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January 17, 2025 – Michael Gets the Final Say, Soap Suds, Not My Reality, Weekend Watching, Plus One, Getting There, Gate in the City, Exit Interview, Good Guy, Awards, The Players, Hebodomad Quotes & Things

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

Willow said she was in charge of Michael’s medical care, and Michael went into cardiac arrest. Portia said Willow had the right to make decisions about Michael’s medical care, and Drew told Carly and Sonny, hand over the kids and they’d have access, like the trashbag he is. Carly said, Drew was pushing things to point of no return, so Willow would have no one to turn to but him. Nina finally talked Sonny into giving the kids back, and Willow thanked Drew because she’s an idiot in love with a trashbag.

Cody wanted to invest in crypto, but Tracy said it would be better to set his money on fire. Alrighty then. But later, Cody told Brad to call his Aunt Selina because he had a sure thing bet on football after he’d talked to Kai for 3 minutes. Later, Portia said she wanted to use Brad’s talent for bending the rules to find out what patients had gotten digitalis without it being prescribed. Brad was a busy guy this week.

Lulu told Laura about what happened in Prague and asked when Laura was going to tell her that Anna had shot Charlotte. She said she thought Dante was right in that she’d led the shooter to Valentin. Laura promised to help Lulu find Charlotte again.

Isaiah told Lucas that they could choose to do something, and risk Michael dying, or do nothing, and Michael would definitely die. He chose to do something and gave Michael a medication that counteracted the digitalis. Isaiah told Portia what happened with Michael, and they came to the genius conclusion that, someone in this hospital is killing people with digitalis.

Tracy and Stella talked about Monica, which was like a knife to the heart knowing that Leslie Charleson had passed away.

Tuesday:

Lucky talked to a woman from the Port Charles Redemption Mission and found out Cyrus’s focus was on patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Lucas told Elizabeth about Michael and how Isaiah had given him digoxin immune FAB to counteract the digitalis. Lucky said they had to figure out what connected all the digitalis victims and why Cyrus would want them dead. Jason told Sonny that whoever planted the bomb in the penthouse would try again.

Willow told the kids that Michael was in the hospital. Dante told Sonny what happened in Prague. Josslyn conferred with Lucky about Cyrus.

Drew showed up at Nina’s and after she slammed the door in his face, she let him in.  She said he’d moved Willow away from what she loved and valued with the sick hold he had over her and gave him the business. She said Drew wouldn’t know love if it jumped up and bit him in the ass.

Tracy said she’d help Lulu if she had a solid lead, but Lulu needed to be more strategic and less emotional. Jason suggested the clinic in St. Petersburg where he’d been held hostage for Michael’s treatment, since Ava had her burns treated there. Sasha helped trick Willow into letting the kids go to the main house, and Tracy said, they weren’t leaving. Martin argued with Tracy about letting the kids go with Willow. Felicia said Jason and Carly had to leave the ICU, and Nina told Sonny that he had to go to the Quartermaines and get the kids from Tracy.

Wednesday:

Lucky and Elizabeth went to Beradino’s where Cyrus works. Josslyn went to Anna about Cyrus stabbing Dex. Alexis spoke to Drew about Sam’s wishes for Scout. Drew decided to commute to DC rather than live there. Carly wanted to call a press conference and out Drew, but Felicia told her not to make it worse than it already was.

Sonny talked to Tracy, who told him that Drew was the enemy and to handle him accordingly. Trina and Gio watched the game at The Brown Dog, and Emma showed up. (Since she was nuEmma, I didn’t realize she was also the pickpocket in Rice Plaza.) Cody was also at the bar. Alexis said Scout needed consistency and stability, and Drew said, maybe Willow was what she needed. Alexis wondered if it was less what Scout needed, and more what Drew needed. Tracy reminded Sonny that Michael was AJ’s son.

Felicia needed a drink, and Sasha was her designated driver. Elizabeth chatted Cyrus up while Lucky was in the bathroom, then suggested to Lucky that she volunteer at the mission. Carly asked Jack about the Boronsky clinic, and he said it no longer existed, but the burn expert was now in Germany. Carly badgered him about getting Michael into the German clinic. Jason showed up at the Quartermaines and asked Tracy to please give the children back. Tracy said it was the first time he’d ever said please, but then pulled the Monica card. Alexis suggested Scout move in with her, but Drew wasn’t having it. Anna questioned Cyrus, but Josslyn blew everything and alerted him to the investigation. Tracy said, for once in Jason’s life, don’t choose Sonny, choose his family, and he did.

Thursday:

Chase got checked out and Brook went to see Dr. Navarro. She told the doctor about her teenage pregnancy, and Dr. Navarro told her that it should have no impact on her trying to get pregnant now. Nina suggested Willow compromise, but Willow was all about what Drew said. She thought Nina was asking her to bow down to Carly and Sonny, but Nina said Willow needed empathy. Lay down her weapons and maybe they’d lay down theirs. Tracy said using the kids as bargaining chips wasn’t going to fly. They were where Monica wanted them and that’s where they were staying. (Keep twisting those knives.)

Kai ended up in the hospital and Cody had to pay off his bet. Carly told Tracy about transferring Michael to the burn expert, and asked how far Tracy would go if it was Ned. Tracy said, as far as she had to. Nina told Ava what was going on and that Willow’s life was in shambles because of Drew. Dante talked to Cody about Lulu, and Cody said, Dante could keep doing what he was doing and get shut out, or do things Lulu’s way.

Trina visited Kai in the hospital. Tracy sympathized with what Carly was going through as a mother, but it was about what Carly had put the family through for years. Tracy suggested Carly and Sonny find another way. Nina discussed the Willow/Drew situation with Ava. Selina tried to get Cody back in the game, and Dante wondered what was up, but Cody told Dante that he was okay. Alexis talked to Curtis about Drew. Nina wanted to get Willow thinking for herself again, and Ava said, tell Willow who he really is. When they were falling in love, he was having sex with her mother. Chase told Tracy that she couldn’t keep Wiley and Amelia from Willow and this had to stop. Willow asked to see Carly.

Friday’s Enchilada:

In her office, Brook leaves a voicemail for Chase that she’s done with her appointment and Dr. Navarro was super positive. She should get her test results soon, but maybe they should do something to relax, like spend a weekend in New York City. Have dinner and see a show, just them, and they can have baby making time. They’ll figure it out tonight. She loves him. Lulu comes in and asks if she’s interrupting.

Chase says, Tracy can’t keep the kids from their mom, and Tracy says, not him too. He has no idea how many times she’s had this conversation today. She was hoping for a break. He says, they’ve been through a lot, and he’d like to think they could be honest with each other. She says she’s going to stop him. He makes her granddaughter so happy, and she holds his entire family in the highest regard, so she’s going to put this as nicely as she can – butt out.

At the gallery, Lucas shows Ava a video on this phone, and she says, look how well Avery is dancing. Her costume is perfect. Lucas says, Avery was so proud. She wanted to make sure he recorded the rehearsal for Ava. She thanks him for bringing it, and he says he wanted to return the favor for her talking him down on Christmas Eve. She says, of course (🍷). She can’t stop thinking about the fire at Sonny’s. She’s so grateful Avery wasn’t there. She asks if they know the cause yet, but he says, all he knows is that the police are looking into it.

At Beradino’s, Cody looks at a cashier’s check and says he was so close to making his dreams come true. He sees Drew and walks over to him. He says he’d tell Drew that it’s nice to see him, but he’s far too sober to lie.  

Jordan starts a conversation with Martin near the bar, but then sees Drew and Cody and says she’s needed over there. Drew asks if Cody is disappointed that there’s’ nothing left to blackmail him with, and Cody says, you smug… Jordan tells him, don’t even think about it.

Outside Michael’s room, Willow says she’s glad Carly is here. She was hoping to talk with her and Sonny. Sonny joins them, and Willow thanks them for getting here so fast. Sonny says, it sounded important, and Willow says she knows they’re upset, and she understands why. She’s hoping they can find a way forward that works for them both. Carly asks if that means she’s going to let them see their son.

Chase tells Tracy that he’s had a front row seat for everything that happened with Michael and Willow because he’s friends with them both. He’s begging her not to make it more difficult. She says, it’s not difficult; it’s simple. The children are going nowhere. He tells her that everyone says she’s acting out of spite, but he doesn’t believe that. He saw how she helped his dad and Finn. Through all the snarky and sarcastic comments, he knows nothing means more to her than family. He knows she thinks she’s helping protect the kids, but he promises she’s only causing more drama.

Brook asks if Lulu needs help, and Lulu says she was looking for Maxie, but she can hang out in the waiting area. Brook says, she’s better off texting. Maxie is meeting with a vendor, and her afternoon is booked solid with interviews. Lulu says, that’s why she’s here. She was hoping to be one of them. Brook asks if she’s applying for a job at Deception.

Ava tells Lucas that she knows firsthand what Michael is going through. It’s a horrible, painful ordeal. Have they arrested anybody for setting the fire? Lucas says she doesn’t think so. Anna and Chase were at the hospital to question Michael, but he was in no shape to talk. Ava says, he was injured because of Sonny, and Lucas says she knows what she’s thinking, but Avery is completely safe. He sees her all the time. If he had doubts about Avery’s safety, he’d tell her. She says, of course (🍷) she worries about her little girl. She’s glad Lucas gets to see Avery so much and came to show her the video. Will he do one little favor for her? He says, it depends, and she says, give Avery a hug and tell her how much her mama loves her. He says he’ll do it tonight after work. He’s headed there now. She asks him to send her the video and he says he will. He leaves, and Ava makes a call. She says, I need to see you right away.

Cody tells Jordan that he has no beef with the congressman, but it seems the congressman might have one with him. Drew says he does, but Jordan says, neither of them need to get into anything in a public place. Cody should go. Cody says, gladly. He’ll see Drew around. Have a terrible day. He hopes Jordan’s day is a pleasant one. He leaves and Drew says, nice to see Jordan’s got his back, and she says, it looked like he was the one escalating things. What was it about and what did he do?

Willow says, the situation between her and Michael is being made more difficult with everyone getting involved. Michael wouldn’t want her separated from their kids. Carly says she had the kids and sent them to the Quartermaines, and Sonny says, she did what she thought was right at the time. Carly says she had no idea Tracy would hold them hostage, and Willow says, the kids are worried sick about Michael. Carly says, Wiley called her. He’s wondering what happened. Willow says, he called her too and asked when daddy was coming home. Carly says, Sonny made a good faith effort, and Sonny says, but Tracy refuses to let them go. Carly says, Tracy has no right to keep them and can’t legally. They’ll figure out a way to get them back. Willow says she hopes Carly is right. She needs to trust her own judgement about what’s best for her children and Michael and she’s come to a decision.

Ric walks into the gallery and asks, what’s so important? Ava says, Avery’s life is in danger. He needs to petition the court for an emergency custody order for her to have Avery full-time. Ric says he thought Carly had Avery, and Ava says she assumes he heard about the fire. It was no accident. Ric says, of course (🍷). Any time there’s a catastrophe in Sonny or Jason’s vicinity, it’s some attacker seeking retribution. She says, what if Avery had been there? She could have been burned like Michael. It’s terrifying. He says he’s sorry. As a father, he understands, but the court won’t see it as a reason for an emergency change in custody. Avery was nowhere near there at the time of the fire. She was with Carly and Donna where she has a bedroom and where she’s lived most of her life. Ava says, if he won’t file it, maybe she should find herself a lawyer who will. He says, that’s her right, but they’ll tell her the same thing. Wait until the right moment to make her move. She tells him, says the absentee father, and he says, it’s no reason to get personal. She says, sorry, but she could never understand how he could stay away from Molly for so long. It kills her not seeing Avery every day. He says, one of his biggest regrets is not being able to be a presence in Molly’s life, and she says, what if he was in her place and Molly was in danger? What would he do? He says he’d move heaven and earth to keep her safe, and she asks why he’s telling her the opposite. He says he wants her to fight, but be smart. Her current custody battle with Sonny is going to be very long and very expensive. She says she may be overextended at the moment, but it’s not like she’s living in the street, and he says, then why hasn’t she paid him?

Lulu says she’s here to apply for the job, and Brook says, it’s an assistant position. Wasn’t Lulu’s last job as a reporter at The Invader? Lulu says, that was four years ago. Deception needs an assistant, and she needs a job. They don’t all have trust funds. Brook says she doesn’t care what Lulu thinks, but every job she’s had, outside the music industry and in, she’s stood on her own and earned her own paycheck, Lulu says, like when Brook was paid to seduce Dante? (very mature) and Brook says she did that and it was a lapse in judgement. She and Dante have moved past that. Lulu says she didn’t get the memo, and Brook says she lives in her family’s home with her husband. Dante and Rocco live there too, and they all get along great. They let go of something that was a lifetime ago and they’ve moved on. Lulu says, Brook is being condescending, when Maxie comes in. She says she sees they’re getting along as great as ever, and Brook’s phone dings. After reading a text, she says she needs to go home and talk to her husband. She leaves Lulu in Maxie’s capable hands. She trusts Maxie will make the right decision. She leaves and Maxie asks Lulu what they were arguing about this time.

Tracy says she didn’t realize Chase had a psychiatric degree to go with the police badge, but he says he doesn’t need a degree to read her. She says, since he’s an expert in her behavior, what is she going to say next? and he says, she’s going to argue that Willow can’t be trusted because she cheated on Michael with Drew. Drew will never be a real Quartermaine, and even though she doesn’t like Michael, he’s a real Quartermaine. Family’s got to stick together. How did he do? She says she’s delighted they’re on the same page. Now drop the entire thing. He says, there’s one more thing. She left out something important. Wiley and Amelia are Michael’s kids, but they’re also Willow’s kids, and they need their mom.

Willow says, Michael would want both Carly and Sonny to be with him during this and she won’t stand in their way. Carly thanks her and looks through Michael’s room window. Sonny thanks Willow and says he knows how difficult the decision is. She says she’s not sure how it got so messy, and he says, they’re both grateful she’s letting them see Michael. She says, Michael has done so much for her. He gave her the gift of family and supported her dreams even when they changed. All she wants is for him to get better and be with the kids again. Portia joins them and says she needs to discuss the next step in Michael’s recovery with Willow. Willow looks at Carly.

Tracy says, Chase is disposed to favor Willow, seeing her as a well-meaning angel led astray, but Chase says, that’s not true. She says she watched the congressman’s hubris in taking Willow and Wiley to the inauguration. She saw the pictures. Willow, Wiley, and Scout, the perfect readymade family. He had no concern whether Michael or Monica would see the photos. Chase says, Michael and Monica are adults. This is about two kids who need their mom. Tracy says, their mother does not put them first. She does.

Lulu says, a miracle recovery doesn’t pay the bills. She needs a job. Maxie says, at Deception? and Lulu says she saw the ad, but she didn’t want to put Maxie on the spot, so she tried other places. The Invader is under new management, and nothing else panned out. Maxie says, she’s overqualified, but Lulu says she just needs to make money. Maxie asks if she’s interested in cosmetics, and Lulu says, not really, but she wasn’t into fashion and she was still good at her job at Crimson. Maxie says, what about the Brook factor? and Lulu says she promises to be on her best behavior working with Brook. Maxie says, she’d be working under Brook, and Lulu asks if she’d be Brook’s assistant. Maxie says, since they hate each other, she doesn’t see it going well, but Lulu tells her that she wouldn’t say hate. It’ll be fine, but it’s weird that Brook and Maxie are BFFs now. When did that happen?

At the hospital, Cody says, just the man he didn’t want to see, and Brad pulls him aside. He says he told Cody that he’d text. Coming to where he works is not cool. Cody hands him the check, and says, it’s most of the money he owes Selina. Brad says, most of it? He placed a bet with his aunt for Cody and not he can’t pay up? Lucas sees them.

Ava says she’s working to secure funds. She’ll get the money. Ric says, she could work harder, and she says she’s good at what she does. She’s in communication with some long-term clients who are experienced collectors. She just wants her daughter with her. He says, she needs to dig in for the long haul. They both know how Sonny is with his kids. He’s territorial and had his share of custody battles and won. At least Avery is close by and safe. Watch and wait. Patience is the key. Sidwell walks in and asks if someone can assist him. Ava says, of course (🍷), and introduces herself as the owner of the gallery. She asks what she can do for him, and he says he’s brand new to Port Charles and stumbled on her lovely gallery. He’s Jenz Sidwell. She says, it’s nice to meet him, and Ric introduces himself, shaking hands with Sidwell. Sidwell says, since Ava owns this fine establishment, perhaps she can guide him to which painting is worthy of his attention.

Jordan asks what Drew was trying to accomplish starting a fight, but Drew says, Cody approached him. She tells him, stop looking innocent, and he says he just doesn’t trust Cody. She asks who he does trust. Look around. Is there anyone currently talking to him who isn’t on his payroll? He says he’s guessing Curtis filled her in on what happened at Aurora, and she says she’s aware of the issue. He says he hopes she’s aware that he was giving Curtis a promotion, a huge raise, and complete control of the wellness division. She says, that’s his problem. It’s not about the money. It’s about how he treats his friends who were always loyal. Curtis values honesty and Drew lied. Drew says he never lied, and she says she stands corrected. He misled Curtis. He let Curtis think he was going to be CEO. It’s less betrayal in his books, but in hers, it’s semantics.

Portia says she’d like to speak with Willow in private, but Willow says, Carly and Sonny can hear too, so they can all discuss options. Portia says, good. They got Michael a bed in the Johns Hopkins burn unit. It’s the best hospital in the country and vacancies are rare. Willow says, he’ll be close enough to visit, but Carly says she might have a better option.

Chase says, Tracy can get herself in trouble if she doesn’t turn over the children, but she says she’s not afraid of litigation. He says he’s talking about criminal charges, and she laughs. She says, the carrot didn’t work, so now he’s bringing out the stick and threatening her. Good luck with that. She’s faced down worse. Brook walks in and asks why Tracy is picking a fight with her husband.

Maxie says she’ll have to fill Lulu in on her relationship with Peter August another time over a bottle of wine. And when she says, bottle of wine, she means several shots of tequila. Lulu asks what that has to do with Brook, and Maxie says, Brook was there for her in a big way. Lulu tells her, if you say so, and Maxie says, Lulu may not want to hear it, but Brook is a good person. She’s flawed and made questionable choices, but who hasn’t? Brook has been a good friend. Lulu says she’s glad Brook was there when Maxie needed someone, but something about Brook always rubs her the wrong way. She plays at being Bensonhurst, but has the Quartermaine name and fortune to fall back on. Maxie says she’s not buying that. Lulu is obviously upset, but she doesn’t think it’s about Brook. What’s really going on? Lulu says, Charlotte.

Ava says she’ll show Sidwell around. Ric was just leaving. Ric says he’d like to stick around and watch her work, and she says, art is subjective. What speaks to someone depends. She asks Sidwell to tell her something about himself so she can steer him in the right direction. He says he’s an importer looking for a North American base, so he moved to Port Charles. Ric asks, where’s his house? and Sidwell says, it’s an old, gothic residence on Spoon Island. Ava says, he bought Windymere? And he asks if she’s familiar with it. She says she used to live there, and Sidwell laughs.

Cody says he thought he had luck, but it was not his lady, and Brad says he’s $5000 short. Cody says he’s good for it, and Brad says he’ll tell his aunt. Maybe they can work out something. Cody says he’s never going to use the term sure thing again. He jinxed himself. Brad says he’s sorry, and Cody says he’s got to go. Brad walks over to Lucas and says, it’s not what it looks like. What he saw isn’t what he thinks.

Jordan tells Drew that she’s the last one to cast stones. TJ’s father was her husband’s best friend. The issue isn’t how he chooses his relationships. It’s how he treats the people in his life. Drew asks if she realizes that Curtis was just as deceptive in stealing Aurora, but she says, he led Curtis to believe he’d be permanent CEO, then went behind Curtis’s back and promised the job to Michael. Drew says he was trying to make peace, but it was a futile effort, and she says, stop. She doesn’t want to hear his explanations. He dug a hole for himself and if he doesn’t start making amends, he’s going to be alone and isolated. She believes he’s a better man than his recent actions indicate, so she’s going to give him some advice. Start mending fences. She leaves, and Martin joins Drew. He says he guesses it’s safe to assume the appropriate amount of rain has gone down on him from his constituents.   

Carly explains there was a groundbreaking procedure to remove scar tissue in a burn unit used by the Boronsky Clinic in St. Petersburg, Russia. It’s now closed, but the doctor is working in Germany. Willow asks if she wants to send Michael to Germany and asks if Portia has heard of the procedure. Portia says, no, never, but Carly says, the results are incredible, and Jack Brennan was able to secure a space in the clinic. Sonny asks if they can talk privately, and they step away. He asks why she didn’t tell him before, and she says she wanted to make sure it was possible. Michael can make a full recovery with no scars. He says he’s not sure, it’s so far away, but she says, you can’t even tell Ava was burned. She wants that result for Michael and Sonny has to trust her that this is the best thing. She’ll be there every minute of every day. She gets that he doesn’t trust Jack, but doesn’t he trust her?  

Carly tells Willow that the clinic has had incredible results, but Willow says she doesn’t think it’s best for Michael. He needs to be nearby so they can visit. Portia says she has no information, so she has to advise against it, and Willow says she’s not comfortable with Michael so far away and the doctors not having vetted the procedure. Carly says, he’ll make a full recovery, but Portia says, his burns are quite severe. Carly says, they’ve already seen the results. No one is able to tell that Ava had third degree burns. Willow says, Michael won’t have his family, and she knows Johns Hopkins is a great hospital. It’s her preference. Sonny says he thinks Michael should make the decision, and Willow says, that means waking him up. Portia says, it will cause immense pain, but Sonny says, it’s Michael’s life and he should make the call. Carly says she knows Michael wouldn’t want them to make the decision for him, and Willow says, she’s right. Michael has to decide for himself. Wake him up and let him choose. Portia says, okay, but only one of them can go in and talk to him, and Sonny says, that would be Carly. Willow says she agrees.

Sidwell says, it’s nice he and Ava have Windymere in common. How was her time there? Ava says, it was eventful, and he asks, what made her leave such a magnificent home, if she doesn’t mind him asking. She says she was living there with her husband and they split up, and he says he’s sorry to hear that. She says, he’s being kind, but she’s moved on, and he says he’s glad to hear that. He’s a firm believer in second chances and kismet. How else could you explain him wandering into her gallery? He sees she has the taste and expertise he needs to help him choose the right art to make his new home his own. Ava says she happens to have the perfect painting in mind and steers him to a large modern art canvas. She says, this painting is by talented Greek artist from Crete. He’s a marvelous painter and a talented sculptor. Sidwell says, the light in the study will make this a vibrant addition to his collection, and she says she loves the artist and would love to show him more of their work. They walk to the next room and Ric follows.

Tracy tells Brook that she and Chase disagree. He believes she should give Wiley and Amelia back to Willow and she refuses. Brook says, because of Monica, and Tracy says, the children are Monica’s only saving grace. They put a smile on her face and they’re going to take that away? Brook says, they all love Monica, and Tracy says she’s glad they agree. The last thing Monica needs is more stress. Brook wonders, if Monica asks, is Tracy going to tell her that she needs to be their mother, especially if their father can’t be there for them?

Maxie says she’s happy that Dante brought Lulu home safe, but she’s sorry Valentin ran off with Charlotte. If it was one of her kids, she’d be going crazy. Lulu says she needs to find Charlotte and it’s going to take a lot of money. Maxie says, good thing her stepmom is an heiress who loves her, and Lulu says her mother and stepmother agreed to help her, but they want to wait and see what Valentin’s next step is. She needs Charlotte home now. Maxie says, Lulu never liked waiting, and Lulu says, Maxie knows her well. Maxie says, she can’t galivant across the world when she doesn’t even know the country, and Lulu says she doesn’t know where her daughter is. Charlotte lost four years of life living without her mother. She needs something she can control and the only thing she came up with was getting a job. Maxie says she gets that, and Lulu says, it’s not just the money. She wants to get a place where she and Rocco can live, and Charlotte when she finds her. Maxie says, it makes sense. Lulu was always Miss Independence, eager to get on with life. Lulu says, life has moved on and she’s racing to catch up instead falling farther back.

Drew says he’s not discussing his personal life with Martin, but Martin says, as a survivor of three divorces, does Drew mind if he offers some unsolicited advice? The heart wants what it wants, and you can’t help who you fall in love with. Drew says, exactly. He’s not going to apologize for how he feels about Willow. Martin says, as long as he stays true to his feelings, and does the best he can for himself and for the woman he’s involved with. Drew thanks him and says, that’s actually what he wanted to talk about. They sit down, and Drew says, Willow is in the hospital with Michael, as it should be, but the situation with the children is up in the air. They need to get Wiley and Amelia away from the Quartermaines and back with Willow where they belong. Martin tells him, easier said. Tracy is holding them, and he wonders if there’s a more amiable opponent he could be set up with. Like Stalin or Vlad the Impaler. Genghis Kahn comes to mind. Drew says, Tracy has no legal rights, and Martin says, she’s well-connected with deep pockets and knows how to work the system to her benefit. It’s one hell of a combination to go up against. Drew says, she thinks she’s safe behind the walls of privilege and money, but she’s wrong. He’ll do anything to reunite the children with Willow.

Wearing a sanitary jumpsuit, Carly goes into Michael’s room and says his name. He looks at her, obviously in pain.

Sidwell gives Ava a check and says he’s thrilled with his new painting. He enjoyed their talk on art. Perhaps she can come over and help him with the placement. He’d also love any suggestions on future purchases. She says, it’s her pleasure, and he says, it’s lovely to meet them both. He’ll see them soon he hopes. He kisses Ava’s hand and leaves. Ric says, it was enlightening to watch her work, and she says she barely lifted a finger, but she knows how to close a deal. Ric says, yes, you do, and takes the check from her. She says she just earned it, and he says he appreciates her first payment for his services.

Brad tells Lucas that Cody wanted him to place a bet on the PCU game with his aunt. He didn’t want to, but Cody was persistent, so he called his Aunt Selina. Cody lost and this is his payment to her. Lucas says he sees, and Brad says, once he delivers it to her, he’s not going to see her again, he swears. Lucas says, thanks for telling him, but Brad doesn’t owe him any explanations. Brad says he knows he doesn’t, but Lucas taught him that telling the truth is important, so he wanted Lucas to know. Lucas says he appreciates that.  

Maxie says she knows what Lulu is going through. She’s been there. Lulu says, now Maxie has it all – an amazing career, her children together under one roof, and a wonderful relationship with Spinelli. Maxie says she went through a lot of trial and error. No one trusted her to make her own decisions since she was shown to be flaky. She thinks Lulu is already taking the right steps to ensure the life she wants, and Maxie believes she’ll make it happen. Lulu says she needs to have a job if she really wants to make it happen. Maxie says she needs to know that Lulu can put her history with Brook aside and get along working together. Does she think she can do that?  

Chase says he gets that Tracy has the best intentions, but at the end of the day, it’s not her call. Tracy says, Brook’s husband is brave standing up to her, but she doesn’t understand why he’s defending Willow. Brook says, he’s trying to keep the peace, and Tracy should listen to him. Martin and Drew walk in along with an officer, and Tracy says, back so soon? Holding out a paper, Martin says, it’s an official order signed by a judge. They’re allowed to take Willow Corinthos’s children back to her. Drew tells Martin to ask the nanny to get the kids ready, but Tracy says, it’s a waste of time. She can’t comply. They’re not here. Drew asks where they are, and she says she hasn’t the foggiest. He says, the officer knows what to do, and the officer takes out handcuffs. Chase tells him to put those away, but he says he’s sorry. The congressman wants her arrested. Tracy pulls away and says, don’t touch her, and Drew says, resisting arrest. The officer says, she did touch him, and Tracy says, he’s so going to regret this.

Sonny says he’s glad they were able to come together to do what’s best for Michael, and Willow says, Michael is going through something terrible. He’s lucky that he has Sonny and Carly to fight for him. Not everyone has that kind of unconditional love in their life. Sonny says, they’re the lucky ones to have Michael as their son.

Michael says, mom? and Carly says she’s here. And his dad is out there. They’re here to do everything they can to help him get better, but they need his help. Tell them how to make the choice he needs.

On Tuesday (see below), Willow asks Drew if she ruined her chance of getting Wiley and Amelia back; Anna asks if someone is the one who planted the device in the penthouse; and Ava asks Sonny to do what’s best for their daughter before it’s too late.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-soaps-preempted-on-monday-january-20-2025

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

The most important story.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/gh-alum-vinessa-antoine-asks-for-help-finding-her-brother

She will be greatly missed. After all, Alan gave her the house. It’s so weird how they must have filmed in advance, yet they’re talking up a storm about her on the show.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-star-leslie-charleson-dead-at-79

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daytime-stars-remembers-leslie-charleson

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/wally-kurths-heartfelt-tribute-to-leslie-charleson

You never know. On All My Children, Bobby Martin came back after 40+ years of polishing his skis upstairs.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-opens-up-about-his-gh-exit-and-return-plans

Don’t do it. It’s not him.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-warns-do-not-donate-to-a-gofundme-in-his-name

💉 A Dose of Reality…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Once again Gary proves himself to be an idiot. The guests wanted some of the crew to join on a night out, and Captain Glenn, being the decent soul he is, told Daisy, Gary, Keith, and Chase, two drink maximum. And if they came back drunk, they’d forfeit their share of the tip. Gary had 10 drinks. 10. Then got pissed off when the captain called him on it. Classic Gary.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The episode focused a lot on PK and Kyle’s friendship, and Dorit’s reaction. Of course, Kyle is never wrong and while I often think Dorit is wrong – and her reactions are over the top – I can’t disagree with her on this one. If one of my close friends was texting with my estranged husband, they would no longer be my close friend. Kyle whined that Dorit made it sound like she was being inappropriate. Doubtful anyone thinks she’s got it going on with PK, but it is inappropriate for her to be buddy-buddy with her friend’s almost ex. Let’s just call it what it is now – Memegate. Garcelle, Kyle, and Sutton took Erika to Chuck E. Cheese for her birthday. A good time was had by all. It actually looked a lot more fun than any of their formal parties.

Real Housewives of New York City

If I was on a trip to Puerto Rico, I wouldn’t have the bandwidth to argue about a dead pigeon. I’d be too busy swimming in the possibly-less-than-blue water and eating local cuisine. The women did synchronized swimming at Jenna’s instruction. Apparently, she’s quite a fan of it, and it was pretty amusing until Raquel got whacked in the forehead by Jenna’s elbow. That Jenna, always full of surprises. Ubah was out of control, and Erin can’t win. If she fights back, she loses. If she walks away, she loses. As usual, Jenna and Raquel were the voices of reason. Next time, the finale.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake CIty

Heather suggested a fun dinner party game where the women pulled out the worst thing they had said about one of the others on their phone and shared it with the group. As you might have guessed, this didn’t go over all that well, and resulted in tears and Lisa running from the table after someone read something about John. Oh, horrors.

Bonus scene.

Southern Charm

Once again, two men acted like middle school girls – that would be Austen and Craig – while Whitney pretended to be the voice of reason. In her interview, Madison said she and Brett thought that Austen and Craig would be the couple least likely to break up, but it looks like they did. Craig dared to meet with JT, and Austen wasn’t having it, but it was just the opening Craig needed to scrape Austen from his shoe. As little as I like JT, I don’t get why some of them keep harping on him calling Patricia a bitch, when the footage shows clearly that he didn’t, and most of them don’t believe it anyway. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and sometimes an a-hole is right too.

Southern Hospitality

I just couldn’t even this week, but here you go.

Random Events

BTW, Bill was not happy.

https://people.com/rhonj-star-jennifer-aydin-uninvited-from-housewives-cruise-after-viral-outburst-jersey-mikes-8771411

Amazing timing.

https://people.com/karen-huger-enters-rehab-skips-real-housewives-of-potomac-season-9-reunion-after-dui-8772200

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Borderlands. It was hard to find something that was at least partially positive. There are plenty of worse films, although I actually enjoyed this. Perhaps because I’m unfamiliar with the games. I’m definitely in agreement with the writer that Night Swim was a total waste of time.

https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/movies/borderlands-isnt-the-worst-movie-of-the-year-despite-what-the-internet-wants-you-to-think

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action. A fascinating look at a man who began as someone I admired, but chose to serve money and ratings rather than the greater good. I’d known about the coaching, but not about the murder connected to the show. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and this was just sad.

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-fights-camera-action-tv-review/

https://screenrant.com/jerry-springer-documentary-netflix-shocking-reveals-list/

The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. I’m there for a cult story, but missed this somehow. While this documentary has been around a while, they’ve been showing it recently on TLC, so I caught it. I have some vague memory of her in the news, but had no idea how messy this got. And the hair… What’s with the hair?

https://people.com/human-interest/what-to-know-about-gwen-shamblin-lara-hbo-max-the-way-down/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/the-way-down-hbo-max-review

🔍 One To Watch…

IMO, Baylen Out Loud is what reality TV should be about. I’m rooting for this girl, and with a supportive family like she has, I think she’ll make it after all.

https://people.com/baylen-dupree-struggles-with-boyfriend-upcoming-air-force-relocation-in-new-tlc-series-8773525

https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/baylen-out-loud-season-1-trailer-tiktok-star-takes-on-adulthood-while-tackling

🤹‍♀️ Upcoming Awaited Seasons…

The latest on The Last of Us.

https://deadline.com/feature/the-last-of-us-season-2-cast-release-date-everything-to-know-1235940502/

While you wait.

https://collider.com/grounded-last-of-us-part-2-documentary-youtube/

An understandable pause for Fallout.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/fallout-season-2-production-pause-la-fires

An Squid Game accident? Really? Highly doubtful.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/squid-game-season-3-release-date-2025-netflix

👠 They’re Not Wrong…

Sex and get away from my front door in the City.

https://ew.com/carrie-sex-and-the-city-apartment-iron-gate-tourists-8774330

☕️ His Final Thoughts…

I never did understand Eraserhead, but he did some fine work.

https://people.com/david-lynch-expressed-hope-over-divided-country-in-one-of-last-interviews-exclusive-8776098

🥇 A Mighty Fine Man…

It’s such a shame about his health issues, but he’s blessed to have such a wonderful family to support him.

https://people.com/bruce-willis-seen-in-public-dementia-diagnosis-la-police-officers-8775698

🏆 Awards Corner…

No surprise, GH is in the running.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/2025-writers-guild-awards-daytime-drama-nominees-announced

The BAFTA noms.

https://ew.com/2025-bafta-awards-nominations-full-list-8774808

🐕 No Gutter Balls Here…

I want them all.

https://ew.com/puppy-bowl-2025-meet-adoptable-dog-players-8773005

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/puppy-bowl-players-2025-super-bowl

☃️ Quotes of the Week

Just because my heart is beating doesn’t mean I’m alive. – Ish Williams (Alexander Ludwig), Earth Abides

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man (and woman) which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. – Blaise Pascal

You don’t break habits, you replace them. – Coach Mike Bayer

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Michael Jordan (Or kick it down.)

Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker. – Hilary ‘Zig’ Ziglar

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. – Spencer Johnson

She took every bit of power I had and left me with household appliances. – Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Agatha All Along

🌉 Taking a Sentimental Journey…

Until next week, stay safe, stay warm, and stay valuing honesty.

January 10, 2025 – A Killer Is Revealed, Soap Suds, Reality Recaps, Weekend Watch, Award Corner, Great Moments In New Year’s Eve, Best Bowl, Cardinal Number Of Quotes & You

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday through Thursday bites and whole enchilada Friday.

Monday:

Portia confirmed that Elizabeth was suspended and told Cyrus that he was no longer welcome at the hospital again. Trina helped Josslyn pack up Dex’s apartment. Jack was pissed at Colette because she was supposed to tail Valentin, not take a shot at him. He looked at the Rice Plaza footage and saw Cyrus stab Dex.

Michael filed for full custody after seeing that Willow was with Drew in DC. Willow told Drew that Michael was punishing her for being with him. Lucy welcomed Sidwell to Windymere after he bought Spoon Island. They flirted, had champagne, and she gave him some gifts, including her book. Both Laura and Willow separately talked to Martin, and Martin told Laura that Willow would have to be smarter if she wanted to keep her kids.

Carly was supposed to have dinner with Carly at the MetroCourt, but had to cancel. Jack ended up joining her instead. Sidwell literally skipped through the Windymere living room to the terrace and watched as Sonny’s penthouse exploded. Sonny and Jason were in the hallway, and the only one inside was Michael, who turned into a fireball.

Tuesday:

No soap, funeral.

https://abc7ny.com/post/general-hospital-new-episode-tuesday-preempted-abc-news-special-report-former-president-jimmy-carters-state-funeral/15765536/

Wednesday:

Drew and Willow got busy while Jason told Sonny to call 911 and smothered the fire on Michael with a blanket. After Michael got to the hospital, Isaiah worked on him with Lucas assisting.

Carly enjoyed her time at the MetroCourt with my husband… I mean, Jack.

Josslyn wanted to stay in the place her and Dex were happy, but Trina told her that she wasn’t just grieving; she was angry. After Trina left, Josslyn looked at Dex’s gun a lot. Curtis told Nina that taking Wiley over state lines was a federal crime. She wanted to bring Willow and Wiley home, but he advised against it.

Brook was upset because she wasn’t pregnant yet, even though she was doing all the right things, including eating pineapple which she didn’t like. (Who doesn’t like pineapple?) We found out Brook had been pregnant before and given the baby away. She thought God was punishing her, but Lois said, God didn’t work that way. Chase discussed things with Sasha, who told him that he and Brook should just relax.

Lucas told Carly, Sonny, and Jason that Michael had 3rd degree burns over 40% of his body. He was critical and they didn’t know if he would live. Nina called Willow with the news.  

Thursday:

Drew showed up at the hospital since he’s an idiot and a creeper. Curtis advised him to get lost. Martin wanted Willow to petition the court for sole custody, but she said, absolutely not. Diane advised Carly to get the kids away from Willow. Nina told Willow that she shouldn’t show up at the hospital, but she went anyway. She and Josslyn got into it.

Jason said the explosion was like nothing they’d ever seen, and Sonny said they had to find the culprit and stop them dead in their tracks. Anna and Chase investigated the penthouse. Anna called Jack to come and help. Jack said, the Bureau had come across the same type of incendiary device before and thought he could be of assistance. Sonny said they’d find who did this and retaliate, and Jason said he was all for that (me too), but he also wanted to get Danny out of the line of fire.

Sonny and Kristina had a father/daughter moment on the roof of GH. Molly showed up at the hospital to offer support. Carly prayed in the chapel that God spare her son. Drew walked in to give his sympathies, but she wasn’t having it. He whined about what he’d done for her, and she hit the nail on the head telling him that he had a hero complex.

Michael opened his eyes.

Friday…

On the roof at GH, Sonny looks up and tells Morgan that he’s worried. Can he watch over his brother? Please help him. Isaiah comes out and joins him.  

At Beradino’s, Alexis sees Ric and says, her bad day just got worse. He says, nice to see her too. Despite her many flaws, she has great taste in restaurants. We see Cyrus puttering around, and Alexis asks if Ric can eat somewhere else, but he says he’s meeting a client. However, if she feels compelled to leave, don’t let him stop her. He encourages it. He tells the hostess, Lansing, party of two.  

Lucy brings Sidwell to Bobbie’s and tells him that there are other charming spots, but for an authentic Port Charles meal, this is the spot. They have the best burgers, chili, and everything in between, but no matter what, always, always, always order the fries. He says he’ll remember that and tells her that her energy is contagious. She suggests having made such a charming new friend has made her happy, and he says he appreciates that. She says, now back to the tour. Bobbie’s is named after a special, dear friend of hers, the late Bobbie Spencer. He asks if she said Spencer, and she asks if he knows the Spencers. He says, no, but he’s sure they’re lovely people, and she says, unfortunately, Bobbie passed away not long ago. She was influential in the community. She was a nurse at GH, owned this place, and was a leader for charitable causes.

Colette asks if there’s any new business, and Jack says he just spoke to Anna. She asks if it was about Valentin, but he says, no. It was about the fire that put Michael Corinthos in the hospital. The WSB may bear some blame.

At the MetroCourt, Felicia says she’s glad she was available to take Maxie and Sasha to lunch, and Maxie asks to what they owe this unexpected treat. Felicia says she needed a break from the hospital stress, and Sasha says she can imagine. Felicia says she loves her job. It’s rewarding, but it’s also difficult and draining. She sees people during the hardest times in their life and it’s challenging. She witnesses their pain, not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain. Maxie says, the patients are lucky to have her and so are they, and Felicia says, sometimes it’s hard for her to leave work behind, especially if she knows the patient. Like now, with Michael Corinthos. Sasha asks, what happened with Michael?  

Portia tells Jason that Michael is in shock. He has severe burns, and the main issue is to manage his pain. He’s on the highest dose of morphine and they can’t bring him to full consciousness for too long. It’s too much. Jason says, Michael came to, and he’s sure Michael knew it was him, and Portia says, good. That’s a great sign. He’ll likely be heavily sedated or unconscious for the next few days and it’s absolutely the best thing for him right now.

Carly tells Drew that her son is upstairs in excruciating pain fighting for his life. Does that even matter to him? Drew says, she came at him when he was speaking the truth. She needs to go make a list of the things Sonny’s done to harm Michael, but he can see it on her face that she already knows. Does she have any regrets about way back when she decided to let Sonny raise Michael instead of AJ? Was it worth Michael’s life? She says, nothing is worth Michael’s life, and he says he knows she loves her son, but none of what she did was what was best for Michael. It was all about what she wanted.

Jack tells Colette that the incendiary device left almost zero evidence. It was a unique weapon like a device the WSB designed years ago. He knew what the hardware looked like even before Anna described it. Colette says, it’s highly classified, and he says, it was meant for Sonny, not his unfortunate son. They need to find out who wanted Sonny eliminated and had access to the weapon. She says, there could have been a security breach. Maybe the specs were leaked and sold to the highest bidder. He says he’s making it top priority, and she asks if it has anything to do with the Rice Plaza footage, but he says, that has to do with his other project.  

Willow tells Josslyn that no matter what’s happened between her and Michael, she loves him. He’s the father of her children and she’s praying he recovers quickly. Josslyn says, did she forget she cheated on Michael with his uncle, and they had sex in the nursery? How skeevy can you be? Nina joins them and says, that’s enough. Leave her daughter alone.

Sitting with Ric, Ava says, it’s not like she’s destitute. The gallery is doing well, and she had money of her own before she married Nikolas. She was planning on moving the gallery to a new location and purchased a building. She was going to renovate it and have it up and running before she sold the building the gallery is in now. He says, she’s paying for mortgages on two commercial properties? and she says, unless the divorce settlement money is returned to her, she’ll have to sell the building and finding a buyer won’t be easy. He says he’s sorry, but the only way she’ll see any of the money is if the estate grants it, and she says, by estate, he means Alexis. He says, as trustee, Alexis is the only one who has the power, and Ava says, the money isn’t even Alexis’s. It’s in trust for Ace. He says, until Ace is of age, Alexis can decide how it’s spent. Considering Ava was involved in Alexis’s disbarment and Kristina fell out Ava’s hotel room window causing the death of her baby, the chances of Alexis gifting her are pretty slim.

Diane joins Alexis and says she’s represented Michael’s family for most of his life. What happened is unimaginable. She can’t stop thinking about it. Alexis says, Michael has always been so good to her girls over the years. She respects him for that. Diane says, he’s a wonderful man, and Alexis says, Kristina adores him and she’s reeling. She’s had so much loss lately. Michael has to pull through. Cyrus listens in.

Felicia says she assumed they heard, and Sasha asks why Michael is in the hospital. Felicia says, there was a terrible accident at the penthouse. Michael is in the burn unit and in critical condition. Sasha says she needs to go see him, and Felicia says, of course (🍷). Maxie asks her to text or call if there’s an update, and as she leaves, Sasha says she will.

Sonny says he comes up here to think sometimes, and Isaiah says, it’s good for that. Sonny thanks Isaiah for everything he did for Michael when he brought Michael in, and Isaiah says, of course (🍷). He has a lot of experience with burn victims from his time in Africa and he’s glad to help. Sonny asks about the percentage of recovery and tells Isaiah to be straight with him. Isaiah says, it’s serious, but GH is doing everything in their power to treat Michael and alleviate the pain. How is Sonny feeling? All the stress could complicate his condition and possibly make it worse. Sonny thanks him for his concern, but says he can’t think about himself. Isaiah says he understands that Michael is the only thing on Sonny’s mind, but he has to take care of himself too. Sonny asks if Isaiah has kids, and Isaiah says, not that he’s aware of. (Ha-ha!) Sonny says, when he does, he’ll know the love for his kids can get him through anything.  

Carly tells Drew not to preach to her about selfishness. He had sex with Michael’s wife in the nursery where his daughter plays. Did he think about Michael? Or did Willow’s hero worship give him such a high that he couldn’t control it? Drew says she can’t understand his and Willow’s relationship. What’s between them is real. She asks if that’s what he tells himself, and he says, it’s more real than what they had. (Ugh. I hate people who argue like this. Like all of a sudden it was never a good relationship to begin with. It’s so immature.) Carly laughs and asks if that was supposed to hurt her. It didn’t. He had sex with her daughter-in-law, the mother of her grandchildren. Now she sees him for who he really is. He did her a huge favor when he dumped her. He says, good. He’s a lot happier away from her too. He walks out of the chapel. (Quick. Get that man a bonnet, diaper, and baby bottle.)

Colette asks about Jack accessing the Rice Plaza footage, and he says, Josslyn asked him to because she wants to find the person responsible for stabbing Dex. Thanks to the footage, now he knows who it is. She says, mystery solved, but to what end? He can’t use top secret footage to solve a civilian case. He says, of course (🍷) he can’t. But now that he knows who Josslyn is looking for, he can leave a trail of breadcrumbs and see how well she follows them.

Nina says, Josslyn has no right to speak to Willow that way. Her husband was just in a horrible accident. Josslyn says, Michael is her brother, and nothing she said was anything less than the truth. Was there anything Willow didn’t use Michael for? Nina says, Josslyn is just like her mother, and Josslyn says, thanks. She could say the same thing about Willow right now. Nina can’t stand to be called out on her crap. On the surface, they’re both so sweet and friendly, but underneath, they’re lying liars who lie. Stay the hell away from her brother. She walks away.  

Lucy says she and Sidwell had sort of discussed Mayor Laura Collins. She’s actually a former Spencer and has two Spencer children. Sidwell says, there are a lot of them in Port Charles, and she says, quite a few and very notable. He says, she knows everything and everyone in Port Charles really well, and she says, she seems to be doing all the talking. She knows she’s doing all the talking. He has to share something about himself. He says, she handled his purchase of Spoon Island skillfully. What else does she need to know? She says she hardly thinks the transfer of information captures a person. From what she read, he’s not currently married, but does he have a couple of former Mrs. Sidwells running about? What do she and Port Charles need to know about the newest resident? He laughs.

Maxie tells Felicia, it’s awful. Michael has always been good to her. She can’t imagine what the family is going through. Spinelli is going to be devastated and poor Jason. He’s got to be losing his mind. Felicia says, Michael’s injuries are severe, but it’s still possible for him to recover, and Maxie says she’s going to send every positive thought his way. Felicia says she hopes Sasha is okay. She seemed upset and stressed after she heard the news. (Well, of course. < 🍷>) Maxie says she knows Sasha and Michael were together at one point and stayed good friends, but her reaction did seem out of proportion. It’s probably pregnancy hormones. Felicia says she wants to tell Maxie how much she loves her, and Maxie says, why? Is there something wrong? Felicia says she’s fine. Don’t worry. Her work as a patient advocate has given her a new perspective. Working with people who are grieving and people in hospice who don’t have much time left, they all say the same thing over and over. Their biggest regret is not telling the people in their lives how much they love them. Her and Maxie’s relationship hasn’t always been easy, but she’s glad they’ve moved past it. She doesn’t want a day to go by that she doesn’t let Maxie know how much she loves her. Maxie says she loves Felicia too, and takes her hand.

Sasha looks into Michael’s room window and cries. Jason arrives, and she asks, what happened? All she heard was that there was an accident. He’s going to be okay, right? Jason says, they don’t know yet.

In the chapel, Carly says, please let Michael recover. He’s such a good man and has so much to live for and so many people who love him. Sonny comes in, and she asks if there’s an update. He says he went by Michael’s room to talk to Portia. Jason was with him and Michael woke up, but they had to sedate him because he’s in so much pain. Carly covers her face with her hands, and he says, the doctor said hopefully they’ll find out something soon. She asks how it happened, and Sonny says he doesn’t know any more than he did last night, but whoever planned this is after him.

Willow thanks Nina for defending her, and Nina says, Josslyn is a bully and a hypocrite. Don’t listen to a word she says. Willow says she thought that they’d come together to support Michael and the kids through this tragedy, but Nina says, Josslyn is a lot like her mother. Their first instinct is to lash out. No empathy, no compassion, just rage. Willow wonders if she can get some alone time with Carly, but Nina says she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Willow says, they were close once. Carly walked her down the aisle when she married Michael. She cares… Nina says, cared, past tense, but Willow says she doesn’t know. Nina says, unfortunately, she does. Carly sent Diane and a social worker to the apartment and took custody of Wiley and Amelia. Willow says, how? and sees Drew come out of the elevator. She runs to him, throwing her arms around him. She says he has to help her. Carly has taken the kids. Drew looks at Nina.

Josslyn literally bumps into Jack at the hospital, and says, sorry. He says, it’s fine, and asks how Michael is. She says, the same. He’s in pain and it’s horrible. He says he’s very sorry, and she thanks him for bringing her to GH last night. He says he was glad to help, and she says she’s headed to grab some air. He says, before she goes, he has an update to share with her about who stabbed Dex.

Ava says, Ric is a fantastic lawyer. He got Heather Webber set free and got her cleared of any wrongdoing in Kristina’s accident. There’s got be something he can do. He was married to Alexis and knows her so well. He has to be able to use that to his advantage somehow.

Martin comes into the Baradino’s and says hello to Cyrus. Cyrus says he’s grateful Martin came to see him, and Martin says, that’s because when Cyrus calls, he picks up the phone. Cyrus should try it sometime instead of dodging his calls. Cyrus says he’s been doing the Lord’s work. The holiday season has been busy. He needed to see Martin because GH is trying to restrict his access to patients. Martin asks what that has to do with him, and Cyrus says he wants Martin to put a stop to it. His patients need him. Martin says, there are plenty of places Cyrus can do the Lord’s work if GH doesn’t want him there, and Cyrus says, if the law won’t help, the Lord will provide a path for him to continue his work. The Lord has ways the legal system knows nothing about. Diane comes by and asks if Martin has a moment to discuss the Corinthos custody case, and Martin says, when he’s done with his brother, they can have a chat. Cyrus says, it’s fine. They’re done. He’ll leave them to their business. He moves along with his non-Lord’s work.

Ric goes over to Alexis’s table and says, may I? He sits down, and she says, you may not. Seeing he’s not moving, she heaves a sigh.

Josslyn tells Jack that she wants to hear everything, but she’s confused. She thought there was no footage from Rice Plaza. Jack says, it’s true they have no footage, but he has a lot of resources. He called in a favor from the PCPD and got the witness list from Rice Plaza on the day of the assault. She says, that would help immensely, and he says he’ll forward it to her right now. She thanks him, and he says he suggests she speak to the witnesses. Ask questions and piece the scene together. Unless it’s too much for her to handle. Then she can always hire a private investigator. She says she’s going to do it herself. It’s what she owes Dex. She looks at her phone and says she received the list. She even knows some of the people. He says he hopes one leads to the answers she’s looking for, and she sees Felicia at the reception desk. She says she thinks she already knows where to start.

Carly says, Drew was just here and said what happened was her fault for bringing Sonny into Michael’s life, and Sonny says, Drew has no business judging her. Don’t listen to him. She made the best choice she could for Michael at the time. She tells him that he’s saying that with such confidence, and he says, it’s not like he doesn’t know the feeling. It’s not the first time he’s put Michael in danger or Michael has been fighting for his life because of what he does. He was supposed to protect him from all this. She says, he didn’t know what would happen, and he says, neither did she. She says she just wants Michael to be okay, and he says he does too.

Sasha tells Jason, it’s horrible to see Michael like this. She and Michael never had a real break-up. Everything that happened with Willow, Wiley, and Chase took their lives in different directions, but the love is still there. Jason says he gets it. Sometimes life doesn’t work the way we plan. She says, Michael stood by her when everyone else hated her. When her mother told her that Robert was her dad and she and Cody broke up, he found time to comfort her when his own marriage was falling apart. He’s such a good man. Jason says, the best, and Sasha looks in the window again and cries.

Willow asks how Carly can take the kids, and Nina says, Diane brought Chase and a social worker and this court order. She shows Willow the paperwork, and Willow says she thought even though Michael filed for divorce, they’d figure it out through mediation. Drew says he just had his head ripped off by Carly because she found out they spent the night together in DC. Clearly, she wants revenge. Willow says she can’t believe they’re talking about Carly taking revenge through her kids, and Drew says, it’s a valid order. Nina says, they need to petition the court for an emergency custody hearing, and Drew says he can call in a favor, but in the best case, it won’t happen until next week. Willow says she can’t be without her kids until next week. Michael will be in the hospital a long time and the kids will be scared without either of their parents. Nina says she understands what it’s like to be without your baby. There’s no worse feeling. But they can’t defy the court order. It will work against them in the long run and there’s no recourse at the moment. Drew says, maybe there is.

Sidwell tells Lucy that his last love left him feeling wounded. It seems she was using him to get her hands on inventory. Lucy says, that’s absolutely horrible, and he says, it’s a hazard of his profession. He doesn’t think she needs to hear more detail.  She says she loves details and nothing he could say would bore her. He says she’s too kind and he’s happy to repay her hospitality with lunch. And the knowledge she imparted about Port Charles will prove invaluable in helping him acclimate. She says, it’s been a pleasure. If there’s anything else he needs, don’t hesitate to ask. They clink coffee cups.

Diane asks Martin when she can expect a response to the divorce petition, and he says he assumed it would be put on pause after last night’s events. She says she understands, but unless instructed otherwise, she’s going to proceed with her client’s wishes. And if his client thinks she can be galivanting up on Capitol Hill with her son and her husband’s uncle, she needs to think again. He says, they’ll have to see how it shakes out at the custody hearing, and she says, or they can spare the upset if his client makes a compromise now. He says, a brave attempt. Now if she’ll excuse him, he thinks he should get back to his brother. He looks around, but Cyrus isn’t there.

Ric tells Alexis that the money belongs to Ava. She’s entitled to pain and suffering for the emotional duress she suffered when married to Nikolas. Alexis says she knows a thing or two about emotional duress having been married to Ric. Ava has mistaken her for an ATM. It’s not her money. She’s just the trustee. Ric says, she knows the Cassadine money ruins lives, like with Stephan and Nikolas. Even if Ava got all of what Nikolas gave her, Ace wouldn’t miss it. Alexis says, despite her reservations in giving it to Ace, Ava is not going to see a penny, and he says, if it was anybody but Ava, she’d be singing a different tune. She says she’d like him to leave. She enjoys the food here, and staring at him is making her lose her appetite. He leaves.

Carly tells Sonny, hindsight is a funny thing. You look back and see everything clearly and it’s easy to question your decisions. He says, they’re just torturing themselves here and can’t change the past. She says, it would be nice if they could. She was thinking about if she had to do it over, knowing what she knows, would she do it differently? He says, of all the wrong turns they made, there’s one thing they did right – their kids. Michael, Morgan, and Donna, they’re amazing kids. She says, Michael is special, and Sonny says, he is. She says, they have to present a united front. Their strength will be Michael’s strength. Sonny says he’s going to check on the doctors. They’re going to go through this. Hit it face on as a family. He takes her hand, and she says, yes.

Willow asks what other recourse she has, and Drew says, even though she filed for separation and Michael filed for divorce, they’re still legally husband and wife. If Michael made her his healthcare proxy, that’s still valid. She’s holding the cards. Michael is badly injured, a lot of decisions will need to be made about his healthcare, and Carly and Sonny think they’re in charge. Nina asks if he’s suggesting using the fact that Willow is Michael’s wife as a bargaining chip to get the kids back, and he says, exactly. She can deny Carly, Sonny, or anybody else access to Michael. Willow says she would never do that. Things weren’t great between her and Michael, but Michael is a good person and an amazing dad. Even after everyone saw the video, he let her take the kids so they could be with her. She’s not going to pay him back by keeping his family from him. Drew says, it’s Sonny and Carly that she’s up against, not Michael. Carly is angry about them being together, and it could be the only leverage she has to get her kids back.

Jason tells Sasha that Sonny and Carly are on their way back from the chapel and suggests he give her a ride home. She says she probably shouldn’t drive this upset and thanks him. They leave.

Sonny asks, how’s Michael? and Portia says, his condition remains the same. Carly asks if there are any long-term burn recovery units she recommends. They’d like to get him set up as soon as possible. Willow pops out and says, there’s nothing to worry about. She’s Michael’s wife and she’ll be making the decisions about his care. She’s the only one the doctors will be talking to. (Wow. She nasty.)

Felicia tells Josslyn that she’s sorry. That’s all she remembers. She wishes she was more help. Josslyn says, even small details matter in cases like this, and Felicia says she did tell Chase there was something weird that she can’t put her finger on. She’s done everything she can to remember why she feels that way, but it still escapes her. Josslyn says, if she recalls it from beginning to end, it might come back. She was at Rice Plaza, picking out a tree with Georgie and James. There were holiday lights and carolers, the college kids fighting before Dex and his partner ran them off. The elevator dings, and Felicia says she sees what it is. It’s the bell. Josslyn asks, what bell? and Felicia says, that’s what she was trying to remember. Cyrus was at Rice Plaza taking donations and he had a bell he was ringing the entire time. Jack listens from the other side of the desk, and Felicia says, when Dex was stabbed, there was no sound. Cyrus had stopped ringing the bell.  

We see slippered feet walk into Michael’s room and gloved hands closing the door and the blinds. Standing next to Michael’s bed, Cyrus says he knows Michael is in terrible pain, but it will soon be over. He’ll be at peace. God will call him home. He puts his hand on Michael’s forehead and says, may your soul be surrounded by divine light. He takes out a syringe and prepares it. He checks Michael’s IV bag, plunges the needle in, and we see that it’s digitalis.

On Monday, Tracy tells Cody that if he invests, that money will be gone; Laura says, Dante did the right thing by going after Lulu; Nina tells Sonny not to waste precious time on this fight; and Isaiah says, Michael will die either way.

I have to say, I didn’t see another digitalis death coming. As much as I hate all these characters being killed off, it is one hell of a storyline.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

This is just horrific. I had to turn off the news the first night. While I know I’d cry over losing my stuff too, if everyone and their pets gets out alive, that’s the most important thing.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/soap-stars-share-wildfire-updates

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-opens-up-about-losing-everything

They read the room.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/2025-daytime-emmy-awards-rescheduled-to-october

In happier news. Hopefully, this gets enough viewers to stay on the air. Many a decent show has been cancelled because it wasn’t given enough time to build up an audience.

https://ew.com/beyond-the-gates-trailer-first-black-daytime-soap-in-35-years-8762458

💊 A Dose Of Reality…

Here’s what happened all week on…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Another group of demanding, immature guests, who were – of all people – drag queens, who I would expect more empathy from even on a superyacht. TBH, Cloyce’s consistent inconsistency leaves something to be desired, but they didn’t have to make fun of him. Shame on them!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Love Boz and her boyfriend Keely. They seem like the perfect couple and it’s nice to watch. Erika and Dorit can both go pound sand. PK blindsided Dorit, saying he wanted a divorce during a 4-hour therapy session. Who has a 4-hour therapy session? I’d be done after 4 hours too. In an actual real non-screaming moment, Garcelle talked about the years she had to give Oliver tough love and how it killed her to not even let him in the house. She did it right though, because look at him now. That’s what reality TV should be about. Seeing the changes. Some of these women also need to get a vocabulary. Erika debuted her new single, Dominos, and it sounded like all her other singles. Like Jennifer said, it’s not going to win any awards for lyrics, but it’s catchy.

Real Housewives of New York City

While I do think Brynn has some good qualities, girlfriend needs to mature. She’s way too into stirring the pot and it’s not a good look. She picked on Jessel for having a penchant for glam. Really? Like she doesn’t?

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

I could barely sit through this. Meredith freaked out when she discovered out Britani was recording the back of a seat during a bus trip, screeching about how sneaky it was. I guess she forgot that Bravo recording them is actually the whole point and there are cameras on all the time. These women do nothing but find things to argue about, and they’re best response to an insult is, no, you. It didn’t sound any better when Heather had to explain what the word nefarious meant. Someone please get them a dictionary. They give me a headache. Except for Mary, who is still the MVP.

I also watched a little of Sold on SLC, and I think the crux of all their problems is the church. No judgement, to each his own, but if it isn’t lifting you up, get out. These people are all adults and feel they have to pretend to be a certain way just so they don’t get excommunicated. It’s doubtful they’re fooling anyone, so I’m guessing as long as they put their share into the collection plate or whatever, it’s all good. Seriously, if it’s making you hate yourself and everyone else, get out.

Southern Charm

Taylor’s picker still seems to be off, but hey, sometimes you need something in the moment that won’t be in your future. I’m more looking forward to next week when JT meets with Craig. Mostly because I want to see how JT makes an ass of himself this time.

This made me feel sad, but I get it.

Southern Hospitality

I still maintain that this show wants to be Vanderpump Rules 2.0, but misses it entirely. For every real moment, like the discussion between Michols and TJ about being gay in Charleston, there’s a ton of screaming, yelling, and heightened drama that belongs in a middle school.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

A Mother’s Instinct. I love the 60s time period, which is why I chose to watch this. But I stayed for the twisty-turny plot and the incredible acting.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mothers-instinct-neon-film-review-2024

Smile 2. I know a lot of people liked the first one, but I wasn’t one of them. It was okay, but I wasn’t thrilled with the ending. I’d seen the trailer for this when I saw Red One, and thought it looked promising. I was right. I actually thought this was better than the first one. This article pretty much sums up why. The costumes were also quite fabulous.

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-watched-smile-2-i-need-to-talk-about-why-horrors-of-fake-smile-got-to-me

The Deliverance. More of a straight on horror film, based on so-called true events. Like both Lovecraft Country and Them, real life horror parallels supernatural horror. It was a captivating ride, capturing the truth of trying to escape poverty, along with the terror of living in a haunted house. Lee Daniels is a master and he snagged Glenn Close. It was definitely worth the time.

Nightbitch. I was looking forward to seeing this and it didn’t disappoint. You don’t need to be a mom to relate either. It gave me all the feels – it was funny, sad, poignant, and joyous. And there was an apology at the end that every man should watch. A bonus for me was seeing Jessica Harper, Janet from one of my favorite films, Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment. It was also nice to see an actress aging like a normal human.

🏆 And You Get an Award…

Golden Globe winners.

https://ew.com/2025-golden-globes-winners-full-list-8769343

Golden Globe fashion. Holy! Zendaya looks just like Elizabeth from GH.

https://www.eonline.com/photos/37442/2025-golden-globes-red-carpet-fashion

https://pagesix.com/2025/01/07/style/melissa-rivers-on-the-best-and-worst-golden-globes-2025-looks/

Awards to come. The SAG nominations.

https://ew.com/2025-sag-awards-nominations-full-list-8770586

🎉 Bravo For the New Year…

Including one of my all-time favorite New Year’s Eves – the night Giggy married Grandma Wrinkles.

🐕 Bowling For Pups…

Coming February 11th. Be there or be a cat.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/2025/get-ready-for-puppy-bowl-xxi-

🪂 Quotes of the Week

Your journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don’t think that you’ve lost time. There is no short cutting to life. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time. – Asha Tyson

It’s never too late to never give up. – Pamela Anderson

Youth has no age. – Pablo Picasso

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one out.)

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide

Things just tend to accumulate after Labor Day. What can I tell you?Little Edie Beale, Grey Gardens

My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. – President Jimmy Carter

❄️ Kisses From Heaven…

Join me again next Friday for soap, recaps, what to watch (or not), and other entertainment nonsense. Until then, stay safe; stay helping a neighbor shovel after a snowstorm; and stay telling the people in your life how much you love them. Don’t let that be a regret.

January 3, 2025 – Sonny Makes a Request Of Jason, Soap Suds, Southern Talk, NJ Tirade, Hard To Do, Finished Watch, Coming Up, Holiday Hangover, Star Celebrations, Times Square, Piffle Clone, Ha-Ha, A Half-Dozen Quotes & Feeling

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

On Thursday:

Isaiah told Sonny that he has to see a cardiologist.

In Prague, the sniper shot through the café window, missing Valentin. Valentin grabbed Charlotte and took off, but when Lulu and Dante followed, all they found was Charlotte’s air tag in a nearby planter.

Michael told Sasha that he thought he and Willow were headed for divorce, and Sasha told Michael that she was pregnant, but she didn’t want him involved. Michael reluctantly agreed.

Drew talked Willow into coming to DC with him for his swearing in ceremony.

Alexis told Ava that the Cassadine money had really belonged to Spencer and now belonged to Ace.

Anna went to Jack’s hotel room, and he still insisted he had no information on Valentin. He got a call from Collette about Valentin escaping, and when he hung up, Anna tased him because she wanted his full attention. She told him that she knew he’d met Emma, and that Emma was off limits.

Moving on to Friday…

Prague, Czech Republic. Dante brings Lulu to her hotel room, and she tells him that he doesn’t have to stay. He escorted her back and she’s fine. He can go to his room. He says, so she can hit the streets as soon as he takes off? and she says she could promise that, but she’s not going to lie to him. He asks if she’s going to go to the town square and yell Charlotte’s name when she and Valentin are long gone. She says, thanks to him.

In a car parked somewhere, Charlotte asks if Valentin is sure he’s okay. He says he’s fine. How is she? She says she’s sorry. It’s all her fault.

Sasha comes into Michael’s office and says, she can go if he has something more important going on, but he says, nothing is more important, and asks her to have a seat. She sits, and he says he respects her decision to raise the baby alone, but he has to ask her to do something for him. Stay in Port Charles.

Nina goes to Curtis’s office and says she assumes he hasn’t spoken to Drew. He says, no and he doesn’t expect to. Nina says, he’s in Washington DC with her daughter.

At the penthouse, Isaiah advises Sonny to see Dr. Pasternak. His reputation as a cardiologist is excellent. Isaiah is still new to GH, but his referral should get Sonny in. Dr. Pasternak is usually booked up. Sonny says he’ll get checked out. Just so Isaiah knows, whoever he talks to needs to be discreet. Isaiah says, Sonny’s number one priority should be getting his heart looked at as soon as possible, when Jason comes in and says, good to see Isaish again.  

Lulu tells Dante that she promised to come alone. She kept her promise, but now she’s worried Charlotte thinks she’s a liar. Valentin certainly does. God only knows what he’s telling her. Charlotte hasn’t seen her in four years, and she’s been under the sole influence of her father. It was her one opportunity to regain Charlotte’s trust and Dante blew it to hell. Dante says he was trying to look out for her, and she says, did she ask him to? How did he find her anyway? He says he knows people, and she says, great. Just great. What gives him the right? She’s not lying helpless in a hospital bed. She doesn’t need a minder and he’s not her husband, but Charlotte is her daughter, and she’ll find Charlotte any way she damn well pleases.

Valentin says, none of this is Charlotte’s fault, but Charlotte says, he told her not to contact anyone back home. She texted Rocco and talked to her mom. She told her mom where they were. She did everything Valentin told her not to. Valentin says, her mother is awake after four years and Charlotte wanted to see her. It’s nobody’s fault. Charlotte says she was being stupid. When they were in the Christmas market, she saw families and thought it would be okay to text Merry Christmas to Rocco. Valentin says, she’s a fugitive because of the choices he made. She has to follow the rules to be safe on the run. She says she broke the rules, and he almost got killed. He says, she broke the rules because they’re not fair to her. What he’s asking her to do isn’t fair.  

Sasha tells Michael that part of her wants to stay. Even before she got pregnant, when she was pretending to be Nina’s daughter, she loved the fantasy of having a family. Now she has a family of her own and she’s starting to know them. She’d like the baby to know them too. He asks, what’s the problem? and she says, secrets have a way of coming out, so it’s best if she leaves Port Charles. She gets up, and he asks if it isn’t most important that the baby have a safe, stable life. It would be helpful to have family nearby, including himself. What about a medical crisis? Isn’t it better to have a support system in place? He won’t fight her on her decision. He’s just asking and he’s hoping she decides to stay.

Curtis says, Drew took Willow to his congressional swearing in? and Nina says, what could be more appropriate than Drew putting his hand on a Bible as Willow stares at him with stars in her eyes? Did she forget to mention that Willow brought Wiley? Drew couldn’t be more clear about his intentions. Curtis says, damn. What does Michael think? She says she doubts he knows yet, and Curtis says, she’s probably right. It’s a bold move to take Michael’s wife and son to his swearing in. He knows good and well that it’s a high-profile event and there will be press coverage. She says, what does he care if he blows up Willow’s life even more? She knows Curtis is the new CEO and understands he has more important things to worry about than Drew’s bad behavior. He says, Nina is still his friend. It’s not rocket science to know why she’s upset. Nina says, Drew will destroy Willow’s life. Willow doesn’t see what’s happening and Drew doesn’t care about the consequences. He’s not doing anything to protect Willow or her family. Curtis says, she’s not wrong. Drew will do what’s best for Drew. But they both know that’s not the only reason Nina is so upset.

