Tag Archives: Ben WIlloughby

March 28, 2024 – Jason Is Arraigned, Peace Out, Double the Awful, Not First Choice, VanderDeck, Wealthy Pets (!) & Can’t

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the courthouse, Josslyn asks Kristina if there’s any news on Dante, and Kristina says, not that she knows of. Josslyn says she guesses that’s kind of good news. He’s still fighting and everything. Kristina says, you bet he is, and Josslyn says she doesn’t know why they’re wasting their time with this hearing. They should be going after whoever actually shot Dante. Kristina says she thinks they already found him.

Michael goes into the courtroom and wonders how he knew Carly would be here early for Jason’s arraignment. She says she tried to get in to see him last night, but they wouldn’t allow any visitors. Has he heard from Diane? Do they know if he’s still okay? Michael says he’s sure Jason is still okay, and Carly says, he’s recovering from a gunshot wound. Michael knows Jason. He’s not going to speak up if he needs anything. He tells her to breathe. It’s going to be okay. Diane is going to get Jason out on bail. Diane comes in and says, that’s certainly the plan. Carly thanks her so much for being here, and Diane says she’s not doing this out of the goodness of her heart. Jason is just another client. It’s just a job. Carly says, that’s her story? and Diane says, and she’s sticking to it. She goes to the defense table, and Carly asks if Michael has seen any sign of Sonny, but he says, not yet.

Sam reads to Dante: Angelo took a deep breath, let it out, and case his line into the stream. Just as the lure hit the water, it hit him. He caught the wrong man. She tells Dante that she’s going to need him to wake up soon because she’s losing her voice. Portia comes in and asks if Sam wanted to speak with her, and they step outside. Portia asks what she can do for Sam, and Sam says she was just informed the hospital wants to move Dante to Turning Woods, and Portia is the sitting Chief of Staff. She needs Portia to stop that from happening.

At the Penthouse, Ava asks Sonny, how was Dante? and he says, no change. She says, he’s pushing himself too hard. Is there anything she can do for him before he heads back out? He asks if she’s kicking him out of his own house, and she says she just thought he’d be going to the courthouse for Jason’s arraignment.

Sam says, unless of course (🍷) there’s been a mistake, and Portia doesn’t think Dante should be transferred. Portia says she’s going to have to look into this. She personally isn’t aware of any transfer. But now that Dante appears to be stabilized, it might be in his best interest to be transferred to a better facility where they have the right equipment to care for him. Sam says, because the doctors don’t think there’s anything more they can do for him here, but Portia says, because the ICU doesn’t offer appropriate care. Sam says, but she thinks the doctors are right and there is no hope, and Portia tells her that she’s not saying that and certainly doesn’t believe that at all. Sam says, but she is backing the transfer, and Portia says, what she is going to do is look into it for Sam. Sam says, because she has to wonder if it was Curtis who had been slow to wake up after he was shot, would Portia be okay with the hospital transferring him? Portia says she does understand what Sam is going through and she’s going to do her best to get Sam some answers. Portia leaves, and Sam goes back into Dante’s room. She takes his hand and says, it’s okay. Just a little hiccup. He’s not going anywhere.

Josslyn says, Kristina doesn’t actually believe Jason is guilty, and Kristina says, Josslyn is telling her that she can’t believe Jason actually shot the cop who was following him? Josslyn says, Jason would never shoot Dante, and Kristina says, that’s not what the evidence is pointing to. Josslyn says, evidence is not proof, but Kristina says, it’s pointing pretty hard. Josslyn asks where she’s getting this information, and Kristina says, from Molly. She knows this case better than anyone. Josslyn says, Molly is prosecuting Jason? That’s not a conflict of interest? Kristina says, now Josslyn is questioning her sister’s ability to maintain her professional objectivity? and Josslyn says, no, but if Molly stays objective, despite this so-called evidence, it will be pretty clear that no one actually knows what happened. Kristina says, that’s what a trial’s for, and Josslyn asks why Jason should have to stand trial for something he didn’t do.

Alexis asks Molly how it’s going, and Molly says she’s a little nervous. Alexis says, it’s just an arraignment. She can handle it. Although Alexis is a little annoyed that Robert left Molly to handle his dirty work. Molly says, ADAs have to take the cases they’re offered. All she can do now is make her case and let the judge decide whether he wants to let Jason walk free or keep him behind bars.

Drew walks into the courtroom with Olivia, and Carly asks, how’s Dante? Olivia says, no change (maybe they could just wear buttons that say that), and Michael says he’s sorry to hear that. At least that means he’s stable though, right? Olivia says, Dante’s lucky to be alive. Armor piercing bullets are terrible things. Carly says, good thing Jason kept him alive until help arrived, and Olivia says, maybe Jason wouldn’t have had to keep him alive if he hadn’t shot him in the first place. Drew says, okay. Emotions are running high. This is not the time, it is not the place. Carly says she didn’t mean to upset Olivia, and Drew says he thinks they should find a seat. Olivia says, Carly and Michael need to open their eyes, and goes to sit with Drew. Michael says, Olivia is just upset about Dante, and Carly says, that’s because Olivia only knows one side of things. No one’s heard Jason’s side yet. Michael doesn’t say anything and looks away, and Carly says, Michael…

Kristina says, Josslyn is unbelievable. She wants Jason to be innocent, so he is? Never mind the evidence. Never mind the fact that Dante might die. Or the fact that Sam and her father both know he’s guilty. Josslyn says, they know that? They told her? Kristina says, Sam and her dad aren’t here today. Why does she think that is? Because they know he did this. They know he’s guilty. They don’t want to see him, let alone hear Diane make some convoluted argument about why he’s not. Josslyn says, now she gets it. Sonny thinks Jason is guilty, and in Kristina’s brain, Sonny can do no wrong. Wake up. Her father is wrong about everything. Kristina starts to respond, when Elizabeth comes along and asks if they want to go in. The arraignment is about to start. Kristina says, that’s a great idea, and Josslyn says she has to find her mom. She leaves, and Kristina says she’s sorry. This is the last thing Elizabeth needed, to hear them screaming about Jason. Elizabeth says she’s more worried about them getting removed from the courthouse, and Kristina says, what a shame that would be. Elizabeth says, people are going to feel how they’re going to feel. Josslyn isn’t the enemy. Kristina says, people are going to have to choose sides, and goes to a seat.

