Tag Archives: Family Affair

November 21, 2024 – Michael Confides In Sasha, A Merciful End To OC’s Reunion, Salty Talk, Social Pets (!) & Affair

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the boxing gym, Dex introduces himself to Kai, and says, they know someone in common – Trina.  

At Bobbie’s, Josslyn tells Trina that they’re supposed to be sharing the fries, but she’s eating them herself. Trina says she’s thinking about Kai. She’s not sure she should be working with him. He should have been here by now. Josslyn says, it’s too late for him to drop the class, but Trina says, they’ll waive anything to accommodate him and he’s flaking out on her. Josslyn says, if Trina goes back on her word, she’ll be the flake. He’s not that late. Trina says she can do the work herself rather than wasting time waiting for Kai and explaining everything to him, and Josslyn says, it seems like Trina is looking for a reason not to work with him.

Jordan finds TJ at the hospital and says she could use someone to help her eat the take-out she got. He says, her timing is right and if she doesn’t mind eating in the breakroom, he’d be happy to help her put a dent in it. She says she didn’t come for the ambiance. She came for the company.

Sasha is rolling out dough in the nook when Michael walks in. He says he’s looking for a snack, and she says she can heat up some leftovers for him. What is he in the mood for? He says, surprise him, and she says she didn’t see him at dinner. He says, there’s been a lot going on. He can’t believe Sam is gone. She says she’s sorry she missed the funeral, but she had something she couldn’t get out of. He says he heard and asks if she’s okay, but she says she doesn’t want to talk about it. He tells her to forget it. He’s not really hungry. She asks why he’s really here? Is there something going on? He says he’s here because he can’t go home.

Kristina is having dinner with Sonny at Pozzulo’s, and she asks if she can help him. He tells her to sit back and be spoiled by her dad, and she says, that sounds really nice. (I suddenly wonder why there are never any customers in Pozzulo’s.) He asks why she’s restless, and she says she’s worried about Ava’s trial. What if she screws up? It will ruin the only chance she has to make Ava pay for Adela’s death. He says, she’s been in tough situations before. She’s going to hit it out of the park. She says, what if she doesn’t?

Chase sees Sam’s apartment door open, and quietly goes in. He hears something and draws his gun, but it’s Dante with a duffel bag. Dante asks what he’s doing, and Chase says, the door was open and there was no answer. Dante says he left it open. What brings Chase by? Chase says he wanted to see if Dante needed anything. Is he taking a trip? Dante says he and the kids are going to the Quartermaines, and Chase asks if he thinks they’re coming back to live here. Dante says, if it was up to him, he’d never leave. It was the last place the whole family was together.

Drew meets Alexis at her office, and says, she wanted to discuss something with him? She says she didn’t want to do it on the phone. But before they start, who did that to his face? Jason walks in, and everyone looks uncomfortable.

Trina says she doesn’t want to waste time dragging Kai through a class he doesn’t want to be in. People take Art History because it’s a requirement or they’re interested in art. It might be an art course, but it’s a hard class. Josslyn says she imagines Kai is used to hard work, and maybe he likes art. Trina says, yeah. He’s probably a regular Renaissance man. She decided to meet because he said he never gives up and can accomplish anything he sets his mind to. Josslyn says, give him a chance, and suggests Trina can be a control freak. Trina says she found life is easier when she’s in control.

Kai asks how Dex knows Trina, and Dex says his girlfriend is her roommate Josslyn. He thinks she and Kai met. Kai says he’s pretty sure she convinced Trina to talk to him. He’s Trina’s partner in art class and she thinks he’s not pulling his weight. Is Dex a student at PCU? Dex says he’s a cop, a rookie, and Kai asks if Trina sent Dex to arrest him for loitering or disturbing the peace. Dex says, Trina can be intense, but she’s a sweetheart, and one of the smartest people he knows. Kai is lucky to have her as a partner. Kai says, then maybe Dex can convince her not to dump him. He asks if Dex spars. He could go a couple of rounds. Dex asks if his coach wouldn’t freak out at the thought of Kai getting injured, but Kai says, not if he doesn’t know.

Sonny says, everything that’s going on is affecting Kristina’s confidence, and Kristina says she wants to make sure Ava pays and is punished. It’s all she can do for her daughter. If Ava goes free because of her… Sonny says he doesn’t care. If Ava is in prison or gets off scot-free, Kristina will survive. She says she doesn’t want to just survive. She wants justice. Losing Sam and Adela, she’s never faced so much pain and loss. He says she needs something to concentrate on, and she says, like what? He says, working for him.

Dante tells Chase that he was worried that the apartment wouldn’t feel like home, but Sam made him and Rocco feel welcome. It still feels like she’s here. He still expects to see her. There are a lot of memories here. Chase asks if there’s any reason he can’t stay, and Dante says, it’s home, but he has no claim to it. And even if he did, the family who lived here no longer exists.

Drew asks what Jason is doing here, and Jason says, Alexis asked him to be here. Alexis apologizes for the subterfuge, but she didn’t think they’d come if they knew the other was going to be here, and it’s important. Drew says, tell Jason and she can tell him later, but she says, it concerns Sam. Drew asks if she has to tell them at the same time, and she says, if they loved Sam, listen, both of them. Jason asks what it’s about, and she says, Sam’s will and what she wanted for Danny and Scout.

Kristina says she appreciates the offer, but she can’t, and Sonny says, why not? She says she doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life, and he says, she can figure it out while she’s learning his business. She says she’s not qualified to run any business, but he says, she’s good with numbers and has organizational skills. She’s good at working with people. She’s overqualified. Bounce around Corinthos Coffee and see how she feels. She says she’ll think about it, and he says, salute. They clink glasses. (I think he should train her to be Lady Mob Boss.)

Jordan asks how TJ is doing. She knows he liked Sam. He says, the service was simple, but meaningful. She’s going to be missed. Jordan asks, how’s Molly? but he says he’s not sure. She and her mom took off after the reception. Jordan says, the more emotional is gets, the busier they get, and he says he and Alexis have something in common he wishes they didn’t. They both forgot Molly’s birthday.

