Tag Archives: Scandoval

January 29, 2024 – Esme Fakes Out the PCPD, Talk to Nik, Returning Soon, A Loss, Chef Slam, She Sipped, VanderSoon, Live Reading, New Captain, Dolly’s Gala & Gloom

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Paris, France. Trina and Spencer are seated at a restaurant that looks suspiciously similar to the PC Grill. Trina says, Spencer said thank you, and the waitress said… something right away. He says, very good. She said she’ll be back right away. She says, this place is incredible. This is one of his favorite spots? He says, actually, he’s never been in this restaurant before. He wanted to go to a place that’s new to both of them to start their new beginning together. She says she loves that. She loves everything about Paris so far… except, tonight, considering he’s left her completely in the dark about what he has in store for them. So let’s hear it. He says, and spoil the surprise? No.

Portia and Laura go into Doc’s hospital room, and Laura says, he’s asleep again. She should have been here when he woke up. Portia asks, how are his vitals? and the nurse says, the same. He’s been in and out. Portia suggests Laura speak to him and let him know she’s here. Laura sits by the bed and says, it’s her. She’s here. She doesn’t know if he can hear her, but she really needs him to wake up. Can he do that? Can he open his eyes for her? He does, and she thanks him for coming back to her.

Toronto, Canada. Dante and Chase approach an apartment where a Canadian officer stands guard. Dante introduces himself and Chase, and the officer says, they were told the detectives were coming. Chase says, any updates? and the officer says, they’ve been monitoring the apartment for 24 hours. No one matching the nanny’s or Esme Prince’s description have exited. Dante says, so the apartment’s still occupied? and the officer nods. Dante thanks him for holding off and waiting for them. This could be trouble. Dante and Chase put their hands on their weapons, and the officer knocks at the door. He says, police. Open up.

PT therapist Ben asks if Curtis felt that as he squeezes Curtis’s leg. Curtis says he felt a pinch, and Ben says, so far, so good. The surgery confirmed Curtis’s body is capable of healing from his injury. To what extent, they’ll find out. Curtis says, yes, they will. He’s guessing physical therapy is going to change now that he has feeling in his legs. Ben says, yes, but keep in mind, they still have a long road ahead, and Curtis asks, how long exactly? Ben says, each patient is different, so it’s hard to say, and Curtis says, fair enough. Stella walks in behind Curtis, and Curtis suggests they see if he can stand, but buttinsky Stella says, oh no he won’t.

Tracy walks into the courtroom, and says she gathers court is in recess. Finn says, the prosecution just rested their case, and Tracy says, then he’s up next, but Finn says, Diane already called him as a witness. His time on the stand is done. Alexis comes in and says she’s sorry she’s late. How did it go? Tracy says, Finn just told them that he was called as a witness for the plaintiff, and Alexis says, and? Finn says, eh, and she says, that good. Elizabeth says, it was bumpy, but Sam may have saved the day, and Alexis says, Sam? Where is she? Martin says, chasing down more information, and Alexis says, pertaining to? Finn says, Muldoon saw an oncologist weeks before Muldoon came to see him, and Alexis asks how an oncologist could miss late-stage cancer. Gregory says, he didn’t.

Martin tells Alexis, the theory is, after losing his shirt in the market and cashing in a life insurance policy, Muldoon finds out he has late-stage cancer, not much time left. Rather than bankrupting his family with medical bills, he goes after Finn for malpractice. Tracy says, total con job, and Finn asks what Alexis thinks. She says, the reasoning is sound. What kind of circumstantial evidence did Sam uncover? Elizabeth says proof that Muldoon went to the medical pavilion where he saw an oncologist before he ever went to see Finn, but there are other medical offices in that building. Alexis says, so it’s far from conclusive. And even if Muldoon did set Finn up, they don’t know if the wife had knowledge of it. Elizabeth asks if it isn’t enough for the judge to throw out the case, and Tracy says, correct her if she’s wrong. If they don’t have hard evidence of Muldoon’s cancer diagnosis, they’ve got nothing. So put her back on the stand. Make her crack. Make the attempted fraud public record.

Stella says she’s sorry to interrupt like this, and Ben says, as she can see, they’re in the middle of a therapy session. Curtis asks what she’s doing here, and she says, just peeping in since she was here at the hospital. Is this his first session since the surgery? Curtis says, she knows good and well it is. She doesn’t have to check on him. He’s got this. She says, that’s what he’s been saying since he was a little boy, always getting ahead of himself, and Ben says he’s got to get some more towels, wisely making himself scarce. Curtis says, she doesn’t need to check on him and she doesn’t need to worry, but she says, it’s too late for that. She’s been doing that all his life. Does he remember when he insisted that he could play basketball with the neighborhood teenagers? He was eight years old. He says he knows Tommy made those kids let him play, and she asks, does he remember how many times he limped home with a skinned knee or a bloody nose when an elbow went awry? (Oh, like all kids?) He says, yeah, and she always patched him up and he lived through it. He didn’t give up then and he’s not going to give up now. He just wants to assess how the surgery went. She says, he needs to do that today? and he asks if that isn’t the point of physical therapy, to get him walking again. She says, and they call her stubborn. She calls to Ben, asking if he’s got enough towels yet, and he comes back. She says she can’t tell her nephew what to do, but please… Curtis says, that would be a first, and she says, hush. Please tell them, isn’t it dangerous for Curtis to try and push himself to stand too quickly?

Trina says, coq au vin is a classic. She thinks she’ll try that. What kind of vin does he think they should drink with it? Rouge or blanc?… Monsieur Cassadine? He says he’s sorry, and she asks, what’s on his mind? He says, they have black caviar here. When he was younger and a little bit more… She says, cute? and he tells her that he was going to say pretentious. He once went to a restaurant with his father, and they had black caviar and he asked if they could get it. His father said, no, so he asked if they could have it at home. He asked and asked and asked, and eventually his father gave in and had it served. And he loved it. Trina asks how old he was, and he says, young enough to be served black beans and believe it was caviar. (True story. For my sister’s 18th birthday, she was having a dinner party at home and had caviar. I was still in elementary school, but insisted on trying it and promptly spit it into the sink as she said, what are you doing? That’s stuff’s expensive! My tastes have, however, changed since then.) He says he hopes Ace grows up a bit more grounded than he did, and she says she’s sure his father has learned a lot since him. Maybe even from him. He says, they don’t have to talk about that. He doesn’t want to ruin their night. She says, he’s not ruining her night by telling her his feelings. She wants to hear his stories, share his troubles. That’s what couples do. He takes her hand and says he guesses he’s still getting used to being in a healthy relationship. She’ll have to be patient with him. She says, of course (🍷). She loves him. He kisses her hand and says he loves her too.

Portia asks if Doc can tell them where they are, and he says, General Hospital. He assumes on the 10th floor. She says, that’s correct. What about what year it is? He says, 1912? and Laura laughs. He says, 2023… No, 24. Sorry. He’s still getting used to saying it. Laura asks, who did this to him? and he says, it was Esme.

Maggie opens the door with the chain lock still on it, and the officer says, Miss Fitzgerald? She asks what he wants, and he says, these are American law enforcement officers. They have questions for her. She says she doesn’t have to answer them, but the officer says he’d cooperate if he was her. She’s an Irish Nationalist, not a Canadian citizen. American law enforcement is looking for her. She recognizes Dante, and he asks if they can come in and talk with her a minute. She lets them in and asks, how’s Dante’s lovely lady friend? Dante says, Sam is doing great. Thanks for asking. She says she’s doing great too. Shortly after they came to see her in Devon, she started a new position here with a family in Toronto. Things have been quiet for her. She’d like to keep them that way. He says, they’ll make this quick. They’re not looking to cause her any trouble. They’re just looking for Esme Prince.

Laura says, when they found Doc on the floor of Alexis’s office, they assumed it was Esme, and he asks if she’s in custody. She says, no. Esme is gone, but Dante and Chase got a lead that Esme traveled to Toronto. She has an old nanny there that she was going to see. They’re looking for her now. Does he have any idea why Esme attacked him? He says he found her in the office. They were talking. He thought he was getting through to her. They were seated, and she started pacing when she was talking about her hopes for Ace’s future. Then the world went black. Laura says, that’s probably enough for right now. He should probably get his rest. She looks to Portia for confirmation, and he says, actually, he’s kind of hungry. Portia says, that’s a good sign. She’ll let the nurse know. Laura’s right though; get some rest. He says, what else is he going to do in here? and Portia leaves. He tells Laura not to look so worried, but she says, it was so scary finding him on the floor like that, unconscious. And she couldn’t wake him. He says he didn’t survive Ryan all these years just to be done in by his daughter, but all that concern isn’t just for him, is it? She says she’s really upset about Esme. She believed in Esme. She really believed Esme’s love for her baby Ace was going to be the thing that gave her the strength to turn her life around. And it did. She was doing so well. She was a good mom, and then she got her memory back. She thinks Esme didn’t have a chance to reconcile her two identities before Nikolas came back and took her son. Ace is a grounding force for Esme, and she thinks Esme losing her son pushed her over the edge. He says, love is a powerful motivator… both for good and ill. (That Doc is a real philosopher.) She asks if he’s in pain, but he says, no, but he’s bothered by the assumption that Esme went to Toronto to see her nanny. He thinks she’d go after Nikolas. Laura says, her too, but she thinks Esme doesn’t have anything to go on. She has no resources and Toronto isn’t very far and wouldn’t put too much strain on Esme’s credit card to travel there. He says, Esme’s credit card? and she says she forgot to tell him. The PCPD found out Esme charged a bus ticket to Toronto. He says, something’s off. It’s like something happened in Alexis’s office that he can’t quite remember.

Maggie says, Dante is telling her that he doesn’t want to cause trouble, but there are three police officers from two countries in her apartment. Chase and the Canadian officer go into another room, and she asks what those two are doing. Dante says, like he told her; they’re not here for her. They’re looking for Esme. She says, they’re looking in the wrong place. She hears a noise and yells, don’t go throwing things about! Dante tells her, if she’s saying Esme isn’t here, then she’s got to come clean. She’s got to tell them where she is. She asks how she would know that, and he says, they have reason to believe Esme came her to see her. She says, that’s pure rubbish. She hasn’t seen Esme in years.

Trina says she thinks shell try every coq au vin to see which is the best one in Paris, and Spencer says, that’s a good idea. Considering the fact he doesn’t know how to cook, he thinks they’ll be doing a fair amount of dining out. But if she only has coq au vin, won’t she miss out on a lot of other fantastic French food? She says she thinks she’ll have plenty of opportunities to try other tasty dishes, and he says, there’ll be a lot more to this trip than just food. She says, like what? Studying? He says, very important, and she says, dancing? He says he’s sure they’ll wander into a club or two, and she says, starting tonight? Is he going to tell her what he has planned? He says, she’ll certainly be getting the VIP treatment, and she says, he’s enjoying this secrecy a little too much. he says, maybe… Okay, fine. He doesn’t want to drag it out if she really wants to know. She says, and ruin the surprise? How dare he? He says, she certainly keeps him on his toes.

Curtis tells Stella, it won’t be dangerous. Ben is right here. Ben says he supposes there’s no harm in trying. He’ll be with Curtis, and Curtis will have the parallel bars to stabilize him. Curtis says, let’s do it.

Curtis hoists himself out of the chair, grabbing onto the parallel bars. Ben tells him to align his hands above his hips and use his arms to push his way up. Three, two, one. Curtis stands for a moment, then falls back into the chair. Ben says, good work. Curtis wanted a gauge and now they know. Curtis wheels himself away from the bars, and Ben asks if he wants to get to work, but Curtis says, no. that’ll be it for today. Ben asks if he’s sure. There’s still twenty minutes to their session. Stella asks if they can have a moment, and Ben leaves. Curtis says, she was right. It was a mistake to try and stand so soon. She asks if he made a slam dunk on the first try. No. So why did he think this was going to work on the first try?

Martin says, Alexis is right. At this point, their first step should be to compel the oncologist to expose that Muldoon had a cancer diagnosis prior to his visit with Finn. That would establish intent for Muldoon, but to accuse his wife of complicity with circumstantial evidence, that’s risky. They have no way of proving she had prior knowledge of his condition. To point a finger at her and start ranting about fraud would be a complete Hail Mary on their part. Tracy asks if that’s not what lawyers are supposed to do, throw out alternative possibilities. At least if the accusation is out there, the GH lawyers can run with it, especially if she has anything to say about it. Elizabeth asks what Finn thinks, and Finn asks, what will happen to Mrs. Muldoon if they accuse her of fraud? Tracy says, who cares? and Gregory says he could use some water. He asks Tracy to come with him, and she says, if he insists. They leave, and Martin says, in answer to Finn’s question, she’d be charged with fraud. If those charges are proven, she’d be looking at jail time. Elizabeth says, if she knew her husband was lying. That’s the question, but how do they know if Mrs. Muldoon was in on the fraud or not? Martin looks over at Diane and says he’s got one idea.

Trina says, Tuesday will be non-stop, but she thinks she can meet Spencer for a quick dinner, and he says he’d love to spend every single day with her here if he could. But he understands that she’s here first and foremost for school. So if she needs to prioritize her classes, that’s okay. She doesn’t have to worry about him. He’ll keep himself busy. She asks, how? and he says he’s been giving it a lot of thought. She’s so passionate about art, the way she talks about it and lives her life for it. He’d like to figure out what that is for him, what his passion is. Maybe he’ll figure that out in Paris. She says, there’s always Le Cordon Bleu, but he says he doesn’t think even they could help him with his cooking skills. Maybe it’s a good option, but he thinks there are a lot of things here for him to explore. So they’ll have to see. He just hates that he wasted so much time when he was here… before. Being angry with his father and planning to get back at Ava… She says, he had help. Esme stoked his anger and did everything she could to manipulate him. He says, first Esme, then Uncle Victor, but he’s just very glad they can finally put that all behind them. He’s very sorry he dragged her into all that. She didn’t deserve it. She says, neither did he, and he asks how she does that. She’s so supportive and so sweet. And she’s so hot. She makes him want to be better. She says she thinks he’s pretty amazing (ugh), and he thanks her, but he thinks there’s still plenty of room for improvement. (Agreed.) She says, he’ll get there.

Dante says, Esme hasn’t reached out to Maggie? Called her, texted her, mailed her a letter? Maggie says she wrote Esme with her address here in Toronto, but that was months ago. Esme never wrote back. She hasn’t heard from her. He says, they’ve got a letter that Maggie wrote to Esme, inviting Esme here to see her, and she asks if he had the handwriting analyzed, because she never extended any such invitation. The family she works for now are very private, very security conscious. Esme’s a troubled girl with a criminal record. She feels terrible for Esme, but she doesn’t want to jeopardize her current employment. Writing letters is one thing. Seeing Esme face to face, she’d never do it. Chase and the officer come back out, and Chase says, there’s no sign of Esme, nothing to suggest she’s ever been here.

Stella says she knows Curtis is disappointed, but he’s got to be patient with himself. He says he’s been nothing but patient. He feels like he’s been beating back this feeling of powerlessness forever, doing everything he can to make things better. He was at that point of acceptance, but this procedure has renewed his hope. Now that it has, he wants to move forward. She says, but he is moving forward. Just slower than he’d like. He says, so slow, he’s standing still. Oh, his bad. He can’t even stand. She says, now he’s feeling sorry for himself, and that’s not like him. Listen to her. He’s going to keep at it and he’s going to get this one effort at a time. What’s the alternative? Giving up? He asks if she wasn’t the one saying pushing it was a bad idea, and she says she’s always offering her two cents where it’s not needed, but the last thing she wanted was to undermine his belief in himself. He says, that wasn’t her; his legs did. She says, he’s always exceeded people’s expectations. Wasn’t he the only freshman who made varsity basketball in high school? He says, the coach didn’t even want him to try out, and she says, but he proved the coach wrong, didn’t he? She guesses all those skinned knees playing street ball eventually paid off. He proved everybody wrong. He says, what if his streak is over? but she says, it’s not. He just needs to pace himself. He’ll get there. She believes that, and she believes in him. Portia comes in and says she’s glad Stella is here too. Doc is awake and he’s doing better. Stella says, praise be, and Curtis says, good news. Portia asks, where’s Ben? Is his physical therapy session over? Stella looks at Curtis and says, is it?

Back in the courtroom, Gregory sips some water and says he needed this. He thanks Tracy, and she says, anything for a friend. He asks if that’s what they are, and she says she only allows friends and family to manipulate her, so she guesses so. He says he really did need the water, but she has to admit, she wasn’t exactly helping. She says, yes, she was. This is no time for Finn to be noble or selfless. He’s losing patients because of this groundless lawsuit, and he’s such a good doctor. Gregory says, no argument here. He’s just glad Finn has her on his side.

Mrs. Muldoon tells Diane, her children not only lost a father, Dr. Finn has jeopardized their future. Without Dennis, how is she going to pay for their schools, their college? Diane says she’s doing everything she can to get a settlement that will meet the needs of her children, when Martin asks if he can have a word. Diane says, of course (🍷), and tells Mrs. Muldoon that she’s going to confer with Martin. She’ll be right back. Take this moment for herself. Do some deep breathing. It sounds trite, but it does help. And whatever she does, do not engage with the defendant.

Finn asks Alexis what she thinks. Should he let Martin accuse Mrs. Muldoon of fraud? Elizabeth says, heads up. She’s coming. Instead of listening to her high-priced lawyer, Mrs. Muldoon makes a beeline for Finn. She says, if he had any shred of decency, he would change his plea to guilty and end this right now. Alexis says, they shouldn’t be speaking, but Finn says, it’s okay. He wants to hear what she has to say. Go ahead. Let’s talk about decency.

Curtis says he’s just on a break and asks Stella to find Ben and tell him they still have work to do. Stella says she’d be happy to, and leaves. Portia asks what she missed, and Curtis says he messed around and pushed too hard, but nothing was hurt except his ego. He’s really glad Doc is okay. Has she heard anything about Esme? She says, nothing yet. She’s hoping Dante and Chase find her in Toronto, apprehend her, and put her in prison where she belongs. She’s absolutely done with Esme and never wants to worry about Esme Prince again.

Dante tells Chase that it looks like Esme played them. She gave them a false lead. Chase says, if Esme didn’t come looking for Maggie, where did she go? Dante tells Maggie that he’s not sure if she knows, but Esme’s regained her memory. She just assaulted a man and put him in the hospital, nearly killed him. So any insights into Esme would be greatly appreciated. Places she would go, people she’d want to see. Maggie says she doesn’t know. She did her best by Esme. She tried to steer her right, but nothing would sway her. She was dead set on reuniting with her family. Dante says, her family. Maybe that’s the key.

Detective Bennet asks, what happened when Doc arrived on the scene? and Doc says he came into Alexis Davis’s office, and Esme was already there. She was seated, she had her laptop open, and she startled when she realized he was there. It was like she thought he caught her doing something. He flashes back to that, and says, Laura told him that Esme used her credit card to purchase travel to Toronto. Her own credit card? Laura says, yeah, and he says, then what was she doing with The Invader’s corporate card? She had it in her hand. He saw it when he came into the room. Laura says, they’d better call Alexis, and takes out her phone.

Spencer says, they should get the check. He doesn’t want them to be late. Trina says, late for what? and he says, she’ll see.

Martin says he’d like to add someone to the witness list, and Diane says, it’s a little late in the game. He agrees, it is and apologizes for the short notice, but some new information has suddenly come to light. She asks, who’s the witness? and he says, Dr. Powell. Doesn’t ring a bell? She says, no. Should it? He says he guesses they’ll find out, and walks off.

Mrs. Muldoon whines to Finn that they’ll have to sell their home, when Alexis gets a text from Laura: Call me, 911. She tells Elizabeth, and Mrs. Muldoon says, their futures were all planned. Her husband went to Finn and now he’s dead. (Um… Apparently, they didn’t plan that well. Sounds like they played fast and loose with the kids’ college fund.) She asks if he was just another faceless patient to Finn, but Finn says, none of his patients are faceless, not ever. He’s very sorry for her loss, but he did tell her husband that he needed follow-up testing and he failed to do that. She says, that’s not Dennis. He’s wrong. Dennis would have taken proper steps if he’d understood something was seriously wrong. He never would have left her and the children. Even at the very end, all he could think about was the kids. That’s why he told her to sue, so he could make sure his family was taken care of. Finn says, so the malpractice suit was her husband’s idea, and she says, that’s how much he loved them. And when he was in terrible pain, he didn’t worry about himself; he was worried about his family. It’s not right a man that loving should die so young. Finn says, no, it isn’t.

Diane comes running in, saying, no, no, no, no, no. She thought she asked Mrs. Muldoon not to talk to Dr. Finn. What did Finn say? Finn says, not much. Her client, however, said plenty. Diane leads Mrs. Muldoon to the other side of the courtroom, and Gregory asks what she said to Finn. Martin says he’d like to hear the answer to that question himself, and Elizabeth says, she made a lot of accusations, but Finn says, it doesn’t matter. She’s in pain. How did it go with Diane? Martin says, Diane has the best poker face he’s ever seen, but he honestly thinks she doesn’t know why he’s calling a late witness. He mentioned the oncologist’s name and there was nothing. No indication of recognition whatsoever. Tracy asks if Martin mentioned he was an oncologist, and he asks if he looks like an idiot. She says, well… and Gregory clears his throat. Elizabeth says she doesn’t think Diane would be an accessory to fraud, and Finn says, probably Mrs. Muldoon isn’t either. He didn’t get the feeling she knew. Elizabeth says neither did she, and Tracy says, that is for her lawyer to prove. Finn says, if Mrs. Muldoon goes to prison, what will happen to her kids? and Tracy says she thinks the question he should be asking is, if he doesn’t win this case, what will happen to his kid?

Dante asks Maggie to excuse them for a minute, and steps into the hallway with Chase. He says, they have to explore the family aspect, and Chase asks, what family? Esme’s mother is in Pentenville, and since Esme attacked Doc, that rules out any support she’d get from him and Laura. Who else is left? Dante says, her son, and takes out his phone. He looks at Laura’s number.

Laura says, Alexis should be here any moment now, when her phone rings. She says, this is Dante, and tells Dante that she’s here with Doc and Detective Bennet and he’s on speaker. Dante asks how Doc is doing, and Doc says, his head hurts. Otherwise, he’s okay. Dante says, good to hear, and Laura asks if they’ve found anything in Toronto, but Dante says, it’s a dead end. He thinks Esme was just trying to buy some time. He was wondering if she heard from Nikolas. Laura says, the last person to speak to him was Spencer. Why? He says, they were thinking Esme might track down Nikolas to reclaim Ace before she goes into hiding, and Laura says she’s sure that’s what Esme would like to do, but she has no means of tracking down Nikolas. However, they might have a new lead on their end. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, actually, Alexis just walked in right now. She tells Alexis that she has Chase and Dante on speaker phone from Canada. Did she find anything? Alexis says she had her assistant email every charge on the corporate credit card in the last 72 hours, and Bennet asks if she was aware the credit card was stolen. She says, no, but Esme, as her assistant, had the authority to use the card and she continually used it. She looks at her phone and says, here’s the email right now… Whoa. What is this here?

Spencer says, shall we go? and he and Trina get up. She asks where they’re off to, and he says, the rest of their lives. He kisses her hand.

Elizabeth tells Finn, as much as she hates to say it, Tracy has a point. if he doesn’t push this fraud angle, he could lose this case and his position at GH. He says he could always go back to research, and she says, really? Here in Port Charles? Or would he and Violet have to move away from everyone who loves them? Is that really what he wants to do? He says, no, of course (🍷) not. But he doesn’t want to see Mrs. Muldoon go to prison for fraud. Those kids already lost their father. She’s all they have. Believe it or not, he can almost understand the desperation Dennis Muldoon was feeling. He was in an impossible situation and made the only choice he thought he could to take care of his family. She says she gets that he was in an impossible situation and just trying to take care of his family, but for Mr. Muldoon to use Finn as a scapegoat, someone who was only trying to help him, and make Finn pay for his misfortune? He asks if it’s any better to throw a grieving widow under the bus. It seems like no matter what, someone’s going to get hurt.

Ben tells Curtis, good work today, and Curtis thanks him for letting the session run over, especially since they ran him in and out of there for an hour. Ben says he’s glad they got it all in. See him next Thursday? Curtis says, you bet, they fist bump, and Ben leaves. Portia says, it looks like Curtis had a pretty good workout, and he says he sure did. Stella says, his first step to a first step, and Curtis says he sees what she did there. He will be walking when Trina comes home from Paris.

The bailiff says, court will reconvene in five minutes, and Mrs. Muldoon says she’s going to splash some water on her face. Diane asks if she’s sure she doesn’t know a Dr. Powell, but she says, no, and leaves.

Martin tells Finn that his assistant is drawing up a subpoena to have the oncologist testify. He got the motion to add a late witness. Finn says, already? and Martin says, if they’re going to do this, they’ve got to get the ball rolling. They’ve got less than five minutes here. How would Finn like him to proceed? Gregory says he’ll support whatever decision Finn makes, and Finn says he doesn’t want to risk Mrs. Muldoon going to prison. Martin says, he may have to, to clear his name.

In the hallway, Tracy tells Mrs. Muldoon that she needs a word, but Mrs. Muldoon says her attorney advised her not to speak to Dr. Finn or any of his supporters. (Like she listened before.) Tracy says, that’s okay. She’ll do all the talking.

The bailiff asks everyone to take their seats, and Gregory asks Elizabeth, where did Tracy go? Martin tells Finn, all right, doc. It’s go time. What are we doing?

Alexis says, there’s an airline charge on the corporate credit card, and Esme’s name is on the ticket. Dante says, ticket to where? and Doc says, Paris. She was booking a flight to Paris. (Okay, so Esme didn’t save Alexis money.) Alexis says, he’s right. Esme’s ticket was to Paris. Laura says, oh my God. She’s going after Spencer and Trina.

Spencer and Trina leave the French PC Grill restaurant, and Trina says, he’s too cute. He tells her that she’s beautiful. Take it all in. It’s all for them. She says she can’t believe this is all happening, and he says, she’s too cute. (All right already with cute.) Is she ready for her next surprise? She says she doesn’t need a surprise. She’s got him. That’s all she could ever need. He kisses her and they continue walking. Apparently, Trina needs some Spidey-sense too, since Esme steps out of the shadows and follows them.

Tomorrow, Martin tells Finn, they go with what they planned, or go with this new theory; Anna tells Jordan that someone is playing games, and she wants to find out why; and Sonny tells Ava, things have changed and so have the threats.

🍼 Ask Where Ace Is…

IMO, the best Nikolas of them all. Wednesday, January 31, 3 pm.

🚑 She’ll Be Back…

OG Josslyn is getting there.

🥀 Way Too Soon…

It doesn’t give details, but regardless, so sad.

🛸 Bring On the Space Cake….

I’m not saying anyone is wrong here. Maybe Denise is owning what’s hers; maybe she’s a big a-hole. It’s hard to tell judge everything that’s going on in two minutes of film out of an entire evening. But in regard to her saying she might have been slipped something, until this chef went apesh*t, I didn’t think for once she meant him. I thought she was inferring it might have been one of the other cast members. Which, considering past behavior, isn’t a stretch.

💎 She Knows Nothing…

I’ve been leaning this way too. Only because the whole thing looks so awkward. Mauricio is so high all the time, it doesn’t seem like he gives a flying what’s going on, and Kyle seems like a bad actress in a script she wrote herself.

🍸 Latest Rules…

But is it still the best time of our life?

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/something-about-her-in-vanderpump-rules-season-11-intro-details

🎬 Très Amusant…

Because sitting through the reality of it wasn’t enough.

https://ew.com/all-star-live-reading-of-vanderpump-rules-scandoval-8551139

New Boat Daddy…

Sorry, Captain Kerry, I will forever miss Stud of the Sea, Captain Lee. It’s nice to see Ben again though.

🐩 Furbaby Fête…

Spoiler: They’re all cute.

🍳 Putting All My Eggs In One Frying Pan…

IKR? Early today. Come back tomorrow for soap and VanderTalk. Until then, stay safe, stay not being that person in the express checkout lane, and stay always exceeding people’s expectations.

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

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

🏥 Spreading It Thin…

The downside of working on a soap.

🛹 Thanks To the Boogaloo…

Everyone’s got to start somewhere.

🥀 Heartache Strikes Again…

Geez, this poor woman needs to catch a break.

🍊 If You’re Craving Oranges…

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

🤼‍♀️ Of Course They Do…

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

🌪 And In a Surprise Twist…

Reality worlds collide.

🍸 VanderPast and Future…

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

What’s to come. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe.

🐩 Permanent Guests…

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

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

🥾 On the Beaten Path…

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

May 31, 2023 – The Identity Of Trina’s Father Is Revealed, Part 2 of Rehashing Some VanderAwful Stuff & West

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer wonders what’s in the box, and Ava asks if it’s ticking. Laura says, after everything they’ve been through with his uncle, he doesn’t need to open that.

Josslyn tells Carly to call Diane and make the deal. Testify against Sonny. Carly says she doesn’t know how much of the conversation Josslyn heard… Josslyn says, she heard enough. It’s a no-brainer. Carly doesn’t belong in prison, but Sonny does.

On the phone, Sonny says he wishes Nina were here. She should be here with her daughter. She tells him not to worry; she’s not giving up. She’s going to do whatever it takes to be with the people she loves.

Alexis walks into her office, and Esme is saying, she’s going to get fired. Gregory says, it’s not that bad, but she says, and on her first day. She hyperventilates, and he tells her, take a breath. Alexis asks, what’s going on?

Trina shows her ID at the desk to get her lab results, and the nurse leaves to get them. Taggert comes in, and Trina runs to him and hugs him.

Stella says, DNA results? For Trina? Portia says, Trina decided she wanted to know who her biological father was, so she had her DNA tested against Marcus’s and Curtis’s. Stella says, and now the results are in, and Marshall tells Portia and Curtis to get their butts over to the hospital, and be with Trina. Curtis says, sorry about dinner, but Marshall says he’ll save Curtis a bone. Just go. Curtis says he can’t believe it. In minutes he’ll find out if he’s going to be a father.

Trina asks how Taggert got here so fast, and he says, she called; he came. That’s the way it is, and that’s the way it’s going to be. In fact, he doesn’t mind having a little you and me time. She says she called Curtis a few minutes ago, and the nurse just went to get the results, so they should be good. He asks how she’s feeling, and she says, all over the place. Relieved that it’s over; terrified that the results won’t be what she’s hoped for. He says he hears that, and she says, mostly, she’s worried about the future. She knows they said nothing is going to change… He says, nothing is going to change between them, and she says she wants to believe that, but it happens to people all the time. They think nothing’s going to change, then in a heartbeat everything is different. He says, that’s people, not us, and she says, that’s what she keeps telling herself, but it’s not realistic. The truth is, those results could change everything.

Stella says she just wants Curtis to know no matter what those results say, they all love him and they’re here for him. She and his father would be happy to come with him if he needs the support. Curtis says he appreciates it, but he and Portia will be fine, and Portia says she doesn’t think Trina would want her there. Curtis says, Trina’s her daughter. This is a potentially life-changing day for her. Portia says, and whose fault is that? Trina called him, but didn’t call her. She thinks that speaks for itself. Curtis says he knows they have some things to work through, but one day, Trina is going to look back and be glad her mama was there for her. Portia says, okay, and Stella says, if either of them need anything… Marshall says, they’re going to be here, holding down the fort, just a phone call away. Curtis holds out his hand, Portia takes it, and they leave.

Carly tells Josslyn, yes, Sonny hurt her. He hurt all of them. She’s not saying they forgive and forget, but they move past it; they move on. What she definitely won’t do is have someone else pay for her mistakes. Sonny comes back, and says he’s sorry to interrupt, but he has to be somewhere. Can Michael tell Willow that he’ll see her tomorrow? Michael says, will do, and asks if he’s going to see Nina. Sonny says, yeah, and tells Carly to take care of herself. He leaves, and Josslyn says, he’s still choosing Nina over his own family, but Carly says, it’s his fiancé. Josslyn says, if Carly doesn’t make this deal, and actually goes to prison, he gets Donna full time, with Nina. Why is she still sacrificing herself for him after everything he’s done? Michael tells her, enough. This is mom’s choice, and they need to respect that. Josslyn says, and he’d know all about making choice that hurt innocent people, wouldn’t he? Carly looks at Michael.

Esme tells Alexis that she’s so sorry. She so screwed up. Gregory says, it’s hardly a disaster, and Alexis asks if one of them will tell her what’s going on. Esme says she’s so sorry, but Alexis says, not her. She just got five million text messages in the last half hour. What happened, and why is Gregory here? Gregory says he’s here because he was made aware of a minor snafu, and thought he might be able to help put out some fires. Alexis says, fires, plural, and Gregory says, it seems Esme inadvertently forwarded an email from a source to the global address book. Alexis says, opening them up to being scooped and making their source vulnerable? and Esme says, it was an accident. She thought she was just going to be answering the phones, and she’s doing everything that’s expected of her, but all she can think about is that Ace is staying with people who are trying to take him from her… Gregory says, Esme was already pretty frazzled by the time that email came in. He worked with the staff, and everything’s handled. It’s all fine. Alexis says, really? and Esme says, really? Gregory says, really, and Alexis tells Esme that she needs to be able to count on her to handle sensitive information responsibly, but it’s her first day, so Alexis is going to trust that she can, and that she’ll learn from her mistakes. Esme says, so she’s not fired? and Alexis says, not today, but you never know what tomorrow will bring. Clock out. Esme says, thank you. She’s so sorry, and promises Alexis won’t be sorry… at least not more than she already is. Esme runs out, and Gregory asks if Alexis thinks she’ll show tomorrow. Alexis says she’s calling a temp agency.

