Tag Archives: David Bowie

Dec19

December 18, 2024 – Nina Hires Martin For Willow, Early Soap Roll Call, Salty Talk, Guilty, Movie Watch, Keeping Warm & Drummer

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Elizabeth says, they have to find a connection between Dex and Sam other than her, and Lucky says, she had nothing to do with it. Aiden comes in and says, look who he found hanging around their front door. Cameron says, merry Christmas, and he and Elizabeth hug.

Walking into her apartment on the phone, Josslyn says she’s fine. She promises to call if she’s not. Love you too. She picks up a gift from under the tree and the tag says, To Dex, Love, Joss.

In a busy room, Felicia tells Jordan, a coat drive, a food pantry, a healthy clinic, and now flu shots. Does Jordan think it’s enough? It’s amazing. Jordan says she wants to do more, and Felicia says, she should be proud of putting all this together.

As Nina decorates, she says she’s not sure if she’s going to get done before Wiley and Amelia come out of the playroom. Ava asks if they’ve been in there all week, and Nina says, they love the new nanny she hired and so does Willow. Ava says, given time, Nina would bring in a real reindeer, and Nina says, she wants it to be special for Wiley and Amelia. Is it too much? Ava says she loves it, but Nina should make sure her eggnog is spiked.

Curtis shows Michael the early quarterly report, and Michael says, it’s way below market expectations. Curtis says, according to the final report, they’re doing well, but looking at the draft, it would be an easy mistake to make thinking it’s the final. What does Michael think would happen if it got leaked? Michael says, the stock price would crater, and Curtis says, if that happened, someone like Michael would be able to buy up the Aurora stock and be the majority shareholder. Then he can be officially named CEO like they planned.

On the phone in front of the coffee warehouse, Jason says, no one can hide from Spinelli, not even Valentin… Time isn’t something they have. Carly flies in and asks how could Jason not tell her that Willow cheated on Michael with Drew?

Jordan says, so far, so good, and Felicia says, it’s great. Jordan says, having the GH staff here put them over the top. She thanks Felicia for making it happen.

Cameron introduces Gretchen Ross, and Elizabeth asks if she’s the Gretchen from Music Theory. Gretchen says, so Cameron has been talking about her, and he says, her name come up once or twice. He and Lucky hug, and he introduces Lucky to Gretchen. He says, a lot has changed. Look how big Aiden is. Aiden says he didn’t stop growing when Cameron left, and Elizabeth asks if they’re hungry. She has food in the fridge, but nothing prepared. Cameron says he’s sorry he didn’t give her a heads up that he was coming early, but Elizabeth tells him not to apologize for her having more time with him. He says, about Christmas…

Trina comes into the apartment and says she thought Josslyn was at her mom’s. Josslyn says she was… Trina says, it doesn’t matter, and hugs her. She’s so sorry. Josslyn says she can’t feel anything.

Jason and Carly walk inside the warehouse, and Jason says, Carly can get mad at him, but first, how’s Josslyn? She says, not great. She wanted to go back to her apartment. He says, maybe that’s a good thing, and she says, maybe. Josslyn doesn’t need to worry about her brother’s marriage. He asks, what happened? and she says, Tracy blasted footage on the big screen at the Christmas party of Drew and Willow together. And by together she means… Jason says he knows what she means. She says, he saw the footage? and he says, Michael showed him. She asks if that’s why he beat up Drew, and he says, yes. She asks why he didn’t tell her, but he says, it wasn’t his place. It was Michael’s.

Curtis asks if Michael is comfortable leaking the early report, and Michael says, people could mistakenly conclude Aurora is on the verge of Chapter 11. Curtis says, a simple clerical error, and Michael says he has a friend at the Wall Street Journal that he could leak it to, but there’s something he needs to run by Curtis first. Curtis says, Michael isn’t backing out, and Michael says, not him. What about Curtis?

Willow says, Isaiah doesn’t fit the typical surgeon profile, and he says, because he’s not arrogant and self-important? She says she’s known surgeons like that… Not him. He says he loves helping people, and she says, her too, and it takes her mind off her own problems. Obviously, they don’t compare with what these people are going through. Drew walks in and Jordan gives him a look that makes me laugh.

Ava says she’s sorry to drop in on Nina’s holiday extravaganza when she’s dealing with this situation. Her trial is finally over. Nina says she’s happy Ava got off and glad she dropped by. When the dust settles, they’re going to have the most magnificent holiday. Ava says she’s never seen Nina is such a positive mood, and Nina says she’s never had her daughter and grandchildren with her. It’s a Christmas miracle. Michael has been standing between Willow and true happiness. She can finally have a relationship with her daughter. Ava says, for now, and Nina asks what she means. Ava says, Nina needs to hear this. Nina’s got to tell Willow about her and Drew before it’s too late.

Cameron says, Gretchen’s parents invited him to Key West for Christmas, and Lucky says, meeting the parents is a big step. Cameron says he feels bad. He knows Jake is in Barcelona aging up visiting his host family. Elizabeth says, he’s not missing anything. They’re going to celebrate Christmas today.  

Jordan says she didn’t expect to see Drew here, and he says he wanted to thank her for her amazing work taking care of the underserved. She says she’s a public servant and serving the community is her job, and he says, she’s good at it. He also wants to thank the GH staff.

Nina says she can’t tell Willow about her relationship with Drew. Not now. Ava says she tried to get Nina to do it before, and Nina says, Willow has to be able to know she can trust her. Ava says, she will if Nina tells her the truth about her involvement with Drew before Willow had feelings for him. Nina tells her that Willow will say she should have said something when she found out they kissed, and Ava says, then apologize and tell her why she didn’t. Nina says, that’s not going to work, and Ava says, nothing will work if she’s not honest and if Willow hears it from someone else. Nina says she has no choice. If she tells Willow about her and Drew, she’ll run back to Michael.

Curtis asks why he’d want to back out, and Michael says he wants Curtis to know everything before he goes ahead. Willow and Drew’s affair came out in front of the whole family. Curtis says, damn. He’s sorry. Michael says he wants to play out what that means. Drew was going to give him Aurora when he thought all Michael knew about was the kiss. Curtis says, to buy Michael’s silence, and Michael says, to keep the peace. Now there’s no peace. Drew blames him for the affair coming out. He’s not going to let Michael near Aurora. He knows he said Drew wouldn’t keep Curtis on if he didn’t take the position, but now with this chaos, there’s a chance he’ll keep Curtis on. So now that the truth is out, Curtis can call the whole thing off. Curtis says, no, he can’t.

Jason says, If Michael wanted Carly to know, he’d have told her, but Carly says, maybe not, but she encouraged Michael to give Drew a chance to prove he’s a good guy. Drew and Willow got close because she pushed Michael to trust Drew. Jason says, Drew and Willow are responsible for their own actions, and Carly says, Michael let Willow and the kids go with Nina because he’s still in love with Willow. She didn’t think he’d let her take the kids, but if he doesn’t get them back, they’re in for a hell of a fight. Jason says, call Diane. She lives for a good fight. Carly says, she’ll show Diane the video, it explains what a sleazebag his brother is.

Drew says he’s not surprised Willow is here, and she says she signed up weeks ago. He asks Isaiah if he can borrow Willow, and Jordan gives him another icy look. They go into the hallway, and Drew says he was hoping to see her. She says, they can’t be seen together, but he says he doesn’t care. All he cares about is himself her.

Elizabeth gives Cameron a grocery list for their Christmas feast, and he leaves with Gretchen. Lucky says, she’s handling it well, and she says she had a feeling this might happen. Whenever she asked when Cameron was coming home, she didn’t get a straight answer. Now she knows why. She can afford to be flexible. It’s nice to see her son happy.

Josslyn tells Trina that after the video, she went to the hospital to see Dex. When she got there, they were trying to revive Him. She’d just spoken to him, and he was completely fine. Then he was gone. Trina says she wishes Josslyn had called her, and Josslyn says, Anna was there, and Jason stayed with her until her mom came. Her mom wanted her to stay, but she can’t. She wants to be alone. Trina asks if Josslyn wants her to go, but Josslyn says, not her. She’s glad Trina is here, but everybody else is a million miles away. Trina says she knows the feeling, and Josslyn says she knows. She kept trying to remember what she told Trina when she lost Spencer. She thought it would help, but it doesn’t. Nothing helps. Trina says, nothing will for a while. If Josslyn wants to talk or not talk or be alone or have company or just sit and look at the tree, whatever Josslyn wants to do, she’s good with it. Josslyn thanks her and takes her hand. She says she keeps thinking about Oscar. Losing him was horrible, but she knew it was coming. With Dex, she never saw it coming, so how can he be gone when she never got to say goodbye?

Curtis says he can’t predict what Drew will do or not, but he can’t work for a man like that. Michael says, Drew knows he’s coming for him. The element of surprise is gone. Curtis says, he won’t know Michael had anything to do with the leak, and Michael says, if the stock doesn’t tank, Curtis will be left with no options. Curtis says he’s willing to take that risk, but Michael has to make him CEO. Michael says, that was always the plan, but Curtis says, before he hits send and in writing. For the next five years, he’s permanent CEO of Aurora. He can’t be forced out or asked to step down. It’s his one condition. Take it or leave it.  

Nina tells Ava that if Michael takes Willow back, she’ll be indebted to him for the rest of her life and it’s not the kind of life she wants for her daughter. Ava says, what if Willow wants that for herself? and Nina says, she’s infatuated with Drew because she couldn’t admit Michael is the wrong man for her. If she needs to believe Drew was her savior to leave Michael, so be it. When he goes to Washington, Willow will stay here and rebuild her life and find her own identity away from the Quartermaines. Ava says, it could happen, but people make strange choices when their marriage ends. There’s a knock at the door, and Nina says, that’s why you have to expect the unexpected. She’s way ahead of Ava. She opens the door and Martin is there.

Drew says he’s worried about Willow. How is it going at her mom’s? She says, it’s great, but hard. Carly tried to stop them, but Michael agreed that the kids belong with their mother. He says he’s glad Michael sees that, especially since he was keeping the video from her, and she says, he was hurt and she doesn’t blame him. He loves his kids. Drew says he’s sorry, but being with her meant something to him. He won’t have the Quartermaines turn it into something cheap. She says, right now, she needs to focus on her kids. She’s made mistakes that affect them and has to protect them. Drew is being sworn into congress and can’t be caught up in a scandal.

Carly wonders how she couldn’t see Drew was lying, and Jason says, it’s unfortunate, but it doesn’t negate the good things he did. He rescued Liesl Obrecht and save Willow’s life. He went to prison for Carly.  She says, he’s not the hero she thought he was and doesn’t owe him a damn thing. He says, her feelings are hers, not Michael’s. Michael has to figure it out for himself. She says, don’t tell her to back off. He had a shot at Drew. Let her have hers.

Elizabeth says, the heartbreak over Josslyn sent Cameron to California, and Lucky says, he thought distance kept heartbreak from catching up, but it doesn’t. She says she’s glad Cameron found someone he likes, and he says, it looks like she likes him back. Cameron and Gretchen return, and Cameron asks if they’re going to be meeting Tobias soon, but Aiden says, he went to Disneyland with his parents for Christmas, but they’re not at meeting the family yet. Elizabeth asks if Aiden thinks she’ll embarrass him, and Cameron says, they’ll put the groceries in the kitchen. Elizabeth tells Lucky that she’s glad the kids are happy on their own, and he says, she’s pretty great with only her.

Martin asks why he’s here, and Nina says, her daughter Willow left her husband and needs an attorney to steer her through the divorce. She also wants him to help her secure primary custody. Martin asks if she’s not being hasty. Not all separations end in divorce. Nina says, this one will, but Martin says, maybe they’ll reconcile. Nina says she’s sure they won’t, and Martin says, a lot has happened, and he gets the urgency, but he has to ask. Where is Willow and what does she want?

Drew tells Willow, there won’t be a scandal. The only people who know are his family and his family doesn’t want it to come out any more than they do. She says, the children won’t be celebrating Christmas with their father. They’ll see him, but it won’t be the same. What about him? He’s not staying at the Quartermaines anymore. He says he got a room at the Cosmopolitan and he and Scout will celebrate there. She says, until then, he’ll be alone. Jordan continues staring daggers at him, and Felicia says, if looks were lethal, Drew would be in big trouble. Jordan says, he is, and she has to do something to stop him from making a bigger mistake than he already has. Felicia asks if there’s anything she can do to help, and Jordan says, there is something Felicia can do for her and Willow. Willow tells Drew that he’s welcome to come to Nina’s and bring Scout (is she insane???), when Felicia joins them. She says she doesn’t mean to interrupt, but she needs help with the first aid kits. She doesn’t know what goes in the boxes. Willow leaves with her.

Michael signs the document and the notary signs and stamps it. Michael gives it to Curtis, who says, it’s all good. He thanks the notary and she leaves. Michael says, once he leaks this, there’s no going back, and Curtis says, damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead. Michael hits send.

Lucky shows Gretchen pictures, and Cameron says, it’s embarrassing. He goes into the kitchen and says he’s sorry he didn’t tell Elizabeth, but she says she understands. She wants him to be happy. He seems happy with Gretchen. He says he is, but he’s taking it slow. He would have told her sooner, but he wanted to make sure things were real. She says she really does understand, and he says, it took him a long time to get over Joss. He didn’t want to jump into anything before he knew what it really was. She says, it’s tough not jumping in unless you’re just looking for a fun distraction, and he says he’s not a fun distraction kind of guy. He really likes Gretchen. She says, Gretchen really likes him too, and he says he thinks so. He hopes so. Again, he’s sorry. She says, stop. Apology accepted. They go to the living room, and Aiden asks if they can open presents. Elizabeth says she didn’t know Gretchen would be here, but Aiden says he has a present for her upstairs. Cameron says he has presents for everyone in his suitcase… which went to Key West. He sucks at Christmas. Elizabeth says, it doesn’t matter. He’s here. There’s only one other thing she wants. Will he play them a song?

Josslyn tells Trina that when Dex was working for Sonny, she was sure she’d lose him. She thought he was safer being a cop. She was so stupid. He said she was the reason he stopped working for Sonny and wanted to turn his life around. If she’s the reason he became a cop, she’s the reason he’s dead. Trina says, she can’t think like that. When Spencer died, that’s exactly what she did, and that kind of thinking goes nowhere good. Josslyn says, their situations are different, but Trina says she blamed herself that Spencer was in Paris and Esme wasn’t locked up. She thought he would be alive if she hadn’t fallen for him in the first place. Josslyn says, so would Dex, and Trina says, stop. She has to give herself time. After a while, she’ll be grateful for the time she had with Dex like she’s grateful for her time with Spencer. Josslyn says she hopes so. She doesn’t know how long she can survive feeling this way. Trina says, Josslyn can handle more than she thinks. Eventually she’ll get to the place Trina did. They loved each other and that’s a good thing. When she finally let herself live again, she found moments of happiness. Spencer would want that for her. Josslyn says, Trina is stronger than her, and Trina says, she’ll get there. She’ll figure out a way for herself. Dex would want that for her too.

Isaish says he’s vaccinated everyone within a five-mile radius and asks Jordan if he can help. She tells him to grab the box of donated coats, and they can sort through it. He brings the box over, and Jordan looks at Drew, making a face. (I laugh because she’s so good at this.) Isaiah says, thanks for inviting him, and she says, it’s her favorite part of being Deputy Mayor. He says, she’s in her element, and she says she’d rather this than network. She loves working with Laura, but it feels good to be here with the people she’s serving. Even if it’s a little thing, she feels like she’s doing something. He says, it’s not a little thing. He vaccinated a girl who she helped pick out a coat. It was purple. She says, purple was the girl’s favorite color, and he says, it’s her favorite coat. When he was giving her the shot, she kept talking about it. Jordan says, what about the shot? and he says, she didn’t flinch. She was braver than most adults. What about her? She says, not yet.

Nina says she’s helping Willow get the preliminaries out of the way while she’s doing some good works, and Ava tells them, nothing says merry Christmas like a divorce lawyer on retainer. Nina says she knows going against the Quartermaines is not an easy task. She was hoping Martin would know how to handle them. He says, that depends. What precipitated the breakup? Nina says, Willow had a brief, unfortunate relationship with Michael’s uncle. It’s not her fault. She was vulnerable and he took advantage. Martin says, nonetheless, Michael is the injured party, and Willow isn’t Wiley’s biological mother. Nina says, Willow legally adopted him, and Martin says, to be honest, Michael’s family has power, contacts, and very deep pockets. They won’t let the children go without a helluva fight.

Jason says, if Carly has to go after Drew, go, but leave Michael out of it. She says she’s not sure she can do that, but he says, she can do anything. She says, like him? and he says he thought he wanted to hurt Drew, but he regrets it. She says, so do as I say, not as I do? and he says he can’t undo it, but it’s not too late for her to stay out of it. She says she’s not the type of person who turns the other cheek. Drew and Willow hurt her son. Now it’s time for them to start paying for it.

Josslyn says she’s lucky she has Trina in her life. She doesn’t know what she’d do without Trina and her family. Trina says she’s glad to be here for Josslyn, and Josslyn says her too. Dex never got anything like this. He didn’t get so much as a phone call or a card from his family at Christmas. Trina says, he had her. He wasn’t alone. Josslyn says, that’s why it’s up to her to make sure he gets justice.

Cameron plays guitar and sings The First Noel. Lucky joins him on the chorus.

Sitting in a chair, Jordan tells Isaiah that she’s ready to get it over with. If she faints, promise he’ll catch her. He says he gave her the shot, and she says, he’s good.

Felicia says, it would be great to get the kids together during the holidays, but Willow says, it’s up in the air. Felicia says, let her know, and Willow says she’ll get back to her. Willow looks at Drew, and Felicia watches. Felicia says, with everything going on, Willow is busy. Don’t worry about not getting the kids together. Willow says she’s sure they can work everything out. Drew’s phone dings, and he sees Aurora’s stock is tanking.  

Curtis says, that didn’t take long. It’s already falling. On the phone, Michael says, when the stock hits 15, start buying. Buy it all.

Nina says, the Quartermaines have considerable resources, but so does she. She’ll spend whatever it takes to make sure Willow gets custody of her children. Martin asks if Willow is ready for that kind of fight. It will get long, costly, and very ugly. Nina says, Michael probably has Diane building a case now, so Willow will be ready. She has to be.

Jason says, do not make Willow and Drew pay, but Carly says she is. Jason says, no. She’s a good mom and he knows she’ll put Michael’s needs above hers. She says she hates this for Michael, but she knows he’s right. She’ll let Michael take the lead, but if she gets the chance to make Drew pay, she’s going to take it for what he did. She walks out, and Jason sighs.

Tomorrow, Nina tells Willow that Drew isn’t someone she should rely on; Drew wonders why Curtis isn’t concerned that his company is in trouble; Tracy asks what business Martin could possibly have with Michael; and Michael tells Chase that Drew is going to pay for blowing up his marriage.

🥀 This Year’s Losses…

Saluting those who made a contribution to the soap world.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/abc/remembering-the-soap-stars-we-lost-this-year

🧂 Rubbing Salt In the Wound…

Britani complained of crickets after making an announcement about her daughter at dinner. Bronwyn wondered if Britani was bothered because it was about her daughter or because attention wasn’t paid when she announced the announcement. Britani called her a bitch, and in Bronwyn’s interview, she said, if Lisa was called a bitch and she didn’t jump to defend her, she would hear about it until her death. When she pointed it out to Lisa, Lisa said it wasn’t her job to defend Bronwyn. Alrighty then.

On another note, I used to like Heather because I thought she was authentic – a rarity in reality – but now she’s just one more Housewife.

The whole scoop.

RHOSLC Recap: Bronwyn Tearfully Reveals Todd Cheated on Her During Marriage, Lisa Calls Whitney a “Lying B—ch” & Cries After Angie Insinuates She’s Fake, Plus Britani Accuses the Ladies of Not Being Supportive and Mary’s Son Heads to Rehab

Bronwyn’s confession.

https://people.com/rhoslc-bronwyn-newport-reveals-daughter-caught-husband-todd-bradley-cheating-8763940

These women are evil. 1) This is a reality show. We’re supposed to be watching real life. 2) Cheating always comes out anyway. 3) If he didn’t want it ever coming out, he shouldn’t have done it. Shame on them for shaming Bronwyn for being real on a reality show.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhoslc-cast-slams-bronwyn-newport-revealing-todd-bradley-cheated-exclusive

👠 Fixing Her Crown…

Apparently, the Grand Dame doesn’t think she should be judged on the same scale as the rest of us peasants.

https://people.com/real-housewives-of-potomac-star-karen-huger-found-guilty-of-dui-8639972

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

In addition to the too many series I’m juggling, I watched Subservience. Megan Fox was great, but it was an incredibly unoriginal story. Her robot could have been replaced by a nanny, an orphan, a stalker, and any other beautiful woman who works their way into the home of a married dude with a child and then tries to take over, wife or not.

https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/netflix/netflixs-new-no-1-movie-is-a-dark-sci-fi-thriller-starring-megan-fox-but-opinions-are-split

Panned Megan Fox Film Becomes Top Movie On Netflix

🐶 Sweater Weather…

Normally, I don’t pay much attention to the Kardashians, but I’m always up for a dog in a holiday sweater.

https://people.com/kylie-jenner-dogs-christmas-sweaters-photo-dachshunds-8763303

🌲 A Lingering Season…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a little Charm. Until then, stay safe; stay keeping toasts short and sweet; and stay expecting the unexpected.

Jan26

January 25, 2024 – Jordan Requests Brick’s Help, Hand It Over, Early Star, Nina’s Message, Bad Choice Of Words, A Goodbye, Feline Travelers, Happy Birthday & Space

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At The Savoy, Robert puts a bouquet on one of the tables and asks N’neka what she thinks. She says, elegant, but not fussy, and he says, that’s exactly what he wanted. There’s already been one celebration here tonight. This’ll be just one more. About that other thing he wanted… She says, that’ll be ready to go in about fifteen minutes, and he says, perfect. He slips her some cash, and she says, wow. The woman of his dreams must be pretty special. He says, she is. Very special… indeed. Diane walks in followed by Sonny and Alexis.

On the phone, Finn tells Violet that he won’t be home to tuck her in tonight… Because he’s at work… Working… Okay, he’ll do his best. Be good for the babysitter… He loves her too. He loves her so much. Elizabeth asks if Violet is okay, and he says, she told him to save a lot of lives. Depending on how this trial goes, he may not be able to save lives anymore.

Jordan opens the door to Brick and thanks him for coming. He says he had to, to mark this unprecedented occasion.

Kristina tells Molly, counting 40 days from the day of conception, her niece – or nephew – is going to be a Libra, which means they’re going to be intelligent and curious, just like Molly and TJ. There’s a knock at the door, and Molly opens it to TJ. He says, she called at a good time. His last two patients rescheduled. What’s going on? Is Kristina okay? Molly says, Kristina’s pregnant, and he says, it worked? Molly says, it worked. They’re going to be parents. He hugs her.

Walking into the station, Chase asks if Dante is sure there are only 24 hours in the day, because he’s pretty sure that defense attorney had them on the stand longer than that. (I feel his pain. Not about being on the stand, but a day that must be more than 24 hours.) Dante says he’s never been cross-examined to that degree, and Chase says, it would have been faster if they’d reenacted the entire crime and investigation for the jury. (Ha-ha!) Dante says, but then the defense attorney couldn’t have asked him the same question like, 29 times. Chase says he’d almost rather Diane Miller cross-examine him… Dante gives him a look, and Chase tells him that he said, almost. Dante says he has to bring in Esme Prince and ask her for a statement, when Laura comes in and says, they’ll have to do more than that if they’re going to keep Port Charles safe.

Laura says, Heather Webber told her that she wants Esme to go to prison, and Dante says, wow. He never thought he’d agree with Heather Webber on anything. Laura says, she wants her daughter close to her so she can look after her, and Dante says, she’s not going to be looking after her if she’s in prison. The state will. Laura says, according to Heather, Esme came to visit her as soon as Ace was taken. Heather tried to convince her to run away before they could reinstate the charges against her, and Esme said, no. She said it was because of Ace, but Heather thinks it’s because she wants revenge. Chase says, it takes a psycho to know a psycho, and Dante says, so Spencer was right. Esme remembers everything. Laura says, Heather confirmed it, but Chase says, she’s not the most reliable though. Heather Webber has zero credibility. She has to be working an angle. Laura says, agreed. She’s not to be trusted, but she thinks, in Heather’s own crazy way, she seems to genuinely care about her daughter. She seems determined to save her. Chase says, great. Esme almost hurt a lot of people, and that was before she wanted payback. Laura says, now she’s desperate and she has nothing to lose. They’ve got to arrest her before she does something terrible. (Um… The mayor has no concept of the law?) Dante says, he’s sorry, but they can’t do that.

Brick says, the Deputy Mayor was the last person he expected to call asking him for information, but Jordan says she reached out as a private citizen. He says, a private citizen who used to be the Police Commissioner, and she says, let it go, for the purposes of this conversation at least. He says, okay. So why is he here? She says she’s been working on a project – off the books – and asks him to have a seat. She tells him that she was looking for someone with detective prowess who could also keep a secret. She thought he’d be the perfect man for the job. He says, perfect man… prowess… So much flattery packed into a couple of sentences. Not that he minds. She asks if they can talk about this, and he says, okay. He wonders why she thinks she can’t talk to the PCPD about this project, but she says she can’t involve the PCPD. It could put them in a bad spot. He says, but she doesn’t mind dragging him into this? and she says, he is the bad spot. He laughs and says he appreciates her directness, but maybe they should lean towards the flattery again. She says, he’s a known associate of Sonny Corinthos. She’s aware of his skillset and knows he can be discreet. He says, she seems to know a lot about him, and she says, they have a file. He says he appreciates her going through the trouble. What’s in the file? She says, that’s classified, and he says, the good stuff usually is. So what’s the mission, should he choose to accept it?

Robert says he sees Diane brought back-up, and she says, Sonny and Alexis? She ran into them outside. But considering how their last date went, back-up might have been a good idea. He says he’s hoping they can put all that behind them tonight, and she says she hopes so too. He says, she looks especially beautiful this evening, and she says, he’s off to a rousing start. She sees the flowers, along with a bottle of champagne and glasses, and says, this is lovely. He says he wanted to show her just how much she means to him, and she listens to the music for a moment. She says she loves this song. Was that his doing too? He says, it was. Would she care to dance? She says, no, and he says, no? He thought all women loved guys who danced. She says, that certainly depends on the woman. She does, but then again, she’s a fabulous dancer, despite her penchant for leading. (Same.) But she doesn’t want a dance partner tonight. He says, whatever she’s looking for, tell him and it’s hers, and she says, okay. An apology.

At the bar, Alexis tells Sonny that she was at a convention out of town. It started early and ran late. She got a Ride Share and he dropped her two blocks from here and she didn’t want to miss Spencer, so she ran all the way here, for nothing. What about him? He says he had some business to take care of. He missed the party, but he said his goodbyes outside. She thanks him for keeping her company. She really wasn’t looking forward to going home anyway. She goes home and thinks about all the things she has to do and then she worries about everything. She doesn’t think he was in much of a rush to get home either, was he? He says he’s going to go there after he leaves here. He saw Kristina. He takes it they haven’t spoken lately. She says she’s just respecting some boundaries, taking a step back. She thinks she overstepped. He says, her? Overstep? She says, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? and he says he thinks it’s good she’s taking a step back. She says, it’s not like she has a choice, and he says, whatever the reason, it’s a good thing. She says she hopes so, because it’s killing her.

TJ says he can’t stop smiling, and Molly says, her neither. He says, they’re going to have a baby. He thanks Kristina and hugs her. She says she’s honored to be a part of it, and he says, she’s so much more. She made the most wonderful thing happen for them and they’ll never be able to thank her enough. Kristina says, the look on their faces right now is all the thanks she needs. He says, she might feel differently during labor. How is she feeling? Don’t hesitate to tell her OB if she’s feeling… Kristina tells him that he doesn’t have to be a doctor right now. Just be a dad. It’s okay. TJ says he’s going to be a dad, and Molly says she can’t wait to hold the baby and smell that little baby smell. He says, and play airplane while they feed their baby mashed bananas and smile like idiots while they wipe the mashed bananas off their baby’s face… Molly says, and our hair… Kristina says, and the floor and the chair… TJ stops smiling, and Molly asks, what’s wrong? He says he can’t help but think they got excited like this before. They talked about this before and it didn’t work out.

Elizabeth says, Violet will love Finn no matter what job he has. She thinks he hung the moon, and she happens to think Violet is right. And she’s convinced he’s going to win this lawsuit. He says he’s grateful for her conviction. He wishes he shared it. Tomorrow the trial starts, and his future will be in the hands of twelve people in the jury box. Twelve people who never practiced medicine, who apparently only care if he’s nice or likeable. How does he defend himself without coming across as defensive? How does he share his medical expertise without being arrogant? She says, he’s passionate about his job. He cares deeply about his patients. That will come through, and in the end, those twelve people will wish he was their doctor. He asks how she can be so confident, and she says, because she’s inspired by him every day. He says, that might be the nicest thing she’s ever said to him, and hugs her. He can’t imagine going through this without her. Martin knocks at the door and says, apologies, including for the late arrival. He’s afraid it was unavoidable. Now why did Finn need to see him?

Molly tells TJ that they’re using a new surrogate now. What are the odds of that happening to them twice? He says he thinks it happens to anyone. The first trimester is so delicate. Kristina makes them sit and tells them that they’re not spiraling down this rabbit hole. They have to have a little faith and just take a breath. TJ says, she’s right, and Kristina says, none of them knows what the future holds, but if the worst-case scenario does happen, then they’re going to handle it, the three of them, together. And if and when they’re ready, they can try again. Most importantly, they’re a team now. TJ tells her, if he hasn’t said it before, she’s a rock star, and she says she knows. Her sister is just like her, but better.

Alexis tells Sonny, it’s not like she doesn’t talk to the girls at all. She just keeps the conversation light and superficial. She wants to be careful not to alienate them. He says she shouldn’t worry so much, and she says, why? Does he know something she doesn’t know? Has he spoken to Kristina? He says he’s not going to break any confidences here, but he believes she knows Alexis’s heart was in the right place. She says, good. She appreciates that, but she thinks they would prefer she keep her distance and she wants to respect that. He says, no matter how badly she wants to? and she says, Molly is going to be a mom and Kristina’s going to carry her baby. What could go wrong? So she’s just going to bring joy into their lives and enjoy their journey. He says, she has to keep following their lead. Look what happened to him. He lost his family because of the pain he caused them. She doesn’t want that in her life. She says she just wants to reiterate this one thing again. The laws regarding fertility and reproduction are like the wild west, specifically… He says, does she know how many times she’s said this to him already? and she says, he thinks she’s neurotic, doesn’t he, and he just wants her to shut up and be a grandma. He says, she’s already said her concerns about the girls. Just move on. She says she’s trying, when both of their phones ring. She says, Molly, and he says, Kristina.

