Tag Archives: Caroline Stanbury

March 13, 2026 – GH Weekdays, Lulu Confronts Maxie, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Watching Soon, Coming Attractions, Unconventional Animals, A Week’s Worth Of Quotes & Sun

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🍕 Weekday Slices…                                                                          

Monday: 

Carly woke up next to Valentin who said they’d been a bit impulsive. Was it a mistake?

Back at her apartment, Josslyn flashed back to questioning Carly about Valentin, when Jack knocked at the door. He said he’d received an alarming piece of intel. If it was true, things were more dangerous for her.

Kristina met Alexis at the Bad Jen Café, and Kristina wondered if Alexis was disappointed about Willow taking Drew’s congressional seat. Alexis said she was fine, but had to work on her attitude before seeing Willow.

Sidwell visited Willow  to follow up on her meeting with Laura and Boyle. He figured she’d received conflicting advice. Willow said she assumed Boyle was speaking on his behalf, that she wouldn’t be where she was if not for him, and she was to take her cues from Boyle.

Nina said she was going to Washington with Willow, and told Jacinda that she had to train the new intern. Lulu came in with Charlotte.

Nathan went to Dante’s office and said he’d gotten some DNA from Delilah, but no hits on it. Dante wondered who they could reunite the baby with her mother’s family.

Valentin said they’d made a complicated situation more complicated, but Carly said it seemed simple. They hadn’t done anything wrong. He said, technically speaking, she was still dating Jack, and she said, until she brought Jack down. Valentin wondered if she’d wanted to sleep with him or knew it would hurt Jack, and she asked, what if it was both? They kissed, when Jason walked in like a black cloud.  

Willow said, message received, Sidwell was in control, but he said he didn’t want her to think she’d traded one captor for another. She said she didn’t and felt grateful, and he said she had free reign as long as it didn’t conflict with his interests. They’d both benefit from the arrangement and she already had. He could tell already that she was a more reliable asset, but there was an issue concerning Drew’s daughter.

Nathan said he’d found no evidence of Delilah being at the hotel and there was nothing on the security footage. Chase said she’d told them she was from out of town, and her high-end clothing suggested she was well-off. He was going to check security footage at the airport, bus station, and train depot. Dante said he heard Maxie chose to stay with Spinelli, and wondered how Nathan was doing, and Nathan said he was fine. Dante said if Nathan wanted to talk about it, let him know.

Nina said she was excited that Charlotte was interning, and Lulu said, since Charlotte was grounded she had more free time. Nina said it would be a fun opportunity and she’d love having Charlotte there, and Lulu said she used to be an assistant at Crimson and it was a great experience. Charlotte thanked Nina for the opportunity and said she was kind of excited, and Nina asked Jacinda to show Charlotte around. When they left, Lulu said Charlotte was playing them.

Jack told Josslyn that he’d persuaded Britt to give him information on Sidwell’s project. She’d told him that Cullum was Sidwell’s partner. Josslyn said he was a double agent? and he said, exactly. She said then he was working against them, and Jack said she was far off Cullum’s radar, and he wanted to keep it that way. He’d purged her file from the database and wanted her to lay low. It was an order. The director of the WSB was a double agent working with Sidwell and if he found out they were onto him, he’d kill them both. Josslyn said if he was concerned about her safety, he’d break up with her mother.

Jason said it looked like Carly was doing more than hiding Valentin, and she asked him to leave so they could get dressed. Jason left, and Valentin said if it wasn’t complicated before, it was now.

Kristina wondered if Willow knew Alexis was in the running for Drew’s spot, but Alexis said she hadn’t brought it up when they were making arrangements for Scout to visit Drew. Kristina said it would be the first visit, and Alexis said she thought it would be upsetting. It was for her and she couldn’t stand him. She could handle the loss if it meant more time with her granddaughter.

Willow said her children were off limits, Scout included, but Sidwell said he meant them no harm. He was looking out for Scout’s happiness. Willow said Scout was already happy, but he said it wasn’t a good look. Optics was everything and it made her look like an evil stepmother who couldn’t wait to get rid of Drew’s little girl. She said she loved Scout and was doing what was best for her, but Sidwell said what was best for her – and Willow – was for Willow to bring her home. Don’t disappoint him.

Lulu said she appreciated what Nina was doing for Charlotte, and Nina said she was happy that Lulu was seeing her brother. Lulu said, even though Nina was close with Maxie? and Nina said Maxie had chosen Spinelli and no one should be in a relationship to please someone else. That they were happy was all that mattered.

Jacinda said the sample closet was the best, and Charlotte asked how often they got breaks (which should always be your first question when starting a new job). Jacinda said since Charlotte would be there after school, she wasn’t sure, when Lulu came out and told Charlotte that since there was no school today, Nina said she could start right away. She told Charlotte, be good, and left.

Josslyn said if Cullum came after Jack, her mom could get caught in the crossfire. It wouldn’t be the first time. Jack wondered if Cullum was working with Valentin and said he’d do everything he could to keep Carly safe. Josslyn said, except walk away, and Jack said he was sure Cullum was watching him. Any sudden moves would be suspicious. He wanted Cullum kept in the dark until he had concrete proof. Luckily, he had no reason to think Josslyn was involved. She said that wasn’t entirely true.

Jason told Valentin, get out, and Carly asked Valentin to please give them a minute. Valentin left, and Jason said he knew Carly was up to something, but he didn’t know she was crazy enough to team up with Valentin. Carly said it made sense to team up with Jack’s most powerful enemy, so she’d suggested they work together, and he asked if she’d helped Valentin escape. She said, no. She’d suggested Jack transfer Valentin, but had no idea he was going to escape. He asked how long she’d been harboring Valentin, and she said, from the day he’d escaped. Jason asked why she hadn’t told him, and she said she knew he’d try to stop her. He said Valentin was dangerous and she needed to cut ties with him before he got her killed.

Willow told Drew that Scout was coming. She’d been asking to see him, and she thought it was time for a visit if he felt up to it. He blinked once, and she said, good. She knew he loved his daughter and Scout loved him. The doorbell rang, and Willow let Scout and Alexis in. Willow explained that Drew was unable to speak, but she knew he was excited to see Scout.  

Jacinda told Nina that Charlotte had volunteered to go to the mailroom for her, but she’d wanted to check with Nina first. Nina said, good call, and Jacinda left. Nina said she knew Charlotte was playing them and loved her too much to let her get away with it.

Carly said she needed Valentin, and Jason said she was sleeping with him. She said, it just happened. What about Britt? Jason was in full-on savior mode. He said it involved Britt too, but she said, it involved the truth. He said she was in over her head, and she said, maybe, but she wasn’t going to stop until Josslyn was out of the WSB. He said Josslyn didn’t want to be out of the WSB, and Carly said she’d wanted to believe Jack had coerced Josslyn, but she had personal reasons, which made it harder to get her out.  

Jack said, Josslyn cut the power to Spoon Island? and she said she ran into Cullum. He pretended to be the caretaker, and she pretended to be an airhead sorority girl. She told him that she’d gotten stuck in the storm on her way to a party and was looking for her Uncle Lucas. If he hadn’t bought it, they wouldn’t be having this conversation. He asked if Cullum had any other reason to be suspicious, and she said Cullum caught her going through his coat, but she said she was cold and using it for a blanket. He seemed to buy it. Jack asked if she found anything in the coat, and she said, a copy of Cesar Faison’s book and a tin of his favorite cigars.

Lulu told Nathan, Felicia was right. Maxie wasn’t happy to find out they were involved. They didn’t fight, but she could tell Maxie was hurt and betrayed. Nathan said he should have gone with her, but she said it was better that she was alone. Maxie might have felt they were ganging up on her. He said he had a chance to tell Dante and let it pass. Now he felt like a jerk. She said they needed to tell Dante the truth together.

Maxie went to Dante’s office and they hugged. Maxie said she figured this would be awkward given the situation with Nathan and Lulu, and he asked what she meant. She said, they didn’t tell him? and he said, tell him what? She said her ex was dating his ex.

Scout said she missed Drew, and he blinked. Willow said Drew missed her too, and Alexis explained the blinking system.

Lulu told Nathan that she thought it would be easier for her to tell Dante. Maxie was dealing with her feelings, but Dante was completely over her. He’d told her that he was still in love with Sam. Nathan said he hoped she was right. Dante was his best friend and he didn’t want to lose that friendship. Lulu said it was time to face the music, but Nathan said it seemed that the secrecy hurt more.

Dante said he thought Maxie was jumping to conclusions. As far as he knew, Nathan and Lulu were friends. Maxie said, at first, but they were more than that now. Lulu told her herself last night. She and Nathan got close while she was away, and planned to see where it went. She was sorry she was the one told him. She came to commiserate because she thought he knew. Dante said it wasn’t her fault, and she said he was taking the news better than she did. She chose Spinelli, but it wasn’t easy to see her best friend with her ex-husband. He had to feel the same way.

On the phone, Jacinda said she could reschedule the meeting for another time or convince her boss to keep the meeting with the caller’s boss, if she had incentive… Okay then. She’d see what she could do. Kristina came in and said she hoped it was okay that she was interrupting. It had to do with Charlie’s grand reopening and she was in desperate need of help.

Nina said she was sure Charlotte resented the idea of being babysat, but it was an opportunity to show her mom how responsible she could be. Charlotte said she wished her mom trusted her, but Nina said she took off in the middle of a snowstorm without telling her mom and her mom was scared. She took advantage of her mom’s trust. Charlotte flashed back to overhearing Jack ask Nina to get information on Valentin from her, and told Nina that it was awful when someone took advantage of your trust. It made you question everything you knew about the person.  

Jack said Josslyn had obviously been reckless. Never do it again. She said there was an opportunity and she took it, and he said he had to keep her safe for her and her mother. She told him, says the man who recruited her, and he said he would change the past if he could. She said he really cared about her mother, and he said more than anyone he’d ever known. To prevent a double tragedy, don’t get herself killed.

Carly told Jason that she knew Josslyn resented Sonny’s way of life, but had no idea she’d been carrying the anger and hostility. Jason said it was easier to keep her feelings hidden, and she said she thought they were through it, then years later, Josslyn is worried something will happen to her, Donna, and Michael because of Sonny. Jason said, as an agent, Josslyn had more control and the power to protect the people she loved, and Carly said, what if she never wanted to leave? It was her fault Josslyn was in danger because of Sonny’s choices. Jason said, his too.

Nathan and Lulu went to Dante’s office and found Maxie there. Maxie said if they were here to tell Dante that they were dating, it was too late. The cat was out of the bag.

Scout told Drew, get better, and Alexis said he was getting the best care possible. Willow said Scout had a gift for her dad, and Scout put a friendship bracelet on Drew’s wrist. Willow said she thought Drew would like to hold Scout’s hand.

Kristina told Jacinda that it was the perfect outfit for the reopening. It wasn’t too casual, dressy, or trendy. She had no time to stress over anything else. Jacinda said she was happy to help Kristina pick out something and give her one less thing to stress over. Jack came in and asked to see Nina, but Jacinda said he was with someone. Jack walked into Nina’s office anyway, and Jacinda apologized to Nina, but Nina said there wasn’t much Jacinda could do to stop Jack without back-up and artillery. Jack said he needed to speak to Nina, and Nina told Charlotte, sorry. Give her a minute. Charlotte left and went to the bathroom.

Jason said, whenever Carly was almost free from Sonny, he pressured her to go back, but she said it was more complicated than that. He said his and Sonny’s life came with baggage and it wasn’t fair to saddle Josslyn with it, or her either, and she said she didn’t do anything she didn’t want to. She’d gone into it with her eyes wide open, but hadn’t anticipated how her choices would affect Josslyn. She’d failed as a parent. She’d do anything she could to get Josslyn out of this mess. He said she didn’t need Valentin’s help. Let him help instead.  

Josslyn came into the living room to find Valentin sitting on her couch. She ran to her bag, and he said, looking for this? He held up her gun.

Maxie said she told Dante, and Lulu asked, why? For spite? Maxie said, no. She thought Lulu would have had the decency to tell him herself. Lulu said that’s why they were there. She’d wanted to make sure Maxie was the first to know. Nathan said he was sorry, and Maxie said she wished he’d been honest the first night she was back. Now that it was all out in the open, did Dante need her to stick around? Dante said, no, and Maxie left. Lulu said she was sorry. She wished she had been the one to tell him. Dante said, no apology necessary, when his phone rang. He said he needed to take the call. Police business. Nathan said, Dante… but Dante said they were good. Nathan and Lulu left, and Dante sat down at his desk.  

Willow said Drew was settled back in bed. He got tired easily. Alexis said they’d come back soon and he’d have more time with Scout, and Scout asked if she could go grab her glitter pens from her room. Willow said, of course (🍷), and Scout left. Alexis said it went as well as they could expect. Did Willow want to pick another day for their next visit? Willow said she thought it was time Scout moved back in.  

Kristina said it was the perfect outfit. Was Jacinda sure it was okay for her to borrow it. Jacinda said, keep it. If Nina got huffy, they’d get another opinion from Michael. But Kristina still needed the right shoes. They left and Charlotte came back.

Jack said Charlotte interning gave Nina a perfect opportunity to get Valentin’s location, and Nina asked why Jack thought Valentin was still there. Jack said if there was reason to believe otherwise, she would have told him before. He did what he could for Willow and made the footage go away, but he could make it come back. Nina said Willow had been acquitted, but Jack said if the footage resurfaced, everyone would know Willow shot Drew. She’d lose her seat in congress and lose custody of her kids. Get Charlotte to tell her where Valentin was or he’d blow up her daughter’s life. Charlotte listened at the door.

Valentin said he wasn’t going to shoot Josslyn. She’d given her mother 24 hours to get rid of him. Josslyn said she’d spoken to Jason and he was on his way there. She was trying to protect her mother. If he left, there was no problem. He said they both knew the Sidwell situation was about to explode. He’d be abandoning her mother to greater danger. The only hope she had of surviving was if he stayed put. Josslyn said she thought he was overestimating his importance, and he said, maybe. Or maybe he enjoyed seeing her making the same rookie mistake – underestimating the enemy. He put her gun on the coffee table and left.

Carly said she needed Valentin’s knowledge of the WSB and his connections, and Jason asked if she trusted Valentin. She said she thought she could. She had the feeling what she needed and Britt needed were very different roads. For once his commitment to Britt didn’t get in the way. He said he was worried about her, and she said she was worried about him. She had her battle and he had his, and for once it wasn’t Jason and Carly against the world. He took her hand and said it didn’t matter what happened. It would always be them against the world. They hugged.

Tuesday:

Alexis said she thought Willow said Scout could stay with her while Drew was recovering, and Willow said she was sorry. When she initially agreed, she thought it was best, but Drew lit up when Scout was there. It was clear he wanted her there. Alexis said, mother to mother, please don’t do this.  

Nina said Jack was willing to ruin Willow’s life if she didn’t manipulate a teenager, and Jack said Charlotte was Valentin’s daughter. Valentin was dangerous and needed to be back in custody. Nina asked how she could be sure it wasn’t just a personal vendetta of Jack’s, and he asked what she was willing to do to save her daughter.

Outside Charlie’s, Molly felt pain in her side, when Kristina arrived to meet her. Kristina asked what was wrong.

Marco went to Lucas’s office, and Lucas asked if he had any luck getting Britt’s meds, but Marco said his father caught him poking around. If he didn’t pull it off cleanly, Sidwell would figure out it was him. Lucas said he was sorry Marco was torn and if Marco wanted to walk away, he understood. He’d help Britt on his own.

Jason said he might need a favor soon, and Michael said, name it. Jason said, if something happened to him, would Michael help out with Danny? Danny needed somebody around to see how a good man lived his life.

Josslyn went to the Quartermaines’ and told Danny that she had to talk to his dad. Danny said Jason was in the living room. Actually, he was heading to her mom’s. Josslyn flashed back to finding out that Carly was harboring Valentin and said it was the last place Danny should be.

Cullum tried make conversation with Carly, when Britt came downstairs. Carly asked if Britt needed help packing, and Britt said she’d been busy, but getting out was her number one priority. She left, and Cullum followed. He told Britt that the research was back on schedule and she needed to keep up the pace. If she fell behind, he’d cut off her meds and leave her to rot in Steinmauer for the rest of her short, miserable life.

Marco said he and Lucas were in this together and he’d rather risk his life than have something bad happen to Lucas, but Lucas said the goal was for nothing bad to happen to either of them. They’d do this for Britt, make sure Sidwell didn’t suspect Marco, and get Marco away from there. He knew Sidwell was still Marco’s dad and Marco loved him, but he’d made Marco culpable. Marco said he swore he’d never become his father and now they were basically the same person, but Lucas said nothing was further from the truth good. Marco was a good person. He wouldn’t stay with Marco if he wasn’t. Marco wondered if they’d stay together afterward, and Lucas said he knew they would, but couldn’t start until they made things right. Marco said if it cost him his relationship with his father, so be it.

Jack told Nina, follow through, or the footage would show up, suddenly and publicly. Nina said she’d do it, but her daughter was innocent, and Jack said she was too smart to believe that. That’s why she gave him the footage.

Charlotte quickly sat down, when Jacinda came back. She said she’d thought Charlotte got lost, and Charlotte said she was sorry. She’d peeked in the sample closet. It was amazing. Jacinda agreed that it was jaw dropping, when Jack came out. He apologized for interrupting, and left. Nina asked to see Charlotte in her office, and Charlotte went in. She asked if she’d done something wrong, but Nina said, no. It was about her father. Nina knew she’d said not to tell her anything, but wanted to revisit the conversation. She needed to warn Valentin about something. Did Charlotte know where he was?

Kristina told Molly to sit down and said she should have canceled. Molly said it was her endometriosis flaring up and the cramps were wild, but Cody was on his way there. They had plans later. Kristina said she thought Molly should prioritize her health, but Molly said she’d pushed through it before.

Willow said it was what was best for Drew, and Alexis said, what about what was best for Scout? Willow said it was in Scout’s best interest, and it was clear Drew wanted her there. Alexis said, what about when Willow went to DC? and Willow said she’d figure that out later, but this would be Scout’s primary residence. What if she lifted the restraining orders on Alexis and her family?

Danny said he was returning a scarf Donna left there, but his dad was making sure he didn’t sneak out, and Josslyn said she’d never rat him out, but just don’t go to her mom’s. He asked why, and she said her mom and Brennan had plans and she thought they wanted privacy. She could take the scarf. He gave it to her, and she said she never saw him.

Michael said of course (🍷) he’d be there for Danny, and Jason said he’d talked to Tracy and Alexis. He wanted to cover all his bases and thought Danny would benefit from Michael’s influence while he was gone. Michael asked if he was in trouble, when Josslyn came in and said she needed to talk to Jason. Michael left and Josslyn asked if Jason had convinced her mom that she had to get rid of Valentin.

Jason said he’d tried, but Carly insisted she needed Valentin for his knowledge and connections. Her mom wasn’t going to stop until she got Josslyn out of the WSB. Josslyn said Carly was committing treason and harboring a known fugitive. She’d go to prison. He said he knew, but Carly was stubborn, like Josslyn, and he had to trust her at some point. Josslyn said she’d spoken to Brennan. He’d burned her file and purged her data from the WSB databases so Cullum wouldn’t find out about her. He wanted her to go back to her old life at PCU and move on. Jason said, for once, he agreed with Jack. She needed to stay away from this. These people were way too dangerous.

Carly tried to listen in on Britt and Cullum’s conversation, and Britt said there was no need to threaten her. She’d done what he’d asked. Cullum said, based on what he’d seen, the prototype should be completed shortly.

Lucas said Marco’s father wasn’t costing them their relationship, and Marco hugged him. Lucas said it wasn’t the direction he’d expected their relationship to go, but once they navigated this minefield, it would make them stronger. Marco asked if Lucas had always been an optimist, and Lucas said, since the day he’d met Marco. Marco’s phone chimed and he said, Cullum wanted to meet. Lucas asked if Marco thought Cullum suspected anything, but Marco said he didn’t know why he would, but any meeting with Cullum was perilous.

Charlotte said she hadn’t seen her dad, and Nina wondered what Charlotte had been about to tell her in Café Cherie. Charlotte said Valentin sent her a clue to let her know he was okay. It was the only time she’d heard from him. Nina said, if he reached out, let her know, and Charlotte promised Nina would get exactly what she needed.

On the phone, Jacinda told someone to send the samples in care of Jacinda Bracken, when Nina said she had to run an errand. She was going to drop Charlotte at the Quartermaines’ first so she could have quality time with Danny. She trusted Charlotte would stay out of trouble. Jacinda said she’d be happy to take Charlotte.

Michael said he’d heard Danny had a problem with the gatehouse, and Danny said he’d cleaned it up and he’d been banned from the gatehouse for two months. He promised to stay away, but Michael said he didn’t think so.

Willow said Drew wasn’t in a position to enforce the restraining orders, and until that changed she had the power to lift them. She’d make sure Alexis, her daughters, and Danny were free to see Scout as much as they wanted. She’d never agreed with Drew to keep Scout away. That’s why she brought Scout over at Christmas. Alexis said she didn’t think it was a healthy environment for Scout. She was still getting over the loss of her mother and Drew would have good and bad days. She didn’t think a child would be able to handle that. Willow said she was trying to help Alexis, and Alexis needed to get on board. It was happening. Alexis said, if she refused, would Willow block Scout from her like Drew did and Michael did to her?

Kristina said she got why Molly didn’t want to talk about her endometriosis. It must remind her that Kristina’s selfish actions led to them losing their daughter. Molly said it wasn’t about that. Cody was coming there and he didn’t know. She was going to tell him eventually, but it was a lot to put on somebody. Kristina said it was a new phase, fun and chill, but don’t underestimate Cody. No one was more supportive than he was. Cody came in and asked if somebody ordered a strong, burly stable hand.

Michael told Danny that he knew what it was like to be a kid in this family and need an escape hatch where you could chill. He respected Jason’s decision, but when the ban was lifted, Danny could use the gatehouse as long as he treated it with respect and left it in good condition. Danny said it was nice that someone knew how he felt, and Michael said he was always there to talk to. The doorbell rang, and Michael opened the door to Jacinda and Charlotte. They all smiled.

Willow said she wasn’t her husband and was dropping the restraining orders to prove it, and Alexis said she had no choice. Willow said she was hoping things would stay cordial between them. Not just for Scout’s sake, but she was grateful to Alexis. Alexis said she had a funny way of showing it. She didn’t want to blindside Scout, and would bring her after school tomorrow. Willow said that was fine. Alexis didn’t have to agree with her decision. She just had to respect it. Alexis said, like hell she did.

Molly suggested Cody keep working on it, when Kristina’s phone rang. She said, what?… That’s ridiculous… She thanked them for the heads up and told Molly and Cody that there was a problem with Charlie’s reopening, but she thought she knew who could fix it. She’d be as quick as she could. When she was gone, Cody said he thought she’d never leave.

Carly gave Cullum his coffee, and he said she was obviously upset because he’d told her to stay away from Jack. He’d like to make amends. Jack was a valued colleague, and it was obvious they meant a lot to each other. Carly said it was fine. Enjoy his coffee. Jack looked through the window and saw Cullum. He flashed back to Britt telling him that Cullum was a double agent and went inside. Cullum said he hadn’t expected to see Jack there, but Jack said he was having lunch with Carly. Cullum said it must be nice to have free time. (He should know.) No wonder Jack didn’t crack the Five Poppies case and he’d had to take over. Jack said, knock himself out. It was a complete waste of their resources and a dead end. Cullum said, we’ll see. Enjoy his lunch. Jack went into the kitchen, and Carly said Cullum seemed like trouble, but he said it was nothing he couldn’t handle.

Britt arrived at the cabin, and Jason asked if she was okay. What happened? She said, Cullum happened. They’d run out of time. Either she had to finish the project, which she really didn’t want to, or she needed to disappear.

Kristina walked in on Michael and Jacinda kissing in the living room.

Cody and Molly sat at a table laden with tons of Chinese food, and Cody said they deserved it after their hard labor, but she’d barely touched it. She’d been quiet and not eating. He could order something else. She said she was just having an off day, and he said he knew what might make her feel better. He kissed her, said he had a little surprise, and left.

Jason said arrangements had been made for them to disappear, and Britt asked where they were going. He said, to a small farmhouse off the grid in Canada. They’d cross the border and meet Brick. They’d hand him a sample of her medication and he’d reverse engineer it. In the meantime, they’d lay low and be safe. Britt said she hoped he was right, but Cullum would use every resource to track her, and he said they had resources too. They wouldn’t be found, but they needed to get their hands on a dose of her medication. She said, for that, they needed Lucas, and took out her phone.

Marco met Cullum at Bobbie’s, and said he was surprised Cullum wanted to meet in public. Cullum said he was in charge of Sidwell’s investigation. If anyone asked, Marco was a person of interest. He asked if there were any developments with the Corinthos situation that he should be aware of. In the kitchen, Jack asked what Carly thought about Cullum’s conversation with Britt, and she said, it didn’t seem friendly. He said, keep her distance from both of them.

Nina went to see Willow and asked if they were alone. Willow said, yes, and Nina said she’d done something to protect Willow that came back to haunt her. Willow said the last time Nina helped her, she went to prison and was on trial, and Nina said it was about the footage where Willow was on the street outside of Drew’s the night he was shot, that by some miracle had vanished from the server when Turner was about to play it. It wasn’t a miracle. It was her.

Kristina said she was sorry to interrupt, but it was important. She’d gotten a call from the State License Authority. She’d let Charlie’s liquor license expire since she didn’t think they’d be opening again. Now the department was backed up, and she wouldn’t get it for months. She’d worked hard on the opening, but couldn’t open without a liquor license. She was hoping with Michael’s connections, he could do something to help.

Danny asked how Charlotte got a ride with Michael’s girlfriend, and she said she was interning at Crimson. Nina was still using her to trap her father.

Willow said, Nina made the footage disappear? and Nina said they both knew if the footage had been seen, Willow wouldn’t have her children and wouldn’t be a congresswoman. She’d be locked up in Pentenville. Willow flashed back to handling the gun and asked how Nina did it. Nina said she asked a favor, but she didn’t realize what she was getting herself into. She knew she had to save Willow – she started to cry – but in the process, she put herself into debt with a very powerful man. Now he’d come to collect.

Walking into the cabin, Lucas said he could see why Britt thought Bobbie’s was a dump, and Britt said, shut up. Lucas said Marco would get the meds as soon as he knew it was safe, and Jason asked if he was sure he trusted Marco. Lucas said he did and it would have to be enough.

Marco said there was nothing new to report, and Cullum said they’d make sure Corinthos paid for everything he’d done to him. Marco excused himself, when Josslyn came in. She was surprised to see Cullum, and he said, so they meet again.

Britt said she appreciated the risk Lucas was taking, but they were out of time on Cullum’s clock. She had to produce the project in a day or two or she had to disappear. Lucas said he’d get her meds, and Jason said, when he did, they’d be ready. It was going to be okay.  

Josslyn said she hadn’t seen Cullum since the night of the blizzard, and he said he didn’t mention she was there to the owner. She said he was so great. Her mom would freak out if she knew about her going to party during a storm. He looked nice. Did he have a date? He said he had an appointment at the bank, and she said she’d give him a loan. She looked at her tablet and said, today was Friday? She had class. Fingers crossed they didn’t see her sneak in. Great to see him. Good luck with the loan. He said, good luck with sneaking in. In the kitchen, Carly told Jack that Josslyn couldn’t say hello to them, but she could chat with Cullum. What was that about? Was she okay? Jack said it was good she left. The less interaction she had with Cullum, the better. Carly wondered if Cullum was some kind of threat, and Jack promised to make sure he wasn’t.

Marco said he saw Cullum talking to Josslyn. How did he know her? Cullum said they met during the blizzard. She’d been sidelined on her way to a party and was looking for her uncle. Marco said, she caught him at Windymere? but Cullum said it was fine. She thought he was the caretaker. She had no idea who he really was.

Alexis went to the Quartermaines’ and told Danny that she’d come to share some good news. Willow lifted the restraining orders. He could see his sister whenever he wanted for as long as he wanted. Danny hugged her.

Nina said using Charlotte was killing her, but she had no choice. Charlotte was like another daughter to her, and she knew when Charlotte was hiding something. Obviously, she knew where Valentin was and if she didn’t tell Nina, Willow would pay the price. Valentin and Charlotte were so important to each other. Nina cried and said she wished Brennan had asked her to do anything else. Willow took her hand and said she was so sorry. She didn’t say it enough, but she was grateful for everything Nina had done for her. Seeing how hard it was on Nina, she knew in Nina’s own way that she’d do anything to protect her. She finally understood now.

On the phone, Michael thanked someone, and told Kristina that he called in a favor. They were expediting her license now. She said he was so great. Jacinda too. Jacinda said she didn’t do anything, but Kristina said Jacinda found the perfect outfit. She owed her opening to them and couldn’t wait to celebrate with them both. Jacinda said it would be a fun night.

Charlotte told Danny that she never told Nina anything. Nina claimed she didn’t want to use what Charlotte told her, but Charlotte overheard Brennan threaten her precious Willow and she caved. She wanted to use how close they were when she was married to Charlotte’s dad. Nina was a sellout and it was a huge mistake to betray her. She’d never forgive Nina. She was a Cassadine and was going to show Nina exactly what that meant.

Molly swallowed some OTC medication that she had in her bag, when Cody came in with a beautiful bouquet. Molly said that was so sweet, then felt a cramp. He asked if she was okay, and she doubled over, then fell to the floor.

Wednesday:

Cody roused Molly and told her that she’d just collapsed.

Ric called Elizabeth for another date, and she said she’d let him know.

Elizabeth found Dante in an examining room, and he said he’d gotten in trouble with his dad’s dog.

Tracy went to see Lulu and said she needed help with getting Sidwell’s hooks out of Deception. She needed leverage. Lulu said she didn’t think Maxie wanted her anywhere near Deception or her.

Nathan took James to the batting cages, and James asked if Nathan could show him how to hit like he did.

Gio found Emma torturing the guitar.

Sonny saw Alexis outside Bobbie’s and said he was meeting his lawyer – Ric.  

Molly said she was okay, but Cody said she fainted and was pale. She said she wasn’t sick, but had a chronic condition, endometriosis. He said he didn’t know what that was, but he wanted to take her to the hospital.  

Dante said Fizz🐶was a rescue and they all loved him. He hoped Elizabeth kept it under wraps, since he didn’t want Fizz🐶to have a criminal record. Enough people in the Corinthos family already did. Elizabeth said she’d keep it quiet and asked if Fizz🐶was safe to have around the kids. Dante said he was a love bug. It was his fault. He’d taken Fizz🐶for a walk and when he was distracted, Fizz🐶ran up on another dog three times his size and he tried to separate them. (Been there, done this with my own dogs, and got bit myself. Always use God’s handles – what you call their tails.) She asked why he’d been distracted, and he said, Lulu and Nathan were seeing each other.

Tracy said it was DEFCON 5 or 1, whatever was most urgent, and Lulu said it was personal. She and Nathan were involved. Before Tracy laid into her about being disloyal… Tracy said she wasn’t going to do that.

Nathan said they were there to work on James’s swing, not his. He asked James to show him what he had, then they’d go from there. James took some swings, and Nathan said they looked solid and suggested he field practice pitches. James asked if Nathan didn’t like baseball anymore, but Nathan said he did. He just had a lot on his mind. James wondered if it was about how Nathan and his mom weren’t married anymore.

Ric talked to Sonny about updates on the docks, when Alexis approached their table and asked if Sonny was firing Diane.

Emma told Gio that she’d signed up for guitar as an elective. She’d wanted it to be a surprise, but she’d missed classes while she was away and now she was behind. She had to accept the fact that she was going to fail. Gio said that wasn’t going to happen. They’d figure this out.

Elizabeth said, no wonder Dante was distracted, and he said his reaction surprised him. He and Lulu were good. They co-parented well and were amicable exes, but it felt like a gut punch. She said it was still tough when an ex moved on, and he said, they both did. He’d been engaged to Sam and missed her every day. Elizabeth said grief didn’t go away. Your life just shaped around it. He wondered why he still felt so blindsided.

Nathan told James that he and James’s mom him would always love each other and him, but he knew it was still hard and confusing. They’d been married before he was born and a lot had happened since then, like Spinelli. James said he’d known Spinelli his whole life. Spinelli loved them and they loved him. Nathan said he and Maxie wanted what was best for the family and thought it best she stay with Spinelli. Was he okay with that? James said, yeah, but what about Nathan? Didn’t he want a girlfriend? He didn’t want Nathan to be alone. Kai arrived to coach James.

Tracy said Maxie was hopelessly devoted to Spinelli, and Lulu said they’d built a beautiful life. Tracy said, then Lulu needed to count her blessings. Nathan wasn’t a toy and she didn’t get to collect them all. Lulu said it wasn’t that simple, and Tracy said it never was. She understood that Lulu felt guilty, but she wasn’t a terrible person. Life and love were complicated. Lulu asked if it was worth losing a best friend.

Molly said she was feeling better, but Cody wanted to take her to the hospital. She said it was normal, but he said it wasn’t normal or fine. She scared him and he wanted to make sure she was okay. Let him take her to get checked out. She said, okay.

Sonny asked why Alexis was worried about Diane, and she said Diane was her business partner and friend. She’d performed legal miracles for Sonny for two decades. It was about loyalty, and Ric wasn’t loyal. Diane had given Sonny nothing but sound advice and he was casting her out. Why now?

At the hospital, Molly promised she was okay, but Cody said if that was the case, the doctor would tell her. She explained that she had endometriosis and she’d been dealing with it for a while. He asked if the symptoms included fainting, but she said, no. It was her fault. She was having an off day and pushed herself harder than she should have. There was nothing to worry about. He said that made him worry more.

Gio took the guitar and Emma said he wasn’t only a brilliant violinist, he could play guitar. He said he dabbled. The violin was his first love, but he played guitar to relax. He could try to teach her. She needed to try to have fun and loosen up. Music wasn’t a battle for supremacy. He asked to see her chord progressions and helped her place her fingers on the neck.

Nathan said he appreciated Kai meeting them, and Kai said his coaching was part of the Pediatric Sports Initiative (🍷). He was glad James had initiated pre-season practice. James said Kai was a superstar quarterback at PCU, and Kai said his football days were over because of an injury, but he loved working with the kids. Nathan said moving on was a good thing, and James said Nathan was a power hitter. Nathan said Kai was the coach and would give James pointers, and Kai gave James a bat.

Tracy told Lulu that she’d had some significant friendships and what she’d learned was that true friends appreciated her most when she was an honest and open version of herself. Lulu said, what if the most honest and open version of herself caused Maxie pain? She got why Maxie was hurt. Tracy asked if giving up Nathan meant he and Maxie would reunite and live happily ever after, but Lulu said she didn’t know. Tracy said she did. If Lulu denied her own happiness in favor of Maxie, everybody would lose.

