s pushing him into this, and Marshall says, isn’t she? Curtis says, she’s his wife. She presented him with information and an opportunity. Ultimately, the decision is his. Marshall says, sounds like he already made it, and Curtis says, and if he has? Would that be a problem for Marshall?

Dante tells Sam, not only did the WSB confiscate the body, they confiscated everything related to Forsythe, the forensics on the accident, all of it. She says, clearly the WSB doesn’t want anyone knowing why Forsythe was in Port Charles or who killed him, and he says, does she know what else was on that list of confiscated things? The arson report. He doesn’t have access to it anymore. She says, so the WSB knows it was Forsythe who burned Anna’s house down.

Nina tells Sonny that since he’s getting Wiley Yankees tickets, she thought she could get Wiley a baseball cap or a jersey, so he could be outfitted for the game. And for Amelia, she saw this really cute lavender snowsuit. It had a really cute fur lined hood… What? Are those bad ideas? Sonny says, no, they’re great ideas, but it’s just kind of modest. Amelia’s a little girl – she’s not going to know the difference – but Wiley, why doesn’t she get him a little more? She says, he comes from a really big family. She doesn’t want to get him a mountain of gifts and overwhelm him. Like her nanny used to say, if you give so many presents, no present is special. (She’s not wrong.) He asks if that’s it, but she says, no, and he says, exactly what he thought. What else? She says she’s trying not to provoke Michael.

Tracy says, Luke’s legal affairs are impossibly tangled. Bobbie, to her credit, had been really tenacious. She won’t accept no for an answer, and she’s also charming all of the bankers and bureaucrats. It’s definitely a two-person job. Olivia says, which is exactly the opposite of explaining why she’s here, and Tracy says, in order to be effective, she has to prove her legal standing. Luckily, Luke did give her power of attorney a while back, so she came here to retrieve those documents. Lois says, Tracy flew halfway around to world to get paperwork that they could have just pulled and sent to her? Tracy says she doesn’t trust anyone with her personal papers, and Olivia says, heh. Tracy asks what that means, and Olivia says, nothing. She just thought that maybe, just maybe, Tracy flew all this way because she wanted to be with her family at Christmas.

Sonny says, there’s still tension between Nina and Michael. It should not be that way. Nina says, it could be worse. Michael is perfectly pleasant when they’re all together. He says, there’s a difference between pleasant and welcoming, and even accepting, and she says, all she can hope for is that things get better with time. It certainly has with Willow, right? Look where they’re at. She knows it’s new, but she treasures that relationship. He says, Willow is a special person, and Nina says, and for her to have Willow in her life, she has to keep the drama at a minimum. So this is her letting Michael set the pace. He says he’s going to talk to Michael on her behalf, but she says, no, putting out her hand to stop him. Please. He can’t do that.

Sam and Dante get into bed, and he says he got another piece of the puzzle from the Medical Examiner. She says, do tell, and he says, Forsythe had a burn scar on his leg. She says, let her guess. Approximately four months old. He says, lines right up with Anna’s house burning down, and she says she’s assuming the WSB took those notes too. He asks if she’s a detective or something, and she says she’s a P.I. Even better. She kisses him and says he was really smart not to log that key in. He says, they would have been all over it. The WSB must not know this key exists. She asks if he’s going to tell Anna about it, but he says, no. Not yet. He wants to look into it himself first.

Josslyn says, Dex’s own brothers beat him up? and he says, it was kind of a thing at their house. Fun for the whole family. She asks how he can joke about this, and he says, because he’s here, isn’t he? They didn’t break him. She asks why they wanted to hurt him. Was it because he protected his mom? He says he and his mom weren’t close actually. He never understood her. He was always disappointed that she didn’t leave his dad, who to his brothers was king. They worshipped him. It was so obnoxious. These arrogant, win at any cost jerks. She says, looks like she chose the right brother, and he says, she would have had even less use for them than he did. By the time he was twelve or thirteen, all he wanted was to get out. She says, that’s why he enlisted, and he says, the day he graduated high school… He’s sorry. She asked him why he didn’t want a Christmas tree, and here he is opening a vein. She says she’s glad he told her. It makes her love him even more.

Gregory reads to Violet: And I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, happy Christmas to all and to all a good night. They’re not supposed to read this until Christmas Eve. They’re jumping the gun a little bit. Violet asks if he thinks the Christmas tree is happy now, and he says, most definitely. Especially now that she fixed the star. She’s so right; it’s a special tree. She says, they made it beautiful, and he says, they certainly did. It takes a kind heart to do that, to make a home for a less than perfect tree. That really is the true spirit of Christmas. She says she really loves Christmas, and he says, him too.

Elizabeth says, it really is a beautiful tree, flaws and all, and Finn shushes her. She asks if he thinks it has ears, and he says, you never know. She says, maybe there’s a lesson in there somewhere, and he says, how so? She says, the point of a Christmas tree isn’t that it’s perfect; it’s what it represents. Love, light, warmth. He says, hot cocoa? and she says, that too. When she looks at this tree, she sees the joy in Violet’s face when she watched Chase and Brook decorating. And his dad. He really is so happy to have his family together… Tell her. He tells her that he doesn’t want to say it, but she says, it might help. He says, this might be his dad’s last Christmas.

Sam says, the reason Dante didn’t tell them about the key to begin with is that he thought the locker was potentially under surveillance, or worse. He says, worse like what? Boobytraps? She says she’s being serious. He thought Anna going to that locker might put her in danger. He says, that’s still a possibility, and she asks if he’s just willing to throw himself in the line of fire. He says, since the WSB classified everything to do with Forsythe, taking the body and all that stuff, that strongly implies they don’t know about this locker, that they’re still looking for this report. If they knew the locker was out there, they’d have found their way to it by now. She says she gets that he wants to protect Anna and loves that he has her back, but if he goes into this alone, who has his back?  

Buzzkill Dex tells Josslyn, for most people, decorating the Christmas tree is something to look forward to. It’s like the official start of the season. She says, but not for him? and he says, that tree going up was like a warning flare that things were about to get more tense. And all the parties. Either his dad would go and leave his mom alone, or she would go with him, and they’d come home fighting because he was hitting on some other woman. It was this vicious cycle that his mom refused to break, and he couldn’t help resenting her for it. Josslyn says, that must have been torture to watch. She’s so sorry. He says, don’t be. He went out and made his own life. One he’s very grateful for, especially because she’s in it. He kisses her, and she says she’s sorry their Christmas tree filled him with dread instead of joy, but she hopes that she can show him how special Christmas can be.

Marshall says, if Curtis decides to go forward with this experimental procedure, he’ll be behind Curtis 1000%. (Wow. Violet should get a load of those percents.) Curtis thanks him, and Marshall tells him that he’s not saying he’s good with the risks involved, but if it gives Curtis hope, if it gives him any chance of recovering what he lost, it’s worth a shot. Curtis says, that means a lot, and Marshall asks, what’s his timeline? Curtis says, as to when the procedure will get started? Sometime in January or February. Marshall whistles and says, that soon? Curtis says, what’s the point in wasting time? If he’s going to do it, there’s no sense in waiting.

Finn tells Elizabeth that he keeps thinking he’s going to get used to it, but every time his dad stumbles or collapses into a chair… She says, it’s torture, and Finn says, he’s getting less and less steady on his feet every day. Sooner or later, he won’t be able to hide it. She says she doesn’t think he’s trying to. What he is trying to do, and succeeding in her opinion, is basking in his family. Soaking up every ounce of joy that he possibly can. Finn says, his dad told him that he wants this to be a good Christmas. He wants that too. It wants it to be a great Christmas. For his dad, for Violet… She says, for all of them, and he says he wants to appreciate their joy, not dwell on what they’re about to lose. She says, then do that, and he says he’ll try. He asks her to do him a favor, and she says, anything. He says, if she sees him start to backslide, call him on it, and she says, okay, but if she’s not around and he feels himself heading toward a dark place, she wants him to look at that tree. It’s all the light he needs. She puts her head on his shoulder.