Sonny says he’s not going to the arraignment, and Ava says, clearly, this is tearing him up. Has he seen Jason? He asks if she knows how many hours he’s spent at Dante’s hospital bed, listening to those machines that are trying to keep him alive, willing his son to open his eyes. The last thing he wants to do is see the man who put him there. She says, there could be another explanation, and he says, they saw Jason’s surveillance picture. Jason was at Selina Wu’s warehouse. Dante followed him and some other guy to the pier. Even if he didn’t pull the trigger, Jason was involved with these guys who want him dead. She says she knows it looks bad, but if Jason shot Dante – if he wanted to shoot Dante – why did he help him? Why not leave him for dead? He says, how would he know anything about what Jason wants anymore? No one knows. She tells him that she’s not saying he doesn’t have a reason to doubt Jason. There are a lot of questions. Why was he there? Why did he help Dante? Why did Jason let everyone believe he was dead for all these years? Sonny says he can’t answer that. All he cares about is whether his son is going to make it. She says she’s sorry. She knows how much Jason’s betrayal hurt him. He says, you know what hurts the most? Knowing his choices put his son in the hospital.

Ava asks what Sonny could have possibly done… Sonny says, it’s his business, his decisions. That’s why Dante got caught in the line of fire. She says, Dante is a police officer. He puts himself in the line of fire. Sonny says, Dante’s a cop and he is what he is. There’s always been a wall between them; the personal side and what they do. She says she thinks that wall is a gift that they give one another, so despite their work, they can be father and son and have a relationship that’s meaningful. He says, they’ve formed a bond in the last couple years because of the compromises that Dante’s made, and she asks if Dante has ever found evidence against him and looked the other way. He says, only in the beginning when he shot Dante. He didn’t know Dante was his son and Dante lied to cover for him. She says, since she’s known him, it’s been very obvious that the two of them love each other very much. Sonny says, that’s because of Dante. Dante always gives him another chance, even when he got together with Nina. His son’s a good man. Better than he’ll ever be.

Stella opens the door to Dante’s room and asks if she can come in. Sam says, yes, of course (🍷). She’s sorry. She’s not quite sure what she should call Stella. Stella says, because Sam’s not sure if she’s there as family or representing the hospital? Sam says, maybe a little bit of both. She’s just realizing that Curtis is one of her closest friends and TJ is essentially her brother-in-law, but she and Stella really don’t know each other. Stella says, how about if they start? Call her Stella. Sam shakes her hand and says she’s Sam, and Stella says, nice to meet her. Dante’s looking better. Sam tells her, that’s what she’s been saying. She should probably apologize to Portia. Stella says she’s sure that’s not necessary, but on behalf of the hospital, allow her to apologize. Sam shouldn’t have been blindsided by this decision. Sam says she’s been in this town a long time and knows this hospital really well. She’s been a patient here, she’s lost loved ones here, she even almost married a doctor here. Stella says, sounds like a story, and Sam says, maybe she’ll tell it to her sometime. But one thing she’s never seen this hospital do is give up on a patient.

Carly asks what Michael isn’t telling her, and he says, not here. She asks if he’ll tell her after, and Josslyn joins them. She says she’s so sorry she was almost late. She was here an hour early. She had an interesting conversation with Kristina. Nina walks in and asks Carly, how’s Dante? Carly says, as far as she knows, there’s been no change, but if Nina came here hoping to run into Sonny, there’s been no sign of him. Nina says, Sonny is still her husband, and she cares about him and his family, and Carly says, really? Has she asked how they feel about her? Nina says, believe it or not, one of the reasons she came here was to thank Carly, and Carly says, for what? Nina says she’s back at Crimson. Carly probably already knows that, and whatever she said to Drew helped him see the light, and fortunately there’s nothing Carly did in her brief tenure at Crimson that can’t be undone. Carly says, let her be really clear. She doesn’t give a damn about that magazine right now.

Olivia asks Drew, what’s going on with him and Carly? and Drew says, nothing. She says, it looked like something, and he says, they broke up. So nothing. She says, when? and he says, when Jason came back to town, he realized Jason would always be first with her. The bailiff says, court is about to convene. Everybody, please find your seats. Jason is brought in, and there are soap looks all around. An officer takes his cuffs off, and Jason looks at Carly, imperceptibly nods, and she smiles.

Stella says, no one is giving up on Dante, and Sam says, palliative care? That’s what they give people who are dying. Stella says, it’s what they give people they want to make more comfortable, and Sam says, while they’re dying. Stella says, and while they’re recovering, which is where Dante is. He’s out of danger and he’s getting stronger, but it may be a while before he wakes up. Sam thanks her for sugarcoating it, but Stella says she doesn’t sugarcoat. Now as for Turning Woods… Sam says, when she hears Turning Woods, she just thinks if Dante’s grandfather Mike losing himself there, then finally letting go of everything. Stella says, Mike was very dear to her. They became very close. But when he passed, it was after a long, long fight and it was on his terms. He knew it was time for him to leave. Sam says, it’s not Dante’s time, and Stella says, exactly. Anyone could see that Dante’s a fighter. He came this far, but for him to go all the way, he needs to be in a place that can give him the tools and the comfort to win this battle. Sam says, Turning Woods, and Stella says, they provide excellent care and a more homelike environment. Look around. Sam says she knows. There’s no place like home. Stella says, there sure isn’t. And she understands how difficult it is when a loved one is stuck in limbo the way Dante is. It can wear your down. When was the last time Sam had a good night’s sleep? Sam says, it’s been a while. She gets an hour here and an hour there, but before Stella tells her to go home… Stella says she wasn’t going to, and Sam says, really? Stella says, Sam wouldn’t, so what would be the point? and Sam says she can’t leave Dante. She sleeps when she sleeps, but the nurses are always coming in to check his vitals, which is good. It’s great that they’re on top of things. Stella says, hospitals aren’t very restful, and Sam says, no. And she sees what Stella just did there, and she hears what Stella is saying about Turning Woods. Stella says, but she’s not convinced, and Sam says, sending Dante there is like admitting defeat, giving in to the idea he might never wake up. Stella says, but once he’s there, he might wake up sooner, and Sam says, okay, maybe, but that’s not it. Dante’s son Rocco, his mother is in a long-term care facility, and if Dante winds up in one, Rocco is going to think he lost his father too. And she’s not going to put him through that.

Ava says, like Sonny, Dante’s a good father, and a father should never lose hope in his child. Or is she wrong about that? Has he lost hope in his son? He says, she knows the answer to that, and she says, damn right she does. He has to believe it in his heart that he and Dante have plenty of time left together. He says, time to disappoint him, and she says, time to disappoint each other. He says, Dante could never disappoint him, and she says, tell her that the next time Dante slaps the cuffs on him. He says, that would be his brightest moment, and she says, liar. He says he’s glad she’s here. He’s glad she can help him and talk to him. Who would have guessed? She says, sometimes people aren’t who you think they are, and he says, sometimes they are not.

Molly gets up and says, at this time, the defendant Jason Morgan is charged with two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, as well as conspiracy to commit murder. Further charges pending. Danny walks in, and the judge asks the defendant to please rise. He asks how Jason pleads to the charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. After a long pause containing soap looks, Jason says, not guilty.

