Tag Archives: Owning Manhattan

Sep5

September 4, 2024 – Lucky Sees a Familiar Face, Lois’s Coach, Branching Out, This Week’s Listings, Showing For Andy, Real Bluestone, NJ’s Own, Fake At the Shore, New Dance, Introduction & Pale

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis sits in Drew’s office, and Drew tells him that Larry McConkey died. Curtis says he saw it on the news. He’s sorry. He knows they were getting close. Drew says, that’s not all that happened today.

Michael and Willow go into the bedroom, and he asks if she’s okay. She says she’s a little shaky, and he says, it’s been a helluva day. Name it, and he’s at her service. She says, what she needs is sleep, but she appreciates him looking out for her. He says he’s her husband. It comes with the territory.

Brick meets Jordan at the Surf Lodge, and she thanks him for coming. He says he knew she’d call eventually, and she asks if he’s that irresistible. He says, her words, not his, and she says she definitely owes him a date. He says, this isn’t it? and she says, this is her asking for a favor.

Lucky is brought to Sidwell, and says he thought Sidwell turned in. Sidwell says he has a touch of insomnia, and he tells the guard to take Lucky’s handcuffs off. He takes it that Lucky is a gambling man, and Lucky says, it runs in the family. Sidwell says, perfect. Deal.

Mac tells Robert, merry Christmas, and Robert says, it’s September. Mac tosses a file on his desk and says he’s early. There was a murder at the Quartermaine mansion. Robert asks if the perp is in the file, and Mac says, there are plenty of suspects, half of Port Charles. But there’s one at the head of the pack. Robert smiles.

At the station, Diane asks Anna if her client is inside, and Anna asks if she doesn’t mean clients. Diane goes into the interrogation room and sees Jason and Ava. She says she’d like a word with her client and his plus one, and Anna leaves. She says she takes it Ava has her own counsel, but Jason says he needs her to help them both tonight.

Sonny tells Carly to make herself at home in the penthouse, but she says she’s not staying. He says, the cops will be here this morning. They have to get their story straight. She says she knows where she was when John Cates was murdered. Where was he?

Sidwell says, they have to agree on the stakes, and Lucky says, if he wins, he goes free. Sidwell says, how about if he wins, he stays alive? If he loses, he dies. He was going to kill Lucky anyway. Lucky says, shall we? and deals.

Brick looks at a photo on his phone and asks Jordan, who is this? She says she was hoping he could help find out. He’s a John Doe who was the victim of a hit and run. He’s at GH, unconscious, and no ID. The police are running his prints, but there’s nothing yet. He says, she thinks he can make the guy’s ID, and she says she’s sure of it, but he says, fingerprints and a photo aren’t a lot to go on. She says she knows she’s asking a lot and he’s busy, but he says, that’s not it. By the time he tracks the ID down, the guy could wake up and tell them who he is. She says, that’s why she appreciates him getting started on the search, and he says, anything for her, but there’s a price.

Sonny says, all that matters is that Jagger is dead. Jagger can’t come after Kristina or anybody he cares about anymore. Carly says, so when someone was killing Cates, he was supposed to be with her, and he says he appreciated her having his back. She says she doesn’t appreciate him implying they were having a tryst. They’re divorced, separated. Now he’s dragged her into the middle of a murder. Why? He says, after everything they’ve been through, he still trusts her with his life.

Ava tells Diane that she was unable to reach her lawyer. He’s been incommunicado for some time. Frankly, she’s worried. Diane says, about him or her? and Ava says, both. She was hoping not to involve lawyers, but Jason wouldn’t say a word without her. Diane says, that’s why he’s her favorite client. Why did Ava think they don’t need an attorney when they’re at the police station? Ava says, they did nothing wrong. Boyle was going to kill her, and Jason stopped her. Diane says she’s on retainer with Jason, but Jason says he’d appreciate her helping Ava too. Diane asks, why? and he says, they can both prove everything they’re saying is true.  

Robert says, so Cates is dead, and Sonny is the number one suspect, and Mac says, Robin is going to take it hard. He’ll call her and be the bad cop on this one. Robert asks if that makes him the good cop, but Mac says, it makes him the father. Robert says, Cates basically lost his way, and Mac says, that’s a nice way to put it. He’s been torturing Kristina and there was nothing they could do about it. (Calling the FBI might have been an option. <heaving Jason sigh>). Robert says, so Sonny has motive, and Mac says, and plenty of opportunity.

Kristina comes downstairs and calls for Alexis, but there’s no answer. She checks her bag, and the gun isn’t there. She rifles through her stuff.

Willow says, there’s something she wants to tell Michael. When Drew first got the news about McConkey’s death, he was very upset, and it dredged up feelings about Alan and him never having had a father figure. It brought out a side of Drew she’s never seen before. Michael’s phone rings, and he says, if it’s important, they’ll call back. Willow says, Drew was so upset, she wanted to comfort him, when… Michael’s phone rings again, and he looks at it. He says, it’s Kristina again, and she says, he should answer it. Kristina tells Michael that he needs to come here right now, but he says he can’t. She says, it’s bad, and he asks, how bad? She says she’s missing a gun.

Carly says, if Sonny trusts her, why did he blindside her with this? Why did he mess up the bed and make everyone believe they had sex? She can account for her whereabouts. Why should she believe him? He tells her that if he admits it, they don’t have spousal privilege. He can’t tell her the details unless she’s willing to marry him again.  

Michael goes to see Kristina, and she tells him that she had a gun and now it’s gone. He says, whose gun and what was she doing with it? She says she had it in her bag, and now it’s gone, and he asks if it’s possible her mom found it. She says she hopes so.

Alexis is on the footbridge with her phone and tells Diane to pick up. She wonders where Diane is and leaves a message for Diane to call her back. Her client may or may not have violated bail. She’ll give Diane five minutes. If she doesn’t call, Alexis will have to make the decision herself. She cries and says, please call back.

Ava says, Cates insisted she amend her statement and say Kristina tried to kill her, and Anna says, she appeared to be speaking of her free will, but Ava says she was coerced. Cates wanted leverage against Sonny. He knew she had reservations, and he was afraid she’d recant. He put her in a hotel room with Agent Boyle and made her believe she was in protective custody. She found a wad of cash in Boyle’s bag and knew she wasn’t an agent. Anna asks why she thinks Cates would mislead her about Boyle, and Ava says she became a liability. Boyle put her in a car and headed for the Pine Barrens. She fought Boyle for the wheel, the car swerved, and Boyle hit someone, but she didn’t stop. They reached the Pine Barrens, and she thinks Jason can take it from there. Jason says he called 911 about the guy that was hit and found Ava and Boyle not far from the car. He disarmed Boyle and called the cops. Anna says, that’s it? and he says, that’s all there is.

Drew tells Curtis that when he got the news about McConkey, it shook him up. He started thinking about his father and how he never knew him and never had a father figure. Emotions came up. Willow was there and she was there for him. Curtis asks, when Drew says she was there for him… Drew says, they kissed.

Alexis paces the bridge, crying and hyperventilating. She holds the gun.  

Carly says she wants to be clear. She’s not marrying Sonny again. He says, that’s settled, but she says, it’s not. They’re still dealing with a federal murder investigation. He says, they’re coming after him and not using his daughter. He’ll be in the crosshairs, no one else. She says, except his alibi is her, and he says, sorry. He has to admit, working together seemed like old times.

Mac tells Robert that he took statements from the Quartermaine family and others present, including the staff. Sonny might be hard to nail down. Cody was in the stable within earshot and didn’t hear anything. Robert says, a silencer used on a stormy night would be hard to hear, and Mac asks what he thinks. Robert says, it took Cody a year to come to Mac and tell him that he was Cody’s father. That hardly makes him a reliable witness.

