Tag Archives: Beyond the Gates

October 10, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Anna Focuses On a New Suspect, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Watches For Later, Costumes For the Famous Or Not, Halloween Pet Safety, Not 8 Or 10 Quotes & Somebody

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…                                                                        

Monday:

Portia asked Elizabeth about processing time and if it was Britt’s first day. Elizabeth said, more like first half day.

Coming back from the shower, Britt found Jason in her room.

At Bobbie’s, Carly told Jack that she was sorry to cancel plans with him. She would have rather spent time with him than Anna. Anna asked her questions about the night Drew got shot and she couldn’t shake the feeling she said something wrong. Jack said she had an unimpeachable alibi with him, and she said, except she wasn’t, but he said it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t let it happen.

Curtis went to see Alexis and said he’d gotten her message. She said she thought the police were close to making an arrest and thought he should know. He asked if she thought they were going to arrest him.

Isaiah told Drew that he had no adverse effects from his ill-advised trip to the church, and Drew said it was his mother’s memorial. Isaiah said, sorry for his loss, and Drew said Isaiah was being short and curt. What did he do to him?

Tracy met Martin outside Bobbie’s and told him to make it snappy. She was going to the reading of Monica’s will. He showed her some paperwork and said, read it and weep.

Olivia told Michael that since he’d be the official owner of the property, they needed to get a pizza oven. Brook asked, why? and Olivia said Thanksgiving was always a full throttle disaster and they ended up ordering pizza. Why didn’t they skip the drama and make their own? Michael said it was fine by him, when the doorbell rang. Ned answered it and it was Ronnie. She said she was there for the reading of Monica’s will, and he said, she must be from Miller and Davis, but she said she was a member of the family.

Britt asked what Jason was doing in his room, and he said, technically, it was his room. She said that didn’t give him the right to come in and he needed to go. She shoved him out the door and closed it.

Carly wondered why Jack hadn’t asked her if she shot Drew, and he said it didn’t matter. He’d cover for her anyway. She said she didn’t do it. There was a time in her life when she would have gone after Drew, but now she had too much to lose – her kids, her grandkids, Jason, him. She cared about him. He said he cared about her too, very much, and she said she thought he was the last thing she needed, but it turned out that he was exactly when she needed. She could trust and rely on him, no matter what. He said he hoped she always felt that way, when Josslyn walked in. She and Carly hugged.

Alexis said she didn’t know if Curtis was a suspect, but knew there was a long line of them. Anna called her for a meeting, but it was canceled and not rescheduled. That led her to believe there was new evidence that made her less suspicious. Curtis said she didn’t ask if he did it, and she said, whoever did it was driven to and if he felt like they were closing in, he needed to get his ducks in a row and protect himself.

Isaiah said Drew had done nothing to him, but Stella was a friend, and he’d jeopardized her career, health, and freedom. Drew said he didn’t get Stella arrested, but got the charges dropped, and Isaiah asked, why? Drew said, maybe he wasn’t the heartless bastard people thought, despite Curtis’s spin in the media. The good guy they knew Curtis to be was gone and had been replaced by a volatile, vindictive, controlling jerk. Isaiah worked with Curtis’s wife and saw how he treated her.

Tracy laughed, and Martin said there was nothing funny about her throwing someone out who was recovering from injuries. She said she escorted Drew out from a service he wasn’t invited to, and Martin said they were going for assault. She’d jeopardized the life of a sitting US congressman. She said it would be thrown out as quickly as she’d thrown Drew out, and he said so she admitted attacking Drew. She could make it go away for a price, maybe a simple apology. She said, nope. If they wanted to sue, she’d see them court. He said she couldn’t admit when she was w and couldn’t spare any kindness to anyone, but she said, just him and Drew.

Ned introduced Ronnie to the family, and Ned said Monica had never mentioned her. Ronnie said they’d been estranged for many years, and Olivia said, yet here she was, late for the memorial, but on time for the reading of the will. Ronnie said she was there. She’d read the memorial was private, so she went to the crypt to pay her respects. She guessed Tracy didn’t tell them. Brook said, Ronnie met her grandmother? and Ronnie said she certainly did. It didn’t go well. Tracy kicked her off the property. Olivia said she bought that part, and Ronnie said she came back because she’d been contacted by Miller and Davis about the will. She’d wait outside until they got here. Michael told her to stay and tell them more about herself, and Ronnie said her life was an open book. Questions?

Josslyn told Carly that she’d caught an early flight and had come in for a caffeine fix. Jack told her, welcome home. Her mother missed her. Josslyn said she missed her mom too, and Carly said she wanted to hear every detail after she put Josslyn’s order in, then went in the back.

Isaiah said he didn’t think Drew should speak for Dr. Robinson, and Drew said he and Curtis used to be best friends. He’d brought Curtis into Aurora, and they’d had a business disagreement. Curtis had been trying to tear him down ever since. Isaiah said Drew didn’t strike him as a fragile flower, and Drew said he gave as good as he got, but Curtis’s accusations were baseless. Don’t get sucked in. Isaiah said he’d make sure Drew’s PT knew he was clear for therapy, and left.

Ned said, so after their parents died, she and Monica went to an orphanage? and Ronnie said they were separated in foster care. Her sister was placed with Dr. Gail Adamson and after a falling out later, they lost touch. Olivia said, it must have been major, and Ronnie said, it was and it wasn’t. She thought the main thing that kept them apart was that they were both stubborn and convinced they were right. Ned said that tracks, and Ronnie said Monica went on to live her life in Port Charles and she lived in Durham. When Monica wrote to her last year, it had been decades since she’d heard from her. She’d written that she’d been ill, but Ronnie didn’t know to what extent. They wrote back and forth until Monica passed. Brook said Monica never mentioned Ronnie to any of them, and Ronnie said Monica told her about them. Olivia was Ned’s wife and Monica said she was a marvelous cook and a wonderful mother to her grandnephew Leo. She surmised Brook was Ned’s daughter and was more beautiful than Monica described. And of course (🍷), there was Michael. She could see his grandmother in him. There was steel in him, but also fire. She saw Monica’s kindness in his eyes. Monica was so proud of all of them and wrote about them in such glowing terms, she thought they weren’t real. Now here she was, meeting them in person. She just wished Monica was there as well.  

Jason knocked at his room door and Britt said, give her the key. He couldn’t come in whenever he wanted. She could have been naked. He said, for the record, he’d knocked. He came to pack the rest of his things, which she’d asked him to do. She said she needed to get ready for work, which was his cue to leave, and he said he would, but he wanted to see how she was doing now that her brother was back in town. He’d spoken to Spinelli and wondered why she tried to stop James from seeing his dad.

Curtis met Marshall outside of Bobbie’s for coffee, and he said he’d just come from Alexis’s. The PCPD had new evidence and was closing in on a suspect. He had no idea who it was, but he was betting the police did a thorough sweep of Drew’s house, which meant they possibly found the blackmail material Drew was using on Portia. Marshall said it would give them a motive, and Curtis said, which meant they could be in big trouble.

Isaiah went to Portia’s office and said he wanted to follow up on their last conversation about them.

Britt said Spinelli probably thought she was spiteful and jealous, but Jason said Spinelli was grateful for her input. Britt said her mother wasn’t speaking to her and fawning over Nathan. She was worried Nathan wasn’t ready and thought it would be overwhelming. She didn’t think it was fair to suddenly throw James into a relationship with a man he’d never met and thought was dead. It was like when she ran into Ben… Rocco. She wanted to reconnect, but knew it would be too overwhelming. Nathan and James hit it off right away. Everyone was right. She was wrong. Jason said he didn’t think she was wrong to put James’s needs first. She was a good person, and he didn’t know why she sold herself short.  

Josslyn said it took longer than she thought it would, but she found a caregiver for Mrs. Walker, and Carly said Lady Jane would be proud of her. She was proud of her. Josslyn said she managed to squeeze in some fun and spent a week at the family beach house. It was magical. Jack said he was glad she had a good time, when Carly’s phone rang. She said it was the MetroCourt, and stepped away. Josslyn said Jack was alive and Carly wasn’t screaming at her, so she assumed Carly knew nothing about Croatia. Jack said, no, and she never would.

Tracy walked in as Ronnie was telling stories and making everyone laugh. She asked what Ronnie was doing there. She’d made it perfectly clear Ronnie wasn’t welcome. She shouted for Yuri to come with the taser, but Michael said, cancel the taser. This was Monica’s sister, which made her his great aunt. Tracy said, first Cody brought in a stray dog. Now they’ve brought in this… Ronnie got up and suggested she not finish, and Olivia said Ronnie had been contacted by Miller and Davis, but Tracy said they’d see about that. Alexis came in, and Tracy asked if Alexis had asked Ronnie to be there. Alexis said it depended. Was she Veronica Bard? Ronnie said she was and to call her Ronnie, and Alexis said she did ask her. Should they get started? Tracy said, by all means.

Jack said Croatia would be kept secret, and Josslyn said she had it. She’d maintain her cover at PCU. She could use a degree if the spy thing didn’t work out. He said their only lead was the research in Port Charles, and she asked if he’d questioned Britt. He said he would when the time was right, and she said she was relieved Britt hadn’t outed her. Then there was Jason. Jack said he thought she assured him that he wouldn’t tell, and she said, Jason was usually good with that, but given how close he and Carly were, she didn’t know if he could keep the secret forever. Jack said he’d handle Jason, and she asked what he meant, when Carly came back. Jack said he had to run to a meeting, and left.

Britt said she forgot to ask how the memorial service was, and Jason said, it was nice, until Drew showed up. She asked what he did, and Jason said, nothing. Tracy grabbed his wheelchair and wheeled him out of the chapel. She said, how Quartermainesque, and he said today was the reading of the will. He’d considered not going. She said he should go, and he said, okay. He’d come back to get his stuff. She asked him to call first if he could, and he said he’d be happy to. He’d see her later.

Portia said she was glad Isaiah was willing to give them a chance. Was he sure? Isaiah said he had reservations and they weren’t all gone, but he had no illusions. She asked, why? and he said when they first got together, there were issues in her marriage, but he wasn’t wrong in thinking there were feelings, was he? She said, no, but he was concerned she was using him as a crash pad while she worked things out with Curtis. It was never that and her marriage was over, but… He said, here it comes, and she said, they had no official plans to divorce. She wasn’t looking for a serious relationship, and he had to decide if he could be okay with that.

Marshall said when he asked if Curtis thought Portia was guilty, he didn’t answer, and Curtis said all he knew was that he didn’t shoot Drew. Portia had no alibi, but it hadn’t been a problem because they had no reason to suspect her. Marshal said, but if they found something that Drew was holding over her, they might call her in for questioning, and Curtis said, no. Unless they questioned Drew first. Marshall said, or maybe they didn’t find any proof, and Curtis wondered why. Maybe Drew was keeping it somewhere other than his house or didn’t have it anymore.  

Martin told Drew that he met with Tracy. As expected, she refused to make a settlement or apologize. Drew said he wanted to make her pay, and Martin asked if they should move forward with the suit. Drew asked if she showed no remorse, and Martin said, none. The reading of the will was today. Drew said he had to get down there. He wasn’t notified. He’d told Martin that they’d try to cut him out of the will. Martin said, stop. He was sorry to be the one to tell Drew, but he wasn’t in Monica’s will.

Alexis started to read the will, but Tracy suggested she skip the legalese. Alexis said she’d skip over the provisions for Yuri and the staff and read: To my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, you’ve all brought me such joy and comfort. She wished she could be around to watch them blossom into wonderful adults, but she left trust funds to all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren there at the time of her death. Olivia said Daisy would get a trust fund, and Alexis said, to Brook, Monica left her pearl necklace; to Ned, she left her classic vinyl collection; and to Ned’s spicy wife Olivia, she left her entire collection of gourmet cookware. To her sister, she bequeathed her oldest and most cherished possession. Alexis handed Ronnie a small envelope, and Ronnie slid out a locket. She said, oh my God, and started to cry. She said it was a photo of them when they were kids, before they were separated. She couldn’t believe Monica kept it. Tracy mumbled, so much for the gold-digger’s wish for a windfall, and Alexis said, to my dearest sister-in-law and long-term sparring partner, Tracy Quartermaine, I leave a special gift. She handed Tracy a box, and Tracy looked inside and said, what the hell is this?  

Josslyn said Carly and Jack were still going strong, and Carly said she was glad to have Jack to lean on. Michael told her that Carly threatened to kill Drew. Carly said she did, but she didn’t do it. She was with Jack. Josslyn said she was guessing Michael was the main suspect, and Carly said, don’t worry. If the police didn’t believe him, Jason promised that he wouldn’t let Michael go to prison. Josslyn said Jason would do anything for Carly, when Britt came downstairs. She said, how lovely to see Josslyn again.

Portia said her life was a mess, and Isaiah said he needed to see where this went. He still wanted to keep it a secret – for now.  Portia agreed, and he said, for her, he’d take the risk. Portia said she’d never want him to be hurt by her, but he said he’d take the chance. How about dinner at his cabin? It was a work in progress… She said it sounded perfect.

Marshall wondered if Drew had a come to Jesus meeting, since it sounded like he’d gotten close to meeting Jesus, and Curtis said, if they could only be so lucky, but he needed to know for sure. He was going to see Drew. Marshall asked if he thought Drew was going to admit that he’d lost his power over Curtis and his wife, and Curtis said, not directly. But if he gave Drew a reason to blackmail him, and he didn’t take the bait, it could be telling.

Tracy asked if this was a joke, but Alexis said there was no further explanation. Ned asked what Monica left her, and Tracy said, a jar of her mother’s relish. When her father died, he cut her out of the will. The only thing he gave ger was a jar of PickleLila relish. Monica knew how much it hurt her. Jason walked in and apologized for being late, but Alexis said he was right on time. To her beloved son Jason, Monica left his father Alan’s watch, left to him by Edward Quartermaine. They’d always said they missed out on so much together, it would be a reminder that she cherished every second they spent together. (I thought this looked like my first Timex and wondered why they couldn’t spring for a halfway decent designer knock-off.)

At the hospital, Curtis asked Elizabeth what room number Drew was in, and she asked if he thought it was a good idea. He promised not to cause a scene, and she gave him the number. Isaiah came by and said he and Curtis needed to get a few things straight.

Josslyn said, oh my God. You’re dead. You died saving my life. Carly said she forgot to tell Josslyn, and Josslyn said she just got back from Australia. Britt said, no kidding. Good for her. It must be a shock. She thought the word Josslyn was looking for was thank you. Josslyn thanked Britt for saving her life, and Britt said maybe Josslyn’s mom could thank her by fixing the non-existent water pressure. Carly said it was the first of the month and the rent was due, and Britt said, tell Jason. Carly said she was telling Britt. Her building, her rules. Britt had until midnight. Britt said, perhaps they could talk about what Carly owed her.

Portia said Britt did a decent job before she took off, and Elizabeth said she’d talk to Britt today, but Portia said it was her bright idea to rehire Britt. She’d take care of it. She’d give Terry a heads up. She went to the door, but then leaned against the wall. Elizabeth asked if she was okay, and Portia said she was feeling dizzy. Elizabeth wondered if she’d eaten and led her to a chair. (Rut-roh. I wonder if she’s pregnant.)

Martin said he was sure it hurt, and Drew said part of him hoped that he and Monica could get some of their old relationship back, but that was never going to happen. He just didn’t know. But now he knows he has nothing to gain from the family – and nothing to lose.

Alexis said, to Michael Corinthos III, Monica left all of her horses, cars, and the family yacht. Tracy said, and? and Alexis said, and for the remainder of her estate, including the house that Alan gave her at 66 Harborview Drive, she leaves them to the cherished sister of her heart – Tracy got all excited – Ms. Veronica Bard. Ronnie said, whaaat?

Tuesday:

We revisited the end of the will reading, and not believing what she heard, Tracy said, do it again. She grabbed the will, said it was ridiculous, and asked Ronnie what she did. Ronnie said she was just as surprised, and Tracy said, Monica made it clear that she was leaving the estate to Michael. When was it changed? Alexis said, relatively recently. Monica went to Edward’s lawyer, Howard Wentworth, and amended it in January. Tracy told Ned to get Howard on the phone.

Anna told Chase that they had to find the gun. It could lead to the shooter. He thought it was still in the display, which Tracy turned into a shrine to her father. Anna said if the gun wasn’t there, that was significant, and asked Chase to find out what was holding up the warrant. He opened the door, letting Emma in, and left. Emma told Anna that she ruined everything. She kissed Gio.

In the ring with Gio, Sonny wore punch mitts because he didn’t want Gio’s hands to get hurt. He began to teach Gio an easy combination, then said, hold on. Gio wasn’t mentally there, which meant he could get hurt. What was on his mind? Gio said he couldn’t stop thinking about Emma.

At Bobbie’s, Josslyn said Carly needed to back off Britt. She was out of line.

Isaiah said before Curtis barged into Drew’s room, Curtis needed to hear him out. Show some consideration for his wife.

Portia said she didn’t know why she was dizzy, and Elizabeth asked when she last ate. Portia said she’d had no time for lunch and skipped breakfast. She felt queasy. Elizabeth said she had no fever and her pulse was normal. Was there any chance she was pregnant?

Josslyn said Heather would have killed her if not for Britt. They owed her. Carly said, of course (🍷) she was grateful, and Josslyn said they’d always be aware of their debt to Britt. Britt asked if Carly’s daughter’s life was worth more than the rent on that crappy little room, and left. Josslyn said she was sorry, but she didn’t want the situation to escalate. She wasn’t choosing sides… Carly said she knew Josslyn was right and she was out of line, but Britt drove her crazy because of Jason.

Alexis said Howard Wentworth retired in May and Monica asked her to handle it, and Tracy asked, where was the original? Alexis said the will was legal and binding and replaced the original, and Tracy said Ronnie would get the property over her dead body. Ronnie said the terms sounded fine to her, and as Tracy retorted, Michael said, stop. The will was clear. Monica had reconnected with her sister and wanted to provide for her. It’s what his grandmother wanted, so he was happy for Ronnie. Ronnie said that was so generous and thanked him. She was having a terrible time wrapping her brain around it. Tracy said the will was fake and would never hold up in court.

Emma said she didn’t get a chance to explain or apologize and it was a mess, and Anna asked if Gio pulled back. Emma said, no, because he was too nice. He’d kissed back. Anna said, so the kiss wasn’t good? but Emma said, it was amazing. She’d wanted to kiss him for months and now it was awkward. Anna said, so they were both acting like it never happened? and Emma said they hadn’t talked about it. She never had a friend like Gio. He got her and understood her passion for animal rights. He was talented, funny, and a really good person. Anna said he was lovely, and Emma said he didn’t want to hurt her feelings by telling her that he wasn’t interested. What should she do?

Gio said he thought Emma was just happy they’d found Outback, and Sonny asked if he regretted the kiss. Gio said, no. It was great. He was so happy, but things were weird between them now. She was avoiding him and he hated that. Turner came in, and Gio said he was taking a minute to get his head right. He left, and Sonny approached Turner. He asked if she boxed, and she said she kickboxed. She’d heard the class at the gym was great. He said he thought she’d be spending every second on the Drew Cain case. He wasn’t asking for information, but thought she might be pressured to make an arrest. She said it was always a pleasure to see him, but he always had an agenda. He told her that he was just saying hello and to have a fun class.

Curtis said he didn’t see how his wife was Isaiah’s business, and Isaiah said the hospital was busy saving lives and Portia was the Co-Chief of Staff. Why was Curtis taking advantage of her position to continue his personal drama with Drew? Curtis said he was visiting a patient. It had nothing to do with Isaiah. Isaiah said Curtis’s enmity for Drew was no secret, but Drew was a patient, and no one would accost him while he was recovering. Curtis asked if Drew asked for no visitors, but Isaiah said the nurses wouldn’t tell Curtis no. If Curtis wanted to pick a fight with Drew, he was good with it, but don’t do it here and put Dr. Robinson in an impossible situation. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Portia laughed and said, can Elizabeth imagine? Elizabeth asked if it was a bad thing, and Portia said with her hectic work schedule, stress made more sense. Elizabeth asked if she could get Portia something to eat, and Portia asked her to get some coconut water. She promised, no more skipped meals, and Elizabeht said, for a second, she thought Portia might actually be pregnant.

Tracy said Ronnie orchestrated the whole thing. What were the odds that Monica never mentioned her once, then she showed up suddenly out of thin air and inherited the estate? She knew a con woman when she saw one. Ronnie said she was a law-abiding citizen who had never been arrested, and Tracy said, good criminals never were. Ned said, it takes one to know one, and Tracy said Michael was the apple of Monica’s eye and the only biological descendant of Alan and Monica. There was no way Monica would disinherit him in favor of a waitress she hadn’t seen in half a century. Brook said, Monica amended the will after she threw Drew out. She probably decided to take Drew out and put Ronnie in. Olivia said, maybe Monica thought Michael was rich enough, and Tracy laughed.

Curtis said, clearly, Isaiah didn’t know him and had a problem with him, when Britt came over and said, nice flexing, gentlemen. Save it for the gym. She gave Isaiah some scans, and Isaiah left. She asked if Curtis was visiting his wife, but he said he was there to see Drew. She said Drew was a high-profile patient who was extra litigious. If Curtis caused a setback, he could put the hospital in a bad position.

Portia thanked Elizabeth for taking care of her, and Elizabeth told Portia to promise she’d let her know if she needed anything. She left, and Portia flashed back to getting busy with Curtis and then getting busy with Isaiah.  

Turner’s phone rang and she said, finally… Confirm the warrant covered the house and all the outbuildings on the property. All structures at 65 Harborview Drive. Then get it to Anna immediately.

Gio said he hated to ask, but thought he needed a favor, and Sonny said, whatever he needed. Gio said he didn’t think he could live with Emma. He’d realized how much he liked her and thought she felt the same way. He was wrong and they could be friends, but he couldn’t be around her all the time. Sonny said it was good thing Gio was getting out, and Gio asked if it would be okay if he stayed with Sonny.

Anna said Emma didn’t know how Gio felt, and Emma said she was sure he was mortified. She should have stayed in the friendzone. Why did she always push things? Anna said Emma knew what she wanted and didn’t settle for less. She got it from her mom. Emma said, and her mom got it from Anna, and Anna said Emma should stop assuming she knew what Gio was feeling. Talk to him. At least she would know the real truth instead of what was going on in her head. She knew it wasn’t easy. There were so many times she would have liked to return to things she did and be completely honest and direct. Learn from her mistakes. Tell Gio how she felt. They hugged, and Anna said, whether Emma and Gio were friends or something more, he was lucky to have her. Chase came back and said he got the warrant.

Carly said she wasn’t a fan of Jason and Britt back in the day, and Josslyn said she thought there had been a truce when they thought Britt died. Carly said, that was then, this was now. Britt let Jason believe she was dead this whole time and if he hadn’t gone to Cassadine Island for her, the FBI wouldn’t have gotten its hooks in him. Meanwhile, Britt was sitting in some spa in Europe and now she was jumping on the Jason bandwagon again. She let Jason buy her an airplane ticket and set her up here. He was a good guy and didn’t deserve to be used. He was one of the few to give Britt a second chance and she was spitting in his face. Josslyn said Jason wasn’t a pushover and didn’t need Carly’s protection, and Carly said Jason knew Britt was using him, but didn’t care. So she was going to care for both of them. Josslyn asked if she was jealous of Britt.

Elizabeth said Britt shouldn’t be in the ER. Why wasn’t she on 10? Britt said she was delivering scans and breaking up fights. Elizabeth could take it from here. Britt left, and Curtis told Elizabeth, maybe Britt was exaggerating, but he and Dr. Gannon kind of got into it and he got a little closer to taking the doctor out than he liked.

Sonny said he’d love for Gio to stay, but his first concern was Gio’s safety. Some guy was making trouble for him… He didn’t want Gio to be uncomfortable at Anna’s. He wanted Gio to stay with him. Donna would be over the moon. Gio said he couldn’t tell Sonny how much he appreciated it – Emma walked in – and Sonny said Gio had someone to talk to first.

Sonny went over to Turner, and she said she wasn’t telling him anything. He said Emma and Gio were going through something, so he was pretending he wanted to talk to her. Anything for love. She asked if that’s what they were looking at. It looked awkward. Sonny said, they were young and hadn’t figured it out. Gio deserved happiness. Turner said, what happened at the Nurses Ball was awful, and he said, Emma was with Gio. They were good together. She said, are you playing Cupid, Mr. Corinthos? At that age, love feels like the answer to everything. He said, isn’t it?

Michael said, Olivia was right. He had more than enough. Tracy said that was beside the point, and Brook said, maybe Monica didn’t talk about it because it was too painful. Maybe she felt guilty about them being estranged. Tracy said the only proof they had was Ronnie showing up the minute Monica wasn’t around to dispute her claim. Frankly, she found it all convenient. Ronnie said there was nothing convenient about her missing the chance to see her sister one more time. As for proof, she brought Monica’s letters. Tracy said letters could be forged, and Ronnie said Monica wrote that she’d saved her letters. Hadn’t they found them? Olivia said they hadn’t gone through Monica’s belongings yet, and Tracy asked Brook to find them. Brook left, and Jason asked if Ronnie would mind telling them why she and Monica had a falling out. Ronnie said, not at all. When she was 16, she was able to leave her awful foster family. She turned up on Monica’s doorstep hoping she could live there, but she quickly saw that Monica didn’t want her there and was embarrassed by the reminder of her past. She was an intern and Mrs. Jeff Webber. She wanted Ronnie to disappear, so she did. Ned said, Monica never talked about her past, and it wasn’t just Ronnie who she failed to mention. Tracy said she wasn’t falling for Ronnie’s sob story and told Alexis that she was officially contesting the will. Alexis said she thought Tracy might, but she wasn’t Tracy’s attorney, when the doorbell rang. Michael opened the door to Chase and Anna, who said they were there on official business. Michael said they were reading Monica’s will and asked if it could wait, but Anna said it couldn’t. Tracy asked what was going on, and Anna said they had a warrant to search the premises.

Carly told Josslyn that she wasn’t jealous, but Britt was no dummy. Jason was rich, loyal to a fault, and could protect Britt from her enemies. She couldn’t be jealous because what she and Jason had was a bond beyond friendship. Their trust went very deep. Josslyn said, if it wasn’t that, what was bothering her? but Carly said she didn’t know. She’d thought Jason accepted her relationship with Jack. Now she wasn’t so sure. He left country to find Britt and didn’t tell her. Something happened while he was away – she could feel it – and he wouldn’t tell her about that either.

Isaiah went to Portia’s office and said he was sorry to add to her already busy day, but he got into it with Curtis, and she said, about what? He said he’d never let Curtis know about them, and she said she didn’t mind Curtis knowing, but didn’t want Trina to know. It could ruin their relationship, but that was a conversation for another day. What happened? He said Curtis was heading to Drew’s room and he told Curtis to keep his issues with Drew outside the workplace. Curtis didn’t think his actions reflected on her. She said she wished he hadn’t done that. She didn’t need his protection. He said Curtis was taking advantage of her position at the hospital for his own purposes all the time, but that was a conversation for her and Curtis to have. He was sorry. She suggested, in the future, avoid interacting with Curtis as much as possible. She thanked him for letting her know and said she had to get back to work. He said he’d see her later and left. She took a pregnancy test out of her pocket.

Ned asked what they were looking for, and Anna said they were authorized to search for a revolver registered to Edward Quartermaine from the collection. Alexis said this seemed like a good time to leave and wished them good luck. Brook asked what was going on, and Chase said they had a search warrant, but Tracy said nobody was going to search until her lawyer got there. Anna said that wasn’t how it worked and asked Michael to take a look at the warrant before they started. Ronnie said she believed she was the one who should be looking at the warrant.

Outside, Alexis called Sonny. She said she needed to see him and Carly as soon as possible, and asked if they could meet at Bobbie’s. Sonny said, give him 15 minutes, and told Turner that he had to go.

Carly told Josslyn that Jason would tell her what he was keeping from her. He always did. Josslyn said she was sure he would. She had to go, she and Carly hugged, and Josslyn left.  

Emma asked Gio how Monica’s memorial was. They hadn’t talked. Gio said the memorial was weird, but good. He liked hearing the stories and everyone seemed to have one, stuff he knew nothing about. She said she didn’t think they’d ever know how much Monica did behind the scenes, and he said he went to the Quartermaines. She asked if he talked to Brook and Dante, and he said, a little bit. She asked, how was it? and he said, not as hard as on a normal day. She said she would have gone if she’d been asked. He knew that, right? He said he’d never ask her to do something like that. It was something he needed to handle alone.

Anna asked who Ronnie was, and Ronnie said, Veronica Bard, Monica’s sister. Anna said, since when? and Ronnie said she’d been getting that question a lot since she got there. She seemed to have just inherited the whole property, so she thought Anna should serve her. Tracy mumbled that someone had been watching Law and Order, and Anna said, welcome to Port Charles. She gave Ronnie the warrant, and Ronnie said this was new to her, but she thought she’d better read the warrant before they began.

Elizabeth said she heard something about Isaiah confronting Curtis on Portia’s behalf, and Isaiah said it wasn’t his finest moment, but he was sick of watching Curtis throw his weight around to get what he wanted. She said, if it was her, she wouldn’t get too involved in Portia’s personal life. It was one line he shouldn’t cross.

Portia came out of the bathroom, and said, it’s gonna be all right. There’s no way… Her phone alarm went off, and she looked at the test, seeing the double line meaning she was pregnant. Curtis knocked at the door.  

Emma said she got that Gio had his own life to live, and he said he’d been clinging on her too much, but she said he hadn’t. Because friends leaned on each other. He said she’d been so great to him. She gave him a home when he really needed it most. He was grateful, but she’d be going to school again and he needed to find full time work and figure out what he was going to do with his life. It was time for him to move out.

At the hospital, Josslyn told Britt, don’t worry. She got the message. Britt said she thought she was too subtle, but it went over Carly’s head. She couldn’t imagine Josslyn lying to her. Josslyn said her mom couldn’t know she was in the WSB, and Britt said, okay, but it was going to cost her. Josslyn said she was shocked. What did Britt want? Britt said she was tired of living in a room above Bobbie’s. She wanted an all-expense paid suite at the MetroCourt.

Alexis met Carly and Sonny at Bobbie’s and said she was at the Quartermaines for the reading of Monica’s will, when Anna came with a warrant. She was looking for a gun registered to Edward Quartermaine. Sonny asked if it was the gun that shot Drew, and Alexis said she thought so. She was supposed to meet Anna for more questioning, and it was canceled. This led her to believe there might be new evidence, and they were moving in another direction. She wasn’t here as a lawyer, but as a parent. She thought they might be closing in on Michael. They know he had motive and if they found the gun, he’d have the means. If they had anything that could exonerate him, now was the time to produce it.

Tracy said, if they couldn’t stop this, there was no way Ronnie could, but Ned said she was doing more than they were. She was buying them time. Tracy suggested she was a slow reader. Find out what was taking the lawyer so long. Ned left, and Anna said Ronnie could see it was in order. Start the search. But Ronnie said, this is wrong. She used her GPS to get there twice, and if she remembered right, the address was 66 Harborview Drive. This warrant was for 65 Harborview Drive, so they wouldn’t be searching there today. They want the house across the street.

Wednesday:

Gio told Emma that he found another place already, and she asked if he was leaving Port Charles, but he said, no. He’d be staying with his grandfather. Emma wondered if it wasn’t dangerous.

Britt said she wasn’t asking for the penthouse, and Josslyn said Britt might as well take out an ad that she’s blackmailing her. Britt said everyone would assume it was Josslyn’s way of thanking her, but Josslyn said her mom would be suspicious, and Britt didn’t want that. Britt said, no, Josslyn didn’t want it, and Josslyn said Britt had a lot more to hide than she did.

Carly went to see Elizabeth and said she needed to know what Elizabeth told the police about her threatening to kill Drew.

Curtis told Portia that he had a hunch Drew lost the blackmail material against her. If he was right, Drew no longer had any power over them.

Drew told Willow that the doctor thought he could be released as early as next week, but he was pushing for tomorrow. She said she was amazed at how well he got and how quickly, and he said he had good reason to want to get home. When he did, he wanted her and Scout to move in.

Anna was about to start the search, when Ronnie pointed out the address was for the house across the street. Anna looked at it and said the DA must have submitted the wrong address. Jason said the warrant was invalid, but Chase said it was a minor detail. Olivia said, not to her. The devil was in the details. Chase told Ronnie that they were trying to solve the attempted murder of a sitting US congressman. All they wanted was to uncover the truth. Let them search the premises.

Britt said she had nothing to hide, and Josslyn said Britt knew the WSB was sending a team to the Five Poppies. She’d been involved in whatever shady organization they were running out of the resort and should help bring them down since they tried to kill her too. Britt said she wanted to forget the Five Poppies existed and just wanted to rebuild her life. She was busy enough without taking on something from Josslyn’s to-do list. The MetroCourt had the best security, so help a girl out. Josslyn said it would be suspicious, and Britt said then she had no choice but to out Josslyn. Josslyn said, that would be a very big mistake, and Britt asked if that was a threat. Jack joined them and said it sounded like one to him. Britt asked if she knew him, and he said he didn’t think so. He was Jack Brennan of the WSB.

Gio said he didn’t plan on staying at Sonny’s forever, but needed to get out of Emma’s grandmother’s apartment. Emma asked, why? when Trina came in. She asked Emma to keep her company while she stretched, and they could catch up.

Portia asked why Curtis thought Drew lost the evidence, and he said Alexis told him the PCPD had uncovered new evidence. He thought they found the blackmail material. They would have been questioned immediately, but they weren’t. That led him to believe they didn’t find it, so where was it? She said, it could be anywhere, and he said he thought the same thing, then realized Drew had made no demands lately. Portia said Drew had backed off, but she’d assumed he was focused on his recovery, and Curtis said he believed Drew had lost his leverage over them, but needed to know for sure.

Drew said Willow seemed hesitant, and she said it was hard being without her children in the last place they’d lived, and Drew was shot in there. She wasn’t sure it was safe. He said he’d amped up the security and changed the locks. He’d never let his daughter live where it wasn’t safe. She said Scout was comfortable with her and Elizabeth. Maybe he should settle in. Then they’d talk about her moving in. He said he missed his daughter and her. He’d thought they were in a better place and working toward the future. She said she hadn’t been completely honest.

Anna said they’d return with the warrant in proper order. She strongly urged them not to take any actions that would constitute obstruction of justice or result in them being an accessory after the fact. They left and Jason thanked Ronnie. Ronnie asked if anyone would care to tell her what was going on. Which one of them was suspected of trying to assassinate the congressman?

Elizabeth asked what was going on, and Carly said she went to Anna and told her about threatening Drew. She figured if she didn’t, Drew would. Elizabeth said that was probably true, but why was Carly concerned about what she’d say? Carly said she was curious to know how serious they took it and if they followed up, and Elizabeth said she wasn’t sure they should be having this conversation. Carly said she had it from a reliable source that there was going to be an arrest and she needed to know if was her. She needed Elizabeth’s help.

Jason told Ronnie that he didn’t know his brother existed, but Drew knew about him, and she said she remembered Drew had a daughter named Scout. Her mama died. Monica wrote about her. She loved that little girl. Her daddy, not so much. Olivia said Drew was estranged from the family, and Tracy said he was a malignant weasel. Brook said Drew was pretty bad, and Ronnie said that explained why Drew was shot, but didn’t explain why the police came to the house to look for the weapon. Unless they thought the shooter lived there. Tracy said they didn’t discuss family matters with outsiders, but Olivia said Ronnie deserved to know. Michael said he was considered a suspect because he and his uncle were at odds. Drew had seduced his ex-wife and had been trying to help win custody of his kids. Brook said, most of the time, Michael had been out of the country recovering from serious burns, when Michael’s phone rang and he stepped away. Brook said Michael wasn’t the only suspect. There was a long list of them. Jason said Drew caused problems for the family, but he also made life miserable for a lot of people in Port Charles.

Curtis said he planned to test his theory, but needed to press enough of Drew’s buttons for him to react, and Portia said Drew’s response would tell them everything. Curtis said he’d been on his way to try it, when he ran into Dr. Gannon. He thought Curtis was taking advantage of Portia’s position as Co-Chief by throwing his weight around the hospital. Portia said she never felt that way, and he said he’d never do anything to make her look bad. She said she thought Dr. Gannon was just looking out for his boss in a misguided way. Did he still plan on confronting Drew? He said, the sooner, the better, and she said, since it was her medical career on the line, she’d like to take part.

Drew said he knew he’d promised Willow that he’d help er win custody, but he’d also thought she’d rediscovered her feelings for him. She said he wasn’t wrong. She still cared about him and wanted to be with him, but she’d been making excuses for not moving back in. The truth was, she was worried it would hurt er custody case. He asked, how, when they’d be seen as a family? and she said, Michael twisted things. Ric was out of town, and she couldn’t get him on the phone. He said they’d reach out to Martin, when Willow got a text. She said it was from the court. She scrolled and said, no. They couldn’t do this. They assigned a new judge, but wouldn’t review it until mid-January. The next time she saw her kids would be next year.

Trina said Emma insisted she and Gio were just friends, but it looked tense. Had something changed? Emma said, yeah, and not in a good way.

As they passed a medicine ball back and forth, Gio told Kai about Tracy wheeling Drew out of the memorial service, and Kai said, good for her. She’s small, but mighty. Gio said he thought Kai and Drew were tight, but Kai said, just because he worked for the guy, didn’t mean he thought Drew was in the right. He was definitely in the wrong.

Willow said she couldn’t wait that long, but Drew said it would be okay. They’d talk to Martin, and he’d make sure she had custody way before January. Curtis and Portia walked in, and Curtis asked if they were interrupting. Portia said Willow was assigned to the ER. Why was she there? Because Willow can’t speak for herself, Drew said she was visiting the man she loved, and Portia said, she could do that after hours. She was on duty in the ER. Willow apologized and left, and Drew said Portia had to lose the attitude and apologize to Willow. Portia said she was Co-Chief of Staff and called the shots, and Curtis said, unless Drew had something to say about that.

Jack said he was glad to finally meet Britt, who said she needed to get back to work. She left, and Jack said he thought things seemed tense. Josslyn said Britt threatened to tell that she’s WSB unless she upgraded Britt’s living situation, and Jack said he’d take care of Britt. Right now, he had an important assignment for her.

Carly said if the police were going to charge her, she needed to make arrangements for her daughter, but Elizabeth said no one had contacted her. No one from the PCPD asked her anything. If they did, she’d just tell them what happened. Drew clearly antagonized Carly and she responded in anger. Carly said she told Anna that Elizabeth was a witness. Why didn’t they talk to her? Elizabeth said, maybe they had a stronger suspect, and Carly was off the hook. She should be glad… unless that wasn’t what she wanted. Maybe she’d rather have the PCPD come after her than come after her son.

On the phone, Anna said, this time double-check everything. She needed the warrant processed immediately. She told Chase that Turner was always so on top of things. She didn’t know why Turner made a mistake like this when she knew how important it was. Chase said now they’d lost the element of surprise, and she said, the worst part was that Jason was there. If anyone knew how to clean up evidence or make it disappear, it was him. And he’d do anything to protect Michael.

Brook asked if the PCPD thought the gun had been used to shoot Drew, but Tracy said, they made a mistake and were trying to grasp at straws. They didn’t even have the address right. Brook said, that was the DA’s office, and Ronnie said it wouldn’t take the Commissioner long to be back with a new warrant. Tracy said, then they’d handle it like family. Ronnie didn’t need to stay. Ronnie said she’d appreciate it if someone let her know how it turned out. She’d be at her motel. Jason said, hold on. According to Monica’s will, this was her house.

Jack said he’d like a word with Britt, but she said she was in the middle of work. He said it wouldn’t take long. He had questions about her time at the Five Poppies. They could schedule time for her to come to his office. Britt asked, why? She was just a guest at the resort. He said, if that was the case, he supposed they could hold off on bringing her in, for now. As long as she stopped making trouble for him or any of his agents. She promised she wouldn’t be a problem, and he said he hoped she was telling the truth. If she was lying and was involved in the research there in any capacity, it was a violation of a number of international laws and subject to life imprisonment in Steinmaur. It’s not a place she wanted to be. Just ask her mother.

Carly told Elizabeth that Willow was rooting for Michael’s arrest. If he was in prison, she’d get her kids back. But Michael didn’t do it. Elizabeth said she hoped Carly was right, and Carly said she assumed Elizabeth would take Willow’s side. Elizabeth said she’d known Scout her entire life and had compassion for Willow, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel for Michael. Carly needed to have faith that Anna and the police would find the culprit. Carly said Drew was determined that Michael take the fall. He’d taken so much from Michael, she’d be damned if he was going to take Michael’s freedom too. Elizabeth’s plumber called, and she stepped away to talk.

Drew said, if they had a problem with him, take it up with him. Don’t pick on Willow. Portia said, for asking her to do her job? She could look for work elsewhere. Drew said he thought she was forgetting that he had information that could destroy her career, and she said, then do it. She was tired of living in fear. Curtis said, give it his best shot, and Drew said he was currently recovering from two gunshot wounds. He didn’t have the energy for this. Get out and leave him the hell alone. They left, and in the hallway, Curtis said they were right. He’s got nothing.

Chase told Anna that he should have stayed to make sure no one tampered with the evidence. He had every right be there. She said, as a detective or as a husband and in-law? It’s better he didn’t since it was a grey area. They had to play by the book or the Quartermaines would bury them. He said, or the woman who inherited the estate, and she said she didn’t know about her. She thought he was in a tough spot and didn’t want to make it worse. He said, as much as he loved the Quartermaines, if someone shot Drew, they needed to be brought to justice.

Tracy said it wasn’t Ronnie’s house, but Jason told her, the will said it was. She said it was a bogus will. The estate wasn’t going to a backwater waitress. Olivia asked why she said waitress like it was a shameful insult, and Jason said Ronnie was Monica’s sister and part of the family. Tracy said, you don’t vet someone with a handshake. She could be anybody. Jason told Ronnie, nice to meet her. Despite what Tracy said, try to make herself at home. Ronnie thanked him, and he thanked her for her help with the police. Tracy said Jason didn’t speak for all of them, but Michael said he agreed. Before the reading of the will, they assumed he’d inherit the house. If anyone had the right to contest it, it was him, and he would like to abide by his grandmother’s wishes. As far as he was concerned, the matter was settled.

Britt said she heard Deanna was covering for Willow because of a family emergency. Was everything okay? Willow said she felt like nothing ever was, and Britt said they were technically family, but Willow said there was nothing anyone could do. Britt said, if Willow needed an ally… She heard Willow had been visiting Drew. Now she was bolting for a family emergency. If it was about Drew, maybe she should talk to Britt’s mom. Willow said, the person she needed to talk to, was her lawyer. If Britt found him, that would be great. Don’t take it the wrong way, but she didn’t think Britt could afford to take on her problems. She saws Britt with Agent Brennan, and she seemed to have her own mess to deal with. Willow left.

Carly told Elizabeth that she had to meet Jason, and it was probably best for her not to run into Willow. Elizabeth said Carly’s issues with Willow were valid, but so were Willow’s. It was tragic all around. Carly said, Willow made the decisions that ruined her life, and Elizabeth said, sometimes when you only had yourself to blame, it was worse. They’d both been there. Carly said Willow was lucky to have a friend like Elizabeth, but she doubted Willow deserved it, and she left.

Trina asked if Emma thought Gio was moving out because of the kiss, and Emma said she obviously ruined the friendship. Kai joined them and said Trina’s form was all wrong, but Trina said she knew what she was doing. Emma said that was her cue, and left. Kai said Trina’s form was perfect. He just needed and excuse to get away from Gio. Trina asked, why? and Kai said he let his real feelings for Drew slip out. Trina said it was safer to play the loyal employee, especially since his fingerprints were on the bat. He said that put him in the living room the night Drew was shot, and she said, continue playing the part. He said he was trying, but didn’t know how much longer he could stand working for Drew, and she said he had to. At least until the shooter was caught.

Martin went to Drew’s room and said he assumed it was about the custody case. Drew said they’d get to that, but what did Martin know about the PCPD inventory of his safe? Martin said he did warn Drew that their request for an injunction might be overturned. The police basically searched and logged the contents. Drew asked if they sent a list of the contents to Martin, and Martin said they did. Drew said, send him a digital copy to his phone. He needed to see it. He looked at the list and said he knew it. It wasn’t there. The evidence that Portia tampered with Heather Webber’s test results. Martin asked if it was there the night Drew was shot, and Drew said he saw it. Martin asked if he closed the safe, but Drew said he didn’t know. Martin said, whoever put the bullets in his back probably took it, and Drew said the only people who knew were Curtis and Portia. Martin said, then one of them shot him.

Alone in the living room, Tracy looked up and said she wished Monica was there. She’d wring her scrawny little neck. Ronnie came in with Brook and Olivia and said, the house and grounds were magnificent. Everything was so big. Olivia said there was always room for improvement. How did Ronnie feel about a brick pizza oven? Ronnie said it sounded like a wonderful idea, and Tracy said, yippie. Ronnie said she wasn’t surprised Monica had a stable of horses. As a little girl, she dreamed of having one and ended up with a dozen. Tracy said Hades was hers and Comet belonged to Leo, and Ronnie said she kept losing track of how many people were there. (Me too.) Brook said she’d make a chart. When Chase came back, she’d introduce them. Ronnie said, that handsome detective was her husband? when the doorbell rang. Tracy said, door, and Olivia said she’d get it. Tracy looked at Ronnie and said, her house, her door, wen Anna and Chase came in. Anna showed Ronnie the amended warrant, and Ronnie said it looked fine. Anna’s team began the search.

Emma said she had to go, and Trina said, first talk to Gio. Do it now. Emma went over to Gio and said she didn’t want him to move out, but he said he had to. She said, was it because of the kiss? and he said, yeah. She said she knew it. She ruined everything. He asked what she was talking about, and she said she shouldn’t have kissed him. It was awkward and it was her fault. She was into him, and he wasn’t into her. He said she had the wrong idea. He was moving out because he was into her. He thought she wasn’t into him. Because it would be torture to live with her and not do this. He kissed her.  

Jason stood at Pier 54, when Jack arrived. Jack said Carly couldn’t make it, so Jason had him instead.

In Sonny’s old kitchen, Carly said she’d got Josslyn’s text and asked why Josslyn was crying. Josslyn said she’d never believe this. Vaughn had been lying to her the entire time. She just found out he’s a WSB agent.

Portia was staring at the pregnancy test, when Curtis knocked at the door. She stashed it, and he came in. He said he was on his way out and it just hit him. It’s over. Part of the reason they stayed together was for him to protect her. Portia said it wasn’t really the issue anymore, and he said he guessed not. They’d stayed together to avoid suspicion. As soon as someone was arrested for Drew’s shooting, he guessed they could file for divorce. He guessed there was no reason to stay married anymore.

Drew told Martin, no wonder they were just in there with their power play. They knew he had nothing to hold over their head. Martin said he was calling the police. They had to know who shot him. Drew said he couldn’t. They couldn’t know about the blackmail and neither of them could go down for shooting him. For Willow’s sake, it had to be Michael.

Brook said they’d send someone to the motel for Ronnie’s things, and Ronnie wondered where she’d stay. Brook said they had plenty of rooms, when Anna and Chase came back. Anna asked, where were Jason and Michael? and Olivia said there was no reason they needed to stay. Anna said she was just curious, and Chase said, they checked the study and the gun was missing. There were soap looks all around.

Michael knocked at Elizabeth’s door and asked if Willow was there. Elizabeth said she was at work, and he asked if he could come in. She said, sure, and after looking around, he went inside and closed the door.

Thursday:  

Anna told Dante about confirming the gun was registered to Edward Quartermaine and what happened with the warrant and how the firearm was missing by the time they came back with the amended one. Dante said, find the gun, find the shooter, and she said they needed to find out who took it. Since he lived at the Quartermaine’s, he might be the perfect person to help figure it out.

Willow asked Michael what he was doing at Elizabeth’s house.

Britt went into Nathan’s room to find him getting dressed, and she asked if he had a hot date. He said he was about to be discharged, and she asked if he was sure that it was the best idea. He said there was nothing wrong with him physically and he had to face up to his new reality at some point.

Josslyn told Carly that Vaughn was a WSB agent. How could she be so stupid? Everything had been a complete lie and he was conning her the entire time. How could she be so blind? Carly hugged her.

Jack told Jason that Carly had been held up, but Jason said they had nothing to discuss. Jack asked, who was more important, Carly or Britt Westbourne? and Jason said he was going to tell Carly that Josslyn was WSB. Jack said it would make it difficult if her mother found out and he was there to ensure Jason didn’t tell her. Jason said he was there to protect Josslyn and her mother. Hurt her and see what happens. Jack said Jason needed to ask himself if Carly knowing the truth about her daughter was more important than Britt’s freedom.

Britt said it was Nathan’s decision, but she would love one minute with just them before he went out in the world and discovered what it was like to be Nathan West, circa 2025. He said he’d love that and asked if it could wait until he was out, and she asked if he was sticking around. He said that was the plan. It was time to reclaim his life like she was doing. Spinelli came in and said, gracious greetings to them both. Nathan asked if Spinelli brought his son.

Michael said he’d been waiting for Willow to get home. Elizabeth had let him in. She said she was hoping they could talk. She was so sorry about Monica. She knew it was hard on the kids and him. When she heard Monica passed, she wanted to reach, but wasn’t sure if she should. She’d been really worried about all of them. Michael thanked her.

Anna said, Monica’s sister, Ronnie… and Dante said, a sister that crawled out of the woodwork. He had no idea Monica had a sister. She said, join the club. When they went in the second time… He said, the gun wasn’t there, and she said, interesting timing. He said, either the shooter didn’t put it back… and she said, or they disposed of it. He said they should look at anyone who had access to the Quartermaine property, and she said, starting with Carly Spencer.

Carly said tell her everything, and Josslyn said Vaughn ghosted her. She tried to forget him and move on, but then she saw him at the WSB offices. She went to see Jack to invite him to dinner with them and Donna, an olive branch sort of thing. She wanted to surprise Carly. She saw Vaughn all decked out in a power suit and was completely shocked. Carly asked if they talked, and Josslyn said she confronted Vaughn about the way he ended things. He stood there, cool, calm, and collected like she’d never meant anything to him. Carly called him an ass and said she was so sorry, and Josslyn said she finally got him to admit he was a WSB agent. She just found out, but apparently, he’d been with the WSB for a while. Carly said that meant Jack knew all along.

Spinelli said James wasn’t with him. The reason he was there was because he wanted to discuss Nathan’s current standing. Britt said it wasn’t the time. Nathan was about to be released. He was waiting for his discharge paperwork. Spinelli said, understood. Perhaps later. Nathan said they’d definitely talk soon, and Spinelli said he looked forward to it. He left and Britt said she didn’t want to get in trouble and had to check in, but she’d like to talk. Nathan said, go. He didn’t want to cause trouble with the people who were calling the shots.

Carly said Jack knew Vaughn was WSB and Josslyn could have been in danger, but he said nothing. Josslyn said she was sorry, but she was never in any danger, and Carly said she didn’t know that. It was one thing to keep a secret from her about work, but it was another to keep a secret about her daughter.  

At the hospital, Spinelli found Britt and said, apologies, but he was consumed with several unresolved curiosities. Britt told him, try again and give English a whirl, and he said he was concerned. How come Britt wanted to delay James meeting Nathan? Britt said she’d thought a lot about if her nephew could handle it, and he said, the only reason he didn’t bring James was the resurrection of both of Faison’s children in a matter of weeks. It was a statistical marvel. Britt wondered if he was implying something about her brother, and he said Nathan recalled nothing, the circumstances gave them no answer, and he was virtually untraceable, and Britt said, Spinelli didn’t believe her? He said she offered no information as to where she’d disappeared. If he was suspicious of anyone, it fell on her.  

Jason asked if Jack was going to go after Britt if he told Carly, but Jack said Britt brought her troubles on herself. She’d committed several violations of international law, enough to put her away in Steinmaur for the rest of her life. Jason could be what put her there or kept her out. It seemed like a no-brainer. If he didn’t tell Carly what she didn’t know, it would be status quo. Tell Carly, and Britt would be put away for what little time she had left. Did he want Britt to spend her final days wasting away in a jail cell? Jason said he didn’t want any of this, and Jack said, if you committed a crime, you paid for it. Jason said, so the best move for everyone was to say nothing, and Jack said Jason had the option to protect Carly and Britt. Jason said, and Jack. The next time, don’t trick him. Be a man and reach out directly. He left and Jack’s phone rang. Carly told Jack to get over to her house.

Willow asked what brought Michael by, and he said he got the notification about the judge postponing the visitation case. Willow started to cry and said she couldn’t believe the next time she saw Wiley and Amelia would be next year. He said that was too long for them to be apart, and she said she never thought he’d agree with her. He said he did and that was why he was there. He wanted her to see their kids.

Anna said Carly needed a second look, and Dante said Carly was at the Quartermaines’ all the time. Anna said Carly had a bit of a history with violence, especially when protecting her children. She shot Tony Jones in open court because he’d hurt Michael. Dante said, Drew was hurting Michael. Who was Carly’s alibi? Anna said, Jack Brennan, who lied for a living. He’d definitely cover for Carly. She thought Carly’s alibi was worthless. Which brought them to their second suspect. Dante said, his brother.

Willow told Michael that she was so happy to hear this. She’d been begging to see them, and he hadn’t budged. So why now, especially when she was sure he’d heard she and Drew were back together. He said he did hear and didn’t want Drew anywhere near their children. She said she hadn’t heard him call them their children for a while, and he said, they were, and the ultimate goal was to spend time with them. She got to see the kids, and Wiley and Amelia got to have their mother back in their lives. Willow said it was all she’d wanted. How did they make it happen? He said the offer only extended to her, not Drew, and she said that was fine. He said he’d make arrangements for visitation in a safe and controlled environment, and she asked what he meant. He said the visitation would be supervised by a family therapist.

Britt said there was no big story, but Spinelli said that was hard to believe. Britt said she had a job working a spa and was trying to live a quiet life. She’d still be there if not for Jason’s meddling. He said Jason was a lot of things, but a meddler wasn’t one of them, and Britt said he destroyed her peace, her anonymity, and her job. It was all gone. It was her life and her business. Jason was her problem, and she needed to deal with him. She walked off.

Jack found Carly in Sonny’s old kitchen, and seeing Josslyn and the moss bowl🎍, he said he didn’t realize they had an audience. Carly said she didn’t realize a lot of things, but he was right. This was a private conversation. She asked Josslyn for a minute, and Josslyn left. (The moss bowl🎍stayed, kowtowing to no one.) Jack said he assumed she wasn’t pleased with him, and she asked how he could not tell her that Vaughn was a WSB agent.

Willow said a therapist was going to supervise her with her own children? and Michael said it was a chance to spend time together for an hour a week. She said it wasn’t a lot of time. She’d missed them so much. Would she ever get more time? He said he didn’t know, but right now, he thought it was best for the kids, and she said she didn’t want the kids more confused. He said he thought she would be more grateful, and she said she was. It was better than not seeing them at all, but it was hard to be overly grateful when it meant that he didn’t trust her to be around her children. Was the therapist on his payroll? He said, no, and she said, and not his father’s? He said, no, and she said she was afraid come January, the therapist would get on the stand and say she was unfit and her kids would be taken away from her permanently.

Vaughn met Josslyn at Pier 54, and she said she wasn’t sure he’d come. He said he almost didn’t. They’d agreed, no contact once they were back in Port Charles. Josslyn said she didn’t forget, and he asked why he was there. She said she thought she should tell him in person. Her mom knew he was a WSB agent. He said, how? and she said she told her.

At the hospital, Britt told Jason that Spinelli came by and was making accusations. He implied she had a hidden agenda. He said, didn’t she? and she said he was tying it to Nathan being back. Spinelli thought she had something to do with his mysterious return. He said he’d speak to Spinelli, and Britt said to tell Spinelli that she’d never hurt James. He said, that part, he believed, but she hadn’t been upfront about the Five Poppies. How could he help her if she kept holding things back?

Anna told Dante that Jack lied as easily as he breathed and was Carly’s alibi. Michael’s alibi was a sex worker who happened to be with Drew the night Drew was on drugs. The whole thing was unreliable and convenient. Dante agreed, but for the record, he didn’t think Michael did this. Yet when he looked at the evidence against him… Anna said he could see how bad it looked.

Michael said he was just trying to get them all in the same room in the most secure way, and Willow said, timed supervised visits? He wouldn’t like it. He said he didn’t make the same choices, and she asked if it was punishment. He said it was an opportunity that he didn’t have to give her, and she said she wasn’t trying to fight. She had no kids, no power, and very few choices. It must be nice having all the power. She wished she had even a little. He said she had the power to see the kids again. If she loved them as much as she claimed, prove it. Be their mom again. They missed her as much as she missed them.

Spinelli went back to see Nathan and said he reconsidered. Nathan said he was sorry. Britt was overprotective of him and James. Spinelli said, James was fine, but a little lost, which was to be expected. They were all unmoored without Maxie to ground them. He found routine was essential with James. Nathan asked what James was like, and Spinelli said spirited was at the top of a wonderfully long list. He wasn’t questioning Nathan’s role as James’s father, but hoped they agreed on some level that consistency was what James needed – people he knew, faces he was used to. Nathan said he understood. He’d never want a child to be without their mother. Spinelli said, there was no equal, and Nathan said, the void Maxie left must be incredibly hard for James. Spinelli said it was life-altering for all of them, and Nathan said, not remembering the last seven years, knowing he hadn’t been there for his son, was hard, but he thought what they were going through was harder. It killed him knowing there was nothing he could do to help Maxie. Spinelli said they had that in common. Nathan still loved her. Nathan said he never stopped. To him, Maxie was still his wife. He was grateful to Spinelli, showing up for Maxie and his son. He was happy they had Spinelli. He wanted he best for James too, but knew James better, so he’d follow Spinelli’s lead.  

Britt said she didn’t know why she asked Jason to come, and he said he’d do anything to protect her. But to do it, he needed to know from what. What was she doing at the Five Poppies? She said if it was Carly, he wouldn’t ask, and he said he wouldn’t have to.

Josslyn said Brennan ordered her to keep her mom distracted, so she used a trick Vaughn taught her in training. He said, blowing his cover in the process… Smart move. He’d have done the same thing. She did make one error. She warned him. She said she didn’t want to blindside him, and he said, personal feelings clouded her judgment, but they all made that mistake. His was falling for her. She said she knew she was irresistible. Jack told her to be convincing, and it turned out they convinced themselves. Vaughn said, maybe it was all in the past, but maybe not, and she said she knew that, but knowing and accepting were two very different things.

Jack told Carly that it was all classified information. When it came to her daughter, it didn’t change. She said, the hell it doesn’t. Josslyn could have been in danger. He said, she wasn’t, and Carly said he lied to her face. He listened when she told him that she was worried about Josslyn dating Vaughn. He pretended to be someone he wasn’t and violated her trust. He said he understood that she was upset, but she knew there were going to be times he had to keep things from her. This was one of those times. She said she could handle separating who he was with them and who he was on the job. She said maybe she couldn’t.

Spinelli said he was relieved they were in agreement about James, and Nathan said, James came first and he gave Spinelli his word that he’d be the father James needed and deserved, especially without Maxie there.

Britt said she wanted Jason out of her life, and he said he didn’t realize he was in. She said he did the same thing every time and she couldn’t do it. Either commit and put her first or stay the hell out of her way. He said he’d do whatever he could for her, and she said, classic non-answer. But it was an answer. Just not the one she wanted.

Carly said Jack was right. She entered the relationship informed and thought with her eyes wide open. But she was fooling herself. She got why he didn’t warn her about Vaughn and was trying to believe he wouldn’t let anything happen to Josslyn. He said he could be who he needed to be on the job and still be someone she could believe in, and she said she wanted to be right about him and trust him. He said he wanted that more than anything, and hugged her.

Vaughn said, what they had in Australia was very real, and Josslyn said, was, past tense. He said, maybe it wasn’t the end. Anything was possible. She said she hoped he was right, and he said he was always right. They kissed and said goodbye and Vaughn left.  

Willow said Michael held all the cards. He knew her answer before she came in. He said he knew what he’d hoped she’d say, but he still needed to hear it from her. She said, of course (🍷) she agreed to his terms. She’d go anywhere or do anything to see her kids, even if it meant supervised visits with a therapist. He said she was making the right choice, and she said, not much of one though, is it? He said he’d be in touch and left.

Anna said she was open to suggestions, and Dante said the Quartermaines’ security system could be breached. Drew got in when he was with Willow last year, and he heard Drew and Martin got in after the almost wedding. Michael was also convinced Willow was sneaking around targeting Daisy. Anna asked why she was just hearing about this now, and he said, he had no proof. Going to the cops was pointless. She asked if he thought Willow could be the shooter, and he said, the guy was sleeping with her mom. Anna said, Willow left Drew at the altar, then took him back, but she didn’t have the same history of violence as Michael or Carly. Dante said they didn’t know a person’s tipping point. Losing your kids was up there. She said she wasn’t ruling anyone out. She felt like the suspect had the ability to get in and out undetected. She said he needed to see something and showed him the computer screen. She said it was security footage from Nina’s apartment building. Dante said, the night Drew was shot, and she said, it was the exact same time Nina said she was with Willow, but they could see her here and she was alone. He said, Willow’s alibi just evaporated, and she said, yeah.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Tracy finds Ronnie in the nook drinking tea and says, you’re still here? Ronnie says, yes, of course (🍷). It’s my house. Monica gave it to me. (We say that last part together.)

Turner goes to Anna’s office and Anna says she didn’t expect to see her. Turner decided to stop dodging her. Turner said she wasn’t dodging Anna. She was busy. Anna says, too busy to explain how the search warrant that she ordered for the Quartermaine residence had the wrong address? Which then delayed their search and gave whoever shot Congressman Cain an opportunity to ditch their weapon.

Isaiah flashed back to getting busy with Portia in her office, when Lucas says his name. Isaiah says he spaced out, and Lucas says, it’s clear he was somewhere else. What has him so distracted?

Portia asks if Dr. Navarro got her bloodwork back, but the doctor says, sorry, no, but it should be in soon. She had it bumped up. Portia asks if she’d mind reaching out to the lab. She did a test at home, and it was positive. She needs to confirm it. Given her age, it’s important to determine how far along she is.

Jordan walks into Drew’s room where he’s using a walker and says, he’s made a lot of progress. Good for him. Drew thanks her and thanks her for seeing him, and she says, his message was mysterious. She had to see what he meant. Tell her why she’s here. He says, so she can save Curtis.

On the phone, Curtis says he’s like to get everything in place so they can move forward as quickly and painlessly as possible. And if they can keep any court proceedings sealed from the public, that’s even better. Keep him posted. Michael asks if it’s a bad time, and Curtis says, no, not at all. He assumes Michael is here because of the article Lulu wrote. It couldn’t have been east to read. Michael said the story was legit and Curtis had to run it, and Curtis said, the article points to Michael as a prime suspect in Drew’s shooting. Michael is taking it better than he would. Is he sure he’s not worried about being charged? Michael says he’s got an alibi, and he’s convinced whoever needs to pay for shooting Drew, will.

Elizaeth says she didn’t realize Willow was working this morning, and Willow said she switched shifts with Deanna. Something important came up this afternoon that she can’t miss. Elizabeth asks if everything is okay, but Willow says she doesn’t know yet.

Sonny finds Lulu at Bobbie’s and asks if she’s got a second. She says, for him? Always. What’s up? He asks why she’s going after Michael in the press.

Lulu says she takes it Sonny read her piece in the Port Charles Press, and he says, yeah, he read it. She might as well have put up a billboard that says, Michael Corinthos shot Drew Cain. She says, that’s not true. She reported the facts. Nothing more. She even included the PCPD screwing up by showing up at the Quartermaines with a faulty search warrant that may have led to loss of a crucial piece of evidence. He says, she made it sound like Michael was the one who got rid of it, but she tells him, the article didn’t say that. All it said was that Michael lived there and was a person of interest. Is that not true? They’re not the only ones who know Michael had a motive. Sonny says, so do a lot of people. And Drew screwed over a lot of people who wanted him shot. She asks if that’s on the record, and he says, she’s always been fair and unbiased. What changed?

Turner says, Anna is blaming her? She guesses that explains this. She reads: unnamed sources in the PCPD suggest the snafu originated with the office of Acting District Attorney Justine Turner. Is Anna trying to sandbag her? Anna says she thinks Turner sandbagged herself. She assumed Turner paid close attention to detail when ordering a search warrant for a sitting congressman. Turner says, it was a typo, okay? A simple human error anyone could make. Anna isn’t infallible either. Anna says she’s not, but she’s careful, especially when things are this important. The error really set them back. It gave all the Quartermaines, including Michael himself, a heads up that they were looking for Edward’s gun and gave them time to dispose of the evidence and cover their tracks. Turner says, that may be the case, but clearly Michael isn’t the only suspect they’re interested in.  

Jordan says she didn’t realize Curtis needed saving, and Drew said he has every reason to believe Curtis is the one who shot him. He had the motive and opportunity, and after yesterday, Curtis all but confirmed it was him. Jordan says she doesn’t buy it for a second, and he says, she doesn’t need to buy it. If he tells the police everything he knows, they’ll stop the investigation from focusing on Michael and they’ll turn the investigation on Curtis. And he doesn’t want them to do that. She says, so Curtis allegedly shot him, but he doesn’t want Curtis arrested? and Drew says, exactly. He’s willing to look past what Curtis did to him, as difficult as it is, provided Jordan use her connections and influence as the former Police Commissioner and Anna’s best friend, and push for Michael’s arrest. She asks if that’s why she’s here. Is he trying to blackmail her into framing someone? He says he’s trying to help a friend help another friend, and she says she hopes he doesn’t believe what he’s saying. He says, it’s true, and she says, Michael is already a person of interest in his shooting, but he says, that’s not good enough. He needs Michael arrested for his attempted murder, and if she can make that happen, he’ll make sure Curtis stays out of prison. She says she’s curious. What did he promise Willow in exchange for her coming back to him?

Elizabeth says she owes Willow an apology. She’s sure Willow got thrown for a loop when the last thing she expected when she got home was to find Michael waiting for her. Willow says, it was definitely a surprise, and Elizabeth says, yeah. Sorry about that. She hopes it wasn’t too contentious. Willow says, not at all. Talking to Michael was really helpful. It gave her the opportunity to see where they stood and what he was thinking. She thinks he finally understood when it comes to being with her kids, there’s nothing she won’t do.  

Curtis tells Michael that the police showing up at the Quartermaines with the wrong address on the warrant, that’s wild. It’s got to be the most well-known house in Port Charles. Michael says, it doesn’t sound like Anna, does it? and Curtis says, not even little bit. Michael says, it surprised him too. Part of him would like to think it was divine intervention. Curtis says, Michael never struck him as spiritual, and Michael says he’s not. He wouldn’t have picked up on the error, but his grandmother’s sister Ronnie, she was the one who picked up on it. He feels like his grandmother brought Ronnie into their lives at just the right moment.

Tracy says, Ronnie may currently have possession of this house, but this tea set belonged to Tracy’s mother. Her father gave to her for her 50th birthday and it wasn’t Ronnie’s to use. Ronnie says, it’s a very thoughtful gift. It’s very beautiful. Her father had excellent taste. His name was Edward… Tracy says, Ronnie doesn’t get to talk about her father. He was rolling over in his grave because of the scam Ronnie is pulling. Ronnie asks if there’s any chance that they could start over. Clearly, Tracy was trying to pick a fight, and the tea set was as good a reason as any. If that’s what Tracy wants to find, she’s perfectly capable of giving it to her, but she’d prefer something else. Tracy says, hmm… How about access to the family safe? Ronnie says she would like Tracy to tell her about her sister. Not the little girl she knew, but the woman Tracy loved. Please, tell her about her sister.

Lulu says, it’s her job to be objective and she believes she was, and Sonny says, no matter who she hurt in the process. She says, Michael is her family. So is he. She would never intentionally target them in the press, but the facts were the facts, and no one was asking her how she felt about them. She genuinely hopes Michael isn’t guilty and wants to believe he didn’t shoot Drew, but she can’t report that he didn’t until it’s proven to be true. He says, when it is, he looks forward to her reporting that he’s innocent.

Elizabeth tells Willow, if it helps at all, when she spoke with Michael, she definitely got the impression he was being sincere. It sounded like he wanted to turn the temperature down between them and actually find the best solution for the kids, which the most important thing, right? Willow says her kids are the only thing that’s important to her and Michael was certainly doing what he believed was best for them. She had to do the same. She had to get to work and told Elizabeth that she’d see her later.

Isaiah says he’s finally about to cross the finish line, and Lucas says, it must feel great. He knows how hard Isaiah is working on the place. Isaiah says his credit cards are doing most of the work, and Lucas says, still, the timing couldn’t be better. A cozy cabin in the fall with the leaves changing and a chill in the air. He’s got to take someone up there for a romantic weekend away. Isaiah says, we’ll see, and Lucas says, wait. He was just trying to encourage Isaiah to start dating. It looks like he has someone on his mind. Is he seeing someone?

Dr. Navarro says she just got the test results, and Portia says, tell her. Is she pregnant? The doctor says, yes, she is, seven weeks. Portia flashes back to getting busy with Curtis and then Isaiah.

Drew asks, what does Willow have to do with this? and Jordan says, don’t patronize me. Everything he does is about Willow. What was it this time? Did he promise he’d frame Michael so she’d get her kids back because Michael would go to prison? He doesn’t say anything and just smirks, and she says, wow. That’s low, even for him. He says, so that’s a no? She’s not helping him? She says, it’s a hell no. She’s not helping him with his vendettas against Michael or Curtis. And the PCPD is building a case based on the evidence, not his desperate machinations. He says, okay. Then she needs to remember this moment. Because this is the moment she chose to turn her back on the chance to save Curtis. She says she just doesn’t get it. He almost died. He was lucky to get a second chance at life. It’s sad and pathetic to see him waste it.

Portia asks if the doctor is absolutely sure about the date, and Dr. Navarro says, absolutely. The test is conclusive. Coming around the corner, Jordan runs into Portia and says, sorry.

Anna says, it’s a long shot, but they have to do their due diligence and eliminate all potential suspects, and Turner says, it was Nina Reeves who originally told them that she and Willow Tate were together walking in the rain when the congressman was shot. Anna says, yeah, which is suspicious in itself. Nina is nothing if not perfectly put together. Why would she willingly go for walk in the rain and ruin that lovely blowout? Turner says, and the security camera footage shows Nina entering her building at 9 pm and leaving at 10:30. That covers the entire window of the congressman’s shooting. Anna says, which means Willows alibi is a lie, and Turner says, which doesn’t make her guilty, but it does make her unaccounted for. But how would Willow have gotten her hands on Edward Quartermaine’s gun? Anna says, she used to live at the Quartermaine estate when she was married to Michael. She knows the grounds very well and would be able to get in the main house undetected. She imagines Willow would know where Edward’s gun collection was. Turner says, it’s certainly worth a search, when Anna’s phone rings. Turner says, sorry. She has a meeting she has to get to. She’ll have the warrant in front of a judge, and it should be ready within the hour. Anna says, great. They’ll make sure to double-check the address this time. Turner gives her a look and leaves.

Ronnie says, Tracy had something with Monica she never had – a lifetime of memories – and the bond between them was so clear in all of her letters. Please tell her about Monica. Tell her everything. What made her laugh the hardest? Even as child, she had a spectacular… Tracy says, stop. She’s under no obligation to tell Ronnie anything about Monica. Monica chose not to spend her days with Ronnie and didn’t share things with her because she didn’t want Ronnie to know them. Monica had no relationship with Ronnie, which was why she knows in her bones that Monica did not give her this house. She wouldn’t give Ronnie a dime, much less something that meant so much to her. Ronnie says she was hoping for Monica’s sake and the sake of the family, they could reach some kind of understanding, but it appears it’s not in the cards. Tracy says she spent time with Monica every single day, and not once did she mention even thinking about Ronnie, much less disinheriting her beloved grandson. She knows what Ronnie is doing is a scam and she’s damn well going to prove it. She grabs her bag and walks out.

Jordan says she should know better than to walk and text, but Portia says, it’s fine. Jordan says she should also know better than to answer a summons from Drew Cain. That man is infuriating. Portia says, on that, they can agree, and Jordan says, Dr. Navarro, it’s good to see you. The doctor says, her too, and Jordan says she’ll let them get back to their conversation. Sorry for interrupting. She leaves.

Tracy meets Lulu at Bobbie’s and asks what Lulu’s got for her. Lulu says, hello to you too. I’m great. Loving the weather we’re having. The kids are wonderful. Tracy apologizes and says she’s very preoccupied. She just had the most annoying conversation. Lulu says, who with? and Tracy says, with Monica’s guttersnipe sister, who’s taken over their home. She can’t make a cup of tea in peace, so please tell her that she found something that can be used to run the sister out of town and end this nightmare. Lulu says she did some digging like Tracy asked, and gives her a manila envelope. Here’s everything she needs to know about Ronnie Bard.

Ronnie is drinking her tea, when Michael comes in and says, good morning. How was her first night in her new house? Ronnie says, the bed was very comfortable, but she spent most of the time tossing and turning all night. She’s having a terrible time wrapping her head around this and she’s not the only one; Would he like some tea? He says, no. Thank you though, and she shouldn’t let Tracy get to her. She says, it’s not just Tracy, and he says, to be clear, he’s the one everyone expected to inherit the house. She says, he lives in the house, and he says, that’s true, but his grandmother had a way of surprising people. She says, that’s a very generous way of looking at it, and he says he should be thanking her. If she hadn’t been named new owner of the house and given that search warrant such a close look, the police would have been all over this place immediately. She says, would that have been a problem?

Portia says, sorry to just stop by like this, but Elizabeth says, no. It’s fine. Is she okay? Portia says, not really. Can she come in? Elizabeth says, of course (🍷), and Portia says, are they alone? Elizabeth says, yeah. Willow is at work and Aiden is at school. Can she get Portia something? Portia says she just needs a friend, and Elizabeth says, she has one, and hugs her. Tell her what’s going on. Portia says, Elizabeth was with her when she got dizzy the other day and asked if could be pregnant. Elizabeth says, Portia didn’t seem thrilled by the possibility, and Portia says, it’s not just a possibility anymore. She’s pregnant.

Turner walks into Diane’s office and says, Miss Miller, this needs to be quick… She sees that Sonny is there and says, his attorney’s assistant told her to go right in. Sonny says, yeah. Suzanne is great, isn’t she? When she gets to know you better, you might be lucky enough to score her carrot cake. (Now I want carrot cake.) Turner says she’s got a meeting with Diane. Where is she? Sonny says, court, a deposition, buying shoes. Who can say? Turner says, clearly, he can, and he says, let him tell her something about Diane. She does a lot of things, including facilitating. So today he’s paying her to facilitate. Turner is meeting with him.

Lulu says she took time out of her busy schedule to compile information for Tracy free of charge. So what she thinks Tracy meant to say was, thank you. Tracy says, for what? All Lulu found was information that made Ronnie look like a Girl Scout. She needs something she can use. Lulu says she’s sorry. She can’t find something that isn’t there. Tracy says, Lulu found out absolutely everything to know about Gio, and they never even knew to look for him. She has a gift in finding out secrets about people, but all she found out about Ronnie was that she won a pie baking contest in Durham. Lulu says, three years running. Look, some people really do lead normal, quiet lives. They don’t know many people like that, but she hears they exist. It looks like Ronnie might be one of them. Tracy says, everybody has something, and Lulu says, Ronnie had a husband. He died young. She has a job as a waitress. She has no debt and lives modestly within her means. She’s never been arrested and never had any trouble with the law. She knows Tracy may not want to hear this, but she doesn’t think Ronnie has anything to hide.

