Tag Archives: John Janssen

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.

October 11, 2024 – Brad Wonders What Portia Is Up To, Glow Girl, Salty Talk, She’s a Lot, Charming Update, Villain Down, His Costumes, Upcoming Watch, Runway Worthy, 8 Solid Quotes & This

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly says, Lulu seems to be getting worse, and Lucas says he can’t believe none of her brothers are viable donors. Carly says, wait. Ethan was tested? and Lucas says, apparently, Holly contacted him. She says, with the three of them out of the running, finding a donor seems less and less likely, but he says, between her and Nina getting the word out and Olivia contacting everyone she knows, they still have reason to be hopeful. Ava comes by and says she had no idea Lucas was back in town. Although she can’t say she’s completely surprised considering she didn’t hear from him when he was here for his mother’s funeral. He says he was here for his family, and she says she’s family. Is there any special reason for this visit? Carly says, it’s not a visit. Lucas is home for good. Meet GH’s new trauma surgeon.

Martin visits Alexis and asks, how is his effervescently challenged client today? She says, judging from his effervescence, she takes it he gave the photo to Anna, but he says, actually, he had to leave it with her assistant, and he hasn’t heard back yet. Then again, he doesn’t remember having Alexis convinced that his picture was going to get the charges against her dropped. She says her lawyer instincts kicked in and he says, so did his. That’s why he had his P.I. do a little more digging. She says she takes it his P.I. found something, and he says, she did. As far as he’s concerned, Alexis should be out of here by the end of the day.

Anna goes to Robert’s office, and he asks what brings her by. She says, this, and drops a file on his desk. He says, and this would be? and she says, proof that Alexis Davis is innocent.

Cody sees Elizabeth at the hospital, and she says, if he’s looking for Dante, he’s not here at the moment. He says he just wanted to tell Dante in person that he’s being tested to see if he’s a match for Lulu. She says, that’s great. She’s sure he’ll be pleased. He asks how it’s going. Are people coming in? She says, yes, and people are getting tested in other places as well. He says, Mama Q strikes again. He was bummed to hear that Lulu’s brother Lucky wasn’t able to donate. She says, that was rough, and he says, especially for Dante. He doesn’t know how much longer Dante can hold out hope. She says, he’s not one to give up, and he says, but he’s realist and he knows Dante is bracing himself in case Lulu doesn’t make it.

At the station, Dex asks how Dante is doing, and Dante says, they’re hanging in there. Dex says, Joss told him that Lulu’s brother can’t be the donor. He’s really sorry. Dante says, they’re not giving up, and Dex says he has an appointment to get tested over his lunch hour. Dante thanks him, and Dex says, if Dante doesn’t mind him saying, he’s surprised Dante came in. Dante says he just has to finish some stuff up, then he’s taking a leave of absence to be with Rocco and Lulu. Is it true there was a bomb threat here yesterday? Dex says, someone dropped off a suspicious package. It turned out to be a gun. Dante says, a package with a gun in it? and Dex says, the theory is, it’s the gun Alexis Davis dropped off the bridge. He saw the ballistics report. It’s definitely not the gun that killed Cates.

Sonny thanks Kristina for coming to the penthouse, and she sees Michael is there. She says, Sonny sounded urgent on the phone. Now she knows why. Clearly, Michael told him that she went to see Anna last night. Don’t worry. She didn’t say anything because he stopped her… Sonny says, it’s not about that. He’s not mad. He loves her very much. She says she loves him too. What’s going on? Sonny says he’s made up his mind. He’s not going to let Alexis pay for his crimes. He’s going to confess to killing Jagger.

Ava says, Lucas is moving back to Port Charles. Why didn’t he tell her? Carly asks, why would he? and Lucas says, neither one of them has reached out to the other since he left. She says she sent her condolences when his mother passed, and Carly asks if she read the note that Trina wrote before she sent it. Ava says she’s hoping to have an uninterrupted conversation with her nephew, and Lucas asks if that’s really necessary. Maybe there’s a reason they’re not close, and maybe that doesn’t need to change. She says, he’s right that they’re not close, but they are family. She can’t wait for him to see Avery. She’s grown up so much. She’s so beautiful. He says he knows. Carly sends him tons of pictures of Avery, so he’s all up to date. She says, that’s so kind of Carly, and Carly says, family is important to Spencers. Ava says, Lucas may have grown up with Bobbie and Tony Jones, but there’s no changing the fact that he’s Julian’s son. Carly says, it’s funny she would bring up Julian when he’s the reason Lulu is fighting for her life, and Ava says she’s sure she and Lucas have feelings about that because they were close to Julian and Carly certainly wasn’t. Carly says she’ll tell Ava about Lucas’s feelings, but Lucas says he’d like a minute alone with Aunt Ava. Carly says, sure, and he thanks her for understanding. Ava says, her magnanimity knows no bounds, and Carly says she’ll see Lucas at home, and leaves. Ava asks if they should get a cup of coffee, but Lucas says, right here is fine. She says, okay. Was there something… He says he would like her to explain why she outed Kristina’s girlfriend Blaze.

Elizabeth tells Portia that they’re having so many people being tested for Lulu, their labs are getting backed up. Can she please approve some overtime for their techs? Portia says, consider it done. And speaking of the lab, has she had any trouble with Brad Cooper?

Alexis says, don’t keep her in suspense. What is this new information that’s going to set her free? Martin says, their P.I. was able to get a copy of Jack Brennan’s room service order. Dinner for two with champagne, i.e. ooh-la-la. He’s already emailed a copy of it over to Commissioner Devane. (Really? He’s better than this. That proves nothing except Jack was having dinner with someone.) She says, that’s it? and he asks what she means. You combine that with a picture of Carly going into his hotel suite… Alexis says, at this point, she doesn’t think that’s enough proof, and he says, she’s right. It doesn’t actually prove anything. She says, that’s the funny thing about evidence. It’s supposed to prove stuff. He says, no, it’s not. This evidence is there to cast doubt on Sonny and Carly’s alibi. That’s it. She says she just doesn’t think that Brennan’s room service order or a picture of them is going to do that. He says he’s done a heck of a lot more with a hell of a lot less, and she says she’s so glad he’s so confident. It’s a long shot at best. He says, fine. He’s open to suggestions since she doesn’t seem to like any of his. She says, the only thing that’s going to get her out of here is if Sonny confesses, and he laughs. He says, and how likely is it that a known crime boss is going to let his conscience get the better of him? and she says, not likely. Because he’s not going to put Kristina in the mix. He says, how about if they somehow tie Sonny to the murder weapon? and she says, that weapon is in a thousand pieces somewhere or it’s melted down. He says, fine. So where does that leave them? She says, with the improbable possibility that Sonny is going to put Kristina at risk and come forward and save her.

Anna says, and inside the package is a chrome nine-millimeter pistol, and Robert says, like the one Ric Lansing and Elizabeth Baldwin saw Alexis throw off the Blackstone Canyon bridge. She says, it matches the description, so she’s going to bring them in and see if they can positively ID it. He asks if it’s worth her time. There’s plenty of nine-mills out there. She says, the lab turned up minerals that are found in the Blackstone River, enough to confirm it had probably been there for several weeks. They also ran the serial number, and the gun is registered to Sonny Corinthos. He says, similar to the one that disappeared shortly after Cates’s murder, and she says, yeah. At least they’ll be able to tell if it’s the murder weapon or not. He says, if it clears Alexis, that’s all for the best. He thinks they all know she didn’t do it. She says, there are far more likely suspects, and he says, one in particular. She says, if Sonny did this, they’re never going to find the weapon that he used. The FBI is going to have to build a case without it. He says, it didn’t stop them where Alexis is concerned, and she says, it will now. She’s going to call Martin Grey and let him know. He says, let’s not be hasty.

Kristina says, Sonny can’t do this. She knows he’s doing this because of her. He says he’s doing this so her mother doesn’t have to pay for something she didn’t do, and she says, it’s not going to work. Mom said so herself. She talked to her about it and she said, if Sonny goes to the FBI, they’re going to think it’s only to protect her. Sonny says he’s got it under control. He’s got a meeting with the FBI today. She says, no. She can’t lose him. He says, she’s not going to lose him, but she says she will if he goes to prison. He says, she has to understand something. This is the right thing to do. She says, there has to be another way, and Michael says, this is the only way to keep her mother out of prison. Sonny says, they both know Jagger came at him. Jagger couldn’t get him, so he went after everybody Sonny loves. Jagger wanted to hurt them, and he hurt Kristina in the lowest moment of her life. He had to be stopped. She asks if that’s what he’s going to tell the Feds, and he says he’s going to tell the Feds the truth. He doesn’t want anyone else paying for Jagger Cates’s death.

In the lab, Brad says, it’s good to see Cody, and Cody says he takes it Brad is back at GH. Brad says, on a probationary basis. He really wants this to work out, so no capers, no schemes, no altering lab results. Just doing what he loves where he loves doing it. Cody asks if his aunt is okay with this career change, and Brad says, she finally realized he wouldn’t be a good fit for her business. Cody says he knows Britt would be happy to see him back here, and Brad says, full disclosure. He invoked her name to get his foot in the door. Cody laughs and says, she would have loved that, and Brad says, damn right she would. Cody says, it sounds like Brad is all good, and Brad says, mostly. His ex-husband Lucas is also back at GH.

Lucas says he knows Ava recorded Natalia Ramirez and gave her audio to The Invader, and Ava says she’s sure Carly could wait to tell him. He says, she had no right to out Blaze. Nobody should be forced to come out before they’re ready. She says she agrees with him completely. She had no intention of outing Blaze. She’s spent half her life in the art world. You don’t do what she’s doing without being an ally to the gay community. He says, then why did she do it? and she says she was trying to protect Avery. He says, from what? and she says, Sonny. She was trying to get any proof she could that he was incapable of providing a suitable home for her. He asks what Natalia had to do with that, and she says, Sonny was trying to take Avery away from her. He says he’s still not following, and she says she thought by exposing his companion Natalia for the bigot she is, it would reflect badly on Sonny, and it would help her with her custody case. It didn’t help at all. He says, she’s just like Julian. He never thought about anybody but himself either. She says, he doesn’t think Sonny would do the same to her? Or worse? He asks if Sonny is really the best person to use as a moral barometer, and she says she supposes not. But when it comes to Julian, he was a deeply flawed man, but he loved Lucas with everything he had, and Lucas knows it.

Elizabeth says, don’t hate her for saying this… and Portia says, let her guess. Brad’s work has been flawless. Elizabeth says, it has. Sorry. Portia says, what about his attitude? His demeanor? Elizabeth says, beyond reproach. Trust her. She’s as shocked as Portia is. Portia says she just doesn’t understand why he’s working here. Brad puts the entire hospital at risk. Elizabeth says she’s certainly not going to defend Brad as a person, but since he’s been back, his work has been excellent. For all his faults, he knows his job.

Walking into the hospital, Kristina says, Michael didn’t have to escort her to therapy, and he says he wants to make sure she’s all right. She asks how she could possibly be all right. Their father is about to go to prison. He says, Diane is going to get him the best deal possible, and she says, she’s not a miracle worker. He says, they have to trust dad knows what he’s doing, and Diane knows how to get it done, and she says she knows he’s right. He says, pick her up in an hour? and she asks if he has a real job. (My question exactly!) He says he doesn’t want her to be alone right now, and she says she appreciates that. She means this lovingly, but please just go home. He says, fine. He’ll check on her later. She says, much later, and watches as he leaves. She takes out her phone and sends a text to Dante asking, where are you?

Dante’s phone dings, and he answers, headed to GH soon. She texts back, good. I’m already there. He gets up to leave, and Dex asks if he can talk to Dante for a second. He spoke to the Commissioner, and she wants to keep the ballistics report on the gun confidential for now. Dante asks, why is that? and Dex says he’s not sure, but he probably shouldn’t have said anything, so can they keep this between them? Dante says he already forgot about it, and Dex thanks him. Dante gets another text from Kristina that says, we need 2 talk ASAP!!!

Robert says, Diane has requested a meeting between Counselor Reynolds and her client Sonny Corinthos, and Anna says, to talk about the Cates murder? He says, they both know Sonny killed Cates. His conscience has never bothered him until now. Why bother talking? She says, now this is making sense. Because Kristina came to see her to tell her that she had information about the night Cates was killed. He says, she told him Michael stopped her, and she says, yeah, he did. So whatever it is that Kristina was going to say… He says, Michael knows what it is and they’re both covering for Sonny, and she says, if anything could make Sonny talk, it would be his kids. He asks if she really thinks Sonny would give up his freedom to protect his kids, and she says she thinks it’s possible. What time is this meeting? He says, noon today, and she says, so he wants her to keep the ballistics results under wraps until after Sonny has met with the FBI? He says he doesn’t know about her, but he can’t wait to hear what Sonny has to say, and she says, if he finds out what’s in the report, he’s going to change his mind about talking. Robert says, and the last thing they need is to give Sonny an excuse not to confess.

Anna says, they better get busy then, and Robert says, doing what? She says, breaking Sonny’s alibi. If Carly finds out Sonny is going to confess, then she might change her statement. She’d hate to see Carly go down covering for him. He says, she’d be an accessory to murder of a federal agent, and she says, even so. Sonny’s kids don’t deserve to lose both their parents.

Coming out of the lab, Brad says, enough about him. What’s up with Cody? Cody asks where he begins, and Brad says, how about the rumor that he’s Mac Scorpio’s son? Hospital gossip. Is it true? Cody says, yeah, it’s true, and Brad asks, how’s that been going? Cody says he almost ruined it right off the bat, and Brad says, naturally. Cody says, but Mac’s such a great guy, Mac forgave him, and Brad says he’s sure saving Maxie’s son from drowning probably scored Cody a few points. Cody says, it didn’t hurt, but he’s not really comfortable being seen as the hero. Brad says, why? He looks good in a white hat. Cody says he’s just glad everything turned out okay, and Brad says, because Mac is the best guy he knows. Cody says, he really is, and Brad says, and Lucas is the best guy he knows. So maybe Lucas will forgive him too. He hugs Cody and says, thanks. He’s the best. Portia comes out of the elevator and says, Mr. Cooper. Is this what you consider professional behavior?

Dante asks Kristina, what’s going on? What’s with all the text messages? She says, dad is meeting with the FBI at noon. He’s going to confess to killing Agent Cates. Dante says he doesn’t know anything about any meetings. Is Anna involved in this? She says she has no idea. All she knows is dad said he was meeting Diane at the PCPD to talk to the Feds. She knows Dante has figured out she knows more than she’s let on. He asks if she killed Cates, but she says, no. He asks if she saw who did kill Cates, and she says, no. Dante tells her, then she does what Sonny says. Do nothing and say nothing. She says, and just let him throw his life away? and he says, that depends. Does she trust their father enough to do what he’s asking her to do?

Sonny visits Alexis and she asks if Kristina is okay. He says, she’s fine, and she says she wasn’t expecting to see him. He says he thinks there’s something she should know, and she asks what it is. He says he has a meeting today at noon with FBI counsel Reynolds, and she says, the prosecutor in her case. Why? He says he’s going to tell him the truth.

Alexis says, and by telling him the truth, Sonny means what exactly? and Sonny says he’s going to tell him exactly what happened that night. She says, wow. She wasn’t expecting him to say that. How does he think Kristina is going to handle that? He says he already talked to her. She’s not going to put herself in jeopardy. Alexis says she hopes he’s right because they both know Kristina was at the Quartermaines and she had a gun. And if she doesn’t keep quiet, they’re going to arrest her for obstruction. He says he’s handling it, and she says, he needs to be a tad more specific. He says, before he agrees to tell the FBI everything, they’re going to have to promise him in writing that she and Kristina and Carly will be immune from prosecution.

A woman tells Elizabeth that she’s looking for the head nurse, Elizabeth Baldwin, and Elizabeth says, that’s her. How can she help? The woman says she’s with GH’s legal department. The hospital’s been issued a subpoena from the Court of Appeals regarding Heather Webber.

Portia says, when Brad is wearing this lab coat, he’s representing this hospital, and she assumes he’d act that way. He says, it was just a hug… which will not happen again. She says she’s sure she doesn’t need to remind him that he’s still on probation, and he says, no, she doesn’t. He knows he needs to prove that he deserves this job. She says, if he can, and he says he’s certainly going to try. In fact, the lab’s been really busy lately. If she needs him to work more hours… She says, no, that won’t be necessary now, and he asks if there have been problems with his work. She says, not yet, but why don’t they just keep it that way? She walks away.

At the station, Carly asks Dex, what’s up? and he asks if everything is all right. She says, you tell me. She was summoned here. Anna comes out and says, good. Carly is here. Fantastic. Just follow her. She leads Carly to the interrogation room, and Carly asks if she should call Diane, but Anna says, no. It’s just one question. Does she want to change her statement about the night Agent Cates was killed? Carly says, no, and Anna asks if she’s sure. Carly says, yes. Why would she want to change her statement? Anna says she didn’t think Carly would want to be charged again, and Carly says, charged with what? Anna says, making a false statement to the police. It’s a misdemeanor in the state of New York, as is obstruction, but the murder of an FBI agent is federal. Carly says, even so, she’s happy to stand by her original statement. She heads for the door, and Anna says, the statement is that she was in bed with Sonny the night Agent Cates was killed. Carly says, yes, and Anna says, they were seen having dinner at the MetroCourt. Are they back together? Carly asks why Anna cares, and Anna says, it just looks like maybe her interests lie elsewhere. She shows Carly the picture of her going into Jack’s room.