Elizabeth dressed Dante’s wound and said Nathan was Dante’s best friend. It wasn’t like Lulu met some random guy at work. It made things awkward. Had they told him? He said, no. Actually, Maxie did. Then they showed up and confirmed it. She asked what he said, and he told her, what could he say? He said it was fine. They were good people and he loved them both. She told him that he’d said the right things, but how did he really feel? and he said he didn’t know. That’s why he went on a walk, to sort it out. Was he sad, angry, jealous? She said, or was he worried he’d missed out on his last chance to be with Lulu?

Sonny told Alexis that he wasn’t firing Diane. He was making a few changes and Diane being partners with Alexis made it complicated. He needed there to be distance between her and his ventures. She said, so Ric was going to represent him in his illegal activities… Sorry. Alleged. He said Diane would handle certain areas, and as needed, Ric would deal with his criminal defense. Alexis said it was a terrible idea. Ric couldn’t be trusted and if he made one mistake, Sonny would think it was sabotage. Their daughters were getting along well, and she didn’t want them to feel they needed to pick sides if it devolved into a civil war. Ric said he didn’t see that happening, and Sonny said he didn’t either. Rocco was a test case, and it worked out. They’d also both worked for a compromise for Willow, Michael, and the kids. Ric was a great lawyer and would represent him the best he could. If he didn’t, he’d get Diane to handle it. Turner walked in.

Turner told Alexis, sorry she was late. She’d gotten held up in court. They went to another table, and Ric said Sonny and Turner were cool and professional for two people who’d broken the ethical code of conduct by kissing. Sonny said he thought Ric was right. He should keep his distance from ADA Turner. He flashed back to them kissing, and said if it didn’t work out between him and Ric, it wouldn’t be good for Ric’s daughter. If he wanted to back out, now was the time to say so.

Dr. Navarro asked if the pain reliever she’d prescribed Molly wasn’t working, but Molly said she’d forgotten to refill it. She took ibuprofen. The doctor said she had to prioritize her health, but Molly said she didn’t want to stop living her life. She’d already lost so much because of her condition.

Cody looked up endometriosis on Spyder-Finder, when Felicia came by. She asked if he wasn’t supposed to take James to the batting cages and wondered if James had been hit by a ball. Cody said Nathan had taken James to the cages and wondered if he could ask her a medical question. She said he could, but she was a patient advocate and not a doctor. He asked what she knew about endometriosis.

Kai gave James instructions, and Nathan asked if Kai wasn’t spreading himself too thin, also being a congressional intern. Kai said he thought he had everything covered. He had to be an intern, but he loved doing this. He told James that he was better than last season. He bet James had grown a lot. They’d make adjustments for that, and it would eventually become muscle memory. The more he practiced, the better he’d be. James asked Nathan to show him how to hit, and Nathan said it had been a while. He took a bat from Kai, and barely tipped the ball.

Tracy said if Lulu made the ultimate sacrifice and steered clear of Nathan, would it help her and Maxie’s friendship or would she feel resentful? Would Maxie be satisfied or suspicious of every move Lulu made? Lulu said it sounded like Tracy was asking her to be selfish, but Tracy said she was asking Lulu to go after what she wanted and make no apologies. Maxie had moved on and that didn’t change when Nathan came back. She’d chosen to stay with Spinelli.

Dante said he was still grieving Sam and still loved her, and Elizaeth asked if he thought he was ready to move on. He said now that Lulu moved on, he thought they were no longer an option. Elizabeth suggested the timing was off, and he said, maybe they were out of sync. Maybe the lesson was to leave the past in the past. She told him, easier said than done. The past had a way of sneaking up on you, especially when it came to love.

Gio said Emma was getting the hang of it, and she said he was a good teacher.

Tracy said it wasn’t like Lulu was going after her best friend’s husband, but she was painting herself in that light, and Lulu said listening to Tracy was a lot like hearing from her father, but compared to him, Tracy was diplomatic. Tracy said, diplomacy was highly overrated. Her father would have cut to the chase and told her to be happy, however it looked and whatever it took.

Dante said Elizabeth and Lucky tried again and it didn’t work out. He was sorry. She said, don’t be. They had a lot of history and a lot of love, so it made sense to try and find the magic again. See if they fit. In some ways, they did, but they both realized trying to recapture the past didn’t mean they had a future. That didn’t mean it would be the same for him. He said, maybe that ship sailed, and she said if any part of him wanted to try again, now was the time. Before things went further and he really missed his chance.

Ric told Sonny that his experience with the cult gave him a chance to look at the choices he’d made and do things differently. Sonny said he’d been enlightened, but Ric said, it was more like a shift in perspective. Molly was his priority and he wanted to give her consistency. He also regretted screwing up with Elizabeth. Sonny said Elizabeth was forgiving and would see he was going the right way, and Ric said, then there was Sonny. They were brothers and he’d made it impossible for them to have a relationship. He wanted them to be better, and he wanted to do better. Alexis was wrong. He wouldn’t double cross Sonny, but he understood if Sonny didn’t trust him. He’d be happy to go case by case until Sonny felt sure. If he wanted Diane to be his primary attorney, that was fine. Call when he needed him.

Turner said, six months in Spring Ridge and three years’ probation, and Alexis said she’d advise her client to accept the offer. She’d thought the negotiation would be more intense. Turner flashed back to telling Sonny that if anyone found out they’d spent then night together, it would destroy them both, and told Alexis, everyone made mistakes. Her client shouldn’t have to lose everything over his.

Felicia explained endometriosis to Cody, and he asked if it being chronic meant there was no cure. She said, unfortunately, no, but there were ways to treat it. There were options a patient should discuss with their doctor. It affected everyone differently. He said he appreciated her telling him. It was better than trying to decipher it from the internet. He’d scare himself and convince himself that he had it. (Same when I watch medical dramas.) What could he do to help someone who had it? She said, be supportive and patient and if they needed him, be there, and she left.

Dr. Navarro said she had the results of Molly’s scans and tests. There appeared to be additional scarring on the backside of her uterus, and the largest endometria had increased in size. She suggested they revisit the options discussed before. She knew Molly was averse to surgery… Molly said she’d schedule a follow-up. She promised not to put it off and take it seriously, but her boyfriend was waiting and she wanted to get home. The doctor reminded her that it wasn’t weakness to take care of herself. It didn’t serve her to push too hard. Molly said she knew she’d put too much pressure on herself today, but it was a good day, and she didn’t want her condition to ruin it, but it had.

Tracy said Lulu’s dad was always true to himself. He grabbed life by the horns and never apologized for it. Lulu asked what happened when people got hurt, and Tracy said people always got hurt, but she’d learned from experience that you couldn’t please everyone. She knew Lulu was reluctant to hurt Maxie, but she’d told Maxie the truth. She could live her life for herself or for what other people thought. Lulu said plenty of people thought she was wrong, and Tracy said she only got one life. Live it for herself, not other people’s opinions. Lulu said so she shouldn’t care if Tracy approved, but Tracy said Lulu should always care about her opinion. That was a general rule for everyone, but if Lulu was true to herself, she approved. She left.

Nathan told James that he was sorry. It had been a while and he was rusty, but Coach Kai would help him improve. James told Nathan that his muscle memory would return, and Kai told James to widen his stance and choke up higher on the bat. Nathan said when he’d jumped back into things, he didn’t think baseball would be the thing he lost. His phone rang and he stepped away. Lulu asked if he was busy tonight, and he said he was if it was with her.

Elizabeth asked what Dante thought he was going to do, and he said keep his mouth shut. Lulu deserved to be happy. Who was he to get in the way when he didn’t know his own head? Elizabeth said she supported that. The antibiotic ointment should prevent infection, but he should watch the wound. If it got red, swollen, hot, or the pain continued, come back and see her. He asked if she was sure she was cool not bringing Fizz’s name🐶into this, and she said if the suspect became a repeat offender, she might have to rat him out. Otherwise, this never happened. Dante told her that he may be out of line with what he was going to say, but he was going to say it anyway. She’d brought up not going back to the past, but he knew she and Ric had been spending time together. Be careful. She nodded and he left.

Alexis told Turner that she’d talk to her client and be in touch. She thought Turner would take it to trial. Turner said Alexis’s client was guilty, but there were recent extenuating circumstances. She liked to win, but didn’t prosecute for the victory. Like Alexis, she wanted to see justice served and do what she could to make sure the system worked. Alexis said, sometimes, it actually did. Other times, not so much.

Sonny told Ric that Alexis could think what she wanted. He wanted their relationship to work as brothers. Ric had put him third behind Molly and Elizabeth. Ric wasn’t just telling him what he wanted to hear. He was being straight and Sonny respected that.

Molly told Cody that she was okay, but he’d been right. It was good she came in. She thanked him for insisting and said she was sorry she’d ruined their night. He said they could go back to his place. He could build a fire, and she could cuddle up with him and Outback and he’d wait on them hand and foot. She said it was tempting, but would he mind taking her home? He said, no problem, and they left.

Emma strummed the guitar, and Gio said she did it. She was amazing. She said he was amazing and thanked him for the lesson and always being there for her. She kissed him and it looked like they were on their way to getting busy.

Thursday:

Dante and Cody went to the stables after playing basketball, and Cody asked when Dante knew Lulu was the one.

Kristina came home to find Molly on the couch, and Molly said the painkiller the doctor gave her was finally kicking in. Kristina said she was glad Molly told Cody, and Molly said she pretty much fainted in front of him, and it forced her hand.

Carly went to the Lulu’s and thanked Charlotte for bringing Donna the candle supplies. She hoped they were past the glitter stage. (I identified. Glitter and Play-Doh are my nemeses.) Charlotte left, and Lulu said grounding her was fun for the whole family. She told Carly that she and Nathan were seeing each other, and Carly asked, how long? Lulu said it was new, and Carly wished her the best. It wasn’t like they were cheating. Maxie seemed happy with Spinelli. Lulu said Maxie wasn’t happy with this. She’d said if Lulu pursued Nathan, they couldn’t be friends. Carly said she was surprised, and Lulu asked how she could save the friendship.

Nathan brought James home and Maxie was there.

Britt saw Rocco at the hospital and asked if he had a minute. She needed to say goodbye.

Jason went to see Valentin and Valentin asked if Jason was there to convince him not to hurt Carly or else. Jason said, what did he think?

Dante said, the first time he saw Lulu by the jukebox at the Floating Rib, and Cody said, love at first sight? It must have been easy. Dante said everything with Lulu was a challenge. He messed up a couple times, but the worst was when he went undercover for the WSB. They never recovered. He asked if this was about Molly, and Cody said Molly fainted. She was fine now, but it freaked him out. It made him realize how much he cared. Dante said they seemed great together, but Cody said he wasn’t so sure Molly thought so. He’d offered to take care of her, but she’d said no.

Molly told Kristina that the doctor confirmed it was an endometriosis flare-up, but she didn’t want to get into treatment options because Cody was waiting. Kristina asked if she’d told Cody, and Molly said she did. Kristina asked if she told him she had endometriosis or did she tell him she had endometriosis and what it meant.

Rocco asked if Britt was going somewhere, but Britt said she was saying goodbye for her mother. Rocco said Obrecht had texted and it was all good, and Britt said she wanted to tell him how proud she was of him. She was thrilled that he’d reached out when he found out she’d given birth to him. He said it had blown him away and everything Obrecht had said about her turned out to be true. She was smart, funny, and a really good doctor. She was awesome. She didn’t push too hard, but was there if he needed her. She said he’d made it easy just by being himself.

Valentin said Carly had come to him, and Jason said Carly told him. Valentin said she knew his history with Jack, who’d left him to rot in Steinmauer. Carly came to visit him disguised as his attorney. She was determined to get Josslyn out of the WSB. Jason said, so Valentin took advantage of her, but Valentin said he saw the opportunity to flip the script. It was in his best interest to keep Carly safe, and Jason knew he’d always take care of number one.

Carly asked what Dante thought, and Lulu said Maxie told him. He was surprised, but generous about it and their friendship wasn’t affected. She knew Maxie wouldn’t throw her a parade, but didn’t think she’d end the friendship. Carly asked, what’s the plan? and Lulu said she didn’t know. She’d talked to Tracy, who said she shouldn’t live life on Maxie’s terms. Carly asked if she was going to listen to Tracy or end things with Nathan, and Lulu said Maxie was her best friend in the whole world. Should she let a guy come between them? Carly said, she shouldn’t.

James asked if they could go to the batting cages again. Nathan needed the practice. Nathan said, yes, and James ran off. He said he was sorry to show up when Maxie was working, and she said she was working from home, but needed to see him. They’d had no chance to talk. He said he was sure she was shocked and had questions, and Maxie said she did. Did he mean anything he said the night she came home or was he secretly hoping she’d chose Spinelli?

Kristina said, so Molly turned down Cody’s offer. People wanted to be home when they didn’t feel good. Everyone knew that. Molly said she wasn’t ready to face his questions, and Kristina said Molly had a chronic condition. She shouldn’t be embarrassed. Molly said she wasn’t, but tried not to let it affect her. She wasn’t defined by it and got through flare-ups as best she could, but ultimately endometriosis changed the course of her life. It’s why she and TJ broke up. (TJ? Who’s TJ?) Kristina said he’d wanted kids, and Molly said she didn’t know if kids were on Cody’s radar, but she saw how great he was with them. He had a special relationship with James. Kristina said, why not ask him? but Kristina said they’d just started dating. At what point did she have to tell him that having kids wasn’t a possibility for her?

Rocco asked when Obrecht would be back, but Britt said she wasn’t sure, but as soon as she could. She loved his hockey games. He said Obrecht was loud for someone kind of small, and she said, for someone who didn’t understand the sport, she had a lot of suggestions for the referee. He said it was okay. He liked having them there. Baseball was coming up and he was better at that. She said, hopefully, he’d look up and see her mom with her foam finger cheering him on, and he asked if Britt would be there too. She said she wouldn’t miss it, and Rocco went back to work. Lucas saw Britt wiping her eyes, and she said it was just allergies.

Valentin told Jason that they’d planned to implicate Jack for Sidwell’s crimes, but Cullum’s arrival complicated things. Jason said Cullum was working with Sidwell, and Valentin said that explained a lot of things. Jason said he didn’t care why Valentin escaped or that he came back to town. All he cared about was protecting Carly. Valentin said he was risking recapture. Why did Jason think he was still there? Because he wanted to be around when Jack discovered they were working against him the whole time.

Carly said, if Nathan was just a guy, Lulu had to put Maxie first, but Lulu said she thought they could have something real. Carly said, then she did what she could. She was upfront and honest, and if Maxie couldn’t handle that, it wasn’t her fault. Lulu told her that Tracy said something similar, and Carly said Lulu had reached out to her and Tracy. Was she looking for permission? Lulu said she’d been soul searching and asked if Carly specialized in stubborn daughters. Carly said she thought she did, but she and Josslyn were going through it, and Lulu asked if she wanted to talk about it. Carly said, no. It was something they needed to work out. Lulu said she’d never seen a mother and daughter who were closer, and Carly said she knew Lulu’s only concern was to keep Charlotte safe, and she got that, but if she held on too tight, it could backfire. They’d rebelled at that age. Lulu said, and they got hurt, but Carly said they’d survived and were stronger because people believed in them even when they screwed up. Maybe Charlotte would be more trustworthy if she knew she had Lulu’s trust.

Nathan said he didn’t lie, but Maxie said he didn’t tell the whole truth. He must have been relieved that she’d chosen Spinelli. Did he run back to Lulu because he was finally free? He said it wasn’t like that, and she said she felt stupid. She’d said she knew he’d never leave her and the whole time he was probably thinking about Lulu. He said that wasn’t true, and she asked what he would have done if she’d decided to stay with him. He said he would have stayed and done what he could to make it work, and she said, out of obligation? but he said, out of love. He loved her and always would. Nothing had changed. He woke up a father and didn’t know what he was doing. Lulu helped him connect to James. They’d never intended to develop feelings and hurt her. She said what hurt was six months. If he loved her the way she loved him, she didn’t understand how he could move on in six months.

Lucas said Rocco was a great kid and he got why Britt would miss him, but Britt said it was better for her to leave. As Lulu kept telling her, she had no place in his life. He said Lulu was entitled to her feelings, but she wasn’t taking into account how things in Britt’s life had changed her, and she asked if he was saying she was a changed woman. He said she was still a colossal pain in the ass, but she was a lot less self-involved than she used to be. He saw her with Rocco. She’d put his feelings first and it said a lot about who she was now. She said, someone who messed with the likes of Sidwell and Cullum, and he said her life was being threatened. She could have gone along with their plan, and no one would have judged her. But she was risking everything to stop them.  That was why she should stay in Rocco’s life even if Lulu would never know who she was. She said, who was she? and he said, kind of a hero.

Valentin told Jason that he’d called favors and did research on Cullum’s history with the WSB. When he’d confirmed Cullum was dirty, he had more avenues to pursue. Did Jason still want to kill him? Jason said Carly wouldn’t stop until Josslyn was out of the WSB. Working with Valentin was better than her working on her own. Just keep her safe.

Cody told Dante that maybe he came on too strong. Molly kept saying she was fine, but he could tell she wasn’t and insisted on going to GH. Maybe she didn’t like him telling her what to do. Dante asked if she was upset, but Cody said, no, and Dante said Molly was nothing if not direct. If she’d been upset she would have told him. Sometimes you wanted to be left alone. Nothing personal. Cody said Molly had a chronic condition and he wanted to help, but didn’t know how.  

Lulu told Charlotte that she had to go out, and Charlotte asked if Lulu was letting her stay there alone. Lulu said she wanted Charlotte to pick Rocco up after his shift ended, and Charlotte asked if everything was okay. Lulu had been intense about grounding her. Lulu said she and Maxie had a fight and she wanted to work it out sooner rather than later. Charlotte said she knew how much Lulu had missed Maxie, and Lulu said Maxie was like a sister. Charlotte said she could only hope to have a friend like that one day.

Maxie said Nathan moved on at lightning speed. When he died, she thought she died too. The baby was all she had left of him and the only thing that got her through the first six months. When he came back, no Maxie, no problem. He’d moved on with her best friend. Nathan said, they weren’t in love. They didn’t know what they were. They were just starting to talk about being more than friends when she woke up. Maxie said, sorry to throw a wrench in the works, but he said she didn’t. When she came back, he wanted to follow her lead. If she had chosen them, he was ready to try. She wondered how they would have built a life with a secret that big between them.

Carly walked into Sonny’s old kitchen to find Jason staring at the moss bowl 🎍. She said, is Valentin…? and he said Valentin was fine. She asked what was going on, and he said he’d come to say goodbye.

Molly said she and Cody were in the phase where it was new and should be exciting and fun, and Kristina said it was such a good stage. Molly said what if she brought up kids and he thought she was planning a wedding, and Kristina asked if Molly was afraid of scaring him off.

Nathan said, it was one kiss. Nothing happened. He and Lulu had agreed to abide by whatever Maxie decided. Maxie said, how kind of them. She was completely in the dark. He said he was sorry. Maybe he should have told her the first night. She said, maybe? and he said from the moment she woke up, she was dealing with a lot. She asked if him managing her had been convenient for him, and he said she was right. He was sorry. It was easier not to talk about Lulu. He didn’t want to hurt her. Neither did Lulu. She said, don’t defend Lulu to her. She knew Lulu better. He said, another reason for him not to talk to her. He knew how much Lulu meant to her and he didn’t want to ruin their friendship over something that hadn’t started. She said, now that it had, it didn’t matter how she felt, and he said tell him how that worked. She’d picked Spinelli and moved on with her life. What was he supposed to do? Stay alone for the rest of his life?

Britt said, Lucas thought she was a hero? He didn’t have to get involved. He said she stuck her neck out. She was coerced and he couldn’t let that stand. She said, what about Marco? She was concerned that at the end of all this, he wouldn’t be able to walk away from his father. Lucas said he would. He believed in Marco and needed her to believe in them. They were committed to getting her meds, reverse engineering them, and getting her out from under Sidwell and Cullum’s thumbs. She said, shut up. It was already bad enough to be grateful. Don’t make her admire him too.

Jason told Carly that the only way to get Britt out was for them to disappear, but he couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. Carly asked where they were going, and he said he couldn’t tell her. Take care of herself. She told him to promise he’d come back, and he said, promise to be smart. Getting Josslyn out was going to be dangerous and complicated. Do not go charging in blindly. If she was hellbent on working with Valentin, work with him. Don’t ignore his advice. She asked if he was telling her to listen to Valentin, and he said Valentin knew the players and understood the stakes. He thought she was probably safer with him than without him. He wished he could be there to help, but… She said Britt needed him, and he said he felt like he was deserting her. She said he wasn’t. He was trusting her and she couldn’t tell him how much that meant.

Kristina said Cody had made it clear how much he cared about Molly. She doubted he’d be scared off that easy. You never knew. She might change her mind about not wanting kids. Molly said that wasn’t happening and she didn’t want to lead Cody on, but it seemed premature. Who knew if they would last? Kristina said there were no guarantees, and Molly said maybe she was making a big deal out of nothing, but Kristina said it wasn’t nothing if it bothered her.

Cody wondered if he should check in, and Dante said Molly was probably freaked out too. She probably didn’t like that he saw her like that. Cody asked if couples didn’t lean on each other when times got tough, but Dante said it took time to build that kind of trust. Even when he thought Lulu was the one, there were still miscommunications. Cody said, adulting was hard, and Dante said they could both work hard on the relationship and it still might not work out. Cody said, best pep talk ever, and Dante said he wasn’t in the best headspace to give advice. Cody said, Lulu and Nathan? and Dante said it made him think about all the ways he went wrong. She’d pleaded for him not to leave Port Charles, but he was convinced he’d hurt her. He thought he’d come back and they’d pick up where they left off, but she’d moved on with her life without him and there was no longer a place for him in it.

Nathan said it sounded like Maxie didn’t want him to be happy, but she said, of course (🍷) she felt he should move on and have an amazing life. He said, just not with Lulu, and she said, not with Lulu. He said, why not? and she said because Lulu was hers.

Charlotte went to see Valentin and promised she’d been careful. He said he thought Lulu wasn’t letting Charlotte out of her sight, but she said Lulu trusted her to be on her own and she’d do what she promised. She’d pick up Rocco and head home after she told him what Nina told Jack. She was interning at Crimson and Jack came by to push Nina about getting information on where he was. After he left, Nina asked about Valentin and said she had a message for him. She almost confronted Nina, but then it hit her that she could lie to Nina, and Nina would pass along the misinformation to Brennan and throw him off the trail. Valentin asked where she said he was.

Britt said if Brad knew she and Lucas were working together, his head would explode, and Lucas asked what Britt wasn’t saying. She said she knew Rocco had people who loved and protected him, but would he mind looking out for Rocco anyway? He said, of course (🍷), but he had faith she’d do it herself soon enough, and she said she should probably go before she owed him. He said by the time they were done, she’d owe him her life.

Carly said how many times had Jason rescued her, no questions, no hesitation, no matter the cost, and he said he’d do it again. She said, this time he’s letting her do the rescuing so he can take care of Britt. She wanted him to know that she was up for it, and he said he knew, and he knew she’d do everything in her power to save Josslyn. She said, with Valentin’s help, and he said that part he didn’t love. She said, yet Valentin was still breathing, and he said, for now. If anything happened to her, that could change. She said she’d get Josslyn out of the WSB safely and tell him about it over a beer, and he said, deal. He said he hated leaving her, and she said no more than she hated leaving him. She’d be there when he got back. He said he would be back, and she asked what he was going to tell Danny. He said Danny was struggling and he didn’t want to burden him or lie to him and wasn’t sure, and she asked if he wanted her advice. He and the moss bowl 🎍 said, of course (🍷), and she said tell him he didn’t know when he was coming back, that he loved him, and she’d be there if he needed her. Jason thanked her and said, knowing that made it easier. He took her hand and she asked when he was leaving. He said, as soon as Britt got what she needed, and they hugged. She said she loved him and cried.

Valentin said he liked the way Charlotte thought and appreciated the offer, but he didn’t want her passing misinformation to Nina. If it got out that she knew anything, she’d be under intense scrutiny. Stick to her story that she hadn’t heard from him. She said she thought she should pick up her brother before Lulu found out about her side trip. She worried about disappearing on her mom. She wanted to be with him, but didn’t want to hurt her mom. How long did she have when she got the key with the red ribbon? Where would they meet? He said the situation had changed a little bit. They weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. If he played his cards right, they may not leave at all.

Dante said if it meant Cody had a chance to be with Molly, he should tell her how he felt. If they both held back, they could miss their shot at happiness. Cody said, that was a pep talk, and Dante said he knew he had it in him. They clinked beer bottles.

Kristina said if Molly didn’t want to tell Cody now, she didn’t have to, and Molly said it was typical of her to already let the fact that she didn’t want kids to come between them. That’s why she was there and not with him. But if they had a shot at a real relationship, she’d have to tell him.

Nathan asked if Maxie owned Lulu, but she said, no. She didn’t own Lulu, but Lulu was her best friend. Lulu was the person she’d talk to when he got a new girlfriend. How was she supposed to go to Lulu when the new girlfriend was her? He and Lulu had each other. Who did she have? There was a knock at the door, and Maxie opened it to Lulu.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Lulu went to Maxie’s, and Maxie said she and Nathan were just talking about her. Lulu said she was here now, so they could stop talking about her and start talking to her.

At the hospital, Trina asks if Elizabeth has seen her mom. She wasn’t in her office. Elizabeth says, maybe she’s with a patient. What’s up? Trina says, nothing crazy. She just has a little surprise for her when she goes on her break. Elizabeth said, she’s going to love that, and she could use the downtime. She’ll let Portia know. Trina thanks her, when Brook comes in. She says she was hoping to find Elizabeth. Has any family shown up looking for Delilah and her baby? Elizabeth says, no, not yet, but she’s sure Dante and the police were still looking and would figure it out. Brook asks how the little one is doing, and Elizabeth suggests they go to the NICU and see.

On the phone at the station, Dante says, let him know if they see anyone in the footage that matches the description of the woman in the pictures… Okay. That’s the date range… Great. He thanks them, when Chase comes in and asks if Dante has a second. Dante asks, what’s up? and Chase says he’d like to volunteer to help find Baby Jane Doe’s family.

On the phone at Jordan’s, Curtis suggests they table the discussion. He’ll be in the office tomorrow. Right now he’s working from home. They’ll talk then and work it out. The doorbell rings, and Curtis opens the door to Stella, who asks what he’s doing here.  

At the salon, Turner thanks Jordan for meeting her, and Jordan says, any time Turner is in the mood for a midday mani/pedi, she’s her girl. Turner says she only has time for a mani today, and Jordan says she’s in serious need of pampering and getting the deluxe. She wants to switch it up this time. What color says corporate power? Turner seems lost in thought and Jordan says, lay it on me. Turner says, what? and Jordan says, exactly. They’re in the middle of a nail salon. More confessions happen here than at the PCPD. So if she had to guess, she bets they’ll be talking about Sonny… again.

Sonny goes into Charlie’s and finds Gio playing the guitar. Sonny asks if he knew that Gio played the guitar, but Gio says, probably not. He’s a man of many talents. Sonny says, such as? and Gio says he’s magnificent at parallel parking and an excellent pinocle player. Sonny asks what he’s doing there by himself, and Gio says he’s checking the acoustics. Kristina is doing an open mic night and he’s helping out with the sound. Obviously, it will sound different with a crowd, but he wanted to check out the room. Sonny says Gio doesn’t have to make excuses with him, and Gio says, for what? Sonny says, if he wants to play music, play music.

Brook and Elizabeth go to the NICU and Elizabeth says, let’s see how the little one is doing. She’s off the ventilator. That means her lungs are stronger. She looks at the chart and says, and she’s gained a little weight from her feeding tube. That’s great. Brook says, yeah. She just wishes the baby didn’t look so alone. Elizabeth says, the NICU staff is wonderful. Everybody who works here comes by at least once a day. She’s a bit of a celebrity. Brook asks if Elizabeth thinks she can hold the baby.

Lulu asks if she can come in, and Maxie says, of course (🍷). It used to be her house after all. Lulu asks if they should sit down, and Maxie asks how long she’s planning on staying. Lulu says, it’s up to her, and Maxie says, so if whatever this is goes south, it’s her fault. Lulu tells her, that’s not what she said at all, and Nathan says, ladies, stop fighting over me. They’re faces are priceless, and he says he thought that might get their attention. Maxie says, now that he has it, what does he want? and he says, what he doesn’t want is this.

Stella says, Jordan is out and Curtis is here? It’s nice Jordan let him work from her home. Curtis says, actually, it’s their home.

Turner says she’s been meaning to tell Jordan how much she appreciates her advice about Sonny. As acting DA, there’s not a lot of people she can invite in. Jordan says she hopes she didn’t come down on Turner too hard, and Turner says, Jordan was being straight with her, and she needed it. The truth is, Jordan helped her avoid a complete and utter disaster. She flashes back to asking Sonny if it’s worth it, and him saying, there’s only one way to find out, and kissing her. Jordan says she’s glad to hear it.

Gio says he’s playing this old guitar instead of the beautiful violin Sonny and Ric got him, and Sonny says, that’s not it. Don’t pressure himself. He doesn’t have to explain himself. Gio says he appreciates that, and Sonny says, since they’re talking about it, he wants Gio to do something for him. Gio says, what? and Sonny says, take a good hard look at himself in the mirror and figure out what he wants.

Dante tells Chase that he’s been following up on the airport, train station, and bus station about the baby and her mother. He figures it can’t hurt to apply a little pressure. Chase says, good to know Dante is following up. He’s sure they already canvassed the hotels. Did anything shake out there? Dante says, no one registered under the name of Delilah. It was like she didn’t check in anywhere. Chase asks if there were any no shows, but Dante says he checked that too, and there were none. His phone rings and he says, it’s the Union Square Station.  

Brook says, hi there, little girl. She’s sorry, but she refuses to call her Baby Jane Doe. It might be hospital protocol, but when she says it out loud… She just realized, they’ve never officially met. She’s Brooklyn. She knew the baby’s mom for a little while. She was the last friend her mom made before she… She’s going to sit and talk to her for a little bit. She doesn’t mind, does she?

Felicia says if the PCPD can’t locate Baby Jane Doe’s family, she’ll be released into foster care, and Elizabeth says she hopes it doesn’t come to that. Felicia says, her too, and Elizabeth says she was in the room when they baby was born. Felicia says, that must have been hard, and Elizabeth says, it was. She spent time with the mom before she passed out, and she didn’t present herself as someone who was alone in the world without resources. It’s got to be some kind of mix up. Felicia says, it’s strange how things can turn on a dime, and Elizabeth wonders if they’re still talking about the baby. Felicia says, not entirely. Did Elizabeth know that Nathan and Lulu were seeing each other? Elizabeth says she did just hear something about that, and Felicia said she saw them kiss. Elizabeth asks what that was like, and Felicia says, it was a surprise and not great. Elizabeth says she can imagine, and Felicia says she doesn’t want to be a meddling mother, but it seems unfair to Maxie and Dante. Elizabeth says, if she doesn’t want to be a meddling mother, don’t be a meddling mother.

Maxie says, Lulu is here now, so she knows Lulu has something to say about this, and Lulu says, if she decides not to move forward with Nathan because of Maxie, she’s going to end up resenting the hell out of her and she doesn’t want that. Maxie says, okay. She guesses Lulu thinks it’s better for everyone if she’s the resentful one then.

Jordan says, damn it, and Turner asks if somebody is looking for her while they’re playing hooky, but Jordan says, it’s nothing like that. Turner asks if Jordan wants to talk about it. She owes her one. Jordan says, it’s not worth it, but Turner says, come on. Jordan says, it’s about a towel order. She ordered some plush towels and just got a notification that they’re going to be delayed. Turner says she had no idea Jordan was dealing with something that deep, and Jordan says she knew she shouldn’t bother with monograms, and Turner says, plural? Jordan says, it so happens that she has someone living with her and she wants to give her bathroom an upgrade, and Turner asks if she has a new roommate. Jordan says, an old new roommate. Her ex, Curtis, is moving in. Turner says, that’s huge. Congrats then. Jordan says they’ve had their problems, and Turner says, he’s an ex, so she assumed. Jordan says, yeah, but this time it feels right. They’re happy. Turner says she’s happy for them, and Jordan says she knows Willow’s trial wasn’t that long ago, and Portia’s revelation on the stand wasn’t the first nail in their marital coffin. Turner says, got it, and Jordan says she knows from the outside it seems like she and Curtis are moving quickly, but they’re really not. Turner says she’s not judging Jordan. She’s a smart woman and knows what she’s doing. Jordan says, the reasons they split up were complicated, but their reasons for getting back together are simple. She thinks it’s going to work out this time. Portia and Trina walk in.

Dante tells Chase that he got a hit from the Union Station footage. A woman matching the mother’s description was getting off a train in Manhattan. Security now has two suitcases with first class tags on them. Nathan is picking them up now. Chase says, great. He can help with inventory and voucher the contents. Dante says he’d love that, but Chase can’t do detective work while he’s wearing the uniform, and Chase says he understands. Dante says he’s sorry. He promises to let Chase know as soon as he has a name. Chase says, that would mean a lot, when Nathan comes in. He says he got them, and Dante says he’ll let Chase know as soon as he knows something, and leaves with Nathan.

Curtis says he signed over the house to Portia, and Stella says, that was quite a gesture. He says he was actually happy to do it, and she says she’s proud of him. So how did he end up living here? He says he was out looking for a place, and Jordan offered. It’s a great location. Look at the view. They’re happy here. She says she always wants him to be happy, but she has to ask. Did he let the ink dry on his divorce papers before he moved in?

Trina tells Portia, sorry. Maybe they should go. She doesn’t want Portia to feel uncomfortable. Portia says she and Jordan will never be friends, but they’re going to have to coexist sometime. So they can start today. Turner tells Jordan that she has to get back to the office. She’ll see if she can make it through the rest of the day without ruining her manicure. She thanks Jordan for meeting her and they hug. Turner says, congratulations on her new roommate, and Jordan says, congratulations on staying away from Sonny. Keep up the good work. Turner leaves.  

Sonny says, since Gio was living with him, he’d watched what Gio had to deal with in the past year, and Gio says, it was a lot. Sonny says, it’s taken its toll on Gio, and he had to walk away from everything, and Gio says, it definitely helped. Sonny says, right. Gio and Brook weren’t talking and look at them now. But he has to move forward and find out what he wants. If he wants to play music, he should play music, but at some point he has to finish school or get a job. Gio says he’s working at Bobbie’s, and Sonny says, that’s an honest living, but it’s not long term, at least not for him. Or maybe it is. Only Gio knows what that is. Gio says he needs to figure out what that is, and Sonny says he thinks Gio already knows. When he walked in, Gio was playing guitar to an audience of no one. That pretty much tells him that music is very important to him.

