Tag Archives: Real Housewives of Orange County

March 21, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Jason Makes a Decision For Carly, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watch, Next Year Already, Surprising Sights, Four Quotes Twice & Melancholy

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…

Monday:

Isaiah told Willow that he hoped the ER was going to be quiet tonight. Trina looked at missed calls as she pondered her turtle dove. Kai knocked at the door, but she said she needed to be alone. Sasha looked at her sonogram, when Tracy called her. She needed tea. Gio came in and Tracy asked if he’d seen any government officials or anyone with a bulldozer. Brook asked what she was up to. Martin visited Laura and said they should focus on the positive. Things were starting to look up for their family. Jason told Sonny that the trip wasn’t entirely a success. Carly downed a glass of champagne, when Jack came out of the shower, and Valentin skulked around the door in the hallway.

Jason told Sonny that Valentin had sent the text about Charlotte. His plan was to give Charlotte to her mother. The WSB kill squad showed up and they’d protected Valentin. Sonny asked where Valentin was, but Jason didn’t know. Sonny said now the whole family could now start to heal. Sasha made a pot of peppermint tea and said Tracy was securing the family. Gio said Chase had just been doing his job, but maybe there was a way for Tracy to make the law work for her, and Tracy left for a previous engagement. Kai said after his injury he needed to be alone too, but when Trina was ready to not be alone, he’d show up for her the way she did for him. He left a giftbag, but she opened the door and said maybe she didn’t want to be alone after all. Laura thought it was a good time for Martin and Lulu to get to know one another, but it was going to be an uphill battle. Martin said he’d remain cautiously optimistic, when there was a knock at the door. It was Anna, who said she’d come over a federal matter. She’d brought Marshal Thompson to serve an arrest warrant for Martin. Jack and Carly kissed and she said she would have regretted not giving them a chance. Valentin listened at the door.

Brook thanked everyone for being patient with Tracy. The insanity with the crypt was getting to her. Sasha said it was creepy, distasteful, and disrespectful, like Drew. Tracy visited her parents at least three times a week. Brook said Tracy felt close to her parents and brother there, and Chase said Drew didn’t have to do this. He was only doing it to hurt Tracy. Brook said, because she was trying to get back the family name, and Gio said she was trying to protect her family. Brook said, Drew picked a fight with the wrong broad. Anna said she was there to make sure things were handled appropriately when Martin was taken into custody. He was in arrears with alimony payments in California where he was being extradited. Trina told Kai about not celebrating her last birthday. Spencer had died in January of last year and the loss was still fresh. This year was genuinely a good surprise and she was happy to see everybody, but when she opened Emma’s gift, everything came crashing back. She felt like she was moving on, but the grief would sneak up on her in ways she didn’t expect. She showed him the inscription in the book Spencer had given her – To Trina and Our Shared Passion, Spencer. Sonny told Jason that he had no updates from Brick. It was one dead end after another. Jason said no one was perfect and they’d find the guy soon when he made a mistake, and Sonny said they had to take him out asap. Jason asked about Michael, and Sonny said Carly had spoken to him. He was doing better, but it was going to be a long road. There was nothing he could do about Drew or Willow, but whoever hurt Michael was going to pay. Jason said the incendiary device wasn’t anything the Five Families (alfredo sauce) ever used, and Sonny still thought Sidwell was involved. Carly said the champagne was so good. The vintage was new, something they hadn’t had in the hotel wine cellar before. Jack realized the label was removeable and knocked the glass out of Carly’s hand. She suddenly didn’t feel good and collapsed. Valentin jetted.

Sonny said Sidwell coming to Port Charles just before the bombing was suspicious, and he’d also thrown his hat in with Drew to push Sonny out of the waterfront. Jason didn’t think it made sense, and Sonny asked who else Jason knew with reason to come after him. Jason said few had access to that technology. Anna said it was typically used in the intelligence community, not military or homemade. Either someone bought it off the books… Sonny said, or someone in the intelligence community wanted to take him out. What about Jack Brennan? At the hotel, Jack called 911. Trina told Kai how Spencer could be a jerk. Most of his attitude came from protecting his heart that had been broken by his dad. Given the chance, he was thoughtful, perceptive, and could be hurt easily. When they decided to be an us, they realized they had to protect themselves from everything outside of them. Gio told Sasha that Tracy was tough, but meant well… most of the time. If Sasha didn’t feel the same way, she wouldn’t put up with so much. When the baby got here, she was going to be a real part of the family. Sasha said, on nights like tonight, she thought it might not be such a bad thing. Chase said Brook and Tracy had a lot in common, and Brook said until last night she’d have sworn she had more in common with Gloria, but she was wrong. Laura asked to speak with Martin and told him that she’d thought he had an understanding with his ex-wives. He said he assumed things were civil and he wasn’t behind, but maybe he came into a substantial amount of money with the sale of Valentin’s house. Tracy came in singing and said she thought she’d stop to say hi to Lulu, and Martin said she was behind this arrest. Tracy said, of course (🍷).

Carly went to the hospital and Jack gave whatever details he had. Isaiah took her to Trauma One, and on the phone, Jack said he needed two agents at the hospital and a lab tech for poison identification. He called someone else and said he needed them at GH – now. Sonny and Jason determined it wasn’t Jack, and they had to keep their options open. Sonny asked Jason to talk to Anna. He said Sasha’s pregnancy and safety was important to him, and Jason was connected to the both of them. Make sure he took good care of her. Jason promised he would and left. Chase asked what was going on with Brook and Gloria, and Brook said it was about her pregnancy in high school. She thought it was a secret just between her and Lois, but Lois told her grandma. She should have kept it between them or told her that her grandma knew. Chase asked how she found out and she said, from Lulu. All she knew was, her mom was talking to Martin and Lulu found his notes. Chase wondered if Lois was trying to find Brook’s child. Anna said she was sorry, but had to leave. Tracy said she’d made a phone call, took a shot, and it panned out. She overheard Lucy bragging about her windfall commission on Valentin’s house with Martin as fiduciary. She figured he’d want to squirrel away the payment from his exes. He said he just hadn’t declared it yet and he had one ex that made Blair Cramer look like a teddy bear. They were married in Los Angeles and it was bad. Could Laura help? Laura asked what they had to do to make this go away. Trina told Kai about Esme and how she got pregnant by Spencer’s father. She told him about being accepted by the Sorbonne and going to Paris with Spencer. They were going to get an apartment there. For a moment, they had everything they’d ever dreamed of, then Esme showed up to kill her, but Spencer died saving her life.

Jack gave the bottle to his tech to be tested for toxin and said he wanted a team at the MetroCourt to analyze the security footage. He wanted a guard at Carly’s room. If anyone got past the guard and the guard wasn’t dead, Jack would kill him himself. Isaiah said they had Carly stabilized, but couldn’t do much without knowing what the poison was. Jack said he was working on it and Willow wanted to call Sonny, but Jack said no one got in without his authorization. Tracy said there was nothing to be done. Martin had paved the way for Drew to uproot her family from their final resting place, and there were consequences for that. This was one of them. Laura said Martin had no issue with Tracy’s family, and Martin said her conflict was with Drew, but Tracy said it was with anyone who messed with her family, including aiding and abetting. Laura said it was Drew who made it part of public record. The first thing Edward taught her was that everything was a negotiation which was all Martin wanted to do, and Drew was the driving force behind all of this. Brook told Chase that Lois confessed and Gloria knew the entire time. They’d been keeping a secret from her and weren’t who she thought they were. Chase said they were the same flawed people who always loved her, but Brook said they were the people keeping things from her… and she realized she was doing the same thing to him. Kai said Spencer had been part of Trina and the more he knew her, the more he wanted to know. It was like the painting she’d first shown him. The more he got to know the light and dark parts of her, the more striking she became. They kissed.

Kai gave Trina the giftbag to open when she was ready. He thanked her for telling him about Spencer and left. She immediately looked in the bag, as we all would, and took out a framed photo of them at the painting date. Laura suggested they all take a step back from the brink and Martin said he wasn’t never going to let drew go through with it. Tracy said it was a battle he’d have lost, and Martin said the law was on Drew’s side. Tracy said she was done and told the marshal to do his job, and he arrested Martin. Brook didn’t want to keep any secrets from Chase, but he said there was nothing she could say that would change his love for her. She told him, the baby’s father was… is Dante. When Jason got back to the Quartermaines’, Sasha said they had to talk about the baby. Isaiah and Willow worked on Carly, and he said they needed to know what she’d ingested now. Anna came to the hospital per Jack’s call, and he told her what happened. He was awaiting the results of the bottle being tested. He got a call and asked if they were sure. He told Anna it was polonium poisoning. Valentin skulked around his old house and went inside in the dark. He found a box and took out his passport (probably one of many) as well as Charlotte’s. Sonny came out with a gun and asked if he forgot something.

 Tuesday:

Valentin was getting his and Charlotte’s passport out of the hiding spot, when Sonny came in with a gun and asked if he forgot something. Carly was fading, and Jack found out there were traces of polonium in the champagne. There was a cure, but it had to be synthesized as needed. Anna said she had this, and called Robin. She said Isaiah needed her help, and handed him the phone. She told Isaiah that Robin had developed the antidote. Lucas woke up in his hotel room bed and Marco asked how he was feeling. Bryce found Josslyn, who was reading up on Easter Island so she’d know how to answer questions about her fake trip. She needed a backstory for the photos sent on her phone by the agent who was actually there. Apparently, she was having a grand old time. Bryce said if she was bored, they could send her home. Brook told Chase that it was one summer and she and Dante were dumb kids. Those people didn’t exist anymore. Chase said they did. She had a baby with Dante, something they’d never have. Sasha told Jason about her check up and said the baby was fine, but Michael was at risk. Sonny said Valentin was a trespassing fugitive which made it easy to shoot him.

Brad called Stella and told her that he blew it and needed her help. Lucas wondered what happened after the kiss, which he was mortified about, and asked if they’d done anything. Marco said he just made sure Lucas got back safe after Lucas threw up on him. Brook said she and Chase would be parents; biology didn’t make a family. Chase said it changed everything that Dante was the father, and Brook said she was sorry about all of it. Chase wanted to know everything, and she said she and Dante were wild as teenagers. They were sent to camp to keep them out of trouble. They were counselors in training and she was homesick, so Dante would sneak over after lights out and they would talk. It felt like a piece of home. One night they kissed and one thing led to another. Cody covered for them and drove her to the bus station after she found out she was pregnant. Anna told Jack that Robin was on the phone with Isaiah, and he said the WSB was synthesizing the antidote and would send it asap.

Josslyn told Bryce that his routine was getting old. She’d passed all the tests and took him down multiple times while sparring. He said the biggest challenge was mental and he wasn’t sure she could handle it. This was her life now and she had to get used to telling a good story. Sasha told Jason that Willow had lost her mind and thought moving in with Drew wasn’t problematic. If Willow found out about the baby, she’d use it to shut Michael out of the kids’ lives and they couldn’t let that happen. Sonny asked what Valentin wanted and asked why Valentin had tampered with his medication. Valentin said he was under orders from Jack Brennan. Jack wanted Port Charles under the control of the WSB and Pikeman and wanted Sonny out of the way. It was the most efficient way to neutralize him, and Valentin didn’t have the freedom to refuse. It was just business. Sonny said he understood, but didn’t care.

Brad said he’d told Lucas the truth, and Stella said honesty didn’t guarantee acceptance. He said Lucas wasn’t angry, but disappointed, and she said she was proud of him for his honesty. Brook said she felt like God was punishing her for being stupid and careless, but Chase said, Dante was just as responsible. She said she knew she couldn’t be a kid raising a kid, and the baby deserved better. He said it was the right move, and Brook said Olivia had made a different choice, but she didn’t want that for her life. Keeping the baby would have ruined all three of their lives, and she took the burden of knowing he existed. Chase said he thought she didn’t know the gender and she said, Lulu told her. Chase wondered if Lulu kept her mouth shut about anything. All he wanted was for them to have a kid, and now she and Dante had a son. Did she love Dante? Lulu told Dante that she’d lost so much time with the kids, she wanted Rocco to live with her and Charlotte, but he said it might be asking too much. Sonny said he should have shot Valentin long ago. Valentin didn’t deserve to be a father. It was unforgiveable what Valentin did with his medication, and Diane would have no problem convincing the DA it was self-defense. Lulu and Dante would never have to worry about him again. Valentin said, maybe not, but Michael would. Carly was stabilized and Jack asked if he could see her. Isaiah said, sure, and left. Jack told Carly that he was afraid this would happen.

Lucas said he must have been pathetic for Marco to be so nice, but Marco said they kissed, and it was a good kiss. Lucas wondered why more didn’t happen, but Marco said Lucas was in no condition to give consent. Lucas thanked him for being so kind, and Marco asked how he was doing. Stella said, maybe someday Brad and Lucas could be friends, and Brad said even Lucas said they’d had something real. With Lucas’s love, he’d be a new man. He hung up before Stella could say anything else. Brook said, as a teenager, she didn’t know what real love was and didn’t know until she met Chase. She didn’t see Dante again for a year. It was a closed adoption and closed inside her. It was like the summer never happened when she saw Dante again, as they were dating other people. He asked if she was trying to get back Dante when Carly asked her to help break him and Lulu up. Jason told Sasha that Willow wouldn’t have a chance to get back at Michael. If that meant letting everyone think he was the father, so be it. She said it was important to protect Michael who wasn’t there to fight his own battles. Carly had told her what a great man he is. Would he be okay not telling Carly the baby was her grandchild? Valentin said everyone Sonny loved was in danger. He knew the device used was only used by governments and knew who planted the device. Put down the gun and they’d talk.

Marco got room service and said he wasn’t sorry he met Lucas. Lucas said he wished he could make it up to Marco, but was going home tomorrow. He asked if Marco was a professional good Samaritan, but Marco said, far from it. Jason said he hated not telling Carly the truth, but if they let her in, she’d never keep it a secret, so for now, she couldn’t know. Sasha said part of her wished Michael had been there for the sonogram. She showed Jason the sono photo. Brook told Chase, the ugly truth was, a part of her did it for the money, but she also wanted to see if Dante still had feelings for her. She wanted to rub it in Lulu’s face, but he and Lulu were solid. Chase said, who Dante cared for was all on him, and Brook said it had been nothing compared to what she felt for Chase. Dante told Lulu that he couldn’t just let Rocco go. It would be hard for Rocco too. Lulu said she felt Rocco needed her right now and also to be with Charlotte, and he said Drew was a selfish jerk for taking Scout with him when Sam wanted the kids to stay together. She asked if she was also a selfish jerk. Bryce said they’d provide back-up for Josslyn’s cover stories, but she’d have to sell them. She needed to accept that nothing about her life would be real. She said, of course (🍷) it would, but he said they’d only know her cover stories and it was a lonely life. It was easier to let people go than keep track of a phony life. She asked if he’d sacrificed his personal life for the job. Valentin told Sonny, the device had been manufactured for the WSB, but they weren’t necessarily the ones trying to kill Sonny. When he was in charge at Pikeman, a shipment of the devices went missing. He was tracking them down when the FBI came for him. He didn’t have the name of the person who wanted to kill Sonny, but he could make contact with the buyer.

Carly went into cardiac arrest (this time not due to digitalis) and Isiah used the defibrillator. Dante said Rocco’s life had changed, and Lulu said she wanted to get to know her son again. She didn’t think he’d fight her on it. He said he understood where she was coming from, but couldn’t she wait? She said they were still both grieving Sam, and Dante said he thought they could agree their son needed both his parents. Lulu said she didn’t disagree. Chase said, Dante would want to know, but Brook said the child was a grown adult and Dante would never stop looking. Chase said that’s what he would want, but she said it wasn’t him. He said it felt like it was, and she said he wanted it for Dante because he wanted it for himself. All she wanted was him. He said he was mad as hell, but she had him, and she said she was most worried about what was right for her and Dante’s son. It wasn’t right to upend his life, and it should be his decision. If he came looking, she’d tell Dante, but until then she wasn’t torturing Dante. He was happier not knowing. Marco said Lucas would have shown him the same kindness, and Lucas asked for his phone number to reimburse him for his dry-cleaning. Marco said Lucas didn’t need for that, but to call to tell Marco if he survived the hangover and was okay. Bryce said Josslyn wouldn’t survive if she didn’t toughen up, and Josslyn said he was still trying get her to quit. He said he was leveling with her, and she said she lied to the people closest to her, but wouldn’t be lying when she told them she loved them. And when she missed things, it would be because she was doing something worthwhile and protecting them. Valentin told Sonny that the man’s name was Selinsky. He’d been hired to take Sonny out, but the job wasn’t completed. Sonny could expect a retry. Sonny said, not if he got to Selinsky first. Valentin walked out and Sonny kept the gun pointed at him, but didn’t shoot. Jack gave the antidote to Isaiah just as alarms were going off.

Marco told Lucas not to forget to call, and Lucas said he wouldn’t. Marco left, and Brad came out from around the corner in the hallway. Chase said he and Brook were making decisions for Dante under the guise of protecting him, but he had the right to know. Brook said, nothing was more important than their son’s right to happiness and he asked if she didn’t want to know if he was actually happy. She said, of course (🍷). She had to believe he was, or she couldn’t go on. If he was unhappy, he’d look for his birth parents, and he hadn’t. Chase said, maybe he didn’t know he was adopted, but she said it wasn’t her place to drop it on him, or Dante’s. She knew it was unfair to ask him to keep such a huge secret from an important friend, but he had to promise Dante would never know about the baby. Valentin listened at Laura’s door and almost knocked, but hesitated. Josslyn said she got that the job would push her limits, but she was going to pass all of Bryce’s tests. He said he liked her attitude, but the tests never stopped coming. She would be challenged, pushed, and tested every day as an agent. She said, bring it on.

Jack asked for a minute alone with Carly, and Isaiah and Willow left. Anna asked Isaiah how Carly was, and he said she was stable, but they’d have to wait and see. Willow said she had to call Carly’s family, but Isaiah asked if she wanted the mother of Carly’s grandchildren to get arrested. That’s what would happen if she went against Brennan. Sasha and Jason looked at the sono photo, and Jason said he’d let Michael know that she and the baby were healthy. She asked if he thought he could get a copy of the sono to Michael, and he said he’d arrange it. Anna called Jason and told him, get to GH now. It’s Carly. He ran out. Jack took Carly’s hand when his phone rang. It was Sonny, but he ignored the call. He told Carly that he knew she could hear him. He knew how strong and stubborn she was and that she’d always fight like hell. He knew how happy she was when he told her that his father was a plumber because she liked knowing something no one else knew. He was going to tell her something else no one knew. He did have a heart, and it was all hers. He started to cry, and she opened her eyes.

Wednesday:

Nina found Willow at the hospital and said she wanted to talk somewhere the kids wouldn’t overhear. She thought Willow should reconsider moving in with Drew. Tracy went to see Drew and informed him that his attorney was on an airplane going to California with a special plus one – a federal marshal. At the PC Grill, Ava told her accountant that it was impossible. Run the numbers again. He said it was not only possible, it was her reality, and she asked, what about the loan from Nina? He said it helped, but wasn’t enough. She was still broke. Alexis showed up at the station and Cody said Tracy had given him Alexis’s card in case he was in trouble. She asked what kind of trouble he was in, and Molly said he’d been arrested for grand theft auto. On the phone with Brick, Sonny said he had a lead on the device found in the penthouse. They were looking for a pro – Selinsky – and he’d give Brick more information when he got it. There was a knock at the door, and Dante came in. He told Sonny that he might have just made a huge mistake. Valentin listened at Laura’s door, then used his key, but Laura came out of nowhere and said he wasn’t taking Charlotte with him. She wouldn’t let him. At the hospital, Carly asked Jack, what happened?

Molly said she was assigned Cody’s case, but Alexis said she was representing Cody, so Molly would have to recuse herself due to familial connections. Molly said if she reassigned the case, it would be 48 hours, and Cody would have to spend two nights in jail. Alexis said Cody should be released on his own recognizance or she’d file a motion for unjust detention. It would be easier for Molly to just recuse herself. Ric came by and said, or Alexis could recuse herself. Ava’s accountant said the money paid both gallery mortgages, but unless she unloaded one of the properties, they’d eventually be foreclosed on, and she’d lose them both. She also owed substantial property taxes. Unless she was expecting a windfall soon, she needed to stock up on ramen and her shopping sprees were a thing of the past. She said, that would be professional suicide. She had to maintain her image to keep her clients. And couldn’t they just ignore the IRS for a while? He said, the government would put a lien on her galleries. Imagine what that would do to her image.

Jack said, the doctor would explain everything, but Carly was going to be okay, and she asked how long she’d been there. He said he brought her in earlier tonight, when Isaiah came in and said, welcome back. Jack said he was going to make sure this never happened again, kissed her hand, and left. Isaiah asked, what was the last thing Carly remembered? and she said she was in Jack’s hotel room, and they were drinking champagne. She started feeling terrible. She’d never felt that bad. She didn’t remember what happened after that. Isaiah said she was poisoned. Jack saw a voicemail from Sonny, and Anna asked how Carly was. Jack said she was awake and seemed like herself. He thought she’d be fine, but Anna disobeyed his orders and called Sonny. Anna said she didn’t, and he wondered why Sonny left him a message. Dante told Sonny that Lulu wanted Rocco to live with her and Charlotte and was pushing hard. He didn’t want to take her to court, but wasn’t giving up without a fight. Sonny told Dante custody battles never ended well. Everybody compromises in the end. Compromise now and save the pain of enduing a long battel. Dante said he hoped he and Lulu could meet halfway, when Sonny’s phone rang. He saw it was Jack and stepped into his office. Jack said he’d gotten Sonny’s message, and Sonny said, one of Jack’s colleagues, a certain person of interest who was last seen in South America, was in Port Charles. He had a boat waiting at Pier 55, and if Jack hurried, he could get there first. Jack said he owed Sonny one and was going to even it up now. Sonny’s ex-wife was at GH as a patient. Laura asked what Valentin was doing there, and he said he wanted to see Charlotte. She said he was still wanted by the authorities and had put them in a terrible position. They’d said their goodbyes, and he needed to let that be that. He said if he didn’t reach out, Charlotte would be hurt, but she said, Charlotte was already hurt. She needed to settle in and make it feel like home, and she couldn’t if he made a surprise visit. Charlotte was entitled to her life here with her family in Port Charles. He could help by being a good dad and doing the right thing by turning himself in. That way, he wouldn’t leave her in fear of where he was or whether he was alive.

Drew asked what the hell Tracy did, and she said, nothing. Martin did it to himself. His lawyer was a deadbeat ex who broke some laws and thought no one would find out. Drew’s noble champion had exited stage west. It occurred to her, since his circumstances had dramatically changed, he might consider revisiting the conversation about her parents’ final resting place. He said there were other lawyers who wouldn’t hesitate to tear her apart. Nina told Willow that she heard the situation with Drew and the Quartermaines was getting worse. It could lead to a long, brutal custody battle. Willow said, Michael wouldn’t want that, and she didn’t either, but Nina said it wouldn’t matter. If Willow moved in with Drew so quickly, she wasn’t leaving Michael incentive to compromise. Willow said she’d been thinking the same thing. Carly was brought to the ER and almost died. It seemed she was going to be fine, but God forbid that changed. Nina said another reason to reconsider was the optics if Willow’s children almost lost their grandmother and she moved in with Drew a week later. Willow said, Drew was supportive, steady, and the kids loved him, but Nina said she wasn’t asking Willow to break up with him, just slow things down little. Willow said she couldn’t live with Nina forever, and Nina agreed. That’s why she wanted to buy Willow and the kids a home of their own.

Ava told the accountant that she’d already moved into a broom closet. What more did he want? He said, her credit cards, please, and she handed them over. He said she had to stick to a budget. She was close to making them out. She said she needed one. She was meeting someone for dinner and how would she pay for her drink? He looked through them and gave one back, saying, she had a little wiggle room, but be responsible. Get to know her limit and stay below it. He knew she could do this. He left, and Ava said she just didn’t want to, and drained her martini. The server said, another? and she said, yes… Wait. What did they have on tap? (New York? I’m guessing Coors.) Laura said the most loving thing Valentin could do was turn himself in, but he said, if he did, how long did she think he’d stay alive? She said, as mayor, she would use all her resources to protect him. He was Charlotte’s father and she’d gotten to know him. She knew he was a complicated man capable of good things. Life on the run was no life at all. She’d been where he is and knew how he felt. Valentin doubted that, but she said when she was married to Luke, they were on the run for many, many years. It takes its toll. They weren’t a real family until they settled down and stopped running. He said if he stayed, it would hurt Charlotte more than she’d ever been hurt. At the hospital, Jason asked Anna how Carly was doing, and she said, better. The doctor was in with her. He asked, what happened and why? and she said, Carly was poisoned when she was with Jack. Jason ran to Carly’s bedside, and she took his hand. She asked how he knew she was there, and he said, Anna. He was afraid he’d get here and she’d be… He told her that Isaiah said she was poisoned with polonium, and Anna said she wasn’t the target. Someone was trying to kill Brennan.  

Alexis asked if Molly called Ric, but he said he just happened to be there. Alexis asked if anyone requested his help, assistance, or opinion, and he said, clearly, she wasn’t the right lawyer. Cody needed someone with more perspective and a better sense of humor. Molly told them that Cody had been trying to say something, and Cody said he got arrested for stealing his own car. They could check the registration. It was up to date and paid for. This was a huge mistake. Nina said Willow valued her independence and could use a space all her own, but Willow said, Drew would be disappointed. Nina said Drew loved her and would understand. Nothing was going to change if she didn’t move in right this minute. It would be better from a custody standpoint if she established a permanent home. It was the best possible move to make. Willow said it was a lot to take it and it had been a long shift. She wanted to think about everything. Nina said Willow thinking about it was all she could ask. Tracy said Drew could get a dozen lawyers and she would take every one of them down. She had the time and money. Did he? He said he did and he’d make the time, and she said, he wasn’t the brightest bulb in the shed. If he tried to match wits with her, she’d win every time. And if he persisted in this outrageous pursuit of moving her family crypt, she’d take away everything he had.

Valentin told Laura that if he didn’t go, he’d be killed, and if he didn’t see Charlotte now, he wouldn’t see her again. Laura said Charlotte was with Rocco tonight, and Lulu came out. She asked what the hell Valentin was doing there. Anna asked if Carly was up for answer questions, and Carly said, okay. Anna asked how the champagne was delivered, and Carly said there was a knock at the door, and she found an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. Anna asked if she saw the bellman, but Carly said, no. Anna asked, what happened then? and Carly said she poured a glass and drank it. When Jack came out of the shower, she poured another and one for him. Anna asked if there was anything strange about the bottle, and Carly said, no. Before she took a sip of the second glass, she started feeling awful. It hit her so fast, she didn’t know what happened, and she woke up here. Anna said she was sorry this happened. If Carly thought of anything else, call her. She left, and Carly told Jason that she knew that look. She didn’t want to fight with him about Jack. He said he didn’t want to fight either. He was just glad she was alive. She took his hand. Sonny ran into the hospital with Dante and asked Anna how Carly was doing. Anna said she was doing better and Jason was in with her. Dante asked, what happened? and Anna said they both needed to know that Carly wasn’t the target; Brennan was. The champagne he ordered was laced with polonium. She was thinking it was Valentin. Dante said, he was in Port Charles? and she said, yeah. Dante said he had to go. He wasn’t letting Valentin anywhere near Charlotte. He left, and Sonny told Anna not to worry too much. Valetin came back to his old place and met the new owner. He was on his way out of town, but Sonny didn’t think he’d get too far.

Molly said, Cody was telling the truth. The officer transposed the license plate. It never should have happened, and the city apologized for the inconvenience. He still forgot to signal, which is why he was pulled over. Ric said, this could have been over in two minutes except for Alexis’s insatiable need to be right. Alexis said she was nothing compared to him, but he said, most of the time, he was right. Cody suggested he and Ric take a walk and have a chat. He thanked Molly and Alexis, and walked Ric out. Alexis said, Ric kept topping himself with being annoying, and Molly told Alexis to come with her to the interrogation room. Outside, Ric asked what this was about, and Cody asked if Ric ever thought about what his endless crapping on his ex was doing his daughter. Drew said Tracy had no way to back up her threats. She might have pulled strings about Martin, but the law was on his side. She needed to back up, take her hits, and move the crypt. The people in there wouldn’t care. Willow walked in. Nina called Ava and asked if there was any chance they could meet for a drink. Ava said she was at the Grill waiting for Ric, but he hadn’t shown up, so she was going home. The night had veered into depressing territory. Nina said, not yet. She was on her way. Anna said, Sonny called Jack? and Sonny said he gave Jack the information. Anna said Jack would kill Valentin, and Sonny said the world would be better off without him. Anna said he was such a bastard, and left. Lulu told Valentin that he wasn’t taking Charlotte, but he said that wasn’t why he was here. He asked to talk to Lulu alone, and Laura said, of course (🍷). She knew he’d make the right decision. She left, and Valentin said Laura wanted him to turn himself in. Lulu said, she was right, and he said Laura thought she could protect him, but she couldn’t. No one could. His only chance of survival was on the run. Sonny went into Carly’s room and asked what she got herself into this time.

Molly said Alexis couldn’t let Ric get to her like that. She knew he liked to provoke her. Just accept they didn’t get along or agree on anything and walk away. Alexis promised to try. Ric told Cody to take this in the spirit it was meant. Why was it any of his business? Cody said, Molly was his friend. Actually, he wasn’t sure she liked him, but she’d just lost her baby and her sister and could use a break. Ric said Molly was more than nice. She just got out of a long-term relationship, so don’t think he was going to be Mr. Rebound. Cody said he wouldn’t, but that was all the more reason to go easy and dial it back with Alexis. Molly shouldn’t have to play referee. All she wanted was her parents being civil when they were in the same room. Did he think he could at least give her that? Nina thanked Ava for waiting and asked if that was draft beer. Did Ric show up? Ava said, no, it was hers. She ordered it. She panicked and ordered something on tap. She was trying to broaden her palate. Nina said, do it on her own time and told the server they’d have two French 75s. Ava asked him to take the beer away and asked what they were celebrating. Willow said she didn’t expect to see Tracy, and Tracy said she was just leaving. How were Wiley and Amelia? Willow said, fine, and Tracy asked if they missed their family. Not her, but certainly other members of the household, not to mention the horses and dogs. Willow said, sometimes, and Tracy said, what about the gatehouse? Do they ask about home? Willow said, once in a while. They understood that people move and she was doing what she could to make sure they felt happy and secure. Tracy asked, then why move in here with this horrible man who wanted to dig up their great-grandparents out of spite? and Willow said Tracy forgot she knew the family history. Tracy’s family turned their backs on her. How could she possibly claim to know what they wanted?

Sonny said Carly scared him, and she said she scared herself. She was never so sick. She’s grateful Jack got her here quickly. He said he wanted to talk to Jason, and they went out to the hallway. Sonny said, Valentin was the one who poisoned Carly, and Jason asked if he was back in Port Charles. Sonny said, he was on his way out of town by way of the pier, and Jason asked, who else knows? Sonny said, Anna and Brennan, and Brennan was on his way to the pier. Jason asked if Sonny thought Anna would try to stop him, and Sonny told Jason to do the world a favor and make sure Brennan finished the job. Jason left. Lulu asked why Valentin let himself get caught up in this dangerous mess, and he said he wished he could say. It spun out of control before he could stop it. He was responsible for his own actions, and he was the one who would suffer the consequences. She said, unfortunately, so would Charlotte, and he said it was one of his life’s biggest regrets. He was going to go. Lulu thanked him and he asked her to thank her mother for her advice and tell her that he was sorry he couldn’t take it. Tell Charlotte that he loved her more than anything and always would. He would always be with her. He left.

Ava said Nina must be so relieved, and Nina said, somewhat relieved. Ava said, here’s to you, mama, and they clinked glasses. Willow said she was sorry Tracy was so blinded by her hatred and anger that she couldn’t see the kind of man Drew really was, but Tracy said, maybe Willow should get angry herself. Drew said he and Willow were starting fresh and it had nothing to do her, and Willow said, if Tracy had welcomed Drew into the family, he would have bene the most loyal Quartermaine. She had no one to blame but herself. Tracy told her, remember those words. She was going to be saying them into a mirror soon enough. Tracy left. At the station, Dante asked for an APB to be put out on Valentin Cassadine, when his phone rang. Lulu said, Valentin was just there, and she was afraid he was in trouble. Dante said he’d do what he could to find him, and Lulu said, let her know the second he heard. He said he would, and Alexis asked if she just heard him say Valentin’s name. Dante said he was back in town and almost killed Carly. Sonny said he never wanted a call like that again. He was thinking what would the kids do without Carly, then started thinking, what was he going to do without her? She put her hand on his and said he wasn’t getting rid of her that easy. Lulu said she wasn’t surprised Valentin chose to leave, and Laura said she was disappointed. She’d hoped he’d choose differently for Charlotte’s sake. Lulu said Valentin wanted her to thank Laura for her advice, and Laura said she thought he was going to take it, but he said it was too late after what he’d done. Lulu said he may be right, and Laura said she’d mourn the man he could have been. Lulu said she would too. It was so much easier when she hated him, but she just couldn’t. Anna got in her car and called Jack. She said if he was thinking about going after Valetin – don’t. Valentin stood at the pier and heard the click of a gun being cocked. Jack said, it’s the end of the line, old friend.

Thursday:

Lulu said she was happy to see her kids even when they were fighting, and Laura said she felt the same way about Lulu and Lucky. She suggested Lulu take Lucky’s room, since he was staying with Elizabeth, and Lulu said she thought it was time she and the kids found their own place. Sonny brought Donna back to his new/Valentin’s old house and explained that Carly was in the hospital. Carly told Felicia this was the sickest she’d ever been, and Felicia said they didn’t deal with many polonium poisoning cases unless they were dealing with the WSB. Lois told Brook to respect the choices everyone made, put everything in the vault, and move forward. She knew Brook hated that she told Gloria, but she’d needed to confide in someone, and Brook said she’d told Chase everything. At the station, Dante filled Chase in on Valentin. Valentin had wanted to see his daughter and Dante understood. At the pier, Jack told Valentin, it’s the end of the line, old friend. Why hadn’t he stayed gone? Valentin said, Charlotte could have been collateral damage in Prague, and Jack said all Valentin did with the poisoned champagne was seal his own fate.

Laura understood, but said she’d miss Lulu and the kids. Lulu said it felt like her life was finally starting. Dante told Chase that the last thing Charlotte needed was Valentin back in her life, and wondered if Valentin had sent Charlotte home as a distraction. Chase wondered if Lulu would have been better off not knowing about Charlotte. Brook said finding out Gloria knew what happened made her think differently. Finding out someone she loved and trusted had kept something so important from her made her wonder what other secrets they were keeping. She didn’t want any secrets between her and Chase. Lois said Brook had put a terrible burden on Chase. Sonny told Donna that Carly was going to be okay and just needed to rest. Tomorrow they’d go see her after school. Donna said she loved them so much, she didn’t want anything to happen to them, and Sonny said they loved her too, and nothing would happen to them. (Wow. That’s a big promise.)

Felicia said Carly’s poisoning had to do with Jack, but Carly said it was Valentin’s fault. Felicia said Carly was rationalizing the situation, but Carly said she was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong drink. Felicia said all three led back to jack, but Carly said Sonny’s business had put her in danger. Felicia said the WSB was on a whole other level. Jack would always be looking over his shoulder and when you were in the WSB, the danger never ended. Jason skulked around the pier and Jack said he had nothing to do with the sniper in Prague. Valentin had now involved Carly and took it past the point of no return. Valentin admitted he’d been sloppy and realized Jack had fallen for Carly. He’d called Valentin weak about loving Anna. Jack said, enough, and aimed the gun. Anna was rooting through the trash when she ran into Jason.

Laura said Lulu would make up for the lost time that they all deserved, when her phone rang. Sonny wondered if she could come by, and she said she’d get there as soon as she could. Dante told Chase that Lulu’s life was better for having Charlotte in it. It’s why they had to do what they could to make sure Valentin didn’t cause more damage. He left to get Carly’s statement. Lois said Brook gave Chase a secret he couldn’t share with anyone, and she believed it would cause a rift between him and Dante. Brook said her relationship was with Chase, not anyone else, and right now, that was more important. Lois asked if Chase was going to keep it from Dante. Jason said Anna couldn’t save Valentin this time, but she said she was bringing him in. Jason suggested she let Jack handle it, and she asked if he was back-up. He wanted Jack dead because he’d hurt Carly, and she wasn’t going to let him do that. He grabbed her arm, and she told him to let her go. Valentin didn’t blame Jack, since all was fair in love and war. Anna told Jack, drop the gun now.

Laura noticed a lot of security at Sonny’s, and he said Valentin was why he’d called her. Dante asked for Carly’s statement, and she asked Felicia to stay. Dante asked what she was doing in Jack’s room. Jack told Anna to stay out of it, but she said, killing an unarmed man was cold-blooded revenge. Valentin needed to stand trial. Jason asked if Jack was under orders, and Jack said no, but the WSB would be glad to get rid of Valentin. Anna said if Jack couldn’t spare Valentin because of the law, do it for the friends they all once were. Jack said she’d find a way to release Valentin, but she said he’d stand trial, and she needed to be the one to do it. Chase went to see Lulu and said it was about protecting his family. Brook said a lot of this was about Lois protecting herself. She’d kept the secret from people who had the right to know, like Olivia. Lois said Brook was the most important person to her and wondered where the anger was coming from. Brook said finding out Gloria knew changed everything and she wondered if Lois and Gloria pushed her in the direction they thought she should go. She was questioning everything and wondered if she could ever trust Lois again.

Anna kept her gun on Jack, and he lowered his. He said he was going against his instincts, but she said Valentin needed to be held responsible for his crimes. He was going to wait for her to call the PCPD and ask for back-up. If she didn’t, he’d finish what he started. Anna called the PCPD. Sonny told Laura about Valentin breaking in and she told him about Valentin wanting to see Charlotte. She and Lulu convinced him it would just make things harder for Charlotte and he left. She also tried to convince him to turn himself in, but he refused. Sonny said he could have gotten away with shooting Valentin, but didn’t because of her. If he killed Valentin, what would happen to the kids? Charlotte’s father would have been killed by Rocco’s grandfather, and it would have torn the family apart. In the past, he would have just shot Valentin. Laura said she was proud of him, but confused. What changed? Carly told Dante that she’d gone to Jack’s room because they’d had a disagreement, and she wanted to clear the air. She flashed back to being with Jack, and Dante asked how the champagne got there. She said, Jack ordered it from room service. There was a knock at the door, and by the time she got there, she found a cart in the hall, which was standard procedure if guest didn’t open the door. She drank a glass, poured another for herself and Jack, and Jack noticed something was wrong with the bottle. He slapped the glass out of her hand, but it was too late. She felt terrible, and the next thing she knew, she woke up here.

Lois said Brook could trust her and the decision had been hers alone. It was a difficult and confusing time, and there was no handbook to tell her what to do. She supported Brook and always would. What was done was done, and no one needed to know, especially Dante. Brook agreed and said Chase would respect her decision. Congratulations. Lois was off the hook. Chase said Brook told him everything and Lulu said keep his voice down; Charlotte and Rocco were upstairs. She asked if he was telling Dante, but he said nobody was telling Dante – not Brook, not him, and not her. Brook said Lulu had been harassing her and she needed to leave his wife alone.

Sonny told Laura that he’d been thinking about what was important or not in life. He didn’t care about regrets; the past was the past. But what happened to their friendship was a low point in his life and he wanted her to know he was thinking about her. She said she would pick up the phone to call him, then realize they weren’t talking. It was hard on her too. Sonny said he and his brother weren’t close, and Courtney and his father were gone. He always considered her and Luke the family he needed. Lulu said Dante was Chase’s best friend and she thought he deserved to know the truth, but Chase said it wasn’t about what he thought and certainly not what she thought. It was none of her business. She had no say. Only Brook did. Lulu said she was just looking out for Dante, but Chase asked if she wasn’t sure it wasn’t something to hold over his wife. Brook didn’t know he was here because he thought Lulu needed to hear it from someone else. Drop this. Lulu said Charlotte was kept from her and it was devastating. Dante deserved to know he had a child, like she did. Wouldn’t Chase want to know if it was him? Carly told Felicia that it would be nice if her mom was here. No matter how old you were, you wanted your mom to tell you everything was going to be okay when you felt sick. Felicia said all she could think about when Carly was talking to Dante was what Bobbie would say to her. As hard as it was to hear, she had to say it for Bobbie. Anna gave Valentin his rights as he was handcuffed, and an officer took him away. She looked at Jack, then followed. Jack said, it’s done, and Jason said Valentin was dealt with for now, but Jack hadn’t been. What happened to Carly wasn’t just about Valentin. It was about Jack.

Laura said it was like Sonny was determined to make himself a better man, and it was an exciting time to be his friend. She guessed it was inevitable their friendship would have bumps, but after this conversation, they could navigate through it more smoothly. Sonny agreed and said it was like old times. Dante came back to the Quartermaines, and Lois said she thought she and Brook needed space, so she was going to pack and go back to Bensonhurst for a bit. Brook said it was probably for the best, and Lois went upstairs. Dante told Brook that close families fought hard and loved even harder. In the end, they stayed together and could face anything. Lulu didn’t understand how Chase could keep his best friend in the dark, and Chase told her to leave his wife alone. He loved her and would do anything to protect her. Stop inserting herself into Brook’s life. Lulu said, or…? and he said he would think seriously about arresting her for breaking and entering into Martin’s room and looking at confidential client files. Lulu said Martin was her uncle (like this makes a difference), and Chase said, that was for starters. Since she had disregard for the law and authority, he was sure he’d find something pretty quickly. He walked out.

Anna told an officer at the station to call the WSB and went into the interrogation room where Valentin waited. He asked if this was where she smuggled him out, and she said helping him escape was her biggest mistake. She’d compromised her values and wouldn’t let it happen again. He said she didn’t love him anymore, and she smiled. She said her decision had nothing to do with her feelings for him and they didn’t the last time. It had been about Charlotte. She hadn’t had anyone else to depend on then. Now things were different. She had Lulu and Rocco, and they could be her family. Valentin said he may have had something to do with Charlotte. He saw it in Anna’s eyes the day they said goodbye. He could see now that she still loved him. That’s why she saved his life. She said, none of that matters. You’ve committed too many crimes, my darling. You have to face justice. It’s over. Felicia said she thought Bobbie would disapprove of Jack for the same reasons she disapproved of Sonny, but Carly said, Jack was a good man. Felicia said Carly was ignoring the warning signs like she had with Frisco. She abandoned her children for him and got a chance to fix things, but she’d never get back the time she lost and would regret it for the rest of her life. Carly could be smarter. The people who loved her depended on her, and it wasn’t just her children. Carly couldn’t stand by and willingly put herself in the position to be collateral damage in Jack’s life. She needed to end things before it was too late. Jason told Jack that he was the reason Carly almost died, and he wasn’t going to wait around while it happened again. He told Jack, stay away from her, and left.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada:

Trina tells Kai that something seems different, and he says he’s out of the sling. She says, that’s good, but that’s not it, and he says, honestly? He’s nervous about today. She says, this is nothing. He talked to reporters all the time. He says, before or after games. There’s a lot riding on this press conference and he doesn’t want to disappoint Drew. She says, he’s going to be fantastic. The last thing he needs to worry about is the congressman.