Ronnie tells Michael, forget it. She’s sorry she asked. She certainly wouldn’t want the cops rummaging through all her stuff and definitely wouldn’t want to have to clean up after the mess. Michael says he appreciates her for being so understanding, but it’s her house now. Considering they’re all living here, she has a right to know what’s going on. They sit down, and he says, his Uncle Drew made a lot of enemies in Port Charles, several of whom live in this house. When she first met Tracy, it was at the family crypt. She says, the memory of it is seared in her brain. She was just paying her respects. He says, Drew tried to have the crypt bulldozed, and she says, why? What? His family is interred there. His grandparents and great-grandparents. He says, his father and his grandfather, and now his grandmother, but none of that matters. Drew feels like he hasn’t been given everything he’s entitled to from the family and would rather destroy it. Ronnie says, the crypt is still standing, so they managed to thwart him, and he says, actually, it was all Monica. She outmaneuvered Drew and he never saw it coming. The crypt, all of them, are still standing because of her.

Drew tells Willow, look at him. He feels good and he’s pretty strong. He just can’t wait to get out. Willow says, great, but don’t overdo it. The doctor was signing off on his release, but try to take it easy until then.  He says he’ll do his best. He’s really looking forward to getting home so they can get back to their life together. She says she has good news. She’s seeing her kids today. He says, that’s amazing. How did she manage that? She says, actually, it was Michael’s idea. He stopped by Elizabeth’s with an offer for her to see Wiley and Amelia this afternoon. Drew asks, what’s the catch?  

Portia tells Elizabeth that she was completely irresponsible. She’s a doctor. She knows her body and never should have let this happen. Elizabeth says, it’s not all on her. Curtis was there too. Portia says, he’s having some pretty major problems, and they decided to end the marriage. Now this. Elizabeth says she’s so sorry. She didn’t know. So Curtis doesn’t know about the baby yet? Portia says, no and she knows him. He’ll want to stay together for the baby. Elizabeth asks what she wants, but Portia says she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know how it would happen. Either they’ll work it out and stay together and one or both of them will be miserable, or they’ll follow through on the divorce. Elizabeth says, and fight over the baby? and Portia says, assuming Curtis is even the father.

Isaiah says he was hoping things were simple and easy with the next relationship he got into, and Lucas says, the heart wants what the heart wants. Is it worth the headache? Isaiah says he thinks so.

Turner says she doesn’t appreciate an ambush, and Sonny says, it’s not an ambush. She just took a hit in the paper, and he figured she didn’t want to be seen in public with him. So if he went to her office or she came to his house, it would be seen as public. What about her having an issue with the warrant at the Quartermaines? She flashes back to giving the wrong address on the phone while looking at Sonny at the gym and asks why he’s concerned. He says, it’s clear she’s building a case against his son, and she says she told him before, she’s not discussing an ongoing case with him. And for the record, the PCPD builds the case. She prosecutes it. He says, that may be true, but if his son is charged with Drew Cain’s shooting, she may never prosecute again.

Lulu suggests Tracy consider why Monica left a parting gift to her sister, and Tracy asks if she means the house they all call home. Lulu says, Ronnie hasn’t kicked anyone out, and Tracy says she’d like to see her try. Lulu says, at the end of the day, Tracy, Michael, Ned, and Jason all have more money than their children’s children could ever spend. Tracy says, that’s not the point, and Lulu asks, what is? Does Tracy want to know what she thinks? Tracy says, no, but Lulu says, too bad. She doesn’t think Tracy’s problem is with Ronnie at all. Her problem is with Monica.

Ronnie says she remembers Michael mentioning that Drew seduced his ex-wife, so she assumes that’s why she’s his ex. Michael says, if he’s being honest, there’s plenty of blame to go around, but Drew did more than his fair share. He pursued Willow with everything he had and didn’t stop until he got her. Ronnie says, that’s awful. The betrayal is so devastating, especially coming from an uncle who he probably trusted and a wife who he obviously loved. He says, it was hard. He’s not sure he’s made sense of it all yet, and if it confuses him, how does he expect his kids to understand why their mom and dad aren’t together and their mom is with Uncle Drew now. She says, Wiley and Amelia are lovely. A marriage ending is never easy, especially when children are involved. You’ve invested so much of yourself and your time, and when the relationship goes away, you’re left wondering how you can ever rebuild. He says, it sounds like she’s been through losses of her own, and she says, you don’t reach this stage in life without your share of disappointment or regret. He says he doesn’t want to regret any choices he’s made about the kids and doesn’t want to question whether or not he did everything he could to keep them safe.  

Turner says, threatening her wouldn’t be wise, but Sonny says he’s just giving her the facts. She’s got a conflict of interest. Doesn’t she remember the night she was at his house and overheard Drew threaten Michael and flat out trying to extort him? He guesses she didn’t mention that or the fact she came to his house to make pizza with him and his daughter. She asks if he’s threatening to reveal that to the higher ups, but he says he’s making her see the truth. If Michael is charged in Drew’s shooting, she won’t be able to prosecute it. She and the cops know that.

Jordan goes to Curtis’s office and asks, what’s going on? He says, in her last text, she said she was with Drew, and she says, Drew wanted to make her an offer. Either she exerted pressure on the police to arrest Michael or Drew would point the finger at Curtis and say Curtis shot him. Curtis says, Drew never ceases to amaze him. It’s just a scare tactic. Drew is salivating at the thought of pinning his shooting on Michael. He thinks it will clear a path back to Willow. She says, that’s what she thought. Here’s the problem. Michael may be the focus, but if new evidence turns up, the case against Michael will fall apart. Then what? If Drew’s next best option is to steer the investigation to Curtis. Curtis says, let him. Drew has nothing on him. Drew can’t blackmail him anymore. He’s out from under Drew’s thumb. So is Portia.

Elizabeth asks if Portia is saying it’s possible Curtis may not be the father of the baby, and Portia says, yeah, when there’s a knock at the door. Elizabeth says, they’ll go away, but Anna says, it’s Commissioner Devane. She needs to speak with Elizabeth. Elizabeth says she doesn’t know what about and goes to the door. Anna is there with an officer, and Elizabeth asks if she can help with something. Anna says they have a warrant to search the premises.

Jordan asks if Curtis is saying Drew lost the leverage that he had on him and Portia. The evidence is just gone? He says, seems like it. When he saw Drew yesterday, he knew there was something different. Drew’s got nothing on them. Jordan says, it’s kind of miraculous. Portia must be relieved. Although it didn’t seem that way when she ran into her. Curtis says, she saw Portia? and Jordan says, yeah, at the hospital. She literally ran into her. She was with Dr. Navarro, and it seemed pretty tense. He says, Portia’s got a lot on her mind. God knows he does. She asks what he means. If Drew is no longer a concern, then what is the problem? He says he and Portia made the decision that as soon as Drew was no longer a threat and neither one of them might be charged in the shooting, they were going to file for divorce.

Lulu tells Tracy, the last few years with Monica were difficult, but hey still sparred, and Tracy says, of course (🍷). Lulu says, it was their thing, and Tracy says, it was, but actually… They put down their weapons and their guard and became close. She protected Monica. For her to turn around and give the family home to a long, lost relative? She doesn’t believe it. Whatever Monica thought of her, she’d never do that to Michael. Ronnie Bard was hiding something and was as phony as a ten-dollar toupee. And if Lulu can’t prove it, she will. Tracy gathers up her things and walks out.

Turner wonders if Sonny is blackmailing her, but he says he’s not. If he was, he’d let her prosecute the case, then force her to tank it. They both know she has information she shouldn’t have and has a conflict of interest. She should not be part of the case. Give it to one of her staff. She says, one of her less experienced, less skilled staff, but he says, one of her less compromised staff. She’s got to find a way out of this dicey situation. She asks if he’s protecting her, but he says he’s protecting them.  

Drew tells Willow that it’s a trap. Michael is not letting her see the kids out of the goodness of his heart. She’s seeing the kids on his terms with a therapist of his choice. She says she knows, and he says, what if the therapist submits a bad report? She says, it’s a chance she’s going to take. It’s a chance to see her kids, so she’s taking it. It’s not like she has a lot of options. Aside from actually needing to see her kids, if she says, no, she’ll look terrible in court. He says, it will establish a pattern. If she agrees to supervised visits now, what’s to stop the court from doing that in the future? She says she doesn’t know. Even if it’s one of Michael’s tactics, she can’t go any longer without seeing her kids. He says, at least bring her own witness. Call Martin. She says, no. She’s agreeing to Michael’s terms, and it has to be now. She has to see her kids and reconnect. Let them know they can depend on her, especially if Michael is about to be arrested.

Michael tells Ronnie, one thing he’s accepted, as painful as it may be, is that Willow ultimately cares more about being with Drew than she cares about their kids. Ronnie says, how? That’s a very strong statement to make, especially about a mother. He tells her that he says it because of what Willow’s done and continues to do. Every time there’s a choice, she decides to put what Drew wants over the kids’ welfare. Every time. Ronnie says she’s known some women who have done the same thing. It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Paul is good with it, but nobody else is. He says, exactly. Wiley and Amelia love their mother and expect her to love them. She asks if they get to see her a lot, and he says, not recently, but that may change today. She says she hopes it’s a step to healing old wounds, but he says he can’t count on that. He’d do anything for his kids and their needs have to come before anyone else’s, even their mother.

Leaving a message for Ric, Elizabeth says, the police are searching her house. So if he’d done with his stupid digital detox, she could really use his help. Call her back ASAP.  Anna comes downstairs holding a package and says they’d like Elizabeth to accompany them to the station. Elizabeth asks, what’s going on? and Anna asks, where is her houseguest?

On Monday, Curtis tells Portia that he thinks they should hold off on the divorce; Drew tells Willow, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when; and Sonny asks if Michael knows something he doesn’t.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

I voted for him actually being Faison. I know it’s a long shot, but that’s what I want it to be.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/is-nathan-on-general-hospital-an-impostor-vote-now/

The tallies on who should get Monica’s house. I voted for Jason. I guess the someone else turned out to be Ronnie.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-poll-results-this-is-who-fans-think-should-have-gotten-monicas-house/

Not that it will affect the judge’s decision, but why not vote for the Daytime Emmys too?

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/who-should-win-at-the-2025-daytime-emmy-awards-cast-your-votes/

It says he was one of several Luckys, but I don’t remember him. I am loving Beyond the Gates though.

https://ew.com/soap-star-greg-vaughan-joins-beyond-the-gates-cast-11824870

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck

My main takeaway points were: Do not touch a jellyfish then rub your eye. A shout out to deckhand Max for this lesson. (Really, Max? Really?) Deckhand Christian has a less than zero work ethic, but Nathan is so piss-poor at communication, there are a lot of balls being fumbled. When given a challenge by guests, Chef Josh knows how to pivot. The crew also got a 30,000-euro tip, which was $2800 each. Not bad for a messy team.

Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City

Lisa was out to antagonize Angie and had her Wolf hair products picked up from Angie’s dusty salon. Angie texted Lisa that her products were dusty, but not the salon. Heather told Angie to let it go. Angie told Meredith that Lisa wanted her to dig up dirt when she and Meredith weren’t in a good place. Meredith said that wasn’t who Lisa was, but obviously, it was exactly who Lisa was. Brittani and Jared were talking engagement again, but Whitney suggested Britani give it 30 days for her daughter Olivia. How about giving it zero days and f***s? Bronwyn’s mom was staying with her, in Bronwyn’s interview, she said her mom had the idea of what a perfect Mormon family should look like, and she never measured up. Now her daughter Gwen was following her example. She’d been pregnant at Gwen’s age and Muzzy didn’t take it well. I didn’t like old Muzzy very much. She was very judgmental. Mary’s church was reopening, and she was pretty pleased about that. She was also on Watch What Happens Live this week and seems to have gained a surprising sense of humor. Definitely the MVP once again.

Real Housewives Of Orange County

Once again, pets were the great leveler when Shannon needed another poop bag for Archie and didn’t have one. Been there. She also hoped she hadn’t stepped in it. Been there too. This was while she was on her way to Jen’s for a group session with a pet psychic. Emily and Gina also attended, and we found out that Archie wanted a brother, but not a puppy, a dog closer to his age. Honestly, I used to think this stuff was nuts, but we have a dog whisperer in the neighborhood who changed my rescue Chihuahua with one walk. So who knows? I do think Archie could use some canine company being an only dog. Tamra met with Katie and there were opinions about that. In Katie’s interview, she said Slade was the root of the tornado or the eye of the storm. I’m not sure what to say except I don’t think eye of the storm means what she thinks it means. Tamra told her that everything Slade and Gretchen said she was doing to them was what they were doing to her. Emily had a Trevor Project even to raise money for a wrongly imprisoned man to go back to school now that he was free. They ended up raising $41K. I doff my cap to a good cause. Gretchen showed up with Slade, and when Jenn didn’t want to deal with them and walked away, Gretchers shrieked, run, bitch, run! Nice.

Eeny, meeny, chili beanie. Who will sit next to Andy?

This is a little creepy. And not Halloween creepy.

Real Housewives Of Miami

I hate these Reunions since it’s all rehashing and people getting pissed off all over again. It’s like watching a rerun, but without some fabulous city in the background. There was a big brouhaha about did Julia and Adriana or didn’t they? Julia ended up giving Adriana a box with a replica of a human heart in it because Adriana had stolen her heart or some such nonsense. Work it out on your own time, ladies. Lisa was still getting picked on for going away instead of staying with her dad. They still had time together and he told her to go. STFU already.

Random Reality Items

I think she’ll be an interesting addition. And she’ll give great fashion.

In case you were losing sleep at night over this.

The new season begins November 19th.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Bring Her Back. HBO/MAX. This film wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t classify it as the best horror film of 2025, as one reviewer did. That would be Sinners. A woman wants to bring her daughter back from the dead and attempts a more complicated than it needed to be ritual.

https://decider.com/2025/10/06/bring-her-back-digital-release-streaming-movie-review

Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Netflix. Like most dramatizations of true crime, this limited series took a lot of liberties with the truth. Which is not to say it wasn’t still a compelling drama containing a lot of truth, some fantasy, and maybes that we’ll never really know. The acting was just incredible, especially Laurie Metcalf as Ed’s mother, the inspiration for Psycho. There was some time jumping – not my favorite storytelling technique – and also parallel stories of the future where the films based on the killer were being filmed. There were also Ed’s fantasies, most notably that of a sort of relationship with real life Nazi Ilse Koch. These sequences reminded me a lot of Cabaret, and I found them mesmerizing. That being said, it’s not for the faint of heart. Even I found it creepy, and that’s saying a lot.

https://ew.com/charlie-hunnam-worried-monster-ed-gein-role-was-horrible-mistake-11825170

https://ew.com/monster-the-ed-gein-story-fact-vs-fiction-11825218

Baylen Out Loud was also back, and I was there for it. This season, she and fiancé Colin are planning a wedding. I love this couple and watching Baylen navigate the world on her own while navigating Tourette’s is both heartening and heart wrenching. Things we take for granted, like going to the grocery store or baking a cake, cause all kinds of anxiety for Baylen, but she has a wonderful support system and a whole lot of fans cheering her on.

https://extratv.com/2025/10/02/baylen-out-loud-baylen-wants-alpacas-at-her-wedding-exclusive-clip/

https://extratv.com/2025/10/02/baylen-dupree-talks-wedding-planning-and-fiance-colin-bonding-with-her-dad-exclusive/

🔮 Watch Of the Future…

I’m not so sure a sequel was necessary. The ending of the first one was so good, I nearly stood up and applauded. And I was sitting at my computer. From what I’ve read, I’m sticking with that opinion, but no doubt I’ll watch it anyway.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/black-phone-2-review-fantastic-fest

This, on the other hand, looks intriguing. The Bone Temple was one of my favorite parts of 28 Years Later.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-trailer

I’m so glad this is moving forward. I want to know what goes on beyond the Wall in Westeros.

https://ew.com/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-game-of-thrones-differences-ira-parker-exclusive-11822602

🐺 On the Howl-o-Ween Side…

🐈‍⬛ When it comes to pets, celebrities are just like us.

https://www.tmz.com/2024/10/30/celebrity-pets-all-dressed-up-for-halloween/

🦝 Some inspiration. I’ll admit it. I actually bought costumes for my dogs this year.

https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/pets/editor-favorite-pet-halloween-costumes

🐻 And of course…

🕸 Quotes of the Week

There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot. – Plato

If you can’t make a mistake you can’t make anything. – Marva Collin

Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian. – Shari R. Barr

Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. – Alexander Graham Bell

A letter is a soul, so faithful an echo of the speaking voice that to the sensitive it is among the richest treasures of love. – Honoré de Balzac

Nothing will work unless you do. – Maya Angelou (Preach!)

A tiny change today brings a dramatically different tomorrow. – Richard Bach

I’m not the art police. Everybody is allowed to feel exactly how they want.Taylor Swift

You want poetry, you listen to Neil Diamond. You want advice, listen to your mother. – Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty), The Golden Girls

🧙‍♀️ Double, Double, Toil and Trouble…

Until next week, stay safe; stay not judging anyone for their beliefs about Halloween and respect them celebrating or not; and stay knowing what you want and not settling for less.

August 22, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Josslyn Sees Jason, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Wishful Watch, Farewell To an Icon, Animal Assortment, Five Quotes Two Times & Dance

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…

Monday:

Portia and Curtis basked in the afterglow. Curtis said there was no looking back, only moving forward, and Portia said, together.

Agent #1 said that there were discrepancies in the patient referrals and authorizations, and Felicia asked if she could help, but he said their questions were limited to Stella. Jordan and Isaiah tried to intervene, and Felicia suggested calling a lawyer, but Stella said there was no reason.

Brook went to Home & Heart where Flora apologized for what she’d gone through. It wasn’t the forum Lucy should have chosen for a mother/daughter reunion. Brook said there wasn’t going to be one, and Flora said she spoke with Lois and had a better understanding of the situation. She got the impression Brook giving away her son was heartbreaking for all involved. Brook asked if Flora thought she was being unfair.

Martin met Maxie backstage, and she wondered if she could be kicked out of Deception if she went against her partners.

Sidwell showed Lucy the view from the turret after dinner, and she said she had to get to the studio for a product launch with Maxie. Sidwell said he’d be watching, but she said he could see her anytime. He said he couldn’t get enough of the beautiful and talented Lucy Coe.

Drew said he had witnesses and unless Sonny agreed to his terms, Michael would go straight to prison. Turner listened in.

Jason and Britt locked eyes, and Britt said Pascal needed to come with her now.

Josslyn shot at the assassin struggling with Vaughn, and the assassin dropped. She asked who he was, and Vaughn checked the assassin’s pockets as he struggled to breathe.

Portia said she was committed to putting their marriage first, and Curtis said what they had was worth fighting for. It was over. He’d seen the formidable woman he’d fallen in love with when she’d refused to bend to Drew’s demands, and it reminded him of how good they were together. Her phone rang and it was Jordan.

Flora said Lois was suffering, and Brook said she hated it too, but couldn’t get over Lois lying to her. Flora said she could see both sides. but Lois’s mama was the one really steering the ship. Brook said she could understand why Gloria wanted to keep the baby in the family, but her mom had misgivings and said nothing. Flora said Lois was stuck between the, but Brook said Lois should have been honest with her. Then it could have been her decision when and how to approach Gio. She could have spared him the pain and betrayal. None of this would have happened and they might have had a relationship. Now her son wanted nothing to do with her.

Maxie asked if she could be forced out, and Martin said there were whistleblower laws that would prevent that, but she had personal relationships that might not survive.

Lucy said only Deception could lure her away from Sidwell, and he said he was pleased they hadn’t gone to the police about Sonny. He kissed her goodbye for luck, when Marco came in. She left, and Sidwell told Marco about Home & Heart and how he was looking forward to watching Lucy’s company. Marco asked if he was getting serious about Lucy.

Drew said Michael assaulted him in the MetroCourt. Even Diane couldn’t change Michael’s criminal past, including bludgeoning a woman to death when he was 17. It made a conviction more likely, and Willow would get her kids back. He wanted Sonny to get Willow generous visitation, sell his piers to Sidwell, and take an extended vacation anywhere but there.

Vaughn asked, who sent him? as the assassin gasped for air. Vaughn put a pillow over the assassin’s face.

On the side, Britt said she needed Pascal, and he told Jason have a drink, compliments of the hotel. Britt told Pascal that the AC wasn’t working. If the computers overheated, they’d crash. She’d have to start from scratch, and he wouldn’t like it. She’d be in her room until he was done. Pascal apologized to Jason.

Flora said she’d overstepped, but Brook said if Flora had insights, she’d listen. Flora said Lois hadn’t been truthful and Brook felt like if Lois had handled it differently, she’d have a relationship with her son, but it was pure conjecture. She had no way of knowing what would have happened. Aside from this issue, there had always been trust. Brook had to figure out if it could be repaired or if it was damaged beyond repair. A producer told Flora it was time, and Brook thanked her.

Jordan told Portia that Curtis’s phone was off and asked to speak to him. She was at GH. Portia gave him the phone, and Jordan said two state investigators from the Insurance Fraud Division had shown up and wanted to talk to Stella. Stella was with them now and she thought he should know. He said he was on his way, and he told Portia, Aunt Stella might be in trouble. Portia said she’d come with him.

Drew said Michael lost it and all it took was him talking to Wiley, and Sonny said Drew had used his grandson to get to him. Drew said he might want to remind Michael that 50% was better than nothing, what he’d get in prison, and Sonny said all Drew cared about was him being the one to get Willow’s kids back, but his hero ship had sailed. Willow knew what a loser he was. His desperation was showing, and even if he got everything he wanted, he’d never get Willow back.

Vaughn said their cover was blown and they had to go, but Josslyn said, what if they made Britt tell them who Dalton was working for? Vaughn scoffed at Britt telling them what they wanted to know, but Josslyn said Britt might tell her.

Pascal said Jason’s excursion had been booked and suggested he make a trip to the bar where there was live music. Jason said, lead the way, and followed Pascal.

Britt went to her room.

Drew asked if Sonny was letting his son go back to prison, but Sonny told him that he didn’t say that. Drew asked if Sonny was giving him what he wanted, but Sonny told Drew, he didn’t say that either. Drew’s head exploded said, whatever happened next was on Sonny, and he left. Turner came out, and said, that was the legal definition of extortion. She didn’t think Drew was capable of it. Sonny said she’d gotten a chance to meet the real Drew Cain.

Maxie told Martin that she couldn’t have anything hanging over Deception and needed to exonerate the company of any wrongdoing. She wondered if she could schedule a meeting with the DA and didn’t know if she should warn the others, but Martin said, absolutely not. Lucy came in and told Maxie, whatever Martin was advising, do the opposite. She’d just come from having a wonderful, romantic evening with Sidwell. Martin left and Brook arrived. She asked why he’d been there, and Lucy asked what he and Maxie were talking about.

Curtis and Portia arrived at the hospital, and Jordan said Stella was still being questioned. Portia said she’d see what she could find out, and Curtis said he’d put a stop to it. Isaiah said that wasn’t a good idea.

Vaughn said Britt was Cesar Faison’s daughter, but Josslyn said Britt was more than her father’s daughter. Britt risked her life to save her. They could get real intel. Seeing Josslyn looking at the dead assassin, Vaughn asked if she was good, and she said this had to count for something. He said they could buy themselves 24 hours if no one knew the assassin had tried and failed. They could make him disappear. Their bungalow was close to the cliffs. If he killed the lights on the path, no one would see them throw him off the cliff. It was that or bail. Josslyn said they’d get rid of the body, and Vaughn left.  

Lucy went to get her makeup touched up, and Brook told Maxie that she was passing on the camera stuff. Maxie said she didn’t want Brook to do something that made her uncomfortable, and Brook said Maxie was the best. Maxie said she hoped Brook always thought so. Brook asked, why? and Maxie said she was just nervous about being on camera.

Isaiah said Stella agreed to the questions and thought she could clear things up, but Curtis said, she shouldn’t be in there alone. Martin arrived and said he couldn’t agree more. He thanked Felicia for calling him and said he’d handle it.

Martin walked in, and Agent #1 said they were in the middle of questioning Stella, but Martin said it was illegal for them to question his client. He introduced himself as Stella’s attorney, but Agent #1 said he couldn’t represent her. Martin said she was allowed representation, and Agent #2 said, Martin specifically couldn’t represent her. He was a person of interest, and they had questions for him too.

Marco asked if Sidwell was serious about Lucy, since he’d gotten the impression she was serious about him. Sidwell said he wasn’t sure. He found her charming and beautiful, and she possessed a demonstrably good heart. She was a woman worth cultivating. He asked, how was Lucas? and Marco said Lucas was a good man who had no illusions about his sister’s ex-husband. Drew came in and said he had good news. He just strengthened Sidwell’s position with Sonny.

Back in the room, Josslyn said the assassin was heavier than he looked, and Vaughn said it was good that the tide was going out. Josslyn looked at the blood on her hand, and he told her to clean herself up. He’d get the room. He owed it to her for saving his life. He’d tell Brennan that they hit an obstacle, but were carrying on.

Lucy and Maxie joined Flora, who said it was Maxie’s first appearance. Maxie said she was excited about Deception’s newest product. Their Youth Truth serum had been so successful, they created an entire line. Lucy said people were looking younger in the blink of an eye. They were dedicated to helping people feel and look their best.

Drew told Sidwell that he’d accused Michael of lying to the kids, Michael lost it, and clocked him in front of witnesses. He’d assaulted a member of congress, which was a federal offense. Michael’s prison record would increase his chances of being found guilty. Marco said, not necessarily, and Drew said, when Sonny was preoccupied with Michael, his piers would be seized by Eminent Domain, but Sidwell said they’d get better use of them as a threat of leverage. Drew said he thought so at first, but then realized the best way to get Willow’s kids back was sending their father to prison. She’d get full custody and Michael would get nothing. Sidwell said annihilating Michael would be counter productive. It would remove Sonny’s incentive for cooperating, and if Drew took out his son, Sonny was going to retaliate. It would not be good for any of them.

Vaughn saw a text from Brennan saying, enjoy the beach. He heard the shower running.

Turner said Drew had bragged about goading Sonny’s son into hitting him and while extortion was difficult to prove, she was a credible source. Sonny said she wouldn’t be if anyone found out she’d had dinner with him and his daughter. They’d come for her and kill her career. She’d be accused of corruption. Drew would say he bribed her. She said Sonny was right. Neither of them could do anything. Sonny couldn’t retaliate.  

Stella came back and asked what Martin was doing there. Jordan said she’d called him, and Stella said they were reviewing the claims she’d submitted since January, but the patients had all deserved the compensation. Martin asked if she’d ever had this scrutiny before, and she said, no. He wondered, why now? and the agents came out. Portia introduced herself and said their legal department had known nothing about the investigation. What right did they have to talk in and questions her staff without proper protocol? Agent #1 said it was coming from higher up and she’d have to talk to their supervisor.

Turner told Sonny to promise not to take the law into his own hands and asked if this is what it was like. The op-eds said he was a menace, but he was being menaced. He said life wasn’t black and white, and she said knowledge was power. She was glad she was there and saw Drew in action. She’d be watching and when he did something else – which she was sure he would – she’d be ready. She promised she’d have Congressman Cain brought to justice. He said, if anybody could do it, he knew she could, and she left.  

Drew told Sidwell that he’d have to deal with Sonny in some other way. Everybody blamed him for Willow losing her children and he was going to be the guy to give them back. He’d be in touch. He left and Marco said, it appeared Congressman Cain’s interest was diverging from their own. He wouldn’t be of use for much longer. Sidwell said Drew was a bit of a loose cannon. He may become a liability.

On the air, Lucy said she knew what busy was like and went on about being in charge of the Nurses Ball. She continued talking about herself until Maxie interrupted, saying, as women, they were always busy, so they’d created a product that worked while you were sleeping – Youth Truth night mask. They’d added nutrients that nourished and rejuvenated while you were sleeping. Flora asked if you washed it off in the morning, Lucy said, exactly, and Maxie keeled over.

Josslyn sat in the shower with her clothes on. She remembered shooting the assassin and Vaughn putting a pillow over the assassin’s face. Vaughn asked if she was okay, and when he got no answer, he said he was coming in. She looked up at him, and he got in the shower, fully clothed. He sat next to her, and she leaned close to him. He put his arm around her and put her hand to his lips.

In bed, Britt heard something. She sat up and saw Jason in her room.

Tuesday:

Maxie passed out after doing a Deception promo on Home & Heart, and Flora said, someone call an ambulance.

Carly told Lulu that Obrecht seemed to have Rocco’s best interests at heart, but Lulu wasn’t buying it. Carly said it was about Rocco, and sometimes supporting your kids meant making a compromise you wouldn’t otherwise. She saw Nina and said, and some people you never compromise with.

Michael went to Sonny’s and Diane was there. She asked for details about his assault on Drew.

At the hospital, Drew wanted to see a doctor to document his injury, but Elizabeth said he’d have to wait since it wasn’t an emergency. He said he wasn’t here just for his own sake, but for Willow too.

Anna called Jack about his radio silence and left a message for him to call her back. Turner came by and asked her to open an investigation into Congressman Drew Cain.

Josslyn and Vaughn kissed in the shower.

Britt was in bed when Jason came into her room. She asked what he was doing there. (I love how her first words weren’t, hey, you’re dead.)

The EMT said Maxie seemed to be having a heart attack, and Brook called Spinelli. Lucy told them that Maxie had a heart transplant a long time ago.

Carly told Nina to stay out of the hotel except for her office. Nina had watched Willow ruin everyone’s life while she was sleeping with Drew. She didn’t have the decency to tell Willow the truth and so much could have been avoided if she’d just done the right thing.

Elizabeth said HIPPA prevented her from sharing Drew’s visit with Willow, and she wasn’t working, but Drew said it would be solid evidence that Michael was violent, and Willow would get custody. Elizabeth said she’d get someone to document it.

Michael asked how they knew about him slugging Drew, and Sonny said Drew had stopped by. Diane wanted all the details. Details could keep him out of prison instead of bending to Drew.

Turner told Anna that Drew was as dirty as they came and she wanted to prove it. She wasn’t at liberty to share the details. Anna said she had to have something legal or legitimate. If Drew got wind of it, she could lose her job, and she needed more to go on. Turner said, despite Drew’s position against organized crime, he was running roughshod against others’ rights. Anna asked if she was backing off Sonny, and Turner said Sonny needed to go down, but so did Congressman Cain.

Jason said he was here for her, but Britt said she didn’t recall asking him to come. How had he found her? He told her about seeing her in Paris and tracking her. He’d wanted to respect her decision, but when he found out her mother had no idea she was alive, he wondered if being dead was her choice. She said, what if it wasn’t? Was he going to rescue her? He could go. He said she could come home, but she said she was never going back to Port Charles. And now she could no longer go to Paris, or she’d run the risk of someone recognizing her. He asked why she was concerned about Paris. What was going on? Was she in danger?

Vaughn and Josslyn made their way to the bed and got busy. There was a song part.

Nina said Carly didn’t give a damn about Willow, and Carly said she did until Drew twisted Willow into someone she couldn’t trust. Nina said Willow loved her kids, and Carly said, until Drew showed up. Nina had been too busy covering her own ass, and everything Willow lost and everything Willow was today, was on her.

Gio wondered if he should step in, but Lulu said, definitely not. Her phone rang, and Brook said Maxie was in trouble.

Jason said he was here help if Britt wanted him to, but she said he’d helped her when she was on the run. He’d helped her when she’d confided her greatest fear, and again when that fear came true and she tested positive for Huntington’s. She’d been terrified, but felt like she wasn’t going through it alone. Then he left her to marry Carly. Sonny reappeared and he came crawling back, but when her mother needed rescuing from Victor, she’d crawled back to ask for his help. He said he’d always help her, but she said, not always. But he did save her and her mother and died in the process. She’d felt grief and guilt, but he was fine and very much alive. He said, so was she. How did she survive Heather’s attack?

Michael told Diane about how Drew had approached Wiley. Drew had crossed all the lines. Diane asked if he hit Drew in front of Wiley, but he said he had Tracy take Wiley to the pool. She said it spoke to Michael’s conscientiousness as a parent, but suggested premeditation. Now, it might cost him.

Felicia’s phone rang, but she turned it off and gave Drew his paperwork. He left, and Elizabeth said he was trying to redeem himself in Willow’s eyes by goading Michael to punch him in the face. Felicia said she didn’t think Willow should be separated from her kids and hoped she had enough sense not to fall for Drew’s games. Lucas asked, who gave Drew the shiner? when Maxie was wheeled in. Lucas and Felicia ran to the gurney.

Josslyn got out of bed and got dressed, and Vaughn asked if she was having second thoughts. She asked if he’d given Brennan all the details about what happened, but he said, only that they’d hit a snag. If he knew how compromised they were, he’d abort the mission. She said, if they left now, the operation would go underground. They had one chance to find out what was really going on.

Anna said she was wondering how Turner came up with the notion that Drew abused his power of office, but Turner told her that she couldn’t say. Not yet. Anna said if she was going to investigate a member of the House of Representatives, she’d need more than assurances, when Drew came in. He said seeing Turner there was convenient. He’d been the victim of a crime perpetrated by Michael Corinthos.

Michael asked what they should do, and Diane said, gather evidence that proved Drew approached Michael’s son without his consent and said inflammatory things that did actual harm to his son’s mental well-being. It could get them a plea deal. Sonny said Drew wanted him to sell his piers and leave town. He also wanted him to go to Michael and get visitation for Willow. He’d use the situation as leverage. Michael said that wasn’t going to happen, and Diane said Michael could petition the court to allow Willow visitation. There was no guarantee it would be granted. Michael said it would be on record that he approved and he didn’t. Diane said Drew was out of Willow’s life and the kids missed their mother, and Michael said he hated it, but didn’t trust Willow to raise their kids anymore. Sonny asked what was going on, and Michael said Willow was out of control. He thought she was responsible for the incidents involving Daisy.

Elizabeth and Lucas worked on Maxie. Lucas said she was in VFib, along with more medical stuff. He used the chest paddles as Felicia watched through the window. Lucy gave Felicia a hug, and told her that Maxie was giving a demonstration, got quiet, and collapsed. Felicia said Maxie appeared to have had a heart attack, and Lucy said Maxie had the strongest heart she knew because of Felicia. She would be a fighter. Spinelli ran in and asked, where was Maxie?

Britt told Jason, go first. How did he survive? He said the cave collapsed, but he found a way out. When he got out, he was picked up by the FBI. One of the agents had evidence of RICO violations, so he made a deal to be an informant. She said he’d never agree to that to save his own skin. He might for Sonny, but he did it for Carly, didn’t he? He said, yeah, and she said, all roads lead back to Carly. He asked how Britt survived, but she said he didn’t deserve to know a damn thing. She’d grieved him. She’d stood by his grave and forgave him, but she was taking it all back. He was a selfish son of a bitch, and she didn’t forgive him for anything. (To be fair, he did think she was dead. How would he have told her?)

Carly said Willow cheated on the husband who loved her, and Nina said, he had a baby with another woman. Carly said, he took responsibility for his choices. Nina helped Drew. Nina said she’d hired the escort, but Carly said all she needed to do was tell Willow the truth. Nina said she couldn’t do that without losing Willow. Willow needed her mother. Carly said Nina wanted Willow to need her, and Nina said that Carly and Michael had denied her the opportunity of being a mother, but Carly said she had months to get this right. Any real mother would have told the truth and handled the fallout, but Nina only cared about herself. Nina said, shut up, and moved toward Carly, who pushed her in the pool.

Vaughn said, Britt could have made Josslyn, but Josslyn said Britt didn’t know she was WSB. Britt had saved her life before. Why would Britt do something to get her killed now? Vaughn said somebody might not have liked him talking to Britt. The manager wasn’t happy. Maybe he was worried she said too much to a civilian. She said, Britt was their best lead and might open up about what she knew, and he said they had a slim window before another assassin was sent or they disappeared. She said she’d go get Britt.

Britt said she’d wasted enough of her grief, time, and life on Jason. She wasn’t wasting another second. He said she let her family think she was dead, and she said she made a choice not to let them watch her deteriorate. She took an opportunity and ended up here. She lived in a five-star resort in Europe. Despite Paris, she still got to explore the rest of the continent and her Huntington’s was in remission. He said he thought there was no treatment, but she said he’d lost the right to ask questions. He could go now. That’s what he was good at. He said something big was going on there. The WSB had the resort flagged and she was in danger.

Lulu hugged Spinelli and asked if he’d told the kids. He said, no. He’d told them something important came up and Georgie was watching them. He thought she was too young for that and wondered if he was a bad father. Lulu said she’d call Emma and see if she could watch them.  

Brook came into the hospital with Flora, who wanted to offer support. Brook went over to Spinelli, and he thanked her for calling. Felicia thanked Brook and said she wished she’d picked up. Brook asked if there was any word on Maxie, and Spinelli said they were working on her now. He cried and said he loved Maxie so much. He couldn’t imagine life without her. Brook said he wouldn’t have to. Maxie would get through this.

Lucas used the paddles again and said, charge them to 300.

Britt said working for Sonny had made Jason paranoid. Her only danger was staying in the jacuzzi too long. He said he could tell she was covering and couldn’t fake her own death without help. Did whoever helped her give her a choice? He could get her out tonight. She said, put away his cape. She didn’t need saving and if she did, she’d do it her own damn self. Go before she called security. He asked, what happened if she did?

Vaughn said Josslyn couldn’t wander around at night, and she said they’d maintain their cover. He said it was risky. The only way for it not to go south was to make contact safely. They’d use their window of opportunity to find Britt. He guessed there was nothing left to do except go to bed. They looked at the messed up bed.

Drew told Anna and Turner that Michael having Wiley taken to the pool showed premeditation. After that, Michael sucker punched him, which was how he sustained his injury. Anna said, so he was a decorated Navy SEAL, who was viciously attacked by his nephew, and he said, unprovoked, in public. Anna asked if he had any injuries of substance, but Turner said, assault was assault. She’d want his statement along with any other evidence. Anna said Drew was trying to manipulate the law to get on top of a family squabble, but Turner said it was a potential misdemeanor. Because of Michael’s record of violent crime, it could easily rise to a felony assault.

Sonny asked if Michael thought Willow was capable of messing with someone else’s kid, and Michael said, Sasha not only gave birth before the custody determination, but Willow delivered the baby. Diane said, if he thought Willow had targeted him, why not go to the police? but he said he had no evidence. He wasn’t 100% certain. It was just a suspicion. Diane said that didn’t help with Drew, and Sonny said they couldn’t let Drew use this to take Michael’s kids away. How could they fix it? Diane asked, who saw Drew talking to Wiley? and Michael said, him, Tracy, Stella Henry, and Martin, who was with Drew. Diane said they had nothing. Tracy’s hatred of Drew was a matter of public record and Michael worked closely with Stella’s nephew Curtis. Martin would just parrot everything Drew said. What about the patrons? Michael said he didn’t think any of them saw what was going on, and she asked, how many noticed the punch? He said he didn’t think the staff saw anything, and she said they had to find someone objective who saw Drew talking to Wiley or they were going in unarmed.

Elizabeth said there was no change, and Lucas used the paddles again. Maxie flatlined.

Lulu said Emma was with the kids, and Spinelli said Maxie had to be okay. Lulu said, she always is. He trusted Maxie and had to trust she was coming back to them now,

Flora said she was sure Brook wanted to be with her loved ones, but Brook said they were Maxie’s loved ones and Spinelli needed Lulu. Flora said Maxie seemed important to Brook, and Brook said they’d hated each other’s guts, but now Maxie was the best friend she’d ever had.

Elizabeth did chest compression, and Lucas said he needed Maxie to plan his wedding. Maxie’s heartbeat started and Elizabeth said, and she’s back. (The magic words, plan and wedding.)

Lucas told everyone that Maxie was stable. She’d been having a heart attack, and her heart did stop, but they were able to restart it. Spinelli asked if she was awake, but Lucas said, not yet. He could sit with her though. Lulu said Maxie would be okay. The crisis had passed, and they’d wait until she woke up. Spinelli hugged Felicia, and Brook asked to talk to Lucas. She asked if he had any idea what brought it on, but he said, not yet. Did she eat or drink anything unusual or inhale something? Did the cream give her an allergic reaction? Lucy joined them and said, no. Maxie had used the product a thousand times. They all had when they did the initial product testing. Lucas said, as far as he knew, Maxie was in perfect health. (I think someone put something in the product. The camera lingered on it too long after Maxie collapsed.)

Nina got out of the pool and Gio gave her a towel. She said she could have broken her neck, and Carly said Nina was the one who kept coming at her. Do it again and she’d drip dry in jail. Nina said Carly had done enough, but Carly said Nina had. Both she and Drew had made Willow a disaster, and neither one of them was getting near her grandchildren ever again. Nina left.  

Michael said, obviously, Drew thought he’d be Willow’s hero by sending him to prison and getting her kids back, and Diane said, regardless, he had a case. Sonny said Drew wasn’t going to let it go.

Drew thanked Turner, but she said he had no case yet. All she had was his statement. He said he had documentation of his injury, and Anna said Michael would have his own take and statement.

Diane said, the best way to bolster their case was to prove Drew deliberately provoked Michael by approaching Wiley. Ultimately, it came down to witnesses.

Turner told Drew, ultimately, it came down to witnesses.

Diane asked if there was anyone else willing to contradict Drew’s account.

Drew said Michael assaulted him in a restaurant full of people, including his lawyer. Martin saw everything.

Vaughn told Josslyn that they’d sleep in shifts in case they had another visitor. He’d take the first watch. She got in bed, while he sat facing the door, gun in hand.

Jason asked, what if Britt called security? and she said, go. She opened the door and said, now was good. He left and she made a call. She said they had a problem and needed to put a stop to it immediately.

Wednesday:

Alexis met with Curtis, who told her about Stella being questioned and said, something is off. Portia spoke with the legal department. They were unaware of the investigation and only Stella’s claims were being investigated. Stella came in, saw Alexis, and said, this is not happening.

Elizabeth said Maxie’s vitals were good, and Lucas hoped the tests showed what caused the heart attack. Maxie should be awake by now.

In the hallway, Lulu asked if there was any change, but Spinelli shook his head. They hugged.

Cody told Mac and Felicia that the kids were fine and with Emma. Mac said he didn’t understand why Maxie’s heart would suddenly fail out of nowhere.

Drew saw Gio at the pool and said, life without the Quartermaines agreed with him. It was good he cut ties. Gio said it was none of Drew’s business, but Drew said they had a lot in common. Their family let them down. Gio said he didn’t know what was going on with Drew and the Quartermaines, but Drew had tried to have the family crypt bulldozed, slept with Nina, and was after Sonny. Martin said he sounded like Tracy, and she was wrong about a lot. Gio said, not about them, and walked away. Drew said Gio was just as arrogant as the rest of the Quartermaines, but he’d sing a different tune when Sonny was gone, and Michael was in prison. Martin asked how he intended to accomplish that.

Turner was surprised to see Sonny and Michael at the station, and Sonny said it was her lucky day. Two for the price of one. He wanted to have a word with Turner before they started, and they went into the interrogation room. Diane asked if Michael had any idea what Sonny was up to, and he said, none whatsoever, but Sonny could handle Turner. Diane hoped he could handle his temper. She couldn’t represent both of them today.

Sonny said Drew’s allegations of assault were bogus. He provoked Michael and was blowing it out of proportion. They both knew Michael was innocent. Turner said, actually, she didn’t.

Lucas told Spinelli and Lulu that Maxie’s test were clean. There was no sign of blockage or scarring, and her preliminary blood panel was good. There was no indication she was rejecting the heart and her vitals were strong. They didn’t know the cause yet, but there were no ongoing issues. Spinelli said, all Maxie had to do was wake up and come back to them.

Cody said Lucas saved Maxie’s life, and Felicia said she was getting the best medical care possible. Cody said she’d be fine, and Mac said she had to be. Anything else was unimaginable.

Alexis said Stella was family once and she wanted to help, and Curtis said he wanted the best for her and that was Alexis. Stella said this was a huge overreaction to a paperwork issue, but Curtis said it was a fraud investigation from high up and was only focused on Stella. Stella said hiring a lawyer would make it look like she had something to hide, but Alexis said Stella was too smart not know better. She could end up unemployed, or worse, face criminal charges.

Drew said he’d told Anna and Turner that Michael needed to be arrested and prosecuted for assaulting a public official, which came with a nice long prison sentence. Martin asked what assault Drew was talking about, and Drew pointed to his face. Martin said, he called that assault?

Stella said she hadn’t done anything criminal, but Curtis said the investigators weren’t pencil pushers. This wasn’t standard procedure. Alexis said they could look Stella’s claims over and move on, but if it turned out to be more than that, she wanted to make sure Stella’s rights were respected. Get a lawyer. It didn’t have to be her. Stella said if it gave them peace of mind, Alexis could be her lawyer. Tell her what she was being accused of.

Drew said Martin was right there when Michael attacked him out of nowhere, but Martin said he saw Drew approach Wiley and say something that upset him. Then he accused Michael of lying to his son. It was hardly an unprovoked attack. Drew said, Michael hit a sitting member of congress. He couldn’t be father of the year in Pentenville and it would increase Willow’s chances of getting her kids back. Martin said the whole thing was strategic, an attempt to get Willow to forgive him, and Drew said he lost Willow because she lost her kids. If he got them back, she’d realize everything he did, he did out of love for her. Martin said, including sleeping with her mother?

Martin asked Diane to promise to block Willow getting custody. She wasn’t stable. She said she’d do her best, but he had no actual proof. He said he was working on it, and she said if he wanted to protect his children, don’t get charged with assault. He knew the rule. He said, volunteer nothing, and she asked why he and Sonny insisted on making her life difficult.

Turner said, Michael punched a sitting member of congress in a restaurant full of witnesses, and Sonny told her that she couldn’t say Drew didn’t have it coming. Slow down and take her time. She said she couldn’t abuse her power. It would make her no better than Drew. He asked if she was going after his son, but she said he knew damn well that she couldn’t.

Lucas went to update Mac and Felicia, and Spinelli told Lulu that he was being selfish. He had to tell the kids, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Lulu said she’d talk to the kids. He should be the first person Maxie saw when she woke up. Spinelli went into Maxie’s room and said, fear not. I’m here… always.

Lulu told Emma that Maxie was stable, but still unresponsive. They were clinging to anything positive. Emma asked if Lulu knew what she was going to tell the kids, but Lulu said, not yet. Emma said if they needed her, just call, and Lulu thanked her. Emma left and Lulu sat down, putting her head in her hands.

Stella told Alexis that there were two main reasons insurance companies denied a claim – a preexisting condition before the date of coverage and the claim not being filed in a timely manner. As if that was a reason to bankrupt a patient with medical bills. Curtis asked if she sometimes intervened, make adjustments to make sure they were approved, and Alexis said a lot rested on specific wordage. A lot rested on choosing your words carefully. Did she change the facts? Stella said she’d think it over and find out if it wasn’t an arcane reason, and Alexis said, then she’d step in? Stella said, it was lifesaving care, and Alexis asked if she altered the dates. Stella said, yes. Rarely, but she’d done it. Alexis said, by the insurance company’s definition, that was fraud. (I’m glad they’re tackling this issue. I’m on Stella’s side. Something similar was done for me once, and God bless those people.)

Drew told Martin that he and Nina were a mistake even before he and Willow fell in love. No judge would look favorably on a guy who’d been convicted of bludgeoning a woman to death and then attacked a congressman. Martin said it might not go as easily as Drew thought. Michael was already a sympathetic figure, and he had controlling interest in Aurora Media. If he and Curtis put their heads together, they could make Michael look like a saint. Drew said, don’t worry. Curtis would be busy defending Stella about insurance fraud. Martin asked how Drew knew about the investigation, and Drew said he was a congressman. He heard things. When he reported the assault, he told the Police Commissioner and the ADA that Martin was a witness. Martin just had to confirm the statement was accurate. Martin asked if Drew included the fact that he approached Wiley and upset him. If it didn’t, it was inaccurate, and he couldn’t sign it. Drew said Martin was looking at it all wrong. He was a congressman and Martin’s biggest client. Martin couldn’t afford to alienate him.

Sonny asked if Turner wasn’t charging Michael, but Turner said there was a strong enough case for him to be charged, but she couldn’t prosecute him herself. She couldn’t disclose she’d been at Sonny’s house and overheard Drew. She didn’t want to be the reason for a mistrial. The PCPD was investigating Drew’s claim, and her investigator just arrived.

In the squad room, Chase said he interviewed everyone present. All but one. Drew asked how many witnesses there were, and Chase said, nine.

There was a knock at Maxie’s door, and Lulu opened it to Obrecht.

Lucas told Elizabeth that inside, he was panicked that Maxie hadn’t woken up. He didn’t know why and kept thinking about how long she was in VFib. He was focused on not losing her like he did Sam. He thought he saved someone he loved, but now he wasn’t so sure.

Spinelli talked to Maxie about James’s swim meet and said she’d promised to do back school shopping with Georgie. It terrified him to do it. He would be a terrible substitute on his best day. She had to wake up because she is irreplaceable in so many ways. He’d been remiss that he didn’t do it sooner, but as soon as she opened her eyes, he was going to ask her to marry him. Please, open your eyes.

Anna asked how Felicia was, and Felicia said, barely holding it together. Anna said, Lucas was encouraging. There were no signs of heart issues. Felicia wondered why Maxie wouldn’t wake up and said she had to stay positive and be strong for Spinelli, Mac, and Cody. Anna said, not here. Here she could feel the way she wanted. Felicia said she kept remembering Maxie when she was six. She got a miracle, but what if the miracle had run its course?

Emma was sitting with her feet in the water, when Gio popped up from the pool. He asked where she was last night. She and Anna were gone. Emma said she was babysitting, and he said, the whole night? What was going on? She said Maxie was in the hospital. It’s really bad.

Elizabeth told Lucas that sometimes the body needed time to heal, and they were on Maxie time. Maxie wasn’t a textbook anything and they’d have to wait for her to come back to them. Lucas said Elizabeth was a good nurse and his mom would be so proud. She said he ran all the tests and looked at everything. Now it was up to Maxie.

Mac watched Spinelli with Maxie through the window, and Cody asked if he wanted to go in, but he said he wanted to give Spinelli more time. Cody said Mac really was a good man, and Mac said, if he was, he had Robin, Maxie, and her sister Georgie to thank. Raising the girls was the greatest privilege of his life. Cody said Maxie told him that she’d driven Mac crazy, and Mac said a lot of his grey hairs had her name on them. Why look when you can just leap? But he couldn’t stay mad at her. Cody said, back when he was lying about being Mac’s son and afraid to face him when Mac knew the truth, Maxie was the one who stopped him from leaving town. She’d always treated him like a member of the family. She believed in him when he couldn’t. He’d convinced himself that he didn’t need family, and Maxie made him want to be part of hers. Mac said he was part of her family, and Cody said because she never gave up on him.

Obrecht told Lulu that she came to check on her grandson. She didn’t want trouble. Lulu said, please come in. James would be happy to see his grandmother. Obrecht asked what Lulu told the kinder about their mother, and Lulu said she was just gearing up to tell them. Georgie chased James into the living room, and said their mom was in the hospital and he was acting like a brat. James said, what?

Felicia told Anna, Barbara Jean’s heart gave Maxie her life. She’d had three beautiful children. She found love with Nathan and her heart was broken when she lost him. She found love again with Spinelli. Her heart had done so much. What if it was tired and starting to wear out? Transplants lasted decades. Maxie had been young, and it had been decades. Anna said she didn’t think miracles had expiration dates. Maxie loved life and her kids. She loved Felicia, Mac, her friends, and Spinelli, and they loved her back. Love was powerful and she believed Maxie wanted to stay with them. Felicia asked why she didn’t wake up then, and Anna said the doctors would figure it out and Maxie would hang around until they did. Maxie was strong like her mother.

Alexis asked how many times Stella altered dates, and Stella said, seven in the past five years. She went over her cases in her mind. She’d worked in social services for over thirty years and knew the intricacies to get insurance claims covered. Alexis said, there were just seven she couldn’t get to concede about denied coverage? and Stella said, it was critical care, but they didn’t care if the patients lost their houses. So she altered a date or two. Curtis asked if it could work in Stella’s favor that it wasn’t for personal gain, and Alexis said she’d make that case if necessary. Stella said they paid their premiums month after month, year after year (preach!), and she agreed they should be covered. Even Martin didn’t know his insurance had lapsed. Curtis said, Martin?

Chase said he spoke to everyone, when Martin and Drew came in. Drew asked why Michael wasn’t in handcuffs, and Michael said he’d come in voluntarily to answer questions. Drew said, Michael assaulted him. This was proof. He pointed to his eye, and Martin said, and the medical report. Drew said his statement and the eyewitnesses should be enough to arrest Michael, and Chase said he spoke to the bartender, the waitstaff, Tracy – who only saw him approach Wiley – Stella, and two other people. No one remembers Michael hitting him.

Obrecht said that James’s sister wasn’t lying, and Lulu said she wasn’t. She came to tell them that their mom went to the hospital. Spinelli was with her. James said, why? and Obrecht said his mom got sick at the Home & Heart studio and was taken to the hospital. James asked if she was okay. What was wrong? Lulu said the doctors were still figuring it out. Obrecht said humans were complicated and medicine wasn’t simple. Sometimes it took a while to figure things out. Lifesaving was like a mystery. They looked at all the clues. But she did know that his mother was strong and in excellent health.

Emma told Gio what happened and said James was still oblivious. Gio said it was awful. He remembered being scared when his mom went in the hospital. He wanted to know, but didn’t if the news was bad. Emma said her grandmother’s job as a grandmother was to make things better, be strong and calm. She was at first, but Emma saw how worried she was later. She remembered seeing her worried a few times, but she’d never seen her truly scared until today. She was scared too. Gio put his arm around her.

Stella said Martin was one of the patients she helped, and Alexis asked if his claim was being questioned. Stella said they told her that he couldn’t represent her because they had questions for him, and Alexis asked if she’d altered the dates on his claim. Stella said she did, and Curtis said Martin’s biggest client was Drew.

Diane asked if they were done, and Drew said it was impossible. Turner said the witnesses denied there was an altercation, and Chase said, no physical contact was mentioned. Drew said they were lying, or Chase was. Why did she send him? Obviously, he was covering. He lived with the Quartermaines and it was a conflict of interest. Chase asked if Drew was accusing him of witness tampering, and Drew said, what about Carly? She owned the hotel. Her employees wouldn’t say anything bad about Michael. Sonny said, what about Tracy and Stella? and Drew said Sonny paid them off. Sonny said that was a false accusation, harassment, and Diane said, noted. Turner said she’d have the statements typed up, but she wouldn’t have Drew impugn the character of Detective Chase. His personal animosity for Michael Corinthos was public knowledge. It was a false claim that no one else observed. Drew said, Martin was there and saw the whole thing.

The kids left and Lulu thanked Obrecht, and Obrecht said she tried to use language the kids would understand without being unduly alarmed. Lulu said she hoped they diagnosed Maxie quickly, and Obrecht said her too. Lulu asked what Obrecht wasn’t saying, and Obrecht said it may be difficult to hear, but the longer Maxie didn’t respond, the more likely she was to slip into a coma.

Emma said she was sorry to bring up bad memories, but Gio said they were friends and she’d helped him. Even when it was hard to be around, he’d still be there. He took her hand.

Lucas said Maxie’s tox screen came back and there was an anomaly in her blood. There was an unidentified enzyme that was possibly what was keeping her from waking up. He was running another test. They needed to figure out what it was and where it was coming from. When they did, it would help decide the best course of treatment. Felicia asked if she could see Maxie, and he said, of course (🍷). She left, and Anna followed Lucas to the desk. Cody told Mac it was the first step to getting Maxie back.

Anna said, Lucas had no idea what the enzyme was? and Lucas said he’d never seen anything like it. She asked if there was any chance Maxie had been poisoned. (Told ya. Me and Anna 🤞)

Alexis asked if it was possible that Martin told Drew, but Stella said she told Martin to keep it to himself. He wouldn’t hurt her like that. He was too grateful. Curtis said, the other day at the pool, they saw Drew speaking to Martin, and Stella reminded him about a form. What if Martin innocently mentioned something to Drew? The orders were from higher up and what’s higher than a sitting congressman? (Probably a lot of things, but okay.) Drew did this. He set up the investigation. Drew was targeting someone he loved dearly to get to him.

Turner read the statement and asked Drew if the account was true. Drew said it was, and signed it. She said Martin was cited as a witness. Does the account accurately reflect what he saw? If so, sign here. Drew held out the pen to Martin.

Thursday:

Ava and Nina had lunch at the pool. Ava saw Ric walk in with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth said lunch was on her. It was the least she could do after he took on Willow’s case pro bono.

Curtis said Drew was now targeting his auntie, and Alexis said, nothing Drew did surprised her. Curtis said it was unacceptable. Drew was abusing his power, and he was going to expose him through Aurora Media. Alexis said if he did, there would be consequences, and Stella said, absolutely not. He needed to let this go. This time, Drew won.

Drew told Martin to put his John Hancock right there, and Turner said only sign it if he believed it was true. Drew said every word was true and Martin saw it all happen. Martin threw the pen down and said, I think not.

On her laptop in Bobbie’s, Molly fantasized about the western romance she was writing as we saw it unfold. Her heroine Delilah was in the arms of Clint Buchanan, but Cody pulled her away and told her to run for it. Molly snapped out of her daydream when Cody’s name was called for take-out.

Brook went to the stables and found Tracy, who asked what was wrong.

Obrecht apologized for mentioning the coma diagnosis, but Lulu said it didn’t mean Maxie would be in one like she was for four years. Her family couldn’t suffer the way Lulu’s did. Maxie had to come back to them.

Molly asked Cody, how would a horse react if they were separated from their trusted companion? and he told her, google it. He got his order and left.

Brook said there was no change with Maxie, and Tracy asked why she didn’t stay. Was it Lulu? Brook said she loved Maxie, but they became friends as adults. Maxie and Lulu were raised like family and she felt it was Lulu’s turf. Lulu belonged, not her. Tracy said Brook couldn’t be more wrong.

Lulu told Obrecht that when she woke up, she wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Then she saw Rocco, and it hit her hard. It felt surreal. Obrecht said she wouldn’t wish it on her worst enemy, and Lulu said that’s why she was so protective and why she reacted the way she did when Rocco reached out to Obrecht. Now she wondered if her reaction was unfair.  

Nina said she warned Ava that Ric was a terrible person. Worse, he was a good lawyer, which was why she hired him to represent Willow. Ava said she was glad Nina and Willow were talking again, but Nina said Willow didn’t want anything to do with her, so Ric told Willow that he was representing her pro bono. Ava said, so he didn’t do it out of the goodness of his cold black heart like Elizabeth must be thinking.

Ric told Elizabeth that Molly benefitted from both parents being in her life, and Willow’s children deserved the same. There was some ego and pride involved, since he’d exposed Michael’s affair, but she still lost the custody case. Elizabeth said Drew did so much damage, it was hard to undo.

Curtis said Stella should want to expose Drew’s abuse of power, but Stella said it didn’t change the fact she was guilty. She still believed the people needed help, but she believed if you did something wrong, you apologized and accepted the consequences. She didn’t think she was committing a crime, but she did what she did. She would accept the punishment that came her way even if meant saying goodbye to a job she loved. Alexis said that was noble, but it was still fraud, and she could end up sentenced to prison.

In the stairwell, Drew asked what the hell Martin thought he was doing, and Martin said he was Drew’s lawyer, not his whipping boy. Drew said he was sorry, but Martin needed to tell the truth. Michael attacked him. Martin said Drew had no other evidence except his hazy memory. He was crystal clear that he’d confided in Drew and Drew stabbed his friend in the back and set the dogs on Stella. He’d make Drew a deal. Call them off and stop the investigation and he’d sign the statement.

Molly kept starting to write, then deleting it. Kristina came in and asked if everything was okay. Molly said she’d been in the zone, working on her… brief, but she lost the groove. It was Cody’s fault. He came in to pick up food and blew her off. Kristina said she knew she’d warned Molly about Cody, but maybe she should go easier on him. He spent all night at the hospital. During a live segment on Home & Heart, Maxie collapsed.

Cody asked if there was an update, but Felicia said they still didn’t know what the enzyme in Maxie’s blood was. They were hopeful they’d find out soon. He said they were the best, and she agreed. Lucas said she should talk to Maxie, and it would help her find a way back to them. He said, you never know, it might help her, and they hugged.

Tracy said hiding wasn’t doing Maxie any good, and Brook said she wasn’t only guilty about leaving. She’d also said some awful things to Maxie about Lulu since Lulu came back. What if she had no chance to tell Maxie that she was sorry? Tracy said she would. She knew how much Brook loved Maxie – as she did – and how much Maxie loved Lulu – as she did. Maxie could see the good in both of them. Brook and Lulu were more alike than Brook cared to admit.  

Obrecht thanked Lulu and said she never meant harm to Rocco. Lulu said she wanted to believe that. She’d never acknowledged that Rocco looked for Obrecht; she didn’t seek him out. Obrecht said she should have told Lulu and Dante that Rocco reached out. She got swept up in the moment. Lulu said she did too. She came out swinging and regretted it. She didn’t want Obrecht to share something that she couldn’t from that time in his life. Obrecht said, it must have been devastating to miss that, and Lulu said it still was. She thought about what she’d missed when she hadn’t even realized Rocco existed. Even if they could come to an understanding, Obrecht’s daughter was the reason she missed out on that time and she couldn’t forgive that.

Drew asked if Martin was turning on him because of Stella, and Martin said, damn right. She never did anything but help him. So what was it going to be? Drew said nothing, and Martin said he didn’t think so. It was good old-fashioned revenge, not justice. Drew said, consider himself fired. Good luck paying his ex-wives. Martin said, there is that, and they went back to the squad room. Martin said he owed Turner an apology. He wasn’t signing. He didn’t remember seeing anything and regretted wasting her time. He left, and Diane said Sonny wasn’t answering any questions. Turner told Drew, sorry. There were no witnesses or footage. The case was closed.  

Lulu said she’d be happy to stay with the kids happy while Obrecht visited Maxie, and Obrecht thanked her. She said Maxie would get a kick out of them not being in the same room, but at each other’s throats, and Lulu said she was right. Be sure to tell her. Obrecht left.

Brook said she and Lulu were nothing alike, but Tracy said they both made colossal mistakes and refused to be defined by them. They were fiercely loyal to the people they loved and were two sides of the same coin. Brook said she saw Tracy’s point, and Tracy said her concern for Maxie should outweigh her discord with Lulu. They could keep hating each other after Maxie was out of the woods. Be there for the family or she’d never forgive herself. Brook said she hated when Tracy was right, and Tracy said she loved it. Now she had to feed the horses and Hades was already in a mood. Brook left, and outside, her phone rang.

Elizabeth said she had to get back to work and thanked Ric for helping Willow. He said he was happy to, and Elizabeth left.

Ava said Elizabeth thought Ric had changed and wasn’t going to be happy to find out he was the same liar, but Nina told her not to say anything. Willow couldn’t know she hired Ric. She might reject the help. Ava said she’d have to come up with another way to sabotage Ric, and Nina said Ric was giving her updates on Willow. Drew did nothing but leave a trail of destruction and she wished there was a way to get him out of Willow’s life for good.

Stella said she could face criminal charges? and Alexis said, yes. Curtis said they wouldn’t let that happen. It was only a handful of cases, and it would take time for them to come up with something concrete. Alexis said, if they did, they’d handle it and give her the strongest defense possible. Martin came in and said he had important news. He knew who was behind the insurance investigation. Stella said they already knew it was Drew, and Martin said he thought he was to blame because he mentioned she was helping him. He hoped she realized he’d never knowingly put her in harm’s way. Curtis asked why he still worked for Drew, but Martin said he didn’t. He tried to get Drew to call the investigation off, and Drew fired him. He was going to quit anyway and now Drew made an enemy of him.

Drew said Turner would never fill Robert Scorpio’s shoes. He’d never botch a case. Unless she was on Sonny’s payroll. She said she didn’t appreciate the accusation. Without a witness, she had no further options and suggested he go back to serving his constituents. She left, and Drew said congratulations were in order. Michael got away with assault. Michael said, stay the hell away from his kids, but Drew said, no chance. Willow would get back her kids one way or another no matter what he had to do or who he had to take down to do it. He left.

Molly told Kristina that she should have realized something was wrong. She misjudged Cody again. There was more to him than people thought. He’d shown up for her and she wished she’d shown up for him.

Cody arrived at the stables and Tracy said the horses were fed and she finished the other chores. He thanked her and she said she enjoyed it. The horses were the only creatures on the property that didn’t argue with her. She was sorry about Maxie. How was the family holding up? He said, not great. He spent all night with them and brought them food, but it wasn’t enough. She said he was being a son to Mac and a brother to Maxie, and he said he was thinking about the time he’d wasted. The months they could have spent as a family. Instead, he was living a lie. What if that was all the time they got?

Felicia told Maxie, the last time she was this scared, the last time she talked to Maxie like this, Maxie was a little girl fighting for her life. She was so small and sick. Felicia never left her side and wouldn’t now. She bargained with God to take her, not Maxie. Maxie’s babies needed their mama, and she needed her daughter. Mac and Spinelli needed her. She was the center of the family, the one who brought them all together. She couldn’t lose Maxie. Come back to her. Come back to them. She kissed Maxie’s hand.  

Brook asked Lulu, how were the kids? and Lulu said they were worried about Maxie of course (🍷), but hanging in there. She thanked Brook for answering her call, and Brook said she was going to call Lulu. They both started talking at once, and Lulu asked if she could go first. A few months ago, Maxie tricked them into coming there because she wanted them to come to a truce. She wasn’t ready then, but she was today if Brook was.

Tracy told Cody that she was well-acquainted with regret, and it was a complete waste of time. What’s done, is done. The only choice was how to proceed, and the only question was, what was he going to learn from this experience? Cody said, no more lies, no more scams, and she said it was a good place to start, and she left.

Ava told Ric that she’d tried to withdraw money, and the account was locked down. He said he locked them for a couple days to prevent suspect purchases. She said it was her money, but he said it was their money. Just a couple days. She’d have access soon. She left and he called Alexis.

Alexis stepped into the hallway and asked what Ric wanted. He told her, get to the MetroCourt pool. She’d want to hear this.

Turner told Michael to consider himself fortunate and suggested he be on his best behavior. Michael thanked her and left. Sonny said he wanted another minute with Turner, and Diane advised against it, but he said he’d be fine. Diane said she’d wait outside, and Turner said, this should be good.

Drew approached Willow at the hospital, and she said it would help if he’d leave her alone, especially at work. He said, something important happened that she needed to hear. Michael assaulted him at the MetroCourt in front of a lot of people because he told Wiley that she missed him. He understood things were over between them, but he wasn’t going to stop helping her. Seeing Michael’s family take advantage of the legal system was enlightening and he was afraid she’d never see Wiley and Amelia again.

At the hospital, Nina asked if Elizabeth had seen Willow. She knew Willow needed space, but wanted to make sure she was okay. Elizabeth told her, try the breakroom, and Nina left.

Willow said she didn’t know if she could trust Drew, and he said he wanted to tell her the truth, but Nina begged him not to. She’d threatened him and said she’d bribe her political connections. He knew she loved her mother, and they’d come so far, but she deserved to know the truth. He had no right to ask, but could she please try to believe him?

Lulu said all that mattered was that they both loved Maxie. She was fighting for her life. Felicia, Mac, Spinelli, and the kids needed them. She noticed Brook had left early. Was it because of her? Brook said Lulu might have something to do with it, and Lulu said Maxie needed all of her people. Brook said she felt guilty, and Lulu said they didn’t have to be friends. They needed to show up together for the Scorpios. Brook said she felt the same and that’s what they’d do.

Obrecht brought flowers to Maxie’s room and told Felicia that she’d just drop them off and be on her way. She knew Maxie loved them. Felicia said, don’t be silly. She was family and always welcome.

Alexis met Ric and asked what he wanted. He said he had good news, and she said his good was always her bad news, but he said, not this time. He and Ava were souring. She said she was so sorry, and he said, one more payment and they were done. No more blackmail. Alexis flashed back to Ava telling her to open an account only she could access, and told Ric that for once, he was right. This is good news.

Molly looked at her laptop and flashed back to being with Cody on the horse and at the Nurses Ball. She picked up her stuff and left, running into Michael at the door. He asked if she was okay, and she said she wasn’t. She thought she had feelings for Cody.

Ava went to the stables, but Cody said it wasn’t a good time. She said she heard about Maxie. She was so sorry. How was she? He said he’d rather not get into it right now, and she said she understood. Would he like some company? She’d like to cash in her raincheck. He said he was just thinking about her, and Ava asked if he missed her. He said he was sorry. He knew she thought he was a good guy, but she was wrong about him.

Sonny thanked Turner, but she said she was just doing her job. Overhearing the congressman at his house was eye opening. He was using his power to blackmail. She believed in the justice system and wouldn’t see it twisted by men like that. He asked if she understood that she made an enemy. That crack about her being on his payroll wasn’t the last she’d hear. She said she wasn’t afraid of Drew Cain. She’d faced men far worse and come out standing. She had nothing to hide. Now he knew why she turned down his gifts. He said, if he sent them, and she said, yes, if it was him. He left and she smiled.

Outside, Diane said she knew what Sonny was doing, and he said, what’s that? She said, cultivating the acting DA. One question. Was he working Turner or was she working him?

Stella told Martin to stop beating himself up. It wasn’t his fault. It was hers. Curtis said there was only one person to blame – Drew. He targeted everyone in Curtis’s family and Curtis had enough. Drew had to be stopped.

Willow told Drew that she just wanted to get her children back. It was a complete nightmare. He said he’d do what he had to in order to fix it for her if she’d let him. He promised he’d get her kids back and held her. Nina came to the door and saw them through the window.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Dubrovnik, Croatia. Britt sees Jason sitting near the pool, and he sees Greta. He says, there she is, and Greta says she’s sorry she’s late, but he says she was worth waiting for.

In their room at the resort Josslyn says, this isn’t working, and Vaughn says he knows. She says they’ve checked the pool, the spa, the restaurants, the courts. They’ve got to look somewhere else for Britt. He says, they can’t. They’re out of time.

Molly asks if they can just pretend she didn’t just say to Michael, and anyone else who walked by, that she has feelings for Cody, but he says, it’s too late. She doesn’t have to be embarrassed in front of him he’s the master of inconvenient feelings. She says, there’s no way that’s true. He’s always so in control. He says, it’s funny she should say that to him today, and she says, dare she ask? He says he was just at the PCPD because he may or may not have taken a swing at Drew and given him a black eye. But right now, he wants to hear about her feelings. That way he can give her the full benefit of his expertise in matters of the awkward heart. Spill it. How bad does she have it for Cody?

Ava asks, in what way is she wrong? and Cody says he wasn’t being a good guy when he returned her sunglasses. He didn’t come to discuss art either. She tells him, you don’t say, and he says, that obvious, huh? He’s not just not a good guy. He’s also not a smooth one. She says she’s sorry to disappoint, but if they’re making confessions, she really should tell him that she had ulterior when she encouraged him.

In the kitchen at Bobbie’s, Carly says, thank God, Jack is here, and he says he wishes more people would say that when he walked into a room. He got here as fast as he could. He didn’t even stop to say hi to Michael and Molly, who are right outside. She says, they don’t care. Don’t worry about them. Did he bring it? He puts his briefcase on the counter, opens it, and takes out a wrench. He says, never leave home without it.

Nina sees Willow at the nurses’ station and sighs. Ric sees Elizabeth and says, long time no see. She thanks him again for lunch. It was fun. He says, yes, it was. Maybe they could try for dinner next time. Elizabeth watches as Nina approaches the desk and says, that can’t be good. Nina tells Willow that she’s just here to sit with Maxie’s family. The last thing she wants is to bother her. But she wants Willow to know that if she ever needs anything, she’s always here for her. As she walks away, Willow says, wait.

Lulu is vacuuming when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Laura and invites her in. Laura says she thought stop by to see how everything is going, and Lulu says, it’s going okay. She’s just trying to keep everything as normal as possible for the kids while Maxie is at GH and Spinelli is at her bedside. Laura says she’s sure Spinelli and the kids are very grateful. Tell her how everybody is doing. Lulu says, Brook took James to baseball practice, Georgie is doing her homework, and she actually got BJ down for a nap. So all things considered, she’d say everyone is hanging in there. Laura says she’s glad to hear that, but what about Lulu? and Lulu says she’s so scared. Laura holds her.

Lulu says she’s trying to stay positive, but she’s so afraid the doctors will say Maxie slipped into a coma. Laura says, it’s so understandable, especially since Lulu, more than anyone, knows what Maxie is experiencing right now. Lulu says, maybe, maybe not. She remembers being incredibly disoriented, and very impressed by how great her nails looked. Laura says, that was Maxie. She did Lulu’s nails every week. She wanted Lulu to know the moment she woke up that she was cared for and never forgotten. Lulu says, it worked. What if she doesn’t get the chance to hold Maxie’s hand the same way Maxie held hers?

Willow tells Nina, sorry about Maxie. It’s kind of her to be here to comfort the family. But she thought she made herself perfectly clear – stay away from her. Nina leaves, sees Ric and Elizabeth, and keeps on walking. Elizabeth tells Ric, it could have gone worse, and he says, Willow seemed to keep her composure, which is a good sign. Excuse him for a minute. She says, sure, and he says he’s going to follow up on that dinner. He walks over to Willow and asks how she’s doing over here after that lovely visit from her mother. She seemed to handle herself well from his vantage point. She says, it wasn’t easy, but she has to be on her best behavior after that incident with Lucas. He asks if she’s heard from HR on that, and she says, no, nothing. She knows how lucky that makes her. He says he hopes her luck holds, and she says, it might be. Dr. Park agreed to be a character reference for her. He says, that’s helpful, but in a perfect world, they want someone from her family who knows her and has seen with the children. Someone who can vouch for what a good mother she is. His phone dings and he says, sorry. He’s got to take this, but keep working on that character reference. No more colleagues. Family is key.  

Cody says, wait a minute. When he tried to kiss Ava in her gallery, she slapped him. That may be encouraging to some, but not to him. Ava says, come on. There are slaps and there are slaps. She gave him more of a forceful caress. He says, is that what the kids are calling it now? and she says, after which she asked him to stay at the gallery and finish the work. He says, so she encouraged him so he could hang the art on a wall, but she says, not exactly. At first, she just enjoyed having him around. Then she saw that it made Ric jealous. It also made him more attentive. Cody says he saw the tension between her and Ric, so he did the best he could to make it really bad, and she says she knows. She found it gratifying. He doesn’t have to feel bad or apologize. She had more fun with him than with Ric, and frankly, she has only one reason to stay with Ric. Cody says, why is he feeling scared? and she says, the only reason she stays with Ric is to drive Alexis and her darling daughters completely insane.

Molly tells Michael, Cody is funny and charming, in a weird way, and annoying. So annoying. Michael asks, how? and she says, he’s always going on about how uptight and controlling she is. Michael says, the two of them definitely have different styles, and she says she doesn’t know, but it’s something surprising. Cody can be a standup guy. He’s come to her rescue a few times, but then other times, he makes her life a nightmare. Like that time he locked her on the roof of the hospital in the freezing cold. Michael says, sorry? He locked her on the roof? She says, no… Well, yes, technically, but it wasn’t actually his fault. Then eventually, he got them off the roof by taking off his pants… (Ha-ha! Michael’s face.) No. It was sweet. I guess you had to be there. Michael says, if she thinks what she just described is charming, he hates to be the one to break it to her, but she definitely does have feelings for Cody. She says she’s afraid to say it, but it doesn’t have to be bad. She thinks, in fact, it could be good. The real question is, what does she want to do about it?

