Everything you need to know about Times Square on New Year’s Eve. This is one thing I’ve never done. Probably because my first roommate decided to go, and she said it was a nightmare. Someone spilled beer on her, someone else peed on her shoe (where do you go to the bathroom anyway?), and she said, when the crowd moved, you moved. No thank you very much.
As fun as it’s been to do this every day, the time has come to cut back and move on to some bigger projects. Starting in 2025, on Fridays only, I’ll give you an overview of the GH week, all of Friday’s General Hospital, what to watch (or not), and words of wisdom. It’s not you, it’s me, but I don’t love you any less. And as always, if there’s anything you particularly want covered, let me know.
El Wray sez: Happy New Year!
🎊 In the Days of Auld Lang Syne…
Have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve and join me on Friday for soap and all of the above. Until then, stay safe; stay remembering that you are enough; and stay making every year better than the last.
(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)
General Hospital
Everyone is thrilled to see Emma, who says she wants to get to know her new Aunt Sasha. Felicia asks how long she’s here for, but Emma says, it’s not a visit. She’s staying. She transferred to PCU and she’s moving into the dorm in three weeks. Anna wonders why Robin didn’t say anything, and Emma says she wanted it to be a surprise.
Brook hands Chase a gift bag and says she has one more and she can’t wait for him to open it. He takes out a pregnancy test, and she says, merry Christmas (🎄). She’s late.
Jack says, the Goddess of War has been defeated at last, and Josslyn says, that’s because he cheated. He insists he didn’t, but she says, he must have since he works in espionage. On the side, Carly says she knows Jason hates Jack, but he took Josslyn’s mind off of things. Jason says he still doesn’t trust Jack, and Jack asks Josslyn for a rematch. She asks for a raincheck, and he says, absolutely yes, for her. She goes upstairs, and Jack tells Carly that he won fair and square. Jason walks away, and Carly thanks Jack for distracting Josslyn. He says, she’s got a competitive streak, but he has no idea where she gets it from. He wanted to use that to get her mind off things. Carly says, losing Dex so suddenly and senselessly was too much.
Nina wonders if this nightmare will never end, and Ava says, Drew will be gone in a few minutes. Willow comes out with Drew and says she asked him to stay, when there’s a knock at the door. It’s Lucas, and Ava asks if he was searching the city for his favorite aunt, but he says he’s here for Willow.
At Rice Plaza, Kristina says she was hoping to say hello to Lulu, but Laura says, she’s at the Quartermaines. She wanted to be with Rocco and Dante on Christmas morning. Sonny says, it’s all Rocco wanted for Christmas, to get his mother back. He got his wish. Laura says, now all they have to do is bring Charlotte home and all will be right with the world.
In the nook, Dante says, Rocco’s mother will be here at the crack of dawn, and Rocco says, it’s a big day. Dante says, they’ve been waiting four years. He can’t imagine what she’s thinking.
At the airport, an announcement says, the flight to Prague will be boarding shortly and will arrive around noon Prague time. Lulu sends a text to Charlotte: Text me the name of the café, I can’t wait to see you.
Lucas says he’s here about Wiley, and Willow says, Wiley is sleeping. Lucas says, it’s Christmas Eve. Wiley should be home. Willow says, Michael will see the children on Christmas morning, when Drew comes out. Willow says, clearly, Lucas heard she and Michael are having difficulties. She’s staying here for a while. Lucas says, she must understand his concern, but Nina says, there’s no reason to be concerned. The children are with their mother. Ava asks what Lucas wants, and Lucas says he wants to remind Willow that he didn’t rip out his heart and let Wiley go without a fight so she could take him away from his father.
Jason asks how Michael is holding up, and Michael says he misses Willow and the kids and the life he thought they had. He’s starting to realize that life is gone forever.
Josslyn says, her mom told her that Jack helped bring Lucky home, but not how, and Jack says, the how is highly classified. Carly says she was impressed at how clear the footage was, and Josslyn asks if she was there. Jack says, hypothetically, that would be against protocol, and Carly says, so would watching Lucky, Holly, Anna, and Jason escape Sidwell’s compound.
Emma says she thought Anna would be happy, and Anna says she is. She’s just surprised. Mission accomplished. They hug, and Anna asks, what happened to Emma’s incredible internship? Emma says, it wasn’t as incredible as she’d hoped, and Maxie says, Emma is over the west coast. Emma says, Maxie’s got her, and Anna says she’s surprised Robin didn’t say she’d transferred to PCU. Emma says, that’s because all they’re talking about is their new aunt. Before that, Cousin Cody was all the rage. One surprise after another. Sasha really didn’t know Robert was her dad? Sasha says, no, and Emma says, and he took off with Holly? That’s rude. Sasha says, it’s par for the course that comes with her mom, but she’s glad Robert is with her. Emma says, but they left Sasha alone, and Felicia says, no. She’s got them.
Sonny asks if Laura has had any luck locating Valentin and Charlotte, but Laura says, not yet. It’s been hard on Lulu. Sonny says, if there’s anything he can do… She thanks him and says her work here is done. She’s got to get going. Sonny thanks her, and she says, merry Christmas (🎄). He says, merry Christmas (🎄), and they hug. Laura leaves, and Sonny goes over to Kristina, who’s looking at the tree. She says, when she was little, the tree was magic. It was so big and beautiful. She was afraid she would feel nothing after all she’s been through and just be empty. He says, was she? but she says, no. She still feels the same sense of wonder and hope even, thanks to him. Merry Christmas (🎄). He says, merry Christmas (🎄).
Josslyn says, it’s amazing how the WSB located Sidwell’s compound, but Jack says, his strip-mining operation leaves a huge nasty footprint. She asks if it’s MTR. Mountain top removal mining is extremely devastating. Jack wonders how she knows about it, and she says she’s an environmental science major. He asks what she’s going to do when she finishes, and she tells him that she used to say she was going to try and help save the world, but it seems naïve now.