Violet asks if Gregory is glad Chase and Brook are getting married and he says, very glad. She asks what song she should sing at the wedding, and he suggests they talk about that tomorrow. Now’s time for dreamland. He kisses her forehead and tells her goodnight. She watches him struggle to his feet and asks why he uses a cane now. He says he recently discovered he’s needing help to walk, and she says, that’s okay. We all need help sometimes.

Tracy asks what the tree is doing in the living room. It’s always in the foyer. Olivia says, the tree is perfectly fine there, and Tracy says she sees that nobody purchased any gifts. Lois says, they just put the thing up, and Tracy says, a tree without gifts is depressing. She takes some wrapped boxes out of her bag and says, these are for Leo. Olivia says she thought Tracy just came home for some paperwork, and Lois says, but she had time to go shopping for her grandson? Tracy asks why Lois is still here. Isn’t she late for a nail appointment in Bensonhurst? Lois says she does these herself, and Tracy says, of course (🍷) she does. Lois says, circumstances have necessitated her presence, and Tracy says, like what? Brook and Chase walk in, and Brook says, it looks so beautiful in here. Olivia says, you see? and Chase says he agrees with Brook, very festive. Brook welcomes Tracy home and hugs her. Chase says, it’s good to see her, and Brook asks, how was her flight? Tracy says, Brook looks happy, and Brook says she is. Tracy says, but unusually happy. Why is that?

Curtis says he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t just a bit overwhelming, and Marshall says he’d be worried if Curtis wasn’t overwhelmed. He’s got this, and if he needs help, just look behind him. He’ll see Portia, Stella, him, Trina, all there to back him up. Curtis says he’s just not used to being propped up; it’s usually the other way around. Marshall says, good. It gives them a chance to repay Curtis for everything he’s done for them. Curtis says he’s scared, and Marshall says, that’s good too. You can’t be brave if you’ve got nothing to be afraid of.

Finn helps Elizabeth on with her coat, when Gregory comes back. Finn says, all good? and Gregory says, Violet is fast asleep. Finn thanks him, and Gregory says, it’s his privilege. Elizabeth asks if she can give Gregory a ride home, but Gregory says he’ll grab a Ride Share. Elizabeth says she’s sorry. She’ll rephrase the question. She’s taking him home. Finn says he wouldn’t argue with her, and Gregory says he’s getting that sense, and thanks her. Finn thanks him for helping take Violet Christmas tree shopping, and Gregory says, it was a very good day. Watching Finn be a father to that incredible little girl makes him insanely proud. He and Finn hug, and Gregory leaves. Finn kisses Elizabeth, and she follows. Finn watches them from the doorway, goes back inside, and looks at the tree.

Nina says she doesn’t want Sonny advocating for her. That’s the last thing she wants, and the thing she wants even less is to be a point of contention between him and Michael. She saw how sad Sonny was when they were estranged. He says he loves Michael. He knows his son. He’s loving and loyal, but he can be the worst enemy you can have. He got his stubbornness from Carly and his ruthlessness from him. Nina suggests they look at the bright side. Michael has decided to bring Willow and the kids to their place on Christmas Eve. That’s huge. That’s a step forward, a big step. Sonny agrees, and she asks if he wants a little hint of what she got him for Christmas. He says, her as his wife is the only thing he needs for Christmas, and kisses her.

Sam says she knows Dante would never let Anna do this alone, so why don’t the two of them investigate this together? He says, the WSB definitely has her under surveillance. If he involves her… She says, it will alert the WSB, and he says, that’s why he has to do this himself. He’ll get whatever’s in this locker, take it to a secure place, and check it out. She says, what if he’s also under surveillance? but he says he thinks that’s unlikely. Plus, he’ll be super careful. She says, there was a time the WSB almost destroyed his life. She doesn’t want him pulled in any deeper. He says, it’s because of his time with the WSB that he feels he has to do this. They’ve been grossly abusing their power. He feels like he has to hold them accountable.

Violet sleeps, and Finn sits beside her bed. He says, goodnight, sweetheart. Sweet dreams. He kisses her forehead.

Brook says she and Chase are getting married and shows Tracy the ring. Tracy says she knew it. Her only question is, what took them so long? Lois says, that’s Q for congratulations, and Chase says he just wanted to make sure that Brook knew that he loved her for her, not her money. Tracy says, there’s a very easy way to convince them of that; sign a prenup. Lois and Olivia protest, and Tracy says she’s just being practical. Brook says, now is not the time to be practical. They just announced their engagement and they’re on Cloud 9. Chase says, if he’s learned anything from what’s going on with his dad, it’s that the future is not promised. But whatever it holds, no matter how long it lasts, he knows he wants to face it with her granddaughter by his side. Lois and Olivia go, aww! and Tracy says, in that case, she wishes them both a lifetime of happiness. She means it. Chase thanks her, and Brook says, it means the world, and hugs Tracy.

Tomorrow, Brook says, maybe there’s something she can do for Maxie in return; Tracy says, Ned needs to stop Michael from taking ELQ; Lucy says she made a mistake; and Dante goes to the locker.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Sandy looks for someone to be on deck and tells Luka that he needs to get his schedule straight. This is the stuff makes that her mad. She tells him to get Max up, and guest Amish yells for more ale. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, she understands where Luka is coming from. There are four stews, but if they’re busy and need help, call them. Amish announces that he’s getting f***ed up tonight. Jessika finds towels all over and feels frustrated about Lily. Dinner, aka food porn, is served, and Tumi asks how cabins are going. In Jessika’s interview, she says, Lily is too inexperienced, and she has to check Lily’s work, so she can’t help on service. In Lara’s interview, she says, the schedule is being adapted. The interior should have gotten breaks when they were on the diving excursion. They need to keep a stew up to help with service. Jessika asks Kyle, what’s wrong? and he says, it’s about how everyone feels about him. He feels like he’s back at Kyle 31. C’est la vie. I have no idea what he means. Dessert is served, and it’s mmm… lava cake. Because he’s an idiot, Amish says, three-mi is better than Tumi. There’s more of her. In Tumi’s interview, she says, this dentist is acting like an absolute twat. How embarrassing. The captain tells Luka to go over his schedule, and he explains that no one got a break. That’s why they were all down at once. Captain Sandy says, they should have had a break in the morning. He has to plan, and never have three people down, then leave the boat. It’s a safety issue. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, the activities were earlier, and she knows it’s Luka’s first time being a bosun, but it’s later in the season, so her expectations are higher. It’s the same with Tumi. She didn’t know there were two stews doing cabins, and Tumi should call interior first for service. The guests want to go to bed, all except Amish, who says, they have one weekend to do cool sh*t. Don’t be a bitch. He goes behind the bar, grabbing a bottle for himself, and says, everyone else is in bed and he’s f***ed up. Lily asks Kyle if he’s the most drunk guest they’ve had, but Kyle doesn’t know. In Lily’s interview, she says, it’s going to be awkward, isn’t it? Kyle sees Amish in the hallway outside his room and tells him that his underwear is on his foot. In her interview, Tumi says, it’s been extreme stressful, with both the guests and Lily. Her lack of experience is becoming a liability. She needs a deckhand to help, and needs to figure out how to work around this. Amish yells, more ale! since he’s confused the yacht with a pub in Old Ireland. He roams around the boat, asking, where’s the hot tub? He goes to the crew mess and sits down, saying, he doesn’t know how he got here. It’s f***ing awesome. More! More! He wanders around some more and knocks on the crew’s cabin doors. Not waiting to be invited in, he opens the doors. Jessika is like, what the f***? and Luka gets up. Now Amish is just opening doors without knocking, and in Jack’s interview, he says, you’ve got to be kidding. Luka tells Amish that the crew is trying to sleep. They have to be up early. Amish wanders off, asking, where’s the hot tub? In his interview, Luka says, he’s never witnessed this. A guest trying to get in the crew cabins is not acceptable.