Jordan says she knows she asked Brick here, but she has to go. He says, too bad. They were just getting to know each other’s files. She says, they’re not going to talk about her and she’s already familiar with his file. He asks if she ever wonders about stuff that’s not in the files, and she says she can live with the mystery. He says, really? He would have expected the opposite. She says she’s been defying expectations her whole life, and he says he’d like to hear more about that. She says she’s been in touch with a contact. They were supposed to provide her with some information and reach out with a location, but she hasn’t heard back. He says, and she’d like him to track her contact down, and she says, they may have broken off contact because of certain… complications. He says, what kind? and she says, the federal kind. He says, what exactly is the nature of this project? and she says she can’t tell him. He says he sees. Let him get this straight. She wants him to put his neck on the line, with certain agencies he might add, but she doesn’t want to tell him why. She says, it’s better for everyone if she doesn’t, and he says he recalls her using words like discreet and knows how to keep a secret just a minute ago. She says she did, and she meant it. He says, good, because he knows how to keep all secrets – past, present, and future. She says she doesn’t doubt that, but she needs to keep the circle of trust small. For now. If he does this for her, she’ll owe him a favor as Deputy Mayor, no questions asked. He says he does love being owed, but he wants inside that small circle soon. She says, one step at a time, and he says, okay. He’ll start by triangulating her contact’s whereabouts. She says she’s not giving him her phone, but he says he doesn’t need her phone, just her number. He hands her his phone and she puts the number in. She says, don’t abuse it, and he says he wouldn’t dream of it. He leaves, and in the hallway, he puts his phone in his pocket and says, yeah. Gotcha now. I guess there’s my answer about where Zeke is. He’s been replaced.

Dante says, if the DA can reinstate some or all of the charges, then they’ll get a warrant for Esme’s arrest, and Laura says she’s already talked to Robert about it. He’s got one of his ADAs make one up right now. He’s hoping to get a judge to sign off on it tonight. He says, that’s great. They wait for them, then make a move. She asks if there isn’t anything they could do in the meantime. Heather really made it seem like Esme was primed to do something drastic. He says he could bring her in on some false pretense and see if he can get her to spill about the stuff she did with Cameron and Joss and Trina. Maybe that would be long enough to hold her for 24 hours, or at least long enough for Robert to reestablish the charges again. Chase joins them and says, 24 hours is better than nothing, and Dante says, but the problem is, Esme hasn’t been charged with a crime. Visiting her mother’s not illegal. Nikolas on the other hand, is a fugitive. He held Esme prisoner for months and is facing charges of kidnapping and assault. He’s got Esme’s child. In the eyes of the law, Esme is going to be looked at as the victim here. Laura says, then they should tell her that. She doesn’t want Esme to be badgered or bullied in any way. She just wants her contained so she’s safe from herself and they can get all of this other stuff sorted out. Chase says he’ll go with Dante as back-up, and Laura says, her too. She really thinks she can talk Esme off the ledge. Dante says, let’s just hope she hasn’t already disappeared.

Martin says he knows Finn is nervous, but his trial starts tomorrow. His advice is that Finn do something he enjoys, as long as it has nothing to do with the lawsuit or medicine. Cook a good meal. Watch a game. Maybe parcheesi. Listen to music. The fact is, he’s as prepared as he’s ever going to be, and worrying about things that haven’t happened yet is counterproductive. Finn says, as much as he’d like to take Martin’s advice, they’ve found something that might help with his defense. Martin says, and he’s just hearing about it now? and Elizabeth says, they weren’t sure it would do any good. They’re still not. Martin suggests they let him be the judge, and Finn says, Dennis Muldoon saw another doctor in Beechers Corners months before Muldoon ever approached him.

Robert says he’s sorry if he’s upsetting Diane. Shall we dance? He holds out his hand, and she says, he’s sorry for what exactly? He says, for… upsetting you of course (🍷), and she says, yes, of course (🍷). Absolutely. Because? He says he has no idea what he did, and she says, not a clue? Not an inkling? He says he’s not a mind reader, and she says, this time we have the DNA evidence to connect Corinthos to a crime and finally put the bastard away. Your guy’s going down… love, and there’s not a thing you can do about it. He tells her that when she says it that way, it sounds aggressive, and she says she’s sorry. Was there a more lighthearted, festive version he wanted to relay? He says he’s confused. They enjoy sparring with one another. She says she loves sparring with him. That wasn’t sparring. That crossed a line. Forget crossed, it blew right past it. He says he’s still confused, and she says she’s confused as to why. He says, none of that was about her. He was talking about Sonny. He was talking about taking down a defendant in court. Frankly, he’s not sorry about any of that.

Kristina says, Alexis and Sonny have great timing, and Alexis says, they were together when she called. They ran into each other at The Savoy. Kristina says, they were hanging out at The Savoy? and Alexis says, they don’t typically hang out, but when she’s with Kristina’s dad, he is… Sonny says, amazing. They were saying goodbye to Spencer again. Kristina says, that’s right. He and Trina are off to Paris. There’s a knock at the door, and TJ says, that’s probably his mom. He lets Jordan in, and they hug. Molly says, it looks like the gang’s all here, and Kristina thanks Jordan for coming. She knows this was a spur of the moment thing, but they have some news they wanted to share, and they didn’t want to wait. The procedure worked, and she’s pregnant with Molly and TJ’s baby. Obviously, they’re going to confirm it with a blood test, but… Sonny says, congratulations to all of them, and TJ tells Jordan, congratulations mee-maw. (I say, Jordan is not a mee-maw.) Jordan says, don’t ruin this.

Finn says, the doctor could only speak in hypotheticals, but she said if she did see a patient similar to Muldoon, she would have referred him to an oncologist, but they don’t know if Muldoon ever followed up on that referral. Martin says, they waited until the eleventh hour to tell him because this Dr. Sawyer isn’t willing to go on the record? and Elizabeth says, she skirted the line, but she definitely said enough to confirm it. Finn says, they don’t even know the name of the oncologist Muldoon was supposed to see, and Elizabeth says, right now, it just seems like a dead end. Martin says, not necessarily. There is one avenue they can explore.

Diane says, so Robert didn’t actually mean his apology? and he says he’s sorry for being unnecessarily harsh, but it’s his job to put men like Sonny away. She says, not just men like Sonny – Sonny. It has become abundantly obvious that he has a personal, and she might add highly unprofessional, vendetta against her client. He says, does he enjoy watching a known racketeer hide behind family and friends, hell, even the mayor? No, he doesn’t. Unlike Sonny, he works within the law. He can’t prosecute unless he has evidence. This time he has evidence. She says, and he couldn’t wait to use it. Here’s the crux of her problem – he gloated. He says, tell him something. Is she offended by the fact he might win or that Sonny might lose?

Alexis says she’s so happy that this is finally happening for Molly, and Molly says, is she though? Tell her the truth. Is she actually happy this is happening?

At The Invader offices, Dante says, no sign of Esme. He checked the breakroom and the lunchroom. He’s running out of rooms. Laura says, maybe she’s gone for the day, and Chase says, maybe Alexis knows where she is. They walk into Alexis’s office and see Doc on the floor, unconscious. Laura runs to him, and Chase says he’s going to call dispatch. Dante says, he’s still breathing, and Laura says, he has a pulse. They’ve got to get him to the hospital. Can he hear her? Please wake up. She taps his face lightly and says, what happened? Tell her.

Martin says he knows several private investigators that can help them out, including Sam McCall. One way or another, he’s going to get somebody looking for this unspecified oncologist tonight. At the risk of sounding like a cliché, if there’s a chance Muldoon had an inkling he had cancer, it will blow Finn’s cased wide open. Finn says, even if they do find this oncologist, they don’t know if they can provide anything that will help the case, but Martin says, leave that to him. What about the things Finn can control? Namely his testimony. For God’s sake, remember, only answer the question asked. Martin doesn’t want him to elaborate or help out. No information is offered unless explicitly asked about. Got it? Finn says he’s got it. Martin and Alexis have been abundantly clear. Martin says, good, because Finn’s testimony is either going to save him or damn him.

Alexis says she’s always and forever on Kristina’s side and TJ’s side and Molly’s side. She’s thrilled for both of them. She hugs them, and Molly asks Jordan if she can believe this, and hugs her. Alexis tells TJ, congratulations. He has to know how happy she is that her daughter found the perfect partner. He says he got pretty lucky too, and she says, they’re going to be great parents. She hugs him, and Jordan says, yes, they are. TJ says he has to add that at this early stage of their pregnancy, they’re not telling anyone who’s not in this room that they’re pregnant. Alexis’s phone rings, and she steps away. TJ says, they’ll make a big announcement after the first trimester, and Sonny says, nobody is going to know anything until they say so. TJ thanks him, and Kristina says she bought a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne just for this occasion. Jordan says, that sounds good, but Alexis says she’ll have to take a raincheck. Sonny asks, what’s going on? and she says, just an incident at work. Molly asks if everything is okay, and Alexis says, everything will be fine. It’s a beautiful night. Don’t let this ruin it. She tells Molly and Kristina that she loves them, and dashes out.

Diane says, Robert has lost her. She doesn’t understand the distinction, because no attorney likes to lose. He says, there’s an impartial nature here between the attorney/client relationship, and she asks where he went to law school. That is absolutely not true. She’s extremely partisan. She’s her client’s advocate. He says, come on. She’s gotten the better of him in court more than once. She’s smart as a whip. Too smart to believe that someone like Sonny is innocent of all the charges he’s faced over the years. She says, it doesn’t matter what she believes or what she knows or what she understands. It is her duty, it is her obligation as a defense attorney to provide the best, the most vigorous defense possible. One that is rooted in logic and evidence, for her clients. Anything less, and she’s derelict of her duty. He says, this is a whole lot more than a client just getting a vigorous defense, and she asks why she feels like he wants her to say something. He says he just wants her honesty, and she says, okay. He says, is Sonny her client, or is that murdering bastard her friend? She says, Sonny Corinthos is one of her best friends. Now does that change the way he looks at her?

Chase asks Alexis if Esme Prince was in this morning, and she says she saw Esme when she came in. She seemed fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. Although she doesn’t think Esme would have clocked in until after she left. Chase asks if Esme has access to her office, and Alexis says, she does. So does the cleaning staff. Why is Esme his focus? An officer tells Chase that they found something, and hands him a paper inside an evidence bag.

Elizabeth says, your testimony could damn you? What happened to, Finn having a relaxing evening? Martin says, forgive him. He doesn’t mean to sound alarmist. As discussed, it’s almost certain Miss Miller is going to raise questions about Finn’s substance abuse. Elizabeth says, Finn’s been sober for years. His past addiction can’t be used against him now, can it? Martin says, if it is, he’ll object on the grounds of medical privacy, but there’s a chance he’ll be overruled, and the judge will allow Miss Miller to ask Finn questions about his drug use. Finn says, so not only does he have to defend himself as a doctor, he has to defend his sobriety as well, and Martin says, forewarned is forearmed. Those questions get asked, just answer truthfully and forcefully. The fact is, they only have his word that he was sober when he treated Muldoon. In the end, that’s all this trial is really about. Just make sure when he gets on that stand, the jury meets the man Martin knows him to be, and he’ll win.

Robert says he sees Diane as a sharp, passionate woman, and she says, they have that in common at least. He says he admires her desire to go that extra distance for her clients. That will never change. She says, but he doesn’t approve of her friendship with Sonny, and he says, she knows what Sonny’s done. He guesses he can’t understand how she looks past that. She says she would think it’s similar to how he can look past all the blood on Anna’s hands, and he says, that’s different. She asks, how is that different? and he says, she’s the mother of his child. Diane says, Sonny also has children, but she guesses that doesn’t give him a special dispensation as far as Robert is concerned. What about Holly? He says, what about her? and she says, as far as she knows, Holly didn’t bear any of his children, yet he can look past her alleged crimes? He says he can’t be responsible for everyone he went out with, and she says, no one’s asking him to. She’s also not judging him. Because she knows there’s more to both Anna and Holly than meets the eye. Just as there is more to Sonny. So can he accept she’s friends with Sonny without holding it against her? He asks if she can accept it’s his mission to put people like Sonny away, and she says, and if she can’t?

Sonny says he wants to make a toast. Having a child can be difficult at times, but it’s one of the most incredible experiences a person can have. He just wants to say he’s so happy they’re going to be able to share in the joy of watching their child grow up. Just like he did. Jordan says, to all of them and to her new grandchild, and they all clink glasses and say, cheers!

A doctor comes out of the room where Doc is, and Laura asks, how’s her husband? The doctor says, he’s stable. He’s sending Doc for tests now. She asks if she can see him first, and he says, just for a minute. On the verge of tears, she goes in and goes to Doc’s bedside. She smooths his hair and asks him to come back to her. Please. She takes his hand and says she needs him to tell her what she already knows in her bones, that it was Esme who did this. She promises she’ll bring Esme to justice. There are still so many things she and Doc want to do together, and she doesn’t want to do one more minute of this life without him.

In the hallway on the phone, Dante asks if Chase found anything, and Chase says, a letter to Esme from a woman named Maggie. Dante says, Maggie Fitzgerald? That was Esme’s old nanny. Chase tells him, she said she took a position with another family, and she wants Esme to come visit. (Wait. What? Wasn’t she involved with the whole Ryan thing? Why would she be inviting Esme over?) Dante asks, where? and Chase says, Toronto.

Martin says, if they’ll forgive him, he’s going to track down Sam, get her looking for that mystery oncologist. He points at Finn and says, deep breath. He leaves, and Finn says, deep breath. He takes one and says, so much for relaxing. Elizabeth says, it’s not over yet. There’s still time. He asks what she suggests, and she says her boys are having a sleepover, which means her house is empty. She can cook him dinner, they can listen to music… or he could listen to the game… He says, always music. Maybe some from that playlist she made when they were driving to Vermont. She says, after that, who knows? She puts her arms around him and asks if he’s good at parcheesi. He says he’s excellent at parcheesi… and a lot of things, and kisses her.

Robert says he guesses they’ve reached an impasse, and Diane says she would never ask him to apologize for who he is and what he does. He says, and he doesn’t want her to apologize for caring about Sonny. She says, what happens if they can never fully see eye to eye on this issue? and he asks, where does that leave them? He knows he’s not always good at expressing himself with these things, but he really does care about her. She says she feels the same way, and she’s not going to give up on what they’re building. He says, there’s really only one solution, and she says, let’s hear it. He says, they leave Sonny and the clients in the courtroom, and she says she totally accepts those terms. They sit back down, and Robert says, they can do this. She laughs and says, yes, they can.

Jordan hugs TJ and says, he knows she’s going to spoil this baby like crazy, right? and he says he won’t even try to stop her. Sonny says he’s very proud of Kristina. She gave TJ and Molly an incredible gift. She says, Molly is her sister and she’d do anything for her, and he says, any parent would pray to have that bond she and her sister have. He knows she’s happy right now, but just know the road is never going to be without challenges. Anything she needs – anything – she can always come to her dad. They hug.

Chase asks if Alexis recognizes this, showing her the sculpture Doc got whacked with, and she says she keeps it on her credenza. He asks if anything else looked disturbed to her, but she tells him, it’s hard to say if she can’t go through everything. Does he really think Esme attacked Doc? He says, she’s their primary suspect, and he has a bad feeling she’s not going to stop with Doc.

Still in the room with Doc, Laura calls Spencer and leaves a message. She says she knows he’s on his way to Paris, but she needs him to call her back as soon as he gets this. It’s about Esme. She leaves the room, and Dante asks if Doc is awake yet, but she says, not yet. She can’t help thinking about how long he might have been lying there. Dante says, he’s going to be fine. He has the best doctors here. They’re going to take care of him. She says she wants all that to be true, and he says, it is. She says, any word about Esme? and he says, they tracked the credit card she used to get a one-way bus ticket to Toronto. (Well, at least she’s being thrifty with Alexis’s money.) Laura says, any idea who she knows up there?

Tomorrow, Chase tells Jordan that they need the address for where to find Esme; Trina asks if Spencer is going to teach her; Laura says, Anna is the next, most qualified candidate; and Valentin asks Nina, what’s the plan for taking back what’s hers?

🏆 Worth Fighting For…

Oh for Pete’s sake, just give it to them already.

Sonya Eddy’s Family Fighting To Get Her Daytime Emmy Award

👶🏻 Career Baby…

She was already a vet by the time she got to GH.

Check Out Baby Cosette Abinante Starring With Zendaya!

👠 Haters Gonna Hate…

Nina just needs to make better choices. Maybe not the choices a middle school girl would make.

Cynthia Watros Shares a Message With Nina’s Fans — and Haters!

💎 She Did Not Say That…

Check and mate.

RHOBH Season 13: Dorit Kemsley Calls Crystal Kung Minkoff a ‘Child Bride’
Crystal Kung Minkoff Shades Dorit Kemsley’s Marriage After ‘Child Bride’ Comment

👽 Trekking On…

While I didn’t watch his Star Trek stint, I loved Alien Nation.

https://people.com/star-trek-enterprise-actor-gary-graham-dead-at-73-8548168

https://www.startrek.com/news/remembering-gary-graham

🐈 Adventuresome Kittehs…

Who doesn’t love a cat in a beret?

https://people.com/couple-trained-cats-to-travel-to-europe-exclusive-8546602

🦛 No Baby Anymore…

Hippos are the cutest things – those tiny ears!

https://people.com/fiona-the-hippo-turns-7-cincinnati-zoo-shares-birthday-tribute-8549355

🌏 No Man Is a Peninsula…

Join me tomorrow for soap and the Friday free-for-all. Until then, stay safe; stay not ghosting, but if you do, stay gone forever; and stay leaving the clients in the courtroom if you’re a defense attorney dating the DA.

Jan9

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

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Below Deck Mediterranean

Ugh. Back to the old Deck.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

☔️ That Rainy Day Is Now…

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

Dec7

December 6, 2023 – Alexis Puts Finn In the Hot Seat, What the Blip Denise, Salty Talk, Too Old For This Nonsense, Loving Paris & Drummer

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis, Marshall, and Trina go Christmas tree shopping, and Curtis says he’s been looking forward to this all week. Freshly cut pine trees are the best smell in the world. (He forgot about coffee, but I’ll let it pass.) Marshall tells Trina, Curtis always felt that way. Any time they got near one when he was young, Curtis would say it smelled like Christmas. Curtis says, it still feels that way. He tells Trina, take her pick, any one she wants, but she says, no way. This is a group effort. The three of them are picking a tree together.

Loading up a luggage carrier, Esme tells Ace that mommy is calling a Ride Share so someone can pick them up and take them to their new apartment. Spencer asks why she doesn’t just let him drive her.

Laura thanks Dante for stopping by her office, and says she’s asked Deputy Mayor Ashford to sit in. He asks what he can do for her, and she says, they’d like a full update on the Austin Gatlin-Holt murder case.

Leading Sasha and Cody into her office, Maxie says, that couldn’t have been a better public appearance. They were a hit. Everyone at Wyndham’s loved them. Cody says, it was all Sasha, but Sasha says, is he kidding? They couldn’t take their eyes off him. Maxie says, it’s the two of them together. That’s what people are responding to. They have this special chemistry that everybody can see. I’m glad Cody has his facial hair back. Shaved, he looks around 12.

There’s a knock at Josslyn’s dorm room door, and she opens it to Adam. She asks, what’s the emergency? and he says, the results are back for the Organic Chem make-up test. She asks how he did, but he says he doesn’t know. He’s too scared to look. She says, he studied really hard. She’s sure he’s fine. He says, what if he didn’t? If he got less than 85%, his life is over. Honestly, he might as well jump off a bridge. Josslyn tells him not to say things like that, and gets on her laptop. He says, sorry. He makes bad jokes when he’s nervous. She says, it’s one test, but he says, one super important test that will determine if he becomes a doctor. He’s way too stressed out. Can they please look together?

Elizabeth tells Jake, look at these beautiful trees. How can they pick just one? Jake says, one is all they can fit in the house, so… She says, he doesn’t have to be so literal. Whichever one they pick, Aiden is just going to have to be on board because it was his choice to stay home and bake. Jake says, Christmas and Valentine’s Day are his busiest time of the year. Lots of people want custom cookies. She says, this is true, but if he didn’t come pick out the tree, he can’t criticize their choice, right? Jake asks if something is wrong, and she says, no. Why? He says, it seems like she’s trying to hard to make it seem like she’s happy. Is something bothering her?

Martin and Finn show up at Alexis’s office, and she says, good. They’re right on time. She’s glad they’re here. She’s prepared and ready for them. Finn says, ready for what? He thought they were prepping his deposition. Martin says, that’s exactly what they’re going to be doing. Alexis has kindly volunteered to act as opposing counsel for the prep. Alexis says, just so Finn knows in advance, she won’t be playing nice.

Dante says, what they know so far is, the morning after Thanksgiving, a Pautuck resident noticed the door on an unoccupied residence was open. They walked in and found Austin’s body. Laura asks how he was killed, and Dante says, two shots to the chest, close range, sometime in the 48 hours leading up to Thanksgiving. Jordan asks if they know who owns the house where he was found and when it was last lived in, and he says, it was being used as a weekend short-term rental, but it hadn’t been occupied since late September. It was owned by the victim, Austin Gatlin-Holt.

Trina says, what about this one?… They don’t like it? Curtis says he knows he said she could choose any tree she wants, but is she sure she should make a decision so quickly? Why doesn’t she look around for something else? She says, why? This one’s nice and it smells amazing. What’s wrong with it? Marshall says, if her father won’t tell her about his problem with this, he will. It’s too small.

Elizabeth asks when Jake became so perceptive, and he says he’s not a little kid anymore. She says, no, he’s not. When she became a mom, she promised herself that she’d always be honest with her kids if she thought they could handle it. He’s definitely old enough and mature enough to talk about this. She’s worried about Finn. He asks, why? and she says, there’s a situation at the hospital where he’s being accused of doing something wrong. Jake says, does she mean like a malpractice suit? She looks surprised that he knows what this is, but isn’t he at least in high school?

Alexis says she might not have her legal license anymore, but she still has a lot of legal stuff right up here – she points to her head – and she’s going to use it to help Finn with his deposition. Finn says he’ll take all the help he can get, and she says, Diane is a formidable opponent. Martin says, indeed. They don’t call her Killer Miller for nothing. She’s going to try to trap Finn into making a statement about negligence, so no matter what happens, don’t let her provoke him. If Finn loses his temper, his need to defend himself may lead him to say things on the record that can’t be taken back. Such as statements that might give the impression that he’s too arrogant to admit he missed something, and now a man is dead as a result. Finn says, right, and the best way to prevent that from happening is to let Alexis beat up on him a little. Alexis says, it’s for his own good.

Esme says, they’ve been over all of this, but Spencer says, it seems crazy to him. She’s going to have to load all of Ace’s things into some stranger’s car, she’s going to have to set up his car seat, and pay someone she doesn’t know to drive her a short distance just so she can unload Ace and all of his things. His car is parked in the garage ready to go. He’s more than happy to take them and more than happy to help her carry everything she has to carry… She says, stop. She really doesn’t know how much clearer she can be. She can’t rely on him anymore.

Josslyn says she thinks she found the grades. Is Adam ready? He says, just tell him, and she says, he got a 97. Congratulations. He says, my God, and breathing heavily, makes a call. He says, hey, dad, guess what? He just got his Organic Chem make-up test back, and he got a 97%… Yeah, he did say make-up test… Why did he have to take it again? Um… No, it wasn’t anything he did wrong. Actually, it was someone else. His friend Josslyn had to go to the emergency room during the exam and they asked him to take her.

Maxie says she knows it’s been a long day, but just one more piece of Deception business, and then Cody and Sasha can go. Sasha says, don’t worry about them. She’s excited. They have a video conference call with Pavella; that’s huge. Maxie says she knows. It took her forever to convince them to take that meeting, but she has another piece of good news. Do they remember that desert photo shoot she was talking about a few months ago? Cody says, yeah, but it was a few weeks ago, and she says, well, it’s a go. They have to wait a few months because the photographer is completely booked, but they’re going on location in Monument Valley. Cody says, the Monument Valley, where all those Westerns were shot? and Maxie says, yes. She’s been told it’s even more spectacular in person. They’re going to shoot at the Pink Cliffs at sunset. Sasha says, that’s amazing. She’s seen it in movies, but never in person. Cody says, Deception is really going all out for this, huh? and Maxie says, of course (🍷) they are. The perfect photo location is so important to this campaign. Because Deception is not just selling makeup and beauty wands. We’re selling romance.

Alexis tells Finn to have a seat in the witness chair, and he sits down. She says she meant what she said; Diane Miller is one of the best. Finn says he’s aware of her reputation, and Martin says, being aware of it and experiencing it for yourself are two totally different things. Alexis says, she’ll turn his deposition into a minefield, and Finn says, it sounds like they’re going into battle. She says, they kind of are, and he says, then how do they ensure the truth comes out and they win this case? Martin says, preparation, that’s what’s key here. And they make absolutely certain that Finn abides by the Golden Rule. Finn says, which is? and Martin and Alexis both say, never volunteer anything.

Elizabeth says, it’s very humbling, trying to shield Jake from something he already knows about. Yes, Finn is being sued for malpractice. Jake asks, why? Did one of his patients die? She says, the man he was treating had cancer and he didn’t find out in time. Unfortunately, he passed away. Jake says, that must be so hard on Finn, and she says, it is. He’s really beating himself up over it. As much as they’d like to think of doctors as infallible, medicine is not a science, they’re not gods, and they can’t fix everybody all the time. He says he knows that, but if Finn is getting sued, did he do something wrong? and she says, absolutely not. Finn is an incredible doctor. He gave that man the best care possible, and what happened was not his fault. Jake says he’s glad she told him and that she realizes he can handle hearing things like this now. She says, he’s been so good with Aiden, picking up the slack since Cameron left. If she hasn’t told him enough, she’s so proud of him. He thanks her, and she says, now that he’s asked her a question, can she ask him one?

Trina says she guesses this tree doesn’t seem small to her because it’s the size she and mom always got. Small has a lot of advantages. They’re easy and cute and you don’t need a ladder to put up ornaments. Curtis says, it’s okay. They both know he won’t be climbing any ladders this year, but it doesn’t mean someone else can’t. They’ve been blessed with a beautiful big house with high ceilings. It would be a shame not to take advantage of that space by filling it with the biggest, best tree we can find.

Esme tells Spencer that after today, she and Ace are going to be on their own, and she has to get used to loading him and all of his stuff in and out of Ride Shares. He says, fine. Why can’t she just let him do this for her just one more time? She says, no. She’s sorry, but she has to get comfortable being on her own and relying on herself. The sooner she does that, the better it will be for Ace. She’s doing this for him. Can’t Spencer see that? He says he guesses he didn’t really think about it like that, and she says she knows this is hard on him. She’s sure he probably thinks she’s shutting him out and making things as difficult as possible, but he says he sees where he was wrong. And he is sorry. She says, apology accepted.

Adam tells his dad that he has to go. He has a lot of studying to do… He’ll see them at Christmas. He’ll talk to them later. Bye. Josslyn asks why he lied.

Laura tells Dante that she’s concerned they’re not further along in this investigation at this point. Austin Gatlin-Holt was a doctor at General Hospital. He was related to the Quartermaines. There are many people in this town who want to know who’s responsible for that man’s murder. Dante says he gets that, but they’re doing what they can. He wasn’t killed here. Jordan says, which means this case is officially being handled by the Pautuck PD, and Dante says, that’s right. And they’re in constant contact with them, as well as talking to Austin’s associates here in Port Charles. Laura asks if either department has come up with any suspects, and Dante says, no one officially yet, but there are a couple persons of interest. One of them is Laura’s brother.

Maxie tells Sasha and Cody that she’s explaining this all wrong. Of course (🍷) Deception’s products are amazing, the best in the business. The Deceptor? Game changer. But advertising is all about getting customers to associate selling with something that they want, even if it’s subconsciously. Whether people are willing to admit it or not, everyone wants a little romance in their lives. Cody and Sasha together, in front of a gorgeous sunset… It’s the epitome of that. Sasha says, it sounds like Maxie has a very thorough, well thought out marketing plan, when there’s a knock at the door. Felicia says, sorry to interrupt. She just didn’t want Maxie to worry. James is okay. Cody asks if something happened to James.

Trina says she had no idea Curtis was going to have such strong feelings about which tree they should get, and Marshall laughs and says, he always did. When Curtis was about three years old, he and Irene took Curtis and Tommy to pick out their tree. This is when he makes a beeline to the one he wants, this ugly, gnarly piece of tree. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Curtis says, they ended up getting the tree, and Marshall says, absolutely. Because Curtis’s mother agreed with him. She said, Curtis picked out the loveliest tree. Trina laughs.

Jake says, sure. Elizabeth can ask him whatever she wants. She asks how things are between him and Charlotte, and he says he’s not really sure. He thinks they’re still dating, but since what happened, they haven’t seen each other that much, and she hasn’t really texted him back either. Elizabeth says, maybe she just needs more time, and he says, maybe. Even before that, she was kind of hard to read. Most girls he knows talk a lot and say everything that’s on their minds, but not Charlotte. He never knows what she’s thinking.

Adam tells Josslyn that he’s sorry. He just panicked. His dad would have been so mad that he left an important test. She says, even to help a friend? and Adam says, he would have hated that. She says, except she was the one who left for him, and he says he knows. She says, so what he’s telling her is, if she was the one who was in trouble, he would have left her and she would have been on her own. He says, she doesn’t understand. Ever since he was a little kid, his parents have wanted him to be a doctor. She asks what he wants, and he says, it doesn’t matter what he wants. It doesn’t work like that in his family. She says, so he’s just going to do what they want him to do forever? When is he going to start making decisions about his own life?

Esme tells Spencer that the Ride Share will be here in twenty minutes. She’s going to check their room to make sure she didn’t accidentally leave something. He says, don’t forget his favorite blanket, the warm fuzzy one he likes, and she says, it’s the first thing she packed. Would Spencer mind watching him? He says, of course (🍷), and she gives Ace to him. She goes in the back, and he sits on the sofa with Ace. He says, okay. This is it, buddy. Ace and his mommy are going to be getting their own place, which means they’re not going to see each other as much. Which means – he tears up – he’s going to miss Ace. But he’s still going to take Ace to the park to see the ducks, and he’ll ask if he can be the first person to give Ace some ice cream, because he knows it’s going to be his favorite too. Esme watches from the doorway, and Spencer kisses the top of Ace’s head. He says, and then next summer, they’re going to go to the pool again, because he knows how much Ace likes the water. And he knows they’re not going to live together anymore, but he wants Ace to know that he’ll always, always, always be his big brother. Okay? No matter what happens. He kisses Ace again, and Esme looks like she might cry.

Alexis tells Finn that he wants to keep his answers short. Yes or no; don’t volunteer anything. Finn says, this is all much more complicated than he realized, and she says, the law is much more complicated than most people realize. By the way, this is important, specifically to Finn’s case. It could backfire on him if he says he doesn’t remember. A man is dead, a family’s grieving, and the jury wants to feel that Finn will remember every detail leading up to the death. Martin says, but don’t lie. If there is something Finn forgot, it’s better to admit it than make up a story that’s going to come back to bite him. Finn says, nobody’s ever accused him of being overly verbose, so don’t worry. He thinks he’s got this. Martin and Alexis look at each other.