Ava hands Sonny a folded paper and says, it’s Avery’s get-well card for Dante. He says, she sure loves her big brother, and Ava says, she does. He makes such a fuss over her, and she loves every minute of it. Sonny says he remembers when Dante went to Avery’s class on career day. She always brags about her big brother. A little boy went up to her and says, he doesn’t look like your brother because he’s too old. Avery’s feelings are hurt, so she wanted to call Dante, and the teacher called the PCPD, and Dante came back to class. The teacher told him what happened, so Dante gets in front of the whole class and says, Avery, is your dad my dad? She says, yeah, and he said, that’s because you’re my sister. So they high fived and he left the class. She says, Dante to the rescue, and he says he just hopes Avery gets to have more days with her big brother.

Sam says, Stella should see Dante when he’s conscious and not pale. He’s a good guy. Totally not her type. Stella says, have it bad for the bad boys? and Sam says, the more dangerous they are, the harder she falls. Stella says, and Dante isn’t dangerous, but Sam says, that’s the thing. She thinks he may be the most dangerous man she ever loved, because he’s a good guy. He’s got a sense of right and wrong and justice. That’s not to say he can’t be a total wise ass about it. There was this one time they were both after Jason and Britt Westbourne. Not together, but she needed to get to them first. Stella asks what she did, and Sam says, what any good woman would do. She slashed his tires. Stella says, and this is where their great romance began? but Sam says, no. He showed up at her place, slashed tire in hand. Stella asks what she did, and Sam says, he demanded reimbursement, so she was very old school about it and wrote him a check. Stella says, that is old school, and Sam says, which he tore up. Stella says, sounds like a good man, and Sam says, he’s the best, taking his hand, and he knows it.

The judge says, the defendant has entered a plea of not guilty. Where do the people stand on bail? Molly says, the people ask that the defendant be held without bail. Mr. Morgan is a textbook flight risk. Diane asks if she may, and the judge says he wouldn’t have it any other way. Diane thanks him and says, if the defendant had wanted to fly, believe her, he would have flown already. Instead, he turned himself in. Mr. Morgan is eager for his day in court to prove his innocence. Molly says, after disappearing for years, allowing his loved ones to believe he was dead, and only resurfacing in a shooting that left a member of local law enforcement in mortal peril, and Diane says, if esteemed counsel will let her finish. Molly says she apologizes. She thought Diane finished. Diane says, no. Mr. Morgan has deep ties to this community. He is the son of the late Dr. Alan Quartermaine and Dr. Monica Quartermaine. Molly says, it’s worth noting that Mr. Morgan’s rap sheet is longer than a CVS receipt, and Diane says, this discussion is about bail as it pertains to current charges against her client, not his long, long list of acquittals and dismissals. They ask that Mr. Morgan be released on his own recognizance. Molly says, it’s also worth noting the brutality of the crimes involved. There is video evidence placing Mr. Morgan at the warehouse where an attempt was made on the life of Sonny Corinthos, Mr. Morgan’s former business partner, and DNA evidence places Mr. Morgan on the pier where Detective Falconari was shot using armor piercing bullets. Said evidence also places the defendant in direct contact with the victim. Diane says, this DNA evidence could only exist if the item in question had been used to staunch Detective Falconari’s bleeding. Molly says, the defendant fled and evaded capture for days. These are the actions of a guilty man. Diane says, right, because only guilty individuals want to avoid incarceration. May she remind the court of the PCPD’s long history of demonstrated bias against her client. Molly says she wonders why, and the judge thanks them both. He says, indeed, he’s familiar with the PCPD’s history with Mr. Morgan and Mr. Morgan’s history with the law, and he’s ready to make his ruling. Bail is set at 5 million. Court is in recess. The bailiff says, all rise, and Danny jets. Elizabeth follows and watches him go down the hallway. Josslyn says she hopes Michael brought a check, and Jason asks if the officer can give him a minute. He goes over to Carly and hugs her. Drew and Nina watch.

Sam thanks Stella, who says, of course (🍷). She can understand Sam’s reservations about Turning Woods, but that’s where Dante can get the best care and have the best chance of recovery. Sam says she hears what Stella is saying, and Stella says she’ll talk to Rocco if Sam would like her to, and make sure he knows there’s still hope. Sam says, Stella would do that for her? and Stella says, of course (🍷). And as someone who’s worked in this environment five days a week, hospitals might be a good place to get well, but they’re an even better place to get sick. Sam says she’ll talk to Sonny and Olivia about Turning Woods, and Stella says, it really is the best choice because no one is giving up on Dante. She leaves, and Sam looks back at Dante.

At the station, Diane says she’ll get the ball rolling on Jason’s bail, so when they’re ready for Michael… He says, he’ll be here, and Diane leaves. Josslyn says she’s so glad Jason doesn’t have to wait behind bars until the trial, and Michael says, Jason hates being locked up. But that didn’t stop him from getting himself sent to Pentenville when Michael needed him. Josslyn says, of course (🍷) he did. He shows up for the people he loves, unlike Sonny. Michael says he can’t believe Sonny didn’t show up at the hearing, but Josslyn says she’s glad he didn’t show. Jason’s better off. He says, why is that? and she says, Sonny doesn’t deserve Jason’s loyalty. He never has.

Kristina tells Molly that she was a stone pro. Never flinched, never wavered. Alexis says she’ll be right back, and asks Drew, what’s up? Drew says he has some good news for her, and she says, about? He says he thought she should know, Nina’s back at Crimson. She says, define back, and he says, she’s Editor-in-Chief once again. Alexis says, but Nina’s still her publisher, and he says, technically, yes. Olivia says, but between running the MetroCourt with her… Drew says, and running CrimsonAlexis says, Nina won’t be able to torment her anymore? He says, pretty much, and Alexis says, welcome news indeed. He says, congratulations, and she thanks him. She goes back to Molly and Kristina, and Olivia tells Drew, welcome back. Drew says, to what? and she says, the support group of people forced to work with Nina on a professional basis. He asks if the group has a name, and she says she was thinking, Oh No Not Nina Anonymous, and he says, there’s a ring to that. They leave, and Kristina hugs Molly. She says she’s so proud of Molly, and leaves. Alexis says, so ADA Lansing-Davis, and Molly asks if she has any notes. Alexis says she didn’t want to interrupt Molly and Kristina, but she has a few, and Molly says, hit me. Alexis says, she presented the facts of the case not only with accuracy, but she effectively landed the argument. And she did it with flair and the judge was impressed. Molly says, he still granted bail, and Alexis says, five million dollars. But considering the case, the evidence, and Diane, it’s a victory, so take the win, kid. Molly says, when she puts it like that… Was Alexis ever, maybe not glad, but maybe not terribly disappointed when she lost a motion? Alexis says, of course (🍷). Why? Molly says, between Alexis and her, she thinks Jason is innocent, and Alexis says, okay, so she kept her personal opinions to herself, and she followed the law, which, by the way, is what she’s supposed to do. Molly thanks her.