Lulu says, wow. Maxie has seen through her evil plan. She’s been trying to get Maxie to resent her, so she didn’t have to resent Maxie. Maxie says she and Nathan have a child. Don’t minimize the situation. Lulu says, then please don’t twist her words around when Maxie knows that wasn’t what she meant, and Maxie asks how Lulu thought this was supposed to turn out. Lulu says she doesn’t know, but she knows she doesn’t want either of them to be resentful. Maybe that’s just not possible. Lulu gets her coat, and Maxie says she feel betrayed, especially because she doesn’t understand how the two of them let this happen. She knows how much they both love her. Lulu says, they really do, and Maxie says, then why didn’t Lulu tell her that she had feelings for Nathan? The moment she woke up, Lulu hugged her and welcomed her back, but she was lying the entire time. That changes how she feels about them.

Curtis says he knows what he’s doing, and Stella says, he does, most of the time. His marriage just ended very recently. Does he really think it’s a good time to move in with another woman, let alone his other ex-wife? Curtis says, Jordan isn’t another woman and not just his ex. He thought she liked Jordan. She says she loves Jordan and she likes it that they’re together. It’s just… the timing concerns her. Don’t get her wrong, but she feels like he’s not giving himself time to grieve his marriage to Portia. He says, trust him. He grieved plenty when he was in it. She says she understands that. She just doesn’t want to see him rebound with Jordan. He says, Jordan is no rebound, and she says, Jordan is family. That means she could get hurt and so could he. So he should take a step back. Be with her, but don’t live with her. Not yet. Please.

Felicia tells Elizabeth that she knows it doesn’t matter how she feels about Nathan and Lulu. The only thing that matters is what Maxie thinks. Elizabeth says, Felicia gets to have all the feelings she wants, but focusing on Maxie is the way to go. Sometimes the best thing a mom can do is be loving and supportive while their kid figures out a very tough situation.

Lulu says she didn’t tell Maxie about her and Nathan because… How could she? Maxie had just woken up out of a coma. Maxie says, Lulu knew that on top of everything, she had a huge decision to make, and Lulu says, and it had to be hers. Maxie says, if she’d chosen Nathan, would Lulu have walked away? and Lulu says she thought there was no way Nathan would pass up a chance at the life he’d had with her and James. The only reason to move on would be if Maxie chose Spinelli. Maxie asks if that’s what Lulu wanted, and Lulu says, selfishly. She admits that. Maxie says she can’t believe Lulu just admitted that, and Lulu says she’s sorry, but she wanted to know if there was something real between them. She also wanted that for Maxie and Spinelli. Maxie has no idea how terrific Spinelli has been. If Maxie hadn’t come back, she has no idea what would have happened. She wanted the two of them to continue their beautiful life together. She loves Maxie. Maxie is her best friend, not some obstacle to her happiness.

Nathan asks if he and Dante are good, and Dante says, we’re grown-ups and stuff happens. (My new motto.) Nathan says, yeah. Stuff happens. Dante says, there’s no reason Nathan should miss his chance with Lulu. He’d love nothing more than to blame someone else, but he can’t, so they’re good. Let’s do this. They put on gloves to examine the luggage contents.

Brook tells the baby that Elizabeth said she’s doing great. It’s a really good hospital, so they’re taking good care of her. She doesn’t have to worry, okay? She’s sorry the baby is all alone. She and the baby’s mom have something in common. She never… She never got to hold her baby either. She gave him up after she gave birth. It’s better now, but sometimes she just can’t help imagining what it would be like to hold her son that day. Who knows? Maybe she’ll get to hold her. She knows she’s not the same as the baby’s own mom, but it might help her understand that people care about her. Chase knocks gently at the window.

Sonny says, Gio is stuck passing time and as his grandfather, he doesn’t want to enable him. He wants to encourage him. Gio says, the thing is, all of his life, it was a forgone conclusion that he was going to be a violinist. That was the plan from day one. It all changed at the Nurses Ball. Everything he thought was true, made him question everything. Like, who was he without music? If he wasn’t on stage or in a concert hall, what did he have to offer? Sonny says, Gio needs to hear what he has to say. He loves Gio and doesn’t care if he plays the guitar, the violin, or the tambourine. He’s telling him to go get back to the real work. Gio says he wants to find what else he’s good at, what makes him happy, but he doesn’t know where to start, and Sonny says, start anywhere. Just take that first step. Gio wonders what that is.

Trina looks at her phone and says, oh no. Portia asks, what’s wrong? and Trina says, a paper she just turned in. For some reason it’s not showing up in her online portal. She has to get the professor a hard copy just in case. She has time to do it if she hurries. Portia says, that’s okay. This was amazing. Don’t kick anything. Her pedicure is barely dry. Trina says she’s a Jedi master at getting it done without messing up her toes. If she does, they’ll come back another time. Portia says, sounds good. She’ll see Trina later. Trina leaves, and Jordan says, excuse me, and runs to the back of the salon.

Dante says he’s got women’s clothing, high-end labels. Stuff you’d find in shops in Manhattan. Nathan says he’s got baby items, still in the packaging. He’s got diapers, onesies, baby blankets. Dante says, what is this? and holds up a paper. This is a list of art galleries in Soho and Chelsea. Got anything else? Nathan says, nothing. No phone, no ID, no laptop. Dante says, at least they have the luggage tags. Nathan wonders if it’s her real name, but Dante says he has no idea, but at least it’s something to go on. (I want to know how Dante knows about high-end clothing and galleries in Manhattan.)

Chase tells Brook that he spoke to Dante. It turns out Delilah showed up in the security footage at Union Station. Brook says, that’s great news. What else did he find out? Chase says, she came in on the train from Manhattan, first class, but when she came into Port Charles, she didn’t pick up her luggage. She left it behind at Union Station. Strange, isn’t it? Brook says, unless she wasn’t well enough to deal with it, given the state they found her in. Chase says, Nathan and Dante are going through her bags right now. So he’s here hoping maybe he can find something that helps locate the family. In the meantime, it looks like the baby has a great pinch hitter. Brook says, she’s a sweetie. Elizabeth said she put on weight. He says, she’s a fighter, and Brook says, she’s a great listener too. Did he know they have special status here in the NICU? So does he want to meet the baby?

Maxie says, it’s about her and Lulu. Lulu is her best friend, the person she always tells anything to. She never edited or censured herself around Lulu. Now this. How does that not change? Lulu says, change happens whether they want it to or not. Would she have chosen this situation? Obviously not. She just hopes they can figure out what the new them looks like. Maxie says she likes them the way they were, the way they’ve always been, and Lulu says her too. It’s going to be different, but that doesn’t mean the new them still can’t be good. Maxie says she thinks the reason she had such an emotional reaction to Lulu and Nathan is that she feels like she’s losing them both, but Lulu says, Maxie would never lose her. She refuses to lose Maxie. Doesn’t she get it? Maxie is her person.

Dante finds Elizabeth at the hospital, and she says, he’s not back for his hand. He says, unfortunately not… Not unfortunately. She did an amazing job. She says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and he says, that’s right. He doesn’t thank her for that. How is the baby? She says, she’s got the entire staff wrapped around her itty-bitty finger. So pretty well, she’d say. Dante says, nice, and she says, any luck finding the family? He says, actually, yeah. He thinks he may have a lead. That’s why he’s here. The baby’s mother left luggage at Union Station with tags and her full name. So they’re looking for the family of Delilah Wilson.

Chase tells the baby, you know that super pretty girl who was in here earlier? That was his wife. He wants her to know that when his wife sets her mind to something, nothing in this world could stop her. So trust him when he says his wife won’t rest until she’s with her family. Brook watches at the window, and he says, she’s probably wondering when she’s going to be with her family. He wants her to know that a lot of good people are working really hard to find them. All she’s got to do is rest. All right. Maybe a lullaby will help. His niece Violet used to love when he sang it. Maybe she will too. He sings Lullaby and Good Night (seriously, who knows all the words to that?) and he and Brook both tear up.

Felicia goes home, and Maxie says, Nathan came by to drop off James and then Lulu stopped by. Felicia says, they were here at the same time? but Maxie says, Nathan dropped off James and left as quickly as he could. Probably a smart move. He was still Nathan and did that thing where he stuck around long enough to be helpful. Felicia says, in what way? and Maxie says, he got her and Lulu talking to each other. Felicia asks if there was trouble. She can’t picture either of them at a loss for words. Maxie says, it was actually the opposite. They had so much to say and didn’t know how to say it to each other. Nathan did his thing to help them and she kind of understands their perspective more. She has hope that she and Lulu will be okay. Felicia says Maxie doesn’t have to be okay with something if it hurts her and doesn’t have to pretend to be okay if she’s not. Not with her. She’s Maxie’s mom and on her side. Maxie says she knows and she’s not pretending. Now she knows she won’t lose Lulu or Nathan. Felicia asks if things can go back to the way they were before, but Maxie says she doesn’t think so. It will definitely be different – maybe a little weird – but she doesn’t want to get in the way of either of them finding the kind of happiness that she and Nathan once had. She was lucky enough to find love again with Spinelli. Felicia says, Maxie is in incredible friend and a great human being. She’s so proud of her. They hug.

Dante tells Nathan that the name is Delilah Wilson, and Nathan says he’ll run it through the missing persons database. Dante says he appreciates it and thanks Nathan. Lulu comes in and Nathan asks how it went with Maxie. She says, it was hard, but she thinks they’ll be fine. Maybe not right away, but hopefully soon. Nathan says, good, and Lulu asks what he thinks about her place for dinner. He can help her keep an eye on Charlotte and make sure she actually stays in the house. He says, sounds perfect.

Sonny suggests Gio take one class at PCU this summer and see how he feels getting back at campus. Gio says, let him guess – music class – and Sonny says, anything but. It’s a big university. Pick anything else. Gio says he can do that, and Sonny says, momentum builds momentum. He’s not telling Gio to hide from music. Gio says he’s not sure what Sonny means, and Sonny says, forget performing for now. Make music for himself, like Gio was doing when he walked in. Gio says, one step at a time, and Sonny pats his shoulder and says, one step at a time.

Curtis tells Stella that he knows it seems like he’s moving fast, when his phone rings. He says he’s got to take this and answers. He says, yes, he’ll hold, and Stella says she needs to leave Jordan a note. Curtis says, Jordan’s got a pen and pad in every bag she owns. Try that one. He points to her bag, and Stella digs around. She takes out the pregnancy test. (I won’t even go into how wrong it is to tell someone to look in another woman’s bag. Unless it’s an emergency and she needs an EpiPen.)  

Jordan come back, and Portia says, not feeling so hot? Jordan says she’s had better days, and Portia says, Jordan looks as green as she was at the Quartermaines’ tea party. Maybe she’s pregnant too… You’ve got to be kidding. You’re pregnant.

On Monday, Tracy says she fell of her horse; Stella asks if Jordan is saying it’s possible she might terminate the pregnancy; and Jason tells Sonny that on his way out of town, he’s going to eliminate that pest.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

I guess Lulu is a bit of a pot stirrer, but him being hot is enough for me.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-exclusive-kirsten-storms-helped-alexa-havins-accept-lulu-nathan-romance/

My only problem would be having to put sunglasses on to look at him.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-ric-alexis-nancy-lee-grahn-on-bond-with-rick-hearst-hes-my-guy-excl/

It’s great that they’re discussing this topic. For too many years, women were told they were exaggerating or it was all in their head. Hint: That’s not where it is.

https://people.com/kate-mansi-says-life-saving-surgery-led-to-endometriosis-diagnosis-exclusive-11924271

He’s the best of the best.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/young-restless-exclusive-as-nick-hunts-matt-joshua-morrow-praises-true-artist-roger-howarth/

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

Alesia and Jenna vied for Eddy, and Ben said he was just focusing on his big job. Mike bugged Alesia about having a boyfriend, but she blew him off, saying she just wanted to get her job done. Moving on, Mike thought Ellie was into him because she gave him a peck on the cheek, but in Ellie’s interview, she said she had her eyes on the prize – João. New primary Mecca, founder of PYNK magazine, made it clear that her standards were high and the group was a hungry bunch. (Let me clarify. I mean literally hungry for food.) A new oven was coming, and Ben said he could get around the broken one, but it wasn’t going to be pretty. The charter guests were a solid 9 on the tricky scale. Mecca made Ben cringe with asking him, is that your best? over and over.

Summer House

Watching these people must be what it’s like to be the only sober one in the room. Watching them getting drunk and being messy is getting old, not to mention they’re getting too old for it. When Kyle gave Amanda a watch in front of the group, she told them it was really meant to give him more attention, causing everyone to give in and applaud for him. Is the season over yet?

Vanderpump Rules

At least they put the two worst shows on the same night, and this one actually is over. It was the last of the Reunion and they should have a drinking game every time someone said penis pump. We’d have all been drunk two minutes in. Audrey claimed she’d gotten death threats online because of Angelica’s posts, and Angelica whined that she too had been threatened. Actually, the whole thing was a lot of whining, but mercifully ended with a round of Penis Pump Pumptinis.  

Southern Charm

This was also at an end, with Patricia rounding out the season with a black-tie Carolina Day party. Whitney gave a speech, Charley broke up with Craig, and so did Austen. Salley finally ditched the chickens, giving them to her mom for the farm (where they should have been in the first place), but it looks like she ended up with Austen as a consolation prize. For now.


Southern Hospitality

Where one crappy show ends, another begins. The biggest shock was that people are still using PowerPoint. The highlight for me was a meeting between Joe and boss lady Leva. In her interview, she said she’d wanted to cut him in on one of the businesses, but he hadn’t proved reliable. Even better, she said if he kept it up, she’d be showing him the door. He seemed to think he was irreplaceable, and in his interview, compared himself to Brad Pitt, saying, even if Brad was lackadaisical about his job, he’d never be replaced. News flash: He would. Unless he was the producer.

Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills

Still in Florence, the women attended a private opera (take that Timothée Chalamet). Rachel said she lived at the villa now, and in her interview, she said she will die tan and wearing Chanel. Amanda talked about the cult, saying it was scary, isolating, and controlling, and – shazam! – it had given her the next book idea. There was more kerfuffle about her opinion on Dorit’s life, and Kathy told Amanda that if she didn’t know the person, read the room and know her place. In Erika’s interview, she said, if Kathy Hilton tells you to read the room and know your place, you’re f***ed. Rachel had gotten a text from one of her sons telling her that Rodger had given him a talk about the girlfriend, causing her to freak. She said if she did drugs or smoked cigarettes, now would be the time.

Ladies of London: The New Reign

The wardrobe is enough for me to continue with this show. Myka met with Dara to discuss Dara’s gossiping about her, but Dara gave nothing but excuses, claiming she was a victim too. There was finally a sort of apology, but in Myka’s interview, she said life was short and she was done. Still loving Martha, but she seems to fall a bit short in the decision making department. Having left her last flat because of a stalker, she gave the key to her new one to a handyman who was a total stranger. This woman desperately needs a life coach or something.

Random Reality Items

She feels safer in Dubai. If I had her skabillions, I would too.

Old New York’s return.

The latest New York makes a return.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/sai-de-silva-jessel-taank-erin-lichy-newbies-rhony-season-16-cast-announced

As usual, New Jersey wants to follow in New York’s footsteps.

Regrets of two Housewives.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Section 31. Paramount+, Hulu. From what I read, apparently Star Trek fans aren’t happy with this one. While I’ve seen and enjoyed many shows in the Star Trek universe, I’m not even close to a hardcore fan, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of weird creatures, great fight scenes, and Michelle Yeoh. Who cares about history?

https://www.ign.com/articles/star-trek-section-31-review-michelle-yeoh-paramount-plus

Shell, Paramount+, Hulu. Another body horror, thriller, be-careful-what-you-wish-for parable. A former child actor Samantha (Elizabeth Moss) is having a hard time getting parts in middle age. An influencer she used to babysit tells her to try the Shell Clinic, run by beauty maven Zoe (Kate Hudson), who promises youthful beauty forever, as long as you keep coming back for treatments. She asks, what is it worth to you? and tells Samantha, how you look determines who survives. Needless to say, nothing is what it seems. The acting was excellent and the characters seemed real. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Randall Park (Hunter in Strays) in a supporting role. While it’s one cautionary tale among many, the story wasn’t bad, and I enjoyed the satire. It also had one of the best horror film lines ever: Chloe turned into a giant lobster and she’s trying to kill us! It doesn’t get much better than that.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/shell-elizabeth-moss-kate-hudson-movie-review-2025

https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/shell-review-elisabeth-moss-kate-hudson-1235046598/

The Dinosaurs. Netflix. A four-part documentary about the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, this is less about the story and more about the amazing visual effects. With more dinosaurs than all the Jurassic Park movies rolled into one, it was a prehistoric feast for the eyes. Morgan Freeman narrated, but I have to admit, halfway through I thought, if I ever had insomnia, listening to him would definitely take care of that.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/steven-spielberg-the-dinosaurs-netflix-series-watch-trailer-1236495912/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/netflix-the-dinosaurs

🔮 Watch Of the Future…

I’m not sure why we need to have this back, but the good news is that Lala will be joining the cast. Oh yeah, Schwartz too.

https://deadline.com/gallery/the-valley-season-3-cast-photos-bravo/

Top Chef has returned, this time in the Carolinas, and with Kristen Kish taking Padma’s place.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/top-chef-producers-reveal-behind-the-scenes-filming-production-secrets-season-23-premiere

I doubt if Barry will ever really be ready to mingle. And Sandra Bullock? Really?

https://people.com/welcome-to-plathville-lydia-delivers-ultimatum-in-season-8-trailer-exclusive-11916504

Sharknado 2.0.

https://ew.com/phoebe-dynevor-shark-movie-netflix-thrash-trailer-11924776

Coming June 7th.

https://ew.com/the-vampire-lestat-interview-with-the-vampire-season-3-gets-premiere-date-11925374

🎥 Coming Soon To a Cinema Near You…

This time, the whole family is involved.

https://ew.com/kevin-bacon-kyra-sedgwick-play-parents-real-life-kids-first-look-horror-comedy-family-movie-11920744

This looks possibly worthy of seeing in the theatre.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/project-hail-mary-super-bowl-trailer-rocky-alien

Was there ever any doubt?

https://ew.com/kpop-demon-hunters-sequel-original-team-returning-11924982

🦄 Wonders In the Wild…

🐉 Look, don’t touch.

https://people.com/dangerous-blue-dragons-are-showing-up-on-texas-beaches-11924904

🦅 A reward for photographic persistence.

https://people.com/rare-white-bald-eagle-photographed-after-hours-of-patience-in-missouri-11925005

🦥 Surprise!

https://people.com/scientists-discover-extinct-marsupials-alive-after-6000-years-11923748

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

🐦‍🔥 Quotes of the Week

Your greatness is measured by your kindness; your education and intellect by your modesty; your ignorance is betrayed by your suspicions and prejudices, and your real caliber is measured by the consideration and tolerance you have for others. – William J.H. Boetcker

Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.Neil Gaiman

You can think you know someone then find out you never even met them. It sucks, but it happens all the time. – Princess (Paola Lázaro), The Walking Dead

Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you. – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I think I learned the truth of like, that which you most need to find is where you least wish to look — you know, the greater the challenge, the greater the reward. – Carlie Hunnam about playing Ed Gein

Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity. – Augustine Og Mandino II

I’m fluent in your exhales. – Bill Hamilton (Timon Durrett), Beyond the Gates

🌱 No Winter Lasts Forever…

Until next time, stay safe; stay not putting away your winter clothing just yet (speaking from experience); and stay living for yourself, not other people’s opinions.

The Beatles – The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun (Official Music Video) [2019 Mix]

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

Standard

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.

August 23, 2024 – A Meltdown At the Cemetery, So Lucky, Temp Sam, New Guy, Rejection, In the OC, Dead Book, Finishing Last, Behind the Dragon, Good Romance, Very Funny, Decagonal Quotes & Cake

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Kristina asks what Molly said, and Molly says, Kristina heard her. She had a choice. Protect her baby or Kristina’s father, and she chose Sonny. The truth is right here. Her sweet, innocent baby is buried right here because of Kristina.

Chase calls Brook from the station, and she says she only has a minute. He says, that’s fine. He just wanted to see how her mom’s segment is going. Caller Myrna says she thought Lois was supposed to entice viewers, not send them diving for the mute button. Lois’s accent is so distracting, she can’t focus on the products. Brook says she’s got to go, and Haven asks if Myrna perhaps had a bad experience with someone from the lovely borough of Brooklyn, or is she just having a bad day period? Dante walks in, and Maxie asks what he’s doing here. He says he’s looking for her. It’s Lulu. She’s been moved to General Hospital.

Elizabeth briefly takes Lulu’s hand, then sees Laura coming into the room. Laura asks, how’s Lulu?

We see a crude prison cell. A prisoner with leg irons is shoved into it.

Maxie asks what Dante means, and Dante says, the doctors are worried about Lulu, but she says she doesn’t know what that means. What did the doctors say exactly? He says he’s getting this information from Laura, but he guesses she’s had a setback, so the doctors want her moved to GH so they can handle her medical needs better. Maxie says she doesn’t like the way that sounds. It seems like there’s something wrong. He says he wishes he had more information, but he doesn’t. He just thought she’d like to know as soon as possible. She says, he was right, thanks him, and goes back to work.

Lois says she understands her accent takes a little getting used to, and Myrna says, a little? Haven says she was raised that it’s bad manners to critique the way someone speaks, and anyone with even a basic modicum of knowledge about etiquette would know it’s very rude to offer unsolicited advice on someone’s physical attributes. She’s sure Myrna has a lot of things to do today, and thanks her for calling. Lois says, the good news is, that Deception’s new Deceiver serum plumps and rejuvenates your skin no matter what your accent. Brook and Tracy watch, and Brook smiles. Haven says, exactly. And here at Home & Heart, we encourage everyone to use their voice and use Deception’s skin care products. Their skin will thank them.

Elizabeth suggests she and Laura talk outside, and they go to the waiting area. Laura asks if there’s been a change, and Elizabeth says, Lulu is stable, but her liver function is still declining. Laura says she doesn’t understand this. She has been on the same protocol for years. Why the sudden change? Elizabeth says, they don’t know why this is happening. They’ve already run additional tests. She knows it’s hard, but they just have to wait for them to come through. In the meantime, she’s doing everything she can to keep Lulu comfortable. Laura thanks her for doing that, and Elizabeth says, it was smart to bring her here. No offense to the long-term facility, but she can get better, more comprehensive testing and treatment here at GH. She’s in good hands. Laura says, especially hers, and Elizabeth says, Port Charles is Lulu’s home. Now she’s surrounded by people who love her. Laura starts to cry, and Elizabeth says, doctors and nurses included. They’re going to get her through this. Laura thanks her.

Molly says, Kristina is looking for absolution, for people to tell her this isn’t her fault. She wants to blame Ava, but this is on her. Nobody dragged her to Ava’s hotel room. She went there on her own and she picked a fight. (I can’t imagine talking like this to my sister, no matter what happened.) Kristina says she went there to protect her family, and Molly says, couldn’t she have waited, waited the few weeks her baby needed to be born? TJ tries to get her to stop, but Molly continues to yell. Molly says she knew she shouldn’t have trusted Kristina. She’s so selfish and self-absorbed. Alexis says, please stop it. Not now, please. Molly says, and there it is. Right on time. Mom swoops in to protect Kristina. You could basically set your watch by it. Alexis says, that’s not what it is, but Molly says, of course (🍷) it is. Because it’s impossible to imagine a world where Kristina has to take responsibility for her own actions without Alexis running in to defend her. Is that why she was so eager to get her law license back? So she could help Kristina steal thier baby? Alexis cries and covers her face with her hands.

Sam says, they know Molly is devastated, but this isn’t helping. Molly says she doesn’t care, and Ric says, let him and TJ take her home. Molly asks if they think she’s just making this up. That she’s just imagining mom was going to help Kristina steal her baby. Alexis says, that’s not what happened, and Molly takes a paper out of her bag. She says she found this in Alexis’s briefcase this morning, an affidavit written by Kristina saying she planned to file for custody of her baby. Alexis says, that’s not what happened, and Molly says, all those times she defended Kristina to TJ. She told him that he was wrong about her. It turns out she was wrong. Kristina was never going to give her the baby, and Alexis was just holding on to this for her, waiting to file it. Was she going to file this before her baby was born, or was she going to rip the baby from her hands and hand her to Kristina right in front of her? Alexis repeats, that’s not what happened, and Molly asks when she was planning to file this document. She did it for Kristina because Kristina was never going to give her the baby. Kristina says, no, she wasn’t.

Laura takes Elizabeth’s hand and says she’s never given up hope that Lulu would wake up. She knows that, right? Elizabeth says, of course (🍷), and Laura says she knows what people are thinking. She can see it in their eyes whenever Lulu is brought up. They know she’s been in a coma for three and a half years and they think that it’s hopeless. Elizabeth says, no one thinks that, but Laura says, yes, they do. They absolutely do. They think she should let Lulu go. That she’s being unfair, going through procedure after procedure, but they don’t know her daughter the way she does. And she knows Lulu is a fighter and she is in there and she’s trying to come back. They need to give her every opportunity to do that.

Dante comes into the station, and Chase asks, how was the funeral? (What a question. How does he think it was at a funeral?) Dante says, it was terrible. Kristina’s a mess. She’s completely devastated. Chase says he’s sorry. He knows how hard it is to see a sibling in that much pain. Dante says, you want to say or do something to help them, but there’s just nothing. He sits down, and Chase says, don’t take this the wrong way, but why did he come in today? He should be with his family. Dante says he got some unexpected news at the funeral and wanted to bury himself in some work and process it properly. He didn’t really want to talk to his family about it at the funeral. They’re dealing with enough as it is. Chase says he’s here. If Dante wants to talk about it, he’s happy to listen. Dante says, it’s Lulu. They moved her to GH. She’s taken a turn for the worse.

Going over to Elizabeth at the hospital, Maxie says Dante told her that Lulu had been transferred here. How’s she doing? Elizabeth says, they don’t know yet. The doctor is running labs and doing an MRI, hoping to get a clearer picture of what she’s dealing with. Maxie says, so she’s hanging in there? and Elizabeth says, she’s stable… for now. Maxie asks if the doctors are with her right now or Laura or anybody? She wants to see her, but she doesn’t want to get in the way. Elizabeth says, the doctor is finished, and Laura went to call the rest of the family. Maxie asks if it’s okay for her to see Lulu, and Elizabeth says, absolutely. They encourage friends and family to visit and talk to coma patients. Some people who come out of a coma actually remember what was said to them while they were under, and she suspects that’s exactly what Lulu needs. Her room is right over there. Maxie thanks her, and Elizabeth says, take all the time she needs. Maxie goes into Lulu’s room.

Back home, Curtis says, that was a lot harder than he thought it would be, and Marshall says, there’s always some sadness at a funeral, but there’s something about a funeral for a baby. Stella asks how Jordan is holding up, and Jordan says she’s okay. It’s difficult seeing TJ suffer this much. She just wants to wrap her arms around him and make it better. Stella thinks they could all use a pick-me-up. There’s plenty of food here. She’ll go heat some up. Marshall asks if she needs help, and she says, absolutely. They go to the kitchen, and Portia asks if any of them happen to know anything about Molly’s father. There certainly didn’t seem to be any love lost between him and Molly’s family. You could practically feel the chill in the air. Jordan says, Ric Lansing certainly won’t win any popularity contests in Port Charles. He operates in what she can call a grey area. But this isn’t the time or place to discuss his would-be transgressions, so let’s just say he’s not very well liked in this town. But Ric and Molly have a decent relationship. He does try to stay far from Port Charles for a reason. He’s estranged from his brother Sonny, and he and Alexis can’t be in the same room without butting heads. Ric’s made his fair share of enemies in Port Charles, so she’s sure he prefers to stay as far away as possible most of the time. Portia says she had no idea, but that explains a lot, and Curtis says, they all know how complicated family relationships can be. But no matter what he’s done, Ric is Molly’s father, and she clearly loves him. He’s really glad Ric showed up when Molly needed him, and it’s very important they do the same for TJ.

Molly says, Kristina was never going to honor their agreement. She was planning on keeping Molly’s baby. Kristina says, she was a part of me. I nurtured her. Molly says, Kristina killed her, and Kristina says she never would have put her intentionally in harm. Never. She was her mother for eight months and nothing Molly can say or do will ever erase that. Molly says, mothers look out for their children and protect them. They keep them safe at all costs. Kristina has zero maternal instinct. She’s selfish. She’s impulsive. She makes the same mistakes over and over. She’s a total trainwreck. Sam tries to get her to dial it down, but Molly says, Kristina got up in that church and presented herself as this grieving mother, all the while pretending she’s not to blame for her baby’s death. Kristina says she loved her. She loved her more than anything in this whole world. Molly says, love? Kristina doesn’t know the meaning of that word. Look at this grave. Her daughter is buried here. Kristina did not protect her. She did not keep her safe. She put her at risk, and she died. Say it. Admit that she killed Molly’s baby. Kristina falls to her knees and sobs.

Chase says, that’s not what he was expecting Dante to say. Lulu never occurred to him. Dante says, him either. It was a total shock. He got used to the status quo, as terrible as that sounds. He just wasn’t expecting this. Chase asks if Rocco knows, and Dante says, yeah. He told Rocco. Chase asks how he took it, and Dante says, how does he think? He’s a kid. They’re talking about his mom. Rocco had hope that she’s going to wake up soon and he’s telling Rocco that she’s getting worse. She might not make it. This is tough. Chase says, Rocco has Dante, he has Sam, and a huge family around him to lift him back up. Hopefully, that’s enough. Dante says he hopes Chase is right, and Chase says he feels for Rocco, but it’s got to be affecting Dante. How is he doing, knowing that Lulu could be slipping away?

Haven thanks the viewers for tuning in today to see what the amazing Deceiver serum can do. The results are indisputable. But don’t take her word for it. Try it for themselves. She promises they won’t be disappointed. Lois says, we can’t wait to hear how it changes your lives, and Tracy and Brook smile. Lois says, until then, stay beautiful, and Haven thanks her for coming. It’s great to see her. And now she’s proud to take this moment to introduce their newest addition to the Home & Heart family. Please meet their new program host, Pearl. Pearl thanks Haven and says, today, she has an incredible line of vegan handbags by Kay Carol. Whether it’s work or travel, fashion or function, we’ve got something that’s going to fit your life. Stay tuned for this exclusive deal. The director says, they’re clear. Let’s move to Stage 14. Nice going. Brook says, wow. These handbags are beautiful. Especially this one. She picks up a bag and says she just needs to have it. As soon as she’s done here, she’ll come see Pearl on Stage 14. Pearl says, don’t wait too long. These handbags are going to sell out fast. Haven tells Lois, that was great. She was fantastic. Not everybody is cut out for this kind of thing, but she’s a natural. Brook says, and a hit. These numbers are amazing. They just keep going up. Lois says, really? And Brook says, absolutely. (WOTD) This was Deception’s best segment yet. She sold the most units of Home & Heart’s entire quarter. Haven says she knows what she’s talking about. Lois is a natural. She knows greatness when she sees it. Lois says, wow. Who knew? Brook says she did, and Tracy says she’s got to hand it to Lois. She really pulled it off. She did a terrific job.

Kristina continues to weep and says, Molly’s wrong. She does know what love is. She loved her. She did. She loved her. She knows what love is. She loved her. She did… She did. TJ bends down and says something I can’t hear, and Molly flashes back to Kristina asking Molly to let her help. Let her carry that baby for her and TJ. Molly flashes back to Molly saying that she was disappointed and bitter to know Kristina could carry a child and she couldn’t, then asking Kristina to be their surrogate. She remembers telling Alexis that the bond between her and Kristina is stronger than all the legal protections in the world, and them being excited when Kristina finds out she’s pregnant. She remembers TJ saying, Kristina is more than a surrogate. She’s biologically and emotionally invested. Molly tells him that she’s still choosing to be hopeful. She flashes back to telling TJ that Kristina wants their baby to be her baby and thanks to the interview, the whole world thinks it is. She remembers trying to get Kristina to terminate her parental rights, and Kristina saying she wonders if she and Allie couldn’t provide a more stable home for this baby right now. She flashes back to TJ telling her about the accident, visiting Kristina afterward, and Kristina telling her that their precious little girl is gone. Ric says, they have to get her home, but Molly says she’s not leaving without TJ. TJ goes over to her and says, let’s get out of here. They walk out hand in hand. Kristina continues to sob and says, she did. She loved her. Sam glares at Ric, and Alexis holds Kristina.

Maxie paints Lulu’s nails and says she’s sorry she missed their visit last week. Lulu knows she considers it their standing date, but James was missing, and they were looking for him. Don’t worry. He turned up. A little worse for the wear, but boy, does she have a crazy story to tell Lulu when she wakes up about who he went to see. You know why she loves painting Lulu’s nails? She believes just because you’re stuck in a bed doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be pampered. And painting Lulu’s nails reminds her of their Crimson days. When they’d get so excited about any free samples they’d receive. Well, it was thrilling for her, and she loved Lulu so much for going along and pretending. Maxie misses her and knows it’s probably driving her crazy to be stuck in this bed being forced to listen to her ramble, so please wake up and tell her to be quiet. She promises she won’t even get offended. Does Lulu know how she knows she’s going to pull through this? There are so many people who still need her. Her mom, Charlotte and Rocco… her. And even though Lulu is stuck in this bed with perfect nails right now, none of them have given up on her. She promises.

The prisoner is pushed into a chair, and we see he has a sack over his head.

Outside the house, Molly tells TJ, this should have been their first step toward healing, and she turned it into something ugly. She’s sorry. She hopes he can forgive her. He says, there’s nothing to forgive. Irene was their daughter. They loved her so much from the moment they knew she was coming. As much as they like to think they can control their emotions, they’re bound to get away from them in certain situations. She says, that’s exactly how she felt. They were just spilling out of her. He says he completely understands. They never got the opportunity to meet Irene, but they’ll always be her parents. In all this messy, horrific, complicated grief, they’ll figure it out together. They hug.

Dante says he doesn’t know how he feels about Lulu. Does he even have a right to feel? Chase says, he’s entitled to have any feelings he has, but he should be honest with himself about that. Dante says he can tell Chase one thing for certain. He loves Sam. He loves the life they’ve created, the family they’ve built. She’s like a miracle for him. Chase says he knows how great Dante and Sam are together, and how much they adore each other, but that doesn’t mean he can’t have complicated feelings for Lulu. She was Dante’s wife. They have a kid together. Dante says, they were already divorced when she got hurt. They were over. She was starting a new life with someone else, and she was happy. But every time he takes Rocco in there to see her in that bed, does he love her? Does he care for her? Does he want her to wake up? Of course (🍷), all those things. But he knows Lulu put him behind her. She’s not lying in that bed dreaming about him.

Maxie says she’ll tell Lulu a secret. She thinks Dante still needs her too. He tracked her down today, at work, just to let her know Lulu had been moved here. After Lulu got hurt, she never told Dante that Lulu was planning on telling him that she still loved him. She did think about it, but it didn’t seem fair. She thought Lulu would want for him to move on, be happy, and he is happy. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t need her too. So if that counts for anything, please fight her way back for him too, okay?

