Tag Archives: David Beador

July 3, 2025 – GH Weekdays, No Friday For You, Happy 4th, Soap Suds, Down But Not Out, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, A Farewell, Dressed For Independence, Septenary Quotes & Pie

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…

Monday:

Natalia walked into the christening and sat down. Carly wondered why she was there, and Sonny said he’d handle it. He asked to speak to Natalia outside, and they left. Sasha brought in Daisy.

Lucas and Marco prepared to cook dinner in Sonny’s old kitchen, but Lucas lost the recipe and admitted he was no chef. Marco said they’d have to improvise.

In his office, Curtis was about to get busy with Portia on the desk, when Jordan walked in, turned around, and left. Curtis said Portia had set that up, and Portia said she sure as hell did.

Turner asked Anna if failing to take down Sonny was a dereliction of duty or incompetence, and Anna told her again to take her gripe to internal affairs. Sonny wasn’t stupid; he was smart and strategic. Turner said, so was Anna, and wondered if Sonny was really one step ahead of Anna or if her personal allegiance was causing her to look the other way.

Natalia said Sonny was supposed to be on the plane with her, and he said she wasn’t supposed to be there. He was giving her a new life where she’d be comfortable, and he could monitor her safety. Natalia insisted he’d said he’d go with her (he actually never did) and whined about not knowing anyone. Was dumping someone in a foreign country his way of taking care of loyal people? He said she’d have a new life in Belize, but his life was in Port Charles. (Again, I will totally go if she doesn’t want to.)

Wiley asked if they were waiting for mommy, but Michael reminded him that she wasn’t coming. They were waiting for grandpa.

Brook asked if Chase knew why Natalia was there, but he said he couldn’t discuss it.

Anna said Turner’s routine was getting old and it was unnecessary. They had the same goal and Turner could use her as an ally or wreck herself on the altar of Sonny Corinthos. She wouldn’t be the first and Anna was fairly certain she wouldn’t be the last. She didn’t understand why Turner wasn’t working directly with her. Turner needed her.

Curtis said Portia had just apologized for all the lies and manipulation, then manipulated Jordan into walking in. He wondered if Portia’s seductive moment was part of the plan, but she said, no. She’d sent a message that Curtis wanted to see Jordan and knew she’d come running, but wasn’t sure when Jordan would get there. Curtis said, another lie, and Portia asked if he was mad because she lied or because his ex saw him kissing his current wife.

Lucas told Marco that he was a prolific microwaver. (Same.) His mom cooked, but Carly and Sam didn’t. They got good hair, but missed the culinary gene. He’d had no time to learn and when he was married, Brad cooked. Now he got take-out or something from the hospital cafeteria. Marco said his mom taught him to cook. It was something they loved doing together when he was young… before it all went wrong.

Natalia got more upset, and Sonny said he’d set up a beautiful home in a beautiful area. She’d have access to anything. She said, except connections – friends and family, but he said she could make friends. She cried and said she thought they were starting a life together. Kristina came out and said Father Reyes was about to start, and Sonny said he’d be there in a little bit. He told guard Steve to take Natalia to her hotel and make sure she got on the flight. Natalia said, felicitations on his granddaughter’s christening. She hoped he and his whole family got every blessing they deserved. She left with Steve, and Sonny went back inside.

Father Reyes asked what the baby’s name would be, and Sasha said, Daisy Celeste. The priest said Daisy’s name was her special identity to God and welcomed her to her family and the church. The godparents did their thing, renouncing Satan and promising to raise Daisy in the faith. Father Reyes baptized Daisy with water and made the sign of the cross with oil on her forehead. He presented Daisy Celeste, and there was applause and taking pictures.

Anna said Turner hadn’t crossed a line yet, but was teetering on the brink. Taking Anna’s officers while keeping her out of the loop wasn’t going to work. Turner needed to be careful in deciding how to proceed. Jordan walked in and apologized for interrupting, but Anna said, the acting DA was just leaving.

Curtis said he was looking at someone he didn’t know. Was it all a set up or a show? Portia said everything they’d just shared was real. They were reconnecting and Jordan needed to see that. Jordan wanted him back and needed to know it wasn’t happening. Not now, not ever.  

Jordan told Anna, sorry. It looked intense. Anna said Jordan did her a favor, putting a civil end to it. She asked if Jordan saw Curtis, and Jordan said she saw Curtis with Portia on his desk. Anna said she was so sorry, but Jordan said she didn’t blame Anna. She blamed Portia and herself. She’d played right into Portia’s hands. She thought Portia wanted her to catch them in the act. The bitch set me up.

Curtis told Portia that Jordan had been nothing but good to him. He went for a swim and they had a conversation. Portia said Curtis and Jordan had been dialed in. It was proof of what she’d been feeling for a long time. He said what she was feeling was in her head, but she said, no. Even before she confessed to him at the Nurses Ball, she noticed their private conversations. He said she’d been too busy being blackmailed by Drew and lying, and he thought her guilt was driving this. She said she felt guilty, she was hurting, and they were struggling. Jordan saw Curtis was vulnerable and was trying to exploit that. Curtis said it didn’t sound like Jordan, but it sounded like Portia.

Father Reyes gave his blessing and told everyone, go in peace. Michael invited them all to the Quartermaines and said the late Monica would love having them. Sasha suggested they get the show on the road since Daisy needed a diaper change. Carly asked Sonny what was going on with Natalia, and he said it was taken care of. Kristina asked if Jason had any idea what was going on. It seemed strange. Jason said whatever it was, was over. Today was about Daisy, Michael, and Sasha. She said, spoken like a true godfather. Daisy was lucky she had him to protect her. They all were.

On the phone, Chase told Turner that he was at All Saints Chapel. Natalia was just there at Sonny’s granddaughter’s christening. She and Sonny spoke briefly, and she left, but he didn’t know what they’d discussed. Brook saw him and asked what he just did.

As they finished dinner, Lucas said he couldn’t have pulled this off, but Marco said Lucas set a nice table. Lucas said he enjoyed the meal, the company, and the conversation, and thanked Marco for coming to his culinary rescue. Marco said Lucas saved lives and he saved dinner, and they kissed.

Natalia told Steve that she needed to pack and take a shower, but he said they needed to get to the airport. She asked if a girl couldn’t take a shower in peace, and he said he’d be outside. He left and she closed the door and cried.  

Chase said he wished Brook hadn’t listened, and she said it wasn’t Sonny’s fault Natalia showed up. Chase reminded her that they put a wall between work and their personal life, and asked her to respect that. He had to go to the station and didn’t want to fight. She said she needed to know if something was going on between Natalia and Sonny, but he said he couldn’t talk about it. He loved her. She said she loved him too, and he left.

Natalia hyperventilated and took some pills, washing them down with liquor. She put on her bathrobe, picked up a dress, and tossed it down. She took more pills and remembered Sidwell saying it was all on her for not accepting Marco for who he was. She flashed back to Sonny saying he was giving her a comfortable life in a beautiful area, but it wasn’t his life. His life was there. She recalled Marco saying, if she left, it was on her. She was no longer his client or his mother. She’d officially be nothing to him. She sent a text.

Marco and Lucas started to kiss, when Marco’s phone chimed. Lucas said, that was two in a row. Shouldn’t he check? Marco looked at his phone and said it was his mom. Lucas said it was gibberish, and Marco said she was probably drunk. Her drinking and texting weren’t a rare occurrence. When she was drunk, the guilt took over, and her texts were word salad courtesy of autocorrect. Lucas said Natalia was leaving the country. Didn’t he think the timing was odd?

Anna said if Jordan thought it was a set-up. That meant Portia was throwing down the gauntlet. What was she going to do? Portia said, nothing. Curtis wasn’t an option. She had feelings to process and was trying to walk away with some semblance of dignity. She had to. she wouldn’t be responsible for ruining Curtis’s marriage, but Portia and her games might be.

Portia said if Curtis was saying she went after a crack in his marriage to Jordan and unfairly took him away, but Curtis said that was on him. The issue between them nothing to do with Jordan. He’d believed Portia was worried about Trina and trying to find peace between them. She said that was why she came, but he said she seemed more worried about Jordan. Was everything an act? She said, nothing was an act. He’d been cold and hard to reach. He might disagree with her decision, but she wasn’t sorry. She did it to save them. He said she wasn’t saving them. She was destroying them.

Felicia asked how Carly felt about her new grandbaby, and Carly said Daisy was a surprise, but it felt like she’d always been there. She fit in. Felicia said a new grandchild to love on and spoil was a blessing, and Carly agreed. She wished her mom could have met Daisy. Felicia said Bobbie had been with them in spirit at the christening and was probably there too. She loved a good party. Jason came in and Sasha brought Daisy over to him. She asked if he wanted to hold her, and he said, sure, taking the baby. Sasha asked what he wanted Daisy to call him, and he said Jason was fine. She said he’d stuck by her and looked out for her and Daisy. She admitted she didn’t mind it as much as she thought she would. He took a lot of heat, and she felt taken care of. Daisy would feel that too. She was trying to say he was a good man. Daisy was lucky to have him in her life looking out for her and so was she.

Curtis asked what Portia’s end goal was with her lies and stunts. She wasn’t pulling them closer, but driving them further apart. She was Trina’s mother, but he still didn’t trust her. She asked if that’s all she was to him. She’d thought she was his wife, but maybe that didn’t matter because she lied. Lord knew, Jordan never did. He said Jordan lied about work and being undercover. She didn’t lie about having his child or being blackmailed by his enemy, and didn’t lie and manipulate him into doing his enemy’s bidding. Jordan was never the problem. The real problem was them.  

Jordan said she and Curtis had a complicated history and genuine affection. She didn’t want those feelings bound up in Portia. She should walk away and find peace. Anna asked if she thought it was possible, and Jordan said it depended. Portia’s instinct was to lie, and she did the opposite of what Curtis was. It was hard to know that. Anna said, right now, Jordan owed it to herself to process her feelings and find a way to move forward. What did she need?

Natalia drunk texted Marco again, when there was a knock at the door. Steve said they had to get going, and she said she was almost ready. She cried and sent another text.

Marco said it was his mom again, and Lucas it was pretty garbled. I know you’re mad. I’m… someone? Marco said she got drunk and texted him and it never made sense. Then she’d leave a voicemail in the morning apologizing. Lucas said she was leaving to start a new life. There was no guarantee she could call him again. His mom was reaching out and it might be his last chance to reach back.

At the Quartermaines, Brook phoned Chase and asked him to call back. She was worried about Sonny and Natalia. Kristina came in with a giftbag, and asked Sonny what Natalia was doing at the church. He told her not to worry about that, when her phone dinged. She said the manager at Charlie’s called in sick and she had to open up. She gave Michael the giftbag for Daisy and left.  

At Charlie’s, two masked guys came in and poured gas on everything.

Portia told Curtis that wasn’t true. The one causing a problem was Jordan. The problem was, Jordan needed to know they were married. They had a daughter, were a couple, and had a beautiful family. Curtis got a call, and Portia said don’t let her stop him from answering. She was just his wife. She’d leave him to it. Just know she’d be fighting for their marriage. What about him? She left.

Turner ran into Anna’s office and told her to put out an APB on Natalia Ramirez. She was skipping town, and it might be their best chance to take Sonny down and it began with Anna’s lead.

Lucas cleaned up and blew out the candles. There was a song part while the celebration continued at the Quartermaines. Natalia drunkenly stumbled around and looked at her phone. She slumped on the couch and let the phone fall from her hand. There was a text from Marco saying he was on his way.

Kristina went into Charlie’s and saw the puddles behind the bar. She touched her hand to the gas and smelled it, when a Molotov cocktail came through the window and everything was in flames.

Tuesday:

On the phone, as he stood at his usual vantage point on the turret, Sidwell said that he saw the job was completed. Alexis arrived with a bunch of folders and told Sidwell that they needed clearances from the harbor master for goods he was importing. Sidwell said he thought Marco handled his accounts, and Alexis said he did, but nothing got filed until she vetted it fully.

At the hospital, Isaiah said Portia had asked him to cover the ER, and Elizabeth said, good. Portia had been working too hard.

On the phone, Lucas asked if Marco caught his mom, but still driving, Marco said, not yet. He kept calling, but got voicemail and there had been no more texts. He guessed she passed out. He apologized for their night being ruined, but Lucas said, it was just interrupted. There would be other nights. Suddenly Marco said, what the hell? and had to go. Josslyn came in and asked if Lucas had a friend over, and he said, it was an amazing night until it wasn’t. Something had come up. She said she was giving Trina and Kai some privacy, and he asked about the christening. She said, Sonny was Daisy’s grandfather, so there was drama. Marco’s mom showed up at the church.

Sasha, Carly, and Cody fawned over Daisy.

Michael thanked Sonny for putting the kids to bed, when Jason said he and Sonny needed to talk. There was a knock at the door, and Molly told Michael, sorry she was late. He said, the star of the show needed a diaper change and a nap, but there were still people there. She asked if Kristina was there, but he said, she had to go open Charlie’s.

Jason told Sonny that the plane was ready, but Natalia hadn’t shown up.

Steve knocked at Natalia’s door and said they needed to get going. He heard something and jetted. Chase and another officer came around the corner and Chase knocked, saying it was the PCPD.

Kristina grabbed the fire extinguisher and tried to put the fire out.

Chase banged on the door, when Anna arrived. He said no one had seen Natalia leave and there was no noise. She said the hotel manager had given her the key, and she was going in. They found Natalia out cold on the couch, and Chase checked her pulse while the other officer called an ambulance.

Isaiah saw a picture of Lucky hanging off the side of a mountain on Elizabeth’s phone, and she said she was choosing to believe Aiden’s explanation that it was an optical illusion. Aiden was having a great time with his dad.

Sidwell insisted most of his contracts were routine and suggested Alexis didn’t trust his son. Alexis said it was standard for her and Diane to oversee new associates for six months, but Sidwell thought it was a massive waste of time. Alexis said she’d earned her reputation, and no document went out with her name on it until she was satisfied. He still believed her hypervigilance was because of Marco and said his son should be extended the same courtesy she’d want her daughter to have. She said, duly noted, and continued with the contracts.

Lucas asked if Carly or Sonny told Josslyn why Natalia was in the chapel, but she said they wouldn’t tell her and neither would Jason.

Sonny said Michael was a great father, and Michael said he had a great teacher. People said his dad was important, powerful, and busy, yet Sonny made time for him, and it made him feel special. He wanted to make sure his kids felt the same way. Sonny said Michael was special and he was proud to be his father.

Sasha thanked Molly for coming and said she knew it was hard. Molly said she couldn’t help wondering about Irene, but she couldn’t be happier for Sasha. Sasha said she wondered about Liam sometimes, when Cody joined them and confessed that he’d eaten all the little sausage thingies.

Jason got a phone call and told Sonny there was a fire at Charlie’s.

Kristina yelled for help and ran behind the bar (not the best plan), when Marco asked if anyone was there. She yelled for help again and said everything was burning. Marco came in under a blanket and asked if anybody was left, but she said it was just her. He said they wouldn’t make it out the front and they ran for the back door under the blanket.

Elizabeth said the patient had no pulse and was probably an OD. Isaiah said some medical stuff and told her that he’d take over the compression. We saw it was Natalia.

Cody asked if Michael knew what happened, but Michael said he had no idea. Carly showed Molly pictures of the christening, and Michael said the late Monica insisted on them documenting everything. Cody asked if when Jason and Sonny disappeared, they acted like things were fine, and Michael said that was the drill. Cody said he was just trying to fit in, when Molly’s phone rang. She asked if Michael was sure Kristina was at Charlie’s, and he said, why? She said her friend that worked at the PCPD said there was a three-alarm fire there, and Michael flashed back to the fire in the penthouse. Cody said he’d drive, and he and Molly left.  

Isaiah said, time of death, 9:07 pm. Did they know who she was? Elizabeth said she did.

Josslyn told Lucas that it was just about to start when Natalia showed up and Sonny was not happy to see her. Lucas asked if she seemed drunk, and Josslyn said she didn’t see Natalia, but thought her mom would have mentioned it. Was something going on with Natalia? Lucas said he didn’t know, when his phone rang. It was Elizabeth.

Kristina and Marco ran outside coughing, when Dante arrived. He hugged Kristina and asked if she was hurt. She said, no, and he asked if Marco was okay. What happened?  

At the hospital, Lucas said he wasn’t able to reach Marco, and Elizabeth said she remembered they were having dinner and thought they might be together. He said they were, but Marco left to see his mom at the MetroCourt. Where was he?  

A paramedic said Kristina and Marco had smoke inhalation and minor burns, and Kristina said, it was burning fast. Dante said all that mattered was that she was safe, and she said, thanks to Marco. Sonny and Jason arrived, and Sonny hugged Kristina. Jason asked what Marco was doing there.

Alexis said she was satisfied, and Sidwell presumed she’d be charging her hourly fee. She said, oh God yes, when Molly called. Molly said there was a fire at Charlie’s and Kristina was there. She was headed there and had tried calling Kristina, but there was no answer. Alexis said she’d be right there.

Josslyn saw someone outside and opened the door to find Jack. She asked why he was lurking, and he said it was a test to see how long it would take her to notice. She said her mom wasn’t home, but he said he came to talk to her. Vaughn told him about her plan to distract Emma, and he thought it was good. He didn’t want Emma near Dalton. He told her to make it priority number one and figure out a course of action asap. Josslyn said he could have just called her to the office. Was he hoping to run into her mom?

In the car, Molly worried about the firefighters not getting there on time. A three-alarm fire was bad. Cody said they didn’t have all the facts yet, and she worried about it being like the penthouse. She and Kristina were on track to be sisters again and she couldn’t lose her. Cody said, stop assuming the worst-case scenario.

In Natalia’s hotel room, Chase told Anna that it looked like she’d drunk a lot of alcohol, and they bagged a bottle of pills. Suicide? Anna said, possibly, or staged. Natalia had been leaving town. Chase said a guy had been seen walking away from the room and he might be involved. Anna said have the hotel give them the security footage and find him.  

Kristina said she’d be dead if not for Marco. She wasn’t supposed to work, but the manager called in sick. She was going to open up and noticed the smell of gas. The floor was wet, and she heard a crash, then everything was on fire. She tried to put it out, but it was too big and too fast. She was trapped and Marco burst in and got her out. Sonny said Marco just happened to be in the area? and Marco said, yes. He was on his way to the MetroCourt when he saw the fire. He noticed a car in the parking lot and ran in to make sure nobody was inside. He said he needed to get to his mother and asked if they could talk later, but Sonny said Marco wasn’t going anywhere.  

Sidwell said the launch was ready, but Alexis asked if he had a speedboat or a rowboat. She had to get off the island and see if Kristina was all right. He asked if she was sure Kristina was in the pub.  

Jack told Josslyn that agents compartmentalized. He’d be delighted to run into Carly, but came to talk to her. He was her superior and she didn’t get to comment on his relationships. She asked if he’d notified his superior that he was in a relationship with an agent’s mother, when Carly came in. She asked what Jack was doing there.

Lucas told Chase that he was with Natalia’s son when Marco got some garbled texts that were unreadable. He thought Natalia was drunk, so he decided to check on her. He called from the car on the way to the hotel, said something came up, and hung up quickly. He never called back. Was Chase sure Marco never showed up? Chase said they were going through the security footage, but no one remembered seeing him. Elizabeth said she hoped Natalia’s death was an accident, but Anna said the cause wouldn’t be official until there was an autopsy. Lucas said they couldn’t do an autopsy until Marco knew his mom was dead.

The EMT insisted Kristina go to the hospital, and Marco asked if he could get his phone. Molly and Cody arrived, and Molly said she was so scared Kristina was hurt. She loved Kristina so much. They hugged.  

A firefighter said the fire was totally out, and Dante asked if they had any idea what started it. The firefighter said his men were working on it, when Anna showed up. Dante told her that gas might have been used as an accelerant, and she asked if there were any casualties. He said, no. Kristina was the only one inside and she was fine thanks to Marco Rios. Alexis arrived and hugged Kristina. Sonny said Kristina would be okay, and she said, no thanks to him.