Isaiah says he’s leaving, and Sonny thanks him for stopping by. He walks Isaiah to the door, and Isaiah leaves. Sonny says, Jason isn’t asking what’s wrong, and Jason says he figures Sonny will tell him if he wants him to know. Sonny says, something is wrong with his heart. He had an incident where his heart was racing and it didn’t slow down, but it passed. He had a twinge when he was with Kristina, but it passed, so he went to the gym and worked out. It felt like his chest was tightening like he never felt before and fell to his knees. He was trying to get his phone, when Dr. Gannon showed up. Jason says, good thing he was there. Sonny hasn’t gone to the hospital yet? Sonny says, no, and Jason says he can arrange for Sonny to go to a private out of state hospital, but Sonny says he thinks they’re overreacting. Isaiah gave him a prescription. Jason says, he can’t mess around with his heart. Isaiah isn’t a cardiologist. He needs to see a specialist. Sonny says he’ll see one eventually. This was a wake-up call, and he has to change how he runs the business.

Curtis says, Nina played a key role in Drew getting elected. Is any part of her pissed that it’s not her standing there? Nina says she wants no part of DC. Drew thinks he can do whatever he wants with whomever wants. She thought there was more to him than that. Curtis says, as did he. He considered Drew a good friend for a long time. He risked his life for Drew and now he’s had to reframe his perspective. Nina wonders what happened. Is Drew so slick he fooled them both or did he change? Curtis says, he definitely changed. He doesn’t know if it was prison or Drew becoming a politician. They can analyze it all night, but Drew is who he is now. The same man who’s willing to sleep with his nephew’s wife and throw him under the bus at Aurora. Nina says she’s sorry. Drew let them all down. Curtis says, he certainly did. Drew isn’t the man they thought he was and he’s going to deal with Drew the way he is now. He strongly suggests she do the same.

Sasha asks if Michael has thought about what happens with him and Willow if she stays. What if they decide to save their marriage? Michael tells her not to let him impact her decision. Let him worry about that. She says, and the Quartermaines. She’s already dreading telling them. They’ll all assume Cody is the father, and when she convinces them that he’s not, they’re going to wonder who is. What does she do? Lie and say it was some random guy she met in a bar? Tracy will love that. He says, it’s no one’s business. They’ll have to respect her privacy. She asks when the Quartermaines have respected privacy. She doesn’t know if she can keep working there and she can’t keep living there. He says, no problem. He can take care of that.

Valentin says, Charlotte admitted she contacted her mother. She trusted him with the truth. She says, because she loves him. She doesn’t want them to keep secrets from each other. He says, when she told him, he should have moved them to a new place, taken them underground. She asks why he didn’t, and he says he wanted this for her. They’ve been praying for this for years and he wanted her to see her mother. It’s his mistake believing Lulu would come alone. She asks if he thinks Lulu is responsible for this nightmare.

Dante asks if Lulu is hearing herself. She came to Prague to meet Charlotte and convince her to go home. Did she think Charlotte was going be ready with her passport? She says she doesn’t think Valentin would let Charlotte go around without proof of identification. She’s sure Charlotte had it with her. He asks if she was sure Valentin wasn’t watching them, but she says, it doesn’t matter. She was this close to Valentin letting Charlotte go with her. He asks what she’s basing that on, and she says, Valentin knew Charlotte was going to see her. Charlotte told him and he gave her permission. Dante says, because he wanted to look like the good guy, and Lulu would look like the bad guy trying to tear Charlotte away. He was manipulating them. Lulu says she was getting through to Valentin. He could see that her taking Charlotte home instead of her having a life on the run was the right thing to do. Dante says, Valentin was playing her.

Michael says, if Sasha doesn’t have the finances, he does, but she says, that’s a firm no. She intends to raise the baby on her own and she’s not asking him for a check. He says, she’s not asking; he’s offering. Before she says, no… She says she did, and he asks if she’ll reconsider. If she has money, it will mean a better life for the baby. She says she can and will raise the baby independently. She promises the baby will have a happy, healthy home and she’ll provide everything he or she needs. They’ll want for nothing, especially love. He says he believes her and in her, but if she finds herself needing anything, promise she’ll reach out. She thanks him and says she knows he means it. She’ll stay in Port Charles. He thanks her, and she says he makes some excellent points. He says, she’s a good negotiator, and she says she had inside information that she already knew the baby’s father is a great guy. He thanks her and she says if she had to get accidently pregnant, she’s glad it’s with him. He says, him too, and thanks her for staying.  

Nina says she sees who Drew is, but Willow doesn’t. She’s spellbound and doesn’t realize he’s responsible for blowing up her life. She’s falling for his act, his noble façade and longing looks, pretending he’s pining away for her. Please. If she only knew everything. He says, Nina could clear things up for Willow. There’s crucial information missing, but he’s sure Nina could provide something to make her see Drew more clearly.

Sonny says, there’s nothing like lying on the floor, helpless, thinking, what happens to his children if he dies? He thought it could be Nixon Falls all over again. Jason says, everyone thought Sonny was dead. He and Carly had to step up and take care of the business. Sonny says, Carly almost went to prison, and Jason says, it’s over. They managed. Right now, business should take a backseat, and Sonny should focus on his treatment. Sonny says he knows Jason can run the business short term, but he’s talking long term. They have to think about what’s coming.

Lulu says she doesn’t need to trust Valentin, and Dante asks if she thought Valentin would let her take off with Charlotte. The same guy who’s been fighting to keep Charlotte to himself for her whole life. She says, Valentin has changed, but Dante says, he hasn’t. She says, Dante didn’t hear him and didn’t see his face. He was a heartbeat away from letting her leave with Charlotte. He says, it’s lucky Charlotte didn’t watch her father die, and she says, the sniper followed Dante. Dante says, she doesn’t really believe that, does she? She was the one tearing through Europe, telling anyone who would listen that she was going after Valentin Cassadine. And she doesn’t think she was on anybody’s radar? The sniper hit five minutes after he got there. Does she think that was enough time for them to trail him, get in position, and take a shot? He’s sorry, but the sniper was following her.

Valentin says he doesn’t think Charlotte’s mother tried to kill him, and Charlotte asks if he’s sure. He says he thinks she’d enlist Dante’s help to get Charlotte back, but doesn’t think she’s responsible for the attempt on his life. He thinks she was followed. Charlotte asks how he knows, and he says, because it would hurt Charlotte, and that’s something Lulu would never do. But there are people who want to see her harmed. That’s why they have to keep running, to stay alive, but she doesn’t have to stay with him.

Sasha goes to the hospital and asks for an appointment with Dr. Navarro. The nurse at the reception desk asks if she’s been a patient, and Sasha says she was. Sasha Corbin. The nurse brings up her chart and says she can make an appointment, but needs to advise Sasha that there have been changes in the prenatal program since she was last here. The patient advocate can update her. Felicia comes by, and the nurse calls to her. Felicia asks if she can help Sasha, and Sasha says, yeah. She thinks Felicia can.

Nina asks how Curtis knows she and Drew were sleeping together. Did Drew tell him? He says, no. She just did. She told him that there could be more between her and Drew, and they’ve been spending more time together. It’s not a far jump. She says, they’re consenting adults and she has nothing to be ashamed of, but he tells her that he’s not saying she did. He’s saying the situation is layered. Drew bridged the gap between her and Willow. She asks if he’s saying she should be grateful that Drew brought them together and ignore that Drew blew up Willow’s married life. Does he think she’s an opportunist? Curtis says he’s not judging, but wants her to be realistic about herself and her daughter. She says, Willow wouldn’t be living with her if Drew hadn’t put it in motion. She thinks Willow is better off without Michael, but should absolutely not be with Drew. But she can’t make Willow see that. Curtis says he knows one way. Tell Willow the truth.

Lulu says, if Dante is convinced the sniper followed her, that means Valentin is being hunted with guns. Charlotte is in danger, and she has to save her. She heads for the door, but Dante stops her. She asks, what should she do, give up? Let Charlotte stay and hope they keep ahead of whoever wants Valentin dead? He says, no. He’s not telling her to give up. He’s saying, let the professionals handle it. She just got her life back and has a son who loves and misses her. She should be grateful for that right now. She says she is grateful. She loves Rocco, but she’s also Charlotte’s mother. Rocco is safe in Port Charles. She can’t stop until Charlotte is home and safe with him.  

Sonny tells Jason that he was five minutes away from going to prison. Jagger was threatening Kristina, and he was ready to confess to the whole shebang. Jason says, he didn’t, and Cates is no longer a problem. Sonny says, there are other problems. Who brought the gun to the PCPD that cleared Alexis of Cates’s murder? Who found his gun and turned it in and why? Jason says, it was too convenient, and Sonny says he just wants to know his children are taken care of. He gave Charlie’s to Kristina. Jason says he heard, and Sonny says, Alexis is worried that it will put Kristina in the spotlight, and it will be audited. Jason says, that’s going to happen. The coffee business gets audited all the time and they pass. And there’s no way Sonny would use his kids. Sonny says, the Feds don’t know that. He’s tired of being a burden to his kids. Jason says he doesn’t think Sonny’s kids think that. They love him and need him. Sonny says he knows. He thinks it’s time to take a step back and hand the business to Jason.  

Jason says, Sonny wants to hand the business to him? and Sonny says, there’s nobody else he trusts to maintain it. Jason has always been in his corner, and he could count on him. He appreciates that. Jason says he’ll always be loyal to Sonny and can be Sonny’s second. He can step up anytime and run the business on a short-term basis, but he’s sorry. He can’t take over the organization.

Felicia says, anything Sasha wants to discuss is protected by HIPPA, and Sasha says she appreciates that. She wants Felicia to know what’s going on. She’s pregnant. She adds quickly, Cody’s not the father, and Felicia says, good to know. How does she feel? Sasha says, nervous… excited. She’s moving forward with the pregnancy. Felicia asks if Sasha minds if she takes a few notes. She assumes Sasha is here because she wants to register for prenatal care. Will the father be involved? Sasha says she’s doing it all on her own, and Felicia says, okay. That’s perfectly fine. They usually access the father’s medical records, but that’s not always possible. The priority is to make sure Sasha feels cared for and she and her baby are supported.

Nina tells Curtis that she can’t just say she forgot to mention she and Drew are sleeping together, but Curtis says he’s sure she’ll find a tactful way. She says, no amount of tact will help her tell Willow that she and Drew are sleeping together while Willow follows him with stars in her eyes. What kills her is that she was so grateful to Drew for bringing her and Willow together, she didn’t see that Drew did it to make himself look good. Now he’s brazenly pursuing Willow and parading her around town, and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Michael walks in and says, stop what? Nina says she’s not sure if Michael heard, but Willow brought Wiley to Drew’s swearing in ceremony. Willow thought it would be nice for Wiley to see the monuments and see how the political system works. Amelia is with the nanny and Nina is going home soon. Michael says, that’s fine. He wants to talk to Curtis about the projections and the Tokyo project when he has a minute. (I want to know what the Tokyo project is. They’ve talked about it enough.) Curtis says, sure, and Michael leaves. Nina says, that’s strange. He didn’t react at all to the news about Drew and Willow. Curtis says, that should concern her.

Lulu says, Dante is making this about her choosing between her children, but he says, not really. Charlotte chose Valentin, while for the last four years, Rocco has been by Lulu’s bedside willing her to wake up. When she did, she traveled halfway around the world to another continent. She says, to find Rocco’s sister and bring her home. Is he telling her that he wouldn’t do the exact same thing? He says he would, but not like this. Valentin is flying under the radar, but if she keeps chasing him, she’s going to bring attention to him, and it could cause Charlotte to get shot. She says, Charlotte was already shot, and it was kept from her. Valentin told her about Anna shooting Charlotte. Dante says, it was a horrible accident. Right now, it’s her choice to protect Charlotte and not bring her harm. She asks if he thinks she’d knowingly bring harm to Charlotte, and he says he doesn’t. He feels like she’s not hearing him. She traveled here with a sniper trailing her. She could have died. That’s what life is like in Valentin’s world. She says, all the more reason to get her daughter away, and he asks if she’s willing to risk her life. Her son lost her once. He’s not going to let Rocco lose her again.  

Valentin says he watched Charlotte with her mother. They both looked so happy. Charlotte says, it was weird at first, forced. It’s been so long since she’s seen Lulu awake. After they got going, it was great. They talked about Rocco, grandma, and the rest of the family. That’s what she thinks she misses the most, talking and spending time together. He says, she deserves moments like that. She doesn’t have to stay with him. She can go home to her mother.

Felicia says she’ll make sure Sasha gets an appointment with Dr. Navarro as soon as possible, and Sasha thanks her. Felicia says, no pressure, but Sasha should consider telling her parents. Robert is an excellent grandfather. Sasha says she’s not sure how her mother feels about being a grandmother, and Felicia says, Holly might surprise her. Sasha says she’ll think about it. They’ve got a lot on their plate. Maxie knows. She was the first person Sasha told. Felicia says she’s glad Sasha had someone to talk to. She knows Sasha said she wants to do this on her own,  but she has a family who loves her and they’re more than happy to support her. Speaking of which, she needs an emergency contact. Who should she put down? Sasha wonders if Maxie would do it, and Felicia says she’s sure Maxie would, but can’t speak for her. She’ll put herself down for now. Sasha says she likes that.  

Curtis tells Nina that his Aunt Stella says, still waters run deep. That’s Michael. Drew made a big mistake in making Michael the enemy. Nina says, Willow could be collateral damage if she stays close to Drew, and Curtis says, exactly. He knows Nina loves her daughter and she’s worried if she tells Willow the truth about her and Drew that she’ll lose her, but his advice is to come clean now. Secrets are ticking time bombs. The longer she lets it play out, the bigger the explosion will be.  

In his office, Michael looks at his phone. He sees a photo of Willow and Drew in The Invader. He calls Diane and says, Willow went to Washington DC with Drew and took Wiley without his permission. Can they use that?

Jason says, Sam’s death changed everything. Danny had a stable home with her and Dante. That’s not the case anymore. Sonny says, Jason is his only parent, and Jason says, Danny lost his mom and he’s putting Danny first. He deserves that and more, but on a practical level, that leaves Sonny without anyone to handle the organization. Sonny says, there’s nobody responsible enough for him to do that.

Valentin says he’ll put Charlotte on a flight back to Port Charles, but she can’t contact him. She says, if she’s with her mom, she’ll never see him, but if she’s with him, she’ll never see mom? He says, that appears to be the choice. He’s sorry. They both love her, but they have different situations. She says, her mom has Rocco, Dante, grandma, and so many others who love her. They only have each other. That’s how it’s been from the start. She wants to stay with him. He asks if she’s sure, and she says she is. He hugs her, and she says she can’t leave him. He says, okay then, and starts the car.

Lulu says she’s not going to agree to head back and let them handle it, and Dante says, that’s it? Nothing he said made a damn bit of difference. She says, it’s her life, and he says he gets that. It doesn’t matter who sacrificed theirs so she could have it. Sam died so she could have her life. She says, that’s not fair, and he says, she wants to talk fair? Sam is dead, his fiancé and the mother of two kids, the woman who helped him raise Rocco when Lulu couldn’t. She’s dead and Lulu is about to risk everything Sam saved. Her son is with her and she’s going to throw that away. She doesn’t care about any of it. Lulu says she’s grateful Sam died for her and she’s sorry about what he’s going through, but this is still her life. She makes her choices and she’s going to fight for her children. He says, anything she does will put Charlotte at risk or she can come home to the son who doesn’t matter so much to her anymore. He leaves, and Lulu throws a vase at the door and screams, dammit!

On Monday, Carly wonders if Willow has lost her mind; Willow is worried about Michael taking the kids from her; Portia tells Cyrus that he’s no longer welcome at the hospital; and Jack tells Collette that if Charlotte led them to Valentin once, she’ll do it again.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

He’s got some selfcare to do.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chad-duell-reveals-why-he-left-general-hospital

This is a tease all right. He got headshots. So he has an audition?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-teases-his-new-project

Farewell to the first Carmine.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-alum-john-capodice-dead-at-83

How they celebrated.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/see-how-your-favorite-soap-stars-celebrated-new-years

🧵 Sew Charming…

This week’s recap. Patricia looks amazing for 108. Her age words, not mine. She also looks amazing for 83, her real age.

Here’s hoping Craig doesn’t regress. He’s kind of been the voice of reason since Paige came along.

👠 A Celebrity In Her Own Mind…

This woman is the worst.

😢 Sniff…

I’m sorry to hear this. They seemed like a great couple.

https://people.com/trixie-mattel-david-silver-break-up-after-8-years-dating-8679753

👀 Last Night’s Watch…

I finished this last night and now I’ve started on the book. It started slow, but once it picked up speed, I was all in, and it didn’t disappoint. I love an apocalypse.

https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/mgms-earth-abides-is-a-quietly-compelling-take-on-rebuilding-humanity-from-scratch.php

💻 What’s To Come…

What’s new for 2025.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/2025-new-tv-shows

🎅 Christmas Leftovers…

Amazing winter photos.

https://www.discovery.com/nature/get-in-the-holiday-spirit-in-this-winter-waterland-pictures

Christmas traditions all over the world.

https://www.discovery.com/exploration/6-global-christmas-traditions-pictures

Visit Santa’s hometown.

https://www.discovery.com/exploration/visit-santa-s-hometown-in-finnish-lapland

🎉 How They Rang It In…

How the stars celebrated New Year’s Eve.

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20250102_b4a16a250c4a49fd99dc3fbe49873fb6/

https://people.com/best-photos-stars-celebrating-new-year-2025-8767787

🗽 Having a Ball…

Waiting for the drop.

What happens in Times Square stays in The Post.

https://nypost.com/2024/12/31/world-news/new-years-2025-live-updates-photos-from-nyc-around-the-world/

🐶 Piffles All Over Again…

While it might not exactly be the same dog, it’s still amazing.

https://ew.com/queer-eye-dog-mr-piffles-cloned-by-magician-owner-piff-the-magic-dragon-8767593

My Cuddle Clone of Ralph

🃏 A Joke…

What does a polar bear eat after the dentist fixes his tooth?

The dentist.

🔊 Quotes of the Week

A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure. – Bernard Iddings Bell

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

Those aren’t glasses. They’re aquariums with stems. – Molly (Melissa McCarthy), Mike & Molly

You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past. – Richard Bach

Love what you have. Need what you want. Accept what you receive. Give what you can. Always remember, what goes around, comes around. – Unknown

Understudies are the substitute teachers of the theatre world. – Kramer (Michael Richards), Seinfeld

📆 Turning the Page…

Join me next Friday for soap and what to watch (or not). Until then, stay safe; stay leaving the problems of 2024 behind; and stay remembering that secrets are ticking time bombs. The longer you let them play out, the bigger the explosion will be.

December 27, 2024 – Lulu Meets Charlotte In Prague, He’s Back, In 2025, Bay Tribute, VanderBaby, What To Watch, Her Top Ten, 3 Suared Quotes & My Year

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Jason sits at the counter at Bobbie’s while Josslyn cleans up. She knocks over the salt and pepper and tells him that she’s clumsy. He says he thinks her mom would be okay if she took some time off, but she says she’s fine. It’s a good distraction. He says, if she needs anything, let him know, and she says she needs to find out who stabbed Dex.

Trina and Ava are at a table in the MetroCourt, and Ava says, there’s something she wants to talk to Trina about. Trina asks if she messed up something at work, but Ava says, everything she does at the gallery is impeccable. It’s about her annual bonus. She gives Trina a wrapped package and says, it’s not what she’s expecting or deserves.

Emma comes in, and Anna says, she was up early. Emma says she went to the gym, ran some errands, and got a smoothie. She got one for Anna too. She hopes Anna still likes pomegranate/mango. Anna says she’s impressed by all Emma has achieved and it’s not even lunch, and Emma says she’s not a fan of sleeping in. Anna says, that’s even more impressive, since she wasn’t home until 4 am.

Maxie and Sasha are at the beauty salon, and Maxie says, the holidays are fun. Sasha says, they’re a lot of work, and Maxie says she needs a vacation. Sasha says, hopefully, a mani/pedi will do the trick, and Maxie looks at her phone. She says, Deception’s tinted lip balm is a must have for 2025. It’s going to be a good year. She can feel it, especially with their extended family. She asks if Sasha is looking at houses, and Sasha says, yes, but not here. Maxie asks what she means, and Sasha says she’s decided to leave Port Charles.

Michael goes to see Diane, who asks what she can do for him. He says, represent him if his wife files for divorce.

Alexis goes to Laura’s office, and Laura says, Martin’s not here yet, but Alexis says she doesn’t mind. She wanted a moment alone with Laura to thank her for the donation to GH in Sam’s name. It was really generous. Laura says, it’s the least she can do. She’s grateful for the opportunity to honor Sam. Alexis says, the family appreciates it, and Laura says she’s glad. How is Alexis holding up? Alexis says, that depends what minute of the day it is. It’s unreal. Maybe it will always feel that way. The phone rings and she thinks it’s Sam and the feelings flood back. She’s sad, but also proud of Sam. Laura says, she should be. Sam’s legacy lives on, not just in her children, but in Lulu. Martin arrives, and says he appreciates them taking the time to meet with him. Alexis says, the question is, why?

Lulu waits at a table in a café and checks her phone. A man walks by, and she says, this is Café Serendipity, right? He nods, and Charlotte looks in the window. Lulu sees her and smiles.

Maxie asks if Sasha didn’t have a good time with the family, and Sasha says she did, but there’s too much history here. She’s moving back to the Hamptons and starting fresh with the baby. Maxie says, all of them are going to hate it, but it’s Sasha’s life and she should do what she wants. Can she at least tell the rest of the family about the baby? Sasha says she can’t. The more people who know, the harder it will be to leave.

Diane tells Michael that she’s sorry things have escalated. Of course (🍷) she’ll represent him. He thanks her, and she asks for the lay of the land. He says, Willow cheated on him with Drew, and she says, Drew… Drew Cain turned Quartermaine? His Uncle Drew? Michael says, that’s the guy, and she says, that’s just… Willow had an extramarital affair, which begs the question, why isn’t he the one filing?

Anna says she heard Emma come in, and Emma says she had trouble sleeping… jet lag. She was up a couple of times. She’s sorry she woke Anna. Anna says, Emma is lying to a Police Commissioner with decades of experience in surveillance. Try again. Emma says she went out, and Anna asks why she didn’t just say that. Emma says she didn’t want to worry Anna. She knows Anna is stressed from work and the search for Charlotte. Anna says, that’s considerate, but Emma doesn’t have to tiptoe around her. She suggests Emma call her mom to touch base, and Emma says she just got off the phone with her. She says hi. Anna says, interesting, since she just got off the phone with her as well, and she had no idea Emma transferred to PCU. Emma says she didn’t want to tell them until she figured things out. They’re proud of her going to Berkeley and would try to talk her out of transferring. Anna says, in order to transfer, you have to be a student, but Emma isn’t since she got expelled.

Josslyn says, the police still don’t know if Dex was targeted or it was random, and Jason asks what she thinks. She says, at first, she thought Sonny did it, and he says, because of what happened at Chase and Brook’s wedding? She says, yeah, but she talked to him, and she doesn’t think it was him. Jason says, it wasn’t, and she says, what if it was one of his guys trying to impress him? Jason says he doubts it, but he’ll look into it. She says she didn’t expect him to say that. She expected him to tell her to let it go and let the police do their job. He says, people need closure. If this is her way to get it, he’ll do anything to help. She thanks him, he says he’ll keep her posted, and leaves.

Charlotte comes into the café and says, hi, mom. They hug, and Lulu says, she’s so grown up.

Martin says, it so happens he’s been in contact with legal counsel in Greece… Alexis says, Cassadine alert. She’s got to go. Martin says he trusts she’ll want to hear the rest, and Laura asks, what is it? He says, a new heir has been named to the Cassadine fortune. It’s Laura’s grandson Ace. Laura says, no, and Alexis says, don’t look in her direction. Martin says, you, my lovely and lucky friend, get the role of trustee of the Cassadine estate, and she shakes her head.  

Trina unwraps a painting, and Ava says she knows Trina loves it and she wanted her to have it. It’s representative of her stellar performance. Normally, she should get a big check, but thanks to the Cassadines, her bonus looks different this year. Trina says, they can’t take all of Ava’s money, and Ava says, God willing, her fortunes will be reversed, but for now, she’ll wait and make do. Trina says, this would make a great sale. She’s not going to let Ava give it away.

Charlotte sits down, and Lulu says she can’t begin to tell Charlotte how wonderful it is to see her. Charlotte says she knows the feeling, and Lulu asks, how is she? Charlotte says, nervous. She can’t stay long. Lulu says she knows Charlotte’s father would be upset to know she snuck out to meet her. She’ll keep it brief. Is Charlotte safe and happy? Charlotte says she’s okay. What about Lulu? Lulu says she’s become skilled at getting her beauty rest, and Charlotte asks how she woke up. Lulu says she needed a liver transplant, and after the surgery, she woke up. Charlotte says, amazing. She’s been praying for Lulu to wake up. Lulu says she’s been looking for Charlotte from the moment she did, and Charlotte says she’s sorry she wasn’t there to welcome Lulu home. Papa needed her and she couldn’t let him down.

Emma asks how Anna found out, and Anna asks how she thinks. Emma says, it stinks having a superspy for a grandmother. She assumes Anna told her parents and they’re furious. Anna says, they are, and Emma says, it’s not her fault, she swears. Anna says she heard the university’s version of events. How about hers? Emma says she threw a little party in her room, and Anna says, how little? Emma says, maybe ten people. Then half the dorm showed up and it spilled out into the hallway and common rooms. Then somebody set off a sprinkler. Anna says, it caused major damage, and Emma says, it wasn’t her. She threw a party, people came over, and things got out of hand. They’re all guilty. Anna says, she displaced over 200 students, but Emma says, the sprinkler did. Anna says, and it happened on Halloween. That was two months ago. What has she been doing? How has she managed? She’s surprised the school didn’t reach out to her parents. Emma says, they did. She may have given them her number instead of her mom’s and pretended to be her. It’s fine. Anna asks how any of this is fine, and Emma says she’s registered at PCU and has a place to live. It’s fine. Her party throwing days are over. Anna says, they most certainly are over. Emma is staying here with her.

Sasha asks if Maxie is mad, and Maxie says, yes, because she’s going to miss Sasha. Sasha says, it’s easier this way, and Maxie says, not for them. And not for Sasha. Being a single mom is hard enough with help. Without help… What about the father? Sasha hasn’t told her anything about him. Why?

Michael says he doesn’t want a divorce. If he had his way, they’d work it out. Diane asks if he thinks Willow feels differently, and he says he didn’t at first. Then he got this paperwork. Diane looks at it and says, Martin Grey. Of course (🍷). How long has this been going on? When did he find out? He says, it was the 4th of July the first time anything physical happened. Willow and Drew kissed. She says, so six months, give or take, and he says, there was a second kiss, and then he found out they were sleeping together. She asks if Willow told him, but he says, he saw it on a video from a nannycam. She says, a nannycam? Where did Willow and Drew… He says, they were in the kids’ playroom at the Quartermaines’. She says, that’s just… icky. Did he confront her? He says he was quiet for a few weeks, and she asks, why? He says he wanted to process and figure out what he wanted to do. He was going to tell Willow everything after the holidays, then Tracy accidentally streamed the video on the TV during the Quartermaine Christmas party. Diane says, Tracy has never been good with technology. Reactions? Michael says, Willow was angry and accused him of holding onto the video for blackmail. Then his mom caught Nina and willow sneaking the kids out of the gatehouse to go to Nina’s. Eventually, he gave in for the kids’ sake. She says she would have strongly advised against it, and he says he heard it already from his mom. She asks how his mom took it, and he says, she’s very worried. He wants to reconcile or at least have an amicable divorce, but he feels like Willow is gearing up for battle.

Jack comes into Bobbie’s, and Josslyn asks what she can get him. He says, a cheeseburger, medium rare, and she asks if he wants fries with it. He asks if people ever order a burger without them, and she says, not sane people. He says he’ll have a club soda with it. He had a nice time with her family last night. She says her too. She’s glad he could join them. She was actually thinking about something they talked about. It’s about Dex. When she asked how he knew about it, he said all the agencies share information. He asks why that’s of interest to her, and she says she has a huge favor to ask.

Laura says she doesn’t want Ace to get any part of the Cassadine fortune. It wreaked havoc on Nikolas and didn’t help Spencer. Ace doesn’t need the money. He’s well taken care of. Alexis says she’s jumping on the bandwagon. If she never hears Cassadine estate again, she’d be happy. Since she’s the trustee, she suggests the funds go to charity, and tells Laura, pick one. Laura says, yes. She wants to give away every dark, twisted penny as soon as possible.

Ava tells Trina, take the painting, and Trina says, okay. But as soon as Ava needs it, it’s hers. Ava says, deal, and Trina thanks Ava. She sees Kai walk in, but he doesn’t even look at her as he walks past her table to the bar.  

Lulu asks if Charlotte has been in Prague the whole time or have they moved around, and Charlotte says, the live in a remote villa outside the city, but they travel a lot. Papa says he wants her to see the world, but she thinks it’s to throw off whoever’s following them. How’s Rocco and grandma? Lulu says, Rocco is great, and her mom is too, and Lucky is back. Charlotte says, in time for Christmas. She’s sorry Lulu missed spending time with the family. She knows how much Lulu loves having dinner and opening gifts. Lulu says she was given the only gift she wanted, seeing Charlotte, and Charlotte says she couldn’t believe when Rocco sent her Lulu’s picture. It gave her such happiness. Lulu says she felt the same way when she heard Charlotte’s voice. They all love her so much and they’re worried about her. Charlotte says she’s fine, and Lulu says, so is she. That’s why she wants and needs Charlotte to come home.

Trina walks over to Kai at the bar, and he asks if he walked past her. She says, he was focused on his destination, and he says he was avoiding eye contact. Not with her. She says, with rogue and adoring fans? and he says he would have left out adoring. She asks what he’s doing by himself, and he says he’s hiding.

Emma says she’s in college. She can’t live with her grandmother. Anna says, she can, and she will, but Emma says she has a place near campus. Anna says, what about the dorm? Or is that another lie? Emma says, it’s a fallback plan. She signed a lease. She can’t break it. Anna says, she can, and she will, and she’ll be living here. Her grades better be damn near perfect. No buts. It’s this or she puts Emma on a plane back to California. Emma says, fine. Can she get coffee, or is that off limits? Anna says, it doesn’t mean she’s Emma’s keeper, but Emma says, it feels like that, TBH. TBH means… Anna says she knows what it means. She’s not that out of touch. As Emma leaves, Jason comes in, and Emma says, good luck. She’s in a mood. Anna asks what he wants.

Jack says he’s intrigued. What kind of favor? Josslyn says, now that there’s a WSB office in Port Charles, they must have surveillance, and Jack says, they do, satellite. She asks if there’s any chance they captured Dex’s stabbing in Rice Plaza. She thinks it would help the police investigation to find out who did this. She hopes he understands why she had to ask. He says he does, and he admires her dedication to finding answers. Unfortunately, he can’t help. She says she figured, and he says, it’s not that the footage is classified or a spy thing or anything like that, but the satellite footage is only available for 48 hours. Then it’s deleted. Josslyn asks, why? and he says, even though they use the technology, they do live surveillance, so there’s no need to hold on to old footage. She says, that’s okay, and he says he’s sorry to disappoint her. She says she knew it was a long shot, but thanks him anyway.

Charlotte says she can’t go home with Lulu, but Lulu says she has to. Charlotte says, as much as she loves Lulu, she can’t leave papa here. He’d be devastated. Lulu says she understands that Charlotte doesn’t want to hurt her father. She swears she’s not saying this to guilt trip Charlotte, but being separated from Charlotte is killing her. When she woke up and found out Charlotte was gone, her heart broke. Charlotte says she hates that, but Lulu has so many people back home and papa has no one. He needs her. Lulu says, her father can take care of himself, but Charlotte says, he’ll be alone. Lulu says, he’s a fugitive. What kind of life is that for her?

Emma walks into Bobbie’s and says, Josslyn? Josslyn says she didn’t know Emma was in town, and they hug. Emma asks if Josslyn works here, and Josslyn says her family owns the place. Emma says, wow. Cool. She loves the new name. Josslyn says her too. Can she get Emma anything? Emma says, a medium cold brew, with a splash of oat milk, no sugar. To go… originally. But now that she sees Josslyn is here… She takes her coat off and sits down.

Diane asks if Michael has spoken to Willow since he received the papers, but he says, no. She says she’d love to know if this was Willow’s idea or Nina’s, and he says, it doesn’t seem like a Willow move. She says, it seems like a Nina move. For a long time now, Nina has wanted to nurture Willow and her grandchildren. Now they’re on her turf. He says, Nina has no incentive for them to get back together, and she says, unfortunately, Nina has the resources to drag this out. He asks what they’re looking at realistically, and she says, Willow is their mother and for the moment has custody, and they have two tough hurdles to clear. Michael says, the video, and she says, it’s a thorn in their side, but he says, it proves she cheated. She says, they could make a case that he withheld a private video, and showing it publicly, accident or not, shows willful vengeance. It can malign his character. She knows he’s a good man and a good father and a good husband. She’s so ready for this fight. He says, fight. He wonders how it got to this point. She says, that’s not the question. The question is, how far is he willing to go? He says he wants his family back, and if that’s not possible, he doesn’t want to take the kids from Willow. They need their mother. They also need their father, and he’ll do what it takes to stay in their lives. Diane says she’s glad to hear it.

Sasha tells Maxie that wanting to leave has nothing to do with the father. The decision wasn’t easy. Maxie says she knows, and Sasha says, Maxie made it a little easier. Maxie says, that’s not usually her M.O., making things easier, and Sasha says, she knows.

Martin says, it’s not that easy. If Ace chooses not to avail himself of the estate, so be it, when he’s of age. Until then, they can’t disburse it. Laura says, Ace is a little boy and should have absolutely nothing to do with it, and Martin says, if she doesn’t want to access the money on his behalf, that’s her prerogative, but the money will be waiting for him. Alexis says, when he’s old enough, and Laura says, at least they get to kick it down the road. She doesn’t want Ace to have the same experience that Spencer and Nikolas did. Alexis says she’ll do what she can to avoid that, and Laura says she’s grateful Alexis is the trustee. Alexis says she won’t begrudge Ace, and Laura says, it’s good to know Alexis is on Ace’s side.