Jordan asks Curtis to remind her why she’s doing this again, and he says, the sports initiative is so important to the hospital. He doesn’t want her antipathy for Drew to get in the way. She says, that’s not only reason why. She doesn’t want Drew thinking he’s won.

Drew tells Portia to introduce him as our representative in congress, Drew Quartermaine, and she says, so introduce him as who he is. He says, there’s been a dispute over his name, and he wants to make sure, and she says she can handle it. He tells her not to forget to smile. Remember, it’s all about the kids. (I desperately want to smack him.)

Walking into Drew’s house, Nina says, there are a few listings she can’t wait to show Willow. The houses are perfect for her and the kids. Willow says, Nina has been so generous. She can’t thank her enough for the offer, but she doesn’t need a real estate agent. What she needs is a mover.

On the phone, Alexis thanks someone for letting her know, and Kristina asks if something happened. Is it Molly? Danny? Alexis says, no. It’s Valentin.

A shackled Valentin is brought into the interrogation room where Jason is waiting. Valentin asks if Jason is going to assassinate him in the police station. It’s practical and certainly gutsy. Enough small talk. What does Jason want?

Carly dreams about drinking the champagne. She wakes and says, Jack? Lucas says, no such luck. It’s just him, her baby brother.

Elizabeth sees the couch is empty, when Lucky comes in. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she just thought he left without saying goodbye. He says, him? Never again.

Alexis says, Valentin is in custody at the PCPD and wants to see her, and Kristina says, he can’t want Alexis to represent him. Alexis says, yet he does. He also wants to be released. She’s very flattered that he thinks she can make that happen, but she can’t. Not only is he an international fugitive, he allegedly tried to poison Carly… She’s fine, and apparently, she wasn’t the intended victim. Kristina asks, who was? but Alexis says, that information hasn’t been released yet. Kristina asks what he’s charged with, but Alexis says she doesn’t know. Probably premeditated attempted murder of someone. She hasn’t been told the facts yet. Kristina says, she doesn’t have to do it, and Alexis says she knows that, but even Valentin deserves representation. Kristina asks if he doesn’t have a lawyer, and Alexis says, Martin is in another tricky situation, when Ava comes in. She says she’s sorry to barge in, but she really needs to – she sees Kristina is there – talk.  

Kai ask if Trina doesn’t like his suit, but she says she loves it. Is it new? He says, no. The last time he wore it was the pregame interview before he got hurt. She says, it must be strange wearing it again, and he says, it is, but the way he sees it, it’s being put to good use and so will he. He’ll be using his football cred at long last to help people. She says, wow. That’s a shockingly positive outlook. He says, that’s on her. He wouldn’t be here at all if not for her. He thanks her and they kiss.

Willow says she and Drew talked it through and decided there was no reason for her to move when this right here is perfect for the kids, and Nina says, that’s one of the reasons he chose it. So that she, Wiley, and Amelia could move in. Willow says, that’s hardly a huge presumption, and Nina says, they discussed this. Willow says, Wiley and Amelia love Scout and Drew. How can she ask Nina to go through the trouble of buying a house when they all know she’ll move in here sooner or later? Nina says, it’s no trouble, and Willow says, Nina needs to believe she knows what she’s doing to make the kids happy. Nina needs to trust her.

Portia says she’s done everything Drew asked. Take the win. Drew says, or what? She’ll tell Curtis what she did? Portia asks why he’s pushing, and he says, no reason. (Another smack.) He’s definitely not trying to ruin her life or deprive the hospital of their great Co-Chief of Staff. On the contrary. He’s trying to prevent her paying for crimes she committed. Portia says she can’t tell him how grateful she is for that, and he says, she should be. (One more.) Stop treating him like the enemy. He hopes she can think of him as a friend. He leaves and she literally says, ugh. She sits at her desk and looks at a folder labeled, Drew Quartermaine.

Curtis tells Jordan that he actually wanted to refuse to let Aurora Media cover the press conference, but it would look like he was using it to enact his personal vendetta at the expense of a good children’s health initiative. He refuses to let Drew play him. She says, good for him. Drew won’t stop blaming him for not getting on the Appropriations Committee and won’t ever because his ego won’t let him. Curtis says, exactly. Eventually, Drew’s ego will have him cross the line or make a big mistake. And when Drew does, he’s going to be ready. Trina and Kai join them, and Curtis asks how Kai feels. Kai says, ready and waiting for the congressman to give him his marching orders, and from across the room, Drew says, there he is. PCU’s biggest star.

Carly asks, how was Miami? and Lucas says, not great. And then he finds her almost dying. She says she’s okay, but he says he’ll be the judge of that. He shows her a duffel bag and says he grabbed some things from the house, since she was admitted wearing only a bathrobe. She says she can explain, and he says, what? The polonium poisoning? She says, that’s an easy one. That was Valentin. He has a vendetta against Jack and had a poisoned bottle of champagne sent to the room. She wasn’t the intended target. He says, thank goodness, and she says, everyone warned her, but it’s no one’s business. He says, she was two minutes from death’s door, so that makes it the hospital’s business. Not to mention law enforcement – local and international – and her children, and him. That’s a lot of people. She says, he’s not blaming Jack for something Valentin did. Jack’s not the threat. Valentin is.  

Jason says, Valentin can refuse the visit, but Valentin says, then how can he know why Jason came? He asks the officer to give them a minute, and the officer leaves. Valentin wonders if Sonny is going to settle the score about him altering the medication, but Jason says, it’s about Carly. They sit, and Jason says, Valentin almost killed her. Valentin says, the best laid plans. He knows Jason doesn’t want to spend more time at the station than he has to. What does he want? Jason says, everything that Valentin knows about Jack Brennan.

Lucky says he knows he and Elizabeth had plans that didn’t end with him downstairs snoring. Why didn’t she wake him up? She says, you never wake up a patient when you don’t have to, and he asks if she knows how amazing he thinks she is. Sometimes he wishes she weren’t a nurse. He scrinches around and she asks, what’s wrong? He says his neck is messed up. He thinks she needs a more comfortable couch. She says she thinks her couch is just fine, and massages his neck. She says, next time, maybe he should sleep upstairs.

Valentin says, if it’s information about Jack that Jason is after, he’s Jason’s man. He’s known Jack since they were in their early 20s. In all the years he’s known Jack, he’s never seen him vulnerable or scared, but last night he was scared. Jason says, about Carly? and Valentin says, yeah. Jason says, so was he, and Valentin asks what he’s looking for. Leverage? He can give Jason leverage. He knows everything there is to know about Jack Brennan. But he needs something from Jason. He needs someone to break him out. Jason says, that’s not going to happen, but he might think about doing Valentin a favor at some point in the future. Valentin says, that’s the best he can do? and Jason says, yeah. Take it or leave it.

Lucas says, if Valentin is all Carly’s worried about, he has good news, and she says, he’s dead? He tells her that he said good, not great. He’s in custody. The PCPD picked him up. She says, problem solved, but he says, problem not solved. She’s not automatically safe to date Brennan just because Valentin is in jail. Carly says she knows where he’s going. She heard it last night from Felicia. Brennan is a spy. Spies live dangerous lives. She gets it, and honestly, Felicia gave her something to think about. Save it. They’re not engaged, but he knows she wouldn’t have a one-night stand with a gorgeous spy. He says, don’t try to seduce him by proxy, and she says she wanted to see what it was like. He asks what it was like, and she says, incredible. Until it went terribly wrong. He says, is that all? He’ll ease up.

Jordan says she’s going to check in on Portia, and Curtis says, good idea. He thanks her, and she leaves. Trina joins Curtis and says she’s worried about Kai. He thinks he can trust Drew and they both know that’s not true.

Drew says, it’s the deputy mayor first, then Councilman Boyle. Dr. Robinson will give a statement for the hospital, and then it’s Kai. Kai says, got it, and Drew says he’s seen Kai under pressure on the field. He’s going to be great. Kai says he appreciates it, and Drew asks what his plans are for the future. Kai says he has one more year at PCU. After that, he has to figure it out. Drew says, okay, some advice. Not that Kai is asking, but use his natural gifts. He’s a born leader and has charisma. There are plenty of arenas where he’d be useful. Politics is one of them. Boyle (who looks like a young, shorter Kurt Russell) joins them and says, it’s a great day for the city of Port Charles. Trina says she feels like she should have said something, but didn’t know how, and Curtis says, that’s okay. He does.

Portia is reading Drew’s file when there’s a knock at the door. She says, come in, and Jordan says she wanted to let Portia know that Trina and Kai got here. Portia says she’d better join them, and Jordan asks if she’s still going through with it. She’s going to stand next to Drew? Portia says, unless Jordan changed her mind, Jordan is going to be standing next to her, and Jordan says, nothing’s changed, but these events are the deputy mayor’s job. Portia is Co-Chief of Staff at the hospital. Portia says, she’s publicizing a worthwhile initiative that’s good for the hospital. It’s part of her job. Jordan asks why she didn’t pass it along to Terry. After everything Drew has done, she’s shocked Portia would stand next to him, smile, and sell to the world that he’s a good man. Portia says she and Curtis discussed it and they’re on the same page. She starts to leave, but Jordan lingers. Portia says, they don’t want to be late, and Jordan follows her out.

Ava says she’s sorry to intrude. She’ll come back later. Alexis says, later is not better. Never is better, but she doesn’t have that kind of luck. What does Ava want? Ava says, it’s a legal matter and she thinks they should speak privately, but Kristina says, no. Ava says, what about attorney/client privilege? and Alexis says she’s not Ava’s attorney and Ava’s not her client. Kristina sits down, and Ava says, Alexis has made it clear that she won’t give Ava access to any funds from the Cassadine estate. Alexis says, yet here they are, and Ava says she’s come to accept and understand that Alexis can’t return her settlement money. However, she could arrange for the estate to loan her some money. Alexis says, the estate isn’t a bank, but Ava says, it will be a private loan with scheduled payments at a fair interest rate. The estate would actually benefit. Kristina says, no. No way in hell is Alexis giving a dime to the woman who killed her grandchild.

Willow says she knows Nina is nervous about the repercussions for moving in with Drew, but she’s going to reach out to Michael and explain. Since they have no way to know when he’s coming home, it’s not fair to keep the children’s lives in limbo. Michael has shown he’s willing to compromise, unlike his family, and he won’t use his children as a weapon as long as they’re happy. Nina says, Michael is dealing with his own problems. They need to go to a lawyer. Willow says, that will only make things more hostile. She doesn’t want a civil war; she wants things to stay calm. Michael doesn’t want a custody fight any more than she does. Nina says, that’s true if Willow was in a home of her own, but if she moves in with Drew, she’s going to force Michael’s hand. Willow says she doesn’t see it that way, but Nina says, please. If Willow does this, she’s going to lose her children.

Drew talks football to Kai, when Curtis joins them. He tells Boyle, good to see him. If they don’t mind, he’d like to borrow Kai for a minute. Drew asks if he’s sure it’s just one, and Curtis steps away with Kai. Boyle tells Drew, that kid was the perfect spokesman. Good choice. It’s a shame the city didn’t use the plan to relocate the esplanade. It was good for the unions, public safety, and commerce. Drew says he couldn’t agree more, and Boyle says, if only the mayor hadn’t let her personal attachment to Corinthos get in the way.

Ava says she’ll always regret what happened that day, but Kristina’s fall was an accident. Kristina says, that’s a lie. She was there. It happened to her. Ava pushed her. Ava says she didn’t. Kristina accidentally tripped over some luggage. Kristina says, you are the reason my baby is dead. You. Ava says she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t her last option. The IRS is going to seize both of her properties in a month if she doesn’t pay the back taxes. Alexis says she’s not going to the estate, and Ava says she’s not asking for a handout. It would benefit the estate, and she can take care of her daughter. Kristina says, the daughter Ava is lucky she has and who should be with her father full time, and Alexis says, stop. Ava must understand as a mother, she has to say no. She would not want to devastate her own daughter in any way, like Ava doesn’t want to devastate hers. Ava says, fine. She’ll go. But understand that Alexis isn’t doing anything to protect Kristina by fueling her delusions. Kristina’s not doing good. She’s not being rational, and Alexis knows that as well as she does. Ava leaves.  

Lucas says he’d love to go easy on Carly. Nobody wants to see her happy more than him. But was it too much to ask her to date someone who won’t get her killed? What’s wrong with a dentist? Carly asks, what’s going on? Lucas is more wound up than before he went to Miami. He says he drank too much in Miami and got the worst hangover of his life. She says, worse than her? and he says, no. If she tells him that it’s a one and done and she won’t go near Jack again, that’s all he needs to hear. She says she loves Lucas, but it’s her decision, not his, and he says, maybe it should be his, because she’s risking her life to date someone like Brennan. It’s not an option. There’s a long list of people who need her and he’s on it. He can’t lose her.

Valentin says Jason has already done him a favor. He supposes he owes him one. He accepts Jason’s offer. Jason says, good. Give him something he can use. Valentin says, the first thing he should know about Jack is that he’s a company man. For all he knows, Jack is head of the WSB. Jason says, former head, but Valentin says, no, current. Just because he’s in Port Charles and a lowly station chief, it could be an elaborate cover. Jason wonders why he said lowly, and Valentin says, station chiefs don’t order drone attacks on other continents. Everything Jack’s asked for, the WSB has done. He has blood on his hands and there are a lot of people who want him dead. Jason says, not just Valentin, and Valentin says, Jack doesn’t care. All he cares about is the WSB. Until now. Jack didn’t try to kill him for the Bureau. He tried to kill him for Carly.

Curtis walks Kai to the side and says he wants to talk about the congressman. Kai says he knows Drew’s personal life is messy, but he tries not to judge. Curtis says, agreed, but it’s not about that. Drew will promise anything to get what he wants, and he has no intention of following through with his promises. Kai needs to be careful. Kai nods, and Trina watches from across the room. Portia comes out of the elevator with Jordan, and Jordan says she’s going to take a minute to go over her speech. She leaves, and Portia sees Curtis talking to Kai. She asks Trina, what’s that about? It looks serious. Trina says, dad is giving Kai the background on Drew, and Portia says she knows Trina is concerned about Kai, but for right now, it’s best everyone just try to get along.

Kai thanks Curtis for the heads up and says he can back out. He can’t be associated with bad politicians. Curtis tells him that he’s not saying Drew isn’t doing good this time. Sometimes you have to work with people you don’t trust. He’d like Kai to know who he’s dealing with so he can protect himself. Kai says he’ll keep his guard up, and Curtis says, he’s a good man. And the initiative is a good thing for Port Charles, the hospital, and the kids. Don’t let Drew get in way of that.

Lucky says he’s glad to hear there’s going to be a next time, and Elizabeth says she hopes there will be. They’ll have the house to themselves soon enough and Aiden spends the night at his friends’ all the time. He says, whether Aiden is here or not, he wants to be with her. He knows what he feels is real and it will never change. She says, funny. She feels the same way. They kiss, and she says she has to get to work. He tells her, like he said, sometimes he hates that she’s a nurse. She says, so does she sometimes, and he says he’ll stick around and take a look at the freezer. She says, if he fixes it, he’ll be her hero. She leaves and he gets a text from Kristina: Where r u??? Need to c u now!

Nina tells Willow to just think about Michael. He’s going through a harrowing, life changing experience and suffering unimaginable pain. He almost died. It will be hard to come out to something like that and think life is beautiful and bygones will be bygones. Willow says, Michael isn’t most people… but Nina says, he’s a Corinthos and a Quartermaine. He’s Carly’s son. He may be out of the county healing, but he could still make life difficult. Willow says she doesn’t think it will come down to a custody battle, but if it does, Michael isn’t the only one with power. Drew is a congressman and would never let Michael take her children. Nina says, please reconsider this, and Willow says she appreciates Nina’s concern, but she’s made up her mind. She gets up and says she needs to get to Wiley’s school for a conference. Nina says, of course (🍷). She’ll walk Willow out. As they leave, Willow says, the kids love it here. They’ll all be so happy together.

Drew says, Kai was amazing, and Kai thanks him and says he had no idea how it was going to go. He’s used to talking about football to reporters. This was different. Drew says, he didn’t miss a beat. He’s a natural.

Curtis says, Trina’s guy is good, and she says, please. He’s amazing. Curtis says, maybe a little, and she says she’s so happy everything worked out. Curtis says, maybe she’s right. She’s amazing too. She stepped up to do what was right.  

Elizabeth asks Lucas to tell her about Miami, and he says he met the man of his dreams. She says, details, and he says he found the man’s credit card on the floor of the hotel bar. He looked up and there he was, handsome, tall enough, Latin, and he had the kindest eyes. She says, he had a meet cute, and he says he did. Then – brace for it – he got so drunk, he got sick all over him.

Portia goes back to her office and looks at Drew’s file. There’s a knock at the door and it’s Ava. Ava says she was going to ask if Portia had a minute, but she seems stressed. Portia says, it started at stress and went up from there, and Ava says she caught the end of the press conference. It didn’t seem that bad. Portia says she’s glad, but in real life, it was awful. She was standing next to Drew when he paraded Kai out in front of the representative. Ava says she’s sure Trina was proud of them both, and Portia says, she should be proud of Kai. He’s a phenomenal young man and the only reason Trina has been smiling lately. Meanwhile, Drew is using him to restore his good name to the public, and she can’t say a thing about it. Ava says, and Drew’s got Portia exactly where he wants her, and Portia says, yeah… or so he thinks.

Nina lets herself back into Drew’s house and says, thanks for the spare key, Willow. She snoops around.

At Elizabeth’s, Lucky gives Kristina a key and tells her it’s the key to Charlie’s back entrance. Try not to lose it. She says she didn’t lose it. She just hasn’t figured out where she left it yet. He asks, what’s going on? and she says, nothing. It’s just one of those days. He says, okay, but if she wants to tell him about it, he promises it will stay between them. She says she’s good… She’s actually not good. She sits down and says, her dad is having a heart problem. He’s going to be okay. To be honest, she doesn’t know, but she thinks so. He’s having surgery, but until he does, he needs to keep the stress down. That’s the whole reason he settled the custody suit with Ava, to keep the stress down. Now Ava can’t afford to take care of their daughter financially. Ava was hitting her mom up. That’s what Ava does. She takes and takes. Ava doesn’t deserve to have a daughter. Her daughter is dead because of Ava, and she still hasn’t paid for it.

Jason thanks Valentin for the intel, and Valentin says, one last thing Jason should know. What Jack wants, he gets. If he wants Carly, he’s going to get her. He’ll use whatever he has to unless Jason intervenes. Jason says, that suits him just fine, and Valentin says, forget him. Think about Carly. She’ll finally be safe.

Lucas tells Elizabeth that he learned more about Brad than he wanted to know, then he threw up on the kindest, sexiest, most beautiful man he’s ever met. She says, he really packed it in. She likes his time management. He says, Marco was the bright spot in Miami, but he’ll probably never see him again. She says, they’ll find a way to travel long distance, and he says he’s sure Marco is waiting by the phone for the man who ruined his shirt. She says, you never know. Not to add to his day, but his aunt is looking for him. She hands him a message, and he says, Ava?

Lucky says, everything Kristina is telling him is true, and she thanks him. He says, don’t hate him for saying this, but there’s nothing she can really do. She says she doesn’t know if she can accept that, and he says he understands, but maybe there’s another way to think about this. Would Adela want her mother consumed with bitterness and hatred, or would she want her mother to find peace? Kristina says she wants to find peace, and he says, then let it go. Not for Ava, but for herself. She says she’s trying. She really is. Every second of every day, but she can’t.

Ava says, Portia needs to be careful. If she lashes out at Drew and it backfires, she could lose everything. Portia says, Drew keeps reminding her of that, and Ava says, think about Trina. If Portia loses her license or God forbid goes to prison, Trina will blame herself. Portia says, because of what she did to Heather because of what Heather did to Trina. Ava says, exactly. Isn’t smiling through a press conference worth keeping Trina happy? Portia says, only as long as she has to, when there’s a knock at the door. Drew walks in and Ava says she saw the conference. It was very exciting. He says, due in no small part to Portia. That’s why he’s here. Before he heads home, he wanted to say thanks for her help. Portia says, it was her pleasure, and he says he couldn’t have done it without her. He leaves and Ava says, he seems chipper. Anyone on the outside might think they were thick as thieves. She notices the folder.

Trina tells Kai that he was amazing. If he was nervous, no one could tell. Kai says he hopes he did the right thing. Her dad filled him in a little on the congressman. He would have backed out, but it was for a good cause. Now he can see through Drew, so he’s also going to watch his back. She says he’s right on both counts. He needs to focus on… He says, her? and she says, that’s always an acceptable answer, but not right this time. He needs to focus on himself and his future. From what she saw, he could run for office someday. He asks if he has her vote, and she says, we’ll see, and kisses him.

Boyle tells Jordan, it’s nice to see her. It’s unfortunate that the mayor couldn’t make it. She says, Mayor Collins’ schedule is pretty packed, and he says, or maybe she’s happy to let the Deputy Mayor do her job. Curtis comes by and says, if Boyle doesn’t mind, he’d like a word with the Deputy Mayor. Boyle says he’ll let Jordan do her job, and Curtis thanks him for coming. Boyle leaves and Jordan thanks Curtis for the save. That man is dull, dumb, slimy, and gunning for Laura.

Nina finds Drew’s safe and opens it. She finds a roll of cash and looks through some papers.  

Valentin thanks Alexis for coming. He’s sorry the accommodations aren’t up to the Quartermaine standard. Alexis says she can live without the cryo chamber and bottomless pit, and sits down. She says she figured he needed legal representation, and he says he knew she was a brilliant lawyer. She tells him that even she can’t save him, but he says, that’s not why she’s here. There’s something else he needs her to do.

Jason asks how Carly is feeling, and she says her brother just left. He’s not happy with her. Jason says he can’t imagine why, and she says, please. Don’t be one more person who lectures her about Jack. He says, no lectures. She and Brennan are done. She can’t go near him again. Her life depends on it.

On Monday, Ava tells Portia not to let fear make her do dumb things; Elizabeth tells Lucas, if something wrong is going on here, she needs to know; Jack says, if Josslyn tells her (Carly?) any of this, she’ll never be a WSB agent; and Carly asks Jason not to quit on her now.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

New guys in town.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daniel-cosgrove-opens-up-about-joining-general-hospital

I hadn’t realized he was also Natalia’s son. I missed the Marco connection, it’s been so long since he was mentioned.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/adrian-anchando-reveals-why-playing-ghs-marco-is-so-important

Talk about missing something. I totally missed this and I love an inside joke. Another surprise is, when he joined All My Children, he took over for a guy who’s now one of my local weathermen, Lonnie Quinn.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/the-story-behind-ghs-will-cortlandt-reference

Polonium. It’s not just for GH.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/polonium-poisoning-on-general-hospital-everything-you-need-to-know

Hmm… I wonder if his mom knows he’s not taking his meds on the weekends. I’m not so sure that’s how it’s supposed to work.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-asher-antonyzyn-shares-his-experience-living-with-adhd

💉 A Dose of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

Pretty soon, everyone will have hooked up with everyone and then what?

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Jennifer talked about getting up at 5 am to brush her teeth and put on makeup so her boyfriend thought she woke up beautiful. In my single days, the only time I had makeup on the morning was from the night before. Once again, it was a whole big thing with Dorit and Sutton with Sutton apologizing and Dorit not hearing it. Ugh. Boz suggested Dorit also apologize, and she gave a non-apology apology. She apologized that her joke about Sutton’s drink made Sutton feel some kind of way. That’s like a murderer saying, I’m sorry they’re dead, not, I’m sorry I killed them. Dorit also had a lot to say about Sutton behind her back.

Boz said she ended up seated across from Mauricio and the child he’s dating at some event and gave Kyle a full report afterward via Voicenotes. She played it during her interview, and at the end, she’d asked Kyle to tell her what she wanted her to do. Because she would run up on a man. She was a girl’s girl. Me too. One time, after meeting a friend for lunch in Manhattan, she saw a bagpiper busking across the street. She thought it was an old boyfriend (no judgement) and said she wanted to go punch him in the mouth. I told her that I’d hold him for her, but make sure it was the right guy, because I wasn’t going to jail for no reason. We crossed the street, but it turned out not to be him.

The way these women dress for a boat – like a catwalk might appear any moment – there isn’t a chance in hell I’d ever want to go with them wearing my Old Navy tankini and no makeup except sunscreen. They were on a fabulous yacht eating fabulous food during fabulous weather, when Sutton dared to apologize again, and Erika thought it would be a good time to bring up all of Sutton’s past sins. From what I saw in the flashbacks, it’s more like Sutton said out loud what everyone else was talking about behind the scenes. In Sutton’s interview, she said Erika had done this before, act like it was all good, then turn around and call her out in public. Erika thought Sutton was kicking Dorit when she was down, bypassing all the bullsh*t Dorit has slung. Just because you’re going through a bad time, doesn’t make it okay to be abusive. And why do they always do this sh*t on a boat where you can’t even walk away? In Kyle’s interview, she basically said Sutton started it. Yeah, by daring to apologize. As Kathy said in her interview, the boat rides aren’t working.  

Best dialogue: Sutton: Is this a tomatah? Kyle: Just shut up and eat it.

What’s to come.

Denise Richards & Her Wild Things

Denise did a cooking video with celeb chef Brooke Williamson, who oddly enough, is also Aaron’s hall pass. (FYI, Denise’s is Brad Pitt.) Afterward, Denise said it was the first dish she’d ever completed on a video. She had lunch with Kathy Hilton, who she’s been friends with for a while. Apparently, there was a time when she and Paris Hilton were neighbors, and in her interview, she said Paris was the sexiest neighbor in the neighborhood. It was especially heartwarming when Denise told Aaron to keep talking while she left to take a pee during their dual interview. Now that’s reality.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/denise-richards-her-wild-things-recap-still-not-a-cooking-show/ar-AA1BcuOd

Summer House

There was a party for Amanda’s 33rd birthday. Kyle continued to whine about Craig, and she was getting tired of it. She also wasn’t too happy about Kyle’s rage texting to Paige about Craig. IMO it was especially rude to display his baby emotions when they were supposed to be celebrating her birthday. I would never want to drink with these people. Never ever. It either gets juvenile to the point of messiness or somebody gets pissed off. LOUDLY. Both Paige and Craig felt awkward, but Paige was annoyed with Craig at not having had a conversation with Kyle about their differences. I dunno. I’m not so sure that would matter. Everything would be cool again, then Kyle would get drunk, and get pissed off all over again. Then they had some kind of pirate party, and we started to see Paige and Craig’s relationship buckle.

Southern Charm

Shep told Whitney that he wouldn’t be crying over his cheerios about Sienna, and he’d only mourned for a few days, but I don’t believe it. Is it wrong for me to hope Shep dies alone? Molly was still being shoved at him, and he asked her to accompany him to the Summer Soiree. Venita talked to Ryan about what JT had said, and I wasn’t too impressed with him. Ryan was mean, rude, and doubled down on JT having said some Black girl was trying to ruin his relationship. He did admit, that was only what the barber told him, but said the barber might have been covering his ass when Leva called and insisted JT said it. When someone uses the words my truth, I’m always suspicious about whether it is true. I’m so not a JT fan, but I don’t buy it. Maybe the barber said that, but I don’t think JT did. Same with calling Patricia a bitch. Since he has enough not going for him, it’s really not necessary for these guys to be making stuff up. 

What’s to come.

The Charm pack does tend to pick on the weak one, although I still can’t feel sorry for Shep.

Random Reality Items

I quit… for the day.

He left because he was a cokehead who got too full of himself.

They love to play revolving houses. I just can’t imagine moving into a 50 room mansion just to move out again.

Where’s Pedro? Where’s Puck?

https://ew.com/25-best-reality-stars-of-the-2000s-11687144

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Chaos: The Manson Murders. Netflix. There wasn’t much I didn’t know, but it was still an interesting watch. It does seem like they always want to make Charlie this mysterious guru, but the bottom line is, he was a manipulator who used drugs to control children.

https://deadline.com/2025/03/chaos-the-manson-murders-review-errol-morris-documentary-1236314760/

Demon City. Netflix. Kind of the Japanese version of Machete. Left for dead, a hitman takes revenge on the demons who have wronged him. Nice fight scenes.

https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/demon-city-review-netflix-1235099517/

The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist. Netflix.  A two-part docuseries about Belle Gibson. I actually liked this better than Apple Cider Vinegar which was a little artsy for me. This was just the facts, Jack.

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/the-search-for-instagrams-worst-con-artist-release-date-news

After the End. Amazon Prime. If Hallmark made a movie about the apocalypse, it would be this one. After a contagious illness brings on the apocalypse, a 17-year-old prepper joins forces with a pregnant girl and trouble follows. I didn’t hate it, but don’t exactly recommend it either.

The Electric State. Netflix. Gus from Breaking Bad being a character known as the Butcher of Schenectady makes this worth watching. The reviews weren’t great, but it’s based on an illustrated novel fans were already passionate about, which adds another layer. Having never read it, I had no preconceived notions. A lot of the things reviewers didn’t think were funny, I did, and there was also debate about Millie Bobby Brown being too old for the roll, but I had nothing to compare her to in my head, so I was good with it. I did have difficulty with the trip to the cornfield at the end, but we can’t have everything. Amazingly brought to life robots, a fair amount of gore, and Chris Pratt throwing out one-liners was good enough for me. The addition of Stanley Tucci didn’t hurt either.

https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/i-watched-the-electric-state-netflix-not-bad-rotten-tomatoes-score-idicates-chris-prat-millie-bobby-brown

All about the robots.

https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/the-electric-state-vfx-interview-robots-cosmo-netflix-1235104366/

https://www.cbr.com/millie-bobby-brown-the-electric-state-kid-cosmo/

Borderlands. Starz. I used the On Demand feature on my actual TV to watch this. It was impossible to find a positive review, but again, because I had no preconception of the story or characters, I enjoyed it. Cate Blanchett kicked ass nicely and earned her fiery wings, and seeing Gina Gershon is always a treat.

https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2024/8/12/borderlands

While this was more or less about the game, I got absorbed in a very long thread in the comments section. Somebody dubbing themselves LordByronSomethingOrOther made a legit comment about The Last of Us. Someone made an innocuous reply, and it sent off a hailstorm of LordBy’s rage and name calling skills. Several people told LordBy to chill, which only made it worse. I’m pretty sure LordBy lives in their grandma’s basement and is in desperate need of attention. Send an Edible Arrangement along with some edibles asap.

https://www.avclub.com/borderlands-movie-disappointing-but-sold-video-games-take-two

Delicious. Netflix. Reviewers seemed to like it, but the best I can come up with is, eh. The acting was fine, but the long stretches of not much going on along with being hit over the head with the message wasn’t for me. Plus, there was a non-ending ending, which I always find irritating. If it has to be explained (see below), maybe I shouldn’t bother watching it. I got the point five minutes in. It’s old and it’s been done better.

All the spoilers.

https://blavity.com/entertainment/delicious-movie-ending-explained

Kraven The Hunter. Netflix. Saving the best for last. The first three minutes of this was better than the entire film of Delicious. After some family drama and a legendary lion’s blood mixing with his own, Kraven becomes an antihero with animalistic powers. It had a sense of humor without overkill, which was much appreciated since they can’t all be Deadpool and sometimes try too hard. I thought it was an enjoyable ride and especially loved the rhinoceros guy. I would have liked to see more of the surprise talents of Kraven’s brother, revealed toward the end, but I’m guessing they were saving that for the sequel, which is a doubtful event.

https://www.slashfilm.com/1815000/aaron-taylor-johnson-2024-marvel-flop-kraven-the-hunter-streaming-netflix/

https://www.cbr.com/kraven-the-hunter-streaming-success-netflix/

🏆 Next Year’s Envelope…

I guess these things have to be planned in advance.

https://ew.com/conan-obrien-returning-2026-oscars-date-revealed-11697987

Useless Oscar knowledge.

https://ew.com/oscars-biggest-controversies-and-scandals-11688765

🐦‍🔥 Things You Don’t See Every Day…

🦈 Uber Shark.

https://people.com/octopus-rides-mako-shark-video-auckland-new-zealand-11701228

🐵 True story. When I was a kid, my father and I went to a place called Monkey Jungle where you literally walked through a jungle of monkeys. It said not to feed them, which was a signal to my father to toss out a few kernels of popcorn. 5000 spider monkeys came crashing down through the trees, we threw our bags of popcorn to them and ran.

https://people.com/british-tourist-surrounded-by-monkeys-thailand-pool-11700663

🐶 As well they should.

https://people.com/debra-messing-reveals-robert-de-niro-real-dogs-make-big-cameo-the-alto-knights-11699042

🦉 Quotes of the Week

Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment. – Oprah Winfrey

Our greatest glory is, not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Oliver Goldsmith

When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself. – Wayne Dyer

Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. – Helen Keller

If you’re looking for a thank you, look in hell. – Dani Dupree (Karla Cheatham), Beyond the Gates

How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn’t make it a leg. – Abraham Lincoln

We don’t know what we’re capable of until we’re challenged. – Adam Connell

You broke the treaty, Mr. Peanut. There will be consequences. – Colonel Bradbury (Giancarlo Esposito), The Electric State

🐰 Off Auditioning For the Cadbury Bunny…

Until next week, stay safe; stay not making every social media post and comment about politics; and stay remembering, everything is a negotiation.

March 14, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Charlotte Comes Home, Soap Suds, This Week’s Reality, Weekend Watch, Wild In the Wild, 4+4 Quotes & Cheap Seats

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites:

Monday:

Isaiah said he’d leave if Jordan wanted, and she said she didn’t want, but he had a problem with her investigating Sidwell. He said he’d prefer she stay away, but she said Sidwell liked her, giving her an advantage law enforcement didn’t have. If their being together hinged on the investigation, she guessed that was it. Dante asked Maxie about James, and she said it was a clean break, and they were good until James did something else stupid. Dante said he needed her help with Lulu. He was worried she was going to get in a situation she couldn’t get out of. Brook said Lulu was willing to step on lives regardless of consequences. Telling Dante would blow up lives. At the Quartermaine family crypt, Tracy promised her parents to protect the Quartermaine legacy, but Drew was outside with a county surveyor and a demolition guy. (FYI: That’s not how any of this works.) Drew told the guy to blow it up, and Martin said they’d best make sure they could back up their claims. Drew wished he could see Tracy’s face when she found out, when Tracy came out of the crypt and asked what was going on. Ned asked why Lois was okay with Gio becoming Sonny’s charity case, but she said Gio was family. In Buenos Aires, Anna and Jason did surveillance on Valentin, but there was no sign of Charlotte. Anna said, if they were in there, they were alone. Inside with the curtain’s drawn, Charlotte said she didn’t like it there, but Valentin said they weren’t staying long. It was time they said goodbye. Jason said they had a fifteen-minute window to get Charlotte and get out when the guards changed, but Anna thought it was too easy.

Ned said taking money from Sonny came with a risk, but Lois said it was minimal and Gio wasn’t alone. It took Sonny’s financial support to make sure Gio’s talent was cultivated. Ned asked why Lois hadn’t come to him instead of Sonny. Martin said the building had been seized and should be vacated, Drew adding that they had a court order. Tracy ripped it up and said she was calling the police, but Drew said the law was on their side. Dante said Maxie knew something, but Maxie said Lulu wasn’t returning her phone calls and Martin had no clue Lulu had broken into his hotel room. Dante said he didn’t want to know. Lulu was out of control. Brook told Lulu that her son was an adult by now and might not know he was adopted. It was the child’s choice if they wanted to know their birth parents, not hers, Dante’s, or Lulu’s. If Dante knew, he would want to find his child. Lulu said, give him that standing. Drew said it was public land, and Tracy called her surveyor. Drew said, as congressman, he’d gotten someone to protect the public interest. Edward had to steal public land, even though he already had plenty. The area was protected, and Tracy wasn’t getting her way. Emma and Gio showed up, and Emma said, leave the old lady alone. Valentin told Charlotte that this was his fault. They were a good team, but it was dangerous for her to stay with him. He’d texted Rocco pretending to be her, and Lulu was probably on her way already. Charlotte admitted missing Lulu, but didn’t want to leave him. Anna said Valentin had to know the WSB was looking for him after attacking Jack, and Jason said he was expecting them. She said he was expecting someone, when a car pulled in. Anna said that meant the WSB was there, and they had to move. Isaiah said he accepted Jordan’s terms and asked if she’d walk away the second they disagreed. She joked that it depended on the disagreement, but no. He said they’d need to do grocery shopping then.

Drew said the Quartermaines had appropriated public land, and Tracy was interfering with county business. The mausoleum was on protected land. Tracy said she was being denied access to her parents’ final resting place. Emma said Edward had saved her life, and Drew said he was Congressman Drew Quartermaine. Tracy said, Cain. He would never be a Quartermaine. Emma said none of them had jurisdiction and were trespassing, and Tracy called Chase. Lois said Ned was generous, but Sonny didn’t have family or support growing up. He had a good heart, and it was up to Gio who supported him. Gio ran in and told Lois and Ned what was going on at the crypt. Drew said Lulu kept tearing into Brook and he had to defend Brook, but it hurt Lulu. He’d asked Lulu to have patience, but she’d said he was taking Brook’s side. The problem was, they couldn’t talk anymore. Maxie said, because of Sam, and Dante said he was trying to keep the family together. Something was going on with Rocco too. He thought it was the tension between him and Lulu. Brook said she’d do anything to protect her son’s happiness, but Lulu said Brook just didn’t want Dante to hate her. Brook said she’d choose her child’s happiness over all. Lulu had always been threatened by her relationship with Dante, and she should ask herself if exposing Brook to Dante was worth hurting him. How could he miss a son he didn’t know he had? It was agony for her and if Lulu told Dante, Lulu would subject him to the same agony she’d lived with for 21 years. Dante would try to find their son, like Lulu did with Charlotte. Where did that leave Rocco? He knew his dad was there for him, but he’d be abandoned both parents. Charlotte asked if Valentin was letting them find him, and Valentin said she deserved a better life. Anna ran in with Jason and said the kill squad was behind them. Take Charlotte and go.

Tracy told Chase to arrest the trespassers, but Drew said the county surveyor’s preliminary findings shows a portion of the property extended beyond the property line. Tracy said her surveyor found differently, and Emma asked if they had to tear down the crypt. Drew said they could move it, but Tracy thought that was obscene. Gio asked, what was the difference? and Martin said the land was protected and it was illegal to build. Tracy said Drew hated the family, and Emma said he was abusing his power. She started to film and told Drew that he should be helping his constituents instead of traumatizing them. Lulu told Brook not to throw her son in her face, and Brook said she lived with him. When Lulu was in Prague, he was afraid she’d get hurt. He’d just gotten his mom back and she left him again. Lulu said Brook was using her kid to justify lying about her own son. It was lucky she’d given him up and a good thing she was nobody’s mother. Brook took a swing at her, but Lulu grabbed her hand. Dante said Rocco had been struggling since Lulu woke up, and ever since she went to Prague, he was terrified that he was going to lose her. He couldn’t talk to Lulu, but he could talk to Brook, which didn’t make Lulu less mad. For fifteen years, their feud had been going on. Maxie said it wasn’t because of that. Lulu was still in love with him. Anna said, let her handle the WSB, and told Jason not to fire his weapon. Valentin made himself scarce, when two guys arrived. Anna told them that she was the Police Commissioner of Port Charles, New York. Don’t shoot. They asked where Valentin was, and she said he’d just left. One guy told the other to search, but Anna told them to call Jack. The guy said Jack wasn’t running the op.

Anna said, the mission had changed, and they needed to talk to Brennan. Since they obviously weren’t buying it, Jason grabbed one guy, knocking him out, and Anna took care of the other. She thought Valentin was long gone, but he came out with Charlotte and said, not this time. Drew said Tracy wasn’t a downtrodden member of his constituency, but an entitled bully used to getting what she wanted. Tracy said he was using his public office to retaliate against the family that threw him out. Still filming, Emma said, congress was in session now, yet Drew was still here. Your votes in action, Port Charles. Lois and Ned arrived, and Lois said she thought Drew’s constituents had bigger problems. Drew was there when Alexis and Martin tried to work this out, and Tracy had been willing to bend. Drew said he was following the law, and Tracy said his surveyor’s findings were preliminary, yet he got an order without confirmation to seize the building. Emma continued to film. Isaiah showed Jordan how buy groceries online since they had to stay in, and he promised to make cooking with him worth her while. Her phone rang and it was Ned. Dante said Lulu was going to marry Dustin, but Maxie said, the night of the explosion, Lulu broke things off because she was still in love with Dante. Lulu told her and was about to tell him, when she collapsed. She wasn’t telling Dante now and instead, pushing him away and trying hard not to love him. Classic Lulu. Dante said, Lulu had been gone so long, he fell for Sam, and Maxie said Lulu didn’t want him to know. She thought Dante needed to be patient with her. Lulu was doing the best she could. Brook cried as she told Lulu that she was a mother. She went through 12 hours of labor and gave her baby to a stranger from an adoption agency. She couldn’t even let herself hold him. She didn’t know if she’d had a boy or a girl until Lulu told her. Lulu said she was sorry. She assumed Brook knew. Brook said, and Lulu assumed it was easy for her, but it wasn’t. She loved her baby with all her heart and still did. She had to believe she gave him a better life. Lulu asked if Brook didn’t want to know for sure, and Brook said, more than anything, but not at the expense of her child’s happiness or Dante’s. If he wanted to find his birth parents, he would. Brook begged Lulu to leave it alone.

Maxie said Rocco needed both of his parents, and Dante said he knew Lulu was a great mom and she loved their son. Maxie said Lulu knew he was a great dad. They needed to come together. Rocco needed extra assurance. Lulu said she didn’t agree with any of this, but didn’t want to be the one to blow up Dante’s life or her child’s. She wasn’t going to tell Dante. She thought he should know, but thought Brook should be the one to tell him. Brook said she needed the past to stay in the past, and Lulu said Brook should know, she never would have found out if Brook’s mother hadn’t talked to her Uncle Martin. The secret wasn’t in the past. It was now. Brook said she knew, and Lulu left. Brook texted her mom that she needed to see her asap. Ned said he’d called Jordan to help him keep the peace, but Drew said there was nothing to negotiate. The law was the law. Tracy wondered why Martin said Drew was willing to drop it if she allowed him to retain the name, and Emma said, busted. Tracy said she was referring to the meeting where Lois was a witness, and Jordan said she felt Drew was provoking the family and using public funds to fight his personal battle. That wasn’t who he was. Drew asked who he was. Cain or Quartermaine? Valentin thanked Anna and said he was expecting Lulu. Anna asked if he knew about the text, and he said he sent the text. He needed charlotte to be safe. They were going to send another kill squad when the first one didn’t check in. Charlotte asked where her mom was, and Anna said she’d explain it on the way. Charlotte said she didn’t want to go with them, but Jason said he promised Rocco that he’d bring her home and that’s what was going to happen. Valentin said, je t’aime, mon petite, and Charlotte said, je t’aime, papa. He held her for a moment, and then she went out with Jason. Valentin told Anna that he felt like this was the last time he’d see her, but she said it didn’t have to be that way. Come with them and let her bring him in.