Cody sees Dante at the hospital and says he wanted to tell Dante in person that he just got tested. Dante says, thanks. He appreciates that. Cody asks, what’s wrong? Something tells him there’s more going on than Dante just worrying about Lulu. Dante says, there always is, but he can’t talk about this. Cody asks if it’s an ongoing investigation, and Dante says, something like that. Cody says, Dante knows he can tell him anything, and Dante says, but not this. Cody says, come on. Dante obviously needs to talk about it. What’s up? Dante says, they’ve got new evidence that could exonerate someone who’s been charged with a serious crime, and Cody says, he means Alexis. Dante asks why he’s naming names, and Cody says, sorry. Cop. Civilian. No names. Dante says, so it’s come to their attention that someone else is going to come forward and confess to this crime, and Cody asks if this other person actually committed the crime. Dante says, it’s highly likely, and Cody says, then what’s the problem? Dante says, they’re really only coming forward to get the other person off the hook, and Cody says, so if this person is exonerated, the real person wouldn’t have to confess. Dante says, that’s right. So they’re withholding this new evidence from the person in custody’s attorney. Cody says, so they have evidence that could exonerate Alexis, but the cops are keeping it from her lawyer so that Dante’s dad confesses to killing that FBI agent? And Dante is wondering if he should warn his dad before he confesses to a murder he probably committed. Is he right?

Anna says, if Carly and Sonny are trying to make a go of it again, why was she seen entering Brennan’s room? Carly says she’s co-owner of the MetroCourt. She was just checking on a guest. Anna says, Jack’s certainly getting the VIP treatment. Didn’t she find Carly in his room a couple of weeks back? Carly says, Mr. Brennan is the new WSB Station Chief, so he is a VIP, and she wants to make sure all her guests have the best stay possible. Anna says, really? Because there’s also a room service order for dinner and champagne that same night. Carly says, sounds like Mr. Brennan had big plans after she left, and Anna says, look. She really likes Carly, so she’s going to level with her. She’s making a big mistake. Carly says, it wouldn’t be the first time, and Anna says, Brennan is a dangerous man. She doesn’t want to get involved with him. Carly says, Anna isn’t going to be offended if she won’t take dating advice from her, is she? and Anna says she’s known him a really long time. She knows what he’s capable of. Carly says she’s calling Diane, but Anna says, it’s fine. They’re done. Diane is going to be very busy this afternoon anyway. So she doesn’t want to change her statement? Carly says she’s good, and Anna says, loyalty is a very commendable thing, but she thinks Carly is giving it to the wrong person. Carly says she’s going to go, and Anna thanks her for her time.

Ava says she remembers how Julian looked when he talked about Lucas. Julian was so proud of him. Lucas says, there were times he was proud of Julian too. But every time they got close, he’d find out some horrible thing Julian had done, or some new secret would come to light or he’d hurt somebody else. And it never stopped. She says, did he ever think the reason Julian made all of those bad choices was his insecurity? He was always so afraid he wasn’t good enough to be Lucas’s father.

Brad says he got Elizabeth’s page. What’s up? She hands him a paper and says, the Court of Appeals has ordered an investigation into Heather Webber’s bloodwork. He says, why? and she says, there are discrepancies between GH’s findings and the other labs. The court wants to know, was there a procedural error, is it some fault in their lab… He says, she wants him to look into it? and she says, the sooner, the better. He says he’ll get right on it, and she thanks him.

Dante says, no more helping his father. He’s a cop. Cody says, right, and he’s obligated to see justice is served. Dante says, it’s kind of his job, and Cody says, so what’s bothering him the most about this? Is it the withholding evidence thing? Because don’t cops do tricks like that all the time to get people to confess? Dante says, it’s the fact that he’s either betraying his badge or betraying his father, and Cody says, even if Dante thinks he did it? Dante says, especially if he thinks Sonny did it. If he tells Sonny what he knows, he’s lost all integrity. He literally would help him get away with murder. Cody asks if Dante wants to know what he thinks, and Dante says he doesn’t think he does. Cody says, probably not, because it’s probably not going to be helpful, but here goes anyways. After everything that FBI guy did to Dante’s family, he thinks it just comes down to one simple question. Which one’s more important to him, his family or his job?

Sonny says, the FBI is going to jump at the chance to put him behind bars. So he’s going to talk about everything that they’ve tried to pin on him. As long as they leave her, Kristina, and Carly alone. She says, because the crime in question isn’t enough, he’s going to tell them the whole story? and he says, they’re not going to play ball if he doesn’t give them something worthwhile. She says, so what about his associates in all his endeavors? What happens to them? He says he’ll deal with that. He doesn’t see another way. She says, so after all these years of him evading the authorities, he’s just going to give himself up, and he says, it’s either that or Alexis is going to spend the rest of her life in prison for something she didn’t do. Does she think he would let her do that? She says, the thought has crossed her mind, but she knows if he was given the choice between her and Kristina… He says he’s doing this for Kristina, and she says she thinks he’s doing it a little bit for her too. He says, a little bit, and she thanks him. He says, take care of our girl, and through her tears, she says she promises. Sonny gets up and leaves.

Lucas says, Julian was always his own worst enemy, and Ava says, at least they can agree on that. He says he didn’t mean it when he said all of his memories of Julian are bad, and she asks if he’d share one with her. It’s been a long time since she’s heard anyone say anything kind about her brother. He says he’s been thinking about the day Julian married Alexis. He was proud to be Julian’s best man, and he was so happy for him. And that day, he thought, maybe his dad could finally be happy. She says, and he would have been if he’d married anybody else. Alexis was literally the worst thing to happen to Julian. Lucas gets up and says, so much for fond memories, but she says she’s just trying to be honest. How many times has that woman broke his heart? He says, probably as many times as he broke hers, and Ava says, her constant judgements, her endless conditions to be worthy of her love and attention wore him down. It wore him out. And in the end, she was the reason he did all of those terrible things before he was killed. He says, she can’t blame Alexis for Julian’s actions, but she says she certainly can. He says, good talk. He’s got to run. She says, before he goes, please keep in mind that nobody should be judged entirely based on the worst thing they’ve done. His father loved him. He says he knows, and he loved him too. She thanks him for saying that. Just so he knows, she loves him too. It’s true they’re not close, but they could be. He says he’ll think about it, and she says, okay. She’d hate to think that he has so much family that he can afford to throw away his father’s side. He says he’d never throw away Avery… or her mother, and he leaves.

Portia says, Terry told her that the hospital received a court order about the lab’s testing, and Elizabeth says, it’s about Heather Webber’s bloodwork. Portia says, what about it? and Elizabeth says, Ric Lansing had her cobalt levels tested, and their lab concluded her levels were still high. Portia says, okay, that’s good, but Elizabeth says, he also had the tests run at three different labs. Portia says, it’s normal to do that, and Elizabeth says, none of the results matched theirs. So they’re just trying to prove that the error is with the GH lab, and that’s why the court is ordering an investigation. Portia says, humans make mistakes. Mistakes happen. You’d think they would drop it. Elizabeth says, a mistake like that could cast doubt over the integrity of their lab. And not just with Heather’s results, but other results in the past that have been used as evidence. Portia says, that’s a good point, and Elizabeth says, but don’t worry about it. She’s taking care of it. She’s sure it’s going to be fine.

Brad compares a paper to what’s on his laptop. He says, oh ho. Dr. Portia Robinson, what have you been up to? and he smiles.

Carly comes into the hospital, and Michael thanks her for coming. She says, something about Kristina? and he says, she’s not answering her phone. Of course (🍷) they can’t tell him whether she showed up for her therapy session or not, but he thinks she ditched it right after he dropped her off. Carly says, he didn’t watch her walk in? and he says, it felt intrusive. They have to find Kristina before she does something rash, and dad’s confession will all be for nothing.

Alexis goes into the visitor room to find Kristina and asks what she’s doing here. She wasn’t expecting to see her. Kristina says, they need to talk about dad, and Alexis says, her dad has been here. She knows what he’s going to do. Kristina asks if Alexis tried to talk him out of it, but Alexis asks why she’d do that. Kristina says she doesn’t know. This is all such a mess. She just wishes she’d told Anna everything she knew. Alexis asks what she told Anna, and Kristina says she went to see Anna to confess. Alexis says, confess to what? and Kristina says, driving Alexis’s care to the Quartermaines, stealing dad’s gun. She was trying to do anything she could to convince Anna that Alexis didn’t do this. Alexis asks if she told Anna anything, but Kristina says, no. Michael stopped her. Alexis says, don’t help. She’s just making everything worse. Kristina tells her, that’s what everyone says, but they need to stop pretending this isn’t her fault, because it is. If she never went to Ava’s hotel room, her child would still be alive. Cates would never be able to charge her with killing her daughter, and dad would have never been upset enough… Alexis says, what’s missing here is the truth and that’s what people need to hear. That her father actually did the thing he’s going to confess to, and he’s doing the right thing by turning himself in. Kristina says, but he did it because of her, and Alexis says, he did it because that’s what he does. Cates was never going to let up until Kristina was destroyed, until Michael was destroyed, until Dante was destroyed, and Sonny wasn’t going to let Cates hurt his children anymore. Kristina says, but if dad confesses, he goes to prison, and she can’t let that happen.

Sonny walks into the station, and Anna says, he’s early. He says he’s meeting Diane, and she says, someone will see her in as soon as she gets here. She asks him to follow her, when Dante runs in. He asks Sonny to wait. There’s something he should know.

On Monday, Molly tells Dex that it’s nice to know they might have some good news coming their way; Brad says he may have found something interesting; Martin asks why he wasn’t notified about Anna’s new evidence; and Alexis says, Kristina’s father got them into this and now he’s the one who’s got to get them out.

🪄 She’s All Glowed Up…

Well, she’s really no slouch before makeup either.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kirsten-storms-shows-off-her-stunning-gh-transformation

🧂 A Dash Of Salt…

Yeah, I doubt she’d risk buying stuff from Alibaba and reselling it. And I remember the whoop-de-do about Alibaba using other merchants’ photos. That’s a big no-no on eBay, even if you’re selling the exact same item.

Apparently, she’s tamed her saltiness while in the clink.

🍊 Putting the C In the OC…

If I agree with Teddi, you know there must be something very wrong going on.

A lot of what?

🍸 Hope He Evacuated…

I miss Michael. He was one of the best things about the show. I’m surprised Patricia didn’t send a PJ for him.

💣 Mustaches Twirling…

Who got the boot. This explains why that first episode seemed so long.

🎃 Halloween Hijinx…

Getting stuck in a hallway because of a Halloween costume sounds like something that would happen to me. Kudos on originality with Baby Forest Whitaker.

https://ew.com/jordan-peele-costume-halloween-beetlejuice-baby-forest-whitaker-8727052

💻 Thinking About Watching…

Major From vibes? I’m in.

https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/peacock/peacocks-new-dark-thriller-show-teacup-is-binge-worthy-tv-and-it-will-have-you-craving-more

I saw The Platform and didn’t really know what to make of it, so I was surprised it got a sequel. EmpireOnline called it a bloated, murky haze, and the reviews aren’t great, but I’ll probably watch it anyway. Not many spoilers – more of an explanation of the system.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-platform-2-netflix-film-review

I also saw Smile and wasn’t thrilled with the ending, but again, I’ll probably watch it anyway when it comes to a streaming platform in like, five minutes. I saw the trailer when I went to Deadpool & Wolverine. It ain’t no Deadpool, that’s for sure.

🧦 Costume and Fashion…

This is one of the cutest things ever. I would love to see something for tiny hamsters as well.

https://people.com/halloween-2024-halloween-costumes-for-guinea-pigs-8726708

There is no world in which my dogs would let me put these on them.

https://people.com/pet-crocs-crocs-for-dogs-coming-soon-8725361

💼 Quotes of the Week

You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals. – Booker T. Washington

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time. – John Lubbock

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

There is no room for mediocrity in karaoke. – an obviously drunk kid I met there

Persons of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others; they do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else. – Nathaniel Branden

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.  – Ralph Waldo Emerson (Uh-oh.)

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

Let’s kill this f***ing clown. – Richie Tozier (Bill Hader), It: Chapter Two

🧚‍♀️ Dreaming Awake…

Sending those in weathertorn states safety and healing vibes (been there; done that; it sucks), and for those who are in better climes, enjoy the autumn weekend. Then return again on Monday for soap and Sailing. Until then, stay safe; stay considering battery-operated flames for your Jack-o’-lantern (hey, it’s coming faster than you think); and stay never judging someone entirely based on the worst thing they’ve done.

September 13, 2024 – Mac Makes an Arrest, No Return (Yet), Explanation, Salty Talk, A Share, Along Soon, Grotesque Premiere, New Lot, First Treats, A Joke, Newsworthy Faunae, VIII Quotes & Early

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Mac and Felicia kiss outside the boathouse, and Felicia looks at Mac. He asks if there’s something on his face, and she says, on his face and all around him. He’s glowing. Everything about him radiates happiness. He asks if that’s what this feeling is, and she says, yes, and he’d better get used to it because it’s all smooth sailing from here. He says he’s not sure about that, and she asks if that’s pessimism she hears. He says, it’s hard not to feel that way with everything that just happened, and she asks what he’s talking about. He asks if she didn’t catch the stink lines radiating from Tracy Quartermaine a few minutes ago.

Brook brings Lois some water and asks if she’s all right. Lois asks if she’s serious. She and Chase are going to make her a Nona? Tracy walks in and says, this house is going completely downhill. Entitled cooks, babies that cry all night, interloping hoi polio that move in and never leave, and now we can add liar to the list. Brook says, someone lied to her? and Lois says, let her guess. Michael… Drew… Ned. Tracy says, no. Of course (🍷) it wouldn’t be surprising if any of them were lying, but this time the person is Violet.

On the phone, Carly asks what Jack has got for her, and he says he loves a woman who skips the small talk and gets right down to business. She says, Lulu’s life is on the line, so there’s no time to waste, and he hangs up the phone. Carly tells Jason, he hung up on her.

Anna walks into Jack’s office, and he says he’s going to need a new assistant if this one keeps letting her in here. She says, if he thinks any assistant is going to stop her, then he’s woefully underqualified for this job. Who chooses her town, or is he just passing through?

Kristina goes to Michael’s office, and he asks how she’s doing. She says her mom is being targeted for murder, so not great, and he says he knows it’s not easy, but it’s important she let the investigation run its course. She says, if he’s asking her to trust that the police are going to clear her mom as a suspect, she can’t do that, and he says, if she’s thinking of going to the cops… She says she has to. She’s the one who got her mom into this mess. He says, if she tells the police the truth about the night Cates was murdered, it’s just going to put her in their crosshairs, and she says, if it gets her mother out of their crosshairs, it’s worth it. He says, it could make things worse. Chase could think she and her mother were both involved in this. She says, but that’s not true, and he says, if they think it is, she could get charged with murder and her mother as an accessory. She asks what she’s supposed to do, and he says, there’s a way to keep her out of trouble and her mom from getting in any more of it.

Alexis lets Sonny in and he says he would have come sooner, but it’s been a busy couple of days. She says she’s been busy herself, trying to keep their daughter out of jail, while being treated like a criminal herself. He says he’s sorry she’s in that position, and she says she can handle herself. Right now, they have a much bigger problem. He says, Kristina, and she says, how are they going to keep their daughter from being charged with a murder they both know she didn’t commit?

Kristina asks what Michael is thinking, and he says, her mother has an uphill battle. Kristina says, because of her criminal history? and he says, and all the evidence against her. And she threatened Cates in a room full of cops. She was in possession of a weapon which she got caught disposing of and she doesn’t have an alibi. Kristina says she already knows how bad it is, and he says, more important, Cates is a federal agent, so there’s going to be a lot of pressure to make an arrest and convict the killer. She says, it really doesn’t sound like he has a plan, and he says, they may not be able to detract from the case with Alexis, but they may be able to deliver them a stronger one against someone else. She asks if he has someone in mind.

Sonny says he gets why Alexis is worked up, and she says she has every reason to be worked up. He may be used to being interrogated… He says, and she’s not? and she says, he’s the career criminal. He says, and she’s only an incidental one? and she says, them swiping at each other isn’t going to do them any good. He says, do him one favor. Hold her judgement for their daughter’s sake until he’s gone. She says, okay. Maybe he could do her a favor than and own up to his role in all of this. He asks if she doesn’t think he knows this is all because of him, Jagger holding a grudge for over 30 years, using their daughter to try and get his revenge. She says she was referring to more recent events at the Quartermaines, and he says, Jagger is dead. So is Jagger’s vendetta against him and his family. He wants to put all of this behind them. Does Alexis know what she was doing that night? Alexis says, Kristina was here with her until she left to steal a gun from him.

Brook tells Tracy that she’s never known Violet to lie. But if she’s telling a fib here and there, it’s completely understandable. Especially after everything she’s been through. Tracy says, if they let her get away with this, who knows what’s next? Brook says she hardly thinks Violet telling a fib here and there is going to set her on a path to a life of crime, and Lois says, no, but maybe they want to think about getting her a therapist. Brook says, of course (🍷) she’s happy to get Violet whatever she needs, but first, she’d like to hear the whole story. What did Violet lie about that’s got Tracy so upset? Tracy says, she’s going around telling everybody that Brook and Chase are having a baby, and Brook looks at Lois. Tracy says, oh my God. Tell her that it’s a lie. Or at least a misunderstanding. Brook says she and Chase aren’t having a baby, but she is thinking about it.