Jordan asks, what’s the cost? and Brick says, just answer a question. Why is it important? Jordan says, if the guy has a family, they need to know, and Brick says, that’s part of it, but not all of it. She says, the way he was injured got to her. He ran out in front of a car on a road with almost no traffic. He asks if she thinks he was being chased, and she says, yeah. He says, she misses being an investigator, and she says, sometimes. He asks if she ever thinks of going back to police work, and she says, sometimes. Does he think of going back to what he did before? He asks how she knows what he did, and she says she doesn’t. He never told her.

Lucky asks what’s keeping Sidwell up, and Sidwell asks if Lucky cares about his well-being. Lucky says, no. It’s a distraction tactic. Sidwell says, there’s only one reason that costs him sleep – women. In this case, an exceptional one. They met at the tables in Monte Carlo. She has beauty, charm, and elegance. The kind of woman you never forget. Lucky flashes back to dancing with Elizabeth, and says he’s been there. Sidwell asks if he’s thinking about his own lady, and Lucky says, he doubts she’d fit in at Monte Carly, but she is a beauty. What he’d call a winner. Sidwell says, like this? and lays down his hand. Lucky says, more like this, and lays down his.

Diane says, Jason has put her in quite a pickle, having to defend Ava this time, and Jason says, Ava is innocent – this time, and Ava thanks him and Diane. Anna comes in and Ava asks, what happens after she leaves here tonight? Cates isn’t going to stop until she’s dead. Anna says she doesn’t think Ava has to worry about that anymore.

Drew says he feels awful. Michael is his nephew, and Willow is his wife and the mother of his kids. He doesn’t know how to fix the position he’s put her in. Curtis says, all they did was kiss? and Drew says, yes. Curtis says, chalk it up to an emotional moment that got out of hand, but Drew says, it’s more than that. He and Willow have been getting closer and there’s an attraction that’s only getting stronger.

Willow picks up her and Michael’s wedding picture, looks at it, and cries.

Michael tells Kristina to start at the beginning. Where did she get the gun? She says, it was dad’s. She let herself into the penthouse and took it. Then she went to her daughter’s grave. She doesn’t know. Maybe it fell out of her bag, but she has no idea where it is. Michael says, she needs to tell him why she needed it, and she says, to get justice.

Alexis stands on the bridge and takes out her phone again. She sees Diane hasn’t called, and says, time’s up. She puts her phone back in her bag and hears footsteps. She throws the gun in the water, and Ric and Elizabeth walk onto the bridge eating ice cream.

Michael asks if Kristina used the gun to shoot somebody, and she says, no, but she wanted to. Two people, Ava and Cates. She knew Cates was at the Quartermaines. She heard him telling Anna when he arrested her again. He was charging her with killing her baby. It was so cruel. Michael says, Agent Cates is dead.  

Alexis says, they startled her. She didn’t expect to see them here. Look at Ric. He has two of three of his ex-wives with him on the bridge. Ric says, small world. What brings Alexis out here? Alexis says, she was feeling stressed and wanted some fresh air and a walk. Ric says, they witnessed her littering, and Alexis says, they caught her. Her phone wasn’t working. She got frustrated and tossed it. She wishes she hadn’t. Elizabeth says, here’s hoping a new phone is better, and Alexis says, she’d better go get one and their ice cream is melting. Enjoy their walk. She leaves, and they both look in the water. Rick asks if it looked like a phone, and Elizabeth says, no. It was definitely a gun.

Mac tells Robert that Cody lied, and it was wrong. It wasn’t the best way to start off, but life is too short to hold a grudge against family. Cody saved James’s life too, so there’s that. Robert says, it’s a good thing he gave Cody a second chance, and Mac says, how about Robert? Robert asks why he should care, and Mac says, Robert was never one to cast stones. One of his two great loves had a very colorful past.

Anna tells Ava and Jason that Cates is dead. He was shot at the Quartermaine boathouse. Ava says, good riddance. He was going to have that woman kill her. Anna says, a team checked into Boyle. It’s not her real name, and she’s not affiliated with the FBI or any law enforcement. She has a checkered past, but they’ve corroborated everything Ava and Jason said. They’re both free to go. Ava thanks everybody, and leaves, but Anna says she’d like a word with Jason. Diane asks if she should stay, but Jason says, it’s fine. Diane says she was afraid he’d say that and leaves. Anna says she’s proud of Jason, and he asks, what for? She says, he called the police, and he says, it made more sense than the alternative. She says, while he’s here, what can he tell her about the murder of Special Agent Cates?

Jason says, Anna knew Cates was dead all along, and she asks if she needs to bring Diane back, but he says it’s not necessary. He doesn’t know anything about Cates. She says, what they both know is Cates went bad. There’s nothing worse than an officer of the law using the power of his badge to settle personal scores. A lot of people in this town wanted him dead. He and Sonny are at the top of the list. Jason says he couldn’t have done it, and she says, as a suspect, Jason is in the clear. Sonny is not.  

Carly says, they’re going to be grilled about their alibi at some point, and Sonny says, they need to get their one-night stand story down. She asks how he seduced her this time, and he says he thinks they should say they were at the mansion. No one was there. They saw each other and things started to heat up. She laughs and says, please. That’s a terrible story and totally unbelievable. He asks if she wants rose petals and soft music. Does she think she can do better? Be his guest. She says, they saw each other here in the morning when she dropped off the girls. It felt better being around each other than it had in a long time. They ran into each other at the Quartermaines. Sonny likes the incorporating timeline, and she says she walked him outside. They were talking and got caught in the rain. She brought him upstairs to dry off and they kissed. It was sweet and nostalgic, and they made love. Something like that. He says, yeah. He’s got to admit he likes her version better.

Curtis says, everyone makes mistakes. Drew and Willow are one of them. Drew says he feels like he’s taking advantage of Willow’s gratitude, and Curtis says, he saved Willow’s life and put his own life in danger bringing her donor back. He legitimately earned it. Drew says, he likes the way it makes him feel… and Curtis says, being someone’s hero? and Drew says, it sounds cringeworthy when Curtis says it. The truth is, he admires Willow as much as she admires him. Curtis says, now that they’ve both got the admiration out of their systems, they need to put a stop to this before it goes way too far. Drew says, before today, he might have agreed, but the kiss wasn’t just two people caught up in a moment of feelings. There are real feelings. He can’t deny it anymore.

Elizabeth wonders what Alexis was doing out here alone at night getting rid of a gun, and Rick says, it probably has something to do with one of her daughters. He’s hoping it’s not his. She says she doesn’t know, and he says, clearly, they saw something they shouldn’t. She asks what he suggests they do about it.

Kristina tells Michael that she didn’t do it. She wanted to, but she didn’t. She went to the grave instead. He says he believes her, and she asks if he’s sure Cates is dead. He says, yes, and she says, then it’s over.

Brick says he’s always worked in security, and Jordan says, thanks for filling her in. He sighs and says, the military first, then he was at a three-letter agency. He became disillusioned. Too much power in the wrong hands can be a dangerous thing. So he decided to freelance, choose who he wanted to work with and what methods he employed. He can always walk away if he doesn’t like it. She says, so he breaks the law but has a code, and he says, she’s half right. He has a code. He also has work to do if she wants her guy ID’d. Regrettably, he has to cut the evening short. Jordan says she’ll make it up to him, and he says, with a real date? She says, if that’s what he wants, and he asks if that’s what she wants. She says, yes. She really does. He says, then he’ll make it happen, kisses her on the cheek, and leaves.  

Lucky wins another hand, and Sidwell says, if he’s cheating, he can’t see it and he always sees it. Lucky says he has a little more to lose than Sidwell. Any chance they can change the stakes and play for his freedom? Sidwell says, the stakes say the same. They play until he wins and Lucky dies. Lucky says he would never have agreed to play, but Sidwell says, then Lucky would be dead, and he’d be awake and bored. This is more fun. Lucky says he hates to admit it, but sooner or later, he’s going to lose. It’s the odds. Sidwell says, then he’d better find a way to beat the odds.