Jack said he took a chance he’d find Carly there, and she said it was good to see him. Josslyn said she remembered she had a quiz, but left her notes at the apartment. She’d probably stay there tonight. She left, and Jack asked if Carly was all right. She said, no. There was a fire at Charlie’s, the pub Sonny gave Kristina. She didn’t know if Kristina was inside, but hearing about the fire took her back to the ICU and wondering if her son would survive the night.  

Michael flashed back to another actor playing him, who was conveniently covered in fire. He got a call and told Sasha that Kristina was okay. She was inside, but had gotten out. He was about to get a drink when he remembered he’d taken a pain pill, and Sasha said she didn’t realize he was still in pain. He said he usually didn’t need a pill, but he didn’t want it to interfere with the celebration. The doctors said he had residual nerve damage, but thought he’d be pain free soon. It was nothing compared to the pain after the fire. He told her about going through debridement and said it was agony. Thank God Kristina was okay.

Dante said he thought Marco needed to go to the hospital, and Alexis asked Sonny, which of his enemies did this? They kept going after him and got his children instead. She knew he and Kristina working together was a bad idea. Death and violence were all over him like a plague he passed on to those who loved him. It had to stop. She would not bury another daughter. There were soap looks all around.

Carly told Jack she was worried about Kristina. When she heard there was a fire, she shut down and the anger and fear came rushing in like the penthouse fire was happening then. It was crazy because Michael was standing by her, but it was like she was back in the clinic in Germany. She could only touch his hand because it was excruciating if she touched anything else. All she could do was sit there and hear him moan. Jack said she’d experienced PTSD because the emotional trauma couldn’t be processed all at once and she’d been triggered. A lot of agents had it and he’d dealt with it himself. She said she couldn’t tell him what it meant that he understood. Josslyn blamed Sonny and she was right. He almost lost another child. She didn’t know what she’d do if something happened to Donna. Jack held her.  

Sasha said Michael had asked for her in the ICU, but was sedated by the time Jason found her. Did he remember what he’d wanted to tell her? He said he wanted to tell her to take care of their daughter no matter what happened him, and she did. Daisy was perfect. All his kids were safe and it was going to stay that way. She said he couldn’t know that, and he said he could. His dad was a great father, and he’d never be like him, but he promised nothing like the fire would ever happen to his kids.

Marco got to the hospital and asked Lucas, what happened? Anna said she needed to have a conversation with him about his mother, and Marco said, why? Was she there? Was she okay? He ran past everyone and into Natalia’s room. When he saw her, he put his hands to his face.

On the phone, Sidwell said his instructions were clear. Do not set the fire unless the building was empty. If Sonny Corinthos’s daughter was in the fire, there would be hell to pay.

Kristina said they didn’t know what caused it, but Alexis said she did. It was Sonny’s love for money and power that exceeded everything and everyone. They’d both lost children and knew how painful it was. She couldn’t and wouldn’t go through it again. Kristina said it was suggested she go to GH and get checked out, and asked Alexis to come with her. Cody said he’d drive, and they left, along with Molly. Sonny told Jason that they had to find out who caused the fire. Kristina wasn’t supposed to be working. Jason said, the manager called in sick, and Sonny said, talk to him. A firefighter said it looked like there was evidence of arson, which made this place a crime scene.

Wednesday:

At the Surf Lodge, Emma and Outback high-fived. Gio joined them and said Outback steals his shoes, but only the left ones. He wanted her to choose between him and the dog, but she didn’t want to choose between her two favorite strays. She also had the feeling that the real problem was him being upset about Brook and Dante being his real parents.

Tracy found Brook working in the living room. Brook said, Deception might be in serious trouble, but it might be too late to fix it.

Vaughn found Josslyn at Charlie’s and asked why she wanted to meet there. She said she heard there was a fire and came to check, but she couldn’t get herself to leave.

At the hospital, Kristina told Alexis that she was fine and would like to go home. Alexis said, she could have died.

Marco cried, and sat by Natalia’s bedside saying, no, no. It couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t end this way.

Elizabeth suggested Lucas let Marco have time with his mom, and Anna said Lucas could help them figure out what led to Natalia’s death.

Jason told Sonny that they had guys on the street who would hear whispers about the fire. Sonny said they both knew Sidwell was responsible.

Selina went to Windymere and said, finally, she and Sidwell were meeting in person. She asked if he wanted to set up a poker game, but he said he wanted to warn her. She was about to go to war with Sonny.

Gio admitted he might be upset about his parentage, and Emma said if he wanted to talk, she was there. He said he wasn’t there yet and told her that he was dropping out of PCU.

Josslyn told Vaughn that her former stepsister almost died in the fire. It was unnerving, and all because she was the daughter of Sonny Corinthos.  

Alexis asked Kristina, what happened? and Kristina said the manager called in sick, so she left to open up Charlie’s. When she walked in, she smelled gasoline and the floor was wet, but before she could check, she heard a window shatter and suddenly fire was everywhere. The fire extinguisher wasn’t enough, and she wouldn’t have gotten out alive if not for Marco.

Anna asked about Natalia’s texts, and Lucas said, they were all gibberish. Sometimes she drank and texted Marco. Marco came out, and Lucas asked if he was okay. Anna said they were sorry for his loss, and Marco said he didn’t understand what happened. Anna said she and Chase entered Natalia’s hotel room and she was unconscious. They called the paramedics immediately. Isaiah said Marco’s mother was unresponsive at the scene. There was no pulse, and the paramedics weren’t able to restart her heart. Unfortunately, when she was brought in, there was nothing they could do. Marco asked what the cause of death was, and Isaiah said it was speculation, but they suspected it was an overdose. Marco said, accidental or intentional? but Isaiah said they didn’t know. They suspected a lethal combination of tranquilizers and alcohol, but they’d know for sure when there was an official autopsy. Elizabeth said she was sorry. She and Lucas tried to call him. Marco said his phone was in the car. He was on his way to see his mother and saw the fire at Charlie’s. There was a car in the parking lot, so he ran in to make sure nobody was inside. Anna said he got Kristina out just in time. He was a hero tonight. Marco said he was able to save Kristina, but not able to save his mother.

Gio told Emma that he had a music scholarship and would be first chair violinist in the orchestra. It was a huge responsibility and honor. She said he deserved it, but he said he had no intention of playing again. He would lose his scholarship and couldn’t afford college on his lifeguard’s salary. She suggested he borrow from family, but he said he wanted nothing to do with them. She said, what about Sonny? but he said it didn’t seem right. She said, why not wait? He might feel differently in the fall. Don’t walk away from the gig just yet. He might want to play again by September.

Brook told Tracy that Natalia found something in Sonny’s supplemental investment… Tracy said, an offshore account. Sonny was laundering money and now they were complicit. Brook said, it was a clerical error, but Tracy said, it was a felony. Brook said she was sorry. It was all her fault.

Chase asked if the texts were in Marco’s phone, and Marco said they were, but his phone was in his car at Charlie’s. Anna asked if the messages were incoherent, and Marco said he thought one message was supposed to say, I’m sorry. He guessed he’d never know. He texted her that he was on his way, but he saw Charlie’s was on fire. They knew the rest. He had no idea his mother needed him so bad. Lucas said it wasn’t his fault. He thought a life was at risk and stopped to help. Marco asked how Anna ended up at the hotel, and she said the acting DA was supposed to pick up his mom. As her lawyer, Marco must have known that the DA negotiated a plea deal in exchange for evidence against Sonny. Chase said Natalia showed up at the christening for Sonny’s granddaughter. He saw them talking and alerted Turner. Natalia definitely seemed troubled.

Jason said Sidwell was mad about Sonny not selling his piers and it was payback. Did he think Kristina was a target? Sonny said it didn’t matter. Kristina almost died. Ever since Sidwell came to town, two of his children nearly died. If anything happened to Kristina, he didn’t know what he’d do.

Selina said Sidwell was misinformed. She wasn’t at war with Sonny and stayed on his good side. They had an understanding. Sidwell said that changed tonight when a firebomb was placed in Sonny’s daughter’s place of business. She said she had nothing to do with that, but he said her associates Simon and Dan doused Charlie’s with gas and lit it up with a Molotov cocktail. When Corinthos went on a hunt to find out who was responsible, he’d trace it to her. She said, in other words, he set her up, and he lifted his glass to her.

Tracy said she blamed Brook’s mother. She raised Brook to trust Sonny. Brook said she believed what Natalia said, it was an accounting error. Sonny wouldn’t do anything to hurt Deception. Tracy said they were going to use this to their advantage and not bury it.

Vaughn said, Sonny was once married to Josslyn’s mother and Donna was their child? and Josslyn said, yeah. So was her older brother Morgan. He said, Morgan died in a car bombing. He was sorry. She said there was plenty of blame to go around. Morgan died because he was Sonny’s son, and it was the same reason Michael nearly died, and the same reason Kristina nearly died. He said, not a fan? and she said her family kept getting hurt because Sonny Corinthos brought death and destruction wherever he went.

Alexis said Kristina had Marco to thank. If she had died, her father would have died too, because she would have killed him. It was no accident. Someone was sending Sonny a message and Kristina got caught in the crossfire. Molly came in with Deanna and said she was filling out administrative forms and needed Kristina’s ID. Alexis said she had a copy on her phone, and left with Deanna. Molly asked how Kristina was doing, and Kristina said she was desperate to get out, but Alexis wanted her to stay overnight. Marco saved her life. Allie always said her brother was a good guy. Molly said Marco was a hero, but Kristina was amazing too. They way she handled their mom when she went after Sonny was impressive. In the past, she would have jumped to Sonny’s defense and fought with their mom. Instead, she let Alexis say what she needed to and Molly was proud of her.  

Sonny told Jason that he and Kristina had a special connection. He thought it had to do with them being the most alike. Jason said he thought so too, and Sonny said they had the same anger, intensity, and demons. Kristina fought with her emotions like he did, and he wanted to protect her. That’s why Alexis was out of her mind with fear, and he respected that. Jason said she was safe, and Sonny said, for now. They had to find out who did this. Otherwise, his whole family was in danger.  

Selina said she’d go to Sonny and tell him the truth. He’d known her longer than Sidwell, and her words had more weight. Sidwell said, go ahead, but given Kristina’s close call, he guessed Sonny wouldn’t let her live long enough to get her explanation out. (I guess a phone call wasn’t an option?) They’d clashed in the past and she’d already crossed Sonny once. She said Sonny would see through him and guessed Sonny already had, and he said he’d point the finger at her associates. Who knew what evidence Sonny would uncover about her involvement? The best idea was for her to leave town now. She said, and walk away from her business? but he said she could return later with his blessing. Port Charles would be a better place when she returned. She said the only way she could come back was if Sonny was dead, and he said he was aware. He opened the door, and she said she guessed she had a plane to catch. Until they met again. He said, travel safely, and she left.

Chase said Natalia and Sonny spoke privately and she left. Marco said he was almost positive it wasn’t the full story. His mother was murdered by Sonny.  

Gio said he needed a clean break from his old life filled with lies, and Emma said there were good things too. Gio said they were tainted. He’d felt special performing when he was a kid. Now he knew it was a lie. The technique was still there, but without the passion and the smile, the music was hollow. There was no point in playing. His family had been stolen from him.

Deanna said Kristina had a close call, but would be fine, and Alexis said the last time she filled out these forms was for Sam. Deanna suggested Alexis read the information and she’d write it, and Alexis said that would help a lot.

Kristina told Molly that even if she was collateral damage, she didn’t feel it was her dad’s fault. Her mom was scared for her child, and she got that. Molly said, because of their daughter. She couldn’t lose Kristina. She loved Kristina so much. They joined hands and Alexis watched from the doorway.

Anna asked if Marco had proof of his accusation, but he said, wasn’t it obvious? His mother had evidence that she was about to turn over and Sonny found a way to stop her. Lucas suggested he take a minute, and Marco agreed. Anna said talking about the fire could wait. In the meantime, he had their condolences. Don’t hesitate to reach out if the thought of anything else. She and Chase left, and Marco said he almost admitted he knew his mom was breaking the deal and moving out. Lucas said Marco had been through lot, and Marco said he was glad Lucas was there. Lucas said him too, and Marco said he needed to call his father, but had no phone. Lucas said he’d deal with it and he wanted Marco to get checked out by Isaiah. Doctor’s order.  

Jason said they’d find out who did this, and Sonny said he couldn’t lose another child. He wasn’t going through what he went through with Morgan again. Jason said they’d stop them, and Sonny said they’d make them an example. It would hurt so bad, they wouldn’t think of coming for his family again. An eye for an eye, effective and fair. Jason said, Sidwell’s only known child was Marco, and he’d just saved Kristina. Sonny said he owed Marco, but protection was more important than gratitude. If Marco ended up being collateral damage, so be it.

Elizabeth found Sidwell’s number for Lucas, and Lucas made the call. He said he was calling on Marco’s behalf. His son was fine, but there was something Sidwell should know. Marco’s mother passed away tonight.

Chase asked if Anna thought Marco was right and Sonny killed Natalia. She said they couldn’t rule it out. Her phone chimed and she said it was the security footage. It was useful, but not good news for Sonny.

Tracy said they needed to come clean, and Brook asked, why? Tracy said if they were honest and declared their innocence, they’d probably just get a slap on the wrist. If they helped nail Sonny, they’d be rid of him, and it was a win-win. Brook said Sonny was the only family member Gio was talking to, and Tracy said, all the more reason, but Brook said if they took Sonny away from Gio, her son would hate her even more. Tracy said, fine. She’d do it all by herself, when Chase walked in. Tracy said the PCPD had perfect timing for once.  

Emma asked Gio to promise not to drop out of PCU, and he promised he’d make no decisions for now. She said they had to figure out what else he was passionate about. He showed some interest in exposing Professor Dalton’s animal testing. He asked how they start Dalton’s take down, and she said she couldn’t prove he was testing on animals yet because she couldn’t get into the lab. They might have to do something drastic. Gio asked if that was her way of saying illegal.

Vaughn told Josslyn that he’d never defend Sonny, but watching your loved ones pay for your crimes must take a toll. Josslyn said she tried to let go of her anger, but too many people she loved were getting hurt. She had no sympathy. She’d never told anyone this or even said it out loud, but that was one reason why she joined the WSB. He said he thought it was because of Dex, and she said that was part of it, but it wasn’t just about an idealistic version of justice. It was more personal and a lot less altruistic. He asked if she wanted to get high enough in the agency to take down Sonny, and she said, exactly.

Marco told Lucas that Isaiah gave him the all-clear, when Sidwell arrived. Sidwell hugged Marco and said Lucas told him about Natalia. He was so sorry. Marco thanked him, and Sidwell said he had to make sure Marco was okay. He thanked Lucas for calling, and Lucas left to give them time to talk. Marco said it was surreal. He knew she was gone. He’d seen her body, but his brain couldn’t process it. Sidwell said, take a breath, and Marco said he had to call Allison, but didn’t know how to break the news. Sidwell told him not to worry about it now, and Marco said there was so much he wished was different. They hugged, and Sidwell said he knew.  

Anna went to Sonny’s place and he said he couldn’t answer questions about the fire right now, but she said she was there for a different reason. Natalia Rameriz was dead.  

Tracy said she had some interesting news too, and Chase said he was sorry to inform them that Natalia Rameriz was dead. It may or may not be a drug related OD or foul play. Anna was questioning Sonny. Brook asked if he was suspect, and Chase said they were exploring possibilities. Tracy said it wasn’t okay for Sonny to be anywhere near Gio. He was taking too many people, and he wasn’t taking Gio too.

Emma asked if Gio thought Sonny could give them pointers, but he said, definitely not. He may not be taking Sonny’s money or advice in this particular situation, but he was glad to have him. Sonny was the only one he could trust right now.

Kristina asked how long Alexis had been there, and Alexis said, not that long, but long enough to see them together. It warmed her heart. She wished Sam was with them too. She couldn’t lose another daughter. That meant they were both contractually obligated to outlive her. They needed each other and couldn’t let anything separate them. They all agreed and had a group hug.

Lucas asked Elizabeth’s opinion. OD or murder? She said there were no obvious signs of violence, but the autopsy would tell them more. Did he think Sonny had her killed? He said, all they knew was that Natalia was dead, and Kristina almost died. To him, that was the start of a mob war that had Marco’s family on one side and his on the other.  

Marco said he felt like it was his fault, and Sidwell asked, how? Marco said his mom was texting him and he could tell she was drunk. It wasn’t the first time. Sidwell said there was no way he could have known, but Marco said maybe if he’d gotten there in time, if he hadn’t stopped to help with the fire. Sidwell said, what fire? and Marco said, at Charlie’s Pub. He stopped and saved Kristina Corinthos Davis. Sidwell said Marco could have died, and Marco said it was crazy how things played out. Thanks to him Sonny’s daughter is alive and thanks to Sonny, his mother was dead. Sidwell asked how this had anything to do with Sonny.

Sonny invited Anna in and said he was sorry to hear it. Why did she come in person? He wasn’t close to Natalia. Anna said they’d had an intense conversation at the christening, and he said Natalia was congratulating him. She asked if he could explain why his bodyguard was having a conversation with Natalia at the hotel, and he asked if he should call Diane. She said, it depended. Did he have something to hide? Another of his guards was seen entering and exiting her room. He was in the corridor when the police arrived and made himself scarce. That made her think he and Natalia had a close association. He asked what she was getting at, and she said Natalia had evidence the DA’s office was going to use against him and was conveniently dead of alcohol and tranquilizers. They were waiting for the autopsy, but in the meantime, he was a person of interest, and she had to take him in for questioning. 

Josslyn said she just gave Vaughn the ammunition he needed to get rid of her. She had an unhealthy personal vendetta which made her unfit for the job. She was sure she’d be out tomorrow morning. She started to leave, but he grabbed her arm and said he’d told her that lofty ideals weren’t a reason. Those agents got jaded, but a concrete goal to take Sonny down would get her through tough times. And there were going to be tough times. She asked, what was his goal? and he said maybe he’d tell her sometime. Once he got to know her better. He kissed her.

Thursday:

At the pool, Willow told Gio that she saw what happened at the Nurses Ball. There was nothing more painful than being betrayed by someone who was supposed to love you.

As they sat in chaise lounges, Trina told Kai that it wasn’t a bad way to spend a holiday afternoon. She knew the perfect spot to watch the fireworks.

Brook said Maxie should be there, and Tracy asked if she was going to tell Maxie that Sonny’s blood money would bring down Deception. She wanted to do her best to save Gio.

Michael opened the door to TempMaxie (see below), who said she was there for an emergency Deception meeting, but as unofficial godmother, she wanted a peek of Daisy. He said he couldn’t thank her enough for making the christening happen. It gave him hope for his family’s future.

Danny and Rocco were at the Surf Lodge, and Emma approached their table. She asked what was so important she had to detour from the pool on a national holiday, and Rocco asked what she knew about Britt Westbourne.

Laura went to see Lulu, who said she was reporting on the fire for the Llanview Banner. Those who were pro Measure C said the fire was proof of mob violence escalating and that Laura was ignoring it because of her connection to Sonny. Laura said there was a right way and a wrong way to investigate, and she had to do it the right way. She was the one who’d called for Measure C. Lulu said she hated to say it, but maybe it was time for Laura to cut Sonny loose, but Laura asked what they would accomplish except tearing the family apart.

In the PCPD interrogation room, Sonny told Turner that he wasn’t saying a word unless his attorney was there. Turner said that’s why she was there.

On the phone, Jason said, what did Diane mean, he wasn’t allowed to see his attorney?… Keep him posted. Dante arrived and said the PCPD was holding Sonny and wouldn’t let him talk to Diane. He had an update on the fire at Charlie’s. Selina was a suspect.

Gio told Willow, for what it was worth (🍷), he was sorry, and she said, when your life was turned upside down, you found out who you could trust. He said, and who you can’t, and she said anyone who helped you through hard times was someone you could always count on.

Michael said Kristina was at GH, and Maxie asked if she was okay. He said she had a cough, but was doing all right, and she said, it could have been worse. He said that’s why he was focused on the good, like how Wiley and Amelia were crazy about their baby sister. He was trying to stick to routine, hoping it made things more stable until the visitation hearing.

Willow told Trina and Kai that she was sorry to interrupt, and Kai said he thought she’d be celebrating with Drew in DC. She said Drew was too busy working, so she thought she’d keep it lowkey. Maybe next year. Drew was impressed with Kai’s work and appreciated him going the extra mile.

