Tag Archives: John Stamos

February 14, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Sidwell Meets an Ex-Wife, Soap Suds, Reality Corner, Weekend Watching, Coming Soon, Next Fallout, Winning, 10 Whole Quotes & Endless

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

While Cyrus stared at Elizabeth, Ric came into the hospital bringing her flowers. At the Grill, Felicia said Cody owed someone an apology. Carly told Nina that she’d do anything to help Wiley and Amelia, but was concerned about pushing Drew and Willow closer together. Maybe the best thing to do was nothing. Sasha wondered if Willow had moved in with Drew, and Tracy asked Jason about his newest baby mama.

Ric told Elizabeth Cyrus’s parole terms and asked her to take a walk with him to pay him for his legal expertise. She said the last time they walked, they saw Alexis toss a gun off the bridge and they would ignore any crimes in progress. Josslyn asked Kristina to take the girls to the park because she had something to do that was now or never. Ava and Trina took a walk, and Ava said Trina was spending a lot of time at the gallery. Why wasn’t she at the hospital?

Tracy told Jason about Carly confronting Drew and Drew’s announcement that Jason slept with their cook and impregnated her. Willow told Sasha to mind her own business. Sasha hunted down Cody and said, thanks to him, she was the town’s topic of conversation. Felicia asked her to join them. Nina wondered if the kids would call Drew daddy, and Carly said they had to do something, but Drew couldn’t see them coming.

Trina said Kai’s injury crushed his dreams and she’d split his focus pushing him to do the project. She’d overstepped at the hospital and Kai told her to back off. Kai showed up and Ava made herself scarce. Nina said Maxie would be their way into Drew’s new house, and Carly asked how far Nina was willing to go. Nina said, as far as necessary. Martin reminded Willow that they hadn’t responded to the divorce petition. Did she really want a divorce or to work toward reconciliation? Cody admitted it wasn’t his place, and Sasha added, or sharing his conclusions. He said he cared about her and wanted the father to step up. Jason said he owed Tracy no explanations and she thought that meant the baby was his. It wasn’t fair to stonewall his mother and son.

Kai said he owed Trina an apology. She had been the only bright spot even when she was bossing him around. He was grateful their paths had crossed and wanted to know her better. Felicia said Cody was misguided, but cared about Sasha. Sasha said he was showing concern in the wrong way, and she wanted to raise the baby on her own. Respecting her choices was the best way to show he cared. Carly said she and Nina had to define their goals. She didn’t want Drew to be factor or obstacle in Michael and Willow figuring things out. Nina said Drew was the worst thing to happen to Willow. She knew Willow genuinely loved Michael. Carly said Michael loved her and their family, and Nina said, one other variable needed to be dealt with, but Carly was the only one who could deal with it. Elizabeth told Ric that the hospital was the safest place for her since Cyrus had been banned, but promised to keep her eyes open. She wasn’t on her own, but had Lucky. Cyrus went to Bobbie’s and Josslyn apologized to him. Ava saw Avery at the park. She asked if Avery wanted to see her new apartment.

Josslyn said she wanted justice for Dex, and it had clouded her judgment. The police didn’t think Cyrus was the killer and she was letting the professionals handle it. Cyrus got so flustered, he left. Trina said she’d fight her impulse to fix things and not micromanage. Kai said he didn’t know how many people cared about him if he couldn’t play. Willow said her marriage was definitely over, and Martin said he’d file a response asking for full custody, alimony, and full spousal and child support. Her custodial position wasn’t secure, but Diane would fight it. Nina joined them and was concerned about making things messier. Felicia said they were family and to stay united, they had to forgive. Jason walked in. Tracy started to leave a message for Diane, but Carly hung up the phone and said they needed to have a chat. Kristina said the girls had a project to finish and homework, but Avery asked if she could go with her mom, then Donna wanted to go too. Ava said Donna needed her mother’s permission, when Rick and Elizabeth showed up. Ric asked for a word with Ava.

Jason wanted to talk to Sasha, and Felicia suggested he sit down. Carly said confronting Drew was a mistake, and it just pushed him and Willow closer together. Tracy was just as guilty and if she continued to interfere, they might never see the kids again. Nina asked Martin to stall, but Martin said Michael had hit hard and they needed to respond. Nina said it could be handled in a calmer, more civil way when Michael came back. Don’t aggravate the Quartermaines more than they already had. Collette went to Bobbie’s with an envelope for Josslyn from Jack. Ric told Ava that Avery was under Sonny’s care and her desperation would cost her everything. Kristina told Elizabeth, first Ava killed her baby, then tried to make off with her little sister. If Kristina didn’t get to have her baby, Ava couldn’t have hers.

Collette told Josslyn that the address in the envelope was the location of a property Austin Gaitlin-Holt bought one month after Cyrus was released. Trina said she was sorry if she contributed to Kai getting hurt, but he told her that he’d been playing his best game ever and had never been more focused. Trina said social media had played with her head, and he suggested they go somewhere warm. Ava said she couldn’t lose Avery and Ric said, the only way was to go to court. Ava said she couldn’t afford to, and he said he’d take her case pro bono. Her best and only chance was to get out of her own way and let him do it. Ava kissed him and it looked like they were going to get busy. Carly said, going after Drew got them the opposite of what they wanted. They should trust that Michael was going to come home and get custody. Willow would feel guilty, see Drew for who he really was, and they’d find a way to compromise. Tracy said, wherever Drew goes, chaos follows, and Carly said leave Drew to her. Tracy told her, play it her way, but just make it hurt.

Martin said Willow wasn’t on equal footing with Michael. It wasn’t about money, but ammunition. Willow had cheated and Michael hadn’t. If it got nasty and the video was shown, it could impact her position. They needed to find something to use as leverage against Michael. Sasha said Cody started all this. Cody said Jason and his brother were entitled bastards and loudly told the room that Jason needed to step up, take responsibility, and say Sasha’s baby is his.

Tuesday:

Trina brought Kai to Charlie’s and introduced him to Emma and Gio. Sasha threw a drink in Cody’s face, said the conversation was over, and stay out of her life. Willow said, unlike Jason and Sasha’s relationship, Drew actually loved her, and she didn’t think anything could be found to use against Michael. Cyrus interrupted, saying he needed Martin’s help. Kristina told Lucky that Elizabeth stopped Ava from kidnapping Avery. Ric and Elizabeth showed up at the right moment. Thanks to her, Sonny might beat Ava at her own game. Sonny told Natalia that he didn’t need a pacemaker, but would need surgery to repair damage from the bullet wound in three months. Kristina called while he was on the plane. Emma told Kai about the benefit SAAC was hosting and she wanted him to join the committee. Isaiah talked to Lucky about Sidwell, and Lucky suggested they steer clear. Isaiah said not everybody was going to take that advice. Curtis asked Jordan if there was news about the esplanade, and she said there might be an 11th hour rescue. Martin said Lulu was afraid of her and Martin said he must have done something. Cyrus wanted Martin to go with him to talk to Lucky. Nina suggested Willow be discreet until the divorce was settled. Michael would be humiliated. Martin said he had to leave, but wouldn’t respond to the divorce petition yet. Willow thought the best thing she could do was be open and honest about Drew.

Jordan introduced Curtis to Sidwell. Sidwell said he could help bring things back on track with the esplanade. Sasha went to see Jason at the boathouse and asked about Michael. Jason said so far the treatment was working and Michael was determined to come home. Sasha said they had to let everyone believe Jason was her baby’s father. Isaiah said everyone was glad Elizabeth was back at the hospital an no one believed she’d done any wrong. Martin and Cyrus walked into Charlie’s. Kristina whined to Sonny about Ava, and Sonny suggested they talk when he landed.

Nina said people lied to protect themselves and the people they love but they end up serving the lie rather than living their lives. Cody talked to Felicia about Sasha. Sasha said if it came out that Michael was the father, it wouldn’t be good for the custody hearing. Jason said he was willing to go along with it for Michael and the kids. Sonny said even if he won, he couldn’t cut Ava out of Avery’s life, and Natalia reminded him that he needed to avoid stress. Lucky told Kristina to let Cyrus stay. Elizabeth said not many doctors were as brave as Isaiah, and he said it was like solving a mystery. Kai agreed to help Emma and took a photo, tagging it #savePCUFurryFriends. Danny pumped Rocco for information on Cyrus, and Rocco told him that he couldn’t do anything about Cyrus. He saw Kai’s photo with Cyrus in the background and said he knew where Cyrus was.

Jason agreed to Sasha’s plan, but said he wouldn’t let Danny think he was the father. Martin asked what Cyrus thought he was doing, saying he was in charge of Lulu’s medical care, and Cyrus said no one else was there for her. Isaiah introduced himself to Kristina who thanked him for saving her brother. Sidwell said they should move the esplanade to Pier 55 and Curtis said he had to get Drew involved. Sidwell said Drew was good with using eminent domain. When Sidwell stepped away to take a call, Curtis told Jordan, whatever Sidwell wanted, just say no.

Willow said if she’d been honest, everything would be different. She could be honest with Drew because she knew he’d be honest with her. Cody said he’d been on a tear lately, and Felicia said he was mostly hurting himself. He said he still wanted to be Sasha’s hero. Curtis said Sidwell was in bed with Drew and must have an angle. It was asking for trouble with Sonny. Jason wondered where Danny was, and Rocco said he told Danny about Cyrus. He went to confront Cyrus and wouldn’t listen that he was a dangerous guy. Jason took off for Charlie’s. Kai asked if Trina was down to save some bunnies. Cyrus said his actions had been misinterpreted. Danny came into Charlie’s.

Cody said he’d step back and let Sasha live her life and Felicia thought it was for the best.  She asked if he could be someone else’s hero. Nina said she understood how Willow fell for Drew because she… Sidwell wanted to set up a meeting with Aurora, and Curtis said call his office. He left and Sidwell was impressed with how Jordan and Curtis got along. Natalia suggested Sonny use his advantage over Ava to compromise. Do it for his kids before he couldn’t. He wasn’t sure that was possible. Rocco was worried, but Sasha said Jason was good at what he does. Danny confronted Cyrus, who assured him he had nothing to do with Sam’s death. Danny said he knew Cyrus killed his mother and Cyrus wanted to pray with him. He put his hand on Danny’s shoulder, when Jason came in and told him to take his hand off his son.

Wednesday:

Jason said if Cyrus touched his son again, he’d kill Cyrus, and they’d never find his body. Lulu saw Josslyn working at Bobbie’s and was surprised to see a Spencer behind the counter. Tracy saw Willow with Nina at the Grill, and said Willow living with Nina was all the better to commit adultery. Lucas and Maxie went to Charlie’s, and so did Carly and Jack.

Maxie asked if it wasn’t time that Lucas got back on the horse and Jack wondered why Lucas was giving him the stink eye. Carly said what Jack had done for her was above and beyond, and she liked that his softer side was all hers. Tracy ordered Willow to take off her mother’s ring, but Alexis walked in and ran interference. Chase told Anna that Cyrus had a visitor – a blonde in her 20s – and Anna told him to bring in Josslyn. She was going to get herself killed. Jason took Danny home, and Trina filled Gio in on Cyrus. Kai told Cyrus to go before there was another incident and Cyrus left with Martin.

Nina told Willow not to let Tracy get to her; it made her too happy. All of this would pass. Willow said it was hard not to think of herself as a horrible person. Chase asked Josslyn to come to the station and Lulu said she could cover Josslyn’s shift. It would give her a chance to have the Bobbie’s experience. Outside, After Emma changed the topic to her fundraiser, Gio told her to read the room and be less self-involved. Martin told Cyrus to file a complaint against Jason, but Cyrus said he was choosing peace.

Jason said confronting Cyrus was reckless, and Danny thanked him for showing up. He needed to know why Cyrus hurt his mom. Sasha came in and Jason wanted them to talk to Danny together. Lucas said he had a family and one great love, and Maxie said he could have it again. She wanted to set him up with a model from Deception. Jack said if there was something or someone he wanted, little could stop him, and Lucas asked for a word with Carly. Nina said everyone made mistakes and not to let anyone change the way Willow thought of herself. Hold her head up high. Alexis told Tracy to back off. Tracy said she was trying, and Alexis said try harder. She wanted what was left of her family to stay together. Tracy owed her and she needed to collect. Anna asked Josslyn about volunteering at the mission. Kristina told Isaiah that Elizabeth saved her from punching out her sister’s mother. Ava had caused the accident that made her lose her daughter. Isaiah said any friend of Lucky’s was someone he wanted to know. Emma said she redirected because Trina didn’t want to relive her trauma situation and Gio apologized. Kai asked how Trina could be calm, and she said she didn’t want to let the bad things define her. Lucky was worried about Cyrus knowing who was onto him.

Dante saw Lulu struggling and asked if she needed help. She said maybe a little and he pitched in. Sasha told Danny that Jason wasn’t the father of her baby, but Jason said a lot of people assumed he was. For certain reasons, he wanted people to continue to believe that. Danny asked, who was the real dad? Chase said the custodian ID’d a photo of Josslyn and Anna told her the game she was playing could cost her life.

Alexis said the only reason Tracy wasn’t in prison was because she didn’t pursue it and she didn’t want Tracy pursuing Drew and Willow. Tracy said she’d keep her observations to herself and her passions in check. Willow said she felt like she truly had a mother for the first time. She couldn’t have gotten through this without her mom. Maxie said she had something to discuss with Jack and Carly told Lucas not to worry about her and Jack. Lucas said it was Jack’s literal job to lie and don’t lie to herself. Lulu burned the toast and she and Dante laughed about her ineptitude. He said he hadn’t been able to laugh since Sam died and he felt guilty. Lulu said he’d always miss Sam and always grieve her, but Sam wouldn’t want him to wallow in it forever. Kristina told Isaiah that she didn’t know what she’d do without Sonny. Trina told Kai that she couldn’t control the actions of other people, but she could control how she reacted. She was taking back control. Kai said those were good words to live by. Lucky and Elizabeth were afraid Cyrus would skate, and Lucky thought they should go to Anna. Anna said Josslyn placed herself in Cyrus’s crosshairs and he was dangerous when cornered. She was arresting Josslyn for trespassing for her own good. Sasha said she had to respect the father’s privacy, but he was supporting her choice. Danny went to find Rocco and Sasha told Jason to stay away from Cyrus. it was the worst thing he could do for his son.

Willow thought Nina was seeing Drew the way she did, and Nina said that was it. Willow gave her blessing for Martin to look for dirt on Michael. Alexis said she’d figure something out and Maxie told Jack to stay away from Carly. It wasn’t fair for him to get involved with anyone when his job wouldn’t allow it. Carly told Lucas to wait for disaster before panicking and he told Maxie to set him up. Carly told Jack that he’d passed her test. Emma and Gio passed out flyers at Bobbie’s. Martin told Anna about Jason, but wanted to talk to someone else. Chase said they’d make Cyrus pay asap, but Dex wouldn’t want Josslyn to put herself in harm’s way. Let them handle it. Sasha said Danny idolized Jason and if he killed Cyrus, Jason would throw that away. Ask himself, what was more important, revenge or his son’s love and respect? After Charlie’s closed, their song came on and Lucky suggested he and Elizabeth finish their dance. Cyrus watched through the window.

Thursday:

Sasha ran into Elaine and Mavis outside Bobbie’s, and Elaine said Mavis was drawn to pregnant women. Ric came by the hospital to check on Elizabeth after the park incident, but she said it had been no big deal. Ric said Kristina would use it in the custody hearing. At Bobbie’s, Sonny updated Jason on his condition. Molly picked up some documents that the DA’s office requested at the hospital and ran into Cody. Kristina went to Alexis’s office and said Danny found out who killed Sam. Anna told Dante to get out of the station.

Sasha admitted she was pregnant and was due July 23rd. Sasha saw Jason and Sonny inside, but sat elsewhere. Jason didn’t want Sonny to wait on his surgery, but Sonny said the cardiologist said it was okay if he took his meds and avoided stress. (Hell, I can’t even avoid stress and he’s a mob boss.) Sonny said, like Natalia told him, something’s got to give. Felicia met Sasha, who told her about Mavis. Felicia told Sasha that Elaine was a P.I. and probably working on a case. Nina saw Ava’s new apartment and thought it was great. Ava said it was a shoebox that could fit in Nina’s bathroom, and she forgot they were having breakfast. (The apartment is actually very nice and spacious.) Anna said Dante was put on leave for a reason. He asked what she would do if someone she loved was murdered and she said if he wanted a job to come back to, he needed to leave. She wasn’t going to compromise the case. Chase said he’d told Dante that Cyrus was a suspect. Kristina told Alexis what happened at Charlie’s and how Jason threatened Cyrus. Chase said he thought Danny knew also and must have heard them. He told her what happened at Charlie’s. She said she couldn’t afford to lose another detective and she needed Cyrus to be alive to arrest him. Dante joined Alexis and Kristina and Dante admitted Cyrus was a suspect, but there was no proof or motive. He said Danny found out from him. Felicia said Elaine didn’t reply on technology and had a notebook. She used Mavis as a distraction. Martin met Elaine in the park. Nina told Ava that they were looking for dirt on Michael. Ava said there was something Nina could do to make Willow see the light, and Nina said she’d almost told Willow about sleeping with Drew, but Willow said she couldn’t have gotten through without her. Their relationship wouldn’t recover. Ava said willow needed Nina more than the truth. Elizabeth told Ric that Kristina was blowing things out of proportion, and she wouldn’t be testifying at the hearing – it wouldn’t help either side. Jason said Chase wanted to see him at the station, but he didn’t need Diane. He had Sonny’s back.

Cody apologized to Molly, and she accepted. Elaine said she’d found nothing on Michael, but he’d asked for Sasha in the hospital and Sasha was pregnant. Martin said it was Jason’s problem, and she said Sasha may have heard Quartermaine dirt. It was always the long shot that paid off big. Ric showed up to talk to Ava and Nina left. Ava asked if Ric didn’t want anyone to know about them. Dante told Alexis and Kristina that he’d pressured a friend to tell him who the suspect was. Kristina said Jason had threatened to kill Cyrus and she’d be surprised if he lasted a week. Anna called Jason to the station and said she hoped Martin was exaggerating about Jason’s threat. Jason had nothing to say. Cody found Molly on the roof, and he said clearly she was freaked out about something, but she asked him to leave her alone. He tried to leave, but the roof door was locked.

Molly’s phone battery was dead, so they were stuck. Sasha called Elaine’s office and pretended she was meeting her but forgot where. Ric said if anyone found out about them, it could compromise Ava’s case. He said Elizabeth wouldn’t confirm she’d tried to kidnap Avery, and he’d show Sonny to be an unfit parent. Nina joined Sonny at Bobbie’s and said he and Michael were in her prayers. He wanted to let her know what was going on, but everybody she was close to, he was up against.

Molly admitted the door was already locked, but she didn’t know it. Sasha found Elaine, when Martin called her. When Elaine stepped away, Sasha eyed her purse. Chase asked Elizabeth if she saw or heard Jason threaten Cyrus. Anna said Jason should let them handle it, but Jason said he wanted to make sure Cyrus knew not to come near his son again. He would protect his son no matter what.

Molly said she’d used the DA’s influence to get documents from GH and hadn’t wanted to draw attention to herself. Ava told Ric about the trip to Puerto Rico where Sonny was shot at and how Avery was there. Ric said he’d get Sonny to admit he felt guilty about Michael, and he’d break Sonny. Sonny knocked at the door. Elizabeth said she couldn’t hear, but Chase said other people did. She suggested he talk to them. Alexis said she’d talk to Jason, and Anna said they had information not released to the public. She needed the suspect to be alive, so she arrested him for threatening Cyrus’s life. Mavis got away from Sasha and Elaine chased after her. Sasha started digging in Elaine’s purse and heard tires screeching.

FYI, the preview shows Mavis as being okay. Who cares about Elaine?

Friday’s Enchilada:

Sonny yells for Ava to open up. They need to talk – now. Ava wonders what Sonny is doing here, and Ric says, he can’t know about them. She says, not if she wants to keep him as her lawyer and win custody, and Sonny knocks again. He says he’s not going to leave until she opens up.

At the hospital, Sasha tells Mavis that she’s so sorry. Truly she is, but she needed to look in Elaine’s bag. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt. She’s so sorry. Mavis barks.

On the phone, Maxie says, no ego issues… Yes. He’s very hot and kind and sweet. She’ll see if he’s available. Brook comes in and Maxie asks if Brook is ready for the meeting. Brook says she is. Natalia is on the phone and Lucy is coming up, but guess who’s not ready? Maxie says, who? and Brook says, Lulu is late again.