Carly says she wants to go on record that she knows it’s totally inappropriate to ask a WSB Bureau Chief to fix a garbage disposal. But her regular guy isn’t available until tomorrow and she has a wedding at the MetroCourt. Then tomorrow she has a post-wedding brunch at the MetroCourt and she doesn’t have Josslyn because she’s in Australia. Jack keeps trying to interrupt, and finally says, he’s happy to do it, especially if it takes something off her very full plate. There’s one condition. She says, anything, and he says, she cannot disclose his plumbing parties not currently in this room. She says she’ll consider it confidential, and they kiss.

Vaughn tells Josslyn that they shouldn’t stay in the room too long. They should have notified Brennan about the assassin. Josslyn says, no. They agreed they had a window of time to find Britt before anyone found out about it. He says, that window is closing, if it’s not shut already. They combed every inch of the resort and can’t find Britt anywhere. Josslyn says, no, they haven’t. Not every inch. He says, staying any longer is too risky. They made an attempt and came up empty. Now it’s time to cut their losses and inform the WSB. She says, they can’t leave without a lead. By the time the WSB sends anybody else, whatever is going on – Britt Westbourne or not – would been covered up or gone.

Jason suggests he and Greta have a seat and says he’s so glad she agreed to have dinner with him. She asks if he’d be interested in having a glass of champagne out here in the garden before they go in, and he says he’d like that. He calls the server over, and asks if he can get two glasses of champagne, please. Britt listens in, and Greta says, when they were talking on the beach earlier, he never said what brought him to Croatia. He says, vacation, and she asks, from what?… Or perhaps, who? He says he’s a contractor for ELQ. He manages large scale construction projects. Actually, he just finished this incredible project in Montenegro and decided he needed a break. One of his colleagues stayed at the Five Poppies and he recommended it. What about her? She says, there’s not much to tell. She travels a great deal for business and needed to take a breath and stay in one spot. Pascal sees Britt eavesdropping and asks what she thinks she’s doing.

Ric asks what hell Nina was doing approaching Willow like that. Didn’t she know if Willow has one more public meltdown, it will hurt her case? Does she want that on her conscience? Nina says, add it to her list. They have a much bigger problem to deal with. He says, what now? and she says, he needs to tell Willow that if she wants Wiley and Amelia back, she cannot speak to Drew Cain again.

Kristina  tells Elizabeth that she has flowers for Maxie, but doesn’t want to intrude on the family. Would she mind bringing them in? Elizabeth says she’ll make sure Maxie gets them and takes the flowers. Willow asks if Kristina has a second, but Kristina says, no. Willow says she wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.

Molly tells Michael, what does she want to do about her feelings for Cody? Nothing, right? Kristina already told her that he was a con man and a hustler. She’d be a fool to go anywhere near a guy like that, right? Michael says, it’s true Cody has a colorful past, but he’s been working at the Quartermaines for over a year. He’s super reliable and the kids love him. Tracy considers him a friend, like a real one. She says, he has his moments, and Michael says, does she mean like the night of the fire at Charlie’s? She got the call and wanted to make sure Kristina was okay. He offered to drive her. She says, he did more than that. She was completely freaking out and he said all the right things. He talked her down. Michael says he didn’t know anyone could do that, and she says, but isn’t that a skill a conman would have? They make you feel safe… Michael says he was there. He saw it for himself. Cody’s only concern was helping her.

Cody asks if driving people crazy is really a good reason to stay in a relationship, and Ava says, it’s an entertaining one. Why not? Ric is using her. Why shouldn’t she use him? Cody says he doesn’t have a good answer for that, and she says, all those Davis women. They’re all so sanctimonious, one worse than the other. Alexis is smug and self-righteous. Kristina has the gall to judge her after everything she’s done, and whenever Kristina is going to face any type of consequences, Alexis swoops in and cleans up her mess. To be honest, it’s a disturbing display of co-dependency.  He says, Alexis can be pompous, and Kristina is like a handful for sure, but Molly is nice, like honest, good person nice for real. She says, high and mighty Molly. Come on. Please tell her he’s not taken in by Molly’s act. She’s just as bad as her mother and sister. She may even be worse.

Vaughn tells Josslyn, fine. They’ll keep looking for Britt, but he’s informing Brennan. She says, he’ll just order them to come home, and Vaughn says, if he does, then that’s what they’ll do. They’re out on a limb. This is the job. She says she knows and opens the door. He asks where she’s going. They just agreed to call Brennan. She says, he’s calling Brennan. And while Brennan is yelling at him, she’s going to do one last sweep of the grounds. She’s not giving up on finding Britt until she has to. She leaves.

Jack looks at his phone and says he sees. Carly asks if everything is okay, and Jack sends a text to Vaughn saying he needs an update asap. He tells Carly, it’s just work.

Britt tells Pascal that she’s been working in the lab all day and no matter what maintenance is telling him, the air conditioning is still not working. She processed all the data and what does she find here in the garden? A courier hitting on a guest. Pascal says, what exactly does she propose he do about it? and she says, peel Greta off that guy and send her back to Port Charles. He says, Greta is still on the clock. He asked her to get to know Mr. Moore. Britt asks, why? What does Pascal think he’s up to? He says, perhaps nothing, but he needs to be sure. It seems the WSB has infiltrated the Five Poppies. She asks how he knows that, and he says he has sources everywhere. She says she guesses so, and he says, it’s nothing for her to worry about. It’s handled. He’s having the staff run a security review of the guests just to be on the safe side. Jason and Greta clink glasses.

Jack tells Carly that he’s glad to switch gears from Bureau business to an actual emergency for a change, but please tell her staff to stop put potato scraps in the garbage disposal. The starch gets caught in the blade and disaster is ensured. She says she would if it was their fault, and points to herself. She says she should have known better. Her friend Maxie is in the hospital, and she’s been a bit distracted. He says, Maxie Jones? What happened? She says, they don’t know. She collapsed and hasn’t woken up. They don’t know what’s wrong and it’s all she can think about.  

Laura says she thinks Lulu is right where Maxie would want her to be, in her home taking care of her children, and Lulu says, they are always Maxie’s first priority. Laura says, she’s right, and the thing is, it’s still early on. They weren’t given any definitive information about her condition, and things really could change at any moment. She might wake up later today. Lulu says, she better. She can’t shake the image of Maxie in her hospital bed. The thought of Maxie losing years of her life in a coma like she did is unbearable. Laura says, here’s the thing. Maxie has the same strong will and determination Lulu has. She believes it’s that quality that brought Lulu back to her and thinks it will be the same with Maxie. Lulu says she wishes there was something more she could do, and Laura says she’s doing it. Maxie never gave up on her, so she knows Lulu will never give up on Maxie.

Michael says he doesn’t think Cody could fake the level of concern he showed for Molly the night of the fire at Charlie’s, and she says, it did seem genuine. Is he saying he thinks Cody has feelings for her? He says he doesn’t know Cody well enough to know and if he did, it wouldn’t be his place to tell her. It seemed like all he wanted to do was right by her. Molly says, maybe he’ll laugh. This is silly, but she thinks she actually needs to get over whatever it is she’s feeling for Cody and just forget it. Forget him and move on. Michael says, don’t take him the wrong way, but does she think she can just get over Cody? If she could, wouldn’t she have done it by now?

Ava tells Cody, Molly hides behind a very carefully crafted front, but she has the worst qualities of both parents. Molly is as disingenuous as Ric, and as judgmental as Alexis. And she’s going to teach every single one of them not to mess with her. She’s stayed with Ric as long as she could. She just wants to watch them squirm, especially Molly. He says, it sounds like a lot of work. He can think of better ways for her to spend her time and better people to spend it with.

Ric asks why Nina wants him to tell Willow to stay away from Drew. It’s not like the court will hold who Willow associates with against her. (Does he know anything about the custody hearing?) Nina says, because she’s paying him and he’ll do what she wants him to do. He says, so she wants him to lie, and she says, that’s correct. She wants him to lie. However will he manage?

Willow says, Kristina knows how much she loves her children and knows she’s a good mother. She needs Kristina to be willing to say that in court. Kristina says, why her, of all people? and Willow says she has colleagues who are willing to testify on her behalf, but according to Ric, she also needs a family member. All she has to do is tell the truth. Kristina says she’s sorry. Michael is her brother. She thinks Willow should find someone else. Willow says Kristina’s brother is keeping her children from her. Can she not see how painful that is? Kristina was almost a mother herself. Kristina said she still is and always will be. So for Willow to suggest otherwise… Willow says she’s sorry, so sorry. That was… Kristina says, Willow doesn’t want her to testify. She should be glad, because if she did, she’d tell the judge that Willow should never see her children again. Willow says Kristina was the only one who treated her with any decency when Michael got hurt, and Kristina says, what choice did she have? Willow was withholding treatment. She pretended for his sake. She didn’t trust Willow, and she was right. When Michael was in Germany, she had to arrange for the calls so the children could speak with their father because Willow was too busy with Drew. Willow says she told Kristina that she was being kept out of the loop. She admits to making a mistake. Kristina says, a mistake that she was more than willing to continue making until she found out Drew was sleeping with her mother. Then she showed up at Carly’s house, a complete mess, screaming and crying. She knew the children were there. She knew Wiley could see her like that. Does she have any idea how much she upset him? Willow says because Michael is turning the kids against her. That’s why. He’s been keeping them from her. Kristina says, no. Michael hasn’t been keeping the kids from her. The judge is and for good reason. She’s a terrible mother. Willow walks away and Elizabeth asks Kristina to come with her.

Jason tells Greta, that’s crazy because he was thinking about renting a motorcycle and taking it for a ride along the coastline, and she says, the views are incredible, but the roads can be treacherous. He says he can handle that. He’s got some experience. What about her? He doesn’t meet many women who ride. She says she’s not many women, and he says he can see that. Josslyn almost walks out, but sees Jason and backs up quickly. Jason and Greta leave and Josslyn jets.

Cody tells Ava not to waste her time with Ric. She’s moved on to something better. She says she certainly hopes so, and he says when he first got here, he was feeling blue, but not anymore. She says, he makes her smile and she’s happy to return the favor, and he says there has to be something he can do to thank her. They kiss and he says, she’s not going to give him another forceful caress? She says she has something much better in mind.

Molly tells Michael that she misspoke when she said she needed to get over Cody. That’s not the right word. It’s not like she’s head over heels or something. Michael tells her that he didn’t say that she was, but Cody did seem to be living rent free in her head. He and Molly are a lot alike. They think before they act and think of every possible outcome and prepare accordingly. That’s a huge asset in their professional lives, but a little paralyzing when it came to their personal lives. Molly says, that’s probably true, but it’s not something she can change. It’s not something she wants to change. That methodical, logical thinking has made her who she is. He tells her that he’s not saying she should change. He’s just saying maybe she should look at the situation with the same keen eye she uses on others. She says, keep talking, and he says, right now, she’s living in the land of hypotheticals. She’s thinking of every possible way things could go wrong with Cody. What if she spent some time with him in real life instead and see how she feels?

Kristina says, Willow has some nerve asking her to be a character reference, and Elizabeth says, she’s desperate. She’s terrified she’s going to lose her children because of bad decisions she made. Kristina says, terrible decisions, and Elizabeth says, decisions that she made without thinking, in the heat of the moment. She thought Kristina would know something about that. Kristina says she would never throw her family away for someone like Drew, and Elizabeth says, maybe not, but she would make the rash decision to cut someone’s brake lines for her family. She would have thought Kristina would have a little empathy. Willow is fighting to get her life back. Kristina would have been in the same exact position facing legal consequences, but she didn’t because some people showed empathy and didn’t go to the police. Kristina asks if Elizabeth is saying, if she doesn’t testify for Willow, she’ll turn her in.  

Michael suggests a coffee date, and Molly says she hasn’t done this as an adult. She and TJ got together when they were young. Then they were together a long time, so she thinks she’s just going to get big signal and… Michael says, it’s just coffee. It’s one cup and then he has the feeling she’ll know what she wants to do. She says, okay. She can do that. She thanks him, and he says, one more thing. He knows they’re the risk adverse type, but he doesn’t regret any chances he took for love. It helped him land the best thing in his life, his kids. After a long day, all he wants to do is come get an iced tea and go home to see them. And now, he doesn’t even care about the iced tea part. Good luck. He leaves.

Carly tells Jack that she and Maxie have a very complex emotional connection. Her mom had a daughter named BJ. She was killed in a school bus accident when she was little. At the same time, Maxie needed a heart transplant. BJ’s heart saved Maxie’s life. Jack says, that’s an incredible story. Is Maxie having trouble with her heart? Carly tells him that they said she had a heart attack, but now her heart was working perfectly. So something else has to be going on. He says he can see why she’s so worried. Losing a child? He can’t imagine it. It must have been terrible for her mom. She says she didn’t know her mom until after she lost BJ. Her mom grieved her daughter, but moved on in spite of the pain. She didn’t let that loss steal the joy that made her who she was, right? She had no idea how hard it must have been for her mom until she lost Morgan. He says, her resilience is nothing short of astonishing, and she says she has a lot to live for. Michael, Josslyn, and Donna. That’s why she’ll always be grateful to him. He says, all he did was fix her sink, but she says, he got Michael into the clinic. He gave Michael his life back, which means he gave her her life back. There’s nothing more important to her than her kids. He says he was happy to help. Anyone can see how she lights up when she talks about her kids. She says she’s spoken to Michael and squeezed the stuffing out of Donna. Now she just wants to wrap her arms around Josslyn.

As they fold laundry, Lulu says she can’t imagine what it’s been like for Laura. All those years. Four years of visiting her and never giving up hope. She doesn’t understand how Laura did it. Laura said she wanted to see Lulu. She wanted sit with her. She wanted hold Lulu’s hand and talk to her. She wanted Lulu to know how much her family loved her. Lulu says she did. She has no conscious memory of it, but she thinks she could feel Laura. Laura, Maxie, Dante, Rocco, and Charlotte, they were a beacon that helped her find her way home. Laura says that’s exactly what she’d always hoped for because she always believed Lulu was going to wake up and come back to them. If Lulu could just believe that now for Maxie, it might help her find her way back too. Lulu says she’ll try, and Laura says, good. She knows it won’t be easy, but it will be worth doing. Lulu says she doesn’t think she fully understood how hard a time it was for Laura until now. All those years at her bedside and not giving up. She only hopes she has half the strength Laura does.

Elizabeth says, this isn’t blackmail. She’s just asking Kristina to consider Willow’s request. Kristina says Elizabeth is asking her to testify against her own brother, but Elizabeth says she doesn’t really see it that way. It isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about doing what’s best for the kids. Kristina says, what’s best for the kids is for Michael to have full custody. End of story. Elizabeth says, Willow is the kids’ mother, and she thinks Willow deserves a second chance. She knows Willow has demonstrated terrible judgment. She’s made mistakes, just like Kristina. The only difference is that Kristina was shown some grace. All she’s asking is for Kristina to pay it forward.

Laura tells Lulu, look at all the things she’s been through, and she’s always come through with flying colors. Lulu asks if Laura is looking at her through mom-colored glasses, and Laura says, maybe a little bit, but she thinks her point still stands. It was hard to see her beautiful daughter lying in a hospital bed, but not so hard that she didn’t want to come back and visit again. And it certainly never made her give up hope. Lulu says, why not? and Laura says because she loves Lulu. If Maxie needs Lulu to hold her hand and be a beacon, she’ll be able to do it because she loves Maxie. Lulu asks how Laura is so wise, and Laura says, that is one of the universe’s great mysteries.

On the phone, Willow tells Drew that she needs him to help get her kids back, and Elizabeth overhears.

Molly walks into the stables and calls for Cody. She goes in the back and finds Cody and Ava getting busy. She says, sorry, and runs out.

Kristina goes back home and flashes back to her altercation with Ava in the hotel room before her fall. She paces then sits down, and remembers cutting the brake lines on Ric’s car, thinking it was Ava’s. There’s a knock at the door and it’s Ric.

Carly tells Jack that she knows Josslyn is fine, even though she’s one the other side of the world. She knows how lucky that makes her. Felicia is just sitting next to her daughter, unable to reach her. She can’t imagine what that feels like. Jack says he thinks she probably can, and Carly says, Felicia already lost a daughter. She lost Georgie. She knows from experience, a mother can survive losing one child, barely. If she lost another, that would be the end of her. She couldn’t go on. She wouldn’t want to go on. He says, she’ll never have to find out. That’s never going to happen. He holds her.

Josslyn goes back to the room and calls Vaughn’s name, but he’s not there. She turns to find Pascal in the doorway holding a gun. He says if she’s looking for her husband, otherwise known as Agent Vaughn, he’ll be more than happy to facilitate her reunion.

Jason is about to make a call in his room when there’s a knock at the door. He tosses the phone on the bed and opens the door to Britt.

Ha-ha-ha – Agent Vaughn! I’m pretty sure he has a last name. It sounded like he was a pediatrician or a youth minister.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

My guess is that Maxie will encounter Nathan while she’s unconscious.

https://ew.com/ryan-paevey-is-returning-to-general-hospital-after-seven-years-11792848

If you didn’t watch then or need a refresher course.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-rewind-remembering-b-j-s-death-30-years-later/

Tony’s tribute. Great photos!

https://ew.com/general-hospital-star-anthony-geary-mourns-tristan-rogers-11794887

I just wish they’d get on with honoring Monica already.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/its-only-my-opinion-why-gh-days-and-other-soaps-should-honor-beloved-stars-when-they-die/

Interesting cross over. I’m a big fan of Beyond the Gates, but only watched Y&R for a brief time when Marc Singer was guest starring, but Kristoff St. John was on one of my favorite kickboxing fitness videos, Kick Butt. He was gone all too soon.

https://ew.com/bryton-james-tribute-young-and-the-restless-dad-kristoff-st-john-11789053

This sounds like a good time. It starts on Halloween.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/get-tickets-for-the-2025-general-hospital-fan-celebration-at-graceland/

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck

The boat needed a part – from Miami – which was taking its time getting there, and the guests decided it was a good excuse not to tip. One of them told Captain Kerry that a lack of tip wasn’t a reflection of their group and while he did it in the nicest of ways, the captain shamed him, saying it wasn’t the staff’s fault. Truth. If I was with someone who tried to pull that, we’d be done. Chef Anthony pitched a fit when asked what time lunch was, but after Captain Kerry divvied up the pittance of a tip, $19K, the chef successfully completed the task.

The Real Housewives Of Miami

Larsa unfollowed Marcus. According to Guerdy, pigs flew. No surprise, there was an argument in public at dinner, this time between Adriana and Kiki, who called Adriana old. In Marysol’s interview, she said karma had come to roost on Adriana, and we flashed back to Adriana calling Marysol an old whore. From the preview of next week, it looks like they’ll move onto the next leg of their journey and no doubt the next argument.

The Real Housewives Of Orange County

Shannon was late to some alligator tour which caused Gina to have a meltdown over having too many things. Shannon said she’d had an anxiety attack. Tamra said she was gone, but not really. We were forced to watch her therapy session where she said she was afraid of not being liked. Then she met Fancy Pants for lunch and bitched about Gretchen. Emily freaked out over her son’s eating disorder and as usual, her husband thought she was overreacting. And at this point, I wish they’d just let go of the whole Katie/blogger/Gretchen thing. Gretchen seems to have a memory like Swiss cheese and really, who cares?

Random Reality Items

This dude has become the definition of ingrate. What a shame.

I miss this show… sniff…

Boy, bye.

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser. Netflix. Three-part documentary. I’m pretty sure I watched some of this show at the beginning, but lost interest. Or possibly I couldn’t stand the humiliation, the whole reason I refuse to watch things like The Bachelor. I’ve been at my fighting weight for a while, but like many women have always fought the battle with my weight. I can tell you this, 800 calories a day and working out 6-8 hours a day is not a sustainable plan. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the challenges were nothing but embarrassing, with contestants running around with donuts in their mouths they were forbidden to eat. While the embarrassment is real for the over-the-norm weight, I’m pretty sure no one would have to meet such a challenge in real life. There was too much purely for entertainment and too little of real education. No surprise, nearly all the contestants gained the weight back and then some afterward. Fascinating and sickening at the same time.

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/fit-for-tv-documentary-release-date-news

https://www.slashfilm.com/1945855/netflix-the-biggest-loser-doc-fit-for-tv-exposes-evil-show/

47 Meters Down. Netflix. Truth be told, I love sharks IRL and think they get bad press, but they’re still high on my list of horror film sub-genres I love to see. In the deep sea, there are more terrors that lurk than the aquatic residents, like running out of oxygen. While there was definitely a shark to be feared, probably the biggest scares came from other sources. It was good, but I have to admit, I kind of felt like my father when we saw one of the Jaws sequels – bring on the music and the shark already.

The Phoenician Scheme. Peacock. Another thing my father used to say was, if someone wasn’t killed in the first ten minutes, he was leaving the theater. He was joking, since Sound of Music was staple in our household, but he would have loved this film. An industrialist has decided to make his estranged nun daughter his heir, hiring a tutor to help her make her way through new territory. Many cameos, fun weapons, and dry hilarity ensue. It took me a minute to get to this one, but it wasn’t a waste of time and it’s definitely something different.

https://theconversation.com/the-phoenician-scheme-a-fun-watch-even-though-its-the-same-journey-in-a-different-vehicle-257658

🪄 Upon Another Time…

I loved this show, but I’m torn as to whether a return would be the best idea.

https://ew.com/lana-parrilla-open-returning-to-once-upon-a-time-exclusive-11792004

👠 We Call Her Bernie…

I was sad to hear Terence Stamp passed away. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is one of my all-time favorite films and a tradition for me to watch on New Year’s Eve if I’m celebrating at home. He was my favorite character, and I’m disappointed that the future sequel (still on the drawing board) won’t include him, but I assume it will begin with Bernadette’s funeral, like the original began with Trumpet’s. It’s only fitting.

https://ew.com/terence-stamp-dead-superman-and-the-limey-star-was-87-11792425

🐾 Promotion, Parents, and Persuasion…

🐕 Hmm… Pet Island perhaps?

https://people.com/ariana-madix-joins-aspca-to-promote-pet-adoption-11795710

🪸 As it should be.

https://people.com/photographer-captures-rare-moment-female-seahorses-pass-eggs-to-their-mates-to-carry-11794551

🐈 I still think it’s hilarious that he told the kids cats were poisonous.

https://people.com/taylor-swift-says-it-was-great-challenge-introducing-jason-kelce-s-kids-to-her-cats-11790902

https://people.com/kylie-kelce-taylor-swift-might-help-convince-jason-kelce-to-get-a-cat-11790770

✒️ Quotes of the Week

We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.Cesare Pavese

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.William Feather

In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story. – Walter Cronkite

There is only one way to avoid criticism. Do nothing. Be nothing. Say nothing.Aristotle

When I don’t make a catch, it doesn’t bother me. It’s not part of my metrics for my self-worth. – Taylor Swift

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes. – Andrew Carnegie

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. – Oscar Wilde

I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday. – Eleanor Roosevelt

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strengthMarcus Aurelius

On every reality show, people say lame things that we can never say. No fist bumping, no high fives. You can’t tell me to bring it, shut it down, or put our cupcake business on the map. You can’t tell me to go, girl or bring my A game, and we don’t got this. Cool? – Max Black (Kat Dennings), 2 Broke Girls

🏄‍♀️ Drinking In the Wild Air…

Until next week, stay safe; stay never swimming where they’ve planted red flags on the beach – seriously, don’t do it no matter how strong a swimmer you are; and stay being a beacon wherever you can be.

April 18, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Natalia Gets Blindsided, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watch, In My World & One

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…

(new and improved for easier reading)

Monday:

Jack asked Carly how it went, and she said she’d planned to have a strong stance on Michael’s behalf, but Willow was so smug and condescending, she lost it. She may have just handed Michael’s children over to Willow and Drew.

Willow said it was supposed to be a joyous time, but Carly ruined it, and Drew said he wasn’t going to let Willow lose her kids. She said she knew Carly could be mean and vindictive, but this time she was on the receiving end. Carly had just been giving Michael what he wanted, and never really gave a damn about her.

Portia told Trina that the procedure was brand new, and Trina said, even if Kai could play again, one bad hit and he could end up paralyzed, but he’d already made up his mind without Portia’s opinion. Portia said she finished her research and Trina asked what she found out.

Ava visited Ric, who asked how things went with Alexis. She said she told Alexis everything and if Alexis didn’t meet their demands, she’d talk to Molly and cops about the attempted murder. Alexis had until 9 am tomorrow.

In front of her house on the phone with Diane, Alexis said she hadn’t signed the commitment papers yet, but she’d do it tonight. She went inside and Kristina was there. Kristina said she looked spooked. Sonny went to Laura’s office to talk about the political hurricane she’d mentioned, and she said it was still a possibility the city could seize control of his waterfront property.

Sonny said he’d thought the esplanade location had been settled, and Laura said so did she. Sidwell and Drew tried to force her to move the esplanade from the original location to Sonny’s piers using eminent domain. She’d thought she shut it down, but they wouldn’t let it die. She’d decided to allow the people of Port Charles to decide where the esplanade should be located in a city-wide referendum.

Carly told Jack that she’d thought it was Drew’s influence, but it was 100% Willow. They welcomed her into the family, stood beside her, rallied behind her, and this was how she was repaying their love and kindness. Carly blew up, they went at it, and it got bad. Jack said they’d come up with a plan and mitigate the damage together.

Drew said Carly was a user. He went to prison for her and when the relationship was over, it was as if nothing they’d shared mattered. Willow said Carly had told her that she’d always care about Drew, and Drew said they both know Carly was a liar. The battle Carly was waging said more about Carly than Willow. She’d done everything she could to meet Michael halfway and none of it was her fault. Willow said she didn’t think so either. Moving in was what she wanted and good for the kids. Nina came back, and Willow said, this was supposed to be a day of celebration. Drew said he would make sure Carly never set foot in this house again and wondered if he should get a restraining order. Nina thought that would be rash, but Drew said, Carly literally almost hit Willow. Nina said Carly was clearly in the wrong, but they weren’t going to gain or fix anything by being as extreme as Carly. They needed to stay calm and focused, and compromise. It was the only way they were going to have peace. They were the reasonable ones and being cool and rational would work in their favor with the judge later. The doorbell rang, and Drew opened the door to Kai, who asked if it was a bad time.

Portia said Kai had asked her medical opinion, so she couldn’t disclose it to Trina. Kai had a tough decision, but it was his decision. Trina said he could live a good life the way he was. He’d already accepted that he wouldn’t be playing football and was working hard to find peace and move on. Portia asked this wasn’t really about Spencer.

Ric said it may not be the done deal Ava thought. Alexis might love her high-minded principles more than her daughter. Ava said Alexis wasn’t letting Kristina go to prison and the mere accusation would tear her girls apart, probably for good. Ric said he’d never underestimated Alexis, and while Ava thought she’d given Alexis 24 hours to make a decision, she also gave Alexis 24 hours to come up with a strategy to save Kristina.

Alexis said it had been a long day and asked why Kristina was there. Molly came out and said she told Kristina that Alexis would forget, and Kristina said, welcome to their Davis girls night – Noodle Buddha and a movie. She asked for Alexis’s phone, and Molly said they were unplugging, shutting out the rest of the world, relaxing, and having fun. Alexis said it was exactly what she needed.

Trina said it had nothing to do with Spencer, but Portia said she’d had a horrific, traumatic loss and Kai was the first young man she’d had feelings for since then. Maybe she was worried she’d lose him too. Trina said she didn’t want to watch something terrible happen to someone she cared about. She’d watch him play and get hit, praying he didn’t get hurt, but knowing at any given moment he could get seriously injured. She didn’t know if she could go through it again.

Drew said he was in the middle of a family crisis, and Kai said, no problem. Drew said they’d talk soon, and Kai left. Drew left to handle something, and Willow wondered how Nina could ask her to compromise. Carly compared her to Nelle, and even though they were twins, they were nothing alike. Nina said Carly was just trying to push her buttons, and Willow said she felt horrible about hurting Michael, but Carly implied she’d never loved him, was more manipulative than Nelle, and that she was trying to take Wiley from him like Nelle did. Nina said it was a gross exaggeration, but Willow said maybe deep down she was scared there was some truth to it.

Carly told Jack that she’d laid down the law and she and Willow both lost their tempers. She’d said Willow was taking advantage of Michael’s absence, and when Willow told her that Michael had no say because he wasn’t there, she lost it. Jack asked if Carly thought it was Drew’s influence, and Carly said she used to think so, but Willow had changed. She was glued to the idea of being a victim who loved her children and had just fallen in love. Everybody else didn’t know what they were talking about. When Willow said things about Michael, she lost it and almost hit Willow, but Nina had texted Jason, who showed up and stopped her. Jack said, as he saw it, she did exactly what needed to be done.

Sonny asked if somebody was pressuring Laura to come after him, and she said it was no secret that Congressman Cain and Councilman Boyle were making an issue out of their friendship. They were going to make it public that they believed the mayor was protecting the local crime boss. Sonny said that wasn’t true and they were just bullying her. Don’t let them. She said she didn’t, but she had intervened so Sonny could hold on to the piers. Not because of him, but because she believed it was the right thing for Port Charles. She’d recently come to realize the location shouldn’t just be up to her or him or Drew or Boyle. The esplanade was for the people of Port Charles, and they should decide where it went. Sonny disagreed and said he ran a legitimate business at the piers. If they tried to take it from him, he wasn’t going to let them. She said she needed him to trust her. She had another reason, but couldn’t go into it. Rocco showed up and asked if everything was okay.

Ava told Ric that Alexis couldn’t strategize away evidence. She had video footage and had the car. When she found out the wires had been cut, she had the car moved to a storage facility she used for the gallery. It was her most treasured piece of art. Ric asked how she managed it, and she said she bribed the mechanic of course (🍷). If anybody else asked, he’d say it went through the crusher. He said, what if she needed to prove Kristina’s guilt? and she said she’d have it towed back and call the PCPD. They’d establish the brakes were tampered with before the crash, but it wouldn’t come to that. Alexis was going to meet their demands.

Kristina said eating Noodle Buddha was odd without Sam, and Molly said Sam would be happy they supported the restaurant since it meant so much to her. Alexis said, she and Jason were married there, and Molly said, Sam would be happy the Davis women were back together. She’d really missed Kristina. It was like a part of her had been missing. Kristina said she was sorry she’d made it impossible.

Trina told Portia that she’d developed strong feelings for Kai. He was a kind, generous, and funny guy. Portia said, and he wasn’t bad looking. She understood Trina was afraid to lose him, but she couldn’t force him to live in a bubble. Trina said it wasn’t about her feelings. She was genuinely scared. Kai was putting his trust in Drew and this miracle surgery. What happened if it failed?

Willow told Nina that she was unnerved about being Nelle’s fraternal twin, and even though their DNA wasn’t identical, she’d wondered if she was capable of the same cruelty. Nina said there was nothing cruel about standing up to Carly and refusing to be verbally beaten up, and Willow wondered why so many people had turned against her when she didn’t do anything wrong. (Okay. The jury is back and has confirmed Willow is a moron.) She could see why Nelle felt misunderstood and angry at the world. Nina said Willow wasn’t her sister. Nelle was mentally unwell; Willow wasn’t. Look at everything she accomplished and had to overcome to become who she was. Wiley and Amelia belonged with her because she was a wonderful mother. Willow took Nina’s hand and thanked her, and Nina said she still thought Willow needed to compromise with Michael and his family… Drew came back and asked if they could table this for now. He thought they all needed time to decompress. Nina told Willow to try and relax and have a good evening. They hugged and Nina left.

Carly said she knew she’d made it a thousand times worse, but Jack said, on the contrary. She put on the necessary pressure, and they were going to go on the attack. Trust him. She may have just helped Michael win custody of his kids.

Sonny said he and Laura were just talking business, and Rocco asked if Laura could listen to his debate speech. Sonny said Rocco’s grandmother was the consummate public speaker, and Laura asked if it was okay if Sonny stayed to hear Rocco’s speech. Rocco said, if he had the time, and Sonny said he was never too busy for Rocco. Dazzle him.

Ava said if Alexis didn’t want her family blown up, she’d have to pay, and Ric asked if she didn’t think her desire for revenge was a mistake. Ava said, nope, and Ric said Kristina had graduated from being reckless and out of control. She had a screw loose and if she wasn’t brought to justice, she’d be free to come after Ava again. Ava said she’d constantly have to watch her back. The money was no good to her if she was dead. Ric asked if she thought her plan was really a good idea.

Kristina told Molly that she’d missed this. She couldn’t stop thinking about the terrible things she did and said and wished she could take them back. Molly said her too, but all was forgiven, so it was time to move past it. That may be the one good thing to come from her dad’s accident. She wanted her sister back and this brought them together. Kristina asked how her dad was doing, and Molly said he was upbeat, but still had a long road ahead. He and Elizabeth were lucky to be alive. Alexis said they were going to make a full recovery, and Molly said after that, they’d never have to think about this nightmare again.

Kai called Portia and she asked Trina to step outside. He asked if Portia was able to do the research, and she said she’d like him to stop by her office.

Willow said Drew was telling her that there was no way she was going to lose her kids, Michael listened to Carly, and she was going to push. She was ruthless and lethal when she needed to be. That’s why Willow was afraid to tell Michael that she was moving the kids into Drew’s, but now she thought she made it worse. If Michael came at her, guns blazing, how was she going to stop him?

Carly said she failed to see how she’d helped, but Jack said they knew she’d fought for her children before and was relentless. She’d made a declaration of war today and history predicted the future. Willow was going to panic and be the damsel in distress, prompting Drew to be her knight in shining armor. Drew was so arrogant, he would do something big to save the day. He’d overreach and make a mistake that Carly would be able to use against him.

Ava said she could live with uncertainty, especially if she was being well-compensated. She could hire security. She asked if Ric was getting cold feet, and he said he guessed he could console himself with a fat payday. She said, even if Kristina didn’t pay? and he said Molly couldn’t lose another sister. Despite how he felt about his daughter, she couldn’t handle another tragedy. On a less noble note, Alexis was a woman of integrity, and if she had to swallow her self-righteous principles and commit embezzlement, that sounded like justice to him. Ava said Alexis didn’t know about his involvement and she thought she’d keep it that way. As long as Alexis didn’t know about his part, it would be smooth sailing for him and Molly. He said that was very generous, as long as Ava didn’t keep his share of the cut.

Molly said, rom-com or legal thriller? and Kristina said, rom-com. She’d already had too much drama. Alexis asked if she was letting go of her anger and resentment, and Kristina said she thought she was. Not just in her relationship with Molly, but about the baby. Her toxic need for revenge had swallowed her up and she’d lost sight of what was important. That wasn’t her. Molly asked if she’d come to that conclusion all on her own or was she in therapy, and Kristina said, both. Alexis said she was glad Kristina was doing better.

Laura said Rocco’s speech was brilliant, and Sonny said he was as good a public speaker as his grandmother. Laura suggested he make more eye contact, and Sonny told him, when he believed in himself, other people would believe in him. Rocco left, and Sonny said maybe he could get Rocco to make a case for the esplanade. Laura said that was one reason she wanted to put the location to a public vote. She didn’t want it coming between them.

Willow said maybe she needed to compromise, but Drew said she had all the power. She said, what if Carly tried to take the kids? but he said that wasn’t going to happen. Willow was their only functioning parent and had custody, but God forbid if something happened to her. They had to make sure Carly and Tracy never got their hands on the kids. Willow said he couldn’t guarantee that, but he said he actually could. He took some papers out of his briefcase and said he had the answer right here.

Portia told Kai that she’d looked into the procedure and the surgery was cutting edge. She was surprised Drew heard of it. Did he mention how? Kai said, no, but he was glad Drew was looking out for him. He was going to tell Drew tonight that he was ready to meet the doctor, and he didn’t get the chance, but he really did want to hear her opinion. She said she’d researched it thoroughly and her honest opinion was that she couldn’t in good conscience recommend the surgery. There were dozens of cases, and it was confirmed that three patients ended up paralyzed as a direct result of the procedure. He said, some of the surgeries were successful, and she said, two. He said he was going to be the third.

Drew said Willow shouldn’t put off protecting her family and kids. If something happened to her, if she was hurt or incapacitated, the papers made him the kids’ legal guardian. She would also be legal guardian of Scout if something happened to him. Willow said it was a huge step, and he said it was a necessary one. Did she agree it was a good idea? After a moment’s hesitation, she said, yes. Carly wouldn’t stop until she got her hands on Willow’s children. She had to protect them and trusted him more than anyone in the world to look after her kids. It was exactly what she wanted. He took a convenient pen out of his back pocket, and she signed the papers.

Jack said Carly was going to use Drew to win custody, but she said Jason told her that she’d made the battle harder. He thought she should suck it up and play nice. Jack said, the only reason to play nice was to convince the opposition to compromise. With Drew, she had to trick her opponent into making a mistake, which he was certain would happen. She’d laid the trap beautifully. She needed to sit back and wait while he took the bait.

Sonny said he respected that Laura was stuck between their friendship and her position as mayor, and she said, for what it was worth (🍷), she wanted the vote to go his way. He said if it didn’t, his lawyer would put up a helluva fight – not with her. Rocco reminded him they’re family and family always comes first. Laura said, always.

Ava said she’d never cut Ric out of the deal. She may have been the intended target, but he almost died. He deserved a payday as much as she did. He said people got shifty when it came to a jackpot like this, and she said, if Alexis decided to protect her lunatic daughter, she’d have to pay double.

Alexis took the papers out of her bag and looked at her girls. Kristina told her to hurry up and she put the papers back in her bag.  

Tuesday:

Gio was playing a tango on his violin outside when Brook came along. She said she was hoping to get him to help her. Lucy got her in a bind.

Chase found Lois in the solarium, and said he was glad he was back. She said she thought he’d never be happy to see her again.

On the phone at the gallery, Ava told Ric there was no sign of Alexis. She was cutting it close. Dante went into Ric’s room and Ric hung up on Ava. As Ava wondered what happened, Trina walked into the gallery.

Lucky brought Elizabeth home, and Lulu, Laura, and Aiden were there to welcome her. Josslyn did classwork at the Surf Lodge, when Emma came in.

Kristina went with Molly to visit Ric, and Dante asked to talk to Kristina.

On the phone in the office, Diane talked to someone about petitioning the court for an involuntary commitment. Alexis walked in, and Diane said everything was set. All she needed was the papers. Alexis said she couldn’t, but Diane said it was the only way to save her daughter.

Josslyn told Emma that catching up was a little overwhelming. She had no regret about going to Easter Island, but she saw some all-nighters in her future. Emma said when she transferred, everyone had a support system already. It was hard at first, but she found her footing and thought Josslyn would too. Emma had to get to class and left, when Josslyn suddenly remembered that she, too, had a class, and left.

Lucky put Elizabeth on the sofa, and Lulu told her that Aiden and Lucky had been working to make sure everything was perfect. They’d set up a bedroom on the first floor and Aiden had been cooking up a storm. Amy arrived and said, reporting for duty.

Trina told Ava that Drew suggested a cutting-edge surgery to Kai so he could play football again, but she doubted it was out of the kindness of his heart. It was risky, but there was no changing Kai’s mind. If it went wrong, Drew would lose nothing, but Kai was risking his health and maybe his life.

Chase said Lois wasn’t an easy person to stay mad at, and she said she knew he was in a difficult position. All those years ago, she’d told Brook not to tell Dante about the baby, and when it came out, she told Brook not to tell Chase. Chase said he resented it for a while, since he’d put himself in Dante’s shoes and he’d want to know.

Kristina asked if she was under arrest, but Dante said, not yet. He asked how their dad was doing, and she said, good. She thought it was a huge relief that he was able to tell Dante and asked what a detective was doing investigating a car crash.

Diane told Alexis that Kristina had severely injured two people in an attempt to kill a third. There was no choice. If there was an investigation, they’d have an insanity defense ready. Alexis said she didn’t sign the papers and didn’t intend to, but Diane said it was the only way to protect her daughter. Alexis asked what good it did to protect her if she destroyed her in the process.

Chase told Lois that he’d wrestled with telling Dante, who was both his best friend and his partner. But it was Brook’s secret, not his. He couldn’t be angry for a decision made a lifetime ago. He had to honor her choices and not say anything.

Brook said she was co-producing the Nurses Ball and Gio was the first person who came to mind. How did he feel about a solo act? He said he didn’t think he was the best fit. Classical music for the wrong audience would put them to sleep. Brook insisted that wouldn’t happen.

Amy threw out a lot of instructions for Elizabeth, and said any food that caused inflammation should be tossed out. She gave Lucky a list and Lulu suggested they look at Elizabeth’s new bedroom. We heard Amy say they needed a humidifier, refilled every l2 hours and cleaned at the end of the day. Aiden said she was already too much.

Molly brought Ric a double espresso and he said she was an angel. She told him that it was Kristina’s idea.

Dante told Kristina that he came to see how his uncle was doing. His mom would want him to do the Bensonhurst thing, stop and check on a relative, regardless how he felt about them. It was nice that Molly and Kristina were talking again. Kristina said, the accident changed everything. Her sister needed her, and she needed her sister. Diane asked, what changed Alexis’s mind? and Alexis said, Kristina and Molly came over. They were loving each other and laughing, and she knew Kristina needed the support and love of her family. If she sent Kristina away, it would shatter Kristina’s trust in her. Diane said Kristina would understand Alexis putting her well-being first, but Alexis said she knew Kristina would never forgive her and she’d be the one destroying Kristina’s relationship with her sister for good.

Trina told Ava that her mother talked to Kai and advised against the surgery, but she didn’t think it mattered. She was sure he was going ahead with it. Ava asked if there wasn’t a chance success, and Trina said she’d love to believe that, but still thought it was the wrong decision. Ava asked what Kai said about her concerns, and Trina said he wanted her to support his decision, but how could she do that if it was the wrong one? Ava said it would be hard, but ultimately, she had respect Kai’s right to make the choice for himself.

In the kitchen, Lulu asked Aiden to help Amy move Elizabeth’s bed, and when he left, she asked Lucky how it was going. He said, fabulous. He had no idea what he was doing. She said, with the fridge or Elizabeth? Laura said she was happy Elizabeth was back in Lucky’s life, and Elizabeth said it would be worse if he wasn’t there. She was happy to have both him and Laura here. With Cameron and Jake away, it would be a lot for her and Aiden. She was glad to have family she could rely on. Laura said she always would. Elizabeth was a very important part of the family.

Kristina asked what Dante and Ric talked about and he said, sports. He was hoping Ric could let go of some grudges. Kristina wondered if it was possible to move on after so much had happened that was bad.

Molly asked what Dante wanted, and Ric said, to check up on him. They didn’t have much to say. Dante probably had the same opinion of him as Sonny did. He’d thought Dante was investigating the accident. She wondered what there was to investigate about an accident, and he said, the mystery of black ice in spring. She said, it would be nice if something good came out of it, and he said, him and his nephew or her and her sister?

Alexis told Diane that Molly would want to know why and when she found out Kristina tried to kill her father, and she’d be done. Alexis would lose what was left of her family. Diane said if there was an investigation, Molly would find out anyway, and it was better if she heard it from Alexis, but Alexis said, if there was no investigation, she’ll have destroyed her family for nothing. Diane asked if Molly wouldn’t be relieved that Kristina was getting help, but Alexis said she’d know it was a legal strategy. Diane said she might, but she couldn’t think of another way to keep Kristina out of prison. Their options, legally speaking, were limited. Alexis said committing Kristina couldn’t be the only way to handle the situation. She was going to keep quiet and cover it up. Her phone dinged with a text from Ava: Don’t be late.

Kai brought Trina to the Surf Lodge and said he had something important to tell her. Her mom was against the surgery and thought it was a longshot, but he’d beaten the odds before. Football meant too much to him and if there was even a chance, he needed to take it. He was going to have the surgery.

Lois told Chase that after Brook gave birth, she didn’t even want to hold the baby. She knew if she did, she’d never let it go. She put her child’s needs above her own on day one and loved her child with her whole heart. Chase said it wasn’t easy for Lois either. She had a grandkid she’d never met. Lois said she had faith in the nuns to find the right adoptive parents. She was choosing to believe her grandchild was healthy and loved.

Brook said she’d seen Gio play, and he said, okay. He’d do it. It’s the Nurses Ball for cryin’ out loud. (Aww. I miss Scotty.) He was glad she was producing him and not Lucy. Not that there was anything wrong with that. Brook said there was plenty wrong. Stick with her. He’d knock their socks off.

Lulu said, Lucky and Elizabeth were spending more time together since the accident, and Lucky said he wanted to take care of her as long as she’d have him. Laura came in to get tea for Elizabeth and Lulu took it to her. Laura asked how Lucky was, and he said, good, but she said she knew when he was holding something back. She guessed it had something to do with Elizabeth. Aiden told Elizabeth that Amy made him move the bed four times and Elizabeth couldn’t use her comforter because of dust mites. She was going to be there eight hours a day every day. Was Elizabeth sure about this? Elizabeth said it was just a few weeks before she’d be back on her feet. Until then, they could go through anything. Lulu said, famous last words.

Emma said she couldn’t believe they’d let Josslyn into Professor Dalton’s class. She had to beg to be admitted after being on the waitlist. Josslyn said she was grateful, and Emma was Dalton’s star student. Emma said she was just lucky, but Josslyn said she’d certainly impressed Dalton.

Diane said she was Alexis’s lawyer but was her friend first. She knew Alexis was a wonderful mother, but what Alexis was suggesting scared her. Kristina committed a serious crime and wanting to cover it up could have serious consequences for Kristina and Alexis. Alexis said she’d cross that bridge when she came to it, and Diane said, fine. If Kristina was arrested, she’d do everything in her power to protect them both. But she’d be charging Alexis double for not taking her advice. Alexis said she knew what she was doing seemed unreasonable, but she had to do it. She thanked Diane for helping, but she was going to take it from here. She left.

Josslyn said, the professor commended Emma’s performance in class. It was refreshing. Emma was obviously listening. Not everybody did. Professor Dalton appeared and said, maybe it was because Emma was easy to listen to. Josslyn jumped up and introduced herself and said it was the first lecture of his she’d attended. She’d been away on a grad trip, but she was back and would be there for the rest of the semester. Dalton asked if she wasn’t starting late, and Josslyn said she’d been determined to get in. She found the subject fascinating. Dalton said he was accepting applications for an undergrad research assistant and thought she should apply. He went to another table, and Emma told Josslyn that she knew what she was doing this summer. (D’oh!)

Lucky said Laura’s advice wouldn’t be the worst thing, and Laura said he and Elizabeth had always had a powerful connection. Just be brave and say it. Be honest. He said he appreciated her advice. He missed her while she was away, but he could hear her in his head. He didn’t always follow her advice, but he heard it. She said it was because she was his mom. She’d always be with him. Aiden set up a Scrabble board, when Amy came in and said it was time for Elizabeth’s nap. Laura said, maybe it was for the best. She had to get to a press event, but they’d play next time. Aiden took Lulu to the side and said, whatever she does, don’t leave them alone with that woman.

Trina told Kai that she had concerns. She felt he was being rushed into a risky procedure and didn’t like that Drew was the one making it happen. Kai said he understood, but the surgeon was legit, and he was aware of the risk. He was going into this with his eyes open. He had a good feeling about it and had to go for it. It would mean a lot if she was by his side.

Ric asked if Kristina apologized for saying Irene was not Molly’s daughter, and Molly said, Kristina acknowledged all of her mistakes. After the accident, Kristina was her rock. She didn’t know what she would have done without her. Ric said, what about when the crisis was over? and Molly said Kristina was a flawed person and she didn’t think Kristina would be perfect for the rest of their lives, but she thought this time it was different. He said, how so? and she said, because now they knew what they stood to lose.

Dante said it was possible to move on, and Kristina asked, how? Dante said he did it. After his assignment with the WSB, he was in bad shape. He had setbacks, but eventually moved on and put it behind him. She said it seemed like a part of life she didn’t think she could forget, and it didn’t seem possible to move on, but he said he saw her putting in the work. He was proud of her.

Alexis went to the gallery, and Ava said she thought Alexis wasn’t coming. She was about to go to the DA’s office to have a chat with Molly. Alexis said Ava was getting what she wanted. She had the funds from the Cassadine estate transferred to a Swiss bank account where they’ll be transferred to Ava’s account in installments. The first one should arrive as they speak and by July, every dime of her divorce settlement would be back. Their business was concluded. Alexis started to leave, and Ava said, about that. The price has gone up. Her divorce settlement was a great start, but that wasn’t all she wanted.

Trina said she’d have Kai’s back – no pun intended. He kissed her and said he’d be back on the field in no time, and all this would be worth it.

Lucky went to get Elizabeth’s book from the car, and Lulu told Aiden, don’t worry. Everything would work out fine. Aiden said, famous last words. Lulu followed Lucky outside, and he said she could make a break for it. She said, Amy may not work out. She’s a bad fit. Lucky said there was no other option, but she said there was – him.

Gio was playing his violin outside, when Lois came by and wondered if she’d heard him playing something from this century. He asked if it was okay, and she said, it was amazing. He said he was trying out pieces for the Nurses Ball, and she said Brook would make sure he was great. He said she was producing him, and Lois said she loved that they were teaming up. Gio said him too. His mom said practicing on his own was the only way to grow as an artist, but working with other artists and the right collaborator was the key to being great. Lois said his mom was always looking out for him, and he said she still was, in a way.

Brook found Chase in the solarium and said Lucy wanted to know what song he was performing, but he said he didn’t know if was up for that. Brook said he had to. It wouldn’t be the same without him. He said he needed incentive. If he did it, he’d need a very hands-on producer. She asked, how hands on? and he said he’d need help with the music, and getting in his wardrobe, and getting out of his wardrobe. She said, in that case, sign her up, and they kissed.

Alexis said the point of blackmailing her was for Ava to get her divorce settlement back. What changed? Ava said the divorce settlement was already hers. Alexis was giving her back what was stolen in the first place. Alexis asked what she felt entitled to now, and Ava said, compensation pay for Kristina’s attempt on her life. And compensation for Ric’s pain and suffering. Alexis asked how Ava was going to compensate Ric, and Ava said what she did with her money was her business. Alexis’s business was to keep the payments coming. Ava’s phone dinged and she said the first payment had been deposited. Alexis said she was going, and Ava said, one more thing. Keep a leash on her daughter or the price might skyrocket.

Kristina said she’d made a bad choice and was trapped in rage and hate, and Dante said but she saw it and stopped it now. Or she was trying to. She said she had to not let the things that went wrong in her life hold her back.

Ric said he knew what it was like to be estranged from a sibling, and Molly asked if he wished things had been different. He said, no. Things were different, briefly, once upon a time. Molly told him that their mom said they’d need each other someday, especially now that Sam was gone. They both put up a helluva a fight, but their mom wouldn’t let it go. She was right and now Molly had her sister back. Ric’s phone buzzed and there was a text from Ava: $$$$$. He said he was glad Alexis was able to give that to her, and Molly said her too.

Josslyn said, the professor only invited Emma to apply. She was still competing with other applicants, right? Emma said, of course (🍷). Everyone would want to assist Dalton. Josslyn said he did single Emma out. That was good news. Emma said now she needed to spend the rest of the semester showing him that she was the best person for the job. She couldn’t wait to work with him. She left and we saw Dalton sitting at another table.

Wednesday:

Amy tried to get Elizabeth to rest, but Elizabeth said she was all napped out and Lucky said he could handle Elizabeth.

At her press conference, Laura said she believed the McConkey esplanade was a valuable addition to Port Charles. It would be a financial boon, an avenue for tourism and public transportation, but most important, it would foster community for the citizens who gathered there. The matter at hand was the location on which she and Congressman Cain strongly disagreed.

Sidwell went to see Tracy in the solarium and Tracy told him that Yuri would be staying for their entire interaction. It would be brief. Sidwell said he hoped not. He’d found they had so much in common.

Diane went to see Sonny along with Marco, and Jason answered the door. She introduced, Marco Rios, the newest member of Miller and Davis, and Sonny asked why he didn’t have his father’s last name. Jenz Sidwell was his father, right?

Elizabeth said she wasn’t big on being handled, and Lucky amended it to helping make her comfortable. It was great having Amy, but a nurse with her experience and impressive bedside manner must be needed at the hospital. Amy said Elizabeth was her most important patient and she was going to stay right there until she was fully recovered. Elizabeth sent a text to someone: 911!!! Help!!!

Laura said she supported the site originally proposed by Congressman Cain, and Boyle interrupted, asking if the esplanade wasn’t Congressman Quartermaine’s idea. Laura said the funding was based on the original site, and Boyle asked if Drew hadn’t secured the funding. Laura said he had, but then had a change of opinion on the location. As a result, the federal funds were now frozen. The new site Congressman Cain had proposed would require the use of eminent domain to forcibly seize Piers 55 and 56, private property owned by a citizen of Port Charles. The design had been modified to address environmental concerns and since she thought it would benefit all of them, she was announcing a referendum to let the citizens of Port Charles to decide the location. Boyle asked if she didn’t think the public had a right to know who owned the piers. Did she forget to mention they were owned by the resident mob boss Sonny Corinthos?

Diane said she didn’t know that Marco was Sidwell’s son, and Sonny said he had a conversation with Natalia. She’d told him that she had a son by her ex-husband Jenz Sidwell. Diane said, color her surprised, and Marco said he and his father didn’t share a last name. Now that he was aware it was an issue, he’d include it on his resume. Diane said they’d talk about it later, and Sonny said he wanted a private conversation with his lawyer. Marco left, and Diane said she was sorry. She had no idea Marco had any connection to Sidwell. Naturally, she’d terminate him immediately. Sonny said he had a better idea.

Tracy said Sidwell being a supplier to Deception was the only reason she was entertaining a conversation. Her only interest in the company was to keep it profitable for her granddaughter. Sidwell said that was something they had in common. They both cared deeply about their families. They also shared a common thorn in their sides. Tracy said the only thorn she had was him and she’d like to be rid of him, and he said he felt she’d like to be rid of Sonny even more.

Lucas went over to Elizabeth and asked Lucky how the patient was. Lucky said, as well as could be expected under the circumstances, and Lucas said, what circumstances? Amy yelled for Lucky, and Lucky said, that was the circumstance. Lucas said he’d gotten Elizabeth’s text. Where was the fire? Elizabeth said, Amy was the fire. Aiden’s nerves were already frayed, and she wasn’t sure if he was even coming home. She couldn’t take another nap, and she didn’t need a nurse. She’d figure it out. Just do this for her. Amy came in and asked what Lucas was doing there, and he said Portia and Terry got their wires crossed. She was needed back at GH. They couldn’t spare her. Lucky got her bag, and Amy said, if she left, who would take her place? Lucky said he’d do it.

Tracy told Yuri that he could go, but stay close. Yuri left, and Sidwell said he was happy to supply the rare mineral Deception needed and enjoyed spending time with the ladies on the team, but he had grave misgivings about their not-so-silent partner’s involvement. He’d feel more secure if Sonny was gone. Tracy asked why he was bringing it to her, and he said, as the majority shareholder, she was in a unique position to get rid of him.

Diane said they’d vetted Marco carefully, but didn’t ask about his parents, and Sonny said there was no way she could know. But Sidwell knew she was his attorney and put Marco up to it. It wasn’t a coincidence. Jason agreed, and Sonny suggested Jason have a friendly chat with Marco. Jason left and Sonny told Diane, you know what they say, knowledge is power.

Laura said it was no secret that Sonny owned Piers 55 and 56. It was a matter of public record. But the forcible seizure of any citizen’s private property wasn’t a subject she took lightly. That’s why she was proposing a referendum vote – to let the people have their say. Boyle said they already had their say when they elected her to look out for their best interests. Sonny’s piers had been a blight on the city for years and were the site of countless violent crimes. Seizing them and giving them back to the city of Port Charles solved two problems – a home for the esplanade and eradicating a hotbed of crime. She could make happen. Why put the people of Port Charles through unnecessary time and expense with a voter referendum? Laura said she didn’t believe it should be a unilateral decision since it impacted every citizen, and Boyle asked if she was worried it would impact the people or Sonny. She had a personal relationship with Sonny and dined with him publicly. Maybe the people wanted to make sure her MetroCourt meals weren’t paid for by the city’s dime. Laura said she and Mr. Corinthos shared a grandchild and she made no apology for that. However, she took offense at the suggestion she’d shown Sonny any partiality. In fact, she’d chosen to put the decision in the hands of the voters so there would be no question of bias. Boyle asked if she wasn’t really just abdicating her responsibility of allegiance to the people, and she said her allegiance was to the citizens of Port Charles and the US Constitution. Boyle asked, how about the Deputy Mayor? How could she support her boss’s obvious refusal to stand up to organized crime and support dumping her decision in the people’s lap just to avoid standing up to Sonny’s criminal empire that had taken over their beautiful city?

Jordan said she wouldn’t allow Boyle to drag her into his public debate with the mayor, and he said, what about the good people of Port Charles? She said she wouldn’t be manipulated, and he asked if refusing to stand up to organized crime wasn’t extreme. She took no position, and neither was she willing to do the job she was elected to do. Jordan said she’d asked Laura privately to reconsider. She couldn’t in good conscience endorse the referendum, so out of respect for the mayor and the position of Deputy Mayor, she was choosing to resign effective immediately.

Lucky said he’d stay around the clock, but Amy said they needed a medical professional. Elizabeth said she was a medical professional, and Lucky said he knew where to find Amy and wouldn’t hesitate to find her and wouldn’t hesitate to reach out for help. Elizabeth poked Lucas, and Lucas said he’d be checking in like he lived there. Amy said she’d be available day or night, and Elizabeth needed to text her every day. Elizabeth promised, and Amy said all the nurses loved their head nurse, especially her, and left.

Tracy said she never wanted Sonny involved with Deception, but her partners felt it was necessary, and Sidwell said he believed they needed zincite more than they needed Sonny. Tracy said that was their agreement despite her misgivings, and Sidwell said, between the two of them, they had the leverage to convince the others to part ways with Mr. Corinthos. Tracy asked why she should choose him over Sonny. They both brought more risk than reward. Sidwell said, right now, their agreement was for him to supply an amount of zinc, but that amount was finite. She said, so he could cut it off or demand an exorbitant renegotiation fee, and he said she could use that as leverage to convince the team it was worth parting ways with Sonny. She said then they’d get to negotiate a price in perpetuity. They’d get the zinc they needed and get rid of Sonny, but there was one problem. She didn’t trust him any more than she did Sonny.

Diane asked what Sonny wanted her to do, and he said, for now, keep an eye on Marco, but that’s not why he asked her to come. Laura gave him a heads up on a big vote coming up. Diane’s phone dinged and she said, apparently, the vote was about him.

Jordan said, no questions. She had no comment until after she formally submitted her resignation. She left and the press bombarded Laura with questions. In the hallway, Anna asked what Jordan was doing, and Jordan said she never intended to call out Laura in public, but she had her own concerns about Laura’s relationship with Sonny. Anna said, Laura’s integrity was beyond reproach, but Jordan said Laura was still too close. She and Sonny shared a family and socialized, and Laura wasn’t willing to distance herself. It was reflecting badly on Jordan as well. Anna said she strongly disagreed, and Jordan said she loathed Boyle, but he wasn’t wrong. Laura was too cozy with Sonny and Sonny was a criminal. She couldn’t continue to defend Laura. Anna asked if they couldn’t just agree to disagree, and Jordan said she tried to look the other way, but it wasn’t working for her. Laura said, questions would have to wait until later and got down from the podium. Curtis told her that he was sorry. When he asked her to put it up for a referendum vote, he didn’t expect it to blow up. She said it wasn’t his fault. Boyle was determined to turn this into a circus. Curtis asked if she had any idea Jordan was resigning, but she said, it came out of the blue. He hadn’t put pressure on her to do this. It was her decision, and she stood by it. Drew appeared and said he couldn’t agree more. He was happy she’d come around to his way of thinking.

Lucas left, and Lucky said it was a good thing he’d shown up. Elizabeth said she may have texted him. Only a doctor who Amy liked and respected could convince her to go. She apologized for putting him on the spot. He definitely didn’t need to stay. He said he wanted to. Everything that happened had been part of his master plan. She said, for taking care of her around the clock? and he said he’d almost lost her and he couldn’t let her out of his sight. She wasn’t getting rid of him now.

Diane told Sonny that Laura was putting the McConkey esplanade site to a referendum ballot. The people would decide whether to build it on the original site proposal or issue an eminent domain order and seize his piers to build it on. Sonny said, that can’t happen. The piers were crucial to his business. Diane asked what he wanted her to do, and he said, put together a defense team. Get the best real estate and constitutional law lawyers and fight the city. She said she could hire a thousand lawyers, but it would be a waste of time and money. It was a clear-cut case of you can’t fight city hall.

Drew told Laura, well played and smart. The decision was now out of her hands. Sonny couldn’t blame her when the people voted to take away the piers and she could pretend the will of the people was responsible. Curtis told him not to be so sure yet. Sonny had the respect of the town. Drew said the people weren’t stupid or gullible, and Curtis said that remained to be seen, but he’d get no help from Aurora in his war against Sonny. Drew said he expected Curtis to think better of the citizens, but he guessed not, and Laura said, how dare he? When they first undertook the project, he was clear about the location he chose. This whole thing was his idea and now it was tainted. He allowed his antagonistic relationships with his brother and Sonny to be more important than the people he was elected to serve. She walked away.

Marco went into Diane’s office to find Jason at her desk. He said he thought Diane had asked to see him, and Jason said Diane was his lawyer too. He had a question for Marco.

Sidwell thanked Tracy for meeting with him. He suspected Deception’s partnership with him would benefit them more than their entanglement with Sonny. Tracy said Yuri would show him out, but he said he could manage by himself. He told her, enchantée, and left.

Sonny said he’d owned the piers for decades and they could just take them? and Diane said that’s exactly what eminent domain was – when the city determined the needs of the people outweighed the needs of a private property owner. Sonny said he was being targeted by Drew’s power. Drew wanted to come after him and Jason because he got his little feelings hurt. Diane said she didn’t disagree. The violence and alleged criminal activity at the piers had never proven welcome. She’d research precedents and case law, using the angle that his needs outweighed the city’s needs. But if the people of Port Charles voted to seize the piers, ultimately, she didn’t think there was a legal way around it. Sonny said that was unacceptable. His business required ownership of the piers. She said he may have to find a new way of doing business.

Anna said she guessed Aurora would be giving a press conference and Curtis said he’d be covering the fallout for a while. But something wasn’t right. Jordan going against Laura and resigning. There was no way she’d let an obvious sleaze like Boyle force her hand. Jordan’s moral compass was firmly in place and Boyle questioned it repeatedly. Anna said she felt Jordan was at her breaking point. They both knew that Laura had never been able to come to terms with Sonny’s activities. Curtis said, even when TJ was little and Sonny took him in and paid for his education, and she said, Sonny definitely helped occasionally, but she thought Jordan reached her limit. He said he knew from experience when Jordan was done, she was done, and Anna said it was ideal for someone running a criminal enterprise to have close ties to a city official. Jordan wasn’t wrong.

Boyle went to Drew’s office and Drew said, great job with the press conference. Boyle said it was fun, but he didn’t have Jordan resigning in his purview. He thought she and Laura would stick together. Drew said Jordan was an independent thinker. Laura’s career was tanking, and the rats were starting to jump ship.

Jordan brought Laura her letter of resignation, and Laura said she hadn’t seen it coming. Jordan said she needed Laura to be genuinely surprised, and they wished each other good luck. Jordan left and Laura said, good luck to all of them.

Marco said he’d try to answer Jason’s questions, and Jason asked why he picked Miller and Davis when there were other law firms. Marco said he’d interviewed at four and gotten three offers. This firm practiced the kind of law he liked and had a good compensation package. Jason said his father placed him there, but Marco said his father didn’t place him anywhere. It had been his choice to leave Miami. Jason said, so it was a coincidence, and Marco said they did happen. Jason said, not like this. Just after Marco’s father moved his operation there, there was an explosion in Sonny’s penthouse and Sonny’s son – his nephew – was severely burned. He almost died. Marco said he was sorry, and Jason said, was he? Him showing up made two coincidences. He’d be focused on Marco’s actions. Right now, it was peaceful, but if that changed, he’d stop Marco and stop his father. Marco asked if Jason was threatening him, and Jason said Marco was a smart man. He was sure Marco knew what a threat was. Lucas came in and asked what was going on. Did he interrupt something?

Elizabeth told Lucky that he could still bail, but he said he wanted to help if she let him. She said if he thought he had to make up for something, he didn’t, but he said that wasn’t true, and they set up the Scrabble game.

Lucas said Diane told him to come in. He’d seen Marco and Jason had met. What was happening? Jason said he was trying to get a straight answer out of Lucas’s friend (I nearly die laughing at the – I think – unintentional joke), but obviously he wasn’t capable of it. Maybe Lucas would have better luck. Jason left.

Drew told Boyle that Laura was an impediment, but she was giving them an opportunity with the referendum ballot. She wasn’t coming out strongly about taking away the piers and kneecapping Sonny’s criminal operation. It looked like she was on Sonny’s side. It was Boyle’s opportunity to run against her in the next election. He could be the law-and-order candidate. He wanted to stop crime while Laura was in bed with the mob. She was vulnerable and they could take her out. Do everything Drew said, and he’d be in the mayor’s office, where he’d continue to do everything Drew said.  

Diane said, the more she read about the referendum, the less she liked it, and Sonny said he wished Laura hadn’t gone through with it. It opened the door to all his enemies coming after him. Diane said Drew had already come for him, directly supporting his take down. She didn’t think it was something Sonny could win in a courtroom. He had to convince people that he was the one they wanted to get behind. He’d been a generous benefactor for many years, most of it anonymous. That had to stop right now, and he had to paint himself as the generous benefactor he was. Sonny said if he stepped out of the shadow, he put himself in the position of a lot more scrutiny, and she said, the more notoriety, the greater the risk. It wasn’t a referendum on the pier, but a referendum on him.

Curtis told Anna that he understood Jordan not wanting a connection to Sonny, but didn’t understand her public resignation blindsiding Laura. Anna said it wasn’t Jordan’s style, but what other explanation was there?

Jordan flashed back to her resignation, when Sidwell called. He said he hoped she didn’t mind him calling, but her resignation was all over social media. He was impressed with her standing up for her ideals. Perhaps they should talk. She said, about? and he said, about her future of course (🍷).

Thursday:

Curtis went to see Jordan, who was packing up her office. He said, so it was true, she did resign, and she said she and Laura privately disagreed about Laura’s relationship with Sonny. Boyle put her on the spot and she gave her honest opinion. She had to either quit or Laura would have fired her for insubordination. Curtis said he understood that was the story she was telling, but he’d like to hear the truth.

A sign over Sonny’s mantel said, Happy Birthday, Dante, and Olivia said his new place was great. Sonny said he wanted to have more family gatherings there, when Lulu and Donna came out. Lulu asked, where’s the birthday boy? and Sonny said he was outside with Rocco.

In Sonny’s old kitchen, Felicia asked how Michael was, and Carly said, as well as could be expected. His doctors were happy with is progress, but she hadn’t had the heart to tell him that Willow was moving into Drew’s. She thought Willow would change her mind, but she didn’t know Willow at all. Felicia said she had an ulterior motive for inviting herself over. Mac needed Carly’s help.

Lucas told Marco that Jason didn’t seem happy, and he wasn’t the guy to have a problem with, and Marco said he knew Jason was Sonny Corinthos’s righthand man. Lucas said Jason and his sister were tight, but he’d come to congratulate Marco on his new job. Alexis came in and said, that might be premature. The minute Diane found out, Diane told her. Lucas said, told her what? and Marco said Jenz Sidwell was his father.

Brook told Chase they were going to be late, but he said he wasn’t sure he was in the right headspace for a party. He had a lot on his mind. (The 60s called and wants their headspace back.)

On the side of a road, Molly was on the phone saying she just needed someone to change a tire… No! Don’t put her on hold again… Cody came by on Hades and said, howdy, ma’am. Was there anything he could do?

Chase told Brook that he’d been talking to Lois about what Dante’s reaction would be to having a child he didn’t know about. It made him realize how bad he wanted to be a dad.

Felicia said Mac was worried that the referendum made Laura look like she was passing the buck to the voters instead of standing up to Sonny herself. He’d like Sonny to accept what the voters decided and not fight it. Carly said if they decided to take Sonny’s property, he wasn’t going to say okay, and Felicia said that’s why she needed to talk to him and convince him to do what was best for Laura.

Jordan said she was telling the truth, but Curtis said he knew her. There had to be more to the story. She said Sonny thought he was above the law and Laura knew, but still considered him a friend. That was a problem for her. She resented that Sonny was a factor in major decisions Laura made. Boyle opened the door and put her on the spot, and she couldn’t stop herself from walking through. Curtis said the only time he’d seen her out of character like this was when she was working undercover, and she said she was going to stop him there.

Cody said he was heading home and came across a damsel in distress, and Molly said she wasn’t a damsel, but she’d been on hold with the garage for 46 minutes and no progress. She put her phone back to her ear and said, great. When are they coming… no… She told Cody that somebody was coming, and he said he heard hours. Did she have a spare in the trunk? He wasn’t leaving her by the side of the road, and he could change a tire.

Lucas said he wasn’t expecting that, and Alexis said Marco neglected to mention it. Lucas tried to leave, but Marco said he didn’t conceal it and didn’t lie. They’d never asked. Did they ask other candidates about their family tree? Lucas said this had nothing to do with him and left. Alexis said, technically, it wasn’t a lie, but there were lies of omission, and Marco asked if she was rescinding the offer.

Lois, Gio, and Danny arrived at the party, and Lulu flashed back to Lois knocking on Martin’s door when she was rifling through his papers. Sonny said he’d get Dante and Rocco. On the patio, Rocco told Dante about the negative comments on social media about Laura. #MobsterMayor was trending, and his phone was blowing up. Dante told him not to worry about his grandmother. It was all politics. Rocco said he was the link between Sonny and Laura and the debate would make it worse. He didn’t want to go if that was going to happen, but Dante said he’d worked hard and couldn’t bail on his partner. Sonny came out as Rocco said he didn’t know what to do unless his grandfather didn’t go to the debate.

Cody changed the tire and Molly wondered who named a horse Hades. Cody said, Tracy. It probably reminded her of home. He warned Molly that Hades could sense her fear, then informed her that her spare tire was punctured. She said she’d forgotten to get it fixed, and he said it was time for Plan B.

Marco said he was still qualified for the job and bringing the same clients. His father had no criminal record and had never been charged with a crime. The same couldn’t be said for their biggest clients, Sonny and Jason. Their client list was more problematic than his.

Carly and Felicia gravitated to the moss bowl 🎍, and Carly said she and Sonny were in a good place. She had no intention of butting back into his business. Felicia asked if she didn’t think getting rid of the piers would make Port Charles safer and more peaceful. If Sonny didn’t own the piers anymore, could it turn out to be a good thing for Carly’s family?

Kristina told Danny about their perfect Davis girls night, and he said he was glad she and Molly were fine. He knew his mom would be too. Outside, Dante said it wasn’t what it sounded like, and Sonny asked if Rocco didn’t want him to go. Rocco apologized and told Sonny that he shouldn’t have said it. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Sonny to come, but after the press conference, he was worried it would be bad if Sonny and Laura were seen together. Dante wondered if they could sit separately, but Sonny said it was best for him to stay home and asked if Dante was going to record it. Dante said, of course (🍷), and Sonny said he was proud of Rocco for looking out for his grandmother. Rocco went inside, and Sonny said he was proud Rocco told the truth. He’d see the video and it was all good.

Carly asked if Felicia thought Sonny could be a legitimate businessman, and Felicia said it was possible. Carly said people generally didn’t walk away from that business, but Felicia said if it could happen, eminent domain could be a blessing in disguise. (Ugh. Eminent domain is a pet peeve of mine, so my blood boils whenever they mention it. It’s nobody’s blessing except those whose pockets are lined from it.)

Lucas came into Sonny’s old kitchen and said Carly wasn’t going to believe… Sorry for interrupting. (He does that a lot.) Felicia said she needed to get going and asked Carly to think about what she’d said. Lucas asked Carly if Jason was gunning for Marco Rios.

Alexis said there was a difference in doing something illegal and getting caught, and Marco said the difference was a good lawyer. He admired how the firm kept Sonny from being brought up on RICO charges. Alexis said she’d met his father, and her first impression was that he was charming, intelligent, and completely ruthless. Marco didn’t disclose it on purpose. He said she was right, but he’d thought she of all people would understand. She was a Cassadine, but didn’t use the name and had distanced herself from her problematic family. They had a dark international reputation, and she wanted to be judged on her own merit. That’s what he wanted too.

Jordan said if Curtis still cared about her, he’d drop the subject or leave. Curtis asked if she was in trouble. Was she being blackmailed? She said, no. She’d promised herself that she’d never lie to him again. She’d thought she was protecting him, but he needed honesty and deserved it. She’d lost him because of it and they’d worked at being friends. She didn’t want to jeopardize that, so he had to let it go.

Chase said it had been hard to accept he couldn’t get Brook pregnant. He felt he’d failed her. Brook said he was so wrong. She wanted to be worthy of him, but didn’t think she’d ever deserve him. All she wanted to do was think about a future with him. He said he wanted to move forward with the child they could have and wanted to raise a kid with her. Did she feel the same way?

Cody suggested they get moving with Plan B, but Molly said she’d wait for a tow. He asked if she thought he was leaving her there when it was about to get dark, but she said she’d be fine. Cody said they had an obvious solution.

Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Dante, who said he couldn’t think of a better way to spend his birthday than with family. He felt lucky to have them in his life. Even Michael had called. Sonny said family showed up, no matter what that entailed, and Dante thanked them and said he loved them.

Brook said she wanted to start a family with Chase, and he said they had to decide which option was right. She said she wanted to rule out IVF with a sperm donor because of Molly’s experience. She couldn’t go through that. Chase agreed, and she said they were back to adoption. He said he thought it was the best fit, but didn’t know how she felt.

Carly said, Miami Marco? and Lucas said Marco had gotten a job with Alexis and Diane’s firm, although he wasn’t sure it was going to work out. She asked what Jason had to do with it, and he said Marco texted him with the good news, so he stopped by to congratulate him. When he got there, there was a lot of tension between Jason and Marco, and it sounded like Jason had threatened Marco. Marco’s father is Jenz Sidwell, who he knows is a bad guy. Carly said, Sidwell kidnapped Sasha and held her at gunpoint. Officially, it didn’t happen because Jack took care of it. Lucas said he and Marco had only been a possibility, but now even that was gone.

Gio thanked Sonny for inviting him, and Sonny said Gio was family and the neighborhood stuck together. Did he have plans for the summer? Gio said the Port Charles Symphony apprentice program accepted him. Lulu asked if Lois was okay, and Lois said she’d been thinking about all the years she and Sonny had been friends. He never missed a chance to help her family out and had made Gio’s education a priority. Lulu said Sonny had always been generous.

Jordan asked Curtis to accept what she said for what it was and leave it at that. He said he’d lost the right to have her explain herself and respected her right not to tell him. She said she didn’t want to lie to him again. It had already cost her too much. He said it had cost them both, and she thanked him for checking in and understanding. He said, just know his understanding came with a price.

Brook told Chase that giving up her child made her respect the adoptive process more. Her son went to people who wanted him and would give him all their love. She’d always prayed for a chance to pay it forward and give a child a loving home. He asked how she felt about an older child, and she said, Monica and Alan adopted Emily when she was 12. Even though she remembered her biological parents, she was accepted as a Quartermaine. He said they could start looking into it. He knew there was a kid meant for them, and it didn’t matter how old they were.

Carly said it seemed like a good reason to walk away, but Lucas said nothing he’d seen made Marco look like his father. Marco didn’t lie. It had never come up. But after Brad, the last thing he needed was another man he couldn’t trust.

Alexis said she understood coming from a problematic family and Marco keeping his own life separate from his father, but Sidwell wasn’t just his father. He was also a client. Marco said, one of many, and Alexis said, true, but they preferred not to hire someone whose client wanted to kill their clients. It wasn’t good for business. Marco said the optics weren’t good, but his reputation was. JS and Associates was his father’s firm, but his father had never been involved in a criminal enterprise. He wasn’t going to distance himself from his father even if it meant losing the job. He loved his father, but hoped he’d be judged on his own merit.