Felicia says, Tracy was in a bad mood today, and Mac says, Tracy’s been condescending to her employees for decades now, but today was ridiculous. Sasha’s not allowed to have friends here? She lives here. Felicia says, so does Cody, but she didn’t go after him, and Mac says, it’s only a matter of time. She says, Tracy generally applies the same amount of spite to everyone. Cody just seems to get off easy. Maybe there’s a reason Tracy doesn’t go after Cody. He asks if she’s saying she thinks Tracy is interested in Cody.

On the phone, Carly says she doesn’t care. She needs to talk to him… Okay. Please tell him to call her. She tells Jason that his assistant keeps telling her that Jack can’t come to the phone right now, and he says, Brennan will call her when he has something to tell her. They walk out of the elevator, and she says, why should they wait for him when they can tap into the resource they have right here? She leads Jason into Isaiah’s room and says, Isaiah Gannon, this is Jason Morgan. She believes they already met on the shoulder of Route 41.

Jack says he thought Port Charles would be big enough for both of them, and Anna says, it can be. On her terms. He says, which are? and she says, when she requires something from him, he delivers. He laughs and says he doesn’t work for her, and she says, he does know the WSB rents this building from the City of Port Charles. If he makes things difficult for her, maybe these premises just won’t be up to code. He says he sees they’ve moved on to the threats portion of this conversation. Just curious. How does it feel to be a big fish in a little pond? She says she likes it. How is it going to feel for him when he has to inform his boss that he’s been run out of town? He asks what she wants, and she says she wants Lucky’s location, and he’s had plenty of time since last night to find it. He asks what makes her think he even kept looking, much less found anything? and she says, because she’s learned that if she does actually require something from him, her best chance is to request it from Carly Spencer, because he seems to be very eager to do whatever it takes to make her happy. He tells her, Sidwell was headed northeast, the Puntland, and holds up a paper. He has a secondary operation there. She reaches for the paper, but he snatches it away and says, does she know he could report her for going rogue?

Isaiah says he hears he should be grateful to Jason for helping him. Is he a cop or something? Jason says, just a coffee importer, and Isaiah says, interesting career choice. Jason says, and a friend to Lucky, and Isaiah says, they have that in common. He just wishes he could have helped his buddy. If he hadn’t gotten hit by that car, someone could have gotten to him sooner. Carly says, they haven’t given up. They’re working hard to find Lucky’s location. Jason says, once they have that, he’s going there to bring Lucky home. Isaiah says, by himself? Jason nods, and Isaiah says, Sidwell’s surrounded by guards. It’ll take more than just some coffee importer to get him out. He’s coming with Jason.

Anna asks if Jack is threatening her. She actually might like that. He says, not threatening, warning. She’s no longer a WSB agent. She says, this isn’t a Bureau operation. This is off the books. She’s acting independently of any agency. He says, which also means she doesn’t have any support or backup, and she says she can handle this herself. He says, Jenz Sidwell is more dangerous than she realizes. He doesn’t care who he hurts or kills in the process of getting what he wants. She asks if he’s pretending that he cares about her, and he says he mostly cares about the potential of her little quest to blow back on him. She’s going into danger with Bureau intelligence, alone. She says, then give her a team that she can take with her, but he says, she knows he can’t do that. She says, then give her the one thing he can, which is give her Lucky’s location, and he says, only if she tells him why this Lucky character is worth risking her neck. Even worse, she owes him a favor.

Felicia says she wasn’t implying Tracy is interested in Cody romantically, and Mac says, good. He didn’t gain a son only to watch Cruella de Quartermaine turn him in to a saddle. She says, Tracy considers Cody a friend, one that she cares about very deeply. Tracy has lost so many people over the years. Her parents, Luke, and now recently Gregory. Tracy must be very lonely. He says, she lives in a house full of people, and she says, but Cody’s different. He’s nice to her. He’s sweet and he’s uncomplicated. He says, she makes him sound like a Golden Retriever, and she says, put himself in Tracy’s shoes. She comes to the stables to talk to Cody, a man who may be her only real friend, only to find his attention is completely taken up by his new family and a beautiful young woman who is just as smitten with him as he is with her. He asks if she’s saying she thinks Tracy is jealous, and she says, absolutely. Don’t let Tracy get to him. He says he won’t. Because he’s going to find Cody a new job and a new place to live far away from Tracy. (I’m thinking he might want to consult with Cody first.)

Alexis tells Sonny that she was absolutely frantic when she came out and saw Kristina had left with her car. And when she came back, Kristina was all wet. Sonny says, where did she say she’d been? and Alexis tells him, she said she’d been to his house and then to the baby’s grave. He says, she told him about the gun. She didn’t say anything about the grave. Alexis says, he knows their daughter is suffering right now from severe postpartum trauma, along with everything else that has happened. He says, she needs help. Does Alexis think they should admit her to a facility? She says she doesn’t know what she thinks or what’s best for Kristina right now. All she could think of were the implications of Kristina being in possession of a loaded weapon. He says, she was right to worry, and she says, it’s a violation of bail, and if it weren’t enough that she was afraid Kristina might shoot somebody, she was worried Kristina might hurt herself. He says, Kristina assured him she wouldn’t do that, and she says, given Kristina’s state of mind, she had no choice but to get rid of the gun, did she? He says, Kristina told him. Diane told him. Unfortunately, there’s witnesses. She says she knows. Ric and Elizabeth just happened to be strolling by just in time to watch her toss the gun off the bridge into the river. What she didn’t know at the time was John Cates had just been murdered and the police were off looking for the 9 millimeter gun that killed him, which is the same kind of gun they witnessed her getting rid of.

Michael says he did some digging into Cates’s past, and he made a lot of enemies when he was a Fed. Criminals who might be willing to place themselves at the scene of the crime for the right incentive. Kristina says, he wants to pay someone to take the fall for this? and he says he wants to ensure that she doesn’t take responsibility for a crime she didn’t commit. She says she’s surprised he’s telling her all this, and he says, she should know. It’s her life and her decision, but more importantly, she should know that this plan is pointless if she speaks up in Alexis’s defense. She says, oddly comforting how well he knows her, and he says, she’s his sister. Her phone rings, and it’s Chase. He asks if it would be possible for her to meet him at the station. She asks if this is about the federal charges, and he says he has a few questions he needs to ask her. She says she’s in the middle of something right now and isn’t able to get down there, but he says, this isn’t a request.

Sonny wonders why Alexis wouldn’t want Kristina admitted to a facility, and she says, because she asked Kristina, and she seemed shocked. So she genuinely thinks it didn’t occur to her. He says he feels the same way, but that means she wanted to use the gun on someone else. She says, what a comforting thought, and he says, the good thing is, now they don’t have to think she’s going to harm herself. She says, so now what do they have? Kristina took the gun from his place, she got rid of it, and now the police have come looking for her. He asks what she told them, and she says, why? What is he worried about? Is he worried she’s going to incriminate Kristina or him?

Kristina and Michael go into the interrogation room, and Chase tells Kristina to have a seat. He’s not sure why Michael is here. Michael says, they couldn’t get in touch with Diane. He’s sure his presence here won’t be a problem. Right, friend? Chase says he’s just doing his job, and Michael says he’s just a brother looking out for his sibling. He’s sure Chase can relate. Chase says, they need to discuss Kristina’s whereabouts the night Agent Cates was murdered. Michael asks if she’s a suspect, and Chase says he’s letting Michael stay while he questions Kristina. In return, he expects Michael’s silence. Kristina says, it’s fine. She was at her mom’s house that night. Chase says, the whole night? and she says, from the time her mom and Sam picked her up from the station until the next morning. He says, she never left at all? and she says she did leave for about half an hour. He asks where she went, and she says, to her daughter’s grave. He asks if she was alone, and she says, yes. He asks if there was anyone there who can corroborate that, and Michael says, in the cemetery in the middle of the night? Chase says, let Kristina answer, and Michael says, Kristina’s done talking. He tells Kristina, come on, and tells Chase, if he has to ask Kristina anything else, call her lawyer. Chase says he will, and they leave.

Felicia says she knows this is hard for Mac, but sometimes doing nothing is the best way to handle things. His phone rings and he says, it’s the station. He answers, then says, yeah, okay. Thanks for letting him know. He’ll take care of it himself. Felicia asks if something is wrong, and he says, some new evidence came in about John Cates murder. Enough to make an arrest.

Brook says she knows what’s going on here. Violet brought up the subject of having kids to her and Chase, and they told her that they definitely want them. Tracy says, great. They’re going to be perfect parents in ten years. Lois says, Tracy… and Tracy says, well, definitely not now. Their marriage is only months old, and Chase isn’t going to give up his dangerous and grossly underpaid line of work, and they have Violet to take care of. Their hands are full. Brook says, true, but they’re not waiting ten years, and Tracy asks if she’s crazy. She’s too young to have children. Brook says she’s not that young and the longer they wait, the harder it could be. Tracy says, she has access to the best fertility treatments there are, so she can definitely put breeding on hold for a while. Lois says, breeding? and Tracy says, Deception can’t take Brook’s absence. They have a snake for a CFO, a mobster for an investor, and a fool for a founder. The company needs her. She needs her. Lois says, news flash. Not everything is about her, especially Brook’s family planning.

Anna asks why her interest in Lucky even matters to Jack, and he says, because she’s asking for his help. And she’s as determined as he’s ever seen her to get. If she doesn’t want to share, there’s the door. She says, he knows who Lucky’s father was, and he says, Luke Spencer. She says, then he must know how much Luke did for the WSB over the years, and he asks if she’s rescuing Lucky to pay off some imaginary debt the WSB owes his father. She says, no. She’s doing this for Luke. They were friends for many years. He says, special friends, and she says, if Robin had ever been in any kind of trouble, there’s nothing Luke wouldn’t have done to bring her home safely. He looked out for her. So she doesn’t know about Jack, but she pays her debts. (Is she a Lannister?) He says he’ll remember that when it comes time for him to collect, she takes the paper out of his hand, and leaves.

Isaiah tries to get up and groans. Jason says, he’s not going anywhere, and Isaiah says, neither should Jason. Jenz Sidwell is a dangerous man. Carly says, Jason can take care of himself, but Isaiah says, it’s Lucky he’s worried about. Sidwell is smart. He’s always got guards around him. Jason says he figured, but thanks Isaiah for the heads up. Isaiah says, it’s going to take more than a lone wolf. It’s going to take a government agency. Carly says, the WSB seems to be dragging their heels. They’re not sure if the WSB is even going to get involved in this. Jason says, either way, he’s going, and Isaiah is in no condition to join him. Does he have any insights he can share? Are there any weaknesses in Sidwell’s security? Isaiah says, none that he knows of, and Jason says, all he needs is a single vulnerability, something that will give him a tactical advantage. Isaiah says, there’s only one. Sidwell’s girlfriend.

Back at Michael’s office, Kristina says she guesses it’s official. She’s a suspect in John Cates’s murder. Michael says, she’s a person of interest, and she says, Chase wanted her exact timeline (receipts, proof, and screenshots!) for the entire night. He says, it’s a good thing she told him the truth, so it can’t come back to hurt her. She can’t afford to be caught in any lies right now. She says she doesn’t understand how he knew she left the house, and he asks if she’s sure no one saw her at the cemetery. She says, it was dark and deserted. She thinks if someone were there, she would have seen them. He says, there must have been some other way. Who knew she went out that night? She says, just her mom and Sam, but they never would have told Chase, and he says, maybe someone overheard them talking about her going out, but she says, no. That’s impossible. They never even left the house. When she walked in, they were still calling around. He says, they called him and presumably dad. Who else did they call? She says, Molly. They called Molly.

Sonny tells Alexis, you know what? She can say anything she wants about him. She can tell anybody who will listen her theory on what happened to Jagger that night. Bring it on. She says, then step forward and tell the truth that he killed Cates, and he says he doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She says, he hated Cates. He was at the Quartermaines at the time Cates was killed. He had motive and opportunity. He says he was there, but he wasn’t alone, and she says, he means to tell her that Lois is covering for him? He dragged her into it? Or even worse, he dragged Michael into his mess. He says, Carly was with him, and she says, really. Carly is his alibi? He says, they were at the Quartermaines. They all saw him and Carly together, in particular, Tracy Quartermaine. She says, just weeks ago, Carly nearly went to prison for him, yet she’ll cover for him murdering an FBI agent. Talk about symbiotic. He says, they’ve always had a special bond and they’ve always been close. Then they got together… She says, stop. It’s horrible enough that Carly would be an alibi for him, but the fact that they would do it again after everything Sonny’s done to her… He says his time was accounted for. Why is that so hard for her to accept? She says, because if he’s telling the truth and he’s innocent, he wouldn’t need Diane and Diane would be free to defend her, which she isn’t because she’s busy defending him.

Anna lets Felicia into her apartment and thanks her for coming so quickly. Felicia says, it sounded like it was urgent, and Anna says, it is. She’ll fill Felicia in on all that in a minute. She wanted to find out how Mac is doing. Felicia says, he and Cody are getting along really well. He and Tracy Quartermaine, that’s a different story. She’ll fill Anna in later on that, but here’s her anti-malaria tablets that she requested. She hands Anna a bottle, and Anna thanks her. She says she didn’t have time to put in for a prescription, and takes one. Felicia says she can thank Frisco. If he hadn’t asked Mac for help last year, then she and Mac would have gone to Africa, and she would have taken the pills herself. She just hopes they’re still affective. Anna says she’s sure they’re fine. They have a very long shelf life. Felicia says, and Anna is hoping to get this through TSA? and picks up a machete. Anna says, no. She’ll check that. Felicia asks why she’d need that for a safari, and Anna says, it’s not really a safari. It’s more of a hunt. Felicia says she loves animals too much to help Anna… Anna says, not that kind of a hunt. She’s looking for someone. Felicia says, someone she knows? and Anna says, Lucky Spencer. Lulu’s in so much trouble and Lucky’s in trouble too. She’s hoping that she’s going to track him down and bring him home. Felicia says, not alone she’s not. She’s coming with Anna.

Isaiah says, Sidwell’s girlfriend is the one person he trusts, so she’s Jason’s best bet in trying to get to him. Jason asks what he knows about her, and Isaiah says, she’s beautiful, classy, and she’s got Sidwell wrapped around her little finger. She’s the one person he trusts. Jason says, so she’s his way into the camp, and Isaiah says, assuming she’ll help him. Sidwell provides her with a great life. She looks the other way from his crimes. Carly says, what’s her name? Maybe they can do a little research. Isaiah says, Sidwell calls her English, when there’s a knock at the door. Carly sees Jack through the window, and Jason thanks Isaiah and says, he’s been very helpful. Isaiah says, tell Lucky, he cheats at cards, and Carly says, he can tell Lucky himself when Jason brings him home. They leave and Isaiah smiles.

Tracy tells Lois, careful. Her Bensonhurst is showing. Her accent back, Lois says she doesn’t care. If Brook and Chase want to have a baby, they can have as many as they want, whenever they want. It’s not up to Tracy. It’s none of her business. Tracy asks Brook if this is about Deception. She knows things have been strained since they brought Sonny in, but she and Brook have been working really well together. Brook says, no. She loves her job, and she loves working with Tracy. But she can work and have a family. Back to her new accent, Lois says, of course (🍷) she can. Because it’s 2024 and women can do anything. Tracy tells Brook, that’s easy to say now, but things change when you have a child to take care of. Lois says, that’s for Brook to decide. Come on. Despite all her griping, Tracy is excited. She’s going to go bananas over her own great grandbaby. Chase walks in and says, what? Is Brook pregnant? Lois tells Tracy, let’s let the newlyweds talk, and leads her out of the room. Brook says she’s sorry Chase walked in on that. She didn’t want to start this conversation like that. He says he’s fine. Just tell him. Is she pregnant? She says, no, but maybe she’d like to be.

Sonny says, Alexis hasn’t been arrested or charged with anything. If that day comes, he’ll get her the best possible defense team. She says awesome. Because now she doesn’t have anything to worry about. He says, it’s the only thing they can do right now, and she says she wants to know what he’s going to do for Kristina because she doesn’t want to believe Kristina killed Cates. She wants to believe they raised their daughter better than either of them. He says, they have, and she says she guesses it doesn’t matter much what they think. What matters is what the police think. And if they find out she was gone that night and had a gun, Kristina will be as much of a suspect as she is. He says, that’s not going to happen because Kristina didn’t kill Jagger, and Alexis says, neither did she. He asks if she honestly thinks Anna isn’t going to have an airtight case. They’re talking about the death of an FBI agent. She doesn’t want to screw that up. Alexis says, they both know there are miscarriages of justice all the time. Kristina could very well be arrested for this, and if that happens, how far is he willing to go to save their daughter? He says he will not let Kristina take the fall for Jagger’s death, when there’s a knock at the door. She says, they’re not done with this discussion, and opens the door to Mac.

