Tag Archives: Kristina Wagner

December 5, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Sidwell Pays Some Calls, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Ho-Ho Or No, Almost Knight, Stunning Scenes, Rockin’ Around, Best In Whoa, X Quotes In Rome & Hollis

Standard

What I Watched Today

(Weekday bites, Friday’s whole GH enchilada & media minutiae)

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…                                                                           

Monday: 

As Chase prepared dinner, Brook brought out a fire extinguisher as a precaution. He said he didn’t believe in curses, and she said she couldn’t stop him from cooking, but hoped the holiday didn’t turn into Final Destination Quartermaine Kitchen. The doorbell rang, and she said, he’s here.

Curtis said Marshall might be living his dream, but there was no place like home for Thanksgiving. Stella and Trina greeted Marshall, and he asked where Portia was. Trina said she had to work.

At the hospital, Isaiah told Portia, happy Thanksgiving, and she asked what he was doing there.

Olivia wondered who was honking outside and opened the door to Ned and Michael. Ned said he called in a few favors because he couldn’t miss Thanksgiving with his family.

Drew told Willow that she was more beautiful than he’d ever seen her and their wedding day was going to be perfect.

Leo hugged Ned, and Ned said he and Brook wanted to surprise everyone, when the smoke alarm went off. Olivia ran to find out what was burning, and Brook took Ned to the living room. She told him that Chase was determined to break the family curse, but he said resistance was futile. The curse came for them all. She said at least they were all in it together.

Isaiah said he saw Portia had scheduled herself to be there, and she said she was showing leadership, but that didn’t explain why he was there. He said it would be her first Thanksgiving without family, and he didn’t want her to spend the holiday alone.

Trina said Marshall should have seen how Aunt Stella handled Drew, and Curtis said she’d definitely given it to him. Marshall said he wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of a Stella Henry smackdown, and Stella said she had no regrets.

Willow saw Scout’s hair ornament and said she’d been looking for it, and Drew said Scout was lucky to get Willow for a stepmother. Willow said she was the lucky one, when Alexis arrived. Willow said she was happy Alexis could join them, and Alexis said she was looking forward to seeing Scout in her flower girl dress – again. Willow left, and Drew told Alexis, no more snide remarks. Convincing Scout that the marriage had her full support was her job. Alexis said she was there to support her granddaughter, and he suggested she smile, since she looked like she was at a funeral.

Willow did Scout’s hair and told her that she looked prettier than she did at their last wedding. When she married Scout’s dad, they’d become a family. Scout said she just wanted them to be happy, and Willow promised they would. She said Scout reminded her of Sam. Sam was beautiful, kind, funny, and smart, just like her. She hoped today was a happy day for Scout. Scout said it was and they hugged.

Ned told Brook that there were moments he wasn’t sure he’d see this place again and he was grateful to be back in his mother’s house. It sounded strange, but felt just right to say his mother’s house. He’d noticed there was a significant thaw when Brook visited him with Gio, and Brook said Gio could now stand to be in the same room with her. It felt like he was letting her in. The doorbell rang, and Brook opened the door to Gio and Emma.

Trina said she was glad her dad kept his cool when Stella told Drew off, and Curtis said it was all he could do not to punch the smug expression off Drew’s face at the Port Charles Grill. Stella said she didn’t endorse violence, but Drew did have a punchable face, and Curtis said they’d been through a tough year, but they had a lot to be thankful about. He didn’t want to jeopardize any of it. Stella said, seeing Congressman Cutthroat live out the miserable life he’d made for himself was all the revenge they needed.

Kai told Drew that the catering was set, Martin was coming shortly to officiate, and his guests would arrive in 15 minutes. Drew told him, grab a drink and enjoy the celebration, but Kai said he’d mad a prior commitment for the holiday. He congratulated Drew and said he hoped Drew got everything he deserved, when Nina arrived.

Emma said she hoped Brook didn’t mind that she’d tagged along, and Brook said, of course (🍷) not. Gio hugged Ned, and Brook said Chase was making dinner. She thought he was tempting fate, but he was nothing if not determined. Leo, Michael, and Olivia joined them, and Olivia said, welcome to the madness. It was false alarm. The steam from the glaze had set it off.  Brook said the last thing they needed was the house burning down while Tracy was away, and Ned said Tracy needed the time. Olivia said that’s why they’d delayed telling her about Drew stealing the Quartermaine family heirlooms, and Ned flashed back to having his heart attack outside Bobbie’s and Drew claiming he was faking. He said the last thing they wanted was another battle with Drew.

Nina told Drew that she’d brought Willow a dress straight from the Crimson closet. She wanted to let him know that she was here without an agenda. If Willow wanted to marry him, all she could do was get out of Willow’s way. Her daughter’s happiness and freedom were the most important things in the world and all she wanted. Drew said if she was playing him or planning… but she said she wasn’t. Willow chose to give him a second chance whether she liked it or not. He should be deserving of it for once.

Marshall said the hard part of touring was remembering what city he was in. He could have sworn he was in Raleigh, then he was brought chicory coffee. Trina said that was from New Orleans and she wanted to go there, when there was a knock at the door. Trina opened the door to Jordan.

Portia told Isaiah, since they were both spending the holiday there, she sprang for the good granola bars. She didn’t recommend the cafeteria thank turkey loaf. Isaiah said a granola bar with her was perfect, and they clinked bars.

Chase hugged Ned and said he’d made a turkey with all the fixings, but Ned said it was doomed to fail. Chase said he roasted a turkey with his dad every year, and Leo said he wouldn’t be having any. He was a vegetarian since he’d read a book on turkeys. Emma said she appreciated his new stance, and Gio agreed. Olivia said what about her meatballs and chicken parm, but Leo said, sorry. Olivia asked about the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and Leo said he wasn’t a pescatarian. She asked what he was going to eat for Thanksgiving, and Chase said he’d also made a tofurkey. Brook said he was deluded, but brilliant, and Chased said it was all laid out and ready to eat. Leo said they had to figure out what Outback was going to eat, but Chase said he thought Cody would take care of that. Leo said Outback looked hungry when he’d let her inside, and Ned wondered where Outback was now.

Outback was looking at the turkey with all the fixings.

Because she is not one of my dogs, Outback didn’t touch a thing, and the family marveled at the dinner table. Olivia said she couldn’t believe Chase actually did it, and Brook said, nobody move. They’d tempted fate as far as they could. Chase said there was no such thing as a curse, but Brook said it had been all laid out before when disaster struck. Olivia said there was the year they were robbed and Annabelle’s first year, and Brook said she couldn’t bear the thought of the dinner being ruined by a burst pipe or the table collapsing. Olivia asked if they were supposed to throw it away, but Brook said, of course (🍷) not. They’d give it to people who deserved it. Olivia said she knew exactly who should have it.

Stella said she could use Jordan’s help in the kitchen, but Jordan said she couldn’t stay. She was having dinner with Jenz, but she brought them some greens. Marshall said he knew TJ was out of town (😐) and Jordan should be with family, and Jordan thanked him, but said she was sure. She left and Curtis followed. Outside, he told her, wait. Don’t go.

Elizabeth said sorry she was late, and Alexis said, leave it to Drew to hijack Thanksgiving for the wedding. Elizabeth said she was sure Alexis would rather be home, and Alexis said they’d agreed that the most important thing was Scout. Drew had isolated her, and she wanted Scout to feel all the love. Elizabeth said Scout knew Alexis loved her, and she hoped Alexis knew that Willow loved Scout too. Alexis aid that made her feel slightly better about this circus.

Willow thanked Nina for the dress, and Nina asked if she wanted help getting dressed, but Willow said Elizabeth was coming to help her finish. Nina thanked Willow for including her. She’d promised Drew she wouldn’t interfere – and she wouldn’t – but she needed to know one thing. Did Willow really want to do this? Because if she didn’t, they could walk out right now.

Alexis told Scout that she looked pretty and asked if she was excited. Scout said she wished Kristina and Molly were there, but Alexis said she’d see them later for a sleepover. Scout asked if Alexis thought she’d be able see them more often, Danny and Rocco too, and Alexis said she thought the wedding meant Scout’s family was growing, which was a good thing. The more people, the more love she’d get from family. They hugged and exchanged I love yous.

Brook, Chase, Olivia, Gio, and Emma showed up at the hospital, and Brook told Portia, on behalf of the entire Quartermaine family, they were donating a homemade Thanksgiving dinner to the doctors, nurses, and staff of GH. Portia thanked them, and Olivia said they saved lives, and they couldn’t be more grateful. Portia said, Dr. Quartermaine made sure her staff were well taken care of and they’d taken on the tradition. They’d set it up in the conference room. She told Isaiah that it was one more thing to be thankful for.

Curtis said he understood why Jordan didn’t want to stay, and Jordan said the second she saw Trina’s face, she realized it was too soon. He said perhaps she was right. They’d give it some time. He was glad he got to see her on Thanksgiving. She said her too. There was a lot to be thankful for.

Marshall told Stella that he was told she knew the happy news. He was going to be a grandfather again. Portia was pregnant. In the doorway, Trina dropped the tray she was carrying and asked what he just said.

Ned said he wasn’t a fan of having a babysitter, but Olivia felt better if he wasn’t alone, and Gio said he was happy to stay. Ned said Brook was pleased to see him, and Gio said they’d had a breakthrough. He’d realized everything Brook did that made him so angry was because she loved him and wanted the best for him and he’d had a good life because of her. Ned said his biggest wish was for Gio to get to a place where he had a good relationship with both his parents. Family was everything. Gio said he thought he and Brook were on their way, but doubted it would happen with him and Dante. Ned said they were dealing with big emotions, and life was long if you were lucky. Gio didn’t want to end his days and have regrets. He hoped Gio stayed open to the possibility of having a relationship with his father. The doorbell rang, and Gio went to answer it.

Nina said whatever Willow needed – a house, money, a lawyer – was hers, no strings or conditions. Drew made her think he was all she had, but that wasn’t true. Willow told her, stop. She wasn’t blind to Drew. She knew who he was and what he’d done. Nina said, then how could she go through with it? and Willow said nothing was more important than her getting her kids back and nothing would send a stronger message to the jury. Nina said, so it was a strategy, and Willow said it was what she and Drew knew had to happen for her to be exonerated. She’d be in a stronger position to fight Michael for custody. She’d be married to a congressman while Michael was dating a hooker. Nina asked if she loved Drew, but Willow said she didn’t have to love Drew. She loved her kids and would do what she needed to, to have them back with her.

Michael said they did a good thing, and Brook asked if Chase was sure he didn’t mind. Chase said, it was the perfect way to spend Thanksgiving, and Michael said he’d see them back at the house. He flashed back to hearing Willow ask Elizabeth to be her maid of honor.

Nathan arrived at Drew’s house, and Nina said she was glad he was here. He asked if Willow was okay, and Nina said Willow thought marrying Drew was the only way she could get exonerated and get her kids back. Willow didn’t love Drew, and she should be relieved, but it made things worse. His phone dinged and he said he was sorry, but it was work. She said, nothing could make this day worse than it was, and he told her to try and have faith that Willow believed she was making the best choice for her kids. He left.

Willow looked at a photo of her, Wiley, and Amelia, when Elizabeth said it was time for her to get in her dress. Was she ready to get married?

Back at the mansion, Olivia said she’d defrost the casserole, but Gio said it wasn’t necessary. There was a big box on the living room table, and Olivia said, that’s a lot of pizza. Ned said he wished he could take credit, but it just showed up, and Gio said, there was a card. They’d waited for the rest of them before opening it. Brook read, Happy Thanksgiving, dear family. I took the liberty of placing this order ahead. We may be cursed, but we’re also extremely blessed. Remember me as you have dinner – Tracy. Chase said they’d have to call and thank her, and Brook said, she’d love that they carried on Monica’s tradition. Olivia said, even across the ocean, Tracy had them covered. Gio said he’d be right back, and met Emma in the foyer. He told her, happy Thanksgiving, and they kissed.

Leo said, now they could eat, but Olivia said, wait a minute. The rules are the rules. Ned said, first we sing, then we eat. They joined hands and sang, We Gather Together, and I teared up.

Scout walked down the aisle and Willow followed. Willow handed her bouquet to Elizabeth and faced Drew. Michael looked in the window.

Isaiah fed Portia a piece of pie, and she put the plate on the counter. She closed the blinds and they kissed.  

Trina saw Jordan and Curtis kissing and said, oh my God. Nathan walked up with another officer and said they wanted Curtis to come down to the station. Curtis said, for what? and Nathan said, for the attempted murder of Drew Cain.

Tuesday:

Martin asked if he should skip the part that asks if anyone objects, and Drew said, yeah. Nothing was going to stop him from marrying the woman he loved. Martin continued with the ceremony as Michael looked in the window.

Brook thanked Gio for helping with the clean-up and thanked him for coming. She wasn’t sure if he would, but was glad he did. He said he had fun, and she said, he and Emma were the perfect addition. He talked about next year and said he’d liked spending the holiday there.

Curtis asked if it could wait, but Nathan said it couldn’t. Curtis wondered if he was under arrest.

Laura talked to Lucky on the phone. She was glad he and Aiden were getting this time together. There was a knock at the door, and it was Doc with flowers. She said she wasn’t expecting him until next week, but he said he wanted to be with the person he was most thankful for.

Brook asked about Emma, and Gio said she’d been an amazing friend, then somewhere along the way, it became more than that. Brook was happy for him, then said she was bad at making conversation with her own son. She was terrified of messing it up. He said they were family. They might get mad at each other, but eventually it all worked out. He’d pushed her away at the beginning, but didn’t want to do that anymore

Nathan said he wasn’t arresting Curtis, and Curtis said, then he wasn’t going anywhere. Trina tried to intervene, but Curtis suggested she go inside and keep Stella there. Jordan wondered why Curtis needed to be questioned when there was a suspect already, and Nathan said new information had come to light. He hoped Curtis could clear things up. He could come back with warrant, but then would have to search the premises. Curtis said he’d meet them at the station.

The ceremony continued and Martin asked if Willow took Drew. She flashed back to telling Nina that she didn’t love Drew, but loved her kids.

Doc and Laura explained a double-decker bus to Ace (who, surprisingly is not in college yet.) Doc said, obviously, Laura was exhausted after a grueling campaign, but the voters made the right choice. He knew something was wrong and asked her to talk to him. She flashed back to finding Dalton’s body in the trunk, when Lulu knocked at the door.

Willow said, I do, and Scout gave Drew the rings. Martin said, when they looked at the rings, be reminded of this moment of commitment and love, and they exchanged them. Martin pronounced them husband and wife, and they kissed. Scout was the only one who could bear to watch.

Michael found Jacinda at the Brown Dog Bar and told her about Thanksgiving. She wondered why he wasn’t at home, and he said he had to see if Willow went through with the ceremony.

Brook said she didn’t want to push, but wanted Gio to know she cared. He said he knew and told her to just be real, and she told him, as long as he was real with her too. She wanted his take on the night of the break-in.

Trina wondered why the police needed to talk to Curtis, but Kai said Curtis could handle himself. Stella was glad Jordan went with him, but Trina said it was an opportunity for Jordan to get her hooks in Curtis. Jordan was the reason her parents were splitting up. She’d seen Jordan kissing her father outside.

Curtis couldn’t find a lawyer, but Jordan said she’d stay with him during questioning as a witness. Nathan said that wasn’t possible, but Curtis said it was either that, or they’d wait until he got a lawyer.

Nathan started with Curtis’s movements on September 3rd. What was he doing the night Drew Cain was shot?

Scout said she had a surprise for Drew, and Alexis congratulated Willow. Willow told Nina, mission accomplished, and Nina said she’d support Willow with anything she needed. She knew the kids took precedence. Willow said she’d do anything for her children.

Gio told Brook that he’d forgotten about the lab thing after Ned went to the hospital, and he and Emma freaked when they realized the kids were doing it on their own. Involving them to any extent had been a mistake. Brook said he couldn’t have foreseen the repercussions, but he said they were on him. She said he’d owned it and apologized, but he said that didn’t hold much weight with Dante. She said Dante was a cop and when he was scared, it came out as anger. It wasn’t fair, but it could help Gio understand. He said Dante had the right to his anger, but he wasn’t obligated to take it.

Michael told Jacinda that Willow did it, but if he hadn’t seen it, he wouldn’t have believed it. It wasn’t about him, but Willow had chosen Drew even after he lied to her, slept with her mother, and intentionally manipulated their son. He felt his decisions had been the right ones, but couldn’t face the kids tonight. Jacinda said she was glad he came, and he said he was too.

Lulu said she was happy Doc was home, and Laura said it had been a surprise. Doc asked how Rocco was, and Lulu said, grateful to be out of the detention center. He asked if there was any word on Dalton, and Lulu said, no, and she hoped it stayed that way. She asked if she could put Ace down, and Laura said, by all means. Lulu took Ace to his room, and Doc thought it was strange about Dalton disappearing. Did Laura think he was gone for good?

Stella wondered if Curtis had cheated with Jordan, and Trina said her dad wouldn’t cheat, but Jordan had swooped in at the first sign of trouble. Stella was angry because Marshall knew, and Trina said it sucked to find out your family was keeping secrets from you, like them knowing Portia was pregnant. Marshall said Portia wanted to wait until after the first trimester to tell people, but Trina said she wasn’t people. She was family. Stella said it explained so much.

Willow noted that not many guests were in attendance, but Elizabeth said it wasn’t the quantity, but the quality that was important. Willow said she knew Elizabeth didn’t agree with her choices, but never turned her back, and Elizabeth said she hoped this would give Willow everything she wanted. Willow said she knew it would.

Gio told Brook that Dante couldn’t demand he do things his way. It was too late for Dante to discipline him. Brook said it was strained between them now, but Dante wanted to have a relationship with Gio. He’d been happy to find out Gio was his, but it was obviously confusing, and he was hurt about having lost time with Gio. Gio said they both had their own way of doing things, when Emma came in. She thanked Brook for including her, and Brook left. Emma said she’d been calling Gio, but he said his phone was on silent. She showed him a note and said she’d found this at home under the door.

Michael told Jacinda that a friend suggested if he let Willow see the kids, she wouldn’t marry Drew, but his only goal was to protect them. Willow marrying Drew proved he couldn’t trust her judgement. Jacinda said Drew was a spiteful, vindictive bully, and shouldn’t be allowed near Wiley and Amelia. He said that sounded personal, and she said her mom remarried when she was 13. She just wanted her mom to be happy, but her stepfather wasn’t dad material. He wasn’t abusive, but he was uninterested. Kids wanted to feel like they mattered, and Willow and Drew had proven they weren’t capable of that. He was doing the right thing. Michael said Jacinda had officially ruined his plans to feel sorry for himself. She’d made him feel better. Jacinda said he’d ruined her night too. She liked to unwind in public places and feel like a part of something while she was thinking. She usually enjoyed being alone, but tonight she was enjoying being with him more. He said he wished they’d met under different circumstances. Mostly because he wanted to be with her because he liked her for the beautiful, strong, fascinating woman she was. They kissed.

Alexis said she’d come to support her granddaughter, and Martin said he’d told Drew it wasn’t what was best for the kids. She said he’d been wasting his time. It was Drew’s big chance to get what he wanted, but every decision Willow made, or Drew made on Willow’s behalf, made her job harder. She had to win the case, or she’d never see Scout. Drew didn’t have Scout’s emotional well-being as a priority. He asked, what was the plan? and she said she had to convince the jury that anyone was more likely to shoot Drew than Willow.

Curtis told Nathan that he dropped Stella off, then met Alexis to discuss Stella’s case. After that he went to The Savoy to do paperwork. His last stop was the Brown Dog, where he met Jordan for drinks. Jordan confirmed that, and Nathan asked if anyone could corroborate that Curtis was in the office, but Curtis said, no. The club was closed and he was alone. If he’d known he needed an alibi, he would have brought someone. He asked what the new information was, and Nathan said they’d gotten security records from the club’s alarm system. The alarm had been deactivated at 9:25 and reactivated at 9:51. Tracy had called 911 at 10:28, and Curtis met Jordan at 11 pm. What had he been doing during the time period when Drew was shot?

Jacinda said she’d been thinking about what to tell someone five years from now about them meeting, since their meet-cute had been unconventional. Not that they’d be together by then. It was hypothetical. She suggested they go to her apartment, and they left.

Willow threw the bouquet and Scout caught it. Alexis told the bachelorette-in-waiting that it was time to go, and Scout hugged Drew and Willow. She told them, happy honeymoon.

Lulu told Doc, welcome home, and told Laura that they’d talk soon. She left, and Laura said Doc was right. Something was very wrong.

Trina said she needed air, and Kai went outside with her. Stella asked Marshall if Curtis and Jordan were an item and if that was the reason for the divorce. Marshall said Curtis was grown man and what he did was his business. It wasn’t for them to interfere. Stella told him to talk some damn sense into his son. When you saw someone that you loved making a huge life-altering mistake, you spoke up. Irene would be disappointed in Curtis for walking away from his child. Marshall said that wasn’t what Curtis was doing, and Irene would tell her to leave it alone. She said he didn’t know her sister at all if that’s what he really thought.

Nathan said it didn’t take an hour to get to the Brown Dog, and Curtis said he got there before Jordan. Jordan said Curtis was there when she arrived and asked if Nathan had any evidence indicating that Curtis was the shooter. Nathan said Curtis was an ex-cop and knew how to cover his tracks. His original statement hadn’t said he got to the bar before Jordan, and he was giving Curtis an opportunity to amend it. Was there anything else he failed to mention? Curtis flashed back to meeting Selina, who said she’d been intrigued be his phone call. What could she do for him?

Willow asked what Scout’s surprise was, and Drew showed her a picture Scout drew of herself with them. He asked if Willow was okay, and she said she was wonderful. She’d married the man of her dreams. He asked if she missed Wiley and Amelia, and she said, every day. He said she’d be back with them soon and the picture would have five, not three. She said their family would be complete, and he promised it would all work out.

Michael and Jacinda went to her apartment where they got busy and there was a song part. (I really like these two together.)

Emma told Gio that it was the address of the off-campus lab Dalton told Josslyn about, where he experimented on animals. Was he ready? They were rescuing those dogs tonight.

Doc said Laura could tell him anything, and she said she’d been waiting for them to be alone. It was about Henry Dalton. He asked if she was worried Dalton might show up and insist Rocco be prosecuted, and Laura said Dalton was dead. He asked how she knew, and she said she knew because she found his body in the trunk of his car.

Trina told Kai that her mom was pregnant, and no one told her. Now her dad had been dragged to the police station and Jordan, of all people, went with him. Kai said it might be a good thing, and she said, if Jordan kept him out of jail. She’d been scared that her mom might be the one who shot Drew, but her dad had the same reasons to want Drew dead and would have seen it as a way to protect her. What if her dad was guilty?

Curtis said he stood by his statement, and Nathan said Curtis had a strong motive. Drew had been behind Stella’s investigation. Jordan said half the city wanted Drew dead, and Nathan said, true. It was just a theory and the evidence was sparse. Curtis said, try non-existent, and Nathan said it told him that Drew’s shooting wasn’t a crime of passion, but executed by a professional. Curtis flashed back to telling Selina that one million dollars would be wired to the account of her choice. She said, what did he need her to arrange? And he said he wanted Drew Cain dead tonight.

Wednesday:

Ric visited Sonny bearing whiskey, and Sonny said they had to start somewhere. Why not tonight?

Dante told Rocco that he didn’t want him hanging out with Gio anymore.

At the Brown Dog, Emma told Gio that the last break in was a disaster. If they got caught this time, it could be worse. Was he sure it was a risk he wanted to take?

Ava met Nina at the Brown Dog, and Nina said her daughter was now Mrs. Drew Cain. This day couldn’t get any worse. Ava said she wouldn’t be too sure about that.

Portia went to the station to see Curtis and saw Jordan in the interrogation room with him.

Jordan said none of the evidence pointed back to Curtis, but Nathan said Curtis would now how to stage a crime scene to avert suspicion. Curtis flashed back to telling Selina that he wanted Drew Cain dead tonight, and to make sure it wasn’t traced back to him. Selina said it posed significant risk, but he said it still needed to be done. Jordan told Nathan that Curtis had no access to the murder weapon.

Laura told Doc that Henry Dalton was dead, and she found his body in the trunk of her car just hours before winning the election. He asked where the body was, and she said she didn’t know, but didn’t think anyone would ever find Professor Dalton.

An officer said it could be a while, and Portia said maybe she should head out. It seemed like her husband was in good hands. She looked at a text from Ava asking to meet.

Nathan said the Quartermaines had no idea when Edward’s gun went missing or when it was last seen. Curtis could have gone to the estate to discuss business with Michael. Jordan said any number of people had access to the gun, but Nathan said if an ex-cop planned to commit murder, they’d use a weapon where they wouldn’t be suspected. It was a great way to misdirect the investigation. Curtis flashed back to telling Selina that he was prepared to wire one million dollars tonight to get rid of Drew, and she said he was clearly motivated. May she ask why? He said Drew had been targeting his family, most recently his Aunt Stella. She needed to get it done in a way that didn’t trace back to either of them and make it look like she never came back to town.

Emma said if they got caught, it could ruin Gio’s relationship with Dante, but Gio said forget about that. What if Dalton knew they were up to something? He knew Emma was onto him and suddenly she got the lab address under her door. What if it was a set up?  

Nina asked what Ava wasn’t telling her, and Ava said she told Portia that Nina named her as a suspect in Drew’s shooting. Nina said she didn’t. All she did was tell someone that Portia had no alibi, and that person told Alexis. She was just trying to save her daughter. Ava said Nina could tell Portia that herself, since she was on her way there.  She had to woman up and straighten this out.

Laura said Doc must have seen her fight with Dalton. It was all over the media, social and otherwise. Doc said he couldn’t have been more proud, and she said she thought it cost her the election, but the voters surprised her. He said, they made the right choice. How did Dalton’s body end up in her trunk? She started to cry and said she didn’t know. She’d worked late on election night, and was driving home, when she got a flat. She pulled off the road and went to the trunk to get flares. There he was, dead. She could see he’d been shot. She thought she was in shock, but knew to check his pulse, so she did that. She got some of his blood on her and maybe her DNA on him. All after her threatening him went viral. He said, and she didn’t call the police, and she said she didn’t. She called Sonny.

Ric said he and Molly had dinner. He knew Kristina had been there with Sonny and Alexis was at Drew and Willow’s wedding to support Scout. It was interesting, seeing the shift with Molly and Kristina. They’d been estranged, but were seemingly closer than ever now. He appreciated Sonny trusting him to defend Rocco. On that note, their legal strategy was on hold until Dalton was found.

Rocco said Gio was his brother and he wouldn’t stop seeing him, but Dante said he was a minor and didn’t get to make choices about his freedom, especially if he got arrested. Gio was a bad influence. The first time he trusted Gio, Rocco needed his stomach pumped. Now Gio got him involved in the lab break-in. He was beaten up in juvie and facing criminal charges, and it wall went back to Gio. Rocco said Dante couldn’t cut his brother out of his life and asked if Lulu was okay with this.

Jordan said Willow had been charged, so why was Curtis being questioned? and Nathan said, to fortify the ADA’s case, they were looking at statements and timelines of persons of interest. Curtis had gaps in his timeline. He was alone at The Savoy with no way to verify it. Curtis flashed back to Selina saying, ordinarily, she didn’t involve herself in high-level assassinations, but she had a soft spot for Curtis and enjoyed being in business with him. Curtis asked if they had a deal, and she said arrangements would be made for it to be done in the next two hours. She knew the perfect person for the job. Nathan said, the second gap was during the alarm reset. They had no idea what Curtis was doing in the hour before he arrived at the Brown Dog. Curtis said he had business to attend to, and Nathan said, what kind? Curtis told him, give it up. He realized a fishing expedition when he saw one and Nathan had nothing.

Laura told Doc that she knew she’d been set up and didn’t know what to do, but knew Sonny would, and he said, Sonny handled it? She said, he did, and Doc said it was now too late for her to come forward. She told him, that’s what Sonny said too, but he also assured her that he took care of the body. He asked, what about the car? and she said, it was cleaned and detailed and in the garage in the morning like nothing happened. Doc said he owed her an apology. She had to go to Sonny because he couldn’t be there to help. She said it wasn’t his fault. She called Sonny because she didn’t know what to do and knew Sonny did.

Lulu said she and Dante had been seeing a pattern of behavior and wanted it to stop for Rocco’s own safety. Gio was the common denominator. Rocco said Gio didn’t make choices for him. Dante was trying to do the same thing that Drew was doing to Scout. Lulu said it was a totally different situation, but Rocco said it wasn’t. Family was supposed to stick together. Not that his dad knew anything about that. What gave him the right when he’d walked out on them twice? Rocco walked out, and Dante was about to follow him, but Lulu said, let him go.  

Emma told Gio, when Dalton was trying to leave with Josslyn, he was super drunk. Maybe he accidentally told Josslyn the address, and she’d written the note. Gio said, maybe, and she said she knew the risk, but couldn’t let the animals suffer one more night. He said, neither could he, and she said they had to buy leashes and collars. Then they’d shut Dalton down for good. They left the bar.

Ava said, Portia was going to find out one way or the other, so Nina may as well own up to it so they could all move on. They were friends, and both knew you didn’t come by friends easily, so Nina didn’t have the luxury of throwing a friendship away. Nina could be mad at her, but needed to fix this tonight. Portia walked in.

Lulu said Dante and Rocco both needed to calm down, and Dante asked if she felt like he’d abandoned her. She said she hadn’t thought about that in so long. He’d been on a mission for the WSB, then left to get treatment for PTSD. He said he did it to protect her, and she said she knew. He said, just tell him, and she said, yes. In a way, it felt like he’d abandoned them when he went to work for the WSB. When he came back, he was struggling so much, but wouldn’t let her help. It was like he was disappearing in front of her, but she wanted him to know she never said any of that to Rocco, not when he was a little boy or since. He said it wasn’t on her. He led them to where they were now – Rocco fighting with the dad who’d left him and was keeping him from his brother.

Sonny told Ric that he’d been laying off the drinking, but just for today. It was something to commemorate. Ric said, them talking about their families. It was like they were related. Here’s to it lasting more than one day. Sonny tasted his drink and said, ahh. It had been so long. He was impressed with the strategy Ric and Alexis came up with, and Ric said he and Alexis made a good team professionally. Sonny said he took a chance on Ric, but it wasn’t easy given their history. He knew Ric would do what was best for his grandson. Ric said, unfortunately, his best didn’t include the community service promised by the ADA, but Sonny said Dalton produced false evidence. No one saw that coming. There was a knock at the door, and Sonny opened it to Rocco. Sonny asked how he got there, and Rocco said, a Ride Share. Ric asked if something was wrong. Was Dalton harassing him? Rocco said it was nothing like that. He walked out on his mom and dad and wasn’t going back. Could he stay with Sonny?

Doc said he was glad Sonny was there to help, but regretted not being there for Laura, when his phone dinged. He said it could wait. She was his priority. She’d been dealing with this on her own since election day. Laura said she hadn’t really slept and asked him to hold her. He held her and she said she was glad he was home. He said him too, but they had to be honest with themselves. He had the feeling this was far from over.

Portia said if she’d known Nina was there, she wouldn’t have come. It felt like an ambush. Ava said it wasn’t her intention, when Nina said she was going to the restroom. She left, and Portia said she didn’t appreciate being tricked. She didn’t have time for this and had to go. Ava said, please don’t. She realized Portia was angry and had every right to be… Portia said Nina threw her under the bus for attempted murder, and Ava said it was wrong, but Nina didn’t exactly accuse her. Portia asked if she was defending Nina, and Ava said, no, but she didn’t think Portia and Nina should be enemies. Portia said, if that was the case, why was Ava telling her that instead of Nina?

Curtis told Nathan that he admitted there was friction between him and Drew, but a lot of people had issues with Drew, and some had stronger motives to shoot him. Nathan said, true, and Curtis said he had no ill will against Willow, but she was arrested for a reason. Maybe Nathan was trying to score points with the department or Nina in getting her daughter off the hook, but he was looking at the wrong man. Nathan said he wasn’t trying to earn points. He was giving Curtis an opportunity to amend his statement. Jordan said Curtis wasn’t amending anything. Certainly not without counsel. Nathan said he’d hate if Curtis’s statement was contradicted with new information, and Curtis said he went to see Alexis, then to The Savoy, and the Brown Dog for drinks with Jordan. Nathan said, there was no one at The Savoy? and Curtis said, no. Nathan said, and no one saw him? and Curtis said, no. Nathan said, not even his wife?  

Portia found Nina in the restroom, and Nina said she was so sorry. Ava didn’t tell her that Portia was coming. If she’d known… Portia said she would have run away like the coward she was, and Nina said she realized that out of context, what she did was terrible, but she didn’t go to the police or speak to Alexis directly. Portia said, straight to justification and excuses, and Nina said she was truly sorry. She needed to give Alexis an alternative suspect. She didn’t accuse Portia, but wanted to show there were a lot of people besides Willow that wanted to see Drew dead. Portia said she wasn’t a suspect. She wasn’t even on the PCPD’s radar and Nina betrayed her. Nina said she was trying to save her daughter. They didn’t know where Portia went that night and didn’t know what she did. Portia asked if Nina thought she’d shot Drew.

Sonny said he let Rocco’s parents know he was there. What happened? Rocco said he wasn’t allowed to see Gio. They were blaming everything on him. Ric offered to leave, but Sonny said there was football in the den. Just give him a minute with Rocco. Ric left, and Rocco said his parents were flat out wrong. Gio was great. Sonny said Rocco could disagree or fight with his parents, but he couldn’t walk out.

Dante said he wasn’t surprised Rocco went to where Gio lived, but Lulu said Rocco was upset and would have gone to Sonny’s or her mom’s no matter what. He was lashing out. Dante said it felt like it kept getting worse, and Lulu said Rocco found out a lot of new life changing information in a short amount of time. He needed patience and understanding. Dante said he’d missed how much resentment there was over him leaving, but she said there were extenuating circumstances. He couldn’t expect Rocco to understand, and from Rocco’s perspective, Gio had extenuating circumstances too.  

Nathan asked where Curtis’s wife had been, and Jordan said, now he was questioning Curtis about someone else’s whereabouts? Nathan said, considering Curtis and Portia were married, why wasn’t he with his wife? Curtis said, she was on duty at GH, and Nathan said, his wife was busy, so Curtis called his ex-wife. Jordan asked how this was relevant, and Nathan said she was sitting in as Curtis’s de facto counsel. Curtis said his personal relationships were none of Nathan’s business and if Nathan felt the need to waste his time in the future, go through his attorney. They were done here. He and Jordan left.

Nina said they both knew the reason Portia hated Drew. She drugged him. Portia said, so did Nina, and Nina said it wasn’t a leap to think Portia shot him. Portia asked if that was Nina’s justification for betraying her, and Nina said she wanted to get the spotlight off her daughter. Like Portia, she’d do anything to protect her child. Portia said, what about protecting hers? She wasn’t only talking about Trina, but the one she was carrying.

Doc said Laura reached out to the person who could best help in the moment, but they couldn’t kid themselves. Someone went to the trouble of putting a dead body in her trunk. They weren’t just setting her up. It was a message, and there was no reason to think they were done. She said she thought she knew who was behind it, when his phone dinged again. He said it was a young person who was struggling. They’d just checked into the psyche ward at GH. She said he should go. She could wait, his patient couldn’t. She didn’t mind waiting to finish their conversation. She probably wouldn’t sleep anyway. They hugged and exchanged I love yous.

Sonny said Rocco was out on bail and facing criminal charges. It was serious and he couldn’t be on the street at night. He and Dante didn’t agree on a lot of things, but Rocco had to respect his father who just wanted to protect him. Rocco said he didn’t need protection from Gio, and Sonny said, maybe, maybe not, but his father was right in questioning his judgment, especially the way he’d been acting and the bad choices he’d made. Rocco asked what he was supposed to do, and Sonny said Rocco had to prove to his parents that they could trust him, but it wasn’t going to happen overnight. Rocco said he guessed he hadn’t helped things, and Sonny said, no, but he was glad Rocco came there. He could stay there tonight. They hugged, and Sonny said Rocco would be okay.

Dante asked if Gio’s extenuating circumstances were finding out he and Brook were his parents, and Lulu said that was pretty extenuating. Dante said he agreed, but regardless, Gio was still the older brother and twice failed to look out for Rocco. That was on him because he wanted to be close to Gio and encouraged the relationship. She said Rocco’s interest in Gio wasn’t just because of Dante. She thought they had a lot in common, including the people who loved them. For better or worse, Rocco wasn’t giving up on Gio because they told him to.

Nina said, Portia was pregnant? She never would have… Portia said Nina wouldn’t have sacrificed her to saved her trainwreck of a daughter? Nina would have her give birth in prison. Nina told Portia that she thought they’d said enough, but Portia said she wasn’t done with Nina yet. She knew why Nina did this. She thought Willow was guilty. Nina said Willow had made mistakes, but only because Drew manipulated her, and Portia said Willow wasn’t an innocent victim. Willow married Drew today, and she wasn’t allowing either of them to run over her. Nina tried to leave, but Portia grabbed her and said she told Nina that she wasn’t done with her.

Nina came out, and Ava asked, what happened? but Nina kept walking quickly past the table. Ava asked where Nina was going, but Nina left. Portia returned, and Ava asked if she was all right. Portia said she would be, but in case Nina didn’t get the message, she wasn’t going to be collateral damage. Nina wanted to protect Willow and she wanted to protect her own.

On the phone with Turner, Nathan said they needed to take a closer look at Curtis. He wanted to call in the bartender, the waitress, and any patrons that were at the Brown Dog the night of the shooting. If there’s enough there, they’d get a warrant for the security footage of the club.

Jordan said the fact Curtis was brought in for questioning again, said their case against Willow wasn’t as solid as they’d hoped. Obviously, Curtis didn’t shoot Drew, and they had no way to pin it on him, but please do not talk to the cops again without his lawyer. Curtis said he wouldn’t, but he was grateful she went to bat for him. That’s why he had to tell her what really happened. He had to lie to the police tonight and didn’t want to lie to her.

Lulu said Dante needed to fix things with Rocco. He had a moment, now he needed to go explain what he was feeling and why – and listen, compromise. Gio wasn’t going anywhere. Dante said he wasn’t going to let Gio lead Rocco into a dangerous situation again, but she said he didn’t need to cut Gio out of Rocco’s life. Get him to understand why his actions were of concern and maybe meet him halfway.

Ric asked how Rocco was doing, and Sonny said he was mad at his father, and his father was mad at him. They said things they shouldn’t have. Ric said he wondered where they got that from, when Rocco came out. He said he wanted to ask them both something. How would they feel if someone stopped them from seeing each other? Sonny said Rocco’s situation was different, and Ric said they had a long history. Suddenly, Gio and Emma came in with a lot of dogs. Sonny asked what the hell was going on, and Gio said they could explain. Sonny asked where all the dogs came from.

Laura looked at the flowers from Lucky, when there was a knock at the door. She opened it and said she thought they’d be stopping by soon.

Thursday:

Dogs, dogs, and more dogs covered Sonny’s living room. Rocco asked if they’d rescued them from Dalton’s lab, and Gio said yeah, his second lab. Emma said the shelters were closed for the night and they had nowhere else to bring them. Gio asked if they could keep the dogs there tonight, and Ric said there was a more important issue. They’d committed a felony and made Rocco and accomplice to every law they’d just broken.