Laura says, clearly, Dante isn’t talking about Martin, and Dante says, no. Her other brother, Cyrus. Jordan says, considering his rap sheet and all the crimes she personally saw him commit, he’s certainly capable of murder. What’s his connection to Austin Gatlin-Holt? Dante says, it looks like Mason and Austin were both working for Cyrus the whole time he was in Pentenville, and Laura says, doing what? Jordan says, and how does Dante know this? and Laura says, this is a huge accusation. Does he have any proof?

Alexis asks if Finn can state his name for the record, and he says, Dr. Hamilton Finn. Martin says, wrong, but Finn says he’s pretty sure that’s his name. Martin says, it is, but that’s not what she asked. She specifically asked could he state his name for the record, to which he replies… Finn says, this is ridiculous. This is a deposition, not Simon Says. He’s not going to play lawyer games and parse every word coming out of Diane Miller’s mouth. Alexis says, he’d better, because Diane is going to parse every word coming out of his mouth, and then try to get a jury to see he’s negligent and at fault. So does he want to take a breath and they’ll start again? Can he state his name for the record? Finn takes a breath and says, yes. She asks, what is his name? and he says, Dr. Hamilton Finn.

Elizabeth tells Jake, Charlotte’s been through a lot. There are two kinds of trauma that happen after someone gets shot and she’s going through both. Obviously, there’s the physical pain, but there’s also the mental and emotional trauma of knowing she could have died. He says he guesses he didn’t see it that way, and Elizabeth says, she’s lucky though. Her physical injuries are healing, and she’s going to make a full recovery. But the other wounds? They’re going to take a lot longer to heal. Jake says he hates guns.

Trina says she’s a little scared to ask, but what do they think about this one? and Marshall says, don’t look at him. Talk to the tree whisperer here. It’s all his decision. Curtis says, getting close, but this ain’t it. Why don’t they take another look at this one? Trina’s phone dings, and she says, it’s perfect. She loves it. She can’t wait to see it decorated. She kisses Marshall and Curtis on their cheeks, and runs off. Marshall laughs and says he guesses she had someplace to be.

Felicia says, James went to the school nurse saying that his tummy hurt. When they couldn’t reach Maxie, they called her. Maxie says she can’t believe she left her phone here. They tried to call her four times. Felicia says, don’t worry. He’s okay. Cody asks, how sick is he? Where is he now? Felicia says she took him home. She put him right to bed and gave him some ginger ale and his favorite comic book. Liesl was willing to examine him and said, don’t worry. It’s just a case of the 24-hour flu that’s been going around. She’s there with him now and said he should be as good as new tomorrow. Maxie says, okay, so it’s not an emergency, and Felicia says, not at all. Cody says he’s happy to hear that.

Josslyn says she understands Adam is under pressure, but she doesn’t like when people lie about her, for any reason. She stayed because it was the right thing to do, and she wouldn’t have felt great if she’d just focused on her test and left him to fend for himself. He says he’s sorry. He owes her. She says, he doesn’t owe her anything but honesty. He doesn’t have to go around telling people what happened, but if he does, tell the truth. He says he has to get going, but he forgot to ask. What did she get on the make-up test? She says she got a 90, and he says he’s sorry. That’s too bad. He’s sure she’ll do better next time. He’ll see her later. He leaves.

Esme says, it looks like she has everything, so she guesses this is it, and Spencer asks if she wants him to put Ace in his stroller. She says she’s got it, and takes Ace from him. He says he guesses she doesn’t want him to help, and she says, it’s a production, but she’s got it. She guesses this is it, so wish them luck. He says, luck, and opens the door. Esme leaves with Ace, and Spencer watches as they get in the elevator.

Dante says he has a confidential informant, and they’re telling him Austin visited Cyrus at least one time in Pentenville, maybe more they don’t know about yet. Jordan says, that’s interesting, and Dante says, it is, especially when you consider the fact Austin testified at Cyrus’s hardship release hearing, saying that Cyrus was ill and he wasn’t a danger. Laura says, it shouldn’t be too hard to find out how many times Austin visited Cyrus in prison. There’s a visitor’s log, there’s security footage; Pentenville’s full of cameras. Dante says, in theory, that should be the case, but when he called Pentenville and asked them, they said they had no record of Austin being there at all. Jordan asks if there’s any possibility his confidential source is lying, but he says, not a chance. They’d have no reason to. He thinks someone wiped the records clean.

Alexis says, tell her about Mr. Muldoon’s first appointment. What were his symptoms? Finn says, dizziness, fatigue, gastro-intestinal distress, some weight loss, and Alexis asks if Mr. Muldoon disclosed anything that pointed him toward a preliminary diagnosis. Finn says, he’d been traveling through rural areas in the tropics and believed he’d contracted a tapeworm, and Alexis says, who initially raised the possibility of a tapeworm, him or Mr. Muldoon? He says he believes Mr. Muldoon did, and she asks, what was his response? He says he ran some tests and a culture, and she asks what he thinks those results indicated. He says, the tests revealed low hemoglobin and elevated white blood cell counts, and the culture came back positive for a tapeworm, so he… She says, you what? and he says, the tests confirmed Mr. Muldoon had a tapeworm, and she asks if he treated Mr. Muldoon per that diagnosis. He says, yes, and she says, how? He says he gave him praziquantel, and she asks if those symptoms Mr. Muldoon was experiencing could have been indicative of anything else… She asked him a question. He said his patient was complaining of dizziness, of fatigue, of low hemoglobin, of low white blood cell counts. Could any of those symptoms been indicative of another disease or illness? Finn says, only about 10,000 things.

The tree guy hangs a sold tag on the tree, and Curtis thanks him. Curtis tells Marshall that they’re going to deliver the tree this afternoon. He hopes Marshall is up for it tonight, because he’s ready to hang some ornaments. Marshall says he loves how Curtis gets so excited about Christmas. It reminds him of Curtis’s mama and how she got excited about it too. Curtis says, it was always her favorite time of the year. Even when times were tough, she always went all out, no matter what it cost.

Trina knocks on Laura’s apartment door, and Spencer answers. She hugs him.

Jake tells Elizabeth that he knows what happened with Charlotte was an accident, but it still really scared him. So he started reading about some gun control groups. He thinks he wants to get involved with one of them. She says she loves that. She loves that he’s finding something that matters to him, and he wants to make a difference. Let her know if there’s anything she can do to help. He says he will, and she says, but for right now, they have to find a tree. He says, she’s right, and they need to find the best one to send pictures to Cameron. He points at one and says he likes that one over there.

Curtis tells Marshall that when he was a kid, he used to think Christmas just happened. Mom and Aunt Stella always did such a good job at making Christmas magical for him and Tommy, it never occurred to him that it took work. It wasn’t until he was an adult that he realized they had to plan and save all year so that day could be memorable to them. Then every year without fail, they always had many gifts under the tree; good gifts too, stuff they wanted. Mama always knew how to make them the happiest. She and Aunt Stella would go without so they could make it happen for them. He asked mama one year if Christmas was any fun for her, because she didn’t get many gifts. He remembers her saying, baby, the best presents are the smiles on your faces. Marshall says, that sounds like Irene.

Trina and Spencer sit on the sofa, and Spencer says he hates to admit it, but Esme was right. It’s taken him a long time to understand this, but he thinks it’s going to be better for Ace in the long run. Trina says, it may not mean much in the moment, but she’s so proud of him for being so mature and putting Ace first. He says, that means a lot actually, and it’s better that he’s so young, because he’s never going to remember his life was any other way. But the thing is, Spencer will. He’s never going to forget all those moments of seeing Ace change and watching him grow. Watching him figure out that he’s got fingers and toes. And he’ll always remember how it felt to hold him and rock him in the chair in his room, both of them so cozy and happy while he sang Ace to sleep. She says, that’s beautiful, and she believes Ace will remember all of it. Maybe only subconsciously, but it will always be in his mind that Spencer’s voice was the first one that he heard. That Spencer’s arms used to hold him. And he’ll remember how safe and secure he felt with Spencer. That will be imprinted on his mind and in his heart. She cuddles against him.

Josslyn tries to study, but puts down the book. She puts in earplugs and gets on the bed with her phone.

Adam tries to study, but gets frustrated. He opens his desk drawer, taking out the prescription bottle. He downs a couple of pills and goes back to work.

Maxie tells Felicia that she doesn’t know what to do. She hates not being with James when he’s sick, but this video conference call is really important. Cody says, if it will help her get back to James, he can talk to Pavella’s people all day, and Maxie says she appreciates that. She really does. And it’s not that she doesn’t trust him and Sasha. They were great together on Home & Heart. It’s just that this conference call is so important. Felicia says, Cody and Sasha want to do this, and she said herself that they can handle it. So just say thank you and let them. Sasha promises they’ll call her right after and tell her how great everything went, and Cody says, yeah. Maxie says, they’ve convinced her. They’ll have to let her set them up first. She leads them over to a table and tells them where to sit. She asks Cody to scootch closer to Sasha, then tells Felicia, let’s go before she changes her mind. They leave, and Sasha opens the laptop. She asks if Cody is ready, and he says, hit it. She links in to the call and says, thank you everyone. They thank everyone for meeting with them today. She’s Sasha Gilmore and this is her colleague, Cody Bell. Cody says, nice to meet them. He and Sasha just want to fill them in on what’s going on with Deception.

 Martin slaps a twenty dollar bill on the table and tells Alexis that she was right. Broken in less than fifteen minutes. Finn says, objection. He did not break. Martin says, as much as it pains him to say it as Finn’s attorney, he definitely did. When he snapped at Alexis, it was basically admitting he took the easy way out with his diagnosis. Finn says, that is not what happened, and Alexis says, it doesn’t matter what happened. If he says that, this is what the jury is going to hear, that he took his patient’s word for it. Finn wrote him a prescription and sent him on his way without finding or treating the cancer that eventually killed him. Finn says, understand this. There are literally thousands of illnesses that present with fatigue, intestinal distress, low hemoglobin, and elevated white blood cell count. That’s a fact. Look it up. How would they like him to answer this question? Martin says, as simply as possible. When Diane asks him if those symptoms were indicative of anything else, just say yes. Alexis says, just that. Just that one word, yes. Finn says, okay. Keep his answers short. Duly noted. Thank you. Alexis says, all right. Let’s take it from the top. Can you please state your name for the record? Finn says, yes.

Laura says she’d like Dante’s opinion. Does he think Cyrus murdered Dr. Austin Gatlin-Holt? He says he doesn’t have any evidence to back up that theory, but she says she’s not asking about evidence. She’s asking his opinion. He says, did Cyrus have a motive? Yeah. Sure. Austin came to see him at the PCPD before he died. He was worried that Mason was going to make it look like he kidnapped Ava. He wanted immunity. He was going to give up the name of the person he and Mason were working for and he was going to provide corroborating evidence. She says, and he thinks that person was Cyrus? and he says, just to be clear, Austin never told him that he was working for Cyrus. He found out after Austin died. Jordan says, but it certainly gives Cyrus ample motive for Austin’s murder, and Dante says, the problem is, Cyrus has an alibi. He was mopping floors at the Port Charles Grill when Austin was killed. Jordan says, this is Cyrus they’re talking about. If he didn’t want to do it himself, he certainly could have hired someone else to do it. Dante says, but that’s making a couple of assumptions. One of them is that Cyrus still has the associates and contacts that would actually murder for him; and two, that he knew Austin was going to give him up and he’s not convinced Cyrus did. Laura says, all right, and gets up. She wants Dante to keep her in the loop with everything involving this investigation; nothing is too small. Dante says, absolutely, and she says, because if her brother is the same ruthless killer he always was, she’ll make sure he never sees the light of day again.

Tomorrow, Gregory says, it’s an unfortunate coincidence running into Diane; Curtis asks if Portia is saying this is a possibility for him; and Anna tells Dante that she knows someone else is involved.

The Real Awful Housewives of Beverly Hills

We backtrack a little. Sutton says, something is going on with Kyle’s personal life that she’s not sharing with the group, and Kyle asks, with what? Garcelle, tired of circling this drain, says, her marriage. What’s with the new band? Knowing Kyle probably thinks this is about a concert, Sutton says, she’s not wearing her wedding ring. Garcelle says she thought it was a make-up band, and Kyle asks if they’re saying her husband cheated on her. Sutton asks if she said that, and Kyle asks if Sutton wants Mauricio to have cheated on her, but Sutton says she’s content with Kyle’s answers. Morally corrupt Faye feels like this is wrong, and Kyle says, when she drinks, she feels down and depressed. She can’t afford to feel that way right now. She discusses these things with her good friends. Sutton says, maybe they’re not as good of friends as she thought, and Kyle says, Sutton’s not acting like a friend. Sutton says, they just came from a quiet room, but Kyle brings up the name ‘em discussion and we flash back to that. Sutton says she had a lot going on and she’s sorry for that. And she’s sorry for how Kyle reacted as well. We flash back to Kyle literally running away from the conversation, and Kyle thanks Sutton for apologizing on her behalf. There are crickets for a while, and the next course is served. Garcelle talks about getting make-up gifts from Michael. She says, Michael is great dad and a horrible husband, but life continues after divorce. Erika says, she wants to have a love affair like you see in the movies, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, Erika had a love affair like in the movies. It was Harold and Maude, but in reverse, and will eventually be made into a Lifetime movie. The chef is barraged with questions about his personal life, and we find out he’s married before he runs from the room. In Erika’s interview, she says, Tom was established and had his own life for many years before she came along. She fit in his life. We flash back to better times, and Erika says she doesn’t want to do that again. She wants to carve her own life and meet someone with whom she can go forward together. Dorit asks if Denise missed them, and Denise says she did. She has a question for Erika. Why is it that Erika treated her a certain way after they met? When she met Erika for the first time, she thought Erika was sweet and lovely. We flash back to that, and Denise says, a year later, it was a different dynamic. Erika says she doesn’t feel anything personal toward Denise, and Denise asks what she did to Erika. Clearly, Denise is not herself. She seems more drunk than stoned though. Erika says, tell her what it is, and Denise says she’ll be clear. Erika was so kind to her… In her interview, Erika says she doesn’t know if Denise is high. She knows she’s high, but Denise seems to be on another level. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, maybe Denise had a drink before because she was nervous. In Dorit’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what Denise is partaking in, but she doesn’t want some. Denise says, then Erika was very different, and Kyle asks if there’s a specific moment Denise is talking about. Denise says, they’re grown-ass adults. Erika knows what she’s talking about. Erika says she really doesn’t, and I believe her because I don’t either. In Sutton’s interview, she says, Denise can say it. What did Erika do to her? Erika asks if it’s something specific or just the whole thing, and Denise says, the whole thing. They don’t need an example. Watch the show. In Crystal’s interview, she says, the weed dinner is kicking in. What are you talking about? Bitch, what? At the table, Crystal starts laughing like you sometimes do with weed.

In Garcelle’s interview, she wonders, who is this Erika? She’s cool as a cucumber and not lunging across the table. The old Erika would be like, bitch, what are you on? Denise says, she was so f***ing nice to Erika, then Erika was a bitch to her. Own it. Erika says, what? and Denise says, that. Now I’m laughing. In Erika’s interview, she says she’s so confused and high. They were having a good time, and this is ruining her high. She has no idea what Denise is talking about and neither does Denise. Erika apologizes because where else is there to go? and Denise thanks her, then says, you’re welcome. The chef tells the kitchen staff, Denise Richards is f***ed up. Sutton lights up a joint, stunning everyone at the table, and I’m dying here. Sutton says, it’s totally legal, and Erika says, they’re hitting the trees at the table. She never thought Sutton would love a joint. In Crystal’s interview, she says she loves Sutton, but she’s a walking contradiction. Here she is, smoking a joint, but in Vegas, she couldn’t deal with a few half naked men. That’s Sutton. Sutton says, there are things about her they don’t know, and dessert is served. Garcelle tries to talk to Denise in private, but Kyle, Annemarie, and Dorit follow them. In Kyle’s interview, she says she doesn’t understand what’s going on. Did Denise partake before she got here? Garcelle tells Denise that she thinks Erika really doesn’t understand, but Denise says, Erika is playing dumb. They all knew. Erika f***ing knew. In Sutton’s interview, she says, sometimes Denise doesn’t know how to say things she needs to say. If she was Denise F***ing Richards, she’d be walking around naked drinking tequila. She doesn’t like tequila, but that’s what she’d be doing. Dorit notices that Denise has her little, pink fuzzy coat on upside down, but Denise insists it’s fine. She tells Dorit, don’t do it. She knows what Dorit is doing, and she doesn’t give a flying about her jacket. In Dorit’s interview, she says, maybe Denise is onto something, and they’ll all be wearing them upside down. But right now, it’s a hard no. Denise leaves, and Erika tells Crystal that she doesn’t know what she apologized for. Denise ruined her buzz. Outside, Denise tells Kyle that Erika knows what she did, and gets in her limo. Erika tells Crystal, you can always count on someone here to ruin a good time. I say, yeah, and sometimes it’s you. Not today though.

Dorit tells Kyle, that was intense and not cool. Sutton was saying Kyle was in denial, and Kyle says she asked Sutton, what about? Sutton was acting like she knows something. Sutton makes the mistake of joining them, and says, it seems like Kyle is denial about something, but Sutton doesn’t know anything, so she wants to let it go. Kyle tells Sutton to quit gaslighting her, and if she knows about something, share it with her. Sutton says, she doesn’t know anything, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, Kyle is in denial about something going on with her marriage. Personally, she thinks Kyle is unhappy, but Kyle doesn’t like to talk about personal things. Kyle says she’d told them that her marriage wasn’t the best right now when they were at the retreat. Sutton says, Kyle’s been saying she doesn’t eat. She eats. Kyle says, maybe Sutton has a disorder, and in Sutton’s interview, she says she has an esophageal disorder and it’s nothing to make fun of. There are times she can’t swallow her own saliva. What’s going on in Kyle’s life that she’s not drinking? Is it because there was a problem? Sutton tells Kyle that she’s sick of fighting with her. Kyle already lost two sisters. Does she want to lose a third? Kyle says she knows the truth. Sutton had her own situation with her. She kisses her ass in public. Sutton says, so this is about Kathy, and Kyle says, Sutton just made it about Kathy. Sutton says, Kathy didn’t like that she didn’t stick up for her with the press, and we see a clip of Sutton being interviewed. The interviewer asks who Sutton believes, Kathy or Lisa, and Sutton says, it probably lies somewhere in the middle. Sutton says, Kathy called her and she felt firsthand what Kyle experienced, but Kyle says, Sutton was real quiet that day. We flash back to the Reunion, and Kathy insisting things that happened never happened while Kyle is bawling next to her. In Erika’s interview, she says, Kathy holds the key to what a lot of people want. She can lock you out of parties and social standing. Erika has always been a lone wolf on the outside. She doesn’t care if she’s on the list. They all know Sutton likes a socialization situation. That’s just the way it is. Erika tells Kyle that she doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with Kyle’s marriage, and Kyle admits it’s not great right now, but she wasn’t okay with Sutton’s sister comment. Outside, Annemarie tells Sutton that it was going good, then it was going bad, then it got going good again, then bad. Everyone leaves, and Kyle hugs the staff since that’s all she really has.

This is excruciating.

Erika and her assistant wonder how to make lemonade, and Erika suggests they look on the internet. Her assistant wonders if they don’t have to set up a stand if they make it. I only included this because I thought it was amusing that anyone would have to look up how to make lemonade. Um… water, lemons, sugar? The amount depends on how you like it.

Kyle jogs to Annemarie’s house and they play pickleball. Kyle says she doesn’t know the rules. She just hits the ball. In Kyle’s interview, she says she and Annemarie are both working moms with a lot in common. They’re both competitive, like to work out, and live down the street from each other. Annemarie speaks her mind. In Annemarie’s interview, she says, they share weird things. Like she has the same birthday as Kyle’s mom, and she and Kyle have the same surgeon. They play and it looks like ping-pong with a bigger ball and net. In her interview, Annemarie says she was into sports at five years old. She raced every grade, and in high school, she got into basketball. The janitor opened the gym at 6 am for her every day. It was no coincidence she ended up with an NFL football player. They sit down, and Annemarie says she needs a full rundown. It was her first encounter with most of the women, and she didn’t know why they were doing whatever. Sutton didn’t want to say what she was talking about and was talking circles around it. In Kyle’s interview, she says, it’s upsetting that Sutton would throw accusations at her. Garcelle, too, when she’s gone through it publicly and knows how hurtful it is. She’s disappointed. Annemarie says she feels she wants to know Sutton more.

Crystal, Garcelle, and Sutton meet for lunch, and Denise joins them, Garcelle saying, oh yeah, she invited Denise. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, Denise looks like she’s gliding through the wind. Calm, composed, and beautiful. Not like at the weed dinner. Garcelle tells Sutton that she saw a commercial where they talked about neuropathy. She hadn’t known about it until Sutton said she was experiencing it. Some cases are so severe, they have to amputate. In Crystal’s interview, she says, thank God Garcelle isn’t a doctor. You’d come in with a headache, and she’d say you have a brain tumor. Sutton says, Kyle asked if she’d had too many drinks or was it her medication, and Denise says, Kyle was judging Sutton on drinking. Sutton says, splits and ponytail on the ceiling, and Garcelle says, and sweeping the dancefloor with her coochie. They’ve all seen I t. Crystal thinks Sutton throwing sisters was hard, and Sutton admits it was a low blow. At Annemarie’s, Kyle tells Annamarie that Sutton’s remark was designed to hurt her. In her interview, Kyle says she doesn’t know if Sutton has something going on personally or has issues with her, but Sutton should stop thinking about Kyle’s life and focus on her own. She and Annemarie talk about Sutton’s eating issue, and in Annemarie’s interview, she says she’s a nurse anesthetist. She puts tubes down people’s throats, and airway anatomy is her jam. She uses the words esophagal sphincter and Kyle can’t compose herself because she’s five. At the restaurant, Crystal asks Denise what the thing with Erika was about, and Denise says, they were at a dinner party and Erika was talking about threesomes when her kids were at the other table. We flash back to that, and Crystal says, what the hell? Denise says she wants Erika to acknowledge it and apologize. Otherwise, she’s just a mean-ass bitch.

Dorit says she has to catch PK up on Kyle’s party. Something is going on, but Kyle hasn’t spoken about it in detail. PK says, Mauricio has been busy. He’s on the global domination track, and travel has put pressure on their own marriage. Just be a good friend. In Dorit’s interview, she says she’s not surprised that Kyle reacted so strongly. She understands Sutton wanting something clarified, but to come at Kyle like that felt dirty. She says she wants to talk to PK about homeschooling, but PK says, being with other kids is important for their kids’ growth. If it was up to Dorit, she’d keep them home until they were 19. In Dorit’s interview, she says, during the pandemic, they started homeschooling. Teachers come to the house. The kids are thriving, and they love their teachers. They do well one-on-one. She tells PK that she wants them to have a good transition back, and he should hear what they have to say. PK says, it’s not a consideration. School days are the best days, and their kids should experience them. Dorit says, that would be true if he was here, and in her interview, she says, when PK travels, she feels like a single mom. PK isn’t involved with the kids. He doesn’t know their needs and wants to swoop in and tell her what’s best. She asks PK for another year, but he says, no. He understands she went through a trauma, but her fears are irrational and she’s going down the wrong avenue. He heard her tell Jagger that if he goes to college, mommy is going to live on campus. A lot is coming from her need and desire for the kids to be close at all times, and she needs to own that element. In Dorit’s interview, she says, it’s a year and a half post home invasion, and PK is still not getting the gravity of the situation. She lived a moment where her kids’ lives were over. She saw it in her head, and it does something to a person he can’t understand. She tells PK that if she thought something wasn’t good, she’d change it. What’s best for the kids is at the forefront of her mind, always.

Erika meets with Mikey, and says, it’s time to turn a page. In Erika’s interview, she says she loves performing so much. She’s missed performing and the exchange of energy with the audience. The only time she’s truly present in life is on stage. That, and when she has good sex. Mikey says, they need the right room with the right capacity, and to have a residency. In her interview, Erika says she loves Las Vegas. Showgirls, costumes, money, all the steak and lobster. She tells Mikey, creating new music and creating a show and mounting a show is a big thing, but there’s nothing like it. In her interview, she says what she loves most in life is the pursuit. She’s a hunter by nature. Why not hunt the biggest game?

Dorit meets Kyle, who says, it was insane. Sutton saw a ring she’s never seen before. Kyle has a lot of jewelry Sutton hasn’t seen. Dorit says she’s trying to understand what Sutton was trying to say, and Kyle says, it was very clear. Dorit says, she was suggesting Kyle is trying to hide something, and Kyle says, it was a low blow. Kim arrives, and in Kyle’s interview, she says, their relationship is in a good place. Kim knows she’s going through a hard time and has been supportive this last year. Kim says she hasn’t left the house since lockdown, but it’s given her time to work more on herself. She also started coloring on the walls. In her interview, Kyle says, Kim had a hard time during the pandemic. She didn’t leave home and started painting murals. She’s actually really good. We see pictures, and she is. Kyle says, seeing Kim painting and out socializing makes her happy. Kim says she told Kathy that if Paris needs anything painted for Baby Phoenix, let her know. Kyle asks if she’s seen Phoenix, and Kim says she has. We see a clip of Kyle telling Mauricio that she found out about Phoenix on Instagram, and in her interview, she says, her sisters and nieces are a package deal. If she has an argument with one, she’s cut off from everybody. That’s the hardest part. Kim says, life is too short to fight. She tears up and hugs Kyle. She says she wants them to fix it, and Kyle says she doesn’t know how it got to this degree. She only had good intentions wanting Kathy to be in the group. Kim says, they both could have done something different, but even though you don’t see it in the moment, everything’s a lesson. In Kyle’s interview, she says she thinks of all the time she’s losing, the babies in the family. Normally, they’d all be together, and the kids would be close like they were when they grew up. It makes her sad. She tells Kim that sometimes you need to take a step back and take time, and Kim says, too much time becomes resentment.

Next time, Garcelle has dinner with Jaid and Ashlyn; Sutton has a party for her store; Annemarie asks Sutton about her medical issues; and Sutton wonders why she suddenly has a doctor’s appointment.

🧂 A Pinch Of Salt…

The mess that is Salt Lake.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4, Episode 13 Recap: No More Deja Poo

🏂 The House That Shall Not Be Named…

I keep trying to watch this, but nope. Again, no judgement.

Winter House Season 3, Episode 7 Recap: Buzzkill

🩰 We’ll Always Have Paris…

While I didn’t watch the first season, Season 2 of Paris in Love is on Bravo, and I loved it. Her film This is Paris was very impressive, and if you don’t know it already, there’s a lot more to her than just being hot.

https://collider.com/paris-in-love-season-2-marital-drama/

📜 Checking My List Twice…

Come along for the ride tomorrow to soap and unreliable Charm. Until then, stay safe, stay forgetting about perfection, and stay not fighting. Life is too short.

Nov13

November 12, 2023 – What Would Alicia Do & Monsters

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

At PADRE kids are doing obstacle courses, food is being served, math lessons are being taught. June marches in with Dwight, Sherry, Dove, et al. A couple stops them, and tells them that no one is coming in. June asks, under whose orders? when Victor walks out and says, his. June asks where Tracy is. They know he has Troy’s daughter. Victor suggests perhaps discussing this in a more civilized manner, but Dwight says, this seems pretty civilized. Victor tells Dwight, long time, and asks Frank to bring Klaus to their room. June asks why Victor brought the girl here, and he says, Troy wouldn’t attack if he knew his daughter was here. Dwight says, or it’s the perfect reason to attack, but Victor says, Troy doesn’t know they’re here. It’s not like she’s tagged for migratory purposes. June says, if Victor was doing more than playing father, he would know the lengths a parent would go for their child, but Victor says, they still don’t know him. June says she does. She watched him make bad decision after bad decision. People lost their lives because of what he did. John’s father lost his life because of what he did. She’s not making the same again. He says, many people lost their lives because of her. They’ve all done things to survive, and no one can throw stones. When Tracy went missing, he saw an opportunity. He had to make a call. June says, no one asked him to, and he says he’s not the man he used to be. She asks how she knows that, and he says, she’s not the woman she used to be. Right, Naomi? Frank says, Victor told him everything, and Dwight asks who he is. Victor says, this is his husband, and June says, show them if he’s changed. Dwight says, help them bring Tracy back to her father, and Victor asks if they think that would satisfy Troy. June says, it might, if they bring him the man who kidnapped her too, and Dwight says, start walking. Victor says, they don’t know Troy like he does. He lost the hotel, and it’s his last chance to do good on what he promised Alicia. Dwight says he wishes he believed Victor, and June says, if he wants to show them that he’s changed, now’s the time. Victor looks at Frank, who shakes his head, but Victor says, let’s walk. Dove goes to get Tracy, and Frank says he won’t let Victor do this. He saw what that man did at the hotel. He’ll kill Victor. Victor says, these people will kill him if he doesn’t go, and he doesn’t want Frank in the crossfire. Wait for him. He’ll come back. Frank says he’ll be waiting. Victor leaves with June and the others, looking back one last time.

On the water in a boat from PADRE, June radios Troy that they have his daughter. She’s safe and they’ll return her if they agree to terms. Tracy asks if the blindfold is necessary, and Victor laughs. He says, it’s not going to work. They’re not going to remove it. The reason the settlement has lasted so long is that no one knows where it is. Tracy tells him to stop trying to be friends with her. He’s the one who brought her in. June radios Troy again, saying, Tracy is safe and will be returned. Victor tells her, no matter what Troy says, Troy is going to kill him and hurt Tracy. Tracy says, her father would do anything to protect her, but Victor says, her father’s not the man she thinks he is. June says, Victor can change, but not Troy? and Victor says, Troy is a sociopath on a revenge tour. He has issues. There’s a difference. Why is he the only person looking after Tracy? Sherry says, the only person he’s looking after is himself, but he says, it’s not about that. It’s about building PADRE the way Alicia wanted him too. Troy radios, and asks, who is this? Who has his daughter? June says he doesn’t know her, but she freed Madison and Victor from the hotel. She asks Tracy to talk to Troy, and Tracy says, it’s okay. They’re bringing her back. June says, they will, provided he gives them assurance he won’t take PADRE. Troy says, they took his daughter, but June says, they didn’t. Victor did, and they’re bringing him back too. Troy says, there’s one problem. They need a place to live. June suggests they stay at the hotel. Madison is no longer at PADRE, and his beef with her isn’t a beef with them. Does he want his daughter or not? He says, they have a deal. Bring her and Victor to the hotel. Victor says, it’s a trick, but June says, they’ll be there. Victor says, don’t do this, but Dwight says, it’s too late. Victor looks scared and grabs the blindfold off of Tracy. He says, now she knows where PADRE is, and Tracy takes a dive over the side of the boat. Victor jumps up and runs to the bow, pulling out wires and plugs as he goes. He too jumps off the boat, and Sherry tells Dwight to turn around, but he says he can’t. There’s no power.  