Brook said they had no reason to think Gio was a target, but Tracy said it was a naïve thing to say. Brook said it wasn’t like he lived with Sonny. They barely spent time together. Tracy said when gangsters went to war, they didn’t go after each other, but after their enemy’s loved ones. They could only try their best to protect Gio, but he wouldn’t be safe until Sonny was done with once and for all.

Turner said she could hold Sonny for 24 hours, and Sonny said she couldn’t keep him from seeing his attorney. In the meantime, he wasn’t saying anything. Diane was one of the few people he didn’t mind waiting for. Turner said, if his attorney was withheld, anything he told her was inadmissible. It was his best opportunity to tell her what happened. He asked why he should take her word on this, and she asked why he was acting like the injured party when Natalia was the one who was dead.

Dante told Jason that they’d ID’d two suspects as Selina’s guys and there was a warrant out for them. Selina had booked a flight to Singapore and the needed to find out if she got on it. Jason asked, why come to him? and Dante asked if they should keep looking for Selina’s guys or were they buried in the woods.

Emma wondered why Rocco was asking about The Britch, The Wicked Witch of Westbourne, and Rocco said he presumed she didn’t like Britt. She said she was little and for a while her dad dated Britt. Eventually, he came to his senses and dumped her as. Britt was so pathetic and desperate, she got pregnant… She got it now.  

Maxie asked why they were working on a holiday, and Brook said she had bad news. Maxie said, hit me, and Brook said, it seemed Sonny’s second investment had been made with dirty money. Maxie said Sonny wasn’t sloppy like that and Brook showed her the financials. Maxie asked how she found out, and Brook said Natalia told her. Maxie said Natalia would have to walk her through it, but Brook said she couldn’t. Natalia died last night. Maxie said, Brook didn’t think… but Brook said, never. Maxie said they’d have to go to the police and hand over the records, and Brook said, what about Spinelli? Spinelli adored Sonny. Would he be okay? Maxie said he’d have to be. Her family needed Deception, and she’d do everything she could to save the company.  

Lulu said, Laura just had to publicly disavow Sonny. She didn’t have to do it for real. Laura said, first of all, Ezra Boyle had a tracking device on her and would be waiting with cameras to prove to the world she was a liar. Secondly, Sonny was part of the family. What kind of example would she set for her grandchildren, teaching them how to lie to save their hide? She was also thinking about Rocco. She’d never want him to have to choose between his grandmother or grandfather. Lulu said she’d talk to him, and he’d understand, but Laura said, would he? She wasn’t sacrificing her family or principles or compromising her own morals. She couldn’t help feeling there was more to this.

Emma said she had to go, and Rocco said Britt was pregnant with him. He was the baby she carried. Emma said she was just a kid. He should talk to his mom and dad. Their memories would be better than hers. Danny thanked her for talking to them, and she said she totally got it. Happy 4th. She started to leave, but came back and said there had to be more she never knew about. She thought Rocco owed it to himself to find out the truth.

Willow said Kai stepped in and got Drew out of the disaster at the press conference, but Kai said it was no big deal. Willow said Drew told her it was the only silver lining, and Kai said he just did his job. Willow said he made an impression on Drew, who thought he had a great future in politics. Willow left and Trina said they needed to talk, but Kai said he knew what she was going to say. Trina suggested even if he knew what a woman was going to say, let her say it. (Truth!) All the Quartermaines were crazy, and they would make him crazy too. Tracy walked in and Gio turned away. Trina said, case in point.

Tracy said she didn’t know if Gio wanted to talk to her. He wasn’t answering her texts. He said, make it short, and she said she thought his life was in danger.

Kai said Trina didn’t need to worry. He was only interested in politics. Maybe not forever, but after football, it was good to be interested in something. Trina said he needed to understand and accept that the Quartermaines were always battling about something. He had to remember not to get stuck in the middle. Michael came into the pool area with Wiley and saw Willow. He steered Wiley over to his swim instructor.

Lulu said she didn’t want Laura to betray her principles, but she wanted Laura to beat Boyle. Laura said she wanted that too, and Lulu said she was still ahead in the polls, but she was falling behind. Boyle was corrupt and so unqualified, she couldn’t hand the city to someone like him. If she wanted to save Port Charles, she needed to stay where she was – in the mayor’s office. How far was she willing to go to make that happen?

Turner told Sonny that Natalia was facing five years for a DWI, and she offered Natalia a lifeline. If she turned over evidence against Sonny to her office, the charges would be dismissed. Natalia agreed, so imagine her surprise when Natalia wound up dead, with two of Sonny’s men coming and going… Sonny said all this had nothing to do with him. Turner hauled Natalia in on a trumped-up charge and persuaded Natalia to give her information that might incriminate him. Might. He thought Turner believed she was the one who got Natalia killed.

Jason said he had no idea about Selina’s men. He didn’t think Selina would risk crossing Sonny and wouldn’t target Kristina. Dante said, if not Selina, who set it up? but Jason said Dante already knew the answer. Dante said, Sidwell.  

Tracy told Gio about Charlie’s and said they suspected arson. His Aunt Kristina was trapped and had minor injuries, unlike his Uncle Michael, who had severe injuries from a previous fire. The reason for both was Sonny Corinthos.

Maxie said they’d all agreed to let Sonny invest, except Tracy, and Brook said, this time, Tracy was right. She’d love to turn the evidence in, but Gio would hate her more than he did already. Was there any way they could wait for a subpoena? Maxie said, no. They needed to get ahead of it. She picked up a folder, and Brook said it was the wrong file, but Maxie opened it, seeing Britt’s picture. She asked what it was and why Brook had it, and Brook said it was supposed to be her revenge against Lulu.

Trina told Kai that even if her mother hadn’t had to work, they’d have canceled the cookout. Things were tense between her parents.

Michael told Willow that Wiley hadn’t seen her yet and to please leave before he did. She said the visitation hearing was August 1st. She’d see Wiley then. He said, until then, he was asking her not to make it harder than it had to be.  

Tracy told Gio that Sonny put everyone in danger around him. The people after Sonny knew he was Gio’s grandfather, and she had no intention of losing him. Gio said he wasn’t hers to lose, and she said, like it or not, he was a Quartermaine. He said, they might be related, but she didn’t own him and never would. Emma joined them and suggested they order some iced tea and cool down.

Brook said they should call their lawyer and turn the financials into the DA’s office, but Maxie said it could wait. What did she mean by revenge? Brook asked if she remembered when Lulu refused to apologize, and Maxie said, vividly. Brook said she recalled Lulu bragging that she’d never lie to her child, then remembered a story about Britt stealing an embryo and passing it off as her own. Rocco would want to know the truth and she needed proof. Maxie asked if she was going to show Rocco the file.

Rocco said the only reason Britt got pregnant was to trap Emma’s dad, but Danny said Emma told them there was more to the story than that. His mom was his mom, period. However he got here, Danny was glad he did and so was everybody else… almost. Rocco thanked Danny and said he was glad Danny told him the truth when no one else did. If Danny hadn’t found the file, he thought his parents would have never told him.

Turner said Natalia’s blood alcohol level was above the limit and the charge was real, as well as the consequences, and Sonny said she mentioned a five-year consequence. Did she tell Natalia that it was a possibility, or did she make it sound like a done deal without Natalia having an attorney present? Turner said she offered Natalia a great deal. She either killed herself or Sonny killed her. He was busy at his granddaughter’s christening, but his associates dropped her off at her room at the MetroCourt. Sonny said he hired nice guys, and she said, whether they forced Natalia to ingest huge amounts of tranquilizers and alcohol or she did herself, they both had a hand in her death.  

Brook told Maxie that she’d never show Rocco the file, but since Lulu would never keep a secret from him, she was sure he knew. Maxie asked when Lulu was supposed to tell him. When she was in a coma? Brook said she got why Lulu didn’t tell Rocco that Britt was her surrogate when Rocco was younger, but he was too old to be in the dark now. Maxie said Lulu was the one Brook was mad at, but it would hurt Rocco, and Brook said that’s why she didn’t tell him.

Laura asked if Lulu was saying she had to sacrifice her family and principles to beat Boyle, and Lulu said, if she wanted to win, something had to change. Laura said she believed in being straightforward with voters, but Lulu said, they read headlines, not articles. Laura said, Sonny told her this in confidence and it had to stay between them, and Lulu said it was off the record. Laura said Sonny told her that Sidwell was going to bring violence to Port Charles. Then the fire happened. It was a scare tactic, and she didn’t scare. Lulu said, it scared the public. Boyle was in Sidwell’s pocket. If he won, Laura was essentially handing the keys to the city to Sidwell. Laura said there was more than one thing at play. If she disavowed Sonny, she was playing into their hands. She had to be very smart with her next move. If she wasn’t careful, Port Charles could go from a bad situation to something much worse, like that. She snapped her fingers.

Dante told Jason that he read Sonny was a magnet for violence. What better way to prove it? Jason said, taking down Sidwell would be easier If Natalia hadn’t been found dead with Sonny’s guard in the hallway. Dante said he believed Sonny knew Natalia had evidence incriminating him, but he wasn’t allowed near the case, and Jason said it was probably for the best.

Sonny told Turner that Natalia was a strong person. In the end, we never know what drives a person to do what they did. Turner said he still blamed her, but he said she was doing her job. How Natalia dealt with it was on her, not Turner. Turner said, no more questions, and left.

Trina told Kai that she was worried about her parents. She wanted them to stay together. He said there was nothing wrong with wanting lasting love.

Tracy asked Emma to leave them alone, but Gio said he’d like her to stay. Or they could both leave. It was up to Tracy. Emma said Gio was going to tell her later anyway, and Tracy told Gio that his grandfather was a dangerous man. Gio said, not to him, but Tracy said, especially to him. Sonny’s family were targets and she didn’t want him to be the next victim. If he didn’t want to live in the main house, he could live in the gatehouse, or they could move Trina and Josslyn in there and he could have the apartment. Gio said he liked where he was living and wasn’t moving back. They were not family. Tracy said she understood that people in the house had hurt him, but his feelings weren’t worth his life. Emma said her grandmother was literally the Police Commissioner, and Tracy said, a lot of good she’d done to curb crime in Port Charles. She was Gio’s best bet. Gio said he’d consider it if it was really about his safety, but it was about him rejecting his grandfather. He wasn’t going to do it.

Wiley saw Willow and ran to her. She hugged him and said she missed him so much. He did great in the pool. Michael said it was time to go, and Wiley asked why they couldn’t stay and swim with mom. Willow told him that the judge said they had to wait a while longer before they could spend time together, and Wiley said he hated the judge. He missed her. Willow said, hopefully, the judge would change her mind soon, and Michael said it was time to go. Wiley and Willow hugged, and she told him to be a good boy and go with daddy. She loved him. Wiley said he loved her too, and left with Michael.   

Kai told Trina that they all wanted to believe making a commitment meant something and no matter what, they didn’t give up on each other. Trina said, it was a risk. When you trusted someone, they could disappoint you. He said, maybe if it was worth it, so was the risk. Trina was worth it. Trina said she never thought she’d feel like this again. He was worth it too.

Wiley told Michael that he didn’t want to wait for the judge. He wanted his mom to come home and be with him now. Michael said he knew, and hugged him.

Tracy said Gio was an adult, and she couldn’t force him, and Gio said, then they were done. Tracy said she had a request. After work, he should go by Charlie’s and see what was left. Then go to the hospital to visit his Aunt Kristina. Gio said he knew what she was doing, and she said, after that, she wanted him to go to the cemetery and visit his Uncle Morgan’s gravesite. He was 23 years old, a year older than Gio. He was killed in a car bomb because of his father. (Well, really Julian.)

Laura went to the PCPD and said she needed to see Sonny. The judgmental desk sergeant said, of course (🍷). He was in the interrogation room, and she could go in. Sonny asked if she was sure she wanted to be seen with him, and she said this couldn’t wait. He asked what was wrong, and she said he warned her that violence was coming. The thing was, a warning without details didn’t help much. She needed to know what Sonny knew.  

Jason said he and Dante lived in the same house, the house he swore he’d never move back to. Their kids were like brothers. Dante said, who would have thought that? and Jason said he didn’t want trouble with Dante and didn’t want to take any action involving him. Dante said he wished he believed Sonny wasn’t going to try and retaliate, but unfortunately, he knew better. He left, and Jason made a call. He asked if there were eyes on him yet… No. Let him know when they wanted to move.  

Brook told Maxie that she was going to set it up so Rocco accidently found the file, but he’d been through enough. Lulu had it coming, not Rocco. Maxie said she knew Lulu had hurt her, and intended or not – Brook said, it totally was – It wouldn’t solve anything. Brook said she could get back at Lulu for what Lulu did to her and Gio, but she chose not to. She was better than Lulu.  

Rocco went home, and Lulu said she thought he was working on something. He said she needed to tell him about Britt Westbourne.

On Monday, Rocco confronts Lulu about Britt giving birth to him; Josslyn tells Vaughn, this isn’t working. We’re done; Sidwell tells Anna if she’s looking for answers, look to him; Sonny tells Laura there may be a way to contain the damage.

🫔 No Enchilada This Week…

There’s no new GH tomorrow because…

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

Coming, albeit temporarily.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/kirsten-storms-temporarily-replaced-on-general-hospital-nicole-paggi-steps-in-as-maxie/

And going.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/eva-larue-exits-general-hospital-as-natalia-it-was-just-an-awesome-experience-excl/

She was really excellent in her final scene.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/eva-larue-on-natalias-death-on-general-hospital-ive-never-been-killed-before-excl/

🪟 Full disclosure, everything is a little shorter this week because not only did I suddenly realize the last GH would be on Thursday, but I also ended up at the doctor with no good, very bad allergies. No hot dog cookout for me, but that’s okay, there’s always streaming to catch up on.

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck

Bosun Caio claimed to be adjusting to Captain Kerry. I think he meant adjusting to actual work, since that seemed to baffle him.

Caio, Caio.

Next Gen NYC

Georgia planned an event with Brooks’ mom Meredith (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City) which was an interesting pairing. Charlie continued to be a d-bag, which was no surprise to anyone, as well as Brooks’ dad being weirdly intrusive.

The Valley

Jesse finally proposed to Kristen in Maui and it made almost everyone cry.

Real Housewives Of Miami

Adriana hosted a baby shower for Julia and Martina. Lisa tried to guest, but became overwhelmed, still grieving her father. New Housewife Stephanie was introduced and we found out her goal in life was to become filthy rich – and she succeeded. Mazel! She gave one of the best quotes of the night: What kind of welcome is this? I was just asked to have a threesome. Where’s the food? Needless to say, there was also a bunch of fighting, and in her interview, Kiki also gave quote: Who fight at a baby shower? We need God. We need help. I’d say that covers it.

Random Reality Items

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

The Runway returns.

https://ew.com/project-runway-season-21-trailer-contestant-clashes-nina-garcia-attitude-11764431

Scheana reveals all. I totally buy she didn’t know he was married. I doubt she could lie her way out of a paper bag or keep a secret.

https://ew.com/scheana-shay-opens-up-about-eddie-cibrian-affair-in-memoir-excerpt-11764114

I still miss Metul.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

I mostly caught up on series since I actually went out in the real world and interacted with real people last weekend.

Trainwreck: Poop Cruise. Netflix. This one made me want to never go on a cruise. No air conditioning, no lights, no food, no more booze for you, no toilets, and I will never look at a red bag the same way again. Or lasagna. And if you should decide to brave the high seas, make sure you read that contract thoroughly.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1419133/carnivals-poop-cruise-cruise-ship-nightmare-timeline

Squid Game. Netflix. Since it’s still fresh, no spoilers, but IMO, the ending probably wasn’t what anyone hoped for. That being said, the final leg of the series was still spectacular and the VIPs super creepy. I’d love to see those cut scenes.

https://deadline.com/2025/07/squid-game-season-3-premiere-viewership-netflix-1236446846/

Behind the scenes.

https://ew.com/squid-game-season-3-jump-rope-vips-cut-exclusive-11765916

What might have been.

https://www.slashfilm.com/1900202/squid-game-season-3-gi-hun-alternate-ending/

The Gilded Age. HBO/Max. Basically Downton Abbey set in NYC, this show is worth watching for the costumes and sets alone. My only complaint is that it’s being doled out like methadone, one episode at a time. Yeah, I’m spoiled. Speaking of which, some mild spoilers.

https://ew.com/the-gilded-age-review-season-3-11752361

The real deal.

https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/the-gilded-age-season-3-fact-vs-fiction-1235135953/

🐍 Adios, Sidewinder…

I was sad to hear this. He’s the reason hearing Stuck in the Middle With You has a whole new connotation now.

https://ew.com/michael-madsen-dead-reservoir-dogs-and-kill-bill-actor-was-67-11766378

🐾 Red, White, and Pet…

Dress them up, but please don’t take them out.

https://cheezburger.com/6118661/16-super-cute-animals-all-dressed-up-to-celebrate-4th-of-july

🐝 Quotes of the Week

Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music. – Jimi Hendrix

You are not called to be a canary in a cage. You are called to be an eagle, and to fly sun to sun, over continents. – Henry Ward Beecher

To be nobody but yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. – e. e. cummings

We never know when our last day on earth will be. So, love with full sincerity, believe with true faith, and hope with all of your might. Better to have lived in truth and discovered life, than to have lived half-heartedly and died long before you ever ceased breathing. – Cristina Marrero

No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself. – Virginia Woolf

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear. – Mark Twain

Sometimes what’s right for the hole isn’t right for the soul. – Marisol Patton, Real Housewives of Miami

🦅 Waiting For the Chirp, Chirp, Chirp…

Until next week, stay safe; stay following pet safety guidelines for the 4th of July; and stay not leaving folders meant for revenge lying around.

September 20, 2024 – Sidwell Extends an Invite, First Day, OC Tea, Iconically Salty, Big Apples, Expanding His Territory, Oh No They Didn’t, An Octuplet Of Quotes & Fair

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At The Savoy, Curtis says he’s glad they did this tonight, and Portia says, her too. She really needed it. N’neka brings their drinks and says, this is what she likes to see. Two beautiful people in love, and her favorite boss back where he belongs. Curtis say he appreciates it, but don’t get used to it, and N’neka says she’d hoped seeing him was a sign he’d be around more. He says, unfortunately, no. He does miss this place and he misses them all, but Aurora’s keeping him crazy busy. Portia says, maybe, but it is a Quartermaine business. They could be at each other’s throats any minute now. Drew walks in with Nina, and Portia says, unless Nina gets to Drew first.

In the nook, Michael says, let him deal with it, and Ned says, he told Michael, let him handle it. Willow says, maybe they should table the ELQ business for now, and Lois says, and discuss matters closer to home, like the fact the boathouse is still a crime scene. Michael says he’s concerned about that too, but right now, they need to get this situation squared away. Ned says he has it covered, and Michael says, nobody’s seen ELQ’s majority shareholder and it’s been weeks since he disappeared. Ned says he has their best people working on tracking him down, and Michael says, and yet, the FBI says his trail has gone cold and Ned is saying he can find him. Ned says he can, and Michael says, they can’t count on Valentin being caught. They need to lock ELQ down so Valentin can’t offload his shares to fund his new life. Ned says he doesn’t need Michael’s constant reminders about not locking down ELQ, and Michael says, maybe if Ned had sided with him and Drew instead of collaborating with Valentin, they wouldn’t be in this mess. Ned says, yes, and maybe if Michael hadn’t invited Sonny over to the house, John Cates might still be alive.

Looking very broken and beaten up, Lucky is thrown into a cell by two guards. One says, maybe that will teach him to keep his mouth shut. At least they’ll have peace and quiet until he wakes up. The other guard says, if he wakes up.

Holly says, Anna seems to have her hands on a phone that doesn’t belong to her, and Anna says, stay out of this, but Holly says she’s afraid she can’t do that. Anna is a thief, and she’s caught her red-handed. What choice does she have but to sound the alarm?

At the table, Sidwell throws down his cards and says, a straight flush. So what has Jason got? Don’t keep him in suspense. Jason folds, and Sidwell says, you fold, you lose. He’s going to collect his winnings and his woman and call it a night. Jason says, not yet. Their night isn’t over.