Alexis said she hated not spending Thanksgiving with Kristina and Molly and being forced to witness Drew and Willow’s wedding. But it was worth it to have Scout spend the night. Kristina said Scout telling her about her flower girl duties made her day, and Molly said her too. Alexis said, it was the best part, and Kristina asked, what was the worst part? Alexis said, everything else. She had to do her damnedest to get Willow acquitted or lose access to Scout. One thing she and Drew agreed on was Willow’s innocence, but that meant the real shooter was out there somewhere.

Trina told Kai that it wasn’t her favorite Thanksgiving. Her mom was pregnant, and no one told her. She found her dad and Jordan kissing before the cops showed up to take her dad in for questioning about Drew’s shooting. It was the worst holiday ever. Kai asked what he could do, and she said he was doing it by just being there.

Curtis told Jordan that he lied about the hour he’d spent at The Savoy. He’d said he was alone, but he was with Selina Wu. He wanted her to kill Drew.

Britt walked into the Brown Dog and ordered a margarita, extra spicy. Jason came in and sat with Spinelli, glancing over at Britt. He asked Spinelli what was going on, and Spinelli said he was back from seeing Maxie. At the bar, Cody said he was wondering when he’d run into Britt, and they hugged. He said she was looking good for a dead woman. Jason watched them.

Laura read the card from Lucky, when there was a knock at the door. She looked through the peephole, steeled herself, then opened the door. She said she had the feeling they’d be stopping by. Sidwell asked if she was going to invite him in, but she said he’d wasted a trip. He asked her to please reconsider. He didn’t want his next stop to be the police.

Laura let Sidwell in and he congratulated her on her victory. She asked what he wanted and he said, so much for the small talk. She’d defended her grandson by publicly confronting Professor Dalton and by killing him. She said she did nothing of the sort, and he asked how she explained this, producing a photo of her looking at Dalton’s dead body in her trunk.

Ric said he was trying to defend Rocco, and they’d further implicate him by bringing in stolen property. Emma said they weren’t property, they were dogs, but Ric said the law wouldn’t see it that way. Gio said they didn’t steal them, and Emma said they liberated them. Ric said the police would see it as breaking and entering, but Sonny said they took action to save the dogs from abuse. Ric asked if the dogs were being beaten or starved, and Gio said they were locked in cages, waiting to be experimented on. Emma said it was immoral, but Ric said sometimes the law and morals didn’t work in tandem. In most cases, animal testing wasn’t illegal. Rocco said if Dalton left, he didn’t know the dogs were missing, and if no one saw Gio and Emma, they’d be in the clear. Dante walked in.  

Britt asked if Cody wanted to catch up, unless he was going to con her again, but he said he left that life behind. She said being a stand-up guy was so boring, and he tried to leave, but she grabbed his arm and said, sorry. Good for him with the self-improvement. Any tips? He said, none that topped coming back from the dead. She had a clean slate. She flashed back to Sidwell shooting Dalton, and said he’d be surprised. He said one of his many improvements was listening, but she suggested they just have a good laugh instead. He said he wasn’t in the best mood, and she asked, what’s the problem? He said he was waiting for someone, but it looked like she wasn’t going to come, and Britt said then they’d have to cheer each other up.

Spinelli told Jason that he thought the kids and Mac and Felicia were happy to be in the same room as Maxie. It was good for them. Jason said, what about him? and Spinelli said it should make him happy, but it didn’t. It killed him every time.

Kai said the police released Trina’s dad, which was a good sign, but Trina said they had a good enough reason to bring him in. Kai said maybe they were just clearing him, and she said she felt helpless. She couldn’t just stand by while her family unraveled. There had to be something she could do. He said they could figure out who really shot Drew.

Curtis said Selina came back at his request, and Jordan said because he wanted her to kill Drew. He said, for a million dollars, and she asked why he was telling her this. He said she’d defended him at the PCPD, and he didn’t want to repay her by lying. She said, instead, he made her an accomplice after the fact.

Dante said these were Henry Dalton’s dogs. Gio had done it again. He’d brought his little brother in on a potential crime. Rocco said Gio and Emma just got there. He’d known nothing about it. Gio said Rocco had nothing to do with this, and Dante said, now Rocco was surrounded by stolen property. In fact, everybody there was party to a crime. He’d brought his younger brother into a dangerous situation and everyone else. How selfish was he? Sonny said, enough.

Kai said he and Trina were the only people there except for Drew and the shooter, and the closest thing to witnesses. They needed to go over it again. Maybe they’d think of something that didn’t register at the time. Trina said, what if she didn’t want to know who did it? It looked more and more like it was one of her parents.

Molly said Willow was probably convinced that if she married Drew, a jury would never think she shot him, and Alexis said, Willow definitely thought that. Kristina said, but couldn’t it look like Drew was infatuated with Willow and she was playing him? and Alexis said it was a risk, but they refused to hear it. She thought that Drew convinced Willow, it was the only path to get her kids back. She genuinely believed Scout and Willow were fond of each other, and at the end of brutal day, if that was a win, she’d take it.

Spinelli told Jason that it was clear Georgie and James were clinging to the hope Maxie would wake up. He was glad, but couldn’t help dwelling on the alternatives. Either Maxie would never open her eyes, or her condition would deteriorate and they’d lose her. Jason said Maxie was getting the best possible care and they had to hope it was enough, and Spinelli said he prayed Jason was right. But her waking up felt like a fantasy. Jason said he had to focus on that outcome, but Spinelli said it was harder in practice. Today he felt trapped in the question, would there ever be more times to come?

Britt said Cody almost dating his cousin was a little funny, and Cody said, it was heartbreaking. She said he managed to cheer her up, and he told her that this winter, he was trapped on the GH rooftop and took his pants off. He threw them over the side to signal they were trapped. Britt stumbled and he caught her. Jason continued to watch.

Laura said faking a photo was easily done and they’d seen what AI could do, and Sidwell said they both knew the photo was real. When the police authenticated it, they’d find that too. Laura asked, where’s the murder weapon? He knew she didn’t shoot Dalton, so she assumed he did. Unless he had an associate to it for him. She’d faced others like him, faced worse than him, and none of them were around anymore, but she was. (This is why I don’t understand her freaking out about anything.)

Sidwell asked if the people Laura had faced down had proof she was a murderer. He did, and not just her picture. He showed her another photo and said, there he is, her good friend Sonny Corinthos. He had a reputation for violence and the same motive for murder as her – their grandson. It would have been enough for her to incriminate herself, but the real gift was that she incriminated Sonny Corinthos as well.

Sonny told Dante to forget his badge and think about being a father, but Dante said he couldn’t. He was acting Police Commissioner and couldn’t ignore evidence of a break-in and theft. Ric said, regarding the alleged crime committed, was Dante familiar with the Good Samaritan law? If anyone saw a person – or in this case, animal – in imminent danger, they could act in order to save them. Emma said Ric was right. They were walking home and heard barking. Gio said it sounded like the dogs were in pain, so they followed the noise to a random building. They saw the dogs were trapped and knew they had to get them out. Dante said, what street? but Emma said she didn’t remember. Dante asked why they didn’t call 911, and Gio said they acted on instinct. What was most important was that they save all the dogs.

Trina told Kai that both of her parents had been acting weird. She was starting to wonder if her dad was the one who shot Drew. Kai asked why, and she said her Aunt Stella thought it was her dad the night of the shooting because she couldn’t get ahold of him. Kai said he could believe her dad could shoot someone in anger, but he wasn’t sure about her mom, and she said if one of her parents did it, she was the reason.

Curtis told Jordan, sorry. Drew couldn’t retaliate against him, so he blackmailed Portia, then came for Stella. That was his family, and he had a duty to protect them. Jordan said she didn’t deny he had motive, but knew he couldn’t murder someone in cold blood or pay someone else to do it. He asked what made her so sure. 

Molly looked for her phone, and Kristina found it. She said Molly got a text from Cody, who wanted her to meet him at the Brown Dog. Molly told her to mind her own business. Didn’t she remember what happened the last time? Kristina said, of course (🍷). That’s why she was being nosy. She should have never paid Cody to seduce Ava. Let her make it up. Molly asked, how? and Kristina told her to go upstairs and change out of… whatever this was, and they’d send Cody a surprise. Alexis said Molly had worked hard and it was a holiday. Go have some fun.

Dante said, not only did Gio drag Rocco into this mess, he hadn’t learned from his past mistakes. Sonny said it was a victimless crime, and Ric said, there was no crime. It was a Good Samaritan situation. Dalton skipped town and the dogs were being abused and needed help. Dante said, for all they knew, Dalton could be back tomorrow.

Sidwell said he knew he was risking Laura calling the police when she discovered the body. Fortunately, she called Corinthos instead. He knew this complicated things for her and he was there to make things simple again. As long as she cooperated, no one would know the part she played in Dalton’s demise. Laura said she didn’t play any part, and he said, who knew what other evidence would come to light? She told him, cut to the chase. What did he want? He said he wanted her to continue working for the good people of Port Charles, but she’d also work for him. And as long as she did what he politely asked her to, she’d stay in office and out of prison. She said, if she refused? and he said her husband, children, and grandchildren still needed her. If something tragic were to happen to her, it would just kill them… so to speak. There was a knock at the door, and she said, ignore it and they’ll go away, but he said, that would be so rude. Allow him. He opened the door, and Boyle said, sorry he was late. What did he miss?

Spinelli said he should be with the kids, Mac, and Felicia. He thanked Jason for being a good friend and lending a wise ear. Jason said, anytime, and Spinelli said, for what it was worth (🍷), he noticed Jason’s gaze drifting to Britt. He knew Jason and Cody had scuffles, but Cody was wonderful James. He thought Cody was a man of great character. Jason thanked Spinelli for the beer, and Spinelli left.

At the jukebox, Britt asked what they should play, and Cody flashed back to dancing with Molly. He put the same song on, and Britt said, dance with me. He still owed her for parachuting into her and almost drowning her in the MetroCourt pool. He asked if she’d let it go if he said yes, and she said, maybe. They danced, when Molly walked in looking amazing, and saw them.

Britt kissed Cody and Molly ran out. Cody said, whoa. What was she doing? Britt asked why he was being so weird. She knew he was attracted to her. He said he was glad she was alive and he’d be there if she needed him, but it wasn’t like that. There was someone else in the picture now, who was clearly not coming. Britt said, my bad. She guessed things did change. She went to the bar and ordered another spicy margarita with a double shot of tequila, but Jason said, make that water, please.

Alexis said Kristina did a good job convincing Molly, and Kristina said Molly looked so pretty. She thought Molly was excited. Alexis said she was happy Kristina and Molly had repaired their relationship. It was what she was most thankful for today. When they’d lost the baby, then lost Sam, she honestly didn’t think their family would be able to heal. Kristina said she thought of Sam every day, today especially. Sam loved Thanksgiving. Alexis said it wasn’t the same without her, but she’d be proud of the love and support Kristina had shown her sister – they hugged – and her mom.

Jordan said Curtis didn’t tell her that he went through with it, and Curtis said, Selina agreed to do the job, but in the end, he couldn’t go through with it. He never transferred the money. He didn’t want a murder on his conscience and didn’t want Selina to have that kind of power over him. Jordan said he had morals and was a better man than Drew, and he said Drew could drop dead and he wouldn’t shed a tear. He realized if he got caught it would destroy his family. He had a beautiful daughter and a child on the way. He couldn’t let Drew Cain or Selina Wu or anyone take that away.

Dante said the thing with Gio was tearing their family apart. Rocco was a shy kid and never stepped out of line. Now he got alcohol poisoning and almost died and got arrested, all within a few months. Sonny said Rocco was growing up, and Dante said they had a big argument because he told Rocco that he wanted him stay away from Gio. Rocco exploded and said things that cut deep. Sonny said he was sorry, and Dante said it hurt because it was true. He did leave Rocco and his mom twice. He thought Rocco had to stay away from Gio. Sonny said Rocco and Gio had a special bond. Dante couldn’t keep them apart and he didn’t think that was the answer. Dante told him, Lulu said the same thing, and Sonny said, forget his badge and think of this as a father with two sons who both needed their dad.

Laura asked what brought Boyle there uninvited, and Sidwell said Boyle would act as his intermediary. Laura asked what his orders were. Should she resign? Should they hold a special election to install Boyle as mayor? Sidwell said, don’t be ridiculous. Boyle lost. Port Charles didn’t want him. He needed her. She got things done. She asked what things he expected, and he said she’d get the details soon enough. Boyle would communicate his instructions, and she’d execute. She asked if people wouldn’t be suspicious of them working together, but Sidwell said these things were easily explained – politics, strange bedfellows, that kind of thing. So did they have a deal?

Sidwell said it had been a long day, and Laura had a lot to think about. He was confident she’d recognize this as the best situation for all of them. The baby monitor picked up Ace’s crying, and Sidwell picked it up. He said Laura had once told him that she could never be bought. He told her that everyone had their price. He thought he’d just discovered hers. He’d be in touch. He handed the monitor to her and he left with Boyle. Laura locked the door and cried.

Jordan said the one thing Curtis hadn’t accounted for was the time between when he left The Savoy and they met at the Brown Dog. What was he doing? Curtis said he went back to Aurora to cancel the transfer. It had to be done on the same network. No one else knew anything. She was the only one he’d talked to. She kissed him and said she believed him. She knew what a good man he was, and he could count on her.

Kai said if one of Trina’s parents shot Drew, how was that on her? and she said, this started when her mom changed Heather Webber’s test results to keep Heather in prison and protect her. Drew’s blackmail and hatred of her parents spiraled. He said her mom saved Drew’s life. Why shoot him only to save him later? She said, maybe guilt, and he asked if her parents would let Willow or some innocent person take the fall. She said, never… She thanked him and said her mind was going wild. He always knew what to say to make her feel better. He said their belief alone carried no weight with the PCPD, and she said, okay. Let’s find out who really shot Drew and clear both of my parents.

Sonny said Dante was a good father. He knew it was difficult, but Dante had to remember that. Dante said he didn’t want to lose either of his sons, and Sonny said he had a lot to figure out, but he’d do it. Look at them. The others came back, and Ric said there had been no report about the dogs. Dante said that didn’t mean he couldn’t take them in, and Rocco said if Dante let them off the hook and let the dogs stay, he’d go home with him. Gio said, don’t do what he didn’t want to for him, but Rocco said it was okay. Dante went to the door, and Rocco said he was glad the dogs were safe. He left, and Sonny said Rocco did that for Gio. That’s what good brothers did.

Kristina and Alexis saw headlights, and Kristina asked if Alexis was expecting someone. Alexis said not that she knew of, and Kristina said it was way too early for Molly, but Molly came in, slamming the door behind her. Alexis asked what was going on, and Kristina asked if Cody wasn’t there. Molly said, oh, he was there, and stomped upstairs.

Alone at a table, Cody drank a beer and looked at his text to Molly. At the bar, Britt said she didn’t remember asking Jason’s opinion about her drink order, and he said she wanted to put on a show and get a reaction. Here he was. She said, what show? With Cody? Jason suggested he take her home, and she said if he had a problem with her kissing Cody, then do something about it. Maybe he should kiss her himself. Come on. I dare you. Kiss me.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Britt struggles to open her room door, when Jason arrives to help. She says, what is this? Chivalry? He asks her to let him get it for her, and she says, he won’t kiss her, but he’ll open the door for her.

Josslyn goes to the apartment and tries to get something in the dark, when Trina comes out. She asks why Josslyn didn’t turn on the light, and Josslyn says she saw Kai’s car in the driveway and didn’t want to bother them. She was just going to grab some stuff and sneak out. Trina says, to her mom’s? but Josslyn says, not if she can help it. Trina asks, what happened? and Josslyn says she just had a very weird Thanksgiving dinner with Brennan and her mom. It’s nothing to worry about. She’ll just grab her stuff… Trina says, no. They’re best friends and that’s not how it works. Does Josslyn want tea while she tells her what’s going on? Josslyn says, no. She thinks she made a big mistake.

Carly says, one thing to be said about a small Thanksgiving dinner, easy clean up, but Jack says he thought his drying technique had something to do with it. She says, that too, and he asks if she’s all right. She says, yeah. Why? He says, it’s just that this doesn’t seem like much of a holiday for her. He can’t help wondering if it has something to do with him.

At the hospital, Felicia tells Lucas, happy Thanksgiving, and he says he didn’t know she was working today. She says she’s not, but knew he would be. She just came back from visiting Maxie in Boston and every time she sees the incredible facility and the kind of care Maxie is getting, she’s grateful for him all over again. He says he’d do anything for Maxie, and her. He’s glad they got to spend the day together. She says her too. It was a pretty nice holiday. He says that made his holiday. He talks to Maxie’s team of doctors all the time, and every time he does, they tell him that she’s doing great. Felicia says, even though there’s no apparent change in her condition? and he says, that’s good news. Maxie is holding steady, which means she’s fighting, just like Felicia knew she would.

Sidwell gets patted down on Sonny’s porch and the guard says, he’s clean. Sonny lets him in, and Sidwell thanks Sonny for agreeing to see him so late. He hopes Sonny knows he wouldn’t have asked unless it was a matter of some urgency. Sonny says, how’s that? and Sidwell says he wants to clarify a few things before Sonny makes the mistake of trying to kill him.

Asleep on the couch, a knock at the door wakes Laura up. She opens it to Cyrus, who says, hello, sister. Am I too late to say grace? (I get confused for a moment because he’s supposed to be dead, but you know how it goes. Jack could have recruited him and sent him to Romania for all I know.)

Jason says, it’s all right. He’s got her. Britt says she’s good. He can go now. He got his way. She was having a good time and was ready to toss back another round, when someone made her come back to this dump. It wasn’t even last call yet. Now that the night is ruined, we [sic] can go. She stumbles, looking around for something. She wonders where she put it, when she falls, but Jason catches her. She says, oh my God.  

Josslyn says, the other night, she ran into Vaughn at the Brown Dog and they slept together, and Trina says, oh, okay. That’s not good… but not bad either. Maybe this is like a sign for them to try again and start over. Look what happened with her and Kai. Josslyn says she doesn’t see it happening because Vaughn has ghosted her ever since, and Trina says she’s so sorry. Josslyn says, don’t be. It’s her fault. She did it to herself. She knew exactly who he was and still went back for more and she’s hurting all over again.

Jack says he can’t help but think of Christmas Eve last year when Carly had a full house, and Carly says, her and Josslyn not good enough for him? He says he’s not saying that at all. He can’t help wondering if he’s the reason her family stayed away. She says, this has nothing to do with her family not liking him. Holiday dinners have lots of moving parts and sometimes the other parts have other commitments. Like tonight, Donna is at Sonny’s, and Michael, Wiley, and Amelia are at the Quartermaines’. Please don’t read anything into it… Unless this is a smokescreen and his way of telling her that it didn’t meet his expectations. He says, they were exceeded and he was grateful not to have to fight her family for the best dark meat, and she says she’s not sure it’s a fight even a man with his skills would win. He says he’s really happy that she invited him. He just doesn’t want her to ever have to decide between him and her family. She says, that’s not what’s happening. It’s not a choice she’s had to make. He says, really? He wouldn’t think Sonny was big on socializing with the WSB station chief. She says, he’d probably not be very excited about it, but she doesn’t have to spend every holiday with Sonny and he’s no one to judge. He says, what about her good friend Jason Morgan? and she says, Jason does actively avoid him, but maybe that won’t always be the case. And if it is, they’ll figure it out. He says, so if she’s not missing Jason, who was it? He got the distinct feeling that there was somebody she wished was here. She says, there was. Her brother. She wishes he’d shown up, but Jack isn’t the reason Lucas isn’t here. She is.

Sonny asks why he’d try to kill Sidwell, and Sidwell says, that is the question, isn’t it? Measure C failed to pass, and Laura Collins managed to win re-election. On the surface, Sonny doesn’t appear to have any motive to take action against him, which makes it the perfect moment to do so. Sonny says, that’s not a bad argument, and Sidwell says, it’s what he would do if he were Sonny. Sonny says, good to know, and Sidwell says, but there may be one factor Sonny wishes to consider. He shows Sonny the photo of him and Laura and Dalton’s body in the trunk.

Laura says, no. This can’t be. He’s dead. Cyrus says, that may be so, but he’s still here with her. He’ll always be with her. She says, no, and he says she didn’t invite him to her Thanksgiving feast, but he decided to come anyway. He knew she needed him, and he brought her an early Christmas gift. He shows her a box and says, she can open it now if she likes. Laura says, get away, please, and he says he’ll open it for her. He opens the box, and we see a gun. He says, it’s the gun that killed Professor Dalton. She could take it to the PCPD and turn herself in. Do the honest thing. She says, it’s too late, but he says, she always told him that it’s never too late to face the consequences of your actions. She says she didn’t shoot Dalton, and he says, then she has nothing to fear from the police. She says she can’t explain why his body was in her trunk, when Esme comes down the stairs. Esme says, she needs to take responsibility. That’s what Laura always told her.

Britt says she told Jason to get out, but Jason says he’s not leaving her alone. She’s too drunk. She says she’s been way drunker and always taken care of herself. Her phone rings and he asks if she shouldn’t take care of that. It’s gone off three times. She says she’ll do what she needs to do as soon as he leaves. She needs privacy. So if he’s going to be like this, go out in the hall. He says, she wants him to stay in the hallway? and she says, yeah. Isn’t that where the bodyguards hang out? It’s not like they’re friends. He goes out and she closes the door. She tries to answer, but can’t hit the right button.  

Jack says he thought Carly was looking to patch things up with Lucas, and she says she is. She was going to do it the other day at the hospital after their disagreement. But she ran into Josslyn, who didn’t think it was a good idea to ambush him at work, so she decided to wait for the perfect time to apologize. He says he understands the importance of timing, but hopes she doesn’t wait too long. It could hurt them both worse. He can see how much she misses him and he’s quite sure Lucas misses her quite a bit too. She says she hopes he’s right. Lucas seems to really be digging in. He says, no amount of obstinance can keep her away, but she says she thinks spite could. He says, not when it comes to Lucas. Or her. She says, so she’s Lucas’s kryptonite? and he says, not just his. He wishes he could stay and have a quiet night with her tonight. She says, the kids aren’t at home, so that’s what she was planning, but he says, alas, work beckons. She says she guesses international espionage doesn’t take a holiday, and he says, it does not. He kisses her and leaves, and she smiles. She flashes back to Valentin saying, Jack thinks he’s invincible, but he has two weaknesses – his ego and her. There’s no stopping his ego and that leaves just her. Together, they’ll bring Jack to his knees.

Trina says, the way she sees it, Vaughn broke Josslyn’s trust by keeping his work a secret. She’s allowed to be upset. Josslyn says, then again, he was just doing his job. She let herself get her hopes up. Her phone chimes, and it’s a message from Jack, telling her to get to the office now. Trina asks if everything is okay, and Josslyn says, it’s her mom. Brennan’s not staying over, so she’s going to sleep there. Trina has listened to her ramble for too long anyway. Trina says, not even close and Kai would love to see her. They hug, and Josslyn says, she’s such a great friend. She’s so grateful for her. Trina doesn’t have to worry about her. She’ll be fine. Trina says, see you soon, and Josslyn leaves.

Esme says, Laura cost her everything. She lost her child, her mind, her life, all because of Laura. If she’s looking for Ace, she won’t find him in his room. Laura asks what Esme did to him. Don’t hurt him. Esme says she’d never hurt him. She’s saving him. Laura says, from what? and Esme says, from you. She can’t raise a child. How could she teach him anything? She’s unfit and a liar. Cyrus says he told her that they were a lot alike. She was always so offended when he said it, but deep down, she knew he was right, didn’t she? Laura sees the gun in her hand and says she didn’t do it. She wakes up.

Jack says, the only way Emma Scorpio Drake and Gio Palmieri could have possibly learned about Dalton’s secondary lab was if Josslyn gave them the address. Josslyn says, Dalton was already blown and there was nothing in the lab, and he says he assumes she found out because she got her hands on the file detailing the search conducted there. That’s how she found the address, right? The file is classified. She says, it was also a dead end. There was no evidence linking Dalton to Sidwell or Faison’s mission. All they found were suffering animals. She doesn’t understand. If the WSB wasn’t going to do anything to protect them, why couldn’t her friends go in and save them? Jack says, because it’s against protocol. He should have her transferred. She says, for slipping the address under a door? but he says, no. For continuing to have a relationship with Vaughn.

Felicia tells Lucas that she was thankful to spend time with Mac, Spinelli, and the kids. Nothing is more important than connections with family over the holidays. Carly joins them and says she was thinking about Maxie today. She thought about Maxie every day, but especially today. Felicia thanks her and says, she’s very kind, but she did see Maxie today in Boston. Their time together was pretty special. She came in to take care of some paperwork and so far has done none of it. She’d better get on it. Happy Thanksgiving. She leaves, and Lucas asks what Carly is doing here. She says she had a leftover piece of pecan pie and thought he’d like it. She didn’t make it. Josslyn did, but Josslyn didn’t inherit her cooking skills. He says he’s pretty full at the moment, and she says, what about breakfast tomorrow? Come on. She misses him and thinks it’s not the same without him. She wanted to invite him and should have invited him. He asks if her invitation would have included Marco… That’s why he wouldn’t come.

Doc comes back and tells Laura, it’s been a long day. She didn’t have to wait up. She hugs him and says she did. There’s been so much trouble. He asks, what happened? and she says she knows who did it. She knows who put Dalton’s body in her trunk. Jenz Sidwell was here tonight to blackmail her.

Sonny tells Sidwell, interesting photo. It’s a shame it’s blurry. Sidwell says, it will be clear enough for the PCPD. Plus, he’s got plenty more. Sonny says he’s sure Sidwell does, and Sidwell says, let’s not have any discussion about deep fakes. They both know Sonny was at the scene of a crime. He was spotted by local law enforcement. Sonny says he was with a friend who had car trouble, and Sidwell says, good one. That’s one way of looking at it, but this is Sonny and Mayor Collins standing over the corpse of Professor Dalton, plotting their next step. To him, it looks more like conspiracy to commit murder and obstruction of justice than car trouble. Sonny says, got a body? He doesn’t see any evidence that man is dead. Sidwell says, don’t push it. He’s got more than enough to put Sonny and the mayor away. If he didn’t, Sonny would have already called in his beefy guard to take care of him. He’ll save Sonny the effort of asking what he wants by telling him. He really wants the piers and Sonny’s full cooperation.

Britt falls on the floor, and Jason is immediately at her side. She says she needs to give herself an injection. She cries, and Jason says, come on. He helps her up and says, watch your step… Okay, step there… Step over. What’s the dose? He picks up a bottle of her medication and she says, two milliliters. He prepares the shot.

Kai asks Trina if everything is okay. He thought he heard Josslyn. Trina says, she just left. They needed to catch up. They haven’t in a while. He says he’s glad they had a chance. How’d it go? She says, fine. Josslyn had to leave to go to her mom’s. She’s going through it right now. Kai says, so is she, and she says, true, but she’s got him.

Jack says he warned the two of them to stay away from each other, and Josslyn asks wat he did to Vaughn. Where is he? Jack says, somewhere far away from her. Vaughn is under strict instructions not to contact her and she’s about to get the same. But this time she’s going follow it or find herself transferred to a basement station in Finland. The only reason he hasn’t done that yet… She says, because he’s sleeping with her mom.

Carly says she knows she caused Lucas pain and she’s so sorry. If she could unsay it, she would, but she can’t. Lucas says he was glad she said it. Now he knows how she truly feels. She says she was looking out for him. She didn’t want him to get hurt. He says he did and it still hurts. She thinks Marco is deceiving him. Does she have any idea what it feels like that his own sister believes his boyfriend is using him and he’s a fool for moving in with him? He’s glad it’s out in the open. He’d much rather have an honest break with her than watch her lie through her teeth and pretend to accept his relationship with Marco, when clearly, she doesn’t. She says she doesn’t think he’s a fool. Anyone can be taken in.

Laura tells Doc that Sidwell had proof of Dalton’s body in her trunk. Now she had to do what he said or he’d expose her. Doc says he’s so sorry she’s going through this. For anyone, it would be a nightmare, but for someone with her moral sensibility, it must feel like torture. She says, it’s getting to her. She had one of the worst nightmares she’s ever had. He asks, what happened? and she says, Cyrus was here, and Esme. They were telling her that she had to take responsibility for her actions. What does he think it means? She’s supposed to turn herself in to the police? He says, no. It was her subconscious talking. It has the same information she does. It’s telling her what she wants to do, not what she should do. She says she guesses there’s no easy answer for what she should do, and he says, far from it. Let’s say you do what you want to do, come forward and tell the truth as best you can. Ace has to be one of the biggest considerations. She says, oh my God. What would happen to Ace if she couldn’t prove her innocence? Even if they did believe she wasn’t one who killed Dalton, they’d probably still charge her with obstruction of justice. He says, they could, but they could also take into account extenuating circumstances, and she says she was set up by Sidwell. He says, Anna and the PCPD must have some idea who Jenz Sidwell is, and she says, they do, especially Anna, but she’s not here. She’s away on special assignment for WSB. If it was just her, she’d just do it, take a chance and turn herself in. But she can’t turn herself in without implicating Sonny.

Sonny asks if Sidwell doesn’t think it would look suspicious, him selling Sidwell the piers after the fight over Measure C, but Sidwell says, the vote didn’t go his way, so he upped his offer substantially. The public will look at it like a real estate transaction between two businessmen, where Sonny appears to profit handsomely. Sonny asks if Sidwell thinks anyone would buy it. He doesn’t need the money. Sidwell says, they’ll believe he had a price. Everyone else does. People might be suspicious without context, but who’s to know what happened? Sonny says, he wants the piers and what else? but Sidwell says, that’s all for now… One more thing. Now he remembers. If anything happens to him or his son, the gun that killed Dalton will be delivered to law enforcement along with the photos, and the gun is covered in Laura’s DNA.

Jason asks if Britt is all right, and she says she can’t do it. You do it. She lifts her sweater, and he says, here we go.

Kai says he doesn’t feel like he’s doing that much, but he’s glad Trina feels that he helps by being here. She says, him being here makes everything feel better. The situation with her parents is messy and complicated, but talking to him about it keeps it from being scary. He says, together, they’ll figure out a way to exonerate her parents. She’s not alone in this. She says she knows. That’s why she’s not completely miserable. She almost feels bad saying this, but in spite of everything that’s going on, she’s happy because she’s got him. He says, and he’s got her. She’s given him a second chance and he’s not about to throw it away.

Carly says she loves how Lucas always manages to see the best in people. She admires that about him, but she also worries because people lie. She’s trying to spare him the pain of the person he loves the most lying to his face. He says, don’t project her issues with Sonny on him. He knows people can be manipulated and he’s the first to admit his relationship with Brad ended in disaster, but just because Brad lied, doesn’t mean Marco will too. He doesn’t want to fight with her, but he knows he’ll never convince her to trust Marco or even like him for that matter. But she’s his sister and he loves her. He always will, but she needs to accept that Marco is in his life, and until then, he just needs some space. She says, okay. She understands and knows she can’t make him believe things he doesn’t want to. She loves him. He’s her brother and if he needs something – whatever reason or no reason at all – please call her. He thanks her and she leaves.

Jack tells Josslyn to choose her next words carefully. There’s a line she’s dangerously close to crossing. She says, oh, she’s crossing a line. Meanwhile, he’s using her to get information from her own uncle and forcing her to lie to her own mother. He says he was clear on what his expectations were the first time they talked about her joining the Bureau, and she says she understands how it works with his dating life, but still has no idea what this has to do with national security. He says, if she wants to torpedo his relationship with her mother for her own selfish reasons, go ahead, but do it after the job is done. Until then, shut her mouth. She says she’s acting as a pawn when she joined to do some good in the world, not to put innocent people like her uncle in danger. He says, Sidwell needs to be stopped by any means necessary. He’s about to get his hands on lethal technology. She says, and they need to destroy it, but he says, no. They need to acquire it. The WSB wants the technology for themselves. Josslyn says, for what?  

Sonny tells Sidwell that Laura doesn’t deserve this. She’s a good person and has done good for the city. Sidwell set her up to get leverage over him. Sidwell says he was kind of sure Laura would try to get rid of the body before going to the police, but he couldn’t be sure she’d enlist Sonny’s help. He’s so lucky she did, because now he not only has the mayor in his pocket, but also the local crime lord. Sonny asks what’s to stop him from leaving the country. Laura can handle the cops. Sidwell says, she most certainly can, but she’s just gone through a very contentious election without once turning on him, and she had more than one opportunity to do so. Like Sonny, he recognizes loyalty. In this case, it works both ways. He knows Sonny would do anything to protect Laura.

Laura tells Doc that if she goes to the police and tells them everything that happened, she’d have to give up Sonny because Detective West saw them. There’s no way Sonny wouldn’t be a suspect. Doc says, Sonny would be implicated. He has a strong motive himself. She asks if Doc thinks there’s any way the police would believe Sonny had nothing to do with Dalton’s death, and he says, on the other hand, if she doesn’t come forward, she’ll have to give in to Sidwell’s demands. She says, all Sidwell will get is concessions from city government. If she stays one step ahead of him, maybe she can mitigate the damage. He says, no doubt she could, but it’s an awfully huge burden to put on her own shoulders, and she says she wouldn’t be the only one. She’s sure she’s not the only one Sidwell is blackmailing. What Sidwell wants from her will pale in comparison to what he wants from Sonny.

Britt crawls into bed fully dressed and says she can’t believe she let Jason see her stomach. She must be way drunker than she thought. He puts a blanket over her and turns out the light.

Felicia asks if Carly left, and Lucas says, a little while ago. She says her paperwork is done. She should get going. They say goodnight, and Felicia starts to walk to the door, but turns back. She says, Lucas’s mother was her best friend, and everyone knew she had a fiery temper. And her ability to hold a grudge was the stuff of legend, but she had a little-known capacity for forgiveness. Every time she’s with him or Carly, she can see they both have those qualities. She doesn’t know what’s going on between them, and doesn’t need to know, but their mother loved them both very much. She wouldn’t want distance between the two of them. Don’t give up on his sister. She leaves.

Sidwell says, to protect Laura, Sonny will protect him and his son. If anyone tries to hurt Marco, if he receives the slightest scratch on him, Mayor Collins will answer for Professor Dalton’s murder. He thanks Sonny so much for seeing him. He thinks it’s a great idea, meeting outside of business hours. Doesn’t Sonny? He leaves, and Sonny’s phone rings. Laura says, there’s something she needs to tell him about Sidwell, but he says he knows. Sidwell was here. She asks what they’re going to do, and he says, we’ll figure it out.  

Jack says, the reason the WSB wants the technology is classified, and Josslyn asks how she’s supposed to do her job when everything is being kept from her. He says, it’s a very complicated situation. He’s made compromises left and right for the decisions he’s made. He’s doing everything he can to keep her safe. Lord knows, Carly would be devastated… His phone dings and he says, oh my God.

Carly is about to go upstairs when she hears something. She goes to the fireplace and gets a poker. She feels a hand on her shoulder and turns, raising the poker. A bedraggled Valentin stops her arm and says, you don’t want to do that. I told you we’d be in touch.

Next week, Lucas tells Marco that it’s not okay and he’s not going to pretend otherwise; Dante tells Nathan, nothing is going to stop Valentin from getting to Charlotte; Josslyn tells Jack, that means her mom is in danger too; and Carly tells Valentin, get the hell out immediately.

 🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

In case you weren’t around or need a refresher course.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/what-happened-between-britt-and-cody-on-general-hospital-their-relationship-history-explained/

It was fun to see her – and Cyrus – again.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-avery-kristen-pohl-on-return-as-esme-i-missed-that-girl-exclusive/

Sad remembrance.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-kristina-wagner-remembers-late-son-harrison-on-his-birthday-always-with-me/

Can’t wait to check this out.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospital-alum-jeff-kober-ex-cyrus-lands-plum-role-on-acclaimed-medical-drama-the-pitt/

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Mediterranean

There was another tough docking, and Nathan finally got his sh*t together. Or so Captain Sandy thought. It was time for him to appoint a lead deckhand, but I’m not sure how he’ll do that with two having a serious lack of work ethic, and a third who was gung-ho, but also green AF. Eyebrows Joe was all into V and wanted her to meet his mom after the season was done. In his interview, Joe said he was a rollercoaster of emotions and he’d only known her three weeks. I give it another two weeks. Maybe.

Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City

Muzzy was visiting to give Bronwyn backhanded compliments and mixed signals. Bronwyn threw a Spill the Boston Tea Party, where the woman chose something inappropriate, uncalled for, and/or downright mean they’d said about one of the others. They shared it with the group and then symbolically threw it in the harbor for it never to return. Good luck with that. They attire was Hamilton core, and Bronwyn had wigs for all. However, Mary brought her own. No surprise.

Vanderpump Rules

My jury is still out. I’m just not feeling this bunch, but there is LVP, so I’m hanging in. The best part was SUR employee Marcus insisting in his interview that he’d never be fired. But when LVP found out he’d been sneak drinking and led one of the other new lambs astray, she sent him home until further notice. The runner-up was server/bartender/ whatever-she-was Natalie drunkenly ranting at her bartender ex on her day off – when she was with her family. As a side rant, she wagged her finger in server Demy’s face and told her, I’m Natalie. Alrighty then. When questioned by LVP, Natalie claimed not only had she had no closure with her ex, Mercury was in retrograde.

Southern Charm

I missed most of this and wasn’t sorry when I read Patricia had a dog funeral. Haven’t we suffered enough with the loss of Michael? Anyway, I came in toward the end when there was a theme party where the guests dressed as literary figures. Except for Craig who misread the memo and came as a character from Hook.

Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills

Garcelle’s exit remained a mystery, as well as why Sutton let Avi go. Kyle threw a garden party, and in her interview, she explained that you couldn’t just have people over anymore. You needed activities. I can vouch for this since the last few parties I’ve been to had all kinds of things going on. Rachel Zoe brought the morally corrupt Faye Resnick with her, and everybody made flower crowns. We also found out that someone had tried to set Rachel up with Mauricio. Eww! The group made a decision to have a hot girl summer, whatever that means to you. From the preview, it looked like it meant a lot of traveling.

Random Reality Items

Once again, there’s a nibble, but not much real news.

Wait. What?

Definitely worth a watch.

I know someone who was in the hospital with an unrelated illness, but would not stop vaping, even though it was contributing to their condition. They even vaped while in the hospital and it ultimately caused their untimely death. It never made sense to me. Just say no on this one.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Being Eddie. Netflix. This was an enjoyable documentary concentrating on Eddie Murphy’s rise to fame. It was great to see old clips and clips I’d never seen before, as well as Eddie talking about the comics that were his inspiration. There were no bombshells or discussions about any scandals (I’m thinking about you, Mel B), but I was startled to find out he had ten kids.

https://people.com/eddie-murphy-rare-interview-career-and-10-kids-exclusive-11847482

The Shark Whisperer. Netflix. I love sharks, so I loved this documentary about the aptly named conservationist Ocean Ramsey. Besides the amazing footage of getting up close and personal with these magnificent creatures, there was a lot of debate about her not making any significant contributions to the scientific community and that her methods were off the wall. I just kept wondering if the same viewpoints would be held if she were a man.