Kristina hears someone come into Charlie’s and says, we’re closed. She turns and sees it’s Lulu, who says, hi. Lucky mentioned Kristina was working, and she hopes it’s okay that she dropped by. The place looks amazing. Kristina thanks her and says, she looks great too. It’s so good to see her. Lulu says, her too. She would have come by sooner, but she’s been working up the nerve. She’s been trying to figure out the kindest way possible to thank Kristina and say she’s sorry. Kristina’s sister saved her life at the cost of her own.

Cody says, let him get this straight. He and Molly are trapped on the roof, freezing their butts off and Tracy is probably ready to fire him because of some documents? Papers with words on them? Molly says she’s not supposed to have them, and he says, they’ll probably bring back the electric chair for this. She says, it’s not just paperwork. It’s a murder victim autopsy, her sister’s. Is he happy now?

Jason is taken to the interrogation room and asks what Alexis is doing here. Alexis says she’d like a moment alone with her client, without handcuffs. The officer takes Jason’s cuffs off and tells him to sit. He leaves and Jason asks, where’s Diane? Alexis says she lied. She’s not here as his lawyer. She’s here as Sam’s mother.

Ava asks what Sonny wants. She’s in a meeting with Ric. Sonny asks if he can come in, and Ric tells him, whatever he has to say can wait for the courtroom. Sonny says he’s come to make her an offer concerning Avery. She can deal with it now or lose in court. It’s up to her.

Elaine comes out wearing a neck brace, and Sasha says, oh my God. Are you okay? Elaine says, one can only hope. The car just came speeding out of nowhere. She could have been roadkill. Sasha says, thank God she’s not. Other than missing her, Mavis is fine. Elaine says, Sasha doesn’t know her. Mavis may be hiding it well, but she can tell Mavis is traumatized. (Mavis does not look traumatized.)

Maxie suggests maybe Lulu needs an adjustment period. Their schedule isn’t easy. Brook asks if she’s going to defend Lulu forever. Does she need an adjustment period too? Maxie says, if Brook has a problem with Lulu, take it up with Lulu, when Natalia comes in. She asks if they got her report on the LA trip, and Maxie says, so many west coasters are on board with Deception. Brook says, and their new overnight rejuvenating cream… if they ever get it out. Maxie says, production and marketing cost money. So does the rare mineral in it. Brook says, it is rare, and they’ll need a lot to mass produce the cream. Lucy walks in and says, never fear. Their pesky problem was solved by none other than yours truly.

In an examining room, Lucas asks when Sidwell found the tick, and Sidwell says, 5 hours and 23 minutes ago. Lucas says, he’s precise. As was his job removing the tick and cleaning it out. Sidwell says, when you travel to the remote places he does, survival hinges on expertise and diligence. He hasn’t experienced any body, muscle, or joint aches. Lucas asks if he’s had the chills, a headache, or fever, and Sidwell says, no. And he’s taken his temperature every five minutes since he discovered the tick. Lucas says, he’s vigilant, and Sidwell asks if Lucas is going to test for Lyme. Lucas says, it’s highly unlikely he has it due to the short window the tick was present, but he’ll prescribe some antibiotics to be on the safe side. Sidwell asks if he should take any other preventative measures, and Lucas says, don’t walk in tall grasses. It’s winter, but the ticks are still out there. Sidwell says, sadly, his property is full of tall grasses. He’d have it sprayed, but Spoon Island is larger than it looks. Lucas asks if he lives at Windymere, and Sidwell says he’s just getting settled. Lucas says, he lived there as a child. It’s been in and out as a family property for years.  

Sonny tells Ava, it’s now or never. Take it or leave it. Ric says, the offer is one of Sonny’s intimidation tactics. Don’t fall for it. Sonny says he’s talking to Ava, and Ava says, Sonny took the time to come by. She’d like to hear what he has to say. Ric says, listening to him is a mistake, and Sonny says, Ava knows he doesn’t trust her. He never will. Ava says, the feeling is mutual, and he says, as far as Avery goes, they’ll put their differences aside. He knows Ava loves Avery and would do anything to make sure she’s not hurt. Ava says, of course (🍷) she would. She would die for Avery. He says, so would he. He knows Avery misses her, She needs both her parents and he’s willing to make her an offer. He’ll abide by their original agreement of shared custody. This fighting has to end today. Ric says he thinks that’s supposed to make them believe Sonny is a nice, reasonable guy. It doesn’t. It makes him think that Sonny knows Ava’s case is better than he’d like it to be, and he knows they’ve got a legit shot at full custody. Sonny says, he’s not even close, and Ric says he can do better. Send Sonny packing and they’ll take him to court. Sonny says, if they do that and he walks away, Ava will get nothing.

Lulu says she thinks of Sam and Sam’s family when she wakes up every morning. The fact she can do that is because of Kristina’s sister, who will never be able… She doesn’t know how they’re getting through it. She can’t think about Kristina’s poor mom. She’s losing her mind without Charlotte. Kristina says, it’s hard, and Lulu says she prays for Sam and Charlotte every day. She pictures Sam this badass guardian angel, looking down and keeping an eye on the people she loves. She never expected Sam… Kristina says, they never had to. Sam never hesitated. If she had the chance to help someone, she did. Lulu says, taking that chance cost her, and Kristina says she sees what happened to Sam and what she did for Lulu as completely separate. One had nothing to do with the other. Lulu says, it’s hard for her to reconcile that. Every day she’s reminded of how much so many lost. She sees it in Scout, in Danny, in Rocco, and Dante too.

Alexis says she heard about the incident at Charlie’s between Danny and Cyrus, and Jason says he ended the conversation and got Danny home. Alexis says, Danny confronted Cyrus. He believes Cyrus killed his mother. Does Jason believe that? Jason says he does, and she asks, what makes him so sure? He says, Anna. She’s focused solely on Cyrus, and he trusts her instincts. He never believed Cyrus’s redemption act. Alexis asks if Anna is close to an arrest, and he says he doesn’t know, but he knows Cyrus wouldn’t think twice about hurting Danny if he could get away with it. Until he’s arrested, he wanted to let Cyrus know he wouldn’t think twice about hurting him. Alexis wonders why he’d kill Sam. They barely had an interaction. He says he doesn’t know, and like he told Danny, knowing why doesn’t bring Sam back. Alexis says, Jason wants Cyrus dead, right? So does she.

Isaiah holds Mavis, and Elaine asks if Sasha minds staying with Mavis and keeping Mavis company while she gets her prescription. She doesn’t want Mavis to be alone at a time like this. She tells Mavis, be a good girl, kisses her, and leaves.

Cody says, of course (🍷) he’s not happy. He’d say he’s sorry, but he and Molly both know how much she loves his apologies. She asks if he wants to look at the documents. It’s her own sister. He says, no, and she says, the only reason she took it is because she needs to figure out what happened and find the person who did it. Cody says, please don’t hate him more than she already does, but what does she think she can do that he cops and everyone else can’t? She says, nothing. Sam was the P.I., not her. All she managed to do was take a file, risk her job, and get stuck on the roof to freeze to death. What made her think this was a good idea? What’s wrong with her? He says, absolutely nothing. When you’ve lost someone you loved, there’s no seeing it clearly or thinking it through. He doesn’t care what anyone says. She says, it’s obvious this is the universe’s way of telling her to stay in her lane, and he says, or it’s the universe’s way of telling GH’s maintenance department that they need a new lock on this door. Or maybe the universe was too busy and took a pass and there’s no message. Getting stuck was just an accident. She’s being way too hard on herself.

Alexis tells Jason that when she wakes up and remembers her baby is dead, she’s filled with so much rage, she feels like she can’t go on. Then finding out she was murdered in the hospital… It’s just too much. He says, it’s hard to reconcile, and she says, her beautiful, gentle girl was murdered after saving someone’s life. It’s just not fair. He agrees, and she says, when she lost her law license, she worked like hell to get it back because she loves the law. She believes in it. She believes the system works, most of time. He says, what about the other times? and she says she’s not willing to take the chance that it’s one of those times. She wants him dead and wants to be the one to kill him. She wants her face to be the last face he sees before he leaves this earth. Jason says, she can’t kill Cyrus. That’s not who she is. She says, no. That’s who he is.

Kristina tells Lulu, everyone is struggling with Sam’s death, especially Dante. They really loved each other. Lulu says she’s glad Sam made him happy. It’s all she wanted for Dante. From what she’s heard, their love was pretty epic. Kristina says, it was her favorite love story. She’d be happy to share it with Lulu if she ever wants to hear it, but she doesn’t want to cause unnecessary hurt. Lulu says she appreciates that, but she feels like she won’t be honoring Sam properly without knowing what everyone lost when she died. The last thing she wants to do is impose on Dante, because he can barely say Sam’s name around her. Kristina says, okay, and they sit. She says, where to begin… Sam had her kids and Dante had Rocco, but when they first met, they were essentially alone and hurting. She thinks because they each knew what the other was going through, that made it hurt less, and they spent more time together. They confided in each other and built each other up. In the beginning, it was a sweet, quiet love. They had eventually figured it out. Lulu’s phone dings and she says she’s late for a meeting. She’s sorry. She’s got to run. Thanks. She jets. (That’s not the way I remember Sam and Dante. They couldn’t stand each other in the beginning, and she flattened his tire when he was following her.)

Lucas tells Sidwell that he’s all set. The pharmacy is on the 7th floor. Sidwell wonders if he can ask a personal question. He understands that Windymere belonged to the Cassadines. How did Lucas live there? Lucas says his mother married a Cassadine. They were long time residents of Spoon Island. Sidwell says, small world, and Lucas asks if Sidwell is liking it there. When he was a kid, it creeped him out. Sidwell says he’s hoping to change that and make it more welcoming. He’s working with a local gallerist to give it a refresh – the Jerome Gallery. Lucas says, the world gets smaller yet. Ava Jerome is his aunt. She has a great eye. Sidwell says, she does, and Lucas has an excellent bedside manner. He thanks Lucas for seeing him.

Ava says she’s glad Sonny realizes how much she loves their daughter. She appreciates him offering to share, but he’s already trampled on the agreement they have by keeping Avery away from her. What’s to stop him from doing it again? Ric says, exactly. That’s why he’s telling her to fight. Avery isn’t even staying with Sonny. She’s staying with Carly while Sonny deals with the penthouse firebomb. It’s not safe for Avery to be with him any more than it was for his son. The judge knows that and so does Sonny. Sonny says, Ric doesn’t know about it. All he does is yap a lot. All he wants is to get Sonny on the stand so he can come for him, but the thing is, Diane will come at Ava. Ric says, don’t try to intimidate his client, but Sonny says he’s not. He’s telling the truth. Somebody has to. It’s not about them. It’s about Avery. Ava says, it only ever has been, and Sonny says, if Ava loves Avery the way she says she does, she’ll act in Avery’s best interest.

Sidwell walks into Deception’s meeting in Maxie’s office and says he hopes Lucy doesn’t mind that he let himself in. His schedule is tight. Lucy says, not at all. Welcome. She introduces him, and Lulu says, did she say, Jenz Sidwell? Sidwell asks if they’ve met, and she says, no, but she’s sure he knows her brother, Lucky Spencer.  

Sonny says he and Ava need to be honest with themselves. Their little girl isn’t little anymore. She’s intuitive and can feel the animosity between them. The other day, Avery came to him and asked, how come him and her mom can’t be in the same room? He didn’t know what to say, He felt bad, but if the custody battle continues, it will get ugly. The therapist will keep asking their daughter questions she’ll have to answer and it’s not fair. Ric asks if Sonny is sure it’s not about protecting Kristina from testifying, and Ava tells him, please. Sonny says he doesn’t want any of his children to be forced to testify. He’ll agree to 60/40. Ava says, 50/50, and Ric says, Ava! Sonny says, okay. He’ll have Diane write up the paperwork. He leaves.  

Alexis says she appreciates Jason not calling her a hypocrite, especially after she’s judged him for the violent way he lives his life. Jason says, they’re different people, and Alexis says, they’re not as different as she wants to believe. She wants retribution. She wants retribution for the life Sam would have had and wants it for Sam’s children who won’t have a mother. She wants it for Dante and wants it for herself. He says, now she understands how he feels, and she says she does. She wants vengeance so bad, she can taste it. If she didn’t have to think about the consequences, she’d put the gun in his hand. Now he knows how she feels, but she’s not going to hand him the gun. It doesn’t matter how she feels or what she wants or what he wants. The only thing that matters is what Sam wants. He says, Sam was supposed to be here to tell them, and she says, Sam isn’t. It’s up to them to do the right thing, what Sam would want. She would want Danny to heal over the loss someday, but he’ll never be able to do that if Jason kills Cyrus.

Molly says she appreciates Cody trying to make her feel better, but he says, it’s the truth. It’s too cold to think of anything to make her feel better. She says, thanks anyway, and he says, it’s human to want to find answers, find the evil person who killed Sam. When all is said and done, what Molly did was human. Don’t beat herself up about it. He would have done the same thing if he was her.

Sasha tells Elaine to get some rest, and Elaine thanks her. Sasha says she’d be happy to give Elaine and Mavis a ride home, and Elaine says, Mavis goes out 3 or 4 times a day. She’s so stiff and achy, she doesn’t know how she’s going to do that. Sasha suggests Elaine let her take care of Mavis while she’s recuperating, and Elaine says, it would be such a relief. And Sasha and Mavis have already bonded. Sasha says, they have, and starts to head out, but Elaine says, wait. She thinks this has gone on long enough. She thinks it’s time they were honest with each other.

Ric asks why on earth Ava would believe anything coming out of Sonny’s mouth, and Ava says she wanted her child. Ric just want to tear his brother apart. Ric says, that’s not fair. No matter his personal feelings, he wouldn’t jeopardize her getting her daughter back. He knows he could have done better. She says, for whom? Not Avery. She needs her father. And Sonny admitted for the first time that Avery needs her too. Ric says, so she didn’t need him, but she says, that’s not true. She was solely focused on getting her daughter back before he came along, and hurting Sonny as much and however she could, using John Cates and Kristina to do it. She’s ashamed of that. He says, she never told him that, and she says, it’s not something she’s proud to admit. She’s past it, especially since Ric was able to prove in court what happened to Kristina’s baby was an accident. He was the first person to believe her. And whatever Kristina believes, she doesn’t want Kristina to have to get on the stand and relive it. Ric says, she’s actually more generous than people give her credit for.

Sonny goes into Charlie’s and says, it looks amazing. Is Kristina up for a visitor? She says, of course (🍷). If it’s him, anytime. He says he has news, and she asks if it’s about Michael. Is he okay? He says, Michael is as good as he can be. It’s about her sister. She doesn’t have to testify at Ava’s custody hearing. She says, he doesn’t have to worry. She’s not afraid of Ava and Ric. He says, there’s no trial. They’ve settled the custody arrangement with Avery.

Lucas says, Sasha got a dog, and Isaiah says, show some respect. Her name is Mavis. Lucas apologizes and says he got a guy who got a tick bite on Spoon Island. Isaiah asks if he said Spoon Island, and Lucas says, he lives in Windymere, the big mansion. Isaiah says, a friend told him that Windymere’s most recent occupant is Jenz Sidwell. Bald with an accent. Lucas confirms it was Sidwell and asks how Isaiah knows him. Isaiah says, Lucas might want to ask Lucky about his experience with Sidwell, and Lucas says, it sounds like Isaiah had his own experience. Isaiah says, yeah. Sidwell is the bastard who kidnapped him in Africa and tried to kill him in the hospital when he escaped. He’s not a good man.

Molly says, just when she was starting to think Cody was halfway decent and being supportive. The guy who drinks too much and punches his way through his problems thinks she did the right thing. What does that say about her? He says, okay Little Miss Not-So-Perfect, it happened twice. She made a mistake, and he didn’t judge. She says, he’s got no moral code and she’s trying to hang onto hers, and he says he was trying to be nice. It’s not worth it. He starts to take his pants off, and when she protests, he says he has long johns on. She asks why he’s taking his pants off, and he says, because it’s cold and windy. He ties the legs of his jeans together and balls them up, walking to the edge of the roof. He says, there are people down there and they’ve got enough wind for the pants to make it down. It’s his version of a flare. If it doesn’t work, he’ll throw himself off. He tosses the pants.

Isaiah tells Lucky, watch out! and they step aside as Cody’s pants hit the sidewalk. Lucas says, is that a pair of jeans? and Isaiah says he thinks it’s a cry for help. They look up, and Molly and Cody yell for help.

Alexis says, if Jason kills Cyrus, he’ll make Danny complicit, but Jason says he’d never compromise Danny morally. Alexis says, it will make Danny feel responsible. They’re adults and know that he’s not. He’s a teenage boy. Don’t make him carry the burden of Cyrus’s death with him for the rest of his life.

Kristina says she would have bet money Ava would battle to the death before she gave up custody of Avery. Congratulations to Sonny and her sister. Sonny says, she didn’t just give up. They settled – a 50/50 split. She asks why he’d do that, and he says, Avery misses her mother. She needs both of them. Kristina says, Ava just tried to kidnap Avery, and they know what she’s capable of, and Sonny says he knows how she feels. It’s not fair that Ava is getting access to Avery, especially after Kristina lost Adella. They’ve both been through way too much, so it’s settled. She says, okay then, and goes behind the bar. She says, funny. She never thought she’d see her father take the easy way out.

Elaine tells Sasha that she’s a P.I. They didn’t meet by chance. She set Sasha up. The party she’s working with is investigating Sasha. Sasha says, why her? Who would do this? Elaine says she can’t break client confidentiality, but Sasha has been so kind to her and Mavis, she feels like she needs to warn Sasha. Watch her back. Somebody is looking into her. Sasha thanks Elaine for telling her, and Elaine says, she’s welcome. In her line of work, she doesn’t make many new friends. She tells Mavis, right? and Mavis barks. Elaine says, that’s right.

Isaiah and Lucas come out to the roof, and both Cody and Molly yell, don’t close that door! Cody says he thought he’d freeze, and Isaiah tosses his pants to him. Molly tells Cody that she can’t believe she’s uttering these words. Thank you for taking off your pants. You might just have saved our lives. Cody says he thinks she should just admit he’s right, and they all leave.

Sidwell says, she must be Lulu. A pleasure. He’s met her mother. He extends his hand, but she doesn’t take it. She says, if he met her mother, he knows her brother Lucky is the one he held hostage. Lucy apologizes and says, obviously, there must be a mistake. Lulu says, because Jenz Sidwell is such a common name, and Sidwell says, he has indeed met Lucky and found him aptly named. He doesn’t need to remind her that there are two sides to every story. He tells Lucy, the last thing he wants to do is create discord among her staff, and she says, Lulu is inconsequential. She doesn’t count. The one who counts is her beautiful partner, Maxie Jones. He tells Maxie, a pleasure. However, he feels he should take his leave. If after discussing it internally, they find his involvement too disruptive, call him. Lucy says she’ll keep the phone by her side and tells Lulu, he’s the one person who can throw a lifeline to Deception and she chased him off. Brook asks if it couldn’t wait until after the meeting, and Lulu says she’s sorry she wasn’t more polite to the man who tried to kill her brother. Lucy tells her that she doesn’t have a say, and Maxie says she does. And she wants to know everything about that guy before taking him on. Lucy says she’s seen his finances. She’s just going to tell him that these things happen, and they want to talk more. This was an aberration, and she guarantees it will not happen again. She leaves.

Alexis says, it’s Jason’s job to make sure Danny gets the future Sam would want him to have and he deserves without the burden of guilt. Which means – as much as she hates it – they have to leave Cyrus to the police. Jason says he understands, and she says she knows he does.

In the parking lot, Natalia asks a man if he has a cigarette. He says he doesn’t and gets in his car. Sidwell says he thought she gave up that filthy habit years ago. She says she gave up a lot of things that were bad for her back then, and he says, including him? Seeing how she slipped out of the meeting, he takes it she hasn’t told them that they were married once upon a time.

Ric says he’s going to grab the paperwork so he can approve the language. He’s got to get going. It’s going to take forever. Ava says he doesn’t have to rush to the office right this second, does he? and he says he supposes it will take Diane some time to get the paperwork together. She says she’s sure of it, and they move closer. She asks, however shall we pass the time? and he drops his bag. They kiss.

Kristina says, obviously, Sonny is trying to do the right thing, but Ava must have forced him. He asks if she thinks he’d let her. They have a difference of opinion and that’s fine, but he’s doing this for Avery. She needs her mother and father like Kristina does, like Donna does. She says, Ava’s not mom and she’s not Carly. She’ll never be a good role model. He says, okay, maybe not, but does she know how many years they’ve been fighting over Avery’s living arrangements? And who pays the price? Avery. He knows she doesn’t understand his decision, but he hopes one day she’ll figure out why he did it. He leaves and Kristina takes out her phone. She looks at the photo taken through the hotel room window that shows Ava with her hand on Kristina’s shoulder.  