Chase asks what Dante thinks is going to happen to the place, and Dante says, it’s Sam’s, so he assumes she left it to Scout and Danny. Chase asks if she had a will, and Dante says, they talked about wills because he had a dangerous job. How’s that for irony? He decided he wanted her to have custody of Rocco, shared with his mom, so they could keep the kids together. He changed his will to make arrangements and now he’s got to find a place for the two of them to live. Chase says, it’s going to be hard leaving, and Dante says, Scout and Danny will be leaving. What choice does he have? He’s not their father.

Jason looks at the will, and Alexis says she made a copy for each of them to show to their lawyers. She has the original. Jason asks why he wasn’t told. He’s Danny’s father. She says, he wasn’t told because nobody expected this. Drew says, Sam asked him to be Danny’s guardian, and he agreed, but Jason says, look at the date. It was before Sam knew he was alive. He wonders if Sam intended to grant Drew custody no matter what, and Drew says, she wanted the kids to stay together. Alexis says, Sam told her the same thing, and Jason says, at that time. She says, the law is on Jason’s side, but even considering how Sam came around to Jason being part of Danny’s life, she doesn’t think Sam would want him to have full custody, especially now that they know she wanted the kids to stay together. So she has to ask, what is he going to do?

Sasha gives Michael some coffee and asks why he can’t go home. He says, the kids are asleep, and Willow went to bed early, and she asks if he thinks Willow is avoiding him. He says, it doesn’t matter. He can’t be in the same room, the same bed, or even under the same roof as Willow right now. She says, it’s still his home, but he says he doesn’t know what kind of home or marriage he has anymore.

Dex and Kai spar, and Dex says he boxed in the service. Kai says, a military man. Respect. He asks if Dex is a PC fan, but Dex says he likes the Llanview Bobcats. Kai says, he’s going to be disappointed when they dust his team. Trina mentioned that he and Josslyn like to go to games. He can give Dex comp tickets to the Llanview/PC game. He has to go. He doesn’t want to be late meeting Trina. Dex says, cool about the tickets. Off the field, Kai seems like a decent guy. Kai says he hopes he can convince his study partner of the same.

Josslyn says she understands where Trina is coming from. Depending on someone new is tough. Trina says, maybe, but she doesn’t want to depend on anyone, and Josslyn says, Trina can always depend on her. Trina says, likewise, and Josslyn says, there are some things in life you can’t control. Just give Kai a chance. Maybe he’ll pull through. Trina says she’s already given him a chance and it’s his only one.

Chase suggests Dante buy the place, but Dante says, it wouldn’t feel right. Chase says, they can stay at the Quartermaines, but Dante says he doesn’t want Rocco involved in whatever’s going on with Drew and Jason. Chase says, it’s too bad Danny and Scout are, and Dante says, it’s the last thing Sam would want. Chase says, that’s why he thinks it’s a major mistake for Dante to move out.

Jason says, the best thing for Danny isn’t what they want or what Sam wanted. What’s best is to ask Danny what he wants. He’s old enough to choose, and he told Danny that Danny can live with him if that’s what he wants. He’ll make it a home for Danny. Alexis asks if Drew is okay with that, and Drew says, he could live at the Quartermaines with Scout and Rocco so they won’t be split up, but Jason says he doesn’t want Danny to think he can’t live with his dad or is unwelcome. That’s not the case. Drew says he thinks Danny would like living at the Quartermaines a lot, but Jason says, don’t tell him about his son. Alexis says she thinks Danny has a lot of feelings and they should be taken into account. Clearly, there’s a level of animosity between them and she doesn’t want to be caught in the middle of their drama. Yet here she is. So she’s going to ask. How did they get the bruises on their faces? There’s silence, and she says, the fact that they’re not answering suggests a fistfight… and their silence confirms it. Here’s the thing, and she’s just going to say it once. If they ever truly loved her daughter and their children, cut the crap and start talking.

Josslyn says, Trina’s not leaving, but Trina says she’s done waiting. Josslyn says, he’s ten minutes late, and Trina says she texted him and he didn’t even give her the courtesy of a reply. She can do the work herself at the apartment. Kai walks in and Josslyn says she’s going to get take-out for Dex. She jets to the counter, and Kai tells Trina that he’s sorry. He knows he’s late. He didn’t realize about the traffic and had to go back to get his laptop. He’s sorry. (I’m liking Kai, but what happened with Gio? Is it going to be a battle for Trina’s heart?)

Josslyn sits at the counter, and Kristina says, does Josslyn mind if she sits down? Josslyn says, of course (🍷), and Kristina says she thought she’d grab a chai latte. Josslyn says she’s waiting for take-out and asks how Kristina is doing. She’s sorry about Sam. Kristina thanks her for coming to the funeral; Adela’s too. It meant a lot. Josslyn says, of course (🍷). She’s sorry for both of Kristina’s losses. Is she taking care of herself? Kristina says she’s trying. She’s glad she ran into Josslyn. There’s something she needs to say. She owes Josslyn an apology.

TJ tells Jordan that he had a gift, but he didn’t remember on the day. He heard Ric wish Molly a happy birthday. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have remembered. Jordan asks what Molly said, and TJ tells her that Molly said it was fine. He wishes for once she’d say it wasn’t and lose it. Jordan says, then she wouldn’t be Molly. She’d be Kristina. He says he’s not that guy. He doesn’t forget his partner’s birthday. She says, it was the day before Sam’s funeral. No one was thinking about birthdays. He says, Kristina and Ric, the two most self-centered people he knows, remembered, and he forgot. It’s totally on brand for them as a couple, but he will make it up to Molly.

Chase says, Dante has been Danny and Scout’s father figure, and they depend on him. Dante says he was enjoying being a stepdad to them, but he’d never get in the way of their actual fathers. Sam figured those things out. The best thing is for him and Rocco to find their own place.  Chase asks, what’s the rush? Dante just lost someone who means the world to both him and Rocco. He and Brook were living in their own place when his dad died, and they moved into the Quartermaines because of Violet. He’s glad they stayed because it kept him from feeling lonely, even with the Quartermaines’ shenanigans. Just think, Dante’s mom is there, he’s there. There’s no need for a sudden move. It’s okay to let the family in, including himself. Dante says, Chase wormed his way into the family now, and Chase says, you’re not alone, partner. You’ve got me.