Curtis says, feelings aren’t actions or betrayal, and they don’t make Drew a bad person, but Drew says he doesn’t feel like a good person. Willow is in pain because of him. Curtis says he’s sure Willow will forgive him, and Drew says, maybe she shouldn’t. She won’t forgive herself. Curtis says, maybe they should both forgive themselves and each other. Beating themselves up will only make it worse. Forget it every happened. Let it go. Drew says, one thing he can make sure of is acting on his feelings can’t happen again and it won’t happen again, ever.

Willow lies in bed, and Michael touches her face. He kisses her and they get busy. She imagines it’s Drew. She suddenly sits up, and sees that Michael’s side of the bed is empty.

Robert leaves a message for Holly and says he’s thinking of her. He hopes she’s staying out of trouble. Call him. Alexis comes in and says, they need to talk about Cates. He says he takes it she’s heard, and she says, Cates has been abusing her daughter. He’s prosecuting her and using her as a weapon in his obsession to take Sonny down. He says, Cates won’t be her problem anymore. He was shot dead tonight.

Kristina asks what Michael did when he found Cates, and Michael says he called Chase and waited for the police. Then Willow and Drew showed up. Willow was upset and shaking, so she and Drew went to the main house while he waited. Kristina says, so Cates was dead when Michael found him? and Michael says, yes. She says, he didn’t see who shot Cates? and he says, no. He had a lot of enemies. It could have been anyone.

Anna says, Sonny better have a good alibi, and Jason says, what about her? She’s not too broken up. She says she’s thankful Jason survived John Cates. Once upon a time, he was a good man, a good friend to Robin. She doesn’t know what happened, but whatever was worth saving was gone a long time ago. Nevertheless, he was an FBI agent and when they find the killer, they’ll go to prison for the rest of their life.

Sonny asks if Carly’s got everything straight, and she says, yes. She needs to get home. He says, if she stays, it will make the alibi stronger, and she says she hates that it makes sense. Okay, fine. She’ll stay in the guest room. Which one did Ava use? He says, the big one, and she says, the small one it is. She goes in the back, and he unlocks his gun box. He sees a gun missing and says, son of a bitch.

Sidwell asks what Lucky has, when the door opens. Sidwell says, if it isn’t the reason for his insomnia. A woman says, hello, darling. Is this poker? She loves poker. It’s how they met. Lucky tries to hide his expression upon seeing her, and she says, he must deal her in. We see it’s Holly, and Sidwell says, new hand. She sees at Lucky and also hides her reaction. She and Lucky look at one another.  

Tomorrow, Jordan tells Dante that she’s going to pursue every avenue of this investigation that she can think of; Ava asks if this is someone’s idea of a joke; Carly tells Sonny that she’s not taking this any further than she absolutely has to; and Kristina says, one down and one to go.

🧴 The Rain In Spain Stays Mainly On the Plane…

I’m hoping Lois comes to realize that her accent is part of her charm.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/snls-sarah-sherman-is-playing-robin-finch-on-general-hospital

🎭 His Other Endeavors…

Both of these look really good.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/a-sneak-peak-at-nicholas-chavez-in-his-two-new-shows

💰 This Week In LA…

JoshF, being a member of the Cultural Heritage Commission, said he appreciated a house with history, and checked out a Frank Lloyd Wright house that was beyond amazing. It had a hidden elevator that led to a tiki bar, theatre, and museum. We learned that hallways were wide in the old days because of the women’s dresses. He said the house was everything he stood for and represented.  

Tracy checked out a penthouse in a building where she’d sold most of the units, but the developers had decided to keep the penthouse as an investment property. Now they were looking to re-rent or sell it. In going through the apartment – which at 6000+ square feet, is bigger than my house – she found dog pee and poopy on the drapes. Seriously? Again, this just reenforces my theory that all the wrong people have the money.

JoshA showed friend Dr. Ben what he said was the quintessential Beverly Hills estate, with seven bedrooms and 11 baths and a world record for the biggest front door. I have a hard time finding wreaths for my slightly large door, so I can’t imagine. He said, they might as well put a bathroom at the property entrance, since people will sh*t themselves when they see it.

JoshF’s bestie Denise Richards did a cameo in his video for selling the abovementioned house. In his interview, he said, if he was straight, he’d be with Denise. The threesome in Wild Things had him confused. His dog George also made an appearance. No surprise, Denise was in love, and he said, George was dumb as rocks, but Denise told him, those are the nice dogs. Yep, like my Golden Retriever, the misnamed Einstein. He was the sweetest dog you’d ever meet, but literally afraid of his own shadow and as stupid as they come. When Josh’s video editor said Josh’s deadpan performance was not as spot-on as Josh thought, Josh said he was Bill Murray good, but… um… no.

After telling her mother that she was too tired to date – it was exhausting – Tracy went on a blind double-date with the Altmans and Dr. Ben, who she deemed an amalgam of all men in the LA dating pool. She told him that he’d either end up either alone or with shallow bitches until he was 50, and then still be alone. He said he had eight years, and she told him that he was the quintessential LA dude. And that’s not a compliment.

And after all that, I still don’t know what a splooge is.

Next time, the season finale.

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles Season 15, Episode 9 Recap: You Splooge, You Lose

🗽 And In Other Real Estate News…

Quick, let me give Ryan a call. I’m only $13,999,999 short.

Andy Cohen Lists $14 Million NYC Duplex With Ryan Serhant

🏰 Not Quite a Listing…

So she didn’t sell it after all. This is actually a great idea. Bluestone Manor is an amazing property and the Bravoverse misses Dorinda.

Dorinda Medley Gets Tentative Blue Stone Manor Spinoff at Bravo

👠 The Real Jersey Devils…

The money comes, the money goes.

https://okmagazine.com/p/teresa-giudices-net-worth-real-housewife-new-jersey-made-lost-millions/

This dude helped her not at all. When awful joins up with more awful.

Luis Ruelas Appears To Threaten ‘Enemies’ in Creepy Now-Deleted Instagram Post

Yeah, I don’t remember her either.

https://okmagazine.com/p/penny-drossos-karagiorgis-rhonj-entire-cast-fired/

🤽‍♀️ Down the Shore…

It’s hardly shocking that the producers would be involved, but I’m surprised there were actual charges filed. I’m not a fan of this show, especially since I live in a Jersey shore town. The only person I’ve ever met who was even remotely like one of the Jersey Shore cast members, was also a raging alcoholic with several disorders. I tried watching this a few times. I’d stop watching, then watch again, remember why I stopped watching, and stop watching again. Yeah, yeah. I know the definition of crazy.

https://okmagazine.com/p/jersey-shore-nicole-snooki-polizzi-wheres-the-beach-scene-fakery-exposed/

🩰 Dance the Night Away…

I haven’t watched this since Mel B was a contestant, but it looks like an interesting mix.

https://ew.com/dancing-with-the-stars-season-33-cast-reveal-8706007

🐕 A New Burtka-Harris…

So very sad how one of their dogs passed away, but it’s wonderful that they were able to open their hearts to a new furbaby.

https://people.com/neil-patrick-harris-introduces-new-dog-bianca-8706480

🍂 Fall Has Unofficially Begun…

Join me tomorrow for soap and nine lemon tea in the OC. Until then, stay safe, stay remembering that first impressions do count, and stay not holding a grudge against family. Life is too short.

Aug30

August 29, 2024 – Sonny Tells Cates He’ll Confess, Traitor In the OC, He’s Served, WWDD, He Owns It, Jurassic Look, Find That Gator & Sealed

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase asks why they have to get dressed up, and Brook says, because Monica asked them to. She missed Drew’s event and wants to have a dinner. Violet comes downstairs and asks if she can dress up too. Brook says, absolutely. She can do something special with Violet’s hair. Violet says, it’s fine, and Brook asks how she’s doing. Violet says, it’s better in the daytime. She didn’t mean to bother them. It won’t happen again.