In the hallway, Kristina asks if Nina is waiting for her father, and Nina guesses it’s pointless to deny it. She’s sure Kristina has thoughts about that. Kristina says she does. She knows things between Nina and her dad are… bad would be an understatement, but for what it’s worth (🍷), she saw how happy they were together, and she hopes they work it out. Nina thanks her and says she can’t tell Kristina how much that means to her. Kristina says she just wants him to be happy, and Nina says, believe it or not, so does she. She’s really surprised he’s not here. Kristina says, his absence speaks volumes, and Nina wonders if he’s lost faith in Jason. Kristina says, whatever he’s thinking or feeling right now, she knows he must feel very alone. She’s not saying it’s a good time to reach out to him, but she’s also not saying it isn’t. Nina says she wants Kristina to know she’s committed to her marriage, and Kristina says she got that feeling. Nina says she’s going to prove to Sonny that they belong together.

Ava asks if there’s anything she can do to make things easier, but Sonny says, she’s already doing it, and thanks her. There’s a knock at the door, and Ava tells him, stay right there. She’ll get rid of whoever it is. Ava opens the door to Carly, who says she needs to talk to Sonny. Ava says, it’s not really a good time, but Carly says she doesn’t give a damn, and walks in. She asks Sonny, where were you? and he says, with his son. Where else would he be? She says she just came from Jason’s arraignment, and he asks if they charged Jason for shooting Dante. She says, he didn’t do it, and he says, how is he supposed to know Jason is not the reason that Dante might die? Ava again looks like she’s watching a tennis match.

Sam wipes Dante’s neck and hands with a washcloth, and settles into a really squeaky chair. As she’s about to drift off, she hears something, and sees the cup of water on the floor. She goes to the bed and tells Dante that he moved. He dropped her water on the floor. Look at me. Open your eyes. You’re coming back to me.

Molly tells Alexis, so she told Kristina that she didn’t mean to imply Kristina wasn’t doing what was best for the baby, any more than Kristina meant to imply she would let her personal feelings influence her professionally, which was kind of what they were both doing. So here they are. Alexis says, Molly knows her sister believes in her, and Molly says she does. Kristina was here for her today, even though she still treats Molly likes she’s a teenager writing romance novels. Well, romance novel. Alexis says, her best-selling romance novel, and Molly says, if only she could convince Kristina she’s an assistant district attorney. Alexis says, about that. She thinks it’s really difficult for a lot of people to understand why lawyers are so committed to the law. She thinks it’s difficult for them to understand that, since every rule has an exception, and every law has a loophole. It can be wildly unfair, right? And when you bring politicians and power brokers into it makes it even worse. Not to mention the people they help when they prosecute. One would think that Lady Justice is not only blind, she’s left the building entirely. She hasn’t. And despite all the system’s vast imperfections, it’s people like Molly who make sure the law is followed and that justice is tempered with fairness and mercy. As much as she thinks Molly won’t believe this right now, when the system does work, it’s because of lawyers like her. Molly says, that was exactly what she needed to hear, and Alexis says she tries. Molly says she hopes Alexis does get her law license back. When she was disbarred, everybody lost. Alexis says she did kind of bring it on herself with that whole perjury thing, and Molly says, stack that against the people she helped and got justice for, and all the people she could have helped. Talk about an unfair system.

Carly asks how Sonny could think Jason would ever shoot Dante, and Sonny asks, what’s going on with Jason? Has he said anything to her? She says she went to the police station, but they wouldn’t let her see him. Sonny and Anna are friends. She might have made an exception for him had he bothered to show up. He says he was with his son who’s dying, and she says, who’s only alive because of Jason. He says, he only got shot because of Jason. Jason wouldn’t have stayed away this long and then come back and try to kill him. She says he’s jumping to conclusions. The truth is, he doesn’t know why Jason came back and doesn’t know why he was in that warehouse. But he does know Jason has saved his life so many times. He owes Jason the chance to explain. He says, I don’t owe Jason nothing.

Jason comes into the squad room, and Michael says, bail is posted. They’re good to go. Jason thanks him, and Diane says she’s sure he doesn’t need to hear the caveat about not leaving town, and Jason says he’d never do that to Michael. She says, just a small piece of advice. It might behoove him to keep a low profile for a while. Michael says, no crashing through skylights, and Diane says, please don’t make her have to prepare a second defense because she’s going to be real busy with this one. Jason says he promises, and she says, good, and leaves. Michael says, let’s go home, but Jason says he’s sorry. He can’t go home yet.

Tomorrow, Sam asks if she can get Dante anything, and he says, Anna; John Brennan says he was starting to think he’d been abandoned; Elizabeth says Jason is lucky to have Danny in his corner; and Sonny asks Jason why he should believe him.  

✒️ There Goes Another One…

What’s up with this changing of the writers? All those Emmys weren’t’ good enough?

🏊‍♂️ A Tale Of Two Awful Houses…

I can’t look.

https://shows.acast.com/ebbm/episodes/welcome-to-season-2-a-pop-culture-roundup-summer-house-marth

🛟 Not Mine Either…

Although if we go by the lesser of two evils, he’s better than Jared was.

https://ew.com/below-deck-captain-kerry-ben-willoughby-not-first-choice-bosun-8619631

🍸 Deck On Pump…

I blinked. I missed it.

🐈‍⬛ Pets With More Money Than Us…

Come on. They deserve it.

https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/the-wealthy-paws-richest-celebrity-pets-and-their-net-worth/3415885

🎆 Baby, You’re a Sparkler…

Join me tomorrow for soap, Dragon talk, and more. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping voicemails simple, and stay being aware that while hospitals are a good place to get well, they’re an even better place to get sick.

January 29, 2024 – Esme Fakes Out the PCPD, Talk to Nik, Returning Soon, A Loss, Chef Slam, She Sipped, VanderSoon, Live Reading, New Captain, Dolly’s Gala & Gloom

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Paris, France. Trina and Spencer are seated at a restaurant that looks suspiciously similar to the PC Grill. Trina says, Spencer said thank you, and the waitress said… something right away. He says, very good. She said she’ll be back right away. She says, this place is incredible. This is one of his favorite spots? He says, actually, he’s never been in this restaurant before. He wanted to go to a place that’s new to both of them to start their new beginning together. She says she loves that. She loves everything about Paris so far… except, tonight, considering he’s left her completely in the dark about what he has in store for them. So let’s hear it. He says, and spoil the surprise? No.

Portia and Laura go into Doc’s hospital room, and Laura says, he’s asleep again. She should have been here when he woke up. Portia asks, how are his vitals? and the nurse says, the same. He’s been in and out. Portia suggests Laura speak to him and let him know she’s here. Laura sits by the bed and says, it’s her. She’s here. She doesn’t know if he can hear her, but she really needs him to wake up. Can he do that? Can he open his eyes for her? He does, and she thanks him for coming back to her.