Lulu knocked at Maxie’s door, saying she needed to talk to her, but Dante answered. Charlotte asked Jason if Anna was going to kill her father, but he said she wouldn’t do that. They came to bring her home. She probably wanted to try and save Valentin too. Valentin said Anna always came through for him. He was glad he got to say goodbye. She said it didn’t have to be goodbye. Come back. They could make a plea deal. Valentin said he knew too much, and he’d tried to kill Jack. They both knew the WSB wasn’t going to let him live. For Charlotte’s sake, he was free to do what he had to do. Anna told him not to throw his life away, and he said there was a time he thought she loved him, and they were the best months of his life. She said she didn’t think she loved him, and took his hand, saying, part of her always would. He thanked her for that and told her, take care. Charlotte left with Anna and Jason. Tracy said Drew could call himself Smith for all she cared, but he’d never be a Quartermaine. Emma said Drew made his decision based on Tracy’s and had abused his position for his own petty revenge, then searched for, how to recall a congressman. Tracy said he liked that she had grit, and Gio said he did too. The surveyor tried to mark the ground, but Tracy knocked his wheelie thing out of his hand. Drew said that was assault, and Chase asked if the surveyor wanted to press charges. Because he was obviously being paid off, he looked at Martin, who nodded. Chase said he’d forego the handcuffs, told her the Miranda rights, and led her away. Back at the Quartermaines’, Brook walked into the living room and Lois followed. She said she’d gotten Brook’s text. Brook closed the door, and Lois said she looked upset. What could she do to help? Brook asked how much she hadn’t been told about the baby.

Tuesday:

Buenos Aires. Anna brought Charlotte to a room, and Charlotte said her papa was running for his life and it was all Anna’s fault. Sasha went to Carly’s office and Carly asked if she was coming to work at the MetroCourt. Sasha said she was tempted, but decided to stay at the Quartermaines, and Carly said it was Sasha’s life, and she could do what she wanted. Sasha said that was a refreshing take, and Carly asked what had changed Sasha’s mind. Portia went to Curtis’s office and said Drew was probably missing the place, but Curtis said Drew had nobody to blame but himself. At the station, Drew said he hoped there was a free cell in case nothing could be done until morning. Tracy said she didn’t touch the surveyor. It was despicable. Alan was taken way too soon, but the silver lining was, he never had to meet Drew. Laura met Martin, who said Drew was rapidly spinning out control. At the crypt, Emma said she doubted they were going to bulldoze it at night, but Gio said he was staying. Emma said she had the best idea and would be right back. Lulu said she was looking for Maxie and didn’t expect Dante to be there. Dante said James broke his arm and got a cast, so Spinelli and Maxie took him and Georgie out for ice cream as a consolation prize. He was babysitting Bailey Lou. Lulu said she wasn’t surprised, since he was an amazing father. Brook asked what Lois hadn’t told her about her child. Martin had an entire file on her baby and knew Dante was the father. Why? Gloria came in and asked, what in the Bensonhurst is going on here?

Dante told Lulu she was a great mom. It was incredible seeing her and Rocco connect again. Lulu said the last few days had been weird, like Rocco couldn’t be in the same room with her. She’d been preoccupied with finding Charlotte and wondered if Rocco felt like she was choosing his sister over him. Charlotte said she’d never forgive Anna for using her papa and driving him away, and Anna said Charlotte didn’t understand… but Charlotte said Anna had ruined their lives and she hated Anna. Jason came in and asked Anna to give them a minute. Anna left, and Jason said Anna was the reason Charlotte and her father were still alive. Portia told Curtis that she had been grateful to Drew for saving Trina, but she was astonished at how he was treating his family and friends. She didn’t think it was possible for someone to change that much, but Curtis did what needed to be done and won. Curtis said, here’s hoping, and Portia asked if he really wanted Drew as an enemy. He got what he wanted. Maybe now was the perfect time for a truce. Curtis said he wasn’t the one continuing the fight. She needed to talk to Drew. Laura asked how Drew found out about the property line, and Martin said he may or may not have mentioned it. It was his job and his duty to represent his client. Chase came out and told Laura that he’d been ordered by the congressman to lock up his wife’s grandmother in a cell. Laura asked what she could do to help. Drew said he was sick of the hypocrisy, and Tracy said she was sick of the sound of his voice, yet here they were. Drew said, after all the horrible things the Quartermaines had done, all he did was fall in love. Tracy said, falling in love was one thing, and acting on it was another. She loved the way he always left the detail out that it was his nephew’s wife. He said she held him to different standards and she said she did. He blew up Willow’s marriage, betrayed Michael’s trust, and severely hurt the woman who welcomed him with opened arms in to her home – Monica. Brook told Gloria that it was a personal legal matter, but Gloria said it was her Brook was talking to. Brook had been talking to her mother about her baby.

Emma brought chairs, blankets, and a lantern to make Gio’s stakeout more comfortable. She said Drew was a jerk, laying into poor, old Tracy, and Gio suggested she not let Tracy hear any part of that. Tracy could handle herself. Don’t jump into the Quartermaine mess. Emma said it was her thing. Her mom said she was a born crusader. Gio said at least he knew where his mom was and could visit. If someone threatened to move her, he’d be in a cell next to Tracy. Brook said, Lois had told her grandma? and Lois said she’d needed to confide in someone. She didn’t know how to navigate the situation and wanted to make sure Brook and her baby were protected. Gloria said she’d left Brook’s past in the past, and Brook asked, then why talk to a lawyer? Lois flashed back to talking to Martin and asking if it was possible for Brook to find her child. Brook said Lois had told her, everything was fine, but she wondered if that was true. It must not be, or why else would she talk to Martin? Gloria said she’d told Lois to talk to him. Martin told Laura that he was sorry. He’d wanted to use the property as a bargaining chip, so Tracy would drop the cease and desist. Laura said, now the crypt would have to be moved and asked if Chase thought the charges would stick. Chase said, they could, and Martin said she should have just given in. Laura asked if he’d met Tracy, and he asked, what was so special about the Quartermaine name? Laura said Tracy was protecting the family in the only way she knew how.

Tracy said Drew had repaid Monica’s generosity by destroying her grandson’s marriage and happiness in favor of his own. He didn’t deserve Monica’s generosity and should leave Port Charles. Drew said Tracy had been kicked out of Port Charles by the family more than once. What made her think it wouldn’t happen again. Sasha said, the truth was… and Carly said Sasha liked working for the Quartermaines. Sasha said she thought they needed her, and Carly said, of course (🍷) they did, but don’t put herself on the back burner. Sasha said she was in a better financial position. She’d negotiated her way to the beginning of a nest egg. Carly said it was an achievement, but the one thing that made her situation different from the other single mom’s – the baby’s father. Jason said Anna saved Charlotte and Valentin’s lives, but Charlotte said they didn’t need her help. Jason said Anna was the first one to warn her dad. He wanted to turn Valentin in, but Anna convinced him to give him a head start. She’s the reason he had a chance to run and she tracked Charlotte to keep her safe. Charlotte said that Anna felt guilty for shooting her, and he said that was part of it, but Charlotte was her dad’s whole world. Anna was protecting her for him. She cared about them both. Charlotte could feel however she wanted, but Anna at least deserved her respect. Charlotte asked if the WSB would have really killed them.

Jason told Anna that Charlotte was sleeping, and Anna said she needed a favor. Take Charlotte back to Port Charles in one piece. She was going to get a room and make her own way back. It was too hard for Charlotte to be around her, and it felt cruel to force it. Jason said he thought Anna was making a mistake. Portia told Curtis that she remembered the old Drew, the good guy, the hero. That’s why he ran for congress in the first place. Curtis said, Drew’s motives changed, and she agreed 100%. But maybe Curtis could afford to let him keep some of his dignity and back off. Curtis said, Drew’s reputation had been tarnished, and it wasn’t on him to fix. She said, but he didn’t need to rub it in Drew’s face. if he could accommodate Drew a tiny bit, it might work out in his favor. Curtis said he was furious with Drew, but not interested in payback. Aurora was a non-starter, but if there was a path to peace, he was here for it. As long as the terms were reasonable. She said that was all she was asking for, when Jordan came in and said she needed to speak with Curtis. The situation with Drew had gone from bad to worse. Drew was officially out of control.

Drew told Tracy that things were going to change. He was the black sheep now, but not for long. He was a Quartermaine and would get his way. Then she would be on the outside, wondering how she got there. The answer is him. Chase told Drew that the mayor would like a word. Drew went into the squad room and said he was sorry Tracy dragged Laura down there, but Martin said, that was him. Laura urged Drew to do the right thing. Stand down and drop the charges against Tracy. He asked, why? and she said, to be blunt, if he didn’t, it wouldn’t bode well for him, politically or otherwise. Dante told Lulu that he didn’t think Rocco was jealous of Charlotte. Rocco was perceptive, like Lulu, and he could see that she was worried about Charlotte and was trying to give her space. Lulu said it was strange. She was Rocco’s mother, but she’d missed a pivotal stage and was out of the loop. She knew nothing about parenting a teenage boy. Dante said parents never felt like they were doing the right thing. She and Rocco both had to make up for lost time, and she was doing it with grace, love, and patience. He wouldn’t handle be close to handling it as well. Emma said she’d bring a file if Gio and Tracy were locked up and Gio said he liked Tracy. She gave it to you straight, even if you didn’t want to hear it. And she could take as good as she gave. She actually listened to him. Emma said she thought Tracy was smart. She wished she could stay with Gio, and Gio said the lab animals couldn’t free themselves. Emma said she wanted to take him real camping, but in the meantime, stay warm. Gloria told Brook that she’d advised Lois to consult a lawyer to make sure Brook and her baby protected were protected. They’d decided on a closed adoption. Brook said, so her baby could have a happy and stable life, and Gloria said, Brook too. They wanted her to have time to grow up, fall in love, and have a family of her own. Brook said she wasn’t 16 anymore. It made sense then, but made less sense now. She needed to know who adopted her son and where he was.

Sasha said her experience with Jason was different, and Carly said Jason would never tell Sasha how to be a mother, but if she needed anything, he’d be there in a heartbeat. He was the most loyal person she knew. Don’t do him a disservice by cutting him out of the baby’s life. Sasha said the father respected her wishes and said he’d support her in any way he could. It was the second greatest gift he could give her. Curtis said he never thought he’d be sympathetic to the Quartermaines, but Portia said it was family drama. Stay out of it. Jordan said it wasn’t about the Quartermaines. It was about how Drew was abusing his power. First, he blocked the esplanade, then wanted to move it for his personal gain. Now he was focused on settling the score with his family when he needed to be doing his job – enacting laws, securing school funds, and fulfilling his campaign promises. Curtis said, public outcry was the only thing that would stop him, and Jordan said, good thing she knew the head of a media company. Curtis said he made no promises, but he’d see what he could do. Drew told Laura that he wasn’t making this up. They broke the law. The land was public, and they took it. He owed his constituents not to turn a blind eye just because they were family. Laura asked if he thought putting Tracy in jail overnight was the pathway to justice, and Martin said it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Drew said, fine. Tracy could go home. He’d talk to the surveyor and get the charges dropped, but this was far from over. Gloria said Lois didn’t know the details, and Brook said, but Gloria did. Gloria said she hadn’t been contact since the papers were signed for the closed adoption. Brook said, what if she wanted to find him? They knew she and Chase were trying to start a family. What if she gave away the only child she was going to have? Gloria said, Brook was his birth mother. Act like it. Let the young man be. Don’t put her pain on her son. She made the right decision. Abide by it. Brook said Gloria might be right, but it didn’t feel that way now, and she left. Lois told Gloria that Brook couldn’t know Gio was her son.

Jason told Anna that the only person to blame for Valentin’s situation was Valentin. He may not get out of this one. Anna said, if Charlotte needed someone to blame, it might as well be her, but Jason said Charlotte needed an example. She saw Anna’s mistakes and saw what she did after her mistakes. She saw Anna was accountable and keeping her word. She didn’t need Anna to disappear. Anna said she wasn’t sure she could do that, and Jason said he’d never seen her run. Don’t start now. Gloria said they couldn’t tell Brook. It wasn’t fair to her or Gio. Gio knew who he was and worshiped his mother. They couldn’t take that away. Lois said, Camilla was dead. His birth mother was right here. Don’t they need each other? Brook saw Gio outside the crypt and asked what he was doing. He said his grandma got in a fight with a surveyor and Chase arrested her, and Brook said, it must have been interesting. Gio said he was standing guard, and Brook asked if she could join him. He said he’d love some company. He was keeping his word to Tracy. Why was she here? Brook said, to clear her head. Her other grandmother was here. Gio said, that’s great… unless it wasn’t, and Brook said she knew her grandmother would do anything for her. Gio said Gloria was solid and could be trusted, and Brook said she could trust her grandmother and her mom, but what they were asking her to accept was hard to live with. Lulu said she owed Dante an apology. She was short with him at the Quartermaine’s. He said he was sorry too, and she said they were acting like grown-ups. He said he didn’t think he’d made it better by defending Brook. He didn’t think he’d said enough about how it was a miracle having her back after all this time. He didn’t want to take her being here for granted. She said she needed to tell him something, when Bailey Lou started crying. He said duty called. Hold that thought.

Anna asked if Jason was calling her a coward, and he asked if she was going to run. She said she was going to see it through and keep an eye on Charlotte. Charlotte was smart, resourceful, and believed she was invincible. It was a dangerous combination and Anna thought they’d come after Valentin. He was a target and she was saving Charlotte from herself. It would be a challenge. Jason said he’d take the first watch, and Anna lied down on the couch. Sasha told Carly that she was aware she had it better than most single moms. She asked the father to step back and he didn’t fight her. Carly said that might change when the baby was born, and Sasha said she promised if she needed help from the father, she wouldn’t hesitate to ask. Portia told Curtis, let Drew implode on his own. Let Tracy handle the Quartermaines. Curtis said Drew was failing to represent the people who elected him, and that included them. He wasn’t going to stand by and watch. He got on the phone and said, Brian, rally the troops. There was going to be a big Aurora Media push to expose Drew Quartermaine’s abuse of his office. Martin said Drew was a US Congressman, and didn’t need an enemy like Tracy, but Drew said, everyone else might be afraid of Tracy, but not him. He was going to break her.

Laura asked if Tracy would like the good news or the bad news first, and Tracy said, good. Laura said Tracy could go home tonight, but she didn’t think Drew would back down. Tracy was going to have a battle on her hands. Tracy said, give her the bad news, and Laura said she felt Tracy’s parents would say, choose her battles wisely. Tracy said she was. She wouldn’t allow some grifter to steal the family name and force her to move her parents’ final resting place. If Drew wanted a battle, bring it on. Bailey Lou played with some toys and Dante said, extra play time made it even for the ice cream. He asked what Lulu wanted to say, but Lulu said she couldn’t remember. It must not have been that important. Gloria told Lois that if they told Brook that Gio was her son, it would ruin three lives – Brook’s, Dante’s, and Gio’s. Think of why they made that decision. Lois said, to protect Brook and her child, and Gloria said, nothing has changed. They needed to protect them now. Lois started to cry. Brook apologized for being cryptic, and Gio said they were at a crypt. (BA-DUM-CHH!) Brook said she trusted someone, and they didn’t tell her something they should have. She couldn’t tell him anything else. He said she didn’t have to. They could just sit, look at the stars, and dream of heat. For what it was worth (🍷), Lois and Gloria loved her. Brook said she knew, but they were a lot. He must miss his mom so much. He said, so much every day, and Brook said he had people looking out for him. He had a whole crazy family, like it or not.

Wednesday:

In the steam room, Chase told Dante that he could tell something had changed, and Dante said he and Lulu talked. The Golden Bachelorette guy was in Nina’s office, and she said she’d been a fan of his (Jeffrey Beckett) for a long time. She never read anything like his work as a wildlife journalist. Crimson’s nature and travel series was lucky to have someone of his caliber involved. Plus, he cleaned up nicely for man of the wild. Elizabeth helped Lucky into the house. His condition needed to be watched for the next 24 hours and since Doc and Laura were working, he was stuck with her. He said he guessed it was okay, and she said, just okay? They moved closer on the sofa and the doorbell rang. It was Carly with a food basket, asking, how’s the hero? At the café, Kristina asked if Alexis read the smack piece on Congressman Cutthroat, Drew’s new nickname. He’d used his political influence to get exhumation of esteemed members of the Quartermaine fam and in his quest for revenge, had Tracy arrested. Alexis wondered, what the hell he was thinking and how did they protect Scout? In Curtis’s office, Laura asked if he was behind the article and Curtis said he was. She told him, way to go, and they high-fived. Drew brought flowers to Willow at the hospital, and she suggested they go to the breakroom. He asked if the article got to her and was she embarrassed seen with him. Portia asked Ric to tell her that he found a way out without her losing her career or marriage, but he said it was much worse than she thought.

Carly thanked Lucky and Elizabeth for figuring it out and bringing Cyrus to justice. She asked what Lucky was going to do now that he was home, but he said he had no plans. Carly said she was leaving so they could get into the basket (is that what we’re calling it now?), and she left. Lucky asked Elizabeth, where were we? Nina said although Jeffrey was there for a fitting and photoshoot, she was glad they had time to meet, and he said he didn’t get many calls from magazines. She said they were branching out to satisfy their readers interest in travel and nature, and they talked about his next trip to Turkey. (BTW, dude is no actor.) Nina asked how his wife felt about him being gone all the time, and he said he wasn’t married, but had the feeling he was going to meet someone special soon and had learned to trust his instincts. Nina was straightening his tie, when Ava came in. Alexis looked at the photo of a mean faced Drew on her tablet, and told Kristina, of course (🍷) DeWitt wrote it. That seedy little worm would write anything for clicks. Kristina said she remembered too well when he wrote about her and Blaze, but Drew deserved it. Alexis said, Scout didn’t. There had to be something she could do to protect Scout. Willow told Drew that The Invader was nothing but lies, but she felt like all eyes were on them and wanted to keep a low profile. It had nothing to do with her feelings for him. She asked if he knew who was behind the article, and he said, no, but he had his suspicions. Ric told Portia that if she’d just altered the results, she might lose her job, but the results were tied to a criminal trial, and she faced the possibility of jail time. She could be charged with obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence, fraud, and criminal negligence. If he hadn’t gotten independent tests done, Heather could have wrongfully ended up in prison. Keep playing by Drew’s rules and make sure he never tells anyone. Portia said it was too late. Drew was going to expose her today.

Dante told Chase that he and Lulu ended up babysitting Baily Lou together and both let their guards down. It was their first real talk since she’d woken up. The first time he felt they’d been in sync and had an honest conversation. They talked about Rocco, Charlotte, and Brook. He’d been defending Brook, and it made Lulu feel like he was picking her side. He had to stop doing it. Chase said he never would have thought the animosity would still be there, and Dante said, him too. It had been four years, but he had to be okay with it and let Lulu be Lulu. He didn’t want to be in the middle, but wanted to focus on Lulu being back in their lives and being happy again. Ava said she and Jeffrey had met when she had a Joel Sartore exhibit, and Jeffrey said he remembered. Nina said he was doing a new series for Crimson, and he asked how they knew each other. Ava said they were good friends, and he said good friends were hard to come by. Ava said they certainly were. Kristina said she had a favor to ask Willow. She’d had a video chat with Michael and he missed the kids. Willow said, the kids missed him too, and Kristina asked it would be okay for her to take videos of the kids sending messages to their dad and send them to Michael. He needed all the support he could get. Willow said the kids would love it and she appreciated the update. She had one condition – please focus on them and Michael and say nothing negative about Drew. Kristina told her that she’d never say anything bad in front of the kids. It wasn’t easy for them. Willow said she wished everyone was a bit more like Kristina. Portia told Ric about the article in the Invader. Drew would assume Curtis was behind it and if she couldn’t influence Curtis, Drew had no reason to keep her secret. But wasn’t what Drew was doing illegal? Ric said she couldn’t expose Drew without exposing herself, and she said it was going to be impossible to hide. He said she had two choices. Convince Drew that Curtis had nothing to do with the article or tell Curtis everything now. She might lose her job, but it was a chance to save her marriage. She said maybe she could save both. Lucky suggested he and Elizabeth have a date later, but thought they could get a head start. They kissed, when the door opened and Aiden walked in.

On the phone, Portia asked Curtis to stop by her office. It was important. Laura told Curtis that her opinion of Drew had changed. She hadn’t seen him do one thing he said he’d do during the campaign. (Welcome to politics!) All she’d seen him do was pose for the camera and abuse his power. She applauded anyone willing to expose him. Curtis said Drew’s biggest weakness was his need to be seen as a hero, and she wondered if they could use that to get him act like a hero. Alexis interrupted, but Laura said she was late again and left. Curtis said it was always a pleasure, and Alexis said she hoped he felt like that after what she was going to ask. Jeffrey left, and Ava said she could see Nina had moved on from Drew. Nina said she definitely had, but she wouldn’t be with a rugged wilderness man any time soon. She asked Ava, what’s up? and Ava said she’d had difficulty regarding her finances lately. Nina wondered if Ava was there to ask for a loan. At the hospital, Kristina was about to get in the elevator, when she saw Ric and turned around, but Ric followed her. He told her that her trip to the ballet with Avery wasn’t happening. Carly approached Willow and said she didn’t want to fight. She wouldn’t be there if she didn’t still genuinely care for Willow. She was worried how the negative press would affect her grandchildren. Wiley was old enough to hear things in school. Willow said she’d explain it was untrue, but Carly said it wasn’t. Drew was really doing these things. He’d sunk to a new low. Drew came out of nowhere, since he doesn’t do his actual job, and said, leave Willow alone. Did Carly ever mind her own business? Carly said if it affected her grandchildren and it was her business, but she’d be happy to talk to Congressman Cutthroat.

Dante told Chase that Lulu thought Rocco was acting strange because she was focused on finding Charlotte, but he didn’t think so. Chase said he was kind of the fun uncle and could talk to Rocco. Dante told him to go for it, and Chase said when they were Rocco’s age and distracted, it was about girls. Dante said he’d walked in on Danny and Rocco having an argument over girl. He never talked to his mom about that kind of thing. Chase asked if Dante thought his mom would have liked the girls he was with, and Dante said, one in particular. Elizabeth told Aiden that his dad was staying the night, and Aiden said he was sorry he’d miss it since he was staying at a friend’s house. Ava said she hated asking Nina for a favor. When she married Nikolas, she spent quite bit and thought she’d always have money. She had a generous settlement until the Cassadine curse kicked in. Nina said, of course (🍷) she was willing to give Ava a loan. She’d been waiting for Ava to ask. What took her so long? Drew told Carly that he didn’t care what names he was called. He wasn’t in the wrong. The Quartermaine crypt was on public land. She wondered how he could be the same man who held her at Virginia’s grave (irony!), and he said that was wrong, but this was wrong too. Carly said, it destroyed her and he was doing the same thing. Did family mean nothing to him? He said he was doing it to keep his place in the family that Tracy was stripping him from, and she said that wasn’t the way to do it. If he continued to justify his actions, she saw a recall in his future. Willow said Tracy was no saint. Drew was only fighting fire with fire. It was the only language Tracy understood, and Carly knew that better than anyone. Carly said she came to have a calm conversation with Willow, but there was no point, so she’d leave them to it. Kristina asked Ric, why not? and Ric said it wasn’t her dad’s day. She said it was a special one night only performance and it was impossible to get tickets. She’d talk to her dad and they could switch days. He said it would just confuse Avery, but Kristina said he was going to upset Avery just to get back at her. He said maybe she shouldn’t promise what she couldn’t deliver. Next time check a calendar.

Nina said, it wasn’t a loan, it was a gift, but Ava said she couldn’t. Not even from Nina. She’d have Ric draw up paperwork and a repayment schedule. Money could change things, people, and friendships, and she wouldn’t let it change theirs. Nina said it wouldn’t, but Ava said she’d lost their friendship once and didn’t want to risk it again. Nina said she felt the same way, when Carly came in and said she needed to talk to Nina. Ava said she and Nina would talk later and left. Nina asked, what’s the emergency? and Carly said it was about Drew and Willow. They had to put their plan in motion now. Sasha was waiting in an examining room when Willow came in. She said, Sasha was her next patient, and Sasha said if Willow had a problem with her, say it. Willow asked how Sasha could be such a hypocrite. Sasha turned on her the second she saw Willow kissing Michael’s uncle on 4th of July. Sasha said she didn’t, and Willow said Sasha did way worse. She dated Michael and now she was pregnant by his other uncle. (Wow. That’s a stretch to say that’s worse.) Drew went to Portia’s office and said he was disappointed in her. He thought she’d get Curtis to see reason and move on. Instead, he’s the one behind the article. Portia said she didn’t think so. The Quartermaines were a huge family. It could have been anybody. Curtis had Aurora Media, so why would he use a rag like The Invader when he had reputable sources at his fingertips. Drew said she had a good point, but it could be a great point if she could convince Curtis to do a series of articles focusing on him being a family man, a hard-working congressman (ha-ha-ha! he’s never at work), and an ex-Navy SEAL. Portia said if she defended him any more than she was, it would tip off Curtis, and he said that was unfortunate for her. She said it was one thing to go after Curtis directly, but it was a whole other thing to go after him through his wife. If he found out Drew was blackmailing her, he’d go to a whole other level. Was Drew sure he was ready to take that on? Alexis told Curtis that it was about the article in The Invader. Drew came across as a villain and Tracy a hapless innocent. Nothing could be further from the truth. Curtis asked, which part? and Alexis said, DeWitt wasn’t going to publish a retraction, but she was hoping Curtis might write an article present Drew as more balanced to protect his image. She was worried about the public turning on him and how her granddaughter would feel. Curtis had the resources to help. He said he was sympathetic about Scout, but Drew made himself look bad, not the article. He valued her friendship, but couldn’t help. Did she ever think that by shielding Drew from the consequences of his actions and not holding him accountable, that she was enabling him? Aiden told Elizabeth and Lucky that he was meeting his friends at the movies. It was nice having them together. Aiden left, Lucky said, alone at last, and they started kissing again. Ava came back to her apartment to find Kristina waiting outside her door.

Elizabeth and Lucky began to get busy, when the doorbell rang. Laura said she was sorry she didn’t call, but wanted to thank Elizabeth for bringing Lucky home. She hugged Lucky and suggested they all have dinner tonight. Lucky said, that would be perfect, and he and Elizabeth forced smiles. Ava asked what brought Kristina by, and Kristina said she ran into Ric, and he said she couldn’t take Avery to the ballet. Ava said it was her day and Avery’s schedule had to stay consistent. Kristina said it wasn’t about Avery. It was about getting back at her. Ava was going to deprive Avery of a magical night that would be a core memory lasting a lifetime. Ava said Avery was still going, but with her. The theater owner was a friend, and she got front row center. Kristina said, bitch, and Ric popped out, telling her to watch her temper. Remember the last time she lost it. She said there was a special place in hell for both of them. Chase told Dante that Rocco would grow out of it. They did. He was glad Dante talked to Lulu. Dante said he was relieved. He asked how things were going with Brook, and Chase said, the same. They didn’t know how they were going to become parents. Dante said, take their time. Whatever happened, Chase was going to be a great dad. He was a natural. Chase said it meant a lot coming from him, and Dante said Chase could come to him with everything. Chase said with his dad gone and Finn in Seattle, there weren’t a lot of guys to talk to. His friendship with Dante was important to him. Dante said it was to him too. Sasha said her and Willow’s situations weren’t remotely similar. She and Michael were long over. Willow said she thought there were more similarities than Sasha was willing to admit. The one big difference was, her mom was never a con artist. (Um…) Sasha said Willow didn’t know her mother, and Willow said when Sasha’s plan didn’t work out with Michael’s money, she went after Jason. Sasha said Willow was so, so wrong, and suggested they talk about Willow landing her husband’s very wealthy very uncle. Coincidence? Speaking of coincidence, she thought the article about Drew was what was bothering Willow. It made her realize she’d thrown her life away. She blew up her life and family over a sleaze and couldn’t admit she was wrong.

Portia told Drew that there had to be another way she could help that wasn’t about Curtis writing a puff piece. Drew said they could do a press conference. He could discuss his pediatric sports initiative (🍷– new drinking game! you’ll see) and she could represent GH. Portia said she didn’t see how it would help, but Drew aid, her being there would force Curtis to cover the story and paint him in the best possible light. Curtis walked in and asked what the hell Drew was doing there. Carly told Nina to stall Willow. Keep Willow at her place or find her a place of her own. Whatever it took to keep her and the kids from moving in with Drew. Drew was pushing it and they had to believe somehow Willow knew it was a bad idea. The longer they could keep Willow from moving in with Drew, the better. Meanwhile, they’d work on exposing Drew. Nina asked how she suggested they do it, and Carly said they needed to get in his house and find something so undeniable that Willow would never look at him the same way. Nina asked, what if there was nothing to find? and Carly said they’d make sure there was.

Thursday:

Jason and Anna were flying back to Port Charles with Charlotte. Charlotte wanted to call her mom, but Anna said, hold on. Maxie, Lulu, and Carly were at a table at the MetroCourt, when Jack came in with Jordan. Jordan told Jack that she was the liaison for the WSB, and he said he didn’t think the mayor was his biggest fan. Jordan said, if they eased the tension, it would be better for sharing information. The WSB possessed information that was helpful. Jack asked what she’d like to know, and she said, not what, but who. What did he know about Jenz Sidwell?  Portia wondered if there was another way for her to help Drew that didn’t involve Curtis writing a puff piece, and Drew said he was having a press conference to discuss his pediatric sports initiative (🍷) and she could represent GH. It would force Curtis to print a story painting him in a positive light. Curtis came in and asked what the hell Drew was doing there, and Drew said he was presenting a business proposal to Curtis’s wife. Curtis asked Portia to tell him what was going on. Sasha said, when the article dropped, Willow realized she blew up her life and family over a sleaze and couldn’t admit she was wrong. Willow said she was absolutely wrong to cheat on Michael, but who was Sasha to judge her? No one knew what led up to it except her, Drew, and Michael. Sasha asked if she was sure about that. Lucas was about to leave the bar in Miami when he found a credit card on the floor. As he looked at it, a man approached and said he believed it was his.  Elizabeth asked if Lucky was expecting anyone else to pop in, and he said, no. Her? She said, nope. It was just them for the rest of the night. He said he liked the sound of that and she said she did too, and they kissed.

Anna said she wanted to wait until they were in Port Charles before letting Lulu know Charlotte was back, and Charlotte asked if Anna thought those men would find her papa. Jason said Valentin made the right call by letting her come with them. He could move faster alone. Anna said there was no one better at disappearing and the men didn’t stand a chance, but she knew that didn’t make it hurt less. Jack told Jordan that Sidwell’s dealings in rare earth and minerals weren’t just gold and diamonds. The minerals he spoke of were strictly regulated by those in weapons manufacturing. Jordan asked if he thought that’s why Sidwell was in Port Charles. Did he want to use their port to smuggle his goods? He said there was no evidence of it, but it was in both their interests to keep an eye on Sidwell. Was there something she wanted to share with the class? She said she had one interesting tidbit. Carly was making a valiant effort not to notice him, but failing miserably. Lulu asked, what’s so fascinating? but Carly said, nothing. Lulu asked why she was staring at Jack, but Carly said she was just making sure her patrons were happy. Why would she care who Jack spent time with? While Portia was busy on the phone, Drew told Curtis that he was spearheading a pediatric sports initiative (🍷). He was surprised Trina hadn’t mentioned it since her friend Kai was involved, lending them his local celebrity status. Curtis said, and Drew was in his wife’s office because… Drew said she was Co-Chief of Staff and the initiative involved GH. Portia had already agreed to be at the press conference. Portia said she wished Drew wouldn’t put words in her mouth.

Elizabeth’s doorbell rang and she said it was like Grand Central Station. She opened the door to Ric and told him it wasn’t the best time, but he said it was important and would just take a minute. Lucky said he thought this night couldn’t get better, and Ric said he wanted to start by thanking Lucky. In Miami, the man said that Lucas found his card and offered to show Lucas his ID, but Lucas said it wasn’t necessary. The man introduced himself as Marco and offered to buy Lucas a drink as thanks. Sasha said everyone saw Willow mooning over Drew. She found excuses to be with or around him and even Michael noticed. Willow said her and Michael’s issues started before Sasha moved in and they all made mistakes – her, Drew, and Michael. Sasha said she thought the only mistake Michael made was trusting Willow. Willow told Michael that it was just a harmless crush, that her heart was still with him and the kids. He believed her and when he found out she acted on her feelings, he was devastated. So yes, Sasha would judge her and not feel bad about it. Willow said Sasha got pregnant at the beginning of November, around the time Jason was mourning Sam, and Sasha said, Jason and Sam hadn’t been together in years. Willow said, but their love story was epic and an obstacle to anyone who wanted Jason. (Is she confusing Sam with Carly?) Sasha saw an opening and took it. (This is possibly the most difficult suspension of disbelief for me, since Sasha could so get Willow fired.)

Jason asked why Anna didn’t want Charlotte to call Lulu, and Anna said she didn’t think the WSB would go after Charlotte, but if Brennan didn’t send the men, someone else had a vested interest in shutting Valentin up permanently. Jason said, it might be easier to use Charlotte to lure Valentin than find him, and Anna said, Charlotte’s phone could be tapped. She needed to contact someone else first. Marco said he was in Miami for a client meeting, and Lucas said he was there for a medical symposium. His ex was also on the trip, and it didn’t end well. Portia said she hadn’t given Drew an answer yet, and Drew said, it was just wishful thinking. Portia said the program was his baby and he should take all the credit, but Drew said it was a partnership. What happened to one of them would happen to the other, and the intention was to benefit the kids. Portia said then she’d do it, and Drew said it was a worthy cause. It would also generate a ton if positive publicity for GH, creating an influx of donors, which would help all of the patients. He knew how quickly things would change, and bringing money in would help her keep her position. Curtis said it would also help people forget Congressman Cutthroat, and Drew said he’d like to offer Curtis and Aurora the opportunity to cover the kick off. Willow said, while she was acting on her sincere feelings, Sasha acted out of greed. Jason was wealthy and adding the Quartermaine connection, her having his baby was the best con she ever pulled. Sasha wondered, what about Willow telling Michael that she would love, honor, and cherish him until death they did part? Think what she wanted about Sasha’s choices, but she didn’t break any vows or hearts. Willow said, give it time, and left. Anna called Jack and told him that she had Charlotte Cassadine. He said he didn’t suppose she had Valentin as well, and she said, negative. They were on a jet and would be at the Sussex airfield in an hour. She needed him to bring Lulu there without alerting anyone. Was it something he could do? He said, not a problem, and Anna told Jason that Jack was going to meet them on the tarmac. Jason asked if she was sure about trusting Jack. How did she know the men weren’t lying, were there under Jack’s orders, and they were delivering him the means to eliminate Valentin?

 Anna said, Jack may be on the hunt, but he knew if anything happened to Charlotte on his watch, Carly would never forgive him. Jason said Jack didn’t care about Carly, but Anna said he did. When it came to Carly, he didn’t have an ulterior motive. She thought he was smitten. She wasn’t saying he was a good guy, but he wanted to see Charlotte reunited with her mother as much as they did. Ric thanked Lucky for saving Elizabeth and gave Elizabeth a manila envelope. He said it was a hard copy of the Medical Review Board’s final decision. She was officially exonerated from responsibility in the deaths of Sylvia Mullen, Dex Heller, and Sam McCall. He also got her back pay for the days of work she was forced to miss. She thanked him, and he said his only regret was that Terry had to call him to represent her. It was good to have such a good friend, but Elizabeth should have called him in the first place. She said she didn’t know Terry had called and didn’t know how serious it was until she was in the middle of it. He said if she ever needed a lawyer or wondered if she might, he should be her first call. He couldn’t bust down doors or duke it out with lunatics, but if she called, he’d always pick up. Lucky rolled his eyes. Marco said Lucas’s ex being there couldn’t be easy, and Lucas said, ex-husband. Marco asked how long they were married, and Lucas said, three years and they had a son. He apologized and said, Marco offered to buy him a drink, not listen to his sob story, and Marco ordered two more. He said he loved long stories, the sobbier, the better. Tell him about his son.

Curtis said Aurora wasn’t the only game in town and Drew could find another media outlet, but Drew said, Curtis’s wife was on board. It would look bad if Curtis didn’t cover it. It was a win-win for all of them. Curtis said he needed time to think about it, and Drew said, fair enough. He left, and Curtis said, what the hell was that? Maxie, Lulu, and Carly discussed the Quartermaine crypt incident, and Jack told Jordan that he hated to cut the evening short. Jordan’s phone rang, and she said she’d be there as soon as she could. Jack went to Lulu and said he was sorry to interrupt, but she had to come with him. It was urgent. Lulu asked if it was about the search for Valentin, but he said he couldn’t give her any details. She’d have to trust him. Carly said she could trust Jack, and Lulu left with him. Maxie asked Carly, what was going on with her and Agent Brennan? Anna thanked Jason for coming and having her back. He didn’t need to get involved. He said he did, but Anna said she let Valentin escape. Jason said he went along with it, and she said, because she asked him to. He said he chose to. It was on him too. They both let Valentin take Charlotte. Anna said, and now they were bringing her back. Lucas told Marco that he gave Wiley back to his father, he and Brad got divorced, and Brad spent six months in prison. Marco said Lucas’s ex must have loved him. He did a terrible thing, but believed it was to spare Lucas pain. He risked his freedom. He risked everything. Lucas said Marco was the first person to hear the story and have that reaction, and Marco asked if Lucas disagreed. Lucas said, no. That was the part that killed him. He knew Brad did it because Brad loved him. He’d always wanted a family of their own, and Brad thought it would break his heart not to have a child, so Brad gave him one. Marco said, and broke his heart anyway, and Lucas said, it hurt a lot of other people, and no amount of love or good intentions can change that. Marco said, it couldn’t erase Lucas’s time with Wiley or Brad either. Wiley may not be his son, but was still a part of him. He was a child of Lucas’s heart and always would be. Lucas said he had a year and a half of being a dad. The memory was his forever, and no one could take it away. Ric told Elizabeth to put the papers in her records asap, and she went upstairs. Lucky suggested Ric send a messenger next time, and Ric asked if he detected hostility. Lucky said, just impatience, and Ric said he meant it when he said Lucky was a hero. And it got him a nice comfy spot to recover. Lucky said it was harder when random people kept dropping by with unnecessary things, and Ric asked if he could drop Lucky off at his mother’s so she could tuck him in. Lucky said thanks for the offer, but he was solid, and Ric said, that was the first word that came to mind when someone thought about Lucky – solid and reliable. Elizabeth could do so much better. Lucky said, like with Ric? Portia told Curtis that she agreed with Drew about the initiative. It would be good for the kids and for the entire hospital. As a doctor and as a mother, she had to support it, no matter what she thought or felt about Drew.

Curtis said if it was just Drew, there was no way he’d get involved, but did Portia want him to cover it? She said she did, for the reasons she said, but also for Trina. Kai was involved and Curtis’s support would mean so much. Don’t let Drew’s awfulness keep him from contributing to a good cause. Don’t let Drew have that kind of power. Jordan went to Drew’s office and said she didn’t have much time. Make it quick. He told her that he was having a press conference to announce his pediatric sports initiative (🍷). Portia agreed to be part of it and he was hoping Aurora would provide coverage. He’d love for her to be there as a representative of the mayor’s office. Jordan said, give her a break. Drew was trying to get himself a nice bouquet to cover the stench of The Invader article. Drew asked if she was going to help organize the support of the community or walk away just to spite him. Jordan said she’d take it under consideration, and left. Lulu asked why they were watching a jet landing and Jack said her daughter was on it. He didn’t have any details, but Anna told him to bring her. He assumed it was to secure her safety. Lulu started to cry and said she couldn’t believe it. Her daughter…

Marco asked if Lucas was doing better, and Lucas said he wasn’t in Boston drowning himself in work. He’d gone to Boston, didn’t date at all, and barely had contact with his friends and family. Marco asked, what changed? and Lucas said his mom died. Marco said he was sorry to hear that, and Lucas said, it was a wake-up call. Our time here was so limited, and they had to do as much with it as they could. Love people while they were still here. Marco said, so he went home, and Lucas said he still worked a lot. There was no action on the dating front, but he wasn’t hiding from life, so there was that. Marco said it was a lot. It took courage to face the things that scared you. How was it? Lucas said his family and friends were great. Shockingly, it hadn’t been so horrible seeing Brad. Marco said, it stirred up old emotions, and Lucas said, sort of. He remembered why they fell in love and how happy they were once upon a time. Brad helped him through a terrible time and made him less lonely. Marco said someone who did that would always have a place in your heart. Not the place they used to, but a place. Lucas said, when he found out Brad was at the symposium, he thought it was a sign. Brad was the kind, supportive person he fell for, and he started to feel something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. They were just at the brink of putting it back together, but then Brad decided to tell him how he got to go on the trip, and he’s still the same lying manipulative person he was. Still driven by love for him, but maybe that was the problem. Marco said, love? and Lucas said it couldn’t be the only answer to loneliness. Marco said, companionship came in all shapes and sizes, and Lucas said maybe it was as simple as finding a gorgeous man and taking it from there. He added, more accurately, from here, and kissed Marco. Jordan went to see Portia and said she spoke to Drew about his new pediatric sports initiative (🍷), and Portia said he asked her to be at the press conference. Jordan said she heard Portia was on board. Drew also said Aurora might get involved. Is that the truth?

Carly told Maxie that she and Jack’s lives were incompatible, and Maxie asked how he took it. Carly said, quietly. He walked away and she hasn’t seen him until now. Maxie said it sounded like the rejection hurt his feelings, but Carly said Jack had a woman in every city. She was just the one in Port Charles. She couldn’t go down that road when Jack would never commit. Maxie asked, to what? What kind of commitment was Carly looking for? Sasha got her ultrasound, and the nurse (not Willow) asked if she’d like to know the sex. Coming out of the elevator, Drew saw Willow and asked if she was okay. She seemed down. Willow said she was coming from a difficult patient, and Drew said he wouldn’t blame her if she’d let the Congressman Cutthroat nonsense get to her, but she said she already told him that she didn’t read that garbage and didn’t listen to anyone who told her about it. He said it seemed like there was more than just a difficult patient that got to her. Anna and Jason brought Charlotte to Lulu.

Ric said he’d get out of Elizabeth’s hair, and she thanked him for everything. He told her that he meant what he said, and she asked if he wasn’t trying to annoy Lucky. He said it was an added bonus, but he wanted her to be happy. He left and Elizabeth said, finally, they were alone, but Lucky had fallen asleep. Maxie asked what Carly was looking for. Did she want to settle down and get married? Carly said she would be happy never to be married again, and Maxie wondered if she could possibly be overthinking things. If she died tomorrow, would she regret not sleeping with Jack? Curtis said he was going to cover the press conference, and Jordan said, if they were on board, she’d be there. She left, and Portia thanked Curtis. Curtis thanked her for helping see the right thing to do and they hugged. Willow told Drew that she could handle it and so could he, but Scout and Wiley were a different story. Drew said he was working on reminding everyone of the good work he was doing on behalf of the citizens. The old headlines would be gone and forgotten. It was going to work out. Willow told him that when he said it, she believed it, and they kissed. Sasha came out and looked at her sonogram, then saw Drew and Willow. Lucas asked Marco, what now? and Marco said he thought Lucas should give him his room key. Lucas slid the key to Marco. Charlotte and Lulu hugged, and Lulu said, Charlotte was finally home.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada:

We see bingo cards and tchotchkes being set out. Yuri says, O-65, retire and thrive… Correct? Gloria says, perfect, and Gio says he never heard that before. Got it! Lois says she’s got nothing, and Gloria says she taught Yuri all the bingo lingo. That man is a natural. Gio says he can’t believe she brought her bingo kit from Bensonhurst, and Gloria says she never leaves home without it. Yuri says, call your doctor. Time for a shot of B-12. Gio says, bingo! and shows his card. Gloria says, a four-corner win, and Lois says she’s impressed. It’s hard to beat ma. Gloria says, they all know Gio is a star and can do pretty much anything, when Brook walks in. She says, of course (🍷) Gloria brought her bingo set with her, and Gloria says she can’t risk getting rusty. Gio says, Brook can take his spot. He’s got to meet Emma. Gloria says, Brook is lucky. That seat is hot. Yuri says he’ll bring the car around for Gio, and Gio tells them, see you later, and leaves. Gloria says, Emma? and Brook says, Emma Scorpio Drake. She’s the Police Commissioner’s granddaughter. Gloria asks, what’s going on with them? and Brook wonders if they’re all going to pretend they just found out, when all along they knew the baby was Dante’s.