This is the End. Netflix. This movie cracked me up. A movie filled with celebrities playing themselves, they gather at James Franco’s house for a party when the Rapture happens, along with the end of the world as we know it. Part horror and a lot of comedy, it’s one of those movies rife with juvenile humor, but still outrageously funny. It’s not new, but I’d put it on the back burner until Netflix suggested it after I’d watched Animal House for the millionth time at my husband’s insistence. Admittedly, that’s also a favorite of mine. One of the best things about this film was the atmosphere of good sportsmanship on the part of the famous. It felt kind of like they’d dumped everybody onto the set and just said, go for it.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/this-is-the-end-2013

Stranger Things. Netflix. I’m not giving any spoilers, but I did watch the entire offering, despite my telling myself I’d only watch one a week. Lots of action, a few answers, the comfort of the characters returning to finish the job, and a great soundtrack.

https://people.com/stranger-things-season-5-release-date-cast-plot-11845836

https://deadline.com/2025/12/stranger-things-5-premiere-viewership-netflix-1236633162/

https://people.com/stranger-things-season-5-finale-in-theaters-everything-to-know-11860370

☃️ One Christmas Movie & One Question…

Since we have two TVs, I usually put the marathon on one of them for the entire 24 hours starting Christmas Eve.

https://ew.com/a-christmas-story-cast-then-and-now-11857883

The definitive answer.

https://ew.com/bruce-willis-wife-emma-die-hard-debate-christmas-movie-11858798

⚔️ A Knight In Waiting…

It looks like it has a bit of a sense of humor. Premieres January 16th.

https://ew.com/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-final-trailer-trial-of-seven-mad-targaryen-11861358

🖼 Masterpiece Within a Masterpiece…

This was my favorite scene in the film. It will never cease to amaze me how real they make animals look now. Talking animals.

https://ew.com/wicked-for-good-visual-effects-no-place-like-home-11849469

Again, my favorite scene in this film. It’s visually stunning, the music is incredible, and it’s absolutely mesmerizing.

https://ew.com/sinners-scene-breakdown-juke-joint-ancestors-performance-11718104

🎄Christmastime Is Here…

I actually didn’t end up in the bathroom, the kitchen, or somewhere in my head when the tree was lit. And Gwen Stefani. She’s always had magnificent style and her outfits were everything.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-lighting-2025-live-updates-rcna247035

🦥 Party Animals…

🐻 Not just one, but two cases of ding-dong ditchers from the animal kingdom.

https://people.com/california-homeowner-discovers-ding-dong-ditcher-is-a-massive-bear-11861522

https://people.com/rare-piebald-deer-triggers-homeowners-doorbell-camera-video-11861400

🦝 Maybe his home life isn’t everything he wants it to be. Very amusing that he passed out near the toilet.

https://people.com/raccoon-goes-on-liquor-fueled-rampage-after-breaking-into-liquor-store-11860960

🐕 Even better than Westminster.

https://people.com/soliel-the-belgian-sheepdog-wins-best-in-show-2025-national-dog-show-on-thanksgiving-day-11858161

🦚 Quotes of the Week

Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.Babe Ruth

Hold fast to dreams. For if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. – James Langston Hughes

True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice.Saint Francis of Assisi

If you don’t make the time to work on creating the life you want, you’re eventually going to be forced to spend a lot of time dealing with a life you don’t want. – Kevin Ngo

Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat. – F. Scott Fitzgerald

If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.Louis Brandeis

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. – Steve Jobs

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. – Pablo Picasso

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. – Beverly Sills

Curiosity is the most powerful thing you own. Imagination is a force that can actually manifest a reality. – James Cameron

🪾 The Bone Structure Of the Landscape…

Until next week, stay safe; stay running the water when the temperature dips below freezing; and stay always remembering international espionage doesn’t take a holiday.

June 12, 2024 – TJ Pitches a Fit About Kristina, Mystery Maybe, A Guest, Justice For Johnny, Fishy Chefs, Slam, Daryl’s Carol, House Cast, Shark-No-Do, No Joe, Lucky Kitty & Livin’

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly introduced herself to Gio, and Josslyn said he was a great pool attendant, even if he was wasting his talent.

Alexis met with Laura and told her that the article about reopening Heather’s case was thanks to Adrian DeWitt and his insatiable appetite for clickbait headlines. Laura said the information regarding her request for Heather’s court records was leaked, and Alexis said she didn’t appreciate DeWitt’s tactics, but believed in freedom of the press. Laura said, the first amendment didn’t cover shouting fire in a crowded theater. The article was intended to get people riled and it was successful. She reminded Alexis that she’d said she couldn’t answer questions about reopening the case unless she saw the records, and handed them to her.

Jason walked into the pool area, and Gio told Josslyn that he looked familiar, but it wasn’t from the wedding. Josslyn said, maybe he’d seen a photo at the Quartermaines. Jason used to be one.

Carly hugged Jason, who said he’d gotten her numerous messages and texts. Did she get his? He said he was okay. She said, he never admitted when he was hurt. He’d almost been killed, and she had to see for herself that he was okay. He said she was seeing it now, and she said, it was two days after it happened. She thought he might disappear again.

TJ heard Molly leaving a message for Alexis, asking about Kristina, and wondered why she wasn’t asking Kristina directly. She said she’d been keeping something from him and didn’t want their level of trust to stop now. He had every right to know about Kristina.

Sonny went to Blaze’s room and asked if Kristina was there. Kristina came out and Blaze said she had errands to run, but Sonny said he needed her to hear this. He owed Kristina an apology. What she saw between him and Dex was unacceptable, ugly, and vicious, and he never wanted her to see that part of him. Kristina said, but she did see it.

Sonny said he’d seen the expression on Kristina’s face and couldn’t stop thinking about it. He had a lot of rage that night and didn’t know what got into him. It wasn’t an excuse though. He was responsible for his words and actions. He was sorry, and it never should have happened. When he followed her and saw her crying, she backed away from his touch like she was scared of him. He never wanted that, and it shocked and hurt him. He doesn’t blame her. He understood that’s not how he should act. He told Blaze that he knew she’d come to help Kristina. He appreciated it and thanked her. Blaze said she was glad she was there, and wondered if she could make some calls in the kitchen. Kristina said, go ahead, and Blaze left. Sonny said he and Kristina had always been honest with each other. If she wanted him to leave and never come back, he would.

Jason told Carly that he’d been busy with actual work in the coffee business, and Jake had called when he got back. Elizabeth had a situation, and Jake wanted him to help. Carly said she knew it was a big deal for Jake to reach out to him. Sonny had told her that he wasn’t responsible for the attempt on Jason’s life, and she believed him. Jason said, it had nothing to do with Sonny, and Carly wondered, then who sent the gunmen?

Gio noted that Carly and Jason looked like they were having an intense conversation, and Josslyn said, Carly was probably talking Jason into doing something he didn’t want to. They were best friends. She explained that if Jason wanted anything at the pool, it was to be comped. He was the ultimate VIP.

Laura asked if Alexis saw grounds to reopen Heather’s case, but Alexis said she’d have to spend more time looking at the records. She thought there were potentially grounds to appeal, and Laura said she was glad to hear it, but to be clear, she didn’t want it used as an excuse for Heather’s crimes. She thought Heather should be punished, but if she wasn’t in control of her actions… Alexis said, Heather had pled guilty and was sentenced before she was diagnosed, and Laura said, no one knew if her crimes were influenced or created by the cobalt poisoning. Alexis said she couldn’t do anything because she wasn’t a lawyer, and the way things went in Albany, she probably never would be. Laura asked if she thought it was worth pursuing, and Alexis said she thought a good lawyer could argue that there were legitimate grounds to reopen Heather’s case.

Cody and Sasha went to the pool and agreed that when they went to the Quartermaines’ pool, it felt like they were still working. Here, people waited on them. Gio came over to see what they needed and praised Sasha for her delicious meals. He knew good food, and hers was excellent.

Molly told TJ about what happened with Kristina and Sonny at the reception, but said, the baby was fine. He asked how long she’d known, and she said, not long. He asked if she’d heard it from Kristina, but she said no, and told him about shaking Blaze down. Not her proudest moment, but it worked. TJ thanked her for telling him, and said, someone needed to remind Kristina about being careless with their baby. Molly said, nothing happened, but TJ said, it could have. What if Kristina had tried to intervene? Sonny was dangerous to anyone who came in his orbit. He was done. Until the baby was born, Kristina had to stay away from her father.

Kristina said, people warned her that she wasn’t seeing Sonny clearly and didn’t really know him, but she was sure she knew better. She couldn’t fathom that same man was her loving father. Sonny said he was sorry, and she said she was too. Seeing him commit that violence and scream those threats was like watching a stranger, and she realized everything anyone said about him was right all along. He said he didn’t blame her for feeling that way, but it wasn’t who he was. Kristina said she didn’t know, and asked, what happened? He said, Dex had worked for him and betrayed him. Then Dex showed up at the wedding like a peacock, like he belonged. He was talking to Sonny’s family and friends like he was the guy. He told Dex to stay away from him, but Dex refused. He walked away and Dex grabbed his arm, and he snapped. He wasn’t proud of it, but he lost his temper, the temper he’s been trying to get rid of his whole life. It was never going to happen again. She said she understood his temper. She had one too. She got it from him. He said, she was the best part of him, and he wanted to let her know that he needed her and loved her. He wanted her to know that he’d never hurt her. Kristina said she had something to ask him and please don’t lie. When he said he was going to kill Jason and Dex, did he mean it?

Sonny said he knew he had to make things right with Dex, and they talked. They came to an agreement. He was letting Dex live his life and not interfere. Kristina said, a truce wasn’t exactly peace, and he said, that was up to Dex. There was nothing more important than her, and nothing was worth the cost of losing her. She said she didn’t want to lose him, and he said that was never going to happen. He’d still be her father, no matter what. He would cheer her from afar and root for her happiness and love her until his dying breath. That would never change. He said he brought a present for the baby, and handed her a giftbag. She took out a stuffed Mickey Mouse from Fantasia, and said she had one when she was little. He said he’d gotten it for her, and her face lit up like it is now. She never would get rid of it and no one could take it away. She thanked him for the gift and the sweet memory, and he asked if she was taking good care of herself. She said, the baby was good and kicking up a storm, and he told her to let Blaze take care of her. He was sorry he upset her and got intense when he talked about it. He told her that he hoped to see her soon, and left. She cried a little.

Molly said she knew TJ was upset, but he couldn’t confront Kristina. She would get defensive and shut them out. He said, Kristina had to deal with them, but Molly said, no, she didn’t. In the state of New York, the baby was legally Kristina’s until she signed the adoption papers. TJ said, Molly had to have her sister be the egg donor after a lifetime of impulsive decisions, and now Kristina was making decisions about their baby.

Laura asked what her next step should be, and Alexis said she needed to find a lawyer. She thought it would be easy because the case was interesting and involved a point of law not fully explored yet. An attorney might be interested in setting a precedent. Laura asked if Alexis could recommend someone, but Alexis said she’d have to give it some thought. She needed to give Laura fair warning though. In setting the case in motion, she couldn’t determine the outcome. It was unpredictable. Laura asked if she was saying Heather could go free, and Alexis said, it depended on the judge, the argument, and the precedent. The bottom line was that Heather could get a lesser sentence, be sent to a new facility, or freed outright.

Josslyn said, Gio was killing it. Sasha was impressed. Gio said, it was in his DNA. He could talk to anyone. He asked how she knew Sasha, and she said, Sasha had dated Michael. He said, Michael lived in the gatehouse with his wife Willow, and their kids Wiley and Amelia, and Josslyn was impressed. He said, if he could keep all of his family straight, the Quartermaines were a piece of cake.

Carly asked if Jason thought he’d been attacked because he was an FBI informant, but he said he didn’t have a chance to ask. She said she wanted to help him, and he said, she could help by staying out of it. He had enough going on and didn’t want to worry about her getting caught in the crossfire. Let it go. She told him that she knew it wasn’t Sonny and thought Sonny was worried about Jason, even though he wouldn’t admit it. On cue, Sonny walked in, and went over to Jason and Carly. He said, Brick told him what happened at the warehouse, and Jason said, luckily, he was a better shot. Sonny said he assumed Anna thought it was him. Did Jason think that too?

Sasha put lotion on Cody and noticed he had a nasty bruise. He said he’d stopped James from falling out of the saddle, and Comet caught his leg. Sasha said, Cody was heroic, but Cody didn’t see it that way. She told him that his eyes lit up when he talked about James, and she thought he loved James. James also loved Cody back, even though he had no idea he was Cody’s nephew. Imagine how excited he’d be if Cody told Mac that he was Mac’s son.

Blaze asked why Kristina was crying, and Kristina said, the man that was here was the dad she’d believed she had. She loved him and knew it was incredibly confusing.

Molly told TJ not to act like she’d decided alone. They’d agreed. TJ said, it wasn’t like he had a choice, but Molly said, he did. She’d asked him if he was sure before they went to Kristina. He said he had reservations, but wanted to make her happy because he loved her. Still, he knew they should have waited. Molly told him not to play the victim, and TJ said, she would have been devastated if he’d objected because she wanted a baby so badly. She said she wanted to have a baby with him, and he said, using an egg tied to her erratic sister and her violent erratic father. Was she happy now?

Molly admitted she wanted a biological connection to the baby. It killed her that she couldn’t carry one herself, and she was devastated that she’d never experience pregnancy. He didn’t understand that, because the baby had half his DNA. TJ said he never questioned that, but it felt like she was blaming him. She said she wasn’t, but he was blaming her because she’d wanted a connection to the baby. Kristina was fragile, and the best thing was to let her be. Let her get through the pregnancy, give birth, and not upset her, or else… TJ said, what? and Molly said, if Kristina decided to back out and keep the baby, there was nothing stopping her.

Kristina told Blaze that when she was little, she took Fantasia Mickey everywhere and even slept with it. Sonny had brought one as a gift for the baby. Blaze said she could tell it meant a lot, and Kristina asked if she was crazy. Blaze said, not at all. Sonny was her father. No matter what else he’d done, he loved her. Kristina said she loved him. He was always there and knew what to do to make her feel better. He never judged her or gave her a list of things she was doing wrong. He came to give her a gift and she knew the little one would love it as much as she had loved the one he gave her.

Laura said, the last thing she wanted was for Heather to go free. The families of the victims would be outraged, and she didn’t blame them. Alexis said, Laura needed to drop it. Forget it and walk away. Laura said, and leave Heather in a supermax for the rest of her life to make her own life easier? She couldn’t do that. Alexis said she got it. This wasn’t just an esoteric conversation. She couldn’t believe she was saying this, but this time she was glad she wasn’t a lawyer. Laura said, Alexis had just defended her right to practice law. What would the old Alexis say?

Jason said, at first, he thought it was Sonny who put out a hit on him, and Sonny said, Jason could have given him up, but didn’t. Jason said he never would, and he was wrong anyway. Sonny says, it’s good the police believed him.

Cody said he’d kept the secret hidden for too long. There was no way Mac would ever trust him again. Sasha said she’d lied to Nina for months, making Nina think she was her daughter. Nina was so angry when she found out, and so was everyone else in Port Charles, but she got past it. So did everyone else. Give Mac a chance to forgive him. He might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Cody said he wasn’t brave enough, but she said, he was brave. He broke her out of Ferncliff. He said, that was a different situation. She needed help. Mac was happy and had a family who adored each other. He didn’t want to ruin it. He didn’t know if Felicia had come clean about the secret DNA test and didn’t want to blow it for her. Sasha said she thought those were just excuses, but it was hard to maintain a lie forever. She found it was freeing to tell the truth. Maybe he would too.

Alexis told Laura that the old Alexis would say, if the justice system decides Heather should have a lesser sentence or go free, let the law take its course. There was a knock on the door, and Trina came in. Alexis said she was going to take a longer look at the records and left. Laura said she thought she knew why Trina was here, but Trina said she didn’t think Laura did.  

Blaze asked if Kristina was feeling better, and Kristina said, a little. Blaze said, sometimes, she wished this was their baby. I actually think the baby would have a better chance at life. Molly and TJ are way too high strung to raise a child.

Molly cried, and TJ said, she wasn’t wrong. There was nothing stopping Kristina from keeping the baby. What should they do? Family law would be on Kristina’s side. It was such a nightmare. Molly said, all they wanted… and TJ said, be careful what you wish for. He told her that he had to get to the hospital and when he left, Molly sobbed.

Sonny said he was glad to know Jason didn’t give him up when he had the chance. Part of him wanted to trust Jason again… but he couldn’t. He stood there for a moment, then walked out.

Tomorrow, Kristina tells Blaze that she doesn’t know if it’s the right timing; Curtis visits Heather; and Alexis tells DeWitt that he doesn’t want to square off with Laura.

🤔 Who Could It Be Now…

He doesn’t really give much info.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/frank-valentini-teases-a-former-cast-member-is-returning-to-gh

But this guy did. Unless this is a red herring. I doubt it though.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/is-bryan-craig-teasing-his-return-to-general-hospital

🚑 Perez Does Port Charles…

He keeps turning up like a bad penny. Or athlete’s foot. Or something.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/perez-hilton-to-guest-star-on-general-hospital

⚖️ Getting Justice…

If you’re in the LA area, go to the rally, but even if you’re not, you can make a difference.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/join-the-fight-to-get-justice-for-johnny-wactor

🔪 Almost At the Top…

Lionfish was the Quickfire Challenge, which kind of creeped me out. Then they paired it with gouda, and I was like, just no. I’m usually pretty adventurous when it comes to food, but, invasive or no, a lionfish is too pretty to eat, and I don’t see fish with cheese. The Elimination Challenge was an 8 course fresh fish menu, which I was totally on board for. Tom thought the chefs were cooking scared. The winner got a Holland America cruise – 10 days, anywhere Holland went. <heaving huge sigh>

⌛️ Andy, Andy, Andy…

Whether it was Carole or not, agreed.

⚰️ Reading the Book…

A review of the newest in Dead.

https://www.themarysue.com/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-the-book-of-carol-episode-1-review/

🐉 Let There Be Dragons…

Casting in the House.

https://www.themarysue.com/all-house-of-the-dragon-season-2-cast-confirmed/

🦈 She Tried…

I don’t even know what that means, she tried. It makes me wonder if she tried to get in the movie, but they didn’t want her. Although I could definitely see her in one of them.

https://ew.com/whoopi-goldberg-tried-star-sharknado-movie-8660924

🌭 Say It Ain’t So…

I hope it was worth it to him. Nathan’s are the best.

🐱 Snoous On the Loose…

Nothing like a new furbaby to lift your spirits.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/kristina-wagner-introduces-her-sweet-new-kitten

🧘‍♀️ Summer Breezing…

Come on by tomorrow for soap and Summer smack talk. Until then, stay safe, stay going straight to your seat and stowing your bag quickly after boarding a plane, and stay killing it at your day job, even if you are wasting your talent.

March 14, 2024 – Jason Tells Michael Where He’s Been, Soap Suds, Reunion Ruckus, True Unhappiness, Everything Oscar, Messi Boy & You Don’t

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the penthouse, Sonny thanks Lois for the ziti. It was just like her mom’s. Lois says, he liked it? and he says he loved it. She says she couldn’t tell; he barely had three bites. He says he wasn’t hungry, and she says, too worried to eat? He says, all the food tastes like cardboard. He doesn’t want to offend her mom’s recipe… She says she didn’t bring the ziti over so he could praise her cooking. She brought it over to keep his strength up. He says, is that all? and she says she wanted to check in on him too. He says he went to the hospital and sat by Dante’s bed and checked on Olivia. He’s terrified his son’s not going to make it.

Kristina taps on Dante’s window to get Sam’s attention, and Sam meets her in the hallway. Kristina wonders how it’s going, and Sam asks if she wants the cheerful and optimistic answer. Kristina says, if Sam’s feeling cheerful and optimistic, and Sam says she’s scared… and confused. Kristina says she doesn’t blame Sam. She would be too. Especially now. Mom said Jason is the prime suspect in Dante’s shooting?

Anna listens to Jason’s 911 call in the interrogation room when Molly asks if she has a minute. Anna tells her, come in, and Molly says, her office wants an update on the Dante Falconari shooting and how it relates to the shot that was taken at Sonny Corinthos earlier that evening. Should the individual face separate charges or do they make the warehouse and conspiracy charges lesser offenses included in the charge of first-degree murder? Anna says, the individual in question is Jason Morgan, but she’s not convinced he tried to murder anyone. Molly says she hopes Anna is right.

Drew goes to the gatehouse and Willow invites him in. He says he saw the light was still on and he was hoping to catch Michael. She says, he had to run an errand. She’s not sure how long he’s going to be. Drew might want to text him. Drew says, it’s not really something he wants to say in a text. He and Carly broke up.

There’s a knock at Sonny’s old kitchen door, startling the moss bowl 🎍and Carly. Carly sees it’s John, who asks if he can come in. She opens the door and asks if he has a warrant, but he says, no. He just wants to speak to her. She tells him, come in, and asks what he wants to say to her. He says he needs her help.

Jason sits up, hears something, and puts his hand on his gun. Michael says, it’s him, and tells Jason not to stand. He needs rest. Jason says, he’s okay, but Michael says he’s not. He will be. Let them take care of him.

Kristina tells Sam that she has to hand it to mom. She gave her and Molly a heads up before The Invader ran the story on Dante’s shooting. Sam asks what she said, and Kristina tells her, everything the article said, just more personalized. That Jason is still alive and he’s the prime suspect in Dante’s shooting. It was confusing to her then and it’s still confusing. She doesn’t know how Sam is holding up. This must be hitting her pretty hard. Sam says she’s still trying to process it all, and Kristina says, okay. Sam says, okay what? and Kristina says she expected Sam to say this was all a big mistake and there’s no way Jason could do this. Sam says, if that’s what she wants to hear, go talk to Carly.

Anna says she was just listening to the 911 call which ID’s Jason’s voice, and Molly says she’s heard it. Even without the tech, she knew it was Jason. Anna says, coupled with that, they have the DNA evidence on the sweatshirt that was used to bandage Dante, and Molly says, Jason’s blood. It appears he was shot while wearing the sweatshirt, then took it off and tied it around Dante’s wound. Anna says, they know he tried to save Dante, but did he also try to shoot him? and Molly says, their preliminary theory is, Dante was pursuing Jason and a second individual. Jason shot his pursuer, and then upon realizing it was Dante, tried to save him. Anna says, that certainly fits the evidence they have so far, and Molly says, but she doesn’t believe it. Anna says she doesn’t want to believe it. That is something else entirely.

Lois tells Sonny that Olivia said he’s been a rock, and he says he’s glad she thinks that. Lois says, he’s doing something wonderful for Olivia. He’s allowing her to pour all her love and hope into his son. But he has a right to his feelings too. Olivia might not be in a place to hear them and share them, but she can. He says, it’s just not fair. Does she know what he means? She says she does, but what’s fair? She loves him. He knows that. God forbid the situations were reversed and it was her child in a hospital bed fighting for her life, he’d be the first person she’d call. So she wants him to lean on her. He can tell her anything. He knows she’s not going to judge him. He says, if Jason was the one who shot Dante, he’ll never forgive him and never forgive himself.

Carly asks why she’d help John, and he says, she seems convinced Jason Morgan is innocent. She says, he is, and John says, help him prove it. The last thing he wants to do is waste Bureau resources by charging the wrong suspects. So help him out. Tell him why she’s so sure Jason didn’t shoot Dante Falconari. She says, because Jason isn’t reckless or stupid. He wouldn’t shoot at someone without knowing who they are, he wouldn’t shoot a cop, and he would never shoot Dante. John asks, why never Dante? Because he’s Sonny’s son? Carly says, that’s part of it, but the other part is, Dante lives with Jason’s ex-wife and they’re raising Jason’s son. He says, for some men, that would be a motive for murder.

Willow asks if she can make Drew some tea. Forget that. Can she pour him some wine? He says, if she joins him, and she says, absolutely. It has been quite a day. He asks how Michael reacted to the news about Jason, and as she pours the wine, she says, he’s thrilled that Jason’s alive. Of course (🍷). Drew says, and convinced he didn’t shoot Dante? and she says, yes. He says, so is Carly. All evidence to the contrary, she believes Jason is innocent and nobody and nothing can shake her faith in him. That’s why they broke up.

Michael tells Jason that Willow said he had to change into some clean clothes, and Jason asks when she got so bossy. Michael says, she’s always been bossy. She used to be a teacher, remember? Now she’s a nurse. The secret is, she’s very subtle about it. She’s so sweet and reasonable, you don’t even realize she’s ordering you around. Jason says, she’s a good nurse, like Michael’s grandmother. Michael’s mom told him about Bobbie. He’s sorry. Michael says, it happened on New Year’s. She was in Amsterdam sorting through Luke’s affairs, and she passed away in her sleep. They were all devastated, especially his mom. Jason says, you know what’s crazy? The first time he held Michael, Bobbie put Michael in his arms. He was a little premature and he had to be in an incubator. Bobbie brought him to the nursery and sat him in this rocking chair and put Michael in his arms. She told him how to hold Michael, how to support his head, and then she let go. That was the scariest moment in his life. Michael says he doesn’t blame Jason. He felt the exact same way the first time he held Amelia. He can’t wait for Jason to meet her. She’s so beautiful. She looks like Willow. Speaking of Willow, she wants Jason to get into some clean clothes, so let’s get on it. He brings out a duffel bag and asks if Jason needs help, but Jason says he’s good. Jason takes off his shirt, and Michael sees the sleeve tattoo. He asks, what happened to him? (Thank God. I thought maybe I was losing my memory or something.)

Drew says he didn’t stop loving Carly, he just realized that there’s no future there, and Willow says she’s so sorry. He says, so is he. She’s an incredible woman. She made him very happy, and he hopes he made her happy too. She says, obviously, he did. He’s been incredible. Generous, supportive, beyond forgiving. He says, not always. Not today. He came down her pretty hard for something he honestly doesn’t think she can help, not that she would want to. Carly’s first loyalty is always to Jason. He means more to her than anybody else, other than her kids. When they all thought he was dead, she was free to pursue other relationships, but now that he’s back, she’s not.

As Jason changes, Michael says he’ll burn the old clothes, but Jason says he needs them. Michael says, there’s a bullet hole in his shirt, but Jason says, when he leaves here, he needs to be wearing those clothes. There can’t be any evidence that somebody helped him. Definitely nothing that tracks back to Michael, Willow, or Danny. Michael says, okay. So when he leaves, where is he going? Jason says he hasn’t figured that out yet, and Michael asks if Jason can at least tell him where he’s been.

Carly says, clearly, that line about her helping John help Jason was just a line to get in the door, right? but John says he’s just pointing out that some men might have a problem when their ex-wife moves on and their kid is being raised by somebody else. She says, okay. So now instead of Jason shooting Dante to avoid arrest, he now lured Dante to the pier and shot him out of jealousy. John says, it’s just a theory, and she says, it’s a ridiculous theory. He says, it’s his job to entertain every possible scenario in the course of an investigation, and she says, really? Because she thought his job was to keep an open mind, to go where the evidence leads him. Is there any proof at all that Jason’s guilty? Because she’s pretty sure there’s evidence that Jason tried to help Dante. He asks how she’d know that.

Sonny says, when Ava showed him the freeze frame of Jason’s face from the drone, he couldn’t believe it, and Lois says, Ava? He says, she went with him to the warehouse. He knew something was going to happen, so he had Spinelli put cameras all over the warehouse. So he went to Dante’s, Ava went to Spinelli’s, she came back, and there was the picture of Jason on the roof with another shooter. She says she’s so sorry. That must have been surreal. He says, when he first saw it, he thought it was fake, but it was legit, and he just couldn’t believe it. She says, it seems impossible, and he says, for her, because they have history, but Ava is more objective. She asks where Ava is right now, and he says, she’s dropping off Avery at school. She says, so let her get this straight. Ava shows him the picture and he sees it’s Jason. He appears to be working with the sniper… Sonny says, no, he is working with the sniper, and she says, okay. He realizes Sonny is the target. Why is Jason trying to kill him? He says he doesn’t know, but maybe it’s been so long since they’ve seen each other, maybe Jason’s just forgotten what it’s like to be loyal to him. (Geez, it’s not like it’s been 20 years.)

Anna tells Molly that she has multiple conflicts when it comes to Jason. A few years back, Jason saved her life. That’s when she got to know him a little better than she had previously. He is… was… is remarkable. He’s cool under fire and a clear thinker, and someone she instinctively trusted. And of course (🍷) her daughter loves him. He made a crucial difference in Robin’s life. All of which makes her want to believe he did not shoot Dante. But of course (🍷) she cannot be in this job wanting to think the things she wants to think. She has to remain impartial, assemble the evidence, and trust the system. Molly says she thinks that’s why she’s really here, to see how Anna does it, stays impartial, because she doesn’t know that she can. Which would mean she’s in the wrong job.

Kristina says, it’s hardly a shock that Carly thinks Jason is innocent, and Sam says, don’t tell Molly that she’s telling her this, but Carly said Jason showed up at her place the night Dante was shot. Kristina says, again, that’s not a surprise that Jason would go to Carly, but why doesn’t Sam want her to tell Molly? (Duh…) Sam just looks at her, and Kristina says, because Molly is an ADA, and she would have to notify the cops, and the cops could get a search warrant for Carly’s house, and if they found any proof Jason was there, Carly could get charged with something like aiding and abetting. Sam says, yeah. Mom would be proud. Kristina says, the daughter of a lawyer, and Sam says she’s got to be honest with Kristina. She really can’t stand the sight of Carly right now. She doesn’t want Carly to go to prison or anything like that; she just wants Carly to leave her alone. Kristina asks if Carly said Jason told her that he didn’t shoot Dante, and Sam says, Carly told her that Jason showed up in her living room. They had a big reunion, the cops showed up, and no word was mentioned about Dante. Kristina says, he’d come from the pier, so even if he didn’t shoot Dante, maybe he was just there, saw it, and called 911. You’d think that would be top of mind and he’d mention it to Carly. (I’m all kinds of frustrated with these two. Jason is the father of Sam’s son, for cryin’ out loud.) Sam says, you’d think. Classic Jason. Never says anything. Kristina asks if Sam really thinks he did it, and Sam says, every minute that goes by, she’s afraid that he did it. Kristina says she’s so sorry. She can’t believe Jason would do that, especially since he’s wanted in connection to the rifle shooting at the warehouse. Her dad has a rip in his coat that… Hey. Danny is headed toward them, but turns around, and Sam says, Danny Morgan, what are you doing here again?

Jason says he didn’t get killed in the tunnel collapse on Cassadine Island, and Michael says, that much is obvious. (Thank you.) Jason says, the tunnel was blocked. He couldn’t get to Britt and the others. So he followed the tunnel out. It led him to the beach, and he was heading to the main house, but there were two guys there waiting with guns. Michael asks, who were they? but Jason says, that part he can’t tell Michael, but they took him prisoner. They flew him out of Greece and eventually, he ended up in a room with no windows, talking to a man who wanted him to do a job, and he had the leverage to force him to agree. Michael says, and Jason can’t tell him what that leverage was? and Jason says, no. Michael asks, what was the job? and Jason says he’d been working as a private military contractor, a mercenary.

Carly says she’s sorry to disappoint John. She hasn’t seen Jason. He didn’t fill her in on his version of events. If he checks his records, he’ll see that one of the people who found Dante at the pier was her daughter, Josslyn Jax. John says he remembers her name from the report, and Carly says, when she and her friend Dex showed up at the pier, they found Dante bandaged with a sweatshirt and a cellphone lying next to him, open to call with 911. That was Jason. Not because he told her, but because she knows Jason. And why the hell isn’t he going with the theory that this other, unidentified suspect was the one who shot Dante, and Jason was the one who saved him? John says, if she knows Jason so well, maybe she can tell him why Jason ran away instead of waiting for the first responders.

Lois says, remember when Jason first started working for Sonny? The Quartermaines were so upset, especially Alan and Monica, but Jason wouldn’t listen to anyone. As far as he was concerned, he liked and respected Sonny, and no one was going to stop him from being Sonny’s friend. Sonny says, there was a point where he didn’t trust anybody more than Jason. Maybe he trusted Jason too much. She asks what that means, and he says, when he was in Nixon Falls, Jason and Carly got together. She says she heard they got married, but Olivia told her that Sonny showed up on the same day and then they got it annulled. She thought that it was like a friendship thing; they were helping each other out. Sonny says, that’s what he thought. Maybe he thought wrong. She asks if he’s saying they were cheating on him behind his back, but he says, no. He’s not saying they slept together, but they were in love. He was the last one to know and he just felt like it broke some trust. She asks if that’s why he divorced Carly the last time. She thought it was because of Nina. He says he’s not denying his feelings for Nina, but he really wanted to make his marriage work. He tried, but Carly made it impossible. She says she’s so sorry, but he says, it really doesn’t matter right now. His son could be dying, and the cops think Jason is the one who shot him.

Carly tells John that she doesn’t know why Jason ran. Maybe because he didn’t want to be arrested for something he didn’t do, or get locked up by the FBI, who already presume he’s guilty. John says he thinks it’s because Jason wanted to remain undetected. Carly says, he’s going to have to explain that to her, and he says he wants to be clear that Jason and the other suspect didn’t know there were surveillance cameras at the warehouse or a drone hovering over the roof. They made no attempt to hide their faces. Which means, at the time Dante was shot, Jason was under the belief that his presence in Port Charles was undetected. He had no idea there was footage of his activities on the roof or that his picture was already in the hands of the authorities. Maybe she should be grateful to whoever shot him. If they hadn’t, he’d already be long gone.

Willow says, Carly and Drew have been through so much together. He went to prison for her. Drew says, taking the plea deal to protect Carly was the right thing to do. He’d do that again in a heartbeat. He doesn’t regret that. It’s just that he’d never want her to stay with him out of obligation and at this point, that’s kind of all it would be. She says she thinks he’s really underestimating himself and Carly’s feelings for him, and he says he knows Carly loves him, but not the way that she loves Jason. He didn’t want to drag it out and didn’t want to turn it into a test where Carly has to prove she’s choosing him over Jason, because they both know, the second there’s a crisis, she’s going to run straight to him. Willow says she’s sorry and takes Drew’s hand. She says, he deserves so much better, and he says he agrees with her there and intends to find it.

Michael asks how long Jason has been back in Port Charles, and Jason says, since yesterday. He was working with a sniper, Hamish. He already told Michael about him. But when he found out the target was Sonny, he made sure Hamish missed. He and Hamish were headed for the waterfront to get out by boat, and that’s when Dante caught up with them, and Michael knows the rest. Michael says, if he hadn’t been sent to shoot Sonny, would he have come back at all? and Jason says he doesn’t know. He’s thought about it every single day, but the job the man gave him in the room with no windows isn’t done. Michael asks what happens if Jason doesn’t finish, and Jason says, something he can’t live with. He has to finish it.

Sam says she can’t believe Danny snuck out for a second time, but Danny says he didn’t sneak out. Yuri drove him. Sam asks, what’s wrong with him? Doesn’t he realize Danny is too young to be ordering him around? Danny says he lied and said Sam wanted to see him, and she says she does want to see him. She loves seeing him, but he has to realize she’s going out of her mind with worry right now, and the only thing that’s keeping her calm is knowing Danny, Scout, and Rocco are safe at the Quartermaines. Kristina says, it’s just a thought, but maybe he’s here because his father Jason is alive and is a suspect in Dante’s shooting.

Molly tells Anna that she’s got her own conflicts of interest with Jason. Sam was married to him. They have a son together. Although she thinks it’s ironic that Sam has more doubts about Jason’s innocence than she does. Anna asks if Molly believes he’s innocent, and Molly says, three years ago, if Anna had asked her, she would have known he was. And no amount of evidence could have convinced her otherwise. She worshiped Jason. She thought he and Sam had to most romantic love story ever. And even after they broke up, Jason was someone that Sam, their whole family, could count on. Jason was an unconventional father, but he loved Danny. He was willing to do anything Sam thought was best for their child. Plus, he literally saved Kristina from a cult, so that’s another thing in the bonus column. Why wouldn’t she give Jason every benefit of the doubt? Anna says, they don’t know where Jason’s been or what he’s been through. What they do know is there’s footage of him acting like a spotter for a sniper taking aim at Sonny. Molly says, hence the conspiracy charges. You don’t just accidentally wind up on a rooftop next to a man with a high-powered rifle, helping him set up a shot. Anna says, if he was willing to participate in Sonny’s murder, why wouldn’t he shoot Dante? But the anomaly is the 911 call. Molly says she keeps thinking Dante was shot by the other individual and Jason tried to help him, and Anna asks, so why wouldn’t he stick around for first responders? All this could be a moot point because there’s been no sign of Jason since he jumped from the bridge. (Has anyone even bothered looking for Hamish???)

Sam tells Danny that she’s so sorry. She should have sat down and talked to him. Danny says, it’s okay, but she says, it’s not okay. She’s been so focused on Dante, she didn’t stop for a second to think he might have some questions himself. He says he’s not a little kid anymore. Dante’s been shot, so of course (🍷) she needs to be with him. Besides, it’s not like she can tell him anything about his father. Can she? Sam says, all she knows is what she saw in The Invader, that Jason is back and he’s a suspect in Dante’s shooting. He’s right. He’s not a little kid anymore, and to be completely honest with him, she has no idea where his father’s been or why he thought it was okay to let them think he had died. But Jason doesn’t think like other people. His father is drawn to danger. He chases it actually. Anyone else would have been trying to get home, but not Jason. Danny says, maybe he has a reason, and she says she’s sure he does, but Jason’s reasons aren’t like anyone else’s either. Kristina comes over and says she’s been quoting Danny’s grandmother a lot today. She’s taught Kristina a lot about law over the years – both of them – and one of the most important things she taught Kristina is that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty. So at the moment, it seems like all the evidence is pointing at Jason being the one who shot Dante, but he’s not guilty unless and until he’s charged and tried and a jury says so. She knows Danny has a lot of questions about why Jason stayed away, but his dad is really the only one who can give him those answers.

Michael comes into the gatehouse and sees Drew, who tells him that Willow said he was out running an errand. Michael says, yeah, like ten of them actually. What can he do for Drew? Drew says he’ll let Willow fill Michael in. He’s suddenly feeling kind of exhausted. He’s going to go back and check on Scout and probably go back to bed. He thanks Willow for the wine and for the sympathetic ear. She says, anytime, and just to be clear, no one will ever be better to Carly or better for her than he was. He says, that means a lot, and thanks her. He hugs Willow, tells Michael goodnight, and leaves. Michael asks, what was that about? and she says, his mom and Drew broke up. He says, that’s too bad, and she agrees. She asks if those are Jason’s, pointing to the duffel bag he’s carrying, and he says, yeah. She says she’ll wash them, and he asks if she’s sure she’s okay with this. She says, it’s nothing she would have chosen, but it’s where they are. All they can do is see it through, right?