On land, a zombie grabs Tracy and she falls, but she scuttles away. Four of them surround her, and Victor arrives, whacking them in their undead heads. He tells Tracy that he’s not going to hurt her, and she says she’s not worth anything dead. He holds out his hand and sees a St. Christopher medal around her neck. He asks where she got the necklace, and she asks, what’s it to him? June calls to him, and he says, they’ve got to go. He’s not taking her back. Tracy asks where he is taking her, and he says, to the one person who can help both of them. Dwight begins to call their names, and Victor helps Tracy up.  

Madison plays loud music on a boombox in a forest clearing, and as zombies come out, she sledgehammers them. Apparently, she’s found her calling. When all the zombies are down, Victor calls Madison’s name. He brings Tracy out, and Madison asks what he’s doing here. She told him that she couldn’t help him build PADRE. He says, they’ll have agree to disagree on that, but that’s not why he’s here. She turns the music off, and he says he heard she was looking for Alicia. She says, Alicia deserves to be at rest. She did it for Nick and wants to do it for Alicia. She asks, who’s his friend? but Tracy says she’s not Victor’s friend. Victor says, she’s Troy’s daughter. He found her wandering and saved her life. Tracy says, he kidnapped her, and Victor says, perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle (as it almost always does). Madison asks, what’s her name? and she says, Tracy. Madison says, she has her father’s eyes, but don’t worry. She won’t make Tracy pay for his crimes. Tracy asks, what crimes? and Madison says, he killed her daughter on top of other sh*t he probably didn’t tell her about. Tracy says, he told her everything. How Madison killed his father and turned his brother against him. And how she left him for dead at the dam. She also killed Tracy’s mother. Madison says she doesn’t know what Troy told Tracy, but she didn’t know Tracy’s mother. She asks why Victor brought Tracy here, and he says, he took her to PADRE. It was the only play he had, but the peasants revolted, saying it was too risky to keep her there. Madison asks why he brought her here, and he says, it’s Madison’s best shot at finding Alicia. Tracy is wearing a medal that belonged to her. Madison asks how he knows, and he says, because he gave it to her. Madison asks, why? and he says, it doesn’t matter. What does, is that it may lead to Alicia. Madison asks if that’s true, and Tracy says, maybe. Madison says she’s not getting pulled in for a maybe, and Victor says, Tracy might be more forthcoming when she realizes they’re the only ones who can save her. Madison asks, from what? and he says, PADRE. June, Dwight, and Sherry want her because she knows where PADRE is. Madison asks why there was no blindfold, and Tracy says, Victor pulled it off. Victor says, they were going to send Tracy back to her father, and he had to make it impossible for them to turn her over. It’s what Alicia would have done. Tracy says, he did it because they going to hand him over too, and he brings her over to Madison. He says, Madison is the only person who knows the man he used to be. It’s not about saving his own skin; he’s saving Tracy’s too. Madison asks if she knows where to find Alicia, and Tracy says she doesn’t think she has a choice. Madison says, smart girl. All right. First, Tracy takes her to Alicia. Tracy asks, what happens after that? but Madison says she doesn’t know. But Victor’s right about one thing. She can’t go back to her father. They leave, and I envision a buddy series with Victor and Tracy. Kind of like The Last of Us or Arya and the Hound on Game of Thrones.

Madison hotwires a car with a full tank of gas at Luciana’s truck stop. Victor finds a gun in the glovebox, and says, thanks, Luci. Madison asks if he thinks Luciana will mind, and he tells her, the sign says, take what you need. They look at a map with Tracy, and hear Troy on the radio, but Victor says, he’s nowhere near them. He’s looking for June. They hear some people looking for Madison, and Madison wonders who they are. Victor asks if they’re Tracy’s father’s people, but Tracy says she doesn’t know who are. She says, they need a bigger map. Her dad’s fight with Alicia happened further than this. Victor looks in the car, and Tracy grabs the radio, trying to get Troy and shouting where she is. Madison snatches it back, and tells her, don’t do it again. Victor says, it’s okay. Troy’s people are by the hotel. They still have time. Tracy points at a spot on the map, and Victor asks if she’s sure.

A gas truck pulls in, followed by some other vehicles, and Daniel and Luciana get out. Luciana asks what they think they’re doing. She’s been monitoring radio chatter. Why did they bring Tracy here? Madison says, they’re just stopping by, and Luciana says she thought she made it clear she doesn’t want to get dragged into their fight. Daniel asks if Tracy is in their car, and Victor says, they’ll make sure Troy knows they had nothing to do with it. Luciana says, Troy won’t believe them, and Madison says, they need to pass through. Luci says, they’ve been put in danger already. She can’t let them travel this road. She has people who are still breathing that she needs to protect. They need to give Tracy back to Troy. Madison says, she knows where PADRE is, but Luciana says, that’s not her problem. Victor says, she knows what Troy is like, and she says, that’s why she’s giving Tracy back. Step away. Everyone draws their guns, but Daniel says, let them go. Even if they return Tracy, Troy will attack them; that’s his nature. They need to set a defensive perimeter. It’s easier to do now. On the side, Luciana says, what if they made a deal with Troy? but Daniel says, he needs to find out what’s going on. Luciana tells her men to lower their weapons, and Victor asks why they want to help. Daniel says he knows what it’s like losing a daughter. He wants to help Madison find Alicia and bury her. Daniel leaves with Madison, Victor, and Tracy.  

In the car, Tracy looks at the map and tells Victor to slow down. Daniel says, she’s been looking at the map for 15 minutes, and Victor says, she’s a child, not an atlas. Tracy says, he’s Daniel Salazar. Her dad told her about him. Daniel asks if her dad told her why he wants to kill him, and Victor asks him not to scare her. Daniel says, even children need to learn what we do and don’t do has consequences. They need to learn that no one gets a free pass. Tracy says, her dad said Daniel’s daughter died because she tried to poison a lot of people, but Daniel says, his daughter died because Tracy’s lunatic father led a herd of the dead to destroy his own settlement. She died defending that settlement. She died because of Tracy’s father. Victor asks why Daniel is here. He doesn’t give a sh*t about the girl. He wants Troy to feel what he feels. Madison says, there’s something fundamentally wrong with Daniel (touché!), and Victor stops the car, getting out his gun. He says, they’re leaving, and starts to get out. He asks why he’s the only one doing the right thing. They know how far he’ll go for what he believes is right. Daniel pushes the gun aside, and it goes off. The bullet hits the headrest, and Daniel tells Madison to go. She guns the engine, and Victor flies out into the road. Daniel asks if Madison wants to find Alicia or not, and Victor curses as zombies come toddling out. He says he’s really not in the mood today, and goes between tight trees. He gets to the road, but more come and he’s surrounded. One grabs him and then another, but he pushes them away. Yet another comes from behind, and we see it’s like a tent city for zombies along the road. I say, he can’t end this way, as he struggles with one, and a truck rattles down the road. Automatic weapons shoot from the top of the truck, and I wonder if it’s Al. Remember her? Victor is down, but the zombie on top of him is knifed in the head. A hand reaches down, and it looks like a mechanical arm, but it’s a metal sleeve on a normal arm. He asks who she is, and a young woman wonders if he thought she was Alicia Clark. She gets that a lot. She asks if he’s coming or not, and helps him up. He asks how many are with her, but she suggests they save the introductions for inside, and he gets in what’s essentially a tank.

Madison, Daniel, and Tracy get out of the car, and Madison asks if this is where they find Alicia. Tracy says, it’s what she said she wanted, but Daniel doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Madison says, it’s the only one she’s got, and they look down onto a bridge across a ravine where tons of zombies are standing around. Madison says, the herd is stuck. She’s seen that before. Daniel says, the ground is frozen, and Tracy says, Alicia is in the herd. Her father led it here before it got cold. The herd was following them, and he didn’t want it near the hotel. When the temperature dropped, he knew the mud froze. Madison says, Troy told her that he didn’t know where Alicia was, but Tracy says, he lied. He didn’t want her to find Alicia and bury her. Madison asks how she knows, and Tracy fingers the medal. She says, it doesn’t matter, and Madison says, let’s go.

The tank barrels along, and driver Della says, they’re a sitting duck until the guns are reloaded, but Troy doesn’t know they’re here. For now. Sitting in the back, Victor looks at his savior’s arm, and he says, the last time he was in here, he was with someone he never thought he’d see again. She says, Alicia told them before Troy killed her, and he asks if they knew her. She says, briefly. She passed through all their lives. He asks why they’re dressed like Alicia, and she says, it’s more than dressing like her. They’re keeping Alicia alive. They’re doing for others what Alicia did for them. The driver says, when they’re settlement was under siege, Alicia made their attackers regretted shaking them down. Passenger Sara says she had pneumonia, and Alicia found antibiotics for her. Victor says, what about the girl who saved him? and she says, he doesn’t remember her. They spoke when she was a kid. They were on a roof. Victor says, they were interviewed at the Tower, and she says she was with her dad. Victor turned them away. She thought they were going to die. They had no source for food and water that wasn’t contaminated. They had no shelter, and the air was bad. They heard a voice transmit a message. Alicia said, come to the Tower and we’ll build something better. When they got there, the fire was burning, and the Tower was destroyed. Not being able to help himself, Victor jokes that he should have left it in a better state than he found it, and she says, they weren’t the only ones who showed up. There were dozens of survivors, and they watched the Tower burn. She was thinking, this is where they’re going to die. Then a figure emerged on the horizon. Victor says, Alicia went back in the Tower after she put them on rafts, but she says, Alicia did more than that. She went in to get the fuel generator and drove them out of the wasteland and radiation. Her father died from exposure a few months after. Victor gets teary and says he’s so sorry. Her father died because of him. Why did she save him? She says, it’s what Alicia would have done, and he asks, how was she? Was she still sick from the bite? She says, the fever stopped, but Alicia didn’t spend much time with them after they were settled. Della says, Alicia never stayed in one place very long. She gave people hope, so they’re trying to do the same. Victor asks, what the girls name is, but she says, Alicia’s legacy will better continue if people believe she’s alive. Victor asks why they came here, and she says, they heard Madison’s message, and knew Troy wasn’t far behind. Victor asks why Troy killed Alicia, but she says, they don’t know. She wasn’t the only person Troy killed. Word spread. There used to be more of them. Victor tears up, and tries the radio. He says, it’s Victor, and asks Madison to please respond. They need to talk about Tracy. He says, they could be anywhere, and Alicia 2.0 says, they’re not going to find them driving blind. Troy comes on the radio and says, where is she? Madison better not have lost her. Victor says, he knows exactly where they’re going.  Where Troy hid Alicia. He can help, but Troy has to tell him where to go. Troy asks why he’d do that, and Victor says he could be Troy’s last chance. Troy says, Victor is the one who took her, and Victor says, and he’s the only one saving her. Troy will never catch up on foot. Troy says he won’t be on foot much longer.

At Luciana’s truck stop, she asks where Troy thinks he’s going. He says he remembers her, and in Spanish, he says, it’s a shame about Nick. She says she doesn’t want trouble. They can use the roads as long as none of her people get hurt. Troy asks if she’s going to help him, even though Nick chose the ranch over her? She says, her people are more important than her pride, and Troy says, then stand down. They’re outnumbered and outgunned. He tells his men, fan out and take what’s worth taking. Luciana says, don’t, and he says, it doesn’t end well. She says, for you, not us, and Dwight and the others come out. I’m thinking, now Troy is outnumbered, and Troy says, so this was all bullsh*t. Luciana says she needed to get close to him. Stand down. Troy says he’s trained all his men, and they’ll take out more of Luciana’s people than vice versa. Dwight suggests they test that theory, and Frank says, he’s looking to make room in the hotel again, Troy says he has no time for this. His daughter’s in danger. Luciana says, stand down, and June says, his daughter’s as good a reason as any to lower his weapons. Troy says, no, and reaches for something. Everyone gets tense (or more tense than they are already), but Troy says, it’s just a walkie. He radios for Victor, and says, fortunately for Victor, he’s the only person who can help him make sure his daughter is okay. Victor says, tell him where they are.

A cowboy walker gets kneecapped by Madison, and literally breaks off at the knees. She says, he’s a long way from home, and Daniel says, he’s not the only one. He asks Tracy how long the herd had been following them, but she says she doesn’t know. She didn’t know about it until they got here. Daniel says, something’s not right. It doesn’t make sense. Madison says, the zombies can’t hurt them, and asks where Alicia is. Tracy says, somewhere in here, and points. Daniel says, the man led a herd of dead against his own people, and Madison tells him, go back then. She’s got Tracy. Daniel says he’s not letting Tracy out of his sight, and they walk through the stuck zombies. Tracy says, there, and they walk through into the forest where the zombies were headed. Daniel asks if Madison wants help, and Madison says, give her a minute. She walks up to a zombie who looks like she could be Alicia from behind and says she’s so sorry. She would come if she’d known. Daniel draws his gun, and Madison says she would have stopped Troy from doing this. She pushes the zombie’s hair away from its face and thinks of Alicia. She gets a good look and says, it’s not her. Tracy pushes her into the zombie, who breaks off at the feet. They both fall, and Madison says she can’t believe she listened to Tracy. Where’s her daughter? Why lie? Tracy says, that’s her mother, and she wanted her to make Madison pay. Extracting herself, Madison says she’s never seen her before, and Tracy says, her mother saw Madison and Alicia, and believed what they believed. That’s why she’s dead. Madison asks what that means, and Tracy says, no one’s gone until they’re gone. It killed her, like it killed Madison’s kids. Madison takes in some oxygen, and Daniel says, they should leave, but Madison says she needs to figure out what to do. Daniel wonders if she’s going to use Tracy to make Troy pay for what he did to her daughter, and Madison says, she knows where PADRE is. There’s only one way to protect the island. Looking at her sledgehammer, Daniel asks if she’s got the stomach for that, and Madison says, Tracy just tried to use her own mother to kill her. Daniel ties Tracy’s wrists together, and Tracy says, no. They can’t do this. Madison says, she should have thought about that before she brought them out here, and God forgive me, I laugh. Tracy begs as Daniel ties her to a tree. She says she knows where her dad killed Alicia. The old mansion off Route 26 near Fort Worth. Madison says, she’s lying, but Tracy says, it’s the truth. Madison says, that doesn’t change the fact that she knows where the island is. Victor yells, stop! and Madison tells him, it’s a lie. Alicia’s not here. Coming out with the three girls, Victor says, Alicia’s body may not be here, but Alicia still is in the women carrying on her legacy. A zombie grabs Madison and they kill it, Tracy frees herself from the tree, and starts to sprint off. Victor says, wait, but she tells him, it’s just like her dad said. They’re going to kill her. She takes off, and Madison says, they have to go after her. The zombies are starting to pry themselves loose from the frigid ground, some of them breaking and falling, but some getting free. Alicia 2.0 says, they knew Madison’s daughter wouldn’t want her to die like this. Alicia would her to help and protect Madison. Madison says, let’s go, and they run.

At Luciana’s truck stop, there are small fires burning, and trucks pulling up. Luciana radios Daniel, who says he’s glad she’s alive. How bad was it? She says, Troy’s men had them surrounded. He and his men didn’t care if they lived or died. Victor looks at Frank, who’s tending to a gravely wounded older man, but Victor says, it’s too late. Frank says he can save him, and calls for more dressing, but the man has already turned zombie. Victor takes care of it and says he’s sorry. Frank says, we need to stop this man who did this to all our friends, and Victor says, we will. Madison asks, where’s Troy? and Luciana says, he’s not here. He stole a truck, but he’s lost most of his men. What matters is if he knows where PADRE is. Madison says, he’s going to do what he did to the ranch, and Daniel says, that’s what the dead were for, his army. Dwight says he’s taking a headcount, and Madison tells Luciana where Tracy said Alicia was. Luciana says she’ll take Madison there after this is over. Alicia 2.0 stares at Madison and says, Madison has no idea what this means. Until she heard the message, she thought Madison was dead. Madison asks how they know her, and Sara says, the interview tape. They listened to it so many times, they wore it out. Madison asks if Victor put them up to this, but he shakes his head. She tells the girls, none of it means anything, but Victor says, when he came to her in the library, he thought he needed her to face what was coming, but he didn’t. She needs him. She almost killed a little girl. Madison says, to protect everyone else. She doesn’t have anyone left to disappoint, so she can get her hands dirty. Victor says he pushed Alicia away, so she didn’t have to get her hands dirty. He gave her the medal, so she’d remember who she was, because he didn’t know if he’d be able to. He was wrong. He wasn’t protecting her. He was using it as an excuse not to be a better man, and he won’t let that happen to Madison. Madison gets in the back of the truck, and Victor says, let him come with her. Luciana says, she needs help, and Victor says, she’s got it. Daniel says, it doesn’t look like it. He hates Troy as much as she does. Use him. Madison says, he may end up dead. There’s only one way. She’s going to finish what she started ten years ago at the dam. She pulls away, as Victor yells her name. Daniel says, that’s not the way to end this.  

Next time, Madison says, killing Troy is how PADRE survives; Victor says, Madison never gave up on him; and Madison faces Troy with her sledgehammer.

☮️ Peace In Rest…

Boomerang back on Monday really Tuesday for soap and that mess on the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay considering volunteering at your local soup kitchen on Thanksgiving, and stay remembering that what you do and don’t do has consequences, and no one gets a free pass.

Dec17

December 16, 2022 – Spencer Says Things Have Changed, Open, Preparing, Miami Takeaways, Unfriended, Ultimately, Inspired, Who Are These People, Pink Pug, Quotes Of an Even Number & Drummer Boy

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Trina runs to Rory, crying, and saying she’s so sorry. He removes his oxygen mask, and says, it was too soon… to tell you how I feel… I’m not sorry… When you know, you know. He flatlines, and the doctors wheel him into the nearest examining room. They use the defibrillator, and Josslyn hugs Trina.

Nikolas sees Laura at the docks, and she says she was just riding over to the island; now they can ride together. He hugs her, and she asks if something’s wrong. He says he just wishes she would have called first, but she says, there is something wrong. Talk to her. What’s going on? He flashes back to Ava asking him, what’s going on? and telling her that Elizabeth is having his child. Laura says, he looks like he lost his best friend.

At the gallery, Ava queues up Nikolas’s confession on her laptop, and makes a call. She tells them, don’t talk; just listen. She presses play, and puts the phone by the speaker. Does she have their attention?… Good. Then come to the gallery right now.

Zaanse Schans, Netherlands. Holed up in a windmill, Anna and Valentin tend a fireplace. Anna says, she burned herself, and she’s seriously not okay. They’ve been on the run since they escaped from Ireland, and what do they have to show for it? Nothing. They have no evidence that Lucy is alive. Even if she was, they wouldn’t know where to find her. She worries that they’ll never get back to the people who love them. He looks at her finger, and says, could have been worse. He could have burned his finger. She says he’s ridiculous, and he puts his arms around her from behind, saying, things can only go up from here, and they kiss.

Cameron tells Trina that his mom and Finn are the best at what they do. They’re going to do everything they can to make sure that Rory… Trina jumps up, and yells, no, no, no! She can’t just wait here. Why haven’t they told her that he’s going to be okay? Cameron grabs her, and says, they’re in there right now working on Rory. That means there’s still hope. She says, they have to save him. They have to. He and Josslyn hold Trina as she sobs.

Nikolas suggests he and Laura go someplace quiet. She can forget she’s the mayor for five minutes, and he can forget he’s a Cassadine. She says, they’ll have plenty of time to talk on the way over. Besides, she really wants to check on Spencer. He says, she can’t, and she says, she can’t see her grandson? He says he just meant Spencer’s not at Windymere right now. She says, then she’ll ask him. How was it that Spencer was able to get out of Pentenville three weeks early? He says, would she believe good behavior? and she says, no, she wouldn’t. What really happened? Who was pulling strings with that? He says he’ll give her three guesses, but he bets she can figure it out in one.

Ava sips a martini, when she hears someone come in. She says, you’re late, and Victor says he came as soon as she called. And for future reference, he doesn’t like being summoned. She says, what he calls being summoned, she calls doing him a favor. Would he care to join her for a drink? She holds out a martini, and he says, given her current mood, he’s not sure he should, but she says, not to worry. Seven parts vodka, one part vermouth; not a drop of arsenic. He says, in that case – he takes the martini – what’s the occasion? To what are we drinking? She says, his wish has finally come true. Her marriage to Nikolas is over. He’s divorcing her. She clinks her glass against Victor’s.

Curtis says, Trina knows what a good doctor her mom is; the same with Dr. Finn. He can promise they’re doing everything in their power to save Rory. She says she knows, but the last thing he said to her, and she didn’t say back to him… Josslyn folds Trina in her arms, and Portia comes out. Josslyn asks if there’s an update, and Portia tells Trina that she’s so sorry. Trina shakes her head, and Portia says again, she’s so sorry. Trina keeps repeating, no, and collapses in her mother’s arms.

In the examining room, Elizabeth tells Finn that he and Portia did everything they could. He says, it just wasn’t enough, and Elizabeth starts to put Rory’s personal effects in a manila envelope. She finds an earring and stops.

Josslyn asks if she can talk to Dante about something, and he says, sure. She asks if Rory was attacked because of his connection to Trina, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time? He says he doesn’t know, and I wonder what the blip happened with the other dead guy, who was apparently also a Hook victim. Dante says, it’s too soon, but she says, it fits the pattern. Everybody who’s been attacked, except for Brando, has some connection to Trina. She and Rory were dating. He says, all he can tell her is, they’re chasing down every lead, and he promises they’re going to catch this killer.

Cameron says he can’t believe this, and Spencer says, Rory had so much to live for.

Trina says she wants to see him, but Portia says, Trina doesn’t want that to be her last image of Rory. Curtis says, besides, this has now become a criminal investigation, and Trina says, she just wants to say goodbye. She promises she won’t touch anything. Jordan says she understands. Dante will go with her. Dante says, of course (🍷), and they go in.

Laura tells Nikolas, what she doesn’t understand is, Victor already had Spencer’s loyalty. Why would he need to get Spencer out of jail three weeks early? Nikolas says, things have only gotten worse between him and Spencer, and Victor stepped in. He thinks if the three of them live under the same roof at Windymere, it will improve family relations. Laura says, when she visited Spencer in Pentenville, he did let on that things were a lot worse between the two of them, but he wouldn’t tell her why. She told Spencer that he should talk with Nikolas, but Nikolas says, it’s not that easy. She asks, why? and he says he betrayed all the people he loves the most.

Ava asks why Victor isn’t toasting her divorce. Isn’t this what he’s been angling for all along? He says he can’t pretend he’s not relieved the two of them have finally come to their senses, and she says, he implied that Nikolas was ready to move on from her, and she didn’t believe him. Turns out, he was right. Does he know the gory details? He says he knows Nikolas slept with Esme, but she says she’s not talking about Esme. She’s talking about Elizabeth Baldwin. Victor says, what about her? and Ava says, Nikolas has been having sex with her for some time. He says he always suspected as much, but he wasn’t sure, and Ava asks if Victor also suspected Elizabeth is carrying Nikolas’s child.

Anna and Valentin kiss, and she says, they’re not going to be able to solve everything with romance. He says he thinks it’s worth a shot, and she says, her too. She feels they owe it to Marty to try to find Lucy. He practically sacrificed himself to get them away from Whitten. Valentin says, but they’re not going to find her tonight, are they? He found a perfectly acceptable case of Chateau Marmot in the cellar, and in the pantry, all the ingredients he needs to make his famous Beef Bourguignon. She asks if it’s world famous, and he says, Charlotte likes it. She asks what he thinks he’s going to whip up for dessert, and he says, crème brûlée, crêpes suzette, cherries jubilee? She says, why not just go to bed? and they kiss.

Elizabeth says she’s so sorry for Trina’s loss, and Trina says she knows they tried. Finn says he wishes they could have done more, and Elizabeth shows her the earring, saying, she found this in Rory’s pocket. Is it hers? Trina shakes her head, and Dante takes out a plastic bag. Elizabeth puts the earring in it, and Trina goes over to Rory’s body. She says she’s glad she got to know him. She’s sorry she couldn’t say the things that came so easily for him… and now there’s no time to say them.

Curtis says, Jordan is thinking about Nathan, and she says, at a time like this, she can’t help but remember all the officers they’ve lost over the years. He says, if she wants to talk about it, he’s here to listen, and she says, thanks, but she needs to call Rory’s parents. She leaves, and Portia joins Curtis. He asks, how’s Trina? and pulls her close. Trina comes out, and Portia goes to her and hugs her. She asks if Trina is ready to go home, but Trina shakes her head. She says she just needs to be alone, and walks off.

Trina goes into the chapel, and alternates crying with deep breaths. She looks at the cross, and says, why? All he wanted to do was help people. His heart was so big. Why did You take him? She doesn’t get it. She sits down, and cries.

Cameron asks if Josslyn wants to go someplace private to talk, but she says she’s sorry; Trina needs her. She leaves, and Spencer asks if Cameron is okay.

Laura says, when Nikolas tells her he betrayed those he loves, was he referring to him cheating on Ava, or something else? Laura’s phone rings, and it’s Jordan. Laura says, oh my God. That’s horrible… Okay. She’ll head over to GH. Nikolas asks, what happened? and Laura says, the PCPD lost a good man in the line of duty. She has to go to General Hospital now. Whatever is going on at Windymere, just promise her that he won’t forget what matters the most. He says, yeah, and she promises it will be all right. She tells him that she loves him, and leaves.

Victor asks if Ava is sure. Elizabeth Baldwin is pregnant with Nikolas’s baby? She says, apparently, Victor underestimated his nephew. He didn’t just move on from her; he’s starting a whole new family. Victor says he can only imagine how she must feel. If Nikolas is capable of jumping from her bed to Esme’s to Elizabeth, her marriage was doomed before it even began. The sooner she puts this ugly incident behind her, the better. She says, he’s all heart. Now moving forward, they both know a divorce can happen quick and easy, or slow and bloody. He may have Nikolas’s written confession, but she has this. She plays Nikolas’s confession on the laptop, and says she knows how much Victor values his family name, and if he thinks that video won’t come out in court, think again.

On the phone, Jordan says, she thought their son was exceptional. She’s so incredibly sorry for their loss. Dante asks how she’s doing, and she says, not great. She just got done breaking the news to Rory’s parent; they are understandably hysterical. He says he might have gotten a lead. He shows her the earring, and says, it was in Rory’s pocket. Elizabeth asked if it was Trina’s and she said no. Jordan tells Portia, Finn, and Elizabeth that she needs to speak with them. Finn asks what she’s thinking, and Jordan says she spoke to the lab, pending a post mortem, they ran Rory’s bloodwork. They found traces of snake venom. Dante says, which means, potentially, Esme is at it again, but Elizabeth says, that’s impossible, and Jordan asks why she thinks Esme isn’t The Hook killer. Elizabeth says, she just doesn’t, and calls Cameron over. She says, Cameron doesn’t think so either. Cameron says, that’s true, and Spencer says, Cameron said Esme struggled with his mother, but that doesn’t remotely prove Esme stabbed and killed a bunch of people. Curtis says, Cameron’s not the only one who thinks that, and Elizabeth says, Esme had a chance to kill her, and didn’t. Doesn’t that mean she might not be the killer? Laura arrives, and hugs Jordan, saying, she’s so sorry. Jordan says, Officer Cabrera was only a rookie, but he was well-respected. She saw a long, bright future ahead for him. Laura says, it’s just awful. Elizabeth asks if Laura has spoken to Nikolas, and Laura says, she just left him at the pier; he was headed to Windymere. Why does she ask? Elizabeth says, excuse her. She has something to take care of. She wants Cameron to make sure he gets home safe, and Laura says she’ll make sure. Cameron asks, what’s going on? and Elizabeth says, she’ll talk to him when she gets back.

Victor says, getting Nikolas to confess on tape must have seemed like a winning strategy to Ava at the time. But if she were to show this evidence to the court now, he doubts she’d get the closure she’s looking for. She says, Nikolas confessed to a murder. What judge wouldn’t be affected by that? He says, unfortunately for her, Elizabeth saw Esme alive and well after that. Granted, no one knows where she is right now, but according to Ava’s timeline, Nikolas confessed to killing someone who’s not actually dead. Which raises a whole host of questions. Namely, why did Nikolas confess to a crime he didn’t commit? The obvious answer is that he was trying to protect her, and that she had tried to kill Esme. Ava says, she and Esme were struggling over a letter, and Esme did a little flip off the parapet. She had nothing to do with it; it was an accident. He says, when the court finds out moments before that struggle, Ava found out Esme had sex with her husband, who’s going to believe it was an accident? She says, if she opens Pandora’s box, who knows what might come out? If he wants to risk the spotlight being shown on his duplicitous family… He says he’ll bite. What does she want? She shows him the papers, and says, this is what Nikolas offered as a settlement. He says, very generous, but she says, in her opinion, not nearly generous enough. If he wants an amicable divorce, he needs to sweeten the pot exponentially.

Anna tells Valentin, she just wants to get lost in them. Pretend the world has gone away, and it’s just them. But if Lucy is really in danger… He says he hasn’t chosen this location at random, and she says, he means they’re in this drafty old windmill in the middle of the Netherlands on purpose? He says, this drafty old windmill isn’t far from Amsterdam, one of the diamond capitals of the world. He happens to know a certain diamond dealer who’s not particular about choosing his clients. She asks if he’s not above doing business with Victor, and he says, his father likes collecting things. He thinks with the right amount of persuasion – she says, and a great deal of money, she’s sure – he might be able to tell them where Lucy is. She asks what they’re waiting for, but he says, they can’t be too eager; that would send up a red flag. They have to appear aloof. She says she was born aloof, and he says he’ll reach out to the dealer tomorrow. She asks what they’re going to do today, and he pulls her to him. He says, keep each other warm, and they kiss.

Curtis says, Portia doesn’t have to be strong for everyone, and she says she doesn’t even know how she’s feeling. It’s so complicated. As a doctor, you hate to lose a patient. You feel so much guilt, thinking there’s more you could have done, but as Trina’s mom? Her boyfriend was murdered, and it’s heartbreaking. She doesn’t know Rory’s family or his parents. She can’t imagine what they’re going through right now. He was so young. He had so much more life left to give. It’s just not fair. Curtis hugs her, and I see no one cares about other guy who was murdered.

Jordan tells Dante to make sure the earring gets to forensics in case it turns out to be a lead. There could be DNA or fingerprints on it. He says, will do, and leaves.

Josslyn goes into the chapel, where Trina is lighting a candle. Trina says she tried to pray, but she didn’t know what to say. Josslyn says, she will, but Trina says, it’s too late. She had the chance to say what Rory wanted her to say; what she should have said. When they went to the PC Grill, Rory told her that he loved her, but she didn’t say it back; she couldn’t. Josslyn says, because she wasn’t ready. That doesn’t make her bad. It just makes her honest. Trina says, honesty hurts, and Josslyn says, believe her, she knows. Trina says, Rory was so gentle, so kind, so brave. He gave his life. Why couldn’t she have given him what he wanted? Maybe if she had, he wouldn’t have taken the risk and lost his… Josslyn hugs her.

On the phone at the docks, Elizabeth calls Nikolas, but gets voicemail. She says he needs to call her back right away. She’s afraid he’s walking into a trap.

Jordan finds Finn sitting on the floor in his office, and he asks how her day has been. She says, back at him, but since they both have a job to do, there’s a coroner’s report. Anything else he wants to tell her?