Stella says, almost ready, and Marshall asks if he can help her with anything else. She says, no. Everything’s taken care of, but thank you. He says he appreciated what she said at the church. He likes to think that both of their Irenes are up there in heaven, watching over them and taking care of each other. She says she always thought it was Irene who brought him back to them after they lost him for so long. And with both Irenes together, she’s sure they’ll be raining down blessings on them. He says he certainly hopes so.

TJ tells Jordan that Kristina was never going to give up their baby. She had an affidavit all prepared, saying she was the mother and wanted to retain custody. And the kicker is that Alexis was helping her.

Marshall says, TJ needs the blessing the most. He lost a child. That’s the kind of pain nobody can bear and he can’t shoulder that pain alone. He’s going to need them.

Brook asks Lois, what’s wrong? but Lois says, nothing. She’s fine. Brook says, she did a fantastic job. Everybody loves her, so why does she look like somebody just told her that she can only wear pale pink nail polish for the rest of her life? Lois takes Brook’s hands and says she needs Brook to be honest with her. Is her accent unbearable?

Portia tells Curtis that she’s sorry she can’t stay longer for TJ and Molly, but she’s needed at the hospital. He says, that’s okay. He’s sure they understand, and they’ll feel her love and support. Go save lives and they’ll take it from here. She says she loves him so much and he says he loves her too. She says she’ll see him tonight, and she’s about to leave, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Ric, and says, they haven’t officially met. She introduces herself, and he does the same. He says, it’s nice to meet her, and she says her too. She has to leave for the hospital, but she’s so sorry for his loss. He thanks her and says he was very much looking forward to meeting his first grandchild. She tells him, please make himself at home, and leaves. Curtis introduces himself, and they shake hands. Curtis says he’s really glad Ric is here to support Molly, and Ric says him too. Molly comes out and he hugs her. He asks how she’s feeling, and she says she and her dad are just going to step outside. Curtis says, let him know if they need anything, and they go out to the patio. Curtis tells TJ that he knows it’s been hard on him in a million different ways. Is he hanging in there? TJ says he doesn’t have a choice. He just keeps reminding himself that it’s not always going to hurt this much. Time heals all wounds, even the ones that seem like they’ll be raw forever. Curtis says, that’s what he and TJ’s mother are here to remind him of as well, and Jordan says, that goes for everyone else too. They’re all here to lift him and Molly up and get them through this as fast as they can. TJ says he knows. They’ve all been amazing and he’s incredibly grateful for his family right now. Curtis says, good. Because he’s stuck with them. TJ says he’s going to see if Aunt Stella and granddad need anything, and leaves. Curtis asks how Jordan is doing. It must be tough watching her son go through all this. She says her pain can wait. TJ is her primary concern right now. He just filled her in on what took place at Irene’s gravesite after they left the church. He asks what she means, and she says, Kristina and Alexis were planning on stealing her son’s child.

Molly thanks Ric for coming. She knows he doesn’t love being in Port Charles, but it means so much to have him here. He says, of course (🍷) he came. He’s always going to be there for her when she needs him. How is she doing? Honestly. She says she’s completely drained. She feels like she just fought a war. Alone. He says, if it’s any comfort, she won, but she says she doesn’t think there’s any victors today. Her relationship with Kristina is in pieces and it looks like mom is taking Kristina’s side. She’s honestly sick to her stomach about everything. He says he’s proud of her. She stood up for herself and she stood up for her child. (Is that what we’re calling it?) Not everybody would have that kind of strength, especially when you’re being pressured to kind of go along and play nice. She’s a complete marvel. (Ugh.)

Brook asks if Lois is crazy. They talk the way they talk. Lois says, but they don’t talk the same. Their accents and their speech patterns are different. Brook says, maybe a little bit, but who cares? She can’t believe Lois is worried about this. Numbers don’t lie and she was a huge hit. Haven says, yes, she was. She agrees. The people on social media can’t get enough of her, and neither can she. Lois says, that’s very nice of her to say. She knows it was dicey at first, and thanks Haven so much for helping push her through that rocky start. Haven says, once they got her over that hump, they were off to the races. And they won. She can’t wait to book Lois’s next appearance. They need to make this a regular thing. Tracy joins them and says, all right. They don’t need to inflate Lois’s ego more than it already is. They’ll be in touch to book their next segment on Home & Heart. Until then, shall they decamp for home? Brook says, absolutely. Lead the way. As they walk, Brook asks if Haven can believe these numbers. Lois tries to say, decamp for home, the way Tracy did, but then says, forget it, and follows them.

Jordan says, Alexis had a custody affidavit all drawn up and ready to file. Molly found it in Alexis’s briefcase. Curtis says, wow. He had no idea. She says, this is so infuriating. They all knew that Kristina had rights as the baby’s biological mother. TJ’s been worried about that for months. But this baby was conceived because TJ and Molly so desperately wanted to be parents. Kristina never would have even thought of having a baby if it wasn’t for them. So for Kristina to go back on her word and betray her sister and TJ by deciding to keep the baby, it’s unforgivable. And for Alexis to help Kristina, knowing what it would do to Molly and TJ… That baby was his biological child. Curtis says, and what should have been the happiest moments of Molly and TJ’s lives would have quickly devolved into a custody battle. She says she promises him, if that precious little baby had survived, Kristina and Alexis would have been in for the fight of their lives if they thought they could take that grandchild away from her. (Oh, so now it’s her baby.)

Alexis asks how Kristina’s stitches feel. Does she need another pain pill? Kristina says, who cares about her stitches? Her baby is dead, and her sister is blaming her. Alexis says, her sister is in pain too, and she’s lashing out. And as cliché as it sounds, sometimes the people we love the most are the most capable of hurting us. Kristina says, none of that excuses Molly’s behavior, and Alexis says she thinks this is an opportune time to remind Kristina that she’s named after Alexis’s sister Kristina, who she loved very much. They didn’t always get along, but she loved her fiercely and was devastated at her death. And she misses her and would give just about anything to be able to talk to her again. Kristina and Molly are still here and they’re at odds, and she gets how critical this is, but they’re going to have to find a way to repair their relationship. Kristina says, Molly is blaming her for her baby’s death. She will never forgive her.

Molly says, funny thing is, she knows how this is all going to end. Mom and Sam will plead Kristina’s case to her. They’ll say, she’s emotional and fragile right now, and they’ll say, you’re sisters. You’re Davis girls. That should always come first. They’ll probably encourage her to suck it up, be the bigger person, apologize to Kristina, say all the right things to make her feel better. And who knows? Maybe they’ll catch her at a weak moment, and she’ll even do it. Ric says, but she doesn’t want to, and she says, no. She will never forgive Kristina. Every time she visits her daughter’s grave or walks past the room that should have been her nursery, she’ll know it’s Kristina’s fault her baby is dead.

Maxie says she knows it’s a Spencer tradition to pull off a win at the eleventh hour, because Lulu used to love doing that. Then Lulu would give her this smug smile that drove her crazy. But she admired it. She admired Lulu. Anyway, they’re approaching the eleventh hour, so Lulu needs to pull out that win. Come back to them. For Rocco and Charlotte – Dante opens the door – for her, for Dante.

Elizabeth tells Laura that when she was first getting to know Lucky, he told her how Lulu had aplastic anemia when she was a toddler. And he told her how strong Laura was for her and that she never gave up on her. She needs that strength now and Elizabeth knows Laura is going to give it to her. Laura thanks her for saying that. Boy, does she miss Lucky. She wishes to God she knew where he was so she could bring him home.

The prisoner is shoved into the wall, and the guard turns him around. He takes the sack off the prisoner’s head and – big surprise, not – it’s Lucky.

On Monday, Chase tells Brook that he’s afraid it’s not good news; Carly wonders what Jack Brennan wants with Jason; and Laura asks Portia, how the doctors could miss this?

🍀 A Lucky Break…

Wow. Laura wishes and Lucky appears.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jonathan-jackson-previews-his-return-to-general-hospital

🧴 Just For a Minute…

But if they come up with a new character for her, who would play temp Sam?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/lindsay-hartley-on-playing-sam-on-gh-again

🛸 Beam Me Up To Port Charles…

This made me wonder what happened to Zeke. I liked him and he totally disappeared. Maybe he’s polishing his skis.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/sawandi-wilson-cast-as-isaiah-on-general-hospital

🚫 She Said No…

Can you blame her? And just curious. What is Dorinda doing in that photo?

🍊 Follow the Bouncing Orange…

In vino veritas and all that, but it’s not that she just speaks her truth. She screeches, rants and raves, gets two inches from people’s faces, and flails around while she’s doing it.

But maybe I can forgive.

So was Alexis at liberty to tell Katie? I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but I’m confused.

Well, just think how we feel.

⚰️ Reading Carol…

Coming to a small screen near you September 29th.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/new-promo-for-twd-daryl-dixon-the-book-of-carol-season-2-01j5x6s1mq33

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/amc-exclusive-content-for-season-2-of-daryl-dixon-the-book-of-carol-in-september-01j5zkmxmeza

You need to be an AMC+ subscriber to actually watch the beginning of the premiere, but this has a pretty long trailer and it looks good. Real good.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/watch-the-first-11-minutes-of-the-season-2-premiere-of-daryl-dixon-the-book-of-carol-01j41x8z1qsd

🌁 That’s a Wrap…

So can’t they edit any faster?

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/last-us-season-2-wrapped-095338207.html

https://winteriscoming.net/posts/the-last-of-us-season-2-held-a-wrap-party-end-of-filming-seems-imminent-01j5xeshf86a

Might be some spoilers here.

https://screenrant.com/alien-romulus-last-of-us-season-2-isabela-merced-dina-casting-perfect/

🐉 How To Make Your Dragon…

Don’t try this at home.

https://winteriscoming.net/posts/watch-how-house-of-the-dragon-s-gorgeous-dragons-were-made-in-new-visual-effects-reel-01j5tv9k3kjr

🐶 Gaga For Frenchies…

Those ears!

https://people.com/lady-gaga-new-french-bulldog-after-dognapping-case-8700159

🥊 More Than a Quote…

Muhammad Ali: I’m defeating America’s so-called threats and enemies. And the flag is going dun-dun-dun-dun. I’m standing so proud. And I’d have whooped the world for America. I took my gold medal, thought I’d invented something. I said, Man, I know I’m going to get my people freedom. I’m the champion of the whole world. Olympic champion. I know I can eat downtown now. And I went downtown that day, had my big gold medal on, and went in a restaurant. And at that time, things weren’t integrated. Black folks couldn’t eat downtown. And I went downtown, I sat down, and I said, A cup of coffee, a hotdog. The lady said, We don’t serve Negroes. I was so mad, I said, I don’t eat them either, just give me a cup of coffee and a hamburger.

🏌️‍♂️ Quotes of the Week

Today stretches ahead of you waiting to be shaped. You are the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to you. – Steve Maraboli

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave. – Mahatma Gandhi

I think the only answer is to live life to the fullest while you can and collect memories like fools collect money. Because in the end, that’s all you have – happy memories. – Sarah Strohmeyer

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

We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing and inclusion. – Max de Pree

If you fuel your journey on the opinions of others, you are going to run out of gas. – Steve Maraboli

Dance above the surface of the world. Let your thoughts lift you into creativity that is not hampered by opinion. – Red Haircrow

Sometimes we have to be the change we didn’t see coming. – Jacqueline Grace Lopez

Walmart dumped Paula Deen, but continued to sell AR-15 assault rifles after Sandy Hook—interesting ethical credo.Piers Morgan

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

🍈 One In a Melon…

Come back on Monday for soap and a mess on the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay putting things back where you found them, and stay never offering unsolicited advice on someone’s physical attributes.

⚠️Caution: Might contain bad words

July 3, 2024 – Adrian Outs Ava Everywhere, Overjoyed, Bonsai In Dubai, Kim Talks Jersey, Still Missing, Dragon Eggs, BET Awards, A Farewell, Just Married, History Lesson, Another Pet (!) PSA & Anybody

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

On the phone, Carly says she knows if anyone can keep her from prison it’s Diane, and thanks her for the update. Josslyn says, don’t make her ask, and Carly says she wants to protect Josslyn, and wishes she was still little. Here’s the deal. The only way to get Jason out from under the FBI is her risking going to prison.

Maxie says she agrees with Lucy. Deception needs to be clear that they don’t stand with Natalia’s views, but not fire Blaze. Keeping her on shows the world that they stand with a person’s right to define themselves and come out on their own terms in their own time. Lois says she agrees 100%, and Lucy says, she’s a spokesperson, not a partner. Lois says, then make that 200%, and Lucy says, Maxie is right. She’s been thinking like a corporation, not a person. Scotty says, now that they’re on the same page, they need to talk damage control. Nina comes in and says she heard about the disaster. She feels horrible for Blaze and Kristina. Maxie says she thinks they need to discuss damage control, and Nina says, then she got here just in time.

Kristina tells Blaze to stop blaming herself. People are garbage. Blaze says she’s a coward. She wanted to come out and tell the world about them. She’s a grown woman, a badass rock star, and she let her mom pressure her into staying in the closet. Now her weakness ended up hurting Kristina. Kristina tells her to stop apologizing and listen to her.

Alexis tells Ava that they need to have a conversation. One that won’t be recorded. Ava tries closing the door, but Alexis breezes past her. Ava says, Alexis already scolded her for telling the truth about Alexis perjuring herself, but Alexis says, DeWitt gave Ava up when she threatened him with a lawsuit that would leave him destitute. She knows Ava turned over the recording to The Invader. Hurting her is one thing. Hurting her daughter is another, and a big mistake.

Natalia tells Sonny that she thought it was a private conversation. Ava edited out her part. Ava used her words to ruin Blaze and Kristina’s careers. Sonny says, Kristina created her foundation, and because of what Natalia said, the activists don’t want her near what she created. They think she’s ashamed to be gay. Natalia says she’s so sorry, and Sonny tells her that she said the words, but Ava delivered the recording. Now she’s going to pay for it.

Kristina says, Blaze’s life is her own. She’s not obligated to share her personal business. She owes her fans great songs and great shows, nothing else beyond that. Neither does she. The public doesn’t have to know who she’s dating. People think she’s unworthy to run the center she built from the ground up and are saying she’s a hypocrite. They’re the ones in the wrong. She and Blaze have nothing to be ashamed of. The person who should be ashamed is the one who violated their privacy and leaked the recording. Blaze struggles with her words and says, she knows that, but still wishes she’d come out the minute she knew it was real between them. Kristina says, she didn’t. Now they can only move forward. There’s a knock at the door, and Blaze wonders if it’s a reporter.

Nina says, Crimson has a two-page ad featuring Blaze. She can’t imagine they want that on the newsstand this week. Maxie says, they 100% support Blaze, but she’s right. It would be a disaster and draw more outrage. Lucy says, they support Blaze, but it will take away from the products, which is what the spread is about. Nina wonders what they should run instead, and Lucy suggests a brief history of Deception. Of course (🍷) she’d be more than willing to give an interview. Maxie says she’s surprised Lucy isn’t suggesting a two-page transcript of her Home & Heart appearance, and Lucy says she was so good that day, but Maxie says, she was a walking test pattern. Lois says, the lowly employee has a suggestion.

Ava says she heard the recording. The internet is abuzz, but she had nothing to do with it. Alexis asks why Adrian would lie, and Ava tells her to connect the dots. Nina decided she hates her and is conspiring with Adrian to frame her. Alexis says, prove it. She’ll subpoena Ava’s cellphone provider. She’s sure the audio file is hefty. Ava says, subpoena it based on what? Alexis has been gone so long, she forgot how this works. Alexis says, nobody told Ava. She got her license back. Ava asks, how long before she hangs out her shingle? and Alexis says she’ll be working with Diane, but she has no clients yet. Ava says, baby steps, and Alexis says she’ll be so busy with a big case, a huge, brutal bloodbath. Does Ava care to guess what it is?

Carly explains that Agent Cates and his superiors took two and a half years from Jason because they have a recording of her. When Sonny was in Nixon Falls and they thought he was dead, she went to a meeting and announced she was running Sonny’s organization. Josslyn says, tell her that she didn’t.

Sasha says she’d ask if it’s a bad time, but that’s why she’s here. The reporters and paparazzi are outside, and they recognized her, but not before their doorman did. He’s doing an amazing job. How are they doing? Kristina says, better, and Blaze says, but not great, and Sasha says she gets that they’re not in the mood for company. She’s just doing a drive by. She was out shopping for the Quartermaines when the story hit. As someone whose life was blown up by the press, she wants to give them the benefit of her hard-won experience.

Lois says, instead, why don’t they do a feature on Blaze and have her give a statement, get her truth out? Maxie says she likes the spirit, but Nina says, the timing’s not ideal. Lucy says, they’re supposed to sell products, not be wading into scandal, and Nina says, they have no time for an elaborate photo shoot. The magazine needs to go to print. Maybe they have some old shots of Sasha… Maxie says, they don’t want it to look like they’re dropping Blaze. A single message in bold type – no one cancels love – with Deception’s logo underneath. A black page with white lettering, nothing else. Nina says, it’s perfect, and Lucy says, it’s genius, if she does say so herself. Lois says she doesn’t like it… she loves it. It takes the pressure off and turns the conversation in the right direction. Maxie thought of everything. She’s on it. Lois leaves, and Scotty asks, what’s next? but Nina says, who’s next? Adrian has to answer for what he’s done.

Natalia says, when she brought Sonny the scotch, Ava invited her in. That should have been her first clue. They made small talk, and she told Ava about Brook’s wedding. Then Ava talked about Kristina, and how comfortable Sonny was with Kristina’s sexuality. She admitted she was struggling with Allison’s, which they talked about. She should have known better than to talk to a relative stranger, but how would she know Ava was recording it? Who does that? Sonny says, there are no limits to how far Ava will go. He should have told her. Natalia says she should have trusted her gut instinct. To be honest, she thinks she was too arrogant. She was sure she could handle anything anyone threw at her until this morning. She doesn’t know why Ava would do this. Sonny says, he never thought she’d come after his daughter like this.

Natalia tells Sonny that she was blindsided. Her private thoughts were out there, and then to see the pain, shock, and betrayal on her daughter’s face, and the realization of what she’d done. How she ruined her daughter’s career. All their hard work up in flames. Sonny asks if she thought about how Blaze felt about the recording, and she says, of course (🍷). She never wanted her discomfort to ever distract or hurt her daughter, so she kept it to herself. Sonny says he went through something. Kristina saw something she wasn’t supposed to see. A side of him he never wanted her to see. He was terrified he’d never see her again. Natalia says, exactly.

Adrian comes into Maxie’s office, and says, Nina and ladies of Deception. It’s gratifying to see how the web traffic has picked up. He assumes that’s what this tête-à-tête is all about. Nina says she’s not pleased, and Adrian says he’s not sure this is the appropriate venue to air The Invader’s dirty laundry, but Nina says, it’s the perfect place. His absence of judgement will affect the bottom line of Crimson’s favorite ad sponsors. They deserve an answer. He asks what the question is, and she asks where he got the recording and why did he run it without consulting her? He says, she’s been a champion of his society journalism, but she says, it was inflammatory and doctored. Adrian says, it was edited. Only Natalia’s part of the conversation was relevant. Nina says, what about Kristina and Blaze? She’s sure he knows Kristina is Sonny Corinthos’s daughter and Sonny is her ex-husband. Did it occur to him that running a hit piece that was detrimental will make it look like she was using the paper to lash out at her ex? Adrian says he assumed her reputation was above reproach, and Nina says, even she knows it’s far from sterling. And he didn’t answer her first question. Where did he get this recording? Tell her this instant or he can clear out the office he hasn’t even occupied for 24 hours. He says, Ava Jerome. (Ha-ha-ha! He’s just singing like a canary all over the place.)

Ava says, even if she did it, it’s not illegal for one person to record another, and Alexis agrees, it’s not. Ava says, it’s an open and shut case then, but Alexis says, not really. Has Ava heard of reasonable expectation of privacy? Blaze is a public figure, so hers is limited, but Natalia is not a public figure. Ava says, it’s still not illegal, and Alexis says, that’s the fun part of the challenge. Case law is made based on judicial rule and opinion. She’ll be going on intention of malice, and Ava tampered with the recording, negating all legal protection. Ava says she’d think it was a public service exposing Blaze’s mother as a bigot. People deserve to know. Alexis says she never pictured Ava as a homophobe, and Ava says she’s not. She’s encouraging the truth. Alexis says, good. She looks forward to Ava’s confession of a certain murder.

Carly tells Josslyn that she didn’t really run the organization, but she had to convince them she was to maintain the balance of power. If they’d been seen as weak, the other families would have tried to expand into Port Charles, and she would have been seen as a threat, as well as Michael. She couldn’t take the risk. Someone at the meeting was wearing a wire, and apparently, she was convincing. If the FBI chooses to charge her, there’s a good chance she’ll go to prison.

Lucy thanks Scotty in advance for washing his hands of Ava. He’s going to drop the court case that Ava wants him for. Maxie asks Nina what Lucy is talking about, and Nina says, Ava is trying to take Avery away from Sonny. Scotty says he told Lucy in confidence, and Maxie says, like Ava told him. Adrian says, the people deserve to know, but Nina says she doesn’t think shoes come in designer cement. Adrian says he supposes the parties involved have reasonable expectation of privacy, and Lucy says she reasonably expects Scotty to drop Ava. Or no you know what with you know who. Maxie suggests they take it out of the office, and on their way out, Scotty says he doubts Lucy can hold out. Lucy says she doubts Scotty is going to be holding anything, and they leave. Maxie says she can’t believe her life, and Nina says she’s so sorry. By the way, Adrian is fired. Adrian says he told her who his source was, and she says, no good journalist would do that. Pack his things and get out. Maxie says, wait.

Natalia says she’s never seen her daughter that upset, and Sonny says, they both know how difficult it is to watch their children suffer. They have a tough road ahead. She says she wants him to know, despite what she said, she does think Kristina is a lovely young lady, and he says if she treats Kristina with respect and courtesy, that’s all that matters. Natalia thanks him, and says, as for what Ava did, she knows Ava wasn’t standing up for gay rights, so why? Sonny says, Ava knows he loves his daughter and wants to protect her. She did it to hurt him and get back at him. Natalia and Blaze are just collateral damage. Natalie asks what they do now, and he says, she doesn’t do anything. He’ll take care of Ava.

Ava says she never killed anyone, but Alexis says, Connie Falconari’s relatives might not agree. Ava hurt her daughter to get back at her. Ava says, Alexis thinks everything is about her, and Alexis says, speaking of daughters, where’s Avery? Not here. Ava says, she’ll be here soon, where she belongs permanently, and Alexis says, Ava shouldn’t put her one remaining egg in her empty basket. She’s alone with no friends. She wreaks havoc, but never considered the life she would ruin was her own. Ava says, it’s time for Alexis to leave, and Alexis agrees. She got what she came for, and she’s sure their conversation will prove useful in court. Ava says, she recorded it? and Alexis says, it’s not illegal. Ava says, it won’t help her, and Alexis says, she’s right. That’s why she didn’t record it. Or did she? Alexis leaves.

Sasha says she’s so sorry Blaze was outed. At least there are no viral videos of three public breakdowns, one where she vandalized a car. Not that she’s saying that’s worse, but it was more embarrassing. Blaze has nothing to be ashamed of. Kristina thanks her, and Sasha says, her advice is to stay in tonight. Don’t go online. Don’t pay attention to the angry mob with torches and pitchforks. It feels like forever, and then, poof! It’s gone. Blaze says she hopes Sasha is right, and Kristina says, they’ll try to remember. Sasha says, as loud as the haters are, they have a lot of people on their side.

Josslyn asks what they have on Jason, but Carly says, it’s all evidence against her. Josslyn says, it makes perfect sense. Jason went to prison for Michael, then gives up his freedom to save Carly. Carly says, when she found out, she wanted to turn herself in, but Josslyn says, she can’t go to prison. Carly says she doesn’t want to, but if she turns herself in, Jason would be free, and Diane could help get her out of the charges. Josslyn asks what Jason thinks, and Carly says, he’s furious. He said if she does that, he’ll have wasted his time. Josslyn says, he’s correct. If she does this, he’ll have given up his freedom for nothing. Carly says, there’s a possibility Jason can do whatever the FBI wants, and they’ll still prosecute her.

Carly says she and Diane are trying to come up with a defense strategy, but it’s not going well. Josslyn says, it’s not worth the risk, but Carly says she can’t stand that Jason is doing this. Josslyn says she understands how Carly is feeling. Carly and Jason have known each other longer than anyone else and been through things together that no one else understands. If she was Carly’s youngest child, she’d probably say, do what you need to do, but she’s not, and Carly doesn’t want to leave Donna in Sonny’s care. Carly says, it’s something Jason doesn’t want her to do. That’s why she’s stuck. Josslyn says she did the same thing. She asked Anna not to let Dex join the PCPD, but Anna didn’t listen. Now she’s glad.  

Maxie says she doesn’t think it’s best for Nina to fire Adrien. He still has so much to offer. Adrian says, indeed, and Maxie says, complete obedience. If Nina keeps Adrian on, he has to print what she wants. And if he disobeys her, everyone will find out his role in this horror show. When they know he lacks ethics, he won’t get a job with a supermarket circular. Nina says, sounds like a plan.

Scotty goes to Ava’s room, and says he just met with Nina. Ava says she hopes he told Alexis that she didn’t break any laws and a lawsuit is a waste of time and money, mainly Alexis’s. She and Scotty are friends, right? He says he hasn’t talked to Alexis in years. He’s a practicing attorney. Alexis Davis, Esquire isn’t. Ava says, so she’s not the last to hear. Alexis claims she’s getting her license back. He says, that’s not good.

Alexis comes into the restaurant, and Natalia says she doesn’t suppose there’s anything she can say. Alexis says, there’s isn’t. She’s surprised to see them together. Sonny tells her, Natalia said what she said. She thought it was a private conversation. Alexis asks if that justifies bigotry, and Natalia says she regrets that everyone heard her, but she can’t help how she feels. Alexis says she thinks Natalia can. Perhaps by opening her mind. Sonny reminds Alexis that Natalia is his guest, and Alexis says she could come back, but it was important they talk now. Natalia says she’ll get going, but Sonny says she doesn’t have to. Natalia says she does, and leaves. Sonny says he knows what Natalia said and hates it, but she’s not the one who released the recording. Ava did. Alexis says, so he knows that. That’s why she came to talk to him, to make sure he knew. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

Carly says, Josslyn was upset about what Dex was willing to do for Sonny, and Josslyn says, she’s not excusing that, but Dex has changed. Carly asks, what changed? and Josslyn says, they just started and now they’re here. Carly asks, where’s here? and Josslyn says she doesn’t know, but things are different now and she likes it. They’re close and they’re friends. They’re at the point where they decide what they mean to each other, instead of thinking about everybody else. Carly says, she seems happy, and Josslyn says she is. Carly says she’s happy for her.

Natalie leaves a message for Blaze to call her back. She wants to be able to explain.  

Kristina thanks Sasha for coming by, when Nina knocks on the door. She says she thought she’d stop by to check in, and as publisher of The Invader, she needs to apologize to them. Kristina asks, what happened? and Nina says, to be clear, she just found out. She was appalled about the recording. Her recently promoted Editor-in-Chief got ahold of it and thought it would make good clickbait. It never should have happened and she’s absolutely furious. Blaze asks where he got the recording, and Kristina wants to know who edited out their own voice like a coward. Nina says, Ava Jerome. (Adrian was right. Ava Jerome is the answer to every question.)

Ava asks, what’s the difference if Alexis is back to being a practicing attorney? and Scotty says, she’s a tough opponent. Ava says, he’s supposed to be tougher. That’s why she’s paying him to build a case against Sonny. He says he hates to break the news, but it isn’t going to make getting custody any easier with the stunt Ava pulled. She says she exposed the truth about a bigot. Sonny has done worse, beating Cyrus within an inch of his life. Scotty says, that’s ancient history. It was on the local news. The public outing of Kristina and Blaze is out there everywhere. Ava says she didn’t intend for that to happen. What are they going to do? She won’t let Sonny take her daughter. He says, she’s kind of screwed unless Sonny kills somebody on camera. She says, that’s not going to happen, and he says, or has a nervous breakdown in public.

Sonny says he’s going to get revenge on Ava by taking her to court. If anybody can make Ava suffer in court, Diane can. Natalia says she’ll settle for Ava’s reputation being decimated, and Sonny says, just so she knows, he’s not going to settle. She says, dare she ask? and he says he’s going to make Ava’s life not worth living. And Diane will make sure Ava never lays eyes on Avery again.  

No GH tomorrow. On Friday, Jordan tells Drew, it’s a unique opportunity for both of them; Kristina tells Natalia that she’s never been so serious about anything in her entire life; and Dante tells Sonny that if he goes after Ava, he’ll lose Avery.

🍀 She’s Feeling Lucky…

It’s going to be quite the summer of reunions.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/genie-francis-is-overjoyed-about-jonathan-jacksons-gh-return

🐪 They’d Walk a Mile For a Camel…

Stanbury’s new house is beyond amazing, especially the giant bonsai tree they had lowered in with a crane. I’m enjoying this one because, while I don’t mind a bit of cattiness, they don’t throw things at each other, curse each other out at top volume, or fist fight because, Dubai. I also don’t mind seeing how the 1% lives, and I’m pretty sure most of them live here.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13594605/caroline-stanbury-sergio-carrallo-fertility-doctor-rhod.html

Caroline’s house… and the tree.

https://www.harpersbazaararabia.com/culture/interiors/caroline-stanbury-al-barari

👠 The One With the Square…

Striving to be relevant since 2010.

https://okmagazine.com/p/kim-depaola-rhonj-reboot-season-15/

https://okmagazine.com/p/kim-depaola-rhonj-my-life-with-the-big-boys-book/

🪣 There’s a Hole In His Bucket…

Well, he got Cher and Mariah Carey, so who knows?

https://okmagazine.com/p/andy-cohen-celebs-bucket-list-watch-what-happens-live/

🐉 Eggs Of the Dragon…

Isn’t the whole thing really a big Easter egg?

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-director-confirms-game-of-thrones-easter-egg-in-episode-3-8672332

https://ew.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-milly-alcock-harrenhal-cameo-exclusive-8670246

🏆 Simply the Best…

The BET Awards winners.

https://ew.com/bet-awards-2024-winners-list-8669253

Moments in time.

https://ew.com/bet-awards-2024-top-5-moments-usher-lauryn-hill-keke-palmer-8671843

And of course, the fashion.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1404438/2024-bet-awards-see-all-the-celebrity-fashion-on-the-red-carpet

🥀 Goodbye Russell…

While I’m late in posting this, I’ll miss him. With sitcoms, he was literally everywhere all at once.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/martin-mull-dead-funnyman-fernwood-2-night-star-1235935445/

👰🏻‍♀️ There Went the Bride…

She looks amazing in that dress. I wish they’d bring The Culpo Sisters back, one of the kinder, gentler reality shows.

https://people.com/olivia-culpo-christian-mccaffrey-married-8553355

📜 Not a Moment But a Movement…

All about our Day of Independence.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/july-4th

https://www.mcall.com/2024/07/03/facts-about-july-fourth/

🐶 Harping On It…

More pets get lost on the 4th of July than any other time. Don’t let yours be one of them.

https://people.com/how-to-keep-your-pet-safe-on-the-fourth-of-july-8672745

🎆 Baby, You’re a Roman Candle…

Tomorrow’s a free day, but join me on Friday for the usual soap, tea, tidbits, and quotes. Until then, stay extra safe; stay enjoying the celebration, but remembering why we celebrate; and stay standing with a person’s right to define themselves, and come out on their own terms in their own time.

July 2, 2024 – Natalia Causes a Backlash Tsunami, Lots About Soap, Just Caroline, Stirring the Jersey Pot, New New York, Deck Doings, Keep Them Safe & Party

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

I missed the very beginning, but that’s usually just a rehash anyway. So…

Diane tells Sonny that it’s her job to plead his case and provide counsel. It’s steep hill he’s going to have to climb. Avery isn’t a baby anymore, and if she sees him trying to take her from her mother, it could permanently alter her relationship with him. He says he’d rather she hate her father than become her mother, and Diane says, it’s his call. She records some notes for herself on her phone, and her phone beeps. He asks, what’s the problem? and she says, it’s a big one. Does he mind if she makes a phone call?

Alexis says, Kristina is in the homestretch of her pregnancy. The last part is challenging, physically and emotionally, and she wants Kristina to know she’s here for her no matter what. Kristina says she knows, but it never hurts to hear. Alexis’s phone rings, and Diane says she saw The Invader alert. What is Alexis doing? Alexis says she’s with Kristina celebrating quitting her job. She’s left the tabloid life behind. She doesn’t know what’s in The Invader, unless they’re running a picture of her face on a dartboard. Diane says, it’s not about her, but it’s bad. Go to the website now. Alexis asks what she’s looking for, and Diane says, she’ll know when she sees it. And turn up the audio. Alexis and Kristina listen to the file from The Face of Deception’s Daughter, and Diane says tell Kristina that she’s sorry.

Sonny asks if everything is okay, and Diane plays the audio file for him.

Everyone in Maxie’s office listens to the audio file, which includes Natalia talking about her fear that someone will take a picture of Blaze and Kristina holding hands. She’s scared it will be sold to the tabloids and there will be a scandal. Blaze glares at Natalia and says, don’t hold back. Tell us how you really feel.

Alexis and Kristina listen, and Kristina says, turn it off. She gets the gist. Alexis asks if she’s okay. Her blood is boiling, so she can’t imagine how Kristina feels. Kristina says she’s not the one who was just outed. Blaze was discriminated against by her own mother in public. She’s angry, but she’ll be fine. Alexis wonders if Kristina has heard from Blaze, and Kristina says, they usually text constantly, but no. Alexis says, maybe she hasn’t seen it, but Kristina says she doubts it. Deception is probably coming up with PR strategy for a response. She’ll call when she can. Alexis says she doesn’t understand how a mother could talk about her own daughter that way, and Kristina says, that’s why she’s grateful. She can forget about maternal leave from the center. After this, they won’t let her in the front door.

Ava says, her phone is blowing up, and Adrian asks if she wants to celebrate with him. She calls him a little worm and tells him to forget he knows her. Her name isn’t to cross his lips, not anytime to anyone, especially not Nina. Adrian says, sounds like a story. Does she care to dish? She says, she’ll see to it that he’s typing with his toes. Men have killed for her for a lot less. They’ve never met. They’ve never spoken. Take down the recording. There’s no reason for it to be online anymore. He says he can’t do that. It will just draw more attention to it and people will ask questions, to which every answer would be Ava Jerome. Besides, wire service has already picked it up. It’s everywhere and there’s no going back now.