From a podium outside, Drew says, no one embodied being a representative more than Larry McConkey. He’s been fighting for equality, fairness, and economic stability and growth for all the people of this country. He’s honored and humbled that a man of such integrity has asked him to follow in his footsteps. McConkey has been his mentor and friend, and it will be an honor to carry on his legacy. He thanks Laura and Jordan for their endorsements, and his family for their support, especially Willow Corinthos, who is his biggest cheerleader. He thanks Michael, who’s part of his family and his business partner and had the good sense to marry Willow. He looks forward to stepping into McConkey’s shoes and becoming their Representative in every sense of the word. Michael wonders where McConkey is, and Willow says, he’s supposed to be here.

On the phone, Portia asks the lab to get back to her when they get Heather’s results. Curtis asks why she’s checking on Heather.

On the phone in the nook, Dante tells Rocco that they can go see his mom if he wants, but his mom would want him to have a good time while he’s there. Olivia asks, how’s Rocco? and Dante says, good, all things considered. She says she thinks baseball camp was a good idea. It’s a good distraction. How about him? How is he doing? He says he just wants to protect Rocco. Nikolas can’t do the transplant, and no one knows where Lucky is. Olivia says, Laura and Doc will track him down. He says he wishes he could go, but he doesn’t want to leave Rocco, and she says she thinks Lulu will be okay. He says he wishes he’d stayed with Lulu while he had the chance. (Where is all this coming from?)

At the penthouse, Donna tells Sonny that he can’t see the surprise she and Avery have been working on. He tells her to let him know when they’re ready, and she says she misses him. She’s glad mommy brought her and Avery over. He says he misses her too, and she runs off. He thanks Carly for bringing them.

At the station, Kristina says she can’t talk to John without her lawyer present and doesn’t know why she’s here again. She’s already been charged. He says he’s adding an additional charge. She’s being charged with manslaughter in the death of Irene Davis Ashford.

Carly asks how Sonny is feeling, and he says he’s pretty solid. She senses there’s a but, and he says, his meds are straight and now he can see what everyone else was seeing, the paranoia. He accused her of keeping Donna from him. She says she wasn’t trying to punish him. She was protecting Donna. He says, and him. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he frightened or hurt one of his kids. She says, neither would she.

Brook says, Violet is never a bother, and Chase says, never ever. Brook asks why she said that, and Violet says she loves visiting here, but never thought she would stay this long. Does Chase know when her dad is going to be back? He says he’s sorry. He doesn’t know, but her dad loves her more than anything and he’s working to get better. Violet wonders what’s taking so long, and Brook says, he’s sick and his disease can’t be cured with medication. Chase says, it takes a lot of effort and willpower. In the meantime, they’re lucky she’s living with them. Brook says she especially loves game night, and Violet says, even when she loses? Brook says, even then.

Michael addresses Drew as their next congressman and tells Drew that he can’t stay. He has to take Monica to the doctor for a routine checkup. He congratulates Drew and leaves. Drew and Willow look at each other.

Olivia says, Dante didn’t leave because he wanted, and he says he was going undercover, but he didn’t know he’d be gone 9 months, get captured, and be rescued. Then he left again. She asks what he was afraid would happen, and he says, that he would hurt Lulu. She says, he didn’t abandon his wife and son. He was protecting them. He says he never would have gotten PTSD had he not gone undercover, and she says, maybe it wasn’t his justice to get, but he did what was right and necessary. He might have gotten in over his head, but it happens to the best of them. He fought to get back to the people who love him, twice. As desperately as she wanted him back, she understood that he had to be away for treatment. He chose to come home healthy and whole. He says, by then it was too late. Lulu moved on and rightly so. He always talked about how important family was, and he left her alone. He’s worried that he won’t be able to tell her how much he regrets it.

Kristina says, Ava killed her baby when Ava pushed her out the window, but John tells her, Ava says different. Alexis runs into the station and asks where her daughter is, and Dex tells her, in the interrogation room. She goes in, and Kristina says, Cates is saying that she killed her baby. Alexis tells her, not another word, and tells John, Kristina did not kill her baby. Kristina knows that, she knows that, and more important, he knows that. He needs to better explain why he’s torturing her daughter. John says, they have new evidence and he’s charging Kristina with manslaughter. She says, cut the crap. This has nothing to do with Kristina and everything to do with Sonny.

Willow thanks Drew for what he said, and he says, it’s true. He made the decision after she encouraged him. She made him realize how much he wanted it. She says she thought McConkey would be here, and he says, so did he. Willow asks if McConkey didn’t contact him, and he says, no, and he didn’t leave a message. That’s not like him. He usually shows up when he says he will. He hopes nothing is wrong.

Portia tells Curtis that Heather is at the hospital and she has a new lawyer. It’s someone they both know. Curtis says, it can’t be Alexis or Diane, so who? and she says, Molly’s father, Ric Lansing. Scotty gave him the case. Curtis says, maybe it’s a non-starter. They know Scotty wouldn’t turn down a big payday. She says she did some research, and Ric is an excellent lawyer, and he asks if she thinks he’s encouraging Heather to move forward with this frivolous lawsuit. She says she does, when Drew comes by. He thanks them for their support in being here, and Curtis says, it was a great speech, but Drew says he’s never been more nervous. He thanks Curtis for taking on the extra work. Curtis says, it’s a challenge, but he loves it, and Drew says, it shows. He’s amazed at what Curtis has accomplished, but not surprised. He knew Curtis was the right man.

Alexis tells John, it’s absurd. In what universe is this a federal crime? He says, Kristina was charged with the attempted murder of a federal witness, and it can be attached to the original charges. Alexis says, Kristina almost died when Ava pushed her out a window, and he says, Ava was defending herself from Kristina’s attack. Kristina says, that’s not what happened… and Alexis stops her. She says, John is out of his jurisdiction and out of his mind. He’s also threatening the well-being of her client with this abuse. He says, if she’s so concerned, they both know a way she can make this go away, and Alexis says she has to take care of something. She’ll be back. She tells Kristina, say nothing, and tells John, don’t dare ask Kristina anything else without her being present, and she leaves.

Alexis asks tells the desk sergeant that she’s making an official request that Dex stay with her daughter. And under no circumstances is Cates to be alone with her.

Carly asks if Sonny has spoken to or seen Dante, and Sonny says he knew Lulu was being transferred to GH, but doesn’t know what’s wrong. Does she know anything? Carly says, Lulu needs a liver transplant, and he says, Nikolas was a match when Lulu was a baby. That, and being Spencer’s father are the only two good things he’s done in his life. Carly says, Laura went to see him. He’d love to do it, but he’s no longer a viable donor. She’s not a match either. Sonny says he’ll get tested and asks if anyone has reached out to Lucky. She says, Laura is tracking him down. She’s surprised Dante hasn’t reached out to Sonny, but he says, they haven’t talked since he was off his meds. Carly says, Dante can’t hold that against him, and he says, Dante was focused on Lulu, and he was focused on Kristina, so they didn’t touch base. Carly says, it’s clearly bothering him, and he says, he hasn’t exactly been great to his kids, and he wants to do whatever he can to fix it. She says, speaking of his kids, Ava called Avery and said she couldn’t see her for a while. Does he know what that’s about? He says, Jagger took Ava into protective custody, and she says, from what? He says, him, and she says, that’s ridiculous. Ava knows if she even gets a papercut, the PCPD will show up at his door. He says, Jagger has always had a vendetta, an agenda, and Jagger’s agenda is to take him down.

Chase asks if Violet wants to join the other kids, and Violet asks if Avery and Donna are coming over. Brook says, that’s the plan. Violet is part of a family now. Violet asks when the family is getting bigger. When are Brook and Chase having a baby?