Kristina says she can’t believe Molly would do something like this, but Michael says, they don’t know Molly is to blame. She says, Molly is the only one who would have told Chase that she was out, and he says, she really thinks Molly would go this far. She tells him that he said it himself. She’s an ADA. She’s the best at her job. Molly hates her right now and blames her for Adela’s death. Molly is trying to get revenge on her for turning her in for something she didn’t even do. (Um… then she’s not the best at her job, is she?) He says, whether or not Molly talked to the police, it doesn’t matter. Because if that’s the only evidence she or anyone else has, it’s not much… Unless there’s something else she’s not telling him.  

Brook says she knows she and Chase have talked about having kids and that they both want them, and he says, absolutely. She’d be a great mom. Their future kids are so lucky. She says, and he’s going to be a great dad, but one thing they haven’t talked about is when they want to start trying. He says he just assumed she wanted to wait with Deception taking up so much of her time, and she says she assumed he wanted to wait because they’re taking care of Violet. He says, if she’s factoring in Violet, he’s pretty sure she’s all in about them having a baby. She can’t wait to be an older cousin. It sounds like Tracy’s the only one who’s going to be having a problem with this. She says, don’t worry about her grandmother. She can handle her, but she’s worried they won’t be able to handle a growing family while they’re taking care of Violet. He says he doesn’t think that will be a factor. Finn gets out of rehab in one month and the first thing he’s going to want to do is to take Violet home with him. The important question is will there be a recast, is she ready to start a family? She says she was going to ask him the same thing, and he says he loves her. He adores Violet and spending all this time with her, but he wants a child of their own. He was just waiting on her.

Jack tells Carly, Sidwell is running another wildcat mine. He’s probably holed up there, and it’s likely he’s holding Lucky there too. He’s sent Carly the coordinates. Carly says she’ll forward everything to Jason, and Jason says he’ll leave right away. She says, please be careful. If something happened to him, she’d never forgive herself. He says he’ll be fine. The important thing is to bring Lucky back to save Lulu. She thanks him and asks Jack if there’s anything else he can do to help Jason. He says, the political situation in Somali prevents the WSB from intervening in any way, but Jason says, it’s fine. He’ll do it on his own. Jack says, not necessarily.

Felicia says she doesn’t like the idea of Anna taking off on her own on some risky mission without any backup, and Anna says, the urgency of the matter demands immediate attention. If she has any hope in finding Lucky, she has to cut some corners. Felicia says, she doesn’t. She can come with Anna. Anna doesn’t know how good she is with a machete. Anna says she’s sure and thanks her for the offer. At any other time, she’d jump at the chance, but she’s hoping to hook up with Laura and Doc. She thinks more people are just going to attract attention, and Felicia knows as well as she does, that if she comes, Mac isn’t going to be far behind. Felicia says she wants to help Anna. Luke was her friend too. Anna says, that’s why she wants Felicia and Mac waiting for her in the wings just in case something goes wrong… which it won’t. She has everything under control. Anna picks up her gun, and Felicia looks alarmed. Anna says, Felicia knows what a cautious woman she is.

Lois and Tracy walk to the boathouse, and Lois says she can’t wait to be a grandmother. She was going to claim the title of Nona, but if it makes Tracy feel any better being a great grandmother, then it’s all hers. Tracy says, nothing is going to make her feel better about Brook having a baby so rapidly… Come on. Brook and Chase having a baby might be a done deal, but Lois doesn’t have to have that smug smile on her face. Lois says she’s not smiling because of a potential baby. She’s smiling because she spent years worrying about Tracy’s relationship with Brook. She really believed Tracy would treat her daughter like dirt, resent Brook because she’s hers. They all know how Tracy feels about her, but she was wrong. She can see how much Tracy adores Brook and how much Brook looks up to her. The two of them have a very special relationship. Tracy says, they disagree about everything, and Lois says, that’s because they care about each other, because they want the other person to be better. She knows Tracy has had a rough couple of years and she’s really grown to depend on Brook. She thinks Tracy is afraid if Brook starts a family, she’s going to lose that. But she won’t lose Lois’s daughter if she has a baby. It will only bring the two of them closer together. She promises. Tracy says she doesn’t do diapers, but Lois says she does.

Chase says he’s really glad he overheard Tracy throwing a fit. Otherwise, he doesn’t know how long it would have taken them to have this conversation. She says, at least they’re on the same page. When does he have to be back at the station? He says, about forty-five minutes, and she says, that’s plenty of time. They start kissing. (Hopefully, they move to their own room or Tracy will have another fit.)

On the phone, Carly leaves a message for Laura. She says she knows phone service is spotty, but when Laura gets this, please call her. They may have found a location on Lucky. Jason is on his way to find him. Please call her, day or night. Jack joins her and says, it’s an awful feeling, isn’t it? She says, what? and he says, sending someone off to risk their life while you stay behind. Don’t get him wrong. Watching and waiting from afar is safer physically, but it’s a special kind of hell. She says she wouldn’t have guessed he felt that way. Nothing seems to bother him. He says, now she knows better.

Anna is on the plane, and hears, the cabin doors are now closed. Their flight time to Nairobi will be eighteen hours and fifty-two minutes. She takes off her jacket and buckles her seatbelt. She closes her eyes, and Jason says, excuse me. She looks at him, and he says, she’s in his seat. She smiles.

Kristina says she’s not hiding anything, and Michael says, she blinked a lot. Whenever she’s lying, she blinks more than usual. She says she did make one other stop the night of John Cates’s murder, but she doesn’t even know how that’s relevant. It really can’t hurt her or her mom, because she’s positive nobody saw her. She just pulled into the end of the driveway, thought about it for like a second, and then she left. He says, pulled into whose driveway and what was she thinking about doing? and she says, the Quartermaines. She knew John Cates was there. She went to kill him.

Alexis says, nice to see Mac. What brings him by? He says he’s sorry, but he’s here to make an arrest, and Sonny asks how Mac knew where to find him. Mac says he’s not here for Sonny, and Alexis says, Kristina’s not here. Mac says he’s not here for Kristina either. He came himself because he wanted to make this as painless as possible. Alexis is under arrest for the murder of John Cates. He puts the handcuffs on her and recites her rights. Sonny says, come on, but Mac walks Alexis out the door.

On Monday, Tracy says, Sasha is going to want more out of life than trying to make Cody happy; Kristina says she can’t believe Molly would do something like this; and Ava asks if she can trust Ric.

🧴 Before You Get Excited…

This is a bit of a clickbait headline. You’d think she’s coming back, but she talks about when she came back last time. Although there’s still hope for both her and Finn to return. And I’m just going to say it. Why is it the non-heterosexual couples never pan out? These two were the worst blow, since they had more chemistry than any of the other couples on the show. Yes, I’m bitter about it.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jacqueline-grace-lopez-opens-up-about-returning-to-gh

🍊 Johnny J. Just Says No…

I thought he was the one who wanted a non-disparagement clause. I’m confused.

🧂 Needs More Salt…

Premieres September 18th, 9 pm. As inappropriate as she is, Mary is a lot of fun to watch.

🍼 Giving You Sosa…

She does know Beyoncé’s birthday isn’t a national holiday, right?

https://people.com/lala-kent-reveals-name-of-her-second-daughter-and-shares-first-photo-8709130

🧹 Flying In Soon…

Agatha arrives September 18th on Disney+.

https://ew.com/agatha-all-along-vision-quest-expanding-wandavision-corner-of-marvel-universe-8705558

🪓 Murphy’s Murder Mystery…

Premieres September 25th on FX or you can Hulu it the next day.

https://ew.com/travis-kelce-ryan-murphy-grotesquerie-niecy-nash-set-videos-8645637

https://deadline.com/2024/09/ryan-murphy-grotesquerie-premiere-date-fx-trailer-1236039050/

⚰️ Because We Needed Another One…

I wonder how many times they can film the same King book? How about doing one that hasn’t been done? I’d love to see The Regulators on film, but it’s doubtful that will ever happen, since it’s so weird. Possible, but not probable. The Talisman (written with Peter Straub) is another one that would be great.

https://ew.com/salems-lot-lewis-pullman-makenzie-leigh-book-changes-pressures-adapting-stephen-king-exclusive-8706884

🎃 Never Too Early…

Why can’t it be both? Or maybe it’s a dog movie. I love Zero.

https://ew.com/movies/nightmare-before-christmas-halloween-or-holiday-movie-debate/

And what’s Halloween without drag queens?

🦙 They’re All a Bunch Of Animals…

It’s all fun and games until they spit on you.

https://people.com/portland-airport-offers-emotional-support-llamas-photos-8707772

🐠 I would have liked to see a little more of the aquarium. How this turned into another Taylor/Travis article, I don’t know, but it did.

https://people.com/brittany-mahomes-welcomes-new-addition-home-aquarium-8710807

🦛 Do not harass the hippo. Although this raises the question, do people just walk around with shellfish in their hands in Thailand?

https://people.com/baby-hippo-doubles-zoo-visitors-and-prompts-safety-warnings-8712177

🐕 You didn’t think there wouldn’t be something about a dog, did you?

https://people.com/my-golden-retriever-dog-model-for-cone-of-shame-book-exclusive-8710225

😄 A Joke:  Q: What does a dyslexic, agnostic, insomniac do? A: Stays up all night wondering if there’s a dog.

💈 Quotes of the Week

The Apocalypse means never having to say you’re sorry. – Murphy (Keith Allan), Z Nation

Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost. – Robert H. Schuller

There are no regrets in life. Just lessons. – Jennifer Aniston

Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that’s real power. – Clint Eastwood (before he started talking to empty chairs)

To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. – Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. – Bruce Lee

Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. – Potter Stewart

If you fall, make it part of the dance. – LuAnn de Lessops

🍁 Every Leaf Is a Flower…

Enjoy the last of summer, the first of fall, or both, and come back on Monday to enjoy some soap and what’s on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay stopping to admire the changing landscape, and stay remembering that sometimes doing nothing is the best way to handle things.

August 30, 2024 – Sonny Meets Jagger At the Boathouse, A Thought, On Or Not, Engaged, Who’s Back, Kyle’s World, Next In the City, Play Ball, A Half Dozen Plus One Quotes & Away

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Lucky is shoved into a chair, and he tells the guards that he doesn’t understand the attitude. He thought they were getting along just fine. Sidwell comes in and asks how long Lucky has been working with the doctor, and Lucky says, the guy Sidwell wanted him to shoot point blank? Sidwell says, Lucky came here with the intention of leaving with Dr. Gannon and he was hardly successful. He’s escaped, but Lucky is still here. He put a call out to an associate abroad who is very good at giving him what he wants when he wants it, and he’s going to find Isaiah. Lucky says, he’s got a guy who can get him anything any time and he had him track down the doctor? That would not have been his first or tenth choice. Sidwell says, Isaiah’s presence is very important to him, and Lucky says he didn’t peg Sidwell as the sentimental type. Sidwell says he wants Isaiah here to watch him kill Lucky.

At the airport, Isaiah gets off a flight from Heathrow, and hears, welcome to Port Charles. He moves on, and another man follows.

Dante tells Carly, it takes a special kind of person to take a sledgehammer to someone’s life and walk away. Does she have any idea what that did to Brook – Brook stands outside the door listening – using her as revenge to get between him and Lulu? Brook walks in and says she’s hearing her name and the tension in this room is like a ten. So what’s going on? Carly says, Dante is calling her out for paying Brook to break up him and Lulu, and Brook says, that was a very long time ago. Carly says, it was, and she regrets it. If she didn’t say this before, she’s sorry to both of them, and Lulu. Brook says, okay. She accepts Carly’s apology. Carly says she doesn’t want to fight with Dante under any circumstances, but especially right now when Lulu needs her family to be fighting for her.

On the phone, Michael says, Aurora is committed to expanding its interests into the streaming sector… Good. He’s glad they’re able to get everything sorted out and make it happen… No. Thank you. Getting dinner ready nearby, Sasha says, that sounds like it went pretty well, and he says, it did finally. He was worried the whole deal would disappear. He’s been on the phone since he pulled into the driveway. Thankfully, Yuri was here to help Monica out of the car. She says, try to stop him. Yuri is devoted to Michael’s grandmother. He says, the deal is done, so fingers crossed, and she asks if the fingers crossed clause is an addendum. He says, just in case. It can’t hurt. She says she knows how capable he is when he’s committed to a goal, and he says he was pretty sure they were closing the deal today, but until the ink is dry on every contract, he worries. She says she hopes it won’t affect his appetite, and he says, not at all. He’s really looking forward to the family dinner. He’s just wondering what’s keeping Willow.

Drew tells Willow that he doesn’t know why this is hitting him so hard. He feels kind of silly about it. He knew McConkey was sick. They all knew this was going to happen eventually. She says, knowing something intellectually and knowing it in your heart are very different things, and he says, there’s so much he wanted to ask McConkey, so much he wanted to learn from him, and all McConkey wanted was to spend more time with his family, and with his wife. She says she met Hazel briefly. She was so lovely. Drew says, he was a tough old guy, but when he talked about her and how much he loved her… He gave his life to politics, and all he wanted to do was spend the rest of it with the woman he loved.

Ava asks, where exactly are they headed? and Boyle says, Ava is being relocated to a more secure safe house. Ava says, in Port Charles? and Boyle says, Agent Cates chose the location. It will be more discreet. Ava says, that sounds perfect.

John asks if Kristina’s mother finally realized her case is hopeless and went home, and Kristina says her attorney is filing an emergency injunction against him. He says he loves her attorney’s never say never attitude, but it’s not going to amount to anything because he’s going to keep her in custody. Cadet Heller will cuff her and take her down to holding. He tells Dex that he’s on the PCPD’s payroll now, not Sonny’s, and Kristina laughs. She says, want to know the difference between John and her father? Her father has a moral code. John doesn’t have anything but… a badge. He says, that’s all he needs, and she says, no one is surprised he thinks that. He says, cadet, and Dex walks around the table. She asks how he’s going to charge her in the death of her own child, and he says, sometimes when you want to get a deal done, you’ve got to incentivize the other party to hold up their end. Now if Dex would be so kind… She says, this isn’t happening, and John opens the door. Dex tells Kristina to stay calm and puts the cuffs on her. He gently takes her elbow and leads her out, when Alexis comes back. She asks where the hell John thinks he’s taking her daughter.

On the phone, Sonny says he didn’t think Diane was going to pick up. He’s going to need her on call tonight. As a matter of fact, he’s going to need her on call all night. Make sure she has her phone with her at all times. He agreed to turn himself over to John Cates… It’s already been decided. Just be there when he calls. He leaves the penthouse.

Felicia brings coffee to Lulu’s room for Maxie, and Maxie asks how Felicia knew she wanted this. She didn’t even know she wanted this. Felicia says, she’s Maxie’s mom. She knows things. Maxie says, yeah, and Felicia scares her. Felicia says she understands why Maxie doesn’t want to leave Lulu, but she hopes Maxie isn’t spending the night here. Maxie says she’s not. She just doesn’t want Lulu to be alone. Felicia says, with any luck, she won’t be much longer, and Maxie says, Lulu went through life like she was invincible, and for a long time, Maxie really thought she was. Felicia says she can see why, and Maxie says, in a different world, Lulu would be the one going to the ends of the earth to save the ones she loves. That’s not who’s in this bed right now.

Brook asks if it’s her or did that come out of left field? and Dante says, it did. He hasn’t thought about that in a long time. Her? She says, no, not really, and he says, that thing with Carly was like a lifetime ago, and she says, a different lifetime. He says, a lifetime Carly doesn’t know anything about, when Sonny comes in. Dante asks how it’s going. Is everything okay? Sonny says, it will be. They need to talk.

Willow says, time is the most precious thing any of them will ever have. Most people don’t figure that out until it’s too late. But she knows. In the core of her being, she knows. She tears up and says, he gave her the gift of more time when she was sick. He says he would do every bit of it again, and she says she knows. She’s so very sorry for his loss and she hopes he can take some comfort in knowing that the man he believed in so deeply, believed in him. He says, McConkey saw something in him. He’s had bosses and commanding officers, but he never had a mentor. Somebody he could go to and ask for guidance. She says, sort of like a father figure? and he says, maybe. He never knew his father. By the time he met the Quartermaines, Alan was gone. She says she never met him, but she heard he was quite wonderful. Drew says he keeps asking himself, if the congressman saw something in him, would Alan Quartermaine have seen something? Would Alan have been proud of him?

Dante asks, what’s going on? and Sonny tells him that he just wants to say he’s sorry about Lulu. He’s sure Rocco is worried. Dante says, his mother’s been in a coma for so long, he doesn’t think Rocco thought anything else was going to happen. Then it starts to look like she may be dying, and he doesn’t think Rocco was ready for that. He sent Rocco off to baseball camp. That was a distraction for a little bit, but it’s weighing on him. Sonny says, what about Dante? How’s he getting through it?

Ava says she doesn’t mean to be a pest, but she thought they were headed back to Port Charles, and Boyle says, change of plans. Ava asks, why? What’s changed? Has their cover been blown or is the FBI so understaffed they can’t protect her in town? Boyle says, Ava can ask all the questions she wants, but she doesn’t have the answers to any of them. All she was told is, Corinthos has a lot of resources. Ava says, that is certainly true, and Boyle says, he could find her, so they’re moving her somewhere where he won’t. Ava asks if she has no say in the matter, and Boyle says, she does not. At this point, her life is in Agent Cates’s hands.