Alexis asks if Jason punched Drew, and Jason says, yes. She says, they had a fight after the kids lost their mother? Did they see the bruises? Drew says, they did, and she asks what story he gave them. He says he walked into a door, and she says, and they bought that? He says he thinks Scout did, but he doesn’t think the boys did. She asks what Jason said to Danny, and Jason says he told Danny the truth, the facts. Danny asked if he punched Drew, and he said, yes. Alexis asks, what provoked the fight? and Jason says he’s going to tell her what he told Danny. The matter is between him and Drew. Drew agrees, and she says, great, they agree. Jason says, and he agrees that Danny has the right to choose what he wants. He walks out.  

Michael says he can’t keep track of all the lies he and Willow have told each other, and Sasha says, the whole thing is a mess. Willow was upset that she confided in Cody about her kissing Drew. She tried to tell Willow that she was sorry Cody blurted it out at the Brown Dog Bar. Michael says, that’s low on the list of things to feel sorry about. There’s more to Willow and Drew than she knows. She asks if something else happened, and Michael says, they slept together. She asks if he’s sure, and he says he is. She asks how he found out, but he says, she doesn’t want to know. He’s positive Willow doesn’t know how he found out. She asks if he’s going to confront her, but he says, if he tells her what he knows, he’ll have to tell her about them.

Michael says, if he does tell her, he’ll keep Sasha’s name out of it, and she says she appreciates that. She needs her job. He says, it’s hard to know what to do next, and she asks what he wants. He says he wanted to fight for his marriage, then he found out Willow slept with Drew. He confided in Jason, which was probably a mistake. She says she wondered what prompted the fight, and he says he never wanted that to happen, but he needed to confide in somebody. Then he was watching his wife tenderly patch up her lover. The way Willow was looking at Drew is how she used to look at him. Sasha says she’s so sorry, and he says he wonders if Willow loves him. She says, Willow told her that she did, and he asks if Sasha believes her. He needs somebody he can trust and he trusts her. She says she believes Willow when Willow says she loves him and the kids, but for her to put all that on the line… He says, she wouldn’t risk everything unless she felt something more for Drew.

Alexis tells Drew that Sam wouldn’t approve of him barring Jason from Danny’s life, and he says, Sam also didn’t want to split the kids up. She says, regardless of Sam’s intentions, this is the official will. Rocco isn’t their decision; Dante is his father. And Danny’s father is Jason. Drew says his bruises are an indication of what kind of father Jason will be, and Alexis says she doesn’t know what caused the fight. Drew says, they both know Jason. Does she think it’s really okay to let Danny live with him? Alexis says, no. That’s why she came up with an alternative. What if Scout and Danny live with her?

Sonny tells Jason that the will was made years ago. Diane will have it thrown out. Jason says he has to figure out his next move, and Sonny says, custody issues are messy. This whole thing with Ava is a pain in his ass. Jason says he’s trying to avoid that. Danny is hurting. He just lost his mother, and he doesn’t want to abandon his sister. He’s taking care to respect that, but he sure as hell doesn’t want Drew raising his kid. Sonny says, they were never close, but what changed? and Jason tells Sonny that he’ll just say, Drew took the name Quartermaine and he’s living up to it. He doesn’t trust a word Drew says. He wants the best for his son. Why would he want Drew to be Danny’s guardian? Drew thinks he doesn’t care, but nothing can be further from the truth. Sonny says, everybody knows that, including Danny. Everybody knows Jason loves his son.

Trina goes over the schedule with Kai, who makes fun of her for using a planner. His grandma was using it when he was a kid. She says, it still works, and she likes to use one. It’s helpful for project management. They need to make a list of books for their research. He tells her to check her email. He found a list books. He finished it at 3:45 in the morning. It can be hard to sleep. He has a lot on his mind.

Kristina says she didn’t get a chance to thank Josslyn for saving her life. She remembers being in the ambulance, and doesn’t remember what Josslyn was saying, but seeing Josslyn’s face and hearing her voice was comforting. Josslyn says she was so nervous she was doing something wrong, but Kristina says she’s alive because of Josslyn. Josslyn says she was just doing her job, and Kristina tells her to take the compliment. Josslyn says, she’s welcome, and Kristina says she’ll never forget how Josslyn stepped up despite their past. Josslyn says she’s sorry for everything Kristina has been through. She doesn’t deserve any of it. How is she managing with the trial? Kristina asks if Josslyn is testifying, and Josslyn says, she’s so sick of seeing Ava get away with everything. It’s time her luck ran out and they get justice once and for all. Kristina says, for her daughter and Morgan.

Kristina says she’s going to get some rest, and Josslyn says she’s getting take-out for Dex. Kristina says she’s glad they’re back together. Dex is a good guy. Josslyn says she thinks so too. She sees Trina and Kai leaving and adds, and besides, they can all use a little bit of love in their lives. Outside Bobbie’s, Kai tells Trina if she’s up and needs to chat, he’ll be up reading the books he bought. She asks why he doesn’t just use the library, and he says he thinks his grandma went… She tells him, shut up, and he says, goodnight.  

TJ says, Jordan hasn’t seen Drew, has she? He was at the service wearing makeup. She says she never took Drew to be a smoky eye type guy, but he could pull it off. TJ says, he was covering a black eye. He wonders if she knows where he got it, but she says she has no idea. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), Jason has a bruise too. He thinks she needs new friends. She says she may have a new friend he’d approve of, and he asks, who? She says she’ll tell him when she knows more.  

Michael says he’ll do everything to keep Sasha’s name out of it, and she says she appreciates it. If he ever needs to talk… He says, same, and she asks if he knows what his next move be. He says, not entirely, but no matter what’s going on, he’s going to protect his family.

Chase says he’ll see Dante at home, and Dante says he sees what Chase did. Don’t get ahead of himself. Chase says, think about what he said, and Dante says he will. Chase leaves, and Dante picks up his bag and keys. He looks around the apartment.  