Olivia asks if Dante regrets his life with Sam, but he says he loves Sam and he loves the life they’ve built. She asks, then what’s the problem? and he says, Lulu can’t build a life. She was in love with Dustin, and he was a good guy. He made her happy. Olivia says, it’s not doing Lulu any good for him to feel guilty, and he says he knows that, but if she doesn’t make it… She says, they’re not counting Lulu out again, and he says, she beat the odds before. She will again.

Portia asks if Curtis wants to get going, and he asks if she’s in hurry. She says, there’s nothing that can’t wait, and he says he thinks Aurora can do without him for a bit. She says, neither one of them need to be at work. Does he know what that means? He says, they’re both forgetting something important or another Seal of the Apocalypse was broken, and she says she doesn’t care if she gets fired or the world ends. She just cares about them in the moment. He says, amen to that, and they kiss.

Willow asks Drew, what’s wrong? and he says he just got off the phone with Hazel McConkey. She told him that Larry… died this morning. He’s gone. She says she’s so sorry, and he says, him too. She asks if Hazel said what happened, and he wonders if they can talk somewhere else. She says, of course (🍷).

Sonny looks at a piece of construction paper that says, we love you daddy, in glitter. There’s a knock at the door and he opens it to Alexis. He says, she sounded upset on the phone, and she says she needs to know how he is mentally, emotionally, and physically. How are his meds? He says he’s doing okay, and she says, good. She’s about to say something that’s going to make him really, really angry. She just got back from the PCPD. Cates has dragged their daughter in once again. He asks what that son of a bitch wants with Kristina, and she says, he wants to charge Kristina with manslaughter in the baby’s death. He says, that makes no sense, but she says, he’s saying she tried to kill Ava and the baby’s death was a result. He asks, how’s Kristina? and she says, one harsh word away from losing it. She’s glad he’s thinking clearly and rationally. He needs to see reason and do something he’s not going to like. Cates is willing to destroy Kristina unless he gets to Sonny. Sonny has to stop that from happening and give Cates what he wants.

Carly finds Olivia in the nook and says she didn’t expect to see Dante. He says, Maxie and Felicia are with Lulu. Does she think he’d leave Lulu alone? Carly says, no. She heard Laura went to East Africa to find Lucky. Olivia says, she’s hoping Lucky can be a donor. She needs to check in with Sasha about dinner. Is Carly staying? Carly says, Monica insisted. She’s sure it’s to spite Tracy. Olivia leaves, and Carly says she just left Sonny. She told him about the liver transplant and he’s going to get tested also. Elizabeth told her that they think Lulu’s liver failure was the result of her medication. Dante asks if she thinks he should have realized something was wrong, and she says, no. He says, despite what everyone thinks, he didn’t abandon Lulu.

Drew and Willow go to his office, and he tells Willow, Hazel said, just this morning, Larry was excited about coming. But on their way to the airport, he collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital and the doctors did everything they could, but he passed away. She was with him at the end. It’s amazing that she took the time to call. Willow says, she knew how much he and Larry hit it off. Obviously, their relationship meant a lot to him. Drew says he hopes so. Larry was relieved he was picking up the mantle. She asks, what happens now? and he says, Hazel will make a statement and there will probably be a special election. He might have to head to DC. He wants to finish what Larry started. He just wishes Larry was around to see it.

Portia says, Curtis can’t fool her. He loves what he’s doing. He says, it’s a challenge to build a division from the ground up. He sees the way Drew runs Aurora and can already see how improvements can be made. Portia says she’s glad to see him so happy, and he says, that makes one of us. Unless she’s just having a rough day. She says, all the days at the hospital are tough, but then there are Heather days. It makes her crazy that Laura doesn’t care what Heather’s done. Besides that, she loves her job. She just wishes they were able to spend more time with each other. He says, they’ll make time. They always do. She says, it will be less and less the closer it gets to election day. Drew said he’s doing a great job, and if her opinion matters, she thinks he’s doing terrific. He says, it does. It’s the only one that matters.

Sonny says, Alexis wants him to turn himself in and confess, and she says, if that’s what it takes for Cates to back off Kristina. Sonny says he can’t do anything from prison, but she says, Kristina is losing it. She can’t handle it. Her spirit is broken. He says, Kristina is stronger than she knows, and Alexis says, if her sister wasn’t blaming her for the baby’s death and she wasn’t being charged for it. He says, no jury is going to take it seriously, but she says, it’s not the jury she’s worried about. If the charges aren’t dismissed, the hearing will cause Kristina irreparable damage, and she won’t recover. If Sonny can’t save her, they’re going to lose her.

Kristina tells Dex that she knows she’s not supposed to talk anyone, but she didn’t kill her baby. She needs someone to believe her. John comes in with an officer and tells Dex to get out. Dex says he’s under orders to stay, and John asks, whose orders? Dex says, the desk sergeant, and John says he understands Dex is a cadet, so maybe he doesn’t know an FBI agent outranks a desk sergeant, and he’s asking Dex to leave. Reluctantly, Dex leaves, and John sits down. He says he knows it might not seem this way, but he’s sorry she has to go through this. She says, then let her go home, but he says he’s not the one keeping her here. Her father is. Sonny destroys people and her loyalty led to her baby’s death. Her baby is gone because of Sonny. What made her think protecting Sonny was more important than protecting her child? Sonny is the reason her child died. She says, Ava attacked her, but he says, Ava claims Kristina came at her. He’s sorry for her pain. She says, he’s the one causing it, but he says, Sonny is, and she says, leave her alone. Please. She starts to sob, and he says, if she knows anything about Sonny’s crimes, his illegal business dealings, and the violence he’s entailed, it might help mitigate the charges. He’s offering her a chance to help herself. She says, he’s got it backwards. He’s trying to accuse her of killing her baby so he can bring charges against her father, but the only criminal she sees is him.

Chase says, great question, and Brook says, it sure is. Violet asks, what’s the answer? When are they having a baby? Chase says, they just got married, and Brook says, it’s been so busy. Violet asks if they don’t want a baby, and Chase looks at Brook. She says, yes, they do.

Dante says, Carly is sounding like Tracy. She laid into him for abandoning Lulu. Carly tells him she didn’t say that, and he says, she was thinking it. She says she wasn’t. It’s normal to lash out… He tells her, don’t do that. Don’t pretend like she gives a damn. She says, of course (🍷) she does, and he says, don’t act concerned that he’s hurt Lulu when she paid Brook to try and break them up.

John says, be careful how she talks to a federal agent, but Kristina says, all she sees is a bully with a badge, and Jagger, a punk with a grudge. He’s obsessed with taking down her father. He can’t make a case, so he’s using Sonny’s dead grandchild as a prop to beat her up. A stellar example of law enforcement. He suggests she exercise her right to remain silent (ha-ha – he’s probably sorry he started this), but she says, whatever he thought he was going to accomplish here is not working. You will not use me against my father, you son of a bitch. (Woot! You go, Sonny’s daughter.)

Sonny tells Alexis that they can’t give in. Jagger is using Kristina as leverage against him. She says she understands that, but needs him to understand that by the time this game of chicken is over, Kristina won’t recover. He says he has faith that she and Diane will get Kristina out of this, but she says, it needs to happen now. Unless he’s willing to sacrifice Kristina. He says he’s not willing to sacrifice anything, and Alexis says, Kristina needs to be saved and she’s asking him to save her.

Kristina says, Ava was the one who threatened her, and John says, she really is her father’s daughter. Alexis walks into the station and asks Dex why he’s here and not in there. He says he was ordered to leave, and she goes in. Kristina asks if John is feeling like a big man now that he’s handcuffed her. Her lawyer is here. Get her arraigned. She can’t wait to get in front of a judge. He says he advises her to calm down, and she says she’s going to swear on a stack of Bibles that he used her daughter’s death to coerce her into testifying against her father. What do you say, Jagger? Cates’s phone rings, and Alexis tells him, better get that. He leaves, and Alexis asks the officer why he’s still here. He wisely makes himself scarce, and Alexis says, Kristina seems to be in a better mood. Kristina says she is and there’s no way in hell she’s going to let Jagger break her down.

