Tag Archives: Kristen Taekman

December 27, 2023 – Brook Comes To Tracy’s Defense, TempMaxie, Soap Roll Call, Her Future, But Is He, Almost Quit, News Of Us, What’s On the Eve, Holiday Pet (!) Mix & Party

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Kristina and Molly show up at Alexis’s house, and Alexis says, there they are, my pride, and most of the time, my joy. She thanks them for coming and says she knows it’s early. She asks if they want coffee, but they both say they’ve reached their limit. (I didn’t know there was a limit.) Molly asks, what’s so important she needed to see them before work? and Kristina says, her voice sounded really tense on the phone. Alexis invites them to sit down, and says she’s sorry TJ couldn’t make it, but it’s probably best they speak first, just the three of them. Molly wonders why she feels like they’ve been called to the principal’s office, but Alexis says, they’re not in any trouble… yet.

At Deception, Lucy rifles through photos and papers on her desk, mumbling, and Tracy asks if she can’t do anything quietly. TempMaxie (see below) asks if they want coffee before the senior leadership meeting, but Lucy suggests they just dive right in. Oh wait. They can’t, because the leader of their leadership meeting isn’t here. Maxie says she’s sure Brook will be here any second, and Lucy asks what kind of company Tracy and her granddaughter are running. Tracy says she lightened Lucy’s workload by 51%, which means Lucy should have 51% more time to rifle (coincidence!) through photo proofs and wrangle her spokesmodel. Lucy says, Tracy shouldn’t even be in this office, never mind breathing their rarified Deception air. Tracy says, and yet, here she is, and Lucy says, as if she could miss Tracy, but she sure would love to try.

Brook says, if her grandmother finds out she’s late for the meeting because she can’t find her… Chase says, her bag’s over there, and she thanks him. She says she’s just going to grab a coffee on the way, and he says, brewed, in her travel mug, holding it out to her. She asks if he’s psychic, and he says he doesn’t have to be; he knows her routine. She says, he’s the best. What does he have planned for his day off? He says he’s trying to find wedding venues that accommodate guests with mobility issues, and she sits next to him. He says he wants his dad to have the time of his life at their wedding, and Brook flashes back to Gregory saying that time isn’t on his side. His Christmas wish is to see his son get married to the love of his life. She tells Chase, you and me both.

Finn dashes into an exam room, where Gregory is sitting, and says he was told Gregory was in here. Does Gregory want to tell him what happened? Gregory says he’s fine. He just got a bit overheated. Finn looks at the IV bag and says, this is for aggressive fluid replacement. They don’t just give it to people who are a bit overheated. Does Gregory want to tell him what’s going on?

At Kelly’s with Felicia, Robert orders coffee, and Felicia says, nothing to eat? Is he feeling okay? He says he’s not hungry, and she says, he’s probably full because he already ate with Diane. He says, she didn’t bring him here to discuss his personal life, and she says she didn’t know that was an option, but he’s right. She’s sorry. They need to talk family. He asks if something happened with Mac, but she says, Mac is fine. There’s a mystery she wants solved before he comes back, and she needs Robert’s help.

Sasha finds Cody at the stables and says, it looks like he’s having a busy morning. He says he was just hammering out one of Comet’s old horseshoes, but he always has time for her. What’s up? She says she wasn’t sure if she could beat Comet in a contest for his attention, and he says, totally. Nobody else. What brings her by? She says she came to warn him. He’s in trouble.

Scotty goes to the counter at Kelly’s and tells the server that he hears some people try to eat their feelings. He thinks he’s going to be that guy, because he has a lot of feelings. She gives him a menu and asks what she can get him. He says, everything… from the left side of the menu. And a cup of coffee. He’ll be at his table.

Robert asks why Felicia is still on about this Cody Bell thing, and she says her instincts tell her that Cody lied about those DNA test results. He says, if that’s the case, why is his brother saddled with this jerk? and she says, Mac has a right to know if Cody is his son. She knows Cody is no choirboy, and Robert says, ya think? He hadn’t been in town five minutes, and he almost drowned Britt Westbourne. She says, there wasn’t supposed to be somebody in that pool when he parachuted into it (there wasn’t; she was near the pool and he knocked her in), and Robert tells her, let’s say for instance, he came through the front door and offered his hand and said hi, like a normal person would do. She says, it was a publicity stunt, a job he was contracted and paid for, but Robert says, it was reckless endangerment and he got arrested. She says, he apologized to Britt, and she got over it. Why can’t Robert? He says, because he knows a con man when he smells one, and she says, which proves the exact point she was trying to make. Cody came to their house over the holiday and brought all these gifts for all of them. The kids adore him, and he fit right in. Robert asks if he brought receipts for the presents, and Felicia says, he cares about their family. She can feel it. She can see it. And there’s this undeniable bond between him and Mac and James. He tells her, let’s say he believes her. If she’s right, why would Cody lie about being a part of a family he cares about?

Cody wonders how he’s in trouble, and Sasha says, after Spinelli made him leave Mac and Felicia’s on Christmas… Cody says, Spinelli didn’t make him leave, but Sasha says, Spinelli was rude, out of line, and just completely wrong. After he left, Felicia said she hates not knowing the truth about him and Mac. He says, she knows the truth… a truth. She was at the hospital when he got the DNA results. Sasha says, but he never showed Felicia the printout and she thought that was strange, and he says, Felicia is pretty invested with him being a part of the family. He guesses it makes sense that she wouldn’t accept the results. Sasha says she thinks it’s more than a case of just being disappointed. She thinks Felicia is genuinely skeptical. He says, she was a P.I. and she’s married to a cop. She’s kind of conditioned to be suspicious. She says, Maxie didn’t buy her theory, but they know she’s right. He did lie about the DNA results; he is Mac’s son. And now Felicia is wondering why he’d pretend to be the son of Leopold Taub.

Brook closes the laptop and says, about the wedding… Chase says, she hasn’t changed her mind, has she? and she says, not on your life, kissing him. He says, then what’s up? and she says, if they’re going to do everything in their power to make sure his dad has the best time on their special day, it’s going to need to happen a little faster than they anticipated.

Gregory says he was doing hot yoga on an empty stomach. Dumb idea. Finn says, yes, very dumb. Since when is he doing hot yoga? Gregory says, Finn doesn’t need to hover; the fluids are already working. Dr. Matt comes in and asks what daredevil stunt Gregory was up to this time, and Gregory says, hot yoga. They don’t call it hot for nothing. But he already has his next quest lined up. Matt says he can’t wait to hear about it and asks how Finn is. Finn says he’s fine. He’s just making sure his dad’s okay. Matt says he’s about to examine Gregory right now, if Finn will excuse them, and Finn says, of course (🍷). He’ll be right outside. Gregory says, no need, he’s fine, and Finn reluctantly leaves. In the hallway, a woman comes up to Finn and asks if Gregory is okay. Finn says, he’s fine, and asks how she knows his dad. She says she’s the yoga instructor. She’s so glad he’s all right. She’s never had anyone collapse in her class before.

Molly says she can’t take any more bad news. It’s been a rough few months. Alexis says she knows Molly’s been through a lot, and this isn’t necessarily bad news. She’s happy for Molly and TJ, that they’re soldiering on through this journey to have a baby. She knows that’s what Molly really, really wants. And Kristina, giving her the most extraordinary, generous gift. Molly says, and Kristina knows how grateful she is. Kristina says, of course (🍷). She’s honored. Alexis says she just wishes the commitment they made to each other was legally binding, but it’s not. Their surrogacy arrangement presents what could be a really big legal problem.

Chase says he thought he and Brook agreed on a summer wedding. It’s not too far away, but it still gives them time to plan. She says, too much planning’s overrated. Who says they need this whole elaborate production? He says, she said that, but she tells him, what does she know? He says, Lois told him that she used to sketch her wedding gown in her school notebook, but she says, dreams change. He says he doesn’t want to rush this. He had a quickie wedding once, and they all know how that turned out. She says, they both know why he had that quickie wedding with Willow, and those reasons have nothing to do with why they want to be together. He says he knows, but he’s only doing this one more time, and he’s doing it with her. He wants it to be special. What’s going on? She says, when his dad pulled her aside on Christmas Eve, he said his Christmas wish was to see them get married.

Gregory says, well, doc? and Matt says, at the moment, his vitals look good. Gregory says he’s not surprised. He’s feeling better already. Matt says he’s already recovering from the dehydration, and Gregory says he’s guessing Matt’s prescription for recovery is lots of rest and plenty of fluids. Matt says, it is, and he’d like to admit Gregory for observation.

Alexis says she knows Molly and Kristina have done their homework on the medical side of things and they’re clear about that. She just doesn’t know that they’re clear on the legal implications. Kristina says, well, this baby’s mother is a brilliant lawyer, and Alexis says, she is, but she’s not a specialist in family law. Molly says, true, but she can draw up a contract, and Kristina says, and she can sign it. So lawyer/contract, they’re good. Alexis says she’s not sure that’s entirely true, because there is no binding agreement that she can sign that would make that baby Molly’s.

Maxie says, everyone needs time to adjust to their new corporate reality, and Tracy says, reality, Lucy. The opposite of what’s going on in your head. Maxie says, but they do have to be professional, and Tracy says, why start now? Lucy says she knows blackmail is Tracy’s go-to, but technically, blackmail is not professional, and Maxie says, this is a critical time for Deception. A lot is at stake for everyone who works here. For people who have rent and kids and have to grocery shopping on the way home. Bottom line, they need to make this work. Lucy says, Maxie is so right, but you know what’s not working? Tracy’s powers of manipulation. Judging from the fact Brook isn’t here, her powers are a big, fat flop. Tracy says, Lucy is well-acquainted with big, fat flops, from her marriages to business ventures. She just can’t seem to stick the landing. Lucy says she knows where she’d like to stick… and Maxie says, that’s enough. She can’t believe she has to talk to them like she does her children, but five minutes of silence, both of them. This lasts about three seconds, when Lucy says, Tracy doesn’t really care about Deception at all. She’s just bored and needs a distraction. Maxie says, it doesn’t work on her kids either, and Tracy says she can think of a thousand distractions more appealing than listening to Lucy, and Lucy says, but none of them would distract Tracy from the fact she has nothing to live for since Luke died. (Ouch! That was mean.)

Sasha says she knows the whole Taub necklace scam wasn’t the only reason Cody lied about the DNA results, and he says, Mac’s a good guy. Mac doesn’t deserve a son like him. She says, that couldn’t be further from the truth, but Felicia is a good P.I., and she’s going to dig and keep digging until she discovers the truth, and the fallout from that could be massive in ways he couldn’t expect. Trust her. She speaks from personal experience. He says, that whole Nina Reeves thing, right? and she says her situation was the complete opposite from his. She was hired by Valentin Cassadine to claim she was Nina’s daughter, but looking back, she realizes she could have mitigated a lot of damage if she’d just come clean. The fact that she stayed silent and got busted made the fallout so much worse. He says, maybe he should just move to Bolivia or some other county that doesn’t extradite Americans. Coming clean is not an option, and if Felicia finds out he’s Mac’s son, he’s going to Pentenville.