On the phone, Laura says she doesn’t want to be interrupted… Yes, it’s that important.

Lulu brings Charlotte home to Laura’s apartment and looks at her. Charlotte says, it’s okay. She’s really here. Lulu says she can’t believe it. She’s been dreaming about this for so long. She smooths Charlotte’s hair and says, there’s so much she wants to tell her, but she wanted to wait until they were alone. They hug, and Lulu says, thank God she’s here and safe. Charlotte says, don’t thank God. Thank papa.

Sonny thanks Isaiah for making a house call, since doctors don’t do that anymore, but Isaiah says, some do for some patients. Sonny says he appreciates it. He doesn’t want his children knowing about his condition. Isaiah says, he’s welcome. His blood pressure is a lot better. Sonny actually seems to be listening to his advice. Sonny says he’s been taking his medication and reducing stress. He even called a truce with his daughter’s mother. It seemed to help. Kristina walks in with Rocco and asks, what’s going on? Rocco asks if Sonny is okay.

At Trina’s apartment, Kai asks if their third date is living up to their first, and Trina says, when he asked her to the museum, he didn’t say it was a date. On Valentine’s Day, she didn’t know it was a date, so it doesn’t count. And since they’re staying in tonight, this doesn’t either. He says, Valentine’s Day was definitely a date and so was painting. They were good dates too. What can he do to make tonight feel more datelike? Would a kiss help? She says, it might, and they kiss. She says, yeah. It definitely feels like a date now, and they kiss again.

On the phone in his hotel room, Jack asks, what’s the update on Josslyn Jax… Is that right? Good to hear. Keep pushing her. There’s a knock at the door and he says, they’ll talk tomorrow. He opens the door to Carly and says, if he remembers correctly, the last time they spoke, she wanted nothing to do with him. So what is she doing here now? She says, fixing a huge mistake, and kisses him.

Trina’s phone rings, but she says she’ll ignore it. Kai says, what if it’s an emergency? and she answers. She asks Ava, what’s going on? and Ava says, thank God. She locked herself out of the gallery and can’t find her key. It’s freezing and her phone is dying. Can Trina come quickly please? Trina tells Kai that Ava locked herself out of the gallery and needs to be let in before she freezes. He says he gets it. Ava is her boss and friend. He was about to head out anyway. Trina thanks him for being cool about it. She’ll see him tomorrow. He says, for sure, and leaves.  

Gloria says, no one is pretending anything. Brook’s been avoiding her all day and she thought that meant Brook didn’t want to talk about it. Brook tells Gloria that she didn’t know what to say. Finding out Gloria knew all along knocked the wind out of her. Gloria says she’s sorry to hear that, and Brook says she told her ma alone. She had no idea Lois ran off and told Gloria. It makes her wonder who else knows.

Lulu says she’s glad Charlotte’s father kept her safe, but she wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place if he hadn’t taken her on the run. Charlotte asks why it matters. She’s here now only because of her papa. Lulu says she didn’t even know Charlotte was coming until before the plane landed. How did Anna and Jason know where she was? Charlotte says, papa texted Rocco and told him where they were. He thought Rocco would tell Lulu and Lulu would come and get her, but Jason found out. Lulu says, Valentin wanted Charlotte back in Port Charles because he was worried about her safety after someone took a shot at him in the Prague café. Charlotte says, he was trying to do what was best for her, even if it means he doesn’t see her every day anymore, and Lulu says, Rocco didn’t tell her that he’d gotten the text. She would have been on the first plane. Charlotte says, papa thought so too, and Lulu says, Rocco’s been avoiding her and she couldn’t figure out why. It makes sense now. She never once gave up hope that Charlotte would come home. Charlotte says she knows, and Lulu says she wishes it had been her that came to get Charlotte, not Anna and Jason. Charlotte says, actually, she was glad Lulu wasn’t there.

Jack says he thought Carly didn’t want to do this, but Carly says she overthought it. It’s what she does and it’s not great. She shouldn’t have thought the worst about him. He says, she changed her mind and he’s supposed to forget and be at her beck and call? How does he know she won’t change her mind again tomorrow? She says, he doesn’t, but she won’t, and he says, he knew she had doubts, but he thought it was about the WSB and how dangerous his job is. She’d be putting herself at risk. But she questioned his character and his feelings for her. That’s a very different thing. She says she knows, and he says he was very clear and very consistent about the way he feels. If she still doubts his intentions, she was right to end whatever it is they had. She says she was completely wrong. That’s why she’s here. He asks, what changed her mind? They haven’t not spoken, so it’s not him. Why the change of heart?

Sonny tells Kristina, everything is fine. He’s just under the weather and called Lucky to get ahold of Dr. Gannon to check him out. They know each other? Kristina says, they met at Charlie’s. Nice to see him. Isaiah says, her too, and she says she brought Rocco by to see the new place. Rocco says, it’s not new. He’s been here, but not since Charlotte lived here. Sonny says he made some changes, especially in the backyard. Does Rocco want to check it out? Rocco says, cool, and he and Sonny leave. Isaiah says he’s going to go, but Kristina says, if her dad had a cold, he would have had Isaiah call in a prescription, not have him come to his home and examine him. What’s really going on with her dad?

Trina lets herself into the dark gallery and says she got here as fast as she could. She turns on the light and her family and friends yell, surprise! She says she can’t believe they did this, and Curtis says, she didn’t think they’d forget her birthday. Trina says she knows her parents are successful and driven and figured they’d be running the hospital and Aurora, but Portia says, they’re never too busy to celebrate their birthday girl. Stella asks if she can get in on that birthday love, and hugs Trina. Trina thanks her for coming, and Stella says she wouldn’t miss wishing Trina a happy birthday. She knows Trina is going to have an incredible year, and it will only get better. Trina says she likes the sound of that, and Stella says she was supposed to be a distraction, but she thought of someone better for the job. Trina sees Kai, who smiles at her, and Stella says, was she right or was she right? Trina says, she was right, as always.

Charlotte says she’s glad Lulu wasn’t there. It was so dangerous. After papa sent the text, Jason and Anna showed up and told them to run. Lulu says, it must have been terrifying, and Charlotte says, it was. She and papa hid, but they could hear everything. The WSB came in and Jason and Anna had to fight them off. She doesn’t think Lulu could take them on like that. Lulu says she’s scrappier than she looks and would do what it takes to keep Charlotte and her brother. Charlotte says she knows. She’s happy to be home, but it feels kinda weird. Lulu says, good weird or bad weird? and Charlotte says, good weird. Lulu says she knows the feeling. It will feel normal soon, she promises. Charlotte wonders how, without her papa.

Outside, Sonny asks what Rocco thinks, and Rocco says, looks good. Sonny asks if it’s missing anything, and Rocco says, Charlotte. It feels weird being here without her. Sonny asks if they’re close. Does he miss her a lot? Rocco says he does. Can he tell Sonny something? Sonny says, anything, and Rocco says he got a text from Charlotte, but didn’t tell either of his parents. He remembered how dangerous it was last time. He told Danny, who told his dad, and Jason promised to bring Charlotte home. Sonny says, he did the right thing. He was looking out for his family and in a tough spot, but he handled it like a champ. Rocco says, but he hasn’t heard from Jason. What if he can’t find Charlotte? Sonny says, Jason is good at finding people, but if Rocco doesn’t hear from him soon, he’ll step in. Rocco thanks him, and Sonny says, you’ve got it.

Isaiah says, whatever questions Kristina has, the answer is the same. Talk to her dad. Kristina says, since he’s here, there must be something to ask about that he’s not telling her, and he says, ask her dad. Kristina says she thinks he’d tell her if it was bad, but he doesn’t have to. Obviously, it’s bad if he’s here. If Sonny was fine, he wouldn’t be trying to cover it up. Isaiah says he’s not covering up anything. He’s respecting the oath he took and doctor/patient confidentiality, which is the law. She says she’s Sonny’s daughter. He’d tell her if Sonny was in the hospital. Be honest. It’s kind of the same thing. Isaiah says, it’s not, when Sonny and Rocco come back. Sonny asks, what’s going on? and Kristina says, Dr. Gannon confirmed something serious is going on. What is it? Sonny looks at Isaiah, who shakes his head.

Jack asks, what changed? and Carly says she realized that life is short. If something happened to either one of them, she’d regret not exploring whatever this is. She’s sorry. She was wrong. And she doesn’t usually admit to either. He says, sorry for what? and she says, not trusting him. She saw him with Vivian and Vivian was flirting. He was so nonchalant, it threw her, and she dismissed all the good things he’d done. But she realized ending things had nothing to do with him. He says, what about Vivian? and she says, that was just an excuse. She got so scared because of how much she was starting to feel for him. She tried to push him away and that’s not her. She’s not the kind of person to run from her feelings. He says, or much of anything else. Exactly what kind of person is she? She says, stick around and find out, and they kiss.

Lulu says, Charlotte knows she wishes Valentin could be here, for Charlotte’s sake. She’d love if it was different, but Charlotte is safer here and has stability. She can’t live life on the run. Charlotte says, it wasn’t that bad. She and papa saw a lot of different places and he made sure she had everything she needed. Lulu says, now that she has Charlotte here, there’s so much she wants to ask. She has so much to tell her and not just about Charlotte’s time away. Her time too. She missed so much in the last four years. Charlotte says she can’t wait to tell Lulu everything. She’s happy to be back home. It might not seem like it, but it is. Lulu says she knows Charlotte had a crazy day. Who is she kidding? Charlotte had a crazy year. Charlotte says she knows things were weird, but her papa always kept her safe and brought up Lulu whenever he could. Lulu says she knows how much Charlotte loves her papa, and she’s so grateful he kept her safe. She’s more grateful that he sent the text, so Charlotte would be brought home. She knows how hard it was for him. Charlotte says she couldn’t believe it when he told her, and Lulu says she’s sure it was lonely being out there with just her dad, and Charlotte says, it was. Lulu says, they need to make up for that. She’s going to make a quick call.

Gloria says she swears on the family bible. No one else knows about the baby. Brook asks how she can be sure, and Gloria says she’d never betray a trust that way. Lois says, listen to her grandma. Gloria knows all the family secrets and never let any of them slip. Gloria says she sensed something was eating away at Lois, and Lois says, Gloria had to pull it out of her. Brook asks why Gloria wouldn’t tell, and Gloria says she was respecting Brook’s privacy and the privacy of Brook’s mother. She never talked about it. Brook says, never? Not even at confession? Gloria says, not a word. She put it in the vault, and it stayed there where it belongs, and she suggests they do the same.  

Laura tells Trina, happy birthday, and hands her a giftbag. She says, these are from Ace. He made the card himself. Trina says, it’s ridiculously cute, and thanks Laura for letting him make it for her. She thanks Laura for being here, and Laura says, there’s no place else she’d rather be. Besides, she thinks it’s what Spencer would want, for her to be here. She knows last year was tough and she’s very glad to see Trina in a better place and willing to celebrate her birthday. Trina says, that doesn’t mean she forgot Spencer or doesn’t miss him every day, and Laura says she’d never think that about her. Neither of them will ever forget Spencer. He was one of a kind. Trina says, yeah, and Laura says, he loved her so much. He would be so happy to see how happy Trina is. She missed seeing the light in Trina’s eyes and she’s glad it’s back. Spencer would be very glad it’s back. Her phone rings, and she says, sorry. It’s her daughter. Trina moves on and Lulu asks if Laura can come home. She has a surprise for her.

Jack leads Carly to the bedroom. They get busy and there’s a song part.

Kai says he’s in a group of athletes who are working at the hospital, visiting sick kids in the pediatrics wing. He tries to spend as much time there as he can. It’s fun in the middle of the hard stuff. Trina says, it’s sweet of him to get involved, and he says he met the guy who came up with the program. He’s a congressman. Emma says, the guy who slept with his nephew’s wife? and Kai says, he seemed okay. He doesn’t know about the guy’s personal life and doesn’t care. The program is changing lives. Emma says, that part is great. Is he sure that he’s not taking on too much? If he wants to back out of her animal fundraiser, she understands. He says, since he’s not playing football, he has plenty of time, when Curtis comes out. He says, it’s time for cake, and the cake is brought out. Trina says, it’s gorgeous (agreed), and Portia says, sing Happy Birthday! They sing and Trina smiles. Kai says, make a wish, and Stella says, make it good. Trina blows out the candles and everyone applauds.  

As they bask in the afterglow, Jack says, this isn’t at all what he expected when he opened the door and saw Carly standing there. She says, he showed up at her hotel room and gave her one hell of a kiss in Germany. She thought she’d return the favor. He says he’s glad she did. He’s been thinking about this for a long time. She says, her too.

Laura comes into the apartment and is immediately absorbed in taking off her coat. She says, sorry she’s late. She got stuck at the party saying goodbye to so many people…  She sees Charlotte, quietly freaks out, and they hug.  

Gio gives Trina a giftbag and says, it’s from Josslyn. She’s sorry she couldn’t be here, but she’s still in Easter Island. She made sure she had it sent to the Quartermaines’ in trust of him delivering it. Trina takes out a sleep-aid set and says, Josslyn is amazing. Josslyn knows she has a hard time sleeping. She loves Josslyn so much. Stella says, here’s the last one, and Emma says, it’s from her. The guy in the bookstore said it’s a must have. Trina opens the present and it’s the same art book Spencer got her shortly after they met. She thanks Emma and says, it’s amazing. She thanks everybody for all the thoughtful, amazing gifts and says, go have another slice of cake and more to drink and just party. Portia tells Trina, happy birthday, and kisses her cheek. Trina looks sadly at the book.

Isaiah says he didn’t tell Kristina anything, and Sonny asks if Rocco doesn’t have homework. Kristina says, since Isaiah is on his way out, could he drop Rocco home at the Quartermaines’? Isaiah says he’d be happy to, and Rocco thanks Sonny for the tour. Sonny says, anytime, and Rocco leaves with Isaiah. Kristina says, Sonny knows she’s going to find out. What’s going on? She can always tell when he’s lying, so tell her. Whatever it is, it’s worse in her head. What she’s imagining isn’t good. What’s going on? Sonny says he doesn’t want her to worry. What he’s got is treatable. He’s fine. She says, treatable? Just tell her what’s going on. He says, there’s something wrong with his heart.

Lulu asks if Charlotte is sure she’s all right, and Charlotte says she’s fine. Just tired. She’s going to go shower. Laura suggests she lie down and get some rest, and Charlotte says, that’s probably a good idea. Laura says, they can catch up tomorrow. She wants to hear about everything Charlotte was doing. Charlotte says, most of it was boring, and Lulu says, don’t get too comfortable. She’s got the idea there might be more visitors. Laura says she’s really happy Charlotte is home, and Charlotte goes to shower. Laura asks if they found Valentin, but Lulu says, no. He’s still out there somewhere, but he’s the reason Charlotte is here. Charlotte said he took good care of her and made sure Charlotte didn’t forget her. Laura says, that doesn’t surprise her. She knows how much Valentin loves Charlotte, but she’s still better off away from him. Lulu agrees and says she hopes he stays away for Charlotte’s sake.

Brook says, all these years, she thought she was keeping the secret from Gloria, but Gloria was keeping the same secret from her. Gloria says, if the devil himself was mad at her for not telling, so be it. She would do anything for Brook. She would suffer anything. As long as her girls and their future was protected. She loves them both so much. Lois says, they love her too… even though sometimes she makes it hard, and Brook says, yeah, but this brought up so many things she wasn’t letting herself think about for so many years. It’s going to take time to wrap her head around it. (Hello 1960s!) Lois tells her, take all the time she needs. They’ll be here when she’s ready. Brook leaves.

Jack tells Carly that he needs to refresh and is taking a quick shower. He gets out of bed and heads for the shower and says, that was an invitation to join him. She says she knows, but someone has to answer the door for room service, and she’s a little bit thirsty. He says, suit herself, and she stays in the bed, looking all happy. She hears him singing in the shower and gets up.

Gio says, Emma’s been great lately, and she asks what he means. He says, she put an activist group together and moved forward. She kept him company at the crypt and gave Kai a good pep talk. She asks why he’s surprised, and he says, the first times they met, she didn’t come across as someone who would do that. She seems different. She says, this is who she is now, and he says, it makes him wonder who the real Emma is. She says she’d like to know her too.

Stella asks Curtis about meeting with Congressman Henderson, and Curtis says, he helped with some obstacles. Drew is now focused on his pediatric sports initiative (🍷) and he’s planning a press conference. Portia is going to talk, and Aurora Media is covering it. He hates that he’s helping rehab Drew’s image. Stella suggests he pick his battle. He can elevate Portia, but if he gets in the way, he could hinder her success. She deserves to shine. Drew be damned.

Portia thanks Ava for referring Ric and being there, and Ava says, of course (🍷). She thanks Portia for confiding in her. If the truth came out, it could hurt Trina. Portia says, it could have been devastating.

Trina slips out of the party.

Ava tells Portia, Drew has a lot of powerful enemies – Nina, Carly, Curtis, Jason, Michael. All the Quartermaines hate him and it’s only a matter of time before his house of cards collapses and one of his many other enemies takes care of him for her. Portia says, someone needs to do something and do it soon.

Curtis can’t find Trina and hopes she’s okay, but Stella says she was here quite a while. It was almost like having the old Trina back, but she might have gotten overwhelmed. A party like this might have had her thinking about Spencer. Curtis says he hates to think it put a black mark on Trina’s special night, but Stella says, it didn’t. Grief doesn’t have a timeline and it’s often felt in our happiest moments.

Kai looks around the party, then sends a text.

Sitting on the window seat in her dark apartment, Trina takes out the art book Spencer gave her. She looks at the inscription and holds the book to her chest.

Lois checks to make sure Brook is gone, and Gloria says, if Brook is this upset about finding out she knew about the baby, imagine how angry she’ll be that they know who the baby is. Lois says she knows, and Gloria says, Brook can never know, and what they did tonight proved why.

Rocco comes home and Lulu asks, how was grandpa’s house? Rocco says, he changed stuff, and it was weird without Charlotte. Charlotte comes out and says, it doesn’t have to be weird anymore, and they hug.

Carly joins Jack in the shower, and he says he had a feeling she’d change her mind. She tells him, make room, but before she can take her robe off, there’s a knock at the door. She says she’ll be right back, and he gives her a kiss and says, hurry.

Kristina says, Sonny has a heart condition? How long has this been going on? He says he’s okay. He’s fine. She says, then why didn’t he want to tell her? and he says, she’d worry for no reason. She says, of course (🍷) she’d worry. What did Dr. Gannon say? He says, it’s from an injury that happened a long time ago and Isaiah put him on the right path. He’ll have to do a procedure, but everything will be fine. He just has to reduce stress. She says, that’s why he agreed to joint custody. he didn’t want the stress of a trial. He says, that’s part of the reason. He didn’t want to watch Ric put her and Avery on the stand. He didn’t want to put either of his daughters through that.  

Carly finds a serving cart in the hallway with a bucket of champagne and two glasses on it. She makes a happy sound, brings them into the room, and closes the door. Valentin comes out from around the corner, and boy, does he look pissed.

On Monday, Anna says, the marshal is here to serve an arrest warrant; Brook says, Drew picked a fight with the wrong broad: and Jack tells Carly, don’t! and knocks the glass out of her hand.  

🧼  All the Soap News Fit To Print…

It looks like there will be a new lawyer in town and maybe a love interest for Lucas.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/adrian-anchondo-cast-as-marco-on-general-hospital

Gloria returns!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ellen-travolta-returns-to-general-hospital-2

Maybe he had a good time, but it was painful to watch. This guy is no actor. He sounded like he was reading it and didn’t even read it well.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/the-golden-bachelorettes-guy-gansert-guests-on-gh

Two requests of the fans.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-cameron-mathison-makes-a-special-request

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/eva-larues-warning-to-her-fans

Side gigs. I haven’t read Jon Lindstrom’s book yet, but I want to. Although now I can just wait and see the movie. Well done!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/jon-lindstroms-book-to-become-a-movie

I don’t know how exciting this is, but if she’s happy, I’m happy.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kelly-monaco-announces-an-exciting-new-project

This was weird/sad, but it sounded like he was getting treatment.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/rick-springfield-learns-he-has-brain-damage

Victor has moved on from the building.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/days-of-our-lives/charles-shaughnessy-returns-to-days-of-our-lives

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

I didn’t see this, but it seems to fluctuate between dangerous accidents and nookie.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Boz was hosting a trip to St. Lucia and informed us that it’s the only country named after a woman. We watched as the women packed, and I’m not sure why Erika called my shorts ho shorts, but I was offended. Aren’t shorts supposed to be short? When getting a less than enthusiastic response about an outfit from son Phoenix, Dorit told him, it’s Poca Rabone, like that meant something to him. Boz said getting them all together to travel was like herding cats, so they were meeting in Miami. In her interview, Boz said, beautiful views, delicious cocktails, a steel drum band. Who would complain? Really? Has she met them? In Jennifer’s interview, she talked about not fitting in when she was young, and Sutton cried over her long road with the women and how Garcelle had been the only one to support her. Kyle would say, you two, but never point the finger at Dorit alone. Mauricio visited Kyle and talked about going on  It was the usual, just in a different vacation setting. PK met with Dorit, where the D-word was used, yet Dorit is still in the denial phase. Kyle, however, was sliding into acceptance after Mauricio visited and told her about his quest for weed spiritual healing.

Some non-news. Maybe she’s a girlfriend; maybe she’s not.

Denise Richards and Her Wild Things

I love this show so much. A lot of episode 3 revolved around a Cuban iguana named Godzilla who had passed away at age 30. He’d belonged to Charlie’s ex, Brooke, and was dropped off at Denise’s house when Brooke went to rehab. He liked Fig Newtons and had an entire suite to himself. They had him for nine months, and a memorial was planned. There were a lot of flowers, as well as some heartfelt speeches. Denise also met with Erika (RHOBH) and they clinked glasses and made up. Another thing I love about Denise is her love of animals. She even got a little picnic table for the squirrels outside, one of whom she called Fat Fred, but she insisted she wasn’t fat shaming him. Sami was getting a nose job and said she’d been bullied in school about looking like her dad. Recently, someone had made a comment that she’d never be as pretty as her mom. WTF? Ugh. It’s one of the things I hate about the internet. Anonymity has created mean AF a-holes.

Summer House

Kyle discussed his misdirected rage texting with Paige and said he was super upset. Aww. Poor baby. He’s always super upset about something. I’m pretty sure he lives off of super upset energy. One thing I really hate about this group is their tendency to play telephone. Really, their tendency to just make sh*t up to suit themselves. Lexi had asked Jesse not to be so flirtatious in his comments on the other girls’ social media and somehow this got changed to her demanding he not comment at all. And that literally came from horse Jesse’s mouth. She needs to dump this dude asap. One minute he’s all in love like never before, and the next, he’s making it up as he goes along. The tail end of the show was in NYC with Paige and Craig. When Paige said she never wanted to live a slow life, that said everything. While no judgement about relationships that are ephemeral, if you’re not on the same page regarding commitment, it’s for certain someone is going to get their heart broken.

Southern Charm

Craig told Paige about making up with Austen and how he thought his admission that he couldn’t drink was like holding up a mirror to Austen. He might not be wrong. Paige complimented Craig on his self-awareness. Austen later came by for a visit, and I forgot which show I was watching for a moment. The big topic once again involved JT. Venita wanted him to be her plus one at a summer soiree Madison was giving. JT was hesitant, but said he’d think about it. He talked to Leva about it and said he didn’t know if it was appropriate while he had a girlfriend, and also admitted he’d probably encouraged Venita by flirting. But the best was yet to come when Leva told him that Ryan used the same barber, who apparently told him that JT said some Black girl was trying to bust up his relationship. Once again, although I’m no fan of JT, I couldn’t see him saying something like that. Neither could Leva or Venita, but in Venita’s interview, she said, Ryan’s husband was Black, so why would he lie? Why indeed. JT was livid, since it made him sound racist. On top of it, racist about someone he cared for. Leva said he should call the barber immediately and get it cleared up for Venita’s sake. Translation: So we can get it on the show. He did and the barber seemed surprised, saying, the only thing he remembered JT telling him was that there was a cute Black girl named Venita on the show. When JT called Venita to tell her, I’m pretty sure all she heard though was that he loved her.

On the upside, Brett got the cancer all-clear on his last test and Molly and Taylor took their dogs out for ice cream.

What’s JT up to? Not much. No surprise. I can’t blame him for jetting though. The Reunion should be interesting.

Random Reality Items

VPR 2.0 is on the way.

This is the weirdest thing ever and I can’t believe it’s still going on.

Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.

What a shame. Hopefully, those left in the cast invested in real estate.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Extinction: The G.M.O. Chronicles. Amazon Prime. I am a die-hard zombie fan and I did enjoy this. There was precious little info out there and this review is less than stellar. There is the trailer though.

Okay. This guy liked it more, but there are a few small spoilers.

The Night Eats the World. Amazon Prime. This film won awards, and I didn’t hate it, but there were long stretches of not much going on and the main character chatting with – or rather, to – a zombie he had corralled in a stalled elevator. Be forewarned, the ending is not a happy one.

https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/night-eats-the-world-review-zombies-tribeca-1201954987/

Beyond the Gates. CBS/Paramount+. I finally got serious about watching this and I’m hooked on watching it with my dinner now. It’s oddly old-fashioned and trendy at the same time. Beautiful people, an inclusive cast, fabulous wardrobes, and a gun drawn at a wedding. You can’t really ask for more.

https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2025/03/cbs-beyond-the-gates-promo-tv-critics

🙀 Things You Don’t See Every Day…

🦒 I’m not letting my dogs read this. It might give them ideas.

https://people.com/athletic-giraffe-escapes-arizona-zoo-to-get-snacks-11695093

🐻‍❄️ Pretty as a picture. Oh wait, it is.

https://people.com/photo-sleeping-polar-bear-wins-nature-photography-contest-11690907

🐾 It’s a ferret! It’s a ferret’s ghost! It’s a stoat!

https://people.com/rarely-seen-animal-caught-on-camera-in-pennsylvania-11693659

👄 Quotes of the Week

Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. – Charlotte Whitton

You’re in pretty good shape for the shape you are in. – Dr. Seuss

You are not your resumé; you are your work. – Seth Godin

Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises. – Samuel Butler

You aren’t learning anything when you’re talking. – Lyndon B. Johnson

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. – Vincent van Gogh

Remember: Always walk in the light. And if you feel like you’re not walking in it, go find it. Love the light. – Roberta Flack

The mosquitos are d*ckheads out here. – Channelle (Aisha Dee), Apple Cider Vinegar

🍀 Top O’ the Month To Ya…

Until next week, stay safe; stay not using St. Patrick’s Day to be a green beer drunken mess (also don’t be another kind of Karen and drive drunk); and stay loving people while they’re still here.

January 31, 2025 – Lulu Confesses Her Love For Dante, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Performing, Animal Tales, An Even Number Of Short Quotes & Mountain

Standard

What I Watched Today

(The whole GH enchilada & entertainment minutiae on Fridays)

General Hospital

Monday:

Tara from Turning Woods had info for Elizabeth, but when she and Lucky showed up, Tara was out sick. Natalia told Lucy that she could land an account in LA, but the contact only wanted to meet with her and the silent partner – i.e. Sonny. Kristina went to see Sonny and asked him if everything was okay since he didn’t show up at Charlie’s. She said they had to keep Avery away from Ava and she’d decided to testify at the custody hearing. Anna told Jason about Sidwell being in Port Charles. She asked if he or Sasha were willing to go on record about Sasha’s kidnapping.

Curtis told Nina that Drew was going to undermine the company in congress if he didn’t get his stock back. Chase visited Willow, who whined about Drew being ostracized by his family. Drew met with Martin and told him that Monica wasn’t speaking with him. He was her first truly lost cause, and he wondered if he’d ever really been a part of the family. Anna told Jason not to go after Sidwell on his own. Lucky told the Turning Woods rep that Cyrus wanted a list of his patients who had died so he could send condolences to the family. Curtis told Nina that things had a way of getting out and encouraged her to tell Willow that she’d been sleeping with Drew. Drew told Martin, if they thought banning him from the Quartermaine grounds would keep him from Willow, they had another thing coming.

Jason told Anna that he couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Mr. Furner came in while Lucky and Elizabeth were there. Lucky distracted him by threatening a lawsuit while Elizabeth waited for the printout. Chase told Willow that he and Brook were trying to have a baby.  Nina told Curtis that she’d made the devil’s bargain with Drew. She couldn’t tell Willow about Drew, nor he about her. She hoped with time, Willow would trust her more than Drew. Curtis said he had a plan and needed Nina’s help. Anna said the best way of getting Sidwell was to get criminal charges that would stick, but Jason said he had to do it for Michael.

Natalia conferred with Sonny about the LA trip. Anna asked if Jason could guarantee he would be the only target for retaliation. He could break the cycle of violence by not retaliating. Curtis told Nina that he wanted to sabotage Drew’s connections in DC. Chase showed Willow his lab results and she told him to see his doctor. According to the results, he couldn’t father a child.

Tuesday:

Ned told Tracy to show some respect to Willow or she’d be out on her high-class derriere. Tracy said two fingers of bourbon for everyone, and no one was leaving until they figured out what to do.

Felicia took Anna for a manicure and told Anna that she’d seen Emma clubbing. Emma joined them and Anna questioned her. Emma said, it wasn’t a spa day; it was an interrogation. Carly couldn’t figure out Jack’s angle. He said when he first came to Port Charles, he was on a mission. He had no intention of pursuing her until she visited him in prison. He considered her a friend, not an asset. Kai told Trina that his vertebrae was cracked, and he couldn’t play football because he’d risk a spinal injury. She suggested he talk to her mom. Portia told Alexis that Sam had been murdered and how they came to that conclusion. It had been a pattern. Alexis said she wasn’t leaving it to the police and was going to find answers.

Ned said the mess was all on Drew and they should give Willow a chance to create distance. Tracy said they had to make rules and asked what Chase thought. Brook told Lois that she was able to have a baby. Lois asked if she regretted giving her baby up, and Brook said it was the hardest choice she ever made, but she never regretted it. Chase said Willow was a good person and they should respect her. Tracy said Drew would use Willow to his own ends, but Ned said, if they pushed things, Willow would run back to him. Sasha said Tracy was being dramatic, then Tracy screamed because she saw a mouse. She said Sasha was out if she didn’t climb up and get it (like the mouse wasn’t in Chicago after Tracy screamed), but Sasha said she wasn’t climbing anywhere because she was pregnant, quickly adding, it’s not Cody’s.

Sasha said if anyone had complaints or judgements, oh well, and Gio said he didn’t grow up with a father and turned out fine. Alexis talked to Isaiah about Sam. Trina asked Portia to talk to Kai. Anna said Emma was allowed a social life, but not allowed to lie to her and sneak around. Emma said she’d been to a fundraiser and wondered, since when was Anna so uptight? Jack offered to have Michael’s cultures forwarded to Germany from the WSB to expedite things for Carly.

Tracy wondered why they offered daycare to everyone, and Ned said she’d just kidnapped two more. Portia said Kai wasn’t necessarily sidelined. Anna said there was a difference between uptight and responsible, and she was the latter. Emma said she never saw Anna because she worked so much. Carly called Felicia about the cultures, and Felicia told her to proceed with caution when it came to Jack.

Emma made a deal that if she got straight A’s, Anna would go clubbing with her. Jason asked Sasha if Michael knew about the baby. Chase told Brook that his tests came back, and he couldn’t get her pregnant. Portia suggested Kai get a second opinion from a specialist in sports medicine. Kai said Trina’s mom was amazing and he knew where she got it from. Alexis said she wasn’t going to stop until she found the killer. Jack went to the hotel spa and Felicia warned Carly that Jack had an agenda, but Carly said Jack was intriguing and she wanted to know more. Valentin showed up at the spa to kill Jack.

Wednesday:

Chase told Brook that he was sterile and couldn’t be a father. Olivia and Lois took Tracy for a manicure to destress. Sasha told Jason that Michael knew she was pregnant, and he was the father, but they had a deal that he’d stay out of it. At the hospital, Anna told Lulu that she was glad no one was hurt in Prague. Lulu said she was glad her daughter didn’t get shot a second time. Valentin pretended to be a masseuse and tried to strangle Jack while he was on the table.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Emma told Gio that she wanted to do a fundraiser to stop animal testing. She wanted him to play at it because something classic and boring would get the old people and boomers to contribute. Olivia said asking invasive and intrusive questions was Tracy’s love language, but she should let up on Sasha. Martin came into the beauty salon and said, good luck with that. Sasha said it was none of Jason’s business, but he said Michael had a right to know. Anna said she didn’t have the words to tell Lulu how sorry she was, but Lulu said she could see how it was an accident because of the circumstance. She thought Valentin was dangerous and bad things happened when he was around. Carly went looking for Jack at the spa.

Anna said she had an eye open for Valentin, and Lulu thanked her. Gio agreed to play at Emma’s fundraiser, but wondered if it was a scam to get extra cash. Jason told Sasha that Michael had asked for her and thought it was because he knew she was carrying his child. Sasha said if he wanted to help Michael, make sure no one else found out. Chase didn’t want Brook to miss out on the experience of being pregnant, but she said she loved him more than anything and they’d get through it together. Tracy said Martin would defend anyone and she’d been trying to protect the kids. He said she had a bad habit of rolling over people’s lives and just wanted to hurt Drew. Lulu told Dante that she was the best judge of what she could do, but he said, obviously not. Carly heard a noise in Jack’s room, but an employee said it was nothing.

Jack was lying on the floor when Carly came in and cracked something over Valentin’s head. Chase said he didn’t deserve Brook, but she said he was stuck with her. Emma said she was sick of people treating her cause like it was a joke, and Gio said he was only kidding. She said she’d volunteered for a shelter when she was younger. Some puppies were bought by a lab, and it stayed with her. Cody showed up looking for Tracy. He wanted to apologize for missing their ride, but Gio said she was pretty upset, so Cody should wait on that. Martin said just because Tracy disliked someone didn’t make them disreputable, and Brook called Lois, asking her to come home. Portia told Anna about the pattern of suspicious patient deaths and that someone had injected the patients with a large, unprescribed dose of digitalis that resulted in a heart attack. Carly told Jack to wake up or she’d tell the world he died wearing his bathrobe, and told the employee to call an ambulance.

Brook told Lois about Chase and said she felt like her soul was broken. Gio told Cody about Sasha being pregnant and Jason promised not to tell anybody that Michael was the father. Sasha had no doubt Willow would use her pregnancy against Michael, and she’d do what it took to keep her baby away from the Q’s. She also wanted Sonny to be kept in the dark. Anna told Portia about the Angel of Death syndrome, but Portia said two of the cases involved healthy patients, Sam and Dex. Lulu said she was no longer helpless, but Dante said she was human and had limits. She said he focused on someone else to ignore his own pain and didn’t want to think about losing Sam. Jack said he was fine and the WSB would handle Valentin. Carly asked what he was going to do now, but he said, that’s classified.

Jack made a call to have Valentin killed on sight. Tracy asked what Martin’s problem was with her, and he said she had an obnoxious misguided sense of entitlement. She felt entitled to judge him and Willow and had prevented him from having a relationship with Lucy. Tracy said he should thank her instead of ruining her zen. Lois said Brook and Chase could be as sad as they wanted for as long as they wanted. Brook said Chase suggested IVF, but he was just sacrificing his feelings for her. She thought she should tell him that she’d been pregnant before. Dante said he didn’t blame Lulu for Sam’s death and she asked what he was doing for himself. She knew her presence was a complication in his life. He said he’d never be sorry she was here. Anna asked to talk to Dante. Jason said Sasha didn’t have to do it on her own and he was on her side.

Anna told Dante that Sam was murdered. Sasha let Jason feel the baby move. Carly and Jack kissed.

Thursday:

Hitting the heavy bag, Chase flashed back to his and Brook’s baby journey. Brook told Lois that Chase was mourning the life he’d imagined for them. She wanted him to know the pain and anguish she’d felt giving her baby up so he didn’t feel so alone. Alexis told Diane that Sam had been murdered, while Lulu told Maxie. Cody listened in on Sasha talking to Jason about the baby, but slipped away before he heard Michael was the father. In Baden Baden, Jack went to Carly’s suite and kissed her. She said she needed a minute, and he apologized if he’d read things incorrectly, but she said he didn’t. She just didn’t want to do something she regretted. He said he wasn’t there to sleep with her and had something much different in mind.

Molly visited Cody at the stables to drop off his paperwork from the station. He was less than hospitable. He said his feet were held to the fire while career criminals got away with everything. Jason wanted Michael’s side of the story, but Sasha said she didn’t owe Jason anything. He said she owed Michael. Lulu said she owed Sam everything, but Maxie said, feeling guilty over something she had no control over would go nowhere. Lulu admitted still being in love with Dante. Brook said she’d have to tell Chase the whole truth, that Dante was the father of her child. Dante told Chase about the murders at GH and that Sam was one of the victims. Alexis didn’t know what to do with her feelings about Sam being murdered, and she threw stuff around the office.

Jack brought Carly to the rooftop, where he had a fire going and they had champagne. Carly said, it was cozy, beautiful and private. He toasted to her changing her mind about coming to the spa. Jason told Sasha that he’d back off the second he talked to Michael. Sasha said they were done, but if he talked to Michael, tell him that she was thinking of him and praying for his recovery. Cody said, clearly Molly had an agenda, but she said she was there as a favor to Mac. He said he appreciated it and she left. Diane wanted to say the right thing, but Alexis told her that there was no right thing to say. Diane said, whatever Alexis wanted, she was all in – whatever she needed, whenever she needed it. Alexis said she had to tell Molly and Kristina, who were on their way there. Diane got a text from Jason and promised she wouldn’t tell him anything. Kristina came in and wondered what had happened.

Brook said if she told Chase, she’d have to tell Dante, and she felt sick. Dante told Chase about the digitalis murders, that Dex was one of the victims, and Michael had been saved by Isaiah’s quick thinking. Maxie said she was surprised Lulu admitted she still loved Dante, but it would be weird if she didn’t. Jason met with Diane and told her about Sasha’s pregnancy. Alexis told Kristina and Molly that Sam was murdered. Carly wanted to know what was going on between Jack and Valentin. She thought it was crazy that Valentin tried to kill him. Jack said, Valentin had been a friend, but after tonight, he wasn’t protecting Valentin any longer. He figured Valentin assumed he was the one who fired the shot in Prague. He hadn’t, but he was at that point now. It was a winding, complicated story. Carly told him to order another bottle of champagne.

Dante unloaded on Chase about Lulu and said she had to stop taking risks and be careful for her sake and Rocco’s. He was happy she was there, but Sam was gone because of it. Every time he looked at Lulu, he’d think of Sam and what they’d all lost. At the MetroCourt, Cody saw Diane with Jason. He apologized to Maxie about the other night and told her that Sasha was pregnant. Then he realized she knew already. Jason said Carly couldn’t know anything about this. He was going to the clinic to see Michael, but wanted Diane to keep an eye on Sasha. Jack told Carly that he wanted to rise in the ranks at the WSB and an alliance with Valentin was a smart move, so he sought out Valentin’s friendship. Valentin was the iron fist, and he was the velvet glove. Valentin needed him as much as he needed Valentin, and they became true friends.

Diane promised to keep an eye on Sasha and let her know when Jason got clarity. The fact Michael never told her spoke to Sasha’s credibility. Jason said if he was wrong, he’d gladly admit it, and she said she wanted a ringside seat for that. Maxie asked how Cody found out, but he said it didn’t matter. Maxie said Sasha was clear that she had no plans to tell the father, and Cody said the father was Jason. Sasha told the baby that they could do this on their own and promised she’d always be there. Lois said she didn’t want to influence Brook’s decision, but Brook said she needed Lois’s advice. Lois said Brook was a grown-up now and it was only her choice to make. Brook said she and Chase had to be open and honest and she had to tell him. Dante asked Chase what was up, and Chase said he’d talk when he was ready. Alexis promised they’d find out who did this to Sam. They were going to shield the truth from Scout and wanted to wait for more information to tell Danny. She’d ask Anna to keep it away from the public for as long as possible. They’d have to stay strong and present a united front for Sam.

Carly said there was more to Jack than met the eye. She admired his loyalty. He said there was a big difference between them. She was a good person. She said he wasn’t the bad guy he wanted people to think he was. To her, he was the guy who’d done awesome things for her and expected nothing in return. They kissed by the fire.

Friday’s Enchilada:

In his hospital room, Kai struggles to put on a brace belt and Trina walks in.

Jordan is surprised to find Drew at Volonino’s, and asks if he’s allowed through the doors of Aurora these days. He asks if she means his company, and she wonders if he’s trying to drive away anyone who ever thought they knew him.

Curtis meets Portia at Beradino’s and says, Aurora’s new CEO is looking fine. He says he aims to please, and she asks, what’s with the good mood? He says he’s at breakfast with his beautiful wife. Why wouldn’t he be? She says she saw on the news that there’s a holdup with the McConkey esplanade. It was a big project for him and Aurora. Curtis says, it still is. Don’t worry. He’s steps ahead of it. Since no one eats at home, at another table, Ric says, even though it was gruesome, the fire strengthened Ava’s case. She asks if it’s strong enough to rescue her daughter, and he says he thinks it should. Given her present financial situation, he has a proposal to present to Diane. With any luck, it will convince Diane to wrap things up with her and Sonny. Ava says, that would be ideal, and thanks him. His generosity had been so helpful. He says, what generosity? and she says, him representing her pro bono. He says he’s not doing her case pro bono, and she says, he’s not? Since he stopped hounding her to pay, she assumed… He says, that his service was gratis? Why? Because they kissed?

Lulu meets Laura at the bistro and apologizes for being late. Everything she does seems like something she has no chance with. She was here with Rocco and her baby boy is now a coffee drinker. Laura says, he’s a coffee snob, and Lulu says, he gets that because of Sonny. Dante is so good with Rocco. He’s a great dad, but… Laura says, she’s still in love with him, isn’t she?

Dante bursts into Anna’s office and asks, what the hell is going on? Mac said she ordered him locked out of Sam’s murder investigation. She says, he’s correct, and he asks, why?

Brook goes to the stables and asks Cody if they’re alone. He says, yeah, and she says, good. She needs to talk to him. He says, about what? and she says, the summer romance she had with Dante, and he asks if she means the summer she got pregnant.

In Diane’s office with Kristina, Sonny says he’s going to LA on business for Deception, and she says, that’s a long way to go for a silent investor. He says, Natalia wanted him to go and he wants to go over some things before he leaves. Diane says, that’s why Kristina came, and he says, there are things they all need to discuss.