Portia says she loves Nina’s dress, and Nina thanks her and says she loves Portia’s dress too. 🥱 Drew says, Curtis looks okay, and Curtis says, just okay? He did his hair and everything. Portia says, they both look amazing, and Curtis says, before he forgets, he has a call for Monday. Their negotiators are closing the Tokyo deal, and he wants to run some things by Drew. Drew says he’ll make sure to be there. They’re going to get a table. Curtis tells them to enjoy their evening, and Nina and Drew go to sit down. Portia says, those two seem awfully close. She wonders what’s going on between them. Curtis says, who knows? and she says she guesses she’ll find out eventually. That stuff with the Tokyo deal sounds pretty positive. He says, she’s not disappointed, is she? and she says she wants him to succeed. She doesn’t begrudge him his success. He says, but she might wish he found it someplace else, and she says, it’s not that. It’s just that she has heard some stories at the hospital. Individually, the Quartermaines are lovely people, but as a group… He says, their family battles are legendary, but he’s noticed it’s usually confined to ELQ business. Drew and Michael get along great at Aurora. She says, still. Please have his exit plan in place. Just in case. He laughs and says, there’s no reason to leave Aurora. He has some plans for their family and it’s going to pay for it all. So stop worrying. Things are only going up from here.

Nina says, someone is in a good mood, and Drew says, why wouldn’t he be? The election’s coming up and he’s ahead in the polls. She says, don’t get cocky. He’s up by 7% with a 4% margin of error. This election is by no means a done deal. He needs to direct his full attention to the final push for votes. He says he will, but he really doesn’t want to talk about politics tonight, and she says, great. Then they’ll talk about business instead. He says, there are a lot of other things to talk about, and she says, it’s impossible for him to take that Monday call and do his debate prep at the same time. He can’t do everything. She thinks it’s time for him to turn over the reins at Aurora.

Lois says, everyone, time out. Take a few deep breaths. Willow says she thinks that’s a good idea, but Michael says, no. He thinks if Ned has evidence that his father wasn’t where he said he was when Cates got shot, he should turn that over to the police. Lois says, and if not, zip it, and Michael says, they need to focus on ELQ. They’re in a position to remove Valentin from the company and from their lives entirely. Ned says he’s instructed their ELQ lawyers to get in touch with the SEC and they’re moving to stop Valentin from making any ELQ stock transactions. Does that suffice? Michael says, all he wants is to keep ELQ growing long enough to provide for their families, and Lois says she thinks everyone can get behind that. Ned says, great. Then stay out of his way and let him do what he does best. Michael asks if that’s betraying their family, and Willow says she knows they planned to stay in tonight, but she could really use a night out. What does he say? Michael says, yeah. He’d love to take his beautiful wife out on the town. She says, great. Let’s go get ready. He says he’s right behind her, and she leaves. Michael follows, and Lois gives Ned a thumbs up and says, way to clear a room.

Sidwell says he’s had enough gambling for one night, and Jason asks if it really counts as gambling if he cheats. Sidwell says he doesn’t cheat, and Jason says he doesn’t lie. He grabs the wrist of the woman next to him, and she says, let go of me. He pulls an ace out of her sleeve, holds it up, and says, it’s a lot easier to win if you have help. Sidwell signals the guards to take the woman away, and says he doesn’t know that woman, much less be in cahoots with her. Jason says he’d like to believe that and he’s sure everyone else in the club would too. How can they be sure? Sidwell sits back down and says, deal. Jason says, he’ll take another 50,000, and a fresh deck.

Anna says, Holly doesn’t know what she’s doing, and Holly says she’s interrupting a crime. Anna say she thinks she’s doing exactly the same thing. Is Sidwell aware of Holly’s… what should they call it? Her colorful history? Maybe he would really appreciate an old friend’s perspective on her. Holly says, let’s not be hasty. Sidwell has more than enough to go around and she’s more than willing to share. She asks for Anna’s discretion, and Anna says, Holly can keep his money. She just needs help replacing his phone before he realizes she’s taken it. Holly says she wants no part in whatever WSB shenanigans Anna and Jason are cooking up right now, but Anna says, this isn’t for the WSB. This is for Luke.

Lucky groans and tries to get up, but he can’t. A woman smooths his hair back, and we see it’s Elizabeth.

Anna tells Holly, Lulu’s in trouble. She needs a transplant in order to survive and she doesn’t qualify for the national registry. Sidwell’s guard listens from outside the door, and Anna says, their best hope is to get a donation, and Lucky is their best chance. So she and Jason have come here to find him and bring him home. That’s assuming he’s still in one piece. Holly says, he was yesterday, and Anna says, she saw him? She saw him and didn’t do anything to help him? Holly says she didn’t have the opportunity, and Anna says, of course (🍷). She’s still lining up her latest score. Holly says, Sidwell surrounds himself with a small army, and he has redundancies in place of security apparatus. Anna says she’s trying to circumvent his security by getting the information off his phone, but Holly says, it won’t do her any good. He changes the passcode every day. It doesn’t matter how good she and Jason are. The chances of them getting in and out undetected are nil. Anna says, it’s going to have to be an inside job then.

Sidwell places a bet and Jason says, call, putting in more chips. Sidwell turns over his cards, then Jason turns over his. Sidwell sighs and says, damn it. Jason looks over at the bar and sees Holly.

Drew asks if he can borrow Curtis for a minute, and Portia says, go. Just don’t be too long. He says he’ll be back before Portia finishes her drink, and leaves with Drew. Nina says, Portia is a good sport. Talking business isn’t exactly how she wanted to spend her night either. Portia says she didn’t expect Nina to spend her night here with Drew, and Nina says she thinks it’s good for Drew to be seen out and about before the election, and she’s happy to help his campaign. Portia says she just doesn’t remember Nina being interested in politics before, and Nina says, she wasn’t… until Drew.

Drew thanks Curtis for getting Aurora Wellness up and running. He’s doing an amazing job. Curtis says he can’t take all the credit. He has a terrific team and great leadership from the top. Drew says, that’s what he wants to talk to Curtis about, and Curtis asks if he should be worried. Drew says, no. He’s just saying his campaign requires his full attention. So does Aurora, and neither can reach their full potential if his focus is split. Curtis says he knows Drew isn’t stepping away from the campaign trail, and Drew says he’s stepping away from Aurora effective immediately and leaving Curtis as acting CEO.

Ned tells Lois, Michael has the worst qualities of all of his parents. AJ’s self-importance, Carly’s bad faith, and Sonny’s hypocrisy. Lois says she wishes there was a way for Ned to get along with Michael. She wishes he was able to put his problems with Sonny behind him. He says, that’s not going to happen, and she says she’d be happy to sit down with him and Sonny and hash it out. He asks why she’d want to put herself in the middle of all this, and she says, the last thing she has time for is to be a peacemaker, but if it would help… He says, it won’t, and no one’s asking her to. She says, being part of a family is not waiting for an invitation. He and Michael and Sonny are a family. He says, that’s a bit of a stretch, and she says, Sonny is Michael’s father. They’re always going to be a part of Ned’s life. Why does he want to hold onto this hatred for Sonny? How does he benefit? He says he’s never going to change how he feels about Sonny Corinthos, and she says, he spent all last summer thinking he was Eddie Maine. He pushed everyone away except for one person – Sonny. He says, that was Eddie. Obviously, he was delusional. She says, it didn’t matter to Sonny. Sonny still looked out for him. Isn’t that something that family does for each other? Gio stands at the door, and Ned asks why it’s so important to Lois that he get along with Sonny. How does she benefit?

Portia says, so the man Nina sent to prison for insider trading enticed her to work on his campaign, and that kickstarted her interest in politics. Nina says, she and Drew both had to make amends for their past, but she thinks her opinion of him started to change when she saw how much Congressman McConkey respected him. It was the congressman who suggested Drew run for office. Portia says she was sorry to hear about Mr. McConkey. He was a good man. Nina says, a very rare, good man, and when she saw how much he liked Drew, she started to wonder if her combative relationship with Drew blinded her about all the good he could do. He saved the life of someone she loves more than anyone else in the world. Her daughter.

Michael and Willow come into the club, and N’neka says, it’s nice to see them both. She has a great table for them, unless they’d rather sit with their family. Willow looks over to see Drew talking to Curtis.

Drew says he knows it’s a lot to ask, and Curtis says he’s shocked. Being acting CEO wasn’t even on his radar. Drew says, Curtis is his righthand man and he knows he’s been clear about how happy he is with the work Curtis has been doing. So is he in? Curtis says, hell yeah, he’s in. He thanks Drew for believing in him and says he won’t let Drew down. Drew says, it never crossed his mind, and Curtis says, one question. How come he didn’t ask Michael to be acting CEO? He’s run Aurora. Drew says, Michael will be available if Curtis needs his help, but the better part of Michael’s attention is required elsewhere.

Lucky says he must be worse off than he thought, and Elizabeth says, contusions, bruising, and lacerations. They all need stitches. Probably internal injuries and a concussion. He says he thinks the concussion’s pretty obvious since he’s talking to someone who’s not here, and she says, let’s get you upright. He moans as she helps him sit up, and she asks, what happened? He says, she’s going to have to be a lot more specific, and she says, helping people is all well and good, but he’s right. This is as far as he can go. He’s run right up to the edge of his very own grave. Now what?

Jason says, luck must be on his side tonight, and Sidwell bangs his hands on the table. He gets up and goes to the bar, and Holly says, don’t worry. He’ll win it back. Anna goes to the table, slipping Sidwell’s phone back into his jacket pocket. Jason says, it took her long enough, and she says she knew he could handle it. He says he’d like to cash out please, but she says, so soon? Quietly, she tells him, change of plans. Keep winning. She has it on good authority that Sidwell really enjoys the competition, so if he plays his cards correctly, they’re going to get an invite to his camp. He says he can’t guarantee he’s going to keep winning, and she asks if he learned anything from his card shark ex. If he runs into a problem, just think, what would Sam do?

Gio says he’ll just grab this and get out of here, but Lois says, he doesn’t have to go, and tells Ned, if a truce between him and Sonny brings nothing more than a little peace and quiet, it would be worth it. Ned says he might actually believe that if he could trust a word she says, and she says she’s the most trustworthy person in this house. Gio says, she’s not wrong, and Ned says, she was, then she ditched her accent. She threw away something that made her unique like it was nothing. She says, words, consonants, vowels, and in her Brooklyn accent, she says, who cares? Ned says he does, because it’s her. He’s known her for years, and he loves her accent. This other person she sounds like, he doesn’t even know who she is. So does she blame him for wondering if he can trust a word that this new her says? Gio says, a little harsh, and Ned says, the truth often is, and leaves.

Sidwell tells Holly that he’s lost enough already, and he wants to be alone with her. She says she’s never known him to walk away from a table with so little to show for it, and he says he prefers to leave with something rather than leave with nothing. She says, that’s not very sporting of him. Does he really want to leave empty handed? Go back to their guest and tell him that he encountered another player as good as him and turned tail and ran?

Jason says, it’s risky, and Anna says she knows, but she thinks it’s better than breaking into Sidwell’s camp uninvited. Sidwell comes back and says, Jason has had quite a run lately. Congratulations. He puts on his jacket and says, it’s getting late. He’s done. Anna says, perhaps he can point them in the direction of the high rollers table then, and Holly says, this is the high rollers table. Anna says, oh, this is, and Sidwell sits down again. He says, maybe he has one more hand in him, and Anna and Holly exchange glances. The dealer gives out the cards and says, place your bets. Jason puts a bunch of chips into the pot, and Holly whispers to Sidwell that maybe he could draw on his credit… unless he’s reached his limit. Does he have any cash? He says he can do better than that, and takes a jewelry box out of his pocket. He opens it, displaying a diamond bracelet, and puts it on the table. Anna says, that’s beautiful, and asks Jason if he can win it for her. Jason says, done.

Portia says, Nina was just telling her about her political awakening. She said Willow had a lot to do with that. Willow says she doubts she had anything to do with it, but Michael says, she’s being too modest. Not only did she encourage Nina to get involved in the campaign, she’s Drew’s biggest cheerleader and she got the entire family together to support him. And they know how rare unity is for the Quartermaines. Portia says, here’s to hoping for unity… and victory, and Nina says, from her lips. Portia says she’s going to find her husband. Enjoy their night. Portia leaves, and Willow says, so Nina and Drew are here together. Nina says, Drew asked her to accompany him in public in the final stretch of his campaign, and Willow says, and she doesn’t mind? Nina says, no. It’s a small favor she can do for him, especially if it means helping him get to DC. Willow says, right, and looks over at Curtis and Drew. She says she needs to freshen up and asks them to excuse her.

In the hallway, Willow asks N’neka to do her a favor. She’s not feeling so well. N’neka asks if she can get Willow something, and Willow thanks her, but says she thinks she’s just going to get a car and go home. Would N’neka let her husband know she left? N’neka says, of course (🍷), and creeper Drew says, N’neka doesn’t have to worry about that. He can tell him. (Because even though he’s only about 50 feet away, Willow can’t do it. Didn’t N’Neka think this was in the least bit weird? Like, her ride is right there.)

Lucky says he needs Elizabeth to know… and she says, save his strength, but he says he needs her to know, being away from her was the hardest thing he’s ever had to do. She says, that’s interesting, because he never looked back. He struggles to speak and says he thinks about her every day, and their family all the time. She says, Aiden is great by the way, and he thanks her for taking such good care of their son. She says, he misses Lucky, and Lucky says, really? He misses Aiden too… constantly. He winces in pain and says he couldn’t be the father Aiden deserves. That’s why he had to leave. She asks if he would do it again, and he says he doesn’t know, but he did do it. He has to live with that, and helping people here was the only way he knew to atone for everything. She says, great story, but she’s not buying it. She thinks the truth is, he’s too much of a coward to face his family as anything but a hero. Easier to dodge bullets in the desert than own up to being flawed. He says he messed up, but he’s flawed, and she says, he could have come to her. She would have helped him. He says, she wouldn’t if she’d known who he really was, but she says she would have helped him anyway. He says, of course (🍷) she would have, because she’s so much better than he is. He was torn. To see the disappointment in her eyes, he couldn’t live with that. He couldn’t take it. Not from her. She says, so he just decided for all of them. No one else gets a say. He says he’s sorry, and she says, if he’s so sorry, then come home. Not as a hero, but as a man who messed up and has the guts to admit it. He asks if she thinks he can, and she caresses his face. She says, you tell me. Are you brave enough to come back to your family?

Standing to the side, Holly says, so Anna and Jason, huh? Alan would be rolling in his grave. Anna shushes her, and Holly says, does Robert know? Robin? Anna says, oh, shut up. She looks at the table and says, that’s going to look good on her wrist.

Anna goes over to Jason, and Sidwell leaves the table. Anna says, remind her to send a thank you note to Sam, and Jason says, making Sidwell angry isn’t getting them any closer to Lucky. She says, just wait for it.

Holly says, Sidwell promised her those diamonds, and he says, there will be plenty of others. She says, not like those. Get her bracelet back. He says he has nothing more to play with, and she says, he has plenty of diamonds back at the compound. If he wants to get back in her good graces, invite them to the camp and win her bracelet back. She walks away, and the guard comes up to Sidwell. He says, a word? and Sidwell says, get lost. The guard says, Sidwell will want to hear what he has to say. It’s about his competitor’s girlfriend and a conversation she had with his. (Rut-roh.)

Nina asks how Michael and the kids are adjusting to Willow being back at the hospital, and he says, it’s taking a little time. Her schedule is kind of up in the air right now. She says she’s sure it will calm down once it becomes routine. Although that might change if Drew wins the election. He asks, why? and she says, because he’s going to have to hand Aurora off permanently. He asks what that has to do with him and Willow, and she says she already told Drew that he’s going to have to step aside and name an acting CEO until the election is over and he seems like the natural choice.

Willow says, Nina told her that Drew asked her to accompany him for the final push on the campaign trail, and he says he did. She says she’s glad Nina could help, and he asks if she’s okay. He saw her notice him and kind of bolt out. She says she convinced Michael to go out tonight to get away from their… troubles. She doesn’t want to cause any trouble so she’s going to leave. He says, wait. They can’t take turns leaving every time they run into each other. People are going to start to notice and it’s going to draw attention to a problem that doesn’t exist. She asks how he can say that, and he says, because nothing is going on between them and nothing ever will. Nothing at all.

Gio asks if Lois is okay, and Lois says she stopped letting Ned get to her a long time ago. He says, as far as he’s concerned, no matter what anyone says about her accent, she’ll always be the same person who took him to his first punk show. She laughs, and he says, but he kind of misses her sounding like the Aunt Lois he grew up with. She says, he’s got her. Always have, always will. He says, she doesn’t mind? and she says, is he kidding? It’s a relief. And she’s so glad that he remembered the first show she took him to. He says he loved it, and she says, everybody remembers their first down and dirty punk rock show. Sonny took her to hers. (Somehow, I can’t quite envision that. I see Sonny as listening to Italian opera or classic rock from the 50s.) He says, that doesn’t surprise him. They both have great taste in music. Somehow (he stole my word), he can’t see Ned going to see a punk rock show. She says, Ned is a good guy. He’s just stressed. He says, that does not make it okay the way he talked to her, and she says, he’s right. No one should take their issues out on anyone. Remember that. He says, what’s his problem with Uncle Sonny anyway? and she says, there is a lot of bad history there. It’s too much to get into. He says, it seems like everyone has bad history when it comes to Sonny. Sonny has always been so nice to him, it’s hard to believe. She says, believe it.

Michael asks if Drew has seen Willow, and he says he just bumped into her a few minutes ago. Sorry to leave him stranded with Nina. Michael says, no. They had a pretty interesting conversation. She said that Drew was stepping back from Aurora. Drew says he is. Michael was next on his list to tell. Michael says, that’s okay. He’s ready to step up if Drew needs him. Drew says he appreciates that, but he just talked to Curtis and he’s going to step up as acting CEO.

Curtis and Portia clink glasses, and she says she’s so proud of him. He says he’s pretty surprised, and she says she was worried that he was spending too much time at Aurora, but she was wrong. He’s more than proved himself, and now he’s being rewarded for it. He says, if Drew wins this election, chances are the CEO job could be his permanently.

Michael says, Curtis doesn’t have much C-suite experience, and Drew says, Aurora is in a really good place right now. This is just until the election is over. He thought Michael would agree with him that his focus is better spent on the situation at ELQ. Michael says, Drew is probably right. He got into it with Ned earlier about Valentin. Drew says, he wants to act quickly on this and get ELQ back under family control, his and Michael’s. Michael says, and Aurora? and Drew says, let’s just wait and see how the election plays out. (Like Michael needs another job. What’s wrong with him and why does everyone want one more thankless position?)

Willow comes back in the club, probably confusing the hell out of N’neka, and Nina asks if she’s okay. It’s Drew. Willow says, no. She looks over at Drew and says, it’s nothing at all.

Lois says, Gio is going to hear a lot of rumors about Sonny, and he says he’s heard a lot already. She says, a lot of those rumors are rooted in fact. Not all of them, but enough. He says, it’s just hard for him to put the Uncle Sonny that he knows square in his head with the Uncle Sonny people hate, and she says, that’s because, like everyone, you can’t be reduced to just one thing. For every one of the bad things Gio is going to hear about him, there are qualities about Sonny that are admirable. Sonny is the most loyal friend he will ever have. He’s also the most reliable and the most generous. Gio needs to remember that when he starts hearing all the bad stuff. He says he hopes she doesn’t mind him saying it, but he’s heard some bad things about Ned too. She laughs and says, Ned will deny it until he’s blue in the face, but he and Sonny share a lot of the same qualities. Those two are more alike than either one of them are wiling to admit.

Sidwell says he’s impressed. Jason is the second-best player he’s ever had the pleasure of losing to. Jason asks, who’s the first? and Sidwell says, a guest in his camp. Anna says, he has a camp? and Holly says, it’s a lovely spot just a short flight away. Please come and join them. Anna says, no. They couldn’t possibly impose. Sidwell says, nonsense. Please. They never get the chance to socialize. Holly says, they’ve got plenty of room. It’s a tad rustic, but very charming and they have all the necessary comforts. Sidwell says, and cards. Please come. It will give him a chance to repay them for such an entertaining evening. Holly says, and maybe Jason will give Jenz a chance to win back everything he lost, and Anna says, how can they possibly turn down such a lovely offer?