Trina asks who Kai is hiding from, and he says his teammates, coach, donors, pretty much everyone. There’s a reception downstairs given by their booster club. She says, it’s not his scene, and he says, it’s his least favorite part. She says she thought he loved everything about football, and he says, the practice, playing, and the strategy. The events are more exhausting than the last ten minutes of the fourth quarter of the game. She says she’s surprised. When she sees him on campus, it seems like he loves to network and socialize. Kai says he loves it… A man says, so this is where he ran off to. He brought his son, and they were hoping for a picture. Kai tells Trina, this is Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Thomas takes a photo of Kai and his young son.  

Jason asks if Anna is okay, and she says she’s getting used to her new roommate. It’s challenging. He says he’s sorry. He got news he thought she’d like to know about Charlotte. She asks if Charlotte has been located, and he says, Lulu found her. She asks, how? and he says, Charlotte contacted Rocco on Christmas Eve. Lulu spoke to her, and she said she’d only give her location if Lulu came alone. Dante tracked her to Prague and he’s right behind her. Anna says, Lulu doesn’t realize what she’s done.

Charlotte tells Lulu that she has a great life. She’s keeping up with her studies and learning about the world. She and papa eat every meal together. She’s taken care of. The only thing that was hard was not knowing how Lulu was doing. That she’s awake and healthy is all that matters. Lulu says she’s grateful that Charlotte and her dad are having a wonderful time. It sounds like a great life. If Charlotte is happy, she’s happy. She suggests Charlotte go to the counter and get something they can share. When Charlotte leaves, Lulu takes out a tracking device and puts it in Charlotte’s bag.

Alexis signs the paperwork, and Martin says, two more and initial here. Alexis says, there’s a mistake. It says Windymere and its proceeds are part of the estate. He says, the Cassadines got it back, but she says, it belongs to Ava. He says, not anymore, and she says, he should have led with that. She finishes signing.

Mr. Thomas says, the people with the big checkbooks are in the ballroom to see Kai, but Trina says she needs to borrow Kai for a few minutes. They’re doing a project and it’s important. Mr. Thomas says, nothing is more important than football. He’ll see Kai down there. Kai says he’ll be right behind Mr. Thomas, and starts leaving, but Trina grabs his arm. She says, no, he won’t, and he asks what she’s doing. She says, saving him. Let’s go. Her best friend’s mom owns the place, and she knows where the service elevator is. He says he guesses not all heroes wear capes, and she says, sometimes they wear cute dresses they got on sale at Wyndham’s.

Michael signs a document, and Diane says she’ll call Martin and arrange an interim custody schedule. He says he appreciates her taking the case, and she says she wants full transparency. If he has anything else to say, say it now or risk her wrath down the line. He says he has to make a quick call, and steps away. Sasha’s phone rings, and Maxie asks if Sasha wants her to get it. Her nails are dry. Sasha sees that it’s Michael, and says, no thanks. She’s got it. She asks Michael, what’s up? and Michael asks if they can meet later. It’s important.

Emma says she saw that Cam came home for Christmas. Did Josslyn see him? Josslyn says, yeah. He was here. She saw him. Emma says, Stanford and Berkeley aren’t far apart. They see each other all the time. Josslyn says, awesome, and Emma says, it’s a comfort to see a piece of home when you’re away at school. Josslyn says, except California is Emma’s home, and Emma says, she meant for Cameron. Josslyn says, of course (🍷). He must have been grateful to have her. Emma asks if she met Gretchen, and Josslyn says she did. Emma says, how amazing is she? and Josslyn says, amazing. Emma says she introduced them. She knew they’d be perfect for each other. Does Josslyn remember when they were both into Cam and had a little rivalry? (I don’t. And isn’t Josslyn older?) Josslyn says, how could she forget, when Jack thanks her for the excellent burger and service. She introduces Emma to Jack, saying, she’s Anna’s granddaughter. He says, it’s nice to meet her, and Josslyn says, Jack and Anna used to work together. Jack says, many, many moons ago. Have a nice day, ladies. He goes outside. (Writing Mrs. Jack Brennan on my notepad…)

In the courtyard, Jack makes a call. He says, it’s him. Get back on the server and pull up Port Charles on Saturday, December 10th. Pull all the images of Rice Plaza. (Mrs. Jack Brennan… over and over.)

Anna says, Lulu has been subtle as a freight train since she came back. If she meets Charlotte, she’ll probably blow their cover and endanger everyone involved. Valentin’s enemies are following him. She wonders if Lulu even thought of this. She’ll lead them right to him. She’s not sure what’s worse. If Valentin finds out Lulu is on his trail, he could take Charlotte and disappear permanently. Either way, Charlotte will lose one of her parents for good.  

Charlotte tells Lulu that she comes here to read sometimes. She sees moms and daughters together sharing pasties and never thought she’d be able to do that too. Lulu says she’s sorry for all the time she’s missed and the years she wasn’t there to give Charlotte advice on friends, boys, and fashion. Although from the looks of it, Charlotte should be the one giving her advice. Charlotte says, it’s not Lulu’s fault she was in a coma, and Lulu says, Charlotte is at an important age when she needs her mother in her life. Charlotte says, Lulu is here now, and Lulu says she is. Charlotte looks out the window, and Lulu turns around to look. Valentin is looking in from outside and he doesn’t look happy.  

On Monday, Valentin asks if Charlotte is enjoying the visit with her mother; Kristina tells Lucas that something is unbelievably disrespectful to Sam’s memory; Sonny says, it’s going to be an all-out war; and Ava says she didn’t know who else to turn to, and she’s hoping Laura can help her.

💣 The Spy Who Loved Anna…

I’m hoping he stays, but I can’t figure out a logical storyline where that would happen. Of course, logic means nothing in the land of soap, so maybe.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/james-patrick-stuart-returns-to-general-hospital

🏥 Coming Next Year…

What’s happening in Port Charles circa 2025.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-2025-preview

🧼 Honoring One Of the Greats…

Sadly, one of the few channels I don’t get. It’s on Roku, Apple TV, and Vizio TV. This sounds like a great show too.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jacklyn-zeman-honored-with-special-episode-of-the-bay

🍼 All In the VanderFamily…

Not exactly new news, but I’d feel remiss without including it. Another baby, sans fur, for Lisa to spoil.

https://people.com/lisa-vanderpump-daughter-expecting-her-second-child-exclusive-8746670

👀 Last Week’s Watch…

A few things I saw over the weekend and on Christmas. I don’t know if Afraid is genius, but it was kinda fun. Technology is evil is one of my favorite horror subgenres, after zombie apocalypse, zombies, and apocalypse. A family tries out a device that’s supposed to make their lives easier, but ends up causing chaos. Much like every computer I’ve ever had. I’ve also always suspected that Alexa was a bitch.

Spoilers ahead.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/afraid-film-review

Another M. Night Shama-lama-ding-dong film, full of twists and turns. A Trap is set for a serial killer who leads a double life. He’s a doting father and husband who keeps victims in a basement, their fate controlled on his phone. While the entire cast pulled their weight, Josh Hartnett was pretty impressive as the killer about to be trapped… or is he?

Spoilers abound.

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-finally-watched-trap-streaming-and-the-big-twist-wasnt-even-the-best-part

Fun cameo.

https://www.them.us/story/trap-m-night-shyamalan-kid-cudi-cameo-horror-film

I started watching The Garden: Commune or Cult? on TLC by accident. I thought one of the many 90 Day Fiancé spinoffs was on, and about five minutes in, I said, this isn’t 90 Day Fiancé. What is this? At first, I thought it was a bit boring, but as time went on and conflicts happened, it got more interesting. I don’t think it’s a commune or a cult. It’s more like a bunch of people – preppers, apocalypse theorists, hippies, and one guy who believes a zombie apocalypse could happen – who really aren’t sure what they want except to be off the grid. While that actually sounds good on some days, when people are involved, there are always issues. While they claim there’s no leader and everyone has an equal say, I didn’t find that to be the case at all.

🎇 Not So Wicked…

She might not entirely be a good witch, she’s got a good heart.

https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/ariana-grande-has-10-yes-10-rescue-dogs/

📢 Quotes of the Week

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6, NLT

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

Maintain composure in times of heightened emotion, reacting only when thoughts are calm and clear. Being sensible will open doors for solutions and creativity. – Jaren L. Davis

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. – Robert Brault

What I’ve experienced is that I can’t know the future. I can’t know if anything that I do will change what happens tomorrow. I can’t know with certainty, but what I do know is if I do nothing, nothing will change. – James Orbinski (Now if I can just figure out what the something is.)

If you hear a voice within you say, you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh

You shouldn’t burn bridges if your ass can’t swim. – Amanda Halterman, 1000-Lb. Sisters

Why is it when you open a bag of cotton balls there isn’t a giant pill on top? – Ezra (Birkett Turton), Earth Abides (I actually thought that was pretty funny.)

Sometimes a person has to go a very long distance out of his way to come back a short distance correctly. – Jerry, The Zoo Story, Edward Albee

🌟 Following Yonder Star…

Enjoy the weekend, along with the knowledge that it’s now staying light out a little later each day, and join me on Monday for soap and shenanigans on Deck. Until then, stay safe; stay being hyper aware of amateur drinkers on the road on New Year’s Eve (or better yet, don’t drive at all); and stay never trying to lie to a Police Commissioner with decades of experience in surveillance.

December 23, 2024 – Christmas Eve In Port Charles, nuEmma, Which One, Getting Ready, Is It On, Movie Watch, Holidays Are For Pets (!), Quote Quintet & Ay-Ay-Ay  

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Laura sees Lucky and Elizabeth in Rice Plaza and says she’s glad to see them. She can’t tell them how happy she is to have both Lucky and Lulu home for Christmas.

Tracy goes to answer the door and wonders if the entire staff has Christmas Eve off. She opens the door and Lulu is there. She says, Lulu doesn’t have to knock. This is her home. They hug, and Brook watches from the top of the stairs.

Sonny says, Carly never mentioned that Jack was coming, and Jack says, Carly took pity on him, but if he’s intruding… Carly says, he’s not. They have plenty of food and no one should be alone on Christmas Eve. Jack sees Josslyn and Kristina and says, Carly forgot to tell him about the dress code. Josslyn says, that’s okay. There are two excited little girls with stickers waiting for him upstairs. Sonny asks if Carly is sure about this.

Jason sees Ned in the nook, and Ned says he’s on cheese wheel duty. It’s a big responsibility. Jason says he’ll bring some up to Monica. She’s insisting that Olivia gave everyone the night off. Ned says, she must be feeling better. He’s sure Jason moving in helped, and she’s not the only one who’s glad and grateful that Jason decided to finally move back home.

A girl runs up to Gio and says, sorry I’m late, Doug. Hold onto this. She presses a wallet into his hand and runs off. He says his name’s not Doug.

Alexis tells Ric that their daughter had a terrible year. She thought he’d want a chance to try and make it a tiny bit better. She’s willing to overcome her contempt for him to make their daughter happy. If he’s not willing to do the same, go have a fabulous evening.

Cody says he’s sorry he’s late, and James asks, what’s in the bag? Cody says, his favorite hat. He thought it was time he passed it on. He puts it on James’s head, but it’s too big, and everybody laughs.

Ric asks what Alexis’s plan is to make Molly’s Christmas better, and she gestures to the boxes. He says, Christmas decorations? and she says, if he doesn’t want help, there’s the door. He says he’s not going to let her play hero while she makes him the bad guy. What’s first? She tells him to slap a piece of tape over his mouth and unpack the boxes, and he says, Ho-ho-ho. Let’s get festive.

Tracy says, Lulu can’t look for Charlotte on her own. The WSB and the FBI are already looking. Lulu says, they’re looking for Valentin. She doesn’t care about Valentin, but she does care about Charlotte. She’s going to do what it takes to find her. Tracy says she can see Lulu’s father in her. She suggests Lulu wait to see if the authorities find her. If they don’t, she has the family’s resources. Lulu says she’ll hold off – for now – and Tracy says, promise her something else. She doesn’t want Lulu to forget she has a son who’s been waiting four years to celebrate Christmas with her. Promise she’ll be there for Rocco and the rest of her family. Promise not to forget them. Lulu says she could never, and thanks Tracy. They hug, and Tracy says she’s doing what her father would do. Brook continues to listen in.

Carly says, if Sonny has something to say, say it now while Jack is in the restroom, and Sonny asks if she really wants a WSB agent roaming around her house. She says, Jack’s been a good friend to her and to people they care about, and he says, when the day comes that she needs him, he’ll be there. She says she appreciates that, but doesn’t think it’s going to be necessary. Seeing the tension, Josslyn offers them a canape.

Kristina tells Michael that she’s sorry. Amelia and Wiley should be here. He says he’ll see them in the morning, and she asks if there’s any hope of reconciling. He says he’s not giving up, and she says, she feels for Willow. There’s nothing worse than realizing you did something you can’t take back no matter how much you wish you could. He says he’s not sure Willow does wish she could.

Ned says, if grandfather could see Jason living here, and Jason says he just moved in because of Danny. Ned says he prayed grandfather would cast Jason aside like Jason cast the family aside, but he never did. He believed in Jason. He thinks he’s starting to see what grandfather saw. Jason says, it took him a long time to realize Edward was a really good man, and Ned says, amen to that. He asks if Jason is joining them in opening presents tomorrow, and Jason says he and Danny will be there. Ned says, get ready for the Quartermaine craziness, and Jason asks if that isn’t every day.

Mac puts paper in the hat, but it’s still too big. Cody says he never had that problem. It’s the benefit of having a huge noggin. Felicia tells Sasha that she made James’s Christmas, but Sasha says she doesn’t think it took much convincing. It’s clear Cody wanted to be with family. They both did. Anna comes out in a Santa hat and Felicia says, nice hat, Santa Devane. Anna says, it’s got a nice ring to it, and Spinelli says, the search for a certain person on the naughty list is progressing nicely. Anna says, that brightens her Christmas Eve. When her special surprise arrives, there will be a lot of holiday cheer to go around.

Lucky says, Elizabeth seems at peace. How does she feel with everything going on at the hospital? She says, look at this place. The decorations, the lights, the tree. It’s the most magical place on earth. (Eat dust, Disney.) Her worries can wait for another day. Nothing beats Rice Plaza at Christmas. She can’t think of anywhere she’d rather be.

Maxie says, they told the kids they could open one present, and Spinelli says, they’ll find them. Maxie tells him to check in the usual spots.

Mac says, it means lot that Cody came. If he ever wants to talk… Cody says he’s not much of a talker, but if Mac ever feels like throwing a hatchet after a couple of beers, let him know. Mac says he’s there.

Dante arrives at the plaza with Rocco, who goes to get a churro. Elizabeth asks how things are at the Quartermaines, and Lucky says, if Dante wants a break, he’s sure Laura would love to see him. Dante says, maybe he’ll swing by, and he leaves. Elizabeth says, he’s putting up a good front, but he’s just going through the motions. Lucky says, if you’re not with the person you love, sometimes it’s all you can do.

Jordan sees Isaiah and says, it’s nice to see him have a night off, but he says he’s on his way to GH. He volunteered to take extra shifts. Jordan says, he’ll see her son. He canceled their Christmas Eve plans to do a double shift. Isaiah says he’s sorry, and she asks why he’s here. He says, the incredible Christmas tree. He wants to see what all the fuss is about. Full disclosure. He was hoping to run into her. He’s got something for her. He hands her a gift bag.

Laura says she can’t imagine how Dante is feeling. It’s not the Christmas he planned for himself and Rocco. Dante says, it’s not, but it’s great to see Rocco with his mom, and she says, spend Christmas with them. Being surrounded by family makes it easier. He says he doesn’t know if anything can make this Christmas easier.  

Carly toasts to the new owner of Aurora Media, and she and Michael clink glasses. Sonny says, that was quite the maneuver, and Carly says she would have loved seeing the look on Drew’s smug face when Michael pulled the rug out from under him. Michael says, he’s probably plotting his next move, and Sonny says, Michael will be ready for him.

Jack offers Josslyn his condolences. He’s sorry about Officer Heller. It was tragic and senseless. Josslyn says, this is her city, but how did he know about it? and he says, the Bureau gets information from local law enforcement. She asks how he knew they were together, and he says he’s sure her mother mentioned it.

Kristina says, they should probably get going to Rice Plaza for the tree lighting, and Sonny tells everyone, merry Christmas. He and Kristina leave.  

Chase asks if Brook is okay, and she says she has a confession about Lulu. She’s grateful for Lulu’s recovery and knows what it means to her family, but Lulu is annoying the hell out of her. She was watching Lulu with Tracy, and it took everything for her not to gouge Lulu’s eyes out. Chase asks if she’s jealous of Lulu and Tracy’s relationship, but Brook says, no. Lulu has to be the center of attention. He says, maybe she’s making up for lost time, but she says, Lulu has always been like this. Everyone loves Lulu and she’s never wrong… She’s listening to herself, and she sounds horrible. He says, she’s not horrible. She’s allowed to have feelings. He doesn’t know if he told her, but when he first moved here, he had a crush on Lulu.

Gio hears a guy say that he just had his pocket picked, when the girl comes up to him and says she needs the wallet back. He says, absolutely not. She stole it. She says, okay, guilty, but he had it coming.

Felicia tells Sasha and Anna, Cody is teaching James how to improve his lasso skills. She needs to get in there before he wrangles his sister. She leaves, and Sasha says she has something that she wants to talk to Anna about. She knows Anna was married to Robert and they share a daughter. Anna says, Robin, and Sasha says she wants to ask Anna’s opinion… Anna says, Robert is one of the most generous, kind-hearted men she’s known. Sasha is very fortunate to have him for a father. Sasha says she wishes she had a chance to get to know him, and Anna says, there will be time for that. Sasha says, if he comes back, but Anna says, he will. She guarantees it. And when he does, it will be worth it. Just wait and see.

Kristina says she thinks the tree is bigger than last year, and Laura says, partly because of her father’s generous donation. Sonny says, the community has given him so much. It’s important to pay it forward. Merry Christmas. Laura hugs him, touches Kristina’s hand, and leaves.

Jordan says, a towel? and Isaiah says, it’s a spa wrap with a Velcro closure to prevent slips. She says, in case she’s locked in another steam room? and he says, it never hurts to be prepared. She says, when they were stuck, her towel was never in danger of slipping, and he says, sadly, he’s all too aware. He should get going. They tell each other, merry Christmas, and he leaves.

Sonny says he wants Dante to know that he’s proud of how Dante is handling the holidays, and Dante says he learned from the best. Kristina says, they all did.

Jason sees Michael and Josslyn leaving Carly’s and asks if the party is over, but Josslyn says, it’s just begun. Michael says, Avery wants a snow family that she and Donna can see from the window, and Danny asks if he can help. Josslyn says, the more the merrier, and Michael tells Jason, heads up. His mom has a visitor. Jason goes in and sees, Carly laughing with Jack.

Alexis asks if Ric wants coffee, and he says he’d love a cup. She says, it’s in the kitchen (ha-ha-ha!), and they decorate while Deck the Halls plays. She wraps the lights around the tree, wrapping Ric along with it.  

Kristina asks Sonny, what’s with that Brennan guy? He and Carly seem close. Sonny says, that’s Carly’s business, and she asks if he doesn’t care. He says, the only thing he cares about is being here to celebrate with his beautiful daughter. Molly watches them from a distance, and Kristina says she loves being with him too.  

Gio says, give him one good reason not to call the cops, and the girl asks if doing a good deed on Christmas Eve isn’t more important.

Chase says, Brook is the only one for him. She was there for him when his dad passed and when Finn relapsed. She got him through some dark times. It’s just Lulu and it’s okay for Brook to have feelings. Brook says, God forbid she should be the bigger person, and Chase says, she’s too hard on herself. They both strive to be the best and they’re perfect for each other. She says she doesn’t know if she can reach perfection, but she can’t imagine going on this journey with anyone else. They hug.  

Lulu arrives at the plaza and tells Laura that it’s amazing. Is she ready for her tree lighting duties? Laura says she’s ready for anything. She has both of her kids home… She’s so sorry. She knows it’s not the perfect Christmas because Charlotte’s not here. She hopes Lulu finds a way to enjoy the holiday anyway, Lulu says, Christmas is about having faith, right? She has faith that she’ll find Charlotte and bring her home. Until then, she’s going to make up for the time she’s lost with the family she has here. Laura asks, where’s Dante and Rocco? and Lulu says she’ll go find them. Laura says, same old Lulu.

Carly tells Jason, it’s about time. Where’s Danny? Jason says, Danny is with Josslyn and Michael, and Jack says he’s already had the pleasure. He holds out his hand, but Jason doesn’t take it. Jason says he didn’t expect Jack to be here, and Jack says he hopes it’s not a problem. Carly says, it’s not, and Jack says he has to check in with the Bureau. He excuses himself, and Carly tells Jason, it’s Christmas and Jack had nowhere to go. He asks what she was thinking after everything that happened with the FBI. Now they’ll be put in the crosshairs of the WSB. She says, it’s not like that, but Jason says, Jack’s just using her. She says, Jason made that clear. She loves him, but he’s not the boss of her.

Alexis looks at the tree and says, they did a helluva job. Ric says, they raised an incredible daughter, even if she is a controlling shew. She says, he’s a conniving jackass, and points to another box of decorations. He takes out some mistletoe and holds it over his head. She snatches it away.

The girl tells Gio that the guy ripped off a woman in the plaza who was selling handmade ornaments. He paid for one and took five. She wanted to make sure the woman got what was owed to her. Gio asks what she’s going to do with the wallet, and she says he’ll have to trust her. He gives the wallet back to her and she takes some money out. She goes over to a cop and tells him that she found it. He says he’ll make sure it’s returned to its rightful owner, and she looks at Gio. Sonny and Kristina come along, and Kristina asks, what’s going on? Gio says he’s late for dinner at the Quartermaines. He got sidetracked by that girl. Kristina says, what girl? and when Gio turns around, he sees she’s gone.

Ned says, to Michael for pulling one over on Drew, and he and Tracy clink glasses. Lois says, corporate takeovers, the true meaning of Christmas, and Tracy says, pulling one over on Drew is the best gift she’s gotten this year… Do they hear that? Ned says he doesn’t hear anything, and she says, no kids. It’s truly a silent night. Lois says, get ready, Grandma Grinch. In a year or so, Brook and Chase will have a bundle of their own. Tracy says, they’ll have incessant crying, but Ned says, his first grandchild can’t come soon enough.

Ned says, Brook and Chase will be amazing parents, but Lois tells them not to put the cart before the horse. Brook isn’t pregnant yet, and the last thing they need is concern over the whole family waiting with bated breath. Brook and Chase come in, and Brook says, for what? Tracy says, Gio was supposed to be here an hour ago and no one knows where he is. (She’s quick!)

Molly goes to Alexis’s house, and the door opens. She sees Alexis and Ric.

As they come inside, Michael says, great job, team… Is everything okay? Carly says, Jason was just filling her in on what’s going on at the Quartermaines. How is the snow family? Michael says, ask Danny. He took the lead. Carly says, Donna and Avery will appreciate his effort. If he plays his cards right, he might get stickers on his face too. Michael asks if Josslyn is interested in defending her title as Holiday War champ, and she says she’ll kick his butt. Danny says he’s going out on the terrace, and Jason says he’ll join him. He could use some fresh air. Josslyn says she’ll shuffle, and Michael asks if she doesn’t trust him. She says, absolutely not, and Jack says, nice diversionary tactic. Jason says, Michael loves his sister.

Spinelli comes inside juggling a stack of presents, and says, they found them in the car. Maxie says she just remembered. She can’t believe she almost ruined Christmas. Spinelli says, never. The toys will be forgotten in a month’s time, but they’ll remember time with family forever. That’s what Christmas is about. Everyone is like, aww, and Maxie says, nothing can top what she got this year. Spinelli says, the two of them. He found this in the car too. He holds some mistletoe over his head, and they kiss.

Lulu asks if Dante is okay, and he says, aside from the fact he keeps expecting Sam to walk through here. People’s Christmas wishes don’t come true. She says she’s sorry, and he says, one person whose wish came true was Rocco. He’s happy Rocco is spending the holiday with his mom. They’re both grateful for that. Rocco sees a text that says: Hi. super cold here. is it there? miss u. luv u. have a great Christmas. XO C. Lulu says, is Rocco always on the phone? and Dante says, he is and it’s annoying. Rocco surreptitiously takes a photo of Lulu and Dante and sends it. His phone rings, and he says, where are you?… Yeah, she is… Hold on. He goes over to Lulu and asks if he could talk to her for a second. Dante says he’ll be over here, and Rocco says, Lulu has a phone call. She says, on his phone? and he says, just take it. She says, hello?… She gasps and says, oh my God. It’s you.

Molly says, they did this for her? and Ric says, it was her mom’s idea, but he was happy to play a small part. Molly says, it’s the best Christmas gift she could have gotten. She loves them both so much. Alexis says, they love her too.

Mac asks if Felicia ever thought it would turn out like this, and Felicia says, they’re the lucky ones. Anna’s phone dings and she says her surprise is here. She opens the door and nuEmma (see below) comes in. She hugs everybody, and Sasha asks if Cody isn’t glad that he came and didn’t it make him feel better. He doesn’t have to admit she’s right. Cody says he wasn’t planning on it. Merry Christmas. She says, merry Christmas.

Jason says he feels like Danny needs to get something off his chest, and Danny says, building the snowmen made him think of mom. They made a memory when she let him play hooky the day before winter break. Jason says, she wasn’t one for rules, and Danny says, they played in the snow for hours. It was the best day ever. He looks up and says he wonders where she is now. Jason says, with Danny. She’s with him too. When we lose people, they’re never really gone. They just become part of us. Danny asks if Jason sees that star, the really bright one. He thinks that’s mom watching over them. Jason says, merry Christmas, Sam, and Danny says, merry Christmas, mom. I love you. Jason puts his arm around Danny’s shoulders.

Michael says, that’s what he gets for letting Josslyn shuffle, and Josslyn asks if Jack wants to play. She thought the WSB is well versed in the rules of war. Jack says, deal him in. Let’s see what you’ve got. She’s like her mother; he can tell. Carly looks outside at Jason and Danny, and Jack says he’s scared. Josslyn says, he should be.

Gio says, sorry he’s late, but Brook says, he’s right on time for a favorite family tradition. She hands him his violin case, and Chase says, the family takes it seriously. Trina tells Chase to warm up his pipes. He’s leading tonight’s vocals. Chase sighs.

Ned plays guitar, while Gio plays the violin. Chase and Ned sing, O Come All Ye Faithful.  

Lulu says, Charlotte? and Charlotte says, mom. She’s been praying for this for so long. Lulu says, her prayer was answered. I’m back, baby. Where is she? Lulu will come get her. Charlotte says, she can’t, and Lulu asks what she means. Charlotte says she’s not supposed to call or text anyone, but she had to hear Lulu’s voice.  

Dante tells Laura that Rocco is talking to Lulu, when TJ comes into the plaza. Jordan says she thought he was on call, and he says he was, but Dr. Gannon offered to cover his shift. He refused to take no for an answer. Jordan says she’s glad he made it. It feels like Christmas. They hug, and Laura takes the mic. She says, bear with them. They’ll have the tree up and running in no time.

Lulu asks Charlotte to tell her where she is. She has to see her… Okay. She promises she won’t tell anyone. She swears, just her. Charlotte has her word… She’ll be there as soon as she can. Rocco comes over and asks if she found out where Charlotte is. Lulu says she did, and he asks when they’re leaving. She says, she’s leaving right away. She told Charlotte that she’d be alone, and she can’t break her promise. She can’t risk losing Charlotte. She needs Rocco to do her a favor. Keep tonight’s call between them. Please. He says, okay. He will, for Charlotte. She hugs him and says she loves him so much. He says he loves her too. She says she’s going to make their family whole again. She promises. She runs off and he says, merry Christmas, mom.  

Laura says, here we go, and turns on the tree. She says, merry Christmas to all of us, and everyone applauds.  

On Friday, Brook asks if Chase is saying he wants to stop trying; Willow tells someone that they have no right to judge her; Michael wonders if he should just let Willow go; Jack tells someone that they know what to do; and Kristina tells Sonny that she hopes she’s up for the job.

🏨 My You’ve Changed…

No explanation as to why the old Emma wasn’t cast, but if I remember correctly, her day job/career is pretty demanding.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/braedyn-bruder-is-the-new-emma-on-general-hospital

🎉 Who’d You Rather…

I wouldn’t mind sitting in on a Quartermaine holiday. An outsider has a better chance of remaining unscathed. Plus, when the big blow-up happens and everyone storms off, more shrimp for me.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/abc/spend-holidays-with-daytime-favorite-families

🎄 Holiday Prep…

Ready… set… holiday!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/see-how-the-stars-are-getting-ready-for-the-holidays

🧼 Holly Jolly Soap Or No…

GH will be airing a rerun tomorrow from May 22nd and Christmas Day is all about football.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/find-out-if-your-favorite-soaps-are-going-to-be-on-at-christmas-2024

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

While I’d like that nearly two hours of my life back from Subservience, Speak No Evil was time well spent. Having seen James McAvoy in Split, I was confident that it would be halfway decent, but this surpassed expectations. The plot wasn’t anything new. A couple on vacation meets another couple and gets an invite to their farm. We’ve seen before what happens when you visit a virtual stranger and it’s never anything good. because they’re never who they say they are. It’s the same here, but done so well, I still didn’t know where they were going with it. I always know a movie is good if I make a lot of noises – like, Ooh! Ay! Gaah! – and noises I made. It starts slow with the set-up, although there are enough odd moments to keep it interesting, and when it gets rolling, it doesn’t stop until the end. McAvoy didn’t disappoint, and he met his match with the other performances, especially – dare I say it? – the children. I was shocked to read (see SyFy article below) that it was Dan Hough’s first film, as he stunned me with his acting skills. Job. Well. Done.

https://screenrant.com/james-mcavoy-speak-no-evil-movie-streaming/

https://decider.com/2024/12/06/speak-no-evil-2024-streaming-movie-review

Some interesting factoids. I thought the farm was amazing and I was mesmerized by the details.

https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/5-terrifying-details-behind-the-scenes-of-speak-no-evil

Spoilers all over the place about the original Swedish film. The revamp is different, but fair warning.

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/watched-original-speak-no-evil-2022-unsettling

🐕 Warm and Fuzzy Holidays…

Full disclosure. I actually have a dog nativity. Although it looks more like a bunch of ceramic dogs with one in a basket. These are pretty impressive.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/pets/dogs-take-center-stage-as-nativity-characters-this-christmas/ar-AA1w3gHn

https://www.rockdalenewtoncitizen.com/news/pets/over-175-dogs-dressed-up-as-nativity-characters-for-christmas/article_63334713-70df-5596-ab4d-3945444fdcd2.html

Cutest presents ever, but please, never give someone a pet as a gift for real.

Pets love Hanukkah too!

Pet safety.

https://paradepets.com/dogs/how-to-keep-your-dog-safe-around-christmas-tree

Hannah & El Wray Wish You a Happy Holiday!

🎅 Quotes of the Week

The thing about Christmas is, it’s never just about the one you’re celebrating now, it holds the memories of all the other Christmases, and the ones you shared them with. – Aunt Stella (Vernee Wilson), General Hospital

Happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. – Frederick Koenig

If your goal is to enjoy some genuine joie de vivre this holiday season, keep in mind that the simplest acts of generosity, connection, and self-care can offer the biggest rewards. – 11 Ways to Experience Holiday Joy

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. – Ebeneezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One! – Narrator, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

🎁 Merry Everything To You…

Since there’s no new GH tomorrow and Bravo is in holiday mode, come back on Friday for soap and a post-game holiday review. Until then, stay safe; stay enjoying whatever holiday you celebrate, or if you celebrate none, stay enjoying your extra day off; and stay not being too hard on yourself, but still striving to be the best.

December 13, 2024 – Another Patient Flatlines At GH, Soap Suds, VanderLockUp, Extra Charm, More Pilaf Please, Practically 10 Quotes & Hollis

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What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

The restaurant manager tells Ava that her card has been declined. Does she have another card she’d like to try? Ava says she doesn’t understand. These cards should definitely work. Ric says, what about his? and the manager says, the second card Ric gave him has also been declined. Ava says, what is going on? and the manager says, they have a $179 bill before gratuities and now it seems they have no way to pay.

Dante and two other officers kick in the door at Windymere and find Lulu in the living room. She raises her hands and says, don’t shoot, officer. She smiles at Dante.

At the Quartermaines’, everyone is cheering the game, when Tracy turns it off. She says, it’s giving her a headache, and they yell for her to turn it back on. She messes with the phone and brings up the video of Willow and Drew getting busy instead. Everyone is shocked, but Tracy laughs out loud and Ned chuckles. Drew says, turn it off, but Tracy says, oh no. Let it play.

Drew shuts off the TV, and Ned says, they’d all thought he’d sunk as low as possible when he kissed Willow. Little did they know he was having sex with her, his nephew’s wife, in his daughter’s nursery. His father would be so proud. Drew tells him, back off. It’s none of his business. Ned says, Drew made it his business when he did that in this house, and Olivia says, that’s enough. Willow looks sick, and Tracy tells Nina, her daughter sleeping with the man she’s gotten so close to must really sting. Josslyn wonders how Willow could do that to Michael, and Trina says she didn’t think Drew was the kind of guy to mess with a married woman. Gio says, wait until Uncle Sonny hears about this. Drew is a dead man.

The manager asks if there’s another card Ric would like to try, but Ric says he’s down to his library card. The manager says he’s sure someday they’ll all look back on this and laugh, but today is not that day. Ric says he already made a few purchases against the check Ava gave him and now he’s overdrawn. (Seriously? He has no money saved?) He asks if there’s another form of payment they can accept. Maybe they can do dishes. Ava says she doesn’t wash dishes at home. She’s certainly not going to do them here. The manager says, maybe it’s time for him to call the police and have them sort it out, but Ava says, that’s not going to be necessary. It’s not a simple case of dine and dash here, especially not in these shoes. The manager says, they’re quite nice, but they won’t cover the bill, and Ava says, there’s been a bit of an unexpected hiccup here. They’ve called some people. Please just give them a little bit more time. Lucas walks in and says he got here as soon as he could. What’s going on? The manager says, his friends have run up quite a large bill and have no way to pay for it. He’s hoping that’s what Lucas is here for. Lucas hands him a credit card, and the manager says, hopefully, this one will go through. He leaves, and Lucas says, please tell him this isn’t why Ava had him rush over here.

