Tag Archives: nighttime drama

October 29, 2023 – Two Finds Plus a Loss & The Night Wind

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What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

As Daniel’s boat comes in, a zombie is on the beach, caught in a fishing net with a starfish attached to its head. Daniel asks if Hawk has ever seen where the tankers came from, but Hawk says, no. Madison thinks this is a waste of time, but Daniel says, their fuel is low and they need to find out where PADRE gets their supply. She tells him that they’re giving Troy time to regroup, but Daniel says he lost a daughter too, and they’ll make Troy wish he’d died at the dam. The tanks are empty and zombies start coming out of the woods. Victor suggests they go inside the gas station. When they go in, they hear music playing, and Daniel says, whoever is in here, show yourself. He tells Hawk to shoot anything that moves, and goes to look around. It’s like a gas station/mini mart, and there’s a sign that says, take what you need. Madison asks what this place is, and Victor says, relics of a bygone era. Daniel comes back and says, they’re clear. Victor asks if Hawk is sure this is where the gas comes in, and he says he is. Madison sees a one-armed zombie and starts banging on the window, drawing the zombies to it. She tells Victor that there’s one missing a left arm, and takes Alicia’s mechanical arm out of her bag. Victor tells her that this isn’t healthy, and the agitated zombies scrabble at the window. It breaks and Madison falls back onto the floor, a zombie on top of her. Victor kills the zombie and helps her up, and the group takes off for the back of the building. They hear shooting outside, and the zombies fall. Daniel says, it’s not them, so who was it? Luciana walks in, and is shocked to see Madison. She says, Madison died a long time ago, and Madison says, she’s been getting that a lot. Luciana wonders why Victor is there, and Daniel asks if it’s really her. He’s been looking for her for a year. Luciana says, he found her.

Along with some men of Luciana’s, they clean up the zombie mess, and Victor asks if Madison is okay. She says, her baby was alive and she didn’t even try to look for her. She’s Alicia’s mother and should have never given up. Victor says, the last thing Alicia would want is for her to die in the process, but Madison says, if Troy was telling the truth and Alicia’s still out there, she needs to put her to rest. Victor says she will. If Alicia’s out there, they’ll find her. Madison tells Luciana that she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to trash her gas station. Luciana says, Daniel told her what Troy did to Alicia. Madison has nothing to apologize for. Madison hugs her, and Luciana says, so much has happened. There are fresh supplies in the back if they need them. Victor thanks her, and Daniel asks if Luciana’s been making gas. She says, PADRE brought her in years ago, and she didn’t have a choice. He asks who they used against her, and she says, him. She asked for his freedom in exchange. If she hadn’t, they would have killed him, since they considered him too old to be useful. He thanks her, and says he thought she was on the island, but she says they needed someone to refine fuel and she had to work in the shadows. Victor asks why she set up the gas station, since there are bad memories from the last time they holed up in one. Luciana says, if she was helping PADRE, she wanted to make sure she was helping others, and Madison asks what the place is. Luciana says, it’s a way station for travelers. There are 23 locations in the network throughout Arizona. As long as she delivers the fuel, they don’t ask questions. She can let them have gas as long as Troy doesn’t figure it out. She’ll send a tanker to the main road, and they can wait there for it. She needs to keep her operation safe. Daniel says, they haven’t talked in seven years, but she says she needs to protect the place. Daniel says, Troy didn’t follow them, when a truck pulls up. Luciana radios her people outside to tell Iron Tiger to wait. Madison asks who Iron Tiger is, and Lucina says, they should leave now. It’s safer for them to wait in the back. She goes outside, and Madison wonders if she’s telling the truth, but Daniel says, she wouldn’t lie to him. Victor says, she knew he was alive and didn’t look for him. She’s moved on. If it was a choice between them and her place, which does he think she’d choose? Daniel says he’s going to show them how mistaken they are, and he marches outside. He tells Luciana that the others think she’s up to something, and she says, he’s making this harder than it needs to be. The others have now followed him out, and Madison says, Luciana is making it harder. Who’s in the truck? Luciana says, it’s not him, and Victor asks what she’s worried about then. Madison walks closer to the truck, and Luciana’s people draw  their guns. Victor draws his gun, and the truck door opens. The driver steps down, facing away from them, and Madison says, turn around slowly. It’s Charlie, who’s surprised to see that Madison is still alive, and Daniel is surprised Charlie is still here. Daniel hugs her, and she says, June didn’t have what she needed at the Tower to treat the radiation poisoning, but PADRE did and Luciana gave it to her. Madison wonders why Charlie wouldn’t let them see her, and asks, what the hell is going on? Victor says, it’s complicated, but Charlie says, it’s not. She… shot Nick. She was scared and Ennis was dead. She pulled the trigger and she’s so sorry. Madison lunges for Charlie, but Victor holds her back and says, don’t do something she’ll regret. Luciana says, let her explain, but Madison says, there’s nothing to explain. Get the hell away from her, both of them. She flashes back to various times with Nick, and takes a sledgehammer to an old truck. She kills some zombies with it, and Victor brings her oxygen. She breathes some in, and she says, he knew? He says he thought Charlie was dead, so he didn’t think it mattered. She says, he didn’t? The girl she brought into the stadium killed her son. Victor says, she had no idea how it would play out. He should have told her. She hammers at an already downed zombie, and says, it’s not okay. If she hadn’t brought Charlie in, Nick might still be here. If she’d hit Troy harder, Alicia might still be here. If she’d done things differently, they might both be here. Victor holds her, and says, maybe he should take her back to the island. Daniel can handle getting the fuel. Madison asks how and why Charlie is still here. How was she let back in? Victor says, they gave her the same thing everyone else wants – a second chance. Madison asks if Alicia would want that, and he says, she’d be the first one to forgive Charlie. Madison doesn’t think she can forgive Charlie, but Victor says, no one is asking her to. Charlie wants talk to Madison, but Victor says, it’s not a good time. Madison says she wants to hear what Charlie has to say, and Charlie says she doesn’t blame Madison. She hated herself for a long time. She doesn’t expect Madison to forgive her, but she needed to say that since she doesn’t know when she’ll see Madison again. Madison says, Charlie just wants to feel better about herself, and Charlie says, she was 11, scared, and being used by  people older than she was. She’s so sorry she took Nick from the world, so she tried to turn her pain into something more. That’s why she’s doing what she’s doing, making things like this possible. As bad as Nick’s death was, something good came out of it. Just tell her if she can make Madison see the good. Victor says again, it’s not a good time, and Madison says, Charlie snuck into the stadium and fooled her, her son, and everyone. She wants Charlie to do the same with Troy. Charlie asks if Madison wants her to find out what he’s planning, and Madison says she wants something else. She wants Charlie to kill him. Victor says, don’t do this, but Madison says, Charlie took the stadium and her son. It’s the least she can do. Charlie says, Madison is right. She’ll do it.

Daniel says he thinks it’s too dangerous. They know what Troy is capable of. Let him do it. Madison says, Daniel won’t even get close to Troy. He doesn’t know Charlie and won’t see her coming. Daniel says, for years he thought Madison and Luciana were dead. He doesn’t want to risk Charlie. Madison says she knows what she’s doing; don’t make it harder than it needs to be. Charlie says, she’ll bring the fuel to Troy. He’ll be less suspicious if he gets something out of the deal. Luciana says, then what? and Charlie says, she’ll fix it for them. When she comes back, no one will have to worry about Troy anymore. She’ll also find out what happened to Alicia. Madison tells her not to pretend to care, but Charlie says, Alicia was her friend. She knows Madison doesn’t believe her, but she wishes she could take back shooting Nick. He was like a brother to her. Madison says, if he was, she wouldn’t have shot him, and Luciana gives Madison the keys to the tanker. There’s enough gas to last for months. Daniel asks if he can stay until Charlie returns, but Luciana thinks it’s best if he goes back to PADRE. She stays hidden to keep things like this from happening. Daniel says, maybe he shouldn’t have come, and she says she wanted to find him, but needed to protect everyone. He says he’s proud of her for that and her whole operation. Inside, Madison tells Victor not to look at her like that. She’s not letting that a-hole take the island. Victor asks, why, if it’s not what Alicia wanted? and she says, if Charlie is telling the truth, she’ll show them by killing Troy. Victor gets on the radio, and Madison finds a coffee can with a note on top of it that has her name. She says, this is her son, and Luciana says, they were clearing roads, and Charlie wanted to see where Nick was buried to tell him that she was sorry. Luciana didn’t realize how much she missed him until she saw his grave. Charlie said he deserved something better, so they cremated what was left of him and brought him here. He’d been buried in Field Hill country, so they could get to the weapon cache. Victor says, they were in a dark place, and Madison says, Charlie was right; Nick deserves better. Luciana says, they didn’t know where that might be, and Victor says, but Charlie thought Madison would. Madison asks if they can reach her, and Luciana radios for Iron Tiger. Charlie answers and Madison tells her to come back. She was right about Nick. He deserves better and Charlie should be there to say goodbye. Charlie says she can’t come back, but Madison says, Charlie doesn’t have to do what she asked. She was just a kid and doesn’t have to make up for Nick. Charlie says she means she literally can’t come back, and we see Troy’s men aiming their guns at the truck. Troy tells her, get out of the truck, and Madison ask, where is she? How did they find her? Charlie says, they were patrolling the road, when Troy opens the door, and hears Madison asking where she is. Charlie tries to make deal for the gas, but Troy asks why he should trust anyone talking to Madison. He tells her, get out of the truck. They have a lot to talk about. Luciana unplugs the radio and tells Madison that she can’t reveal where they are. Madison says she’s trying to do the right thing, and Daniel says, she wants to do the right thing now? They have to help rescue Charlie. Luciana says, they have to go, and Victor says, they’ve all suffered losses, but Daniel says, they have to try. Madison says, it looks like they’re going back to Troy.

Charlie’s wrists are tied to a chair in a room with shards of glass covering the floor. Troy is whacking the left arms off of zombies that are brought to him, and tells his men to bring in another when he’s finished. Charlie says, he doesn’t scare her, and he slices of her bonds with his sword. He says he finds it easier to talk when things are equitable. Don’t try to run. The last person messed up their feet so bad, they only got a half mile before the dead found them. She asks why he’s cutting their arms off, and he says he’s got to pass the time somehow. She says, he wants Madison to think they’re Alicia. Why did he kill her? He says, he’s the one asking questions. He’s not the only person who’s killed a Clark. Is what Madison said true? Did she kill Nick? Nick was a friend of his; he was like a brother. They were both better suited to this world than the last one. That’s what they thought anyway. Why was Madison trying to protect her? Charlie says, Madison was giving her a second chance, and he laughs. He says, if she believes Madison’s kumbaya bullsh*t, it’s going to get her killed. No one gave them a second chance. Charlie asks what he wants, and he says he wants to know where PADRE is. She asks why he cares, and he says he needs somewhere to set up shop, a place people like Madison can’t take from him. She asks, why not this place? and he says, they took it in one afternoon. They need someplace more secure that no one can take from them. Charlie says, someplace he can take from Madison, but he says, that’s just the icing on the cake. Charlie says she doesn’t know where PADRE is, and he puts his sword to her throat, saying, he doesn’t believe her. She says, she left the gas tankers for them to pick up, and tells him, drop the sword. He says he doesn’t believe her, so he guesses they’ll see how fast she can run with glass under her feet. He starts to unlock the gate keeping the zombies out, and she says, wait. There’s a map in the truck with a list of the drops. Maybe he can use it to figure out where PADRE is. He hears Russell on the radio asking for someone to check an explosion outside. The tanker just blew sky high. Troy says he wants a headcount now, and asks Charlie if it was on a timer. Is that why she wanted them to bring the tanker in? A man on the radio says, they need to get the fire out before it draws more dead, and Troy tells Charlie that she’s going to help him find PADRE whether she knows where it is or not.

Walking down the road, Madison and the others hear the explosion. They hear Russell on the radio asking how big the fire is. A man says, the whole thing went up and it’s spreading fast. Daniel says, it must have been the tanker, and Troy asks if Madison is there. She takes the radio, and asks, what the hell happened? He says, her tanker exploded, and she says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Daniel tells Madison that it must have been part of Charlie’s plan to be captured, and Troy says he has Charlie; she wasn’t in the truck when it blew. They must trust Charlie if they sent her in to kill him. He guesses they thought he’d be killed in the blast. Madison tells him not to hurt Charlie, and he wonders what Nick would think. She says, he’d get it. People do sh*tty things and come back from them. Troy says he’s glad she thinks so. She’s going to have to do something that will upset a lot of people. She says she wants Charlie back alive, and he says he wants to know where PADRE is. Victor says, they’ll hit him with everything they’ve got, and Daniel says, Troy doesn’t deserve PADRE. Troy says, the girl or PADRE? and Charlie says, don’t tell him. He kicks the chair over, and she lies in the glass. He puts the radio near her, and Daniel says he’s going to strangle Troy with his bare hands. They head back to their truck, and Troy asks if they hear that as Charlie gasps. He says he’ll kill her if they don’t tell him what it is he wants to know. Madison says, meet her in front of hotel, and she’ll tell him where PADRE is.

They drive close to the hotel, then walk. They see a burning zombie, and Madison says, it’s missing an arm. Where are they coming from?  Troy and his men meet them, and Troy tells them, hold it. There are a lot more of them inside. This better not be a trick. Madison says, no tricks; he has her word. He says he’s not sure that’s worth anything. He’ll hand Charlie over when she gives him PADRE’s location. Daniel says, if he hurts Charlie… and Troy says, let him guess. Daniel will take out his other eye. Daniel says, Troy will wish he did, and on the radio, Charlie says, don’t make a trade for her, but Madison says, Charlie is there because she asked her to be. She asks Troy how she knows he’ll hold up his end of the deal, and he says he’ll send his right-hand man to the location to find out if she’s bullsh*tting. He doesn’t care about Charlie. He just wants a safe place. Madison took everything from him, so he’s going to take everything from her. Madison asks if this is about Jeremiah, but Troy asks if she thinks he gives a sh*t about his old man. She says, then what did she take from him? but he says, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is PADRE. Victor says, there must be another way. They have people to consider like Frank and Klaus. They need assurance Troy won’t hurt the people there. Troy says, they’ll have ample time to leave. He doesn’t care about the people, just the settlement. Victor says he’ll drive, and Troy says, no weapons. Madison tells Charlie that they’re getting her out, and Charlie stabs one of the guards watching her. She says she just took out one guy, and she can take out another. Madison tells her, don’t do this, but Charlie says she’s not going to watch another place Madison built be taken away because of her. Madison says, it’s not her fault, and Troy asks why she’s doing this for Madison. Charlie says she’s not. It’s not what Alicia wanted, and Nick’s death has to mean something. Victor said Alicia’s last words to him when she thought she was dying was, make it mean something. Madison says, they’ll build something else, but Charlie says, he’ll just go after another place. They won’t kill her because it’s the only way for him to get what he wants. Daniel tells Troy, she’s right. If he kills Charlie, he’ll have no leverage and won’t know where PADRE is. Troy says, no one is shooting anyone. Put the gun down and they’ll work it out. Madison says, let Charlie go, and he can have PADRE, but Charlie says, don’t give him the location. Madison says, it’s not Charlie’s choice, but Charlie says, yes, it is. Madison won’t have to give him PADRE if he has nothing to trade. She flashes back to all the people she’s met and being with them, and Daniel says, no! Charlie calls up more memories, then shoots herself. Troy asks if the other guard can’t stop her, but he says, she’s dead. Daniel lunges for Troy, but Victor holds him back. He says, Troy is lying, but Troy says, Daniel heard the guard. Madison says she’s so sorry, and Daniel says he’s going to kill Troy for this. Troy says, this is not how he wanted this to go, but they can’t leave. He needs the map. A man radios that Tracy is missing, and Madison says, they have kids in there? Troy says, why did she think he wanted PADRE? The man says, Tracy said she’d never seen a truck running, and went to the tanker. Troy takes off running and calling for Tracy.

Troy goes to the burning tanker, continuing to yell, Tracy! He shoots zombies until he’s out of bullets, and pulls out his sword. A zombie gets him down, and Madison kills it. She asks what the hell he’s doing, and he says he’s not going to let another kid die after what happened. He opens the cab of the truck, and Madison says, whose kid? He says, she’s not in the cab, and a man tells him that there are dead everywhere, but Troy tells them to keep looking. Madison asks why he didn’t just tell her the truth, and he says, so she could take his daughter? Madison says she didn’t take anyone from him, but he says, that’s not true. His daughter’s mother is dead because of her, and he doesn’t have time for this. Madison follows him as he kills any zombie in his way. She says, he’s been cutting off their arms, making her think Alicia is everywhere she looks. They fight, and Madison gets him down. She asks who he thinks she took, and he says, the woman who rescued him at the dam. She gave him a second chance. He’s got to find his girl. Madison says, now he knows what it’s like wondering where your kid is, and Victor runs up. He says, they’ve got to get out of here, and drags her away.

On the road, Madison sits in the truck and watches Daniel on the truck bed looking despondent. Madison gets out, and we see he’s looking at Charlie’s hand sticking out from the tarp that’s been put over her body. Luciana tells Madison to use the fuel wisely; she won’t get more. They lost Charlie, and now Troy knows about her people. They’re at risk. She let herself get dragged into a fight that wasn’t hers. Daniel wants to go with Luciana, and tells Madison that they sent Charlie into a viper’s nest. There’s something fundamentally wrong with Madison. This is the second time someone dear to him died because of her. Madison says, they need him, but he says, they don’t. They need the army he’s assembled, if she can convince the parents of the children she stole that she’s changed. He tells Luciana that he wants to come and help take care of her like he’s wanted to for years, and she says, okay. He gets in the truck with her, and they drive away.

Victor tells Madison that what Daniel said isn’t true, but Madison says, it is. She sent Charlie to Troy to pay for what she did top Nick. It doesn’t matter that she changed her mind. Charlie is dead. Victor wonders why Troy thinks she killed the mother of his child, and she says she doesn’t know, but she can’t go back to PADRE with Victor. Daniel was right. She can’t ask anyone to follow her. He says, they’re not building it for her, but for Alicia, Nick, Frank, and Klaus. Madison says, if she stays it won’t happen. He has to keep the promise. He says he needs her; he can’t do it alone. She gives him the keys and says, he’s going to have to, and walks off alone.

Next time, Dwight confronts Troy, and Sherry is in big trouble.

🍭 Everyone Gets a Goodie Bag…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and what’s on Deck in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your black cat indoors on Halloween, and stay not making it harder than it already is.

October 27, 2023 – Mason’s Taking Austin Down With Him, Finn’s Cut, Spending 5 Nights, Dead Stuff, Witchy Sisters, Fearless In Fear, Ushering In a Scare, Pups Of Halloween, Quotes Numbering 9 & Spell

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brattleboro, Vermont. Elizabeth and Finn walk into the cabin, and Elizabeth says she’s impressed. Finn says he really loves it up here. He and Dan interned together. He’s a good guy. Make herself at home; put her stuff anywhere. She flops on the couch and says, this is comfy and perfect. Finn looks around and says, Dan said it would be here somewhere, he just didn’t say where, and she asks what he’s looking for. If he told her, she could help him look for it. He looks under the sink and says, found it, holding up a hammer. She says she never would have guessed that was what he was looking for. What are they doing, hunting vampires? Viewers who watched Port Charles are collectively laughing at the reference.

Esme asks if Alexis has time to talk to Mayor Collins. She’s here to see her. Alexis says she always has time for Laura; send her in. Laura thanks Esme and says, she’s really settled into her role as a receptionist. Alexis says, she’s actually doing a very good job. In fact, Esme caught a mistake she made and saved her a lot of trouble a few weeks ago. Esme says, it’s all part of her job. Let her know if they need anything. She leaves, and Alexis says, welcome home. She hugs Laura and says, it’s good to see her. Laura says, her too, and Alexis asks what she found out about Nikolas. Laura says, before she gets into all of that, she wants to thank Alexis for keeping an eye on Esme while she was out of town with Doc. Esme listens outside the door.

Austin watches as TJ goes into Mason’s room. TJ tells Mason that he needs to check his incision site to make sure it’s healing properly and there’s no sign of infection. He needs Mason to roll over on his side. Mason says, and he needs TJ to make himself useful. He needs some painkillers.

Josslyn calls Trina at the gallery and asks why she left so early this morning. She woke up and Trina was gone. Trina says she’s at the gallery covering for Ava. After everything that’s happened in the last couple days, she wanted to spend the morning with Avery. Josslyn says, that’s sweet of her, and Trina asks if Josslyn can do her a favor. Josslyn says, anything, and Trina says, somebody is supposed to drop off an art book at the dorm for her. Has it come yet? Josslyn says, it hasn’t, and she’s been at the dorm all morning, studying with Adam for Organic Chem. Trina asks if Josslyn can just leave it on her bed when it comes, and Josslyn says, of course (🍷). Trina thanks her and says, somebody’s here; she has to go. Cyrus walks in.

Elizabeth and Finn carry metal buckets through the woods, and she asks if he’s done this before. He says, once, but he has to warn her, it can get pretty messy, and she says she’s not the one who’s afraid to get messy.

Esme continues to listen in, and Laura says she can’t tell Alexis what a relief it was to her that Esme was here working with her and her baby was just down the hall in the daycare center. Alexis says she wasn’t kidding. Esme is actually doing a good job. Who’d-a thunk it? And she loves having that cute little boy down the hall; he’s darling. Has Laura seen how big he’s gotten? Laura says she has. She just wishes Nikolas could see him.

TJ says he’ll let Mason’s surgeon know he’s still in pain, but right now, he is receiving the correct dosage of pain medicine. Mason says he’s really hurting here and needs something stronger. Does TJ think he’s lying? TJ says he believes Mason is telling the truth, but according to his chart, he just received his pain meds. Just relax and let the medicine take effect. Mason tells him to get another doctor in here, but TJ says, any other doctor will come to the same conclusion. They can’t endanger his health by giving him additional pain medicine. Mason asks if TJ needs his ears checked, because obviously he does if he didn’t hear Mason the first time. He needs more drugs – now! TJ says he needs Mason to take a better tone, and Mason tells him to go now. TJ says he needs Mason to calm down, and Mason says, TJ’s ego is running his mouth. He can’t listen to TJ’s whining anymore. He can’t wait for this to be over so he never has to hear TJ speak again. He never used to shut up down there either. TJ says, wait. He knows who Mason is. Mason says, he’s TJ’s patient. Now get him more drugs. TJ says, Mason’s one of the men who was holding him when he was abducted. Mason kept him a prisoner for days. Mason says, then cry him a river. So is that it? The roles are reversed, and now he’s TJ’s prisoner?… He guesses he doesn’t know what he’s saying. He must really be stoned. TJ says, Mason knows what he did to him, doesn’t he? And you’re going to pay for it, you sick son of a bitch. He leaves, and Austin watches him stride down the hall.

Adam tells Josslyn, that’s so old school, handwritten notes. He doesn’t know how she can keep up with what the professor’s saying and write everything down fast enough. She says she doesn’t. She actually records the lecture and then later transcribes it in her own handwriting. Apparently, there’s a lot of research on this. If you actually (WOTD) write things down in your own handwriting, you remember them better instead of like, typing it. (I have actually found this to be true.) He says she’s full of surprises, and she suggests he try it sometime. He says, it seems like a waste of time, and she says she gets it. His grades are already perfect. But it helps a lot with memory retention. It’s the easiest way for her to remember all the details.

Cyrus tells Trina, what a nice surprise. Forgive him for startling her. She asks what he’s doing here, and he says, right down to business. He likes that. He’s not sure if she heard, but he was released from Pentenville. God bless our justice system. She asks what he wants, and he says he’s here to find some artwork for his new place. He thought Ava would be here. This is just a fortuitous accident finding Trina here. She says, there’s no such thing as an accident when it comes to him, and he says he stopped by General Hospital to apologize to Dr. Robinson, and she gave him a stern warning not to seek Trina out, and of course (🍷) he would abide by her mother’s wishes. She says, then leave, and he says, she’s right; he should go. But before he does, he’d like to apologize to her for his past actions, for what he put her and her mother through. She says, for what he put them through? She can’t believe this BS she’s hearing. He held them hostage at gunpoint, and he wants her to forgive him? He’s more of a psychopath than she thought he was. Now get out! Now! She points to the door, and Spencer says, what’s going on? He comes in and asks what Cyrus is doing here. Cyrus says, Spencer, my boy. He really would like Spencer to call him uncle.

Alexis gives Laura some coffee and says, lay it on her. What does she know about Nikolas? Laura says, everyone who told her Chechnya would be a dead end was right. Alexis says, he wasn’t there, and Laura says, right, and no sign that he’d ever been there. The same with Cassadine Island. There was no trace of him. So then she and Doc went to Italy to the Cassadine mansion on Lake Como. Alexis says she knows it well, and Laura says, that was also a dead end. Then she got this gut feeling that maybe she should check in with his banker in Geneva, because eventually he’s going to need money and that’s where his biggest holdings are. Alexis asks if he was there, and Laura says, no, but they just missed him. And she got confirmation that he had been there several times, and one time, he moved a very large sum of money. She couldn’t get the details on it, but the good news is, she walked away from there knowing her son is alive. Alexis says, great. Thank God, right? Laura says, yes, but the bad news is that he doesn’t want to be found.

TJ storms into Jordan’s office, and she asks, what’s wrong? He says he just found out who abducted him and held him prisoner. She says, what? Who? He says, Mason Gatlin, and she says, the man who abducted Ava Jerome? And he’s sure of this? He says he’s never been more certain of anything in his life. It is him.

Austin goes into Mason’s room, and Mason says, if it isn’t the doctor in the family. Austin tells him, says the felon in the family, and Mason asks if Austin missed him. Austin says, not at all, and Mason asks if Austin at least brought him better drugs. Austin says, he’s had enough drugs. What did he tell the cops? Mason asks what Austin thinks he told the cops, but Austin says he’s not messing around here. What did Mason tell them? Mason says he told them that he kidnapped Ava… for Austin.

Spencer says, Cyrus is out of prison, and Cyrus says he is. Miracles do happen if you believe. Trina says she thought Spencer knew he was released, but Spencer says, no. Trina says, he went to GH and harassed her mother yesterday. She called Trina yesterday and said she’s getting a restraining order so Cyrus stays away from them, but here he is, bothering her. Cyrus says he explained this to Trina already. He had no idea she would be here. He stopped in to patronize Ava’s gallery. Trina says, if Ava wants to sell him something, that’s on her, but she refuses to wait on him. He says he doesn’t blame her, and she stamps her foot and says, stop with this disgusting act. She doesn’t buy it. Cyrus says, she’s angry at him and he understands. He did a terrible thing to her and her mother – she says, he’s damn right – and he regrets it deeply. But since finding the Lord, he’s tried to make almonds amends. Spencer knows this; he witnessed it at Pentenville. He did everything he could to make sure no harm came to Spencer while he was there. He did everything to protect Spencer.

Finn says, they have to pick one carefully, and Elizabeth asks, why? He says, sometimes it doesn’t work. She asks if there’s a trick to hitting a vein, but he says, no. A little luck, a little skill. Usually, you don’t get one on the first try, but maybe they will. Let’s see. He checks out a tree and says, this one looks good. He helps her hold the spigot up to the tree and tells her to watch her fingers. She says she’s going to need to watch both their fingers. She’s got it. Let go. She raises the hammer.

Spencer says, Cyrus did look after him while he was in Pentenville. But what Cyrus did to Trina and Dr. Robinson and to his grandmother is unforgiveable. Someone could have been killed that night. Cyrus says he realizes that, and he’s trying to make amends with everyone he’s wronged, and Trina asks if Spencer is buying this. Cyrus sees her desk, and says, look at that, the turtle dove. He gave those to Spencer before Christmas last year in the hope he would share them with her, and he did. That warms his heart. Trina says, he doesn’t have a heart, and Cyrus says he hopes Spencer kept the other one. Spencer says he did, and Cyrus says, good. He reaches for it, saying, may I? but Trina snatches it off the desk and says, no. She’s not going to stand here and make pleasant conversation with somebody who held her and her mother at gunpoint.