Spencer says he feels like he should at least know what it is. Everyone else’s gifts were innocuous enough. Ava says, open it or don’t, but whatever it is, don’t keep it. Laura says, it’s up to him, when there’s a knock at the door. Laura answers it to Anna, who says she’s sorry. She got held up at GH. Laura introduces her to JB, and Anna says she saw his name on the invitation to this… whatever get-together. She asks Laura if she even wants to know what she missed, and Laura says, Victor has found a way to be present from beyond the grave. JB says, please, take a seat, and Spencer says he’ll open this later. Let’s get this over with. JB puts the video back on, and Victor says, and now for his other nephew, Nikolas Cassadine, or should he say… Laura asks JB if Nikolas was invited to this. Does Victor know where her son is? JB gestures to the screen, where Victor is still saying Nikolas’s full name. He says, Nikolas came to his aid when he needed him. While Nikolas’s family mourned his death, they helped each other build new lives. Sadly, hard times finally caught up with Nikolas, but when the going gets tough, you need a home away from home. He trusts Spencer will take good care of his gift to Nikolas until Nikolas returns. JB pauses the video, and hands Spencer an envelope. JB puts the video back on, and Victor says he’s saved perhaps the greatest gift of all to his formidable opponent, special agent Anna Devane. Oh my dear Anna. They’ve both been in this business long enough to know eventually their sins catch up with them. So he leaves her the truth.

Taggert asks why Trina thinks everything is going to change, and she says, the only way nothing is going to change is if that test says he’s her biological father. He says, if not, he’s still her father and she’s still his daughter. No test is going to tell them how they feel about each other. She tells him, it’s not about what the test says; it’s about what blood says. She knows they’re not going to stop loving each other, but they’ll both have to live with the fact that she has another father, who she’s missed out on twenty years of getting to know. He asks if she regrets spending all that time with him instead, but she says, of course (🍷) not. He says, then what’s the problem? and she says, if it turns out that she and Curtis… She’s concerned the more she gets to know Curtis and his relatives, and the closer she gets with them, the more she’ll hurt Taggert. This is kind of a non-issue, since she would have gotten close to them anyway because Curtis married her mom.

Alexis asks if Gregory can explain to her what really happened with that email that Esme sent to the entire planet. What are they going to do about the fallout? How did he manage that? He says, the editors were divided on the best way to handle the leak, so while the staff tried to reach her, and they did try… She says she was at her homicidal uncle’s will reading. She couldn’t take any calls. He says he’s had some experience with sources in the past, and fortunately, this one was communicating with them through an anonymous email account. They refused comment to anyone who called to follow up, and legal watchdogged to make sure everything was minimal damage to The Invader. All in all, a great way to spend the evening. Alexis says she appreciates that he came in to handle it, and he says, his pleasure. She says she admits she’s a little surprised to see him, and that he’s been ghosting her.

Sonny hugs Nina, and she says, it’s kind of him to come and keep her company. He says he knows she’s worrying about Willow, so here he is, and she thanks him. She says she just keeps thinking if she stays away now, she might be able to get Willow back later, but she doesn’t want to talk about this subject anymore. She wants to talk about something happier. He asks what she has in mind, and she says she does have something in mind, and that’s a little bit of a clue. He says he thinks he knows what it is, and she says she has some ideas about their wedding, and she’d like to share them with him. She knows he really doesn’t care about that. Grooms usually don’t care about things like this. He says, you know what he cares about? Spending his life with her. She says, knowing he cares about that is what keeps her going.

Carly , what the hell is going on? and Josslyn suggests Michael tell her. Michael says, mom’s got enough on her plate right now. They can figure this out on their own. Carly says, or they could just tell her, when her phone rings. She says, it’s Pilar. She has to take this. If this isn’t over when she comes back, she wants to know. She leaves, and Michael says, Josslyn can be as pissed off at him as she wants. She thanks him, but says she doesn’t need his permission, and she doesn’t want to be mad at him. But he… He says he knows what he did, but they don’t need to involve mom. She’s got enough going on. She doesn’t need anything else right now. Josslyn says she doesn’t want to drag mom into what Michael is doing to Dex either. Maybe it’s a good thing he didn’t turn Sonny in.

Gregory tells Alexis that he’s sorry for going radio silent. He thought about reaching out many times. She asks why he didn’t, and he says, when he was diagnosed with ALS, all he could think about was not wanting to be a burden to anyone. Even though she urged him to tell the truth, he felt like he was putting this massive burden on her. When he didn’t hear from her, he assumed that’s how she felt; that he’d scared her off. That is until he got that last text message. She says, the reason he didn’t hear from her is she was afraid he’d think she was disrespecting his boundaries. Then she talked to her daughter – she didn’t tell her any details – and she told Alexis that there’s a big difference between inserting yourself in someone’s life when you’re not wanted, and simply reaching out to let him know she’s thinking about him. He says he convinced himself he could go it alone, but then her text made him realize he was wrong about that. How much he needs a friend.

Marshall tells Stella to eat this gumbo before it gets cold, but she says she doesn’t even want to think about food right now. He says, don’t think, just eat, and she says, as they speak, Curtis, Trina, and Portia are going through something momentous, and need the support of their family. He says, they’re supporting them by giving them the room they need to deal with this issue, regardless of what happens. Then they’ll come back to them. She says, Curtis might come to him, but her nephew wants nothing to do with her. He’s still upset that she ran away from his wedding. Marshall says, she may have run and hid, but at least she came back. Took her long enough. And here she is, letting his gumbo get cold. She says she appreciates what he’s trying to do, and she knows he thinks Curtis will forgive her, but she wasn’t there for him when he needed her the most. She’s just afraid she lost him forever.

Taggert says, when he sees Trina, he sees that little baby who he used to hold in his hands and sing to sleep at night. He sees that girl who demanded he take her training wheels off her bike. The same little girl whose skinned knee he was patching up when she crashed moments later. They laugh, and he says, when he looks at her, he sees her whole life – the good, the bad. He sees parts of her life he wasn’t even a part of. She’s always going to be here; he points to his heart. She’s always going to be a part of his life, and he’s always going to be a part of hers. Even if she ends up being part of another family, that doesn’t mean she’s not his. He puts his arm around her, and Curtis and Portia come out of the elevator.

Anna says, so that’s it? Victor wanted to taunt her one last time? Are they finished? JB says, not quite. He puts the video on, and Victor says, finally, to their illustrious mayor, Laura Collins. Oh my dear, dear Laura. If she’s watching this, it means she’s won. She’s the sole survivor of the great game they began all those decades ago. So he leaves her to live the rest of her life in peace – Laura looks surprised – with his respect and admiration, knowing she was indeed a worthy adversary. He lifts his glass, and says, congratulations, taking a drink. I almost want to cry at how fair he is here, and JB says, that concludes the reading of Victor Cassadine’s last will and testament. He leaves them to their grief. Spencer nearly chokes, and Laura thanks JB for everything, and for coming to the apartment. She appreciates that a lot. She gets the door for him, and he leaves. She says, so, and Ava says, so Spencer, open the envelope. Spencer says, this is a private family matter, and she’s no longer… Laura says she’d like to know what’s in it too, and he says, okay. He opens it, taking out a document, and says, it’s in Russian, so anybody? Laura says she thinks Anna can speak Russian (which is very different from reading it). Anna is daydreaming, and Laura gets her attention and asks if she can read Russian. Anna says, a little, and Spencer gives her the document. She says, it looks like a deed to a property. Right here’s the address. She shows Spencer, and says, sorry she can’t be of much help. He thanks her, and Laura asks if she can get Anna something. She thinks they could all use a stiff drink at this point. Anna says she has to get going, and Ava asks what she thinks this truth she’s inherited is about. Anna says, it’s just a mind game, isn’t it? Victor’s attempt to get her to obsess about something… drive her to distraction, whatever. Ava says she knows that song well, but Anna says she’s not worried about it. She doesn’t think any of them should take a gift from Victor at face value, and Laura says, they know better. Anna thanks her, and leaves. Laura wonders why Victor would leave Nikolas property.

Josslyn says, now that Michael’s left Dex out to dry, their mom can defend herself against the insider trading charges, but he says, they don’t even know if the Justice Department is going to make her an offer. Josslyn asks why Carly has to wait. She could bring the offer to them and save herself. And Drew, once Michael gives her the smoking gun. The recording Dex risked his life to make. The one that makes sure Sonny goes to prison for the rest of his life.

Nina tells Sonny that she wants to set the date far enough away so Willow’s recovered, in case she wants to go. She knows it’s a long shot. He says, whatever she wants, they’ll do. Anna walks in, and he says he’ll be right back. He says good to see her, and she says, him and Nina too. He says he knows she just got back from answering questions about Greenland. They need to catch up. Anna says she’d like that, and Nina says she’s sorry; she has to do this. She hugs Anna, and says, Anna risked her life to save her aunt so her aunt could save her daughter. For that, she’ll be grateful to Anna forever. Anna says, it was nothing, but Nina says, it was everything.

Michael says he has his reasons for not wanting to use that footage against Sonny, and Josslyn asks how those reasons compare to their mother going to prison, something he has the power to stop. Give the video to mom, and let her take it to the Feds. Carly comes back with TJ, and says, look who she found. TJ says he was just coming to find Michael. He has an update about Willow. Michael asks if the transplant is finished.

Spencer says he looked up the address; it’s in Chechnya. Laura says, the Cassadines are originally from Russia, so maybe it’s an old home of theirs? Esme comes in, and asks if the will reading is over. Laura says, they just finished, and Esme asks what Ace’s favorite blanket is doing here. Why isn’t it with him? Where is he? Spencer says, he’s asleep, and she says, Spencer put him down, without his blankie? She can’t leave him alone for a second. She goes to find Ace, and Spencer says, can you believe her? Laura says, she just got Ace back, then she had to leave him again for work. It’s just hard on a mother. Victor said Nikolas had helped him, and they know Nikolas gave him shelter, then Victor returned that favor. Ava says she got Windymere in the divorce, so maybe Victor is using this as a replacement, and Spencer says, in Chechnya? Ava says, a guarantee she won’t visit, and Laura tells them, Victor said, when the going gets tough, you need a home away from home. She’s wondering if this is where Nikolas has gone to hide.

Trina says, they’re still waiting, and Portia says she hopes it’s okay that she’s here. She can leave if… Trina says, she should stay. She’s sorry. She should have called Portia. Portia says, that’s okay. She was with Curtis when Trina called. Curtis says he moved his things back in tonight, and Trina asks if they’ve worked things out. Curtis says, one day at a time, when the nurse gives the results to Trina. Trina says she guesses it’s now or never.

Trina opens the envelope and reads. She tells them, it says that Curtis is her biological father, and Taggert says, it’s okay, a bunch of times, and hugs her. Trina says she wanted to know the truth, and now she does, but she wants to make one thing clear. She cares about Curtis, and she knows they have to figure out where they go from here. Whatever their relationship is, wherever it goes from here, she needs Curtis to know she’s not looking for a replacement father. And she hopes he can accept that.

Marshall says, Stella has raised Curtis to be loving and trusting, and have faith in his opinions, to hold himself and others to high standards. But she also raised him to be forgiving. As upset as he was with Portia, he still decided to move back in here to work on his marriage, and it was Portia’s secret Stella was holding. She also held Marshall’s secret. If Curtis can forgive him and Portia, he can definitely forgive her. Stella says, he really thinks so? and Marshall says, girl, I know so.

Alexis thanks Gregory for admitting he needs a friend. She needs a friend, and she’s glad they’re friends. He says, it’s mutual, and she promises to follow his lead regarding his illness, and hopes he’ll just let her be a part of it while he’s going through it. He says, deal, and she says, awesome. Thank you. I notice a piece of art that looks like toilet seat on Alexis’s bookcase, and she also thanks him for handling Esmegate. He says, it was nice to feel useful, and she says, he misses it. He says, of course (🍷) he does, and she says she was expecting a little pushback, but go on. He says he really liked volunteering here. It was exciting and gave him some purpose; he missed it… and her. She asks if she can make an observation, and he asks if his objection ever stopped her. She says she knows he wanted this job, but didn’t take it because he was sick, and if people knew he was sick, they’d think he wouldn’t be able to handle it. Tell her if she’s wrong.

Ava says, if Victor has Nikolas safely tucked away in Chechnya, why reveal it here? and Laura says, but if Nikolas was aware of the place already, maybe he went there without Victor knowing. Esme comes back, and says, Ace is sleeping safely with his blankie. Spencer excuses himself, and leaves. Laura asks Esme to sit down, but she says she’s been sitting all day, and it wasn’t exactly a good day to begin with. Whatever it is, please just tell her. Laura says, they might know where Nikolas is, and Esme asks if he’s in Port Charles. Laura says, no, but if this information is what she thinks it is, it’s possible Nikolas is holed up in some remote part of Chechnya. Ava says, or not. There’s no proof that Nikolas is there. Laura says, but it’s the best lead they’ve got. Maybe they can find him, and finally bring him home.

TJ says, Willow’s bone marrow transplant is complete, and Michael says, thank God. What are the next steps? TJ says, Willow will remain in the hospital to give the bone marrow cells time to create new cells in her body. The process can take some time. Michael asks, how long? and TJ says, every patient is unique. Sometimes as little as two weeks, on the other side, sometimes six or more. Once engraftment has occurred, Willow can go home, but they’ll want to track her recovery in case complications arise. Willow’s body is essentially rebuilding its immune system, so she’ll be highly susceptible to infection. They want to monitor that. Another possible major complication is graft versus host disease, which is when the patient’s body rejects the donated cells. Michael says, it’s a lot to take in, but TJ tells him, try not to worry. Willow’s getting excellent care, and they’re optimistic she’ll make a full recovery.

Anna asks how Willow is, and Sonny says, receiving her bone marrow transplant, thanks to her. Anna says she’s happy to hear that, and notices two serious guys in suits standing by the door. Sonny asks if she’s okay, and she says, probably not. Hursley comes in, and says, Agent Anna Devane? She asks how she can help him, and he shows her his badge, saying, she’s under arrest.

Ava tells Laura, even though things ended badly between them, she wants Nikolas back with his family, but Laura can’t go on some wild goose chase to Chechnya. It’s dangerous. Laura says she’s been in worse places, and Ava says, Nikolas has managed to vanish more than once before. He’d find someplace no one would think to look, not some old family property. She just doesn’t want Laura to set herself up to be disappointed, or shocked. Laura says she appreciates that, but she can’t just sit around here wondering. She has to see for herself. If there’s even a chance she could find Nikolas, she has to take it.

Spencer sits on his bed looking at the box. He opens it, and as I thought he says, the doves he was going to give to Trina. Uncle Victor saved them for him, but why? He lifts up the cotton they’re on, and finds a key.

Gregory says, it’s true he was afraid to take Alexis up on that editorial board position. He didn’t want anyone to find out he was sick. She says she didn’t tell anyone, and she’s not going to tell anyone, so they’re over that hurdle, and he says, and he wasn’t sure he was up to the job. She says, is he kidding? He just proved to her and the entire staff that he’s more than capable of getting in the thick of things. And more important, he proved it to himself. He asks if the position on the board is still open, and she says, funny he should ask. As luck would have it, she never got around to filling it.

Stella says, Curtis means everything to her, and Marshall thanks her for being there for his sons when he couldn’t be. She thanks him for stepping up when she wasn’t strong enough to face Curtis herself, and he says, that’s what family does. They help each other out. She says, when we’re at our best, and he says, and when we’re at our worst. That’s when we need the most help, right? She says, what she needs right now is some of his gumbo. He says, let’s partake, and asks her to say it. They join hands and she says, dear Lord, thank You for our family.

Curtis tells Trina that he understands, and he wants her to know the last thing he’d ever try to do is take her father’s place. He cares about her a lot, so from here on out, he’ll just take her lead. She says she appreciates that, and Taggert says, she could do worse than having two dads, especially one as good of a man as Curtis. He’s going to leave them to work this out. He leaves, holding back tears. When he gets in the elevator, he does that waving thing people do when they don’t want to cry, then punches the wall. He weeps, sinking to the floor.

Michael thanks TJ, who says he’s just happy to finally deliver some good news. Michael asks if he can see Willow, and TJ says, of course (🍷). If they need anything, he’s here. He leaves, and Carly says, full recovery. Michael says, they still have to be careful, and Carly says, they’ll follow all the guidelines. At the end, Willow is going to be okay, so whatever’s going on with Michael and Josslyn, just end it. Because nothing’s more important than being here as a family. Josslyn says, she’s absolutely right. They’re going to do what’s best for the family. Right, Michael? Michael looks at her, and leaves.

Anna asks what she’s being arrested for, but Hursley says he can’t tell her anything until they’re in a secure location. She says she has a right to know why she’s being arrested, or she’s not going with him until she finds out. He says he’s sure she clocked the agents in the room. She says she expects there’s more of them stationed around the hotel to prevent escape. She’s flattered. He says, it would be best if she came voluntarily, but if not, they can do this the hard way, and Sonny asks if she wants him to call Diane. Anna says she’s good, and tells Hursley that she looks forward to finding out what the truth is. He starts to read her rights, but she says she knows them, and he handcuffs her. She gets in the elevator with Hursley and the agents, and the elevator doors close.

Tomorrow, Dex isn’t sure Josslyn’s plan is going to work; Portia asks what made Curtis decide to stay; Valentin believes Laura has something that belongs to him; and Anna says she’s taking the Bureau down with her.

Vanderpump Rules – The Reunion – Part 2

Lala lambasts Sandoval, and James boos him. Sandoval says, he’s taking accountability, but Lala’s not, and Lala asks, what did she do? since his comment makes no sense. Lisa says, sometimes Lala is aggressive, and James tells Lisa not to stick up for Sandoval. Lisa says she’s not, and James gets up and walks out. He says he’s not listening to this sh*t. Just f***ing die. Sandoval calls Lala a narcissist, and she says, he has an ago the size of this building. They call each other morons, and Sandoval says, Lala pulled her IUD the second she found out Stassi was pregnant. I don’t know if I totally missed what led to that, but I don’t think so. I think Sandoval is just yelling about random stuff. James comes back, and apologizes to Lisa and Andy, who asks him to just stay in his f***ing chair. Because we all need a break, Andy says he’s switching gears. Lala said she and Randall were splitting at last year’s Reunion. He asks when they last spoke face to face, and Lala says, never. The other day, he brought Ocean up the driveway because the nanny was sick, and Lala just grabbed her quickly. Andy asks if it was by design that Ocean wasn’t on this season, and Lala says, Randall sent a legal letter, saying she’s not allowed on camera. Not even pictures or videos. Andy introduces the LA Times article about Randall, citing his casting couch, drugs, and a ton of lawsuits. He says, Randall’s spokesperson denied the allegations, and Lala points out that Randall’s spokesperson was also Harvey Weinstein’s spokesperson. Andy asks if she was shocked, and she says, yes and no. Her DMs had been flooded with disturbing allegations, then the LA Times article came out. Andy asks if Lala didn’t meet him at an audition, but she says, she met him when she was a hostess at SUR. He sent his assistant to speak with her. He was a fan of the show, and asked if she had a manager. She went for an audition, and surprise, she got the part. Andy asks if that’s when they started sleeping together, and Lala says, it was September of 2015. Lisa reminds Lala that she said she let him hit it the first night, and we flash back to Lala saying that, and saying she got a car the next day. Lala says, it was the first time they went out, and Andy asks if she felt like she had to, but she says she didn’t. She was from Utah, and didn’t realize Hollywood worked that way. James says, Sandoval slept with Kristen to get on a TV show. He’s 40, and still making the same mistakes. Lala says, she has a different view of life now; if it’s too good to be true, it is. Andy says, sobriety will do that, and asks how long she’s been sober. She says, almost four years, and they break to eat. Everyone leaves, but Schwartz stays behind and does push-ups. Okay… Sandoval goes to Raquel’s trailer, and they hug, since they’re still not kissing on camera. She asks how he’s doing, and he says, it’s rough out there. It got emotional right off the bat, and James is literally how he knew James would be. James is focused on everything he does; Look at him blinking. James is out of control, Scheana is groveling to Katie because she wants to be back in the group, and Lala doesn’t give a flying about either of them. Raquel says she saw everything, and Sandoval says, they’re making them out to be pathological liars. Raquel says, they haven’t lied about anything except the affair. In the makeshift cafeteria, James says, they can go live in a yurt in the desert together now, and Lala says, Sandoval is going to be off doing things like he always has. Ariana says, and when the homewrecker makes demands on the relationship, she’s not going to be so cool and chill. Raquel clearly only knows what Sandoval is telling her.

In the trailer, Raquel says, in watching what was taped, it looked like Sandoval and Ariana had a solid relationship. We flash back to Scheana saying, they were intimate and in a good place. Sandoval shakes his head, and says, it literally went from him asking Ariana something simple like, should he wear these pants? and her saying no; to her literally (apparently his favorite word of the moment) saying, he’s so good at fashion, he should wear what he wants. Raquel says, it felt like he wanted to keep working at his and Ariana’s relationship because they never broke up. Sandoval says, he should have done it earlier, and Raquel says, you think? He says, Ariana is going to unleash on her, but he’s glad she came. Raquel says her entire character is being questioned. She went through a transitional phase, and the pendulum swang [sic] too far the other way. This is her wakeup call. He says he believes in her, she says she knows, and Sandoval tells a producer that they need a real break where they’re not being filmed. Raquel says, that would be nice, and they both go outside. The producer says, the cameras are up when any two people are together. If anyone needs time to themselves, they can have it, but not if they’re together. Sandoval argues like an idiot, and the producer says, it’s part of what it is. Sandoval whines, legally, they should get a break, and the producer says, they can have a break, but they’re filming lunch. Big baby Sandoval says he’s going to call a Lyft; he needs a break from filming. The producer tells him to go eat lunch, and Sandoval practically stamps his foot, and says, stop filming. He doesn’t want camera in his face. He wants to talk to Raquel off-camera. He doesn’t feel relaxed, and they have to watch what they say. He’s in a delicate position.

Ally joins the group, and Sandoval checks his hair. Andy welcomes Ally, and asks about meeting James at his show with Sandoval and the Most Extras. He asks if she saw Vanderpump Rules before meeting him, and she says she went down the Bravo rabbit hole during covid. Andy asks if anything from James’s past bothered her, and she says, for sure, but meeting him was different. It gave him a chance to show her who he is. Andy says, Raquel had broken their engagement only six weeks before James met Ally. Did he really think it was long enough to get over a five year relationship? James says, everyone is different, and Ally says, they’d planned to take it slow, and had a lot of conversations. Andy says, Raquel revealed some awful things James said about her parents, and we flash back to that. James says, it’s not a proud moment, and he takes it back. Andy ask how it made Ally feel, and she says she didn’t like it. She doesn’t think the word fat should ever be used to insult someone. James says, Raquel’s parents said nasty things to him. Her mom talked about his penis size. Andy asks if it was in a favorable way, and he says, she was asking if he was circumcised and wondered what it looked like. Grandma Buttons was at the bloody table. Andy says, James was easily triggered by Raquel this season, and we flash back to James throwing the drink at Schwartz. Andy asks if Ally ever thought James wasn’t over Raquel, but she says, not once. He was triggered because he felt betrayal in losing a friend. Andy asks if she worries about James’s drinking becoming an issue, but she says, not at the moment. She doesn’t like it when he’s drinking a lot, but she’s not drinking as much right now, and neither is he. Andy asks why she’s not drinking, and she says she thought she needed a break, which she does sometimes. James says he’d never go back to the boy he was two and a half years ago, and Sandoval says, they had an ongoing job in Atlantic City, and they brought James in. He became belligerently drunk with no shirt on, and got kicked out. The manager said James had smacked a waitress on the ass, and he’d had her sign a form that she wouldn’t sue them. James lost them the job. James says, the Toms show up and get drunk. His DJ business makes tenfold what they do. Lala says, it’s a sensitive topic, but at the end of the day, both Toms drink heavily, and have no say on James’s drinking. Sandoval says, he doesn’t smack girls on the ass, and Ariana says, no, he f***ed her friend. James calls Sandoval, a mustache pr*ck p*ssy ass bitch; a f***ing mustache worm bitch. He walks off. Again.

A producer says, as you were, and Andy says, Ally told James that he needed a therapist; why? She says she thinks everyone should see a therapist, especially men, and especially James. James says he met a nice therapist, and it’s going good. Andy asks if they’re helping with James’s anger, because it doesn’t look like it, and Ariana says, there are extenuating circumstances today. Andy says, they spent a week in Cancun celebrating Scheana’s wedding, but Scheana revealed she and Brock were already married for over a year. Why did they keep it a secret? Scheana says, they wanted to celebrate their love privately, and she’d wanted to get it going because of the green card. They only married for them. Andy says, Katie said Schwartz wanted to be friends with Brock over her, and she says, he was prioritizing someone he sees three times a year over her. Schwartz has known Scheana a long time, but she didn’t feel Schwartz was close enough to Brock to consider his feelings over hers. Schwartz says, Katie has a long history of diminishing his friendships, and Katie says, Schwartz wants to be friends with everyone. He’s a serial killer’s wet dream, since he makes friends with strangers. Andy says, Lala pulled Ally aside, and talked to her about dealing with James’s temper. We flash back to that, and Andy asks Ally if she ever felt like telling Lala and Raquel to stay out of her relationship. Ally thinks at the time she was open to hear what they had to say, and looking back, it feels like they  were being protective. Lala says she was triggered (WOTD), and she didn’t want what happened to her to happen to someone else. Lisa says she’s loving Lala’s emotional side. She doesn’t want to see Lala’s angry side. Lala says, life was a lot this summer, and she was hypersensitive. She felt like an idiot and a fool, and wanted to baby Ally. James says he knows how much Lala has gone through, and how strong she is. As a woman, she’s conquered a company and a baby, and dealt with a lot of sh*t. She knows he’s not that guy at the Canyon Club. Andy asks, what happened at the Canyon Club? and we flash back to Raquel telling some of the others that James was arguing so loud with Ally, security had to escort him out. James says, the club was noisy and he was tired, and he shouted to Ally that he wanted to go f***ing now. Security was immediately there, and said he couldn’t be shouting. Ally says, they weren’t in a screaming match. No one saw it, and she doesn’t know why Raquel feels the need to narrate. Sandoval says, they’d been arguing, and James grabbed Ally’s arm or wrist. It was the second time, and he got kicked out. James says, the first time, he was with all of them. What was Sandoval doing? Making out with Raquel in the back? Andy thanks Ally for joining them, and she leaves.

Andy says, they’re going to discuss the fallout from Sandoval and Raquel’s affair, and they’re bringing Raquel in. Because of the restraining order, Scheana has to leave, but before they go, he wonders what’s the latest? Scheana says, the court date is the 29th. Raquel claims Scheana punched her, and she can’t speak about it now. Andy asks if anyone else thinks Scheana punched her, and Lisa says, maybe slapped her, but Katie says, look at Scheana’s fingernails; not possible. Andy asks Sandoval what he thinks, and he sighs heavily, says he wasn’t there, and sighs again. Lisa asks why it’s so difficult, and he says he’s between a rock and a hard place. Ariana says, then he should keep his mouth shut, but Tom says he wants to tell the truth. HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Good one! He says he was there when Scheana was on speaker, but Ariana says, he ran back into TomTom, and Scheana said pushed, not punched, but Sandoval tells her, Scheana said she punched that bitch in the face. It’s 100% what Scheana said. Lala says, they talked on the phone, and it’s not what Scheana said. Sandoval says he f***ing heard it, and Scheana tells him to keep his f***ing mouth shut. Andy says, Scheana and Raquel were close until the truth came out. They were on Watch What Happens Live together the night Scheana found out. He asks if she thinks they’ll ever be friends again, but Scheana says, never. Andy asks if she knew something was going on with Raquel and Sandoval; she’d said she was suspicious. Scheana says, she heard things Lala said, and what Katie had seen, and started to suspect. She had lunch with Ariana, and they discussed it, but Ariana didn’t think there was any truth to it, and said they’d never do that to her. Ariana says, Scheana came to her respectfully about it, and she appreciated it. She knew Scheana wouldn’t come to her about it lightly because she cared about the two of them. Andy says, Scheana had heard Sandoval told Raquel that he and Ariana were in an open relationship, and we’re shown unseen footage where Scheana is telling Ariana, while she was sleeping, Sandoval and Raquel were in the hot tub. He told Raquel that he and Ariana were in an open relationship, and started coming on to her at Coachella. Sandoval protests that he never said that, and Ariana says, maybe he should stop hanging out with a liar. She brings up Sandoval coaching Raquel like he tried to coach her, and Sandoval says, if anything, Ariana coached him. Ariana says, he needed it. Andy says, Raquel had something for Scheana that she’s not allowed to give her in person, so he has it.  

In his personal interview with Raquel, Andy says, she and Scheana have to stay 100 yards apart, so they won’t be interacting. He asks how Raquel feels, and she says she feels regret about filing the restraining order. She’s taking measures to get it dropped. She spoke to her lawyer, and he’s filing a request to dismiss it. She shows Andy the paperwork, and says, the request for dismissal is being filed today. Back at the Reunion, Andy says, Raquel is in the process of dropping the restraining order, and everyone applauds. Ariana says she’d rather Rachel didn’t; none of them need to be around her. Lala says she’s glad for Scheana’s sake, even though she wanted to fight. The court system is a bitch, and she’s glad Scheana can be present with her kid. She cries and says, it’s taken a toll on Scheana. Sandoval – who should just stay quiet – says he gets it. Scheana says, having this betrayal of two best friends is heartbreaking in itself, but to throw this on top of it, when she did nothing but take care of Raquel. She gave Raquel a home when she had nowhere to go. Raquel was the sister she never had, and for Raquel to do this, it’s taken a toll on her. She cries, and Bambi Raquel looks blankly at the screen in her trailer. Scheana says she hasn’t been completely present for her daughters, and they’ve been affected by her emotions about it. Raquel was someone who she loved, and she knew would never do something like that. She’d told Raquel, please don’t do anything to change the friendship, and Raquel promised she’d never do that. Andy reminds Scheana that she’d said she trusted Raquel in bed with her husband when they were in Vegas. We flash back to that, and Scheana says, Raquel crashed with them one night in Vegas, although she slept in the middle. She trusted Raquel with everything. At this point, even I start to cry. I can’t even fathom how I’d feel to find out a close friend had been lying to me this way, and for so long. Sandoval mumbles that he’s sorry, and in her trailer, Raquel says she’s thinking she should have written a personal note to Scheana to go with the paperwork. More regrets are unfolding. Sandoval says, he lied about something for 7 months, and it spiraled out of control, but that doesn’t mean he’s been fake all the years Ariana’s known him. It wasn’t malicious. Ariana tells him to watch what he says; it was malicious. He says, the intention wasn’t malicious, and Ariana says, he’s done it before. He says she’s always been unapologetic throughout their relationship, and she says she heard him say he didn’t care about Scheana. Scheana says, she asked him about the affair and he denied it. She would have been doing Ariana a disservice if she hadn’t asked. Lisa says, Sandoval would never tell Scheana before telling Ariana, and Andy says, it’s time for Scheana to go the appropriate distance so Raquel can come out. Sandoval says he needs to leave for a moment, and Scheana says, before she goes, she has something for Andy. Ten years ago, at the Season 2 Reunion, he said, by 2023 she’d have an album. We flash back to that, and she gives him a 12-inch gold press of Good As Gold. She says she’ll be back at the end, and leaves. Sandoval wanders around the parking lot.

During the break, I download Good As Gold to one of my playlists because, why not?  

Andy wants Raquel to sit between the Toms, but it’s a hard no, including from Ariana. In their personal interview, Andy asks Raquel how she feels about seeing the group, and she says, a little nervous. But it’s important for her to take accountability for her actions, so she’s here to do that. He asks her to explain how the relationship started; the first kiss or spark of emotion. Raquel says she and Sandoval had been friends for a while. He was always somebody who was in her corner and rooted for her. It got more romantic after the girls trip. He made her feel heard and seen, and she’d never felt that before. We flash back to her crashing guys night, and his smile is glaringly obvious when she walks in. Like, you don’t smile like that for just anybody. Andy asks if she never felt that with James, and she says, never with anyone. Andy asks if she thought there would be a path forward with Ariana, and she says she thinks she was living in her own reality, hoping it would work out. Andy says, it’s incredible how many signs Ariana ignored, like The Abbey, and Sandoval not coming back from the barbecue. Ariana rode for Raquel every time. Sandoval said he felt like Ariana didn’t want to know. Is that what they told themselves? Were they in denial? Raquel says, it seemed that way. Ariana never pressed or confronted Sandoval. From what he told her, Ariana didn’t question him, and believed what he told her. Andy says, it sounds like she’s blaming Ariana, and she says, at the time, that was her mindset. Now she knows that Ariana did want to know. It was deceitful, and she’s ashamed. Andy says, Ariana called Raquel and confronted her. What was the conversation like? Raquel says she felt pain from Ariana, and Ariana begged Raquel to tell her when it happened. At this point, she and Sandoval just wanted to get their story straight. Sandoval felt Ariana would be more hurt if she knew how long it had been going on, and Andy asks if they were going to truncate how long it had been going on. Raquel says, yes, and I’m surprised she knows what truncate means. Andy says, Ariana wanted specifics on the phone? and Raquel says she told Ariana the truth, and Ariana thanked her and said, Sandoval never would have told her the truth. Andy asks if she and Sandoval prepped for the Reunion, and Raquel says, they’ve talked about how to approach things. He asks how she feels about seeing everyone in a group setting, and Raquel says she’s preparing for the worst, and hoping for the best. Spoken like a true beauty queen. He asks how she feels about seeing Ariana, and she says, scared.