Cates says he’s taking Kristina to a holding cell, and he’s seen Alexis’s record, so he knows she knows what the inside of one looks like. Alexis says, he’s a disgrace. What kind of a monster would take a woman with Kristina’s physical injuries and throw her in a filthy holding cell? He says, take her to the cell, but Alexis tells Dex, don’t you move. (Poor Dex. I’ll bet he’s sorry he joined the force. Working for Sonny was easier.) John says he’s patiently listened to Alexis’s concerns, but if she thinks his patience for hysterical rants is infinite, she’s gravely mistaken. She says, when the FBI finds out what he’s done to this woman, they’ll have his badge (yes, for the love of all that’s holy, someone call them already), and he says, be careful, counselor. She just got her law license back. One call to the Bar Association and he can make that go away. Permanently. She says, do it. Do your worst. Because if he continues to try pushing around innocent people, she’ll stop him. Mark her words. She will stop him permanently. Anna comes out and asks, what the hell is going on here?

Sidwell says, spare him the fiction Lucky was just about to sell him. He came here to free his friend. It’s that simple. Lucky says, it’s even simpler than that. He wanted to work for Sidwell because he’s the only one around here who has any money. He hopes that doesn’t hurt Sidwell’s feelings. Ask around. Humanitarian work doesn’t pay. Sidwell says, so he was just pretending to care for the lives of others, and Lucky says, caring adjacent. He just cares about himself a whole lot more. You need work as a solid cover when you’re trying to get in and out of places or cross a few borders, but the pay is non-existent. And if there’s luxury anywhere around, he might just want to snuggle up and sit in its lap. Sidwell says, so Lucky wants him to believe it’s just a coincidence. He just happened to be here at the same time as Dr. Gannon. Lucky says, he can believe whatever he wants. He just hopes it comes with a big side of cash.

Sonny and Dante sit down, and Dante says, this thing with Lulu is hard, but with Sam’s help, he’s getting through it. Sonny says, Sam’s great. He’s glad Dante’s got her. But that doesn’t mean that Dante doesn’t sometimes think how things could have been different. Dante asks if he’s speaking from experience, and Sonny laughs and says, maybe. He wants to thank Dante for not giving up on him. He knows he made it tough at times. His mind was not… quite there, and his meds were messed with. But Dante never quit. Dante helped him get through it and he appreciates that. Dante puts his hand on Sonny’s shoulder and says, you’re my dad. When he was lost and messed up and threw away his life with Lulu, Sonny was the one who came halfway around the world to find him. Thank you. You didn’t give up on me either. Sonny says he may not be perfect – far from it – but he’d never give up on Dante or any of his children, and he knows he should have said this more often, but he’s proud of the man Dante is. Dante says, it means a lot, and thanks him, and Sonny says he wishes he could have seen Dante grow up. He wasn’t there, but just watching him these past years, seeing the honorable man he’s become… Dante says he loves Sonny.

Alexis says, Agent Cates is clearly guilty of overreach and abuse of power. He’s going to throw her daughter in a holding cell on charges that are unfounded and egregiously offensive. Anna says she sees, but Alexis says she doesn’t know that Anna does. Did she know he was going to throw her in a holding cell over what happened to her and use that tragedy to trump up bogus charges against her? Anna tells John, a storm is rolling in, which means this department’s resources will be stretched thin. The last thing the PCPD needs is a grieving mother still recovering from traumatic physical injuries in their custody, potentially needing resources that the department will be unable to provide. Alexis says, if so much as one of Kristina’s stitches becomes undone, she’ll sue John, the PCPD, and the FBI. Jerkface John says, the prisoner stays, and Anna says, all right. In which case, she needs him to ensure that all the appropriate paperwork for an extra departmental prisoner is completed and filled out and filed. That is going to take a lot of time, so he might as well start right now. He says he doesn’t have time for this, and she asks if he has somewhere else to be. He says, the Quartermaine estate. He’s taking a suspect into custody. Anna says, he’s not listening to what she’s saying, and he says, fine. Alexis can take her client home. He tells Kristina that he’ll be in touch. Don’t leave town. John leaves, and Dex takes off the cuffs. Kristina thanks Anna and Alexis hugs Kristina.

Drew tells Willow that every time he gives a campaign speech and introduces himself as Drew Quartermaine, he thinks about what that name means. He remembers where he was when the name change became final. He was at the MetroCourt pool and the significance of the Quartermaine name hit him all at once. Willow says, it’s a lot, and he says, it is. And not just because it’s a name that raises your profile or it’s a name people will recognize. It’s because it’s a way he can honor a man that he never got a chance to know. She says she’s sure Alan would be so proud of him, and he says, think of all the lives Alan saved at General Hospital. He devoted so much of his life and his time to the citizens of Port Charles. They sit down, and Drew says he wishes he’d known him. Willow says, Alan’s legacy lives on, and not just within the walls of GH, but within his family. And that includes Drew.

Sonny is about to leave, when Lois asks if he’s trying to sneak out without seeing her. He says, no, never, and she says, he’d better not. She hugs him, and she says, Dante told her that he was here, which she’s got to say surprised her, because a Quartermaine family dinner is the last place she’d expect him to be. He says, it’s a special occasion. All his kids are here except Kristina. Lois says, Kristina will be here next time, she promises. How’s she doing? Sonny says, she’s doing good. She’s tough. Lois says, just like her father, and he says, don’t let Kristina’s mother hear her say that, but Lois says she can take Alexis. Besides, she’s telling the truth. He’s a good dad. He thanks her and she says she’s really sorry about their recent issues. She was just trying to protect her daughter. He says he respects that, and she says, they do what they need to do to take care of their kids. He says, get the job done. Speaking of which, can she do him a favor? She says, yeah, and he says, a lot of his favorite people are Quartermaines – Amelia, Wiley, Michael. Take care of them, will she? She says, yeah. She’ll look out for them. She’ll always look out for his family, whether they’re Quartermaines or not.

Willow says, Alan might not have gotten to know Drew, but she has. She knows the man he really is. He says he thinks she might be the only one who does, and she says, he’s a good person. He saved her life without even thinking about it. He sacrificed himself and went to prison to protect Carly. He inspires her every day. There’s no one who comes through for his family more than he does. There’s an incoming call from Michael on her phone, but she doesn’t notice.

Michael leaves a voicemail, saying, everything’s fine here. He and the kids are wondering if she’s going to make it back in time for dinner, so just give him a yell when she gets this. He loves her. Sonny comes in and asks, how’s it going? Michael says he left Willow at Drew’s campaign event at Rice Plaza. He thought she’d be back by now. Sonny asks if Michael wants one of his guys to check on her, but Michael says, no. It’s fine. He just knows there’s going to be a pretty good storm tonight and he doesn’t want Willow caught up in it. He still gets nervous when she catches a cold. Sonny says, that’s understandable. He wants to take care of the people he loves. Michael asks if he’s talked to Krissy, but Sonny says, not since that bastard Jagger hauled her back to the PCPD. He’s charging her with the death of her own child. Michael says, that’s sick, and Sonny says, he’s sick. Jagger has had an agenda against him longer than Michael’s been alive. The one thing he’s always been afraid of is that one of his enemies are going to come after him through his children.

Alexis tells Kristina to make herself comfortable. Have a seat and she’ll make them some tea. Kristina thanks her for everything and says, Agent Cates is out of control, but it meant the world to her that Alexis fought for her. Alexis says she’ll always fight for Kristina. She’s got her. Kristina says she knows Alexis does, but she has to fight for herself. Cates has to be stopped. Alexis says, he will be, but it’s not going to be tonight. She wants Kristina to take that blanket, wrap it around herself, keep herself warm, and she’ll make some tea. Alexis’s phone rings, and she adds, after she answers the phone. She looks at the phone and says she has to take it. She answers as she walks into the kitchen, and Kristina takes Alexis’s keys out of her bag. She grabs her own bag and leaves.

Michael says, Sonny wasn’t himself, but the father he recognizes, the one that’s always been there for him, that’s the man who’s standing in front of him right now. He knows they’ve both made mistakes, but hopes they’re in a place now where they can move past them. Sonny says, they can do that. He’s a good son. Michael says, Sonny is a good dad, and they hug. Carly walks in and says she’s been waiting for this. It’s about time. She’s here on a mission. Wiley and Amelia are upstairs in the playroom and they’re asking for Michael. Michael says he knows better than to ignore the bosses, and leaves. Carly says she’s been praying that Sonny and Michael would reconnect, and Sonny says, it’s important that he’s on the same page as his children. He loves them and he doesn’t want anything to go unsaid. No regrets.

Lucky says, while Sidwell is trying to decide – he gets up, but a guard pushes him back down – whether he wants to kill him or hire him or cut him loose, they might as well play some cards. What do you say? Sidwell says, they have to kill the time, right? And it just so happens, he enjoys poker. He takes a deck out of his pocket (I guess he does enjoy it), and the guards put a crate between them as a table. Sidwell says, you shuffle, and Lucky says, with pleasure. Sidwell says, for someone who says he’s all about the money, Lucky spends a lot of time with nothing, and Lucky says, the last people to hire him were aid workers. It’s not much, but he ate. Sidwell says, what about a wife? Children? Lucky says, a wife and kids just want to eat too. He likes it on his own. He always has. How many cards?

Maxie tells Felicia, it’s not fair that Lulu can’t be added to the donor list. She understands the thinking behind it, but it just makes her mad. It’s like she has to fight with one arm tied behind her back. Felicia says, one of the hardest things you learn as a patient advocate is, donor lists are reserved for patients with a quality of life. Maxie says, so because Lulu’s been in a coma for three and a half years, her life doesn’t matter? and Felicia says, of course (🍷) her life matters, but with so many people on the donor list, there has to be some criteria. And the perception is, even with a transplant, Lulu’s quality of life wouldn’t significantly change. Maxie says, perception is not reality. Lulu’s life matters just as much as anybody else’s, and she’ll fight like hell for it.

Ava says, oh my God. This is Route 41. Boyle is taking her to the Pine Barrens? She knows Boyle isn’t with the FBI and that’s okay. Really. She’s known more than her share of professionals. She’s a Jerome. From the Jerome family. She has a lot of resources. Boyle says, if Ava had resources, she wouldn’t be hiding from Sonny Corinthos, and Ava says she’s talking about money. She has Jerome money. She has Cassadine money. Boyle says, she must be very proud, but Ava says, nope, just very rich. She can afford to pay Boyle a hell of a lot more than Cates is offering her. Don’t take her to a kill site. Take her to a bank. Boyle tells her, who says he’s paying her?

Cates goes to the boathouse and calls for Sonny. Lightning begins to flash, and John tries the door, but it’s locked. He looks in the window and says he knows Sonny’s here. Come on out. It’s time. Sonny comes out and says, he’s right. It is time. It’s time for this to end. It starts to rain.

Kristina lets herself into Sonny’s penthouse and takes a lockbox out from a credenza. She puts in a combination, opens it, and takes out a gun.

Sidwell lays down his hand of cards, and Lucky tells him, you know what they say. Lucky at cards, unlucky at love. He lays down his hand, and Sidwell says, so he assumes Lucky is no stranger to heartbreak. (I have no clue what these hands are. Other than a short flirtation with Yahtzee years ago, I have no poker knowledge.) Lucky says he’s what they call relationship challenged, but it’s made him one hell of a poker player. Sidwell says he can just as easily kill Lucky tomorrow as he can today. So let’s go again. Lucky says, why not? Tomorrow’s not going anywhere. He picks up the cards.

Maxie says she knows this isn’t fair to Sam, but she wishes Lulu would wake up and tell Dante that she loves him. She wasn’t able to tell him that she wanted him back. There’s a knock at the door and Dante comes in. He thanks Maxie for sitting with Lulu, and Maxie says, of course (🍷). Any time. He knows that. He says he just spoke to the doctors, and they say the cirrhosis is progressing faster than they thought and they could be losing her.

Michael calls Drew and says he’s trying to reach Willow. Can Drew call him back when he gets this? Thanks. Nina comes in and thanks Michael again for the invitation to his family dinner. Is Willow in the main house? She thought she’d ask before she trekked to the gatehouse in the rain. Michael says, she’s not here. They went to Rice Plaza together for Drew’s campaign event and he thought she would be back by now. He’s a little worried. He hopes she’s okay and not out in this storm somewhere.

Drew asks how Willow does it. She just always knows the right things to say. She’s so beautiful and compassionate and full of strength. She makes him want to be worthy of her belief in him. She says, he already is. There is no one like him.

John says he was thinking Sonny might not show up. Sonny leaves him no choice. He filed a case against Kristina. Sonny tells John that he said he’d be here, and John says, this must be his nightmare come to life. He must have spent sleepless nights wondering when a man with just handcuffs and a badge would eventually show up and it would be over for him. Sonny says, and here he is with his handcuffs all ready, and John creepy smiles. He says, nothing is going to give him more pleasure than perp walking Sonny past the Quartermaines. Everyone is going to finally see who Sonny really is. (Because they had no clue before. This guy is such an idiot.) Sonny says, no, Jagger. Now you’re going to see who I really am. He takes a gun out of his waistband and aims it at John.

Ava says, if Boyle isn’t in it for the money, Cates must have something on her. Boyle admits John has evidence that will take her down, but it goes away if Ava goes away, and Ava says, Boyle can’t trust him. Look what he’s making her do. Boyle says she might be taking a chance on doing this, but it’s the only chance she has. Ava says, no, but it’s not. She doesn’t have to do this. Isaiah (for whatever reason) jogs out to the road, and Ava grabs the wheel, saying, Boyle can’t do this. Boyle tries to right the wheel, when Isaiah comes out of the shadows in front of the car. Ava yells, watch out! and the car skids.

Alexis comes back in and says, finally, some good news about the injunction. She looks around and says, Kristina? She sees her bag laying on its side, open, and looks inside. She says, Kristina has her keys, and she runs out the front door calling Kristina’s name.

Sasha hugs Nina and says she was so happy that Nina was coming for dinner. She knows how much it means to Nina to spend time with Willow and the kids. Nina says, it would mean a lot more if Willow was here, and Sasha says, she’s still not back from the campaign event? Nina says, no and neither is Drew, and Sasha says, traffic in the rain is a nightmare. (WOTD) She’s sure they’ll be here very soon. They both know nothing is more important to Willow than her family. Michael comes by and says he’s going to the gatehouse. Willow might be there by now. Nina asks if he wants her to go with him, but he says, no. Only one of them should get soaked. Just call him if they hear from Willow. Nina says, of course (🍷), and he leaves.

Drew asks if he’s imagining this, and Willow says, what? He says, you and me. Not her hero and not the guy who saved her life, but the man who sees her and wants her. And she wants him too. She says, yes, and they kiss. (As a friend of mine texted me, no amount of yelling at the TV stopped them.)

John says, really? Is Sonny going to shoot a federal agent? Right here on the Quartermaine estate? Sonny says, John left himself wide open, and John asks if Sonny thinks he came alone with no backup. Sonny asks why John would need backup. John wants sole credit for bringing him in. John says, Kristina is about to go away for assault and murder. Sonny could save her by just turning himself in and confessing his crimes. But no. Sonny is too selfish to sacrifice himself for her. Or for anyone. Sonny is no man and he’s sure as hell no father. Sonny says, John has been banging the same old tired drum about Karen for decades. He still doesn’t understand, and now John targets his daughter? Sonny has told him over and over and over, John can come after him, but when he goes after Sonny’s daughter – he raises the gun – that’s unacceptable. He shoots John in the chest, and John goes down. Sonny walks over to him and puts another bullet in him for good measure.

Next week (presumably Tuesday), Chase tells Brook, there’s been a shooting; Drew says, there have been times when he wishes he’d met Willow first; Portia asks Jordan if she thinks a winning case can actually be made for Heather; and Sonny says he needs Carly’s help.

💭 Just a thought. Maybe John isn’t really a federal agent. Like, maybe he used to be, but something happened, and he got canned. I’m just wondering how Sonny is going to get away with this. There’s blood, so it’s not a bulletproof vest situation. He did talk to his boss and the lawyer recognized him as an agent, but as far as I know, Sonny isn’t going anywhere, so I need to find some justification here. Or maybe they’ve just discovered John isn’t who he claims to be, he’s extremely dangerous, and Sonny will be a hero. I’ve wondered how Adam J. Harrington is justifying his character’s behavior. He might just be rolling with it, but he’s playing it like someone who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane.

🛁 Who Will Be Laboring…

GH will be rerunning the August 1st episode where Kristina confronted Ava.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/find-out-if-your-favorite-soaps-are-airing-on-labor-day-2024

🍊 Rubbing Salt In the Lemons…

Yeah, yeah. The heart wants what it wants, but this still seems deliberate. I’m sure Shannon was a handful, but no one deserves having their nose rubbed this hard in it.

https://people.com/alexis-bellino-and-john-janssen-are-engaged-after-9-months-of-dating-exclusive-8703643

🌴 They’ve Got Style…

No premiere date yet.

💎 The Hills Are Alive…

It can’t be happiness to see Mauricio take his new, much younger, main squeeze public.

But then this happened.

🗽 Delis and Laundromats and Gay Bars…

Premiering October 1st. I’m looking forward to the pigeons.

In the meantime, relive last season.