Alone again, Lucky struggles to get up. He takes a knife out of his pocket, and crawls over to the cell door. He pulls himself up and starts to pick the lock with the knife.

Sidwell says his driver will be waiting for them outside. He’ll take them to town, and they can grab their things. They’ll be right behind them. Anna says, great. They’ll see them later then. She and Jason leave, and Holly says she’s glad they’re coming back to the camp. She’s sure he’ll find a way to win back the diamonds he promised her. Jason’s luck can’t hold on forever. Sidwell says, it wasn’t luck, and she asks what he means. He says, there’s more to those two than they’re letting on. But don’t worry. Win or lose, she’ll get her bracelet back. And Jason and Anna will get what they deserve for lying to him. Holly looks worried, as we all would be.

On Monday, Brook says, if Gio repeats that, she’ll deny it and she will hurt him; Molly says, maybe the universe is trying to tell her something; Portia asks why Terry didn’t tell her Brad was back; and Jack tells Carly, things and people aren’t always what they seem.

🧴 Getting His Soap Legs…

It’s funny how he’s hooked on the show now.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/carlo-rota-opens-up-about-learning-to-love-daytime-on-gh

🍊 All That OC Jazz…

When did she become Switzerland?

Ugh. Jim  looks like that weird uncle who you don’t want to dance with at a wedding.

In related news. Also be sure to check out the video of Alexis’s Sorry-not-Sorry apology tour.

Does she tune up her photos much?

🧂 Just For the Salt Of It…

At least one meme included in every show!

🗽 Making It Here…

The new season premieres October 1st.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/the-real-housewives-of-new-york-city-season-15-photos-spoilers

Love her hair. Her life ain’t bad neither. I heard her speak at a business seminar and she was great. Definitely one of the best speakers.

https://pagesix.com/2024/09/19/style/spend-a-day-with-new-rhony-star-rebecca-minkoff-during-nyfw/

🌏 Riding Wasn’t Enough…

This sounds like fun, but I’m geographically challenged, so I’d probably be the first one out.

https://people.com/jeffrey-dean-morgan-announced-as-host-of-new-travel-competition-series-destination-x-8715507

🐼 When Is a Panda Not a Panda…

Craig Conover is going to have a field day with this one.

https://people.com/zoo-china-reveals-its-pandas-are-painted-dogs-8716240

You can see the panda pups here, but yeah, no. They’re definitely cute, but they look more like dogs than anything else.

https://people.com/chinese-zoo-dyes-chow-chow-dogs-to-look-like-pandas-8646638

🦞 Quotes of the Week

I actually want to cry, but I can’t cry on TV. – Jamal Lake, contestant on Halloween Baking Championship, when his dessert was deemed a dud

Maturity is achieved when a person accepts life as full of tension. – Joshua L. Liebman (Some of us mature faster than others.)

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself. – Harvey Fierstein

If you are clear where you are going and you take several steps in that direction every day, you eventually have to get there. If I head north out of Santa Barbara and take five steps a day, eventually I have to end up in San Francisco. So decide what you want, write it down, review it constantly, and each day do something that moves you toward those goals. – Jack Canfield

Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone. – Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.Mae West

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

If you’d have a drink, I’d make a lot more sense. – Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), Boardwalk Empire

🤹‍♀️ A Mosaic Of the Seasons…

Enjoy your weekend of choice, be it in the great outdoors or the adequate indoors. Then meet me here on Monday for soap and a proposal on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay not putting your summer clothes in storage yet, and stay never taking out your issues on anyone.

September 18, 2024 – Ric Gives Heather Bad News, Return From Nowhere, Salt This, A Saint, Not Allowed, Surprised, VanderFilming, Two To Watch, Runaway Capybara & Night

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Judge Otis says he’s made his decision. The defendant is to be held without bail and remanded to Pentenville to await trial. Alexis says, given the nature of the charges, it’s not unusual to deny bail, but there are other options for incarceration. Noah says, it’s not her first time in Pentenville, but she says she was transferred from Pentenville to a minimum-security facility. Noah says, the charge is the murder of an FBI agent, and it’s the only appropriate course of action. The US government asks that the judge stand by his decision. Alexis says, it’s cruel and extreme, and the judge says they can address the charges at trial, but his decision stands. Kirstina jumps up and says, he can’t do this.

On the phone, Sonny tells Brick that he doesn’t care. Just get him here. There’s a knock at the door, and Natalia asks if it’s a bad time. He says, it’s been a day, and she comes in carrying a bottle of champagne. She says she thought they should take a moment to celebrate.

At the hospital, Portia asks Elizabeth, why do they want to be in charge again? and Elizabeth says, she seems to be in a good mood. Portia says she’s having dinner with Trina after work, and Elizabeth tells her to give Trina a hug and enjoy their time together.  

Ric visits Heather, and she asks how her handsome attorney is today. He asks how it’s going, and she says, the sandwich sitch isn’t great, but it won’t be much longer, right? He says, sorry, but she’s never getting out of here.

Heather asks, why? and Ric says he received the results of her blood test and there need to be significant differences before and after surgery. According to the results, the difference is negligible. Heather asks how that’s possible. It’s not like she’s sucking cobalt lollipops all day. He says, she can ask the health experts there, and she says, they have one lame doctor and a couple of nurses. Maybe they’re feeding her cobalt rich food. Her bacon did look a little blue. He says, her previous hip didn’t poison her. She committed the crimes of her own accord.

Kristina says, this is a huge mistake, and Judge Otis tells Alexis to get her daughter under control. Alexis says she’s so sorry. Her daughter has been through a series of traumatic events. The judge says he’s sympathetic, but he won’t tolerate disruptions in the court. His ruling stands. Pentenville, no bail. Court is adjourned.

Sonny asks what they’re celebrating, and Natalia says she thought he’d like an update on his investment. She just closed a 3-year deal with Goddess Gleam Beauty that will generate more than 10 million dollars minimum. She wonders why he’s not more excited, and he says he’s got a lot on his mind. She says she knows Alexis’s arraignment is today, and honestly, she was trying to take his mind off of it. He says he can’t focus when he knows Alexis is facing time for a crime she didn’t commit, and she says, he seems sure. He says, she’s not capable of it. She will defend and protect her daughter, but that, no. She says, they need to just have some faith, and he says he’s not on good terms with the Almighty. She says she’s talking about the legal system. If Alexis is innocent, the authorities will figure it out and find the actual murderer. (She clearly hasn’t been in Port Charles very long.)

Sonny says, Alexis is Kristina’s mother, and they don’t always see eye to eye, but they’d both do anything for their daughter. Natalia is impressed that he’s still communicating with some of his exes, and he says, for better or worse. She says, Ava is the worst. She can’t stand to be in the same room with Ava for more than ten minutes. He says, sometimes two, and she says, they can drink to that, when Sonny’s phone rings.

Kristina hugs Alexis, and Sam joins her. Molly stands to the side, but Alexis brings her in for a three-way hug.  

Heather says, what she needs help with understanding is, her former lawyer was sure this was a solid case. He convinced her to pursue it. Ric says, they both should have managed her expectations better, but the case had a lot of potential. She says, it makes no sense. She’s been better since the hip replacement. Her dark thoughts have stopped, and she can make no sense of her actions before that. He says, maybe she anticipated feeling that way even if her condition had nothing to do with it, but she says, no. She doesn’t think she’s different, she is different. She’s never been an angel, but when she was consumed with hatred and revenge, something was off, and she’s so much better now. He says he can’t see a path forward with the case, and she says, that’s just it? He says he’s sorry, and she says, thanks for trying. It’s not his fault or what he wanted. It would have been a big payday. He says, that was the hope, and she says, for a lawyer, he’s honest. There’s value in that. It was never about the money for her, but it would have been great. It would have allowed her to be a better grandma to Ace. It would have allowed her to be a grandma at all… He just lost a grandchild, didn’t he? She takes his hand and says she’s so sorry. There’s nothing worse than losing someone who’s supposed to outlive you. After losing Esme and Franco, this was her last shot at having a family. He says he’s sorry, but he’s afraid he has to go.

Alexis is handcuffed and the guard leads her out. At the door, she smiles and nods at her girls.  

At the hospital, Sam tells Kristina to sit, and Kristina says, they should be helping. Sam wonders how, like breaking Alexis out? Kristina says, if she could, she would, and Sam says, they’re helping now. Kristina asks, how? and Sam says, Kristina is getting the help she needs. She fell out a window and nearly died. She lost a baby… Kristina says, and a sister, and Sam says, and everything Cates put her through. Kristina says she wishes she’d killed him, but Sam says, it’s not right to take a life out of revenge. Kristina says, Jason and her dad would agree, and Sam says she’s not a professional, but after everything Kristina has experienced, it had to cause PTSD. Kristina says she feels like she’ll never be the same. It’s like she’s… broken. Sam says, she’s not broken. She’s getting professional help because she can’t do it on her own. Kristina suggests they call her dad. He knows what to do in situations like this. He always has a good idea. Sam tells her, stay put and talk to the professional. She’ll be right back. Stay here. She leaves and Kristina takes out her phone.

Sonny’s phone rings again, and Natalia says, Mr. Popular. He asks, what’s going on? and Kristina says, the arraignment is over. Her mom was denied bail and sent to Pentenville to await trial. Sonny says, she’s no danger to the community, and Kristina says, it was the murder of an FBI agent, and they sent a Fed to prosecute her. There’s no death penalty in the state of New York, but there is in a federal case. He tells her, just breathe. Where is she at? She says, GH. Sam took her here. Sam thinks she needs help. He says, Sam did the right thing. She can’t handle this herself, none of them can. Let him take care of her mom’s situation. The best thing she can do is help herself. She tells him that Sam said the same thing, and he says, when she’s right, she’s right. They exchange I love yous, and Natalia says, that didn’t sound like it went well. He says, no bail and Alexis was remanded to Pentenville. She says she’s sorry. It’s crazy. Is there a trial date set? Sonny says he’s going to do everything he can so that Alexis doesn’t spend one more second than she has to in Pentenville.

Alexis’s mug shot is taken. She puts her jewelry in a bag and has her fingerprints taken. (No ink needed anymore!) The guard searches her and gives her a uniform. (Do they not get underwear?) She hands her clothes to the guard and changes.

Elizabeth asks Ric what he’s doing at the hospital, and he says, saying hi to his favorite ex-wife. She says she’s probably the only one who doesn’t want to kill him, and he says, and she’s probably the one who should want to the most. She says, that almost sounds like an apology. What’s the real reason he’s here? He says, to confirm test results. It was going good for a while, but now it’s all over for Heather.

Felicia says she’s glad Kristina is here. She’s amazed Kristina is still standing. Kristina says, so is she, and Felicia says, they have a wide array of support resources and services, and suggests they go to the conference room where it’s more private. Sam promises to stay, and Kristina leaves with Felicia. Dante comes by and Sam hugs him.

In the conference room, Felicia says she’s here solely on Kristina’s behalf. She can speak openly and honestly. Kristina says she doesn’t usually hold back, but lately she doesn’t know where to start. Felicia asks how she’s doing right now, and Kristina says she’s upset and angry. She feels sad and guilty and feels like a failure. She feels empty. She cries and Felicia says, what she’s feeling is normal after going through what she experienced. Kristina tells her that Sam said she had PTSD, but Felicia says she’ll let the professionals decide. Losing a child is devastating. Kristina says, when she was pregnant, she had all the fears of what could happen to her child, but she never imagined they actually would. Even when she was in the hospital, she never let herself think Adela could… She’s sorry. Felicia says, don’t apologize, and Kristina says she guesses it’s true that grief comes in waves. Lately, it’s been tsunami after tsunami. Felicia says, she’s been through a number of traumas. She just fell out a window. Kristina says she keeps replaying it in her mind, and Felicia says, to add to her injury and loss is her relationship with her sister. Krisina says, it’s a lot to process, and Felicia says, most women in her situation have postpartum depression, hormonal changes, and PTSD. As her advocate, she’ll walk Kristina through the mental health resources, but as a mother, one who lost her own child, she wants to help Kristina get through it. She’s not alone. She knows what it feels like. Kristina asks, what’s next? and Felicia says, that’s up to her. She can connect Kristina with the hospital’s psychiatrist who’s a specialist in postpartum depression, and there are grief support groups that meet weekly. Kristina says, no offense, but she hates that idea, and Felicia says, bereft mothers find connecting with each other to be invaluable. Kristina says, okay, but she has to tell Sam. She knows if someone doesn’t hold her accountable, she’ll never go. Felicia says, it may not feel like it right now, but if she does the work, the pain will be significantly less.

Elizabeth asks if Ric will still be staying in Port Charles, and he asks if she wants him to. She says, idle curiosity, and he says he’ll be staying for a while. Molly needs him since Alexis was remanded to Pentenville. They were all blindsided. Ric’s phone rings and he steps away.

Sam tells Dante that she wonders how things got this bad. Kristina being Molly’s surrogate was a terrible idea, but no one could have predicted this insanity. Dante says, it’s tragic, and Sam says, even before that, Kristina was thinking about keeping the baby and Molly felt betrayed. She understands both sides. Dante says, Kristina made a promise that was impossible to keep, and Sam says, it’s all anger and blaming, and they haven’t even begun to grieve. Dante says, then Cates openly went after Kristina, and Sam says she’s glad he’s gone. He says he doesn’t think many people are going to miss him, but he’s like a roadblock to her family grieving. Where’s Molly? Sam says, probably somewhere being upset because the focus is still on Kristina, and he says, Kristina is needier? Sam says she thinks Kristina doesn’t remember that Molly also lost a child, and he wonders how neither one of them cannot understand the other’s grief and loss. She says, they’re not dealing with it head on and making it about each other. She’s terrified about what’s going to happen to her family.

Sonny opens the door to Martin, who says, Sonny’s communications director is very persuasive… Mr. Brick. Sonny says, just Brick, and Martin says, of course (🍷). Sonny asks if Brick explained why he needed to see Martin, and Martin says he’s got the gist. If Sonny wants him to step in for Diane, he’ll be more than happy to act as Sonny’s counsel. Sonny says, Diane is his attorney, and with all due respect, she’s the best. Martin isn’t here to represent him. He wants Martin to represent Alexis Davis.

Alexis is walked to her cell.

Kristina thanks Felicia, who tells her to reach out with any questions. She hopes she didn’t overwhelm her with information. Kristina says, it’s not that. She feels behind in her grief. There are already so many things she should have been doing. Felicia tells her, you know what they say about planting trees, and Kristina says she’s not exactly a gardener. Felicia says, the best time to plant is 20 years ago. The second-best time to plant is right now. There’s no timetable for life. She’s here getting help right now. Kristina says, what if it’s not enough? She knows she won’t get over it, but she thinks she can learn to carry it. Felicia says, it’s possible. Believe her. She knows. Kristina says, what she thinks she doesn’t know is how. How does she carry her guilt? Felicia says, for what? and Kristina says her baby died because of a fall that happened because she was somewhere she shouldn’t have been. Felicia says, one thing she’s learned about guilt is, it does no good and doesn’t help, and Kristina says, it could have been different if she never went to Ava’s hotel room. Her sister Molly blames her for what happened to the baby and her biggest fear… is that Molly is right. She is responsible. Felicia says, Kristina didn’t jump out the window, but Kristina says she created the circumstances for the accident to happen. Felicia says, the accident. Sometimes terrible things happen and it’s nobody’s fault. Kristina says, even if it’s nobody’s fault, there’s always someone accountable, right? Losing the baby, the rift with her sister, and everything that’s happening with her mom is all because of her. Felicia says, what if it is? What is she going to do with it? What if it isn’t? How is she going to deal with that? Kristina says she guesses that’s what she’s here to figure out, and Felicia says, the best thing for her to do for her mom is to work on herself and her mental health. That’s what she’s doing and it’s a great first step. Kristina cries and Felicia holds her.  

Sonny tells Martin that Diane can’t handle Alexis’s case because she’s representing him in the same case. Martin asks how Sonny is involved, and Sonny says he was a person of interest before Alexis. Martin asks who her current attorney is, and Sonny says, she’s representing herself. Martin says, she’s making a mistake. It’s a fool’s errand. Scotty would be better. Sonny says, Alexis likes doing things her way, but Martin says, she can’t. She should know that. Sonny says, that’s why Martin is here. He needs somebody to represent Alexis who can beat these charges. Martin says he’d be a fool to not be interested. The murder of a federal agent? That is huge. You can’t buy that publicity. Sonny says he needs somebody who’s doing it for the right reason and would do anything to win, and Martin says he certainly has no intention of losing. Sonny holds out his hand and asks if they have a deal. Martin shakes it, and says, they have a deal.

Sam tells Dante, no one is thinking clearly. All the sanity is up to her. He says, that’s a scary thought. They have to focus to help her mom. Sam says she did have a chat with Michael about that. He said they should focus less on who killed Cates, and more on finding the evidence to clear her mom. Dante says, it makes sense. The only thing involved is the gun. She says, it’s not the gun that killed Cates, and he says, ballistics will prove it, but it’s still in the river. The police divers can’t find it. She says she wishes they knew an expert diver… She is. He says, the water is choppy, but she says she can handle an undercurrent. (so does everyone who drowns here due to one every summer.) He says he’s not loving the sound of this, but assumes there’s no talking her out of it. She says, waste of breath, and he says, so what’s next? She says she’s going to find the gun her mom tossed off the bridge and end this nightmare for her family.

Elizabeth says she sees Ric is still here, and he says he was wondering if he could ask her a question involving a medical issue. She says, as long as it’s not violating a patient’s privacy, and he shows her some paperwork. He says, the results from both labs are from the same blood same taken at the same time. Shouldn’t they be redundant? She says, the test results are wrong. They’re not even close. The level from the outside lab is much lower. The tests should be done again. Something is seriously wrong.

Alexis sighs, and a guard comes by. She says she was told she has a cellmate, but she’d like to lie down and doesn’t know which bunk… The guard keeps walking, and another guard arrives. She unlocks the cell, and Heather walks in. Alexis sighs again. (I’m dying laughing.)

Cyrus sats, somehow, he will help someone; Ric says, Elizabeth is the one person he’d do anything for; Dante says he wants Rocco to be prepared; and Jason guesses he and Anna caught a break.

🧴 Blink and You Missed It…

I’m not sure if you can return if you’re not really gone, but okay. I’m also not sure if Drew and Nina posing as a power couple is going to help his campaign, but double okay because I’d rather he be with Nina than creeping on Willow.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-returns-to-general-hospital

🧂 Salt On the Snowflakes…

My bad yesterday. I forgot Million Dollar Listing LA was over and has no Reunion. So on to Salt Lake.

During the gorgeous opening shots, I was immediately reminded of how much I love and miss snow. While it’s not like I live in the south, near the ocean, the winters are often mild, and nowadays, we’re lucky if we get one good blast during the entire winter. But I digress.

After Mary told her that she looked thin, Heather made the disturbing comment in her interview that she finally cracked the code. She lost 25 pounds, and Mary loves her. She does look great, but it’s sad how much being liked is tied to appearance, whether it’s a real thing or just perception. Although Mary did get Angie an invite to Kathy Hilton’s Christmas party, so maybe it’s wise to be on her good side, no matter what that entails.

New Housewife Bronwyn (no, not that one) has six dogs, so she’s okay by me. They all look like Boxers too, so I doff my cap. Those dogs can be a handful. What I didn’t like about Bronwyn was her anecdote about meeting Lisa (whose coattails she rode in on). She and Lisa first met at an upscale department store and when Lisa complimented her on what she was buying, Bronwyn brushed her off because she was wearing sweats. Bronwyn said she didn’t remember it – it was what Lisa had told her – but it sounded like something she would do. As the Countess would say, don’t be all uncool.

And what’s up with Angie and Mary in the Burger King crowns?

🍊 And In a Shocking Twist…

Maybe he should have stayed with the devil he knew.