Josslyn lights a candle, and sits next to Trina. Trina asks if Josslyn thinks he knows… Rory, wherever he is. Does she think he knows she won’t forget about him? Josslyn says she knows she’ll never forget Oscar. That’s got to keep him alive somehow, even if there’s someone else. Her mom says, you have to learn how to love. You might not get it right the first time, or the next time, or the time after that, but if you keep putting yourself out there, one day there’s a chance it might work out. Trina says, like algebra, and Josslyn says, yeah, putting her arm around Trina.

Laura hugs Cameron and Spencer, and says, both of her grandsons, even if it is under tragic circumstances. Were they friends with Officer Cabrera? They look at each other, and Laura asks, what’s that look about? Cameron says, he was Trina’s boyfriend, so they hung out a couple of times, and Spencer says, not so much for him. Cameron says, they wanted to support Trina, then tells them, he’ll be right back. He leaves, and Spencer says he was planning on calling Laura to let her know he’d been released, but then they heard the news about Rory… She says she understands. She was talking to Spencer’s dad about his early release just a little bit ago. Spencer says, then she knows he takes after his father, and she asks if he means are they both stubborn and act before they think. He says, more like everything he touches causes someone pain, and she asks if that isn’t melodramatic even for him, but he says, no. Everything that’s going on with Trina, and what happened with Rory, that’s all on him. She asks how that’s possible, and he says, because he’s the one who brought Esme to town. Think about everything that’s happened; it’s all gone to hell. The sex tape of Joss and Cam, Trina going on trial, and now all these hook attacks. Laura tells him that he can’t help Trina or anybody else if he’s blaming himself, and he asks if she doesn’t blame him, but she says she doesn’t He’s not responsible for the things Esme does. She doesn’t blame him at all. She has faith in him. He’s a much better person than he thinks he is.

Nikolas walks into Esme’s room.

Anna and Valentin bask in the afterglow in front of the fire, and she says, it’s just a fantasy, but it would be nice, wouldn’t it? He says, life in a windmill, skating on the canals in the wintertime. She says, picking tulips in the spring; not a care in the world. He says, it does sound nice, even if it’s just a fantasy. They can come back, but first they have to find Lucy and bring her home. Anna says she’s lived in so many cities in the world, that when Robin said she wanted to take her whole family to California, the concept of home is lost on her now. Wherever she is, when she’s with him, it feels like home. He kisses her.

Spencer asks what he’s ever done to make Laura have faith in him, and she says, during Trina’s trial, he knew that if he gave Trina an alibi, it might end up putting him in prison. But he testified anyway. She believes in that young man. He was going down the wrong road for a while, but turned it around. She believes in him, even if doesn’t believe in himself right now. And she loves him.

Trina tells Josslyn, Ava has reason to believe Esme’s not guilty of the hook attacks, which means she couldn’t have done this to Rory. Josslyn says, all they can do is trust the police to figure it out. Curtis come in, and says, Trina’s mom is anxious to take her home. Trina and Josslyn hug, and Trina leaves with Curtis.

Finn says, at this point, Jordan knows everything he knows, and Jordan tells him, then go home. Be with his daughter. His work is done here. He says, something tells him that hers is not. He’s really sorry for her loss. She thanks him, and leaves. Finn picks up Violet’s drawing, looks at it a moment, and follows.

Josslyn watches as Trina and Curtis leave the hospital, and Dante suggests he take her home. She says she’d like that, and Cameron asks if Dante would mind if he had a minute with Josslyn. Dante says, of course (🍷), and tells Spencer, let’s give them some space. Cameron says, before everything went down tonight, Josslyn said she had something important to tell him, but she says, it can wait. She can’t really think about anything but what happened with Rory right now. She kisses him on the cheek, and leaves with Dante. Spencer asks, what was that all about? but Cameron says, he doesn’t know. What about Spencer? Did he tell their grandmother he’s leaving Port Charles? Spencer says, no, because things have changed. Whatever he can do, he wants to be there for Trina, and he’s not going anywhere until Esme is found.

Nikolas tells Esme that he needed a little Christmas spirit like she did, and they look at lights on the tree. Elizabeth stands in the doorway, and Esme says, it’s almost perfect. The only thing missing is an angel on top. She turns, and sees Elizabeth. She asks if Elizabeth would like to help them, and Nikolas says, he didn’t know she was here. Elizabeth backs up, and jets.  

Victor tells Ava that he’s confident they can come to an arrangement that satisfies all parties involved, and she says she’ll need to see the exact offer in writing of course (🍷). He says, of course (🍷). He’s truly sorry her love story had to end this way. She says, no he’s not. This is just the ending he wanted. He leaves, and Ava picks up her glass. She says, to true love, and smashes it on the floor.

Nikolas asks Elizabeth, what’s the matter? She looked like she saw a ghost. She asks if Esme left the room tonight, and he says, no. She says, is he absolutely sure? and he says he’s sure. Why? She says, because a cop is dead. He was stabbed to death by a hook. In the room, Esme picks up an angel tree topper, and Elizabeth says, doesn’t he see what this means? She gave up Finn; he gave up Ava. Esme puts the angel on the tree, and Elizabeth says, everything they sacrificed to protect everyone from Esme because they thought she was The Hook killer. Now they know she can’t be. Esme steps back, looks at the tree, and smiles.

On Monday, Chase says he’ll do whatever it takes so he’s not tethered to Brook; Drew says he doesn’t think Denise told him everything she knows; and Josslyn asks if Carly wants her to leave Port Charles.

⛅️ Does Not Discriminate…

He’s the best. I love a celebrity who gives back in a real way, and uses their power for good.

Maurice Benard Opens up About Struggling With Suicidal Thoughts

🎄 Just Like Us…

Although I doubt they’re running to CVS on Christmas Eve in a desperate last attempt for gifts.

See How the Soap Stars are Preparing for Christmas!

🌴 What Happens In Miami…

Lisa spills the tea.

Lisa Hochstein Drops Cheating Bomb And 4 Other Takeaways From Season 5 Episode 5 Of Real Housewives Of Miami

🧂 No Shah, Shah, No Shah…

It’s certainly been a roller coaster with this one.

Bravo Uninvites Jen Shah From The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City Season 3 Reunion

And a side nugget.

Tamra Judge Claims Jen Shah Stole Alcohol From Her Hotel Room At BravoCon

🚢 Marge’s Address…

I haven’t seen one season of this all the way through. There are only so many Wives I can take in one week.

https://www.realitytea.com/2022/12/16/margaret-jospehs-addresses-real-housewives-ultimate-girls-trip-season-4-rumors/

🍼 Mama Kate…

She’ll have the kid folding laundry in no time.

Kate Chastain Shares The Bravolebrity That Inspired Her To Be A “Cool” Mom

🍺 House Party Pending…

And I still don’t know what they did, or pretended to do, for a living, and why they’re reality show worthy. Not that there’s a high bar for that.

Lindsie Chrisley Speaks Out On Todd And Julie Chrisley’s Prison Sentencing

🎀 Barbie Core Pug…

Can’t say I’ve seen this before.

https://www.dailypaws.com/pet-news-entertainment/celebrities/milkshake-the-pink-pug

📯 Quotes of the Week

Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor. – Sholem Aleichem

What I’ve experienced is that I can’t know the future. I can’t know if anything that I do will change what happens tomorrow. I can’t know with certainty, but what I do know is if I do nothing, nothing will change. – James Orbinski (Now to figure out what the something is.)

Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing. – Warren Buffett

It is, of course, quite true that God will not love you any the less, or have less use for you, if you happen to have been born with a very second-rate brain. He has room for people with very little sense, but He wants everyone to use what sense they have. – C.S. Lewis, from Mere Christianity

I do believe that when we face challenges in life that are far beyond our own power, it’s an opportunity to build on our faith, inner strength, and courage. I’ve learned that how we face challenges plays a big role in the outcome of them. – Sasha Azevedo

If you’re going to be able to look back on something and laugh about it, you might as well laugh about it now. – Marie Osmond (Who knew she was such a philosopher?)

It is mental slavery to cling to things that have stopped serving their purpose in your life. – Chinonye J. Chidolue

If you’re looking for sympathy, it’s between sh*t and syphilis in the dictionary. – Captain Lee, Below Deck

🤶🏽 Holly Jolly This…

Take a few days off on me, and let’s meet back here on Monday really Tuesday for soap and swabbing the Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay not getting sucked into the holiday rush, and stay continuing to put yourself out there. If you do, one day there there’s a chance it might work out.

May25

May 24, 2022 – Nina’s Petition Hearing Begins, Final Bow, Maybe Leaving, Dubai Talk, Feuding Diamonds, VanderSilence, Lots Of Money, Halloween Already & Modern

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase tells Brook that he needs more context. He’s going to help her take back her life how? She says, Linc not only owns the rights to her songs, he’s turning them into trash; just imitations of what they were meant to be. He says, the hell with Linc. Write some new songs; better songs. She says, because it’s just that easy, and he says, she makes it look that way. She says she doesn’t want to start over from scratch. She wants her old songs. She poured her heart and soul into them, and she’s not giving up until she gets them back.

Outside the courtroom, Carly gets a text saying the DNA test results are ready, and she can pick them up at her earliest convenience. Inside, Nina tells Sonny that she’s grateful he’s here. He tells her that he said he’d be here, and she says she knows he did. It’s just the looks he’s getting from Michael and Willow, maybe it’s best he goes. If he takes her side today, he’s burning the last bridge that connects him with this son. He says, there’s too much at stake; he ain’t leaving. Carly comes in, and says, he’s right about the stakes. Everything else can wait.

At the park, Violet asks Gregory when they can see Aunt Elizabeth, and he says, when her daddy tells them it’s okay. In the meantime – he takes out a frisbee – have at it. He unpacks some food, and picks up a copy of The Invader. He looks at the cover, where there’s an article about the hearing, and Violet tells him to put that down and come play with her. Seriously, what is she going to do with a frisbee by herself? He says, her wish is his command, and she says, Uncle Chase taught her; he’s really good. He asks who she thinks taught Uncle Chase, and takes the frisbee, telling her, watch and learn. He tosses it, and says, oh. Did he hit someone? Alexis brings back the frisbee, and says, good thing she isn’t a lawyer anymore, or she might be tempted to sue him.

Laura sees Cameron at the hospital, and hugs him, saying, she’s sorry she couldn’t be here sooner. How’s his mother? He says he doesn’t know. She’s in there with Finn and Doc. At least she’s not talking about ghosts anymore. Laura says, that’s a good thing, but he says, is the real thing any better? All the weird stuff that was happening, how scared they all were; that was just mom stalking herself the whole time?

Finn says, there’s nothing to be afraid of anymore, but Elizabeth says, there’s her. He says, that’s not true, and she says, yes it is, and he knows it. She started a fire that could have burned down a whole building, a whole block, and landed Chase in the hospital. Who’s next? Her boys? Violet? She’s a threat to everyone she cares about. So she has to go away, and stay away.

Marshall wakes up in a panic, and Curtis says, it’s him; it’s your son. Marshall says he must have been dreaming, and tries to get up, but Curtis says he’s going to get the doctor. Marshall tells him to wait, and asks how long he’s been out. Curtis says, ever since he got jumped, ever since he was in that alley, and Marshall says, Curtis means since he came out of nowhere, and beat those guys’ butts. Curtis says, TJ’s the real hero. If he weren’t there, it could have been a whole lot worse. Marshall says, they’re both his heroes. He pats Curtis’s hand, and says, his son and his grandson. To think he could have lost them both. Curtis says he’s not going anywhere, and neither is Marshall.

Carly goes to Michael and Willow, and Michael thanks her for coming. She says, where else would she be? and Nina walks over. She says, it’s not too late. Can they just try to settle this between them? Willow says, after Nina threw Harmony in her face, and Carly says, that’s nice. Diane tells them, don’t engage, and Scotty leads Nina away, saying, don’t fraternize with the enemy. This is war. Diane says, she told Michael and Willow, if they want to win, there’s only one way to play this thing. Are they in? Scotty says, so Nina is in, no matter where it leads? Michael takes Willow’s hand, and says, they’re in. Nina tells Scotty, all or nothing.

Finn says, Elizabeth needs more time with the people who care about her, not less, and she asks, what if she hurts them? He says, she won’t, but she says, he doesn’t know that. What if she can’t stop herself next time, and she does more than rip up one of Violet’s drawings? She burned down Franco’s art studio. Who’s to say she won’t do that to her own house? Laura and Cameron come in, and Laura hugs her. She says she knows Elizabeth is scared, but trust her, it will be okay, if she just faces whatever it is inside and deals with it. Can they agree on that? Doc says he’d listen to Laura if he were Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says she always does. She just doesn’t know how to do this. Laura says, that’s why she has all of them to help her, and Elizabeth says, what if the resources at GH don’t cut it? Laura says, then they’ll find a place that will; a place where she feels safe and can get the care she needs. Elizabeth asks if Finn heard that. He’s going to have to let her go. It’s the only way she’ll find her way back.

Brook tells Chase, she doesn’t know what’s worse, the watered down lyrics or the generic techno beat, which any twelve year old can produce on an app, and probably did. He asks what she’s going to do. Sue Linc to get her songs back? He knows an attorney who specializes in intellectual property, who helped Gregory get one of his academic papers back. She says, unfortunately, that’s not an option. She spoke to Diane a few years back, and the contract is airtight. He says, that was a few years ago, but she says she double-checked this morning. She can’t sue Linc. They need a Plan B. He says, and that’s where he comes in?

Curtis says he’s done a lot of soul searching. It would have been easy to blame Marshall, like he did the first time Marshall walked out, but when he looked in the mirror, he didn’t see a scared little boy anymore, holding his mother’s hand; he saw a grown man, who was so bound and determined to get answers, that he essentially drove Marshall away. Marshall says, it wasn’t Curtis’s fault. He wasn’t able to, or couldn’t be honest with Curtis, or himself. So he ran away – again. Curtis says he has questions, and Marshall says he’s sure Curtis does. Curtis says, but whether or not he gets answers, he just wants Marshall to come home, to his family. No strings, no conditions, just a chance to start fresh for all of us. He really hopes Marshall wants that too.

Gregory tells Alexis that he’s sorry. He was trying to make Violet’s frisbee boomerang. It didn’t quite work out as planned. She says, he might want to work on that, and he says he will. He suggests Violet show off her bubble blowing skills, and Violet runs off. He tells Alexis, why don’t they start over? What brings her to the park today? She says she was just finishing up a Tai Chi class down at the duckpond, and he says he’s always wanted to try Tai Chi; the movements look so beautiful, therapeutic. She says she needs all the therapy she can get. She doesn’t know if Finn told him, but it’s been quite a year. He says, his son’s not a talker; she might have noticed. She says, he would enjoy the Tai Chi; the silence is deafening. Gregory picks up the paper, and asks if this is her way of expressing her opinions these days. She says, he’s a reader, and he says, he is. He can’t quite say he’s a fan.

Scotty says, nice work, getting Sonny here today, but Nina says she didn’t do anything. Scotty says, what’s she talking about? If he gets Sonny up on that stand, he’s not going to be in her corner? She tells him not to put Sonny in that position, and he says, come on. She told him to do what he needed to do, let him do it. The bailiff says, all rise, and Nina looks at Sonny, who shakes his head. The bailiff says, the honorable Judge Foster presiding, and Michael takes Willow’s hand. Nina looks at Sonny again, and he gives her a nod. Carly sees them and doesn’t like it, and looks at the text again. The judge tells Scotty to present his petitioner’s request, and he says, his client, the mother of Nelle Benson, is seeking visitation with her grandson Wiley Corinthos, as permitted by state law. He’s presenting a precedent in the Abercromby versus Higgins case. Diane interjects, saying, as the court is aware, there are numerous other precedents to deny visitation, and her clients are going to explain why that’s the case. Judge Foster says, they’ll get their turn. She’s read the petition, but she’d like to hear Scotty’s client’s request in her own words. She calls Nina to the stand, and she’s sworn in.

Alexis says, she guesses she just assumed that as a professor of history and journalism, Gregory might approve of the changes she made at The Invader. Unless of course (🍷) it’s her inexperience that’s giving him pause. He says, experience doesn’t equal talent, and she says, agreed. He says, look at Dickens and Hemmingway; they both started out as journalists in their teens, and she says, something to aspire to. He suggests she might aim smaller, maybe local coverage, specifically her feature on Nina Reeves. She says she finds that interesting. She was very proud of that story; it was very truthful and unbiased. He says, was it? and she asks if he preferred The Invader the way it was before; tabloid fodder opting for the sensational? He says, at least as a reader, you knew where you stood. It seems like she wants her journalism both ways.

Cameron says, Laura wants to send his mom away? but Laura says, no, that’s not what she wants, but if it’s what Elizabeth needs to get better, they’ll do it. Elizabeth thanks her for being realistic, and tells Cameron that she’s a danger right now, to herself and everyone around her. It’s just not safe for them to be together right now. He says, she would never hurt them, but she says, they don’t know that for sure. She knows it’s awful and scary, and makes her feels so out of control, but it’s the truth. She just loves him so much. He says he loves her too, and she says she refuses to let whatever’s doing this to her harm him or his brothers; it’s just not an option. She tells Finn that she needs him to have her back on this, and he says he does. Always. He just can’t see the benefit of locking her away from the people who care about her. Laura tells him, she knows how hard this is, but right now, they have to do what’s best for Elizabeth.

Marshall asks if Curtis knows what he’s setting himself up for, and Curtis says he does. Marshall says, he ran away not once, but twice. Who’s to say the next time he feels the walls closing in on him, he won’t lace up his sneakers yet again? Curtis says, because there won’t be any walls, at least not between them. There’s nothing Marshall can say that will scare him off or turn him against Marshall. He’s Curtis’s father, Marshall Ashford, flesh and blood. Nothing is going to come between them unless they let it. TJ comes in and says, granddad, you’re awake, and Marshall says, it’s going to take more than a couple of muggers to get the better of the Ashfords. Curtis says, damn straight, and Stella walks in. Marshall says, oh Lord, and she says, Marshall better be thanking Him too. Curtis hugs her, and asks what she’s doing here. She says, taking care of her family, since it’s obvious they need her. Curtis asks, how? and she says, Portia told her, and she was on the first flight out. Does Marshall know how lucky he is that it wasn’t worse? Marshall says, no luck was needed. He had his son and his grandson by his side. He takes Curtis and TJ’s hands.

Scotty asks Nina to tell the court why they’re here today, and Nina says, they’re here in court because Wiley’s her grandson and she loves him. It’s really that simple. He asks how well she knew Nelle Benson, and Nina says, not really well. Nelle worked with her in different capacities. Nelle was a troubled soul. She made countless mistakes and damaged a lot of lives, but no life was as damaged as Nina’s daughter’s. He asks when Nina found out Nelle was her daughter, and she says she didn’t know Nelle was her daughter until after Nelle died, and that’s when she realized Wiley was her grandson, all that she had left of Nelle in this world. He asks if she got to see him, and she says, she did. He asks how that was, and she says, it was great. Love at first sight, at least for her. He asks how Wiley felt about her visits, and she says, Wiley made it really easy; he has such a warm, inviting spirit. They built block houses, colored together, read together. Every moment she got to spend with that little boy was a precious gift. Scotty asks, what happened? Why did Wiley’s parents cut her off? She says, because they decided she was a bad influence for Wiley. She’s not perfect, far from it, but she is a good grandmother and she loves Wiley, and he loves her. It’s that simple. Wiley is her family, and no matter how much they want to, they can’t change that.

Finn suggests they all get on board with this plan. Where would Elizabeth even go? Doc says, Shadybrook. It’s perfect. It’s excellent, it’s close, it’s comfortable. Cameron says, they’re not going to lock her up in a padded cell or something? but Doc says, it’s not that kind of place, and Cameron asks, what kind of place is it? Doc says, Elizabeth can expect a week or two of intensive conversation and exploration, then hopefully she can transition to outpatient care. Laura asks how that sounds, and Elizabeth says, she’s more concerned with what Finn thinks. She wants to do this with his support. He asks if she really thinks this is what’s best, and she says she does. He says, okay, let’s give it a shot. He’ll take her there, and come visit as often as he can. She says, he can’t. She has to do this on her own.

Brook says, she was thinking, since Chase has two weeks on his suspension, he could shadow Linc; catch him doing something shady they could use to get her music back. What does he think? He tells her that she’s crazy.

Stella says, three strangers to three amigos. When did this happen? Curtis says, he’s just trying to convince Marshall to come back to Port Charles with them. TJ says, is that even a question? and Curtis says, apparently. Stella says, she didn’t fly all this way to let Marshall go back to a loner life, and Marshall says, some people like to be alone, but she says, he’s not one of them. He’s a fool if he doesn’t grab this chance with both hands. The doctor asks if it’s okay for him to take a look at the patient. He won’t take long. They leave, and outside, Stella asks if Marshall ever explained why he left… this time, and Curtis says he didn’t want to push Marshall. He takes the prescription bottle out of his pocket, and says, but TJ may have answers based on what he found in Marshall’s hotel room. TJ says, these aren’t for his blood pressure; they’re anti-psychotic medication. Curtis says, but Stella knew that already, didn’t she?

Alexis says, if by both sides Gregory means telling the truth and turning a profit, guilty as charged. She’s not a professor, who sits in an ivory tower. She’s the editor-in-chief of a paper, so she has to tell stories about real people with real problems. He says, so she thinks he doesn’t know anything about real life? but she tells him, that’s not what she said. He just used Dickens and Hemmingway as an example, and this is the 21st century. She’s competing with 24 hour news cycles. She’s competing with social media. She’s competing with instant – and she means instant – information. He says, and he admires he for that, but she says, she’s not getting that impression. He says, isn’t there a danger in mixing titillation with the truth? It seems to him that you end up accomplishing neither. She says, if he bothered to read the latest article, which he clearly did not, he’d see she bent over backward to be objective and not take cheap shots like his ex, Jackie. He says, they’re talking about Alexis’s journalistic integrity, not Jackie’s, when Violet comes over, and says she doesn’t think Gregory is playing nice

Scotty asks if Nina is Wiley’s only grandparent, and she says, no. He asks if she can tell them who else is, and Diane says, relevance? Scotty says, he’ll tell her the relevance. His client is being denied access to her grandson. It seems like there’s a standard for her, and another for everybody else. Judge Foster says she’ll allow it, and Nina says, Wiley has two other grandparents who are here in the courthouse, Carly Corinthos and Sonny Corinthos. Scotty says, so Sonny Corinthos can see his grandson any time he wants, but she’s been deemed a bad influence. Diane objects, and Scotty says, withdrawn. Is that it as far as grandparents go? Nina says, Wiley had another grandmother, Harmony Miller, but she recently passed away, and Scotty says, Harmony Miller who killed Neil Byrne and his brother, and attempted to kill two other people? Nina says, that’s correct, and he says, so Harmony was able to see Wiley, and Nina’s not. Wow. They’re done. Diane says, if it please the court, she has a few questions for the petitioner. Carly smirks, and Sonny looks grim.

Diane says, Nina testified that she didn’t know Nelle was her daughter until after her death. Did anyone else know Nelle was her daughter before she did? Nina says, yes. Carly Corinthos and Jasper Jax. Diane asks if they knew Nelle was her daughter before her death, and Nina says, Carly claimed she didn’t know, but she has her doubts. Diane says, that’s probably upsetting, and Nina says, to find out she had a daughter only after she died? Yeah, it was upsetting. Diane says she imagines Nina regretted all the time she didn’t spend with her daughter, and Nina says, of course (🍷) she did. If she had known… Diane says, what? and Nina says, things would have been different. She could have raised Nelle, and given her the love she deserved to have, and Nelle wouldn’t have turned out the way she did. None of this would have been set in motion. Diane says, correct her if she’s wrong, but wasn’t Nina in a coma from prior to her daughter’s birth until she was in her 20s? and Nina says, yes. Diane says, so this regret is all just a delusional twisted fantasy? and Scotty objects. He says he doesn’t hear a question in there, and Diane says, how’s this for a question? Isn’t this petition of Nina’s an act of revenge? Scotty objects, and says, leading the witness. Diane says, she’ll rephrase. Isn’t this petition of Nina’s yet another act of revenge? She doesn’t have Wiley’s best interests at heart at all, does she?

Laura suggests they give Finn and Elizabeth some privacy, and Doc says he’ll call Shadybrook. He, Laura, and Cameron leave, and Finn says he’s not second guessing her decision. She asks if he’s sure, and he says, if he is, it’s because he’s part of this too. His presence in her life has played a part in bringing forth this… She says, crisis? and he says, they’ll go with that. She says, doesn’t he see? That’s why he can’t be a part of this. He was so convinced there was someone out there trying to split them up, and she was equally convinced it was Franco’s ghost. They were both really wrong. Is it her? Is there something buried deep down that feels threatened by her feelings for him? As scary as this is, as much as she wants him to hold her hand through all of this, they can’t. She has to do this on her own.

Brook says she thought Chase was on her side, and he says he is, but she says, obviously not. He asks if she has any idea how many laws she’s asking him to break. One, they have no warrant; two, she’s talking about blackmail here. And four… She says, he was on three, and he says, and three, yes, he’s on suspension, but he’s still a cop. Not for long if he goes along with this highly unethical plan of hers. She says, she’s unethical? and he says, in this moment. She’s asking him to coerce a suspect into committing a crime; it’s called entrapment. She says, she doesn’t care what it’s called. She can’t sit back and do nothing. He says he gets that, but she says, he doesn’t. These songs are her babies, and she will not let someone take them away from her. He says, babies? and she says, yes. She created them and nurtured them. She cried when they failed and celebrated when they were genius. That’s how much they mean to her. He says, that explains it. She’s not just mourning her songs; she’s mourning Bailey.

Curtis tells Stella, there’s a story here; a story that started about 40 years ago. TJ says, and if he still has a prescription for these kind of drugs, the story continues to this day. Stella says, she knows they want answers, and they deserve them. And yes, there’s a story, but like she said, it’s not hers to tell. The doctor wheels Marshall out, and says, it looks like a concussion, but he wants to run a few more scans before approving Marshall’s discharge. TJ says, if he’s afraid Marshall will be alone… Curtis says, don’t worry; he won’t be.

Gregory tells Violet, you know how sometimes you go to the playground, and get on one end of the seesaw? Alexis says, and someone gets on the other end of the seesaw? and Gregory says, then they lift you up and don’t let you down. Violet says she doesn’t like that, and Gregory says, you get upset, then they get upset. Alexis says, and then you’re arguing about a silly seesaw. Violet asks if they were being silly, and they say that they were. Gregory tells Alexis that he apologizes for his criticism, and she asks if he retracts it. He says, no, and she says, no retraction necessary. She has an idea. Why doesn’t he put his money where his mouth is? Why doesn’t he state his opinion in print, on the record? Unless he’s all talk.

Scotty says, this is character assassination at its worst, and the judge tells Diane to get where she’s going. Fast, or drop the line of questioning altogether. Diane says, Nina’s character is the sole reason they’re here. But of course (🍷). Is Nina familiar with the series of articles in The Invader? Nina says, yes, she skimmed it, and Diane says, so she knows, in addition to the other details of her rich and full life, it speaks about the time she spent in a little town called Nixon Falls. Is that portion of the story a lie? Nina says, like she said, she skimmed it. Diane says, is it a lie to say, while Nina was in Nixon Falls she ran into Wiley’s grandfather, Sonny Corinthos, when everyone else presumed him dead? Nina says, that’s true, and Diane says, and did Nina keep the knowledge from Mr. Corinthos that he was presumed dead, and at the same time keep the knowledge that he was alive from his wife and family, including precious Wiley, knowing the pain and suffering it caused? Scotty says, badgering the witness, and Judge Foster says, sustained. Nina says, at that moment, she wasn’t thinking about the pain and suffering, and Diane says, of course (🍷) not. Nina was thinking about revenge; getting back at Carly Corinthos because she possibly kept Nelle’s existence a secret from her? And isn’t it that same revenge that’s driving her today?

Finn says, Elizabeth is right, and she says she loves it when he says that. He says, he’s not crazy about the idea of letting go, and she says, her neither. He says, but in this case, he has to. He doesn’t want to impede her recovery. Would it be okay if he said he’s really going to miss her? She says, she’s going to miss him, but he heard Doc. It might only be a few weeks. He says, she’ll be back in no time, and she says, good as new. He says he liked the old version, and she says, then good as old. He says, even better, when Doc comes back with Laura and Cameron. He says, she’s all set, and Laura says, she and Doc will drive Elizabeth over. Cameron says, just get better. He’ll make sure Jake and Aiden stay in line while she’s away. Elizabeth says she knows he will. She’s never been more proud of him than she is right now. He says he’s proud of her too, and Laura says, they all are.

Gregory asks if Alexis is inviting him to submit something for publication, and she says, The Invader welcomes all kinds of opinions. Unless he’s afraid to hear from the readers. Violet says, grandpa’s not afraid of anything, and Gregory’s phone dings. Violet asks if that’s daddy. Are they going to see Aunt Elizabeth? Gregory says, let’s do it, and starts to pack up. Alexis tells him to give her best to Finn and Elizabeth. She hands him the newspaper, but he says, no thanks. Have a good one. She says, him too, and he and Violet leave.

The doctor tells Marshall that he’s going to set up the tests, and leaves. Marshall sees the prescription bottle in TJ’s hand, and says, he’s been less than honest about a lot of things. Stella says, it’s time; time to let go of the past. Curtis says, that can wait, and TJ says, what matters is getting Marshall better. Marshall says he appreciates that, but Stella is spot-on. Curtis deserved an explanation a long time ago. He wasn’t able to get it right with Tommy, but he can get it right with Curtis.

Nina says, what happened in Nixon Falls was more complicated than Diane is making it, but Diane says, not really. Nina either lied or she didn’t; which is it? Nina says she lied. Who hasn’t lied in here? That doesn’t make her a bad grandmother. She loves Wiley. How can she prove to Wiley how much she loves him if she’s shut out of his life? How can she prove it, not just by her words, but by her actions? Diane says, with all due respect, she had her chance, and threw it in the garbage. No further questions. The judge tells Nina to step down, and Michael says he thinks Diane did it. Diane says, let’s hope, and he tells Willow, that’s the end of that. Judge Foster asks if there’s anyone else prepared to speak for or against the petition, and Sonny tells Scotty to get him on the stand. Nina says, no, he doesn’t have to, but he says, yes, he does.

At GH, Finn tells Violet that Elizabeth is going to a place where she can get the care she needs. She’ll be home soon. Violet says she hopes Elizabeth Feels better, and Finn says he hopes so too. Elizabeth comes out, and Violet hugs her. She tells Elizabeth that she can take the frisbee, but Elizabeth tells her to hang onto it. They’ll play when she gets back. She asks for a hug for the road, and tells Violet that she loves her. She tells Cameron, don’t think he’s getting out of another one, and he says he wouldn’t want to. They hug, and she says she loves him. He says he loves her too, and Finn says, he’s not saying goodbye. Violet says, see you later, and Finn says, he’ll see Elizabeth later. Elizabeth says, not if she sees him first, and he hugs her. She says, tell the boys she loves them, and she’ll be home as soon as she can. Elizabeth gets in the elevator with Doc and Laura, and Finn holds her hand until the elevator doors start to close.