🐕 Put Him In, Coach…

I once had a Golden Retriever who would stare at a frisbee until it boinked him in the head. Even worse, his name was Einstein. It was a false prophecy.

https://people.com/shohei-ohtani-dog-decoy-throws-first-pitch-8703895

🐝 Quotes of the Week

Some days you just shouldn’t get out of bed, in my opinion. – Bob Spart (Bill Hunter), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

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

So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love. – E.A. Bucchianeri

Man is fond of counting his troubles, but he does not count his joys. If he counted them up as he ought to, he would see that every lot has enough happiness provided for it.Fyodor Dostoevsky

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

The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team. – Phil Jackson

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

🍃 Summer’s Last Stand…

Make a return trip on Monday where there won’t be soap, but a Deck that rests for no one. Until then, stay safe; stay not leaving food out for more than two hours when eating outside (one, if it’s particularly hot); and stay knowing that time is the most precious thing any of us will ever have.

April 11, 2024 – Chase Changes the Honeymoon Plans, Blame Game, VanderMoments, Shading Shannon, Dead Talk, Pet (!) Diversity & Normally

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly wakes up in the chair and looks over at John sleeping on the sofa.

Brook says, what if they made a mistake? but Lois says, they didn’t. Brook says, what if the style’s all wrong? but Lois says, it won’t be. Brook says, what if the lace is like a gross shade of ivory? but Lois says, that’s never going to happen. Brook says, what if they ruined Lila’s dress for nothing? and Lois says, Lila’s dress was already ruined. Unsalvageable, said the seamstress, except for the best part, which they’re putting to perfect use. So what is she really afraid of? Brook says, what if she doesn’t like it? and Lois says, if she doesn’t like her wedding dress, they’ll scrap it and find her something she loves. Because there’s nothing more important than her happiness on her wedding day. Capisce? Brook says, capisce, and Sandrine walks in with an assistant carrying a garment bag. She says, ladies, are you ready? The wedding gown of your dreams.

Curtis walks slowing into Drew’s office, and Drew says, look at him. He can’t believe this progress. It’s incredible. Curtis says he firmly believes if you do the work, you can achieve anything, and Drew says he was in Greenland with Curtis, so he’s not going to underestimate him, but walking this soon after surgery is next level. Curtis thanks him, and Drew says, and he can take a compliment. Curtis says, Trina’s been on him about absorbing good energy. It sounds a little woo-woo to him, but he’s trying. Drew says he’s happy for Curtis, and Curtis says, don’t keep him in suspense. Why is he here? Michael walks in and says, what’s going on? Drew says, let the meeting of the minds commence.

Alexis says, Nina did not just say that, and Nina asks if she denies it. Alexis says, that she’s being mean to Nina’s precious gossip slinger? Are they in second grade? Nina says, DeWitt is not just The Invader’s society columnist, and Alexis says, ugh, that title. Nina says, he got a promotion. He is now associate publisher. Alexis says she knows that. Nina reminds her of that all the time. How could she possibly forget that Nina has hired someone so incompetent? Nina asks, says who? and Alexis tells her, says me. And it’s not DeWitt’s fault that he’s going to make an ass of himself. That honor belongs to Nina.

TJ meets Marshall at a park bench, hands him a coffee, and says, good morning. Marshall says, and what a beautiful morning it is, and TJ says he has egg sandwiches too, handing Mashall a bag. Marshall says, that’s very thoughtful of him. Not that he wasn’t thrilled to get TJ’s call, but since he has the morning off, why isn’t he spending it with Molly? TJ says he considered it, but he knew how the conversation would go. Marshall asks, how’s that? TJ says, she’d thank him for wanting them to do something together, then she’d say she has an arraignment in five minutes, but she’ll make it up to him tonight. Then that would turn into her trying too hard and both of them faking it through whatever she thought of, or even worse, she stays late at the office to avoid the situation altogether. Marshall asks who they’re talking about here, because that doesn’t sound anything like TJ and Molly.

At the MetroCourt, Anna thanks Valentin for meeting her and apologizes for it being so last minute. He says, lucky for her, he had no breakfast plans, and they sit down. He says he ordered her tea and pours her some. She thanks him for being thoughtful, and he says, she called, and he came. What’s this about? She wonders if he can help her with a case, and he says he’ll always help her. What’s the case? She says, Pikeman.

Brook says she doesn’t know what she was so afraid of. The dress is perfection. Lois says, the only thing more beautiful than that dress was her in it, and Brook asks if she’s crying again. Lois says, get used to it. Her baby girl is getting married in the most magical wedding gown. Brook says she doesn’t know how Sandrine did it, but she really captured the spirit of Lila’s dress to a T. Lois says, it feels like she channeled Lila, all of her kindness and her warmth and her acceptance and her generosity, because that’s who Lila was. Brook says, Lois is so lucky she got to wear Lila’s gown, and Lois says, Brook gets to be a part of that too. Brook says, in the tiniest way, but Lois says, no. In her own way. That’s what makes it so special. Brook gets to have a piece of Lila while still being who she is. Beautiful, amazing, incredible her. Brook thanks Lois for doing this with her, and Lois says, is she kidding? Is she insane? She would have busted that door down if she hadn’t gotten an invite. Brook says, then she’s glad Lois did, and Lois says she’s so happy for Brook. And she’s happy for Chase. She’s happy for all of them really. Brook says she’s happy for them too, and they hug.

Alexis says, why doesn’t Nina just admit it. Nina hired DeWitt to piss her off. Nina says she actually does think he’s an asset, and Alexis says, and the fact he’s a colossal thorn in her side? Nina says, that’s just a perk, no doubt about it. Alexis asks, why? and Nina says, why does she enjoy steam shooting out of Alexis’s ears? Alexis says, why is she doing this? She doesn’t even work here anymore. Nina says, that’s exactly why she needed a replacement, but Alexis says, Nina didn’t need a replacement. Alexis was doing just fine and would do even better if Nina would stop breathing down her neck. Nina asks if Alexis wants people to read her publication, and Alexis asks, what kind of question is that? Everything was fine before Nina got here. Nina says, but is it better since she brought DeWitt on? Be honest about that. It is, because there’s a measurable rise in website traffic. Alexis says, and she thinks that’s because there’s a gossip column? and Nina says, yes, partially. Alexis has to court their readers. She has to give them something delicious and irresistible, so they stick around for the hard news. What she can’t do is decide what’s good for them and ram it down their throats. You have to woo them. Alexis says, what if she just quits? and Nina says, there’s the door.

Michael says, it’s good to see Curtis back on his feet, and Curtis says, it’s good to be back. He hears Jason was exonerated. Michael says, yeah. They’re all relieved about that. Curtis says, when Jason was suspected of taking shots at Sonny, he thought maybe there was a chance he tried before last summer at the MetroCourt. It’s nice to know Jason didn’t put him in that wheelchair. Drew says, he didn’t stay in that wheelchair very long though, did he? and Curtis says, no. He was lucky. He had experimental surgery and it worked. Drew says, come on. The surgery just gave him a chance to walk again. Curtis is the one who made that a reality. All the rehabs, learning how to walk again… Is Curtis kidding him? He can’t imagine what that was like for Curtis. Curtis has all his respect for making it through that and getting to the other side. Curtis thanks him and says he doubts Drew brought them here to compliment him on walking again. Why are they here?

Carly asks how John is feeling, and he says, sore. She says she bets, and he says, and very tired. She says, really? He didn’t sleep well? He says, it’s hard to get a good night’s sleep with her waking him up every couple of hours. She says she’s sorry. Should she have let him monitor his own signs of concussion? He says, is he, by the way, concussed? and she says, no. He’s bruised and bloody, but somehow, his head came out unscathed. He asks if that’s her professional opinion as his almost nurse, and she asks if he’s going to start arguing with her this early in the morning. He says he already knows it won’t do any good.

Sandrine says, Lois might surprise Brook, but Brook says, nothing her mother does surprises her. She’s well-aware of her mother’s flair, shall they say, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Lois comes in, and Sandrine tells Brook, like she said. Wearing a midi dress with a black lace overlay and a short white jacket along with pearls, Lois says, ta-da. Brook says, wow… ma… that’s… Lois says, she hates it?

Alexis tells Nina that she always says that – there’s the door – but they both know Nina needs her. Nina says, agreed. And she’s been agreeing with Alexis the whole time. Her point is, she thinks the paper would benefit if they just had DeWitt’s expertise and experience. Alexis says, no, and Nina says, that’s it. Just no. Alexis says she will not sit by and let The Invader be turned back into a tabloid, and Nina says, then don’t let it. Alexis says she’s trying, but Nina is making it very difficult. A messenger comes to the door and says he just needs a signature from Alexis. Alexis signs the form, and Nina says, you know what it’s going to say on Alexis’s tombstone? Alexis says, death by frustration? and thanks the messenger. He leaves, and Nina says, no. It’s going to say, Alexis Davis, didn’t play well with others. Alexis says, and now they’re back to the schoolyard, and Nina says, because Alexis refuses to grow up. DeWitt stays. End of discussion. She leaves, and Molly walks in. Alexis says she hates that woman, and Molly tells her, take a breath. Alexis says, how? She sucked all the air out of the room. Molly says, professional differences? and Alexis tells her, you could say that. She invites Molly in and says, tell her something wonderful that has nothing to do with this publication. Molly says she would, but she can’t. The Invader is actually why she’s here. Alexis puts her head on the desk.

TJ asks if Marshall has ever looked back at a decision and known he should have gone with his gut, and Marshall says, too many times. TJ says, when Molly pitched the idea of Kristina being both their surrogate and egg donor, his instincts were screaming, this is the wrong move. For a million reasons, but the most glaring being that Kristina’s too close. There’s no finish line. There’s no cutting ties at the end. Why? Because there couldn’t be. She’s Molly’s sister. Marshall says, and since Molly couldn’t go forward without his buy-in, that was TJ’s moment to shut it down. TJ says he should have explained why he was against it, calmly and unequivocally, before anything got too far. Instead, he went with the short-term gain of giving Molly what she wanted. Marshall says, some would call that being supportive, but TJ says he calls that being a coward. She was so wrecked. She was utterly devastated that she couldn’t get pregnant. So when she pitched the idea, he knew that for Molly, the closest thing she could have to carrying her own baby was for her sister to have it for her.

Anna tells Valentin that she and Dante were ambushed on the docks by Roman Hume. He worked for Pikeman. It’s just so strange. All roads seem to lead back to this one, ultra secretive organization that’s run by a ghost. He says, a ghost? and she says, Pikeman’s ties to the WSB are clear, but no one seems to know who’s at the top of the pyramid. So she needs information. She was hoping maybe he could provide it for her. He says, Pikeman? and she says, he was working for them as recently as last summer. He says, as an intermediary, a glorified messenger, and she asks how that job came about. He says he did some contract work for them back in the 90s, and they felt comfortable asking him to introduce them to Sonny, but whether Sonny and Pikeman did any work together after that was none of his concern. She says, okay. Maybe she can pick his brain about something else. Or someone. He asks, who? and she says, Jack Brennan.

Lois asks, what’s wrong with it? and Brook says, absolutely nothing. Lois says, well, something, but Brook says, the dress is lovely. It’s classy and elegant and tasteful… Lois says she feels a but coming, and Brook says, no buts. It’s just not really Lois’s style. Lois says, it’s just and but are exactly the same thing, and Brook asks if Lois thinks that’s her style. Lois says, to go out on a Saturday night? No, but she was under the impression that what you wear to your daughter’s wedding isn’t what you wear to go clubbing. They’re two completely different things. Brook says, it doesn’t have to be this different. What kind of nails would she even do with that? Lois says she was thinking maybe just clear, and Brook says, what? Lois says she’s the mother of the bride. She’s supposed to be understated. Brook says, there’s no supposed to be here. This isn’t a royal wedding. There areno standards she has to live up to. Brook just wants her to wear what she wants to wear. Something that makes her feel like her. Lois says, this definitely doesn’t feel like her, and Brook says she didn’t think so. Back to the drawing board. Lois tells Sandrine, let’s pull some colors, some swatches… Maybe show some skin this time. You know what? Maybe a plunging neckline. Brook says, let’s not get carried away, when Chase walks in. He asks if he missed it, and Brook says, missed what? What is he doing here? Sandrine says, there’s been a special order for the bride-to-be, and Brook asks what they’re up to. Sandrine says she was commissioned to design a dress for Brook’s honeymoon, and Brook asks if Chase really thinks that’s necessary. He says, very, and Sandrine takes out a beautiful black cocktail dress. Brook says, it’s gorgeous, and Chase asks if she likes it. Brook says she’s obsessed with it, but it’s long sleeves. Doesn’t he think she’ll be a little warm in Palm Beach? He says, they’re not going to Palm Beach.

Molly says, The Invader ran a piece on the DA’s office being opposed to the overturning of Heather Webber’s conviction, her multiple convictions of assault and homicide going back nearly twenty years. Alexis says, that would be with the metallosis diagnosis. Yes. She signed off on that. Molly says, then she knows the article cited an unnamed source, and Alexis says, yes. Molly says, mom, and Alexis says, what? Molly says, everybody at the DA’s office assumes that source is her. Alexis says, it isn’t, and Molly says, Alexis knows that, and she knows that, but her colleagues, specifically DA Scorpio, do not know that. Alexis asks what Molly wants her to do about it. The story checked out. Molly says she wants Alexis to help her prove that she’s not the one who broke confidentiality and discussed the case with a reporter, and Alexis asks how exactly Molly wants her to do that. Molly says, tell her who did.

Marshall asks if Molly knows TJ has misgivings about Kristina being the surrogate, and TJ tells him that he wouldn’t say it exactly like that, but yeah. Molly has her worries too. He thinks that’s the problem, because whenever he tells her his concerns… Marshall says, about what, besides the being too close part? and TJ says he just doesn’t think Kristina is taking the best care of herself. (Huh?) She’s out late, she’s not avoiding stress, plus the small fact that she’s out with her dad, who’s getting shot at on the regular. Marshall says, points taken. So when he brings all these things up to Molly… TJ says, she takes the position of defending Kristina, even though he knows they share the same concerns. That’s why they avoid the topic altogether. He just feels like, during this time, he and Molly should be closer together, but he just feels more and more distant from her. Marshall says, and what about Kristina? Has their relationship been affected? TJ says, how can it not be? Any time he shares a worry he has with her, she accuses him of overreacting. It’s as if Kristina is having the baby and she’s going to let them know when it’s here. He sounds ungrateful, doesn’t he? Marshall says, no. He sounds human. TJ tells him, that’s what mom said. Marshall says, smart woman, your mother.

Drew says he’s been doing some research and Floodgate Consultancy Group says, the wellness and fitness space is booming out there. They’re all across the country, but especially in the high-end areas, with both residential and urban people spending so much money not only to look good, but to feel good. Really laying the foundation for health, wellness, and longevity. Michael says he read that report too. 40 is the new 25, and with the right fitness regimen and the right products, you, too, can achieve it. Drew says, so thoughts? and Michael says he thinks it’s a good time for Aurora to diversify. Crimson and print media is still a front burner for them, but it is drying up. They need to find alternative revenue streams. He thinks dipping in to an expanding market makes sense. Curtis says, an expanding market like health and wellness, and Drew says, which is where Curtis comes in.

On the phone, Carly says she just ordered toast and eggs. She doesn’t understand what’s taking so long. John comes in, wearing only a towel, and Carly says she’ll hold. She tells John that she bets the shower felt amazing. He says, it did, and she says, it’s amazing what hot water can do, but he says, not so hot really. Carly tells the kitchen that she’s still holding, and looks at John. He says, the water never got too warm, and she says, he’s got to be kidding her. Back on the phone, she says, she’s here. She’s still here… No. She’s pretty sure there’s no food in her hotel room… What? They left the food outside the door, without knocking…?… Okay. She hangs up and says, they’ve got to be kidding her. No hot water, shoddy room service… This hotel is definitely going downhill. She opens the door just as Nina is walking by, and Nina says, oh. Good morning to you. She looks at John standing behind Carly in the towel.

Valentin tells Anna, what he remembers about Jack Brennan is, his rapid rise to director of the WSB was followed by a spectacular fall. He singlehandedly orchestrated Frisco Jones’ ouster and a year later, he was out himself. She says, he knows Jack is in Pentenville, right? and he says, yeah, thanks to her. She says, in part. She went to visit him the other day. Valentin asks, why? and she says, curiosity? Valentin hasn’t been to see him yet? Valentin says, has he been to see Jack Brennan in Pentenville? No, he has not. Why would he do that? She says, because they were close back in the day, when they were all coming up together at the WSB, but he says, no, not really. Jack Brennan did really well academically and even better with the ladies, but he was in the back of the room, not making eye contact. She says she distinctly remembers them at that pub they used to go to… The Archangel. The two of them were playing dice or something. Whatever it was, they were laughing because they’d aced an assignment that the rest of them just botched. He says, that sounds like Jack, but it doesn’t sound like him. If he was at The Archangel, he was lurking. He wasn’t hanging with the cool kids. Not like her. She was at the center of the circle. Jack was too. He thinks she probably has him mixed up with someone else. She says, he and Jack were just feeding off of each other. They were pushing each other to be better, to be smarter… He says, if anybody was pushing anybody, Anna was pushing Jack. They were the best of the best. Everybody knew that. Valentin was on the fast track to a desk job. He and Jack Brennan have never shared more than ten words together.