Felicia says she was hoping Robert and his extraordinary skill set could help her figure out why Cody would lie about those test results, because he’s right. It doesn’t make any sense. He says, take some advice from the man with the extraordinary skill set, and leave it. She says, if he thinks she can do that, he understands her even less than he understands Cody, and he says he understood all too well what kind of a grifter Cody was when he walked into Britt’s office and found them fighting over Taub’s necklace. She asks, what about Leopold Taub? and he says, this time last year, he went to seize Taub’s necklace, the one that Victor wanted. He goes into Britt’s office and they’re both there fighting over the necklace, both claiming ownership. She asks if they ever got it sorted out, but he says he doesn’t think so. Not since it was destroyed. She wonders if Cody ever contested any of Taub’s other assets, and he says, that would be a good question for a lawyer. She looks over at Scotty and says, indeed it would.

Chase tells Brook that he can understand his dad talking about his stamina, but worrying about his death seems seriously premature. Brook says she’s just telling him what Gregory told her; he doesn’t want them waiting too long. He asks if she thinks Gregory is holding something back, but she says she doesn’t know. She’s not going to the meeting; she’s calling the office. He says she doesn’t have to do that; he’ll be fine. She should go to her meeting. The last thing they need is Tracy coming around here looking for her. She says, that’s a good point, and hugs him. They’re going to make sure they do what’s best for everyone, okay? He says, whatever that is, and she gathers up her stuff and leaves. Chase’s phone rings, and he says he’s glad Finn called. Brook just told him something… Finn says, dad’s here at the hospital. He’s okay, but he took a fall. Chase says he’s on his way.

Alexis says she should have known Molly would have done research on the child/parent security act, and Molly says she’s familiar. She hasn’t studied it. Alexis says, because it’s new, which means it can be easily challenged, and Molly says she’s aware, but it does allow for surrogacy in New York. Alexis says, it does, but the surrogate has to be using a third-party egg donor, and Kristina asks if it really makes a difference. Molly says, a big difference actually, and Alexis says, in her case, she’s not using a third-party egg donor. She’s the donor and the surrogate. In this case, it’s called a genetic surrogacy, and the contract for a genetic surrogacy is not enforceable in the state of New York. Kristina says, okay, but if genetic surrogacy isn’t enforceable in the state of New York, they’ll just get pregnant in a different state. They’ll find some other workaround. Alexis says, there are always loopholes, because Molly will tell her, regulations exist because there are precedents. Kristina says, precedents and regulations and loopholes. She’s talking to them like they’re her court case, not her children. Alexis says she’s talking to them this way because they are her children, and she wants to make sure their best interests are protected. Kristina asks if it’s their best interests, or is Alexis really just trying to protect Molly from her?

Tracy tells Lucy not to say Luke’s name ever again, but Lucy says, Tracy doesn’t own Luke’s name, just like she never owned Luke. Tracy says, don’t, and Lucy says, Luke had many, many women in his life, and Tracy was just one of them. She barely cracked the top ten. Maxie says, don’t go there, but Lucy says, why? Why can’t she just tell the truth right to Tracy’s face? Luke was the great, true love of Tracy’s life, but does she know who the great, true love of Luke’s life was? Laura. (People who don’t even watch GH know that.) In fact, Tracy is probably just an also-ran to Holly. Tracy asks where she did her research, Wikipedia? Are they just naming exes now, because two can play that game. The great love of Lucy’s life, Doc, is so happily settled down with Laura. She guesses he doesn’t miss being burned by Lucy. Lucy says she happens to be in love with Martin now. She’s with Martin, and none of her loves married her to extort her. They didn’t stay married and try to escape from her all the time. The fact is, Tracy and Luke were in totally different countries when he died. She needs to know why Tracy did all this. Why did she steal Deception? Is it because she has more to look back on than to look forward to? Is it because her family just barely tolerates her, and when she stands looking around, she has nothing and nobody? She doesn’t see anything, is that it? She can keep doing it. She can keep scheming and using sarcasm as a distraction – Brook walks in – but you know what? Tracy is going to die just like she lived – unloved and completely unlovable. Brook says, who is Lucy to speak to her grandmother that way?

Chase says, hot yoga? Hot yoga is a challenge for people in the best of health. He did it once and it almost killed him, but Finn thinks there’s more to the story? Finn says, the instructor came with him to the hospital. She said he wasn’t just a little woozy. It seemed like he lost consciousness.

Gregory says he knows he overdid it, but is a hospital stay really necessary? and Matt says, his collapse may be the result of a temporary fluid loss… Gregory says, or? and Matt says, or this may be a new symptom of the disease.

Sasha says, even if Mac could arrest Cody for lying about the DNA results, she doesn’t believe he would, but Cody says, he wouldn’t have a choice, thanks to the lawsuit Scotty cooked up. Legally, he’s on the hook. She asks if Cody was suing the WSB for the value of Taub’s necklace? She thought he dropped that lawsuit. He says he did, but only after he was deposed and signed an affidavit saying he was Taub’s son. She says, and that is considered fraud? but he says, worse. It’s perjury. He’ll have to do time for that. She says, he may not. He broke the law for her and it turned out okay. He says he was willing to risk himself, but he doesn’t want to risk Mac. The potential scandal could impact his reputation on the force. Mac’s a good guy. He doesn’t deserve what Cody would do to his life. She asks what Cody thinks Mac would want for his life if he knew he was Cody’s father.

Felicia tells Scotty, sorry to interrupt. Does he have a minute? He says, yes. Sit down. She says, his breakfast companions might not feel the same, but he says, what breakfast companions? He’s alone again as usual. She asks if he tried again with Liesl, and he says he did. He presented his heart to her, and she threw it right against the wall. So they’re done, finished. She says she’s sorry. She respects him for trying. She thinks it’s really brave of him to put himself out there. He says he won’t be making that mistake again. He doesn’t know what went wrong with Liesl, but it was the last nail in the coffin of love for him. She says she’s really sorry to hear that. She just wanted to ask him a question, and then she’ll leave him to… whatever this is. He says, it’s breakfast, and what is her question? She says, Cody Bell, but he says, don’t bring up his name. She says, why? She thought they had a great relationship. He says he doesn’t have a problem with Cody. Cody just kind of goofed up his chances of getting back with Leisl a little bit. She asks, how so? and he says, Cody cost him a big payday.

Alexis says she’s trying to look out for both her daughter’s best interests, and Kristina says, really? She’s just focusing on the contract part of this because she thinks someone is going to violate it, that someone being her. Does Alexis just not trust she’ll abide by the terms? Alexis says, of course (🍷) she trusts Kristina. She’s just trying to look at all possible outcomes. Kristina says she appreciates Alexis advising them of the current statutes, but her concern isn’t really necessary. Alexis says she’s done research, and Molly says, she didn’t really have to go to the trouble, but Alexis says, it was no trouble really. She looks at some papers and says, do they know they can avoid any potential legal conflict between them by establishing parenthood after birth via adoption? (That’s what I was thinking.) Molly says she’ll look into it, but Alexis says, Molly doesn’t have to; she’s already done it. The first step is for Kristina to stipulate that she has no parental proprietary interest… Kristina says, Molly told her that she’d look into it, but Alexis says she can go over this. It’ll be really quick. Kristina says, no. Not for nothing, but Molly is the lawyer here, not her. (Another ouch.)

Cody says he has no idea what Mac would want when it comes to him, and Sasha says she could guess. Mac is a good guy, and she can’t see any world where Mac wouldn’t forgive him. And he’d never do anything to jeopardize Cody’s future. Cody says, what about Mac’s brother, Robert Scorpio, the DA? Not a fan. She says, that’s because Robert doesn’t know what she knows, and he says, what’s that? She says, how much has changed since he signed that affidavit. He put himself on the line for her, and she knows he hates to hear this, but she’ll forever be grateful. He says, they’ve been over this. Gratitude, no; friendship, yes. She says, speaking of friendships, he’s been a really good one. Dante and Sam… He says, they’ve been better to him, and she says, Maxie and all her kids, especially James. That little boy hero worships him. Cody says, he’s too young to know any better, but she says, maybe he knows Cody better than Cody knows himself. Cody has changed a lot, and the only way to prove that is to come clean. Today.

Felicia says, so Scotty and Cody were going to sue the WSB over Taub’s necklace? and Scotty says, yeah, but hush-hush. Nobody really knows about this, and he’s hoping Cody changes his mind. She says, so it was Cody who decided not to move forward, and he says, yes. After all the legal depositions and the filings, all the dirty work was done. She asks, why? and he says he doesn’t know why exactly, but the WSB blew up Cody’s asset and he felt Cody should be compensated. She says, so being Taub’s son would pay off big for Cody, and he says, huge, huge windfall. Why does she ask?

Brook says, Lucy knows nothing about her grandmother, which is insulting, because not only did she take Deception, she’s running it way better than Lucy ever did. And by the way, Lucy is sadly misinformed. Tracy Angelica Quartermaine is greatly loved by her whole family. A love Lucy couldn’t possibly understand how they express, because she’s nothing but a gold-digging outsider who managed to trap Brook’s great uncle into marriage for what, ten seconds? She’s been hanging around for years trading on her single share of ELQ, which Brook’s grandmother managed to get from Lucy, by the way. So now she’s out on the street, exactly where she belongs. Lucy says, Brook really has nothing to say… and Brook tells her, and by the way, Luke Spencer was the love of her grandmother’s life. She accepted him for exactly who he was, fought for him with everything she had, and stuck by him until the very end. Meanwhile, Lucy has thrown away every man who’s ever loved her, with both hands. So do not lecture her grandmother on love, because she understands it way better than Lucy ever will. Tracy looks at Brook proudly, and Lucy says, they can hold this meeting without her. She walks out, closing the door behind her, and Tracy tells Brook, thank you. Brook says she meant every word, and Tracy says, well, she’s still late. So what was more important than the meeting they had scheduled? Brook says, something happened with Chase’s father.

Matt says he wants to run some tests overnight. It could be that Gregory is no longer getting nutrients from food and water intake alone, or the collapse could have been because of his lung intake level falling below 50%, which the tests will show. If it has fallen below 50%, they’ll have to discuss options. Gregory says he’ll give Matt 24 hours to do anything he needs, but he has plans on New Year’s Eve, and nothing is going to stop him from making good on them.

Chase tells Finn, the yoga instructor isn’t a doctor. They don’t know what actually happened. Finn says he thought Chase should know. He left Chase out of the loop once before, and he promised not to let it happen again. Chase says, if dad believes he overdid it, doesn’t Finn think they should trust that? Finn says, dad’s not a doctor either, and Chase says he gets that. And he gets that facts are important, but so is faith. Finn says he doesn’t remember seeing that on the curriculum at med school, and Chase asks, doesn’t a patient’s state of mind effect their health? Finn says, of course (🍷) it does, and Chase says, then a little positivity can’t hurt. Matt comes out and asks why they don’t come in with him and their dad. He has an update.