Michael says he should have taken Jason’s advice, walked out of the Brown Dog Bar, and told Willow everything. He slept with Sasha and unfortunately both of them cheated, but he wasn’t ready to give up on the marriage. Now it’s too late. Jason says, it isn’t all on him and Willow. Drew bears some blame. Michael says, Willow doesn’t see it that way. She looks at him as the bad guy and that hurts the most.
Laura goes to the Quartermaines and says, Lulu left her gloves, so she thought she’d drop them off. Where is she? Dante says he thought Lulu was with her, but Laura says, Lulu texted her that she was going to stay the night with Rocco. Dante says, Lulu texted him that she was spending Christmas Eve with Laura, so he doesn’t know what she’s up to.
Lulu takes out a book while she waits, and sitting near her, Colette says she hasn’t seen a guidebook in ages. Lulu says she’s old school, when her phone rings, but she ignores the call. Collette asks if Lulu has been to Prague before, but Lulu says, it’s her first time. Colette says, with all the Christmas decorations, it’s like traveling back in time, and Lulu says, wouldn’t that be great?
Anna says she should call Emma’s mom to let her know Emma is here, but Emma says she just got off the phone with her. She asks if it’s true that Sasha was dating Cody, and Maxie says, when they found out they were cousins, they broke up. Emma says, that’s rough, and Sasha says, it’s taken some getting used to. Felicia asks Emma to fill them in on what she’s been up to, and Emma says, school, but what she wants to know is, what it’s like to be a model.
Brook asks how long they have to wait, and Chase says, three minutes. She says, it’s the longest three minutes of her life. Distract her. He kisses her and asks if she feels different. She says, yes… no… She doesn’t know. He says, it’s not like she’s been pregnant before. Next year, they could be celebrating their baby’s first Christmas. He can’t wait to see life through their child’s eyes. He wants a lot of kids, but the first one is special.
The alarm goes off, and Chase says, ready? Brook looks at the test and says, negative. She’s not pregnant. He hugs her and says, they’ll keep trying.
Nina says, Lucas’s concern is admirable, but he did give Wiley up. Lucas says he raised Wiley for the first two years and loves Wiley like his own. Willow says she loves Wiley too, and Lucas says he gave Wiley to Michael because he belongs with Michael. She says, but not her because she’s not his biological mom. Lucas is adopted. Did his father love him less? He says he’s not questioning Willow’s love; he’s questioning her actions. She says she knows he loves Wiley, but she’s doing what’s best for her children, and he asks how sleeping with Michael’s uncle is what’s best. Drew says, he’s out of line, but Willow says she can speak for herself. She and Drew developed feelings for each other, but they didn’t want to hurt anyone. Lucas says, but they took action that did. Their emotions don’t excuse their absence of integrity. Willow says, they didn’t mean for this to happen, but Lucas says, of course (🍷) they did.
Josslyn wonders what she could do to save the world. Dex tried and look what happened. Carly says, Dex’s time was cut short, but he changed people’s lives for the better, and Josslyn says, he died from a senseless act of violence. Jack says, in the grand scheme of things, if you help an old lady or save a kitten, the world seems the same after the rescue, but it’s not the same for the old lady or the kitten. One person can make a difference. The right push in the right place at the right time can have a huge effect on a person’s future or a country’s future. Sometimes the whole world’s future. Josslyn says she’s not so sure, and Jack says, the ancient Greeks believed the world rested on Atlas’s shoulders. They weren’t totally wrong. Everyone plays a part in holding up the world.
Sonny asks if Kristina is okay, and she says she is. It’s rare these days. He says he heard she took photos at Charlie’s. Any thoughts on how she wants it changed? She says he didn’t have to give her Charlie’s to cheer her up, but he says he wanted it to stay in the family. She says she’s honored that he asked her to run it. She hopes she’s up for the job. He says he doesn’t want to and won’t push her, but he thinks… he knows she’ll do great things with the place.
Laura says her calls are going to voicemail, and Dante says, that can only mean one thing. Lulu went to find Charlotte. Laura says she has no idea where Charlotte is, but Rocco says, Lulu knows where to look. Charlotte called him on Christmas Eve. Dante asks why he didn’t say anything, and Rocco says, mom asked him not to. Dante says, start at the beginning, and Rocco says he got random texts from a European phone and Charlotte called to wish him a merry Christmas (🎄). He sent her a photo of her mom and she called. Mom talked to her. Laura asks where she is, but Rocco tells her, she didn’t say. She was worried she’d get her dad in trouble. The only way she would see Lulu is if Lulu promised to come alone.
Lucas says, Drew and Willow chose to sleep with each other, and Drew says, it was a difficult time. Sam… Lucas says, don’t use his sister’s death to justify sleeping with his nephew’s wife, and Nina says, the child he claims to be worried about is sleeping in the next room. Willow says, he has no right to judge her, and he says he knows the pain of being separated from a child you love. Don’t make Michael go through that again. Willow asks if he’s comparing her to Nelle, who convinced Lucas’s husband to swap her dead child for Wiley. They’re done. Nina tells Lucas to get out, and Lucas tells them to think about what he said. He leaves and Ava goes out with him. Nina says, this proves they can’t sit back and think everything will be okay. They need to go on the offensive if Willow wants to keep her children.
Michael says, Willow wouldn’t have taken the kids if she wanted to work things out, and Jason asks what he thinks she wants. Michael says, she wants a hero and it’s not him, and Jason says, it’s not Drew. Michael says, Willow thinks it is. Drew risked his life to bring Liesl Obrecht home so Willow could get a blood transfusion. He literally saved her life, but he wanted more than gratitude. He made her spokeswoman for organ donations, so she felt valued, and it made Drew look like a hero. Jason says, Drew is slimy, that’s for sure, and Michael says, Drew ran for office so he could work for the public good and Willow ate it up. Jason asks what he wants to do, and Michael says he doesn’t want to punish Willow. If Drew is who she wants, then maybe he should let her go.