Cody said Hades could easily carry both of them and it was totally safe. Safer than Molly waiting by the road for a tow that was never coming. Molly said it sounded like a horror movie, and he said a lot of them started that way. He’d bring her back to the stables and drop her off on the way to Dante’s party, or she could call a Ride Share if she didn’t want to wait. She said, okay, and brought her briefcase out of the car. He suggested she leave it, but she said she couldn’t leave legal documents there.

Sonny said he couldn’t make Rocco’s debate. Some business came up. They’d talked through it, Rocco understood, and Dante was going to record it. Olivia asked to talk to Sonny outside and they left. She said it was the first time his grandson was putting himself out there. Sonny was his grandfather and Rocco adored him. Not going wasn’t an option. Dante came out, and Olivia said she never thought she’d see the day Sonny would put work in front of family. Dante said Sonny would be there if he could, and Olivia went back inside. Dante asked if Sonny was okay, and Sonny said he was taking his pills and he was fine. Dante said he was going to tell Olivia for Rocco’s sake, but Sonny said, no. She would be mad at Rocco. Let her be mad at him. He was a big boy and could take it.

Molly sat in front of Cody on the horse and said, don’t let it gallop or jump over anything. He told her to trust him, and she said she trusted he was good with horses.

Curtis asked Jordan to promise to call him if she was up against something. He wouldn’t ask questions, but he’d be there. She promised and thanked him for understanding. He said she could count on his discretion should she need it, and she said it meant the world to her, and left.

Carly asked what Lucas was going to do, and he said he didn’t know. Think some more. She said that was progress. In the past, he’d use it as an excuse to walk away. He asked where the lecture was on his horrible taste in men who would break his heart, and she said, that would be annoying. He said she was doing unto him and Marco what she wished he’d do unto her and Jack.

Alexis said she knew how awful it felt to pay for the sins of a family you didn’t choose. Her family did horrible things she had no part of, yet she was still associated with them. They had family backgrounds in common, but walking the fine line between legality and family was trickier than he thought. At some point, he was going to have to choose between the life he’d made for himself and working for his father. Marco said, the question was, should that day come, would he be working for the firm? and she said she had to talk it over with Diane, but he should know there would be an extensive background check. He said, knock yourselves out, and left.

Chase said, they were doing this? and Brook said, they were doing this. He said he was nervous at first, but now he was excited, and she said he was going to be an amazing father. He said any kid would be lucky to have her as a mother, and they kissed. (I’m thinking they’re going to adopt Gio.)

Danny, Gio, and Rocco sat on the patio looking at their phones, and Danny said he couldn’t believe what they were saying about Sonny. Gio said they were idiots. He got into it with one of them, but they didn’t want to hear it. Danny said, be careful. They were crazy. Gio went inside to grab a soda before he wrote something he shouldn’t, and left. Danny said Rocco dodged a bullet. If both of his grandparents were here, people would be posting that it was proof Laura favored Sonny. Rocco said that was garbage, and Danny said he knew that, but it was probably best that Sonny wasn’t coming to the debate.

Dante said he was sorry this was happening before Sonny’s surgery. People were probably saying nasty stuff. Sonny said it was nothing he hadn’t heard, and Dante asked if he was planning on fighting back. Sonny said he was ready for it, but didn’t want anybody getting caught in the crossfire.

Lulu asked if Gio missed home, and Gio said, sometimes. He knew one day he’d leave to pursue his music career. His mom did. Lulu asked if she was away a lot, and Lois said, before she had Gio. Once she had him, she cut back on travel. She hated to be away from Gio. Olivia said, but she worked until the second Gio was born, and Gio said, she was in California playing a concert when she went into labor. That’s why he was born in LA.  

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Sonny brings Donna to his old kitchen, and Carly says, there’s my girl. Did she have fun with daddy? Donna says, they went to Dante’s birthday party and it was great. They had to the hide cake from the boys. Carly says, sounds like a good idea. She’s glad Donna had fun. Donna says, guess what? Rocco is doing a debate. Carly asks if she knows what a debate is, and Donna says, nope, but she knows everybody is going to be there except daddy. He’s staying at home with her.

In an examining room, Isaiah tells Josslyn, no ligaments or tendons are damaged, but it’s swollen. From the scans, he can see she suffered bad sprain and aggravated it a few days later. What on earth was she doing?

At the hospital, Anna asks how Emma is doing, and Emma says, for someone about to start their first day in court mandated community service, not too bad, invigorated even. Where’s Aunt Felicia? Felicia appears and says, right here and ready to keep her busy and on task, and Emma says, Felicia is babysitting her. Felicia says, call it what Emma wants, and she will too. Ready to start? Emma says, bring it on. She practically grew up in this place and she’s very excited to start giving back, even if it’s judge ordered. Felicia says she likes this can-do attitude and knows right where to start her. Right this way. As they leave, Anna says, have fun.

On her phone in Maxie’s office, Lucy says, yes… okay. She definitely sees… okay. Thank you. She’ll be in touch. Maxie says, spit it out, and Brook says, just tell them already. Lucy says, the boutique in Los Angeles says their Deception patented overnight wrinkle cream is flying off the shelves. Brook says she’s not seeing the numbers… wait… Lucy asks if the numbers are good, and Brook says, spectacular. They’re only two weeks into Q2 and these put them in the black for the rest of the year. Lucy says, and to think they’d be scrambling for zincite if it wasn’t for their white knight at Windymere.

At Windymere, Jordan says, the pay is substantial, and Sidwell says, wait until she sees the health plan. She says, it’s a great offer, but the job description is vague. What exactly does he expect her to do for him?

Sasha looks at the sonogram screen and smiles. She puts her hand on Jason’s arm and he says, it’s amazing.

Sasha and Jason look at the sonogram, and Sasha says, ears… eyes… see that? Jason says he does. Almost fully developed. Does she feel okay? She says, better than okay, and he says, good. It might be none of his business… She says, if it is, she’ll tell him to butt out, and he says he knows her due date is a few weeks away. Does she have a birth plan in place? She says she does, but look who’s in the know? and he says he’s had some experience. Some of his closest friends are women. Sasha says she hopes she’s one of them, and he says, the chances are pretty good. They are having a baby together. Would she mind if he sent the sonogram picture to Michael so he can see the baby’s progress? She asks why he’d want to do that.

Josslyn tells Isaiah that she rolled her ankle hiking in Easter Island. Then a week later, they had a research trip that included a 10 mile walk on the beach. Isaiah says, and she powered through, and she says, yeah. She didn’t want to wuss out in front of people. He says, that sounds right. He’s never been to Easter Island and bets it’s amazing. Josslyn says, it was. Sometimes she can hardly believe she was really there. He says, now that she’s back – he hands her a prescription paper – call this guy. Six weeks of PT and please stay off her ankle. Josslyn thanks him and says she’ll do her best.

Anna says she’s got to get back to the precinct, but Felicia asks if she has a second. It’s about Mac. Anna asks if everything is okay, and Felicia says, Mac is deeply concerned about the referendum. He thinks it’s going to tank Laura’s mayorship. Anna says, he’s not wrong. If only the city realized they’re better with having Laura as a mayor. Felicia says, what about Anna? Police Commissioner is a mayoral appointee. Given the optics, isn’t she worried about her position being secure if Laura is still in office? Anna says, 100%, especially with Justine Turner breathing down her neck, and Felicia says she doesn’t get it. Why is ADA Turner so determined to tear Anna down?

Emma comes out looking bedraggled with gum in her hair, and Josslyn says, wow. She loves the new look.

Brook says, sales have skyrocketed, and Enchantment hasn’t even gotten their skin cream to market, and Lucy says, eat your heart out. Erica Kane. Maxie says she’s got to hand it to Lucy. She had reservations about Sidwell at first, but he came through just in time. Lucy thanks her and says she’s right. It was one of her more inspired ideas, bringing Jenz into their fold. She’ll see them later. Brook says, they still have work, and Lucy says, as does she. Ta! She leaves.

Sidwell says as far as he’s concerned, Jordan’s title can be whatever she likes – CEO, CMO, CFO – he doesn’t care. Jordan says, those are each very different things and very different responsibilities, and he says, what he needs her to do is represent his interest to Port Charlies. She’s in a position that’s unique and ideally suited to do so. She says, because? and he says, personally and professionally she has relationships with the most important people in town. She’s good friends with the Police Commissioner and the mayor and Congressman Drew Cain. Jordan says, the extent of her relationship with Drew is largely negative, but he says he’s sure it can be repaired and renewed. She says, outside of the job, she and Laura aren’t particularly close, but that could work to their advantage. He says he likes that. Is there any chance she could renew her friendship with Drew? She says, he can’t pay her enough.

Carly asks, who’s going to Rocco’s debate? and Donna says, Dante, Kristina, Danny, Aunt Olivia, and Rocco’s grandma. Carly says, that’s a lot of people, and Donna asks if she can go too. Carly says she knows Donna wants to, but she’ll have way more fun with her dad, and Sonny says, her big brother Dante is going to take a video. They should get together one night and watch it. Donna nods, and Carly says, that sounds like a great idea. Say goodbye to daddy. Pilar is upstairs waiting to take her to school. Donna hugs Sonny and says she loves him, and he says he loves her too. Donna leaves, and Carly says, so he’s going to miss Rocco’s big night. He says he’s got his reasons, and she asks if they have anything to do with Laura.

Jason says he’s not sure he understands. Sasha asked him to send Michael a sono a month ago. She says she’s worried if she sends every one of them, it might send the wrong message, but he says he doesn’t think it will. Michael understands she wants to raise the baby on her own and he agreed. She says, if she includes him in every step, he might want to be involved more, but she thinks what she needs is the opposite. He says he understands, but thinks it would help Michael. He’ll be glad to see she and the baby are happy and healthy. She says she doesn’t know, but she’ll think on it, and he says, of course (🍷). He’s got things to do. Can he drop her at her house? She says she drove here. He doesn’t have to… She’s really glad he came today. He says him too, and leaves.

Sidwell says he’s sure Jordan’s distaste for Drew is more than justified. But Drew is more than a powerful man and they should have him on their side. Plus, her new position will give her the perfect view to keep an eye on him. She says she doesn’t know if she wants to watch Drew, but she’ll check in now and again. He says he’s sure she’s done far worse for far less. So do they have a deal? She says she’ll have her lawyer look it over, and he says, good. She says, it’s a generous offer, one might say excessively so, and he says, it’s charming that she thinks such a thing exists. He warns her, in exchange for her excessive salary, the job is going to be demanding on her intelligence, energy, and time. There will be precious little room left for her personal life. She says, what personal life? when Lucy strolls in. She says, the butler let her in… She tells Jordan, hi. What are you doing here?

Sonny and Carly admire the moss bowl 🎍, and Sonny says, at the party, he overheard Rocco tell Dante that he didn’t want him at the debate for Laura’s sake. Carly says she’s sorry, but he says he can’t blame Rocco. He’s protecting his grandmother. She says, still, it had to hurt, and he says, yeah, but Rocco’s not wrong. Plus, that idiot Boyle is gunning for Laura. She says, the last thing Laura needs is her picture with him splashed on the cover of The Invader, and he says he values his friendship with Laura and loves that they share this family, but their connection is a liability for her. So he’s going to steer clear. She says she hates that he has to miss Rocco’s debate, but he says he saw Rocco practice. It’s important. The last thing Rocco needs is to be overshadowed by politics. She says, aren’t all debates political? and he says she knows what he means. She says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she thinks he’s doing the right thing, and he says he’d do anything for Rocco. And if Laura needs help, he’ll be there. She asks if he means that, and he says, what does she mean? She says, if he really wants to help Laura, he needs to get out of her way.

Emma says she was helping in art therapy, and Josslyn says, it looks like things got a little messy. Emma says, a little bit. A couple of children, very small children, not almost ready to drive children, did this to her. Apparently, kids in the hospital expect a lot today. She was the canvas. Josslyn says she’s impressed that Emma found time to volunteer, between school and her animal rights group. Emma thanks her, but says, full disclosure. This is not volunteering per se. It’s community service. Josslyn says, for the incident at the Quartermaine crypt? Emma was awesome by the way. Emma says, a huge thank you to Trina for live streaming. She’s a rock star. Josslyn says, she always is. But doesn’t it seem a little blown out of proportion for protecting a family’s crypt? Especially since they ended up in the right. Emma says, the judge wasn’t happy with her priors, and Josslyn says, she has priors? Who would have thought she had a shady past? Emma says, not everybody has a millionaire daddy to buy them out of trouble, and Josslyn says she touched a nerve. Emma says, actually, she has no bandwidth for this right now. She has to get some gum out of her hair. She leaves, and Josslyn sees Professor Dalton go by with a briefcase.

Sonny tells Carly, don’t talk to him about the referendum. He’s heard about it so many times, it’s ridiculous. She says, sorry, but she’s going to pile on it again. Don’t fight this. He says, is she asking what he thinks she’s asking? She says she is, and don’t try to convince people to vote no or challenge it in court if he doesn’t win. He says he can’t just let the city take what belongs to him, and she says, if he fights, he’ll ruin his relationship with Laura. He says he didn’t know Carly was a fan, and she says, Laura is a good businesswoman and a great mayor. It won’t destroy him if he gives up the piers. He can afford to let them win. He says, that’s beside the point. It’s not going to happen. If he doesn’t lift a finger to stop it, his enemies will think he’s weak, and she knows how dangerous that can be.

Lucy says she was sorry to hear what happened between Jordan and the mayor. Laura couldn’t ask for a better Deputy Mayor. Jordan thanks her and says she still has the greatest respect for Laura, and Lucy says, who doesn’t? Jordan says, but it was time to part company, and Lucy asks if that’s what she’s doing here, looking for new company. Sidwell laughs and says, Jordan is going to work for him. Port Charles’ loss is his gain. Jordan tells him that she hasn’t said yes yet, and he says, no, but she will. Lucy says, so good. Greener pastures await. She can speak from experience. Jordan says, good to hear, and tells Sidwell, they’ll speak soon. She leaves and Sidwell asks why Lucy is here. Lucy says, their innovative product sold out, and he says he heard. She says she thinks he means… this, and holds up a jar of the cream. He says, isn’t that elegant? and she says, it’s what customers have come to expect. This is from the first batch, made from his zincite. She thinks he should have it. She hands it to him and says she’s not saying he needs it. He has perfect dermis. Their whole project was a huge success. They’re up to their eyeballs in people waiting to order more. He wonders if they should open some champagne, and she says, on an occasion like this, doesn’t he think it’s always bubbly time? He says he’ll call for a bottle, and she says, do, but they have business to discuss first, about when they can roll out the next shipment. He says, they’ll want more zincite, and she says, that’s why she invited their CFO to over the details. He says, having Natalia there will make things simple. She always a great head for business. Lucy says, sorry. Always? He says, yes. Natalia is his ex-wife.  

In the solarium, Sasha asks if Olivia has any requests for lunch, and Olivia says, the cook’s choice is fine. They’ve got to talk about when Sasha is planning her maternity leave. Sasha says she hasn’t thought about it much. How would maternity leave work? Olivia says, you have a baby, skip work, and take care of your baby. In her case, she’ll also have to fight off the lunatics trying to hold her baby. Sasha asks if it won’t be awkward, living here for a few months and not being the cook, but Olivia says, not at all. She’s family. She hired Sasha because she knew Sasha could handle the lunatics in this asylum. She never guessed Sasha would fit in as perfectly as she has. Sasha asks if Olivia is calling her crazy, and Olivia says, in the nicest possible way. Sasha is so great with the kids, and she’s got the adults trained perfectly. She can dish it out to Tracy faster than Tracy can serve it. It’s truly a thing of beauty. Sasha says, scorn is Tracy’s love language, and Olivia says, she gets them. To her, that means Sasha is well on her way to becoming a true Quartermaine.

Emma says, task one done and Anna is still here, and Anna asks, how did it go? Emma says, they got more paint on the paper than her. She takes that as a win. Felicia says, victory. Her next class will be easier. Emma says, great. More painting? Felicia says, paper mâché, and Emma says, cold, smelly, stick, and wet. Kids love that… So does she. Felicia says, have fun, and Emma says, try and stop her. She leaves, and Felicia says she thinks doing community serviced is doing Emma a world of good… Anna says, but? and Felicia says, Mac hinted that some shady circumstances led to it. Anna says, Turner practically admitted she used Emma to come at her, and Felicia asks why the ADA is coming at her. Anna says, Turner thinks Jason is behind Cyrus’s disappearance and she’s covering for him, and Felicia says, that’s ridiculous. Anna would never cover for Jason. Anna says she wouldn’t, but Turner believes she’s giving Jason special treatment… What? Felicia says, Anna wouldn’t cover for Jason, but she does give him special treatment.

Maxie says her email is blowing up. Orders from boutiques, department store chains… Brook says, now they just have to keep up with the demand. There’s a knock at the door, and Jason comes in. Brook asks if everything is okay at home, and Jason says, everything’s fine. Sonny asked him to come by. An employee has been lying to them for months and may have compromised their entire company. Maxie says, oh my God. Who? Jason says, Natalia Ramirez, but Brook says, Natalia’s been great. Maxie asks what Natalia lied about, and Jason says, her ex-husband is Jenz Sidwell.

Anna tells Felicia that there are instances when she’s lied for Jason, but they were special circumstances. She’s made it clear to Jason and others that if he’s implicated in a crime, she will not look the other way. Felicia says she knows Anna wouldn’t let it slide, and Anna says, Turner doesn’t. And to get her own way, she’s holding Emma’s freedom over her head. Felicia says, she wouldn’t dare do that if Robert was still here, and Anna says, who knows where he is? He’s looking after Holly and her latest catastrophe. Felicia says, Robert’s absence is all the more reason for Laura to stay in office. The more people Anna has in her corner, the better. Felicia’s phone dings, and she says, sorry. There’s something she needs to take care of upstairs. Do what she needs to do. Anna tells Felicia to do the same and leaves.  

Lucy asks if she heard correctly. Sidwell and Natalia were married? He says, it was a long time ago. In fact, they have a grown son. When they first met at the Deception meeting and he saw his former wife, it was all he could do to hide his shock. She says she’s not trying to hide hers, and he says he’d assumed Natalia told them, so he thought he’d do the same. Lucy asks if he didn’t find it odd, and he says, of course (🍷) he did, but he assumed Natalia would tell them the moment he left. Lucy says, one would think that, and he says, now that they’re collaborating, going forward, she can be sure of full transparency. Natalia walks in and says she heard they sold out… What’s going on? Lucy says, nothing. She was going over some details with Natalia’s ex-husband. Why didn’t she say anything? Natalia says she didn’t think it was relevant, and Lucy says, not relevant? Natalia says, when the deal was finished, she was going to tell them when they were all together, but Lucy says, after all this time. Really? Sidwell says, please, calm down. He for one is comfortable having Natalia there. Lucy says she’s sure he is, but he’s the only one. He says, nothing has changed except for the fact they now know a personal detail that happened a long time ago, a very long time ago. He hopes they can move forward from this.

Brook says, so they’re all on the same page, their CFO used be married to one of their primary suppliers and they’re just finding this out now. Jason says, yes, and Maxie says, it was going so well. Brook says, Sonny insisted on bringing her on. Did he know about this? Jason says, he just found out, and Brook says, Natalia played Sonny. That takes skill and guts. Maxie says she knew she couldn’t trust Sidwell, and Brook says, but he had the zincite and had it at the right price. Maxie says, maybe, but Sidwell was throwing out red flags and this is the last one. She’s not working with him again. She doesn’t care what Sasha says. Jason asks what Sasha said, and Maxie says, Sasha told them the whole kidnapping thing was really Holly’s fault, so it was okay if Deception worked with him. She thanks Jason for coming by to tell them, and he says, they’re welcome. He leaves and Brook says she’ll tell Tracy later. She’ll probably want to end their association with Sidwell. Maxie says she couldn’t agree more, but Brook says she doesn’t know how iron clad their deal is. Maxie says, nothing is iron clad.

Sasha tells Olivia, don’t take this the wrong way, but do they consider her family because her baby is a Quartermaine? Olivia says she knows the last thing Sasha wants is to be dragged into the family’s crazy drama. That’s the way she and Ned first got together. As much as she loved Ned, she always felt like someone was looking down on her, especially Tracy. Sasha says she can’t imagine why, and Olivia says, to top it off, Tracy didn’t come to the wedding. She was sure Tracy was boycotting it, then she got this note – she gets a paper – welcoming her and Leo to the family. Sasha reads it and says, wow. She had no idea Tracy could be so warm. Olivia says, compassionate and kind, and Sasha says, all of the above. Olivia’s been carrying this around how many years? Olivia says, eight. Every time the family puts her to her wit’s end, she takes it out, looks at it, and remembers that the Quartermaines can be picky, snobby, and downright cruel, but if they choose you, it’s not because of who your mother is or that they fell in love with your baby. It’s because you earned it. We might be dysfunctional, but we take care of our own. Whether she likes it or not, Sasha is one of their own now.

Josslyn follows Dalton as he goes into a lab. She listens at the door.

Carly says she’s all too familiar with the risk of looking weak, and Sonny says he knows she is. She says, it will look worse if he fights the referendum and loses, but he says, it’s a risk he doesn’t plan on losing. She says he can’t guarantee he’ll win. He needs to find another way to show he’s strong. He says, they’ll think he doesn’t want to go up against Laura. His family’s safety is first. She says, he can’t give that as an excuse, but he says, it’s not an excuse. If it was, their son wouldn’t be in a burn clinic across the world, and he wouldn’t have to book a doctor’s appointment across the country. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says he has a problem with his heart.

Dalton comes out, leaving the briefcase inside. He closes the door and walks down the hall, and Josslyn follows.

Maxie tells Anna that the conducted numerous background checks, and Sidwell’s name never came up, even though Natalia is his ex. Brook says, they needed her, but it never came up. Anna says, for whatever reason, it was scrubbed or destroyed, and Maxie says, for whatever reason, they need to tear up their contract with Sidwell. Brook says, Anna’s not a lawyer, and Maxie says she knows that. Maybe Anna can help them find some hard evidence to prove he violated the contract. Maybe from the events that happened in Africa. Maybe she can dig up some dirt to kick Sidwell to the curb. Anna says, that’s the worst idea ever, and Maxie says, give her one reason why. Anna says, Lucy Coe.

Lucy says, they stood up for Natalia and this is how she repays them? and Natalia says she swears she never meant… Lucy says, do not speak. Don’t bother. Her days are numbered. Lucy leaves, and Natalia says, what the hell? Sidwell asks why she’s angry with him. If she’d disclosed this in the first place, none of this would have happened. She says, he knew they didn’t know, and he says, it’s a tempest in a teapot. Once they’re over the initial shock, her colleagues will understand. They haven’t had anything to do with each other for years. She says, it won’t alter them or Sonny. He says, she told Sonny? and she says, yes, and he’s out for blood.  

Carly asks when the episodes started, and Sonny says, around the first of the year. She says she’s just hearing about it now? and he says he wanted to keep a tight circle of the people who knew. She asks, who knows? and he says, Dr. Gannon is treating him. Jason, Brick, Laura, Kristina found out and told Dante. She says, yeah, it’s a tight circle he’s got there, and he says, and Natalia. She found him when he was having an attack. Carly asks if he trusts Natalia, and he says, not anymore

Jordan taps Isaiah on the shoulder, and he says, this is a surprise. She says, there’s more where that came from, and he says she has to make an appointment. These days, he’s operating out of a cozy, discrete-type place across town, and he happens to have appointment available at 7:30. She says she can’t. She’ll be too busy. He says she’s never been busier than when she was unemployed, and she says she decided to take a new job. He says, great. What’s the gig? She says, Chief Officer of Operations for Sidwell, and he says, she can’t be serious.

Dalton leaves the hospital, and Josslyn follows. She takes out her phone and sends a text: Spotted r friend from school. Fill u in later. (We don’t see who she’s texting, but I assume it’s Vaughn.)

Anna tells Maxie, say she gives them damning evidence against Sidwell. If and when Lucy finds out… Brook says, Anna thinks she’ll tip off Sidwell, and Anna says she thinks Lucy will tell him out of a misguided feeling of loyalty or attraction. Brook says, Lucy is definitely into Jenz Sidwell. And she’s a terrible liar. Maxie says, she can’t not lie, and Anna says, she’ll place herself and them is Sidwell’s crosshairs. Brook asks what they can do. They can’t stay in business with Sidwell. Anna says, they just have to sit tight and carry on like nothing is wrong, and Maxie tells her, easier said than done. Anna says, they can try. She promises to take care of this.

Felicia says, rough first day? and Emma says, a little bit, yeah. She’s carrying a big, black garbage bag, and Felicia asks if she needs help. Emma says she’s got it. She needs to throw it in the dumpster before it inevitably springs a leak and paint goes everywhere.

Isaiah says he knows Jordan needs to get close and he wants Sidwell brought down as much as anyone. But dinner was dangerous enough. Working for Sidwell is on a new level. Jordan says, that’s how undercover ops work. You have to put yourself inside to find evidence. He asks if she’s considered the possibility that Sidwell is already onto her. Maybe she’s not playing Sidwell. Maybe he’s playing her. She says, he’ll like her better when Sidwell is prosecuted, but she has to find evidence to take Sidwell down. He says, what about them and what they have? and she says, what they have has to end. (Aww! I like them as a couple.)  

Sasha tells Jason that she’s been thinking about what he said, showing Michael the latest sonogram. If he thinks it’s a good idea, she’s okay with it… What is it? He says, how could she sell out to Sidwell?

Sidwell asks how Sonny reacted when Natalia told him, and she says, he severed their relationship. He asks, what exactly was their relationship? and she says, it was professional. Sonny is a majority investor in Deception and made her CFO, but she doesn’t see that lasting much longer. He says, forgive him for asking, but is their professional relationship the reason they went to LA on a bus trip to a cardiologist?  Natalia says, he had them followed, and he says, enlighten him. Don’t tell him that she’s protecting Sonny’s secrets after he cut her loose. At this point, he’s the only one who can protect her, and Sonny will make damn sure she’s out at Deception.

The moss bowl 🎍 between them, Carly wonders why Natalia didn’t tell Sonny, and he says, it doesn’t matter. She kept it from him, and he can’t trust her. Carly asks what he’s going to do about his heart, and he says, Brick found a cardiologist in LA. He’s one of the best, and the surgery is scheduled for next Friday. She says, what? and he says, just in and out. She says, okay, and he says, when he gets back, they can go over the referendum stuff or whatever together. She says she’ll make sure of it, and he asks what she means. She says she’s going with him to LA and she’s going to be with him for the whole surgery.

Sidwell says, on the remote chance Natalia is staying at Deception, she’ll need his backing. All he needs is a morsal of information. He found out her reunion with Marco was as bad as it could get. She says she’s not discussing Marco with him, and he says, she should. He doesn’t want her son estranged from his mother. Natalia asks if he thinks she does, and he says he and Marco have a wonderful relationship. He could speak on her behalf and perhaps Marco would be more open to having his mother back in his life. He knows how pain she feels being estranged. Almost as much as being estranged from her daughter. He and Marco have grown close. If she could just help him a little bit, he’ll see what he can do. Natalia says, Sonny went to a cardiologist because he needs open heart surgery.

On Monday, Josslyn asks why Emma is always so angry with her; Jordan tells Isaiah that Sidwell needs to be stopped and she’s in a position to do that; Sidwell says Alexis would be a fool not to hire Marco; and Lucas asks if Marco knew who he was and that he lived in Port Charles.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

The professor is in.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daniel-goddard-cast-on-general-hospital-as-professor-dalton

One person’s villain can be another person’s hero. I like it!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-adrian-anchondo-on-marcos-relationship-with-sidwell

Even Drew hates Drew right now.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-on-being-hated-by-soap-fans

He’s in it for the long haul.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/maurice-benards-special-anniversary-message-to-fans

Extra gigs.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-kate-mansi-shares-a-peek-at-her-upcoming-movie

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-alum-kimberly-mccullough-lands-a-new-movie

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/the-story-behind-will-trents-gh-crossover

Here’s hoping the show sticks around. I love how oddly old-fashioned it is, yet they can stick an alarming number of trendy words and phrases into an episode. And the fashion. It’s no surprise there was an article on it. I only wish they’d included where the clothes are purchased.

https://www.tvinsider.com/1183786/beyond-the-gates-ratings-2025/

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

More boatmance! More terminations!

I might have to start actually watching this.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Dorit baited Sutton, then the mean girls jumped on Sutton. No surprise. Ho-hum. The visit to Reba was probably my favorite thing this season, and we strolled down Stell Magnolia Memory Lane. Garcelle gave the most profound comment about Sutton’s search for validity via her mother – once they’re gone, you don’t get answers. It was the usual rehash of old fights and getting mad all over again, especially since they’d now seen the show. At the end, Andy asked what surprised them this season, and to no one’s surprise, Kathy said, what was the question again? Garcelle walked out when they were about to take a cast photo and in her dressing room, she said they were all f***ing a-holes. She’s not wrong. Although she forgot she was having dinner – or rather, supper – with Sutton, who wandered around looking for her. I fully expected her to ask if that meant they weren’t having dessert.

Not much here, but it is LVP.

The Valley

This show is hard to watch for obvious reasons – Jax and Jax. While it’s nice to see Britany finally stand up for herself, I’ve wondered from the beginning why she felt the need to be with this neanderthal. Even though she seems to enjoy being on the D-list, she doesn’t strike me as someone who’s in it for the TV exposure. I still don’t have all the other couples straight or the beefs between them. Kristen was vindicated, having been right about who was zooming who, but she doesn’t get that it’s the delivery.

Summer House

It was Lindsay’s birthday and she was 24 28 30 38. We also continued to watch the demise of Paige and Craig’s relationship. Although I keep telling Lexi, no, just no, when it comes to Jesse, she keeps insisting on gaslighting herself into believing he can keep in the parameters of a commitment. Schwartz also showed up, which makes me wonder if Sandoval is going to try and sneak in the back door.

Random Reality Items

So how many tweets (X’s?) do you think Adrienne got with #HumanStain on them?

It’s kind of a shame, but Schwartz could have put on his big boy pants and stepped up.

I’m with Lisa. She was essentially a kid in an age group where we all make asses of ourselves in one way or another.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

The Deep House. Netflix. Coolest haunted house ever. A man-made lake has covered an evacuated town, but one house’s inhabitants still aren’t gone. Two divers unwisely decide to investigate and end up in a maze of ghostly happenings. The two actors playing the divers carry most of the film and their work is top-notch. The setting is unbelievable, from the underwater house to the fish making occasional appearances. There are both jump scares and slow burns, and while there are cliché moments, this film is unique overall and well worth watching. I wasn’t happy with the ending, but I’m a little picky and you can’t have everything.  

https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/tv/netflix-fans-advise-dont-watch-630856

The atmosphere was everything.

https://www.slashfilm.com/645916/the-deep-house-review-the-directors-of-inside-revitalize-the-haunted-house-movie-by-sinking-it-underwater/

Bad Influence. Netflix. I’d never heard of these kids, but I find it disturbing nonetheless since children can so easily be influenced by the internet. There’s also the flipside where parents are exploiting their children for a buck, which is the focus of this three-episode documentary. Even worse is a momager who abuses the children in her daughter’s posse in disgusting ways. A cautionary tale.

https://people.com/netflix-docuseries-bad-influence-trailer-exclusive-11694701

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/bad-influence-where-are-tiffany-smith-piper-rockelle-now

The OA. Netflix. A two-season series of 8 episodes each, I’ve only just started watching this, but it’s intriguing. A blind girl disappears and returns as a woman with her sight intact. The twist is that she has a second sight that seems to look into other dimensions. Like I said, I’ve only started watching it, but I’ve seen enough to keep me coming back. Unfortunately, I’ve read that the viewer is left hanging at the end as the cancelation was unexpected. It’s one of the things I hate about getting invested in a series. I’ve been disappointed a few times when a third season is in the works, and then the streaming service decides it’s not.

https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/tv/shows-like-severance-oa-netflix-934695

https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/12/17/13903980/the-oa-review-netflix

Black Mirror: Season 7. Netflix. Because, so much to stream, so little time, I’ve only seen the first three episodes, so I’m waiting until I’m done to do a blow-by-blow assessment. I will say, Hotel Reverie made me cry.

https://www.cbr.com/black-mirror-season-7-viewership-numbers-score/

https://www.cbr.com/black-mirror-season-7-best-episodes/

🐾  As It Should Be…

🦕 I would definitely love to see this. I love capybaras, and I doubt they’d eat someone’s dog, especially since they’re herbivores. Like that dinosaur in Jurassic Park.

https://people.com/capybaras-taking-over-a-gated-community-11718000

🪿 I wonder if I could get my husband to bring back an axolotl the next time he goes to Arby’s.

https://people.com/man-leaves-to-get-his-wife-lunch-then-comes-back-with-a-duckling-exclusive-11715589

🐶 How badly do you think that dog with the Easter Bunny wants to escape? That reminds me, the bunny ears are upstairs…

https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/happy-easter/

Ralph, no longer with us, but the ears live on

🐳 Quotes of the Week

Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway. – Mary Kay Ash

Confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong. – Peter McIntyre

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. – Daniel Patrick Moynihan

This whole world is wild at heart and weird on top. – David Lynch

Wrong turns are as important as right turns. More important, sometimes. – Richard Bach

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein

Believe you can and you’re halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt

Go interview him about the history of the history of the history of leaves falling off trees. – Hilaria Baldwin to the producers about Alec, The Baldwins

🐇 Hippity Hopping Into the Weekend…

Until next week, stay safe; stay not eating that whole big chocolate rabbit (you will be sorry); and stay believing in yourself. Then other people will believe in you.

March 14, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Charlotte Comes Home, Soap Suds, This Week’s Reality, Weekend Watch, Wild In the Wild, 4+4 Quotes & Cheap Seats

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites:

Monday:

Isaiah said he’d leave if Jordan wanted, and she said she didn’t want, but he had a problem with her investigating Sidwell. He said he’d prefer she stay away, but she said Sidwell liked her, giving her an advantage law enforcement didn’t have. If their being together hinged on the investigation, she guessed that was it. Dante asked Maxie about James, and she said it was a clean break, and they were good until James did something else stupid. Dante said he needed her help with Lulu. He was worried she was going to get in a situation she couldn’t get out of. Brook said Lulu was willing to step on lives regardless of consequences. Telling Dante would blow up lives. At the Quartermaine family crypt, Tracy promised her parents to protect the Quartermaine legacy, but Drew was outside with a county surveyor and a demolition guy. (FYI: That’s not how any of this works.) Drew told the guy to blow it up, and Martin said they’d best make sure they could back up their claims. Drew wished he could see Tracy’s face when she found out, when Tracy came out of the crypt and asked what was going on. Ned asked why Lois was okay with Gio becoming Sonny’s charity case, but she said Gio was family. In Buenos Aires, Anna and Jason did surveillance on Valentin, but there was no sign of Charlotte. Anna said, if they were in there, they were alone. Inside with the curtain’s drawn, Charlotte said she didn’t like it there, but Valentin said they weren’t staying long. It was time they said goodbye. Jason said they had a fifteen-minute window to get Charlotte and get out when the guards changed, but Anna thought it was too easy.

Ned said taking money from Sonny came with a risk, but Lois said it was minimal and Gio wasn’t alone. It took Sonny’s financial support to make sure Gio’s talent was cultivated. Ned asked why Lois hadn’t come to him instead of Sonny. Martin said the building had been seized and should be vacated, Drew adding that they had a court order. Tracy ripped it up and said she was calling the police, but Drew said the law was on their side. Dante said Maxie knew something, but Maxie said Lulu wasn’t returning her phone calls and Martin had no clue Lulu had broken into his hotel room. Dante said he didn’t want to know. Lulu was out of control. Brook told Lulu that her son was an adult by now and might not know he was adopted. It was the child’s choice if they wanted to know their birth parents, not hers, Dante’s, or Lulu’s. If Dante knew, he would want to find his child. Lulu said, give him that standing. Drew said it was public land, and Tracy called her surveyor. Drew said, as congressman, he’d gotten someone to protect the public interest. Edward had to steal public land, even though he already had plenty. The area was protected, and Tracy wasn’t getting her way. Emma and Gio showed up, and Emma said, leave the old lady alone. Valentin told Charlotte that this was his fault. They were a good team, but it was dangerous for her to stay with him. He’d texted Rocco pretending to be her, and Lulu was probably on her way already. Charlotte admitted missing Lulu, but didn’t want to leave him. Anna said Valentin had to know the WSB was looking for him after attacking Jack, and Jason said he was expecting them. She said he was expecting someone, when a car pulled in. Anna said that meant the WSB was there, and they had to move. Isaiah said he accepted Jordan’s terms and asked if she’d walk away the second they disagreed. She joked that it depended on the disagreement, but no. He said they’d need to do grocery shopping then.

Drew said the Quartermaines had appropriated public land, and Tracy was interfering with county business. The mausoleum was on protected land. Tracy said she was being denied access to her parents’ final resting place. Emma said Edward had saved her life, and Drew said he was Congressman Drew Quartermaine. Tracy said, Cain. He would never be a Quartermaine. Emma said none of them had jurisdiction and were trespassing, and Tracy called Chase. Lois said Ned was generous, but Sonny didn’t have family or support growing up. He had a good heart, and it was up to Gio who supported him. Gio ran in and told Lois and Ned what was going on at the crypt. Drew said Lulu kept tearing into Brook and he had to defend Brook, but it hurt Lulu. He’d asked Lulu to have patience, but she’d said he was taking Brook’s side. The problem was, they couldn’t talk anymore. Maxie said, because of Sam, and Dante said he was trying to keep the family together. Something was going on with Rocco too. He thought it was the tension between him and Lulu. Brook said she’d do anything to protect her son’s happiness, but Lulu said Brook just didn’t want Dante to hate her. Brook said she’d choose her child’s happiness over all. Lulu had always been threatened by her relationship with Dante, and she should ask herself if exposing Brook to Dante was worth hurting him. How could he miss a son he didn’t know he had? It was agony for her and if Lulu told Dante, Lulu would subject him to the same agony she’d lived with for 21 years. Dante would try to find their son, like Lulu did with Charlotte. Where did that leave Rocco? He knew his dad was there for him, but he’d be abandoned both parents. Charlotte asked if Valentin was letting them find him, and Valentin said she deserved a better life. Anna ran in with Jason and said the kill squad was behind them. Take Charlotte and go.

Tracy told Chase to arrest the trespassers, but Drew said the county surveyor’s preliminary findings shows a portion of the property extended beyond the property line. Tracy said her surveyor found differently, and Emma asked if they had to tear down the crypt. Drew said they could move it, but Tracy thought that was obscene. Gio asked, what was the difference? and Martin said the land was protected and it was illegal to build. Tracy said Drew hated the family, and Emma said he was abusing his power. She started to film and told Drew that he should be helping his constituents instead of traumatizing them. Lulu told Brook not to throw her son in her face, and Brook said she lived with him. When Lulu was in Prague, he was afraid she’d get hurt. He’d just gotten his mom back and she left him again. Lulu said Brook was using her kid to justify lying about her own son. It was lucky she’d given him up and a good thing she was nobody’s mother. Brook took a swing at her, but Lulu grabbed her hand. Dante said Rocco had been struggling since Lulu woke up, and ever since she went to Prague, he was terrified that he was going to lose her. He couldn’t talk to Lulu, but he could talk to Brook, which didn’t make Lulu less mad. For fifteen years, their feud had been going on. Maxie said it wasn’t because of that. Lulu was still in love with him. Anna said, let her handle the WSB, and told Jason not to fire his weapon. Valentin made himself scarce, when two guys arrived. Anna told them that she was the Police Commissioner of Port Charles, New York. Don’t shoot. They asked where Valentin was, and she said he’d just left. One guy told the other to search, but Anna told them to call Jack. The guy said Jack wasn’t running the op.

Anna said, the mission had changed, and they needed to talk to Brennan. Since they obviously weren’t buying it, Jason grabbed one guy, knocking him out, and Anna took care of the other. She thought Valentin was long gone, but he came out with Charlotte and said, not this time. Drew said Tracy wasn’t a downtrodden member of his constituency, but an entitled bully used to getting what she wanted. Tracy said he was using his public office to retaliate against the family that threw him out. Still filming, Emma said, congress was in session now, yet Drew was still here. Your votes in action, Port Charles. Lois and Ned arrived, and Lois said she thought Drew’s constituents had bigger problems. Drew was there when Alexis and Martin tried to work this out, and Tracy had been willing to bend. Drew said he was following the law, and Tracy said his surveyor’s findings were preliminary, yet he got an order without confirmation to seize the building. Emma continued to film. Isaiah showed Jordan how buy groceries online since they had to stay in, and he promised to make cooking with him worth her while. Her phone rang and it was Ned. Dante said Lulu was going to marry Dustin, but Maxie said, the night of the explosion, Lulu broke things off because she was still in love with Dante. Lulu told her and was about to tell him, when she collapsed. She wasn’t telling Dante now and instead, pushing him away and trying hard not to love him. Classic Lulu. Dante said, Lulu had been gone so long, he fell for Sam, and Maxie said Lulu didn’t want him to know. She thought Dante needed to be patient with her. Lulu was doing the best she could. Brook cried as she told Lulu that she was a mother. She went through 12 hours of labor and gave her baby to a stranger from an adoption agency. She couldn’t even let herself hold him. She didn’t know if she’d had a boy or a girl until Lulu told her. Lulu said she was sorry. She assumed Brook knew. Brook said, and Lulu assumed it was easy for her, but it wasn’t. She loved her baby with all her heart and still did. She had to believe she gave him a better life. Lulu asked if Brook didn’t want to know for sure, and Brook said, more than anything, but not at the expense of her child’s happiness or Dante’s. If he wanted to find his birth parents, he would. Brook begged Lulu to leave it alone.

Maxie said Rocco needed both of his parents, and Dante said he knew Lulu was a great mom and she loved their son. Maxie said Lulu knew he was a great dad. They needed to come together. Rocco needed extra assurance. Lulu said she didn’t agree with any of this, but didn’t want to be the one to blow up Dante’s life or her child’s. She wasn’t going to tell Dante. She thought he should know, but thought Brook should be the one to tell him. Brook said she needed the past to stay in the past, and Lulu said Brook should know, she never would have found out if Brook’s mother hadn’t talked to her Uncle Martin. The secret wasn’t in the past. It was now. Brook said she knew, and Lulu left. Brook texted her mom that she needed to see her asap. Ned said he’d called Jordan to help him keep the peace, but Drew said there was nothing to negotiate. The law was the law. Tracy wondered why Martin said Drew was willing to drop it if she allowed him to retain the name, and Emma said, busted. Tracy said she was referring to the meeting where Lois was a witness, and Jordan said she felt Drew was provoking the family and using public funds to fight his personal battle. That wasn’t who he was. Drew asked who he was. Cain or Quartermaine? Valentin thanked Anna and said he was expecting Lulu. Anna asked if he knew about the text, and he said he sent the text. He needed charlotte to be safe. They were going to send another kill squad when the first one didn’t check in. Charlotte asked where her mom was, and Anna said she’d explain it on the way. Charlotte said she didn’t want to go with them, but Jason said he promised Rocco that he’d bring her home and that’s what was going to happen. Valentin said, je t’aime, mon petite, and Charlotte said, je t’aime, papa. He held her for a moment, and then she went out with Jason. Valentin told Anna that he felt like this was the last time he’d see her, but she said it didn’t have to be that way. Come with them and let her bring him in.

Lulu knocked at Maxie’s door, saying she needed to talk to her, but Dante answered. Charlotte asked Jason if Anna was going to kill her father, but he said she wouldn’t do that. They came to bring her home. She probably wanted to try and save Valentin too. Valentin said Anna always came through for him. He was glad he got to say goodbye. She said it didn’t have to be goodbye. Come back. They could make a plea deal. Valentin said he knew too much, and he’d tried to kill Jack. They both knew the WSB wasn’t going to let him live. For Charlotte’s sake, he was free to do what he had to do. Anna told him not to throw his life away, and he said there was a time he thought she loved him, and they were the best months of his life. She said she didn’t think she loved him, and took his hand, saying, part of her always would. He thanked her for that and told her, take care. Charlotte left with Anna and Jason. Tracy said Drew could call himself Smith for all she cared, but he’d never be a Quartermaine. Emma said Drew made his decision based on Tracy’s and had abused his position for his own petty revenge, then searched for, how to recall a congressman. Tracy said he liked that she had grit, and Gio said he did too. The surveyor tried to mark the ground, but Tracy knocked his wheelie thing out of his hand. Drew said that was assault, and Chase asked if the surveyor wanted to press charges. Because he was obviously being paid off, he looked at Martin, who nodded. Chase said he’d forego the handcuffs, told her the Miranda rights, and led her away. Back at the Quartermaines’, Brook walked into the living room and Lois followed. She said she’d gotten Brook’s text. Brook closed the door, and Lois said she looked upset. What could she do to help? Brook asked how much she hadn’t been told about the baby.

Tuesday:

Buenos Aires. Anna brought Charlotte to a room, and Charlotte said her papa was running for his life and it was all Anna’s fault. Sasha went to Carly’s office and Carly asked if she was coming to work at the MetroCourt. Sasha said she was tempted, but decided to stay at the Quartermaines, and Carly said it was Sasha’s life, and she could do what she wanted. Sasha said that was a refreshing take, and Carly asked what had changed Sasha’s mind. Portia went to Curtis’s office and said Drew was probably missing the place, but Curtis said Drew had nobody to blame but himself. At the station, Drew said he hoped there was a free cell in case nothing could be done until morning. Tracy said she didn’t touch the surveyor. It was despicable. Alan was taken way too soon, but the silver lining was, he never had to meet Drew. Laura met Martin, who said Drew was rapidly spinning out control. At the crypt, Emma said she doubted they were going to bulldoze it at night, but Gio said he was staying. Emma said she had the best idea and would be right back. Lulu said she was looking for Maxie and didn’t expect Dante to be there. Dante said James broke his arm and got a cast, so Spinelli and Maxie took him and Georgie out for ice cream as a consolation prize. He was babysitting Bailey Lou. Lulu said she wasn’t surprised, since he was an amazing father. Brook asked what Lois hadn’t told her about her child. Martin had an entire file on her baby and knew Dante was the father. Why? Gloria came in and asked, what in the Bensonhurst is going on here?

Dante told Lulu she was a great mom. It was incredible seeing her and Rocco connect again. Lulu said the last few days had been weird, like Rocco couldn’t be in the same room with her. She’d been preoccupied with finding Charlotte and wondered if Rocco felt like she was choosing his sister over him. Charlotte said she’d never forgive Anna for using her papa and driving him away, and Anna said Charlotte didn’t understand… but Charlotte said Anna had ruined their lives and she hated Anna. Jason came in and asked Anna to give them a minute. Anna left, and Jason said Anna was the reason Charlotte and her father were still alive. Portia told Curtis that she had been grateful to Drew for saving Trina, but she was astonished at how he was treating his family and friends. She didn’t think it was possible for someone to change that much, but Curtis did what needed to be done and won. Curtis said, here’s hoping, and Portia asked if he really wanted Drew as an enemy. He got what he wanted. Maybe now was the perfect time for a truce. Curtis said he wasn’t the one continuing the fight. She needed to talk to Drew. Laura asked how Drew found out about the property line, and Martin said he may or may not have mentioned it. It was his job and his duty to represent his client. Chase came out and told Laura that he’d been ordered by the congressman to lock up his wife’s grandmother in a cell. Laura asked what she could do to help. Drew said he was sick of the hypocrisy, and Tracy said she was sick of the sound of his voice, yet here they were. Drew said, after all the horrible things the Quartermaines had done, all he did was fall in love. Tracy said, falling in love was one thing, and acting on it was another. She loved the way he always left the detail out that it was his nephew’s wife. He said she held him to different standards and she said she did. He blew up Willow’s marriage, betrayed Michael’s trust, and severely hurt the woman who welcomed him with opened arms in to her home – Monica. Brook told Gloria that it was a personal legal matter, but Gloria said it was her Brook was talking to. Brook had been talking to her mother about her baby.

Emma brought chairs, blankets, and a lantern to make Gio’s stakeout more comfortable. She said Drew was a jerk, laying into poor, old Tracy, and Gio suggested she not let Tracy hear any part of that. Tracy could handle herself. Don’t jump into the Quartermaine mess. Emma said it was her thing. Her mom said she was a born crusader. Gio said at least he knew where his mom was and could visit. If someone threatened to move her, he’d be in a cell next to Tracy. Brook said, Lois had told her grandma? and Lois said she’d needed to confide in someone. She didn’t know how to navigate the situation and wanted to make sure Brook and her baby were protected. Gloria said she’d left Brook’s past in the past, and Brook asked, then why talk to a lawyer? Lois flashed back to talking to Martin and asking if it was possible for Brook to find her child. Brook said Lois had told her, everything was fine, but she wondered if that was true. It must not be, or why else would she talk to Martin? Gloria said she’d told Lois to talk to him. Martin told Laura that he was sorry. He’d wanted to use the property as a bargaining chip, so Tracy would drop the cease and desist. Laura said, now the crypt would have to be moved and asked if Chase thought the charges would stick. Chase said, they could, and Martin said she should have just given in. Laura asked if he’d met Tracy, and he asked, what was so special about the Quartermaine name? Laura said Tracy was protecting the family in the only way she knew how.

Tracy said Drew had repaid Monica’s generosity by destroying her grandson’s marriage and happiness in favor of his own. He didn’t deserve Monica’s generosity and should leave Port Charles. Drew said Tracy had been kicked out of Port Charles by the family more than once. What made her think it wouldn’t happen again. Sasha said, the truth was… and Carly said Sasha liked working for the Quartermaines. Sasha said she thought they needed her, and Carly said, of course (🍷) they did, but don’t put herself on the back burner. Sasha said she was in a better financial position. She’d negotiated her way to the beginning of a nest egg. Carly said it was an achievement, but the one thing that made her situation different from the other single mom’s – the baby’s father. Jason said Anna saved Charlotte and Valentin’s lives, but Charlotte said they didn’t need her help. Jason said Anna was the first one to warn her dad. He wanted to turn Valentin in, but Anna convinced him to give him a head start. She’s the reason he had a chance to run and she tracked Charlotte to keep her safe. Charlotte said that Anna felt guilty for shooting her, and he said that was part of it, but Charlotte was her dad’s whole world. Anna was protecting her for him. She cared about them both. Charlotte could feel however she wanted, but Anna at least deserved her respect. Charlotte asked if the WSB would have really killed them.

Jason told Anna that Charlotte was sleeping, and Anna said she needed a favor. Take Charlotte back to Port Charles in one piece. She was going to get a room and make her own way back. It was too hard for Charlotte to be around her, and it felt cruel to force it. Jason said he thought Anna was making a mistake. Portia told Curtis that she remembered the old Drew, the good guy, the hero. That’s why he ran for congress in the first place. Curtis said, Drew’s motives changed, and she agreed 100%. But maybe Curtis could afford to let him keep some of his dignity and back off. Curtis said, Drew’s reputation had been tarnished, and it wasn’t on him to fix. She said, but he didn’t need to rub it in Drew’s face. if he could accommodate Drew a tiny bit, it might work out in his favor. Curtis said he was furious with Drew, but not interested in payback. Aurora was a non-starter, but if there was a path to peace, he was here for it. As long as the terms were reasonable. She said that was all she was asking for, when Jordan came in and said she needed to speak with Curtis. The situation with Drew had gone from bad to worse. Drew was officially out of control.

Drew told Tracy that things were going to change. He was the black sheep now, but not for long. He was a Quartermaine and would get his way. Then she would be on the outside, wondering how she got there. The answer is him. Chase told Drew that the mayor would like a word. Drew went into the squad room and said he was sorry Tracy dragged Laura down there, but Martin said, that was him. Laura urged Drew to do the right thing. Stand down and drop the charges against Tracy. He asked, why? and she said, to be blunt, if he didn’t, it wouldn’t bode well for him, politically or otherwise. Dante told Lulu that he didn’t think Rocco was jealous of Charlotte. Rocco was perceptive, like Lulu, and he could see that she was worried about Charlotte and was trying to give her space. Lulu said it was strange. She was Rocco’s mother, but she’d missed a pivotal stage and was out of the loop. She knew nothing about parenting a teenage boy. Dante said parents never felt like they were doing the right thing. She and Rocco both had to make up for lost time, and she was doing it with grace, love, and patience. He wouldn’t handle be close to handling it as well. Emma said she’d bring a file if Gio and Tracy were locked up and Gio said he liked Tracy. She gave it to you straight, even if you didn’t want to hear it. And she could take as good as she gave. She actually listened to him. Emma said she thought Tracy was smart. She wished she could stay with Gio, and Gio said the lab animals couldn’t free themselves. Emma said she wanted to take him real camping, but in the meantime, stay warm. Gloria told Brook that she’d advised Lois to consult a lawyer to make sure Brook and her baby protected were protected. They’d decided on a closed adoption. Brook said, so her baby could have a happy and stable life, and Gloria said, Brook too. They wanted her to have time to grow up, fall in love, and have a family of her own. Brook said she wasn’t 16 anymore. It made sense then, but made less sense now. She needed to know who adopted her son and where he was.

Sasha said her experience with Jason was different, and Carly said Jason would never tell Sasha how to be a mother, but if she needed anything, he’d be there in a heartbeat. He was the most loyal person she knew. Don’t do him a disservice by cutting him out of the baby’s life. Sasha said the father respected her wishes and said he’d support her in any way he could. It was the second greatest gift he could give her. Curtis said he never thought he’d be sympathetic to the Quartermaines, but Portia said it was family drama. Stay out of it. Jordan said it wasn’t about the Quartermaines. It was about how Drew was abusing his power. First, he blocked the esplanade, then wanted to move it for his personal gain. Now he was focused on settling the score with his family when he needed to be doing his job – enacting laws, securing school funds, and fulfilling his campaign promises. Curtis said, public outcry was the only thing that would stop him, and Jordan said, good thing she knew the head of a media company. Curtis said he made no promises, but he’d see what he could do. Drew told Laura that he wasn’t making this up. They broke the law. The land was public, and they took it. He owed his constituents not to turn a blind eye just because they were family. Laura asked if he thought putting Tracy in jail overnight was the pathway to justice, and Martin said it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Drew said, fine. Tracy could go home. He’d talk to the surveyor and get the charges dropped, but this was far from over. Gloria said Lois didn’t know the details, and Brook said, but Gloria did. Gloria said she hadn’t been contact since the papers were signed for the closed adoption. Brook said, what if she wanted to find him? They knew she and Chase were trying to start a family. What if she gave away the only child she was going to have? Gloria said, Brook was his birth mother. Act like it. Let the young man be. Don’t put her pain on her son. She made the right decision. Abide by it. Brook said Gloria might be right, but it didn’t feel that way now, and she left. Lois told Gloria that Brook couldn’t know Gio was her son.

Jason told Anna that the only person to blame for Valentin’s situation was Valentin. He may not get out of this one. Anna said, if Charlotte needed someone to blame, it might as well be her, but Jason said Charlotte needed an example. She saw Anna’s mistakes and saw what she did after her mistakes. She saw Anna was accountable and keeping her word. She didn’t need Anna to disappear. Anna said she wasn’t sure she could do that, and Jason said he’d never seen her run. Don’t start now. Gloria said they couldn’t tell Brook. It wasn’t fair to her or Gio. Gio knew who he was and worshiped his mother. They couldn’t take that away. Lois said, Camilla was dead. His birth mother was right here. Don’t they need each other? Brook saw Gio outside the crypt and asked what he was doing. He said his grandma got in a fight with a surveyor and Chase arrested her, and Brook said, it must have been interesting. Gio said he was standing guard, and Brook asked if she could join him. He said he’d love some company. He was keeping his word to Tracy. Why was she here? Brook said, to clear her head. Her other grandmother was here. Gio said, that’s great… unless it wasn’t, and Brook said she knew her grandmother would do anything for her. Gio said Gloria was solid and could be trusted, and Brook said she could trust her grandmother and her mom, but what they were asking her to accept was hard to live with. Lulu said she owed Dante an apology. She was short with him at the Quartermaine’s. He said he was sorry too, and she said they were acting like grown-ups. He said he didn’t think he’d made it better by defending Brook. He didn’t think he’d said enough about how it was a miracle having her back after all this time. He didn’t want to take her being here for granted. She said she needed to tell him something, when Bailey Lou started crying. He said duty called. Hold that thought.

Anna asked if Jason was calling her a coward, and he asked if she was going to run. She said she was going to see it through and keep an eye on Charlotte. Charlotte was smart, resourceful, and believed she was invincible. It was a dangerous combination and Anna thought they’d come after Valentin. He was a target and she was saving Charlotte from herself. It would be a challenge. Jason said he’d take the first watch, and Anna lied down on the couch. Sasha told Carly that she was aware she had it better than most single moms. She asked the father to step back and he didn’t fight her. Carly said that might change when the baby was born, and Sasha said she promised if she needed help from the father, she wouldn’t hesitate to ask. Portia told Curtis, let Drew implode on his own. Let Tracy handle the Quartermaines. Curtis said Drew was failing to represent the people who elected him, and that included them. He wasn’t going to stand by and watch. He got on the phone and said, Brian, rally the troops. There was going to be a big Aurora Media push to expose Drew Quartermaine’s abuse of his office. Martin said Drew was a US Congressman, and didn’t need an enemy like Tracy, but Drew said, everyone else might be afraid of Tracy, but not him. He was going to break her.

Laura asked if Tracy would like the good news or the bad news first, and Tracy said, good. Laura said Tracy could go home tonight, but she didn’t think Drew would back down. Tracy was going to have a battle on her hands. Tracy said, give her the bad news, and Laura said she felt Tracy’s parents would say, choose her battles wisely. Tracy said she was. She wouldn’t allow some grifter to steal the family name and force her to move her parents’ final resting place. If Drew wanted a battle, bring it on. Bailey Lou played with some toys and Dante said, extra play time made it even for the ice cream. He asked what Lulu wanted to say, but Lulu said she couldn’t remember. It must not have been that important. Gloria told Lois that if they told Brook that Gio was her son, it would ruin three lives – Brook’s, Dante’s, and Gio’s. Think of why they made that decision. Lois said, to protect Brook and her child, and Gloria said, nothing has changed. They needed to protect them now. Lois started to cry. Brook apologized for being cryptic, and Gio said they were at a crypt. (BA-DUM-CHH!) Brook said she trusted someone, and they didn’t tell her something they should have. She couldn’t tell him anything else. He said she didn’t have to. They could just sit, look at the stars, and dream of heat. For what it was worth (🍷), Lois and Gloria loved her. Brook said she knew, but they were a lot. He must miss his mom so much. He said, so much every day, and Brook said he had people looking out for him. He had a whole crazy family, like it or not.

Wednesday:

In the steam room, Chase told Dante that he could tell something had changed, and Dante said he and Lulu talked. The Golden Bachelorette guy was in Nina’s office, and she said she’d been a fan of his (Jeffrey Beckett) for a long time. She never read anything like his work as a wildlife journalist. Crimson’s nature and travel series was lucky to have someone of his caliber involved. Plus, he cleaned up nicely for man of the wild. Elizabeth helped Lucky into the house. His condition needed to be watched for the next 24 hours and since Doc and Laura were working, he was stuck with her. He said he guessed it was okay, and she said, just okay? They moved closer on the sofa and the doorbell rang. It was Carly with a food basket, asking, how’s the hero? At the café, Kristina asked if Alexis read the smack piece on Congressman Cutthroat, Drew’s new nickname. He’d used his political influence to get exhumation of esteemed members of the Quartermaine fam and in his quest for revenge, had Tracy arrested. Alexis wondered, what the hell he was thinking and how did they protect Scout? In Curtis’s office, Laura asked if he was behind the article and Curtis said he was. She told him, way to go, and they high-fived. Drew brought flowers to Willow at the hospital, and she suggested they go to the breakroom. He asked if the article got to her and was she embarrassed seen with him. Portia asked Ric to tell her that he found a way out without her losing her career or marriage, but he said it was much worse than she thought.

Carly thanked Lucky and Elizabeth for figuring it out and bringing Cyrus to justice. She asked what Lucky was going to do now that he was home, but he said he had no plans. Carly said she was leaving so they could get into the basket (is that what we’re calling it now?), and she left. Lucky asked Elizabeth, where were we? Nina said although Jeffrey was there for a fitting and photoshoot, she was glad they had time to meet, and he said he didn’t get many calls from magazines. She said they were branching out to satisfy their readers interest in travel and nature, and they talked about his next trip to Turkey. (BTW, dude is no actor.) Nina asked how his wife felt about him being gone all the time, and he said he wasn’t married, but had the feeling he was going to meet someone special soon and had learned to trust his instincts. Nina was straightening his tie, when Ava came in. Alexis looked at the photo of a mean faced Drew on her tablet, and told Kristina, of course (🍷) DeWitt wrote it. That seedy little worm would write anything for clicks. Kristina said she remembered too well when he wrote about her and Blaze, but Drew deserved it. Alexis said, Scout didn’t. There had to be something she could do to protect Scout. Willow told Drew that The Invader was nothing but lies, but she felt like all eyes were on them and wanted to keep a low profile. It had nothing to do with her feelings for him. She asked if he knew who was behind the article, and he said, no, but he had his suspicions. Ric told Portia that if she’d just altered the results, she might lose her job, but the results were tied to a criminal trial, and she faced the possibility of jail time. She could be charged with obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence, fraud, and criminal negligence. If he hadn’t gotten independent tests done, Heather could have wrongfully ended up in prison. Keep playing by Drew’s rules and make sure he never tells anyone. Portia said it was too late. Drew was going to expose her today.

Dante told Chase that he and Lulu ended up babysitting Baily Lou together and both let their guards down. It was their first real talk since she’d woken up. The first time he felt they’d been in sync and had an honest conversation. They talked about Rocco, Charlotte, and Brook. He’d been defending Brook, and it made Lulu feel like he was picking her side. He had to stop doing it. Chase said he never would have thought the animosity would still be there, and Dante said, him too. It had been four years, but he had to be okay with it and let Lulu be Lulu. He didn’t want to be in the middle, but wanted to focus on Lulu being back in their lives and being happy again. Ava said she and Jeffrey had met when she had a Joel Sartore exhibit, and Jeffrey said he remembered. Nina said he was doing a new series for Crimson, and he asked how they knew each other. Ava said they were good friends, and he said good friends were hard to come by. Ava said they certainly were. Kristina said she had a favor to ask Willow. She’d had a video chat with Michael and he missed the kids. Willow said, the kids missed him too, and Kristina asked it would be okay for her to take videos of the kids sending messages to their dad and send them to Michael. He needed all the support he could get. Willow said the kids would love it and she appreciated the update. She had one condition – please focus on them and Michael and say nothing negative about Drew. Kristina told her that she’d never say anything bad in front of the kids. It wasn’t easy for them. Willow said she wished everyone was a bit more like Kristina. Portia told Ric about the article in the Invader. Drew would assume Curtis was behind it and if she couldn’t influence Curtis, Drew had no reason to keep her secret. But wasn’t what Drew was doing illegal? Ric said she couldn’t expose Drew without exposing herself, and she said it was going to be impossible to hide. He said she had two choices. Convince Drew that Curtis had nothing to do with the article or tell Curtis everything now. She might lose her job, but it was a chance to save her marriage. She said maybe she could save both. Lucky suggested he and Elizabeth have a date later, but thought they could get a head start. They kissed, when the door opened and Aiden walked in.

On the phone, Portia asked Curtis to stop by her office. It was important. Laura told Curtis that her opinion of Drew had changed. She hadn’t seen him do one thing he said he’d do during the campaign. (Welcome to politics!) All she’d seen him do was pose for the camera and abuse his power. She applauded anyone willing to expose him. Curtis said Drew’s biggest weakness was his need to be seen as a hero, and she wondered if they could use that to get him act like a hero. Alexis interrupted, but Laura said she was late again and left. Curtis said it was always a pleasure, and Alexis said she hoped he felt like that after what she was going to ask. Jeffrey left, and Ava said she could see Nina had moved on from Drew. Nina said she definitely had, but she wouldn’t be with a rugged wilderness man any time soon. She asked Ava, what’s up? and Ava said she’d had difficulty regarding her finances lately. Nina wondered if Ava was there to ask for a loan. At the hospital, Kristina was about to get in the elevator, when she saw Ric and turned around, but Ric followed her. He told her that her trip to the ballet with Avery wasn’t happening. Carly approached Willow and said she didn’t want to fight. She wouldn’t be there if she didn’t still genuinely care for Willow. She was worried how the negative press would affect her grandchildren. Wiley was old enough to hear things in school. Willow said she’d explain it was untrue, but Carly said it wasn’t. Drew was really doing these things. He’d sunk to a new low. Drew came out of nowhere, since he doesn’t do his actual job, and said, leave Willow alone. Did Carly ever mind her own business? Carly said if it affected her grandchildren and it was her business, but she’d be happy to talk to Congressman Cutthroat.

Dante told Chase that Lulu thought Rocco was acting strange because she was focused on finding Charlotte, but he didn’t think so. Chase said he was kind of the fun uncle and could talk to Rocco. Dante told him to go for it, and Chase said when they were Rocco’s age and distracted, it was about girls. Dante said he’d walked in on Danny and Rocco having an argument over girl. He never talked to his mom about that kind of thing. Chase asked if Dante thought his mom would have liked the girls he was with, and Dante said, one in particular. Elizabeth told Aiden that his dad was staying the night, and Aiden said he was sorry he’d miss it since he was staying at a friend’s house. Ava said she hated asking Nina for a favor. When she married Nikolas, she spent quite bit and thought she’d always have money. She had a generous settlement until the Cassadine curse kicked in. Nina said, of course (🍷) she was willing to give Ava a loan. She’d been waiting for Ava to ask. What took her so long? Drew told Carly that he didn’t care what names he was called. He wasn’t in the wrong. The Quartermaine crypt was on public land. She wondered how he could be the same man who held her at Virginia’s grave (irony!), and he said that was wrong, but this was wrong too. Carly said, it destroyed her and he was doing the same thing. Did family mean nothing to him? He said he was doing it to keep his place in the family that Tracy was stripping him from, and she said that wasn’t the way to do it. If he continued to justify his actions, she saw a recall in his future. Willow said Tracy was no saint. Drew was only fighting fire with fire. It was the only language Tracy understood, and Carly knew that better than anyone. Carly said she came to have a calm conversation with Willow, but there was no point, so she’d leave them to it. Kristina asked Ric, why not? and Ric said it wasn’t her dad’s day. She said it was a special one night only performance and it was impossible to get tickets. She’d talk to her dad and they could switch days. He said it would just confuse Avery, but Kristina said he was going to upset Avery just to get back at her. He said maybe she shouldn’t promise what she couldn’t deliver. Next time check a calendar.

Nina said, it wasn’t a loan, it was a gift, but Ava said she couldn’t. Not even from Nina. She’d have Ric draw up paperwork and a repayment schedule. Money could change things, people, and friendships, and she wouldn’t let it change theirs. Nina said it wouldn’t, but Ava said she’d lost their friendship once and didn’t want to risk it again. Nina said she felt the same way, when Carly came in and said she needed to talk to Nina. Ava said she and Nina would talk later and left. Nina asked, what’s the emergency? and Carly said it was about Drew and Willow. They had to put their plan in motion now. Sasha was waiting in an examining room when Willow came in. She said, Sasha was her next patient, and Sasha said if Willow had a problem with her, say it. Willow asked how Sasha could be such a hypocrite. Sasha turned on her the second she saw Willow kissing Michael’s uncle on 4th of July. Sasha said she didn’t, and Willow said Sasha did way worse. She dated Michael and now she was pregnant by his other uncle. (Wow. That’s a stretch to say that’s worse.) Drew went to Portia’s office and said he was disappointed in her. He thought she’d get Curtis to see reason and move on. Instead, he’s the one behind the article. Portia said she didn’t think so. The Quartermaines were a huge family. It could have been anybody. Curtis had Aurora Media, so why would he use a rag like The Invader when he had reputable sources at his fingertips. Drew said she had a good point, but it could be a great point if she could convince Curtis to do a series of articles focusing on him being a family man, a hard-working congressman (ha-ha-ha! he’s never at work), and an ex-Navy SEAL. Portia said if she defended him any more than she was, it would tip off Curtis, and he said that was unfortunate for her. She said it was one thing to go after Curtis directly, but it was a whole other thing to go after him through his wife. If he found out Drew was blackmailing her, he’d go to a whole other level. Was Drew sure he was ready to take that on? Alexis told Curtis that it was about the article in The Invader. Drew came across as a villain and Tracy a hapless innocent. Nothing could be further from the truth. Curtis asked, which part? and Alexis said, DeWitt wasn’t going to publish a retraction, but she was hoping Curtis might write an article present Drew as more balanced to protect his image. She was worried about the public turning on him and how her granddaughter would feel. Curtis had the resources to help. He said he was sympathetic about Scout, but Drew made himself look bad, not the article. He valued her friendship, but couldn’t help. Did she ever think that by shielding Drew from the consequences of his actions and not holding him accountable, that she was enabling him? Aiden told Elizabeth and Lucky that he was meeting his friends at the movies. It was nice having them together. Aiden left, Lucky said, alone at last, and they started kissing again. Ava came back to her apartment to find Kristina waiting outside her door.

Elizabeth and Lucky began to get busy, when the doorbell rang. Laura said she was sorry she didn’t call, but wanted to thank Elizabeth for bringing Lucky home. She hugged Lucky and suggested they all have dinner tonight. Lucky said, that would be perfect, and he and Elizabeth forced smiles. Ava asked what brought Kristina by, and Kristina said she ran into Ric, and he said she couldn’t take Avery to the ballet. Ava said it was her day and Avery’s schedule had to stay consistent. Kristina said it wasn’t about Avery. It was about getting back at her. Ava was going to deprive Avery of a magical night that would be a core memory lasting a lifetime. Ava said Avery was still going, but with her. The theater owner was a friend, and she got front row center. Kristina said, bitch, and Ric popped out, telling her to watch her temper. Remember the last time she lost it. She said there was a special place in hell for both of them. Chase told Dante that Rocco would grow out of it. They did. He was glad Dante talked to Lulu. Dante said he was relieved. He asked how things were going with Brook, and Chase said, the same. They didn’t know how they were going to become parents. Dante said, take their time. Whatever happened, Chase was going to be a great dad. He was a natural. Chase said it meant a lot coming from him, and Dante said Chase could come to him with everything. Chase said with his dad gone and Finn in Seattle, there weren’t a lot of guys to talk to. His friendship with Dante was important to him. Dante said it was to him too. Sasha said her and Willow’s situations weren’t remotely similar. She and Michael were long over. Willow said she thought there were more similarities than Sasha was willing to admit. The one big difference was, her mom was never a con artist. (Um…) Sasha said Willow didn’t know her mother, and Willow said when Sasha’s plan didn’t work out with Michael’s money, she went after Jason. Sasha said Willow was so, so wrong, and suggested they talk about Willow landing her husband’s very wealthy very uncle. Coincidence? Speaking of coincidence, she thought the article about Drew was what was bothering Willow. It made her realize she’d thrown her life away. She blew up her life and family over a sleaze and couldn’t admit she was wrong.

Portia told Drew that there had to be another way she could help that wasn’t about Curtis writing a puff piece. Drew said they could do a press conference. He could discuss his pediatric sports initiative (🍷– new drinking game! you’ll see) and she could represent GH. Portia said she didn’t see how it would help, but Drew aid, her being there would force Curtis to cover the story and paint him in the best possible light. Curtis walked in and asked what the hell Drew was doing there. Carly told Nina to stall Willow. Keep Willow at her place or find her a place of her own. Whatever it took to keep her and the kids from moving in with Drew. Drew was pushing it and they had to believe somehow Willow knew it was a bad idea. The longer they could keep Willow from moving in with Drew, the better. Meanwhile, they’d work on exposing Drew. Nina asked how she suggested they do it, and Carly said they needed to get in his house and find something so undeniable that Willow would never look at him the same way. Nina asked, what if there was nothing to find? and Carly said they’d make sure there was.

Thursday:

Jason and Anna were flying back to Port Charles with Charlotte. Charlotte wanted to call her mom, but Anna said, hold on. Maxie, Lulu, and Carly were at a table at the MetroCourt, when Jack came in with Jordan. Jordan told Jack that she was the liaison for the WSB, and he said he didn’t think the mayor was his biggest fan. Jordan said, if they eased the tension, it would be better for sharing information. The WSB possessed information that was helpful. Jack asked what she’d like to know, and she said, not what, but who. What did he know about Jenz Sidwell?  Portia wondered if there was another way for her to help Drew that didn’t involve Curtis writing a puff piece, and Drew said he was having a press conference to discuss his pediatric sports initiative (🍷) and she could represent GH. It would force Curtis to print a story painting him in a positive light. Curtis came in and asked what the hell Drew was doing there, and Drew said he was presenting a business proposal to Curtis’s wife. Curtis asked Portia to tell him what was going on. Sasha said, when the article dropped, Willow realized she blew up her life and family over a sleaze and couldn’t admit she was wrong. Willow said she was absolutely wrong to cheat on Michael, but who was Sasha to judge her? No one knew what led up to it except her, Drew, and Michael. Sasha asked if she was sure about that. Lucas was about to leave the bar in Miami when he found a credit card on the floor. As he looked at it, a man approached and said he believed it was his.  Elizabeth asked if Lucky was expecting anyone else to pop in, and he said, no. Her? She said, nope. It was just them for the rest of the night. He said he liked the sound of that and she said she did too, and they kissed.

Anna said she wanted to wait until they were in Port Charles before letting Lulu know Charlotte was back, and Charlotte asked if Anna thought those men would find her papa. Jason said Valentin made the right call by letting her come with them. He could move faster alone. Anna said there was no one better at disappearing and the men didn’t stand a chance, but she knew that didn’t make it hurt less. Jack told Jordan that Sidwell’s dealings in rare earth and minerals weren’t just gold and diamonds. The minerals he spoke of were strictly regulated by those in weapons manufacturing. Jordan asked if he thought that’s why Sidwell was in Port Charles. Did he want to use their port to smuggle his goods? He said there was no evidence of it, but it was in both their interests to keep an eye on Sidwell. Was there something she wanted to share with the class? She said she had one interesting tidbit. Carly was making a valiant effort not to notice him, but failing miserably. Lulu asked, what’s so fascinating? but Carly said, nothing. Lulu asked why she was staring at Jack, but Carly said she was just making sure her patrons were happy. Why would she care who Jack spent time with? While Portia was busy on the phone, Drew told Curtis that he was spearheading a pediatric sports initiative (🍷). He was surprised Trina hadn’t mentioned it since her friend Kai was involved, lending them his local celebrity status. Curtis said, and Drew was in his wife’s office because… Drew said she was Co-Chief of Staff and the initiative involved GH. Portia had already agreed to be at the press conference. Portia said she wished Drew wouldn’t put words in her mouth.

Elizabeth’s doorbell rang and she said it was like Grand Central Station. She opened the door to Ric and told him it wasn’t the best time, but he said it was important and would just take a minute. Lucky said he thought this night couldn’t get better, and Ric said he wanted to start by thanking Lucky. In Miami, the man said that Lucas found his card and offered to show Lucas his ID, but Lucas said it wasn’t necessary. The man introduced himself as Marco and offered to buy Lucas a drink as thanks. Sasha said everyone saw Willow mooning over Drew. She found excuses to be with or around him and even Michael noticed. Willow said her and Michael’s issues started before Sasha moved in and they all made mistakes – her, Drew, and Michael. Sasha said she thought the only mistake Michael made was trusting Willow. Willow told Michael that it was just a harmless crush, that her heart was still with him and the kids. He believed her and when he found out she acted on her feelings, he was devastated. So yes, Sasha would judge her and not feel bad about it. Willow said Sasha got pregnant at the beginning of November, around the time Jason was mourning Sam, and Sasha said, Jason and Sam hadn’t been together in years. Willow said, but their love story was epic and an obstacle to anyone who wanted Jason. (Is she confusing Sam with Carly?) Sasha saw an opening and took it. (This is possibly the most difficult suspension of disbelief for me, since Sasha could so get Willow fired.)