Alexis says, when Kristina’s right, she’s right. It’s tough to know when to take off her legal hat and put on her mom hat, but either way, she’ll defend her daughters with everything she’s got, and that includes Kristina. Kristina says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to dismiss Alexis’s legal expertise or her concern for her daughters. Alexis says, but Kristina thinks she’s overstepping, and Molly says, it’s just that, for her and TJ, this whole journey has been about hope. Now with Kristina as their surrogate, it’s also one of implicit trust. The bond between her and Krissy is stronger than all the legal protections in the world. Kristina says, they’re sisters. Nothing is ever going to make them forget that. Alexis still looks worried.

Molly and Kristina put on their coats, and Alexis says, so it looks like her concern for her daughters has been outmatched by their belief in each other. Well done. Congratulations. Kristina says, it’s the truth, and Alexis tells them that she’s not going to say another word about it. What she did say isn’t because she doesn’t believe in them, because she does with all her heart. And she’s very proud of the way they stuck up for each other, even against her. She loves them both, and she loves the way they love each other. They have a three-way hug, and Kristina and Molly leave.

Gregory asks what Chase is doing here, and Chase says, Finn called and said Gregory was in the hospital. Where else would he be? Gregory says, Finn didn’t need to call Chase; he’s fine. Finn asks Matt, is he? and Gregory says, they’re going to admit him. They’re going to run some tests. 24-hours, that’s it, then he’s out of here. He asks Matt to tell his boys not to worry, and Matt says, an overnight stay is just a precaution. Chase says, precautions are good. He’s all for precautions. Matt says, good. He’ll go take a look at Gregory’s intake paperwork. He heads for the door, and Chase thanks him and says, and take good care of his dad. His dad promised his bride a dance at his wedding this spring. Matt leaves, and Gregory says, they decided on a date? Chase says, they did, and Gregory says he didn’t think it would happen so soon. Chase says, he and Brook decided they didn’t want to wait another minute to make it official in front of the whole family. He can’t wait to marry Brook. Gregory says he’s so happy for Chase, and Chase thanks him. Chase says he just has to… follow her orders and stay out of her way, and Gregory laughs.

Felicia goes back to the table, and Robert says he got a call from the office. He’s got to go. He asks if her conversation with Baldwin was of use, and she says, and how. He asks if she still thinks Cody is Mac’s son, and she says, more than ever. He says he’s not asking for any details, but if Cody chose not to be the son of a man like Mac Scorpio, does Mac need to know? She says, Mac has a right to know, and he says, so what’s the plan? Is she going to get Cody to ‘fess up to lying about the DNA results? She says, he’s held on to this secret for a long time, so no. Robert says he’d move on. It’s going to be hell to prove. He leaves, and she says, not for me.

Cody says he can’t just come clean, and Sasha says she guesses that’s ultimately up to him, but if he does decide to admit he’s Mac’s son, she’ll be right by his side. And if he doesn’t, she’ll keep his secret forever. He thanks her, and she says, that doesn’t mean the truth won’t come out, but it won’t come from her. She looks at her phone and says she’s got to go. She’s beyond late. He thanks her for being such a good friend, and she says, he deserves nothing less, and leaves.

Tracy asks if Gregory’s all right, and Brook says, yes. Things were just complicated. Tracy says, given the circumstances, that’s an acceptable excuse for Brook’s tardiness, but if she’s going to take the helm here, she has to follow Tracy’s example and act like a leader. If Tracy is going to give her this company, she needs to start taking it seriously. Brook says, oh, I am, granny. Very seriously.

Scotty puts more syrup on his pancakes, and Lucy says, keep that up and he won’t make it through the year. He says, who cares? and she says, oh come on. Buck up. She sits down and says she has a way for both of them to end up on top. He says, that sounds physically impossible, but he’s willing to give it a shot. She says, stop, focus, and not on these plates of food please. What is this all about? He asks what she wants, and she says she’s proposing a plan where she’s restored all she’s lost, and Scotty could land a big, fat chunk of change. He says he’s listening, and she says, they’re going to be big winners in 2024. Big winners. And Tracy Quartermaine is going to lose big time. He asks how he fits in, and she says, as a groom. He asks if she could repeat that. Did she just say the word groom? She says, yes, she did. He’s going to marry Tracy and they’re going to take her for everything she’s got.

Tomorrow, TJ says he and Kristina have to set some things straight; Lucy tells Scotty to get ready, because she’s just getting started; and Sonny asks if this is where Alexis wants him to tell her that she’s wrong.

☎️ Today the Role Of…

Since regular Maxie was in the preview, I’m guessing it was nothing major.

That’s Nicole Paggi as the Temporary Maxie Recast on GH!

🥀 Our Loss Is Heaven’s Gain…

This made me miss Passions all over again.

🗽 Model Of Legacy…

Some of the forgotten Wives. I met Kristen at a radio station cocktail party years ago. It was after the season where Ramona threw the glass at her. She seemed like a nice person, and I think she should run from any facet of this franchise.

🛟 Toxicity On Deck…

I just don’t see it this way. I thought Natalya was one of the worst human beings ever, but Kyle? Kyle is just gossipy and emotional, so don’t tell him anything you don’t want anyone to know. Problem solved, and hopefully, he’ll grow out of it. Whereas Natalya was deliberately mean, Kyle just gets all in his emotions and lashes out. Captain Sandy also thought he was the root of the problem, but I’ve disagreed with her before.

🥇 But At the Time…

It’s like Jerry said in Edward Albee’s Zoo Story, sometimes it’s necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly. But geez, don’t mention his stellar final season of Fear the Walking Dead or anything.

https://people.com/colman-domingo-nearly-left-acting-after-losing-big-break-role-8420368

🌁 And the Last Shall Be Divisive…

They seem to be focusing an awful lot on it being parallel to the game, but I don’t think this stuff is confirmed. What is confirmed is it not being aired until 2025… sigh…

https://screenrant.com/the-last-of-us-season-2-divisive-story-reason/

https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/i-cant-wait-for-the-last-of-us-season-2-to-air-but-im-also-dreading-it-heres-why

There’s a blink-and-you-miss-it teaser for The Last of Us, but mostly what HBO/Max has in store for 2024.

https://gizmodo.com/last-of-us-season-2-release-it-prequel-trailer-hbo-max-1851078003

🥂 To Rock Your Eve…

Stuff to watch if you don’t want to brave the night. Like me. Been there, done that, I’m good. Dick Clark might be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten on New Year’s Eve.

https://people.com/new-years-eve-specials-2023-everything-to-know-8420122

🐕 Holiday Assortment…

Good advice all year round.

https://people.com/how-to-keep-your-pet-safe-around-the-holidays-8417416

I don’t know how I missed this, but it’s very cute.

https://people.com/pets/adoptable-animals-model-halloween-costumes/

No one can say I don’t include cats. They’re not keen on costumes though, as a general rule.

https://people.com/mandy-moore-includes-cats-in-holiday-traditions-8418338

And last, but never least, the InstaDogs of Christmas.

🍇 12 Grapes For 12 Months…

Boomerang back tomorrow for soap and some New Year amusement. Until then, stay safe, stay being on time, but not early to a party, and stay not eating the entire left side of the menu if you have a lot of feelings.

May 19, 2023 – Josslyn Asks Sonny To Fire Dex, See You, Returning, New Gig, Ramona’s a Jerk, She Knows, VanderDirt, Upcoming Dead, Cute Pets (!), Precisely 10 Quotes & Places

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Jordan says she’s sorry Curtis is hurting, but if there’s one thing she knows, it’s that Curtis Ashford can weather whatever comes his way. And he won’t have to go through it alone. She takes his hand, and says, he has so many people who love him, and they’ll be right by his side, no matter what. He kisses her. Then he kisses her again.

Walking into Portia’s office, Taggert says, Portia can’t go off half-cocked gunning for Spencer. It’s going to backfire on her. Portia says she’s tried to look the other way, especially since it might alienate Trina, but all the while, Spencer keeps becoming more and more a part of her life, and alienating Trina from her. He says, but she’s seeing progress. Why blow it now? She asks why he’s not with her on this. She doesn’t get it. He says, when Trina was rescued from the Haunted Star, he told her to back off, but she’s doing the exact opposite; she’s doubling down. Portia says, maybe that’s because Trina came back closer to Spencer than ever before, and he says, which they anticipated, given what they went through. Are there valid concerns about Spencer being in Trina’s life? Hell yes. But he’s starting to wonder if she’s laser focused on Spencer because she doesn’t want to focus on herself, her husband, and the state of her marriage.

Outside Kelly’s, Cody tells Scotty that he’s not asking for a team to salvage the Haunted Star like it was the Titanic. The necklace was on the boat when it went down. So why can’t they just cut through the red tape… Scotty says, because the WSB is all about the red tape. They’ve been down this road before. Scotty told him, it’s because they have to establish that the necklace belongs to Cody, which means he has to sign an affidavit that says he’s Leopold Taub’s son. Cody says, more red tape. Is that absolutely necessary? Scotty says he knows it’s like saying Genghis Khan is Cody’s father, but the WSB isn’t going to give Cody money just because he says so. They go inside, and Scotty says, Cody has to suck it up for 35 million dollars, and say he was the Taub he was born to be. Sitting at a table, Obrecht and James watch them.

Nina looks at a glossy color photo of Sasha that says, Beauty isn’t magic, it’s Deception, and another photo of Sasha with The Deceptor. Sasha asks if those are the new ads, and Nina shows her. Sasha says, it is amazing what good lighting can do, but Nina says, the woman in these ads doesn’t need any lighting to look beautiful. And she also looked beautiful on the Home & Heart shopping channel. Sasha says, Nina saw that? She’s not going to lie; it was white-knuckle time in front of those cameras, especially when she heard the sound of a baby crying in her earpiece. Nina says she couldn’t believe it when Lucy told her that someone deliberately tried to sabotage Sasha, and Sasha tells her not to underestimate how low some people will sink to get what they want. Nina says she never has, and she never will.

On the phone at the hospital, Michael tells Carly not to worry. He’s honoring Willow’s wishes. Nina won’t get anywhere near her. Dante comes out of the elevator, and says he couldn’t help overhearing, and Michael can tell him to mind his own business. Is that what Willow wants, or is that what Michael wants for her?

There’s a knock at Sonny’s office door, and Frank says, he has a visitor. Josslyn comes in, and Sonny says, this is a surprise. Is everything good with her mom and Donna? She says, everyone’s fine. This is about her. He tells her, go on, and Josslyn tells him that he always says he’d do anything for her. He says, no matter how she treats him, that always stands, and she says, good, because she’s about to take him up on that offer. He asks if she’s in some kind of trouble, but she says, it’s not about her. He says, then what’s it about? and she says, Dex. She wants Sonny to fire him.