Andy says, Raquel is here and ready to join them. Scheana is 100 yards away. We see Scheana in her trailer, watching, and Andy says, Ariana hasn’t seen Raquel since she found out. How is she feeling? Ariana says, not great, and he asks how Sandoval is feeling, but Sandoval says he doesn’t know. Raquel walks to the set accompanied by some weird music, and Schwartz takes out a bottle of Xanax. Ariana says, it’s funny that Schwartz is taking it, and James wonders why he has a pill bottle on hand. Andy steals the bottle, and someone suggests he pass it around, but he gives it back to Schwartz. Schwartz says he only takes it about once a month, and Lisa asks why he’s taking it now. He says he’s nervous, and Raquel hits the stage. Ariana won’t even look at her, and Sandoval stares straight ahead. Crickets are heard, and Sandoval hangs his head.

Next time – Part 3 – Ariana says she cried in Raquel’s arms, and Raquel thought she’d go f*** her boyfriend; Raquel compares her and Sandoval’s affair with Lala sleeping with James, causing some uproar; Katie says, Raquel’s a c-word and Sandoval’s a drunk; James thinks Raquel flirting with Schwartz is incesty, dirty and weird; Sandoval cries, and says he’ll always love Ariana; and Ariana says she can’t think of two worse people.

🍨 Eating My Feelings…

After you’ve recovered from these awful people, come back tomorrow for a kinder, gentler soap and tea. Until then, stay safe, stay pushing in your chair when you leave the table, and stay knowing the difference between inserting yourself in someone’s life when you’re not wanted, and simply reaching out to let them know you’re thinking about them.

May 25, 2023 – Curtis Picks a Lane, Backstory, Are They On, The Usual, VanderTalk, Future Fear, Shark Host, Pets (!) Celebrate & Dream

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Donna runs into Sonny’s old kitchen – the moss bowl🎍 displayed prominently – and hugs him. She asks if he’s going to have breakfast with her and mommy, but he says, that depends on what’s on the menu. Carly says, what else? Something from a box. Sonny tells Donna to get dressed and they’ll figure something else out. Donna runs out, and Sonny says he should have asked Carly if it was all right first, but she says, it’s fine. He says he has news, and she says, let her guess; he’s getting married. He says, she heard, but she says she saw. She was at the MetroCourt last night. She guesses congratulations are in order.

Nina tells Ava that she has no choice. She has one option. It’s time for the gloves to come off. She can’t continue to let Carly come between her and her family. Ava says, which is why Nina stupidly and compulsively sicced the SEC on her when it could definitely backfire, and tank not only her relationship with Sonny, but any potential relationship with her daughter. Nina says she knows. She has to make sure the charges against Carly stick, and that she goes away for a good, long time.

TJ leaves another message for Molly, and says he won’t keep blowing up her phone. He just didn’t remember if he said he was sorry in that last message, but he is, and he loves her. Just call him back, or even better, come home. There’s a knock at the door, and he opens it to Stella. He says, this is a surprise, and she says, and by the look on his face, not a welcome one. He says, just the opposite. She’s exactly who he needs. They hug.

TempMolly into Alexis’s house, and hugs her, crying. Sam asks, what’s wrong? and Molly says, everything’s falling apart.

TJ says he’s always happy to see Stella, and she says, something’s weighing on him. She can tell. What is it?

Jordan says, Portia is giving her way too much credit, but Portia says she’s actually not giving Jordan enough. Jordan tells her, stop. She’s not the person Portia thinks she is. Portia says, that’s dramatic, and Jordan says she just means she doesn’t deserve all this praise, especially considering what she’s done. Portia asks, why? What has she done? Curtis comes out of the elevator.

Sam says she thought Alexis said everything was fine. Alexis says, it’s not life-threatening. Everything is going to be fine. Molly hugs her again, when Kristina comes out, and asks, what’s wrong? Molly says she’s been diagnosed with endometriosis, and Alexis says, so the biopsy confirmed it. Kristina asks, how bad is it? and Molly says, it’s not good. It’s not going to kill her or anything, but it’s when the tissue from the uterus grows outside the uterus. Sam says she’s heard of it. It’s really painful, isn’t it? Molly says, it can be. It comes and goes. Sam says she’s so sorry, and Kristina says, me too. Alexis says, me three, and Sam asks what they can do for her. Molly says, that’s just it; there’s nothing to do. Kristina says, the doctors can give her something for the pain, right? and Molly says, the pain is manageable. It’s the rest. She and TJ may never be able to have a baby.

TJ says, he and Molly have been trying to get pregnant, and Stella says, that’s wonderful… but she’s guessing they’re having a hard time. He says, they just found out because of medical challenges, it might not happen for them, and she says she’s so sorry. She can see he’s heartbroken, and she imagines Molly is too. He says, and he didn’t know.

Portia tells Curtis that she was just thanking Jordan for all she did for Trina, but of course (🍷) she’s too humble to accept it. Curtis says he does appreciate Jordan running interference while they were on the island, and Jordan says, and while she was safe in Port Charles, he was the one in harm’s way. Portia says she thanks them both. Because of their team work, Trina’s home. A nurse approaches them, and says she has a question for Portia about a patient. Portia says, of course (🍷), and leaves with her. Curtis asks what he walked in on. It looked like Jordan was about to say something to Portia. Jordan says, about their kiss? She considered it. He asks her to promise him she won’t do that, and she says, why? Because he’s still not sure what it meant? Or because he decided it didn’t matter? Anna joins them, and after saying hello to her, Curtis says he should get going. He leaves, and Anna says, the air’s a bit charged in here.

Curtis walks over to Portia, and she asks if he needs her. He says, that’s exactly what he’s been trying to figure out.

Nina tells Ava that she’s been assured by Martin that no one will find out she was behind the anonymous tip; she’d be protected. Ava says, from the government finding out maybe, but there are people in Port Charles can put two and two together. Nina says she gets that. That’s why she needs Carly gone. Without Carly looming over everything, she has a clear path to be with Sonny, and try to forge a relationship with her daughter. Ava says, she’s dreaming big, and Nina says, why not? Doesn’t she get to be happy? To be with the man she loves and try to get to know her daughter? Why does Carly get the storybook ending while the rest of us are left with nothing?

Sonny says he knows Nina’s not Carly’s first choice, and Carly says, it’s not her choice. It’s Sonny’s life and he’s got to live it. He says, that’s the plan, and she asks why he came by, to fill her in? He says he wanted to tell Donna and the moss bowl🎍, but he didn’t know if Carly wanted him to do it alone or if they should do it together. She asks, what’s the rush? Did he and Nina set a date? He says, nothing like that. It’s just that Avery saw Nina’s engagement ring. She says, they all know how Avery likes to spread the good news, and he says he’s going to tell all his kids, obviously, but he didn’t want to tell Donna without talking to her first. She says she’ll follow his lead, and he says, she’s refolding towels she already folded. She tells him that she’s really distracted right now, and he asks if she wants to tell him why.

Carly says, Sonny just missed Diane. Diane was here discussing the SEC’s case against her. He says he asked Josslyn about that, and she asks where he saw Josslyn. He asks if Diane has a good defense teed up, and she says, unfortunately, the case against her is very strong, so even a lawyer as skilled as Diane has an uphill battle ahead. He says, there’s a chance the SEC was pointed at her to get to him.

TJ tells Stella, they were both blindsided. They went from this vague idea of wanting to start family in the future, to realizing they want a child now, to finding out they can’t – at least not the conventional way. She says, it’s a delicate subject matter for sure, even for partners like him and Molly who have been together forever. He says he keeps sticking his foot in his mouth, and she says, here’s the thing. Yes, this is happening to both of them, but right now, Molly can’t see that. This is agony for her. The sensible woman he’s used to is still there, but this could take her a while to find her way. He says, so what does he do? and she says, nothing but pray.

Molly says, as to the severity of her condition, the chances of conceiving are incredibly low, but Kristina says, not impossible though, right? Molly tells them, it wasn’t actually said, but strongly implied, and Sam says she’s sorry. Alexis asks what they can do, but Kristina says, nothing, right Molly? Molly is the one who always has everything figured out. Molly says, not this time, and Kristina says she’s sure the doctor gave Molly and TJ other options, like adoption and IVF… Alexis makes a cutting motion, and says, not at this time, but Kristina says, it’s Molly they’re talking about. She identifies the problem, then boom… Molly tells Kristina, just stop, and walks out. Kristina wonders what she said.

Anna asks if Jordan wants to talk about it, but Jordan says she doesn’t want to keep Anna from whatever she came here to do. Anna says she’s finished with her phlebotomy, and has a little time before her next debrief with the WSB, and Jordan asks how she’s feeling. Anna was still recuperating in the hospital when she charged off to Greenland. Anna says she feels like a million bucks, but Jordan doesn’t look so good after whatever that thing was with Curtis. Jordan says she’s tried to move on; to get over Curtis and put the whole marriage in the rearview. Anna asks how that’s working for her, and Jordan says she guesses what they say is accurate; objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear.

Portia asks why everyone is talking in riddles today, and Curtis asks what she means. She says, Jordan alluded to doing something wrong, and when she asked what it was, Jordan wouldn’t say. He says, she knows how by-the-book Jordan tries to be. She had to bend a lot of professional rules to help Trina. Portia says, maybe. Is he going to leave her hanging too? He says, no. He wants to talk about him and her.

Alexis goes outside, and Kristina asks Sam to tell her what she did wrong, since she’s become so skilled at it. Sam says she’s sorry. Kristina is really excited about her project, and she… Kristina says, completely rained on her parade, and Sam says, yes. Kristina says, Sam made some decent points, and Sam says she knows, but it was the wrong time and place. She actually learned something from mom, that sometimes encouragement is better than a fix. Kristina says, which is exactly the mistake she just made with Molly.

Alexis tells Molly, she meant well. Her execution left a little to be desired, that’s all. Molly says she knows. Krissy isn’t the problem. She’s just feeling a little overwhelmed right now in the most unfamiliar way. She hates it. Alexis says, because she feels not in control, but Molly says, because she feels like a failure.

Stella brings TJ coffee, and says, it’s one of those situations where it’s all you can do. No actions to take; certainly no one to blame. He says, but Molly’s blaming herself, and Stella says, right now she is. Right now, she’s up, she’s down, she’s all over the place. She’s mourning a dream. He is too, and she’s not trying to minimize that, but as a woman… He says, it’s different, and she says, yes. The best advice she can give him is to know that. Molly is going through something really difficult that he can’t fully understand, but he can love her. Keep reminding her of that. Just be there. He says, that, he can do.

Jordan wonders if Anna remembers when she asked for advice last summer, and Anna says, Jordan asked if she’d ever come clean to an ex about something that would impact his relationship. She’s assuming by whatever’s going on with Curtis and Portia, that information came out. Jordan says, Anna suggested she question her motivation for revealing the truth, and yes, she wanted to protect Curtis, but that wasn’t the only reason. So ultimately, she didn’t tell him. Anna says, but someone did. Is that why things are tense between the two of them? He’s angry with her because she stayed silent? Jordan says, Curtis is far from angry, and now there’s a new secret weighing on her conscience.

Curtis asks if Portia has time to talk, and she says, he’s her husband. If she doesn’t have time, she’ll make time. He says his experience in Greenland got him to thinking, and she says she was afraid she was never going to see him again. He says, same here. He doesn’t want to leave anything between them unsaid.

Ava tells Nina, Carly may be on her way to prison for insider trading. She hardly calls that a storybook ending. Nina says, Carly needs to do some serious time. Let’s not forget, she’s going to prison for something she actually did. Ava says, and she’ll be conveniently out of Nina’s way, and Nina says, finally Carly won’t be swooping in every time she tries to have a conversation with Willow. Ava says, she doesn’t have an issue with Carly going away; her issue is with Nina blowing up her own life to make that happen.

Sonny tells Carly that he has business dealings with a group of people who have very powerful enemies. In government, he thinks, and they’ve targeted him at least once that he knows of. Now he thinks they’re coming after Carly to get to him. Carly asks how that would work, and Sonny says, the SEC only started coming after her after he started dealing with these people. Carly says, that explains the timing. Why months after the failed merger, the SEC started asking her questions. He says, somebody’s playing the long game. They’re threatening her so she’ll flip on him. Once he’s out of the picture, it compromises the people he’s working with. She says she gets it, except for Ned. Sometimes the simplest solution is the truth. Ned threatened to turn her and Drew in to the SEC, and he did it. Sonny says, at some point, the justice system is going to figure out that by her being in trouble is the easiest way to get to him. She tells him, Diane says that’s already happening, and he says, based on what? She says, on confirmed intel here in the DA’s office, and Sonny says, they’re talking on a federal level, right? Carly tells him that the US Attorney may cut a deal if she turns state’s evidence against him, and he says, do it. He can get through this. He’ll be in court, he’ll fight the charges. She says, he doesn’t know that. He can’t control the narrative. He says he has Diane. She’s fantastic. She’ll get him through it. Carly says, no. She appreciates his nobility, but no. He says, this has nothing to do with being noble, but she says, yes, it’s noble. She appreciates him stepping up for her, especially given their recent history, but no. It’s a hard no.

Sonny says, Carly’s not thinking this through, and she says, it’s all she’s been thinking about. He says, it’s too late to roll the dice, but she says she’s not. He asks what he’s supposed to do. Just let the mother of his children go to prison? She says, it’s not like she’s going to Pentenville. Even if she goes down for insider trading, it’ll be a minimum security situation for a couple of years. It won’t be fun. She’ll hate it. She’ll hate being away from her kids, but hell, she’s been through worse. He says, so it’s either/or. Unless Diane pulls a rabbit out of her hat, Carly is either going to have to turn him into the Feds or do time. She says, there’s another option. Turn on Drew.

Ava asks if Nina is really willing to risk the possible consequences just to get revenge, and Nina says, it’s not about revenge… Okay, maybe when it all first started, it was about revenge, but it’s not anymore. It’s such a mess, and she’s just trying to hold on to her relationship and trying to build a foundation with her daughter. Unless Ava doesn’t want that for her. Ava says, stop it. Of course (🍷) she does. She’s on Nina’s side. She’s made some hasty and regrettable decisions; decisions that have had real ramifications. She just wants to make sure Nina is considering what hers might be. Nina says, she knows. If the end result is for her daughter to not turn to Carly, and God willing, turn to her, any ramifications are worth it.

Kristina says she feels terrible, but Sam says, don’t. Kristina was just trying to encourage Molly. She gets it, and she’s sure Molly will too. Kristina says she’s never seen Molly like that, and Sam says, she knows, but fertility issues are a whole different beast. It’s like being dropped down into the most barren and inhospitable place, and you’re thinking it’s your fault you’re there. Kristina says she forgets sometimes that Sam struggled to get pregnant, and Sam says, that’s something she’ll never forget, but I still can’t remember it. Kristina says, this is crazy. She can’t possibly think it’s her fault. Sam says, she does. Kristina’s right, she shouldn’t, but she does. Her body is betraying her. it’s the worst, most isolating feeling ever. So their rational, level-headed Molly isn’t going to be so rational about this. It’s not possible.

Alexis says, it’s not her fault, and Molly says she knows that intellectually. Alexis says, feeling it’s another thing, and Molly says, what if she’d gone to the doctor sooner? What if she’d taken charge of her health the way she’s taken charge of everything else in her life? Maybe this wouldn’t be happening. Alexis says, maybes aren’t going to help anything right now, because the truth is, she’ll never know. So the important thing is to just stay in the here and now. Molly says she despises the here and now, and Alexis asks how TJ is handling it. Molly says, just another area where she screwed up, and Alexis says, there’s no sure way to navigate this. Molly says, TJ is worried about her. He’s surprised she suffered in silence for so long, which is when she got super defensive, and then came here. Alexis says, this is raw. It’s going to take some time, and Molly has to give it some time. She knows Molly and TJ will figure it out. Molly says, you know something strange? A few months ago, it wasn’t even something she was sure she wanted. Alexis says, to be pregnant? and Molly says, they’d talked about having kids, but it was way down the list. So why is she so devastated?

Stella asks what she can do for TJ, and he says, she can distract him. What brought her back to town? She says, family of course (🍷). How’s Curtis? TJ says, she hasn’t been to see him yet? and she says, this was her first stop. He says, getting the lay of the land, and she asks if she’s that obvious. He says, only to him, and she says she felt badly about the conversation she had with Trina the night of the wedding. the whole reason she skipped the ceremony was so she wouldn’t complicate things, and she ended up complicating them anyway. He says, it’s not her fault; the truth was bound to come out. She says she’s sorry she ran off, and at the worst possible time. First, all the upheaval with the family, then the craziness with Trina getting kidnapped? He says, inadvertently, but yeah, and she says, when she read about what happened on that ship, she had to come back. He says, thank God everyone’s in one piece, except for Victor Cassadine. She says, good riddance. So did the ordeal bring everyone closer together? He says, Trina’s back at home. Things seem to be fine between her and Portia. Stella says, what about Curtis and Portia? and he says, that’s another story.

Anna says, you guys kissed? and Jordan says, it would have gone even further if she hadn’t stopped it. Anna says, wow. What does she think this means? Jordan says, that’s the problem; she doesn’t know. What’s worse is, she doesn’t think Curtis knows either.

Curtis and Portia go to her office, and Curtis says, he and Portia have been in limbo for a while now, and he doesn’t want it to go on any longer. She asks what that means. That he’s decided to forgive her, or is he saying he’s officially ending things?

Ava says, it sounds like Nina’s mind is made up, and Nina says, it is. Ava asks, what’s the plan? How is she going to make things worse for Carly than she’s already made them? Nina says she’s still figuring things out. Ava is going to think she’s callous, but from what she understands, Diane is only Carly’s attorney. Ava says, so Drew has separate representation, and Nina says, right. So it’s going to be tough to present a united front when you’re being advised by different attorneys. She thinks that’s fertile ground for miscommunication and mistrust to grow. Ava says, Nina wants to break up Drew and Carly, but Nina says, it’s bigger than that. She wants Drew to believe Carly will turn on him, so he turns on her first.

Carly says, Sonny is definitely the biggest get, but the CEO of a big company and a Quartermaine; Drew has a target on his back too. Sonny says, too bad she won’t consider it either, but she says, no, not for a second. She’s guilty. He says, that’s never mattered before, and she says she did it. She got insider information, and she acted on it. Despite Michael and Drew telling her not to. He says, probably because they told her not to, and she says she’s not going to let someone else pay for her mistakes. He asks where that leaves her. When it comes to prison, it doesn’t matter the level of security, it’s not an option.

Kristina hates that she made Molly feel worse, but Sam says, she didn’t mean to. Kristina says, maybe not consciously, but if she’s being honest, she’s still licking her wounds from their previous conversation. Molly would never do something like this. She would never try to execute a half-baked plan like this, and she’s envious of that. Sam says, they’re all envious of how big Kristina dreams. She and Molly wish their imaginations stretched as far. Kristina says, they’re envious of how strong Sam is. She’s the most resilient Davis… Sam says she doesn’t know about that, and Kristina says, at least Sam and Molly aren’t the ones keeping mom up at night. Sam says she can assure Kristina, as a mother, you worry about all your kids all the time. It’s part of the job. Kristina says, what if Molly never gets to do that job? and Sam says, then they’re going to have her back, like they always do. She puts her arm around Kristina.

Alexis says, if she could take the pain away from Molly, she would, but she can’t. She’s Molly’s mother, but she was a lawyer. Molly says, that’s relevant how? and Alexis says, as Molly’s mother, she can console her, but as a coach, she can help Molly game this out. So tell her, who does  she need more right now? Molly falls into Alexis’s arms, and cries. Alexis says, mommy it is.

Stella asks if TJ thinks Portia and Curtis are over, but he says he doesn’t know. All he knows is, Curtis still hasn’t moved back home. She says she was afraid of that. Curtis has always placed a premium on transparency. TJ says, that’s basically why Curtis and his mom got divorced, and she says, speaking of Jordan. Was Curtis upset to find out she knew about Trina? He says, Curtis was hurt, but he also understood it wasn’t his mom’s story to tell, and she says, it sounds like Curtis is on better terms with his ex-wife than his current wife.

Jordan tells Anna, Curtis was so insistent that he not tell Portia about their kiss. It’s like she’s gone from being his ex-wife to being his dirty little secret. Anna says she sees how that would sting, but her instinct is telling her that this whole situation is confusing for everyone involved, and that Curtis is trying to navigate it without hurting anyone. Jordan says, it’s impossible. Whether he decides to give their relationship another chance, or chooses to go back with Portia, one of them is going to get hurt. Deeply.

Portia tells Curtis that she knows she made a monumental mistake, but she won’t accept the end of their marriage. Marcus told her that she should fight for what she wants, and what she wants is him. She wants to fight for him, for them, for what they’ve built together. Please don’t throw it away. He says he doesn’t intend to. There’s a lot to sort through. He can’t guarantee there’s a way forward for them, but they’ll never know unless they try. She asks what that looks like. Dating? Therapy? He says, let’s start with me moving back home.

Molly comes back inside with Alexis, and Kristina says she’s sorry. What she should have said is, she loves Molly and she’s here for anything Molly needs. Sam says, they all are, and Alexis says, always. Molly thanks them, and says she’s sorry for being so on edge. Sam tells her not to apologize. What she’s going through is real and heavy, and she gets to feel all the feelings. Molly says, some more pleasant than others, and Sam says, they’re in her corner, putting her arm around Molly. Kristina says, Davis girls unite, and they put their hands together. Alexis joins them, and Molly says she prays she and TJ have a family, but even if it never happens, she’s so grateful for the family she already has.

TJ hugs Stella, and says he’s so happy she’s back. She says, here’s hoping his uncle feels the same way, and TJ says, of course (🍷) he will. She says she’s not so sure, but she does know this. Whether it’s TJ and Molly, Curtis and Portia, or this family that needs mending, love is always worth fighting for. She kisses him on the cheek, and leaves.

Portia says, Curtis is coming back home? and he says, unless she has any objections. She says, objections? No. She’s been hoping and praying for this. He says, then he’ll move his things in right away. He’ll be staying in the guest room. She says, if that’s what he thinks is best, and he says he does, but if that’s not enough for her… She says, it’s plenty. She just wants him back home, and will do whatever it takes to make it happen. It’s not about pride for her. He says, it’s not going to happen overnight, and she says she can be patient. Because she knows it’s just the first step to them becoming a family again.

Jordan thanks Anna for listening, and Anna says, of course (🍷). Anytime. Jordan says she didn’t mean to make Anna late for her meeting, and Anna says, Jordan makes it sound so civil. And mutual, as if she has a choice in the matter. Jordan asks if she’s worried, and Anna says she’s skated this line with the WSB before. She’s thinking an association that’s gone on this long isn’t easily broken. Jordan says, so she’s realizing, and Anna asks what she’s going to do. Jordan says she has two choices. She can either bow out, or she can go after what she wants, but does she even have the right to do that if it means destroying the life of another woman?

Ava says, Nina has her work cut out for her. Does she really see a stand-up guy like Drew Cain flipping on his girlfriend? Sending her to prison, no matter how much she deserves it; no matter how guilty she is? Nina says she can, under the right circumstances, and Ava says, which are? Nina says, first, they need Drew to know he didn’t do anything wrong. They don’t even know if he was the one who gave Carly the information about the merger; it could have been Michael. Nina bets Drew didn’t even want her to invest in Aurora, but Carly probably did what she always does. She barged in, she went after what she wants. She doesn’t think about anyone else’s feelings… Ava says, stop. She’s getting off track here now. She’s not trying to rain on Nina’s parade, she’s just wondering how realistic it is to expect Drew to give up Carly. Nina says, it’s not unrealistic to expect Carly to give him up, and Ava says, if it was Sonny or Jason, she’d say absolutely not, but with Drew, there is room for doubt. The relationship is relatively new. Maybe threatened with serious prison time, Carly would give him up, but it’s not certain. Nina says, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if Carly would turn Drew in. The only thing that matters is that Drew believes that she would. They need Drew to get this information from somebody he trusts; that Carly is planning on turning state’s evidence against him. Ava says, neither of them fits that description, and Nina says, no, but she can think of someone who does.

Carly says, Drew has a plan, and Sonny asks if it’s a good one. Carly says, it’s a long shot, and she still may lose everything. Donna runs in, and Carly says she loves Donna’s outfit. Sonny says, she looks sharp, and Donna asks if they can make pancakes. Sonny says, if she’s serious, because he’ll need her help, and Carly says, those chocolate chips aren’t going to make it there on their own. Donna says, they can count on her, and Carly says she knows they can, because she’s such a big girl. And because of that, she and Donna’s daddy need to talk to her about some changes coming up. Donna says, fun changes? and Sonny says, everything’s going to work out. Carly tells her, what daddy said, but she looks pretty worried.

Tomorrow, Tracy asks when she’s ever denied Brook anything; Robert tells Anna, something has happened, and it’s all his fault; Drew says, there’s a way out of it, and they’ll find it; and Sonny wants to know what someone knows and he doesn’t.

🕶 Before He Was Brick…

Very cool story.

🧼 Memorial Day Soap…

ABC will be airing a GH will rerun with both Rory and Epiphany.

🥱 No Surprises Here…

Teresa storms off.

Bo Dietl isn’t having Louie’s lies.

🍸 If Yesterday Wasn’t Enough…

Ariana has more revelations.

Ariana claps back and more.

Charli might be questionable as far as truth goes, but she has surprising insight on the former prom beauty queen.

A replay of the action.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1375356/vanderpump-rules-reunion-part-one-every-bombshell-from-the-explosive-scandoval-showdown

⚰️ Fear Coming Up…

Theories on PADRE.

https://screenrant.com/fear-walking-dead-season-8-troy-return-theory-padre/?newsletter_popup=1

Another reunion.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/fear-the-walking-dead-season-8-episode-3-odessa-clip-reunites-madison-clark-june-dorie/

🦈 Doo-Doo, Doo-Doo, Doo, Doo…

Aquaman knows what he’s talking about.

https://ew.com/tv/jason-momoa-shark-week/

🐕 Pups At Parties…

Don’t give me any ideas.

https://people.com/pets/new-york-dog-wedding-by-high-low-hostess-amanada-orso/

At one time, I had 8 little dogs, and I don’t think I have one picture of all of them together. Major kudos.

https://people.com/photo-30-posed-dogs-birthday-party-wins-nextdoor-contest-7503586

🚶🏽‍♀️ Walking On the Tame Side…

Take a break tomorrow for soap, tea for all, interesting things people have said, and music befitting the month. Until then, stay safe, stay listening like you mean it, and stay recognizing when encouragement is better than a fix.

May 18, 2023 – Holly Makes a Decision, Like Mother, Write Out, Bad Move, Postponed, Soap Moms, Engaged, Paused, VanderChatter, Oldest Pup (!) & Mind

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Trina says, what happened on the Haunted Star taught her how much she relies on everyone she loves. Even though she values her independence, knowing someone will be there to catch her means the world to her. Portia says, that’s what happens when you become a parent, and a messenger comes out of the elevator. He asks Spencer to sign for the fancyish envelope, and Trina asks what it is. Spencer says, let’s find out. He opens it, and says, it’s an invitation to the reading of his Uncle Victor’s will. Trina wonders what Victor left him, and Curtis says, more trouble.

At the station, Jordan leaves a message for TJ, saying, she feels like she’s spoken to his voicemail more than him lately. She was thinking of him, and hoping she could grab dinner with him and Molly soon. Let her know. Text if he must, but a phone call would be most welcome. She loves him.

TJ waits with Molly in an exam room, and asks if she wants anything. She says she wants him to relax. She’s nervous enough for both of them. He says he’s very relaxed, but she says, he’s such a liar. He asks if she’s kicking him out, but she says she needs him here. Her mind is racing. No matter what she tries to think about, she just comes back to the same question – what if she can’t get pregnant? He says, it’s too soon to go there; they need more information. She says she can’t help it, she’s terrified, and he holds her.

Alexis shows Esme around The Invader, and finds Sam in her office. She says, this is a surprise, and Sam says, so is this. What’s going on?

At The Savoy, Holly tells Robert, what a lovely surprise. He says, nice try, but it’s not going to work. She’s up to something. She asks what he thinks she’s up to, and he says, conspiring with Selina Wu.

Esme says she saw Sam at Spring Ridge. Sam asked her about Maggie Fitzgerald. Sam said Maggie was Esme’s former nanny, and that she was a private detective. Did Sam lie to her? Does she really work at The Invader? Was Sam just trying to get her to say Ryan Chamberlain was her father? Sam says, no. She is a private investigator, and Alexis is her mother. Esme asks if Sam’s last name isn’t McCall, and Sam says, it is. Esme says, Sam’s a Cassadine too, and Alexis says, long story. Maybe some other time. Esme says, she gets it. Sam tried to manipulate her like every other Cassadine, and Alexis wants her to believe there’s no ulterior motive in offering her this job?

Robert asks what Holly is getting involved in here. She knows what Selina Wu does for a business. What’s next? Dropping in on Sonny Corinthos? Holly says, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but he says he knows her. She likes to play fast and loose with the law. N’neka comes in, and says, excuse me. Who let them in? They’re closed. Robert introduces himself, and says he’s here on official business. Holly says, which is now over, but he says she’s not getting off that easy. Holly says, he’s right. Maybe he does need to be filled in. She suggests they go somewhere more private.

Dr. Navarro comes into the exam room, and says, as they suspected, Molly’s biopsy revealed she has endometriosis. Unfortunately, it’s severe, but Molly hasn’t complained of pain previously. Molly cries, and says, the pain has been more severe lately, but warm baths help, and an occasional missed period, like right now, but she’s not pregnant? Dr. Navarro says she’s sorry. Irregularity is common with endometriosis. Per Molly’s request, they conducted a fertility test, and Molly says she needs all of the information before making a decision about treatment, and she doesn’t want to delay trying to get pregnant. What did the fertility test say? The doctor says she’s sorry. It’s not good news. Molly cries harder.

Portia looks at Spencer and Trina walking away, and wonders if Trina will ever be free from this horrible family. Curtis says, Victor’s dead now, so there’s nothing he can do to harm Trina, but Portia says, in the meantime, Trina and Spencer are closer than ever. He says he knows she’s wary of Spencer, but he witnessed firsthand how Spencer stepped up for Trina in Greenland.

Trina says, Spencer’s his Uncle Victor tried to control him, and when he realized he couldn’t, he turned against Spencer. Nothing in this will is going to be good for him. Spencer says, probably not, which is exactly why he should deal with it now, rather than putting it off until later. If Uncle Victor had succeeded, there would be no need for this will. She says, he planned on ushering in the new age, and Spencer says, this is worst case scenario; this is a contingency plan in case of disaster. In order for this will to mean anything, Uncle Victor would have had to assume he’s A, dead, and B, his plan had failed. She says, then why let him have the last word? and he says, because if this will is Uncle Victor’s last shot at revenge, if it sets something in motion, he has to be the one to stop it.

Curtis tells Portia that Spencer didn’t care about himself; he only cared about Trina. He put himself in the line of fire to protect her. Portia says, so did Curtis, and she’s grateful to him for bringing Trina back home. He says he cares about Trina, and she says she knows he does. And Trina cares about him. She could see the look in Trina’s eye when she looked at Curtis. She thinks Curtis has a permanent place in Trina’s heart. Taggert walks on to the scene.

Trina  runs to Taggert, hugging him, and he asks, how is his baby girl? She says, when she woke up this morning, he was gone, and Portia says, they were up so late last night celebrating her return, her father crashed in the guestroom. Trina says, Taggert wanted to camp out in the living room, like they did when she was little. Sorry for being a party pooper and asking to sleep in her own bed. He says he understands, especially after she’d been gone for so long, but they did do the fireplace s’mores, which is the next best thing. Curtis looks like he feels awkward, when the tech tells them, the lab’s ready for them. Who’s first?

Sam says, Esme works here now? and Alexis says, meet their new receptionist, but Esme says she’s out. She should have gone with her first instinct. I can’t believe I keep getting fooled by you people. She starts to leave, and Alexis says she’s sure Esme must be very scared, and now that she’s lost her memory, she must be so confused. But her nephew Nikolas, the father of Esme’s son, has disappeared. So her only motivation is to keep the rest of her family intact. Whether Esme likes it or not, her son is a Cassadine, and through her son, Esme is now extended family. She’s offered Esme a job so she can financially support her son. Isn’t that something any mother would be grateful for? Esme says, fine. She’ll try. Alexis says, good, and Esme says, for now. Alexis says, that’s all. Esme can go to HR and complete her paperwork, and when that’s done, she can start immediately. Esme leaves, and Sam asks, what’s going on?

Dr. Navarro says, the results of Molly’s hormone testing show that she’d be unlikely to conceive. She’s sorry. TJ says, many women with endometriosis are able to get pregnant; why can’t Molly? The doctor says, in some cases, endometriosis doesn’t mean infertility, but in Molly’s case, it’s different. Molly says, because of her condition is that severe? and Dr. Navarro says, there’s still a lot of uncertainty about how the condition affects some and not others. Her condition is severe because of where endometrial tissue occurs in the body and how far it’s spread. But the condition can also affect fertility on a microscopic level. It can change the hormonal level around the eggs as well as affect the quality. The reasons aren’t well understood. Molly says, so that’s it? She’ll never be able to have children?