At Volonino’s, Brad does push-ups, and his trainer suggests a break, but he says, no breaks. The trainer hands him some water and says, he needs to hydrate. Brad takes a drink and says, if he’s going to hit his goal before Miami, he can’t afford breaks.

Ava asks if Ric thinks she kissed him in exchange for legal fees, and he says he hopes not. It was a good kiss, but hardly covers his retainer. He’s attracted to her, but business is business. He’s extending her grace in deferring his payment. She says, he’s a beacon of charity. At this juncture, it’s like the kiss never happened and it’s not likely there will be another. He says, ever? and she says, not until she gets her daughter back. After that, they’ll see what’s on the table. He says he guesses he should be going then, and leaves.

Curtis tells Portia that Drew is stalling the project, and she says, that’s so sad. He says he can think of two other strong words, and she says, Drew is using his office to exact petty revenge. She’ll stick with sad. Tell her about his next steps. He says he’s going to need an ally on Capitol Hill who has more connections than Drew. Nina is setting up something, but if it doesn’t work, he has a back-up. Meanwhile, his focus is on the next step with Aurora, and it involves her, him, a beach, and daquiris on a tropical island.  

Drew says he understands that Jordan is upset about the esplanade, and she says, he brought the project to her, and they worked on it together. Now he’s stalled it. He’s damn right she’s upset. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he’s sorry, and she says, explain why he’s doing this. He says he’s just trying to hold onto what’s his.

Brook says, of course (🍷) she’s referring to that summer, and Cody says he thought the subject was verboten. She says, it was, and it is. Did he ever tell Dante? He says, she swore him to secrecy, and he drove her to the bus station. She left and he didn’t see her again until he started working here. She asks if he ever told Dante, but he says, no. He hasn’t even thought about it since then. She says, thank God, and thanks him, and he says, no problem. She says she’s sorry to make a big deal out of it, but she had to be sure. He says he gets it, but it was like, a million years ago. Why bring it up now?

Anna says she wants to reiterate how sorry she is, but Dante says he doesn’t want her sympathy. He wants Sam’s file. She says, he barged into her office and asked for access to a case… He says, because Sam  was his fiancé and he loved her, and Anna says, that’s precisely why she can’t let him get anywhere near the case.

Trina offers to help Kai, but he says he’ll do it himself. He struggles some more, and she says, it will be easier when his arm isn’t in a sling. He finally asks her to help him, and she puts the belt on him. As she wraps it around him, they gaze at each other for a moment.

Lulu tells Laura that she loves Dante, but not… He’s still grieving Sam… They were already divorced, but she ended things with Dustin. She was planning on telling Dante that she never stopped loving him, but unfortunately, she never got the chance. Now she’s finally awake, but Dante is grieving Sam… He totally should. Laura says, good to know, and Lulu says, it’s probably better. Things between them are worse. Laura asks, how so? and Lulu says, they fight all the time. When she went to Prague, Dante brought it on himself to follow. It’s a habit and they know how she doesn’t like being handled. Laura says, they do indeed, and Lulu says she wants to try and get along, but he makes it impossible. Laura says, maybe she’s pushing him away, but Lulu says, it’s not that. If anything, she thinks she’s holding herself back.

Sonny tells Diane that he’s concerned Charlie’s is going to be scrutinized. The business is clean, but he did sell it to Kristina. Diane says, she’ll stay ahead of it and tells Kristina to call if there’s a problem. Kristina says, if the Feds tap her phone, she’ll ask for a copy of the recording to help her keep track of things. Sonny says he doesn’t want what he’s done to interfere, and Diane says she’ll make sure of it. She’s about to leave when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Ric and Ava, and Ric says, good. They’re already here. That makes it easier.

Brad kisses his bicep (he’s pretty jacked) and says, woo!

Kai thanks Trina for her help and says he’s sorry for snapping. She says she gets it, and he says he appreciates her coming, but he’s not in the mood. He’s still trying to rap his head around what he’s going to do with his life. She says, that’s why she’s here. Since he was injured in a game, PCU can’t revoke his scholarship. She brought him some catalogs for inspiration. He says he can’t think about classes. He’s barely managed to schedule his rehab. She asks if that means he got a second opinion that was positive, and he says, they told him, no promises.  

Drew tells Jordan that he’s the ultimate team player. He’s dealt with Tracy, navigated Ned’s fragile ego, and sat through his fair share of family squabbles disguised as ELQ board meetings. He does one thing the family doesn’t approve of… Jordan says, he had an affair with his nephew’s wife, and Drew says, and the rest of the Quartermaines are saints compared to most people. Monica banned him from the grounds, and he was pushed out of his own company. Jordan says she gets it. His life as a rich congressman is in shambles. Welcome to politics. They’re not here to talk about Quartermaine infighting. He’s stalling the progress for the good of the city he’s been chosen to represent. He says, it could still happen. That depends on what Curtis chooses to do with Aurora.  

Portia says, Curtis’s plans for Aurora involve them on a beach? and he says, not just any beach. St. George Island, potentially the first site of Aurora’s new resorts. Portia says she loves it, and he says, of course (🍷) he wants to experience the island before moving forward and he can’t without her. What does she say? She says she can feel the sand between her toes, when Curtis’s phone rings. Jordan says she’s calling in a favor, and Curtis says, which one? She tells him to meet her at Volonino’s as soon as he can.  

Anna says, when she told Dante that Sam was murdered, she was speaking to him as a private citizen. That’s why he can’t be involved. He says he can help find out who killed her, and she says she’d let him if the victim was anyone else. He says, because it’s Sam, and she says, imagine if he finds the killer and it goes to trial. What does he think the defense is going to do? He says, object because of his conflict of interest, and she says, they won’t need to. We won’t have a case. It will be thrown out because he was involved in the investigation. He asks if that’s what she wants, but she says, no, but she has to look at it. What if he finds the killer and decides to take the law into his own hands? He asks if she thinks he’d do that, and she says, in this instance, she doesn’t know. He asks what she means by in this instance. Does she have a suspect?

Brook says she’s sure everybody knows she and Chase are trying to start a family, and Cody says, word got around. She says, it’s bringing up a memory for her, living in the same house with Dante. She needs to be sure. He says he never told Dante. He hasn’t even thought about it in years. If she had told Dante back then, he’s sure Dante would have stepped up, unlike other guys. She asks what he means, and he says, it’s an obligation and the guy has to step up. He can’t leave the woman hanging. Brook asks what he’s talking about, and he says, Sasha is pregnant and she shouldn’t be in it alone.  

Drew works out with the weights, when Curtis comes in. He asks if this is why Jordan needed him, and she says, Drew told her that the future of the esplanade depends on Curtis. Care to elaborate? Curtis says, Drew wanted to push Michael out of Aurora, and Jordan says, while he’s in Germany, recovering from third degree burns? Curtis says, yeah. And if Drew doesn’t get what the wants, he’s more than willing to sabotage Aurora. Hence the delay on the esplanade. Jordan says, is that right? and Drew says, Curtis couldn’t be more wrong.

Kai tells Trina that the doctors told him to manage his expectations and set reasonable goals. Don’t get ahead of himself. She says, that’s good advice, and he says his teammates’ doctors said the same thing. She asks if they played again, and he says, one did. The rest never set foot on a field again. She says she’s sorry, and he says him too. He knew it was a possibility, but he told himself that it would never be him. How could he be so stupid?

Lulu tells Laura that Dante would jump in to save any chance he got, whether she needed him to or not. Laura says, Dante just lost someone he loved and maybe he doesn’t want to lose someone else. Lulu says, maybe… probably. She hates seeing him and Rocco in pain and not be able to help. Dante sees her as the woman his fiancé died trying to save. What is it going to be like for the rest of their lives? Laura says she knows what Lulu thinks, but unless she’s spoken to Dante directly, she doesn’t know how he feels.

Anna says she has no suspect yet, but there’s a person of interest, and Dante asks, who? She says, it’s not his case and she’s not disclosing more information. He says, she hasn’t told him anything. Dammit! She needs to tell him… She says she thinks he should go home. She’s placing him on one week’s paid leave and would like him to see the department psychiatrist. He asks if he can say no, but she says she thinks he knows the answer to that. He says, fine, and leaves.

Diane tells Ric to come back when he’s made an appointment, but he says he has an offer regarding the custody hearing. Sonny says, let’s hear it, and Ric says, the recent incident at his domicile caused the destruction of property and injury to his son. Ava says, it was obviously an attempt… and Ric says, it’s obvious Sonny can’t provide a safe home for Avery. At best, Sonny is going to lose. He’s made an effort to save them time and expense. He gives Diane the paperwork and she laughs. She says, visitation every other weekend and Ava has sole custody and all major holidays? Ava says she’s willing to give up Arbor Day, but Diane says she won’t even entertain it. Ric says, then they’ll go to court, and Sonny says, let’s do it. Ric says he’s going to call Kristina to the stand, and Kristina says, no problem. He asks if she’s sure. He’s going to ask about her father’s brutal assault on Dex Heller and his long list of mental and emotional instabilities. He’ll also bring in her impulsiveness and hot-headed temper that led to the attack on Ava and also the death of Kristina’s child. Sonny says, that’s enough, and Kristina says she looks forward to making sure Avery ends up with the right parent. Ric says, it’s impressive, but her keeping it together in her attorney’s office for five seconds doesn’t hold a candle to keeping it together on the witness stand… which she knows. Ava tells Sonny to spare the agony for both him and his daughter and take the deal. Sonny leans on his desk and asks, when’s the date? Diane says, February 25th, and Sonny tells Ric, see you there. Ric says, it’s their final offer, and Sonny shrugs. Ric says, it’s over, and he and Ava leave. Diane says she knows one thing, and Sonny says, they’re desperate. Diane says, right, and he says, Ava’s funds have dried up. Kristina says, Lucy mentioned to her the other day that Ava took a place far below her standards, and Sonny says, Ava wouldn’t trade down if she didn’t have to. Kristina says, that’s good news. If Ava can’t afford it, all they have to do is wait, but Diane says, they can’t rely on that. Ric and Ava’s argument is stronger than theirs.

Dante sees Brook at the stables and asks if Cody is around. She says, he was, then he wasn’t. She doesn’t know if he’s coming back. Is Dante okay? He says, obviously not, and she asks if there’s anything she can do. He says he doesn’t know. Sam was murdered and Anna won’t let him find the bastard who did it.

Lulu says she knows Dante loved Sam, and Laura says, and Sam loved Dante. She’s grateful they gave a good home to Rocco. Lulu says her too, but she’s a little jealous. And by little, she means really jealous. Laura says, Sam is gone now, and Dante has to find a way to live with the loss, and Lulu says, it’s a big loss and here she is, swooping in. Laura says, Lulu is entitled to be here, and Lulu says, Sam is too, but she can’t be. Laura says, but Lulu can, and Dante is afraid he’s going to lose her too. He practically camped out by her bedside and fought like hell for her. She says she knows, and Laura says, from her own life, she knows it’s possible to love two people at the same time. Dante absolutely loves Lulu. Maybe not in the same way she loves him right now, but there’s definitely a place in his heart for her. Lulu says she knows it’s not rational, but she feels like it’s her fault Sam died. If she feels that way… Laura says, maybe Dante does too?

Trina says, Kai isn’t stupid. He doesn’t know how rehab is going to turn out. His first orthopedist told him that he’s never play again. He says he doesn’t feel like a lecture. He needs to figure out rehab now. As for class, he doesn’t know if he wants to go back. She says, why? Even if he never plays again, he’s been given an amazing opportunity. A scholarship most kids would kill for and PCU is an amazing school. He says he knows Trina thinks she’s helping, but she’s not.

Drew says, when he pitched the esplanade, he did it on behalf of his company. Now he’s pitching for his constituents. Jordan asks, then why hold up the project that will give his constituents jobs? and he says, the environmental report was of concern, so it’s been put on pause for review. She says, it’s going to die because he has an ax to grind, and he says, it’s Aurora’s project. Curtis is the CEO and it’s up to him to clear up the issues. Curtis says, Aurora will be fine without the esplanade, and Drew says, there you have it. Curtis says, Drew is screwing them over, and Jordan says, it was a project for the constituents that was supposed to carry on the name of the man who gave Drew a seat in congress. (Good point!) Drew says, Curtis seems tense. What does he say to them working it out in the ring?

Diane says she hates to admit it, but Ric had good points. It’s of public record that the penthouse fire was deliberately set. Sonny says, Avery was at Carly’s, and Diane says, that’s the only reason Sonny still has custody. As for Kristina, she was magnificent back there. Kristina thanks her and says, hate is a powerful motivator. Diane says she has to advise Kristina, no matter how cool and calm she is on the witness stand, Dex’s assault is going to count in Ava’s favor. Sonny says, Ric is all about money. The only reason Ric is representing Ava is to hurt him. He’s going to use Kristina to do that. Kristina says, let him try. She can’t allow Ava to have Avery. Diane says she knew Kristina would say that. She’s going to let them talk. Take all the time they need. She leaves and Sonny says, Diane is right. Ric is going to hammer her on the stand like last time. Kristina says, let him. Ava’s not going to win this case. She doesn’t get to have her daughter back after she took Kristina’s from her.  

At the MetroCourt bar, Ava says, Sonny is itching to take them to court, but Ric says he’s not so sure. Ava says, he has enough money to drag this on forever, and Kristina, with her hair trigger temper, didn’t take the bait. Ric says, no matter. It comes down to Sonny. If he doesn’t want to move forward, it’s all over. She says, too bad he and Diane are determined to do that, and Ric says, maybe he’s wrong, but he thinks something is going on with Sonny.  

On the phone, Anna says, come back to my office and we’ll go over your allegations about Cyrus. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, it’s open. Cody comes in and asks if she’s seen Mac, but she says, he’s out on a call. Is everything okay? He says he needs to get a message to Mac’s brother and doesn’t have a way to reach him, and she says she can reach him. He says, it can wait, and she says, is he sure? It seems urgent. He says, it is… It isn’t important. It’s not like they need to contact international law enforcement. Anna tells him, just say it, and he says, Sasha is in trouble and it’s Jason Morgan’s fault.  

Brook tells Dante that she’s sorry, and he says, the minute he found out Sam was murdered, he wanted to hunt down the piece of garbage who did this. He’s a cop. She says, the best, and he says, Anna told him under no uncertain terms that he’s too close to the case. She says, maybe he is, and he says, obviously. He went to Anna’s office to show her how he’d handle it, and instead, he proved her right. He lost it on her. He yelled at his boss, and she sent him home. Brook says, Anna made the right call, and he says he knows that. For Sam to die like that, in a hospital bed, confined, unable to fight… If she could have gotten up, she would have fought tooth and nail. Brook says, damn straight, and he says, Sam was there because of him, and she’s gone because of him. He doesn’t know how to live with that.

Lulu asks Laura, how does she not feel responsible? The only reason Sam was in a hospital bed was because of her. Laura says, it’s human to feel like it’s her fault, but it’s completely untrue. She’s not responsible for Sam’s death. Only one person is – the murderer. Lulu says she knows that. It’s just so hard to silence the voice telling her that it’s her fault and to think about how Dante sees her. Laura says, he’s grieving, so she can’t assume to know how he feels, but she could ask, and Lulu says, just like that. Laura says, with the connection they have, yeah. It may not be the best time to tell him the full breadth of her feelings, but she can love him as friend.

At the hospital on his phone, Brad orders the deluxe spa package, while Portia tries to quietly go past him. He trots after her and asks if she has any idea where Dr. Jones is. She says, he switched his shift. She can imagine why. He says, speaking of schedules, is there any chance he can get an extra vacation day in Miami?

Curtis says, Drew wants to see him in the ring? and Jordan says, she brought them together hoping they could compromise like the adults she assumed they were, and Curtis says, it was a noble thought. But they both know Drew makes decisions based on what Drew wants. Drew says, and Curtis never misses the opportunity to get on his high horse. Curtis says, it must be real difficult for Drew to see that high up, being so damn lowdown, and Drew asks what Curtis says when the common denominator of the people keeping secrets from him is himself.

Anna asks how Jason is involved with Sasha, but Cody says, forget it. She says, he doesn’t barge into her office saying Robert’s daughter is in trouble and then drop it. He says he wants to talk to Robert directly, but she says, they’re close. What happened? Is Sasha in danger? He says, no. It’s not a crime or a legal thing. She tells him, just say it, and he says, Sasha is pregnant, and Jason is the father.  

Ric tells Ava, the thing about having a brother as an enemy is, they can read each other. He has a strong feeling something was off with Sonny just now. She asks how he can tell, and he says, Sonny may talk tough, but he has the sense Sonny doesn’t want to see this through. She says, when he dreams, he dreams big. Sonny doesn’t give up. He says, Sonny knows cutting her out will hurt Avery. Maybe he’s starting to care a little. She says she hopes he’s right. She needs to have Avery with her. The sooner he can make that happen, and the sooner she’s back on her feet, the sooner she can pay him. Once he gets paid, maybe after that they can see where things stand between them.

Kai tells Trina that he figured out how to put the brace on and it’s an accomplishment. He appreciates Trina coming, but he needs time to himself. She says, okay. She’ll leave him to it. She goes to the door and says, just so he knows, he doesn’t need to do this alone. She leaves, and he gets on the bed with his phone. He puts on an old game, and the announcer says, PCU is down three and going for a Hail Mary pass… They win, thanks to the golden arm of quarterback Kai Taylor! He puts the phone down, and Trina sees him through the window. She takes out her phone and makes a call. She says, when you get out, come and meet me at GH. Nothing is wrong. I just need help.  

Portia says she’s made accommodations for Brad, and he knows why. Brad says, just because he forced her doesn’t mean it’s not appreciated, and she says she does have limits and if she sticks to them, they shouldn’t have a problem. He says, understood… That said… She says, if he starts asking too much too often, people will start to notice. Don’t push his luck any further than he has. He says, so… is that a yes? and she says, enjoy your vacation day. She jets, and he says, thank you.  

Curtis says, his friendship comes with loyalty and wonders if it’s too much to expect in return, and Drew says, so his friendship is transactional. He’s not applying undue influence to sink Aurora. They’re not in court. Curtis says, let him remind Drew that he’s brand new to congress. He’s alienated his backers by seducing his nephew’s wife. He overextended himself and left himself wide open. Curtis and Jordan walk out.

Sonny asks what Kristina wanted to see him about. Is everything okay? She says, actually, no. The hospital investigated Sam’s death, and it turns out it’s not an accident. Sam was murdered. He asks if they know who, and she says, no, but they know how. She was given a drug she wasn’t supposed to have. Digitalis killed her. He says he’s going to ask a question she might not be able to answer. Does Dante know? She says, probably. The police are looking into it. Should she worry? He says he doesn’t want her to worry. Let him worry. Everybody has a breaking point and she’s carrying too much.

Brook says, it’s not Dante’s fault. She knows he can’t see it, so she’ll let him get there on his own, and he will. He says, she’s right, and she says she knows he’s saying that to get her off his back. She’s here if he needs anything. He says, she’s a pretty good friend when she tries, and she says, don’t tell anyone. He says, they wouldn’t believe him anyway, and they hug. Lulu walks in.  

On Monday, Laura tells Lucky that she has some news; Gio tells Emma that he has a bad feeling about something; Maxie tells Sasha that the more she stonewalls, the more it looks like she has something to hide; and Lulu tells Dante, nothing can be further from the truth.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

Looks like a good time. Especially for that random dog who’s probably been stealing food all night.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/gh-star-tabyana-ali-celebrates-her-birthday-see-the-party-pics

Sage advice for any condition you might be suffering from: If you are suffering, you have to be your own advocate to keep going… If your doctor doesn’t get it, find a new doctor that listens to you and believes in you, and doesn’t just want to stick you on an antidepressant.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/gallery/general-hospital/gh-star-tabyana-ali-celebrates-her-birthday-see-the-party-pics

Side gig. I still say Adam Huss was the best Nikolas and they should bring him back.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/adam-huss-wraps-a-movie-with-tuc-watkins

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

In making a sushi dinner for multiple people who don’t eat fish, Cloyce said he had nothing to do but laugh, bang his head against the wall, and innovate. It must be tough for any woman who dates Cloyce to get past him giggling like Anderson Cooper. Captain Glenn joined the guests for dinner and was impressed. Glenn said he still believed in Gary, which is beyond my scope of understanding. In his interview, the captain said, if Gary wanted to step up the ladder, he’d have to grow and mature. Good luck with that. Mixing his metaphors, Captain Glenn said, the crew knocked it out of the park and suggested they put this baby to bed. He’d seen growth and thought they finished the season on a high. The tip was $21K or 2000 euros each, and they’d made a total of $188K for the season. Gary told Daisy that he wanted them to live a fairytale life. She was like, hard no, and wondered why they couldn’t get to a level they could agree on. After the crew night out, Gary waited alone at the jacuzzi while everyone else went to bed. He had a lightbulb moment in his interview, where he said if he was going to be in Glenn’s position, he’d have to start taking more responsibility for his actions. I still can’t figure out what the problem was with the stews and Daisy, except that she wanted them to work. Gary thought there was still hope for him and Daisy, and we flashed back to them over the years. He was intrigued to see what the future held. Glenn said, it was a crazy season and it was done. Margarita time.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

In Kyle’s interview, she said she was alone in the house more often because the kids wanted more time away from her. Um… yeah, that’s how it works when kids get older. Boz and Dorit have gotten tight, which surprises me, since Boz doesn’t seem like she’d suffer fools or rambling talkers gladly. Garcelle pointed out that Kyle saying she’s never shared anything PK has said to her sounded like it was more than memes, but Kyle insisted that they’d never discussed PK and Dorit’s marriage. Kyle apologized to the group for yelling and leaving, but in Sutton’s interview, she wanted Kyle to apologize for acting better than everyone else and not being accountable. Kyle used the old it’s not who I am backpedal. I hate when people say that because, if not you, who? It was who you were in that moment and to say that is distancing yourself from accountability.

Dorit and Kyle went for a walk on the beach, and Dorit asked where Kyle’s loyalty lay, with her or PK. Dorit wanted the same respect from Kyle that Kyle would expect from her. In her interview, Kyle said she understood and if it was what Dorit needed, she’d do it, but IMO, she should have understood it without Dorit having to tell her. Dorit was also wrestling with Jagger having asked if she and PK were divorced, since he’d gleaned it from social media. In Erika’s interview, she said it was impossible to shield children in this day of the internet, but I wonder if you even should in the first place. By all means you should explain things at their level and make sure they know you’re there for them (and your partner too, if that’s a factor), but I’m not so sure kids should be shielded from negative situations entirely. God forbid they hear it from someone else like this poor kid. The show ended on an up note for once.

Real Housewives of New York City

It was the Reunion Part 1, so… There’s never a lot to say about these, since it’s just a rehash of the season’s arguments and them getting mad all over again. There was Jenna coming out in robe and turban, which was… original. Brynn spoke more about her assault, and sad to say, it’s someone she’s required to inhabit the same space with on a regular basis. It seemed hard for Erin to understand how difficult it is to out someone like that when it’s a he said/she said situation. There was a big deal with Brynn having said Pavit wasn’t the love of Jessel’s life, when they’d been talking about crazy hook-ups. Jessel was pretty upset about her family seeing the show. It looks to be a lively Part 2.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Ugh. The Reunion Part 2. In a word, tedious. Meredith almost walked off because… Okay, I lost track of the whole thing, but it had to do with something she said or didn’t say and who said she said or didn’t say it. You see how I could get lost, right? Angie said that for a new Housewife, Bronwyn put herself out there and that’s why everyone loved her. Agreed. Seth was a jerk, trying to explain away why he called Whitney a bee-yotch during a dinner. No excuse for that, dude. As NeNe so succinctly put it, stay out of women’s business. Period. End of story. With the exception of RHONJ, where the men should have their own show, the husbands need to stay quiet. It’s not called Real Househusbands. Still this season’s MVP, Mary was the exception. Lots of tears over Robert Jr.’s story, even from Andy. And it shut the other women up for once. That’s quite a feat. Whitney said it helped her kids understand why they didn’t have a grandpa as she hasn’t spoken to her (addicted) father since Season 1.

Southern Charm

Poor JT. I almost have to feel sorry for him. Almost. He’s so clueless as to how he’s going wrong. Although Venita doesn’t see it. She admitted to having a crush on him and I thought, oh, just do it already. Craig called Austen and wanted to hang out, which surprised me, but it didn’t seem to surprise Austen. Shep hadn’t heard from Sienna, who texted that she needed a moment. It made Shep nervous, which made me laugh. He said he wanted beautiful babies and a Bahamian house, making me laugh harder. Patricia and Madison had a pajama party, complete with caviar in bed, making me rethink my friend group, and Patricia said Sienna had approached Whitney on Raya before meeting Shep. Venita invited JT for dinner, and he told her that he was seeing someone. It wasn’t the answer either one of us was hoping for. I don’t like him, but she does, so I felt bad for her. He professed faithfulness, but IMO, he’d been leading Venita on. Not a gentleman.

I don’t remember this guy from Summer House, but I’m not always paying attention.

Southern Hospitality

I tried to watch this. I really did. But it’s just a bunch of relationships that are more complicated than they need to be. I’ve seen enough to know Emmy is a drama queen, so I can just imagine when she finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her. Red flags have been thrown her way before, which she’s put her fingers in her ears and gone la-la-la about, but this seems to be irrefutable evidence. Rut-roh.

There was this priceless quote though: Even though I’m 33, that’s like 50 in gay years, so I’m basically dead. – TJ

I feel the opposite. While the diversity is commendable, the personalities aren’t so diverse. We even have Maddi being James Kennedy 2.0. Sans the alcoholic rants. Wait for VPR’s reboot if you want to relive the glory days. Or actually watch the original glory days on several streaming services.

Random Reality

The latest in Atlanta. Twirl on, Kenya. Twirl on.

Why not? And I actually don’t mind Slade. They seem to be a good match. Maybe he’ll marry her on his deathbed.

Get your lemons ready.

I’m sporadic in watching this, and like with Survivor, I get lost with the challenges, but when I see it, I enjoy it. Alan Cumming is the best host, all theatric and Scottish.

Take the tour.

https://ew.com/the-traitors-host-alan-cumming-season-3-castle-tour-exclusive-8766966

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Sleep. Hulu et al. I was a fan of Korean cinema long before it was popular, and Netflix had a Korean for beginners category. While this wasn’t one of my favorites, that didn’t make it less intriguing. A story of possession masked as a sleep disorder, it has creepiness a plenty. I wasn’t thrilled with the ending, which left me kind of hanging, but the style and atmosphere were worth the time spent. I hadn’t thought of it as a metaphor for a deteriorating relationship, but there’s that too. Those of you who feel, if I want to read, I’ll get a book, be forewarned; this one has subtitles.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sleep-korean-film-review

https://nofspodcast.com/sleep-review-new-korean-horror-is-a-methodical-slow-build-of-simmering-scares

Saturday Night. Netflix. This is the telling of the story of the first episode of SNL, and how no one thought it would get on the air, much less stand the test of time it has. A dramatization for sure, but the real-life drama may have seemed heightened since there were so many roadblocks. From John Belushi refusing to sign his contract while ice skating in a bee costume to Milton Berle flashing his legendary junk, it’s a fun watch.

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/saturday-night/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/saturday-night-netflix-review

The truths and the nots.

https://people.com/how-much-of-saturday-night-is-true-8725801

Some of this is a stretch to connect to SNL, but six degrees and all that.

🎸 Who’s Playing For Who…

The Super Bowl performers.

https://ew.com/super-bowl-2025-performers-kendrick-lamar-halftime-sza-jon-batiste-8779483

The Grammys performers.

https://ew.com/everyone-performing-at-2025-grammys-charli-xcx-sabrina-carpenter-more-8779877

🐾 Send In the Furbabies…

🐶 It’s always nice to see a celebrity using their powers for good. This must have been incredibly rewarding. I’ve loved Paris since Tinkerbell wrote her book.

https://people.com/paris-hilton-reunites-her-foster-dog-from-l-a-fires-with-the-dog-s-family-8781373

🐎 What would the Super Bowl be without the Budweiser Clydesdales?

https://people.com/super-bowl-2025-budweiser-clydesdale-horse-commercial-8780322

🐕 And don’t forget the best Bowl of all.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/2025/pb-xxi-gallery

https://www.discovery.com/shows/on-tv/puppy-bowl/see/2025

🐐 Quotes of the Week

Anyone who wants to achieve a dream must stay strong, focused and steady.Estée Lauder

A dead end street is a good place to turn around. – Naomi Judd

Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. – Groucho Marx

If your dreams don’t scare you, they are too small. – Richard Branson

Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working. – Pablo Picasso

You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old. – George Burns

Words are the clothing of our thoughts.Jonathan Swift

A ship in a harbour is safe, but it’s not fulfilling its potential. – Susan Jeffers

If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment. – Carlos Santana

I don’t know why they say alcohol is a depressant. It fixes everything. – Joyce (Swoosie Kurtz), Mike & Molly

🍫 Like a Box Of Chocolates…

Until next week, stay safe; stay being adaptable in social and professional settings; and stay managing your expectations, setting reasonable goals, and not getting ahead of yourself.

November 21, 2024 – Michael Confides In Sasha, A Merciful End To OC’s Reunion, Salty Talk, Social Pets (!) & Affair

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the boxing gym, Dex introduces himself to Kai, and says, they know someone in common – Trina.  

At Bobbie’s, Josslyn tells Trina that they’re supposed to be sharing the fries, but she’s eating them herself. Trina says she’s thinking about Kai. She’s not sure she should be working with him. He should have been here by now. Josslyn says, it’s too late for him to drop the class, but Trina says, they’ll waive anything to accommodate him and he’s flaking out on her. Josslyn says, if Trina goes back on her word, she’ll be the flake. He’s not that late. Trina says she can do the work herself rather than wasting time waiting for Kai and explaining everything to him, and Josslyn says, it seems like Trina is looking for a reason not to work with him.

Jordan finds TJ at the hospital and says she could use someone to help her eat the take-out she got. He says, her timing is right and if she doesn’t mind eating in the breakroom, he’d be happy to help her put a dent in it. She says she didn’t come for the ambiance. She came for the company.

Sasha is rolling out dough in the nook when Michael walks in. He says he’s looking for a snack, and she says she can heat up some leftovers for him. What is he in the mood for? He says, surprise him, and she says she didn’t see him at dinner. He says, there’s been a lot going on. He can’t believe Sam is gone. She says she’s sorry she missed the funeral, but she had something she couldn’t get out of. He says he heard and asks if she’s okay, but she says she doesn’t want to talk about it. He tells her to forget it. He’s not really hungry. She asks why he’s really here? Is there something going on? He says he’s here because he can’t go home.

Kristina is having dinner with Sonny at Pozzulo’s, and she asks if she can help him. He tells her to sit back and be spoiled by her dad, and she says, that sounds really nice. (I suddenly wonder why there are never any customers in Pozzulo’s.) He asks why she’s restless, and she says she’s worried about Ava’s trial. What if she screws up? It will ruin the only chance she has to make Ava pay for Adela’s death. He says, she’s been in tough situations before. She’s going to hit it out of the park. She says, what if she doesn’t?

Chase sees Sam’s apartment door open, and quietly goes in. He hears something and draws his gun, but it’s Dante with a duffel bag. Dante asks what he’s doing, and Chase says, the door was open and there was no answer. Dante says he left it open. What brings Chase by? Chase says he wanted to see if Dante needed anything. Is he taking a trip? Dante says he and the kids are going to the Quartermaines, and Chase asks if he thinks they’re coming back to live here. Dante says, if it was up to him, he’d never leave. It was the last place the whole family was together.

Drew meets Alexis at her office, and says, she wanted to discuss something with him? She says she didn’t want to do it on the phone. But before they start, who did that to his face? Jason walks in, and everyone looks uncomfortable.

Trina says she doesn’t want to waste time dragging Kai through a class he doesn’t want to be in. People take Art History because it’s a requirement or they’re interested in art. It might be an art course, but it’s a hard class. Josslyn says she imagines Kai is used to hard work, and maybe he likes art. Trina says, yeah. He’s probably a regular Renaissance man. She decided to meet because he said he never gives up and can accomplish anything he sets his mind to. Josslyn says, give him a chance, and suggests Trina can be a control freak. Trina says she found life is easier when she’s in control.

Kai asks how Dex knows Trina, and Dex says his girlfriend is her roommate Josslyn. He thinks she and Kai met. Kai says he’s pretty sure she convinced Trina to talk to him. He’s Trina’s partner in art class and she thinks he’s not pulling his weight. Is Dex a student at PCU? Dex says he’s a cop, a rookie, and Kai asks if Trina sent Dex to arrest him for loitering or disturbing the peace. Dex says, Trina can be intense, but she’s a sweetheart, and one of the smartest people he knows. Kai is lucky to have her as a partner. Kai says, then maybe Dex can convince her not to dump him. He asks if Dex spars. He could go a couple of rounds. Dex asks if his coach wouldn’t freak out at the thought of Kai getting injured, but Kai says, not if he doesn’t know.

Sonny says, everything that’s going on is affecting Kristina’s confidence, and Kristina says she wants to make sure Ava pays and is punished. It’s all she can do for her daughter. If Ava goes free because of her… Sonny says he doesn’t care. If Ava is in prison or gets off scot-free, Kristina will survive. She says she doesn’t want to just survive. She wants justice. Losing Sam and Adela, she’s never faced so much pain and loss. He says she needs something to concentrate on, and she says, like what? He says, working for him.

Dante tells Chase that he was worried that the apartment wouldn’t feel like home, but Sam made him and Rocco feel welcome. It still feels like she’s here. He still expects to see her. There are a lot of memories here. Chase asks if there’s any reason he can’t stay, and Dante says, it’s home, but he has no claim to it. And even if he did, the family who lived here no longer exists.

Drew asks what Jason is doing here, and Jason says, Alexis asked him to be here. Alexis apologizes for the subterfuge, but she didn’t think they’d come if they knew the other was going to be here, and it’s important. Drew says, tell Jason and she can tell him later, but she says, it concerns Sam. Drew asks if she has to tell them at the same time, and she says, if they loved Sam, listen, both of them. Jason asks what it’s about, and she says, Sam’s will and what she wanted for Danny and Scout.

Kristina says she appreciates the offer, but she can’t, and Sonny says, why not? She says she doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life, and he says, she can figure it out while she’s learning his business. She says she’s not qualified to run any business, but he says, she’s good with numbers and has organizational skills. She’s good at working with people. She’s overqualified. Bounce around Corinthos Coffee and see how she feels. She says she’ll think about it, and he says, salute. They clink glasses. (I think he should train her to be Lady Mob Boss.)

Jordan asks how TJ is doing. She knows he liked Sam. He says, the service was simple, but meaningful. She’s going to be missed. Jordan asks, how’s Molly? but he says he’s not sure. She and her mom took off after the reception. Jordan says, the more emotional is gets, the busier they get, and he says he and Alexis have something in common he wishes they didn’t. They both forgot Molly’s birthday.

Chase asks what Dante thinks is going to happen to the place, and Dante says, it’s Sam’s, so he assumes she left it to Scout and Danny. Chase asks if she had a will, and Dante says, they talked about wills because he had a dangerous job. How’s that for irony? He decided he wanted her to have custody of Rocco, shared with his mom, so they could keep the kids together. He changed his will to make arrangements and now he’s got to find a place for the two of them to live. Chase says, it’s going to be hard leaving, and Dante says, Scout and Danny will be leaving. What choice does he have? He’s not their father.

Jason looks at the will, and Alexis says she made a copy for each of them to show to their lawyers. She has the original. Jason asks why he wasn’t told. He’s Danny’s father. She says, he wasn’t told because nobody expected this. Drew says, Sam asked him to be Danny’s guardian, and he agreed, but Jason says, look at the date. It was before Sam knew he was alive. He wonders if Sam intended to grant Drew custody no matter what, and Drew says, she wanted the kids to stay together. Alexis says, Sam told her the same thing, and Jason says, at that time. She says, the law is on Jason’s side, but even considering how Sam came around to Jason being part of Danny’s life, she doesn’t think Sam would want him to have full custody, especially now that they know she wanted the kids to stay together. So she has to ask, what is he going to do?

Sasha gives Michael some coffee and asks why he can’t go home. He says, the kids are asleep, and Willow went to bed early, and she asks if he thinks Willow is avoiding him. He says, it doesn’t matter. He can’t be in the same room, the same bed, or even under the same roof as Willow right now. She says, it’s still his home, but he says he doesn’t know what kind of home or marriage he has anymore.

Dex and Kai spar, and Dex says he boxed in the service. Kai says, a military man. Respect. He asks if Dex is a PC fan, but Dex says he likes the Llanview Bobcats. Kai says, he’s going to be disappointed when they dust his team. Trina mentioned that he and Josslyn like to go to games. He can give Dex comp tickets to the Llanview/PC game. He has to go. He doesn’t want to be late meeting Trina. Dex says, cool about the tickets. Off the field, Kai seems like a decent guy. Kai says he hopes he can convince his study partner of the same.

Josslyn says she understands where Trina is coming from. Depending on someone new is tough. Trina says, maybe, but she doesn’t want to depend on anyone, and Josslyn says, Trina can always depend on her. Trina says, likewise, and Josslyn says, there are some things in life you can’t control. Just give Kai a chance. Maybe he’ll pull through. Trina says she’s already given him a chance and it’s his only one.

Chase suggests Dante buy the place, but Dante says, it wouldn’t feel right. Chase says, they can stay at the Quartermaines, but Dante says he doesn’t want Rocco involved in whatever’s going on with Drew and Jason. Chase says, it’s too bad Danny and Scout are, and Dante says, it’s the last thing Sam would want. Chase says, that’s why he thinks it’s a major mistake for Dante to move out.

Jason says, the best thing for Danny isn’t what they want or what Sam wanted. What’s best is to ask Danny what he wants. He’s old enough to choose, and he told Danny that Danny can live with him if that’s what he wants. He’ll make it a home for Danny. Alexis asks if Drew is okay with that, and Drew says, he could live at the Quartermaines with Scout and Rocco so they won’t be split up, but Jason says he doesn’t want Danny to think he can’t live with his dad or is unwelcome. That’s not the case. Drew says he thinks Danny would like living at the Quartermaines a lot, but Jason says, don’t tell him about his son. Alexis says she thinks Danny has a lot of feelings and they should be taken into account. Clearly, there’s a level of animosity between them and she doesn’t want to be caught in the middle of their drama. Yet here she is. So she’s going to ask. How did they get the bruises on their faces? There’s silence, and she says, the fact that they’re not answering suggests a fistfight… and their silence confirms it. Here’s the thing, and she’s just going to say it once. If they ever truly loved her daughter and their children, cut the crap and start talking.

Josslyn says, Trina’s not leaving, but Trina says she’s done waiting. Josslyn says, he’s ten minutes late, and Trina says she texted him and he didn’t even give her the courtesy of a reply. She can do the work herself at the apartment. Kai walks in and Josslyn says she’s going to get take-out for Dex. She jets to the counter, and Kai tells Trina that he’s sorry. He knows he’s late. He didn’t realize about the traffic and had to go back to get his laptop. He’s sorry. (I’m liking Kai, but what happened with Gio? Is it going to be a battle for Trina’s heart?)

Josslyn sits at the counter, and Kristina says, does Josslyn mind if she sits down? Josslyn says, of course (🍷), and Kristina says she thought she’d grab a chai latte. Josslyn says she’s waiting for take-out and asks how Kristina is doing. She’s sorry about Sam. Kristina thanks her for coming to the funeral; Adela’s too. It meant a lot. Josslyn says, of course (🍷). She’s sorry for both of Kristina’s losses. Is she taking care of herself? Kristina says she’s trying. She’s glad she ran into Josslyn. There’s something she needs to say. She owes Josslyn an apology.

TJ tells Jordan that he had a gift, but he didn’t remember on the day. He heard Ric wish Molly a happy birthday. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have remembered. Jordan asks what Molly said, and TJ tells her that Molly said it was fine. He wishes for once she’d say it wasn’t and lose it. Jordan says, then she wouldn’t be Molly. She’d be Kristina. He says he’s not that guy. He doesn’t forget his partner’s birthday. She says, it was the day before Sam’s funeral. No one was thinking about birthdays. He says, Kristina and Ric, the two most self-centered people he knows, remembered, and he forgot. It’s totally on brand for them as a couple, but he will make it up to Molly.

Chase says, Dante has been Danny and Scout’s father figure, and they depend on him. Dante says he was enjoying being a stepdad to them, but he’d never get in the way of their actual fathers. Sam figured those things out. The best thing is for him and Rocco to find their own place.  Chase asks, what’s the rush? Dante just lost someone who means the world to both him and Rocco. He and Brook were living in their own place when his dad died, and they moved into the Quartermaines because of Violet. He’s glad they stayed because it kept him from feeling lonely, even with the Quartermaines’ shenanigans. Just think, Dante’s mom is there, he’s there. There’s no need for a sudden move. It’s okay to let the family in, including himself. Dante says, Chase wormed his way into the family now, and Chase says, you’re not alone, partner. You’ve got me.

Alexis asks if Jason punched Drew, and Jason says, yes. She says, they had a fight after the kids lost their mother? Did they see the bruises? Drew says, they did, and she asks what story he gave them. He says he walked into a door, and she says, and they bought that? He says he thinks Scout did, but he doesn’t think the boys did. She asks what Jason said to Danny, and Jason says he told Danny the truth, the facts. Danny asked if he punched Drew, and he said, yes. Alexis asks, what provoked the fight? and Jason says he’s going to tell her what he told Danny. The matter is between him and Drew. Drew agrees, and she says, great, they agree. Jason says, and he agrees that Danny has the right to choose what he wants. He walks out.  

Michael says he can’t keep track of all the lies he and Willow have told each other, and Sasha says, the whole thing is a mess. Willow was upset that she confided in Cody about her kissing Drew. She tried to tell Willow that she was sorry Cody blurted it out at the Brown Dog Bar. Michael says, that’s low on the list of things to feel sorry about. There’s more to Willow and Drew than she knows. She asks if something else happened, and Michael says, they slept together. She asks if he’s sure, and he says he is. She asks how he found out, but he says, she doesn’t want to know. He’s positive Willow doesn’t know how he found out. She asks if he’s going to confront her, but he says, if he tells her what he knows, he’ll have to tell her about them.

Michael says, if he does tell her, he’ll keep Sasha’s name out of it, and she says she appreciates that. She needs her job. He says, it’s hard to know what to do next, and she asks what he wants. He says he wanted to fight for his marriage, then he found out Willow slept with Drew. He confided in Jason, which was probably a mistake. She says she wondered what prompted the fight, and he says he never wanted that to happen, but he needed to confide in somebody. Then he was watching his wife tenderly patch up her lover. The way Willow was looking at Drew is how she used to look at him. Sasha says she’s so sorry, and he says he wonders if Willow loves him. She says, Willow told her that she did, and he asks if Sasha believes her. He needs somebody he can trust and he trusts her. She says she believes Willow when Willow says she loves him and the kids, but for her to put all that on the line… He says, she wouldn’t risk everything unless she felt something more for Drew.

Alexis tells Drew that Sam wouldn’t approve of him barring Jason from Danny’s life, and he says, Sam also didn’t want to split the kids up. She says, regardless of Sam’s intentions, this is the official will. Rocco isn’t their decision; Dante is his father. And Danny’s father is Jason. Drew says his bruises are an indication of what kind of father Jason will be, and Alexis says she doesn’t know what caused the fight. Drew says, they both know Jason. Does she think it’s really okay to let Danny live with him? Alexis says, no. That’s why she came up with an alternative. What if Scout and Danny live with her?