Gladys walks into Pozzulo’s as Dex is saying hello to Frank. Dex says he needs to speak with Sonny, but Gladys says, take a number. Family first.

Michael says, Dante is right. It’s none of his business. Dante says, that’s not the first time he’s heard that today. He was interviewing a perp in the ER who said the same thing. He was in the building and thought he’d check in on them, but he’ll take his nosy butt out of here. Michael tells him, wait. He doesn’t tell Willow what to do. If she wants to make room for Nina, he won’t stand in her way, but she’s going through a lot right now, and he won’t stand for Nina intruding. Dante says he hopes for Michael’s sake and his kids’ sake, that changes. He had Sonny at his wedding. Anything can happen.

Sasha tells Nina that she’s gathering something else is brewing besides Deception’s ad campaign. Would it have to do with Carly or Willow? Nina says, no psychic channeling please. Sasha isn’t here to give her a reading or to listen to her sob stories. Sasha’s here so they can talk about the Crimson spread for her new product, The Deceptor; which she tried and it’s great. Isn’t Maxie joining them? Sasha says, of course (🍷). Maxie knows Deception has a lot riding on this campaign.

Scotty tells Cody, as Taub’s heir, they have to stake a legal claim. He knows Cody doesn’t like his father, but 35 million dollars will buy him a lot of sports cars, and a lot of therapy. Is Cody listening to him? Cody says, give him a minute, and walks over to Obrecht’s table. Scotty says, these kids have no priorities, and Obrecht introduces Cody to her grandson James. James shakes Cody’s hand and says, nice to meet him. Cody says, they have an ice cream sundae here, so is it a celebration? Obrecht says, yes. They just came from James’s moving up ceremony. Cody says, congrats; that’s awesome. Does James have any plans for the summer? Obrecht says, James is going to a great summer camp. She tells James to guess where Cody works, and James says, where? Cody says he works at the stables. Does James like horses? James looks away, and Obrecht says, James is a little afraid of horses, which might be a problem at his camp. Cody says, maybe they can do something about that.

Portia says, worrying to death about Trina going missing is the only thing that’s keeping her from replaying every wrong move she made with Curtis. She can’t stop thinking about hearing the hurt that was in his voice, and seeing the distrust and betrayal in his eyes when he looked at her. Taggert doesn’t know how hard she prayed for forgiveness, and wished she could go back in time and tell him and Curtis the truth from the start. Taggert asks if she’s told Curtis that, and she says she’s tried, but he won’t stick around long enough to listen, much less have a conversation with her. And Jordan, of all people, warned her more than once that lies are what drove a wedge between them. So how can she even blame Curtis for being mad about being deceived all over again? Taggert says, Curtis loves Portia and will forgive her, but she has to forgive herself. She has to stop feeling guilty and stop tiptoeing around Curtis. Tell Curtis she loves him, before it’s too late.

Jordan pushes away from Curtis, and he says, come on. Let’s get out of here. She says she’s tempted; he doesn’t know how much. But this isn’t the first time they felt that old spark. He says, maybe they should do something about it, but she says, before this goes any further – if this goes any further – they need to know why.

Cody says, James is friends with Leo, right? So is he. Something else they have in common is, Cody went to camp too. Is James looking forward to going? James says he doesn’t know. He hates mosquitos. Cody says, that’s something else they have in common. Take it from him, camp is worth a couple bug bites. James asks, why? and Cody says, when he was James’s age, his summers were really lonely. Until he went to camp, and met his best friend ever, Dante Falconari. They had a blast. James says, Cody knows Dante; he’s James’s godfather. Cody says, Dante is his oldest friend, meaning he’s known Dante the longest; not that he’s old. Funny. I always feel the need to clarify that too. He taught Dante how to ride horses, and Dante taught him how to paddle a canoe. James says, at camp? and Cody says, that’s where they first became friends. He bets when James goes to camp, he’s going to meet a kid he’ll become friends with forever too. And he might be able to paddle a canoe. James asks if Cody likes sundaes, and Cody says, who doesn’t? Of course (🍷). James hands him a spoon, and says he’s kind of scared of canoes too… and bats. Cody says, bats are awesome; they eat mosquitos. He takes a bite of James’s sundae, and James smiles.

Sasha says she thinks the text in the headline would pop more in white, but other than that, everything looks great. What does Nina think? Nina says, sorry. Sasha was talking to her. Sasha said, color, white… Yes, she can see that. Sasha says, Maxie’s not here, but it seems neither is Nina. They can reschedule. Nina apologizes, and says she can’t get her mind off of Willow. She’s alone in the isolation room; she doesn’t have the ability to hold her own children. Sasha says, or be held by her own mother, and Nina says, stop getting into her head. Sasha says she understands in her own way. Nina can talk to her. Nina says, it’s just that, if Michael and Carly have it their way, she’s never going to get close to Willow. She’s trying not to dwell on that. She just wants this transplant to give Willow her life back, whether she’s in it or not. Sasha says she’s going to talk to Carly and Michael on Nina’s behalf, and Nina says she appreciates the offer, but she wouldn’t put Sasha in that position. She has enough to handle lately. Sasha says, actually, she’s feeling very confident lately. Despite that attempt to get her to melt down on television, she held it together and came away stronger than ever. Nina says, yes, she did, and Sasha says she’s made up her mind. She’s going to petition the court to end Gladys’s guardianship. She’s taking charge of her life again.

Gladys says, tell Sonny that his Cousin Gladys is waiting, but Frank says, he’s in a meeting; door’s closed. Even the President and the Pope would have to wait. Gladys steps away, and Frank gives Dex and envelope, and says, the boss gave him this to give to Dex. He said Dex earned it. Gladys sees that there’s a ton of cash in it.

On the phone, Sonny says, let him know what they come up with. He apologizes to Josslyn, and asks why she wants him to kick Dex to the curb. She says, because she wants him to be free to make his own choices and live his own life, and Sonny says, if that’s what Dex wants, Dex should respect him enough to ask him to his face and not send her. Josslyn says, Dex doesn’t even know she’s here; she’s the one asking. Sonny says, she knew Dex was on his payroll when she met him. So why is she coming now. What’s changed?

Scotty comes over to Obrecht’s table with a bakery box, and says, the waitress said these cupcakes are for her, and James asks if he can have a cupcake, but she says, these are for later. James asks if Cody can come home with them and have one, but Scotty says, he and Cody have to take care of some legal business. Cody has to sign an affidavit. Cody says, he’s right. Sorry, pal. Obrecht says, an affidavit? and Scotty says, it’s no big deal. Cody tells her that he needs a legal document to establish his family background. It is nothing, but Scotty’s right; they have to get back to work. James asks if Cody can’t stay, and Cody says, for a few minutes. Does James like brownies? James says he loves them, Cody says, cupcakes later, brownies now, and they go to the counter.

Nina says, that’s great news that Sasha is taking charge of her finances and her life again. She’s so proud of Sasha. Sasha says she’s honored Nina is proud of her. She’s still a very important person in Sasha’s life. Nina says, it’s ironic, isn’t it? She once thought Sasha was the daughter she’d always wanted, and that turned out to not be the case, but now she’s closer to Sasha than her own biological child. Sasha says, Willow doesn’t know what she’s missing. For Willow’s sake, she hopes that changes soon. Nina says, Sasha’s a little biased, and Sasha says she is. Nina could have turned her back on Sasha when she found out Sasha misled her. Nina says, she kinda did, but Sasha says, after a while, Nina forgave her. If she’s the daughter Nina always wanted, Nina is the mother that she always wished she had. They hug.

Dante says he’s glad Willow could at least wave at them before she went to sleep, and Michael says, him too. Glimpses of her awake and alert are rare occurrences these days. Dante asks if Michael is okay, and Michael says he just has to keep telling himself that this will be over soon, and Willow will have a full recovery. Home stretch. Dante says he believes that, and tells Michael not to feel he can’t reach out for support if he needs to. He knows they don’t agree on some things, but Michael knows Dante’s got him, right? Michael says he does; thanks. About Sonny, they’re actually in a better place. As long as Sonny doesn’t lobby for Nina. Dante says, he’s going to do that; he loves her. Michael flashes back to Sonny agreeing to let Nina and Willow figure out their relationship on their own. Can Michael do the same? Michael tells Dante, at the end of the day, he’s counting on Sonny to choose his family over Nina, but Dante says he doesn’t know about that. It’s a long shot. Michael says, maybe; maybe not.

Josslyn tells Sonny, nothing’s changed. She fell for Dex, despite the fact he works for Sonny, and she owns that. I laugh, since I can’t imagine telling my father that I fell for someone. Sonny says, she’s her mother’s daughter; direct, and honest to a fault. She says she thought he valued honesty, and he says he’s come to an understanding with her brother Michael. Does she think they can’t also? She says she’s game. He can start by letting Dex go. He says, if Dex wants that, he knows where to find Sonny.

Dex puts the envelope in his pocket, and Gladys says, nice work if you can get it, huh? What did he do? Place a bet for Sonny? Ponies? Something else. Dex says he only bets on sure things; Sonny’s one of them. Josslyn comes out, and Gladys jets into Sonny’s office. She closes the door, and says, Cousin Sonny, this is your lucky day. Outside, Dex asks Josslyn what she’s doing here.

Portia says, it might be too late for her and Curtis, and asks if Taggert knows something. He says he doesn’t know anything. He just knows from experience that things can get out of hand. They can go too far, and you can’t go back. She asks if he’s saying she and Curtis have reached some sort of turning point, and he says, the guy dropped everything and risked everything to bring Trina back home. A lot of it was because of Trina, but a lot of it was because of her. Now it’s her turn. She has to decide what she wants, and then she needs to fight for it. He’s talking about the focus and tenacity she has when she fights for her patients. She says, what about fighting for their daughter? Is she supposed to just let Trina fend for herself against Spencer Cassadine? They both know how that ends. He says, she can’t send Trina to her room any more than she can make Trina forgive and forget what she’s done to her by turning her life upside down. Trina’s not her little girl any more. Portia says, she might be his though, and he says, she’s always going to be his, no matter what the tests say. Nobody can tell Trina how to run her life. He knows how stubborn Portia is, and no matter how hard it is to let this go, Portia has got to let Trina live her life. Then maybe Portia can concentrate on living hers.

Curtis says, he and Jordan have always had strong feelings, which is why they got together in the first place. Those feelings… He’s always had them. Maybe he always will. Jordan says he had other feelings about her too. Remember? Ones he couldn’t get past, involving mistrust and betrayal. She lets go of his hand, and says, that’s why they split up, and he moved on to Portia. The two of them rekindled their relationship and fell in love. He says, but that was before… and she says, let her finish. He and Portia were happy. She saw that. They bought a house together, and made it a home for Trina and his father. They exchanged heartfelt vows and got married in front of their friends and family. They had the fairytale ending. He says, but they didn’t, and she knows why. And here we are. She says, yes, here we are, but is this the last grasp for something that’s ended? Something they should let be over? Or will these feelings always be here, just waiting for them to rekindle them?