Mason laughs and says, Austin should see his face. Oh no, I’m going to prison. He’s an idiot. If he’d given Austin up to the almighty PCPD, he’d be in custody, not walking the halls of a hospital. He’s a joke. Austin says, Mason is certifiably insane. What did he tell them? Mason says he came in with two bullet holes in his back. He didn’t really have time for a sit-down and chit chat. But worry not. He’ll do a tell all when the cops make him a deal. Austin says, they’re not going to offer Mason a deal, but Mason says, if he surrenders up enough details, he’s pretty sure they will. He plans to tell the police that it was him and Austin together in on the Ava kidnapping. Austin says, there’s no proof he had anything to do with it, and they are never going to believe a word out of Mason’s mouth. Mason says he thinks they will.

Jordan asks TJ to tell her why he thinks Mason Gatlin is the one who abducted him, and TJ says he kept running into Mason in his cousin’s office, Dr. Gatlin Holt. And he had this feeling he knew Mason from somewhere. He just couldn’t put his finger on how or where. Today… She tells him, take a deep breath, and he does. He says, today it finally clicked. He was treating Gatlin and it was something Gatlin said to him that made him recognize his voice. It was distinctive. He was the leader of those men who held him captive. It was him. She says, he was abducted to force her cooperation, and he says, now they can both get justice. They can make sure Mason Gatlin is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. She says, no, they can’t, and he asks, why not?

Alexis says she really feels bad for Nikolas, and Laura says, the decisions he’s been making now are affecting every single relationship in his life, and she just wishes she could get him to see that. But out of her three children, he’s the hardest to get through to. Alexis says, the brooding and the stubborn side of him, that’s Cassadine. The light and loving side of him is Laura. But the bottom line is, he did a lot of bad things. He made bad choices in the past year, and they just compounded to the point where he felt the only alternative was for him to run and hide, which is exactly what he did. Even if it meant leaving Spencer and Ace. Laura says, from a legal standpoint, if Nikolas were to come back to Port Charles today, how severe would the charges be against him for holding Esme hostage? Alexis says, Esme doesn’t remember being held hostage, so at the moment, that would work in his favor. As far as the rest of it, that’s up to Robert Scorpio the DA to decide whether he wants to prosecute or not. She knows the only thing they have right now is the statement from Elizabeth Baldwin. Laura says, she’s a very credible witness, but Alexis says, they still need corroborating evidence, and they need Esme’s testimony. Without that, she doesn’t think he’ll face criminal charges. Laura says she wishes Nikolas knew that, and Alexis says, the truth is, even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.

Elizabeth gets sap out of the tree, and Finn says, wow. She asks what he said about not getting it on the first time, and he says, beginner’s luck. She tastes it, and he asks how it is. She sticks her finger in the bucket, and says, see for himself. He puts her finger in his mouth to taste it and says, amazing, and they kiss.

Laura tells Alexis that she wishes there was a way for her to get ahold of Nikolas. Although she knows when he makes up his mind, there’s usually no changing it. Alexis says, Nikolas prides himself on being the good son, the good father, and he was all those things, until he wasn’t. He blew it and he knows that, which is why he ran. He doesn’t want to face the people he disappointed. Laura says, that’s why she feels it’s so important for her to reach out to him, to let him know she loves and supports him, even though he made some bad decisions. Alexis tells Laura that she’s sorry to say this, but Nikolas has resources the rest of them don’t have. And when a Cassadine wants to disappear without a trace, they do. She thinks the only choice they have is to let him figure this out and come back on his own time. Laura says, but he’s got a beautiful little boy he’s never even met, and he’s missing moments in the baby’s life he’ll never be able to get back again. She just wishes he’d come to his senses and come back. Alexis says she wishes that too, for Ace’s sake. Spencer believes he’s very independent, but he needs his father. Laura says, it’s so ironic that she can’t bring her son home, but her brother’s back, whether she wants him or not.

Josslyn asks Adam a question about alkanes, and he says, is that the best she can do? She moves his phone out of his hand with her foot, and says, no cheating. He answers her question with a bunch of science stuff (not my forte), and she says, it’s official; he’s a genius. That’s why he gets such great grades. He says he has to. The competition is fierce to get into any med school, let alone the ones his parents have on their approved list. ( I get confused for a moment, because Sonny is his father IRL.) She says, his parents have a list of medical schools? and he says, they want him to either go to Harvard, Stanford, or Johns Hopkins. He’s leaning toward Harvard. He really loves Boston. She says, Boston’s beautiful in the fall, and he says, what about her? What medical school is she leaning toward? She says she doesn’t know. She hasn’t really thought that far ahead. Her goal right now is to just do well in undergrad and then move on to the next thing; take it in manageable steps. He says, her parents are okay with that approach? and she says her parents are okay with anything as long as it’s reasonably productive and she’s happy doing it. He wonders what that’s like.

TJ asks what Jordan means that Gatlin can’t be prosecuted for what he did to him, and she says, yes, he was a victim of abduction. But let’s look at this the way DA Scorpio would. He was blindfolded, correct? He says, yes, and she says, disoriented? He says, yeah, and she says, his account of the situation and the details around it are unreliable at best. And they have no supporting evidence to corroborate his statement. They don’t even know where he was held. He says, this is ridiculous, and she says, he’s right. It is. But with her experience in law enforcement, this isn’t a case she’d ever bring to the prosecutors. TJ says, Mason did this to him. He knows this. He knows it was him. That voice. He has no doubt about this. She says she believes him, but it’s not up to her. She hates that this happened to him, but if there’s any consolation in this, it’s that Mason Gatlin is going to be charged with abduction and attempted murder for what he did to Ava Jerome. He says, that’s so great for Ava. He’s happy she’s getting her justice, but what about him? Where’s his justice? He throws up his hands and walks out.

Trina says she’s not going to allow Cyrus to waltz in here and pretend he didn’t hold her hostage at gunpoint. He threatened to shoot her if her mother didn’t tend to his gunshot wound. And if Laura hadn’t offered to take their places as his hostage, he would have killed them. Those words came out of his mouth. So he just wants her to forget all that? He says he never asked anyone to forget what he did. He asked them to forgive, like the Good Book says. She says, so let bygones be bygones? He expects her to accept his pathetic, meaningless apology just because he’s Spencer’s uncle? But guess what? She doesn’t forgive him. And she doesn’t care if he did protect Spencer in Pentenville. If he comes near her again, she’ll call the cops.

Mason says, come on, cuz. He and Austin have been seen together plenty of times in plenty of places by plenty of people, especially his co-workers here at General Hospital. Face it. When it comes to masterminding an abduction, who’s better at being the boss? Who’s better to play the henchman? He can play dumb. He’s going to tell the cops that he was just doing what his big, smart doctor cousin told him to do. Austin asks, why? Really. Why? Implicating him isn’t going to make Mason less guilty. He’s already going to go down for this, he knows that. Mason says, yeah, he knows, but he’s going to take Austin down with him. Austin’s been a pain in his ass for years. Always being so high and mighty, thinking he’s better than Mason because he has a piece of paper from a college? He wants to see how high and mighty Austin is when they’re sharing a prison cell. Austin says nothing and walks out.

Finn starts to tap another tree and asks Elizabeth, how many tries is this? She says, there was that time he hit his finger and then he hit the tree. And the other time… She doesn’t know what he was aiming for. He says, let’s just call it four times, and she says, good luck. He says, what? and she says, ten times is the charm. She watches him, and he says he thinks hunting vampires would have been easier. I get this, since sometimes I think a real zombie apocalypse would be easier. She says she has enough for both of them and takes down her bucket. He says, beginner’s luck, and she says, they can put this on their pancakes tomorrow morning. He says, speaking of which, is she hungry? She says, starving, and he says, let’s go make some dinner. They walk back hand in hand.

Back at the cabin, Elizabeth says, this was so much fun, and thanks Finn. He says, it’s nice to be out of the city. It’s nice to be out of the hospital. It’s nice to be out here in nature with her. She says she couldn’t agree more. Her fingers are so sticky. She runs the water and asks if there’s any soap. He finds some and puts a blob in her hand, and then in his own. He asks if she minds if he joins her, and she says, of course (🍷). He gets closer, and they wash each other’s hands. I guess that’s romantic, but it’s weirding me out a little. They gaze into each other’s eyes, and he kisses her. Better now.

Adam asks Josslyn for an example of a functional group, and she asks if she can use her notes. He says, no, she may not. By memory only. She says, a functional group is a specific structural arrangement of atoms or bonds that forms a… I give up at this point because now it’s getting too complicated, but she gives him the answer. It has something to do with molecules, and he says he knew she’d get it. She says she feels like she just ran a marathon – me too – and now she needs a break. They should maybe go down and get some food… There’s a knock at the door, and she says, that’s probably the art book getting delivered, but as we’ve all guessed, it’s Dex. She throws her arms around him and says, he’s just in time to save her. Adam looks disappointed. Aww.

Esme is still listening. Doesn’t she have work to do? Alexis says she wasn’t going to bring Cyrus up, but Laura says, that’s okay; she’s fine. Alexis says, it’s baffling to her that a miscarriage of justice, to that extent, could happen and Laura agrees. She says, leave it to Cyrus to finagle a hardship release. Alexis says, it’s really unbelievable. She doesn’t know how Laura deals with it. He is Laura’s brother, but still… Laura says she’s very, very conflicted. She does believe in rehabilitation, but that would mean restoring somebody to a normal state that’s acceptable to society. She doesn’t know that that’s possible with Cyrus, and after all the things that he’s done, does he even deserve that? Alexis says, the judge felt he did, and Laura sighs. She says, then she guesses she’ll do her best to believe that the judge is right, and Cyrus can become a productive member of society. But between her and Alexis, it’s going to be a really long time before she trusts her brother.

Cyrus says he can understand why Trina doesn’t trust in him, and Spencer puts his arm around Cyrus and says, it’s time for him to go. Now. Cyrus says, okay. Spencer follows him to the doorway, where Cyrus turns around and says he owes Trina a great debt. If she ever needs his help for any reason, she only needs to ask. She says she will never ask him for anything. Does he hear her? Never! Now get the hell out! Cyrus leaves, and when he’s gone, Spencer comes back to Trina. He tells her, it’s okay, he’s here, and holds her.

Elizabeth says, she and Finn should wash their hands together more often (please don’t), and he says, definitely. He’s filthy all the time. They kiss again, and he says, maybe dinner can wait, but she says she doesn’t know… He kisses her, and she says, okay. Dinner can definitely wait. There’s more kissing.

Dex asks what he’s saving Josslyn from, and she says, organic chem. She was just telling Adam that she was going stir crazy in here. Dex asks how long they’ve been studying, and she says, a few hours. Adam says, with their midterms coming up, they could probably use a few more hours, but Josslyn says, oh God no. She’s done. Adam says, they didn’t go over the identification of hydrocarbons though, and Dex says, if she needs to stay, he can come back, but she says she needs fresh air. He says, that he can do. He has to take Sonny’s speedboat upriver to drydock it for the winter if she wants to come. She says, okay, and gets her jacket. She tells Adam, it looks like hydrocarbon structures are going to have to wait, but if she aces this midterm, it’s thanks to him. He says, pick up later this evening? but she says she can’t. Thursday? Adam says, perfect. Their midterm is Friday. Josslyn says, cool, and Adam gets his stuff together. He says, what about Trina’s art book? Does she want him to stick around here and wait for it? She says, that’s really sweet of him, but it’s no big deal. She’s sure the delivery person will leave it outside the door. He says he doesn’t mind, but she says, it’s totally fine. He leaves, and Dex tells Josslyn, if there’s time after, they could get lunch at Kelly’s. He knows the owner. They leave, and Adam comes out from around the corner and watches them.

Alexis tells Laura, they say that trust is built over time. See if Cyrus can earn her trust. Does she believe his religious conversion is sincere? Laura says, to be perfectly honest, she’s not sure. She wants to sit down with her brother Martin and compare notes with him and get his take on it. There’s a knock at the door, and Alexis says, come in. Esme says, sorry to interrupt, but Alexis has a video conference call in fifteen minutes. Does Alexis want her to reschedule it? Laura says, absolutely not, not on her account. She’s going to let Alexis get on with her business day. Alexis thanks Laura for coming by and catching her up, and they hug. Alexis says, before Laura goes, she has a question. Does Laura know Judge Kim, the judge that sentenced Drew Cain? Laura says she doesn’t know him. She’s sorry. Alexis says, thanks anyway. It’s good to see her. Laura says, her too, and says she’ll see Esme at home tonight. Maybe tomorrow morning they can all wake up and have family breakfast together? Esme says, okay, she’d like that, and Laura leaves. Esme says she knows Alexis has a video conference call to prep for, but she has a quick question if Alexis doesn’t mind. Alexis tells her, go ahead, and Esme says she doesn’t really know how to ask this. Alexis says, just ask, and Esme asks if she can have a raise. Alexis says, she wants a raise? and Esme says, yes. She wants to move out of Laura and Doc’s apartment. With them back, it’s just all so crowded. Alexis asks if that’s the real reason, and Esme says, yeah. Alexis says, Esme… and Esme says, okay. She’s starting to… have feelings for Spencer.

Spencer brings Trina some water, and she says she shouldn’t have given Cyrus that much power over her. Nobody should have that much power over anybody. She’s not going to let him make her a victim again. Spencer says, she did really good. She practically kicked him out all by herself. She asks if he can promise her something, and he says he’s never going to let Cyrus come near her, but she says, that’s not what she means. She knows Spencer would never let Cyrus do anything to her. She needs him to promise he’ll never tell anyone she lost it like that with Cyrus, especially her mom and Curtis. Because her mom is already angry and terrified that he’s been released. She doesn’t want to add fuel to the fire. Curtis is in a wheelchair and feels he can’t protect them from Cyrus. He says he promises. He’s not going to tell anyone. Clearly, she can take care of herself, but know if she ever needs back-up, he’s here. She says she knows he is, and hugs him.

Austin goes back into Mason’s room, closes the door, and shuts the blinds. Mason says, if Austin is here to beg and plead, save his breath. He’s going to take Austin down with him. Austin says he’s done begging for things in his life. Besides, how would he be begging? There’s no one in this shell of Mason that’s remotely human. He puts on surgical gloves, and says, there’s no reason. Mason wouldn’t help him, would he? Mason says, not on your life, and Austin says, then he guesses it’s time to help himself. He pats Mason’s shoulder, turns off the machine Mason is hooked up to, and takes a pillow from the chair. He slowly walks over to Mason, and Mason says, he doesn’t have the guts. Austin smiles.

TJ walks past Mason’s room, and peeks through the window. The slats are open enough that he sees Austin smothering Mason.

On Monday, Brook tells Kristina that she needs a clear head for what she’s about to do; Sasha says, count her in too; Lucy tells Martin that she needs to show Tracy exactly who she’s dealing with; and Eddie/Ned asks why Tracy can’t take no for an answer.

✂️ Feeling Trim…

I had the feeling it was a crew member. And if you notice, usually when one of the cast gets a new hairdo, many of them do. It’s like picture day in school.

🧸 Loves a Good Scare…

I’m actually looking forward to seeing this one.

⚰️ News Of the Dead…

The latest in Fear.

https://screenrant.com/madison-not-rick-grimes-fear-walking-dead-season-8/

What the live ones are about.

For those who prefer the game.

🧹 Hocus That Pocus…

About yet another Sanderson sequel.

https://people.com/hocus-pocus-3-writer-anythings-on-the-table-for-sequel-8383552

It was cool until it wasn’t.

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-stars-stuck-in-air-flying-scenes/

👠 Ladies of Horror…

They could have spent a little more time on Kiki Palmer and Jurnee Smollett. And while more sci/fi than horror, Octavia Spencer was amazing in Snowpiercer.

https://www.essence.com/entertainment/14-black-women-horror-movie-roles/

🔥 Falling For Usher…

If you haven’t seen this yet, stream, don’t wait. It’s incredible.

https://ew.com/tv/tv-reviews/the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher-review-netflix-mike-flanagan/

🐕 Uncanceled Pups…

Dogs and Halloween. There’s nothing better.

https://people.com/dogs-costumes-2023-nyc-halloween-dog-parade-photos-8374321

🐘 Quotes of the Week

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. – Dalai Lama

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Desmond Tutu

To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone. – Reba McEntire

Dare to be true: nothing can need a lie: A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby. – George Herbert

The first to cry is the first to fry. – Omarosa, House of Villains

Happiness can exist only in acceptance. – George Orwell

Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults. – Benjamin Franklin

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself. – Harvey Fierstein

A mask tells us more than a face. – Oscar Wilde

🎭 Masking My Mask…

Stop by on Sunday for a little Fear. Until then, stay safe, stay springing for the good candy, and stay forgiving, but not forgetting. Especially if they’ve held you hostage.

October 22, 2023 – Madison Reunites With Victor & Ballad

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

Fear the Walking Dead

Near a beautiful hotel on the beach, kids are playing soccer, farming is being done, and everything’s idyllic. It’s also in German. Victor comes from the balcony into a hotel apartment, but a man (Frank) and his son (Klaus) call him Anton. Frank kisses him, so I assume they’re a couple. A man knocks at the door and says, they have a new arrival. We see zombies clamoring outside, surrounding a tour bus at the entrance of the hotel. Frank, Klaus, and Victor find a man inside the bus, and Klaus asks if he needs help, Victor translating it to English. The man thinks his arm is infected, and Victor says he’s come to the right place. They take him inside, and the man asks where he is. Victor says, an oasis for the dispossessed, the desperate, the weary. They help people. The man asks why everyone is speaking German, and Frank says, they were tourists visiting this place; the bus was their tour bus. They didn’t make it home, so they made one here. This place is about second chances, and making sure everyone gets one. Victor says, everyone deserves a second chance.

The man gets antibiotics, and Victor takes him to get something to eat. It looks better than my dinner. As a matter of fact, it looks better than the last restaurant meal I had. Victor tells the man that schnitzel will do wonders for his strength, and the man says his infection is already starting to clear. Klaus tells Victor that a new guest was found half-conscious, and he put her in his room. Victor goes to see her, and it’s Madison, who says, Victor? It can’t be. Klaus wonders why she’s calling him Victor; his name is Anton. Victor tells Klaus to help his father and hustles him out. Madison, whose breathing is labored, asks what Victor is doing here, why was Klaus calling him Anton, and why is he speaking German? Victor flashes back to the tower and hugs her. She cries, and says she thought she lost him. He tears up, and she asks, what’s going on? Frank and Klaus come in with the oxygen, and Frank asks if everything is okay. Madison says, his name’s not Anton; it’s Victor Strand. Tell them his name. Victor says, Anton. He’s never heard of Victor Strand. She must be mistaken. Madison says, he’s not telling the truth, and Frank says, Anton/Victor doesn’t know her? Victor says he’s never seen her before, and Madison keels over. Frank hurries to set up the oxygen.

Victor sits at a table with Frank, Klaus, and several others. They discuss Madison, and Victor says he has no idea why she’s calling him Victor. Klaus says, she’s confused and scared, and a man asks if anyone asked her why. Klaus says, she had this in her bag, and shows them a walkie-talkie. He turns it on, and Daniel begins to speak. He’s trying to find Madison, and Victor tells Frank, turn it off, but Frank gives Daniel Madison’s description, and says, they want to help her. Daniel says, if they want to help her, give him her location. Victor grabs the radio, turning it off, and says he’s trying to protect them. She can’t stay. Frank says, she is staying, and asks if anyone disagrees. No one does, and Frank tells Klaus to take Madison some soup. Victor says he doesn’t want Klaus alone with Madison, and Frank asks, what is he so afraid of? Victor doesn’t answer, and Frank tells Klaus to make her feel at home.

Madison wears an oxygen mask, and her wrists are tied. She asks if Klaus would mind cutting her loose, but he tells her that his dad said it’s not safe. She asks what he thinks, and he asks why she thinks he’s this Victor Strand guy. She says, because he is, but he says he knows his dad wouldn’t lie. She says, he doesn’t know Victor, and Klaus asks why he would pretend to be somebody he’s not. Madison says she doesn’t know, but it’s pissing her off. Klaus feeds her some soup and sees her Nick and Alicia tattoos. He asks who they are, and she says, they were her kids. He says, were? He’s sorry. She sees a bird he’s rescued, and she says, her kids rescued a bird when they were around his age. He says, the birds get confused, and fly into the hotel windows. She asks if he always helps, and he says, everyone deserves a second chance. She asks, who taught him that? and he says, his dad, Anton. She asks where his mother is, and he says, his parents split up when he was little. His father brought him here on holiday before the world changed. They got stuck and they’ve been here ever since. He never saw his mother again. Madison says she’s sure his mother would be proud of him, and Klaus says, Madison seems cool too. She says she doesn’t think everyone would agree, and he says, they listened to her walkie. Why are they after her? She says she’s not sure. They were hit out of nowhere and their boats were stolen. He says, she must have done something, when Victor comes in, and she says she’s got to hand it to him. He made something here, even if it’s a lie. Klaus says, he’s not lying, and Madsion asks why Victor is hiding. Frank radios and says, they have new guests, but they’re not welcome ones.

On the bus, a man named Russell says, they’re looking for a woman that they heard is hiding out here. Victor says, that doesn’t narrow it down, and Russell says, her name’s Madison. Frank asks what they want with her, and Russell says, that’s their business. Frank says, sorry, they can’t help, and Russell asks if they have children here. Frank says, some, and Russell says, this woman was one of PADRE’s top collectors. She’s been broadcasting that she’s trying to rebuild PADRE. Frank says, that seems like a good thing, but Russell says, seems ain’t is. This particular leopard doesn’t change her spots. The head of their outfit knows her for who she really is. Daniel’s voice comes on the radio, and he says he knows they’re monitoring the channel. Russell cuts the radio off, and Frank says, she’s not here, but Russell thinks she is. He says, there’s two ways this can go. Hand her over, and they walk away. The voice they heard on the radio isn’t alone and he seems determined. If they have to fight to get her, they will. Do they want that fight on their doorstep? Victor flashes back to tossing people off the roof, and says, she’s here. Frank says, what the hell?

They find both Klaus and Madison are gone, and Russell says, she took him. Victor says he told them she seemed dangerous, and Russell says, if she gets him back to PADRE, they’ll never see their son again. Victor looks at a bulletin board and says, that’s not where they’re going. This is. He shows them a tour brochure, and says, Madison tore the map off before they left. Frank wonders why she’d take Klaus there, and Victor says, there’s only one way to find out.

They go to the shoreline, and Russell says, they came in two boats; she must have taken the other one. He asks Victor and Frank to hand over their weapons; they’ll get them back when they get where they’re going. Daniel comes on the walkie, asking if Madison is there, and Russell says, listen old man, you’re better off without her, but Daniel says, hurting her would be a grave mistake. Russell says, it’s not his call, but it will go better for her if they back off. Daniel says, too late for that, and Russell looks through binoculars to see Daniel and some others coming toward them in a boat. Russell says, he found them. If they leave now, they can still lose him. Victor looks conflicted, and flashes back to Daniel. He runs back up the beach stairs, and Frank follows him. Russell says, screw this, and the boat takes off. Frank and Victor run through the woods.

Frank asks, what the hell is wrong with him? and Victor says, it’s not their fight, but Frank says, Klaus needs them. Victor says, they’ll find another way, but Frank says, they took the only boat. Victor says he knows where there’s a raft. Zombies are toddling around in the woods, and Frank asks why Victor is so upset. Victor says, Madison has their son, but Frank says, before that. She called him someone else; is he? Victor wonders how he could ask, and Frank says he knows Victor hasn’t been fully honest with him; he’s always known Victor wasn’t truthful. Frank lived a lie, hiding who he was with Mia and Klaus. Whatever’s going on, Victor can tell him. Victor sees the raft, and says he used it years ago, before they found each other. Frank says, the years were not kind to it, and Victor says, let him do this alone. He goes through the stuff in the raft, while Frank kills a zombie coming toward them. He asks if Victor is the man Madison talked about, but a zombie blindsides him, getting him down. Victor stabs it through the back of the head with a sword, and Frank asks where that came from. Victor says, it’s what he was looking for. More zombies come, and Victor suggests they move now.

They walk in the dark, and Frank tells Victor, there was nothing they could have said to make Klaus stay. He thinks Madison reminds Klaus of his mother. He wasn’t there for her when the world changed. Maybe Madison made him feel like it was a second chance at helping her. Victor takes his Frank’s hand, and says, Frank never told him what happened after he told Mia his truth. Frank says, she was angry and confused. In the end, the truth set them free. He should have come clean sooner. Victor asks if she forgave him, and Frank says, of course, as he would Victor, if he’s Victor… Victor says, he’s not Victor, and Franks says, if he is Victor, whatever he did, he’s sure it’s forgivable. Victor says he’s not that man.

Victor sees the library from the tour map, and Frank says, they’re here. Inside, Klaus tells Madison to wake up. It’s going to be okay. Stay with him. Frank and Victor come in, and Klaus hugs Frank. Franks asks, what happened? and Klaus says, they ran out of oxygen on the boat, and he was trying to find more. They have to help her; she’ll die if they don’t. Frank says, finding oxygen here is going to be difficult, but Victor says he has an idea. He looks outside in a cooler and finds a tank, and Frank asks how Victor knew it would be here, but Victor says he didn’t. With this many rafts, he figured they carried supplies. Frank says, like he happened to find the sword, and Klaus says, there’s no time to argue. They see a boat out on the water, and Frank says, it’s them. Victor says, they need to go, but Klaus says, not without Madison. Victor says, there’s no time, and Klaus says, then he’s staying with her. He defended Victor to her, saying, his dad would never hand her over to people like that. Maybe Victor isn’t who he thought he was. Victor says he is and he’s going prove it. He tells Frank to take Klaus home. He’ll be behind them after he helps Madison. He takes the oxygen, but Frank says, he can’t do it alone. Victor says, Frank took a chance on him when they met. Frank saw the man he could be. Let him prove he can still be that man. Frank kisses Victor, and says, be careful. He and Klaus head out in the boat.

Victor gives Madison the oxygen and says, they need to go. She asks what he’s doing here, and where Frank and Klaus are. He says he sent them away, and she says, so he could throw her to the wolves again? Victor says, the wolves are circling and he came to help her. He promised his son that he would. She can either come with him and live, or stay here and die. They grab some supplies, and Victor says, they’ll take the zodiac. Madison asks, then what? and he says, they’ll talk about it when they get there. Madison says, she couldn’t protect her own settlement, calling him Victor, and he says, his name is Anton. She asks if he’s scared sh*tless that his family is going to find out who he really is, but he says, they already know. She says, he was ready to let her die to protect his secret, and he says he’s here, isn’t he? She asks if he’s cutting her throat with that sword, then going back and telling his kid those people did it, but he says, he’s not who she thinks he is, and she says she doesn’t know who the hell he is, taking a swing at him. They hear a gun cock, and Russell says he found them.

Madison says, don’t do this, and Victor says, whatever she did, they can work it out. Russell says, Victor has no idea how far back this goes. Madison says she doesn’t even know who he is, but Russell says he knows her. Victor says, whoever he thinks she is, that’s not her anymore, and Russell wonders why he should believe Victor after what he pulled on them; they’re the same, pretending to be something they’re not. He’s not fooled. Madison asks what he wants, and Russell says, PADRE. They’ve been looking for a place like it for a long time. She’s going to show him where it is. Zombies intrude on the conversation, and while Russell and his men are distracted, Madison grabs a gun and she and Victor take off. Russell and his men follow, shooting.