Natalia says she doesn’t know what that was, and Lucy asks if Natalia is denying that’s her voice, but Natalia says, it’s obviously her. Scotty asks if Deception doesn’t have a PR master, but Lucy says she let them go when they had to save money. Lois says, that wasn’t a good idea, but Lucy says she had no idea this would happen. Scotty says he knows a guy… but Maxie says, stop. She tells Lucy to talk to the regular PR people. She’ll coordinate with Brook and have her lock down the social media. No comments. And she wants Scotty to guard the door from Tracy, who will be there soon, because the stock is going to take a nosedive. She asks Natalia where this took place, but Natalia says she never spoke to a reporter and doesn’t remember who she said it to. Blaze wonders if it’s because she says things like that so often.  

Sonny says he knew Natalia was uncomfortable with her daughter being gay, but didn’t think she’d spew that kind of garbage. He asks Diane if it could be fake, and she says, possibly, but she doubts The Invader would run it without authentication. They’d be opening themselves up to a huge lawsuit. Sonny says, it makes no sense, but she says, he’d be surprised how easily some people hide their ugliness in polite company. He says he thought she’d be smart enough not to talk to somebody who was recording it, and Diane says, sometimes hated gets the better of people. He wonders why Alexis would run such a thing, but Diane says, Alexis didn’t. She quit this morning. Sonny says, whoever did this hurt his daughter, and that means there’s a target on their back

Diane tells Sonny to take this lesson seriously. Even things said in privacy behind closed doors run the risk of exposure. Sonny says he knows the danger, and she tells him, things said in anger can work against him in a custody fight. The court needs to see him as a reliable and stand-up parent who they can trust. He asks how he can be a good parent if he doesn’t do anything about the garbage being said about his daughter? Diane says, activists on social media are calling for Kristina to resign from the center she founded. They don’t think she should be running an outreach if she’s dating someone who’s in the closet. They’re saying she has too much internalized homophobia to be trusted. People get worked up about things they know nothing about. Sonny throws his phone against the door.

Alexis tells Kristina not to jump to the worst case, and Kristina says, people are already saying ugly things. Alexis says, Natalia robbed Blaze of coming out on her own terms. She’s not going to interfere between Blaze and her mother, but she is going after the person who made this public. Alexis leaves.  

Ava says she didn’t set out to hurt Kristina, Blaze, or herself. Adrian will keep his mouth shut and she’ll have plausible deniability. If anybody asks him to identify where he got the audio file… He says, it came via the anonymous tip line. Ava tells him, get out, and he heads for the door. She asks if he’s learned nothing, and she checks the hallway. She says, okay. Go.  

Natalia says she keeps going over it in her mind, but has no memory of saying that to anyone. Maybe her phone was tapped. Lois says, it doesn’t sound like a bad connection. It sounds like it was in person, but she doesn’t think that’s the real issue. Lucy says, it’s not about the how and why. It’s about, what the hell do we do now? Blaze says she’ll need to respond. Not so much because she’s the Face of Deception, but there’s so much more. It’s going to impact her music career. Natalia says, they’ll put together a joint statement and give it to a friendly outlet, but Blaze asks why she’d publicly associate with Natalia when the whole world heard what Natalia thinks of her. Natalia says, it wasn’t specifically about her. It was more a generalization. Blaze says, Natalia mentioned both her and Kristina, but would it matter if she’d left their names out? Which gays are disturbing and offensive to her fragile sensibilities? Do drag queens on a Pride float make her angry? Do her and Kristina holding hands make Natalia sick to her stomach? Or is the problem that any two women in love disgust her? She’s quiet now. She has nothing to say now that they’re in private. Why? The whole world has heard her words by now. She should have known something like this would happen. She talks about gay people dismissively or with pity, reducing them to how they look and talk, and who they love. They’re not real people, herself included. Lucy says, it’s ironic that the same person who locked Blaze in the closet is the same person who just outed her, and Maxie tells her that she’s not helping. Natalia says she’s the victim. She was used to damage her daughter’s career. Blaze says, Natalia hasn’t heard what she said. She let Natalia convince her to portray a straight person, and now Natalia’s words are going to destroy any hope for her future life in music. Blaze walks out.

Natalia says she’s sorry. Her daughter is emotional. Lois says, she has a right to be. Does Natalia want to go after her? Natalia says she doesn’t think it would do any good, not when Blaze is in this frame of mind. She knows her daughter. Maxie says, does she? and Scotty says he has nothing more to contribute. He’s going to leave. Maxie tells him to stay. They might need legal advice. Lucy says she thinks a lawyer should be here to finalize the last addendum to Blaze’s contract, and she rips it up. Natalia says, she can’t do that. Blaze is known everywhere as the Face of Deception. If they try to get rid of her, they risk backlash in the press and in court. Maxie says she thinks they’re within their rights to change their relationship with Blaze.

Blaze knocks at Kristina’s door, and when there’s no answer, she lets herself in. Kristina is on the sofa, looking at her phone, and Blaze asks if Kristina didn’t hear her knocking. Kristina says, sorry. She was zoned out on her phone. Blaze says she’s guessing Kristina read The Invader article. She was hoping Kristina hadn’t seen it, but then she’d be the one giving the bad news. Kristina says she’s definitely seen it. The comments are awful. Instagram is particularly brutal. It looks like she’s canceled. Blaze says she thinks they both are.

Adrian goes to the pool and asks for a margarita pitcher and the guac trio, extra salty chips. And put it on Nina Reeves’s tab. He lies on a chaise lounge and closes his eyes. Someone approaches his chair, and he says, they’re in his sun. Alexis says, it’s better than being all up in his business. Which she will be if he doesn’t agree to play ball. She had to harass his assistant until he cracked to find out where Adrian was. Adrian says, note to self, fire assistant, and tells her, whatever it is will have to wait until tomorrow. She’s intruding on his hard-earned afternoon off. She says, good, since he published that loathsome recording in The Invader, and intruded on her daughter and her girlfriend. He asks if that’s what’s snapping her brassiere (really? have we been transported to the 1950s?), and she says, it will be fun to sue him and him and The Invader into oblivion.

Natalia asks if they’re saying her daughter is no longer good enough to be the Face of Deception since she’s been outed. She can’t sell their products because she’s gay? Maxie tells her that she’s saying the exact opposite. What they can’t afford to have is someone ashamed to be gay. They have a diverse clientele that they’re proud of, a lot of whom are gay and have a large social media presence. What they can’t do is align themselves with someone who’s ashamed. They’re proud to be a gay friendly company, so they need Natalia and Blaze to either get with the program or kick rocks. Lois says, they’re all parents and love their kids. A difficult situation is evolving, but it’s less about a contract than about a mother and daughter finding their way back to each other. They should be a little careful with hurtful words. Maxie says she’s telling the truth, and Lucy says, they love Blaze, but they can’t sacrifice their reputation for her. Lois agrees, but thinks they should put the negative aside for now and work on their PR response. Give Natalia a chance to try and make peace with her daughter. Natalia says, her relationship with her daughter is none of their business, but when it comes to Blaze’s contract, if they do anything to hurt Blaze, they’ll deal with her. Natalia leaves.

Blaze says she’s so sorry. People are saying horrible things and it’s her fault. Kristina says, it’s not. It’s her mother’s fault. Blaze says, they wouldn’t be having this conversation if she’d been truthful, but Kristina says, Blaze did what she thought best. Blaze says she did what was easiest. She didn’t want to rock the boat and tried to have it both ways. Now it might cost her everything, including Kristina. She knows how much the center means to her, and if Kristina can’t forgive the damage that she and her mom caused, she understands. They can go their separate ways and no hard feelings. Kristina doesn’t have to decide now. She’ll leave and let her figure it out. Kristina says, don’t you dare. She’s not going anywhere. She’s hadn’t caused any damage in Kristina’s life. She was already planning on handing over the reins of the center. The only thing she lost was the title of undercover girlfriend. She was already out and had nothing to hide. Blaze says, there might be nothing left to salvage. What if she loses everything? She hid, and people hate liars. Kristina says, Blaze is breaking her heart. She’s beating herself up when it’s not her fault. It’s going to be okay. They’re going to be okay. They’ll get through this. She has faith in them. Does Blaze still feel the same way? Blaze says she’s sorry, but she doesn’t.

Adrian tells Alexis to do her worst and laughs. If her legal skill is on par with her ability to publish a newspaper, he’ll be just fine. He has the Bill of Rights on his side. Alexis says, even the Bill of Rights has its limits. She remembers warning him to be cautious about how deploys secret recordings. He says, if Natalia didn’t know she was being recorded that’s too bad. New York is a one-party consent state. Perhaps Alexis should consult her law books before returning to court. She says, perhaps he should seek legal counsel. Nina is going to cut the tightrope he’s walking on when she finds out. There’s reasonable expectation of privacy. Adrian says, Blaze is the Face of Deception and a famous singer. Public figures don’t get to claim privacy. She says, Blaze’s mother isn’t, and he monetized and commercialized a private citizen without consent. He left a big softball hanging left for her hit out of the park. He says he wants to consult a lawyer, and Alexis says, he has one right here. She’ll even waive the retainer. She’ll make it go away in exchange for one small thing. She wants him to name the person who supplied him with the recording.

Natalia gets in her car, crying, and breathing heavily. She listens to the recording on her phone, and wonders who she was talking to. Why the hell did they record it and send it to the media? Suddenly, the lightbulb comes on.

Maxie wonders, what’s next? and Lois thinks she should cool her appearances, but Lucy says, they need her. She’s the only Face they have left. They need to show they have nothing to hide or be embarrassed about. Scotty says, Lucy is right. They have to deal with it head on. Lucy says, this might not be a popular opinion, but they can’t afford another stumble. They can’t put out that they’re not going to associate with Blaze. Maxie says she didn’t mean that part. She just said it to prompt Natalia to sacrifice herself. She underestimated Natalia’s self-absorption. Lois suggests they take a day to think, but Lucy says, they have no time. They need to make sure the public knows that’s not how they feel, or they could be inundated with candlelight vigils and marches and be canceled on social media. Scotty asks if he should draw up a statement. Is Blaze in or out?

Blaze tells Kristina that she’s not saying they should break up, but she doesn’t see a way to move forward. Kristina says she does. She’ll guide both of them. Blaze says, it’s a huge responsibility, but Kristina says she doesn’t care. Blaze is worth it, and she loves her. She refuses to accept that Blaze’s enormous talent can’t override the ugly things being said. She’s not saying that out of love, but out of love she’ll continue to say it until Blaze believes it.

Sonny tells Diane that they’ll talk again after she comes up with a strategy, when Natalia walks in. Sonny turns his back to her, and Diane says she’ll be in touch. She leaves and Natalia says she can tell Sonny heard the recording. He says he has, and she says she knows he’s pretty upset and doesn’t have a high opinion of her. He says, obviously, and she says she’s not going to force her presence on him. She’ll go, but first, she wanted him to know where the recording came from. He says, she insulted his daughter, and she says, unfortunately, those are her words, but they were said to someone close to him who secretly recorded her. He says, who? and she says, it actually took a while for her to remember who she had that regrettable conversation with. She realized the person who edited out their part is the same person who supplied the recording to The InvaderAva Jerome.

On the phone, Ava wonders where her room service is. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, there it is now. She opens the door, and Alexis is there. Alexis says, they need to have a conversion. One that won’t be recorded.

And I laaaugh because Adrian folded like a cheap suit.

Tomorrow, Sasha wants Blaze and Kristina to benefit from her hard-won experience; Lois has a suggestion; Sonny says, there are no limits to how far Ava will go; and Carly tells Josslyn there’s a good chance she could go to prison.

🧼 All  the Soap News Fit To Print…

Blaze and Kristina’s storyline today brought tears to my eyes. It almost softened the blow of Finn’s departure. Almost.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-jacqueline-grace-lopez-shares-why-representation-matters

Life imitating art.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-kin-shriner-is-recovering-from-surgery

He’s got a better perspective on his being let go than I do.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-puts-his-gh-exit-into-perspective

I’ll have what he’s having.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-chad-duell-shares-an-important-message-with-fans

So cool how they stay in touch. Soap stars are a different breed of actor.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-kimberly-mccullough-and-brooklyn-rae-silzer-reunite

GH won’t be on July 4th. You get the whole day off.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/soap-opera-soaps-holiday-schedule

🐪 No Camel For You…

Sorry. As of this posting, there was no recap for Real Housewives of Dubai. Stay tuned for it tomorrow, and in the meantime, there’s this. Discuss amongst yourselves.

https://www.realitytea.com/2024/07/02/caroline-stanbury-sergio-carrallo-might-not-make-it-rhodubai/

👠 What Happens In Jersey…

What happened.

What’s going to happen.

And what the Marge hopes will happen.

🗽 If They Can’t Make It There…

RHONY used to be my favorite of the franchise because, NYC, but I found the new cast to be mind-numbing, city or no city. Maybe the latest additions will make a difference. Or not.

🛟 Random Topics On Deck…

The perfect guest.

The feud.

And the fans.

🐕 Knowing the Drill…

It’s that time again. Actually, that time started here on Sunday night when I was wearing my chihuahua on my head after he heard the first firecracker.

https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/10-easy-tips-happy-safe-pets-july-4th

⛲️ Summer Mood: On…

Join me tomorrow for soap, tea, and entertainment news. Until then, stay safe, stay wearing sunscreen whether you think you need to or not, and stay never reducing anyone to how they look and talk, and who they love.

June 26, 2024 – Finn Meets With Chase, Why Goodbye, Best Yet, Twirling Out, Lighter, New VanderStaff, Calling It Off, Celebrations, World’s Ugliest & Freedom

Standard

What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts, recaps, and the whole GH enchilada on Fridays)

General Hospital

Trina knocks on Sonny’s door, and says she was asked to grab Ava’s day planner. Sonny tells her to check Ava’s room, and Trina tells him that Ava said… He says, Ava told Trina that he threw her out because he did.

Kristina startles Alexis, who’s snoozing on her sofa next to her open laptop. Kristina says she knocked, and Alexis says, and when she didn’t answer? Kristina says, naturally, she let herself in. What is Alexis working on that she was so focused? Alexis slams her laptop shut, and Kristina says, not too suspicious.

Trina says she also wanted to give Sonny Ava’s suite number at the MetroCourt, but he says, that’s not necessary. She asks if he wants her to tell Ava anything, and he says, tell her that she’ll be hearing from his attorney soon. He and Ava aren’t of the same opinion that it’s not suitable to raise a child in a hotel, even part time. It was good seeing her. He opens the door, and Trina leaves.

Finn sees Chase on Gregory’s memorial bench, and Chase says he can take off, but Finn says, it’s his bench too. Good thing he came. It might be the only way to get Chase to talk to him. He doesn’t remember the hill being so steep. Another reason to stay sober. Chase says nothing, and Finn says, he remembers when Chase was furious at him for not communicating with their dad. Chase asks what Finn wants him to say, but Finn says, Chase knows exactly what he wants to hear. He’s left messages and texts. He’s desperate to know how his daughter is, and Chase couldn’t even call him back.

Chase and Finn sit on the bench, and Finn asks, how’s Violet? Chase says, confused and worried about him, and Finn says, because she walked in, and it scared her seeing him passed out. Chase says he reassured her that Finn was okay, but she’s more concerned he’ll think she abandoned him or doesn’t love him anymore. Finn says he would never think that, and Chase says, that’s what he told her. Brook’s been great with her; everybody at the Quartermaine’s has. Finn says he hopes Violet isn’t mad at him, but Chase says, he’s Violet’s hero. They have that in common. Finn says he’s a lot of things, but not a hero, and Chase says, that’s not true. He’s looked to Finn for guidance. He didn’t mean to come here, but it’s where he ended up. Finn says him too, and Chase says, that has to count for something.

Brook says she’s not sure how much Violet slept, and Tracy says, if Violet is like her, not much. Brook says, she’s playing a board game with Leo. He seemed to intrinsically know she needed distracting. Tracy says, he’s a special boy, and Brook says she’s scared about what comes next. Tracy asks if she means the big picture, and Brook says, what if Violet asks to call her father? Tracy says, Brook will think of something. She always does. Brook wonders, what if Violet asks when she’s going home? She’s like their little adorable prisoner. Tracy says, in an enormous, gilded cage, and Brook says she gets that they’re lucky. Tracy asks if she’s considered the possibility that this could be a permanent situation.

Sasha tells Cody that she feels bad for Violet. She’s not her usual boisterous self. She barely at breakfast and picked at her lunch. Cody suggests the food was subpar, and she says, excuse you. Violet looked tired too. She’s worried there’s something serious going on. Cody says, Violet just lost her grandpa. She’s probably still sad and still processing it. Why is she here and not home with her dad? Sasha says, that’s the thing. Whatever is happening has to do with Finn. She overheard Olivia and Tracy talking about Brook, Chase, and Violet moving in here permanently.

Trina delivers Ava’s planner, and Ava thanks her. She couldn’t bear the thought of facing Sonny again. She asks if there was any hint of him being upset or remorseful, but Trina says, he was cold. All about business. She wanted to get out of there. Ava asks if Natalia was there, but Trina says, Sonny was alone. She offered him Ava’s suite number… Ava says, let her guess. He didn’t want it. That’s fine. If he wants to know, he can ask the front desk. Trina says, he did have a message for her. She’ll be hearing from his attorney about whether a hotel is an appropriate place to raise Avery, even part time. He definitely was making a point. Ava says, that son of a bitch is planning to take away her daughter.

Ava says, Sonny kicked her out before she could find a place, and Trina says, it’s not fair. Ava says, it’s criminal. This isn’t a permanent solution. Him going after Avery is a payback thing. He wrongly thinks she’s responsible for his friend losing her law license, but she brought it on herself. Sonny is violent, impulsive, vindictive, and selfish. She did what she could to co-exist, and now he’s paying her back by taking her daughter. Trina asks what she’s going to do, and Ava says, fight back. Sonny isn’t the only one who knows a thing or two about threats.

Tracy tells Brook that she had a long conversation with Olivia and Monica about when and if Finn goes to rehab. She and Chase can’t move into Finn’s apartment. That’s where Violet lost her grandpa and saw her father drunk and bleeding on the floor. Chase’s apartment is a one-bedroom and they’re newlyweds. She’d like to think they’ll eventually get back to that. Brook says, they can get a bigger place. They have the money, and the situation warrants extra spending. Tracy says, Violet needs stability and consistency right now, and she’d like to offer Violet a home for as long as she needs it, provided Brook and Chase come with her.

Josslyn is cleaning the new apartment, when there’s a knock at the door. Gio says he thought he’d check in, and wonders why she’s cleaning. Josslyn says, it’s what people do, and he asks if he didn’t do enough. She says, this is a me thing. Trina was supposed to help, but she has to run errands for Ava. Gio says he gathers Josslyn isn’t a big fan, and she says she respects Trina’s relationship with Ava, but she more than dislikes her. She does have one redeeming quality. She created Avery. Although she probably shouldn’t badmouth the woman who hired him to play at the gallery. Maybe Ava has two redeeming qualities. She has great taste in musicians.

Kristina says she looked up the information from the link Alexis gave her and drew up a petition. Can Alexis look it over? Alexis asks what the gist of it is, and Kristina says, if Molly and TJ split up, the baby stays with them.

Finn says he’d do anything to change what happened and be the father Violet deserves, and Chase asks if Diane served him with the papers. He didn’t have a choice, and it wasn’t easy. Finn says he knows. He’s been so angry at Chase, Elizabeth, and the hospital, when the person he really hated was himself. He’s found himself back where he started, unable to control the urge to anaesthetize. Chase says, that’s the first step. He’s sorry Finn is here, but thankful he’s still alive. Finn says he doesn’t deserve to be, but Chase tells him, don’t say that. Finn says his daughter found him unconscious on the floor in their home and she was scared. He did that. Chase says, he didn’t mean to, but Finn says, it doesn’t matter. The choice he made caused Violet pain and it makes him want to die. Something broke in him. He’s broken.

Alexis says, us meaning? and Kristina says, the Davis family. Alexis says she thinks Kristina should ask Molly, but Kristina asks her to please look it over. Alexis says she distinctly remembers saying she wouldn’t advise Kristina, lest it look like she’s choosing sides, and Kristina says, if they split, Molly has no legal claim. Alexis says, the last time she saw them, they were fine, and Kristina says, they’ve been annoyingly agreeable since high school, but stress breaks some couples. She has to be prepared. Alexis wonders if subconsciously, deep down, Kristina wants TJ and Molly to break up, but Kristina says, no. Why? Alexis says, she just has a feeling Kristina might… There’s a knock at the door, and Alexis says she hopes it’s not Kristina’s sister. She opens the door to Sonny and says, thank God. (I’ll bet that’s the first he’s heard that in a long time.)

Josslyn asks how much Ava is paying Gio, unless it’s none of her business. He doesn’t have to answer if it’s private. He says, 100 bucks, and she says, an hour? He says, for the whole thing, and Josslyn calls Ava a cheapskate. Gio says he’s telling himself it’s good exposure. He’s living at the Quartermaines, so he has no living expenses. She says, Ava should pay him what he’s worth, and he says, she should be an agent. She says, and deal with demanding talent like him? He starts to help her, but she says, his hands are his meal ticket and he’s got to protect them at all costs.

Tracy says she knows this isn’t how Brook envisioned married life, but they have the perfect set up; a suite with adjoining rooms that’s bigger than Chase’s apartment. No offense. Brook says, none taken, and Tracy says, and this place is crawling with maternal energy. Brook says, her? but Tracy says, no. Monica, Olivia, Lois, Sasha, and Willow in the gatehouse. There are also plenty of father figures and tons of children coming in and out. Brook says, all the reasons she told Chase, and Tracy says, and he told her yes to it temporarily, but she’s offering the possibility of something more permanent. Brook says she’ll have to talk to Chase. He’s the one with emergency custody. Tracy says, they need to consider the possibility that it may become more permanent.

Ava says, separating her from her child is not happening, and Trina says she gets that Ava is upset, but fighting Sonny? Ava asks what choice she has, and Trina asks if Ava wants her to open the gallery, but Ava says, it’s Trina’s day off. Go enjoy what she has planned. The gallery will survive being closed one day. She has to get situated. Trina says, let her know if she needs anything, and Ava hugs her and thanks her. When Trina leaves, Ava gets on the phone.

Sasha says she hopes everything is okay with Finn, and Cody says him too. For Finn’s sake, but mostly for Violet’s. Sasha says she knows what it’s like growing up without a father. It’s not easy. Cody says, luckily, he had a lot of stand-ins. It helps a lot, but it’s not… Sasha says, it’s not the same as having a dad. Mac comes in and asks if it’s a bad time.

Chase says he just wants to help Finn, and Finn says he knows. Chase says he’ll give Finn whatever support he needs, but he has to take the first step. Finn takes out his phone and calls Sky Meadow Lodge. He says he believes their holding a bed for him, and the woman says, they are. He says he’ll be checking in tonight, and she says, glad to hear it. They’ll see him then. Chase says he’s proud of Finn, but Finn says, he might want to wait until he’s there. Chase says he has faith, and Finn says, 90 days. Chase says, he’s got this, and Finn asks if Chase can give him a ride. Chase says, he’ll also give him a ride home when he gets out, and Finn says he has one more favor. Chase says, anything, and Finn says he wants to say goodbye to his daughter.

Alexis asks to what she owes this visit, and Sonny says he found out Ava was the reason she was disbarred and he’s furious. She says, join the club, and he says, she had him fooled. He doesn’t know why he let Ava live with him. Alexis says, he got to spend time with Avery, and he says, if he would have known… He’s glad he knows now. He told Ava to pack her bags and move out. He should have listened to what people were telling him. Alexis says, he didn’t have the information. None of them did. Sonny says he knows they don’t see eye to eye on everything, but as far as Ava goes, they’re on the same side.

Mac says, after Cody left, Maxie went on about how Cody stepped up for the family and he wanted to thank him. Cody says he loves them, and Mac says, they love him too, especially James. He keeps asking when Mac is going with him to his next lesson. Cody says, he’s welcome any time, and Mac says, Sasha has made some new decisions too. She’s gone from the Face of Deception to a private chef. She says, Cody also lets her help out, and Mac says, she’s a welcome addition. He’s sorry for having suspicions about Cody once upon a time. He had Cody pegged as a con man who couldn’t be trusted, but that’s obviously not the truth. Cody is Superman to his family. Will he accept Mac’s apology?

Trina shows up at the apartment and says she’s sorry she’s late. Josslyn says, Trina is so late, she got a new roommate. She’s kidding. Gio is helping. Is Trina okay? Trina says she had a strange interaction with Ava. Ava went off about Sonny. Josslyn says she thought they were getting along, but Trina says, he threw her out and she was full of rage, all directed at Sonny. Josslyn says, it’s not their first showdown, and Gio asks if Ava could be a threat to Sonny. Josslyn says, physically? She doesn’t think so. Trina says she disagrees. This afternoon, Ava seemed capable of anything.

Brook looks at a photo of Edward and Lila, and Tracy asks how she’s doing. Brook says, overwhelmed but grateful Tracy is in a position to help Finn if he chooses, and that they’re collectively in a position to help Violet. She thinks Violet will be okay. Tracy says she does too, but she was talking about Brook. Taking on a child is an enormous responsibility, especially this early in a marriage. Brook says she’ll think of it as training for when she and Chase have kids of their own, and Tracy says, she’s proud of Brook. She’s handling this with enormous grace, compassion, and patience. She’s supposed to be on her honeymoon. Florence, this is not. Brook says, she hopes they get there some time, but home is just where they belong right now, and Tracy says, Brook is handling it better than she would, but Brook says she thinks under the bravado, Tracy’s got a big heart. Tracy says, don’t tell anyone, and Brook thanks her for saying all the right things, the things she needed to hear. Tracy hugs her and says, this too shall pass.

Cody says, there’s nothing to forgive, and if there were, it would be done. He loves Mac’s family. Mac says, and he fits right in, and Cody says, it feels that way to him. Mac says, it makes sense, considering Cody, Sasha, and Maxie were working together at Deception. They got to know each other. He means Cody and Maxie, and now Cody gets to spend time with Sasha. Sasha says she lives in the kitchen, but she’s here now because she’s in between meals. Cody says, they’re just co-workers, and Mac says, sure. He tells Cody to expect an observer at James’s next lesson, and leaves. Sasha says she can’t take it anymore. What’s wrong with him?

Scotty says, her favorite lawyer at her service, and Ava says, she and Sonny hit a rough patch. She has every reason to believe he’s going to go for sole custody of Avery, and she can’t let that happen. She won’t. She can’t lose another daughter. He asks if she thinks Sonny will argue that she’s unfit, and she says, most likely. He asks if she is, and she says, of course (🍷) not, but it doesn’t matter. Sonny will do what he always does. Pay someone off to get the result he wants or lie on the stand. Scotty says, either strategy could work.

Chase comes back to the Quartermaines, and tells Tracy and Brook that he saw Finn. They had a long conversation on their father’s bench. It was dicey at first, but they’re in a good place. Finn is obviously upset that they kept Violet from him, but he understands, and he said it was the right thing. Tracy asks if he’s going to rehab, and he says, Finn called to confirm it in front of him, and he’s taking Finn tonight – on one condition. Tracy says, his or Finn’s, and he says, Finn’s. He wants to see Violet before he goes.

Alexis says she was going to wait, but she can’t. She has news, and since Sonny brought up Ava – she shows them the document – she’s no longer disbarred. Her disbarment was vacated and her two-year suspension has already been served. Kristina hugs her, and Sonny says, congratulations. Alexis says she has to catch up on her continuing education, but after that, she’ll be reinstated. Sonny says, justice prevails, and Alexis says she’s joining Diane’s law firm. Sonny says, the dynamic duo, and Alexis says, Diane is still his lawyer, not her. He says, good, because he’s about to have a legal battle on his hands.

Tracy wonders, what if Finn manipulates Violet? but Chase says he’ll be observing the conversation. Finn has one chance and if he observes Finn going off the rails, he’ll shut it down. Not to give him a chance to see her when he’ll be gone for three months… Brook says, it would be cruel, and Tracy agrees. She says, Chase is Violet’s guardian, so it’s his call. Chase says he appreciates the support, and she asks, where and when the meeting will be. He says, here and now. Finn is waiting outside in his car.

Sasha says, Cody had the perfect opportunity to come clean. He obviously loves Mac’s family and wants to be part of it. She would too. Cody says he has to wait for the timing to be right. If it’s off, he might lose everything he has. It’s too big a risk. Sasha says she wants him to be happy, and he says he is. She says, the happiest he could be, and he says, it’s new territory for him, wanting to be part of something. It’s usually been me, myself, and I. Until he found out Mac was his father, he was fine with things the way they were. She says she thought they were trying a better way, and he says, old habits die hard. He almost told Mac. She says, maybe next time, he will.

Josslyn says she knows Gio loves his uncle, and Gio says, she doesn’t. She says she used to once upon a time, and he asks, what happened? Or is it none of his business? She says, family stuff. Her mom was married to Sonny, more than once. They had and have a volatile relationship, and their last breakup was pretty bad. Gio says, and she sided with her mom, and she says she did, but she made a mistake getting involved. It was none of her business. Her mom is more than capable of taking care of herself. She has the right to live her own life, and so does Sonny. She and Sonny don’t agree on pretty much anything, but she doesn’t want anything to happen to him. Gio asks if Trina thinks it’s possible that Ava poses a real threat, and Trina says she doesn’t know, but she wouldn’t rule it out.

Scotty says, Ava and Sonny both have a spotty past with the PCPD. Family court is going to look at it like bad versus even worse. Ava says, Sonny is a mob boss, but he says, allegedly. It’s not on his tax return. She says, plenty of people know he’s violent and impulsive, going from one mental health crisis to the next, and he says, they could testify or not. She has to protect herself. In cases like this, it’s usually a mutual disaster for everyone. She says she’ll take her chances. There’s no way she’s leaving Avery with Sonny permanently. Is he going to be her lawyer or not? He says he’s in, and they shake hands. He says, since he’s going up against Killer Miller, he’s going to need stunt pay.

Tracy hugs Finn and cries. He thanks her for letting him do this, but she says, it was Chase’s idea. He felt it was good for Violet, and that’s all that matters. Brook comes down the stairs and says, Violet is ready. Tracy asks Finn, is he?

Tomorrow, Jason asks someone if they’re sure they’re ready to do this; Violet begs Finn to take her with him; and Dante tells Sam that she can’t tell anybody about this.

😕 WTF Over and Over…

It doesn’t say for sure, but the wording makes it sound like he was let go. Are they kidding? He’s just done some of the best work of his career. I hate when they change writers. There are always casualties.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-says-goodbye-to-general-hospital

🍊 If He Says So…

Yeah, okay, we’ll see. Premieres July 11th.

🍑 Gone With the Wind Minus Fabulous…

No surprise. What a shame. You’d think she’d have had enough sense to understand it was crossing the line. Which is probably pretty hard to do in the Housewives franchise.

https://people.com/kenya-moore-exits-real-housewives-of-atlanta-after-suspension-for-explicit-photos-scandal-8669281

🐪 Walking On Air…

I’ve always liked Caroline. I’d love to see her and LVP together… or maybe not.

https://okmagazine.com/p/caroline-stanbury-life-real-housewives-dubai-lighter-ladies-london/

🍸 Changing the Rules…

It’s not like any of the cast we know still works there.

https://okmagazine.com/p/vpr-fans-go-wild-lisa-vanderpump-new-sur-staff-show-hiatus/

📑 What’s Mine Stays Mine…

I don’t blame her. I can understand why there might be some hurt feelings at having it sprung on him – they should have had this conversation earlier – but what’s the big deal with signing a prenup unless you’re in it for the money? Especially a dude. Come on. And why is everyone getting three wedding dresses? I swear, all you need is one per wedding.

https://extratv.com/2024/06/26/kelly-bensimon-calls-off-wedding-to-scott-litner-4-days-before-ceremony/

🪅 Nobody Does It Better…

No one will ever top PUMP/SUR for Pride Day. I’ve been to quite a few celebrations in NYC, but I only did the march once. It’s a looong walk.

🐶 He Makes My Heart Sing…

There are no ugly dogs, just dogs that are cute in a different way. Although I’m pretty sure if they’d combed his hair, he might not have come away the winner. Congrats, you Wild Thang!

https://people.com/a-pekingese-named-wild-thang-wins-the-2024-world-s-ugliest-dog-contest-8668102

🧘‍♀️ Watching the Tide Roll Away…

Stop in tomorrow for soap, a little tea, and a little music befitting the month. Until then, stay safe, stay using your headphones when listening to music at the beach, and stay taking the first step if you need to.

August 26, 2022 – Spencer Is Done With Nikolas, a Temp, Memories, Official, BH Clash, In the Book, Married, Renewed, Joining, Dead Spin, a Goodbye, Moonmen, 8 Great Quotes & Cruel

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Finn says, one blanket coming up, and walks in to find Elizabeth with his ringing phone in her hand.

Anna says she doesn’t remember the last time the Quartermaines hosted such a… Mac says, rabble? but she tells him, she was going to say event. He says, doesn’t she remember her wedding to Robert, with all the fancy hats that blocked out the sun? and she says, she remembers his girlfriend crashed the party. He says, Dominique always had a flair for the dramatic, when Lucy walks in with Felicia, and says, yes she did. Felicia hands Mac a drink, and says, he needs it more than she does. Anna asks, why? and Mac says, what’s wrong?

Britt asks Austin if she missed anything. Work was no picnic; pun intended. She wants to smack something around. Austin says, the next thing that gets smacked around is going to be her boy toy if he doesn’t stop flirting with his girlfriend. At the grill, Cody asks if Maxie wants some pork, and holds out a pork chop.

Inside, Victor wonders if Valentin brought a decent bottle of Bordeaux. Valentin pours a glass of wine, and says, if he brought a decent bottle of Bordeaux does Victor think he’d be drinking this plunk? The Quartermaines save the good stuff for themselves. He’s surprised to see Victor there. He looks a bit posh for a barbecue. Victor says he’s not there for the cuisine. Their family’s out of order, and Victor has to get them in line. He needs Valentin’s help.

Nikolas kisses Ava, but she breaks away, and says, it’s too late for words. It’s too late for kisses. It’s too late. He broke them the second he had sex with Esme. They see Spencer has walked in, and Nikolas says, Spencer… but Spencer says, don’t. What is Ava talking about? She says, he heard her. His father betrayed her with Spencer’s girlfriend.

Terry sits with her feet in the pool, and Yuri says, apologies. The bar is closed. Terry says, thanks for trying, and tells him, have a seat. He takes off his socks and shoes, and she says she hopes he didn’t mind leaving the party early. He says, the Quartermaines are busy, besides, she’s much better company. He sits next to her, and says, refreshing. She says, nice, huh?

Elizabeth says Finn will want to answer this, showing him the phone. Sarah’s on California time. It might be hard to connect if he doesn’t talk to her now. He takes the phone, and puts it down. He says he’d rather talk to her, and she says, enjoy the rest of his picnic. She starts to leave, and he says, please don’t walk away. Not now. Not like this. Don’t turn away from herself and whatever burden she’s carrying.