The doctor asks if Marshall is ready for the scans, and Stella tells him, be careful. He has precious cargo. The doctor says, as soon as they’re clear, Marshall can go home, and Marshall says, that’s exactly where he’s going – home with his family.

Brook says, this has nothing to do with Bailey, and Chase says, no? She says, no. It’s about her taking her life back, and everything she’s worked for. Is he going to help her or not? He says he’s sorry; he can’t. She says she’ll do it herself, and gets up.

Judge Foster says, if Scotty and his client have no more witnesses to call… Nina looks at Sonny, then nods to Scotty. Scotty says, they have one more witness to call. He calls Sonny Corinthos to the stand. Sonny gets up, and is sworn in. Everyone sits stone-faced.

Tomorrow, Josslyn tells Cameron, she finally figured out a way to stop Esme; Victor tells Ava, welcome home; and Diane asks why they should trust Sonny’s judgement.

🥀 Soap’s Loss…

I only watched Guiding Light for a hot minute, but I remember her from the soap magazines.

Beloved Guiding Light Vet Dead at 81

🌬 Time’s Up…

I think Kyle’s storyline ran out when LVP left. If she ever really had one.

https://people.com/tv/kyle-richards-considers-whether-to-return-to-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/

💰 Dishing On Dubai…

The skinny on the new Wives, and a cameo from Phaedra.  

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhodubai-andy-cohen-caroline-stanbury-phaedra-parks-preview

💋 Bye Wig…

It’s about time someone stopped kowtowing to LisaR’s BS.

https://pagesix.com/2022/05/17/garcelle-beauvais-talks-lisa-rinna-feud-like-seeing-an-ex/

🍸 I Wouldn’t Either…

Brittany is never going to understand that her close association with Jax is doing her no favors.

Brittany Cartwright Reportedly Said Lisa Vanderpump Doesn’t Talk To Her Since She “Left” Vanderpump Rules

🍾 Champagne Taste…

And I still don’t know WTH these people do, or why they’re on TV.

https://www.cinemablend.com/television/the-incredible-amount-of-money-chrisley-knows-best-stars-allegedly-needed-in-order-to-break-even-every-month-according-to-former-partner-who-committed-bank-fraud

🧹 Rushing the Season…

What you need to know about the Sanderson sisters latest.

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-2-release-date-announced-disney/

🌷 Tra-La It’s Still May…

While the spring continues, generating pollen for all, join me tomorrow for soap and what’s happening with those who hold the diamonds. Until then, stay safe, stay letting your conscience be your guide, and stay keeping in mind, experience doesn’t equal talent.

Dec23

December 22, 2020 – The Search For Sonny Is On, Julian’s Finish, Veronica Tells Tanner the Truth & Drummer Duo

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis looks like she has a headache as she sits in the interrogation room. She hears the door open, and asks if she could have some water. Diane plops a bottle of water in front of her, and looks grim. Sam comes into the station, and tells Chase that she heard her mother was picked up on a DWI. He says, Diane is with her now, and she asks if anyone was hurt. He says, not this time. She says, there won’t be a next time. This has to stop.

Olivia tells Ned, Alexis was already defensive, but when she cut Alexis off, it got worse. Talk about a mean drunk. She even called their marriage into question, saying Olivia should be worried about that instead of her. He says, people throw up all kinds of smokescreens when hiding an addiction. She probably felt cornered, so she went on the attack. Tracy walks in, and asks what they’re talking about. Olivia says, Alexis, and asks if Tracy got her home okay. Tracy says she did, but she doesn’t know if it was enough.

Dante tries to call Dr. Kirk, but gets no answer.

Obrecht ignores Dante’s call, and Scotty tells her to come into the hotel room. He says, Franco’s in the shower, and they need to make it quick. He asks what she did with Kirk’s body after he left, and she wonders if he’s asking how she cleaned up the mess he made after he killed Kirk. He says, it was an accident (a lot of that going around Port Charles these days). Kirk was attacking her, then turned the knife on him, and he gave him a left hook. Obrecht says, her hero, and Franco comes in. He suggests they have a farewell breakfast before he and Scotty leave. She says, he’s leaving? and he says, now that Kirk is gone, he doesn’t see any point in running up a hotel bill. Besides, he wants to see his family.

Jackie sits on a hotel room bed, and opens her laptop, wondering what she missed. She calls Robert, who asks where the hell she’s been, and she says, on assignment in a remote location. She noticed she had a lot of phone messages from him, and asks if it’s Finn. He wonders why she’d go straight to Finn.

Finn tells Anna, he doesn’t want to keep this inside any longer. He doesn’t want there to be any secrets between them. He wants to tell her the real reason he didn’t go to his father’s wedding, and why he’s been estranged from his family for all these years. He’s never told anyone, and swore he’d take it to his grave. She says, only if he wants to tell her, and he says he doesn’t hate his father. He hates what he did to his father.

Carly messes with Christmas decorations, and hears someone come in. She says, Sonny? but turns around to see Jason. She asks, what happened? Where’s Sonny? He says, there was a bridge collapse, and Sonny disappeared.

Finn tells Anna, he doesn’t know if he’s mentioned it, but he’s the one who introduced his father to Jackie. Anna says she didn’t know there was any connection between him and Jackie other than Gregory. He says he met Jackie when she was working on a story, shadowing first-year residents. She says, one of them was him? and he says, there was a connection. They started having dinner together, and became friends. She says, just friends?

Jackie says, last she heard, Finn was in ICU, and when she got cell service back, she had a ton of messages from Robert. He says, Finn is fine, Chase is fine, and for the record, he’s fine. He missed her. He thought she was avoiding him. She says she doesn’t have time for this; she has to start her day. He says he noticed she traipsed halfway around the world to avoid her hubby, who just came to town. She says, they’re both busy professionals, who are sometimes two ships passing in the night. He says, trouble in paradise, eh? and she says, yes.

Chase tells Sam that she can go in. Diane tells Alexis, this is her night for disturbing phone calls. No sooner than she gets Jason released on his own recognizance, she gets a call… Sam tells Chase, she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. All she and her mother do is fight these days. He’s sorry her family is going through this. Addiction is hard on everyone, especially when the addict refuses help, or won’t even admit there’s a problem. She says, Alexis knows it, she just doesn’t care.

Diane says no sooner than she gets Jason released, she gets a phone call from Alexis. She’s lucky she didn’t get a speeding ticket driving there. Alexis asks her to sit down. Diane is making her dizzy, and it’s so loud. Does she have spikes on her heels? Diane says, absolutely, and stamps her foot. Let’s talk about her footwear. Nothing else to see here. Alexis falls asleep at the wheel and gets a DWI, but let’s talk shoes. Alexis insists she didn’t drive drunk, and Diane says she’s lucky. Alexis says, is she? She’s under arrest, she has a splitting headache, and Diane is yelling at her. Explain how she’s lucky. Diane says Alexis is lucky she didn’t kill someone, or herself. Next time she’s Alexis’s one phone call, give her a heads up whether she’s responding as her attorney or her friend. Her attorney might decide to bail her out of jail, but not her friend. Her friend is very scared and pissed off. Alexis says she didn’t know who to call. She didn’t want to face her kids right now. Sam walks in.

Olivia says, Alexis drove her car off the road? and Ned asks if she’s okay. How did it happen? Tracy flashes back to Alexis saying Olivia deserves to know about Ned cheating, and then putting Alexis behind the wheel after drugging her. Tracy says, she went to make coffee. When she came back from the kitchen, the door was open, and she saw headlights going down the road. Luckily Alexis barely made it to the road, and no one was hurt. Olivia blesses herself, and says, thank God. Her phone rings, and she goes in the other room to take the call. Ned asks if Tracy is sure Alexis is okay, and Tracy says, physically, she’s fine, but she got arrested. He says he needs to go down to the PCPD, and she asks why he’d do that. Isn’t one ill-advised encounter with Alexis enough? He asks why she would say that, when Dante walks in, wondering what he missed.

Obrecht asks why Scotty didn’t tell her they were leaving, and he says Franco sprung it on him when she was getting rid of Kirk’s body. Franco comes back out, and Obrecht says she assumes he’s going to start treatment for the tumor when he gets back. He says he’ll see, and Scotty says, the voices had nothing to do with the tumor, so there’s no reason for him not to. Franco says he wants to keep living – living is awesome – but he’s not doing it at the cost of someone else. His phone rings, and he tells Elizabeth, he was just thinking about her. He goes into the other room, and Scotty tells Obrecht, this is great. Franco is questioning treatment, the doctor who was going to cure him is dead, and he could go to jail for killing him. She tells him, calm down. The security camera was off in Kirk’s office, and she’s dealt with the body. He asks, how? and she says, it’s dealt with; they’re in the clear. Unless he panics. He says he doesn’t panic, and someone bangs on the door. Scotty answers, and two WSB agents are there. They tell him they’re looking for Franco. They have some questions about Dr. Kirk.

Carly asks Jason, what bridge? and Jason says, in Secaucus; it was a footbridge. Carly wonders what Sonny was doing on a bridge in New Jersey, and Jason says, what matters, is the police are searching and they are too. She asks how fast he can get her there, and they jet.

Dante says, it’s obvious he walked in on something, when Olivia comes back in looking distraught. Dante asks, what happened? and she says, Julian’s dead.

Finn tells Anna that he and Jackie developed feelings for each other, but he was part of the story she was writing, so they couldn’t get emotionally involved. There was no reason she couldn’t get involved with his father though. Imagine his surprise when after a matter of weeks, they were getting married. Anna asks if he thinks Jackie loved his father, or she was trying to make him jealous? and Finn says, they fell in love. He had a hard time accepting that, so the night before the wedding, he went to see her.

Jackie tells Robert, she and Gregory are separated. She doesn’t talk about it because she doesn’t want to make a big deal of it. Before he asks, there wasn’t any big explosion or betrayal. They simply grew apart. It happens. She just never though it would happen to them. He’s sorry to hear it, but says, running away never solved any problems. She says she’s still a reporter, and has to go where the action is. He asks if being there wasn’t enough for her, and she asks what he’s talking about. He says she risked quite a bit to be there. Sit back, and let him fill her in.

Alexis is surprised to see Sam. The last she heard, she was on her own. Sam says she has a hard time turning her back on her mother, and last she heard, Alexis was arrested. Alexis tells Diane, thanks for that, and Diane says she’s welcome. She’ll let them talk. Sam asks Alexis to be honest with her. Was she trying to kill herself? Alexis says, no, and Sam asks why she got behind the wheel blackout drunk. Alexis says she doesn’t know how it happened, and Sam says, that’s the definition of blackout drunk. Alexis says Tracy drove her home, and Sam says Chase told her all about it. Tracy drove her home, and was making coffee when Alexis got back in her car. Where did she think she was going? Alexis says, none of that happened. She was at the MetroCourt with Tracy, and had some drinks, but she didn’t drive home. Sam asks how she ended up behind the wheel of a car, and Alexis says she didn’t drive drunk. Sam has to believe her. Sam says she’s sorry, but she doesn’t.

Franco asks why the agents are there, and the agent who is going to do all the talking says, they’re trying to ascertain how it happened. Franco says Kirk offered to treat him, then bailed. Don’t they keep an eye on each other? The agent says they know exactly where Kirk is – the morgue. Dr. Kirk is dead.

Olivia cries, and says, poor Leo. He’s going to be heartbroken. Ned says he had issues with Julian, but respected his role as Leo’s father He promises to be Leo’s dad in every way possible. Olivia says they’re lucky to have him, and Tracy says, it goes both ways. Ned understands the importance of family. Don’t worry. Olivia’s husband isn’t going anywhere.

The agent tells Franco, Kirk’s body was found in an alley early this morning. He’d been stabbed, and his pockets were empty. The police are treating it as a mugging. Franco says, but they’re not. That’s why they’re there asking questions. The agent says, the agency is conducting an autopsy and will reserve judgements until then. Helga said Franco was in with Dr. Kirk after she left. Does he recall when he left the office? Franco says, Helga poked her head in to say goodnight, he stayed a little while, and left, but Dr. Kirk didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave. The agent asks if Kirk seemed strange, but Franco says he just met the guy. He seemed nice, and confident he could treat Franco. Then Obrecht said he got called off on some last minute assignment.

In the car, Carly asks Jason to tell her everything. He says, they tracked Julian to an apartment in the city, but they were ambushed by a gunman. She asks if they were shooting at Julian or Sonny, and he says they’re pretty sure Julian was the target. They lost Julian, but Brick tracked him to a bus station in Jersey, where they got ambushed by another gunman. She says, Cyrus sure is desperate to shut Julian up, and Jason says, Julian ran off, Sonny went after him, and he killed the gunman. He knew the cops would be there, so he stayed and let them arrest him. She asks why he isn’t still in custody, and he says, because Diane was in the city. She was there in five minutes, got him released, and he went looking for sonny. There was a trail behind the bus station that led to a footbridge. There were signs all over saying the bridge was unsafe, and he could see Sonny and Julian on it. Julian wasn’t moving; he was probably already dead. He stepped onto the bridge, and where Sonny and Julian were collapsed. She asks if Sonny surfaced, and he says not that he knows of.

Finn tells Anna, he went to Jackie’s apartment the night before the wedding, and all these feelings came up. It just happened. They slept together. He knew what he did was unforgiveable. She understands how things can get the better of you, especially under life-changing situations. He says, Jackie told him that if he loved her, she’d call off the wedding, but he couldn’t say the words. He left and didn’t go to the wedding. He was ashamed of what he’d done to his father, and it was painful to see Jackie, so he just avoided it. He cut them out of his life and didn’t speak to them for a year. She says, it must have been so difficult, and he says, he missed his father, but hated himself more. The whole time, he struggled with his conscience. Eventually his conscience won out. He wanted to go to his father and ask his forgiveness, but decided to talk to Jackie first. He went to their house, and she answered the door holding a baby boy. Anna asks if there’s a chance Chase is his son.

Dante tells Olivia, Leo is fine, and she says, when he wakes up, his whole world is going to be upside down. In the hallway, Tracy tells Ned to tend to his wife’s needs, and he asks what she’s talking about. And what was that crack about Alexis? She was completely out of line. She says he was. He slept with Alexis. Alexis told her. Ned says, she what? and Tracy says he’s getting more like his father every day. He says, what happened with Alexis was a mistake, and she says, ya think? Alexis is a loose cannon. She’s out of control. He says, then stop sniping and cover for him while he goes the police station and talks to her. She says, no way in hell.

Chase says he’ll back them if that’s what they decide to do, and Diane and Sam go back into the interrogation room. Alexis tells Diane and Sam, they can continue their verbal flogging of her at home. Can’t Diane pull some strings and get her out on bail? Diane says, that depends, and Alexis says, on what? She got one DWI, her first, and she has bail money. What’s the problem? Sam says Alexis has to come with her, and Alexis asks if Sam is going to let her spend Christmas with Scout and Danny. Sam says, no. She wants Alexis to come with her, and go to rehab.

Obrecht tells the agent that she was just repeating what Kirk said. They talked on the phone at around 10:30. He says, no phone was found with the body. Did he say if he was meeting anyone, or anything about the assignment? She says, of course (🍷) not, and she knew better than to ask. Kirk kept close boundaries around his private life. He thanks her for her time, and the agents leave. Franco says, this is insane. After he meets Kirk, the doctor gets killed? She says, it’s a horrible coincidence, and he asks if she really thinks so. She asks if he thinks the doctor was killed because of him, but Franco says he wouldn’t go that far. She says, good. Kirk had a whole life they knew nothing about, and now it’s the WSB’s concern. She asks if they don’t have a plane to catch, and Franco says, it’s been a colossal waste of time and money. She says, not exactly. He found her, and she’s decided to return to Port Charles.

Finn tells Anna, Jackie said something about the dates not lining up. He asked her about it, and she swore Gregory was Chase’s father. Anna asks if he didn’t push for a DNA test, but Finn says he saw them together, and they were the perfect little family. He wasn’t ruining that, so he believed Jackie. The only remedy that made sense was for him to stay away.

Carly tells Jason, Sonny is a strong swimmer. Jason jumped in and made it out. Don’t try to tell her he’s gone. He says she’s right; Sonny is a strong swimmer. He admits there’s a chance, and she says, there’s more than a chance. He agrees again, and says he has Spinelli monitoring police communication, and their crew is searching the riverbank. The current is strong, so Sonny could have been pulled a mile down river. She says, he’s cold and he needs help, but he’s alive.

On the riverbank, Jason tells Carly, the cops are further up river, and their crew is on the opposite bank. They can start there. Carly says she can’t see, and he says, nobody can search the whole river. They’ll start with an area, check it off, and move on. The only way this works is if they take it one step at a time. They begin to look.

Franco asks if Obrecht is bonkers. No one knows she’s out of prison. She says, there won’t be a problem as long as they don’t tell. The circumstances give her no choice. Franco says, what circumstances? and she says she can’t watch him die. She’ll keep a low profile, but her place is in Port Charles; now more than ever.

Jackie tells Robert, she takes pride in her ability to retain information, but she can barely process everything she missed. It’s unbelievable. He says, believe it. She says she has to finish and file what she’s working on before jet lag takes hold. Tell her quickly; is Finn okay? Robert says, he fully recovered, and has no complications. He’s holding up just fine. He’s up and about, and getting ready for his wedding next month. She says she didn’t realize it was so soon, and he asks if she’s going to be back in town for it.

Anna says, so all this time, Gregory never knew about Finn’s relationship with Jackie. Finn says, whenever Gregory tried to make contact, he pushed him away. He was heartbroken over his mom’s passing, so Gregory assumed Finn’s coldness came from him moving on with his life too fast. It’s true, he loved his mom, and hated Gregory for doing that, so he let Gregory believe it was the cause of the rift. When Chase came to town, and Finn got to know him, he didn’t want to tell him the truth.

Tracy asks Ned, why go to the police station and talk to Alexis? and he says, to help her. She asks if he’s sure he doesn’t want to make sure Alexis doesn’t run off the rails and take him with her. Maybe it’s a wake-up call. Alexis can go to rehab, and problem solved. Stay out of it. She has her family to look after her, and he has his family to look after. Olivia asks, what’s going on? and Ned says, nothing. Did she and Dante get lost? She says, actually, they were eulogizing, and Ned says, he was just trying to protect her, but he knows she prefers the truth.

Alexis says she’s not going to rehab. She doesn’t need rehab. Sam tells her, stop lying to herself. She’s completely out control, and they’re afraid she’s going to hurt herself or someone else. Alexis insists she didn’t drive drunk. She wouldn’t do that no matter how drunk she got, because she’d never want to hurt anybody else. Diane says, just herself? That’s okay? Go to rehab. Dry out and forget the world for a while; concentrate on herself. Alexis says, no, and Diane says, those are her terms. She loves Alexis very much; too much to continue condoning this behavior, either as her attorney or her friend. Alexis says, Diane is quitting on her? and Diane picks up her stuff. She tells Sam she’ll wait outside. Good luck. Alexis says she won’t be bullied into going somewhere she doesn’t want to go, and Sam tells her, stop. Nobody is bullying her. It’s her choice to do what she wants. Alexis can come with her and go to rehab, or figure it out for herself. Alexis says, it’s not a hard decision to make. Either she spends the night in the drunk tank, or be forced to go to a rehab she doesn’t want to go to. It’s a hard no. Alexis sits, and turns her back to Sam. Sam says, merry Christmas, and leaves.

Finn tells Anna, what is the truth? He doesn’t believe he’s Chase’s father. Gregory and Jackie were the ones there for Chase, and raised him, making him the good man he is today. Why take that away? He’s seen Anna wrestle with similar questions, and he understands why she’s reluctant to tell Peter that Alex is his mother. Anna says, in her heart, it doesn’t matter. There are so many reasons Peter needs to believe she’s his mother. He says, Chase is his brother, and he’s going to be his best man at the wedding. He’s happy Chase will be there. She thanks him for telling her, for trusting her. He says he’d trust her with his life, but she probably knows she’s marrying into a Greek tragedy. She says, it’s okay, and takes his hands. She says, nothing he’s told her changes the way she feels about him. He’s still the man she loves. She hugs him, and he says she let him off too easy. She says he’s punished himself enough. There’s no reason he can’t have a proper relationship with his father, despite anything that happened in the past.

Jackie tells Robert, she’ll get back to Port Charles sooner if she can get off this call, and Robert says he won’t keep her long. She’s coming back? She says she is, and he says, splendid. She can be his plus one at the wedding. 

A cop leads Alexis to the cell area, and she looks at Sam before she goes in. Sam looks away. Chase gets done talking on the phone, and tells Sam he just got off the phone with the police in Secaucus. Have they contacted her? She says, no, and he says he’s afraid he has bad news. A body was pulled out of the Hackensack River, and they believe it’s her father.  

Obrecht says she’ll see Scotty back in Port Charles, and tells Franco, she promises she’ll do all she can to get the answers he needs. Franco says he’ll get them checked in, but Scotty hangs back. He asks why Obrecht gave him that look when she said she’d be in touch, and she says, because they’re in this together now. He says, no, they’re not, but she says, hasn’t he heard? It’s better to be her ally than her enemy. Think about it. He walks after Franco.

Dante says he’s going to check on Leo, and goes upstairs. Tracy says, it’s awfully late. She thinks Olivia should call it a night after the devastating news she just got. Olivia says she’s okay. If Ned needs to tell her something, tell her. They agreed, no secrets. Ned says, physically, Alexis is fine, but she got arrested for driving while intoxicated. Olivia says, maybe it’s for the best, and Alexis will get some help. This thing with Julian is going to hit her hard. Ned says Neil’s death was the start of Alexis’s spiral, and Olivia says if Ned needs to be with Alexis, she’ll be fine. Dante is there. Ned says he’s where he belongs, and they hug.

Dante calls Kirk, and Obrecht ignores the call. She says, don’t worry, Dante. Your new handler is on her way, and laughs.

Carly and Jason keep looking, and Carly asks, how cold is the water? Jason says, it’s survivable, and she says, for how long? He says he doesn’t know, and she tells him, guess. He says, a half hour to an hour at least for Sonny, but she says, what if he’s hurt? What if Julian shot him? Jason says he saw them on the bridge. Sonny fell; he didn’t seem injured. As long as he was able to swim away from the wreckage, he’s alive. She asks if he believes that, and he says, he wouldn’t say it if he didn’t. Carly says, let’s find him, and they keep moving.

There was no preview. Just really long credits with Deck the Halls playing. I’m not sure what that means, but I think there’s a new show Wednesday, a repeat Thursday, and football on Friday.

😣 Bitter End…

Apparently, Julian has beef with the way things ended.

William deVry Rips General Hospital Over Julian’s Death: ‘Nothing Says Christmas Holidays Like a Body Bag’

The Haves and The Have Nots

Hanna asks what the hell Jim is doing there, and he says, hello, Hannah. She says she guesses that ass whoopin’ Benny gave him didn’t teach him nothing, and he says he happens to know Benny’s not there. She asks if she’s supposed to be scared, and he says he doesn’t care if she is or not, but she should be. She tells him, get the hell out, but he says, not until they talk. She snorts, and says, okay. He says, she’s not calling the police? and she says, nope. She takes off her slippers and gets in bed, and he says she’s not calling her son? She says, nope, and he sits next to her. He asks, why is that? and she says, sometimes you get sick of other people’s sh*t, and she’s at that point. He says he can understand that. She does realize that if anything happens to her, if she dies, the power of attorney is worthless? She says, yes. Her kids can have it all. It’s already in her will that they can have whatever she has left. He says she doesn’t have anything, but she says she has a lot. He says, Kathryn has a lot; there’s a difference. Hanna says, and she controls all of it. He asks if she’s really that naïve, and laughs. She says he has a choice. If he tries to do anything to her, he’ll have to deal with her children, and that’s the sh*t she’s talking about. Or he can get his ass up, and go now. He moves closer, and says, okay, and she says, wait. If he shows up and does this sh*t again, she’s going to blow his brains out. He says, is that a fact? and she says, mm-hmm. And unlike his son, she won’t miss, with real bullets. He says his son is an idiot, and she says, do her a favor, and bring his ass back one more time. She’ll blow it up. He heads for the door, and asks her to say blow again. She laughs, and he tells her, sleep nice. He might leave something under her pillow. He gets to the door, and says, open or closed? but she just laughs. He leaves, closing the door behind him, and she says, ass.    

Outside, Jim makes a call to Don, who asks what he can do for Jim. Jim says he’s not doing all that well. He happens to be outside his brownstone, where Hanna is living. The bitch won’t sign it over. It didn’t go over too well. Usually, he’d have a body bag by now. He wants it verified that Hanna is protected by the Malones. He asks if Don remembers Louis Miles, and Don says he does. Jim asks if Don remembers what he did to Louis’s estate. Don says he does, and Jim says, does he remember how deep the crime he… Don says, we, and Jim says they have a bad connection. How deep the crime he committed was. Don says, we, and Jim says, him. The words fraud and embezzlement come to mind. Get Hanna to give him $500K tonight. He means it. He’ll take Don down. Do it now. Don hangs up, and Jim gets in his car.

Kathryn asks the girl in the cell next to her if she’s calming down, and she says she is. She just wants to see her kids. Guard Kendrick comes over, and Kathryn says she needs to know how her son is doing. Kendrick tells her, the hospital said he’s doing well, and she says, that’s good news. He says he wanted her to know, and she thanks him. He asks if there’s anything else he can do, and she asks if she can have another phone call. He says it will have to be in the morning, and she says she understands and thanks him. A lawyer goes to the girl’s cell, and she asks how long she has to stay. He says bond is being worked out, but there’s a restraining order against her, and she can’t see her kids. Kathryn says, excuse her, but what’s his name? He says he’s the public defender, and she says, okay, Mr. Public Defender, she’s Kathryn Cryer, and he’s being replaced by a private attorney. He asks if she’s firing him, and she says she just did; move along, He says, okay, and does. The girl says she can’t afford that, but Kathryn says, don’t worry. She’s got her. The girl asks if Kathryn can help, and Kathryn says, if she can’t, she knows a crazy bitch who can. The girl thanks Kathryn, and asks why Kathryn is being so nice to her. Kathryn guesses the girl reminds her of her daughter. The girl says she’s sorry, and Kathryn says, she was very troubled. The girl asks, how? but Kathryn says she’d rather not talk about it. She figures if she helps save the girl’s children, somewhere she’ll get mercy for hers. The girl asks how many Kathryn has, and Kathryn says, one now, Wyatt. He’s as wild as the wild west. The girl asks where he is, and Kathryn says, in the hospital. The girl asks if he’s okay, but Kathryn says, again, something she’d rather not talk about. She asks about the girl’s daughters, and the girl says, Candy and Cindy. They’re so beautiful, pure, and innocent. Kathryn says, that’s why she’s got to fight, and the girl says she’s trying. Kathryn says now she’s got someone to help her, and the girl says she doesn’t know how to thank Kathryn. Kathryn thanks the girl for giving her a cause to fight for, and tells her that she needs to get rest while it’s quiet. It’s going to get loud in a few hours. The girl hopes everything works out for Kathryn and her boy, and Kathryn hopes the same for her and her girls.

Landon calls Oliver, and Oliver ignores it, but finally picks up. He says, yes? and Landon asks where Charles is. Oliver says he doesn’t want to be disturbed; he’s getting a massage. Landon says, tell Charles he’s on the phone, but Oliver says, he’s not going in. Landon says Charles wants to talk to him. Where is he? Dammit, weasel put him on the phone. Charles pops in, and asks if it’s Landon, and Oliver says, yes, sir. He gives Charles the phone, and Charles asks what Candace said. Landon says, not much, and Charles says, he figured. Landon says he’d like permission to stay one more day and work on her. Charles says, it’s not a question of how long Landon is there, but how long he has to be with this kid (meaning Oliver). Why can’t he fire him again? Landon says, his parents; they’re super PAC. He knows the feeling every day. Charles tells Landon to keep him posted, and hands the phone back to Oliver. He asks why the phone is so sticky, and Oliver says, candy. Charles tells him, clean it up, and if Landon calls again, he wants to know. Oliver says, Gretchen called, and Charles asks, why? Oliver says, she wants to come over, and Charles asks if Oliver told Gretchen he was there. Oliver says he did, and Charles asks, why? Oliver says he knows how much Charles likes her, and Charles tells him, mind your business. Oliver says, yes, sir, and Charles gives him the rest of the evening off.

Charles goes back to the massage table, strips down to his briefs, and gets back on. The masseuse covers him, and says he has a lovely home. He thanks her, and she says, and his kids. He laughs, and thanks her again. She says, that woman, and he says, which woman? She says, Candace Young. She is beautiful. He says, thank you, and she asks if she’s talking too much. He says he just wants the massage, and she says, this is why she can’t keep clients; she talks too much. He says, it’s fine, and she says she didn’t think she’d clear the Secret Service. She tells him not to worry. She doesn’t talk to other people; just the people on the table, if they want to talk, which he doesn’t. She’s sorry. She asks him if she can do something, and presses on his inner thigh. She says, this muscle goes to the groin. He has a lot of tension there. He needs some sex, and she’d be honored to do it for him. She starts doing it, then he asks why she stopped. She says he’s thinking about her. He should be with her. Charles asks if she’s psychic, but she says she’s just so in tune with bodies. He tells her, keep doing what she’s doing. Make him forget about her. So she does.  

There’s a knock at Hanna’s door, and she says it better not be Jim. She opens the door, and Don walks in. He asks if he can come in, and she says he’s already in. Why is he there? What’s he doing there, and how did he know where she lived? He says, it’s in the portfolio, and she asks again why he’s there. He says, two things. First, Jim needs half a million dollars. He brought over a form for her to authorize it. She asks what that has to do with her, and he says, Jim is married to Kathryn. Hanna says she’ll have to talk to Kathryn, and Don says he has to tell Jim something. Hanna says she knows how Don looks at her. She knows he’s thinking she’s just a maid, and he thinks she’s stupid. He says he doesn’t, but she says, he does. She knows the judgment of men like him. She can smell it. She’s not who he thinks she is. She’s not signing a damn thing. He can go. He says he’s got to tell Jim, and he won’t be happy. She says she doesn’t care. He can go now. Wait. He said two things (which was what I was just thinking). Don says, the other was Veronica Harrington. She’s about to go into default on a large loan that Kathryn authorized. She has to make sure it’s paid. it’s a $54 million mortgage on Veronica’s rehab facilities. What should he do? Someone should call her, and make sure it gets paid. He can do that if she wants, and Hanna says, that would be great. He thanks her, and asks if there’s any way he can convince her to help Jim, but she says, not until after she talks to Kathryn. He asks if she knows when that will be, and she says when she talks to her. And the next time he knocks on her door and she opens it, he waits until she invites him in. He says, yes ma’am. He leaves, and she says he’s lost his damn mind. 500 damn thousand dollars. And Veronica can go to hell.