On Monday, Anna tells Mac that she feels they’re getting closer; Elizabeth tells Jason that she thinks they found the evidence to put Cyrus away; and Carly asks if Sonny is going to tell her what’s really going on.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

First, the sad news. I don’t know why I thought she was older. Probably because she’s been around forever. I hope they don’t wait as long as they did for Bobbie’s memorial. That got weird.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/leslie-charlesons-cause-of-death-revealed

And the happy news. Well, roll me up and call me curly. I didn’t know he was married.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-alum-anthony-geary-celebrates-his-anniversary

A flashback from the 80s.

https://people.com/john-stamos-and-demi-moore-have-general-hospital-reunion-9732736

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

I thought about watching this, but got sucked into a TLC rabbit hole.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Sutton’s visit to her mother continued. We flashed back to Sutton telling Garcelle that she never felt her mother was proud of her. Garcelle tried to impart this wisdom to Reba, but Reba told her to mind her own business. Garcelle took it with grace, and in her interview, she said Reba had been hurt somewhere along the way and thought there was jealousy because Sutton had been a daddy’s girl. In Sutton’s interview, she said there may have been some pent-up resentment on her part, since her mother had been home when her father shot himself. It wasn’t something they talked about.

Erika must be doing okay since she was spending over $60K on a decorator. She said she was slowly getting back to a person she recognized. As part of her healing journey about her father, Sutton went with Garcelle and Kyle to the house where she grew up, and the new owners were gracious enough to allow her as much time as she needed. Sutton wanted the last years of her mother’s life to be happy and peaceful, which I guess included accepting her mother’s denial of pretty much everything. It was quite emotional. Boz talked to her daughter Lael about Keely and having another baby, and Lael was incredibly thoughtful and mature for age 15. Kyle had to remind Kathy not to put the phone to her ear when they were FaceTiming. I sometimes wonder how Kathy exists in the world, but I guess she pays people to do that for her.

In her ever-continuing apology tour.

And in the too little too late and no one cares category.

Summer House

Apparently, West broke up with Ceara through a New York Times article. More shocking was how desperate the Times must be for readers. Or maybe they forgot they’re not the Star. Many of the housemates made a big deal of two newbies being younger at 26 and 27, but when everyone acts 14, who cares?

It ended with Carl’s arrival, and it would be the first time he’d seen Lindsay since finding out she was pregnant.

Southern Charm

It was time to go to the Bahamas, and no surprise there were ads for Bahamian tourism during the commercial breaks. Once they got there, Shep called Sienna who said she’d meet them at the hotel. Craig acted like big baby Ramona when he didn’t want to share a room in an amazing suite. Craig lived in the Bahamas for two years? Surprise to me. In Craig’s interview, he got the vibe Sienna wasn’t really into Shep. I got that vibe too. She didn’t greet him like someone she hadn’t seen for months and missed. She also didn’t want alone time with him, which says everything.

Next time Shep tells Sienna that he’s wildly in love with her and Craig wonders why Austen hates him so much.

Southern Hospitality

While I can’t stomach the middle school antics on this show, I do like watching Maddi’s career as a DJ evolve. It’s also refreshing to see a boyfriend being as supportive as Joe is. Maddi is for sure living her best life. And soberly, no less. No surprise, Emmy had another weepfest at a dinner. I wouldn’t believe Will either, but I do feel sorry for her. Group dinners are a bad idea all around. Reality casts either want to start a fight about something at this inappropriate time or they want to play a game no one should ever play, involving negative comments about the others. Tonight, it was, who is the person at the table you trust the least? Like Heather’s worst texts about someone else on RHOSLC, no good can come from a game like this.

Random Items

VanderTease.

Is there any amount of money this guy can’t make? Admittedly, he does work hard for it.

The world has become her oyster.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Apple Cider Vinegar. Netflix. This is a kinda sorta true-ish miniseries. There are three intersecting stories about different forays into natural cancer treatment. One woman fakes having cancer and cons the world into thinking she’s found the answer in a healthy diet. Another woman actually diagnosed with cancer finds a real cure in a healthy diet, also becoming a guru of sorts, only to find it wasn’t such a cure after all. A third woman is a cancer patient in search of a cure. A lot of food for thought – no pun intended.

https://www.techradar.com/streaming/netflix/netflixs-new-crime-drama-apple-cider-vinegar-is-the-latest-female-fraudster-series-that-i-cant-get-enough-of

Baylon Out Loud. TLC. I like this show more every time I watch it. It shows there are still decent people in the world

https://collider.com/baylen-out-loud-tic-con/

These two. I’m rooting for their relationship to win.

https://people.com/tiktoker-baylen-dupree-is-engaged-to-colin-dooley-exclusive-8789450

⌚️ Upcoming Watches…

SNL50: The Anniversary Special, February 16th on NBC, E!, and Peacock, the red carpet beginning at 7 pm ET.

https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/snl-50-days-of-fandom-events-specials-episodes

This looks intriguing. Premiering February 23rd at 10 pm on NBC and streaming on Peacock February 24th.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/nbc-s-grosse-pointe-garden-society-reminds-us-of-wisteria-lane-review/ar-AA1yuVSx

And at the cinema, coming this July. Dinosaurs! Flying dinosaurs! Dinosaurs popping out of the water like a prehistoric Jaws! What more do you need?

https://www.jurassicworld.com/

🎰 Vegas Here We Come…

Walton Goggins talks Fallout’s new season.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/fallout-season-2-new-vegas-walton-goggins

🐕 And the Winners Are…

The Puppy Bowl.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10154197-puppy-bowl-2025-recap-mvp-highlights-and-twitter-reaction

The Westminster Dog Show.

https://people.com/westminster-dog-show-2025-best-in-show-winner-8789581

🥁 Quotes of the Week

The plan is to fan this spark into a flame. – Lin-Manuel Miranda

If you get up one more time than you fall, you will make it through. –Chinese proverb

A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t. – Jack Dempsey (Apparently, I’m a champion every morning.)

There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits. – Michael Phelps

A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. – Benjamin Franklin

My size is tedious. – Juan, My 600-Lb. Life

No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. – Robin Williams

Reading butts. – a job requirement to keep the Puppy Bowl dogs calm and the field accident-free

That wasn’t karaoke. It was you, a jukebox, and a bar full of angry people. – Mike (Billy Gardell), Mike & Molly

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

💖 Valentine Mode Activated…

Until next time, stay safe; stay being your own Valentine; and stay not hesitating. If you have the chance to help someone, do it.

November 7, 2023 – A Lot Of Guilt To Go Around, Healing Thoughts, Boys Of GH, Take a Stroll, Emmy News, Oops, More Maurice, Viva Las Bravo, Next Year, Holiday Treats & Celebrate

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Doc and Laura come out of the hospital elevator, and Valentin thanks them for coming. Laura says, of course (🍷), and Doc asks, where is Charlotte? Valentin says, she’s in surgery, and Laura asks, what happened? Valentin says, she was shot, and Doc and Laura look stunned. Laura asks, who would do something like that? and Valentin says, it was Anna. Laura says, oh my God, no.

Anna stands on the terrace at Sonny’s penthouse. He tells her, good morning, but she’s not sure what’s good about it. He asks if she got any sleep, but she says, every time she closes her eyes, it just plays like a movie in her head, over and over again. Her finger on the trigger, the gun recoiling, the shot. It was just so loud in that small apartment. It just kind of echoed down the hallway. She can still hear it.

Gregory goes to Alexis’s office and says, he wanted to see her? She thanks him for coming, and he asks if everything is all right. She says she needs his input, and he says, she knows how he loves to share his opinion. What’s the problem? She says, it’s a question of journalistic ethics, and he says, that sounds heavy. She says, it is. Is she required to report the shooting of a child?

Jordan comes into the station, and Mac says, they’ve been waiting for her. She says she got there as soon as she could, and he tells her, Dante was the detective on the scene last night. They go into the interrogation room, and Jordan says she has a lot of questions for Dante. Mac says, tell them exactly what happened, and Robert adds, and why it did.

At Volonino’s Gym, Devon, who has prosthetic legs, asks Curtis, where is everybody? The gym seems quiet. Curtis says, this gym is kind of private. His good friend’s husband owns it. Sonny Corinthos? Devon says, Curtis is a lucky guy to have such good friends, and Curtis says, they’ve definitely stuck by him, even though he tried to push them away.

Sam answers a knock at the door, and says, oh my God – Drew! He says, sorry he didn’t call, and she says, it’s really him. They hug, and he asks if it’s a bad time, but she says, no. It’s never a bad time. She can’t believe he’s out of prison.

While he lifts hand weights, Devon says, this is the time you need your friends the most. Why did Curtis push them away? Curtis asks how he does it, and Devon says he thought he was the one asking a question. Curtis says, Devon’s always so positive and upbeat. He doesn’t know if he’d have made it out of rehab without him. Devon says, Curtis put in the work. He just gave Curtis a bit of inspiration. Curtis says, Devon was dealt a bad hand, but always has a smile on his face. What’s his secret? Devon says, Curtis is seeing who he is today. He wasn’t always this way. He had years of bitterness and resentments it’s taken a lifetime of work to overcome. And that work never ends.

Sam asks when Drew got out, and he says, last night. He went to see Carly, and obviously his next stop was to see his girl. He missed Scout like crazy. Is she awake? She says, she’s actually sleeping right now. Scout’s probably exhausted from the Halloween party at Kelly’s, but she can wake Scout up. He says, it’s probably better if she doesn’t. He doesn’t want her to hear this. Carly got a call that Charlotte was shot, and Danny was trick-or-treating with her before it happened. Sam says, yeah. They didn’t know she was shot when they came home last night; they only knew she was missing. Danny was really shaken up. He felt guilty and responsible. He said that he should have been the one that kept Charlotte with them. Drew says, he shouldn’t have to carry all that, and she says she told him that he doesn’t have to take responsibility for his friends, but he felt guilty. He’s just like his father. He wants to save the entire world, but he can’t. He asks if Danny knows Charlotte was shot, and she says, Dante came home this morning to tell him and Rocco. They were dreading it, but they didn’t want him to read it on social media or anything. They thought it was best if it came from them. He says, that had to have been a tough conversation. How was Rocco? She says, it hit hm pretty hard. He broke down in Dante’s arms. All Dante could do was hold him, and she could tell Danny was holding back tears, but he wanted to stay strong. Drew asks if they have someone they can talk to, like a therapist, and she says she already set it up. And she talked to Elizabeth. Jake was at the scene of the shooting. He’s pretty traumatized too. He says, that is a lot to deal with, especially at their age. Please, she’s got to tell him if there’s anything he can do. Now that he’s back, there’s so much he needs to make up for.

Alexis tells Gregory that she doesn’t know all the details, but she knows the identities of those involved, and two of them are members of her family. He asks if everyone’s all right, but she says, no. This was a tragic accident. He asks, what happened? and she says, he’s aware that Anna has been the target of harassment? He says he knows her house was burned down. The police said it was arson. She says, shortly after that, the broke into her hotel and destroyed her clothes and left her a threatening message. He asks how this relates to the shooting of a child, and she says, Anna’s been on edge for months. So last night, she comes home to an intruder in her apartment. So she takes out her gun and fires, straight into Charlotte Cassadine. He says, Valentin’s daughter was the intruder? He finds it hard to imagine a teenage girl breaking into an apartment. (Really? I don’t.) She says, the police are still trying to piece this all together, but the bottom line is, Anna shot an innocent child, so she’s going to have a lot to answer to. (Wow. A lot of assumption on her part.) He says, but the big question is, what was Charlotte doing in that apartment?

Valentin says, so he realized she had to be headed to Anna’s apartment, and Laura asks if he thinks she wanted to leave another threatening message. Doc asks how she got in, but Valentin says he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know what her intentions were, and he doesn’t know what she’s capable of. Laura says, he got there after the shooting? and he says, yeah. He wanted to intercept her, but he was too late. The door was open, and he looked inside, and Anna was leaning over Charlotte.

Robert asks if Dante talked to Anna, and Dante says, she claims when she left her apartment, she locked the door. When she got back around 9:30 pm, the door was unlocked. She drew her gun, she thought she saw an intruder in her apartment with a weapon, she fired. Robert says, let’s talk about the legal culpability here. Could Anna face criminal charges? It’s not against the law to defend your own property with a gun. Jordan says, it depends, and he says, on what? She says, on if Anna could reasonably expect Charlotte to be there. And if that’s the case, Anna could be in real trouble.

Sonny hands Anna a coffee mug, and she thanks him. He says he knows she’s a tea drinker, but he thought she’d need something stronger than that. She says she’s often wondered why Corinthos went for coffee. Out of all the legitimate businesses out there, why did he choose this? He says, Don Corleone had already chosen olive oil, so he wanted the next best thing. He laughs and says, he had a lot of contacts in South America. She says, that doesn’t sound suspicious, but he says, it’s not what she thinks. Most of the coffee in the world is grown there, and it’s a big industry. Remember when all the coffee houses were going up? He wanted to get in before the market flooded. She says, that’s smart, when Nina comes out. She asks if everything is all right, but Anna says, no, it’s not.

Doc asks if Anna said what happened, but Valentin tells him that he didn’t hear anything she said. The paramedics got there right away. Doc asks if Anna went to the police, but Valentin says he doesn’t know. He knows she came here to explain. Laura asks how you explain shooting a 15-year-old girl, and Valentin says he couldn’t talk to her. He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea she’d shoot Charlotte. He still can’t. (Is it me? Why is this all so hard to put together?)

Sonny says, Anna needed a place to stay last night, and she arrived late, and Nina says she knows Anna got a new place. Are they not ready for her to move in yet? Sonny says, it’s not like that, and Anna says she should be the one to tell her. Nina says, tell her what? What’s going on? Anna says, it’s Charlotte, and Nina asks if something happened to Charlotte. Anna starts to cry and says, it was an accident. She shot her.

Mac asks how Charlotte got into the apartment, but Dante says he doesn’t know. Maybe she had a key. There was no sign of forced entry. Like he said before, Anna said she locked the door before she left, and it was unlocked when she got back. Jordan asks if Anna would have given Charlotte a key, but Dante says he doesn’t know. Robert says he can’t imagine she would do that. She just moved into that place. She’s going to say to Charlotte, drop by after you’re finished with Halloween, and by the way, I’ll give you a key? That doesn’t make any sense. Dante says, according to Jake Webber, Charlotte did have a key in her possession. She said it was her key to getting everything she wanted. Mac asks, what the hell does that mean? and Dante says, that’s what he wants to find out. Jordan says, obviously, she had a key to the apartment, but Anna was unaware. That’s why she came in the door shooting. Robert says, well, she wasn’t expecting Charlotte. And he can tell them who she was expecting.

Sam asks if Drew knew he was getting out. Did Diane get a message to him? He says, no. The whole thing was just so sudden. He was sitting on his cot, the guards walked in and said, come on, Cain, let’s go. You’re released. He didn’t even believe it. He didn’t have to get up in front of the prison board; he didn’t have to speak to the warden. Nothing. Next thing he knew, he was in his own clothes and on his way home. She says, Carly must be really excited for him, and he tells her, you could say that. She told him who was responsible for his release. Sam says, who was it? and he says, your mother.

Gregory tells Alexis that they have to assume Charlotte was there uninvited. If Anna was expecting her, she wouldn’t have pulled a gun. Alexis says, that’s why she’s holding off on publishing. They need more facts. They can’t speculate about this. He says, her cousin must be devastated, and she say she hasn’t been able to reach him. Obviously, he’s in agony. He says, if she didn’t know any of the people involved, if they weren’t family, would she publish? She says, this is what she’s been struggling with all morning. Obviously, the shooting of a child is newsworthy. And it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks about the Second Amendment, gun violence is real, and this should be reported. He says, so she’s going to publish it? and she says she thinks she has to. But the victim is a minor and out of respect for her family, she’s not going to mention any names. He says, she’s making a good call on a difficult story, and Alexis looks like she has a headache. I disagree with that call. I think she was right the first time. They need more facts. For instance, it’s not like Charlotte was shot in her own home. She let herself into an apartment where she wasn’t invited. In the dark. In a Hermit costume.

Curtis says, a lifetime of work. He’s not sure he has the stamina for that. Devon says, it’s perfectly normal to doubt yourself, just keep pushing through it. Curtis says, but how do you do it? Devon makes it look so easy, and Curtis knows he’s going to have a struggle on his hands. Devon says, they both have disabilities, but they’re coming from very different places. He was born without legs. He doesn’t know what it’s like to walk without prosthetics. Curtis went from an active, vital man to a wheelchair. That’s a huge adjustment. He still has times of frustration and resentment. Does Curtis know how hard it was to watch the other kids run around the playground? Curtis says he’s sorry. He had no idea. He feels selfish complaining right now, but Devon tells him not to feel sorry for him. There are plenty of times he does that for himself. He tries not to wallow in it. Like it or not, it’s who he is. Just focus on moving forward. Curtis says he’s not sure he knows how to do that.

Alexis hangs up the phone and tells Gregory that she really hopes she’s making the right call. He says, she is. Don’t second guess herself. She says she’s been consumed with this all morning. She didn’t even ask. How is he feeling? Or is that a stupid question to ask somebody with ALS? He laughs and says, no. He appreciates it. Most people just tap-dance around the subject. They’re afraid to ask like it’s some dirty little secret. He’s happy with the new specialist Finn recommended. He’s a straightshooter; he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He says Gregory’s ALS is progressing, but it’s impossible to put a timeframe on it. So he has no idea how long it’s going to be before he’s in a wheelchair. He gets up and says, which is why he needs to get moving on his bucket list. Has she changed her mind about skydiving?

Scout comes downstairs, and says, daddy? You’re home! She runs to him, and he picks her up, hugging her. Sam smiles.

Dante says, that’s some pretty cryptic sounding stuff, but Robert says he can’t tell them everything. Some of it’s classified Bureau stuff. Jordan says, he has to tell him everything he knows, and Robert says, Anna dug up this old document, which has the name of a former agent attached to it. She figured this guy has been stalking her. Dante asks if Robert has seen the document, and Robert says, Anna laid out what her theory was, and he agreed. Mac says, so this mystery person is still out there, and Robert says, yeah, and he can pull this again. But this time, it might be fatal. This guy’s prepared to do whatever’s necessary to suppress this information. Jordan says, so that means Anna definitely wasn’t expecting Charlotte to be at her apartment, and Robert says, correct. She entered the apartment, saw this figure holding what looked like a weapon, and figured, this person’s going to kill me. So she exercised the only option she had, which was to shoot. Soap looks all around.

Valentin tells Laura and Doc that Dr. Gatlin-Holt went right to work on Charlotte when they arrived. He must have gotten some information, but he couldn’t process it or tell them what was said. He doesn’t know where Charlotte was shot. What if it’s near the heart? Laura says, they don’t know any of that. Try not to speculate. It’s just going to make him crazy. He says, all he knows is that the bullet is still inside of her, and they’re going to remove it, and they’re going to repair the damage, but he can’t get his head around the idea. Doc says, let him see what he can find out, and Laura says she’ll go with him, unless Valentin wants her to stay, but Valentin says, go. They leave, and he takes out his phone. His thumb hovers over Anna’s number, and Nina comes out of the elevator. He goes to her, and they hug and cry.

Anna tells Sonny that she just doesn’t understand what Charlotte was doing in that apartment. How did she get in there? There was no sign of forced entry. She had to have used a key. He says he’s assuming Anna didn’t give her a key, and she says, no. She lost her own key. She had to get one from the super. Sonny asks if she knows what Charlotte was doing before she shot her, and Anna shakes her head. She says, there was a figure with a hood bending over this trunk that she has, and then they turned, and she saw what she thought was a weapon. He says, that’s understandable. She felt threatened. She says she’s been so on edge lately; she jumps at the slightest thing. Sonny was right. She should never have gotten rid of the bodyguard. If he had been there, this wouldn’t have happened. He says, she can’t blame herself, and she asks what he’s talking about. If she – Anna chokes up – if Charlotte… If Charlotte doesn’t make it, it’s her fault. He puts his arm around her as she cries.

Valentin thanks Nina for coming, and she says, of course (🍷). They’re in this together. She’s not letting him go through this alone. He says, this is his fault, but she says, feeling guilty is only going to make this more difficult. He says, if he’d warned Anna that Charlotte was her stalker right away, this never would have happened; she’d have never pulled a gun. Nina says, Valentin made a mistake not telling Anna right away, but Anna made a big mistake and Charlotte did too. (Why are they blaming Anna so hard? The flashlight did look like a gun.) He says, she’s a child, and Nina says she understands that, but her point is, there’s a lot of guilt to go around. He doesn’t have to carry the burden all by himself. Speculating on what he should have done isn’t going to make the situation any easier. He says, they should have confronted Charlotte the moment they saw that security footage, and she hustles him over to the waiting area, suggesting they not talk about the footage. It’s gone. He says, what if his daughter is gone? and they sit. Nina says, they have to be positive. Charlotte is alive. She’s a fighter. They have to believe in her. They have to believe she’s going to make it.