Maxie says she’s a vegetarian, and Cody asks if he has any takers. Austin steps up to the grill, and Britt says she didn’t know Cody was a grill master as well as a horse master. Cody says he’s really not, and Britt says she didn’t know he was capable of cooking something without burning it. Cody says he has to keep some secrets before date number two, and tells them that he needs to resupply. Maxie suggests Britt go with him, and Britt and Cody leave. Maxie asks if it’s burnt, and Austin says, it’s… this, indicating the pork chop She asks him to tell her the secret to a good pork chop, and he says, it’s the rub. Mason comes along, and says, nah. Any Gatlin worth his salt knows you can dress a barbecue up, but you won’t get what you want if you don’t turn up the heat.

Mac says, Dominique had a son, and he works for the Quartermaines? and Felicia says, so it would seem. Mac says, impossible. He would have known. Lucy says, what about Scotty? He should have known next. And what about her? She gave birth to Scotty and Dominique’s daughter after all. Anna says, she never gave any indication that she had a son? and Mac says, not once. Felicia says, it’s possible she kept the child a secret to protect him from her husband. Leopold Taub was a controlling monster; he even partnered with Faison. Anna says, a mother will go to any lengths to keep a child secret from an abuser, and Lucy says, you don’t realize who that child will turn out to be as an adult, which is precisely why she called Serena and told her not to come home anytime soon. She wants Serena to stay with her whales until they know more about this Cody person. Mac says, leave it to him, and Felicia follows him out. Lucy says she’s going to help, but Anna grabs her arm, and says she thinks they’ve got it. Besides, Lucy already has one man on her plate. Wait. Make that two.

Spencer says, Nikolas and Esme? but Nikolas says, it’s not the time or the place. Spencer says he’s not moving until Nikolas tells him everything, and Nikolas says, let’s talk about this later. Ava should have been more discreet. Ava says, don’t put this on her, and he says she knew Spencer was standing there. She says she doesn’t have eyes in the back of her head; do not make her the bad guy. They start screaming at each other, and Spencer yells, shut up! He needs to know. If this is just another one of Ava’s lies, that’s fine. Tell him. He knows what she is, and he knows who Nikolas is – his dad. Please… He starts to cry. Please say something. Nikolas says, it’s not a lie. He slept with Esme.

Cody says, it was right here, and Britt says, what? He says, the cooler, packed with burgers, hot dogs, ears of corn. Someone must have swiped it for one of the other grilling stations. She asks if this means his grilling duties are over, and he says, that’s up to Mama Q. She asks, he answers. She says she can’t see Olivia being okay with that nickname, but he says, she loves it. She knows it’s a term of affection. Does Britt have a nickname? She says she does. It’s definitely not a term of affection. He asks what her mother calls her, and she says, a disgrace, but Cody doesn’t believe it. He says, even when Obrecht was smacking him down, he could see her love for Britt. Britt says, mutter has gotten more sentimental these days, but she doesn’t want anyone to know. He says, all right. If she doesn’t want to share her mother’s nickname for her, what was her dad’s?

Maxie tells Mason, welcome. She didn’t think he was going to make it. Mason says he wouldn’t miss it. He needed to see how the other half grills. Besides, Cousin Austin insisted. He didn’t want Mason sitting around twiddling his thumbs. She asks if he’s an expert griller too, and he says, everyone in Pautuck is; some are better than others. He asks if Austin wants to flip over that chop, and Austin suggests Maxie take some food orders; see if her parents want something. Mason says, her parents are here? She should bring them over. He’d love to make their acquaintance.

Elizabeth says, Finn doesn’t know when to quit, does he? She told him… He says, if he brought up whatever’s troubling her again, they’d be over, and she says, so he brought it up with her sister instead? He tells her, he hasn’t said a word to Sarah, and she says, don’t argue semantics with her. He says he’d argue any point he could if he knew it meant helping her, and she says she never asked for his help. She never wanted it; she never needed it. She was just fine without it, but somehow he’s still meddling in her life.

Ava suggests Nikolas talk to his son in private. Here or at Windymere; she doesn’t care. She’s done. Nikolas says she should stay and watch the results of her ambush, but she says, he did this; no one else. He says, this is what she’s always wanted, to see his relationship with his son destroyed. It killed her to see them get close. She says, that’s absolutely not true, and he says, knowing she’d never get the chance to heal with Kiki the way he did with Spencer, but she’s the only one to blame for that. She smacks him across the face, and he says, the truth hurts, doesn’t it? She says, ask his son, and walks out.

Lucy says she agreed to make certain inquiries, so Marty wouldn’t ping on the government’s radar, and Anna says, or more important, his third ex-wife. Lucy says, this is going beyond the pale, but Anna says, not for Lucy. She could lead a master class extract secrets out of people. Lucy says, the old her, not now, and Anna says she’s not asking Lucy to do anything she wouldn’t do. She’s just asking Lucy to exploit the attention that Victor can’t wait to lavish on her. Just shake the tree until information about Valentin comes loose. Lucy asks, what makes Anna so sure she can get Victor to let his guard down? and Anna asks if Lucy has seen the way Victor looks at he. Lucy has the necessary assets to be her asset. Lucy says, nope. Flattery isn’t going to get her anywhere. Anna says, let’s hope for Marty’s sake she’s wrong.

Victor tells Valentin, he’s not asking for much; just another pair of eyes on a developing situation in Nikolas’s family. Valentin says, Nikolas, Ava, and Spencer all loathe him with varying degrees of justification, and Victor says he can’t do everything himself. It’s time his son stepped up and did his duty. If not for him, then for Valentin’s daughter. Valentin says, they agreed to leave his daughter out of this, and Victor says, her temporary stay in that boarding school could easily become permanent. Valentin says, you bastard, when Lucy walks in and asks if she’s interrupting.

Spencer asks Nikolas to please tell him this didn’t happen. He doesn’t understand. Nikolas says, of course (🍷) he doesn’t. Ava vomited that all up… Spencer says, she didn’t know he’d be here. She didn’t know he was standing right behind her. Nikolas says, Spencer doesn’t know that; he doesn’t know that. Never credit or defend Ava; she’s capable of anything. Spencer says, so is Nikolas. When did it start? How long have he and Esme been going at it? Nikolas says, just one time in May. They never repeated it. It was a mistake. Spencer says, Nikolas slept with his girlfriend, and Nikolas tells him, she said they’d broken up. Spencer asks if Nikolas is trying to justify this, but Nikolas says he’s just trying to explain. Spencer says he had his reasons. He had to keep Esme close because he was trying to help Trina. Nikolas says he knows that now; he didn’t know it then. All he knew is Spencer accepted Ava’s offer and took his inheritance over him. Spencer says, is that what this is about? Revenge? Nikolas says, no. He didn’t want to hurt Spencer. Spencer says, it may have actually meant something if Nikolas tried to hurt him, but they’re in the same place they’ve found themselves time and time again. Nikolas didn’t think. He didn’t think about Spencer at all.

Finn tells Elizabeth, he’s in the wrong. She asked him to honor her wishes, and obviously he didn’t. He’s sorry, but the truth is, she’s not the only one he’s concerned about. He’s worried about Violet. She says, how so? and he says, Violet loves Elizabeth and her cousins. When they’re all together, it’s all she talks about for days. Elizabeth makes her so happy. She brings light into Violet’s life, but less so lately. He knows the handling of her health is her decision alone, but he has a decision to make too, and he doesn’t know how to ignore the clear signs that she’s in some sort of distress. She says, it’s her distress, her burden, not his, and he sits. She says, what? and he says, at least they’re finally getting somewhere. She finally admitted she has a burden.

Terry says, Yuri worked for the Quartermaines as a bodyguard. Was it dangerous? He tells her, more, how you say… frustrateous? She says, frustrating, and he says, that. She says, from what she’s heard about the Quartermaines, she’s not surprised. Although she likes and respects Monica. He says, him too, and she says, it looks like they have something in common. She plays with her necklace, and he says, pretty. She thanks him, and says, it was a gift. He says, from a special someone? and she says, her mother. There’s no special someone in her life right now. He says, this is crime.

Austin tells Mason, Maxie’s dad is a cop. He’s Chief of Detectives at the PCPD. Mason says, if there’s any trouble, Austin only has himself to blame. He has obligations to fulfill. To whom much is given, much is required. Austin says, thanks for that, fortune cookie. His dept is repaid. Mason says, his creditors disagree. Ingratitude isn’t a good look on him. He doesn’t think Maxie would find it attractive. Austin says, leave Maxie out of this, and Mason says, he’s the one who brought her up. Or her father, or rather her Chief of Detectives father. He only wants what’s good for Austin. Austin says, the feeling’s mutual, and grabs Mason’s head with both hands, and says, that’s why he’s only going to say this one time. Leave Maxie and her family out of this, or the pain Mason is feeling right now will not be fleeting.

Anna says, she hates being lied to, but Valentin says he’s not lying. She tosses a cornhole sack, and we see his head popping out of the hole, like Whack-a-Mole. It hits him, and he says, ouch. She says, it didn’t look like it hurt quite enough. She’s trying again. Stay still. She hits him with another sack, and he says, ouch. She says, yes, and Maxie joins her. Maxie says, looks like fun, and Anna says, yeah. She gets a sack into the hole, and says, that’ll do.

Lucy says she’s so sorry. She certainly didn’t mean to interrupt a family moment. Victor says, it’s all sorted, and Valentin says, it isn’t, but Victor asks what he can do for her. She says she’s looking for… She sees a jar on the counter, and says, pickles. Outside, gherkins, gherkins everywhere, and not a dill to eat. He says, here you are, sliding the jar over, but slides it back when she reaches for it. She says, he’s playing with her, and he asks how he can resist. Valentin says, will he give the woman her pickles? He’ll see her for s’mores. Victor gives her the jar, but says, no need to rush away, and Valentin says, Martin Grey is probably looking for her. Victor remembers Martin, doesn’t he? Lucy’s boyfriend?

Britt says, back to her father. Surprise, surprise. Cody says, it was an innocent question, and she says he knows she doesn’t like talking about him. Cody says, he thought the boundaries were the Dr. Evil stuff. He didn’t realize, and wasn’t aware, her father was entirely off limits. She says, he’s aware now, and he says, okay, no dad talk. What about her brother? She says, Peter? and Cody says, is he out of bounds, or should they just avoid her whole family and stick with his? She says, good idea, when Felicia and Mac come alone. Felicia says, they’re sorry to interrupt. They’re looking for someone. Mac says he thinks they found him.

Maxie gets her toss in the hole, and Anna says, she’s a natural. Maxie is a natural leader as well. She never said congratulations yet about Deception’s IPO. Maxie thanks her, and says, it was a lot of work, but it helps to have a great team behind you. Anna says, including Valentin? and Maxie says, shockingly. He was a little more involved than she would have liked at the beginning, but he had some great ideas. He’s has been quiet lately. Anna says she noticed that too. She thinks he’s still convalescing from the injury he had a few months ago, and Maxie says, sometimes she thinks he still hasn’t recovered. It’s like his mind is someplace else. With Anna? Anna says, maybe, and Maxie says, what is she doing? She’s supposed to be taking orders. Has Anna seen her mom and dad? Anna says she hasn’t seen them in a while, but there here somewhere, and Maxie asks if she’d like something, but Anna says, she can’t eat when she’s thinking.

Lucy says, it’s the darndest thing. Martin is still out of town. Victor asks if he’s left Lucy unattended again. The man should be tarred and feathered. There is a solution though; allow him. Lucy says she was one leg short for the three-legged race, and he says, all his legs are at her service. Valentin says he’s been trying to reach Martin. Where is her one and only? She says, his mother. He’s so busy taking care of her, he’s had no time to answer her calls or texts. Victor says, a woman of advanced age does need a lot of attention. A dutiful son can be away for some time. Valentin says, he should be back soon, and Lucy tries to open the pickles, but she’s unsuccessful. She says she can’t get this lid unscrewed. Valentin snaps a picture on his phone, and says, if Martin can’t be reached, he’s sure this message will get his attention.

Cody asks if he knows Mac, and Mac says, not exactly. Felicia asks if he’s Cody Bell, and he says he is. She introduces herself and Mac, and Cody says, they’re Maxie’s parents. Nice to meet them. She’s great; he loves that girl. Did they hear about him through Maxie, or… Britt says, don’t be modest. Mac is Chief of Detectives. She’s sure his cops told him how they arrested Cody. Felicia says, to be honest, they only just heard about him, and came right over to meet him. Cody says, why is that? and Felicia looks at Mac. He doesn’t say anything, and she says, they knew Cody’s mother.

Austin keeps his grip on Mason’s head, and says, hurts, right? That’s the parotid nerve. It’s super sensitive nerve, and it hurts even more if you press on it like this. He presses Mason’s head down, and Mason says, let him go. Austin says, he’ll let Mason go as soon as he feels like they they’re understanding one another. Mason says, he can live with the pain – he grabs a knife from the cutting board – but can Austin live with a nicked artery? Austin lets go, and Mason says, blood or no blood, when he calls, Austin will answer, and it will be, yes, sir, and, thank you, sir, when he gives Austin instructions. Got it? Ava comes along, and says, loud and clear.

Nikolas says he knows sleeping with Esme was wrong, and Spencer says, Captain Obvious did it occur to him, not owning up to the truth was also wrong? Nikolas asks, what would be the point in telling Spencer? and Spencer says, not lying would have been the point, but Nikolas says he was more concerned with not hurting Spencer. And it didn’t matter to Esme. Spencer says he knows Nikolas didn’t do this on his own. Esme’s just as responsible. Nikolas says, that’s not what he’s saying. It shouldn’t have happened. Spencer says, he’d really like it if Nikolas would start calling it what it is. It is a betrayal, and there have been so many, including the years Nikolas let Spencer believe he was dead. He’s sick. Nikolas says he’ll never forgive himself for that, but how does sleeping with Esme compare to that? Spencer told Nikolas himself that he was just using her to get Trina out of prison. Spencer says, that is the worst part. Because he stopped loving Esme. She didn’t matter to him, but Nikolas did. He loved Nikolas. Nikolas was his dad and meant everything to him. No longer.

Finn tells Elizabeth, now is the time to get out in front of this thing before it digs in any deeper, before it harms her or someone else. She asks if he’s suggesting she’d hurt someone like she did Chase, and he says, not intentionally, but it’s clear to him that she has a problem. And despite all the denials, he thinks it’s clear to her too. Does she think maybe it’s clear to her boys? How does she think it is for them, seeing their mom struggling, and they can’t help her and don’t know how? And what’s going to happen if they reach out to somebody she doesn’t want them too, like her father? She says, don’t talk about her father. Why can’t he just leave her alone? He says, because he’s been there. He’s been in denial; he’s an addict. He’d probably be dead right now if certain people hadn’t fought through his lies and helped him. That’s why he can’t turn a blind eye when he sees someone in pain. What’s the point of being a doctor? She says, he’s not her doctor. He’s not her anything. She runs out, and he calls after her.  

Elizabeth comes out of the woods, and feels her head. She sees blood on her hands. She hears Finn’s words about her boys, and him asking, what if they reach out to her father? She flashes back to being at the top of the stairs with someone, and saying, don’t talk about my father. The woman asks what she’s doing; they probably don’t want her involved. Elizabeth says, don’t talk about her father. You’ll see what happens if you do. She keeps walking, then stops and looks back.

Cody asks how they knew his mother, and Felicia says, she didn’t know Dominique well, but Mac… Mac says, he and Dominique were friends. He met her when she was married to Cody’s father. Cody says, Mac has his deepest sympathies. From what he’s heard, Leopold Taub was a real piece of work. Mac says, no doubt about that, and Cody promises he’s nothing like that guy, at least as far as he knows, He’s definitely not in a criminal cartel, trying to hold Port Charles hostage. Mac says he doesn’t see a bit of Taub in Cody; plenty of Dominique though. She was a good person. Cody tells him, if you say so, and Mac says he does. Felicia says she’s starving, and suggests they rustle up some ribs. Cody says, the barbecue by the boathouse is out of supplies, so they’ll have to hit up another one. He asks if he can interest Britt in a beer inside, and she guesses it woudn’t hurt. He says, it never does, and tells Mac and Felicia, nice meeting them. Felicia says, him too, and Britt and Cody go into the stable. Cody says, weird guy. Outside, Felicia asks if Mac is okay, and Mac says, why wouldn’t he be? She says, he just lied to Cody.

As she plays with her necklace, Terry tells Yuri, a crystal’s a symbol of transformation. Her mother says, it’s a reminder that change is ongoing. We’re always creating or discovering new parts of ourselves. Sometimes change is big and visible, and sometimes you have to look closely to find it. He says, this crystal is helpful to her? and she says, yes. The clasp is loose, and she needs a new chain, because every time she plays with it – the chain opens and the necklace falls in the water – that happens. Yuri dives in.

Lucy says, Valentin doesn’t have to send Victor those pictures. In fact, she bets she could get ahold of him right now, and make sure he contacts Valentin immediately. As for Victor, she’s so sorry. She just remembered she has to meet Brook, but she sure hopes they can do this again sometime maybe. He holds a pickle spear out to her, and says, no maybe about it. She takes her pickle, thanks him, and leaves. Valentin says, Victor always wants what he can’t have, and Victor says he gets what he wants. It just takes a little patience. But rather than concerning himself with Victor’s personal affairs, perhaps Valentin should focus on his own. Or is Anna proving too hard to handle?

Ava says, good evening, as she walks closer, and Mason puts the knife back. She says, is everything okay here? Mason says, he and Austin were just arguing the merits of medium rare versus well done. She asks what they decided, and Austin says, well done. She says she came out to find a refill, but it looks like she’s out of luck. She looks at them weird, and says, so carry on, gentlemen. She leaves, and Mason starts to follow, but Austin says, don’t even worry about her. Mason says he doesn’t worry, and leaves. Austin follows. I actually get confused for a moment, thinking, aren’t Ava and Austin good friends? But that was Ava and Todd. I mean, Franco.

Nikolas says, Spencer doesn’t mean that. They’ve come too far to let their relationship go. Spencer says, everything he’s done since he came home was to bring them closer; every gamble, every stupid mistake, every act of contrition. All to get his dad back. And for every step he took closer to Nikolas, Nikolas took two steps backwards. There’s no closing that gap now. He thought he knew who Nikolas was, but he doesn’t. He’s done with Nikolas. He walks out.

Mac asks how he lied to Cody, and Felicia says she’s not sure the word friend accurately captures Mac’s relationship with Dominique. He says, ancient history. They guy obviously has mother issues he needs to work out. There’s no reason to add one more thing to his list.

Cody hands Britt a beer, and says, where were they? Oh yeah. She was about to tell him about her brother. She says, no. He was about to ask her if he was allowed to ask about Peter. He says, is he? and she says, stick to your favorite color crayon, worst remake, best Toto song. He says, burnt sienna, he never watches remakes and never will, and Rosanna. She says, Africa, and he says, too obvious. And how is it fair her brother is off-limits, just like when he brings up any of her other family members? She says she thinks about Peter and Faison nearly every day, and talking about them only makes it worse. He takes her beer, and puts it on the table with his, and says, fine. Enough talking. He moves closer to her.

Lucy finds Anna, and Anna asks how it went with Victor. Lucy says, Victor fell for her, hook, line, and pickles, but Valentin was there, so there wasn’t anything of interested revealed. But there’s a heck of a lot of tension between father and son. Anna asks, how so? and Lucy says, she would recognize a thwarted and disgruntled Valentin, but it wasn’t just that. Valentin was going for the jugular when she interrupted them. So her sense is, big daddy has Valentin on a very short leash, and that leash is beginning to chafe. She takes a bite of her pickle, and walks off.

Victor says, he’s noticed Valentin and Anna have become close since Valentin’s return from Tahiti. Has it clouded Valentin’s judgement? Valentin says, he told Victor, he has Anna well in hand, and Victor says, with a little cultivation, he’ll have the lovely Lucy in his hand soon. So a be chum, and delete that photo. Valentin says, yes, father, and does. Victor says, Charlotte would be proud, pats Valentin on the shoulder, and leaves.

Spencer chugs a beer, and goes into the cooler for another. Nikolas asks how much he’s had to drink, and Spencer gives him the standard answer, not nearly enough, but Nikolas says, he’s had plenty. He tries to take Spencer’s beer, and grabs him. Spencer says, let him go, and they struggle. Nikolas says, he’ll never let Spencer go, and Victor comes along, as Spencer breaks away. Spencer says, he’s let Nikolas go. He’s done his last good deed, and now Nikolas can go win Ava back, without even considering Spencer. Good luck. Spencer leaves, and Victor says, what the hell? What just happened? Nikolas says, Ava happened. Oh, I see. Nikolas has changed not-at-all, and is going to blame all his mistakes on Ava.

Mason walks through the boathouse, and says, he thought she came this way. Austin says, can’t he just let this go? but Mason says, she heard them. Austin says, she heard a family squabble, but Mason says, it was more than that. Austin says, Ava doesn’t know that, and Mason says, he can’t take the chance, and neither can Austin.

Yuri brings back Terry’s necklace, and sits next to her again. He says, it’s only water; it will dry. She laughs, and he says, wear it? She says, of course (🍷), and he puts it on her.

As Ava walks, we see someone take a pair gardening gloves, and  a hook is taken from a row of them. Ava says, to Windymere. Living there was nice while it lasted. Hook guy comes up behind her, and she says, if Scotty’s worth his fee, he’ll pry it from Nikolas before the divorce. To divorce. The hook comes down, Ava doubles over. She looks down to see it sticking out of her stomach.  

On Monday, Cody asks Britt, what’s so awful about them being into each other; Finn tells Elizabeth, don’t shut him out; Sonny tells Anna, he can neither confirm nor deny that; and Ava asks someone not to leave her.

😴 Ho-Hum…

Temp Michael is coming back. Again.

💖 Charming Remembrance…

She’s also celebrating her 45th GH Anniversary.

💑 She Likes Him…

I’m glad Sutton has found a man. He seems like a good match for her.

💎 A Feud In Them There Hills…

Diana needs to take a step back, and Garcelle needs her own show. Google me is one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time.

https://www.distractify.com/p/garcelle-beauvais-diana-jenkins-feud

I actually don’t believe this, but then again, who knows?

https://screenrant.com/why-rhobh-fans-diana-used-bots-attack-garcelle/

☎️ Another Number…

I’m not sure why this isn’t in the Who Cares? file. It’s not like they were all kinkballs. At least I hope not.

👰🏻 Knot Officially Tied…

She finally did it. I wish them the best.

https://people.com/tv/vanderpump-rules-stars-scheana-shay-brock-davies-get-married/

🐉 That Was Quick…

I’ll have to hurry up and watch this. The article also contains a recap video.

☠️ Oh Boys…

Another one I have yet to watch. Now there’s even more incentive.

⚰️ Spinning…

I see the both of them are also producers. Smart move.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/walking-dead-maggie-negan-spinoff-new-title-dead-city/

🥀 Goodbye To a Peachy Guy…

He was one of those actors who was in everything too.

https://people.com/tv/beverly-hills-90210-actor-joe-e-tata-dead-at-86/

🎶 On Sunday…

I don’t know if this is everything you need to know, but it’s a lot.

https://ew.com/awards/mtv-video-music-awards-2022-everything-to-know/

📣 Quotes of the Week

Look around you. Everything changes. Everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing and changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant. – Steve Maraboli

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. – Frederick Douglass

I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.George Washington

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. – Søren Kierkegaard

I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature. – Paulo Coelho

The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state… Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. – James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

My responsibility to myself, my neighbors, my family and the human family is to try to tell the truth. – Toni Cade Bambara

We were good before things went bad. – Silas Clay (Michael Easton, 2013-1015), General Hospital

🏃🏽‍♀️ Never Gonna Break My Stride…

Time to kick back and fill your head with good things. Take in some nature. Or if you’re a rural dweller, take in some concrete. Inviting both city and country mice to join me on Monday for some soap and what’s on Deck in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay not limiting your friendships to those who think like you, and stay not keeping all the good stuff for yourself.

July 29, 2022 – Spencer Steps Up, Soap Chef, Returning, Dubai Invite List, Kyle’s Reaction, No Just No, Shameful Shah, Squid Triumph, Just Over 10 Quotes & Lipstick

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny punches the heavy bag, when Brick walks in. Sonny says, it’s been a few months since he’s seen Brick in person, and Brick says, Sonny asked him to assess the west coast family situation. Sonny asks what he found, and Brick says, so far, all’s quiet on the western front. He’s not sure that robbery had anything to do with the west, but things have died down. That means he can give his full attention to finding a replacement, somebody to fill Jason’s shoes. Sonny says he thinks he may have found someone.

Michael tells Dex that he’s tired of Sonny taking whatever he wants. It’s time to face the consequences. Brando comes out, and bounds up the stairs, seeing them. He asks what they’re doing here, and Michael says he’s telling Dex for the last time, stop following him. He doesn’t know if Dex is following his dad’s orders, or he’s showing off, but Sonny’s new errand boy won’t stop harassing him, and it ends today. Dex says, no law against taking the stairs. Last time he checked, Michael didn’t own them.

Sasha thanks Willow for letting her vent. It helps so much to know that Willow understands what happened to her mom was truly an accident. Still, hearing about it can’t be easy. Willow says, no easier than for Sasha to talk about it she imagines. Accidentally hitting someone with her car has to be traumatic for her. Sasha says, it is for sure, especially when those tabloid people keep implying she was driving under the influence. Willow says, those jerks didn’t get to her, and Sasha says she doesn’t know what she did to deserve a friend like Willow. She’s hurt Willow in so many ways, always unintentionally, but still, Willow has never wavered in supporting her. A lot of people would have walked away. Willow says, the feeling’s mutual. She hopes Sasha knows that, because she knows Sasha will have her back, just like she has Sasha’s. Sasha says, Wiley is so lucky to have Willow as his mother, and so will this little one. Willow flashes back to TJ telling her that she has an elevated white blood cell count, but he doesn’t think it’s related to her pregnancy.

At Windymere, Esme says she has to get the hell out of here. She finds a book, and takes a paper out of it. She puts the paper into a manila envelope, and puts that in her suitcase. As she’s zipping up the suitcase, Ava walks in, and says, you conniving little whore. Esme says, as the saying goes, it takes one to know one. Ava says, Esme’s not going to try and talk her way out of this? So unlike her normal lying ways. But even for Esme, this is a new low, sleeping with her boyfriend’s father. That is beyond tacky. Esme asks if it was beyond tacky when Ava was having an affair with Morgan Corinthos, then slept with his father. How old does Ava think Avery should be when Ava informs her that she’s the product of hate sex? Ava asks how she knows about those things, and Esme says, Ava didn’t think she’d do her research? She likes to know what she’s dealing with. Ava asks where Esme thinks she’s going, and Esme says she may have had sex with Nikolas, but Ava is still going to get what she wants. Esme is leaving town, and Ava will never have to see her again. Ava grabs Esme’s arm, and says, she’s not going anywhere; not until she pays for the damage she’s done.

Judge Young tells Diane to call her first witness, as Portia hurries in. She tells Taggert that she got here as quick as she could, and Diane calls Spencer Cassadine. Everyone is like, wha-a-at? and Portia asks, what the hell is happening here? Taggert says he has no idea, and Spencer is sworn in.  

Brick holds the bag as Sonny punches, and asks if Sonny’s been looking at candidates without him. He’ll try not to take it personally. Sonny says, this guy kind of fell into his lap. A low-level guy he has working for him. His name is Dex; he’s a military vet. Brick asks where Sonny found him. He knows Sonny ain’t running help wanted ads in the classifieds. Sonny says, when Chet was away, Dex was running the gym, and Brick asks what Sonny likes about him. Sonny says, he’s hungry; it’s like he’s chasing something more. Brick says, so he reminds you of you, and Sonny laughs, saying, not just him. He’s like Stone, Jason… Brick says, far be it for him to question Sonny’s judgement – which he won’t – but allow him to question Dex’s. There’s no shortage of people who want to get in this business, thinking they know what they’re getting themselves into. But he and Sonny both know, there’s no way to know what it actually does to someone until they live it.

Brando steps between Michael and Dex, and says, that’s enough. He tells Dex to back off Michael. Go for a walk. Dex says, fine, whatever. He’ll see Michael around. Dex leaves, and Michael says he appreciates Brando stepping in, but he could have handled this. Brando says, he’s confused. Dex just followed Michael to the hospital and tried to intimidate him? Michael says he has no idea. Other than maybe Dex thinks he’s impressing Sonny, Michael has no idea what this guy wants from him. Brando says, maybe Michael is right; maybe Dex is just trying to impress Michael’s dad. He can backchannel to Sonny that Michael is having issues with Dex, but Michael says, absolutely not. Brando says he was just trying to help, and Michael says he appreciates it, but he doesn’t want Sonny involved in this. Besides, Brando has bigger things to focus on.

Sasha says, honestly, she doesn’t know what she’d do without Willow’s friendship, when TJ comes out. He says he’s ready for Willow, and Willow tells Sasha, they’ll talk soon. Willow leaves with him, and Sasha’s phone dings. She looks at it, and says, am I keeping my counseling appointment today…

In an exam room, TJ thanks Willow for coming back. He just needs another blood sample. She asks why they need another blood test, and he says, to make sure the first wasn’t an anomaly. She says, doctors aren’t usually the ones who take blood samples, and he says she’s his friend. Sue him if he’s a little invested. She says, raised white blood cell counts can indicate any number of things, but it’s clear he’s worried about something specific. Can he tell her what it is he’s looking for?

Esme says, well, well. It seems Ava’s Prince Charming finally decided to be honest, and tell her that he’s just another slimy frog. Ava says she’s had Esme pegged from the very start. She’s selfish and entitled, but she’s very, very smart; Ava will give her that. Esme helped Spencer torture her for months, and it all came quite naturally to her, didn’t it? She knows Spencer says he put Esme up to setting her car on fire, but Ava saw that look of fear in his eyes. Spencer didn’t do that. He’s selfish, self-centered, and self-serving, but he’s no psychopath; not like Esme. And Esme couldn’t just set it on fire. She had to go a step further and put Ava’s dead daughter’s ID next to it, and that is just sadistic. And Esme made that revenge porn video of Joss and Cam. Again, only a demented mind like Esme’s would do something like that. And she framed Trina to take the fall, but all of that wasn’t enough, was it? Esme had to seduce her husband. She had to trick Ava’s husband into falling into bed with her. Esme says, Nikolas hardly had to be seduced. All thanks to the shrewish ways Ava’s been treating him. Every day Ava came up with new and creative ways to emasculate him. Ava made him feel like less man. All Esme had to do was be there to catch him when he fell.

Diane says, they danced around this during Spencer’s previous testimony, so let’s just cut to the chase, shall they? Does he believe Trina Robinson filmed and distributed an intimate video – Nikolas walks in and sits behind Trina – of Josslyn Jax and Cameron Webber? He says, no, he doesn’t. He knows for a fact Trina couldn’t have distributed that video. Portia tells Taggert, Spencer is defending their daughter, and Diane asks if he can tell the court why he’s so certain. He says he knows for a fact Trina couldn’t have distributed that video because she was with him when the video was released via email.

Willow says she knows TJ doesn’t have any firm answers yet, but what is he worried about? There’s a knock at the door, and Michael comes in. He says he’s sorry to interrupt, but the nurse said they were in here. Willow says, he’s not interrupting, and TJ says, he’s done here. He says he’ll be right back, and leaves. Michael says he’s confused. He thought Willow had an OB appointment; why was TJ here and not Britt? She says, it’s nothing. He was just being a good friend.

Esme says, Nikolas felt unappreciated. In name, he and Ava were husband and wife, yet they were sleeping in separate bedrooms. Who does that? I tell her, probably more people than she thinks, and she says, Ava drove him away, just like she drove away every single person she cared about. Ava says, all the research Esme has done on her, Esme doesn’t know her. Esme says, doesn’t she? She knows Ava turned her back on her brother before he died. Ava says she loved her brother very much. Julian was self-destructive. She had no choice but to walk away. Esme says, just like Ava walked away from Kiki when she found Kiki sleeping with her boyfriend Griffin Monroe. She’s hardly the catalyst for what happened with all of them. Ava does see that the common denominator in all of those twisted scenarios is herself? Ava says, that’s enough. Don’t try to make this about her. Nikolas is Spencer’s father. Did Esme think she was going to trade up to more money by targeting him? Esme says, one more time, she did not target Nikolas. He came running to her. Ava says she knows better. Esme is a stalker. Esme and Spencer played their sick mind game with her; they made her fear for her daughter’s life. The ways they attacked her…. She stops for a moment, then says, all this time, she thought Esme was just her stepson’s obnoxious entitled girlfriend. So why then does this all feel so very personal? Why does Esme hate her so much? There has to be more to this story. There has to be. Esme glances at the envelope sticking out of her suitcase.

Diane asks if Spencer is saying, he was with Trina at the moment that email was distributed to the PCU. He says, that’s exactly what he’s saying, and Diane says, correct her if she’s wrong, but that day her was serving a sentence at the Spring Ridge Minimum Security Prison, was he not? He says, yes, that’s correct, and she asks if Trina was visiting him on that day. He says, no, and she says, he’s going to have to help all of them out here. If he was with Trina in person and not in prison, where was he? He says he arranged for a kind of off-the-books day pass to leave prison. You might say Trina saw him when he escaped.

Sonny says, good workout, and Brick says, all he did was hold the bag. Dex comes in, and asks if it’s a good time, or does Sonny want him to come back later, but Sonny says, no. Actually, it’s a good time. They were just talking about him. This is a good time for Brick and Dex to meet. Sonny introduces them, and says, Brick is a trusted friend, second in command. Brick and Dex shake hands, and Dex says he wanted to give Sonny an update on that thing they discussed when he has a moment. Sonny tells him, whatever he’s got to say, he can say in front of Brick. Brick is like family to him. So how’s their good friend the photographer doing this afternoon? Dex says, he’s not going to be selling anything to anyone again. He definitely won’t be opening his mouth. Dex made sure of that before the cops showed up. Sonny says, Dex talked to the cops?

Michael asks if Willow can tell how excited he is, and she says she can; she is too. He says he can’t stop thinking about how lucky they are. Everything is going to be different this time. They’ll both be there from the very start, and they’re not going to miss any moments with their child.

Brando sees Sasha, and says, there she is. She asks what he’s doing back at the hospital, and he says he felt guilty leaving her behind. Is she going to be late? She says,; she’s not going. He asks, why not? and she says she ran into Willow. It turns out the photographer, the one who harassed her and got in his car and chased her, which led her to hit Harmony, is here at GH. It kind of forced her and Willow to unpack a lot of things they needed to discuss. She was very sympathetic, and in a way, it was therapeutic. He says he understands. Why don’t they reschedule her therapy appointment? She says, no. She’s all talked out.