Dante tells the officers that they can holster their weapons and asks them to hit the lights. He knows who this is. She’s only a danger to herself, maybe. Lulu says, hilarious, and Dante says he’s got this. He’ll see them back at the station. And call Windymere’s alarm company. Tell them that everything is working fine. It’s a false alarm. One of the officers says, they’ll call when they get back to the boat, and Dante asks him to send the boat back for them. They leave, and Dante says, no broken glass anywhere. How did she get in? She says, he knows her dad taught her how to pick locks before he taught her how to ride a bike, and he asks what she’s doing here. She knows there’s nothing but bad memories in this place. She says, Valentin and Charlotte lived here. She’s praying they left something behind that will help her find them, because she’s going to find her daughter and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop her.

Josslyn, Gio, and Trina go into the foyer, and Josslyn says she doesn’t really want to leave, but Trina says she thinks it’s best that they let the people involved talk. Josslyn says, but he’s her brother, and Trina says, yes, and he might need her later. For now, she thinks it’s best if they stay out here. Gio says he agrees with Trina, and Josslyn sighs and says, fine.

Carly hugs Michael, and Tracy says, Drew is every bit as despicable as she thought he was. Drew tells her to get off her moral high horse. Everyone knows her precious Ned slept with his aunt while she was still married. Ned says he had no idea Monica was his aunt when he slept with her, and Drew asks if he had any idea he was married to Lois when he and Kathryn Bell tied the knot. Ned says, that was a long time ago and Lois forgave him, and Drew says, that was her mistake. Brook tells him to keep her mother’s name out of his mouth. She’s not here to defend herself, but she can get Lois on the phone if he’d like to hear how she feels. Chase says, it’s probably best if no one calls anyone right now, and Brook says, fine, but if Drew says one more word about her mom… Ned says, the golden boy, thinking he was better than everyone else. Oh how the mighty have fallen – right on top of his nephew’s wife. Drew says, if he has to tell Ned to back off one more time, it’s going to get ugly, but Tracy says she thinks they passed ugly right around the time they saw Willow on top of him. Willow goes over to Michael and says, everyone else was shocked. He’s the one who took that video, isn’t he?

Michael says, Willow is right. He recorded it, accidentally. He wanted to check on the new nanny they hired, so he bought a nanny cam. He got a notification on his phone about activity in the nursery and when he checked his phone, that’s what he saw. She says she was with Drew that one time, on the day that Sam died, which means he’s had that video for weeks. Why did he play it now in front of everyone? She starts to cry and asks, why did he do this? Carly says she’s sorry, but Willow is cheating on Michael and trying to make it seem like it’s his fault? After everything he’s done for her, how could she treat him like this? Michael says, let him handle this, but Carly says she’s not going to let Willow try to gaslight him into thinking it’s his fault. Willow says, that’s not what she’s doing. She knows she was wrong. She gave in to her feelings for Drew and she regrets it more than she can say. But Michael has known she and Drew slept together for weeks, and he didn’t say anything. Why? Michael says, because he wanted to wait until after the holidays. He wanted the kids to have one more Christmas together as a family.

Ava thanks Lucas for coming and says she’s so sorry she had to call him. It really was an emergency. Lucas says, an emergency is when someone has a heart attack, not when you can’t pay for dinner, and Ava says, that very judgmental man Lucas just gave his credit card to was about to call the police. She was just acquitted of killing a baby. She can’t have any more run-ins with the law. Lucas says, that makes sense, when the manager comes back. He gives Lucas back his card, thanks him, and says, his card went through without a hitch. He leaves, and Ava asks if Lucas would like to stay and help them finish this dinner he so generously paid for. Lucas says, normally, he hates being a third wheel, but he didn’t have a chance to eat when he was at the hospital, so he’s going to take her up on that. He pulls a chair over and asks the manager if he can get a menu and another bottle of champagne. The manager holds out his hand, and Lucas says, oh, getting his card out again. The manager says, of course (🍷), sir, and Lucas sits down.

Dante tells Lulu, no other people have lived here since Valentin and Charlotte. (Huh? Weren’t Nikolas and Ava the last ones who lived there?) He’s sure whatever was theirs is long gone by now. She says, he’s probably right, but she’s going to tear this house apart board by board if there’s even the slightest chance of something that can help her find her daughter. He says, maybe don’t tell the cop about the future crimes she’s planning on committing, and she says, he’s off the hook. She’s already searched Windymere’s poorly maintained and not so secret tunnels. She didn’t find anything. He says he gets it. They all have someone they love so much, they’re willing to do anything for them. Even coming back to a place that gives you nightmares. She says, people make all kinds of sacrifices for love. Some people care about someone so much, they’re willing to do anything for them, even give their own life if it comes down to it. He says, doesn’t he know it, and she says she’s so sorry. He must hate her so much.

Dante says he doesn’t hate Lulu. He never could. Why would she say something like that? She says, Lucky told her about Sam being her donor, and he says he wanted to tell her about that. It was just crazy. There was a lot going on and she woke up with no warning. She says, her waking up from a four-year coma required a warning? and he says, it would have been good to get a heads up. He could have prepared things like clothes, and food, and Rocco. She says she was so focused on how weird everything was for her. She’s sorry. She didn’t even think about how crazy it was for him and Rocco. He says, crazy doesn’t even scratch the surface. When he saw her, he wanted to ask her a lot of things. There were a lot of things he wanted to tell her. She says, he must have been overwhelmed. She was. But she appreciates him not dumping four years of life on her all at once. He says he wanted to tell her about Sam, and she says she understands why he didn’t. It would have been hard to handle learning that Sam died saving her while her head was spinning. But she knows that now and it’s obvious how much Sam loved him. He says, she did, but she didn’t help Lulu because of him and Rocco. That’s just who she was. She says, his expression changes when he talks about her. It’s also obvious how much he loved Sam. He says he still does. He just can’t believe she’s gone. But he wants her to know he’s happy she’s awake, and it’s just really challenging to balance that with losing Sam. She puts her hand on his arm and says she knows he and Rocco are grieving. And she understands what her waking up cost Sam… and him.

Josslyn says she already knows how this is going to play out. Michael is just going to forgive Willow for cheating on him. Trina says, it’s Michael’s life. He’s the only one who gets to choose how he handles this. Josslyn says she doesn’t want to see him get hurt again. She’s got to get out of here. She can’t look at Drew’s smug face anymore. She’s going to see Dex in the hospital. She leaves, and Gio says he thinks he’s had enough of this Quartermaine party time too. He’s going to go practice now. Trina says she’s probably going to work on her Art History project… On second thought, does he still have that all-access stadium pass he got when he was playing the National Anthem earlier? He says, yeah. Why?

Chase, Brook, and Sasha walk into the nook, Sasha carrying a plate of hors d’oeuvres. She puts it on the table and says, might as well dig in. Chase says, thanks, and Brook says, that was quite a party. She really thought Drew was different, but he’s really living up to the Quartermaine name. Chase asks what she means, and Brook says, fidelity isn’t exactly a top priority for the Quartermaines and they sleep with people they’re not married to. Not her. Obviously. She takes Chase’s arm and says, lucky for him, loyalty and fidelity mean everything to the Cerullos and she’s a Cerullo through and through. He says he’s glad, but he wasn’t worried in the least. Because he knows her and what kind of person she is and he has complete faith in her. They kiss and he says he has been thinking about something though. Maybe he and Sasha shouldn’t have played God with Michael and Willow’s lives all those years ago. Maybe Michael and Willow were never meant to be together.

Willow says she wanted the same thing, one more Christmas as a family. She was going to tell Michael after. Carly says, well, thank God Tracy spared her from having to tell Michael that she slept with his uncle, and Olivia says, okay. They can all stop judging each other. There are no saints in this room. Carly says, is she kidding? What if it were Dante whose life was blown apart? Olivia says she thinks Michael can speak for himself, and Carly says, Willow had an amazing life with Michael. He supported her career. He took care of her when she was sick. He gave her a family and she threw it away. Willow walks out, and Carly tells Drew, and you, you son of a bitch. She knew Jason had a reason for going after him. Jason knew he slept with Willow, didn’t he? He finally found someone who would put him first, even if it meant destroying a family. She hopes it was worth it. He says he’s not going to talk about this in front of the entire family, and Tracy laughs. She says, but he was willing to sleep with Willow in this house where anyone could have walked in on them. He involved them in his tawdriness, so he doesn’t get to keep anything private. Ned says, she’s right, and Tracy says, even his father Alan, with his terrible taste in women and string of sordid affairs, never would have stooped this low. He never would have slept with his nephew’s wife.

Carly goes upstairs, and Drew says, this wasn’t anything that he planned. A woman he once loved, the mother of his child, had just died (getting out my tiny violin) and he was a wreck. He was falling apart and Willow reached out to him. Ned says, I’ll say she did, and Drew says, shut your damn mouth. What happened between him and Willow is between them. It’s none of his damn business. Tracy says she thinks they already determined that it is, and Drew says, just stay out of his life. Please. She says, gladly. And by the way, she thinks he should move to DC now, because once Monica finds out that he slept with Michael’s wife, she’s going to kick him out. And they’re going to leak the video and show the whole world what a low life he is. Drew says, they can do whatever they want to him. Just don’t hurt Willow. Michael says, so now he’s worried about how his actions will affect Willow.

Sasha says she doesn’t see it that way. Michael and Willow wouldn’t have been together this long if there wasn’t something real between them. Chase says, that’s true, and Sasha says she really tries not to judge people and doesn’t want to think badly of Willow, but she’s really struggling to understand why she would cheat on Michael with Drew. Brook says she was shocked too, but he did save Willow’s life by bringing Leisl Obrecht back to Port Charles. It had to change the way she feels about him. Sasha says, that’s understandable, but Willow has this starry-eyed view of Drew. If Drew was the decent guy he wants everyone to think he is, he would have been flattered and left it at that. Brook says, Willow’s a big girl. She’s responsible for her actions too. Chase says, there’s plenty of blame to go around here. Sasha says, none of it is Michael’s, or her and Chase’s for something they did years ago.

Dante says he should have told Lulu about Sam a lot sooner. He’s sorry about that. He didn’t want it to affect her health negatively. She says, he has nothing to feel guilty about, and he says, not about Sam, but he messed up when she went into that coma. She asks, how? and he says he didn’t keep Rocco and Charlotte together. He just let Valentin take her. She says, that would have been next to impossible to get custody of Charlotte. Remember how hard they fought the first time? And she wouldn’t have been there to help. He says, yeah. Valentin is her father, and she wanted to be with him. She says, none of this is his fault. It’s Valentin’s. He manipulated Charlotte so she would never want to get to know the Spencer side of the family. He says his mom kept her close to the Spencers, and she says she’s glad Valentin at least allowed that to happen. But he’s still keeping the fact that she’s awake away from her daughter. She hates that, because of him, she can’t tell Charlotte that she loves her. It does feel like a piece of her is missing without Charlotte here. He says, they’re both going through a lot right now. He’s grieving Sam. He’s going to be doing that the rest of his life. But right now, she’s looking for Charlotte and that’s what’s important right now. So if she wants to tear Windymere apart top to bottom, he’s here to do that with her.

At the stadium, a reporter congratulates Tai on the PCU victory and says, but for most of the game, it looked like a stunning defeat. How did he pull off this win? Kai says, a lot of credit goes to their offensive line. Their defense is great too. They kept him in the game until he could figure out a way to get the ball into the endzone. The reporter says, he certainly did that. Congratulations again and good luck in the upcoming Bowl game. Kai thanks him, and the reporter says, that’s quarterback Kai, taking PCU to their first Bowl game ever. He and Kai shake hands, he thanks Kai and leaves with the camera crew. Kai sees Trina and asks if he should alert security that there’s an intruder in the tunnels. She says, very funny, but no. Her friend just played the National Anthem and gave her his pass. He says, the guy with the violin. He was amazing. Trina says, that’s sweet. She’ll tell him that Kai said that. Kai says, please do. He didn’t expect to see her today, especially not down here. She says she just came to congratulate him, and he says, on their Art History project? She says, no, but she did read what he sent her, and she thought it was amazing. She came to congratulate him on the game. He says he thought football wasn’t her thing, and she says, it wasn’t, but she watched it with some people who are totally into it and they were losing it over his performance. And that was just in someone’s living room, so she can’t imagine what it’s like when he’s playing in an actual stadium. He says, it’s very, very loud, and she says she bets. He had a lot of people rooting for him and he was amazing.

Josslyn comes out of the hospital elevator and doesn’t see anyone around. She hears beeping and Isaiah asking for vitals and saying, continue chest compressions. She goes to Dex’s room and listens at the door. She opens it and sees Isaiah using the defibrillator on Dex. Anna comes up behind Josslyn and says, come with me.

Kai says he was just doing his thing, and Trina says, maybe, but his thing is incredibly difficult. She’s been really hard on him and she’s sorry. He says, no. She’s been calling him out on things he needed to be called out on. He’s glad she held him to high standards. Because of her, he looked into his class schedule and discovered things he never would have known. So he’s grateful actually. She says, that’s nice considering she guilted him into staying up all night and working on their project. He was so exhausted, he almost got killed on the field today. She’s sorry. He says, that’s not why he didn’t play well for most of the game. Llanview’s defensive ends are some of the best in the league. They did a good job of keeping PCU’s offense from finding its rhythm. She says, it all sounds like gibberish to her, and he says he remembers. Football’s not her thing. She says, it isn’t, but she’d like to learn more about it today. Starting with everything he just said. Something about defensive enders? He says, defensive ends, and she says, sounds like a good place to start.

Anna tells Josslyn that she stopped by to check on Dex. When she got to his room, they were already working on him. Josslyn says, but she was just talking to him on the phone. Like, just now. They were talking and laughing and joking. Anna says, when she just talked to him, he was fine too, and Josslyn says, maybe it’s a reaction to one of his medications. Maybe he’s in anaphylactic shock. He could have a blood clot. They were using the defibrillator which has to do with the heart. Anna says, they’re just guessing right now. The best thing to do – she knows it’s hard – is to wait for his doctor to come out and tell them. Josslyn says, yeah, but seeing him like that… Anna suggests they just focus on him having the best of care. She’s going to call Josslyn’s mom. She starts to make the call, and Josslyn says, Dex is so young and healthy. She was told that the injury wasn’t even that serious, so he’s going to be fine. He’s recovered from a lot worse. So he’s going to be fine now. She knows he’s going to be fine. Anna puts down the phone and smooths Josslyn’s hair.

Ava thanks Lucas for rushing over. She’s going to pay him back as soon as she gets things straightened out with her bank. Lucas asks if she’s having problems with them, and she says she assumes so. She’s waiting for a call back from her business manager. Everything was fine yesterday. Now her credit cards don’t work, her debit cards don’t work, nothin’. Ric says his accounts are frozen too. Probably because the check Ava gave him for his legal services bounced. (I’m not getting how Ric has no money other than that check.) Lucas asks if Ava thinks her identity was stolen. That’s been happening a lot these days. Ava says, who on earth would want her identity right now? She’s so sorry she disrupted Lucas’s night. She’s sure he has better things to do than come here. He says he had plans, but she seemed desperate, and he had the feeling he wasn’t her first call. She says, he wasn’t, but he’s the only one who came.

Lulu and Dante walk into the living room, Dante carrying a box. She says she knew she’d find something to lead her to Charlotte, but he tells her not to get her hopes up. She says, that’s the Cassadine crest, and he says, it is, but this could belong to Nikolas or Victor or Spencer. Ava lived here. This could be hers. She says, that’s why they have to get it open, and she knows he’s curious about what’s in there too. He says he guesses he wouldn’t mind seeing, and she picks the lock. She says, got it, and opens the box. She takes out a sparkly top and smells it. She says, this was Charlotte’s, and holds it to her chest. She takes out a toy horse and says she got Charlotte this. She loves horses and she wanted to get Charlotte one that she could carry around and play with. She searched all over for the perfect gift because she wanted Charlotte to like her. She just left it here. He says he thinks she’s looking at it the wrong way. She kept it. It’s got to mean something.

Nina and Willow go into the gatehouse, and Nina says, Willow can stay at her place for the night, or maybe a few nights. Willow says she doesn’t think she can do this. She doesn’t want to take Wiley and Amelia away from Michael, not without telling him first. Nina says, listen to her. They have to play this smart, really smart. Michael is one of the richest, most powerful men in the state. He has connections on both sides of the law. He is a Quartermaine and a Spencer and a Corinthos. All those people are going to take his side and go against her. This is going to get ugly. Willow says, Michael would never do anything to hurt his children, and Nina says, he’d do everything to protect them. Willow says, from her? and Nina says, this is war. If Willow wants any chance of getting custody or even seeing her children ever again, she’ll go get them right now.

Michael says, the time to worry about Willow would have been before Drew slept with her, and Tracy says, Michael’s right. Where was Drew’s concern when he was playing footsie with Michael’s wife? Drew tells them that he’s just saying he doesn’t want Willow dragged into a scandal. He doesn’t want Scout to read about this online when she’s still grieving her mother. Olivia says she agrees with Drew, and Tracy asks if she’s out of her mind. Olivia says, that footage goes public, it only hurts innocent people, and Tracy says, that footage didn’t look innocent to her. Olivia says she’s talking about the kids. Amelia and Wiley, and as Drew just pointed out, Scout just lost her mother. She’s gone through more than any human should have to go through. If this gets out, she will certainly hear about it, and it’s the last thing that kid needs. Whatever blowback Drew deserves, the children do not deserve this, and Tracy knows she’s right. She and Tracy leave, and Drew tells Michael that he knows how badly this footage could play out. For him, absolutely, but for everyone. That’s out of his hands now. It’s up to Michael.

Kai teaches Trina some football stuff, and she says she wants to learn. That way, she’ll know what people are talking about the next time she watches a game. He says, so there’s going to be a next time? She says, yeah, sure, and he says, she’s just in time. They only have one more game and it’s going to be a big one. She says, bigger than this one? and he says, way bigger. The Bowl game. She says she’s not missing that. What’s a Bowl game? He says, just watch and she’ll see, and she says, okay. She kind of wanted to talk to him about something. She really thinks they should do the presentation together. So is the extension still a possibility?

Chase says, when Willow left him for Michael, he was so angry and jealous of him. He thought Michael got everything and he was left with nothing. Sasha says, breakups are hard, and he says, they are, but that wasn’t his point. He was wrong to think he’d never fall in love again. He didn’t realize how wrong – he takes Brook’s hand – until he met Brook. Willow is great, but she wasn’t right for him. He couldn’t see that until he found the person who was. Brook is perfect for him and she always will be. Brook says, right back at him.

Ava’s phone ding-a-lings and she says she’s still getting alerts. She doesn’t have any more credit cards to cancel… It seems she has had something stolen. Just not her identity. She hands Ric her phone and says, please tell her this isn’t saying what she thinks it’s saying. Lucas asks what it says, and she tells him that her entire divorce settlement from Nikolas, the Cassadines have taken it back.

Josslyn asks Anna, what’s taking so long? They should have heard by now. Isaiah comes out of Dex’s room, and Josslyn asks, how’s Dex? He says he’s sorry. They did everything they could. Dex didn’t make it. Josslyn says, what?

The monitor is on flatline, and it’s turned off. Elizabeth removes the tubes attached to Dex and says, this isn’t right. He’s the second person to die like this. It just doesn’t make any sense. Something very wrong is going on here.

Lulu says, they should get going, and Dante says he’d love to, but they’ve got to wait for the boat. She says, islands. They’re a real pain in the butt sometimes. He says, especially this one, and she says, it’s stuffy in here. Does he want to wait outside and get some fresh air? She picks up the box and he asks if she’s kidding him with that right now. She says, this box is coming with her, even though it technically doesn’t belong to her. She knows he’s a cop and doesn’t expect him to get involved. He says, which part? The trespassing, the destruction of personal property, or the theft of stolen goods? She says, all of it, but he says he already is. He takes the box from her and says, why doesn’t she hold the door, and he’ll carry her box of stolen stuff? She says, gladly, and they go outside.

Tracy says, Drew is taking advantage of the Quartermaine name and laughing at them while he’s doing it. Ned says, he spent a lot of time buttering up Monica, only to turn around and sleep with Willow, and Olivia says, what Drew did was despicable, but however they feel about him, if Michael wants to make things up with Willow, they have to support him… Right? Ned says, of course (🍷), and Tracy says, once a cheater, always a cheater, but if that’s what Michael wants, she can play nice with Willow. Olivia says, good. Because Michael is going to have to know they’re here for him, no matter what.

Michael says he won’t be the one who leaks the video, for all the reasons Drew mentioned. To protect his children, to protect Drew’s daughter, to protect Willow from her own humiliating mistake. And that protects Drew too. So Drew is using them to protect his own reputation. So much for Willow’s hero. Drew says, Michael knows nothing about him and Willow, and Michael says, yeah? Why doesn’t Drew tell him?

Nina says, first one to the car gets a treat, and tells Wiley not to trip. Willow says, sorry they had to wake them up. They’re going over to Grandma Nina’s for a little sleepover adventure. Wiley says, okay! and Nina says, let’s go, but before they get to the door, Carly walks in. She asks where they’re all going in such a hurry. They wouldn’t be trying to take Michael’s children away from him, would they?

On Monday, Portia tells someone to take a step back from patient care; Drew asks Michael, would Willow have cheated if it wasn’t real; and Willow says, what happens next isn’t up to Carly.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

You know this now, but still, what a shock.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/evan-hofer-out-at-general-hospital

This is actually kind of ick. No. No future.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-previews-drew-and-willows-future-on-gh

This happened today, but I’m sure it’s on YouTube. Alan Locher does a great interview.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/chat-live-with-soap-star-rick-hearst

Gio’s side gig is impressive.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/giovanni-mazzas-new-film-is-premiering-at-sundance

Love this story!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kimberly-mccullough-opens-up-about-her-son-otis

I didn’t know he’d been in GH, but I doff my cap.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-alum-michael-cole-dead-at-84

🍸 Not a Good VanderLook…

So I guess he’s drinking again? That’s a real shame.

https://people.com/vanderpump-rules-james-kennedy-arrested-on-suspicion-of-domestic-violence-8760616

Wow. It didn’t take long for his life to start unraveling.

https://people.com/vanderpump-rules-james-kennedy-removed-from-las-vegas-residency-following-domestic-violence-arrest-8761602

Team Thirsty has to put in their two cents. Bitch, please.

https://people.com/rachel-leviss-reacts-to-james-kennedy-domestic-violence-arrest-8760749

But for how long? Not if he keeps this up.

https://www.tmz.com/2024/12/13/james-kennedy-ally-lewber-not-splitting-after-domestic-violence-arrest/

👒 Working Like a Charm…

Yeah, Shep did a really weird toast at the Easter dinner too. Something about Jesus and Pontius Pilate, but it didn’t make a whole lot of sense and had nothing to do with Easter. It was just weird.

Wow. When Venita gives up on you, you’re hopeless.

So glad it’s only a rumor. I’d hate to see Craig regress, even if he doesn’t think pandas are real.

🪓 But It’s an Undisputed Masterpiece…

I think this film is perfect as is. Christian Bale is Patrick Bateman.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/american-psycho-remake-austin-butler-patrick-bateman

🐕 It’s a Dog’s Life…

I’m pretty sure Pilaf is living a better life than I am, but I’m okay with that.

https://www.instyle.com/demi-moore-molly-ringwald-dogs-photos-8759246

https://www.instyle.com/demi-moore-snake-print-bikini-pilaf-birthday-8743074

📫 Quotes of the Week

We’re not in the Midnight Realm. It’s just the suburbs. –  Owen (Justice Smith), I Saw the TV Glow

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. – Anatole France

It is, of course, quite true that God will not love you any the less, or have less use for you, if you happen to have been born with a very second-rate brain. He has room for people with very little sense, but He wants everyone to use what sense they have.C. S. Lewis, from Mere Christianity (He sounds like Anthony Hopkins in my head.)

Do I seem like the kind of guy who has the energy to argue?Niles Valentine, 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days

Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in action; actions form habits; habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny. – Tyron Edwards

When we talk about understanding, surely it takes place only when the mind listens completely — the mind being your heart, your nerves, your ears- when you give your whole attention to it. – Jiddu Krishnamurti

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.Ray Bradbury

Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it. – Ann Landers

As a mortician, I always tie the shoelaces together of the dead. Cause if there is ever a zombie apocalypse, it will be hilarious. – Caleb Wilde, from a post on X or what we still call Twitter

⛄️ Pretending He’s Parson Brown…

Amid your holiday or everyday tasks, take time to smell the poinsettias. Then join me on Monday for soap and Deck doings. Until then, stay safe; stay not drinking and driving home from holiday events (I can never say it enough); and stay never sleeping with your nephew’s wife.

December 6, 2024 – The Jury Reaches a Verdict, Sad Farewell, Squid Arriving Soon, Last Release, True Reprise, Furrytales, Quotes Of VII & Last

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

Outside the courtroom, TJ arrives, and Molly tells Alexis that she’ll just be a minute. Alexis says she’ll check on Kristina, and goes inside. Molly thanks TJ again for bringing her journal by, and he says he wanted to make sure she got it. She says she’s actually been rereading it. She’s embarrassed. There’s some pretty sappy entries. She made a long list of all the places she hoped they’d travel… He says he’s sorry they didn’t get to make those trips, and she says her too.

Inside the courtroom, Kristina hugs Sonny and says she’s so glad he’s here. He says, of course (🍷) he’s here. Is she ready? Ric walks in with Ava, and Kristina says, more than ready.

At the hospital, Lucas says, Lulu’s awake? That’s amazing. Elizabeth says she’s sure Sam would be really pleased, and he says he’s sure she would. Has she spoken to Lulu yet? She says, all she knows is what she and Lucky saw on the security footage, but she’s not only awake, she snuck out of Turning Woods and made her way back to Port Charles. He asks why she snuck out, and she says, apparently, she saw Cyrus Renault lurking around and she was worried about what he might be up to. He asks if she’s okay, and Elizabeth says, last she heard, Lulu is safe and surrounded by family. He asks if this means Lucky will be sticking around, and she tells Lucas, he says he wants to. Lucas says, she doesn’t seem thrilled, and she says, Lucky told her part of the reason he’s staying is for Lulu… He says, and the other part? She says, me. In case she needs help if she’s found at fault in Sam’s death.

In the breakroom, Brad says, when he and Lucas were apart, he would have given anything to see that handsome face again. Now he realizes seeing him every day hurts more than not seeing him. He deserves this, right? The pain of seeing the man he loves with no hope of ever being with him again. Is he crazy to be thinking like this? Stella puts her hand on his and says, no. He’s just human.

Trina walks into the gallery on the phone and tells Ava to let her know when she’s heard the verdict. Kai comes in wearing a suit, and she says she’s beyond flattered, but he didn’t have to get dressed up just to work on their project. He says he hates to disappoint, but he just had an interview about the championship game. The coach made him wear a suit. She says, he’s doing interviews now, and he says, the whole world wants his insights. She says she’s really enjoying his insights. She loves the artists he added to the section on modern art in New York in the 1980s (Banksy?). He says, about the project, there’s something he needs to tell her.

Lois is getting her makeup done at Home & Heart, and the makeup artist tells her that since she lost her accent, she’s really become a wonderful spokesperson. So clear and professional. Using her learned voice, Lois says, thank you. I really appreciate your kind words. The woman leaves, and Brook comes along. She asks Lois, what’s wrong?

Kai promises it’s not going to be a problem. He won’t leave Trina hanging. They can get an extension. He’ll complete his half of the project and fuse it seamlessly together with hers, then boom! They’re golden… She’s pissed. She says, no, not pissed. Disappointed.

Lucas asks if Lucky staying in Port Charles isn’t a good thing, but Elizabeth says she can’t think about Lucky right now. Not when she’s stressed about what might have happened with Sam. He asks how that’s going for her, and she says, not great. She’s under review because she was the nurse assigned to Sam the day she died.

Lois says, nothing’s wrong, and Brook asks if she’s sure. Lois says, what could possibly be wrong? and goes over to Haven on the set. Maxie comes in and Brook asks, where’s Lucy? Maxie says she has some bad news and Lucy not being here is directly connected to it. Brook says, let’s start with the bad news, and Maxie says, they have to hit $75,000 in sales. Brook says, why so high? and Maxie says, sales have been really slow lately. Brook says she’s noticed, and what happens if sales don’t pick up? Maxie says, not only does it have to pick up, it has to pick up during their segment today. She’s not sure they can move that much product. Brook says, they need to bring out the big guns, and Maxie tells her, that’s what Lucy said. Brook says, let her guess. Lucy’s idea of the big guns is her being on camera? Maxie says she managed to convince Lucy that she’d be better working on the social media people promoting Lois’s spot. Does Brook think they should bring her mom in on this? Brook says, absolutely not. Something’s up with her today and she doesn’t want to add more pressure.

Alexis takes Kristina and Molly’s hands and says, before they get started, there’s something she wants to say to both of them. Regardless of what the verdict is, they’ve lost so much already, and she doesn’t want them to lose each other. Kristina says, of course (🍷), and Molly says, absolutely. (I say, yeah, right.) Ric sits next to Ava, and she says, if looks could kill, she’d be flayed alive. He says, all that matters is the jury, and the bailiff says, all rise. Court is in session. The judge (who apparently doesn’t have a name) comes in and tells them, be seated. Has the jury reached a verdict? The foreman says, we have, and hands it to the bailiff who gives it to the judge. She reads it and asks the defendant to please rise. Ric and Ava stand.

Brad says, Lucas deserves someone much better than him, and Stella says, this isn’t about Lucas. This is about him. He says, what he’d really like is to just be worthy of him, and she says, that’s almost the right attitude. He asks, what’s the totally right attitude? and she says, be the person you’re promising to be. But instead of doing it for Lucas, do it for himself. He says, so be selfish and make it about himself. He guesses he could swing that. She says, a man can reflect on his mistakes, be genuinely remorseful, and do better. If Brad can do that, there’s hope for him yet.

Lucas says he really believes the Board will find that Elizabeth did nothing wrong, and she says, here’s hoping. Portia asks if she can speak to Lucas in her office for a moment, and he says, sure, and follows her.

Kai says he’s 100% positive the professor will give them an extension, and Trina says, of course (🍷) she will. He’s Kai Tyler, QB1 of PCU’s Tigers. If there need to be any accommodations, there will be no question. He says, okay. Then great. They’ll work together and get it done… just a little later. She says, when? The class will be over before the game happens. He says he’s sorry he can’t do this project right now. He needs to focus on being best for the game. She says she really thought he genuinely cared about this class, but now she sees it’s not even a priority for him. He says, it is a priority. It’s just… She says, not his first priority. Well, it is for her. She needs to ace this class if she’s going to go to the grad school she wants or have the life and career that she wants. He says, PCU’s never been in the Northeast Classic before, and she says she doesn’t know what that means, but it sounds major. He says, if they beat Llanview, it would be huge, for the entire school. He can’t let everyone down. She has to see that. She says she does, but does he see where this puts her? Most people who major in Art History want to make learning interactive. That’s why the professor made this a presentation. He says, and they will still present it, and she says, to who? They can’t force their classmates to come back. He says, what if they do a slideshow? They can play it when everyone else presents their projects. She says, he doesn’t get it. Professor Donahue is a big deal in the art world. To present to the professor is a can’t miss opportunity for her. She can’t blow it off and present a slideshow. He says, so what are we going to do? but she says, there’s no we here. He needs to do what he needs to do for his future, and she’s going to do what she needs to do for hers.

The foreman says, we, the jury, find the defendant, Ava Jerome, not guilty, and the judge says, the court thanks the jury for its service. She thanks the attorneys and tells Ava, in accordance with the State of New York, she’s been found not guilty of manslaughter in the first degree, and she may not be retried for those crimes. She is free to go. Kristina is stunned, and the bailiff says, all rise. Ava thanks Ric and hugs him. Molly follows TJ out, but Kristina just sits there, a blank look on her face. Sonny asks her to look at him, and Alexis asks if she’s okay. Kristina doesn’t respond.

Lucas tells Elizabeth, good news. He went from surgeon under review to surgeon selected to represent GH at a medical symposium in Miami. Elizabeth says, that’s fantastic, and he says he knows. And apparently, it’s exclusive. He’s one of five doctors here that they tapped to go. She says, congratulations, and he says he’s really excited. Brad listens from around the corner.

On the air, Lois says, if they’re like her, always running from one thing to the next – work, family, maybe a night out with the girls. You’re looking for a shortcut to look and feel your best. Is she right? Haven says, absolutely, and how can Deception help with that? Lois says she’s so glad Haven asked. Their new cream dabber makeup, Deception Color Eyes, Cheeks, and Lips is the perfect solution. This unique and versatile and revolutionary product does exactly what it says… As she talks, Haven goes to the side and tells Maxie and Brook, they know how much she loves their product and how much she loves having them here… Maxie says, they love being here, and Haven says, Lois has 20 more minutes in her segment, and she hopes they make their number. Lois says, you can fit it in your purse, or you could put it right into your pocket. Haven thanks her and says she just loves the new product. Why don’t they take a caller? She welcomes the caller and asks how Deception has inspired them, and the caller says she loves Haven, and loves Home & Heart, and she loves Deception, especially The Deceptor. Fine lines and wrinkles, gone. Lois says she knows that voice. That is Francesca DiFrancenzi from her neighborhood. She thanks Franny for calling in and says she loves hearing her voice. Franny says she’s not loving the sound of Lois’s voice. She called to call Lois out. Haven suggests she call out which Deception product she likes best, and Franny says, all the girls were so proud of Lois when she landed this gig. They threw her a party. They even let Tony G.’s wife bring her macaroni salad… the one with the mayonnaise? Lois makes a face, and Franny says, and they ate it – for her. And now she’s talking different. She ditched her accent. Why? Is she ashamed of where she comes from?

Sonny asks if Kristina can hear him and Alexis says, she has to talk to them. Please. Kristina looks at her, and Sonny says, she had them worried for a minute. Alexis says she’s sorry about the verdict, and Kristina says, that’s it. It’s over? Alexis says, yes. There is no legal recourse. Kristina says, okay, and they stand up.

In the hallway, Molly tells TJ that she’s sorry, and he says, for what? The verdict? She says, for the verdict and everything. She knows he’s hurting right now. He says, is she? How does she feel about the verdict? Be honest with him. Don’t tell him what she thinks he wants to hear. She says she thinks nobody knows what happened in that hotel room except Ava and Kristina. She thinks Ava is a despicable person, but she doesn’t think Ava pushed Kristina out the window. Yes, she thinks it was an accident. He says he didn’t ask her what she thought. He asked her what she felt. And based on what she just told him, he thinks she feels satisfied with the verdict. He’s glad she got what she wanted. He walks away, and Kristina is there. She asks what TJ meant when he said Molly got what she wanted. What exactly did she want?