Anna tells Sonny that she’s a professional. She’s been trained in firearms. She knows when to shoot and when not to shoot. He tells her not to beat herself up, and she says she went into that apartment like she was on a mission; like she expected to be fired at. But she wasn’t. She was a 15-year-old girl. He says, she didn’t know that, and she cries some more. She says she saw movement and she reacted. She didn’t stop and access the situation the way she’s been trained to at the Academy. Not shoot first and ask questions later. Maybe she didn’t see movement. Maybe she just imagined it. But she did fire and she hit her target. And they went down, and they didn’t move. It seemed like it was in slow motion, but it could have only taken two seconds. And Jake came and said Charlotte’s name… That’s when she realized what she’d done. She begins to weep again.

Mac tells Dante to go home and get some rest, and Jordan thanks him. She knows things were intense when he was on administrative leave, but she’s glad to have him back. Dante says, just keep him updated on Charlotte’s condition, and he leaves. In the squad room, an officer tells Dante, CSI sent this up. He gives Dante an envelope and says, the inventory on Charlotte Cassadine’s back. Dante thanks him and starts flipping through it.

Alexis says she would do anything to support Gregory, but she’s not jumping out of a plane. Please don’t make her. She’s afraid of heights and she still doesn’t understand how planes stay up in the air (ha-ha! she’s me), and she doesn’t understand how anyone would think jumping out of a plane would be fun. Really. What’s wrong with them? He laughs and says, it’s supposed to be an exhilarating feeling, but he’s going to let her off the hook. She agreed to ax throwing and hot yoga, so he’s not going to push this one. Besides – he takes a paper out of his pocket and unfolds it – he thinks he still has some less risky items on his list. She says, good. Her stomach thanks him. He says, she’s in the clear. He knows she has a lot to do, so he’s going to take off. She thanks him for the talk, but he says, she doesn’t have to thank him. She says she appreciates that and thanks him again. He leaves.

Scout says she’s so happy Drew’s home. She missed him so much. He says he missed her too. He thought about her every single day. They hug, and she says, really? He says, every hour of every day. He couldn’t wait to get home to her. She asks if it’s over. Does he have to go back to prison? He says, no. He’s here to stay. And you know what made him feel so much better when he was gone? The plaque she got for swimming. Scout says, Sam really gave it to him? and Sam says she told Scout that she was going to. Drew says he’s so proud of her. Next season, he’s going to be at every single meet, he promises. She asks if he got out in time to go trick-or-treating, but he says, the lights were turned out by then. She says, that’s okay, because she got a whole bunch of candy for him. He says, that’s his girl, and she asks if he wants some now. She got all his favorites. Sam says she thinks it’s a little early for candy, and Drew says, maybe she’s right. How about if Scout gets dressed, because there’s something really important that he needs her help with. Scout says, okay, and goes upstairs.

Devon says, for Curtis to move forward, he needs to talk about his feelings and share his experience with others. If he keeps it in and hides it from the people who love him, it will destroy him. So let it out. Let his beautiful family see who he is now.

Dante comes home and tells Sam that he wishes he was still on administrative leave. Then he wouldn’t be having to deal with this. He saw Charlotte on a gurney. She asks if there’s any update on Charlotte’s condition, but he says, she’s still in surgery as far as he knows. This whole thing is unbelievable. How are Rocco and Danny? He can’t believe he had to go back to work after telling them about Charlotte. She says, they were still a mess, and they didn’t want to stay at the house. They needed a distraction, so she let them go to their friend’s house. Drew got out of prison. Scout’s with him now. Dante says, that’s good news, and she asks how it went at the station. He says, taking statements, bagging evidence… A 15-year-old girl’s been shot. None of this makes any sense at this point. It’s someone close to them too. He knows it’s extenuating circumstances, but try telling that to Anna, the one who pulled the trigger.

Anna tells Sonny, this is so surreal. It’s like she was outside of her body watching everything. Then inside her head, she was screaming, no, no, no. Please don’t let it be Charlotte, but she knew it was her. He says, unfortunately, he knows the feeling. When Dante first came to town, he didn’t know Dante was his son, because originally, Dante kept it from him for years. He didn’t know Dante was an undercover cop. So Dante gained his trust and arrested him. And he shot Dante, point blank. She says she did hear about that. That must have been just awful. Sonny says, he was bleeding out on the floor. Olivia came in. She yelled out, you shot your own son. So he knows about that moment. It’s the shot that’s unbearable. She says, even before she took the hood off of Charlotte, she thought, this is such a tiny figure lying here, and the weapon, it was a flashlight she was carrying. He says, she didn’t know that. So then her survival instincts kicked in. She scrunches down in the chair and says, this is such a nightmare. How could she have been so reckless to have fired on an unarmed child? She doesn’t know how she’s going to live with that. She doesn’t know how.

Jordan says, there’s something they need to discuss, and it’s right in this room. Mac says, what? and she says, us. Mac’s acting Police Commissioner, Robert’s the DA, she’s the Deputy Mayor. They all have closer relationship to Anna. Robert says he was married to her – he laughs – twice. She says, even Dante, who was the first investigator on the scene, has a close relationship with Anna. She just doesn’t want anyone thinking this is a cover-up. Mac says, there’s nothing to cover up. They’re not hiding anything. Nor are they giving Anna any preferential treatment. Jordan says she gets that, but they all need to recognize their connections to Anna might compromise the case. Robert asks what she’s suggesting, and she says, that they might have to bring in an outside investigator.

Curtis asks, what about Devon? Does he have any kids? Devon says, two incredible sons. They’re his whole world. They’re devoted to each other. He’s proud to say they’re great human beings. Curtis says he doesn’t doubt that they are. He has a daughter, a lovely wife, his dad, his auntie, his nephew… He has really good friends who he calls family, so he guesses that makes it a big family. Devon says, it’s time to let them in. Let them see who he really is.

Doc tells Laura that he’s sorry. He wishes he could have found out more. She says, that’s okay. She’s sure Valentin will appreciate the effort. She supposes right now all they can do is wait and pray. Doc says, they’ll need to do a lot more than pray. Charlotte’s in real trouble, and he doesn’t mean medically or legally. That child is broken. She says, then they have to do everything they can to fix her. He says, her physical recovery will be a lot easier than her emotional one, and Laura says she’ll never give up on Charlotte. She cries and he holds her.

On the phone, Alexis says, get them to her as soon as she can. Scout comes in and she says she’s got to run. She asks what Scout is doing here, hugging her, and Scout says she has a big surprise for Alexis. Alexis says, bigger than her showing up here on her own? Scout says, yep, and she’s not here on her own. Look who she brought with her. Drew walks in.

Curtis says, his wife keeps asking him how he feels, and Devon asks what he tells her. Curtis says he gives her the same standard answer; it’s all good, babe. But in reality, he’s far from good. Devon says, his wife just wants to help. Keeping her in the dark won’t do either of them any good. Curtis says, he’s right. It’s not fair. From now on, he’s going to tell his wife the truth. He wants to start moving forward. Devon says, okay. Are they done talking now? Let’s get back to work. Curtis says, he’s going to take the tens this time.

Alexis hugs Drew and says she’s so happy to see him. She tells Scout that she was right. This is a big surprise. Drew tells her that it was his idea to see her, but the set-up was all Scout. Alexis asks how happy Scout is to see her daddy, and Scout says, it’s the best. Drew says, it is the best. He got released last night, and he knows she played a pivotal role in that. He thanks her, but she says she’s not taking credit. It was Sonny, it was Carly, it was Diane, it was Gregory… He says he knows they were all involved, but his sources tell him that she was the one to seal the deal, and he’s so grateful. If there’s anything he can do to repay her, she’s got it. She says, the smile on her granddaughter’s face is good enough, and she hugs Scout. She tells Drew, get in here, and they have a three-way hug.

Valentin asks if Doc was able to find out anything, and Doc says he had to leave word for Dr. Gatlin-Holt, but he did speak to the surgical coordinator. Charlotte sustained a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Valentin asks if there’s any word from the OR, but Doc says, nothing yet, and Nina says she’s sure they’ll hear something soon. Laura thanks her for coming, and Nina says she loves Charlotte. She wanted to be here. Valentin asks how Nina knew to come; he didn’t call her. Nina says, Anna slept over at the penthouse, and she didn’t know about Charlotte until this morning. Laura asks, how is Anna? and Nina says, outwardly, she seem calm, but underneath it all, she’s sure Anna is shattered. She thinks Anna’s still in shock. A surgeon approaches them, and Valentin asks, how’s Charlotte? Is his little girl going to be all right?

Dante tells Sam, so Charlotte took off on the kids, and Jake followed her to Anna’s house. Sam wonders how Charlotte got into Anna’s house. She can’t see Charlotte picking a lock. He says, there’s a lot about Charlotte they don’t know. What they do know is, Anna got to her house, the front door was unlocked, there was an intruder in her apartment. She pulled her gun and fired, and it’s not illegal. Sam says, but the intruder was an unarmed teenager, and Dante says, but Anna was threatened. She thought she saw a weapon. Sam says, what baffles her is what Charlotte was doing there in the first place, and he says he has a theory. He doesn’t know if it holds water yet. She asks what he’s got, and he says, they found Charlotte’s backpack. In it was red spray paint and it matched the paint that was on Anna’s front door. Sam says, murderer, and he says, and then Anna’s house burned down.

Sonny tells Anna, there are some burdens that are too heavy to carry, and some mistakes too terrible to live with. She says, but she has to live with this. She doesn’t have a choice. She has to find a way to come to terms with her actions, and she doesn’t know how to do that. He says, that’s why he prays. In his darkest hours, he gets down on his knees and asks God to give him the strength. Maybe she should try it. She says, he’s a good Catholic as all mob bosses are, but he says he doesn’t know about good, and laughs. She says, he’s a man of faith then. She’s just a lapsed Anglican. She hasn’t been in church for a while. The last time she was in church, she was on a mission actually. He says, that’s all right. God always listens to him. He doesn’t know where he’d be if he didn’t believe in Him. His phone rings, and he says, it’s Nina. He asks if she’s at the hospital, and Nina says, yes. Charlotte’s out of surgery. The doctor said she’s going to make it. Sonny tells Anna that Charlotte’s going to be okay, and Anna breathes a sigh of relief.

Tomorrow, Tracy says, Brook can have her cake and eat it too; Lois asks if Eddie/Ned isn’t curious about the rest; Maxie says, of course (🍷) they’re interested; and Sonny accuses Ava of being in bed with the enemy.

📡 Sending Good Vibes…

Here’s praying he comes through with flying colors.

🚑 Goodbye And Happy Anniversary…

Aging Danny up and out.

And keeping Wiley. I miss those other kids who moved to France though.

🏥 Laura’s Memory Lane…

She’s been on (and off) the show for a long time. I wonder if she dreams in Laura.

🏆 Half An Answer…

Apparently, the Daytime Emmys will be on December 16-17 – so good it takes an entire weekend? – but still nothing on when the soaps will figure in. The speculation is the 15th, but there’s nothing definite.

🍾 Random Events…

He doesn’t say if she gave him a black eye afterward.

https://ew.com/celebrity/john-stamos-elizabeth-taylor-general-hospital-set-yelling-old-lady/

📖 An Open Book…

I love this guy. He must help a lot of people by sharing his personal life.

https://people.com/general-hospital-s-maurice-benard-talks-living-with-bipolar-disorder-8387469

🥂 The Biggest Con Of All…

No recaps for RHOSLC or that horrible House yet, so here are some highlights from Andy’s Kingdom in Vegas.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/bravocon-2023-recap-real-housewives-captain-jason-1235638139/

The tears.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/bravocon-kyle-richards-cries-while-talking-about-mauricio-breakup

The boos.

https://people.com/bravocon-2023-rhonj-teresa-giudice-booed-not-leaving-bravo-8385173

The absentee.

Awards for bringing the drama.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/the-bravos-awards-at-bravocon-2023-pics-details

🐉 Dragon Their Feet…

Although it isn’t as long as we’ve been waiting for that last book. Write faster, George R.R. Martin.

https://ew.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-summer-2024-return/

🍰 Bake Me A Cake…

It might be worth watching just for Joel McHale.

https://ew.com/tv/the-great-american-baking-show-celebrity-holiday-cast-reveal/

🤸‍♀️ Jumping In Leaves…

Join me tomorrow for soap and finding fault with Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay just pushing through it when you doubt yourself, and stay not hiding your feelings from the people who love you.

August 23, 2022 – The Quartermaine Picnic Commences, a Thought, Long Awaited Return, Wish Come True, She Hates It, New Wife, Tales Talk, Who’s Worthy & Virtual

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Willow suggests she and Michael sit on the couch. She takes his hand, and he says, she knows she can tell him anything. Whatever it is, they’ll figure it out together. She says she doesn’t know if they can this time, and he says, sounds serious. He sees Sonny on the terrace, and jumps up. He whips open the door, and tells Sonny that he’s not welcome here.

Carly asks how Drew got roped into grilling, and he says, all the Q’s are doing their part. He’s trying to help out GH, and it just so happens he’s a grill master. Carly says, show her what he’s got, and he says, prepare to be amazed, clicking his tongs.

Jordan tells Marshall that he bears no responsibility for Tommy’s death. He wasn’t there. Tommy barely had any memories of Marshall; he thought Marshall died when he was a child. Marshall says, maybe if he’d stayed, he could have prepared Tommy for what was to come. If he had more courage, Tommy might still be alive.

Walking into the picnic, Nikolas says, they could sell this better if Ava would just smile a little bit. She says, never tell a woman to smile (thank you), and he says, even if it keeps that woman out of prison? She doesn’t want any suspicion coming her way if Esme’s body turns up. She says, he’s the one causing suspicion, and he says, he’s trying to save her, so play nice and let him. She says she didn’t ask for his help, when Olivia comes by, and tells them, this is a party. Kindly take their fighting somewhere else.

Leo stirs his concoction, and says, amore… amore. Dante comes in, and asks what he’s doing, and Leo says he’s helping. Sam comes in the other door, and she and Dante smile at each other.

Brook thanks Chase for coming, and he thanks her for inviting him. She tells him, what can she say? He’s her favorite client. He says he’s her only client, and also co-conspirator, and she says, nothing solidifies relationships like a mutually beneficial scheme. He says he’s glad she sees it that way. He could really use her help.

Curtis tells Portia, God knows he loves her. He loves her kindness, her selflessness… He loves the way she loves family. TJ sees what’s going on, and takes out his phone to film it. Curtis says he loves Portia’s dimple, especially when she’s laughing at his bad jokes. He loves the way she supports, encourages, and brings out the best in him. And when he thinks about his future, he sees her right there by his side, and he wants them to spend forever together. Will she marry him?

Sonny tells Michael, he’s supposed to be here. He’s one of the largest donors to the children’s wing. Michael says, of course (🍷) he’d be invited. He just thought Sonny would have the sense to stay home. Sonny says, Michael doesn’t have to worry about Nina. She didn’t want to come; she didn’t want to cause any trouble. Michael says, that’s a first, and Sonny says, it’s obvious Michael doesn’t like Nina, but he won’t tolerate Michael disrespecting her. Michael says, but he’ll tolerate Nina disrespecting their entire family. He doesn’t have time for this. He slams the door, and starts to go back to Willow, but Sonny busts back in. Sonny says, let him tell Michael something. If he ever does that again, it will be the last time he closes a door.

Sam says hi to Leo, and tells Dante that she came to see if Olivia needed any help. He says, she just missed Olivia, but he’s heading out to the grill to give Drew a break. Does she want to come with him? She says she’s going to check on Scout, but she’s glad he has everything under control. She jets, and Dante says, never mind. Leo asks if Sam is mad at him, and he says, seems like it, right? Leo says, don’t worry. She won’t be soon. Dante thanks him, and tells him not to hang out in here too long. Go outside and play a little bit. Leo says he will, and Dante leaves. Leo goes back to mixing, and says, amore. He stirs the mixture with a carnation, and repeats, amore.

Ava apologizes to Olivia, and says, it’s a party, right? And an important fundraiser too. Nikolas says, it’s very generous of the Quartermaines to throw this benefit for the GH Children’s Wing. His mom sends her regards. She wishes she could be here. Olivia says, that’s sweet of her, and asks how Grandma Lesley is doing. He says, she and Marcello are still recovering from the fire, but they are honing in on a place in town. They’ll probably be moving in soon, but his mother will probably stay there until they’re completely settled. Olivia says, as any good daughter should. Tell her that they’ll miss her today, and about before, forget it. She understands couples need to squabble, even at the most inopportune moments. She moves on, and Ava says, he almost got them caught, but he says, she was the one raising her voice. She says he’s the one who brought up the topic in public. She doesn’t need his help. He says he didn’t ask to be dragged into this, but it’s too late now, and she says, poor darling. It’s never too late.

Brook says, Chase needs her help? 100%. Anything. She’s his girl. He says, anything? and she laughs. He says he needs a partner for the three-legged race. It’s kind of his jam… Not to brag. She says she didn’t take it that way, and he says he knows it’s silly, but it’s something he always used to crush when he was a cop at the department picnics. She says, she’ll do it, and he says, that’s really great, and thanks her. Yuri comes by with a covered dish, and says, Mr. Chase and Miss Brook Lynn; you’re still together. Brook says, they’re not together together. It’s so good to see him. Chase asks what he has there, and Yuri says, it’s a native dish from Belarus, and Brook says, yum. She suggests the find a platter and put it out. As they leave, Chase says, don’t be late. He’s counting on her.

Jordan assures Marshall that his being gone had nothing to do with Tommy’s death, but he says, she doesn’t know the whole story. Has TJ told her about his medical condition? She says, no. TJ respects Marshall’s privacy, and so does she. Don’t feel he owes her an explanation. He says, that’s all right; he wants to. They sit, and he says he’s been ashamed of his medical condition for way too long, and he’s not giving it power over him anymore. The reason he left his family is because he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She says, he was afraid he’d bring harm to them? and he says, harm, shame, the whole stigma. Folks understand a lot more about mental illness now than they did back in the day. He was so afraid of the diagnosis, he left his family. He got treatment; it’s under control now. She says, that was very brave. She’s sorry he lost so much time with his family, and she’s glad he’s back in their lives. She knows TJ is glad. He says, all that is a dream come true, but he feels he still may have brought harm to his sons. She asks, how so? and he says, schizophrenia can be passed down genetically, and TJ and Shawn told him that Tommy wasn’t in his right mind when he was killed. She says, so he thinks Tommy may have been having an episode of some sort? and he says, yeah. He tears up, and says he wishes he was with his boy when he was going through those struggles. He’s not trying to overstep here, but can she tell him what her marriage to Tommy was like? Thinking back, did she see any signs?

Portia tells Curtis, she doesn’t know what to say. This is the last thing she expected. He says, you know it’s right when you’re staring at your forever love every morning, and can’t wait for another day. TJ continues to film, and she says she loves Curtis so much. They fit so well together. She could only focus on Trina, and loading herself up with work. She forgot to even think about what she wanted out of life. Then he came back into it, and the clouds opened up, and all these possibilities are available to her now; love and happiness and security. He’s given all of those things to her, and that’s what she wants for them; she wants it forever. All this time, he’s been holding this ring up, and probably treading water, and he asks, is that a yes? She says, yes. She’s going to marry him. He puts the ring on her, and there’s applause from the people who have shown up out of nowhere. They kiss, and there’s more applause.

TJ congratulates Curtis and Portia, and says he wishes the best for both of them. Portia thanks him, and Curtis says he appreciates it. He’s glad TJ could be a part of this. TJ says, actually, he’s meeting mom for lunch, so he’d better get back to his table. He congratulates them again, and leaves. Portia asks how long Curtis has been planning this, and he says, for months, but he wanted to wait until the situation with Trina was settled. She says, they have had their plate full, but all things are better now; better than she could have hoped. She looks at her ring and squeals. She says she can’t believe he proposed in front of all these people, and he says he had his eyes on her and her alone, but now he can’t wait to tell the world that she agreed to be his pretty wife. She says, they have to tell Trina. She has plans right now, but she’s going to be so excited. He says, they’ll tell her tonight, and if she comes home late, they’ll tell her tomorrow. Or they’ll tell her whenever because they’re going to be together… She says, for the rest of their lives, and they kiss.