Amish drifts back upstairs and bounces off the walls. He continues to yell about the hot tub, and then he finds it! Lara tells Kyle that a guy is wandering around drunk. She sees why they need someone up. Amish nearly falls down the stairs and drops his glass, which shatters on the deck. Kyle asks if he’s okay, and he says he’s fine, but he dropped a glass. Kyle tells him, all that matters is him being fine, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what the hell happened. He’d put Amish to bed after pointing out his underwear on his foot. He’s not going to stay until Amish falls asleep. He deposits Amish back in his cabin, and Kyle and Lara discuss in the crew mess. They decide to tell Captain Sandy, and Kyle knocks on her door. He says he’s sorry to disturb her, but he wants to give a report. Guest Amish had been in bed, then went to the girls’ cabin and opened the door. She asks where the guys were, and he says, in bed. He’s sorry to wake her, but she says, no. A guest can’t go into the crew’s quarters. In her interview, the captain says, the crew needs a safe place, and this is a violation. The door is a barrier for a reason. The primary needs to get this under control or she’ll end the charter. Captain Sandy tells Kyle, if there’s a next time, get her. He tells Lara that the captain was thankful, and Lara goes to bed.  

In Luka’s interview, he says he feels bad, but he’s got to keep the team together. They’ll get through it and drink after charter. The tender is launched, and Jack tells Tumi that the breakfast special is Bubble & Squeak. In her interview, Tumi calls it Bubble & Squash. She asks Jack what it is, and he says, it’s an Irish breakfast with potatoes and bacon. I’m in. Kyle shows Lily some stuff in the laundry, and she tells him that she thinks he’s a great guy, but the pick a side thing felt weird. We flash back to that, and Kyle says, it’s between him and Jack because of Natalya. He wants her to give him a fair chance too. Lily says she’s not clear on what happened, so she’s not forming an opinion, and Kyle says, that’s mature. She says, it’s something she needed to say, and he says, she chose right time. They hug, and in his interview, Kyle says, leave it to the girl he didn’t know to be on the button and apologize. He still feels a lingering tension, but at the top of the list is Jack. He’s too exhausted to think about it. Captain Sandy tells Lara, if a guest is going into the crew’s area, next time, get her. Luke says he told Amish to get out, and Max says, he was about to go crazy. Tumi tells Lily that she wants her to do cabins on her own, and in Tumi’s interview, she says she’s trying to see what Lily is good at. She has patience, but she’s exhausted and has to try something new. In the galley, Jack drops a watermelon on the floor, and it splatters. Captain Sandy calls primary Mike to the bridge, and in her interview, she says, as captain, she has to keep everyone safe, but the crew is her priority. She tells Mike that last night Amish got into the crew area and opened doors. It’s not funny; it’s a problem. He needs to get it under control or Amish is off the boat. Amish strolls on deck with a blow-up doll.

Natalya texts Luka that she needs cuddles, and in Luka’s interview, he says, they had a connection, but it couldn’t go anywhere. Natalya had a lot of things to sort out. Jessika gets in Luka’s bunk with him, and I’m starting to not like him. Lily struggles making beds. Mike tells Amish that the captain talked to him and said he was out of control last night. He can’t go into the crew mess and opened doors. He can’t go into people’s private spaces. They have to be respectful of that. If he gets out of control again, he’s going to be booted off the boat. Calm it down. Kyle’s boyfriend Zach calls, and Kyle says, there’s a lot of negativity on board. Zack calls Kyle the love of his life and future husband, and says, that’s no reason not to put in the effort. In his interview, Kyle says he misses Zach so much. He’s lost so much of himself through all this. He’s tired of wasting energy on negativity, hostility, and sadness. He doesn’t know how to change people’s ideas and thoughts about him if they feel that way already. A gale warning is issued, and Captain Sandy calls Luka to the bridge. Tumi explains to the guests that Bubble & Squeak has potato, cabbage, egg, and bacon, and everybody wants one. In Jack’s interview, he says, no one can resist it. The captain tells Luka that they’re hauling anchor and going in. She tells the guests that she has not great news. They have to head back to the dock because of the weather. Since all they’re doing is drinking anyway, they don’t protest and say they trust her. Luka does a handstand for no apparent reason, and in Jack’s interview, he says, there’s no point in confronting Kyle. He plans to avoid it. If he loosens his tongue, he’ll get asked off the boat. Tumi checks on Lily and corrects her bed making. In Lily’s interview, she says she’d rather take a math test. Math is more straightforward; the numbers add up. Tumi tells Mike that she has an opera singer coming on board, and anchor is hauled and home. Tumi sees some beds aren’t made, and radios Lily to come to the cabin. In Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s her responsibility to teach Lily, but at the same time, she feels like Lily’s not getting it. If Lily’s not processing what she’s saying, it’s not going to work.

Lily curses her life as she makes the beds. Kyle reminds Jessika that it’s the birthday bash tonight. The docking is a tight fit again, and in Luka’s interview, he says, it’s been a tough charter season, but he’s proud of the crew docking the boat; they’re good at it. They’re pretty much touching the other boats, and there’s no room for error. Captain Sandy says hi to the people on the deck next door, and they dock. In her interview, Tumi says, Lily needs win. Blowing up balloons shouldn’t be hard. Jack says he’s making lobster and Wagyu T-bone steaks, as well as a cake. The performer and her violinist arrive. Lara says she’s disappointed not to be singing, and in Lara’s interview, a producer asks if she took lessons, but she says she has natural talent. Mike tells the other guests that he’s arranged a special gift, and opera singer Sofia Ferrara sings accompanied by the violin. Kyle goes out on deck, and dabs at his eyes. In Kyle’s interview, he says, the entire season had a heaviness. He wonders how to expel it in a healthy. There are bravos and applause as Sofia finishes. She leaves, and dinner is served. Lily explains that she’s making her own assembly line to do the cabins, but Jessika suggests they finish one cabin at a time. Mike says he’s taking the chef home, and Kyle tells Jack that all he’s hearing is wows. Jessika looks for Lily, and finds towels stacked in the hallway. She tells Lily that it can’t look like this, and Lily says she counted the towels out. Jessika says, not on the ground, and in Jessika’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what’s going on. Lily’s got her iPad out. She’s probably making TikToks. She can’t trust her. She tells Tumi about the towels on the floor and wonders, what’s with the iPad? She’d rather do it by herself. Tumi says she’ll go deal. Guest Connie says, it’s the best lobster she’d ever had. Tumi asks Lily about the iPad, and Lily says, that’s where she’s keeping her to-do lists, but Tumi says she’d rather Lily write it down. In Tumi’s interview, she says, her patience is gone. iPads and cellphones are distracting. It’s the last straw. She tells Lily that the iPad causes problems.

Lily asks why Jessika didn’t tell her instead of going to Tumi, and Jessika says, it’s not her place. In Lily’s interview, she says, great of you. Jack brings in the cake, and the crew sings Happy Birthday. Mike and guest Cliff agree the cake is impressive. Jack texts Natalya, saying he misses her, and Luka also texts her, saying he’s glad the charter season is almost over. Ugh.