Josslyn says she’s not here, and leaves with Dex. Sonny asks what Gladys wants, and she says she has a proposal that’s in their mutual interest. As he knows, she’s in charge of Sasha’s day to day decision making, including investments. He says, for the time being. He heard during Sasha’s last TV appearance, she was doing okay and holding her own. Gladys says, thankfully, Sasha didn’t fall to pieces like the last time, but Sasha isn’t ready to handle her finances. He says, so Sasha should keep trusting her, and laughs. She says she knew he’d understand, and sits down. As it turns out, she has a knack for finances, which is why she’s letting him in on the ground floor of an amazing opportunity. Take it from her, it can’t miss.

At the Bistro, Maxie thanks Sasha for meeting her, and Sasha asks, what’s so important that Maxie had her run out of Nina’s office where they were supposed to have a meeting about Deception? Maxie says, that can wait. She has something to tell Sasha, and thinks she’ll want to know.

At Kelly’s counter, Cody shows James how to tie knots, and Scotty tells Obrecht that he thinks that kid is going to have a hell of a stomachache. She says, Nathan never got the chance to spend time with his son, and Scotty says he’s sorry about that. Nathan would have made a hell of a father. James has got a lot of people who care about him; even Cody. He’s not family, but maybe they’ll have more of these outings. She asks where this new and unexpected fondness for Cody came from. What’s his legal action all about? Scotty says he thought they weren’t speaking any more, and she says, they’re speaking now. He says, then hear this. He doesn’t want to ruin the surprise.

Portia says, if living her own life means ignoring all the big flashing warning signs when she sees Trina and Spencer together, Taggert can forget that. She won’t let this go. He says he’s not asking her to let this go. He’s just asking her to be smart about how she approaches their daughter. Trina has them, Curtis, Marshall, Jordan; all these people who care about her. Portia asks what he means by Jordan, and he asks if Portia thinks it’s a coincidence that Jordan was stuck in the elevator long enough for Portia to talk to that bartender and convince him to testify on Trina’s behalf. Portia asks if he’s telling her that Jordan did that deliberately. Did she tell him that? He says, she didn’t have to. They’ve been partners long enough; he knows her. The point is, Jordan also cares about Trina. Which means Portia can stop using Trina as an excuse, and start putting her energy into working on her marriage.

Jordan tells Curtis, it never ended for her. Even when things were at their worst, she was still ready to fight for them. He walked away from her… right into Portia’s arms. She’s not blaming him, or Portia. She’s come to terms with her part in things, and trying to be more mindful going forward, but did she ever stop caring, stop feeling, loving him? Never. She truly wanted him and Portia to be happy. She told Portia that she needed to tell him the truth, so Portia wouldn’t make the same mistakes she did. He tells her that he always said she was a class act, but Jordan says she wouldn’t give herself much credit. Does he know why she didn’t come to his wedding? In part, she was sitting it out because she knew what Portia was keeping from him. But mainly, it was because she couldn’t bear to hear him pledge his love to someone else. She still loved him that much. So before they go any further, she needs to know where he is, what he feels, what he wants. Is he on the rebound or are he and Portia really over? And if so, do they get a second chance?

Outside somewhere, Dex says, it’s just him and Josslyn now. What went down in Sonny’s office? She says she told Sonny that she wanted him to cut Dex loose, and Dex says, she told Sonny to fire him? She says, it was the only way she knew how to get him out of Sonny’s world, and he says, unbelievable. What did he say?… Don’t bother. Sonny said, if he wanted out, it was up to him to ask for himself. She says, he knows Sonny well, and he asks why she got involved in this. She says, maybe because Sonny will kill Dex if he finds out Dex has been working against him, and he says he knew the risk when he took the job. He doesn’t need her constantly trying to rescue him. She asks if he’s sure. So far, her track record’s awesome. He says he appreciates that. He appreciates her. They’re supposed to be in this together. She says, exactly. So no more risking his neck without telling her. He says, that’s unrealistic. He can’t run it by her every time Sonny asks him to do something, and he can’t have her going to Sonny on his behalf and asking Sonny to fire him when he doesn’t even know about it. She says she wants him free and clear of Sonny. She’s sorry. She thought that’s what he wanted too. He says, she knows he does, and kisses her.

Sonny tells Gladys, they have to wrap this up. He has somewhere he needs to be and something he needs to do. She says she’ll make it quick. It’s about Deception – the company. The thing Sasha was hyping on the Home & Heart shopping channel was just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a whole new line in the works; maybe a whole new division. New products need new investing. He says he’s sure Lucy and Maxie have all the financing taken care of, but Gladys says, there’s always room for more. This is a golden opportunity. He gets in now, he makes bank when this line hits the market. He asks, what’s in it for her? and she says she was thinking a finder’s fee. He laughs and asks, how big? She says she hadn’t thought of a percentage. She was just circling around, doing some calculating. He says, it sounds like a winner, but it’s a no from him, because his portfolio is fine. And she knows about the trouble Carly got in with the insider trading thing. It pretty much falls under the same umbrella. And she doesn’t want to open herself up to that, does she? She can thank him later, because he does everything he can to protect his family. He hustles her out the door, and asks Frank to get his cousin a big box of biscotti. He leaves, and Gladys wonders what just happened.

Dante looks at his phone, and tells Michael, apparently his perp just remembered he had a partner. He has to go back to the ER. Michael says he’s glad Dante stopped by, and Dante says, he is too. Michael sounded cryptic before. Is everything cool with him and Sonny? Michael tells him, let’s just say they found one point of understanding, and Dante asks, with Willow or Nina? Michael suggests Dante save his skills for he perp downstairs, and Dante asks him to tell Willow that they’re thinking about her; him, Sam, and the kids love her. Michael says, will do, and Dante says, don’t make Sonny choose between him and Nina. Michael tells him, say hi to Sam, and Dante says he gave it his best shot. He goes to the elevator.

Sasha says, Cody was in the studio the day of The Deceptor pitch? and Maxie says, according to Lucy, Cody found out they were messing with Sasha, and threatened to streak in front of the camera. And she believes it. He did it at the Nurses Ball. Sasha wonders if he’s still at Kelly’s, and Maxie says, when she spoke to Liesl, he was still there, checking up on James. Sasha says, excuse her. There’s something she needs to take care of.

Curtis tells Jordan that he’d love to say he has all the answers. But the truth is, his life’s up in the air. Jordan says, because of the DNA test? and he says, that’s a big part of it. He’d be lying if he said he knows how he’ll react if he finds out he’s Trina’s biological father. Or if he’s not. She says, that’s understandable. What about the other parts? He says he guesses after what he experienced in Greenland – that Victor Cassadine madness – coming out of an intense experience like that, shook things up for him. What is he doing with his life? He’s made this place a success, and he’s proud of that, but then he wonders, is this all there is? Because he’s feeling like it’s not enough. She says, sounds like he’s restless again. Is he wondering where his heart lies? He says he doesn’t know. He cares about Jordan way to much to make promises he’s not sure he can deliver. She says, why couldn’t she have been a little more honest with him, and him, a little less honest with her? He says, we are who we are, and asks if she can give him some time until he can figure out the rest.

Dex and Josslyn kiss, and she says she’s got it; they’re in this together. He says, they have to trust each other, and she says, she’ll trust him when he has to act alone sometimes, and he has to trust her. Does he? He says, of course (🍷), and she quickly kisses him, saying she’ll see him later. He asks where she’s going, but she says, trust me, and leaves.

Jordan tells Curtis to take the time he needs. Once he unravels the knots in his marriage, and deals with the results of the DNA test, he knows where to find her. He kisses her cheek, tells her, take care, and she leaves.

Portia and Taggert walk down the hall, and she says she’s glad he stopped by. He says he feels like he did all the talking. Did any of it stick? She says she heard what he had to say, and appreciates it, but she can’t be the only one to make their marriage work. Curtis has to want it too. Curtis knows how desperately she wants things to work out. So in the meantime, she’s not going to take her eyes off the other love of her life. She’s not going to let Trina become another casualty of the Cassadines. She’s going to make sure Trina sees Spencer Cassadine for who he really is.

Frank gives Gladys the biscotti, and she says she saw him hand Dex that big fat envelope earlier. What was that about? Some big deal he and Sonny pulled off? Frank says, she knows better than to ask that, being family and all. Gladys takes out her phone, and goes outside. She calls Selina, and says, she knows what she owes Selina, but she may have something that’s more valuable than money.

Josslyn asks if she and Michael can talk somewhere private, and he asks what she wants to talk about. She says, him… and Dex.

Scotty says, he and Cody have to get that thing signed ASAP, and Cody tells James that he’ll talk to James’s grandma or mom, and they’ll figure out a time James can come to the stables with him and Leo. Scotty walks them out, and says he has his car. Can he give them a lift? Obrecht asks where he parked, and he says, in the lot. She walks toward the parking lot, and Scotty says, things are looking up.

Cody eats the cherry from James’s sundae, when Sasha walks into Kelly’s, obviously looking for him.

On Monday, Carly asks how she and Drew beat this without turning on each other; Tracy tells Chase, forgive her and skip off into the sunset, or cut her loose; and Sonny tells Nina, peace comes with a condition.

🪀 Hello I Must Be Going…

The door is always open though.

🏥 Coming Back…

Hopefully, he stays put a while.

🕺🏽 It’s Carrrlos…

And he was the guru at the end of Mad Men.

🗽 She Also Forgets Her Age…

Typical Ramona. I met Kristen once at a cocktail party and she was lovely.

🐀 Not the Rat…

But she was there? What does that mean?

🍸 Just a Little…

If you can’t get enough, a blow-by-blow of the VanderMess.

https://people.com/tv/vanderpump-rules-season-10-finale-sandoval-and-ariana-address-raquel-affair-fallout/

Not for one second did I think it was staged.

https://www.insider.com/vanderpump-rules-ariana-madix-scandoval-not-staged-2023-5

⚰️ Spawn Of the Dead…

What’s happening soon in the Deadverse.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/fear-the-walking-dead-midseason-finale-dead-city-premiere-amc-plus-specials/

🦔 Boop That Nose…

Cute animal videos. No need to say more.

https://digg.com/animals/link/tiktok-cute-animal-videos-5cHGPcMnYu

🐚 Quotes of the Week

Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up.Jesse Jackson

Faith is daring to put your dream to the test. It is better to try to do something and fail than to try to do nothing and succeed. – Robert H. Schuller

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. – Maya Angelou

It’s a general moral principle that the more power you have over someone, the greater your duty is to use that power benevolently. Well, who is the one person in the world you have the greatest power over? It’s your future self. You hold that life in your hands, and what it will be depends on how you care for it. – Rick Hanson

Listen to what you know instead of what you fear. – Richard Bach

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. – Khalil Gibran

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. – attributed to Edmund Burke

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Clichés are tropes because they’re true. – Wesley Fists (Austin Crute), Daybreak

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything. – Mark Twain

🌪 Never Was In Kansas…

There will perhaps be some Dead here on Sunday, but for sure there will be soap, Sailing, and awful Summer people on Monday really Tuesday. Until then, stay safe, stay letting other people finish their sentences, and stay not making promises you’re not sure you can deliver.