Sonny says, the thing he feels really bad about is the regret he has because of the distance between them, and Lois says, the distance between him and Dante? Come on. They have a beautiful relationship. She saw it the second she got back to Port Charles, which is a little surprising, seeing Dante’s a cop and Sonny… does what he does. Obviously, they’ve been able to surmount those obstacles. The bond he has with Dante is full of love and mutual respect. Sonny asks if he can tell her something, and she nods. He says, for the last two years, Dante was the only one he could go to. Dante is the only one he can talk to who doesn’t judge him. Dante believes in him. That helps him. It does everything for him. Does she want to know what the last thing he said to Dante was? She says, what? and he says, stop being in my way.

Sam says, right. Danny’s father is innocent until proven guilty. They’re just going to have to hope there’s some explanation for all this. And when Dante wakes up, he can tell them what happened. Danny asks if the doctors know when he’s going to wake up, but Sam says, there’s no way to predict that. It could be today, or it could be another Lulu a while from now. He says he’s sorry he came and worried her, but she says, don’t be sorry. She’s sorry she snapped at him. She loves him. She needs his help. She needs him to promise her that he’s going to go to the Quartermaines, and please, please stay out of trouble. He says he’ll stay out of trouble. He guesses she won’t have to worry about the other two. She asks what he’s talking about. She worries about all of them. She loves all of them. She hugs him and asks him to give Scout a big hug and kiss from her. He says he will, and she asks fi Kristina can take him where he needs to be. Kristina says, of course (🍷), and Sam goes back into Dante’s room. Kristina asks if Yuri is downstairs waiting for Danny, but Danny says, Yuri dropped him off. She says she guesses he’s looking at his ride. Funny. She just got a sudden craving for a maple old fashioned. Does he want to stop by Eckerd’s all-night donut window on the way home? (Thank God we don’t have one of those here.) He says he could go for a chocolate with sprinkles, and she says, oh, he’s a chocolate with sprinkles kind of guy? Sounds pretty good. She thinks she’s changed her mind. She leaves, and he looks in the window at Sam sitting with Dante.

Anna tells Molly that Agent Cates was at one end of the bridge, and she was at the other. Cates told him to keep his hands where he could see them, which he didn’t really comply, but he didn’t pull a weapon. She told him to turn himself in so they could sort it all out and that’s when he jumped. But he did not look desperate. He looked determined, like he knew he could survive the drop in the river… and she thinks he did. Molly asks if the search parties turned anything up, and Anna says, no, but according to CSI, it has something to do with the currents in the river, that if Jason were dead, he’d have washed ashore by now, but he hasn’t. Ergo, he’s almost certainly alive. Molly says, so where is he now? but Anna says she doesn’t know. They’re continuing the search and proceeding with the theory that Jason’s injured and holed up somewhere in the area. Or that he was injured just slightly and got out of Port Charles. He could be out of the country by now, for that matter. He could be anywhere. Molly asks if she really thinks that could be just as likely, and Anna says, yeah. She worked for the WSB for years and she used to see these sniper teams operate and they were professional. They get in, they set up, they make the kill, and get out. And it does appear to be what was happening on the warehouse roof. In which case, Jason is long gone. He could be almost impossible to trace. Molly says, then she guesses she should be relieved. She won’t have to prosecute Jason, but disappearing is basically an admission of guilt, no? Anna says she’s not so sure. The more she looks at the evidence, the less sense it makes to her. Something else is going on here. Something that she’s not seeing… yet.

Lois asks if Sonny doesn’t think Dante’s said things about him in the last few years that he wishes he could take back. But Sonny still loves him, right? Sonny says, always, and she says, so why doesn’t he cut himself some slack? He says, it’s just difficult. Dante only went to the warehouse because of him. Dante tried to tell him about the cops. If he’d listened, Dante would still be home. She says, okay. She’s about to rock his world. He’s not God. He’s not responsible for Dante’s choices or Jason’s for that matter. He can’t control the outcome of events. But it doesn’t mean he’s powerless. He’s a parent and there’s nothing stronger than a parent’s love. That is what Dante needs right now and she knows he can feel it. She knows it like she knows her own name. He says he’s known her long enough that he’s not going to argue with her, she says, that’s good, and they laugh.

Carly says, this conversation’s over. She wants John to leave. He says he didn’t mean to offend her, but she says, yes, he did, and he succeeded. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she offended him too. The FBI doesn’t presume anyone’s guilty. They follow the evidence where it leads. His only goal here is to find the truth. She says, great. She can’t wait for him to find the truth and clear Jason’s name, but until then, she wants him to get out of her house and don’t come back unless he has a warrant. He starts walking to the door and stops. He says, it’s funny. Whenever he mentions Jason’s name, boy, does it get under her skin. He leaves, and now the moss bowl🎍is offended.

Jason remembers being cuffed to a table, and John walking in. He says, Mr. Morgan. Special Agent John Cates. Welcome to Quantico. He hopes Jason’s flight was enjoyable. Jason tells him that he has nothing to say without his attorney, but John says, Jason doesn’t have to tell him anything at this point. Just listen. John opens a tablet and says, he’s about to hear incontrovertible proof of RICO violations. Those are federal crimes. They carry a 20-year sentence. In the present, Jason stares at the ceiling in the boathouse.

Tomorrow, Curtis asks if Marshall was able to locate Dr. Braddock; Diane says, a lawyer can dream, can’t she; Heather says, no doctor has ever told her anything; and Dex tells Josslyn, what if it’s too late?

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

Zoom in on July 14th.

Almost all growed up.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/fans-barely-recognize-ghs-nicolas-bechtel-in-his-new-headshot

Farewell to a GH vet.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-actress-robyn-bernard-dead-at-64

New soap effort in the works.

💎 She Was Really Shaking…

What was up with Sutton at the Reunion.

https://people.com/sutton-stracke-health-emergency-rhobh-reunion-exclusive-8607642

Not a big shock that these two were unempathetic and rude.

https://toofab.com/2024/03/14/kathy-hilton-backlash-reaction-sutton-stracke-medical-emergency

🩸 Kinda Late…

Talk about Monday morning quarterbacking.

https://ew.com/joe-manganiello-not-happy-how-true-blood-ended-8608689

🏆 More Than Just a Doorstop…

In case you missed it, the winners.

https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2024

The best and the worst of it.

https://ew.com/oscars-2024-best-and-worst-moments-8606978

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/2024-oscars-best-worst-wildest-moments-1234980192

Most important, the fashion. The good, the bad, and the WTF?

https://www.eonline.com/photos/36928/oscars-2024-red-carpet-fashion

https://wwd.com/eye/people/gallery/oscars-2024-worst-dressed-photos-1236254060

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13180161/Oscars-2024-WORST-dressed-stars-Academy-Awards-red-carpet.html

https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/slideshow/2438217/oscars-shocking-fashion

Random events.

https://extratv.com/2024/03/11/michelle-yeoh-reacts-to-john-cena-s-naked-oscars-moment-exclusive

He’s just Ken and so am I.

https://extratv.com/2024/03/10/ryan-gosling-s-i-m-just-ken-oscar-performance-steals-the-show

🐕 Oscar’s Good Boy…

His bio.

https://people.com/all-about-messi-oscars-dog-anatomy-of-a-fall-8607453

He gets a seat. You don’t.

https://ew.com/messi-dog-anatomy-of-a-fall-oscars-2024-8607024

Pet fashion.

https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/messi-the-dog-oscars-costume-designer-bow-tie-1234963881

A slap at the slap.

https://ew.com/the-view-ana-navarro-says-messi-dog-better-behaved-will-smith-oscars-8607265

High praise.

https://ew.com/jimmy-kimmel-praises-messi-the-dog-for-peeing-on-matt-damons-hollywood-star-good-boy-8607862

🏋️‍♀️ Powering Through…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and a not quite wild rumpus. Until then, stay safe, stay taking out your AirPods when talking to others, and stay understanding that you’re not responsible for anyone else’s choices. You can’t control the outcome of events.

February 8, 2024 – Commissioner Devane Is Reinstated, Jagger, Very Soon, 80s Fun, Her Message, Leaving Atlanta, Joining Us, Dragon New Year, Rescue Bowling & What

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Michael goes to Sonny’s office and asks if he can come in. Sonny says, sure. What’s he doing here? Michael says, they haven’t spoken since New Year’s. The longer they wait, the harder it will be to have this conversation.

Nina goes over some business with Trish at the MetroCourt, when Carly comes in. She tells Trish, dinner for two, and Trish says, her guest is waiting. She brings Carly to a table where a man introduces himself as Bryson Somebody-or-Other, and they shake hands. Obviously familiar with Bryson, Nina wonders what Carly is up to.

Drew comes to the gatehouse with paperwork for Michael, and Willow says, he’s not here, but she’ll let him know Drew dropped it off. He tells her to have a good evening, and starts to leave, but Willow says she’s glad he and Michael are on good footing again. He says, him too, and he hopes things are better between her and Michael. She says, they’re working through it, and he says, he was just trying to protect his family. Drew’s not condoning anything. He’s just saying he gets that. She says, so does she. Michael’s impulse is always to control a situation, but she would rather know the truth than be protected from it. She thinks Michael understands that now. He says he’s really glad Michael was able to put Nina behind him, and she says, from the sound of things, Drew hasn’t been able to put Nina behind him.

Gregory, Chase, and Finn sit at a table at Charlie’s discussing basketball, and Lois approaches. She says, who knew the Chase boys were such Knicks fans? She thinks they were heard all the way to the Garden. Chase says, actually, his dad was rooting for Boston, and Gregory tells him, keep it quiet. They’re in a home team bar. Lois says she doesn’t mean to interrupt their post-game wrap-up, but can she steal their dad for a minute? Chase wonders if it’s about the rehearsal dinner, but she says, that’s none of his beeswax, and they sit at another table. Chase asks why Finn is watching their dad so close, but Finn says he’s not. Chase says, Finn was sneaking looks at him the whole game. What’s going on? Finn says he thinks their dad might be worse off than he’s telling them.

At the station, Jordan says, it is with great pleasure she reinstates Anna Devane as Commissioner of the Port Charles Police Department. Welcome back, Commissioner Devane. She gives Anna her badge, and everyone applauds. Anna thanks Jordan and Dante asks if she has any words for the crew on her first official day back. She says she’s very grateful to the mayor’s department for entrusting her with this role, and she’d like to acknowledge the fact that the baton is being passed by two great Commissioners, Jordan Ashford and Mac Scorpio. It is a profound honor to guide and support the hard-working officers of the PCPD. They all share the same goal, which is to protect and serve the good citizens of Port Charles. John walks in, and Anna says, and anyone who’s not with them is against them.

Dante wonders if they can trust John, and Jordan says, Anna seems to. Let’s take our lead from her.

In the interrogation room, John says, nice office, and Anna says, hers is being decorated. He says, of course (🍷). She took the job on short notice. She says, let’s get to it, shall we? She wants him to know, the PCPD is officially running an investigation on the cache stolen from the WSB and their buyers. He says, there’s still an FBI investigation, and she says she’s aware, but the way she sees it, the crime was originally committed here in her jurisdiction, putting the community of Port Charles in harm’s way. And a possible conspirator was apprehended, here, again in her jurisdiction. So the FBI can accept a partnership with the PCPD, or respectfully get the hell out of her way.

Lois tells Gregory that the rehearsal dinner used to be referred to as the groom’s dinner, so she wants to make sure her future son-in-law is well taken care of. He says, it looks like she’s going all out. Be careful or she might upset a lifetime of him and Chase’s mother trying not to spoil him. Lois says, a little spoiling never hurt anyone. Besides, she wants to take advantage of this. It’s been a while since she’s lived so close to Brook. You never know how much time you get to spend together as a family. Gregory tells her, you can say that again.

Finn tells Chase, after Spencer’s funeral, Gregory had trouble breathing. That wasn’t the first time he had an incident. The first time was with Tracy, and it’s got him wondering, what happens when he’s alone, or what could happen. What if he falls down? What if he needs an ambulance? Chase says, all that is very concerning, but it hasn’t happened yet. They’ve been lucky. Finn says, so far. He was wondering if it’s not time for their dad to stop living on his own.

At the MetroCourt bar, Martin tells Nina that he hasn’t got long. He’s leaving town today. She says she needs his legal help, and he says, his ears must deceive him. He was unaware he’d won back her trust. She says, he hasn’t, but he owes her.

Carly says she’s glad Bryson could meet on such short notice, and he says he agreed to this dinner as a courtesy. His firm has been advertising in Crimson for years. She says, and she’d like to show her appreciation. She knows that Windsor and Golden and Crimson have both enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship, and she sees no reason for that to end. He says, here’s a reason. Her relationship is garnering bad press.

Willow asks if it isn’t enough that Drew has taken Crimson away from Nina and given it to Carly to run. Nina lived for that magazine. He asks if she’s feeling sorry for Nina, because Nina doesn’t deserve that. She says she can’t help feeling partly responsible. She didn’t tell anyone about her diagnosis, and of course (🍷) the second Carly found out, she admitted Nina was her mother, but Nina blamed Carly for keeping the secret, which is what triggered Nina to do what she did. Willow set everything in motion, now everyone is suffering. Just as the family was finally coming together, they’ve completely fallen apart. He says he’s going to stop her right there because she doesn’t need to take responsibility for Nina. Nina brought this on herself. She deserves to pay the consequences. She says her concern isn’t for Nina. Her concern is for him. Carrying a grudge, meting out punishment? That’s not him. The Drew she knows is kind and forgiving. Is that man lost forever?

Michael says he started to call Sonny a dozen times, and Sonny asks, what stopped him? Michael says he wasn’t sure Sonny would answer, and Sonny says, so he thought he’d come here, where Sonny could throw him out? Michael says, it hasn’t happened yet, and Sonny tells him, that depends on what he has to say. Michael says he came to tell Sonny that he’s sorry and he hopes Sonny can forgive him.

Drew tells Willow, people change. Maybe the old Drew died in Pentenville. Willow says, Drew didn’t deserve what happened to him, and she hates that Nina’s vengeance put him in that position, especially after he saved her life. He says, all that matters is that she’s healthy and well, and he’d do anything for her in a heartbeat. She says, that sounds like the Drew she knows and loves. Please don’t let what happened to him in Pentenville change who he is. He says, maybe everything just caught up with him. Pentenville isn’t the only time he was put behind bars under terrible circumstances. The guy she knew with the rosy outlook took work to cultivate after everything Victor did to him for years, so that people wouldn’t be uncomfortable around him, so they wouldn’t worry about him. He just was so happy being back with his family and friends, he didn’t want to look back, but the joke was on him. He just went from one hellhole to another. And the thing about the attack, he didn’t see that coming. The threats were right in front of his face, and he missed them, and that’s not him either. How did he end up on the floor of a prison shower, bleeding out? Because he let his guard down. He literally turned his back, and she can trust him that it’s never going to happen again. She says, he’s been through a lot. She has too, not as extreme as him of course (🍷), but despite all that, she still believes in the power of forgiveness. And not just for the people who wronged us, but for ourselves. He says, good for her. He’s not there yet.

Nina says she’s considering starting her own magazine, and Martin says, no doubt, something to rival her old publication. She wants to go toe to toe with Crimson. What inspired this? She says, actually, Valentin suggested it. She’s warming to the idea, but only if she can use the best features of Crimson, those she developed when she was Editor-in-Chief. He asks how she proposes to do that, and she says, that’s where he comes in. She calls hello to Brook, who comes over. Brook says she’s going to do Olivia a favor by not telling Nina exactly what she thinks of her in the middle of the restaurant she co-owns. She walks away, and Martin asks, what just happened? Nina says, her attorney couldn’t keep his big mouth shut.

Bryson tells Carly that they’re aware of public sentiment. There was already concern when their highly regarded Editor-in-Chief Nina Reeves was replaced, suddenly and without cause. You add to that the controversial article about Carly and her publisher boyfriend, at this time, they’re not convinced their brands align with where this new Crimson is going. Carly says she appreciates straight talk, so she’s just going to respond in kind. Crimson magazine has just changed hands. Their editorial mission statement still remains the same, a celebration of style, art, and provocative journalism. And the publisher and owner of Aurora Media, Drew Cain, shares her mission to maintain the impeccable quality that their readers are familiar with. And she’s confident the public is going to understand this. She knows he said he wanted to suspend advertising with them, but she wants the opportunity to explain to him why she thinks he should reconsider. They want to take what’s working with Crimson and elevate the rest. He says, that’s all great, but how is she going to do that if her photographers and designers are booking other gigs rather than staying loyal to Crimson or to her?

John says, his superiors see the benefit of working with the PCPD, and Anna says, but he doesn’t. Well, it’s not his call, is it? He says, whether he agrees or not is irrelevant. Information will be provided – Jordan and Dante come in – on a need-to-know basis, and he’ll be the one to determine what qualifies. Anna says, Detective Falconari is one of her most senior officers and she trusts him implicitly. Deputy Mayor Ashford will be reporting to Mayor Collins about all of the federal operations here in Port Charles. John says, fine, but this circle of trust doesn’t get any wider. Any leaks could have deadly applications. Anna says she thinks they all understand that. Does he want to bring them up to speed? He says, her first. What information did she go to jail to hide from him?

Sonny says, Michael told him that he withheld the truth about Nina because he didn’t want to hurt him, but he doesn’t think that’s the only reason. Michael says, Sonny is the only reason he kept quiet. When he found out Nina was the SEC informant, it was after Sonny and Nina exchanged vows. How could he say anything in that moment? It would have affected everybody there. Not just Sonny and Willow and Nina, but Wiley, Kristina, Donna. And honestly, would Sonny have believed him, or given his history with Nina, would he have thought Michael was trying to sabotage her? Sonny says, they’ll never know because Michael didn’t say anything, and Michael says he needed to get evidence first. Sonny says, Michael could have pulled him aside and tried as hard as he could, but he didn’t want to do that. Why? Michael says, because once he decided to keep quiet about what Nina did, he needed to find another way to protect his family, and Sonny says, protect them how? Michael says he leveraged the truth against Nina to keep her away from them.

Anna tells John, O’Neal claims he sold multiple weapons from the stolen WSB shipment to a single buyer. One of the weapons was the rifle used to shoot Curtis Ashford. O’Neal also claims that this client is based here in Port Charles. John says, so this shooter could be right under their nose, and Dante says, this alleged client could have resold the weapons or maybe he’s part of a larger group. John says, at this point, they lack the evidence to rule out either scenario, and Jordan says, then start with what he knows. Anna says, his turn to share information with them, and John says, four individuals have been targeted for assassination since the unmarked weapons were stolen, and there’s a common denominator. Dante says, which is what? and John says, all four individuals were high-level organized crime figures.

Michael says he recorded Martin Grey admitting Nina ordered him to turn in Carly and Drew in to the SEC, and he intended on playing the recording for Sonny, but he pleaded for Nina instead. He gave her two options. Either she admitted what she did and face the consequences, or she let him decide when and how she got to see Willow and the kids. Sonny says, he blackmailed her? and Michael says, Nina had every chance to come clean about what she did, and she didn’t. That is on her. Then Ned remembered and started to push Nina, but Nina came to him to buy Ned off. That was his second mistake. He should have just called Ned’s bluff and let him expose her if that’s what he wanted. He struck a deal with Ned to keep the peace, but it didn’t matter because Lois found out anyway, and the whole thing blew up. Sonny asks why Nina didn’t come to him instead of living a lie, and Michael says, because bottom line is, she’s guilty. And she was desperate to keep the truth from Sonny and Willow because she thought neither one of them would forgive her. Sonny says, what about Michael? Where would Michael stand with him if he did?

Carly tells Bryson not to believe everything he hears. Crimson still boasts the most sought-after collaborators in the industry. He says, they enjoyed a long and profitable relationship with Nina Reeves, but Carly is untested. He’ll be frank, they have doubts. She says she can assure him this transition will be seamless. She’s already elevated her Senior Editor to Managing Editor. The Crimson he knows, and loves is only going to get better. His phone rings and he says he has to take this. He gets up and says, they can discuss terminating their current agreement when he gets back. He leaves, and Brook comes by. She says, Carly doesn’t seem to be enjoying her dinner companion, and Carly says, it’s really hard to enjoy dinner when it can cost her 2.1 million annual. Brook says, ouch.

Martin tells Nina, to be fair, long before she had him alert the SEC to Carly and Drew’s insider trading, she had a knack for alienating people. Bryson comes over, and Nina asks how he is. What’s going on? He says, it’s a complete waste of time. Crimson without her? Unthinkable. They give each other a Hollywood kiss as Carly watches. Carly says, well, that explains it.

Lois tells Gregory that she’s happy Brook found her independence, but to be honest, that’s not how she grew up. In their house, family was a generational thing. Brook grew up with her grandparents just like Lois did, with her aunt, her uncle, her two cousins living two doors down. It’s what they call the Bensonhurst Brigade. Gregory says he’s familiar with the term, and there’s a lot to be said for that. But he’s curious. When she was growing up, did she ever find that intrusive? Lois says, waiting for the bathroom was like waiting in line for the Cyclone in Coney Island. And there were eyes on you at all times. They were loving eyes, but they were there to keep you honest. But family is family, right? And looking back, she’s got to say she’s so glad she got to know her parents and her grandparents as well as she did. Violet must really appreciate him living so close by.

Chase asks if Finn is thinking about putting their dad in a long-term care facility, and Finn says, what is he talking about? No. Chase says, Finn doesn’t want their dad to live alone. He lives in a one-bedroom apartment with Brook, so he assumes Finn is talking about his place. Finn says, things will be tight with Violet there, but he thinks he can move his office to the small bedroom. Chase says he doesn’t think their dad would care about the amount of space. The main challenge would be their dad feeling like Finn is taking away his independence.

Chase says, their dad has his challenges; there’s no two ways about it. But he’s still able to navigate them. He sees what Finn is saying about all the things that can go wrong with him living alone, but for now, that hasn’t happened. They’ll get him a watch that will send an alert when he falls. Finn says, he wants to rely on a watch, but Chase says he wants to rely on their dad. He thinks there’s a way they can keep a close eye on him without being too intrusive. Then they can step in if they see a problem. But they should let him keep his independence for as long as possible and get him a watch.

Gregory asks Lois, how was it living with her grandparents? Does she think they felt infantilized by having their kids taking care of them? She says, is he kidding her? They loved it. It kept them young. He knows the saying, it takes a village? Well, that only works if you actually have a village. And as they got older, they knew somebody was always going to be there to help them out. They really loved that, especially when it came to the TV remote and the microwave. Anyway, she has to go, but she’ll keep him posted on everything about the rehearsal dinner as soon as the vendors confirm. He says, vendors? and holds out his hand. She says, stop it with that. They’re almost family. She kisses his cheek, wipes the lipstick off, and leaves.

Brook says, Carly just took over. She’ll make her mark and then everyone will forget all about Nina Reeves. Carly says, unfortunately, she’s not off to a great start. Advertisers and contributors are threatening to cut ties with the magazine, and if she loses Bryson’s account, it could really affect the bottom line. They see Bryson tell Nina goodbye, and Brook asks what she can do, but Carly says, nothing. She doesn’t need to worry about this; this is not her problem. Brook says, of course (🍷) it is. Nina is doing everything in her power to undermine Carly. (Apparently, it doesn’t take much, since she really hasn’t done anything.) This is the same woman who let everyone believe Brook’s father turned Carly over to the SEC when he had a head injury and couldn’t even defend himself. Is she over it? Not even a little bit. Let’s do this. They can get Windsor and Golden back. They just have to be a little creative.

Nina says, as Martin can see, she’s the one with the relationships, and he says, the gentleman certainly seemed to hold her in high esteem. Nina says, Bryson is an ad rep for Windsor and Golden. For years, they were Crimson’s top advertisers, but no more. Which positions them beautifully to be one of the first ad buys in her venture. What she needs now is her staff getting compete clauses waived. Can he get around that?

Michael says, if Sonny decides to forgive Nina or if he doesn’t, it’s not for him to judge, but Sonny says, that wasn’t an answer to his question. Michael says he thinks they’re all better off without Nina in their lives, but he won’t pursue any further action to drive her away. If Willow wants to let her back in, he’ll have to live with that. Sonny says, all right. What about him? Michael says, no matter who Sonny is with, he’ll always have a place in Wiley and Amelia’s lives, and Sonny says he loves those kids. He hated being estranged all those months. Michael says, it’ll never happen again, and he hopes Sonny will choose to be a part of his life too. He can’t promise to like or trust Nina, but he can’t allow Nina to cost him his wife or his father.

Anna says, it seems to her that whoever is ordering these hits is cutting a swathe across the country. Would this be mafia power grabs or what? John says, that’s what’s puzzling. No one is stepping forward to claim responsibility. There’s been no resulting turf wars. Anna says, that would suggest it’s not business, it’s personal, and Dante asks what they’re doing to protect those who’ve been targeted. John says, they’re not in the business of protecting criminals. If they’re going to nail this perp, they can’t tip them off that they know the pattern. Dante says, so what John’s telling them is, he just wants to get his guy and to hell with saving lives?

Finn says he understands Chase’s point, but he’s still uneasy about this. Gregory comes back and says, uneasy about what? Finn says, the Knicks chances of making it to the finals, and Gregory says, good luck with that. Chase asks if everything is okay with Lois, and Gregory says, yes. She was telling him about how she grew up in a multigenerational home and it got him to thinking. He’s had a couple of health scares recently. Nothing to be alarmed about, but enough to make him wonder if it’s wise to live alone. He doesn’t want to intrude on Finn, but it might make sense to be near a doctor (and Finn gets free babysitting!). Finn says he’s sure they can work something out. It would be nice to have Gregory in the apartment, someone to keep an eye on Violet in case he has an emergency at the hospital. But only if it’s something Gregory really wants. Gregory says, yes, he does. I wonder why they don’t they pool their money and get a big-ass house for everybody.

John says, sounds to him like Dante’s personal connection could be a problem, and Dante says, sounds to him like John’s personal animosity toward Sonny could be a problem. (Touché!) Anna says, everyone in this room has a personal connection to Sonny. Let’s just get that out of the way. But she thinks they also share a determination to bring whoever is behind these shootings to justice. That should be their one and only focus. Jordan says she agrees. Whoever is behind this is organized, calculated, and doesn’t care about collateral damage. Anna says, they need to be stopped before they hurt anyone else. She asks if she can have a word with John, and Jordan says she has some calls to make. She’ll be right outside if she’s needed. She leaves and Dante starts to follow, when John says, what Dante’s been told is classified. Dante leaves, and Anna asks if that was necessary. John asks if she doesn’t think he’s going to warn his old man, and she says, of course (🍷) he wants to, but he won’t. John should be the one to do that. John says, no. Tipping off Sonny Corinthos just gives him a pass for vigilante justice. Anna says, or it enables him to check in with his security and figure out how to protect himself. She understands there’s no love lost between him and Sonny, but he shouldn’t let that cloud his judgement. He asks, what’s that supposed to mean? and she says, despite his disapproval, Sonny means the world to a lot of people. Tell her. What would he think Stone would want him to do? That’s kind of what I was thinking. Why is John so pissed at Sonny when Sonny was so good to Stone?

Sonny tells Michael that sometimes he looks at Nina and still sees the woman he married. Then he thinks of Donna and how close she came to losing her mother to a prison sentence, and Drew getting close to being beaten to death in Pentenville. And Nina set all that in motion. Michael says he realizes it’s not his right to make decisions for the people he loves. So if Sonny wants to forgive Nina and let her back into his life again, it won’t affect their relationship. That is, if they still have a relationship.

Drew stares into the fire, and Willow comes downstairs. She says, sorry it took so long. Amelia is still adjusting to the sippy cup. He says he can’t believe she’s one now, and she says, her neither. She and Michael didn’t want to have a big birthday celebration, especially with everything going on. They kept it just them and the kids. Drew says he gets that. He missed out on so many birthdays with Scout. That’s time he’ll never get back. She says, but they have the rest of their lives now, and he says, her outlook is remarkable. She says she realizes some people might find her too forgiving, but she doesn’t view that as a weakness. Actually, it’s been the key to her survival. Forgiveness and gratitude have helped her over the worst things that have happened to her. She’s just so thankful to be alive and well, everything else takes a backseat to that. He says he thinks she’s one of the strongest people he knows, and she says, same. She’s standing here raising her children thanks to him. He says, she did all the work. She’s standing here because she’s a fighter. She says she didn’t fight alone. He flew across the globe and put his life on the line to bring her bone marrow donor home. Would he still do that today for her? Or would punishing Nina take precedence? He says he wouldn’t think twice. He would never turn his back on her. She says, even if she let him down, and he tells her, like he said, people change, but some things don’t. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the people that he loves, but Nina is not one of them.

Martin says, Nina doesn’t need a lawyer. She needs a magician. Aurora’s contracts are ironclad. He’d have to be Houdini to get anybody released from something like that. Then again, it is her money, and if she wants him to waste time and energy… She says, forgive her, but he’s going to do this pro bono because she did him a favor. He broke attorney/client privilege. She could have him disbarred. He asks exactly how she’s going to do that, prove that privilege was breached. Is she going to get Michael Corinthos to sign an affidavit? Once again, she’s doing this all wrong. She’s going about it the wrong way. If she starts the conversation like that, he’s not inclined to help her. He’ll peruse the contracts and look for a loophole, some way to get her staff released. But not because of her threat… Stop grinning at him. Not because she threatened him, but because he accepts responsibility for the part he played in what happened. She says she’s glad he recognizes that. She’s focused on two things. One, she wants her staff back. He says he’s got that part, and she says, and two, she wants Crimson to eat her dust.

Brook says she’s sure Salvadore will be thrilled to accept. The entire team at Deception is thrilled with how seamlessly Carly has taken control. Bryson approaches the table, and Carly thanks Brook so much. Brook asks if she’s in his seat, and he says, is she at Deception? Carly says, Brook is Deception. She and her grandmother Tracy are the majority shareholders. Brook says, and he is? and he says he’s Bryson Daugherty. They shake hands, and Carly says, he’s Crimson’s longstanding advertising rep with Windsor and Golden. Bryson asks if he just heard her mention Salvadore, the photographer. That guy’s a phenomenal talent. Brook says she thinks so too, and he says he heard Salvadore was boycotting Crimson. Carly says she told him not to believe everything he hears. Does Brook mind if she shares the good news about the Face of Deception? Brook says, by all means, and Carly says she offered Sasha Gilmore the cover to be designed by a top designer and to be shot by Salvadore. He says, that is exciting, both for her and Deception. He tried to make a marketing deal with Lucy Coe, but they just could never agree on terms. Brook says, just like Crimson, Deception is under new management, and Carly says, which means, new opportunities. Would he like to join them and throw around some ideas? Bryson says he’s all ears and sits with them.

Nina sees Bryson shaking hands with Carly and ducks around the corner. Bryson says he looks forward to working with Carly and goes to the elevator. Carly approaches Nina and says, she’s right. The magazine industry is tough. Good thing she’s tougher. She gets in the elevator with Bryson and Brook, tossing her head like a circus pony. Martin tells Nina that he has to get going. He’s got to catch a flight, but if she needs any more legal advice, rub the lamp and he’ll be in touch. She says, wait. She just realized what she wants him to do.

Gregory says, it will be nice moving in with Finn and Violet. It will give them more time together as a family. Chase says he’s not going to lie. He’s feeling a little FOMO right now. Gregory laughs and asks if Chase is impressed that he knows what that means. Violet hipped him to it. Chase says he was impressed until Gregory said hipped, and Gregory tells Finn, if he moves in, Violet is going to start asking questions. They’re going to have to tell her about his disease. Finn says he knows. Maybe they can tell her together. Gregory says, together sounds good.

Willow walks Drew to the door and says, Michael seems more at peace now that he’s dropped his vendetta against Nina. She just wants the same thing for him. Drew says, maybe Michael’s a better man than him right now, and she says, still, she won’t stop wishing. He says, she probably won’t, tells her to take care, and leaves. Willow calls Michael, who asks if everything is okay. She says, everything’s fine. Drew brought over some paperwork for him. He thanks her and says he’ll pick it up later when he comes by to tuck the kids in. She says, or he could just stay here at the gatehouse tonight. There’s plenty of room and the kids would like waking up to him in the morning. He asks if she’s sure, and she says she’d like it too. He says, okay. He’ll see her at home.

Dante tells Anna that he’s sorry if he was out of line. He doesn’t want to be taken off this investigation, but he also doesn’t want to undermine it at the same time. They’re talking about information that could be the difference between his father living or dying. Anna asks if there’s any way around this, and Jordan says, not unless she wants to start her tenure as Commissioner under fire, but Dante says he’s not asking her to compromise herself. He’ll deal with it. Anna says, don’t. He’s worried about his father. She is too. That’s why she just pressured John to do the right thing. He says he’s not going to hold his breath. The thing is, he had information to offer up before Agent Cates took off. Jordan asks, what’s going on? and Dante says, Sonny thinks the shooter could be known to him. Jordan says, part of his organization, and Dante says, possibly. The shooter’s getting information from inside his organization. He doesn’t want Sonny left in the dark. He doesn’t want Sonny overlooking the real threat while he’s off chasing shadows.

There’s a knock at Sonny’s office door and Frank comes in. He says, there’s a federal agent here to see Sonny, and Sonny asks if he has a warrant. Frank says, no. He said he just wants a word. Sonny throws up his hands, and Frank lets John in. John says, long time, no see, Sonny, and Sonny says, Jagger Cates, and smiles. John asks if he has a minute.

Tomorrow, Brick says, Jordan needs to consider the much bigger picture; Drew says, it’s up to Carly; Willow tells Michael that maybe she doesn’t believe in lost causes; and Sonny tells John to take his best shot.

🚓 Returning From the Night Shift…

Funny. He doesn’t look like Antonio Sabato, Jr.

🚴‍♂️ He’s This-Close…

Monday, March 4th. Be there or miss Jason’s entrance.

👖 A Flock Of Gearys…

Good times in the 80s.

Check Out a Vintage Commercial Starring Multiple Anthony Gearys!

❤️‍🩹 Sharing Her Heart…

Wise words from a beautiful soul.

Kristina Wagner Shares a Beautiful Message About Grief

🍑 Atlanta’s Loss…

I can’t say I blame her. She’s too talented for this.

https://people.com/kandi-burruss-departs-real-housewives-of-atlanta-ahead-season-16-8558560

Those with the feels.

📋 Casting a Character…

No doubt she’ll be interesting.

https://people.com/the-last-of-us-catherine-ohara-joins-season-2-8558192

🐉 Year Of the Dragon…

Read all about it.

https://chinesenewyear.net

The condensed version.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/lunar-new-year-2024-illustrated-guide-intl-hnk/index.html

🐾 Tail Wagging Bowls…

Another Bowl worth watching. I got one of my cats from North Shore Animal League. I went in for a kitten, and came out with the biggest one there. He grabbed my coat and cried as I was walking by. How could I leave him? He was a great cat too. RIP Kipling.

https://ew.com/great-american-rescue-bowl-meet-precious-puppies-and-kittens-8549899

https://ew.com/watch-adorable-kittens-displaced-hawaii-fires-8558122

🏒 A Hockey Game Broke Out At This Fight…

U-turn it back tomorrow for soap and pre-Bowl shenanigans. Until then, stay safe, stay being fully present in your interactions, and stay considering belief in the power of forgiveness. Not just for the people who wronged you, but for yourself.

June 22, 2023 – Selina Forces a Truce, Surprise, Her Start, Again, In the OC, Wanting Spin, Unfollowed, VanderTalk, Hotel Pets (!) & Only

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

💔 In my area, GH was interrupted for the majority of the show. Normally, it annoys me, since it’s usually news we can wait for, but today I felt differently, having rooted for the rescue of those in the Titan submersible. Sadly, it was not to be, so RIP to those brave souls who died doing what they loved.

General Hospital

Sasha comes back to the table, and asks what Maxie just said. What did Maxie mean, Cody may feel something more than friendship for her? Lucy starts to talk, but Sasha says, it doesn’t matter, because she couldn’t be more wrong.

Cody tells Gladys that he and Spinelli have evidence that Gladys planted the bracelet on him; evidence that will show her testimony is bogus. Spinelli says, do the decent thing and recant, and Gladys says, or what? Cody says, or it will leave her heading upriver, not him.

Kristina says, sure, she’ll go, and Sam thanks her. Kristina says, as soon as Sam tells her what’s up, but Sam says, it’s not a good time. Kristina asks if it’s because Sam’s so busy. She’s literally sitting here alone. Sam says she’s on a job, and Kristina says, sounds fun. P.I. stuff? She looks around, and Sam says, it’s not fun; it’s important. Kristina says, adultery? Fraud? A criminal investigation? Sam says, come on, getting up, and Kristina asks where they’re going. Sam says, anywhere but here. Sam gives Spinelli a nod, and they leave.

On the phone, Finn says, they want to rule out any neurological issues before they proceed with treatment, when Gregory walks in. Finn says, let him know when they’ve got it set up, and hangs up. Gregory says, his son the doctor, and Finn asks how he is, hugging him. Gregory says, busy day? and Finn says, relentless. Good thing he’s getting the hell out of Port Charles.

Alexis walks into the hospital and sees Tracy. She asks, how’s Ned? and Tracy asks if she doesn’t mean Eddie Maine.

In an empty courtroom, Drew looks at a phone alert for Scout’s swimming lesson, when Carly walks in. She hugs him, and says she can’t believe today is the day. He says he feels a little bit like a kid waiting to hear his punishment, and she says, punishment he doesn’t deserve. He says, punishment she doesn’t deserve either, and she asks if he’s ready. He says he doesn’t know. Is anyone ever ready to sign away their freedom? She hugs him again.

As they enter the MetroCourt Gardens, Kristina asks if Sam doesn’t want her to know, or is Sam going to fill her in? Sam says she’s doing some surveillance, and Kristina says she saw Spinelli out there and Dante’s friend Cody. What are they doing with Gladys Corbin? Sam asks if Kristina knows what the P in P.I. stands for, and Kristina says, private. Sam tells her, good job, and she asks if she gets a gold star. She’ll drop it, but if Sam has a minute, she’d like some big sister time. Sam asks if everything is okay, and Kristina says, with her? Yeah. She’s worried about Molly.

Gladys says she thinks she’ll pass, but Cody says, that would be a mistake. They have her dead to rights. Gladys says, it’s going to take more than made up words to trip her up, and Cody says, she doesn’t care that they have evidence that could send her away. Gladys tells him, if said evidence actually existed, they would have turned it in by now. So why are they here with her instead of at the PCPD?

Sasha says she and Cody are just friends, and Lucy tells her, if you say so. Sasha says she does. It’s not like that between them. Lucy says, of course (🍷). No one was suggesting there was anything romantic going on. Maxie says she thinks they should get back to work, and Sasha asks, then what were they suggesting? Lucy says, just that on Sasha’s end, it might be strictly platonic, but maybe things are developing for Mr. Bell.

Gregory says, Finn’s leaving town? and Finn says, not permanently. He’s going on vacation, which he thought Gregory would get, being it was his idea. Gregory, him, Violet, Chase, Disneyworld. Ring any bells? Gregory says, as he recalls, Finn told him that it wasn’t a good time, and Finn says, it wasn’t, but now Violet is out of school, and he’s got a couple weeks coming up where he can take some time off. Gregory says, and Chase? and Finn says, it may be more difficult for him, since he’s just getting his badge back, but he’s working on it. Finn even got Violet a set of purple Mickey Mouse ears. So what does Gregory say? Gregory tells him, it sounds wonderful, but he’s afraid things have changed on his end.