Victor says, the boat, but Madison says, they’re not going to make it. They have to go back. They kill some zombies and run back inside the library. Madison tries to shut the door, but some of the zombies are partway inside. She says, the door isn’t going to hold, and Victor says, the bookshelves. They tip the bookshelves over, blocking the zombies, but they’re still reaching over. Victor kills some of them, nearly gets pulled over when one grabs him, and loses his sword. They’re backed against a wall, and Madison runs out of bullets. Victor tries to radio Klaus and Frank, and says, they need help. He tells Madison that he’s sorry, and she asks if it’s him talking or Anton. He says, it’s him, and she asks why he’s pretending to be someone else. He says he had to. Whatever he was called, he had to leave that person behind. She asks what he did, and he says, what he had to. He created a thriving tower, a place where people could be safe. He was ruthless, even to Alicia; he betrayed her. When the tower fell, they washed up on these shores. Some of them were taken to PADRE. Others were struggling to survive. He tried to help them, but they wouldn’t let him; they couldn’t forgive him. He tried to help find food to make almonds amends, but when he came back, they were dead, just like the ones here. He hated being Victor, so he killed him. He died with everyone else. She asks what he became; who is he? He says, the last time he saw Alicia, she told him that she loved him. He didn’t think anyone could. When he met Frank and Klaus, he could be the person Alicia thought he was, but he could only do it as someone else, as Anton. Madison says she understands. Klaus is a good kid. He did all right. He takes her hand and thanks her. The zombies are agitated and reach for them, and he says, Alicia had the chance to watch him die and after everything he did, he deserved it; Alicia didn’t. Madison asks, why didn’t she? and he says, because her mother taught her that no one is gone until they’re gone. Everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what. She says, they’re not so different. They got rid of the people running PADRE. She got rid of them and promised the kids she took that she’d help find their parents. She sent out messages from the repeater station, hoping their parents would hear her. He asks if they did, and she says, some, but they weren’t the only ones listening. Those people heard and she drew them to her. Now she’s put everyone else in danger. He says she was just trying to help, and she says, that place and what she promised those kids is all she has left. Klaus comes on the radio and says, the soldiers are here. They got inside. Suddenly, the zombies are shot from behind with a machine gun by Russell and his men. Russell grabs Victor’s sword and starts shoving everything aside. On the radio, Klaus says, Victor has to get back, and Russell says, they’ll take him to them. He whacks Victor in the head with the sword and everything goes black.

When Victor and Madison wake up, and find they’re tied to chairs. Russell says, welcome back, and we see Klaus and Frank are also tied up. Russell says, he told them to hand Madison over. This could have been avoided. Victor says, if he hurts them… and Russell says, it’s not up to him. Madison asks who it’s up to, and he says he’ll let him tell her…  A man walks in, drops his duffel bag, and tells Madison, it’s been a while. She says, Troy, and he says he’s just as surprised as she is. He knew he’d find her when he heard her radio broadcast, but he didn’t think she’d be keeping the same company as she did in Mexico. Frank says, he’s making a mistake. This man isn’t who he thinks. Troy says, that isn’t Victor Strand? and Frank says, his name’s Anton. Troy is confused. Troy says he thinks Frank is the one that’s confused. About Victor, and certainly about Madison. He’ll tell Frank the truth about who she is. Even better, he’ll show him. He takes off his shades, and one of his eyes is messed up. He says, it’s not pretty to look at, but that can happen with a bad hit to the head from a hammer. We flash back to Madison whacking Troy, and he says, this is what she did to him before she left him for dead in Mexico. After she destroyed his family’s ranch and killed his brother and father. He lost them all because of her, and Victor helped. Madison asks what he wants, and Troy says, the same thing he’s wanted since she took it from him. The same thing he’s been helping these people find since he was pulled out of the rubble in Mexico – a home. She took his, and now he’s going take hers. She says, he’ll never find it, but he says she’s going to tell him – he takes out a hammer – or he’s going to do to Victor what she did to him. He grabs Victor and raises the hammer. Victor tells Madison, don’t do it. Hold onto that place. It’s what Alicia would want. Frank says, tell them what they want to know, and Troy asks, how many people is she prepared to hurt? Frank asks Victor to look at him, and Victor says his name is Victor Strand. He lied to Frank about so much, but what he felt for Frank was real. He says he loves them both in German, and as Troy is about to hammer Victor, Klaus says, no.

Daniel comes in, holding a knife to guard guy’s throat, and says, drop the hammer. The entire crew marches in, and June says, do it. Daniel says, drop the weapon, and Troy suggests Daniel follow his own advice, but Daniel knocks guard guy out, and someone knocks the hammer out of Troy’s hand. Madison gets free, and Daniel suggests, the next time, make sure they’re dead. June and the others keep their guns on Troy, and Troy asks what Daniel thinks he’s doing. Does he think he’s going to stop them? They know where this place is now, and they’ll keep coming back. Madison says, do that, and there won’t be anyone here for him to hurt. Her plan of building is about to expand. They took her in when she needed help, and she’s going to do the same. Troy says, she just told them what she did to him. What makes them think she won’t do the same to them? She says she did things she regrets, but the place she’s building isn’t about her. It’s about keeping something bigger alive. Daniel says, they have to get out of here, and Madison says, she’s building it for her kids, for Alicia. Troy says, she’s making a mistake. It’s the same thinking that got Alicia killed in the first place. She asks, how the hell would he know? and he says, because he killed her. She calls him a liar, and he says, she doesn’t believe him? He pushes his duffel bag toward her with his foot, and says, open it. Daniel tells her not to listen to him. Let’s get out of here. She takes out Alicia’s mechanical arm and asks, what is this? Troy says, she doesn’t recognize it? It belonged to Alicia. He took it off her corpse after he killed her. I yell, don’t believe him! at the TV, and Madison grabs the hammer, but Victor holds her back. He tells her not to let Troy get in her head. Troy says he would have put her down, but after all the wandering around he did in Mexico, he thought it was only right that he let Alicia wander too. Maybe Madison will find Alicia, or Alicia will find her and she can finish the job. She wants a fight? They’ll give her one, but the question is; what is it she’s even fighting for?  

This season, Madison says, someone’s got to stop him; Victor wants to go with Madsion; Madison says she has to put Alicia to rest and build PADRE into what she wanted; Daniel is going to strangle someone with his bare hands; and zombies, zombies, and more zombies.

👮🏽‍♀️ Busting Some Ghosts…

Join me tomorrow for soap and shenanigans in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay dressing appropriately for that office Halloween party, and stay knowing, no one is gone until they’re gone.

October 20, 2023 – Alexis Blindsides Judge Kim, Mr. Christmas, Salt Shaking, Villainous, VanderSecrets, About Fear, Mary Deleted, Reasons Why, All Dressed Up, Seven Quotes Plus a Tagline & Everybody

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna tells her bodyguard that she’s not used to having one, and she really appreciates everything he’s doing. He says, not a problem, Miss Devane, and she asks him to call her Anna. She asks if he saw anything suspicious when she was with her friends, but he says, there was nothing out of the ordinary. She says, nobody paid special attention to her or… He says he watched the surrounding area the whole time and saw nothing that was a threat to her.

As they approach the house, Charlotte asks why Valentin insisted on picking her up early from school. He says, because he has a surprise for her, and opens the door. Laura is there and Charlotte runs to her, hugging her, and saying she missed Laura so much.

Esme brings Ace into the hospital and Spencer runs up to him, saying, Ace has a doctor’s appointment today. That’s so cool. He asks why Esme didn’t tell him that Ace had a doctor’s appointment today.

Robert sees Diane at the fitness studio and says, it’s Killer Miller. What’s she doing here at this time of day? Hold on. Does her infamous client Mr. Corinthos know she’s here doing yoga, and not sitting around clutching her cellphone, waiting for his beck and call?

Elizabeth goes into Drew’s room, and he says, she’s not his regular nurse. She says, he’s not her regular patient. She asks how he’s feeling, and he says, good. Maybe a little too good.

Gregory says he’s read Judge Kim’s opinions, and he considers himself an originalist. Correct? The judge says, yes. He believes the meaning of our Constitution doesn’t change over time. Alexis says she was just reading an article about Ascher Alexander, and he shares that view. Gregory asks if that isn’t the millionaire investment banker? and Alexis says, mm-hmm. Kim says he’s certainly heard of him, but he wouldn’t know if Alexander would agree with any of his judicial opinions. He’s never met the man. Alexis says, really. Interesting. So he flew to St. Thomas on this man’s private jet to go deep sea fishing, and yet he’s never met him? Visibly uncomfortable, Kim says, with all due respect to her sources, he believes she’s been misinformed, but Alexis says, on the contrary. She can provide dates, records, flight manifests, or anything else she needs to prove he did fly to the Caribbean with Ascher Alexander. It seems to be a major conflict of interest. Would he care to comment?

Meeting Dante at the Bistro, Cody asks what he’s got there, and Dante says, just some paperwork he has to file for administrative leave. Cody says, Sam told him about that. Does this mean he gets to just hang around the house in his PJs and still get paid? Dante says, no, not quite. The PCPD is going to do an investigation to see if his reasons for shooting the perp were justified. Cody says, he’s a great cop. Just doing his job, right? Nothing’s simple. Everything’s so damn complicated. It’s pretty frustrating. Dante asks what he’s talking about, and Cody says, it seems like you do the right thing and get the wrong outcome.

Elizabeth says, once Drew’s made a full recovery and is cleared by the doctors, he’ll be sent back to Pentenville. It’s got to be tough. Drew says, in the meantime, he gets the pleasure of her company, and she says, nice deflection. He says, she’s got to fill him in on the boys; how’s Cameron doing? She takes his blood pressure and says, the boys are actually really well. Cameron is loving being at Stanford. Academically, he’s doing well, and as for soccer, he’s not a starter yet – he hasn’t played enough games – but he’s proven himself to be a very valuable player. Drew says, that’s fantastic. What about Aiden? She says, he’s still baking. He made a pie the other day; it was so delicious. Drew says, when she talks about Aiden’s baking, his mouth starts watering, and she says, he’s very talented, and he’s determined. He plans on going to the most prestigious pastry academy in Paris. And he wants to pay for it himself. Drew says, wow. How’s he going to manage that? She says, he started his own little business. He has a website and everything. He’s selling fancy cupcakes. He ships them out or delivers them if they’re local. She keeps telling him to talk to Carly and see if she can sell them at Kelly’s. Drew says, that’s a good idea. He’ll put in a good word for him with Carly. She says, he would love that, and he asks, how’s Jake? She says, Jake has a girlfriend.

Alexis says, since Judge Kim is claiming not to know Ascher Alexander, she’s assuming he neglected to report this deep-sea fishing trip on his tax filings or any other gifts or accommodations he received from this very influential friend. Is she right in that assumption? The judge gets up and says he agreed to be interviewed on his judicial philosophy, not to answer questions about where or with whom he chooses to vacation. Although he shouldn’t be surprised by this blatant ambush. He remembers her reputation as an attorney. That is, when she could still practice law. Cheap tricks and judicial violations. No wonder she was disbarred. Gregory says, so far, they haven’t heard a denial.

Diane says, for Robert’s information, she’s often here at this time of day. It’s the only time the studio offers this particular class. And might she remind him, she works for herself, unlike him. So no matter how demanding her clients are, her life is her own to schedule. But him, a public servant taking a three-hour lunch break to pump some iron? She wonders what The Invader would have to say about that.

Doc joins Esme, and Spencer says, it just that the first he heard about Ace’s appointment with his pediatrician was this morning when he got a confirmation text from the doctor’s office, so a heads up would have been nice. Esme says, it’s really not a big deal. The pediatrician had a cancellation this morning and offered the spot to Ace, so she took it. Doc was nice enough to offer them a ride to the hospital. Spencer says he appreciates Doc doing that; he’s sorry that Doc had to. Doc says, it was no trouble, and Spencer says he would have taken them himself had he known. Esme says, it’s just as well. Spencer was with Trina, and she didn’t want to interrupt that. Spencer says, they’ve talked about this multiple times, including in that parenting class she suggested they take with one another. He wants to be at all of Ace’s medical appointments, even the small ones. She says, and what for? and he says he’s Ace’s older brother. She tells him, and she’s his mother and she’s perfectly capable of looking after her own son.

Charlotte says she’s missed Laura so much, and Laura says she missed Charlotte too. And she’s sorry she was away so long. Charlotte asks if she found Uncle Nikolas, and Laura says she didn’t actually see Uncle Nikolas. Charlotte says, that’s too bad, but Laura says, that’s okay. She does know he’s all right. She thinks he’s traveling right now. He needs a little time to himself. Charlotte asks if she knows when he’ll be back in Port Charles, and Laura says she’s not sure, but she didn’t want to wait to see Charlotte any longer. She wants to hear everything about Charlotte’s life. She wants to hear about school and her friends and her classes. Valentin says, this third wheel is going to let them catch up. He has some errands to run. He’ll be back later. He kisses the top of Charlotte’s head and leaves. Charlotte watches him go, and Laura asks if she’s worried about her father.

Gregory tells Judge Kim, with all due respect, a simple denial of this fishing trip would clear up any misunderstanding. He denies he took the trip; he denies he was a passenger on Alexander’s jet? Kim says, this interview is over, but Alexis says, he agreed to this interview on the record, which means she’s free to publish anything and everything that was said here today, which in the end, could prove very embarrassing to him. It might also stall his rise to the Federal Circuit. Kim says, she lured him here under false pretenses, and she says, all he has to do is commute the sentence, the unfair, harsh sentence he imposed on Drew Cain, to time served and set him free. Then this interview will never see the light of day. Kim says, so that’s what this is all about. Blackmail? She belongs in a prison cell next to Drew Cain. He walks out. Um… That didn’t go well. Maybe she played that hand too quickly.

Robert asks if Diane is questioning his work ethic, and she says, he’s questioning hers. He says he’s just happy to see her, and she says, that’s how he shows it? He says, yeah, and she laughs. She says she thinks they’re so used to sparring with each other in court, that’s become their default M.O. He says he’s thinking maybe they should change that, and she says, then what would they do for fun?

Dante tells Cody, Sasha went through a pretty big ordeal. Maybe her leaving town isn’t a bad idea. Cody says, it’s a terrible idea and he told her so. Sasha wouldn’t listen to him. Dante asks what he said to her, and Cody says, he told her, moving to Austin without a job or friends or family would be a mistake. Dante says, and? and Cody says, and what? Dante asks what else he said to her, and Cody says, nothing. Dante says, he didn’t tell Sasha that he wanted her to stay? and Cody says, no. Dante asks, why not?

A nurse tells Esme that the doctor is ready to see Ace now, and Spencer picks up the diaper bag, but Esme says she’s got it, taking it from him. She says she’d prefer to speak to the pediatrician alone, and follows the nurse. Spencer says, what the hell was that about? and Doc says, that was Esme exerting her parental rights, which Spencer does not share.

Charlotte say she thinks papa is worried about her, and Laura says, most parents do worry about their kids. Is there something specific she thinks her dad’s worried about? Charlotte says, he’s never pulled her out of school early to see Laura. She knows Laura was gone, but she could have just seen her tonight, so why did he pick her up early from school? Laura says she thinks she can solve this mystery. She requested this special meeting because Charlotte is her number one priority ahead of everything else, and she wanted to have this time together before she had to go back and assume her mayoral duties. Charlotte says, now that Laura’s back, she doesn’t feel so alone now, and they hug.

Valentin asks if Anna has been sitting alone in the dining room since her meeting with Jordan, and she says she has. He asks, why? and kisses her. He could have just as easily met her in her room. She says she doesn’t like being alone in her suite, but he says, she’s not alone, is she? She has Sonny’s bodyguard watching over her. She says she just feels trapped… vulnerable, and isolated from the rest of the world. Like a sitting duck, waiting for whoever’s after her to strike again.

Cody tells Dante that he didn’t let Sasha know he wanted her to stay in Port Charles because he did what he always does; he made it about himself. Dante asks, how so? and Cody says he doesn’t even know how it happened. He started talking about people making mistakes and how everyone does it, and the next thing he knows, he’s confessing to her that Mac Scorpio is his biological father and he lied to Mac about it. Dante asks what he was thinking, and Cody says he wasn’t. Dante says, he really did make it all about himself, and Cody says he knows. He was desperate. He really doesn’t want her to go.

Valentin says, Anna doesn’t have to stay here alone if she doesn’t feel safe. She has other alternatives. She says she’s not staying with him, because he has Charlotte to consider, and she’s not about to bring whatever danger is after her down on Charlotte. He says she’s right. He’s going to have to get along with his daughter right now and it’s not a good time, but he did buy that house for the two of them. She says, regardless of what she just said, she is fine here, but he says he disagrees. She doesn’t have to stay here alone. She has plenty of friends In Port Charles she can turn to.

Robert says, you want to have fun with moi? and Diane says, if it hasn’t been made clear, she does. She enjoys spending time with him. What she doesn’t enjoy is being made to think she’s an afterthought or a default friend. He says, wait a minute. He’d like them not to be just friends, and she says, meaning? He says, why don’t they pick up where they left off? She says, absolutely not.

Alexis tells Gregory, what difference does it make? She just let that guy leave with the upper hand. What was she thinking? That she was going to hammer him so hard, he would admit he’s corrupt in taking gifts from special interests? Gregory says, she doesn’t know what he was thinking when he left, and she says, that guy is scum, but he has an excellent legal mind, and he did what he should have done. He walked out. And her? She’s left with half an interview where he didn’t admit to doing anything wrong and zero leverage to help Drew.

Drew asks, who’s the lucky girl? and Elizabeth says, Charlotte Cassadine. He says, good for them. He loves hearing all this good news. She says, Charlotte wasn’t her favorite person when she was little, but she’s grown up a lot. She thinks Charlotte might actually be good for Jake. He says, in what ways? and she says, her boy is so shy and reserved, and Charlotte is very confident, and it seems to be rubbing off on him. It’s the first time since Franco’s death that Jake doesn’t seem down all the time. He says he’s really glad to hear that, and she says, and Charlotte is the most popular girl in the class, so dating her has really boosted his self-esteem. He says, that’s great. He loves Jake like Jake was his own son. She says she knows. Jake loves Drew too. Drew means a lot to all of them. A guard comes in and says, the transfer paperwork’s been approved. He’ll be taking Drew to Pentenville.

Laura says she knows Charlotte doesn’t know very much about her or her childhood, but to tell her the truth, she was very alone as a kid. And it was really painful. She guesses she just wanted Charlotte to know that she’s not alone because Charlotte has her, and she also has her dad. Charlotte says, Laura is right. She does have her and papa, but that’s it. She doesn’t have any friends at school. Laura says she’s so sorry and asks if Charlotte is having trouble making friends. Charlotte says, yes and no. She thinks she’s just been away from Port Charles for too long. All her old friends are into different things now. They just keep their distance from her. (I’m confused. Didn’t Elizabeth just say she was the most popular girl in class?) Laura says, Elizabeth told her that Charlotte and Jake have become friends. Sometimes all you need is one good friend. Charlotte says she and Jake are friends, and he’s really nice, but he’s a boy. That’s a lot different when you don’t have another girl to talk about things with. Laura says, Charlotte’s got her, and Charlotte says, yeah, but Laura’s her grandma. It’s not the same. She just doesn’t have someone to hang out with. And papa’s never around; he’s always busy. Laura says, yeah. He spends an awful lot of time with Anna, doesn’t he?

Anna tells Valentin that she’s not going to impose herself on Jordan like that. Or Mac and Felicia. That’s just too much to ask. He says he doesn’t think any of them would feel like it was an imposition. Mac and Jordan have law enforcement training, so if whoever’s targeting her is… She says, the solution is not for her to hole up with her friends and bring danger to their door. The solution is for her to go after whoever’s trying to dismantle her life and shut them down.

Spencer tells Doc, there’s really no need for people to keep reminding him that he’s not Ace’s father. He gets that. But Ace’s father, who is also his father, is missing in action because he doesn’t care that he has  two sons. Doc says, Spencer doesn’t know what’s going on in Nikolas’s head any more than he does. Benefit of the doubt is always the healthiest approach until you know the facts. (Not according to Dr. Phil.) Spencer says, his grandmother, who is the kindest, sweetest, most determined person on the planet, has finally had to admit to herself that his father isn’t coming back. And someone needs to fill that void. Someone needs to be there for him. Someone who’s not Esme. To be honest, Spencer doesn’t much care what the official title is, be it father or brother, he’s going to step up and take care of his baby brother. He’s going to do it. Doc says, he should care. His love and commitment to Ace is commendable, but he doesn’t have any actual parental rights where Ace is concerned. He understands that, yeah? Spencer says he understands that, and he’d really like to stop hearing that from people like Doc and everybody else. Doc says, he’s heard this before? and Spencer says, yes. He gets it. From a legal standpoint, Esme has the final say. Doc says, that’s right, and Spencer says, fortunately, with the exception of this… he guesses they’ll chalk it up to a miscommunication, he and Esme have been able to work together to take care of Ace, and he’s not expecting that’s going to change any time soon.

Robert tells Diane that he’s a little confused. He thinks he’s getting mixed signals. She says, nope. She doesn’t send mixed signals. Picking up where they left off would leave such a bad taste in her mouth. It would just remind her of how she was used for Holly’s agenda and how she was treated when Holly was around. He says he’s sorry, and she thanks him, but asks him to let her finish. She’s been back and forth in her head about him. The moment she starts to think, even for a second, about what a great guy he is – funny, charming – she’s blindsided again by yet another revelation about something, anything in his past. So he wants to know where she is right now with this? He says, definitely, and she says, good. She’ll tell him.

Cody says he’s been going on and on about his troubles when Dante, his best friend, is under investigation at work for shooting someone. Dante says, it’s nothing. This is just police procedure. It’s easier than doing math homework with Rocco. Dante sucks at math. Cody thanks him, and Dante says, for what? Cody says, for everything he’s done. Not just for him since he got here to Port Charles, but for Sasha too. He doesn’t know if they could have pulled this off without Dante and Sam. He’s a good friend. So is Sam. Dante says, she came around, huh? and Cody says he knew that was going to happen; he’s irresistible. Dante says he doesn’t know if Sasha thinks so. He’s sorry all this stuff is happening with Sasha. He knows she’s come to mean a lot to Cody.

Laura says, when Charlotte first got back from camp, she went to live with Dante and Sam, and her dad lived with Anna. What did she think about that? Charlotte says, that was just temporary while papa was buying this house for them, so she didn’t try to think about it. She asks what Laura thinks about the house papa bought for her, and Laura says her opinion isn’t as important as Charlotte’s is, so what does she think about the house? Charlotte flashes back to Valentin telling Anna that he bought the house for them, so they could move in with Charlotte and start a life together. She tells Laura, it’s all she wanted, and Laura says, a house like this? but Charlotte says, a home for her and papa. All to themselves.

Valentin says he’s sorry this is happening to Anna. She doesn’t deserve this at all. Anna says she disagrees, because they both know she brought this down on herself. She was a double agent. She betrayed the WSB and betrayed her country. And she has to accept the fallout from that. She wipes some tears away, and he says, no. Nothing could be further from the truth. She’s being targeted. She’s having her entire life dismantled by someone’s twisted idea of vengeance. She asks why he’d say that. Why does he think it’s revenge instead of justice?

Cody says he’s just being selfish, and Dante asks, how so? Cody says, wanting Sasha to stay here in Port Charles, but Dante says he doesn’t think it’s selfish. Cody likes her and wants what’s best for her. Cody says, if he does, maybe he needs to realize this is going to be really hard for her. These reminders of Brando and Liam, and that nightmare Gladys. Dante says, they’re never going to have to worry about Gladys again. She’s not going to show up in Port Charles. Cody says, Sam told him that Dante’s dad made sure of that, and Dante says, Sonny can be persuasive. Cody laughs and says he bets.

Robert asks why he feels he’s about to get hit by the infamous Killer Miller atom bomb, and Diane says, buck up, soldier. She has the feeling Robert Scorpio can handle what she’s about to say. Besides, this a golden opportunity for someone, who shall remain nameless, but who is him, to become a better human being. He says, okay. Lay it on him. She says, no. They’re not going to pick up where they left off. There’s too much hurt and confusion and betrayal and dishonesty down that road. He asks what she’s suggesting, and she says, they wipe the slate clean. They clear the chessboard as it were. And this is great. He gets to put his paw in anywhere he wants to, because he’s starting at square one.

Alexis tells Gregory, that might have been their only chance to get Drew released and she fumbled it. He says, she didn’t fumble it. She got to him. She says she should have approached this like in negotiations where each party gets what they want. A subtle warning to Judge Kim about a potentially embarrassing career decision and then he gets a chance to clean it up before the dam breaks, and then an early, quiet release for Drew. Nothing said overtly, only implied. This is how deals are done every day, but she had to go for the jugular. She had to grandstand. Does he know why she did that? He says he thinks she’s about to tell him, and she says, because that’s what lawyers do and she’s a lawyer. Or she wants to be one and she misses it. She wanted to win and she lost big; not for her, but for Drew.

Elizabeth tells Drew, maybe they can delay this. Dr. Ashford is on duty. She could speak to him, and he could say there are more tests that need to be done tomorrow, and he can stay here an extra night. Drew says, there’s not point in delaying the inevitable. Honestly, it would probably make it more torturous. They both know he’s going to end up in prison eventually. She says, then let her call Carly for him, but he says, no. She says, why not? and he says, because he doesn’t want her to see him literally hauled out of here in chains. It would be better if she just finds out about it once he’s gone.

Dante gets up, and Cody says, he’s leaving? He thought Dante could sit around all day and listen to him sulk. Dante says, that sounds like a lot of fun, but he has to get this stuff to Mac. Seeing that Cody’s told Sasha that Mac is his father, doesn’t Cody think he should tell Mac the truth too? He thinks Mac deserves to know he’s got a son. Cody says, no way. He lied to Mac’s face about being his son. There’s no way he could look at Mac’s face and see the disappointment and hurt when he found out. Dante says he’s not going to push it, but think about what he’s keeping from Mac. This isn’t a minor thing. Cody not telling Mac that he’s his son, makes his life a lot more complicated. Dante leaves.

Robert says, as an ex-spy, he’s strategic and an excellent chess player, and Diane asks what he’s saying. He says he accepts the challenge and the conditions, and she says, excellent. She’s just going to give him a warning. He says, wait a minute. A warning. A strategic advantage to him. She says, sometimes a warning is just a warning. This is a game between her and him. If he invites anyone else to play, or even watch, then she’s going to take her queen and go home. He says, just her and him. and she says, those are her terms. He says he’s liking how this sounds already. Just them; Robert and Diane. She says, more like Diane and Robert, but here’s one more thing. Not only will she take her queen and go home, she will take the entire chessboard, and there won’t be a rematch. She leaves, and he half-smiles.

Doc says he gets it. Ace is Spencer’s little brother, and Spencer wants only the best for him. But he really doesn’t help Ace if he denies the reality of the situation. Spencer says, the reality is that he’s going to do what he can for Ace, but Doc says, the reality is, Spencer and Esme no longer have anything in common except Ace. And as their lives diverge, and they will, Spencer may have to accept a reduced role in Ace’s life. Spencer says, no. He doesn’t accept that. Esme comes back with Ace, and Spencer asks, how’d it go? Esme says, Ace is once again in the 99 percentile, and Spencer tells Ace, way to go. That’s what he’s talking about. This calls for a celebration. Why don’t they go to Kelly’s and celebrate? He thanks Doc for his help, and says he appreciates it. He’ll take it from here. He leaves with Esme, who tells Ace, a cup of hot cocoa from Kelly’s does sound good, doesn’t it?