Portia wonders why Trina didn’t tell them any of this, and Taggert says, she was probably protecting Cassadine. Rory says he has no idea what’s going on, and Josslyn says, she doesn’t either, but maybe Spencer is doing the right thing for once. Judge Young says, quiet in the courtroom, banging his gavel, and tells Diane to please continue. She says, to clarify, Spencer escaped from prison, and Spencer says he planned on going back. He did go back. Arden objects, saying, there’s no way to verify this, but Diane says, the same as any witness’s testimony. Now it’s up to the jury to determine its voracity. The judge says, overruled, but get to point soon. Diane asks how Spencer was able to leave undetected, and he says he’s not proud of this, but someone was bribed to look the other way. She asks why this day was so important that he obtained this unofficial hall pass, and he tears up and says, it was the anniversary of his mother’s death. His mother died when her was a baby, so he never met her. The anniversary of her death is important to him. As a boy, he always laid flowers. The last several years, he was away at boarding school in France, so he couldn’t. So to be back here in Port Charles on that anniversary, and not be able to honor her with flowers was incredibly painful. He went to the graveyard to see her. He never meant for anyone to see him. That’s when he saw Trina at the cemetery, working on a project for PCU. Diane tells the judge that her associate is currently collecting proof of Trina’s PCU assignment, which she’ll be entering as evidence. She asks if Spencer realizes, with this, he could be jeopardizing his freedom, since he was released from Spring Ridge. He says, he knows, and starts to cry, looking at Trina. He says, but at a certain point, you have to stop doing the easy thing, and start doing right thing.

Dex tells Sonny, it’s not his first rodeo, but Brick says, even veteran riders get tossed off the bull. Dex says, he knows enough to make himself scarce before the cops see him. It was Sonny’s son, the detective. Sonny says he doesn’t care who it was. Someone shows up with a badge, you don’t say anything. Dex promises, that’s exactly what he did. He’s sorry he didn’t handle it correctly, but he thought he was doing what Sonny wanted. Sonny says, Dex is right; he did the right thing. Like with Josslyn. Brick asks, what happened with Joss? and Sonny says, they were having a discussion with that reporter that gave Sasha drugs. It got a little heated, and they roughed him up a little bit. It so happens that Josslyn shows up, starts filming the whole thing, and threatening to take the footage to the police. Brick says, what? and Sonny says, she’s upset about what happened with him and her mother, and she wanted payback. Thanks to Dex… He talked her into deleting the footage. He tells Dex that he hasn’t thanked him for that. He appreciates that. Now Dex knows what the boundaries are when dealing with his kids. Dex says, Sonny is the boss; he makes the rules.

Sasha asks Brando, doesn’t he get it? She’s emotionally drained right now. She’s too spent for another therapy session. He says he does get that, but she needs to stick to her program if she’s going to get any better. She says, that’s not for him to decide, is it? and he tells her, he’s not saying that. If she wants, he’ll make the appointment for her. It’s not something she needs to stress out over. She says, oh my God. The only one stressing her out is him. He and Gladys are smothering her.

Ava asks why Esme’s attacks on her are so personal? First Esme threw Morgan in her face, then Kiki and Griffin. Esme didn’t know any of those people (and we barely remember them). Who is giving her this information and why? What the hell did she ever do to Esme? Esme says, if her time in this provincial city has taught her anything, it’s that people here love to gossip. Not many people here like Ava much. Not that Esme’s treated Ava any differently than she would have treated anyone else. It’s a lesson you learn pretty quickly in boarding school. People can be vicious, so a good defense is the best offense. So she learned things. Ava just happens to have more dirt in her past than most people. Ava says, that’s not it. She’s onto something. She knows it; she can feel it. When Spencer asked for Esme’s help torturing her, Esme jumped at the chance, didn’t she? Why was Esme so willing to help him? Spencer ended up in prison. Esme could have very well ended up there as well. If Esme was some simpleton just trying to please her crush, Ava would buy it, but Esme’s no fool, and obviously not very devoted to Spencer. Esme says she’s not the one who’s devotion wavered, and Ava says she sees she pushed a button. Let’s see if she can push a few more.

Diane says, if Trina Robinson didn’t distribute this revenge porn video of Josslyn Jax and Cameron Webber, Spencer must have some suspicion as to who did. Unless of course (🍷) Josslyn and Cameron filmed themselves. Spencer says, no way. It was their first… They wouldn’t do that. Diane asks if he had anything to do with it, but he says, no. Absolutely not. He might not have been the best friend to Josslyn and Cameron over the course of the last year, but he’d never hurt them in that way. She says, this cabin they’ve been discussing belongs to Josslyn’s former stepfather; is that correct? Spencer says, yes. This trip to the cabin was before Sonny and Carly got divorced. She says, tell her about this cabin. Is there staff? Is there anyone else who might have made this video? A cleaning crew perhaps? Spencer says, there was no staff there, okay? and Diane says, okay. Someone else then. A disgruntled neighbor perhaps. Spencer says, no. The cabin is very isolated. Diane says, all right. There were five of them there that night, Trina, who he knows is innocent. Josslyn and Cameron, also innocent. Spencer, who denies any responsibility. That leaves who? Arden objects, saying, speculation, and Diane tells Judge Young, there were five people at the cabin that night, and Spencer was one of them. His opinion has merit. The judge says, overruled, but tread carefully, and Spencer says, there was no outside staff. It had to be someone who was staying in the cabin. Diane says, uh-huh. Who? Spencer looks at Trina, and says, his girlfriend at the time, Esme Prince. Soap looks are exchanged all around.

Brando says, he and his mom don’t mean to smother Sasha. They just want to see her get better. He knows she had a good talk with Willow, and he’s glad they cleared the air. He knows Willow is a good friend to her, but Willow is not a psychiatrist. And the whole Harmony part? He knows she has guilt over that, but it isn’t her main issue. She needs to talk to a doctor about why she turns to pills when she’s already seen how cocaine damaged her life. He’s an addict too, remember? She needs to deal with the root cause. She says, he doesn’t trust her, and he says he does, but he knows how addicts think. The temptation of drugs gets the better of your brain. Sasha needs her psychiatrist’s help. He and her doctors wanted her to go live in rehab, but she didn’t want to do that. So if she’s not going to rehab, she needs to stick to her outpatient therapy. She yells at him, stop trying to control her every move, and he yells back, given the way their life together is spiraling out of control, maybe somebody does need to control her.

Sonny tells Dex to take off; he’s going to go over some stuff with Brick. Dex  starts to leave, but Brick says, hang on. Sonny mentioned Dex was a vet; same here. He’s sure they have a lot to talk about. Dex says he’s sure they do, and leaves. Sonny asks Brick what he thinks, and Brick says, he’s too full of himself. Cocky. Too reckless as far as Brick is concerned. Too flippant with the way he speaks about Sonny’s family, and dealing with the cops. Sonny says, he’s young; he’s got to learn the ropes. Brick says, he deserves a shot. He’s just not sure about sending a rookie to deal with some drug dealer. Sonny says, Dex volunteered, and Brick asks if Sonny thinks someone this young and green will be effective in the enforcer role. Sonny says, Dex is about Jason’s age when Jason started working for him, and Brick says, yeah, but this generation seems to need a lot more growing up than the previous one. Sonny says, every generation needs time to mature. Isn’t that always the case?

Outside, behind a warehouse, Dex looks at his phone.

Michael tells Willow, even though they didn’t plan for the pregnancy, he thinks the timing couldn’t be better. Wiley and the new baby are only going to be a few years apart. She says, for so many years, she was desperate for a brother or sister. Someone she could talk to, play with, share the crazy of life with Harmony. What about him and Morgan? Were they close? He says, there was a time they were fighting over Kiki, but for the most part, they were close. Then there was Dante. Obviously, the didn’t grow up together, and they met as adults, but he’s very glad Dante is in his life. No one can talk him off a cliff like Dante can. His phone dings, he looks at it, and sighs. She asks if something’s wrong, and he says, no, it’s a work thing, but he really needs to handle this. He tells he that he can stick around if she wants, but she says, no. She’s fine. If this were some big step, she’d want him to be here, but it’s just another routine appointment. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, absolutely. He says he’ll see her at home, and leaves.

Diane thanks Spencer, and says, no further questions. Arden says, it’s Spencer’s testimony that he was with Trina the moment the email containing the revenge porn was distributed at PCU; is that correct? He says, that’s correct, and she says, but he has no accounting for Trina’s whereabouts at the moment the video was being filmed, does he? She reminds the court, it’s the non-consensual recording that’s the most pressing charge here. He says, um… and she says, let her repeat. Was he with Miss Robinson when the revenge porn video was filmed? He says, no, he wasn’t, and she says, and to reiterate his previous testimony, he was with Esme Prince when the video was filmed. He says, yes, he was, and once again, I wonder why he’s not bringing up Esme going back to the cabin to get whatever he’d left there, especially since he said something to Esme about it, like, five minutes ago. Arden says, okay then, moving on. Spencer audited classes at PCU last fall. Did he ever have to pull an all-nighter? (For auditing???) He says, yes, and she says, when he needed to turn in a term paper to a professor in the middle of the night, was he aware that you could schedule send an email later for a more reasonable hour using a run-of-the-mill app? Now I stamp my foot and say, that’s a dumb thing to even say, since it’s not like a new email shakes you awake to read it. Spencer says, she lost him, and Diane objects, saying, the State has lost everyone with this line of questioning. Arden says, withdrawn, and tells Judge Young that she’d like to enter into evidence an email that she personally sent to him and opposing counsel. Diane says, excuse me? and Arden says, give it a second. Diane and the judge’s phones beep, and Arden says, there it is. While Mr. Cassadine was accounting for the defendant’s whereabouts, she scheduled her email to be released later.

TJ comes back, and asks Willow if Michael had to leave. She says, it was a work issue. She told him to go deal with it. He says, if she wants to reschedule for a time they can both be here, they can do that, but Willow says she has time. He closes the door, and says he couldn’t help notice that she gave Michael the runaround when he asked why TJ was  taking the lead here, and not Britt. Is there a reason she’s telling Michael this isn’t her usual OB appointment?

Michael tells Dex, he hopes this is important. He was at the hospital with Willow. Dex asks if she’s okay, and Michael says, just standard pregnancy stuff. So what’s going on? Talk to him. Dex says he just wanted to make sure Michael got things squared with Brando; he seemed pretty suspicious. Michael says, he was 100% suspicious, but he bought that he was pissed at Dex for harassing him. Dex says, good, because he has enough people looking at him suspiciously. Michael asks what that means, and Dex says, this guy Brick. He thinks Brick is going to dig into his past. Michael thanks him for the heads up, and says, but if Brick is doing a background check, that’s a good sign Dex is moving closer into Sonny’s inner circle.

Brick says, if Sonny sees something in this guy, there must be something there. Still, Brick is going to run a full background check on him. And that ain’t a request. Sonny says he’s not even going to try and stop Brick. But no matter how much they look into Dex’s past, it’s not going to tell them whether he can deal with this life. All he’s taken care of so far is a low level drug pusher, slash, tabloid photographer. Brick says, so Sonny wants to give Dex a bigger assignment to test him, and Sonny says he was thinking, why don’t they see if Dex can prove himself; trial by fire. They laugh, and Brick says, he likes that.

Brando tells Sasha that he’s so sorry. If he could take those words back, he would. He didn’t mean it. She says, didn’t he? and he says he doesn’t want to control her. He’s just worried about her. So are Michael and Willow, and his mom, and everyone at Deception. Sasha says, admit it. He finally said what he felt. He stopped walking on eggshells like he’s been doing; like everybody’s been doing. He says, that’s not true, and suggests they go home and talk privately, but she says, no. She needs space. He says, from him? and she says, from everybody. She storms out to the stairwell.

Diane objects to the ADA’s theatrics. There’s no proof to suggest that video was sent via pretimed email. Arden says, no further questions, and Judge Young tells Spencer to step down. He asks both counsels to approach the bench, and as Spencer passes her, Trina says she can’t believe he did this. He says, he can’t believe it didn’t work. He’s so sorry. He keeps walking, and Portia asks why Trina didn’t tell them that Spencer was her alibi before. Trina says she was hoping Curtis would have a Hail Mary, so she wouldn’t have to, and Taggert tells her, just keep your chin up, baby girl. Diane is right. There’s zero evidence that video was sent via email timer. Maybe Spencer was her Hail Mary. At the door, Josslyn says she knew she could trust Spencer to do the right thing… after he exhausted all other options. She leaves, and Nikolas asks if he and Spencer can talk. It’s important.

Sasha runs down the stairs, and her phone dings. She stops at the first floor, and sees a text from Sienna: Hey, feel like blowing off some steam with me tonight? Sasha texts back: Sure – I’ll meet you anywhere!

Ava says, so Esme does still have feelings for Spencer. And she’s so jealous that Spencer has feelings for Trina, she slept with his father as what? Revenge? Payback? And she and Trina were just collateral damage, or something more? Esme tries to push the envelope further into the suitcase, but Ava grabs it, and says, what is that? Esme snatches it back, and says, that, is none of your business. Ava says, forget it. Trying to find answers in Esme’s bizarre twisted behavior would have her running in circles, but make no mistake, after everything Esme has done to make the people she loves suffer, Esme is going to do the right thing for the first time in her life. Esme says, and what is that? and Ava says, playtime is over. They’ll deal with Esme sleeping with her husband another time, but right now, Esme is going to march down to that courthouse. She’s going to exonerate Trina, and tell the world that she made that tape of Joss and Cameron. Esme says, they’ve already had this conversation, and she has no idea where Ava is getting this crazy idea. Besides, why would she even do it? Is Ava offering to help her disappear, and make sure she doesn’t go to prison? No. She has no interest in being a fugitive for the rest of her life. Ava says, Esme misunderstands her. She walks closer as she talks, and says, if Esme doesn’t admit she framed Trina, she will make sure nobody ever finds her. At least not while she’s still breathing.

On Monday, TJ wonders why Willow doesn’t want Michael’s support; Portia asks Taggert, what if it’s not enough; Diane says, Trina needs to be the heroine in her own story; and Ava tells Esme, she either tells the truth or it’s the end of the line.

👩🏽‍🍳 Different Kind Of Gig…

Although if she’s playing herself, is it really acting?

🏥 They’re Back…

When I saw this, I was like, what now? But it turns out they actually get a vacation.

👰🏼 Nervous Bride…

I can’t say I blame her.

https://people.com/tv/real-housewives-of-dubai-caroline-stanbury-talks-inviting-cast-to-sergio-carrallo-wedding-exclusive/

💎 She Has Receipts…

Like her longevity is a guarantee. Welcome to 2022.

🍸 Please No…

And what would be the title? The Most Awful Human Being On Earth?

💰 Shah-king My Head…

This is just such a shame.

https://people.com/tv/shahs-of-sunset-mike-shouhed-criminal-charges-paulina-ben-cohen-domestic-incident/

🐙 Double the Squid…

Squid Game should definitely be proud of itself.

https://ew.com/awards/the-awardist-digital-magazine-squid-game-double-nominees/

🦉 Quotes of the Week

Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times. – Mark Twain

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. – Unknown

I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity. – Albert Einstein

A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life. – William Arthur Ward

Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity. – Hippocrates

Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. – Theodore Vail

You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past. – Richard Bach

People will always have opinions about your decision because they’re not courageous enough to take action on their opinion. – Steve Maraboli

The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. – H.P. Lovecraft

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

They were great. If I could only make out the words, they’d be greater. – an audience member referring to seeing The Sex Pistols in Pistols

🛌🏽 Taking It To the Sheets…

Enjoy the next two days, but boomerang back on Monday, when there will be soap and Deck doings. Until then, stay safe, stay looking after your mental health as well as your physical health, and stay not doing the easy thing, but the right thing. And don’t wait until you’ve exhausted all other options.

June 24, 2022 – The Shareholders Vote, Stopping By, Ultimate Ex, Grand Slam, Confirmation, Sorry Diana, Kim Spills, Shah Spin, Who’s That Lady, New West, Confirmation, Nearly Nine Quotes & Radio

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the hospital, Brad holds out a bag to Britt, saying, croissants from Eckerd’s. She says, almond or chocolate? and he says, one of each. Whichever one she doesn’t want, he’ll take. She snatches the bag from him, and he says, or she can have them both. So is he forgiven… even a little bit? She says she knows he didn’t intentionally set out to make an ass of her, and he says, never. She says, fine. She forgives him. He says, and he promises to never, ever… wait a second. That was way too easy. She says she has ulterior motives, and he says, great. By all means, use him. What does he have to do? She says, all he has to do is listen. She has a little mystery she’s dying to talk to someone about. He says he’s dying; spill. She says, the parachute guy? and he says, Cody. She says, whatever. She found him in an alley the other night; someone had beat the spit out of him. Brad asks if he said who, but she says, no. She’s been going through possible scenarios, and… He says, she can stop. He knows exactly what happened.

Cody sees Dante having breakfast at Kelly’s, and asks why Dante didn’t invite him. Dante asks why Cody is talking about. Cody spent the day on the couch, barely forming any words. Why would Dante think today would be any different? Cody says, it would be nice to be invited, and Dante asks if Cody is sure he should be up and about. Cody says, it’s hard to leave town if he’s just going to be laying on Dante’s couch the whole time, and Dante says, so he’s feeling better? Cody says, stellar, and Dante says, excellent. Maybe now Cody can answer some questions he’s been avoiding.

Linc sits in Jordan’s office, and says he’s honored the Commissioner herself wants to speak with him. She says, any incident involving a civilian and one of her officers warrants her attention. She understands he’s pressing charges against Detective Chase. Linc says, he’s got a mean right hook, that one. He was under the impression Chase is already on suspension for punching a guy, just like Chase did to him. Jordan says, that’s correct, and he says, obviously, the detective hasn’t learned his lesson.

Outside Kelly’s, Brook asks when Chase is meeting with the Commissioner, and he says he’s just waiting for a call. Just like he was five minutes ago. She says she’s sorry, and he says, that’s okay. She says, he’s going to be okay, right? Especially since he’s still on suspension, it’s not like the Commissioner can punish him, right? He says, it doesn’t work that way, and she says, so he’s had two strikes, so to speak? He says, yeah, and she asks if he gets a third strike. Or is he already out?

Olivia and Carly sit by the pool, and Carly looks through a binder, saying, they have a full house. Between wedding receptions, seminars, and conventions, they’re booked through the fall. Business is good. Olivia says, meanwhile, her hair is falling out by the fistful, and Carly asks what she’s talking about. She’s handled busy seasons before; what makes this time any different? Olivia tells her, let’s just say, the energy at the crazy house is up to eleven this morning. With the ELQ shareholder meeting this morning, everyone is just wired. She’ll be so happy when this whole thing is over. Drew and Michael have bent over backwards to get Valentin out of ELQ finally, once and for all. Carly says she thinks it’s exciting, and Olivia says, she must be so proud of Michael for pulling this off. Carly says, she is, but she has a personal stake in this as well. They see a casually dressed Valentin come in and set up a chaise lounge. Martin walks in, and asks Valentin if they’re here for a morning business meeting or some poolside R & R? Valentin says, maybe a little bit of both. How’s the day going? Martin says his day is going just fine so far; how about Valentin’s? Is he ready for his day of reckoning?

Michael asks if Willow wants coffee, but she says, no thanks. Is he sure he needs one? He’s literally bouncing. He says, it seems like he’s been waiting for the shareholder’s meeting forever. He can’t wait to see Valentin ousted as CEO. She yawns, and he says, not everybody is as excited about the family business. She says, sorry. Wiley had her up early this morning. Michael says he didn’t hear Wiley, and Willow says, that’s because their son knows she’s a light touch, and she’ll get up to make him pancakes, even if it’s at the crack of dawn. Drew comes in, saying, good morning. It’s a beautiful day. Michael says, it certainly is, and gives Drew a cup of coffee. He says, to today, and Drew says, the day everything changes.

Britt leads Brad into her office, and says, is this better? He says he doesn’t mean to seem paranoid, but she says, that’s fine. You never know what judgy eavesdropper is lurking in the halls. Now tell her, how does he know what happened to parachute boy? He says, Cody, and she says, whatever. Who beat him up, and why? Brad says, he really only knows some of it, and she says, and that would be…? He says, Cody was at his Aunt Selina’s poker game, and she says, of course (🍷) he was. Let her guess. He made bets he couldn’t cover, and now… Brad says, Cody won big, and his aunt was furious. She asks if he’s saying his aunt ordered Cody’s beating.

Cody says he’s an open book. If Dante has questions, fire away. Dante says, how about if they start with how Cody ended up on his doorstep, beat up, with Britt Westbourne? Cody says he saw a way to make some fast cash, and it didn’t exactly work out. Dante says, so Cody still plays cards, and Cody says he’s better than he was when they were in summer camp. He had an off night. Dante asks if Cody knows who did this to him, and Cody says, they didn’t exactly introduce themselves. Dante asks if Cody can identify them, and Cody says he’d love to. Dante suggests Cody come down to the station, and they’ll get some photos out, but Cody says, it was really dark. Dante wonders how he knew Cody was going to say that, and Cody says, Dante is an excellent detective, clearly. Dante asks if Cody thinks they’re still after him, and Cody says, maybe. He’s not going to stick around and find out. Dante asks if they let Cody keep any of his winnings, and Cody says, they did. Dante asks, how much? and Cody says, fifty dollars. Dante takes out his wallet, and says he’ll spot Cody some cash until he gets back on his feet, but Cody asks if they didn’t already have this conversation. He’s not letting Dante pay his way. Dante asks if Cody wants to get his ass kicked again, and Cody says, yes, he would, taking a piece of bacon from Dante’s plate. Dante says, stubborn idiot, and Cody suggests that’s why they get along so well. He laughs, then grabs his side, and Dante says, they worked him over pretty good. Cody says, Doc Westbourne said he should be fine, and Dante says he still can’t believe Britt stopped to help Cody. Cody asks if that isn’t what doctors do, and Dante says, typically, yes, but Britt usually does whatever’s best for Britt. Cody says, it sounds like there’s some history there, and Dante says, there is, and none of it good.

Drew says, the market has already reacted to the potential merger; Aurora’s stock just keeps going up. Their first priority should be to talk to the VPs, and confirm the merger. Just get everybody up to speed. Ned walks in, and Willow tells him, good morning. He says, good morning, all. He sees the two of them are already making plans, and Michael says, they are. In fact, now is a perfect time to loop Ned in. Lucy joins them, and says, Quartermaines; what a sight to behold. Michael says, it’s good to see her too, and Drew thanks her for coming. She says, it’s her pleasure. She always loves revisiting the Quartermaine manse; she loved living here. And it’s so lovely to see all the heads of the family together. Look at them. My how times have changed.

Valentin tells Martin, they’ll be a reckoning all right. He just doesn’t think it will take all day. Martin sits down, and says, Valentin looks really calm. Does this mean he’s heard from Ned?

Olivia asks Carly, what’s Valentin doing? The meeting is in less than an hour, and he’s lounging by the pool. Carly says, he’s bluffing, to give the impression he knows the vote is going his way. Olivia says, he looks pretty convincing; like he knows something they don’t.

Chase tells Brook, cops don’t usually get a third strike when it comes to altercations with civilians, and she says, he could be fired? He says, maybe. He’d probably fire him. She say, absolutely not. How can a good guy like Chase get in trouble for slugging a sleaze like… She gets up, and says, maybe not. He says he knows that face; that is her plotting face. she says, this is the face that’s going to fix everything. Problem solved. She knows exactly what to do. She starts to leave, but he grabs her arm, and says, whoa. What? She says she can’t tell him because he’ll try to stop her. He says, only if it’s a bad plan, and she says, just trust her this time, but he says, tell him. And then he can poke holes in it. She says, another reason she can’t tell him, and he says, but if he pokes holes in it, she’ll know where the flaws are, and she can cover them up, and exonerate him in the process. She says, all right; here it is. She goes to the PCPD and amends her original statement. She’ll make sure all of his colleagues know he saved her from a violent criminal. He says he can’t let her lie to the police for him, but she says she’s not lying. It’s just that now that the initial shock is wearing off, she realized that her original statement didn’t covey how terrified she really was when Linc attacked her. He says, terrified? Really? She says, if she’s lying, she’s dying, and he says, but to him, and presumably Rory, she just seemed mad. She says, which is how she copes with extreme fear. She puts on a façade of extreme rage. The bottom line is, if Chase hadn’t stepped in to save her, she could have been abducted by Linc. He says, Brook Lynn… and she says, okay, abducted is a strong word, but the point is, it was Chase’s civic duty to defend her from a predator. Case closed.

Jordan says, throwing a punch in a club doesn’t usually rate criminal prosecution, and Linc says, it’s still battery though, isn’t it? She says, it is, and he says, and shouldn’t police be held to a higher standard? She says, of course (🍷). She doesn’t condone what Detective Chase did, but she’s also not convinced it’s worth pressing charges. He says, why not, may he ask? and she says, judges are cracking down on nuisance lawsuits. He won’t be doing himself any favors if the court feels he’s wasting its time. He says he only wants to see justice be served. So if he drops the charges, what are his options?

Cody says, how is this even possible? and Dante says, Britt is a fertility expert, and her mother is a scientist. So they stole his and Lulu’s embryo, and implanted it. Cody says, then she carried the baby, Dante’s baby – Dante says, Rocco – to term. Then tried to pass the kid off as her own child. Dante says, mm-hmm, and Cody says, how is she still a doctor? Dante says he doesn’t know, but she had her license taken away when she went to prison, and when she got out, they gave it back to her. Cody says, prison? He thought Britt was this morally upstanding outraged citizen. Dante laughs, and says, the only person who would probably think that’s funnier than him is Britt. Britt’s been involved with some shady stuff, and that’s not even talking about her being on the run with her father. Cody says, back it up. On the run like a fugitive from justice? Okay, who’s her father? Dante asks if Cesar Faison rings a bell, and Cody says, Britt’s father is Cesar Faison? Dante says, was. He died about four years ago. Cody says, it’s a lot to take in; the whole embryo stealing thing, and to top it off, she’s Faison’s daughter. Dante says, it kind of explains things, doesn’t it? He tells Cody that he has to go, and Cody says he’ll come with Dante. He starts to get up, and sits back down, saying, that hurt. Dante asks if he’s sure he’s all right, and Cody says, Britt told him these are just ribs that are bruised, but he’s wondering. Dante says, they’re going to GH, but Cody says, Dante knows he doesn’t like hospitals. On second thought, yeah. The hospital sounds like a great idea.

Britt says, if Aunt Selina had Cody beaten up over a poker game, what will she do to Brad if he screws up? Brad says, the beating wasn’t her doing, and Britt says, she didn’t think Selina did it herself. Then again, what does she know? He says, she just had Cody thrown out of the game, but he’s totally fine. She says, right, and he says, now that he’s solved the Cody mystery, maybe she can answer a question for him. What was that look between Britt and her mother? The look that passed between them right before Obrecht kicked him out of Britt’s room. Clearly he said something that upset her, but he has no idea what. Does it have anything to do with what’s been bothering her? Britt says, yes.

Valentin says he hasn’t spoken to Ned, and Martin asks how Valentin can be sure Ned will throw over his family, and vote with him. Valentin says, because if he remains CEO, Ned maintains a shot at keeping some influence, so Ned will vote to keep him. Martin says, far be it from him to question a sure thing, but as long as they’re on the subject of family, he has an important update on Valentin’s. Valentin says, the Cassadines? and Martin says, as far as he knows, that’s the only family Valentin has.

Carly tells Olivia to stop staring, but Olivia says, don’t interrupt her; she’s in the middle of a curse. Carly tells her not to let Valentin get in her head. Drew, Michael, and Ned know what’s at stake. They’re all going to come together and oppose Valentin. Everyone’s doing their part, including her. Olivia asks, what’s going on? This is the second time Carly mentioned herself. Carly says, she didn’t have a chance to tell Olivia. The merger isn’t just going to be good for ELQ; it’s going to be good for her. She’s now a major shareholder in Aurora.

Ned gives Lucy some coffee, and she thanks him. She says she takes this to mean that Valentin is on his way out, and Ned says, yes. If they all vote against him, there’s absolutely nothing he can do. She says, from her perspective, she thinks the Quartermaines owe Valentin a great big huge thank you, and Ned chokes on his coffee.

Drew tells Michael, he knows this family loves him as much as he loves them, but he and Sam created Aurora to have something of their own. The merger between ELQ and Aurora kind of feels like two separate parts of himself coming together. Michael says he gets it. It’s like a union of sorts, between Drew’s past and the present he fought to get back to. And now there is no escape. Settle in, because he’s not going anywhere.

Brad says he’s been waiting for Britt to open up about this, whatever it is, and she says she knows. She just hasn’t been ready to talk about it; not a lot of people know. He says, not a lot of people know, and one of them isn’t him. It must be pretty heavy. What’s going on? Britt’s phone rings, and she tells them, she’ll be right there. She tells Brad that she has to go, and he says, come on, but she says, she has a patient, and this isn’t a conversation she wants to rush, and she leaves.

Valentin sits up, and says, what does Martin know about the Cassadines? Martin tells him, relax; it’s a good thing. Valentin says, let him be the judge of that, and Martin says, Valentine’s Victor problem will soon be over. His sister thought of a brilliant, but simple way of getting rid of him. She’s pulling strings to have Victor deported. Valentin asks if that isn’t a little outside of her reach, but Martin says, not at all. Laura is both well-connected and determined, and it makes perfect sense. Victor has a criminal record that goes back decades, which is ample reason to deport him for – wait for it – moral turpitude. Valentin’s phone beeps, and he says he has to go. The Quartermaines await. He jets, going past Carly and Olivia’s table. Olivia says, Aurora’s stock price is climbing, and Carly says, on the rumors of a merger. Once the merger is officially announced, they’re going to skyrocket. Olivia says, and the Q’s will once again be in charge of ELQ. She has to say, Drew’s idea to merge companies was brilliant. Carly says, which is why she sold her half of the MetroCourt to raise the capital to help Michael and Drew, and Olivia says, I’m sorry. You did what now?

Lucy asks if Ned is okay, and he says, he’s fine, but what in God’s name would this family possibly have to thank Valentin for? She says, ELQ has thrived under Valentin’s… tenure. Not to mention the fact, he’s united them together against a common foe. Ned says, yes, and that unity deserves to be fought for and protected. She says, the Quartermaines are nothing if not excellent fighters. Just think what they could do if they all worked together for once.

Willow tells Michael that she’s going to check on Wiley, and she’ll be right back. She starts to go upstairs, but has to stop and sit down.

Britt comes out of the elevator, and Cody says, Dr. Westbourne. She says, oh God, you? and he says, there’s that bedside manner she must be famous for. She says, all the doctors in this hospital, and he asks for her? and he says, she’s the one most familiar with his case. She says, he has bruised ribs. It’s not like he’s a case study the medical world is going to marvel at. He says, turns out he might be more banged up than she thought, and she says, the ER is right down the hall. She’ll call an orderly to wheel him over. He says, come on. Can’t she just check him out? She says, she’s an OB/GYN, and he says he’s heard. She says she’s sure he has, and looks at Dante. He says, here’s the problem. As he told her the other night when she was kindly taking him to her car, a trip to the ER isn’t in the budget right now. She says, right, and he doesn’t have insurance, and whoever beat him up, took his money. She can’t treat him off the books. Dante says he’ll cover Cody’s bill. They can’t put him on a bus out of here if he’s got broken ribs, right? She says, he’s leaving town? and he says, that’s the plan. She says, right this way, and leads him to an exam room, as Brad watches.

Chase says he can’t let Brook lie to the police, and she says, it’s a valid interpretation of the events of that night, but he says, it’s not. She asks, who’s going to contradict her? and he says, a club full of witnesses? She says, please. A bunch of hipsters who were three sheets to the wind? She’s not worried; it will totally work. He takes her hands, and thanks her. It means the world that she would do this for him. She says, he pretended to be Bailey’s dad; it’s the least she can do. He says, the bottom line is, he got himself into this mess, and he’s ready to face whatever happens next. His phone rings, and he says, he’ll be right there. He tells Brook, it was Jordan’s assistant. The Commissioner is ready to see him.

Lucy tells Ned, the Quartermaines united to run ELQ. That would be so incredibly formidable. That’s never going to happen though. He asks what she means, and she says, when Valentin leaves, all that infighting that Edward so successfully cultivated, is going to resurface, which is really a shame. Her phone rings, and she tells Ned that she has to take it. He says, of course (🍷), and she steps away. She pauses, seeing Willow on the stairs, but Willow continues on up. Lucy says, okay; she’s alone. Martin says, now she knows how he feels. He missed waking up to her this morning. She says she misses him too, so much, but with this slot coming up on the Home and Heart Shopping Channel, she has so much work to do for Deception, and she had to come to the shareholders meeting, which is going to be a total waste of time. Martin says, you never know, but she says, Michael, Drew, and Ned are all united on this crazy Valentin front. She doesn’t get to vote unless there’s a tie, which there’s not going to be, which means she’ll just sit around, twiddling her thumbs. She’s going to feel totally superfluous. He says, that is nonsense. She’s definitely the center of his world. She thanks him, and tells him that he says the sweetest things. He says, she’s more important than she knows. Far more.  

Carly tells Olivia that she sold her half of the MetroCourt to Stillwater Venture Group to get the money to help Michael and Drew. Olivia says, so now she’s partners with Stillwater Venture Group? but Carly says, no. She would never do that to Olivia. She has 30 days to buy back her half of the hotel. The price has already been set, and she’s going to have more than enough money. Aurora’s stock is gaining value by the hour. Olivia says, sounds risky, but Carly says, no way. She has faith in Drew, and she’ll always bet on Michael.

Brook goes into Kelly’s to get a refill on her coffee, when Linc walks in. She wonders if they don’t make an ointment to get rid him, and he says he doesn’t like the tension between them. She says, this isn’t tension; this is hatred. He says he sold another one of her songs, and she asks, which one? He says, Morning Rain, and she says she wrote that when her cousin died. He says, that’s very touching. Sof-T paper towels thinks it’s perfect for their new commercial. She says, her song is going to be used in a paper towel commercial? and he says, a national paper towel commercial. So when anyone in the entire country hears it, they’ll think absorbent. He’ll be making a nice chunk of change from it too. He bets if she tried, she could come up with some catchy jingles. Then they could make money together. She says, she’d rather never write another song… Does he really want to work with her again? He says, he does. Why? She says, fine. She’ll do it, if he recants his accusation against Chase.

Chase goes to Jordan’s office, and she tells him to close the door and have a seat. She hopes he realizes how disappointed she is to find him in this position again, and so close to the end of his suspension. He says he’s sorry; he acted in haste. He was provoked, but it’s still no excuse. She says, if there’s no excuse, why say he was provoked? and he says, accuracy. Of course (🍷) now that he’s facing assault charges, she can’t bring him back to the force. She says she spoke with Linc, and he’s agreed to drop the criminal charges. Chase won’t be facing prison time. He thanks her for going to bat for him, but she tells him, he can save his thanks. Linc still wants him to lose his job.

Dante says he hears Brad is working for his Aunt Selina now. What is he doing for her? Brad says, this and that; entry level stuff. Errands and whatnot. It’s super boring. Dante says, Brad has no idea what he’s getting himself into, does he?