Brook says she’s sorry. She doesn’t understand why she can’t get pregnant. Chase says, some women take longer to conceive, and she says she’s been doing everything possible. He says, maybe that’s the problem.
Emma says, so Sasha was raised by Holly’s mom, and on the side, Felicia says, it looks like Sasha has a fan. Maxie says, Emma is asking a lot of questions, and Felicia says, because she doesn’t want to answer any questions herself. Maxie says she wants to know about Emma’s real life. (It doesn’t come across in the words, but it’s obvious Emma is avoiding talking about herself and doesn’t want Anna to talk to Robin.)
Dante says, a European number, and Laura says, there’s only one way to get there. Dante says he knows someone at the TSA. He’ll find out if they see Lulu’s name and where she’s headed. Laura says, even if he catches her, he may not be able to stop her. He says he doesn’t want to stop her, but he doesn’t want her to go after Valentin on her own. Rocco says he’s sorry he didn’t say something sooner, but Dante says, it’s okay. Rocco says, he’s not mad? and Dante says, no. He’ll let them know what he finds out. He leaves, and Rocco says, his mom is going to be okay, isn’t she?
Josslyn says, Jack is involved with spies and shadow government. Why does he believe them all coming together would make the world a better place? Jack says he can’t do everything himself, when his phone rings. He steps away to take the call and Carly takes Josslyn’s hand.
In the foyer, Jack says, status? and Colette says she made contact. She followed Lulu from Rice Plaza to the airport and she’s on the same flight. He asks where they’re headed, and she says, Prague. He says, Lulu will lead them straight to Valentin, and Colette says she’ll be there. He tells her to call when she is.
Kristina tells Sonny that she watched the Nurses Ball when he sang with Grandpa Mike. She wept in public. (We all did.) He says, one thing about his dad that was real, he always loved him. Kristina says, his dad loved him too, and Sonny says he never wants his kids to question how he feels. His kids are important to him and a big part of his life. Kristina puts her head on his shoulder, and he says he’ll always be in her corner.
Brook asks if Chase is saying he wants to stop trying, but Chase says, absolutely not. But he’s read that too much pressure can make more of a difference. They need to relax and let nature take its course. She says she still wants to take a test to make sure, and he says him too, so they have all the facts. He knows in his heart that she was meant to be a mother.
Emma says, the cookies are amazing, and Felicia says, Sasha made them. Emma asks if she can have the recipe, and Sasha suggests they make them together. Emma wonders how Sasha makes all the meals for the Quartermaines, and Anna says she’d rather diffuse a bomb than make a meal. (Me too!) Felicia says, one time, she diffused a bomb while making a three-course dinner, but Anna says, that didn’t happen. Sasha says, the Quartermaines are a close family, and Emma says, like snakes in a pit. Sasha agrees they’re at each other’s throats, but at the end of the day, they support one another. Felicia says, that’s the great thing about family. They accept you, warts and all.
Rocco says, maybe he should have tried to stop his mom, but Laura says, once she heard Charlotte’s voice, nothing would stop her. He says he knows she’s happy, but she won’t really be okay until Charlotte is home. Laura asks if he’s okay, and he says he misses his sister, but he hopes his dad gets to his mom in time. He doesn’t know what he’d do if anything happened to her. Laura hugs him.
Jack sees Josslyn sitting with her head on Carly’s shoulder and says, that’s his cue. Josslyn says she hasn’t been sleeping well. She’s going upstairs. She enjoyed talking with him. Jack says he enjoyed talking to her too, and they wish each other a merry Christmas (🎄). Josslyn leaves, and Jack tells Carly that he had a lovely evening. He’s glad he ran into her. She says she’s glad she ran into him too.
Jason says he can’t tell Michael what to do, but Michael says he might actually listen. Jason says he’d fight for what he wants, and Michael says, even if Willow is happy. Jason says, Michael doesn’t know that, and he doesn’t think Willow does either. There’s more than one kind of hero. Michael needs to step up and find the good woman who took his kids and left. It’s sad that Willow doesn’t see the good man she has instead of being deceived, Drew not only betrayed Michael’s trust, he betrayed Willow’s. Unfortunately, she’ll have to see that for herself.
Willow says she doesn’t want the kids in a nasty custody battle, but Nina says, the Quartermaines will inevitably battle. Drew says, Willow’s got to protect herself, and Nina says, they’ll make her out as the villain, but only if she lets them. Drew says he’ll be by her side. She’s got to get tough. Nina says she’ll be there too. No one is going to take away Willow’s children.
In Rice Plaza, Ava says, obviously, Lucas loves Wiley. She remembers how hard it was when Lucas gave him back to Michael. She understands that kind of loss. She didn’t think she’d survive losing Kiki. She’s not sure she has. Lucas says he’s so sorry, and she says, the Jeromes are tough. He says, the Jeromes are also their own worst enemy. When he went to fight for Wiley, he thinks he just made things worse. He doesn’t get it. Willow gave up her son to protect Shiloh and she seems ready to corner Michael. Ava says, she sees Drew through rose colored glasses. She hopes Willow comes to her senses. He says, Michael shouldn’t have to lose his kids, and she says she and Sonny have been fighting about Avery from the day she was born. Nobody should have to go through that. He says, even Michael? And she says she knows what it’s like to lose a child and knows what it’s like to fight for one.
Brook says she ruined Christmas, but Chase says, she shared so much. And she’s the person he shares with. She says she loves him so much, and he says he loves her too. As much as he wants to have kids, he’s enjoying having her all to himself. They kiss.