Toronto, Canada. Dante and Chase approach an apartment where a Canadian officer stands guard. Dante introduces himself and Chase, and the officer says, they were told the detectives were coming. Chase says, any updates? and the officer says, they’ve been monitoring the apartment for 24 hours. No one matching the nanny’s or Esme Prince’s description have exited. Dante says, so the apartment’s still occupied? and the officer nods. Dante thanks him for holding off and waiting for them. This could be trouble. Dante and Chase put their hands on their weapons, and the officer knocks at the door. He says, police. Open up.

PT therapist Ben asks if Curtis felt that as he squeezes Curtis’s leg. Curtis says he felt a pinch, and Ben says, so far, so good. The surgery confirmed Curtis’s body is capable of healing from his injury. To what extent, they’ll find out. Curtis says, yes, they will. He’s guessing physical therapy is going to change now that he has feeling in his legs. Ben says, yes, but keep in mind, they still have a long road ahead, and Curtis asks, how long exactly? Ben says, each patient is different, so it’s hard to say, and Curtis says, fair enough. Stella walks in behind Curtis, and Curtis suggests they see if he can stand, but buttinsky Stella says, oh no he won’t.

Tracy walks into the courtroom, and says she gathers court is in recess. Finn says, the prosecution just rested their case, and Tracy says, then he’s up next, but Finn says, Diane already called him as a witness. His time on the stand is done. Alexis comes in and says she’s sorry she’s late. How did it go? Tracy says, Finn just told them that he was called as a witness for the plaintiff, and Alexis says, and? Finn says, eh, and she says, that good. Elizabeth says, it was bumpy, but Sam may have saved the day, and Alexis says, Sam? Where is she? Martin says, chasing down more information, and Alexis says, pertaining to? Finn says, Muldoon saw an oncologist weeks before Muldoon came to see him, and Alexis asks how an oncologist could miss late-stage cancer. Gregory says, he didn’t.

Martin tells Alexis, the theory is, after losing his shirt in the market and cashing in a life insurance policy, Muldoon finds out he has late-stage cancer, not much time left. Rather than bankrupting his family with medical bills, he goes after Finn for malpractice. Tracy says, total con job, and Finn asks what Alexis thinks. She says, the reasoning is sound. What kind of circumstantial evidence did Sam uncover? Elizabeth says proof that Muldoon went to the medical pavilion where he saw an oncologist before he ever went to see Finn, but there are other medical offices in that building. Alexis says, so it’s far from conclusive. And even if Muldoon did set Finn up, they don’t know if the wife had knowledge of it. Elizabeth asks if it isn’t enough for the judge to throw out the case, and Tracy says, correct her if she’s wrong. If they don’t have hard evidence of Muldoon’s cancer diagnosis, they’ve got nothing. So put her back on the stand. Make her crack. Make the attempted fraud public record.

Stella says she’s sorry to interrupt like this, and Ben says, as she can see, they’re in the middle of a therapy session. Curtis asks what she’s doing here, and she says, just peeping in since she was here at the hospital. Is this his first session since the surgery? Curtis says, she knows good and well it is. She doesn’t have to check on him. He’s got this. She says, that’s what he’s been saying since he was a little boy, always getting ahead of himself, and Ben says he’s got to get some more towels, wisely making himself scarce. Curtis says, she doesn’t need to check on him and she doesn’t need to worry, but she says, it’s too late for that. She’s been doing that all his life. Does he remember when he insisted that he could play basketball with the neighborhood teenagers? He was eight years old. He says he knows Tommy made those kids let him play, and she asks, does he remember how many times he limped home with a skinned knee or a bloody nose when an elbow went awry? (Oh, like all kids?) He says, yeah, and she always patched him up and he lived through it. He didn’t give up then and he’s not going to give up now. He just wants to assess how the surgery went. She says, he needs to do that today? and he asks if that isn’t the point of physical therapy, to get him walking again. She says, and they call her stubborn. She calls to Ben, asking if he’s got enough towels yet, and he comes back. She says she can’t tell her nephew what to do, but please… Curtis says, that would be a first, and she says, hush. Please tell them, isn’t it dangerous for Curtis to try and push himself to stand too quickly?

Trina says, coq au vin is a classic. She thinks she’ll try that. What kind of vin does he think they should drink with it? Rouge or blanc?… Monsieur Cassadine? He says he’s sorry, and she asks, what’s on his mind? He says, they have black caviar here. When he was younger and a little bit more… She says, cute? and he tells her that he was going to say pretentious. He once went to a restaurant with his father, and they had black caviar and he asked if they could get it. His father said, no, so he asked if they could have it at home. He asked and asked and asked, and eventually his father gave in and had it served. And he loved it. Trina asks how old he was, and he says, young enough to be served black beans and believe it was caviar. (True story. For my sister’s 18th birthday, she was having a dinner party at home and had caviar. I was still in elementary school, but insisted on trying it and promptly spit it into the sink as she said, what are you doing? That’s stuff’s expensive! My tastes have, however, changed since then.) He says he hopes Ace grows up a bit more grounded than he did, and she says she’s sure his father has learned a lot since him. Maybe even from him. He says, they don’t have to talk about that. He doesn’t want to ruin their night. She says, he’s not ruining her night by telling her his feelings. She wants to hear his stories, share his troubles. That’s what couples do. He takes her hand and says he guesses he’s still getting used to being in a healthy relationship. She’ll have to be patient with him. She says, of course (🍷). She loves him. He kisses her hand and says he loves her too.

Portia asks if Doc can tell them where they are, and he says, General Hospital. He assumes on the 10th floor. She says, that’s correct. What about what year it is? He says, 1912? and Laura laughs. He says, 2023… No, 24. Sorry. He’s still getting used to saying it. Laura asks, who did this to him? and he says, it was Esme.

Maggie opens the door with the chain lock still on it, and the officer says, Miss Fitzgerald? She asks what he wants, and he says, these are American law enforcement officers. They have questions for her. She says she doesn’t have to answer them, but the officer says he’d cooperate if he was her. She’s an Irish Nationalist, not a Canadian citizen. American law enforcement is looking for her. She recognizes Dante, and he asks if they can come in and talk with her a minute. She lets them in and asks, how’s Dante’s lovely lady friend? Dante says, Sam is doing great. Thanks for asking. She says she’s doing great too. Shortly after they came to see her in Devon, she started a new position here with a family in Toronto. Things have been quiet for her. She’d like to keep them that way. He says, they’ll make this quick. They’re not looking to cause her any trouble. They’re just looking for Esme Prince.