Sonny tells Jason that the will was made years ago. Diane will have it thrown out. Jason says he has to figure out his next move, and Sonny says, custody issues are messy. This whole thing with Ava is a pain in his ass. Jason says he’s trying to avoid that. Danny is hurting. He just lost his mother, and he doesn’t want to abandon his sister. He’s taking care to respect that, but he sure as hell doesn’t want Drew raising his kid. Sonny says, they were never close, but what changed? and Jason tells Sonny that he’ll just say, Drew took the name Quartermaine and he’s living up to it. He doesn’t trust a word Drew says. He wants the best for his son. Why would he want Drew to be Danny’s guardian? Drew thinks he doesn’t care, but nothing can be further from the truth. Sonny says, everybody knows that, including Danny. Everybody knows Jason loves his son.

Trina goes over the schedule with Kai, who makes fun of her for using a planner. His grandma was using it when he was a kid. She says, it still works, and she likes to use one. It’s helpful for project management. They need to make a list of books for their research. He tells her to check her email. He found a list books. He finished it at 3:45 in the morning. It can be hard to sleep. He has a lot on his mind.

Kristina says she didn’t get a chance to thank Josslyn for saving her life. She remembers being in the ambulance, and doesn’t remember what Josslyn was saying, but seeing Josslyn’s face and hearing her voice was comforting. Josslyn says she was so nervous she was doing something wrong, but Kristina says she’s alive because of Josslyn. Josslyn says she was just doing her job, and Kristina tells her to take the compliment. Josslyn says, she’s welcome, and Kristina says she’ll never forget how Josslyn stepped up despite their past. Josslyn says she’s sorry for everything Kristina has been through. She doesn’t deserve any of it. How is she managing with the trial? Kristina asks if Josslyn is testifying, and Josslyn says, she’s so sick of seeing Ava get away with everything. It’s time her luck ran out and they get justice once and for all. Kristina says, for her daughter and Morgan.

Kristina says she’s going to get some rest, and Josslyn says she’s getting take-out for Dex. Kristina says she’s glad they’re back together. Dex is a good guy. Josslyn says she thinks so too. She sees Trina and Kai leaving and adds, and besides, they can all use a little bit of love in their lives. Outside Bobbie’s, Kai tells Trina if she’s up and needs to chat, he’ll be up reading the books he bought. She asks why he doesn’t just use the library, and he says he thinks his grandma went… She tells him, shut up, and he says, goodnight.  

TJ says, Jordan hasn’t seen Drew, has she? He was at the service wearing makeup. She says she never took Drew to be a smoky eye type guy, but he could pull it off. TJ says, he was covering a black eye. He wonders if she knows where he got it, but she says she has no idea. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), Jason has a bruise too. He thinks she needs new friends. She says she may have a new friend he’d approve of, and he asks, who? She says she’ll tell him when she knows more.  

Michael says he’ll do everything to keep Sasha’s name out of it, and she says she appreciates it. If he ever needs to talk… He says, same, and she asks if he knows what his next move be. He says, not entirely, but no matter what’s going on, he’s going to protect his family.

Chase says he’ll see Dante at home, and Dante says he sees what Chase did. Don’t get ahead of himself. Chase says, think about what he said, and Dante says he will. Chase leaves, and Dante picks up his bag and keys. He looks around the apartment.  

Alexis says, if Scout and Danny stay with her, they’ll be together and not in the middle of the animosity. Drew says he doesn’t doubt Alexis’s love and concern, and she says she’s worried about Danny. He wants to be with Scout and Sam wanted them to be together. Drew says he appreciates that and doesn’t want to hurt the kids, but Scout needs to be with her father and there’s no way she’s going to be anywhere else but with him.

Jason tells Sonny that they’ve been through this a few times, but never when the kid’s mother died. Sam told him that he’d let Danny down in the past. He wants to do what’s best for Danny. What would Sonny do in this situation? Sonny says, the reality is, Sam is gone, and Jason is still here. His son is still here. He has to do what’s best for his son. If he were Jason, he sure as hell wouldn’t let Drew anywhere near Danny. If this is a fight, he has Jason’s back.

Tomorrow, Mac has something for Sasha from her dad; TJ tells Stella that Ava’s trial is the last place he should be; Ric guarantees he and Ava are going to win; Michael tells Curtis that he won’t be Aurora’s CEO for much longer; and Jason tells Dante that there’s no way he’s handing Danny over to Drew.

🍊 Making Oranges Out Of Lemons…

Ugh. I hate these Reunions, and this one was no exception. There is almost always that point where everybody is screaming talking at once and you can’t understand a damn thing. This is a good argument for having the closed captions on, but even they have to pick and choose. This was part 3 and the end of what even Fancy Pants Heather had to agree was an endless season. We were plopped back into the much ado about Alexis.

Emily said Alexis was the dumbest broad [she’d] ever f***ing met. I appreciated her use of the word broad. The origins of it are murky, but it always reminds me of Frank Sinatra and the old Rat Pack movies. Alexis responded with asking if Emily wanted to hit her, then claimed she had a degree. Gina said she knew a lot of dumb people with college degrees (same), but I’m guessing it’s probably a degree from clown school or something. Andy kept trying to put a pin in the loan discussion, but that hamster wheel kept turning. There was a weird John/Alexis interview, where Johnny J. said he never intended on releasing the videos, but if Shannon wanted to see what a monster she was, he’d be glad to show them to her personally. Alexis told the group that she hadn’t wanted to bring up the videos – but you did, Blanche, you did! – and she didn’t know it was on camera. This was when I looked at the camera like Jim from The Office. I doubt any of the women – okay, maybe Jenn – believed that for a second, especially since it wasn’t a one-off or a blurting out when drunk. Alexis brought it up on several occasions and it was definitely meant as a threat.

When blessed relief came in Alexis leaving, Emily summed it up by saying, every trashcan needs a lid, and she thought Johnny J. had found his. Tamra apologized to Shannon and said she was starting therapy. They hugged it out and Andy produced espresso martinis and mocktails for those not imbibing. Fancy Pants gave the worst toast ever, saying something like, since it was the 100th season of the franchise, to love and success for all of them. Really? All the pontificating and advising, wanted or not, all season, and that was it for the 100th season? Pfft! Then came the plot twist.

36 hours later. We saw the core group – Fancy Pants, Gina, Emily, Tamra, and Shannon met at (I think) Gina’s house. We found out that the beans had been spilled about the videos during a dinner after the Reunion. Apparently, Johnny J. had heard the crash and wanted to go out, but his daughter stopped him. She went out and saw Shannon peel out. So then, not almost running her over as we’d heard from Katie in an earlier episode. He said there had been an altercation earlier between him and Shannon, and Shannon had hit him. Shannon said she heard tell that she’d punched Johnny J., but I wondered what kind of punch she could actually pack. I mean seriously, Johnny J. couldn’t fend her off or walk away? Oh that’s right, he was busy filming.

The scary part though, was that Shannon remembered none of it. She should be grateful for the rest of her life that she didn’t kill herself or kill someone else. Gina said alcohol equaled bad decision making, and Shannon had changed her relationship with alcohol. This didn’t make her a terrible person. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Shannon over the years, but I have to say, I think all this makes her a brave person. Not many of us would want to show our worst moments to the world, but it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish, and I hope she finishes as strong as she was in that moment. No surprise, there was a group hug.

On a side note, we found out that Alexis had also bought Johnny J. an $800 pair of shoes. Can’t that guy buy his own shoes?

https://people.com/real-housewives-of-orange-county-recap-cameras-pick-back-up-shannon-beador-dui-reveal-reunion-8749901

Interesting how Alexis constantly claimed not to be involved with the lawsuit, but always used the word we when referencing it.

https://people.com/shannon-beador-officially-settles-ongoing-lawsuit-with-ex-john-janssen-8748123

🧂 A Pinch Of Salt…

A full recap from yesterday. As for Todd scolding Bronwyn, he wasn’t wrong.

🐩 Will Work For Likes… and a Biscuit…

My favorite – Peggy!

https://spotpet.com/blog/lifestyle/most-influential-pets-2024

https://wagwalking.com/daily/top-12-celebrity-pet-instagram-accounts-to-follow

🦃 Turkey Trotting…

Come on by tomorrow for a full bar of soap and what to watch (or not). Until then, stay safe, stay not only talking to people you know at a party, and stay changing your relationship with alcohol if you’re making bad decisions.

November 14, 2024 – Jason Punches Drew, New Lulu, First Soap, Gates Open Soon, A Friend Joins the OC Reunion, Salty Talk, Prank Slam, Charming Exit, Latest House, Surprise & Cosmic

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis says, if Kristina wants her help to get justice, she’ll do everything she can to help. Kristina says she wants to prepare for Ava’s trial and do everything she can to see that Ava is found guilty of killing Adela.

Ava meets Ric at the Grille, and he tells her that he’s going to be upfront. Her case isn’t a slam dunk. An innocent baby is dead, two mothers are grieving, and there’s a photo where Ava has her hands on Kristina. Ava says, it’s not what it looks like, and Ric says he believes her, but he doesn’t know if a jury will. Ava asks if he doesn’t plan to paint Kristina as an explosive, unpredictable woman, and he says, like her?

Trina sees TJ at the boxing gym, and he tells her that it’s good to keep busy. She says she’s sorry about Sam. How’s Molly? He says he’s barely seen her.

Molly sits at Bobbie’s reading a book. She puts it on the table and looks at her phone. As he’s walking by, Isaiah knocks the book off the table. He picks it up and says, Little Women. She must be in the mood for a good cry.

Willow says, it seems something is bothering Michael, and he says, there is something on his mind. There’s no good way to ask, so he’s just going to ask. How does she feel about Drew moving to DC?

Jason is waiting in the foyer when Nina comes in with Drew. She tells Jason that his brother is a congressman, and Drew walks toward Jason, holding out his hand. Jason punches Drew in the face. (Jason is all of us right now.)

Nina says, what the hell? and Jason and Drew struggle. Jason hits Drew again and draws blood. Nina yells, stop! when Lois and Brook come out. Brook says, that’s enough, and Nina says, Drew is hurt. Drew asks Jason, why? but Jason says, you know why. He leaves, and Ned comes in. Ned asks if Drew wants to tell him what the hell that was about.

Willow says she understands it might be difficult to believe, but she’s glad Drew is leaving for DC. He won’t be a constant reminder to Michael, and the longer he’s gone, the easier it will be to get past this and the less it will matter. Michael asks if that’s what she wants, and she says, it’s all she wants. He says he’s glad to hear it, and she says, he doesn’t seem as happy as she thought he’d be. He says he’s not sure it solves their real problem and wonders if it’s enough to save their marriage. Or is it too little too late? Willow says, of course (🍷) it’s not. It will give them a chance to work on their relationship. He says he knows where he wants to start, with the truth.  

TJ tells Trina that losing Irene was devastating. They don’t have closure. Trina says, maybe they need more time, but TJ says, they’re burying themselves in work and avoiding each other. They used to love spending time together. She says, grief changes you. She always thought she was outgoing, but after Spencer died, she felt alone. He says, when they lost the baby, he thought they’d tackle it together, but they feel separate. She suggests they’re just going through a rough patch and will figure it out, but he says, with Sam being gone, Molly is more distant than ever. She’s not confiding in him, but he doesn’t blame her. The loss is too much.

Molly tells Isaiah that Little Women is her favorite book. It comforts her. He says, it doesn’t look like her first copy, and she says, it’s the newest edition. It was her birthday gift to herself. Her birthday is today. He tells her, happy birthday, and she says, he’s the first person this year to wish her happy birthday. He may be the only one. He asks if everyone forgot, and she says, seems like it. It’s not as bad as it sounds. Her family has a lot going on. He says, that’s no excuse, but she says, it kind of is. She doesn’t mean to unload on him, but her sister just passed away. They’re all in shock and dealing with planning a funeral. He says he’s sorry, and she says, it doesn’t feel real and doesn’t make sense. He says he hopes she doesn’t mind him asking, but what happened? Was she sick? Molly says, she died unexpectedly after a routine surgery. She was a liver donor. He asks if her sister was Sam McCall.

Kristina tells Alexis that she’s not worried about the outcome. She has faith that justice will prevail, and they’ll find Ava guilty of killing her daughter. She wants to be as prepared as possible. She’s been working with the DA’s office, but she trusts Alexis more. Besides, they could use the distraction. Alexis says, it’s a good idea to be as prepped as possible and know what she’s going to say on the stand. Kristina says she does. She’s going to tell the truth. Alexis says, of course (🍷), and Kristina says, it’s an open and shut case. Alexis says, it’s possible the case may not work the way Kristina wants.

Ava asks how Ric can say that when he knows she’s hanging on by a thread, and he says, the prosecution is going to portray her in the worst possible light. She says she’s not the monster people make her out to be, and he says, she needs to be prepared for what the ADA is going to throw at her. They way she reacted to what he just said might not bode well on the stand, and the cross-examination by the prosecution will be harder. She says, it’s not her first time, and he says, they’re going to leave no stone or bad deed unturned. Every time she jaywalked, they’re going to dredge it up. It’s his job to see how well she holds up under pressure.

Kristina tells Alexis, of course (🍷) it’s going to go her way. The truth is on her side. Alexis says, unfortunately, that’s not going to matter. Not when Ric is involved. He doesn’t care about her feelings or her grief or her pain. Kristina says she can handle Ric, but Alexis says, he’s smart and shrewd and will set a trap. Kristina will walk into it and he won’t bat an eye. She’ll do what she can to help Kristina be prepared, but it may not go the way she wants. Kristina says she’s not going to fall into Ric’s trap, but Alexis says, she already has, at the Grille. Don’t think he won’t use that to make her look unstable. Krisina says, Ric won’t blindside her again. With Alexis’s help she’ll be ready for whatever Ric throws at her.

Ava asks Ric why her past needs to be brought up. Isn’t it inadmissible? He says, that motion is always shot down. Character is definitely relevant to establish a pattern. Ava says, there’s no pattern, but he says, her brushes with the law are admissible. Her taking the stand is the only real weapon in their arsenal. She has to confront her past and accept what she’s done. She says, probably nobody will understand why she’s done the things she’s done.

Willow asks what Michael means by the truth, and he says he’s done a lot of thinking. It’s all he’s been thinking about. He loves her and he wants them to move past this. She says she does too, and he says, she has no idea how happy he is to hear her say that. They haven’t exactly been truthful. She says she’s sorry she kept her and Drew’s kiss from him, but he says he’s not just talking about the kiss. They’ve both kept secrets from each other. He didn’t tell her about his and Dex’s plan to take down his father, and didn’t tell her that Nina was the one who called the SEC. It’s easy to keep secrets because it’s become their pattern (WOTD). She says she wanted to tell him. She hated lying to him. It was tearing her apart. He says, they’ve both lied. He wants to feel like they can be honest. To make it work, there have to be no more secrets, and he can’t be the only one who wants that to happen. She needs to want it too. Is she ready to be completely honest?

Drew is helped to the living room, and Ned tells them not to let Drew bleed on the upholstery (ha-ha-ha!). Lois asks, what’s wrong with him? and he says he’s thinking about Monica. If they keep the damage to a minimum, she never needs to know. Nina says, Drew was just attacked by his brother, and Brook says, that will be upsetting to Monica. She leaves to get ice, and Lois says, Drew needs to go to the emergency room, but Ned says, no. The family can’t endure another scandal. Lois says, Drew needs medical attention, but Drew says, Ned’s right. It will draw too much attention that they don’t need.

Molly says, Sam is her sister, and Isaiah says, this is a strange coincidence. He’s the surgeon who operated on Lulu. They introduce themselves, and Molly says she didn’t know who was operating on Lulu. They were so focused on Sam and Lucas, it didn’t occur to them to ask. He says, there’s no reason they should have. He’s sorry for her loss. From what he heard, Sam was an amazing person. Molly says, she was, and thanks him. She says, if he’s not meeting someone, would he like to join her? He says he’d love to, and sits down. He says he can understand why her family forgot. He’s sorry he was harsh. She says, even if they’d remembered, she’s not in the mood to celebrate, but he says, even on the hardest of days, it’s important to enjoy yourself. Birthdays are only once a year. It would be a shame to waste it. He has something to take care of, but he’ll be right back. He leaves the table.

Trina works the heavy bag, and TJ says, she packs a hell of a punch. She says, it comes in handy when somebody cuts in line at the coffee shop, and he says he has to get back to work. It was nice to have a sympathetic ear. She says she’s here for him, and he packs up. He tells her to enjoy her workout, but she sees Kai is there and says she doesn’t see that happening. Because of that guy. He says, Kai Taylor? and she asks if he knows him. He says, everybody knows him, but she says she didn’t before the other day. He tells her all of Kai’s football accomplishments, and she says, he’s messing up her GPA. He’s her partner for a project and hasn’t showed up for any classes. TJ suggests she talk to him.  

Kristina says she’ll do what it takes to beat Ric, and Alexis says she believes Kristina can do whatever she puts her mind to, but she’s not sure it’s going to work. Kristina says she can’t accept that. Ava has tortured their family long enough. Ava killed Morgan and Connie, and it’s not fair there were never any consequences. Ava belongs in prison for everything she’s done. Ava is responsible for the fact she can never hold her daughter or experience being a mother. She wants Ava to experience the unbearable pain of having Avery ripped out of her arms and know it’s because of her.

Ric says he knows what it’s like not to be proud of your past, and Ava says she had good reasons for doing the things she did. He says, that’s what they try to convince themselves and the people they love, doing mental gymnastics. One small bad deed leads to another until they’ve painted themselves so far in a corner, they don’t know how they got there. And the worst part is, when it’s over, they’ve lost the people they love. The people they love hate them, and they’re left alone wondering where they went wrong. They live with the guilt and the person they’ve become, becomes familiar. Maybe they’re not so different. He’s not going to judge her when he’s not ready to judge himself. She tells him, do his worst, and he says, Miss Jerone, how did you feel when you pushed Kristina Corinthos-Davis out of the window? Similar to when you shot Connie Falconari in cold blood?

Lois asks if they know a doctor who will make house calls, and Nina says she’ll get Willow. She thinks they should call the cops, but Ned says, the attention the police will attract is worse than an ambulance. Nina says, they can be discreet, and if the press finds out, she’ll mitigate the fallout. Jason needs to be held responsible. She leaves, and Ned says, so they all agree, no cops. All he saw was a disagreement between brothers. Lois says, it was more than that, but Drew says, no cops, no ambulance.

Willow says she wants a life with Michael. It’s what she’s always wanted, for them to have a family together. He asks if that’s what she really wants or is she saying that because she feels obligated? but she says she’d never think of him as an obligation. He says he wants to make sure they’re on the same page and both want to fight for their marriage. She says that’s exactly what she wants. Where do they start? He says he thinks it’s time they were completely honest, when there’s an urgent knock at the door. It’s Nina, and she says, Willow needs to come to the house. There was a fight and someone was injured. Michael says, who? and she says, Drew and Jason had a fight and Drew was hurt. They leave.

Isaiah brings Molly a cupcake with a candle in it, and she says, that’s very sweet. He says he’s embarrassed to admit it, but he’s a big birthday guy. But it’s not a go until she makes a wish. She asks if he thinks it’s okay if she wishes for something that’s not possible, and he says, that’s the best kind of wish. She blows out the candle.

Ava says she did not kill Connie, but Ric says, she was arrested for Connie’s murder. She says, the charges were dropped, and he says, because the evidence disappeared. Just like the bags Kristina tripped over. Ava says she explained that to the police. She panicked and moved them. He says, the same bags Kristina fell over when Ava pushed her out the window and killed her baby? Ava says she’s done terrible things that she wishes desperately she could undo, and he says, like killing Morgan? She says she didn’t kill Morgan. She loved Morgan. He asks if she didn’t replace Morgan’s bipolar medication with placebos causing him to have mental breakdown and be in the wrong place at the wrong time, causing his death. Remember, she’s under oath. She says, his breakdown was her fault, but she’s not responsible for the explosion. She put Morgan in a vulnerable position, but she never intended for him to die. Morgan was the most beautiful person she’s known. She’s not denying she switched his medication and prays for forgiveness for the part she played in his death. It haunts her. But as tragic as it was, it was nothing like what happened with Kristina’s baby.

Alexis says she’s never heard Kristina talk like that, and Kristina says she’s never experienced what she’s been through. Alexis says, it’s not about revenge. The law is about justice. Kristina says, not if the guilty don’t pay for their crimes. Ava deserves to be punished. Alexis asks if she knows who she sounds like, and Kristina says, her father? Alexis says, she sounds angry and cold and she’s talking about Ava like she’s not human. Act like this, and Ric will exploit it. Kristina says she’s not going to let him get to her. She’s more focused and has clarity. Ava needs to be punished. Alexis says, revenge isn’t the same as justice, but Kristina says, in this case, justice and revenge go hand in hand.

In the nook, Lois says she can’t believe what happened. She hopes Drew is okay. Brook says, his eye looks terrible. She wonders what caused Jason to lose his temper, and Lois says, he’s still grieving Sam. Brook says, that’s probably it, and Lois asks, what’s that look, like she knows something? Spill it. What’s this big secret thing they’re not letting her in on? She’s Brook’s mother. Brook can trust her. Brook says, she can’t keep a secret. It’s big and it’s better Lois doesn’t know. Lois says, it’s affecting her life in this house, and she has the right to know what’s going on. Brook says, she does have a point. Promise not to tell a single living soul. Lois gestures locking her lips and putting the key down her bra, and Brook says, Drew and Willow kissed. Lois says, holy cannoli, and Brook says, obviously, Jason knows. This is really bad.

Willow asks, what happened? and Nina says, Jason happened. He attacked Drew out of nowhere. Willow asks why he would do that, and Ned says, let Willow take a look at Drew while he talks to Michael in the foyer.

Ned says, Michael told Jason? and Michael says, it just kind of happened. Ned says, Michael knows that Jason likes to take matters into his own hands.

TJ leaves, and Trina walks over to Kai. He asks if she’s going to dump her water on him too, and she asks what he’s doing here. Doesn’t he work out in that fancy gym on campus? He says, it’s under maintenance, and she says she’s sorry he has to slum it with the rest of them. He says he doesn’t think of it like that, but she says she doesn’t care where he works out, as long as it’s not in her space. He says he thinks they got off on the wrong foot and he wants to make things right. He got his schedule and he’s going to come to class for the rest of the year and work hard. She says, don’t bother. She already asked for a new partner, and when it gets approved, she’ll never have to think about him again. She walks out.

Isaiah says, it’s a book he’s read many times. Maybe Molly should just read part one, the happy part… happyish. She says she means this as a compliment, but she never met a man as familiar with Little Women as he is. He says, when he provided medical services to refugees in Africa, it was the only book he could get his hands on. He must have read it ten times, maybe more. She says, it’s a great book. It’s definitely gotten her through some hard times. He says, immersing yourself in a book is better than something less constructive, like binge drinking, and she says, self-destructive coping mechanisms aren’t her thing. Those are more Kristina’s speed. He says, so she’s one of several girls. That’s why she loves the book. She says, they all have different fathers and her mom is the one who bonds her together, like Marmie. He asks, which sister is her? and she says, Meg, the responsible one. Kristina is Amy, spoiled and impulsive. Sam is definitely Jo, independent and outspoken. She was Jo. She doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to referring to Sam in the past tense.

Lois says, Chase missed everything, and Brook says, he was called out on an emergency. Lois says, it’s best he wasn’t here. He would have had to arrest Jason. They head to the living room with the ice, and Lois says, that’s what happens when you kiss someone else’s wife. Brook shushes her.

Ned asks what Michael was thinking. Now the whole town will know Drew and Willow were playing footsy. Michael says he needed someone to talk to, and Ned says he hopes it was worth it.

Willow tends to Drew’s eye, and Brook brings her the ice. Lois says, it looks awful, and Nina agrees. Nina, Brook, and Lois leave, and Willow asks Drew why Jason attacked him. Does he know what happened? Drew says, that’s impossible. They’re the only two who know.

Outside Bobbie’s, Isaiah’s phone rings. He asks what he can do for Terry… Can he ask what it’s about?… Sure. He’s headed over there now.

Molly gets up to leave Bobbie’s, when Kristina comes in. She hands Molly a present and says, happy birthday. Molly opens it, and it’s a gold necklace with a tiny M initial charm. Kristina says she knows Molly loved hers, so now she’s got one of her own. She hopes Molly doesn’t mind that they’re matching. Molly says, of course (🍷) not. She loves it. Kristina says, happy birthday.

Ava says, Kristina’s fall was a terrible accident. If she hadn’t tripped… If she had it to do all over again, she would never have let Cates leave his luggage. That bag is the reason she’s in this mess to begin with. She shouldn’t have moved it. That’s what makes her look guilty when she’s not. How could people think she’d hurt a pregnant woman? That’s a line she would not cross. She’s barely slept since it happened. She lays in bed remembering the look on Kristina’s face before she fell. How shocked she was. She remembers the sound of glass breaking and Kristina’s scream, so panicked and scared. She’ll never forget it. Kristina lost the baby daughter that she loved and couldn’t wait to meet. Just like Ava lost her precious Kiki. She knows how horrible the pain is. It rips you apart. She would never inflict suffering like that on another mother. Shame on people who think that. If she could, she’d give up everything to give Kristina back her baby. Ric says, that’s it. Perfect. That speech is exactly what he wants her to say on the stand. Her heartfelt sympathy is real and if she takes accountability the way she just did, they’ve got the win locked up.

Kristina fastens the necklace on Molly, and Molly says, it means more than Kristina knows, this year especially. Kristina says, Sam wishes her a happy birthday too. They hug, and Jason walks in. Kristina notices his bloody knuckles, and he quickly goes to the back.

Willow tells Drew that the cut will need to be cleaned. She’ll come back in the morning. Michael looks into the living room, and because these two don’t learn, he sees Drew and Willow alone, Willow’s hand against Drew’s cheek. Willow says she wanted to make sure Drew was okay. She’s sorry this happened. Drew says he’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.

It’s not often I feel sorry for Michael, but yeah, this is one of those times.

Tomorrow, Felicia tells Anna that Sasha doesn’t know something; Lucky asks Sonny why he should stay if what he’s looking for isn’t here; Jason says, all Carly needs to know is that Drew got everything he deserved; and Ric asks Drew to please tell him they’re pressing charges.

🩺 And Suddenly…

I’m thinking Terry called Isaiah because there’s been a good change in Lulu’s prognosis.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/alexa-havins-teases-her-debut-as-ghs-lulu

🧴 Gotta Start Somewhere…

She could do worse than Rice Plaza at Christmastime.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/days-star-bryan-dattilos-daughter-delia-cast-on-gh

🧼 Opening the Gates…

Beyond the Gates begins February 24, 2025 CBS – the next day on Paramount+.

https://parade.com/tv/beyond-the-gates-season-1

🍊 These Oranges Are Moldy…

It’s the second part of a three part too long RHOC Reunion, and the Jenn/Ryan topic is still raging. Tamra annoys me immediately, saying she misspoke in her tirade about the FBI, having heard gossip on the street. First of all, let’s look at the word misspoke that’s being used incorrectly here. The actual definition is mispronunciation, but what’s worse is how this word is constantly used by people who are actually talking about gossiping or lying. You didn’t misspeak. You passed along something without knowing if it was true or not, and presented it as fact. Tamra said she was plastered and didn’t remember it the next day. She ended up getting a cease and desist letter. Alrighty then.

There was a lot about how Jenn is a dimbulb who doesn’t even understand where her rent payment is coming from or even if it’s being paid. She did finally spill that she’s supposed to get $6K a month from her ex and it’s an ongoing battle. Still, this woman needs to learn how to take care of herself. Then there was the subject of the $2000 dress. Jenn and Katie thought it was mean girl of Fancy Pants Heather to check the price tag and tell Tamra, but Fancy Pants said it was just gossipy. Because mean girls don’t gossip? Fancy Pants ultimately said she brought up the dress because Jenn didn’t take her financial suggestions. A debate over mean girl versus gossipy ensued, and in reference to being gossipy, Emily said, we all do that. My next bone of contention after misspoke. This statement is equal to the person who says, we were all drunk, when they alone did something incredibly stupid while drunk. No. It wasn’t all of us. It was you.

Jenn said, Tamra went lower than the rest of them, and she wondered when it stopped. She said, everybody would rather be by Tamra’s side than go against her, so they weren’t her targets. Tamra confessed that she was starting therapy, and Andy asked, what took so long? Tamra said, when everybody tells you you’re dead, it’s time to lie down. This gives me hope, but not really. Emily told Jenn that her ex was probably going to string things out forever, and she wanted Jenn to create something for herself. Or as Gina put it, be her own hero.

We found out that Gina and Travis are still living apart, but Gina was more forthcoming about the problem being Travis’s ex. Apparently there had been incidents that affected Gina’s children, making them fearful. Gina said she and Travis saw each other every day, but she didn’t think things would ever improve with his ex, even after the divorce was finalized.

There was a blah-blah-blah about Katie’s kids saying Fancy Pants was mean. Funny, for someone who insists they don’t exhibit mean girl behavior, the word mean comes up a lot in conjunction with her. Evidently, Katie’s daughter is also telling the world via TikTok that her mother works with fake-ass bitches. She’s not wrong. The women were all like, my kids would never, and said, no matter how old they were, they’d force their kids to remove it. Maybe. But bottom line is, Katie’s daughter is an adult and her own person. Maybe she’s bucking for her own show. Who cares? Andy had to finally shut the conversation down citing the beating-a-dead-horse clause.

Alexis was brought on in the last 15 minutes and was the same idiot she’s been on the show. When Andy asked how she was feeling about coming back to RHOC, Alexis acted like it was a return to her fabulous career as a television star after a hiatus. Shannon asked how many times she’d practiced, there’s the door, Shannon Beador, when there was no door. Technically, there was, but they were outside, and Shannon going inside would defeat the purpose of showing her the door. Alexis pretended that she’d never intended to bring up the videos and it somehow just slipped out. Once again, a receipt of unseen footage told us otherwise. The general consensus was that she should stop being Johnny J.’s mouthpiece.

Another peeve, Fancy Pants going, no, no, no, no, no, like Brynn did on RHONY. Is this a thing now? No. Just one no.

It seemed like they saved a lot of the fun times footage for flashbacks of things we never saw the first time. They used to do that with the lost/found/secret footage specials. I think we need to see more fun on the actual show. Maybe I’d dislike these women less.

Next time, Emily says, Alexis is the dumbest girl she’s ever f***ing met. That’s enough to get me to show up.

If that wasn’t enough.

https://people.com/rhoc-recap-shannon-beador-slams-alexis-bellino-being-john-janssen-mouthpiece-reunion-fight-8745852

🧂 Adding Some Salt…

Yesterday’s recap, lengthier than mine.

Another teaspoon. I found this pretty amusing, especially when Angie called it a random blog.

🗽 Not a Fan…

Is he kidding? That’s the best episode I’ve seen of RHONY 2.0 since it began.

🍹 Time To Bounce…

No great loss, but so did things not go well with Venita or…?

https://people.com/jarrett-jt-thomas-announces-exit-from-southern-charm-amid-filming-for-season-10-8742246

💣 Moustaches Are Twirling…

I don’t watch this show faithfully, but every time I catch it, it’s a lot of fun. There’s a big difference between Teresa haranguing her brother and screeching about false love bubbles on RHONJ, and Teresa deliberately acting the villain and strategizing as such in a game. And I love Joel McHale.

🐨 Australian Meet Cute…

It’s a shame it tried to bite, but what an experience.

https://people.com/australia-couple-comes-home-find-koala-in-bed-8745155

🍂 Jumping In a Pile Of Leaves…

Join me tomorrow for soap, what to watch (or not), and watchful words. Until then, stay safe; stay making a contribution to your local food bank/soup kitchen for Thanksgiving; and stay enjoying yourself, even on the hardest of days.

November 7, 2024 – Holly Asks Jason For the Diamonds, Reunion In the OC, Skyrocketing, Look Out Below, Her Name Is Fiona & Rain

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis looks through photos and flashes back to talking with Sam about her engagement. Sonny says he wishes he could do more for her aside from bringing her tea, and she asks how he went on after Morgan died. He says, it wasn’t easy. He kept living like she’s going to do for her kids and grandkids. She says she has to make arrangements. After that, she doesn’t know. She can do tasks and funerals require tasks, but afterward, people go back to their lives, and she can’t see that. He says, she’ll get there, but she says she doesn’t want to. She doesn’t want to picture a world without her daughter in it.

Brad says he saw what happened with Dr. Robinson, but Lucas says, nothing happened. Brad says he’s sorry, and Lucas thanks him, but says he can’t do this right now. Brad says, Lucas doesn’t have to hide being upset and stressed with him, but Lucas says he can’t. Brad says, can’t what? and Lucas says, face the possibility that he might be the reason his sister is dead.

Curtis asks if Portia had a bad day, and she says, the worst day. She’s dealing with it. He says, she never has to pretend with him, and hugs her.

Jack says he knows Carly couldn’t go to the police, but she’s not without resources. She has Sonny and Jason and others, he’s sure. Why come to him? She says, Jason and Sonny just lost someone close to them and they’re shook up. He’s the next best thing. He says he’s flattered she thought of him, and she says she decided to trust him. Don’t make her regret it. He says he appreciates her faith in him. He’ll take it from here. He opens the door, and she wonders if he’s asking her to leave. He says, as much as he enjoys her company, yes. She needs to go.

Anna tells Robert that there were live cameras at the Quartermaine estate. They can access the footage and track the vehicles that left after Sasha was kidnapped and mobilize them. He says, no police, and she says, okay. They’ll play it his way. Sidwell is a ruthless criminal, and he’s kidnapped Robert’s daughter. She doesn’t understand why he’s not losing his mind. He says he doesn’t think like a father. He thinks in terms of a mission. Get the diamonds, give them to Sidwell, take Sasha home. End of story. She says, Sasha’s life depends on it, and he says, Holly will get the diamonds, and she says she believes Holly will, but there’s no guarantee she’ll hand them over. She might just take off.

Holly goes to Pozzulo’s and sees Jason. She asks, where’s Sonny? She needs him. Jason says, this is the worst time for Sonny, but she says, it’s the worst time for her too. It’s an emergency. She needs her diamonds back. Screw the deal. Things have changed. Jenz Sidwell’s got her daughter.

Sasha pounds on the door and yells for Sidwell to open it. Let me out, you bastard! In the hallway, Sidwell tells the guards, feisty… just like her mother, and laughs.

Lucas tells Brad, it was supposed to be a simple procedure. He switched to surgery because he wanted to do more to help more people and save more people. But he came home, and his own sister dies after he operates on her. Sam begged him to perform the surgery because she trusted him. Now she’s dead. Brad says, it’s not his fault, but Lucas says, they don’t know that. He’s been wracking his brain trying to understand what went wrong, what mistake he made. Brad asks if he found one, and Lucas says, agreeing to the surgery. Brad says, he agreed because he knew he should. Sam knew too. What happened would have happened no matter what. Lucas says he’ll never know, but Brad says he knows Lucas as a man and a doctor. Lucas knows what it’s like to hold someone’s life in his hands. He’d never be careless, especially with his own sister. He was the right man for the job. Lucas tells him, that’s what Sam said, and Brad says, she was right. He didn’t make a mistake. It’s not his fault.

Portia tells Curtis that Sam’s pre-op was perfect. Everything was going well, and suddenly, this. He says he’s having a hard time accepting it, and she says she knows they were close. She’s sorry. She was on the team that tried to resuscitate Sam. Lucas fought with all he had in him. They all did, but it was no use. She saw the moment Lucas realized Sam was gone and had to say those words… time of death. She saw the look on his face. She loves her job, but sometimes it’s hard.

Carly wants to watch Jack take Sidwell down, but he says, she can’t always get what she wants. She asks how it’s different from watching the drone strike, and he says, it just is. She asks if he’s working with Sidwell, but he says he’s not. She asks why she has to leave, and he says, she saw Sidwell when he abducted Sasha. She’s a witness and that’s dangerous enough. She can’t get in deeper. She says, he’s worried about her.

Robert says, Holly isn’t going to let anything happen to Sasha, and Anna asks if she disclosed having the diamonds before today. He says, no, and she says she’s not surprised. He says, whatever Holly was doing in Africa, she had good reason for it, and Anna says, a million of them. He says, Holly isn’t going to let anything happen, and Anna says, Holly knows he won’t. She knows he’ll come to the rescue. She’ll make a hasty exit with the diamonds and leave him to pick up the pieces.  

Holly tells Jason that Sidwell kidnapped her daughter, who she’s been estranged from for years. He’s demanding the diamonds in exchange for Sasha. She needs them now. He asks her to wait, and she says, once she has the diamonds, he’ll never have to see her again, but he says, they’re not done yet, and goes into Sonny’s office.

Sasha says, Sidwell is making a big mistake. He kidnapped the wrong person. He asks if she’s not Holly’s daughter, and she says, Holly will never come through with the ransom. If he’s dealt with her mother, he knows she can’t be trusted. She won’t pay him one penny. He says, then he’s in luck. He doesn’t want money. Holly took something from him – many somethings – and he wants them back.

Jason gives Holly the diamonds, and says, tell Sonny that she’ll make it up to him. Time is running out. Jason says, Sidwell is dangerous, and she says she know. He says, that’s why he’s going with her.

Robert says he’d go to the ends of the earth to protect their child, and Anna says she’s not going anywhere. Whatever happens, they’ll get his daughter back. Robert says, it’s time. Let’s go.

Carly says, Jack is concerned about her, and he says, Sidwell is a dangerous man with a long reach. The WSB plane was ransacked and the pilot is dead, along with other operatives that got in his way. Carly was only left alive to carry the message. So she has two options. Leave and pretend she never contacted the WSB or he takes her into protective custody. She says, fine. He wins. She leaves, and Jack gets on the phone. He says, there’s a woman leaving his office and he wants eyes on her. (Writing Mrs. Jack Brennan on my notepad.)

Brad says, Lucas is carrying the weight of the world and doesn’t have to, and Lucas says, Brad was always so good at pep talks. Unfortunately, it’s not helping. He sits, and Brad says, sometimes terrible things happen and it’s no one’s fault. Lucas says he can still hear the alarms. He can feel the sensation of the paddles and the jolt with each shock. Watching the monitors and hoping for a response. Then the terrible silence. He cries and says he did everything he could think of. He tried every damn thing he could. Brad sits down and takes Lucas’s hand. He says, Lucas gave Sam every chance. There was nothing else he could do. Sam was gone. They hug.

Sonny tells Alexis, it’s a terrible thing for a parent to outlive their child. It’s a freak of nature. She says, it feels like there’s no color. Everything is grey. She’s not whole. There’s a piece missing. Sonny says he’s not going to pretend she can get it back and asks how Kristina and Molly are doing. She says, they’re doing their best, and he asks about Danny and Scout. She says, Danny is inconsolable, but she doesn’t think Scout understands what’s going on; she’s too little. She wonders if Sam looked like Scout when she was little. She missed Sam’s entire childhood and her teens, literally half of Sam’s life. Now there’s no time left. She should have never let Sam go.

Curtis gives Portia a glass of wine to take the edge off, and she says she appreciates him spoiling her. He says, she deserves it, and she says she hated asking Lucas about the surgery. She knows he’s grieving, but the hospital has to investigate. He says he’s sure Sam’s family would appreciate knowing what happened, and she says she’s worried about the autopsy. Part of her feels responsible. He asks, why? and she says she should have listened to her gut and not let Lucas operate on his sister.

Carly comes into the locker room and tells Brad, back off! She wants him to stay the hell away from her brother.

Sasha says, what Sidwell wants from her mother, he won’t get by keeping her. Holly could not care less about her. Holly dumped her on her grandmother and went off running cons across the globe. Is that what she did to him? Sidwell says he supposes it could be called a con, and she asks if Holly pretended to be in love with him. He laughs and says, long enough to get her hands on his diamonds, and she says she hopes they were insured. She doubts Holly will give them back. He says he finds that hard to believe with her here, and she says, the biggest con Holly ever ran was pretending to be a mother. She lost her baby, then her husband died less than a year later, and she never heard a peep. Does that sound like someone who gives a damn whether she lives or dies? He says, it’s not fair she has to pay the price for her mother’s neglect and betrayal, but Holly stole from him. He can’t let that stand. She says, he shouldn’t, but if he really wants his diamonds back, use her to get them. Let her go and she’ll get him what he wants.

Anna and Robert go to Jack’s office, and Anna asks, where’s Holly? Jack says, not here, and Robert says, she will be. Anna says, they should consider her not showing up or at least have a Plan B, but Holly walks in with Jason and says, that’s not necessary. Here. She gives Jack the diamonds and says, get her daughter back.

Alexis tells Sonny, she was so tiny and perfect. How could she have given Sam up? Sonny says, she was a kid, and she says she was Sam’s mother. He asks what she thought would happen to the baby, and she says she thought Sam would have a wonderful life with loving parents who knew what to do. He says, she made a responsible decision, but she says she made a terrible decision. She did what her father told her to do, and Sam had a terrible childhood and terrible parents. She had to fight for whatever she had. He says, she’ll never know what would have happened, and she says she had no contact. After she surrendered Sam, she went to school and more school. She was the perfect student. She wanted to make the sacrifice worth it, and it paid off. She had a successful career. Sam had a horrible one. He says, no one blames her, especially Sam, but she says she blames herself and she’s being punished now. He puts his arm around her and she leans on him. She says, if she could go back in time, she’d never give Sam up, and she cries.

Curtis asks if it wasn’t Sam’s call, and Portia says, yes. He says, then they can assume she was aware of the risks, and she says, Sam went on faith. She doesn’t have that luxury. She has to question her colleagues’ choices and reassess their procedures. He says, in no way was she at fault, and she says she hopes no one is. She’s praying the autopsy doesn’t say surgeon error, but she’s afraid it might.

Sonny says, Alexis had reason to believe Sam would be well taken care of, and she says, it’s not like she had much choice. He says, don’t judge yourself by the girl you used to be. Give yourself credit for the woman you are now. She says she tried to make it up to Sam now, but she doesn’t know if it was enough. Sonny says, Sam lived a tough childhood, like them, but they made it. Sam made it. She became like her mom – strong, independent, caring. Sam lived a great life, and she knew Alexis loved her. And she loved Alexis. Don’t ever doubt that.

Carly asks why Brad thinks Lucas would want anything to do with him, and Lucas tries to interrupt, but Brad says, if Lucas wants to talk, he knows where to find him. He leaves, and Carly says, they’re not back together. Lucas says, no. He was in a rough spot and Brad was being supportive. She says, he’ll use their tragedy to worm his way back into Lucas’s life, but Lucas says, he’s just being kind. She says, he has so many people to turn to. Don’t let it be Brad.  

Holly apologizes for taking so long. She hit an unexpected roadblock. She came because she’s worried about Sasha’s safety. Anna says, Holly needed a fence and had Sonny hold the diamonds, and Holly says she couldn’t go to Robert or Anna. Anna says, she should never have gotten involved with a dangerous man and now she’s got Sonny involved. How did Sidwell figure out Sasha was her daughter? Robert says, he has connections. They need to proceed carefully. He thanks Jason, and says, now they have to find Sasha. That’s all that matters. Jack thanks Anna and Jason, and says, they have everything they need. Now to the business at hand. He trusts they know their way out. (Carving JB + TK on my desk.)