Jordan tells Marshall, she’s dealt with people who have schizophrenia in the field. She knows enough about the symptoms to have a rudimentary understanding of the illness. Looking back on their marriage, she can’t say she observed any signs of schizophrenia in Tommy. He asks if she’s certain, and she says, Tommy was suffering from PTSD at the time of his death. What pushed him over the edge was her infidelity, and discovering TJ was not his biological son. If anyone’s to blame, it’s her. She’s truly sorry for the part she played in Tommy’s death, but it’s her cross to bear, not Marshall’s. She gets up, and he says, you can’t go to heaven dragging hell along with you. He guesses that’s the title of the composition he’s been writing his whole life, watching himself and other people play all the notes, trying to distract from the pain and sorrow… insecurities. Except they’re just dragging along the same torment they’re running from, compounding it. Look at him. He dragged around fear, pain, and guilt for nearly a lifetime. It wasn’t until he set them down that he got free, and he was able to come here to Port Charles, and find and discover everything he lost. Blaming herself won’t bring Tommy back, and Lord knows he’s in no position to judge her. He’s still struggling. And that’s why he forgives her. She tears up, and asks, how can he? He says he’s not going to pretend he wasn’t angry when he heard what happened between her, Tommy, and Shawn, but in life you got all these unexpected blue notes. To tell her the truth, on one level, he was kind of relieved that he couldn’t have passed down his disease to TJ; he was spared. Ain’t nothing about this going to change his feelings for TJ; not one bit. He couldn’t love TJ more if TJ were his own flesh and blood. She says, TJ loves his grandpa too. She’s glad they finally met, and he says he is too, shaking her hand. He puts his other hand on top of hers, and says, maybe now she’s going to lay that burden down.

Drew tells Carly, with grilling, timing is everything, when Dante appears, and says he’s here to relieve Drew of his grilling duties. At least temporarily; don’t go too far. Carly says, Drew is going to have to relinquish his mighty tongs, and Drew says, with an apron like that, he thinks the grill is in good hands. Dante takes over, and Drew asks if Carly wants to go for a walk. Maybe they could play some games. They can still sign up for the three-legged race. She says she hasn’t played that in so long, and he says, all the more reason to do it. They make a great team. I have never once participated in a three-legged race. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen one IRL.

Willow says, Michael has every right to his feelings about his father and Nina, but this picnic is to benefit the Children’s Wing at GH. Sonny’s here to support that cause, so today is about charity and gratitude. Just for today, why don’t they put their personal issues aside? Michael says, okay, and Sonny says, have fun at the picnic. He leaves, and Willow asks if Michael is okay. He says, she’s really incredible. With everything going on, she’s the only one who can keep him grounded. She tells him, never underestimate himself. He can pull himself back from the brink without her. He says, he’s so much stronger with her by his side. She means everything to him, and he doesn’t know what he’d do without her. They hug, and he says he’s sorry. She wanted to tell him something. She says, it can wait; he just had a run-in with his father. He says he’s over it. He wants to know what’s on her mind. Olivia comes in with Wiley, and says, somebody is asking for mommy and daddy. Wiley asks if they can play a game, and Willow says, absolutely. Olivia tells them to get out there and have fun, and leaves. Willow says, Michael heard Olivia. She wants to get out there and spend the day with her two favorite people. Wiley says, him too, and they leave. Ava walks in, and I’m guessing she was listening.

Jordan meets TJ, and says she just had a wonderful conversation with his grandfather. He says he’d love to hear all about it, but first he has to tell her something. Portia and Curtis are here. She says, okay. It’s fine if he wants to ask them to join them. He says, it’s not that. Curtis proposed to Portia, and she said yes. Jordan says she guesses she should have expected it. They did just buy that house together. He says he knows, but it’s still a bit of a shock. Is she okay?

Sitting at one of the tables, Portia tells Curtis, life sure does change on a dime, doesn’t it? and I wonder, what does that even mean? She says, just the other day, things were as bleak as they ever could have been. Trina’s future was up in the air; the only man who could exonerate her was in a coma. He says, but they got through it together, and she says, yes they did. And now Trina’s future is clear. She can do whatever she wants with her life. And their future is as bright as this diamond. Soon, he’s going to be her husband. He says, how soon? and she says, not soon enough. They kiss, and Jordan approaches the table.

Ned says, they’re down to the final two teams. Number one: Carly Corinthos and Drew Cain. Carly and Drew flex their muscles, and Ned says, and team number two: Brook Lynn Quartermaine and Harrison Chase. Brook and Chase fist bump, and Ned says, on your marks. The teams wrap their legs for the three-legged race, and Chase puts his arm around Brook’s waist.

Sonny comes in to find Ava on the couch eating something. She asks if Nina is with him, but he says, no. She says, Nina didn’t want stir pot; that’s wise. She asks if Avery is having a good time, and he says, she’s having a blast. She’s getting her face all painted. Ava says, that’s so cute; she loves that. He says he’ll see her, but she says, don’t go. Keep her company for a minute. She wanted to thank him again for helping Trina. He says he did it for Trina, and she says, still, she appreciates it. He says, there’s been no justice for Josslyn and Cameron. It’s too bad Esme left town. She says, rats. They know when to jump ship, don’t they? He says he heard she posted something on social media from the south of France, which is surprising since Ava said she’d never be found. Ava says, she was wrong. It happens from time to time. He says, it seems like an amateur move for Esme. Maybe Ava could shed some light… Nikolas comes in, and says, that’s enough, and Sonny asks what he means. He was just talking to Ava. Nikolas says, Ava doesn’t know anything about Esme. Leave her alone. Sonny says, or what?

Chase and Brook take a tumble, Chase falling on top of her. Carly and Drew win the race.

Jordan says she’s sorry to interrupt their celebration, but TJ just told her the good news. Congratulations to them both. They thank her, and she asks to see the ring. Portia shows her, and Jordan says, it’s beautiful. She’s very happy for them. Portia says, that means so much to her, and they hug. Portia says she’s going to give them a second, and excuses herself. Curtis asks if Jordan is really that happy for them (which is kind of insulting), and she says, all she’s ever wanted is for him to be happy. He says he wants the same for her, and she says she’s trying to learn to lay down her burdens, so she can move on, just like he has. His dad is back in his life, and he has a new beginning with Portia. She truly wishes them the best of everything. He says, she’s a class act, and he really appreciates everything she’s done for Portia, Trina, and him. She says, her job is to stop injustice. She’s just trying to keep her promise to the people of this city. He says, sometimes the job entails testing the boundaries, and she flashes back to stopping the elevator. He says, he appreciates her discretion, and she says, if he’s referring to Oz Haggerty’s recovery, and the circumstances that allowed it to happen… He says he is, and she says, then there’s something she has to say about that.

Chase helps Brook up, and she says she’s so sorry. She’s such a klutz. He says, that’s okay. He’s in the mood for something cold. He wanders off.

Drew tells Carly, first cornhole, now the three-legged race. Look out tug-of-war; we’re unstoppable. They high-five, and he asks if she’s thirsty. She says she is, and he goes to get her something to drink. Brook tells Carly, congratulations. She and Drew make a great team. Carly says, they do.

Nikolas says, stay away from his wife, and Sonny says, don’t take another step. He doesn’t need Nikolas’s permission to talk to Ava or anybody else. It’s none of his business; stay out of it. Nikolas says he’s not one of Sonny’s minions that he can order around. If Sonny doesn’t stay away from his wife, there will be consequences. Ava says, Nikolas is overreacting, and Sonny says he’ll tell Nikolas what he told Nikolas’s uncle – take your best shot, and we’ll see what happens. Ava takes Nikolas’s hand, and asks Sonny to excuse them. She pulls Nikolas outside, and he asks, what the hell was that? She says, her sentiments exactly. Why is he provoking Sonny? He says, Sonny was the one who was way out of line, not him, and she says, she can handle Sonny. She’s been dealing with him for years. He says he’s her husband. It’s his job to defend her. She says, it was his job to be faithful, and he couldn’t manage that. So let’s drop the pretense. This was more about Nikolas and his issues with Sonny than Nikolas coming to her rescue. He says he’ll always come to her rescue, no matter how hard she pushes him away. He knows he messed up, but he loves her, and will always be there for her.

Terry and Willow watch Michael with Wiley, and Willow says she doesn’t think Wiley quite gets the concept of the egg and spoon race.  Terry says, Michael seems like a very patient teacher, and Willow says, he’s the best dad. Terry says she spoke to Britt, and Britt told her that Willow had an appointment. Willow says she’s going to postpone treatment until she’s in her second trimester. It’s just a few more weeks. She just… She can’t lose another baby. She knows Terry probably doesn’t approve, but Terry says, if it’s the right choice for Willow, she supports it. Willow says, it is; thanks. They watch Wiley and laugh, and Terry says she takes it Willow hasn’t told her family yet. Willow says, she decided to wait until she starts treatment, and Terry says she’s still going to suggest Willow tell her family, especially since she decided postpone treatment. Willow says, if she tells Michael, he’ll try to convince her to get treatment immediately. She doesn’t want to fight with him for the next few weeks. They just finished one big battle; she wants to enjoy this time. Terry says, there is a lot of research showing patients benefit from a strong support system, but Willow says she’s made her choice. She’s not ruining the next few weeks they have left with fighting and tears. What they have right now is what it’s all about. Her decision is the best choice for her family.

Olivia goes to the nook, where Leo is with a tray of Solo cups, and she says, he poured lemonade for the guests? That is so thoughtful. She thanks him for helping her today, and he says she’s welcome. She always helps him; now it’s his turn to help somebody else. She says, that’s so sweet, and hugs him. She tells him, keep up the good work; she loves him. She leaves, and he pours his concoction into two of the cups.

Brook brings Carly into the stables, and says, it’s just the two of them. Be honest. Are her and Drew a thing? Carly says, is she kidding? Olivia asked her the same thing, and she’s going to tell Brook what she told Olivia; she and Drew are just friends. Brook says she’s got that, especially how they were just all over each other. Carly asks what she’s talking about, and Brook says she gets it. It’s complicated. Carly and her family have a long not-so peachy history. And he’s Jason’s twin and Sam’s ex, but the two of them have some serious chemistry. Carly should go for it. Carly says, like Brook is going for it with Chase? Anyone with eyes could see how they look at each other. Brook says, Chase is her client. There can’t be anything between them. Carly says, but Brook wants there to be, right? Brook says, it doesn’t matter. Carly is changing the subject; they were talking about her and Drew. Carly says she’s going to talk to Drew before people get the wrong idea, and starts to leave, but Brook grabs her arm, and says, are they though? Speaking to Drew is a good idea, because from what she’s observed, there are some real feelings growing. Deal with it now before the situation gets all muddled and hopelessly mired with mixed signals and regrets because you were just too afraid, or it took too long to have that conversation. Carly says, that’s some really great advice. Maybe Brook should take it. She leaves.

Leo sets the tray of cups on a table, and asks if Chase has seen Sam and Dante. Chase says, no, but he needs a person for tug-of-war. Is Leo in? Leo can be on his team. Leo says, sure, and runs off. Chase says, save him a spot on the rope, and looks at the cups.

Jordan tells Curtis, as far as she’s concerned, Mr. Haggerty woke up just in time to exonerate Trina. She’s glad he did. Trina’s free, which is all that matters. He says, and the elevator? She says she’d heard it had been on the fritz again. They don’t make elevators like they used to. He tells her, like he said, class act, and raises his glass. She goes back to TJ, who says he swears he didn’t know Curtis was proposing when he suggested they meet here. She says she’s okay, and he says he knows she and Uncle Curtis are on good terms, but it still has to be hard hearing he’s engaged. She says she’s happy for Curtis; he and Portia are a good match. He asks how it went with Marshall. She said they had a good talk. She says, the best. Marshall forgave her for everything that happened with Tommy, and he told her about his diagnosis. TJ says, that was some conversation, and she says, it was. Marshall was worried TJ’s dad might have inherited the predisposition for schizophrenia, and that’s what led to Tommy’s death, but she told him that she never saw signs of it when they were married. She thinks it brought him some comfort, and TJ bets it did. He says, Curtis should tell Marshall that he’s considering genetic counseling for himself, in case he decides to have children. She says, of course (🍷) Curtis would want children of his own. He and Portia would make good parents.

Olivia is chopping vegetables, and Sonny asks if she needs a hand. She says she’s got it, and asks if he’s here by himself. He says, he is; it seems to be the question of the day. She says she just figured Nina wouldn’t be able to resist rubbing Carly’s nose their new relationship, and he says, well, she’s wrong. Can’t you just be divorced and live your life? Because that’s what they’re trying to do, but everybody seems to have a judgement. She says, she would have thought he’d be immune to that at this point in his life, and he says, he is, but that doesn’t mean he likes it. Take them. They’ve known each other since before Carly; they have a son together. Can’t she wish him well? Dante’s happy for him. Can’t she be?

One by one, people take the cups. Leo comes back, and sees they’re all gone.  

Picking up a cornhole sack, Wiley says, it’s perfect, and Michael agrees; everything is perfect. He thanks Willow for reminding him of what’s most important, and Wiley hugs Willow, saying, I love you, mommy.

Curtis tells Portia, the best part for him is, now she and Trina are officially his family. She says she already thinks of him, TJ, and Marshall as part of her family. And even Aunt Stella. They laugh, and her phone rings. She says, it’s the hospital; she needs to take this. He says he thought she was off, but she says, it will only take a second. Then they can talk about Trina’s upcoming party. She steps away, and says, this is Dr. Portia Robinson. Has an appointment opened up yet?…  No, that’s three weeks away. She’s already been waiting for an appointment for genetic counseling… Jordan stops short of coming in, and Portia says, yes, please. The soonest available spot… No, it’s not concerning her. It’s concerning her daughter.

Olivia says she does want Sonny to be happy. She just wishes he’d found his happiness with literally anyone else in the world. He says, sorry to disappoint her, but sometimes life chooses who you’re with. Leo runs in, and says he’s got to talk to Olivia. Sonny says he’ll let them get to it, and leaves. Olivia asks, what’s up? and Leo says he made Nonna’s Sicilian Thunderbolt for Sam and Dante. She says, why didn’t she think of that? Did it work? He says he doesn’t know. He put the cups down for just a minute. When he came back, all the cups were gone. She says, so he only put the Sicilian Thunderbolt in some of the cups? but he says, only two, and he doesn’t know what happened to them. What if he messed up everything?

Sitting in the stables, Sam takes a sip of her drink. Chase comes in, and asks if she’s seen Brook. She says, what? and he says, never mind. He doesn’t want to intrude, but she looks like she could use a friend. He’s available. He takes a sip of his drink.

Dante takes a sip of his drink, and literally runs into Brook, who’s holding her cup. She says she’s sorry, but he says, his bad, and they smile at each other.

Nikolas tells Ava, cornhole’s free. How about it? He takes a sip of his drink, and she says, is he kidding? He says, why not? Or is she afraid he’ll beat her? She says, in your dreams.

Carly sees Drew grilling, and says, back at it, huh?  He says, hot dog?

Tomorrow, Carly asks if Drew is flirting with her; Jordan hopes Portia doesn’t make the same mistakes she did; Selena tells Curtis that he’d rather have her as an ally than an adversary; and Sam tells Dante that she doesn’t know if she’s ever going to be ready.

🧚🏼‍♂️ Of course those who don’t know the plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream might not understand Leo’s fears. Part of the plot involves a love potion, and the result is the wrong people falling in love. Kudos though to GH for assuming we’re all well-read.

🚑 Long Road Back…

Glad to hear Emma Samms is moving past covid and on to GH.

🥁 Sammy Was the Man…

Now here’s an interesting story I never heard before.

🍑 Me Too…

The only Housewives who like Reunions are the ignorant and the devil’s spawn.

🗽 Joining the Apples…

One of the new Real Housewives of NYC.

⚰️ Telling Tales…

I want to like this show more than I do. It’s not bad, but I want something more. I do like how it’s a different story every week, and that it takes place at the point the world was starting to be zombiefied. It also has a sense of humor, which is much appreciated after years of the humorless TWD. In last week’s episode, the main characters had to Groundhog Day until they got it right.

🎸 Vote the Rock…

Get your votes in for this Sunday.

https://www.mtv.com/vma/vote/

🍒 With a Cherry On Top…

Join me tomorrow for soap and to see if Beverly Hills can top themselves in awfulness. Until then, stay safe, stay never judging a book by its cover, and stay knowing that you can’t go to heaven dragging hell along with you. It’s not until you set your burdens down that you’ll get free.

August 27, 2021 – A Plan To Lure Peter To St. Lucia, Million Dollar Finale, Team KJ, Guessing, a Surgery, Salem Preview, Tributes, More Troubles, Shade Feud, VanderShare, Doom’s Rouge, Dead Talk, a Half Dozen Quotes & Feeling

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Jax goes to the MetroCourt, and Carly says she’s not in the mood, but he says she came to apologize. She says, go on, and he says he’s sorry he made Josslyn’s special dinner awkward. She says she hopes he plans on apologizing to Josslyn, and he says, of course (🍷) he does. He asks if they can start over. Mr. Buscema comes in, and Carly welcomes him to the MetroCourt, saying, it’s an honor. He says it’s an honor to be her guest. He received her save-the-date, hand-delivered no less. She says she wanted to make sure he got it, and he says, consider this his RSVP. He wouldn’t miss it for the world. He’s sure all of her late husband’s business associates won’t either. Jason comes by, and says, excuse them, steering Buscema to the bar. Jax tells Carly, if that guy is any indication of the guest list, their daughter isn’t getting within a mile of the wedding.

Harmony tells Alexis that she has two visitors. Spencer and Esme are there, and Alexis says, no way, Spencer! He’s all grown up. He says, that depends on who you ask, and wonders if there are rules against hugging loved ones. She says, since when did he care about rules? and they hug. Alexis says, Nikolas said he was back, but didn’t say anything about him visiting. He says, his father hasn’t been keeping up with what he’s been doing, and he intends to keep it that way.

Ava puts sunflowers on Kiki’s grave, and says, her sweet girl. She misses Kiki so much. Ever since the stalker left Kiki’s ID, Kiki is all she can think about. A cruel reminder of how she couldn’t protect Kiki, and pointed her in Ryan’s direction. Then Ryan took Kiki’s life in a sick desire to please her. She’ll always regret… She doesn’t know where to begin. She has so many regrets. Nikolas appears, and says, so does he.

At the MetroCourt, Austin gives Scotty the paper from Edward’s office, and says, that ought to do the trick. Maxie runs in, looking around for something, and Austin asks if he can help. She says she thought she left something there, but it seems to be gone. He says they probably have a lost and found, and she says she’ll check there. He says, the last time he saw her, she was leaving town. Did it help? She says she’s afraid not. The thing with some problems is, no matter where you go, they follow you.

Obrecht asks Nina what the problem is, and Nina says, Peter is alive. Obrecht asks if she’s certain, and Nina says he’s there in Nixon Falls.  

Outside the Tan-O, Sonny says Peter isn’t just a business associate of Nina’s, and Peter says he’d like to think they’re friends. Sonny asks why he gets the feeling Nina doesn’t like Peter much. Peter says Sonny doesn’t mince words, and Sonny says he calls it the way he sees it. And the way he sees it, Peter makes Nina very uncomfortable. He thinks it’s time for Peter to get out of town.

Obrecht tells Nina, that schwein. She knew they hadn’t seen the last of him. She asks if he’s made contact, and Nina says, unfortunately, he’s as malignant as ever. Obrecht says, since Nina is freely speaking, he must not be with her, and Nina says, he’s outside, so she has to make it fast. Obrecht says, if Nina is jeopardy, call for help, but Nina says she’s not. He made threats, but she’s not in immediate danger. Not yet. Obrecht says it’s good Nina hasn’t called the authorities. The jailhouse is too good for Peter. She has much better plans for him.

Peter admits he and Nina aren’t exactly friends. They’re professional rivals, and what Sonny thinks is tension, is nothing more than healthy competition. Sonny asks if Peter thinks he’s a good liar. Peter’s got a better shot at playing the lottery than playing him. Phyllis returns, and asks if that’s how Sonny treats Nina’s guest.  

Austin says he’s happy to see Maxie back, and she thanks him, calling him Dr. Gatlin-Holt. He says he loves being a doctor, but after everything they’ve been through, she should call him Austin. She says, of course (🍷). She has a lot on her mind. He says, of course (🍷), and she says, goodbye, Dr… Austin. She leaves, and Scotty says, well, well. Austin is making himself at home. Austin says, it’s just a routine follow-up. Back to business. Scotty says. this document is gold. It’s Austin’s ticket to ride.

Carly tells Jax, that guy is a colleague, but Jax says, everything about that guy screams gangster. She says, go to hell, and he says, his name is Buscema? Doesn’t she think he knows who the Five Families Ragu alla Bolognese are? He learned everything about them when Sonny became Josslyn’s stepfather, and just gave himself a refresher course when that Joey Novak guy approached her. Carly says Josslyn is not just going to be at the wedding, she’s going to be the maid of honor. Josslyn is an adult, and makes her own decisions. He says, they should be informed decisions. Won’t Josslyn be heartbroken when she finds out she’ll be standing up for a sham marriage?