Laura says, when they found Doc on the floor of Alexis’s office, they assumed it was Esme, and he asks if she’s in custody. She says, no. Esme is gone, but Dante and Chase got a lead that Esme traveled to Toronto. She has an old nanny there that she was going to see. They’re looking for her now. Does he have any idea why Esme attacked him? He says he found her in the office. They were talking. He thought he was getting through to her. They were seated, and she started pacing when she was talking about her hopes for Ace’s future. Then the world went black. Laura says, that’s probably enough for right now. He should probably get his rest. She looks to Portia for confirmation, and he says, actually, he’s kind of hungry. Portia says, that’s a good sign. She’ll let the nurse know. Laura’s right though; get some rest. He says, what else is he going to do in here? and Portia leaves. He tells Laura not to look so worried, but she says, it was so scary finding him on the floor like that, unconscious. And she couldn’t wake him. He says he didn’t survive Ryan all these years just to be done in by his daughter, but all that concern isn’t just for him, is it? She says she’s really upset about Esme. She believed in Esme. She really believed Esme’s love for her baby Ace was going to be the thing that gave her the strength to turn her life around. And it did. She was doing so well. She was a good mom, and then she got her memory back. She thinks Esme didn’t have a chance to reconcile her two identities before Nikolas came back and took her son. Ace is a grounding force for Esme, and she thinks Esme losing her son pushed her over the edge. He says, love is a powerful motivator… both for good and ill. (That Doc is a real philosopher.) She asks if he’s in pain, but he says, no, but he’s bothered by the assumption that Esme went to Toronto to see her nanny. He thinks she’d go after Nikolas. Laura says, her too, but she thinks Esme doesn’t have anything to go on. She has no resources and Toronto isn’t very far and wouldn’t put too much strain on Esme’s credit card to travel there. He says, Esme’s credit card? and she says she forgot to tell him. The PCPD found out Esme charged a bus ticket to Toronto. He says, something’s off. It’s like something happened in Alexis’s office that he can’t quite remember.

Maggie says, Dante is telling her that he doesn’t want to cause trouble, but there are three police officers from two countries in her apartment. Chase and the Canadian officer go into another room, and she asks what those two are doing. Dante says, like he told her; they’re not here for her. They’re looking for Esme. She says, they’re looking in the wrong place. She hears a noise and yells, don’t go throwing things about! Dante tells her, if she’s saying Esme isn’t here, then she’s got to come clean. She’s got to tell them where she is. She asks how she would know that, and he says, they have reason to believe Esme came her to see her. She says, that’s pure rubbish. She hasn’t seen Esme in years.

Trina says she thinks shell try every coq au vin to see which is the best one in Paris, and Spencer says, that’s a good idea. Considering the fact he doesn’t know how to cook, he thinks they’ll be doing a fair amount of dining out. But if she only has coq au vin, won’t she miss out on a lot of other fantastic French food? She says she thinks she’ll have plenty of opportunities to try other tasty dishes, and he says, there’ll be a lot more to this trip than just food. She says, like what? Studying? He says, very important, and she says, dancing? He says he’s sure they’ll wander into a club or two, and she says, starting tonight? Is he going to tell her what he has planned? He says, she’ll certainly be getting the VIP treatment, and she says, he’s enjoying this secrecy a little too much. he says, maybe… Okay, fine. He doesn’t want to drag it out if she really wants to know. She says, and ruin the surprise? How dare he? He says, she certainly keeps him on his toes.

Curtis tells Stella, it won’t be dangerous. Ben is right here. Ben says he supposes there’s no harm in trying. He’ll be with Curtis, and Curtis will have the parallel bars to stabilize him. Curtis says, let’s do it.

Curtis hoists himself out of the chair, grabbing onto the parallel bars. Ben tells him to align his hands above his hips and use his arms to push his way up. Three, two, one. Curtis stands for a moment, then falls back into the chair. Ben says, good work. Curtis wanted a gauge and now they know. Curtis wheels himself away from the bars, and Ben asks if he wants to get to work, but Curtis says, no. that’ll be it for today. Ben asks if he’s sure. There’s still twenty minutes to their session. Stella asks if they can have a moment, and Ben leaves. Curtis says, she was right. It was a mistake to try and stand so soon. She asks if he made a slam dunk on the first try. No. So why did he think this was going to work on the first try?

Martin says, Alexis is right. At this point, their first step should be to compel the oncologist to expose that Muldoon had a cancer diagnosis prior to his visit with Finn. That would establish intent for Muldoon, but to accuse his wife of complicity with circumstantial evidence, that’s risky. They have no way of proving she had prior knowledge of his condition. To point a finger at her and start ranting about fraud would be a complete Hail Mary on their part. Tracy asks if that’s not what lawyers are supposed to do, throw out alternative possibilities. At least if the accusation is out there, the GH lawyers can run with it, especially if she has anything to say about it. Elizabeth asks what Finn thinks, and Finn asks, what will happen to Mrs. Muldoon if they accuse her of fraud? Tracy says, who cares? and Gregory says he could use some water. He asks Tracy to come with him, and she says, if he insists. They leave, and Martin says, in answer to Finn’s question, she’d be charged with fraud. If those charges are proven, she’d be looking at jail time. Elizabeth says, if she knew her husband was lying. That’s the question, but how do they know if Mrs. Muldoon was in on the fraud or not? Martin looks over at Diane and says he’s got one idea.

Trina says, Tuesday will be non-stop, but she thinks she can meet Spencer for a quick dinner, and he says he’d love to spend every single day with her here if he could. But he understands that she’s here first and foremost for school. So if she needs to prioritize her classes, that’s okay. She doesn’t have to worry about him. He’ll keep himself busy. She asks, how? and he says he’s been giving it a lot of thought. She’s so passionate about art, the way she talks about it and lives her life for it. He’d like to figure out what that is for him, what his passion is. Maybe he’ll figure that out in Paris. She says, there’s always Le Cordon Bleu, but he says he doesn’t think even they could help him with his cooking skills. Maybe it’s a good option, but he thinks there are a lot of things here for him to explore. So they’ll have to see. He just hates that he wasted so much time when he was here… before. Being angry with his father and planning to get back at Ava… She says, he had help. Esme stoked his anger and did everything she could to manipulate him. He says, first Esme, then Uncle Victor, but he’s just very glad they can finally put that all behind them. He’s very sorry he dragged her into all that. She didn’t deserve it. She says, neither did he, and he asks how she does that. She’s so supportive and so sweet. And she’s so hot. She makes him want to be better. She says she thinks he’s pretty amazing (ugh), and he thanks her, but he thinks there’s still plenty of room for improvement. (Agreed.) She says, he’ll get there.

Dante says, Esme hasn’t reached out to Maggie? Called her, texted her, mailed her a letter? Maggie says she wrote Esme with her address here in Toronto, but that was months ago. Esme never wrote back. She hasn’t heard from her. He says, they’ve got a letter that Maggie wrote to Esme, inviting Esme here to see her, and she asks if he had the handwriting analyzed, because she never extended any such invitation. The family she works for now are very private, very security conscious. Esme’s a troubled girl with a criminal record. She feels terrible for Esme, but she doesn’t want to jeopardize her current employment. Writing letters is one thing. Seeing Esme face to face, she’d never do it. Chase and the officer come back out, and Chase says, there’s no sign of Esme, nothing to suggest she’s ever been here.