Alexis says, if Scout and Danny stay with her, they’ll be together and not in the middle of the animosity. Drew says he doesn’t doubt Alexis’s love and concern, and she says she’s worried about Danny. He wants to be with Scout and Sam wanted them to be together. Drew says he appreciates that and doesn’t want to hurt the kids, but Scout needs to be with her father and there’s no way she’s going to be anywhere else but with him.

Jason tells Sonny that they’ve been through this a few times, but never when the kid’s mother died. Sam told him that he’d let Danny down in the past. He wants to do what’s best for Danny. What would Sonny do in this situation? Sonny says, the reality is, Sam is gone, and Jason is still here. His son is still here. He has to do what’s best for his son. If he were Jason, he sure as hell wouldn’t let Drew anywhere near Danny. If this is a fight, he has Jason’s back.

Tomorrow, Mac has something for Sasha from her dad; TJ tells Stella that Ava’s trial is the last place he should be; Ric guarantees he and Ava are going to win; Michael tells Curtis that he won’t be Aurora’s CEO for much longer; and Jason tells Dante that there’s no way he’s handing Danny over to Drew.

🍊 Making Oranges Out Of Lemons…

Ugh. I hate these Reunions, and this one was no exception. There is almost always that point where everybody is screaming talking at once and you can’t understand a damn thing. This is a good argument for having the closed captions on, but even they have to pick and choose. This was part 3 and the end of what even Fancy Pants Heather had to agree was an endless season. We were plopped back into the much ado about Alexis.

Emily said Alexis was the dumbest broad [she’d] ever f***ing met. I appreciated her use of the word broad. The origins of it are murky, but it always reminds me of Frank Sinatra and the old Rat Pack movies. Alexis responded with asking if Emily wanted to hit her, then claimed she had a degree. Gina said she knew a lot of dumb people with college degrees (same), but I’m guessing it’s probably a degree from clown school or something. Andy kept trying to put a pin in the loan discussion, but that hamster wheel kept turning. There was a weird John/Alexis interview, where Johnny J. said he never intended on releasing the videos, but if Shannon wanted to see what a monster she was, he’d be glad to show them to her personally. Alexis told the group that she hadn’t wanted to bring up the videos – but you did, Blanche, you did! – and she didn’t know it was on camera. This was when I looked at the camera like Jim from The Office. I doubt any of the women – okay, maybe Jenn – believed that for a second, especially since it wasn’t a one-off or a blurting out when drunk. Alexis brought it up on several occasions and it was definitely meant as a threat.

When blessed relief came in Alexis leaving, Emily summed it up by saying, every trashcan needs a lid, and she thought Johnny J. had found his. Tamra apologized to Shannon and said she was starting therapy. They hugged it out and Andy produced espresso martinis and mocktails for those not imbibing. Fancy Pants gave the worst toast ever, saying something like, since it was the 100th season of the franchise, to love and success for all of them. Really? All the pontificating and advising, wanted or not, all season, and that was it for the 100th season? Pfft! Then came the plot twist.

36 hours later. We saw the core group – Fancy Pants, Gina, Emily, Tamra, and Shannon met at (I think) Gina’s house. We found out that the beans had been spilled about the videos during a dinner after the Reunion. Apparently, Johnny J. had heard the crash and wanted to go out, but his daughter stopped him. She went out and saw Shannon peel out. So then, not almost running her over as we’d heard from Katie in an earlier episode. He said there had been an altercation earlier between him and Shannon, and Shannon had hit him. Shannon said she heard tell that she’d punched Johnny J., but I wondered what kind of punch she could actually pack. I mean seriously, Johnny J. couldn’t fend her off or walk away? Oh that’s right, he was busy filming.

The scary part though, was that Shannon remembered none of it. She should be grateful for the rest of her life that she didn’t kill herself or kill someone else. Gina said alcohol equaled bad decision making, and Shannon had changed her relationship with alcohol. This didn’t make her a terrible person. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Shannon over the years, but I have to say, I think all this makes her a brave person. Not many of us would want to show our worst moments to the world, but it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish, and I hope she finishes as strong as she was in that moment. No surprise, there was a group hug.

On a side note, we found out that Alexis had also bought Johnny J. an $800 pair of shoes. Can’t that guy buy his own shoes?

https://people.com/real-housewives-of-orange-county-recap-cameras-pick-back-up-shannon-beador-dui-reveal-reunion-8749901

Interesting how Alexis constantly claimed not to be involved with the lawsuit, but always used the word we when referencing it.

https://people.com/shannon-beador-officially-settles-ongoing-lawsuit-with-ex-john-janssen-8748123

🧂 A Pinch Of Salt…

A full recap from yesterday. As for Todd scolding Bronwyn, he wasn’t wrong.

🐩 Will Work For Likes… and a Biscuit…

My favorite – Peggy!

https://spotpet.com/blog/lifestyle/most-influential-pets-2024

https://wagwalking.com/daily/top-12-celebrity-pet-instagram-accounts-to-follow

🦃 Turkey Trotting…

Come on by tomorrow for a full bar of soap and what to watch (or not). Until then, stay safe, stay not only talking to people you know at a party, and stay changing your relationship with alcohol if you’re making bad decisions.

January 10, 2023 – Drew Confronts Carly About the Search, Bye From Britt, Sonja’s Sunset, Get Out, You Too, Traitors Coming, Eli’s Thanksgiving, Special Pups (!) & Family

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Willow stares at the fireplace, when Michael and Wiley come in with a plate of cookies. She says, just what the doctor ordered, and Wiley asks if the doctor told her to have dessert. Michael says, it’s just something people say, and Wiley asks, why? Willow tells him, in this case, it means she can’t think of a better way to spend time; just the three of them. Wiley says, when his little sister is born, it will be four of them. That’s a lot.

Drew walks into Sonny’s ex-kitchen and current home of the great moss bowl🎍, and Carly says, he’s right on time. He takes off his jacket, and she asks if everything is okay. He says he’d feel like an ass if he kissed her, and then ambushed her with a question, and she says, ask her the question. He asks why she doesn’t want to find Willow’s birth mother.