Laura say she knows how close Charlotte is with her father, but as much as he loves her, he was never a teenage girl. But Laura was and she remembers what it felt like. And it was really, really hard sometimes, just to be yourself. She felt like no one understood her. She never knew how she fit in, in her family. She didn’t feel like she fit in at school at all, or with her friends. And she had two really successful doctor parents and that was kind of hard. She didn’t always believe everything they told her. Did she take the advice they gave her? No, she didn’t. It was a very hard time. Painful. Confusing. Can Charlotte keep a secret? Charlotte says, sure, and Laura says, when she was Charlotte’s age, she made some really big mistakes. Charlotte says, really? and Laura says, yes, she did. She takes Charlotte’s hand and says, and it was Charlotte’s great-grandmother Leslie who saved her really. She was like Laura’s rock, and Laura wants to be there for Charlotte now, the way Leslie was there for her. She wants that more than anything and wouldn’t have it any other way. So if there’s something Charlotte needs to say to someone, something that maybe she needs to share, she’s here to listen to Charlotte. Charlotte says, grandma… Laura says, yes, dear? and Charlotte says she’s really glad Laura is back. She missed her. Laura says she missed Charlotte too, and they hug.  

Valentin says, this all started at the reading of Victor’s will and Anna’s WSB file being released to the press. She says, his father’s final act of revenge on her, and he says, no doubt. He thinks there’s someone else targeting her on Victor’s behalf.

Gregory asks if Alexis has always been this hard on herself, and she says, yes, especially when she screws up like she did today, and the screw up affects somebody she cares about. He says he’s sorry. He doesn’t see it that way. He was here, and saw and heard her in action. She was great. And if anything significant happened today, it was that she made a sacrifice. She says, what sacrifice? and he says, every instinct she had was, is still, screaming to publish an exposé on Kim’s corruption, barbecue him in The Invader. But she pulled back for Drew’s sake and offered him a deal. Alexis says she came on too strong, but Gregory says, there’s no guarantee that a softer approach would have been any more effective. She says, the point is, she went after Judge Kim because she wanted to, and it was stupid and unprofessional. Alexis’s phone rings, and she thanks them for letting her know. Keep her posted. She tells Gregory, that was a friend of hers from the Federal building. She said that Judge Kim asked his clerk to pull Drew Cain’s file. Gregory says, and? and she says, apparently, he may be reconsidering Drew’s sentence. Gregory says, see? Nice work, counselor.

Elizabeth watches as Drew is wheeled out wearing leg irons, since he might make a sprint from the wheelchair. They lock eyes for a moment, and she watches as he’s wheeled into the elevator. She stands in front of the elevator, and they look at each other with sad faces as the elevator doors close.

On Monday, Brook asks, since when does granny’s opinion hold any weight with Lois; Cody says he had his chance and threw it away; and Sonny tells someone, the next thing they say could have lasting repercussions.

🎄 Nathan Rushes the Season…

I swear this guy is in every other holiday movie.

🧂 Salting the Lake…

This week’s shenanigans.

It says something about you when your own son wants to hide his marriage.

https://people.com/rhoslc-recap-mary-cosby-son-robert-jr-was-secretly-married-for-a-year-8362974

🗽 Gorgeous Is Gonna Devour Cute…

Tiffany is awful, but I like her, and God help me, I might have to take Jax off the awful list. I’m surprised at how good this show is.

https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/tiffany-pollard-a-hero-in-the-villain-house

🍸 SURish Secrets…

It’s not really all that interesting, mostly about Bravo being cheap, but keeping the Pump rolling until the new season begins.

⚰️ One Fear Coming Up…

Sunday, October 22nd, 9 pm EST. Be dead or be there. Of course the finale is in two parts. It’s a thing now.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/fear-the-walking-dead-series-finale/

https://screenrant.com/fear-walking-dead-season-8-two-part-finale/

🧹 Extra Extra…

Wow. It’s all pretty tame by today’s standards.

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-deleted-scene-grocery-store-mary-steals-child/

🎃 Today’s Lesson…

More Halloween lore.

https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/a40250/heres-why-we-really-celebrate-halloween/

🐶 Will Do a Trick a Treat…

I love this dog.

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/pug-latte-costume

Come on. You know you want to dress your dogs up. You probably want to dress up your cats too, but we all know how that can go.

https://people.com/best-dog-halloween-costumes-8362521

https://www.etonline.com/the-best-last-minute-dog-halloween-costume-ideas-to-put-a-spell-on-everyone-hocus-pocus-baby-yoda

🐝 Quotes of the Week

Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us.Susan L. Taylor

The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away. – David Viscott

One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain’t nothin’ can beat teamwork.Edward Abbey

Our most significant opportunities will be found in times of greatest difficulty.Thomas S. Monson

To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to change often. – Winston Churchill

Once you start recognizing the truth of your story, finish the story. It happened but you’re still here, you’re still capable, powerful, you’re not your circumstance. It happened and you made it through. You’re still fully equipped with every single tool you need to fulfill your purpose. – Steve Maraboli (Or as Sweet Pea said in Sucker Punch: You’ve got your weapons. Now fight.)

For better or worse, Beanies were like crack. – Rich Kelley, The Beanie Bubble

🫦 My Real Housewives tagline: Sometimes going commando really does mean you’re carrying a machine gun. Holla!

🕸 Being Altogether Ooky…

Meet me here on Sunday for a Fear quickie. Until then, stay safe, stay bringing the appropriate hostess gift to a Halloween party – you know, like a coffin – and stay remembering, sometimes all you need is one good friend.

October 18, 2023 – Ava’s Kidnapping Aftermath, Island Wedding, Stay Put, Early Exit, Charitable, Lake #2, Fear’s End, Final Daryl, Ranking Dragons, Modern Remake, Halloween Show-Offs & Scary

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis hoists himself into bed, when Portia asks if he wants some company.

Tracy says, blackmail is a harsh word, and Lois says, but that’s exactly what Tracy did to get Lois’s daughter to do what she wanted. Tracy says she prefers strongly suggested, but clearly that’s a moral shortcoming. Lois says she doesn’t think moral shortcoming even begins to cover it. How about epic fail as a grandmother? Is this how Tracy treats her granddaughter? Tracy says, Brook came to her for help, and she gave it to her, but Lois says, Tracy didn’t help Brook; she took advantage of her. And now Tracy has to answer to her.

In bed with Sonny, Nina says she likes them wearing their wedding bands. It makes it more official. He says he doesn’t think a big wedding would have been as special, and she agrees. She loved their intimate wedding. No stress, just love. She thanks him, not just for the wedding, but for everything. He made her perfectly happy. He says, yes, she’s perfect, and kisses her.

Kristina says she still can’t believe Blaze is in Puerto Rico, and Blaze says, well, believe it. Kristina can thank her abuela. Kristina says, thank you, abuela. She’d love to meet her. Blaze says, Kristina would love her. She’s a force of nature. Kristina says, that’s where Blaze gets it from, and Blaze says, her abuela is five feet tall and a hundred pounds, but that lady is a fireball. Kristina suggests they raise a glass to her and asks, how about a frozen margarita? Blaze says she’d love one.

As they walk down the hall, Deanna tells Austin, white male, 41, two GSWs to the back. The paramedics think the shots might have missed his spine. He’s been in and out of consciousness. They go into a room, and Austin sees that it’s Mason.

Carly walks in the door and calls for Josslyn. She says she got here as soon as she could, and asks Josslyn, what’s wrong? Before Josslyn can answer, there’s a knock at the door, and Carly opens it to a disheveled Ava with Dex and Dante. Carly asks if she’s okay and Ava says she will be once she sees her daughter. Is Avery all right?

Sam goes into Drew’s room and asks if he’s up for a visitor. He says, of course (🍷) he is. He’s always glad to see her. He knows he told her that he didn’t want Scout to see him in the hospital, but is there any chance she ignored that and brought that beautiful girl here with her? She says, Scout is at a sleepover, and he says, let him guess; she’s at the Qs getting in some dog time. Sam says, he guessed right. She can’t get enough of Annabelle II, but – Sam puts a gift bag on the tray – Scout sent her here with a little gift. She takes out a plaque and says, check that out. He says, will you look at that, and we see it’s an award to Scout for Outstanding Swimmer.

Josslyn tells Ava that Avery is perfectly fine. She’s asleep in her room upstairs and Pilar is with her. Ava says, thank God, and Josslyn says she figured it was better that Avery slept here than the police station. Ava thanks Josslyn and goes upstairs to see Avery. Carly asks Josslyn, what the hell is going on? and Dante says, they just came from the police station where Ava made her statement. Carly says, statement for what? and Dante says, it’s a long story, but Ava was abducted a couple nights ago and tonight, Joss and Dex rescued her. Dex says, they can’t take all the credit; there was a major assist from Dante. Carly asks if Josslyn is okay, and Josslyn says she’s perfectly fine. She was just at the police station with Avery and Pilar. Dex and Dante were the ones actually doing the rescuing. Carly says, this is crazy. Ava was abducted? Dante says, by Mason Gatlin.

Austin asks Deanna to get Dr. Larson for him. This patient is his cousin; he can’t take the lead. She says, right away, and leaves. Austin closes the door and asks if Mason can hear him. He’s in the hospital and Austin needs him to wake up. Mason’s eyes flutter open, and Austin says, where’s Ava?

Nina tells Sonny, it’s so peaceful here, so quiet. It’s like an oasis of tranquility. You’d never guess there was a casino on this island. He says, that’s because of the ocean. You can hear the waves and breeze going through the palm trees. The only thing better than that is sharing it with her. She says, he has such a handsome face and he’s so relaxed. She hasn’t seen him this relaxed since Nixon Falls. It’s nice to see him unwind. He’s been very stressed lately. He says, there was a situation he let go way too long, but when he gets back, he’s going to handle it.

As Kristina pours the drinks, she tells Blaze that the secret is using tequila aged in oak barrels. Blaze says, Kristina knows her stuff. She’s impressed. Kristina says, her mother wasn’t. She was less than thrilled with Kristina’s decision to become a bartender. Blaze says, first of all, there’s nothing wrong with bartending, and secondly, Kristina is doing so much more. She not only manages Charlie’s, she’s getting that youth center off the ground. Kristina says, her mother has finally made peace with her choices and come to respect her position at Charlie’s and the youth center. Why are they talking about her mother? What do they toast to? Blaze says, to her, the new Face of Deception, and they clink glasses.

Tracy tells Lois to get off her high horse. Brook is an adult, she got herself into trouble, and Brook came to her for a favor to get her out of it. Lois says, and Tracy thought blackmail was the way to do it? How could she? Tracy says she made it perfectly clear that favors come at a cost. Brook agreed to the deal and went into it with her eyes open. Lois says, Tracy forced her daughter to commit intellectual property fraud. She stole design information from Deception, a company her friends owned. She betrayed them. That’s not Tracy calling in a favor; that’s called extortion. Tracy says, potato, potahto. Brook got what she wanted. It’s only fair that Tracy should get what she wanted. End of story.

Curtis says, sure, and Portia gets into bed next to him. She says, dinner was nice, right? It was so lovely of Stella to take them out to celebrate. He says, Portia was promoted to Co-Chief of Staff. That’s definitely something worth celebrating. Portia says, hopefully, there will be many more happy occasions to come. One she can see right now, where they’ll have a big party – at The Savoy, of course (🍷) – is Trina’s graduation. He suggests they not get ahead of themselves. That’s still two years away. (I’m glad he said that. I thought I lost time or something.) She says, but time is going to fly by. He knows how things go, and he knows what a planner she is. It’s never too early to start thinking about the details. They’ll have N’neka come up with a specialty drink, something really cute, like the Trina Twist. They laugh, and she says, and they’ll have a DJ, not a band, because Trina’s going to want to dance all night long. Curtis says, yeah, and he won’t be able to dance with his daughter.🍼He’ll just be watching from the sidelines, so he guesses he’s got to get used to that view.

Tracy tells Lois, Brook brought this on herself. Chase had an opportunity to get his job back, and Brook dragged her feet. Lois asks what she’s talking about, and Tracy says, Brook was asked to write a testimonial about Chase’s sterling character, but she kept putting it off. Why? Because she was so busy managing his fledgling music career, but really, she just wanted him by her side. She acted out of pure selfishness. Lois says, and that she got from Tracy.

Portia says she knows how difficult this must be for Curtis, but he says he doesn’t think she does. She says, but she’s here for him. She puts her hand on his shoulder, and says, please don’t shut her out. He says, just stop, and she says she misses him. She misses their closeness. He says he just can’t. He told her the other day that he can’t show her love the way he used to. She says, yes, and she told him that she’d be there for him, and that’s what she’s trying to do. She’s trying to show him that, yes, their love might look different than the way it used to, but they can still connect with one another. They can connect physically. He says, she’s not hearing him. Even if he could do… this, he’s just not ready.

Kristina says, Blaze is really going to be the new Face of Deception? That’s huge. Maybe they should be switching to champagne. Blaze says, don’t pop the cork yet. She hasn’t even accepted the offer. She’s got to think about it. She doesn’t love the idea of giving up what’s left of her privacy, and she’s not sure she should split her focus. Kristina says, Blaze seems like a woman who’s capable of anything, and Blaze says, she’s at a point where she finally has control of her career, and she refuses to be obligated to anyone ever again.

Sam says, that is from the swim team awards banquet, and Drew says, that sounds pretty cool, but she says, it wasn’t actually. It was held in a gym, and they served corndogs and cupcakes. He laughs and says, it sounds pretty perfect for him right now. He wishes he could have been there. He’s so proud of Scout. He misses being at her meets and cheering her on from the bleachers. She asks what he’s talking about. He’d be the one running alongside her, saying, go, Scout. He says he’s probably embarrassed her a little bit, but Sam says, no. She loves her daddy. She was able to be there for Scout, and he was there in spirit. Scout did say she won this specifically for him. So when she dropped Scout off at the Qs, she wanted to bring it right over. He thanks her, and says, tell Scout that she’s got to take really good care of it; keep it safe. For him, for when he gets out. Because what he’s going to do is hang it up on his wall at the office and brag about her to everybody that comes in. And tell her that he loves her. Sam says she will.

Dex says, Spinelli was able to get the license plate of the car Mason was driving, and Carly says, Spinelli was involved in this too? Dante says, he was a big help actually, and Dex says, he tracked the car turning on County Road 21; said there was nothing out there except cliffs overlooking the river. Dante says, it’s a desolate area. It’s not where you want to be with a maniac like Gatlin. Dex says he saw Mason’s car on the side of the road, and just as he pulled up, Mason dragged Ava out of the car and was pulling her toward the cliff. Carly says, she could have been killed, and Dex says, then he pulled a gun and started shooting. He was able to tackle Mason, but they struggled, and Mason was about to push him off the cliff, but Dante showed up. Josslyn says, thank God. He could have died tonight. She puts her arms around him, and he holds her.

Kristina asks if Blaze always wanted to be on stage, and Blaze says, absolutely. She dreamed of being a megastar. Fill up stadiums like Beyonce and make headlines every time a new song dropped. Kristina says, wow. It kind of seems like she’s on her way. Blaze says, but she still wants to live her life and have privacy and be able to date who she wants without it being a tabloid headline, but the more popular she gets, the more impossible it becomes.

Nina asks if Sonny will do her a favor, and he says he already gave her what she wanted. What’s the problem? She says, yes, he did, but she can be really greedy when it comes to her handsome husband. He asks if she wants him to buy her a sailboat for the island and call it the Nina Star, and she says she’s not opposed to that idea, but no. Not anything material. She wants him. He says, you already have me, Mrs. Corinthos, but she says, no. She means she wants him to forget about all the problems and stresses he has and wants him to forget all his issues and keep them in Port Charles. Can he just be here in the moment with her while they’re on their honeymoon? Can he just love her? He says, yeah, and they get busy.

Ava comes downstairs in a robe and asks if Dante is still here, but Carly says, he had to get back to the station. Dex says, Dante told him to remind her about her clothes. Someone’s going to come by and collect them for DNA evidence. She says she left them in the guestroom. Dante probably wanted to find out about Mason’s status. With any luck, his bullets killed Mason. Carly says she knows Ava had a really rough time tonight. She’s sure seeing Avery made her feel better. Ava says, yeah. She was asleep of course (🍷). She didn’t wake her. She just sat by her and pet her beautiful face. Josslyn says, she didn’t know anything was going on, and Ava thanks her for that. Her biggest fear was that they would come after Avery, and she’s all Ava could think about when Mason was holding her in that basement. Carly says, they’d do anything to keep her safe. Sonny has posted more guards outside; the grounds are completely secure. Ava says she appreciates that, and Carly says she needs to get back to the hospital to be with Drew, but she doesn’t want to leave Josslyn. Dex says he’ll take care of her, and Josslyn says she’s fine. Go. She and Carly hug, and Carly says, Ava is welcome to stay the night here. She thinks it would make Avery really happy to wake up and see her. Ava says, that’s so nice, and thanks her. Carly says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Josslyn says she almost forgot, but she has something of Ava’s that she found at Windymere and thinks Ava is going to need it.

Dr. Larson says, Mr. Gatlin seems stable enough for surgery, and tells Deanna to get him prepped and ready for the OR. He tells Mason that he’s a lucky man. X-rays show the bullets didn’t pierce the spine. Austin asks if he can have a moment with his cousin before he goes to surgery, and the doctor says, no problem. He leaves, and Mason says, wish him luck, but Austin says, where’s Ava? Mason says he has no idea.

Dante approaches the door to Mason’s room, but as he’s about to go in, Jordan tells him, don’t go into that room and stay away from the patient.

Tracy tells Lois that she’s beginning to think maybe Brook hasn’t been exactly forthcoming about her departure from Deception. She wonders if Brook is concerned about not living up to Lois’s high standards of honesty and integrity. Lois says she would never judge her daughter. Love makes you do crazy things, and Brook learned from her mistakes, but that still doesn’t excuse what Tracy did. She used Lois’s daughter to get what she wanted. And for what? A cosmetics company? What did she want? Free night cream? She went after Deception to satisfy her own greed. Tracy says, she couldn’t be more wrong. She got that company for Brook.

Curtis says, when Portia came to visit him at the hospital, he couldn’t handle it. He lashed out and said the most awful things to her, and he never wants to push her away like that again. This is not that. This is different. She says, yes, he pushed her away before. She was upset, but she understood, and she understands now. She’s trying. She knows this is new. This is so raw. But he’s home and they’re going to have to find a way back to each other. But he’s going to have to let her in; he’s going to have to let her love him. He says, but he can’t love her that way. The truth is, psychologically, he doesn’t know if he ever will again. She says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about. She doesn’t even know how he can say something like that. She came on too strong tonight; she gets it. She’s sorry she did that. He says, she wanted to love her husband, and shouldn’t apologize for it, but she says, it’s too soon. They just need to take things slowly. They’ll take things slowly and eventually they’ll get there. He says, they’ll get there? When his wife knocks on his door for something he can’t give her, it makes him feel like less of a man.

Kristina says, it sounds like a lot to navigate, and Blaze says she’s sorry. She’s finally getting everything she ever wanted, and now she’s whining about it. Kristina says she doesn’t think Blaze is whining about it at all. To her, it just seems like Blaze is a woman who’s trying to figure out how much she wants to sacrifice to reach her goals. She should be able to live her dream without giving up her life. Blaze says she already knows one upside to being in the public eye, and Kristina says, go on. Blaze says, they never would have even met if Kristina hadn’t recognized her. So that’s definitely an argument in favor of fame.

Mason asks why Austin cares. Ava was with him when he got shot. Austin says, so she got away safely? and Mason says, last thing he remembers is Ava screaming when he got shot. Dr. Larson comes in and says, the surgeon’s ready, and asks Deanna to give him an IV.

Dante asks, what’s going on? and Jordan says, he needs to go home. He asks why he would go home. This is his suspect. He needs to question him. It’s his case. She says, not anymore, and he says he doesn’t mean any disrespect, but she’s not the Commissioner anymore; she’s Deputy Mayor. She says, the Police Commissioner was the one who called her. Mac has been keeping busy trying to keep the Pautuck PD off his back. They’re not too happy with Dante showing up in their jurisdiction and taking matters into his own hands. He asks what she wanted him to do. This guy kidnapped Ava Jerome. He was going to kill her and Dex Heller. What was he supposed to do? Show up and say, sorry, guys, you’re out of my jurisdiction? She says she gets it, but they’re making a lot of noise. Hopefully this will blow over when the investigation exonerates him. He says, investigation? That is ridiculous. She says, he shot a civilian. This is standard procedure, and he knows it, so calm down. Until the investigation is over, he’s on administrative leave and he can’t be here. So go home. She walks away.

Josslyn gives Ava her phone, and says she’s sure it’s dead right now, but there’s a charger on the desk. Ava says she wasn’t able to grab it before Mason forced her out of the house, and thanks Josslyn, plugging it in. Not just for the phone. She’s very grateful for both of them. If it wasn’t for Dex, Mason would have thrown her over that cliff. She fought as hard as she could, but she couldn’t stop him. Dex says he knows it’s hard to talk about, but did Ava ever overhear Mason talking to his boss? Does she know who he was working for? She says, no. He just drove out there and he pulled over and said he was waiting for instructions. A couple of minutes later, his phone rang. Maybe his boss wasn’t happy with him. She doesn’t know, but Mason got angry. He started the engine and she thought, okay, this is it. He’s going to bring her home and let her go. Dex asks, what changed his mind? and she says she has no idea, but all of a sudden, he just snapped. He shut the car off and dragged her out of the backseat, and Dex knows the rest. Josslyn says, it looks like she needs this, handing Ava a drink. Ava thanks her and takes a sip. She thanks them both for everything.

Carly looks at Drew through the door window, and calls Sonny. He asks if everything is okay, and she says, no. She’s really sorry to bother him on his honeymoon. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, that dirtbag Mason Gatlin… He says, Austin’s cousin? and she says, he kidnapped Ava. Sonny sits up and says, what the hell? Carly says, she’s fine. Dex and Dante found her, but she’s shaken. She had Ava spend the night at her house so she could be with Avery. He asks if Avery is okay, and Carly says, she’s fine. She doesn’t know about anything that was going on, but Ava’s kidnapping isn’t the worst of it. He asks, what could be worse than that? and she says, Cyrus Renault. He’s out of prison.

Tracy says she tried to buy Deception legally. Lucy Coe wouldn’t budge, so it became a challenge, and she had to resort to drastic measures to get the company. Now she’s giving it to Brook, lock, stock, and barrel. Lois laughs and says, so Tracy is the hero of this story. She’s doing all this out of what? The goodness of her non-existent heart? No. She doesn’t buy it. Tracy doesn’t have an altruistic bone in her entire body. Tracy says she doesn’t care whether Lois buys it or not. She’s Brook’s grandmother and she’s going to provide for her. Because she doesn’t want Brook to waste her life on music, then have nothing to show for it, like Lois did. Lois says, Tracy doesn’t get to make those choices for Brook, but Tracy says, Brook will thank her. If she hadn’t stepped in, Lucy Coe would have left her as a glorified assistant. She has a future at that company and now she owns 51% of it. Lois says, so all this is done so Tracy gets that warm fuzzy feeling for helping others? and Tracy says, yes… and she gets her 1% of ELQ back. Lois says, oh-ho! That old story again? Really? Keep her 51%, because Brook isn’t going to want any part of it. Tracy says, we’ll see.

Portia says she knows how difficult this has to be for Curtis. And not to get clinical here, but the doctor said he should be able to function in that way. He says, this is not about medicine. This is not about a diagnosis. Every doctor in the world can tell him that he can still have sex, but he knows he can’t make love, and there’s a difference here. Just because he’s capable physically doesn’t mean he’s ready psychologically. His body may be working in that way, but his mind is nowhere near ready. She says he’s not ready yet, but he will be, and he says, who knows? She says she knows. She’s not giving up on him. This is the hardest thing he’s ever had to face in his entire life, and they’re going to get through it together. He says he doesn’t know if she can help him get past this. So much of who he is, is tied to his physical ability. He’s always been athletic. He’s always pushed himself to run a little faster, to hit the bag a little harder, to add more weights to the bar. So just knowing he’d be struggling to love his beautiful wife the way she deserves to be loved? It’s humiliating. It’s infuriating. And it’s tearing him apart on the inside. She says she’s not going to give up on him. She loves him. And he’s right. She doesn’t know what this means for him. Even if they never get to a place where they share a bed in the same sense that they used to, she’s not going anywhere. She loves him. So take his time and she’s going to be there.

Austin tells Jordan that he’s looking for some information. Mason Gatlin is his cousin and Austin’s very close with Ava Jerome. He’s hoping… Could she just tell him what happened tonight? She says she shouldn’t be giving him any information. This is an ongoing investigation, and they’re still trying to put the pieces together. He says, yeah, but he’s asking. Please? She says, Mr. Gatlin was charged with kidnapping Miss Jerome and two counts of attempted murder. He was shot by an officer while attempting to murder someone. Austin asks if Ava was hurt, and she says, from what she understands, Ava was badly shaken, but unharmed. He thanks her, and walks away. He makes a call and says, come on, Ava. Pick up.

Ava’s phone rings and she sees it’s Austin, but ignores the call.

Josslyn says, Dex is a real hero, but he says he can’t take all the credit. Dante was the one who took down Mason. She says, yes, and Dex is actually the one who stopped Ava from going over a cliff. Which makes her wonder, how close did he come to going over himself?

Sam is asleep when Dante comes into the bedroom. He takes her magazine out of her hands and takes her glasses off. She opens her eyes, and he says, sorry. She says, don’t be sorry. She tried to stay up, but she fell asleep. She was so exhausted. He says, that’s okay. He kind of wants to put this day behind him. She asks if something happened, and he says, it’s kind of a long story. He’s been placed on administrative leave. He shot someone tonight and they might not make it. He gets in bed, and they cuddle.

Sonny says, son of a bitch, and Carly asks what he thinks happened. He says he doesn’t know, but he’s going to fly back home first thing in the morning. He’s got to go. He’s got to make some calls. She says, let her know what he finds out, and he says, will do. Nina asks, what’s going on? and Sonny says, of course (🍷). It was him all along. He jumps out of bed, and she says, who?

Curtis says he’s just not sure how long it will take him to get there or if he’ll get there, and Portia asks if he remembers when she told him that he didn’t know the kind of woman he married. This woman right here, she’s stubborn. But she’s also very patient. He sighs and says, it’s a lot to put up with, but she says she’s not putting up with anything. She loves him and knows how hard it must have been to be that vulnerable with her. But him opening up, sharing his insecurities, that made her feel that much closer to him. Maybe she did come in here for some physical lovin’, but she thinks they shared something just as deep. He’s letting her in and that’s a start. She kisses him and gets out of bed, but he takes her hand and says, wait. He loves her too. She says she knows he does, and leaves.

Jordan says, maybe Austin can help her. Can he think of any reason Mason would want to abduct Ava Jerome? Austin says, is she kidding? No. His cousin has always been a wild card. He has no idea why Mason does the things that he does, and Austin couldn’t speak to any of his motivations, ever. Excuse him. He has a patient he should probably check on. He jets, and Jordan says, goodnight, doctor.

Ava has one missed call and one message from Austin. She looks at the phone, but does nothing.

Dex says, Mason was tough to take down, and Josslyn says, he could have killed Dex. He says he was fighting with everything he had. At some point, when they were wrestling on the ground, he hit his head and he was dazed, so Mason had an advantage. He was losing ground a few feet from the cliff. If Dante hadn’t shown up, Mason would have pushed him over. She says, thank God for Dante, and he says, thank God for her. She’s the one who found Dante at the police station after Spinelli gave her his last known location. The fact that he’s still alive is totally on her. They kiss.

Sam says, besides Ava, what did he want? and Dante says he doesn’t know. That’s what they’re trying to figure out. She asks if Avery is okay, and he says, she’s fine. She wasn’t involved and doesn’t know what went down. She asks if he told Sonny, and he says, Carly’s doing that, which he’s glad about, because Sonny’s not going to be too happy. Sam snuggles against him.