Curtis says, McConkey died. It’s all over the news. Portia says, that’s terrible. That must be why Drew left so quickly. Curtis tries to call Drew, but gets voicemail. Portia says, he probably needs time to himself. It makes her wonder. With McConkey passing so quickly, what is Drew going to do about Aurora? Curtis says he thinks the timetable was just sped up. Drew didn’t appoint an interim CEO. She asks if it isn’t obvious. Drew is going to have him run Aurora.

Drew says, the last time he saw McConkey, he was saying he was going to take a vacation with his wife and grandkids. They were going on a fishing trip. He hated fishing, but his wife loved it. They were going to rent a boat. She was going to take some of the grandkids on the boat, and he was staying behind with some of them to eat and listen to baseball. Willow says, it sounds like a wonderful time, and he says, McConkey was a great grandfather. (The writers should have chosen a different adjective.) He’s sorry. He doesn’t want to hold her up from dinner. She says, he’s going too, right? but he says he’s not up for it. He’s going to stay here. She says she’ll tell Michael not to expect them. She wants to make sure he’s okay, and he says he is, but she says she’s not leaving until she believes it. Anyone could see how hard this is hitting him. (Oh brother.)

Carly can’t believe Dante is throwing this in her face. It was years ago. He says, it doesn’t matter. She still did it. She says she did, and it didn’t work, thank God. He and Lulu stayed together. She realized how wrong she was and moved on. She thought they all had. He says, it takes a special person to take a sledgehammer to other people’s lives and walk away. Brook comes near the door, but hears them and doesn’t go in. Dante asks if Carly has any idea what she did to Brook.

Alexis asks, what happened? and Kristina says, Cates was trying to use her baby’s death to make her betray her father. She’s not going to let that bastard hurt anyone else.

On the phone, Sonny tells John that he’s going to give him what he wants. He’ll confess to all the crimes, but first, John has to drop the charges. John says he’ll be at the penthouse in a half hour to formally arrest Sonny, but Sonny says his sons are at the Quartermaines. He needs to say his goodbyes, then he’ll go to the station. John says he’ll save Sonny a trip. He’ll meet Sonny at the Quartermaines and arrest him there.

I have the funny feeling that’s not what’s going to happen.

Tomorrow, Lois asks if Sonny is sneaking out without seeing her; Boyle tells Ava that her life is in Agent Cates’s hands; and Lucky tells Sidwell (I think) that it wouldn’t have been his first choice.

🍊 An Orange Walks Into The Quiet Woman…

Tonight, the women played a game of Traitor, and Teddi was the host – the one who chooses who the traitor is. She began with, welcome Housewives, and Vicki, which obviously did not go over well with Vicki. Surprisingly, Fancy Pants Heather wasn’t pleased either. At one point in the game, they had to reach in a box and take out a paper, which would show whether they lived or were murdered by the traitor. For whatever reason, the box also contained live crickets. You would have thought it was a homicidal Bengal tiger the way this bunch reacted, starting with Gina, who came short of jumping onto her chair. Emily feared not, letting a handful of them jump around her palm, stating she was from Ohio. Me too, originally, and I kind of get what she means, since I liked to give roly-poly bugs rides in my Matchbox cars. I also worked in one NYC office where a teeny tiny mouse dared show his/her face and it was like a bomb went off – women screeching and dashing everywhere. I was more than happy to try and get it into a cup to let it loose outside (if I didn’t give it a name, put a ribbon on it, and make it a pet), but that poor thing was in Chicago after the first scream. But I digress. Tamra ate a cricket, which should be a surprise to no one, since she probably bites the heads off of bats and chickens on a regular basis. I guessed the traitor early on from her speech patterns. Even though her voice was distorted, there was no hiding the cadence.

Real Housewives of Orange County Season 18 Episode 8 Recap: Traitors, Crickets, and Lies ‘Oh My!’

While we’re on the subject, I dunno. It’s not like Tamra invented digging into someone’s past and the last thing I’ve ever felt is empowered to judge because Tamra is a nasty piece of work. Besides, they would have gotten there sooner or later.

How Tamra Judge Changed the Real Housewives World Forever With Six Little Words

📮 Serving Up Some Drama…

This had to hurt. Awful meet awful.

Jax Taylor Was Served Divorce Papers on Camera While Filming The Valley Season 2

⚰️ Moving Right Along…

We’re not even at Season 2 yet.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-season-3-filming-spain-norman-reedus-melissa-mcbride/

Premiering September 29th.

https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-season-2-photos-trailer/

🗽 He’ll Take Manhattan…

I loved Ryan on Million Dollar Listing. I love living vicariously through him and I’m not jealous one bit. He works hard for his money. I haven’t seen this yet, but I’m sure there will be a binge in my future.

Ryan Serhant’s Owning Manhattan Gets Season 2 at Netflix
https://realitytea.staging.vip.gnmedia.net/2024/07/29/owning-manhattan-jessica-markowski-explains-why-show-is-special/

🦕 Jurassic Park Part 6,012…

The plot is immaterial next to the main reason for watching – dinosaurs! (Yes, I know. I’m a child.)

https://ew.com/jurassic-world-4-rebirth-first-look-plot-details-revealed-8703944

🐊 Don’t Let Him Get Away…

Really? People thought this was real? Even if it had been, it’s a little small to be frightened of. But of course, I’m from Ohio.

https://people.com/animal-control-officers-called-for-alligator-find-toy-8704234

🌞 Grabbing the Final Rays…

Join me tomorrow for a big bar of soap and a variety of entertainment. Until then, stay safe, stay avoiding assumptions, and stay never letting a bully with a badge or a punk with a grudge break you down.

Jun26

June 25, 2024 – Anna Finds a Secret Phone, Two For the Return, A Chat, Reuniting, Sergio the Gnat, Island Auditions, New Listings, Owning It, Real Sad, Parading Mermaids, Sharks & Home

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Jason sits in his car outside somewhere and makes a call.

Spinelli plays with the kids, while Maxie waits at an outside table. His phone rings, she sees it’s Jason, and picks it up. She says, if he called to talk to Spinelli, he’s off with the kids, but he says he called to talk to her. He wants her to call Anna just to say hi and check in. Then call him back and tell him if she picked up. She wants more information, but he asks her to just call for him please, and she agrees.

Anna is in bed with Valentin, watching him sleep, when she hears her phone buzz. She picks it up, and Maxie says she called to see how Anna is doing. Anna asks, why? and Maxie says, because Jason asked her to call, say hi and see how she’s doing, and call him back. Anna says she’s fine, and Valentin takes the phone out of her hand. He tells Maxie that Anna will have to call her back, and he and Anna get busy.

Carly goes to visit Jack in Pentenville. Jack says, her visit almost makes his incarceration worth it.

Finn leaves a message for Chase, saying, do not do this. Chase is his brother. Stop avoiding him. He wants to talk to his daughter. He’s the only parent Violet has left, and they need each other. Do not escalate this more than he already has. Call him back. There’s a knock at the door, and Finn opens it to Diane.

Ava tells Sonny, dinner must have gone late last night. She didn’t see him before she went to bed, and he wasn’t around this morning either. He tells her to get used to it. She’s going to be seeing less of him. She asks, why is that? and he says, she’s moving out.

Ava asks where Sonny is coming from. When she offered to leave, he told her it wasn’t necessary and asked her to stay. She took it to mean for as long as she wanted. He says, that was then, this is now. Things change. She says, overnight? (like she doesn’t remember what she just did) and he says, the arrangement no longer works for him. All she needs to know is, it’s over. She says she’ll be out when she finds a place, but he says he wants her out now. Avery will stay with him, and he’s not discussing it further. She can stay at the MetroCourt or with whatever friends she has left, but she’s not staying here another night. He doesn’t want her in his presence. They’re done.