Britt walks into the exam room, and sees a shirtless, bruised Cody. She says, colorful, and he asks if it’s okay that it hurts to breathe. She says, that would be a sign a rib punctured his lung, and he says, it doesn’t hurt that bad. She puts on gloves, and says, we shall see. She puts the stethoscope on his back, and tells him to breathe. She listens, and he says, it hurts. She says she should send him for an x-ray, but he says, if she just wraps him up, he’ll be fine. She says, a moment ago, it hurt to breathe, and now he’s fine? He says, she must have the healing touch.

Drew says, they’re all set. The proxies are here; they’re good to go. Willow comes in, and Michael asks if everything is all right. She says, Wiley is fine, and he says, what about her? Is she okay? Before she can answer, Ned walks in with another man, and says he thinks they all know Pascal. Pascal shakes Drew’s hand, saying, they spoke several times on the phone; it’s a pleasure to meet him in person. Drew says, it’s good to be seen, and Pascal says hello to Michael. Michael says, they’re just waiting for… There he is. Valentin walks in, and tells them, what say they begin? He doesn’t think it will take too long. Michael says, it certainly will not.

Britt finishes wrapping Cody, and he says, he and Dante were talking about her earlier. She says she’s sure Dante had a lot to say, and he says, Dante’s definitely not a fan. To him, it sounds like she got a raw deal. She asks how he figures that, and he says, her mom and dad weren’t the easiest role models to live up to. She says he can get dressed, and he says, he just meant, it must be hard to live up to her dad’s legacy. She says, meaning what?

Linc says, let him get this straight. He drops the assault charges, and Brook will write songs for him again. Brook says, no charges, no civil suit, no complaints or demand for an apology. No comment to any reporter that Chase attacked him. This never happened. He goes to the DA and the Commissioner, and tells them that he lied. He makes this go away forever, and she’s all his. He says, it’s a tempting offer, but no deal. All he cares about is that her detective friend loses his job for good. But look on the bright side of things. He’s come around to her way of thinking. Some things truly are priceless. He gets his takeout order, and leaves.

Cody tells Britt, he just means, it must be tough to live down Faison’s reputation. He was one of the WSB’s most wanted, wasn’t he? She says, continue with the ice packs. If the pain persists for more than two days, see a doctor. Have a nice trip. He asks, what just happened here? and she tells him, Dante said he was getting on a bus. Bon voyage. She walks out.

Jordan tells Chase that Linc is filing a complaint with the Civilian Review Board. As he knows, the outcome of the Board’s investigation could be censure, or even dismissal. He says he knows he was in the wrong. In the heat of the moment… She says, this wasn’t a life threatening situation. No one was in eminent danger, except Mr. Brown. Once again Chase has proved he can’t keep his head in a situation, especially when Brook is involved. So answer her this. Why shouldn’t she fire him right now?

Carly tells Olivia that she’s planning a deluxe family vacation in a few months. She feels like they deserve it. So, should they go to the beach or some foreign city? Olivia says, that depends on who all is going, and Carly says, her and Donna of course (🍷). She’s hoping Michael, Willow, and Wiley, and she was going to ask Ava if she could take Avery. Olivia says she wouldn’t hold her breath on a yes for that question, and Carly says, she and Ava… Olivia says, hate each other, and Carly says, but they will move heaven and earth for Avery, so maybe there’s a possibility. Olivia says, listen to the optimist, and Carly says, after the year she’s had, things are finally going her way.

Valentin says, as CEO, he’s calling this meeting to order. Everyone sits down, and he says, any new business? Drew makes a motion to remove Valentin as CEO of ELQ, and Michael seconds it. Valentin asks if anyone wants to make a statement supporting his removal, but Michael says, he thinks they should just get this over with. Valentin says he’ll take that as a no, but he wants to make a statement on his own behalf. ELQ has grown significantly during his time as CEO. It’s no secret, the rumored merger between Aurora and ELQ, but it’s also no secret it has nothing to do with the strength of their company, and everything to do with making Drew a majority shareholder. And that’s a dangerous reason to make this decision. Anyone else want to say something? No one does, and Valentin says, then he’ll entertain a motion to put this to a vote. Ned says, so moved, and Drew says, seconded. Valentin says, then they’ll vote on the motion, and turns the procedure over to their chief counsel Pascal. Pascal says, a motion to remove Valentin as Chair. Before they get to those present, are there shareholders represented by proxy? Drew says, there are, and hands the proxies to Pascal, saying, these are the family members who couldn’t attend in person, authorizing him to vote on their behalf. Pascal asks how they vote, and Drew says, they all vote yes on the motion. Pascal says, very well. Then to those present. Chairman Cassadine? Valentin votes no, and Pascal says, Mr. Drew Cain. Drew says, yes, and Pascal says, Mr. Michael Corinthos III. Michael says, yes, and Pascal says, Mr. Ned Quartermaine.

Britt comes out, and says, Brad is still here? Brad says, they weren’t done, and she says, about that… He says, it’s okay. He knows now is not the right time for whatever this conversation is, and she thanks him. He says he does want her to know he’s here for her. Whatever’s going on, she can count on him. They hug, and she says she knows, but she had a chance to think about it, and she’s fine. If anything changes, she’ll let him know, but for now, he should focus on his fabulous new job. Brad looks like he’s not really buying this.

Brook waits for Chase outside of Jordan’s office. He comes out looking grim.  

Cody comes out and tells Dante, bad news. Dante says, broken ribs? and Cody says, just badly bruised, but the doc ordered him to take it easy, so no hours on a bus right now. Dante says, so he’s sticking around? and Cody says, if that’s okay. Dante gives him a key, and says, he’s got to go, but he’ll call Cody a Ride Share. Cody says, he’ll take the bus. It’s just a ten minute ride to Dante’s; he thinks he can gut it out. Dante says he’s in awe of Cody’s courage. Seriously, he’s happy Cody is sticking around. he leaves, and Cody thanks Britt for the TLC. She says, he’d better hurry. She doesn’t want him to miss his bus again. He says he is taking a bus, but it’s local, to Dante’s. She says she doesn’t care where he’s going, as long as he leaves her hospital. He says he found a reason to stick around Port Charles, so see her around, and leaves.

Olivia says, Carly is going to be sitting pretty when this merger goes through. Her whole life is going to be a vacation. Carly says she’d be bored in a month, maybe two, and Olivia says, maybe a business trip. World domination. Carly says, Olivia is right. She’s going to build a hotel empire. The MetroCourt will become an international brand. They clink mimosa glasses.

Pascal reminds Ned that the motion on the floor is to remove Valentin as CEO of ELQ. Does he vote yes or no? They wait, and Ned finally says he votes no. Pascal says, very well. Between Mr. Corinthos, Mr. Cain, and the proxy votes voting yay, and Mr. Cassadine and Mr. Quartermaine voting nay, we have a 50/50 split. Michael tells Ned, what the hell? It was his idea. He’s the one who started this. He wanted to force Valentin out. Valentin says, the meeting will come to order. They have not finished voting. Pascal says, Miss Coe, as bequeathed by your late ex-husband, Alan Quartermaine, you have the tie-breaking vote. Lucy laughs, and says, would you look at that. The last time she had a vote, she felt a wee bit of pressure, but this time, she gets to vote her conscience. She votes a no-no. Pascal says, the motion fails. Valentin Cassadine remains the Chief Executive Officer of ELQ. Valentin says, excellent, and thanks Pascal for his time and service. Pascal says, always a pleasure,  and leaves. Valentin says, on to the next order of business, namely the rumored merger between Aurora Media and ElQ. It is not happening.

On Monday, Brook says she’ll do whatever it takes to get Chase out of it; Valentin asks for a show of hands; Carly says, her family’s future is brighter than ever; and Brando asks Sonny if he’s sure someone got the message.

🏥 Touching Down…

Soon to be visiting Port Charles. I love Morgan Fairchild.

And I actually remember Susan Batten from OLTL.

🏰 Ultimately Nice…

Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether Dorinda actually works for Bravo, or she just works for Bravo in her mind.

https://ew.com/tv/dorinda-medley-the-real-housewives-ultimate-girls-trip-ex-wives-club/

💎 Yet Another Apology…

All of them should just have I’m Sorry tattooed on their foreheads. On another topic, I can totally see the resemblance in Diana’s photos. I don’t think she’s had any serious work done.

🐇 Let’s Talk About the Husband…

If I spring for that book, there had better be something.

The Beard speaks.

🥼 Thirsty As Ever…

What is up with Kyle? Even the stuff she makes up is boring.

💰 News On Sunset…

Yes! I would love a spin-off with these three.

I see they’re on Trevor Noah’s page of counsel not cancel.

🕶 Excuse Me, Miss…

How funny.

https://ew.com/tv/leslie-jordan-thought-lady-gaga-extra-american-horror-story-roanoke/

In other Gaga news, I love how they have room for everyone. They just make it another universe.

https://ew.com/movies/lady-gaga-harley-quinn-joker-2-joaquin-phoenix/

🐎 Difference In the West…

Returning on June 26th.

https://ew.com/tv/evan-rachel-wood-playing-different-character-westworld-season-4/

🐉 Write Faster, George…

I love that he’s involved with the spin-offs, but I wish he’d speed it up finishing that last GoT book.

https://ew.com/tv/george-rr-martin-confirms-game-of-thrones-sequel-jon-snow-kit-harington/

👄 Quotes of the Week

Each of us must decide whether it is more important to be proved right or to provoke righteousness. – Bernice King

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. – Ovid

No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now are more important. – Marie Kondo

You can’t get rich in politics unless you’re a crook. – Harry Truman

Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others. – Groucho Marx

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

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

It takes two to tango, and he doesn’t want to dance. – Dr. Phil

👠 Don’t Be a Drag, Just Be a Queen…

Give your all to the next two days, and when you’re done, come by for some soap and a Deck Reunion. I almost wrote D*ck, which might actually be more accurate. Until then, stay safe, stay expanding your vocabulary, and stay knowing, no matter how well you plan, the motion still might fail.

June 2, 2022 – An Old Friend Of Dante’s Drops In, More Than an Actor, Judgements, Shifting Sands, Wedding Leak, Shane Update, Pets (!) & Break Free

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Britt fumbles around under the parachute, and pops up, saying, what the hell was that? The parachutist pops up from the other side, and says, now that was interesting. Hello, Port Charles! Britt asks for someone to help her out of the pool.

Michael asks Carly, what is it? As long as it isn’t bad news. She looks at the envelope, and flashes back to opening it, and reading, Patient A has a 99.9999999999999 chance of being related to Patient B. Carly says, if this is true, Nina is Willow’s mother. Michael asks if she’s okay, and she lets out an audible breath.

Sonny comes into Charlie’s, and Phyllis says, that look on his face better not be disappointment. He says he’s always happy to see her, and she asks if he’d be happier if Nina was here. He asks if she came by, and Phyllis says, not today. He says, he called and texted, but she didn’t get back to him, and Phyllis asks if he’s worried about the hearing. He says, she didn’t let him know if the judge ruled, and Phyllis says, maybe it’s still going on. He could head over there and offer his support. He says he already did that, and he just made it worse.

Carly tells Michael, she’s fine. She’s just trying to decompress from the day. Willow says, tell her about it, when Drew joins them, and asks how it went. Michael says, they won, and Willow says, Nina has no one to blame but herself. Drew tells them, congratulations, and Willow takes Michael’s hand, saying, it really does feel like a victory, doesn’t it? After everything Nina put them through, and all that crap she said on the stand, it’s over. Nina can never lay claim to their family again.

At the park, Josslyn says she can’t believe Wiley beat her again. Maybe they should just play a different game. Wiley says, like what? and she says, like volleyball, but he says, no way; she’s too good. She says, finally, a little respect. Her phone dings, and she wonders who it could be. Wiley says, Cameron? and she says, he guessed it. Wiley says, Cameron texts her a lot. She reads: Don’t worry about Spencer. Will set him straight about Esme.

As they head for the room where Esme and Nikolas are, Spencer picks something up from the floor, and tells Ava, this is Esme’s jacket. He calls to Esme, and inside, she and Nikolas break apart. Nikolas says, Spencer. Spencer looks at Ava, who shrugs, and he tries the door, but it’s locked. He says, that’s funny. This door’s been locked. Who would have done that?

Brad continues to film, as Britt hoists herself out of the pool, and says, don’t worry about me. She struggles to stand up, using a table as leverage, and Maxie asks if she’s okay. Britt says, does she look like she’s okay? She tells Dante, feel free to arrest that guy at any time, but Spinelli thinks invoking the law is a little extreme. Britt says, he could have killed her, and Maxie says, don’t be dramatic. Britt says, excuse me? and Maxie says, he was obviously part of the entertainment, and did a really cool stunt. Brad says, he, for one, is thoroughly entertained, and Britt tells Dante, arrest him. Dante says, first things first, and asks the guy to get out of the pool. The guy says he’s a little tied up, and fiddles with his harness, and Dante tells him, get untied up. Come on, get out of the pool. He’ll give the guy five seconds. Britt says she’ll count. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5! Dante says, come on, and the guy frees himself, saying, all right. It’s official. He’s completely free. Britt says, not for long, and Dante says, Cody? The guy says, Dante? and Dante says he doesn’t believe this. Britt makes a face.

Carly says, if there’s one thing they’ve learned, it’s that Nina isn’t going to disappear quietly into the sunset, and Michael says, she took her best shot and lost. Can they please stop talking about Nina, and go home and celebrate with Wiley? Carly says, if only it were that simple, and Willow asks why it isn’t. Drew wonders if he can steal Michael for a minute, and they step into the hallway. Michael asks if it’s about the hearing, and Drew says, yes… and no. It’s mostly about ELQ.

Phyllis says, that hearing sounds like a nightmare, and Sonny says, it was. She says, maybe it’s naïve of her, but things were simpler back in Nixon Falls, weren’t they? If you had a problem with a neighbor, you worked it out over the fence. He says, or over a nice cold beer in town, and she says, and families duked it out at Thanksgiving not in court. He says, and lawyers get their fees, and everyone walks away like they lost, even if they won. She says, it must have been excruciating, standing up for Nina, knowing what it would do to his relationship with his son. Be honest though. If he could go back, and do it all over again, would he make a different choice?

Spencer jiggles the doorknob, and calls, Esme. Are you in there? He says he guesses not, throws the jacket on a chair, and leaves. Ava is about to knock, when Nikolas opens the door. Ava asks, what exactly was he doing in there?

Esme runs out onto the parapet in her underwear.

Brad hands a shirtless Cody a towel, and Britt says, really? Brad says, what? He looks cold. Cody says he’s sorry about getting Britt all wet, but in his defense, he was told the pool was going to be cleared. She says, well, it wasn’t, and he says he sees that now. Dante asks what Cody is doing here; working as a skydiver? Cody says, yeah, and Brad says, Jack of all trades. Cody says, exactly. Where did Dante Falconari end up, besides Port Charles? Britt says their little catch-up is cute, but can Dante arrest him now? Cody says, get out of town. Dante is a cop? and Dante says, guilty as charged. Cody says, him, an officer of the law? and Britt says she swears, if Dante doesn’t do something… Cody says, that is hilarious, and Dante puts handcuffs on him, and says, how about now? Is it funny now, or not so much?

Carly asks how Willow is feeling, and Willow says, mainly relieved. She can’t wait to move forward, and get on with their lives. Carly says, it got pretty intense with Nina. She’s never seen Willow that angry. Willow doesn’t think she’s ever been that angry. For them to go through what they did, and have Nina come begging, after the fact. After having her lawyer say in open court that Michael is violent toward women; that Nelle, a psychotic murderer was cowering in the shadows with her baby because she was scared of him? Why would she let Nina near her child after she did that to Wiley’s father?

Drew says, he’s not going to tell Michael what to do when it comes to his dad, or anything for that matter. If Michael wants to take Sonny down, that’s his call, but he can’t have Michael distracted. This is a high risk business venture, and they need to be present and focused. If whatever’s going on with Michael’s dad gets in the way, he’s going to have a problem with that. Michael says he hears Drew, but wants Drew to know where he’s coming from, and Drew says, fair enough. Michael says, Nina lied to his family for six months. She carried on a romance with Sonny in Nixon Falls for six months, while they grieved a man they thought was dead. She also came to visit Wiley under false pretenses, and took advantage of their generosity in giving her a second chance. That’s why they fought this petition; Nina is a bad influence. She’s not a person they want in Wiley’s life, and as Wiley’s parents, it’s their choice to make. Drew says he couldn’t agree more, and Michael says, Sonny disagrees. Today, he got on the stand and testified on Nina’s behalf. Drew says, it doesn’t surprise him that Michael is furious, but he had this campaign against his dad way before this hearing. Michael admits Drew is right.

Sonny tells Phyllis, would he change anything? He kept asking himself that as he walked out of the courtroom. She says, and? and he says, no, he wouldn’t. He knows that probably makes him a traitor, especially in Michaels eyes, but he sees it as being true to what he believes. She asks if he said that in his testimony, and he tells her, he said he thought Wiley deserves more love, not less, and people should put him first. And even if you make mistakes, you should learn by them, and lead by example; no one’s perfect. She says, amen to that, and he says, that includes him, but he’s not going to apologize for who he is. He’s not going to sit back and let a loving grandmother be cut out of her grandson’s life. It’s wrong. She says, wow. Nina means that much to him? and he says, Wiley means that much to him. He just hopes Wiley grows up, and he doesn’t want Wiley to just be Michael’s son or his grandson. He wants Wiley to be his own man.

Josslyn says, Wiley is so lucky he doesn’t have a girlfriend who drives him crazy, and he says he has a girlfriend. She says, who? and he says, her. She asks if she drives him crazy, and he says, not today. She says, good to know. You know what else she knows? He’s going to be real heartbreaker when he grows up. He asks, what’s a heartbreaker? and she says she has an idea. Does he want to take a little trip? He asks, where? and she says, you’ll see.

Spencer looks at Esme’s suitcase, when the doorbell rings. It’s Cameron, who says, what the hell? Spencer says he didn’t have to come all the way out here, but Cameron says, from the sound of Spencer’s text, he did. What happened with Esme? Spencer says, things were going great, he swears. He cut a deal with Ava to get him and Esme out of the house, and in exchange, he was going to have access to his trust fund. Plus, it would have the added benefit of giving him and Esme time together. It was a win-win-win. Cameron says, it’s perfect. Where did it go wrong? Spencer says, Esme started tearing into Trina. He couldn’t help it; he lost his cool, and he took off. Cameron asks, where? and Spencer says, he went for a ride to clear his mind. He realized he’d messed up, and came back to try and talk things out, but Esme was gone. Cameron says, Esme’s left the island? but Spencer says he doesn’t know. Her suitcase is here, but he can’t find her. It’s like she vanished.

On the parapet, Esme gets her clothes on, while inside, Nikolas asks if Spencer is with Ava. He thought he heard Spencer’s voice. She says, he did. Spencer’s looking for Esme; has he seen her? Nikolas says he hasn’t, and she says, he seems nervous. He says he’s just getting his bearings. He was reading, and fell asleep. She says, with the door locked? and he says, was it locked? The wind must have blown it shut, locking it by accident. She says, it must have been some nap. His hair’s all mussed up, and he missed a button. He suggests they go downstairs, but she thinks they should stay here; it’s quiet and private. Perfect for what she has to say. He says he thinks she made her feelings perfectly clear when she threatened to walk out, and she says, about that. They hear something outside on the parapet, and Ava says, what was that? Outside, Esme curses herself for dropping her shoe.

Dante says, Cody could have hurt someone, and Britt says, yeah, here. Cody says, it was a paid gig. If there’s an issue, take it up with the people who hired him. An officer asks if Dante needs a hand, but Dante says, no, and thanks him for the cuffs. Brook says she knows Chase wants to get in there. it’s just a few more weeks. He asks if they can sit and talk, and they go to a table. Britt says she’s curious about Cody’s job description. Did it say party crasher? Cody says he was supposed to land in the pool; make a big splash… literally. But then… What is her name? Brad says, her name’s Britt, and Britt kicks at him. Cody says, then Britt was smack in the middle of his landing zone. Spinelli says, it is a brilliant marketing strategy; a singles event with eligible men literally raining from the sky. Not that he took any pleasure in how it transpired. The main thing is Britt’s okay, yes? She says, she’s fine, and Cody says, see? She says, but she could have downed, so off to jail he goes. Cody says, Dante’s not doing this, is he? and Britt looks at Dante.

Willow tells Carly, Nina is certifiable. In one breath, it’s, take pity on me; you’re wonderful parents. And in the other, it’s, just kidding; Michael is a woman and child abuser. Carly says, she’s a piece of work, and Willow says she’s just done. Nina better not show up, or try to contact them. The judge made her decision; it’s over. Carly says she couldn’t agree more, and puts the envelope in her bag. She says, all that matters now is giving Wiley the best childhood possible, and Willow says, that is 100% the plan. I can’t wait for this to backfire.

Michael tells Drew, he knew Sonny was different after he returned from Nixon Falls, but when he realized he didn’t know who Sonny was, was at Nina’s trial, when Sonny defended her. A few weeks later, Sonny slept with Nina, and a few weeks after that, Sonny and Carly were divorced. Drew says, Michael is furious on his mom’s behalf, but Michael says, he’s furious with himself. All the years wasted on believing in Sonny, his honor, loyalty, and love. But he sees Sonny for exactly what he is now; he’s a criminal with a long line of luck. This is where his luck ends, and Michael is going to see to it. Drew says, this is where he steps in. He knows what’s going on; Dante told him. Michael plans to use ELQ to go after Sonny. Michael says, and Drew wants no part of that, and Drew says, no, he doesn’t. He’s not just some guy Michael works with; he’s Michael’s uncle. Obviously, he wants to protect ELQ, but more than that, he wants to protect Michael. Michael says he’s good, but Drew says, hear him out. He’s never been that close with Sonny, even when he thought he was Jason, and he agrees Sonny has acted badly. He’s going to stop short of saying Sonny failed his family, because it’s a complicated and tricky situation. Michael says, that is exactly what he did, but Drew says, a lot of people close to Michael don’t feel the same way. So the harder he pushes Sonny, the harder it’s going to be for Dante, for Kristina, and especially for Avery and Donna. They’re too young to be able to grapple with all this. Michael says, loving his siblings, and propping Sonny up are two different things, but Drew says he’s not asking Michael to prop Sonny up. Michael says, it’s what they do every time they pretend Sonny is a legit coffee importer. Michael’s not a gangster. He’s not going to go in guns blazing. He’s a businessman. He’s going to outmaneuver Sonny, and he’s going to do it without ELQ. Drew asks if Michael is sure about that, and Michael says he’s not going to let his issues with his father get in the way of his business with Drew. Drew says, he’s going to keep them separate, right? Because their company, and the people who depend on them, can’t be used to punish Sonny. Michael says, understood.

Phyllis says she doesn’t need a transcript to know Sonny’s heart’s in the right place. She saw it in Nixon Falls. The way he stood up to Elijah when he saw Elijah was trying to take advantage of them. How he treated them like family… when Lenny got sick. He says, they are family, and she says, hell, he almost died when he pulled her and Nina out of that fire. He says, make sure she tells Wiley that one day, but she says she has the feeling he’ll get the chance to tell Wiley himself. The Pub phone rings, and Phyllis answers. It’s Scotty, and Phyllis says, no, she hasn’t come in… I see… Of course (🍷) I will. She says goodbye, and tells Sonny, Nina lost.

Cameron says he can’t believe Spencer let Esme get inside his head – again. Spencer says he doesn’t need a lecture. Not today. It was bad enough seeing Trina with Officer What’s-His-Face at the gallery. Cameron says, she was with Rory? and Spencer says, there was nothing going on, but he didn’t love it. Then to have Esme rip into her… Cameron says, Trina doesn’t need Spencer defending her honor; she can take care of herself. Spencer says he understands, but Cameron says, clearly he doesn’t. His brothers are upset enough that their mother is away, and Joss goes into combat mode every time he suggests Spencer’s not evil incarnate. Spencer says, he knows it’s rough, but Cameron says he doesn’t need Spencer’s sympathy. What he needs Spencer to do is expose his girlfriend already.

Nikolas rebuttons his shirt, and Ava heads to the door to look outside. Nikolas says, it must have been the bats. This is the time of the afternoon they come out. Because everyone knows bats come out in the daytime. Really? He says, they should be grateful the bats eat all of the insects, and Ava says she’ll be sure to send a thank you note. She steps away from the door, saying, bats, vermin with wings. Esme listens from outside, and Nikolas asks if Ava will join him downstairs. She says, in a minute. She needs to apologize. She’s sorry she threatened to walk out on him. She didn’t mean it. She’s so sorry. She shouldn’t have done that.

Spinelli asks Sam if she can’t persuade her beau there’s no need for such drastic measures, and Britt says, what? Brad says, he agrees; let muscles off with a warning. Cody says, or a good spanking, and Dante says, the law’s the law. He’ll do Cody a favor and not arrest him in front of an audience. Let’s go. Sam runs up, and says she’s coming with Dante. Cody asks if she’s Dante’s girlfriend, and Dante introduces them. Cody says, the pleasure’s all his, and Dante says, let’s get out of here. Dante leads Cody away, and Britt calls, enjoy lock up!

Brook says, so much for finding true love, huh? and Chase says, happily ever after is hard to come by. Brook wonders if it’s not better to quit while you’re ahead; save yourself the agony. Chase says, it’s definitely a smart play. Fortunately, Finn was the smart one in the family.

Going back in the courtroom with Michael, Drew asks if everything is okay, and Willow says, everything’s great. Carly says, everything turned out the way it was meant to for everyone involved, and Michael asks if Willow is ready to go home. She says, so ready, when Wiley runs in. Michael picks him up, and Willow asks what he’s doing here. Josslyn says she figured they’d want to see him. She hopes it’s okay. Willow says, it’s more than okay, and thanks her. Michael says, Wiley is a sight for sore eyes, and Wiley asks why his eyes are sore.

Sonny leaves Nina a voicemail, saying, he heard the news; he’s sorry. Call him back when she can, or text him, and he’ll be right there. He tells Phyllis to do him a favor. If Nina comes in, let him know. She asks where he’s going, and he says he’s going to find Nina. She says, they’re both worried, but possibly, Nina may not want to be found. Maybe the point is for her to be alone right now, to process, to grieve, to scream. He says, the last time she was like this, she went to Nixon Falls, and Phyllis asks if that doesn’t prove her point. He says he needs to be with her, and she says, he doesn’t even know where to start. He says, that’s where she’s wrong, and he leaves.

Nikolas flashes back to him and… please don’t make me look at this again. Ava asks if he isn’t going say something, and he says he thought it was over; that she was giving up on them. She says, no. She guesses she was thinking about it, but she went to the firing range to blow off some steam and ran into his mother. Laura told her that he’d asked her to write a letter of recommendation to the Adams Day School for Avery. He says, he knew his mother would be happy to help. Turns out she knows the headmistress. Ava tells him, that’s what she said. The letter is already sent, and she has a call in to the Director of Admissions, and that’s great. She’d really like Avery to go to Adams, but hearing what he did, without making a big fuss or wanting any credit, was a wake-up call for her. She was reminded how thoughtful and generous he can be. After her anger cooled down, she was able to hear his mother’s sage advice. He asks if she’s sure it wasn’t a lecture, and she says, maybe a little of both, but it got her thinking. Not that they don’t have real issues to work through – they do – but she’s never been a quitter, and doesn’t intend to start being one now. Does he?

Brook says, so Chase isn’t a world famous physician like his brother, but he’s smart in other ways. He asks, how so? and she says, like knowing when to step in and save her from blowing it with Valentin. He sacrificed so much to protect Bailey from Peter. He says, that’s not necessarily smart, and she says, heroic then. Maybe she was wrong. He says, about? and she says, the whole quitting while you’re ahead thing. Maybe it’s the exact opposite. You need to jump in more, think less. He says he can do that. In fact, he’s going to make the leap right now. He’ll do everything he can to help her get her music back.

Spinelli gives Britt some coffee, assuring her, it’s the best way through. He has a prediction. One day they’ll look back on the events of today, and see only fond memories. Brad says, he will, but Britt tells him, don’t get any ideas. He’s all mine.

At Charlie’s, Cody says, he thought for a second, Dante was actually going to haul him in, and Dante says, for a second, he was. They bring beers over to the table where Sam is sitting, and Dante says, a tip if he may? The next time Cody decides to jump out of an airplane for money, make sure he doesn’t jump in a pool, public or private. Cody says, noted, and Sam says, Cody is lucky Dante had an extra change of clothes in his car. (Like they’re the same size. Hint: they’re not.) Cody says, gracias, compadre, and Dante says, Cody’s welcome, but he wants them back. Cody says, that Britt woman, she’s something else, and Sam says, that’s one way to put it. Dante says, Cody should thank them. They saved him from Britt’s wrath. Cody says he’ll pay them back by letting them buy him dinner. After all this commotion, he’s starving. Phyllis comes over, and Dante introduces Cody. He asks Phyllis if everything is okay.  

Sonny runs into the cemetery, calling for Nina. He goes over to Nelle’s grave, and bends down.

Michael asks if Wiley had fun with Aunt Josslyn, and Wiley says, they played a game, and he won. Josslyn demands a rematch, and Willow thanks Josslyn for taking care of Wiley while they were… Josslyn says, indisposed. Of course (🍷). Anytime. Is everything good? Wiley asks what Michael and Willow are doing here, and Carly says, Wiley wasn’t the only one playing a game. His mommy and daddy won too. Josslyn says, they did? and hugs Michael. She says, thank God, and hugs Willow. She’s so happy that the game worked out the way they’d hoped. Michael says, so are they.

Spencer says, Cameron is right. He can’t keep ping-ponging from Esme to Trina if he’s going to make this work. He needs to show Esme that he’s all in. It just drove him crazy seeing Trina at the gallery with that cop. Cameron tells Spencer, he’s going to say something and he needs Spencer to hear him. He’s going back to take care of Jake and Aiden. He will not lose Joss because Spencer can’t keep his head in the game. Do whatever it takes at this point; Cameron doesn’t care. Confess to Trina, suck it up to Esme, just make it happen tonight. Or he will.

Nikolas asks, what brought on Ava’s change of heart? and she says she just told him. He says, right; his mother and a letter of recommendation. She says, and herself, and he asks why she didn’t tell him before. She says, before what? He recovers nicely, and says, before they came so close to losing what they have. She says she’s telling him now. That’s got to count for something. He says, it counts for everything. Yes, they still have issues, and of course (🍷) they need to discuss them, but not here. Come with him. She won’t regret it. He holds out his hand, and she takes it. They leave, and Esme walks in from the parapet. She says, how wrong you are, Nikolas. Ava will regret it, and so will you.

Brad says, Britt has the hots for parachute guy? Not that he blames her, but those weren’t the vibes he was getting. She says she’s interested, but only to the extent that he helped her prove her point. What’s better evidence that true love is a lie than a cynical attempt to sell it with stunts? Spinelli says, there was nothing cynical about it, and Brad says, what’s wrong with a little romance? Bonus if it’s wrapped in a package as drool worthy as Candy’s. Spinelli says, Cody, and Brad says, whatever. His name could be Elmer for all Brad cares. Britt says she’s going to sue him for assaulting her, and Spinelli says he thinks assault is a bit of a stretch. She says, she’s going to sue him, even if she has to sue him for every stitch of clothing he’s not wearing.

Sam and Dante come back to the table, and Cody asks if everything is copacetic. Dante says, yeah; it’s just family stuff. Cody says, let him know if he can help, and Sam says, who is he? He says, Cody Bell. We met at the pool? She says, she knows, but until an hour ago, she didn’t even know he existed, now he and Dante seem to be picking up where they left off. Dante says, you know how it is when you’re friends from childhood. They literally grew up together. Cody says, and got into trouble together, and Dante says, that too.

Chase says, maybe he does think too much, and Brook says, he does. He says, maybe he should start seizing the moment, and she says, there’s no time like the present. They almost kiss, when Chase’s phone dings. He says, it’s his brother. He’s having a tough time with everything that’s going on with Elizabeth. She says, Chase should go be with him, and he says, really? She says, really, and he says, okay, thanks. And tomorrow, it will all about her and him, and getting the goods on Linc. And once they do, they can use it to get her music back. She says, she’ll see him tomorrow; she can’t wait. He says, him either, and heads for the door. Brook goes over to Britt’s table, and says, that was quite a splashdown. Brad says, Cody can splash into his bath anytime, but Spinelli says, technically, a tub is indoors, and you can’t splash down into it. Brook and Chase steal a glance at each other.

Carly asks Wiley for a hug, and says she loves him so much. Always remember that. He says he will, and Josslyn leaves with Willow, Michael, and Wiley, amid congratulations from Carly and Drew. When they’re gone, Drew says, what was that head nod? Was it because of the DNA results, or because Willow doesn’t know yet? Carly says, it was the results; she heard from the lab. He says, and? and she says, Nina’s not Willow’s mother. He says he guesses it was for the best, and Carly says, especially after the hearing; it was brutal. He says, Michael told him a little bit about it. Sonny testified for Nina. She says, that was the least of it. And the whole ordeal happened because of Nina; because of her selfishness and entitlement issues. Poor Willow is just exhausted, and she’s angry, and she wants Nina as far away from her family as possible. Drew says, it would have been awful if Nina was her mom, and Carly says, but she’s not. He wonders why Harmony said she was, and Carly says, Harmony was a troubled woman, but it doesn’t matter where Willow came from. It matters who she is today, and how much she loves Michael and Wiley, and the life they have to look forward to. I dunno. I’m not so sure Drew is buying this.

Sonny finds something on the ground, but we don’t see what it is. He looks around. I wonder if it’s Nina’s necklace.

Spencer walks into the now unlocked room, and Esme is there. He says, finally. Where has she been? She says, she’s been around, and he says he’s been looking everywhere for her. There’s something he needs to tell her. She says she has something she needs to tell him too.

Ava says, Nikolas is acting strange. What’s going on? He’s scaring her. Spit it out. He says, there’s something she needs to know.

Tomorrow, Rory can’t wait to see what else Trina introduces him to; Cameron says he has something to tell Josslyn; Sonny says, Nina may do something she’s going to regret.

📋 Exit Interview…

I’d forgotten he also writes for GH. He was co-writer of today’s episode.

💳 All That Glitters…

I’m not too keen on that pot stirring model. Anyone who has to tell you they’re amazing, probably isn’t.

🌇 Changing City…

I know there are worse places, but it is kind of amazing how such a cosmopolitan city still needs to catch up in so many ways.

💏 Love Bubble Coopted…

On a scale of one to hair pulling, I wonder how mad Teresa is.

⚖️ He’s Legal…

I like these two, and I’m glad things are working out all around.

🐩 On a Furry Note…

Enjoy some celebrities with their pets. Or just enjoy the pets.

⚓️ Pulling Up Anchor…

Pop in tomorrow for some soap, tea of all kinds, a thoughtful collection of quotes, and a musical moment. Until then, stay safe, stay taking only your own inventory, and stay being true to what you believe.