Sonny asks Nina, where did these papers come from? and she says, Aunt Liesl cleaned out Britt’s office, including some papers she shouldn’t have. She was going to sort through it and return the papers that belonged to the hospital… Why? He says, see for herself, handing her a document, and she sees it’s Willow’s chemotherapy report. She says, Willow’s getting chemotherapy.

Josslyn knocks at Dex’s door, and she asks if she can come in. He says, of course (🍷), and she walks inside, saying, she can’t stop thinking about Britt. If Britt hadn’t held off The Hook, she would be dead by now. He tells her, stop, but she says, listen to her. She couldn’t have held The Hook off by herself, and by the time Dex got to the pier, it would have been too late. Britt got cut saving her. The Hook was after her. It all happened because of her. He says, what you’re feeling is survivor’s guilt, and if you’re not careful, it can really mess you up.

Esme wonders if she can ask Elizabeth a question, and Elizabeth says she doesn’t know if she can answer it, but she’ll try. Esme asks if Elizabeth thinks her lawyer is any good. She’s being accused of all these terrible things, and he thinks if they can find out where she’s been hiding out these past few months, she’ll have an alibi.

Spencer asks why Laura is at the hospital, and she says she wanted to see him. He says, maybe she doesn’t approve of him moving in with Uncle Sonny, but he had to get out of Windymere, and she says she’s happy he’s with Sonny. She just wanted to see for herself how he’s doing. He says, truthfully, he’s heartbroken that Britt is dead, and if Esme killed her, if she’s The Hook, then she needs to be held accountable.

Walking to the porch at Windymere, Dante asks Jordan if they’re going to wait for a warrant. She says, unless they can get the judge to sign one in the next ten minutes, they’ll have to hope Nikolas cooperates, and Dante says he wishes her good luck with that one. When he questioned Nikolas this morning, the only thing Nikolas would tell him is that he’s the father of Esme’s baby. She asks if the lab turned up anything from Esme’s personal effects, and he says, the only thing she had was a Christmas ornament. She asks if he’s sure it was on her, and he says, she definitely had it; he asked the doctor. She asks if they can trace it, and he says, it wasn’t mass produced. It’s from Poland, and it’s hand-painted. If they can find out who painted it, maybe they can find out who it was sold to.

Victor tells Nikolas, there was a fire in the north tower; a Christmas tree went up in flames. Who would put a Christmas tree in an unused bedroom? His guess is, the same person who put toiletries in the bathroom, or clothes in the closet. Nothing fancy. Just some sweats, loose-fitting, suitable for a pregnant woman. Nikolas has been keeping Esme prisoner, hasn’t he? Right under Victor’s nose.

Nina says, this is personal medical information. Maybe they shouldn’t be looking at this. But Sonny says, if she thinks it’s a violation of her ethics, look at it this way; he found it, she didn’t. She asks what he’s going to do with it, and he says, Willow is Wiley’s mother. She’s carrying his grandchild. He doesn’t care what’s going on as far as the fighting goes; she’s still family. He’s going to do everything he can to find out about her condition. She says she doesn’t care about right or wrong. She only wants to help Willow.

Wiley asks what his baby sister’s name is, but Michael says, they haven’t chosen one yet. What does he think it should be? Wiley says, Annabelle III, but Michael says, that might be confusing for the baby and the dog to have the same name. Any other ideas? Wiley says, T’chooka. His sister could be a dead-eyed Padawan. Michael says, that’s interesting. They’ll have to think about that one. What does Willow think? Wiping tears from her eyes without them seeing, Willow says she thinks her eyes are bigger than her stomach. She’s going to save the cookie for a late night treat. Michael says, speaking of late night, it’s past Wiley’s bedtime. He suggests Wiley get in his PJs, and he’ll read Wiley a bedtime story. Wiley says goodnight to Willow, and she tells him, sweet dreams. He gives her bump a kiss, telling his little sister to take good care of mommy. Michael brings Wiley upstairs, as they discuss which story to read, and Willow cries.

Drew says, ever since he first told Carly that he was searching for Willow’s birth parents, he felt resistance. She pours them some wine, and he says, when he told her he tracked down a source, she questioned their credibility. When he mentioned he had some great information, she was opposed to telling Willow. She asks if he thinks she was wrong, and he says, at the time, the reason seemed to make sense to him. Once they told Willow her birth mother was dead, why get her hopes up? When they found out that was a lie, why stress her out, telling her that she might have been kidnapped, and stolen from her birth parents? But then he took a step back, and there was a pattern there, and the pattern became very clear. She doesn’t want Willow’s birth parents to be found. She says, no, she doesn’t.

Dex says, of course (🍷) Josslyn is grateful to Britt; he’s grateful too. He doesn’t even want to think about how he’d be feeling if Josslyn had gotten killed. But there’s only one person responsible for Britt’s death, and that is The Hook. He’s sorrier than he can say that he’s not a better shot, and didn’t kill The Hook when he had the chance. She says she’s sorry too. The world would be a much safer and happier place. But even if he’d shot The Hook, there’s no guarantee Britt would have survived. There was poison in her system; she didn’t even know it. Does he think it would have made a difference? They took off and left Britt to cover for them. Does that make them partly responsible for her death?

Esme tells Elizabeth, Mr. Grey seems very competent. He seems like he cares about defending her, but she’s not paying him. He’s defending her for free. How does she know if she can trust him or his strategy? He says if she can get an alibi… but she has no idea where she’s been for the past few months – or her whole life for that matter. She doesn’t know how she got here. She doesn’t know who got her pregnant… Elizabeth says, she’ll remember, but Esme says, what if she doesn’t? Elizabeth says, traumatic memory loss isn’t uncommon. Permanent memory loss does happen, but it’s pretty rare, so the chances she’ll remember are good. But to answer her question, Mr. Grey is a great attorney. She thinks Esme can trust him.

Spencer says, if Esme is The Hook, Britt is dead because of him, because he brought Esme to Port Charles, but Laura says, no. They’ve talked about this. He isn’t responsible for anything Esme does. If Esme is The Hook; that hasn’t been proven yet. She’s in her third trimester of her pregnancy. Laura thinks it’s highly unlikely she’d have the physical strength to attack Britt with a hook. He says, she doesn’t know Esme like he does. She can do a lot of damage when she wants. Laura says, there isn’t just Esme to consider. There’s also a baby.