Stella says she knows Curtis is disappointed, but he’s got to be patient with himself. He says he’s been nothing but patient. He feels like he’s been beating back this feeling of powerlessness forever, doing everything he can to make things better. He was at that point of acceptance, but this procedure has renewed his hope. Now that it has, he wants to move forward. She says, but he is moving forward. Just slower than he’d like. He says, so slow, he’s standing still. Oh, his bad. He can’t even stand. She says, now he’s feeling sorry for himself, and that’s not like him. Listen to her. He’s going to keep at it and he’s going to get this one effort at a time. What’s the alternative? Giving up? He asks if she wasn’t the one saying pushing it was a bad idea, and she says she’s always offering her two cents where it’s not needed, but the last thing she wanted was to undermine his belief in himself. He says, that wasn’t her; his legs did. She says, he’s always exceeded people’s expectations. Wasn’t he the only freshman who made varsity basketball in high school? He says, the coach didn’t even want him to try out, and she says, but he proved the coach wrong, didn’t he? She guesses all those skinned knees playing street ball eventually paid off. He proved everybody wrong. He says, what if his streak is over? but she says, it’s not. He just needs to pace himself. He’ll get there. She believes that, and she believes in him. Portia comes in and says she’s glad Stella is here too. Doc is awake and he’s doing better. Stella says, praise be, and Curtis says, good news. Portia asks, where’s Ben? Is his physical therapy session over? Stella looks at Curtis and says, is it?

Back in the courtroom, Gregory sips some water and says he needed this. He thanks Tracy, and she says, anything for a friend. He asks if that’s what they are, and she says she only allows friends and family to manipulate her, so she guesses so. He says he really did need the water, but she has to admit, she wasn’t exactly helping. She says, yes, she was. This is no time for Finn to be noble or selfless. He’s losing patients because of this groundless lawsuit, and he’s such a good doctor. Gregory says, no argument here. He’s just glad Finn has her on his side.

Mrs. Muldoon tells Diane, her children not only lost a father, Dr. Finn has jeopardized their future. Without Dennis, how is she going to pay for their schools, their college? Diane says she’s doing everything she can to get a settlement that will meet the needs of her children, when Martin asks if he can have a word. Diane says, of course (🍷), and tells Mrs. Muldoon that she’s going to confer with Martin. She’ll be right back. Take this moment for herself. Do some deep breathing. It sounds trite, but it does help. And whatever she does, do not engage with the defendant.

Finn asks Alexis what she thinks. Should he let Martin accuse Mrs. Muldoon of fraud? Elizabeth says, heads up. She’s coming. Instead of listening to her high-priced lawyer, Mrs. Muldoon makes a beeline for Finn. She says, if he had any shred of decency, he would change his plea to guilty and end this right now. Alexis says, they shouldn’t be speaking, but Finn says, it’s okay. He wants to hear what she has to say. Go ahead. Let’s talk about decency.

Curtis says he’s just on a break and asks Stella to find Ben and tell him they still have work to do. Stella says she’d be happy to, and leaves. Portia asks what she missed, and Curtis says he messed around and pushed too hard, but nothing was hurt except his ego. He’s really glad Doc is okay. Has she heard anything about Esme? She says, nothing yet. She’s hoping Dante and Chase find her in Toronto, apprehend her, and put her in prison where she belongs. She’s absolutely done with Esme and never wants to worry about Esme Prince again.

Dante tells Chase that it looks like Esme played them. She gave them a false lead. Chase says, if Esme didn’t come looking for Maggie, where did she go? Dante tells Maggie that he’s not sure if she knows, but Esme’s regained her memory. She just assaulted a man and put him in the hospital, nearly killed him. So any insights into Esme would be greatly appreciated. Places she would go, people she’d want to see. Maggie says she doesn’t know. She did her best by Esme. She tried to steer her right, but nothing would sway her. She was dead set on reuniting with her family. Dante says, her family. Maybe that’s the key.

Detective Bennet asks, what happened when Doc arrived on the scene? and Doc says he came into Alexis Davis’s office, and Esme was already there. She was seated, she had her laptop open, and she startled when she realized he was there. It was like she thought he caught her doing something. He flashes back to that, and says, Laura told him that Esme used her credit card to purchase travel to Toronto. Her own credit card? Laura says, yeah, and he says, then what was she doing with The Invader’s corporate card? She had it in her hand. He saw it when he came into the room. Laura says, they’d better call Alexis, and takes out her phone.

Spencer says, they should get the check. He doesn’t want them to be late. Trina says, late for what? and he says, she’ll see.

Martin says he’d like to add someone to the witness list, and Diane says, it’s a little late in the game. He agrees, it is and apologizes for the short notice, but some new information has suddenly come to light. She asks, who’s the witness? and he says, Dr. Powell. Doesn’t ring a bell? She says, no. Should it? He says he guesses they’ll find out, and walks off.

Mrs. Muldoon whines to Finn that they’ll have to sell their home, when Alexis gets a text from Laura: Call me, 911. She tells Elizabeth, and Mrs. Muldoon says, their futures were all planned. Her husband went to Finn and now he’s dead. (Um… Apparently, they didn’t plan that well. Sounds like they played fast and loose with the kids’ college fund.) She asks if he was just another faceless patient to Finn, but Finn says, none of his patients are faceless, not ever. He’s very sorry for her loss, but he did tell her husband that he needed follow-up testing and he failed to do that. She says, that’s not Dennis. He’s wrong. Dennis would have taken proper steps if he’d understood something was seriously wrong. He never would have left her and the children. Even at the very end, all he could think about was the kids. That’s why he told her to sue, so he could make sure his family was taken care of. Finn says, so the malpractice suit was her husband’s idea, and she says, that’s how much he loved them. And when he was in terrible pain, he didn’t worry about himself; he was worried about his family. It’s not right a man that loving should die so young. Finn says, no, it isn’t.

Diane comes running in, saying, no, no, no, no, no. She thought she asked Mrs. Muldoon not to talk to Dr. Finn. What did Finn say? Finn says, not much. Her client, however, said plenty. Diane leads Mrs. Muldoon to the other side of the courtroom, and Gregory asks what she said to Finn. Martin says he’d like to hear the answer to that question himself, and Elizabeth says, she made a lot of accusations, but Finn says, it doesn’t matter. She’s in pain. How did it go with Diane? Martin says, Diane has the best poker face he’s ever seen, but he honestly thinks she doesn’t know why he’s calling a late witness. He mentioned the oncologist’s name and there was nothing. No indication of recognition whatsoever. Tracy asks if Martin mentioned he was an oncologist, and he asks if he looks like an idiot. She says, well… and Gregory clears his throat. Elizabeth says she doesn’t think Diane would be an accessory to fraud, and Finn says, probably Mrs. Muldoon isn’t either. He didn’t get the feeling she knew. Elizabeth says neither did she, and Tracy says, that is for her lawyer to prove. Finn says, if Mrs. Muldoon goes to prison, what will happen to her kids? and Tracy says she thinks the question he should be asking is, if he doesn’t win this case, what will happen to his kid?