Drew tells Carly that he’s been going over it in his head again and again. He knows the right thing is to accept this plea deal, but now that he’s here… She says, it’s hard, and he says, it is. She says, he doesn’t have to do this. Please? He says, it’s the only way, when Michael walks in. Carly says she told him that he didn’t have to come, but he says he wanted to. Drew says, they appreciate him being here. He knows Michael has enough on his plate with Willow and the kids. Michael says he checked all the boxes. He had breakfast with Wiley and Amelia… Or rather, Amelia watched from a rocking chair while he and Wiley ate. The nanny took Wiley to the park, he stopped by Aurora, then spent time with Willow. Drew asks how she is, and Michael says, she must be doing better, since she’s back to bossing him around. She basically insisted he come. She sends her love to both of them. Drew says he sends it right back, and Carly says, her too. Michael says, she also wanted him to tell them, it’s painfully obvious if it wasn’t for Drew, she wouldn’t even be here. Drew suggests they not think about that, but Michael says, still, it’s true, and they’re eternally grateful. Carly says, so is she, and asks, how’s Ned? Michael says he was going to check in with Ned this morning, but then Brook told him the latest. Is that right? Drew says, Ned doesn’t even remember who he is. He thinks he’s Eddie Maine. Carly says she can’t imagine how hard it is for Olivia, and Michael says he feels terrible for the family. It’s just that he can’t get past the fact that the reason they’re here, the reason Drew’s life is being blown up, is because of Ned.

Alexis says, Tracy answered her question. She stopped by to see Ned, and was told Eddie isn’t accepting visitors. Tracy says, that’s a blessing. What if he took one look at Alexis and launched into that Eddie’s Angels business? Alexis says, because she caused enough problems in his marriage, and Tracy tells her, she said it. Alexis says she’s going to be nice, and despite their history, she’s telling Tracy that she’s sorry. This must be very difficult for Tracy and her family. Tracy says, a mid-life crisis is annoying, and definitely bad for business, but this is different. This is so much worse. Her son doesn’t know her. And worse, he doesn’t know Leo. When Luke died, she thought she could withstand anything, but she honestly thinks this is more than she can handle.

Drew says he gets that Michael’s angry, and Michael says, Drew’s not? Drew says he’s very angry – they both are – but this is happening for a lot of reasons besides Ned. Zeke comes in, and Drew introduces him to Carly and Michael, saying, Michael is Josslyn’s brother. Zeke says, their daughter and sister is a wonderful woman, and Carly says, he knows Josslyn? Drew says, Zeke is Trina’s uncle, and Zeke says, Portia’s his sister. Carly says, they absolutely adore Trina, and Zeke says he hit the jackpot in the niece department. Zeke tells Drew that he spoke with the prosecutor, and he said the Feds accepted the deal. All that’s left is for the judge to sign off, Drew enters his plea, and he takes care of the rest. Michael says, what is the deal, if they don’t mind him asking? and Drew says, six months in minimum security prison, and in return, Carly doesn’t have to do any prison time. Michael says, that’s not it, is it? and Carly says, no. Zeke says, her attorney will reach out to her for the financial penalty, and Michael says, there’s no way this could blow back on his mom, is there? Zeke says, essentially, Drew is taking responsibility for the insider trading. The SEC is satisfied, and won’t throw the book at the both of them. Zeke’s phone rings, and he steps away to take the call. Michael thanks Drew so much for doing this for his mom, and Carly says she told him to change his mind; that it wasn’t a good idea. Drew says, this is the best outcome for everybody involved, and Carly says, really? The best outcome is for him to go to prison? Drew says, when you consider the alternatives, yes. Michael says he knows what Drew is giving up, and doesn’t want him to worry about anything. When he’s gone, they’ll check on Scout. He’ll keep Aurora running, and Drew’s life will be waiting for him, right where he left it, when he gets back. Drew says, coming from Michael, he believes that, and they bro hug.

Sam asks if Kristina heard from Molly, and Molly says, no, that’s the problem. Ever since Molly told them about her endometriosis, she’s been so distant. Kristina keeps reaching out of course (🍷), but either Molly doesn’t respond at all, or if she does, it’s with some lame emojis. Sam says, emojis, yeah. Molly’s doing the same thing to her. Kristina asks what they do, and Sam says, nothing?

Sasha tells Maxie and Lucy, back up. They think Cody is interested in her? Maxie tells her, that’s not what Lucy said, but Lucy says, that’s kind of exactly what she said. Sasha says, and they think she should be receptive to that? but they both say, no. Sasha says, good, and Maxie says, because Sasha’s still grieving and not ready to date, but that’s fine. Unless she is ready to date, then that’s totally fine too. Sasha says, she’s not, and Lucy says, okay. All she was saying was, Cody is a man… and Sasha is a smart, beautiful woman, and he did ride on in to rescue her at Home & Heart. Sasha says, as a friend, and Maxie says, a really caring and sweet and thoughtful friend. She really loves how Sasha brings out the chivalrous side of Cody. Because let’s be honest, he can be a little rough around the edges. Sasha says, ya think? and Maxie says, but with Sasha, he’s different. She had her reservations about Cody at first, but it turns out he’s a really great guy. Sasha says, and a very good friend, and Lucy says, for now. Sasha and Maxie both say, Lucy! and Lucy says she’s sorry; it just slipped out.

Cody says he wanted to give Gladys the chance to do the right thing for Sasha’s sake, but Gladys says, he doesn’t care about Sasha. He says, that’s where she’s wrong. Let’s face it. They both know there are details at play here that have been kept on the DL. Spinelli says, that’s intriguing. Does Gladys care to expand on those details? Gladys says, here’s the way she sees it. There are only two possible reasons Cody came to her instead of going to the police. Either he’s got butkus, and he’s trying to save his butt, or he came to this so-called evidence illegally. She’s not a betting woman, but if she was, this is a bet she can’t lose.

Gregory tells Finn that he recently accepted a job at The Invader, on their editorial board. Finn congratulates him, and says he’s glad Gregory finally made it official. He seemed to be really enjoying his time there. Gregory says he’s sorry he didn’t tell Finn sooner. Their schedules hadn’t lined up since he started. He’s still getting used to the grind of a daily newspaper. Finn says, there’s no need to apologize, but consider himself lucky that he’ll explain about the trip to Violet. She’d never let him hear the end of it. Don’t worry about it. They’ll do it next year. Gregory says, no, and Finn asks, what does that mean? Gregory says, next year’s too far away. Who knows how long Violet’s princess phase will last? Finn says, if God has mercy, not much longer, and Gregory says, they’ll have to make it sooner… but not too soon. He knows better than to ask for time off less than a month into the job. Finn says he takes it Gregory and Alexis worked things out, and Gregory says, she’s a good friend. Finn says, agreed, and Gregory says he wishes he could say the same thing about some of Finn’s other friends.

Tracy tells Alexis, they understand what’s going on, but this is hugely traumatizing for Leo. The father he loves suddenly doesn’t recognize him and wants nothing to do with him. Alexis asks how Leo is handling it, and Tracy says, not well. Who can blame him? Honestly, she thought Ned was made of sterner stuff, and Alexis asks how she means. Tracy says, Eddie Maine was an alter-ego Ned created years ago, and Alexis says she knows he wanted to be a performer, but Tracy says, he wanted to escape his real life. Alexis asks if Tracy thinks he’s doing the same thing again, and Tracy says, it’s no secret Ned is facing accusations from half his family for turning in Carly and Drew to the SEC. Add to that, he’s working overtime to try and fix the business disaster of Valentin faking his own death. Alexis asks if she’s suggesting Ned fell on purpose.

The bailiff says, all rise, court is now in session. The honorable Judge Albert Kim presiding. Judge Kim takes the bench, and tells them, be seated. This is the United States versus Cain, in which the defendant, Andrew Cain, has been charged with insider trading. How does he plead? Drew looks at Carly, gets up, and says, I plead guilty, your honor.

Finn says, Gregory is talking about Tracy, and Gregory says, ding, ding. That woman is a piece of work. Finn says, Tracy is an acquired taste, and Gregory says, you don’t acquire a taste for arsenic, you avoid it. Finn laughs, and says, that’s a little harsh. He understands Gregory’s skepticism, but believe it or not, Tracy’s been a really good friend to him. Gregory tells him, so he keeps saying, and Finn says he knows Gregory didn’t like how she treated Chase. Gregory says, when she tore into him and attacked his character? and Finn says he didn’t like it either, but to Tracy, family is everything, and in her mind, she was just looking out for her granddaughter. Gregory says, his friend needs to find another way to express herself, and Finn says, trust him. There’s more to Tracy than the prickly exterior. You just have to dig a little deeper.

Tracy tells Alexis, she’s just suggesting that deep in Ned’s psyche, he’s relishing the idea of getting away from it all, and this accident affords him that opportunity. Alexis says, that’s quite a stretch, but Tracy says, is it really? It wouldn’t be so bad if it were just him alone, but he has a family, and Olivia is beside herself and Brook is a wreck. Alexis asks what the doctors said, and Tracy tells her, they’re useless. They say, be patient, time heals, blah-blah-blah. Alexis says, sounds reasonable to her, and Tracy wonders if there’s anyone in this hospital who’s willing to go to extreme measures to turn Eddie Maine back into Ned.

Sam says she hates this for Molly, but all they can do is love her and be a safe haven for her, and Kristina says she just can’t believe this. She also can’t believe, of the three of them, she’s the only one with functional plumbing. (Are you thinking what I’m thinking?) Not a single issue. Sam says, rub it in, why doesn’t she? and Kristina says she did do some research online. She didn’t want to bother Molly with questions, but endometriosis is a really painful condition. Can Sam believe Molly’s been suffering all this time? Alone? She hates that for Molly. Sam says she hates it too.

Sasha asks if they think it’s weird she’s not ready to move on yet, but Maxie says, no. It’s not even been a year since Brando died. Not that there’s a timetable. Lucy says, not at all. She thinks it’s natural not to know how and when and if you’re able to just let go. Sasha asks if Maxie felt that way with Nathan, and Maxie says, after Nathan died, the thought of moving on without him, starting a whole new life, was the most overwhelming feeling in the entire world. Sasha says, of course (🍷) she wants that for herself, and Lucy says, but if she can’t see it yet, really, it’s okay. Maxie says, everyone grieves differently and at different paces. She’s doing great. Lucy takes Sasha’s hand, and says, she really, really is.

Gladys says, they couldn’t have lifted anything off her fitness app. She didn’t bring her phone with her to the ball. Cody asks, who leaves their phone at home? and Gladys says, someone who couldn’t fit it in her purse. Ha! The waiter clears Sam’s table, and the whatchamacallit falls on the ground. Gladys asks, what’s that? as Selina walks in with Li, and steps on it.

 Selina picks it up, and walks over to Gladys. She says, this looks like a directional microphone, and Gladys says she has no idea what that is. Selina says, it’s meant to record conversations from a distance, and Gladys asks if Cody and Spinelli recorded her. Selina asks if one of them dropped this, and Cody says, sure didn’t. Spinelli says, how fortuitous that she picked it up so no one would trip, and Selina says, they wouldn’t want that on such a lovely day, would they? Forgive her if she seems intrusive, but she’s sensing some tension between the three of them. Is everything all right? Gladys says, it was all right until these two showed up and started harassing her out of nowhere. Cody and Spinelli protest, and Cody says, nothing Selina needs to concern herself with. They know how busy she is, don’t they Gladys? Selina says, not too busy to resolve a conflict. Shall they put their heads together and come up with a solution? Cody says, that’s not necessary, but Selina says, nonsense. Have a seat over there. She’ll help them iron this out. Cody goes to sit, and Gladys thanks her, following him. Selina blocks Spinelli, and says she’ll take it from here. She tosses the microphone into the pool.

Maxie says, just think of where Sasha was at this time last year, and Lucy says, they’re so proud of her. Sasha says she almost feels like a different person, and Maxie says, she’s still herself, just stronger and wiser. Lucy says, and infinitely more resilient. Sasha says she’s so lucky to have them in her corner, and Maxie says, always. Lucy says, always, and excuses herself to use the powder room. Sasha asks if Maxie thinks anyone has as much energy as Lucy, and Maxie says, no. Her phone rings, and she tells Sasha, it’s Georgie. Sasha says she’ll hold down the fort, and Maxie steps away. Sasha looks at a photo of Brando on her phone, and says, Brando, I have come a long way, haven’t I? But it’s true; I’m still not over you. And I have to wonder if I’ll ever be. She looks up, and Dr. Montague is there.

Kristina says, it must be pretty awful to want to be a mother, then find out you can’t be, and Sam says, it’s awful, and isolating and devastating, and a million other not so fun feelings. But the good thing is, once the dust settles, Molly and TJ are going to be okay. They’re going to be able to have a family. It’s just going to be a longer, windier road to get there. Kristina says she hopes they do try to have kids another way. Molly and TJ would be the best parents. Sam asks if she’s chopped liver, and Kristina says, no. She’s a supermom. And she’s a super aunt obviously. Sam says she doesn’t know about that. Scout told her that the last time Kristina took her and Danny out to dinner, she didn’t let them have dessert afterward. Kristina says, that’s because she let them have dessert before, and Sam says, she thought that was a good idea why? Kristina says, Scout left that part out. She’s taught her niece well.

Gregory says, Finn really thinks that highly of Tracy Quartermaine? and Finn says, in a realistic and tentatively appropriate way, yes. Gregory says he trusts Finn’s judgement. He’ll reserve his and give her another chance, but he won’t put up with her demeaning his son. Finn says, as well he shouldn’t, and Gregory says, perhaps… maybe he pushed back a bit too hard. He should probably clear the air. Shouldn’t he? Finn says, no, and Gregory says, apologize for the last time they spoke, but Finn says, that will get him absolutely nowhere.

Judge Kim says he understands the prosecution has reached a deal with the defendant. The SEC lawyer says, they have, and the judge says, and both sides are in agreement with these terms? The lawyer says, that’s correct, and Zeke says, they see eye to eye on all points. Judge Kim says, that’s where they lose him. He’s reviewed the deal and the facts on the case, and he finds it a miscarriage of justice. It’s his opinion that the defendant knowingly colluded with Miss Spencer in order to drive up the stock price of Aurora Media, with the desired result being significant and personal financial gain. As such, he sees no reason why Mr. Cain shouldn’t receive the maximum penalty for his crimes.

Zeke gets up and says, the maximum penalty for these charges is twenty years, and the judge says he’s aware. Zeke says, so we – and by we, he means the defense and the prosecution – believe that a sentence of that magnitude is too harsh in a case like this. Carly looks like she might have a heart attack, and Judge Kim says he believes what they’re proposing is too lenient. Zeke says, Mr. Cain has run Aurora Media with integrity since he founded it, not a single misstep or example of shady business practices. The judge says, until now, and Zeke says, but he is a family man, just as he’s a CEO, maybe even more so. When he proposed a merger of Aurora and ELQ, it wasn’t for his personal gain as the judge suggested. It was to benefit his family’s company. In fact, the merger never even came to pass. Meaning his client never saw any of the benefits, professional or personal. Just the opposite in fact. The company lost money. So the true miscarriage of justice here would be to make an example of a man who has no history of securities fraud. He simply made an error in judgement trying to help the people he loves.

A wet Spinelli finds Sam and Kristina, and Sam asks, what happened? Kristina asks if he got pushed in the pool again, and Sam says, again? Spinelli says he thought he and Kristina had an agreement that it stayed between them, and she says, sorry. Spinelli holds up the crunched microphone, and Sam says, no. He says, courtesy of Miss Selina Wu, and Sam suggests Kristina go get a drink. Kristina leaves, and Spinelli takes her seat. Sam says, start from the beginning, and he asks if she wasn’t listening, but she says she got waylaid by Kristina. He says, they were working Gladys, just like they discussed. They were inches from success when Miss Wu just sauntered in and ruined everything.

Li hands the pool waiter some cash, and says, see to it they’re not disturbed. The waiter says he’s got it, and tells the two whole people there that he’s sorry, but they’re closing the pool for a private function. They leave, and Selina says she has a meeting shortly, so let’s not waste time. She’d hoped they could resolve this issue without requiring her intervention, but it seems her hopes were naïve. Gladys says, he started it, and Cody says, did not. Selina says, enough. She can’t have both of her favorite players at odds. Her game is a place of harmony. Make peace now. Gladys says she can’t make peace when Cody is still spreading lies about her, and Cody says, she’s trying to get him sent to prison. Selina says, this is how it’s going to work. Gladys is going to see to it that the charges against Mr. Bell are dropped. Gladys says, with all due respect, that’s not her call, and Selina says, it’s Gelhorn Jewelers’, but she’s their star witness. Without her, they don’t have a case. Amend her statement. Say she’s since remembered that the night of the Nurses Ball, the clasp on her bracelet was loose. Cody says, and what? Fell off of her wrist and into his jacket pocket? Selina says she’s confident a cater waiter from that evening will come forward and testify they found it on the floor near Cody’s things. The waiter thought it belonged to Cody, and put it in his jacket pocket for safekeeping. Matter settled. Cody says, sounds good to him, and Selina says, what about Gladys?

Sasha tells Dr. Montague, hi, and he says he was on his way out when he saw her sitting there, so he thought he’d say hello. She says she doesn’t suppose he missed the part where she was talking to the picture of her dead husband, and he says he might have noticed that. She promises she’s not losing it again, and he asks if he can sit. She says, sure, and he says he doesn’t think she’s losing it. What he observed was a grieving woman expressing her emotions in a healthy way. It’s good to let her feelings out. Just look what happened when she bottled them up after her son died. The fact that she’s allowing herself to go places she’s scared of is progress. She thanks him, and says, it means a lot. He gets up, and says he’s looking forward to their next session. She says, her too, and he leaves.

Finn says, Tracy isn’t a touchy, feely kind of person, and Gregory tells him, you don’t say. Finn tells him, he does say. She’s got zero patience for this type of thing. Gregory says, then what does he do? Chase is in love with her granddaughter. Hopefully, Chase and Brook will be together for a long time. Wouldn’t it behoove them all to get along? Finn doesn’t know what to tell him. Gregory can try to make some roads there, but Finn doesn’t think he’ll succeed. Gregory says, that sounds like a challenge, and Finn says, it most certainly was not. Gregory says, you never know. Tracy might come around. They’re both grown-ups. If he comes to her openly and honestly, why wouldn’t she respond in kind?

Alexis asks Tracy to define extreme measures, because the last time Tracy went to them, it didn’t work out so well… for her. Tracy asks if Alexis wants to rehash the past. No? What she means by extreme measures is medical equivalent of shaking him until he snaps out of it. Alexis says, that sounds possibly unethical, definitely illegal, and Tracy asks what she’d suggest. Alexis says she’d suggest a gentler route. Instead of challenging Ned’s worldview, which will just make him dig his heels in deeper, just go along with it. Let him believe he’s Eddie Maine.

Spinelli tells Sam that he’s curiously suspicious about how deferential Cody and Gladys became when Miss Wu entered the scene. Sam says, and Selina really couldn’t have wanted to be peacemaker? and he says, she wouldn’t take no for an answer. And of all people, why would she insist on wanting them to come to an understanding? Sam says, and what is the nature of Selina Wu’s relationship to Gladys, and to Cody?

Gladys says she can’t just amend her statement. She’ll look like a complete flake. And what about Sasha? What’s her daughter-in-law going to think? Cody says, that she’s the lying liar that she is? but Selina says, on the contrary. Everyone will be grateful that no one was unjustly punished. She’ll be a hero. Gladys says, fine. They’ll do it Selina’s way. Selina says, and Cody. Whatever problem he has with Gladys, he’s going to drop it. Cody says, she doesn’t understand. Sasha’s his friend… Selina says, there will be no unnecessary conflict in her games, and Cody asks why she’s protecting Gladys. Selina says, simply put, none of your business, and Cody says, have a nice day. He starts to leave, but Selina says, not so fast. She asks Li to take Gladys to the bar for a drink, and Gladys says, don’t mind if I do, walking ahead of him. Selina says, no one can know Cody works for her, and Cody says he gets it. She says, except she doesn’t think he does. If he did, he wouldn’t try to make trouble and draw unwanted attention to her business. There’s a lot of money at stake. Keep his mouth shut… or she’ll shut it for him permanently.

Maxie and Lucy come back to the table, and Lucy says she ran into a big fan of their Deception products, and boy, could that woman talk. Sasha says, unlike Lucy, and Lucy says she wants to apologize for bringing up all that Cody nonsense, but Sasha says she’s glad Lucy did. Lucy says, a few minutes ago Sasha wasn’t so glad, but Sasha says she doesn’t want to live in denial anymore. She did that before, and it sent her down a dark path. She doesn’t want to go backwards. Maxie says, that’s good to hear, and Sasha says she’s got enough to handle ending her guardianship. So as for whether or not Cody has feelings for her, it doesn’t matter. It’s clear his presence in her life makes things more complicated. Maxie says, with Gladys she means? and Sasha says, Gladys means a lot to her. Gladys has helped her in ways no one else could understand. So she’s resolved to ending her guardianship, and maintaining a relationship with Gladys.

Selina walks up behind Gladys, saying her name, and causing Gladys to nearly choke on her drink. She says, Gladys never responded to her text. Selina was worried something might have happened to her. Gladys gives her an envelope, saying, first installment. Selina says she’d hoped Gladys would pay back the entire amount, and Gladys says she will. Like she told Selina, she has to break it up into chunks. She can’t transfer a huge amount at once; Sasha will notice. Selina says, very well, but don’t forget about the interest. Which makes it in Gladys’s best interest to pay the loan back as soon as possible. Dr. Montague says, Miss Wu, and Selina says, Monty. One moment? He tells her to take her time, and she leaves with Li. Monty goes over to Gladys, and says, nice seeing her again. He couldn’t help but overhear. It sounds like she’s in a tough spot with their friend Selina. Gladys says she owes Selina money, and he says he’d be glad to help her settle her debt. She says, he’d do that for her? and he says, of course (🍷). But not without a favor in return.

Alexis says, if he thinks he’s Eddie Maine, why not treat him like he’s Eddie Maine? and Tracy says, that is the worst idea she’s ever heard. Alexis says, okay. Never mind then. Tracy says, so what Alexis is telling her is, in order to rid Ned of his delusions, they should lean into them? Alexis tells her, she’s saying, if they allow Ned to work this out on his own, without constant opposition from Tracy, maybe it would help him get over it. Tracy asks when Alexis got her therapist certification. Was that handed out with her last sobriety chip? Alexis says, she’s impossible, and Tracy says, she’s an idiot. Gregory sees them, and ducks around the corner.

Judge Kim says, committing a crime, even if it is for love of one’s family, is still a crime. However, considering the defendant’s record since founding Aurora Media, along with the fact that the merger was never finalized, he’ll allow that the maximum penalty is not warranted. Given the charges, the proposed deal of six months is still too lenient. He hereby sentences the defendant to serve three years. Surprise all around. From me too. He can go over the SEC’s head? I dunno about that.

Tomorrow, Gregory tells Tracy, back the hell off; Ned/Eddie says, they’re kidding him; Josslyn tells Sonny, it’s the best she can do right now; and Carly says, there’s been some kind of mistake.

🏥 Spreading It Thin…

The downside of working on a soap.

🛹 Thanks To the Boogaloo…

Everyone’s got to start somewhere.

🥀 Heartache Strikes Again…

Geez, this poor woman needs to catch a break.

🍊 If You’re Craving Oranges…

In case yesterday’s smack talk wasn’t enough.

🤼‍♀️ Of Course They Do…

A better show might be to lock them in a room until there’s a clear winner.

🌪 And In a Surprise Twist…

Reality worlds collide.

🍸 VanderPast and Future…

Highly doubtful this was staged, although I’d buy that producers knew about it. Especially if it was going on while they were filming. And Sandoval did already have a storyline going with the Schwartz & Sandy’s mess.

What’s to come. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe.

🐩 Permanent Guests…

I’ve actually seen the kitty at the Algonquin. Although I’m not sure which number it was.

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/hotel-pets-america

🥾 On the Beaten Path…

Finish off your week tomorrow with some soap, a pot of tea, and a side of quotes, topped off by music. Until then, stay safe, stay sharing knowledge, and stay remembering that grief has no timetable. Everyone grieves differently and at different paces.

June 8, 2023 – A Slip and Fall At the Pool, Incoming, His First, Remembrance, Striking, In Jersey, Reunited, No Return, All Star Chef, My VanderTake, Rocky & Walk

Standard

Walk I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna arrives home to find Sonny at her door. He says he was going to give it another ten minutes, then leave a note. She asks why he didn’t text her, and he tells her, some things are better said face to face.

Dante lets Valentin into the interrogation room through the side door, and he asks why Dante wanted to see him. Dante says he needs Valentin’s help with Anna.

Michael brings Carly to the stairwell, and says, they can talk more privately here. She asks if this is where he brought Dex when he asked Dex to spy on Sonny, and he says, sometimes. Why? She says, because she wants his opinion on Dex. Is he trustworthy? Would Michael put the life of someone he loves in Dex’s hands?

Josslyn puts the pieces of the flashdrive in Dex’s palm, and says, there goes their ticket out. Pretty useless now. He asks if it’s the footage of Sonny doing the Pikeman deal, and she says, mm-hm. Michael gave it to her mom. She could have traded this footage to the Feds in exchange for them dropping the charges against her and Drew. Dex risked his life to get that footage, and Carly destroyed it, because protecting Sonny is more important to her.

As they sit down at the MetroCourt restaurant, Chase tells Brook, just say it. She hates it, doesn’t she? She says, what’s to hate? He wanted the new car; he got the one he wanted. How could she possibly hate that? He says, it’s not a car; it’s a truck. It’s got 4-wheel drive, off roading capabilities, advanced driver assistance, and you can operate the off roading capabilities in operating mode or manual. It will be perfect for them to go camping. She says, he wants them to go camping?

Tracy meets Drew at the pool, and she asks why he wanted to meet away from the house. He says, blackmail works so much better when there’s no one to overhear.

Ned comes out on the terrace, and tells Nina, poor Drew. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong girlfriend. She wasn’t after Aurora’s CEO; she wanted to take down Carly. She says she doesn’t know where he came up with this, but he couldn’t be more wrong, and he says he just overheard her conversation with her lawyer. Everyone believes he was the one who handed Carly and Drew over to the SEC, but it was her all along.

Michael asks where Carly is going with this. Has she changed her mind and decided to give the flashdrive to the FBI so she and Drew stay out of prison? Does she think Dex may have to testify because he’s on the footage? She says, the footage no longer exists; she smashed the flashdrive. He asks why she did that. She should have held onto it in case she still wanted a way out for her and Drew. She says, the footage was dangerous. It could have gotten Sonny and Dex killed. Besides, she has a much better use for Dex.

Dex puts the flashdrive pieces in his pocket, and Josslyn asks if he’s sure he wants to hold on to that. There’s no way to retrieve the footage. He says he doesn’t want to retrieve the footage; he wants to physically destroy the flashdrive. He doesn’t want anything left to imply he was ever collecting evidence against Sonny. From here on in, he has to be the most loyal, discreet, trustworthy employee Sonny has. She says, take his orders, risk his life so Sonny can get richer… and he’s okay with that? He says, it’s not about being okay; it’s about survival.

Chase says, Brook doesn’t enjoy camping? Sleeping close to nature and catching a fish in the stream, then cooking it over an open fire? She says, no. She likes sleeping in a bed, and she likes her fish to be caught and prepared by someone else, preferably a five-star chef. He says, what about fresh air, hiking, everything you need in a backpack? and she says, are they hiking, or running from the bear who’s trying to eat them?  He says, what about cuddling up next to each other in front of a roaring campfire? and she says, what about cuddling up next to each other in front of a firepit in the Q boathouse? He says he could totally see that. Her, him, a fire, Olivia bringing them lasagna, Ned going on about his beloved ELQ, and Tracy lecturing him yet again about how he’s not good enough for her. She says, the Q’s date might not be the most romantic, but there are alternatives, and he says, such as? She says, nightclubs, live music. He might even be tempted to get back in the game. He says his heart is very much out of the music biz, but it seems like hers is still in it. Tell him again why she went back to work at Deception.

Tracy says, so much for Drew’s upright and honorable routine, and he says he really didn’t want it to come to this, but a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do. Tracy understands the language of blackmail. She says she understands more about the process than he does apparently. Blackmail requires leverage, and he has none to use against her. He says, let’s start with Deception, shall we? She coerced Brook into going back to work there. She says, where Brook chooses to work is her business, and he says, his point exactly. If it were up to Brook, she’d be working in music. She’s working at Deception under Tracy’s orders, and he kind of feels Lucy Coe would like to hear that. She says, fine. Get Lucy Coe down here; tell her everything. A waiter asks if they’re looking for Lucy Coe.

Dante asks if Valentin thought he was getting arrested, and Valentin says, given their history, he couldn’t be sure. Falsifying his death… Dante says he’s sure Valentin had reasons for doing that, and Valentin says, so did Anna. He asks if this is an official inquiry, but Dante says, it’s off the record, and personal. That article in The Sun that was about Anna’s WSB file was pretty brutal. Valentin asks how Dante is hoping he can help, and Dante says, Valentin is Victor’s son, and Victor was head of the WSB for many years. He had a lot of opportunity to plant a lie in Anna’s file that could be used as a time bomb he could set off whenever he wanted to. Valentin says, his father was a mean and spiteful man. He had full faith in his plan, but he was prepared to exact revenge in case of his failure, in which he thought Anna Devane could always play a part. He was right, and now he’s making her pay for it. Dante says he wants to clear Anna’s name. So how do they prove her file was doctored?

Nina says she was curious about Carly and Drew’s legal situation, so she asked her lawyer about it. Ned must have misinterpreted. Ned says, it’s too late to save this. As soon as you eliminate him, she becomes the obvious suspect; the one that has the most to gain by sending Carly off to prison. Although she took a big risk, and maybe she’s realized that by now, and that’s the reason she called a meeting with her lawyer. She must have realized that, even though Sonny and Carly are divorced, Sonny would do anything to protect her. When he finds out Nina was the one who pointed the SEC at Carly, she and Sonny are done.

Anna asks if Sonny wants to come inside, but he says, it’s up to her. He doesn’t want to intrude. She tells him, she has the feeling that whatever he was about to say, she doesn’t want to hear it on the doorstep. They go inside, and she asks if he’d like some water, but he says, no thanks. She says she’s going to have a drink, and he says, go ahead. She pours herself something, and takes a sip. She says, go ahead, call her a hypocrite, and he asks if that’s why she thinks he came here. She says, obviously. After all the years she spent upholding the law as a special agent and Police Commissioner, investigating him for various crimes, questioning him about how he could possibly reconcile breaking the law with being a loving parent, and now he gets to find out that she was a criminal herself? Actually, worse than that. A double agent, which is to say, a traitor. He asks if she’s finished, because he wasn’t going to say any of that, and she asks what he was going to say. He says, she’s upset. He’ll come back some other time. She says, please wait. She’s sorry. Not at her best. Please stay.

Michael asks what better use Carly has for Dex, and she says, before she tells him, what’s his assessment of Dex? He says he guesses he likes Dex. He took on an impossible job and did it really well. He’s had relentless pressure for months and didn’t crack. He wormed his way into Sonny’s confidence, despite being with Josslyn, which Sonny didn’t like. She asks what he knows about Dex’s time in the military, and he says he knows Dex was discharged because of some personal issue, but his combat experience is excellent; highest rating. He had the reputation of keeping a cool head under fire, which is one of the reasons Michael hired him. Why is she interested? She says, because she wants him to hire Dex to do another job.

Josslyn asks why Dex isn’t angrier. Why isn’t he angry period? Both her mother and brother have the chance to set him free, yet they’re leaving him trapped. He says, Michael gave him a job; the job changed. It happens. She says, so he’s totally fine working for Sonny, but he says, it’s not about what’s fine. It’s the situation he’s in. He spent months earning Sonny’s trust, convincing Sonny to let him in. Just tonight, Sonny gave him a lecture on how he’s in this now; how he has to commit. He doesn’t have the option to leave. She says, actually, he might. He can just ask Sonny to let him go.

Tracy asks if the waiter always eavesdrops on private conversations, but he says he wasn’t eavesdropping. He was just doing his job. They’re about to resume poolside cocktail service. Tracy says, well don’t. She wants privacy. That means, no bartender, no guests, no staff, including himself; just her and Mr. Cain. And if anyone has any questions about that, they can contact Olivia Quartermaine, her daughter-in-law, the co-owner of this place. The waiter leaves, and Drew says, that was rude. And pointless. Chewing out a hotel employee just to make herself feel better. It’s not going to keep Brook in place at Deception. She suggests he focus on his own problems. He seems to have enough of them. He says, as it happens, she’s the answer to his problems.

Brook tells Chase, they’ve been over this. She went back to Deception because she really loves those ladies, and they really need her. He says, really? They seem like pretty savvy businesswomen. She says, they are, but they don’t really understand the nuances of social media presence, and he says, and the music? She says she’ll still be doing music on a part-time basis, and he says, music is her passion. It’s one of the first things he learned about her. What happened to change that? She says she found a new passion, and he says, Deception? She says, him, when Olivia stops by. Brook asks her to join them, but she says she thinks Ned is waiting for her on the terrace. Brook says her dad is probably on some phone calls. Please sit down. Chase can tell her about his new truck. Oliva says, a new truck? and sits down. Tell her all about it.

Ned says, in the long run, Nina’s done herself a favor. She’s much better off without Sonny Corinthos. Nina says she and Sonny are engaged, but he says, not for long. She says, gee, most people say congratulations, and he tells her, just accept the fact that she and Sonny won’t be living happily ever after. She says, that tip was anonymous. There’s no way anyone will be able to prove he did it. He says he didn’t; she did. She says, no one’s going to have to know who’s responsible for this. Just keep doing what he’s doing, insisting he didn’t do anything. The people who know him, the people who really matter will believe him… eventually. He says he has no intention of taking the fall for her. She did this, and she’d better find a way to clean it up. Nina sees Trish and shushes him. Trish tells Nina, the pool man just told her that Tracy Quartermaine shut down the entire pool area because she wanted privacy, and Nina says, for what? Trish says she doesn’t know, but apparently Drew Cain is there. Trish leaves, and Ned says, Drew’s here. He needs to talk to him. Ned dashes off, and Nina runs after him.

Dante is looking at the article about Anna, when there’s a knock at the door. He says, come in, and Sam walks in. He asks how she got in here, and she says, her boyfriend’s a cop and the desk sergeant breaks the rules for her occasionally. They kiss, and Dante says, he doesn’t blame him. He would’ve done the same thing. She says, lucky her, and he asks why she is here. Was he supposed to do something or be somewhere? She says, he was supposed to be home two hours ago, and he says he’s sorry. She says she figured he was working on a case, but he’s just sitting here and she got no text or call. She wants to know what’s going on. He says he’s just worried about a friend.

Sonny says, when the news story broke about Anna, he started thinking about all the headlines he’s been through over the years. She says, they don’t seem like headlines now; they seem like take downs. He says, two were seared in his memory. Wife of Crime Lord Dies in a Car Bomb. He saw the headline the next morning, after his wife died. And the other one was, Corinthos Son Killed in a Suspected Mob Hit. That was Morgan. He was already in hell from all the pain and grief. It was a lot to take. His private life all over the world for everybody to see, for everybody to read, for everybody to judge. (Yet no one knew who he was in Nixon Falls. Go figure.) They don’t know what happened to him. They don’t know how he suffered. Just like he doesn’t know why she did what she did. That’s why he’s here to tell her that he’s sorry for how she fell. He’s sorry for what happened to her. She thanks him for sharing that, and says she feels like sometimes she gets in her own way. He says, that headline was just a take down. She knows that, right? She says, the most difficult part of this is, the news story is true. It’s factually accurate; she did those things. There were reasons. There were justifications, excuses. There was a context then that the media has chosen to leave out, but she can’t deny it happened. She tears up, and says she made a lot of mistakes at the beginning of her career, and thinks she’s spent most of her life trying to make up for them. Now it’s come and bit her in the most public way. He says he’s done things allegedly – they both laugh – but he’s done them. Some, he felt there was a reason to do them, and others he regrets. But he always tells himself, his life, who he is now, should not be limited to the worst things he’s done in his life. Just like her. She’s a great mother, a great grandma. She’s courageous and brilliant, and no matter what, he’ll always consider her his friend… whatever that’s worth. She says, it’s worth a lot.

Michael tells Carly, the peace between him and Sonny right now is pretty fragile. He’s going to be suspicious if Michael hires Dex out from under him. She says she wants him to pay Dex to keep working for Sonny. Since Jason died, Sonny doesn’t have someone to be his right hand. Michael says, what about Brick? and she says, Brick’s great, but he’s based on the west coast. He can’t be by Sonny’s side day in and day out, but Dex can, and given Michael’s description, he’s obviously qualified. Michael says, in what way specifically? and she says she wants Dex to use all of his skills to protect Sonny; to follow orders. And if he sees trouble coming, he needs to tell Michael, and Michael needs to tell him how to advise Sonny.

Josslyn says, when she met with Sonny in his office that day and asked him to fire Dex, he told her that Dex would have to go in himself and ask him. But he never said anything about refusing to let Dex quit. Everybody knows they’re together now. Everybody’s seen them. Sonny can’t just disappear him and nobody will ask questions. Sonny already knows she doesn’t want Dex working for him. It makes perfect sense for him to quit. She’s not saying it will be easy, but it can be done. Dex just has to meet with Sonny, and tell him respectfully that he wants out. Dex says he doesn’t want out.

Drew tells Tracy, Ned’s got connections at the SEC. He can make this investigation into him and Carly go away. She says, and he thinks he can force Ned into getting the SEC to back off, and he says, no, but he thinks she can. She laughs and says, she loves his sense of humor, and his imaginative fantasy world, but he says, no fantasy here. She either persuades Ned, or he tells Ned the truth that she dragged Brook into potential intellectual property theft, malfeasance, and corporate espionage. These are activities that carry the potential for criminal penalties. So how is her son going to react when he finds out she put her granddaughter at risk? Ned comes running in, and says, there’s something he has to tell Drew… He trips on a pile of towels, and falls into the pool, hitting his head on the side. He floats face down, and Nina stops short in the hallway, where she can see, but not be seen.

Anna sits on the steps going upstairs, when Valentin walks in. She says, he needs to not do that, and he asks why she’s not taking his calls. She says she doesn’t want to. She’d like to smash her phone actually. She’d like to put the SIM card down the waste disposal. He asks if he can join her, and sits next to her. He says he’s sorry. He’s sorry his father has done this to her. She says she hates Victor. She hated him when he was alive, and loathes him now that he’s dead. If there’s a hell, she hopes he burns there for all eternity. Valentin says, him too, and Anna says, Victor didn’t do this to her. She did it to herself.

Sam asks who Dante’s friend is, and what made them keep Dante here. He asks if she knows that hit piece about Anna in The Sun, about her being a double agent, and she says, yeah. He says, it’s true, and Sam says she just assumed it was a lie. He says, so did he, so he called Valentin over here to help him exonerate her. She says, Valentin loves Anna. Of course (🍷) he’d want to help her. Dante tells her, there were some things Valentin said about the classified information, and about how ugly it is when it sees the light of day, which is why it’s classified. Valentin said he should know, because after some of the things Dante did for the WSB, the last thing he would want is for it to be plastered on the front page of anything. He just feels bad for Anna. He doesn’t know how she’s going to build back her life again. Sam says, it’s possible. After all, he did.   