Curtis gives Portia a massage, and she asks, how was his day? He says, bittersweet. He saw Alexis. She was devastated, but she’s hanging in there. That’s more than he imagines Dante is doing. Portia says, it’s heartbreaking, and he says, it got him to thinking. All he’s been thinking about is his beautiful wife and spending quality time with her. He thought, what if he lost her and could never see her again? He never wants to take her or them for granted again. She says, they won’t. She cherishes every second with him. He says he cherishes her, and they kiss.

Lucas asks, what brings Carly to the hospital? and she says she was worried and wanted to check on him. He says he’s all right, but she says she knows he’s not. He says, any inquiry will be focused on his actions, and she says, the prescreening must not have detected an underlying condition. He says, maybe. Even if it did and he’s not at fault, his sister is still gone. She says, he did the best he could, and he says he didn’t want to do it. He let Sam talk him into it. She got him worked up to be on the team to save Lulu’s life. He never expected Sam to lose hers in the process. Carly hugs him and says, Sam loved him so much and she knew he loved her, and he says he can’t help but wonder, was operating on family the right choice? She says, he did what Sam asked, and if it was her, she’d ask the same thing. Sam wouldn’t want him blaming himself or thinking that her death was for nothing. They hug.

Alexis tells Sonny that she remembers when Sam arrived. Sam hated her. Sam blamed her for everything, and it haunts her now. He says, she understood that it was hard for Alexis to give her up, especially after she became a mother, and Alexis says, because of the trauma with her mother, she didn’t take to motherhood easily. She had to work at it. Sam is a natural. Sam was a natural. She was patient, firm, and loving. He says, she was tough. She stood up for the little guy. She saw Lulu needed help and didn’t think twice. Does Alexis know why? She learned it from her mom. She had a pretty damn good role model.

Sasha says, Sidwell knows how vain Holly is. She’ll get Holly talking about the diamonds and Holly won’t be able to resist bragging. She’ll bait Holly into showing them to her, then she’ll retrieve them, and Holly will never get them back. She can get them. Her mother taught her well. She knows all of Holly’s tricks, but he has to let her go if he wants to see his diamonds again. He says he spent a lot of time with Holly and also learned her tricks. Now he got to know Sasha a little, and even though Holly abandoned her child, one thing is for sure… like mother, like daughter. No deal. No compromise. He’s looking forward to seeing Holly again and letting her know how he feels about her betrayal. Sasha says, it’s too bad Holly will probably be long gone, and he says, too bad indeed. Because if Holly doesn’t give him what he wants, Sasha will pay for her dear mother’s crime.

Anna says, Jack can’t push her off this case. It’s in her jurisdiction. Jack says, she knows the fewer people involved, the better. And Sidwell stipulated that the police not be involved. She says she’ll do it without the sanctioning from her higher ups, but he says she’ll be duty bound to go by procedure. Figuring out negotiation strategy and getting clearance. They don’t have the time. She says, Robert is the DA, and Jack says, if he wasn’t Sasha’s father, he’d be showing Robert the door. He’s giving her deniability. Robert tells her to back off for him, and Holly says she’s begging Anna for Sasha. Help them save their daughter. Time is running out.

Jack says, leave it to him. He’ll reach out to Jason and Anna if there’s a reason. Jason says he knows Jack will and asks Jack to give them the courtesy of a heads up if he has to take extreme measures. Jason and Anna leave, and Robert says he wants to know what Jack has on Sidwell, and not the version he gives to the public, the black box version. He wants to know everything about the man who’s got his daughter. Jack says he’ll give Robert what he has, when Holly’s phone rings. She says, it’s Jenz.  

Curtis says he never wants to be without her, and Portia says, he’ll never have to be. They get busy.

Sonny says, there’s nothing in Alexis’s refrigerator, and she says she doesn’t have much of an appetite. He asks if she wants to go through photos for the obit. Whatever she needs, he’s here. He’s doing it for her, but also for Sam. She thanks him, and he says, she may not have been there in the beginning, but she was there at the finish. She should be proud and grateful for the time she had with Sam. She did real good. Sam was one in a million. Alexis links her arm in his and puts her head on his shoulder.  

Holly asks what Sidwell wants, and he says he was just getting to know her delightful daughter. Holly says, you son of a bitch. Touch Sasha, and I’ll kill you. Sasha says she’s here and she’s okay, and Holly tells her, hang on. Jack gestures for Holly to keep talking, and Holly says she’s coming to get Sasha. Sidwell says, only if she follows his instructions to the letter. Arrivederci. He hangs up, and Jack and Jason look at each other.

Tomorrow, Alexis tells Tracy that she thinks Scout and Danny should live with her; Tracy says, Cody dodged a bullet; Ric wants to know where Anna got something; and Jason says, you show me Sasha, I’ll show you the diamonds.

🍊 Rotten Oranges Part 1…

It’s the RHOC Reunion, and yay, just the first part of three. Shannon’s drinking was rehashed, and 😴. Shannon said she no longer used alcohol to cope, and a viewer wondered why Gina had been supportive when Shannon was less than about Gina’s DUI. Gina said, now that Shannon had walked a mile – or driven as it were – in her shoes, Shannon had a different perspective. Emily told Tamra that her constant talking about Shannon being an alcoholic was counterproductive. You can’t bully someone into not drinking. Truth! And it probably just makes them want to drink more, so don’t do it. Tamra admitted she’d just been angry, and kinda, sorta apologized, but IMO, continued with her attempts to gaslight Shannon. Shannon accepted Tamra’s apology, but didn’t want to be her friend anymore. Can’t say I blame her and that’s probably the wisest choice she’s made since being on the show.

After the break, everyone felt the need to talk about their bowel movement habits, and Shannon said she was about to poop right now. Thanks for sharing! The Fancy Pants Heather/paparazzi thing bounced back, and again 😴. Fancy Pants and Emily ganged up on Katie about some ten year old story. Katie tried to explain, and Fancy Pants said her story was different from that of the police… because the police would/could never lie. That was my looking at the camera like Jim from The Office moment for the night. Emily agreed and said, Katie always had a different story from the other person’s. I guess the other person be wrong. I was shocked that Emily, being an attorney who works with the wrongly convicted, could think it isn’t possible for the police to lie. A nice coda was, after Andy called for a break, Fancy Pants told Katie how sorry she was. Save it, sister.

Fancy Pants, Emily, and Tamra sat together and steamrolled whoever their target of the moment was, not letting them get a word in edgewise. I also think they believe whatever they read on the internet. Ryan’s misdeeds were discussed, and it ended with Emily complaining about Jenn doing her Tammy Wynette thing, standing by her man. She needed to be accountable. I dunno. It seems like Ryan’s done more good than harm as far as Jenn is concerned, and if Jenn’s happy, leave her be happy. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was happening with Emily’s hair.

Next time, Shannon calls someone an a-hole.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/rhoc-reunion-recap-heather-goes-to-the-gutter-for-gossip/

💫 Career Officially On Blast…

The next time ex-Spencer sees Port Charles, it will be when he caught GH on TV.

https://ew.com/nicholas-alexander-chavez-playing-real-person-incredibly-hard-8739980

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/nicholas-alexander-chavez-lands-an-exciting-new-role

🦝 Just Hanging Around the Airport…

I saw this on the local news. I’ll bet he wondered where the blip he was. Run, little friend. Be free.

https://people.com/raccoon-falls-from-ceiling-spirit-airlines-terminal-new-york-city-airport-8741530

🐶 It’s Not Easy…

Too bad they don’t stay green. That would be awesome.

https://people.com/pit-bull-gives-birth-to-green-puppy-named-after-fiona-shrek-8740642

🍂📞 Autumn Is Calling…

Join me tomorrow for soap, spilled tea, and other amusements. Until then, stay safe, stay adding fall color to your wardrobe, and stay not judging yourself by who you used to be and give yourself credit for who you are now.

November 6, 2024 – Carly Goes to Jack For Help (Again), Saying Goodbye, Salty Talk, Weekend Watching, Just Like Us, Family Project, A Few More & Summer

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Robert asks, what kind of trouble is Holly in? and she says, when she left Africa, she didn’t exactly leave empty handed. He asks what she took, and she says, Sidwell’s diamonds. And now he wants them back.

Carly goes to see Jack, and he asks, what’s wrong? She says, a woman named Sasha Corbin was just abducted at the Quartermaine estate. The man who kidnapped her said to tell her mother that he wants his diamonds back.

On the phone, Anna says, Robin is taking the idea of having a half-sister better than she did… How does she feel? Worried because wherever Holly goes, trouble seems to follow.

Portia asks how Lucas and the family are doing, and he asks if there’s been an update on Sam’s autopsy.

Alexis sleeps on the couch. She sits up and picks up a photo album. She looks at pictures of Sam, when there a knock at the door. It’s Curtis.

Brook hugs Michael and asks how he’s doing. He says he’s still in shock. He can’t believe Sam is gone. It doesn’t feel real. She says, losing someone never does, and he asks if she’s seen Willow. She left him a message and he texted her, but she’s not responding. She says she hasn’t seen Willow, and he wonders where she is. He went to the gatehouse, but she’s not there.

Willow and Drew do no basking in the afterglow. They just lie there breathing heavy.

Dante comes home and wanders around. He hears a key in the lock and runs to the door, but it’s Sonny. Sonny asks, what is it? and Dante says he thought for a second that Sam was home.  

Holly says, don’t be angry, but Robert says he’s not. She just told him that she stole millions of dollars in diamonds. She says, hundreds of millions. She was trying to keep him out of it, but now she needs his help. He says, of course (🍷) she does. He’ll do what he can. Has Sidwell been in touch with her? She says, not directly, and he says, has he been in touch indirectly? She says, her hotel room was ransacked, and he asks if the diamonds were there. She says, no. When Sidwell was spotted in Miami, she took them to a secure location. He asks, where?

Carly says, the man said he’d kill Sasha if she went to the police, and Jack says, so she came here. She says, he’s not the police, and he says, definitely not. He asks her to describe the man, and she says, bald, muscular build, about 6 feet tall, and English. Jack shows her Sidwell’s picture and asks if it’s him, and she says, yeah. He says, she had the distinct misfortune of meeting Jenz Sidwell, and she asks what Sidwell is doing in Port Charles when the WSB is looking for him. He asks what Sidwell said, and she says, tell Sasha’s mother that he wants his diamonds back. It makes no sense because Sasha’s mother is dead. Jack says he thinks he knows who can shed some light on this mystery.

Lucas asks if there are any preliminary findings, but Portia says, they want to be thorough. He says, it’s hard having unanswered questions, and she suggests he get some rest, but he says he’s covering for Dr. Welch, whose baby is sick. She asks if he thinks extra work is a good idea, but he says he wouldn’t do it if he thought he couldn’t handle it. Portia says, they’re here if he needs them, and Lucas leaves. Brad watches from around the corner.  

Sonny says he wanted to check in, and Dante says he got lost all over again walking into the apartment. It’s quiet and empty in here. It was full of love and laughter because of Sam. Now there’s a deafening silence and it’s not going to be the same home it was. Sonny says, it’s going to be different, and Dante asks him to stop trying to fix it. No one can fix it. This was Sam’s home. Sam was the reason it was a home. Who the hell decorates for Groundhog Day? Every year, he and Rocco couldn’t wait to see what she’d done. She gave his son a home again and gave him a mother when he lost his. She treated his kid like one of hers and gave him the same love she gave her kids. She invited them into her home and made them part of her family. Now she’s gone and he doesn’t know what that means. What happens to their family?

Brook tells Michael that Danny wanted to be alone, and Scout was exhausted and fell asleep. He says he hopes they get answers, and she says, Sam was young and healthy. He says he was thinking about how brave she was. When she found out Lulu needed help, she didn’t hesitate. Brook says, when she saw trouble, she stepped up, and Scout comes in. She says she had a bad dream and daddy wasn’t there. He’s gone like mommy. Brook says, he’s not gone, and Scout asks where he is. Find him.

Drew says he knows this shouldn’t have happened. He was blindsided by Sam’s death. Willow says, they both were, and he says, he shouldn’t have let it get that far, but he says, they’re both responsible. They can try to lay blame, but they’ve been fighting this attraction for months. He asks what they do, and she says, nothing. It was a one-time thing and can never happen again. (🍷) She loves Michael and loves their life. She doesn’t know what she was thinking. It was a horrible mistake, and no one can ever know about it. He says, it’s got to be their secret, and she says she’ll take the back stairs and come in the front. It will look like she’s just coming in. He thanks her for seeing that he was okay, and she leaves. We see an earring on the floor.

Brad asks, how’s Lucas? and Portia says, he’s anxious about the autopsy. Is it in yet? He says, no, not yet, and she says, let her know. Isaiah comes by and she says she’d love to speak with him.  

Curtis says he wanted to check on Alexis and say how sorry he is. She thanks him, and he says he knows when they’re in pain… She says, they make bad decisions, and he says he knows she’s not up for a meeting, so he brought a meeting to her. She says, it means a lot, and he says, she’s dealing with a lot. That’s usually when addicts go off the rails. He knows how easy it is to get lost in a bottle. Her sobriety matters, more so at times like this. She says she thought about having a drink a thousand times. She’d do anything to numb the pain, but absolutely not.

Sonny says, Dante is entitled to his anger, sadness, and confusion. It’s normal to have those feelings for a while, but don’t let himself drown in grief. Dante says, Sam was the glue that held them together, and Sonny says, they both made their family what it is. It’s a tragedy that Sam is gone, but Dante is here, and the kids need him. Dante says, what if that’s not enough? and Sonny says, they’re all here for him. Everybody is going to get him and the kids through this. He knows what Dante is going through. The whole world is dark. He doesn’t want to get out of bed, but he has to because that’s what Sam would want for him. They hug.  

Brook says, bad dreams are just dreams, and Scout says she misses mommy. Brook says she has the best cure to forget a bad dream – hot chocolate, and Scout says, with whipped cream? Brook says, of course (🍷), and takes Scout to the kitchen. Willow comes in, pretending like she just got here.

Carly tells Anna that she was at the Quartermaines, when Sidwell stormed in and kidnapped Sasha. He told her to tell Sasha’s mother that he wants his diamonds back, but Sasha’s mother is dead. He must have made a mistake. Anna says, no. Holly Sutton is Sasha’s mother. Carly asks if she’s sure. She’s known Sasha a long time. Anna says, people have been known to lie, and Jack says, Holly stole Sidwell’s diamonds, and he followed her to Port Charles. Anna says she knew it, but when she confronted Holly, Holly denied it. Carly says, just have Holly give them back. Sasha’s life is at stake. Anna says, Holly can’t always be counted on to do the right thing.

Holly says she can’t tell Robert until she has a plan. Until then, the diamonds will stay in a secure location. He says, the diamonds have put her in the crosshairs of a dangerous criminal. The best thing to do is give them back. She says, the diamonds are just as much hers, and he asks how she figures that. She says, they were mined illegally, and he says, they were stolen. Neither of them deserve the diamonds. She says she has a better purpose for them, and he says he’ll only help her if she’s honest with him. Tell him where the diamonds are and what her plan is. She says she can’t, and he says, can’t or won’t? Neither works for him.

In her office, Portia thanks Isaiah for doing Lulu’s transplant, and Isaiah says he was about to check on her. How is she doing? Portia says, they’re going in the right direction, and he says he’s glad to hear that. She says she wants to ask him about Lulu’s donor. She’s not sure if he’s aware, but her donor, Sam McCall, was stable after surgery, then passed away a short time later. He says he had no idea. What happened? She says, they don’t know. She was hoping he could help. He says, Sam wasn’t his patient, and they had little contact. He can submit his post-surgery notes… She says, she’s more interested in getting his insights. Was there any indication that Dr. Jones made any mistakes?

Lucas searches for post-surgery cardiac arrest on his laptop.

Olivia arrives at Dante’s apartment and asks Sonny how Dante is doing. Sonny says, he’s not doing too well, and Olivia says, Sam seemed healthy. What the hell went wrong? Sonny says, they don’t know. He told Dante that he’s got to get it together for the children. He’s worried he can’t handle things without her. Olivia says, all Dante thinks about is everybody else, when Dante comes downstairs. Olivia hugs him and asks what she can do. Did he eat? He says his stomach is too messed up. It’s like Sam’s still here. He can smell her perfume. Olivia suggests he stay with the kids, but he says he’s where he needs to be. She says, whatever he thinks is best, and he says, having Sam back is what’s best. She says she’d do anything to give him that, and he says, but she can’t. He feels like he’s drowning and can’t see a clear path forward.

Willow says she’s so sorry about Sam, and Michael says, where was she? He called and texted, but she didn’t answer. She says she had put her phone on silent and fell asleep on the couch. She forgot to turn it back on. She knows he’s struggling, and she wants to be there for him. She hopes he lets her. Creeper Drew comes in, and Willow says she heard about Sam. She’s sorry for his loss. She hugs him.  

Isaiah tells Portia that Sam’s liver was in excellent condition and Lucas performed a perfect procedure. She says she doesn’t doubt Lucas’s ability, but she has to follow up. It’s her responsibility to find out how a healthy patient had such a serious complication. He says, things like this happen, and she says, but this is a unique situation. Sam was Dr. Jones’s sister. It’s not something they normally do, but an exception was made. He asks if Sam signed releases, and she says, it’s crucial to the hospital’s reputation that they get to the bottom of this. He says, he’s getting the feeling that’s not the only reason. Is she asking because she wants answers or a scapegoat?

Lucas closes his laptop and looks through a book. Brad watches through the door window.

Alexis says she was in the same position Curtis is not long ago, and Curtis says, Finn when Gregory died. She says, Finn let go of his sobriety because he couldn’t handle the grief. She didn’t blame him. She would have done the same. He says, they’ve all been there, and she says she’s already had one relapse. He says, they’re all one slip away, and she says, Sam stepped in and saved the day. She staged an intervention and said she wouldn’t lose Alexis without a fight. And while she’s more tempted than ever to drink, she won’t, because she won’t dishonor Sam’s memory by using her death as an excuse to dive into a bottle. He says he sees where Sam got her strength, and she says she considers that memory to be Sam’s last gift to her. He says, if she needs anything, he’s there for her, day or night, and she thanks him. She says she has to start making decisions about the funeral. She wants Sam to be proud of her. He tells her to call anytime, and leaves. She looks at the photo album and cries.

Michael tells Drew that he’s sorry about what happened earlier. He didn’t know about Sam. Drew says he understands. Michael had other things to worry about. Have they seen Scout? She’s not in her room. Michael says, she had a bad dream, and Brook took her to the kitchen. Brook comes back with Scout, who tells Drew that she’s scared. He says, it’s important for her to know it’s okay to feel sad. Promise she’ll always remember how much Sam loved her. Scout says she will, and they hug. Michael looks at Willow.

Portia tells Isaiah that she’s not looking for a scapegoat. She’s looking for an explanation. Isaiah says, Lucas did a textbook job, and she says, Sam still died. Isaiah says, there are a million decisions only made by the surgeon. Not everyone is cut out for that responsibility, but he wouldn’t have agreed if he didn’t think Lucas was. He spoke to Lucas’s colleagues in Boston. He’s a first-class surgeon with a stellar reputation. Portia says, but Lucas had a whole other level of pressure, and Isaiah says, he operated on his sister.

Lucas showers and goes to his locker. He opens it and sees a photo of him and Sam.

Anna says, they have to focus on getting Sasha away from Sidwell, and Jack says, make sure her involvement and that of the PCPD is discreet. Carly says, Sidwell threatened to kill Sasha if she involved the police, and Anna says, then they have to make sure he doesn’t find out. Their number one priority is to get Sasha out safely. She thinks she knows where to start.

Robert says he refuses to remain in the dark, and Holly says she wants to stop Sidwell from coming after him. Robert says, he’s dangerous and after her. Anna is worried too. Their lives are complicated enough. Add Sasha to the mix, and they become more tangled. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about them having a child. He wants to know his daughter and wants Holly to be a part of that. He’s lived through losing her before and doesn’t want to again. Tell him everything so he can help her. She’s got to be honest with him.

Olivia says, whatever Dante needs, she’ll be happy to do it, and he says, taking the kids was a big help. They can’t imagine how it felt coming in. Sonny says, they would have helped him through it, and Dante says he remembers how long it took him and Sam to talk about moving in together. The day it happened, he freaked out. He thought for sure it would be the reason they broke up, but they got along like they were already a family. He and Sam never fought. Their lives combined perfectly. It was amazing. He should have known it was too good to last.

Scout wants to stay with Drew, and he suggests they watch a movie. Willow says, that’s a great idea. She’ll help Scout look for something. Michael says he missed some calls and has to check his voicemail. Willow says she’ll be here if he needs anything, and he goes into the foyer. His phone indicates there’s a video of movement on the baby monitor. He looks at it and sees Willow and Drew in the nursery. (This is beyond rut-roh.)

Anna leaves to find Jason, and Jack tells Carly not to worry. Anna is very good at what she does. If anyone can take care of it, she can. He’s curious. She couldn’t go to the police, but she has other resources – Sonny, Jason, and he’s sure she has others. Why him? She says, Sonny and Jason just lost someone close to them. They’re all shook up and he’s the next best thing. He says he’s flattered, and she says she decided to trust him. Don’t make her regret it.

Holly says, it’s her turn to protect Robert, but he says he can take care of himself. Anna walks in and says she has bad news. Jenz Sidwell is in Port Charles. Robert says, they know, and Anna says, and he wants his diamonds back. What they don’t know is, he’s kidnapped their daughter to make sure he gets them.

Lucas gets dressed and closes his locker. He turns around and sees Brad.

Alexis looks at the funeral website on her tablet, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it to Sonny, who says he got here as fast as he could. How is she? She says she’s glad he’s here. Look at this. The funeral home expects her to make a thousand decisions. He says, it can wait, but she says, it needs to be prefect. She doesn’t think a traditional coffin is appropriate because Sam wasn’t traditional. She’s thinking of modern, but doesn’t want to make the wrong choice. There’s the service… She’ll need a picture for the church, but what picture? She needs to find the right one to represent Sam… He says, stop, and she says she wants someone to tell her it’s not true. How can her daughter be dead? How is it even possible that it happened?   

Dante comes downstairs and opens the closet. He sees Sam’s leather jacket and takes it out, holding it to him and smelling it.  

Michael watches the video, seeing Willow and Drew get nakey. Willow comes out and says, Scout is tired. The movie is off. What is he looking at? Drew comes out with Scout and says, Scout is looking for Willow. Scout asks if Willow will tuck her in with daddy, and Willow says, of course (🍷). She tells Michael that she’ll be back in a little while, and Michael says, take your time. She and Drew go upstairs, and Michael looks at the video of Willow and Drew getting busy.

Tomorrow, Portia says she never should have let Lucas operate on his sister; Alexis doesn’t want to picture a world without her daughter; and Holly tells Jason that she needs her diamonds back.

💔 Double the Goodbye…

Yeah, none of us are exactly happy about it.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-dominic-zamprogna-says-goodbye-to-kelly-monaco

🧂 Too Much Salt…

Heather didn’t waste any time telling Lisa and Meredith that Bronwyn was mean to her and didn’t invite her to Palm Springs, not quite what really happened. Someone always seems to be processing something or wanting an apology from someone. If I had their money, all I’d need to process is payment for the cashmere sweaters I’m buying, and I’d only want an apology if they didn’t have my size. Bronwyn’s husband Todd was over the drama and didn’t want it on the trip. Good luck with that. Lisa blew her nose over being called a bad mom, and said it was the worst thing she could be called. Has she seen Bad Moms? It’s not. Lisa talked about going to Europe, but said she didn’t want to stay in Italy for too long. She didn’t like the food. It was too fresh. What? Whoever heard of such a thing? Ten seconds after he got to Palm Springs, husband Seth told Meredith that he had to make a U-turn back to Ohio, which didn’t sit well with her.

Lisa missed Heather and felt the need to call her while the group was hanging at the hot tub and Bronwyn wasn’t there. Bronwyn was annoyed that the second she got up to take a leak, Lisa was on the phone. Lisa got loud, causing the husbands to dog paddle over from the pool. One of them suggested the women call Heather, but Angie said, they had and that’s why they were fighting. The husbands slunk back out of the women’s business, and Lisa said, Bronwyn and Heather needed to work it out. She didn’t want to get involved. That was where I looked at the camera like Jim from The Office. Todd finally told Lisa’s husband John that either Lisa takes it down a notch or they could leave. He’d had a weekend’s worth of drama in three hours. John relayed the information to Lisa, who again embellished a new story where she had zero fault.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

I love Vice’s Dark Side series, and the Reality TV season has been well worth watching. Part exposé and part Memory Lane, they’ve bared it all. In this episode, Aviva Drescher was more of a pragmatist, explaining that even though they were prodded by producers, what made the show was the drama, and the drama was what brought the paycheck. On the other hand, Vicki Gunvalson came off as quite bitter, but after hearing how the show handled her mother’s death, I really couldn’t blame her. I remembered that episode well as it was so heart wrenching. Jeana Keough was another interviewee, and seemed to take everything in stride, saying she’d do it again if offered.

https://people.com/vicki-gunvalson-real-housewives-of-orange-county-deal-with-the-devil-dark-side-of-reality-tv-8736542

Au revoir, Daryl. Again, I don’t know why they have to explain everything to us, but I actually didn’t read this since I haven’t seen it yet.

https://ew.com/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-season-2-finale-ending-explained-8738006

https://www.cbr.com/the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-season2-episode6-recap-spoilers/

And of course, my favorite. I am officially fangirling now that I bought a T-shirt that says Fromily.

🗳 Stars Rock the Vote…

Is it me or does Lady Gaga look like a young Courtney Love?

https://extratv.com/photos/image_jpg_20241105_f499556a0b794aa7882f384f8ac3d4eb/

🧟‍♂️ The Family That Films Together…

What fun parents!

https://ew.com/kevin-bacon-kyra-sedgwick-making-comedy-horror-movie-with-their-real-kids-8739590

👻 Halloween Hangover…

The Bob costume just kills me.

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/video/nyc-dogs-show-off-halloween-costumes-115344940

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g23653854/best-halloween-costumes-of-all-time/

🍎 Crisp and Golden As an Apple…

Join me tomorrow for soap and messiness in the OC. Until then, stay safe, stay away from the topic of politics if it’s just going to start a fight, and stay checking for nannycams if you’re going to get busy in the nursery.

October 31, 2024 – Lucas Says Sam Is Dead, Tacky 80s Bridesmaids In the OC, About That Parade, Stranger Today Things, The Other Parade, Halloween Quote & Candy

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Willow tells Drew that she doesn’t want to hurt Michael more, and more secrets lead to more pain. Drew asks if she thinks telling him about the second kiss will help, but she says, it’s the right thing to do. No more secrets. Then she’ll stop being afraid and living in constant terror that her marriage is over. He says, Ned and Tracy only know about the 4th of July and he’s handled it. No more leverage. It’s done.

Sasha says she was thinking about what Michael said, that Drew is the most to blame, but she doesn’t know. He may be responsible for the kiss, but he’s not responsible for them ending up in this hotel room.

Chase joins Dante and Rocco at the Surf Lodge and says, Sam said yes? Dante wonders why everyone is acting surprised, and Chase says, Dante knows Sam is out of his league. They figured Sam knew too. He congratulates Dante and says, if he needs any advice or tips on getting married… he’ll give Dante Brook’s number. Whatever Sam wants, give it to her. Otherwise, stay out of the way. Dante says he can do that.

Alexis tells Jason that if Sam is having an allergic reaction or a seizure, the hospital is the best place to be. They know what they’re doing, and they’re prepared. They need to stay positive. It’s what Sam would do and what she’d want them to do. Sam has her whole life ahead of her. She has a fiancé and friends. She’s going to be fine. Lucas, Portia, and Elizabeth come out, and Alexis asks, how’s her daughter? Portia says she’s so sorry.

Alexis tells Portia, don’t say it, but Portia says she’s sorry. Sam didn’t make it. Jason asks, when she says… Lucas says, Sam is dead, but Alexis says, she can’t be. She was just with Sam, and she was fine. Nothing was wrong with her. She wanted to go home. Jason looks at Elizabeth, and Alexis says she watched them checking on Sam and double checking. She was pre-checked, and she was so healthy, she donated. This can’t be right. Lucas says he’s so sorry, and Alexis says, sorry? He tells her that her daughter is gone and he’s sorry? That’s wrong because she’s Sam’s mother and would know if she was gone. She would feel it. She goes to Sam’s room.

Drew says, if Willow tells Michael about the second kiss, he’ll start to question everything and will play into Ned’s hands. Willow says she doesn’t care about Ned, the Quartermaines, or whoever is blackmailing him. She cares about her marriage. He tells her that he’s not saying to lie. Just don’t volunteer new information that will hurt Michael more. She says, so lie by omission, and he says he doesn’t want to hurt Michael more. Despite his actions, Michael is his nephew, and he loves him too. Why cause more pain over something they both agree is over and done?

Michael says, Sasha is right. Drew didn’t pour the alcohol down their throats or drive them here and get a room. She says, that’s all on them, but he says he’s here as a result of Drew’s actions. What about her? How did she wind up here? She says she was hurting and needed someone she trusted, and he says, they were both betrayed be people they love. She says, and they both lost something life changing, and he says he reached out to something safe and familiar. She says her too. No one ever has to know about this. He says, agreed.

Lucas tells Jason, they did everything they could to save Sam, and jets. Jason asks Elizabeth to tell him what happened.

Alexis goes into Sam’s room and walks to the bed. She kisses Sam’s forehead and says, she’s so cold. She’ll get a blanket. Portia comes in, and Alexis asks if Portia can get a blanket for her daughter. She just had surgery and she’s cold. She needs another blanket. Portia tries to speak, but Alexis says, get a blanket. Please. Portia says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Alexis says she doesn’t know why there’s no blanket in here, and Portia comes back with the blanket. Alexis takes it from her and says she just wants to talk to her daughter. Portia says, of course (🍷). Take all the time she needs. She leaves and Alexis puts the blanket on Sam, but says, she’s still cold. She gets in the bed and holds Sam. She says, this is all Sam needs (and rips my heart of my chest).

Sasha says, if she had to run into anyone after her life blew apart, she’s glad it was him, and Michael says he’ll let her know when he decides. She leaves and he follows.

Chase says he’s happy for Dante. He deserves good things. Dante says, Sam does, and Chase says, she loves Dante so much. They have a great life. So good, he never thought they’d go through the hassle of being married. Dante says, they never needed to. They did all the married couple things. Chase asks, what changed? and Dante says he did. He woke up and realized he wanted Sam to be his wife.

Elizabeth says, it was cardiac arrest, and Jason asks, how? Wouldn’t it show up in her pre-op tests? Elizabeth says, they don’t know what caused it, but they will, and Jason tells her, they said Sam was fine. Elizabeth says, all the labs and tests showed her coming through the surgery with flying colors, and Jason says, and now she’s dead?

Alexis says, when Sam was born, she had a lot of hair. The other babies didn’t. And it smelled – she inhales Sam’s hair – so good. She didn’t get to have Sam long, but she looked into those beautiful, brown, soulful eyes and wondered what she could have possibly done to make such a miracle. She was so young and scared. Sam was crying, and when she sang, Sam stopped crying, then smiled. She was lucky. Life gave Sam to her twice. Now it’s taking her back. You can’t just take a miracle back. Bring her back. She starts to cry and begs, please, please, please.

Alexis gets out of the bed, looks heavenward, and cries. She says, why her and not anybody else? You should have taken me. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. Parents are not supposed to bury their children, especially one so good. The only reason she was here is because she was helping someone else. She was saving another mother’s daughter and for that you took her? I hate you.  

Drew goes to the stables and tells Cody that he hasn’t come to finish what they started. He’s not pressing charges or firing Cody. Cody asks what he can do for Drew. Would he like a tour of the stables? Would he like to pet Comet? He has to warn Drew, Comet is in a bit of a mood. Drew wonders if it’s contagious, and Cody asks what he wants. Drew says he wants Cody to stand down and stop causing damage, but Cody says, that’s on Drew. He won’t stop kissing his nephew’s wife and sleeping with her mother. Those are the literal facts. The respect Drew is showing to him and Willow is inspirational. Drew says, Cody doesn’t understand, but Cody says he understands. He’s just not buying what Drew is selling. He sees Drew for who he is. He loves the hero worship from his adoring fans and would-be constituents. He needs to come down to earth with the rest of them. Drew says he’s never been anywhere else. Obviously, something is going on. Cody can take it out on him, but he’s here to ask Cody to leave Willow out of it. She’s a good person and doesn’t deserve this.

Michael goes home, and Willow says she was worried about him. He says he needed to think and rented a hotel room. She says she missed him. All she wanted was for him to come home and to tell him how sorry she is and explain everything. He asks if there’s more to explain.

Jason tells Elizabeth that he can’t wrap his head around it. He’s supposed to meet Danny and Scout at Bobbie’s. How can he tell them that they’re mom is gone? Elizabeth says, be honest. Keep it simple. They’ll probably have a lot of questions. It’s okay if he doesn’t have all the answers. He says he doesn’t have any answers, and she says, he can do this. Do it for Sam.

Alexis says she had to leave the hospital and didn’t have any say. Now that she has a say, she doesn’t want to. For years, she had Sam locked away in her heart. She knew Sam would find her one day, and then there Sam was in her life. She knows if she leaves the room, Sam will be gone, and she can’t live in a world without her in it. So she’s telling Sam that she loves her. She hopes Sam’s heard it when she’s said it. She loves Sam. She cries and kisses Sam’s forehead.

Alexis comes out and goes to Jason. She says she needs to tell Kristina and Molly and the kids, and he says he’ll tell Danny and Scout. If it’s all right with her, he’d like to say goodbye. She nods, and he goes into Sam’s room. Elizabeth hugs Alexis and she cries.

Willow says she came to tell him what happened… and Michael says, Drew beat her to it. She says, that’s not how she wanted it. She wanted to talk when it was just them. He says, here we are. Explain how an uncle he loved and trusted took advantage of her and kissed her. She says, it wasn’t like that, and he says, then what was it like? She says, it was the 4th of July, and Drew had just made his congressional announcement. Everyone was happy. They’d had a couple of drinks and the fireworks started. They got caught up in the excitement and in one stupid moment of celebration, they kissed. Michael asks if Drew kissed her.

Jason goes into Sam’s room and says, he knew she was gone when he saw her mother’s face. He knew it when Lucas said it. He heard Lucas, but it wasn’t real. He goes to her bed and says, it wasn’t real until now… but she’s not here. She left them.

Drew says, expose him and Cody will expose Willow, and Cody says, how convenient. Drew seems to get away with everything, hiding behind Willow. Drew says he thought Cody cared about Willow, and Cody says he does. Drew says, they have that in common. He’s willing to pay. How much for Cody to keep his mouth shut? Cody asks if Drew thinks he can buy him off. Guys like him think money solves everything. Drew says, it solves some things, and Cody says, Drew is right. Why shouldn’t he get something? Drew asks, how much? and Cody says, a hundred thousand, but Drew says he was thinking fifty thousand. Do they have a deal? (I was thinking 6 million for Serenity. Isn’t Drew a skabillionaire? Apparently, he’s also a cheapskate.)

Willow says, it was a blur. She can’t remember much, but it was one isolated incident. She suggests they not make a bigger deal about it than it is. Drew loves Michael. Michael says he would have believed that until yesterday, and Willow says, they made a stupid mistake, and it shouldn’t be blown out of proportion. Michael asks if that’s it. If there’s anything else, now’s the time to tell him. Willow says, only one thing. She loves him. Please tell her that he believes that.

Jason says he doesn’t make a lot of plans. At least not long-term ones. He doesn’t believe in them. He’s seen things change so fast. But he believed in long term plans for her. She was supposed to watch Danny grow up and have kids. He assumed she’d live a long life. She was brave and ready for new adventures. She liked to kick it up a notch, and he loved that about her. He loved her courage and compassion, even her stubbornness. He loved that she wasn’t a great cook, but kept trying. She never quit. He loved the look on her face when she thought she’d make him laugh… or smile. It was like a big accomplishment, but it wasn’t. Because whenever he really looked at her, he would smile. He loves looking at Danny and seeing some of her looking back. He loves so much about her.

Elizabeth asks if Alexis would like her to call someone, and Alexis says, call Portia. She wants answers about what happened to her daughter.

Michael says, Willow told him that she loved him, and she says she does, so much. He says, they all make mistakes. He’s made his fair share and she’s forgiven him. She says, they’ve loved each other through so much, she prays he can forgive her for one moment of stupidity, and he say he believes they can get past this. He agrees that one kiss isn’t worth losing everything they have. One kiss is not worth blowing their family apart. She says she loves him so much. Not a day goes by that she’s not incredibly grateful for their family. He says, she’s an amazing mother, and she says she wants to be a great wife too. Their marriage means so much. He says he’s happy everything is out in the open, and she says she should have never done anything else.  He says, they can put it behind them, and she says, that’s all she wants. She wants to be his safe place. They kiss, and he asks how long the kids will be gone. She says, long enough, and they get busy.

Drew says, there’s $50,000 in Cody’s account, and Cody says, Drew paid for his silence. The way Drew lives his life, he won’t be the last. Drew says he asked around about Cody, and he’s not one to throw stones, and Cody says he has the unique ability to know what he’s seeing when he looks at Drew. He’s thinking he’s got away with something and maybe he did… this time. Guys like him end up tripping over their own skis and he can’t wait to watch. Drew suggests Cody buy himself something nice. It might put him in a better mood. (I don’t even know what to say to that.)

Elizabeth tells Lucas that she’s so sorry. She knows how much Sam meant to him. He did everything he could. He asks if she’s sure about that, and she says she was there with him. She watched him do everything possible. He says, then why is his sister dead?  

Alexis says, Portia told her that the surgery was a success, and her daughter would be fine. She told her daughter that she just needed to recuperate for a week, that it was standard procedure. Portia says, that’s usually true, and Alexis asks why her daughter is dead. Portia says, they’re doing an investigation… and Alexis says, don’t talk to her like a doctor. Talk to her like a mother with a daughter. When Sam died, what happened? Portia says, as mother to mother, the answer is the same. She’s so sorry. Alexis says, then by all means investigate. She wants answers, but in the end, it won’t matter. Her daughter is dead. She turns around and Danny and Dante are there.

Jason says he remembers when Sam took off to Florida. When they first met, they couldn’t stand each other. He’s not sure why he went after her, but he found her in a dive bar, A big storm rolled in and they got stranded. He told her to get some sleep, and she said she slept better when he was around. He slept better when she was around too. He never told her, and he should have. There are so many things he should have told her. So many moments he could only share with her. We flash back to Sam and Jason meeting when we were all babies and go down Memory Lane. Sam getting pregnant and losing the baby. Slow dancing at the Chinese restaurant (The Lucky Buddha or something like that), having fun, having sex, loving each other, and getting married. He remembers saving her, watching fireworks together, and escaping an explosion together. He says he loves her and always will. With the saddest face I have ever seen, he says he remembers it all. He’ll never forget. He promises. He kisses her forehead and says goodbye. He leaves and cries outside the room.

Tomorrow, Laura wonders if it’s Lulu; Kristina asks Molly what’s that supposed to mean; Drew tells Carly, it wasn’t supposed to end like this; and Dante tells Sonny that it was his fault.

🍊 A Lemon Among Oranges…

Ryan asked Jenn to marry him and she showed off her giant rock. She invited the group to their engagement party, and the women all decided to wear tacky vintage 80s bridesmaid’s dresses, with Jenn tackily dressed as the bride of course.

In Gina’s interview, she explained that Travis’s ex-wife was toxic and aggressive, and she couldn’t have that chaos around her kids. She suggested she and Travis go to therapy, since she needed to learn how to deal with it, and told him, if they were meant to be, they’d survive it.

RHOC OGs Vicki and Jo De La Rosa were at the party, and the dresses were spot on 80s tacky, and I loved them. In Gina’s interview, she said Tamra didn’t just burn bridges, but burned down the whole town. It was narcissistic behavior. Tell us something we don’t know. In Jenn’s interview, she said she knew when Shannon apologized, she was sincere and made an effort to improve, but Tamra, not so much. She was tired of circling the same drains with Tamra all the time. Not beating around any bushes, Vicki said, Tamra is who she is. She was classless with an ego the size of the state of California.

At the party, Shannon had enough of Tamra picking at her and decided she was done. On her way out the door, she had the weirdest exchange with Katie’s husband where he told her maybe it was time she got to stepping. Johnny J. – the guy who didn’t want to be on the show, yet we’ve seen every five minutes this season – also made an appearance at the party. I’m not sure if this is what caused Shannon to double back, but suddenly there she was, throwing her bouquet, which Gina caught. In Johnny J.’s interview, he said he didn’t want people believing the lies being told about him.

Since it was the finale, we saw text about what the women are up to now, but it seemed like not much had changed. Possibly the most boring updates in Housewives’ history.

But wait. There’s more. Three weeks later. We saw headlines about Ryan being accused of laundering money, and Tamra bragging that she was right. Ryan told Jenn, life throws things at you that you can’t control. That’s why it’s called life. What? I could understand if we called life target, but that made no sense whatsoever. To what I’m sure was Tamra’s dismay, we saw that Ryan had been absolved of any wrongdoing and had full immunity. However, his business partner Matt was facing up to 18 years in prison. Ryan had insisted he’d just gone along for the ride on Matt’s trips, and why not? It’s not like Matt was a hitman and, private jets, Bahamas, drinks with umbrellas in them. In their interviews and collectively, everyone called Jenn a dumbass, but that’s not stopping her from planning a wedding for 2025.

Next time, The Reunion. Brrr…

And while we’re on the subject.

👻 Down In the Village…

As of this post, there weren’t any photo galleries released yet, but it’s not like it changes, so here’s all you need to know should you ever be in the vicinity.

https://gothamist.com/news/spooktacle-2024-nycs-51st-village-halloween-parade-steps-off-tonight-heres-what-to-know

The Village Halloween Parade site. This year’s theme was Meow. Love Andre De Shields as Old Deuteronomy.

🤡 Today In Costumes…

Now these are disturbing.

https://parade.com/tv/today-show-halloween-costumes-2024

🐩 A Pawsome Time Was Had By All…

And since there were no photos of the Village parade, have more of this.

https://parade.com/tv/today-show-halloween-costumes-2024

🎃 Quote of the Day…

Me: $**!@#$)(%&U! Halloween decorations!

The Dogs: What is she doing *now*????

🐸 Eye Of Newt and Toe Of Frog…

It’s been a looong day and night, and an all week juggling act. So join me tomorrow for soap and post Halloween treats. Until then, stay safe, stay not eating all your kid’s Halloween candy at once, and stay telling people the things you want them to hear while they’re still with you to hear them.

October 24, 2024 – Sam Is Prepped For Surgery, Doubtful, Steven Lars, Just a Bowl Of Oranges, Salty Talk, Movie Watch, On Backwatch, Full Circle, Vampire Review, Matching & Hour   

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Jason goes to Sonny’s office and asks, what’s up. Sonny says, it’s time to tell him what went on in Africa, and holds up the diamond.

At the Surf Lodge, Alexis, Danny, and Scout talk about Sam’s surgery. Scout says, it’s a big deal. Sam is saving Lulu’s life.

Jack calls Carly, and when she answers, he says he was starting to think she was avoiding him. She says she’s in the middle of something, but he says he needs to see her right now. She says, now is not a good time. She’s at GH. Jack says he insists. This is important. She says, so is this, and goes in to see Sam.