Brad gives some paperwork to Portia and says, sorry it took so long. She thanks him and says, but in the future, he doesn’t have to hand deliver lab results. As a matter of fact, she wishes he wouldn’t. He says he wouldn’t have, but he wanted to talk to her about something. She says she doesn’t have time, and he says he’ll be quick. The lab could use someone knowledgeable about advances in virology diagnoses. She tells him, get to the point, and he says he thinks he should go to the symposium in Miami. She says, the symposium is for doctors, but he says, there’s a lecture series on this very subject. The test results she’s holding would have been expedited with that knowledge. She says, that might be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that GH is only allotted a certain amount of resources… for doctors. He says he’ll pay his own way. She can even take the fee out of his salary. She says, he’s wasting his time. He’s wasting her time. He’s wasting the lab’s time. Stella comes by and stops to listen at a distance, and Portia says, and they both know the real reason he wants to go to this conference, and it’s not because of work. He says he just wants to become a better viral diagnostician, but she says, he found out that Lucas is going, didn’t he? He says he still thinks it would be a good idea if he went, and she says, this conference is vital to this hospital, and it’s too vital for him to use to repair a personal relationship. Now if he doesn’t mind, she needs to get back to work. He walks away, and Stella tells Portia that she just made a big mistake.

Trina tells Kai, last semester, she had to take a break from school for personal reasons, but the opportunity to be in Donahue’s class is what got her back here. This is her Northeast Classic. He asks how he can make it up to her, and she says, he took this class because he saw it as a challenge. He wanted to win. He loves to win. She just wishes he hadn’t won her over by telling her that he cared about this class. He says he does care. This isn’t about winning. He loves learning about art with her. He never studied Black artists before this project. She helped him use a different part of his brain for once. She says she’s glad that her passion provided an amusing sidetrack while he’s going to the NFL, but right now, she’s trying to salvage this presentation without him. He says he wishes she wouldn’t talk about football like it’s something stupid, and she says she doesn’t think it’s stupid. She might not get it, but everybody in her life, including her best friend, are into football. He says, exactly. We can’t all be wrong, can we? She says she understands it’s a passion. Football means to him what art means to her. He says he knows, and she says, so just give her the notes so she can put this together and present it herself. She’s sure he’ll still get his A. His phone trills and he says he’s late for a meeting with his coach. She says, he’d better get going. Good luck. She really hopes everything works out for him. She walks out of the room.

Ava tells Sonny that she’ll be by to pick up Avery, and he says, don’t test him. She says, the trial’s over. They share custody. She wants to see her daughter and he has no grounds to keep Avery from her. He says, Avery is better off without her as a mother, and she asks if Avery said that. Alexis tells him, whatever he’s about to say, don’t say it, but Ric says, please do. Threatening to indoctrinate Avery against her mother will only help him win custody. Sonny says, the answer is no, and Ava says, look her in the eye and tell her that her daughter hasn’t asked for her. Avery needs her mother, and he knows it. Sonny tells Alexis, let’s go, and Ric says he’ll just file an emergency order and have Avery removed today, maybe permanently. Alexis says, knock it off. He won. Take his win and go. Have some semblance of grace. Ava says she’s just trying to do for Avery what Alexis should have done for Kristina many moons ago and get her away from Sonny.

Molly says she’s lost so much. She just wants to make peace with what’s happened. Kristina says, peace? There can be no peace. Ava killed her child, their child, and she got away with it. Molly says she knows that’s how Kristina sees it, but Kristina says, that’s the only way to see it. Molly says, but the facts… and Kristina says, the fact is, Ava pushed her through a window. She almost died. Their baby did. Molly says she knows it’s easier when there’s someone to blame. She’s wanted that for so long, too, but after hearing everything in that courtroom, she believes neither Kristina nor Ava are to blame. It was an accident. Kristina says, so essentially, Molly believes Ava’s version of events over hers.

Brad looks at some lab results, and says, this is not what Stella meant by being a better person. Blackmailing his way to Miami isn’t it, so he’s not going to do it. He brings the paper over to the paper shredder and says he’s not going to do it… Unless… He looks at his phone and says, the weather in Miami… February… 70s and sunny? That’s beach weather. Fun in the sun weather. Fun in the sun with Lucas weather. If only he can convince Portia to make it happen. He looks at the paper again.

As they walk down the hall, Stella says she couldn’t help but notice Portia’s chat with Brad, and Portia says she still can’t believe he’s working here again. Stella asks why he was allowed back in the lab, and Portia says, because he was Britt’s best friend and Dr. Randolph hired him back for sentimental reasons. Stella asks if he’s done anything questionable or if any of his work has been suspect, and Portia says, no. But it’s hard to forgive and it’s hard to forget the things he’s done. Stella says she understands how hard it is to trust Brad. She was there when everyone found out what he’d done to little Wiley Corinthos. Portia says, when he tried to swap a dead baby for a live one and pass it off as his own, and Stella says, Brad did his time for that and as hard as it is to believe, he’s trying to be a better man. Portia says, the bar is really low. She’s surprised Stella is standing up for Brad. Stella says, this isn’t about Brad. She’s looking out for Portia. Portia asks what she means, and Stella says, she’s too open in her dislike for him. Portia asks what she’s supposed to do. Wave pompoms? Do cartwheels around here? Stella says, she can be professional. She’s Chief of Staff. She needs to rise above her dislike for any of her staff. At the very least, seem impartial. Think about that. Stella leaves.

Lucas finds TJ in the breakroom and says he thought TJ would be at the courthouse. TJ says he was, and Lucas says he takes it things didn’t go the way TJ wanted them to. TJ says, no, and Lucas says, if he’d rather be by himself… TJ says he thought about going home, but all that would do is remind him that Molly isn’t there anymore. Lucas says, if it’s not any of his business, tell him, but why is Molly… TJ says, they separated. She left. Lucas says he’s so sorry, and TJ says, his daughter’s dead and his relationship might as well be, but Ava Jerome just keeps trucking along, path of destruction in her wake. But hey, so what? Lucas says, Ava… and TJ says he shouldn’t be talking like that to Lucas, but Lucas says, it’s fine. They’re not close. TJ can say whatever he wants about her, about anything. TJ says he doesn’t want to be a total downer, and Lucas says, they’re members of the same club. But one thing he’s learned is, you can never predict how people are going to cope with loss. Some people scream, others withdraw, some people kidnap his nephew’s baby and pass it off as they one they adopted. TJ says he hears what Lucas is saying. He just can’t let go of what happened and Molly can. Lucas says, it’s got to be hard for both of them, and TJ says he just feels like Molly is sharing her grief with anyone but him. He’s so angry, he’s terrified it’s going to consume him, so that’s why he’s here today. He wants to work and forget. Lucas says he thinks that might be a bad idea.

Franny says, the lips match the words, but that is not Lois’s voice, and Haven says she thinks they should just move on to another call. Franny says she thinks Lois has changed because she’s there breathing the rarified air of the ritzy Quartermaines. Lois says, they’ve known each other forever. They know each other’s secrets and heartaches. And if the way she’s talking has caused Franny to assume she’s ashamed of where she comes from – she switches to her normal voice – then this fancy pants way of talking has got to go. Brook says, you go, ma, and Lois says she loves her family. All eight million of them, she loves her people. But right now, she loves Franny most of all, because she’s reminded Lois to be proud of who she is, and no matter where she is, she loves where she comes from. Bensonhurst forever. Franny says, that’s my girl, and asks if everybody is seeing this. Lois is back. Lois says, that voice was a cosmetic choice. It was a deception, and the only deception cosmetic choice she should be pushing is Deception Cosmetics. Is Franny still with her? Franny says she is, and Lois says, good, because she knows Franny is one crazy busy woman, and Deception Color Eyes, Cheeks, and Lips is going to be a game changer for her. As Lois continues, Brook looks at her tablet, and Maxie says, tell her how their sales are doing. Brook says, they’re skyrocketing, and Maxie asks when their sales went up. Brook says, when her ma started talking like herself again, and Maxie says, she means their problem this whole time was they should have let Lois be herself? Brook says, it was granny’s idea for Lois to use a professional accent, and Maxie says she’s not going to be the one to tell Tracy that she was wrong. Haven says, it’s so great to have Lois here, and at this time, they want to welcome Pearl’s Picks with their favorite fashion/beauty guru Pearl. Pearl thanks Haven and says, coming up next, her top ten must haves and a deal on the original Deception favorite. She picks up The Deceptor. Can they guess what it is? Haven says she can. The Deceptor. She’s been using The Deceptor and can see real results. Lois says, they love to hear that, and Brook asks Maxie how the sales are now. Maxie says, they surpassed their target number.

Alexis says, when it comes to parenting, Ava is in no position to throw stones. The only reason she’s free today is out of sheer luck. Ric says, twelve impartial jurors decided Ava’s fate today. Not her, not Sonny. They chose to believe his client’s story over her daughter’s. Alexis says, they’re talking about parenting. Oh, she sees where she lost him. He says, that’s what’s really tearing Sonny up, isn’t it? The fact that people chose to believe Ava’s story over Kristina’s. Alexis says, again, not the topic, and Ric says, isn’t it? Sonny walks around like Father of the Year, but they all know, he’s never going to stop being a criminal. And that is why Ava’s daughter is always going to be in danger. Sonny says he’s not discussing his daughter with Ric, but Ric says he’s Ava’s attorney, so he’s afraid Sonny’s got to. Ava tells Sonny, please, be reasonable. Not for her sake, but for Avery’s. He knows how much they love each other. She knows he doesn’t like it, but they do. She’s just asking him to think of their daughter and what she needs.

Kristina says, who the hell is Molly to decide what was an accident? Molly wasn’t there. She fell three stories out of a window. That was her. Molly says, Kristina’s right. She wasn’t there. Kristina says, but Molly still blames her. Molly blames her because she went to Ava’s hotel room, even though Molly told her not to. Molly says, yes. It happened because Kristina confronted Ava. It happened because Ava pulled on her arm. It happened because there was a duffle bag on the floor. Kristina says, no. It happened because Ava pushed her. Molly tells her, so she said, and Kristina says, that’s what happened. Molly says she knows Kristina believes that, but she believes no one is to blame. Blaming Kristina is the same thing as blaming Ava, which is the same thing as blaming the duffel bag. Nobody could have predicted what was going to happen when Kristina went to that hotel room. So she’s sorry, because at times, she’s blamed Kristina. Kristina says, at least that’s good to hear, and Molly tells her that she shouldn’t have said the things she did at Irene’s grave. That wasn’t right. Kristina says, it didn’t help to hear Molly’s dad recount all the painful details while torturing her on the stand, and Molly says she knows. She just wants them to move on. Kristina says, move on? There is no moving on. Molly says she has to. She’s lost her baby. She’s lost her sister. She’s lost… She needs this to be over. She walks away, but Kristina follows her. Kristina says, maybe Molly can stuff it down, but for her, it’s not that easy. Molly tells her that she didn’t say it was, and Kristina says, Molly makes it look easy. Molly says, if Kristina wants to hang on to this anger and bitterness the rest of her life, have fun, but she’s not going to do it. Kristina says, of course (🍷) she’s not. You know why? She’s too afraid to fight for justice for their daughter. Molly says she has been fighting. She’s been fighting for months for Ava to be brought to justice, to survive her own grief to keep from going insane. She’s tired. She just wants… Kristina says she knows what Molly wants. She heard her the first time. She got it. Molly wants peace. Of course (🍷) she does.

Haven thanks Lois and Deception, and Lois thanks Haven for having them again on Home & Heart. Haven says, they’ll see everyone next time… and Lois says she wants to throw one last shout out to her friend, Franny DiFrancenzi. Haven thanks Franny for calling, and Lois says, Franny reminded her, you can take the broad out of Bensonhurst, but you can’t take Bensonhurst out of the broad. Haven says, they’ll see everyone next time on Home & Heart, and the producer says, and we’re out. Haven says, Lois did great, and Lois thanks her. They walk off the set, and Brook says, good news. Maxie says, they sold more in the last twenty minutes than they did in the first forty. They surpassed their target number. Brook says, it’s the best selling Home & Heart segment they’ve ever had. For whatever reason. Lois says she wonders what could have happened in the last twenty minutes, and Haven says she wonders. Whatever it was, Home & Heart loves it. Home & Heart wants more of it. She tells Lois, welcome back, and goes off with the producer. Lois takes the tablet and walks toward the makeup artist. She says, my, my, my, my, my. Would you look at that? Record sales. She tells the makeup artist, how do you like them apples? and walks out with Brook and Maxie.

Trina leaves a message for Ava that she’s sorry, but got stuck finishing her art presentation alone, so she won’t be coming in for the rest of the week. Again, she’s really sorry to let Ava down.

Portia goes to the lab and asks if Brad has a moment. He asks if there’s a problem with the test results, but she says, it was perfect. As a matter of fact, all the work he’s done since he’s been reinstated is exemplary. He says he’s pleased his efforts are living up to GH’s standards, and she says, actually, that’s why she’s here. Maybe she was a little bit hasty in her decision making before. He made some excellent points about improving lab efficiency. So she’s changed her mind. He can go to the symposium.

TJ says, the last time he and Lucas talked, they agreed it’s good to use work to get out of your head, but Lucas says, that was then. Before the verdict came in and before TJ and Molly. What they do requires they be on their game 100%. One wrong move, one bad decision, could put their patients at risk, and right now, with things so raw… TJ says, he can’t work and can’t go home. What is he supposed to do? Lucas suggests they go to the boxing gym. They can spar and hit the bag, blow off some steam. It would be a good outlet for some of TJ’s anger. TJ says, that sounds perfect, but he has a lot of rage right now, and Lucas says, okay, so then just the bag. They laugh, and TJ says he’s just trying to figure out how to navigate all of this loss without Molly. Lucas says, he doesn’t have to do it alone. Not tonight.

Sonny says, Ava can come see Avery tomorrow afternoon. He’ll be there to supervise. Ric says, Sonny has zero grounds supervising, but Ava stops him and says she’ll be there. She looks forward to seeing her daughter. Sonny and Alexis leave.

Molly says she should have known Kristina would never understand, but Kristina says, no. She understands. Alexis and Sonny come into the hallway, and Kristina says, Molly is able to find peace and move on because she was never really Adela’s mother. Alexis jets over and says, Molly… but Molly says she’s done. We’re done. She walks off and Alexis looks at Kristina.

On Monday, Cyrus tells Dex that he wasn’t there to see Lulu on Halloween; Laura says, it’s not going to work; Molly says, if Alexis sides with her, she’ll lose Kristina; Kristina asks if Sonny has any ideas, and Sonny says he just might.

🥀 A Gentleman and a Scholar…

I met him at a convention years ago and he was very gracious and funny. I’m sure he’ll be missed.

https://people.com/thom-christopher-dead-one-life-to-live-star-8757470

🐙 Get Ready For the Game…

Santa is saving one thing for the day after Christmas.

https://www.cbr.com/squid-game-season-2-bts-video-old-new-characters/

Not being trans, I don’t feel this is a viewpoint I can speak to. On the acting side, however, I always think, isn’t that the point of acting? To play something you’re not?

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/squid-game-season-2-transgender-character-casting

🌁 It’s Getting Here…

I’m not sure about their definition of soon though. Spring of next year isn’t exactly tomorrow.

🦇 Shadow Play…

This is pretty funny.

https://ew.com/alexander-skarsgard-reprises-true-blood-role-in-what-we-do-in-the-shadows-8754247

🐾 Random Pawprints…

🐈 A cat walks into a classroom…

https://www.thedodo.com/close-to-home/stray-cat-tombi-joins-izmir-elementary-school

🐶 This is an amazing optical illusion. It took me a minute.

https://www.thedodo.com/daily-dodo/one-eyed-orb-creature-isnt-what-she-seems

🐕 No way would I name my dog something like Cheddar or Velveeta or Charcuterie Board. I can see Nacho for a Chihuahua though.

https://nypost.com/2024/12/03/lifestyle/trendiest-pet-names-of-2024-inspired-by-celebs-shows-and-snacks/

🦜 Quotes of the Week

Nothing changes an opinion faster than gonorrhea. – Loren, 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, Pillow Talk

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

At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent. – Barbara Bush (Or your pets!)

No one should be ashamed to admit they are wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that they are wiser today than they were yesterday. – Alexander Pope

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

It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

I might be hung over, but at least I’m here. – Amy Slaton, 1000-Lb. Sisters

❄️ Be Like Snow…

As trite as it sounds, take time for yourself amid your holiday chores/errands/celebrations over the weekend. Then join me on Monday for soap and Sailing. Until then, stay safe; stay not putting a price on love – it is really the thought that counts; and stay remembering, you can take the broad out of Bensonhurst, but you can’t take Bensonhurst out of the broad.

November 22, 2024 – Michael Meets With Curtis About Aurora, What It Is, Not Dead, Salt Sprinkle, Finally, From Extra, A Valentine, Early Stages, MorePool, 7A, Thanksgiving For Pets (!), X Quotes & Never

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)

General Hospital

At Bobbie’s, Sasha thanks Felicia and Mac for the invite, and Felicia says, it’s long overdue. Sasha says, so this is… Felicia says, their first family gathering, and Mac says, they just wanted to know how she’s doing with… Felicia says, the Cody situation, but Sasha says she really doesn’t want to… Felicia says, and the Robert situation, and Mac asks, how are things going in general?  And he wanted to give her this. He hands Sasha an envelope, and she asks what it is. He says, it’s from her dad.

In the nook, Dante asks the kids to go easy on him. Sasha’s got the day off and he’s no gourmet chef. Rocco says, he couldn’t even get a job at Bobbie’s, and Danny says, it’s breakfast. How bad can it be? Dante says he doesn’t know. You tell me. Rocco has a taste and says, actually, it’s not bad, and Scout says she likes it. The syrup is warm, and he even cut the French toast in little triangles. Dante and Scout high-five, and Danny says, mom told them it tastes the best that way. Jason walks in and sighs.

Trina has headphones on and is dancing around the apartment, when there’s a knock at the door. She doesn’t hear it, so Gio walks in. She turns and sees him and makes a startled squeal.

Michael is lifting the free weights at the gym, when Curtis comes in. Michael thanks Curtis for meeting him, and Curtis says, no problem. Although he was curious why Michael wanted to meet him here at the gym and not at the office. Michael says he wanted to have some privacy, and Curtis says, more private than their offices? Michael says he wants to get straight to the point. Whatever Drew told Curtis, whatever Drew promised him, he won’t be Aurora’s CEO for much longer.

Stella sees TJ at the hospital and says she didn’t expect him to be here today. He says, it’s his day off, but he had some paperwork he needed to catch up on. She says she can see that, but it’s not what she meant. She thought he’d be at the trial. He says he thinks Ava’s trial is the last place he should be.

Ric sees Ava in Bobbie’s courtyard and says, when Ava said she wanted to meet at Bobbie’s, he assumed she meant inside. She says she’s enjoying the fresh air while she can, and he says he told her, she’s going to win. She says, victory is all but certain, as long as she gives her testimony exactly right, and he says, which she will. She says, what if she doesn’t? and he says he doesn’t deal in hypotheticals. She says, all right. Here’s a fact. A baby is dead, and everybody blames her. So he has to be straight with her here. Does he really think she’ll be found not guilty?

Kristina walks into the courtroom and sees Molly. Molly asks if she’s ready, and Kristina says, damn right she’s ready. Molly says, if she’s nervous, they can… but Kristina says she’s not nervous. She knows exactly what to do. Molly says, great. And what exactly is that? Kristina says she’s going to get justice for their daughter, by putting Ava away for good.

Dante suggests they give Danny and Jason a minute and asks if Scout wants to show him that game she was talking about. Scout says, Stratego, and he says, let’s go set it up. She says, Danny is supposed to teach her how to play, and Jason says, he’s the expert? Danny says he’s got it on his phone. He’s obsessed. Jason tells him to go teach his sister how to play and he’ll talk to Danny afterwards. He could actually use some coffee. Danny says, he’ll be here, right? and Jason says he can count on it. The kids leave, and Dante says, they could be a while. Stratego gets a little complicated. Jason says, that’s fine. He wanted to talk to Dante anyway. Dante says, about what? and Jason says he wants to talk to Dante about Danny.

Mac says, Robert gave them the letter to give to Sasha. He didn’t want it to get lost in the Quartermaine mail. Sasha says, makes sense, and Felicia says, Robert was very sorry he had to leave just as they were getting acquainted. Sasha says, had to leave? and Felicia says, he thought he should do everything he can to help Holly. Sasha says, God knows her mother can use all the help she can get, and Felicia says, Sasha has every right to be upset with him leaving. Sasha says, it’s fine. Robert gave her his number and said she could call anytime. Him going away is actually a good thing. It gives her time to get used to the idea of having a father. Felicia says, her father thinks she’s owed an explanation and so do they.

TJ tells Stella that he’s in the process of accepting his loss. He wants to get to the point where he can think of Irene at peace without it causing him pain. Stella says, then he made the right choice, and if paperwork helps him keep his mind off the trial, so be it. He thanks her, but she says she has to ask, where’s Molly today? He says, she’s at the courthouse, and Stella says, Molly is at the courthouse on her own?

Trina says she didn’t even hear Gio knock. She had her music turned to alone-in-apartment level. He says, no kidding. He could hear her out in the hall. She says, he’s starting to sound like her dad. And no, he couldn’t. Gio tells her, saying he’s starting to sound like her dad doesn’t bother him at all. He doesn’t know Curtis very well, but he knows being like him is a huge compliment. As for her performance just now, she was killing it. She thanks him and says, it gets the blood pumping. And it helps her get in the right headspace to take on the day. It’s better without an audience, so please don’t take this the wrong way, but why is he here? He says he hasn’t seen her in a minute, so he just wanted to check in. So except for people showing up at her apartment and scaring her, is she doing okay? She says, other than that, yes and no, and he asks what she wants to start with. Yes, she’s doing okay, or no, not so much.

Molly says, while she’s all for bringing Ava to justice, it’s not going to be that simple, and Kristina says she’s got this. She prepared her testimony, she practiced, she’s going to remain calm on the stand. Molly says, that’s great, because the last thing she wants to come across as is… Kristina says, what? and Molly says, she can’t focus on her anger at Ava. They have to focus on the baby. Kristina says she knows that. The prosecutor has prepped her, and mom has coached her. Alexis told her all of Molly’s dad’s tricks. Molly says, not even their mom knows all of her dad’s tricks. He’s an expert strategist. He’s thought of everything. Including adding her to his witness list. Kristina says, she’s testifying? and Molly says, for the defense.

Ric says, she wants the truth? and Ava says, it’s better she knows in advance. He says, yes, it is. So he’s going to tell her here and now. They’re going to win. He guarantees it. She says, why? Is there new evidence? He says he doesn’t need new evidence, and she says, he paid off the judge. He says, she would have been billed for that, so no, and she says she appreciates his confidence, but they both know dead babies and grieving mothers play better on the stand than the town pariah. He says he’s telling her that he will win this case, because he needs to. He’s not going to let his daughter down.

Felicia asks if Sasha would like some privacy, but Sasha says, no. Please stay. She takes out the letter and reads: Dear Sasha, I’m writing because my brief message wasn’t nearly enough to explain why I had to leave. I’m sure you’ve heard; your mother is in some trouble – again. I’ve gone off with her to settle it – again. I’ll be back in Port Charles as soon as I can. I’m looking forward to getting to know you as my daughter. I hope you can forgive me for leaving on such short notice, and that you can forgive your mother for getting into yet another tricky situation. If you can rely on her to do anything, it’s that. However imperfect we may be, we’re your family. I look forward to seeing you. Take care, darling. Your father, Robert.

Jason tells Dante, in her will, Sam said she wanted Drew to have custody of both of her kids. At the time the will was written, he was presumed dead. Dante guesses that makes a little more sense, and Jason says he just wants to do what’s right by Danny. Dante asks what that looks like, and Jason tells him that Sonny said, fight to keep him. Dante says, of course (🍷), and Jason says he thinks he’s got a good chance of getting custody. Dante says, as he should. He’s Danny’s father. Jason says, but he doesn’t want to take Danny away from his sister or Rocco. At the funeral, he heard what Danny said. The three of them are family. Dante says, those kids love each other, but Jason is Danny’s father. He has to do what he feels is right. Jason says, he just lost his mother. He doesn’t want to take Danny away from his sister, but there’s no way that he’s going to hand Danny over to Drew. Dante asks what he’s going to do, and Jason says he knows what he wants to do, but he feels the right thing is to let Danny choose.

Curtis says he doesn’t know what Michael’s heard, but Drew has been very impressed with his performance at Aurora and has never said anything to him about asking him to step down. Michael says he knows Curtis and Drew are friends, but does Curtis really know who his friend even is? Drew will do anything to get what he wants. Curtis asks what Drew wants according to Michael, and Michael says his wife for one. Curtis says he doesn’t see what this has to do with Aurora or him, and Michael says, Drew tried to buy his silence by offering him Curtis’s job.

TJ tells Stella that he and Molly talked about her going to the trial. He tried to get her to stay home and expressed his concerns that it wouldn’t be healthy. Stella asks what she said, and he says, that she wants to see justice done if she’s going to accept the loss of their child. He gets it. She’s a lawyer. She says, and him being a doctor and knowing the medical facts of that awful day, he wants to stay away. He says he offered to go with her, but she turned him down. Stella doesn’t approve? She says, who is she to pass judgement on his relationship? and he says, it hasn’t stopped her before. She says she is concerned that Molly told him not to come because Molly is going to need him in that courtroom today.

Trina tells Gio, school’s going really great. She loves her classes. He says, all of them? and she says yeah. She has *iconography and she only understands every third word the professor says, but she still really enjoys it. He says he admires her positive attitude, and she says, thanks. She wasn’t always like this. She had to take some time off after Spencer died. He says, she did what she had to do to take care of herself, and she says, it’s what she had to do at the time, but after a while, she started feeling aimless and like she was outside of life, which made her feel even worse. He says, it’s like the difference between being on stage and being in the audience. If he’s on stage playing his violin, he might make a few mistakes while he’s at it, or he could be in the audience and not make any. He’d rather try. She seems like the kind of person who doesn’t just want to watch things happen either. She says, turns out, she’s really not. She’s got a full class load and feels focused and back in it. He says, and even on the days it kind of sucks, she’s still part of the action, and she says, that’s true. But when he says it like that, she kind of sounds like a superhero. He says, the Iron Songbird. She’s indestructible. She sings songs of beauty and justice to the masses. She says, that needs some work, and he says, so, Songbird… She says she’s not doing the Songbird thing, and he says, and? She says, Ava. Today’s Ava’s trial and she has to testify. He says, so does he, but they have nothing to worry about. All they have to do is tell the truth.

(*Iconography: the visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these.)

Kristina says, Molly wasn’t even there when she fell. What could she possibly say? Molly says, her dad might not even call her, but if he does, he’s probably going to ask her about Kristina’s character, the type of person she is. Kristina asks, what type of person is she? and Molly says, intense… passionate, loyal… Kristina says, and? and Molly says, and sometimes she can be impulsive. Kristina says, so she’s hot-headed. That means she deserves to be pushed out a window? Molly says, of course (🍷) not, and Kristina says, okay, what else? Molly says, he might ask her if she blames Kristina for what happened or maybe instances in her past where she’s acted erratically. But whatever he asks, she has to give a true and honest account of the facts. Kristina says, no, she doesn’t, and Molly wonders if Kristina is asking her to lie on the stand. Kristina says, no. She’s saying Molly has to do whatever it takes to get Ava convicted.

Jason says he doesn’t want Danny to feel torn between him and his siblings, and Dante says, Jason’s son is a good dude. He’s got the best of Sam and Jason. Having said that, Danny’s taken some chances Dante wishes he wouldn’t have, but his heart is always in the right place. Jason says he hopes Danny knows he can be honest with him and doesn’t feel he has to say what Jason wants to hear, and Dante says, at the end of the day, it’s Jason’s decision, but he thinks Jason is doing the right thing by involving Danny in the conversation. For the record, Danny respects Jason too much to lie to him. Jason thanks him and says he just doesn’t want to make this any harder on Danny. Dante says he hears that. He’s trying to figure out where he and Rocco are going to live and he has no idea… They hear a crash from the foyer.

Scout looks at a mess of stuff all over the floor, when Danny and Rocco come in. She says, it was an accident, she swears, and Danny says, it’s okay. Rocco says he thought she was just going to set up a board while they finish their video game, and she says she’s sorry. She wanted to play Stratego, but she wanted to make Thanksgiving decorations. Danny says, at the same time? and she says she thought she could carry it all, but it slipped. Rocco asks why she didn’t wait for them. They said they’d be right back. She says she wanted to do it herself. Tracy’s going to be so mad. Rocco says, don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine. Danny says he doesn’t know. How are they going to clean up that paint?

Curtis says he’s having a hard time believing Drew would double-cross him, and Michael says he never thought Drew would come for his family. Curtis didn’t seem surprised about Willow and Drew. Curtis says, they seem fond of each other, but he didn’t think there was more to it than that. Michael says, there is. So Curtis has to ask himself, if Drew has no problem interfering in another man’s marriage, what else is he capable of? Curtis says, Drew asked him to run Aurora. Drew made no promises to him about keeping him on as CEO. Michael says, Curtis thought there was a possibility though, right? and Curtis says, Drew gave him that impression. Michael says, so he has Curtis work his ass off to build up Drew’s company, then turns around and gives it to him, and Curtis asks why Michael is telling him all this. Michael says, because he needs Curtis’s help. If they work together, they can get Drew out of Aurora for good.

Trina says she’s worried that if she tells the truth, the prosecutor will spin it to make Ava look guilty, and Gio says he’s sure she will. It’s her job, just like it’s the defense attorney’s job to spin whatever they say to make Ava look innocent. Trina says, but she is innocent. She knows Gio doesn’t believe that. He says he promises to keep an open mind and let the jury decide. And even if the jury says Ava didn’t push Sonny’s daughter and granddaughter out the window, that’s not the point. She asks how that can be beside the point, and he says, because his point is, she and Ava are friends. She has every right to support her friend. She says she’ll probably be the only one on Ava’s side of the courtroom, and he says, so she’ll have extra room to spread out. And this way, the courtroom artist will get a good look at her. So just make sure she looks serious and compassionate. Trina says she doesn’t know how that’s supposed to look, but she’ll try, and he says, it’s going to be good for the jury to see her standing by Ava, staying loyal to a friend who isn’t super popular right now. Trina says, she really isn’t, and he says, Trina is going to be doing the right thing, not the popular thing, and that’s a sign of good character. She says, he really is starting to sound like her dad.

Ava says, Ric took her case because he believes it’s an accident, but he’s defending the woman his daughter thinks is responsible for her child’s death. He says, but he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt, she’s not at fault. Whether she believes that or not, that’s exactly how he’s going to save his daughter. She says, so he thinks by convincing the jury that it was an accident, he’ll convince her as well, and he says, once Molly hears the testimony and sees the evidence, she’s going to come to the only possible conclusion. And that is, no one was at fault. Ava says, and if she doesn’t? but Ric says, she has to. Otherwise, she’s going to carry all that anger and pain for the rest of her life, and it will eat her from the inside out. She says, it sounds like he’s speaking from personal experience, and he says he knows his daughter, that’s all. Molly may believe that Ava being convicted will give her some kind of closure, but the only real closure in this case is acceptance. Kristina’s fall was an accident. The baby’s death was an accident. There is no one to punish. There is no justice to be exacted. It’s his job to make that clear to the jury, but mostly to his daughter. She says she hopes for both their sakes that his confidence is warranted, but whatever the outcome, does he think Molly will ever really understand why he defended her? He says, Molly may not understand it, but by making sure Ava goes free, he’s giving his daughter her life back.

TJ tells Stella that he and Molly have accepted they have different ways of grieving, so shouldn’t he trust that Molly will tell him what she needs? She says, but what if Molly thinks what she needs is going to hurt him? Then… He says, she’ll let him off the hook and she’ll go to the trial by herself to spare him. She says she just can’t imagine what it’s going to be like for Molly to be in that courtroom without him, and he asks if she thinks he should go. She says she knows it’s going to be painful for him, but with him and Molly together, they’re going to make it through.

Molly tells Kristina that she can’t perjure herself. She’d lose her job and her license. Kristina asks if she said anything about perjury. She didn’t. What she’s saying is, Molly can finesse the truth. She can give context, but be careful with her words. Molly says, if she’s too vague with her answers or dodges the questions, her dad is just going to treat her as a hostile witness. He’s an expert. He’s going to try and lead her exactly where he wants her to go. He’s going to try and get her to say exactly what he wants her to say. Kristina says, and she won’t do that, because she’s just as smart as he is. And because, like her and mom, Molly is one of the last Davis women, and this isn’t about them. It’s about getting justice for their baby girl. So they have to face Molly’s father head-on together and they have to win.

Rocco says, they came here to play Stratego, and Stratego’s about what? Danny says, strategy, and Scout asks how that helps them. Rocco says, they have to come up with one to clean this up, and Scout says, and no one will ever know. Danny says, right. So this is the strategy. He’ll handle the paint explosion, and Scout will gather the game pieces. Rocco says, awesome. He’ll handle the art supplies. Danny says, break on three, and they put their hands together. He says, one, two, three, break! and they throw their hands in the air. Dante and Jason peek into the foyer.

Sasha thanks Mac and Felicia, and Mac says, Robert also wanted her to know he’s doing everything he can to get back as soon as possible. Sasha says, good luck with that. Her mother has a way of spoiling even the best laid plans. Mac tells her, if he says he’s coming back soon, he means it, and Felicia says, in the meantime, they’d like to get to know her better as their niece. Sasha says, after years of being on her own, having a family seems wonderful, and Felicia says she’s glad to hear Sasha say that. Sasha says, growing up, it was mostly her and her grandmother, with occasional drop-ins from her mother. When she was little, they were kind of fabulous. She would drop out of the sky with gifts and incredible stories, but as Sasha grew older, she realized she wanted more from Holly. She wanted a family. Mac says, now she has one, and Felicia says, and not just the occasional breakfast at Bobbie’s. They have an open-door policy. Weekends, holidays… especially holidays. The more, the merrier. Sasha says she’s a little worried the Scorpio holidays might not be so simple. Cody is Mac’s son. Mac says, he is. He’s taken what happened between the two of them very hard. Felicia says, what about Sasha? They know this can’t be easy for her. Sasha says, it’s been impossible. Maybe it’s better for everyone if she just keeps her distance.