Curtis says he’ll go first, and follows the tech. Portia asks if Trina is doing okay, and Trina says, yeah. She wants to do the test. Taggert says, it’s okay to be nervous, and Portia says, it’s totally understandable. Trina says she really wants to take the test and put an end to all the secrets. But what if they find out Curtis is her biological father? How do things not change? Taggert says, no test is going to tell him how he feels about his girl. She is, and always will be, his little girl. She says she hopes so, and he says, she can count on it, and hugs her.

At Pier 54, Holly tells Robert that she does need money, but not for her, for Ethan. Robert asks if he’s in trouble already, and she says, he stole from the wrong people. Robert asks, who? and she says, it’s a long list. Dictators, a hedge fund billionaire or two… Ethan only kept a little bit of it. Most of it, he gave away. He says, worthy causes he’s sure, and she says she can give him the contact information of the orphanages Ethan supports if he doesn’t believe her. He says he believes her. And believes Ethan. Ethan has a larcenous soul, but he’s not greedy. He likes the rush. So did Luke. So does Holly. Holly says, they’re people with obscene amounts of money, and they’re willing to spend it to see Ethan dead. That’s why he’s gone back to Australia to hustle enough money to pay them back. Robert says, that’s a whole bunch of problems in itself, isn’t it? and she says, that’s why she needs a large influx of cash. He asks why she didn’t come to him. He cares about Ethan, and sure as hell cares about her. She says, it isn’t as simple as asking a friend for a loan. She wouldn’t have spoken to Selina Wu. She even inquired about working for the WSB, but that wouldn’t have paid off fast enough. The only way to get these people off Ethan’s back is to compensate them, and she has to do that before they find him. He asks why she didn’t bring this to him sooner; he still could have helped her. They help each other. That’s what they do. She says she’s gotten him in so much trouble already, and doesn’t want to do that to the man she loves.

Spencer leaves to try and get more information about the will reading, and Trina says, he did that so she and Portia could be alone. Portia asks if that’s okay with Trina, and Trina says she’s happy Portia is here. She knows it’s hard on her too. Portia says, the hardest part is that she had to put Trina in this position in the first place, but she’s proud of Trina’s courage. She wishes she was as brave as Trina is in the beginning. When she found out she was pregnant, she should have told Curtis and Taggert that she wasn’t sure who the father was. Then Trina never would have had to make this decision. She’s sorry. Trina says she knows they haven’t unpacked everything, and she’s still angry that Portia chose not to be honest with her, but she’s not as mad as she was anymore. Portia says, it means the world to hear Trina say that, and they hug.

Esme comes out of the elevator, and sees Spencer. He asks if she’s okay. Where’s Ace? She says, he’s with Spencer’s grandmother. She hated leaving him, but she had no choice. He asks what she’s doing here at the hospital, and she says she’s here to drug test for her new job. He says, she’s never worked a day in her life. Who would offer her a job? She says, his Aunt Alexis?

Alexis says she fully expected to get that look, and Sam asks if she has to remind Alexis what happened the last time she invited a snake into her life. Alexis says her eyes are wide open as to who Esme is, and isn’t. Esme isn’t snowing her. She really is doing this for the family. When she went to Laura’s, Esme was halfway out the door with that baby. She was going to take Ace and leave, with nowhere to go and not a penny to her name, because that’s how much she doesn’t trust Laura, Spencer, or anybody else. Sam says, Victor did try to steal her son. She knows what Alexis is doing. Alexis got her a job at the paper to keep her in Port Charles, which keeps her in close proximity to Alexis, a set of eyes… Alexis says, exactly. Laura asked her privately to help keep Esme here, so she and Spencer wouldn’t be separated from Ace. Sam says, that’s lovely for them, but Alexis is the one who has to work with Esme. What happens when this noble gesture comes back to bite her? Alexis says, duly noted. Now why doesn’t Sam tell her why she’s here? There’s a knock at the door, and the messenger has Alexis sign for the infamous envelope. Alexis says, looks like she got invited to the party too, and Sam says, she knows about this? holding another envelope up. Alexis says, Sam got one too? So did Laura and so did Anna. Sam says, Victor hated both of them, and Alexis says, he hated her too. He was never too fond of her for rejecting his call for family solidarity. Sam says, so anyone Victor disliked or downright hated was invited to the reading of his will? That doesn’t bode well, does it? Alexis says, no, it doesn’t.

Holly says she loves Robert – not just in the past, but in the present. She’s in love with him. He says, Holly… but she says, let her finish. They’ve been through so much since she returned last year. Victor taking Ethan… staging the fire in the cabin… Greenland. She hasn’t had time to dwell on her feelings, but now that Victor’s been dealt with, she realizes that she’s still hugely in love with him. She wants to be with him. She wants to devote herself to him. And them. But first she has to help her son. And if that takes her to shady places, so be it, but she refuses to pull him in. They played fast and loose enough with Scotty, but she won’t drag him down; he’s the DA. He says, yeah, and he takes those duties seriously, but there are things that are more important in life. She says she can’t keep asking him to cross the line for her; she doesn’t want to keep asking him to do that. She can handle this on her own. He says, she doesn’t have to. It’s you and me; it’s us. She doesn’t have to do it on her own, and shouldn’t have to. She asks if this is his choice, and he says, question. Where does this end?

Curtis goes to the club, and asks N’neka how everything is looking for tonight. She says, the sound system was glitching, but the technician is already on his way, and he thanks her. He asks if she’d wait for the delivery driver out back, and he’ll look over the paperwork. She gives him a folder and leaves. As he’s looking at it, Jordan comes in.

Dr. Navarro says she realizes this is a lot to process, but there are options, and Molly says, but conceiving a child isn’t one of them. The doctor says, it’s not impossible to get pregnant. Like she told them, the condition still isn’t fully understood, or how it affects fertility. Molly says, but the possibilities are slim, and TJ tells her, let’s not call it a day yet. There are still treatments. Dr. Navarro says, TJ’s right. She’s happy to discuss all treatments available for Molly’s condition, as well as alternatives to help her have a child. She’ll give them time to talk, but please don’t lose hope. They’ll find the best option. TJ thanks her, and she leaves. Molly clings to him.

Robert says, it’s a pattern with Holly. She gets involved in all these below board things with questionable payouts. If, as she says, she loves him, and doesn’t want to drag him in with her, he doesn’t get what kind of a relationship that is. She says, all she knows is that she loves him, and he says, love is certainly part of the equation, but if this is her life, and that life says she has to keep things from him, how does that work? Maybe they’re not compatible. Maybe there’s not meant to be a me and you. All he knows is, he’ll always be there for her. She tells him that he doesn’t have to say it. After all these years of fighting to make this work, maybe she missed her chance.

Curtis asks if this is official business, but Jordan says she just wanted to see if he was all right. Is that a problem? He says, of course (🍷) not; thanks. She asks if something is bothering him, but he says he’s good. She says, it’s her. What’s up? He asks if he made a mistake going through with that DNA test. He might be upending a perfectly healthy family.

Spencer says, Esme is working for his aunt? and she says, believe her. It wasn’t her first choice. He asks when this happened, and she says, Alexis was visiting his grandmother, and she was about to leave with Ace… He says, to go where? and she says she hadn’t decided yet. Trina and Portia walk over to them, and Esme says she wasn’t sure, but Laura gave her a million different reasons why it was a bad idea. She said she wanted her independence – which she does – and that’s when his aunt offered her a job. Trina asks, what’s going on? and Spencer says, Esme got a job. Esme says, as a receptionist, and Spencer says, so Alexis just offered her a job out of the blue? Esme says, she didn’t do it out of the kindness of her heart. She had an agenda, just like every other member of his family, but she can play the game too. And if she’s going to build a life with Ace far away from here, then she’ll need money. He says, wherever she goes with his little brother, he’ll be right behind her, and she says she won’t let him take Ace away from her, but he says, that’s not what he means. She can leave Port Charles. She can go to the ends of the earth, and he’ll be right there to buy a home next to her. She says, as long as she’s with Ace, she really doesn’t care what he does. Wow. I’d have popped him in the nose by now. Esme leaves, and Spencer wonders, what was Aunt Alexis thinking? but Trina says, this is a good thing.

Sam says, whatever Victor had in mind, she’s not up for it, and Alexis suggests they be grateful that Spencer and that baby are back safe, Victor’s stopped, and nobody else was harmed. Sam says she is grateful for that, and the story Alexis put in The Invader was pretty amazing. Alexi says she had help, and Sam says, from whom? Alexis says, from Gregory, and Sam says, the last time they talked, Alexis thought she’d never see Gregory again. Alexis says, he’s full of surprises. After Sam left, he showed up. Sam asks if they worked things out, and Alexis flashes back to Gregory telling her that he has ALS. She says she thought so, and Sam asks what that means. Alexis says, Gregory told her what he’s been dealing with, and Sam says, that’s good, but Alexis says, it’s not good. It’s good he told her, but she hasn’t heard from him since.

Holly says she always thought one day it would be their moment, but Robert says, it never is. She says, and it never will be, and he says he’ll always love her. Nothing’s ever going to change that. He takes her hand, and she cries, saying, but you’ll always be you, and I’ll always be me. She so wishes he was wrong, but he’s not. Love can’t fix this. He says, what now? and she says she has to help her son, one way or the other. He asks how she’s going to do that, and she tells him not to ask questions he doesn’t want the answers to. But she’ll take care of it. He doesn’t have to worry about her. He says, too late.

Sam asks if Gregory and Alexis got into another fight, but Alexis says, they didn’t. In fact, after he told her what was wrong with him, she thought he’d be more accepting of her help. From what he told her, he could use the help. Sam assumes he swore Alexis to secrecy, and Alexis says, he asked her not to tell anyone. Sam says she won’t pry, but it must be pretty hard on Alexis, and Alexis says, what’s hard is, she doesn’t know if this radio silence means he’s in some kind of trouble. Apparently, she’s the only one who knows about this, but if he doesn’t tell her, how can she help him? Sam asks if she tried to talk to him, but Alexis says she’s not comfortable doing that. Sam says, why not? and Alexis says, because he insisted she respect his privacy. Sam says, she can respect his privacy without ignoring him, and Alexis says, if she recalls, Sam is the one who told her to trust him, and if he needs her, he’ll reach out. Sam says, he did. Didn’t that change everything?

Spencer says, if Esme can afford it, she’ll disappear with his brother, and Trina says, or the job can be the reason she stays. The longer Esme stays in Port Charles, the more time he has to convince her that his brother needs him. He and his grandmother can show Esme how important it is for Ace to have a support system. He says, what about Trina? The more Esme is involved with his family, the more Trina is exposed. She says, don’t worry about her. She’s gotten used to having Esme around. Portia listens, and Trina says, Esme will always be part of Spencer’s family, job or no job. That’s part of the deal when you have a family. He asks if he’s told her lately how amazing she is, and she says, about a thousand times, but he can tell her again. Portia doesn’t look thrilled as Spencer kisses Trina’s hand. Taggert asks, what’s wrong? and Portia says, just history repeating itself. This time she’s ready for it.

Jordan asks how Curtis is responsible for what happens to Trina’s family. Did he push for the DNA test? He says, no, Trina wanted that, and she says, then why is he blaming himself? He says, because he’s the complicating factor. Everything was perfect between Trina and the people who raised her. They had the perfect, stable dynamic for twenty years, and here he comes, complicating things. Jordan says, their so-called stable dynamic was already complicated, and not because of him. Portia made her choice, and right or wrong, it’s what she needed to do at the time. But with the revelation that she doesn’t know who Trina’s biological father is, that dynamic was bound to change. Curtis says, but it doesn’t have to. Taggert is always going to love Trina as his daughter, and Trina is always going to love him as her dad. So wouldn’t the best outcome be for those results to show he was her biological father? If that’s the case, Trina can go on living her happy life. Jordan says, spoken like a true father, and he says, honestly, he just wants what’s best for Trina. But selfishly, he wants those results to show that he’s her father. He wants that so bad, it hurts. The only thing that would hurt worse is finding out he’s not her father.

Molly tells TJ that she’s sorry. She feels silly. He says, she just had a bomb dropped on her. Of course (🍷) she’s upset. She says, but she’s a logical person. Her brain completely understands that they can still have a child, and they’ll love that child whether she carries it or not. He says, they will, but her brain isn’t her heart. Her heart is broken. She cries, and says she feels like she just got hit with a baseball bat. She came expecting the worst, but when Dr. Navarro actually said the words, it’s unlikely you’ll get pregnant… He says, it’s not impossible, and she says she told herself it didn’t matter either way. They’re non-traditional people, and if they have a baby by non-traditional means, no one would be surprised. But she thinks it took finding out how unlikely it would be for her, to realize how badly she wanted to be pregnant; how badly she wanted to carry his baby. She cries and says she’s sorry. He puts his forehead against hers. and says he can’t imagine what she’s going through, but they’re here together; he’s with her. They’ll figure this out.

Alexis wonders how she can insert herself into Gregory’s life, and let him come to her at the same time, and Sam says she’s not telling Alexis to press him to talk. She’s just saying Alexis can reach out without being intrusive. She can just call. Send a text or a voicemail letting him know she’s there for him if he needs her help. Alexis asks if she means act like a normal grown up. How did Sam get to be so grown up and so wise? Sam hugs Alexis, and asks, what is normal anyway? It’s in her DNA.

TJ tells Molly that Dr. Navarro downloaded a bunch of information on endometriosis for them to look at… Whenever she’s ready. She asks if it’s okay if she’s not ready yet, and he says, more than okay. Like Dr. Navarro said, she has a lot to process. Molly says, they both do. He doesn’t have to just make this about her. He says he’s thinking positive. They can, and they will, expand their family. She says, just not in the way they thought they would, and he puts his arms around her.

Holly says she should go, and Robert says, right now? She says she wishes they could shut out the world, but they can’t. Letting go of him is going to be the hardest thing she’s ever done… It’s what they both need. She truly wants him to be happy, and she thinks the best is yet to come for him. She kisses his cheek, but it turns into a romantic kiss, and she tells him goodbye. He tells her to take care of herself, and she says she always does. She leaves the pier, and Robert says, goodbye Holly.

Spencer asks if Trina is ready for the DNA test, and says he’ll walk her. They leave, and Taggert says he’s just as upset as Portia is about this, but no good is going to come of her continually talking to Trina about Spencer. Portia says, this is beyond talking, and time for action. He asks what she’s saying, and she tells him that she’s not standing by and watching Spencer take their daughter down. She wants to make sure Spencer is out of Trina’s life for good.

Jordan tells Curtis that she’s sorry, but if there’s one thing she knows, it’s that Curtis Ashford is strong enough to weather whatever comes his way. And he won’t have to go though it alone. She takes his hand, and says, he has so many people who love him, and they’ll be right by his side, no matter what. They stare at each other for a moment, then kiss.

Tomorrow, Sasha tells Nina that she’s taking charge of her life again; Scotty tells Obrecht that he doesn’t want to ruin the surprise; Josslyn says she’s about to take Sonny up on that offer; and Portia tells Taggert that Jordan did that deliberately.

👯‍♀️ Footstep Following…

Now that they mention it, there’s quite a resemblance.

📝 Not Again…

He has said this before. They wouldn’t dare… would they?

🚓 There’s This Thing Called Uber…

This explains the recast.

🏆 Waiting On Their Award…

No ETA on this or the strike.

💐 Celebrating Moms…

What the soap stars did for their big day.

💍 Congrats, Mate…

I’m happy for him. I like Ben.

https://people.com/tv/below-deck-ben-robinson-engaged-kiara-cabral/

Apparently, everyone’s happy for him.

🍹 Hitting Pause…

Yeah, we’re all tired.

https://www.tvfanatic.com/2023/05/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-put-on-pause-following-exhausting/

🍸 Post Finale Tidbits…

It’s on the Today show, in the New York Times. Scandoval has reached every corner of the globe. Sandoval: Every woman wants to spit on him, and every man wants to distance themselves.

https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/ariana-madix-vanderpump-rules-scandoval-interview-rcna85063

Don’t believe it. If they were that good of actors, they be… actors.

Wednesday morning quarterbacking.

https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/5/18/23729087/vanderpump-rules-finale-scandoval-tom-sandoval-ariana-madix-raquel-leviss

🐶 Who’s a Good Boy…?

Congratulations, Bobi!

https://people.com/pets/worlds-oldest-dog-bobi-turns-31-birthday-party/

🤸🏽‍♀️ Feeling It Still…

Let us join together tomorrow for soap, tea but no VanderSympathy, words to think about, and music for May. Until then, stay safe, stay not hogging the remote, and stay not asking questions you don’t want the answers to.

May 12, 2023 – Michael Changes Terms, Goodbye Barbara Jean, Molly Sub, Social Feud, No Comparison, Just No, Fear’s Return, Cool Dead, Sweet Renewal, 3 Awards, Dogs Of Anarchy, Good Boy, 2 x 4 Quotes & Mama

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina meets Ava at The Savoy, where a martini is waiting. Ava says, let’s get the party started, and Nina sit next to her at the bar. Ava says, Trina and Liesl are home, which means Willow has a donor. What should they drink to first?… She says, Nina doesn’t look like she’s in the mood to celebrate anything. What’s wrong?

Carly and Drew walk hand in hand at the hospital, and Carly tells him, she has to say, their relationship being out in the open… He says, makes the whole SEC investigation worth it? and she tells him that she wouldn’t say that, but it is the one silver lining. They hug, and Josslyn walks in. She says, don’t mind her, and hugs Drew, telling him, welcome home. He says he’s so glad to be here; she has no idea. She says, seeing him is like confirmation everything is going to be okay, and thanks him.

Dex comes out onto the hospital roof, and checks a text: Need to meet ASAP. GH roof.

Michael looks in on Willow, when his phone rings. A text says: I’m here. He flashes back to Willow saying the conflict between him and Sonny affects everybody they love. He remembers telling Sonny that eventually Sonny will be forgotten, like he never existed, Sonny replying, he’ll always love Michael, but if he wants Sonny to forgive, he’ll have to pay.

Frank lets Valentin into Sonny’s office, and Sonny says, hail the conquering hero. Valentin says, Sonny can just call. He doesn’t have to send his staff. Sonny says he doesn’t want to inconvenience Valentin, but there are some matters they have to discuss, and no one’s leaving this room until they do that.

Carly asks if Josslyn talked to Trina, but Josslyn says, she’s with her mom and dad. Trina texted her that she and Spencer are alive and back in Port Charles. She thanks Drew, saying, he rescued her best friends, but he says, it was a huge team effort. Spencer and Trina were pretty heroic themselves. Josslyn says, they’re so grateful he was able to get Dr. Obrecht back in time to save Willow. Seriously, he’s a hero. Drew tells her not to get carried away, but Carly says, Josslyn’s right, even though he didn’t get the hero’s welcome he deserved. Josslyn asks, why? What happened?

Nina says she really appreciates Ava coming out with her tonight, but maybe she should go see Trina. Nina knows how worried Ava was. Ava says, she’s safe and with her parents. They should celebrate. At the very least, they should raise a glass to Nina’s Aunt Liesl. She survived being kidnapped by Victor Cassadine – again – and she made it home in time to save Willow’s life. Nina says, yes. Her Aunt Liesl had the procedure to donate her bone marrow, and Willow’s going to have the transplant as soon as she completes her chemotherapy. Ava says, that’s wonderful. Why so glum? Nina says, this morning, Willow offered a way for her to make peace, and Ava says, another reason to celebrate. Nina says, it would be, except she already screwed it up.

Obrecht knocks on Willow’s window, and the phone next to Willow’s bed rings. Willow picks it up, and says, hello, Aunt Liesl. Obrecht says she’s sorry she kept Willow waiting, but she was abducted by a homicidal madman, and Willow tells her, don’t let it happen again. Obrecht says, don’t worry; it won’t. Willow says she’s just glad Obrecht is all right, and Obrecht says, she, too, is quite pleased by her survival. It was a great relief to donate her bone marrow today. Willow says, so it’s done? and Obrecht says, yes. Willow asks if she’s okay, and Obrecht says she had the easy part. She was under anesthesia. Aside from some mild soreness, she feels absolutely fine. Willow tells her that she doesn’t know what to say. Thank you doesn’t even cover it. She starts to cry and says, she’ll be able to watch her children grow up… Grow old with Michael. She’ll be alive, all thanks to Obrecht. Obrecht says she did what she had to. After all, Willow is her family.

Michael comes out on the roof, and thanks Dex for helping Josslyn bring Wiley and Amelia to the hospital. It meant a lot to the both of them. Dex says he’s glad to help. How’s Willow doing? Michael says, she’s tough. She’s determined to pull through for her family. But true to form, she’s more concerned about others than herself, which is why he called Dex here. Dex says he thinks he knows what Michael is going to say. He’ll admit, he thought Michael would want to wait until his wife was better to turn Sonny in… Is there another problem?

Sonny says, he spoke to Anna, and she told him how Valentin got Trina and Spencer and Liesl home. Valentin says, Victor was his father. It was kind of on him to stop Victor, and Sonny says, he’s the reason Nina got her aunt back, and now Willow’s going to get her bone marrow transplant that he hopes saves her life. Valentin says he’s just glad Liesl made it back in time, and Sonny says, Valentin stepped up. He’s not going to forget that. Valentin says he appreciates that, and Sonny says, now can they get to how Valentin’s associates nearly go him and his people killed?

Valentin says he’d never get in the way of Sonny’s operation, much less harm his people, and Sonny says, let him explain the new developments in the Pikeman deal, which Valentin facilitated. It seems like he left out a few important details. Valentin says, with respect, he told Sonny everything he knows. He’s just a middleman; they’re not going to give him specifics. Sonny says, Valentin went on the run after that, so let him fill Valentin in. He was preparing for the first shipment, and a sniper tried to take him out. Fortunately, he missed. When they were discussing this deal, Valentin said something about there being significant risks. Was that code? Did he or did he not know that Sonny could have a target on his back? Doesn’t Sonny always have a target on his back? He is a mob boss.

Willow says she’s grateful for everything Obrecht is doing and has done, and Obrecht says, Willow doesn’t really know her, certainly not well. She understands Willow’s fear that accepting her into her life means accepting Nina, who she thinks she does know well. But she wants Willow to know she has no agenda. Regardless of how Willow feels about her, she considers Willow family. Obrecht has lost almost all her relatives. When that happens, we tend to latch on to whatever family we have left. Sometimes we even put too much pressure on those relationships. Willow asks if that’s a hint for her to be more receptive to Nina, but Obrecht shakes her head, and says, there will a time and place for Willow to consider what role, if any, she wants Nina to have in her life. It doesn’t matter right now. The important thing is that Willow heal, so that someday she may have the opportunity to make that decision and a lifetime of other, happier ones. Willow says she can’t make any promises about Nina. Right now, she’s just praying she comes out the other side of this. Obrecht says, she will, and Willow says, she sounds so certain. Why? Obrecht says, because she’s aware of the tribulations Willow has endured in her life. Tell her. Does it annoy Willow when people assume she’s fragile? Or does she use it to her advantage, so they underestimate her? Willow says she doesn’t know that she’s ever thought about it that way, and Obrecht says, no matter. She sees Willow for the strong woman she is. Even in this weakened state, it’s obvious. She is a survivor. She knows, because it’s in Willow’s blood.

Nina tells Ava, her daughter asked her for a favor, which she’s never done before, so she thinks that’s a step forward. Ava says, it sounds promising. What was the favor? Nina says, unfortunately, it’s something she can’t give Willow, and Ava asks what she wants. Nina says, Willow wants her to drop her vendetta against Carly, and Ava says, that’s all? She fails to see the problem here. She knows how much Nina hates Carly, but compared to having a relationship with her daughter… Do this for Willow. Lay down her arms. Nina says, it’s too late. She made sure of that when she ratted out Drew and Carly to the SEC.

Drew says, then Diane showed up, and she kind of shut the whole thing down, at least for now. Josslyn says she can’t believe they dragged Drew out of there after he risked his life to rescue Victor’s hostages, and he says, the important thing is, they haven’t been charged with anything; this is an ongoing investigation. Carly says, that’s right, and Diane’s on her way here now to discuss the case, and Josslyn says, if Diane’s on it, she’s not going to worry too much. Carly says, Josslyn needs to know, while the SEC is conducting the investigation, her accounts and assets are frozen, and Josslyn asks if Carly needs her to get money from her trust fund, but Carly says, no. She just wants Josslyn to be aware. She doesn’t want Josslyn worrying about her, because Diane is on it, and they’re going to figure it out. Josslyn wonders how long it’s going to take, but Drew says, unfortunately, there’s no way to tell. His phone rings, and he says, it’s the lawyers from Aurora; he has to take it. He steps away, and Josslyn says, it’s really great to see Carly and Drew together out in the open. She can tell Carly is happy, despite everything. Carly says, they are. Speaking of a secret relationship being out in the open, does Josslyn want to talk about showing up here with Dex?

Michael says he’s decided he’s not using the Pikeman evidence against Sonny, and Dex asks if Michael found something else to use against him. Michael says he’s not turning Sonny in at all, and Dex says, why not? Michael says, Willow helped him realize, by sending Sonny to prison, he’ll just be tearing his family apart, and Dex says, Michael told him that he’d be willing to accept that. Michael says, for himself, but not for his siblings. Josslyn wants to see Sonny face justice, but Kristina would never forgive him. And Donna and Avery will be stuck in the middle. It’s not fair to make them choose between Josslyn and Kristina, or him and his father. Dex says, Michael is the boss. He has the right to change his mind. But he was hired to do a job. A job he’s risked his life for a year now getting done. He’s been shot, hung from a meat hook, and threatened with torture. He’s had to spend every day with the knowledge that if Sonny finds out he’s working against him, he’s dead. He knew there were risks when he started working for Michael, but decided it was worth it. (Well, shut up then.) He’s since come to understand Sonny better, but that doesn’t change anything for him. His options are limited here. Michael says he knows he put Dex in a tough spot, and he’s sorry, but for his family’s sake, he can’t turn Sonny in. Dex says, great. He’s really happy for all of them, but where does that leave him? The way he sees it, he only has two options here. He keeps working for Sonny indefinitely, or he puts Sonny away. Michael says, there is one more option. He disappears. Um… How about Dex tells Sonny that he can’t work for him because of Josslyn? I hate when they give Sonny no credit for being a somewhat understanding guy.

Valentin says, Pikeman has a lot of enemies. The kind of people who are going to want to keep Pikeman’s merchandise out of their own enemies’ hands. He didn’t know Sonny was going to be targeted, but he can’t say he’s entirely surprised. Sonny says, the Pikeman rep is cagey any time he tries to ask them for any information, and Valentin says, as with any Pikeman employee. It’s all need to know. Sonny says, the sniper was a ghost, but here’s the thing. He wasn’t a mob hitman; he was black ops. From the espionage world. Valentin’s world. Valentin says he’s not going to get Pikeman to confirm or deny that, but he has good news. He spoke to his source at Pikeman, and they’re happy with the way the shipment went down. They want to work with Sonny again. Sonny says, tell them he’s not interested.

Scotty sees Obrecht going down the hall at the hospital, and says, she’s back. She says, yes, and he says, in one piece he might add. She says she’s unharmed. She should be… He says, he moved heaven and earth to find her, and got chloroformed for his trouble. She says she heard, and he says he’s sorry he almost got her blown up, but he had to do something. She says, on the bright side, his misguided efforts to save her, effectively blew up Victor, and Scotty says, good riddance to him. She says, yes. As she said she should be… She starts walking away, but he says, wait a second. He knows they had a lot of problems before Victor grabbed her, and a lot of stuff to work out, but he thinks about her – she turns around to face him – in the morning when he wakes up, and he thinks about her before he goes to sleep, but the trouble is, he doesn’t sleep anymore. So he was wondering if she feels the same way. Not that she doesn’t sleep. He wouldn’t wish that on anybody, but maybe they could get things back on track. Is there any way things might work out with them?

Josslyn tells Carly, Dex was a big help getting the kids here, and there’s no real reason to hide their relationship anymore now that Sonny knows. Diane comes out of the elevator and walks over to them, and asks if she’s interrupting a mother/daughter catch-up. Josslyn says, nothing they can’t talk about later, and Carly says, and they will. She thanks Diane for coming here, since she didn’t want to stray too far from Willow, and Diane says she understands. Josslyn says she’ll leave them to it. She knows they have a lot to talk about. Now that she knows Diane is the one helping out, she’s sure it will be okay. Diane says she appreciates the vote of confidence, and Josslyn leaves. Diane asks, where’s Drew? and Carly says, he’s making a call. She thanks Diane for getting him released, and Diane says, it was a little too easy… Drew comes back, and thanks Diane for coming. Let’s hear it. What are he and Carly looking at? Diane says, unfortunately, it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Nina and Ava go to a table, and Nina says she hates that she turned in Carly and Drew to the SEC. She let her jealousy get the better of her for Carly becoming more of a mother to Willow. Now she did something she can’t take back. Ava says, when Willow asked her to make peace with Carly, did Nina tell her it was too late? and Nina says, not exactly. When Willow asked her to make peace with Carly, she lied a little bit, and said she wouldn’t get into it with Carly anymore. Ava says, technically, it’s not a lie though. Nina talked to the SEC before she promised Willow. Nina says, it won’t matter to Willow that she took revenge on Carly before Willow asked her not to. That loophole is not going to work for her here. Ava says, Carly will weasel her way out of it somehow. Hopefully after she’s suffered a little bit. In a way, Nina bought herself some time to find her way out of this. Nina says, that doesn’t change what she did to Drew. That man went to Greenland, he faced off with Victor Cassadine, he brought Aunt Liesl back so Willow could get a bone marrow transplant. Almost as soon as he brought Aunt Liesl back to GH, he was intercepted by the SEC. Ava says, that is not ideal, and Nina says she was there; it was horrible. Ava says, there’s nothing Nina can do. What’s done is done. She can’t change it now. Nina says, maybe so; maybe not. Ava asks what she’s thinking, and Nina says she needs to mitigate the damage here. So the only thing she can do is tell Willow the truth.

Diane says she’s been working to get Carly’s private bank accounts unfrozen. Unfortunately, the judge has ruled that they’ll remain frozen for the duration of the investigation. Drew says he’s sure he can arrange for a loan from the Quartermaine assets, but Diane says, no. She strongly advises against that. While the SEC is deciding whether he used his private relationship with Carly to divulge business secrets, how’s it going to look if he loans her money? Carly says, Diane’s right. She doesn’t want him to get in any more trouble. He asks what she needs for money, and Carly says she has some liquid assets to keep her afloat. Besides, Diane is going to get their names cleared. Diane says, about that. Unfortunately… Carly says, no. Diane’s been saying that word a lot today. Diane says she knows. She’s sorry. However, she can’t represent both of them.

Obrecht says she’s just been through a harrowing experience with Victor, and Scotty says, he knows. That’s why… She says, please, let her finish, and he says, anything you want, my schnitzel. She says she dreamed of him calling her that. She confesses that in moments her survival was in question, she did think about him. He has her heart. He takes her hand and says, she has his as well. So with that, they can probably get through anything. She says, if only it were that simple, and pulls her hand back. Her heart doesn’t belong to him alone. He shares that space with her children who are no longer with her; Nathan and Britta. He says he knows that he hurt her, and he’ll do everything he can in his power to make it up to her, but she says, sadly, he cannot. She was a captive on the Haunted Star, the very vessel where her Britta breathed her last breath. When the air strike destroyed it, she thought, it’s gone, the place where her Britta had the best night of her life, and she had her worst. She didn’t know what to think, how to feel, but Scotty was involved, no matter how inadvertently, in its destruction. And it felt like a gift. He says, maybe he did do something right, and she says he’s done many things right, but as much as she loves him, it’s hard for her to even look at him right now. All she can see is Elizabeth, and how he sided with her. And while she understands he sees Elizabeth as a daughter, she must side with the memory of hers. That is our truth, mein Lieber, and unfortunately, it doesn’t set us free. She walks away.

Michael says he’ll give Dex all the money he needs to start somewhere new. Somewhere Sonny can’t touch him. It’s the least he owes Dex. Dex says, that’s not what he agreed to. The deal was, he’d get enough evidence for Michael to put Sonny away forever, then get out of his business. Michael says, Dex did everything he asked Dex to do. He gained Sonny’s trust, he braved the brutality of Sonny’s world. He can’t thank Dex enough for all he’s done. He realizes changing the terms comes at great risk to Dex. Dex says, but Michael’s not going to change his mind, is he? and Michael says, no, he’s not. Dex says, then he’s screwed, and Michael says, Dex knew this job could go wrong a million different ways; he signed up for that too. Dex says he signed up for exactly two possible outcomes. Either Sonny goes to prison, or Sonny catches him and he winds up dead. And since option one is off the table now, the only other one is him not breathing. Michael says, there’s a way for Dex to escape with his life if he lets Michael help him get away. He’ll protect Dex from Sonny. Dex says, if he disappears, he has to say goodbye to his life, and he’s grown very attached to… to this city. Michael says, he’s grown attached to this city or attached to Josslyn?