Jason asked why Anna didn’t want Charlotte to call Lulu, and Anna said she didn’t think the WSB would go after Charlotte, but if Brennan didn’t send the men, someone else had a vested interest in shutting Valentin up permanently. Jason said, it might be easier to use Charlotte to lure Valentin than find him, and Anna said, Charlotte’s phone could be tapped. She needed to contact someone else first. Marco said he was in Miami for a client meeting, and Lucas said he was there for a medical symposium. His ex was also on the trip, and it didn’t end well. Portia said she hadn’t given Drew an answer yet, and Drew said, it was just wishful thinking. Portia said the program was his baby and he should take all the credit, but Drew said it was a partnership. What happened to one of them would happen to the other, and the intention was to benefit the kids. Portia said then she’d do it, and Drew said it was a worthy cause. It would also generate a ton if positive publicity for GH, creating an influx of donors, which would help all of the patients. He knew how quickly things would change, and bringing money in would help her keep her position. Curtis said it would also help people forget Congressman Cutthroat, and Drew said he’d like to offer Curtis and Aurora the opportunity to cover the kick off. Willow said, while she was acting on her sincere feelings, Sasha acted out of greed. Jason was wealthy and adding the Quartermaine connection, her having his baby was the best con she ever pulled. Sasha wondered, what about Willow telling Michael that she would love, honor, and cherish him until death they did part? Think what she wanted about Sasha’s choices, but she didn’t break any vows or hearts. Willow said, give it time, and left. Anna called Jack and told him that she had Charlotte Cassadine. He said he didn’t suppose she had Valentin as well, and she said, negative. They were on a jet and would be at the Sussex airfield in an hour. She needed him to bring Lulu there without alerting anyone. Was it something he could do? He said, not a problem, and Anna told Jason that Jack was going to meet them on the tarmac. Jason asked if she was sure about trusting Jack. How did she know the men weren’t lying, were there under Jack’s orders, and they were delivering him the means to eliminate Valentin?

 Anna said, Jack may be on the hunt, but he knew if anything happened to Charlotte on his watch, Carly would never forgive him. Jason said Jack didn’t care about Carly, but Anna said he did. When it came to Carly, he didn’t have an ulterior motive. She thought he was smitten. She wasn’t saying he was a good guy, but he wanted to see Charlotte reunited with her mother as much as they did. Ric thanked Lucky for saving Elizabeth and gave Elizabeth a manila envelope. He said it was a hard copy of the Medical Review Board’s final decision. She was officially exonerated from responsibility in the deaths of Sylvia Mullen, Dex Heller, and Sam McCall. He also got her back pay for the days of work she was forced to miss. She thanked him, and he said his only regret was that Terry had to call him to represent her. It was good to have such a good friend, but Elizabeth should have called him in the first place. She said she didn’t know Terry had called and didn’t know how serious it was until she was in the middle of it. He said if she ever needed a lawyer or wondered if she might, he should be her first call. He couldn’t bust down doors or duke it out with lunatics, but if she called, he’d always pick up. Lucky rolled his eyes. Marco said Lucas’s ex being there couldn’t be easy, and Lucas said, ex-husband. Marco asked how long they were married, and Lucas said, three years and they had a son. He apologized and said, Marco offered to buy him a drink, not listen to his sob story, and Marco ordered two more. He said he loved long stories, the sobbier, the better. Tell him about his son.

Curtis said Aurora wasn’t the only game in town and Drew could find another media outlet, but Drew said, Curtis’s wife was on board. It would look bad if Curtis didn’t cover it. It was a win-win for all of them. Curtis said he needed time to think about it, and Drew said, fair enough. He left, and Curtis said, what the hell was that? Maxie, Lulu, and Carly discussed the Quartermaine crypt incident, and Jack told Jordan that he hated to cut the evening short. Jordan’s phone rang, and she said she’d be there as soon as she could. Jack went to Lulu and said he was sorry to interrupt, but she had to come with him. It was urgent. Lulu asked if it was about the search for Valentin, but he said he couldn’t give her any details. She’d have to trust him. Carly said she could trust Jack, and Lulu left with him. Maxie asked Carly, what was going on with her and Agent Brennan? Anna thanked Jason for coming and having her back. He didn’t need to get involved. He said he did, but Anna said she let Valentin escape. Jason said he went along with it, and she said, because she asked him to. He said he chose to. It was on him too. They both let Valentin take Charlotte. Anna said, and now they were bringing her back. Lucas told Marco that he gave Wiley back to his father, he and Brad got divorced, and Brad spent six months in prison. Marco said Lucas’s ex must have loved him. He did a terrible thing, but believed it was to spare Lucas pain. He risked his freedom. He risked everything. Lucas said Marco was the first person to hear the story and have that reaction, and Marco asked if Lucas disagreed. Lucas said, no. That was the part that killed him. He knew Brad did it because Brad loved him. He’d always wanted a family of their own, and Brad thought it would break his heart not to have a child, so Brad gave him one. Marco said, and broke his heart anyway, and Lucas said, it hurt a lot of other people, and no amount of love or good intentions can change that. Marco said, it couldn’t erase Lucas’s time with Wiley or Brad either. Wiley may not be his son, but was still a part of him. He was a child of Lucas’s heart and always would be. Lucas said he had a year and a half of being a dad. The memory was his forever, and no one could take it away. Ric told Elizabeth to put the papers in her records asap, and she went upstairs. Lucky suggested Ric send a messenger next time, and Ric asked if he detected hostility. Lucky said, just impatience, and Ric said he meant it when he said Lucky was a hero. And it got him a nice comfy spot to recover. Lucky said it was harder when random people kept dropping by with unnecessary things, and Ric asked if he could drop Lucky off at his mother’s so she could tuck him in. Lucky said thanks for the offer, but he was solid, and Ric said, that was the first word that came to mind when someone thought about Lucky – solid and reliable. Elizabeth could do so much better. Lucky said, like with Ric? Portia told Curtis that she agreed with Drew about the initiative. It would be good for the kids and for the entire hospital. As a doctor and as a mother, she had to support it, no matter what she thought or felt about Drew.

Curtis said if it was just Drew, there was no way he’d get involved, but did Portia want him to cover it? She said she did, for the reasons she said, but also for Trina. Kai was involved and Curtis’s support would mean so much. Don’t let Drew’s awfulness keep him from contributing to a good cause. Don’t let Drew have that kind of power. Jordan went to Drew’s office and said she didn’t have much time. Make it quick. He told her that he was having a press conference to announce his pediatric sports initiative (🍷). Portia agreed to be part of it and he was hoping Aurora would provide coverage. He’d love for her to be there as a representative of the mayor’s office. Jordan said, give her a break. Drew was trying to get himself a nice bouquet to cover the stench of The Invader article. Drew asked if she was going to help organize the support of the community or walk away just to spite him. Jordan said she’d take it under consideration, and left. Lulu asked why they were watching a jet landing and Jack said her daughter was on it. He didn’t have any details, but Anna told him to bring her. He assumed it was to secure her safety. Lulu started to cry and said she couldn’t believe it. Her daughter…

Marco asked if Lucas was doing better, and Lucas said he wasn’t in Boston drowning himself in work. He’d gone to Boston, didn’t date at all, and barely had contact with his friends and family. Marco asked, what changed? and Lucas said his mom died. Marco said he was sorry to hear that, and Lucas said, it was a wake-up call. Our time here was so limited, and they had to do as much with it as they could. Love people while they were still here. Marco said, so he went home, and Lucas said he still worked a lot. There was no action on the dating front, but he wasn’t hiding from life, so there was that. Marco said it was a lot. It took courage to face the things that scared you. How was it? Lucas said his family and friends were great. Shockingly, it hadn’t been so horrible seeing Brad. Marco said, it stirred up old emotions, and Lucas said, sort of. He remembered why they fell in love and how happy they were once upon a time. Brad helped him through a terrible time and made him less lonely. Marco said someone who did that would always have a place in your heart. Not the place they used to, but a place. Lucas said, when he found out Brad was at the symposium, he thought it was a sign. Brad was the kind, supportive person he fell for, and he started to feel something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. They were just at the brink of putting it back together, but then Brad decided to tell him how he got to go on the trip, and he’s still the same lying manipulative person he was. Still driven by love for him, but maybe that was the problem. Marco said, love? and Lucas said it couldn’t be the only answer to loneliness. Marco said, companionship came in all shapes and sizes, and Lucas said maybe it was as simple as finding a gorgeous man and taking it from there. He added, more accurately, from here, and kissed Marco. Jordan went to see Portia and said she spoke to Drew about his new pediatric sports initiative (🍷), and Portia said he asked her to be at the press conference. Jordan said she heard Portia was on board. Drew also said Aurora might get involved. Is that the truth?

Carly told Maxie that she and Jack’s lives were incompatible, and Maxie asked how he took it. Carly said, quietly. He walked away and she hasn’t seen him until now. Maxie said it sounded like the rejection hurt his feelings, but Carly said Jack had a woman in every city. She was just the one in Port Charles. She couldn’t go down that road when Jack would never commit. Maxie asked, to what? What kind of commitment was Carly looking for? Sasha got her ultrasound, and the nurse (not Willow) asked if she’d like to know the sex. Coming out of the elevator, Drew saw Willow and asked if she was okay. She seemed down. Willow said she was coming from a difficult patient, and Drew said he wouldn’t blame her if she’d let the Congressman Cutthroat nonsense get to her, but she said she already told him that she didn’t read that garbage and didn’t listen to anyone who told her about it. He said it seemed like there was more than just a difficult patient that got to her. Anna and Jason brought Charlotte to Lulu.

Ric said he’d get out of Elizabeth’s hair, and she thanked him for everything. He told her that he meant what he said, and she asked if he wasn’t trying to annoy Lucky. He said it was an added bonus, but he wanted her to be happy. He left and Elizabeth said, finally, they were alone, but Lucky had fallen asleep. Maxie asked what Carly was looking for. Did she want to settle down and get married? Carly said she would be happy never to be married again, and Maxie wondered if she could possibly be overthinking things. If she died tomorrow, would she regret not sleeping with Jack? Curtis said he was going to cover the press conference, and Jordan said, if they were on board, she’d be there. She left, and Portia thanked Curtis. Curtis thanked her for helping see the right thing to do and they hugged. Willow told Drew that she could handle it and so could he, but Scout and Wiley were a different story. Drew said he was working on reminding everyone of the good work he was doing on behalf of the citizens. The old headlines would be gone and forgotten. It was going to work out. Willow told him that when he said it, she believed it, and they kissed. Sasha came out and looked at her sonogram, then saw Drew and Willow. Lucas asked Marco, what now? and Marco said he thought Lucas should give him his room key. Lucas slid the key to Marco. Charlotte and Lulu hugged, and Lulu said, Charlotte was finally home.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada:

We see bingo cards and tchotchkes being set out. Yuri says, O-65, retire and thrive… Correct? Gloria says, perfect, and Gio says he never heard that before. Got it! Lois says she’s got nothing, and Gloria says she taught Yuri all the bingo lingo. That man is a natural. Gio says he can’t believe she brought her bingo kit from Bensonhurst, and Gloria says she never leaves home without it. Yuri says, call your doctor. Time for a shot of B-12. Gio says, bingo! and shows his card. Gloria says, a four-corner win, and Lois says she’s impressed. It’s hard to beat ma. Gloria says, they all know Gio is a star and can do pretty much anything, when Brook walks in. She says, of course (🍷) Gloria brought her bingo set with her, and Gloria says she can’t risk getting rusty. Gio says, Brook can take his spot. He’s got to meet Emma. Gloria says, Brook is lucky. That seat is hot. Yuri says he’ll bring the car around for Gio, and Gio tells them, see you later, and leaves. Gloria says, Emma? and Brook says, Emma Scorpio Drake. She’s the Police Commissioner’s granddaughter. Gloria asks, what’s going on with them? and Brook wonders if they’re all going to pretend they just found out, when all along they knew the baby was Dante’s.

On the phone, Laura says she doesn’t want to be interrupted… Yes, it’s that important.

Lulu brings Charlotte home to Laura’s apartment and looks at her. Charlotte says, it’s okay. She’s really here. Lulu says she can’t believe it. She’s been dreaming about this for so long. She smooths Charlotte’s hair and says, there’s so much she wants to tell her, but she wanted to wait until they were alone. They hug, and Lulu says, thank God she’s here and safe. Charlotte says, don’t thank God. Thank papa.

Sonny thanks Isaiah for making a house call, since doctors don’t do that anymore, but Isaiah says, some do for some patients. Sonny says he appreciates it. He doesn’t want his children knowing about his condition. Isaiah says, he’s welcome. His blood pressure is a lot better. Sonny actually seems to be listening to his advice. Sonny says he’s been taking his medication and reducing stress. He even called a truce with his daughter’s mother. It seemed to help. Kristina walks in with Rocco and asks, what’s going on? Rocco asks if Sonny is okay.

At Trina’s apartment, Kai asks if their third date is living up to their first, and Trina says, when he asked her to the museum, he didn’t say it was a date. On Valentine’s Day, she didn’t know it was a date, so it doesn’t count. And since they’re staying in tonight, this doesn’t either. He says, Valentine’s Day was definitely a date and so was painting. They were good dates too. What can he do to make tonight feel more datelike? Would a kiss help? She says, it might, and they kiss. She says, yeah. It definitely feels like a date now, and they kiss again.

On the phone in his hotel room, Jack asks, what’s the update on Josslyn Jax… Is that right? Good to hear. Keep pushing her. There’s a knock at the door and he says, they’ll talk tomorrow. He opens the door to Carly and says, if he remembers correctly, the last time they spoke, she wanted nothing to do with him. So what is she doing here now? She says, fixing a huge mistake, and kisses him.

Trina’s phone rings, but she says she’ll ignore it. Kai says, what if it’s an emergency? and she answers. She asks Ava, what’s going on? and Ava says, thank God. She locked herself out of the gallery and can’t find her key. It’s freezing and her phone is dying. Can Trina come quickly please? Trina tells Kai that Ava locked herself out of the gallery and needs to be let in before she freezes. He says he gets it. Ava is her boss and friend. He was about to head out anyway. Trina thanks him for being cool about it. She’ll see him tomorrow. He says, for sure, and leaves.  

Gloria says, no one is pretending anything. Brook’s been avoiding her all day and she thought that meant Brook didn’t want to talk about it. Brook tells Gloria that she didn’t know what to say. Finding out Gloria knew all along knocked the wind out of her. Gloria says she’s sorry to hear that, and Brook says she told her ma alone. She had no idea Lois ran off and told Gloria. It makes her wonder who else knows.

Lulu says she’s glad Charlotte’s father kept her safe, but she wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place if he hadn’t taken her on the run. Charlotte asks why it matters. She’s here now only because of her papa. Lulu says she didn’t even know Charlotte was coming until before the plane landed. How did Anna and Jason know where she was? Charlotte says, papa texted Rocco and told him where they were. He thought Rocco would tell Lulu and Lulu would come and get her, but Jason found out. Lulu says, Valentin wanted Charlotte back in Port Charles because he was worried about her safety after someone took a shot at him in the Prague café. Charlotte says, he was trying to do what was best for her, even if it means he doesn’t see her every day anymore, and Lulu says, Rocco didn’t tell her that he’d gotten the text. She would have been on the first plane. Charlotte says, papa thought so too, and Lulu says, Rocco’s been avoiding her and she couldn’t figure out why. It makes sense now. She never once gave up hope that Charlotte would come home. Charlotte says she knows, and Lulu says she wishes it had been her that came to get Charlotte, not Anna and Jason. Charlotte says, actually, she was glad Lulu wasn’t there.

Jack says he thought Carly didn’t want to do this, but Carly says she overthought it. It’s what she does and it’s not great. She shouldn’t have thought the worst about him. He says, she changed her mind and he’s supposed to forget and be at her beck and call? How does he know she won’t change her mind again tomorrow? She says, he doesn’t, but she won’t, and he says, he knew she had doubts, but he thought it was about the WSB and how dangerous his job is. She’d be putting herself at risk. But she questioned his character and his feelings for her. That’s a very different thing. She says she knows, and he says he was very clear and very consistent about the way he feels. If she still doubts his intentions, she was right to end whatever it is they had. She says she was completely wrong. That’s why she’s here. He asks, what changed her mind? They haven’t not spoken, so it’s not him. Why the change of heart?

Sonny tells Kristina, everything is fine. He’s just under the weather and called Lucky to get ahold of Dr. Gannon to check him out. They know each other? Kristina says, they met at Charlie’s. Nice to see him. Isaiah says, her too, and she says she brought Rocco by to see the new place. Rocco says, it’s not new. He’s been here, but not since Charlotte lived here. Sonny says he made some changes, especially in the backyard. Does Rocco want to check it out? Rocco says, cool, and he and Sonny leave. Isaiah says he’s going to go, but Kristina says, if her dad had a cold, he would have had Isaiah call in a prescription, not have him come to his home and examine him. What’s really going on with her dad?

Trina lets herself into the dark gallery and says she got here as fast as she could. She turns on the light and her family and friends yell, surprise! She says she can’t believe they did this, and Curtis says, she didn’t think they’d forget her birthday. Trina says she knows her parents are successful and driven and figured they’d be running the hospital and Aurora, but Portia says, they’re never too busy to celebrate their birthday girl. Stella asks if she can get in on that birthday love, and hugs Trina. Trina thanks her for coming, and Stella says she wouldn’t miss wishing Trina a happy birthday. She knows Trina is going to have an incredible year, and it will only get better. Trina says she likes the sound of that, and Stella says she was supposed to be a distraction, but she thought of someone better for the job. Trina sees Kai, who smiles at her, and Stella says, was she right or was she right? Trina says, she was right, as always.

Charlotte says she’s glad Lulu wasn’t there. It was so dangerous. After papa sent the text, Jason and Anna showed up and told them to run. Lulu says, it must have been terrifying, and Charlotte says, it was. She and papa hid, but they could hear everything. The WSB came in and Jason and Anna had to fight them off. She doesn’t think Lulu could take them on like that. Lulu says she’s scrappier than she looks and would do what it takes to keep Charlotte and her brother. Charlotte says she knows. She’s happy to be home, but it feels kinda weird. Lulu says, good weird or bad weird? and Charlotte says, good weird. Lulu says she knows the feeling. It will feel normal soon, she promises. Charlotte wonders how, without her papa.

Outside, Sonny asks what Rocco thinks, and Rocco says, looks good. Sonny asks if it’s missing anything, and Rocco says, Charlotte. It feels weird being here without her. Sonny asks if they’re close. Does he miss her a lot? Rocco says he does. Can he tell Sonny something? Sonny says, anything, and Rocco says he got a text from Charlotte, but didn’t tell either of his parents. He remembered how dangerous it was last time. He told Danny, who told his dad, and Jason promised to bring Charlotte home. Sonny says, he did the right thing. He was looking out for his family and in a tough spot, but he handled it like a champ. Rocco says, but he hasn’t heard from Jason. What if he can’t find Charlotte? Sonny says, Jason is good at finding people, but if Rocco doesn’t hear from him soon, he’ll step in. Rocco thanks him, and Sonny says, you’ve got it.

Isaiah says, whatever questions Kristina has, the answer is the same. Talk to her dad. Kristina says, since he’s here, there must be something to ask about that he’s not telling her, and he says, ask her dad. Kristina says she thinks he’d tell her if it was bad, but he doesn’t have to. Obviously, it’s bad if he’s here. If Sonny was fine, he wouldn’t be trying to cover it up. Isaiah says he’s not covering up anything. He’s respecting the oath he took and doctor/patient confidentiality, which is the law. She says she’s Sonny’s daughter. He’d tell her if Sonny was in the hospital. Be honest. It’s kind of the same thing. Isaiah says, it’s not, when Sonny and Rocco come back. Sonny asks, what’s going on? and Kristina says, Dr. Gannon confirmed something serious is going on. What is it? Sonny looks at Isaiah, who shakes his head.

Jack asks, what changed? and Carly says she realized that life is short. If something happened to either one of them, she’d regret not exploring whatever this is. She’s sorry. She was wrong. And she doesn’t usually admit to either. He says, sorry for what? and she says, not trusting him. She saw him with Vivian and Vivian was flirting. He was so nonchalant, it threw her, and she dismissed all the good things he’d done. But she realized ending things had nothing to do with him. He says, what about Vivian? and she says, that was just an excuse. She got so scared because of how much she was starting to feel for him. She tried to push him away and that’s not her. She’s not the kind of person to run from her feelings. He says, or much of anything else. Exactly what kind of person is she? She says, stick around and find out, and they kiss.

Lulu says, Charlotte knows she wishes Valentin could be here, for Charlotte’s sake. She’d love if it was different, but Charlotte is safer here and has stability. She can’t live life on the run. Charlotte says, it wasn’t that bad. She and papa saw a lot of different places and he made sure she had everything she needed. Lulu says, now that she has Charlotte here, there’s so much she wants to ask. She has so much to tell her and not just about Charlotte’s time away. Her time too. She missed so much in the last four years. Charlotte says she can’t wait to tell Lulu everything. She’s happy to be back home. It might not seem like it, but it is. Lulu says she knows Charlotte had a crazy day. Who is she kidding? Charlotte had a crazy year. Charlotte says she knows things were weird, but her papa always kept her safe and brought up Lulu whenever he could. Lulu says she knows how much Charlotte loves her papa, and she’s so grateful he kept her safe. She’s more grateful that he sent the text, so Charlotte would be brought home. She knows how hard it was for him. Charlotte says she couldn’t believe it when he told her, and Lulu says she’s sure it was lonely being out there with just her dad, and Charlotte says, it was. Lulu says, they need to make up for that. She’s going to make a quick call.

Gloria says she swears on the family bible. No one else knows about the baby. Brook asks how she can be sure, and Gloria says she’d never betray a trust that way. Lois says, listen to her grandma. Gloria knows all the family secrets and never let any of them slip. Gloria says she sensed something was eating away at Lois, and Lois says, Gloria had to pull it out of her. Brook asks why Gloria wouldn’t tell, and Gloria says she was respecting Brook’s privacy and the privacy of Brook’s mother. She never talked about it. Brook says, never? Not even at confession? Gloria says, not a word. She put it in the vault, and it stayed there where it belongs, and she suggests they do the same.  

Laura tells Trina, happy birthday, and hands her a giftbag. She says, these are from Ace. He made the card himself. Trina says, it’s ridiculously cute, and thanks Laura for letting him make it for her. She thanks Laura for being here, and Laura says, there’s no place else she’d rather be. Besides, she thinks it’s what Spencer would want, for her to be here. She knows last year was tough and she’s very glad to see Trina in a better place and willing to celebrate her birthday. Trina says, that doesn’t mean she forgot Spencer or doesn’t miss him every day, and Laura says she’d never think that about her. Neither of them will ever forget Spencer. He was one of a kind. Trina says, yeah, and Laura says, he loved her so much. He would be so happy to see how happy Trina is. She missed seeing the light in Trina’s eyes and she’s glad it’s back. Spencer would be very glad it’s back. Her phone rings, and she says, sorry. It’s her daughter. Trina moves on and Lulu asks if Laura can come home. She has a surprise for her.

Jack leads Carly to the bedroom. They get busy and there’s a song part.

Kai says he’s in a group of athletes who are working at the hospital, visiting sick kids in the pediatrics wing. He tries to spend as much time there as he can. It’s fun in the middle of the hard stuff. Trina says, it’s sweet of him to get involved, and he says he met the guy who came up with the program. He’s a congressman. Emma says, the guy who slept with his nephew’s wife? and Kai says, he seemed okay. He doesn’t know about the guy’s personal life and doesn’t care. The program is changing lives. Emma says, that part is great. Is he sure that he’s not taking on too much? If he wants to back out of her animal fundraiser, she understands. He says, since he’s not playing football, he has plenty of time, when Curtis comes out. He says, it’s time for cake, and the cake is brought out. Trina says, it’s gorgeous (agreed), and Portia says, sing Happy Birthday! They sing and Trina smiles. Kai says, make a wish, and Stella says, make it good. Trina blows out the candles and everyone applauds.  

As they bask in the afterglow, Jack says, this isn’t at all what he expected when he opened the door and saw Carly standing there. She says, he showed up at her hotel room and gave her one hell of a kiss in Germany. She thought she’d return the favor. He says he’s glad she did. He’s been thinking about this for a long time. She says, her too.

Laura comes into the apartment and is immediately absorbed in taking off her coat. She says, sorry she’s late. She got stuck at the party saying goodbye to so many people…  She sees Charlotte, quietly freaks out, and they hug.  

Gio gives Trina a giftbag and says, it’s from Josslyn. She’s sorry she couldn’t be here, but she’s still in Easter Island. She made sure she had it sent to the Quartermaines’ in trust of him delivering it. Trina takes out a sleep-aid set and says, Josslyn is amazing. Josslyn knows she has a hard time sleeping. She loves Josslyn so much. Stella says, here’s the last one, and Emma says, it’s from her. The guy in the bookstore said it’s a must have. Trina opens the present and it’s the same art book Spencer got her shortly after they met. She thanks Emma and says, it’s amazing. She thanks everybody for all the thoughtful, amazing gifts and says, go have another slice of cake and more to drink and just party. Portia tells Trina, happy birthday, and kisses her cheek. Trina looks sadly at the book.

Isaiah says he didn’t tell Kristina anything, and Sonny asks if Rocco doesn’t have homework. Kristina says, since Isaiah is on his way out, could he drop Rocco home at the Quartermaines’? Isaiah says he’d be happy to, and Rocco thanks Sonny for the tour. Sonny says, anytime, and Rocco leaves with Isaiah. Kristina says, Sonny knows she’s going to find out. What’s going on? She can always tell when he’s lying, so tell her. Whatever it is, it’s worse in her head. What she’s imagining isn’t good. What’s going on? Sonny says he doesn’t want her to worry. What he’s got is treatable. He’s fine. She says, treatable? Just tell her what’s going on. He says, there’s something wrong with his heart.

Lulu asks if Charlotte is sure she’s all right, and Charlotte says she’s fine. Just tired. She’s going to go shower. Laura suggests she lie down and get some rest, and Charlotte says, that’s probably a good idea. Laura says, they can catch up tomorrow. She wants to hear about everything Charlotte was doing. Charlotte says, most of it was boring, and Lulu says, don’t get too comfortable. She’s got the idea there might be more visitors. Laura says she’s really happy Charlotte is home, and Charlotte goes to shower. Laura asks if they found Valentin, but Lulu says, no. He’s still out there somewhere, but he’s the reason Charlotte is here. Charlotte said he took good care of her and made sure Charlotte didn’t forget her. Laura says, that doesn’t surprise her. She knows how much Valentin loves Charlotte, but she’s still better off away from him. Lulu agrees and says she hopes he stays away for Charlotte’s sake.

Brook says, all these years, she thought she was keeping the secret from Gloria, but Gloria was keeping the same secret from her. Gloria says, if the devil himself was mad at her for not telling, so be it. She would do anything for Brook. She would suffer anything. As long as her girls and their future was protected. She loves them both so much. Lois says, they love her too… even though sometimes she makes it hard, and Brook says, yeah, but this brought up so many things she wasn’t letting herself think about for so many years. It’s going to take time to wrap her head around it. (Hello 1960s!) Lois tells her, take all the time she needs. They’ll be here when she’s ready. Brook leaves.

Jack tells Carly that he needs to refresh and is taking a quick shower. He gets out of bed and heads for the shower and says, that was an invitation to join him. She says she knows, but someone has to answer the door for room service, and she’s a little bit thirsty. He says, suit herself, and she stays in the bed, looking all happy. She hears him singing in the shower and gets up.

Gio says, Emma’s been great lately, and she asks what he means. He says, she put an activist group together and moved forward. She kept him company at the crypt and gave Kai a good pep talk. She asks why he’s surprised, and he says, the first times they met, she didn’t come across as someone who would do that. She seems different. She says, this is who she is now, and he says, it makes him wonder who the real Emma is. She says she’d like to know her too.

Stella asks Curtis about meeting with Congressman Henderson, and Curtis says, he helped with some obstacles. Drew is now focused on his pediatric sports initiative (🍷) and he’s planning a press conference. Portia is going to talk, and Aurora Media is covering it. He hates that he’s helping rehab Drew’s image. Stella suggests he pick his battle. He can elevate Portia, but if he gets in the way, he could hinder her success. She deserves to shine. Drew be damned.

Portia thanks Ava for referring Ric and being there, and Ava says, of course (🍷). She thanks Portia for confiding in her. If the truth came out, it could hurt Trina. Portia says, it could have been devastating.

Trina slips out of the party.

Ava tells Portia, Drew has a lot of powerful enemies – Nina, Carly, Curtis, Jason, Michael. All the Quartermaines hate him and it’s only a matter of time before his house of cards collapses and one of his many other enemies takes care of him for her. Portia says, someone needs to do something and do it soon.

Curtis can’t find Trina and hopes she’s okay, but Stella says she was here quite a while. It was almost like having the old Trina back, but she might have gotten overwhelmed. A party like this might have had her thinking about Spencer. Curtis says he hates to think it put a black mark on Trina’s special night, but Stella says, it didn’t. Grief doesn’t have a timeline and it’s often felt in our happiest moments.

Kai looks around the party, then sends a text.

Sitting on the window seat in her dark apartment, Trina takes out the art book Spencer gave her. She looks at the inscription and holds the book to her chest.

Lois checks to make sure Brook is gone, and Gloria says, if Brook is this upset about finding out she knew about the baby, imagine how angry she’ll be that they know who the baby is. Lois says she knows, and Gloria says, Brook can never know, and what they did tonight proved why.

Rocco comes home and Lulu asks, how was grandpa’s house? Rocco says, he changed stuff, and it was weird without Charlotte. Charlotte comes out and says, it doesn’t have to be weird anymore, and they hug.

Carly joins Jack in the shower, and he says he had a feeling she’d change her mind. She tells him, make room, but before she can take her robe off, there’s a knock at the door. She says she’ll be right back, and he gives her a kiss and says, hurry.

Kristina says, Sonny has a heart condition? How long has this been going on? He says he’s okay. He’s fine. She says, then why didn’t he want to tell her? and he says, she’d worry for no reason. She says, of course (🍷) she’d worry. What did Dr. Gannon say? He says, it’s from an injury that happened a long time ago and Isaiah put him on the right path. He’ll have to do a procedure, but everything will be fine. He just has to reduce stress. She says, that’s why he agreed to joint custody. he didn’t want the stress of a trial. He says, that’s part of the reason. He didn’t want to watch Ric put her and Avery on the stand. He didn’t want to put either of his daughters through that.  

Carly finds a serving cart in the hallway with a bucket of champagne and two glasses on it. She makes a happy sound, brings them into the room, and closes the door. Valentin comes out from around the corner, and boy, does he look pissed.

On Monday, Anna says, the marshal is here to serve an arrest warrant; Brook says, Drew picked a fight with the wrong broad: and Jack tells Carly, don’t! and knocks the glass out of her hand.  

🧼  All the Soap News Fit To Print…

It looks like there will be a new lawyer in town and maybe a love interest for Lucas.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/adrian-anchondo-cast-as-marco-on-general-hospital

Gloria returns!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ellen-travolta-returns-to-general-hospital-2

Maybe he had a good time, but it was painful to watch. This guy is no actor. He sounded like he was reading it and didn’t even read it well.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/the-golden-bachelorettes-guy-gansert-guests-on-gh

Two requests of the fans.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-cameron-mathison-makes-a-special-request

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/eva-larues-warning-to-her-fans

Side gigs. I haven’t read Jon Lindstrom’s book yet, but I want to. Although now I can just wait and see the movie. Well done!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jon-lindstroms-book-to-become-a-movie

I don’t know how exciting this is, but if she’s happy, I’m happy.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kelly-monaco-announces-an-exciting-new-project

This was weird/sad, but it sounded like he was getting treatment.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/rick-springfield-learns-he-has-brain-damage

Victor has moved on from the building.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/days-of-our-lives/charles-shaughnessy-returns-to-days-of-our-lives

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

I didn’t see this, but it seems to fluctuate between dangerous accidents and nookie.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Boz was hosting a trip to St. Lucia and informed us that it’s the only country named after a woman. We watched as the women packed, and I’m not sure why Erika called my shorts ho shorts, but I was offended. Aren’t shorts supposed to be short? When getting a less than enthusiastic response about an outfit from son Phoenix, Dorit told him, it’s Poca Rabone, like that meant something to him. Boz said getting them all together to travel was like herding cats, so they were meeting in Miami. In her interview, Boz said, beautiful views, delicious cocktails, a steel drum band. Who would complain? Really? Has she met them? In Jennifer’s interview, she talked about not fitting in when she was young, and Sutton cried over her long road with the women and how Garcelle had been the only one to support her. Kyle would say, you two, but never point the finger at Dorit alone. Mauricio visited Kyle and talked about going on  It was the usual, just in a different vacation setting. PK met with Dorit, where the D-word was used, yet Dorit is still in the denial phase. Kyle, however, was sliding into acceptance after Mauricio visited and told her about his quest for weed spiritual healing.

Some non-news. Maybe she’s a girlfriend; maybe she’s not.

Denise Richards and Her Wild Things

I love this show so much. A lot of episode 3 revolved around a Cuban iguana named Godzilla who had passed away at age 30. He’d belonged to Charlie’s ex, Brooke, and was dropped off at Denise’s house when Brooke went to rehab. He liked Fig Newtons and had an entire suite to himself. They had him for nine months, and a memorial was planned. There were a lot of flowers, as well as some heartfelt speeches. Denise also met with Erika (RHOBH) and they clinked glasses and made up. Another thing I love about Denise is her love of animals. She even got a little picnic table for the squirrels outside, one of whom she called Fat Fred, but she insisted she wasn’t fat shaming him. Sami was getting a nose job and said she’d been bullied in school about looking like her dad. Recently, someone had made a comment that she’d never be as pretty as her mom. WTF? Ugh. It’s one of the things I hate about the internet. Anonymity has created mean AF a-holes.

Summer House

Kyle discussed his misdirected rage texting with Paige and said he was super upset. Aww. Poor baby. He’s always super upset about something. I’m pretty sure he lives off of super upset energy. One thing I really hate about this group is their tendency to play telephone. Really, their tendency to just make sh*t up to suit themselves. Lexi had asked Jesse not to be so flirtatious in his comments on the other girls’ social media and somehow this got changed to her demanding he not comment at all. And that literally came from horse Jesse’s mouth. She needs to dump this dude asap. One minute he’s all in love like never before, and the next, he’s making it up as he goes along. The tail end of the show was in NYC with Paige and Craig. When Paige said she never wanted to live a slow life, that said everything. While no judgement about relationships that are ephemeral, if you’re not on the same page regarding commitment, it’s for certain someone is going to get their heart broken.

Southern Charm

Craig told Paige about making up with Austen and how he thought his admission that he couldn’t drink was like holding up a mirror to Austen. He might not be wrong. Paige complimented Craig on his self-awareness. Austen later came by for a visit, and I forgot which show I was watching for a moment. The big topic once again involved JT. Venita wanted him to be her plus one at a summer soiree Madison was giving. JT was hesitant, but said he’d think about it. He talked to Leva about it and said he didn’t know if it was appropriate while he had a girlfriend, and also admitted he’d probably encouraged Venita by flirting. But the best was yet to come when Leva told him that Ryan used the same barber, who apparently told him that JT said some Black girl was trying to bust up his relationship. Once again, although I’m no fan of JT, I couldn’t see him saying something like that. Neither could Leva or Venita, but in Venita’s interview, she said, Ryan’s husband was Black, so why would he lie? Why indeed. JT was livid, since it made him sound racist. On top of it, racist about someone he cared for. Leva said he should call the barber immediately and get it cleared up for Venita’s sake. Translation: So we can get it on the show. He did and the barber seemed surprised, saying, the only thing he remembered JT telling him was that there was a cute Black girl named Venita on the show. When JT called Venita to tell her, I’m pretty sure all she heard though was that he loved her.

On the upside, Brett got the cancer all-clear on his last test and Molly and Taylor took their dogs out for ice cream.

What’s JT up to? Not much. No surprise. I can’t blame him for jetting though. The Reunion should be interesting.

Random Reality Items

VPR 2.0 is on the way.

This is the weirdest thing ever and I can’t believe it’s still going on.

Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.

What a shame. Hopefully, those left in the cast invested in real estate.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Extinction: The G.M.O. Chronicles. Amazon Prime. I am a die-hard zombie fan and I did enjoy this. There was precious little info out there and this review is less than stellar. There is the trailer though.

Okay. This guy liked it more, but there are a few small spoilers.

The Night Eats the World. Amazon Prime. This film won awards, and I didn’t hate it, but there were long stretches of not much going on and the main character chatting with – or rather, to – a zombie he had corralled in a stalled elevator. Be forewarned, the ending is not a happy one.

https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/night-eats-the-world-review-zombies-tribeca-1201954987/

Beyond the Gates. CBS/Paramount+. I finally got serious about watching this and I’m hooked on watching it with my dinner now. It’s oddly old-fashioned and trendy at the same time. Beautiful people, an inclusive cast, fabulous wardrobes, and a gun drawn at a wedding. You can’t really ask for more.

https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2025/03/cbs-beyond-the-gates-promo-tv-critics

🙀 Things You Don’t See Every Day…

🦒 I’m not letting my dogs read this. It might give them ideas.

https://people.com/athletic-giraffe-escapes-arizona-zoo-to-get-snacks-11695093

🐻‍❄️ Pretty as a picture. Oh wait, it is.

https://people.com/photo-sleeping-polar-bear-wins-nature-photography-contest-11690907

🐾 It’s a ferret! It’s a ferret’s ghost! It’s a stoat!

https://people.com/rarely-seen-animal-caught-on-camera-in-pennsylvania-11693659

👄 Quotes of the Week

Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. – Charlotte Whitton

You’re in pretty good shape for the shape you are in. – Dr. Seuss

You are not your resumé; you are your work. – Seth Godin

Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises. – Samuel Butler

You aren’t learning anything when you’re talking. – Lyndon B. Johnson

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. – Vincent van Gogh

Remember: Always walk in the light. And if you feel like you’re not walking in it, go find it. Love the light. – Roberta Flack

The mosquitos are d*ckheads out here. – Channelle (Aisha Dee), Apple Cider Vinegar

🍀 Top O’ the Month To Ya…

Until next week, stay safe; stay not using St. Patrick’s Day to be a green beer drunken mess (also don’t be another kind of Karen and drive drunk); and stay loving people while they’re still here.

March 7, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Lulu Threatens To Out Brook, Soap Suds, This Week’s Reality, Weekend Watch, Awards Corner, Streaming Excellence, In the Pink, Only Five Quotes & Turn Back

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…

Monday:

Sonny met with Lucy at the MetroCourt, and Lulu met Spinelli at Bobbie’s. Spinelli said he was always at her service, and she asked for his help finding Charlotte, but he said he’d been looking and there was nothing. She said there was one place they hadn’t searched. Alexis told Tracy that she was all Tracy had, and Tracy said she was delusional. Alexis was insisting her parents were interred on public land. Brad sent a drink over to Lucas in a bar in Miami, and at the MetroCourt Curtis told Portia they were going to St. Georges. Drew approached their table and asked if Curtis thought he’d never find out.

Brad joined Lucas at the bar, and they talked old times. Brad said he’d just wanted to make Lucas happy. In the nook, Sasha told Jason that Carly had offered her a job and free housing until she could afford her own place. Jason said he’d give her what she needed, but she told him again that she wanted to be independent. He said he wanted her to be practical too, and she said, of all people, he should understand. Sonny told Lucy that he wanted to start over someplace new. It had to be comfortable for the kids, with high gates and state of the art security. She said she knew exactly the place. Lulu told Spinelli that she thought the police might have missed something in Valentin’s house, but she had to get past the security system. Dante and Gio came into Bobbie’s and Dante thought Spinelli looked nervous, but left them to it. Dante told Gio that Lulu and Spinelli were up to something because they were awake and together. Lulu was on a mission and could convince anyone to do anything. Lulu told Spinelli that helping a mother find her daughter was worth the risk. Drew said he was being iced out of the House Appropriation Committee, and he knew Henderson was friends with Stella. He said he knew Curtis got her to do his dirty work, but Curtis said Drew screwed himself over. Tracy told Alexis that it wasn’t about property lines; it was about the cease and desist. Martin had gotten his own survey, which she insisted was forged. It was an obvious attempt to extort her. Lois said Drew calling himself a Quartermaine wasn’t a big deal, but Tracy said she had a family to protect. Martin joined them.

Drew asked if Curtis spoke to Henderson, and Curtis said he’d told Henderson to do his own research about Drew and the esplanade. If Drew’s seat was blocked, it meant Henderson saw something he didn’t like. Drew said Curtis made a mistake. If Curtis took something from him, he’d take something from Curtis. Portia told Drew to stop it. Curtis would have stood by him, but Drew betrayed his friend. Drew said Curtis had betrayed him. Spinelli jammed the security signal and told Lulu, there was a 70% chance she’d be fine. Lulu liked the odds and went into Valentin’s old house, Spinelli following. Gio said he needed to talk away from the house and told Dante that he was still trying to figure out how to fit in, but Dante said everyone liked having him there. Gio said, not everyone. Alexis told Tracy that she was hoping to sort through the matter in a calm and rational way, and Lois hoped she had a Plan B. Tracy said she could bankrupt the city, but Alexis asked if she wanted her loved ones removed from their resting place. Tracy said, remove the cease and desist, but Martin said he was going to report her.

Lucas said he was worried Brad tried to change for him, and Brad said he’d wanted to be a better person and to be worthy of Lucas. Instead, he ended up hurting Lucas. Martin said the crypt was a hazard to public health, and Tracy said she’d have him disbarred and disemboweled. Alexis said he was just being vindictive, and he agreed to back off. Alexis wanted Martin to sign an NDA, but he refused. Tracy told him to report her. Gio told Dante that he was on Tracy’s bad side. He didn’t care about Drew, but he cared about Scout. She would either have to change her name or have a different one than her dad. Dante said he and his dad had different names – a lot of people did – but Gio said he couldn’t imagine how he’d feel if someone took his name away. Tracy shut him down for not being a Quartermaine. Dante said he thought Tracy respected Gio for his opposing opinion, when Dante got a call from Tracy. Lucy and Sonny arrived at the house while Lulu and Spinelli were inside, and they hid. Sasha asked why Jason didn’t take any money from the Quartermaines, and he said he didn’t want them running his life. Sasha said, if she took money from him and they found out, they’d want her to bring her baby into the fold. She never got the chance to give her first baby the best life. Jason said the baby had a father, but Sasha said she wasn’t having that conversation, especially not here. He left, and Sidwell slipped in the back door.

Lucy told Sonny about the house and that it came furnished. She wanted to give him a tour, but he said he trusted her. Kristina showed up and asked if he was seriously considering Valentin’s old house. Portia said Curtis believed he was going to be CEO, but Drew said he’d offered Curtis something else. Curtis said he would have been happy with that, but Drew chose to lie. Drew asked if Curtis was getting back at him, but Curtis said Drew didn’t care about the people of Port Charles needing the esplanade. The Committee could approve funding without him or his spite getting in the way. Drew left. Tracy wanted Martin arrested for trespassing, but Dante said no. He suggested Martin leave and Tracy leave it alone. Tracy said she couldn’t. Gio said, 555. When he was upset, his mother asked if he’d feel the same way in 5 minutes or 5 months. In 5 years, would he even remember what he was angry about? Tracy said her mom would say, will it really matter in the end? Lois walked Martin out and Tracy thanked Gio for giving her a lot to think about. Sasha said she’d scream, but Sidwell said he wasn’t there to hurt her or debate the past. He wanted to discuss a business opportunity that was very lucrative. Put down her weapon (a spatula) and let him tell her about it. If she persuaded Deception’s leadership that the warehouse incident was a huge misunderstanding, he’d pay her $250K.

Lucy said she was going to tell Sonny, but wanted him to come there with no misconceptions. The sale was being handled by Martin. Sonny wondered, what if Valentin wanted the place back? but she said Martin assured her, Valentin wasn’t returning. They had to be in some sort of contact. Lulu and Spinelli listened in. Kristina liked the house, and Lucy gave them a tour. Sasha said she cared about Deception and didn’t want to lie. He said her mother had stolen his diamonds and he couldn’t go the police. He knew if he incentivized it, she’d return his property. The one thing her mother understood was the power of money, and he assumed Sasha did too. Portia told Curtis that she thought Drew could end up being a problem. He was going to make new friends in DC, and he was going to come after Curtis. Curtis said Drew could dig all he wanted, but wouldn’t find anything on him. Drew went to see Selina and asked for something on Curtis. She said she had nothing. However, Portia was another matter. Lucas said seeing Brad hurt, so he’d cut him off. It was the good memories that hurt. He couldn’t shake the feelings, so he kept his distance, but found himself looking for Brad. He was there for Lucas when Sam died. Brad wondered if there would be another chance, and they kissed.

Brad and Lucas got busy, but Brad stopped him. He said he had to tell Lucas the truth. Drew told Selina that he was happy to do what he could for all his constituents, providing what she had was good. She showed him how Portia had tampered with a GH patient’s test results and said, if it got out, Portia could lose her license and more. Drew said it would do nicely. Curtis told Portia, Drew had no play here, and he wanted to plan their trip. Alexis asked what Tracy really needed, and Tracy said, file the cease and desist. She was taking Gio’s advice. The family name would matter 5 years, 5 decades, and 5 millennia from now, and Drew could never be associated with it. She was getting her own property survey done and it would say what she wanted it to. Dante said Gio did good, although Tracy wouldn’t take the advice. Gio’s mom was a cool lady. Outside, Lois told Martin about Gio being her grandson and Dante being his father. Martin said the information was covered by attorney/client privilege. No one would ever know. Kristina encouraged Sonny to take the house and said, Avery would love it. Sonny told Lucy that he was sold, and they left, Sonny saying, remember, Fort Knox. Lulu told Spinelli that she shouldn’t have doubted her instincts. One way or another, Martin was going to lead her to Valentin. Sasha was concerned about Sidwell drawing Deception into some criminal enterprise, but he said he wanted to give Deception the resources they needed and make a respectable profit. Jason looked in the window and saw them. He ran in and told Sidwell, get away from her!

Tuesday:

Jason pulled a gun on Sidwell, who said it was a misunderstanding, but Jason told him, let’s go now. Sasha said, please stop, but Jason escorted Sidwell out. Dante found Gio at the stables helping Cody. Willow met Nina and Carly at the MetroCourt and said she wanted to discuss something in person with both of them. Anna met with Emma and Maxie, who wondered why she was here. Anna wanted Maxie to give Emma an internship at Deception. Curtis met Portia, who was checking that everything in Miami was going according to plan. Lucas asked Brad, what truth? and Brad said he made Portia invite him on the trip. Lucas asked him to define made. On the phone Lulu told Spinelli they’d gotten an actual lead, and she knew Martin had information on Valentin. She walked into Laura’s and Laura was there with Martin.

Cody suggested bringing out some beers he managed to hide from Tracy, but Gio wanted to make sure the gates and fences were locked up and left. Cody said something was bugging Dante. Start talking. Dante said the closure he’d gotten with Sam’s death hadn’t helped. Laura asked if Lulu wanted to have dinner, but Lulu said she was meeting Maxie at the Surf Lodge. Martin apologized for failing to realize how sick Cyrus was, but Lulu said she didn’t blame him and left. Sasha called Jason and said, whatever he was about to do, please don’t. Tracy came in and told Sasha that Jason was unreliable, but the family wasn’t, and Sasha said, one minute Tracy treated her like staff and the next minute, it was all about the next generation of Quartermaines – the legacy. Tracy said the fact Sasha was having a Quartermaine baby changed everything. Willow said she knew Nina and Carly weren’t going to be happy, but she and the kids were moving in with Drew. Carly said she thought Willow would keep things stable for the kids while Michael focused on his recovery. This was pushing Michael too far and he wouldn’t stand for it. Emma said she declined the offer, and Maxie said she didn’t make one, but why wasn’t she interested? Emma said she was not not interested, but it wasn’t something she’d thought about. Anna asked if work in cosmetics wasn’t mostly chemistry, and Maxie said it was a huge part, but she wasn’t hiring Emma as a favor. It had to be something she wanted. Brad told Lucas that he did Portia a favor, and she was inclined to do one for him. Lucas asked if it was like the favors he did for Brit, but Brad said he’d found out something private and agreed to keep it to himself.

Martin told Laura that he was sorry, and she asked why. He said he’d chased Lulu out, but Laura said she had dinner plans, and it obviously had nothing to do with him. He said he thought it was his connection to Cyrus and didn’t blame her, but she said, give Lulu time. He said he was lucky to have her for a sister and she hugged him, saying. she was lucky too, but she wished she and Cyrus had never crossed paths. Her assistant phoned and said there was a call from the US Congress Appropriations Committee. Sasha asked why Tracy was focused on her. Tracy didn’t even like her. Tracy said, of course (🍷) she did, and Jason was proving more valuable. Sasha suggested she focus on Jason. All she wanted was to be left alone. Tracy said too many people were invested in her and the baby. If she disappeared, they’d track her down. Sasha asked if that was a threat, but Tracy said it was a reality check. Raising the baby on her own was a dream and she needed to wake up. Anna had to leave and told Emma and Maxie to think about it. Maxie told Emma not to go against the idea because it was Anna’s; it was a great opportunity. Laura called Curtis and asked him to stop by the apartment. There had been a big development. Brad said when he found out, he went immediately to Portia, and Lucas said he didn’t want to hear about the blackmail. Brad said he just asked her for the trip to Miami, and Lucas said using something as leverage was the very definition of blackmail. That Brad could see it showed him why this was a mistake. Sidwell said Jason was too smart to kill him, since he was a suspect in another murder. Jason said he wanted the truth and was giving Sidwell one chance. Did he blow up Sonny’s penthouse?

Sidwell told Jason that he did not blow up the penthouse. Another truth was, what happened in Africa was unique. Jason and Anna infiltrated his camp under false pretenses. Jason said, Sidwell was holding their friend captive, but Sidwell said Lucky also infiltrated his camp. The lines were blurred. Now he was in Port Charles to build a legitimate business and intended to obey the law. Why would he start a conflict with Jason and Sonny? Jason returned his diamonds, and he had no problem with him. Jason suggested he keep it that way and stay away from Sasha. Anna came by and said it was for an evening stroll. Tracy said Sasha was smarter than Willow. She would figure out what part of her life could coexist with them. Willow lived in a world of her own creation. Willow said she told Carly now because she didn’t want Carly to be blindsided. She wasn’t asking permission. Carly said she’d be blindsiding Michael, and Willow asked if Carly thought they’d be reconciling. They were way past that point. Carly said she was asking Willow to wait until Michael was home before shacking up with the uncle who betrayed him and destroyed his marriage. Willow asked what difference it made, and Nina said, Willow had a point. Carly said Willow would be starting a war. Brad said Lucas told him that he wanted honesty, and Lucas thanked Brad for being honest before he made a mistake. Brad said it wasn’t a mistake. They were getting closer, and he didn’t want that hanging over them. Lucas said, everything was hanging over them – their history, this. Brad hadn’t changed and was never going to. Drew went to Portia’s office, but she said she had nothing more to say to him. He said he’d do the talking. Dante told Cody that however Cyrus departed, it didn’t bring back Sam, but at least he didn’t have to see Cyrus. That was something, but it didn’t make things easier. There was a wall between him and Lulu. Sam did a beautiful thing. Lulu wasn’t part of it, but Sam’s death would always be there. Dressed in a housekeeper’s uniform (from 1950) and carrying a stack of towels, Lulu was about to let herself into a room, when Maxie came by and asked what she was doing.

Emma came by the stables and told Gio that she thought she’d meet some horses, but Gio said Cody was inside talking to Dante. She told Gio about Anna wanting her to intern at Deception and how she felt it was Anna’s attempt at supervising her. Dante told Cody that Lulu was reaching out, but he couldn’t grieve Sam with her. Cody said he couldn’t do it alone either and Dante had him, and Dante said it was easy to talk to Brook. Cody said they’d been friends a long time, and Dante said, Brook knew Sam and wasn’t wrapped up in everything, but it hurt Lulu. Cody said, Dante and Brook’s history was deeper than Lulu realized, and Dante said he regretted that he’d never told her about that summer. Cody said, the summer he was in love with Brook. Lulu said she had no time explain and told Maxie to forget she saw her. Maxie asked if she was meeting someone. Was she role playing. Lulu asked if Maxie thought this was her big fantasy, and Maxie said she didn’t judge. Lulu said it was her Uncle Martin’s, and Lulu asked why she was breaking in. Lulu said she wasn’t if she had a key, and Maxie said she was if she stole the key. Lulu said it was in her pocket and this was about Charlotte. Maxie asked how she could help, and Lulu told her to be the lookout.

Nina told Carly, in Michael’s absence, the children’s mother decided what was best and she thought they needed to trust Willow. Carly told Willow that she’d thought Willow would put the kids interests first, but she misjudged her. Willow was selfish to the core, and she and Drew belonged together. Willow said she was sorry Carly felt this way. She’d tried to do the right thing. She thanked Nina for the support and left. Carly asked how Nina thought it went, and Nina said, about as well as expected. Anna said she understood Sidwell had paid a visit to the Quartermaines, when the launch came and Sidwell told them to have a good evening. When he was gone, Anna asked Jason, what the hell was he thinking showing up at the Quartermaines? Jason said he wanted to make sure Sidwell didn’t mess with Sasha again. Anna said she understood why he was being protective of Sasha. Tracy said Sasha told her that men targeted her for her money. It took a long time to accept, but it was her reality, and when she accepted her reality, the love of her life came after her… for money, but they fell in love. Luke. When you accept your reality, you know who you are and what you want, and the whole world opens up in ways you never expected and can offer more than you ever realized. She was done and asked Sasha to make her some tea. Her throat was parched from all the yapping. Brad told Lucas that he’d given in to his worst impulse. He slipped. He thought if they could be alone, they could get back to them, and he had to take the chance. He still loved Lucas and knew Lucas felt it too. Lucas said, of course (🍷) he did, and he still loved Brad too, but love meant two different things to them. Portia said Drew came to her office uninvited and she was leaving. He blocked her way and said he still cared about Curtis, and she was the only person who could help him fix it. Curtis went to Laura’s, and she said the City of Port Charles had been given approval to move ahead with the McConkey esplanade, the original as pitched by Aurora. Curtis said it was huge for Aurora and Port Charles, and Laura said she had one question. How did he get around Drew?

Anna said Jason was the prime suspect in Cyrus’s murder. If he helped Sidwell off this mortal coil, he’d be taken in. She had Sidwell under surveillance and saw them. He said he had nothing to do with Cyrus, but she said it wouldn’t help his case if Sidwell’s body was found floating in the river. He said he wasn’t going to kill Sidwell. He wanted to ask Sidwell if he blew up Sonny’s penthouse. He said he didn’t do it, and Jason thought he was telling the truth. Maxie texted Lulu: Hurry up! and Lulu went through Martin’s stuff. Maxie knocked at the door and said, please hurry, causing Lulu to drop a bag, the contents going everywhere. Martin arrived and said he thought Maxie had the wrong room. Gio said Emma’s passion for chemistry was obvious, and Emma said, that’s how it was pitched to her earlier, the value she’d bring to the brand. Gio said they were right and there were benefits to working with family. She could rack up family credits. They came in handy when you pushed the boundaries. She was doubtful that he pushed boundaries, but he said she’d be surprised. Lucas said he didn’t expect perfection, but needed to trust that his partner’s failures and flaws weren’t ultimately destructive to him. To him, love meant trust. He knew honesty was scary, but in the end, you couldn’t let fear outweigh your love for that person, and Brad never did that for him. Brad said, Lucas never let him. He made a mistake and owned up to it, but Lucas still rejected him. All he wanted was to be with Lucas, and all Lucas did was use the truth against him. Lucas said he couldn’t do this. He couldn’t trust Brad, then punish him for being honest, and he couldn’t allow himself to accept another lie or half-truth. He opened the door. Curtis told Laura that the credit went to the greatest mastermind ever – Stella. She went way back with a high-ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. Laura said, well done, and asked if he was concerned about fallout from Drew if he found out. Curtis said, Drew already knew, but everything was above board, and he hoped they could move forward. Portia said she could see why Curtis wanted nothing to do with Drew. He didn’t respect boundaries and only cared about what he wanted and not who got hurt or inconvenienced. This was between him and Curtis. Drew said he was surprised at her judging him so harshly, considering how hard she tried inconvenience Heather Webber.

Brad said before he had a chance to tell another lie and break Lucas’s heart, he’d get out now. If they got too close, Lucas might fall harder. He might find someone he could trust, who practiced perfect honesty at all times with no shades of grey or dark edges, but he’d always love Lucas. Brad left and I felt tears in my eyes. Laura told Curtis, all politics were local, but she also thought they were personal. She understood the value of knowing who her true friends were and she was lucky he was one of them. He said, likewise. He was shown a side of Drew he didn’t know existed and he hoped Drew stayed in his lane. Drew asked Portia if Curtis knew she’d tampered with the test results. It seemed unlikely she’d stay on as Co-Chief of Staff if it came out. She’d also lose her license. She said she had no idea what he was talking about, and he produced the papers Selina gave him. He said, it showed her logged on to the GH database and she changed the results of the blood test. Was she trying to keep Heather in prison? That sounded unethical. It might even be criminal. Nina said, it might make it easier with Willow moving in with Drew, and Carly said Willow was moving in with their grandchildren and Nina put herself in the position of Willow’s chief support. Nina said they couldn’t push against Willow and Drew’s love. It would make Willow isolate with Drew more. Carly said Nina would have to keep approving of Willow’s awful decisions, and Nina said it didn’t feel good. Carly said Drew was the problem. No matter how it happened, he had to go.

Anna said she didn’t think Sidwell would admit it, but Jason said he didn’t think Sidwell did it. Anna said maybe that was true, but did they agree that his legitimate act was bull? He showed them who he was in Africa. Jason said they didn’t know why Sidwell was here, and he didn’t want to wait until he hurt someone else. He was dangerous. Anna said they had something more pressing to deal with. Sasha felt the baby move and talked to it. She picked up Sidwell’s card and called him, asking if the offer was still on the table. He said it was, and she said they had a deal. Cody asked if Dante ever thought about coming clean to Lulu about that summer, but Dante said it was a long time ago and over before it began. They were kids. It was a summer thing and nothing came of it. Cody asked, what if something did? and Gio came in with Emma. Martin suddenly came back to his room and saw Maxie in the hallway. She said she was hoping to find him. She had a bone to pick with MR. MARTIN GREY. Lulu heard her and frantically looked through some papers. Maxie said, since Martin dumped Lucy, things weren’t the same at Deception. They needed to reconnect or find closure. The future of the company depended on it. She suggested they discuss it in his office and started to steer him away, but he stopped and said, what exactly is going on? Lulu looked through Martin’s notes and saw that Dante was the father of Brook’s baby.

Wednesday:

At the MetroCourt, Felicia asked if Carly had time for a drink since Mac canceled on her, but Carly said she had plans. Jack walked in. Ava went to Portia’s office and Portia thanked her for coming. She made a huge mistake and if Ava didn’t help her fix it, her life was over. Jason said Sidwell got past Quartermaine security and needed to be handled, but Anna said he couldn’t do that from prison. She had him under surveillance. She needed Jason to work with her again and didn’t think they could wait any longer to look for Charlotte. The longer she was out there, the danger increased. Danny walked into the nook and asked what Rocco was looking at. Rocco said Charlotte texted him and she was in Buenos Aires. Danny asked if Rocco was going to tell his mom, but Rocco said he couldn’t. Cody asked if Dante ever thought about what happened that summer, but Dante said, it was a long time ago and over before it started, They were kids, it was summer, and nothing came of it. Cody asked, what if something did? when Gio and Emma came back. Gio said they needed to warm up and Emma wanted to see the horses. They went to the back, and Dante asked what Cody had been saying. Maxie said, since Martin had dumped Lucy, it wasn’t the same at Deception. They should reconnect or get closure. The future of the business depended on it. She wanted to discuss it in her office, but Martin asked what was really going on and where was Lulu? Lulu looked at Martin’s notes and said, Dante Falconari, father?… No birth certificate?

Jack said hello to Felicia, but she ignored him. She told Carly not to do anything she wouldn’t do and left. Jack said Felicia didn’t like him much, and Carly said Felicia was her mom’s best friend, but never fixed her plumbing. She wasn’t easily swayed and made up her own mind about people. Jack’s phone dinged and Carly said she was going to see how Josslyn was doing on Easter Island. Jack’s text showed Josslyn’s fitness and marksmanship results, and she had high test scores. Portia told Ava that Brad knew she’d altered Heather Webber’s test results and was blackmailing her. She’d been at his whim, and he was at a medical symposium in Miami because he knew. Ava said it had to be awful being under that little worm’s thumb, and Portia said, even worse, Brad told Drew, and he threatened to go to the police. Anna told Jason that there was a kill order on Valentin since he attacked Jack. Carly was there and saved his life. Jason wondered why he was hearing it for the first time, and Anna said, if a WSB assassin was looking for Valentin and Charlotte was with him, she could be collateral damage or watch her father get killed. Jason said he’d talk to Spinelli again and if something come up, he was ready to go. Anna said they just needed a lead. Rocco said Charlotte had called at Christmas and his mom almost got shot looking for her. It was all for nothing, since Charlotte went with Valentin anyway. She wouldn’t accept that her dad was bad news. Danny said, maybe not to her and wondered if Rocco was going to keep quiet. Cody told Dante, everything changed. Dante never came back to camp. Dante said he got a job and Brook disappeared without saying goodbye. Cody said they were just kids back then and if they had an idea, they went for it. Emma and Gio joined them, and Emma said the horses were great. Cody asked if she rode, and she said she’d taken lessons. Cody said, so did Dante when they were at camp, but he was hopeless. Dante said, camp was cool, aside from the horses. He, Cody, and Brook were counselors in training. Lois came in and he said, Brook ended up at their sister camp. Emma said she was sure they had all kinds of stories.

Maxie loudly wondered why Martin was asking about Lulu, and Martin said she told him that she was having dinner with Maxie at the Surf Lodge. Maxie said she forgot because of the Lucy stuff. See? It was costing dinner and probably a fight with her bestie. She’d like to discuss it in her office where no one would overhear. Lulu nearly hyperventilated as she read, Brook Lynn… mother… high school… baby boy… adopted. Martin told Maxie that he and Lucy were done, and he was getting a headache. He was about to go in his room, when Maxie said, wait. Lulu grabbed up all the papers, and Maxie said she need to talk to Martin. Not about Lucy, but she wanted to hire him to deal with nuisance lawsuits. He said with Tracy at Deception, that wasn’t going to happen. They had a love/hate relationship – they loved to hate each other. Maxie said she made the decisions and wanted to discuss billable hours. He said, why didn’t she say so? She could have led with that. Maxie said she wished she had, and Lulu listened as they left. She spread the papers out on the bed.

Ava asked what Drew wanted, and Portia said he was chasing a seat on the Appropriations Committee, but Curtis influenced a congressman to block the appointment. Ava said, so Drew wanted Curtis to go back and say he made a mistake. Drew was an awesome guy after all and should be on all the committees. She didn’t have anything to use on Drew. Portia said she only cared about Curtis. She told him that she’d altered the results, but didn’t tell him that Brad was blackmailing her. She was afraid because Curtis hated secrets. When he found out Trina was his daughter, it almost destroyed their marriage. Ava said Curtis forgave Portia, but Portia said he gave her a second chance. She didn’t know if he’d give her a third. She needed advice on what to do. Ava said she could keep quiet about Drew or tell Curtis the truth. Lois said she needed to get going, and Cody asked if she needed something. She said it was colder than she thought, and she just wanted to get warm. She left, and Emma said she’d wanted to compliment Lois on being the Face of Deception. Wasn’t Cody the guy…? Dante said, yes. He was the company’s male model. Cody said, brand ambassador. Emma asked if he thought interning would be fun, and he said Brook and Maxie were great. Lucy was high strung, but for the most part, they were great bosses. It just wasn’t him. He wasn’t like Gio. Gio said he loved making music, and Dante said Brook did too. Cody said, it must be a family trait. At the MetroCourt, Martin said, what about Deception’s legal team? and Maxie said she felt like they were kind of lacking. Martin said it was in his wheelhouse, but why the urgency? and Maxie said, because of Lulu. Jack asked how it was going with Josslyn, and Carly said the pictures were amazing. Josslyn was at Easter Island because someone cancelled. It was perfect timing, and she seemed to be having a blast. Jack said he was glad it was working out.

Lois knocked at Martin’s hotel room door as Lulu took pictures of the notes. Portia didn’t know how she’d live with herself if she was forced to manipulate Curtis on Drew’s behalf. Ava suggested she might feel better if she just told Curtis the truth, even if it cost everything, even her marriage. Maxie looked at the tons of texts she’d sent Lulu and told Martin that Spinelli said they were out of peanut butter, and she blew off Lulu. Tragedy abounds. Martin didn’t think Lulu would be comfortable with him working there. She didn’t like him. Maxie said he would get to spend more time with her. Whatever it took to convince Lulu that he was nothing like his brother. Martin said it was worth a shot, and she said, welcome to Deception. He said it had been a long day and got up, when Maxie spilled red wine on her white blouse. She asked him to hurry and get her some club soda. He left and she texted Lulu again. Lois knocked one more time, then left. Lulu gathered up the papers and put them back in the file case. She put the case back, picked up the towels, and left. Anna met Felicia at the MetroCourt bar, and Felicia said, what’s wrong with that? nodding toward Carly and Jack. Anna asked if that was why she brought her gun, and Felicia said she told Anna not to, but Anna said she thought it was code or something. Felicia said, Bobbie wouldn’t want Carly near Brennan and Anna had known him a long time. What did she think of him? Anna said he was a ruthless agent, concerned with getting the job done. He lived in a grey area, legally and morally, but he was brilliant and obviously charming. Felicia said she got the same vibe and wondered what to do about it, but Anna said, nothing. Carly was a grown woman and when had anyone succeeded in stopping her from doing something she wanted to? Like, never. Jack asked why Josslyn should have all the fun and suggested he and Carly take the private WSB jet and have dinner in Paris. They could stay over and maybe squeeze in. A woman came over to the table and said, Jack doesn’t call; he doesn’t write. What’s a woman to think? Gio said he watched Brook perform when he was a kid and Emma wondered why she didn’t sing anymore. Dante explained she was attacked, and her vocal cords were damaged. She still wrote though and she was great. Cody asked what Emma would do at Deception, and she said, chemistry. She’d work in the lab developing new products. Speaking of fun, she needed to go home. She and Gio left, and Cody asked what Dante thought about them. Dante said Gio was in over his head. He didn’t know what to do when Rocco fell in love. Let Lulu handle it. Rocco said he didn’t want to lose his mom again and wondered if he was being selfish, but Danny said he’d do anything to get his mom back. What if something happened to Rocco’s sister? Rocco said he didn’t know what he’d do, when Jason came in. He asked, what’s up? and Danny said, Charlotte messaged Rocco. They knew where she was.

Portia said she couldn’t imagine life without Curtis. The last time, she lost him and almost lost Trina. What if Trina felt like she had to pick sides? Ava said she was getting ahead of herself. Was she sure that she’d lose her license and be prosecuted if Drew talked to the police? She should talk to Ava’s lawyer. Portia said Ric was Heather Webber’s lawyer. It was a conflict of interest. Ava said if Portia’s scheme had worked, it would be a different story. Until she talked to somebody and had a plan, let Drew think he’d won, that she was doing more than she was. Her secret was safe, and she could minimize how much she manipulated Curtis. Jack said it was a pleasure to see the woman, and she said it had been far too long. Jack introduced her as Vivian to Carly, and said Carly was co-owner of the hotel. Vivian said she loved to see a woman in charge of a fabulous hotel and asked if Jack still had her number. Use it and call her. She left, and Jack said, what about Paris? but Carly said she couldn’t go. She was owner of the establishment and there were many things she had to do right now. He could stay. She was comping his meal. She walked away, leaving him confused.  comp meal walks. Anna told Felicia that she was worried about Charlotte. The longer she was out there with her father, the more dangerous the situation became. She wished she had played things differently where Valentin was concerned. Her phone rang, and Felicia said there was no one better to get the job done, so get it done. Take action. Lulu showed up at the stables, and Cody said she’d just missed Dante, but she said she came to see him. Things were simpler with him. He went to get her a beer, and she texted Maxie: All clear. Maxie told Martin that he should go relax. They could go over details tomorrow. Martin left, when Lois intercepted him and asked to talk. He said he was going to his room, and she said she’d come with him. Felicia sat with Maxie and asked if Maxie was going to tell her what that situation was about. Lulu and Cody clinked beer bottles, and Lulu asked what Dante was like in high school. He said he only knew Dante at camp, and she said she had a hard time picturing that. Did she hear right that Brook was there too? He said she was, and Lulu said it was hard to imagine two people less suited to woodland activities. He said it was only one summer, and she said, one was all it takes. Jason asked if anybody knew, and Danny said Rocco was worried his mom would get hurt if she went after Charlotte. Jason said Danny did the right thing. He’d go get Charlotte, but they couldn’t tell any more people. The more people who knew where Charlotte was, the more they were at risk of things going wrong. He would bring Rocco’s sister back. He promised. Danny told him, be safe, and Jason said he’d see Danny soon. He left, and Rocco yelled, how could Danny do that? He had no right to tell his dad. Outside, Jason called Anna and told her to stay at the MetroCourt. He had a lead a Charlotte.

Danny said, Jason was the perfect person to go, but Rocco said it wasn’t Danny’s secret to tell. He’d wanted advice, not having it blurbed out. Danny said, family helps family, when Dante came in and asked, what’s going on? Lois told Martin that she’d walked in on Dante telling Gio how it went at summer camp together. If it got out that Dante and Brook were Gio’s parents, it could ruin everything. She asked if she could have his notes back. It was too risky. He said they were safe in his hotel room. What was wrong? Cody said, that was a weird thing to say, and Lulu said she and Brook never got along. Brook was possessive about Dante and their Bensonhurst roots, and she felt left out. Now that she knows what happened, she understands where that came from. Brook told her about it and she can’t imagine going through that as a teenager, but it explains a lot. Cody said, it was intense. He never thought Brook would tell anyone, much less her. Lulu said, everything Brook and Chase were going through trying to get pregnant stirred it up. She happened to be there, and it came out. He said, it was a rough time. On the pier, Carly called herself stupid, when Jack joined her. She asked how he found her, and he said he was a spy. She said, of course (🍷). Please go. It was humiliating enough. Jack said he didn’t understand. Was this about Vivian? She said, no… yes. They were feeling two different things, which is fine. She had no expectations… Please go. He asked where this was coming from, and she said he should be with someone like Vivian, fun with no strings. She couldn’t do that. He said he thought something else was going on, and she said, there was.

Lois looked through the papers and said she was just making sure they were all there. He said, her secret was safe. Maybe she was overreacting. She said, probably. Did he have matches or a lighter? Lulu said, poor Brook, and Cody said he’d never seen Brook so scared. She came to him and begged him to take her to the bus station. She wanted to go home. Lulu asked if she never told Dante, and he said, no. Neither did he. Brook disappeared. She never wanted Dante to know she’d been pregnant, and he promised he’d never tell, and he never did. Rocco said he told Danny that he liked Renee and Danny told her. Danny said he didn’t. He was just trying to see if she was interested in him. He didn’t give Rocco up. Rocco said he didn’t ask if it was okay, and it wasn’t okay. Danny told his secret. Danny said Rocco was his brother and he cared about him. He’d always have Rocco’s back. Dante asked if they were cool, and Danny and Rocco shook hands. Dante said they were family and had to stick together. Portia said she couldn’t imagine pretending to be compliant and complicit with Drew. It made her sick to her stomach. Ava said there was no good solution, and Portia said, unless Drew was dead. Ava said, please talk to Ric. He might have an idea they haven’t thought of. He’s an unconventional thinker. Portia said she’d think about it, and Ava asked which was more awful, doing Drew’s bidding or losing Curtis? Jason told Anna that Charlotte reached out to Rocco and was in Buenos Aires. Anna asked if anyone else knew, and he said, no. They had to find Charlotte before Lulu found out. She said, if she could bring Charlotte back to Lulu… and he said, maybe she could forgive herself. They went to the elevator, and Jason said they’d get her back. Jack said, when Carly told him that she didn’t want a fling, that was his cue to leave, but he asked her out to dinner. Carly said he acted available when Vivian was hitting on him, and he said he knew how to work a woman – it was part of his job and instinctual – but he had no idea how to act with her. She said they wanted two different things, but he insisted they didn’t. He didn’t want to let her go. She asked what he wanted. She couldn’t do casual. His phone chimed and she told him, just get it. She stepped away and he saw a text from a private caller: Charlotte Cassadine located in Buenos Aires. Assets in route.

Thursday:

Felicia brought James to the hospital and said she didn’t know who Maxie was going to kill – him for doing it or her for letting it happen on her watch. She told Willow that they needed to see a doctor. James might have broken his arm. Willow got Isaiah and Felicia told James to spill it and tell the truth. Ric met Portia in her office, and she said she needed his help. She was desperate. He said she’d have to be if she was talking to him. Alexis went to see Sonny at Valentin’s old house and asked why he bought it. At the hospital, Drew said he knew Elizabeth would be able to help with the pediatric sports program, and she said she couldn’t wait to get started. Gio said he had something to tell Tracy that he didn’t think she’d like, and Tracy said if it was that Gloria was coming to visit, she knew already. He said, no. There was a guy at the gate. He thought the guy was surveying the property. Carly found Lulu in her office and said it was a nice surprise. Lulu said she might not think so now and handed her the room key she stole. She told Carly that she posed as housekeeping to break into Martin’s room. She thought she could figure out where Charlotte was. She didn’t, but she found out something else that was huge. Dante had a child he knew nothing about.

Drew told Elizabeth that he wanted to focus on long term pediatric patients. He wanted them to feel like they had hope in their lives. She said Oscar would be proud, and Drew said he was more than his illness. He wanted the kids to know they were too, that they had role models and the possibility of a brighter future. He was going to dedicate the program to Oscar. Trina saw Kai at the hospital, and he said his ex-coach thought it would be good for him to be part of the pediatric sports program, and she asked who he was there to meet. He said, a congressman, Drew Quartermain, and she pointed Drew out. Portia said her only problem with Ric was his defense of Heather, and he said, being a parent himself, he understood she was just trying to protect her daughter like any good mother. Heather was no longer in Port Charles, and he considered it water under the bridge. He was open to working with her. What exactly was going on? Isaiah asks how James hurt himself, and James said, sledding. Felicia said, off the roof, and James said it was fun until… Felicia asked what the diagnosis was, and Isaiah said they’d have to wait to see the x-rays, but he guessed it was broken. James asked if that meant a case. His mom would see it and his life would be over. Was Felicia going to rat him out? Felicia said they weren’t going to lie or keep things from his mom, and Isaiah said that wasn’t the kind of man James wanted to be. Besides, she’d find out anyway. She’s a mom and they had ways. Willow said his classmates would want to sign his cast. It would be cool. James said, if she ever let him out of his room again, and Isaiah suggested they go and get the x-rays taken. Natalia walked into the living room at Windymere, and Sidwell said it was a delight to see her. Was it business or pleasure? She said, neither. She wanted answers. She needed to know what Sidwell wanted from Deception. He said it was what Deception wanted from him, access to the rare mineral they needed. She said, zincite, and he said his relationship with Deception was based on supply and demand. She said she knew him, and he wasn’t there for a collaboration. He was there for a hostile takeover. Sonny told Alexis that Kristina and Jason thought the house had more security than the MetroCourt. It was temporary until he got back in the penthouse. Alexis gave him the paperwork he requested from Diane about Gio’s education trust. Tracy told Gio that the surveyor was there at her request. She didn’t trust Martin’s claim that the family crypt was on public land. Dante wondered what if her guy said the same thing, and she asked if he was suggesting Martin knew the property better than she did. Lois said Tracy could afford to move the crypt, but Tracy said she didn’t understand the sanctity of the Quartermaine legacy. She was going to use every resource to make sure her mother, father, and brother stayed where they were. Carly asked how Lulu found out, and Lulu said Valentin trusted Martin and Martin knew how to get in touch with him. She broke in to see if he had info on Charlotte and wasn’t going to apologize for doing what she had to in order to find her daughter. Carly said she would too, and Lulu said she found nothing on Charlotte, but found out about the baby. A paper had said, Dante Falconari, father, and it also said, Brook Lynn, mother.