Final day of charter. Amish tells the captain that everything was magnificent, which I guess is how he apologizes. The crew lines up for guest departure, and Mike says, it was once in a lifetime. He hopes from the bottom of his heart this will put a smile on their faces. He gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope and thanks her again. The guests leave, and Jessika says, the envelope looks small. Personally, I would have shaken Amish down for extra tip money. They meet for the tip meeting, and Captain Sandy says, they did a great job, but one thing she wants to address. Don’t call for one of the deck crew, when the stews have two people on cabins. They had to wake people to help them, and she apologizes; she wasn’t aware. The tip is not as Jessika predicted, but $23K or $1700 each, and Captain Sandy says, nice work. They say, cheers, clink glasses, and the captain tells them, have fun tonight. Jessika says she needs a shot or four, and Jack says, the green goblin comes out tonight. They get in the taxis, and Kyle says, I can’t wait to say goodbye to you motherf***ers. At the restaurant, they toast to Friday night. Kyle says he’s going to get very drunk and apologizes for anything that comes out. Jack says, he needs to calm down. Akuna matata. Lily tells them, play nice, and Kyle says, maybe it’s time for him and Jack to talk. Are they cool or not?

Jack tells Kyle that he was taken aback, and we flash back to the last dinner out. Kyle says he’s sorry. He was in his head and took out a lot of his emotions about Natalya. Jack says, Kyle was overemotional, but he was being a bit passive. In Tumi’s interview, she says she doesn’t recognize these people, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, a weight has been lifted. He can drink with joy instead of drink to forget. They go back to the boat, and Jessika asks Luka what the best part of his night was. He says he doesn’t know; he’s not finished. Lara and Max goof around kickboxing, and Luka and Jessika put up a privacy curtain. Thank you. Haleigh starts throwing up around 3 am, and tells the captain, something’s not right. She feels like death. In Haleigh’s interview, she says she hopes she doesn’t give it to anyone else, and Captain Sandy calls for a ride to the doctor for her. Haleigh leaves for the doctor, and in Tumi’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what to do. She meets the captain on the bridge, and says, she feels nothing bad for Lily personally, but workwise, she’s dead weight. Lily’s not getting it, and it’s frustrating her. The captain suggests having Kyle and Jessika talk to her. She has to show that she can do it or she’s off the boat. Kyle says, he’s exhausted, and Captain Sandy calls Lily to the bridge. In the captain’s interview, she says, in her experience, being honest is the only way to motivate people. No sugarcoating. She asks how Lily is doing at the job, and Lily says, it’s a lot of learning. Captain Sandy says, it’s the third charter. Does she think she can do turn downs on her own? She needs Lily to be more aware and have initiative. She needs to do it on her own. She’s giving Lily the opportunity for one more chance. How a crew member maintains under exhausting conditions is how she decides to keep a crew member. In Lily’s interview, she says, give her a break. She can’t win.

Next time, showgirls; a repeat charter that wasn’t good the last time; Jack hates the guests already; Haleigh is still sick; Kyle has a migraine; and Captain Sandy tells Max that what he did was wrong.

☃️ Wishing For a Winter Wonderland…

Take a break tomorrow for some soap and teabits. Until then, stay safe, stay connected to your social network if you’re feeling stressed (IRL, not social media), and stay remembering we all need help sometimes. Never be afraid to ask for it.

December 4, 2023 – Two Romantic Resolutions In Port Charles, Captain Sandy Isn’t Happy On Deck & Nights

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Lois looks over Ned’s shoulder while he’s on the computer and says, three million, four hundred and fifty-nine thousand. He says he didn’t hear her come in, and she says, that’s because he was focused on the numbers. He says, these are figures on a deal Michael closed with an Australian company, RCD. Michael and Drew insist it’s a good deal, but he’s not so sure. She says, that’s because his numbers are off by eight hundred and twelve thousand.

In the nook, Chase asks Brook what she’d say are three most important moments in her life, and she says, when she scored Jonas Brothers tickets in 2010, but he says he’s being serious. She says, heavy question. Okay. The last time she ever saw her great-grandfather Edward, the first time she wrote a song, and… when she gained a little brother in Leo. He says he wants this moment right now to be on that list, and she asks what he’s talking about. He gets down on one knee and says, Brook Lynn Quartermaine, will you marry me? She says, he really doesn’t have to do this.

Going into Molly’s apartment, Kristina tells her to sit down and let her get Molly a drink. What would she like? Another glass of wine? A pot of coffee? Molly says, Kristina doesn’t have to baby her like this, and there’s silence for a moment. Kristina says, it just got really awkward, and Molly asks if she’s sure she wants to be the surrogate for her and TJ.

Kelly’s is closed, but Josslyn walks in, and Carly asks what she’s doing here. Is everything okay? Josslyn says she got Carly’s text that she was covering for Amber, and she knows Amber usually closes, so she came to see if she could help with anything. Carly says, she’s thoughtful, and her timing is great, and Josslyn asks what she can help with. Carly says, a lot, but clean-up can wait. She has an update on Josslyn’s grandmother.

Nina asks Sonny if Ava was right. Is Cyrus after him? Is his life in danger? Sonny says, they’ve gone over this how many times? Threats exist in his business, and he’s going to take care of it like he always does. He just doesn’t want her to worry. She says, if his life is in danger, of course (🍷) she’s going to worry. They’re married. They’re in this together. And yes, she realizes there’s a certain amount of danger in his business, but this ruthless man just got released from prison, and he still might be after Sonny? And Sonny doesn’t want to discuss it with her?

Carly gives Josslyn a bowl of ice cream, and Josslyn asks if she’s softening bad news with it or are they celebrating good news with dessert? Carly says, they’re burying frustrations with a treat, and Josslyn asks, what’s going on with grandma? Carly says, she called from Amsterdam. Josslyn knows how her grandmother is always happy and upbeat. She is drowning in red tape. Surprise, surprise, Luke didn’t have his papers in order. Josslyn says, shocking, and Carly says, that man never met a form he wanted to fill out or a tax document he wanted to file. (To be fair, have any of us?) Josslyn says, so he left her with this mess? and Carly says, oh yeah. She said she’ll probably have to stay away longer. Josslyn asks if Tracy didn’t go over there to help her, and Carly says, Tracy’s there full of opinions and insisting that she knew what Luke would have wanted. She’s basically driving Carly’s mother crazy. Josslyn says, Tracy can be tough, but her money’s on grandma, and Carly says, hers too.

Sonny says, he’s been very clear from the beginning. There are things in his business that he can’t tell Nina. She says, he can’t discuss it with her because he doesn’t want her to be implicated if whatever he’s involved in gets investigated by the police, and he says, it’s for her own protection. Look what happened to Carly even after they were divorced. Nina asks what he’s talking about, and he says, the SEC investigation? It wasn’t about insider trading. They were trying to squeeze Carly to get her to give up information on him. Nina flashes back to telling Martin to go out all and expose Drew and Carly for insider trading, and to make sure to keep her name out of it. She tells Sonny that she wants to make one thing clear. Her situation is nothing like Carly’s.

Molly says, Dr. Navarro reminded her that there’s always a chance of miscarriage. What if it happens to Kristina? Kristina says, then they’ll survive it, and Molly says, there are possibilities of other complications too. Kristina will be taking a chance with her own health. Kristina tells her, take a breath. There are no guarantees of course (🍷) with an easy, successful pregnancy or a delivery, but the odds are in her favor. It’s the right timing and she’s in good healthy mostly, and she really wants to do this. TJ comes in and says he didn’t expect to see Kristina here, but welcome. Kristina says she’s heading out, but she’ll see them later. She leaves, and in the hallway, she gets a text from Blaze: R u around? Kristina texts back: Just leaving my sister’s, and Blaze asks: Can I see u? Kristina texts: Meet me at my place. 27 S. Patton, apt 3B.

TJ says he’s been thinking a lot about their last conversation, and Molly says, her too. She wants him to hear her out first.

Ned tells Lois that he was hoping to find some discrepancy in the numbers, but he’ll have to find another way to blow up this deal. She asks why he’d want to do that, and he says he was right in the middle of his own negotiations with RCD when he took that damn fall at the MetroCourt pool. She says, and woke up as Eddie Maine, a dedicated musician whose only interest was in performing and didn’t want anything to do with ELQ. He says, which gave Michael the exact opening to swoop in and renegotiate the deal for completely different terms than he’d been working on. And to top it all off, Michael closed the deal without even checking with him. She asks how Michael could check with him. He was Eddie Maine. What does he think Eddie would have said if Michael tried to talk to him about a business deal? He says, it doesn’t matter. Michael wasn’t even working for ELQ. He’s a shareholder, nothing more. He had no right to go behind Ned’s back and close that deal. Lois says, that makes no sense.