May 25, 2021 – Cyrus Tests Brando, Heather Arrives In the Hamptons, No Show Heather & Sorry Or Not

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Peter lies on the stair landing, blood pooling around his head.

Six hours earlier. Sasha waits for the elevator, while Peter walks into the hospital on the phone. He asks why they’re not returning his calls. He says something about the spa, but the automatic doors are so LOUD that I can’t hear it. He says he just arrived at GH. Meet him on the 7th floor. Sasha gets into the elevator, and Peter yells, hold it, please. He gets in and says, seventh floor, please. Sasha presses the button, and they stand on opposite sides of the car, arms folded. He asks if Sasha is tired of taking the stairs, and she says, excuse me? He says he saw her earlier, slipping into the stairwell with Brando.

Maxie says if she tells Spinelli, he has to promise to never tell another soul. He promises not to betray her confidence. Is something amiss with little Louise? She says, no, Louise is great. Healthy and kicking up a storm. He says, she told him that once Louise is born, she might not be able to hold her; that she’d have to say goodbye before she said hello. What did she mean? What’s going to happen to Louise?

Britt and Jason get back to the lighthouse, and Britt says, it’s cold. She starts to put some wood in the fireplace, and says she’s glad they found that radio station. Sometimes, you just need some good old rock and roll. It puts you in a good mood, without all the depressing things going on in the world. It’s not like there isn’t enough tragedy to go around. The violence, the conflict, the natural disasters. People face tragedy every day. What difference does it make if one more person gets a terminal diagnosis?

Trooper Finchley (my bad yesterday; he didn’t introduce himself, and I’d forgotten him) tells Sonny, Elijah Crowe’s office was broken into the other night, and Sonny asks what that has to do with him. Finchley says, Eli claims Sonny and Nina are behind it. Sonny says, Nina is with Elijah right now; they’re on a date. So if he’s accusing her of breaking into his office, she’s… Sonny starts to walk toward the door, but Finchley stops him, and says he only has Sonny’s word that Nina is with Eli. He’ll have to question her about the break-in, after he interviews Sonny. They can do it there, or down at the station, whichever he’d prefer.

Eli hands Nina a drink, and she says, so this is the famous Founder’s Day signature cocktail, and he says, brings back good memories of past Founder’s Days with Lenny and Phyllis. Unfortunately, when he went to order it, the jerk next to him called it a Nixon’s Folly. She says, maybe because of the downturn in the economy, and takes a sip. She says, but this drink is still really delicious. He thanks her for agreeing to go out with him again. He didn’t think she would. She asks, why? Because he had to cut their last date short? He had a really good reason; his office was broken into. He says, not just that. He wasn’t sure if their interest in each other was mutual, since she and Mike/Sonny seem to be a team.

Carly asks Trent, how’s Frank? and he says, Frank seems to be a little out of it, but told him what he remembers, which isn’t much. She asks, what happened? and he says Frank told him there was a commotion in the stairwell. He went to check it out, and someone got him. She says, they took Gladys. Dammit. He says he’s sorry. What does she want to do now? She says they have to get Gladys back.

Brando tells Cyrus, what the hell? Another guy comes in, and pats Brando down. Brando says, it’s in his back, and the guy takes Brando’s gun and leaves. Brando says he guesses Cyrus doesn’t need this, tossing the envelope he was holding on the floor. Gladys tries talking, but her voice is muffled, and Cyrus says he thinks she’s trying to tell Brando something. He wonders what it could be. That she was about to betray him? Gladys says something else, and Cyrus says he thinks that’s what it is.

Britt tells Jason that his dressing probably needs changing. She forgot. He gets a bullet hole in his side, and it doesn’t slow him down. He makes up his mind, and he powers through. She’d ask him for pointers, but what good would that do? She can’t power her way through Huntington’s with a good mental attitude. Sorry. He says, for what? and she says, talking about something that can’t be changed, that she doesn’t even want to think about. What good would it do? They both know where this is headed. Losing the ability to control her movements, twitching and jerking rigidity in her muscles, impaired walking and balance, and at some point she’ll lose complete independence, and need constant care. She won’t know how to speak anymore or swallow, and after years of that, she’ll die. He says, go on, and she says, go on what? He says, keep talking, and she says, because he won’t? What does he want her to say?

Nina says, Eli thinks of her and Mike as a team? A team of what? A tennis team? Bowling? He says, it just seems like they’re close, and Nina says, Mike pours her a cup of coffee in the morning, and pours her a glass of wine in the evening. That’s about as close as she and Mike get. He asks if she’s sure, because Mike is circling the drain, and he’d hate to see her go down with him. She says she has no idea what he’s talking about, and he says, Mike is the one who broke into his office. She asks why he’d think that. What could Mike possibly want in his office? He says Just Mike has been in his face since the day they met. Maybe he wanted some fast cash, or just to mess with Eli’s head; it doesn’t matter. State troopers are investigating. They’re questioning Mike as they speak.

Lenny returns to the Tan-O and asks, what’s going on? Is there a problem? Finchley says, there wouldn’t be if Mike/Sonny would answer some questions, but Sonny/Mike says, they don’t have time. Nina is in trouble because of Elijah. 

Trent tells Carly, they’re searching all of Cyrus’s properties… that they know of. She asks what that means, and he says, the guy is good at covering his tracks. He uses shell companies to cover his real estate purchases. They watch him, but he’s got places they don’t know about. She says, they’re going to have to find those places, because Gladys can exonerate Jason, and tie Cyrus to obstruction charges that will get his ass thrown back in jail. Not to mention, she promised she’d keep Gladys safe. She’s got to find her. He says he’ll be back, and she tells him to check the security feed. She needs him in touch with her every twenty minutes, because she needs to know what’s going on.

Sasha asks if Peter is keeping tabs on her, but he says he was just surprised to see she was still at the hospital. She says she didn’t realize her whereabouts were any of his business. The elevator doors open, and she tells him, have a nice day, and strides out. Peter flashes back to talking to Cyrus about seeing Sasha with Brando, and tells himself to stay focused. He has more important things to worry about.

Maxie says she has a plan to protect Louise from Peter, and Spinelli says, excellent. He’s at her service. His phone rings, and he says, it’s Carly. They’ve been working together to uncover evidence of Peter’s crimes. Maxie tells him to take it; Carly might know something that can help them. Spinelli says, greetings, and Carly says, something’s come up; she needs him. He asks if it can wait.

Willow sees Sasha at the hospital, and Sasha asks how she is. How’s Chase? Willow says, unfortunately, Chase’s symptoms are pretty severe. They haven’t been able to diagnose him yet, but he’s desperate to be released. Dr. Finn agreed, but only because Michael said Chase could stay at the Quartermaines’, where he can be monitored 24/7. Sasha says, that sounds like Michael, and Willow says she knows; he’s always so helpful. She asks if Sasha is there for an appointment, and when Sasha hesitates, Willow asks if everything is okay. Sasha says Willow will hear about it soon enough. In fact, Lucy is planning to build an ad campaign around it. Willow asks if Sasha is pregnant.

Brando asks what his mother did, and Cyrus says, mommy dearest went over to the other side. Carly convinced her to go to the police with information that was damaging to him. He stoops down and puts his face near Gladys’s, and says he can’t imagine what Carly offered in exchange for it, but he wonders if it has something to do with the fact that Sasha is carrying Brando’s child.

Sonny says he doesn’t have any proof yet. He talked to a couple people in Corinth, where Eli did some real estate deal with the strip mall. He got some information. Lenny says, like what? and Sonny says, Elijah was behind the vandalism at the hardware store and the Tan-O, and he also paid the thugs to rob the firehouse dance. So because of Elijah, nobody is coming into Nixon Falls to live or do business. Lenny says, Elijah loves living here. He’d have no reason to destroy Nixon Falls. Sonny says, that’s what he does. He drives down the real estate prices through vandalism and robbery, then turns around and buys property below market value, and sells them right to the developers. If Lenny had sold Eli the Tan-O, he’d have made it a restaurant chain. Finchley says they can chat about business another time. He has questions about the break-in at Eli’s office. Sonny tells Lenny, Eli is accusing him and Nina of breaking into his office, and he’s with Nina right now. Lenny says, and he thinks Nina is in danger? and Sonny says, yes. Lenny asks Finchley what it will take for him to let Mike/Sonny go, and Finchley says, Elijah claims Mike and Nina broke into his office the evening of May 13th, between 8 and 9 pm. If he has an alibi, he’ll walk out; no harm, no foul. Sonny says he was at the Tan-O, remember? and Lenny says he can’t remember what he had for lunch, never mind a few days ago. Lenny says he’ll check the logs, and be right back.

Nina asks if Eli has any proof that Mike was the one who broke into his office, and he says, not much, but he suspects if the police do a deep dive into Mike’s past, they’ll find out it’s less than spotless. She says, all she knows is, Lenny and Phyllis really trust Mike. They’re letting him stay above the Tan-O, like they did Eli. Does he have any information the rest of them don’t know? He says, only that Mike’s not the friend they all think. Like he said, his instincts are working overtime. If he’s wrong, he’ll apologize to Mike. Nina says she’ll hold him to that, and he says he really didn’t want to spend all their time together talking about Mike. Come on. He wants to show her a pond nearby, where bullfrogs sit on lily pads for real. (I want to go too!) She says, it sounds interesting, and he says she’ll love it. He holds out his hand, Nina takes it, and they walk off.

Britt says she could go to a lecture about how she could take care of her health before she gets sick; or she could join a Huntington’s group online, and share her story; raise funds for research. One woman actually wrote on the Huntington’s website about how she didn’t want to have kids, and now she doesn’t have to worry about passing along the gene. The one child Britt carried wasn’t actually hers, so she guesses she found the silver lining.

Spinelli says he’s in the middle of something with Maxie, but Carly says, this could actually help Maxie. She needs him to find Gladys, so she can testify that it was actually Peter who killed Franco. He says he sees, and she tells him to meet her at the MetroCourt in room 808. Maxie says, it sounded important, and he says, it was. Carly may have found a way to bring charges against Peter. She says, that’s great, and he asks what about her plan to keep her baby safe from Peter? She says, if he can help Carly put Peter in prison, then she can actually (WOTD) relax at the spa, and not worry about bringing Louise into the world. He says, sounds like an excellent plan, and soon she’ll be holding that precious baby in her arms. She tells him to give James and Georgie a kiss for her, and he hugs her. He tells her to take care of herself, and that soon-to-be bundle of joy. She says she will, and he leaves.