Dante asks Maggie to excuse them for a minute, and steps into the hallway with Chase. He says, they have to explore the family aspect, and Chase asks, what family? Esme’s mother is in Pentenville, and since Esme attacked Doc, that rules out any support she’d get from him and Laura. Who else is left? Dante says, her son, and takes out his phone. He looks at Laura’s number.

Laura says, Alexis should be here any moment now, when her phone rings. She says, this is Dante, and tells Dante that she’s here with Doc and Detective Bennet and he’s on speaker. Dante asks how Doc is doing, and Doc says, his head hurts. Otherwise, he’s okay. Dante says, good to hear, and Laura asks if they’ve found anything in Toronto, but Dante says, it’s a dead end. He thinks Esme was just trying to buy some time. He was wondering if she heard from Nikolas. Laura says, the last person to speak to him was Spencer. Why? He says, they were thinking Esme might track down Nikolas to reclaim Ace before she goes into hiding, and Laura says she’s sure that’s what Esme would like to do, but she has no means of tracking down Nikolas. However, they might have a new lead on their end. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, actually, Alexis just walked in right now. She tells Alexis that she has Chase and Dante on speaker phone from Canada. Did she find anything? Alexis says she had her assistant email every charge on the corporate credit card in the last 72 hours, and Bennet asks if she was aware the credit card was stolen. She says, no, but Esme, as her assistant, had the authority to use the card and she continually used it. She looks at her phone and says, here’s the email right now… Whoa. What is this here?

Spencer says, shall we go? and he and Trina get up. She asks where they’re off to, and he says, the rest of their lives. He kisses her hand.

Elizabeth tells Finn, as much as she hates to say it, Tracy has a point. if he doesn’t push this fraud angle, he could lose this case and his position at GH. He says he could always go back to research, and she says, really? Here in Port Charles? Or would he and Violet have to move away from everyone who loves them? Is that really what he wants to do? He says, no, of course (🍷) not. But he doesn’t want to see Mrs. Muldoon go to prison for fraud. Those kids already lost their father. She’s all they have. Believe it or not, he can almost understand the desperation Dennis Muldoon was feeling. He was in an impossible situation and made the only choice he thought he could to take care of his family. She says she gets that he was in an impossible situation and just trying to take care of his family, but for Mr. Muldoon to use Finn as a scapegoat, someone who was only trying to help him, and make Finn pay for his misfortune? He asks if it’s any better to throw a grieving widow under the bus. It seems like no matter what, someone’s going to get hurt.

Ben tells Curtis, good work today, and Curtis thanks him for letting the session run over, especially since they ran him in and out of there for an hour. Ben says he’s glad they got it all in. See him next Thursday? Curtis says, you bet, they fist bump, and Ben leaves. Portia says, it looks like Curtis had a pretty good workout, and he says he sure did. Stella says, his first step to a first step, and Curtis says he sees what she did there. He will be walking when Trina comes home from Paris.

The bailiff says, court will reconvene in five minutes, and Mrs. Muldoon says she’s going to splash some water on her face. Diane asks if she’s sure she doesn’t know a Dr. Powell, but she says, no, and leaves.

Martin tells Finn that his assistant is drawing up a subpoena to have the oncologist testify. He got the motion to add a late witness. Finn says, already? and Martin says, if they’re going to do this, they’ve got to get the ball rolling. They’ve got less than five minutes here. How would Finn like him to proceed? Gregory says he’ll support whatever decision Finn makes, and Finn says he doesn’t want to risk Mrs. Muldoon going to prison. Martin says, he may have to, to clear his name.

In the hallway, Tracy tells Mrs. Muldoon that she needs a word, but Mrs. Muldoon says her attorney advised her not to speak to Dr. Finn or any of his supporters. (Like she listened before.) Tracy says, that’s okay. She’ll do all the talking.

The bailiff asks everyone to take their seats, and Gregory asks Elizabeth, where did Tracy go? Martin tells Finn, all right, doc. It’s go time. What are we doing?

Alexis says, there’s an airline charge on the corporate credit card, and Esme’s name is on the ticket. Dante says, ticket to where? and Doc says, Paris. She was booking a flight to Paris. (Okay, so Esme didn’t save Alexis money.) Alexis says, he’s right. Esme’s ticket was to Paris. Laura says, oh my God. She’s going after Spencer and Trina.

Spencer and Trina leave the French PC Grill restaurant, and Trina says, he’s too cute. He tells her that she’s beautiful. Take it all in. It’s all for them. She says she can’t believe this is all happening, and he says, she’s too cute. (All right already with cute.) Is she ready for her next surprise? She says she doesn’t need a surprise. She’s got him. That’s all she could ever need. He kisses her and they continue walking. Apparently, Trina needs some Spidey-sense too, since Esme steps out of the shadows and follows them.

Tomorrow, Martin tells Finn, they go with what they planned, or go with this new theory; Anna tells Jordan that someone is playing games, and she wants to find out why; and Sonny tells Ava, things have changed and so have the threats.

🍼 Ask Where Ace Is…

IMO, the best Nikolas of them all. Wednesday, January 31, 3 pm.

🚑 She’ll Be Back…

OG Josslyn is getting there.

🥀 Way Too Soon…

It doesn’t give details, but regardless, so sad.

🛸 Bring On the Space Cake….

I’m not saying anyone is wrong here. Maybe Denise is owning what’s hers; maybe she’s a big a-hole. It’s hard to tell judge everything that’s going on in two minutes of film out of an entire evening. But in regard to her saying she might have been slipped something, until this chef went apesh*t, I didn’t think for once she meant him. I thought she was inferring it might have been one of the other cast members. Which, considering past behavior, isn’t a stretch.

💎 She Knows Nothing…

I’ve been leaning this way too. Only because the whole thing looks so awkward. Mauricio is so high all the time, it doesn’t seem like he gives a flying what’s going on, and Kyle seems like a bad actress in a script she wrote herself.

🍸 Latest Rules…

But is it still the best time of our life?

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/something-about-her-in-vanderpump-rules-season-11-intro-details

🎬 Très Amusant…

Because sitting through the reality of it wasn’t enough.

https://ew.com/all-star-live-reading-of-vanderpump-rules-scandoval-8551139

New Boat Daddy…

Sorry, Captain Kerry, I will forever miss Stud of the Sea, Captain Lee. It’s nice to see Ben again though.

🐩 Furbaby Fête…

Spoiler: They’re all cute.

🍳 Putting All My Eggs In One Frying Pan…

IKR? Early today. Come back tomorrow for soap and VanderTalk. Until then, stay safe, stay not being that person in the express checkout lane, and stay always exceeding people’s expectations.