Alexis says she cannot and will not reveal the identity of her sources, and Molly tells her that now she’s going to say journalistic integrity. Alexis says, very good, counselor, and Molly says, that’s crazy. Leaked, privileged information is not protected speech. Whoever that source is, not only violated their professional conduct guidelines, they also jeopardized future cases. Alexis says, that sounds like a DA problem, not her problem, and Molly says, it’s a very big problem if the article affected the fairness of a trial. Alexis says, what trial? Heather’s already been convicted on multiple counts, and the DA has already refused to revisit any of those cases. And without a case on the docket, Molly can’t argue that a leak compromised anything. Molly says, she’s impossible, and Alexis says, that’s part of her charm. She holds out her wrists and asks if Molly would like to lock her up until she cracks.

Marshall says, TJ is in a tough and undesirable situation. Life hands those to us sometimes. When one was handed to him, he went for the big fix; he left his family to protect them. But had he stayed, had he gutted it out, it turns out he probably would have had a pretty decent life. TJ says, so Marshall is telling him that he made a huge mistake? but Marshall says, no. He’s saying it’s human nature, or more specifically male nature, to go for the big fix. Sometimes that’s not always the answer. Sometimes you can just let it breathe and settle, and that can be the way to go. TJ says, unfortunately, that ship has sailed, and Marhsall laughs. He says, not for the here and now. Kristina is who she is. And yes, she’s carrying TJ’s baby, and he can’t change that, he can’t erase that. But what he can do is step back and take a look at the whole picture and focus on what really matters. His relationship with Molly.

Carly closes the door and steps out in the hall, telling Nina, stalk much? Nina says, just doing her regular rounds. Carly remembers. Carly says, vividly. Although this hotel is definitely not what it used to be. Nina says, better? but Carly says, not quite. Nina says she didn’t think Carly could surprise her anymore, but she’s done it. An FBI agent? What’s Sonny going to think? Or Jason, for that matter? And poor Drew, forever the runner-up in the twin department. Carly asks if she’s finished, but Nina says she could keep at it all day. Carly looks at the food under the cloche and says she’s happy that Nina’s here. Nina says, no one could be happier than her, and Carly says she’d like to file a complaint about room service. Nina asks if Carly even has time to eat, because she seems quite busy, and Carly asks why Nina doesn’t spend less time worrying about her private life and more time managing her hotel. Nina tells Carly to enjoy the rest of her stay, and leaves. Carly pushes the cart into the room, mumbling about Nina, and John comes out fully dressed. He says, friend of hers? and Carly gives a short laugh.

Curtis says he’s listening, and Drew says, as he mentioned, the wellness/fitness space is booming. Aurora wants to move into that business, but they need someone to spearhead the initiative. Curtis says, meaning? and Michael says, someone with practical experience and knowledge of the fitness industry, a strong leader with customer service experience, and multi-level management skills. Drew says, which are skills Curtis has. The Savoy is a huge success. Curtis asks how they see Aurora moving into the business, and Michael asks what Curtis would do. Curtis says, the most practical thing might be for Aurora to buy up some of the small gyms around the country, rebrand them, and combine them into a national high-end fitness club. People are spending a lot of money in wellness. Meditation rooms, plunge baths, yoga, Pilates, physical training… A mind body connection and combined with a training-slash-fitness facility, this is a one-stop shop. It might require significant capital. Drew says, which they have… Nina walks in, saying, Drew won’t believe this. She just saw Carly… She stops when she sees the other two.

John says he gets the sense Carly and Nina don’t get along, and she says, he must be an FBI agent. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she doesn’t let Nina get to her… She tries not to let Nina get to her. He says he knows a little bit about their history, and she says, lucky him. He says he takes it there isn’t enough water under the bridge yet, and she says, there’s not enough water in the world. Sorry about the eggs. He says, it’s not her fault. Besides, coffee is the only necessary component. (Agreed.) She says, when she owned the MetroCourt, this would have never flown. If a customer complained about their food, they would redo it at no charge. She refills his coffee, and he says, she’s big on customer service. She says, it’s literally what the hospitality industry is all about, and he says, she must have had her fair share of jerks blow through here though. She says, yeah, sure, but for the most part, people were great. And she loved it. She loved making people feel happy and comfortable and special. He asks if she doesn’t get to scratch that itch running Bobbie’s, and she says, to an extent. She loves Bobbie’s – she really does – but it’s a restaurant. Full stop. In this place she got a taste of all of it, really curating a space. From the carpets to the linen to the lighting. Even the music. Putting all of those things together to create the ultimate experience. She loved it. He says, sounds like a symphony, and she says, it kind of was. He says, and she was good at it, and she says, she was great at it. He asks if she thinks she’ll ever do it again, but she says she doesn’t know. She tells people that she will, that she’s going to get her half of the MetroCourt back, but she thinks that’s just a pipe dream, The MetroCourt belongs to someone else, two someone elses. She’s just going to have to accept that.

Chase says he’s been working on a surprise for Brook, and she says, but he’s terrible at keeping secrets. Chase says, it’s true. Her mom has been helping him keep this under wraps. Lois says, guilty as charged, and Brook says, so no more Palm Beach? Chase shakes his head, and she says, please tell her that he’s not working. It’s their honeymoon. He says, they’re still going away, but there has been a change in destination. He leads her over to the loveseat, and she says, okay. As long as it’s not a downgrade, she’s in. Everyone else quietly leaves the room, and she says, so what are they talking? Miami? Charleston? Palm Springs? She’s never been to the desert. He says, think a little further away than that, and she says, like out of the US away? He nods, and she asks what he did. He says he’s marrying the woman of his dreams. No, scratch that. He never dreamed of her because he didn’t know someone this wonderful could exist, and he wants their honeymoon to be a reflection of that. He wants her to remember this trip for the rest of her life. Because she deserves it. She deserves everything. She says, he’s the sweetest man on the planet. So where on this planet is he taking her? He says, Florence, and she says, he’s kidding. He says he’s not kidding, and she says, Florence, Italy? He says, her mom told him that she wanted to go, and she says, only for her entire life. Oh my God, Florence? She jumps up and says, not only does she get to go, she gets to go with him? He asks if she’s happy, and she says, happy doesn’t even begin to cover it, and kisses him.

Molly says, so she guesses Alexis wins – again, and Alexis says, freedom of the press wins – always. Except she has no idea why she’s fighting so hard for it when it comes to this paper. Molly says, because she cares about her job and the integrity of her paper, and Alexis says, integrity the new associate publisher will undoubtedly destroy. Molly starts to leave and picks up the envelope the messenger delivered. She asks, what’s this? and Alexis says, a messenger dropped it off when she was fighting with Nina. Molly asks if she’s looked at it, but Alexis says she was too consumed with rage to care. What is it? Molly says, it’s from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, and Alexis says, they’re handling her appeal. Molly says, it’s probably her decision, whether they’ll review her case, or she’ll stay disbarred. Open it. She holds it out to Alexis, who backs up, saying, no. She can’t. She tells Molly to do it, and Molly asks if she’s sure. Alexis nods, and Molly opens the envelope.

As Molly reads what’s inside, she looks sad, and Alexis says, it’s okay. It was a longshot anyway. So the appeal was denied… Molly says, they’re giving her a hearing. They set a date and everything. Alexis grabs it from her and looks at it. She says, they’re giving her a hearing, and Molly says, not just that. They’re giving her hope. This is hope. They hug and jump up and down.

Marshall says, TJ needs to find reasons for him and Molly to come together that aren’t about the baby. It’s those moments of now, those moments where it’s just the two of them. Those moments are precious too. Now, as much as he enjoyed that egg sandwich and this beautiful park… TJ says, and the incredible company of his grandson, and Marshall says, that too. Get his behind over to the store and buy all the ingredients for Molly’s favorite dinner. Just make sure it’s reheatable in case she does have to work late. Wouldn’t it be nice for Molly to come home and see her favorite meal on the table waiting on her? TJ says, Molly would love that, and Marshall says, don’t spend the next three months wringing his hands over what Kristina is or isn’t doing. Spend the next three months with his partner, being just that – partners – before they become parents. Molly is a very special woman. TJ agrees she is and thanks Marshall. They bro hug.

Chase says, mimosa for the bride-to-be, handing Brook a drink, and she thanks him. They say, cheers, and clink glasses. Brook says she can’t believe it’s true, and he says, believe it. She says, Florence… the Uffizi, the Duomo, David… He says, whoa. Who’s this David guy? She says, and they have to take a day trip to Pisa and an overnight to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. He says, she’s thought a lot about this, and she says, this is like a bucket list thing for her. And she can’t wait to look up all the best restaurants and they’re going to have gelato every, single day, no exceptions. Okay? He says, yes, ma’am, and she says, they’re going to drink wine at sunset in every piazza they can find. It’s going to be so incredible. He says, she’s so incredible, and they kiss. She says, they have so much planning to do. Wait. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says, a honeymoon to Florence is a lot more expensive than one stateside. The airfare alone. He says, that’s okay. He has the money for it. She asks, how? and he says he sold his truck.

Anna says, Valentin and Jack weren’t friends, but they certainly knew each other, right? He says, of course (🍷) they did, and she says, when he was working with Pikeman, in his dealings with them, did he ever get the sense Jack was involved? He says, she believes Jack Brennan was working with Pikeman? and she says she does. She can’t get him to admit it, but when Valentin was an intermediary, did anything jump out at him? He says he wishes he had something useful to offer her, but sadly, he doesn’t. She says, okay. It was worth a try. Maybe when she goes back to see him again. He says, don’t. Pikeman and Brennan are dangerous. If they’re working together, then they’re not to be messed with. She thanks him for his concern, but says she can take care of herself. He says, please do, and she thanks him for breakfast and leaves.

John opens the door for Carly and says, thanks again. She says she doesn’t think he thanked her the first time, and he says, then thank you. Not just for saving his hide on the docks, but for getting him back here and keeping an eye on him all night. She says he’s welcome, and he says, and he guesses they get to be friends, even if it’s just for a minute. She says, just for a minute? Are FBI agents not allowed to have friends? Oh. Worried he’s going to divulge classified information? He says, something like that, and she says, makes sense. But how does he know he doesn’t talk in his sleep? She leaves and he watches her walk down the hall.

Drew tells Nina, they’re at a meeting, so try back later, but Michael asks what she was going to say about his mom. And what did Nina do now? Nina says she didn’t do anything. She just thought Drew would want to know Carly moved on quickly from him and is now sleeping with everyone’s favorite FBI agent, John Cates.

Tomorrow, Tracy tells Brook, disrespecting your husband is no way to start a marriage; Maxie asks why Lucy is insisting on taking this all on herself; Alexis tells Gregory that it’s a risk she can afford; and Carly says she did something that someone isn’t going to like.

🛟 Here It Comes…

Now it’s somebody else’s fault she was a pita. Maybe she confused Fraser by answering every time the primary was asked a question.

🍸 Between Rules and Reunion…

I can’t believe anybody actually monitors who follows who. Aren’t they busy not opening restaurants and stuff?

It’s not about the pasta mirror.

🍊 Shady John…

Andy leaps with glee as he twirls his moustache.

⚰️ About Those Dead…

Like the franchise is ever going away.

Ha-ha! I thought it said giant zombie heads. Now that would be a variant.

https://screenrant.com/walking-dead-new-villain-zombies-season-1-return

Carol’s turn coming up.

https://www.cbr.com/daryl-dixon-book-of-carol-release-date-cast-news

🐕 From Around the Globe and Back…

Bollywood babies.

Backup pups.

https://people.com/meghan-trainor-stars-in-music-video-with-dogs-8629755

☔️ April Showers Bring More April Showers…

Stop by tomorrow for pre-weekend soap, the Summer smack talk promised, and shenanigans. Until then, stay safe, stay thinking twice before engaging in online debates, and stay doing the work. If you do, you can achieve anything.

December 26, 2023 – Nina Makes a Confession, Premature Exit, Silent Night, What They Did, Switching Wives, Paige Tells All, Christmas Lists, Merry Chickmas & My Year

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the hospital, Carly tells Laura that Christmas Eve never gets old. Did she see how magical it was for the kids? Laura says, it’s the same for her. It was even more magical because she got to see Ace seeing it for the first time. Where does the time go? Carly says, Josslyn’s in college. How did that happen? Sonny joins them and says he thinks he enjoyed Laura’s reading more than the kids did. Laura says, rumor has it that Sonny funded the festivities at the hospital, even more generously than before. He says, rumor has it, and she says, a lady never reveals her sources, but thank you. It’s a shame Nina wasn’t here to see it. She remembers the year Nina headed the committee to plan the party, so obviously, it means something to her. Carly says, Sonny told them she was coming, and Sonny says, Willow told him that she decided to stay in church a little bit, but she’ll be here.

In the confessional, Nina tells the priest, really Cyrus, that she’s never been to confession before, but she didn’t know where else to turn. She wonders if it’s okay that she’s here, but Cyrus says, God is eager to help all His children. Go on. She says she did something terrible. She was spiraling out of control and knew the second she did it, that it was wrong, but she had no idea it would hurt so many people so much. He asks who she hurt, and she says, people who may not be saints, but they didn’t deserve what happened because of her. He asks who these people are, friends, family? and she asks if it matters, but he says, to truly advise her, he needs more information. Let go. Open her heart. God wants to hear everything.

Spencer tells Trina that he doesn’t think he’s ever seen Ace fall asleep that fast. He was out before his head hit the pillow. She says, he’s probably exhausted from all the excitement of the party. He was so happy being around all those people fussing over him. Spencer says, not half as happy as he was. How did he get so lucky to spend Christmas with her and his little brother? She says, Esme was generous to let him have Ace for the night, and he says, maybe this is part of her turning over a new leaf thing, and Trina says, maybe. Or maybe there’s another explanation. Maybe she wasn’t being generous. Maybe she just had plans. He says, doing what? and she says, maybe Esme had a date.

At Windymere, Esme flashes back to setting up the revenge porn, then turning in Trina for it. Then she remembers telling Spencer that he’s delusional if he thinks she’s going to let Trina off the hook, and she remembers taunting Ava, saying Ava drove Kiki to her death. Then she flashes back to setting the Christmas tree on fire in the tower room.

Ava comes into Windymere, and sees the broken window. Her phone rings, and it’s her security company. They tell her that they received a signal of a break-in, and the PCPD should be there shortly. She thanks them, takes out her gun, and says, it may be too late. Dante says, police, don’t move, and then realizes it’s Ava. He asks what the hell she’s doing here.

Spencer asks Trina who Esme would be dating. She doesn’t know that many people here, and the ones she does, know her history. Trina says, Esme’s circle might not be as small as he thinks. She’s got a new job and a new apartment. Maybe she met someone who only knows the new Esme, a co-worker or a neighbor. He says, and she thinks Esme’s on a date with that person? and she says, it’s possible. Would that bother him if she was? He says, absolutely not. Esme is a grown woman; she can do what she wants. If Esme were to start dating, the only thing he’d worry about is how that person treated Ace. Esme should feel free to go off and have a life of her own. Trina says, good, and he says, especially if it leads to more nights like tonight where Ace is asleep in the other room and they’re here alone. They have the place to themselves. Whatever will they do? She says she wonders what, and they kiss. His phone rings, and he says, speak of the devil. Trina says she’ll get them something from the kitchen, and Spencer answers. Esme says she’s so glad he picked up. She has something to talk to him about. He asks if something is wrong, and when she doesn’t answer, he says he gets it. It’s her first night away from Ace after getting the new place, and she’s naturally worried about it, but she doesn’t have to be. Ace had a fabulous time at the party, and now he’s asleep in the other room, dreaming about all the presents he’s going to open tomorrow. She says she’s glad, but that’s not exactly what… She hears Trina asks if Spencer wants cinnamon in his eggnog.

Laura says she thinks this is the first time she can remember being at this party without Bobbie being here. It’s taking her so long to settle Luke’s estate (😕). Carly says she thought Bobbie would be done weeks ago, and Sonny says, estates can be complicated. Knowing Luke, he’s sure Luke left Bobbie a few surprises. Carly says she spoke to Bobbie on the phone earlier, and she sounded cheerful, but when isn’t she? She did say Luke’s affairs were a mess, but she’s making headway. Laura says she guesses they’ll hear all about it when Bobbie gets back.

Nina says, if she had one wish, it would be to turn back the clock. Then she wouldn’t do all the damage she’s done. Cyrus says, this spiteful act, did it cost someone their life? and she says, not their life, but something almost as bad. His freedom. Someone went to prison because she reported them to the authorities when she didn’t have to, and he suffered, and so did the people who love him. She’s also letting an innocent man take the blame for reporting that crime, because she’s a coward. People are so angry with him when they should be angry at her. Cyrus says he understands. Go on. She says she’d like to change it, but it’s too late to make it right. he says, it’s never too late, and she asks if he really thinks so, because she’d do anything to fix it. He says, then she needs to confess to the people she hurt, not just him in this confessional, but she says she can’t. She wishes she were strong enough to tell the truth, but if she tells her family what really happened, she might lose them. She could lose everything. He says, if she doesn’t, the guilt will continue to eat away at her conscience, and it will destroy any chance she has at future happiness. The truth will always set you free. She says, to be free of this burden, this pain, if only, and he says, anything is possible. Be courageous.  Be strong and correct the wrongs she did, and remember, she doesn’t walk alone. God is always with her. She says, God is with her, and thanks him. She says she won’t forget, and leaves the confessional. He says, neither will he.