Tracy asked Gio to stay for coffee. She appreciated his vigilance and thoughtfulness. He said he’d stay, and she said the morning was turning out to be quite lovely. Sonny walked in and she said she spoke too soon. Trina introduced Kai to Drew and said Drew had saved her life along with her dad. Drew said he was a big fan of Kai’s, and the kids would be thrilled. Kai said he knew other athletes who would be excited to be part of it. Any friend of Trina and her parents was a friend of his. Carly said she knew Dante and Brook had history, and Lulu said, Cody told her, when they were teenagers, he, Dante, and Brook were training to be camp counselors, and Dante got Brook pregnant. She had a boy and gave him up for adoption. She thought Lois was involved, but she wasn’t sure. Carly said she was shocked Brook would keep it from Dante, but Lulu said, typical Brook. She had to tell Dante, right? If she kept this huge, life changing secret, wasn’t she just as bad as Brook?

Sidwell told Natalia that he had no interest in dragging Deception into anything. He was a changed man. She said she could see that he had some new suits and cleaned up his act, but she saw through the façade. Sidwell said he wasn’t interested in anything in Port Charles, and Natalia said she got it. It made sense that he wasn’t after something, but someone. She guessed it was Sonny. Sidwell said he wasn’t pursuing Sonny. That was her. Alexis came in and Sidwell said, welcome. He was sorry to cut things short with Natalia, but he needed to speak to Alexis alone. Natalia said, of course (🍷), and left. Sidwell said he was happy Alexis accepted his invitation. It was nice to see her at Windymere. Alexis said the feeling far from mutual. Carly said she knew there was tension between Brook and Lulu, but Lulu couldn’t judge Brook when she’d made a similar decision. Lulu said it was the hardest thing she’d done, but she told Dylan about her decision. Brook never mentioned it to Dante. Carly said she didn’t know the circumstances then. Brook made a difficult decision, but that didn’t mean she was a bad person. Lulu said she thought Dante deserved to know he had a child, but Carly said this wasn’t just about Dante. The baby would be grown up now. What if they had a happy life and didn’t know they were adopted? It could destroy them and cause complications for Brook and her family or Dante and his. The fallout could destroy a lot of lives. Was she ready for that? Tracy told Sonny that if he was here about Deception, he should go to their offices. Sonny said he was here about Gio, and Tracy said, since Gio lived there, she was entitled to know his business. Sonny told Gio to get his coat, but Tracy said she wanted a lawyer to look things over. Sonny said Diane already did, and Gio said he’d look at it later. Tracy put her hand out, and Sonny gave her the envelope, saying, it was Gio’s educational trust. Tracy said, absolutely not.

Drew told Trina and Kai that Elizabeth was the hospital liaison, and he thought she’d love it. He started the program to honor his son Oscar who died of cancer as a teenager. Trina said she hadn’t told Kai about Oscar, but she and Josslyn talked about him all the time and missed him. She thought he’d love it. Drew said they’d lost some amazing people, and Trina said, too many. She asked if Drew was going to see her mom before he left, and he said he might. Ric said, Portia was being blackmailed? and she said, by two people actually. A lab tech found out she’d altered Heather’s test results, but he was just asking for little stuff. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t her biggest concern. Someone else found out – Drew Quartermaine. Ric said, the congressman? and Portia said, at one time, Drew and Curtis were best friends, but Drew changed. He turned into a horrible person and now he and Curtis were at war, especially about Aurora. Drew was holding this over her head and wanted her to broker a sit-down between him and Curtis and convince Curtis to end the war. Ric asked how much Curtis knew, and she said Curtis valued honesty, so she told him that she tampered with the test results, but he didn’t know about the blackmail. She wondered if she should betray Curtis on Drew’s behalf or tell Curtis she’d been keeping this secret. Ric said she was what the legal community called between a rock and a hard place, and she said she was scared of losing her job and medical license, but didn’t want to lose Curtis the most.

Carly wondered why Martin had this information, but Lulu wasn’t sure. She knew Brook and Chase were trying to have a baby and Chase found out he was sterile – which was not public knowledge. Maybe Brook was thinking of finding her baby. Dante thought Brook was a good person. Carly asked if this was about their rivalry, but Lulu said, not at all. She wasn’t that petty. Dante deserved to know he had a son. Carly said if Lulu told him, he might be inclined to shoot the messenger, and Lulu said she knew, but the child was Rocco’s brother and a Quartermaine. He was Tracy’s great grandson, and Lois, Ned, and Olivia were his grandparents. Carly said, and Sonny, and Lulu said if she kept it a secret, Carly had to keep it a secret too. Was she sure she could keep it from her kids and Sonny. Tracy told Gio, don’t sign it, but Brook said, stay out of it. Loise agreed and said, Sonny had been paying Gio’s tuition already. Gio said since he was 12, when his mom died, and Sonny said he wanted Gio to pursue his dreams. He deserved a trust if he needed money. Tracy said, that was before. Now Gio was here, and his education would be managed by them. Dante said, Sonny did the same thing for Rocco, and Tracy said, what Sonny provided for his grandchildren was his business, but she wasn’t allowing Gio to be the beneficiary ill-gotten gains. It was bad enough Brook got Sonny involved in Deception. Now he wanted to finance Gio? Absolutely not. She wouldn’t allow Gio to be hurt by Sonny. She’d born witness to the chaos he’d wrought, like in the lives of Stone, Karen, Jason… Sonny said, enough. It wasn’t about his past. It was about Gio. He gave Gio the envelope and said sign it when he could, but Gio said he’d sign it now. He signed the papers and Sonny left with Lois. Tracy approached Gio. James came out in a pink cast and said it was his mom’s favorite color, but she was still going to be mad. Isaiah said she’d mostly be happy that he was okay. It was a clean break, and he’d be back in no time. Felicia told James that it was time for them to face the music, and on their way out, Kai asked, what happened? James said he sledded off the roof and realized Kai was the football guy. He’d seen him on TV. He was a star.  Ric told Portia, if there was fallout later, he’d be there, but in the meantime, don’t tell Curtis. Not right now. Stall Drew. String him along and make him think she was giving in to his demands. She said Curtis knew how she felt about Drew. If she was suddenly sympathetic, he’d know something was up. Ric said, be subtle, but make Drew think she was pressing Curtis as hard as she could. She told him that Ava said the same thing, and he said, Ava is a smart woman. Convince Drew that she was playing by his rules. Sidwell said he got the feeling Alexis didn’t like him, and she said she didn’t know him, but didn’t like what she’d heard. Such as he held her grandson’s father captive in Africa. That wasn’t nice and she hated Windymere, so why was she here? Sidwell said he made a mistake in Africa, but in his defense, that’s how business was done there. Alexis said, interesting that he referred to kidnapping and human rights violations as a mistake, and he said business wasn’t conducted the same everywhere. She said she didn’t care. She had no plans to do business with him. He said it wasn’t what she could or couldn’t do for him, it was what he could do for her. He brought out a box and said, it was what he had to give her. Tracy told Gio that it was impressive. It took nerve to defy her, and he’d done it twice. There was more to him than met the eye. Her family could learn from his example. Gio thanked her and said he knew there was a reason she felt the way she did about Sonny, and so did he. Sonny made sure he was okay after his mom passed. Lois helped, but Sonny made sure he was always good. Tracy said Sonny was loyal to the people he cared about, and Gio said, Sonny was supportive of his love of music. It gave him a purpose and he didn’t know what he would have done without Sonny. She said, it didn’t matter how old you were, it was always painful to lose your mother. She was also loyal to the people she cared about. This had less to do with her obvious dislike of Sonny, and more to do with her concern about Gio.

Kai signed James’s cast, and James said the kids at school would be jealous. Felicia said they were big fans. She hoped his physical therapy was going well and he’d be back next season. Kai said he had new opportunities coming up that he was excited about, and Trina said the pediatric wing was one of them. Felicia said he’d be as big a success there as the football field. They’d be rooting for him. Elizabeth asked if Ric found who he was looking for, and Ric said he did. He’d been looking for Portia. Drew got a text from Portia that she’d given his offer a thought and he went to her office. He asked if she meant it, and she said, as long as he didn’t tell what he knew, she’d absolutely do what he asked. She’d convince Curtis to meet with him to bury the hatchet and mend their friendship. Drew said he was glad she came to her senses. Alexis said there was nothing Sidwell had that she wanted, and he said he had Windymere, Spoon Island. Wasn’t it her family’s estate? Alexis said he obviously didn’t know much about her family. Feel free to burn whatever he had. He said he’d never burn anything as beautiful and intriguing as this. He opened the box and revealed a dagger. Gio said he was glad they talked, and Tracy said her too. She misspoke in giving her opinions and she was sorry. Gio said he overstepped, and she said he’d been looking out for Scout, and she understood the reasons for his loyalty to Sonny. She hoped it didn’t cost him someday. Sonny left a message for Alexis to give him a call when she could. Gio signed the documents, and he wanted to send them over. The doorbell rang, and Sonny opened the door to Lois. She said she was there to apologize for everyone who wasn’t Tracy. Tracy had no right to stick her nose into his and Gio’s business. Sonny said he didn’t give a damn what Tracy thought. He wanted Gio to have the best possible life he could have, but thought Gio had to stay away from him. Carly told Lulu that in the past, she would have rushed out, gone to Sonny, and told him everything because family was everything to him. She wasn’t going to do that now because family was everything to her. In this situation, Brook is Bobbie. She knew how hard it was for her mom to give her up for adoption. It haunted her. She thought Brook had been through enough and she wasn’t going to add to it. Lulu said she didn’t think she and Brook were similar, but Carly said, not just that. She may not have given up her baby, but Lulu knew about making hard decisions to protect her children. That’s why she passed Michael off as Jason’s to protect him from AJ. Robin blew the secret up and wrecked lives. Lulu asked if that’s what Carly thought she was doing, and Carly said, was she? Lulu said she what was best for her kids, and Carly said, like her mom, like Brook, like Lulu when she broke into Martin’s room looking for information on Charlotte. They were moms doing what they could for their kids. Lulu said she couldn’t argue a single word. She wished she could. Carly took her hand and wondered if there was anything she could say that would help, but Lulu shrugged and said she wasn’t sure. She thought she’d get clarity when she looked into Dante’s eyes. One look, and she’d know whether to keep Brook’s secret or if she had to tell him everything. (Sounds like a poor barometer to me.)

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada:

At Valentin’s old house, now Sonny’s new one, Sonny tells Lois that he watched Gio grow up. Gio is a great kid, but maybe the best thing is for him to stay away from Gio. Lois says, Gio is old enough to make his own decisions. It’s up to him if he wants to take Sonny’s support or not, and clearly it looks like he’s made his choice. Sonny says, Lois didn’t answer his question. Does she trust him around Gio? She says, as much as she did that first day in Bensonhurst when she invited him over to meet Gio, and he thanks her. The doorbell rings, and Sonny opens the door to Carly. She says she’s glad he’s here, then she sees Lois.  

Lulu walks into the Quartermaine mansion and sees Brook and Dante in the foyer. Dante asks if everything is okay.

Alexis asks where Sidwell got the dagger, and he says he found it in a cabinet in the downstairs living room. The workmanship is exquisite. It’s also valuable. Alexis says, it’s impossible. The dagger should be at the bottom of the harbor.

Isaiah knocks at Jordan’s door, and she says, just a minute. She opens the door wearing a facial mask, and he says he likes the look. She says, sorry, but he says, it’s nice to know she’s a mere mortal and not a goddess 24/7. She asks what he’s doing here, and he says he thought they could get lunch. She says she’s got lunch coming, but he says, not anymore.

On the phone, Jack asks Colette what this is about. He was just going to grab lunch… Fine. How is she doing?… Good. He wants hourly updates on her progress. He flashes back to telling Josslyn that she’s special. She has the qualities the WSB is looking for – ingenuity, initiative, mental and physical fortitude. She’s willing and able to what’s necessary. She says, necessary for what? and he says, the WSB. He wants her to become one of them.  

Josslyn sits on the floor and flashes back to sitting by dead Dex’s bedside. She says she’d do anything for him to wake up. Or someone to wake her up and tell her this is a nightmare, but that’s not going to happen. He’s gone… He’s really gone. Her handler Vaughn comes in and says, break’s over. She looks tired. Is she sure she wants to stick around? Josslyn says, absolutely, and he shoves a protective vest at her and says, for the next phase.

Sonny asks what brings Carly by, and she says she wanted to check out him new place. She hopes she’s not interrupting something important. Lois says, it’s just family stuff, and Sonny says, they were talking about Gio.

Dante asks again if everything is okay, and Brook says she’s glad Lulu is here. Lulu says, that’s a first, and Brook says, granny is on a tear. Lulu is one of the few people she lets get away with murder. Maybe Lulu can calm her down. Lulu says she’s not doing Brook any favors. Not after what she’s done. Brook says, what? and Lulu says she thinks Brook heard her. Dante asks if Lulu is okay, and Lulu flashes back to seeing, Dante Falconari, father. Not on the birth certificate. She remembers telling Carly that Dante deserves to know he has a child, and Carly saying, in a perfect world, she’d agree, but it’s not just about Dante anymore. Lulu tells Dante that she’s just saying she doesn’t want to get involved. Whatever issue Brook has with Tracy, she’ll have to solve it herself. Brook says, far be it for anyone to ask Lulu for help. She tells Dante that she hopes things are okay with his dad. Next time, maybe Lulu could call before she drops by. She leaves, and Dante says, what was that? They talked about this, and he thought she was going to cut Brook some slack. She says she’s done with that. They can coddle Brook all they want. Dante says he thinks he’s done. He doesn’t want to referee anymore. Did she come to talk about Rocco or Charlotte? She says, no… and he says, then he’s not interested. Something happened with his dad and Gio, and believe it or not, Tracy. If she’s not into helping, he’s going to deal with that if she doesn’t mind. She says, absolutely. Go handle it. Dante leaves.

Carly asks if everything is okay with Gio, and Lois says, Sonny generously made an educational trust for Gio to go to grad school after PCU. Carly says, that’s great. What’s the problem? Sonny says, Tracy told Gio not to take his money, and Carly says, of course (🍷) she did. Lois says, Tracy is biased against Sonny, but she’s barking at the moon. They’ll always be family and the entire Cerullo clan will always be grateful what he’s done for Gio. Sonny says, family is family, and he’s happy to do it for Gio, but the real reason is that he can’t say no to Lois.

Jordan says, let her get this straight. Isaiah ran into her food delivery guy. Isaiah says, literally. There was Pad Thai all over the pavement. But don’t worry. He helped the guy clean up and tipped him. She says, that’s great, except now she has no lunch, and he says, no problem. He’ll fix her something. She asks if he cooks, and he says he cooks. She says, good luck. She doesn’t think there’s anything in her fridge except baking soda and a packet of soy sauce. He says he’ll see what he can do with what she’s got. He’s been known to work a miracle or two. He goes to the kitchen.

Vaughn asks Josslyn if she’s feeling tired. She’s been up for 48 hours. She says she’s good, and they get ready to spar. He asks if she’s had any training, and she says, a little kickboxing. He throws a punch, she feints, and they continue to spar. He says, nice. She has good instincts. It’s not industry standard, but a decent starting point. It’s not bad for not having slept and being in the middle of nowhere. Why is she doing this? She says, kicking his ass?

Sidwell tells Alexis, the dagger has some significance. He expects it’s providence. She says she’s only aware of two owners, her stepmother and the person she bequeathed it to – her. He guesses it was an unwelcome gift, and she says, it’s not a gift; it’s a curse. Helena Cassadine was her stepmother and used the dagger to slit her mother’s throat.

In her bedroom, Brook leaves a message for Gio, saying, she’s so sorry things got intense this morning. She hopes her grandmother didn’t offend him more than usual. She means well even when she’s doing wrong. There’s a knock at the door, and Brook says she’ll see him at home or give her a call back if he wants to talk. She opens the door and Lulu is there. Brook says she thought they were done, but Lulu says, they’re far from done. Brook says, they have no real connection other than Lulu being a terrible assistant and leeching off her grandmother. Lulu goes past Brook and into the room, and Brook says, so they’re doing this. Lulu says, Brook is going to want to close the door. She doubts Brook wants everyone hearing their private conversation. Brook asks what it’s about, and Lulu says, it’s about how Brook has been lying to Dante for years.

Sonny asks if he and Lois have anything else to discuss. He wants to let Gio know that he’s not pressuring him to take the money. Lois says she doubts he feels that way. He knows Sonny is generous. They all do. She’ll be in touch. She leaves, and Carly says, an educational trust fund for Gio. That’s an investment. Sonny says, education is very important. He’s certain that Gio’s family won’t be able to afford it. He’s funded Gio’s music education in the past and he’s happy to do it. Carly says, that doesn’t surprise her. Sonny takes care of the people he loves. He says, Tracy reminded him that the same people are hurt by him, and Carly asks if he’s sure she wasn’t talking about herself. Tracy doesn’t get to remind him of anything. He says, maybe she has a point, but Carly says, she doesn’t. Gio is an adult and he and Sonny have known each other most of Gio’s life. Gio gets to decide – not Tracy – if he wants help. Sonny says, Michael didn’t decide to be his son and look at where he is, and Carly says, Michael is the other reason she stopped by. She actually talked to him on the phone. He called her. He said he’s doing better. It’s slow, but he’s doing therapy and moving in the right direction. Sonny asks her to do him a favor. The next time she talks to Michael, tell him that he loves him. She says she will, but she knows Michael is going to call him and he can tell Michael himself. She knows Michael loves him too.

As they eat, Jordan says she still can’t believe Isaiah made this terrific pasta out of whatever he had to work with, and he says she had three ingredients in this place. She says, that’s why she orders in, and he says he sees why now, but he’s glad she’s enjoying the meal. She asks why he stopped by. To assault her delivery driver or impress her with his culinary skills? He says, the cooking is a bonus, but he’s glad to see her. She says, is that so? and he says, it is. He thought the idea of her going after Sidwell was for them to pursue whatever this is in private.

Vaughn says he read Josslyn’s file, and she asks, what’s in it? He says, Josslyn John Jax, PCU pre-med, switched to an environmental science major. A volleyball player. She says, former, and he says, former. A rich girl who could do anything or be anywhere other than here, and in five minutes, she’ll wish she wasn’t. Why isn’t she on a beach in Cancun having a fancy drink? She says, maybe because she’s not some rich girl who enjoys suntans and dysentery, and he says, why the WSB? She says she’s seen people die. She’s seen people take advantage with their power and wants to use hers to balance the scales and get a little justice. He says, if she means that, there’s the door.

Brook tells Lulu, understand something. She respects her grandmother and Dante, so she’s allowed Lulu to push her boundaries, but that ends now. She’s happy for Lulu’s children and family that she’s awake, but Lulu’s gone way too far with her. She has zero grace left to give Lulu. If Lulu has something to say to her, dare to say it. Lulu says, okay. How about this? Brook had Dante’s baby and never told him.

Alexis says she’s surprised Lucy didn’t fill Sidwell in on the sordid history of the property and its former owners, and he says, Lucy told him some history, but clearly omitted a few important details. To be clear, the dagger was used to murder Alexis’s mother? She says, yes, and he says, in light of that, at least let him offer her a drink, but she says, no thanks. She’s sober. He says, in light of that, he’ll make himself one, and she looks at the dagger. He says, forgive him, but did she witness her mother’s murder?

Isaiah says he doesn’t want to put pressure on Jordan or put her on the spot, but if now isn’t the right time or she’s not interested, he gets it. They’re cool. But he doesn’t want there to be any misunderstanding. He’s very interested in seeing what this can be, even if it’s here in her apartment – just her and him.

Dante goes to Sonny’s and asks how he’s liking the place. Sonny says, it’s not bad. As Dante can see, it’s bigger than the penthouse, and Dante says, it’s great. Did he deCassadine the place? Get a priest to exorcise it? Sonny laughs and says he had concerns, but it’s all good. He just needs it to be comfortable for his daughters. Dante says, Donna and Avery will love it, and Sonny says, that’s the plan. Does Dante want a drink? Dante says he’s good. He came to see Sonny to apologize for all the crap with Tracy. He should have said something sooner. Sonny says, Dante doesn’t have to defend him. He can handle himself. Dante says he knows, but what Sonny is doing for Gio is generous. He should have spoken up. Sonny says, he doesn’t have to apologize if he agrees with Tracy.

On the phone, Ned says, so the new edition of the [Photo Ark] book is out tomorrow?… Fantastic. His son Leo loves it. Thank you. Lois comes in and says, where is she? Ned’s mother. Ned says, hello to her too. His mother is out for a ride. Why? Lois says she’ll give Tracy a ride off a dock, and Ned asks what she’s done this time. Lois says, this time she’s gone too far. Does he want to know what she did? He says, it doesn’t matter. She’ll tell him anyway. She says she absolutely will. Sonny was very gracious and created a trust for Gio’s music future, now or whenever he needs it. Ned says, that was generous, and she says, it was. When he came over with the paperwork for Gio to sign, Tracy stuck her face into their private business. She told Gio not to sign it. Ned says he sees the problem, and she says, of course (🍷). Can he imagine the gall? But he says, this time, his mother is right.  

Lulu says, this is new. A speechless Brook. Brook says, whatever Lulu thinks she knows… and Lulu says she knows the truth. Don’t bother denying it. Brook says she didn’t deny it or confirm it, and Lulu says she doesn’t need Brook to do that. She saw the paperwork. Brook says, what paperwork? and Lulu says, from her lawyer. She saw Martin Grey’s files. Brook had a son and Dante was the father. She gave him up for adoption. Dante never knew the child existed, but Brook did. She kept Dante’s child from him. Brook says, I had a son?

Josslyn asks if Vaughn has the power to throw her out, and he says, no, but she has the power to walk away. She asks why she would do that, and he says, what she described was idealism. Take it to the Peace Corps. She says she’s not going anywhere, and he says, idealists who are in this line of work end up dead or worse. She says, what’s worse? and he says, she needs to understand this. The world and the WSB changes people. Ideals are shattered and people get corrupted, and there’s no one more corrupt in this world than a person who used to have ideals. He walks out.

Carly walks into Bobbie’s and sees Jack at a table. She flashes back to telling him that he should be with someone like Vivian, with no strings attached. She couldn’t do that. She goes to his table and says she didn’t expect to see him here again.  

Lulu says, if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she might buy Brook’s act. It’s not bad. But it was clear by Martin’s notes that she was trying to track her son or find out something about him, since she went to Martin. Brook says she never went to Martin. She never talked to a lawyer. She never talked to anyone. Lulu says, give it up. She saw Martin’s notes. She shows Brook the pictures on her phone and says, Brook had a baby when she was a teen. Dante’s baby. At least admit that much. Brook looks at the phone and hands it back. On the verge of tears, she leans on the desk and says she had a baby. She gave birth in San Francisco. She didn’t know if she had a girl or a boy. She couldn’t know. She never even held him. She’s never looked for him. She’s never talked to a lawyer. Lulu says, well, her mother did because she showed up at Martin’s hotel room.

Lois tells Ned, forget it. He never liked Sonny. She should have known better. She starts to leave, but Ned says, wait. He knows she and Sonny go back to the old neighborhood and the Cerullos and Sonny are rock solid. Their relationship goes back before Columbus. Lois says, that’s right and that’s never going to change, and he says, honestly, he doesn’t love it, but it’s none of his business. She says she wishes his mom understood that, and he says, what she doesn’t get, his mom did. Why encourage Gio to tie himself to Sonny? Sonny is a known criminal, and especially knowing where the money is coming from? She says, please. It has nothing to do with Sonny’s businesses. He says, yet in letting Sonny create a trust, Gio will feel indebted to him. It’s that simple. What if Gio decides to follow in his beneficiary’s footsteps? Or what if Sonny asks Gio to do him a favor and he gets caught in the line of fire? How will her loyalty help Gio then?

Dante tells Sonny that he didn’t agree with Tracy. He thought Sonny did a good thing when he came over. Sonny says he’s got to admit, it’s good to hear, and Dante says he can’t think of one time he agreed with Tracy about anything. Sonny should know that. And if he doesn’t, ask Jason or Stone and they’d tell him the same thing. They’re happy to have him in their lives, as is he. Sonny asks if he thinks his brother feels the same way, and Dante says, Michael got hurt at the penthouse, but Sonny is his dad and he loves him, The thing Sonny is doing for Gio should be appreciated, not picked apart by Tracy or anyone else. He appreciates the hell out of Sonny.

Jordan says, when she suggested she and Isaiah spend time together clandestinely, she thought it would be sexier, and he says, excuse me? He thought he was bringing the sexy. She says, he is, but she’s in sweats and wearing pedicure pads, and he says he’s seen grown men stop mid-sentence when she enters a room. Now he sees a side other people don’t get to. If she wants him to even the playing field, he’ll run home, get on the treadmill, run a few miles, and get super sweaty. She says, he could, but she can think of a better way to get sweaty. She kisses him.

Jack says he came in hoping to see Carly. Then again, he’s always hoping to see her. Carly sits down, and he asks, what happened? They seemed to be heading in a nice direction. What changed? She says, remember what happened on their date? and he says he explained about Vivian. She says, he was clear above board, and he asks, what’s the problem? She says, this is the problem. He was upfront about Vivian and his lifestyle, but she was just fooling herself into thinking their lifestyles were compatible. They’re just not.

Josslyn says, so Vaughn doesn’t care about anything and has no ideals, and he says, sometimes you have to do bad things to prevent worse things from happening. She says, that’s cynical, but he says, it’s pragmatic. He has no illusion about lighting the way for truth and justice. They’re not the same. She says she can do this, and he asks if she’s sure about that. He flips her and she falls to the ground. He says, rule number one, never fight fair. She gets up and they spar some more. He says, rule number two, see rule number one. He flips her down again and asks if she still thinks she’s got what it takes.

Sidwell apologizes for asking Alexis such a difficult question. Sometimes his curiosity comes across as a lack of common courtesy. Alexis says, it’s a tragic story with all too common a theme. Her father was Mikos Cassadine, and he fell in love with her mother Kristen, an opera singer and also his mistress. When Helena found out, she came to their home and murdered her mother in front of her. So yes, she watched it. Sidwell shakes his head and says he’s so sorry. It’s a horrible thing to witness and odd for someone to share openly, with a stranger no less. She picks up the dagger and says, sometimes it’s easier to talk about something with a stranger, especially something this barbaric. Now the dagger keeps reappearing, like it’s haunting her. She knows the weight and it’s not a replica. He says he wouldn’t know, and she says she threw it in the harbor. Sidwell says, maybe she misremembered. Such trauma wreaks havoc with memories. She says, maybe. In any event, looking at it and holding it is horrific. She tosses it onto the table.

Jordan says, this is the last thing she expected when she ordered Pad Thai, and Isaiah says, normally, he’d never stand between a woman and her take-out. He hopes she’s not too disappointed. She says she does love Pad Thai, but it’s okay. He asks if the way things turned out was a pleasant surprise, and she says, yeah, definitely. They kiss again.

Dante asks why Sonny thinks the Gio thing bothers him so much, and Sonny says he thinks Tracy’s words hit home. Gio might feel obligated to take the trust because of his loyalty. Dante says, and maybe it has nothing to do with that, but Sonny says, he doesn’t want Gio to feel forced to take the money. Dante suggests Sonny talk to Gio. Tell him that he can take it or leave it, and it won’t be at the cost of their relationship. Sonny says, forget the trust money right now. How is he doing? Dante says he doesn’t know. He thought if he knew what happened to Sam, he’d get closure, but he hasn’t. Sonny says, he misses Sam. That’s not going to change, but it will get more manageable. Dante says he thinks the reason he’s having a hard time is managing Lulu.

Brook says, her mother was in Martin’s hotel room and Lulu saw it? but Lulu says, not exactly. Brook wonders what Lulu was doing in there. She’s pretty sure Martin didn’t just hand her his notes. Lulu says, no, he didn’t, and Brook asks how she got the pictures. Lulu says, what matters is the truth, and Brook says, the truth is, Lulu broke in and got the information illegally. If Carly gave her the passkey… Lulu says, Carly had nothing to do with it, and Brook says, Lulu has nothing to do with her child. Lulu says, the child Brook gave birth to is her son’s half-brother and Dante has another child out in this world. Dante cares about Brook and believes she cares about him. How could she give birth and never tell Dante that his son existed?

Sidwell asks what Alexis would like to do. The dagger is hers to take with her, but he totally understands why she may not want to. She says, it came with the house. It’s his property now. She heads for the door, and he says he’ll walk her out, but she says she knows the way. She leaves and he takes a napkin, picking up the dagger by the blade with it. As he sips his drink, he looks at the handle.

Jordan guesses they could see where this goes, and Isaiah says, absolutely. She says, they need to be careful. Sidwell can’t know. He asks if she’s sure she wants to cozy up to Sidwell, and she asks if that’s what this about? Does he want to change her mind? He says, no. He just doesn’t understand why she has to be the one to expose him. The WSB and the PCPD already have eyes on him. She’s not in law enforcement anymore, so why involve herself rather than… She says, date him rather than bust Sidwell? He says, the simple solution would be to opt out.  

Jack says, to be clear, Carly doesn’t want to see him anymore because of his lifestyle. What type of lifestyle does she think he’s leading? She says, one where he diffuses bombs and sparks revolutions and sleeps with women without commitment or consequences. He says, what if he wants commitment and consequences? and she says, don’t do that. It’s not fair. She doesn’t want to have to be honest with herself. He says, all right. Take care of herself. He leaves and she frowns.

Vaughn says he had Josslyn on the floor because she didn’t pull out all the stops. Rule number three, do what you have to, to survive. Claw, scratch, bite… She kicks him in the groin, and he falls. She says, something like that? and in obvious pain, he says, yeah, something like that.

Dante tells Sonny, Lulu is trying to help, but the person who’s been the biggest help grieving Sam has been Brook. Sonny says, she stepped up? and Dante says, she’s been great, but it hurts Lulu. Sonny says he doesn’t get it. Dante and Brook have known each other their whole lives. They have history and trust, like him and Brook’s mother. There’s a kinship there.

Lois says, Ned is being unfair, but he says, not this time. He’s confused with her take on this. She was always loyal to Sonny in the past, but her loyalty had guardrails. She went out of her way to extricate a business relationship with Sonny from L&B Records. She even encouraged Brenda to wear a wire and record Sonny. Eventually she saw the financial conflict. Lois says, every penny Sonny put in was legit, including the money he put into Deception. He says, now the trust is fine because Sonny said so? What changed? Where did her due diligence go? What’s the is the difference with Gio?  

Brook says, Lulu is calling her a hypocrite when she got pregnant in high school. Remember? She certainly does. Lulu made a choice that was right for her and had people to support her, as she should have. Brook made a different choice. She gave birth and gave her baby up for adoption so they could have a better life. She wasn’t ready to be a mother. If she’d told Dante the truth, that choice would have been taken away from her. So get off her high horse. They both made a choice. Does she regret hers? Lulu says she made the choice that was right for her at the time, and Brook says she’s glad Lulu feels that way. She’s not judging Lulu’s choice, so don’t dare judge hers. Lulu says she’s not judging Brook’s choice. She’s judging Brook for her lies. Dante has a son out in the world, and because Brook lied, he doesn’t know. No matter the circumstances then, he deserves to know now. And if Brook doesn’t tell him, she will.

On Monday, Jordan tells Isaiah, that gives her an advantage that law enforcement doesn’t have; Dante needs Maxie’s help with something; Ned asks why Lois would go to Sonny rather than come to him; and Anna tells Jason, it’s too easy. Something is wrong.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

I have the feeling he’ll be handling more than just Josslyn’s WSB  training.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/meet-bryce-durfee-general-hospitals-newest-cast-member

A glimpse at the woman behind GH’s head nurse.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-rebecca-herbst-shares-a-rare-family-update

I would hate to see her leave GH, but it sounds heavenly.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/rena-sofer-opens-up-about-wanting-to-semi-retire

He’s officially Beyond the Gates.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/beyond-the-gates/jon-lindstroms-beyond-the-gates-debut-date-revealed

Who knows? Maybe I’ll see him in NYC. Along with Lois. We can all hang out.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-books-an-exciting-new-role

💉 A Dose of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

Thank God Harry’s thumb is safe.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The glamor was coming back to Erika. And apparently the cash, since Martyn the designer/decorator was pretty pricey. She had a bigger moss bowl than the one in Sonny’s old kitchen and they cost a small fortune. Yes, I checked them out once and did end up getting a moss wreath for my front door which was a slightly smaller fortune on sale. She gave her mom a tour. Meanwhile, Kathy and Kyle got mammograms. Kyle thought Mauricio was freaking out from everyone seeing the pic of him and the new girlfriend, but I’m thinking he probably just smoked a fatty. In Garcelle’s interview, she said she didn’t think things would ever be resolved between Sutton and Dorit. However, she and Dorit were making a fresh start of their friendship. She related to Dorit separating with small children, and thought the other women lacked compassion because they forgot.

Sutton had a fashion show and just before it started, Kathy decided to ask Sutton if Dorit could narrate. Sutton was pretty startled, but explained that there was no narration. Kathy took her sweet time getting back to her seat, greeting people as she went, and ended up nearly walking the runway with the first model. Sometimes I wonder if Kathy is smoking Mauricio’s leftovers. In Boz’s interview, she said she’d never seen crashing the catwalk in her experience. Garcelle’s son Jaid walked his first modeling gig in the show and Jennifer walked also, wearing the last outfit of a red sweater dress. The clothes were cute, casual, and sporty. I love Sutton. I don’t care if she’s mean sometimes. It’s always to those who have pushed her to that point and deserve it IMO. Sutton’s mom tried to make it, but after spending a million hours at the airport, could not catch a flight. She still made sure Sutton knew she was proud of her. It was an oasis of a sweet moment.

Denise Richards and Her Wild Things

I loved this, but I knew I would. I love Denise’s sense of humor and how down to earth she is. I’d thought she and Aaron separated, but they agreed they’d stay together even if they grew to hate one another because it was still better than getting a divorce. (See below.) There were two episodes, and the main takeaway point was: Now she knows how her parents felt. Yep. She’s friends with Tori Spelling, so we got to go to dinner with them, where Tori got the information that Patrick Muldoon had once dropped Denise for her. She said she’d always wanted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but was fine with that. Camille Grammer also made an appearance, but the morally corrupt Faye Resnick was not in attendance.

What’s up with Aaron and his BDE.

Summer House

Lindsay had a gender reveal where the housemates had to find clues that eventually led to a box of pink balloons. Big baby Kyle got into it with Paige, leading to an unhappy Amanda. Bowling for Soup said it best: high school never ends. Amanda told Kyle that everybody didn’t need to know where he was coming from all the time, and he whined about his feelings being hurt. <sigh> On Watch What Happens Live, Kyle said certain companies don’t allow you to be on Summer House if you want to work for them. Why am I not surprised? I’ve been saying for years that I’d never hire someone who was on this show.

Southern Charm

Shep gave Sienna a megalodon necklace, but it still wasn’t enough to get her to like him. To make it worse, Taylor said it was like the necklace Shep gave her, although he insisted that was a Great White. After he was kinda sorta officially dumped, Shep bemoaned his situation to everyone, even telling his story to the bartenders. Austen and Craig kissed bro hugged and made up, and Craig rented some flamingoes to wander around during lunch. However, they freaked Madison out as they didn’t understand personal space.

Villain? Are they kidding? It was the highlight of my week, telling Shep the TV repeatedly, she doesn’t like you, and watching karma get him good.

Southern Hospitality

The Republic staff had their prom and… Man bun alert! No, Oisin. Just no. I’ll say it again. The only two men who are allowed to wear a man bun are Roger Howarth and Sensei Guillermo Gomez. Emmy might cry a lot, but I’d be crying too, if my so-called friend group kept following me around at parties – as a group – demanding answers about my love life. Needless to say, Maddi and Joe were prom queen and king, respectively.

No Will. Apparently, he was there somewhere in the periphery to support Emmy, but not on stage. I’m curious about Grace’s Burning Man inspired clothing line. Like is it all raffia and batik prints along with leather moto jackets? I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to this because it’s just a rehash of the same old. The big reveal was something about someone’s sister’s cousin’s boyfriend starting a rumor. Or something.

Random Reality Items

A surprise to no one that Jax has a cocaine issue.

Also probably a surprise to no one, but apparently this was about some old grudge involving GG’s ex-husband, who took up with Paulina. I wonder if GG kicked his ass too. But seriously, how old are we now?

https://people.com/shahs-of-sunset-paulina-ben-cohen-restraining-order-golnesa-gg-gharachedaghi-alleged-attack-11690931

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch

I’m still slogging through Lost and imagine my surprise to hear Nina’s (Cynthis Watros) voice. I’d been multitasking and nearly got whiplash looking back at the screen. Is everyone eventually going to show up on that island?

Venom: The Last Dance. Netflix. What can I say about this film? It was funny, the special effects were great, and there were lots of heads bitten off and such. A good time from start to finish. What more could I want?

https://collider.com/venom-the-last-dance-review/

Everything you’d ever want to know about the film.

https://screenrant.com/venom-the-last-dance-netflix-global-top-10-chart/

https://www.koimoi.com/television/venom-the-last-dance-ott-verdict-makes-a-thunderous-debut-on-netflix-at-1-with-an-impressive-number-of-views/

Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke. Hulu. I’m a big fan of documentaries and people like this boggle my mind. It’s definitely an argument for being suspicious of people who present themselves as perfect. An influencer who racked up viewers on YouTube with videos of her happy Mormon (again?) family, abused them all behind the scenes. After a so-called family therapist came into their lives, things got even worse.

https://people.com/ruby-franke-docuseries-devil-in-the-family-hulu-11678978

🏆 And the Award Goes To…

Post Oscar talk.

https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2025

100+ photos!

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37556/vanity-fair-oscars-2025-party-red-carpet-fashion

Timothée Chalamet looks like he’s getting ready for prom.

https://pagesix.com/2025/03/03/style/melissa-rivers-on-the-best-and-worst-oscars-2025-looks/

The best and the worst moments. Probably up for debate.

https://ew.com/oscars-2025-best-and-worst-moments-11688617

https://people.com/best-and-worst-moments-of-the-oscars-2025-11689298

And a crossover!

👠 Best and Brightest…

How to watch this year’s Essence Black Women In Hollywood Awards.

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/where-to-stream-2025-black-women-in-hollywood/

It’s not an awards show without the fashion.

https://www.essence.com/gallery/celebrity-looks-essence-black-women-in-hollywood-awards-2025/

🐩 Barbie Would Be Proud…

I’ll bet they keep her that color from now on.

https://people.com/runaway-pink-haired-poodle-rescued-after-jumping-into-freezing-river-waters-11692243

🐡 Quotes of the Week

A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Focus on the journey, not on arriving at a certain destination. – Chris Hadfield

Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner. – Lao Tzu

Austen: You are an embellisher.🔹Craig: I’m a lawyer and a storyteller. – Austen Kroll and Craig Conover, Southern Charm

You can observe a lot by just watching. – Yogi Berra

🐍 Coming In Like an Anaconda…

Until next week, stay safe; stay remembering to SPRING AHEAD THIS WEEKEND (Sunday 2 am); and stay accepting your reality. When you do, you know who you are and what you want, and the whole world opens up in ways you never expected.

February 28, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Sidwell Makes Deception an Offer, Soap Suds, This Week’s Reality, Weekend Watching, And the Rest, Exact Last, Award News, Full Of Surprises, 8 Quotes Is Enough & Winds

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

🧴 Weekday Highlights…

Monday:

Waking up with Ric, Ava felt like things were looking up. Dante, Kristina, and Molly showed up at Alexis’s office. Anna called someone to come in about Cyrus. She told Chase she had one lead – Jason. Jason met Sonny at Bobbie’s, and said, if somebody killed Cyrus, it wasn’t him. He had to think of what Sam wanted. Trina told Josslyn to call her mother, but Josslyn said she lost her phone. Trina said something was up with Josslyn that was making her worry and asked, what happened last night?

Brook told Lois that Chase was being vulnerable and honest, so she thought she should too, and told him about having the baby in high school. At the Surf Lodge, Kai told Quinn that Trina’s dad owned The Savoy. Josslyn told Trina that she’d gone to Dex’s apartment and threw her phone against the wall in frustration. Trina said her date with Kai was nothing special and she was heading to Ava’s. At the hospital, Martin asked Laura about Lucky, and she said he was expected to make a full recovery. He told her Cyrus was missing, and she told him that Cyrus tried to kill Lulu more than once. He blamed himself for believing Cyrus had changed. Ava said Ric had nothing to do with Sonny offering a deal, but he begged to differ, saying, Sonny doesn’t fight; he settles. Dante said they knew who killed Sam. Alexis guessed correctly, and said, now they needed to know why.

Laura blamed herself for not barring Cyrus from visiting sooner and told Martin about Sam, Dex, and the patients at Turning Woods. Anna said she had nothing on Jason and nothing on Cyrus. She thought only someone as good as Jason could keep things so clean – it screamed professional. She wanted to bring Jason in. Gio apologized to Josslyn for Emma, but Josslyn said they had a strange history. She was happy Emma and Gio were friends. Jason went to the counter and Gio sat with Sonny. Josslyn asked to speak with Jason in private, but Anna called and said she needed him at the station – now – and he left. Dante told Alexis and the girls about what happened at Elizabeth’s and why Cyrus killed Sam.

Quinn tried to discourage Kai from a relationship with Trina. He’d told Trina to stay away from Kai. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have gotten injured. Trina told Ava about going out with Kai, but she wanted to keep it quiet because Josslyn was still grieving Dex. Ava said, for the first time, Trina was talking about her grief in the past tense. Brook said Chase was calm and non-judgmental, and Lois said he was a unicorn. Brook said she left out telling him that Dante was the father, and Lois said she made the right choice. Brook felt she could finally put the past behind her. Gio said he was glad Sonny was in his life, and he was thankful. Sonny gave Gio tickets to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and some cash, so Lois had extra for the trip, and he left. Martin said he and Cyrus fought about releasing their mother, so he’d taken over her care. Cyrus couldn’t save her, so he figured he could save others. He told Laura that he just made a formal complaint about Jason, thinking Cyrus was the victim, and Laura asked if the police thought Jason had something to do with Cyrus’s disappearance. They weren’t safe with Cyrus out there. Martin said they might not be safe until someone like Jason took care of Cyrus.

Sonny joined Laura at the hospital, and she said Lucky was stable now. Dante said Cyrus had vanished and Kristina said the justice system had failed again. Anna asked why Jason had gone against everything they’d discussed, and he said he’d thought about doing it, and wanted to, but didn’t because she’d asked him for a favor.  

Kai said his injury was an accident; he’d been at the top of his game. Quinn said he wasn’t the same, but Kai said the injury made him see there was more to him than football. Trina was the only reason he wasn’t losing his mind. Brook told Lois that Chase asked if she wanted to find her baby, when Gio interrupted. Ric came by the office looking for Diane and asked Alexis if there was something wrong. Felicia came into Bobbie’s and Josslyn asked if she had any leads on Cyrus. Molly said the system still did good, but Kristina said she’d never believe in it again. She didn’t see a world where Cyrus would pay for what he’d done. Anna told Jason about Cyrus’s cabin being immaculate. Only someone with his skill could leave a crime scene that clean, but maybe Cyrus was on the run. Jason said, if it was that clean, someone killed Cyrus, and she wondered who the hell did it if it wasn’t Jason?

Gio gave Lois the money and said he didn’t know how he’d ever pay her and Sonny back. He felt they were closer than cousins. Kai said Trina made him feel like there was more to him than just football and told Quinn not to speak on his behalf again. Trina told Ava that she still wasn’t ready to get involved and Kai just saw her as a friend. Then her friend called and asked if she was free. Laura said Luke would be happy she and Sonny were there for Lucky, and Sonny said he’d always be there for her. Alexis told Ric that Cyrus had killed Sam, and they hugged. Felicia told Josslyn that she didn’t think there was much evidence, and that Anna was convinced Cyrus had been killed. Jason was in custody. Chase told Dante the forensics report was back, and Dante looked baffled when he saw it. Chase said there were no fingerprints and almost no DNA, but there were two hairs, and they were Jason’s.

Tuesday:

Kai took Trina to the Modern Art Museum where he had a surprise. Jordan told Portia that Cyrus was gone. Jason said he was never in Cyrus’s cabin and had an alibi. Alexis joined Maxie at Drew’s because she wanted input on Scout’s bedroom and Alexis told him about Cyrus. Carly went to see Jack to thank him for fixing the plumbing and asked about the call he got. Josslyn asked why Jason had been brought in and ADA Turner said he was a suspect in Cyrus’s possible murder.

Drew wondered what to tell Scout and Alexis said it was his decision, but she didn’t think he should say anything right now. He agreed and said he was sorry for everything. Jordan said Portia could exhale because Cyrus wasn’t considered a threat anymore. Brad was talking to Lucas when Selina came into the hospital. Carly said if Jack hadn’t left, she would have asked him to stay the night, but it would have been a mistake. He said he would have stayed had she asked. Drew said he wanted Willow to have final say. She and Nina showed up. Jason said he was at Drew’s ADA Turner said Anna was being removed from the case due to lack of objectivity. They had multiple witnesses to Jason threatening Cyrus, there was evidence from the cabin, and the DA’s office was charging him. Josslyn said he didn’t do it.

Kai said the museum had an immersive experience for an expression from the community. Art was about taking chances and seeing what happens. Felicia called Portia to come to the nurses’ station and Selina gave Brad his letter of resignation. He was coming back to work for her. He said he and Lucas were going to Miami, but Selina blamed him for Cody’s losses. The debt was as much his as Cody’s and he had to work it off. Portia came by and suggested Selina leave. Maxie asked for Willow’s opinion on some window treatments, and they left. Drew told Nina that one day this would be Willow’s house. It was only a matter of time before they married. Carly said she wouldn’t be comfortable with Jack spending the night because she didn’t know what they were. If it was a fling, it had to stop. Josslyn said the DA was making a huge mistake and Turner told her to stay out of it. She went in to talk to Jason and Anna asked why Josslyn was so sure Jason hadn’t done it. Turner told Jason, this time he wasn’t getting away with murder.

Selina said she thought hospitals welcomed support from the community, but Portia said they couldn’t welcome the strings. In Mandarin, Selina told Brad not to be bullied and she’d keep in touch. Brad thanked Portia again and she asked if he took care of the matter they’d discussed. He said he had and he got a text from Selina: Meet at the Surf Lodge. We’re not done.  Nina said Drew was rushing Willow and taking advantage of her. She wondered if the Jason/Sasha situation was making him think he had something to prove. Drew said she was jealous. Josslyn told Colette that an innocent man was going to prison for something she did, and she needed to see Jack now. Jack told Carly to choose the time and place and he’d be there. She asked how long he could wait, when Colette called, and he told her about Jason being in custody.

Brad begged Selina not to make him quit his job. He was trying to be a better person. She said if Lucas didn’t respect him, he could find someone to appreciate him. One way or another, his debt would be paid. He said, what if he had another way? Portia told Jordan that a huge weight had been lifted. Lucas told Alexis that it seemed unlikely Sam’s death was a mistake, and Elizabeth and Lucky found proof linking Cyrus to the murders. Alexis wondered why no one told her. Josslyn asked why Jason was being charged and how his DNA was in the cabin. Jack said they’d put it there. Jason asked for his attorney, but Turner said they didn’t need a statement. Willow said the whole place was gorgeous and Drew asked if Willow wanted to go with him to pick up Scout’s bed. Drew got a call to come to the station and Willow went with him. Nina said Maxie had to help her stop Willow from moving in.

Trina and Kai painted, but it was difficult for him to work with his left hand. He said he had no idea what he was going to do next. Lucas told Alexis that he didn’t want to say anything without proof, and she deserved the truth. She said after Sam’s death was a blur and asked if she’d blamed him. Was that why he didn’t go to Sam’s funeral? Nina wanted to break in Drew’s safe. He was definitely hiding something. Maxie said he was hiding that he’d slept with Nina, but Nina said if she told Willow the truth, Willow would be on her own. Maxie said if Nina kept trying to break them up, they’d grow closer. Jack said they had no choice but to give the police another suspect, and Josslyn said she couldn’t let Jason go to prison. Jack said he wouldn’t. Without a body, there was no crime. Josslyn said it was wrong, and Jack said Cyrus’s body could be found and a proper investigation could happen. Did she want that? Josslyn asked him to promise Jason wouldn’t go to prison. Cyrus should stay gone for the greater good. Anna told Carly what was going on, but Carly said Jason wouldn’t make a mistake like that. Anna said he had an alibi, when Drew and Willow came into the station.

Trina said Kai was more than football, but he wasn’t so sure. She said he had an innate understanding of color and composition, and he said what got him interested in art was her. Lucas told Alexis that Danny asked him to leave when he’d come to the church, but they were good now. He might not have caused harm, but he shouldn’t have been Sam’s surgeon. Alexis said they’d been lucky to have him. He had a sense of justice like Sam had. He said he didn’t regret missing the funeral, but regretted the chance to say how much he loved Sam. Jordan said Cyrus’s disappearance was too neat. He was gone for good, but his case wasn’t closed. Brad gave Selina proof that Portia tampered with test results in exchange for his debt being paid. Maxie told Nina to learn to trust Willow, but Nina said Drew broke up her marriage. Willow played a part, but he’d started a relationship with her and then her daughter. Maxie said, nobody was blameless, but Nina said only one person didn’t care this was ruining people’s lives. Maxie suggested Nina look in a folder when she was gone. Turner told Drew that Cyrus disappeared, and Jason’s DNA was there, but Jason claimed he was with Drew. Could Drew corroborate? Jack said Josslyn might be the right person for a job, but she said she wasn’t WSB material. He said he was asking her to serve, protect, and do her part for the greater good.

Wednesday:

Jack told Josslyn that they’d train her, but she already had some WSB attributes. She was intelligent, brave, had good perspective and instincts, and she could think on her feet, but most important, she wanted to make a difference in the world. Tracy got a cease and desist order to prevent Drew from using in the Quartermaine name. Curtis met Stella at the hospital, and she said she thought they had a way for him to take down Drew. No surprise, Drew lied like a rug and said Jason wasn’t with him.

Kai and Trina continued to paint. Kai included possibilities for his future. Trina wondered if they hadn’t met if kai wouldn’t still be playing football. Chase suggested they ask Finn to be the sperm donor so the baby could be related to both of them. She asked if he’d talked to Finn. Jack said Josslyn asked all the right questions about Dex, but she said she lost it in the station and alerted Cyrus. He said, after that, she did the right things, and he’d shared indicators with her. He didn’t anticipate her bringing a gun. Cyrus would have gone on killing if she hadn’t stopped him. Tracy said she had to protect their brand, but Lois protested. Stella said it was her civic duty to help stop Drew from abusing his power. Congressman Henderson had agreed to see him. Drew said Cyrus had threatened Jason’s son, but he couldn’t lie for him. Turner was called away, and Carly said Drew used to be a decent man, and asked if he’d seen what he’d done. He said he didn’t need to prove anything, and Jason was taken to booking. Carly asked Willow, what the hell happened to her?

Chase said they could talk to Finn tonight, but Brook said they needed to think about it. She didn’t want his brother’s baby; she wanted his. Kai said nothing Trina did caused the injury and he’d spoken to Quinn. Sometimes Quinn needed someone to blame so he could tell himself the same thing wouldn’t happen to him. He’d been playing the best game of his life before getting tackled. If it wasn’t for her, he’d be losing his mind. Stella said Drew was looking for a seat on the Appropriations Committee, and Curtis said he’d have to convince Anderson that Drew was only interested in his personal agenda. He asked what best approach was. Drew said Jason just wanted to bring him bad press, and Carly said he was going to let a murderer go free for spite. They wouldn’t look for real murderer now that Jason was in custody. She told Willow to wake up. She was having an affair with a man who didn’t exist. Drew said he’d give his statement tomorrow and they left. Anna said it wasn’t enough for a case and Turner said Bennett was now in charge. It was out of Anna’s hands. Jack told Josslyn that working with the WSB meant leading a double life. She could never tell anyone, not even her mother. He’d provide cover stories she must stick to. Covert work shifted the arc of the universe toward justice.

Jack said he was offering her a career where she could use her skills and natural talents. How did it feel knowing she’d stopped Dex’s killer? She said she did something that mattered and he said she’d saved many lives. There were others as dangerous out there and sometimes you had to go outside the system for the greater good. She had him to determine that. Curtis practiced what he’d say to Anderson and told Stella that Drew had stated he’d use his power to scuttle Aurora’s projects in congress. Aurora was a major source of jobs and revenue, and Drew was already blocking the McConkey esplanade. He put his bruised ego ahead of his constituents and they would get hurt by his need for revenge. Stella said it sounded good. Brook reminded Chase that Kristina and Molly’s relationship was almost ruined. What would it be like when their child learned their uncle was their father? Chase asked if they had to know. Diane wanted her see client and told Turner that anything he said prior to her arrival would be tossed out. Anna told Carly that she was kicked off the case for bias, and Carly asked Anna to use her position to get Jason out. Anna said Diane would do that. Diane wondered who killed Cyrus, but Jason said he didn’t know. She said, the cabin was spotless, but he said he was never in the cabin. She said that begged the question, who wanted to frame him?

Kai said he told Quinn to back off, but Trina said she felt like she was steamrolling him. He said she was a little pushy, and she said, welcome to me. He took her hand and said he needed pushing and liked the way she challenged him. Lois asked where this left Scout, and Tracy said Scout was Alan’s granddaughter and would always be a Quartermaine. Gio said, she wouldn’t have same name as her dad. He’d never known his dad, but his last name made him feel close to him. Lois asked if Scout hadn’t been through enough. Drew bitched to Willow about Carly and wondered if Willow had anything to ask him. Chase thought telling the child would help reassure them that they were family, but Brook said she didn’t want their child to feel like consolation prize. Jason said Cyrus’s DNA wasn’t there, but his was. He was an easy target. He was angry, got careless, and threatened Cyrus. Diane thought his priorities had shifted. He was putting being a dad over work. He said, somebody used it against him. Anna told Carly that they’d uncovered another victim – Michael. Cyrus confessed he’d injected Michael with digitalis in the burn unit. Carly said, find the killer so she could thank them. Josslyn said she wasn’t killing people, but Jack said they had plenty of people for that. Her skills lay elsewhere. She was young, beautiful, and not afraid to talk to people. She could get in places he couldn’t and ask questions he couldn’t. She said she couldn’t say no. He’d covered for her in a murder. If she didn’t cooperate, he could send her to prison.

Ned asked if Monica knew, and Tracy said, leave Monica out of this. She told Lois to butt out, and Lois left. Brook told Chase that she wasn’t saying no. She just wanted to be sure. Chase left to go to the boxing gym. Carly asked to talk to Jason and Turner asked why an innocent man would lie about an alibi. Carly said Drew knew they’d never believe a career criminal over a US congressman. She added that there was no body, but Turner said it was preferable, but not essential. Jason told Cyrus that they’d never find his body. She suggested Josslyn not interfere, and Carly said she was making a huge mistake. Turner said Cyrus had killed the mother of Jason’s son. Anna told Jason that she was off the case, but determined to find the body. Jason said she wouldn’t find it or any other evidence. Cyrus was taken out by a pro who didn’t leave tracks. Jack said a coerced agent was no good to them. You had to commit to the job, or you’d get yourself or others killed. He was offering the rarest of opportunities, the chance to make a difference in the world and challenge herself. Whatever she chose, he asked her not to mention this to anyone ever. Act like it never happened.

Jack said he hadn’t been wrong yet, but it was a time sensitive offer. Josslyn said she’d do it, for the reasons he said, but also for Dex. He was a good man who had a hard life. All he wanted to do was help people. Jack said she would leave tonight. Kai said he was impressed by Trina, when she fell off the stepladder, but he caught her, and she kissed him. Gio said he thought what Tracy was doing was wrong. You couldn’t kick out family. He didn’t like what she was doing. Olivia said it was going to hurt Scout, but Tracy disagreed. Defending the family name could only help Scout. Gio had no right to weigh in because he wasn’t a Quartermaine. However, he’d still be a better one than Drew. Brook told Lois about Chase wanting Finn to be their sperm donor and asked what to do. Curtis thanked Stella and promised he’d make his one shot count. Stella said, the citizens would be proud, but his aunt was worried Drew would retaliate. He said she and mama stood up for what was right. Willow told Drew that they had a connection, and she made her own choices now. She chose him completely. <gag> Drew said he chose her and Willow said she wanted the world to know it. She’d love to move in. Diane had a court order for Jason’s release and told Turner that Judge Green agreed they had no case. She was filing a motion to dismiss at arraignment. Turner said, Jason was free to go – for now – and Anna said, they still didn’t know who killed Cyrus. Carly said, who cares? and Anna said Jason was set up to take the fall. She was going to find out who they were and stop it. If they went to all this trouble to set Jason up, they weren’t going to stop.

Thursday:

While Lulu sat by his bedside, Lucky opened his eyes. Chase met Dante at the boxing gym. Brook told Lois about Chase wanting Finn to be the sperm donor, and she said, wow, wow, wow. Brook said Chase hadn’t been that optimistic since he found out he was sterile, and she didn’t give him the reaction he was hoping for. She could tell he was upset, but she wanted Chase’s baby, not his brother’s. Laura told Sonny they had a problem, and his name was Jenz Sidwell. Lucy met Sidwell at Charlie’s. He said he had an ulterior motive for meeting her. Carly met Jack at Charlie’s, and Martin met with Tracy at the Quartermaine mansion. She wondered if he found a new way to work her last nerve, and he said she might want to find another way to work her last legal maneuver.

Trina told Stella about painting with Kai. Carly told Jack about Jason’s DNA being found in the cabin and that his brother refused to corroborate his alibi. Sidwell asked Lucy to deal with Sonny regarding the property by the water. Sonny said he didn’t think Drew would be so stupid to team up with Sidwell, and Curtis told him about them wanting the property. Laura said they were planning on invoking eminent domain. Chase felt he’d blindsided Brook and put her in an awkward position, but Dante said it wasn’t his fault. Lois said it would bring up complications to ask Finn and thought Brook was trying to convince herself. If she had to work that hard, maybe it wasn’t right. They were talking about a baby, not a pair of stilettos. Brook said it wasn’t the right choice, but didn’t want to burden Chase. Tracy said she was sick of Drew incorporating the Quartermaine name and legacy, and Martin asked, when was the last time the estate was surveyed? Elizabeth said Lucky was her hero and risked his life to save her, and Felicia said, she saved him back. The best kind of love was when you took turns rescuing each other. Lucky asked Lulu, what happened? Was Elizabeth okay? She said everyone was fine, and he asked to see them. She wondered what he’d been thinking.

Lucky said he had to do something, and Lulu said she couldn’t lose him too, but she didn’t blame him. He told her that he wanted to make Cyrus pay for trying to kill her too. He asked if Cyrus had been taken care of, and she said, someone did. Martin said there was an error that went back decades. Tracy’s father had misjudged the boundary of the property that contained the family crypt.

Lulu said, Cyrus disappeared, and they arrested Jason, and Lucky wondered if Jason did it, but didn’t want to know. Cyrus being gone was all that mattered. Elizabeth said she couldn’t count on Lucky staying, when Lulu announced Lucky was awake. Lois said Brook and Chase had to make a choice best for both of them, and Brook said she didn’t think she could keep such a huge secret from her child. Elizabeth ran in to see Lucky. Curtis said Drew and Sidwell knew what they were doing in teaming up, and Sonny said it was the stupidest idea ever. Jordan said it was a way to screw him and Jason over, but Sonny said he wasn’t rolling over and playing dead. Laura said she couldn’t allow the city to become a battleground between them. They’d agreed the original site was best for Port Charles and there was no room for him to retaliate. Felicia called to tell Laura that Lucky was awake, and Sonny drove her to the hospital. Stella asked how Kai was handling his injury, and Trina said he was coming to terms that his future had changed. Stella said Trina had turned her life around after Spencer’s death. Sidwell told Carly that what happened with Sasha was a misunderstanding and he hoped she had the continued good sense not to alert authorities. Jack introduced himself and said if Sidwell troubled Carly again, he’d drop a bomb on him and finish the job he’d started. (Bazinga!)

Elizabeth thanked Lucky for saving her and kissed him. He said knowing she was all right made it worth it. She said she’d bring Aiden by in the morning and Lucky said they had a lot to talk about. She said they had plenty of time later. Lucy told Sidwell that the commission was Birkin bag tempting, but she had to decline. Carly asked what Jack told Sidwell, and he said, nothing remarkable, but he hoped they had an understanding. Sometimes there was no other option than being ruthless. He was going to give her all the time she needed because she was worth waiting for. Stella asked if Kai and Trina were on a date, and Trina said, by the end of the night, it changed to a date. Martin told Tracy that this was common in old money families. It would stay between them because she’d drop the cease and desist, or there would be bulldozers there asap. Tracy said she wasn’t dropping anything and calling Drew’s bluff.  

Dante said he didn’t know if he could biologically father a child and keep them at a distance. He didn’t think he could be a donor to someone close to him and didn’t think Finn could either. He also had to think about Violet. He didn’t want what happened to Molly and Kristina to happen with them. Chase thanked Dante for helping him understand Brook’s perspective better. Brook told Lois that the discussion made her think about the baby she gave up and she had questions. She couldn’t stop thinking about how they might feel about her. Laura went to see Lucky, and he said it didn’t matter how old you get, you still need your mom. He felt better when she was around. Martin asked why Tracy had to complicate everything, when Lulu interrupted with the news about Lucky. Martin told her that he still hadn’t heard from Valentin. He’d gone through everything but there was nothing to help. Lulu asked if she could see his records, but he said he could be disbarred. He told Tracy, this isn’t over, and left. Tracy said he was lying to Lulu. He was an arrogant nuisance before she arrived, then became the doting uncle, and she thought he was hiding something.

Curtis told Jordan about Congressman Henderson, but it would do nothing to stop Sidwell. Jordan said, knowledge is power, and thought she could get something out of Sidwell. She was having dinner with him this week. Lucy said Sonny would never sell his properties, but she could introduce Sidwell to other property owners. He said he was pursuing other avenues to acquire it. Carly believed Josslyn was away on a bogus trip and told Trina that she thought this trip was going to change Josslyn’s life. Chase apologized to Brook for just throwing it out there and agreed Finn wasn’t the right choice. He didn’t want her to feel she couldn’t be honest with him. Laura told Elizabeth that she felt like she could breathe again and wondered if Lucky felt differently about staying. Lucky told Sonny there was a moment when he couldn’t breathe, and he thought it was the end. In that moment, he heard his dad’s voice say it wasn’t his time. Not yet, cowboy. Not yet. He wondered if it was crazy, but Sonny said Lucky’s father always had the best timing. Lucky had it too. Like father, like son. Dante asked if something was going on, and Lulu said Tracy thought Martin was hiding something. Dante thought no good could come out of Lulu investigating Martin, but she thought he was the key to finding Charlotte.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Sonny and Kristina walk into Bobbie’s and see Alexis with Molly. Alexis asks if they want to join them, and Sonny says, Kristina is calling the shots, but Kristina says she has to talk to her dad about something. She and Sonny go to another table, and Molly asks what Alexis thinks that’s about. Alexis says, your guess is as good as mine, and Molly asks what her guess is about Cyrus. Alexis asks if she means who disappeared him. Her guess is Jason, but it’s frustrating because she begged him not to do it. Molly says, for his sake and Danny’s, and Alexis says, especially Danny’s. Danny just lost his mother. He doesn’t need to lose his father too. Molly says she’s picking Danny up to take him to a movie, and Alexis says, that’s sweet. Molly says she’ll do a subtle check in… as subtle as she can be. She’ll see how he’s holding up. Alexis asks how Molly is doing. Their family seems to have jumped from one disaster to another since Sam died. Molly says, before then, and asks if Alexis thinks life will ever feel normal again. Alexis sees Ric and Ava walk in and says, not likely.

Isaiah goes into Lucky’s room, and Lucky says, good. He needs a doctor’s expertise. Is it possible to die of boredom? Isaiah says, it’s rare, but it’s great to see Lucky is recovering nicely. Lucky says he has a favor to ask, and Isaiah says, name it. Lucky says, get him out of here.

At the MetroCourt, Jordan texts Sidwell: At restaurant. On the elevator with a stranger, Sidwell hears Natalia tell them to hold the door. She gets on and Sidwell smiles at her. The stranger gets off, and Sidwell asks, how things are at Deception? Natalia says, none of his damn business, and he says he understands her concern, but he has no intention of telling her co-workers that they used to be married. Her secret is safe with him. The elevator stops and Maxie gets in.

Olivia goes to Carly’s office and asks how Michael is doing. Carly says, slow and steady, but he’s moving in the right direction. She thanks Olivia for asking and wonders, what’s going on? Olivia says she needs Carly’s help, and Carly says, with what? Olivia says, rescuing Sasha from the Quartermaines.

Jason comes into the nook and asks if Sasha is okay. She says, his mother is driving her crazy. She doesn’t know how much more she can take.

Ava says, all she wanted was a cup of coffee, not a face full of their drama, and Ric tells her not to let them drive her out. Besides, it could be fun. Sonny asks if Kristina is all right, and she says she’s letting them distract her from what she came to discuss. He asks if she’s going to let him in on it, and she says, they need to talk about his living situation. Ric goes over to Alexis and Molly’s table and says, hi.

Sidwell says, how lovely to see Maxie again, and they all get out of the elevator at the restaurant. He says, excuse him. He doesn’t want to keep his breakfast companion waiting. He leaves, and Natalia asks if Maxie got an SOS from Lucy. Maxie says, many, many times. Does Natalia know what it’s about? Natalia says, no – Lucy comes in – but they’re going to find out.  

Olivia asks if there’s any chance Carly got Jason to admit he was the father. Don’t act like she’s above it. Carly says she’s not. He hasn’t said and she promised Sasha that she wouldn’t pry. If Jason wants her to know, he’ll tell her. Until then, she’s staying out of it. Olivia says, that’s some serious personal growth, but Carly says, don’t give her credit. Sonny talked her into it, but she doesn’t want to admit he’s right. Olivia says, great. That means her plan is going to work. Carly asks if the Quartermaines are really suffocating Sasha, and Olivia says she’s afraid so. They’re intrusive and she’s afraid Sasha will bolt and they’ll never see her or that little baby again.

Sasha says she adores Monica and knows she means well… Jason says, but she’s driving Sasha crazy. Sasha says, the whole family is. It’s like she has no independence. She’d like to think it’s all in her head, but look at Willow. She’s not condoning what Willow’s done and her relationship with Drew, but the Quartermaines are being really relentless in trying to bring the kids back into the fold – Willow’s kids. He says, they’re Michael’s kids too, and she says she never wants to be in the position of having the family calling the shots on how she lives her life or how her children live. What doctors they see, what schools they go to, and what sweaters they wear. He says, sweaters? and she takes a little sweater out of a giftbag. She says, from Monica. Green because they don’t know the sex. Jason says he’ll talk to Monica, but she says, no. She doesn’t need him to. From the day she found out she’s been prepared and wanting to be a single mom. She wants to do it on her own and figure it out. She knows she will. He says he doesn’t doubt they’ll respect her boundaries, but sometimes in life unpredictable stuff comes out of nowhere. In that case, she might need support. She says, from him? and he says he made the commitment. He won’t tell her how to live or how to raise her kids, but he’ll be here to make sure she’s okay. And there’s one thing he can always offer if necessary – money.

Isaiah says he’s not Lucky’s doctor. He can’t sign Lucky out. He should just wait it out. He’s sure Lucky’s paperwork will come through soon. Besides, it might not be the worst thing in the world to give it a minute and recover. Lucky says, Isaiah has seen him in way worse shape, and Isaiah says, true. But all those times, he was never knocking at death’s door. Lucky says, this time, he was halfway through.

Kristina asks how house hunting is going, but Sonny says, it’s on the back burner. He’s been busy. What does she want him to do? She says she knows he’s busy, but he needs to prioritize getting a home for Donna and Avery. Ric hugs Molly and asks how it’s going. She says she’s busy. Him? He says he can’t complain. He’ll call her later. He tells Alexis, enjoy her breakfast, and she says, him too. He leaves, and Molly says, that went okay. Alexis asks how badly she wanted to suggest he leave, and Molly says, so badly. Maybe it was the new laid back her. Alexis says she’s wondered what it would be like if one of them was laid back, and Molly says, the laid back her is super chill and not controlling. Alexis says she likes it, but Molly’s been like this since she was a girl. Molly says she’s going to focus her energy where it will do the most good – Danny and Scout – and Alexis says she loves that, but save some of that energy for herself. Ava tells Ric, here’s to an equitable custody arrangement. What it should have been all along. He may not admit it, but she thinks Sonny is happy too. Ric suggests she not press her luck, but she says, it’s not luck. She and Sonny are in a good place. Watch. She’ll show him. She goes over to Sonny’s table, where Kristina is saying that Donna and Avery will need their own bedrooms, and says, good morning. They both just look at her, Kristina’s look more of a glare.

Lucky tells Isaiah, it was a moment that could have gone either way. Ironic, isn’t it? All his talking about staying or going. Isaiah says, in Port Charles? and Lucky says, it turns out the real decision to stay, whether his heart would beating keep or not, was decided. Someone decided with Isaiah’s help. They’ve seen enough death and most of the time there’s no choice, but there was this strange overwhelming feeling that he wasn’t done yet. That he had too much here. People he loves, a son he wants to see grow up, his mom and his sister. Isaiah says, anyone else? and Lucky says, Elizabeth. Isaiah says, he’s a lucky man. Elizabeth is a remarkable woman.

Olivia tells Carly that her plan is to keep Sasha in town. She was thinking they could give her a job at the MetroCourt. She could start out in the kitchen and go to the front of the house when her due date is closer. Maybe they could comp a room to make her life easier. Carly says she likes it. She’s in. Olivia says she’s glad. She was about to extend the offer, but wanted to run it past Carly first. Her phone dings, and she says, of course (🍷). One parent who was supposed to chaperone Leo’s field trip can’t go and she’s first on the reserve list. Carly says, go. She’ll talk to Sasha. Enjoy the field trip. Where are they going? Olivia says, the Port Charles Historical Society, and Carly says, it should be interesting. Olivia says, from her lips, blesses herself, and leaves.

Sasha says, if she’d been running a con on Jason and it worked, she’d be fine taking his money. She never understood about her mom, but now she does. Her mom earned that money. She swindled it fair and square. Jason says, if he gives it to her, it’s charity, and she says, which she hates. Because the charitable person can decide to take away their charity for whatever reason. It’s their money and they’re in charge. He says he gets it. She wants to be the one to call the shots. She says, for all his laid-back vibes and the doing his own thing persona, he thinks he’s in charge too. He’s stealthy about it, but at the end of the day, he gets his own way. Not this time. Not with her. Now if he’ll excuse her, she needs to get back to work.

Sidwell says he understands Cyrus has gone missing and foul play is suspected, and Jordan says, the PCPD is still trying figure out what happened. He says he read a quote from her in The Invader and was aware she was once Police Commissioner, but didn’t realize Cyrus was such a problem during her tenure. She says, problem is putting it mildly, and he asks how she feels having Cyrus seemingly no longer around. She says, relieved that he can’t hurt anyone anymore, but it’s not the way she wanted it to happen. For someone to play God and do him in because they felt like it gives her no satisfaction.

Lucy asks if they remember the zincite dealer in Helsinki that Lulu got into it with, and Natalia says, he didn’t get his payment in time. Maxie says she thought Brook took care of it, but Lucy says, that didn’t happen, and he sold their zinc to… Maxie tells her, don’t say it, and she says, Enchantment. Natalia says, it’s the key ingredient needed in their new overnight wrinkle cream. They need a new dealer. Maxie says, if they drop it after Enchantment does, it will look like a cheap knockoff. They need a new connection. Natalia says, it’s rare. It’s important they find a new supplier. Lucky looks at Sidwell, and Maxie says, no, no, no, no, no. She knows that look. Lucy says she just happens to know someone who works in rare minerals, and Natalia looks at her.

Jordan says, as much as she loves discussing the criminal justice system, she doesn’t believe this is what Sidwell wanted to discuss. Sidwell says he wanted to discuss the esplanade. He waited for confirmation from the mayor about moving it to the new location, but so far, he’s heard nothing. Jordan says, the mayor feels Port Charles is better served by keeping it in the original location, and he asks if Jordan thinks it has nothing to do with Laura’s personal relationship with Sonny. Lucy says, sorry to interrupt. Jenz, her dear friend. She’s got a business opportunity for him, and he happens to be here. Jordan says, they can pick this up later, and Sidwell asks if she’s sure. Jordan says she has another meeting to get to anyway. Good luck. She leaves and Sidwell asks Lucy if he’s going to need luck for this.

Sasha finds Cody in the nook, and he says, the coffee machine at the stable is busted. She tells him to do what he wants, but don’t leave on her account. It’s a novel concept, doing what you want. He says, rough day? and she says, the Quartermaines have been breathing down her neck. It’s like the baby gave them an all access pass. He says, sorry. He knows it’s his fault. She says, no. It is how they found out how and when, but it wasn’t realistic for her to think she could hide it. She may have been engaged in more than a little wishful thinking. He says, does that mean they’re…? and she says, he apologized, she accepted, it’s all good.

Ava tells Sonny, sorry to interrupt. She just wanted to confirm the Tuesday exchange. Sonny says, sounds good, and she asks if he knows it’s Avery’s recital. He says he got an email, and she says, Avery tried on her costume and she’s adorable. He’ll melt when he sees her. Kristina says, it’s nice that Ava can spend time with her daughter out in the world instead of visiting her at the cemetery because Ava killed her. Ava says she’s sorry Kristina feels like that, and Kristina says she’s going to feel like that forever. What is Ava sorry about? That she’ll never get to go to her daughter’s recital or that her daughter is dead because Ava killed her and got away with it? You conniving bitch. Ric comes over and says, enough. Let him outline basic law. When a jury acquits someone, they’re free. Kristina says she’s painfully aware, and Ric says, then she doesn’t need a lawyer. She needs a therapist since she’s incapable of accepting reality. She tripped and fell. She bulldozed her way into Ava’s room and forced an altercation. Either it was a horrible, tragic accident or Kristina caused it. Kristina says, he wasn’t there. Her anger is about Ava’s guilt for killing her child. He says, Molly’s child actually, and Sonny tells him, back off.

Ric says, Sonny’s daughter thinks her feelings are the most important. She’s self-indulgent and self-involved. Alexis joins them and suggests he and Ava walk away. She asks Kristina, why is she engaging with Ric? He’s a horrible, petty person. She tells Ric, go to hell, but he says, not today, and he and Ava go back to their table. Sonny thanks Alexis for intervening. He was going to punch Ric and then Ric would sue him, so what’s the point? Alexis asks if Kristina is all right, and Kristina says she’s got to go. Sonny says he’ll walk her out, and they leave, Kristina thanking Alexis on her way out the door. Alexis says, anytime… Hopefully, never again. Ric says, Alexis hasn’t even noticed Molly is gone, and she says, Molly probably didn’t want to watch him be an ass. He says, she knows better than that, and Alexis leaves.