🚫 No Friends For You…

Gina stuck herself in the middle with Fancy Pants and Katie. And who said she’s not allowed to be friends with Katie? Bowling for Soup was right, high school never ends.

🃏 Maybe She Is Just Stupid…

Has she watched herself? Was shutting up about Johnny J. and his blackmail Ring tapes not an option?

🍸 Only Andy Knows For Sure…

Is it a spinoff? Is it a reboot? Is it something completely different? Does anybody really care? Okay, I might if LVP is involved.

💻 What Else To Watch…

I wasn’t sure how I felt about this film, other than the enjoyment of seeing Jason Momoa shirtless through most of it, but had I known it was a meditative art film wrapped in a bloody genre blanket, buried deep in a scorching sci-fi desert, I might have put more thought into it. While I didn’t pick up all the nuances this reviewer did, no one enjoys an apocalypse more than I do (okay, maybe Murphy from Z Nation), and I still appreciated the hell out of it. This review is years old (from when the movie actually came out), but the film remains the same and is now on Netflix. Warning: Major spoilers ahead.  

https://www.rogerebert.com/features/why-the-bad-batch-is-one-of-the-best-films-of-2017

I’d been waiting a while for this one to stream, since I love an animal/human hybrid theme. This is no Sweet Tooth, but it still contains the element of people fearing what they don’t understand and ridding the world of those who are different. I would have liked to see more of the animal/human hybrids, but it was a fascinating watch all the same. I also would have preferred a different ending, but that doesn’t make it bad. Actual animal, the main character’s dog Albert, added a touch of realism since he was no Lassie, and ran off in the face of danger as my dogs would. You can stream this on Hulu or Disney+ – in French with subtitles. Minor warning: A few small spoilers, but they don’t give the whole film away.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-animal-kingdom-film-review-2024

🦔 Where In the World Is Cinnamon…

Capybaras are one of my favorite animals. They’re kept as pets in some places and seem pretty chill, so I’m wondering why she’s so hellbent on not going back, especially since her capybara family is there. I hope it’s just because she has an adventurous soul.

https://people.com/cinnamon-capybara-runs-away-from-zoo-found-in-nearby-field-8714849

🦥 Dreaming Through September…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the OC for sure. Until then, stay safe, stay not sacrificing comfort (or safety) for style, and stay not carrying guilt. It does no good and doesn’t help.

October 11, 2022 – Robert Wants Anna To Abort the Mission, Message From Maurice, He’s Not Joshing, It Just Keeps Going, Ex Talk, Miami Reveal, Goodbye To a Grand Lady & Rising

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny says he wants to make things right with Michael, whatever it takes, and Michael says, Sonny thinks he can suddenly make things right between them. Sonny says he always wanted to make things right, and thinks deep down inside, Michael does too. Nina slips out to answer a call, and says, everything okay?… She’ll be right there. Michael tells Sonny, it’s too late, and Sonny says, if Michael can look him in the eye, and make him believe he doesn’t want anything to do with him, he’ll walk, and Michael will never have to deal with him again.

Dante says, he wants to ask Dex a few questions about what went down with him and Sonny after Brando was killed, and Dex asks if he should call a lawyer. Dante says, not this time. He’ll keep it simple. Dex has bruises on his face, and his wrists look pretty bad. The way he’s standing there, Dante can tell his ribs are in bad shape too. Want to tell him what happened?

Robert walks into his office to find Anna sitting in his chair, and she says, about bloody time. He says he didn’t know he was expecting company; most people call first. She says, he didn’t pick up. She tells him, close the door and listen to her. If they’re going to bring Luke’s killer to justice, they’ve got a lot of work to do.

Outside Kelly’s, Victor asks if Ava is sure he can’t give her a lift, but she says she doesn’t think that would be very wise. He says, it’s no trouble, but she says, he’s nothing but trouble, and goes inside.

Ava meets Trina, and they hug. Ava says, two days in a row, and Trina thanks her for coming. Ava asks if everything is okay, and Trina says, she heard from her mom that Oz Haggerty was attacked and killed. She wanted to see how Ava is holding up. Is she freaked out? Ava says, don’t worry about her; she’s resilient. Trina’s phone dings, and Ava says, don’t ignore it on her account. Trina says, it’s just Rory. She can’t deal with him right now. Ava says, if there’s a problem, Trina shouldn’t ignore it. She shouldn’t let it fester. Take it from someone who knows. Victor looks through the window. Outside, he tells Johann that he’s just about had it with these distractions. Nevertheless, they should keep an eye on Ava. She’s unpredictable. And of course (🍷) there’s that other loose end they have to take care of, convincing the authorities that Esme Prince is alive and well, and nowhere near Port Charles. Hmm…

Nikolas comes in as Esme is opening the safe, and says, who the hell are you? She makes a mad dash for the patio door, but he grabs her, pulling off her hood. He says, Esme, and she turns around, saying, hello, lover. Did you miss me?

Dex lets Dante into his apartment, and Dante asks if Dex wants to tell him how he got those bruises. Dex says he doesn’t know (really? that’s the best he can do?), and Dante asks if it was from Sonny. Dex wonders why he’d ask that, and Dante says, let’s say, a concerned citizen said Dex was kidnapped and assaulted by his boss. Does he want justice?

Michael says, Sonny is so far away from the man he once called his father, he doesn’t even recognize Sonny anymore. Sonny says,  Michael doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and Michael says, he knows Sonny had his employee tortured. Sonny says, they’re not talking about Dex; they’re talking about them. Michael said he wanted to destroy everything that Sonny built, and Sonny has to hand it to him; he did a pretty damn good job of that. He got the harbormaster fired, and he got every major client stop buying Corinthos Coffee. Michael is looking everywhere but at Sonny, and Sonny says, he’s looking Michael in the eye right now. He’s just saying, let’s come to an understanding. Michael says, he’s past an understanding, and Sonny says, they’ve both hurt each other so much, but they just watched Gladys bury her son. They both know what that’s about; the finality of a life cut short. Sonny tears up, and says, the last time he saw Morgan, he was running out the door, and Sonny never got a chance to tell Morgan that he loved him. And he prays to God that Morgan knows, and he wants Michael to know he’ll always love him. Can they just figure out a way to end this – his voice cracks – so they can be a family again? Michael says, Sonny can’t just throw the word family out there, and expect it to erase everything he’s done, and Sonny says, maybe not, but it’s a good place to start.

Nina walks down a hallway at the MetroCourt, when Valentin taps her on the shoulder. She jumps, and he says he didn’t mean to startle her. She tells him, fine. He said it was important. What is it? He says he needs her help getting into Victor’s room, and she asks why he didn’t ask at the front desk. He says he doesn’t want Victor to know about it. It’s a delicate situation. She says she thought they were thick as thieves these days, and he says, maybe that’s what he wants Victor to think. She says, whatever parlor game the Cassadines are playing these days, she doesn’t have the time. She has a lot on her plate. He says, he knows that. He needs her help. And she can’t ask questions, for everyone’s safety… for Charlotte’s safety. She says, I’m in.

Anna says she feels like she’s hit a dead end, and Robert tells her, he can’t say that surprises him. Vic is slick. She says, he’s cunning. He’s spent his entire life honing his reputation for ruthlessness, and now it’s really paying off. Robert takes it his contacts didn’t pan out, and she says she just mentioned Victor’s name and they evaporated; they ran scared. He says, understandable, but disappointing, and she says she’d hoped at least one of them would be up for the challenge. He says, what’s the next step? and she says, this is where he comes in. He asks what she needs from him, and she says, a warrant.

In Victor’s room, Johann says, Esme Prince just posted from San Tropez, and Victor says, good. Keep leaving those digital footprints of Esme’s idyll in the south of France. This mess has already interfered with the plans he’s been making for years. This ends now. There’s a knock at the door, and Johann opens it to find a weeping Lucy. She shoves the bouquet she’s holding at Johann, and falls into Victor’s arms.

Esme says, Nikolas looks like he’s seen a ghost, and he says he thought… they thought… She says, that she was dead? Ava sure tried her damnedest when Ava threw her off the parapet. He says, that’s not what happened, and she says, how would he know; he wasn’t there. She’s sure Ava has him all roped into her scheme. She’s sure Ava spun some tale, making herself out to be the victim, when she was the one being swallowed by cold, dark water. They both left her for dead. She’s sure they celebrated. He got what he wanted – her, gone. Except she’s not. She’s back. He’s really going to have to try harder next time.

Ava says she can tell something is on Trina’s mind. Trina can tell her anything. Trina says, what’s on her mind feels so trivial with what’s been going on. People are dying, and the maniac who attacked Ava is still out there. Ava says, Trina doesn’t need to remind her of that, but here she is. She’s still alive and she’s going to live her life, and Trina should do same. Frankly, she’d like to hear about something other than life and death. So tell her; what is going on with Rory? Trina says, he asked her to go to a comic book convention, and Ava says, that’s cool. Does she like comics? Trina says, yeah, but it’s out of town, and Ava says, that is a significant invitation. Trina says she’s not sure how she feels about going on an overnight trip with Rory yet. She really likes him, and wants to get closer, but she can’t help thinking about the last time she went on a weekend trip. Ava says, this is nothing like when Trina went to Sonny’s cabin; this would just be the two of them. Trina says, she knows, but she can’t shake the feeling that something horrible is going to happen. Ava says, she understands. It’s hard coming back after a traumatic experience like Trina had. It’s hard to trust again; other people, her own judgement. Maybe she’s afraid she’d be leaving herself open to more pain, more hurt. She has to ask herself, does she really want to let what Esme Prince did to her dictate the rest of her life?

Nikolas says, so Esme came back looking for money, and she asks if she doesn’t deserve something after what Ava did to her. While they got to carry on with their lives, she drifted further and further into deep water. She thought she was going to die, just like he wanted. He says he didn’t want her to die. He searched for her. He had to fight to stay alive when he was adrift at sea. She says, thankfully, a fisherman found her, and put her up in a Canadian hostel until she could regain her strength. He says he supposes the fisherman ran out of money, and she couldn’t access her funds, but coming back here was a mistake. She should have stayed out of the country. She says, of course (🍷). That’s exactly what he wanted; to get rid of her. He says he’s talking about the PCPD. They’re looking for her for attempted murder because she drugged that bartender. She says, the cops have it all wrong, and they certainly can’t prove a thing, and he says, Oz Haggerty gave pretty convincing testimony of Esme’s guilt at Trina’s trial. Interestingly enough, he was found murdered this morning. Is that why she really came back? To finish what she started?

Lucy says she thinks she’s ruined Victor’s jacket, but he says, that’s inconsequential. Why is she in such a state? Is it Morton? She says, it’s Martin. No. He’s still incommunicado, and it’s not him. It’s just her; it’s all on her. He leads her to the couch, and she sits. She tells him, it’s just that, Sasha Gilmore, one of her partners, her husband’s funeral is today, and she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t face Sasha, so she wanted to bring her flowers, and now it’s too late. He says he’s sure it’s not too late, and she says, it is for Brando. He gently tells her, calm down. He’s sure Johann can deliver the flowers for her. She asks if Johann has been drinking (ha-ha! poor Johann), but Victor says, he’s perfectly sober. She says, okay. That would be very nice. The reception is downstairs in the gardens. Victor asks Johann to please oblige Miss Coe, and Lucy thanks Johann as he leaves. Victor asks if she feels better, and she says she does – she puts her head on his shoulder – now that she’s with him.

In one of the hotel rooms, Valentin tells Nina, the less she knows, the better. To get the information he needs out of Victor, he has to put a listening device in his room – this room. That’s where she comes in. As co-owner of the hotel, he needs her to call Victor, and say there’s a problem with his suite, and he needs to move into this suite. She asks why he doesn’t just put a bug in the room Victor’s staying in right now? but he says, that’s not possible, because he has a security guard named Johann who does a daily sweep. Johann is busy, so if they can get Victor into this suite right now, it might buy Valentin a day or two before the bug is discovered. She says, what then? and he says he’ll handle it, but that’s all he’s going to tell her right now. She says she knows Victor is Valentin’s father, but he’s a very dangerous man. She doesn’t like that Valentin is taking him on alone. Valentin tells her, don’t worry about him; he has backup. Multiple partners, each playing integral roles. Hopefully, that includes her, but he needs her to make a phone call.

Michael says, Sonny isn’t the same father who put family above everything else, and Sonny says, he’s done the best he could, but Michael says, Sonny hasn’t. Don’t forget, he’s a father too. He’d never hurt Wiley the way Sonny hurt his children. Sonny asks how he knows that; life is unpredictable. How did he know he was going to lose his memory, and live in a town called Nixon Falls? Michael says, this is about what Sonny’s done since he came back. All of Sonny’s choices have led him to here. Take ownership of that. Sonny says, no! Put himself in Sonny’s shoes. What if Wiley thought Michael screwed up, and started treating Michael the way Michael is treating him? Would Michael just give up on him, or would he do everything he possibly could, and hope to God that Wiley met him halfway?

Dex says, three days ago, Dante thought he was a murderer with a hook. Now Dante is all about justice for him? Dante says, things have changed. His source tells him that Dex was the victim of a serious crime, and it’s his duty to follow up on that. Dex says he commends Dante’s commitment to protect and serve, but he’s good. Dante says, so Dex has no comment on this accusation? and Dex asks if this is an official investigation. Dante says, no, but it can be if Dex wants him to file charges. Dex was brought in as a person of interest in a series of vicious attacks. He’s been told, Dex’s boss Sonny Corinthos turned on Dex as a result. Is there any truth to that?

Anna tells Robert that she needs a warrant for Johann Bauer. She knows Robert has been keeping tabs on him. It can be for unpaid parking tickets; it can be for anything. He asks if she doesn’t think he’d have brought Johann in already if he had something, and she says, he drinks. He fell overboard off the Haunted Star, and the crew had to stop and pick him up. Robert says, and she knows this how? and she says, the point is, can they not use that? Say another boater reported it? He says, intentionally jumping into the water from a passenger vessel would be considered unsafe operation of said vessel, and it would be illegal. However, she’s implied that the jump wasn’t intentional. She says she just wants him detained. Bring him in for questioning. The charges don’t have to stick. He says, so they not only abuse his office, now they’re going to waste taxpayers’ resources for… nothing. She says she thinks taking Victor off the street is for the greater good. And this is for Luke. He says, something about this tells him there’s more going on. Annie, it’s Bobby. Tell him the whole story. She says she wants to, but she can’t. So please help her, because she’s running out of time. He says, that bastard did kill their friend. Okay. He’ll make the call, but this the last time. She says, okay, and Deputy Mayor (or whatever she is) Eileen walks in. She asks if she’s interrupting something.

Lucy tells Victor, she didn’t know who to talk to. Martin is still with his mother, and she kept thinking he would know exactly the right thing to say. He tells her that he’ll do his best, and the room phone rings. Nina introduces herself, and says she’s the new co-owner of the MetroCourt. She’s so sorry to bother him, but they’re going to have to shut the water off in his room. She knows it’s a complete inconvenience, but they’ll have to move him to another suite, at least temporarily. He says, now is not a good time, and Nina says she understands, and she’s sorry for the disturbance, but they have no choice because a room on his floor has a leak. She’ll have a staff member there momentarily to help him move his things. Valentin holds up a bottle, and she says, and there’s a bottle of wine, complementary, waiting for him. She thanks him for his cooperation, and he says, if she’s sure there’s no other choice. She tells him, once again, their sincere apologies, and he says, very well. He hangs up, and tells Lucy, apparently, there’s a water leak somewhere, and they’re going to have to temporarily move him to another suite… Something feels off. She says, that completely explains when she was rushing up to see him, she saw some maintenance men in the lobby. That must be why. She guesses he has to get ready, so she’ll leave him to it. She thanks him, and says, she just feels so alone. He says she’s not alone. If she can just wait until he’s figured this room changing mess out, he promises her his full attention.

Esme says, she was the one who was left to drown, and Nikolas is accusing her of being a murderer? He says, her timing seems suspicious. She shows up in town, and the witness who pointed a finger squarely in her direction, winds up dead. She says, the only thing she’s guilty of is loving his son and trusting him. When she was in that Canadian hostel, that man tried to pin everything on her. How do they know he wasn’t hired by Trina’s people or Sonny’s? He says, give it a rest. He’s done buying the victim act, and she says, he knows her intimately. He doesn’t really believe all those horrible things about her, does he?

Dex says he has no idea what Dante is talking about, and Dante says, that’s his story, and he’s sticking to it, huh? Dex says, Mr. Corinthos didn’t do anything but give him a ride home after he was released. Any other questions? Dante says, just one. Is Dex afraid of retaliation? He knows how his father works. Word is, Dex went through something hellacious. Dex opens the door, and Dante says, if Dex was threatened to keep his mouth shut, he’s in a position to make sure his father doesn’t get to Dex for telling the truth. Dex says, whoever told Dante that Mr. Corinthos tried to harm him is a straight-up liar, and Dante thanks him for his time.

Michael asks how he can meet Sonny halfway when he doesn’t know who Sonny is anymore. Sonny turned his back on everything he once believed in. Sonny says, Michael keeps saying that he doesn’t know him anymore. Michael has known him his whole life; that doesn’t count for anything? A lifetime of being a father? He gets it. Betrayal, anger, disappointment. He lived with that his whole life with his father. You think I wronged you; I think you wronged me. It’s like never-ending circle. One thing Sonny wants Michael to know is that he still loves him. This has got to end before it’s too late. They’ve buried too many people already; Jason… Brando… my father. He cries, and says she doesn’t want it to be them. Michael says, look… dad, when Nina has the bad timing to walk in.  

Robert says, his door was shut for a reason, and Eileen says, his assistant told her that he didn’t have any appointments. Anna says she was just leaving. She doesn’t want to keep Robert from his work. She believes he was about to make a phone call. She’ll be in touch. She leaves, and Robert says, she’s right; he’s in the middle of something. Eileen says, his call can wait. She’s here on mayoral business. He says, if Laura wants to speak to him, all she has to do is reach out directly, and she says, Laura may be working remotely, but she needs someone on the ground to keep an eye on things. What was his ex-wife doing here? He says, it’s none of her business, but since she stuck her bid in, they’re planning a trip to Australia, and taking their granddaughter, who wants to play the digeridoo. She says she hopes that’s the case, and he asks what that means. She says, Miss Devane has been known to pull the PCPD into WSB business. Laura confided to her that he and Anna were working on the investigation into Luke Spencer’s death. He says, Spencer was a dear friend, and what he does on his own time is his business. She says, they both know that’s not what he’s doing, and she intends to stop it.

Victor opens the wine, saying, voila! He tells Lucy, at least they had the decency to pick out a very nice vintage. He asks if he can pour her a glass, and she says, after the day she had, she’d love some. He tells her to make herself comfortable. She sits on the sofa, and he says he considers himself a good judge of character. He sits down, handing her the wine, and says, although he’s still getting to know her, he’s already recognized she’s a strong, capable woman; the kind who won’t lose her head when the going gets tough. She says, it’s served her well as a woman in business, and he says, which is why it is so out of character that a floral arrangement would reduce her to a hysterical puddle. She says, doesn’t he know, a scheming vixen such as herself sometimes has a very bad day. He says she’s not a scheming vixen. Nor is she being honest with him. So why doesn’t she tell him what’s really going on here?

Michael says, maybe Sonny doesn’t see how much he’s changed. Maybe Sonny hasn’t changed, and Michael is just now seeing him for who he is. Sonny says, don’t back off now; Michael just called him dad. Michael says he was wrong. Sonny isn’t the man he knew. He abandoned his family; he abandoned his code. He’s capable of anything. Sonny says, Michael has no right to judge him, and Michael starts to walk away. Sonny yells, don’t turn your back on me! and Dante walks in. He says, that’s enough. This ends now.

Ava says, Trina’s safety is important, but it shouldn’t be a motive for going away with her boyfriend. Only she can decide if she’s ready to make that step. Trina says she’s so confused. In her heart, she feels like she’s safe with Rory. She doesn’t feel like he’ll hurt her. Ava says, that’s not insignificant. That’s a lot. Trina says, but what if they go away, and that all changes?