Chase tells Brook, he doesn’t have to do this? That’s so not the answer he was hoping for. She asks him to stand up, and says, he’s the sweetest man she’s ever known, and she loves him like crazy, but he doesn’t have to ask her to get married just because her mom and grandma are stuck on the subject. He says, that’s not why he asked her to marry him.

Molly tells TJ that she ran into Dr. Navarro leaving the hospital. She’d heard about Andrea’s miscarriage, and her reaction was that miscarriages aren’t uncommon, and she reminded Molly of all the people who’ve had children through surrogacy that wouldn’t have otherwise. It really resonated with her. So she ended up taking that meeting with Claire Brown, the matching professional, and Claire presented her with new potential surrogate candidates for them. But then she ran into her mom, and her advice was, whatever they choose to do, it has to be a mutual decision. And she knows her mom was right, so she only wants to explore new surrogates – if he’s totally open to it too.

Kristina says, sorry to keep Blaze waiting, but Blaze says she just got here. Kristina opens the apartment door and says, welcome to her humble home. Blaze says, nice and cozy, and Kristina says she’s glad Blaze likes it. She likes it too. Beautiful building and view, but the thing she likes best about it is, she pays her rent all by herself. Blaze says she can tell that really means something to Kristina, and Kristina says, it does. Both of her parents are super successful, and she spent plenty of time running around as a trust fund kid, which was fun in the short term, but she didn’t like the person she’d become. She knows managing Charlie’s isn’t very glamorous, but it’s where she got her head screwed on straight. It’s good, honest work, and she’s really proud of herself for standing on her own two feet. She really likes this version of herself better. Blaze says she can’t speak to who Kristina was in the past, but she likes this version of Kristina now a lot. So what does Kristina think? She takes a bottle of champagne out of her bag and says, time to celebrate?

Brook tells Chase that she knows her mom and grandma can be a lot. They have the subtlety of a freight train. He says he thought they were great, but she says, come on. Can he honestly say that the idea of marrying her ever came into his mind before her grandma’s lecture on marriage? Then her mom has to pile on top of it with her Chase-you-make-my-kid-happy speech. He says, so what her mom said wasn’t true? He doesn’t make her happy? She says, he makes her incredibly happy. Happy with their life together in his apartment. Happy that he accepts her for exactly who she is. Happy that he has a really great sense of humor about her family, both sides. But don’t let them pressure him into asking her to marry him. They can just take that topic off the table and forget it was even brought up. Okay? He says, nope, it’s not okay. It’s too late to take marriage off the table. He takes out a ring box and shows her a gorgeous round diamond ring that no doubt someone helped him pick out. Maybe his ring guy. She asks what he’s doing.

Josslyn asks if she told Carly about Adam, the kid that lives down the hall from her, but Carly says, nope. Josslyn says, he’s in her Organic Chem class, so they study together sometimes. Like ten minutes into this test, he starts freaking out. He starts hyperventilating and looking like he’s going to faint, so the TA had to stop the exam. Carly asks if he had a panic attack, and Josslyn says, that’s what it looked like, so she volunteered to take him to GH. Carly says, poor guy, and Josslyn says, he told her that he took some sort of medication to help him focus and he took an extra dose before this test. That’s why he thinks he had a panic attack. Carly asks what Josslyn thinks.

Nina tells Sonny, Carly did commit insider trading. When she bought that Aurora stock, she did so because she had privileged information that ELQ and Aurora were going to merge. That is why Carly and Drew got into trouble. It’s just unfortunate that the FBI and SEC were trying to use that as leverage to get Carly to flip on Sonny. He says, she’s missing the point. The FBI knew Carly had information because when he was in Nixon Falls, Carly was running his business. Nina says, and she kept him from his life in Port Charles. Is that what he’s saying?

Blaze says she thinks Kristina is going to like this champagne; definitely worthy of a special occasion. She pours them both a glass, and Kristina asks what they’re celebrating. Blaze says, the remix of her latest single just went number on the dance charts, and Kristina says, congratulations. Blaze thanks her and they clink glasses. Blaze says, let’s toast, and Kristina says, Blaze is her stage name. What’s her real name? (This is so weird, because I was just wondering about that.) Blaze says, Allison Rogers Ramerez, and Kristina says, to Allison. They clink glasses again.

TJ says he wants a family with Molly. They love each other. They’re committed to each other, and part of that commitment is listening and respecting each other’s needs and feelings, and that’s something he neglected to do this morning. She says, it’s okay, but he says, it’s not. He was so wrapped up in his own feelings and in his fears, he didn’t make enough room for her and what she’s going through. For that, he’s so sorry. She says, he was being honest, and she needs him to be honest. She wants him to know that she has every intention of being honest with him too. She never would have gone further than an initial meeting with Claire without talking to him. He says he believes her. So she was meeting to look at other potential surrogates. Did she find anybody she liked or thinks they might connect to? She says, yes… and no.

Brook says, it’s beyond beautiful, and Chase says he bought this ring weeks ago, way before her mom and grandmother came to town. His original plan was to propose on Christmas. All Lois and her grandmother did was just speed up the timetable a little bit. She asks, why? and he says, why did he buy the ring or why did he move up the proposal? Because he loves her and he wants to spend the rest of their lives, short or long, together. His dad’s diagnosis made him realize all over again that life can be random, and nothing is entirely promised. He doesn’t want to waste today waiting for a tomorrow that might never come. They need to do what matters now, while they still can. And what matters most to him is her. It’s her. Well? She says, well what? and he says he didn’t technically get an answer. She tells him that she said what she said before because she thought he was just following her grandma’s instructions. Ask her again. He says, Brook Lynn Quartermaine – he gets down on one knee again – the love of his life, would she do him the greatest honor in marrying him?

Lois says, the deal hadn’t closed when Ned hit his head and woke up as Eddie Maine. Correct? Ned says, yeah. So? She says, standard business practice would be to put the deal on hold if one of the parties, mainly him, was not in his right mind. And if ELQ hadn’t sent someone to close the deal, then the Australian company would have had to assume that there was no deal to be had, right? He tells her that he couldn’t really say, but she says, be honest with her. If Michael hadn’t gone and negotiated the deal, there would be no deal, right? He says, that’s not the point, but she says, the point is, Michael closed the deal and he didn’t. Isn’t that what this is really all about?

Josslyn tells Carly that she’s sure the meds contributed to Adam’s panic attack, but she thinks it would have happened regardless. Carly asks, why? and Josslyn says, because he has this relentless pressure put on him by his parents. Then he puts more pressure on himself. He thinks 92% is failing. Carly says, that’s not good, and Josslyn agrees. She says, he spends all of his time studying. He has no friends. When she and Trina got back from Thanksgiving, he had been in the dorm the whole time. Carly says, he wasn’t with his family for Thanksgiving? and Josslyn says, no. His parents were in St. Bart’s. He literally stayed on campus and studied. Carly says she wishes she would have known that. Josslyn could have brought him home for Thanksgiving. Drew comes in and says, they’re closed, huh? but Carly says, not for him. What would he like, ice cream or chili? He says he was hoping to take her out for dinner. One last night out before he heads to Australia. Carly says, what?