Josslyn says, Dex wants to work for Sonny? and he says he wants to work in Port Charles. Mostly for her, but he likes it here. He gravitates to the moss bowl🎍, because he likes that too, and he says he likes a lot of the people he’s met here. It’s starting to feel like home. He hasn’t had one of those since he was a kid. She says, sometimes she forgets how different their lives have been. There are so many things she takes for granted; some things Dex never had. He says, one of the advantages of not having things is that when you get them, you value them and don’t want to let them go. He likes what he has here. He wants to stay. She says, he doesn’t have to work for Sonny to stay, but he says he can’t think of anything he’d rather do.

Michael says, let him get this straight. Carly wants him to be Sonny’s guardian angel while Dex does all the legwork. She says, yes, and he says, so instead of sending Sonny to prison, she wants him and Dex to work together to keep him out of Pentenville. Keep him safe, monitor his business ventures, keep a level head, and counsel. She nods, and he says, so everything Jason used to do, he and Dex will be doing together. She says, yes, except there’s one obvious catch. Sonny can never know.

Drew turns Ned over, and Tracy asks if he’s breathing. Nina scrambles for her phone to film it for social media, and Tracy runs for her bag. Drew tells Ned, they’ve got this, and gets Ned out of the pool and onto the floor. Nina pockets her phone, as Tracy says, her adult son just fell into the MetroCourt pool and he hit his head and he’s not breathing. On opposite sides of the room, Tracy and Nina both look distraught, and Drew begins chest compression.

Anna says, Valentin knew she was a double agent, right? and he says, and she knows espionage is a shadowy thing. It’s all compromise, neither good nor bad; just varying shades of grey. And no one can claim being entirely pure of intentions, certainly not him. Not even Robert Scorpio. She says she’s not afraid to face Robert. He knew everything; found out years ago. And Robin was aware. Maybe not all the gory details, but she knew enough. He says, so who is it she’s worried about? and she says she thinks the people it’s going to affect the most, the people who are going to look at her differently, are Emma and Noah.

Michael says, what he doesn’t get is that Carly, Drew, or both could be sent to federal prison, yet her priority is to protect Sonny? Apparently, he wasn’t listening to the last speech she gave him on why Sonny can’t go to prison. She says, her problems with the SEC are for her and Drew to figure out. When she showed him that flashdrive, it proved how vulnerable his father is. Pikeman is a defense contractor, right? He says, enemies against the government, and potential enemies in the government (or something to that effect), and she says, a challenge his father has never dealt with before. When he showed her that footage of Sonny taking that delivery, it was evidence he violated national security. If Michael hadn’t changed his mind, his father would be in prison right now. Donna and Avery’s lives would be destroyed, and their lives would be in danger. She needs him to step up and protect his father. He says, what if he’s willing, but Dex isn’t?

Dex tells Josslyn, he has a high school diploma, no college courses, no interest in taking any. What kind of job can he get? Security? Doorman at the MetroCourt? She says, he was in security before, and there’s noting wrong with making a good, honest living, but he says he’s not as noble as she thinks he is. Sonny pays a helluva lot more than her honest living, and he’s good at it. Sonny is paying him to do things he already knows how to do, and he’s willing to accept a certain amount of risk. She says, and he’s willing to break the law, and he says, the worst thing he’s seen Sonny do is hang him from a meat hook. I laugh, because it’s true. Sonny is the most innocuous mobster in the world. She says, that could have been a lot worse, but he says he survived, thanks to her. Ever since he saved Sonny’s life at the warehouse, Sonny’s attitude toward him has changed. Sonny’s giving him more opportunities and trusting him more. This is his best option, and he’s going to take it. Unless it’s going to cost him her.

Brook says, Chase did all the research, and can tell Olivia all the specs. Olivia is all excited, and asks if it has 4-wheel drive, advanced driver assist, hands-free technology. Brook says, Olivia’s family used to own a garage in Brooklyn, and Chase says, nice. To answer her question, yes, yes, and yes. She says, then don’t think, do. Can she ask what’s the special reason he decided to buy this fancy new truck? He says he came into some money doing this whole singing thing – Brook says, like she promised – and now that he’s back to being a cop, he thought he’d treat himself to the truck of his dreams. Olivia says, congratulations, when Trish runs over, and tells Olivia that the paramedics are coming up. There’s been a slip and fall at the pool.

Drew continues to work on Ned, when the paramedics come in and take over. Drew says, he’s been unconscious for a couple of minutes. He’s been doing CPR. He got no sign of any pulse at all. Please… Olivia comes in, followed by Brook and Chase. She starts to run to Ned, but Drew holds her back, saying, let them do their work. The hallway is empty.

Nina pours a drink in Sonny’s office, and looks at her engagement ring. She flashes back to Sonny proposing. Then she remembers Ned saying, when Sonny finds out she was the one who pointed the SEC at Carly, she and Sonny are done. Sonny comes in, and says, Frank told him that she was waiting. What brings her by?

Anna tells Valentin that she switched her phone off because she’s a coward. Of all the people that could reach out to her, the one person she dreads is Emma. Emma is going to beg her to say it’s not true, that she wasn’t a traitor. She’s going to have to tell Emma… She starts to cry, and he puts his hand on her knee. She says, that she was, and Valentin says he thinks Anna shouldn’t underestimate her. She’s going to be hurt, she’s going to want an explanation, but Anna can give it to her. Anna can tell her that she was pulled in over her head; that she was manipulated by Cesar Faison. Anna says, she knows. She was, but how do you explain that? Maybe one day she’ll want to listen. Emma might even forgive her. But the way Emma used to look at her, with such pride, like she was the thing Emma aspired to be, that’s gone forever. He holds her as she cries. I wish my grandma had been Anna. She used to try and get us to take hard boiled eggs in a paper bag for the plane ride home. 😖

Sam says, Dante was pretty wrecked when he came back from the WSB, and he says, that’s one way to put it. She says, he managed to rebuild his life, and he says he had a lot of help; from Anna, from his family, and mostly from her. He wouldn’t have chosen any of that, but he survived. And waiting for him on the other side was Sam, someone he never expected. Now he never wants any other life, and it’s all her fault. He says he loves her, and they kiss.

Michael tells Carly, yes, Dex is qualified to protect Sonny, but who says he wants to, or that he’ll agree to take the risk of reporting back to him what Sonny does. Sure, it’s in Sonny’s best interest, but Sonny won’t see it that way. That means Dex would be a spy, and it could get him killed. Why should he take that risk when he can just take the money he’s earned and disappear? She says, he knows Dex. Would he do that? Michael says, he wouldn’t blame him if he did. He knows it would break Josslyn’s heart; she cares about him. Carly says, she truly cares about him. That’s one of the reasons she came up with this plan. Josslyn’s feelings are getting deeper and deeper all the time. The longer Dex stays in Port Charles, the more devastated she’ll be if he decides to leaved. If he decides to disappear, better it happens now. He asks if she’s sure about this, and she says, no. She’s not sure about any of this, but she does know she wants Michael to give Dex a choice, and let’s see what he decides.

Josslyn says, Dex just made this big case about why he wants to work for Sonny, but he’ll quit if she wants him to? He says he’s very clear she wants him to, but he’ll quit if it’s the only way they can stay together. She takes his hand and says, no. She’s not going to put conditions on their relationship. She’s not going to tell him what he can and can’t do. He’d only start resenting her. So she’d rather take her chances, and watch him take his with Sonny. Dex can go be his best lieutenant, risk his life, and break the law. Just remember, his life is kind of important to her. He says he’ll remember, and kisses her.

Sonny asks, what’s wrong? and Nina says, it’s all his fault. If he hadn’t given her such a spectacular ring, she wouldn’t be thinking about him all the time. So it leads her to want to see him, which led her to come here. He says, she’s always welcome, and she says, remember when they came back from Nixon Falls, and she was convinced she’d lost him forever? He hated her for withholding the truth about who he was. She thought he’d never forgive her, but what made it even worse was the memory of how happy she’d been with him. He says, they’ve all done things they regret and can’t forget the past, but what they can do is not live there. They can also think about the future they’re going to have – together. She says she wants that more than anything, but tonight, she just wants him, and they hug.

The paramedics get Ned situated on the gurney, and Olivia says she’s his wife. She needs to be riding in the ambulance with him. She tells Ned she’s here, and asks if he can hear her. She’s not leaving him, even for a second. Brook asks, what happened? and Tracy says, Drew attacked Ned and almost killed him. She tells Chase to put his badge to use; arrest him for assault.

Tomorrow, Austin tells Ava, if she doesn’t do what Mason wants, it could get them both killed; Elizabeth says, Finn’s secret is safe with her; and Drew asks if Chase is seriously going to arrest him.

🏥 Checking In…

I always liked him on AMC, but I’m hoping he’s not going to play a nice guy. We already have enough of those on the show right now.

💃🏽 Welcome To the Nurses Ball…

It must have been a blast.

📹 Sweet Share…

Such a shame. I can’t even fathom how she must feel.

🪧 Soap Solidarity…

Six degrees of GH. Fran Drescher is the SAG-AFTRA president, and Charles Shaughnessy (Victor) starred with her on The Nanny.

☯️ Yin and Yang…

Jersey Girl.

https://okmagazine.com/p/melissa-gorga-fan-post-star-rhonj-amid-nasty-feud-teresa-giudice/

Bitch Boy.

https://screenrant.com/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-luis-ruelas-lawsuit/

🍊 Angry Woman No More…

This is good… I guess.

💎 Exit Stage Hilton…

Did anyone really think she was coming back after last season?

https://people.com/kathy-hilton-exits-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-not-filming-season-13-7502450

👨🏽‍🍳 Winner, Winner, Deconstructed Chicken Dinner…

This was an excellent season, and I called it. I couldn’t help thinking of what I’d do during the different challenges. Like when the chefs did elevated picnics. I would have handed the judges a to-go bag from Balducci’s.

https://people.com/top-chef-crowns-winner-in-first-world-all-stars-finale-7510110

🍸 Not Today Satan…

We all need a break from the Vanderpump Rules Reunion blues – I know it bummed me out – so I’ll just say this about that. While I blame them both, Sandoval is the worse of the two. He’s truly a sociopath with delusions of grandeur, and I don’t care how much he wails that he’s human. That wasn’t an, oops, we were really drunk, or even, I fell in love with someone else. Not that those would be an excuse to cheat. You should always close the door on one relationship before opening it to another. The thing that made it so awful was that it went on for so long. Sandoval is also nearly 40, and obviously the less sheltered of the two, and no doubt manipulating the situation.

Which brings me to the awful vapidness of the ex-beauty queen runner-up. The fact that she could pretend to be such a good friend to Ariana is extremely disturbing. I don’t know if Rachel is a sociopath, but there’s definitely something going on there in that there seems to be nothing going on there. Lisa had it correct that she seemed to be playing a role, like it was a competition. It’s what she knows, but it’s not as human as she claims. Normally, those who grow up in that life either leave it behind eventually, live off their endorsements, or when they can no longer do, they teach the next generation of contestants. Rachel is stuck in some weird groove in the movie in her head, and Ariana also had it right in that she finds her identity in men, and has no original thoughts. Why? Who knows? Hopefully, she’ll find these things out in therapy, but she’s done for on reality TV. And if she’s offered one of those villain roles in some all-stars challenge show, it would be in her best interest to steer clear. I have no clue what her parents are really like, since James’s narrative is questionable to be sure; that they started it. It would behoove them to take charge, and get her as far away from LA as possible.

As for Lisa, she who can do no wrong, I have never seen her look sadder. At least not in public. I have no clue what happens behind closed doors, nor should I, but I have never seen her look like that. Not when her mother died, not when her brother died of an overdose, not when Giggy, or any of the other dogs, or the pony died. It was the sadness of a mother whose children have seriously f***ed up. And she does look at them as her children, so I hope Ariana and Lala eventually give her a pass.

Ariana is already doing okay. Her heart’s still broken, but better now than after they got married and/or had children. I’m with her on thank God her eggs weren’t fertilized. He would have probably challenged her for them on top of it. Lala was spot on once again when she said Ariana would look back and see this as a favor.

The whole thing was just sad.

🦫 So I Leave You With This…

Because we all need a laugh, and animals are the best.

https://www.upworthy.com/flying-squirrel-faking-its-own-death

🎨 Being My Own Muse…

Stop on in tomorrow for soap, the tea du jour, quotes, and a song. Until then, stay safe, stay filling the paper tray if you’ve used the last piece, and stay not living in the past.

January 24, 2023 – Josslyn Begs Cameron To Stay Silent About Dex, Kristina’s Pal, Opening Up, Anniversary Watch Party, No Snooki, Academy Picks & the City

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dex goes in to see Sonny, and says, sorry for interrupting. Sonny says, as long as Dex knows, it’s always family first, and Dex says he does. Sonny asks what Dex has to tell him, and Dex says, Sonny told him to stay away from Josslyn, but he couldn’t.

Josslyn asks Cameron not to tell anybody about her and Dex, and he says, excuse me? Josslyn dumps him for Dex, and expects him to keep his mouth shut? She says, please, it has to stay a secret, and he asks, why? Because she’s ashamed of what she did? She says, no, because she’s afraid of what Sonny could do if he finds out.

Sam meets Maxie at The Savoy, and apologizes for being late. Maxie says she’s just glad Sam is there. It’s important for them to make time for each other when they can. Sam says, Maxie’s thinking of Britt, and Maxie says, yeah, and all the times she wanted to text Britt to just hang out or go shopping. But Britt was really busy, so there were a lot of texts never sent. When Sam’s name came up in her phone, she thought she’d really like to see her friend. Sam says, it’s good to see Maxie too.

Laura says, tell her what’s going on, and Elizabeth says, her mother is in town. Laura asks, why? Does Elizabeth think she wants to make almonds amends? Elizabeth says, apparently, that’s just a bonus. She’s here to consult on a patient. Laura says, and Elizabeth doesn’t believe her, but Elizabeth says she doesn’t know. After everything her mom and her dad have done, can she risk trusting her? Laura asks if her mom deliberately tried to get in touch with her, and Elizabeth says she thinks Carolyn just ran into her by accident. When they talked, she seemed sincere about wanting to make up for all the harm she caused, the lost time… It’s just that… Laura says, it’s just that with their history, it’s hard for Elizabeth to trust her, and Elizabeth says, exactly. Laura says she’s sorry. Unfortunately, she’s starting to feel that way about Nikolas.

Carolyn says she came all the way from Monterey because Nikolas said her daughter was in trouble and needs her help. Nikolas says, it’s true. He trusts she hasn’t told anybody about her trip, especially Elizabeth, and she says she hadn’t, but she ran into her daughter at Kelly’s. He asks what Elizabeth said, and Carolyn says she did as he asked and didn’t tell Lizzie about his phone call; just that she was here to consult on a case. He says he knew he could count on her discretion, and asks if she’d like a drink. She tells him, no thank you, but he could answer her question. What’s going on with Lizzie? What kind of trouble is her daughter in?

Paris, France. Valentin and Anna go into a monastery, and a monk asks if he can help them. Anna apologizes for it being late, and says, they’ve been reading about this ancient monastery, and the history is fascinating. Anna tells the monk that they’re going to pray, and she and Valentin kneel down by the altar. The monk leaves, and Anna says, if Valentin’s friend Renee doesn’t show, they’ll have to pray for a miracle. They’re running out of time to find Lucy before it’s too late.

Elizabeth asks what Nikolas did this time, and Laura says, he wants her to side with him when he sues Esme for full custody of her baby. She asks if it’s hard for Elizabeth to hear this stuff when she was recently involved with him, but Elizabeth says, no. What happened was… It ended as quickly as it began. They’re back to being friends. Laura says she’s glad to hear that. Nikolas needs all the friends he can get right now. Elizabeth says she knows the feeling, and Laura says she’s glad Elizabeth reached out to her. Would Elizabeth like her to talk to Carolyn; find out why she showed up suddenly after all these years, especially after Elizabeth told her that she didn’t want anything to do with her or Jeff? Elizabeth thanks her, but says, her mom is an expert at mind games. She played them on Elizabeth as a teenager, and she’s still dealing with the consequences. Laura says, Elizabeth knows she’s a part of her family too, right? and Elizabeth says, Laura is the mom she always wished she had. Laura takes her hand, and Elizabeth says, her birth mom wants back into her life, and she keeps asking herself, should she give Carolyn another chance?

Nikolas tells Carolyn, Elizabeth’s troubles started long before she came to Port Charles. Or does he have to remind Carolyn how young her daughter was when she and Jeff cut her loose to save their marriage? She asks if that’s what Elizabeth told him, and he says, yes. He and Elizabeth have been good friends; they tell each other everything. Elizabeth told him all about her dad’s unfortunate affair when he was supposed to be serving humanity out there in the Pacific. She says, Jeff’s not perfect, and neither is she, and Nikolas says, Elizabeth also told him about the unintended consequences that led to the death of Hamilton Finn’s wife Reiko. And how Carolyn used her skills as a psychiatrist to suppress Elizabeth’s memory of the incident. If she really wants to help her daughter, she’ll stop asking him questions, and do exactly as he says.

Maxie tells Sam, everything is set for Britt’s memorial. She’s sure if it were up to Britt, it would be another bash like her birthday. Sam says she heard it was legendary, and Maxie says, beyond. The drag emcee and shirtless waiters were just the beginning. She realizes now that Britt meant for it to be a goodbye party. Britt was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. She knew she was terminal… She should have had more time, years more. Sam hopes it’s some consolation that Britt died saving someone’s life, but Maxie says, the only consolation will be when the police identify The Hook, and send them to jail for the rest of time. Which got her thinking, has Dante shared any details from the police investigation with Sam? Sam asks if Mac has shared any details of the investigation with Maxie, and Maxie says, Mac never shares any details of police investigations with her… but she’s sure he shares them with her mom, because they’re a couple and he trusts her. And with a high stress job like that, you need someone to confide in. Sam and Dante are a couple, which gets her thinking… Sam says, most of the time, Maxie would be wrong, and Maxie says, and this time? Sam says, Maxie’s right. She and Dante are working together.

Anna tells Valentin, they can’t wait any longer. If the entrance to the catacombs is somewhere here, they have to find it themselves. He says, they have to wait for Renee. She’s not that late; she’ll be here. She’s a cataphile. She knows the catacombs better than anyone he’s ever met. Anna asks, what is it about her? Is it her knowledge of the catacombs that fascinates him, or is it the history they share? He says he was another man; that was another life. He took huge risks, and made large amounts of money illegally for a lot of people, including Renee. He can’t say he regrets that time in his life because it was a lot better than the one he had previously. She says, and now he’s revisiting it, when Renee says, there they are. Have they brought everything they need? Anna says, everything they need is in that backpack, and in French, Renee asks Valentin if he has everything he needs. The monk comes back, and Renee says, they won’t be long; she promises. She takes Valentin’s arm, and says, they may have to find their way in the dark.

Sonny asks Dex to explain why he couldn’t stay away from Josslyn, and Dex says, on New Year’s Eve, he was crossing Pier 55, and heard the signs of a struggle. He went to check it out, and found Josslyn on the ground, and a woman who turned out to be Britt Westbourne struggling with The Hook. Sonny says, go on, and Dex says he took a shot. It was a bad angle, and he didn’t want to risk hitting Dr. Westbourne, but the attacker dropped her weapon and took off. He went to check on Josslyn; she was shaken up, but not injured. Dr. Westbourne said she was okay. She must not have realized she’d been hit. Sonny says, so this happened New Year’s Eve. Why is he just hearing about it now?

Josslyn tells Cameron that Sonny told Dex to keep his distance from her. If Sonny finds out they’ve been seeing each other… Sonny prides himself on having his own code. If you break that code, you pay with your life. Cameron asks if what she’s saying is, she wants him to keep his mouth shut to save the neck of her new boyfriend, but she says she’s asking him to save a life. It’s Dex’s life, and she understands, but she knows Cameron. He would never deliberately hurt somebody else just for the sake of payback. He says, maybe she doesn’t know him as well as she thinks.

Carolyn says she won’t allow Nikolas to question her motives. She came all the way across the country to help her daughter; nothing more, nothing less. She knew there was a chance that Lizzie wouldn’t even talk to her, but that’s between her daughter and her. He says, first of all, no one in Elizabeth’s life calls her Lizzie; no one. And second, Elizabeth’s fate and his are intertwined. They’ve played a pivotal role in each other’s lives for decades. Can Carolyn say that? She says she has the feeling if he and Elizabeth are having a problem, he’s the one to blame, not her daughter. He says he’s not going to deny that, because she’s right, but he and Elizabeth are well past the place of pointing fingers. They’re both in trouble. End of story. Unless Carolyn chooses to act, and she acts now. Or was she just lying when she said she wanted to help? She asks what he wants her to do, and he says, years ago, she went to great lengths to protect Elizabeth, or so she said. Use those same skills to save her daughter before it’s too late.

Elizabeth tells Laura that Carolyn seems to genuinely regret the choices she made. It’s not like Elizabeth has never crossed a line or done something she’s regretted. Laura says, welcome to the club. It’s called being human. The important thing is, you just can’t let your past mistakes determine your future. Elizabeth asks if that same standard shouldn’t apply to her mom, and Laura says, yeah. Let’s start by assuming her mother is sincere and just wants a fresh start with her. Does Elizabeth think she could meet her halfway, and begin the healing process? Elizabeth says she’s always dreamed of her boys knowing their grandparents, and Laura asks, what stops her? Elizabeth says, at what point can she let go of the past, and actually forgive her parents?

Josslyn tells Cameron that she understands. She didn’t handle this situation the right way. She’s given him every reason to hate her, but she can’t believe he’d stand around and let Sonny blame it all on Dex. He says, she is so selfish. She totally broke his heart, but he thought, at least she’s being honest with him. It turns out, she was lying. It wasn’t because they grew apart. She dumped him because she found a new guy, and she wants him to help Dex? The answer is no. He’s not doing a favor for her and her new boyfriend. She says, don’t call him that, and he says, he is, isn’t he? But what goes around, comes around. She got with Dex by cheating on him, and he’s looking forward to the day Dex cheats on her, because that’s what she deserves. She got Dex, but at a cost, which is their friendship, now dead and buried. Let him be perfectly clear, it was her who ended it, not him. She says, absolutely. She gets it. She waited to long to tell him how she felt, so blame her, don’t blame Dex. He says, she made her choices. He has his too, and he’ll be damned if he keeps Dex’s secret for him.

Dex says, right after New Year’s, Miss Reeves found out her daughter has leukemia, and Sonny’s been focused on that. That’s why he came here today. He’d already left it too long, and knew Sonny needed to know. Sonny says, so he took a shot at The Hook, The Hook ran off, then what? Dex says, Dr. Westbourne wanted to call the police, but he knew if he was there, they would confiscate the gun, and trace it. Since he didn’t know where Sonny got it, he didn’t want to risk the scrutiny, but he didn’t want to leave Josslyn alone; she was pretty shaken up. Sonny says, so Dex took Josslyn with him, and Dex says, he explained to her why he couldn’t stick around for the cops, and gave her a choice. She chose to come with him. Sonny says, he just left Britt there, and Dex says, she agreed to cover for them. None of them saw The Hook’s face; she was wearing some kind of mask. None of them had any other information to offer. There was nothing to be gained by him or Josslyn talking to the cops; it would have only caused complications. Sonny says, so Dex and Josslyn left the pier. Where did they go? Dex says, back to his apartment, and Sonny says, Dex took Josslyn back to his place. Dex says, she didn’t want to go to her mom’s, and didn’t feel safe at her place. She was still shaken up, and he didn’t feel she should be alone. Sonny asks how long Josslyn stayed with him, and Dex flashes back to them getting busy. He says, a couple hours. Then she asked to go to Kelly’s, and he took her back to her mom’s. Sonny says, Carly knows? and Dex says, yes, sir. Sonny says, but Dex waited until now to tell him? and Dex says, only because of Miss Reeves. She needed Sonny, and Sonny was focused on her. He figured that was more important. Sonny says he appreciates the gesture, but it doesn’t let Dex off the hook, no pun intended.

Josslyn says, Cameron is right. He doesn’t owe Dex anything, but she’s not asking for his sake. She’s asking for the sake of what they’ve meant to each other. He says, what is that exactly? It’s clear to him that she didn’t give a crap about him. She says, that’s not true. She does care about him. She’s talking about before they broke up. He says, before she slept with Dex, and she says she hates seeing him this hurt; that’s on her, she knows.  She knew what her feelings were, and didn’t say anything. She was trying to shield him, and made everything worse. She’s sorry. He’s a good guy. They’ve been friends forever, so she’s asking for the sake of those two friends who shared everything, the good and the bad. He asks if Dex means that much and him so little that she’s willing to compromise herself, and expect him to do the same.

Sam says, the reason she was late is that she just got back from Spring Ridge, and Maxie asks who she was visiting. Sam says, Esme Prince, and Maxie says, ugh. Because? Sam says, there’s a connection between Esme and the victims of The Hook attacks, and Maxie says she read all about it in The Invader. Sam’s mom’s coverage is must read journalism. Sam says, her mom is actually the reason she went to Spring Ridge. She wants Sam to track down Esme’s nanny. Maxie says, that’s not random or anything, and Sam says, it’s kind of a convoluted story, and the details are part of the investigation and privileged, so she can’t share them. But she can share that the nanny raised Esme after Esme’s adoptive parents died. The nanny Maggie Fitzgerald could potentially have information about a suspect in The Hook attacks. Maxie says, that’s a lot of mights and potentials, and Sam says she knows it’s a long shot. Maxie asks where Dante fits in, and Sam says, the police are on a parallel track. She and Dante are going to London to track down the last known address…  Maxie asks when Sam was going to tell her about this, and Sam says she was just telling her. Maxie says she knows. They’re going to track down the nanny who might have information, blah-blah-blah, but Sam and the man she loves are going to England. It’s exciting. Sam says, yes, actually. It’s really exciting.

Laura says she’s not suggesting Elizabeth give her mother a free pass, but she thinks Elizabeth might regret it if she doesn’t at least try to work things out with her mom. Ultimately, it’s Elizabeth’s decision, and she’s here for Elizabeth, no matter what she decides. Elizabeth says, Laura doesn’t play fair, all this appealing to her better angels. She’ll do her best. Laura says, it’s all any of them can do.

Nikolas says, there’s a young woman currently being held in a minimum security prison known as Spring Ridge, and Carolyn says, it’s where Ryan Chamberlain is being held, correct? He says, yes. He’s the most infamous inmate, but the young girl he mentioned is fascinating in her own way. Carolyn asks, how so? and he says, before she was sent to Spring Ridge, she showed up at GH very pregnant, with no clue how she got that way. She asks if he’s saying the girl has memory loss, and he says, so it seems; she’s a total blank slate. But more important, she has to stay that way. She says, important to who? Him? He says, and Elizabeth, and she asks, what exactly doesn’t he want this poor young woman to remember? He says, it’s better if she doesn’t know, and it’s better for her daughter if this poor young woman never gets her memory back.

The monk closes the doors, and Valentin says, the coast is clear. Where’s the entrance to the catacombs? Renee asks if he can feel it too, and he says, feel what? She says, the thrill, the rush, just like it used to be it. It can be that way again, and he says, she knows him; first, they finish the job. She says, and then? Anna joins them with the backpack, and asks what they’re waiting for. They go inside the catacombs.  

Carolyn says, Nikolas is asking her to medically manipulate an already damaged young woman to serve his needs? He says he’s asking her to use her expertise for the greater good, while serving Elizabeth’s needs. She says, if her daughter agreed to that, Elizabeth would have asked herself, and he says, Elizabeth has a good heart; that’s partly why she’s in this mess. She needs her mom to help her out, using her skills and training to suppress Esme’s painful memories like she once did for Elizabeth. She says, when did that procedure on Lizzie, she was thinking about her emotional well-being, but Nikolas says he doesn’t think Elizabeth thought it was in her best interest. They both know how much she’s suffered since then. Isn’t that what lured Carolyn back here, the opportunity to make it right? Carolyn says, and Nikolas calls himself a friend, and he says he’s a better friend than she is a parent, but she has the chance to atone for that. He’s offering her one last chance.

Josslyn says, their friendship is something she cherished, and Cameron says, stop pretending she has any respect for him. All this crap about how they couldn’t make it as a couple didn’t mean anything because she didn’t want to make it work; she found someone else. And now she wants him to keep her dirty little secret. She says, Dex works for Sonny; that complicates things. What she did hurt Cameron, and she hates that. If their friendship has to take a time out because of that, that’s fine; she understands. But she wants their friendship to have a future, somehow somewhere down the road. She wants him to want that too. He says, what if he doesn’t want that? What if he can’t ever find it in himself to forgive her? What then? She says, then she has to tell Dex before this gets back to Sonny.

Dex tells Sonny that he picked up the casing, so there’s nothing to tie the gun to what happened on New Year’s. He puts the casing and gun on the table, and says he understands if Sonny doesn’t trust him with it anymore. Sonny says, keep it, but he wants Dex to spend more time at the shooting range, because he doesn’t want Dex to miss next time. As long as Dex can look him in the eyes and swear he’s telling him everything.

Valentin says, the smell brings back memories, and Renee says, the smell in the catacombs is very memorable. He says, and not in a good way. They’ve been walking for a while now; how far have they gone? She says, they’ve gone at least one mile underground, and he asks if they’re getting closer to the compound where Victor is holding Lucy. She says, it can’t be far now, and he calls to Anna. He says, Anna was right behind them, and Renee says, it’s easy for people to get lost, especially when it’s their first time. He says, they have to go back and look for her, and Renee says, or they could celebrate that it’s just the two of them now.

Dex says he’s told Sonny everything. He can ask Josslyn. Sonny says he plans to, but he does appreciate Dex showing him respect, especially with what’s going on with Michael and Willow; they’re going through a tough time. Dex says, if Sonny doesn’t mind him asking, how are they doing? and Sonny says, they’re waiting to see if Nina’s a match so she can be a marrow donor for Willow. Dex says he hopes everything works out, and Sonny thanks him for looking out for Josslyn that night. He’s not officially her stepfather anymore. She wants nothing to do with him and he has no say, but she’s still important to him. Dex says, it goes with the job, right? Protecting everyone who’s important to Sonny. Sonny says, that’s the same thing he used to say when he was young, and had to prove himself. Dex is doing good. The sky’s the limit for him.

Cameron tells Josslyn, all this talk about cherishing their friendship is just BS. She just wants to  butter him up so he’ll stay quiet about her wannabe mobster boy toy. She says she hurt Cameron, and now he wants to hurt her; maybe she deserves that. But that doesn’t change the fact that if Sonny finds out she slept with Dex, he could turn on Dex. He might even have Dex killed. Does Cameron get that? He tells her, don’t dare try to make this his fault. She screwed him over, and he doesn’t owe her a damn thing. He walks to the door, and she asks where he’s going. He says, to Kelly’s, to go to his normal, boring, non-mafia job, and she asks what he’s going to do. He says, what does she think? Does she really believe he’s going to go on the internet and tell everyone his girlfriend left him for some stupid criminal? Her secret is safe with him. She thanks him, but he says, don’t dare thank him for being a better person than she is. Unlike her, he doesn’t betray the people he cares about. He leaves.

Laura says, it’s pretty clear there’s something else weighing on Elizabeth. Does she want to talk about it? Elizabeth says she doesn’t want to involve Laura in any more of her troubles. As much as she’d love to blame her parents, she’s not that 15 year old girl they shipped off. She’s a grown woman with three kids of her own. At some point, she needs to take responsibility for her own decisions. Laura says, that’s something they all need to do, but if what Elizabeth is struggling with involves Nikolas, she’s already involved. He’s her son, and she loves him. She always will, but she knows how persuasive he can be. Nikolas can make a bad idea seem reasonable. Elizabeth says she knows, and Laura asks if he’s imposed on their friendship. Elizabeth says, he talks a good game, but the choices she’s made are the choices she’s made, and she has to live with them. Laura says, she can always change her mind. Whatever it is, Elizabeth can tell her.

Maxie says she’s happy Sam found love again. To have been hurt so badly and grieve, then risk her heart again? She really admires Sam. Sam says, falling in love with Dante wasn’t some courageous act. It was actually the easiest most natural thing she’s ever done. They were friends, and she liked him; then she was like, wow, I love him. He told her that he loved her, and it just felt right. Don’t get her wrong. There have been plenty of bumps in the road along the way. Maybe she could have taken the pressure off with the whole moving in situation. Maxie says, because it was so important, she might screw it up? Like moving in together might be the beginning of the end? Sam says, pretty much, but moving in together wound up being wonderful. They fit really well together as a family. Maxie says, that’s awesome… and dangerous.

Nikolas says, what does Carolyn say? Does she want to put her psychiatric skills to use to help her daughter? She says, go to hell. All those years ago, when she used her skills so Elizabeth could forget that traumatic experience, she told herself that she was doing what was best for her daughter, but that wasn’t true. She was taking the easy way out for her and her husband, and she’s spent a lifetime wishing she could undo that mistake. The one and only reason she came to Port Charles was to make it right with Elizabeth. She’s not going to compound her mistake at the expense of another poor, young, innocent woman. Nikolas says, the woman in question is hardly innocent, and Carolyn says, the trouble is, she doesn’t trust him. And she absolutely will not use her knowledge of the human mind to play God with someone else’s life. She made that mistake decades ago, and it’s a mistake she’ll always regret. She picks up her stuff, and walks to the door. Nikolas says, maybe this time, Elizabeth will regret it, and Carolyn stops, turning around.

Valentin says, Renee is right. It is just her and him, and that’s a problem for him. They have to turn around and find Anna. Renee asks, what’s the rush? If Anna is as resourceful as he’s been telling her, doesn’t he think she’ll catch up… eventually, that is. She knows he can feel the heat between them. Those old feelings don’t just evaporate. She can still remember those wild times they had. She doesn’t think it’s possible to forget them. It can be like that again – she moves closer, about to kiss him – only better, if you play your cards right. A flashlight shines toward them, and Anna says, there they are. She took a wrong turn and thought she lost them… Did something happen while she was gone?

Carolyn says she can’t believe Nikolas calls himself her daughter’s friend, and he says, when Elizabeth graduated high school, he was there. Where was she? When Elizabeth graduated nursing school, he was there. Where was she? When the three boys were born, when Franco died, for all those times, he was there to hold Elizabeth’s hand, to wipe her tears away, to celebrate her victories. He was there for all of it. She was there for none of it, so don’t take that sanctimonious tone with him, because that flag won’t fly. She says, what she and Jeff did to Elizabeth all those years ago, broke their hearts, but at least they were able to tell themselves that Elizabeth had her grandmother to look out for her when they couldn’t. And her friends. Or so they thought. Now she sees how wrong they were. He says, they can agree on one thing, Audrey was a saint. She took great care of Elizabeth, and so did her friends, including him. If Elizabeth needs anything, day or night, all she has to do is call, and he’ll be there. Carolyn says, please. He’s just out to save himself. He says, she’s partially right. He does want to save himself, but he wants to save Elizabeth  too. Can Carolyn say that? She walks out.

Elizabeth tells Laura, it started off simply. She just wanted to repay a friend. Nikolas was there when her life went sideways when Franco got killed, and the more she got involved in his plan… Cameron walks in, and says, it’s great to see Laura. He hugs Laura, and says he didn’t think Elizabeth would still be here. She wasn’t waiting for him, was she? Elizabeth says, no. Laura came to meet her and they got to talking. She asks if he’s okay, and he says he’s fine; never better. In fact, he’s so fine, he wants to treat them to a special dessert. Elizabeth says, he doesn’t have to, but he says he wants to. It’s on him; on the house. He goes in the back, and Elizabeth asks if he’s trying too hard. Laura says, in a word, yes.

Maxie says, Sam and Dante really are the picture of domestic bliss. Two jobs, four kids; all they need is a dog. But all that domesticity can get in the way of romance. Tell her if this sounds familiar. Between Sam’s job and Dante’s job, making dinner, helping kids with their homework, by the time they’re alone together, they’re already in bed. It’s inevitable one of them is asleep before they turn out the light. Sam says, occasionally that happens, and Maxie says, but in London, Sam and Dante will be alone together, away from their daily lives. Yes, they’ll be investigating, but maybe they’ll have time to take a stroll through Kensington Gardens, or have a candlelit dinner, or room service in bed. Sam says she hopes they get the chance, but even if they don’t, Maxie’s right. She and Dante are going to be alone together, and this is going to be their first trip as a couple. She’s really excited about it. Maxie says she bets Dante is too. Cheers to Sam and Dante in London. Sam says, cheerio, and they clink glasses.

Sonny says he’s glad they had this talk, and Dex says, goodnight, boss. In the hallway, Dex’s phone rings, and he says, what’s up? Sitting on her dorm room floor, Josslyn says she just had a horrible conversation with Cam. He said some pretty harsh things about her. Dex says, she doesn’t sound good, and she says, she just lost her oldest friend. He asks if they’re in trouble, but she says she doesn’t think so. Cam said he wouldn’t say anything. Dex says he just told Sonny about the night Dr. Westbourne was killed, and he took Josslyn back to his place. She asks how much he told Sonny, and he says, he believes nothing happened between them. They’re all good.

On the phone, Sonny says he needs someone (probably Brick) to check on Dex Heller.

Valentin says, thank God Anna’s okay. He was afraid she’d gotten lost. They were about to circle back for her. Weren’t they? In French, Renee says, Valentin was beside himself with worry, and Anna answers in French, I understand. So what do they have here? It looks like a dead end. Valentin says he’s not so sure, and they walk over to some iron bars. He says, hang on, and they look inside with flashlights. He says, oh my God, and we see Lucy, bound and gagged.  

Tomorrow, Laura says, Martin isn’t actually considering that, is he; Olivia asks Drew why she gets the impression it has something to do with Carly; Carly says, Josslyn needs to be sure this is what she really wants; and Lucy’s rescue mission proceeds.

👯‍♂️ That’s What Friends Are For…

Not sure where I’d be without mine. Dogs help too.

🔥 Blazing Her Trail…

But what happens when he goes back to being a cop?

🔦 Look Into the Light…

If you’re a Guiding Light fan, this is Wednesday, January 25th, like five minutes from now.

👎🏽 No, Just No…

Ugh. I can’t believe these people are middle aged and still drinking until they get tossed out of a restaurant. The Jersey Housewives don’t need any help being idiots.

🏆 The Moment You’ve Been Waiting For…

The Oscar noms.

https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2023

🛒 Getting In the Express Lane…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and whatever I can dig up. FYI, the RHOSLC Reunion starts tomorrow. Until then, stay safe, stay optimistic, but practical, and stay not letting your past mistakes determine your future.

December 2, 2022 – Victor Meets Cyrus, Absent, Jackie’s 45th, Remembrance, Cover Boy, Rudest, Sailed, Amends, That Cake, Only a Donor, Daryl’s Spin, Holiday Horror, First List, New TV, a Handful of Quotes & 1963

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dante walks into Pozzulo’s and knocks on Sonny’s office door. On the phone, Sonny tells Brick to let him know what he comes up with. He asks Dante, what’s up? and Dante thanks him again for Thanksgiving. They had a great time seeing everybody, and he thinks it must have meant a lot to Gladys and Sasha to be included. Sonny says, his commitment is always to his family, no matter what Michael thinks, and Dante says, that’s the real reason he’s here. They both know Michael was right about Sonny.