Carly goes in to see Drew, and he says, she’s back. But it’s so late. She says she knows. She just wanted to watch him sleep. He says he thinks they can do better than that and pats the bed. She gets in with him and there’s more cuddling and snuggling.

Sonny comes to the lobby, where Kristina and Blaze are drinking, and Kristina gives him a hug. She says, this is her good friend Blaze, and he says, yeah. She’s a singer. Blaze says, he actually knows her music? and he says, no. He can’t lie, but his grandson Rocco watches her videos and listens to her music. Blaze says, Dante mentioned that. She’s flattered. And she hears congratulations are in order. Kristina says he just got married. He says, yeah. It was very fantastic, intimate, with the family, just the way he likes it. Kristina asks if he wants a drink, but he says, no. Something came up. She asks, what’s going on? Is everyone okay? He says, yeah, but they’re going to have to fly home first thing in the morning. There’s some important business he has to take care of.

Lois tells Tracy that she knows her daughter. And she’s not going to want anything to do with a company built on lies and betrayal. Tracy says, Brook may surprise Lois. She does have Quartermaine genes after all. Lois says, no. She’s not going to give up her integrity over a company. Tracys says, news flash. She already has. Maybe she’s a little more like her grandmother than Lois cares to admit, and guess what? Lois has to live with it. Tracy walks out.

Tomorrow, Anna says, if he makes another move, she’ll be ready; Finn suggests he and Elizabeth spend the weekend together; TJ tells Portia that someone was here last night, and she has a right to know; and Trina tells Spencer that the fantasy he and Esme have has gone too far.

👰🏼‍♀️ Just the Way He Likes It…

Sonny and Nina’s wedding. Just like you were there. Except for being on a tranquil island and eating fabulous food.

🚗 If She Doesn’t Want To Take That Ride…

Gladys had best stay in whatever port she’s from.

🌡 Missed the Punchline…

It’s a little sad, but the new guy is still so much better.

🫶 For the Cause…

This sounds like it was a good time.

🚣‍♀️ Wives On the Water…

This was actually an excellent show. None of that screeching at each other.

⚰️ Final Storm…

Here’s hoping the ending is worth the wait. Beginning this Sunday, October 22nd.

https://ew.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-series-finale-ending-storming-a-castle/

🏍 Explaining Daryl…

I don’t think the end needed an explanation, but I don’t mind a rehash. Great show, but sneeze and you miss the seasons now.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-final-carol-scene-explained/

🐉 Nothing Better To Do…

Because everyone is waiting for the strike to be over.

🦃 The Forgotten Holiday…

More on Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/eli-roths-thanksgiving-is-a-modern-remake-of-a-lost-horror-movie-that-never-existed/ar-AA1iiEhf

🐕 Pups On Parade…

At least someone stepped in and saved the tradition.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-2023-tompkins-square-park-halloween-dog-parade-has-been-saved-100423

This Saturday, October 21st, if you’re in the neighborhood and so inclined.

https://www.tompkinssquaredogrun.com/

🧟 Mashing Some Monsters…

Stop in again tomorrow for soap and the fringes of Charm. Until then, stay safe, stay donating leftover candy rather than eating it, and stay not using extortion to call in a favor. It’s not a good look.

October 13, 2023 – The Wedding Is On, Thought, Back, Fitting, MIA, A Goodbye, Salty Talk, Postscript, Hard Times, Back To the 80s, Dead Stuff, Costumed Pets (!), Totally Ten Quotes & Monster

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis lifts weights, when there’s a knock at the door. He wheels himself over to open it, and Stella asks if it’s a bad time. He says, not at all, if she doesn’t mind waiting for him to finish another set. She says, not at all, and comes in. She asks if somebody else is here, but he says, no, just him, picking up one of the weights. He asks if she thinks they shouldn’t have left him alone, and she asks if she said that. He says, no, and she says, he’s been on his own for a while now, and he’s doing just fine. He works with the weight, and says, she’s been tracking him, huh? She says she always has; she’s not going to change now. He’s working hard; very impressive. He says he’s just trying to keep it all together, and she says, he’s doing more than keeping it together. She’s very proud of him. He thanks her and says, all these exercises, in fact everything he does, is for Trina and Portia and Marshall. She says, how’s that? and he says, every morning there’s a part of him that doesn’t want to get out of bed. Then he thinks about his family. They need him, and he will not let them down. There’s a knock at the door, and Stella says she’ll get it. She opens it to Selina and says, what do you want?

TJ tells Portia he heard a rumor going around. The buzz is totally positive. She says she has no idea what he’s talking about, but he says, spill. She says she doesn’t want to talk about it yet. Not until she gets a chance to tell Curtis, and she wants to tell him in person. He’s going to be so hurt if he finds out everyone at GH knew before he did. She’s trying to sneak out of here so she can see him. TJ says, he’s going to be thrilled.

Josslyn knocks on the door at Windymere, and Giles answers. He asks if he can help her, and she says, he probably doesn’t remember her, but she’s Josslyn Jax, Avery’s older sister. He says, of course (🍷). What can he do for her? She says she’s looking for Ava. She never picked Avery up from the nanny last night. Giles invites her in.

A guard walks Cyrus to the visiting room, and Cyrus says, another visitor during off hours? He sees Laura, and she says, hello, Cyrus.

Austin sits at his desk and flashes back to him telling the judge that Cyrus is weak because of his heart attack, and no longer a physical threat to anybody. He says, yeah, weak like a great white shark is weak. He remembers telling Mason that he did what was asked and to let Ava go, and Mason saying, neither one of them call the shots. There’s a knock at the door, and Dex says, sorry to bother him, but has he seen Ava Jerome?

Puerto Rico. Here Comes the Bride plays as Nina walks to Sonny, and everyone looks all happy. The priest welcomes everyone and says, they’ve been blessed with a beautiful day to witness the joining in matrimony of Michael Sonny Corinthos and Nina Reeves. This is a joyful occasion, and a solemn one. Marriage as a traditional ceremony is an honorable one, not to be entered into lightly, but a pledge between two people to honor, support, and love one another for the rest of your lives. Is that the pledge they’re willing to make? Nina says, we are, and Sonny says, yeah, we are.

Selina says she’s here to see her friend, but Stella says, she doesn’t have any friends here. And no way she’s buying any with that gift basket. Stella looks at the bodyguard holding a basket of fruit behind Selina, and Curtis says, it’s okay. Selina’s a business associate. Stella says, uh-huh, and Selina walks in. (Oooh. The bodyguard has a bakery box too.) Selina says, his aunt is very protective. She admires that in a family. Stella excuses herself, and Curtis asks what Selina is doing here. She says, he’s been back home for a while now. She thought she’d give him some time to get accustomed to his new life. He says, that was considerate, and she says she hopes now he’s come to his senses and is ready to sell her The Savoy.

Cyrus says, what an unexpected and wonderful surprise. He didn’t know Laura was back from her trip. She says, they just got back, and he says, and she chose to come and see him. He’s touched. She says, he cut his hair, and shaved, and… He says, since he found his true calling, he didn’t find the need to hide behind appearances, and she says, he looks great. So tell her, how is he feeling? He says, their brother told her about his little medical problem, and she says she doesn’t know that she’d call a heart attack a little medical problem, and she’s glad Marty told her. He asks if Martin also told her that it was her aura that pulled him through in his darkest hour, but she says, it was Drew Cain who saved his life. He says, without the will to live, his CPR might not have been effective, but he is a good man. She says, he’s a very good man. That’s why it’s such a shame he’s in here with… Cyrus says, with men like me. He gets the feeling checking on his health isn’t the only reason she’s here. She says she heard about his application for early release, and he asks if she’s here as his sister or the mayor.

Giles says he’s also concerned about Miss Jerome’s whereabouts, and Josslyn says, so she hasn’t been here? He says, she was home when he left. That was night before last. She didn’t mention any plans to be away, but when he came to work yesterday, she wasn’t here. She never came home. Josslyn says, so no maid or no housekeeper has seen her, and he says, no one on the staff has seen or heard from her, but he did find a broken martini glass on the floor here. He points near the fireplace, and says, it could have been an accident. Perhaps she’s staying with her friend Miss Reeves? Josslyn says, no. Nina’s in Puerto Rico getting married. He says, Dr. Gatlin-Holt’s been a frequent guest recently. He was under the impression the doctor and Miss Jerome might be close.

Austin says, recently, no, he hasn’t seen Ava, and Dex asks if he remembers the last time he saw or heard from her. Austen says, two or three days ago. Why is Dex asking him this? Dex says, she hasn’t been to her art gallery, and no one has seen or heard from her, and Austin says, Dex works for Sonny Corinthos; is he right about that? Dex says, yeah, and Austin says, a couple of days ago, Ava mentioned she was thinking of maybe taking a trip to New York. She said there was an artist she was interested in signing. Dex says, that could be very helpful, and thanks Austin for his time. Austin says, no problem, and as he walks past Dex, Dex punches him in the stomach and gets him in a headlock. As Austin struggles to breathe, Dex says, Sonny has a daughter with Ava Jerome, so he cares about her. If he finds out Austin has something to do with her disappearance, he’ll be back, and he won’t be asking questions. He lets Austin go and walks out.

In the hallway, Dex’s phone rings, and Josslyn tells him that she thinks she might have found something.

The priest says, it’s his understanding Sonny and Nina have elected to say their own vows, and Nina hands her bouquet to Willow. Sonny says he guesses Nina wants him to go, and she says, yeah. They join hands, and Sonny says he spent all morning writing his vows. They’re in his pocket, but when he looked in Nina’s eyes, he felt like he didn’t need to write his vows because he can always speak from his heart to her. He thanks her for trusting and loving him, and for seeing the better man in him than he ever saw in himself. He appreciates her kindness and her strength and her willingness to fight for their love, even though everybody was against them. When they doubted they should be together, they did everything they could to get through it, and here they are. He’s convinced more now that they belong together, because of how he feels right now in the moment. How he always does; she makes him secure. He knows she loves him and he loves her that much more, and he always will.

Selina asks Curtis to just hear her out. She’ll keep the entire staff at The Savoy – Stella walks back in – and the entire name of the club will remain. He and his entire family will have VIP memberships for life, and she’ll increase her original offer to twice what he paid for the club. He says, that’s an extremely generous offer, and she says she agrees. So what does he say? He thinks a moment and asks why she’s determined to buy his club. Why doesn’t she start her own and find a location that’s half the price? Stella says, good question.

Cyrus says, in case Laura is wondering, he has no idea how the judge is going to rule. He hasn’t heard anything yet. Now that she’s back, will she oppose his release? She says, he looks as strong and healthy as the day he got in here, but that said, she’s not a doctor. And as the mayor, she doesn’t interfere with judicial decisions. He says he supposes putting in a good word for her brother is out of the question, and she says, yes. He asks if Marty also told her that he gave away all of his money.

Dex arrives at Windymere, and Giles lets him in. Josslyn introduces Giles, and says, Giles told her that Ava hasn’t been home since night before last, and nobody on the staff has seen or heard from her. Dex says, she told him that she found something, and she says, this cellphone and this lollypop. The cellphone was under the coffee table, and the lollypop was just kind of sticking out of the couch. And Giles found a broken martini glass on the floor. Giles says, Miss Avery must have dropped the lollypop last time she was here, but Josslyn says, this isn’t Avery’s. Dex asks how she knows, and she says, because it’s grape and Avery hates grape. So somebody else had to have been here. And Ava would have never left her cellphone in case Avery needed to get in touch with her. Dex says he saw cameras everywhere as he walked up to the house. There have to be more, right? Giles says, yes, and Dex says he needs to see the footage from the minute Giles left Ava.

Nina says, to be honest, she never imagined she’d be here right now with Sonny. It’s actually the last thing she ever expected or wanted, and she fought it for a very long time. She kept telling herself that they would never work, and as she kept saying that, her heart kept falling deeper and deeper in love with him. And she couldn’t fight her heart anymore, could she? Or him. His charm, his humor, his compassion, his courage, his loyalty… his dance moves. What more could a person ask for in someone they love? Then she saw him parent his children, who he fiercely loves, and how he’s willing to fight for them, for their protection. She’s always wanted that family, since she was a little girl. Her daughter is now a part of her life – she looks at Willow – and the two of them are part of his family. He’s given her so much. He’s given her a family. And she wants to give him something. She’s going to surround him with love for his entire life; she promises him that. And they can leave all their mistakes behind them. She’ll walk with him, hand in hand, right beside him, loving him, for the rest of his life.

Selina tells Curtis that she doesn’t have the time or the inclination to open a new club. It’s too much work and she has a busy schedule. The Savoy is already established; that’s why she’ll be paying him top dollar for it. Stella asks if he heard how Selina made it sound like it’s a done deal, when Portia walks in. Selina tells her, good afternoon, and Stella says, she got here just in time. Miss Wu brought them a basket filled with treats. Why doesn’t Portia have a seat and she’ll make them some tea so they can all get to know each other better. She asks what kind of tea Selina would like, and Selina says, that’s kind of her, but she has another appointment. Stella says, that’s just too bad. Maybe another time then. She opens the front door, and Selina nods to her bodyguard. She tells Curtis that she’ll be in touch, and he thanks her for the basket. I want to know what’s in the bakery box. Selina leaves with the guard, and Stella closes the door, putting her back against it, and says, amen.

Dex looks at a tablet, and Giles says, he can see the front entrance is well-covered by several cameras. Dex says, there Giles is, leaving. This is the night before last. Ava was alone when he left? Giles says, yes. Feel free to examine the rest of the footage. He must check on a delivery. Please help Miss Jerome. He leaves, and Dex points at the tablet, saying, there. Someone’s coming in. Josslyn says she sees him, but she can’t see his face; he’s wearing a hood. They keep watching, and Dex says, they’re at about twenty minutes later. Josslyn says, there’s Ava. She’s with him, but Josslyn can’t tell if her hands are tied or if she’s just walking super close to him. Dex suggests they check the dock camera around that time… They didn’t use the launch. Josslyn says, he would still have to go back to Port Charles, no? and Dex says, right there. He has his own boat. That’s what they left on. If he and Josslyn want to see where they came ashore, they need to see the harbor security cameras and the traffic cameras from that time. They can’t do that without going to the cops. Josslyn says, there’s another way.

Josslyn knocks at an apartment door, and a voice asks, who knocks? She looks up at a camera and says, Spinelli, it’s Josslyn. You’re watching us through the security camera. Spinelli opens the door and says, greetings, clever girl. What brings them to his door?

Austin gives TJ a folder and says, the prognosis was very impressive. He coughs and drinks some water, and TJ asks if he’s all right. Austin says he’s fine. He went to a concert last night and he was very enthusiastic. TJ asks, who was the band? when Mason walks in. He says he’s sorry. His cousin here wanted to see him.

Cyrus tells Laura that he’s seen so much suffering in here, he thought his money could do more good trying to help these poor souls. She says, Marty did mention to her that he’d given some of his money to a recidivism organization, but he says, not some of his money, every dime. He says, she doesn’t believe that, and she says she guesses they’ll see, won’t they, if he’s granted his early release. He says, how little faith she has in her brother. They were ill-gotten gains. He’s come to realize and appreciate that. She says she hopes so, and he says, she doesn’t seem to doubt the generosity of her friend Sonny Corinthos when he gives away his dirty money. He’s not wrong.

The priest says, Sonny and Nina’s vows were so clearly from the heart. Now please repeat after him. They say the traditional vows; in sickness and health, forsaking all others until death do us part. The rings are exchanged, and the priest says, in the presence of God and these witnesses, they’re now husband and wife. What God has joined, let no one put asunder. He thinks they know what happens next. They laugh and Donna says, you’re supposed to kiss. They do, and everyone smiles.

Portia asks what that was about, and Stella says, that woman was trying… Curtis says, Selina came to talk business, but what is Portia doing here in the middle of the day? She says she wanted to tell him something in person, but she wanted it to be official. Stella says, for what to be official? and Portia says she’s been named Co-Chief of Staff at General Hospital. Curtis says, congratulations, and she says, it’s going to be a lot more administrative work and a lot of emails, but… Stella says, Portia knows she can handle all of that, and Curtis says, she’ll be great. Portia says, and it’s going to be a little extra money. Stella says, as it should be for all that extra work, and Curtis says, they’ll be very lucky to have her. He couldn’t be more proud of his intelligent, accomplished, and very gorgeous wife. She kisses him and says, thank you.

Dex tells Spinelli that they couldn’t download the video from the system at Windymere, so all they have is the footage he had access to. Josslyn says, they also found Ava’s cellphone at Windymere, but she doesn’t know how to get in. Can he break in? He says, he can, but it will take time Ava doesn’t have, and Dex says, let’s get back to what we’ve got. The butler departed the house at 10:57 that night. At 11:18, an unidentified figure, likely male, entered the house. There’s no footage from the interior, so we don’t know what happened inside, but at 11:59, the hooded figure left by the front door with Ava. They were close together. He appears to be leading her, and from her posture, it’s likely her hands were tied. They arrived at the docks at 12:03 am and left in a single engine outboard. That’s what we have. Spinelli says, well done, and Josslyn says, what they really need to know is where they docked the boat in Port Charles. Does he think he can get access to the harbor security and traffic cameras?

Austin tells TJ that the apologizes. His cousin is unaware of hospital protocol. Mason could have just interrupted a consultation with a patient. Mason says he’s sorry. He’s just a truck driver and doesn’t know anything about hospital protocols. So he hopes TJ can forgive him. TJ says, no problem. They’re finished. He thanks Austin and is about to leave, when he says, so Mason is a truck driver? and Mason says, used to be. Now he kind of does a little bit of everything. TJ says, it was good to see him again, Mason says, him too, and TJ leaves. He pauses for a moment outside the door, then walks on. Mason tells Austin, do not get high and mighty with him about manners. Austin said he needed to see him right away, so what’s going on? Austin says, Sonny Corinthos knows.

Laura says, Sonny has nothing to do with the way she views Cyrus, but he says he’s well-aware of that. He and Sonny were in the same kind of business for years, and he ever thought much about Sonny. But then he’d see Sonny treated with such reverence, an honored member of the Port Charles community with a respected family when he’s no better than Cyrus is. Again he’s not wrong.

Kristina congratulates Nina and welcomes her to the family, hugging her. Donna goes over to Sonny and says, her turn. He says, come here, girl. Give me a hug. He wants her to know something. Daddy always loves her. She knows that, right? She says she loves him, and they hug again. These two are too cute together. Donna asks Nina if she can call her Mama Nina now, and Nina says she would love nothing more. She hugs Donna.

Willow tells Sonny, congratulations, and hugs him. He says, her mother is the best thing that ever happened to him. He just wants her to know that she means everything to Nina. Willow smiles at him, and tells Nina, congratulations. Nina thanks her, and says, it means so much that she’s here. Willow hugs her, and I feel sick thinking about this all falling apart. Michael hugs Sonny and tells Nina, congratulations. Welcome to the family. He kisses her on the cheek.  

Stella says, this is definitely cause for a celebration, and Portia agrees. Stella says she’s taking the two of them out for dinner tonight to celebrate. Marshall and Trina too. Portia says, they can actually have dinner in here tonight, have some champagne. It’ll be a little bit more relaxing, right? Curtis says, no. Auntie’s right. This is a big deal and they should celebrate it, right? Stella tells him, you said it, baby.

Laura tells Cyrus that she supposes she and Sonny have the sort of friendship that surprises some people, but she had no idea it upset him that much. He says he’s sorry. He’s not upset at Sonny. He supposes he just envies Sonny’s life, and how Sonny seems to have a closer relationship with his sister than he does. She says she’s known Sonny for a very long time, and he says, he knows it’s unlikely, but if he does get his release, perhaps he and Laura can build a bond that’s even stronger than the one she has with Sonny. She kind of shrugs and smiles, and the guard says, time’s up. Cyrus says, wish me luck, and she tells him, good luck. He laughs and pats her hand. He thanks her so much for coming. He hopes to see her again very soon. He leaves with the guard.

Just for the record, I’m aware they spell the prison Pentonville on the show, but I think Pentenville looks more like penitentiary, so, artistic license. Like with Windymere.

Dex says, there. That was the boat. Josslyn is surprised he can see it, and Spinelli says, keen powers of observation. Here they are. Dex says, Pier 17, and Spinelli, the abductor, if that’s what he is, chose his spot well. See what’s around the pier? It’s all warehouses. They’d be deserted at that hour, so even if Ava were to call for help, he doesn’t think she’d be heard. Josslyn says, wait. He took off his hood. Dex asks if Spinelli can tighten it, and Spinelli says, yes, of course (🍷), but the cameras are not high res; it might be grainy. Dex says he knows that guy. That’s Austin Gatlin-Holt’s cousin… Mason.

Austin says, one of Sonny’s guys was here asking about Ava, and Mason says, so? Austin says, what does he mean, so? No one’s heard from her in a couple of days. Mason says, because she’s locked in a basement somewhere. Who cares? Austin says he cares. He cares very much. Mason says, that’s sweet. His cousin is in love. Austin says he’s not joking around here. Don’t you hurt her. Mason says, Austin knows better than to threaten him, and Austin asks if it isn’t enough that Ava spent all this time thinking she killed Nikolas, and Nikolas is alive and well. He’s fine; he’s in Europe. Mason says he didn’t tell the guy to take off. He and Cyrus were the ones who kept him alive in the first place. Austin says, Nikolas is Cyrus’s nephew, and Mason says, forgive him. Cyrus has never struck him as the sentimental type about family, but Austin says, maybe they’re wrong about that. Mason needs to convince Cyrus to leave Ava alone. If that guy comes back for him… Mason says, put him off, but Austin says, no. He thought he already had. He punched Austin in the gut and grabbed him in a chokehold. He said, if anything happens to Ava, he’s coming back for Austin. Mason says, looks like you’ve got a problem, cuz.

Sonny and Nina, and Michael and Willow slow dance, while Kristina dances with the kids. Michael’s phone dings, and he says he has to take this real quick. He’ll be back. Willow calls Wiley over to dance with her, and Sonny asks if he can dance with his little girl. Donna says, yeah, and much cuteness happens. Willow suggests Wiley ask his grandmother to dance, and Wiley asks Nina if she wants to dance. She says, does she? Yeah. They dance as much as you can dance with a three-foot height difference. On the side, Michael says he’s at a family function. He can’t talk long. So, they have the name of the person who turned Drew Cain in to the SEC?

We don’t see his face, but a man tells Michael, the SEC was contacted by a lawyer named Martin Grey, acting on behalf of a client. Michael says, Grey was just a go-between. He needs the name of the person who pointed the SEC to his mom and Drew… He turns around and looks at Nina having a grand old time with Wiley. Ugh. I mean, I get it. She did wrong, but I still feel badly about it since it all finally came together, and everyone is so happy.

Curtis reaches for his water, and Portia tries to help, but he says he’s got it. Doesn’t she have to go back to the hospital, Co-Chief of Staff? She laughs and says she does actually, and he says he’s going to take a shower and he’ll see her tonight. She says she can’t wait, and he wheels himself out of the room. Stella suggests Portia take the basket over to the hospital for the nurses to enjoy, and Portia says, okay. When she gets closer, Stella lowers her voice and says, Portia doesn’t have to do everything. She just got a wonderful well-deserved job and she’ll be making more money. Portia says, right, and The Savoy is making money, and Stella says, but Curtis isn’t there. In his mind, he’s not making a dime. Curtis needs her, he needs all of them, to live out their lives as normally as possible and not walk on eggshells around him. He can go out the restaurant and have a fine time. Portia says she was just thinking he’ll be more comfortable here, that’s all, but Stella says, if something is making Curtis uncomfortable, he’s a grown man and he can tell them himself. Believe her. She knows Curtis and he will. Portia says, okay, and thanks her. They hug, and Stella hands Portia the basket. Portia asks if she’s sure, and Stella says, absolutely. They don’t want nothing that woman has to offer, but she will be keeping the baked goods. Portia takes the basket and leaves.

Josslyn asks if Dex is sure that’s the same guy, and Dex says, positive. Maybe Mason has ties to someone working against Sonny; he’s not sure who yet. Josslyn asks how he can tell from this picture, and Dex says, when he was following Mason, he always had a lollypop in his mouth. Josslyn says, that would explain the grape lollypop at Ava’s, and Spinelli says, here we go. The vehicle that Ava and Mason got in is registered to a Pautuck Trucking Company, Pautuck, New York. Dex says he’s going to need a list of all the employees employed by the trucking company and their addresses, as well as any properties owned or leased by the trucking company. He tells Josslyn, that’s where they’ll find Ava.

Austin says, Mason’s right. He has a problem. Because for some reason, Cyrus hates Sonny Corinthos. Can Mason please explain that to him, because he doesn’t understand. Isn’t there enough to go around for everybody? There’s plenty there. At least there used to be. Mason says he doesn’t get it either. Honestly, he thinks the whole thing started when the boss found out Mayor Collins was his sister. Austin asks, what’s that got to do with anything? and Mason says he doesn’t know. He’s just telling Austin, that’s when Cyrus started mentioning Sonny more and more. He would rant on and on about Corinthos and the life he had. Austin says, what life? They both have the same life. They’re mob bosses. Mason says, he called Sonny respectable. It’s almost as if it’s something he wanted for himself and doesn’t have. Austin says, so his life is in danger because Cyrus is jealous of Sonny Corinthos, but Mason says he thinks it goes deeper than that. Austin says, if that guy comes back, Sonny’s guy, he’s going to spill his guts. And they’re next move is to come after Mason, and then Mason will be as dead as him. Mason tells him, don’t do anything stupid. Austin’s only protection from Sonny is the boss, so just do as he’s told. Let the boss handle Sonny. He leaves.

Wiley and Donna chant, cake, cake, cake, and pound on the table. Sonny and Nina get ready to cut the cake, and Michael watches from the sidelines.

The guard says, this is it, opening the door, and Cyrus goes out into the sunshine wearing civilian clothes. He takes an envelope of the possessions he came with from the guard, and the guard says, he knows his way out. Cyrus says he certainly does, and tosses the envelope into a trashcan on his way to the gate.

Sonny and Nina cut the cake, and Sonny feeds Nina a piece. Michael watches.

Before going through the gate, Cyrus takes a deep breath and smiles.

Sonny and Nina wipe icing off of Donna and Wiley’s faces. Michael glares at Nina. This is bad.

The prison gate opens, and Cyrus walks out. He turns to look back at the prison.

Sonny and Nina kiss and drink champagne. Michael glares some more.

Cyrus gets in a car, and it drives away.

On Monday, Cody wonders if Sasha is going to walk away from her life after just getting it back; Willow says, Michael never told her who he was talking to; and Kristina asks what someone is doing here.

💭 A thought: Interesting that Nina and Cyrus have parallel goals of wanting a family and are both going about it all wrong.

🩺 The Doctor Was Out…

This is embarrassing. He’s my absolute favorite soap actor and I didn’t even realize he’d been gone for so long. Well, nice to have him back.

🧳In Sonny’s Defense…

The punishment fit the crime; being exiled to Bridgeport. And one of the funniest interactions ever, starting with her opening the door to give Sam the boot and him standing there.

🕵🏾 The Latest in Waldos…

It’s time to put him back on the canvas. Taggert is definitely underused.

🥀 Ringing Down the Curtain…

He had a wonderful run.

🗽 Her Face Is Irrelevant…

Doubtful she was joking considering her ego. Tribecca does not need her endorsement.

🧂 Four Teaspoons Of Salt…

This week in RHOSLC.

The slam.

The non-clap back.

To be filed under don’t care.

https://people.com/jen-shah-husband-sharrieff-shah-sends-50th-birthday-well-wishes-prison-exclusive-8303004

🍊 Orange You Done Yet…?

Fancy Pants Heather’s hint.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/style-living/rhoc-season-17-reunion-recap-heather-dubrows-new-house

It was pretty bold for one just released from banishment.