Outside, Carly thanks Jack for spending time with Josslyn, and he says, she’s easy to talk to. She says, he took her seriously, and he says, she’s a formidable young woman. He’d never underestimate her or her mother. She thanks him, and he says, she gave him a place on Christmas. One kindness deserves another. She says, he’s been kind to her all year, and he says, that’s what he keeps telling her. Merry Christmas (🎄). She tells him, merry Christmas (🎄), and he leaves. She looks up as snow starts to fall.
Kristina says she never would have made it through this year without Sonny, but he says, she’s stronger than she knows. She says, because of him and mom. She was dreading Christmas, but they got her through. He says he loves her and she says she loves him too. They wish each other a merry Christmas (🎄), and Kristina goes to bed. Sonny looks out at the snow and smiles. He turns off the light and suddenly puts his hand to his chest.
Felicia says she can’t believe Robin didn’t tell Anna about Emma, and Anna says her too. Emma says she’ll come by to say hi to the others in the morning, and hugs everyone. She and Anna leave, and Felicia says she’s got to get going too. She just has to pry Mac away from the kids. Maxie asks if she means Spinelli and Cody, and Felicia says, yes. She goes to get Mac, and Sasha says, it’s nice to be part of a big family. Maxie says she was hoping Sasha would share the news about the baby, but Sasha says, Emma showed up. Maxie says, and weirdly interrogated her, and Sasha says, plus Cody was here. There’s a decision she needs to make before she tells anyone.
Michael says he wants his family back. He hopes Willow is willing to try and make their marriage work. Jason says, if she isn’t? and Michael says then he doesn’t want to hurt her. But if they can’t make this thing work, he’s going to fight for his kids.
Drew promises it will be okay, and Nina says she’s going to check on the kids. Willow says, it’s her life that people will now be judging. He says, she can’t let it get to her. They know the truth and that’s all that matters. She says, he’s a congressman and has to protect his image, and he says he’s not hiding how much she means to him. He’s going to be honest about his feelings. Willow says, having him to lean on makes all the difference, and he says he can’t believe he found her. She says, it feels like a dream, but he says, it’s real. They hug and Nina sees them.
At the airport, Dante shows the desk clerk his badge and says, PCPD. He needs to get on that flight. The clerk says, too late. It’s already left the gate.
On the plane, Lulu looks at a photo of Charlotte on her phone and says, see you soon, sweetheart. Sitting a few seats back, Colette watches her.
Tomorrow, Sasha tells Maxie that she decided to leave Port Charles; Jack wonders why something is of interest to someone; Jason says he’ll do anything to help Josslyn get closure; and Diane tells Michael that Willow is gearing up for battle
🔦 Passing the Torch…
Since Emma isn’t just in Port Charles for a visit and staying on, this makes more sense, as OG Emma has a day job as a nurse.
Hope you had a merry and a happy whatever it is you celebrate. Join me tomorrow for soap and what to watch (or not). Until then, stay safe; stay not feeling you have to make any New Year’s resolutions; and stay remembering that one person can make a difference.
(The whole GH enchilada on Fridays; the other days, who knows?)
General Hospital
Outside the courtroom, TJ arrives, and Molly tells Alexis that she’ll just be a minute. Alexis says she’ll check on Kristina, and goes inside. Molly thanks TJ again for bringing her journal by, and he says he wanted to make sure she got it. She says she’s actually been rereading it. She’s embarrassed. There’s some pretty sappy entries. She made a long list of all the places she hoped they’d travel… He says he’s sorry they didn’t get to make those trips, and she says her too.
Inside the courtroom, Kristina hugs Sonny and says she’s so glad he’s here. He says, of course (🍷) he’s here. Is she ready? Ric walks in with Ava, and Kristina says, more than ready.
At the hospital, Lucas says, Lulu’s awake? That’s amazing. Elizabeth says she’s sure Sam would be really pleased, and he says he’s sure she would. Has she spoken to Lulu yet? She says, all she knows is what she and Lucky saw on the security footage, but she’s not only awake, she snuck out of Turning Woods and made her way back to Port Charles. He asks why she snuck out, and she says, apparently, she saw Cyrus Renault lurking around and she was worried about what he might be up to. He asks if she’s okay, and Elizabeth says, last she heard, Lulu is safe and surrounded by family. He asks if this means Lucky will be sticking around, and she tells Lucas, he says he wants to. Lucas says, she doesn’t seem thrilled, and she says, Lucky told her part of the reason he’s staying is for Lulu… He says, and the other part? She says, me. In case she needs help if she’s found at fault in Sam’s death.
In the breakroom, Brad says, when he and Lucas were apart, he would have given anything to see that handsome face again. Now he realizes seeing him every day hurts more than not seeing him. He deserves this, right? The pain of seeing the man he loves with no hope of ever being with him again. Is he crazy to be thinking like this? Stella puts her hand on his and says, no. He’s just human.
Trina walks into the gallery on the phone and tells Ava to let her know when she’s heard the verdict. Kai comes in wearing a suit, and she says she’s beyond flattered, but he didn’t have to get dressed up just to work on their project. He says he hates to disappoint, but he just had an interview about the championship game. The coach made him wear a suit. She says, he’s doing interviews now, and he says, the whole world wants his insights. She says she’s really enjoying his insights. She loves the artists he added to the section on modern art in New York in the 1980s (Banksy?). He says, about the project, there’s something he needs to tell her.
Lois is getting her makeup done at Home & Heart, and the makeup artist tells her that since she lost her accent, she’s really become a wonderful spokesperson. So clear and professional. Using her learned voice, Lois says, thank you. I really appreciate your kind words. The woman leaves, and Brook comes along. She asks Lois, what’s wrong?
Kai promises it’s not going to be a problem. He won’t leave Trina hanging. They can get an extension. He’ll complete his half of the project and fuse it seamlessly together with hers, then boom! They’re golden… She’s pissed. She says, no, not pissed. Disappointed.