Victor asks if Nikolas had a plan. Did he have an end game, or was he just winging it; keeping Esme prisoner because he couldn’t think of anything else to do? Nikolas says, Esme turned up alive and pregnant with his child. He had every reason to believe she was The Hook. He couldn’t allow her to harm anyone else, but he couldn’t turn her over to the police, and risk her giving birth to his unborn child while incarcerated. Victor says, so he lured her to Windymere, but Nikolas says, she was already here. She was stealing money from his safe. He took her to a tower bedroom, and locked her in. He enlisted Demetrius to take care of her, and that was his mistake. Esme was able to manipulate Demetrius. Victor says, Esme manipulated Nikolas. She fooled him into putting her somewhere she could easily escape from – which she did. Very successfully, he might add. She’s cunning, creative, and she’s able to keep a cool head. Qualities Nikolas soundly lacks. He’s been protecting Nikolas for the sake of this family, but perhaps the Cassadines would be better off if they cut their losses. The doorbell rings, and Nikolas answers it. It’s Dante and Jordan, who says, they have more questions for him about Esme Prince.

Carly and Drew gravitate to the moss bowl, and Carly says, after Willow learned the truth about Harmony, Willow made the decision not to look for her birth parents, and she was relieved. Drew asks, why? He’s confused. He and Carly both grew up without their biological family, and they both went searching for answers. Unlike him, Carly found her mother right away. He waited years to connect with the Quartermaines. The point is, she and Bobbie have a strong, loving relationship. Why doesn’t she want that for Willow? Carly says, because Willow was afraid her birth mother would turn out to be someone like Nina. And the truth is, all reunions aren’t happy; some of them are awful. And Willow has had so much loss and pain, she wanted to spare Willow any more. Drew says, that wasn’t her call to make.

Nina tells Sonny, the doctor’s notes say, Willow was originally diagnosed with leukemia in late August, but she didn’t start her first round of chemotherapy until later November. Sonny wonders, why the delay? and Nina says, when Willow was first diagnosed, she was in Stage Two. By the time she received treatment, she was in Stage Four. He says, the doctors must have warned her. You don’t get diagnosed with leukemia, and wait three months to get treatment. She says, you do if you’re pregnant.

Michael says, once again, Goodnight Moon does the trick, and Willow says, bedtime’s best friend. He sees she’s been crying, and asks, what happened? She says, chemo isn’t working, and her marrow donor can’t donate. She can barely be a mother to Wiley. She can’t join in the conversation, or ask about his day, or even eat a damn cookie. He says, Wiley will be okay, but she says, he’s not okay. He knows something’s wrong and he’s scared. It’s all her fault. The whole thing is her fault. Michael holds her as she cries.

Dex says, Josslyn was willing to stay and talk to the police. He was the one who asked Britt to cover for them; he didn’t want to explain the gun. It’s on him. She says, he didn’t drag her. She left with him willingly. And yeah, Britt told them she had it covered. There was no reason not to believe her, but she feels like she’s alive at Britt’s expense. He says, maybe there’s another way to look at this. Britt saved her life, so doesn’t she owe it to Britt to live the best life she can?

Nikolas says he already sat through one pointless investigation at the PCPD. If they want to ask him more questions, they can call his lawyer. Victor says, nonsense, and tells them to come in. He asks how they can be of help, and Dante says, Esme Prince showed up on the Haunted Star in the early morning hours of January 1st. She was soaking wet and suffering from hypothermia. Which Nikolas is aware of since he showed up at the hospital with Elizabeth. Nikolas asks if it’s a crime to show concern, and Dante says, the last time Esme was seen was back in November on Pier 55, which is near the Haunted Star, and coincidentally near where the boat to Windymere docks. Since she used to live here, they think maybe she was hiding out on Spoon Island, or even right here in this house.

Laura tells Spencer, whatever Esme has or hasn’t done, that baby is innocent. Britt is gone, and there’s nothing he can do to bring her back, but he can do something to make sure Esme’s baby is born safely. Don’t confront Esme. Don’t interrogate her about Britt or anything else. He says, what if she’s lying about the memory loss? and Laura says, she’s not lying about the pregnancy. The priority right now should be the health and safety of that baby. That means allowing Esme to rest and recover. Elizabeth comes out of Esme’s room, and Spencer asks if Esme is awake. Elizabeth says, awake and alert, and he says he’d like to see her. Laura tells the guard to let Commissioner Ashford know that she okayed the visit, and Spencer thanks her. He knocks at Esme’s door, and she says, yes? He walks in, and she asks if she knows him.

Nikolas says he thinks he’d know if Esme was living in his house, and Jordan says, it’s a big house. There must be plenty of rooms that go unused. Esme could have taken refuge in any one of them, and Nikolas would never know, which is why they’d like to search the premises. Nikolas says, absolutely not, and Dante says, come on. They search the house, find out Esme was never here, and they can move on with their investigation. Nikolas says, if they want to search his house, get a warrant. And for that, they’ll need to show probable cause, and there isn’t any. Jordan says, DA Scorpio found plenty of evidence and was able to get Judge Winters to sign off on a warrant, but she thought she’d spare them the time and trouble by giving Nikolas the option to voluntarily agree to the search. Nikolas asks what evidence Robert has, and Victor says, they appreciate the courtesy, but they have nothing to hide. So feel free to search the house. Nikolas says, it could take hours, and Victor says, best get started then. He tells Nikolas to accompany the detective and his officers so they don’t get lost.

Dex tells Josslyn, the way he gives thanks for his life is by living it. Maybe she could try it. She says, maybe she could, and they kiss.

Nina tells Sonny, apparently the danger chemotherapy poses to the fetus is higher in the first trimester because the organs are developing. It’s safer for the baby in the second or third trimester. He says, safer for the baby, but not for Willow, and Nina says she has no idea how Willow is getting through this. To find out she’s pregnant, then be diagnosed with a life threatening illness; to have to choose between your health and the health of your unborn baby? Sonny takes her hand.