Josslyn stands at Willow’s window, and on the phone, Willow says she’s happy to see her. Josslyn says she’s surprised Willow is even awake. How’s she feeling? Willow says, if she’s being completely honest, the chemo’s taking a lot out of her. But it will all be worth it, providing Liesl’s donation takes. Josslyn says, it will, and asks if there’s anything she can do for Willow. Willow says, tell her what’s going on. What’s happening in the outside world? Josslyn hesitates, and Willow says, it doesn’t have to be anything big. Tell her something small and personal. Like how she’s studying for her finals. Is she a flashcards or an outlines student? Josslyn laughs, and says, Willow’s lowered the bar. They can do better than that. She’s sort of seeing someone. Willow says, Michael and Carly sort of hinted she was, but didn’t give her any details. She was very annoyed they respected Josslyn’s privacy like that. So tell her. Is Josslyn seeing anyone she knows?

Sonny says, the cargo was a lot riskier than they discussed, and Valentin asks, what was the cargo? Sonny says, just one of the most powerful plastic explosives in the world. Did Valentin know that? Valentin says he knew they dealt in explosives, but he didn’t expect them to ask Sonny to traffic it. Not on his first job with them anyway. Sonny says he’s not in the market of arming terrorists, but Valentin says, he’s not. Their main client is the US military. They make limited covert exports to small countries that need to defend themselves from larger, better equipped military forces. Sonny says, meaning countries that have a vested interest in making sure Pikeman doesn’t move their merchandise, and Valentin says, and would go to extremes to eliminate anyone facilitating the move of said merchandise. Sonny says, there’s no way he’s going to sit back and be Pikeman’s collateral damage, and Valentin says, so Sonny wants him to tell them no deal?

Ava says she loves Nina, but that is a terrible idea, and Nina says, it’s the only thing she can think of. This whole thing is horrible. They froze Drew and Carly’s assets. Ava laughs, and Nina says, it’s not funny. Ava says, it’s not funny when it comes to Drew, but Carly? Considering she lost her shirt in the very deal she’s being investigated for, it’s lucky she has any assets to freeze, and it’s delicious. Nina says, Willow’s not going to see it that way. They could be facing serious prison time, and if there’s any way of salvaging this, building any kind of relationship with her daughter, she’s just going to have to come clean. She’ll have to apologize to Willow for all the pain that she’s put her and her family through. Ava says, let her remind Nina of something. None of the former or current members of the Corinthos family are forgiving people. That includes Willow. If Nina comes clean, Willow will be furious with her. Nina says, what if she finds out later? and Ava says, then she’ll be furious later. If Nina admits what she did, Carly will be out for her blood. Not to mention Michael and Drew, and the whole Quartermaine clan. And of course (🍷) there’s Sonny. Nina, who certainly can’t foresee the consequences of her actions, says, what about Sonny? and Ava says, Carly’s the mother of his children. Does Nina think he’s really going to be fine with her turning Carly over to the Feds? Nina says, he loves her, and Ava says, he does now, but when he finds out she threw Carly to the wolves, she promises Nina, that will change. Nina says she knows there’s going to be consequences. Shouldn’t she face them? Ava says, when Nina dropped the dime on Carly and Drew, was she lying? Nina says, no, and Ava says, exactly. What they did was illegal. All Nina did was report it. If they didn’t want to go to prison for insider trading, maybe they shouldn’t have done it. All Nina will get for her honesty is lifelong and very powerful enemies. She’ll lose Willow, and she’ll lose Sonny forever. Does she really want to throw away everything that makes her happy?

Willow asks Josslyn if she’s happy, and Josslyn says she is. Willow says, good, and thanks Josslyn for sharing at least that much with her. Josslyn promises to share everything eventually with Willow, and Willow says she’ll hold Josslyn to it. She thanks Josslyn for being here; it means the world. Josslyn says, it’s not just her. It’s Michael and her mom and Drew; they’re all here. All of them are going to be here for her every step of the way. Willow says, love and support from the whole family has kept her going through all of this; the way everyone’s coming together. Josslyn says, they love her, and Willow says she loves all of them too. And as nervous as she is about the transplant, she’s also feeling hopeful for all of their futures again. Josslyn tells Willow, goodbye, hangs up the phone, and then says she feels the same way.

Sonny says he wants Valentin to deliver a message from him. He might be open to another deal, one that would facilitate another shipment; the way it was before, not under these circumstances. Pikeman needs to get their affairs in order, and figure out who came after him. Then they can move forward, but not until then. Valentin says he’ll convey that message and get back to Sonny, and leaves.

Nina says, Ava brings up some good points, and Ava says, that Nina obviously hasn’t considered. Nina says, but where does she go now? Does she just go forward with this huge secret hanging over her and everyone she loves? Ava says, yep, and Nina says, what if she gets caught? Ava asks if anyone else besides her is aware Nina knew Drew and Carly were romantically involved prior to the merger, and Nina says, Martin Grey. Ava says, attorney/client privilege; he can’t say anything. Nina says, he assured her that there’s no way to trace the tip back to her, and Ava says, great. She’s not going to say anything, so good news. Nina’s already gotten away with it. She’s the last person anybody would suspect. Nina asks why Ava says that. Her animosity toward Carly isn’t a secret. Ava says, whose animosity toward Carly is a secret? Aurora’s assets were frozen too, right? And Aurora owns Crimson, so why would she undermine her own business? Nina says, that’s true, and Ava says, Nina’s gotten away with murder. Don’t tell anyone where to find the body.

Diane says she was happy to step in and get Drew released, but moving forward, it wouldn’t be in his best interest to have the same representation as Carly. Carly says she doesn’t understand. Won’t it help if they both have the same strategy? Diane says, the SEC is going to pit the two of them against each other. If this goes to trial, they’ll be separate defendants, so they should have separate attorneys fighting their respective cases. Drew says, then Diane should represent Carly, but Carly says, no. He’s the CEO of Aurora. He engineered the merger. He should have the better representation. He says, the Q’s have a shark tank full of lawyers he can use. Carly should have somebody that knows her implicitly and has represented her and her family for years. Carly asks what Diane thinks, and Diane says she thinks Drew is a very smart man who makes a compelling argument. Carly says, okay. Then that’s what they’ll do. Diane says, now that that’s settled, she’ll be in touch. In the meantime, the two of them look great together. She leaves, and Carly puts her head on Drew’s shoulder.

Nina asks if that’s Scotty, and Ava says, he has that lost puppy dog look. As he passes the table, Nina asks, what’s up? and Ava asks if he’s all right. He says he tried to mend some fences with Liesl, but they’re finished. Nina says, she’s just been through a lot, and he says he knows. He thought she might come to his waiting arms, but no such luck. Nina says, just give her some time, and Ava says, the woman obviously loves him. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t be so mad at him. What did she say exactly? He says, she told him that their truth does not set them free, which it seems to him means, if you love somebody and mess with the family, there is no coming back.

Carly asks how Drew thinks the SEC is going to pit them against each other, and he says, if they want to play dirty, let them. They can handle whatever the SEC throws at them. The way he sees it, they can take on the world as long as they’re together. They hug.

Scotty tells Nina and Ava that he’s not good company. He’s going to go have some martinis. He heads for the bar, and Ava asks Nina, so what are we doing here? Celebrating, or is Nina planning on ruining her relationship with Willow? Nina says, Ava’s right. She can’t tell Willow that she turned in Carly and Drew to the SEC. Ava says, exactly. Trust her. Nothing good will come of Nina clearing her conscience. Ava lifts her glass, and says, to seeing reason. Everything is going Nina’s way. Liesl is going to save Willow’s life; Carly and Drew will face the consequences of their actions. The best thing for Nina to do is to keep her mouth shut and her eyes forward. Nina lifts her glass, and says, and hope for the best. They clink glasses and drink.

Josslyn comes to the roof, and hugs Dex, asking why he needed to see her. What’s going on? He tells her that he has to say goodbye.

There’s a knock at Sonny’s office door, and he says, come in. Frank says, Sonny has another visitor, but Sonny says he’s not expecting one. Frank says, he’ll want to see this one, and Sonny says, send him in. Frank leaves, and Michael walks in.

On Monday, Lucy asks if Sasha is absolutely sure she’s ready for all of this; Josslyn says she’s going with Dex; Drew tells Nina, it’s just not an option; and Michael tells Sonny that they need things to change before it’s too late.

🥀 Farewell To a Legend…

This made me so sad.

⚖️ The ADA’s Temp…

We’ll be having a temporary Molly for a bit.

📱 Oh For Pete’s Sake…

Is it me, or is this all as stupid as it seems?

🍸 Wrong As Usual…

No. It’s not all the same. Actually, this is apples and oranges territory.

🚫 Can’t Blame Her…

There probably are more important topics.

https://okmagazine.com/p/the-view-under-fire-whoopi-goldberg-refuses-discuss-forced-vanderpump-rules-topic/

⚰️ Happy Mother’s Day…

Fear the Walking Dead will be back on Sunday, May 14th.

https://www.thedigitalfix.com/the-walking-dead/fear-the-walking-dead-season-8-release-date

🗽 City Trailer…

This one is a must watch for me.

🦌 Third and Final…

I love this show. I’m almost done with Season 2, and it’s even better than Season 1. It can be borderline Disney, but not in a bad way. And it’s something different.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/sweet-tooth-renewed-for-third-and-final-season-at-netflix/

🎭 Not This Time…

You can check out the nominees here as well.

https://playbill.com/article/2023-tony-awards-will-not-broadcast-as-announced-wga-strike-waiver-denied

🐎 A Lot Bit Country…

The ACM Award winners.

https://people.com/country/acm-awards-2023-complete-winners-list/

The ACM Award fashion.

https://parade.com/tv/acm-music-awards-red-carpet-fashion-outfits-2023

🎥 Not Your Mom’s Awards…

The MTV Movie & TV Awards winners.

https://www.mtv.com/news/wlwids/mtv-movie-tv-awards-winners-list-2023

The non-fashion.

https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/mtv-movie-tv-awards-2023-red-carpet-winners-writers-strike

🐶 Bikers and Dogs Reunion…

It doesn’t get cooler than this.

https://ew.com/tv/sons-of-anarchy-reunion-peta-psa-emilio-rivera-theo-rossi/

🐩 Going To the Dogs…

Westminster winner. Click on Rummie the Pekingese for a tweet treat.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/09/us/westminster-dog-show-winner-cec/index.html

🥠 Quotes of the Week

We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals. – Immanuel Kant

I’ll join this conversation on the proviso that we stop bitching about people, talking about wigs, dresses, bust sizes, penises, drugs, night clubs, and bloody Abba! – Bernadette (Terrence Stamp), Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better. – Robert F. Kennedy

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained. – Marie Curie

A leader is a dealer in hope.Napoleon Bonaparte

The pendulum of the mind alternates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong. – Carl Jung

His first word was a paragraph. – Rosetta McMillan (Cleo King), Mike & Molly

I believe in Liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and their souls, the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty and love. – W.E.B. DuBois

🤹🏽‍♀️ A Mother Of a Day…

Follow the breadcrumbs back on Monday really Tuesday for soap, Sailing, and Summer smack talk. Fear the Walking Dead begins Sunday, so we’ll see on that. Mondays is rough. Until then, stay safe, stay loving your mom even if it has to be from a distance, and stay not messing with the family of somebody you love. There might be no coming back.

May 11, 2023 – Hursley Makes Curtis an Offer, Sandoval and Raquel Edge Out Jax For Most Awful Human(s) On Earth, PS & Some Breakfast

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Tracy says she recalls Brook saying she owed her when she helped Chase get reinstated, and she wondered when Tracy was going to ask her to pay up. Brook says, right, and Tracy accused her of being like her father, only thinking in terms of money and stock market shenanigans. Tracy says, relax. She’s not going to ask Brook for money or stock, but she has thought of something Brook can do for her that will settle the account. Brook says she really does want to pay Tracy back, but right now’s not the right time, with Willow’s life hanging by a thread, and Michael needing their love and support. Everyone’s distracted. It’s not the time for her to take on a new project. Tracy says, exactly. The family is distracted. It’s the perfect time for Brook to do something without attracting unwanted attention from her nearest and dearest. And lucky for Brook, Tracy knows exactly how she’s going to do it.

Sasha says, Maxie wants her to take her place on the Home & Heart shopping channel? Go back on the same show where she had a nervous breakdown on national TV? Maxie says she wouldn’t be asking, but she has this stupid sinus infection, and Sasha is the only one who can step in and tell everyone about the wonders of their beauty breakthrough, The Deceptor. Gladys says, what about Lucy? and Maxie says, the whole world thought she was dead. Knowing Lucy, she would feel the need to explain she wasn’t really dead; she was being held captive by Victor Cassadine. She would make the whole thing about herself and the product would get lost. No. No, Gladys. It has to be Sasha. Sasha says, her last appearance was a literal nightmare. She hallucinated Liam, which almost cost them the company, not to mention the toll it took on her mental health. Besides, she can’t imagine Home & Heart would want her back on the air. She’s sorry, but… Maxie says, if she says no… She’ll forgive Sasha, but there is one person who never will.

At The Savoy, N’neka places a glass in front of Selina, and says, her usual, the house mocktail with a twist of lime. Selina says, it’s kind of her to remember. As for her private party… N’neka says she has instructions to reserve the backroom for her nephew’s birthday party, and Selina says, excellent. Then everything’s being taken care of. Cody comes over, and says, not everything. She still needs someone who knows his way around a deck of cards. He produces a Jack of Hearts playing card.

Chase walks into the squad room, and everyone applauds. He and Dante bro hug, and says, it’s good to be back. He finds a card alongside a Red Sox mug on his desk, and says, here he wondered if anyone cared he was back to work. Dante pulls out a stack of folders, and says he especially cares, because these are for Chase. He puts them on Chase’s desk and says, have at it. Chase opens the first folder and sees Cody’s picture, and Dante asks how it feels. Chase says, honestly? It kind of feels like he never left. Why isn’t Dante at GH? Dante says he was, but Willow’s in isolation now. There’s only so many times he can tell Michael, it’s going to be okay. Chase asks how Willow is doing, and Dante says, she’s weak, but everyone is optimistic because Drew’s back with Obrecht. Chase says, the bone marrow transplant’s going to work, and Dante says, here’s hoping. In the meantime, he’s going to distract himself with work. Chase asks if he needs help, and Dante points to the pile, and says, those. Chase says, things look pretty bad for Dante’s friend Cody, but Dante says, sometimes things aren’t always what they seem.

Portia says, Trina finally made it home, and Taggert says, and they have Curtis to thank for that, going over to Curtis and shaking his hand. Curtis says, it wasn’t just him. It took a whole team to make this happen. Laura says, yes, it took all of them, and Trina says she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Curtis, Laura, and all the others, but most especially, she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Spencer. Well, technically, she wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for Spencer. Taggert says, Curtis is right. Trina’s safe and so are all the other people who could have been hurt if Victor had his way. Spencer says, the good thing is, Uncle Victor didn’t get his way, and Laura says, amen to that. Now it’s time to focus on the living, starting with her sweet little grandson, who hopefully will be growing up in a much better world. First of all, they need to have him checked out to make sure he didn’t suffer any injuries during his captivity or rescue. Portia says, of course (🍷). She’ll take Laura to pediatrics. Laura says, that’s okay. They’re waiting for them. Trina asks if Spencer wants her to come, and he says, thanks, but he thinks his grandmother can handle this. He thinks it’s probably best that Trina be with her family right now. They leave for pediatrics, and Portia tells Trina, despite everything Spencer’s baby brother has gone through, he’s far too young to understand everything that’s happening, so she thinks he’s going to be fine. On the other hand, Portia needs to make sure her little baby girl is all right. Trina says, she’s fine, but there’s one thing she needs, and Portia says, anything. Trina says she needs to talk to her dad.

Sasha wonders who wouldn’t forgive her for not going on Home & Heart. Is Maxie talking about Valentin, or one of the other investors? She embarrassed them once, and won’t risk another meltdown on air. Maxie says, if Sasha doesn’t get back on that horse, or bicycle, or any metaphor she wants to use, the only person who’s never going to forgive her is her. The last time, she was in a really bad place, and Maxie saw her get through that. She knows Sasha is much stronger than she’s ever been before. She wouldn’t be asking Sasha to do this if she didn’t fully believe that. Let’s be real. Sasha’s not just another person in this company; she’s the Face of Deception. And while it’s true, some people get a twisted thrill out of watching others fall down, what people love even more is a redemption story. There’s not a woman out there who didn’t feel Sasha’s pain, and they want to see she’s come back from that. She absolutely cannot say no. Gladys says, maybe Sasha can’t say no, but she can.

Cody holds out the card, and says, it’s Selina’s for the taking. She says, if that’s supposed to be his calling card, it should be a Joker. As for tonight’s poker game, his presence won’t be required. He says, since when? and she says, her guests enjoy playing for high stakes, not with known common criminals. Not only was he foolish enough to steal a bracelet at the Nurses Ball, he made it worse by getting caught. He says he’s innocent, and she says, for his sake, she hopes that’s true. Prison can be so confining. Regardless, didn’t he recently tell her that he wanted out of the game? He says he did, but times change. Defense attorneys don’t come cheap. Have a heart and let him play for his usual cut. She says, he may dream big, but at the end of the day, he’s just a petty thief, and there’s just no room at the table for that.

Chase asks if Dante buys that someone planted a bracelet in Cody’s pocket, and Dante says, ever since he’s known Cody, he’s been in trouble; trouble finds him. When he landed in town last year, Dante thought maybe he left all that behind, but maybe he’s still working angles whenever he can. However, this friendship with Sasha seems legit. Why would he steal her mother-in-law’s bracelet and hide it in his coat pocket? It’s ridiculous. Chase asks if Cody wasn’t friends with Britt Westbourne. Didn’t that involve some jewelry too? Dante says, yeah, but sometimes people do the wrong things for the right reasons. He gets that, and thinks Chase is familiar with that concept as well.

Brook says, helping Chase get his badge back is worth any price, and Tracy says she wants Brook to go back to Deception, the sooner, the better. Brook says, Tracy wants her to get her old job back? and Tracy says, she didn’t burn any bridges when she left, did she? Brook says, no, of course (🍷) not. Those women are all her friends, but she only started working there in the first place to help Maxie. Brook was pretending to be Bailey Lou’s mother, and the only time Maxie could see her child was when Brook brought her to daycare at work. Tracy says, and when Maxie got her child back, Brook stayed at Deception, correct? and Brook says she did. She liked working there; the people, the products… But it’s not what she wants to do with her life. Her passion is music, or doesn’t Tracy remember telling her as a kid not to follow in her dear old dad’s footsteps when he was singing as Eddie Maine? It’s a good thing she didn’t take Tracy’s advice. Not only has she reclaimed the rights to her songs, but all these opportunities are opening up for her now; to produce music and rep musicians. Tracy says, Brook can write all the songs she wants after Brook does this for her, and Brook asks, what part of I quit is unclear to her? Tracy says, unquit. Tell Maxie that she misses working with her. Make nice to Sasha, and God forbid, flatter Lucy Coe. Tell Lucy she wants to learn from her. Brook says, this doesn’t make any sense. Why does Tracy care if she works at a cosmetics company? What is she really after? Tracy says she wants Brook to make herself indispensable, and Brook says she always tries to do that. Tracy says, while she’s at it, keep her eyes open. She wants Brook to find out what’s happening at Research and Development. She doesn’t want to know what the next hot thing for summer is, or what’s going to sell in the fall. She wants to know what’s down the pipeline. Brook says she doesn’t get it. Tracy doesn’t care about ELQ, and now all of a sudden she’s into the cosmetics biz? Tracy tells her, let’s just say I’m curious. From time to time, she’ll check in with Brook, and Brook will tell her what the next big thing is. Brook can do that for her, can’t she? After what she did for Chase? Does that sound like a fair deal to her? Brook says, it sounds like corporate espionage. Is Tracy asking Brook to be her personal spy?

Chase says he’s mad his share of mistakes, but stealing expensive jewelry isn’t one of them, and Dante says, that’s good. It’s also good to have him back. Chase says he didn’t do it on his own; he had help. Dante says, so he and Brook… and Chase says, if Dante were to ask him before the Nurses Ball, he would have said, no way. Dante says, but after she did that thing, standing up to her dirtbag ex-manager? and Chase says, it saved him the trouble of smacking the guy again. Not that he would have. Dante says, never, and Chase tells him, it’s like Dante said about Cody. Sometimes you do the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Cody says, if Selina vouches for him, the other players will come around, and she says, what keeps the poker games running smoothly and profitably is avoiding the curious eyes of authorities. And yet he expects her to allow a common jewel thief to sit at the table? How can she explain that to her guests? How could she retain their trust? He says, by telling them the truth. She says, and what is that? and he says, that he’s not a thief. He was framed.

Gladys says she’s sorry, but she can’t let Maxie use her daughter-in-law to sell some newfangled beauty product; not when her mental health is at stake. Sasha thanks Gladys for standing up for her, but she knows Maxie means well. Gladys says, maybe if it was a different show or  a different studio, but to go back to the same place where Sasha had her breakdown? She won’t agree to that. Maxie says, Gladys is actually proving her point. It is Sasha’s well-being she’s thinking about. She needs to face her fears by doing the same show. Gladys says, what if she’s not ready? and Maxie says, isn’t that for Sasha to decide? Sasha asks if Maxie is sure no one else can make this presentation, and Maxie says, she and Sasha are the only ones who’ve been following this product since its planning stages. Nobody knows how to sell it like they do. She wishes she were up to the challenge, but her sinuses are holding her back. But Sasha is up for it. Maxie knows she is. Sasha says, maybe Maxie is right. Maybe the only way to conquer her fear is to face it. Gladys says, legally, it’s up to her to decide, and she won’t let Sasha do it.

Portia asks if Curtis is sure he doesn’t need to see a doctor, but he says, it’s just cuts and bruises. She really should see the other guy. She says she wasn’t only worried for Trina. If anything had happened to him, she doesn’t know… He says, it’s over, and she says, is it?

On the phone, Laura says, they’re all here at the hospital. She thinks they really want to be here.

Spencer promises Ace that this exam is not going to hurt, when Laura walks in, and asks how Ace is doing. Spencer says, he’s good. He was telling Ace that when Laura used to take him to the doctor, she told him if he was good he’d get a lollipop. He wishes things were still that simple. She says, they’re not that simple because things change, but some things never do. She produces a lollipop. Presumably for Spencer, since Ace is way too young for that.

Taggert and Trina go to Portia’s office, and he says, it’s just the two of them. Does she need to tell him something about this Spencer boy? She says, this isn’t about Spencer; it’s about him and her. She wanted to tell him first what she’s decided, because it could impact him more than anyone else. He asks what she’s decided, and she says she’s changed her mind. She wants to take the DNA test and find out the truth. She wants to be absolutely clear. No matter what the test results say, Taggert is still her dad. He says, like he’d let her forget that, and she says she’s serious. He says he was just trying to make it easier for her, but can he ask her why she changed her mind? She says, because of the last few days, and everything she’s been through. When things were at their worst, she saw how Spencer loved his little brother. It reminded her there’s nothing more important than family. That’s when she made the decision that if she made it through, she wasn’t going to let secrets come between her and her family ever again. He says, like her mom did, and she says, twenty years ago, her mother swept things under the rug because she was afraid to face the truth. And one day in the future, hopefully she’ll forgive her mom, but Trina’s not repeating her mistake. They all need answers, and she’s the only one who can get them.

 Portia says, when Curtis walked through the door, her heart skipped a beat. Just the thought that she might never see him again… He says he’s not going to lie. There were times out there when he thought he wasn’t going to make it. Hursley comes out of the elevator, and says, Curtis Ashford? Curtis asks, who wants to know? and Hursley says he’s an agent with the WSB, showing Curtis his ID. Curtis says he was already debriefed in Greenland, but Hursley says, not by him. Can he ask Curtis to join him for some additional questions? I wonder if coffee comes with that, and Curtis says, okay, let’s get it over with. They go into the elevator, and Curtis looks at Portia as the doors close.

Brook says she can’t be back at Deception, unless Tracy wants her employee discount for wrinkle cream. Tracy says she doesn’t have wrinkles; she has character. (She does look amazing, and aging naturally, thank you.) The only interest she has in cosmetics is lining her pockets with green. Brook can have all the music she wants, but this way, she can also have health insurance. It sounds like a win-win to her. Brook says, not a chance. She doesn’t know what Tracy is actually up to, but music is her life. Tracy laughs, and says, so Brook is telling her that Chase has no part in it. She called Tracy in tears. She begged Tracy to help her because the Board was about to deny his request for reinstatement. Brook says she’s repeatedly expressed her gratitude for Tracy’s help, and Tracy says, well that help, just like that shiny badge, comes at a price. Or is Brook deluded enough to think that little speech she gave single-handedly convinced them to give Chase another chance? She wonders how Chase would react if he knew he owed his badge not to Brook, but to her, and the very expensive strings she had to pull.

Chase says, Brook would have never gotten mixed up with Linc Brown again if she hadn’t been trying to get his badge back, and Dante says, so Chase is telling him there’s a chance. Chase asks if Dante doesn’t have a lot of work to do, and Dante says, actually, he does. He wants to start digging into that SEC case and see what they’ve got on Drew and Carly. The entire Quartermaine family, his mother included, believe that Ned was behind it. He’s not convinced. But then again, he wasn’t convinced when they found that stolen bracelet in Cody’s pocket either.

Cody tells Selina, Gladys Corbin set him up. She knows he’s onto the scam she’s running to bilk her daughter-in-law. Gladys is trying to discredit him before he blows her and her plan out of the water. Selina says she simply doesn’t care, and he says he respects her point-of-view, but he’s been a regular in that backroom poker game for a while now. Suddenly, if he’s a no-show, someone’s going to start asking questions. She says, such as? and he says, why was a petty thief allowed in the game to begin with?

Maxie says, it’s not up to Gladys to let Sasha do anything. She’s a grown woman with a mind of her own. Gladys says she knows that, but it’s not just her responsibility as Sasha’s court appointed guardian, but as a member of her family. Maxie says, so what Gladys is really telling her is, she’s afraid she’s going to lose money if Sasha has another meltdown, and Gladys says, that’s a low blow. Maxie’s talking about Sasha facing her fears, but what if those fears are too strong right now? What if she cracks again, and they can’t pick up the pieces? Sasha says, Gladys is right. She does have a say, but Sasha’s friends and partners at Deception have stood by her, and she’s ready to return the favor, and start living her life again.

Spencer thanks Laura, and says, orange too; he likes orange. This brings back memories. He puts the lollipop in his bag, and says he just wants to get the all-clear from the doctor so they can go home. He knows that means more time around Esme, and he hasn’t even told her that they’re home yet. He knows she has every right to be here because she’s Ace’s mom. She says she knew he was going to feel that way, so she hopes he doesn’t mind… He says, mind what? when Esme comes in, saying, where’s her baby? She takes Ace from Spencer, and cries happy tears. Laura says, Esme would be proud of her son. He was just as brave, if not braver, than everyone on the Haunted Star. Spencer says, they all made sure he was safe and warm, and Esme says, by we, he means him and Laura, right? He says, the two of them helped, but Trina also did a lot, and Esme says, tell Trina that she owes her a huge thank you, especially after what all these people say she did to hurt Trina. He says, if she knew Trina, she’d know Trina would never take it out on Ace, and Esme says she’s just glad the nightmare is over, and Victor Cassadine is… Laura says, dead. It’s really okay to say it. The world is a better place without him. Austin comes in and says he’s here to examine Ace. Esme is his mom, so she can stay, but Mayor Collins and Mr. Cassadine, let’s go. Spencer and Laura leave.

Trina tells Taggert, it’s been three months since her world turned upside down, and she found out it might be possible that Curtis… He says he gets it. She wants to know. She says, want to? No, but she feels like she needs to know. if Curtis is her biological father, then that means she’s related to Stella, and Marshall would be her grandfather. Taggert says he appreciates Trina sharing her decision with him. That’s very kind. That’s who he and Portia raised her to be. With that said, she doesn’t need his permission. She says, maybe not, but she’d like his blessing, and he says, she has it. Today, tomorrow, and forever. He kisses the top of her head and says, and he agrees with her. Secrets tear families apart. So go learn whatever she needs to learn, but if she thinks that these results will change who she is or him being her dad… She says, not ever, and hugs him.

Curtis says, so a WSB agent wants to talk with him alone. Is this where Hursley gets rid of him to close the book on Victor Cassadine? Hursley says, they don’t play those games anymore, and Curtis says he’s sure. So if Hursley doesn’t want to silence him, what is it that he wants? Hursley says, the Bureau is very impressed with the way Curtis handled himself amid all the chaos in Greenland, even if he went rogue in doing it, and Curtis says he’d do the same thing again if it meant saving someone he loves. Call it reckless if they want to. Hursley says, they call it initiative, and Curtis says he’s been around the block a few times. He knows if they’re looking at him, they already did their research into his background, so they know it wasn’t all pretty. Hursley says, they know he was a damn good cop before… Let’s just say he made some bad choices, but that was a long time ago. The bottom line is, they could use a man like Curtis. Curtis says he already has a job. He assumes the WSB already knows that. Hursley says, the WSB can’t be everywhere at once. They need assets in the fields; strictly off the books of course (🍷), but ready and able to help when needed. So what does Curtis think?

Maxie says, that is the Sasha Gilmore she knows and loves, and she’s not the only one. Sasha’s one appearance on Home & Heart made quite the impression. Sasha says she bets, but Maxie says, not in a bad way. People sympathize with her. They’ve been following her ever since. They’ll be rooting for her. Sasha says, that’s nice to hear. If she can just find a way to look into that camera again and think about the people watching as friends, as people who have problems just like she does, then maybe she can help them, as well as help herself. Maxie asks if she’s ever told Sasha that she’s her hero. And there’s nobody else she’d rather have… She sneezes, and Gladys hands her a tissue. Gladys says, the last thing she wants is to hold Sasha back. if Sasha really thinks she’s ready for this, Gladys won’t stand in her way. Sasha thanks her, and they hug. Gladys says she just hopes Sasha doesn’t regret it later, and leaves.

Brook says, okay, fine. She can admit Tracy may have persuaded the Review Board to give Chase his job back, but Chase also proved he deserved to be reinstated. Tracy says she agrees. Chase is a straight shooter; exactly her point. How does Brook think he’s going to feel when he finds out she went behind his back to Tracy? Better yet, let’s find out. Tracy gets out her phone, and Brook says, she’s bluffing. Tracy says, is she? As luck would have it, she has Chase on speed dial. She calls, and Dante asks who it is, but Chase says he doesn’t recognize the number. He’s about to hit ignore, when Dante says, hold on. Maybe it’s that anonymous SEC source. Chase answers, and Tracy says, Detective Chase, this is Tracy Quartermaine. Their paths crossed at Michael and Willow’s wedding, remember?

Curtis tells Hursley that there was a part of him that enjoyed all the action in Greenland. Who wouldn’t want to kick ass and take names, especially when the name’s Cassadine? Hursley says, so he can tell his superiors they can count on Curtis? but Curtis says, not exactly,  because there’s still a part of him that enjoys working at his nightclub; listening to live music, and making sure his customers are okay, and letting someone else be the tough guy. Hursley says he’ll take that as a maybe. He takes out his phone, and says, there’s no need to give him a definitive answer right now. Curtis’s phone dings, and Hursley says he just texted Curtis his private number. Think about it and give him a call, because that nightclub of his may seem a little tame after saving the planet.

Selina says, Cody’s not going to play his hand with her. The guests at her table trust her. He says, no doubt, but she’ll still have a lot of explaining to do. He thinks the better play is to double down on her faith in him. Gladys flies in, and says, don’t listen to him. He asks Gladys, what’s the matter? Guilty conscience? Gladys says she doesn’t know what lies Cody’s been feeding Selina, but the man was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, so to speak. If Selina is as smart as Gladys thinks she is, she’ll get rid of him. Selina says, Gladys is half right, because she was thinking of getting rid of both of them.

Chase says, yes, of course (🍷) he remembers Tracy. Brook tries to grab Tracy’s phone, but Tracy shrugs her off, and says, isn’t he sweet. He asks what he can do for her, and she says, her granddaughter just told her that he got reinstated. Congratulations. He says, actually, he owes her granddaughter for standing up for him, and Tracy says, she’s nothing if not loyal. Since she’s back in town for a while, she’s decided she wants to take a better interest in the community. Shall they have lunch? Chase says, lunch? and Brook makes a cutting motion with her hands. Tracy says she’ll be in touch, and ends the call. Chase says, Dante’s mom is married to Ned, right? Does he speak Quartermaine? What the hell was that about? Tracy asks Brook, so what’s it going to be? Is Brook going to take the deal, or is she going to take the lunch?

Sasha tells Maxie that she doesn’t want to hurt her mother-in-law’s feelings, but she can’t depend on Gladys forever. Sooner or later, she has to take charge of her own life; her own choices, her own mistakes. Maxie says, the biggest mistake would be trusting Gladys more than she trusts herself. She’s not saying Gladys doesn’t care about Sasha, but she seems to see Sasha as some sort of victim; someone who needs protecting. Sasha asks how Maxie thinks of her, and Maxie says, besides the fact that Sasha is completely gorgeous, she sees Sasha as strong, capable, someone who has grown leaps and bounds this past year, and is ready to take on the world again. But before Sasha steps in front of those cameras, the only thing that matters is if she feels the same way.

Esme asks if her little boy is going to be all right, and Austin says, considering he survived an adventure on the high seas, and narrowly escaped an international incident, he’d say Ace is doing all right. But he could really use one thing. She says, please tell her, and Austin says, his mom, handing Ace to her.

Curtis asks if Trina and Taggert are still in Portia’s office, and Portia says, yes. Is everything okay? He says, nothing he can’t handle, when Taggert and Trina come out of the elevator. Taggert says, why doesn’t he just take off, but Trina says, no, stay. She was telling her dad, and she wanted Portia and Curtis to hear this from her, so they can stop asking questions and start living like a family again. In order to do that, she wants to get a DNA test.