Lucas asks if Lucky staying in Port Charles isn’t a good thing, but Elizabeth says she can’t think about Lucky right now. Not when she’s stressed about what might have happened with Sam. He asks how that’s going for her, and she says, not great. She’s under review because she was the nurse assigned to Sam the day she died.
Lois says, nothing’s wrong, and Brook asks if she’s sure. Lois says, what could possibly be wrong? and goes over to Haven on the set. Maxie comes in and Brook asks, where’s Lucy? Maxie says she has some bad news and Lucy not being here is directly connected to it. Brook says, let’s start with the bad news, and Maxie says, they have to hit $75,000 in sales. Brook says, why so high? and Maxie says, sales have been really slow lately. Brook says she’s noticed, and what happens if sales don’t pick up? Maxie says, not only does it have to pick up, it has to pick up during their segment today. She’s not sure they can move that much product. Brook says, they need to bring out the big guns, and Maxie tells her, that’s what Lucy said. Brook says, let her guess. Lucy’s idea of the big guns is her being on camera? Maxie says she managed to convince Lucy that she’d be better working on the social media people promoting Lois’s spot. Does Brook think they should bring her mom in on this? Brook says, absolutely not. Something’s up with her today and she doesn’t want to add more pressure.
Alexis takes Kristina and Molly’s hands and says, before they get started, there’s something she wants to say to both of them. Regardless of what the verdict is, they’ve lost so much already, and she doesn’t want them to lose each other. Kristina says, of course (🍷), and Molly says, absolutely. (I say, yeah, right.) Ric sits next to Ava, and she says, if looks could kill, she’d be flayed alive. He says, all that matters is the jury, and the bailiff says, all rise. Court is in session. The judge (who apparently doesn’t have a name) comes in and tells them, be seated. Has the jury reached a verdict? The foreman says, we have, and hands it to the bailiff who gives it to the judge. She reads it and asks the defendant to please rise. Ric and Ava stand.
Brad says, Lucas deserves someone much better than him, and Stella says, this isn’t about Lucas. This is about him. He says, what he’d really like is to just be worthy of him, and she says, that’s almost the right attitude. He asks, what’s the totally right attitude? and she says, be the person you’re promising to be. But instead of doing it for Lucas, do it for himself. He says, so be selfish and make it about himself. He guesses he could swing that. She says, a man can reflect on his mistakes, be genuinely remorseful, and do better. If Brad can do that, there’s hope for him yet.
Lucas says he really believes the Board will find that Elizabeth did nothing wrong, and she says, here’s hoping. Portia asks if she can speak to Lucas in her office for a moment, and he says, sure, and follows her.
Kai says he’s 100% positive the professor will give them an extension, and Trina says, of course (🍷) she will. He’s Kai Tyler, QB1 of PCU’s Tigers. If there need to be any accommodations, there will be no question. He says, okay. Then great. They’ll work together and get it done… just a little later. She says, when? The class will be over before the game happens. He says he’s sorry he can’t do this project right now. He needs to focus on being best for the game. She says she really thought he genuinely cared about this class, but now she sees it’s not even a priority for him. He says, it is a priority. It’s just… She says, not his first priority. Well, it is for her. She needs to ace this class if she’s going to go to the grad school she wants or have the life and career that she wants. He says, PCU’s never been in the Northeast Classic before, and she says she doesn’t know what that means, but it sounds major. He says, if they beat Llanview, it would be huge, for the entire school. He can’t let everyone down. She has to see that. She says she does, but does he see where this puts her? Most people who major in Art History want to make learning interactive. That’s why the professor made this a presentation. He says, and they will still present it, and she says, to who? They can’t force their classmates to come back. He says, what if they do a slideshow? They can play it when everyone else presents their projects. She says, he doesn’t get it. Professor Donahue is a big deal in the art world. To present to the professor is a can’t miss opportunity for her. She can’t blow it off and present a slideshow. He says, so what are we going to do? but she says, there’s no we here. He needs to do what he needs to do for his future, and she’s going to do what she needs to do for hers.
The foreman says, we, the jury, find the defendant, Ava Jerome, not guilty, and the judge says, the court thanks the jury for its service. She thanks the attorneys and tells Ava, in accordance with the State of New York, she’s been found not guilty of manslaughter in the first degree, and she may not be retried for those crimes. She is free to go. Kristina is stunned, and the bailiff says, all rise. Ava thanks Ric and hugs him. Molly follows TJ out, but Kristina just sits there, a blank look on her face. Sonny asks her to look at him, and Alexis asks if she’s okay. Kristina doesn’t respond.
Lucas tells Elizabeth, good news. He went from surgeon under review to surgeon selected to represent GH at a medical symposium in Miami. Elizabeth says, that’s fantastic, and he says he knows. And apparently, it’s exclusive. He’s one of five doctors here that they tapped to go. She says, congratulations, and he says he’s really excited. Brad listens from around the corner.
On the air, Lois says, if they’re like her, always running from one thing to the next – work, family, maybe a night out with the girls. You’re looking for a shortcut to look and feel your best. Is she right? Haven says, absolutely, and how can Deception help with that? Lois says she’s so glad Haven asked. Their new cream dabber makeup, Deception Color Eyes, Cheeks, and Lips is the perfect solution. This unique and versatile and revolutionary product does exactly what it says… As she talks, Haven goes to the side and tells Maxie and Brook, they know how much she loves their product and how much she loves having them here… Maxie says, they love being here, and Haven says, Lois has 20 more minutes in her segment, and she hopes they make their number. Lois says, you can fit it in your purse, or you could put it right into your pocket. Haven thanks her and says she just loves the new product. Why don’t they take a caller? She welcomes the caller and asks how Deception has inspired them, and the caller says she loves Haven, and loves Home & Heart, and she loves Deception, especially The Deceptor. Fine lines and wrinkles, gone. Lois says she knows that voice. That is Francesca DiFrancenzi from her neighborhood. She thanks Franny for calling in and says she loves hearing her voice. Franny says she’s not loving the sound of Lois’s voice. She called to call Lois out. Haven suggests she call out which Deception product she likes best, and Franny says, all the girls were so proud of Lois when she landed this gig. They threw her a party. They even let Tony G.’s wife bring her macaroni salad… the one with the mayonnaise? Lois makes a face, and Franny says, and they ate it – for her. And now she’s talking different. She ditched her accent. Why? Is she ashamed of where she comes from?