Benny, Candace, and Mitch sit in the hotel restaurant, and Benny asks what Landon wanted. Candace says he wanted to talk to her about the President Elect. Benny says, dammit. That dude sent him. Candace says she doesn’t want to talk about it, and Mitch says, let’s just eat dinner. Candace gets up to use the restroom, and Mitch tells Benny, damn. He needs to be more sensitive to his sister. She’s going through a hard time. Benny says he knows his sister, but Mitch says he knows her too. Benny says, not the way he does, and Mitch says he knows her differently. Benny asks what that means, and Mitch says he loves Candace. Benny says, so Mitch is crushing on his sister? Mitch asks if it would be so bad if he was, and Benny asks if he’s serious, but Mitch says, nah, because we’re 16. He tells Benny that he’s just saying Candace is going through a hard time. Take it easy on her. Benny says he knows his sister. Shut up and order food.  

Gretchen waits outside, and Oliver tells the guards to go check on something, He tells her, sorry, but Charles really doesn’t want to see her. He’s sorry he called her. She says she told him that Charles is in love with that girl. He asks if she wants to grab a drink, and she says, why? He says they can discuss this, but she says, discuss what? Charles doesn’t want to see her. Oliver insists this can change, and suggests the talk about it over a drink. She says, where? Is he trying to get her back to his place? He says, maybe, and she says, fine. She’s horny. He’ll do. She heads back to her car, and he asks if he’s chopped liver. He follows her, and I’m left with a huge question mark hanging over my head.   

Candace comes back to the table, and Mitch says he ordered for her. She asks what he ordered, and Benny says the dummy ordered chicken. She says, sounds good, and Benny asks what they have going on. How does this dude know so much about her? She says, they’re friends, and Benny asks if she’s sure that’s all it is. Benny says if he finds out they’re messing around… and Candace says, stop it. Candace says Benny wasn’t the brightest bulb in high school; it takes him time to put things together. Benny asks if she’s saying she and Mitch are seeing each other, but she says, no. The three of them tease each other about how many people they’ve slept with, and laugh and joke like the old friends they are.

There’s a knock at Veronica’s door. It’s Tanner, and she invites him in. He says, nice place, and she asks if she can get him something. He says, no, and she tells him, have a seat, but he says he’ll stand. What does she want? She says, his help, and he says, how? She shows him Colby’s picture, and says, him. He asks if she knows Colby, and she says she does. She wants him to come there, and wants Tanner to do whatever he wants to do him. Tanner says, he’s not gay, and she asks why he assumed she’d suggest something as disgusting as that? She wants him to beat Colby until he realizes he messed with the wrong bitch. Tanner says he’s not a bitch, and she says she was talking about herself. He asks what Colby did to her, and she says, what did Colby do to him? He says he asked first, and she says he came into her house with her son, and jumped in her pool. She had to clean, drain, and refill it. He says she cleaned the pool because he jumped in? and she says, he taunted her. What did he do to Tanner? Tanner tells her, let’s just say he saw Colby in the apartment with his brother. She says that would have made her sick, but he says, they weren’t doing anything. Justin wasn’t this way until her son came around. She says, is that what Justin told him? He says, it’s the truth, but she says, no. She picks up a folder, and says, here’s a file on all the men his brother assaulted in the back of his police car. He looks through it, and says, it’s not true. She says, he knows two of them. He’s a police officer, and they’re his informants. Why not ask them? He says he will, and she says, when he finds out she’s telling the truth, don’t ever say that sh*t again to her. He asks if she’d bet her life on it, and she asks if he’s threatening her. He says he is, and she tells him, don’t threaten the doll. She wants this bitch beaten down. Is he up for it? He says, oh yeah, and she says, then get him there. Make it happen. Call him. Tanner says, Colby knows his voice, and his face. Veronica asks if those are the only two things Colby knows, and he says she’s a lunatic. She’s out of her mind. He’ll have some people take care of it. It’s going to get bloody. She says she’s had her pool refilled. Maybe he could be drowned in it. Tanner says, good idea, and she says, call her. He says he will.

Wow.

Landon waits for Candace in the lobby, and says he just wants to talk. Mitch says Candace doesn’t want to talk, and Candace says Landon thinks Mitch is hot. Landon says he just want to talk to her, but she walks off. Benny asks if Mitch has got this, and Mitch says he does. He puts his hand on Landon’s shoulder, and asks, what’s up? Landon says he knows Mitch is straight. Mitch says, he is, and Landon says, so stop pretending to flirt. Mitch says he’s not pretending, and he’s not flirting either. Landon asks why Mitch has his hand on him, and Mitch says he wants Landon to see how easy it would be for Mitch to throw him out a window. He asks why Landon keeps harassing Candace, and Landon says he’s not, calling Mitch Mr. Malone. Mitch asks how Landon knows his name, and Landon says they’ve met before. Mitch says, here’s the deal. Leave Candace alone. Landon says he knows about Mitch’s family, and Mitch says, then Landon knows he’s serious. Landon asks how well he knows Candace, and Mitch says he knows her well. Tell Mr. President Elect, she’s not interested. Landon says he knows Mitch’s family, so he knows Mitch can keep a secret. Charles loves her. Mitch says, and? and Landon says he thinks they’d be great together. He wants them to have a chance. Mitch says, she gave him a chance, and he blew it. Landon says, Charles loves her; it means a lot. Mitch says he loves her, and Landon says, he knows they’re friends. Mitch says, she’s more than a friend, and Landon says, so the two of them…? Mitch says, now he’s picking up. If his buddy wants to talk to Candace, he’ll have to step up to him first. Landon says, he’s the President Elect, and Mitch says he doesn’t give a sh*t; he’s 5’2”. Landon says, he doesn’t step to anybody, and Mitch tells Landon, he’s just saying, she wants him to leave her alone. He loves her and looks out for her. Landon says, but they’re not dating? Mitch says, that’s for him to know, and pats Landon’s shoulder. Landon says Mitch has a strong grip, and Mitch says their business is done. See him later. Landon tells Mitch, please don’t get offended, and Mitch says it takes a lot. He hears all kinds of sh*t. Landon says he thinks Mitch is one tall sexy man. Mitch thanks him, and says, it’s a nice compliment. Landon says he didn’t offend Mitch? but Mitch says being told he’s good looking isn’t offensive. He’ll be 60 and wrinkly one day. Landon asks if he’s like to get a drink, and Mitch says, yeah. He’s always down for a drink. Landon says Mitch is so open-minded, and Mitch says, Landon is human, right? What’s he afraid of? Landon says, it feels like a set-up. He’ll pass. Mitch says Landon got him thirsty, and asked him to go for a drink. Let’s go. They get into the elevator.   

Benny looks at a house on his phone, and shows Candace. She says, it’s really nice, but Benny says, it’s too much. Candace says, it’s $400K, and Benny says, it’s too much. So is this damn hotel. He’s getting out of there. She tells him that he’s said that a million times. He thinks maybe he will see about that place. He’ll call Rihanna tomorrow. Candace says, she’s thinking about her commission, and Benny smiles. She says, don’t tell her that he wants to smash… He says, that too. She’s like a little bird. Candace says, what? and he says, never mind. She tells him, he said it, and he says, leave him alone. He goes into the bathroom, and Candace makes fun of him, saying, maybe he’s got his eye on a sparrow. He tells her, shut up, and she says she can’t believe he said that.

Justin gets Jeffrey’s voicemail, and immediately calls again. He says, come on; pick up. He’s going to kill me. He doesn’t know why this sh*t keeps happening to him. Tanner comes back, grabs Justin, and proceeds to beat the sh*t out of him.  

Next time, Landon and Mitch have that drink, Kathryn tells Hanna to evict Jim, Jim  tells David to sleep with Hanna, Celine approaches Wyatt about his half-siblings, and David tells Hanna that he wants to know her intimately.

🛌🏽 It’s Sleepin’ Time Again…

So I’ll be sending New Year’s cards. Don’t judge me. There comes that point where you have to just mindlessly eat crackers, and watch The Real Housewives of Potomac Reunion. No matter what point you’re at, stay safe, stay grounded, and stay off unsafe bridges in Secaucus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9kfdEyV3RQ
Jul9

July 8, 2020 – When Michael Got Sentenced, About Claire, a Bit of Shirley, A Night In Capri Turns Stormy, Pressured, Ramona’s Test, New Digs For Vicki, Caroline Speaks, Concert Redo, Tavern Survival, Phaedra Directs, a Puppy, a Career & Odd

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

As Ferris Bueller said, GH moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and flash back once in a while, you could miss it. Today, what we didn’t miss was May 7th, 2010.

Prosecutor Claire said Jax knew Michael was innocent, and if she went down, she was dragging him with her. She didn’t have much sympathy for the man who almost torpedoed her career. He asked if she didn’t think the judge would go easy on Michael, and she said she didn’t see why not. Judge Carroll was a lot angrier with them than with Michael. She thought it was realistic to expect a suspended sentence, but it was a felony conviction, and Michael would have it hanging over him for the rest of his life. Her phone rang, and she told Jax that the judge was ready to sentence Michael.

At Crimson, Maxie told Lulu that she didn’t know what it was like to be a pariah. Maxie did, and she didn’t recommend it. Lulu stuck by her boyfriend, and now Michael was in lock-up. Lulu thought he judge was just trying to scare Michael, and Maxie said she was sorry she hadn’t called Jason before Dante talked to Michael. Lulu said Dante was only doing the right thing; the secret had been killing Michael. Maxie said he could end up in Pentenville, but Lulu insisted that he would get a suspended sentence. Dante had said Michael would be able to start a new life away from the mob and Sonny. Maxie said the opposite of what Dante wanted could happen, but Lulu said Dante was saving Michael, and one day everyone would understand why she took his side, and be grateful to him. At the courthouse, Carly told Jason that Morgan wanted to have a party for Michael’s homecoming, but she’d told him that they’d have to wait and see. Morgan thought Michael was coming home right away, thanks to Dante. Jason said Dante shouldn’t have promised that Michael would come home. Dante arrived, and asked Carly to hear him out about Michael.

Outside of Kelly’s, Morgan, Kristina, and Molly were conferring about Michael, and Molly asked if they thought he was getting out. Kristina thought it was unrealistic to think he would right away, but Morgan said, Dante promised. Olivia and Johnny came into Kelly’s, but Johnny’s phone rang as soon as they sat down. He said he’d be right there, and told Olivia that he would be allowed to speak before Michael was sentenced. Maxie told Lulu that she was being too optimistic. Maxie had ended up in Shadybrook because she went along with a cover-up, and let someone she loved take the fall. She had to own up to it, and Michael will have to also. Olivia phoned Lulu, and told her Dante could use her support. Dante told Carly, he hoped when this was over, they’d understand he was right. Carly said he gave snitch a whole new meaning, and had turned it into an art. He lied to her kids when he was working against their father. He lied when he said Sonny didn’t shoot him, and if he’d told the truth, they wouldn’t be there. Dante said the guilt had been tearing Michael apart, and Carly asked why Dante didn’t give him time to come forward himself. Dante said it was his job as a police officer to tell the truth, and Carly said, he told the truth when it was convenient or it made him look good. She said Michael would have turned himself in when he came back, but Dante couldn’t wait to grandstand. Dante said she could have saved Michael all this trouble, but he thought the judge would see Michael as a victim, and give him a chance to build his life again. It was the best thing that could have happened to him. Sonny told Dante, stop talking now. He asked Dante why he was lecturing Carly about what Michael needed; he didn’t know Michael, and had been too busy proving Sonny wrong to protect him. Maybe Sonny didn’t deserve a better son than Dante, but Michael deserved a better brother. Morgan, Molly, and Kristina snuck into the courthouse. Morgan wondered if they could get take-out pizza tonight, and Molly said she thought they were overlooking that everyone hated Dante. Morgan said they wouldn’t after today. Lulu joined Dante, and said she believed in what he was doing. He told her, when the judge gave Michael a suspended sentence, they’d see, and she said it was the right thing for her to be there to take his side, especially with Carly there. She wasn’t going to apologize for loving him. Everyone went into the courtroom, and Carly said it was so wrong. Sonny said, no matter what, they wanted Michael to know they were there to support him.

Elizabeth went to Shirley’s (Michael Learned) hospital room, and Shirley said Elizabeth was looking good. She thought it was the ex-husband. Elizabeth said she was glad Lucky came by and stopped Helena from harassing her; it was like old times. Shirley said, from what Elizabeth had told her, Lucky was a rescuer, and they all dream of someone swooping in to make it right. Elizabeth said sometimes it happened. Lucky had saved her when they were teenagers. They’d caused each other pain, but there had been good times, and she was glad he was still out there. She thought he still cared. Shirley said she always believed the bright side, but sometimes there was a case to be made for reality. Elizabeth said it was the first time she’d seen a glimpse of hope for her and Lucky, and it came from Helena of all people. At the MetroCourt bar, Helena told Tracy she felt sorry for Spencer. He was the son of a stripper, and the nephew of a professional criminal; hardly Cassadine material. Tracy said he was good enough for Helena to kidnap, and Helena said she didn’t expect Tracy to understand the traditions like honor and respect. She wanted to raise her grandchildren to be proper Cassadines. Morgan said he felt like a spy, as the kids snuck around, and listened in from a hallway near the courtroom. Sonny asked Diane how Michael was, and she said Michael wanted to make him proud. Sonny asked if she had any idea what sentence the judge would give Michael, and she said, none, but Judge Carroll had the reputation of being fair and thorough. She told him that Johnny was probably there to make a statement for Claudia, and Carly couldn’t believe Jax was there with Claire, and he was sitting on that side of the courtroom. Judge Carroll came to the bench, and reminded everyone that he was not going to tolerate any interruptions or outbursts. Michael was brought in, and the judge asked if the victim’s family cared to speak. Johnny said he would, and got on the stand.

Johnny said that he and Claudia were very close. She was the one person he could come to if he needed anything. Sonny had tried to have killed, and she sought retribution, but she hadn’t intended on hurting Michael. She’d had guilt and remorse over being responsible for Michael getting shot. That, and losing her baby were the worst things that ever happened to her. Sonny deliberately and relentlessly whittled away at Claudia’s sanity, and by the birthday party, she had gone over the edge. She could have killed Carly and the baby, and Michael had no choice but to stop her. The judge asked if he was aware that Michael killed his sister; he’d sworn Sonny had. Johnny said he’d testified that Sonny was responsible for her death, and he was. Sonny built her up, then humiliated her. If not for Sonny’s actions toward her, she never would have ended up at the cabin, and never would have kidnapped Carly. Michael should be considered a hero for saving his mother and baby sister’s life. Claudia wouldn’t want to see him punished. If she could, she would forgive Michael. He wasn’t responsible; Sonny was.

Helena told Tracy that her role as matriarch was to provide guidance and continuity to the next generation. She was looking out for her own, and Tracy might want to do the same – meaning our Luke. Tracy said he was her Luke, and Helena said she and Luke went to dark places Tracy wouldn’t understand. Luke was thrilling when properly stimulated. Tracy told Helena, stay away from her husband. She left, and Helena said Tracy was too smart. She couldn’t have Tracy figuring out that Elizabeth was really carrying Lucky’s child. Shirley said she was dying, so she might have memory lapses, but hadn’t Elizabeth said there was no hope for her and Lucky? Elizabeth said she didn’t see how Lucky could forgive her for sleeping with his brother. He was hurt and angry, and couldn’t see his way back. He’d looked at her differently, but what brought them together was still there. It was funny that Helena had spent so much time pulling them apart, and now might bring them back together. She wasn’t jumping to a happy ending, but if there was a chance, that was enough. Shirley asked, what about the baby’s father, Nikolas? Lucky showed up at Crimson with some flowers from a guy in the lobby, and Maxie said they were from a photographer who’d had to cancel at the last minute. Maybe she’d invite him back if a free portrait was in it; fashion publishing was her calling. She told him Lulu was at the courthouse, standing by her man.  On the stand, Johnny said Claudia wasn’t evil, and wouldn’t want Michael to suffer for what she or Sonny had done. He understood the judge was upset with all of them, but hoped he didn’t take it out on the kid, and was lenient. Michael was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and never meant to kill Claudia. He was acting on instinct, and saved two lives. Judge Carroll said Johnny was bright and articulate, and hoped Johnny turned his life around before they met there under different circumstances. He told Michael to stand.

The judge said Michael had pleaded guilty, and waived his right to trial. He had admitted killing Claudia, but there was no malice or premeditation, so was charged with involuntary manslaughter, which carried a sentence of five to twenty years. He’d also had brain damage, but the judge wanted him to understand the seriousness of his action without completely sacrificing his future. He gave Michael five years, with the opportunity for parole in two years. Everyone went nuts, and the judge banged his gavel, telling them to take their seats. There was still an uproar, with Dante and Carly yelling the loudest. Dante said Michael didn’t belong in prison, and Judge Carroll told him it was past the point of argument. Dante said he brought Michael there to save him, and get him away from the violence and corruption, but the judge said it was too late to negotiate a deal. Michael’s sentence would give him time to turn his life around. Dante argued that Sonny had a lot of enemies in prison, and Michael could be pulled further into it. He asked the judge to please reconsider, give Michael the help he needed, and give his brother a chance to build a better future. Maxie put Lucky to work, toting boxes for her. She said his sister was crazy in love with Dante, and asked what he thought. He said he never figured his sister for the law and order type. He didn’t agree with turning Michael in, and hoped it had nothing to do with him. Maxie said Dante thought the judge would be lenient, but she thought Dante should have given Michael the opportunity to turn himself in. She was afraid he’d end up with a harsher sentence because he hadn’t. Lulu had gone to be with Dante, since she was in the first stages of love, when you have no thought of hooking up anyone else.

Tracy sat in an examining room, waiting for Epiphany. She told Epiphany that she wanted to see the lab tech who did Elizabeth’s paternity test, but Epiphany said, not a chance. Tracy said her family’s money kept the hospital afloat, and Epiphany said it was Lawrence Bailey. Tracy wanted his number, but Epiphany told her that he used to swim laps before work, had slipped, hit his head, and drowned. In court, Judge Carroll said he didn’t tolerate an outburst, but Dante respected the law and his brother, so he’d allowed it. There was no worse crime anyone could commit than taking a human life. Michael had been part of the cover-up, although he’d had terrible guidance from the people who claimed to love him, and extreme emotional pressure. However, he hadn’t been restrained or threatened, and could have come forward. Michael said Mac hadn’t believed his confession, and the judge said it had been off the record. He asked if Michael had shown Mac the bloody shirt or if he’d made any other attempt at a confession. Diane said Michael had been following legal advice, and the judge said they’d go down that road later. Michael was surrounded by a group who flaunted the law the rest of them had to obey. He’d been systematically exposed to violence and mayhem. He’d awoke after being in a coma for a year, and the judge had reservations about how he was living the life he’d miraculously been given back. Dante said, prison wasn’t the goal; Michael should get counseling sessions and guidance. Judge Carroll said Michael was of legal age, and they were all treating him like a child, when in the eyes of the court, he was an adult. He hoped to teach Michael to respect the law, and that his actions had consequences, and he’d be getting Michael away from the adults in his life. He’d keep them away if he could. He said it was an extremely light sentence. He hoped Michael used the time to plan a better life, and that it left him with an aversion to being locked up, so he never broke the law again. Carly cried, and Dante looked like he had a headache.

Maxie said she wasn’t talking about Lucky, and he said he’d been in love with Elizabeth, but once he moved on, he was done rescuing her. Maxie asked how that was working for him, and he said he’d been known to backslide, especially when Helena was involved, but he wasn’t going to keep trying to make the fantasy work. Maxie was glad he’d outgrown Elizabeth. Those who’d had their hearts trampled, would live to love another day. Epiphany admitted that she’d seen Larry talking to Helena, and Tracy suggested Helena had paid Larry to change the test, then killed him. Epiphany said, or she just wanted to see the result early, and Larry slipped. Tracy wondered why Helena would want a Spencer baby appear to be a Cassadine. Michael was remanded to the PCPD to await transfer, and Sonny said it wasn’t justice. The cover-up was his idea. The judge said, it having a less than satisfying outcome wasn’t his problem. Sonny said he told Michael that he was proud he’d saved his mother and sister, and because of him, Michael had lost a year of his life. Because of him, Michael had been in the cabin. Michael had made a bad choice, but he didn’t mean kill Claudia. He was devastated, and had practically been in shock. The judge asked if they’d sought medical attention, but Sonny said he’d brought Michael home, the only place he thought was safe and they could take care of him. He didn’t want Michael punished anymore for saving Carly and Josslyn. Judge Carroll said Sonny had destroyed evidence that would have proved Michael didn’t want Claudia harmed. Sonny said Claudia wasn’t a tragic misguided soul, like Johnny had said. She was 100% evil, and poisoned everything she touched. The judge said, yet Sonny married her. Sonny said the fact was, he’d brought Claudia into Michael’s life, and he was responsible for her death. He begged the judge not to punish Michael, but to punish him. While the judge agreed that Sonny was indirectly responsible, he said Michael was of legal age. While he’d suffered emotional violence, it wasn’t against the law. Sonny was a selfish irresponsible father, and he was getting Michael out from under Sonny’s influence for two to five years.  Sonny was not a person to admire or emulate, and Michael could take this opportunity to turn his life around. The rest of them broke so many laws, he didn’t know where to start; including perjury, wasting his time, and the time and money of the taxpayers. He had a backup of real cases, so it would have to be punishment enough, knowing they’d helped put Michael in a jail cell. He hoped Michael would think about it tonight, and every night, until he was released. He said he was going to personally pray that Michael never came home. Carly hugged Michael. In the hallway, Molly said they were taking Michael to prison. Morgan said, but Dante promised, and she said, Dante was wrong. They watched as Michael was taken away. Court was adjourned, and Carly hugged Jason. Everyone was bummed.

👩🏻‍💼 She’ll Drag Jax Down With Her…

Meet DA Claire.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/claire-walsh

🏥 You Can Call Her Shirley…

The Waltons mom guest starred for a hot minute.

https://general-hospital.fandom.com/wiki/Shirley_Smith_(Michael_Learned)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

When picked up where we left off, with Denise and Aaron jetting from Kyle’s barbecue, and Denise telling him not to say anything with the cameras on them. Kyle said Denise didn’t want to be honest, and LisaR said whenever there was an issue, Denise ran. Not allowing such a thing, LisaR flew after her, but Denise said they’d talk in private. In Denise’s interview, she said if all these women were coming for LisaR, she’d defend her because she’s her friend, but LisaR wasn’t going to bat for her. Kyle told the others that she didn’t like Aaron getting involved, and in Garcelle’s interview, she said, either Aaron was being chivalrous, defending his wife, or it was a bitch move, getting involved in a woman’s conversation. Or women business, and NeNe would say. In Erika’s interviewDenise told LisaR it was time to move on to something else. LisaR had hurt her feelings in Santa Barbara, and she didn’t want the others’ opinions. While walking back, LisaR said it was the effing Twilight Zone. LisaR joined Garcelle, Kyle, Erika, and Sutton in a large tent, and told them that Denise and Aaron were going to have a steak and go to a strip joint. I didn’t catch that part, so I don’t even know if they were being sarcastic or that was their real plan. Erika said that it was hypocritical because Denise was judgmental about the threesome business. Holy! When will these morons get that she just didn’t want to talk about it in front of the kids? In her interview, Garcelle said Denise wasn’t being hypocritical. If the kids weren’t there, they could be as free as they wanted. In Dorit’s interview, she said Denise should have stayed and worked through the situation, so they could move on. In the limo, Denise told Aaron that she wasn’t trying to make them look bad, they made themselves look bad. LisaR said she found it ironic, and Kyle swung around a pole in the middle of the tent, turned upside down, and said, namaste, MF’ers. They all acted like idiots, and honestly, I almost turned it off right there.

Teddi brought her kids along for her sonogram, so they could see their little sister.  LisaR went to Sutton’s store, which was called Sutton. So original. I wondered if her dog was named Spot. In Sutton’s interview, she said she was having a trunk show – A Night in Capri – and sent proper invitations, not some weenie text message. Dorit met with a closet specialist, and we found out she has 229 pairs shoes. At least she did when it was filmed. Who knows now? People have had a lot of time on their hands, and shopping on the internet never closed. Dorit said she needed something to fit all her clothes, but it sounded like she was still going to infringe on PK’s closet space. Kyle almost had a heart attack when she thought she was going to get pulled over while in the car with Kim. In Kyle’s interview, she said, when she and Kim were bad, they were really bad. We flashed back to several of those times, including the limo/alcoholic scene. She added, but when they were good, no one made her laugh harder. They went to see a plastic surgeon about Kim’s implants, since she’d noticed a change in one. Dr. Handel said they were like tires, and it had gone  flat. In her interview, Kyle said Kim already had a lumpectomy. The tumor was benign, but they’d lost their mom to cancer, and she was freaked. The doctor thought it would be enough to remove the implants and give her a lift.

While Aaron was driving, Sami asked if what he was doing wasn’t illegal, and he told her, don’t do what I do – ever. He took for a driving lesson, along with Denise, who said she was a nervous effing nelly. We learned that because of their shape, the break was the hamburger, and the hotdog meant go. Denise said Aaron had the patience she didn’t, and when she watched him, she was reminded of why she fell in love with him. She felt safe and protected with him, and had never been with a man who took care of her.

LisaR and Erika went to a place called EMsculpt, where they stick electric paddles on you to tighten you up. LisaR said she’d done everything, and this was great. In Erika’s interview, she said it wasn’t a replacement for exercise, but it was important. In her business, there was a line out the door to judge you. Erika said Dr. Kinney was her next husband. She was going for a plastic surgeon. In her interview, LisaR said he was Erika’s type; rich and bald. Erika had her stomach zapped, while LisaR did her butt. Erika asked LisaR about Chicago, since she’d also been in it. LisaR said her hardest moment was Roxie’s monologue about fame; it’s who she is. In her interview, she said, it was all about her. She told Erika that they all come from a place of need, and can relate. They’re tough bitches.

Kim checked in to the hospital, and Dr. Handel said the plan was to remove her implants, and remove any abnormal tissue for a biopsy. In Kyle’s interview, she said she hated doctors and hospitals – they made her whole body go numb. It terrified her, thinking something might be wrong, and all she could think about was her mom. Kim was worried that she hadn’t talked to her kids that morning, but the doctor said she’d be fine. In her interview, Kyle said she went back to hearing that her mom had breast cancer, and she was scared to die. She would tell Kyle that she was terrified, and still had so much to teach her. I’m not so sure that’s something you should tell your child, especially if they have anxiety. When the surgery was over, Dr. Handel told Kyle that Kim had done extremely well.

Garcelle was moving into her new home. In her interview, she said she’d been planning and building for close to a year. It was two stories, with a grand entrance; 3200 square feet, with five bedrooms and five baths. She said she didn’t realize she had so much sh*t. I know the feeling, and hate moving. After the divorce, building the house was huge for her. She had a date on Friday night, and said she didn’t introduce the kids to many guys. She didn’t want the kids to go through too many changes, and didn’t want them think mom was a ho. Some women have daddy issues, and she picked men who weren’t emotionally available. She never really had a relationship with her father. She thought he must have known he was dying, and wrote her a letter. He sent it to mom who never gave it to her, then it had been misplaced, so she never knew how he felt or what he thought of her; if he was proud of her. The boys walk on the outside of the banister on the grand staircase, giving Garcelle agita.

The women went to Sutton’s trunk show, where she had some dynamite jewelry. In Dorit’s interview, she said when she’d been offered a job in Italy, she stayed ten years. After a broken engagement, she returned to Manhattan, and met PK. Teddi rolled in, looking unkempt as usual. In Sutton’s interview, she said maybe she could help Teddi. Probably not. Kyle talked about how she and Mauricio were having a black and white party. In her interview, she said they threw a lot of parties, and thought it looked prettier in pictures than a white party. Sutton had a fabulous buffet spread that spanned a few tables. Kyle was uncomfortable when she heard Denise was coming with Aaron. Dorit said she’d learned from that experience, and we flashed back to PK butting into one of the arguments. In Dorit’s interview, she said she knew how Denise felt; thank God for my husband, but it backfires. In Denise’s interview, she said she kept hoping the ladies would put it to bed, and say, let’s have a great night. HA-HA-HA! Good luck with that. Dorit met Denise and Aaron in the reception area. Erika said it wasn’t that deep, but now it was a thing and uncomfortable. My sentiments exactly, but they’re the ones making it a thing and uncomfortable. Teddi said, awkward energy. Denise and Aaron approached their table, and Aaron asked if he was the only husband. Denise said they had a dinner, so he had to come, but in Kyle’s interview, she said she didn’t buy it. Denise dragged Aaron there because she didn’t want to get into anything. He’s her watchdog. Actually, I think if that was the case, he’d be the last one she’d bring. Kyle said she was sorry about what happened that they’d left. In Denise’s interview, she said it was okay for Kyle to leave, but she can’t, and we flashed back to Kyle leaving her own chem trail at a party. Denise said she had to use the bathroom, leaving Aaron to deal with the women. Kyle said she felt weird about how they left, and felt weird not acknowledging it. Aaron thought they should wait until Denise was back, but Erika couldn’t do that, telling Aaron that he’d said they were bad people, they should look in the mirror, and were they happy with themselves. He did tell them to look in the mirror, but he never said they were bad. Aaron said he never called people bad, and Erika said he’d talked down to them. He said if they can live with themselves, okay, and Erika said she could. He said, great. Then she solved that problem. Here’s where I realized I’m Aaron. He’s just not having their phoniness under the guise of honesty, or owning it, if you will. I have the feeling, were I around them for any great length of time, I’d be telling them to look in the mirror too. No. Scratch that. I’d be telling them that if I’d just met them. Denise doesn’t want to talk about some things, and I don’t see what the big deal is. I find it hard to believe all of them are open about everything, and despite what they say, no one has to on a reality show. It’s not a social experiment. They’re Housewives, not the Loud family.

Teddi said Aaron had been belittling, and he said, okay; if that’s how she felt. She said he knew what he was doing, and he asked her to spell it out. Erika said he’d been mansplaining and got heated. He told her that he speaks directly, and she said, so did they. He asked why they were nitpicking people then, and Teddi accused him of being the moral high ground. He asked if she wanted to go there, and Erika said she did; did he? Aaron said he’d go anywhere; he’d go up, down, and all around. Denise came back, and in her interview, she said she’d stupidly left him there with those women. Aaron said if they wanted to talk negatively, they could. He was done with the conversation, but they kept poking the bear. Kyle said he was the one who made it negative. Denise told them she’d said all she had to say about it. Teddi said Denise had called her a sh*t effing stirrer while daughter Phoenix was there. Denise said she hadn’t known Phoenix was there, and this was the dumbest thing ever. Find something else to fight about. She and Aaron walked away, but Dorit couldn’t let that happen. She walked alongside them, yammering. Denise said it was toxic. Dorit told Denise not to say she wasn’t upset when they were storming out. Denise said they weren’t storming out; they were walking away. Back at the table, Kyle suggested Denise just say how she felt. She did. She said she was done. That’s pretty direct. Dorit said Denise was obviously upset, and Denise said it was Sutton’s event, and she didn’t want to cause a scene. In Dorit’s interview, she said Denise was clearly upset and storming out, and that was causing a scene. These people are insane. Storming off is creating a scene, as they’ve all done many times, but Denise and Aaron just said goodnight to Sutton, and walked toward the exit. With Dorit bouncing alongside them, babbling. Causing the scene. Dorit asked why Denise shut it down, and Denise said she had nothing else to say. Erika told the other women that she didn’t give a f***. Dorit said Aaron was being protective, but it wasn’t helpful. In her interview, Dorit said she felt bad for Denise. Now she’d have to blindly defend her husband. Dorit did, and it had sucked for her. Sutton’s boyfriend had the right idea, standing at the buffet and chowing down.