Austin comes out with Esme and Ace, and Spencer asks, how’s Ace? Austin says, his little brother is doing great. He’s ready to go home. Spencer says, home, meaning all of them going back to living at his grandmother’s place, assuming it’s okay with Laura. Laura says, normally, she doesn’t like to speak for Doc, but she can say with real confidence that they wouldn’t have it any other way. Esme thanks Austin, and they get in the elevator.

Chase asks why Dante thinks Tracy wants to have lunch with him, and Dante says, if it were anyone else, he’d say she wants to talk about Chase and her granddaughter, but it’s Tracy Quartermaine. He thinks she’s got another agenda. Chase asks if Dante thinks he should stay away, and Dante says, he could, or he could be a detective and go out to lunch.

Tracy says, just remember, Detective Chase is only a phone call away, but Brook says, that won’t be necessary. Just as always, Tracy wins. When does Tracy want her to go back to working at Deception?

Sasha tells Maxie, how does she feel about going back in front of the cameras at Home & Heart? Part of her wants to run and hide, but she won’t give in to that fear. Even if she fails… Maxie says, she won’t, and Sasha thanks her, but says she won’t know until she’s there. Maxie says, so she’s in? and Sasha says she’s in. They high-five.

Selina tells Gladys and Cody to consider themselves warned, and says, if Cody can play his cards tonight the way he played them with her, he can have a place at the table. He thanks her, and says she won’t regret it. Gladys clears her throat, and Selina says she hasn’t forgotten about her. She, too, has a place at the table. Who knows? Maybe her luck will change.

Portia says she wishes she’d never put Trina in this position in the first place, but she’s proud of Trina for wanting to know the truth. Taggert seconds that, and Trina thanks them. It means a lot to her. Laura, Esme, Ace, and Spencer come out of the elevator. Spencer says, the doctor gave Ace the thumbs up that he’s healthy, so they’re going to take him home now to his grandmother’s. Trina says, she’s glad his little brother is okay, and they leave, Spencer touching Trina’s arm as they go past.

Tomorrow, Willow tells someone not to let it happen again; Diane tells Drew that it’s going to get worse before it gets better; Scotty is wondering if Obrecht feels the same way; and Dex says he only has two options here.

Vanderpump Rules

At Villa Rosa, Lisa welcomes Velvet, a new friend for Diamond. This has zero to do with anything else in the episode, but the pony is super cute. Ariana and Katie talk logistics of their sandwich shop, when Chef Consultant Penny arrives. She says the shop has good energy; it’s so charming. She’s immediately flooded with ideas. Katie says, they’re having a look-see party, and afterwards, having drinks at SUR. In Katie’s interview, she says, they’ve had to do a lot of work to change a vision to reality. Just like they have trailers for a movie, they want to get the buzz out there. Let people see the shop and taste the sandwiches. Even though opening a restaurant has been difficult, they have one advantage the Toms don’t. They’re willing to ask professionals for help. Katie asks Ariana if everything is okay with Lala, and Ariana says she doesn’t think the situation with Tom not leaving the barbecue is as big of a deal as it was to Lala. Katie says she had flashbacks about Schwartz now showing up for her, and Ariana says, she’s not getting mad at anyone for asking questions. In Ariana’s interview, she says, what Tom did at the barbecue isn’t important to her right now. She’s just annoyed because it puts her in a position for people to undermine her relationship by gossiping.🚩

Raquel and Charli go for retail therapy, and Charli asks how it was at TomTom. Raquel says, it was fun… Actually, it wasn’t fun; it was awkward when she said hi to Katie and her mom. We see a clip of that, and they return the greeting, barely, but say nothing else. She tells Charli that she had a conversation with James. She didn’t appreciate him saying he regretted Rachella. She said, obviously, he loves Ally, and he told her, it’s a different situation. He could never ask for a love like this. She’s pretty sure Ally doesn’t feel the same way. She thinks James is more into Ally than she’s into him, and Charli says, 100%. In Charli’s interview, she says, James sees Ally as his future wife, and Ally sees James as her current boyfriend. Raquel says, that’s why she called Ally her replacement, and in Raquel’s interview, she says she’s turned over a new leaf in overcoming her relationship with James. She needed to see him for who he is, and see Ally in her old position to comprehend it. She’s decided to choose herself over relationships, and stopped compromising in ways that took away from her as a person. Charli asks if Raquel was invited to the sandwich party, and Raquel says, no, but she’s okay with it. She thinks that they’re coming to SUR afterward, and Charli says she’s not taking time off anymore. It says a lot that she’d rather serve Pumptinis than party. They look at some jewelry, and Raquel buys the infamous lightning bolt necklace as birthday gift to herself.🚩Charlie says, she’ll never regret buying good jewelry. It’s an investment.

A long awaited couch arrives at Schwartz & Sandy’s, and In Schwartz’s interview, he says, this booth the last missing piece of the puzzle. They’re so close to being able to open the doors. It’s going to be glorious. Sandoval says he’s jealous of Katie and Ariana, and Schwartz says, their shop is so manageable. They’ve come this far, but still can’t open because they have no line cooks; it’s brutal. They have temporary cooks, but it never ends. He misses his family. Sandoval says he wants to go somewhere cool with Ariana, and Schwartz asks if they’ve been okay. Sandoval says he feels like his very presence annoys her🚩, and we flash back to several times Ariana told him, go away🚩, as we all would. Schwartz says he thinks it speaks to a bigger issue.🚩In his interview, Schwartz says, based on what he’s seen, Tom and Ariana have devolved to roommates.🚩 They lack the intimacy they once had when they hang out, and don’t even acknowledge each other.🚩It’s not looking good.🚩Sandoval says, Ariana doesn’t go out of her way for him like he does for her, and it hurts him at times.🚩Schwartz says, they need to address those things or it magnifies over time, and you become comfortable being d*cks to each other. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, there’s definitely a disconnect, and they argue more than they did earlier in the relationship.🚩In their nine years together, he can count on less than one hand the times Ariana has said he’s right. Schwartz tells him not to be like him and procrastinate. Don’t be Mr. Eventually.  

Ariana tells Sandoval that they’re doing four sandwiches, and shows him their logo. He asks if there’s anything he can do to help, but she says, just come and have fun. They talk about Lala questioning Sandoval🚩, and Ariana says she told Lala that she wasn’t mad at him for not leaving the barbecue, but he had to answer for himself; she’s not his spokesperson. Ariana does think he should have left when he saw there was no way for him to get a ride later🚩, but Sandoval says, he knew if he went home, he would want to do something and there was nothing he could do.🚩 Ariana says she’s not annoyed at him, but she’s annoyed at life, and he says, it’s been a lot. He feels like they’re not as connected lately. A lot of things have been bothering him, and they’re stacking up and being swept under the rug. It seems like his very presence annoys her.🚩Ariana tells him, those aren’t words she would say🚩, and he says, she snaps at him and belittles him in front of their friends. We flash back to her telling him that he’s acting weird🚩, and Sandoval says, it hurts his feelings. She says, he’s the only person she wants to hang out with more. It’s never just them, and she’s said that for months. Everyone else gets him peacocking on a night out, and all she gets are the leftovers.🚩 Sandoval says, the sh*t they’re both dealing with, he doesn’t feel as connected as they should be.🚩 They don’t even have a picture together from Scheana’s wedding. We see a few pictures of him with Raquel🚩, and Ariana says she doesn’t think pictures are a marker of connection. Sandoval tells her that he thinks it is, and wonders if she’s going to disagree with everything he says.🚩She says she agrees they’re not as connected as they used to be. They used to put on music and cook together, and don’t do that anymore.🚩 He says he wants them to be better; to be more intimate. Having sex four times year affects him.🚩 Ariana says, maybe he should spend time with her. She can’t have sex with someone who feels like a stranger.🚩 In her interview, she says, they need to focus on each other and have quality time. She wants emotional and physical intimacy🚩, but you can’t telepath a d*ck to a vagina from The Abbey. He asks what she sees as quality time, and she says, taking a walk together, making dinner together, not necessarily getting drunk together. It’s the definition of quality time. He says, that’s her definition🚩, and in Sandoval’s interview, a producer asks what his idea of quality time is. He says, taking mushrooms together and watching the sunrise. Skinny-dipping in the pool. Hang-gliding. He likes stimuli. Sandoval tells Ariana that she goes out with Logan, drinking and singing songs, but she says Sandoval doesn’t like the same things they like.🚩He’s not going to sit and watch Love Island with her. He says he doesn’t have time to watch fifty episodes of Love Island🚩, and she says, that’s literally all they talk about. He says he loves her and wants them to be better. She says she does too, but he has as many guards and walls up as she does.🚩

James and Ally’s cat dodges Ally’s pet, which has nothing to do with anything, but it’s pretty funny because, cats. In James’s interview, he says, the time has come for him to perform at the Imagine festival for three days in Georgia. Whenever he reads his name on the flyer, he feels butterflies in his stomach. We see the flyer, and he’s like the 5000th one down. He says, Ally is coming. They support each other in things that make them happy and help fulfil their needs, like how his DJ’ing pays the rent. He tells her that a car is picking them and taking them to the sandwich party, then taking them to the airport. She asks about the attire, and he says, Lisa is going to be there. She wonders if that means she should wear a gown. He asks if she’s okay with chatting with Lisa, and in his interview, he says, first impressions are important. He feels like introducing Ally to Lisa is like introducing her to his mom. He wants everyone to get along, and for them to be invited to Villa Rosa dinners. He tells Ally that he’s setting up a therapy session on Monday, and she says she’s holding him to it. He hasn’t been bad or crazy, but throwing the drink at the beach wasn’t cool. She knows his emotions come out intense, and he directs them at his friends and the people he loves. He says, there’s only so much he can take before he gets pissed off, and in his interview, he says, when he sees therapy in the movies, it’s because someone’s life is in shambles. Everyone wants to tell him that he has a problem, but take a look at his life with Ally and talk about their own life problems. He doesn’t need to talk about his engagement fail and his world class proposal going to sh*t.  

Sandoval goes to Schwartz’s place to get ready for the sandwich party. Schwartz says he’s going in positive, and Sandoval asks if he’s cool with Katie. Schwartz says, if he senses she’s uncomfortable, he’ll dip out. Katie’s still pissed at him. A gossip blogger claimed he saw Schwartz and Raquel making out all night, and Katie was texting him about it being thrown in her face. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he never would have kissed Raquel had he known what the fallout would be, and how much it would hurt Katie. It was a lovely kiss, but not worth the blowout. He tells Sandoval that he thinks Katie’s at the tail end of this Raquel thing, and Sandoval asks if he saw Katie’s mom. Schwartz says, she’s upset with him because she sees her daughter distraught and upset, and he’s the one causing that.

Everyone gets ready for the party. Penny tells Ariana and Katie that if Lisa has a sandwich named after her, she’d better get one too. James and Ally are the first to arrive. Ariana gets them a welcome cocktail, and they taste the Greek salad sandwich, which they rave over. James asks if Schwartz is coming, but Katie says she hasn’t talked to him. If he comes, he comes; if he doesn’t, he doesn’t. Lisa comes in, and in Lisa’s interview, she says she’s happy to see them moving forward with the space and the concept. As she always says, if you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman. James tells Lisa about the festival, and she asks how many people he’ll be playing to, but he says that doesn’t matter as much as the connections he’ll make. And his baby is going to be there to support him. Lisa says, more like keep an eye on him, but Ally says, no. She’s coming to support James. James tells Lisa that Ally’s no pushover; she stands her ground. Lisa says, Ally needs to hold tight and stand strong. James can be disrespectful. In her interview, Lisa says, Ally needs to put a strong bit in James’s mouth. If he’s on his own, she’s not sure he’s going to make it. Ally says, James is going to see a therapist, and Lisa says, he’s getting better, but he’s not there yet. They leave, and Lisa samples a sandwich. She says she likes the presentation; it’s unique and sexy. She loves it, and says she knew Penny would come in useful one day. Katie’s mom Teri comes in, and in Katie’s interview, she says she’s so happy her mom is here to see her take a step as a business owner. She also wants Teri to be comfortable there, since she’ll be putting her ass to work ASAP. Kristina comes in with Lala and some guy, and she asks Ariana if Raquel is coming. Ariana says she texted, saying she didn’t want to make Katie uncomfortable, but she’ll be at SUR. In Ariana’s interview, she says, once again she’s in the middle. She’s not picking a side, but this seemed like a compromise that will make everyone happy for once. Lisa leaves for SUR. Scheana calls and says she feels fine, but she’s testing positive for covid. The Toms arrive with flowers for Ariana and Katie. Schwartz says he loves his and Sandoval’s spot, but this is perfect, and Teri takes a photo of Katie and Ariana by their sign. Katie says, this was just the beginning of the vision for Something About Her. Ariana says, it’s just a taste of what’s to come, and they head to SUR for drinks and more sandwiches.  

Schwartz tells Sandoval, the sandwich shop is going to open before them; it’s scary. He tells Lisa, happy birthday, and more sandwiches come out. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he and Ariana have been together nearly ten years. He loves her, but because they’re different as people, they’ve grown apart.🚩The issues they’re having aren’t just her fault; they’re his also. He’s hoping get back to where they were. It’s the best relationship he’s ever been in. Schwartz tells Teri, as hard as the breakup was, he misses holidays with her, and she says she told him that he’ll always be family, but he blew it. They had a mutual agreement; nobody in the friend group. Schwartz says, Katie was the one who divorced him, and it was the right decision, but it broke his heart. Six months went by, he was drunk in Mexico, and made out with Raquel. He wasn’t thinking about the agreement. He admits it was insensitive, and Teri says she understands, but it was kind of a real slap in the face. She tears up, and says, it would be so hurtful to any woman. What he did hurt Katie. Was it worth it? He says, no. He loves her and Katie so much. Raquel and Ariana go to the garden bar, and Ariana says she’s glad Raquel is here, but she understands Katie’s feelings. If she were in Katie’s shoes, she’d feel some type of way (I hate that phrase so much – can we not even label our feelings anymore?), but she wants to reiterate that Raquel is still the same sweet person, and she loves Raquel. Raquel isn’t the one Katie had an agreement with, but when she reminded Katie of that, Katie reminded her of what was said in the wine shop. We flash back to Raquel telling Katie that Schwartz was respecting her boundaries, and Katie asking, what about Raquel?🚩Ariana says, they cried together and hugged. Does Raquel feel like things changed in Vegas? Raquel says she realized she shouldn’t put so much emphasis on what people think about her, and earn people’s friendship. She doesn’t need to be friends with Katie and Lala. The trip showed her that. As Dr. Phil would say, so how’s that workin’ for ya? Raquel asks how Ariana and Sandoval are, and Ariana says they had a big argument last night. Sandoval feels like he’s not being heard, and that’s why he’s the loudest in the room. Raquel asks if Ariana remembers when she told her about her and James not having sex, and Ariana said she and Sandoval go through dry spells.🚩 Ariana says, when she comes home from working all night, and then he whips his d*ck out, she’s going to say, oh yeah, let’s f***? It’s never going to happen. They need to spend time together. Raquel says she thinks if you’re in a relationship, you should want to have sex🚩, and Ariana says, you have to be emotionally intimate first. Raquel says, Ariana and Sandoval were on the same wavelength at some point, and Ariana says, they need to work on their connection. She asks if Ariana is still sexually attracted to Sandoval🚩, and Ariana says she thinks he’s so f***ing hot (another dude where I can’t see it), but she’s not hot. She begins to criticize her own body, and Raquel stops her, saying, she’s in her own head. She does this to herself too, and it’s f***ed up. She gets all weepy and says she believes they’re a lot prettier than they think they are. They’re their own worst critics and it translates into their sex lives. Apparently, she’s been reading Cosmopolitan again. In Raquel’s interview, she says, she’s sure body image and insecurities have a role in Ariana and Sandoval’s issues. If you’re not feeling good about yourself, no way can you have good sex.🚩Raquel says, Ariana clearly wants to stay in the relationship, and Ariana says, she wouldn’t have had this conversation if she didn’t. Raquel says, not everyone is that way. She should have broken up with James earlier. She wasn’t attracted to him anymore. Ariana says she thinks they’ll talk things out and they’ll be fine. She and Raquel drink a lemon drop shot.

The sandwiches are a big hit, and Raquel and Peter toast to a great summer. Lala asks if Ken and Lisa like the sandwiches, and Lisa says she tasted some before. They’d already had a taste test at her house. Ken says, it will all be hers when Lisa kicks him out, and Lisa says, when she sees the light after 40 years. Lala asks if Lisa thinks someone her age can find someone that they could be with that long, and Lisa says, of course. It depends on what you put into it. Lala says, she just wants another baby. She’s scarred by what she’s going through, and the next go around she wants an absolute on the future with her kid. In Lala’s interview, she says she wants to give Ocean a sibling, but wants no chance of the baby being taken from her.  She tells Lisa that she doesn’t want being with her child every day dependent on someone else’s behavior, and in her interview, she says, the next step is to find a sperm donor, and her co-parent will be her mom. Lisa says, it’s a helluva line to draw in the sand, and asks if Lala doesn’t want a loving relationship. Lala says she hopes her future holds someone to love and adore and grow old with, but she doesn’t want to put her life on hold waiting for a man. She recognizes herself again for the first time in a long time.

Somebody tells Schwartz that he doesn’t smell great, and he blames it on the new shirt he didn’t wash before wearing and sweated on. He takes a lemon wedge, and uses it as deodorant. Raquel strolls over to Katie and sits next to her. She congratulates Katie on the sandwich shop, and says, after the vibe at TomTom, she thought it best not to come, but she tried the sandwiches and they taste bomb. Moving on, she says she knows Katie heard about her and Schwartz making out, and then rage texted Schwartz about it. Katie says, she didn’t rage text, and Raquel wonders if she asked if it was true. Katie says, yeah, and Raquel asks, what’s her point? Katie says, Schwartz keeps gaslighting her that she’s overreacting about the Cancun thing. We flash back to that, and Raquel says, Katie filed for divorce. If they make out, it’s none of her business. Katie asks what the f*** Raquel is doing right now, and in Raquel’s interview, she says, Katie’s never been one of her friends, and Schwartz told her how much the rage texts bother him, but he doesn’t have the balls to say anything. In this situation she would appreciate someone standing up for her. Katie says, they were together for twelve years, which Raquel can’t comprehend, and Raquel says, Katie shouldn’t be texting Schwartz these things. It’s not Katie’s place. Katie asks why it matters to her., and Raquel says, Katie’s been living her life, and has a boyfriend. Katie says, she doesn’t have a boyfriend, and she and Schwartz had conversations about this and about respect. Raquel says she doesn’t appreciate Katie threatening to take the dogs from him, and Katie says, Raquel doesn’t have to appreciate anything. In Katie’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what possessed Raquel to tell her how to run her life. She’d sooner take advice from someone off the street. STFU. She asks Raquel, how thick is her skull? This is her husband, and he and Raquel have been friends for five minutes. Raquel has zero respect. No empathy and no respect. How the f*** was she raised? Raquel says, maybe she has more empathy for Schwartz, and Katie says, that’s clear. She suggests Raquel take her opinion and stick it up her ass. She asks if Lala is hearing this sh*t, and Lala says she’s in awe. Katie thinks Raquel should leave, and Raquel says she just had a bomb ass glamping trip with her best, closest friends🚩, and Schwartz is a new addition to her life🚩. Katie says she’s losing her f***ing mind, and Lala says, she’d have a more productive conversation with a pig; be done with it. In Lala’s interview, she says she doesn’t know why Katie is wasting her time arguing with this buffoon of a person. They’ve known her a long time. She’s going to get nowhere. Teri asks if her conversation with Raquel meant anything, and Raquel says, oh God.🚩Katie says, that’s her mom. Have some respect. Lala asks how Raquel was raised, and Katie says, Raquel is a little c-word. Walk away.  

Katie says she’s so f***ing done with Raquel, and at this point, it’s getting pretty loud and getting more attention. Lisa wonders what’s going on, and Raquel says, in her experience, with her f***ing friends who support her… Katie says, what f***ing friends? and Teri says, Raquel was disrespectful and it hurt her so much. Raquel says, she was just being honest. Her first step to being a Housewife, since that’s Housewifespeak for being a bitch. Acting like he has a dog in this fight – oops, he does🚩 – Sandoval says, Katie and Schwartz weren’t together, but Katie says she hasn’t signed any papers yet. Ariana tells them to let Teri finish, and Teri says, Katie and Schwartz love each other, and they’re selling the home they wanted to raise a family in. That’s so hurtful. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, it’s tacky for Katie to have her mom fight her battles. No one is going to clap back at Mrs. Maloney (even though Raquel did just that). It’s kind of f***ed up. Raquel says, Katie told Scheana… and Teri says, that’s so wrong, but Sandoval says, that actually happened. Katie tells him go away, and he says, she thinks she owns the floor. She thinks she owns every situation. When she was still living with Schwartz, she was banging another dude. How did she think Schwartz felt? Raquel says she’s sorry it hurts, and tries to put her hand on Katie, who says, don’t touch me. Raquel says, sorry she’s jealous, and Katie tells her again to walk away. Raquel says she’s done, and walks out. Sandoval tells Teri that it seems the only perspective that matters is hers and Katie’s. Peter asks Schwartz if he’s hiding, but Schwartz says, he’s just taking a breather. By now, Ariana is full-on crying, and tells Lisa that she just wants to go home. She loves both Katie and Raquel, and now there’s all this yelling. Lisa says, it’s been a long time coming, but she doesn’t like that they’re all on Raquel’s case, and she doesn’t think Schwartz hiding is helping anything. Schwartz looks at the ceiling and whistles nonchalantly. Ariana tells Lisa that she’s emotional, and Lisa says, she just lost her dog and her grandmother. Ariana says, she wants to show up for her friends, but she can’t, and in Ariana’s interview, she says, she hates being stuck in the middle of her friends or her friends and her boyfriend. She’s tries to help and give advice and be there for everybody, but she literally feels like she’s being shredded apart from the inside. Sandoval says, Katie never takes accountability for doing anything wrong, and Kristina suggests, instead of focusing on Katie that he focus on his girlfriend, who is clearly upset.🚩That’s his relationship. Katie says, unless Sandoval can start treating her like a human, she’s done. She walks out with Lala, and as she passes Schwartz says she’s done with him too. No surprise, he wonders what he’s done. On the way out, Lala says, Raquel is snickering with Schwartz because she’s a stupid bitch, and Katie does an about-face and goes back in. She asks if Schwartz is laughing with Raquel, but Schwartz says he’s just trying to figure out what happened, which is probably true. Lala tells Katie, Schwartz wasn’t laughing; it was Raquel.🚩In Lala’s interview, she says, Katie is seeing red, and all the emotions she’s been feeling are coming out in this very moment. Schwartz follows Katie outside, and asks, what’s going on? Ariana tells Lisa that she’s not processing things, and Lisa says she’s been through the same thing herself. Outside, Katie tells Schwartz that her self-worth and confidence have been torn down, and Schwartz did that. Clearly too self-centered and stupid to know when to quit, Raquel comes out, and says, sorry to interrupt. Katie says, they’re in the middle of a conversation. Go away.

The text says, in September of 2022, filming wrapped, but then the unimaginable happened, and they turned the cameras back on.

Raquel tries to talk, and Katie tells her again to go away. Raquel says she’s empathetic… but Katie says, she has zero empathy. Raquel says, Katie was hurt by Schwartz making out with someone, and the fact it was her hurt Katie more. She’s sorry for hurting Katie. Katie says, okay, and Raquel says, it wasn’t her intention. Schwartz says, it wasn’t malicious, and we flash back to him telling Raquel it’s forbidden fruit, and Raquel saying, since she’s being accused of it, she might as well do it. Katie says, it was malicious, and Schwartz says, he and Raquel are buddies. Clueless idiot Raquel says, they were just experimenting with a flirty thing; she sees it was nothing now.🚩In Katie’s interview, she says, she gave them a shot and they blew it. Take you and your sick personalities and get the f*** out. Raquel says she’s sorry, and Schwartz feels the need to point out she’s apologizing. Katie says, fine, she’ll go away, and Schwartz is like, no, don’t leave. Raquel finally gets the hint and makes herself scarce. Schwartz says, it was a sincere apology, and Katie asks what he’s talking about; this is done. Schwartz says, it’s not, and Katie says she doesn’t need an apology from Raquel. Schwartz tells her, come sit, since he’s just as clueless as Raquel, but Katie says she doesn’t want to talk to him, and goes inside. The cheese Schwartz sits alone. 

Guillermo brings out a cake, and everyone sings Happy Birthday, very badly for people who are in borderline entertainment jobs. There are five candles on the cake, so Lisa is a lot younger than we thought. Lisa blows out the candles, and says she’s still great at a BJ. She tells everyone that she’d say life has been very challenging, then wonders, where Schwartz is when she needs him? Katie says, no one needs him, but Lisa says, because he’s part of this equation. She’s seen them go through so much this last year. Life throws sh*t at you, but it’s not what’s thrown at you; it’s how you deal with it. Schwartz comes in, and she asks where he’s been. He should have been fighting the fight. She’s seen what Lala had been through, and the way the boys have struggled. She loves all of them… Her voice breaks, and she says, they’ll learn how to deal with their problems as they get older. They have the tools and talents and personality now to go forward and solve their problems. She’ll always be there for them. Not just because they work for her, but because of the journey they’re on and they’ve done together, is why she feels so deeply for them. They all love each other; that’s why it gets so intense. Don’t let life get the better of them. She loves each and every f***ing one of them. She Guillermo that no one here eats cake, and to give it to the customers. Everyone laughs, and Lisa tells Ariana, see? They’re laughing again.

Next time – the finale – Sandoval says he was going to break up with Ariana regardless; Scheana says, instead of breaking up, Sandoval f***ed Ariana’s best friend; Sandoval says he felt things he hasn’t felt in a long time (ugh – he’s so basic); Raquel says, it turned out so horribly wrong; and Ariana doesn’t give a f*** about Raquel, and regrets ever loving Sandoval.

🍸Note: There were a lot more exchanges during that melee at SUR. I could barely keep up, but tried to get the highlights. It was ruthless. Congratulations, Tom and Raquel, for wresting the Most Awful Human Being in the World crown from Jax. The other Tom gets a Most Clueless sash. I honestly do think he’s that stupid.

🎂 Let Them Not Eat Cake…

Get some relief from the awful tomorrow, and come by for soap, tea, quotes and a bit of music. Until then, stay safe, stay focused on long term goals rather than short term satisfaction, and stay not being Mr. Eventually.

May 5, 2023 – Lots Of Action In Greenland, Behind It, Her Why, Happy Anniversary, Almost, Snub Drama, It’s Her, Closing, VanderKarma, Baby Off Deck, Accused, Brave Pets (!), 10 Quotes To Ponder & Listen

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny says, they heard about Willow; how’s she doing? Carly says, Michael’s with her now, and Nina asks, what happened? Carly says, she collapsed. They’re waiting to hear from Dr. Randolph, but they talked to TJ, and her condition has deteriorated. Nina asks, how bad? and Carly says, hopefully, they can find Nina’s Aunt Liesl, and Drew can bring her back here in time to have the bone marrow transplant. But in the meantime, Willow has to stay in the hospital.

Michael thanks Willow for agreeing to stay, and she says, the whole, if you go home you might not make it argument was pretty persuasive. Michael says he guesses he pulled out all the stops, and Willow says, he made her see she needs a controlled environment for now, so she can go home to him and their kids later. She’s fighting with everything she has to stay with their family.

Somewhere in Greenland. Trina asks if Jordan can hear her, and Jordan says she can. Where is Trina? Trina says, on the Haunted Star with Spencer and Ace, and Jordan says, they have to get off that boat now. Trina says, they know, but… Jordan says, no buts. There are drones on the way with orders to drop bombs on the entire island. They have no way to stop them. Take the baby and get to the seaplane before it’s too late. Spencer says, he can’t leave his grandmother behind, and Trina says, or Curtis. She asks Jordan, what about the others? and Jordan says, every second counts. Take the baby, and get off that island. Spencer tells Trina to take Ace and get to the seaplane; he’ll look for the others. She says, what if he runs into Victor, or his guards? She’s not leaving him. Felicia takes the phone, and tells Spencer, they both know his grandmother would want him and Ace to be safe. Jordan says, exactly. Their job is to get themselves and the baby to that plane before it takes off.

Holly tells Victor to drop his gun, but he asks why he would do that. Especially if she’s going to drop her gun and let him pass. Holly asks why she would do that? Obviously, he’d shoot her if she did. Obrecht says, stop talking, and shoot him, and Victor puts Obrecht in front of him, saying, be careful or she might shoot Liesl. Obrecht tells her not to worry about that, and shoot him, but Victor says, what about poor Willow? She’ll die. Obrecht says she’ll instruct Holly how to harvest her marrow. Now pull the trigger! Victor holds up the cannister, and says, if anything happens to him, they all die. This makes no sense, since if he’s dead, he can’t release it, never mind the sunlight part, but we’ll let that pass.

Anna looks at Valentin through the window of the isolation room, and calls to him. He says, she’s not real; she’s an illusion. She’s just like Helena; he’s imagining her. She says, no, she’s here. She’s absolutely real. He has to hang on.

Alone in her office, Portia says, God, if You can hear me, please keep Trina and Curtis safe. Just bring my family home. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, come in. Elizabeth says she hopes she’s not interrupting. She just wanted to check on Portia. Portia says, Marshall was here with her earlier, but she sent him home because he needs his rest. Elizabeth says, he’s not the only one, and Portia says she knows. She’s so tired, but she can’t stop thinking, what if she never sees Trina and Curtis again?

Laura tells Curtis, wait a minute. The display on this computer… The program it’s running; she’s seen that before. He asks, where? and we see a map on the screen with a spot that says, Target Area. She says, forty years ago, in another underground bunker, also owned by Mikkos Cassadine. She sits, and says, look at this. He says, it’s a map of the mid-Atlantic states, and she says, it’s all the same. He says, same as what? and she says she thinks there might be another weather machine.

Trina says, they hear what Jordan is saying, but the others have to be warned. Robert says, he promises they’ll tell everyone in the bunker about the drone strike, and Felicia says, they have to get to the seaplane now. Otherwise, they’re putting themselves and Ace in grave danger. Spencer says, they’re right, and Trina tells Jordan, please tell her mom and dad she loves them. Jordan says she will, but they can tell them themselves when they get home. Now get herself to the plane. Good luck, and stay safe. Spencer says, they have to hurry. They can do this. Trina says, together.

Portia says, it’s one thing for Trina not to speak to her. She guesses Trina is angry; she should be. She’ll take the silence, but for Trina to listen to Spencer, someone who’s been known to hurt every single person who’s cared about him… Elizabeth says, Spencer can be difficult, and Portia says, all she was trying to do was give Trina some time and space to process everything that had happened, and now the window she might have had to make things right is gone forever? Elizabeth says, no, and Portia says she doesn’t know why she waited. Why didn’t she just go to Trina, and do everything in her power to make things right when she had the chance? Elizabeth says, Trina is as big-hearted as she is stubborn. When she comes back, they’ll be able to work things out. There’s another knock at the door, and Portia says, come in. Jordan walks in, and Portia asks if there’s any word. Jordan says, they just heard from Trina and Spencer.

Anna calls to Valentin, and tells him to focus. Look at her. He says, the real Anna’s in the hospital. His father shot her. She told him to come and get Victor. Anna says she knows she told him that, but she came after him. He looks at her, and says he wishes she were really here, so he could hold her against him one last time; tell her how much he loves her. He cries, and she says she loves him too. Listen. She loves him. That’s why she’s here. To help him. She’s going to get him out of there. He says, no, she can’t.

Robert calls to Agent Hursley (I’ve been spelling it wrong), and Hursley says, it’s brave of Robert to speak to him without a lawyer present. Robert says, unless Hursley is here to tell him that the Bureau now realizes how stupid it is to bomb an island with ten people on it, get out of his face. Hursley says, but he’s on orders to stay and monitor the situation, and Robert says, do it where he can’t see him. Hursley says, let’s keep each other posted, shall we? and walks off. Robert tells Felicia that he’s going to talk to this director himself, and see if he can get through to him, and leaves.

Curtis tells Laura that he’s heard stories that the Cassadines had a machine that could control the climate. He thought it was just an urban legend. Laura says, no, it wasn’t. It was absolutely real. It was based on something called carbonic snow. The weather machine was capable of creating an artificial blizzard in a targeted area, and in the summer of 1981, Mikkos Cassadine aimed that thing right at the city of Port Charles. A group of them – Luke, Robert, Tiffany Hill, and Laura – managed to stop him. That weather machine was destroyed, but this is the same program. He says, the computer’s from the same era. If it’s the same program, is it hooked up to another weather machine?

Sasha arrives at the hospital, and goes over to Sonny and Nina. She says, Brook told her that Willow was here, and Sonny hugs her. She turns to Nina, and Nina says she’s so scared. They hug, and Josslyn and Carly see them while walking down the hall. Josslyn says, Michael is not going to like that Sonny and Nina are here, and Carly says she hopes they have sense enough to keep their distance. Nina thanks Sasha, who asks, how is Willow? Nina says, the updates are not good. Her condition is deteriorating. Sasha says she knows this must be agony for Nina; for everyone. Is there any word on Liesl? Nina shakes her head.