Willow sits up, and Michael asks, what’s wrong? She says, it’s not fair to lean on him, and he says she agreed to marry him, and that’s what married people do; they lean on each other. She asks why he’s not angry with her. She didn’t share her diagnosis with him, and didn’t include him in her decision making. She didn’t give him a vote. She gambled with her life, with Wiley’s security and future, and with everything they planned together, and now it looks like she lost.

Drew says, Carly fights like hell when someone tries to make choices for her. He’s confused. What made her decide what Willow could or couldn’t know about her own family? Carly says, Willow didn’t want to know, and he says, she reconsidered and decided she wants to track down her family. Not only that, she asked him to help search. Carly says she gets that, but Willow was having a hard pregnancy. The last thing she needs is stress. She thought it was best not to open the door to total strangers with whom Willow shares biology and nothing else. He says, she denied Willow her own family, and Carly says, Willow has family. She has her, and Michael, and Wiley, and Drew, and the Quartermaines. He says, enough excuses. Willow’s biological family can give her things that none of them can.

Nina tells Sonny, after one of her many clashes with Willow, she tracked them down at the hospital. She found them in Terry’s office. She’s an oncologist. Nina didn’t think much about it then, but – she picks up the document – Terry is treating Willow. Sonny says, Willow and Michael probably want to keep it quiet; the family didn’t say anything to him. She says, they probably do. They probably don’t want to upset Wiley. By delaying treatment, Willow is risking leaving Wiley, leaving him without the only mother he’s ever known. It must be so difficult for her. Nina wonders how much influence Michael had in Willow’s decision to delay cancer treatment. They know Michael is very selfish. He’s focused and single-minded in getting what he wants. Sonny says, this family infighting has to stop. They have to pull it together for Willow.

Carly tells Drew, she gets it. Willow is pregnant, and she wants her medical history to be complete for her baby’s sake. She understands that, but felt the emotional consideration outweighed it, so she obstructed his efforts… pretty considerably. He says, describe considerably, and she says, when he tracked down Denise Mackenzie, the firefighter who was on the commune with Harmony, she intercepted Denise before their meeting, and paid her to back Harmony’s original story about getting Willow from some mythical Joan. Then when Denise recanted, she paid Denise off for not giving her up. He says, when she went out after Denise to give her glove back. Carly says, then most recently, she found information on the commune leader Josiah, she took it and hid it, so Drew couldn’t follow up on him. Drew says, so the whole time they were supposed to be working together, she was sabotaging him.

Michael says he understands Willow is disappointed and frustrated; he is too. But they found a bone marrow match, and they’ll find another. There’s still time. She says, there’s a lot less time than when she was first diagnosed. When she made the choice not to tell him about her diagnosis or include him in her decision to wait, which is the opposite of how he’s always treated her. He didn’t have to include her in Wiley’s life, much less let her adopt him. Michael trusted her with his son. He made Wiley their son, and now she may be leaving them both. At the very moment she should have shared with him, she shut him out. Why doesn’t he hate her for that?

Laura asks Elizabeth how Esme seems, and Elizabeth says, if this is Laura’s way of asking if she thinks Esme is faking the memory loss, her answer is, she doesn’t know. Laura says, Doc started to assess her, but her brother threw him out of the room. Doc would never violate patient privacy, so he hasn’t said anything, but she has the feeling he believes Esme. He got to see Esme in all her manipulative glory when she was living with them, so she thinks he’d know if Esme was lying. Elizabeth says, maybe they’ll get lucky and she’ll never remember, and Laura asks why that would be a good thing.

Spencer introduces himself to Esme, and says, he and his friend Trina Robinson brought her to the hospital. Esme thanks him for that, and he asks how she’s feeling. She says she’s see-sawing between numb and total panic. They say she could be charged with everything from revenge porn to attempted murder, which is really scary. She doesn’t suppose he knows where she’s been hiding these past few months. Apparently it’s the only thing that could exonerate her.

Jordan asks how much contact Victor had with Esme, and he says, minimal really. He lived at the MetroCourt until recently. He and Esme never lived at Windymere at the same time. She says, their paths never crossed? and he says, occasionally, when she was dating Spencer. Their interactions were superficial at best. She says, what about Nikolas? How would Victor characterize his actions with Esme?

In front of Esme’s old prison room, Dante asks, what’s in here? and Nikolas says, a bedroom. Dante asks if anyone is using it, and Nikolas says, it’s possible one of the staff could be staying there. Dante says, Nikolas lets the staff stay with him? He thought they’d be out on the grounds. Nikolas says, like the Commissioner pointed out, it’s a big house, and if for whatever reason one of the staff needed to stay the night, he doesn’t see the harm. Dante says he’d like to check the room out, but Nikolas says, it’s locked. Dante tries the door, and it opens.

Carly says she’s so sorry for misleading Drew, and he says, lying to him. She says she made the choice to protect Willow long before they got together, but he says, there’s no contract. There’s no pre-existing condition clause. This is about them trusting each other. He let her in on an investigation, and she took advantage of his trust to undermine it. She says she was protecting Willow. Doesn’t he understand? He says she knew damn well Willow asked him to do the search, and he gets that Willow was initially resistant to finding out her birth mother, but once Carly knew she reconsidered, didn’t that change her calculations? She says she was conflicted, but then she decided Willow was better off not knowing. Drew says, if Carly knew the complete information about Willow’s health situation, she would have reacted differently, and Carly asks what he’s talking about. Is there something wrong with Willow? He says, she has leukemia.

Michael says he could never hate Willow. He wishes she’d shared her diagnosis with him from the start, but he understands why she didn’t. He’ll never forget the pain of losing Jonah, and knows she won’t either. She chose to protect the life she’s carrying the best way she could, and he’s good with that. She says she was selfish, and he says she’s the least selfish person he knows. She says she did what she wanted and if she chose wrong, he and Wiley will be left alone. He says, they’re not going to lose her, but she says, he can’t promise that. He says he can promise this much. He’ll never regret any day he’s spent with her, or making her Wiley’s mother. He’ll never regret the love she’s given Wiley, and the place she has in his life. Even if Wiley has to grow up without her, her love will sustain him. Even if Wiley doesn’t consciously remember it, Michael will remember all of it. And he’ll love her for the rest of his life. He kisses her.