Apparently not too bold though, since the status quo stays the same.

💎 Possible Final Word…

So, they’re separated, but not divorcing, and it’s no one’s fault.

👠 Those 80s Ladies…

Normally, this wouldn’t be my type of film, but I do like an 80s flashback.

https://ew.com/tv/ladies-of-the-80s-lifetime-movie-first-look-photos/

https://people.com/ladies-of-the-80s-a-divas-christmas-lifetime-first-look-photos-8305219

⚰️ News Of the Departed…

Reddest herring in the world.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-melissa-mcbride-season-2/

It makes sense since Jadis was a huge part of the Rick story.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-adds-terry-o-quinn-pollyanna-mcintosh-teaser-photos/

There better be some good explanation of why Victor went from antihero to antichrist.

https://bleedingcool.com/tv/fear-the-walking-dead-season-8-scene-madison-victor-reunite-kinda/

Dead at the con.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/new-york-comic-con-2023-recap-the-walking-dead-universe-rick-michonne-daryl-dixon-carol-fear/#1

🐩 Best In Costume…

I could look at this stuff all day.

https://www.thelist.com/646383/the-best-celebrity-pet-halloween-costumes-ever/

https://www.hola.com/us/lifestyle/20211022325485/celebrity-halloween-costumes-pets-roundup-gallery-1/

📣 Quotes of the Week

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. – Bertrand Russell

If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content. – Leo Tolstoy

I could not tread these perilous paths in safety, if I did not keep a saving sense of humor. – Horatio Nelson

Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character; and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man. – Schopenhauer

Maturity is achieved when a person accepts life as full of tension. – Joshua L. Liebman

Our experiences don’t define us. It’s what we’ve learned from them that matters. – Monkey D. Garp (Vincent Regan), One Piece

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave. – Mahatma Gandhi,

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. – Henry David Thoreau

Few things will make you feel better than a job brilliantly done. – Robin S. Sharma

Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping. – Gertrude Stein

🪄 Putting a Spell On You…

Visit again on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s happening in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay never blowing out a Jack O’Lantern before midnight on Halloween, and stay being aware of hospital protocol before you barge into a doctor’s office.

October 10, 2023 – Took Me a Minute, About Lois, Celebration, Sobering, Sharing, In NYC, Daryl’s Week, Reunion Talk, VanderDogs, AKC’s Finest & Watching

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

There was no GH today because maybe, kinda, sorta we might have breaking news. I thought I was losing my mind when I put it on, and Carly and Josslyn were talking about Trina getting back into PCU. I thought, wasn’t she just making a big deal about a paper for class? Then the lightbulb came on…

🎧 History Brush Up…

It’s been a while since Lois was in town.

How the stars aligned for her return.

🎉 Not Quite Italian…

Not quite Benard either.

☕️ Una Amiga Sobrio…

Not to be discouraging, but I think part of it is the company you keep. We’ll see how this goes with her palling around with Vicki and Tamra.

🍹 Watch What’s Not Charming…

For someone who wasn’t upset, he sure seemed upset. And his cheating is nuanced? What does that even mean?

🗽 Living the Dream…

What happened on RHONY this week.

⚰️ This Week In Daryl…

This is such a great show. It’s everything The Walking Dead should have been and Fear tried to be.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-recap-episode-5-deux-amours/

The surprise guest… sort of.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-carol-cameo-melissa-mcbride/

I don’t know about this theory. I figured she was talking about Rick and it was more of a set-up for The Ones Who Live.

https://screenrant.com/daryl-dixon-carol-cameo-walking-dead-season-12-setup/

👢 Could Happen…

People laugh at me, but I loved their music and they put on a great show. Back in the day, their concert was one of the few things I ever watched using pay-per-view.

https://extratv.com/2023/10/03/geri-halliwell-talks-spice-girls-reunion-and-reacts-to-mel-b-message-exclusive/

🐶 Pros and Controversies…

That whole thing with Dorit still annoys me. Knowing how rescue works, Dorit was in the wrong. Period. And the constant chatter about it wasn’t coming from Her Majesty. If anyone could single-handedly end the dog meat trade, it would be LVP.

👻 A Whole Lotta Treat…

These are some of the cutest costumes I’ve ever seen.

☎️ Hanging Up If the 90s Calls…

Take a break tomorrow for some soap (I think) and what I hope is the end of OC season. Until then, stay safe, stay not raining on anyone’s Halloween parade, and stay not hanging out with Vicki and Tamra if you want to curb your drinking.

October 6, 2023 – Sonny Has Errands To Run, She’s Out, She’s In, Faux Housewives, Simon Says, Sharing, Stop It, Dead Talk, Turkey Time, Vintage Scares, Pets (!) In Costume, Just Shy Of 10 Quotes & It’s That Time

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny goes to Michael’s office, and Michael says he wasn’t expecting to see him. It must be important if Sonny decided to come all the way down to his office. Sonny asks if it’s a problem, but Michael says, no, just unusual. Sonny says he’s trying to be a little more spontaneous in his old age, and Michael asks what brings him here. Sonny says he knows he shouldn’t be asking this, but he has a favor that only Michael can do for him.

Moving right along, Sonny sees Anna at the MetroCourt bar, and thanks her for meeting him. She says she was a bit surprised by the invite, and he says he’s been looking out for her since the shooting at the MetroCourt. She says she appreciates that. She’s being very cautious, one eye looking over her shoulder, because apparently, she’s got a target on her back now. He asks if any threats have happened, but she says, no, and he says, that’s good to hear. She asks if that’s why he asked to see her, to check up on her, but he says he just wanted to let her know he’s going to be gone for a few days. If she needs anything, he’s just a phone call away.

Alexis says she can’t remember how long it’s been since they’ve visited her at her office. It must be important. What did she do to deserve this visit? We see it’s Sonny, and he says, it’s not what she’s done; it’s what she’s going to do. She says, typically, when someone wants her to do a favor for them, they ask her nicely and say please. What does he need? He says, put this paper to good use, and save a man’s life.

Setting a cup of coffee on the bar at Charlie’s, Kristina says, just tell her when and where, and she’s there. Sonny says, that’s my girl, and she says she’s actually pretty excited about it. After all he’s done for her lately, how could she possibly say no. He thanks her, and says he knows he can always count on her. She says, that’s not something she hears every day and it’s so nice. She hugs him, and Dante walks in.

Carly leaves a message for Diane to call her. She just wants some kind of update as to when they’re taking Drew back to Pentenville. Sonny knocks at his old kitchen door, and Carly says she just needs to know. She tells Sonny, hey, and he says he knows this must be difficult for her. Nobody wants Drew to go back to prison. She says she keeps hoping Diane is going to call and tell her they’ve figured out something, some kind of loophole to stop Drew from going back there. They’re looking into the judge to see if they can find some sort of bias, but it seems to be a longshot, so she doesn’t know. He says, she’s doing everything she can. There’s nobody more tenacious than Diane. She says, the girls are in school, and he knows that, so he must be here to see her, and he says, she guessed right. That, and to see the moss bowl🎍. She says, please tell her this isn’t bad news, and he says, it kind of depends on her perspective. She says, that’s cryptic. What’s going on? He says he and Nina are eloping.

Valentin is working on his laptop, when a message pops up with the number for a therapist in his area. He picks up his phone, but there’s a knock at the door. He opens it to Nina, who says she came by to see if things were any better with Charlotte. He invites her in, and she says, this place is so beautiful. Charlotte must be so thrilled to be in her own home with her dad… What’s wrong? What happened?

Robert meets Anna at the MetroCourt and asks, who’s the suit? She says, it’s a gift from Sonny, and he asks if she can send it back. She says, no, and he asks where Sonny gets off sending a goon over here to keep an eye on her. She says, he has a very caring side, and he says, so did Attila the Hun. She says, Sonny was worried about her and wanted to offer her protection, which she refused first of all; she didn’t think she needed it. He says, but now she does, and she says she changed her mind. He asks if something’s happened, and she says, other than the recent disturbing events, no. Nothing has happened in the last 24 hours since she’s had protection. He says, so she’s living in the MetroCourt, and she says, yes, until she moves into the new place. Valentin has bought a house for them. He asks when she went house hunting, but she says she didn’t. He bought the house on his own. Robert says, Valentin could have at least made her part of the process. Unless of course (🍷) she thinks he’s hiding something. She says, he’s always hiding something, but the house isn’t part of that. It was indeed meant to be a surprise. He says, Valentin is nothing if not full of those, and she says, he certainly is.

Gregory comes into Alexis’s office and asks how it went with Sonny. She asks how he knew Sonny was… Esme has to quit sharing every visitor that comes into her office. It’s not that she has anything to hide, Esme just needs to learn a little discretion. He says, Esme’s not to blame. When a notorious coffee importer shows up here, people tend to talk, and usually in hushed tones. Sonny’s good fodder for the water cooler. Alexis says, they’re going to be very disappointed. He just came to ask for a favor. Gregory says, he hopes nothing illegal, and she says, Sonny wanted to see if The Invader could help leverage Judge Albert Kim. He’s the judge who sentenced Drew Cain to three years in Pentenville. Gregory asks what outcome Sonny is hoping for, and she says, Carly thinks the judge’s sentence was unnecessarily harsh, and they’re hoping maybe they can get the sentence reduced or at the very least, have him moved to a safer facility. He asks just how Sonny suggests she do that, and she says, that’s what they have to figure out.

Carly says, eloping? What happened to the big blow-out wedding Sonny and Nina were planning? He says he wasn’t planning the wedding. He just told Nina that she can do whatever she wants with the wedding. Carly says she knows Olivia was helping, and he asks if that’s tough for her, but she says, no. She’s a big girl. Olivia can do what she wants, and they’re way too close for her to let something like that bother her. Sonny says, there were just so many details and things like that. A wedding should be about a celebration, not a deadline. She says, it’s just surprising considering all the noise Nina was making about her big wedding celebration, and he says, they’re just going to fly down to the island. It’s not going to be a big deal; just a small ceremony. It’s just going to be him and Nina, and whatever kids are able to go. She says, kids. That’s why he’s here. He says he would love if Donna could go. It would mean everything. If she’s okay with that.

Valentin tells Nina that he’s totally lost. He and Charlotte used to be so close, and now he feels like he doesn’t even know her. She says she knows this must be so difficult for him, but he says, not just him. Charlotte’s going to need professional help. He’s trying to find her a therapist. (I guess Montague is out.) She says, it might take him a while to find someone. Charlotte’s in a very serious situation, and he’s going to have to find the doctor who’s the right fit. He says he’s always been able to talk to her, hasn’t he? No matter how raw it gets. She knows him, maybe better than anybody; maybe even Anna. He doesn’t know how it got this way. This is his little girl they’re talking about. Nina says, they’re going to figure this out together. Where is Charlotte now? He says, she went on a bike ride. That’s why he’s doing research and making phone calls. Nina asks if he hasn’t said anything to Charlotte, and he says he just doesn’t know what he’d say if she lied to him, if she denied it. He doesn’t know how he’d react. Why is this happening? Did he do something to make her act out like this?

Kristina says, he told dad what? and Dante says he explained he couldn’t go to the wedding, but he’d go to the next one. She says, that’s not even funny, but he says he’s just kidding. She says, so he is going to go, but he says he’s not kidding about that part. She says, he has to go. Dad asked Dante to be his best man, didn’t he? Dante says, he did, and he’s honored. He just can’t go away right now. She says, that, she does get, because the PCPD softball team really need their star pitcher, and he says, they probably do, but he’s just got a lot of stuff going on here. She says, what stuff is more important than dad’s wedding? and he says, Charlotte was living with them; she’s moved out. They’re dealing with the fact Scout’s father Drew is behind bars, and it’s tough on her. His job… She seems more annoyed than Sonny did. He took this a lot better than her. She says she just thinks it’s important they be there to support dad, and he says he agrees. Dad knows he supports him. They’ve had their ups and downs, but he knows Dante’s behind his and Nina’s relationship. She says, nothing can keep her away, and he says, that’s good. She’ll be representing. She says she doesn’t think she’ll be the only one actually. Dad asked Michael to come. Dante says, that’s big. What did Michael say?

At the hospital, Michael looks for Willow, and a nurse tells him that she thinks Willow’s still on break. She’ll check. He sits down and remembers Sonny saying he wanted to tell Michael in person. Michael tells him, usually when somebody says that, it’s not good news, but Sonny says, it’s good news, for him at least. He and Nina are eloping; they’re going down to the island. Michael says, congratulations are in order, and Sonny says he knows times have been tough this year, but he thinks they’ve moved past that, and Michael says, with everything that happened with Willow, he realizes how important family is. Sonny says, Nina is Michael’s family. He knows there’s been a strain between them… Michael says, that’s an understatement, and Sonny says, she’s tried to make an effort between Michael and Willow. What makes her happy is spending time with Amelia and Wiley. Michael says he has to admit things have been better with Nina, and he knows she’s trying to respect their boundaries. Sonny says, nothing would mean more to Nina than to have Willow at her wedding, and it would mean a lot to him to have Michael there. So is there any chance he’ll go?

Nina says, this is not Valentin’s fault. She wishes she had the answer. Charlotte is a teenage girl, and teenage girls can be very complicated. He says, she’s a Cassadine. Cursed, isn’t it? None of this godforsaken family gets to be happy. Nina says, please, don’t go there. This has nothing to do with a curse. Charlotte isn’t doomed. She’s an adolescent who got herself into trouble. She’s struggling, but they will get her help. He says, it’s so overwhelming, and she says she’s sure Anna’s been supportive. What does she think? He says he hasn’t told her. How is he going to tell her that his daughter is the one who’s been tormenting her? Charlotte’s the one who set the fire; she’s going to be facing very serious criminal charges. Nina says, they have to just be very grateful no one was in the house. If Charlotte did do this, she made sure of that. He asks if that’s supposed to make him feel better, but Nina says she’s just making the point that Charlotte isn’t trying to hurt Anna. She’s not a murderer; she’s just crying out for help. He says, it’s more than that. Charlotte’s terrorizing the woman he loves, and he’s trying to keep that from escalating, but is he doing the right thing by not telling Anna?

Carly says, Sonny knows how much Donna loves weddings. Of course (🍷) she can go. Sonny thanks her and she says she knows how happy Donna was at Michael’s wedding. Hopefully, both girls can go. He says, that’s the plan, and she asks if he’s called Ava, because Avery wouldn’t want to miss it. He says he called Ava, but she hasn’t gotten back to him yet. He hopes there’s no problem there, because it would not be the same without Avery. She says, it looks like he’s thought of everything for his tropical ceremony, and he says he’s trying. He thinks he covered all the bases. Oh no, wait. The favor she asked for Drew? He’s working on it. She says, let’s hope it comes in time to save Drew.

Gregory asks if Alexis is sure she wants to get into this. He’s heard a lot of stories about people who do Sonny’s bidding and sometimes it doesn’t end well. She says, ya think? She’s very well aware of the methods Sonny uses to handle things. This time, he would like it handled legitimately. He asks if she’s sure that she and Sonny don’t share any similarities, and she says she thinks she’s offended. He says he doesn’t know Sonny well, but from what he hears, Sonny has reputation for ruthlessness. He knows firsthand how ruthless Alexis can be… when it comes to the pursuit of truth in journalism. She says, really? Do go on. He tells her that he’s just saying she’s a force of nature when it comes to business, and that’s a good thing by the way. She says, this is really very entertaining. Trying to compliment her after calling her ruthless. That is some fancy footwork. He says, unfortunately, that’s the only footwork he’s capable of these days.

Kristina tells Dante that she knows Michael wants to make peace with dad. There’s definitely been a lot less tension lately. Dante says, yeah, but that’s a far cry from Michael attending the wedding. They have to start somewhere to get back to where they were. She says she doesn’t know if they’ll ever get back to where they were, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. He asks, so is Michael going to the wedding or not? and she says, she doesn’t know. She hopes so. She’ll tell Dante one thing. She’s not excited to be on an island with him and Nina for the next few days. He says he thought she was Team Nina, and she says she is. She likes Nina a lot. Most important, dad loves her, but she hasn’t forgotten what Nina did to Michael and Willow. That’s some serous damage, and they both know their brother holds a grudge. He says, kind of just like… and they both say, dad. Blaze comes in, and Kristina introduces her to Dante. Blaze says, we meet again.

Michael remembers telling Sonny that he can’t give him an answer now. Not without talking to Willow first. Sonny says he gets it. He just hopes Willow does this for Nina, because the ceremony wouldn’t be the same without Wiley there. She wants Wiley to be the ring bearer, like he was at Michael’s wedding. He’s a pro now. Michael says, Willow has a lot going on right now and she just got back to work. He’s not sure she’s going to want to drop all that and get on a plane. Sonny says, okay. He just wanted Michael to think about it. In the present, Willow dashes over to Michael and says she heard he was waiting for her. Is everything all right? Did something happen with the kids?

Valentin tells Nina that he just doesn’t know what to do. They can’t involve the police. She says, no. They’re not bringing the police into this. She’s a teenager; she’s fifteen years old. If she did do this, and the police find out, they will send her away. He can’t let that happen. They’re just going to have to handle this themselves. He asks how they do that, and she says, they’re going to find a way to get through to Charlotte. They’re not giving up on her. He says he’s always appreciated her support, and she hooks her arm in his and says, even though they went their separate ways, she’ll always care about him. She loves Charlotte. He says he doesn’t know what he’d do without her help, and she says, about that. He’s going to have to deal with this on his own. That’s what she came by to tell him. She’s leaving town.

Anna tells Robert that she thinks Valentin feels this house is a way for him to focus on his daughter. He feels Charlotte needs a more stable environment. She’s had a very rough year. Robert asks if she didn’t tell him that Victor was keeping her at the boarding school, and Anna says, when she finally did come home, she’s been bouncing from house to house. First she was at Laura’s, then she lived with Dante. That’s not to say they weren’t there for her. They were very supportive, but Charlotte is fifteen, and along with that age comes anxiety and insecurity. He says, Mac was having a problem with Robin like that, and she says, Charlotte needs her father’s undivided attention. She totally understands that. She thinks maybe Valentin feels that buying a house for her is the first step in putting her on more solid ground. He says, in the meantime, Anna’s roughing it in the hotel, but she says she doesn’t call room service roughing it. She thought Robert didn’t want her with Valentin. He says he doesn’t. However, she should have the final choice in where she lives. She suggests they agree to disagree when it comes to the subject of her relationship with Valentin, and says she asked him here because she needs his help. He says, with? and she says, something crucial.

Sonny tells Carly that he pretty much politely demanded Alexis use that paper and her investigation skills to look into Judge Kim, because they have to figure out why he gave Drew such a harsh sentence. Carly says, they need to do more than look into Judge Kim. They need to get the judge to commute Drew’s sentence, or at least send him to a safer facility. Does Alexis understand that? He says, Alexis knows that the goal is to get Drew out of Pentenville, but it’s not going to happen overnight. The first thing she needs to do is a deep dive into Kim’s record. They have to figure out what makes him vulnerable. Then they have an opening. She asks if he thinks Alexis is going to come through, and he says he’s confident she’ll deliver for them.

Gregory apologizes to Alexis and says, that was meant to be a joke, but clearly it didn’t land. She says, he has every right to handle his disease any way he sees fit. If he wants to joke about it, joke about it. Go for it. He doesn’t have to edit his words with her. She’s going to follow his lead. He says he feels like he’s constantly thanking her for being understand, but thanks her again. She says, he doesn’t need to keep thanking her or apologizing. What’s that quote from that movie? Friendship means never having to say you’re sorry. He says he thinks that’s, love means… (Actually, I think her version makes more sense.) She says, he just doesn’t need to keep thanking her, and he says he still hasn’t told Chase. He knows she keeps telling him to wait until he’s ready, but when will that be? He can’t keep hiding behind his work here. He wakes up some mornings and he’s so determined to tell Chase the truth. Then he finds himself here instead. He used to lecture his students about procrastination. He’d tell them, putting off that term paper won’t make it easier. She says, this is a little bigger than a homework assignment. He’s going to tell Chase when he tells Chase. He says he’s just being selfish. He just wants more time with his son before his son looks at him with pity. Before he sees the disease, not his father. She says she thinks he’s wrong. She doesn’t think Chase is going to react that way at all, but Gregory will do what feels right for him and she’s not judging him. He says, speaking of judges, how are they going to handle Judge Kim?

Dante says, good to see Blaze again, and she says, good to see him too. She tells Kristina, Dante was her hero at the Nurses Ball, and he says he doesn’t like to brag. Kristina says, since when? and Blaze says, after Brook outed Linc on stage, Dante grabbed him and dragged him out of the MetroCourt. Nice work, detective. He says, just doing my job, ma’am, and Kristina says, that’s great. She almost forgot; her brother, the knight in shining armor. Blaze says, don’t think she’s forgotten how nice Dante was the day they ran into each other at Kelly’s, and he says, that was a few months ago. He saw Blaze at Kelly’s and Rocco had been watching her music videos; he’s a big fan. And they saw her at Rice Plaza years ago, and she was so gracious to them. Thanks. Blaze thanks him, and Kristina says, they’re practically BFFs. Who’d have guessed that?

Michael says, everything’s fine. He didn’t mean to worry Willow. She says, it must be something important for him to come all the way to GH, and they sit down. He says he wanted to tell her that Sonny paid him a visit earlier and apparently, he and Nina are eloping in Puerto Rico. She says, okay. The last time she spoke to Nina, Nina was knee-deep in wedding planning. It sounded like a huge event here in Port Charles. He says he guesses Nina changed her mind, and Willow asks if this means they get out of going to the wedding, but he says, no such luck. They’re definitely on the guest list. Sonny wants them to fly down to Puerto Rico.

Valentin says, she’s leaving town? but Nina says, it’s just for a few days. Don’t worry. She feels silly talking about it, given everything Valentin is going through, but she and Sonny are going to Puerto Rico; they’re eloping. He says he thought she was having a big wedding at the MetroCourt, and she says, that was the plan, but it got complicated, and it was really stressful. They just want to get married as soon as possible and the best solution was to have a small ceremony on Sonny’s island. He says, if that’s what she wants, he’s happy for her, and she says, he can always call her, but he says he’s not going to call her. He’s not going to interrupt her wedding. Unless she wants Sonny after him. Besides, Laura’s coming back from London. They’re going to figure out what to do about Charlotte together. Charlotte walks in and asks if Valentin is keeping things from her.

Robert says, Anna will do whatever she wants, so what does she need? She says, let’s just look at the recent events, starting with the shooting at the pool. She thinks that bullet was meant for Sonny, not her. Robert says, he’s got his fair share of enemies, and Anna says, so does she, but she thinks she’s being targeted in a completely different way. He says he doesn’t follow, and she says, after the shooting at the pool, her house was torched. Then her room here was vandalized. What does that tell him? He says, that her enemy is toying with her. They’re trying to break her down. What is she going to do about that?

Charlotte says, Valentin didn’t tell her Nina was coming over. She was putting her bike away, and she saw Nina’s car out front. She’s so happy to see Nina. They hug, and Nina says, it’s so nice to see Charlotte. How is she? Charlotte says, much better now that she’s living with papa, and Nina says, it’s a beautiful place. Is she settling in okay? Charlotte says, everything’s perfect. Can Nina stay and have lunch with them? Nina says, no, she’s so sorry. She just came over to tell Charlotte’s dad that she was leaving town for a few days. She and Sonny are going to Puerto Rico. Charlotte says, cool. She wishes she and papa could take a trip with Nina someday. Nina says she’s not sure Anna would be so thrilled with that, and Charlotte says she knows. She was just thinking how great it would be if they could go to Europe. Remember how they used to always talk about doing that? Nina says, that’s right. How about this? They plan a girls trip, just the two of them. Maybe she can convince Maxie to allow Georgie to come with them. She likes Georgie, right? (The way she says this, she may as well have been saying, Charlotte’s not going to set fire to Georgie, is she?) Charlotte says, yeah. She used to see Georgie a lot when her mom was still with them. But she’d rather just go with Nina if papa can’t come with them. Nina says, it’s a deal, and Charlotte says she loves Nina. They hug, and Nina says she loves Charlotte too.

Alexis tells Gregory, it looks like Judge Kim has a number of high-profile cases. His opinions that he wrote for his decisions read like bait for a promotion. Gregory asks, can you elaborate on that for those of us who didn’t attend law school? and she says, from what she can tell, it sounds like he’s trying to impress the Judicial Board in hopes of a higher appointment. Gregory asks how he goes about that, and she says, when judges are trying to climb the ladder, they set new precedents. And they do that with their opinions. And what they want is for those precedents to be appealed and upheld. So in simpler terms, it looks like Judge Kim is trying to get the attention of those above him. And if that’s the case, then maybe they can help him do just that.

Carly thanks Sonny for everything he’s doing for Drew’s case, and he says, Drew’s a good man. He doesn’t deserve what’s happening to him. And Drew being in prison affects her, and no matter what’s happened between them, she’s the mother of his children and he just wants her to be happy. She says, that means a lot. So from all the research Diane has gathered, it looks like Judge Kim is hoping for a promotion to the Federal Bench. She’s thinking he’d be more than happy to meet with the press and cooperate. He says, that gives Alexis a way in, and she says, that’s all they have for now. Sonny says, do him a favor and tell Drew to sit tight, because he’s doing everything he can behind the scenes to get him out of there. Carly says she will and asks if he ever found out who Austen was visiting in Pentenville.

Gregory tells Alexis, from the look on her face, he’d say she has a plan. What is she thinking? She says, her guess is, this guy has an ego; most judges do. He says he hears the same about lawyers, and she says she’s not sure who’s worse, but what she thinks is, this guy is really career oriented. He wants to get ahead which means he’ll be very susceptible to the lure of publicity. Gregory says, and that’s where she comes in, and she says, they call him in for an interview. They pump him up. They tell him that they’re interested in doing an article about his decisions, take some pictures, and hopefully he’ll eat it up. Gregory says, and then, she goes in for the kill and ask him about Drew’s sentence. She says, mm-hmm, and he says, good plan of attack. Like he said, ruthless.

Sonny tells Carly, unfortunately, they have no information on that yet. They don’t know who’s pulling the strings when it comes to Austen and Mason. She says, trailing Betty didn’t turn up anything? and he says he had Dex watching her every move, thinking she’d lead them to the boss, but that didn’t happen. They have someone watching Austin, and his guys are doing everything they can until he gets back from the wedding. She says, that’s what he should be concentrating on right now, and he says he knows. She says she’s going to have Donna packed and all ready to go. She can’t wait to see Donna’s face when she tells her. Please take a couple of pictures of Donna for her. He says, okay, and she says, let her know if he hears from Ava. She can just bring Avery here and he can pick up both girls at the same time. He says, thanks, that means a lot, and she says, it’s been a painful couple years. He agrees, and she says, and she just wants him to be happy too. He says, yeah. He feels the same way. They soap stare at each other for a moment, while the moss bowl🎍 yawns, and Sonny says he’ll see her.

Kristina says she’s flying down to Puerto Rico later for her dad’s wedding, and Blaze says, a destination wedding. How exciting. Dante says, they’re eloping, thank God, and Kristina says, Dante. He says he’s just telling it like it is. He thinks they’re being smart by keeping it a small, family ceremony. (Is that really eloping then?) Kristina asks why he says that, and he tells her, because he thinks if they had a big wedding in Port Charles, they’d be asking for trouble.

Anna says, this is where Robert comes in. She needs his help. Because she’s almost certain this threat is coming from inside the WSB. Or someone with access to the Bureau’s resources. He asks if she thinks this is the same person who outed her for being a double-agent, and she says she has her suspicions. Look at the timing; think about it. None of this started until she was exposed in the press. It has to be connected. It can’t just be a coincidence. He says, this is revenge from someone she’s wronged in a past case? and she says her actions hurt a lot of people who might want payback. He says, she hasn’t been an active operative in years. Could somebody hold a grudge that long? She says she doesn’t know. She just really needs his help to get some information from inside the Bureau. He tells her, as he said, since Frisco left, his influence there is limited. As for this new director, whatever influence he might have is going to be limited at best. She says, limited is better than non-existent. Please. Will he help her find out what is going on and who is after her?