Buscema thanks Jason for meeting him, and says he’ll be brief. Like Jason, he’s concerned about the Novak organization’s lack of control over Joey. Joey approaching Carly’s daughter was unacceptable, and he intends to make his feelings known. Jason says, like Buscema, like any of them, he won’t tolerate his family being threatened. Especially now that his and Carly’s family are about to become one. Buscema says he respects that, and they shake hands.  

Ava asks how Nikolas found her… Wait, don’t tell her. He asked her bodyguard. He tells her not to blame the bodyguard; it’s his fault. She says she should have hired her own. She offered the job to Shawn, but he’s busy tracking down whoever framed him. Nikolas knows it’s dangerous for them to be seen together. He says he figured they wouldn’t have much of an audience there, and she says, they had an audience at the gallery, but he’s here now. Say what he came to say. He says he feels bad, intruding on her there, and asks what’s in her hand. She shows him Kiki’s ID, and says, a gift their stalker left after they torched her car. He says he’s so sorry. He convinced himself that Spencer was the stalker, and  he was wrong, very wrong. She says, which leaves them with one very alarming fact. The danger is real.

Spencer introduces Esme as his girlfriend, and Alexis says he brought his girlfriend to prison; how lovely. Esme says the pleasure is all hers. Spencer’s been positively enthused about Alexis. Alexis says he’s been tight-lipped about Esme, and Esme asks Spencer, why is that? but Spencer is busy staring at Ryan. He says, so it’s true. Ryan Chamberlain is here. Alexis says, every single day, and Spencer says, someone should make sure that freak of nature never draws another free breath.   

On his way out, Buscema says, it’s good to see you, Mrs. Corinthos, or shall I say, the future Mrs. Morgan? He’s looking forward to her nuptials. She says they’re happy to have him, and he tells her, until then, good health, and a long life. She says, same to him, and Buscema leaves. Jax asks what the deal is, and Carly says she doesn’t know how many times she has to tell him, she and Jason really do love each other. It’s sad that he can’t accept that. He says every move she’s made since Sonny died was to shore up Sonny’s illegal business. This sprint to the altar is nothing more than theater, with Josslyn as an unwitting player. She tells him not to expect an invitation, and don’t crash the wedding. He asks if she’s really comfortable putting their daughter on display in front of those dangerous people; her business associates. She tells him that he needs to leave, and he says she needs to care enough about her kids not to paint bullseyes on their backs. But hey, if Josslyn gets killed, she’ll still have Sonny’s blood money to keep her warm. He leaves, and Carly asks if Jason heard that. Jason says, he heard enough, and she says she has to get back to work. He says, not like this, and she says she needs a drink, but she’s on the job. Although, she’s the boss. She can do what she wants. She turns, but he grabs her hand, and asks her to come with him.

Scotty says, the correspondence shows Edward intended to include Austin’s father in inheriting ELQ voting shares. He’ll go to the courthouse tomorrow, and see if he can get the hearing moved up. Austin wonders how long it will take to hear back, and Scotty says, the wheels of justice turn very, very, very slowly, so don’t panic while he’s our of  town. Austin asks where Scotty is going, and Scotty says, to a tropical, romantic island where he’ll be doing all kinds of fun stuff you do on an island. When he gets back, they’ll get Austin his ELQ shares. Can Austin get this drink? He’s going to be rolling in dough soon. Scotty leaves, sticking Austin with the tab.

Ava tells Nikolas, Doc gave her the broad strokes. Has he spoken to Spencer? He says his son refuses to have anything to do with him. Spencer is ignoring his calls, texts, and emails. He even messaged Spencer on social media, but nothing. She wonders if Laura can’t run interference, but he says his mother made it clear she’s sick of his antics too. Ava says she’s so sorry, and he says she told him not to accuse Spencer unless he was absolutely sure. And he knows she sent his mother and Doc to stop him. She says she didn’t know what else to do, and he says she did what she could. He just wishes he’d listened. She says she wishes she’d been wrong. Things would be so much better for everybody if Spencer had been their stalker.

Harmony takes Ryan outside, and Spencer says, pretty sweet gig for a serial killer; minimum security, full-time attendants. How is that legal? Alexis says, it’s absurd. When she inquired about it, she was told to butt out, and if she didn’t like it, there was a cement wall and a shiv waiting for her at Pentenville. Esme says Spencer told her that he was Doc’s brother, but it didn’t quite prepare her, and Spencer says he’s glad Ryan is a vegetable now. Alexis says, his condition is called locked-in syndrome, and Esme says, he can’t move or speak, but his mind is as sharp as ever. She saw a movie based on a locked-in guy’s memoir, which he’d written by communicating letters one by one. Spencer says, it sounds like hell. Good. Alexis says, have a seat. She doesn’t want to spend their visit talking about Ryan. He asks how she is, and she says, pretty much as he sees her; this is as good as it gets. She asks, what’s going on with his father? She figured if Spencer could forgive Nikolas for faking his death, he could forgive anything. Spencer says, she’d be mistaken, and Alexis says, clearly, Nikolas didn’t heed her advice. He accused Spencer of staking Ava, didn’t he?

Maxie gets her notebook from behind the bar, and thanks the employee. Some papers fall out, and Jax helps her pick them up. He says he sees she’s back to planning weddings, and she say she’s planning Carly and Jason’s. Isn’t it great that they’re getting married?

Phyllis tells Peter to please forgive her friend Mike. He’s the most loyal and protective guy he’ll ever meet. Which means, sometimes, courtesy takes a backseat. Peter laughs, and says, no apology necessary. He’s just glad to know Nina has such good friends there in Nixon Falls. Knowing Nina, he’s sure she’d want to make sure all of them are protected in return.

Nina tells Obrecht that Peter wants her to use her connection to Valentin to help him find Louise. If she doesn’t, he said he’ll take James. Obrecht says Peter is targeting her grandson? and Nina says, his exact words were, if she doesn’t help him, James would be more than an adequate replacement. Obrecht says Nina knows there’s only one way to deal with him, and Nina says she does. If Obrecht can’t for any reason, she’ll do it herself. Obrecht says she can most definitely manage it. She has to go, but whatever happens, do not panic. Keep her head on straight. Nina hangs up, and Peter walks in. He asks, who was that?  

Spencer says he bets Alexis’s clients were never able to lie to her, and she says, rarely; stop deflecting. She and his father know about the letter Ryan wrote him. He says, which he returned, and she says, unopened. Esme says she saw a coffee machine in the lobby (prisons have a lobby?) and asks if they want anything. They say, no thanks, and Esme leaves. Alexis says, lovely girl; intuitive. Spencer says, lovely and intuitive, just like her. She says clearly, he’s picked up his father’s tactic for evading uncomfortable conversation, but Spencer says, he’s nothing like his father.

Nikolas says, if Spencer had been the stalker, they could have gotten him help, and Avery would be home. Instead, they’re more alienated than ever. Now, here they are. Ava says, together. It’s open provocation to the stalker. He says, the irony isn’t lost on him that they’re going against the express wishes of the stalker, but he already lost his son and his mother. He can’t lose her too

Outside, Harmony asks if Ryan would like to continue with Moby Dick, or read Frankenstein again. He blinks, and she says, it’s interesting that he’s so fascinated in a book about a monster. Esme comes out, and she says she was hoping Harmony could help. She’s there visiting her boyfriend’s aunt, and she was telling Esme that Ryan has locked-in syndrome. She’s never heard of it before. Harmony says, put simply, he’s lost voluntary control of all his muscles except the eyes, but his cognitive functions are unaffected. He’s fully alert and aware of his environment. Esme asks if she can speak to him, and Harmony asks Ryan if it’s okay. He blinks, and she tells Esme, he said go ahead. Esme says, hello, and Ryan blinks. She asks what he said, and Harmony tells her, hi there.   

Scotty tells Obrecht, good evening my waffle strudel. Is she excited to go to St. Lucia and soak up the sun? She says, perhaps now is not the right time for this venture, and he asks, why not? She was all about going to the medical conference to find out about Britt. What’s going on? What changed her mind?   

Phyllis says she wondered why Sonny was hustling her out. It’s a good thing she came back for her glasses. Sonny says, the guy is creepy; he doesn’t deserve courtesy, but she says, if he’s in her bar, he does. Sonny says that’s why he took Peter outside. She asks, what’s with him? He always takes an immediate dislike to anyone who gets close to Nina. He says, it’s been two people; Peter and Elijah. She says maybe he should question why he’s suspicious of anyone from Nina’s former life.

Peter asks if Nina was talking to Valentin, but she says, no; it was just Crimson business. If he’d just leave, she could calm down, call Valentin, and get what he needs. Peter says if she double-crosses him before he leaves to start a new life with James, he’ll not only wreck this little fantasy she’s got going in the middle of nowheresville, he’ll make sure she can never show her face in Port Charles again.

Jason brings Carly to the pool (🍷), and she asks, what the hell is going on? Where are her servers? He says he arranged for a private party, and she says, when? He says, when he saw Jax unloading on her. It was this, or punch him in the face. He stopped himself. Josslyn doesn’t deserve to be in the middle of this. Jax doesn’t get why they’re getting married, and the way he’s acting, Jason is starting to think Jax doesn’t know anything about Carly. She says, maybe not, but Jason does.

Maxie sits with Jax at the bar, and she asks if he’s feeling weird about Carly getting married, especially since he’s single. He says, Carly is important to him. They share a child together, and he doesn’t want to see anything bad happen to her, so… That’s not what she asked him. She asked if he felt weird about Carly getting married, and the answer is, no. She says, forgive the observation, but he seems less than thrilled. He asks how Nina is doing, and Maxie says, she seems happy. Jax says, she seems happy to have a relationship with Wiley again, and he hopes they can be friends when she comes back. Maxie says she didn’t get the impression that Nixon Falls was a detour for Nina. She got the feeling Nina was putting down roots.

Peter asks how Nina will feel, not holding her precious grandson ever again. When Michael and Carly find out what she’s been keeping from them. When Mike discovers this grandson she’s so afraid of losing, is also his. She says he’s made his point, and he says he hasn’t even gotten started with Jax yet. Her knight in shining armor. How’s he going to feel when he finds out she’s been playing footsy with Carly’s husband, a man he loathes?.

Obrecht tells Scotty, it’s imperative that she find out about the latest research on Huntington’s, but there’s no need for Scotty to sit through boring presentations. He says he’s been to his fair share of legal conferences, and one he’s learned is, once you’re signed in, your colleagues don’t know whether you’re sipping martinis, laying on the beach, or elsewhere. She says he’s a genius, and he says he’s heard rumors of that. She says, they shall discuss how much, or how little she should pack, but she has to make a quick phone call.

Ava says Nikolas hasn’t lost her; he has her heart. If anything their stalker’s attempt to come between them backfired magnificently, hasn’t it? It just made them love each other more. He says, so there is a silver lining; who knew? She says, but they are under siege. Until they find out who’s doing this… He says, they will find out, and she says she hopes so. The threats are escalating. Nobody has been hurt, but how long before that happens? She can’t live like that. Can he? He says, no, but he can’t live without her either. She says, then they’re at an impasse. Their stalker doesn’t want them together, but they can’t seem to stay apart. So it will be her job to keep them apart. He asks, how far apart? and she says, oceans apart.

Alexis says Nikolas was just trying to teach Spencer a lesson, and Spencer says, by pretending to stab him? Alexis says she told Nikolas it was a bad idea, but he did anyway. She’s sorry if it hurt Spencer, but she’s also sorry for his father. He asks how she can possibly be sorry for his father, and she says, because he was raised in the middle of a tug-of-war for power between Helena and Stephan. Can he imagine how hard it is to grow up in that environment and have a moral compass; to know right from wrong? Does Spencer have any idea how lucky he is?

Esme says it’s nice to speak to Ryan. It’s incredible. Does he communicate through Harmony? Harmony wonders why she’s asking, and Esme says she’s starting classes at PCU; she’s going to medical school. She imagines in working with patients who have that diagnosis, there’s never a dull moment. Harmony says, sure enough, and Esme says she has an idea. Maybe she could volunteer there. Ryan blinks like crazy, and she asks what he’s saying. Harmony tells her, he’s saying, go, go, go, over and over.

Jax says he thought all Nina needed was a reason to come home, and Maxie says, now she has a reason to stay. He says, Phyllis? and she says she should get back to wedding planning. He says, no, come on. What’s the real reason Nina is staying in Nixon Falls? She says, it’s not a what; it’s a who. Nina has found someone special, and Maxie is under the strong impression it’s getting serious.

Peter says, Nina has been keeping Sonny’s identity a secret to get back at Carly, and she asks if he doesn’t think she knows what she’s done, what she has to lose. He says, but it’s so much fun to remind her, and she says, why don’t you just get out, you psycho? So she can get him a lead on Louise. Sonny and Phyllis come back in, and Sonny asks if Nina is okay. She says she’s fine. She’s going to walk Peter out. Phyllis says it was nice meeting him, and she hopes Peter drops by again. He says she can count on it, and he and Nina leave. Sonny says, see what he means? and Phyllis says, there was definitely some tension. He says, some tension? and she says, Nina will either explain or she won’t. Until she does, they have to respect her privacy. If Nina doesn’t like Peter hanging around, she’ll tell him where to go.

Outside, Peter says Nina has twenty-four hours, before the people she loves suffer the consequences of her stalling.  Are they clear? She says, yes, and he says, good, and leaves. Nina calls Obrecht, who says she can tell by Nina’s voice things have gotten worse, and Nina tells her, she could say that. Obrecht says she knows under normal circumstances, Nina would rely on lawful means to end Peter’s reign of terror, but since Peter has threatened James, that’s not an option, right? Nina says Obrecht read her mind.

Esme says, Ryan can’t want her gone already. Is Harmony sure that’s what he’s saying? Harmony says, sometimes when they’re tired, people with locked-in syndrome can suffer eyelid spasms, and Esme says, that must be it; he’s just tired. Ryan glares at her, and she tells him, get some rest. She thanks Harmony for her time, and says she didn’t catch her name. Harmony introduces herself, and Esme says, she’s Esme. Harmony says she was going to guess that. She looks like an Esme. Esme says she knows, right? She hopes to come back and visit both of them. 

Ava says she needs to get as far away from Port Charles as possible, and Nikolas says maybe they can figure out an alternative. She says, there’s no alternative that includes the two of them together. She’s hoping to get far enough off the grid that the stalker loses interest. He suggests they grab Avery and go, but she says it would defeat the purpose. There is something he can do for her though. He says, anything, and she says, make peace with Spencer. He says he wants to, and he’s trying, but Spencer and his girlfriend have moved in with his mother. She says, girlfriend? and he says, Spencer had a secret, just not what he suspected. She says, poor Trina.   

Spencer asks Alexis, how is he lucky? Look at everything that’s been done to him. He has every right to be angry. Alexis says, furious, livid; yes, he does. But isn’t the real reason he’s angry, because Nikolas didn’t trust him and accused him of stalking Ava? She knows things will be difficult to fix between him and his father, but it’s worth it. Don’t be so focused on punishing his father that he ends up punishing himself. Esme comes back and stares at them.

Carly says, the pool (🍷) looks beautiful, and Jason says, they did a good job. She says, it’s a long way from Jake’s, and he says, Jake’s was okay too. She says, Jake’s was paradise, and he says he woudn’t go that far. She says, that’s because to him, it was a place to shoot pool and drink beer. For her, she spent all day, every day, running, lying, and manipulating; chasing she doesn’t know what. Some idea of what she thought would make her happy, but what really made her happy was when she was with him.

Obrecht tells Nina, it would be a blessing to wipe Peter off the map, and Nina asks what she needs to do. Obrecht says, tell him that Anna and Valentin got a lead in St. Lucia. Nina asks, what’s there? and Obrecht says, a medical conference… and her alibi. Nina says, Peter is as good as there, and Obrecht tells her, take a breath, drink some champagne, and give herself a hug. Soon, Peter will never bother anyone ever again.

Jax asks Maxie who Nina’s mystery man is, and Maxie says she doesn’t have a lot of details, but she’ll say this. Lately, Port Charles has given Nina nothing but pain. She thinks Nina wants to keep her life in Nixon Falls separate from her life there, including the people in it. She only told him because she thought he should know that Nina moved on. Maybe he should too.

Esme tells Spencer and Alexis that she’s sorry to interrupt, but from the looks of the guard, time’s up. Alexis says it was nice meeting Esme. She’s sorry they didn’t get more time to chat. Come and visit her in prison any time. Spencer too, and remember what she said. They hug, and Harmony wheels Ryan back in. Esme looks at him, and gives him a little wave. She and Spencer leave, and Harmony tells Alexis, her nephew’s girlfriend, Esme, she’s trouble. Alexis says, she thinks so? and Harmony says she’s had a lot of experience with wayward girls. Some are victims, some are not. If Alexis’s nephew knows what’s good for him, he’ll steer clear of that one.   

Nikolas asks if Ava knows where she’s going, and she says there are a couple of artists she’s been trying to woo in Europe. That will take a few weeks. After that, who knows? He says, maybe she’ll come back, but she says, only if the stalker is caught, but at this rate… She’ll miss him. He says all he wants to do is talk her into staying, and she says, all she wants to do is let him. He says, unfortunately, he had one more lesson to learn. He’s done trying to control people he loves. She says, it’s a lousy time for him to start building character, and he says he hopes she comes back. She promises to love him wherever she is.

Carly says, back then, when she walked into Jake’s and Jason was there, he always gave her a good night. He says, him too, and she says she always thought she annoyed him. He says, she did… sometimes… most of the time, but he always liked seeing her. She says, know what she liked? and he says, oh no. She says, dancing. He brought her here to make her feel better, and dancing would make her feel better. They put down their beer bottles, and he says, will she dance with him? They dance, and she smiles. They come close to kissing, and I cringe. She suddenly pulls away, and says she has to get back to work. Thanks for the beer. He says, anytime, and she leaves, while he ponders.

Phyllis tells Sonny, whatever is going on with Nina and Peter, it’s definitely not romantic. He says, that’s not what bothers him about the guy, and she asks, what is it? He says, when he and Peter first met yesterday, he got the feeling Peter knows who he is.

On Monday, Anna tells Obrecht that she’s not giving up until she finds Peter dead or alive, Carly says someone is going to find out why Jason has the reputation he does, and Sonny asks if Peter knows who he is.

Million Dollar Listing New York

KJ told husband Stefano that she was ready to sit at the table with the big boys – i.e. start her own team. Kemba called Tyler with an offer on Whitney’s 77th Street apartment. The buyers loved Whitney’s style, and wanted a lot of things included. She said, Whitney wasn’t married to the furniture, right? but Tyler said she was married to everything. If she could peel the paint off the walls and take it to Florida, she would. Fredrik was in L.A., but called team member Charlë in NYC, who said she’d done a deal with KJ at the Baccarat. Woman to woman, they did pretty good.

Ryan went to a listing appointment in downtown Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Point building, and met with developer Ari. In Ryan’s interview, he said, not in his wildest dreams did he think one of the biggest developers would call his new company. They’d completely changed the skyline in NYC, everywhere. If he got this, it would be a complete game changer; everyone would call. It was the tallest building in Brooklyn, with 483 apartments, and a 25 year tax abatement. That means no property taxes, folks. You know the drill; luxury appliances, custom cabinetry, amazing fixtures, some of them copper. Ryan didn’t know you could get views like that outside of Manhattan. The building had from studios to 3 bedrooms, and the top floor had extra high ceiling, giving the feeling of a penthouse. The three bedrooms ranged from $2.5 to $3.5 million, and the 2 bedrooms ranged from $1.8 to $2.5 million. The amenities included a state of the art fitness center, with a 35’ rock climbing wall, and a 65’ salt water pool. Ryan told Ari, if he lived there, he’d retire, since he’d have no reason to leave. Yep, me too. In his interview, Ryan said he was no longer working for a firm; he was the firm. Everything was on his shoulders, so he had to get this listing, which would be over $400 million in value. Ari wanted to know what Serhant was all about, and what Ryan’s competitive advantage was. Ryan told Ari that Serhant was a real estate firm that sold real estate, and I wondered where all his Rico Suave went. In Ryan’s interview, he said he was nervous, and his palms were sweating. Get it together. He admitted to Ari that his new company hadn’t signed any new buildings yet, and Ari said they were aware. Like this guy wouldn’t have checked Ryan out ahead of time. Ryan said they were in the middle of negotiations, but they’d just started. The building would get his personal attention, since it would be his baby. He’d decided he wasn’t going to change even though it was his company. He’d still show, because he loved it; he’d still sell, because it was what he was best at; and he’d still focus on brands, because that was how he’d built his career. Ari said they were eager to make a decision, and Ryan said, let’s go. Ari said they would take a leap of faith, and in his interview, Ryan said he was so effing freaked out. The potential sales were $460 million.