Valentin asks if he’s dreaming or did that happen again, and Anna says, it happened. She’s happy to be here, but she can’t spend the day. Valentin tells her not to go. They’re not done with each other yet. He kisses her.

Jack tells Carly that this is the highlight of his day, but he doubts she came for the pleasure of his company. She says she didn’t, and he says, don’t leave him in suspense. She says, he used to work for the WSB and knows how intelligence agencies work, and he says he’s been on both sides of the law. She says she needs his expertise, but doesn’t know if she can trust him, and he says, she can’t.

Jason asks if Maxie got Anna, and Maxie says she did. Anna sounded annoyed at being woken up. She told Anna that he made her call. What’s going on? Why is he checking on Anna? Why is he worried and why didn’t he call himself? He tells her that he’s got to go. Thanks. He hangs up and she says, rude. Jason gets a text from Anna: I’m fine. V is up. Go before he sees you.

Diane gives Finn some paperwork, and says, while she’s here, she’s happy to answer any questions. Her advice is that he discuss it with someone not involved in the case. He says he doesn’t understand, and Diane says, this document is an emergency court order granting his brother temporary custody of the minor child Violet Finn. The other document is a restraining order barring him from being 500 feet from said minor child. He says, she’s helping Chase steal his daughter.

Anna snoops around the living room again, and Valentin calls from the kitchen that breakfast is almost ready. She looks behind some books and finds a satellite phone.

Ava says she and Sonny share custody. He can’t keep Avery and kick her out. Avery is happy with them under the same roof. It’s going to hurt and confuse her. He says, they lived separately for years. It won’t take Avery that long to adjust. She asks him to think it through, but he says he’s already given it all the attention it needs. She has five minutes. Last night, he felt generous. She’s lucky he didn’t humiliate her in front of everyone. She says she thought she was the only one he could trust, and he says he was wrong, but she says, he’s wrong now to cut ties. Everyone has either betrayed, played, or judged him. He can’t rely on anyone. He says, but he can rely on her, and she says she’s proven she has his back. He asks why she’s fighting so hard to stay. What’s her angle? She says she doesn’t have one, but he says, everybody has an angle – money, power, revenge. Is that why she went after Alexis, for revenge? Ava says, this is about Kristina’s temper tantrum. God forbid Alexis should take responsibility for losing her law license. He says, Alexis lost her license because of Ava, but Ava says, Alexis broke the law. It’s not her fault. Sonny says, Alexis screwed up, but Ava didn’t have to sneak around and turn her in, but Ava says she followed legal procedure. Alexis committed perjury. He asks, who is she to judge? She killed Connie. Maybe he should sign an affidavit against her.

Finn says, Diane is taking a child from her father, but Diane says, not according to the law. They wouldn’t be able to get a court order if there was no proof the child was unsafe where she was, and the father could no longer be trusted to be responsible for her. Finn says, it’s lies. He’s been taking care of her for the last five years. Diane says, they have photographic evidence to the contrary. The court takes the parent/child relationship seriously, and you can’t get a court order without good reason. Finn asks, what about her? What’s her reason for tearing apart a family and taking a child from her sole parent? None of that matters because she gets billable hours. Diane says she was asked to pass along a message. Violet is doing great. She loves and misses him and can’t wait until he’s healthy again. She’s waiting to break her own record for holding her breath under water until he can watch. Finn cries and says, they can’t take his daughter. They can try, but he’s not going to let them. She says, if he comes within 500 feet of Violet, he’ll be arrested. Think about what watching that would do to his daughter. She leaves, and Finn takes out his phone.

Jason finds Elizabeth at the hospital, and says he thought he’d check on her. She looks worried. She says, Finn has gotten worse. He’s spiraling and out of control, and it’s affecting his daughter. Luckily, there are a lot of people who love her and are worried about her. He says he’s glad Violet has a support system, but who’s looking out for her and the boys? She says, they’re doing okay. She’s going to Al-Anon and it’s definitely helped. The boys are hanging in there. He asks if Jake is all right, and she says, he’s gotten better. She doesn’t think he’s as angry with Jason anymore. It made a difference when he called Jason for help and Jason came through.

Calling from the kitchen, Valentin says, breakfast is served, and Anna puts everything back and sits down on the sofa. He brings in two plates and says, it’s not much. It was the best he could do. She says she’d like to see what it looks like when he goes all out, and he says he’d like to spend the rest of his life trying to impress her. She says, it’s not because she doesn’t want to or doesn’t love him. Last night answered that question. Their lives don’t fit together. He says, they did once, but she says, that’s debatable and things changed. It’s impossible for her to imagine a life together after what she did to Charlotte. He says, impossible in Port Charles, but maybe not elsewhere.

Carly says, maybe this was a mistake, but Jack tells her not to be hasty. He told her not to trust him because she can’t. The only person she can rely on is herself. Don’t put her faith in someone else. Carly says, there’s someone in her life who’s never failed her, and he asks, why not talk to them? He advises her to think carefully about who she confides in. Calculate the risk and the reward. What is the reward? She says, if she tells him, he’ll use it against her, but he says, not unless he has something to gain. Pentenville is dark and dreary. She brings in the light. She says, the FBI has evidence, a recording, that she committed RICO violations and was involved in criminal conspiracy.

Finn tells Scotty that Diane shoved these papers at him, and he shows Scotty the paperwork. He says he didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye. Tell him this isn’t real. Scotty says, there seems to be an incident involving Tracy and Violet. What happened? Finn says he had a bad night. He’s ashamed, but it’s been greatly exaggerated. Scotty says he thought Finn and Tracy were friends, and Finn says he did too. She’s also Brook’s grandmother, and Brook and Chase have had their eyes on Violet. Violet must be scared and confused. Who knows what other lies they’re telling her. He needs Scotty’s help. Scotty says, he needs somebody to go to bat with the judge. Maybe one of his NA people or possibly another doctor. Finn says he resigned. He had no choice. He wants to sue the place because they want to slander him and ruin his reputation. To a good lawyer it would be a great lawsuit. Scotty can keep the money. He just wants his daughter back. What does Scotty say?

Carly says she was doing it to protect her family when Sonny was presumed dead, but Jack says, none of that matters. She says, the FBI blackmailed Jason into being an informant, and in return, they won’t charge her. He asks if Jason told her that, and she says, a hacker discovered the file and tried to delete it. He says, that’s impossible from the outside. She’s gotten herself into quite a situation. What does she need to know from him? She says, will the FBI honor their agreement? and he says, not a chance.

Sonny says, Morgan would still be alive if Ava hadn’t messed with his medication and her psychotic sister hadn’t planted a bomb. If her family didn’t exist, Morgan would be alive. Ava says she’s truly sorry about what happened. She loved Morgan. What happened was a tragedy, but she doesn’t need a lecture on morality from him. She admits she’d done bad things, but Sonny needs to take responsibility. She’s not the reason his family is broken and in shambles. All of his children’s problems have one thing in common – him.

Valentin says he couldn’t bring himself to leave Port Charles. He didn’t want to give up the chance see Anna or give up the idea they’d find their way back to each other. Anna says, there are a lot of things to consider. How will it affect Charlotte? Valentin asks her to just consider it. Think about it, for him. She says she has to go, and he walks her to the door. He asks if they can talk tomorrow, and she says, yeah. He kisses her and she leaves. He watches her from the window.

Jason says he wants to keep trying to make sure Jake knows he’s here for him, if it’s okay with Elizabeth. She says she appreciates it, but Jake is his own person now. He’s got strong opinions and Jason doesn’t need hers for Jake to decide if he wants to build a relationship with him. He needs Jake’s. Jason thanks her for not standing in the way and reminding him that it’s not going to be easy. She says, it will be worth it, and he asks if Jake is still into baseball and if the Woodchucks are still his favorite team. She says, yes, and she thinks they have a game coming up with their main rivals, the Red Wings. Jason says he’ll see if Jake wants to go, and she says she’s not going to tell Jake what he should do. She needs to allow him to come to his own terms, but she hopes he goes for his sake, and Jason’s.