Drew goes into Sonny’s ex-kitchen to visit the moss bowl🎍, and sees Michael. He thanks Michael for meeting him, and Michael says, it sounded urgent. He asks why Drew asked to meet at his mom’s house, and Drew says, this conversation has to be completely confidential, and there’s too many potential eavesdroppers at the Quartermaines, and probably at Aurora too. Michael asks, what’s going on? and Drew says, they have to be prepared, because he and Carly could be facing criminal charges.

Josslyn checks out a shirtless Dex (another possible drinking game!), and says, his wound is almost healed. Dex says he told her he was fine; nothing to worry about. She says, that sounds so familiar. That’s what he said when he was bleeding and fighting a 104 fever in her dorm room, so excuse her for checking it out herself. He says, so she just came to provide medical attention? and she asks what else she’d come here for. He says he thought maybe she wanted to see him.

Sam struggles to put up a wreath, and Sasha helps her. Sam says, Sasha’s timing is impeccable; good reach. Sasha says she appreciates Sam helping, and Sam says, Dante texted her, and said she was helping with the community decorations. Sasha says, it was Nina’s idea. Nina thought she might be at loose ends as the holiday approached. Sam says, good for Nina, and good for Sasha too, and Sasha says, Nina really deserves all the credit. Not only is she a good person, she’s thoughtful and generous too.

Willow tells Nina, Sasha was just the latest excuse for Nina to get closer to her, and scheme her way back into Wiley’s orbit. Which after the lies Nina spread, is just ludicrous. Nina says she didn’t spread any lies, and Willow says, so Nina didn’t tell Michael that she and TJ were having an affair, when nothing could be further from the truth? Nina says, she made that one mistake. Can Willow calm down? And when she apologized, Willow told her to drop dead. Willow says, that’s because nothing else gets through to her. She doesn’t listen. She doesn’t stop; she just keeps pushing and pushing. Go away, and leave her family the hell alone. Carly walks in, and Willow drops to the floor. Carly and Nina run to her, and Nina says, she’ll call 9-1-1, but Carly says, no. Help her with Willow first.

On the phone in the hallway at Pentenville, Victor says he needs to know what happened to that necklace. If it burned up in the cabin, sift through the ashes. He must have those diamonds. They’re pivotal to his next step. He goes into the visitor’s room, and Nikolas is there. Nikolas says he thinks this is a bad idea; his son doesn’t want to see him. Victor says, Nikolas is Spencer’s father. Spencer misses him, even if he’s angry. The guard lets Spencer in, but Spencer says he wishes to return to his cell. Victor asks if that’s any way to treat family. No matter how many times they might disagree, Cassadines always come together in the end. Nikolas says he’s glad to see Spencer, even if Spencer doesn’t feel the same.

Sonny tells Dante that he can’t believe he’s hearing this. They both know Michael’s anger is out of control. He keeps trying to reconcile, but Michael doesn’t bend. Dante says he’s not condoning the way Michael is treating Sonny – he doesn’t like it – but Michael was telling the truth when he said Sonny abducted Dex Heller and had him beaten. He saw some of Dex’s injuries, and the only reason he didn’t arrest Sonny is because Dex lied and covered for him. Sonny says, that was after Brando’s funeral, months ago. Why is Dante bringing it up now? Dante says, because he looked the other way. Sonny committed a felony, and now he’s doing it again. He does know what Sonny does for a living, right?

Josslyn tells Dex that he can put his shirt on now, and he says he didn’t mean to make her feel uncomfortable, but she says she’s not uncomfortable. He says, true, she’s seen him in less, and she says, he slept in her bed. He says, too bad all he did was sleep, and she says, wow. He really went there. He says he can’t help it. Of all the rotten luck to be lying in her bed, too feverish to do anything but sleep. She says, there’s always next time.

Sasha says, Sam must be on decoration overload. She’s helping get Rice Plaza ready for Christmas, and also has her own house to decorate. Sam says she does have three elves to help with that; she hopes anyway. Scout’s down to help, but she doesn’t know if Danny and Rocco will think they’re too old for decoration. Sasha says, too bad if they are. At least Scout is on board. Christmas is magic at any age, but especially for the little ones. She used to… How about adding some ribbon to this? Sam says, Sasha doesn’t have to edit herself with her. Whatever she was going to say, whatever she’s feeling, she can say it.

Drew tells Michael, he spoke to his legal team, and they think there might be a case against him and Carly for insider trading; even though Carly didn’t make any money, and the merger between ELQ and Aurora didn’t happen. Michael asks if Drew really thinks Ned would go to the SEC, and Drew says he doesn’t think Ned would go that far, but he can’t afford for it to happen. They shared pizza together at Thanksgiving, but he can’t assume that peace offering is going to make Ned forgive and forget. Michael says, the Quartermaines are famous for holding a grudge, and Drew says, exactly. That’s why he has to back way off. He can’t afford to provoke Ned more than he already has. Michael says, given Ned’s anger at feeling they abandoned him, he doesn’t blame Drew, and Drew says, in addition to Leo’s sweet desire for family peace, it’s in their best interest for him and Carly to mend fences with Ned. Michael says he will too, and Drew thanks him. Michael asks what else Drew and Carly can do to protect themselves, and Drew says, they could stop seeing each other.

Nina brings in a cold towel, while Carly props up Willow’s feet, and tells Willow to open her eyes. Willow opens her eyes, and Carly tells her to take it easy. Nina says she’s going to call 9-1-1, but Willow sits up and says, no.

Victor says, Nikolas is Spencer’s father, and Spencer is going to need his father’s support when he’s released, but Spencer says, not if Victor fulfills his end of the bargain. Nikolas says, what bargain? and Spencer says, Victor didn’t tell him? Victor says, he didn’t see the need, and Spencer says, if he agreed to keep his mouth shut about Nikolas sleeping with Esme, Victor promised Spencer would get his birthright ahead of schedule. So he doesn’t need Nikolas anymore; he’s obsolete. Uncle Victor made sure of it. Nikolas says he can’t say he blames Spencer. He hasn’t been a good father, and doesn’t deserve Spencer’s forgiveness, despite his mistakes. Spencer is a better man than he is, and he envies how Spencer gives his whole heart. He hates that he broke it. Spencer says he’s used to it, and Nikolas says he hates that too. Spencer has no reason to trust him, but if Spencer lets him in his life, he gives Spencer his word that he’ll never hurt him again. Spencer says he’d settle for not having to listen to another of these disingenuous speeches, and Nikolas says he told Victor this was a bad idea. He leaves, and Victor tells Spencer, sit down. Spencer sits, and Victor says he’s so disappointed in Spencer. Spencer says, Victor and his father both disrespected his wishes, but Victor says he’d do it again, even though Spencer squandered the time he bought, so Spencer could realign with his father. Spencer says, Victor may be all powerful on the outside, but he has competition in here. Cyrus walks in.

Michael says he didn’t know Drew and his mother were seeing each other. Although the looked cozy at the Quartermaine picnic, and Drew did go to Florida to help his mom with her adoptive mother’s grave, which was above and beyond. Drew says, to be honest, he’s had a thing for Carly for a while now, and Michael says, since they came back from Jacksonville, he just got a friendship vibe. Drew says, the point is, if he and Carly are going to openly be a couple (or perhaps a throuple with the moss bowl🎍), it could strengthen the SEC’s case that he gave her privileged business information. So they’ve got to be casual in public, and probably in private too. How uncomfortable is this conversation making Michael right now? Michael says he knows Drew and his mom are adults, and he’s got to admit, since his mom came back from Florida, this is the happiest he’s seen her in a long time. Drew says, Carly makes him happy too. Unfortunately, this relationship may be short-lived. Michael asks if it has to go that far, and Drew says he thought they could meet in private, but it isn’t fair. They can’t meet at the Quartermaines because he lives there, and there’s always someone popping in and unexpected moments in that house. Like when Olivia walked in on Chase in Brook’s bedroom, for example. Michael says, he heard about that? It was a moment. Drew says, if they meet here in Carly’s house, they have to time their visits to when Donna and Joss aren’t here. It seems dishonest. Maybe he has to accept the timing isn’t right. Michael asks, what if this is the only time they’re going to get?

Tucked in on the couch, Willow says she’s fine. Please don’t call an ambulance. Carly feels Willow’s forehead, and asks if she still feels dizzy. She going to check Willow’s temperature. Willow says she’s not dizzy, and she’s not running a fever, but Nina says, at least let them take her to the hospital, so she can notify her OB. Willow asks, what part of I’m fine doesn’t Nina understand? She’s not in pain; she just needs to rest. Carly gives her some water, and says she needs to stay hydrated. She asks Nina if they can chat outside.

Sonny says he thought things were good with him and Dante, and Dante says, maybe they’re too good. They spend holidays together; they’re neighbors. It seems like the further apart Sonny and Michael get, the closer they get. Sonny asks, what’s wrong with it? and Dante says, there’s been this boundary that he’s always had to keep, between his love for Sonny as a son, and his duty as a cop. And that line is starting to blur. Sonny asks, how so? and Dante says, if this was anyone else, he would pursue the case into Dex’s abduction. He’d get more evidence, and talk to witnesses. He’d build a case, bring it back to Dex, and try and get him to cooperate. And instead, he called Michael a liar. He did that for Sonny’s benefit. He wanted Sonny to know he knew what Sonny had done, and had to tell him to his face that he knows Sonny is behind what happened to Dex. Sonny says he’s never asked Dante to cover for him, and never would, and Dante says, that’s good. Maybe Sonny can tell him about Anna’s escape then.

Josslyn tells Dex to take it easy, and limit all activity for one more week. He says, no offense, but how does she know? Did she consult a medical professional about him? She says she’s been doing some research online, and he asks, where? BulletWounds.com? She says, GH’s website. She went through all this trouble to take care of him, so it woudn’t make sense to bail before he’s healed. He says, that’s exactly what she needs to do – bail.

Cyrus wonders when Spencer is coming back to their chess game, and Spencer tells Victor that he’s improving his game in here. Victor says he’s glad Spencer’s not without friends, but Cyrus says, they’re not just friends; they’re family. Victor says he’s Spencer’s actual family, and Cyrus says he knows who Victor is. Victor says, and he is? and Cyrus says, Cyrus Renault. He’s sure Victor’s heard of him. Victor says, so he’s the famous Cyrus Renault, and Cyrus says, same name, different man, but the Bible says, the memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot.

Dante says, less than an hour before he found out about Anna’s escape, he heard Sonny on the phone, asking someone how it went with Anna. Sonny says, he told Dante, he provided her help when she reached Pentenville. He walks out into the restaurant, and Dante follows, saying, the guy who was supposed to be driving the van was found in the parking lot, tied up with a bag over his head; he was unharmed. Sonny says he’s happy to hear that, and Dante says he’s sure Sonny is. Because whoever conducted Anna’s escape, clearly didn’t want to hurt anyone else. All they wanted was for Anna to get out of there. Sonny sips his espresso, and Dante asks, what happened to Anna? Where is she? Who else has a whole bunch of safe houses in the area? Sonny doesn’t say anything, and Dante says, see what he’s talking about here? It all adds up. Sonny broke Anna out of police custody, and he’s not doing a damn thing about it.

Michael tells Drew that he doesn’t want to be too involved in his mom’s personal life, but he knows from experience, you have less time than you think. He’s sure Drew would like to believe he has years and decades to spend with the person he loves, to do what he dreamed  of. He hopes Drew gets that time, but it’s not guaranteed. Drew asks if this is about the tension between Michael and his father. Is he worried Sonny is going to retaliate?

Josslyn says she’s sorry if her medical skills don’t meet Dex’s high standards, but he says she knows better. If she’d taken him to a hospital, the ER doctor would have had to report the bullet wound, and he’d be behind bars. He owes her. She says, he’s welcome, and he says, she asked him before how he got shot, and she says, and he didn’t tell her. He says, she doesn’t need to know the details to know it was something illegal, and she says, he works for Sonny. Of course (🍷) it’s something illegal (ha-ha!). Dex flashes back to Michael telling him, none of this is fine, and that Dex needs to find a way to keep Josslyn at arm’s length. He tells Josslyn, that’s why he needs her to leave now, and never come back.

Sasha tells Sam, it’s not easy for her to acknowledge her feelings. It’s something she’s working on in therapy; taking time to process her emotions, instead of bottling them up until the overwhelm her in a public and messy explosion. Sam says, it can be really scary, admitting to yourself how you really feel; revisiting dreams for someone whose gone that you know aren’t going to come true. She’s learned, the more time passes, the more she’s able to accept those dreams, and even smile a little. Sasha asks what Sam dreams about, and Sam says, her first child, a daughter, was stillborn. Sasha says she had no idea. She’s so sorry. Sam says she thinks about her all the time, and Sasha says, Liam would have been about a year; he was born near Christmas. He’d have been too young to understand who Santa was, but she thinks she and Brando would have still taken him to see Santa. It never happened, but the thought of it still makes her smile.

They walk outside, and Nina tells Carly that she doesn’t need another lecture. She didn’t come here to pick a fight with Willow. She didn’t come here to orchestrate a run-in with Wiley. She just came her to reach out to Willow on Sasha’s behalf. Carly says she believes Nina.

Willow says she’s sorry to the baby. She should have been more careful. She didn’t mean to get so upset. She’s afraid they’re in for a bumpy ride, but they’re going to make it. She’s their mommy, and she’s going to bring them safely into this world. She promises.

Spencer says he may not have a father he can count on, but he’s lucky to have uncles that look out for him; Cyrus and Victor, and of course (🍷) Uncles Sonny and Martin. Cyrus says, Victor knows his brother Martin, and Victor says, Martin is his son’s attorney, but Cyrus says, they both know Martin is much more than that. Victor gets up, saying, he doesn’t want to interrupt Spencer’s game, but he hopes Spencer reconsiders mending fences with his father. Cyrus says, Victor Cassadine mediator? and Spencer says, Uncle Victor wants peace for their family. Cyrus asks if that’s why Victor tried to kill his. Victor caused his brother great harm. Victor says, the implication that he had anything to do with Lucy Coe’s disappearance is unfounded, and frankly insulting, but Cyrus says he’s not talking about Ms. Coe. He’s referring to the attempt on his brother’s life, and that of their sister Laura.

Carly says, she and Nina aren’t friends, but she doesn’t think Nina came here with the intention of upsetting Willow so much, she fainted. But she has to stay away and accept the fact that seeing her upsets Willow so much, and they both know that’s not good for the baby. Nina says she’d never hurt that baby, and Carly says she believes Nina. Nina says, all right, she’ll go. If Carly will just tell… don’t tell her anything. Nina leaves, and Carly goes back inside. She tells Willow, Nina’s gone, and Willow thanks her. Carly says, but she’s not wrong. Willow needs to see her doctor. Let Carly take her to GH.

Sonny says he doesn’t need Dante’s protection. He can investigate and act on whatever he wants. Dante says, he’ll do that. He just hopes Sonny covered his tracks this time. Because next time – and there will be a next time, and a time after that – he might not have an employee who lies to take a beating. Sonny might slip up, and then Dante will have to do something he doesn’t want to do. Sonny says, so Dante feels the same way Michael does; that he should lose his family, that he should have everything he loves taken from him? Dante says he’s not Michael. He’s not out to get Sonny. He loves Sonny, but he took an oath to uphold the law, and he’s going to keep that oath. Sonny says he doesn’t expect anything less, and if it gets worse, and Dante is forced to arrest him one day, he won’t love Dante any less. Dante says he woudn’t blame Sonny if he did, but Sonny says, it’s not going to happen… ever, and they hug.  

Sam says she can cover if Sasha wants to take a break, but Sasha says she’s having fun. It feels good to be doing something useful and positive. Not that putting up Christmas decorations is going to change the world. Sam says, maybe not, but people seem to take extra care of each other this time of year. She sees a lot of smiles at the decorations and the trees lit up. Sasha says she’s grateful to be part of it, even if in a small way. It turns out what people have been telling her is true. Helping others is a great way to help yourself.

Michael tells Drew that he doesn’t believe he’s in any physical danger from his father, and the emotional damage has already been done. But this whole rift with his father has made him value his family even more. He spent the first year and a half of Wiley’s life believing Wiley was dead. Now he has Wiley… he has Willow and a baby on the way. Every day is precious to him. He wants to freeze time, and live in this place of joy with Willow and the kids. Drew says, if only they could, and Michael says, life has a way of messing up your plans. When it happens, all he can do is deal with it the best he can. Drew says he can’t argue with that, and Michael says, what he won’t do is waste any more time, or overlook the little things. Like the look of wonder on Willow’s face when she feels the baby kick. Or Wiley insisting he read Willow’s baby bump a bedtime story. Drew says, which of course (🍷) he does, and Michael says, those things only come around once. You don’t get do-overs. So if Drew and his mom feel the need to hide, then hide, but don’t pass up the chance of something really good. Now he’s going to go home to Willow.

Spencer asks if Cyrus is talking about the attack on his grandmother and Uncle Martin at the safe house last year. His Uncle Victor had nothing to do with it. Cyrus says, his sources don’t lie, nor do his instincts. Victor tells him, says the man who held Trina Robinson and her mother at gunpoint, and tried to kill Spencer’s friend Britt Westbourne. Or does the attack on Dr. Westbourne not count because Cyrus sent his minions to do his dirty work? Cyrus says he doesn’t hear Victor denying what he did to Laura and Martin, but Victor says he doesn’t answer to Cyrus. Cyrus says, Victor will if he goes near Cyrus’s family again, and that includes Spencer. Victor says, Cyrus doesn’t want him as an enemy, and Cyrus says, or he’ll go on Victor’s hit list too? Victor tells Spencer, don’t let this man manipulate him, but Spencer says he doesn’t get manipulated, and he won’t again. If there’s nothing else Victor has to say… He points toward the door, and Victor tells Spencer, like he said, he doesn’t want to interrupt his game. But remember, your pawns need to be guarded, and you won’t always have a knight to ride to your rescue. He leaves, and Spencer tells Cyrus, could he be more obvious? Cyrus says, instantly, there dropped from his eyes what seemed to be scales, and he could see once more. He’s sorry Spencer had to learn about Victor this way. Spencer says he’s not in the mood to play chess. He’s going back to his cell.

Willow thanks Carly for hooking her to the portable fetal monitor and checking for herself. Carly says, the baby’s heartbeat looks fine, and Willow’s blood pressure is good, but she’s no OB. She’s not going to insist Willow go to GH, but she wants Willow to promise to see her doctor in the next couple of days. Michael walks in, and asks, what happened? but Willow says, it’s nothing. Michael asks why she needs to see her doctor then, and Carly says, because she fainted. Willow says, she’s fine. Once again, she forgot to eat. Carly says, Willow didn’t want to call an ambulance, but she thinks Willow should see her OB. Willow needs to rest, and needs some TLC. Michael says he’ll make sure of it, and Carly leaves. Michael takes out his phone, and says he’s going to call Terry. She needs to know Willow fainted.

Nina goes to Rice Plaza, and Sasha asks what she thinks of the progress so far. Nina says, it’s great; everyone is doing a fantastic job. Sasha says, Nina doesn’t have to pretend with her. Did something happen? Nina says, sometimes she’s afraid that she’s really as awful as Willow thinks she is.

Dante tells Sam that she’d better pace herself; she has a penthouse to decorate. She says she was just telling Sasha that Scout will definitely want to help decorate, but does he think the boys will think they’re above it all? He says, Rocco seems like he’s going through something right now, but Danny will step up for Scout’s sake. The minute the ornaments and candy canes come out, they’ll get into it. Their boys aren’t as old as they think they are, thank God. Sam wonders where that came from, and he says he loves his father, but their relationship has always been a bit of a minefield. He’s hoping he and Rocco don’t turn into that when he’s an adult.

Josslyn says, Dex is out of bandages and antibiotic ointment, so she’s going out to get some. He tells her not to bother. He can order that stuff online. He doesn’t need her to come back. She says, skip it. It’s not going to work. He says, what? and she says, the big speech. He tries to warn her about how dangerous he is, and tries to push her away for her own good. She knows he’s dangerous. He was beating up some guy under Sonny’s orders the night they met. He can do so much better than Sonny. He’s resourceful; he keeps his head in a crisis. He’s loyal, and doesn’t complain even when he’s hurt. He says, Dex Heller, hero, and she tells him, stop it. She found him bleeding. She nursed him through a fever. She sat up with him all night to make sure he was still breathing. So she’s not going to walk out and pretend what they went through doesn’t mean something.

Sam says, most of the tension between Dante and Sonny is because Dante’s a cop, and Sonny is… Sonny. As long as Rocco doesn’t want to grow up like his grandfather, she doesn’t think Dante has anything to worry about. He says, fathers and sons butt heads about stuff, and she asks if she looks worried. She sees him and Rocco interact every day, and she sees love. Not only Dante’s love for Rocco, but Rocco’s love for him. You know what that tells her? He says, that they’re love is so strong it can survive anything, and she hugs him, saying, don’t make fun of her. He’s so smart. He says he just gets it through osmosis living with her. He thanks her for making him look forward to Christmas, and for their blended family. For the traditions they’re going to make. He’s already got his Christmas presents. She says, her too, and they kiss.

Nina says, too bad she doesn’t have a flask of brandy to go with this hot chocolate, and Sasha says, that bad? Nina says, it’s her fault Willow fainted. She never should have gone over to Willow’s place. For a smart women, she does a lot of stupid things. If something happens to Willow and that baby, she’ll never forgive herself. Sasha says, Nina made a mistake. Welcome to the club. The important thing here is to take a breath, figure out how it happened, and how to avoid it happening again. Nina says, she knows the answer, and oddly enough, got it from Carly. Sasha says, Carly’s a smart lady, and Nina says, even though it galls her to admit this, Carly helped her to see that the only thing she can do for Willow is stay away from her.

Willow thanks Michael for the soup, and says she’s feeling much better. Staring at his phone isn’t going to make Terry call back any faster. Michael says, maybe they should go to GH. If the chemo is causing her to faint… She says, it’s not the chemo. It was Nina, or rather her response to Nina. He says, Nina was here? and Willow says, Nina volunteered Sasha to oversee the decorations in Rice Plaza, and showed up to ask her to help. When she tried to decline, Nina said she was selfish. Things went downhill from there. She snapped and started screaming at Nina, and next thing she knew, it was lights out. He says he’ll make sure Nina never comes here again, but she says she doesn’t think that will be a problem. She thinks her fainting scared Nina more than it scared her. Michael says he doubts Nina would have gotten in an argument with Willow if she’d known Willow just had chemo. They need to find Willow a bone marrow donor, and need for people like Nina to treat her with consideration. They need to tell people Willow has leukemia.

Drew surprises Carly with a kiss as she walks into the kitchen. She says not that she’s complaining, but what’s going on? He says he has it on good advice that they should take full advantage of their time together while they’re lucky enough to have it. She says she’s not arguing with that, but she thought they were staying away from each other. He says he can’t stay away from her. And they’re lucky enough to have this big house on acres of grounds, with secluded nooks and crannies, and the moss bowl🎍. They kiss, and his phone chimes. She insists he get it, and he says, good news. They have a lead on Willow’s birth parents.

Josslyn tells Dex, she won’t hang around where she’s not wanted, but she’s not going to deny what’s standing in front of her, and neither can he. It’s like this wall went up between them, and Dex remembered he had to protect little old her from big bad him. She calls BS on that. She makes her own decisions, and knows the risks she’s taking. If he doesn’t want her, just say that. He says he’s trying to do the right thing here, and she suggests he try being honest instead. He says, she wants honest? and kisses her. There’s a knock at the door, and Sonny says, open up.

On Monday, Cody tells Britt, it’s more than that and she knows it; Willow tells Michael that she needs to do this on her terms; and Valentin says, if Mac has evidence, he’d like to hear it.

🤷🏻 Where In the World…

God forbid she gets some free time.

🏥 Happy Anniversary…

More pictures would have been nice.

🌱 A Mother’s Memories…

This is still just the saddest thing.

🧼 Wait, What…

I never knew he was on the cover of Playgirl, but then again, it was never on my list of publications to buy.

👠 Love Bubble My Foot…

No surprise whatsoever. I love how Andy says she must have been provoked. Yeah, they said her name.

🍹 Ahoy…

Leva dishes on Southern reality.

💞 Aww…

I’m sure it won’t last for long.

👰🏾 Speaking Of Which…

The cake is ridiculous, but I love the traditional theme.

https://people.com/food/porsha-williams-husband-simon-guobadia-wedding-cake-sword/

🍼 No Chances…

Can’t say I blame her. Randall wasn’t much of a step up from James. As a matter-of-fact, aside from the money, he was a step down.

⚰️ Resetting Daryl…

More on viva le Daryl.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-norman-reedus-reset/

🎄 Sub-Genre…

I never thought of The Thing as a Christmas movie, but why not? I have my own cinematic quirks.

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

🥀 Early Roll Call…

Those we’ve lost.

https://ew.com/celebrity/stars-we-lost-in-2022/

📺 Rushing the TV Season…

What’s coming up next year.

https://ew.com/tv/2023-tv-premiere-dates/

📬 Quotes of the Week

Medicine is not only a science; it is also an art. It does not consist of compounding pills and plasters; it deals with the very processes of life, which must be understood before they may be guided. – Paracelsus

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

Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.Lou Holtz

You get to decide where your time goes. You can either spend it moving forward, or you can spend it putting out fires. You decide. And if you don’t decide, others will decide for you. – Tony Morgan

Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment. – Arthur Jersild

I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.Aristotle

I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own taste. – Marcel Duchamp

If a zombie bear isn’t the problem, what is? – Doc (Russell Hodgkinson), Z Nation

🕰 Time Keeps On Tickin’…

Boomerang back on Monday really Tuesday for soap and my favorite Boat Daddy. Until then, stay safe, stay never settling for less than, and stay helping others. It’s a great way to help yourself.

September 6, 2022 – An Anniversary Brings a Surprise, Backstage, Primetime Gig, Could Happen, a Message, Evil Woman, Filming, a Goodbye, Tales Talk, New Dragon & Gurls

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Marshall tells Sonny, this here is a celebration. They don’t want no trouble. Sonny says he doesn’t want any trouble either. He’s there to celebrate Trina, just like everyone else. He just wants to have a minute with Curtis. Curtis says, now is not a good time, and Marshall says, Sonny heard his son. He thinks it’s best Sonny leave now. Taggert tells Portia, nothing’s going to happen, and she asks if he’s sure about that. He says, 95% sure, and she says, he likes those odds? He says, whatever happens, Sonny and Curtis can work it out, and she says she hopes he’s right. She just wanted Trina to have a lovely party to celebrate, and… it looks like she’s got some drama of her own.

Trina says, the envelope has her name on it. Did Spencer find it somewhere? He says, no. Can she give it back please? She says, why should she? It’s hers. He says, no. Actually, it’s his. He was going to give it to her… She says, now she has it, so why does he want it back?

Willow wakes, and reaches for Michael, but he’s not there. She hears Wiley giggle, and Nelle’s voice says, say bye-bye, grandma; bye-bye, daddy. She goes downstairs and sees Carly and Michael lying dead in the living room. Nelle is there, holding Wiley’s hand, and she tells Willow, it’s no use. She’s too late. Willow says, give her her son, but Nelle says, she doesn’t have Willow’s son. Oh, Willow means her son. Willow says, Nelle is nothing to Wiley, and Nelle says, guess again. Now that the obstacles have been removed, she and her son can be together. Willow asks what she did to Michael and Carly, and Nelle says, she didn’t do anything; Willow did. Willow looks down to see her hands covered in blood, and says, no. Nelle says she’s so glad karma is finally paying Willow back for taking her son from her. Now there’s no more Michael, no more Carly… Thanks for that by the way. Willow says, no, no, no, and Nelle says, and when she disappears with her son, Willow won’t have anybody anymore. Say bye-bye. Wiley says, bye-bye, mommy, and Willow moves toward them, but they disappear. Willow looks at Michael and Carly, and screams. She wakes up, and sees Michael isn’t there. She says, oh my God, and jumps out of bed.

Downstairs, Carly thanks Temp Michael for letting her help put Wiley to bed. She’s going to miss that little guy when she’s on her trip. He says, Wiley loves spending time with her, and he appreciates the reinforcement, because Willow has been going to bed really early lately. Carly says, of course (🍷). She’s working and pregnant. He says he knows. He’s starting to realize how big a deal that is. Willow comes in, and says, thank God, throwing her arms around Michael. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says, Nelle.

Spencer says, it doesn’t matter why he didn’t give Trina the letter. They’re his words, and he no longer wishes Trina to read them. Give it back. She says, no, and he says, please. That letter is his property. She says, possession is nine tenths of the law, so if he wants it back he’s going to have to do more than say please. Follow her. She leads him outside.

Sonny says, he means no disrespect, but this doesn’t involve Marshall. Curtis says, regardless, he decides who he wants to have a conversation with in his own club, and Nina comes by. She asks if Sonny minds if she steals him away for a second, and Sonny goes with her. Marshall says, he’s gone. Now tell him what the hell is going on. Curtis says, thanks. He knows what Marshall is doing, but he and Sonny go back aways. Whatever issues they have, they can resolve them on their own. Marshall says, he’s been in the music business a long time, and he’s seen Sonny’s type and how they behave in establishments like Curtis’s. Once they get their hooks in, there’s no getting them out. Curtis says, Marshall has warned him about this before. Trust him. He gets it. Marshall says, he’s not meddling, but Curtis has great back-up with Police Commissioner Ashford. All Curtis has to do is call it in, but hey, he’s not meddling.

Jordan tells TJ that she’s working on a case involving one of those genealogy companies, and it reminded her of when Stella took her test. She’d almost forgotten that’s how Stella found her cousin in London. TJ says, it was, and it’s been a whirlwind adventure ever since. She says, at the time, they all thought her long-lost relative was here in Port Charles, and he says, and they said it was a closer match than a cousin. She guesses they were wrong, but he says he doesn’t know. When she found her cousin, they let it go, but honestly, the whole thing never set right with him. They chalked it up to a technical glitch, but it seems unlikely a reputable company would make that mistake. Stella arrives, and tells TJ to give her a hug.

Josslyn asks if Cameron has some place else to be, but he says he has another surprise. She says, another secret, and he says, a surprise, not a secret. She says, close enough, and he says, she’s the one keeping all the secrets. HE didn’t know his girlfriend was a pro dumpster diver. Is she still mad at him? She asks, what for? and he says, not telling her about Spencer’s plan to save Trina. She says, no. Of course (🍷) she wasn’t thrilled, but she gets it. Spencer put him in an impossible situation.

Spencer says, until he gives it to Trina, the letter is his property, and he’s not giving it to her. This is totally unfair. She says, he’s really going to complain to her about what is and isn’t fair? She’ll give him the letter back – he says, thank you – but first she has to tell him why he’s being so weird about it… Fine. She’ll open it. He says, it’s not for her, but she says, it has her name on it. He says, that’s because it’s addressed to Trina his friend, and according to her, they’re not friends anymore.

Cameron tells Josslyn, in the interest of not keeping secrets, Spencer wrote Trina a letter. In it, he explains everything; how he always believed Trina, and was only pretending to back Esme. She says, wow. She’s almost proud of him. Does Cameron think that’s what they’re talking about? He says he hopes so. All these secrets haven’t been doing anyone any good. It’s time for everything to be out in the open.

Trina says she set a boundary, and Spencer says, he’s just trying to respect it. She says she didn’t mean to hurt him when she said they couldn’t be friends anymore, but he says, we Cassadines have ice in our veins. She didn’t hurt him, but thank you. He appreciates it, and knows she wasn’t trying to hurt him. She says, he has to admit, their relationship got pretty toxic, and he says, toxic or not, their relationship meant a lot to him, and it always will. She says, it’s meant a lot to her too, but their friendship wasn’t good for her. She felt like she kept compromising herself over and over again. She hopes he understands, and he says he does. And since they’re sharing, there’s something he’d like to tell her too.

Jordan and Stella hug, and Stella asks, where’s that nephew of hers? Jordan gestures to Marshall and Curtis talking, and Stella says, those two look like they could use a minute. Now what’s going on with TJ? Starting with how thin he’s getting. Is Molly feeding him enough?… She says she’s sorry. They’re a modern couple and they feed themselves. TJ says, between Molly’s schedule and his, they manage to grab the occasional meal, and he promises he’s taking care of himself. She says, okay. What’s going on with Jordan? She’s kind of quiet. Is everything all right? Portia runs up, and says she’s sorry to interrupt, but it’s so good to see Stella. They hug, and Stella sees Portia’s ring. She says, wait a minute. What is this?

Curtis says he knows Marshall doesn’t like Sonny, but he’s got it covered. Marshall says, don’t get it twisted; this isn’t personal. He barely knows Sonny, but he knows Sonny’s type; the type that can cause trouble. Curtis sees Selina, and Marshall says, if Sonny is trying to rope Curtis or The Savoy into something shady, they got to deal with that. Curtis says he hears Marshall, but he and Sonny don’t have that kind of relationship.  

Willow says, Nelle had Wiley by the hand. She tried to take him from Nelle, and they disappeared. She was standing there with Michael and Carly, and they were both dead. Then she woke up. Michael says, it was just a dream, and Carly says, she got intense dreams when she was pregnant; she gets it. Willow says she hopes she doesn’t have them until she delivers. She’s tired enough as it is. She’s cutting back her hours at GH. Carly says, that’s smart, and she’s sure GH is understanding. Michael says, and she has him to take care of her, and Carly says, and her entire family. Willow says she appreciates that, and Michael promises there will be no stress during this pregnancy.

Nina goes to Nelle’s grave with a bouquet of flowers, and says she’s sorry she wasn’t here earlier. It’s been a long, exhausting day, but Nelle is never far from her thoughts. She can’t believe it’s been two years since she lost Nelle. It’s been an interesting two years. She never even visited last year. Nelle says, no big deal, and Nina looks up to see her. Nelle says, she’s literally living rent free in Nina’s head. Hi mom.

Selina says, always a pleasure, and Sonny says he didn’t expect to see her here tonight. She says, Curtis is a valued partner of hers. She came to express her congratulations for Trina’s good fortune. He says, that’s very generous, and she says, sit with her and have a drink. Unless he’s waiting on Miss Reeves. He says, Miss Reeves isn’t with him tonight. She says, then they’re both unescorted, since Curtis is occupied with family matters. They should have a chat. Sonny says, about what? and she says, there’s always business to discuss.

Spencer tells Trina that he’s sorry he made their friendship confusing. That’s all on him. He should have been upfront about Esme, and he should have told Esme about his feelings for her. Maybe if he’d done that, he could have saved them from the path of destruction they were on. She says, that would have been preferable, and he says, maybe they could have… The point is, everyone deserved better, and that’s essentially what he wrote in the letter. He just wanted an opportunity to come clean, and let her know he would have done everything differently. She says she appreciates that, and he says he understands why they can’t be friends anymore. He messed up her life, and he’ll always regret that.

Stella says, that looks like an engagement ring, and Portia says, Curtis proposed. They’re engaged.

Willow says, Wiley is safe and sound, sleeping like the angel he is, and Carly says, it doesn’t hurt to make sure. Michael says, she got dressed. Is she going out? Willow says she’s just getting some air, and he says he’ll go with her, but she says, one of them needs to stay with Wiley. He says, his mom can do that, or that can take Wiley to the main house. Willow says, Michael wants to wake Wiley so he can babysit her? and Carly says she actually needs to go over some things with Michael before her trip. Willow says she’ll be fine, and leaves. Michael asks what Carly wants to talk about, and she says, nothing. She gets that his heart is in the right place, but she thinks Willow needs time alone. He says he doesn’t want to hover, but Willow’s been acting so off lately, he can’t shake the feeling there’s something she’s not telling him.

Nelle says, normally, she’s not a fan of being forgotten, and Nina says, she didn’t forget Nelle. Nelle says she knows. Nina was doing the Lord’s work in Nixon Falls. Thanks for that, by the way. She knows Nina didn’t do it for her, but Nina did it because of her, so that’s good enough. Nina says she was upset with Carly. She let Nelle slip, and even after she knew what she did, she didn’t tell Nina that Nelle was her daughter. She just left Nelle out there alone. Nina cries, and says she didn’t mean to let things go as far as they did, but Nelle says, didn’t she? It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that it paid off beautifully. Nina broke up Sonny and Carly, and kept Sonny for herself. Nina says she’s not going to apologize for her relationship with Sonny, but she did hurt a lot of people, including Wiley. Nelle says, Wiley’s a baby. He’s not going to remember any of it anyway. Nina says, Wiley’s not a baby anymore. He’s old enough to have things affect him. Nelle says, if Michael and Carly, and that baby-stealing insufferable Willow, want to tell him things about her or Nina that might be hurtful, that’s on them. They’re in the clear. Nina says she doesn’t want anyone to hurt Wiley, but Nelle says, he’ll get over it. It’s not like anyone’s stealing his kidney for cash, like Frank Benson. Nina says, her greatest regret is that she couldn’t protect Nelle growing up from that horrible, neglectful person. Nelle says, Nina’s mom did put her in a coma, and shrugs. Nina says, she would have been a good mother. Nelle’s life would have been so different. Nelle says, it would. Nina would have given her so much love, everything she ever wanted or needed. They hug, and Nelle says, she could have followed in Nina’s footsteps. Maybe become Editor-in-Chief of Crimson magazine. Nina says she wishes she could have given Nelle that life, and Nelle says, it’s a shame they didn’t know who they were to each other. She could have learned from the best. Together, they really could have made Michael and Carly suffer. They could have made sure Carly stayed in the nuthouse for the rest of her life. They could have hidden her son away from Michael. Working together, they really could have done a lot of damage.

Carly tells Michel, being pregnant is like being on a roller coaster. One minute, you’re glowing and happy, and the next minute, you’re just miserable. He says he knows he’s being over-protective, but how random is it that Willow dreamed about Nelle? She says, Nelle died two years ago today, and he says he didn’t realize. She says she tries not to think about it, but sometimes it just hits her. Reaching out, trying to grab Nelle and help her, and she just falls. It was awful. Then she felt relief. Nelle’s gone. Her friends and family are safe. Then she was terrified she was going to be blamed for Nelle’s death – and she was, once Nina found out the truth. Michael says he’s going to just call and check on Willow, and Carly says, it’s been five minutes; come on. He calls, but gets voicemail, and says, Carly doesn’t think she’d go to Nelle’s grave, does she? Carly says, he knows Willow best. What does he think? He says he thinks it’s a possibility, and since it’s the anniversary of Nelle’s death, he thinks there’s a chance she’ll run into Nina. Carly flashes back to finding out Nina is Willow’s mother, and he says, what happens if Willow runs into Nina? She says she thinks it will be unpleasant, but she doesn’t think Nina would hurt Willow. He says he’s going to check on her, and asks if Carly would mind watching Wiley. She says, yes, of course (🍷), when Wiley runs in, and asks where Michael is going. Michael says he’s going to pick up mommy, but Wiley hugs him, and says, no. Michael asks, what’s wrong? He loves Grandma Carly. Wiley says he had a bad dream, and doesn’t want Michael to go. Carly says, she’ll check on Willow, and Michael can stay with his son. She won’t let anything happen to Willow. He thanks her, and she leaves.