Sonny asks if Kristina can hear him and Alexis says, she has to talk to them. Please. Kristina looks at her, and Sonny says, she had them worried for a minute. Alexis says she’s sorry about the verdict, and Kristina says, that’s it. It’s over? Alexis says, yes. There is no legal recourse. Kristina says, okay, and they stand up.
In the hallway, Molly tells TJ that she’s sorry, and he says, for what? The verdict? She says, for the verdict and everything. She knows he’s hurting right now. He says, is she? How does she feel about the verdict? Be honest with him. Don’t tell him what she thinks he wants to hear. She says she thinks nobody knows what happened in that hotel room except Ava and Kristina. She thinks Ava is a despicable person, but she doesn’t think Ava pushed Kristina out the window. Yes, she thinks it was an accident. He says he didn’t ask her what she thought. He asked her what she felt. And based on what she just told him, he thinks she feels satisfied with the verdict. He’s glad she got what she wanted. He walks away, and Kristina is there. She asks what TJ meant when he said Molly got what she wanted. What exactly did she want?
Brad gives some paperwork to Portia and says, sorry it took so long. She thanks him and says, but in the future, he doesn’t have to hand deliver lab results. As a matter of fact, she wishes he wouldn’t. He says he wouldn’t have, but he wanted to talk to her about something. She says she doesn’t have time, and he says he’ll be quick. The lab could use someone knowledgeable about advances in virology diagnoses. She tells him, get to the point, and he says he thinks he should go to the symposium in Miami. She says, the symposium is for doctors, but he says, there’s a lecture series on this very subject. The test results she’s holding would have been expedited with that knowledge. She says, that might be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that GH is only allotted a certain amount of resources… for doctors. He says he’ll pay his own way. She can even take the fee out of his salary. She says, he’s wasting his time. He’s wasting her time. He’s wasting the lab’s time. Stella comes by and stops to listen at a distance, and Portia says, and they both know the real reason he wants to go to this conference, and it’s not because of work. He says he just wants to become a better viral diagnostician, but she says, he found out that Lucas is going, didn’t he? He says he still thinks it would be a good idea if he went, and she says, this conference is vital to this hospital, and it’s too vital for him to use to repair a personal relationship. Now if he doesn’t mind, she needs to get back to work. He walks away, and Stella tells Portia that she just made a big mistake.
Trina tells Kai, last semester, she had to take a break from school for personal reasons, but the opportunity to be in Donahue’s class is what got her back here. This is her Northeast Classic. He asks how he can make it up to her, and she says, he took this class because he saw it as a challenge. He wanted to win. He loves to win. She just wishes he hadn’t won her over by telling her that he cared about this class. He says he does care. This isn’t about winning. He loves learning about art with her. He never studied Black artists before this project. She helped him use a different part of his brain for once. She says she’s glad that her passion provided an amusing sidetrack while he’s going to the NFL, but right now, she’s trying to salvage this presentation without him. He says he wishes she wouldn’t talk about football like it’s something stupid, and she says she doesn’t think it’s stupid. She might not get it, but everybody in her life, including her best friend, are into football. He says, exactly. We can’t all be wrong, can we? She says she understands it’s a passion. Football means to him what art means to her. He says he knows, and she says, so just give her the notes so she can put this together and present it herself. She’s sure he’ll still get his A. His phone trills and he says he’s late for a meeting with his coach. She says, he’d better get going. Good luck. She really hopes everything works out for him. She walks out of the room.
Ava tells Sonny that she’ll be by to pick up Avery, and he says, don’t test him. She says, the trial’s over. They share custody. She wants to see her daughter and he has no grounds to keep Avery from her. He says, Avery is better off without her as a mother, and she asks if Avery said that. Alexis tells him, whatever he’s about to say, don’t say it, but Ric says, please do. Threatening to indoctrinate Avery against her mother will only help him win custody. Sonny says, the answer is no, and Ava says, look her in the eye and tell her that her daughter hasn’t asked for her. Avery needs her mother, and he knows it. Sonny tells Alexis, let’s go, and Ric says he’ll just file an emergency order and have Avery removed today, maybe permanently. Alexis says, knock it off. He won. Take his win and go. Have some semblance of grace. Ava says she’s just trying to do for Avery what Alexis should have done for Kristina many moons ago and get her away from Sonny.
Molly says she’s lost so much. She just wants to make peace with what’s happened. Kristina says, peace? There can be no peace. Ava killed her child, their child, and she got away with it. Molly says she knows that’s how Kristina sees it, but Kristina says, that’s the only way to see it. Molly says, but the facts… and Kristina says, the fact is, Ava pushed her through a window. She almost died. Their baby did. Molly says she knows it’s easier when there’s someone to blame. She’s wanted that for so long, too, but after hearing everything in that courtroom, she believes neither Kristina nor Ava are to blame. It was an accident. Kristina says, so essentially, Molly believes Ava’s version of events over hers.
Brad looks at some lab results, and says, this is not what Stella meant by being a better person. Blackmailing his way to Miami isn’t it, so he’s not going to do it. He brings the paper over to the paper shredder and says he’s not going to do it… Unless… He looks at his phone and says, the weather in Miami… February… 70s and sunny? That’s beach weather. Fun in the sun weather. Fun in the sun with Lucas weather. If only he can convince Portia to make it happen. He looks at the paper again.