Peter sees Chloe, and asks what took her so long. Maxie is leaving for the spa tonight. She says the longer he spends time yelling at her, the longer it will take to get what they need. He says, stop with the attitude, or he’ll find someone else to handle the situation. She says, at this late date? Maxie is going to pop at any minute. The kid will arrive whether he’s there or not. He tells her to do what she needs to do. Just make it quick.

Spinelli gets to Glady’s room, and asks Carly, what happened here? She says, Spinelli, thank God. She was keeping Gladys safe, or so she thought. Gladys was going to recant her statement about seeing Jason ditch the murder weapon outside of Franco’s studio, and testify that she actually saw Peter do it. He says, that’s most welcome news indeed; what changed her mind? She says, Cyrus was targeting Brando, and the only way for Gladys to keep herself and her son safe, was to make sure Cyrus went to prison. Carly had her there, while Diane was at the PCPD negotiating an immunity deal, but clearly, Gladys is gone. He asks if it was Peter or Cyrus, and she says she doesn’t know. They’re obviously working together. She doesn’t know if Gladys had her phone on her, or the kidnappers dumped it somewhere… He tells her, say no more, and sits down, opening his laptop.

Britt tells Jason, a lot of Huntington’s carriers think a cure will be found before the disease manifests. She was never an optimist. She sits down, and he sits next to her, saying, it could be years, or decades before the symptoms manifest. She says she never thought of him as an optimist either, but he says he’s a realist, and right now, she doesn’t have any symptoms. She’s strong – she nods – she’s healthy, and she has a clear mind. Right now, that’s a lot. He can’t tell her to appreciate this moment, but he knows he does.

Finchley says, those are pretty serious allegations Mike/Sonny made against Eli. He and Nina talked to people in Corinth? Sonny says, there’s nothing illegal about that, and Finchley says, true, but it is illegal to break into someone’s office, and hack into his computer. Sonny says he’s just a bartender. He doesn’t know anything about computers. Finchley says, maybe; maybe not. He better hope Lenny comes up with an alibi for him. Finchley’s phone rings, and he says, Finchley… He’s on his way. He tells Sonny that he’ll be back later to take their statements. There’s an open fire hydrant on Maple that he has to investigate. He leaves, and Lenny comes back. He tells Sonny, neither he nor Phyllis were working the night Eli’s office was broken into. Sonny was there alone. That’s why he opened up the hydrant, to get rid of Finchley.

Nina says Eli is right; this is lovely. He says, isn’t it? Great weather, wonderful musical backdrop, and perfect company. She says she’s sure the other Founder’s Day revelers are going to join them soon. She just hopes no more armed robbers come to terrorize them. He asks why she’d think that, and she says, no reason. It just seems to be a pattern these days; vandalized stores, terrified residents. Suddenly, Nixon Falls seems like a dangerous place. He grabs her arm, startling her.

Sasha tells Willow, this pregnancy was definitely unplanned. Like she said, Lucy is thinking of incorporating it into a Deception campaign. She only just started to tell people. Carly knows. She asks Willow to promise not to tell Michael. She wants him to hear about it from her. Willow says, of course (🍷). She won’t keep Sasha from her check-up. She starts to leave, and Sasha says, wait. She just realized how that must have sounded. Michael is not the father. She knows Willow is with Chase now, but they’re Wiley’s parents, and she just wants to be clear. Wiley isn’t getting a sibling. Willow says, good, and Sasha says, at the moment, she can’t tell Willow who the father is. The situation is… complicated.

Brando says, Sasha told Cyrus, the baby isn’t his, but Cyrus says, Sasha is lying, probably to protect Brando. Tell him, did Brando and Sasha sleep together to defy him because Brando knows he has a soft spot for Sasha? Brando says Cyrus has a soft spot for the woman he almost killed? and Cyrus says, they’ve already discussed Brando’s inability to follow his orders. Is it because he’s been confiding in her; pillow talk, shall they say? He’s sure Sasha has already told Brando to stop working for him. Brando tells Cyrus, get to the point. What does Cyrus want in exchange for letting his mother go?

Chloe tells Peter, they’re all set. Everything they need is in her bag, and ready to go. He says, and it’s safe for a pregnant woman, especially at this late stage? She says she told him a thousand times already, she’s not taking any chances with his child. She can only imagine what he’d do to her if things went wrong. He says, good, and no one was suspicious? She says she used to work with the pharmacist on call tonight, so she was able to use her real name and nursing accreditation. She’ll deliver his baby girl to him. He says, and they’ll start a new life together; him, Maxie, and their child.

Maxie packs, and asks Louise if she’s ready for a little adventure. She’s glad she didn’t tell Spinelli the truth. He would have just told her how dangerous her plan is, and would have told her to use his computer skills to sabotage Peter. They don’t have time for that. She makes a call, and asks Bobbie if she’s okay. She’ll meet her in Beecher’s Corners. She thanks Bobbie, and calls the spa. She says she booked the babymoon package with them. She’s calling to make sure her baby nurse is all set to be pampered too. Can they confirm that Chloe Jennings is booked for the deluxe mani/pedi, full body scrub, and two-hour ultimate transcendence? Generous? No. Nurse Jennings has been so good to her. She just wants to return the favor. On another call, she looks outside, and says, good. Both burner phones are working… No, she’s not paranoid. Peter could be monitoring her and it’s important they use a burner phone too. She has the nurse all set with spa treatments. She’s going to pretend her water broke, and convince the staff she’s going to the hospital. Will Brook be able to ditch Yuri, her bodyguard?… Okay, don’t blow it… No, she doesn’t doubt Brook’s skills. She’s a great liar, and has the gold medal in subterfuge. Maxie picks up a stuffed toy and says she’ll be fine, because if the choice is to give her precious baby girl to Brook or Peter, there is no choice. She’ll see Brook soon. She puts the toy on top of her luggage, and says, we can do this, right? She thinks she felt a kick of agreement, and says, she thinks it’s going to be hard for both of them, but it’s worth it to keep Louise safe.

Willow asks if Sasha and the father are on good terms, and Sasha says, excellent terms. He’s a wonderful guy, but there are circumstances that make this pregnancy difficult for them. Willow asks if that means they’re a couple, and Sasha says, like everything else with this pregnancy, they’re still figuring that part out.

Gladys has managed to get her hands untied and rips the duct tape off her mouth. She says she didn’t do anything. She did everything Cyrus told her to do. Cyrus’s guy suddenly appears again, and Cyrus says, shut her up. He says, permanently? and Cyrus, Brando, and Gladys all say, no. Cyrus says he’s going to leave that for Brando to take care of.

Carly thanks someone on the phone, and Spinelli says, any luck? She says, someone hacked into the MetroCourt surveillance system to create a loop to run when Gladys was taken. Spinelli says, let him guess, the camera showed the bodyguard outside the room the entire time. Does she want him to trace that? She says, no. They have to find Gladys. Any luck locating her phone? They hear a beep from under the bed, and Spinelli says, that page is Gladys’s phone. Whoever kidnapped Gladys was smart enough to relieve her of her phone. Carly reaches under the bed, and says, not as smart as he might think. She gave Gladys a burner phone, and it wasn’t under the bed with this one. He says, give him the number, and they’re back in business. He knows they’ll find her.

Britt says, Jason actually has feelings. Who would have guessed? He says, don’t tell anybody, and for the first time ever, Jason makes me laugh. She says, cross her heart and hope to die… There’s that word again. He says, it happens to all of us, you know? She says she does know, but her death comes with all kinds of fun side effects. Turns out, she lied. He asks what she lied about, and she says, why she went through with the test. She chokes back tears, and says, she told herself it was because the not knowing was torture, and that was true, but deep down, she convinced herself if she was brave enough to take the test, she’d be rewarded with the result she wanted. She’d find out she didn’t have the genetic marker for Huntington’s Disease, and that she had the rest of her life in front of her. He says, she still does.

Sonny asks if Lenny believes him about Eli, and understands that Nina is in trouble, but Lenny says he doesn’t know what to think about the stuff Mike/Sonny is accusing Eli of. Sonny says he knows Lenny and Phyllis care about Eli, but if Lenny doesn’t believe him, why did he let the trooper go? Lenny says, if Sonny is right, and Nina gets hurt, he’d never forgive himself. Neither would Phyllis. He asks if Sonny has any idea where Eli might have taken Nina, and Sonny says, she told him something about a barbecue. He goes over to the bar, and picks up his phone. He says he was trying to look it up, when the trooper interrupted. Where could Eli have taken Nina?

Eli brushes back Nina’s hair, and says he’s sorry. He just noticed her earrings. They’re the same ones she was wearing the other night. She says, excuse me? and touches them like you know you do when you’re checking to remember which ones you’re wearing. He says, on their date. After the break-in, she came back to his office to find the one she lost. She says, that’s right. Her brother gave them to her, so naturally, she wouldn’t want to lose one. He says, that makes sense. Does her brother live in Port Charles? She says, no. Her brother is dead. He was shot. Murdered. Eli says he’s so sorry; he had no idea. She says she couldn’t help but think of her brother when the shooting broke out at the firehouse dance. They already talked about all the terrible things that have happened in Nixon Falls, so tell her; why does he think this is happening? He asks if she thinks he had something to do with these crimes, and she says she didn’t say that. She thinks it’s time they got back to the barbecue. She starts to walk, and he puts out his hand to stop her. She drops her purse, and the papers she copied fall out. I know hindsight is 20/20, but since she was meeting Eli, she might have left those at the Tan-O. He says, look at this. Printouts from his office computer. How do you like that?

Maxie opens the door to Chloe, and Chloe asks how Maxie and the little baby bump are doing. Maxie says, fine, and she can’t wait for their babymoon. Chloe says, her too. She parked the car in front of the building, and she didn’t want Maxie to do any unnecessary walking, so she brought this. She pushes in a wheelchair, and Maxie says, no. She does not need a wheelchair. Chloe says she didn’t want to say anything, but she noticed Maxie’s blood pressure was still high. If she refuses the wheelchair, she’ll have to tell Peter, and Maxie knows what that means. Maxie says, he’ll put her in the hospital, and tell Dr. Navarro to induce labor. This is blackmail. Chloe says, call it what she will, but it’s her job to protect Maxie and the baby. So no wheelchair, no spa.

Carly leans over Spinelli’s shoulder, and says, anything? He says, this kind of work requires intense focus, and hovering creates the opposite. She says, sorry. He knows how important this is, right? He says, no one wants Peter arrested and charged more than he does. Maxie and her baby will not be safe until he’s incarcerated. She says, the best way for that to happen is for Gladys to say she saw Peter ditch the murder weapon. They have to find her.

Cyrus thanks his guy, and says he can leave the premises. He’ll let Brando handle it from here. Brando says, handle it how? and Cyrus tells him, don’t be obtuse. He knows perfectly well that Gladys has become a liability. If Brando takes care of it, at least he knows her demise was accomplished as painlessly as possible. Brando says he’s not killing his mother, and Cyrus says, Gladys is going to die. If not by him, by someone who’s more loyal to him than Brando is. And if that happens, Sasha dies as well, along with his unborn child. Brando says, he wouldn’t, and Cyrus says, try me, which is the standard reply.