Nikolas says, a lot has happened since Esme’s been away, and she says, he makes it sound like she was on holiday, instead of recovering from his wife trying to kill her. He says, Trina has been exonerated, and Spencer is in Pentenville. In an attempt to give Trina an alibi, he testified that he broke out of Spring Ridge. And Oz Haggerty isn’t the only person who was stabbed recently. She says, that’s terrible; crime’s really up. Do the police have any leads? He says, the killer used a large hook, and she says, sounds gruesome. He says, it was. Ava was the first victim. Esme says, but she survived, and he says, thankfully. She says, karma’s a bitch, and he says, Diane Miller was also stabbed. She gave Esme a pretty tough time at Trina’s trial. She says, remind her, what’s his point? and he says, it’s a pretty big coincidence that three of the victims happen to be people Esme thought wronged her in some way. She says, now he knows not only what she thinks, but how she thinks, and he says, he thinks she’s capable of murder, and he thinks she came back for revenge. She says, that would mean he’s next.

Dante says he paid a little visit to Dex Heller, and Sonny asks, why? Dante asks if he can talk to Michael, and Michael says, Dante is here for him, not Sonny? Sonny goes over to Nina at the bar, and Dante tells Michael, Dex said Michael lied about everything. Michael asks what he’s talking about. Sonny kidnapped Dex, and tortured him to force him into a confession, which they know now would have been false. Dante says, this vendetta with Sonny has gotten out of hand. Now Michael is lying to the police about a crime. Michael says, he came to Dante brother to brother, and Dante says, Michael has a family to protect. This beef he has with Sonny is going to lead him to do things that are destructive. Let it go. Dante’s phone rings, and he says he’s on his way. He tells them, looks like we have another victim, and Sonny says, another stabbing? Dante says, yeah. The wound’s consistent with a hook. It looks like they have a serial killer on their hands. You two are on your own.

Robert says, the mayor’s office does not oversee the DA’s office, but Eileen says, she has the authority to initiate an internal review. It’s called checks and balances, and if she finds anything the least bit off, she’ll hold him accountable. Their citizens deserve better. He says, she’s abusing her power and wasting human resources on this pointless review, and she says, we’ll see.

Anna joins Valentin on a park bench, and asks if everything is going according to plan. He says, yes. Robert? She says, detaining Johann. It’s all up to Lucy now. He says, that’s the part that worries him.

Lucy tells Victor that she’s had some hard times in her life. She thinks they’ve shaped he into the woman he seems to admire, but they also left some scars. Sometimes she feels so helpless and scared, and wants someone who makes her feel safe, and Victor does. He says he’s flattered she feels she can talk to him, and she says, the last time she saw Sasha was the day before her husband died. She basically asked Sasha to give up her financial stake in Deception, which she thought was a good idea at the time, and still does, but it really hurt Sasha. Lucy just couldn’t face her, and it started her spinning, thinking about her future, and what will happen in her life. She tells him, she knows it sounds selfish, but he says, they all have fears that can be illuminated by tragedy. She says, she can’t stop thinking about the future. Will she be all alone? He tells her, not if he has anything to say about it, and she says, that was another reason where she thought she could come to him. When he talks about his plans and his future, he sounds confident, like he’s figured everything out. She finds that so comforting. He says he has his own anxieties. That’s why he made the plans. She says, the plans; right. Can he tell her more of them? It’s really what she needs right now. Could he tell her, just for her?

Esme laughs at Nikolas, and says, sorry; she couldn’t help it. What he’s suggesting is ridiculous. He says, is it? and she says she didn’t intend to stay this long, even though she’s enjoyed their little chat. Don’t worry. As soon as she can afford it, she’ll be out of his hair. He blocks her, and says she’s not going anywhere. She tells him, he’s going to let her go. Unless he wants the police to know about her little tumble off the parapet. He says, what tumble off the parapet? Does she think they’ll actually care when they find out she’s connected to three of the stabbing victims? If anything, her alleged fall gave her a motive. He takes out his phone, and she says, he’s not going to do that. He says, why the hell not?

Sonny asks if Nina is okay, and she says, no. Just when she thought this day couldn’t get more brutal, there’s another victim. What are they going to do? He says he doesn’t have all the answers right now, but he’s going to tighten security, and Nina is going to have to keep her bodyguard for a while longer. She says, that’s no problem. She’s glad Sonny is looking out for her, but what about him? How is he doing, dealing with this after ten rounds with Michael? He says he can handle it, and she says she can’t believe Michael, lying to the police about Sonny. She never thought he’d stoop so low.

Michael bangs on Dex’s door, and walks in when Dex opens it. Michael says, Dex lied to protect Sonny, and Dex says, he told Dante that Sonny didn’t abduct or injure him. Michael says, well done. They have Sonny right where they want him.

Robert leaves a message for Anna, saying, they’ve got a problem. They can’t arrest Johann. Whatever she’s doing, stop it. This mission’s got to be aborted and now.

Anna listens in, and says, you’ve got this Lucy… Don’t overplay your hand. We see the missed call from Robert on her phone.

Lucy says, Victor is going to tell her a little bit more about his plans, and she’s going to pretend it’s a bedtime story. So, once upon a time… He says, for many years now, he’s been working on… The phone rings, and he says, if this is about another room change… He picks up the phone, and says, what now? Eileen says, they’ve got a problem.

Johann knocks on the old room door.

Ava says, it’s Trina’s call. If she’s not ready to go away with Rory, then don’t. That’s perfectly fine, but just know that all romance is a leap of faith. You have to be willing to take the chance. Trina says she doesn’t want to miss out on something great with Rory because she’s scared. Okay. She’s ready. She should text him now and tell him. She picks up her phone, and Ava says she just wants Trina to be happy and have fun. Get herself a light saber. Trina says, too bad she can’t get a real one. Then no one would have to worry about her safety. At least she’ll be with a cop, so there’s that.

Nikolas tells Esme to give him one reason he should let her go, and she says she didn’t want to tell him so soon, but he’s forced her hand. You’re not going to call the cops on us. He says, us? and she says, me and our baby. She opens her coat and rubs when could possibly be a baby bump, or a heavy lunch.

I sigh heavily. Didn’t we just have this storyline? And on the off-chance she is pregnant, Nikolas could just say she’s crazy, and the baby is Spencer’s.

Tomorrow, Anna says, Lucy needs to get out of there – now; Johann says, Lucy isn’t leaving until he’s done; Esme says, it’s her get-out-of-jail-free card; and Sonny says, nothing is going to change Michael’s mind.

📜 Regarding the Day…

I love when an actor uses their celebrity for good, rather than exerting undue influence in arenas where they’re no expert.

🐎 On Horses & Kids…

A light side dish from the stable hand’s mouth.

💎 Like the Energizer Bunny…

It’s unbelievable how much this is being hashed over. Pick a lane or take them all.

🍊 What a Prize…

Shannon must be glad to be rid of this loser.

🌴 What Happens In Miami…

The latest on the comeback kids.

https://okmagazine.com/p/rhom-guerdy-abraira-reveals-upcoming-season-storylines/

🥀 Farewell, She Wrote…

I’ve always admired her career. She did it all, and didn’t compromise. I was blessed to see her in Sweeney Todd on Broadway, and she was absolutely brilliant. There was no one like her, and she will be missed.

https://people.com/movies/angela-lansbury-dead-at-96/

💡 Lights Out…

Come set a spell tomorrow for some soap and Reunion insanity. Until then, stay safe, stay remembering your manners, and stay not judging others, because life is unpredictable.

August 6, 2021 – A Letter From Ryan, James Finally Makes a Decision, Sadness On Set, a Dinner, the Latest On Erika, Block Lifted, Everything Dead, Slightly More Than 10 Quotes & Free

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At Spring Ridge, Nikolas asks Sam how the investigation into Hayden’s shooting is going; any progress? Sam says, working on it, and he says, if anyone can figure it out, it’s her. The hard truth is, they may never know who shot Hayden. Alexis comes in, and says she’s glad to see Sam. They hug, and Nikolas asks if he can cut in on that. Does Alexis have a hug for her favorite nephew? She hugs him, and Sam says, he’s her only nephew; there’s no competition. Alexis says, it wouldn’t matter, and Sam asks if Alexis is doing okay. Alexis says she is, but the company leaves a lot to be desired. Sam says, Ryan? and Nikolas asks, how is Ryan?

Ava sits at a table by the pool (🍷), and Shawn comes along. She says, as she lives and breathes, and he says, good to see she’s still doing both. She says, despite the efforts of many. She heard he was out of prison. How long was it? He says, six years, and she says, all to protect Sonny. Was it worth it?

Carly leads Jax to a private room, and says they can talk in there instead of by the pool (🍷). No one can hear them. He says they didn’t need to before, and she says, before, they weren’t talking about the Novaks. He says, she means the mobster who accosted Josslyn? and she says, Josslyn wasn’t accosted; she was approached. He says, it wasn’t an act of violence, just the threat of one. She just got through telling him that nothing she and Jason have done has put Josslyn in harm’s way. It was obviously a lie.

Laura thanks Dante for meeting her at the MetroCourt, and he says, of course (🍷). They sit at a table, and he asks how New York was. She says, fine: very little traffic, and he says he assumes she didn’t want to meet up to talk about congestion on the FDR. She says, no. She was there to meet with Lulu’s doctors. He asks how Lulu is doing, and she says, the news is not good.

Anna is getting a shake at Kelly’s (which seems to be a thing now), when Finn and Elizabeth come in with Violet. Violet runs to Anna, who hugs her, and says, what a great surprise. She asks how Violet is, and Violet says, daddy’s team won the softball game. Anna congratulates Finn, and says she was just on her way out. Finn says, Violet’s excited about coming over for afternoon tea this Saturday, and Anna says she’s going to make some scones; it will be great. She gives Violet a kiss, and leaves. Outside, Joey Novak sits with his cronies, being loud. Elizabeth tells Violet, victory milkshakes are on her.

Jason does pushups in the boxing ring, and Spinelli calls. Jason says, Joey Novak approached Josslyn… No, she’s fine. He just needs to have a talk with this guy. Can Spinelli fine out where he is right away? Obrecht approaches the ring, dressed like a spy from a James Bond film, and asks if Jason is plotting an assassination, or is he busy arranging his upcoming nuptials? He tries to leave the ring, but she steps in front of him and says, nein. He will not get away free and clear this time. He was with her Britta at the most vulnerable moment of her life. She gets in the ring, and says, then he abandoned her for his best friend’s widow. What kind of man is he?

Jason tries to get past her, but that’s not happening. She says her daughter trusted him with her heart. She trusted him with her life. More important, Obrecht trusted him with Britt’s heart and life. Her Britta might be jaded, but next to Obrecht, she’s Heidi the something-I-don’t-catch maiden. He says he doesn’t… and she says, Heidi the orphan girl. She swears, he’s as illiterate as he is inconsiderate. He’s one of only three people who knows Britt has the genetic marker for Huntington’s, and when she needed him, he walked away. He says he knows. He let her down.

Violet says, the game was so fun. For a while, she thought their team was going to lose. Finn says, they were all worried they were going to lose, and Elizabeth says, Violet’s daddy really gave his all today. She couldn’t believe it when he stole third. Finn says having his daughter there to cheer him on really inspired him, and they clink milkshake glasses. A woman comes in, and says, Violet, is that you? Doesn’t Violet know her? She’s grandma. Violet runs to her and hugs her. Finn and Elizabeth look at each other like, whaaat?

Carly tells Jax, Josslyn is their daughter, not just his. He asks if she’s sure, because he’s the only one acting like a parent. She says he needs to calm down and back off, and he says, he needs to back off? She painted a target on Josslyn’s back, and he’s the one who needs to back off? Carly says she didn’t paint a target on Josslyn’s back; it’s the first time she’s been approached. He says, it better be the last, and she says, it will be. He says, good. Josslyn should never be put in the position where a rival crime family can threaten Carly by approaching her. Carly says she’s handling it, and he says, of course (🍷) she is. She is the head of the Corinthos Organization.

Shawn sits with Ava, and she asks if he regrets giving up years of his life for Sonny, only to be released after Sonny is no longer around to reward him? He says he can live with the decisions he’s made. Can she say the same? She says, touché, and asks if he’s there to get marching orders from the belle of the mafia, Carly. He says he doesn’t work for Carly; his choice. She says, in that case, she has a proposition for him. She needs a man.

Alexis says, Ryan is as locked in as ever, but there’s something she finds troubling. He has an aid who’s been helping him write letters. Sam says she thought his condition had him locked off from the rest of the world. How’s he even communicating? Alexis says, with his eyes; he blinks. She saw him dictate a letter that way. An excruciatingly slow process, but psychopaths are notoriously patient, and he’s got nothing but time, right? She was wondering if he’s abetting Ava’s stalker or actually is the stalker by proxy and using these coded messages through his writing. Nikolas says, anything is possible with that guy. They need to talk to his aide. Alexis says, one more thing. His aide, they know her. Sam asks, who is it? and Alexis says, there she is now. They see Harmony dealing with a patient.

Carly says she had to step up after Sonny died, and Jax says, had to? He hears, chose to. I wonder if Carly shouldn’t be wearing some foundational support with that dress, and she says it was the only way to protect her family. He says, that’s the biggest lie right there. If she’d walked away from Sonny’s business after he died, there would be nothing to protect them from. She says, that’s not how it works. It’s really easy for him to judge a complicated situation he knows nothing about. He says he knows his daughter – sorry, their daughter – is in danger because Carly is determined to hold on to Sonny’s territory. Just like he knows her marrying Jason is a business arrangement.

Laura tells Dante, Lulu’s doctors were very direct. They’ve been caring for her for eight months, and there’s been no improvement. He asks if she’s thought about looking at medicine beyond Western medicine; some kind of alternative medicine? She says she has, but it hasn’t produced any results. He says he doesn’t get it. She’s young, she’s healthy; there’s got to be something they can do. She says she’ll never give up on Lulu, but she’s given this a lot of thought, all the way back to Port Charles, and she thinks giving up isn’t the same as moving on.

Shawn says he’s listening, and Ava asks if he’s heard about the troubles she’s been having. He says he knows she and her husband are getting a divorce, but she says, a stalker. He says he also heard she had some trouble at the gallery, and she says, that was one incident of many. That’s why she needs a bodyguard. He looks at a guy lying on a lounge chair, and says, it seems she already has one; he can tell when someone’s carrying. She says, he works for Nikolas, and she has to make it perfectly clear that she’s cut all ties with Nikolas. He says, she needs to prove that o her stalker? and she says, yes. Sadly, it’s necessary, so she needs to hire her own protection. She was impressed with him back in the day. He says he didn’t think she liked him very much, and she says, he worked for Sonny. It was the competition, and his competence made her life difficult. She’s been out of the game for quite a while now, and so has he. They woudn’t have any conflicts of interest; they’d be on the same side. So what does he say? Will he protect her? She bats her eyelashes, and he laughs.

Nikolas says, isn’t that Shiloh’s disciple from Dawn of Day, who drugged Kristina? Sam says, Harmony. She actually flipped on Shiloh, and helped get him convicted. Alexis says, after aiding and abetting him for years. Nikolas says, maybe Ryan doesn’t need to send letters to the stalker. Maybe it’s someone he sees every day. He goes over to Harmony, and says they haven’t met, but he’s Nikolas Cassadine. She knows his cousin Sam. Harmony says hello to Sam, and he says it’s his understanding that she works for Ryan Chamberlain. She says, not exactly. She works for the Department of Corrections as a health aid at this facility. Mr. Chamberlain is one of several inmates she assists. Nikolas asks if her duties include doing Ryan’s dirty work, and Sam says, Nikolas. He says, just answer the question, and Harmony says, which is? He says, someone has been using Ryan’s playbook, including recordings of his voice to stalk and threaten his wife, so if she was involved in any way, it’s in her best interest to come clean right now.

Finn says he didn’t know Naomie was planning to visit, and she apologizes for the lack of advance notice, but she just couldn’t wait to see her granddaughter. He says she couldn’t call, text, or shoot off an email? and she tells him, you know what they say about hindsight. She says hello to Elizabeth, who barely responds, and says, Violet looks so much like her mother. Violet asks, where’s mommy?

Obrecht says she must hand it to Herr Morgan. His façade of quiet concern for her Britta, fooled even her, and she lowered her guard, letting him in. He says he hasn’t broken that confidence, and she says he only broke her Britta’s heart. Tell her, was everything they discussed that day a lie, or is his sole redeeming trait that he made sure Peter August’s absence continued? Anna has come in during the conversation, and has been listening. She asks what’s going on, but Jason gets a text, and jets while he can.

Obrecht puts on gloves, and Anna say she didn’t know Obrecht boxed. She says she doesn’t; she just likes to hit things. Anna says Obrecht proved that at the Rage Room, and Obrecht says Anna was pretty good herself. She could use a spotter. Anna holds the bag as Obrecht punches, and Obrecht says, Jason Morgan is lucky there’s no sledgehammer available today. Anna says, not to undermine her righteous anger at Jason, but Obrecht does realize he was just humoring her by listening to her tirade? Obrecht says, of course (🍷) she knows that. Despite his many glaring faults, he’s a chivalrous person. Perhaps he thought listening to her tirade was a way of paying penance for failing Britta. Anna says, perhaps. He doesn’t normally let people down. Obrecht says, then there really is a first time for everything. Anna asks what this has to do with Peter, and Obrecht says she thought, or at least hoped, that Jason played a role in Peter’s disappearance, which would mean Peter is six feet under the Pine Barrens where he’s no longer a trouble to anyone. Obrecht makes one last punch, and goes to towel down. She says she heard on the news that Anna is working with local investigators to locate Peter, and Anna says they’re sharing information. Obrecht says, perhaps in the spirit of generosity, Anna wants to share what the investigation has uncovered. Anna says, nein, and Obrecht says, no need to say anything now. Her inability to bring Peter to justice has taken it’s toll. So – she shoves the gloves at Anna – it’s her turn.

Shawn tells Ava that he’s not for hire anymore. He already has a job; finding the person who shot Hayden. She says someone hired him to investigate a cold case? but he says he’s working for himself now. She says, a noble pursuit, and she sees why he’d want to do it, but so much time has passed. He says, a cold trail is still a trail. Whoever did this needs to pay for what they did to Hayden, and him.

Harmony says she knows some people – Nikolas’s aunt among them – still think Ryan is dangerous. Sam says, Ryan is dangerous, and Harmony says, maybe before he was locked in. Sam says, as long as Ryan can communicate in any way – hell, as long as he’s breathing – Ryan Chamberlain is a threat. Nikolas asks how they know Harmony isn’t following his orders. She has access to him, and he communicates through her. Harmony says, it’s not telepathy. She points to letters on a board, and he blinks to let her know which ones he wants her to wrote down. Nikolas asks if Ryan is dictating letters or issuing instructions, and she says, okay. She’s sorry for whatever happened in his life that’s made him so afraid, but she’s there to assist Ryan with his comfort and correspondence. She’s not doing anyone’s bidding outside of this facility. Sam says, they’re supposed to take her word for that after everything Harmony did to her, and especially her little sister? Harmony says she can’t apologize enough for what she did. She was literally brainwashed, but she’s not anymore. What she is, is on parole, and she has no intention of going back to prison. She’s trying to turn her life around. Sam says she actually believes Harmony. From someone who’s also on parole, she knows where Harmony is coming from. Can Harmony at least tell them how long she’s been working with Ryan? Harmony says, a few weeks, and Alexis says, the stalker’s threats were going on long before that. Nikolas asks who he writes to, and Harmony says, lots of people; she doesn’t remember their names. Most of them don’t write back. In fact, most of the letters are returned unopened. Sam asks if the letters are at Spring Ridge, and Harmony says, yeah, but their harmless. There are no threats, there’s nothing unusual. They’re screened before they’re mailed. Nikolas says, maybe Ryan’s sending coded messages, and Alexis says, it woudn’t be the first time. Nikolas asks to see the letters.

Carly tells Jax, if she’s marrying Jason for love, business, or because she has nothing better to do on Thursday, that’s her business, not his. He says, that’s funny, because the last time he checked, where Josslyn’s safety is concerned, that is his business. He says, never mind. Just tell him what this incident with the Novak family actually means. Carly says, it wasn’t the Novak family, just one rogue idiot named Joey Novak.