As they walk down the hall, Stella says she couldn’t help but notice Portia’s chat with Brad, and Portia says she still can’t believe he’s working here again. Stella asks why he was allowed back in the lab, and Portia says, because he was Britt’s best friend and Dr. Randolph hired him back for sentimental reasons. Stella asks if he’s done anything questionable or if any of his work has been suspect, and Portia says, no. But it’s hard to forgive and it’s hard to forget the things he’s done. Stella says she understands how hard it is to trust Brad. She was there when everyone found out what he’d done to little Wiley Corinthos. Portia says, when he tried to swap a dead baby for a live one and pass it off as his own, and Stella says, Brad did his time for that and as hard as it is to believe, he’s trying to be a better man. Portia says, the bar is really low. She’s surprised Stella is standing up for Brad. Stella says, this isn’t about Brad. She’s looking out for Portia. Portia asks what she means, and Stella says, she’s too open in her dislike for him. Portia asks what she’s supposed to do. Wave pompoms? Do cartwheels around here? Stella says, she can be professional. She’s Chief of Staff. She needs to rise above her dislike for any of her staff. At the very least, seem impartial. Think about that. Stella leaves.
Lucas finds TJ in the breakroom and says he thought TJ would be at the courthouse. TJ says he was, and Lucas says he takes it things didn’t go the way TJ wanted them to. TJ says, no, and Lucas says, if he’d rather be by himself… TJ says he thought about going home, but all that would do is remind him that Molly isn’t there anymore. Lucas says, if it’s not any of his business, tell him, but why is Molly… TJ says, they separated. She left. Lucas says he’s so sorry, and TJ says, his daughter’s dead and his relationship might as well be, but Ava Jerome just keeps trucking along, path of destruction in her wake. But hey, so what? Lucas says, Ava… and TJ says he shouldn’t be talking like that to Lucas, but Lucas says, it’s fine. They’re not close. TJ can say whatever he wants about her, about anything. TJ says he doesn’t want to be a total downer, and Lucas says, they’re members of the same club. But one thing he’s learned is, you can never predict how people are going to cope with loss. Some people scream, others withdraw, some people kidnap his nephew’s baby and pass it off as they one they adopted. TJ says he hears what Lucas is saying. He just can’t let go of what happened and Molly can. Lucas says, it’s got to be hard for both of them, and TJ says he just feels like Molly is sharing her grief with anyone but him. He’s so angry, he’s terrified it’s going to consume him, so that’s why he’s here today. He wants to work and forget. Lucas says he thinks that might be a bad idea.
Franny says, the lips match the words, but that is not Lois’s voice, and Haven says she thinks they should just move on to another call. Franny says she thinks Lois has changed because she’s there breathing the rarified air of the ritzy Quartermaines. Lois says, they’ve known each other forever. They know each other’s secrets and heartaches. And if the way she’s talking has caused Franny to assume she’s ashamed of where she comes from – she switches to her normal voice – then this fancy pants way of talking has got to go. Brook says, you go, ma, and Lois says she loves her family. All eight million of them, she loves her people. But right now, she loves Franny most of all, because she’s reminded Lois to be proud of who she is, and no matter where she is, she loves where she comes from. Bensonhurst forever. Franny says, that’s my girl, and asks if everybody is seeing this. Lois is back. Lois says, that voice was a cosmetic choice. It was a deception, and the only deception cosmetic choice she should be pushing is Deception Cosmetics. Is Franny still with her? Franny says she is, and Lois says, good, because she knows Franny is one crazy busy woman, and Deception Color Eyes, Cheeks, and Lips is going to be a game changer for her. As Lois continues, Brook looks at her tablet, and Maxie says, tell her how their sales are doing. Brook says, they’re skyrocketing, and Maxie asks when their sales went up. Brook says, when her ma started talking like herself again, and Maxie says, she means their problem this whole time was they should have let Lois be herself? Brook says, it was granny’s idea for Lois to use a professional accent, and Maxie says she’s not going to be the one to tell Tracy that she was wrong. Haven says, it’s so great to have Lois here, and at this time, they want to welcome Pearl’s Picks with their favorite fashion/beauty guru Pearl. Pearl thanks Haven and says, coming up next, her top ten must haves and a deal on the original Deception favorite. She picks up The Deceptor. Can they guess what it is? Haven says she can. The Deceptor. She’s been using The Deceptor and can see real results. Lois says, they love to hear that, and Brook asks Maxie how the sales are now. Maxie says, they surpassed their target number.
Alexis says, when it comes to parenting, Ava is in no position to throw stones. The only reason she’s free today is out of sheer luck. Ric says, twelve impartial jurors decided Ava’s fate today. Not her, not Sonny. They chose to believe his client’s story over her daughter’s. Alexis says, they’re talking about parenting. Oh, she sees where she lost him. He says, that’s what’s really tearing Sonny up, isn’t it? The fact that people chose to believe Ava’s story over Kristina’s. Alexis says, again, not the topic, and Ric says, isn’t it? Sonny walks around like Father of the Year, but they all know, he’s never going to stop being a criminal. And that is why Ava’s daughter is always going to be in danger. Sonny says he’s not discussing his daughter with Ric, but Ric says he’s Ava’s attorney, so he’s afraid Sonny’s got to. Ava tells Sonny, please, be reasonable. Not for her sake, but for Avery’s. He knows how much they love each other. She knows he doesn’t like it, but they do. She’s just asking him to think of their daughter and what she needs.