Denise told Dorit that she was past it, but they weren’t. There were paparazzi and people taking pictures; it wasn’t her thing. In Dorit’s interview, she said she didn’t see anyone. Obviously, Denise and Aaron weren’t listening; they were just looking for an excuse to leave. Kyle said she’d felt bad when they left her house, and wanted to talk about it, but they didn’t. They didn’t want to talk about anything when it involved them. She wondered if they’d have to pretend, and Teddi said that wasn’t healthy. Erika said maybe they shouldn’t have any conversations with Denise.

Next time, Garcelle sells a script, Kyle throws the black and white party, Denise and LisaR go to lunch, and Camille, Brandi, and Adrienne show up.

👠 Under Pressure…

Garcelle might have felt the pressure, but she’s kept her cool, and IMO, outshines the veterans.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/01/garcelle-beauvais-felt-pressure-to-be-the-first-black-rhobh-star/

💉 Queen of Corona…

We will never hear the end of this, since Ramona loves talking about herself.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/01/rhonys-ramona-singer-says-she-and-daughter-tested-positive-for-covid-19-antibodies/

🧉 Adios, Uno Amiga…

I love how pensive Vicki looks in the photo. Like I think that’s a candid snap.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/04/rhoc-star-vicki-gunvalson-moves-into-puerto-vallarta-condo/

🎤 A Sister Speaks…

Although she really didn’t say a whole lot.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/02/caroline-manzo-speaks-out-after-arrest-of-sister-dinas-ex-husband/

🎼 Thinking Ahead…

Rescheduling is the new optimism.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9386776/concerts-rescheduled-coronavirus-list

🥂 Looks Like They Made It…

Even before the pandemic, it was sad how so many landmarks had closed their doors in NYC. Not only is Neirs Tavern a Black-owned business, it’s one of the oldest bars in the United States. And it’s survived.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/08/190-year-old-nyc-bar-neirs-tavern-survives-covid-19/

😥  A Wife Does the Honors…

I’d forgotten Phaedra was also a funeral director.

https://pagesix.com/2020/07/02/phaedra-parks-talks-about-directing-rayshard-brooks-funeral/

🐶 Something Sweet…

Who doesn’t love a puppy?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/bradford-anderson-new-puppy

🧹 A Brush With Celebrity…

Years ago, I did a reality show about fantasy camps, and met Ilene Kristen at a soap opera workshop. She was the best! She was very honest about getting into soap operas, how difficult the work was, and how you could get taken advantage of. Her basic advice was: Don’t. I have a picture of us somewhere…

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/ilene-kristen-amazing-career

🛸 Phasing On…

Don’t worry. We’ll be at Phase 475 before you know it. Meanwhile, stay safe, stay keeping it together, and stay ready for anything.

Jun10

June 9, 2020 – A Funeral, Rules Reunion Continues, Randal Gets What’s Coming To Him & Changes

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What I Watched Today

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

 

General Hospital

Today’s GH was preempted by the funeral of George Floyd, the final journey of a man who changed the world.

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/slideshow/Photos-Scenes-from-the-funeral-procession-of-203465.php

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/06/09/live-blog-houston-prepares-to-say-goodbye-to-george-floyd/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/09/george-floyd-funeral-houston-hell-buried-next-his-mother/5325538002/

Vanderpump Rules – Reunion Part Two (@home)

We backtrack a little. Tom says he’s never had anyone do more things to him – friend or foe – than Jax. Jax wonders why Tom still wanted to come to the wedding, and Tom says there were a lot of guidelines he had to follow. Tom brings up Jax’s father, and Lala says, no parents. Jax says Tom is an awful person, and everyone talks at once. King Andy says, mute, and their mics are turned off. Kristen laughs, and Andy says Jax said he still envisioned being old with Tom; how does he envision the future now? Jax says if he didn’t care about Tom, he wouldn’t have Tom’s name tattooed on his arm. I… I don’t know what to say. Tom says he never deals in absolutes, but he wants Jax to be better. Andy wants to leave it there, so there it stays. He says Scheana famously wants the camera only on her good side, but a server found herself on Scheana’s bad side. We see at least six clips of Scheana saying she’s not jealous of Dayna being with Max. Andy asks why Dayna wearing no bra bothered Scheana, and Dayna says, men don’t wear them. Lisa says, it’s not indecent, whereas she objects to Danica wearing no underwear. Lala says if it wasn’t about Max, she’s not sure what it was about. Scheana says she’s not being nice when she gets screwed over, and Dayna calls bullsh*t. Lala thinks Scheana was less intimidated by Charli, but Charli says they were all bullies, and Lala says, that’s laughable. Andy asks if it’s true that Scheana and Max’s relationship was strictly platonic, and Max says, for the most part. He and Scheana played a game where they had to make out. Lisa asks if they’re twelve, and Max claims Scheana tried to give him a BJ one morning, but he stopped her. Dayna says she’d asked Scheana if they hooked up, and Scheana said they’d made a pact to never let it come out, then she felt gaslighted when Scheana pretended it wasn’t true. Scheana says she was embarrassed by lot of things that came out, but she felt comfortable with Max. Stassi says, BJs are never comfortable, and Beau asks if Max just walked around like that all day. Brett dies laughing.

Andy says, no one had more ups and downs than White Kanye. This season, James got a wake-up call. We flash back to James being an a-hole, Raquel’s ultimatum, and James’s decision to be sober. Tom cries, and Jax looks pissed, but by the end everyone is dabbing at their eyes. They all commend James, and Schwartz says he was touched when James wondered if he’d be enough without drinking. Raquel is lauded as queen, and James says he’s on eleven months. He can’t believe that was even him. Kristen says, bullsh*t, and Andy calls her out, but she says she has nothing to say. Scheana thinks James should apologize to Kristen for coming at her in the last hour. We flash back to last week when James called Kristen a POS. Kristen says it broke her heart, and Danica wonders why they’re going in this direction. Tom says Kristen was his worst relationship ever, and James says Dayna knows it’s the effing truth. Lala says she and James have the same issue, and Lisa says they’ve both moved forward. James says he’s happy Raquel is still there, and Raquel says James’s rage texts were the final straw. She’d turned a blind eye to his treatment of others, and she’s sorry for that. Andy gives Lisa the last word, and Lisa says when James decided to change his life around, she was behind him 100%. It’s a long journey, and he is enough. Everyone agrees that James is a better James now, and Andy points out that Lala is one year sober. He brings up the meme that James posted regarding Randall and 50 Cent, and Lala says the beef got bad, and she’d thought they’d moved past petty stuff like that. James says he’s not proud of things he’s done, and sees them clearly now. Lala says, everything is good now.

Andy moves on to Katie’s wine night, when Lala told Raquel that she forgot her place. Lala says, when she’s in the zone, sh*t comes out of her mouth, and she doesn’t know what she’s saying. She was mortified, and doesn’t know why she did it. Raquel says she’s (meaning herself) too young and pretty to tolerate bullsh*t, and everyone laughs. We see a clip from the after-show, where Lala is saying they need to grow up. It’s not interesting to watch a thirty-four year old woman in a crop top, doing the same thing over and over. Scheana says Lala made it seem like she had no substance, and it was hurtful. Lala says she’s disgusted by the things she said to people, and how she reacted. She thought sobriety was the answer, but she has more work to do. Scheana says, it felt like an attack, and Katie says Lala seems to pick on the nice girls. Stassi says she’s a nice girl, and everyone is like, um… Scheana says, it’s the ones Lala perceives as passive, and Lala says she realized she preys on the weak. She’s taken time to work on herself and reflect, and she’s righting her wrongs, but she needs to do and be better.

After a break, Andy forgets what he’s coming back to, and welcomes us back to the Real Housewives. We see clips of everyone in quarantine; Stassi cooking, Lisa cleaning, Schwartz and Katie singing karaoke, Danica cooking, and Brett working out. Brittany explains that she and Jax have been doing tournaments, and this is a timed event. We see Jax take a shot, eat a wing from Hooters, take a slug of something I think Brittany calls amondo, take a selfie, make a cornhole, and then get a basketball in the basket. Afterwards, he jumps in the pool. We see Scheana and her new boyfriend doing a silly workout video, and Andy says, all of the videos are on brand. Lisa wonders if he’s suggesting she normally cleans, and he says hers is the least on brand. I’m not so sure about that. I can totally see Lisa ripping the kitchen apart, and cleaning behind the appliances. Andy asks if Katie is still knitting. She says she switched to Legos, and Lisa recommends having sex. Andy asks Kristen how things are going with new boyfriend Alex, and we see a video of them pitching a living room tent, and hanging out in it. Jax says Alex is an awesome guy, and Andy asks how many fights Jax and Brittany have gotten in. Jax says not that many, except for lately. For the most part, they’re both homebodies.

Andy says Jax made a point of telling Brittany that he didn’t like strip clubs, and was the only one without girl when they went during his bachelor party weekend. We flash back to clips showing us otherwise, and Jax saying he was going to leave Brittany for one of these girls. Jax says he got caught up in everyone else’s excitement, and the party atmosphere. Brittany says she told him that she didn’t care, and Beau says the way Jax described it was how he was reacting. We flash back to Beau practically running from a stripper. Andy says Jax didn’t appreciate Tom as a best man, and Jax says Tom just wanted to do it because he wanted to be included in the wedding part of the show. Lisa says he went to Jax’s father’s funeral, which wasn’t televised. He’s been a good friend. Tom says he flew fifteen hours, and bought three suits, and Andy says Tom forgave Jax after Jax slept with his girlfriend. Tom says, Jax was so happy, and having a great time; he loved seeing Jax happy. Jax thinks Tom is a good actor, but Lisa says, that’s not fair. Everyone agrees, and Ariana says, if Tom was a good actor, he wouldn’t be on Vanderpump Rules. BA-DUM-CHH!

We hear some noise in the background, and Andy explains that it’s cowbells being rung at 7 pm for the healthcare workers in NYC. Everyone applauds. We see photos from The Garden expansion of TomTom, and Lisa says it was up and running, and doing well when Covid-19 hit. Andy talks about how Tom and Schwartz helped out TomTom’s employees by doing video messages for fans. Tom says they raised $50K, and Schwartz says he’s been reinvigorated professionally. He wants to have an even bigger empire with Tom, Lisa, and maybe even Katie. Katie suggests Katie Maloney’s Bar and Grill, and Schwartz says they’ll discuss the name.

Brett and Scheana are up next. Brett thinks Scheana is a nice girl, but puts out the wrong signals. Andy reminds everyone that Brett said Scheana wasn’t a great kisser, and Ariana says, lies. Brett says the kissing itself wasn’t bad, but it was a bad kissing experience. Scheana tells him that he didn’t say that to her face, and Andy says Brett called her middle-aged to her face. Tom asks if middle-aged isn’t fifty, and Brett says J-Lo is hot. Lisa says she’s on Scheana’s side with this, and Scheana says she’s been nothing but good to him, and now she’s embarrassed. Brett tells her, they agreed to just be friends, but she kept talking about something in the future. She’d even put pressure on him, asking him to pretend there would be something in the future. Danica says Brett was misleading, the way he flirted with Scheana, and Kristen says he tried make Scheana look like sh*t. Brett says it was like the senior employees were embarrassing the new people, and Jax says, welcome to Vanderpump Rules.

Dayna asks if everyone is the same amount of jittery as they were for an in-person reunion. Ariana says, more, and Kristen says, they’re in a safe bubble of their own home. Andy says, the Witches of WeHo had more trials than their Salem ancestors, and the coven officially cracked. We flash back to that, and Kristen says she just wanted her friends to be there for her the way she was for them. Tom wants interject, but Ariana tells him, it’s not about him. That doesn’t stop him from saying Kristen is an over-venter. Kristen says they all do it, and asks if hers has an expiration date. She’s not saying everything she did was right, but she was out of her mind. Every time they bashed Carter, it made her want to protect him. She knows the relationship was toxic and taxing. She’s sorry she’s not having the same happy moments they are, and got to the point where she said, f*** you guys; I’m gone. Wow. That was some out of context editing in the preview, making us think she left the reunion. Beau says they were spending hours hearing same thing to the point where they couldn’t do it anymore. Katie says it started years ago. Kristen would go on and on about how bad it was, and the next day, it was like the conversation didn’t happen. Then it would start all over again. Stassi admits she didn’t communicate properly about her feelings. It’s not about Kristen being in a sh*tty relationship. They’d had a discussion about Kristen wanting to be honest and open regarding her relationship, and how she wanted help with that. Then the second they helped, Kristen threw them under the bus. We flash back to Kristen saying they’re not being supportive. Stassi says when they’re in a group, the situation is good, but when they’re alone, it’s not good. Kristen made them look like a-holes. She thought Kristen would recognize what she’d done at the Reunion, but she doubled down. We flash back to last season’s Reunion, and Katie says Kristen aggressively defended Carter, then acted like they were crazy. The friendship wasn’t what it had been. Brittany’s dog keeps barking, and Andy asks her to tell her dog to shut up. I’m not sure why he’s so pissed; everyone is filming from home. He asks if Kristen can see why it was frustrating, and Kristen says, hindsight is 20/20. She says, Lala kept saying Carter wasn’t paying his way, yet Lala benefits from Randall’s generosity. Lala says if Kristen was happy with Carter, it would be fine, but he sucked her dry emotionally and financially. (Not to mention, Randall is a billionaire and engaged to Lala.) Andy asks if Stassi is happy that Kristen has moved on with someone else, and Stassi says, Alex seems great. Carter sucks ass.

Andy says James has had his problems with Kristen, but knows what it’s like to be excluded. He asks what James thought about Stassi and Katie dumping Kristen as a friend. James says he could have predicted it. It’s not the first time; they abandoned the friendship in the past. If you don’t change your ways and get your sh*t together, people get bored. Her friends’ lives are escalating financially and with love. They’re actually doing it, but she’s not, and it’s sad, but that’s the reality. Andy says Kristen was excluded from a lot of things, and asks what was the most hurtful. Kristen says, Stassi and Beau’s engagement party. Andy says Lisa is the first one to say she doesn’t want Kristen around, but thought she should be invited. Why was it different? Lisa says Kristen was part of the dynamic, and they were events that can’t be replicated. Their friendship has gone up and down, and she thought Stassi might regret it if Kristen wasn’t there, but she didn’t realize how serious it was. Andy brings up Katie saying Stassi was the Beyoncé of the group, and wanted to leave. Stassi says, if you don’t think you’re the Beyoncé of your own life, what the hell are you doing? She tells Andy that she lets something build to a point where she doesn’t know how to unravel it. Andy asks, if the wedding was tomorrow, would Kristen be invited? Stassi says she’s too much of a p*ssy, and conflicted. She loves and misses Kristen, but she’s conflicted.

Next time, the Reunion continues, Stassi and Beau’s engagement is rehashed, Lisa reveals there was a rumor she and Brett were having an affair, Andy suggests Max and Brett date, and Brittany says she can’t stand Tom and Ariana.

If Loving You Is Wrong

Eddie has Larry pinned between their cars in the parking garage. Larry says he can’t breathe. Eddie gets out, and asks where his daughter is. Larry says he’s going to die, and Eddie says, that’s the whole point. If Larry doesn’t tell him where his daughter is, he’ll get back in and ram him again. He can choke on his blood while he thinks about it. Larry’s wife runs over, and asks what Eddie is doing. Larry tells her, call an ambulance, and she runs back to her car. Eddie asks where his daughter is, and Larry says he doesn’t have her. Larry’s wife comes back, and tells Larry the ambulance is on its way. Eddie knocks her down, and Larry tells her to get back in her car. Eddie says it’s Larry’s decision. Eddie gets back in his car, and revs the engine. Larry begs him not too, but Eddie moves forward. Larry cries, no! and Larry’s wife shoots at Eddie. Eddie dives out the passenger door, hits the ground, and runs off. Larry’s wife runs to him, and gives him the phone, saying it’s Casey. He tells Casey, if he dies, kill her. His wife says the ambulance is coming, and tells Casey to do what Larry says. We hear sirens.

Tyrell dozes on Kelly’s couch. Kelly comes out, and he says he thought she was asleep. She says she can’t sleep, but she doesn’t know why. He asks if it’s him, and she asks how he did it. How does he sleep after being in jail? He tells her that she’ll have to get used to it, and she asks if the sofa is comfortable. He says, not as comfortable as her bed, and she says he brought that girl in her house. He tells her, let it go, and she apologizes for being mean to him. He sits up, and asks if his mom called her. She sits on the couch, and says she was just thinking about how he went to jail for her. She was doing that crazy stupid stuff at the bank, and he took the fall. He says they both enjoyed the money; he was stupid. She says she didn’t realize how bad it was until after she was in jail. Can he forgive her? He says she’s letting him stay, and thanks her. She says she needs his forgiveness, and he says she needed to be there for Justice. He wasn’t there to raise him, and needed her to do it. He’s cool. She says she’s sorry, and he says he’s all right. She thanks him, and says she might sleep with him if he gets tested. HIV and AIDS are rampant in their community. He asks her for his paper bag, and takes out a form. He gives it to her, saying his mother made him get an insurance policy, and that’s all of his bloodwork. Where’s her test? She says the only other person she’s been with besides him is Travis. She got tested when she found out how crazy he was. He says he wants to see her results, and she goes to the desk and gets the paper out. He stares at it a while, and she asks why he’s looking at it so hard; she’s negative. He says, there’s nothing in the way right now, but she says, yes there is – her. They can’t do anything with her… their son there. He asks if she thinks Justice will come around, and she says, Justice is a good boy. He’s going to love Tyrell so much. There’s quiet a moment, and she says she’s hungry. He says all she has is stale canned meat, and she says she’ll figure something out. She tells him, stop looking at her, but he says he can’t help it.

At the Cowboy Bar, Guy is trying to get Alex out the door, but she says, no. He asks what’s wrong with her? This is going to happen. Johnny looks over, but goes back to work. Guy tells her, relax, and she says she has to go to the bathroom, clutching at her head. Johnny asks if she wants more, and she says, when she comes back. Guy asks Johnny, what the hell is going on? In the bathroom, Alex takes out her phone.

Marcie comes out in a bikini and heels, and Brad says he’s ready. His phone rings, and Marcie says, it’s Alex. She must know they’re about to get busy. He says he doesn’t care, and she says, they’re doing it. At the bar, Alex says, Brad, please, and leans against the wall. She hangs up, and makes another call.

Ian’s phone rings, and I laugh. Poor Ian. He thought it was his week at the beginning, but it’s not. I know the feeling. He answers, and Alex says, help me. He asks who it is, and she says, Alex. She tells him that she’s in trouble; they gave her something, and she doesn’t know what’s going on. He asks if she knows who she’s calling, and she says she just dialed the last number. She’s at the Cowboy Bar. He tells her, stay there. He’ll find her. She slumps to the floor. He calls her name, and when he gets no response, he runs to get dressed. I should probably mention, there aren’t many shirts worn in this episode.

Marcie and Brad get busy, and Brad tells her to be quiet because of the kids. He says, watch this, and calls Randal. Randal goes to the window and sees them. He watches for a moment, and Marcie finally closes the curtain. Randal says, okay, and puts clothes on. He says, I got you, and leaves. Marcie asks if Brad thinks he saw, and Brad says, yep. She says, great; that was fun, and starts to get dressed. He says he thought they were… He’s ready. She says, it was just for kicks; zip her up. She’s not getting in that woman’s bed. He suggests they flip the mattress, but she says, it’s not happening. She tells him, downstairs, and he puts his pants on. Seriously, there’s a lot of clothing business going on.

Guy asks Johnny where hell Alex is, and Johnny says, the bathroom. He’ll go get her. He goes in the bathroom, and Guy says, son of a bitch. Johnny shakes Alex, and says, come on. She says, no; she doesn’t want to do that, and Johnny asks if she knows where she is. He sits on the floor with her, and she says she’s at a bar. He says, his bar. They call this the Cowboy Bar. It says heifers on the bathroom door, and heifers are a breed. They don’t want to breed in there, but they do want sex. She says she doesn’t want to, and he tells her, relax. Let him give her something. He takes out a pill, and she says she doesn’t want it. He asks if she knows who he is, and she says, the bartender; he makes the drinks. He says he does, but he’s a pimp. Why the hell does she think all these girls are hanging out there all day? I have to admit, I’m floored. She says she’s not a prostitute, and he says he was paid for it, so tonight, she is. Take the pill. It will make her relax. She says she doesn’t want to, but he tells her, listen to him. She wants to do him, doesn’t she? She says, no, and he tries to shove the pill in her mouth. He gets it in, and tells her to swallow. She’s going to be there a lot more. She’ll feel better in a few minutes, but she’d better start getting it together. He lifts her up, and says they’ll do a little two-step out of there.

Ian walks into the bar (not the start of a joke), and the waitress says, it’s a private club. He sees Alex, and tells Johnny, it’s not happening. Johnny says, I don’t think so, homeboy. Get the hell out. Ian says, it can go one of two ways. They can let him walk out with Alex, or he’ll push a button, and all of Maxine’s finest will be all over Johnny and this joint. Johnny asks if Ian is a cop, and Ian says, worse; an attorney, who knows a lot of them. He’s a state attorney, and he prosecutes mean good old boys like him. Johnny says, take her, and shoves Alex at Ian. Ian helps Alex out the door, and Guy tells Johnny that he’d better get his money back. Johnny gives it to him and tells him, get out. Wow. Did Johnny turn out to be a disappointment.

At the hospital, Bennett asks if Tanya is okay. She says, the grass grows. No one waits for it to grow. He was in the house. He said he’d send her to jail for vandalism. Bennett says, who? and she says he was going take Bennett away from her. He asks, who said that? when the doctor comes in. Bennett says he’s never seen her this bad, and the doctor says, it could get worse. Bennett says, she was fine. He’s confused, and the doctor says, something is making it worse. Bennett brought her pills in, but the pills in one of the bottles isn’t what they prescribed. There are officers there to talk to Bennett about where she got these. They can do long term mental harm. He says he doesn’t know where she got them. Do they think he did something to hurt her? The doctor tells him to talk to the police – out there – and Bennett goes into the hallway where Rick is waiting. Rick says they received a call about Tanya being given prescription drugs, and Bennett says he had nothing to do with that. Rick asks how Bennett thinks she might have gotten them, and Bennet says his neighbor gave them to her; Randal Holmes. Rick says, okay, and Bennett says Randall is a doctor; he’s been bothering them since they moved in. Rick says, tell him more, and Bennett says he’s going to kill that son of a bitch. Rick says, don’t tell him that. How does he know Randall did it? Bennett says Randall waited until he was at work, and would try to do things like this. Rick asks if he has any proof, and Bennett says, go to Randall’s house. He promises Rick will find proof. Rick says those are strong allegations, and Bennett tells him, do what he has to do. Rick says he’ll go talk to Randall, but stay close. Really close. Don’t run.

Esperanza paces. There’s knock at door, and she runs to it, saying, Mica, but it’s Natalie. Esperanza says she asked Natalie to stay home in case Mica goes there, but Natalie says Lushion is there. Esperanza can’t believe this happened. She hit Mica. Natalie asks, why? and Esperanza says, Eddie. It’s always him. He told Mica the most horrible things about her. It caught her unaware, and she hit Mica. Natalie asks if that’s why Mica ran away, and Esperanza says, no. Eddie owes some people a lot of money, and they took her. She has to call the FBI. Natalie asks if Steven knows. He and Lushion know a lot of FBI, and can call. Let them. Esperanza says she needs to speak to them, but Natalie says let her call Lushion.

Lushion roots around in the refrigerator, but finds nothing. The phone rings, and Natalie tells him to call the FBI. He asks, what’s up? and she tells him, Esperanza said Eddie owes people money, and they took Mica. Lushion says he’s on it, and she says, Steven knows. Natalie tells Esperanza, it will be all right. Lushion calls Steven, who says he’s been tracking Eddie. He’s in the parking garage, and says, Eddie beat up Larry pretty bad. Lushion asks if Larry is dead, and Steven says, damn near. Lushion thinks Larry must know where Mica is, and Steven says Eddie must think so, to do something like this. He thought nothing he did would come back to visit him. Lushion says, it’s visitation day, and asks if Steven knows where Eddie is, but Steven says, Larry’s wife fired at him, and he took off. Someone bangs on Lushion’s door, and he says, never mind. He knows where Eddie is; he’s there. Steven says he’s on his way.

Eddie storms into Lushion’s house, saying, Larry; that son of a bitch took Mica. Lushion says he knows, and tells Eddie to be quiet. He asks, what did Eddie do? and Eddie says he owed the cat some money, since Eddie lives in the 50s. Lushion asks, how much? and Eddie says, $50K. Lushion asks if $50K is worth his daughter’s life, and Eddie says he didn’t think anything would happen. Eddie swears to God, if he hurts her… He tried to get that MF’er to confess, and he did. He needs Lushion to do what he does. Lushion asks again what Eddie did, and Eddie says he pinned Larry’s ass to his car with the bumper of his truck. Lushion says Eddie is in deep, and Eddie says they took his daughter. Lushion brings Eddie outside, and Eddie says he wants Lushion to call every contact in his phonebook. Lushion tells Eddie to stop yelling in front of his house. Lushion calls the FBI, and says he wants to report a kidnapping.

Ian pulls up, and Eddie flies across the street, jumping on him. They fight, and Lushion runs over, pulling them apart. Ian says Eddie came out of nowhere; what the hell? Eddie says Ian is probably involved with his daughter’s kidnapping, and Ian says he doesn’t know anything about it. Lushion says they could be talking about aiding and abetting, but Ian insists he doesn’t know anything. Lushion tells Eddie that he needs to calm down. Ian’s phone rings, and he wonders why Larry’s wife would be calling him. Lushion tells him to put it on speaker, and she tells Ian, Eddie tried to kill Larry. He told Casey to kill her if he’s killed. Ian asks if Larry is all right, but she says, no, and he says he’s on his way. Lushion asks who Casey is, but Ian doesn’t know. Eddie keeps babbling, and Lushion tells him to STFU. Ian says he needs to check on Larry, and Lushion says, if he knows anything… Ian says he doesn’t. All he knows is Larry told Casey that if he’s killed, to kill her. Lushion looks in Ian’s car and asks if that’s Alex. What’s going on? Ian says, Alex called him. She was at a bar, and asked him get her. She’s drugged out of her mind. Lushion says, sh*t, and Ian says he was going to let her sleep it off, but now he needs to go to the hospital. Lushion says he needs to think, and Ian says they don’t have much time. I laugh because, poor Lushion. Steven arrives on his bike, and Lushion tells him to help Ian with Alex. Don’t ask. Steven and Ian help Alex out of the car, and Ian carries her to Brad’s house. Eddie asks if they’re really worried about that drunk ass bitch, and Lushion tells Eddie to sit.

Ian bangs on Brad’s door, and Brad tells Marcie, it’s probably Eddie. He’d better answer before the kids wake up. Ian brings in Alex, and deposits her on the couch. Brad says, what the hell? What’s going on? Ian says, sorry. She was at a bar. He says, the kids can’t see her like this, and Ian says he didn’t know what else to do. Brad asks if Ian was at the bar, and Ian says, no, but she’s pretty wasted. He has to go, and leaves them to handle it. Brad says this isn’t good, and Ian says, sorry. He can’t get out fast enough. Brad wonders what’s going on with Alex.

On the phone, Lushan says he got a lead from someone Casey works with; Larry. Get on it. Steven says he’s going with Lushion, and points to Eddie, saying, what about this jackass? Eddie wails, are they just going to leave him there? and Lushion tells him, sit there; relax. He calls Natalie, and says he needs her to come out there. She says she has the kids, and he says he’ll ask Kelly to look after them. She says, no, and he says, dammit. Now is not the time. Steven leaves on his bike, and Lushion knocks on Kelly’s door. Tyrell answers, and Lushion asks him to get Kelly. Kelly comes out, and Lushion explains that Esperanza’s daughter is missing, and he needs her to watch the kids. Kelly says it’s the least she can do; Tyrell can watch Justice. She tells Tyrell that she’ll be right next door. Eddie moans to Kelly that they have his little girl, but she keeps walking. Eddie says, somebody help him, and puts his head in his hands and cries.

A police car pulls up, and Rick goes to Randal’s house. Randal comes out acting all tough, and asks what Rick wants. Rick says he wants to do his job, and says they can make it easy on each other. He asks if Randal knows his new neighbors, and Randal says he called the police when he was assaulted by that ghetto ho Natalie, and by him across street. Rick asks if Randal reported it, and Randal asks, why? They won’t do anything. Rick says he needs to know if Randal gave Bennett’s wife pills. Randal says Rick needs to know how to kiss his ass. Rick says he can come back with a warrant, and Randal says that’s exactly what he has to do. Rick says he’s just trying to keep the peace, and Randal says, kiss his ass. Rick asks why Randal is so hostile, and Randal says, y’all made me this way. Rick says he’s going to try get to the bottom of this, and Randal suggests Rick get to the bottom of kissing his ass. Rick asks if Randal is saying he’s not going to cooperate, and Randal says, she is pretty and fine. Go serve and protect. Officer Bitch. And kiss his ass. Give that to the whole department. Rick drives off.

Alex starts to come to, and says, Brad? She’s sorry. He says he doesn’t want to hear it. What has she been doing? She says they gave her something, and he asks, what’s going on with her? Marcie asks if those are needle marks. Wow. This is out of control, and the kids are upstairs. Brad says she’s not helping, and she says she’s just stating facts. He says she’s stating the obvious, and he doesn’t want her to ruin everything. She says she doesn’t like his tone, and she asks if he wants her to leave now that Alex is home. He says, it’s a lot to deal with, and she says, let Alex figure out her own sh*t. He says maybe it’s best she does leave, and she says, gladly. Marcie heads for the door, saying, it’s all good, and Alex is all his. He says he’s trying to focus, and it’s a lot; don’t be angry. She says she’s leaving before she gets angry. He says he’ll call her later, and she says, good luck.

Marcie goes to get in her car, and Randal grabs her from behind, putting his hand over her mouth. He brings her into his house, and dumps her on the floor. He tells her, shut the hell up, and she pushes at him. She cracks him over the head with a lamp, shattering it, and I laugh. He falls, but grabs her ankle when she heads for the door. She kicks him, getting some good ones in, and then whacks him in the head with a fireplace poker. He drops, and she continues to beat him with it. As we all would.

Next time – the end is here – Marcie goes back to Brad, Larry tells Ian to get out of his hospital room, Eddie sneaks up on Ian with a taser, Bennett is arrested, and Tyrell says, this neighborhood is crazy.

🛌🏼 Tomorrow’s Another Day…

Well, at his time of the morning, today is another day. And I need that pesky sleep. So stay safe, stay merciful, and stay open to change in yourself and others.