Nina says, it was so good to see Charlotte. Does she remember their handshake? They do a fancy pattycake thing, and Nina says she has to go to the gallery. She’s been trying to get ahold of Ava with no luck, so she thought she’d try her there. Charlotte says she misses Nina so much. Please come over after her trip. Nina says she will, and kisses Charlotte’s forehead. Valentin walks her to the door, and outside, he thanks her for coming. It meant a lot to Charlotte. It’s good to see her smile. Nina says, they’re going to figure this out when she gets back, okay? and they hug as Charlotte watches. He tells Nina, have a nice trip, and Charlotte half smiles.

Willow says, fly to an intimate wedding? It would be one thing if it was 200 guests at the MetroCourt. They’d be able to blend into the background, but this… Michael says, yeah. It would just be family, so they’d be front and center. She says she knows she’s been pushing him lately to accept Nina, but this is a lot. He’s finally made peace with his dad and Nina, and it’s so new. He asks if she really wants to put it to the test.

Alone outside, Nina looks at a picture of Charlotte as a young child. She says, Charlotte, what happened to you? As she starts to go down the walk, her phone rings. Sonny asks, how is his bride-to-be? and she says she’s okay, but he says she doesn’t sound okay. What’s wrong? She says, it’s just been an emotional day. Where is he? He says he’s been all over town doing things, but he’s finished now. He’s all hers. She says, that’s all she’s ever wanted, and he says, then she better get packing. We’re getting married. She says, yes, we are.

On Monday, Nina says, this is the best wedding present she could ever ask for; Gregory tells Finn, now because of him, Chase is paying the price; Carly tells Alexis that there’s proof, and she can get it for her; and Cyrus asks what someone has in store for him.

🚗 Enjoy the Ride…

We say goodbye to Gladys. Her last scenes with Sonny were so much fun!

🎤 Old Is New Again…

We say hello to Lois. Brook needs her mom, and hopefully, she’ll go head-to-head with Tracy.

💰 Not As Rich As They Seem…

She has a point. It does seem like you get demoted to friend if you can’t keep up the image.

Case in point? She seems like the kind of person who would ditch her financial responsibilities.

🍊 Who’s a POS Cheater…?

I figured that’s what Jenn was referring to.

🍸 Something About Her Living Her Best Life…

Can’t wait to read her book. This has been one of those rare times we got to see karma at work immediately.

🍾 Words Of Wisdom…

She must be doing something right. She looks amazing. And what I said yesterday. It really is ridiculous how they all just keep circling the same dating drain.

⚰️ Put That Dead Thing Down…

I have to admit, I’m surprised, but he probably has a big fan base.

‘TWD Daryl Dixon’ Becomes Most Viewed Premiere and Season in AMC+ History (collider.com)

This sounds like a great convention.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/new-york-comic-con-2023-the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-rick-michonne/

I knew it. I knew I saw this scene somewhere and there had already been a connection to France.

🦃 The Forgotten Holiday…

That holiday we jump over between Halloween and whatever December holiday you celebrate now has its own slasher film. If Eli Roth is involved, it’s bound to be good.

https://ew.com/movies/thanksgiving-trailer-patrick-dempsey-eli-roth-addison-rae/

🎃 Not Halloween Without It…

Weird-ass vintage costumes. Just remember, that bag is not a toy, or a costume.

https://www.travelchannel.com/ghostober/photos/13-iconic-vintage-costumes-to-recreate-this-halloween?xp=sistersite

👻 It’s That Time Of Year…

One holiday where celebrities are just like us.

👄 Quotes of the Week

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu

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

Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. – John D. Rockefeller

The deeper the truth in a creative work, the longer it will live. – Sir Charlie Chaplin

It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it. – Abraham Lincoln

He ain’t no Christian; he’s a dope fiend. – Judge Mathis

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. – Vincent Van Gogh

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us. – Socrates

October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight, and the enduring constellations about them once again. – Hal Borland

🦖 Main Character Energy…

Join me again on Monday really Tuesday for soap and yachting with awful people. Until then, stay safe, stay treating and not tricking (take that however you like), and stay making parties celebrations not deadlines.

September 11, 2023 – Curtis Returns To The Club, Volcanic Vacay, Milestone Tour, Message From Nik, Week Of Fashion, First Daryl, Riding Again, Last Info, Uncommon Companions, #RememberTheSky & Spirit

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis wheels himself into an empty Savoy, and flashes back to telling Marshall, the circumstances under which he opened The Savoy and dedicated so much work to its success have radically changed. N’neka comes in and says, he’s back. It’s about time.

Spencer arrives home, takes food out of a to-go bag, and puts it on the coffee table. Esme comes out and says she didn’t even get a chance to eat lunch today; she’s starving. The food he got for them looks amazing.

Maxie brings a box into the rental house and says, we’re here, Lulu. I can feel you here too. It makes me feel closer to you. James runs in and says he needs help. He digs in a box and wonders why there are only sheets in it, and Maxie says, because it’s a box marked bed linens. What is he looking for? He says his favorite sweatshirt, and she says, it’s probably in his room in a box marked James’s clothes. He says he checked all those boxes, and Georgie comes out, tossing him his sweatshirt and says, this is his. He thanks her, and says he thought it was lost. There’s a knock at the door, and Mac and Felicia walk in. Mac says, congratulations, and he and James high-five while Felicia hugs Georgie. James says, this house is great. He has his own room and he loves it. Mac high-fives him again, and says, way to go.

On the phone at Kelly’s, Carly tells Michael that he has to give her any news on Sonny’s arraignment. She has to figure out what to tell Donna. He says he’ll call her as soon as he gets any information, and she says she really thought about going, but she doesn’t want to get sucked back in to all this. She’s glad he’s there. He says, him too, and tells her that he loves her. She says she loves him too, and goes back to helping the server. Elizabeth and Finn walk in with Jake and Violet, and Violet says, they can’t eat here. Kelly’s has its own softball team. They’re the enemy. She crosses her arms.

Kristina hugs Michael and says she’s glad he came. She really thought she was going to be the only one there to show support for dad. Where is everyone? He says he doesn’t know if Dante’s coming. Some people might think it’s a conflict of interest since he’s a cop. She says, they would be wrong. Cop or not, Dante’s still his son. Dante walks in, and Kristina says she’s glad he’s here. Nina follows him in and apologizes for being late. She had to change into something more appropriate for court. Kristina says, Nina looks great, and the only thing that matters is that she’s here. Dante asks how Sonny is doing, and Nina says, according to Diane, he’s calm and ready for this. He’s doing a lot better than she is; she’s a nervous wreck. Diane comes in and says, fantastic. They’re all here. A good showing of family is a strong object, even for the most hardened of judges. Sonny is brought into the courtroom.

Carly says she appreciates Violet’s competitive spirit because she’s pretty competitive herself, but they’re only enemies on the softball field. Like her Aunt Ruby used to say, everyone’s welcome at Kelly’s. Violet asks, what if she tries to sabotage them? but Elizabeth says she thinks Carly’s sabotaging days are behind her. Violet says, okay, but she’s keeping her eye on Carly, and Carly says she’d expect nothing less, but she doesn’t have to sabotage them because the Kelly’s team is going to beat the GH team. She just wishes she could play herself, but somebody has to run the diner. Finn says, too bad for them. He’s seen Carly pitch and she’s a good pitcher. It gives them a good chance to win.

Felicia puts some flowers in a vase and sets it on the coffee table. Maxie says, it’s beautiful, and thanks them. James asks Mac to come and see his new room – it’s awesome – but Mac says, they should see how they can help his mom first. Maxie says, Georgie and James definitely have boxes stacked up, so… Mac says, let’s go take care of that, and Georgie says her room isn’t even near James’s. She can play her games… The kids leave with Mac, and Felicia says, this is just beautiful. Maxie thanks her, and says, they all really love it. Felicia says, the furniture Maxie picked out is just perfect, and she knows Maxie still has things coming. Maxie says, lots of new things… for the backyard, the bedrooms, this room, and… Felicia asks, what’s wrong? and Maxie says, it’s just, when she bought all of these new things, she thought Deception was on solid ground, and now they might lose everything. Felicia says, Lucy told her that the case against them is completely baseless, and Maxie says she’s pretty sure Lucy said that before she found out who’s taking them to court. Felicia asks, who? and Maxie says, Tracy Quartermaine. Felicia says, she’s evil, and Maxie says, not only that, she brought in this hotshot lawyer from Pine Valley, some guy named Jackson Montgomery. Felicia says, oh no, and Maxie says, she knows him? Mac comes back and says, he could have had Maxie’s mother thrown in jail.

Esme says, gourmet cheeses, salami imported from Italy. Wow. Spencer really went all out. He says, everybody knows he likes to spend money, right? and she asks what he did this afternoon. He says he was just hanging out at the pool, and Esme says she wishes she’d known. She could have brought Ace, and they could have joined him. His little brother sure loves to swim. Spencer says he thinks Ace just loves to have his fins on and float around, and Esme says she knows the pool is closed now, but they should get him swimming lessons next spring. Spencer agrees, and there’s a knock at the door, and Spencer opens it to Trina. She asks if he got the food; she’s starving.

N’neka asks the staff to gather round. She needs everyone’s help for a major event. Everyone applauds, and Curtis thanks her for the impromptu gathering. He thanks her for helping his pop keep things running in his absence. TJ comes down the stairs, and Curtis says he can’t tell them how much he missed this place; the music, the customers, the DJs, but most important, my incredible staff. They all have a way of making people feel like they’re at home, even in a nightclub. N’neka says, the doors open in just a few minutes. So let’s make this a happy hour to remember. The staff goes back to work, and Curtis thanks N’neka for stepping up as acting manager. She tells him, what can she say? She learned from the best. And she plans on learning a lot more from him now that he’s back. She goes to the bar, and TJ says, it sounds like Curtis’s staff missed him a lot. They fist bump.

Kristina asks how Sonny is holding up, and Nina says, a lot of people want to know that. Sonny says he’s good. He’s going to be fine. Don’t worry about it. Kristina says, he was arrested by the FBI. Of course (🍷) they’re worried. Nina says, Diane is good, but come on, and Sonny tells her, listen to him; he’s got this. Diane suggests they not further antagonize the US government, and asks them to take their seats. Sonny asks if he can have a word with Dante, and tells Dante that he really appreciates him being here. It means a lot to him. Dante says, of course (🍷), and Sonny says, he can go ahead and leave now. Dante says he doesn’t care about any of them seeing him here. He’ll tell Sonny what he told Mac; nowhere in his oath he took with the PCPD did it say he couldn’t support his father. That’s why he’s here and he’s not going anywhere. They hug.

Esme says, Trina must be here to see Spencer. She and Ace were just leaving. Spencer says, she doesn’t have to go anywhere. There’s more than enough food for all of them if she wants to bring Ace in. Esme says, it will only take her a few minutes to pack up Ace and his baby things, and she’s out of here. She goes in the back, and Spencer tells Trina that he’s just going to grab them some utensils from the kitchen. He’ll be right back.

Elizabeth goes to get more napkins and ketchup, and Violet says, it’s too bad Spencer doesn’t work here anymore. She’s seen him play softball before and knows what to expect from him. Josslyn’s good at volleyball, so that probably means she’s good at softball too. Finn says, it’s just a game. They’re supposed to have fun; it’s not just about winning. She asks what Jake knows about the players from Kelly’s, but he says he really doesn’t know much more than she does.

At the counter, Carly tells Elizabeth, Violet is adorable. She loves how competitive Violet is. Elizabeth says, and she’s a perfectionist like her dad, and Carly tells her not to worry. There will be no sabotage. She doesn’t want to get on Violet’s bad side. Elizabeth says, Carly doesn’t have to worry about Violet; she’s a softy. By the way, she heard about Sonny’s arrest. She’s really sorry. She’s actually kind of surprised Carly isn’t at the arraignment. Carly says, Sonny is going to have tons of people there, and it’s not her life anymore.

Curtis greets a couple, and says he doesn’t think he’s seen them here before. He’s Curtis Ashford, the owner. They have about an hour left on happy hour, so feel free to talk to one of his bartenders about what’s on special. They go to the bar, and Jordan says, looking good, Curtis. This is a really good turn-out. Curtis thanks her, and Molly joins TJ. Curtis officially welcomes them to The Savoy and asks if they’re out for anything special tonight. TJ says, yes, they are. He and Molly have a major announcement to make.

Maxie says, Jackson Montgomery could have had Felicia arrested? and Felicia says, it’s a long story. Maxie says she’s not going anywhere, when James and Georgie come back in. James asks if they can have a barbecue with grandma and grandpa, and Mac says, that is a great idea. Why don’t the three of them get what they need, and maybe they can stop at Kelly’s on the way back for some dessert. Georgie asks Maxie if she can order the dessert, but Maxie says, that would be up to her grandpa. Mac says he doesn’t see why not. She knows what everybody likes, doesn’t she? James says, she’s not ordering for him, but Georgie tells him that he heard what the man said. They leave, and Maxie tells Felicia, talk.

Felicia says, a few weeks ago, she and Lucy went to Pine Valley, and Maxie says, right. And Lucy broke into Jackson Montgomery’s office. She heard him say something about that. Felicia says, actually, Lucy kind of distracted him while she broke into his office, and Maxie says, clearly, she got caught. Felicia says, red-handed, and Maxie says, and he didn’t throw her in jail because… Felicia says, Anna. They knew each other from before, which is a good thing since the charges could have been harsh because she broke into his safe. Maxie says, she broke into his safe? And now he’s working for Tracy and he’s going to be out for blood. Felicia says she hopes this doesn’t have an affect on what happens in court, but Maxie says she thinks Tracy might actually have evidence that can beat them. Felicia says, Maxie doesn’t have to worry. She and Mac will help her. Maxie says she knows, but she was feeling very proud, standing on her own two feet. This house, taking care of the kids… No. No matter what, she’s going to make it happen.

On the phone, Michael tells Willow, good luck. And please remember, she’s just a spectator… He loves her too. Dex approaches, and Michael tells him, let’s make this quick. Dex says he knows he screwed up, throwing the flashdrive away in a public trashcan, but the more he thinks about it, the more he thinks it would have been impossible for the FBI to get anything off of that flashdrive. Michael’s mom really did a number on it; it was pulverized. All he threw away were fragments. Michael says, the FBI somehow got ahold of that evidence, and since there’s only one copy, he doesn’t know how, but they somehow pieced it back together. He tells Dex that he has to go, and walks into the courtroom.

Kristina can’t believe Nina is so calm, but Nina says, it’s an act. Look at her hands. The bailiff says, all rise. Federal Court for the Northern District of New York is now in session, the Honorable Judge Jarrett presiding. Jude Jarrett tells them, be seated.

Spencer says, they’re set, and tells Trina, dig in. Having borrowed Curtis’s baby bonnet, she says she’s not hungry, but he says, she came over for dinner. She says she did, and she’s lost her appetite, and he asks, why? She says, three guesses, and he says, Esme? She says, he’s getting closer. Keep going. He says, Trina is upset that he said Esme could eat with them? He knows it wasn’t part of the original plan, but he came in with the food and she assumed it was for her. Trina says, no. She assumed it was for the two of them; there’s a difference. He says, Trina’s right. He just didn’t know how to tell Esme that she was wrong. She says, those assumptions have been happening more and more. He and Esme have been spending so much time together taking care of Ace… She turns her back to him, but he says, hey, it’s him. She can talk to him. She says, it just feels to her like he and Esme as roommates, as Ace’s caretakers… It feels like the boundaries are what the two of them are to each other; they’re blurry. He says, not for him they aren’t.

Esme goes into Kelly’s with Ace and asks Carly if she could have a highchair. Carly leaves to get it, and Elizabeth says, Ace is getting so big. Esme tells her, his pediatrician said he’s in the 98 percentiles for his age, and Elizabeth says she’s really glad to see them both doing so well. Esme thanks her, and Elizabeth says, have a good night. Elizabeth goes back to her table, and Finn asks if she’s ready. She says she is, and he suggests they get to the field and get a good stretch in. Violet says, and no dessert until after the game, and Jake tells them to go ahead; he’ll catch up later. Elizabeth says, since when?

Curtis says, they’ve got a table and their drinks. What’s the news? Spill it. TJ says he thinks Molly should tell them, and Molly says, Curtis and Jordan both know they’re using a surrogate to have a baby. If the procedure was successful, they should know in a few days if their surrogate is pregnant with their baby. Curtis says, congratulations. That’s amazing. He can’t think of two people who would be better parents. He tells Jordan, ain’t that right, grandma? and TJ says, here’s to Grandma Jordan and Great Uncle Curtis. Jordan says, and more important, to the hopefully soon expecting parents, and they clink glasses.

Outside Kelly’s, Georgie wonders, what’s taking James so long? and Mac says, they’re probably whipping him up a special dessert or something. So she likes the new house? She says she loves it, and he says he thinks James does too, and her mom. She says she thinks so too, but… He says, what? and she says, is mom okay? He says, yeah. Why would she ask that? Georgie says, she works so hard, and she was excited when they got the house, but now… He says, now what? and Georgie says, she’s acting all happy about everything, but she thinks her mom is worried. He asks if Maxie said something, and she says, no. He wonders why she would think something like that, and she says she can just tell. Maxie is her mom. She loves the new house, but if it makes her mom worried… Mac says, if her mom is worried about anything, they will take care of it, and Georgie thanks him.

Maxie says, so Felicia and Lucy told Jackson Montgomery that they were sisters, and Felicia says, desperate times? Maxie says she loves Felicia’s spirit of adventure, and Felicia says, Maxie inherited it. Maxie says she doesn’t know about that, but what she does know is, Felicia could have been thrown in jail or in prison, and she and the kids need her. They always need her. Felicia says she knows, and so does Mac, but she can’t swear anything’s going to be any different, because when a friend needs you… Maxie says, believe her, she knows, but promise her that Felicia will exhaust all her other options before she resorts to doing something illegal. Felicia says, that’s why she’s taking this new path.

The judge says, Michael Corinthos, Jr. (confusing me for a moment), you are being charged with seven violations of federal law, section 18 and section 922, the unauthorized transportation of classified weapons. He understands the evidence of this case is classified and being submitted under sealed. The prosecutor gets up and says, at this time, they want to move to drop the charges without prejudice. Sonny flashes back to telling Ava that they already set the trap. They just have to spring it, and then they get the answers they need. Judge Jarrett says, they want to withdraw the charges now? What are they even doing in court today? The prosecutor says, when they brought the federal charges against the defendant, they thought they had overwhelming amounts of evidence. It turns out, they didn’t. The judge says, since the US attorneys are not ready to proceed, he has no other options. Mr. Corinthos, the charges against you have been dropped, you are free to go, but as a reminder, the charges against you have been dismissed without prejudice, so they may be refiled at any time. Sonny says he understands, and Judge Jarrett tells the prosecutor, before he sees any of them back in his court, he expects them to be fully prepared. Court is adjourned. He bangs his gavel, and the bailiff says, all rise. Nina and Kristina hug Sonny at the same time, and Kristina asks, what exactly is going on here? Diane says, what is going on is that, inexplicably, it’s all over. She tells Sonny, congratulations. The judge said he’s free to go. Sonny smiles.

James comes out, and Georgie says, took you long enough. James brings the bag over to Mac and says, it was made up special, and he saw Mattie from Little League. Mac says, he’s a good player. So’s that new catcher. James says, Dylan? and Mac says, yeah. He saw James and Dylan talking at the game the other day. What did he say to James? James says, Dylan asked why his dad wasn’t at the game, and Mac asks what James told him. James says he told Dylan that his dad died, and he was a hero. Mac says, yes, he was, but James says he doesn’t think Dylan believed him. That’s why he pointed at Mac. He told Dylan that Mac was his grandpa, and that he was a hero too, and all the other guys told Dylan it was true. Mac says, James thinks he’s a hero? and James says, he is. They both smile.

Maxie says, being a patient advocate is about as far from cracking a safe as you can get, and Felicia says she wasn’t a professional criminal. Maxie says, tell that to Jackson Montgomery. Seriously though, she thinks this patient advocate thing is pretty cool. Felicia says she loves being a grandmother, and she loves the life that she has with Mac, but she still has time for something else, and she wants to do something meaningful. Maxie says she thinks Felicia is making the right choice, and Felicia says, when she was at GH, she saw Stella Henry working with this young woman, it was very clear to her that what Stella was doing made a big difference. She couldn’t help thinking about when Maxie was sick in the hospital, waiting for her heart transplant, and how grateful she was that they actually had family on staff to get them through that. Even so, there were times when she felt overwhelmed by a system she just didn’t understand. Maxie says she’s sure there are a lot of people who feel that way, and Felicia says, if she’d just had someone to guide her through it. Not to tell her what to do, but show her the way. That’s what Stella was doing for that young woman. And it was then she knew that’s what she wants to do now. Maxie takes her hand.

Elizabeth asks why Jake doesn’t come with them right now, but he says he has stuff to do. She asks if he can be more specific than stuff, and he says, no, but he promises he’ll be at the game. He can pay for his own Ride Share; he’s been saving his lawnmower money. Violet says, he still didn’t explain what stuff means, and Finn says he thinks what Jake is trying to say is that he doesn’t want to talk about it, and maybe they shouldn’t push him. So why don’t they head over to the field, and they’ll see Jake over at the game. They leave, and Jake sits at a table near the wall.

Carly brings Esme a highchair, and Esme says she still can’t believe Ace can sit up on his own. It seems like he does something new every day. Carly says, that’s pretty cute. She remembers when her firstborn was that age. Every day was a new experience. Esme says, that’s how she feels about life with Ace. Some days it’s overwhelming, but she wouldn’t change it for the world. Even though his dad isn’t in the picture, his big brother Spencer has really stepped up to help. He’s really helped a lot with Ace. She’d say she’s very fortunate for a single mom.

Spencer tells Trina that he knows the old Esme is somewhere inside her still, and one day she might come back, but he’ll do anything to protect his little brother. And honestly, living with Esme hasn’t been as bad as he thought it would be. When his grandmother told him that she and Doc were going overseas to look for his father, he thought cohabitating with her was going to be an impossibility, but somehow they’ve managed it. And none of that is to say that he wants to be with Esme for any other reason than co-parenting Ace – that’s it. Any romantic feelings he had for her are gone. And those feelings weren’t really real feelings; it was puppy love. The one he wants to be with, the only person he feels for is Trina. And he can prove it. He leaves the room.

Jordan says, it’s really good to see Curtis back at The Savoy, in his element. The staff, the customers, everyone is so excited to see him back where he belongs. He says, a few things have changed, and she says she knows that. She’s not trying to minimize what happened to him. She can’t begin to imagine what it’s costing him to be here in that chair, but he’s doing it. But honestly, he’s making it look easy. He says, it’s been anything but easy, and she says she wants him to know that she’ll always think of him as family. And not just because they’ll be connected by Molly and TJ’s baby. She means it. She’s here for him. TJ and Molly come back to the table, and TJ says, they’re back for round two. Molly says she guesses that’s one bright spot of using a surrogate; she can still enjoy a cocktail, if and when Andrea tells them she’s pregnant. (I was just thinking that!) Curtis says he hopes they get their exciting news very soon. He’s excited about being a great uncle. Almost as excited as Jordan is about being a grandmother. Jordan says, that just means she has nine months to come up with optional nicknames, and Curtis says he should get back to work. Circulate. It’s good for business. Congratulations. He wheels himself away from the table and into the club.

Kristina hugs Sonny and says she always knew deep down this was a huge mistake. Sonny thanks her, and Dante says he doesn’t understand. How did they not have the evidence to back up these charges? Michael leaves, and the prosecutor tells the US Attorney that he doesn’t understand what happened to the evidence. The Attorney says, they got played. They got false information from a source that’s always been reliable in the past. The prosecutor says, until now, and the Attorney says, right. It’s obvious Corinthos pulled a fast one so that no weapons would be found.

Nina tells Sonny, of the million way she saw this being played out, she prayed for this one. Thank God it’s over. She hugs him, and Dex watches. Sonny tells Diane, job well done, as usual, but she says, please. As much as she’d love to take credit for this dismissal, she can’t. It seems the US Attorneys thought they had something that they didn’t. It also appears this comes as no surprise to Sonny. Not one bit.

Mac brings the kids back, and James runs in, yelling that he’s putting the dessert in the refrigerator. Felicia asks if they robbed the store, and Mac says, James wanted hot dogs, he knows Felicia likes chicken, they got a couple of steaks, and a meatless thing for Georgie. Georgie says, they also got corn on the cob, and Maxie says, that sounds perfect. James says, he found it, bringing out a slotted metal spatula, but Maxie takes it from him and gives it to Mac. Georgie says, grandpa was going to buy tools too, but she told him that she saw them in the storage bin. Also the thing you use to start the fire. James grabs it and says he’ll light the fire, but Mac sprints over to him and says, that’s for grandpa. Let’s get started. James says, this house is the best ever. Felicia says, it is, isn’t it? and the kids run after Mac. Felicia asks if Maxie is happy, and Maxie nods.

Spencer hands Trina a box, and says, it’s for her. Open it. She sees the two birds inside, and says, they’re beautiful, but what do they mean? He says, they’re turtledoves, and she laughs, saying, from the Christmas carol. He says, right, and where was he last Christmas? and she says, in Pentenville. He says, his Uncle Cyrus gave those to him, so he’d have something to give to her, and she says, but he didn’t give them to her. He says he didn’t know if she’d want them at the time. So he left them, but then his Uncle Victor picked them up. He left them to Spencer in his will. He just realized. Why would she want something that he got from his Uncle Cyrus and his Uncle Victor? How non-romantic is that? So he’ll just take these… He reaches for the box, but she pulls it away and says, no you don’t.

On the phone, Carly says she didn’t think she’d hear from Michael so soon. Was Sonny’s case postponed? Michael says, just the opposite. All of the charges were dropped. She asks, how’s that possible? She thought the US Attorney had tons of evidence against Sonny. He says, all he knows is, they said they didn’t have as much evidence as they thought they did. The judge was not happy, but in the end, the charges were dropped, and Sonny is a free man. She says, that’s great. Totally unexpected, but great.

Feeding Ace a bottle in her lap, Esme says, he did not like his highchair, did he? Spencer and Trina can have their date. We don’t care, do we? As long as we have each other, right Ace? She rocks him.

Jake gets up, and says, Charlotte, as she walks in. He got them a table. She says, that’s great, and they sit down.

Kristina says, and here she took the whole day off to be with Sonny. She’s really glad she did. She hugs him again, and Sonny thanks her and Dante for being here. It means everything to him. Dante says, where else would they be? and he and Kristina leave together. Diane says, congratulations again, and Sonny thanks her. She says, as a reminder, these charges were dismissed without prejudice, which means if they ever do find that evidence against him, it can be refiled at any time. He says he understands, and she says, good. She leaves, and Nina asks if Sonny is ready to go home, but he asks her to give him a minute with Dex.

N’neka finds Curtis in the back hallway, and she asks why he’s not in the main room, in the thick of things. He says, just taking stock; figuring out where he fits in. Or even if he fits in at all.

Trina says, Spencer just gave her this gift. He can’t just take it back. He says, that gift has passed through the hands of not one, but two of his criminal great uncles. He must have been out of his mind to think it was also an acceptable gift for her. He tries to take it again, but she won’t let him, and says, then why did he give it to her? He says, because whenever he looks at those figurines, he thinks about how much he missed her last Christmas. And how much he wants her to know that he was thinking about her. She says, there’s two doves. She wants him to take one – she puts it in his hand – and she’ll take the other one. He says, okay, but why? and she asks if it isn’t obvious. He says, yeah, but maybe he just wants to hear her say the words, and she says, as a reminder that, just like these two doves, they’re a matched pair. And just like these two doves, they belong together. They kiss.