Kristina says, who the hell is Molly to decide what was an accident? Molly wasn’t there. She fell three stories out of a window. That was her. Molly says, Kristina’s right. She wasn’t there. Kristina says, but Molly still blames her. Molly blames her because she went to Ava’s hotel room, even though Molly told her not to. Molly says, yes. It happened because Kristina confronted Ava. It happened because Ava pulled on her arm. It happened because there was a duffle bag on the floor. Kristina says, no. It happened because Ava pushed her. Molly tells her, so she said, and Kristina says, that’s what happened. Molly says she knows Kristina believes that, but she believes no one is to blame. Blaming Kristina is the same thing as blaming Ava, which is the same thing as blaming the duffel bag. Nobody could have predicted what was going to happen when Kristina went to that hotel room. So she’s sorry, because at times, she’s blamed Kristina. Kristina says, at least that’s good to hear, and Molly tells her that she shouldn’t have said the things she did at Irene’s grave. That wasn’t right. Kristina says, it didn’t help to hear Molly’s dad recount all the painful details while torturing her on the stand, and Molly says she knows. She just wants them to move on. Kristina says, move on? There is no moving on. Molly says she has to. She’s lost her baby. She’s lost her sister. She’s lost… She needs this to be over. She walks away, but Kristina follows her. Kristina says, maybe Molly can stuff it down, but for her, it’s not that easy. Molly tells her that she didn’t say it was, and Kristina says, Molly makes it look easy. Molly says, if Kristina wants to hang on to this anger and bitterness the rest of her life, have fun, but she’s not going to do it. Kristina says, of course (🍷) she’s not. You know why? She’s too afraid to fight for justice for their daughter. Molly says she has been fighting. She’s been fighting for months for Ava to be brought to justice, to survive her own grief to keep from going insane. She’s tired. She just wants… Kristina says she knows what Molly wants. She heard her the first time. She got it. Molly wants peace. Of course (🍷) she does.
Haven thanks Lois and Deception, and Lois thanks Haven for having them again on Home & Heart. Haven says, they’ll see everyone next time… and Lois says she wants to throw one last shout out to her friend, Franny DiFrancenzi. Haven thanks Franny for calling, and Lois says, Franny reminded her, you can take the broad out of Bensonhurst, but you can’t take Bensonhurst out of the broad. Haven says, they’ll see everyone next time on Home & Heart, and the producer says, and we’re out. Haven says, Lois did great, and Lois thanks her. They walk off the set, and Brook says, good news. Maxie says, they sold more in the last twenty minutes than they did in the first forty. They surpassed their target number. Brook says, it’s the best selling Home & Heart segment they’ve ever had. For whatever reason. Lois says she wonders what could have happened in the last twenty minutes, and Haven says she wonders. Whatever it was, Home & Heart loves it. Home & Heart wants more of it. She tells Lois, welcome back, and goes off with the producer. Lois takes the tablet and walks toward the makeup artist. She says, my, my, my, my, my. Would you look at that? Record sales. She tells the makeup artist, how do you like them apples? and walks out with Brook and Maxie.
Trina leaves a message for Ava that she’s sorry, but got stuck finishing her art presentation alone, so she won’t be coming in for the rest of the week. Again, she’s really sorry to let Ava down.
Portia goes to the lab and asks if Brad has a moment. He asks if there’s a problem with the test results, but she says, it was perfect. As a matter of fact, all the work he’s done since he’s been reinstated is exemplary. He says he’s pleased his efforts are living up to GH’s standards, and she says, actually, that’s why she’s here. Maybe she was a little bit hasty in her decision making before. He made some excellent points about improving lab efficiency. So she’s changed her mind. He can go to the symposium.
TJ says, the last time he and Lucas talked, they agreed it’s good to use work to get out of your head, but Lucas says, that was then. Before the verdict came in and before TJ and Molly. What they do requires they be on their game 100%. One wrong move, one bad decision, could put their patients at risk, and right now, with things so raw… TJ says, he can’t work and can’t go home. What is he supposed to do? Lucas suggests they go to the boxing gym. They can spar and hit the bag, blow off some steam. It would be a good outlet for some of TJ’s anger. TJ says, that sounds perfect, but he has a lot of rage right now, and Lucas says, okay, so then just the bag. They laugh, and TJ says he’s just trying to figure out how to navigate all of this loss without Molly. Lucas says, he doesn’t have to do it alone. Not tonight.
Sonny says, Ava can come see Avery tomorrow afternoon. He’ll be there to supervise. Ric says, Sonny has zero grounds supervising, but Ava stops him and says she’ll be there. She looks forward to seeing her daughter. Sonny and Alexis leave.
Molly says she should have known Kristina would never understand, but Kristina says, no. She understands. Alexis and Sonny come into the hallway, and Kristina says, Molly is able to find peace and move on because she was never really Adela’s mother. Alexis jets over and says, Molly… but Molly says she’s done. We’re done. She walks off and Alexis looks at Kristina.
On Monday, Cyrus tells Dex that he wasn’t there to see Lulu on Halloween; Laura says, it’s not going to work; Molly says, if Alexis sides with her, she’ll lose Kristina; Kristina asks if Sonny has any ideas, and Sonny says he just might.
🥀 A Gentleman and a Scholar…
I met him at a convention years ago and he was very gracious and funny. I’m sure he’ll be missed.
Not being trans, I don’t feel this is a viewpoint I can speak to. On the acting side, however, I always think, isn’t that the point of acting? To play something you’re not?
Nothing changes an opinion faster than gonorrhea. – Loren, 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, Pillow Talk
Hold fast to dreams. For if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. – James Langston Hughes
At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent. – Barbara Bush (Or your pets!)
No one should be ashamed to admit they are wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that they are wiser today than they were yesterday. – Alexander Pope
True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice. – Saint Francis of Assisi
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
I might be hung over, but at least I’m here. – Amy Slaton, 1000-Lb. Sisters
❄️ Be Like Snow…
As trite as it sounds, take time for yourself amid your holiday chores/errands/celebrations over the weekend. Then join me on Monday for soap and Sailing. Until then, stay safe; stay not putting a price on love – it is really the thought that counts; and stay remembering, you can take the broad out of Bensonhurst, but you can’t take Bensonhurst out of the broad.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 