KJ met developer Alex at 175 w 95th Street. Alex’s family had bought the remaining rental units in a condo from the previous developer. As the rent stabilized tenants left, they renovated the apartments, getting them ready for buyers. At the beginning of the pandemic, she’d been tasked with selling nine of their units. In her interview, she explained that developers were sitting on finished units, and it was costing them a ton in carrying costs. They still had five units to sell, and we flashed back to KJ advising Alex to lower the price to $1.495 million. I know, I write this like it’s some every day cost, but when in NYC… She’d gotten an offer of $1.425 for a mid-floor apartment, all cash, and the buyer would pay the closing costs. Alex said, a year ago, the apartments were $1.6 million, and KJ told him for the billionth time that the market was competitive right now, and everyone was looking for an opportunity (aka, lowballing). Alex said he appreciated her honesty, and decided to roll with the deal. In KJ’s interview, she said, now she had to move on to the next one on a lower floor. She told him that she’d gotten an offer of $1.35 million for that one, and Alex was like, oh my God, but understood the market is what it is, and agreed on that one too. KJ said she had one more for the highest floor, starting at $1.35 (she should have gotten the defibrillator ready for Alex), but she had a good feeling. Alex pointed out the beautiful view, and she said the buyers were investors from Hong Kong, and had all cash; it was an attractive offer. They wanted to take it sight unseen, at least not in person, and she thought she could get them to come up to the 1.4’s. Alex said he needed $1.5 million to make the deal work, and KJ called Karishma. Karishma said she’d spoken to the clients, and they were willing to come up to $1.4 million, but KJ said she needed something closer to $1.5 million. The developer was getting more for apartments on the lower floors, and the clients would be getting a good deal. In her interview, KJ said that it was a smart move to sell the property at a lower price. Rip the bandaid off and move on. Karishma called back, and KJ told Alex, they countered at $1.435 million, but Alex was concerned if they accepted the lower pricing on the higher floors, they’d be setting a precedent. She told him that there was a lot of competition and a lot of inventory. Eventually, the market would change, but it was time to move on, and focus on the apartments coming up. She thought it was the best offer they could get, and a one-off because it was during covid. It was time to get it off the books, call it a day, and move on. Alex agreed, as long as KJ would get him better pricing next time. Sold at $1.435 million, KJ’s commission being $126K.   

Ryan did a video shoot at Brooklyn Point from the roof, telling his viewers that it was the highest infinity pool in the Western Hemisphere. Steve invited the brokers to an open house at Hudson Yards. 

Fredrik was in L.A., and spoke to developer Cliff, owner of the $15 million penthouse Fredrik was now living in. We flashed back to Cliff saying he’d extend the listing with Fredrik if he agreed to live there, and promote it on his social media. In Fredrik’s interview, he said, the strategy was a little awkward – we flashed back to a broker telling him that he needed to make his bed – but there had been interest. However, the feedback had also been unanimous – the price was too high. You couldn’t argue with the market, and the price reduction had worked. There was a huge amount of interest, and he’d done a lot of showings. He called Cliff, and said he’d gotten an offer of $9.995 million, full asking price. Fredrik thanked Cliff for the opportunity, and said social media was his best selling tool. Cliff thought social media was a colossal waste of time, but Fredrik asked if $10 million was a waste of time. As we know from General Hospital, two things can be true. After Fredrik hung up with Cliff, broker Glenn called. His clients had made an offer of $9.8 million, but Fredrik had told him to come up. So, sorry not sorry. Glenn whined that the apartment had been on the market for a long time, but Fredrik said he’d told Glenn to move fast. Glenn was pissed off, and Fredrik told him the only way was to come in over the asking price substantially. They had another deal. It would have to be cash and quick, with the buyer paying closing costs. No playing around. Glenn said his buyers told him to go to $10.7, all cash, and paying the closing costs, but he needed to know he had the deal. They wanted it done in three days. Fredrik told Glenn to promise he wouldn’t back out, and he’d call him right back. Fredrik left the car by the side of the road – a convertible, open to any and all thieves – jumped out, and ran across the street where he jumped around in a fountain. He called Cliff with the offer, and in his interview, Fredrik said it felt good to close a deal at a pre-covid price. New York is waking up and roaring. She is back. He was returning soon, and going to do a victory lap when he got there. He got back in the car, and as he continued to drive, yelled, I love New York… and L.A.! I love both coasts!

Steve went to the Sky Rink, meeting his hockey buddy Adam to play ice hockey. In his interview, Steve said it brought him back to childhood. It was fun and he played once or twice a week. It was good for him both physically, and psychologically, and was like real estate; super competitive, sometimes you got in fights, and there was a winner and a loser. He liked to win. They were also meeting Preston, the broker who had a possible renter for Steve’s client, and also an old hockey buddy. We flashed back to Steve showing the rental, and in Steve’s interview, he said he’d told Preston to bring him the offer on the ice. Steve had played competitively when he was younger, and knew his way around an ice rink, but it was only a hobby. Preston said the six month lease was a challenge. His clients didn’t want a one-year term. Steve said furnished properties of that caliber were few and far between. Right now, he had the only one. The owner had to turn the apartment over, painting and taking care of repairs, in between renters. A shorter term meant more wear and tear. In Steve’s interview, he said he thought this might actually be beneficial. In six months, the market would be different, and his client could raise the price. He’d bought it as an investment property. Steve called his client, telling him it wasn’t ideal, but the offer was 6 months at $60K a month. Right now, rentals were up because of the uncertainty of the market. People wanted to see what was going to happen. Steve saw an opportunity, and suggested they offer full ask for six months, then get a long term offer after the market was better. Steve came back to Preston with an offer of $60K a month if it was one-year, or the full price of $69.5K a month for six months. Steve continued to play hockey while Preston made the call, and came back with 6 months at the full ask, and in his interview, Steve said, six months from now, he’d get to rent it again. It was a win-win for him.

Tyler has a dog named Peggy, which I find worth mentioning, since I think it’s amusing when pets have human names. In his interview, Tyler said, before he could turn Whitney’s apartment back into a whitebox, buyers came along who said it was their exact taste, and loved everything. They made a $4.1 million offer, but wanted some of the furniture and curtains included. In Tyler’s interview, he said, it wasn’t uncommon, but it was far from his favorite thing to do. Buyers didn’t consider what the seller had paid for it, or the sentimental value. He just had to try and make it work. He told Whitney that she should be flattered, and she said she was, but it didn’t sway her. We flashed back to Whitney saying she was taking the curtains, and I flashed back to the previous owner of my house wanting to keep her curtains when we’d already agreed they came with the house. It has 21 windows. I held firm. And seriously, what was she going to do with them in senior living? Whitney told Tyler, it was like, my furniture is coming with me; thanks for coming. He asked if she didn’t want her legacy to live on. Plus, she didn’t need nursery furniture. She said she’d poured her heart and soul into her son’s room, and wasn’t giving his crib to a stranger. He managed to wheedle most of the furniture the buyers wanted, minus the crib, and made a deal at $4.1 million. He told Whitney, well done-ish. He would take an ish. His commission? $123K.    

In her interview, KJ said, after some hard conversations about the future – we flashed back to her talking to Ryan and Fredrik – she decided it was time for her to start her own team. Elliman had the best infrastructure, and the top producing agents in the city. She gathered her new team – Benjamin, Karishma, and Jill – and told them that it wasn’t just like she was moving to a different firm, she was creating a team. Jill was her COO, and would be keeping them on brand and helping grow the business, but they had room for another agent or two, so keep their eyes open. In her interview, she said she’d hand-selected people who were in line with her values and also had incredible experience.  Getting teary, she said she’d spent years thinking that others did it better. If you believed in yourself, you could do it, but it took time. It didn’t happen overnight, but one day you woke up and said, holy sh*t; it’s real. She felt a ton of pressure, an told her team they’d be working a lot.

Steve said, the $29.5 million penthouse at Hudson Yards was the accumulation of years of hard work. It was a game changer. Since he could only have a limited amount of people at an event, he’d invited the top brokers for an open house. In Ryan’s interview, he reminded us that he was the reason Steve got the listing; he’d brought Steve a buyer for the other apartment. We flashed back to that, and Ryan said, you’re welcome. To refresh your memory, the penthouse was 5211 square feet, 4 bedrooms, and 5.5 baths, two floors, 26’ ceilings, and 270* unobstructed views. In his interview, Ryan said he’d seen a lot of apartments, and this one screamed penthouse. It was a piece of art, and whoever bought it would crush it. $30 million today will be $60 million tomorrow. Watch. KJ and Tyler joined them, and in Tyler’s interview, he said he was excited to be invited, but even more excited to see the penthouse. It was everything. This was the dream. He thought Steve looked good in his tux. He’d brought prom to the penthouse.  Steve gave them the tour, and said they were the first to see it.   

Steve broke open the champagne, and in KJ’s interview, she said, in the future, she saw expansion of the business. She saw herself getting larger deals and building a well oiled machine that would run until she died. She’d be doing this to the grave. In Tyler’s interview, he said he’d busted his ass. He was proud of himself and his team. They’d sold more than they ever had before. He didn’t just want to build a team in the city. He was also starting one in the Hamptons. Even though there had been challenges, he was most excited about their growth. Fredrik arrived, wearing a bright yellow jacket, and in his interview, he said, since he moved to L.A., he’d been dressing brighter. He was the sunshine of New York, and when Freddy came back, it brightened everything. He’d moved past the Ryan thing. He didn’t need that kind of negativity in his life, and he was closing so many deals, chose to focus on that. In Ryan’s interview, he said Fredrik had been arguing with him for nine years. He was over it. They’d never be best friends, and never see eye to eye on everything, because they were naturally born competitors who played in the same market. We saw they both had property listings in buildings across from each other.

Steve showed Fredrik the 88th floor views from the primary bathroom, and Fredrik mentioned that the old Steve wore scarves and wrinkled T-shirts. Steve said, the old Steve wasn’t in a committed relationship with a child. People changed. In Steve’s interview, he said it had been a horrible market, but the downs only made them more successful. He and Luiza were stronger as a couple, and baby Rose was almost two. He wanted to continue to be competitive and be better, but at the end of the day, he had all he needed. Look where they were standing. The sky was literally the limit. In Fredrik’s interview, he said he wouldn’t change anything about the past year. His business was very different than it was 10 years ago. He moved to L.A. when the pandemic hit. He’d wanted to have a foot in each coast. He couldn’t travel, but he moved with it, just like Robot Freddy. Would it ever replace the real thing? Never. He expected to be number one in New York and L.A. in the coming year.

Steve thanked everyone for coming, and in his interview, Ryan said it had been a lot of work, but super exciting. If they handled this year, they could handle anything. He thought he said that about last year too, but scratch that. This year was f***ed. They were all new people. He’d spent more time at home in 2020 than he ever thought he would. He worked the entire time, and wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else other than Amelia and Zena. When people looked back in ten years, they would say, this was the start of the greatest real estate boom in the history of New York City. Steve said, to the next chapter and a brighter future. To New York. Ryan said, New York is back, baby!

This was the season finale, so no preview.

🎺 Getting On the Bandwagon…

KJ on starting a new chapter.

https://www.bravotv.com/million-dollar-listing-new-york/style-living/kirsten-jordan-talks-starting-her-own-team

🤔 Sonny’s Speculation…

But what about poor Nina?

👉 Blackie’s Trigger Finger…

Some people will do anything for an Instagram story.

https://popculture.com/celebrity/news/john-stamos-undergoes-surgery-reveals-hospital-photos/

🧼 Release the Trailer…

Behold Beyond Salem. It looks pretty good.

💖 Loved By All…

Tributes to Michael Nader from those who worked with him.

👠 Can’t Catch a Break…

Well, she wanted to be famous.

It’s even more XXPEN$IVE to be her now.

Get in line I’m sure.

https://people.com/tv/tom-girardi-law-firm-owes-101-million-in-debt-bankruptcy-case-filing/

🧮 But She Is Annoying…

And irrelevant, and boring, and hardly accountable, and yeah, what is she doing here?

https://screenrant.com/housewives-garcelle-teddi-feud-twitter-guest-shady-comment/

🍸 Sharing…

I’m kind of over Vanderpump Rules. I’ll always watch LVP, but I miss that show where she got the celebrities drunk. She was really in her element with that one. And Vanderpump Dogs. That was good too.

💣 Doom Addition…

Doom Patrol was one of my favorite comics as a kid. I haven’t seen the series yet, but this woman looks just like the one in the comic book.

https://ew.com/tv/michelle-gomez-madame-rouge-doom-patrol-season-3-photos/

https://screenrant.com/doom-patrol-season-3-images-madame-rouge-villain/

⚰️ Dead Start…

Everyone weighs in on The Walking Dead’s first episode of the last season. Daryl, Maggie, and even Negan.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-norman-reedus-daryl-negan-maggie-archeron-premiere/

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-maggie-negan-premiere-archeron-angela-kang-showrunner/

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-jeffrey-dean-morgan-negan-glenn-season-premiere-archeron/

🖋 Quotes of the Week

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. – Martin Luther King Jr.

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. – e.e. Cummings

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

The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action. – Alexander Graham Bell

If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. – Shirley Chisholm

I have only to break into the tightness of a strawberry, and I see summer – its dust and lowering skies.Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye

☮️ Peace Out…

Thus ends another week, or seven Xs, however you’re counting. Until we meet on the Deadside, stay safe, stay leaving them wanting more, and stay letting the downs only make you more successful.

April 16, 2021 – Cyrus Meets Anna, Good Report, a Tribute, New Project, Glory Days, Her Reaction, Tiffany’s Closet, No Way, Old Feud, Thrones On Stage, Bad Hosts, an Invite, Not Quite Twelve Quotes & Sunshine

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sasha brings take-out coffee into the garage, and Brando asks if she got one for him. She says she got him a latte, and he thanks her. She says she thinks she left her phone there, and he says she did. He found it in the car after she left, and he put it in the back. She says she wants to tell him something, and he says, that it shouldn’t have happened, but she says she was about to say she’s glad it did, and Brando smiles.

Sonny asks if Nina is okay, and Nina says, yeah, wrong number. He says he made coffee, and she says she’s desperate. He says she’s not desperate. All she has to do is take her time, and it’s up to her to pick and choose where she goes from here. She asks if he’s talking about Eli, and he says she barely knows Eli. She says, Phyllis and Lenny are fond of him, and Sonny says, but Eli is a stranger to Nina. As a matter-of-fact, so is he.   

Valentin asks Anna if she has any news about Chase, and she says Finn is keeping her up to date. They haven’t made a diagnosis that it’s poison yet, but she and Valentin can’t tell them. Peter will take off with the antidote. He says, so they honor the agreement, and wait while Peter reconciles with Maxie, and she says, they have to fix this.  Jason is in prison, thanks to Cyrus, and Peter is going to take off. Valentin says, not if he can do anything about it. Carly meets them at the door of her house, saying, the guards let her know they were there. She invites them in, and says, no more waiting around. They have to act now.

At Perdino’s, Laura leaves a phone message for Nikolas, saying, she doesn’t know what’s worse. Him being in league with Cyrus, or him going radio silent. Please call her back. Martin comes in, and says he couldn’t help overhearing her leave a message for her son. She asks why it’s his business, and he says he was hoping Nikolas kept his promise. Laura asks what her son promised him. More to the point, what did Martin offer Nikolas in return?

On the phone, Nikolas says he’s narrowed the search to a bakery in Stowe, Vermont where he thinks Martin ordered a hummingbird cake for his mother’s birthday. He knows it’s a long shot, but he needs to know if Martin, or anyone else, ordered a hummingbird cake from the bakery, and he needs to know any corresponding address. Call him as soon as they have some names. Ava asks if he’s really doing this; finding Cyrus’s mother, despite the fact that she and Laura advised against it. He says, if bringing Florence back to her son means keeping Alexis safe, then she’s right, he’s doing this.   

Alexis’s cellmate Maggie brings her to the gym/yard area, and says, they have an hour of the yard, and then do the work they’re assigned. You don’t learn to survive by lessons some advisor gives you. If you’re tough, you survive. If not… A large, disappointingly stereotypical inmate walks over to Alexis, who asks if she can help her. The inmate pushes her.

Maggie says, this one is new, Elda. Don’t worry. She’ll keep her in line. Elda walks away, and Alexis asks Maggie what the hell Elda’s problem is. Maggie tells her, steer clear. If Elda takes a dislike to her, compared to what she can do, incarceration will seem like a day at the spa. Alexis asks if the guard just watches, and Maggie says Alexis has a lot to learn. Alexis says that’s what Sam warned her about, and Maggie asks who Sam is; Alexis’s husband? Alexis says, her daughter. She said being locked up would seem like a foreign land, with its own rules and languages. She’ll have to be more careful if she’s going to survive another day, let alone three years.  

Ava tells Nikolas, once Cyrus’s mother is back, Cyrus will have no incentive to help Alexis. Not to mention he’ll have free reign to get even with Jason and Carly for taking Florence in the first place. Nikolas says, all that power and money won’t give Cyrus the one thing he’ll want after he gets his mother back. Ava says, Cyrus has money. Sonny is gone, and Jason is in prison, so Sonny’s territory is ripe for a takeover. What more could Cyrus possibly want? He asks what means more to them than money and power, and she says, love and family. Cyrus thinks Nikolas can convince Laura to accept him as part of the family. He says, it worked with Martin. He offered to repair Martin’s relationship with Laura, and Martin offered him a clue that might lead him to Florence. Ava says, the bakery where he got Florence the cake, and Nikolas says, Cyrus will come back to him sooner or later, and ask him to build a bridge to his sister. Ava says Nikolas is actually kind of sexy when he has things figured out, and they kiss.

Martin tells Laura, he gave Nikolas nothing; he has nothing to give. Laura says Nikolas can manipulate with the best of them. Is Martin sure he didn’t tell Nikolas where to find Florence? He says, of course (🍷) not. He has no idea where she is. She asks what Nikolas promised, and he says, to intercede with her on his behalf. Nikolas volunteered to mend fences between them. Martin knows how angry Laura is with him for his contribution to Julian’s escape, but please believe him, he had no idea Julian was responsible for what happened at The Floating Rib. Laura’s daughter is his niece, and now Lulu… He swears on his soul, if he knew about the death and destruction Julian created, he would never have helped. She says, despite the blackmail? and he says, for all the good it did him? Even though he gave into Julian’s blackmail, in a few short weeks, everyone knew Cyrus was his brother. And now he and Laura are on the opposite side of something, and any progress they’ve made as brother and sister seems to have vanished, which is exactly what Cyrus wanted. Cyrus is afraid he and Laura will end up on the same side, allied against him. When Cyrus walked in on Laura giving Martin a birthday cake, Cyrus’s instinct kicked in, and his bag of tricks. He exaggerated Martin’s guilt in the hope of obscuring his own. She tells him, don’t worry. No matter how disappointed she is in Martin, she’ll never forget that Cyrus gave the orders to plant the bomb in The Floating Rib. Cyrus approaches their table, and says Laura never ceases to amaze him. He didn’t think she and Martin would be on speaking terms after what she learned about him. Maybe there’s hope for him and Laura.

Brando says he didn’t know if he’d see Sasha again… in that way. Last night was all about… She says she’d just ended the relationship with Michael, and he thought she was on the rebound. He asks if she can blame him, and she says, not really. She and Michael were pretty serious, until they weren’t, but even when she still hoped she and Michael would pick up where they left off, Brando was always there. He says, stalking her? and she says she never minded. He says he figured that out when she didn’t call the cops, and she says, as much as she tried to ignore it, something was between them. He says, internal combustion, and she says he’s comparing her to a car; how romantic. Can she at least let her have an eight-cylinder engine with turbo charging? He says he’s been meaning to ask her how she knows so much about cars. She asks, why wouldn’t she? Did he think the face of Deception has no life beyond the glamorous shoots? He says he was hoping to hear more about it.

Nina tells Sonny that Eli doesn’t trust him either, and Sonny says, tell him something he doesn’t already know. She says, for the record, she’s not in the market for a new relationship, and he says, if she were… She says the perfect man has to make her fall in love with him, and then completely break her heart. He says she’s too hard on herself. She doesn’t deliberately choose these guys; she’s much better than they are. She says, is she? and he says didn’t she come there to get away from her bad choices. She’s way too smart not to know she’s in an unhealthy relationship is like. She says, is she? the thing is, it doesn’t stop her from missing the person she ran away from. Maybe she should just write the article and move on. He says, maybe, but when you move on, you take yourself with you. She says he doesn’t know who he is, does he? and he says, look what happened to him, and she says, what if he could get himself back?