Holly tells Victor, give up. Back-up is on the way; there’s nowhere to run. He says, come on. That old trick. She disappoints him. Holly says, it’s not a trick, and he says she’s wasting her time here. Just let him go, and she can get on with looking for her son Ethan. Apparently, he didn’t get the memo, and she says, Ethan’s perfectly fine, thank you. She found out about the auction – sick little affair that it was – and Ethan is now safe and far from his reach. He failed – again. He says, it doesn’t matter. Once he releases this pathogen, it has an 80% mortality rate, and he’s the only one with the antidote. Holly says, at this point, why bother? and he says, why bother try to save the world? Why bother living? She asks, what’s to live for? For him? Bearing in mind his unfortunate condition. He asks what she means by that, and she says she would have thought by now he’d have figured out that it was her who arranged for the little addition to his cocktail. Obrecht says, she’s not too good at it. He’s still alive and kicking. Holly says, alive, yes. Kicking? Not so much. She’s glad they’re finally face to face, because she really wanted him to know it was her. Obrecht says, she doesn’t mean… and Holly says, no more heirs for Uncle Victor. In fact, he can’t even try, can he? Victor says, you bitch! and aims his gun at her, but Drew pops out of nowhere, grabs Victor’s arm, and karate chops his neck. Victor falls face down in the snow.

Carly goes into Willow’s room, and says she doesn’t want to interrupt. Michael asks, what’s up? and she says, Sonny and Nina are here. Michael asks if she can tell them… but Willow says, wait.

Drew checks Victor’s pulse, when Holly calls to him. Obrecht also lies in the snow, and Drew says, no, no, no! Holly asks if Obrecht can hear her, and when she takes her hand away from Obrecht’s head, there’s blood on it.

Valentin says, Anna can’t open that door; he’s infected. She says she knows. They’re here to help him. He asks, where’s Victor and Obrecht? They have the cure. She says she doesn’t know; the others are looking for them. He says, the others? Oh God. She tells him not to worry about them. She’s going to try and find him a hazmat suit or something that they can put on him, and get him to safety. She’ll be right back. He says, no, don’t go, but she says, there’s no use arguing. They don’t have time. He says, it’s already too late.

Curtis says, they could be looking at an electronic ghost. An old program that started up when the computer booted up. As long as it’s not connected to an actual weather machine, it’s harmless. She says, except Mikkos Cassadine was never harmless; he was relentless. He was obsessed and absolutely thorough, and he knew there were agencies, including the WSB tracking him, trying to stop him. Curtis says, seems like a guy like that would have back-up, and she says she thinks he’s right. He says, that would explain this, indicating all the machinery. He says, why would someone like Mikkos Cassadine equip a bunker in literally the middle of nowhere without telling his brother? So he could retreat if he needed to with two weapons; two ways to hold the world hostage. The pathogen and the weather machine. This is real and it’s running. They have to stop it. He’ll find a way to cut the power. He starts looking around, but she says, don’t do that. They can kill the power to this computer, but that doesn’t mean they’ve killed the power to the weather machine. He says, she’s right. If they interrupt the power, the computer might shut down, lock them out entirely, and they’ll never find them. She says, it’s calibrated its target… the same as last time. He says, Port Charles.

Jordan tells Portia, Trina and Spencer agreed to head straight to the plane. With any luck, they should be home before daybreak. She moves toward the door, but turns, and says, Trina said to tell Portia that she loves her. Portia thanks Jordan, and Elizabeth looks outside. She says, is that snow? Man, I’ll bet longtime watchers are going out of their minds. Portia says, oh my goodness, and they all look out the window.

Sonny asks if they can just go, but Nina wants to stay a while longer. Just in case. Michael comes by, and Sonny asks how he’s doing. Michael says he’s okay, all things considered. He says, Nina… and she says she’s not here to cause trouble. He says, no. Willow wants to see her.

Drew says, come on, Liesl. Please. Holly says, she’s got a pulse, and asks if Obrecht can hear her. Drew asks, how bad is it? and we see Victor’s hand move.

Curtis says, there must be a way to stop the process, and Laura says, it’s already begun. (Where is Spinelli when you need him?) It will only get worse as it slowly works its way up to full power. The longer the machine is in operation, the greater the devastation will be. Curtis says, they have to try something. He has an idea. He pulls the keyboard over, and types. He says, suspend operations, and hits enter. He reads, to terminate functions, enter chemical formula and operation. Chemical formula for what? She says, carbonic snow. She told him, that’s how the machine works. It creates a blizzard by using carbonic snow. He says, who has the formula for carbonic snow? and Laura says she does.

Trina follows Spencer, who’s carrying Ace, and she asks if he’s sure this is the right way. He says, they’re heading east. She says she didn’t take him for a Boy Scout, and he says he learned it in prep school. They hear something, and he says, someone’s coming. She says, maybe it’s Curtis, but he says, maybe it’s not. They duck down behind a rock with this amazingly good baby, and Victor stumbles past, carrying the cannister. He says, Uncle Victor still has the pathogen, and Trina wonders where Curtis is. He says he doesn’t know, but he has to go after Victor. She says, he can’t.

Felicia says, any luck? and Robert says, yeah, all bad. Hursley was right about one thing; this new director is definitely not going to take any of his calls. Anybody he managed to get through to pretty much said the same thing. She says, they have to follow protocol in the even of a bioterror threat; she got the same drill. He says, they’re dealing with ten people here, as far as the Bureau’s concerned, and not billions. She says, even if those ten people are their friends, and he says, speaking of which, he was hoping to have heard from Anna by now. Felicia says, well, she’s a little busy.

Valentin asks Anna to please tell Charlotte how sorry he is, and that he loves her. And she was always the best thing in his life. Anna says, she still is, and he says he should have known better. When he looked into Alex’s eyes, he should have known she wasn’t Anna, because there’s no kindness there. Anna has compassion in her eyes. Even all those years ago when she rejected his affection, she still knew his heart, and she still had compassion in her eyes. He wishes he could have held onto that. Then Alex couldn’t have poisoned what they had. But she did, and he let her, and he wishes he hadn’t let anger and spite control him. Because then they might have found each other sooner, and he could have been the man he is with her. He likes the man he is with her, so if this is how he dies… Anna says, no, this is not how he dies, but he says, it’s okay, because she redeemed him. Thank you. I love you, Anna Devane. I’ll always love you. He chokes, and she calls his name.

Carly tells Willow that she’ll check on Wiley and Amelia, and make sure Tracy and Brook aren’t teaching them any bad habits. Nina walks in, and says, Michael told her that Willow wanted to see her. Willow says she did, and thanks Carly for everything. Carly says, remember, she needs to rest; no excitement. She leaves, and Nina asks how Willow is feeling. Willow says, the fluids are helping, and Nina says, that’s good. Willow says she wants Nina to do something for her, and Nina says, name it. Willow says, leave Carly alone.

Holly tells Drew, it’s not a bullet wound; she must have hit her head when she fell. Drew says he needs Obrecht to open her eyes, and she moans. He tells her to take it easy, and he and Holly start to help her up. She says, where’s that vile insect? and Drew says, wait. He’s gone. He’s gone, and so is the cannister. He might be headed back to the Haunted Star. Holly says, she’ll go. Get Liesl to the plane. Obrecht says, nein. Valentin is dying. He needs the antidote.

Victor walks into the main salon, and asks, what happened? Where’s Spencer? Goon32 says, some guy showed up out of nowhere. They did their best to fight him off. He took out Ivan, the only guy with a name and knocked him out. Victor says, what about Sir Ace? I make a mental note to name my next pet Sir Ace, and Goon32 says he checked the stateroom; both he and the nanny are gone. Victor says, the hell with the nanny. Find his nephews… Wait. Get the ship underway first. They’re leaving, with or without his family. He puts down the cannister and rubs his head.

Trina says, Spencer can’t go after Victor. They agreed to get Ace to the plane. That’s the plan. Now let’s go before one of Victor’s men sees us. He says, you go. He’s not going to let his Uncle Victor escape. Not when he has a pathogen that he intends to release and kill half the planet. Take his brother and go. He’ll be right behind her. He hands her the baby, and she asks if he promises. He says he does, kisses her, and jets.

Jordan says, snow in May, and Elizabeth says, it happens. The last time was three years ago – Aiden even did a report on it – but this is especially bizarre because it was in the 70s this afternoon. Portia tells her, what she said about Aiden’s report makes her think about Trina. All the reports and homework they helped the kids with over the years… until Trina said she was old enough and could do it by herself. They’re both mothers, so she knows they understand, but even though Trina’s in college, she’s always going to be Portia’s little baby girl. When she looks at Trina, she sees this little trace of a grin that she had when she was in her terrible twos. They laugh, and Portia says, sometimes she thinks Trina never grew out of them. But that smile. No matter how old Trina gets, that’s what she’s going to see. They watch the snow fall.

Laura says, right after they stopped Mikkos, she found the formula in the stateroom, and she studied it as she was falling asleep (as we all would). When she woke up, she realized no one should ever have access to that information, so they burned the paper, but the formula is seared into her memory. Robert was always afraid about that. He was afraid if someone found out, that they might come after her for it. She flashes back to when we were all children, and a very young Robert says, it’s not the kind of information she should have rattling around in her head. It could be dangerous. Laura tells Curtis, but this might be the very thing that saves everyone.

Anna stands in front of Valentin and says his name. She touches his face, and he asks what she’s doing. She can’t be in here. She says she knows, and he asks why she’d do that. She says, because she loves him. He says he’s contagious (something not even hinted at before); he’s infected. She caresses his face.

Laura types, and Curtis says, that was over forty years ago. How sure is she that she memorized that formula exactly? If she gets it wrong, the whole system could lock them out. They’ve got one shot at this. She says she knows. Does he trust her? He says, absolutely. She hits enter, and some beeping happens. She says, it worked! and they hug.

Victor slugs back a drink, and says, Valentin’s not his son after what he did to him. But Victor supposes he’ll just have to take his chances with the rest of humanity. He finishes the drink, and says, right. Let’s get this pathogen somewhere safe and the antidote somewhere safe. He opens the cannister, looks inside, and says, no!

Drew helps Obrecht stand upright, and tells her, take it easy. She says she stole the antidote when Victor wasn’t looking. I’m not sure how, since he had a death grip on that cannister, but she’s pretty resourceful. She says, if he releases the pathogen, there’s an 80% chance he’ll be killing himself as well. Drew asks if that wouldn’t stop him, and she says, Victor is both an idealist and an extremist. The Cassadines are willing to go down with the ship, so to speak.

Curtis leads Laura through the ship, gun drawn. Holly pops out, and Laura stops him from shooting her. She says, it’s Holly. What’s she doing here? What’s going on? Holly hands Laura a phone and says, she needs to call Robert and Jordan. Tell them Victor’s getting away. He’s got the pathogen with him. Last she saw, he was heading toward the Haunted Star. Where’s Valentin?

Valentin asks what Anna has done, but she says she doesn’t know. She thought she could find some kind of suit or protection. She just didn’t want him to be alone. He says he doesn’t know if dying together is all it’s cracked up to be, and she laughs. She tells him to look at her. She wants to tell him about someone; Valentin Cassadine. He’s a man who’s not going to die in some obscene plot of his father’s, because he – you – have a destiny. He’s going to be an even greater father to Charlotte. He’s going to be her partner. Because he knows her darkness. He knows what she’s capable of, and he’s capable of those things too. She knows it sounds a little twisted, but it’s not really, because she thinks that kind of connection elevates them in a way. It allows them to love the people they love, without any kind of restraint or restriction. She cries, and says, including each other. She thinks that’s why she came into this room. He says, but she’ll die, and she says, not necessarily. There’s a 20% chance she’s immune to this thing. She can beat those odds, and she’s willing to risk them just to be with him.

Sonny and Sasha stare at Willow’s closed door, and Sasha says she’s sure everything is fine. He says, really? and she says, no, but they haven’t heard any yelling yet, and Nina hasn’t bolted out of the room in tears. Sonny says he appreciates her optimism, but when his dad was at Turning Woods, he hated to wait. They’d pace back and forth and wait. They’d hold his hand, and wait. He just felt hopeless. She says, even though he didn’t know Sonny was there, she thinks Sonny just being there helped Mike. Sonny says he hopes so.

Josslyn doesn’t see what Willow could possibly have to say to Nina, and Michael says, maybe it was a mistake letting Nina in there. Carly says, he did what his wife wanted him to, and he says, his wife. He and Willow are married. He just wishes the day hadn’t been so hard on her. Carly says, next time, she promises to wait until after the reception to be called in for questioning, and he says, what next time? She says, birthdays, anniversaries, vow renewal. He has a lifetime of celebrations ahead; she knows it. As for his wedding day? Willow doesn’t regret a second of it. He says, even now?

Nina says, Willow wants what? and Willow says she wants Nina and Carly to make peace. Nina says she can try, and Willow says she knows Nina and Carly will never be friends, or even friendly, but promise she’ll at least keep her distance? Stop keeping score of who wronged who when, and just let it all go. Nina doesn’t say anything, and Willow says, wow. Nina hasn’t changed at all when she claims to care about her? Nina says, no, she cares about Willow a great deal… Willow says, then promise her. Whether she survives this or not, Nina will drop her vendetta against Carly.

Jordan comes out with Portia, and asks Robert if there’s any word. He says, not yet, when Jordan’s phone rings. Curtis says, it’s him; he’s got her on speakerphone. Jordan says she’s putting him on speaker, and Portia asks if Trina is with him. He says, not at the moment, but he’s seen her. She’s okay. Jordan says, he’s got to get out of there. The WSB has ordered a drone strike on the island. Curtis and Laura both say, what?! and Jordan says, they can’t risk the pathogen getting released on the world. The drones are already on their way. Curtis says, but the pathogen isn’t here, and Robert asks, where is it? Laura says, they ran into Holly, and she said he was trying to escape on the Haunted Star, and he took the pathogen with him. Bombing the island is not going to do any good. They’ve got to stop the airstrike. Robert yells over to Hursley, and says, tell his boss to call off this airstrike. Hursley says, for the millionth time… and Robert says, change in circumstances. Victor’s left the island, and he’s taken the pathogen with him. All they’re doing now is killing innocent people, and helping Victor escape.

Nina tells Willow, okay. She won’t get into it with Carly anymore. Michael walks in, and Willow thanks Nina. Michael says, Willow needs her rest, and Nina tells Willow, she’s not perfect. She makes mistakes all the time. She’s going to try to be a better person. If there’s anything else Willow needs, just ask. Willow says, keep her promise.

Robert hassles Hursley while he’s on the phone, telling him to hurry up. Jordan tells Curtis and Laura that the drones are on their way. They don’t know exactly when the strike will happen, but it could be any time. They need to get out of there. Robert joins them, and says, Laura, you’re okay. The Bureau listened this time. The strike’s been called off. Everyone looks relieved, and Laura says, what about Victor?

Victor locks the cannister again, and says, Liesl double-crossed him. He is not having a very good day. He has another drink, and hears someone come in. He says, they need to turn the ship around. They’re going back. Spencer says he doesn’t take orders from Victor anymore, and Victor says he thought Spencer might come crawling back. If Spencer thinks he’s going to forgive… Spencer says he’s not here for forgiveness. It’s over, uncle.

Outside, Trina finds Curtis and Laura, and says, thank God she found them. Curtis asks what she’s doing here, and Trina says, they have to get out of here; there’s going to be an airstrike. Curtis says, they know all about the airstrike. They’ve got it under control. Laura says, it’s okay. They got in contact with the WSB. They told them that Victor’s trying to escape on the Haunted Star. Curtis says, the airstrike has been redirected, and Trina says, redirected where? Curtis says, the new target is the Haunted Star, and Trina says, but Spencer’s on that ship.

Victor says, now calm down, dear boy, and Spencer says, he’s not Victor’s boy. He walks up to Victor, and says, give him the pathogen, and they can both walk out of here alive. Victor says, how dare Spencer threaten him? He’s the head of their family. This is finished when he says it’s finished. Spencer tells him, he said, give him the pathogen. Hand it over. Victor says, Spencer will have to rip it out of his cold, dead fingers, and Spencer says, fine. He spins Victor around, cracking Victor’s head on the bar. Victor drops to the floor. Well if it was that easy, why didn’t Spencer do this long ago?

Nina comes out of Willow’s room, as Carly and Josslyn are walking toward it. Carly’s phone rings, and it’s Drew. Wow. These calls are going to cost a fortune. He asks if Carly can hear him, and she asks if he’s okay. What happened?

Michael asks, how was Willow’s talk with Nina? Did Willow get what she wanted out of her? Willow says she hopes so. Who knows? She wants to believe Nina’s sincere. Carly bursts in, and says, there’s someone who wants to talk to Willow, handing her the phone. Drew says, Willow? and she asks if he’s all right. He says, not only is he okay… Obrecht says she’s okay too. Not that anyone has asked. Willow says, Dr. Obrecht… Aunt Liesl. She’s so glad Obrecht is all right. Obrecht says, they’re on their way back. Then Willow can literally suck the life from her bones. Carly says, they can’t wait, and Drew says, he and Obrecht are on their way back. He’s not sure who’s joining them, but everyone should be back soon. Carly says she can’t wait to see him, and he says, him too. He and Obrecht move on.

Valentin says, Anna, and she says she loves him too. The door opens, and Anna says, get out. You’ll get infected. Holly says, kind of her to care, but don’t worry. She’s got the antidote. She holds up the vial, and Valentin smiles.

Hursley says, their satellite has eyes on the Haunted Star. It’s on the move. Robert says, Victor is trying to escape, and Hursley’s guys are going to stop him.

Spencer checks Victor’s pulse and says he’s glad he didn’t kill Victor, but that might not be a good thing. He bends down to get the cannister, and suddenly looks up.

Trina, Curtis, and Laura all look up, and Laura says, Victor’s on the Haunted Star, and Trina says, they have to call the WSB. Suddenly, the sky lights up, and Laura gasps.

On Monday, Michael says, that’s not going to happen, but Willow says, he doesn’t know that; Dante tells Carly that he thinks they have a case; and a body is recovered from the wreckage.

❄️ Building an Island…

It’s definitely impressive.

🤸🏽‍♀️ Pursuing Other Goals…

You can’t blame her. It must get old after a while when you have other things on your to-do list.

💐 Celebrating Amy…

A bouquet of gossip makes the perfect gift.

🎭 Close to Quitting…

It took me a while to warm up to her, since I really liked the other Trina, but she’s really made the part her own.

👠 From Her Arsenal…

Maybe Veronica is a psycho.

📠 Common Denominator…

Normally, I wouldn’t waste space on this harpy, but it struck me how she leaves a trail of unhappiness no matter which side of the Housewives fence she’s on. And if everyone else is an a-hole, maybe it’s time to look in the mirror.

🥀 Bringing Down the Curtain…

But where will everyone go on Gay Pride Day? Does she have to close down half of her name as well? Has James gone back to drinking heavily yet?

https://people.com/food/lisa-vanderpumps-la-restaurant-pump-is-closing-down/

🍸 The Karma Keeps On Comin’…

Check out the empty seats photo. I would say it’s sad, but it’s just not. He’s a pig.

Another gem from the Most Awful Human Being On the Planet. Maybe. He has a contender now.

She’ll give Howie some Lala and a run for his money. He’d better brush up on his VanderKnowledge.

👶🏻 Ahoy, Little Matey…

That kid looks full of mischief already. And he does kind of look like Chef Ben.

💸 Real Housewives Of Deadbeat…

I love the attorney’s pic.

🐕 Don’t Touch the Dog…

It’s about time for a salute to the ones who made it.

https://the-line-up.com/final-pets-horror-movies

🔥 Quotes of the Week

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

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. – Mark Twain

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

Never confuse movement with action. – Ernest Hemingway

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. – Aristotle

Honest towards ourselves and towards anyone else who is our friend; brave towards the enemy; magnanimous towards the defeated; polite always: this is how the four cardinal virtues want us to act.Friedrich Nietzsche

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.Henry Ford

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. – B. B. King (They can’t take integrity away from you either.)

People are making apocalypse jokes like there’s no tomorrow. – Ellie (Bella Ramsey), The Last of Us

🏃🏾‍♀️ Going Ahead and Jumping…

Boomerang back on Monday really Tuesday for soap, what’s on Deck, and the nightmare that won’t stop, Summer House. Until then, stay safe, stay not taking the last cup of coffee without making more, and stay letting it all go. Stop keeping score of who wronged who.

May 4, 2023 – More Rescue Comes To Greenland, Replacement, It’s a Wrap, Striking, VanderBits, All About That Met, Runway Roach, That Cat & Cantina

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny meets Nina at Kelly’s, and asks if she’s thinking about Willow. She asks if it’s that obvious, and he says, Willow is Nina’s daughter; they’re all thinking about her. She says she doesn’t suppose he has news, and he says, on Liesl and everybody else? No, unfortunately. But he’s been doing some digging on who tipped off the SEC about Carly and Drew’s insider trading. (D’oh!) She asks what he found.

Carly tells TJ, it was exhaustion, right? First, there was all the excitement from the wedding, then the SEC showing up. The whole day sapped Willow of her energy. That’s why she passed out, right? TJ says, it could be exhausting for sure, especially for someone in her condition, and Michael says, but? TJ says he’s afraid it’s more than that.

Dex and Josslyn spoon on her bed, while looking at her laptop. She closes it, and says she’s sorry. She knows they put this on for distraction. Between Trina and Willow, now her mom and Drew… He says he gets it. It’s too much. She says, what if Drew and Liesl don’t make it back? and he says, one thing he learned in the military is, you have to hold onto hope, even in the worst of circumstances. You never know when the tide can shift. She says, could it shift now, please? Hope. He says, it’s powerful, and she says, then she’ll hold onto it, and pray Drew gets everybody home safely. He has to. Willow’s life depends on it.

Somewhere in Greenland. Spencer says, his grandmother is on the island with Drew, and Curtis says he’ll find them, come hell or high water. Trina says she knows Spencer’s grandmother is supposed to be a badass, but she faked out Victor Cassadine? Curtis says, it almost makes you feel sorry for the guy. Almost.

Victor tells his goons to stand down, and Drew says, very wise. Victor says, if Laura drops it, she dies, and Laura says, but so does he. She’s thinking it just might be worth it.

Helena says, there’s no way out, at least not earthly, and Valentin says, death. She says, what is death but another country? Come my son, let me take you away from everything, and everyone.

Victor says, Laura has no idea the power she has in her hands right now, and she holds up the vial, saying, she thinks she does. He tells her, then think of Willow. If Liesl dies, so does her innocent niece. Laura says, better to lose one innocent life than a whole world of them. She lifts the vial higher and away from herself, and he asks what she’s doing. She says, saving humanity.

Carly asks, what made Willow collapse tonight? but TJ says, Dr. Randolph is the specialist. He doesn’t want to say too much before they speak with her. Michael says he trusts TJ, and more important, Willow trusts him. Just tell them what’s going on. TJ says, Willow has some bleeding that’s not clotting, and Michael says, because of her low blood cell count. TJ says, they’ll be giving her something to get it under control, but all of this is an indication that her body’s breaking down, and she can’t produce enough cells to fight it. Michael says, they all get that they’re running out of time. Most important, he needs to know, what are they going to do about it?

Josslyn tells Dex that she keeps thinking about Willow’s wedding. For a while, nothing else mattered. Just the way they looked at each other, and the promises they made. What if Drew and Liesl don’t make it back in time? I think about how much I like Josslyn’s sweater, and Dex says, Drew Cain is an ex-Navy SEAL, remember? Those guys more than anyone know how to finish the job. She says she believes Drew’s going to get everybody home safe, but when he does, he and her mom have the SEC breathing down their necks. He says, Sonny’s working on that, and she says, that’s great. Sonny’s got the SEC following a false trail, and bought some more time – for now. But even if everything works out, and everything goes according to plan, Sonny’s going to end up in prison. Is Dex having second thoughts about that?

Sonny tells Nina, so far he’s come up empty, but whoever tipped off the SEC about Carly and Drew is going to be uncovered. He has his contacts at the SEC, and they’re trying to figure out what kind of case they have against Drew. That’s if he comes back. She tells him not to say that. Drew has to bring everybody back. He has to bring Aunt Liesl back, or else Willow… He says he’s praying for that. She knows he prays. But the SEC isn’t going to wait for Carly. She asks if they might charge Carly even without Drew here, and he says he doesn’t know about the rest of them, but he’s going to make sure Carly isn’t left holding the bag. She says, what if that’s not possible?

Hersley says, come on, Scorpio, as he takes Robert to the elevator, Felicia trailing them. Robert says, let him talk to the director, but Hersley says, if he’s referring to Frisco Jones, he’s been replaced. If Robert means the new director, he’s not taking Robert’s calls. Robert tells Hersley to call him. Tell him to abort the mission before the Bureau bombs that island. Hersley asks if he needs to remind Robert that he’s under arrest, and Robert asks if he needs to remind Hersley there are lives at stake. Felicia says, innocent lives, but Hersley says, there’s nothing he can do about that. Come on. Jordan and Diane come out of the elevator, and Diane says, sorry. She’s afraid DA Scorpio isn’t going anywhere. He tells her, says who? and Jordan tells him, says me.

Spencer says, his grandmother is more than a match for Uncle Victor, but it’s not going to be a fair fight. This place is crawling with guards. Curtis says, let him worry about Laura. The three of them, get to safety. Spencer says he’s not leaving his grandmother behind, but Curtis says, that’s exactly what he’s going to do. There’s a seaplane waiting offshore on the east side of the island. Just get there, and get the hell out of here. Trina says, what about him? but he says he’ll be fine. She says, he doesn’t know that. She can’t lose him now. Not before they even know if she’s his… She hugs him.

Victor says, Laura may be willing to die, but he doubts these two are. Drew says, Victor couldn’t be more wrong, and Obrecht says, Laura needs to know something… Victor says, silence her, and the goon holding her puts his hand over her mouth. Laura asks if Victor really thinks she’d hold her own life more precious than the lives of her children and grandchildren, and he says, very well. If she’s determined to play the role of a martyr, go ahead. Do it. Die for her cause before he kills her for it. She drops the vial, and it smashes on the floor.

Nothing happens, and Victor says he’s sorry. Did he forget to mention the pathogen has to be activated by UV light. Good old fashioned sunshine. Otherwise, it’s quite harmless. Isn’t that right Liesl? (Um… so how is Valentin infected? It’s been dark since they got there. Just saying.) Obrecht says she tried to warn Laura, and Victor says, sorry. Her martyrdom is just going to have to wait for another day. He tells the goon holding Obrecht that they need to keep the good doctor breathing long enough to test the antidote on their guinea pig.

Valentin says he’s not going anywhere with Helena, but she says, he’s dying. It’s time to accept reality. He was never good enough. Not for Anna, not for anyone. He says, that’s not true, and she says, they’ll all be better off without him. He doubles over in pain, and she says, there, there. It won’t be long now.

Curtis says, Trina’s not going to lose him, but they need to get out of here right now. Trina says, there’s a satellite phone behind the bar. She can call Jordan on the way, and tell her to send help. She runs behind the bar, and Curtis says, he doesn’t have to tell Spencer how hugely important that young lady is to him. He’s counting on Spencer to get her out of here to safety. The pilot has orders to take off as soon as they’re on board. Do not wait for him, no matter how much Trina begs him. Understood? He needs to know he can trust Spencer. Spencer nods, and Trina says she’s got it. Curtis says, it’s time to move. Be smart, and be safe. Trina says, that goes double for him, and he kisses the top of her head. He starts to leave, and Trina says, she knows everything is uncertain right now, but she… He says he knows. Him too. He jets.

Carly asks TJ if there’s anything they can do for Willow. Just name it and it’s done. TJ says he defers to whatever Dr. Randolph thinks is best, and raising his voice, Michael says, Dr. Randolph isn’t here… Sorry. TJ tells him not to apologize, and Michael says, just tell him what to do so he can bring Willow home. TJ says, that’s just it; he doesn’t think Willow should go home. Not if they want to buy her more time. Michael says, of course (🍷) that’s the goal, and Carly asks if hospice is an option. TJ says, it’s always an option. They will definitely keep Willow comfortable as she transitions. Michael says, transitions? To death? TJ says he hates this too, and Carly says, what if she stays here? TJ says, then they can treat her symptoms as they develop. She has a chance of surviving until Drew gets here, but he’s not going to lie. Willow will be in a great deal of pain. Her enlarged lymph nodes are putting pressure on her organs. Michael says he brings his wife home to die comfortably or she stays in the hospital, suffering to survive, or maybe not, and TJ says, it’s a horrible choice. Carly says, but one he has to make.

Dex asks, what makes Josslyn think he’s having second thoughts? and she says, because he sees something in Sonny that she and Michael don’t. And she gets it. She used to see it too. It’s not as easy to turn Sonny in as he thought, is it? He says, Michael hired him to do a job, and he intends to finish it. The job, if he hadn’t taken, would have never brought him to her. She says, so no regrets, and he says, it’s not a regret to admit two things can be true. (GH’s favorite phrase.) She says, such as? and he says, Sonny’s breaking Federal law, violating the NSA, and deserves to be in prison. He also saved Dex’s life when he didn’t have to. So when the Feds come for Sonny, he’s going to feel bad, but his part in this is over. He got the footage and gave it to Michael. It’s in her brother’s hands now.

Sonny says he could kill Ned for putting Carly and Drew in this position, and Nina says, Ned? He says, that’s what the Quartermaines do. Michael’s distracted, Valentin and Drew are off the grid, so Ned is going to make his move. She says, it’s a good thing the SEC didn’t hold Carly overnight, and Sonny says he bought Drew some time also. She says, it’s really wonderful of him. She’s sure Michael and Carly were very grateful. He says he’s not looking for a pat on the back, and she says, of course (🍷) he’s not. That doesn’t mean she can’t give him one. He says, here’s the thing. He’s going to do everything he can for his family. He doesn’t care what’s going on between them. If somebody messes with one of us, they mess with all of us. He’s telling her right now, if Ned had anything to do with it, he’d better brace himself. Nina says she’s been thinking about what he said about flying down to the islands, and he says, she told him that she didn’t want to go. She says she reconsidered. How soon can they leave? He says he thought she didn’t want to go with everything happening with Willow, and she says she’s a little uneasy about it, but he made a point when he said they could get back to Port Charles in a few hours. She thinks they need a little time alone to recharge and regroup. When they get back home, they’ll be more ready to help whoever needs them. She knows he’s dealing with a big business thing. Is that going to stop him from getting away? He says he took care of it, and she asks if that’s a yes. He tells her to let him make a call. If I were Nina, I’d head to Nixon Falls right about now, and never look back.

Josslyn tells Dex that she doubts Michael is going to call the Feds on Sonny any time soon. He’s so focused on Willow. Dex says, totally understandable, and she says, but it’s not great for him. He says, until Michael puts Sonny away, he’s always going to be looking over his shoulder, wondering if it’s the end, if Sonny’s onto him. Who wants to live like that? She says, not her, and he says, him either. She says, still, for this last little bit of time, before all hell breaks loose, and her whole family is divided between Team Sonny and Team Michael, she’s just going to enjoy the peace. And she’s so glad she gets to enjoy it with him. She kisses him, and his phone rings. He looks at it, and she says, what’s wrong? He shows her it’s Sonny calling, and he says, boss. Sonny says, Brick is using his jet, and he needs Dex to call a private airstrip and have them charter a plane as soon as possible. He’ll send Dex the contact information. Dex says, destination? and Sonny says, paradise. Josslyn asks what he wanted, and Dex says, a plane out of town… tonight. She says, he doesn’t think Sonny knows what he and Michael are planning, but he says, no. If Sonny was onto him, he’d be the one leaving town, and Sonny would make sure he never came back.

TJ says, Michael and Willow are married now, so while she’s unconscious, what happens next is up to him. Michael says, Willow wouldn’t want to die in the hospital. The lights, the sounds, she hates it all so much. Carly says she knows Michael wants to respect that, but what if keeping her here means she doesn’t die? Michael says, there are so many variables, none of which he has any control over. He doesn’t know. He has to think. He walks off, and Carly thanks TJ for being so steady around Michael. She knows it’s torture for him too. He says he just wishes he could do more, for both of them. She says, they all do. She wants to be strong for Michael, but most of the time, she just wants to curl in a ball. He says, but she doesn’t. That’s what matters. She’s here by Michael’s side, offering any support he needs. He’s lucky to have her. She says, he’s lucky to have TJ too. They all are.

Sitting by Willow’s bedside, Michael says he hates the thought of Willow being in more pain. It’s the second to the last thing he wants. He takes her hand and wonders how they got here. He flashes back to Willow saying, they’re getting married. She’s going to be his wife. She knows they have this scary thing looming over them, but she doesn’t want it to overshadow the fact they’re marrying each other, and they love each other. Whether they get 60 hours or 60 years, he’s her guy. He remembers telling Willow that it’s the last time he’s going to see her before she becomes his wife, and he wants to remember this moment. She says she’ll never forget it. He flashes back to their wedding, and telling her that he’s grateful for her friendship and her courage, her love and compassion. And most important, how she’s been such an amazing mother to Wiley, and now Amelia. The fact that he gets to call her his wife… Willow says, Michael?

Josslyn tells Dex that he needs to be really careful. Nothing gets past Sonny, and if he’s starting to suspect… He says he’ll be careful, when her phone rings. She says, mom? and Carly says, it’s Willow. Josslyn asks, what happened?… She’s on her way. She tells Dex that Willow’s been taken to the hospital, and he says he’ll drive her, but she says, he has to stay here and deal with Sonny, and she has to be with her family. He says he’ll walk her out, and she says, that she’ll take him up on.