Britt asks if Jason is insensitive or just plain cruel. The life she has ahead of her is slow deterioration leading to an inevitable death. He says, or she could get hit by a bus tomorrow. She says, there’s not a lot of bus traffic here, and he says, a hundred million things could happen before she starts to show symptoms. Amazing things, disappointing things, but there’s no way to predict because that’s not how life works. The future’s an idea; it’s not a guarantee. The only thing they know is that it won’t go according to plan. She laughs, then laugh/cries, and he says, so why not make the most of it for most of the time she has?

Maxie gets in the wheelchair, and says, happy now? Chloe says, very, and thanks her. Maxie says she’s not spending her babymoon in this wheelchair, just so Chloe knows. Chloe tells Maxie that she really needs to calm down. She prepares a syringe of… something, and says, Maxie knows stress isn’t good for the baby. Maxie says she’s calm. She’s feeling very Zen right now. Well, she was before Chloe showed up with this completely unnecessary wheelchair. She feels Chloe giving her a shot, and says, what the…? and passes out.

On the phone, Peter says he needs a chopper, fueled and ready to go at the private heliport in somewhere. Keep it available. He’ll let them know the specifics later. There will be three traveling; two adults, and one infant.

Lenny says, Elijah took Nina to a barbecue… They’re at the Nixon Falls Founder’s Day Picnic. Sonny asks where it’s at, and Lenny says, Nixon Falls Park. Sonny asks if he’s sure, and Lenny says, Elijah loved attending the Founder’s Day Picnic when he was living here. Now go. Bring Nina home. Sonny jets out the door.

Nina says, these papers are the various payouts in Eli’s scheme to drive down the real estate prices. He says he’s hurt by her lack of faith in him. These documents are A, private and privileged, and B, don’t prove a damn thing. She snatches back the paper from his hand, and says they’ll let the police decide. She starts to walk away, but he grabs her arm and says, she didn’t think it would be that easy, did she? She struggles, but he won’t let go.

Spinelli says, got it, and Carly grabs her phone, saying she loves him. She’s bringing Jason home. She calls Trent, and asks if he has the team ready. She knows where Gladys is.

Cyrus says Brando’s mother is a parasite. All she cares about is money. She sells herself to the highest bidder, regardless of the consequences. She told Sonny and his family that Brando was dead. Brando traveled halfway across the country, just to avoid her. Don’t tell him her life suddenly has value to Brando now, especially as it compares to Sasha’s, and his unborn child. Brando thinks for half a second, and holds out his hand. Cyrus gives him a gun, and he walks over to Gladys, who’s crying and shaking her head. Cyrus smiles.

Sasha tells Willow, she doesn’t really know the baby’s father all that well, and Willow says Sasha told her he was wonderful. Sasha says, he is. They started off as friends. She guesses she was really attracted to him; they used to flirt like crazy. Willow says, and one thing led to another? and Sasha says, you could put it like that. She thinks they could be really good together, and he does too. Willow says, after the sacrifices Sasha and Chase made for her and Michael so they could keep Wiley, she deserves to be happy. Whatever that looks like for her.

Brando aims the gun at Gladys, and she cowers. Cyrus continues to smile, and Brando suddenly turns, aiming the gun at him.

Jason says, the test tells Britt that she has the genetic marker, but it doesn’t tell her how she’s going to die. It doesn’t tell her how she’s going to live. Only she can decide that. She says, just treat every day as a gift. He brushes her hair back, but not in a creepy way like Eli did with Nina. They kiss. And kiss some more.

Tomorrow, Brook says, it’s a disaster waiting to happen; Valentin says, everything is coming together; Ava tells Nikolas, they have to take Cyrus out; Cyrus regrets to inform Brando, he failed his final test; and Britt asks Jason if he’s sure about this.

The Real Housewives of New York City

I missed the first two minutes, in which Sonja had a meltdown over Wells Fargo. LuAnn left the scene, and in her interview, said she couldn’t watch Sonja go down same rabbit hole she did. Sonja was only going to change if Sonja wanted to change. Eboni said Sonja was married to her story, which I thought was pretty accurate. Leah said Sonja couldn’t communicate when she got upset, and it was a lot. The next morning, Ramona had to explain to Sonja that she’d had a tough night. Leah talked to Sarah about their grandmother’s illness, saying their grandmother seemed like a huge burden on her mom, but not so much for the two of them. Eboni talked about her grandmother to her mom, who needed to make a decision about a feeding tube. Eboni’s mom said her grandmother’s life had become about quantity, not quality, and Eboni was concerned her mom was trying to put the decision on her. Ramona reminded Sonja about her Wells Fargo rant, but Sonja stuck to her guns, saying, it was her daughter’s future. In Ramona’s interview, she said, Sonja was making no sense. Where Eboni’s daughter got her mortgage wasn’t going to affect Sonja’s daughter’s lifestyle. She thought Garth bothered Sonja, and Sonja said Garth was driving her nuts. Ramona finally wheedled out of Sonja that she was afraid to be alone. Sonja was also discussed at length among the women the next day.

Leah told the caterer that she didn’t know how the woman worked for Ramona; she was such a bitch. Then Leah bitched at Ramona about being a bitch. She said Ramona was so rude and fake, she couldn’t handle it. Garth paid the women a visit for a morning workout. In Sonja’s interview, she said she was happy for LuAnn, but Garth was not the greatest thing since sliced bread. Ramona thought LuAnn had done well for herself. She and Sonja joined LuAnn for the workout, and in her interview, Sonja said, first, she had to hear about Garth; now she had to work out with him. Couldn’t she just go to the kitchen, and grab doughnut? Leah and Eboni opted for beauty treatments, and Leah told Eboni that she was going to take a vow of silence until 6 pm. Eboni said she’d be the voice for the voiceless, and explained to the others that Leah needed some self-care, and wasn’t speaking. In Sonja’s interview, she said she understood. She should have taken one 20 years ago with Ramona.

The women took a limo to an oyster farm, and on the way, there was a whole bit whoop-de-doo about Tom, with Sonja saying he was her bald guy. Finally, LuAnn had enough, and said Sonja had been a one-night stand. Tom hadn’t married Sonja, and he was never Sonja’s guy. Then Sonja moved on to Harry (will we never get rid of him?), while Ramona, Leah, and Eboni texted each other. Eboni said she thought Sonja didn’t feel valued, and in her interview, said she thought Sonja needed affirmation about the woman she is, not a supposed friend saying she was only good for a one-night stand. In LuAnn’s interview, she said she got that Sonja was in a bad place, but don’t ruin her party. In Sonja’s interview, she said she felt like chopped liver whenever a new guy came into LuAnn’s life. Yep. I knew women like that in my single/dating days. I was never like that though. During the day on Saturday was always for friends. In Eboni’s interview, she said what was bizarre about this friend group was that they’d go at it, and five minutes later were like, I love you. Leah tried to convey that she’d accidentally said thank you to the driver, but finally just told them. Eboni said she was bad at charades, and in Leah’s interview, she said, she was not a mimer. The oyster farm it was more beautiful than you’d think it would be. They were shown the various types of oysters, including ones that stuck together. LuAnn said that’s how Ramona and Sonja woke up, and in the most disgusting comment possibly ever, Sonja said, stuck together and crusty. In her interview, Ramona was just like, eww! After learning oyster facts, the women were taught how to shuck them. The shucking master told Ramona that it was more a matter of patience than brute strength, as she tried to pry an oyster open with her teeth. Not really, but that would have been fun to see. In her interview, she said now she knew why they’re so expensive. When 6 pm hit, Leah told everyone, if she seemed weird, it was because she was struggling with something. She was nervous about Heather coming, since she didn’t know Heather. They’d only met for five minutes in the Berkshires. She talked about the women in the press, saying nasty things. She wondered if later on, Heather would talk about her or Eboni. Ramona said Heather had a good heart. She was a good mother, a businesswoman, and had been married a long time. Eboni said being a good mother always made everything all right. She’s a raving lunatic bitch, but she’s a good mom. Ramona dropped the bombshell that Heather would be staying over.

Ramona hosted a Breakfast at Tiffany’s dinner, and the table was gorgeous, with white feathers and pearls. Heather arrived, and since everyone was dressing up, she asked Sonja with help crafting her updo, but Sonja declined. In her interview, Sonja said that was the last thing she was going to do after Heather had talked about her. Next, Heather would want Sonja to carry her luggage. Because of all the flack, Ramona relegated Heather to the downstairs, and in Heather’s interview, she said she’d been banished to the dungeon, but it was okay. She liked a little separation. Everyone dressed in black with pearls, except for Leah, who wore a black and white Versace dress. In her interview, Ramona said Leah was a rebel, but it was all good, since it was Versace. After Ramona downed some secret shots, the bartender told her to pace herself. After they sat down to dinner, the subject of podcasts was brought up, and Heather said she’d just launched podcast. In Leah’s interview, she said if she showed up in a house full of women she’d trashed on her podcast, she’d be shying away from that word. This was all Leah needed to pull up receipts on her phone, reading from articles about what Heather said, including the suggestion that LuAnn did hard drugs. In Heather’s interview, she said she’d gone into the lion’s den, and for some reason, was being ambushed. The funniest part was that no one listened to the podcast. LuAnn was bothered that Heather had talked about her like that, but Heather said some crap about it being taken out of context, and changed the topic to Leah having told her that they were painting a naked man. She asked if it was Garth, and at the mention of his name, all was well with LuAnn. LuAnn said, it wasn’t Garth, but a male model would be the subject. Then the dinner table talk turned to sex, and Ramona wondered who talked about things like that. Not her. She still had elegance and class.

Next time, the party continues, Ramona demands to know why they’re talking about d*cks, the women have a painting lesson, Eboni and LuAnn argue, and Leah calls everyone a ho’.  Here a ho’, there a ho’, everywhere a ho’, ho’. Sorry. I just have to every time I hear that.

🗽 I actually have my own Heather story. I used to enter a lot of contests, and some radio station had one for a pass to a cocktail party some local celebrities would be at, including Heather and Kristen Taekman, who was also on RHONY at the time. Supposedly, they were friends. I won, and dragged my husband along to the Manhattan hotel where the event was happening, which had a fabulous view of the city. They served appetizers, and had an open bar, both of which were top notch. The white wine was excellent, and I wondered if it was Ramona’s but I never did find out. Anyway, Heather never showed. Kristen did though, and she was a lot of fun, answering questions, and being genuine and gracious. So I agree. Pfft! on Heather.

🦦 Logging Off…

Tomorrow, those wacky women from New Jersey will be continuing their relentless pursuit of an analogy, as well as more screeching from LisaR of Beverly Hills. So until we all need to put in earplugs, stay safe, stay indomitable, and stay knowing you deserve to be happy. Whatever that looks like for you.