Finn says he thinks he has a good case against the hospital. They made wild accusations against him. He asks if Scotty shouldn’t be taking notes, and Scotty says he would if he was taking the case, but he’s not. Finn asks, why? He’ll get his daughter back and Scotty will get rich. Scotty says he doesn’t think a jury is going to be as sympathetic to Finn as he thinks, and Finn asks if he believes what’s in the papers. Scotty says, they’re just papers. Does Finn love his brother? Finn says, even with everything Chase is doing to him, he does, and Scotty asks if Chase loves him. Finn says he’d like to think so. He can’t understand why Chase is doing this to him. Scotty says, Chase is doing what he has to, not what he wants, and Finn says, he’s doing what he’s being told. He wasn’t here. Chase is being manipulated by Tracy into thinking he’s a danger to his daughter. Scotty says, Finn has been barred from seeing his daughter. He’s not in control of anything. He can’t fix this legally. He has to fix himself. He knows how hard it is, but Finn has to open his eyes and see he’s not as alone as he thinks.  

Jason and Anna meet outside for coffee. She says she appreciates him looking out for her, but he didn’t have to stay all night. Jason says, Valentin is dangerous, but she says, not to her. He says, better safe than sorry, and she asks why he didn’t leave when the light went out. He says, it still could have gone sideways, and she suggest they coordinate next time. Valentin is trained in surveillance. It would have been a royal disaster if Jason had been discovered. She’s surprised he didn’t discover Jason. He’s usually more careful. Jason says, it sounds like he was preoccupied, and Anna says she was able to search the house. She found a satellite phone hidden in a bookshelf. She was unable to pull any information from it before Valentin came back, but obviously he uses it to conduct business with Pikeman. Jason says, they’ll have to turn it over to Cates. Then he can shut down Pikeman and put away Valentin for good.  

Jack tells Carly, Jason is too useful for the FBI to let him go after a single job. They’ll use him until they’ve tapped him out or he’s dead. And as soon as the Jason stops being useful, they’re going to put her in prison. She says, so the deal they made is a lie, and he says, they may drop the ball in a myriad of ways, but they never leave it on the table.

Scotty asks why Elizabeth didn’t tell him how bad Finn was, and she says she didn’t want to talk to more people than necessary and turn Finn’s pain into gossip. He says he could have helped her and the boys, and she says she appreciates it, but they’re okay. How was Finn? He says, Diane filed a restraining order and Chase has temporary custody of Violet, and she says, Chase has been updating her. She’s guessing Finn wanted Scotty to represent him. Scotty says, he does, and he also wants to sue General Hospital for defamation. He tried to get Finn to see he’s in no position to be suing anybody and needs to get a different kind of help. Elizabeth asks if he thinks he got through, but he says, no. If he knows anything about hitting bottle, Finn has to hit rock bottom. Then maybe he’ll turn himself around. She asks if he thinks Finn is there yet.  

Finn holds a stuffed bear and cries. He picks up phone and makes a call. He says he’s wondering if they deliver… Good. He’d like a handle of vodka… Make it two.

Scotty says, every addict’s rock bottom is different, and Elizabeth says she heard that at Al-Anon. He says, it’s going to be just as hurtful for her to watch, and she says, it’s killing her to watch Finn destroy his life. He says, whatever happens, he’s here for her and her boys.

The delivery comes, and Finn takes two bottles out of the bag. (I guess a handle is a large bottle? I’ve never heard that term before.) He opens one of the bottles and smells it. He looks at the papers, then looks at the bottle. His hand shakes as he brings it to his mouth, but instead of drinking it, he throws it at the door, smashing it. He throws the other one against the door too, and says, no. He picks up his jacket and leaves.

Jack says he knows how Carly feels, but she has one thing going for her that he didn’t. Time is on her side. She needs to prepare herself while Jason continues his job. She says, prepare for what? and he says, court. She needs to find the best lawyer and come up with a strategy. As sure as their sitting here, one day she’ll have to defend herself in front of a jury. She thanks him for the advice, and he says he’s got plenty. Come back anytime. She leaves.

Jason asks if Anna thinks she’ll get back into Valentin’s house, and she says, the way they left things, she’s welcome back whenever she chooses. He asks if she’s okay with that, and she says, part of her feels like she’s betraying Valentin. She’s done a lot of things she’s not okay with in her career. The job is the job. He says, this means hurting someone she cares about, and she says, it’s not the first time she’s done that either, but she can’t allow Valentin to get away with his crimes. It has to be done, so she’ll do it.

On the phone, Valentin tells someone, move the shipment through Port Charles as we discussed. Sonny won’t be a problem. He’s isolated and coming apart. All it takes to push him over the edge is one last shove.

Ava tells Sonny that she packed a few things and will send for the rest, and he says, fine. Get out. She walks out the door, turns, and says, she’ll be back for her daug… He slams the door.

Tomorrow, Chase tells Finn that he has to take the first step; Sonny says, they’re about to have a legal battle; and Ava tells Trina that Sonny isn’t the only one who knows a thing or two about threats

☔️ It’s Raining Returns…

I guess this squashes my theory it might be Frisco.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jonathan-jackson-returns-to-general-hospital

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jonathan-jackson-opens-up-about-his-return-to-general-hospital

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/abc/lucky-general-hospital-jonathan-jackson-151164

Think Ava will move in with him?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/bryan-craig-returns-to-general-hospital

🎤 Locher Room Chat…

While this was live earlier today, you can still catch it on YouTube. He does excellent interviews.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chat-live-with-greg-rikaart-adam-huss-and-adam-bucci

👯‍♂️ Keeping In Touch…

This is so sweet, and says a lot about them as human beings.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/finola-hughes-and-kimberly-mccullough-reunite

🐪 Through a Camel’s Eye…

Not loving Lesa. In her interview, she made fun of Caroline Stanbury being an example to 50-year-old influencer. Jealous maybe? Since at last count, Caroline had more followers. And news flash. We’re all going to be 50… and 60… and 70… and so on. At least we hope so. My other takeaway from this episode was, Sergio is a handful. Or as Caroline said to him, you’re like a gnat.

Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2, Episode 4 Recap: The Queens Are Fighting

🚣 The Love Boat Has Landed…

Imagine my surprise to see this in my local news. Again, this is one of those shows that I find embarrassing for the contestants even if they don’t. You can smell the desperation, and I just can’t look. Unless someone I know gets on it, but even then, it’s debatable.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/love-island-usa-auditions-coming-jersey-shore

💰 Millions Coming Your Way…

Already buying that mansion in my head. Premiers July 10th.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/million-dollar-listing-los-angeles-season-15-trailer-premiere-date-cast

🗽 Ryan Takes Manhattan…

I’ll definitely be checking this one out. Premieres June 28th.

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/owning-manhattan-season-1-ryan-serhant-release-date-news

https://okmagazine.com/p/ryan-serhant-teases-not-everyone-makes-finale-owning-manhattan/

🥀 Too Real…

This is so sad. It sounds like she had a lot going for her.

https://people.com/mtv-the-real-world-miami-alum-sarah-becker-dead-8667895

🧜‍♀️ Bringing Out Your Inner Mermaid Since 1983…

For some reason, I’ve just never gone to one of these. If I had a bucket list, this would be on it.

https://www.coneyisland.com/mermaidparade

Fabulous pictures of some very clever costumes.

PHOTOS: 2024 Coney Island Mermaid Parade

🦈 Dun-Dun Dun-Dun Dun-Dun…

Shark Week is coming – July 7th – 14th.

https://people.com/shark-week-2024-schedule-8662632

👏 An Audience Member In My Own Life…

Join me tomorrow for much of the same, but a day later. Until then, stay safe, stay swimming where there’s a lifeguard even if you’re a strong swimmer, and stay never turning someone’s pain into gossip.