Jordan meets Isaiah and tells him that she met with Sidwell. He says, that’s something he definitely didn’t want to hear. She says, it was unsettling, and he says, of course (🍷). Sidwell is as dangerous as they come. Not because he’s an ogre or a sadist. He’s not interested in gratuitous torture. He’s interested in making money and if you get in the way of that, he’ll get rid of you. She says she knows what she’s doing, and he says, with all due respect – and he truly respects her – she’s beautiful, smart, and competent. Any guy would fall for her, but trust him. Sidwell’s not just any guy. She says she knows it might not be easy, and he tells her he guarantees it won’t be.

Sasha says she’s supposed to meet Olivia at the MetroCourt, and Cody asks if he can say one thing. She says, make it quick, and he says, the Quartermaines have the crazy, uncanny ability to work a person’s last nerve, but he thinks they care deep down, sometimes even on the surface. She says she does think they care, but there’s a fine line between caring and controlling and she refuses to let them control her. He says, you go, cuz… Too soon. He’s got it. It felt gross coming out. He almost choked. She leaves.

Maxie asks if Natalia is okay, and Natalia asks, why? Maxie says, she seemed off in the elevator, and Natalia says she’s pretty concerned about that Sidwell guy. She did some research on him and thinks they’ll regret working with him. Lucy brings Sidwell over to the table and says, ta-da! The answer to their prayers. Sidwell says he understands they’ve decided they’re willing to do business with him after all.

Molly comes into the nook, and Cody asks, what’s up? She says she’s taking Danny to a movie, and he says, very cool, but he thought he saw Danny take off on his bike five minutes ago. Molly says, he texted her. He needs to get a textbook at a friend’s house, so she’s waiting here for him. Cody says, cool. Coffee? She says she’s good, and he asks how she is. He hasn’t seen her since they’re trip to the roof. Does she think they fixed the lock yet? She says, certainly not. She’s sad to say she’d rather spend a week on the roof than a minute where she was. He asks where she was, but she says she doesn’t need to whine about her life. He says, she doesn’t need to, but he wants her to if her whine muscle hits a high note only dogs can hear. She says, there’s not that much to it. Her parents can’t stand each other and there’s nothing to be done about it. He says, it hurts like hell to see it play out, right? and she says, yeah. He asks if she’s ever told them, and she says, tell them that their actions are actively hurting her and risk them feeling bad? No. He says he gets her. It’s one reason he waited so long to tell Mac about being his dad. He didn’t want Mac to be disappointed. It’s his job to manage Mac’s feelings. She says she’s the queen of that, and he says he’s the king. As long as Mac didn’t know, he couldn’t have negative feelings about it. She says, not positive feelings either, and he says, exactly. She asks, what happened? and he says he finally told Mac and it’s been amazing. There have been hiccups. She says, there always are, and he says, it taught him that being part of a family is being aware of everyone’s feelings. The flipside is, you need to tune into your feelings too.

Kristina visits Lucky, and says, he’s really okay. She’s grateful to him and Elizabeth. Now they know killed Sam and why, as sick as it is. Lucky asks if they were able to find Cyrus, but she says she doesn’t think they ever will. He says, Jason? and she says, he’s Sam’s ex and Danny’s father. He says, it makes sense. It’s just that… Does it bother her? She says, as long as he gets away with it and Danny doesn’t lose another parent. She thinks it’s a horrible idea for Danny to trust the system, waiting, then watching a killer walk free.

At his hotel room, Sonny asks Jason, what happened? and Jason says, they arrested him for Cyrus’s disappearance. There was physical evidence in the cabin. Sonny says, he didn’t do it? and Jason says he even had an alibi. He was with Drew, but Drew denied it and lied to the cops. Sonny says, son of a bitch, and Jason says, whoever killed Cyrus planted his hair. Sonny says he needs to get into another issue. Sidwell and Drew teamed up and want to take the pier. Jason says, what? and Sonny says, Drew is doing the driving. Sidwell was there and if they don’t get the pier through eminent domain, Drew will go through congress. If that doesn’t work, all bets are off. Jason says he doesn’t see Drew resorting to violence, but Sonny says, Sidwell can. Jason says, maybe he had something to do with the fire, and Sonny says, he had the means and motive. Jason says, Anna told him it wasn’t the same device at the warehouse and the penthouse, but Sonny says, he could have used two separate devices. Jason says he doesn’t buy it, and Sonny says he doesn’t either. Sidwell’s first effort would have been to try and kill him. Why go through legal channels? Anybody smart would know to do it in reverse and Sidwell doesn’t seem like a stupid guy. Jason says, no, but the timing is suspect. Sidwell came to town the same day Sonny’s penthouse went up in flames. Sonny says he doesn’t like coincidences. This not adding up.

Sidwell says he has access to zinc, but Enchantment made him a compelling offer. Lucy says, Erica Kane doesn’t need his zinc. She already has theirs, and they’ll pay him more. Name it. Maxie says, Lucy… and Sidwell says, breaking his deal will require more than meeting their price. He wants 5% of Deception. Maxie says, let’s all take a minute. After he left the meeting, Lulu had some things to say about him. Lucy says, they heard and don’t need more details. They need zincite. Got it. Keep your eyes on the prize. Maxie says she understands, but isn’t sure this is the prize. Lucy says, if they can get their product out before Enchantment, it will be a game changer. How rare is it for someone to be in the right place at the right time with what they need. Maxie says, Lulu would have something to say if she was here, but Lucy says, Lulu’s not on the board. She’s an assistant and has no stock in Deception. Sidwell says he deals with dozens of mineral essences for cosmetics. His professional worth is more than 5%. Carly sees Sasha and says she knows Sasha was supposed to meet with Olivia. She steers Sasha to the Deception table and asks what they’re doing sitting with this guy. Lucy says, Maxie told them what Lulu said. Even more obvious is that Lucky has some sort of issues with this gentleman. But why should they stop doing business with him? Sasha says, he kidnapped her and held her in a room with a bomb. He’s not the guy you want to do business with. Trust her.

Molly tells Cody that sometimes she feels like her parents are judging her for loving the other one. She can’t stand it. He says, no one should feel ashamed for loving their mom or dad, and she says, maybe one day she can work up the courage to say that. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s her mom. She wonders if Alexis’s ears are burning, and he says, now’s her chance to tell Alexis that she’s disappointed. He gestures for her to talk, and she tells Alexis that she had to pick up Danny. Alexis tells her to give Danny a hug, and she says, will do. Alexis says, love you, and she says, love you too. She tells Cody, it’s a process.  

Ava asks what Ric meant by Alexis knows better than that? and he says, she’s the one who drove Molly off. She’s been doing it since Molly was born. It’s noticeable that she gave considerable favor to Kristina. He thinks it’s because she despises him as a father, and the sun rises and sets in Sonny. The reason doesn’t matter. She chases after Kristina, cleaning up her messes, and once in a while deigns to remember she has another daughter. Molly trips over herself to get Alexis’s attention and stands there grateful for any she may get. Ava says, she’s an equal opportunity offender, and he says, she stands on her lofty perch, gazing down with moral superiority. Ava says, yet she favors one daughter over the other, while treating him in a vile manner. She gets on her high horse, trotting around, defending justice. Ric says, after the transgressions she’s made, and Ava says, like helping the Cassadines rob her of her money, right? Sentencing her to a lifetime in a shoebox. He tells her, you know what they say. Being at the top, there’s no place to go but down.

Sasha says, Sidwell kidnapped her and held her at gunpoint, and Carly says she was there when it happened. Deal with him at their own risk. She and Sasha leave, and Sidwell says, for all their colorful accusation, there are no pending charges, no investigations into him, and no arrests made. Maxie asks if he’s saying they’re lying, and he tells her that he’s saying it’s subject to interpretation. Lucy says, back to the issue at hand. How much zincite does he have? Maxie says, she’s seriously still considering this? and Lucy asks what Natalia thinks. Natalia says she thinks they need zincite and being first in the market will have a profound financial effect for the company. Lucy says, see? and Sidwell says he’ll let them think his offer over, but they should know it won’t be on the table long. He leaves.

Carly brings Sasha to her office and says she’s so sorry to make Sasha deal with that. Sasha says she realized she’s never thanked Carly for going to the WSB when she was kidnapped. If not for that, she might not be here. Carly says she was happy to help, and Sasha asks why Olivia wanted to meet. Carly says, it’s about the baby, and Sasha says she’ll tell them what she’s told everyone. She’s not discussing it. Carly says, it’s not like that. Olivia knows she’s having a tough time at the Quartermaines. Olivia thought, and she agreed, that maybe Sasha could use a change of scenery. Sasha asks, how so? and Carly says, instead of dealing with the Quartermaines every day, why doesn’t she work here?

Sonny says, Sidwell or not, his penthouse was burned, and Michael was almost killed to get to him. Jason says, that’s what makes him more uneasy about the trouble they’re having securing the suite, and Sonny asks if he’s spoken to Kristina. Jason says, no. Why? Sonny says he spoke to her earlier and she lectured him… The issue is security is the most important thing. Donna and Avery can’t stay here. They need a home. Jason asks if he’s started looking, and Sonny says he needs to make a call he doesn’t want to make.

Jordan says, first of all, she wants to thank Isaiah for the compliments, and he says he’s pretty sure there all true. She says, second, she’s not sure he appreciates true undercover work, and he asks if she’s doing this to doing prove she’s more than Deputy Mayor. Or does she just miss undercover work? She says she’s not trying to prove anything to anyone, and he says, someone could wind up dead. She says, someone did and if it could have been prevented, it’s not okay. She’d rather do what she could. Even if it’s risky, if it gets Sidwell out of the way… He says, she can sleep at night? and she says, she’s going to need her beauty rest if she deserves those compliments. She’s doing this for her. He says she sounds like she’s going to be busy. Is there going be any time for little fun? She says, what kind of fun? and he says, maybe they can work on that together.

Kristina tells Lucky that maybe she’s wrong about the Cyrus/Jason situation. What does he think? Lucky says he doesn’t know. When you take things into your own hands, you’re acting solely on the information you have. He’s not saying it’s wrong in every circumstance, but he doesn’t want to be responsible for ending a life because it’s what he wants or desires. Because at the end of the day, that’s basically what Cyrus did. She says, it sounds like he hasn’t had the legal system fail him the way it did her. She’s had to watch Ava flaunting her smirk like she has some kind of right to be here when she’s put three people in the ground, one of them Kristina’s daughter.

On Monday, Sonny says, there’s something Lucy can help him with; Drew says, if Curtis takes something from him, he’ll take something from Curtis; Lulu tells Spinelli, it’s definitely worth taking the risk; and Sasha tells someone to leave now, or she’ll scream.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

All the feels about Emma 2.0.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/braedyn-bruner-opens-up-about-the-new-emma-on-gh

It ain’t as easy as it looks. And I visited one of those sets. The lights are hot AF.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/tabyana-ali-spills-the-tea-about-working-on-a-soap

Saying goodbye to legends young and old. Not to belabor the point, but when are we saying goodbye to Monica on GH? It’s starting to get weird like it did with Bobbie.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/family-and-friends-celebrate-the-life-of-gh-star-leslie-charleson

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/all-my-children/stars-pay-tribute-to-michelle-trachtenberg

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

Can’t tear myself away from TLC on Mondays, but here you go.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Jennifer hosted the women at Caviar Kaspia, where there’s caviar on everything and you hope someone else picks up the tab. The morally corrupt Faye Resnick joined them, as well as friend-of Kathy. Everyone wore a caftan except Dorit, and in Garcelle’s interview, she wondered if it was because Chanel didn’t make them. Dorit continued to be an a-hole toward Sutton – during the caviar party of course – and we flashed back to seasons ago when Sutton suggested she let the mouse go. Dorit insisted she had apologized, and we flashed back to her saying she didn’t know if Sutton had a drinking problem. Apparently, she considered this an apology. In Jennifer’s interview, she said she didn’t want them to get in a caviar food fight. It would be messy and expensive. Agreed.

Keely went with Boz to check out how many eggs she had, and it was good news. Pregnancy was definitely possible. Not so good was the photo that came out of Mauricio and a new lady love slobbering on each other at the airport. It was hinted at that maybe he’d done it on purpose, but Kyle said, no way. I’m not so sure he’d be capable of it, since he’s stoned all the time. I love how Kyle’s dogs are always unruly. Pets, the great leveler.

I just love her.

Summer House

I’ve been to a big party or two. There was this Halloween party in a Manhattan loft where my friend threw up in an ashtray… Never mind. Let me just say, despite the ashtray incident, at none of those big parties did the guests get sloppy, messy like they do on this show. Messier still are the relationships. I like model Lexi, but I think she can do better than any of the guys in the house. Certainly better than Jesse who is suddenly deep in love after five minutes. Danielle showed up and Kyle was his usual a-hole self, rage texting Paige about things she had nothing to do with.

Southern Charm

I didn’t get why Venita wasn’t angry at JT. He legit led her on and I don’t think one person in the cast knew he had a girlfriend. The only conclusion I could come to was, she’s hoping to be the rebound chick when it fails. Which it no doubt will, since he’s a moron and a truth slanter. He’s so awful, Salley couldn’t even fake her way through a dinner with him and needed to change seats. Shep was still delusional, thinking that Sienna didn’t want to lose the way they clicked. She’s not even being cagey about it – she’s not interested in a relationship with him. The food porn, however, was incredible. I’d just had dinner and was salivating. I went to Nassau once, but it was on a family trip as a teenager, and I didn’t appreciate it. I just wanted to get home to my friends. However, I’d appreciate it now, so if ever get there again, I’m eating at this place. I’ll give JT this, he didn’t want to deal with any issues at the table, and Salley was being a bit pushy. Craig suggested he just apologize to people, but here’s where I’ll give TJ something else. I don’t think he called Patricia a bitch. At least not at the Carolina Cup. Yet, Craig needed to beat that dead horse into its two lives. I walked out of the room for a hot minute and when I came back, the guys were arguing. JT told Venita to chime in any time, but she just looked at the table. When Austen said JT was literally a piece of sh*t on [his] shoe, JT left. Luckily, this was after the seafood towers. Way to make a vacation suck.

What happened after dinner was verboten to the cameras, but we got it from the interviews. Venita went to JT’s room and, according to him, threw herself at him, but he said he couldn’t do it because he was supposed to be in a relationship. Again, according to JT, he removed her from his person more than once. In Venita’s interview, she said she got the message. I’m wondering if she did, and if that isn’t the reason JT left the show. Craig put Paige on the phone to translate for Shep, since he and Austen weren’t getting through about Sienna. Paige said what I’ve been saying – she doesn’t like you. If she liked you, you would know it. Shep nearly missed the boat trip for three dots on his phone. I might understand if Shep was in his 20s, but he’s nearly 50. He made it to the boat, but Austen said he was Charlie Browning it, whatever that means. Shep pouted and said it didn’t make sense. Yes, it does. She doesn’t like you, but for whatever reason, wants to string you along. Since JT decided to jet, Rodrigo said, plot twist. JT is with Sienna. Dude! Molly said she felt like she was at a middle school dance, with everyone pressuring her to dance with Shep.

Two relationships that weren’t.

Southern Hospitality

The honeymoon, fake or otherwise, seems to be over for Maddi and Joe, and the observers seem to be enjoying themselves a little too much. There was a bit of schadenfreude going around. Leva, in keeping with her LVP 2.0 role, sat Joe down for a talk about his own career, suggesting he not set it aside. Otherwise, he’d resent Maddi in the future. The best part was a heart-to-heart between Michols and his stepdad. I’m also all in for a prom theme and finding homes for kittens. They’ll never be Vanderpump Rules, but they’ve grown on me. A little. I tend to zone out during the relationship/weepy stuff.

Random Reality Items

I can’t say I blame her.

Andy is shuttin’ it down.

Teresa I felt sorry for. She’s a dimbulb who followed her husband’s instructions without question. But I don’t know how sorry I feel for the Grande Dame. An MLM scam makes my skin crawl, taking advantage of people who don’t know any better. I also believe she thought she could skate. I get the vibe that she’s one of those don’t you know who I am? people.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1411380/rhops-karen-huger-sentenced-to-one-year-in-prison-in-dui-case

https://people.com/karen-huger-sentenced-after-dui-11686764

Not that exciting. It’s the back of her head.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Zero Day. Netflix. A limited series political thriller, I felt this was worth my time for the cast alone. Robert DeNiro is an ex-President asked to investigate a national cyberattack that caused over 3000 deaths and the threat that it will happen again. Unfortunately, his mental health is also in question and he’s still coming to terms with the death of his son. It keeps you guessing and often on the edge of your seat.

https://www.stylist.co.uk/entertainment/tv/zero-day-netflix-review/965531

Some spoilers.

https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/netflix-zero-day-irl

⌚️ Weekday Watches…

Big Family, Big City. TLC. This was interesting. A couple with 11 children – you read that right – moves to Manhattan – you read that right again – to pursue better opportunities for the kids. Even more intriguing, they’ve escaped a cult. They want to keep the positive core values without the control and manipulation. All of the kids, and dad, play stringed instruments and do busking in the city – i.e. they play music on the street for tips. It’s enjoyable and insightful, but I’m hoping it doesn’t go the way of the Plathville clan, where everything just kind of fell apart. I’m rooting for this family to stick together and stick it out.

https://people.com/family-of-13-learns-chaos-rules-in-new-tlc-special-big-family-big-city-exclusive-8782858

The Baldwins. TLC. I have to admit, I didn’t think I’d like this. But I did. I think if Alec acted more like he does as a dad when he’s outside the family fold, people might be more sympathetic toward him. I guess it’s a chicken/egg situation. No argument that the paparazzi, and sometimes general public, harass this guy, so is that why he’s cranky? Or was he cranky to begin with and that’s why they harass him? They don’t shy away from talking about the killing on the Rust set either.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1413621/the-baldwins-hilaria-and-alec-baldwin-share-glimpse-into-chaotic-home-life-with-7-kids

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/baldwins-premiere-recap-rust-halyna-hutchins-hilaria-accent-1236143150/

Beyond the Gates. CBS, Paramount+. Great cast and soap suds to match. My problem with this is going to be remembering it’s on since there hasn’t been a new soap in over 20 years. While daytime TV, with the exception of GH, is usually background noise while I do other work, I wouldn’t mind this being in the lineup. I did catch one episode, and it was enough to make me want more.

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-review-cbs-soap-opera-11682240

Lots of info here.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/beyond-the-gates-cbs-soap-opera-review_n_67bdf2a3e4b0d509934a65bf

🌁 Upcoming Watch…

Last of Us. HBO, MAX. We knew we were looking forward to it. Now we know when. The second season premiere is April 13th.

https://www.inverse.com/gaming/last-of-us-season-2-release-date-spring-2025-hbo-max

🏆 Winners and Potentials…

SAG winners.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1413648/sag-awards-2025-complete-list-of-winners-live-updates

SAG fashion.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/23/style/sag-awards-red-carpet-fashion/index.html

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Academy Awards.

https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2025

🦤 Things You Don’t See Every Day…

🐶 I love when a pup gets emo.

https://people.com/pug-that-wants-pup-cup-has-funny-reaction-at-wrong-drive-thru-11682283

🐕 Wow. I wouldn’t have thought this was possible, even for a big dog. I did have a Peke who needed a sonogram once and I was sure his stomach would show a pile of driveway rocks.

https://people.com/dog-saved-by-vet-after-eating-24-socks-and-other-items-11687692

🚦 He must have wondered, WTF? As did the people who saw him, I’m sure.

https://people.com/baby-seal-found-alone-on-busy-connecticut-street-being-monitored-closely-in-aquarium-11682919

🐬 That’s a lot of dolphins.

https://people.com/whale-watching-group-captures-rare-video-of-2-000-dolphins-playing-off-california-coast-11687881

🐾 The longevity news every pet parent wants to hear.

https://people.com/anti-aging-pill-for-dogs-one-step-closer-to-being-on-the-market-11687470

🗿 Quotes of the Week

The difference between a dream and a goal is a timeline, a plan, and accountability.Dr. Phil

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. – Alexander Graham Bell (Ouch!)

To be an overachiever, you have to be an over-believer. – Dabo Swinney

Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. – Albus Dumbledore

I don’t have talent. I have tenacity. – Henry Rollins

Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat. – F. Scott Fitzgerald

The whole point is to live life and be – to use all the colors in the crayon box. – RuPaul

I come from a long line of quitters… I was raised to give up. – George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Seinfeld

🍻 I Didn’t Come Here and I Ain’t Leavin’…

Until next time, stay safe; stay springing forward on Sunday, March 9th (2 am); and stay remembering, if you have to work that hard to convince yourself, maybe it’s not right.

February 21, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Cyrus Meets His End, This Week’s Reality, Weekend Watching, Watching Soon, Last Release, Those Who Merit, Turning It Around, Pithy Quotes Of 8 & Christmas

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

🛁 The Weekdays…

General Hospital

Sonny told Carly about the shared custody. She asked if he was going to tell her what was really going on. Kai texted Trina asking if she was free tonight. Laura was meeting with Drew about eminent domain and asked Curtis to sit in. Laura felt Drew was using the esplanade plan to retaliate against Jason through Sonny. Anna told Mac that while Jason was at the station, he couldn’t kill Cyrus. Elizabeth snuck into the interrogation room to see Jason and told him that she and Lucky found evidence against Cyrus.

Curtis gave a bunch of reasons Drew’s idea was a bad one, including a lawsuit from Sonny. Laura said Drew wanted to bring in Sidwell. Mac said with Cyrus gone, he couldn’t hurt anyone, but Anna said she’d rather bring Cyrus to justice. She felt they were getting closer. Elizabeth told Jason that they didn’t know Cyrus’s motives and she wasn’t sure the PCPD was up to the job. Cyrus consulted the Bible.  

Trina said it was Josslyn’s first Valentine’s Day without Dex, and she missed Spencer, but Josslyn told her to go with Kai. It was time for her to get back out there. Carly thought there was a reason behind Sonny’s reason for the compromise and he said he had to find where the threat was coming from and wanted to help Michael when he came home. She asked if Jason had mentioned Sasha. Sasha went to see Jason at the station. Martin told Willow that Elaine was out of commission, and he still needed dirt on Michael. Willow didn’t want to blame Michael or hurt him. Laura said Jordan would be at the meeting and Curtis said he’d seen her with Sidwell. When Jordan arrived, she said Sidwell could be legit, but they needed more information. She was going to get it. Drew showed up and said he could tell it was going to be a tough room. Elizabeth told Anna how she and Lucky collected evidence against Cyrus.

Carly said Drew accused Jason of fathering Sasha’s baby, but she didn’t know if it was true. Willow said maybe there was a way to make peace, when Nurse Mindy called her. Her car had been impounded. Laura said Drew gave her a lot to think about and he said there would be matching federal funding. He said if Sonny using piers for criminal activity was the priority rather than the esplanade, let it ride. Elizabeth told Anna about everything that happened at Turning Woods and GH with Cyrus, and said Anna had the authority to exhume the bodies. Sasha went to see Jason, and he said Anna was just trying to keep him away from Cyrus. She said she thought Willow suspected Michael was the father of her baby. Kai told Trina to meet him at The Savoy dressed to impress.

Willow told Mac that Tracy had her car towed after she’d put it in the street. She was starting to see how much she’d lost in becoming a part of Michael’s family and was done letting the Quartermaines run her life. Sasha told Jason about Elaine and said she didn’t want her child raised in the Quartermaine environment. Letting people draw their own conclusions wasn’t enough. She wanted Jason to come out and say the baby was his. Jordan said it could cost jobs, and the project could get tangled up for years, and Curtis said the city shouldn’t get entangled in Drew’s personal vendetta. Drew asked if the potential benefits were worth the risk. Elizabeth brought Anna a bag of stuff and said they’d gone through Cyrus’s trash in the dumpster. Anna saw an order of syringes from Paul Damascus, and Elizabeth said it was a biblical reference. It made sense for Cyrus to use it as an aka. Elizabeth thought digitalis had been in another box, but they couldn’t find an invoice. Meanwhile, Cyrus readied a syringe.

Carly said, if it was true, she needed to support Jason, but Sonny suggested they stay out of it. Anna said Elizabeth was good as an amateur detective, but they couldn’t link Cyrus to anything. Laura said it would be easier if she didn’t have to consider Sonny. Sonny said Jason would tell them if they needed to know, and Carly agreed to wait until Jason said something. Trina left to meet Kai and Josslyn brought out a box with a gun in it. Cyrus put the syringe in his pocket and called GH. He asked to talk to Elizabeth, but she was gone for the day. He said he was sure he’d run into her later. Drew brought roses to the hospital, but Willow wasn’t there. Willow saw Jason and Sasha talking, and Sasha said go with her on this and kissed him. Anna told Mac that they might have a new lead. He saw Sasha and Jason kissing and said, no, no, no!

Tuesday:

Valentine’s Day was happening at The Savoy and Curtis said they had a special surprise performer, when Trina walked in with Kai. On the phone, Spinelli told Maxie that he’d play cupid for Lucas since she was under the weather. He told Lucas that he was pinch hitting for Maxie, and she’d found him the perfect guy. Carly was cleaning up the cookie baking mess in Sonny’s old kitchen, saying, it’s the memories, not the mess. Jack came in bearing roses. Lulu was leaving Eckerd’s Valentine’s Day cupcakes for Rocco in the nook, when Dante came down. TempLucky went to Elizabeth’s, and she said Anna listened to her and was going to arrest Cyrus. She thought they should celebrate, and they discovered Aiden had made a cake. Mac had a migraine, and Anna was working on one. She told Jason that she had to release him, but wanted to convince him not to kill Cyrus the minute he left.

Portia said Trina seeing someone was a big deal, and Curtis said it was one they’d have to watch from afar. Trina asked if Kai had to pull strings to come, and he said, a few. Spinelli introduced Lucas and Gunther the model, and Brad saw them sit together. Carly’s faucet went nuts, spraying water everywhere. Dante told Lulu that Rocco was ice skating and crashing at a friend’s, but he’d barely touched the cupcakes Dante brought home years ago because they reminded him of Lulu. Aiden introduced Tobias to Elizabeth, and she asked if they wanted to join her and Lucky. Aiden said they were going to the Valentine’s Day skate and asked to talk to Elizabeth in private. Mac didn’t buy that Jason was the baby’s father, but then he saw Sasha kiss him. He thought Jason took advantage of her hurt over Cody, but Felicia said, the heart wants what the heart wants.

Anna asked for a BOLO on Cyrus and told Jason. She had enough evidence to connect him to multiple murders, including Sam’s, and hoped the judge would sign off on it right away. She could get justice, but only if Jason let her do her job. She asked him to stay away from Cyrus for her sake. Jack turned the water off and said luckily for Carly, her knight in sopping wet armor had arrived. Spinelli told Maxie that the chemistry between Lucas and Gunther was palpable, and Trina told Kai that she had a confession to make. The owner of The Savoy was her dad. Elizabeth told Aiden that she liked spending time with his dad and to go enjoy himself. Lulu said she didn’t know their son, but Dante said she did and told her to ask questions. She asked about Rocco’s first crush, if he was hard to wake up, how was he doing in school, and did he have friends. He knew about Rocco, and she didn’t. He said she’d catch up, but she said she’d neglected the child she had and was failing as a mother. he said that wasn’t true. Aiden left with Tobias, and Elizabeth said he’d offered to be their chaperone. Anna said she and Jason were friends and people noticed. If Cyrus disappeared, it would perpetuate the idea that there were people above the law who got away with it because of their friendship with her. Jason said he understood, but it didn’t matter when she was talking about the sick bastard who murdered Sam.

Kai complimented Curtis on the club and Curtis said they had to stick around for the surprise musical act. Anna asked Jason to trust her that they’d get justice. She’d taken chances on him, and she was asking him to take one on her and have faith. He wouldn’t regret it. Felicia said she and Mac had their ups and downs over the years. Mac had even left once, but he was her happily ever after. It wasn’t for them to decide who Sasha’s was. They’d make sure the only way Scorpios could. Lucky wondered if Aiden was worried that he and Elizabeth were getting too close, but she said Aiden just wanted to make sure she was treated well. She’d make it clear that she didn’t need protection from him. Dante said Lulu was a good mom. He shouldn’t have made it seem like she was choosing between Charlotte and Rocco. She said she didn’t know what Rocco needed, and Dante said, his mom. She’d made his pain and sadness disappear.

Lucas said the only reason he was on the date was because of Maxie, and Gunther said he understood Lucas wasn’t ready. Get his number from Maxie and tell him when he was. Gunther left and Brook and Chase showed up. Jack fixed Carly’s sink, which surprised her, and he said his father was a plumber. She said she’d envisioned him descending from a long line of super spies, but he told her that his dad always said, even if the world ends, you’re always going to need a plumber. She asked if anyone else knew. She liked knowing something about him that no one else did. He said, knowledge is power. Anna said the trust she and Jason had was unexpected, but real, and also obvious. No one would believe she hadn’t looked the other way, or worse they’d think she helped him cover it up.

Lucas asked if Brad wanted company. Spinelli told Brook that Gunther ditched Lucas, then saw Brad with Lucas. Chase left to check on Brook’s surprise. Curtis told Portia that he loved The Savoy, but Aurora presented a challenge, and he felt like he was growing there. N’neka said it was time, and Curtis introduced Chase. Dante promised to guard the cupcakes with his life, but thought he should take a couple off of Rocco’s hands. Lulu said, don’t you dare. Jack said he’d learned to expect the unexpected with Carly. Lucky said Elizabeth was as beautiful as the day he met her, and they kissed. Anna found out the warrant couldn’t be signed until the morning, and Jason said whatever happened to Cyrus, her office would respect her for the same reasons he did – her strength, courage, and willingness to put herself on the line. He knew she understood why he wanted to kill Cyrus, but didn’t think anyone else did. She said it was because they were alike, and he agreed. She asked him, as her friend, please don’t kill Cyrus, and he said she was a good friend, and he appreciated her friendship. She said that wasn’t an answer.

Chase told the audience that his singing career had been brief, but he’d met his wife through it and was grateful. He said the song was for her and sang one she’d written (Won’t You Stay with Me). As he sang, Lucky left Elizabeth’s, Jack and Carly had champagne, Felicia fed Mac Valentine cookies, and Lulu smushed a cupcake on Dante’s face, then helped wipe it off. Jason left the station. Elizabeth noticed that Lucky left the piece of cake he was taking home. There was a knock at the door, and she assumed it was him, but it was Cyrus.

Wednesday:

Cyrus told Elizabeth that he had an urgent matter that couldn’t wait and walked in. She’d been asking around about him and now had the opportunity to ask questions to his face. Emma asked Josslyn to be part of the benefit. Lulu was rude to a client on the phone in Helsinki and said he’d specifically asked for Brook or Maxie. It was Maxie and Spinelli’s first Valentine’s Day together and she didn’t want to ruin it. Brook said Lulu had no problem ruining it for her and Chase. Drew showed up at The Savoy with Willow, and Portia said, that’s a choice, but Curtis said it was beyond disrespect. It was a throwdown. Portia wondered how Willow couldn’t see through Drew (me too), but thought they should let it go. Willow wondered why Lucas was with Brad. Seeing Willow with Drew, Brad told Lucas that he was in no position to judge, but… and Lucas said it wasn’t their call. Cyrus asked what Elizabeth was trying to find out, and she said, fine. She’d start at the beginning. Why did he try to kill Lulu?

Donna called for Carly, interrupting a kiss with Jack. Emma wanted Josslyn to be an underwriter, but Josslyn said she had no time. She was going through a lot, but she’d be more than happy to donate. Emma argued with her, but Josslyn was unrelenting. Chase told Dante that he couldn’t give Brook the family she wanted to have. Curtis told N’neka that Drew was no longer welcome. Willow said she’d never forgive Brad (wow), and Curtis told Drew that he didn’t want him there. Cyrus said there was no sign of Lulu having an improvement. Just because someone could be kept alive didn’t mean they should be. Elizabeth said she’d watched families make that decision and it was awful, but in the end, it’s a gift. He said she understood, and she asked, what about the others? He said they were all God’s children, and she said, so from one family. He said he’d seen people trapped in their own hell and God gave him a mission to free imprisoned souls. He wept as he asked if Lulu wasn’t entitled to that, and she said, that’s why he turned off the ventilator, but he said, no, that was much later.

Brook said, the client threatened to cancel the shipment of the key ingredient in their cream. Lulu couldn’t talk to people that way. Lucas said he wasn’t sorry for Willow, but they all made mistakes. Curtis told Drew that Michael’s wife was more than welcome to stay, but he reserved the right to refuse service. They were playing the same game. Brad said, once the denial goes away, Willow will be miserable. One thing he’d learned was, lonely is lonely, whether deserved or not. Drew told Willow that he had a surprise for her, and they left. Donna asked why Jack was out so late and suggested he go to bed. She wondered why we have bad dreams, and Jack explained dreams to her. He said when we had bad dreams, something was bothering us. Cyrus told Elizabeth, in his first attempt to free Lulu, he used the wrong medication and drew unwanted attention. She said, that’s why Lulu’s liver failed. He freed Lulu, just not in the way he intended. She understood that, but why kill Sam? He said, Sam got in the way of him carrying out the Lord’s. Her donation would keep Lulu going, but not free her from her prison. Elizabeth asked if it was punishment, but he said it was a consequence of obstructing the Lord’s will. He also discovered that digitalis was the best way to free everyone else. She said it was fast, effective, and relatively painless. But what about Dex? He’d been young and healthy.

Cyrus said, Dex had been in the vicinity of Sam’s room and seen him, and Elizabeth said, it sounded less like God’s will and more like something the old Cyrus would do. He said Dex almost killed him on Sonny’s orders, but he had no malice in his heart. Cyrus flashed back to taking Dex’s hospital wristband when Dex was in the morgue. He said he had to remove Dex, and Elizabeth said, because of his mission. What would happen to the souls that needed to be freed? He said she understood, and she said he was able to help try to free Michael. He said he wanted to liberate Michael from his physical suffering, and she asked if there wasn’t another reason. He’d spoken about how his mother was suffering. He said, that’s what awakened him to his purpose. Martin had her living what barely qualified as a life. If he could set her free, he would. She said, it was a different type of healing, and he thanked her for understanding the importance of his mission.

Emma thanked Josslyn for her donation, but pressure her again for her presence. A worker came in to relieve Josslyn and she left. Gio told Emma that her approach needed work, and Emma said, friends speak the truth. He said she was a great salesperson, and he appreciated her passion. Chase told Dante that it wasn’t Brook, it was him, but Dante said there was more than one way to have a family. Chase said Brook deserved to be a mom and he’d do anything to be a dad.

Elizabeth said Cyrus’s purpose was not unlike hers, to help and heal, and he said nothing was going to jeopardize his mission. She should understand why he had to do this. He brought out the syringe and came toward her, when Lucky burst in. He told Cyrus, get away from her!

Lucas left and Brad sighed. Curtis told Portia about asking Drew to leave. There were no threats, but he wanted to make it clear whose club it was. He didn’t need Drew to ruin his evening. Drew showed Willow his new house and she said she loved it. Brook said it was part of Lulu’s job to answer the phone and be warm and courteous, especially to those who had a rare ingredient that was impossible to get. Lulu said she was at first, and Brook asked if she ever thought of anyone besides herself. Lulu said Brook got everything she wanted. She had the perfect life, job, and husband, and would have the perfect children. If she wasn’t getting what she wanted, it was her own fault. Dante walked in and asked, what’s going on?

Cyrus told Lucky not to get in the way, and Elizabeth broke free. Cyrus tried to stab Lucky with the syringe, and they struggled.

Dante told Brook where Chase was, and she left. He asked what Lulu said, and Lulu told him that she’d said Brook’s life was perfect. If she wasn’t getting what she wanted, it was her own fault. Dante suggested she back off, and Lulu said, all Brook did was complain about her perfect life. She woke up after four years in a coma to a life she didn’t recognize. By comparison, Brook’s life was heaven. Dante told her to cut Brook some slack. She found out she and Chase couldn’t have children. Emma thanked Gio for his patience, honesty, and commitment to the cause, and he said he enjoyed her company too. Portia asked if Brad had a nice Valentine’s Day and he said, better than expected. She said she was glad to hear it and would see him at work. She told Curtis that she wanted to put the bad stuff behind her and was focusing on what was right in front of her. Willow said she was sure Drew wanted to find a home for Scout, and he said, also for you and our kids, and asked her to move in with him.  While Carly put Donna back in bed, Jack’s phone rang. By the time Carly returned, Jack had his coat on. She asked if something was wrong and he said, unfortunately, something came up at work. They agreed to another time and kissed.

Lucky got the better of Cyrus, but Cyrus stabbed Lucky in the leg with the syringe. Elizabeth called 911 as she came down the stairs and saw the syringe sticking out of Lucky’s leg.

Thursday:

 Brook came home to find Chase, rose petals, and champagne. Dante told Lulu that there was a fertility issue with Chase.

Lucky slugged Cyrus and got a syringe in the leg for his trouble. Cyrus jumped up, tried to strangle lucky, and fled, while Elizabeth called 911. Jordan met with Laura, who wanted to make the esplanade happen, but still protect the city. Anna joined them and Laura said, in a potential battle between Sonny, Drew, and Sidwell, who was the biggest threat? (It’s like, Superman vs. the dinosaurs.) Drew asked Willow to move in with the kids. Jason went to Sam’s grave and said he needed to make a choice between what he wanted and what he thought she wanted. Josslyn snuck around Cyrus’s apartment and looked through his stuff.

Stella came to The Savoy to have a nightcap with Curtis, who had a special Valentine’s Day cocktail for her. Portia left and Stella asked if there was something else going on. He said there may be a favor only she could provide. Lucky was unconscious and Elizabeth did chest compression. Brook and Chase kissed, but she pulled away and said she couldn’t believe she was so lucky. He said, but he couldn’t give her a baby. Lulu felt terrible for Brook and Chase, and Dante said Brook had been nothing but supportive. He said being a father was one of the greatest joys of his life and Lulu said, the same for her with being a mother. Laura asked if Anna would bring Sonny down if she found evidence to do it, and Anna said, Drew was encouraging it. Jordan said that worried her because Drew wanted to align himself with Sidwell. Anna and Laura agreed and said he wanted the port to move his illegal merchandise. Jordan said Drew had a lot of influence, but she’d rather deal with the devil she knew than Sidwell. Willow thought the kids had been bounced around enough and Drew said he wanted all the kids to have stability. He tried his best to talk her into moving in.

Jason told Sam that he could kill Cyrus and get away with it, and he wanted to kill him. One thing held him back. He knew Sam wanted him to put their son before his need for vengeance. Josslyn continued to toss Cyrus’s place. Lulu said Brook knew things about Dante that she didn’t and it was hard, but he said, it shouldn’t be. Carly used their history to break them up, but Brook knew it was wrong and still felt terrible. It was a long time ago and time to let it go. They were friends and that was it. Brook said she meant their vows from the bottom of her heart, but Chase said she couldn’t have expected this. She said it was hard, but sometimes plans changed. It didn’t mean they still couldn’t be parents. Willow told Drew that nothing about their situation was perfect. For one, she was still married. Drew said Michael had filed for divorce and was out of the country, and Willow said he was fighting for his life. Drew said she was alone with the kids, and she said Wiley adored his father. She hadn’t told Wiley that they were splitting up, so moving in felt wrong. Jason promised to always put Danny first.

Josslyn almost left, but kept looking until she found an envelope with hospital wristbands in it, particularly Dex and Sam’s. Laura said they couldn’t have Port Charles in a territory battle and Jordan said Drew was different and not in a good way. Anna said Drew’s willingness to align himself with Sidwell was worrisome, and Laura asked if they could no longer trust him. Anna left to take a call about Cyrus, and Laura got a call from Elizabeth, who told her to get to the hospital right away. Lucky was in trouble.

Curtis said he understood Stella was friends with Congressman Douglas Henderson and she said they went way back. They agreed he was a good man and influential in Washington. Curtis said he needed Stella to introduce him, and he needed to develop a relationship before Drew destroyed everything he was building. Willow said she cared about Drew so much and he said he didn’t want to pressure her. They had the rest of their lives. He thought when she was ready, they should tell the kids about their relationship together, but she said she didn’t want to talk to them while Michael was recovering. Lulu said part of her was threatened by Brook. Not because of Dante, but she lost four years, and it was like Brook stepped into the important parts of her life. Dante suggested she felt like Brook took her place in all their lives and she said, maybe. She was starting to wonder if she had a place there at all. Chase said Brook was a natural at being a mom and she said, however they brought a child into their lives, it would be together, and it would be a part of both of them. Anna arrived at Elizabeth’s where an officer filled her in on what happened and said Cyrus fled the scene. They had an APB out on him and Lucky was in the hospital. Elizabeth told Isaiah that Lucky had been given digitalis and Laura showed up at the hospital. Josslyn said, Dex didn’t deserve this, and took photos. Cyrus walked in.

Lulu said she sounded selfish, but Dante said she wasn’t. She said it was hard to realize the family you wanted wasn’t going to happen and wanted to apologize, but he said Chase told him in confidence. Her phone rang and she told Dante that it was Lucky and ran out. Anna said they’d waited too long to arrest Cyrus and now Lucky could die. On his way in, Aiden overheard. Elizabeth told Laura about Cyrus attacking Lucky because she and Lucky suspected him of killing people, including Sam. He’d said it was a divine calling, saving them from their suffering, and he was the reason Lulu’s liver failed. Cyrus got an ax and said Josslyn shouldn’t have come. Josslyn said he’d killed Sam and Dex and wasn’t getting away with it. He said they’d gotten in the way of his mission, and she had too. He came after her and she shot him.

Cyrus said now Josslyn was the murderer and died (I think). Anna brought Aiden to the hospital and talked to Elizabeth. Chase said if they adopted it wouldn’t be fair to Brook, but she said she didn’t look at it that way. Families were created all different ways, and none was better than the other. He said he was robbing her of the experience. Curtis said Drew was gunning for him and wouldn’t hesitate to stop projects from going through at the federal level, even if they helped his constituents. He’d changed and become vindictive. Stella said he’d backstabbed Curtis and Curtis said Drew would bring the same dark energy to Washington. Would she help him?

Drew came home and Jason was there. Lulu and Dante arrived at the hospital, and Lulu went to see Lucky. Dante wanted in on finding Cyrus and Anna said okay. Josslyn moved the ax, then checked Cyrus’s pulse. She looked at Jason and Jack’s numbers, then made a call. She said, I need your help.

Stella said Drew was gunning for Curtis and she needed to let Doug know what a snake Drew was. There were few people she held in as high a regard. Curtis could count her in, but a word of advice. Drew didn’t like a mirror held up to him. She asked why he was coming after Curtis. Drew said he wasn’t in the mood for another battle, but Jason said he was here to make peace. Drew asked why the hell he would want to, and Jason said, for Sam. Chase said it was because of him that Brook wouldn’t experience a miracle growing inside her and she cried for him to stop. She’d had a baby. She’d been pregnant before. Isaiah came out and Laura asked if her son was alive. Anna found out Cyrus was heading southeast in his car. Josslyn paced the apartment when someone came in. It was Jack. 

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada:

Chase says, what does Brook mean, she had a baby? Is she talking about Bailey Lou, when she pretended to be pregnant? She says she wasn’t pretending. She got pregnant in high school and had a baby. She gave the baby up and never told anyone except her ma, not even the father. Chase asks if Ned knows, but she says, no. She knows it’s a lot to take in. He says, she got pregnant when she was a teenager and has been carrying the secret ever since.

Tracy wants to go over the menu for the library board dinner with Sasha and asks for some tea. Sasha asks if she wants her special blend, and Tracy says, yes. Sasha says, but first, she thought Tracy should know a P.I. has been snooping around. She’s pretty sure it’s to get dirt on Michael. Tracy asks, what makes her say that? and Sasha says she had an encounter with a woman named Elaine and her dog outside Bobbie’s and then in the park. Eventually, Elaine told Sasha herself that someone was looking into her. Tracy asks what Sasha told Elaine before she knew.

Drew says, Jason, of all people, walks into his house demanding peace, and Jason says he wants to respect Sam’s wishes that Danny and Scout stay together, but it’s never going to happen when they’re at each other’s throats. So he’s here about a truce for the kids. Drew says, now he wants to honor Sam’s wishes? He’s just asking because Jason clearly didn’t care when Jason ambushed him the night before the funeral and he’s trying to figure this out. What changed?

Isaiah tells Laura and Lulu that they were able to stabilize Lucky, but he’s in guarded condition. Aiden asks what that means, and Isaiah says he gave Aiden’s dad medication to counteract the digitalis. Since they don’t know how much digitalis is in Lucky’s system, it’s too soon for a definite prognosis. Aiden asks if that’s bad, but Elizabeth says, they can’t say yet. Aiden says, dad might not make it, and she hugs him.  

Portia tells Lucky, hang in there. He made it all the way home from Africa in one piece. Now he has to make it through this.

Anna tells Dante that they tracked Cyrus’s car to Route 41, and Dante wonders why he’s headed in that direction. There’s nothing out there. Does she think Lucky will be okay? She says she doesn’t know. She hopes so. She’s just grateful Elizabeth wasn’t hurt. Dante wonders, why go after Elizabeth, of all people? and Anna says, Cyrus found out that she and Lucky were asking questions at GH and Turning Woods. He didn’t want them to connect him to the murders. He says, did they? and she says, they found evidence that proves it, and he admitted to Elizabeth that he killed Dex and Sam, among others. She asks if Dante is all right, and he says, yeah, because they got him. Anna says, they did, and Cyrus knows that. If he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life in prison, he’s going to disappear. Dante says, he can run, but there’s no way that bastard can hide.

Jack walks into the cabin and tells Josslyn to hand him the weapon. Josslyn gives the gun to him, and he checks it over. He checks Cyrus’s pulse, and Josslyn says she already did that. He’s dead. Jack says, yes, he is, and she says, Cyrus tried to attack her. He was going to kill her. Jack says he knows. He was outside when it happened. Did she call anyone else? She says, no, just him, and he says, good. They still have a small window in which to clean up. She asks if they shouldn’t call the police, and he says, they could. Or they could take care of it themselves.

Brook says she’s so sorry she never told Chase. It was a strange time. When she realized she was pregnant, she was terrified. She didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t ready to be a mom. Chase says, of course (🍷) not. She was just a kid. He can’t imagine how scared and alone she felt. She says, at least she had her mom, and he asks if Lois stepped up. Brook says, big time. She was incredible. She wasn’t thrilled Brook got pregnant in the first place, but once the shock wore off, Lois was in her corner 100%. He says he’s glad, but not surprised. Was it hard to decide? She says, terminating the pregnancy didn’t feel like an option at the time. She knew she’d be having the baby and the decision not to keep it came to her pretty quickly. There was just no way she could be a mom. He says he gets it, and she says, when it came down to it, she knew the rest of the family could never find out. She was already so overwhelmed, the last thing she needed were the judgements and opinions of the family. So she went on tour with her mom for five months, had the baby, and went back to her life. Her mom made all the arrangements. He says he assumes it was a closed adoption, and she says she never even saw the baby. She was afraid if she did, she couldn’t give it up. He says, so she doesn’t know if she had a boy or a girl? and she says, no. He says, it must have been insanely hard, especially at that age, and she says, he isn’t angry with her?

Isaiah says he wishes he could promise Aiden’s dad was going to be okay, but they just don’t know. He’s in ICU and being closely monitored. Elizabeth says, they’re doing everything they can, and Isaiah says, they know how strong Lucky is. Lulu says, the absolute strongest, and Aiden says he’s sorry for freaking out. Isaiah says he gets it. Lucky is the best friend he’s ever had. Laura asks if it’s possible for someone to sit with Lucky now, and Isaiah says, absolutely. Laura tells Elizabeth and Aiden to go first and tell Lucky that his mother and sister love him. Aiden and Elizabeth leave to go to Lucky’s room, and Lulu says, Lucky is going to be okay. Laura says she knows. He’ll survive Cyrus like Lulu just did. They hug.

Jason says, Scout and her siblings just lost their mom, and Drew says he’s aware. Jason says, they need to be together, so he and Drew need to work together. Drew says, Jason doesn’t play well with others, and Jason says, Drew doesn’t like how he lives. He doesn’t like how Drew lives. But it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that it’s okay for the kids because they’re family. Drew says, and Jason knows all about family.

Sasha says she told Elaine her approximate due date. That’s it. She’s not sure what Elaine was looking for, but she assumes Willow’s lawyer hired her. Tracy says, good guess, and Sasha says she just thought Tracy would like to know that somebody is being investigated. Tracy thanks her for the intel, and Sasha says she’s welcome… Tracy is holding something back. She can tell. Tracy says she’s been known for that, and Sasha tells her, say it. Tracy says she promised not to ask invasive questions, and Sasha asks if she has one. Tracy asks, if Jason is the father, are they planning on getting married? and Sasha says she gets it. Tracy wants to know what she’s looking to make off the Quartermaine name.

On the phone, Anna says, let her know if they turn up anything, and Dante says, it was smart of her to contact Pentenville. Cyrus was in there a long time. He must have made connections. Anna says she was thinking a former associate could tell them where Cyrus might go. The longer they’re without a lead, the less likely they are to track Cyrus. He asks if Elizabeth said why Cyrus killed the patients, and Anna says she thinks it was some kind of divine mission to release them from their suffering. From what he told Elizabeth, he’s been doing it since he got out of prison. Dante says, it doesn’t make sense. Dex and Sam were healthy. Why target them? She says, they got in his way.

In Lucky’s room, Elizabeth asks how he’s doing, and Portia says, he’s holding his own. Elizabeth says, that’s good news, and Portia says she’ll let them have time alone with him. Portia leaves and they go over to the bed. Elizabeth says she’s here. So is Aiden. He needs to hang on and come back to them. She’s going to say it again when he opens his eyes, but she thanks him for saving her life tonight. Aiden says, mom’s safe now and he has to wake up.

Jack says, they don’t have to call the police, and asks where Josslyn got the gun. She says, it’s Dex’s. Everybody knows how much she hates Cyrus and that she thinks he killed Dex. Now she killed him with Dex’s gun. Who will believe it was in self-defense? Jack says, coming in the cabin with a gun does imply intent, and she says, he knows what happened. He says he wasn’t in the room. Technically, people could say he didn’t see what happened. She says, he doesn’t believe her, and he says he does, but it won’t hold up in a court of law. He can take care of it, but once the WSB is involved, no one can know what happened, not even her mother. Can she do that? If not, they’ll call the police right now. She looks at Cyrus’s body and nods. She says she can do it. Stay quiet. Jack says, they’re leaving… and she says, but her fingerprints… He says, now. If anyone asks her, she was never at the cabin. Does she understand? She nods and they leave.

Drew says, ever since he found out he and Jason were twins, his whole life hinged on one moment. What if Susan Moore had brought him back to Port Charles instead of Jason? He would have grown up with Monica and Alan and would have lived the life of luxury as a Quartermaine. Instead, he got Betsy Frank, a group home, and he was on his own at 18. Jason says he had no control over that, and Drew says, they loved Jason, despite his never having appreciated it and hurting their parents, breaking their hearts over and over. He had no need of anything Quartermaine. Jason says, they’re done, but Drew says, it’s his house. He’ll tell Jason when they’re done. Jason wants to come back home? Now that Drew has made a place for himself and took the Quartermaine name. Now he wants to come back? That’s perfect. He and the Quartermaines can have each other. He’ll be over here with his daughter. Jason says, he’s okay with Scout losing Sam, Danny, and Rocco all at once? and Drew says, what Scout is going through breaks his heart, but as her father, he’ll do what’s best for her – always.

Jordan asks if Anna had any luck, and Anna says she had them run the name Paul Damascus and Cyrus never used it before, but when they were running the DEA list of Cyrus’s associates, a name jumped out – Gatlin. Jordan says, Cyrus has a connection to a Gatlin family based in Pautuck, and Anna says, a deep connection? Jordan says, decades, and Anna says, a doctor at GH was shot dead in 2023 who was from Pautuck. Dante says, the murder was never solved, and Jordan says, the doctor had several properties in Pautuck. Anna makes a call, and says she’ll need a list of properties southeast of Port Charles rented or owned by a Dr. Austin Gatlin-Holt.

Josslyn walks into Jack’s office, and he asks if anybody saw her come in. She says, no, and he tells her to go to the bathroom and shower. Wash away all the evidence. Leave her clothes, jewelry, and phone, anything she brought to the cabin, in the bathroom. There’s a change of clothes for her in there. Can she handle that? She says, yeah, and when she leaves, Jack takes out the gun, wipes it, and puts it on his desk. Colette comes in and says she got his message. Jack says, Cyrus Renault is dead, and she asks, what the hell happened?

In the bathroom, Josslyn flashes back to Cyrus coming at her and her shooting him. She throws up.

Jack tells Colette that Josslyn had a gun he wasn’t aware of, but it’s fine. She only called him. She says, still, the clean-up might not be as easy as he thinks. Renault attacked Lucky Spencer and Elizabeth Baldwin tonight. Lucky is in the hospital and there’s an APB out on Renault. Who knows how long it will take Anna to find the cabin?

Laura says, does Lulu remember her saying how Cyrus visited her? and Lulu says, it was too creepy to forget. Laura says, Cyrus told Elizabeth that he had plans to free her from her coma, and Lulu says, aka kill her. Laura says, something went wrong, and it only affected her liver, and Lulu says, Cyrus caused her liver failure? Laura says, yes. She’s very sorry. Lulu says, why? and Laura says, because Cyrus is her brother. Lulu says, it’s not exactly her fault, and Larua says she knows that, but in retrospect, she can see that strange fascination he had in her. Lulu says, no one could predict he would do this, and Laura says, he’s a very sick man, but if Lulu hadn’t woken up when she did… Oh my God. Laura hugs her, cries, and says, they would have lost her.

Aiden says, it’s been cool having Lucky home. It made him realize how much he missed him. Thanks for showing up and being on his side. And grandma and Aunt Lulu want him to know they love him. Elizabeth says, they all think he’s had enough beauty rest now. Come out of this. Aiden says, he has to wake up. He just has to. Suddenly, an alarm goes off.

Jason asks if Drew is really going to keep Scout from her brothers, and Drew says, Scout’s got him. And they’ll have Willow and her kids. It’s all the family they need and she’s going nowhere near the Quartermaines. Jason says, because Drew got his feelings hurt? but Drew says, because the Quartermaines are terrible people. He did all he could to fit in. He did everything he could to keep the family going. The second he does something for himself, they can’t turn their backs fast enough. Because he fell in love with the wrong woman. Compared to what they’ve done? To a murderer hitman, it’s always home. Jason says, Drew is making a huge mistake, but Drew says he doesn’t think so. The Quartermaine name, he’s got it. The Quartermaine money, it’s in the bank. He doesn’t need the people and headache that go along with it. We’re done. He opens the door and says, get out of my house. Jason walks out.

Sasha says she is not discussing her personal life, and Tracy says, good. Just listen. She didn’t get knocked up by some random guy at a bar, a one-night stand with a Quartermaine. Sasha says, allegedly, and Tracy says, allegedly a Quartermaine, but not just any Quartermaine, a family favorite. Sasha says, not hers, and Tracy says, absolutely not. She’s wanted nothing to do with him for years, but her mother adored him, as did Monica. He could do no wrong in their eyes. Sasha asks how many times she has to say it. She doesn’t want or expect anything from the family. Tracy says, what does the family expect from her? and she asks, what happened to her right to make decisions for her own baby? Tracy says, she does, but she can’t keep going ahead like the baby is exclusively hers. Not if it’s a Quartermaine.

Chase tells Brook that he’s not angry with her. Just the opposite. He hates that she had to keep the secret for so long. She says she hated keeping it from him, when she let herself think about it. She trained herself not to. He says, she compartmentalized, and she says she put it in a box and rarely took it out. He says, it makes sense. How is she supposed to move on? She says, the baby was with her for 9 months technically. She loved him or her so much. She wanted to give them the best life possible. He says, she has no idea where they went? and she says, no. She trusted her mom, who worked with the agency to find a good home. She’s so sorry for lying. He says, show him the lie. All she did was keep part of her past private. Just because they’re married, she doesn’t have to share every little thing. She says, it’s not little, and he says, maybe not, but she gets to choose who she shares it with and who she doesn’t want asking questions. He does want to know one thing.

Josslyn wipes the steam from the bathroom mirror. She flashes back to looking at dead Cyrus and leans on the sink.

Jack says, Anna’s not aware of the cabin, and Colette says, not yet, but it’s just a matter of time. He asks if they’re monitoring the PCPD radio, and she says, Renault was spotted on Route 41. The police know his direction and it’s not a densely populated area. He says, the cabin is one of the few options, and she asks if he honestly thinks Josslyn can keep quiet. She’s just a kid. She’ll want to tell someone. He says, let him worry about Josslyn. It’s her job to get a team to the cabin before Anna finds it. She says, a total clean-up? and he says, with one exception.

Isaiah runs into Lucky’s room and Elizabeth hustles Aiden out. Isaiah uses the defibrillator on Lucky.

Lulu tells Laura that Dr. Gannon said her body’s reaction to the liver transplant could be why she woke up after four years. If Cyrus hadn’t tried to kill her, she probably wouldn’t have woken up. Laura says she guesses Lulu is right, and Lulu says, if she hadn’t needed a liver transplant, Sam would be here. Laura says, they’ve been through this. She can’t let herself think like that. She’s not responsible for Sam’s death. That’s on Cyrus. She doesn’t care about his crazy savior story. He’s been killing people. If she needs to point a finger, put the blame where it belongs, on Cyrus. And the people he paid off or blackmailed to get out of prison. He never should have been let out.

Elizabeth and Aiden come out and Elizabeth says, Lucky’s heart stopped. He’s in defibrillation. Aiden says, his dad is dying.

They continue to use the paddles on Lucky, and Isaiah says, come on. Don’t do this to me. He begins chest compression.

Jack puts the gun in a bag, then in a bin. Josslyn comes back and he tells her to have a seat. She asks, what happens now? and he asks if she told anyone where she went. She says, no, and he asks if she told anyone the address. She says, no, she didn’t tell anyone. Why did Colette give her the address? He says, she set everything in motion when she asked to see the footage from Rice Plaza, and she says, when she was finding out who killed Dex? He says, it was strategic thinking on her part, and she says, it got her nowhere. The footage was gone. He says, no, it wasn’t, and shows her a still shot of Cyrus. He says, it shows her instincts were spot on, and she says she doesn’t understand. He knew the whole time and didn’t go to the police? He says he wanted to see what she’d do.

Brook says, ask anything, and Chase asks if she’s okay. She says, that’s his one question? and he says he can’t imagine going through something so huge. In high school, his biggest stressor was if he’d make varsity or not. She had to choose a future, not just for her, but her child. She’s amazing. He was already thinking she’s so strong and he didn’t know the half of it.

Isaiah says, Lucky never quit on him before. Don’t quit now.

Anna suggests Dante go see Lulu and find out how Lucky is doing. He says, she put him back on the case, and she says she told him that he could work on the case, not personally apprehend Cyrus. He asks if she thinks he’d go rogue and kill Cyrus. He’s thought about it and death is too easy an out. He’ll follow protocol. Anna’s phone rings and she asks, what’s the address?… Send units. She’ll be right there. Dante says, that’s off Route 41, and Anna says, let’s go now. Dante asks Jordan to keep them posted on Lucky, and she says, will do. Good luck.

Portia says, they got him back. Lucky is stable. Aiden says, he’s going to be okay? and Portia nods. Lulu says, his dad is strong and hugs him. Elizabeth hugs Aiden and Laura hugs Lulu.

Sasha says, privacy is starting to be impossible in this house, and Tracy says, starting? Too funny. Sasha can keep playing the who’s-the-daddy game all she wants, but she’s inclined to believe Cody. Sasha says, fine. Jason is the father. Happy? Tracy shrugs, when Jason walks in. Sasha says she is so done with this day and walks past him and out. Tracy says she guesses congratulations are in order.

Josslyn says, Jack knew Cyrus killed Dex and did nothing? but he says, on the contrary. He fed her clues and followed her. She asks if he’s playing some game because he’s into her mom, but he says, it’s got nothing to do with Carly. It’s clear Josslyn is special. She’s got all the qualities necessary to make a great agent – ingenuity, initiative, willing and able to do what’s necessary. She asks, necessary for what? and he says, for the WSB. He wants her to become one of them.

Brook says, truly, Chase isn’t upset? If he were, she would understand. He says, stop and think. Would she be? She says, so many of their past problems were because of her lying, and this is another one of those times, but he says he doesn’t consider this a lie. He’s curious. Why tell him now? She says, he was beating himself up about her not getting pregnant naturally. She couldn’t stand it. He says, once it had a bearing on their relationship, she told him. She can tell him anything. She says she kept it buried so long, and he thanks her for sharing such an intimate part of herself. She says she loves him and trusts him with her life, and he says, right back at her. They kiss.

Laura says she can’t thank them enough, and Portia says, Lucky is still being monitored closely, but the danger has passed as of now. Aiden thanks her for saving Lucky’s life, and she says she had a lot of help. Isaiah says, Lucky refused to give up, and Aiden says he wants to thank Isaiah too.

Isaiah goes into Lucky’s room and says, it’s not cool making him sweat like that. He guesses it wouldn’t be Lucky if he wasn’t a colossal pain in the ass. He thanks Lucky and says he doesn’t know what he would have done if he’d lost him.

Tracy says, Jason isn’t planning on moving out. This is Danny’s home, and he needs stability. Jason agrees he does, and he’ll do whatever it takes to give that to Danny. Tracy says she knows the living situation is not his first choice – or second or third – but she’s glad his priority is Danny. It shows his loyalty is to the family, because they are family. Despite the past, he’s one of them. Jason says, just not one she wants around. Drew is coming for him.

Josslyn says, Jack set her up to kill Cyrus so he could hold it over her head to join the WSB, but he says he didn’t know she had access to a gun. Did anyone else know? She says, no, and he asks why she brought it. She says, to protect herself – obviously – which does not make her a spy. He says, it does. She shields herself not by hiding, but by acting. What happened in the cabin? Tell him. Josslyn says she found the patients’ ID bracelets and saw how many Cyrus killed. There was one for Dex. Cyrus was going to attack her with a hatchet and she shot him in self-defense. He says, if Cyrus hadn’t attacked her, would she have not pulled the trigger, and Josslyn cries and says she doesn’t know. He says, good thing they didn’t call police then.

Anna’s team approaches the cabin. Anna nods and Dante kicks in the door.

Brook says, it was stupid not to tell him sooner, but Chase says, she told him when she was ready. He wonders if she’s judging herself for her decision, and she says, a decision that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. What if she gave up the baby and it didn’t give them a better life? He asks if she wants to try and find her child, but she says she doesn’t know. He asks if she ever tried, and she says, no. He asks if she thought about it, and she says, of course (🍷), but wouldn’t it be unfair to crash into the child’s life after letting them go? He says, having Brook in their life could only make It better. Trust him. It’s 100% her decision, but if she decides to try to find them, he’ll help in any way he can.

Tracy says, Drew is coming after all of them. She assumes he’s the one who convinced Willow to hire a P.I. to find something that she can use against Michael in the divorce. Jason says, Drew blames the whole family for turning against him, and she says, they’ve made Drew the enemy. She can’t believe she’s saying this, but she’s so glad he’s here. They need him. Welcome home. She pats his shoulder and leaves.

Aiden says, they’re all here. Laura and his mom are here. Lulu says, hey, big brother, and Aiden says, they love him and can’t wait for him to wake up. Lulu tells Lucky, hurry up. Patience is not her strong suit.

Jordan says she heard Isaiah saved another life. Congratulations. Isaiah says, it was a close one and he’s not responsible. It was difficult and he thought he’d lose Lucky. Jordan says she speaks for all Lucky’s loved ones. She’s grateful he fought so hard for his friend. Isaiah says, he’s grateful to Lucky. He’s too stubborn to die.

Inside the cabin, an officer tells Anna, the surrounding area is clear, and Anna says, expand the radios. She tells Dante, aside from everything being completely dust free, no one has inhabited this cabin lately. Dante says, there’s no sign of anything, and Anna tells the officer, get forensics here asap. He leaves, and Anna says, if Cyrus was in the cabin, he left something behind. They have to find what it is.

Josslyn says, what about the evidence in the cabin? and Jack says, it’s been taken care of. Josslyn says, even if she doesn’t accept the offer? and he says, even if. But he strongly urges her to consider it. She’d make one hell of an agent. As far as tonight goes, she needs a story. He hands her some cash and says, buy herself a new phone. Say she lost hers. Her car was driven here. Can she drive home? She says, yes, and he says, be in touch. She leaves, and Colette comes in. Colette says, she gets to walk out, just like that? and Jack says, yes. When she comes back, it’s better if she thinks it’s her idea.

On Monday, Anna needs someone at the station right now; Kai says Trina is the only reason he’s not losing his mind right now; Kristina tells Molly that she’s never going to believe in the system again; and Brook tells Lois that she told Chase everything.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

I was kind of surprised they didn’t go the whodunit route, but it was still a great end. Loved him pouring his heart out to Elizabeth. We’ll miss you, Jeff Kober!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/behind-the-scenes-of-cyrus-death-with-eden-mccoy

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jeff-kober-says-goodbye-to-gh-with-the-best-death

Maybe Lucky will be waking up a different man.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-temporarily-recasts-lucky-with-guy-wilson

Finally, we meet Tobias.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/charlie-besso-cast-as-tobias-on-general-hospital

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/colin-cassidy-thought-he-blew-his-audition-for-aiden-on-gh

It does really sound like a goodbye.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/tajh-bellow-shares-a-special-message-for-his-gh-fans

Picking up the pieces.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-shows-off-his-new-house

She left behind a body of work to be proud of.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-and-oltl-alum-alice-hirson-dead-at-95

Beyond the usual soap.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jon-lindstrom-and-cady-mcclain-join-the-cast-of-beyond-the-gates

How they celebrated with their sweeties.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/see-how-the-stars-and-their-sweethearts-spent-valentines-day

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

While I didn’t watch this, I did read about Harry’s accident. Yikes!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The trip to see Sutton’s mom ended, and Sutton finally heard I love you from Reba. In Sutton’s interview, she said she hadn’t felt like this with her mother since her sophomore year in college on Mother’s weekend. Dorit was having a 4th of July barbecue, per tradition with her kids, but adding the women. In Dorit’s interview, she said it felt like there was definitely something missing because PK wasn’t there, and she wanted to have fun with her friends and kids. Good luck with that first one. Sutton got there first, and there were zero people to greet her, a huge party faux pas, no matter who you are. You don’t just leave people to wander around on their own. Kyle came next, Dorit still nowhere to be found, and they noticed a table of framed photos that they dubbed a shrine to PK. It was 40 minutes before Dorit made her appearance. Although she still couldn’t be bothered to greet Sutton. When she finally did, she snatched Sutton’s bag and insisted Sutton give it to her, literally not giving it back. In her interview, she said it was about Sutton interrupting her talking about Jagger – we flashed back, and Sutton had good reason – but giving her the bag would equal forgiveness. It was a hard no.

The spread was amazing, and things were good for like, five minutes, until Dorit made a jab at Sutton about drinking alcohol. What is wrong with that woman? Sutton said she was a bitch, which caused Dorit to spiral because Sutton had called her a bitch in her own home. Here’s a hint. If you don’t want to be called a bitch, don’t be one. In her interview, Sutton said Dorit had never apologized for insinuating she had a drinking problem, and we flashed back to Dorit’s various comments about it. Sutton decided she was going to jet, and in the bitch’s Dorit’s interview, she intimated that there must be something to it if Sutton was making such a big deal. No. She’s just sick of you calling her an alcoholic. In Kyle’s interview, she tried to compare her tirade and walking out of Boz’s spa day, even though it was not at all the same thing. Boz thought Sutton leaving was rude, and Garcelle told Boz to quit being Dorit’s spokesperson. Kyle was also irritated with Dorit agreeing with everything Boz said, but they ended up hugging it out. For now.

Where are they now?

Let’s talk about the husband.

Summer House

They toasted to how mature they were. Here’s where I would look at the camera if there was one. Ciara brought up West’s New York Times article at dinner, which is where sensitive, anger inducing topics are always broached. Lindsay broke the tension by needing to run to the bathroom. West kinda sorta apologized to Ciara, Paige avoided getting together with Craig, and it was the same old except for Lindsay being pregnant.

This picture is so weird. It’s like they were suddenly plopped in from different climates.

Southern Charm

Molly, Taylor, and Rodrigo did flamingo yoga, which is like goat yoga but with flamingoes. Biggest reveal? Craig watches a lot of 90 Day Fiancé. Me too! The biggest non-surprise? Sienna is so not interested in a relationship with Shep. I would say it was painful to watch, but seeing him get a taste of his own medicine was too delicious.

Southern Hospitality

It was back from Vegas and back to reality after Maddi and Joe’s fake wedding by Elvis impersonator. She seemed to be wearying of Joe’s attention. The best quote: I’m the bitch that runs the bitches who think they run the bitch.Michols Peña

Random Reality Items

Now there will be no let up about him proposing. Not from Dolores, but everyone else.

Do we really need another branch of the franchise? They’re always intriguing in the beginning. Then they degenerate into a screaming match.

In a surprise twist, Lady Gaga has time to watch TV.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Cassandra. Netflix. My favorite horror genres are in this order: Zombie apocalypse, any zombies, any apocalypse, technology is evil, large monsters like Godzilla and/or dinosaurs, and sharks. This imported miniseries from Germany falls under technology being evil, but with a twist. Cassandra is the face behind a smart house and she’s out of control. The surprise is, she has a backstory, that’s told parallel to the nightmare of the family who moves in.

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End. Amazon Prime. And in my favorite genre, reveled clearly in the title, this was one exciting zombie romp. A Spanish thriller based on a book, the story revolves around a man and his cat who are trying to make it to a safe place. The action and the special effects were impressive. It wasn’t 2 hours of my life I wanted back and it gave me the zombie fix I so desperately needed. No spoilers here:

Lots of spoilers here. Turn back if you do not want to be spoiled.

https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/i-watched-amazons-new-zombie-movie-holy-cow-i-have-things-to-say

👍One To Watch…

While the words love story aren’t usually in my viewing queue, these two make it look like it will be a fun time. This show also looks like an enriching learning experience about those who are different. One of the things reality TV should foster more.

🌁 Upcoming Watch…

It’s been decreed. The second season of The Last of Us will premiere on April 13th.

https://winteriscoming.net/the-last-of-us-season-2-release-date-revealed-and-we-called-it

🏆 Awards Corner…

BAFTA winners.

https://deadline.com/2025/02/bafta-film-awards-winners-list-conclave-emilia-perez-2025-1236291491/

Warming up for the Academy Awards on March 2nd.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/oscars-2025-red-carpet-events-parties-pictures-1236141330/

https://people.com/oprah-selena-gomez-and-ben-stiller-and-more-announced-as-2025-oscars-presenters-11682130

A new addition to the Daytime Emmys. Actually, it’s more of a pivot.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/the-daytime-emmy-awards-adds-a-new-category

It’s definitely her year. You’ll have to wait until June to see her Tony hosting skills though.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1413663/cynthia-erivo-set-to-host-2025-tony-awards

🐶 It’s Not How You Start…

Dog makes better than good.

https://people.com/abandoned-puppy-left-to-die-makes-finals-most-prestigious-dog-show-uk-crufts-11681282

🍯 Quotes Of the Week

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. – Laozi

I pay no attention whatever to anybody’s praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings. – Mozart

Freedom from desire leads to inner peace. – Lao Tzu

You’re only as young as the last time you changed your mind. – Timothy Leary

Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going. – Sam Levenson

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it. – Niccolò Machiavelli

If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not making decisions. – Catherine Cook

You know what they say, candy is dandy, but yay weed. – Victoria Flynn (Katy Mixon), Mike & Molly

🧊 Colder Than a Well-Digger’s…

Until next week, stay safe; stay dressing for the weather, not the runway; and stay remembering, friends speak the truth.

January 10, 2025 – A Killer Is Revealed, Soap Suds, Reality Recaps, Weekend Watch, Award Corner, Great Moments In New Year’s Eve, Best Bowl, Cardinal Number Of Quotes & You

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday through Thursday bites and whole enchilada Friday.

Monday:

Portia confirmed that Elizabeth was suspended and told Cyrus that he was no longer welcome at the hospital again. Trina helped Josslyn pack up Dex’s apartment. Jack was pissed at Colette because she was supposed to tail Valentin, not take a shot at him. He looked at the Rice Plaza footage and saw Cyrus stab Dex.

Michael filed for full custody after seeing that Willow was with Drew in DC. Willow told Drew that Michael was punishing her for being with him. Lucy welcomed Sidwell to Windymere after he bought Spoon Island. They flirted, had champagne, and she gave him some gifts, including her book. Both Laura and Willow separately talked to Martin, and Martin told Laura that Willow would have to be smarter if she wanted to keep her kids.

Carly was supposed to have dinner with Carly at the MetroCourt, but had to cancel. Jack ended up joining her instead. Sidwell literally skipped through the Windymere living room to the terrace and watched as Sonny’s penthouse exploded. Sonny and Jason were in the hallway, and the only one inside was Michael, who turned into a fireball.

Tuesday:

No soap, funeral.

https://abc7ny.com/post/general-hospital-new-episode-tuesday-preempted-abc-news-special-report-former-president-jimmy-carters-state-funeral/15765536/

Wednesday:

Drew and Willow got busy while Jason told Sonny to call 911 and smothered the fire on Michael with a blanket. After Michael got to the hospital, Isaiah worked on him with Lucas assisting.

Carly enjoyed her time at the MetroCourt with my husband… I mean, Jack.

Josslyn wanted to stay in the place her and Dex were happy, but Trina told her that she wasn’t just grieving; she was angry. After Trina left, Josslyn looked at Dex’s gun a lot. Curtis told Nina that taking Wiley over state lines was a federal crime. She wanted to bring Willow and Wiley home, but he advised against it.

Brook was upset because she wasn’t pregnant yet, even though she was doing all the right things, including eating pineapple which she didn’t like. (Who doesn’t like pineapple?) We found out Brook had been pregnant before and given the baby away. She thought God was punishing her, but Lois said, God didn’t work that way. Chase discussed things with Sasha, who told him that he and Brook should just relax.

Lucas told Carly, Sonny, and Jason that Michael had 3rd degree burns over 40% of his body. He was critical and they didn’t know if he would live. Nina called Willow with the news.  

Thursday:

Drew showed up at the hospital since he’s an idiot and a creeper. Curtis advised him to get lost. Martin wanted Willow to petition the court for sole custody, but she said, absolutely not. Diane advised Carly to get the kids away from Willow. Nina told Willow that she shouldn’t show up at the hospital, but she went anyway. She and Josslyn got into it.

Jason said the explosion was like nothing they’d ever seen, and Sonny said they had to find the culprit and stop them dead in their tracks. Anna and Chase investigated the penthouse. Anna called Jack to come and help. Jack said, the Bureau had come across the same type of incendiary device before and thought he could be of assistance. Sonny said they’d find who did this and retaliate, and Jason said he was all for that (me too), but he also wanted to get Danny out of the line of fire.

Sonny and Kristina had a father/daughter moment on the roof of GH. Molly showed up at the hospital to offer support. Carly prayed in the chapel that God spare her son. Drew walked in to give his sympathies, but she wasn’t having it. He whined about what he’d done for her, and she hit the nail on the head telling him that he had a hero complex.

Michael opened his eyes.

Friday…

On the roof at GH, Sonny looks up and tells Morgan that he’s worried. Can he watch over his brother? Please help him. Isaiah comes out and joins him.  

At Beradino’s, Alexis sees Ric and says, her bad day just got worse. He says, nice to see her too. Despite her many flaws, she has great taste in restaurants. We see Cyrus puttering around, and Alexis asks if Ric can eat somewhere else, but he says he’s meeting a client. However, if she feels compelled to leave, don’t let him stop her. He encourages it. He tells the hostess, Lansing, party of two.  