Hersley says, this is a matter of national… no, international security. Jordan has no jurisdiction here. Diane says, that’s actually for a judge to decide, a precedent set by Chandler versus the United States. Robert says he just loves when she talks precedents, and Hersley says, this is Felicia’s doing, isn’t it? Felicia says she has faith in Mayor Collins and her friends. Just give them a chance to come through. Hersley says, faith is nice, but those bombs are a sure thing, and Diane says, the only sure thing in his future is a discussion about DA Scorpio’s civil rights. She would take those handcuffs off him, unless Hersley wants them to be part of that discussion. By all means, contact his superiors. She of course (🍷) will be contacting the Federal District Court. Hersley takes the cuffs off Robert, and leaves with Diane. Jordan tells Robert, she hates to say it, but Hersley may be right. If Laura and the rest of them fail… Felicia says, they won’t, and Robert says, it won’t matter unless he can talk that new director into calling off the drone strike.

Trina thinks the baby is going to need another blanket, but Spencer tells her to wait. He doesn’t like the idea of her going off on her own right now. She says, two minutes; he can time her. She leaves, and Spencer bounces Ace, saying, it’s just us, buddy. Just him, and Ace… He hears something, and says, that was fast. He turns to see the creepy nanny, and says, she’s not Trina. She says she most certainly isn’t, and he says he doesn’t think he ever got her name. She says, no, but she knows his, young Mr. Cassadine, and he and that baby aren’t going anywhere.

Victor says, Drew is now useless to him, and Goon143 shoves Drew to his knees. An alarm goes off, and Victor wonders, what’s that? Laura asks if Drew brought a plus one, and Drew says he thought she did. Victor says he knew there were more of them, and tells the Goon Squad to kill them. Something blows up in the hallway, and there’s smoke everywhere. Everyone ducks down, and Anna comes in with a gun.

There’s some shooting back and forth, and Victor says, go get her. Goon231 runs out.

Creepy nanny says, there’s plenty of security on this ship. Nice big fellows who can stop Spencer from leaving. (Ha-ha! Ace looks worried – baby acting!) But they don’t want the baby involved in the struggle, so why doesn’t he just hand Ace over? Spencer says he has a better idea. Why doesn’t she go back to the stateroom, and forget she ever saw them. She says, the senior Mr. Cassadine hired her to take care of the baby. She won’t disappoint him. She puts on the radio, and says, anyone on this channel, there’s been a breach… Trina whacks her over the head from behind, and she goes down. Trina says, less than two minutes? and he says, her timing’s perfect.

Carly tells TJ that Josslyn should be here any moment, and he asks how she’s handling everything. Carly says, like mother, like daughter, when Josslyn comes out of the elevator. She puts on a brave face, but like everyone else, she’s terrified. Josslyn asks who Carly is calling terrified, and they hug. Josslyn says, Carly’s right; she’s terrified. Carly says, her too.

Michael asks how Willow is feeling, and she says she’s okay, she thinks. What happened? He says, she passed out, and he took her to the hospital. She says, they were talking about Sonny, and he says, they’re done with that conversation, he promises. But first… She says, they need to focus on her health, and he says, she needs that transplant. She says she really wants to be home with him and the kids, and he says he wants that too; all of them do. But her best chance, her only chance, is to stay here in the hospital.

Sonny says, they’re going to go by Nina’s place, pick up her clothes, put them in a bag, and go to the airstrip. She says, sounds perfect, and he says, she doesn’t have to bring a lot of clothes, right? She says, is that so? and he says, it is so. They kiss, when Dex walks in, and says, everything’s been arranged, but there’s been a development. Sonny says, with the plane? but Dex says, with Willow.

Helena tells Valentin, don’t fight it. The pain will soon be over. He says he’ll take complete agony over eternity with her, and she says, such a waste. She could have made a legend out of him. Instead, he’s just one more corpse.

Anna and Drew fight with Victor’s goons, and Laura reaches for the cannister on the lab table, but Victor puts a gun to her head, and says, don’t.

Nina asks Dex, what about Willow? Did she have another episode? Dex says he doesn’t have any details, and she says, whatever he knows. Please. He says, Carly called Josslyn, and said Willow collapsed and was rushed to GH. Joss went to meet her mom; he came straight here. Sonny says, call the airstrip and cancel the flight, and tells Nina, let’s go.

Josslyn asks if Willow is going to be okay, but Carly says she doesn’t know. Her only chance is a transplant. Josslyn says, and they can’t have that without Liesl, and Carly wonders where they are. Josslyn says, she still hasn’t heard from Drew? and Carly says, they have to be okay, and they have to come home now. Josslyn asks how much time they have, and Carly says, not enough.

Willow asks what Dr. Randolph says, and Michael says he hasn’t talked to her. It’s TJ’s opinion that if she wants to hold on until Drew and Liesl get home, she’s got to stay in the hospital for treatment. She says she can come in every day, but he says, they want her constantly monitored so they can treat any symptoms that may arise in real time. She says, assuming Drew and Liesl come back in time… but he says, they can’t think that way. They’re going to come back. And there’s a whole team of specialists here who are in her corner, who want to keep her alive, but it starts with her. She has to do her part. Willow says, and her part is spending what could be her last days away from her family, but Michael tells her that he’ll bring Wiley and Amelia here whenever he can. He knows this goes against everything she wanted, but they’re down to the wire. This is their last shot. Please tell him that she’ll take it.

Spencer tells Trina, the nanny from hell is locked in the stateroom. She’s going to have a nasty headache when she wakes up, but she’ll be okay. They hear shooting, and Trina asks what they do. He tells her, they do what Curtis said. They have to get his brother to safety. The seaplane isn’t going to wait for them forever. She tells Spencer that she has to call Jordan, and hands him the baby.

There’s more fighting with Anna and Drew, and Victor tells Laura, step away. Anna gets hit hard.

Josslyn asks how Carly is holding up. She’s the one who got drug out of a wedding by the SEC. Carly says she cares about the charges, but she cares more about Willow and Michael, and what they’re going through. Willow was weak before, let’s hope this SEC situation doesn’t push her past her breaking point. (Um… I don’t think that’s what did it. Throwing mental guilt darts at Michael.) Josslyn says, that’s on Ned, and Carly says, what he did was vindictive and cruel, and she honestly didn’t expect it from him. Josslyn asks if she thought there were lines he wouldn’t cross, and Carly says she guesses she did. She knows the Quartermaines play dirty; they blackmail each other over their morning coffee. But the way everyone rallied around Michael and Willow for the wedding, she thought it was sincere. Now, when Willow’s waiting for a transplant, it’s thoughtless and reckless. She really didn’t think this was Ned, but maybe it is. What is she talking about? She’s the one who gave him the opening. It’s all on her. Josslyn protests, but Carly says, it is. Drew and Michael separately and together begged her not to get involved. They didn’t want her to buy any Aurora stock, but she did because she had to help. So much for helping. Josslyn says, so buying that stock wasn’t great, and Carly says, it was terrible. Josslyn says she understands, but Carly was just trying to help someone she loved. Intentions matter. Carly says, they sure do; the road to hell’s paved with them. Josslyn says, what Carly set out to do was good. What Ned set out to do was harmful. Carly was just trying to help someone she loved, and Ned wanted to inflict damage. Carly says, Ned called in the SEC because her and Drew’s actions made them vulnerable. Josslyn says, that’s awful, but she’s having a hard time believing Ned wanted them to show up at the wedding. Carly says can’t believe anyone would want to do that to Michael and Willow; ruin their special day. Josslyn says, their special day wasn’t ruined. Carly saw the looks on their faces when they exchanged their vows. They were so happy and they were so in love, and she genuinely believes that’s what’s going to get Willow to hold on. Carly says she wants to believe that too, when Josslyn’s phone rings. She says, it’s Dex, and steps away. She asks if everything is okay, and he says, everything’s fine. He just saw Sonny and Nina, and thought she’d want to know. Sonny and Nina walk in, and she says, they’re coming to the hospital. He says he takes it they’re already there, and she says, they just got here. He says, sorry there wasn’t more of a heads up. Sonny and Nina walk over to Carly, and they give each other soap looks.

Willow tells Michael, if Drew is putting his life on the line to bring Liesl back to them, then she needs to do whatever she can to make the risk worth it. He says, so she’ll stay and fight? and she says, with everything in her.

Anna rallies, and totally kicks the ass of the goon who punched her. Victor tells Obrecht that they’re leaving. Laura says, Victor, and he says, goodbye, Laura, shooting her. She falls, and he hustles Obrecht out the door. Goon47 points his gun at Anna, but a shot from somewhere downs him. Anna sees Curtis, and says, good shot. He says, thanks. Is she okay. She says she is, and he goes to Laura, who’s already up. She says she’s okay; it’s just a graze. Drew asks where Victor is, and Laura says, he took Obrecht, and the pathogen, and ran out. Curtis goes after them.

Trina asks if Jordan can hear her, and Jordan says she can. Where is she? Trina says, on the Haunted Star with Spencer and Ace, and Jordan says, listen to her. She has to get off that boat now. Trina says, they know, but… Jordan says, there are drones on their way to drop bombs on the entire island, and they have no way to stop them. Take the baby and get to the seaplane before it’s too late.

Outside, Victor tells Obrecht, come on. Keep moving. They’re going to leave just the way they came; get moving. He pushes her along, and I think, why do they always have to give their captive a push? A voice says, going somewhere? and Victor turns to see Holly with a gun pointed at him. Obrecht smiles.

Anna comes back with Drew, who says, they have the guards tied up in the hall; they’re not going anywhere. Anna tells Drew that he has to go after Victor. He can’t escape with the pathogen. Drew jets, and Anna asks Laura, where’s Valentin? Laura says, he’s in the isolation room. Victor used him as a test subject for the pathogen. Anna says, oh my God, and runs out. Laura says, let’s find Trina and Spencer now, and as she and Curtis pass a computer screen, Laura looks at it. It’s got some staticky lines going in and out, and it’s making noises like dial-up used to. Curtis says, what’s that? and Laura says she knows that sound. She looks pretty worried.

Helena tells Valentin, let go. Doesn’t he trust his mother? He says, there’s only one person he trusts with his life. He cries, and says, there’s only one. He looks up, and sees Anna looking through the window. He smiles.

Curtis says, they have to get out of here and catch up with the others before that seaplane takes off without them, but Laura says, they can’t go right now. He says, why not? and she says, this computer. It’s like the one that controlled Mikkos’s weather machine. The one from forty years ago.

So it is dial-up.

Tomorrow, Willow wants to see someone; Anna won’t let Valentin die; Trina says she’s not leaving Spencer; Holly tells Victor that he failed again; and Victor says, he could have fixed the world if it hadn’t been for those meddling kids. Okay, not really on that last one, but I want it so much.

🔃 Wait, What…?

Apparently, we’re getting a new Kristina.

🦸🏽 It Was the Pathogen…

It would be awesome if the pathogen turned Valentin into a superhero. In his off-time, he’s halfway there.

📝 Strike That…

I suppose it comes down to how long the strike goes on.

But in a pinch, you can watch this.

🍸 A Little Bit Of Scandoval In Your Life…

Small favors.

Sandoval’s picture is next to cliché in the dictionary.

💃🏾 To the Met and Beyond…

The fashion.

https://okmagazine.com/p/new-york-socialite-kamie-lightburn-dishes-best-met-gala-looks/

https://www.instyle.com/met-gala-2023-red-carpet-7480093

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/g43757161/best-worst-dressed-met-gala-2023/

https://www.eonline.com/photos/36008/met-gala-2023-red-carpet-fashion

In case you need explanation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-was-karl-lagerfeld-2023-met-gala-theme-explained/

After the ball is over.

https://people.com/style/met-gala-2023-afterparty-outfits/

🪳 Uninvited Guest…

But who was he wearing?

https://www.etonline.com/cockroach-goes-viral-after-crashing-the-2023-met-gala-red-carpet-203807

🐱 Best Thing Ever…

And of course, the cat.

https://people.com/pets/choupette-cat-responds-met-gala-outfits-jared-leto-doja-cat/

🧺 Bringing Out the Sheaves…

Set a spell tomorrow for some soap, freshly brewed tea, words of importance (or not), and music for May. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting other people’s time and not being late, and stay holding onto hope, even in the worst circumstances. You never know when the tide can shift.  

April 27, 2023 – Two Uninvited Guests Come To the Wedding, Congrats, Side Gig, Oh Say Can OC, Almost Walked, VanderMadness, Crowned, Daytime Emmy Info & How Far

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Bobbie says, Donna and Avery look like little princesses, and Carly says, no princess is complete without her crown. Josslyn’s phone rings, and she steps away to answer it, while Carly gets out the flower girl headpieces and she and Bobbie put them on the girls. They show Willow, and she says, perfection. Outside, Josslyn says, it’s like you read my mind. I was just thinking how much I want you here too. I assume she’s talking to Dex. Willow says, Carly is so good with the girls. Strong and confident, yet playful and fun; the kind of mom she wants to be. Carly says, that’s the kind of mom Willow is. She’s the best.

Tracy walks into the nook as Olivia is preparing some dishes, and asks, what’s all this? Olivia says, it’s called food, but Tracy says she means, what is Olivia doing with it? Olivia says, it’s for the wedding. Initially, she was going to call a caterer, then thought, why doesn’t she do it herself, and give it that nice personal touch? Tracy says, just what all brides dream of, an all-you-can-eat wedding buffet, and Olivia says, for Tracy’s information, Willow did not want some stuffy sit-down dinner,. Brook says, it’s going to be very elegant, and Ned says, Brook doesn’t need to be here. He and Olivia have this covered. Brook says she actually prefers to stay behind the scenes right now, and Olivia says, so she can avoid Chase? Maxie comes in, and says, look alive, people. Everything’s almost ready in the living room. How are things going in here? Tracy says, not to worry. All of the food is pre-cooked just like a picnic.

The chairs are set up in the living room, and Michael tells Wiley, this is were he and mommy will be standing when they exchange rings. Wiley says he has an important job, and Michael says, extremely, and there’s no one he trusts more with it.

Dante lets in Sam and Kristina, and Sonny hugs Kristina, telling her that she looks absolutely beautiful, as usual. Dante asks if Sam is ready for this, and she says she thinks so. Michael said they’re keeping things relatively simple. She can’t believe they asked her to officiate (me neither – did she quickly hop on the internet for that?), and Sonny says he can. Dante says he can too. She’s the perfect choice, especially given her relationship with Willow and Michael. Sonny asks if TJ and Molly are on their way, and Kristina says, they should be here any minute. Michael comes out with Wiley, and Sam says, looking sharp, boys. Michael says he was giving Wiley the lay of the land, and Sam says, he’s going to crush it. Wiley runs to Sonny, who asks if he’s excited about the wedding. Wiley says, yeah, and Sonny says he bets. This is the greatest ring bearer in the world. Michael says he has the best.

Nina says she gave the SEC a heads up that a certain CEO was giving his girlfriend stock tips, and Ava says, she told the SEC about Carly and Drew? Nina says, no. She had Martin Grey pass on an anonymous tip that the CEO of Aurora Media and his secret girlfriend were engaged in insider trading. So basically, she took Ava’s advice. She’s never felt better. Ava asks how long she thinks that’s going to last.

Carly asks Bobbie to take the girls to the main house, and Willow says she’s sure they’d love to see how the preparation is going. The girls get excited, and Bobbie tells them, be careful what you wish for. They might get put to work. Josslyn takes Amelia, and follows them out. Carly asks how Willow is feeling, and Willow says, honestly? She’s scared. She so wants this to be the beginning of something, and she’s terrified it’s the end.

Molly and TJ arrive, and Dante suggests commemorating the day. He calls Sonny over, and Molly takes a photo of him, Michael, Dante, and Kristina. Kristina tells Michael, it’s his wedding day, so look like he’s enjoying it, and he says he plans to enjoy every moment of it. Bobbie and Josslyn come in with the girls, and they all pose for more pictures by the stairs. Molly sniffles a little, and TJ tells her that he can take them, but she says she’s got it. Kristina asks if Josslyn wants to get in, but Josslyn says she’s good for now, and Kristina says, suit herself. Molly takes more photos, and they file into the living room. Sam asks TJ if everything is all right with Molly.

Ned practices some scales, and Tracy says, please, but he says, Michael and Willow asked him to sing at the ceremony, and he doesn’t want to disappoint them with rusty pipes. Tracy says, they don’t want anything to derail this ultra highbrow wedding, and Olivia says she’s had just about enough of Tracy. Brook suggests Tracy go into the living room; everyone will be excited to see her. Tracy says, fat chance, but Brook says, even so, and steers her out. Ned tells Olivia to decompress, but Olivia tells him that she didn’t say a word. He tells her, which says everything, and she asks, exactly how long is mommy dearest planning on staying? He shrugs.

TJ says, Molly’s fine, and Sam says, is he sure? She seems a little off. He says he’s sure, but he’s glad she has the support of her sisters.

Kristina asks how the doctor’s appointment went, and Molly says, fine. Kristina says, that’s it? and Molly says, it’s private, but Kristina says, the Davis women don’t do private. What’s going on? Molly says, it turns out getting pregnant might be more difficult than she and TJ had hoped.

Bringing Tracy into the living room, Brook nearly smacks into Chase (again), and Tracy says, the young man Brook’s been hiding from. Brook says, no, and Tracy says, the policeman who owes her a debt of gratitude. Chase says, I’m sorry? and Tracy asks if her granddaughter moved heaven and earth to get his badge reinstated or not? Brook tells Chase that exaggeration is sort of Tracy’s thing, and suggests they find her a seat.

Dante asks if Michael has jitters, but Michael says, actually, no. How about Dante? Can he handle the rigorous best man duties? Dante says, I’m the best, man. Michael’s a great guy and he’s going to be a great husband. He’s been through hell multiple times, and has somebody who loves him as much as Michael loves them. Michael says, forever. Whether Willow’s with him or not, long short or somewhere in between, no matter what happens, this is the happiest day of his life. Dante says, the fact that Michael can see that and knows that is the greatest gift, and they bro hug.

Carly tells Willow, the world is full of beautiful things, and the truth is, none of them knows when their time is up. In her opinion, the greatest tragedy is throwing away what they have today worrying about what’s going to happen tomorrow. Willow is surrounded by her family and friends. She’s going to marry the man she loves. Willow says, loves with all her heart. It took her a while to know it, but Michael is the one. Carly asks if she knows how rare that is. Some people go their entire lives and they never experience that. She knows Willow appreciates every minute she spends with Michael and the kids, but today is the only day we get. Shouldn’t we make it the best one?

Nina says, Ava told her to call the SEC. Ava handed her the phone, and almost dared her to do it. Ava says she was playing devil’s advocate. She was trying to show Nina how way over the top the idea was. It was reverse psychology. She was trying to talk Nina out of doing it, not encouraging her. Nina says, well that backfired. Carly has yet to face a single consequence for what she did. Had she told Willow about her birth mother – Nina – then Willow wouldn’t be on death’s door right now. She could have gotten that bone marrow transplant months ago, and she’d be thriving instead of withering away. Ava says she has to stop Nina right here. Now she’s skating dangerously close to alternative facts. Nina says, tell her one untrue thing about what she said, and Ava says, it’s true Carly was wrong, and should have told Willow that Nina was her birth mother, but that’s not the reason Willow is sick. Nina says, she delayed her treatment, and Ava says, because of the baby, not because of Carly. Nina says, had Willow known… and Ava says, no one knew. Nina is forgetting the fact that Willow didn’t tell anybody about her cancer. Nina says, Ava isn’t blaming Willow now, is she? and Ava says, of course (🍷) not. She’s simply saying, no one had all the information, not even Carly. Nina says, it doesn’t matter. Carly and Drew broke the law, and is it so inconceivable that Carly should pay for her crime? Ava says, that’s just it. If Nina sends Carly to prison, it’s not Carly who pays; it’s Nina.

Olivia tells Ned, that’s it for the prep. Now she can just play hostess to the guests until the ceremony begins. Donna and Avery cut through and go outside, and she says, aren’t they adorable… as they cut a path of total destruction through the house. Ned says, she blows him away, and she says, tell her more. He says, pulling a wedding together in a couple of days, and Olivia tells him, he says wedding; Tracy says picnic. He says, don’t listen to her, when Josslyn asks if they’ve seen Donna and Avery. Olivia says, that-a way, and Josslyn goes outside. Olivia says she’s just so happy that she can do something for Michael and Willow after everything they’ve been through… and everything they’re still going through. She also had a lot of help. Maxie comes in, and asks if they’ve seen Willow.

Willow says, Carly is amazing at putting things into perspective. No more thinking about tomorrow or next week. She lives in the moment. She thanks Carly, but Carly says, thank you. She’s so grateful that Michael found her, and they found love. She prays it lasts for the next 60 years, but if God forbid it doesn’t, it doesn’t take away from the joy they’ve given each other for the past two years. Or the love she’s given Wiley and Amelia. Willow says, but doesn’t some part of Carly wish Michael had never met her, so he could be spared the heartbreak? Carly says, no. it would hurt to see her son in pain, but it would hurt even more if he’d never been in love. She’s seen his face light up when Willow walks in the room, or sees Willow with Wiley, or holding Amelia. Willow has given her son so much. She wouldn’t wish any of that away. She just wishes they had more of it. Willow says, so does she, but they’re not thinking about that. Today they bask in the joy and the love and the light. Carly asks if it’s dress time, and they get up. She says she loves Willow so much, and Willow says she loves Carly too, and they hug.

Nina tells Ava, of course (🍷) it’s her that pays; it’s always her. Ava says, that’s not what she meant, and Nina says, Carly has come between her and Willow over and over again. She’s made sure at every step, challenge, and crisis, she’s the one Willow turns to for support, not Nina. Today for example. It’s her daughter’s wedding day, and who gets to play mother of the bride? Not her – Carly. She’s not even invited to the wedding. Ava says she doesn’t need convincing that Carly is a piece of work, but she needs Nina to acknowledge what’s really going on here. Why did Nina sic the SEC on Carly? Nina asks what she means, and Ava says, just answer the question. Nina says, because Carly and Drew violated… Ava says, come on. Nina doesn’t give a damn about the Securities and Exchange Commission. She doesn’t care about laws, or statutes, or shareholders. Just admit it. She wanted revenge.

Carly wheels Willow in, and she looks really pretty, but what the hell is with that veil? It looks like they just stuck some netting on her head. It’s awful. Was that the responsibility of the wardrobe mistress who recently retired? Maxie says, Willow is the most beautiful bride she’s ever seen except for that janky veil, and Dante says, she speaks the truth. Sam says, they’ll see Willow in there, and goes in with Dante. Wiley runs over to Willow, and she asks if he’s ready to be the best ring bearer ever. He tells her that she looks pretty, and she thanks him. She says she’s sure his daddy is devastatingly handsome, but no one is more handsome than him.

Sam asks how Michael is feeling, and he says, good; he’s ready. He thanks her again for officiating, and she says, of course (🍷). Jason would be really happy for him. He says he’s been thinking about Jason a lot today, and she says, so has she, and about him and Willow of course (🍷). Willow looks so soft and sweet on the outside, and of course (🍷) she is, but Sam doesn’t think people realize how strong she is, and how much she’s been through. Just like Michael. He’s kind and easy-going, but she doesn’t think people realize he has a core of steel. She’s so glad he and Willow were able to recognize that in each other, and she’s honored to be leading them in their vows tonight. He says he loves her, and she says, back atcha, and goes to prepare.

Maxie asks everyone to take their seats. They’re about to begin. Dante says, showtime, and in the foyer, Carly asks if Willow is ready to begin the rest of her life. Willow says, so ready.

Nina says, Ava is way wrong. She’s not doing it for revenge. That’s more Carly’s M.O. Ava says, so Nina doesn’t want to wipe that sanctimonious smile off Carly’s face – Nina says, absolutely – after everything she did to Nina. Engineering it so Willow would go to her for love and support, even though Nina found her a bone marrow donor. Nina says, exactly, and Ava says, Nina is trying to pretend that’s not the reason she turned Carly in to the SEC, and she needs Nina to see that it is. Nina says, because Ava thinks what she’s doing is wrong, but Ava says she’s not going to judge Nina. If she wants revenge, go for it; get her revenge. She’s just saying it better be worth it to Nina. Because if this comes out, it’s the end of her and Sonny.

Canon in D Major (otherwise known as the main theme from Ordinary People) begins to play. Wiley comes in, carrying the rings on a pillow, and the flower girls follow, tossing their petals. Josslyn comes next, and Here Comes the Bride plays. Carly walks Willow down the aisle and hands her off to Michael. He tells her that she’s breathtaking, and she says, so is he. Sam thanks family and friends for joining them in this celebration of Michael and Willow. When they asked her to officiate the wedding, she was kind of surprised because A, she’s never done this before, and B, there’s probably a reason for that. But when she sat down and thought about it, it actually made a lot of sense. She’s known Michael since he was just a kid, and they’ve been through a lot of life together. Watching him grow into the man he is today has been one of the greatest privileges of her life. And she and Willow have had some shared experiences, which she won’t get into tonight, but it’s given her insight into the kind of person Willow is; strong, resilient, beautiful, and so, so brave. All of the traits Michael and Willow have in common will only serve them as they embark on their life together. She loves them both so very much. She tells Josslyn that she’s up, and Josslyn reads a passage from Romeo and Juliet that begins, love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. When she concludes, Sam says, that was beautiful. Now Ned will be performing a song that the bride and groom have chosen. Ned begins to play the guitar. But we never hear him sing. Rusty pipes?

Nina says, Sonny’s not going to find out, but even if he did, he’d understand, but Ava says, no, he wouldn’t. Nina says, yes, he would. No one more than Sonny has seen the way Carly’s treated her; the cruelty, the utter disrespect. What she and Sonny have is the real deal. If it wasn’t, Sonny wouldn’t have sacrificed everything for her. Ava says, that’s just it. Sonny sacrificed everything, and he kept choosing Nina over them time and time again, and at great cost. Ava has learned the hard way that Sonny and Carly have their own history, and part of that history is a blind and stubborn and even toxic loyalty. She’s not talking about romance. The two of them could be at each other’s throats, but if a threat comes for one of them, the other will step in and defend them. So if the SEC goes after Carly, and Sonny finds out Nina was behind it, she doesn’t see him backing Nina.

Sam says, Michael and Willow have made things easy on her today, and have requested a traditional ceremony. So here we go. Michael says he knows they asked for this, but as he’s standing here looking at Willow, he has to say how thankful he is for her friendship, her courage, her love, her compassion, her support. And most important, how she’s been such an amazing mother to Wiley. The fact that he gets to call her his wife… Willow says, wait, they’re getting married? and everyone laughs. He says he forgot to thank her for her sense of humor. He couldn’t love her more if he tried, but he’s going to try every single day for the rest of their lives. She says, wow. She can’t let him have his say and not get hers. It’s ironic that he would be up here thanking her, when she was a person who was alone for most of her life. Then came him. At first, he was her friend, and such a good one; supportive, and such a great advice giver. He never judged. As everyone here knows, the first time they did this, it was a legal maneuver, but then this crazy thing happened. As each day passed, she realized how happy she was to be married to him, and it quickly became something she wanted to last. It’s like her whole frame of reference shifted. What she’d refused to see before was suddenly standing in front of her. All of that time, she’d been falling in love with him, and since then, that love has only grown. She’s fulfilled in ways she never thought possible because of him, and their kids, and this amazing family of his. He says, ours, and she says she’s so incredibly lucky.

Sam asks if they’re good to move on to the vows now, and Michael says, they’re ready. She asks if Michael takes Willow to be his wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health… Willow says she’s really putting him through the paces on that one, and Sam says, until death do they part. Will he love and honor her for all the days of his life? He says he will and he does to all of it. She asks if Willow takes Michael as her husband, ditto, ditto, ditto, and Willow says she will. Sam calls to Wiley who brings up the rings.

Nina says, it’s possible that no one will find out, and Ava agrees, it’s possible. Nina says, but Ava doesn’t think it’s likely, and Ava says, she thinks it’s true what they say; secrets have a way of coming out, no matter how hard they try to bury them. Nina says, it’s not like she made up the insider trading; it happened. Anyone could have reported it. Ava says, it wasn’t anyone; it was Nina. She turned in the mother of Sonny’s children to the authorities. Nina looks miserable, and says she turned in Wiley and Amelia’s grandmother to the authorities. She sits down, and says, what will happen if Willow finds out? She’s depended on Carly for so much through all of this. Willow will never forgive her, will she?

Michael says he gives Willow this ring as a sign of their love for and commitment to each other. He promises to support her and care for her, and stand alongside her for all their days. He puts the ring on her finger, and she says and does the same to him. Sam tells everyone that she doesn’t think there’s anything left to say, except by the power vested in her and the state of New York, she now pronounces them husband and wife. Michael says he’ll take it from here, and kisses Willow.  Mendelssohn’s Wedding March plays, and everyone cheers. Michael picks up Wiley, and Willow says she’s never seen a more professional ring bearer. Has he? Michael says he hasn’t. It may be Wiley’s calling. Wiley asks what a calling is, and Michael says, a purpose. Wiley says, so mommy is his? and Michael says, yes, she is. The doorbell rings, and Brook says, that’s weird. Who’d be showing up now? Tracy says, oh please. She’ll get it. Brook says, don’t tell her that Tracy is bored already, and Tracy says, who, me?

Nina says, maybe nothing will come of it. It was an anonymous tip to a bunch of bureaucrats. Ava says bureaucrats who live for this kind of stuff, and Nina says, it could be months or years before they open an investigation, assuming they get that far. Ava says she doesn’t know much about this stuff, but she doubts the government takes kindly to citizens messing with the markets. If she had to guess, she guesses it won’t be long before the SEC is knocking on Carly’s door.

Olivia says, okay, everybody to the solarium for the reception. As I recall, the solarium is not all that big, but maybe it just sounded good and they hope we don’t remember. As the guests are moving out, Tracy brings two guys into the living room. Sonny asks, who’s this? and Tracy says she tried to put them off, but they insisted. They’re from the SEC. Michael says, if this is about ELQ, it’s going to have to wait, and Sonny says, this is his son’s wedding. One of the men says, this does concern ELQ,  but they’re not looking for Michael. Tracy asks if they can say who they are looking for, and he says, Drew Cain and Carly Spencer.

Um… I don’t think that’s how any of this works. I don’t think their first step is to just show up, and certainly not two seconds after they got an anonymous tip.

Tomorrow, Jordan asks why this is their only option; Curtis tells Drew, this is no time for anyone’s personal vendetta; Willow asks if they’ll bring charges against Michael too; Sonny needs a favor; and Brick says he’s got Dex now.

🤞 Fingers Crossed…

God knows they gave Kelly Thiebaud enough to do before she left. She’s deserving for that alone. I sometimes think Nick Chavez overacts, but he is playing a Cassadine, and those characters tend to do that. He also had the thankless job of taking over for a well-established and loved character, and rose to the occasion brilliantly. So here’s hoping for both of them.

🎥 Anna’s Alter Ego…

Another busy woman. She’s probably glad she has scenes in a hospital bed for a while.

🍊 The Bitch Is Back…

Already it starts. I’m so not a fan of Tamra’s. Not just because she’s a shrew of the first magnitude, but it was embarrassing for real Christians everywhere when she claimed to be one, going so far as to be baptized, and then acted like the same she-devil she’s always been. No surprise she jumped right back into it.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhoc-shannon-and-tamra-tease-season-17-vickis-return

👠 He Feels the Hate…

Yeah, for someone who claims to be all about love and family, Teresa misses the mark by lightyears. I think Melissa and Joe #2 just finally gave up after the slap in the face of deliberately leaving them out of the wedding. At the very least, Joe should have walked her down the aisle.

https://people.com/tv/andy-cohen-nearly-walked-off-rhonj-reunion-over-teresa-giudice-melissa-gorga-hate/

🍸 And They’re Up…

Because I can’t help but look. The worst thing of all for me has been watching Raquel act like she’s Ariana’s friend. Women very much not supporting women.

https://screenrant.com/vanderpump-rules-worst-scandoval-theory-open-secret/

From across the pond. The entire world is watching. I hate to say it, but this is probably the best thing that could have happened to the show ratings-wise.

https://graziadaily.co.uk/celebrity/news/vanderpump-rules-heres-the-latest-update-on-scandoval/

For those who enjoy the aftermath of a podcast. Not sure what they expected from something called Howie Mandell Does Stuff. Although the problem seemed to be that he didn’t do stuff.

https://www.podplay.com/podcasts/behind-the-velvet-rope-322969/episodes/the-fallout-from-sandovals-howie-mandel-chat-raquels-wellness-arianas-new-life-explosive-vpr-reunion-spoilers-140035975

This guy is really trying to steal Jax’s Worst Human Being in the World title. On top of his many transgressions, Sandoval keeps calling Lisa dude. Seriously, WTF?

👑 God Save the Queen King…

Billions of people got up before the crack of dawn to watch him get married to Diana, and we saw how that turned out. But if you can’t get your fill of the royals, here you go.

https://www.etonline.com/how-to-watch-king-charles-coronation-live-in-the-us-date-time-events-attendees-and-more-202989

🏆 Love and Talk In the Afternoon…

The who, what, and where for this year’s Daytime Emmys.

https://ew.com/awards/emmys/2023-daytime-emmy-nominations/

💻 Entering the Chat…

Roll with me tomorrow in a free-for-all of soap, tea, quotes, and a tune applicable to the season. Until then, stay safe, stay never blindly following the crowd, and stay not throwing away what you have today worrying about what’s going to happen tomorrow.