Carly asks if Valentin and Anna have made any progress with Gladys, and Valentin says, Gladys is a shallow, selfish, greedy beggar with a huge interest in self-preservation, like Carly said. Anna says she’s sure Cyrus has put the fear of God in Gladys, and she knows if she changes her story, Cyrus will kill her. Valentin says, not to mention what Peter is capable of doing to her, and Carly asks what Peter has done now. Anna says,  nothing, but he insists on being in Maxie’s life, and had to be escorted out of the hospital. Carly is sure it’s a nightmare for Maxie, but thinks Peter is less of threat to Maxie than Cyrus is to all of them. The only thing that’s stopping him from burning Port Charles down is that she has Florence – for now. Anna asks what she means, and Carly says Cyrus tried to offer her a deal; Florence, in exchange for Gladys changing her story so Jason could go free. He didn’t seem disappointed or angry when she turned him down. It sounded like he had another deal in place.

Sonny asks what makes Nina think he can find out who he is? She says, no one is completely anonymous. If he really wants to uncover his past, he can reach out on social media. He says he’s not sure he wants to find out what happened to him before Nixon Falls, and she asks, why not? He says he likes it there. He likes the people and the pace. He likes the fact that the highlight of the season is a dance at the firehouse. Nina says, it sounds like a lot more fun than the Met Gala, and he asks, what’s that? She says, a ball where people dress up to impress each other and raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She admits it’s a worthy cause, and he says, it’s her world. She says she could show him pictures of her and her friends dressed up on the red carpet outside the museum, everyone smiling, but no one is actually happy. He says she seems happy there, and she says, he does too. He says, why go somewhere else to find happiness? I expect them to break out in a song from Oklahoma! any second.

Brando says, so Sasha had a summer job in high school? She says, working at a garage. It was mostly in the office, but she occasionally helped with repairs. She had spending money, and discovered she liked the work. He says he pictured her playing with Disney princess dolls, and she says she did that too, but she’s not a stereotype any more than he is. He’s Cyrus’s driver-slash-bodyguard; the one Cyrus keeps around to clean up his messes, but it’s just a front. He says, don’t go calling The Invader, and she tells him, don’t worry. She likes him better alive than dead. She admires his bravery; walking a tightrope to protect Carly and her family. He says he’s more like an idiot, and she says, you don’t win medals for being an idiot. She has to get going. She has a photo shoot, and grease on her face is not a good look for the face of Deception. He says he thinks she looks great, but he’s not being very objective. He wipes her face with a clean rag, and they almost kiss, but he says he almost forgot; her phone. He leaves to get it, and she smiles.   

Cyrus sits at the table, and says, the three of them breaking bread. He asks Laura if this isn’t better than their petty squabbles. Maybe one day, his mother will join them. Laura says she thought Florence was happy where she is, and Martin says, she is. Wherever she is, mama makes the best of things. Cyrus says, she’ll be happier back in the loving arms of her family, and Laura asks what he’s planning. Cyrus says he gives her his word that he’s not planning anything. Mother’s fate, as she well knows, is out of his hands.

Ava tells Nikolas, don’t distract her, and he says, he’s distracting her? She says she’s concerned about his involvement with Cyrus. Why is he certain he can find Florence when Cyrus’s own people couldn’t? He says the man he was talking to is Colonel Jackson. He served in various hot spots around the globe. He’s retired from the military, and opened his own company. She says, a mercenary? and he says, security consultant. His people can be anywhere at a moment’s notice. They’re infiltrating the bakery to find out if hummingbird cakes or any other Southern desserts have been delivered to a nearby address. Ava asks what it’s costing Nikolas, but he says, it doesn’t matter. If he finds Florence, Alexis is safe. She says, one does not guarantee the other, and he says he can’t leave his aunt in Pentenville with no resources. He has to make sure she’s protected. She says she loves him for wanting to protect his aunt, but doesn’t think this is the way to do it. Think about Cyrus, look at his history. Think of all the people he’s betrayed, including her brother. If Nikolas thinks he can trust Cyrus to keep his word, he’s making a big mistake.

Carly tells Anna and Valentin, if Cyrus gets his mother back, they lose leverage. Gladys is going to keep following Cyrus’s orders, and lie to the cops. Peter stays free, and Jason stays in prison, at least until the trial. Anna says, that would be the case, and Carly says, then they have to put more pressure on Gladys. Valentin says he’s not kidnapping Gladys, and holding her in Anna’s basement, and Carly says, why not? It’s a start. Anna says, a coerced confession won’t hold up in court, and Carly says, Anna is worried about what’s legal now, after she covered for Peter for months? After Jason warned Anna, and told her to come forward? What is going on here? Where is the help Anna promised her? Is she going to get Jason out of prison? Anna says she understands Carly’s frustration, but Carly has to trust her. If Carly goes after Gladys, she’ll make Jason’s situation worse. Carly asks what Anna is telling her. Better luck next time? Jason is just going to rot in prison? Valentin tells her, that’s not what they said, but Carly says, that’s what it sounds like. They said they wanted to stop Peter from killing someone else, to stop insinuating himself into Maxie’s life. So what are they going to do about it? Anna says, nothing. And neither is Carly.   

Alexis wonders what she did to get on Elda’s bad side; she just got here. Maggie says, Elda has no other side; it’s all bad. Did Alexis defend her and lose? Alexis says she’s never seen Elda before, and Maggie says maybe Elda was her mortal enemy in another life. She has to go back inside and prepare for her parole hearing. The tips Alexis gave her are really going to help. Alexis says she was told not to trust anyone there, but… Maggie says she gets it. It’s tougher without someone to talk to. She thought a smart woman like Alexis could have fancy-talked her way out of Pentenville. Alexis says she could have plead guilty and gone to trial, and Maggie asks why she didn’t. Alexis says it’s a long story, and Maggie says she’s got the time. She sits on a bench, and Alexis says, come to think of it, she does too, and sits next to her.   

Ava says all Nikolas has done is give Cyrus an opening to threaten Alexis any time he wants something. It’s what Cyrus did to her brother. He threatened Julian’s family to get him to cooperate. It’s just a manipulation. Nikolas says, he’s not Julian. Nobody manipulates him. He needs to know they’re in this together. If one of them feels threatened, they have to set aside their doubts and questions, and come together. Isn’t that the kind of marriage they’ve created, despite the odds? She says he doesn’t play fair, and he says he’s not playing. He needs to know she’s with him. Today, tomorrow, always. She asks if he needs proof, and he says, always. They kiss, and he picks her up in his arms.

Gladys comes to the garage, and sees the tools around the car. She asks if Brando doesn’t have the morning off. Why is it always all work and no play with him? Sasha’s head pops up, and she says, it’s nice to see Gladys again. Gladys asks what Sasha is doing there, and I’m hoping they weren’t doing it under the car.

Laura says Cyrus might try to make his fingerprints invisible, but it’s clear to her that he’s pressuring someone else to find his mother. Someone who loves his Aunt Alexis very much, and wants her to be protected while she’s in prison. Martin says, Nikolas was concerned about his Aunt Alexis when they last spoke, and Laura says she thought Martin didn’t tell Nikolas anything. Martin says he didn’t. For the last time, there was nothing to tell. He doesn’t even know his mother’s current location. Cyrus says, don’t blame, Marty. They rarely agree, but they both want the best for their mother. Laura laughs, and says she doesn’t think so. Martin loves his mother for who she is, but Cyrus needs his mother to validate his life. She didn’t approve when Jason took Florence, but it was the only way to contain Cyrus’s violence and greed, and it worked. Since Jason’s had Florence, there have been no shootouts. Cyrus wants his mother back because he doesn’t want Jason to have that leverage over him. She say she’ll be damned if she’ll let Cyrus use her son to make it happen, and walks out.

Carly says, they expect her to do nothing. Why? What aren’t they telling her? Anna says, Peter took steps to protect himself. It’s probably his first step in his strategy for leaving Port Charles. Carly asks what the hell Peter has done, and Valentin says they can’t tell her that, but they’re working hard to fix the situation. Anna says, if Peter even gets a hint they’re working against him, someone innocent will die. Carly asks if this innocent person has a name, and Anna says Carly isn’t the only one who wants Jason free, or Peter to be brought to justice. If she goes for Gladys, she’s going to escalate an already dangerous situation. So can she take a deep breath, and let them handle Peter? Carly says she was only working with Anna because Jason wanted her to, but Jason is in prison, so she has to follow her instincts. If they can’t tell her why she should give them time, she can’t promise them she will. Anna says, then Peter won’t be the only one with blood on his hands. He can live with it. Can Carly?   

Sonny tells Nina, he’ll throw in a danish if she tells him what’s on her mind. She says, what if she told him that she did something selfish that might hurt a lot of people? He says he wouldn’t believe her. He’s seen her with Lenny and Phyllis, and she’s not a selfish person. She says, she is, but the weird part is, she believes she’s doing the right thing, a good thing; not just for herself, but for someone who will never know. Sonny asks if it’s someone he knows, and she says, it’s someone who deserves to be happy. Someone who deserves a fresh start. She’s making sure they have both of them. He says, that’s a good thing, not a selfish thing. She says, that’s what she tells herself, and sometimes she even believes it.

Sasha says she was helping Brando fix the carburetor, and Gladys says Sasha would risk her manicure to help out at the shop? Brando comes out from the office, and says he charged Sasha’s phone; it was losing juice. He sees Gladys, and asks what she’s doing there. She says she just came to check on her boy. It sounds like he had an interesting evening.

Martin says, he was hoping he and Laura could find a way past what happened on his birthday, but once again, like the Angel of Death, it takes Cyrus one minute to ruin everything. Cyrus says, relax, Marty. As soon as mother comes back, Laura will get over her anger. Martin says, do him a favor. Let’s review, shall we? In one way or another Cyrus is responsible for putting Laura’s daughter in a coma. Now Cyrus is trying to coopt her son. In what universe would Laura look at Cyrus with anything other than loathing?

Walking into Perdino’s, Valentin says, how much does Anna want to bet that Carly doesn’t wait around long enough for them to take down Peter? She says she doesn’t want to take that risk, and they go inside. They see Cyrus and Martin, and Valentin asks if Anna wants to go to the MetroCourt. She says, no. She wants to say hello. She goes over to their table, and Valentin follows. She says Valentin has been telling her how helpful Martin has been in establishing parental rights for Brook’s baby. She doesn’t think she and Cyrus have been formally introduced, and says she’s Anna Devane, Peter’s aunt. Cyrus smiles.   

Ava and Nikolas bask in the afterglow, and Nikolas says he needs Ava to believe that he’ll protect the ones he loves; his mother, Alexis, Spencer, especially her. Ava says, her whole life she had to protect herself, and he says she doesn’t have to anymore. He’s here for her, like she’s here for him. If he was in danger, wouldn’t she do everything in her power to save him? She says, in a heartbeat, and they get busy again.

On the phone, Carly tells Bobbie to put the guards on extra alert, and do it without scaring Florence… All right… She loves Bobbie too. The doorbell rings, and she says she has to go. Call her if there are any signs of trouble. She opens the door to Laura, who asks if something happened. There are more guards than usual. Carly says she’s just taking extra care. What did Laura want to see her about? Laura asks what it would take for Carly to surrender Florence, before someone gets hurt.

Cyrus says he’s pleased to finally make Anna’s acquaintance; her reputation precedes her. She tells him, don’t believe everything you hear, Mr. Renault. He tells her to call him Cyrus, if he may call her Anna, and she says, of course (🍷). Cyrus says he hears congratulations are in order. Valentin is going to be a new father again. Valentin says, how about that? Cyrus’s brother takes care of a lot of his interests, and will tell Cyrus that family means a lot to him. Cyrus says, as it does to all of them. Anna tells Valentin that she’s suddenly famished, and they go to their table. Martin asks, what the hell was that? All the pointed looks going back and forth, the least Cyrus could do for his brother is shout duck. Cyrus says, just marking their territory.

Valentin asks if Anna would like to explain that interaction, and she says, sometimes you just have to look your enemy in the eye to figure out your next move. He asks if she has, and she says, most definitely.

Carly asks if Laura has noticed that Port Charles has been fairly calm since Florence started her extended stay with friends, but Laura says, it’s not going to stay that way. Carly knows that already. Carly asks why Laura is saying that, and Laura says she was just talking to her brothers. Since they’re all family now, they feel free to share with her whatever is on their dysfunctional little minds. Carly says, which is? and Laura says, Martin was way too eager to make her believe he’d kept Florence’s location a secret, and Cyrus was too self-assured, even for him. Carly asks if he knows where Florence is, and Laura says she doesn’t think so – not yet – but she thinks Nikolas does.

On the phone, Nikolas asks if they found the find bakery… Excellent. Did they have subsequent orders for Southern desserts?… Bobbie Spencer? She’s the mother of one of the parties involved in Florence’s kidnapping. Does he have an address?… Terrific work, Colonel, thank you. When they arrive at the address, he wants them to establish a parameter, reconnoiter the area, but don’t make a move until he gets there. Understood?  Ava asks if Nikolas found her, and he says he’ll know soon enough. Ava asks why not order Colonel Jackson to take Florence the moment he finds her. Is Nikolas having second thoughts? He asks if he hasn’t convinced her to change her mind, to understand why he’s doing this, and she says, if she tells him that he hasn’t, will he call it off? He says, no, but he’d rather do this with her than without her.

An inmate suddenly plops between Alexis and Maggie, and they get up. Alexis says, it was the combination of a lot of booze and a lot of bad decisions that got her into this lovely location. Maggie says, and a few bad men? and Alexis says, one or two contributed. In the end, it was on her. Maggie says Alexis obviously knows how the parole board thinks. They want to hear inmates take responsibility for their actions, basically saying what they did was wrong, but they learned their lesson. Alexis says, it will be a while before she sees a parole board. What’s crazy is, she chose to plead guilty because she wanted to be accountable for the things she’d done. Not just for other people, but for herself. As naïve and insane as it sounds, after three years, she wants to walk out of this place a better woman. Elda approaches them, and tells Maggie, take a hike. Alexis says, it’s okay. Three’s a crowd. Maggie leaves, and the guard leaves with her. Alexis and Elda face each other.

Nina tells Sonny, thanks, but she’s going to the library to research the early days of Nixon Falls for the article. He says, since they’re both going to the firehouse dance, they should go together. Nina says she’d love to go with him, but Eli already asked her, and she said she’d go with him. He says he’s not surprised Eli beat him to it, and she says she’ll save him a dance. He says there are things she doesn’t know about Eli, and she says there are things Mike/Sonny doesn’t know about himself, and there are things he doesn’t know about her. He says, true, and she asks if he’s trying to tell her something. He says, will she save that dance? and she promises she will.  

Sasha thanks Brando for finding her phone, and Gladys tells her, next time, be more careful. She goes to the other side of the room, and Brando says, but not too careful. You might miss out on something good. He apologizes for his mom, but Sasha says, in her own way, Gladys is just trying to look out for him. She has to run, and he asks, who’s looking out for her? She says, she thought he was, calling him Mr. Stalker. He says, so his stalking is welcome now, and she says, maybe because she’ll also be stalking him. Unfortunately, I can see the Twitter reaction now being right up there with Baby, It’s Cold Outside. <heaving a heavy sigh over people being offended too easily and in any context>

Anna tells Valentin, it wasn’t until she was face to face with Cyrus, that she realized they weren’t entirely powerless. He asks if she wants to share what’s on her mind, and she says, poisoning an innocent, and holding on to the antidote for ransom is classic Faison (ha-ha! Faison Classic). It’s appalling, but not surprising that his son would follow his example. What Peter doesn’t realize is, the same tactics that brought down Faison, can bring him down too.

Martin says if Cyrus is grimacing at Anna, he advises him to stop. Cyrus says he’s smiling, and Martin says, Valentin is very protective of Anna, and he’s also very dangerous. Not in the hairy back, knuckle-dragging, let’s-break-their-knees way, familiar to the garden variety simians Cyrus employs. The last place Cyrus wants to be is on Valentin’s bad side. Cyrus says he’s counting on Martin to keep the peace between him and his client. As to Anna, what does Martin know about her? Martin says, he’s an attorney, not one of Peter’s muck-raking journalists, and Cyrus asks if Martin doesn’t find it fascinating. First, Anna was Peter’s mother; now she’s his aunt, and they’re not good terms. Apparently a lot of dirty laundry was spilled at the wedding that didn’t happen. It might prove useful as leverage. Martin says, to who? Against who [sic]? Cyrus’s new friend Peter? Why does he care about the man anyway? Cyrus says he doesn’t. Peter is merely a means to an end. And if it goes well, the end may soon be in sight.

Carly tells Laura, now it makes sense. Now she knows why Cyrus wasn’t upset when she rejected his offer to trade Florence for Jason’s freedom. He already had a plan in place with Nikolas. Laura says, she’s right then. Martin let something slip to Nikolas, so Cyrus is getting his mother back, but through her son. Carly asks if Nikolas doesn’t know he’s walking into a trap. Cyrus has all the power. This is what he does; creates danger, then offers to erase it. Laura says, and before you know it, he owns you, and Carly says, he did the same thing to Julian, and Nikolas is married to Julian’s sister. Can’t Nikolas see where this is headed? Laura says she’s not defending Nikolas, but Carly has taken risks to protect the people she loves. Carly says she knows; they both have. Even if Cyrus keeps his word, and protects Alexis in Pentenville, that’s great for Alexis, but it leaves Jason in an even worse position. Laura says, and it gets Nikolas in even deeper with Cyrus. Carly asks how they stop Nikolas.   

Nikolas talks to the Colonel again, and asks if he can overcome the Corinthos guards. Ava tells Nikolas, whatever he decides, she’s with him. He tells the Colonel to wait for his signal.   

Alexis tells Elda, crazy weather, huh? Elda asks who Alexis is calling crazy, and pins Alexis against the wall.  

On Monday, Curtis asks how bad someone wants to find out, Cyrus wants Martin to celebrate with him, Anna visits Jason, and Elda says she’s going to make sure Alexis remembers. And I don’t think Elda means her birthday.

🩺 By the way. John Stamos (ex-Blackie) was on Watch What Happens Live this week, and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the cast of General Hospital. No surprise.

💣 The Spy Who We Loved…

An upcoming tribute to John Reilly will include his real life daughter.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/general-hospital-john-reilly-tribute-caitlin-reilly-casting-1234951545/

https://www.tvinsider.com/995144/general-hospital-john-reilly-tribute-episode-caitlin-reilly/

🎥 The Other Kendall…

Life beyond Pine Valley.

🕶 It Was the Bomb…

Emma Samms revisits my favorite soap time period. I loved all that spy stuff.

🖐🏽 Kardashian Kast-Off…

I have no doubt she didn’t hold back.

https://extratv.com/2021/04/13/lisa-rinna-s-unfiltered-reaction-to-daughter-amelia-dating-scott-disick/

👠 Look Out Imelda Marcos…

Spoiler: Tiffany has shoes that have never been worn, but just make her happy to look at.

https://pagesix.com/2021/04/13/rhod-star-tiffany-moon-gives-us-a-tour-of-her-closet/

😱 Can’t Blame Them…

I wouldn’t want my mother on RHOBH either.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1257794/why-paris-and-nicky-hilton-didnt-want-mom-kathy-to-join-rhobh

🐇 If Anyone Still Cares…

I watched The Girls Next Door. I read Holly Madison’s book. Like Kendra said, Dude, it’s 2021.

🎭 Broadway Game…

A mishmash of New York-ish entertainment news, including Game of Thrones coming to Broadway. I have mixed feelings.

https://pagesix.com/2021/04/06/game-of-thrones-headed-to-londons-west-end-in-2023/

🏆 Good Times…

Remember when life was maskless? Before we had to social distance? When at the Academy Awards meant people accepting awards in person? Remember when Anne Hathaway and James Franco screwed that up?

https://nypost.com/2021/04/15/why-anne-hathaway-and-james-franco-bombed-as-2011-oscars-hosts/

📜 You’re Invited…

But will there be an open bar?

🎺 Quotes of the Week

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. – Bernard M. Baruch

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. – Confucius

The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. – Arthur C. Clarke

You cannot change anyone, but you can be the reason someone changes. – Roy T. Bennett

Rejection is an opportunity for your selection. – Bernard Branson

You’re going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by. It’s actions, not words, that matter.Nicholas Sparks

There has never been a time in my life where I have experienced deep grief and have not come out the other side of it completely new and fresh and wiser. – Glennon Doyle

Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.Marilyn Monroe

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. – Amelia Earhart

We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology. – Carl Sagan

Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response. – Arthur M. Schlesinger

🧳 Packing It In…

Putting on my copywriting hat, until I switch to Dead mode on Sunday night. If you want to check out my interrogation skills, my copywriting is featured on Mupo and Friends, at 2 pm on Sundays. This week’s guest is Han Soto from Cobra Kai, and you can catch it on YouTube or MupoEntertainment.com. Change up your weekend, or whatever you might call it these days, and until we next meet, stay safe, stay encouraged, and stay doing it for the right reasons if you must do something selfish.