Sonny says, whether anybody believes it or not, he and Nina know the most important thing that happened in Nixon Falls was that they fell in love. Nina says, he’s right, and he says, the only reason he brought up Carly was to make an example of it. What if the FBI thinks Nina has information to implicate him? Then they’ll come after her. That’s why he can’t tell her everything. She says she knows that. She’s made peace with what he does, with his life choice, and she does understand why sometimes he can’t tell her everything. It’s not like she wants to be involved in allegedly illicit activities. He says, good. That means they’re on the same page. She asks if they really are. Because if her husband is in danger, she’ll do whatever she can to make sure he comes home. And if there’s a chance her husband she loves won’t come home, doesn’t he think she has the right to know that?

Brook says, yes. With all her heart, she’ll marry Chase. He takes her hand and puts the ring on it. She says, look at that. It’s a perfect fit. Just like her and him. He says he knows that diamond might be a little small by Quartermaine standards… She says, stop it. She loves it. She loves that she chose it. She loves that she gets to wear it for the rest of her life, and she promises she’ll love him for as long as they both shall live. They kiss.

Ned tells Lois that he turned ELQ over to Michael, a decision he’s come to bitterly regret. He was too young to be named CEO… even if he did turn out to be surprisingly effective at the job. Lois asks, so what’s the problem? and Ned says, the problem is, once Michael got a taste of that power, he was never willing to let it go. When Michael was pushed out by him and Valentin, he went to work for Drew at Aurora. But he knew Michael was just lying in wait. When he had that fall at the pool, it was just the chance Michael needed. Michael jumping in and finishing that Australian deal was just the beginning. If Ned doesn’t find a way to stop him, Michael will push him out. Lois says, all these years after Edward’s death, all the Qs are still fighting with each other. Ned’s grandfather – may he rest – he would be so proud of that. That makes her so sad.

TJ says, Molly did find a surrogate possibility, or she didn’t? and Molly says, after her conversation with her mom, she had a million thoughts turning through her brain. She went for a walk in the park to get some air, and she ran into Willow and Baby Amelia. He asks if it felt like torture, and she says, in a way, but torture of the sweetest kind. She got to hold the baby and it almost knocked her over with longing to have a baby of their own. She got so overwhelmed with the fear that it might never happen, she went to an isolated park bench and broke down into a million pieces. It’s okay. She just had this flood of emotions that needed to come out. She just sat there and sobbed. He says he was so wrong. He’s so sorry. She says, it’s okay. While she was crying, Kristina found her.

Kristina says, Allison Rogers Ramerez. She’s so curious how that morphed into Blaze. Blaze says she just though her name was to generic to win over a big audience, and Kristina asks if she just woke up one day and said, call me Blaze? Blaze laughs and says, no. She was in high school at this open mic night, and even though this is everything she ever wanted, she was so shy back then. Kristina says she finds that hard to believe, but Blaze says, it’s true. She knew she could sing, so she signed up, but then she got hit with this massive wave of stage fright. She went up to the DJ who was announcing the singers and begged him to withdraw her name. All she wanted to do is run away and hide. Kristina asks, what happened? and Blaze says, the DJ challenged her. He said, do you really want to scurry away like some scared little mouse, or would you rather go out in a blaze of glory? So she went out on that stage and sang her heart out. She got a standing ovation and from that night on, she was Blaze. Kristina says, that is amazing. She loves that story. Blaze says, Kristina’s turn. What was she like in high school?

Drew says he’s flying to Australia for business, and Carly asks, for how long? He says, for a week, and Josslyn tells Carly that she can clean up if they want to head out, but Carly says, Drew’s going to help her clean up. Then they can talk. Josslyn says, then she’s going to go. Have a great night. She’s going to text Drew a list of her favorite places to go when she’s in Australia with her dad. Drew thanks her and says he’d love to check out a couple. Josslyn says, goodnight, and leaves. Carly asks when Drew’s going, and he says, tomorrow. She says, that’s not a lot of notice, and he says he realizes that. He’s sorry, but it just came together so quickly. He just got back and now he’s leaving again, right before Christmas. She asks why he’s going.

Sonny tells Nina that he has to be extremely careful. That’s why he has bodyguards and Brick screens everything. She says, he hasn’t given her a straightforward answer about Cyrus. Is he still after Sonny? Sonny says, he was. Ava was right about that part. When Cyrus was in Pentenville, he used Austin and Mason to set him up to get busted by the Feds. She says, so Cyrus Renault is responsible for him getting arrested, but he says, it didn’t work because there was no proof. The charges didn’t stick. He’s a free man. She says, but so is Cyrus. He just got released from Pentenville. What if he decides to go after Sonny again?

Blaze asks if she just asked the wrong question, but Kristina says, no. She was in an abusive relationship in high school. Blaze says she’s so sorry. Please don’t feel obligated to tell her about it, but Kristina says, it’s okay. She wants to tell Blaze about it because it’s a big part of her and a big part of who she is. She genuinely thought her boyfriend Kiefer had a really sweet side to him. And she did love him, but he was also wildly insecure, and he had a bad temper. Once when they were arguing, he slapped her. She remembers it like it was yesterday because her reaction to it was so messed up. Blaze asks what she means, and Kristina says she was embarrassed. She blamed herself. She was sure she’d said or done something to trigger that reaction from him. The one thing she didn’t do was blame him. She certainly didn’t break up with him. The slapping eventually turned to hitting, and it took her a really long time to ask for help. Blaze says she’s so sorry Kristina went through that, and Kristina thanks her. She says, her next boyfriend Trey was not much better. Not that he was abusive, but her parents didn’t like him and she was in her rebellious phase, so she married him for what felt like five minutes. Then when that failed, she thought she’d try college, and when she was in college, she had an affair with her professor. Blaze asks, how old was he? and Kristina says, she was in her mid-thirties.

TJ asks what it was like when Kristina found Molly crying, and Molly says, she was actually really wonderful. Kristina calmed her down and got her out of the park. Kristina took her back to her place and listened while she opened up a vein. And then, Kristina offered to be their surrogate again.

Lois says, Ned knows she loved his grandfather, and in many ways, Edward was a wonderful man, and she cherishes his memory. He says he feels the same way, and she says, and he loved keeping them all in an endless competition; everyone always jockeying for power. He loved playing them all against each other. Ned versus his mother; Ned versus AJ. All the while, belittling poor Alan, who only wanted nothing to do with the family business. She remembers when Edward exiled Tracy. Then he let her come home and exiled her all over again. Ned says, his mother is hardly an innocent, and Lois agrees. She says, maybe that made for a very successful business, but it made them all miserable. Edward is gone. Does Ned really want to carry on his legacy? Ned at Michael’s throat; Michael at his. He says, that’s just how the Quartermaines are, and she says, really? She looks at a photo of Edward and Lila, and says, what about Lila?

Drew asks Carly if she remembers him telling her that when Ned was out of commission, Michael closed a deal between ELQ and an Australian firm. He’s going to finalize the paperwork and probably oversee a few other acquisitions while he’s there. She says, that’s ELQ, not Aurora. She still doesn’t get why he has to go. He says, Michael was going to go, but he was reluctant to leave Willow and the kids so soon after her leukemia. She says she thinks it’s really wonderful of him to offer to go so Michael could stay home. She just wishes he would have told her, so she could have planned and processed it. He says, it really did come together last night, and she says she’s going to miss him. He says he’s going to miss her too, and kisses her.

Brook says, Chase started this by asking about the most important moments of her life. This is definitely one of them. She’s so surprised she’s not even nervous at all. He says, it just feels right, and she agrees. She says, even if they can’t predict the future, at least they know they have each other. He asks if she remembers when they first met. She clocked him over the head with a bottle. When he tells people about that day, he’ll say it was one of the most important days of his life because it was the day he met his wife. They kiss.