Lucy brings Sidwell to Bobbie’s and tells him that there are other charming spots, but for an authentic Port Charles meal, this is the spot. They have the best burgers, chili, and everything in between, but no matter what, always, always, always order the fries. He says he’ll remember that and tells her that her energy is contagious. She suggests having made such a charming new friend has made her happy, and he says he appreciates that. She says, now back to the tour. Bobbie’s is named after a special, dear friend of hers, the late Bobbie Spencer. He asks if she said Spencer, and she asks if he knows the Spencers. He says, no, but he’s sure they’re lovely people, and she says, unfortunately, Bobbie passed away not long ago. She was influential in the community. She was a nurse at GH, owned this place, and was a leader for charitable causes.

Colette asks if there’s any new business, and Jack says he just spoke to Anna. She asks if it was about Valentin, but he says, no. It was about the fire that put Michael Corinthos in the hospital. The WSB may bear some blame.

At the MetroCourt, Felicia says she’s glad she was available to take Maxie and Sasha to lunch, and Maxie asks to what they owe this unexpected treat. Felicia says she needed a break from the hospital stress, and Sasha says she can imagine. Felicia says she loves her job. It’s rewarding, but it’s also difficult and draining. She sees people during the hardest times in their life and it’s challenging. She witnesses their pain, not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain. Maxie says, the patients are lucky to have her and so are they, and Felicia says, sometimes it’s hard for her to leave work behind, especially if she knows the patient. Like now, with Michael Corinthos. Sasha asks, what happened with Michael?  

Portia tells Jason that Michael is in shock. He has severe burns, and the main issue is to manage his pain. He’s on the highest dose of morphine and they can’t bring him to full consciousness for too long. It’s too much. Jason says, Michael came to, and he’s sure Michael knew it was him, and Portia says, good. That’s a great sign. He’ll likely be heavily sedated or unconscious for the next few days and it’s absolutely the best thing for him right now.

Carly tells Drew that her son is upstairs in excruciating pain fighting for his life. Does that even matter to him? Drew says, she came at him when he was speaking the truth. She needs to go make a list of the things Sonny’s done to harm Michael, but he can see it on her face that she already knows. Does she have any regrets about way back when she decided to let Sonny raise Michael instead of AJ? Was it worth Michael’s life? She says, nothing is worth Michael’s life, and he says he knows she loves her son, but none of what she did was what was best for Michael. It was all about what she wanted.

Jack tells Colette that the incendiary device left almost zero evidence. It was a unique weapon like a device the WSB designed years ago. He knew what the hardware looked like even before Anna described it. Colette says, it’s highly classified, and he says, it was meant for Sonny, not his unfortunate son. They need to find out who wanted Sonny eliminated and had access to the weapon. She says, there could have been a security breach. Maybe the specs were leaked and sold to the highest bidder. He says he’s making it top priority, and she asks if it has anything to do with the Rice Plaza footage, but he says, that has to do with his other project.  

Willow tells Josslyn that no matter what’s happened between her and Michael, she loves him. He’s the father of her children and she’s praying he recovers quickly. Josslyn says, did she forget she cheated on Michael with his uncle, and they had sex in the nursery? How skeevy can you be? Nina joins them and says, that’s enough. Leave her daughter alone.

Sitting with Ric, Ava says, it’s not like she’s destitute. The gallery is doing well, and she had money of her own before she married Nikolas. She was planning on moving the gallery to a new location and purchased a building. She was going to renovate it and have it up and running before she sold the building the gallery is in now. He says, she’s paying for mortgages on two commercial properties? and she says, unless the divorce settlement money is returned to her, she’ll have to sell the building and finding a buyer won’t be easy. He says he’s sorry, but the only way she’ll see any of the money is if the estate grants it, and she says, by estate, he means Alexis. He says, as trustee, Alexis is the only one who has the power, and Ava says, the money isn’t even Alexis’s. It’s in trust for Ace. He says, until Ace is of age, Alexis can decide how it’s spent. Considering Ava was involved in Alexis’s disbarment and Kristina fell out Ava’s hotel room window causing the death of her baby, the chances of Alexis gifting her are pretty slim.

Diane joins Alexis and says she’s represented Michael’s family for most of his life. What happened is unimaginable. She can’t stop thinking about it. Alexis says, Michael has always been so good to her girls over the years. She respects him for that. Diane says, he’s a wonderful man, and Alexis says, Kristina adores him and she’s reeling. She’s had so much loss lately. Michael has to pull through. Cyrus listens in.

Felicia says she assumed they heard, and Sasha asks why Michael is in the hospital. Felicia says, there was a terrible accident at the penthouse. Michael is in the burn unit and in critical condition. Sasha says she needs to go see him, and Felicia says, of course (🍷). Maxie asks her to text or call if there’s an update, and as she leaves, Sasha says she will.

Sonny says he comes up here to think sometimes, and Isaiah says, it’s good for that. Sonny thanks Isaiah for everything he did for Michael when he brought Michael in, and Isaiah says, of course (🍷). He has a lot of experience with burn victims from his time in Africa and he’s glad to help. Sonny asks about the percentage of recovery and tells Isaiah to be straight with him. Isaiah says, it’s serious, but GH is doing everything in their power to treat Michael and alleviate the pain. How is Sonny feeling? All the stress could complicate his condition and possibly make it worse. Sonny thanks him for his concern, but says he can’t think about himself. Isaiah says he understands that Michael is the only thing on Sonny’s mind, but he has to take care of himself too. Sonny asks if Isaiah has kids, and Isaiah says, not that he’s aware of. (Ha-ha!) Sonny says, when he does, he’ll know the love for his kids can get him through anything.  

Carly tells Drew not to preach to her about selfishness. He had sex with Michael’s wife in the nursery where his daughter plays. Did he think about Michael? Or did Willow’s hero worship give him such a high that he couldn’t control it? Drew says she can’t understand his and Willow’s relationship. What’s between them is real. She asks if that’s what he tells himself, and he says, it’s more real than what they had. (Ugh. I hate people who argue like this. Like all of a sudden it was never a good relationship to begin with. It’s so immature.) Carly laughs and asks if that was supposed to hurt her. It didn’t. He had sex with her daughter-in-law, the mother of her grandchildren. Now she sees him for who he really is. He did her a huge favor when he dumped her. He says, good. He’s a lot happier away from her too. He walks out of the chapel. (Quick. Get that man a bonnet, diaper, and baby bottle.)

Colette asks about Jack accessing the Rice Plaza footage, and he says, Josslyn asked him to because she wants to find the person responsible for stabbing Dex. Thanks to the footage, now he knows who it is. She says, mystery solved, but to what end? He can’t use top secret footage to solve a civilian case. He says, of course (🍷) he can’t. But now that he knows who Josslyn is looking for, he can leave a trail of breadcrumbs and see how well she follows them.

Nina says, Josslyn has no right to speak to Willow that way. Her husband was just in a horrible accident. Josslyn says, Michael is her brother, and nothing she said was anything less than the truth. Was there anything Willow didn’t use Michael for? Nina says, Josslyn is just like her mother, and Josslyn says, thanks. She could say the same thing about Willow right now. Nina can’t stand to be called out on her crap. On the surface, they’re both so sweet and friendly, but underneath, they’re lying liars who lie. Stay the hell away from her brother. She walks away.  

Lucy says she and Sidwell had sort of discussed Mayor Laura Collins. She’s actually a former Spencer and has two Spencer children. Sidwell says, there are a lot of them in Port Charles, and she says, quite a few and very notable. He says, she knows everything and everyone in Port Charles really well, and she says, she seems to be doing all the talking. She knows she’s doing all the talking. He has to share something about himself. He says, she handled his purchase of Spoon Island skillfully. What else does she need to know? She says she hardly thinks the transfer of information captures a person. From what she read, he’s not currently married, but does he have a couple of former Mrs. Sidwells running about? What do she and Port Charles need to know about the newest resident? He laughs.

Maxie tells Felicia, it’s awful. Michael has always been good to her. She can’t imagine what the family is going through. Spinelli is going to be devastated and poor Jason. He’s got to be losing his mind. Felicia says, Michael’s injuries are severe, but it’s still possible for him to recover, and Maxie says she’s going to send every positive thought his way. Felicia says she hopes Sasha is okay. She seemed upset and stressed after she heard the news. (Well, of course. < 🍷>) Maxie says she knows Sasha and Michael were together at one point and stayed good friends, but her reaction did seem out of proportion. It’s probably pregnancy hormones. Felicia says she wants to tell Maxie how much she loves her, and Maxie says, why? Is there something wrong? Felicia says she’s fine. Don’t worry. Her work as a patient advocate has given her a new perspective. Working with people who are grieving and people in hospice who don’t have much time left, they all say the same thing over and over. Their biggest regret is not telling the people in their lives how much they love them. Her and Maxie’s relationship hasn’t always been easy, but she’s glad they’ve moved past it. She doesn’t want a day to go by that she doesn’t let Maxie know how much she loves her. Maxie says she loves Felicia too, and takes her hand.

Sasha looks into Michael’s room window and cries. Jason arrives, and she asks, what happened? All she heard was that there was an accident. He’s going to be okay, right? Jason says, they don’t know yet.

In the chapel, Carly says, please let Michael recover. He’s such a good man and has so much to live for and so many people who love him. Sonny comes in, and she asks if there’s an update. He says he went by Michael’s room to talk to Portia. Jason was with him and Michael woke up, but they had to sedate him because he’s in so much pain. Carly covers her face with her hands, and he says, the doctor said hopefully they’ll find out something soon. She asks how it happened, and Sonny says he doesn’t know any more than he did last night, but whoever planned this is after him.

Willow thanks Nina for defending her, and Nina says, Josslyn is a bully and a hypocrite. Don’t listen to a word she says. Willow says she thought that they’d come together to support Michael and the kids through this tragedy, but Nina says, Josslyn is a lot like her mother. Their first instinct is to lash out. No empathy, no compassion, just rage. Willow wonders if she can get some alone time with Carly, but Nina says she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Willow says, they were close once. Carly walked her down the aisle when she married Michael. She cares… Nina says, cared, past tense, but Willow says she doesn’t know. Nina says, unfortunately, she does. Carly sent Diane and a social worker to the apartment and took custody of Wiley and Amelia. Willow says, how? and sees Drew come out of the elevator. She runs to him, throwing her arms around him. She says he has to help her. Carly has taken the kids. Drew looks at Nina.

Josslyn literally bumps into Jack at the hospital, and says, sorry. He says, it’s fine, and asks how Michael is. She says, the same. He’s in pain and it’s horrible. He says he’s very sorry, and she thanks him for bringing her to GH last night. He says he was glad to help, and she says she’s headed to grab some air. He says, before she goes, he has an update to share with her about who stabbed Dex.

Ava says, Ric is a fantastic lawyer. He got Heather Webber set free and got her cleared of any wrongdoing in Kristina’s accident. There’s got be something he can do. He was married to Alexis and knows her so well. He has to be able to use that to his advantage somehow.

Martin comes into the Baradino’s and says hello to Cyrus. Cyrus says he’s grateful Martin came to see him, and Martin says, that’s because when Cyrus calls, he picks up the phone. Cyrus should try it sometime instead of dodging his calls. Cyrus says he’s been doing the Lord’s work. The holiday season has been busy. He needed to see Martin because GH is trying to restrict his access to patients. Martin asks what that has to do with him, and Cyrus says he wants Martin to put a stop to it. His patients need him. Martin says, there are plenty of places Cyrus can do the Lord’s work if GH doesn’t want him there, and Cyrus says, if the law won’t help, the Lord will provide a path for him to continue his work. The Lord has ways the legal system knows nothing about. Diane comes by and asks if Martin has a moment to discuss the Corinthos custody case, and Martin says, when he’s done with his brother, they can have a chat. Cyrus says, it’s fine. They’re done. He’ll leave them to their business. He moves along with his non-Lord’s work.

Ric goes over to Alexis’s table and says, may I? He sits down, and she says, you may not. Seeing he’s not moving, she heaves a sigh.

Josslyn tells Jack that she wants to hear everything, but she’s confused. She thought there was no footage from Rice Plaza. Jack says, it’s true they have no footage, but he has a lot of resources. He called in a favor from the PCPD and got the witness list from Rice Plaza on the day of the assault. She says, that would help immensely, and he says he’ll forward it to her right now. She thanks him, and he says he suggests she speak to the witnesses. Ask questions and piece the scene together. Unless it’s too much for her to handle. Then she can always hire a private investigator. She says she’s going to do it herself. It’s what she owes Dex. She looks at her phone and says she received the list. She even knows some of the people. He says he hopes one leads to the answers she’s looking for, and she sees Felicia at the reception desk. She says she thinks she already knows where to start.

Carly says, Drew was just here and said what happened was her fault for bringing Sonny into Michael’s life, and Sonny says, Drew has no business judging her. Don’t listen to him. She made the best choice she could for Michael at the time. She tells him that he’s saying that with such confidence, and he says, it’s not like he doesn’t know the feeling. It’s not the first time he’s put Michael in danger or Michael has been fighting for his life because of what he does. He was supposed to protect him from all this. She says, he didn’t know what would happen, and he says, neither did she. She says she just wants Michael to be okay, and he says he does too.

Sasha tells Jason, it’s horrible to see Michael like this. She and Michael never had a real break-up. Everything that happened with Willow, Wiley, and Chase took their lives in different directions, but the love is still there. Jason says he gets it. Sometimes life doesn’t work the way we plan. She says, Michael stood by her when everyone else hated her. When her mother told her that Robert was her dad and she and Cody broke up, he found time to comfort her when his own marriage was falling apart. He’s such a good man. Jason says, the best, and Sasha looks in the window again and cries.

Willow asks how Carly can take the kids, and Nina says, Diane brought Chase and a social worker and this court order. She shows Willow the paperwork, and Willow says she thought even though Michael filed for divorce, they’d figure it out through mediation. Drew says he just had his head ripped off by Carly because she found out they spent the night together in DC. Clearly, she wants revenge. Willow says she can’t believe they’re talking about Carly taking revenge through her kids, and Drew says, it’s a valid order. Nina says, they need to petition the court for an emergency custody hearing, and Drew says he can call in a favor, but in the best case, it won’t happen until next week. Willow says she can’t be without her kids until next week. Michael will be in the hospital a long time and the kids will be scared without either of their parents. Nina says she understands what it’s like to be without your baby. There’s no worse feeling. But they can’t defy the court order. It will work against them in the long run and there’s no recourse at the moment. Drew says, maybe there is.

Sidwell tells Lucy that his last love left him feeling wounded. It seems she was using him to get her hands on inventory. Lucy says, that’s absolutely horrible, and he says, it’s a hazard of his profession. He doesn’t think she needs to hear more detail.  She says she loves details and nothing he could say would bore her. He says she’s too kind and he’s happy to repay her hospitality with lunch. And the knowledge she imparted about Port Charles will prove invaluable in helping him acclimate. She says, it’s been a pleasure. If there’s anything else he needs, don’t hesitate to ask. They clink coffee cups.

Diane asks Martin when she can expect a response to the divorce petition, and he says he assumed it would be put on pause after last night’s events. She says she understands, but unless instructed otherwise, she’s going to proceed with her client’s wishes. And if his client thinks she can be galivanting up on Capitol Hill with her son and her husband’s uncle, she needs to think again. He says, they’ll have to see how it shakes out at the custody hearing, and she says, or they can spare the upset if his client makes a compromise now. He says, a brave attempt. Now if she’ll excuse him, he thinks he should get back to his brother. He looks around, but Cyrus isn’t there.

Ric tells Alexis that the money belongs to Ava. She’s entitled to pain and suffering for the emotional duress she suffered when married to Nikolas. Alexis says she knows a thing or two about emotional duress having been married to Ric. Ava has mistaken her for an ATM. It’s not her money. She’s just the trustee. Ric says, she knows the Cassadine money ruins lives, like with Stephan and Nikolas. Even if Ava got all of what Nikolas gave her, Ace wouldn’t miss it. Alexis says, despite her reservations in giving it to Ace, Ava is not going to see a penny, and he says, if it was anybody but Ava, she’d be singing a different tune. She says she’d like him to leave. She enjoys the food here, and staring at him is making her lose her appetite. He leaves.

Carly tells Sonny, hindsight is a funny thing. You look back and see everything clearly and it’s easy to question your decisions. He says, they’re just torturing themselves here and can’t change the past. She says, it would be nice if they could. She was thinking about if she had to do it over, knowing what she knows, would she do it differently? He says, of all the wrong turns they made, there’s one thing they did right – their kids. Michael, Morgan, and Donna, they’re amazing kids. She says, Michael is special, and Sonny says, he is. She says, they have to present a united front. Their strength will be Michael’s strength. Sonny says he’s going to check on the doctors. They’re going to go through this. Hit it face on as a family. He takes her hand, and she says, yes.

Willow asks what other recourse she has, and Drew says, even though she filed for separation and Michael filed for divorce, they’re still legally husband and wife. If Michael made her his healthcare proxy, that’s still valid. She’s holding the cards. Michael is badly injured, a lot of decisions will need to be made about his healthcare, and Carly and Sonny think they’re in charge. Nina asks if he’s suggesting using the fact that Willow is Michael’s wife as a bargaining chip to get the kids back, and he says, exactly. She can deny Carly, Sonny, or anybody else access to Michael. Willow says she would never do that. Things weren’t great between her and Michael, but Michael is a good person and an amazing dad. Even after everyone saw the video, he let her take the kids so they could be with her. She’s not going to pay him back by keeping his family from him. Drew says, it’s Sonny and Carly that she’s up against, not Michael. Carly is angry about them being together, and it could be the only leverage she has to get her kids back.

Jason tells Sasha that Sonny and Carly are on their way back from the chapel and suggests he give her a ride home. She says she probably shouldn’t drive this upset and thanks him. They leave.

Sonny asks, how’s Michael? and Portia says, his condition remains the same. Carly asks if there are any long-term burn recovery units she recommends. They’d like to get him set up as soon as possible. Willow pops out and says, there’s nothing to worry about. She’s Michael’s wife and she’ll be making the decisions about his care. She’s the only one the doctors will be talking to. (Wow. She nasty.)

Felicia tells Josslyn that she’s sorry. That’s all she remembers. She wishes she was more help. Josslyn says, even small details matter in cases like this, and Felicia says she did tell Chase there was something weird that she can’t put her finger on. She’s done everything she can to remember why she feels that way, but it still escapes her. Josslyn says, if she recalls it from beginning to end, it might come back. She was at Rice Plaza, picking out a tree with Georgie and James. There were holiday lights and carolers, the college kids fighting before Dex and his partner ran them off. The elevator dings, and Felicia says she sees what it is. It’s the bell. Josslyn asks, what bell? and Felicia says, that’s what she was trying to remember. Cyrus was at Rice Plaza taking donations and he had a bell he was ringing the entire time. Jack listens from the other side of the desk, and Felicia says, when Dex was stabbed, there was no sound. Cyrus had stopped ringing the bell.  

We see slippered feet walk into Michael’s room and gloved hands closing the door and the blinds. Standing next to Michael’s bed, Cyrus says he knows Michael is in terrible pain, but it will soon be over. He’ll be at peace. God will call him home. He puts his hand on Michael’s forehead and says, may your soul be surrounded by divine light. He takes out a syringe and prepares it. He checks Michael’s IV bag, plunges the needle in, and we see that it’s digitalis.

On Monday, Tracy tells Cody that if he invests, that money will be gone; Laura says, Dante did the right thing by going after Lulu; Nina tells Sonny not to waste precious time on this fight; and Isaiah says, Michael will die either way.

I have to say, I didn’t see another digitalis death coming. As much as I hate all these characters being killed off, it is one hell of a storyline.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

This is just horrific. I had to turn off the news the first night. While I know I’d cry over losing my stuff too, if everyone and their pets gets out alive, that’s the most important thing.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/soap-stars-share-wildfire-updates

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-opens-up-about-losing-everything

They read the room.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/2025-daytime-emmy-awards-rescheduled-to-october

In happier news. Hopefully, this gets enough viewers to stay on the air. Many a decent show has been cancelled because it wasn’t given enough time to build up an audience.

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-trailer-first-black-daytime-soap-in-35-years-8762458

💊 A Dose Of Reality…

Here’s what happened all week on…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Another group of demanding, immature guests, who were – of all people – drag queens, who I would expect more empathy from even on a superyacht. TBH, Cloyce’s consistent inconsistency leaves something to be desired, but they didn’t have to make fun of him. Shame on them!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Love Boz and her boyfriend Keely. They seem like the perfect couple and it’s nice to watch. Erika and Dorit can both go pound sand. PK blindsided Dorit, saying he wanted a divorce during a 4-hour therapy session. Who has a 4-hour therapy session? I’d be done after 4 hours too. In an actual real non-screaming moment, Garcelle talked about the years she had to give Oliver tough love and how it killed her to not even let him in the house. She did it right though, because look at him now. That’s what reality TV should be about. Seeing the changes. Some of these women also need to get a vocabulary. Erika debuted her new single, Dominos, and it sounded like all her other singles. Like Jennifer said, it’s not going to win any awards for lyrics, but it’s catchy.

Real Housewives of New York City

While I do think Brynn has some good qualities, girlfriend needs to mature. She’s way too into stirring the pot and it’s not a good look. She picked on Jessel for having a penchant for glam. Really? Like she doesn’t?

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

I could barely sit through this. Meredith freaked out when she discovered out Britani was recording the back of a seat during a bus trip, screeching about how sneaky it was. I guess she forgot that Bravo recording them is actually the whole point and there are cameras on all the time. These women do nothing but find things to argue about, and they’re best response to an insult is, no, you. It didn’t sound any better when Heather had to explain what the word nefarious meant. Someone please get them a dictionary. They give me a headache. Except for Mary, who is still the MVP.

I also watched a little of Sold on SLC, and I think the crux of all their problems is the church. No judgement, to each his own, but if it isn’t lifting you up, get out. These people are all adults and feel they have to pretend to be a certain way just so they don’t get excommunicated. It’s doubtful they’re fooling anyone, so I’m guessing as long as they put their share into the collection plate or whatever, it’s all good. Seriously, if it’s making you hate yourself and everyone else, get out.

Southern Charm

Taylor’s picker still seems to be off, but hey, sometimes you need something in the moment that won’t be in your future. I’m more looking forward to next week when JT meets with Craig. Mostly because I want to see how JT makes an ass of himself this time.

This made me feel sad, but I get it.

Southern Hospitality

I still maintain that this show wants to be Vanderpump Rules 2.0, but misses it entirely. For every real moment, like the discussion between Michols and TJ about being gay in Charleston, there’s a ton of screaming, yelling, and heightened drama that belongs in a middle school.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

A Mother’s Instinct. I love the 60s time period, which is why I chose to watch this. But I stayed for the twisty-turny plot and the incredible acting.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mothers-instinct-neon-film-review-2024

Smile 2. I know a lot of people liked the first one, but I wasn’t one of them. It was okay, but I wasn’t thrilled with the ending. I’d seen the trailer for this when I saw Red One, and thought it looked promising. I was right. I actually thought this was better than the first one. This article pretty much sums up why. The costumes were also quite fabulous.

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-watched-smile-2-i-need-to-talk-about-why-horrors-of-fake-smile-got-to-me

The Deliverance. More of a straight on horror film, based on so-called true events. Like both Lovecraft Country and Them, real life horror parallels supernatural horror. It was a captivating ride, capturing the truth of trying to escape poverty, along with the terror of living in a haunted house. Lee Daniels is a master and he snagged Glenn Close. It was definitely worth the time.

Nightbitch. I was looking forward to seeing this and it didn’t disappoint. You don’t need to be a mom to relate either. It gave me all the feels – it was funny, sad, poignant, and joyous. And there was an apology at the end that every man should watch. A bonus for me was seeing Jessica Harper, Janet from one of my favorite films, Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment. It was also nice to see an actress aging like a normal human.

🏆 And You Get an Award…

Golden Globe winners.

https://ew.com/2025-golden-globes-winners-full-list-8769343

Golden Globe fashion. Holy! Zendaya looks just like Elizabeth from GH.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37442/2025-golden-globes-red-carpet-fashion

https://pagesix.com/2025/01/07/style/melissa-rivers-on-the-best-and-worst-golden-globes-2025-looks/

Awards to come. The SAG nominations.

https://ew.com/2025-sag-awards-nominations-full-list-8770586

🎉 Bravo For the New Year…

Including one of my all-time favorite New Year’s Eves – the night Giggy married Grandma Wrinkles.

🐕 Bowling For Pups…

Coming February 11th. Be there or be a cat.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/2025/get-ready-for-puppy-bowl-xxi-

🪂 Quotes of the Week

Your journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don’t think that you’ve lost time. There is no short cutting to life. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time. – Asha Tyson

It’s never too late to never give up. – Pamela Anderson

Youth has no age. – Pablo Picasso

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one out.)

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

Things just tend to accumulate after Labor Day. What can I tell you?Little Edie Beale, Grey Gardens

My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. – President Jimmy Carter

❄️ Kisses From Heaven…

Join me again next Friday for soap, recaps, what to watch (or not), and other entertainment nonsense. Until then, stay safe; stay helping a neighbor shovel after a snowstorm; and stay telling the people in your life how much you love them. Don’t let that be a regret.

December 16, 2024 – Portia Gives Elizabeth a Choice, Studio 50 Birthday On Deck, Opening Up, New Soap Preview, Movies Of the Season, Wildlife Jokers & Baby

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth says, Lucky won’t believe it. Another patient with a clean bill of health died of a heart attack on her watch. It was out of nowhere and starting just like Sam. Lucky says, it’s not a coincidence, and asks if there are any updates on the investigation. She says, no, and she’s gone over everything a million times. He says, something is definitely wrong.

Jason comes into the hospital and sees Anna.

Josslyn takes Dex’s hand and says, this is real. He’s really gone.

At the Surf Lodge, Lulu says she’s trying to get a lead, and Dante suggests she take a breather. She asks how she can breathe when her daughter is missing, and he says, they will find her. She says, Valentin is as connected as they come. He could literally be anywhere. He says he knows she’s scared and overwhelmed, and she says, that’s why she broke into Windymere. She needs a clue. He says, she also needs a reality check – a big one.

Michael says he won’t leak the video to protect his children, Drew’s daughter, and Willow from her own humiliating mistake. But that also protects Drew too. He’s hiding behind them to protect his reputation. So much for Willow’s hero. Drew says, Michael knows nothing about him and Willow, and Michael suggests Drew tell him. Drew says he’ll fill Michael in, but Michael won’t like what he hears. Michael says he still wants to hear it, and Drew says, it’s not about hero worship or Willow feeling indebted to him. They developed legitimate feelings for one another. Michael asks if Willow said that, and Drew says, Michael knows Willow wouldn’t have slept with him if it wasn’t real. They fought it for months. Michael asks if Drew wants thanks for his restraint, and Drew says, they ignored what they felt until they couldn’t. He’s so sorry Michael was hurt. It was a horrible thing to do to Michael, never mind the family. Michael says, imagine if Drew understood the meaning of the word family. He never cared about anyone but himself. If he had, he would have stopped and thought twice about sleeping with his nephew’s wife and tearing the family apart.  

Willow says, they’re going to Grandma Nina’s for a sleepover, when Carly comes in. She asks where they’re off too in such a hurry. They wouldn’t be trying to take Michael’s children away. Nina tells Wiley to say hi to Grandma Carly, and Wiley hugs her. Nina says, they’re on their way to a sleepover adventure. Carly can see how excited the kids are. Carly says, if they think she’s not going to stop what’s going on because the children are present, they’re superbly wrong.

Wiley asks if Carly wants to come on the sleepover, but she says she thinks they need to stay here. Willow says, this is not the time or place for an adult conversation. They can wait until tomorrow. Carly says, then the kids can go right back to bed, and when they wake up, daddy will be here. Willow says, the kids need to be with her, and Carly says, then she can stay here too, and Grandma Nina can find her way home. Nina says, she’s not going without her grandchildren. Get out of the way.

Drew says he never meant to hurt Michael or the family, and Michael says, but he did. He tore the family apart, but him staying silent will only delay the inevitable. It’s going to come out eventually. Drew says, the Quartermaines can handle it. They’ve all cheated. Tracy walks in with Ned and says, not her, and Drew says, just stay away. Tracy says she’s not going to address Drew’s disgusting use of his grief to justify sleeping with Michael’s wife, and Ned says, that’s a new low, even for Quartermaine standards. Michael says he can’t speak for everybody. They can do what they want. He leaves and Tracy says, where to begin…

Dante asks, what if he had to tell Rocco that he’d lost Lulu again because he shot her? Think about it. Lulu says, it would be horrible, and he says he gets it, but she has to be safe. If she gets hurt or something happens to her, it does her, Rocco, and Charlotte no good. She says, one thing that hasn’t changed is that she hates that he’s right this one, isolated time. He says he’ll need that in writing.

Elizabeth tells Lucky that Dex had a stab wound. Post-op, he was alert and seemed like himself, when the alarms went crazy. Lucky asks if it was another overdose of digitalis, and she says, the report’s not back yet, but… He says, it could be identical, and she says, it can’t be a coincidence. Portia asks if she can speak to Elizabeth for a moment in her office, and Lucky says he’d like to be there. Portia says, it’s a private hospital matter, and Elizabeth asks if it involves Dex, Sam, and her future at GH. Portia nods, and Elizabeth says she’d like Lucky to be there for support. Portia says, okay.

Anna says, she and Josslyn were together when Isaiah broke the news, and Jason asks how Josslyn is. Anna says, Josslyn’s in shock. So is she. It doesn’t seem possible. Dex was fine after surgery. She called Carly, but she’s not picking up. Jason says he’ll handle it and thanks Anna for calling. Anna says she knew he’d take care of her and leaves. Jason stands in the doorway, and Josslyn tells Dex that she’d do anything for him to wake up. Or for someone to wake her up and tell her to wake up from this nightmare. She cries and says, he’s really gone. She puts her head on his chest.

Tracy asks if Ned doesn’t have some old colleagues at a communications firm, and Ned says, in Newport. She says, they could leak it for him, and he says, it would go viral before Drew is sworn in. Tracy says she can see the headlines now: New York Congressman Caught with His Nephew’s Wife on Camera. Drew asks if they think he cares about any of this coming at him. Besides, Tracy wouldn’t do that. Tracy says, wouldn’t she? and Drew says, the Quartermaine name will get dragged through the mud. She says, it won’t be the first time, and Drew asks how Edward, Lila, and Alan would feel. Tracy says, Drew isn’t one of them. Go back to Cain. He’s hidden behind the family long enough. Drew asks what criteria he needs to be a Quartermaine. Wait. He knows. Will withholding heart medication while standing over his dying father do the trick?

Carly says, Wiley and Amelia can stay here. This is their home. Willow says, they’re her family, and Carly says, and Michael’s. Willow says, what happens next isn’t up to Carly. Her children come first. Carly says, Willow wasn’t thinking about that before her last sleepover, and Nina says, that’s enough. Grandma Carly is ruining the fun. Carly says she loves a party as much as anyone, but everyone is sleeping in their own bed. Michael comes in, and Carly says, look. Daddy’s home.

Josslyn says, Dex looks like a stranger and himself at the same time. She doesn’t know what happens when we die – nobody does – but she feels him here. She thinks he’s still here. She can feel him with her. So she’ll say what she would have said if she’d known it was the last time she was talking to him. Thank you for saving my life and for trusting me with your heart and changing the way I see the world and my place in it. Which is going to change again. Jason continues to listen, and she says, the future she saw had him and them in it. She thanks him for loving her. She hopes she said it often enough, but in case she wasn’t clear, she loves him with everything in her. She kisses him, and Jason shakes his head. She sees Jason and goes to him. He holds her as she cries and says he’s sorry.

Portia says, their first priority is the patients’ health and well-being, and Elizabeth says, it happened on her watch, and she knows there are protocols. Portia says, it was unexplained and will be added to Sam’s investigation. While that’s playing out, she thinks Elizabeth should take a step back from patient care. Elizabeth asks what she means, and Portia says, she has choices. There’s the administrative choice, paperwork and schedules, or she can take a take the personal leave route. No patient interaction is the criteria she’s working with. Lucky says, until Elizabeth is cleared, right? and Portia says, as soon as she gets the green light, Elizabeth will be back to being head nurse. It could take time. There are no cameras in the patients’ rooms, only in the hallway, and they have to go through all the footage. Lucky says, pinpointing it could be tough, and Elizabeth says, and time consuming. It would feel wrong being away from the hospital, so she prefers working here in any capacity. Portia says she was hoping Elizabeth would make that choice. She’ll sign the paperwork right away.

Lulu says she hopes Dante doesn’t think she’s prioritizing Charlotte over Rocco, but he says, that’s what she should be doing. She says, Dante is an incredible father, and Dante says, Charlotte is God knows where. Lulu says, with Valentin as her father, and Dante says he gets it. Lulu says, he’s probably pulling Charlotte deeper into hiding. She had a small window where she had the element of surprise. Now she feels it’s closed and she’s afraid she’ll never see Charlotte again.

Felicia and Mac join Anna at the hospital, and Mac says he can’t believe it. Anna says she convinced Dex to join the force. She persisted and he relented. Mac says, no one puts on the badge because someone forces them to, and Felicia says, Dex was proud to be a member of the PCPD. He told her a few hours ago. Anna says, it doesn’t seem real, and Felicia says, it’s unfair.

Jason brings Josslyn to the footbridge, and she asks, why are they here? He says he likes this spot. It’s a place to think or talk. She says she can’t wrap her head around this happening again, and he says, after Oscar. She says she’s done this already. She can’t do it again. With Oscar, at least she got to say goodbye. It was awful, but she got to say what she wanted. She never got a chance with Dex. The other day, they were decorating for Christmas, and she could tell he was uncomfortable. Christmas was not a happy time for him as a kid. She promised they would make new memories together, and she’s realizing that she’s never going to make another memory with him again. Jason hugs her and she cries some more.

Michael asks, what’s going on? and Carly says, they were trying to take the kids for a sleepover. Nina says, that’s what’s best right now, and Willow says, they need their mom. Michael says, they need their dad too. It’s best they stay here. Willow says she knows they have a lot to talk about, and they will, but tonight, she needs this and so do they.

Drew says, Alan was his father, and he has as much right to the Quartermaine name as anyone. Tracy says, none of this is his. He waltzed in here and set everything up like he owned it. Like it was home. Ned says, he’s done nothing but cause chaos. He just got elected and managed to screw that up. Tracy says, with a tale as old as time, and Drew says he doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Tracy says, he thinks he and Willow are unique and they’re love is special, but they’re as common as they come. From the doorway, Lulu says, stepmonster, you haven’t changed a bit, and she and Tracy hug.  

At the Surf Lodge, Lucky asks how Elizabeth is doing, and she says she’ll miss taking care of the patients, but she’s still in the building. He says, at least they didn’t ban her, and she thanks him for being with her. It was comforting having a friend there. He says he’s her wingman, remember? and they clink glasses.  

Michael tells the kids to have fun at Grandma Nina’s, and Wiley says, yay! Willow says, they’ll see him soon. She promises. Michael tells them to be good for mommy. He loves them both very much, no matter where they are. Willow says, they should get going, and Michael says, they’ll talk in the morning. They leave, and Carly says, that was a mistake.

Lulu says, Tracy can get back to whatever it is, but Tracy says she was done with whatever it is a long time ago, and tells Drew and Ned to get out. She wants to catch up with her stepdaughter. They leave, and Dante says he’ll see Lulu around. She thanks him for the ride, and Dante leaves. Lulu says, the catch-up is going to be one-sided. She’s been asleep for four years. Did Tracy miss her? Tracy says, she has no idea how much. She’s here. healthy, thriving, and as beautiful as ever. Lulu asks if Tracy struck a deal with Father Time, and Tracy asks if it worked. Lulu says, yeah… What? Tracy says she’s drinking it in. She’s been praying for this, and that’s not something she does often. Lulu says she’s flattered, and Tracy says, her prayer was answered. Lulu is home. Lulu says she’s ready to make up for lost time, and Tracy says she bets Lulu is. They hug.

Ned walks into the nook and says, good. Drew is still here. Drew says he lives here, and Ned says, for now. Drew says, they want to same thing. Annihilating him isn’t worth ruining the family name. Ned says, if he agrees that protecting Drew outweighs it, he’ll make sure his mother doesn’t go scorched earth. Drew says, Willow and the kids will be destroyed, and Ned says, they already are and whose fault is that?

Carly says, Michael just gave Willow a leg up in the custody trial. Did she tell him that she was leaving? He says, no, and she says, Willow wanted to sneak out and he didn’t stop her. He says he remembers what it was like when she took him and Morgan from dad. They were terrified and he refuses to do that to Wiley and Amelia. She says she’s sorry. She’s pushing because she loves him. He says he has no intention of losing the kids, and she says she’ll call Diane, so Diane can strategize. She sees how many missed calls and texts she has, and says, oh my God… She makes a call, and Michael asks, what’s going on? She says, Dex. He’s dead.

Josslyn tells Jason that it doesn’t make sense. Dex was healthy and just died of a heart attack. He just had surgery, and she’d questioned if he even needed it. She needs to know what went wrong or she’ll never let go. He says, it may bring her peace… and she says, but it won’t bring Dex back. He says he wishes it would.

Tracy says, Luke knew Lulu would make it back. He told everybody that she was going to wake up when she was good and ready. She didn’t like to be rushed. Lulu says she’s so sorry, and Tracy thanks her and says she is too. Lulu asks if Tracy was happy, and Tracy says, they both were. Lulu says, so they were still together, and Tracy says, and going strong. Who’d have thunk it? Lulu says, her, and Tracy says, Luke loved her so much. Lulu says, there were plenty of times he wasn’t around, and Tracy says, but the hard part is, there will be no next time. Lulu says, it hurts so much, she can barely breath, and Tracy says she knows the feeling. Lulu says, he passed down his grit, determination, and resilience to her, and Tracy says, and his sense of humor. Lulu says, he gave her so many things, but best of all, he gave her Tracy. Tracy says, Lulu’s dad binds them together. That’s what makes their relationship so special. Enough now. She wants to talk about Lulu. How is she handling everything? Lulu says, to be honest, it’s been really hard.  

Michael asks if Ned has seen Sasha, but Ned says, not recently. Is he okay? Michael says he’s not great. Willow took the kids to Nina’s until they figure what comes next. Ned says he knows they say it takes two and they’re right, but make no mistake. Willow is not the enemy; Drew is. Michael says, that’s clear, and Ned says he’s dealing with other issues right now, but Michael has his full support. Anything he needs. Michael thanks him, and Ned says, Drew didn’t just betray Michael. He betrayed all of them and he’s going to live to regret it.

Drew knocks at the gatehouse, but there’s no answer. He looks at all the messages he’s sent to Willow on his phone that have gone unanswered and calls Willow. It rings and he says, pick up.

In Nina’s car, Willow sees that Drew is calling, but Nina says, don’t answer. Drew has made her life a living nightmare. He put his needs first. Willow ignores the call.

Tracy says she can’t imagine how overwhelmed Lulu is, and Lulu says, a lot has gone down in four years. Tracy suggests she focus on the present. She’s here, surrounded by everyone she loves, especially her son. Lulu says she didn’t believe it. Looking her in the face was this handsome young man barely with barely a glimmer of the little boy she remembers. She has a lot of catching up to do. Tracy asks if it was wonderful reconnecting, and Lulu says, it was everything she’d hoped for. He was so excited to fill her in and talks a mile a minute. She loves it. She wants that moment with Charlotte too. She needs to find Charlotte. Tracy says, Lulu has all her resources, but promise she won’t go rogue like her father and be smarter. Lulu says, he’s rolling in his grave. No one is smarter than Luke Spencer. Tracy asks if she promises, Lulu says she does, and they hug.

Josslyn says she knows the answers won’t bring back Dex, and Jason says, but she wants them anyway. She says, Dex saved her life, and he says, his too. She says, Dex was an amazing, selfless person. How could he get taken so soon? Carly arrives and hugs Josslyn. She says she’s so, so sorry.

Anna says, it doesn’t make sense, and Mac says, in broad daylight at a Christmas festival. It doesn’t add up. Anna says, take her though it one more time, and Felicia says, Dex was by the garbage pouring out the alcohol he’d confiscated. He was alone. Anna says, which would imply he was the intended target, and Mac says, after surgery, he was fine. Felicia says she was sitting with him watching the game. There was no indication that anything was wrong. Mac asks if it’s possible Dex was tracked to the hospital so the attacker could finish what they started, and Anna asks if anything sticks out. Felicia says, something is nagging her about a missing detail, but she can’t put her finger on it. Anna says she’s sure it will come to her.

Elizabeth says her heart breaks for Sam and Dex’s loved ones, and Lucky says, his too. She says, people go to the hospital to heal. It’s incredibly creepy and deliberate. He says, something is going on at GH. He hopes they figure it out before someone else gets hurt.  

Tomorrow, Lulu tells Brook, let’s get something straight; Tracy asks what Sasha has to say for herself; Anna wants Jason to take the lead in finding Charlotte; and Ric tells Elizabeth, steer clear of General Hospital.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Cala Compte, Ibiza. Danni tells Daisy that she’s learned, even if you’re offended, shut the f*** up anyway, and in Danni’s interview, she says, Daisy keeps finding a way to have a go at her. Respectfully, f*** off. Captain Glenn and Daisy discuss the schedule for the evening, and Daisy says, it’s going to be a long night. She suggests Gary do a funny skit tonight to make the guests laugh, and he asks Keith to help out. In Keith’s interview, he says, he does have a creative side, but doesn’t usually exercise it. Daisy says, they’ll do it after dinner, and Cloyce asks if Davide wants to help him make pizza. The guests want it for after the club. In Davide’s interview, he says, asking an Italian if they want to make pizza is like asking if the sky is blue, and he tells Cloyce that in Italy they use sticky dough. Daisy wants Diana to work with only three hours sleep, but Diana makes a big deal out of it, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Dianna’s reaction was over the top. She’s worked yachts where she’s had five hours sleep the whole season. She got into this position by doing what she was told with a smile on her face. Diana and Danni aren’t going to progress in any career if they don’t adjust their attitudes.

Daisy tells Gary that she loves sharing a cabin with him, except she thinks he’s lactose intolerant. In Gary’s interview, he says he feels like they have best friend chemistry. If you marry someone or get together with them, you want to be best friends. When they’re in the same room, he feels better. Danni says she doesn’t know what Studio 50 is. Apparently, she’s never heard of Studio 54, since Studio 50 is primary Ronnie’s birthday spin on it . Ronnie watches Danni decorate and says she doesn’t want any black. Gold and black means over the hill. She’s seen that at Walgreens. Guest Ren says, yet she wears black, and in Danni’s interview, she says, who hates black? This is pissing her off. Ronnie suggests gold and white, and says, rose gold would have nailed it. No. What would have nailed it was her putting that on her preference sheet.

In Captain Glenn’s interview, she says, sailing can be dangerous, so it’s good to have a patron saint. The St. Carmen festival is all about asking for protection on the high seas. He doesn’t know if he’s a true believer, but why tempt fate? After the jellyfish, the guests need all the protection they can get. Geez. It wasn’t the Kraken. The guests leave with Gary and Chase, and they go to where there are a million boats on the water. A yacht with the statue of St. Carmen goes by, and Ronnie yells at someone to move so she can get a picture. In Chase’s interview, he says he has no idea what’s going on, but Carmen is a popular lady who’s difficult to take a picture of. Another guest says, they’re all here to wish Ronnie a happy birthday. The guests come back and tell Daisy that it was so much fun. They must be drunk already because it looked hella boring.

Daisy is nervous about the timing, but Cloyce says he’s ready. In Cloyce’s interview, he says, last night, he and Daisy had communication issues. We flash back to that, and he says, the chief stew and chef are like a marriage. They have to adapt to each other’s differences and overcome them to accomplish a mission. Happy wife, happy life. Gary tells Chase that his mouth gets worse when he’s drinking, and he’s alienated people on the boat already. In the galley, Cloyce says, it’s going to be a long one, but Diane tells him, don’t say that. Guest Kate says, Studio 54, here we come, even though the sign clearly says, Studio 50. Why can no one get this right? In Daisy’s interview, she says, every meal with Cloyce is a bloody roller coaster. Please be a good meal. She sees that Keith has typed out the skit, and Gary practices a horse galloping sound. Cloyce makes a smoke bomb under the cloches for the main dish. In Keith’s interview, he says he’s trying to figure out how to salvage the charter. If they can make the guests laugh, they can turn this around.

After the entrée, Daisy announces the skit, and Keith says, this is a story about something that happened on this trip. Gary pretends to be Ronnie in a wig and sparkly tube top, and Keith says, she was mastering a flight board when a great beast emerged. Someone (Davide?) has an umbrella over his head and wears streamers, pretending to be a jellyfish, and Ronnie/Gary says, not today. Get back. It’s my bloody 50th and nothing is going to stop me from dancing all night. The jellyfish slinks away, and Ronnie/Gary says she’s ready for a night on the town with her group of absolute diamonds. Happy Birthday. The cake comes out and it’s elegant perfection. Ronnie says, they’ve outdone themselves, and in Keith’s interview, he says he thinks he’s a modern-day Shakespeare. The Dr. Suess of the sea. Diana whines again about the schedule, and Daisy says, never mind. She’ll do it. In Daisy’s interview, she says, Diana has a sense of entitlement. That’s why she has to do the job. She wants to show them that she can do what she’s asked them to do. That being said, she’s pissed.  

In Diana’s interview, she says, this is bullsh*t. She was going to do the job. Daisy is just being a martyr and will act like it’s a huge favor. It’s Daisy’s mistake because of not enough planning. The guests leave for the club, and Cloyce gets the dough ready. At 5 am, the guests come back, and Daisy tells Cloyce that she can’t be bothered with this nightclub crap. Cloyce asks, how’s the vibe? and she says, quiet. He says, if he was a drunken hot mommy, he’d be happy. He makes pizza, along with some other Italian dishes, and the guests shove noodles, pizza, and nachos in their mouths. Daisy tells Cloyce that she got the impression the guests regretted the food, and the guests go to bed. In Keith’s interview, he says he loves Gary, but Gary needs to know when to dial back the fun. He thinks Daisy is more mature.

En route to Igy Marina. They dock and the guests pack. Diana tells Chase, after the season, she’s going to Portugal. There are no yachties there. In Chase’s interview, he says he thinks there’s more to Diana than meets the eye. He didn’t come in looking for a boatmance, but Diana is stunning, and he wants to see what happens. As they’re talking, Danni keeps coming in and asking Diana where various things are. In Diana’s interview, she says, what the f***? and Danni says she’s sorry for interrupting. In her interview, Diana says, Danni has been on the boat for a while. She knows what she’s doing and out of nowhere, she’s forgetting where things are.

The crew and guests say their goodbyes, and Ronnie says, it was marvelous, one hell of a trip. She says she appreciates them and gives Captain Glenn the envelope. As they leave, he blows the horn, and Gary says he thinks it went well. Diana hugs Chase, who says he had a long day yesterday. Daisy has a stew meeting, and Danni says, it was crazy, but they managed. Daisy says, they seemed stoked. Keep the energy. She always has a system, and they seemed annoyed when she tried it with breaks, asking why someone else got so many hours. It might not always make sense, but there’s thought behind it. It’s time for the tip meeting, and Captain Glenn says, unfortunately, the primary was attacked by a jellyfish. Way to go handling the sting. It was an absolutely perfect response. The deck team is jelling and working well. Gary welcomes Chase, and the captain says, the tip is $24K or 2296 euros each. They have champagne, and the crew gets dressed to go out. Daisy asks if Gary is going to be on his best behavior, and he says he’s not drinking. She says, new day, new you? and he says he thinks so. In Gary’s interview, he says, alcohol is not his friend. He drinks to escape or because he doesn’t want to kill the vibe. In Daisy’s interview, she says, if Gary is trying to grow and change, she’s behind it, but doesn’t see it lasting. In his interview, Gary says he’s not going to let alcohol control his life like it’s controlled the last 14 years, and in her interview, Daisy says she doesn’t think it’s going to last through dinner.

Chase thinks Davide looks like Sigfried and Roy and he’s right. In Diana’s interview, she says, Chase is hot and nice, but she dates people who end up treating her like sh*t. Her ex was a narcissist and when they broke up, she put up huge walls to protect herself. She’s still guarded, but Chase doesn’t seem like a f*** boy and she’s ready to be treated like a human. They take a couple of taxis to an absolutely gorgeous restaurant where they sit outside. Gary looks like he’s jonesing for a drink already, and Chase says he wants to go adequately crazy. Daisy says, Cloyce is living his best life, and Gary orders a mocktail. He says he’s going to have a chill night, and Daisy says she thinks it’s amazing. She’ll be his emotional supporter. Magnificent food porn comes out that I badly want to sample. Cloyce tells Daisy that he bets a lot of people are interested in a taste of Ireland, and everyone clinks glasses. On the boat, Captain Glenn exercises with elastic bands and does a couple of jumping jacks. He says, that’s his exercise for the year. I tried using those bands once and ended up slapping myself in the face with one.

At the restaurant, the crew drinks and drinks and drinks, and Gary looks pissed off. Chase leaves the table, and Daisy asks, what’s happening with Diana and Chase? Diana says, nothing, and Daisy says she thinks they’re sweet together. Would Diana make out with him? Diana says, probably yes, and Daisy asks how Gary feels sober. Is it enlightening? Gary says, they’re not that bad, and they all toast to vibes. In Gary’s interview, he says he hasn’t experienced this before. Everyone is sloppy and slurring their words. He’s probably worse, so he can only imagine. They go back to the boat, and Daisy says she feels she and Keith are kindred spirits. They all take shots in the jacuzzi, except for Gary who goes to bed. Davide asks what he’s doing, and Gary says he’s going to chill. Go. Have a good time. In his interview, Gary says, inside, he knows he’s lovable. He doesn’t need alcohol. He tells Davide, maybe it’s a lesson. He needs to learn how to say no and stop himself from continuing down that road. Davide says he understands, and Gary tells him not to do anything stupid.  

Davide has to bodyshot Cloyce and says he wants more. Yuk. They play a few stupid games, then Daisy says, they have to recreate their favorite movie scene make out. Danni chooses The Notebook, and she and Chase make out. In Diana’s interview, she says, what the f***? Danni gets on top of Chase in the jacuzzi, and Chase suggests they leave. They get out of the hot tub and go downstairs. Cloyce says, she’s having her walk of shame before, and Diana says she hates Ibiza. Chase and Danni go into the master cabin, and Danni admits she’s been there once before with someone else, but they didn’t do anything. Chase says he appreciates her telling him. Daisy says she thought Diana and Chase were vibing, and in her interview, Diana says, when you’re on a boat, all your life is these people. When you connect with someone and now they connect with someone else, you’re alone. She tells Daisy that Danni is obsessed with Chase and goes to sit in the wheelhouse. She says, it’s frustrating. It’s like she doesn’t belong anywhere.

To all the single ladies. Guys come and go, but girlfriends are forever. Don’t do this to each other.

Next time, Gary asks Daisy if they have a relationship; Daisy thinks the guests will be high maintenance; and Glenn talks with the guests.

🚑 Exit Interview…

He’s taking it well, although I see him as a Lifetime/Hallmark success.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/evan-hofer-opens-up-about-leaving-general-hospital

🧼 Opening the Gates…

This looks really good. I’m hoping it sticks. It’s going to be on at 2 pm EST, so no conflict with GH.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/beyond-the-gates/watch-the-first-preview-of-new-cbs-soap-beyond-the-gates

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-trailer-first-black-daytime-soap-in-35-years-8762458

🎄 Get Started…

There’s over 100 new Christmas movies airing. Better get moving on that.

https://ew.com/how-to-watch-christmas-movies-2024-8728376

There’s also the ones on constant rotation throughout the season. Like Elf, Christmas with the Kranks, and the classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

https://ew.com/national-lampoons-christmas-vacation-cast-then-now-8761993

🦉 Comics In the Wild…

Comedy, it’s not just for humans anymore.

https://people.com/nikon-comedy-wildlife-awards-winners-funniest-photos-8761534

🌝 Brightly Shone the Moon That Night…

Make a return trip tomorrow for soap and a dose of reality. Until then, stay safe; stay never arriving empty-handed as a guest (even if the host says the standard, just bring yourself); and stay ordering a mocktail if alcohol is not your friend.

November 14, 2024 – Jason Punches Drew, New Lulu, First Soap, Gates Open Soon, A Friend Joins the OC Reunion, Salty Talk, Prank Slam, Charming Exit, Latest House, Surprise & Cosmic

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Alexis says, if Kristina wants her help to get justice, she’ll do everything she can to help. Kristina says she wants to prepare for Ava’s trial and do everything she can to see that Ava is found guilty of killing Adela.

Ava meets Ric at the Grille, and he tells her that he’s going to be upfront. Her case isn’t a slam dunk. An innocent baby is dead, two mothers are grieving, and there’s a photo where Ava has her hands on Kristina. Ava says, it’s not what it looks like, and Ric says he believes her, but he doesn’t know if a jury will. Ava asks if he doesn’t plan to paint Kristina as an explosive, unpredictable woman, and he says, like her?

Trina sees TJ at the boxing gym, and he tells her that it’s good to keep busy. She says she’s sorry about Sam. How’s Molly? He says he’s barely seen her.

Molly sits at Bobbie’s reading a book. She puts it on the table and looks at her phone. As he’s walking by, Isaiah knocks the book off the table. He picks it up and says, Little Women. She must be in the mood for a good cry.

Willow says, it seems something is bothering Michael, and he says, there is something on his mind. There’s no good way to ask, so he’s just going to ask. How does she feel about Drew moving to DC?

Jason is waiting in the foyer when Nina comes in with Drew. She tells Jason that his brother is a congressman, and Drew walks toward Jason, holding out his hand. Jason punches Drew in the face. (Jason is all of us right now.)

Nina says, what the hell? and Jason and Drew struggle. Jason hits Drew again and draws blood. Nina yells, stop! when Lois and Brook come out. Brook says, that’s enough, and Nina says, Drew is hurt. Drew asks Jason, why? but Jason says, you know why. He leaves, and Ned comes in. Ned asks if Drew wants to tell him what the hell that was about.

Willow says she understands it might be difficult to believe, but she’s glad Drew is leaving for DC. He won’t be a constant reminder to Michael, and the longer he’s gone, the easier it will be to get past this and the less it will matter. Michael asks if that’s what she wants, and she says, it’s all she wants. He says he’s glad to hear it, and she says, he doesn’t seem as happy as she thought he’d be. He says he’s not sure it solves their real problem and wonders if it’s enough to save their marriage. Or is it too little too late? Willow says, of course (🍷) it’s not. It will give them a chance to work on their relationship. He says he knows where he wants to start, with the truth.  

TJ tells Trina that losing Irene was devastating. They don’t have closure. Trina says, maybe they need more time, but TJ says, they’re burying themselves in work and avoiding each other. They used to love spending time together. She says, grief changes you. She always thought she was outgoing, but after Spencer died, she felt alone. He says, when they lost the baby, he thought they’d tackle it together, but they feel separate. She suggests they’re just going through a rough patch and will figure it out, but he says, with Sam being gone, Molly is more distant than ever. She’s not confiding in him, but he doesn’t blame her. The loss is too much.

Molly tells Isaiah that Little Women is her favorite book. It comforts her. He says, it doesn’t look like her first copy, and she says, it’s the newest edition. It was her birthday gift to herself. Her birthday is today. He tells her, happy birthday, and she says, he’s the first person this year to wish her happy birthday. He may be the only one. He asks if everyone forgot, and she says, seems like it. It’s not as bad as it sounds. Her family has a lot going on. He says, that’s no excuse, but she says, it kind of is. She doesn’t mean to unload on him, but her sister just passed away. They’re all in shock and dealing with planning a funeral. He says he’s sorry, and she says, it doesn’t feel real and doesn’t make sense. He says he hopes she doesn’t mind him asking, but what happened? Was she sick? Molly says, she died unexpectedly after a routine surgery. She was a liver donor. He asks if her sister was Sam McCall.

Kristina tells Alexis that she’s not worried about the outcome. She has faith that justice will prevail, and they’ll find Ava guilty of killing her daughter. She wants to be as prepared as possible. She’s been working with the DA’s office, but she trusts Alexis more. Besides, they could use the distraction. Alexis says, it’s a good idea to be as prepped as possible and know what she’s going to say on the stand. Kristina says she does. She’s going to tell the truth. Alexis says, of course (🍷), and Kristina says, it’s an open and shut case. Alexis says, it’s possible the case may not work the way Kristina wants.

Ava asks how Ric can say that when he knows she’s hanging on by a thread, and he says, the prosecution is going to portray her in the worst possible light. She says she’s not the monster people make her out to be, and he says, she needs to be prepared for what the ADA is going to throw at her. They way she reacted to what he just said might not bode well on the stand, and the cross-examination by the prosecution will be harder. She says, it’s not her first time, and he says, they’re going to leave no stone or bad deed unturned. Every time she jaywalked, they’re going to dredge it up. It’s his job to see how well she holds up under pressure.

Kristina tells Alexis, of course (🍷) it’s going to go her way. The truth is on her side. Alexis says, unfortunately, that’s not going to matter. Not when Ric is involved. He doesn’t care about her feelings or her grief or her pain. Kristina says she can handle Ric, but Alexis says, he’s smart and shrewd and will set a trap. Kristina will walk into it and he won’t bat an eye. She’ll do what she can to help Kristina be prepared, but it may not go the way she wants. Kristina says she’s not going to fall into Ric’s trap, but Alexis says, she already has, at the Grille. Don’t think he won’t use that to make her look unstable. Krisina says, Ric won’t blindside her again. With Alexis’s help she’ll be ready for whatever Ric throws at her.

Ava asks Ric why her past needs to be brought up. Isn’t it inadmissible? He says, that motion is always shot down. Character is definitely relevant to establish a pattern. Ava says, there’s no pattern, but he says, her brushes with the law are admissible. Her taking the stand is the only real weapon in their arsenal. She has to confront her past and accept what she’s done. She says, probably nobody will understand why she’s done the things she’s done.

Willow asks what Michael means by the truth, and he says he’s done a lot of thinking. It’s all he’s been thinking about. He loves her and he wants them to move past this. She says she does too, and he says, she has no idea how happy he is to hear her say that. They haven’t exactly been truthful. She says she’s sorry she kept her and Drew’s kiss from him, but he says he’s not just talking about the kiss. They’ve both kept secrets from each other. He didn’t tell her about his and Dex’s plan to take down his father, and didn’t tell her that Nina was the one who called the SEC. It’s easy to keep secrets because it’s become their pattern (WOTD). She says she wanted to tell him. She hated lying to him. It was tearing her apart. He says, they’ve both lied. He wants to feel like they can be honest. To make it work, there have to be no more secrets, and he can’t be the only one who wants that to happen. She needs to want it too. Is she ready to be completely honest?

Drew is helped to the living room, and Ned tells them not to let Drew bleed on the upholstery (ha-ha-ha!). Lois asks, what’s wrong with him? and he says he’s thinking about Monica. If they keep the damage to a minimum, she never needs to know. Nina says, Drew was just attacked by his brother, and Brook says, that will be upsetting to Monica. She leaves to get ice, and Lois says, Drew needs to go to the emergency room, but Ned says, no. The family can’t endure another scandal. Lois says, Drew needs medical attention, but Drew says, Ned’s right. It will draw too much attention that they don’t need.

Molly says, Sam is her sister, and Isaiah says, this is a strange coincidence. He’s the surgeon who operated on Lulu. They introduce themselves, and Molly says she didn’t know who was operating on Lulu. They were so focused on Sam and Lucas, it didn’t occur to them to ask. He says, there’s no reason they should have. He’s sorry for her loss. From what he heard, Sam was an amazing person. Molly says, she was, and thanks him. She says, if he’s not meeting someone, would he like to join her? He says he’d love to, and sits down. He says he can understand why her family forgot. He’s sorry he was harsh. She says, even if they’d remembered, she’s not in the mood to celebrate, but he says, even on the hardest of days, it’s important to enjoy yourself. Birthdays are only once a year. It would be a shame to waste it. He has something to take care of, but he’ll be right back. He leaves the table.

Trina works the heavy bag, and TJ says, she packs a hell of a punch. She says, it comes in handy when somebody cuts in line at the coffee shop, and he says he has to get back to work. It was nice to have a sympathetic ear. She says she’s here for him, and he packs up. He tells her to enjoy her workout, but she sees Kai is there and says she doesn’t see that happening. Because of that guy. He says, Kai Taylor? and she asks if he knows him. He says, everybody knows him, but she says she didn’t before the other day. He tells her all of Kai’s football accomplishments, and she says, he’s messing up her GPA. He’s her partner for a project and hasn’t showed up for any classes. TJ suggests she talk to him.  

Kristina says she’ll do what it takes to beat Ric, and Alexis says she believes Kristina can do whatever she puts her mind to, but she’s not sure it’s going to work. Kristina says she can’t accept that. Ava has tortured their family long enough. Ava killed Morgan and Connie, and it’s not fair there were never any consequences. Ava belongs in prison for everything she’s done. Ava is responsible for the fact she can never hold her daughter or experience being a mother. She wants Ava to experience the unbearable pain of having Avery ripped out of her arms and know it’s because of her.

Ric says he knows what it’s like not to be proud of your past, and Ava says she had good reasons for doing the things she did. He says, that’s what they try to convince themselves and the people they love, doing mental gymnastics. One small bad deed leads to another until they’ve painted themselves so far in a corner, they don’t know how they got there. And the worst part is, when it’s over, they’ve lost the people they love. The people they love hate them, and they’re left alone wondering where they went wrong. They live with the guilt and the person they’ve become, becomes familiar. Maybe they’re not so different. He’s not going to judge her when he’s not ready to judge himself. She tells him, do his worst, and he says, Miss Jerone, how did you feel when you pushed Kristina Corinthos-Davis out of the window? Similar to when you shot Connie Falconari in cold blood?

Lois asks if they know a doctor who will make house calls, and Nina says she’ll get Willow. She thinks they should call the cops, but Ned says, the attention the police will attract is worse than an ambulance. Nina says, they can be discreet, and if the press finds out, she’ll mitigate the fallout. Jason needs to be held responsible. She leaves, and Ned says, so they all agree, no cops. All he saw was a disagreement between brothers. Lois says, it was more than that, but Drew says, no cops, no ambulance.

Willow says she wants a life with Michael. It’s what she’s always wanted, for them to have a family together. He asks if that’s what she really wants or is she saying that because she feels obligated? but she says she’d never think of him as an obligation. He says he wants to make sure they’re on the same page and both want to fight for their marriage. She says that’s exactly what she wants. Where do they start? He says he thinks it’s time they were completely honest, when there’s an urgent knock at the door. It’s Nina, and she says, Willow needs to come to the house. There was a fight and someone was injured. Michael says, who? and she says, Drew and Jason had a fight and Drew was hurt. They leave.

Isaiah brings Molly a cupcake with a candle in it, and she says, that’s very sweet. He says he’s embarrassed to admit it, but he’s a big birthday guy. But it’s not a go until she makes a wish. She asks if he thinks it’s okay if she wishes for something that’s not possible, and he says, that’s the best kind of wish. She blows out the candle.

Ava says she did not kill Connie, but Ric says, she was arrested for Connie’s murder. She says, the charges were dropped, and he says, because the evidence disappeared. Just like the bags Kristina tripped over. Ava says she explained that to the police. She panicked and moved them. He says, the same bags Kristina fell over when Ava pushed her out the window and killed her baby? Ava says she’s done terrible things that she wishes desperately she could undo, and he says, like killing Morgan? She says she didn’t kill Morgan. She loved Morgan. He asks if she didn’t replace Morgan’s bipolar medication with placebos causing him to have mental breakdown and be in the wrong place at the wrong time, causing his death. Remember, she’s under oath. She says, his breakdown was her fault, but she’s not responsible for the explosion. She put Morgan in a vulnerable position, but she never intended for him to die. Morgan was the most beautiful person she’s known. She’s not denying she switched his medication and prays for forgiveness for the part she played in his death. It haunts her. But as tragic as it was, it was nothing like what happened with Kristina’s baby.

Alexis says she’s never heard Kristina talk like that, and Kristina says she’s never experienced what she’s been through. Alexis says, it’s not about revenge. The law is about justice. Kristina says, not if the guilty don’t pay for their crimes. Ava deserves to be punished. Alexis asks if she knows who she sounds like, and Kristina says, her father? Alexis says, she sounds angry and cold and she’s talking about Ava like she’s not human. Act like this, and Ric will exploit it. Kristina says she’s not going to let him get to her. She’s more focused and has clarity. Ava needs to be punished. Alexis says, revenge isn’t the same as justice, but Kristina says, in this case, justice and revenge go hand in hand.

In the nook, Lois says she can’t believe what happened. She hopes Drew is okay. Brook says, his eye looks terrible. She wonders what caused Jason to lose his temper, and Lois says, he’s still grieving Sam. Brook says, that’s probably it, and Lois asks, what’s that look, like she knows something? Spill it. What’s this big secret thing they’re not letting her in on? She’s Brook’s mother. Brook can trust her. Brook says, she can’t keep a secret. It’s big and it’s better Lois doesn’t know. Lois says, it’s affecting her life in this house, and she has the right to know what’s going on. Brook says, she does have a point. Promise not to tell a single living soul. Lois gestures locking her lips and putting the key down her bra, and Brook says, Drew and Willow kissed. Lois says, holy cannoli, and Brook says, obviously, Jason knows. This is really bad.

Willow asks, what happened? and Nina says, Jason happened. He attacked Drew out of nowhere. Willow asks why he would do that, and Ned says, let Willow take a look at Drew while he talks to Michael in the foyer.

Ned says, Michael told Jason? and Michael says, it just kind of happened. Ned says, Michael knows that Jason likes to take matters into his own hands.

TJ leaves, and Trina walks over to Kai. He asks if she’s going to dump her water on him too, and she asks what he’s doing here. Doesn’t he work out in that fancy gym on campus? He says, it’s under maintenance, and she says she’s sorry he has to slum it with the rest of them. He says he doesn’t think of it like that, but she says she doesn’t care where he works out, as long as it’s not in her space. He says he thinks they got off on the wrong foot and he wants to make things right. He got his schedule and he’s going to come to class for the rest of the year and work hard. She says, don’t bother. She already asked for a new partner, and when it gets approved, she’ll never have to think about him again. She walks out.

Isaiah says, it’s a book he’s read many times. Maybe Molly should just read part one, the happy part… happyish. She says she means this as a compliment, but she never met a man as familiar with Little Women as he is. He says, when he provided medical services to refugees in Africa, it was the only book he could get his hands on. He must have read it ten times, maybe more. She says, it’s a great book. It’s definitely gotten her through some hard times. He says, immersing yourself in a book is better than something less constructive, like binge drinking, and she says, self-destructive coping mechanisms aren’t her thing. Those are more Kristina’s speed. He says, so she’s one of several girls. That’s why she loves the book. She says, they all have different fathers and her mom is the one who bonds her together, like Marmie. He asks, which sister is her? and she says, Meg, the responsible one. Kristina is Amy, spoiled and impulsive. Sam is definitely Jo, independent and outspoken. She was Jo. She doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to referring to Sam in the past tense.

Lois says, Chase missed everything, and Brook says, he was called out on an emergency. Lois says, it’s best he wasn’t here. He would have had to arrest Jason. They head to the living room with the ice, and Lois says, that’s what happens when you kiss someone else’s wife. Brook shushes her.

Ned asks what Michael was thinking. Now the whole town will know Drew and Willow were playing footsy. Michael says he needed someone to talk to, and Ned says he hopes it was worth it.

Willow tends to Drew’s eye, and Brook brings her the ice. Lois says, it looks awful, and Nina agrees. Nina, Brook, and Lois leave, and Willow asks Drew why Jason attacked him. Does he know what happened? Drew says, that’s impossible. They’re the only two who know.

Outside Bobbie’s, Isaiah’s phone rings. He asks what he can do for Terry… Can he ask what it’s about?… Sure. He’s headed over there now.

Molly gets up to leave Bobbie’s, when Kristina comes in. She hands Molly a present and says, happy birthday. Molly opens it, and it’s a gold necklace with a tiny M initial charm. Kristina says she knows Molly loved hers, so now she’s got one of her own. She hopes Molly doesn’t mind that they’re matching. Molly says, of course (🍷) not. She loves it. Kristina says, happy birthday.

Ava says, Kristina’s fall was a terrible accident. If she hadn’t tripped… If she had it to do all over again, she would never have let Cates leave his luggage. That bag is the reason she’s in this mess to begin with. She shouldn’t have moved it. That’s what makes her look guilty when she’s not. How could people think she’d hurt a pregnant woman? That’s a line she would not cross. She’s barely slept since it happened. She lays in bed remembering the look on Kristina’s face before she fell. How shocked she was. She remembers the sound of glass breaking and Kristina’s scream, so panicked and scared. She’ll never forget it. Kristina lost the baby daughter that she loved and couldn’t wait to meet. Just like Ava lost her precious Kiki. She knows how horrible the pain is. It rips you apart. She would never inflict suffering like that on another mother. Shame on people who think that. If she could, she’d give up everything to give Kristina back her baby. Ric says, that’s it. Perfect. That speech is exactly what he wants her to say on the stand. Her heartfelt sympathy is real and if she takes accountability the way she just did, they’ve got the win locked up.

Kristina fastens the necklace on Molly, and Molly says, it means more than Kristina knows, this year especially. Kristina says, Sam wishes her a happy birthday too. They hug, and Jason walks in. Kristina notices his bloody knuckles, and he quickly goes to the back.

Willow tells Drew that the cut will need to be cleaned. She’ll come back in the morning. Michael looks into the living room, and because these two don’t learn, he sees Drew and Willow alone, Willow’s hand against Drew’s cheek. Willow says she wanted to make sure Drew was okay. She’s sorry this happened. Drew says he’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.

It’s not often I feel sorry for Michael, but yeah, this is one of those times.

Tomorrow, Felicia tells Anna that Sasha doesn’t know something; Lucky asks Sonny why he should stay if what he’s looking for isn’t here; Jason says, all Carly needs to know is that Drew got everything he deserved; and Ric asks Drew to please tell him they’re pressing charges.

🩺 And Suddenly…

I’m thinking Terry called Isaiah because there’s been a good change in Lulu’s prognosis.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/alexa-havins-teases-her-debut-as-ghs-lulu

🧴 Gotta Start Somewhere…

She could do worse than Rice Plaza at Christmastime.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/days-star-bryan-dattilos-daughter-delia-cast-on-gh

🧼 Opening the Gates…

Beyond the Gates begins February 24, 2025 CBS – the next day on Paramount+.

https://parade.com/tv/beyond-the-gates-season-1

🍊 These Oranges Are Moldy…

It’s the second part of a three part too long RHOC Reunion, and the Jenn/Ryan topic is still raging. Tamra annoys me immediately, saying she misspoke in her tirade about the FBI, having heard gossip on the street. First of all, let’s look at the word misspoke that’s being used incorrectly here. The actual definition is mispronunciation, but what’s worse is how this word is constantly used by people who are actually talking about gossiping or lying. You didn’t misspeak. You passed along something without knowing if it was true or not, and presented it as fact. Tamra said she was plastered and didn’t remember it the next day. She ended up getting a cease and desist letter. Alrighty then.

There was a lot about how Jenn is a dimbulb who doesn’t even understand where her rent payment is coming from or even if it’s being paid. She did finally spill that she’s supposed to get $6K a month from her ex and it’s an ongoing battle. Still, this woman needs to learn how to take care of herself. Then there was the subject of the $2000 dress. Jenn and Katie thought it was mean girl of Fancy Pants Heather to check the price tag and tell Tamra, but Fancy Pants said it was just gossipy. Because mean girls don’t gossip? Fancy Pants ultimately said she brought up the dress because Jenn didn’t take her financial suggestions. A debate over mean girl versus gossipy ensued, and in reference to being gossipy, Emily said, we all do that. My next bone of contention after misspoke. This statement is equal to the person who says, we were all drunk, when they alone did something incredibly stupid while drunk. No. It wasn’t all of us. It was you.

Jenn said, Tamra went lower than the rest of them, and she wondered when it stopped. She said, everybody would rather be by Tamra’s side than go against her, so they weren’t her targets. Tamra confessed that she was starting therapy, and Andy asked, what took so long? Tamra said, when everybody tells you you’re dead, it’s time to lie down. This gives me hope, but not really. Emily told Jenn that her ex was probably going to string things out forever, and she wanted Jenn to create something for herself. Or as Gina put it, be her own hero.

We found out that Gina and Travis are still living apart, but Gina was more forthcoming about the problem being Travis’s ex. Apparently there had been incidents that affected Gina’s children, making them fearful. Gina said she and Travis saw each other every day, but she didn’t think things would ever improve with his ex, even after the divorce was finalized.

There was a blah-blah-blah about Katie’s kids saying Fancy Pants was mean. Funny, for someone who insists they don’t exhibit mean girl behavior, the word mean comes up a lot in conjunction with her. Evidently, Katie’s daughter is also telling the world via TikTok that her mother works with fake-ass bitches. She’s not wrong. The women were all like, my kids would never, and said, no matter how old they were, they’d force their kids to remove it. Maybe. But bottom line is, Katie’s daughter is an adult and her own person. Maybe she’s bucking for her own show. Who cares? Andy had to finally shut the conversation down citing the beating-a-dead-horse clause.

Alexis was brought on in the last 15 minutes and was the same idiot she’s been on the show. When Andy asked how she was feeling about coming back to RHOC, Alexis acted like it was a return to her fabulous career as a television star after a hiatus. Shannon asked how many times she’d practiced, there’s the door, Shannon Beador, when there was no door. Technically, there was, but they were outside, and Shannon going inside would defeat the purpose of showing her the door. Alexis pretended that she’d never intended to bring up the videos and it somehow just slipped out. Once again, a receipt of unseen footage told us otherwise. The general consensus was that she should stop being Johnny J.’s mouthpiece.

Another peeve, Fancy Pants going, no, no, no, no, no, like Brynn did on RHONY. Is this a thing now? No. Just one no.

It seemed like they saved a lot of the fun times footage for flashbacks of things we never saw the first time. They used to do that with the lost/found/secret footage specials. I think we need to see more fun on the actual show. Maybe I’d dislike these women less.

Next time, Emily says, Alexis is the dumbest girl she’s ever f***ing met. That’s enough to get me to show up.

If that wasn’t enough.

https://people.com/rhoc-recap-shannon-beador-slams-alexis-bellino-being-john-janssen-mouthpiece-reunion-fight-8745852

🧂 Adding Some Salt…

Yesterday’s recap, lengthier than mine.

Another teaspoon. I found this pretty amusing, especially when Angie called it a random blog.

🗽 Not a Fan…

Is he kidding? That’s the best episode I’ve seen of RHONY 2.0 since it began.

🍹 Time To Bounce…

No great loss, but so did things not go well with Venita or…?

https://people.com/jarrett-jt-thomas-announces-exit-from-southern-charm-amid-filming-for-season-10-8742246

💣 Moustaches Are Twirling…

I don’t watch this show faithfully, but every time I catch it, it’s a lot of fun. There’s a big difference between Teresa haranguing her brother and screeching about false love bubbles on RHONJ, and Teresa deliberately acting the villain and strategizing as such in a game. And I love Joel McHale.

🐨 Australian Meet Cute…

It’s a shame it tried to bite, but what an experience.

https://people.com/australia-couple-comes-home-find-koala-in-bed-8745155

🍂 Jumping In a Pile Of Leaves…

Join me tomorrow for soap, what to watch (or not), and watchful words. Until then, stay safe; stay making a contribution to your local food bank/soup kitchen for Thanksgiving; and stay enjoying yourself, even on the hardest of days.