Joey peeps into Kelly’s window, looking like a creeper, and Violet asks if her mommy is with Naomie. Naomie says she’s sorry, but no, and Elizabeth says Violet must be sticky from her milkshake, and suggests they get her cleaned up. They go to the bathroom, and Finn asks what the hell Naomie was thinking. She says, regarding? and he says, just stopping in like this after ignoring Violet for a year. She says she was in Europe, and he asks, what was the guy’s name? She says, what does it matter? It didn’t work out. Now all she wants is her family around her, and since she doesn’t know where her daughter is, that means her granddaughter. He doesn’t think that’s a good idea, but she says, please. Let her make it up to Violet. She’s begging him. Don’t punish her for her daughter’s mistakes. Finn asks what that’s supposed to mean.

Outside Kelly’s, one of Joey’s cronies asks why they’re hanging around; there’s no action here. Joey says, there’s about to be, and gets up. Jason walks up, and Joey says, took him long enough. If I were Jason, I’d grab Joey by the ear, and bring him to his uncle.

Harmony says she can’t let them see the letters. Ryan still has a right to privacy, never mind that they’re someone else’s letters, and that’s illegal. Alexis says, mail theft. It’s a Federal crime that carries a maximum sentence of five years. Nikolas says, then he won’t get caught, and Harmony says, he won’t, because he’s not getting anywhere near those letters. Nikolas asks if she did any research. Does she have any idea what Ryan’s done? She says she’s aware, and Nikolas says, if there’s any chance Ryan is sending coded messages, and continuing to torment people, how can she let that continue? She says, because she can’t lose her job, and she can’t do more time. She’s sorry.

Shawn brings Ava a drink, and she says, now that he’s back out in the world, where is he staying? He says, TJ and Molly, and Alexis’s house, and she says, that’s great. She hopes he and TJ are making up for lost time, but he says, TJ and Molly are so busy, they’re hardly ever there. In the meantime, he’s looking for his own place. She says she can understand that. She has to ask. Now that he’s a free man, and she’s a free woman, him and Jordan? He says, that’s the past, and she says she thought they were pretty serious before he went to Pentenville. He says, before he found out Jordan was a DEA agent, or TJ was his son? She says, sometimes a fresh start is best, and toasts to fresh starts. They clink glasses.

As Anna punches the bag, she says, Obrecht knows she can’t share information from an ongoing investigation with her, but Obrecht doesn’t see why not. She’s hardly a stranger to the case. Did her family not suffer because of Peter? Anna says, yeah, and Obrecht says, was Nathan not killed because Peter lured Faison to Port Charles? Maxie was terrorized, and her baby kidnapped on Peter’s orders. Anna says she agrees with Obrecht; Peter has a long reach. Obrecht says, how disappointing to hear her speak of him in the present tense.

Dante asks if Laura has been talking to his mother, and Laura says, about what? He says, about what’s going on with Lulu. He guesses Olivia is just worried about him. Between being a cop and being a dad, and these visits with Lulu, she thinks he might be a little stuck in limbo. Laura asks if that’s how he feels too, and he says he didn’t think about it until Olivia brought it up. Laura says, now that she has? and he says, life is busy. With Rocco and being back on the force, he’s got a full plate. She says, but? and he says, there are things he could have in his life beyond being a cop and being a dad, and he doesn’t want to run anymore. He never stopped loving Lulu. She says she knows, but she doesn’t expect him to wait for her.

Carly says she’s texting Jax the contact information for Josslyn’s bodyguard, and Jax says, fantastic. A bodyguard. What every college freshman dreams of. Carly says, Devon is discreet, and he looks young, so he’ll blend in on campus. He says she just got him thinking. His daughter’s first year of college, having someone there to look out for her might not be such a bad idea. She says, Cameron will be there too, and Trina. He says, Josslyn’s been through a lot. Having two good friends there is fantastic.

Finn asks what Naomie means by Hayden’s mistakes, and she says, abandoning Violet of course (🍷). He asks if she’s sure she doesn’t know where Hayden is, and she says she only wishes she did. Now will he give her a chance to reconnect with her granddaughter? Violet and Elizabeth come back out, and Violet asks if Naomie is staying, Finn says, grandma has to go, but they’ll see about setting up a playdate in the future. Violet says they can have a tea party, and Naomie says she’d like nothing more. She’s staying at the Woodbridge Motel until she finds a more permanent place. Finn says, she’s moving to Port Charles? and Elizabeth says, permanently? Naomie says she’s wasted too much of her granddaughter’s life already. She doesn’t want to waste another second. She sends Finn her number, and says she hopes he calls soon. He says, like he told her, they’ll figure something out. Naomie says she’ll see Violet soon and leaves. No hug, no anything, which is really weird. Elizabeth says, what was that?

Jason tells Joey that he crossed the line when he spoke to Josslyn Jax. Joey says he doesn’t know; she seemed receptive. (Another clueless man!) He says, a pretty girl like that, and Jason steps closer. He says, further contact with Josslyn will result in full retaliation. Joey asks if this is coming from him or from Mrs. Corinthos. She’s the one in charge, right? Jason says Joey is in over his head, making trouble nobody wants, not even his own family. His uncle will not tolerate this show of disrespect, and neither will the other families. Joey literally snorts, and says he’ll take his chances. He walks off, the rest of his idiots following.

Laura says she prays for Lulu’s recovery every day and always will, but she knows her daughter, and knows Lulu wouldn’t want her to put her life on hold just to sit by her bedside every day. Lulu wouldn’t want that for him either. Every day they get to be in the world, laughing, crying, watching the sunrise; they are all precious, and she knows Lulu would want him to live them to the fullest. For Rocco too, because Dante has to show him how. Dante knows Laura is right, and Lulu would be okay with whatever changes may come… She asks if he’s met someone.

Sam hugs Alexis goodbye, saying she has to pick up something for her kids. The next time she won’t bring Nikolas’s problems with her. He says he heard that, and she says she meant for him to hear it. Next time he wants to question someone, go away and let her do it. Nikolas says, pity she has to go, and Alexis tells them to quit it. Kiss the kids, and get a brownie at Kelly’s; tell them it’s from her. Sam leaves, and Alexis tells Nikolas it’s too bad they couldn’t get through to Harmony. He says, maybe Sam was right and he pushed too hard, and Alexis says, she was and he did. But she understands why it’s important to him. He says, the only way to stop the divorce is to identify the stalker, and prove there’s no longer a threat. Harmony comes in with a stack of files and sets them on the table. She says, dammit. She hopes she doesn’t accidentally misplace Ryan’s file with those letters in it. She’ll just come back and look for them in about 20 minutes. She leaves, leaving Ryan’s file behind.

Shawn tells Ava that he’s sorry about Kiki. He sees her face, and says he didn’t mean to upset her, but she says, it’s okay. She’ll take any reminder. He says, and Avery? and Ava says, she’s perfect. She’s wonderful. She’s a delightful little chatterbox, always has been. She misses her dad, of course (🍷). Right now she’s staying with Carly, since Ava doesn’t think it’s safe for Avery to be with her. He says she really thinks the stalker would hurt Avery? and she says, yes. He broke into their hotel suite, and left a teddy bear for her to find; a bear with Ryan Chamberlain’s voice. He says, that’s messed up, and she says, it’s very messed up. She can’t forget it. Avery standing there with an unfamiliar toy with an unmistakable voice.

Finn puts headphones on Violet, and sets her up with an activity book. Elizabeth asks if Naomie said anything about Hayden, and Finn says, only that she doesn’t know where Hayden is. Elizabeth wonders how much contact Naomie should have with Violet, and he says he’s just worried it will make Violet miss her mother more, and ask more questions that he doesn’t know the answers to. How does he explain Hayden’s absence when he doesn’t understand it himself?

Anna says, one usually refers to the subject of a manhunt in the present tense, and Obrecht asks if she’s saying it wasn’t Peter’s body that had law enforcement crawling in the basements and subbasements of GH. Anna tells her, she can say this, if Peter were dead, she’d tell Maxie right away. She couldn’t allow Maxie to continue to be in fear of her life. Obrecht says she’ll continue to hope Peter has been dispatched, but until they know for sure, they must all be on their guard. Peter is his father’s son, and she and Anna know better than anyone how people underestimated Faison. They would assume he was dead, only to meet their own demise. Anna says she won’t believe Peter’s dead until she sees his body herself.

Anna and Obrecht sit on a bench near the ring, sipping drinks from Kelly’s, agreeing that they’re refreshing. Anna says, they could do with a smoothie bar, and Obrecht says, or a water fountain. As for Kelly’s, their attempt at schnitzel was an attempt at sadness. It’s good to know they can get something right. Anna says, despite their differences, she doesn’t think anyone understands their aggression the way they do. Obrecht says, in the meantime, she looks forward to Peter’s capture… or death. She’s partial to the latter. May it be slow, excruciating, and final.

Finn packs up Violet’s stuff at Kelly’s, and Violet says, now that grandma’s back, maybe she can take her to see mommy. He says, we’ll see, and she says, that means no, doesn’t it? Elizabeth pays the check, and Sam comes in. She says she was going to call Sam, and Sam asks what she did this time. Elizabeth says, yesterday, Sam asked her about Hayden. Guess who showed up in town today? Her mother, Naomie Dreyfuss.

Dante says he’s not seeing anyone, and Laura says, don’t panic. She’s not there to give him the third degree. Besides, she thinks Olivia probably has that one covered. He says, she does. He thinks she should be recruited for the PCPD because if she doesn’t badger a confession out of a perp, she can coax it out of them with her ziti. Laura says if he needs mayoral approval, he’s got it. When he starts dating again – and he will – she doesn’t want him to feel he needs to hide it from her. She considers him a part of her family; he’ll always be a part of her family. All she wants for him is his happiness.

Carly says, so both she and Jax are going to PCU’s Parents Week? and he says, them, and her security team. She tells him to give it a rest, when there’s a knock at the door. She says, come in, and Jason asks if she’s got a minute. Jax asks if Jason knows Josslyn was approached by Joey Novak today. Did he handle it? Jason says he did, and Carly says they can talk about Parents Week another time. Jax says he can see the happy couple wants to whisper sweet battle plans into each other’s ears, and Carly says he needs to let it go. He says he doesn’t think he will, and leaves. Jason closes the door, and Carly asks, what’s going on? He says, something’s up. Joey was way too confident when he confronted him about Josslyn. She says, confident how? and he says, when he told Joey that his uncle and the other families woudn’t tolerate this show of disrespect, he laughed it off. She asks if he thinks Joey has allies, and he says, could be. Let’s go. They leave and Jax watches.

Shawn tells Ava, this was actually quite pleasant, and she says he doesn’t have to sound so surprised. He says he’s not. He tells her to take care of herself, and leaves. His phone rings, and it’s Sam, who says she just got some very interesting news. Hayden’s mother is in town.

Ava calls Avery and asks, how was her day?… She misses her too. So much.

Nikolas and Alexis go through the letters, and Nikolas says, Seattle, Chicago, Milwaukee, Chicago again, Venezuela, Russia… It’s mostly university professors and psychiatrists. She says, offering his medical expertise on mental health. When she  thinks of the arrogance… She stops, and he says, what is it? She shows him an envelope addressed to Spencer in France.

On Monday, Scotty wonders if they’re about to get rich, Austin thinks he has a way to turn this long shot into a sure thing, and Alexis says, no need to panic.

Million Dollar Listing New York

Steve talked about how much he loved living in the apartment in Chelsea; it was where they brought Rose home and became a family. He’d convinced the owners to let him sell apartments there, and done well, so he asked for more apartments. He’d been given two 3 bedroom apartments and one 4 bedroom. They were harder to sell, so he actually put on a suit, which was rare. First up was a 3 bedroom, 4 bath, just under 3000 square feet, going for $7.450 million. Steve said the building was a piece of art in architecture, and I had to agree. It was designed by Zaha Hadid, a Pulitzer Prize winning architect, who, sadly, had passed away. The coolest thing about it was the glass curtain wall construction with hand-hammered steel, which was a constant photo op for people passing by. Amenities included a 75’ skylit pool, a spa suite that could be booked privately, a kids innovation lab that I would have loved to play in. In Steve’s interview, he said he could show the amenities with passion and pride since he knew what it was like to live there. There was a private IMAX theater, and an automated parking garage, although the garage was a little pricey, costing around another $500K for a spot. But if you’ve ever had to park in NYC, you might actually think that was worth it. In his interview, Steve said the building was amazing, but there was a lot of inventory on the market, so he had his work cut out for him.

Ryan’s Australian buyer James had been shown a million place, but none of them hit home for him. Really? Ryan was super frustrated, and I didn’t get WTF this guy wanted either. All the showings were being done virtually, and since James didn’t even know the city, he was an ignoramus. In Ryan’s interview, he wanted to sell an apartment on the other side of the world without the client actually being there, since it would be a major achievement.

Meanwhile, KJ was in Switzerland with her family, visiting her in-laws. While she was there, good friend Giovanni called he about selling one of his assets in Tribeca. He’d been renting it at $30K a month, but the tenants were moving, and Giovanni thought it was time to sell and invest in something new. Because of travel restrictions, Giovanni couldn’t travel from Italy, but agreed to have mutual friend Jacopo show her around. The apartment had been KJ’s first big sale for $3.6 million in 2012. It had been a foreclosure and took a year of negotiations. It had made her feel like a badass broker. The apartment was gorgeous (like there are ugly ones on this show), 3652 square feet, 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, and 10½’ ceilings. It was the old Sugarloaf building, built in 1882, which had been converted into condos in 1992, and housed a lot of celebrities, like Orlando Bloom, Taylor Swift, and the Olsen Twins. Although it had been renovated, a lot of original details remained, like cast iron columns. In her interview, KJ said those details equaled dollars. Jacopo thought KJ could bring in $10 million, but she thought that was a little ambitious for the market. She was thinking along the lines of $9.4, but Jacopo said Giovanni didn’t need to sell, and would rent again until the market improved if he couldn’t get the price he wanted. She had a two-week window to sell, which she said in her interview, was nearly impossible. The potential commission was $300K, and KJ said, it would be like closing the circle.

Ryan had a place on Fifth Avenue and 59th Street that he thought would be perfect for James, and checked all the boxes. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, all on one level, a full-service building, and within James’s budget. He met with the seller’s rep Michelle, and noted the spectacular views (he was not kidding about that – they were to die for) and beautiful finishes. In his interview, he said you couldn’t get more NYC than being on Fifth Avenue. He got James and broker Sammi on separate phones to give the tour. The apartment was 1554 square feet and 10’ ceilings for $3.950. James said it was just what he was looking for, and they were almost there. He wanted something bigger. Michelle said she did have something bigger, but it was in the mid sixes, so a different price point. I had the feeling there was just no pleasing this jerk. In Ryan’s interview, he said it was called the upsell. You thought he didn’t have any more listings in his pockets? That’s what he had pockets for. The other apartment had the same views, but was 1954 square feet, had 2.5 baths, was on a higher floor with 11’ ceilings, and priced at $6.725 million. Ryan said he’d have to invent new boxes for James to find more to check. James whined that it was hard to tell what you could fit without it being furnished, and Ryan was like, really? James said, spot on, mate, but still made no commitment, saying he’d get back to Ryan after he and Sammi had a chat.

Emelia brought Zena over to Steve’s for a playdate with Rose, since the girls were besties now. Steve told Zena that she had better style than her father in her sweet bunny outfit. Ryan thought he might have some buyers for the 4 bedroom, but wanted to check it out himself first, so they were killing two birds with one stone. As apartments had gone down in price, Steve’s had been $12 million, but now the same one upstairs was going for $8.995 million. Steve showed Ryan around his own place, and his closet was pretty amusing with a clothes rack where 50 of the same white T-shirts were hanging. Ryan thought if the price was right, the upstairs apartment would work for his clients. He thought Chelsea was the perfect neighborhood for a family new to NYC.

KJ was busting her ass looking for buyers, but had no offers yet. She told Jacopo that it was against odds, but she was hopeful for the weekend. In her interview, she said it would mean a lot to her to sell it the second time around. KJ had several showings, including a virtual one with an Italian architect who was looking for a second home, but she said the market was speaking loud and clear, and confirming what she thought – it was overpriced.

Ryan had good news and bad news for James. The apartment he’d liked had been sold. In Ryan’s interview, he said someone had literally swooped in and bought it, which sucked, since it was the only one James showed real interest in. The good news was that there was another off-market apartment available. It was the same exact layout and footage, but on the 46th floor (the other had been on the 50th), and on the opposite side of the building. The original price was $6.7 million, and had been dropped to $6.1 million, but Ryan thought he could get it down the mid fives. James wanted to see the view, but Ryan said there was no time. There was already a potential buyer who hadn’t pulled the trigger, but was in conversation. By the time he was able to show it to James, it would already be too late. This sloth of an Australian was literally learning the meaning of the American phrase, you snooze, you lose. Still, he said he’d need to see the floorplans and have a chat with Sammi before submitting an offer. In his interview, Ryan said James needed to act quickly or he’d lose this one too. He got on the phones with James and Sammi, and James suggested starting with 30% off the original asking price, which was $4.750 million. I literally laughed out loud. In Ryan’s interview, he said, while it could sometimes be bad giving a low offer when other buyers were already bidding, he didn’t know what the other offers were, and at least James’s foot was in the door. He sent Michelle the offer, which she said was too low, but $5.5 million would get the deal done. Since James seems to have a brain issue, he offered $5 million, to which Michelle said if he didn’t come up, they were going with the other buyer. Back on the phones, Sammi suggested $5.2 million, and Ryan said he was like the United Nations of real estate right now. Ryan put in the offer, and told James and Sammi that they’d pushed, and he was sorry, but James would have to buy a condo in NYC for $5.2 million. In his interview, he said, this was the future of real estate, selling anywhere, and it felt good.

Next time, an apartment 900 feet in the air selling for $29 million, and Ryan calls one of Fredrik’s clients directly

Photo

Steve’s Chelsea Building

📽 Could Be Worse…

At least he died doing what he loved.

https://ew.com/tv/general-hospital-jay-pickett-dies-movie-set/

🍽 Drama Be Damned…

No matter the drama, you still gotta eat.

https://pagesix.com/2021/08/03/ramona-singer-eboni-k-williams-have-dinner-amid-rhony-drama/

👠 And This Is Just the Beginning…

Speaking of Wives drama, the latest Erika news.

https://pagesix.com/2021/08/05/erika-jayne-accuses-garcelle-beauvais-of-betraying-her/

https://pagesix.com/2021/08/05/erika-jayne-feels-bravo-pulled-a-fast-one-with-garcelle-spat/

https://pagesix.com/2021/07/30/erika-jaynes-inconsistent-statements-from-rhobh-to-be-used-in-court/

🔧 David’s Condition…

These kids have a shrink already, right?

David Beador Allows Daughters to Film RHOC Under This One Condition After Producers Step in, Plus Shannon Beador Shares Why Ex Wanted to Block Kids From Show

⚰️ Bring Out Your Dead…

What’s going on with Season 11.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-final-season-11-original-story-not-from-comics-producer-denise-huth-the-reapers/

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-final-season-11-lauren-cohan-maggie-returns-different-person-denise-huth/

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-final-season-11-trailer-live-for-them-fight-survival-alexandria/

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-final-season-11-two-new-cast-members-ian-anthony-dale-laurie-fortier/

📬 Quotes of the Week

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

It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then. – Lewis Carroll

What you’re thinking is what you’re becoming. – Muhammad Ali

Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. – Dennis P. Kimbro

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. – Mark Twain

If you can’t laugh at yourself, at least let me do it. – Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen), Two and a Half Men

You’ve been given the innate power to shape your life…but you cannot just speak change, you have to LIVE change. Intent paired with action builds the bridge to success. You can’t just want it; you have to do it, live it…BE it! Success isn’t something you have, it’s something you DO!Steve Maraboli   

Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day. – Brad Meltzer

When two opposite points of view are expressed with equal intensity, the truth does not necessarily lie exactly halfway between them. It is possible for one side to be simply wrong. – Richard Dawkins

Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering. – Santosh Kalwar

🛣 Am I There Yet…?

This week has been at least a year long, but hey, there’s another one coming. Regrouping, but until then, stay safe, stay doing things you love, and stay being notoriously patient. It’s not just for psychopaths anymore.