Lois tells Ned, Lila was sweet, angelic, loving, but she was nobody’s pushover. She saw through every one of them, including her husband, and she loved them all anyway. He says, grandmother was one of a kind, and Lois says she asked Lila one time what her secret was. Lila told her, I always look for the good in everyone, and I almost always find it. She was a Quartermaine. Ned could try her way for a change. Look for the good, right? He was incapacitated. He wasn’t able to finish the deal, so Michael stepped in, and he made the deal for Ned. If it was good for ELQ, it was good for everyone in the company, including Ned. So instead of trying to blow up the deal, why doesn’t he thank Michael for making the deal, and next time a deal comes around, Ned can ask Michael to collaborate with him. They can work together instead of against each other. Maybe the results will surprise him. He says, she really channeled his grandmother right there. He hopes she knows how proud of her Lila would be.

Outside Kelly’s, Carly asks where they’re going, and Drew says he was thinking Café Cheri, a bottle of wine, maybe two. She says, sounds like a perfect farewell dinner, and he laughs. He says he realizes he’s letting her down, but it’s only a week. She says she knows, and she knows it’s important to him. If it weren’t, she’d tell him to send Ned. He says he wouldn’t trust Ned to close this deal. The man can’t see past his own ego for the good of the company. She says, Drew sounds like Michael, and he says, Michael is right. She should have seen Ned when he found out Michael closed the deal. He turned into a little four-year-old. He told Michael that he wasn’t authorized when he should have been thanking him. She says she gets it. That sounds like Ned, but Drew is usually the one to let things go and move forward. He says, one trip to Pentenville is enough for him. Ned isn’t going to stab him in the back again. She says she understands that, but please don’t let Ned change who he is. He says he can’t undo what he’s been through, and she says she knows, but we can choose to fill our minds with better things to dwell on, like our dinner and our wine and us. He says, and us, and they kiss.

Sonny tells Nina, Cyrus is mopping floors at the PC Grill. He has his guys on Cyrus 24/7. Yes, Cyrus was a threat, but those days are over. Mason Gatlin is on his way to Pentenville, Austin’s dead and Cyrus’s allies and connections don’t want to work with a broken old man. She laughs and thanks him for sharing that with her. He says he didn’t tell her about Cyrus because he didn’t want her to be worried, but she says, he doesn’t have to shield her like that. She’s tougher than she looks. He says he has no doubt, and kisses her.

TJ says he doesn’t understand. The last time Kristina offered to be their surrogate, Molly wanted nothing to do with it. She says, they talked about that, and Kristina admitted that when she initially offered, she hadn’t really thought it through. It was just an impulsive idea. And Molly admitted she overreacted. She was just hurt because her sister can carry a child and she can’t, but Kristina’s being really sincere about doing it. She’s in perfect health and she’s kind of a perfect candidate, but only if it’s something TJ wants too. He says, if this is something Molly wants, he thinks they should accept Kristina’s offer, and she asks if he’s sure. He says, as sure as he is of his love for her, and they kiss. He says, let’s have a baby.

Kristina tells Blaze that her name was Parker. It started off as a crush, but it developed into something much deeper. And that was her first and only relationship with a woman. Blaze asks how it ended, and Kristina says, Parker dumped her for her ex, and Blaze says, ouch. Kristina says, honestly, she doesn’t fault Parker for that, because if not for Parker, she would have kept on denying that part of herself for God knows how long. Blaze says she certainly knows what that’s like, sets down her glass, and kisses Kristina.

Tomorrow, Cyrus tells Ava that he has an alibi, and asks if she does; Anna tells Felicia that she could really use a friend; and Sonny asks what Curtis wants from him.

Below Deck Mediterranean

I grit my teeth and hold my nose and dive into this floating pile of garbage. I’m not quite getting it with the online backlash against Kyle. He’s a gossip and drama queen for sure, but I honestly think he doesn’t compare to Natalya, who just seems like a straight-up bad person.

Genoa, Italy. In Jack’s interview, he says, when he sees Kyle, he sees drama. He was supportive of Natalya, but now he wishes he’d been more supportive of her, based on what he’s seen. At the restaurant, Kyle leaves the table to take a wee, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, Kyle is a stick of dynamite that doesn’t need a match. Can they just behave? On the boat, Captain Sandy wanders around, looking disgruntled. Max hits on Jessika, and outside the restaurant, they race each other to nowhere. Everyone gets in the taxis. The captain continues to wander around, and seeing the mess in the mess, she says, this place is disgusting. It’s like babysitting. In her interview, she says, when she goes downstairs, she doesn’t want to see a disaster. It’s not a frat house. The crew goes to a bar/club, and Max orders one shot for everyone to add fuel to the fire. In Max’s interview, he says, Lily is a new adventure. He and Peter Pan will never be serious, and he likes her vibe. In Jessika’s interview, she says, Luka is cute and you’re stupid if you don’t think so. I guess I’m good then. Kyle broods, and Lily asks Jack, what happened? Jack tells her about being friends with Natalya and that Kyle caused trouble, but Kyle suggests she reserve her opinion. Jack’s been against the interior since the beginning. He’ll separate her from the rest of them. She should have her own opinion. Lily says she doesn’t care about any of it, and Jack tells her not to respond. Kyle says, some people have growing up to do, and some people need to level up. In Lily’s interview, she says, Kyle is making her feel like if she’s not on his side, she’s out to sea, and she tells them, we’re ending the conversation. Lily tells Tumi that she doesn’t want to get involved in the gossip. She’s ignoring Kyle and Jack, and it’s feeling uncomfortable. In Tumi’s interview, she says she feels like a preschool teacher getting the kids together. Natalya is gone, so she thought the drama was gone. She has no time to babysit. We flash back to the tornado that was Natalya, and Tumi says she and Kyle need to have a conversation – without alcohol involved. In the taxi, Kyle says he thinks Lily is being influenced by Jack, but Tumi says she doesn’t think so. In taxi #2, Max flirts with Lily, while in taxi #1, Luka kisses Jessika. Lily wants Max to carry her, and in Max’s interview, he says, oui, oui, oui a thousand times. Jessika gets in Luka’s bunk, and Max gets in Lily’s bunk. Lily hits her head on the bunk above them and I laugh. In the Jessika/Luka bunk, there’s a lot of movement under that blankie and I don’t want to know. Max and Lily both slide off the bunk and onto the floor.

In the morning, Lily says she’s hungover as sh*t, while Tumi tries cleaning up. Lily says she’s dying, and Max and Luke fist bump. In Max’s interview, he says, Lily is pretty with emerald eyes. It feels like Christmas in July. Tumi asks Jack, what happened? and Jack says, Lily wanted to know what went on. Kyle butted in and told her to have her own opinion. In Tumi’s interview, she says, Kyle is paranoid, and we flash back to Kyle thinking Jessika was against him, then telling Jack that Natalya will throw him under the bus. Tumi says, it’s her job to keep Kyle under control. Lily is horrible at laundry, and she needs him. In Luka’s interview, he says, in the past, he didn’t have to do paperwork. He’s glad he can rely on Lara. She’ll just push through.

Captain Sandy calls Luka to the bridge, and tells him, the way the crew mess was left was not okay. There was food and booze, the garbage was overflowing, and plates were stacked up in the sink. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Luka knows her expectations. The job’s not just about throwing lines. It’s about making sure the schedule is working and the crew mess is clean. She doesn’t want him to get complacent. She tells him to kick some ass, as Lily repeatedly throws up in the cabin bathroom. In Jessika’s interview, she says she’s in a scary place, knowing her feelings for Luka are showing. He’s a Scorpio, and Scorpio men are known to be promiscuous. She tells Tumi that Lily is throwing up, and Tumi checks on her. Lily says she’s dying, and Tumi tells her to take an hour. Clearly more in practice with drinking, Jessika says she wants a burger. Tumi tells Kyle that the chef and his new friend felt Kyle was overstepping yesterday. Kyle revises history, and Tumi says, what happened was clearly triggering. Kyle says he didn’t tell anything to anyone. Jack wants to cause atomic bombs. Tumi says she’d rather Kyle and Lily communicate with her, and in her interview, she says she doesn’t know how to handle these people. She can’t be handling men in their 30s. Sorry. The captain calls Luka, Jack, and Tumi for the preference sheet meeting.