Jake asks if he told Charlotte about his new painting, and she asks, what’s the subject matter? He says he wanted to paint something she’d like, and he knows how much she likes riding horses, so he’s painting a horse. She says, that’s so cool. She can’t wait to see it.

Esme tells Carly that she’s ready for the check… but before Carly goes, does she still have rooms for rent upstairs? Carly pauses a moment, but says she does, and Esme asks if there happen to be any vacancies.

Dex says he doesn’t understand what happened to Sonny’s case. He thought the US Attorney had a ton of evidence against him. Sonny asks why Dex wasn’t on the docks when the Feds showed up, and Dex says, Carly called him. She got a warning from a longshoreman that he overheard there was going to be a raid on their shipment that night. He didn’t have a chance to warn the other guys, but he managed to slip out before the raid started. Sonny says, they’re going to drop the charges on Gabe and all the rest of the guys there that night, and Dex asks, how is that even possible? Weren’t they caught with the Pikeman crates? Sonny nods and asks if Dex knows what was in the crates. Dex lowers his voice and says he assumed it was unauthorized weapons. He doesn’t see how the guys could have gotten out of those charges. He doesn’t see how Sonny got out of those charges. Sonny whispers, the crates were from Pikeman. When they opened the crates, does he know what the Feds found? Incredible coffee beans. Dex did good. Take the rest of the night off.

Nina asks if everything is taken care of, and Sonny says, yeah. Everything is taken care of. Let’s go. Dex watches them leave.  

I knew it. Sonny is really a secret coffee importer.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth tells Finn, it’s going to happen sooner or later; Gladys asks how they could let this happen; and Sonny tells Nina that it was a chance he was willing to take.

🌋 Of Course He Did…

It sounds like something his alter-ego would also do.

📖 An Open Book…

It would be awesome to see him.

💌 Sharing Is Caring…

IMO he is the best Nikolas out of all of them.

👠 Fashionable Week…

The celebrities.

https://extratv.com/photos/2023/09/08/stars-at-new-york-fashion-week-2023-september/

https://www.etonline.com/gallery/2023-celeb-sightings-new-york-fashion-week-211035

The reality.

https://gothamist.com/news/yes-new-york-fashion-week-2023-is-for-you-too-but-duck-the-traffic-if-its-not

Word on the street.

https://footwearnews.com/gallery/nyfw-street-style-spring-2024-photos/

🏹 Assessing Le Daryl…

Saw it. Loved it. The first episode is somewhat of a set-up, but still filled with zombie packed action. As well as some live bad guys. It surprises me that several sites have compared it to The Last of Us. From what I saw in the season preview, it looks closer to Z Nation. And yes, I’m still bitter about that being canceled.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-review-did-last-of-us-beat-it-to-the-punch

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a44862052/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-review/

No spoiler review.

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a44862052/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-review/

🏍 Born To Ride…

I haven’t seen this one yet, but I loved the last season. The human condition aspect is enriching.

🌄 Speaking Of Last…

Not much more than we knew before.

https://screenrant.com/the-last-of-us-season-2-cast-details-updates/

🦎 Fur Or Not Babies…

Bet that’s the only person in the world with a pet millipede. I rarely say, I don’t want one when it comes to an animal, even insects, but no thank you very much.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/sam_cleal/unusual-pets-that-are-cuter-than-cats-and-dogs

#RememberTheSky #NeverForget911

www.neverforget.org

👀 Seeing You In September…

Join me tomorrow for soap and reading a few tea leaves. Until then, stay safe, stay never drinking directly out of the milk carton, and stay not telling others what to do, but showing them the way.

September 8, 2023 – Cody Confronts Montague, Hot Hospital, Sisters, Arriving Soon, No Salt, VanderShare, Next House, Her Life, Best In Song, Daryl Talk, Reality Pets (!), Six Quick Quotes Plus One & Stand

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone at the MetroCourt, Nina asks if Gladys has any information for her… Then why is she calling?… She’s at the MetroCourt. She has to be here until Sonny’s hearing. She wants Gladys to listen to this. If Sasha is not home first thing tomorrow morning, she’s going to Ferncliff to find out why. Goodbye. She looks over and sees Anna at one of the tables.

Also on the phone, Anna says, there has to be something they can do… They’re saying they can’t tell her who owns this vacant house?… All right. Thank you. Nina approaches the table and says, Sonny’s hearing is today. Anna says she knows, and Nina says, Anna has so many connections, she was just wondering if she has any information on what’s going to happen to Sonny.

Carrying his guitar, Ned/Eddie walks into a music studio with Olivia and Leo. He says he can’t believe Sonny came through for him like this, and Olivia says, Sonny is many things, but he’s always a man of his word. Leo asks if they’re here, and Ned says, they’re getting closer. Olivia asks if he’s ready, and Ned says, it’s been a while. He kind of feels like he’s trying to reclaim an ancient treasure. Leo asks if it’s a treasure hunt, and Olivia says, in a way. Leo says he loves treasure hunts, and Ned says, hopefully, he’ll like what they find. Is he ready to go make some music? Leo says, yes! and Ned says, let’s go. They walk into the studio.

Worst righthand man ever Dex sits at the pier, and Josslyn asks if he’s okay. He says he screwed up, and Sonny could spend the rest of his life in prison because of him.

Anna says she’s so sorry. This has got to be so concerning to Nina, but she doesn’t have any information about Sonny. Nina says, there has to be something Anna can do. Can’t she help Diane with this case? Anna says she can’t. It’s a criminal matter, not a personal one. There’s nothing she can do. Nina says, it feels personal. Someone set Sonny up. Anna says, that’s a possibility, and Nina wonders if it’s the person who shot at him at the MetroCourt. Anna says she doesn’t know that bullet was meant for Sonny, when Ava joins them and says, that bullet was probably meant for one of them, right? It hit Curtis; the poor man’s in a wheelchair.

Portia tells Curtis that she shouldn’t be too long. She has to go to GH to pick something up. Then she thought she’d pick up some wings from Charlie’s Pub. He says, sounds good, and she says she’ll be back soon. She leaves, and Marshall comes out. He says he has to head over to The Savoy. He needs to check on these numbers. He hopes he didn’t screw something up. Curtis is sure he didn’t, but he knows it can get confusing. Marshall says, it’s harder when you’re confused to begin with, and calls to Portia, but Curtis says, she took off for GH. Marshall says, this isn’t so important it can’t wait, and Curtis says, they have to stop doing this.

Dr. Montague asks, what the hell is going on in here? And what is Cody doing here? Cody says, he’s Sasha’s psychiatrist? Of course (🍷) he is, because he’s Gladys’s pal. That’s the connection. Montague met Gladys at The Savoy in the back room at Selina Wu’s poker game. That’s where all this started, huh? You son of a bitch.

Ned tells Olivia, this producer Sonny hired is one of the best. He’s lucky to be working with him. She says she’s glad he thinks so, and he says, when Sonny mentioned this, he thought Sonny was just telling him what he wanted to hear to keep him around town. Olivia says, Sonny doesn’t do that. He’s here because Sonny knows how good he is. Ned suggests they get inside so he can thank Sonny again, but Olivia says, Sonny’s not here today. Leo asks where he is, and Ned says, his record label is paying for this recording session. After everything he’s done, he figured Sonny would be here. She says she’s sure he wanted to, but he’s got some other obligations today. Ned says, of course (🍷). Maybe he’ll make an appearance later. She says she sure hopes so.

Josslyn says, this is not Dex’s fault. If Sonny goes to prison, it’s for what Sonny did. Does he know how many times Sonny was almost caught over the years? Dex says he was the last one to have the flashdrive, but she says, it was destroyed, and he says, is she sure? They don’t know what labs are capable of putting back together. It was so stupid to throw it away in a trashcan. (Yes, it was.) She says, he couldn’t have known somebody would find it, but he says he’s been working for Sonny for a long time now. The Feds know that; the other Families know that. Any one of them could have been following him. She says, he doesn’t even know if anybody has it, and he says he goes over it again and again in his head. How could he be so careless when it came to Sonny’s freedom? She says, because of her.

Nina says, Sonny feels guilty about what happened to Curtis, and she would imagine that Anna does as well, and Ava says she only meant that… Anna says she knows what Ava meant. It’s all right. She got a very pointed message that Curtis wasn’t seeing any visitors. How is he? Ava says, Trina told her that he’s home; that he’s trying to adjust to his new life. She’s taking it very hard as well. Nina says she tried to reach out to him, but it’s not easy. Curtis has always been so active. Anna sighs and asks them to excuse her. She leaves, and Ava says she didn’t mean to upset Anna, but Nina says, they all know Ava is upset about Trina. Ava says, what about Nina? She knows Sonny’s hearing is today. How is she holding up?

Marshall asks what he did, and Curtis asks if they think because they’re whispering and giving each other signals, he hasn’t noticed that he hasn’t been alone in this house. Marshall says, they just thought Curtis might like to have somebody with him, and Curtis says he knows what they thought. He keeps being told over and over that he can get his life back to some kind of normal. Marshall wants him to go back to work at The Savoy… Marshall says he does, and Curtis says, if any of them thought he could get his life back to some kind of normal, they wouldn’t be afraid to leave him alone in his own damn house. He’s been doing fine since he’s been here. What he doesn’t want is someone watching him every minute. Marshall says, Curtis is absolutely right. Sometimes we care so much, we only think about what it is we can do for the person we love, instead of thinking about what it is that they need and want. He’ll see Curtis later. Curtis thanks him, and Marshall leaves.

Montague says, perhaps they didn’t go over the rules when Cody was admitted, so he’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Patients aren’t allowed in each other’s rooms, and Sasha in particular is very fragile. And Cody seems quite agitated. Cody says he doesn’t buy this caring shrink act Montague is doing, not for one second. And agitated? He laughs and says, no. Try mad as hell. Because he can see exactly what’s going on here. Montague knows Gladys through Selina Wu’s card game in the backroom at The Savoy. He knew Gladys was in debt to Selina Wu. Did Gladys ask him for help when Sasha tried to end her guardianship, so she could keep control of all of Sasha’s money? Is that what he’s been doing? Has he been keeping Sasha drugged so she looks unstable? How much is Gladys paying him? Huh? How much is Gladys paying him to keep Sasha drugged?

Curtis’s doorbell rings, and he wheels himself over to answer it. He opens the door to Anna.

Leo looks around and says, wow. This is so cool. We’re going to make a song, Eddie! A man says, this is the place to do it. He’s the producer, Johnny. What’s his name? Leo tells him, and looking at Ned, Johnny says, he must be Ned Quartermaine. Ned says he’s Eddie Maine, and Johnny says he’s sorry. He could have sworn… Olivia says, there must have been a mix up in the booking. Eddie’s going to be singing. Leo says, there’s so many buttons. Does every one have a different purpose? A woman sits down and says, they do everything, except dance, and Johnny says, they’re working on it. Leo says, that would be cool, and Johnny says, this is their engineer, Kira. He introduces her to Leo and Eddie/Ned, and Leo asks what the green button does. Kira says, that’s how they talk to the booth, and Ned says he’s sure Kira would love to tell him about all these buttons after the recording session. So just sit right here, be quiet, and put his listening ears on. Leo says, okay, and Johnny asks if Olivia is singing back-up, but she says she only sings at the Nurses Ball. She’s Eddie’s… friend.

Montague says, it’s not uncommon for patients at Ferncliff to see conspiracies, when in reality, none actually exist. He’s going to confer with Cody’s doctor, and he’s going to suggest a stronger dose of medication for him. Cody says, because that’s what he’s been doing to Sasha? and Montague starts to walk to the door, but Cody says, he’s not going anywhere. Montague tells Sasha, don’t worry. This gentleman – and he uses the term loosely – is obviously just confused. Sasha asks if Cody is right. Does he know Gladys?

Nina tells Ava, Sonny doesn’t let her know anything, but she wishes she knew what was going to happen. What kind of evidence could they have? Ava says, they must have something. She doesn’t think the Feds would drag somebody into court if they didn’t have evidence. But Sonny has beaten more raps than she can count. Nina asks what she’s told Avery, and Ava says she hasn’t told Avery anything, and isn’t going to if she doesn’t have to. Nina says, that’s smart, and asks how Avery is doing. Ava says, she’s good; she’s okay. She’s happy. She’s excited Nina is marrying her daddy. Nina says, that’s sweet, and Ava says, as Nina’s friend, she needs Nina to face the reality here. Even if Sonny does get out of this, it isn’t the end. Sonny’s not going to change. This is the life he has chosen. There’s always going to be something else.

Dex says, there’s no way Josslyn has any responsibility for what happened, but she says she’s the one who wanted to use the flashdrive to put Sonny away. He says, but she didn’t, and she says, because it was destroyed. They had an argument about it, remember? She wanted to use it, and he wanted to get rid of it as quickly as possible. He says he was still careless. There was no way Josslyn was actually going to use it. He doesn’t understand. Why? She says, to help her mom, and to help him. For someone in pre-med, she’s not very bright.

Anna says she knows Curtis didn’t want to see anyone, but that was a while back, so she thought, maybe now he’s home… Can she come in? He says, of course (🍷). Can he get her something? She says, no thank you, but he says, the house has been fitted for him, so he can get her a coffee or a tea or a snack. She says she’s good; she just had lunch. She thought Portia or Trina would be here. He says, oh, she came to see Portia or Trina, but she says, no. She came to see him. She just thought… He says, she thought he would have a babysitter.

Johnny asks if Ned wants to lay down a track first and do vocals separately, but Ned says, no. He’s kind of old school. He likes playing and singing. He just wants to make this demo to get a sense of the song. Maybe play around with the arrangement. Johnny asks if he brought anything, music or lyrics, but Ned says, it’s all up here – he taps his head – and in his hands. Actually, he hasn’t completed the lyrics yet, but they’re right there and he knows they’re going to come to him any  time now. He just has to figure out how the story ends. Leo tells Kira, Eddie says songs are like a story and this one is trapped in marble, like a statue. It just has to be set free. Kira says she likes that, and Johnny says, they’re here to help any way they can. How is he feeling about the vibe? Ned says, the vibe. Just a rootsy, acoustic feel. He’s just trying to get his feet wet today. He hasn’t done this for a while. Johnn says, so he’s recorded before, and Ned says he recorded a lot, back in the day. He even had his share of groupies. Leo asks if that isn’t a fish, and Ned says, yes, and there are a lot of them in the sea. Sorry. A groupie is someone who really likes your music. Leo says, oh, a fan, and Olivia says, exactly. Ned says he played this gig years ago in Houston at The Cobra. It was a packed house. He was stone cold sober, and for some reason, that night when he walked out on stage, the whole crowd just sort of faded away. He felt like it was just him all alone, and he was singing for just one person. It was that way for the entire gig. It never happened again, but he always knew that was the best performance of his life. Johnny says, let’s make this happen. See if they can get him that feeling again. He tells Kira, let’s set up the mics, and they go into the booth. Ned tells Leo that he’s going to be playing and singing in that room, and Leo says, so there’s no bleed through. He knows that. Ned says he knows Leo knows a lot, and Leo tells him, knock ‘em dead, Eddie, and they fist bump. Ned says he’ll try, and goes in the booth. Olivia asks how Leo knew that.

Curtis tells Anna that he’s sorry. That was too easy. Please have a seat. She says she doesn’t understand, and he says, his father just left a while ago, and this is the first time he’s been allowed to be alone in his own house. As a matter of fact, he thinks it’s the first time he’s been alone anywhere since the shooting. She says, that’s kind of why she’s here actually. She wanted to come see him after the surgery, but… He says he told Portia that he didn’t want to see anyone. In fact, he was pretty harsh with her and Trina. She says she can totally understand given everything he’s been through. He knows the bullet wasn’t meant for him, right? He nods, and she tells him that she just came here to say something that she’s wanted to say since it happened. She’s really sorry. She looks close to tears.

Dex says, Josslyn wanted to help him? and she says she loves him so much, and as long as he’s working for Sonny, she’s always going to worry that one day or one night she’ll lose him forever. He says, they’ve been over this, but she says, that doesn’t make it just go away. He says he doesn’t take any unnecessary chances, but she says, he could be in custody and on his way to prison had her mom not called him and warned him. He asks if that’s why she got drunk after the concert, because she’s so worried about him, and she says she hadn’t heard from him. She was stressed out and took the easy way out. Yes, she regrets that. He says she looked like she regretted it when she came in the next morning. Does she have any idea how happy he was to see her? She says she was happy to see him too, and kisses him. She tells him, stop beating himself up over something Sonny did.

Nina says she gets what Ava is saying, but she can only focus on today. Ava says she thinks Nina should force herself to think about the future. She learned that the hard way. Nina says she’s been with complicated men before, and Ava says, that’s one word for Sonny. She assumes Nina is talking about Valentin, and Nina says, yes. Ava says, they both know you need more than one word to describe those two, and Nina says, her point is? Ava says she just wants Nina to think about what she’s doing before she does it, not after. Nina says she knows what she’s doing, and what she’s going to do is marry Sonny. And no one can stop her.

Montague says, of course (🍷) he knows Gladys. Sasha was there when he met her, when he did Sasha’s evaluation. This patient is clearly confused, and now he’s confusing her. Why doesn’t he come with her? He holds out his hand, and Cody pushes it away from Sasha. He gets in between them and says, Sasha’s not going anywhere with Montague. Montague says, that’s enough. Cody gives him no choice but to get security. He heads for the door, but Cody pushes him against it, and they fight.

Ned says, check, one, two, and Johnny asks how he feels about the levels. Ned says he could use a little more guitar in the headphones, and Johnny tells him to give them the loudest chords and they’ll check it again. Ned strums, and Olivia tells Leo that she knows it’s long, but it shouldn’t be much longer now. Leo says, it takes a few times before you get something good, and she asks if Eddie taught him that, but he says, Cody. It’ll take as long as Eddie wants it to. She says, as long as Eddie wants it to, and Ned continues to play.

Curtis says, Anna’s sorry? and she says, this wouldn’t have happened… He says, this is not her fault, but she says, someone was trying to kill her. He says he’s not going to lie. He hates that this happened, and he may hate it for the rest of his life. When he found out he couldn’t move his legs and the bullet wasn’t meant for him, he hated her. He hated Sonny. But it didn’t last. She asks why he thinks, and he says, because he thought about what he used to do. He used to chase the most lethal people around, knowing they wanted to kill him, but what did he do? Does she think he went somewhere and hid? No. He lived his life. And he realized that what happened to him could have easily happened to someone because of him. So maybe it’s karma. Or maybe it just is what it is. She says, that’s incredibly gracious, and he says he just calls it as he sees it. She smiles through her tears, when Portia walks in with a to-go bag from Charlie’s. She says she was wondering whose car that was.

Dex says, even though he got the job with Sonny to spy on him for Michael, Sonny’s been really good to him. In a lot of ways, like a father. She says, a father who hung him from a meat hook, and he says he knows Sonny had his suspicions about him, but Sonny had no idea what that guy did to him. She says, so he’s okay just forgetting everything that Sonny did? and he says, it’s hard to explain. Since he’s gotten to know Sonny better… If Sonny goes to prison, it’s going to leave a hole in his life.

Nina and Ava sit down with a drink, and Ava says, believe her. She wants Sonny to beat these charges almost as much as Nina does. Nina says, it kind of seems like she doesn’t, and Ava says, of course (🍷) she does. For Nina’s sake, for Avery’s sake. She just thinks at times like these, when things are crazy and up in the air, it’s the time they make bad decisions. She just wants to make sure Nina weighs everything. Nina says she has, and Ava reminds her, the last time she walked down the aisle, she ended up turning around and running in the opposite direction because of Valentin’s lies. Nina says, Sonny hasn’t lied to her, and Ava says, of course (🍷) not. Like Nina hasn’t lied to him.

A man walks Sasha through the reception area, and the nurse says, excuse me.

In the bathroom, we see Montague, tied up and lying on the floor in his underwear. He yells for help, but his mouth has duct tape across it.

Cody angles his face so the nurse can’t see it, and she asks where he’s taking the patient, calling him Dr. Montague. He says his patient needs some stimulation from nature, so he’s taking her for a walk and some fresh air. The nurse nods, and they go out the door. Janice comes in and asks who that was leaving with a patient. Cody hustles Sasha down the hallway.

Ned sings the unfinished song about the siren he can’t see, and he’s not bad. He stops and says, sorry, man. Can they just punch in there? Johnny says, no problem. Just take it where he likes, and they’ll cut it from there. Ned sings again, but then stops, looking confused. Leo tells him, she’s like a shadow, remember? and Ned says, yeah, and thanks Leo. Johnny suggests they take it from the top, and Ned begins again.

The nurse tells Janice, that was Dr. Montague. He said the patient needed some air. Janice says, Dr. Montague would never do that. He’s not authorized to take patients out of the hospital. She goes behind the desk and says, he’s not on staff. They have to call security. She picks up the phone.

Dex tells Josslyn that he knows a lot of the things Sonny does – that they do – are illegal, but Sonny has principles. He has more values and integrity than most men who operate legally that he’s close to, and deep down, he thinks she knows that. He’s never had anyone in his life like Sonny. Sonny taught him so much about what it means to be a man. She says she guesses he’s going to the hearing then, and he says, yeah. He hopes she understands. She says she does, and thanks him for explaining what Sonny means to him. He tells her, never forget what she means to him, and kisses her.

Nina asks why Ava is doing this. Ava’s always been so supportive of her and Sonny. Ava says, but she is. She wants to support Nina. As long as she’s going forward eyes wide open. That’s all she cares about. Nina promises she is, and Ava says, good. Nina says, as far as lying to Sonny about turning in Carly and Drew to the SEC, Ava is the only one who knows now. Ava says, to the grave. So after Nina and Sonny get married, maybe the two of them want to think about moving into Windymere. Nina laughs and says, Ava knows she loves her and loves living with her, but that’s not really her idea of wedded bliss. Ava says, not living with her. Maybe Sonny wants to buy Windymere, and all of Spoon Island.

Curtis tells Portia that Anna came by to see how he was doing, and Anna says she came by to apologize. Curtis says, he told her… Portia asks, where is his father? and Curtis says, he went to The Savoy. He had to take care of some things. Portia says, and he left? and Curtis says, yes, he left. He’s fine. Portia says, of course (🍷) he’s fine, and Anna says she should probably go actually. Portia says, if she knew Anna was going to be here, she definitely would have gotten dinner for three. Let her walk Anna out. Anna says, it was good to see Curtis, and Portia tells him that she’ll be right back. Outside, Portia asks, what made Anna think it was a good idea to come here?

Janice says, they have an emergency. They need to enforce a lockdown on the entire building right away. One of their patients, Cody Bell, is wearing Dr. Montague’s clothes, and he’s trying to escape with another patient, Sasha Gilmore.

Sirens are blaring, and Cody runs out of the building with Sasha. He brings her to a car that’s waiting at the end of the driveway, and buckles her in. He says he’s going to get her out of here. She just has to trust him. He gets in the driver’s seat and takes the keys out from under the visor, saying, thank you, Sam. He starts the car, and speeds away.

Nina asks why Ava is selling Windymere, and Ava says, it’s not for publication, so don’t go blabbing. Nina says she won’t, but why? Ava says, Avery likes it, but it’s just the two of them out there. They’re isolated. Nina says, she’s selling because of Nikolas, and Ava says she has to admit she has a few bad memories, but it seems like the right thing to do now. Nina’s phone dings, and she says she has to go. Ava says she hopes she didn’t upset Nina. Please tell her that she didn’t. Nina says, Ava didn’t upset her at all. In fact, Ava made her even more certain that what she’s doing is right. As Nina leaves, Ava says, good luck to Sonny, then says, good luck to me. She signals the bartender for another martini.

Anna says she knows Curtis didn’t want to see anyone, but she doesn’t think she upset him, and Portia says, Anna upset her. If it wasn’t for Anna and Sonny, Curtis wouldn’t be in that chair right now. (It would be amusing if it turned out the bullet was actually meant for Curtis. It’s possible.) Anna says, Portia’s right. She’s sorry about that. Portia says, she’s sorry about that? She doesn’t think Anna realizes how close Curtis was to dying, and now he’s paralyzed. He could be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, and Anna’s sorry about that. She guesses that makes everything better. Anna says she didn’t mean it would make it all better… Portia says, Anna and Sonny live dangerous lives. She gets it. They make deadly enemies. But then they roam around and mingle with everybody else and put everyone in danger. And in this case, they put her husband in a wheelchair. Anna says, we will find out who did this. We will. Portia asks, what good is that going to do Curtis? Please don’t come back here. Anna says she won’t, and leaves. Portia lets out a huge breath and goes back inside. She tells Curtis that Charlie’s had strawberry-rhubarb pie for dessert, and he says he can’t blame Anna for this. She says she can and takes the to-go bag to the kitchen.

As Eddie/Ned sings, Curtis wheels himself to the patio door and looks out. In the studio, Leo takes Olivia’s hand, and she smiles. Josslyn and Dex sit on a crate at the pier and kiss. He takes her hand for a moment, then leaves. Ava looks at a picture of her and Avery on her phone and sips her martini. Nina paces, then leaves. Anna looks sad. Curtis sighs, and Portia puts her hand on his shoulder as they both look out.

We hear Anna’s voiced say, we will find out who did this. We will.

On Monday, Molly and TJ have a major announcement to make; Maxie says she’s going to make it happen; and Sonny says he’s got this.

🔥 Steam Heat…

The fall preview for GH.

👧 The First Kristina…

I guess I was busy or not watching or something. I remember absolutely none of this, so thanks SOD.

👄 Adding One Blair…

You’ll need to know this.

🧂 Shah Got To Be Joking…

She’ll be lucky if she doesn’t end up having to pay every time she uses RHOSL. Like greed didn’t get her where she is today – in the pokey.

🍸 Lala Rules…

Talking about next season without talking about it.

🎾 House Full Of Awful…

I’m not sure if excited is the word, but I have to admit to a bit of curiosity.

💃🏻 Just Fabulous…

I’ve been watching this for a while, and while I haven’t exactly seen a whole lot of fabulous, that’s okay. I’d rather see real than fancy.

https://screenrant.com/my-big-fat-fabulous-life-season-11-when-finale-how-many-episodes-left/

https://people.com/whitney-way-thore-talks-new-season-my-big-fat-fabulous-life-exclusive-7965327

What’s to come next week.

https://www.etonline.com/my-big-fat-fabulous-life-whitney-uncovers-the-truth-about-her-long-lost-half-sister-exclusive

🎸 The Moonman Awaits…

In case you don’t know how to watch, here are instructions.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1384936/how-to-watch-the-2023-mtv-vmas-on-tv-and-online

🏍 About That Daryl…

Norman talks Daryl.

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

When and where to see Daryl.

Reviewing Daryl’s situation.

https://collider.com/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-review/

Bonus Daryl. I was surprised to discover how much I enjoyed this show the last time. It makes me want to, well, ride.

🐶 Bravo To Pets…

My heart will always belong to Giggy (!).

🐓 Quotes of the Week

Anything worth doing good takes a little chaos. – Flea

You can control two things: your work ethic and your attitude about anything. – Ali Krieger

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

Success seems to be connected to action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit. – Conrad Hilton

Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do and at some point, you will. – Venus Williams

How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?Charles de Gaulle

Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. – Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), You’ve Got Mail

💻 TikTok Made Me Do It…

Enjoy the week’s end, then join me on Monday really Tuesday for soap and teaful tidings. Until then, stay safe, stay patronizing local businesses, and stay not caring so much, you only think about what it is you can do for the person you love, instead of thinking about what it is that they need and want.