Curtis says, Michael wants to run Drew out of his own company, and Michael says, is it really his company though? Curtis says, he founded it, and Michael says, and he vanished shortly afterward. He ran Aurora when Drew was gone, and when Drew was out there running for congress, Curtis was the acting CEO. Curtis says, his point? and Michael says, his point is, they know a hell of a lot more about this company than Drew does. So they should use that knowledge to force him out. Curtis says he gets how this is revenge for Michael, and maybe from his perspective, it’s warranted, but where’s the advantage for him? Michael says, instead of acting CEO, Curtis will get the official title and the power that comes with that, and Curtis says, that’s assuming all of this is true. Michael says, it is true. Drew told him that he’s the most qualified to run Aurora, which means that Drew knows that he knows Drew’s gotten too close to Willow. So Drew offered him the company as a way to make amends. It’s basically a payoff. Drew thinks Michael’s not going to care that he’s going after his wife if he’s distracted with the company and the right letters on his door. It shows how little Drew knows about him. Curtis says, he’s jumping to a lot of conclusions, and Michael says, it’s Curtis’s call. It’s not like Drew is going to fire him. He’s going to keep Curtis on, but he’s never going to be CEO. Not unless they work together.

Ava says she doesn’t care how or why Ric wins, as long as he does, and Ric asks if she’s had enough fresh air. She says, for now, and he says, good. Get used to it. She has a lot of sunny days in her future. They walk out of the courtyard together.

Kristina says, tell her she’s wrong, and Molly says, she’s wrong… usually. But this time, she’s right. She’ll go up there and give as good as she gets, and if she says something damaging about Kristina while under oath, the prosecution can rebut. Kristina takes Molly’s hands and  says, yes. This is about their daughter. They’re going to get through this together for her, for their baby girl. Molly says, for their baby girl, and Kristina says, mom’s going to be here soon. When’s TJ getting here? Molly says, he’s not coming. She can’t ask him to relive what happened to their daughter. She has to be here; he doesn’t. TJ walks in, and Kristina asks if she’s sure about that. Molly turns and sees him.

Dante closes the living room door, and says, he told Jason they make a good team. Jason says, they really do have each other’s backs, and Dante says, now more than ever. Jason says, Sam was right. Those kids need each other. They need to stay together. Dante says, they do. So what does that mean for Jason? Is he going to give Drew custody? Jason sighs.

The kids continue to clean up, when Dante and Jason come out. Dante asks, what happened here? and Danny says, it’s their fault. Scout says she’s sorry, but Jason says, it’s okay, and Dante says, no one’s in trouble. They’re going to help them clean it up. Scout says, what if Tracy walks in before they finish? and Dante says he doesn’t want that to happen either. They’re definitely going to get this done before that, but first, they wanted to talk to the kids about where they’re going to live.

Felicia says, they understand how complicated the situation is with Cody, but the more Sasha lives with it, the more she’ll grow to accept it. Sasha says she tried to tell Cody the same thing. They had a real connection and it’s really hard to put all those feelings aside. To make an overnight switch from almost involved to cousins… The more they live with it, the less awkward it will seem. That’s her theory anyway. Felicia says, that’s a good way to look at it, but Sasha is right. It won’t be easy, but she’ll get there. In the meantime, she and Mac would never ask her to do anything she didn’t want to do. Mac says, if she needs time to get to know them, they’ll respect that, and Felicia says, and always know she has an aunt and uncle. If she needs anything, call them. If her car battery dies, call Mac for a jump. Mac says, you do that. And when Felicia makes Sunday dinner, they’ll have a place set for her, but she gets to decide if and when she shows up. Felicia says, zero pressure, but Mac says he has to warn her, when she does decide to start coming, Felicia might suggest she bring dessert. But don’t worry. Store bought is just fine. Felicia says, they mean it. Take all the time she needs. Sasha thanks them. She’s overwhelmed. Felicia asks if she has some concerns, and Sasha says she does. And they’re not just about Cody. She’s worried she won’t be the niece they expect. Felicia says, they consider Holly family. Does she really think they can’t roll with the surprises? Sasha says, it’s just that she’s never had family like this before, and Felicia says, now she does. And they’re not going anywhere.

Curtis says, this is a big step, and not just professionally. Drew’s his friend. Ordinarily, he’d say he knows Drew better than he knows Michael. Michael says, he’d be wrong. Drew is only out for Drew. To be fair, he thinks that sending Curtis back to head the division he built in the first place isn’t a double-cross. He sees it as a lateral move. What does Curtis think about that? Curtis says he thinks Michael cares a hell of a lot less about his position at Aurora than Michael cares about what is or isn’t happening with Drew and Willow. Michael says, they’re lying to him. He knows what they did. And he also knows Drew is stringing Curtis along. Curtis says, the fact that Michael is out for revenge is not inspiring a lot of confidence, and Michael says, Curtis cannot remain CEO without his help. Curtis says, okay. Michael says that Drew offered him the job. What happens if he turns it down? Michael says, Drew wants someone with C-suite experience. No matter what he does, Drew isn’t going to keep Curtis on. He’s sure Drew will keep him on as CEO until he’s sworn into congress on January 3rd. He needs to put all of his assets into a blind trust. Then he’s going to look Curtis in the eyes and smile at him and say, thank you for a job well done. Then when he’s safely squared away in DC, he’ll send Curtis back to Wellness. Curtis says, maybe, but Michael says, it’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when. Let’s face it, you and I are in the same position. Are we really going to let Drew get away with this?

Gio puts Trina’s headphones back on her head and turns on the music. She dances around, but says, they’re not doing the Songbird thing. He laughs and dances with her.

Molly hugs TJ and asks if he’s sure he wants to be here. He says, whatever happens here today, they’re facing this together. He loves her. She says she loves him too, when Ava and Ric walk in. Kristina and Molly look at Ava.

Jason says, the main thing is that the kids stick together because they’re a family, and Dante says, and they know Sam wanted them to be together. Rocco says, how’s that going to work? They’re… Dante says he knows they’re not related, but Jason and he talked and came to the conclusion that no matter where they are, they want them to be in each other’s lives. Danny asks how they’re going to make that happen. Is it even possible? Rocco says, isn’t Drew going to go to Washington? Isn’t Scout going to have to live with him? Scout says she doesn’t want to live in Washington. She already told her dad, and he said it was okay, that she could stay here, and he could commute. Jason says, that’s one problem solved, and Dante says he’ll talk to Monica about him and Rocco staying on here with these punks. Danny says, what about Jason? and Jason says he’s going to move back here too, so he can live with Danny. Danny hugs him.

Curtis says he’s not going to turn his back on a friend. At least not on Michael’s word alone. Michael says, all right. If Drew decides to keep Curtis on and changes his mind, Curtis has his full support. Curtis says, but Michael doesn’t think he will, and Michael says, no, he doesn’t. He’s sorry. Curtis says, it’s a lot to think about. If Drew does give the CEO position away to someone else, then he and Michael will talk.  Michael says, that’s all he asks, and Curtis says, but let’s be clear. Michael is upset. He has every right to be furious at Drew, but he’s operating out of revenge, and that’s not the way Curtis does business. Michael says, all the more reason why Curtis should remain CEO. He’ll be expecting Curtis’s call, but he should be careful. Because when he finally sees Drew for who he really is, it might be too late. Curtis says he has his eyes open, and Michael leaves.

Kristina sits down and glares at Ava. Ava looks at her and then turns around.

In the hallway, Ric says he called Molly last night, and she says she saw, but she was too busy looking at that subpoena he had thrown in her face. He says he was hoping she’d give him a minute to explain, and she says she would have, if he’d reached out before sending a process server. He says he had no other choice, but she says, there were other ways to mount his defense. He didn’t need to list her as a witness. TJ flies over to her side and says, Ric called Molly to testify on Ava’s behalf? Ric says, it’s his responsibility to defend his client, but TJ says, no. It’s a lawyer’s responsibility. Molly says, and it didn’t have to be his, and she and TJ walk into the courtroom.

Sasha says, thanks so much for the breakfast and the letter and everything, and Felicia says, it was their pleasure. Mac says, absolutely, and Sasha says, there is one thing they should know about her… She will never bring a store-bought dessert. They laugh, and Felicia says, told ya.

Sasha leaves, and outside Bobbie’s, she takes a pregnancy test out of her purse.

On Monday, Drew tells someone that they’re the future, not Curtis; Curtis tells Jordan that this has to stay between them; Ric says, by the time this trial is over, they’ll know that beyond a shadow of a doubt; and Cyrus tells Lulu, don’t worry. He’ll take care of her.

🩺 A Report On the Report…

I’m leaning toward the Cyrus theory, but you never know with this show. He could just be a red herring.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/what-is-digitalis-and-how-did-it-kill-sam-on-general-hospital

🧴 Glad To Hear It…

God forbid he should be away from social media for a minute.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-adam-huss-promises-hes-not-dead

🧂 Beyond the Salted Rim…

I’ll pass on the lavender ice cream.

https://pagesix.com/2024/11/20/entertainment/rhoslc-star-mary-cosby-reveals-truth-behind-fallout-with-meredith-marks/

💸 Surprised Not Surprised…

Not surprised they’re divorcing. Surprised it took so long.

🐦‍⬛ Look Out For That Tree…

This guy’s reviews are the best, but he hadn’t posted until midweek, so it got left out. Be sure to check out his vlog on YouTube.

🐝 What’s the Buzz…

Aww. A Valentine’s gift.

Geez. Why don’t we go back to Lord of the Flies while we’re at it.

https://ew.com/yellowjackets-accused-of-ripping-off-2015-film-eden-lawsuit-8746649

🐉 Standing Corrected…

I honestly thought they were just blowing smoke about this.

https://ew.com/game-of-thrones-movie-in-development-early-stages-hbo-warner-bros-8738039

🦸‍♂️ Everybody’s Favorite Merc…

He coulda been a contender. I actually think this is a brilliant idea.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/deadpool-and-wolverine-mcu-canon

I wonder how many years before we see this one… if we see this one.

https://comicbookmovie.com/deadpool/deadpool-wolverine/rumor-we-may-know-when-the-deadpool-wolverine-sequel-will-be-released-by-marvel-studios-a214594

Yes! It’s just what we need this holiday season.

https://comicbookmovie.com/deadpool/deadpool-wolverine/deadpool-and-wolverine-star-ryan-reynolds-appears-to-confirm-plans-for-a-new-holiday-special-a214683

🍼 Forgotten Watch…

I forgot I watched this last weekend. Apartment 7A equals Rosemary’s Baby plus The Omen plus A Chorus Line plus Diane Weist doing her best Ruth Gordon impersonation. It wasn’t awful, but you might be better served at watching the original films it sampled from. And when are these people going to learn that you don’t get an NYC floor-through apartment for $5 a month?

🦃 Thanksgiving, Not Just For Pilgrims Anymore…

For those who are cooking turkey. My advice, better safe than sorry. Get your pets something special, but don’t give them any of the Thanksgiving dishes for people.

https://people.com/thanksgiving-foods-safe-for-pets-dogs-8750505

For those who want to save a turkey. I’m not a vegetarian, but personally, I bypass the turkey, which I can eat anytime, for the more once-a-year type stuff.

https://people.com/rescue-turkey-loves-listening-to-taylor-swift-8749817

For those who want to dress their dog like a turkey.

https://www.coohom.com/article/diy-thanksgiving-dress-up-dogs

For those who want to see dogs and cats dressed like turkeys.

https://people.com/pets/gobble-gobble-thankful-cats-and-dogs/

🦉 Quotes of the Week

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

Your dream is a reality that is waiting for you to materialize. Today is a new day. Don’t let your history interfere with your destiny. Learn from your past so that it can empower your present and propel you to greatness. – Steve Maraboli

Don’t call me a bitch when I’m upset. – Shekinah Garner, 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way

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

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the eons, it’s that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it. – Rick Riordan

My songs will pass and be forgotten. What counts, however, is that I sang them. – Father Andrew Greeley

The one that stirs the pot should lick the spoon. – Chris Combs, 1000-lb sisters (I’m not quite sure what he means by this, but it sounds about right.)

I could iron now for days. I love to iron. – a grandmother after smoking weed for the first time. She inhaled. – from The Daily Skimm

Of course I’m taking this seriously. I’m coming to Poland, aren’t I?Joe Coan, 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days

If your goal is to enjoy some genuine joie de vivre this holiday season, keep in mind that the simplest acts of generosity, connection, and self-care can offer the biggest rewards. – 11 Ways to Experience Holiday Joy

🌽 Bountiful Harvest…

Experience something new this weekend and stop by on Monday for soap and Sailing. Until then, stay safe, stay shopping early if you’re hosting Thanksgiving (not the day before), and stay knowing that sometimes the only real closure is acceptance.

November 15, 2024 – Drew Asks Ric To Broker a Deal, Still Leaving, Upcoming Watches, Last Penguin, Wicked Bond, They’re the Top & Tale

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny punches the heavy bag, when Lucky walks in and asks what that bag ever did to him. Sonny says, it’s good to see him. Is he here to spar? Lucky says, actually, he was looking for Sonny, and Sonny asks, why? What happened? Lucky says he just wanted some advice, but doesn’t want to interrupt Sonny’s workout. Sonny suggests Lucky join him. He’s sure Lucky is itching to hit something. Lucky says, that doesn’t sound so bad, and Sonny tells Lucky to get some gloves out of his office and he’ll meet him in the ring. Lucky says, sounds like a plan.

Jordan sees Elizabeth at the hospital, and Elizabeth asks if she’s looking for TJ. Jordan says she was here on city business, but now that it’s out of the way, she wanted to check on how Lulu was doing. Elizabeth says she’s happy to report Lulu is stable and improving, and Jordan says, that’s great news. Ever since Lulu’s surgery, Laura seems a bit lighter. Elizabeth says she’s sure Laura is overjoyed with how it went, and Jordan says, she is, but her joy is definitely tempered. Elizabeth says, because of what happened with Sam, and Jordan says, Laura is devastated that Sam died saving her daughter’s life.

Terry thanks Isaiah for waiting, and he says, no problem. He just wishes he knew what he was waiting for. Terry says, of course (🍷). Let’s get to it. Frankly, she thought he’d have some idea of why he’s here, and he asks if there’s a problem with Lulu Spencer’s recovery.

Felicia says, it must be important for Anna to call her to come to the office at this hour, and Anna says she thinks it is. Felicia says, so tell her. She’s dying to know. Anna says, Robert’s leave of absence. He cc’d Mac on the email. Did Mac tell her? Felicia says, they figured Robert was finally taking that well-deserved holiday, and Anna says she wishes. Felicia says, that’s not what’s going on? and Anna asks who she thinks is in a world of trouble again. Felicia says, Holly? and Anna says, Holly. And she left town at the same time as Robert. So what are the chances he’s going to have a relaxing holiday?

Poor Jason is just trying to have a beer, when Carly knocks at his door. She says, Kristina said she’d seen him walking through the diner and it looked like he’d been in an accident. What happened? He says he’s fine, and she says she doesn’t know why she bothers asking him anything when he always gives her the same answer. He says he told her, he’s fine, but she says she asked him, what happened? She’s not leaving until he tells her. He says he got into a fight with Drew, and she says, what? Why? He says he had his reasons, and she asks what he means. He says, all she needs to know is that Drew got everything he deserved. (Well, not everything, but it’s a start.)

Drew opens the door to Ric and thanks him for coming by so soon. Ric asks, what happened to him? Drew says, a minor accident, and Ric says, Nina mentioned there was an altercation. Is that the minor accident he’s talking about? Drew says, yeah. He and his brother Jason had a disagreement. Ric asks if that’s why his face looks like this. Please tell him that they’re pressing charges.

Elizabeth says she knows how Laura feels. Sam’s death was tragic. She’s just relieved Lulu is improving. It’s truly a miracle. And they’re awfully lucky that Dr. Gannon agreed to do the surgery. Jordan says, he really came through? and Elizabeth says, she seems surprised… pleasantly surprised, but still. Jordan says she knew Isaiah was confident, mostly from him, but maybe a little overconfident. Elizabeth says, turns out his confidence was justified. The OR nurses are singing his praises, and they’re not easily impressed. Jordan says, he’s done dozens of these procedures before. It must have been fairly routine for him. Elizabeth says, the complications with Lulu’s surgery made it anything but routine. Most surgeons wouldn’t even attempt a transplant. Jordan says she guesses he is as good as he says, and Elizabeth says, not only was he successful, he made it look easy. Jordan says, it sounds like the OR nurses aren’t the only ones impressed with Dr. Gannon’s surgical skills, and Elizabeth says, let’s just say when all eyes were watching, Dr. Gannon proved himself to be a very talented surgeon. Jordan says, from what she’s heard from Elizabeth and the mayor, it certainly seems so.

Isaiah says, they want to hire him? and Terry hands him an envelope, saying, here’s their offer. She thinks he’ll find it quite generous. Plus, the odds of him being kidnapped by a homicidal warlord are somewhat smaller. He laughs and says, when he got her call, he thought there was a problem with Lulu’s recovery. She says she’s sorry she wasn’t more direct on the phone. Honestly, she thought he’d be expecting the offer. He says, not at all. He doesn’t know what to say. She tells him that he doesn’t have to say anything right now. Think hard about the offer before he makes a decision. Go over the information in the packet, then come to her if he has any questions. If there’s anything they missed… He says he won’t be shy, and she says, good. Because they’re willing to do whatever it takes to keep him at GH.

Drew asks, why the enthusiasm? and Ric says, let it suffice to say, he and Jason can’t stand each other. Drew says, because Jason works for his brother, and Ric says, all Drew needs to know is, his and Jason’s mutual antipathy makes him the perfect person to represent him. Drew asks if that means the attorney/client privilege is in effect, and Ric says, absolutely. (Doesn’t he have to give a retainer first, even if it’s a dollar?) Drew says, then there’s something Ric needs to know. He leads Ric into the living room and closes the door. He says, the reason that Jason attacked him is because he’s had some involvement with Michael’s wife Willow, and Ric says, define involvement. Drew says, all Jason knows is that he and Willow kissed, and Ric says he already knows that. Drew says he told Michael when Ned was trying to blackmail him. Ric says, so Ned decides to leverage this information, then Drew decides to neutralize him by coming clean to Michael. That took some brass. Drew says, Michael must have told Jason about the kiss and then this happened, and Ric says, so they’ve got blackmail and assault. Drew must want justice. Drew says he wants this to end – tonight. He doesn’t want to get the police involved and he has no desire to press charges. Ric says, then why is he here? and Drew says he needs Ric to broker a deal with Jason. He needs to understand that Drew is willing to put this behind them if Jason will stay quiet about what he knows.

Carly says, if Jason’s not going to tell her why he got in a fight with Drew, can he at least tell her what happened? Jason says, he came in the house. I hit him. He hit me back. I hit him again. End of story. She says, the house where Drew lives? and Jason says he was waiting for Drew when he got home. She says, he got into a fight with Drew at the Quartermaines with Danny and Scout upstairs?

Elizabeth asks if Terry’s got a second, and Terry says, sure. What’s up? Elizabeth says she just saw Dr. Gannon leaving Terry’s office. Is there something Terry wants to share with her? Terry says she’s shocked that the head nurse would ask such probing questions about a confidential matter, and Elizabeth says she’ll shut the door. Terry says, promise she’ll keep this to herself, and Elizabeth says she promises. Terry says she just offered Dr. Gannon a position at General Hospital, and Elizabeth says, that’s awesome. Terry says, it will be if he takes it. He didn’t seem so sure when he left her office. Elizabeth says, give him time, and Terry says, if he does accept, she’s sure Lucky will be glad his bestie is staying in Port Charles… Did she say something wrong? Elizabeth says, Dr. Gannon may end up sticking around, but Lucky’s already looking for his next adventure.

Sonny and Lucky spar in the ring, and Sonny asks, what’s on his mind? Lucky says, what’s on his mind is, what is he doing here? and Sonny says, getting his butt kicked. Lucky says he means, what is he doing in Port Charles? This is his home, but he already feels like moving on again. They finish sparring, and Sonny says, anywhere in particular? Lucky says he was thinking of heading back to Somalia… somewhere else in Africa. Somewhere he can do the most good. Sonny says, Lucky worked with the surgeon who operated on Lulu, and Lucky says, yeah. Isaiah Gannon. He’s a friend. Sonny says, Lucky did some good stuff. It took a lot of guts. Lucky says, or he’s an idiot. That’s also a possibility. Sonny says, he’s not an idiot, and Lucky says, it’s a good thing he did what he did for Lulu anyway, right? Sonny says, now he wants to go? and Lucky says, when he’s out there in the world, he feels like he has purpose. He wakes up every day and knows he’s doing something that matters even if nothing happens that day. Sonny says, he can be there just in case, and Lucky says he’s protecting people who are saving lives. He happens to be good at it. Sonny says he guesses it gives Lucky the purpose he’s craving, and Lucky says, if he happens to be somewhere where he makes a difference. Sonny says, it sounds like he’s already made his decision, and Lucky says he wishes it were that easy. Sonny says, it’s not? and Lucky says, all those other times when he went away, he left his family behind. Sonny says, and he doesn’t know if he can do that again.

Anna says she thinks Robert going off with Holly was her fault, and Felicia asks, how? Anna says, Holly came here and said she was leaving, and she encouraged Holly to go say goodbye to Robert, never thinking she’d leave with him. Felicia says, the timing could be better, especially for Sasha, and Anna says she’s not surprised at Holly, but Robert could have stayed for his daughter. Felicia asks if Sasha is the only reason Anna is upset that he left town, and Anna says, yeah. Why? Felicia asks how Anna feels about him leaving town, and Anna says she loves Robert. She wants him to be happy. Felicia says, even with Holly? and Anna says, if she makes him happy, sure. Felicia asks what she’s hiding, and Anna says, Holly has gotten herself in trouble with some very dangerous, powerful people, and she does need someone to protect her. Felicia says, and who better? and Anna says, Robert is obviously going to clean up whatever mess she’s in, and they’ll fall into each other’s arms… Felicia says, it sounds romantic, and Anna says, that’s the problem. Robert will ride to her rescue and then they’ll fall into each other’s arms and Robert will think, this is it. Finally, it’s going to last. And then… Felicia says, disaster… heartbreak, and Anna says, Holly will start lying again and stealing and conning. And once again she’ll find a reason to avoid making a real commitment to Robert.

Ric says he understands why Drew is hesitant to press charges. He wants to avoid a scandal. Drew says he can weather a scandal, but Willow shouldn’t have to, and Ric says, noble, but has he considered a jail cell is a better place for Jason? Drew says, Jason needs to be at Sam’s funeral tomorrow. His son needs him there. Ric says, fine. They can wait until after the funeral. But Nina said a PCPD detective lives here. Drew says, Detective Chase, and Ric says, sooner or later, he’s going to find out what happened, and he’s going to want to go by the book. Drew says he’ll talk to Chase. He’ll tell him that it was just a personal misunderstanding, a personal disagreement that got out of hand, and the police don’t need to be involved. Ric says, to protect Willow, and Drew says, the Willow situation is taken care of. What he needs from Ric is to convince Jason to take his offer. Ric says, which is? and Drew says he won’t press charges as long as Jason keeps his mouth shut about him and Willow. Ric says, unfortunately, he’s not going to be able to do this, and Drew says, why not? Ric says, because Drew’s not being straight with him. He needs all of the facts. Drew asks what Ric would say if he told him that he’s never going to, and Ric says, then he’s afraid he can’t represent Drew. Drew says, okay, the whole truth. He and Willow slept together.

Jason says, the kids were asleep, and Carly asks how he knew they wouldn’t come downstairs, especially if they woke up to the sound of their fathers punching each other. He says, that’s a really big what if, and she says, if they would have come downstairs and seen their fathers fighting each other, does he know how badly that would have messed them up? He says, there wasn’t time for them to see anything, and she says, he’s all Danny has left. He can’t do things like this anymore, no matter how much he thinks Drew deserves it. (She’s no fun.) He says he cares about the kids, but this needed to happen, and she says, really. It needed to happen. The night before Sam’s funeral. He says, yes.

Elizabeth tells Terry that she said she was upset and Lucky asked what good he was to Aiden. Terry says she thought things were going well between those two, and Elizabeth says, they’ve been great. That’s why she didn’t understand why he said that. Terry says, maybe he feels like he’s no good to anybody, and Elizabeth says, but why? Terry says, he came all this way to help Lulu, only to find out he couldn’t. That had to have done a number on his head. Elizabeth says, but since then, he’s been a support to his mom, he convinced Isaiah to do the surgery, he’s stepped up with Aiden. Terry says, no issues with Aiden coming out to him? and Elizabeth says, none. He’s totally given Aiden time and space, and shown him nothing but love and support. Terry says, he doesn’t sound like a guy ready to bail, and Elizabeth says, except that Lucky and Aiden are getting closer. And when things get real, Lucky takes off. She shouldn’t have been surprised. Terry says, she has every right to be angry with Lucky, but Elizabeth says she’s not angry with him. She’s angry with herself. Terry asks, why? and Elizabeth says, because she let herself believe this time would be different. This time, Lucky might stay.

Lucky punches the heavy bag, and Sonny says, so if he goes back to Africa, is somebody going to be waiting for him there? Lucky says, like a girlfriend? but Sonny says, no. He’s just saying, if Lucky gets on a plane tonight and he landed there, would there be a job waiting for him? Lucky says, no. He just kind of jumps in where he’s needed. Sonny says, if no one’s waiting, then what’s the rush? and Lucky says he doesn’t know. He’s restless. He needs to be useful. Sonny says, maybe his mom needs him to be useful, but Lucky says he’s sure she doesn’t need him. Sonny says, she came very close to losing her daughter. Now tell him about Lulu. Lucky says, she’s doing better, but odds are she’s not going to be waking up anytime soon. Sonny says he thought Lucky loved bad odds, but Lucky says, not when it comes to the people he loves. Sonny says, maybe those people want him around and need his help, and Lucky says he’ll make sure to visit more. Sonny says he knows Lucky means that, and Lucky says, Sonny doesn’t think he will? Sonny says, it took him so long to come back here, right? How is his son doing? Lucky says he knows what Sonny is doing. Aiden is used to not having him around. Sonny says, that’s not a great thing, is it? and Lucky says he can’t be in a place where he doesn’t have anything to offer. What is he supposed to do in Port Charles? Dig ditches? Sonny says, there are other options, and Lucky says, like what? He’s not going to be a cop again. His dad warned him about joining the force and he should have listened to him. Sonny says, maybe, and Lucky says he doesn’t know what he was thinking back then. He thinks he was just looking for a place to fit in. Sonny says, and he doesn’t? and Lucky says, if what he’s looking for isn’t here, why should he stay?

Isaiah comes downstairs, reading the offer, when Jordan approaches him. She says, Dr. Isaiah Gannon, and he says, Deputy Mayor Ashford, and hides the papers behind his back. She says she takes it his ears were burning, and he says, why this time? She says she sees his ego is still intact and he asks if she thought it wouldn’t be. Was she looking for him? She says she was actually here checking on her boss’s daughter. Elizabeth said he did a great job with her surgery. He thanks her and she says she’ll let him get back to whatever it is he was doing. He says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to be rude. She says, he wasn’t. She sees he’s not taking compliments very well… He says he’s just dealing with something unexpected, and brings out the papers. She says, bad news? and he says, Dr. Randolph offered him a position here. She says, congratulations. That’s great. Is he going to take it? He says, probably not.

Carly asks what Jason is going to do now, and he says, about what? She says, let’s start with Sam’s funeral tomorrow. He says he’ll be there, and she says, how does he know Drew won’t have the police there? He says, Drew won’t be getting the police involved, but she says, he doesn’t know that. He says, yes, he does, and she says, what if he’s wrong? He says he’s not, and she asks if there were any witnesses who saw him attack Drew. He nods, and she says, they could go to the police. He could be arrested. The DA could press charges. He says, Drew won’t let that happen, and she says, Drew may not have any choice in the matter. Jason could be arrested, he could go to jail, and he could be tried. And every single thing he’s done could be called into question. He says, it’s a risk he had to take, and she says, and he won’t tell her why. He shakes his head and says, no, and she says, okay. She heads for the door, and he asks where she’s going. She says she’s going to go fix his mess, and leaves.

Ric says, so the truth is, Jason attacked Drew because he slept with Michael’s wife, and Drew says, Jason doesn’t know they slept together. Nobody does. (This guy is a creeper and stupid. It’s a big house with 5000 people living in it. Nosy people and children. Anybody could know it.) Ric asks if he’s sure about that, and Drew says, absolutely. He and Willow are the only two people who know about that. Ric takes out his phone and starts snapping pictures of Drew’s face, and Drew asks what he’s doing. Ric says, his face is evidence, but Drew says, they don’t need evidence. He just needs Ric to make this thing go away. Ric says, the statute of limitations for assault in New York is five years. Drew might not always be a politician, but Jason will always be his brother, and he is relentless. Drew says, Jason got what he came for, and Ric asks if he honestly doesn’t think Jason is biding his time so he can come back and actually attack Drew again. Drew says, it’s not his style, and Ric tells him, so says the man who got sucker punched. Drew says, is Ric going to do what he asked or not? and Ric says, fine. He’ll talk to Drew’s brother, but Drew needs to listen to him and be prepared. Drew says, for? and Ric says, there’s a very good chance that this attempt to muzzle Drew’s brother is only going to piss him off more. So if Drew won’t reconsider and put Jason in prison where he belongs, at least he’ll be ready for what comes next.

Felicia says, Robert and Holly may finally get their happily ever after, and Anna asks, what makes this time different from all the others? Felicia says, this time, they have a daughter, and Anna says, they’ve had a daughter for decades, but yes, Robert didn’t know about it until now. Felicia says, now he does and now they’re a family, which means Robert didn’t just leave to save Holly. He left to save Sasha’s mother, which makes all the difference in the world. Anna says, Felicia’s been doing a lot of babysitting, hasn’t she? and calls her Pollyanna. Felicia says she likes that, and she does hope for the best. Anna asks if she doesn’t think she’s going a bit overboard, but Felicia says she doesn’t. Although she is a little worried about Sasha. She may feel like she’s been left behind. Anna says, it’s not like she’s been abandoned at daycare. She’s a fully grown adult. Felicia says, that doesn’t mean you still can’t be hurt by your parents’ actions, and Anna says she’s just not sure that they’re gone forever. Maybe with Holly, but Robert has a daughter. He’ll want to build a relationship with her. Felicia says she knows that, and Anna knows that, but Sasha doesn’t know that.

Sonny says, if Lucky is looking for a job, that’s not a problem. Lucky’s father was his best friend. He’s always going to look out for Lucky. Lucky says, that’s why he’s here, and Sonny says he knows a lot of people who could use Lucky’s skills. Lucky says he appreciates that more than he can say, but with all the respect in the world, it would have to be legit. Sonny says, Lucky’s mother would have his head and he’s already on thin ice. Lucky says, she’s the last person you want to piss off, and Sonny says, doesn’t he know it. Lucky says he appreciates the offer, but… Sonny says, Lucky would be doing him a favor, but if he doesn’t want to be somewhere, don’t stay because other people want him to. Lucky says, it’s kind of selfish, isn’t it? and Sonny says, maybe, but maybe it’s time for him to move on.

Isaiah says he had no plans to return to surgery. He operated on Lulu because her brother asked him to. Jordan says, despite doing a brilliant job? and he says, there are plenty of surgeons who could have done it just as… almost as brilliantly. She says, how many? Thousands? Tens of thousands? He laughs and says, in this country? About five hundred. She says, so not many, minus him, and he says, when he was in Africa, he was making a difference, treating people no one would help. Fixing broken bones, treating contagious diseases, vaccinating people for everything from measles to meningitis. People who were marking their time a year ago will live to see their grandchildren. She says, he’s passionate about his work. She respects that, but there doesn’t need to be a transplant specialist to administer vaccines. He says, but you have to be willing to go to the people who need you, and she says, there are doctors for that. And as a transplant recipient, she would hate to see him waste his skills. He says, right now he’s trying to wrap his head around staying in Port Charles or being useful elsewhere. She says, he wants to be where he can do the most good, save the most lives, and he says, exactly. She says, considering he’s the best surgeon in the country – according to him anyway – wouldn’t that be the OR? Have a good night. She walks away and he ponders this.

Drew is about to go upstairs, when there’s a knock at the door. He opens it to Carly, and she says, oh my God. His face. Has he been to General Hospital to get checked out? He says, let’s just cut to the chase. They both know why she’s here. To protect Jason.

Lucky says, no matter what he thinks he should do, it feels wrong. He’ll see Aiden or his mom or Lulu, and think, yeah, a little more time. Then everything inside him starts screaming for him to leave. Sonny says, then go, and Lucky says, but when he decides to do that, checking flights and message boards to see where he might end up, he feels guilty for even looking. So here he is. Sonny says he wishes he could tell Lucky what to do, and Lucky says him too. Sonny says, be your own man, like your father. Whatever Lucky decides to do, he’ll support him. Lucky says, Sonny doesn’t think he’d be running away again? but Sonny says, the way he sees it, Lucky is going back to a life he built himself. It’s his home. No wonder he wants to go back. Lucky says, so no matter what he does, it’s the right choice? and Sonny tells him that he doesn’t know if that’s what he said, but listen to him. Lucky needs to be honest about why he’s going. He needs to be honest with his son and he needs to be honest with his mother, but especially with himself. Lucky’s phone buzzes, and Sonny asks if he has someplace he has to be. Lucky says he has to meet someone, but thanks for hearing him out, and Sonny says he’s just putting it out there, but he really needs a sparring partner, so he hopes Lucky sticks around. Lucky gives Sonny a nod and leaves.

Elizabeth says she just realized why she’s upset about Lucky leaving. After all these years, he still has this effect on her. Terry says, she still cares about him, and Elizabeth says, he can be such a great guy. When he’s not wrapped up in his own angst and turmoil, and he’s not wanting to be anyplace other than where he is. Terry says, otherwise, he’s great, and Elizabeth says, he can be really charming, and kind, and warm, and fun. It’s been really nice watching Aiden get to know that side of him. Terry says, which will make it that much worse when he leaves again, and Elizabeth says, and he always leaves. She feels like such an idiot for getting her hopes up, for imagining what it would be like for Aiden to have a father and for her to have… a co-parent. Terry says, a co-parent and a partner, but Elizabeth says, no. That’s over. What’s done is done. Terry says, she just admitted she still cares about him, and Elizabeth says, it’s because of those crazy mixed-up feelings that she let herself believe somehow, they could be a family.

Ric goes to Jason’s room and Jason asks what he wants. Ric says he’s here to offer Jason a deal, and Jason says, a deal for what? Ric says he’s going to draw up an NDA. Jason is never to speak of why he attacked Drew Quartermaine, and in exchange, Drew won’t press charges. Jason says, if Drew wanted to press charges, he’d be in jail, and Ric says, the statute of limitations is five years. Jason says he’ll wait, and Ric says, it’s a golden deal. Take it. Jason says, no thank you, and Ric says his client is very concerned about the well-being of Jason’s son Danny. Jason says, Ric doesn’t talk about his son, and Ric says, or what? Drew had a great deal of empathy and kindness, more than he’d recommend. Drew’s willing to let Jason off the hook. Jason says, and Ric must be so disappointed, and Ric says, if it were up to him, he wouldn’t hesitate to put Jason away.