The primary is Michael, the CEO of a dental implant company. He’s bringing his wife and several friends. Luka reads that they want to go diving at Christ of the Abyss, and Tumi reads that they want a 007 Casino Royale party. Jack reads, late night snacks are welcome, and there’s something about singing Happy Birthday as an aria. Kyle tells Jessika, the laundry is a sh*tshow, and Jessika says, Lily can’t be sleeping all day. Kyle tells her that anything he says is taken to the next level, so he’s not saying anything anymore. Max brings Lily some water, and Tumi tells Captain Sandy that Lily is hung over. The captain says she’ll wake Lily up, and tells Lily, it’s your captain. She needs Lily on deck. This is a real job. Lily says she needs 20 minutes, and the captain says, holy cannoli, as she walks away. In the captain’s interview, she says, if it happens again, they’ll need to have a serious conversation. Maybe don’t drink as much next time. Tumi calls to find some entertainment for the 007 party, and the provider says they have a mentalist. In Tumi’s interview, she says, what the f*** is a mentalist? That has nothing to do with the theme, but her options are limited. It sounds like a bougie way of saying psychic . Jessika relegates Lily to scrubbing toilets, which is not just poetic justice, but a good idea since she’s not done throwing up. She looks absolutely miserable. In Lily’s interview, she say she thinks she drank a bit too much. In Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s a lot to manage Lily. She’s not retaining information. Tumi knows she can do it, but she’s trying to figure out how. In the crew mess, Lara is encouraged to be the singer for the guests, and in her interview, she says, her love of opera started young. She listened to Phantom of the Opera all the time, and that love is still with her. She sings in the crew mess, and I give it a 6 out of 10. Luka says, the guests will love her, and in Lara’s interview, she says she believes she’s destined to be an opera singer. Then she laughs. Lily hits her head on the top bunk again. Man, she is not bright at all. In Lily’s interview, she says, the Brit is back.

True story. My first day at my very first job in NYC, I was hung over since I’d gone out with a group from school the night before. Adding to my misery, it was Donut Day or something and the donuts that particular day had green and orange frosting on them. To my credit, I made it through the day without going all Lily.

Luka tells Haleigh that she’s going on the dive with the guests, and Tumi meets with the interior in the crew mess. She tells Lily, the biggest thing is having initiative, and tells Jessika to guide her. Captain Sandy radios the interior and asks that her clothes be brought up. She has no clean shirts. Jessika goes to the laundry room, and Tumi says, they need to speed things up with the laundry. Jessika sees the captain’s shirts aren’t ironed, so she finishes the job on one and delivers it to Captain Sandy. Tumi calls Lily to the laundry and points out what hasn’t been done. She says, it’s her pet peeve. When someone says something is done, she assumes it’s done. Lily makes excuses in her interview, and says, it feels like the interior is breaking down and she’s the one breaking it. She has little experience in laundry. There’s no winning here, only failure. No positivity.

The guests arrive, and primary Michael says he’s so excited, he’s jacked. Let’s get this party rolling. The group seems pretty boisterous and pay little to no attention to the tour. In Kyle’s interview, he says, these dentists are having the best time of their life. Where were they when he was getting his teeth extracted. We flash back to Kyle’s dental woe last season, and the boat heads out. Guest Amish noses around the galley. Kyle and Jack are still silent with each other, and Amish lies down for a nap. Lunch is served, and in his interview, Kyle says he doesn’t owe Jack anything. He’s going to focus work on his work. It’s not the place to become chums. In Luka’s interview, he says, if he’s not in a relationship, he’s doing a fling. He’s not usually in trouble, but if he is, it has something to do with the ladies. The guests are happy with lunch, and Captain Sandy radios for someone to take out the garbage. Max goes to help, the water toys are put out, and the guests use the slide. In Lara’s interview, she says she’s lead deckhand and is there to help where needed, but Luka has to adjust the schedule for sleeping. Haliegh and Max leave with Michael and his wife for the dive, Lara driving the tender. Lily sits on deck for a smoke with Jack, and Jack tells her that Kyle is overthinking things. He wants to speak to Kyle, but thinks Kyle should instigate it. A sign of real maturity.

They go to Christ of the Abyss, and in Haleigh’s interview, she says, diving started her out on her ocean career. She’s not super familiar with yachting, but she’s super familiar with diving. She doesn’t have to talk underwater. They dive, and on the boat, Luka texts Natalya. Jessika and Lily do cabins, and Jessika shows Lily the ropes. In Jessika’s interview, she says she doesn’t like to train. Tumi is the chief stew though, and she has to do what she’s told. She doesn’t like teaching people things. She’s a sponge; Lily can be a sponge too. Lara radios Luka and says, Max is having more fun than the guests. Tumi instructs Lily in napkin folding, and in Tumi’s interview, she says, it’s important for her to show Lily how to do stuff. She wants to cover her tracks. If Lily can’t do it, she can say she showed her already. But if she comes out on top, she can say she trained Lily and it was a pleasure. Michael tells Lara that he can tell Haleigh knows her stuff, and they head back to the boat. Even though Lara wants a break, she tells Max to go, and in her interview, she says, a higher up should never a take break before their teammates. She should have been given a break earlier, but she’s not throwing a tantrum like Max. We flash back to Max being a baby, and she says she’ll just deal with it. The mentalist shows up at the dock, and Tumi tells Luka that he needs to be picked up. Luka is annoyed that he’s already put the tender away, and in her interview, Lara says, there should have been better communication on both their parts, but Luka could have asked if interior needed to launch the tender later. The chief bosun should communicate with the chief stew. What did they do the whole day on the boat, have a tea party?

Luka picks up the mentalist, and Tumi says she hears he has magic powers. In her interview, she says, if the guests are happy, she’s happy. She didn’t f*** up. The guests are dressed like characters in a James Bond film, and Tumi directs them to some entertainment before dinner. The man (who’s either nameless or I didn’t catch it) asks who knows what a mentalist is, and Amish says he has no idea what the f*** is going on. The mentalist asks one of the guests to think of a famous place they’ve never been before and would want to visit in the future. He writes something down and asks her to tell him what it is. She says, Australia, and he reveals he’s written Australia on the board. He does some more mind reading tricks, and he’s pretty impressive. Lily says she feels like Tumi and Kyle don’t like her, but Jessika says, if they see she’s working hard and always doing something, they’ll respect her. Kyle radios for someone in the deck crew to help with service, but gets no response. Captain Sandy wonders where the deck crew is, and gets on the radio herself. Luka is in the tender, but she radios him, asking where the deckhands are. Luka says, Lara and Max are sleeping, and the captain says, he’s the only one on deck? That’s not okay. They always need at least two. Captain Sandy pokes her head in Lara’s cabin, and says, they need someone on deck. Lara says she’s on from 10:30 to 3, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s important to have at least two of the deck crew on deck in case of an emergency. It’s not just about safety; it’s about service. The deck team supports the interior, and there are no water sports at night. She needs two. She tells Luka that she’s not happy. The priority right now is food, and this is the kind of stuff that makes her mad. He has to figure out the schedule, and when she radios, someone needs to answer.

Next time, Jessika complains about Lily; Tumi says her patience is gone; Captain Sandy says she’ll give Lily one more chance: Lily says she can’t win; Haleigh needs to see a doctor; drunk guest Amish looks for the hot tub and wakes the crew; and Captain Sandy tells primary Michael to get Amish off the boat.

🍦 Whipping It Good…

Join me tomorrow for soap and tidbits of tea and such from the interwebs. Until then, stay safe, stay being realistic about how much you can do during the holiday season – let yourself say no; and stay not wasting today waiting for a tomorrow that might never come. Do what matters now while you still can. Life can be random, and it’s not entirely promised.