Laura tells Lulu that she knows it’s hard to hang in there, but help is on the way thanks to Sam. She’ll be here and Lucky will be here when Lulu comes out. She can do this. Dante and Rocco arrive, and Laura says, they’ll all be here waiting for her.

Isaiah is in the locker room, earbuds in, when Lucas says, sorry to interrupt. Isaiah says he likes to visualize a procedure before he does it, and Lucas says, they all have their pre-op rituals. He knew a surgeon who had to wear the same shoes and eat two banana muffins before surgery. Isaiah asks if Lucas is ready, and Lucas says he and Sam have the easy part. Isaiah says, it’s going to take all of them to give Lulu the help she needs. He leaves, and Brad opens his locker, finding a bag from Eckerd’s. He takes out a sweet roll and bites into it. Brad comes in and says, Lucas used to always have Eckerd’s before surgery. Unless he’s hungry for something else.

Ric visits Heather and she says she misses Alexis. He says, that’s something you don’t hear very… ever, and she says, her roommate isn’t good at conversation, but she does make a delicious toilet wine. He says, you win some, you lose some, and she says she wouldn’t mind winning some. Did the judge do what he was supposed to? Ric says, he did. The judge vacated her sentence. She’s going free.

Ellizabeth tells Portia that she heard about Heather, and asks if there’s anything she can do to help. Portia says, it’s enough that Elizabeth understands how she feels, but if Plan A fails, she might take Elizabeth up on it. Elizabeth asks, what’s Plan A?

Curtis’s assistant tells him that his 9 o’clock is here, and he says, let them in. No interruptions. Steven Webber (aka Steven Lars) comes in and they shake hands. Curtis says, Heather Webber’s prodigal son.  

Portia says, they have a big day they need to focus on, and Elizabeth says, they have to get ready to make sure the surgery goes smoothly. Portia says, Curtis is taking care of Heather, and Elizabeth tells her to be careful. Heather has a powerful ally in Ric, and if he sees someone moving against his client, he’ll respond in kind. Portia says, Heather is the one who needs to be careful.

Steven says he’s not a doctor anymore, but Curtis says he was highly skilled before he was incarcerated. Steven says, and financially stable. He thanks Curtis for paying his way here, and Curtis says, it’s the least he could do. Steven says, that depends on why Curtis is asking. He doesn’t have good memories of Port Charles and he’s not planning on staying long. Curtis says he’s not planning on standing in Steven’s way, and Steven asks what he can do for Curtis. Curtis says, when Steven does leave, he wants him to take his mother with him.

Heather asks if Ric is messing with her, but he says he got the call last night. She asks if she’s going to a halfway house or a minimum-security facility with a nice volleyball court, but he says, she’s being released. As soon as the paperwork is done, she’s out of here. She asks if she has to check in with a parole officer, get drug tests, or wear an ankle monitor, and he says, her violence stemmed from a medical condition that’s been eradicated, so she no longer needs those constraints. She says she’s free? Totally free? He says, yes, and she says, oh my God. She jumps up and hugs him. She says she got her second chance, and he’d better believe she’s going make the most of him. She kisses him on the lips, like, mwah, and hugs him again.  

Lucas says he thought he made the boundaries clear, and Brad says he brought Eckerd’s for the staff and wanted to make sure Lucas had what he needed for his pre-op routine. He was just being supportive. Lucas says he doesn’t want any misunderstanding, and Brad says he’ll throw it away, but Lucas says he already took a bite. His towel falls and he grabs it, but Brad says, relax. It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before… but that mole is new. He should get it checked out.

Laura tells Dante and Rocco that Sam is going to be prepped for surgery. If there’s anything they want to say, now’s the time. Rocco goes to Lulu’s bed and sits. He takes her hand, and says, it’s me. Rocco.

Carly asks how Sam is, and Sam says she just wishes they could get this show on the road. Carly says, waiting is the worst. It will take a miracle for Lulu to pull through, but what matters is Lulu getting a chance because of Sam. Sam says she’s just doing what anyone would do, and Carly says, if Sam needs anything, tell her. Sam says, Carly didn’t come to chat. She wants something. She always does. Carly admits she does. She wants to say thank you.

Jason asks where the diamond came from, and Sonny says, Africa. The same plane that brought Jason back. How did he find Lucky? Jason hands back the diamond and says, Jenz Sidwell was holding Lucky captive. They met at a casino in Nairobi and Sidwell invited them back to the camp. Sonny says, smart, but Jason says, not really. They’d been made at the casino and Sidwell took them back to have them killed. Sonny asks how they got out, and Jason says, there was a WSB drone strike. Sonny says, it’s nice to know they’re good for something, and Jason says, it saved their lived. When everything went to hell, they got out. Sonny says, but not alone, and Jason says, Holly was working an angle with Sidwell, but at the end, she helped them escape. She  had the diamond? Sonny says, plural, and Jason asks, how many? Sonny says, enough to know Holly is trouble, but the kind of trouble that might be worth it.

Heather says, the first thing she’s going to do is go to Kelly’s for a BLT, and Ric says, she needs to think about the state of her finances. Probably look into getting a job. She says, what about the millions from the quacks who gave her a poison hip? but he says, even if they get a settlement, it could take a while. In the meantime, she needs to support herself. She says, in the words of Scarlett O’Hara, she’ll think about it tomorrow, and he says, today, she needs a place to crash. Does she know anybody who will take her in?

Steven says he was hoping to have nothing to do with Heather, and Curtis asks if he’s aware of what’s happening. Steven says, Elizabeth caught him up, and asks if Heather got a reduced sentence. Curtis says, her sentence was vacated, and she’s being released today. He’s guessing that’s not happy news. Steven says, their relationship is complicated, and Curtis says, Heather wanted his daughter killed and she’s been allowed out in the world. Steven says, without the medical device that made her violent, and Curtis asks if Steven would bet his daughter’s life on it. He wants them to reunite far away from Port Charles. Steven says, Heather gave birth to him, but she’s hardly been his mother, and Curtis says he thought Steven might feel that way. So he’s prepared to make it worth Steven’s while.

Sonny tells Jason that Holly had a bag of them she wanted him to offload. He’s thinking the haul is close to a hundred million. Jason asks what he’s going to do, and Sonny says he’s inclined to work with her. Jason asks if Sonny knows if they’re registered, and Sonny says, no. There are no qualifiers; they’re stolen. Jason says, Sidwell might disagree, and Sonny asks if he didn’t die in the drone strike, but Jason says, he survived and he’s back in the US. He’s guessing Sidwell is looking for Holly.

Alexis tells Scout to go wash up, and Scout leaves. Alexis tells Danny that he’s a good big brother, and he says he’s the oldest. It’s his job. Alexis says, it’s not easy. His sister can be a little a lot, and when he needs to step up, Danny does. She thinks Danny is awesome and so does his mom.

Carly says, it’s no small thing, and Sam says she’s doing it for Dante and Rocco. Carly says, it means the world to all of them, and Sam says she may actually start to believe Carly can dish out compliments. She may have to bank this one. Carly says, please do, when Jack pops in and says he needs a word with Miss Spencer.

Laura says, Rocco is getting so big, and Dante wonders if Lulu will recognize him. She says, he was just a kid when the accident happened that put Lulu in a coma. He’s had to spend so much time without her. Rocco tells Lulu that he brought this for her, and puts a medal in her hand. He says his first cross country meet. He won. It’s all about endurance. Sometimes you feel like you’re not going to make it, but never give up. He thinks he got that from her. They’re so close, don’t give up now.

Outside, Carly tells Jack that her cousin is having a very complicated liver transplant. She was with the woman who’s going to be her donor. Jack says, Carly’s support is commendable. Why doesn’t she do that and then come to his office? She asks what he needs, and he says he needs Jason’s cooperation in giving him vital information from the rescue. She says, just ask him, and he says, it’s clear Jason is holding something back. She says, good luck, and he says, apparently, Jason made a nasty enemy in Jenz Sidwell when he was in Africa. He’s a gem of a human being and he’s now in the US, probably on his way to Port Charles. She asks what he expects her to do, and he says, she begged him to facilitate a rescue that could turn into a full-blown international incident. Doesn’t it seem reasonable to help? She asks why he went out on a limb for her, and he says, if she has to ask, she’s not as smart as he thought she was.

Sonny wonders how Sidwell survived, and Jason says, Lucky didn’t want him dead, and after the drone strike, there was no time. Sonny says, Laura would be proud, and Luke would be rolling in his grave. If he gets it done fast, Holly can be gone before Sidwell connects them to it. But he can’t do it today. He has to be somewhere. Sonny steps out, and Jason’s phone rings. It’s Carly.

Heather says her best bet is Laura taking her in, but Ric says, Laura is going through a family crisis. Heather says she could knock on Alexis’s door. They got along and she’s sure Alexis can give her an air mattress, but Ric says, she’s going through a family crisis as well that’s connected to Laura. Heather says, Laura can drop her off at the Quartermaines. She could hang out there for weeks before they know she’s there. Ric says, when they do notice, they’ll have her arrested. Think. Is there anyone she can call?

Isaiah sees the Eckerd’s box and asks if it’s for anybody. Portia tells him to help himself, and Brad says he’s glad they’re enjoying them. Isaiah says, duty calls, and Brad says he’s just about through. He’s going to the Woodchuck’s game. Elizabeth says, he’s leaving early for a baseball game? and Brad tells them that he could say, never mind, but Portia tells him, have fun, and he leaves.

Curtis says, what if he could get Steven’s medical license reinstated? He has a friend running for office who has influence. Steven says he can’t throw Heather over his shoulder and drag her out, but Curtis says he’s sure she’ll go willingly. He knows family means everything to her and he’s all she has left. Steven says, she has a grandson, but Curtis says, Laura will give her limited access and if it’s not good, she’ll cut Heather off altogether. All Steven has to do is crack the door open. Steven says, but he’ll be the one who has to keep her in line. He doesn’t want to be responsible for what his mother does. Curtis says, then he’ll be responsible for what becomes of her.

Alexis says, Sam has visitors, and Scout gives her some flowers. Sam says she noticed they don’t have schoolwork with them, and Danny says, it’s in the car. They want to stay here and not go to school. Sam tells Alexis not to let them work her. Stay strong. Alexis says, Sam is amazing, saving a life. There’s not many who would do that, but it’s no surprise that Sam is.

Dante and Rocco are in the waiting area, when Laura joins them. She hugs Rocco, and Dante says he’s got to get Rocco to school on time. Rocco says he’s not going, but Dante says they talked about this. Laura says, it’s a good distraction. His mom will still be in surgery after school. Rocco says he wants to be here. Please? Isaiah approaches, and Dante says he’ll make a deal with Rocco. They’re going to see Sam and it’s cool if Rocco does his schoolwork here. They leave and Laura asks Isaiah if everything is okay. Isaiah says he wanted to let her know, it’s time.

Carly asks why Jack keeps helping her, and he says, chivalry. She says, he doesn’t do anything without an ulterior motive, and he says, by definition, Anna is bitter and cynical, but Carly says, she’s not wrong. Jack says, Carly is cynical too. Almost agent worthy. She asks if he’s trying to recruit her, and he says, her talents could be put to better use than a concierge. Jason arrives and says, Carly didn’t tell him that Jack would be here. Carly says, she needs a favor, and Jason says, who’s asking? Carly or Jack? Carly says, both.

Portia says she realized Terry hiring Brad was in the hospital’s best interest, and Elizabeth asks if she thinks Brad is playing Terry. Portia says, does she? and they see Lucas headed toward them. They get quiet and he asks if they’re talking about him. Elizabeth says, they were talking about Brad, and Lucas asks, what’s he done now? Elizabeth says, pastries, and he says, bastard. Elizabeth says, Brad got his job back on Terry’s recommendation. Britt was Brad’s best friend and Terry was Co-Chief of Staff with her. Britt is dead and Brad needed a job. You do the math.

Curtis tells Steven, it’s about family. He’s protecting his and Steven needs to take responsibility for his. He thinks Steven and Heather should leave town and go far away. He’ll supplement Steven’s income until he’s on his feet. Provided Heather goes with him and stays gone. Steven says, and if he can’t convince her? and Curtis says he has alternative outcomes that are much less pleasant. (Very disappointed in Curtis.)

Elizabeth answers the hospital phone, and Heather says she can’t believe she got Elizabeth on the first try. Elizabeth asks why she’s calling, and Heather says she doesn’t know if Elizabeth heard, but she’s being released from Pentenville. Before she asks, it’s 100% legal. Elizabeth says, congratulations, and Heather thanks her. She says her head is spinning, and Elizabeth asks what she wants. Heather says she was wondering if Elizabeth can pick her up at prison… for Franco’s sake, when Ric walks in.

Lucas tells Brad that he hopes the Woodchucks do better than last time in the playoffs, and Brad asks if he wants something. Lucas asks if Brad manipulated his way back into the job. People are saying he played Terry. Brad asks, which is it? Keep it professional and stay away from each other or be in each other’s business. Lucas says, Brad’s right. Sorry. Brad says he did mention Britt, but he needed a job. He’s not proud of it. Lucas says, Britt would probably be proud, and Brad says he hopes so. He’s doing the best he can.

Elizabeth asks why Ric doesn’t pick Heather up if she’s worth millions, and Ric says, he’s going to be in court. Elizabeth says she wants nothing to do with Heather, and he says, just say no. Elizabeth says, they both know if Heather is left alone, she’ll find trouble. What does he want her to do? Take Heather into her home? Ric says he doesn’t like that idea, and Elizabeth says she was looking forward to ice cream and binging Dance Moms. Ric says he has an idea. He’ll move in too. Elizabeth laughs and says, that’s the opposite of helping.

Isaiah tells Laura that Lulu has been given anticoagulants to minimize the risk, but there are no guarantees. Laura says her daughter has been fighting for her life since she was a tiny girl and winning. She takes his hands and says, if he gives her the chance today, she will win again.

Alexis tells Sam that they have a standing invite to dine at the Quartermaines. She’s torn. There’s free food, which she loves, but there’s also… Sam says, Tracy. Sonny comes in and says he should have known the party was in here. He’s proud of Sam. Alexis says, so proud, and Sam thanks him. Danny says he knows she’s tired of hearing it, but she’s a real hero. Dante joins them and asks, who made Sam cry? Rocco has something he wanted to say. Rocco says, thank you so much, and Sam says she hasn’t done anything yet. Rocco says, she’s saving his mom’s life and he doesn’t know how he’ll repay her. She says, Rocco, Danny, Scout, Dante, and her mom, all of her people, including Sonny, have been so good to her. She’s just glad to be able to return the favor.

Carly says, Jack needs to know what happened in Africa, and Jason says he told Jack, but Jack says, he omitted some key details. Carly says, Jack came through for them. He’s the reason they got home. He saved their lives, and she owes him. She thinks Jason does too. Please help him. She leaves.

Jason says he told Jack everything he knew at the time, and Jack says, very good. He’s being honest while disclosing next to nothing. There was more to Jason’s adventure than he knew at first. Jason asks if Holly is up to something, and Jack says, she took something valuable. Jason says, diamonds. She stole a fortune. Jack says, thus Sidwell’s revenge tour, and Jason asks if they’re done. Jack tells him to thank Carly and tell her to watch her step. Jason says, nobody hurts Carly. Bad things tend to happen to people who do.  

On the phone, Portia says, Curtis is taking care of Heather. She’ll call Marshall after she speaks to him. Curtis comes in and nods. Portia smiles and goes to him. She throws her arms around him.

The prison gates open and Heather says goodbye to the guard. She sees Elizabeth walking toward her, and Steven approaches from the other side. She says, Steven Lars, and he says, hello, mother.  

Curtis says, it took some convincing, but Steven is on board. He’s going to take his mom and get out of town and out of their lives. Portia asks if he thinks it will work, and he says he doesn’t think Heather will be able to resist. It’s over. It’s finally over. She hugs him and sees Brad going to the elevator.  

Sam is wheeled out, and Lucas asks if she’s ready. She says, as long as she’s got him, and he says, she’s hard to refuse. There are some people who want to wish her luck. The whole gang is there, and Laura says she can’t possibly thank Sam enough. Sam says she’s glad to do it, and Danny says, kick butt. Scout tells her, what he said, and Rocco says, she’s his hero. Alexis says she loves Sam so much, and Dante kisses her. the elevator opens and Jason joins them. He says, she’s got this, and she says, piece of cake. Jason puts his hand on Danny’s shoulder, and Lucas says, the OR is ready. There are goodbyes and I love yous, and Sam says she loves them. She holds her fist up as she’s wheeled away.

Tomorrow, Anna tells Laura that she’ll find Valentin and bring Charlotte back to her family; Nina asks why someone is confessing now; Steven tells Heather, that subject is off limits; and the paternity results are in.

🩺 But It’s Her House That Alan Gave Her…

This is a real shame. I can understand the accidents she had. I’m pretty sure I’m going to meet my end by tripping over a dog toy, a dog bed, or an actual dog.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/leslie-charleson-unlikely-to-return-to-general-hospital

🚑 The Prodigal Son Returns…

Apparently, the stars aligned.

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

🍊 A Dose Of Vitamin OC…

Jenn confronted Tamra and in Jenn’s interview, she came to the conclusion that Tamra had no soul. I concur. She also thought Heather should get out of Tamra’s ass and be her own human being. In Emily’s interview, she said when Tamra didn’t respect someone, she had no boundaries. Shannon met with her daughters and they hung out in London.

The group had an English dining etiquette lesson, and in Tamra’s interview, she said, there were too many rules. Here’s etiquette for you. She then gave us the finger. Seriously, why bother? Immediately after the lesson, Tamra called Shannon a liar and a drunk. Gina told Tamra to stop with the alcohol thing, and Jenn seconded it. In Fancy Pants Heather’s interview, she said, everyone gets an F. As happens occasionally, I agree with Fancy Pants.

Shannon needed an enema, which Katie graciously administered. Constipation, the great equalizer. Just as uncomfortable no matter what your income. And just in case you’re ever thinking about it, I’m not that friend. Staying on brand, Tamra told Fancy Pants that Katie’s daughter was watching Emily’s kids, and they said they didn’t like Fancy Pants because she was mean to their mom. When Fancy Pants relayed this to Emily, Emily said it was Katie’s daughter who told her kids that Fancy Pants was mean. She told them not to talk like that again. She told Fancy Pants that she’d never involve her kids in an adult situation and would never talk negatively about her friends in front of them. Fancy Pants said, Katie f***ed with the wrong marine. She was done.

In a rare humorous moment, Gine hit the fire alarm in a restaurant, thinking it was a device to flush the toilet. Sitting outside, Shannon said she’d told Fancy Pants about texting Johnny J. after the accident and shown her the photo in confidence. Fancy Pants made a million excuses for passing that information along, and said she felt that Shannon was controlling the narrative, but eventually apologized for breaking Shannon’s trust. She claimed she didn’t know it was private.

Meanwhile at the table, Tamra said Shannon told her that there was a rumor about Gina throwing Travis down the stairs. I’m sure there’s a big ball joke in there somewhere, but I’ve had a long day. In Gina’s interview, she said, Travis’s ex was telling lies. She wasn’t appreciating Tamra’s interrogation since she’d just stopped living with the love of her life to get away from this insanity. Tamra said Shannon had come between her and Jenn and was now trying to come between her and Gina. When Shannon returned to the table, Gina said, Tamra told her that Shannon was trying to dig up information on her before the Reunion. Shannon said, Tamra was the one who told her about the business with the stairs, but in Tamra’s interview, she said, when the story circulated in June of 2022, she and Shannon weren’t speaking. Shannon said, Tamra always got super drunk and talked sh*t about people, and in Jenn’s interview, she said, Tamra didn’t know how to be a friend or what an apology meant. She was a mean girl bully and thrived on it.

Shannon walked out, and in one of those ironic life moments, the birthday cake came out, along with singing servers. Tamra blew out the candles, and in Shannon’s interview, she said she wasn’t allowing toxic people to penetrate her life anymore. Tamra was evil. Again, agreed.

Katie summed it up best when she said in her interview, has there ever been a dinner with these women that’s pleasant? Nope. I don’t think so.

Next time, Jenn and Ryan have a wedding (not sure if it’s real); Jenn thinks she f***ed it all up; and Gina says, Jenn ruined her own life.

If you want more:

🧂 Extra Salt…

If you didn’t get enough.

👀 Forgotten Watch…

No surprise I forgot I watched this last weekend, since I almost forgot I wanted to watch it. I did kinda, sorta watch the first two. Frankly, I saw a sex scene I can never unsee in I can’t remember which other one, and a disturbing dance with a scarecrow, so it’s doubtful I’ll rewatch those. But I love an 80s atmosphere, so I was looking forward to this one. I definitely liked this the most out of the three, and what’s not doubtful is Mia Goth’s excellent performances. She did not disappoint and the story was a good one. Probably not for those with weak stomachs though.

https://screenrant.com/maxxxine-movie-timeline-how-long-after-x/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/maxxxine-theda-baras-walk-of-fame-star-explained-how-it-calls-back-to-pearl/ar-AA1sKVYf

https://1428elm.com/do-you-need-to-watch-pearl-and-x-to-enjoy-maxxxine-01jard0y8033

🏃‍♀️ Behind In Watching…

Obviously, there are spoilers here. While I’ve still only seen the first two episodes, they’re so short, this is really better suited for binging.

https://ew.com/agatha-all-along-aubrey-plaza-death-reveal-rio-vidal-episode-7-8733310

I’m just behind by one here.

https://ew.com/walking-dead-daryl-dixon-reunion-between-daryl-carol-changed-exclusive-8729288

🤷‍♀️ What’s Weirder…

Wearing a costume or being one?

https://ew.com/rob-lowe-received-bigfoot-costume-60th-birthday-wore-outside-8630889

https://ew.com/rob-lowe-recalls-st-elmos-fire-halloween-costumes-8727923

🧛🏻 Final Shadows…

I haven’t been a faithful watcher, but the episodes I’ve seen are very funny. I love that there’s an energy vampire and they live on Staten Island.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-season-6-review-hulu

👻 It’s Not Just Me…

As long as I’ve had dogs, we’ve had a costume theme every Halloween. Last year was Barbie. This year… Well, you’ll see.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g39918082/dog-and-owner-costumes/

🧟‍♀️ Where the Wild Things Are…

Come by tomorrow for soap, a dash of entertainment, and my own Halloween movie list. Until then, stay safe; stay keeping all Halloween treats, costume pieces, and decorations away from pets; and stay never giving up, even when you feel like you’re not going to make it.

October 17, 2024 – Holly Reveals Sasha’s Father, Off With Their Oranges, Extra Salt, Furballween & London

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sasha asks what her mother is doing here, but Holly says she has no excuse. Sasha says she’s always had one before and usually roped her into a scam. Who’s the mark this time? Holly says, there’s no mark. Her motive is Sasha’s well-being. Sasha is headed for disaster, and she refuses to let that happen.

Tracy goes to the stables and tells Cody that she found Sasha hitting up Michael for money. When she confronted Sasha, she said it was for him and that he’d been considering asking her. Is that true? Is he in trouble? He says he didn’t think so until she showed up.

Ava meets Ric at the PC Grill, and he says, if all goes as planned, she’ll be as free and available for dinner dates as his ex. She asks, which one?

Alexis goes to Jordan’s office, and Jordan says she was happy to hear about Alexis’s release, but she’s surprised to see her. She thought Alexis would be with her family. Alexis says, that’s why she’s here. Would it be okay for them to talk about Molly and TJ?

TJ goes into the apartment with some dry cleaning and says, Molly’s dress is ready in time for the party. She says, party? and he says, Marshall’s send-off at The Savoy. Did she forget? She says she wouldn’t miss it. She just got caught up in a case. A colleague is handling it, but she wanted to look it over. He asks, what case? and she says, Ava Jerome’s.

Sam and Dante come home, and Dante says, they can see the finish line. Rocco’s mom is going to live because of her. She’s a hero. Sam says she’s just a person doing a good thing, but he says, it’s everything, and they kiss.

Cody promises Tracy that he’s not in trouble, and she says, so he doesn’t need the money? He says, need is a stretch. Like to have it? Sure, but there’s no point in discussing it. She says, Sasha thought differently, but Cody says he didn’t ask her to do it. Tracy says, out with it, and he says, Serenity is on the market. She says, so it’s an emotional purchase. She’s not sure that’s wise. He says he always had a fantasy of buying a place, fixing it up, and turning it into something. She says, what’s the asking price? and he says, 6 million. He thought he could put down a 10% deposit. She says, the interest payments will kill him, and he says, that’s why he dropped it. She asks why he didn’t come to her, and he says he thought about it, but he gets the impression a lot of people draw from the bank of Tracy, and he didn’t want to be one of them.

Sasha says, Holly is here to cause disaster, but Holly says she’s here to rescue Sasha. Sasha says, this is her place of work and she’s on thin ice as it is. She doesn’t need trouble. Holly says she’s attempting to avoid trouble. What’s the angle? Sasha says, there’s no angle. She’s employed by the Quartermaines as their cook. Holly asks if she legitimately does things in the kitchen, and Sasha says, if by that, Holly means prepare, cook, and serve meals, yes. Holly asks if she does dishes, and Sasha says she doesn’t know why Holly is here and doesn’t want any part of it. Holly left her holding the bag in Llanview with David Vickers.😯She’s lucky she got out. Holly says, Ethan was in trouble and Sasha landed on her feet. Sasha says, that’s because Nona took her in. She’d still be waiting tables in Chappaqua if she hadn’t been offered more lucrative employment. Holly asks if she means the job for Valentin Cassadine pretending to be Nina Reeves’s daughter. She’s sorry she hasn’t been the mother Sasha deserves. Sasha says, she’s not the mother anyone deserves. Is she here to ask forgiveness? Sasha forgives her. Now go. Holly says she can’t undo her past failings, but she can stop Sasha from making a terrible mistake and getting more involved with Cody Bell.

Sam calls the kids to come downstairs, and Dante says he has news about Rocco’s mom. For the first time in a long time, everything is more than okay. They found a donor. Rocco asks if they’re definitely compatible, and Dante says, it’s a go. And the donor’s been with them the entire time in this apartment. Rocco hugs Sam.

Alexis says, Molly and TJ seem to be struggling, and Jordan says, they both know the odds of couples surviving the death of a child. Alexis says she believes they love each other very much, but the strain of losing a child is overwhelming. Jordan says, they’re white knuckling it, and Alexis says she’s worried the trial is going to push them over the edge, especially with Ric taking the case. He’s an excellent attorney and if he gets Ava off, it will be even harder on Molly and TJ. Her question is, does Jordan think they should step in and try to help? Jordan says, they can’t fix it. If Molly and TJ are going to survive, they’ll have to do it on their own.

Ric says, Ava has a strong case, and Ava says, but not a slam dunk. He says, Robert wouldn’t be prosecuting if he didn’t think he could make it stick. He has a strategy and hopes it goes as smooth as Heather’s case. It’s being ruled on tomorrow. He needs more facts in Ava’s case, especially with all the people aligned against her. Ava says, here comes one of her biggest fans now, and Kristina walks in.

Jordan says she told TJ and Molly that she was here for them, and she assumes Alexis has done the same. Alexis says, of course (🍷), and Jordan says, TJ and Molly will notify them if they’re needed. Alexis says she was hoping for a way to take the pressure off of them. What if Ava walks? Jordan says she would hate that, but the end result is the same for Molly and TJ. Alexis says, they’re left without Irene, and Jordan says, they only have to decide if they’re facing it together or apart. Alexis leaves.

TJ asks if Molly is sure her looking over the case is a good idea. Or will it cause an ethical issue or get the case thrown out? Molly says she’s just reviewing it. If anyone is going to tank the case, it’s Kristina. Her acts of self-destruction always win out.

Ava says, incoming, and Kristina comes over to the table. She asks if Ava is enjoying her night on the town since it’s one of her last, and Ric says he trusts she’s well. Kristina says she’d be better if she was home with her daughter, and he asks if she doesn’t mean Molly’s daughter. Wasn’t that the agreement? She says, he has a lot of knowledge for an absent father. She doesn’t know how Molly can look at him since he’s representing Ava. She’s the reason Adela died. He says, what happened to Irene was tragic, not criminal. It’s not Ava’s fault. It’s hers.

Cody says he’s heard things, and Tracy says, such as? He says, Ned’s dad was a fraud and swindled her. Dylan’s dad used her. There were a couple of mafioso guys, and he heard about Mitch Williams… She says, enough, and he says, it’s a pattern he doesn’t want to be part of. She says, all Finn wants is a good game of backgammon and Gregory never asked her for a dime. Not every person saw her as a means to an end. He says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to suggest all the men in her life are the same, and she says, face it. Most are. They laugh, and she says, the one she fell the hardest for was the biggest offender.

Sasha asks Holly why she would break up with Cody. He saved her life. He found her when she was at her lowest, got her on her feet, and kept her going. Holly says she’s grateful, but Sasha has to put an end to it, and Sasha says, it’s none of Holly’s business, but she and Cody have gotten close. In fact, she’s fallen for him. Holly tells her not to say that, but Sasha says, it’s true. She’s not dumping him to help Holly make a buck. Holly says, it’s not about money. It’s for Sasha’s own good. Sasha asks, how? and Holly says, Cody is her cousin. (Didn’t see that one coming either. Her father is… Robert?)

Kristina says, Ava threatened her and came at her, but Ric says, it was the other way around. Kristina went to Ava’s room. Kristina says, the police know everything and have photos that prove Ava was the instigator, and Ava says, Kristina is making a scene. Kristina only gets louder, saying, she hopes everyone knows Ava killed her daughter. Like she killed Connie and Morgan. She got away with it, but not this time. Ava says she’s sorry Kristina is in pain. She lost a daughter herself and understands. Kristina says, Ava’s got no idea. Ava got to spend time with her daughter. See her walk, her first steps, her first words. She didn’t get to hold hers once and is going to make sure Ava is in prison for the rest of her life. Ric says, Ava’s not going anywhere, and Kristina slaps Ric, knocking the glass out of his hand. She says, Ava will pay for what she’s done, when Alexis comes in.

Rocco and Danny are excited, and Dante says, Sam is going to give Rocco’s mom a part of her liver. Sam says she wishes she’d known sooner, but Dante says, they know now. That’s all that matters. The surgery is the day after tomorrow and they’re all going to be on their best behavior while she recovers. They’re going to take the best care of her. Rocco says, whatever she needs, he’s on it, and Sam says, Scout is quiet. Scout asks if she’s going to be okay. (Oh wow. I just had a thought. What if Sam ends up in a coma?)

Tracy says, Luke was an utter scoundrel, and Cody says, sounds like a good time. It sounds like there was more to him than a scam. Tracy says, it didn’t start that way; it evolved. They found reasons to help each other, and liking turned into loving. He says he guesses his entry into Port Charles wasn’t too different. Hopefully he’s cleaned up his image since then. She asks if he’s fishing for a compliment, and he asks what she’s got. She says, he never sets out to hurt anybody, Leo and James think he hung the moon, and he takes remarkable care of the horses. He says, and how does she feel about Cody Bell? and she says she likes him okay. He says, just okay? and she says, a lot. He says he likes her a lot too (me too!) and she says, that’s settled. Is there anything he wants to ask her?

Sasha says she knew Holly could go low…. but Holly says, it’s true. She’s sorry. Sasha says, it’s impossible, and Holly says she never told Sasha who her father was. Sasha says, even though she asked a million times, and Holly says, not telling her was a huge mistake. She realizes that now, but when she was pregnant, she thought Sasha’s father was dead. When he resurfaced, she saw that trouble had a way of following him. There are people who would have thought nothing of using her against him. Sasha says, so Holly was protecting her, and Holly says, the Scorpios have enemies. Mac does and so does her father Robert. (Oh wow again.)

Cody asks if Tracy wants to take Hades out tomorrow, and she says, early. He says he’ll have Hades saddled and ready to go. If he does end up getting Serenity, he’ll have made it happen on his own and not because he borrowed money from a good, very important friend.

Holly says, it’s difficult to hear and harder to accept, and Sasha says, Holly is a liar. Why should she believe her? Holly says, Robert is her father, and Sasha says, if that’s true, why didn’t Holly tell her before? Robert has another daughter, and danger didn’t keep him from having a relationship with her. Holly says she was scared. She couldn’t imagine showing up with a 12-year-old. Sasha says, she didn’t want Robert to hate her? and Holly says, yes, but Sasha says, Robert and Anna get along fine. Holly says, Anna did a better job of raising Robin, and Sasha asks if Holly is ashamed of her. Holly says she’s ashamed of herself. Robert is the love of her life – he still is – and she betrayed him. Sasha says, now Holly is asking her to betray Cody, and Holly asks, what would be the alternative? Sasha says, another con. Robert is her target and she’s up to the same old tricks. Holly says, whether Sasha believes her or not, it breaks her heart. Felicia told her that Cody is a lovely man and they’re happy together. She doesn’t want to ruin it, but there’s no way around it. They’re cousins. Sasha says she’s done with Holly. Stay out of her life and away from Cody. She leaves and Tracy comes in. She says, look what the cat dragged in.

Molly tells TJ that Kristina’s testimony is pivotal. She has to remain composed to walk the jury through the events and emotional enough to communicate her grief and loss. TJ says, and Molly doesn’t trust her, and Molly says, does he? Composure isn’t Kristina’s strong suit and there’s so much riding on it. She’s a timebomb waiting to go off. TJ says, and Molly’s father is skilled. He’ll get Kristina to say things that detract from Ava’s culpability. Kristina found Ava at the hotel. Molly says, she had no business doing that, but a physical altercation took place and that wouldn’t have happened if not for Ava. That’s the point they need to get across. TJ asks if that’s what she’d say if she were called to testify, and Molly asks what he’d say.

Alexis tells Ric that they’re leaving, but she’s not done. Ric says he won’t be pressing charges, but he can’t say the same for the restaurant. Alexis tells Kristina, let’s go, and Ric says, congratulations. She got a lucky break with the gun showing up when it did. She must have friends in high places.

Sam says she’ll be fine, and Scout asks if it will hurt. Sam says, the operation won’t hurt, but she’ll be in pain afterward, and Scout says, after they cut her open? Sam says, it’s a tiny incision, but she’ll be asleep, and Scout asks if she doesn’t need that part of her liver. Sam says, after they remove it, it will grow back. Isn’t that cool? Scout says, like it never happened? and Sam says she’ll be good as new. Dante says, Sam will have a private room, so they can all visit, and Sam says, they’d better. Scout asks if Rocco is happy, and Rocco says, so happy. Scout thinks they should have a party, and Dante says, they’ll have the party of the century. They fist bump.

Outside the Grill, Kristina tells Alexis that she’s fuming. Ava is living her life nothing happened, and her own uncle is defending Ava. Alexis says, it’s appalling, but if Kristina wants Ava to go to prison, stop helping the defense.

Ric asks if Ava is okay, and Ava says she’s used to Kristina’s temper tantrums. It’s not easy on him. The baby was his granddaughter. Can she ask him something? He says, why is he representing her when he believes the fall was an accident? If blame is to be doled out, it falls on Kristina. She’s out of control, as every person here can attest to… on the stand. Ava says, he set this up, didn’t he? but Ric just smiles.

Tracy asks, what golden opportunity brings Holly back to Port Charles? and Holly says she came back with Lucky and thought she’d pop in and say hello. Tracy says, and get into it with their cook. Did she have a problem with the scones? Holly says she missed their hospitality. What brings Tracy back? Tracy asks why Holly cares, and Holly says she understands they have a new stable hand, the long-lost son of Mac. Tracy tells Holly that she’s to have nothing to do with Cody.

Sasha goes to the stables, and Cody says, Tracy was just here. She said Sasha hit up Michael for cash on his behalf. It was sweet, but unnecessary. She kisses him.

Tracy tells Holly that Cody works here. He’s a friend and Mac’s son. How’s Ethan? Should they expect him to visit his sister anytime soon? Holly says, he didn’t take not being a match very well, and Tracy says, so instead of being with him, she came here. Why is that? She can see herself out.  

As she and Cody are kissing, Sasha suddenly pulls away. She says she left a soufflé in the over. She’ll come back. She’s sorry. She’ll make it up to him. She jets, and he says, soufflés wait for no one. (I’m loving Sasha’s highlights. Martin isn’t the only one who got a makeover.)

Molly says, Kristina absolutely took matters into her own hands when she didn’t have to. She didn’t have to their baby at risk, but they wouldn’t have lost Irene… He says, without the Ava component. They’re on the same page. She says she missed feeling that way, and he says he’ll never forgive Kristina, but she didn’t throw herself out the window. Molly says, Ava did, TJ says, she has to pay, and they hug. (I’m just confused. Do they have a blame dartboard? I could swear just yesterday, they said it was all Kristina’s fault.)

Alexis says, Ric goaded Kristina and is going to use her behavior against her in court. He’ll say she’s unbalanced and volatile. Kristina says she’s a grieving mother, but Alexis says, it doesn’t matter. He’ll use it in court, say she’s targeting Ava, and that she created the circumstances that led to the baby’s death. If she wants the justice system to work, she needs to compose herself and let the system do what it does. Can she do that?

Ava says, Ric made that happen, but he says, more like it fell in his lap. He invited Molly, but she said she had plans. So he asked Alexis, but she said, no. She was having dinner with Kristina at the PC Grill. What better opportunity to get under her skin? Ava says she sees why Sonny hates him, and he says he’s more interested in what she thinks of him and his tactics. She says, the jury is out. Alexis is smart and knows what he’s up to. He says, fine. Kristina’s outburst is not a silver bullet, but they need all the help they can get. He’s going to break Kristina on the stand like he did tonight.

Scout says, they need a DJ and a disco ball, and Sam says she’s down for a party. Danny says, their prayers worked, but he never thought his mom would be the one to make it happen. Rocco hugs Dante, but Dante says he’s not the one to thank. Rocco says he owes Sam forever, and Dante too. Dante says he didn’t do anything, but Rocco says, Dante promised him donor and it happened. They have a group hug.

We see Lulu’s monitor, and all looks like it’s going well.

Tomorrow, Laura tells Tracy, that’s generous of her, and Tracy says she knows; Sasha says she’s not going to let her get away with it; and Felicia says, Holly needs to be honest with them.

🍊 Not From Concentrate…

Shannon said it was hard for her to be cool after Tamra wrecked her birthday dinner. She was done explaining herself, especially to Tamra. Katie and Tamra did spa stuff, and Katie wondered why Shannon couldn’t just talk like a normal human. And why was she getting plastic surgery when she couldn’t pay bills? In Tamra’s interview, she said, Shannon lived beyond her means. Tamra’s sole focus was just saving for retirement. Gina told Jenn about the text from Alexis that Shannon found. She said she couldn’t believe Tamra chose to attack Shannon for lying. In Jenn’s interview, she said Tamra would rather befriend Alexis if it meant taking down Shannon. Meanwhile, Tamra told Katie that Shannon’s superpower was making people feel sorry for her.

Fancy Pants Heather went to see Shannon. Shannon said she’d made it clear in Sonoma that she wanted the conversation to stay between them, but Fancy Pants said she heard Shannon on Jeff Lewis, and she was flippant. She thought if Shannon just paid the lawsuit, it would die away. Shannon brought out a bunch of papers ripped from a notebook with the totals of what she’d paid for during her tenure with Johnny J. She started throwing out figures and – $600 for dinner??? The only time I’ve even come close to that was on one – count ‘em, one – New Year’s Eve where there was a lot of expensive champagne involved. Fancy Pants and Emily couldn’t stop laughing about how Shannon kept her records, and in Fancy Pants Heather’s interview, she said she thought Shannon would be coming back like an accountant with ledgers and microfiche. An accountant in what year? 1972? Fancy Pants told Shannon that she couldn’t go to court with that, and Emily said, well, she could… and they both started laughing again. So did I.

Gina told Jenn that that Fancy Pants had seen Jenn’s Dolce & Gabbana tea party dress in Neiman Marcus and called Tamra about it. She said she wouldn’t buy something like that if she couldn’t make her car payment. Tamra told Katie about Jenn’s $2000 dress, bur Katie thought maybe Ryan bought it. Katie asked what the FBI business was about, and Tamra said, Ryan’s partner was a bookie and being investigated. Jenn and Ryan used to go to the Bahamas and Vegas all the time on private jets. You hear that? That’s the sound of me banging my head against the wall for my career choices and weeping. In Katie’s interview, she said she’s been where Jenn is. You get to the point where you have to trust your partner, then you get smacked with things and people think you’re an idiot. She’s learned to always have a Plan B.

Shannon aka the Duchess of Corona del Mar wore a tiara, and the group boarded a double decker bus. They rode on the top, where they did the Windsor wave, called out, ‘ello! and acted like idiots. Gina brought up the mammogram thing from last week, but Fancy Pants sent the conversation south real quick. Gina said she was made to feel bad, but Fancy Pants said, that was her problem. Some of the women went to buy chocolate where Queen Elizabeth used to get hers. I assume she didn’t shop for herself, but who knows? She was pretty feisty. Gina, Shannon, Emily, and Jenn went to a place that took old-timey photos. Gina said, the others were having all these conversations among themselves, then they got crapped on.

At lunch, Jenn called out Fancy Pants for relaying her dress info to Tamra. Fancy Pants claimed she was just worried about Jenn and told Tamra that Jenn didn’t need to wear fancy stuff to hang out with them. If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale. Jenn said, last year, the problem was her buying fake sh*t, and we flashed back to Tamra making fun of her. Emily says, Ryan bought it, and in Emily’s interview, she said she thought it was sad when women tried to be something they’re not. Same. Jenn told Fancy Pants, next time, talk to her directly, and Fancy Pants apologized. Then Jenn told Tamra that they were in a pattern. They’d get close, then Tamra would go ballistic. Tamra used the old that’s just me defense, saying that she needed to get it out and she did it wrong. In Gina’s interview, she asked how many times Jenn needed to get hit in the head before she wore a helmet.

Shannon told the group about Alexis’s text and wondered why Tamra hadn’t told them about it. Really. It’s not like she’s a stranger to spreading the word. In her interview, Emily said she was confused as to why Tamra and Heather were Team Alexis, yet held Shannon to the fire. Shannon told Tamra to stop talking about her and called her cruel. Tamra said, shut up, and whenever Shannon started to talk, she put up her hand. The 90s called. They want talk-to-the-hand back. Tamra said, bye, and Shannon said, you, bye. This is my trip. She jetted to the bathroom, and Fancy Pants said, this might be an inappropriate time, but this is the best onion ring I’ve ever had. Sometimes she is good for a laugh.

Shannon called it an early night, while the others jumped around and had PJ party, going to bed at 4 am. In Emily’s interview, she wondered why Tamra didn’t help Shannon be a better person, instead of berating and humiliating her. In Jenn’s interview, she put it more simply – Tamra has no soul. Tamra used their lives to make hers relevant, since her life was boring. Jenn told Tamra to leave her family alone. Jenn stormed out, and Heather said, that was a lot.

Next time, Windsor Castle; Shannon meets with her daughters; and Tamra wonders if Gina pushed Travis down the stairs. Which actually made me laugh.

Another perspective:

🧂 More Salt…

If yesterday wasn’t enough.

🎃 Ready For Treats…

Proving you don’t have to be rich and famous to dress your pet fabulously for Halloween.

https://people.com/celebrity/pets-in-costumes-your-spook-tacular-halloween-furballs/

🍁 Every Leaf Speaks Bliss…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a mixed bag of media amusement. Until then, stay safe, stay not sharing photos you wouldn’t want shared of yourself, and stay always having a Plan B.