Dante says he thought Ava and Avery moved into Nina’s place, and she says, they did, but she hasn’t sold Windymere yet. It’s still her property. He says he guesses he can’t stop her from wandering around her house with a loaded weapon, and she says, so he’s not taking her in… for defending herself in her own home after a break-in? He asks if she’s defending herself or looking for an intruder to shoot.

Carly says she couldn’t get over the kids’ faces as Laura was reading, when Nina comes out of the elevator. She hugs Sonny and says she’s so sorry. She can’t believe she missed everything. How did it go? Laura says, it was amazing, due in no small part to her husband’s generosity, and Nina says, the man she married is pretty great. Did he take a lot of pictures? He says, no, but Carly took a great picture of Donna. Could she send it to him? Carly says, sure, and Laura asks if she can see. Carly shows Laura her phone, and Nina asks if Willow didn’t tell Sonny where she was. He says, at church, but he expected her sooner, and she says he didn’t have to worry. Frank drove her here and she felt totally protected and safe. He asks if she got what she needed at the church, and she says she thinks so. He tells her that Willow said she was thinking about Nelle, and she says, yes, Nelle… and others.

Esme tells Spencer that it sounds like there’s someone else there, so she’ll make it quick. Trina asks Spencer what she’s calling about, and he says he doesn’t know, but it’s not going to take long. He asks if Esme is still there, and she says she just wanted him to know that she’s not going to be picking up Ace tonight. He can wake up with Spencer on Christmas morning, and she’ll pick him up later tomorrow. He says, okay. Wow. That’s great. He’d love to be able to spend Ace’s first Christmas morning with him. Is she sure she doesn’t want to take him home? She says, positive. Merry Christmas. He says, merry Christmas, but she’s already gone. Trina asks what all that was about, but he says he’s not sure, but he’s starting to wonder. Maybe Esme does have a heart after all.

Nina tells Sonny that she really needed something tonight, and found it at All Saints, with a new understanding. He says, about what? and she says, it’s probably… His phone dings, and he says, it’s Ava. There’s been a break-in on Spoon Island. Nina says, what? and Laura says, tell her to call the police, but Sonny says, the police are there right now. Dante’s there, but Ava wants him to go because Dante’s his son and he can keep it unofficial. Laura says she might be able to help; she’ll go with him. Sonny says he doesn’t think it’s a big deal, but Laura says she wants to go. It was her son’s home and if this break-in is somehow related to him in any way… If for some reason he might be back, she wants to be there. Sonny says he understands, and asks Carly to tell Donna that he loves her and merry Christmas. Nina says she’ll take care of Avery. She wishes she could go with him. He says he’ll talk to her later and thanks her for picking up Avery. She says, of course (🍷), of course (🍷), and Sonny and Laura leave. Carly says she’s going to pick up Donna and go home, but Nina asks if she can wait a second. She has something to say to her. She stayed at the church today because she wanted to ask the priest for guidance… about Carly.

Spencer tells Trina that Ace didn’t even flinch when he stubbed his toe and said a word his grandmother definitely wouldn’t approve of. He thinks it’s safe to say he’s out for the night. Trina says she should get home because her mom is planning a whole breakfast and opening presents tomorrow morning. She has to get started early. He says, that’s a bad idea. Stay here, because it’s so much harder to be away from her, especially after their trip to New York. She say she feels the same way, and they kiss. He asks if something’s wrong, and she says, it’s just that she can’t stop thinking about something else. He says, that’s just what every man wants to hear after he kisses the woman he loves, and she says, it’s Esme. He says, of course (🍷) it is, and she asks if he really believes what he said, that she’s had a change of heart. He says he doesn’t know. He’d like to. She put his grandmother and Ace first tonight. That’s a big step for her. Trina says, it is, and he says he’d really like to think Esme’s turning a corner here, but they don’t know that. So doesn’t she think they talked about Esme enough for one night? She says, they’ve talked enough about Esme for a lifetime, and he leads her to the sofa, saying, so maybe they should stop talking about her altogether. They kiss.

Ava asks if Dante thinks she’d be reckless enough to go after a burglar all on her lonesome, and he asks if she really wants him to answer that. There’s a knock at the door, and Ava open the door to Sonny and Laura, who says she decided to tag along. They go into the living room, and seeing the broken window, Laura says, whoever did this wasn’t looking to hide themselves, were they? Ava says, and everybody knows this place has a security system. Whoever did it thought it was worth risking getting caught. Sonny says, let him take her home. Let Dante do his job. Ava says, absolutely not. She’s not leaving until she finds out who broke in here. Laura suggests she and Dante take a look around, but Dante says he doesn’t think it’s a good idea. The house has been declared a crime scene. She says she used to live here, and her son owned the property for many years. She knows her way around this very large, very confusing home. She’s happy to show him around if it doesn’t interfere with his procedure at all. He says, it probably falls under some kind of grey area, and she says, great, let’s do it, but he says, they don’t know if the house is empty. Please stay behind him. She says, sure, and follows him out.

Esme looks at a photo of Spencer on her phone and wonders what she was thinking. Did she believe she was just going to own up, and he’d forget about all the things she did to Trina? That he’d congratulate her and say, great news, and forget all about Trina, and the things she did? And she, him, and Ace would have this happily ever after? He only cares about Trina and protecting her, and if she told him what she did… She cries and hears footsteps. She puts her ear to the door.

Sonny says, so Ava thinks whoever broke in here is the same person who sent her the pictures of dead Austin? It’s possible, but there’s no way to know. She says she’s sure the intruder is long gone by now.

Carly says, Nina asked for guidance about her? and Nina says she did. Whenever they’re together, they’re always sniping and arguing, and since it’s Christmas Eve, in the spirit of Christmas Eve, she thought it would be nice if they spent some time talking. Carly says, talking about what? and Nina says, when she was sitting in church, she realized, after all the pain, everything she’s been through in her life, she’s so blessed to be able to spend Christmas Eve with her family. She never thought she’d be able to say that. Spending Christmas Eve with her daughter and her children… Carly says, she’s a lucky lady, and Nina says she is. She’s very grateful for all of her family. She and Carly thinking a lot of family in common, and she started thinking about Carly and what she’s been through this year. The accusations of insider trading and financial problems and Drew going to prison… Carly asks if there’s a point to this because she has to go get Donna, and Nina says, there is. She’s sorry, and she’s trying to ask for Carly’s forgiveness. Carly says, forgiveness for what?

Nina says she not proud of herself, that her need for revenge is what drove her to hurt Carly and not tell her that Sonny was alive in Nixon Falls. Carly says, Nina has told her this before, and Nina says, something shifted. She wants to be a better person. She wants to be the kind of mom Willow brags about and the kind of grandmother that Wiley and Amelia are proud of. Sitting in that church – maybe it’s because of all the love around her, and support and peace – she realized there’s still a part of her that’s broken. There’s a part of her that still wants revenge for her daughter… Carly says she’s going to stop Nina right there. She knows what Nina is going to say.

Ava tells Sonny, anyone could have broken in here tonight. Maybe some kids playing a prank. He says, on Christmas Eve? and she says, why not? There’s no neighbors on Spoon Island, and it’s not exactly a professional job, right? It looks like something kids might do. He says, it’s possible, but there’s somebody out there sending her pictures of a dead guy and leaving a gun in her apartment. Now he’s broken in here. So does she think that would be kids or somebody playing mind games? She says she’s so sick of the whole damn thing, and he says, sick enough to do something reckless? That’s not going to happen, because he’s going to do everything he can to keep her safe. She thanks him, but says she thinks he knows she can protect herself. He says, what if she’s not the real target? What if he is?

Esme runs around looking for a place to hide, as Laura and Dante approach the tower room. They go in and Dante looks around with a flashlight. He says, the turret door is open. He’s going to check it out. She says, not without her, and he tells her to please just stay behind him. As they go into the turret, Esme runs out, dropping a glove.

Laura asks if Dante saw anything, but he says, nothing. Maybe forensics can find something. She says she’s sure they can. This person wasn’t really concerned with hiding their footsteps. He says, whoever was here didn’t get out by jumping off the turret, and she says, can they really be sure the intruder was in here? It’s possible Ava left the door open before she moved out. He says, it’s freezing in here. If Ava left the door open, it would be colder than the city. Someone must have left the door open more recently than that. She says, he’s right, and it is cold. She’s going in. They go inside, and Laura says she’s going to check on Ava. She seemed really shaken up. Dante says he’ll be down in a minute, and she starts to leave, but he says, wait. He picks up the glove with a pen.

Sonny tells Ava, the cops haven’t found the gunman who put Curtis in a wheelchair. The target could have been Anna, but it could have just as easily been him. She says, so he thinks whoever took that shot at the MetroCourt pool is sending her pictures of dead Austin and breaking into Windymere. He says, could be if it’s Cyrus, and she says, so he thinks Cyrus is stalking her to get to him? He says, they can’t rule anything out, but she says, as much as she’d like to blame him for her current situation, she does have enemies of her own. He says, whoever hurts her, hurts Avery, and he can’t allow that. So that’s why he’s taking a personal interest in her security.

Nina says, Carly knows? and Carly says, it’s really not that hard to figure out what’s going on here. Nina went to church and got caught up in the emotion of it all. Maybe it was the glow of the candles, or maybe it was the way the priest looked at her. She doesn’t know, but Nina’s guilty conscience started to get to her and now she feels the need to apologize. Nina says, that’s partly… and Carly says, but what’s really going on is that Nina feels that forgiveness is the last gift under the Christmas tree, and she really wants to open it and enjoy it. It makes sense because Nina’s gotten everything else she’s ever wanted. She’s got Sonny, Willow, her grandchildren, and the MetroCourt. Nina says, yes. She’s been very blessed this year. Carly says, at least Nina isn’t going to insult her by pretending she doesn’t see it. So why not feel entitled to ask for forgiveness too? She’s sorry to disappoint Nina, but she’s going to have to seek redemption somewhere else. Carly walks away.

The priest sees Cyrus and says, excuse me. Cyrus asks if there’s something wrong, and the priest says he was supposed to hear a confession and he was unavoidably delayed. Did he see a lady waiting? Cyrus says, as a matter of fact, there was someone here, but he saw her leave. The priest says he’s sorry he missed her, but hopefully, she’ll be back soon. Cyrus says he’s curious. How does he do it? The priest says, do what? and Cyrus says, when the lost come to him, unburden the heaviness of their souls, how does he help them? The priest says, it sounds like Cyrus is asking about someone in his own life, or himself, and Cyrus says, he’s very perceptive. He is asking for someone he knows, but it’s not him. He’s thinking about a friend who’s feeling lost and alone tonight. The priest says, the holidays can often make people feel that way, and Cyrus says he’s felt that way a time or two himself, but tonight he wants to help them, and he’d appreciate any advice the priest might have about how best to do that. The priest says, his friend is lucky to have him looking out for them. Confession is good for the soul. Merry Christmas. Cyrus says, merry Christmas, and the priest leaves. (Not very good at giving advice, is he?) Cyrus says, confession is good for the soul, but if Nina doesn’t do what’s good for her soul, he might have to do it for her. He dips his hand in the holy water, blesses himself, and leaves.

Nina follows Carly and says, please. It’s Christmas Eve. It’s a time when people are supposed to come together, and Carly still won’t give her an inch? Carly says she’s given Nina more than an inch. She’s given Nina more than a mile. She’s invited Nina to family gatherings and stood there while Wiley’s given Nina a hug and a kiss, and bit her tongue until it bled. And she tells herself over and over again that for his sake, she has to try and make things work. Then she has to remind herself that Sonny’s happiness affects Donna and Avery, so she keeps things pleasant, but that’s not good enough for Nina. Nina helped herself to Carly’s husband and her hotel. Now she wants Carly’s forgiveness on top of it? And she assumes she’s entitled to it. That sappy smile and saccharine speech is going to get her everything she wants? She doesn’t get to demand forgiveness; it’s a gift, and she’s not giving it to Nina. Nina says she’s come to Carly with the best of intentions, and Carly’s decided to stomp all over them. She’s not even listening. So much for peace on earth and good will to men. What does Carly want to do next? Does she want to kick over that Christmas tree? Carly says, Nina is unbelievable. She doesn’t get what she wants, and she’s so put upon. She loves playing the victim. Nina says she doesn’t want to fight with Carly. She didn’t come here to fight with Carly. She came here to make peace, to tell Carly her truth. She’s been sincere. Carly says she’s had a really long day. She wants to grab her little girl and go home to her family and enjoy what’s left of Christmas Eve. She walks out. I just have to interject that Carly keeps making it sound like Nina stole the hotel out from under her. She stole Sonny maybe, but Nina didn’t want the hotel in the first place, Carly had to sell it because of financial problems of her own making, and I’m sure Nina paid top dollar. I’m tired of them making it sound like she swindled Carly out of it.

Spencer asks Trina to tell her mom that she couldn’t get a Ride Share. Because of all the holiday parties, they were just awesome busy, so she had to stay a little bit longer. She says, they’re trying to get her mom to like him, remember? So keeping her daughter away from her on Christmas Eve is not a good idea. He says, that’s true, and she says she stayed longer than she planned, and she promised her mom and Curtis that she’d open one present at midnight. He says, fine, but if he had it his way, he’d spend this entire holiday with her. She asks how he’s so sweet, and he says, must be the Spencer side of his DNA. They kiss, and her phone dings. She tells Spencer, it’s her car, and he says, fine. He’ll let her go as long as she promises he can see her in the morning. He kisses her hand, and she says she still has to give Ace his present. He says, then it’s a date. Merry Christmas, Trina Robinson. She says, merry Christmas, Spencer, and they kiss.

At a sparse cemetery, Esme says she doesn’t even know what she’s doing here. It’s not like he was some great father who raised her from birth, and it hurts to live without him. He was as far from that as possible. But she can’t tell anyone else that she’s got her memories back. She thinks he and crazy Heather Webber are the only people who would understand her keeping it a secret. How messed is that? Her parents would be the ones telling her to lie. She guesses it’s true what they say, Christmas Eve is the loneliest night of the year. This year, she’s talking to a serial killer who just happens to be her dad. Talk about desperate. But why is it so hard? It should be easy to be a good person. She should want to take that path, but he never showed it to her. She had to learn it all on her own, and even then, it’s only because she lost her memory. But she’s made a good life here in Port Charles. She has a good job and an amazing child and her own apartment. With Ace’s stuff scattered all around the place, it really feels like home. Their home. And she’s happy. At least she thinks she is. The feeling is still so new to her. But there is another path too, the crooked one that he showed her. It would be so easy to go back, but what if she doesn’t have a choice? What if it’s out of her control and she’s supposed to be bad because it’s in her DNA? That is the legacy he left her. She goes to put on her gloves and realizes there’s one missing.

Dante puts the glove in an evidence bag and asks if Laura recognizes it. She says she doesn’t know. Does he think it could be Nikolas’s since he’s always been into ladies’ gloves? Dante says he knows she’s been looking for Nikolas, but he doesn’t see anything to indicate Nikolas was here, and this isn’t a man’s glove. This wouldn’t fit him. She says, of course (🍷). He’s right. She’s sorry. She’s not thinking rationally, is she? She guesses because it’s his house, she just thought maybe… She doesn’t know. He says, it’s okay. Maybe it’s Ava’s.

Ava says she doesn’t want or need Sonny’s goons following her around. Does he know what it’s like trying to get anywhere with them in tow? He says, very well actually, and she says she can handle whatever this world throws at her and he knows it. She always comes out swingin’. He says, sometimes she needs a little help. Like the help she got from Dante and Dex when she was kidnapped by Mason. She was grateful to them. He has to do what he needs to do. It’s not just about her. She asks what he has in mind, and he says he doesn’t like this any more than she does, but Avery will. She says, why? and he says, until the figure out what’s going on, she’s living with him.

Tomorrow, Brook tells Chase that it’s going to need to happen faster than they anticipated; Felicia asks why Robert can’t get over it; and Alexis tells her daughters that she doesn’t think it’s entirely true.

🥀 Too Soon For Goodbye…

So sad to hear this. I really liked him on OLTL.

🎸 Channeling Eddie…

Eddie’s alter ego gives us a Christmas serenade.

🎄 Soapy Celebrations…

What the soap stars did for Christmas. Probably the same thing you did.

🍊 Wait… What…?

Wow. I missed something somewhere, but yes, let’s get her on RHOC ASAP. However, a promise ring? How old are we? 14?

🍹 Spilling Charming Tea…

Paige gives the lowdown on her relationship with Craig. It’s definitely one I never saw coming, so I’m guessing it will somehow work out.

🎬 For Those Not Done Yet…

The classics.

https://ew.com/movies/essential-classic-christmas-movies/

And the not-so classics.

https://ew.com/movies/best-christmas-horror-movies/

TV episodes worthy of a ho-ho-ho.

https://ew.com/tv/best-christmas-episodes/

🐔 A Chicken For Christmas…

And they come with a lifetime of free eggs.

We actually raised chickens when I was a kid, but I had no idea this was a thing.

👖 Sisterhood Of the Elastic Waist Pants…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and an assortment of useless knowledge. Until then, stay safe, stay not drinking and driving on New Year’s Eve (there are so many options today, there’s no excuse), and stay making sure it’s a priest you’re confessing to if you go to confession.