Nelle says, if Nina’s mother hadn’t pawned her off on Frank Benson, and Carly hadn’t let her plummet to her death, and if she and Nina had known who they were to each other, she could have had the most beautiful life. They could have punished them all. Nina says, that’s not what she wanted for Nelle. Everything she did, all the mistakes she made, were because she was in pain. Nelle is her baby, and Nina misses her, but she’s going to have to spend the rest of her life making up for her mistakes. Nelle says, what’s the point in whining about that? If Madeline hadn’t done what she did to Nina, and if Frank hadn’t done what he did to her, it’s the best get-out-of-jail-free card ever. Nina says, just because they got hurt doesn’t absolve them, and Nelle says, they got hurt, and hurt the world around them. Face it. They’re exactly the same. They had a connection, but Nina couldn’t let herself recognize that Nelle was her own flesh and blood. Not while Nelle was working for her, not while Nelle was standing in front of her, not when Nina testified against her, when they were trying to take her baby away from her. Nina had every opportunity to be the mother she always wanted to be, and she pushed Nelle away. Nina says she didn’t know, and cries, her face in her hands. When she looks up, Willow is there instead of Nelle.

Trina tells Spencer, she doesn’t know what to say, and he tells her, she doesn’t have to say anything. He just wanted her to know he’s sorry. She says she wishes things were different, and he says, him too. Rory comes out, and says he’s sorry to interrupt, but she’s been gone a while. He just wanted to make sure she was okay. Spencer says, he’s kept her from her party long enough. They’re done here anyway, aren’t they? She hands him the letter, and he leaves. Rory asks if she’s okay, and she says, yeah… She doesn’t know what just happened. He asks if she wants to get out of here, but she says, no. This is her party, and she wants to enjoy it with her date.

Sonny says, it’s a little late for business, and Selina says, friendship then. Let her buy him a drink. He says he doesn’t want to intrude any longer, and she says, it’s hardly intrusion. He’s welcome here. Or has he been made to feel otherwise?

Taggert asks if that thing Trina had to take care of had anything to do with Spencer, and she says, they just cleared the air. She told him they couldn’t be friends anymore. He says, smart decision. He knows it wasn’t easy, but that kid, he’s no good.

Portia says, they were going to tell Stella tonight. This is not how they wanted her to find out. She’s so sorry. Curtis comes over, and says, sorry for what? Stella says, it seems that he’s been keeping some things from her, and Portia says, she saw the ring, so… He says, they were going to tell her together in person tonight, and Stella says, oh, independent corroboration. Jordan says, she and TJ will give them some privacy, and they move on. Portia says she’s so sorry, but Stella says, Portia doesn’t owe her an apology; Curtis does. But first, allow her to welcome Portia to the family. They hug, and Portia thanks her. Stella says, Curtis finally takes her suggestion, and proposes, and she’s the last to know. He says, it wasn’t on purpose, and she asks if they’ve started making plans yet. Curtis says, slow down just a bit; they just got engaged. Stella says, like that’s an excuse, and Portia says, there is one thing they did, that they definitely agree on. Curtis says, that’s part of the reason they were waiting for tonight to tell her, and Stella says she’s dying to know. Curtis says, they’d like to know if she would marry them, and she says she’s never officiated at a wedding before. He says, it’s easy. You just go online, fill out some paperwork, and register with the clerk. Portia says, and you can just drop it in the mail, and Stella flashes back to never mailing the divorce papers. Portia asks if she would do them the honor, and Curtis takes Stella’s hand, saying, because there’s really no one better to marry them. She says, marrying the two of them would be the honor of her life, and Marshall says, and he’ll handle the music. Portia thanks them, and says, that’s one thing down. Now all they have to do is pick a date, a venue, the guest list, and apply for a marriage license. Stella says, for that, they have to supply proof of their divorces, and Curtis says, come to think of it, he doesn’t remember getting that. Stella says, he’d better look into it.

Willow asks who Nina was talking to, and Nina says she was talking to herself. Willow says, sorry for intruding. She knows how hard this day must be for her. Nina says, it is hard. She didn’t know Nelle was her daughter when she was alive, but she carried her. Nelle was her baby. Willow is probably wondering why she’s grieving when Nelle did such horrible things. Willow says, Nelle was still Nina’s child, and a mother’s love is unconditional. Feeling sadness over what could have been, that’s just human. Nina thanks her, and says she’s guessing Willow is here for Jonah, but Willow says she’s here for Nelle.

Selina asks if Curtis is giving Sonny any trouble, but Sonny says, it’s just a misunderstanding. He ran into a singer, Harrison Chase. Does she know of him? She says, the detective on suspension, and he says, he’s a good singer, and a good guy. He thought Chase would be a good fit for The Savoy. She says she appreciates Sonny making the connection. She’s sure Curtis will too.

Curtis asks if Jordan’s got a minute, and she says, what’s up? He says, this is going to sound strange, but did she ever receive notification that their divorce was finalized? She says, now that he mentions it, she’s not sure. She remembers filing the papers, but… He says, maybe it’s because he moved, his got lost in the mail, but she’s sure she got hers? She says she doesn’t remember seeing it, but she did get a lot of mail while she was away at the clinic. She could double-check; maybe she misplaced it. He says he hates to ask, but he needs it to apply for a marriage license. She says, of course (🍷). In order to get married again, you need to be divorced.

Stella congratulates Trina, and hugs her, saying, she had faith that Trina would be exonerated. Trina thanks her and thanks her for coming. Stella says, absolutely, and Curtis asks if he can steal Stella away for a minute. They leave, and Taggert tells Trina that he’s going to bounce. Have fun, stay late with her friends, and enjoy being young while she can. She says she supposes she can, as long as he promises to get lattes with her at the Haven Bistro soon. He says, twist his arm, and hugs Trina, saying, he has such a good daughter. He tells Jordan, see ya, and leaves. Jordan asks where Rory is, and Trina says, he went to get drinks. Jordan says she wanted to tell him about a break in a case, but shop talk can wait. Trina says, he’d love to hear about it. He loves his work. Jordan says, it’s pretty interesting. One of those DNA genealogy sites gave them some important evidence. Trina says, that’s so cool, and Jordan says, it make her glad those tests have become mainstream. Has Trina ever done one?

Willow tells Nina, Nelle was Wiley’s birth mother. She felt she should pay her respects, for Wiley’s sake. Nina says, Willow came out of respect for Nelle; that’s nice. She must be conflicted, since she and Michael are trying to erase Nelle from Wiley’s life. Willow says, they’re not trying to erase Nelle; they’re protecting Wiley. Even Nina admitted Nelle did terrible things. Nina says, and that’s what they want to do, lie to Wiley. Tell him people don’t have flaws. Willow says, Nelle was beyond flawed. If she’d had her way, Michael would have never known Wiley was his son, and Nina would have never known Wiley was her grandson. Every time she thinks she’s making headway with Nina, there’s no reasoning with her. She only sees what she wants to see. Nina tells Willow to get off her damn high horse. She’s sorry Nelle did horrible things, but it’s made Willow so self-righteous, she can’t acknowledge anyone’s pain but her own. Carly walks into the cemetery, and says, enough. If anyone needs perspective, it’s Nina. No matter how hard she tries to rewrite history, no matter how much she wishes Nelle had been redeemed, it doesn’t change the facts. Nelle was a kidnapper and a murderer, and the only reason they’re safe is because she’s dead.

Sonny says he can handle his business with Curtis, and Selina says, she and Sonny go back many years and many favors. Sonny agrees they do, and she says, anything she can do to strengthen their ties, don’t hesitate to ask. He says he’ll keep that in mind. She and Curtis have been doing business; how’s that working out? She says, splendidly. She found Curtis to be quite accommodating. Sonny says he’s going to let Curtis get back to his family, and thinks Selina should do the same. You know what they say about a good man. He whispers, they have their limits, and she whispers back, thank you for the advice. But she knows exactly where she and Curtis stand.

Trina tells Jordan that she took a DNA genealogy test for a project in high school. Why does she ask? Curtis gets on stage, and says, good evening. He thanks everyone for coming to The Savoy for Trina. Everyone yells, and he says, when he first met Trina, it’s safe to say she was profoundly unimpressed. But he on the other hand, immediately noticed what a strong, smart, resilient young lady she is. It’s impossible not to. So in honor of Trina, please help him welcome tonight’s entertainment, Cameron Webber. Cameron comes out with an electric guitar, and apparently has a band we never knew about. He asks how everyone is feeling tonight, and they whoop and holler. He says, his first song is dedicated to Trina. In fact, they’re all dedicated to Trina, since this is her party. This song is about a person they both know. She’ll get what it means. There’s a lot of da-da-da stuff, and something about someone being messed up in the head, but they don’t give a damn. I’m actually not positive, but I assume it’s about Esme? Cameron finishes the song to cheers and applause.  

Spencer sets the letter on fire, and watches it burn.  

Carly suggests Willow go home, and take care of herself and the baby. Michael and Wiley are waiting. Willow says, Carly’s right. It was a mistake to come here. She leaves, and Nina says, this is precious. She comes here to have a private moment with her daughter, the two of them show up, uninvited, and she’s the villain. Carly says, Nina and Nelle are alike. Nothing was ever Nelle’s fault, and nothing is ever Nina’s fault. Nina says, she’s taken responsibility for her actions, and she’s paid the consequences, and Carly says, but she doesn’t believe she deserves them. She and Nelle sing the same tune; that they’re a product of their circumstances, and that excuses their actions. Nina says, Carly of all people should sympathize. Not with her, but with Nelle. Because it was Carly’s adoptive father who neglected Nelle, abused her, and sold her for parts. Carly says she had compassion for Nelle, and in return, she was sent to Ferncliff for months, Michael was left to burn in a car, and Nelle switched Wiley for Willow’s dead baby. Does Nina get that? Nelle used someone’s dead infant as a prop. How proud Nina must be. Carly walks out, and Nina says, it didn’t have to be like this.

Tomorrow, Felicia tells Maxie, that would be a bad idea; Anna tells Robert, she doesn’t know whether to find that funny or disturbing; Victor tells Lucy, it will be their little secret; and Sonny wants to get something straight with Cody.

🍺 Behind the Bar…

That was a fun scene.

👮🏽‍♂️ Not So Invisible…

A lot of side gigs going on at GH.

🎼 Like Mother, Like Daughter…

This would be the perfect time for Lois to make an appearance.

📜 For the Fans…

This was just one of the saddest things ever.

😈 I’m With Her…

I’ll say it again. I think Sutton is clueless and can be inappropriate AF, but Diana is vindictive and creepy.

💗 Making Heart Sign…

A match made in Housewives heaven.

🥀 We Barely Knew Ye…

Even though I don’t think we ever saw him, Marge sure seemed to have a lot of respect for her ex. I know she must be devastated.

https://people.com/tv/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-margaret-josephs-ex-husband-jan-josephs-dead-at-75/

⚰️ Tales To Be Told…

Is it science or sentiment? What I like about this show is the different story each week.  

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/tales-of-the-walking-dead-season-1-episode-4-recap-amy-dr-everett-poppy-liu-anthony-edwards/

🐉 This Week’s Dragon…

What’s happening with the Targaryens.

https://ew.com/tv/recaps/house-of-the-dragon-season-1-episode-3/

👠 Walking My Own Red Carpet…

Speaking of evil, come by tomorrow for some soap and the Housewives who have the market on the devil’s work these days. Until then, stay safe, stay not shooting the messenger, and stay not crashing anyone’s private moments at the cemetery. No good can come of it.

June 15, 2022 – Carly Says Sonny Is a Stranger, Pioneer Wyatt, Lunch Leads, In Memory, Battling Blondes, Dead Release, New Squid, All About Tony & Kiki

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Finn, the kids, and Gregory get to the camping site, and Finn says, the hike was a little longer than anticipated, steeper. Gregory says, they all did great, and Violet says she wants to tell Rachel about the guinea pig they saw (in the woods?), and Finn tells her not to forget about the gopher; and they bite! She runs off, and Aiden joins them. Gregory says, if it isn’t Aiden, PC Pioneer, and Finn asks if he’s on a break. Aiden says, until dinner, and Jake says, look at him in his uniform. Aiden says, Jake used to wear one too, and Cameron says, but who wore it better? Jake says, him, definitely, but Aiden says, no way. Cameron walks past Finn, who asks where he’s going, and Cameron says, he just needs a break from all this pretending. He’s grabbing his phone; it should be fully charged by now. Finn tells Gregory, nothing like getting away from it all.

At The Savoy, Britt joins Nina, who says, there she is. She took the liberty of ordering Britt’s usual, but Britt says she’s sticking to water tonight. Nina says she thought Britt subscribed to the hair of the dog for a hangover, and Britt says, that’s before she became a GIF. Nina says, don’t worry, it’ll blow over, and Britt says, so she’s seen it? Nina says, has anyone not seen it? and Britt says, that’s great. Thank you. Nina suggests they switch topics, and Britt says, please. She hasn’t talked to Nina since their girls night out; what’s new? Nina says, what’s new… Well, here’s something. She almost left Port Charles.

Carly brings Sonny to her office and thanks him for meeting her. He says, she told him it was about the kids, and she says, it is. This is a difficult situation for them. In some ways, it’s easier for Donna and Avery because they’re too young to fully understand what’s going on, and they just want to know their family still loves them. They’re doing everything they can to reassure them of that. Josslyn’s been terrific; she’s spending lots of time with them, but she’s got a lot going on. He says he loves Josslyn; she’s like a daughter to him, despite what Michael said. She asks what Michael said, and he tells her, he said that after the divorce, and everything that happened with Nina, he basically threw away his relationship with his kids. Can she believe that? She says she can believe it, and she agrees. He says, she didn’t call him here to fight, did she? and she says she didn’t. She just wants to talk about what they still have in common, mainly their kids, and she wanted to talk about Michael and what this rift is doing to him. Sonny says he doesn’t like it either, but Michael’s made it clear he doesn’t want Sonny anywhere near his life. No matter what Sonny says or does, nothing is going to change that.

At the pool, Zelda asks Cody if there’s a problem, and he says he’s sure it’s just an accounting error, but his paycheck was off by $500. She says, there was no mistake, and he knows it, and he says, it wastes both of their time to argue over such a small amount. She says she agrees, and he says, just pay him what he’s owed, and that’ll be it. She says, she’s fulfilled Society Set-Ups’ part of the contract, and he asks if that contract included a drunk woman wandering into his landing zone. Someone could have been hurt. She says, but they weren’t, and he says, an act of gross negligence is bad for business. What’s $500 to protect her image? She asks if he’s threatening her, and he says, she’s a smart woman; you tell me. Sam and Dante walk in, and Dante asks, what’s going on?

As Trina and Josslyn are going into Kelly’s, Josslyn’s phone rings. She says, finally. Where have you been? Cameron says, sorry. His phone was dead; he had to wait for it to charge. PCU decided against Trina? He can’t believe it. She says, her neither, but it’s going to be okay. They have a plan.

In the woods, Austin sees Wyatt piling some wood, and Wyatt asks, how was the kayak? Austin says, great. Sorry he missed it. Kim’s sick and they’re down a counselor, so that leaves Wyatt. Wyatt says, not for long. It looks like reinforcements have arrived. Austin says, good. He wonders who they sent, when Maxie says, Maxie Jones, reporting for duty.

Zelda tells Dante, this man is trying to extort her, and Cody says, if extort means getting what he’s owed. He takes out an envelope, and says, the deal was for $2000. He holds the check out to Sam, and asks, what’s that say? She says, $1500, and Zelda says, two thousand, minus the charges to his room. Cody says, the hotel room was part of the deal, but Zelda says, not including incidentals. He says, he misunderstood, and Zelda says, and it cost him. Sam says, he charged $500 worth of stuff to his room? and Cody says, yes, but he didn’t know… Dante says, okay. If they get this guy out of Zelda’s hair, can they consider the matter closed? Zelda says she supposes so, and Dante says, let’s go. He, Sam, and Cody leave.

Cameron says, what plan? and Josslyn says, they’re at Kelly’s. She thought he was working today. He says he decided to go on that trip; he’s in Pautuck. She says, for real? He’s out of town? He says he thought he should be here, and she says she gets it. She’s sure Jake and Aiden are super psyched he’s there. Maybe this trip is what everyone needs. He says, that’s what Jake keeps saying, and she says, he doesn’t agree? He says he just hates pretending like everything’s fine when his mom is in Shadybrook.

Wyatt drops off Maxie’s luggage, and she thanks him for the assist. He says, no problem, and she tells Austin, he seems surprised. He says he is, and she says, and maybe a tad befuddled? He says he’s always befuddled. It’s nice to see her. What is she doing here? She says, Georgie is a Junior PC Pioneer, and as such, she’s on the Parents in a Pinch list. He says, it needs a better name, and she says, parents volunteer to help out when they’re understaffed, even if their child isn’t participating. So while Georgie is at a sleepover at her friend Lena’s house, here she is. He says, in beautiful Pautuck. She said she wasn’t ready to come back here quite yet, and she says she’s not, but let’s be real. When will she ever be? She thought there would be plenty of people and enough distractions, she’d be able to hack it. She’s also communing with nature. He says, sure she is, and points to her suitcases, asking, what’s she going to do with all of that? She asks if he’s never heard of glamping, and he says he’s heard of it, but that’s not what this is. She says, speak for yourself. Mac says, camping is good for the soul, but she believes an air mattress is key. So where can they set up her tent?

Josslyn says she’s not upset, and Trina asks who she’s talking to right now. Josslyn says, she’s actually glad Cam is spending time with his brothers, and Trina says, but? Josslyn says, but this is just another example that she and Cam are out of sync. But they don’t need Cam. They have all the help they need. Spinelli walks in, and waves.

Finn asks if Cameron came back yet, but Jake says, he’s still on the phone. Violet says, with his girlfriend? and Finn says he’s pretty sure she’s not dating until she’s 30. Violet tells Gregory, grandpa, talk some sense into him, but Gregory says he’s not touching this. Jake thanks Finn, and Finn says, for what? Jake says, coming here was a good idea, especially since Aiden won’t be around them most of the time. Aiden says, take that back, and Jake says, make me. He runs, and Aiden takes off after him. Cameron comes back, and Finn asks if everything is okay. Cameron says, coming here was a huge mistake.

Britt says, sorry about the hearing. She knows how much Nina wanted to be in Wiley’s life. Nina says she even begged Willow and Michael to reconsider, and Britt asks how that went. Nina says, about as poorly as you’d think, and Britt says she gets the impulse to get out of town. She’s just glad Nina didn’t act on it. She has family here. Nina thanks her, and Britt says she means it. If Nina were to jump ship, it would just be her, Maxie, and her mother. Nina rounds out their little motley crew. Nina says she would miss Britt too. Obviously, she wasn’t thinking clearly. Britt says, but she was on her way to the airport, and Nina says, her bags were packed and everything. Britt asks what convinced her to stay.

Carly tells Sonny, Michael is a grown man and makes his own decisions, but that doesn’t stop her from worrying about him. He asks if Michael is in danger, and she says, you tell me. If Sonny’s rivals know they’re on the outs, they could assume Michael is no longer under his protection. Sonny says, that would be wrong. He’s not going to let anybody hurt his son. She says, okay, sure, and he asks what that means. She says, he doesn’t think it hurt Michael when he testified against him? He says he didn’t testify against Michael, but she says, he testified for Nina; it’s the same thing. How does he not see that? She doesn’t get him. She gets that he and Michael are fighting, but Sonny has been Michael’s father since Michael was two years old. Sonny raised him. Sonny says he loves Michael, and Carly says, then how he could sit there when Michael was being attacked?

Sam, Dante, and Cody go to The Savoy, and Cody says, the woman owns a company, for God’s sake. What does she care about 500 bucks? Dante suggests Cody relax, and they’ll get a drink, but Cody says, no thanks. Dante says, he’s buying, and Cody says, in that case, he’ll have a bourbon. Dante says, that’s what he thought, and Sam goes to the bar while he and Cody grab a table.

Britt says, now she gets why Nina is here and not on a plane to Tahiti. Nina says she was actually headed to Europe, but she’s not here just because of Sonny. She has family here. Not just their motley crew… Britt says, Wiley, and Nina says, Sonny helped her remember that she can’t abandon that little boy. Even though she can’t spend time with him, she has to stay here to prove to Michael and Willow that she deserves a place in that little man’s life. Britt says she hopes it works out for Nina, and Nina says she doesn’t sound very optimistic. Britt says she just thinks if she has unrealistic expectations, Nina is going to set herself up. Nina says, for what? and Britt says, at best, to get hurt, at worst, to do something that reinforces Michael and Willow’s decision to keep Wiley away from her. Nina says, thank you for the encouragement, and Britt says she wants Nina to have Wiley in her life, but realistically, Nina was the one who chose to go to court, she lost, and now she has to give Michael and Willow time and distance to come around. On the bright side, she still has James. Nina says, yeah, she can watch James grow up. She knows she’s suffered a great loss, but she’s also realized she still has a lot left. Britt says, including Sonny? and Nina says, she doesn’t think she has Sonny. Britt asks what she calls it, but Nina says she doesn’t know. They just have something between them. Britt says, ya think? and sees Cody looking at her.

Cody says, great, and Dante says, what now? Cody says, that Britt woman is here. She acts like he ruined her life when it’s obvious her life is already a disaster. Dante says, she’s not lacking in the complication department, but they were talking about Cody. Cody says, can they not? and Dante asks, what’s going on with him? Why is he hard up for cash? Is he in trouble?

Finn says, he and Cameron talked about this. Jake and Aiden needed a break, and it seems like they’re having fun. Cameron says, it’s not that. Yes, it’s hard being away from his mom right now, but the reason he wishes he was home is that the school made their decision in Trina’s Title IX case. They ruled against her. Finn asks what that means, and Cameron says he doesn’t know, but it is not good. Finn asks if he wants to talk about it, but Cameron says, not unless Finn can tell him what’s about to happen with his friend.

Josslyn says, they still think the phone is their best bet, and Spinelli says, to prove Esme was the one who recorded her and Cam. Trina says, Scotty asked him to examine it right, as an expert for the defense? and Spinelli says, he did, and the PCPD examined it as well. Josslyn says, the PCPD’s got nothing on The Jackal, and Trina says, The Jackal? He says, one of his many pseudonyms, and Josslyn asks if he thinks he can work his magic, and find something the police missed. He says, as honored as he is by their faith in him, he’s looked at it from every angle, and there’s nothing to connect the phone to the evil doer, or anyone else for that matter. It only exists to Trina as its possessor. Trina asks if he can’t find out where the phone was purchased, and Josslyn says, or when. Trina says, maybe someone remembers Esme from the store, and Josslyn says, she’s hard to forget. He says, alas, the phone has very little data on it. It was only used twice; once on the night in question, and once to send the email blast. Neither of which offer much information. Trina says, what about the serial number? That’s unique to the phone, right? He says, it is, but according to the serial number, this phone doesn’t even exist.

While helping her with the tent, Austin asks if Maxie did a lot of camping as a kid. She says, not a lot a lot, but enough. One time, Mac, her, and Georgie… He says, her sister Georgie? The original Georgie?  Maxie says, yeah, she was an original, and he says, the OGG. She says, anyway, the trip was a disaster. It rained the entire time, and their tent had seen better days. Water was leaking in on the sides, and Georgie of course (🍷) insisted she sleep in the middle. He says, that’s love, and she says, or Georgie would rather get soaked than listen to her complain. She thinks Georgie was right. Austin says, he thinks you have to work at NASA to figure out these instructions, and Maxie puts up the tent in two seconds, saying, voila. Stick with her, and he’ll be fine. He says he’s starting to see that.

Carly says, Scotty said Michael was violent against women in open court, and Sonny just sat there, and Sonny says, they were in court. Did she want him to get up, grab Scotty, and throw him against the wall? She says, it’s what happened after. There was a recess, and he didn’t even check on Michael; he went to Nina. She watched him touch Nina’s face. He says, come on, but she says, his son weathered a vicious attack, and he consoled the woman who initiated it. She doesn’t know him anymore. The man she loved, that she fought for, that she married five times would have never done that. He’s gone. The man who came back from Nixon Falls is a stranger.

Trina tells Spinelli that she’s confused. So there’s no phone? He says, the phone exists physically, as she well knows. It’s just, according to the serial number, it never made it to the store. Josslyn says, so it was stolen, and he says, or lost in transit, but she says, let’s go with stolen. Trina says, they should have known Esme was too smart to leave a paper trail, and Spinelli says he’s sorry he couldn’t offer more help. Trina says she appreciates him trying, and Josslyn says, this is insane. They were there that night. There needs to be something they’re forgetting. Something Esme did that can now be seen as suspicious. Trina says she’s not giving up on the phone angle yet, and asks Spinelli, where would you go to buy a hot phone? He says, The Highsider, and Josslyn asks, what’s that? He says, it’s a bar… somewhere that two underage amateur sleuths should not be. So feel free to share their theories with Scotty, but please do nothing else. Understood?

Gregory says, Cameron is doing a great job, covering for the kids’ sake, but something is obviously up, and Finn says, he got some bad news about a friend. He asked if Cameron wanted to talk, but he wasn’t interested. Gregory says, Cameron strikes him as an open, personable guy; not the sullen teen type. Finn says, he’s not. If Elizabeth was here, he’d talk to her. Gregory says, Elizabeth’s not here, and Finn says, of that, he’s acutely aware. Gregory says, he means, Finn is the only option; try again. If at first you don’t succeed… Finn says he might have a better idea.

Cody tells Dante, there’s no trouble. It’s just how he lives his life; gig to gig, paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes, there’s a fair amount of  time between each one. Dante asks why he doesn’t just get a steady job, and Cody says, the demand for a full-time skydiver isn’t as robust as one might think. He’s gotta go where the money is. Dante says, if Cody needs 500 bucks, he’ll loan him 500 bucks. Cody says, Dante can buy him a drink, and let him sleep on his couch. Dante can even bail him out of jail in a pinch. But Dante’s not going to pay his way. He doesn’t want to owe Dante like that. Never did; never will.

Maxie asks what gear Austin brought, and he says, he brought this, indicating his bag, and a bedroll. She says, he doesn’t even have a tent? but he says, the forecast was for clear weather, and he likes to sleep under the stars. She says, okay. What does he have in there anyway? Please tell her that he brought toothpaste. He says, all of the essential items, and he brought a change of clothes, and this. He hands her a small book, and she says, it’s a guidebook for the state park. She thought he knew every inch of these woods. He says, he does; it’s his dad’s. It has all his notes and his comments on every trail and every campsite. He knew every inch of this place. Maxie says, amazing, handing it back to him, and he says, when he’s here, it’s like his dad is with him. She says, it’s great he has a special reminder of Jimmy Lee, and he says, his father loved this place, and tried to teach him the same appreciation. She says, like father, like son, and he says, pretty much. She says she’s glad she’s here, and he says, to pitch in, in a pinch, for the win. She laughs, and he holds out his hand. She takes it, and he says he’s glad she’s here.

Carly says, that gesture of support Sonny showed Nina stripped away any illusion. He had a family that adored him, and he threw it away. He says, she gave up on them, but she says she didn’t. She walked away after she found him in bed with Nina. He says, he begged her for weeks, and she pushed him away; she said she wanted to move out. But let’s be honest, she was punishing him. The night she didn’t show up, he was a wreck. He slept with Nina – absolutely wrong – and he’s so, so sorry he hurt her, but she wanted a divorce. She wanted them to end, and she gave up on them. She says she never gave up. She asked for time and he wouldn’t give it to her. He was lying to her for months. He says, and she doesn’t know anything about lying?

Maxie paws through her stuff, and says, this is a disaster. Wyatt asks if he can be of assistance, and hands a small bag to her. She says, he’s an angel. Where did he find it? He says, near her car. He was only following PC Pioneer guidelines. When breaking camp, always recheck the area. She asks if that always includes parked cars, and he says, they moved her gear. He thought it was a little like breaking camp, and he should check to be safe. She says she’s glad he did. This is her toiletry bag; it has her toothbrush. He says, it’s important to maintain dental hygiene while camping, and she says, it says so on page 15 of the PC Pioneer’s Handbook. He says, she memorized the handbook? and she says, not yet, but she and her daughter Georgie are working on it. He says, it takes a while, but it’s worth it. She says, that lesson is true for most worthwhile things in life. If he’s learned that already, he’s way ahead of the game.

Sam brings the drinks to Cody and Dante, and asks if she interrupted something. Cody says, Dante kindly offered to help him out, but he let Dante know he’ll get the money on his own. She says she doesn’t mean to pry, but is everything okay? Is Cody in trouble? Cody says, obviously, Sam and Dante are made for each other. For the last time, there’s no trouble. He has plans. Dante says, what kind of plans? and Cody says, for the future. He’s not going to live like this for the rest of his life. He’s saving up for his dream. Sam says, which is?

Britt’s phone dings a few times, but she ignores it. Nina asks if she wants to answer that, but Britt says, no. It’s just Brad. He’s checking on her. He thinks she’s clinically depressed. Nina asks if Britt shouldn’t reassure him, but Britt says she wants to make him sweat a little. He’s the one who took the video of her at the MetroCourt pool. Nina says, Brad is the reason she’s a meme? and Britt says, a GIF. Nina says, yeah, let’s make him suffer, and they clink glasses.

Dante says, a working ranch of his own, that’s cool, and Cody says he’ll raise cattle, break horses; livin’ the dream. That’s why he’s trying to save every penny he can. Dante says, which is why he’s going to take a 4 hour bus ride to Watkin’s Glen instead of renting a car? Cody says, bingo, and Sam says, buying a ranch is quite a goal. Cody says he’ll make it happen, and she says she thought he couldn’t stay in the same place for too long, but he says, just needs to be the right place.

Gregory says he heard Cameron was worried about his friend, and Cameron asks if Finn told him. Gregory says, no specifics, and Cameron says, it’s not really a secret. One of his best friends is involved in a PCU Title IX investigation. They found her guilty. Gregory says, they found her responsible, and Cameron says, to be honest, the whole process is confusing. Gregory says, as a college professor, he’s pretty familiar with the Title IX guidelines. He can answer questions if Cameron wants. Cameron says, that would be great, and thanks him.

Spinelli says he has to depart; duty calls. Trina thanks him for meeting them, and Josslyn says, he’s the best. He says, now he’s also nervous that he’s said too much, and Trina says, they’ll tell Scotty their theory. He says, and not take matters into their own hands? and Josslyn says, they won’t do anything stupid. He says, Josslyn… She says, they won’t, and he says he’s trusting them to use their common sense here. Josslyn says she’s her mother’s daughter, and he says, that’s precisely what he’s worried about. He leaves, and Trina puts The Highsider in her phone. She says, 483 Water Street, and Josslyn asks what they’re waiting for.

Sonny tells Carly, let’s not forget when he came home, his wife was married to his best friend. She says, they thought he was dead, and he says, that’s one way to mourn. She says, it’s not like she and Jason fell into each other’s arms the next day. It took a year for those feelings to develop, and why is that? He says, let’s not bring Nina into this, but she says, that’s impossible when all roads lead to her every single time. She and Jason would have never gone there if they thought there was a chance he was still alive. He says he would have never been with Nina if he hadn’t lost his memory, and she says, why is that? His refusal to hold Nina accountable is astounding. He says, what Nina did was wrong. He hates the pain she caused Carly and the kids, but he was furious with her. Carly says, for maybe five minutes, and he says, the feelings he had for Nina in Nixon Falls happened when he didn’t know who he was. He came home and still had those feelings. He didn’t want to have those feelings, but he couldn’t shake them. The lie Nina told was wrong, but the connection they had was real. She says, and he chose that connection over his family, but he says he didn’t; she and Michael did when they shut him out. Michael’s trying to tear him down. Michael wants him forgotten; those were his words, and she’s cheerleading for him. She says, Michael’s a grown man. So if he wants to cut Sonny out of his life, that’s his decision. Just like it was her decision as an adult to file for divorce, but Donna’s a little girl. And as her mother, it’s on Carly to look out for her. He says, she’s not keeping Donna from him, is she?

Cody sees Britt at the bar, and says, last chance. She says, for what? and he says, to buy him a drink. She says, tempting… She’ll pass. Does this mean he’s leaving town? He says, tonight, and she says, it’s still a no. He says, she doesn’t give an inch. It makes it that much more unbelievable she’s letting Society Set-Ups off the hook. He thought she’d stand up for herself. He guesses he was wrong. She says, that was one weak attempt at reverse psychology, but he says he thought it was pretty good. She says, she grew up surrounded by master manipulators, and he says, sounds interesting. Her drink comes, and she says, it wasn’t. Good luck. She starts to leave, and he says he just hates to see someone leave the game with money on the table. She says, something he would obviously never do, and he says he’s not that dumb. She tells him that if he has a problem with Society Set-Ups, handle it himself, and walks away.

Wyatt says hi to Finn, who asks, what’s going on? Wyatt says he’s a junior counselor for the PC Pioneers now, and Finn says, moving up in the world. How’s school? Wyatt says, it’s great. He’s decided he wants to study music. Finn says, he plays the cello, right? and Wyatt says, sometimes, but he’s really into the guitar. He’s leading the singalong at the campfire tonight. Finn should come. Finn says, singing, huh?

Gregory tells Cameron that he knows it’s a lot of information, but Cameron says he thinks he understands it a bit better now. He thanks Gregory, but Gregory says, thank Finn. He’s the one who suggested they talk.  

Finn says, singing, huh? and Wyatt says, it’s going to be great. He walks off, and Finn looks at Cameron.

Nina suggests she and Britt go to the PC Grill for dinner, but Britt asks for a raincheck. All she wants is her sweet, sweet bed right now. She feels like she could sleep for a week. Nina says, maybe Brad’s not totally off base. Britt sounds a little down. Britt says she just needs to recover from last night… and this morning.

Cody tells Sam and Dante that he should get going. It was good to see Dante. Congratulations on the job, and the girl. Cody is really happy for him. Dante says, thanks, but he thought Cody’s bus didn’t leave for an hour. Cody says he has one loose end he needs to tie up before he leaves town, and tells Sam that it was good to meet her. She says, him too, and he and Dante shake hands. Dante says, see him around, and Cody leaves. Sam says, Dante has a really interesting friend there, and he says, she has no idea.

Austin says he thought Maxie was coming over to the Pioneer’s campground, and she says she was looking for something. He says, among her many bags? and she says, her many useful bags, with her many, many necessary items. Anyway, she found what she was looking for, and she’s ready for what’s next. Violet, Aiden, and Jake come by, and Violet says, goody! She’s not the only girl. She runs to Maxie, who says, I’ve got your back, sister. Violet says, boys are okay, but some things they just don’t understand, and Maxie says, totally. Violet is so wise. Austin suggests Aiden and Jake help Wyatt get firewood, and Aiden says, they’re on it. Violet says, let’s get this party started, and they follow.

Carly says she would never keep Donna from Sonny. For Donna’s sake, not his. He says, this is how she sees him now, and she says, yeah. He says he guesses they’ve just got nothing else to say, and she says, Donna is their only connection. He’ll live his life, and she’ll live hers. He says, all right, and leaves.

Zelda gets up, leaving the pool area, and Cody follows.

Britt asks if Dante’s little friend is gone, and he says, Cody is on his way out of town. Britt says, hallelujah. How did Mr. Law and Order end up being friends with a second-rate con artist anyway? She leaves, and Sam says she was actually wondering same thing.

Zelda knocks on a hotel room door as Cody watches from around the corner. The door opens, and he ducks back, but Zelda goes inside. Spinelli wheels a room service tray out, takes a bite of something, and dashes back in.

Carly’s phone rings, and Josslyn says she wanted to let Carly know that she and Trina are going out dancing with some friends tonight. Carly says, oh fun. She’ll be there… She’s just kidding, but it does sound like fun. (That sounds like something my father would do to me.) Josslyn says she hopes so. She might be out late, and didn’t want Carly to worry. Carly says she loves her considerate daughter. Have fun and no drinking. Josslyn says she promises. Love you. Carly says, love you, and Josslyn asks Trina, ready? Trina says, let’s do this, and they go into the bar.  

Sonny comes into The Savoy, and Britt tells Nina, goodnight. He says he took a chance that Nina might be here, and she says, he was looking for her? He asks what she’s doing tonight, and she says she was just headed home. He asks if there’s any way she’ll reconsider, and stay with him tonight.

Wyatt shows Violet a rock, and says, check this out; isn’t it cool? She asks where he found it, and he says, by the lake. She wonders if there’s more like it, and he says, they can check in the morning. Finn asks Gregory, what’s the verdict? Did he overstep, asking Gregory to talk to Cam? Gregory says, not at all. He thinks Cameron appreciated the gesture. Finn says, the kid’s got a weight on his shoulder, but Gregory says he thinks Cameron is strong enough to handle it. If he isn’t, he has Finn to help him. Finn says he doesn’t think Cam wants his help, but Gregory says, give him time. He bets Cam comes around.

Maxie runs up to Austin, and says she found sticks for roasting marshmallows. She shows him, and he laughs, saying, he doesn’t think her sticks are s’more sufficient. She asks if he’s saying her sticks are deficient, and he says he’s heard size doesn’t matter, but they do need to be sturdy enough – that’s right, he’s saying it – to stick them in the marshmallow. She says, okay. She didn’t know she’d taken up with the s’mores police. He says, stick with him, and she’ll be fine, and she says she’s starting to see that. They laugh, and we see that someone is watching.  

Tomorrow, Selena tells Curtis, their businesses are dependent on one another; Cody says he thinks he and Spinelli can help each other; Trina asks if the bartender remembers Esme; and Sonny asks, what if he makes it worth someone’s while?

🏕 Coming Up In the World…

I honestly didn’t recognize him. Five minutes from now, he’ll be in college.

🍽 Ladies Who Lunch…

The yearly tradition continues.

👨🏽‍🎓 Fitting Tribute…

It was good of them to think of doing this during what must be an overwhelmingly tragic time.

👩🏼‍🏫 Not Having It…

Dorinda does a Vicki takedown.

And Vicki says, back atcha. I don’t think she knows as many words as Dorinda does though.

⚰️ Releasing the Dead…

When Walking Dead will be coming to a close. Although there will be 47 spinoffs coming. The franchise is never going to lie down either.

https://www.gamesradar.com/the-walking-dead-season-11-release-schedule-amc-disney-plus/

🐙 Playing Games…

The latest on Season 2 of Squid Game. I can’t wait!

https://comicbook.com/anime/news/squid-game-season-2/

🎭 Tony, Tony, Tony…

Everything you need to know about the Tony Awards. First, and most important always, the fashions.

https://people.com/theater/2022-tony-awards-red-carpet-arrivals-photos/

The best moments.

https://people.com/theater/2022-tony-awards-best-moments/

And oh yeah, the winners.

https://people.com/theater/tony-awards-2022-complete-winners-list/

🚪 Checkin’ the Gate…

Click in tomorrow for some soap and what’s going on in Beverly Hills. Until then, stay safe, stay ready to stand up for what you believe, and stay knowing most worthwhile things in life take a while, but it’s worth it.