Basking in the afterglow on Dex’s couch, since he apparently doesn’t have a bed, Josslyn says, this was not the plan. He asks if she regrets it, but she says, no. He says, good. Because if he hasn’t made it clear, he doesn’t want this to be a one or two time thing. She says, neither does she. She doesn’t know what she feels for him, but she knows it’s strong. He says, him too, and kisses her. Her phone dings, and she says, sorry. It might be her mom, and she’ll freak out if Josslyn doesn’t answer. She looks at the phone and says, unbelievable. She shows it to Dex, and he reads a text from Sonny: Need to see you. My office. Important. She says, how dare Sonny summon her like that?. She starts getting dressed, and says, he has no right. Who does he think he is? Dex asks where she’s going, and she says, Sonny’s office. She’s going to tell him that she’s going to see who she wants to see, and it’s none of his damn business.

Elizabeth tells Laura, if she was Esme, she’d want to forget everything too; the crimes, the mistakes. She could almost wish that for her own life… Not really of course (🍷). She’d never want to forget her kids or the people she loves, but it would be nice to forget the ways she’s messed up. Laura asks if this would have anything to do with what’s going on between her and Nikolas.

Spencer says, sorry. He has no alibi for Esme, and she says she supposes he never laid eyes on her before he and his friend brought her to the hospital. He says, that’s not true. He knows her better than anyone else in Port Charles. She asks, how? From where? Does he know why she’s in Port Charles? Does he really think she did all this crazy stuff?

Jordan asks Dante if the search is finished, but he says, the officers are still searching. Nikolas was kind enough to show him the north wing. Victor says, don’t keep them in suspense, and Dante says, they checked out the room at the top; no sign of Esme. Nikolas tells them, he said it was a waste of time, but Jordan says, due diligence is never a waste of time. If the officers find anything of interest, she and Dante may have to return and search further. They’ll be sure to bring a warrant. Nikolas says he’ll show them out, and Jordan thanks him for his time. She and Dante leave, and outside, she says, well? Dante says, the tower room has been cleaned and painted. He could smell the cleaning agents, and smell the paint; probably in the last few hours. They’ve definitely been hiding something or someone up there. Inside, Nikolas asks why Victor agreed to the search, and Victor says, because there was nothing to find. He had Demetrius do a thorough cleaning, and put everything in storage. He kept everything; ample evidence of Esme’s imprisonment. He takes the broken ornament out of his pocket, and says, just in case he needs to ensure Nikolas’s future cooperation

Elizabeth tells Laura that Nikolas is her oldest friend. They have a lot of history, and he knows her like nobody else does. She knows him too. She knows he can be selfish and reckless, and makes foolish choices. She also knows him to be generous and loving, and for the most part, he had good intentions. Laura says, Elizabeth has always been loyal to her son. She sees the good in him, and she thanks Elizabeth for that. She treasures Elizabeth, and not just because she’s the mother of her grandchildren. She’s known Elizabeth most of her life, and thinks of Elizabeth as another daughter. Elizabeth says, that means a lot to her, and Laura says, she’s very worried right now. She feels Nikolas has backed himself into a corner, and he’s in a very dark place.

Spencer says, he and Esme went to boarding school in France: Ecole Internationale de Chatel. She says, it doesn’t ring a bell, and he says he has family in Port Charles. When he graduated from boarding school, he came back here, and he brought her with him. She says, as a buddy? but he says, they were dating. She was his girlfriend and they broke up… for many reasons. She asks, how long ago did they break up? Is this his baby? He says, possibly.

On the phone, Dex says, call me. We’ve got a problem.

Josslyn strides into Sonny’s office, and says, before he starts in, she has a few things to say about the way she chooses to live her life, and how it’s none of his damn business.

Michael tucks Willow in, and she thanks him. She tells him not to let her sleep too late. She wants to see Wiley off to school. Maybe they can all have breakfast together in the morning. Michael says, they’ll figure it out. Just get some rest. She tells him that she loves him, and he says he loves her too. There’s a knock at the door, and he goes downstairs. Nina is there, and he says, it’s not a good time. She says she realizes that, and knows he doesn’t want her here, so she’ll make it quick. She needs to talk about her grandson.

Carly says, Willow has leukemia? and Drew says, Stage Four. She says, oh my God. That’s why she’s so pale and… weak. That’s why she fainted, and why Michael has been hovering, and… Why didn’t she see it? He says, Willow has been going out of her way to keep it a secret. Michael didn’t even know until she was in her second trimester. Drew just found out a few weeks ago. She asks how he found out, and he says, at first, Willow was saying the search was for medical history, but he knew there was more to it. Then she admitted she needs a bone marrow transplant. Carly says, and the best chance for a match is with a family member. He says, that’s why he stepped up the search, and she says, he doesn’t need to search. Nina is Willow’s birth mother.

Tomorrow, Chase says, Gladys won’t have to be Sasha’s guardian much longer; Drew asks if Carly was ever going to tell Willow; and Josslyn tells Dex that her life is falling apart, and she doesn’t know what to do about it.

👩🏻‍⚕️ Last Wave…

I’m sad to see her go, but she did get quite an exit.

🥀 In Memoriam…

A beautiful tribute to one taken too soon.

👠 Please Leave Now…

Is he actually watching the show?

https://people.com/tv/harry-hamlin-says-lisa-rinna-made-the-right-decision-to-leave-rhobh-exclusive/

Bless her heart.

💎 No More Diamond For You…

Another one who shouldn’t let the door hit her on the way out.

💣 Reality Turncoats…

I guess Alan Cumming needed to pay his mortgage.

🍗 At Long Last…

It’s about time. Machete is ahead by two films and a trailer.

🐶 Something Special In the Bowl…

Ending on an adorable note. I love a dog with special needs.

https://people.com/pets/puppy-bowl-2023-dogs-with-special-needs/

🌃 Yesterday Once More…

Swing by tomorrow for more soap, tea, and a tune. Until then, stay safe, stay ambitious, but not arrogant, and stay giving thanks for your life by living it.