Carly says she’s here because, despite their differences, Jason and Drew are still brothers, but Drew says she doesn’t have to play the brother card. He’s already made the decision not to press charges. She says, good, because Jason needs to be there for Danny tomorrow, and Drew says, maybe he should have thought of that before he committed another felony. Carly says she told him the same thing. She knows Drew is upset, understandably. She’s going to go so he can get some rest. He says, she’s not going to ask why Jason attacked him? and she says, that’s between the two of them. She doesn’t need to get involved. He laughs and says, she’s always involved, especially when it comes to Jason, so admit it. She came here to ask him not to press charges. She says, because Jason needs to be at Sam’s funeral tomorrow, and he says, so he’ll wait until after the funeral and then press charges. Is that all right?… He thought so. She tells him that she didn’t say anything, but he says, when it comes to Jason, she doesn’t need to. She will take Jason’s side and stand by him no matter what. She says she still holds Jason accountable, and he says, since when? This is why they split up. They split up because she’ll take Jason’s side over him, over anyone. She says, he never gave her a chance to prove him wrong, and he says, because their relationship was over the second Jason came back to Port Charles. And now Jason attacked him, unprovoked, with their children upstairs, and she’s still defending him. She always will.

Felicia tells Anna, Sasha didn’t just gain a father. Sasha got Mac and her and Maxie and her children and Robin. She’s a Scorpio. Anna says she’s a former member of the Scorpio clan, but Felicia says, there are no former members. Only forever members. Anna says, that might be a lot for Sasha. She’s never had many relatives. She might not know what having a family means. Felicia says, it’s time that changed.

Terry asks if Elizabeth has shared these feelings with Lucky, and Elizabeth says, if her feelings mattered, he wouldn’t have left Port Charles in the first place. And he would have been present for their son. Terry says, so what is she going to do? and Elizabeth asks, what can she do? She just has to accept him for who he is. Terry says, and? and Elizabeth says, and she’s going to tell him that he can’t keep her and Aiden in limbo like this. They can’t just spend their days wondering if he’s going to stay in Port Charles or up and leave again. Terry says, it’s not fair to Aiden or her, and Elizabeth says, no, it’s not. So she will tell Lucky, if he’s not going to stay and make a life here, then he needs to go.

Lucky walks into the hospital, and Isaiah thanks Lucky for meeting him. They bro hug, and Lucky says he was going to swing by and visit Lulu anyway. What’s up? Isaiah says he was going to tell Lucky that he was going back to Africa and ask if Lucky wanted to come with him, and Lucky says, now? Isaiah says, but Dr. Randolph offered him a position here at GH, and Lucky says, as a surgeon? Isaiah says, no. As an orderly, but I can work my way up. Yes, as a surgeon. Lucky asks if he’s going to take it, and Isaiah says his kneejerk was to say no. But then someone reminded him that he has a highly specialized skill set and he can save lives other people can’t and he shouldn’t let that go to waste. Lucky says, okay. Then stay. Isaiah says, Lucky isn’t going to try and talk him out of it? but Lucky says, this is a great opportunity. Isaiah says he thinks so too. What about Lucky? Is he going to stick around? Lucky says he’s still trying to figure that out.

At the gym on the phone, Sonny says he needs them to set something up. It’s for an old friend of his.

Carly tells Drew that she might not know what happened, but from what she understands, it wasn’t unprovoked. He asks if Jason said he provoked him, but Carly says, he said Drew deserved it. He says, right, and what Jason says is gospel, and she says, Jason doesn’t act without reason. Certainly not like this. (Truth!) Which means Drew must have given him a really good one.

Jason says, Ric can threaten him all he wants. He’s not going to put his name on anything. Ric says, fine by him. He doesn’t care how Jason gets put away, by jaywalking or anything else. As long as he’s behind bars. Assault would do nicely though. Jason says, Ric can tell his client that he’s not going to say anything about what happened tonight… or about anything else. Ric laughs and asks if he’s supposed to take Jason’s word for that. Jason says, Drew will. And tell him if anybody finds out, they didn’t hear it from him. Ric says, okay. He’ll deliver the message. Nice doing business with him. You want to hit me, don’t you? Jason says, who doesn’t? and Ric gets closer. He says, take your shot. I dare you… That’s what I thought. Jason reaches out his hand, and Ric jerks back. Jason touches his lapel, barely, and says, it’s nice doing business with him. Ric says, his condolences for Sam, and leaves. Jason closes the door and heaves a humongous Jason sigh.

On Monday, Drew tells Nina, nothing is stopping Jason from going to that funeral; Cody tells Dante, between the two of them, they can do just about anything; Maxie says she’ll be damned if she’ll let someone get away with that; and Lucky asks someone if he knows them.

🛁 The Long Goodbye…

We’re all still in shock. That being said, I love the shoes with the hospital gown.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/watch-kelly-monacos-emotional-goodbye-to-gh-cast-and-crew

👀 Watching Wish List…

This looks intriguing, and I love an apocalyptic tale. Earth Abides begins December 1st on MGM+. Home of From!

https://people.com/earth-abides-trailer-alexander-ludwig-jessica-frances-dukes-exclusive-8735448

https://www.firstshowing.net/2024/full-trailer-for-apocalyptic-series-earth-abides-with-alexander-ludwig/

They showed the trailer for Red One when I saw Deadpool & Wolverine. I don’t care what the ghost of Roger Ebert says, I want to see it. I don’t need substance, especially where Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans are involved.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/red-one-dwayne-johnson-chris-evans-film-review

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-saw-red-one-critics-calling-lump-of-coal-missing-the-point-amazon-the-rock

https://collider.com/red-one-cast-characters/

https://ew.com/red-one-jk-simmons-redemption-mall-santa-stint-8744755

This is more a wish for the wish list.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/game-of-thrones-movie

🐧 An Ending To a Beginning…

Definite spoilers and a possible second season.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/the-penguin-ending-explained-batman-2

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/the-penguin-dcu-batman

🪄 Girl Power Lives…

This is as it should be. There’s room for everybody.

https://extratv.com/2024/11/12/wicked-ariana-grande-and-cynthia-erivo-on-the-promise-they-made-each-other-exclusive/

🐾 Be Influenced…

The power of the paw is mighty.

https://lefty.io/blog/the-top-pet-influencers-of-2024

🦉 Quotes of the Week

As to wishing it had not happened, one can’t help momentary wishes: guilt begins only when one embraces them. You can’t help their knocking at the door, but one mustn’t ask them in to lunch. – C. S. Lewis, from The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume III

Goals. There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them. There’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them. – Jim Rohn

Goals are the thing you talk about instead of the thing you do. – Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan), Planet Terror

Be careful in the company of monsters that you don’t become one. — Cindy Gerard, Take No Prisoners

I do believe that when we face challenges in life that are far beyond our own power, it’s an opportunity to build on our faith, inner strength, and courage. I’ve learned that how we face challenges plays a big role in the outcome of them. – Sasha Azevedo

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. – Albert Einstein

Vision without action is daydream. Action without vision is nightmare. – Japanese Proverb

If you don’t believe me, then google it. – Cesar Faison (Anders Hove), General Hospital

If you want to be happy for a year, get married. If you want to be happy for a decade, get a dog. If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, make a garden. – Japanese Proverb according to Martha Stewart, Martha

🚏 Season Of Change…

Have a weekend filled with serendipity and join me next week. Until then, stay safe, stay being thankful for at least one thing every day, and stay never wasting your skills, whatever they may be.

November 8, 2024 – Jason Brings Sidwell the Diamonds, Salty Talk, Hills Chat, On Pause, Returning, Down Not Out, Visiting, Monsterverse, Nom-Nom-Nom, Animal Happenings, Not 8 Or 10 Quotes & Autumn

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Anna says she asked Jack to keep her informed, so if he insists on avoiding her phone calls, she’ll be forced to come down to his fancy, high-tech office to get answers. She did agree to deniability. She didn’t agree to a full-on information blackout. So if he’s going to take action to bring Sasha back, he’s going to have to give her a heads up, yeah? Thank you. Ric walks in and asks if it’s a bad time.

Olivia answers the door and it’s Alexis. She says, me again, and Olivia hugs her. Alexis says she told Scout that she would come back and say goodnight to her, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). She knows where Scout’s room is, right? Alexis thanks her and goes upstairs.

Brook finds Dante on the patio and asks if he’s all right. He’s been out here for a while. He says he came out to clear his head a little bit, but she says, he could do that inside where there’s heat. He says he’s all right, but she asks if he’s not a little cold. Dante says, honestly, he doesn’t know what he is right now.

Tracy walks into the stables, where Cody is shoveling hay. She says she has a house full of hungry children who are being forced to subsist on stale crackers and boxed beverages, and he says he has some leftover pizza in the fridge upstairs, but he doubts it’s enough for the army she keeps at the house. She says, just point her in the direction of his irresponsible and unreliable girlfriend, and he says, Sasha? She says, who else? She was willing to keep an open mind and give her a second chance, but this is how Sasha repays her, by disappearing. He says, if Sasha took off, he’s sorry, but he’s the last person she would tell.

Holly wonders why there’s not any news yet. Chief Brennan and Jason left ages ago. Robert says, these operations take time, and she says, it’s been 24 hours since Jenz abducted Sasha. If he’s touched a single hair on her head… He says, knowing Brennan and Jason Morgan, there’s not going to be anything left of this guy to kick. She says she’s going to get some air, but he asks her to stay with him. Relax. She says, that’s not going to happen no matter what she does, and he says, then be all twirly up beside him. Stay. She asks, why? So he can make sure she doesn’t do something to make things worse? Tell her the truth. Is that what she is to him? A problem?

In a warehouse stairwell, Jack radios for his men to hold their position. Nobody move without my go.

Jason walks into the warehouse, and Sidwell says he told Holly to bring them herself. Jason says, Sidwell wanted the diamonds, so here he is, and Sidwell says, apparently, Sasha was right. Her mother really doesn’t care if she lives or dies. He’s just sorry he won’t see Holly’s lovely face when she finds out her daughter’s dead.

Alexis tells Olivia, Scout was fast asleep. She envies her. Olivia asks if she can get Alexis anything, but Alexis says, no. Please thank Monica for letting the kids stay here. Olivia says, she’s their grandmother. This is their house too. Alexis too. If she wants to stick around close by… Alexis says, if she’s going to stay up all night, it’s best that she does it in her own bed, and Olivia says, just know that the door is always open. There’s a lot of beds in this place. Alexis says she thinks that Scout and Danny should live with her. She knows that Scout’s father lives here, but if he gets elected, he’ll live in Washington DC a good deal of the time. Olivia says she guesses that’s probably true, and Alexis says she’s not sure Jason is prepared to raise a teenager. Olivia says, who is? But she thought things between Jason and Danny were good. Alexis says, Sam was worried about Jason’s influence on Danny, and Olivia says, right. She thought Dante said things were good on the Sam and Jason front. Alexis says she doesn’t think Sam would want Jason to raise Danny alone, and Olivia says she sees Alexis’s point. Alexis says, so she thinks the sooner they stabilize them at her place, it will be best for them.

Brook thanks Dante for taking pity on her and coming inside. Does he want something to eat? He says, they just had dinner, and she says, they had dinner, but he didn’t eat anything. He says, with everything going on in this house, how does she know what he’s doing? and she says she knows his secrets. He forgets, when they were kids, he taught her to hide the peas under the mashed potatoes. He says, sometimes he forgets how long they’ve known each other, and she says her too, but she can still tell when he’s hiding his feelings. He asks if she wants him to fall apart in front of the kids, and she says, good thing there are no kids around right now. Tell her, what is he thinking and feeling? He says he’s thinking he doesn’t know how he’s going to take care of their family on his own without Sam.

Tracy says, Cody hasn’t heard from Sasha? and he says, nope, and he doesn’t expect to. She says, what did he do? (ha-ha! again someone assumes it must be him) and he says, for once, he didn’t mess anything up. Turns out he and Sasha are cousins. First cousins. Tracy laughs and says, how? He says, Sasha just found out that Robert Scorpio’s her father, and she says, Robert? Wow… wow. She guesses she can still be surprised. So if Robert’s her father, who’s her… He says, Holly Sutton, and she says, wow. That’s not surprising. Disturbing, but not surprising. Did Holly raise Sasha? Cody says, no. Sasha’s grandmother did, but Holly was around. She says, as upsetting as this is, consider himself lucky that he dodged a bullet.

Anna tells Ric, it’s late. She’s busy. He says, this won’t take long. Ava Jerome’s trial is coming up soon. Despite recent tragic events, he still has a duty to defend his client to the best of his ability. She says, then why is he here speaking to her instead of anywhere else talking to his client? He says, it seems Ava’s arrest is based solely on some photographs from unknown origin that were taken at the time of Kristina’s accident. And basic rules of discovery require the state to provide the defense with all known evidence. She says, he should have been provided with copies of those photos. She can check with the DA’s office. He says he has his copies. What he wants to know is, where did she get them?

Holly says she should have taken those diamonds to Sidwell herself. That’s what he wanted. Robert says, Sidwell’s demand that she bring him those diamonds was a trap, but she says, they don’t know that. He says, they’re going to find out, and she says she thought he didn’t trust Jack Brennan. He says he and Jack have had their differences over the years, but he’s always known Jack to be a good man to have on your side. She asks if he’s on Sasha’s side, and he says, as is Jason Morgan. She says, so many things can go wrong, and he says, as difficult as this is, they have to trust that Brennan and Jason can bring Sasha back to them.

Sasha tries the door again, then looks around the room. She sees there’s a vent in the wall, and rifles through drawers until she finds a letter opener.

Jason says he has the diamonds. Does Sidwell want them or not? Sidwell says he should kill Jason now, and Jason says, he can try. Sidwell says, let him see them, and Jason tosses one to him, Sidwell catching it like he’s an MLB player. He looks at it and asks, where are the rest? Jason says, show him Sasha, and he’ll show Sidwell the diamonds. Where is she? Sidwell says, she’s close by, but she doesn’t have much time. So the rest of the diamonds – now.

Cody says he thought things were getting better between Tracy and Sasha, and Tracy says, they were. Then she found out Holly Sutton was Sasha’s mother. He says, Sasha’s not her mom, but she says, please. Whatever parent you don’t want to emulate, that’s the one you become most like. (Oh great.) Her mother was a wonderful woman. You know what she got? Her eyelashes. He says, they’re very nice, and she thanks him. She says, even if he and Sasha weren’t cousins, their relationship was doomed to fail, and he says, she doesn’t know Sasha like he does. She’s nothing like her parents. She says, that’s the nature versus nurture debate. Is someone born untrustworthy, or do they learn to be that way? He says, Tracy has admitted to some underhanded stuff in her life too, but she says she’s not marrying herself and she’s not suggesting anybody else does. He says he’s not going to let her make Sasha out to be the bad guy. Even if she did pull a few cons, that just makes her more perfect for him. Tracy laughs and asks how he can say that. He says, because he’s been conning people his whole life. There was a long time when his entire focus was seeing what he could get out of this world. She says, he’s not that person anymore, but he tells her that she wouldn’t say that if she knew what he pulled the other day.

Brook says, Dante doesn’t have to make any big decisions right now. And he and the kids can stay here as long as he likes. Everyone loves having them here, even Tracy. He laughs and says, now he knows she’s lying. It just doesn’t feel like they can be a family without Sam. She says, they already are a family. He just has to keep being the amazing dad he already is. He says, she didn’t turn out so bad herself, and she says, obviously, when Chase walks in. He tells Dante, if there’s anything he needs or wants… Dante thanks him, and Chase tells Brook that he’s sorry he missed dinner. He got hung up at the station. She says, he’s here now. That’s all that matters. He asks if there are any leftovers, and she says, lots. She’ll make him a plate. They leave as Dante sadly watches.

Alexis asks if Dante has said anything about where he and Rocco are going to live, and Olivia says she thinks right now, he’s just trying to put one foot in front of the other. He loved Sam so much. Alexis says, she loved him right back, and Olivia says, she loved Rocco as her own. It’s not always that way. You hear stories. They never referred to themselves as a blended family. They were just a family. Alexis says, Sam was her wild child. She certainly never expected Sam to settle down with a family and be the anchor in it. Olivia starts to cry and says she can’t believe Sam’s gone, and Alexis says, what they say about how mothers aren’t supposed to outlive their children is true.

Ric says, Anna’s name was listed as the officer that logged the photos into evidence. That means she was the one to receive them. She says, that’s true, and he says, great. So where did she get them? She tells him, as she said in her statement, during the course of their preliminary investigation, the photos were brought to her attention depicting a physical altercation between Ava Jerome and Kristina Corinthos-Davis. He says he read it. It’s a terrific statement, by the way. She thanks him, and he says, what he wants to know is, who took those incredibly convenient photos? She says, it’s interesting he thinks they were convenient. They do make his client look rather guilty. He says, the providence of those photos matters and is at best dubious. It’s just one more example of the PCPD’s mishandling of Ava Jerome’s case and another reason her case should be thrown out.

Jack asks if there’s any movement in the rear of the building, and jets down a staircase.

Jason says he’ll hand over the diamonds after he gets proof of life, and Sidwell says, fine. He shows Jason his phone and we see Sasha messing with the vent. Sidwell says, you really do have to admire someone who doesn’t just wait for fate to fall in their lap. It’s really to bad she won’t have enough time to get out. Jason says, where is she? and Sidwell says, somewhere on the five floors. There are 30 offices in this building. Give him the diamonds; avoid the scavenger hunt. Jason says he’s good at finding things, but Sidwell says he’s not sure Jason will have time to disarm the bomb in the room with her before, boom! It goes off. Once he sets the timer, Sasha only has five minutes to live. He really does find a timer increases efficiency and cooperation. He sets the timer, shows Jason his phone, and says, your move, Mr. Morgan.

Sasha hears the beeping and starts looking around.

Jason hands Sidwell the diamonds, and says, where is she? Sidwell says, room 533, and Jason takes off. Sidwell calls, good luck. He’ll have to be very good at finding things.

Sasha opens a cupboard in the desk and sees the bomb.

Tracy asks what horrible thing Cody has done, and he says he agreed to keep quiet about what a sleaze Drew is. She asks why he’d do that, and he says, because Drew paid him $50,000. She says, he’s a politician. He paid for Cody’s silence. Cody says, Drew paid him to keep something quiet he doesn’t want the voters to know, and she says, that he made out with Willow and was banging her mom? He says, how…? and she says, the whole family knows. They actually paid someone to make sure the bar incident doesn’t go viral. He says, so they know he punched Drew, and she says, he needs to be much smarter going forward. He says he knows he shouldn’t have gotten drunk and he shouldn’t have gone after Drew, but she says, no. He should have held out for $100,000. (A woman after my own heart, but he should have held out for $6 million.)

Chase asks, how’s Rocco doing? and Dante says, he’s quiet. He and Danny are just trying to support Scout. Brook says, it’s the best thing those kids can do. Draw strength from each other. Chase says, Rocco was just so happy when he saw them at the Surf Lodge. He seemed more excited about the engagement than Dante was. Brook says, Dante and Sam were engaged? and Dante says he asked her when she woke up from her surgery. Brook says she’s so sorry and hugs him, and Dante says he’s going to go check on Rocco, and leaves. Brook says she just managed to make a heartbreaking situation even worse, and Chase says, there’s no worse for Dante right now. She says, it just keeps getting sadder, and they hug.

Ric says, there were several grievous lapses in procedure leading up to Ava’s arrest, and Anna says, enlighten her. He says, for one, she was initially interviewed by Detective Dante Falconari, the brother of the alleged victim, and Anna says, correct. Detective Falconari was first on the scene and was unaware that the room from which Kristina fell was, in fact, Miss Jerome’s. Then when Miss Jerome was brought in for custody, Detective Chase took over the questioning. He says, there was no reason for them to hold Ava, but then Jason Morgan shows up and Ava gets arrested. She asks what he’s implying, cause and effect? but he says, no. He’s asking her flat out. Was Jason the one that provided her with the photos in question? She says, the photos were taken by a private investigator by the name of Demitri Putnam. Mr. Putnam was hired by Sonny Corinthos regarding an ongoing custody case involving his… He asks if Sonny gave her those pictures, but she says, no. Sonny was at GH finding out if his daughter was going to live or die. He says, so Jason was Sonny’s errand boy as per usual, and Anna says she thinks he’s using this case to stick it to Sonny, the brother he hates, as per usual. He says he doesn’t know of any other Police Commissioner who would believe a known criminal. For the life of him, he can’t think of one. She says, he might want to sleep on it or think about it somewhere else, and he says, the fact that she’s willing to believe Jason Morgan says one of two things. Either personal malice towards his client or incredible naïveté on her part. Which is it, Commissioner?

Jason runs through the building trying doors and yelling Sasha’s name. She says she’s here, and he says, get away from the door. She says, he’s clear, and he kicks it in. She runs past him and says, 47 seconds. He runs out behind her.

On the stairs, Jack says he needs an update, dammit.

Sasha and Jason tear through the building, and we see there’s about 5 seconds left.

Jack says, come on, when the building explodes. Jack is tossed back.

Brook says she’s sorry it’s been such a sad homecoming, but Chase says, it’s part of being together, through the good times and the bad. She says she missed him every second he was in Seattle. She doesn’t sleep well if he’s not next to her. His snoring soothes her. He says he does not snore, and she laughs. He says he hopes she knows how much he loves their life together, and he never wants her to think he’d take it or her for granted. She says she loves him too. She always knew how lucky they were, but now… He says he knows, and kisses her.

Tracy says, Cody knows that Drew owns Aurora and a boatload of ELQ stock, and he settled for $50,000, but he says he had no intention of going to the press. She says, he just thought it was important for the bar patrons to know, but not the general public, and he says he was drunk. She says, that much was clear, and he says he’d love to show the people what’s under that perfect politician’s smile Drew is always flashing around, but he doesn’t want to hurt Willow or Michael. They have kids. He’d never blow up a family. She says she wishes Drew felt the same way, and he says, Drew just waltzed in here. Drew didn’t even ask what he intended on doing. Drew just assumed he could be bought. She says she thinks Drew assumes most people can be bought and he’s not wrong. He says he found it insulting, and she says she thinks this situation proves Drew is a real Quartermaine.

Alexis hands Olivia Sam’s engagement ring and says she didn’t know if Olivia had a chance to see it. Through her tears, Olivia says, he came running over here just as soon as he bought it. He was so excited to share his big plans. It’s a beautiful ring. Alexis says, it really is, and Olivia says she knows it sounds crazy, but some part of her is happy that her son got to propose to the woman he loved more than anything and have her say yes. Alexis says, she was so happy… and Olivia says she hopes this doesn’t come out the wrong way, but she’s actually glad Alexis was there with Sam. Alexis wipes her tears away and says her too. Olivia hands the ring back to Alexis.

Anna says, if Ric is done haranguing her, he can leave, and he says, Robin is close to Jason Morgan and Sonny Corinthos. That’s not really a question. Everybody knows it. She says, since he doesn’t need her for this conversation, please have it somewhere else, and he says he thinks she’s too close to known criminals and as a result, she’s willing to bend the rules for them. She says, that’s quite an accusation. For the record – for his record anyway – she’s done nothing wrong. He says, so she’s willing to believe Jason Morgan wouldn’t lie to her. Okay. He guesses they’ve got their answer. Naïve it is. Her phone rings, and she tells him to see himself out. She answers and says, yes… Where?

On the phone, Robert says, what?… A bomb?… The warehouse blew up? Holly says, did Sasha get out? and Robert says, what about their daughter? Is she alive? Holly says she can’t stand this. She’s going to find Sasha. She dashes out, and Robert follows.

Brook tells Chase that things have been so crazy and sad, they’ve barely had a minute to themselves. She wants to hear about everything that happened in Seattle. Every detail, preferably the happy ones. Chase says, for starters, it was so good to see Finn acting like his old self again, and she says, Violet must have been so happy to be with him again. He says, as soon as they landed, she couldn’t stop smiling, and she says she knows Violet belongs with her dad, but she really, really misses her. He says, Brook was a great mom to her while she was here. Violet wanted him to give her a message. She asks if Violet forgot something, and he says, a two-page list, but that’s not the message. Violet wanted him to remind her that she still wants a cousin, and in her words, she doesn’t want to wait forever. She says, then they’d better take this thing seriously, and he says, they weren’t taking it seriously before? She says she means, if they want to have a baby, there are things they can do to make that happen (um… like having sex?), and he says, she means something like this? and kisses her.

Cody says, Tracy sounds like she’s proud of Drew for going after his nephew’s wife, but she says, not at all. It’s just that there’s a Quartermaine trait that all of the family men have in common. He says, they cheat? and she says, eventually, even her dearly beloved father. Of course (🍷) not Jason. Although he doesn’t remember the first twenty years of his life, so he’s not off the hook yet. Cody says, it’s a great family legacy she’s got there. He’s sure she could go on for hours at the club just bragging about it. She says she doesn’t have to. Everybody knows. But it’s the nature/nurture conversation again. Philandering is definitely in the family DNA, but Drew didn’t grow up in the family. But there you have it. His roots are finally starting to show.

Dante and Alexis hug and he says he didn’t know she was here. She says she came to say goodnight to Scout, and Olivia leaves to check on the kids. Dante says, Scout was sleeping pretty good, and Alexis says, Scout was sleeping when she checked on her too. He says he guesses grief is pretty exhausting, and she says, yep. She’s been trying to work on necessary funeral arrangements. She’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to… He says, whatever she decides is best. He sees the plastic bag with the ring in it and takes the ring out. She says she brought that over for him because she didn’t know if he wanted to keep it or have Sam wear it. He says, it feels like he bought this ages ago, and he flashes back to showing it to Olivia, who tells him, it’s beautiful, and hugs him. He tells Olivia, let’s hope Sam feels the same way.

Jack – who has miraculously survived even though we don’t know how – brings Sasha and Jason to his office and says, wait here. He leaves, and Jason asks if Sasha is okay. She says she thinks so. She’s still breathing. She thanks him for the rescue, and he says, sure. She asks how he got dragged into this. They barely know each other. He says, Carly was there when Sidwell grabbed her and he was in Africa with Holly. She asks if he knew Holly made off with Sidwell’s diamonds, but he says, not until a few days ago. She asks where the diamonds are now, and he says, with Sidwell. Her mom gave up the diamonds to save her.

Anna arrives at the warehouse, where firefighters are running around, and she asks Dex what they’ve got. He says he and his partner responded to reports of an explosion. When they arrived, no other parties were on the scene. She says, inside? and he says, it’s supposed to be vacant, but they won’t know until the fire is put out. She says, forensics? and he says, standing by. She asks if they talked to anyone, and he says, canvassing the area, they turned up some third shift workers. They heard the explosion, but they didn’t see anything. They did find this though. He shows her an evidence bag, and she says, it doesn’t prove anything, but she’s pretty sure of whose it is. (It’s unclear what’s in the bag.)

Jack brings Holly and Robert to his office, and Holly runs to Sasha, hugging her and saying, thank God. Is she okay? Sasha says she’s alive, and Holly says she’s never been more pleased to see her. Robert thanks Jason, and Jack says, no worries, mate. You’re welcome. Robert asks if Sidwell got out, but Jack says, they never saw him or the diamonds after the explosion. Robert says, he got away? and Jack says, looks like it. Robert asks Sasha if she’s okay. Should they call a doctor? Sasha says she’s fine. She’s sorry Sidwell got away. He says, she’s here. That’s all that matters. He moves awkwardly toward her, and she hugs him. She thanks him for saving her.

Brook says, there are things they can do to improve their chances, and Chase says, she’s not going to stand on her head after, but she says she’s not talking about that. She’s been doing some reading herself. There’s a system they can try, like tracking her cycle and taking her temperature. Maybe they can get one of those ovulation predictors. He says he’s willing to do whatever it takes, but he doesn’t want to lose them being spontaneous, and she says, never. He says, tonight, they’ll do it the old-fashioned way, and tomorrow, they’ll get her a calendar and everything she needs. She says, it’s a deal. However it happens, she can’t wait to make a baby with him. He says, that makes two of us.

Tracy asks where Cody’s ill-gotten gains are now, and he says, his checking account? She laughs and he says he never had enough money for a savings account. She says she’s going to teach him how to invest, and he says, cool. She says, and while he’s living on these grounds, he’s going to keep his eyes on Drew. And when he strays, which he will, they’ll be waiting. He says, the two of them? and she says, the two of them. They’re in this together now. He says, anything that involves bringing down Drew, count him in. (Me too!)

Alexis tells Dante that she doesn’t want to rush into things, but she wants to give the kids as much stability as she can. He says him too, and she says she knows he’s hurting, but she wants to talk to him about something. He says, okay, and she says she thinks Danny and Scout should live with her. She’s sorry. She doesn’t know if he had other plans. He says he just thought they’d all live together here. Just for the time being. She says, for now it’s good. It’s familiar and there are a lot of people around. It will keep them from feeling lonely and alone without their mom. He says he really thought they would grow old together, and she says, that was the way it was supposed to be. He says he can’t imagine his life without her, and they hug.

A firefighter tells Anna, no signs that anyone was in the building when it went up, and she asks him to let her know when they find the origin of the explosion. He says, will do, and she thanks him. She asks an officer to tell the bomb squad that she wants to know what kind of incendiary device was used. And find out who owns this warehouse. The officer leaves, and Anna tells Dex that she wants them to do another canvas of the area. There has to be an eyewitness out there and she wants him talking to them. Surveillance footage, do they have it. Streetcams, everything. She wants him to get it.

Sasha says she couldn’t leave the room, but Jason got in. He saved her. Holly says she’s not sure she can ever thank him enough, and he says he’s just glad it all worked out. His phone rings, and he steps out to take the call. Holly says, he just goes on and on, doesn’t he?

In the hallway, Jason says, yeah, and Anna says she’s at a crime scene, an explosion at a warehouse. Meet her in her office in twenty. She wants some answers.

Sasha asks if Holly really gave up the diamonds for her or were they fake? but Holly says, they were real. She wasn’t going to risk Jenz thinking he’d been tricked. Robert says, they were real. No question. Sasha says, why, mother? and Holly says, because like those diamonds, the love she feels for Sasha is real. And whether Sasha believes it or not, there’s nothing more important in this world to her than Sasha.

On Monday, Willow says she thought she and Drew were on the same page; Felicia tells Sasha to give her mother a second chance before it’s too late; Mac wants to know what Holly’s pulled Robert into; and Anna asks how long Jason has been lying to her.

🧂 A Dash Of Salt…

I’m so over these Housewives lawsuits.

💎 Clutching Their Diamonds…

The new season starts November 19th. A lot of Kyle angst in the trailer. I’m over that too.

https://www.justjared.com/2024/11/07/real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-trailer-teases-explosive-season-14-amid-3-cast-exits-plus-premiere-date-revealed/

Does DIRECTV still exist? Do you know anyone with DIRECTV? I had a neighbor who had it for like, five minutes, and didn’t recommend it. Although I came very close to signing up when they took on Passions after it’s CBS cancelation. I’m glad I didn’t because the show was gone in a matter of months.

I only included this because, LVP mention. It’s not all that interesting.

🐪 But I Came For the Camels…

I’m sorry to hear this. I thought these women were a little different than the Housewives norm. And I love Stanbury.

🪃 Two Returns…

The karate kids of Cobra Kai are back on November 15th.  

https://ew.com/cobra-kai-season-6-part-2-exclusive-preview-clip-tory-iron-dragons-8735211

As a post-Christmas gift, Squid Game returns December 26th.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/squid-game-season-2-trailer-official

📢 She Stopped the Insanity…

This is just sad and I have no doubt it happens all the time.

https://ew.com/stop-the-insanity-fitness-icon-susan-powter-lost-millions-after-90s-fame-8732791

It’s no surprise she got involved in this. There’s nobody more authentic. I am surprised she never got a movie made about Susan though. She would have been perfect for the role.

https://ew.com/jamie-lee-curtis-susan-powter-documentary-preview-8737729

🛸 Guilty Pleasure Then and Now…

One of my favorite series ever. Mostly because Marc Singer is in it.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/v-the-series-sci-fi-1984-retrospective

The sad story of the reboot. By the time they brought Marc in, it was already too late.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/v-2009-15-year-anniversary

🦖 King Of the Monsters…

I loved Godzilla Minus One. I hope the sequel does it justice.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/godzilla-minus-one-sequel-in-works

In the beginning.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/godzilla-70-year-anniversary

🏆 Making the Cut…

The simple list of Grammy nominations.

https://people.com/grammys-2025-nominations-full-list-8742150

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Grammys. Just keep scrolling down; it’s endless.

https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about this year’s Grammys. Ditto.

https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-nominations-best-african-music-performance

🐾 It’s Not Always About the Dog…

🦛 Moo Deng has some competition.

https://people.com/a-new-moo-deng-enters-the-chat-pygmy-hippo-named-haggis-born-at-edinburgh-zoo-8739678

🐛 Wow. Just wow. Check out the Instagram.

https://people.com/deep-sea-explorers-find-worm-looks-like-sassy-sparkler-8741792

🦊 Aww! a million times over. Feel free to squee.

https://people.com/red-panda-triplets-born-at-childrens-zoo-in-nebraska-8742059

🐶 And sometimes it is about the dog. Old news, but no less cute.

https://people.com/pets/snoopy-look-alike-bayley-mini-sheepadoodle/

🐘 Quotes of the Week

Leaders who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they can deliver. – Mark A. Clement

No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has. – Henry Ward Beecher

Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. – Marilyn Monroe

Infinitely more important than sharing one’s material wealth is sharing the wealth of ourselves—our time and energy, our passion and commitment, and, above all, our love.  – William E. Simon (But a little cash never hurts.)

Happiness depends to some extent upon external conditions, but chiefly upon mental attitudes. – Paramahansa Yogananda

If you’re going to be able to look back on something and laugh about it, you might as well laugh about it now. – Marie Osmond (Preach!)

Make the choice to embrace this day. Do not let your today be stolen by the ghost of yesterday or the To-Do list of tomorrow! It’s inspiring to see all the wonderfully amazing things that can happen in a day in which you participate.Steve Maraboli

I’m naturally adorable. If you have a problem with that, take it up with God. – Geneviève Delatour (Susan Lucci), Devious Maids

Counting to ten only makes it premeditated. – seen on a T-shirt

🌚 All the Fall Feels…

Chuck your comfort zone this weekend and do something different. Or at least stream outside of your usual waters. Then join me on Veteran’s Day for soap and chicanery on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay thanking veterans for their service, and stay not hiding your peas under your mashed potatoes. Or hiding your feelings.