Tag Archives: Sutton Stracke

November 10, 2023 – Spencer Explodes At Trina, Lolly Lover, Not Gone, Soap Fun, Final Date, The Best, Resilient, VanderNo, Not Yet, Downhill, Dead Revival, Roommates, One More, Nonagon Of Quotes & Battle

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Olivia gets to Eddie/Ned just in time, and extracts him from the tangle of seaweed and netting he’s in. Although I wonder why he’s wearing shoes when he left them at the boathouse.

At the MetroCourt, Alexis says, another precious minute lost. Where are you, Kristina? Blaze comes by and introduces herself as a friend of Kristina’s. She says she was supposed to meet a friend, but it seems fate has other ideas today; they just cancelled. She was on her way out, saw Alexis, and thought she’d introduced herself. Alexis says, that’s nice… Not that Blaze’s friend cancelled, but that Blaze introduced herself. Would Blaze like to join her? Maybe it’s fate. Blaze says, maybe it is, and sits down.

Drew sees Curtis at another table, and says, it’s nice to see him. Curtis says, likewise, and they hug.

Carrying a takeout bag, Trina joins Spencer outside Dex’s apartment, followed by Josslyn and Dex. She says, sorry he had to wait, but they have extra crunchy prawn, and Josslyn says, there was a delay in ordering because someone – she looks at Dex – had to weigh out the whole Marvel movie to catalog Monica’s powers. He says, in the last edition… and she says, yes, she understands. Trina asks Spencer, what happened? and he says, Esme happened. And this time she has his grandmother on her side.

Anna sees Valentin outside of Charlotte’s room and asks, how is she? He says, sleeping. The doctors say she’s going to make a full recovery. She says, thank God. There’s something he needs to know. He asks, what is it? but she says, not here, and they go to the stairwell.

Olivia gets Eddie to the surface and struggles to bring him to shore. She tells him, don’t make this hard. He’s got to be okay. She pounds on him, trying to get him to cough up water, then does chest compression and mouth-to-mouth. He coughs and she asks if he’s all right. He’s alive. He sits up, and she says he’s alive. He says, it’s her. She saved him. She says, of course (🍷) she did. She’d do anything for him. He says he should have always known this, and she says, it’s okay, Eddie, hugging him. He says he’s not Eddie; he’s Ned.

Kristina walks into the MetroCourt and sees Blaze talking to Alexis. She goes to the table and says she didn’t know Blaze knew her mother. Sorry she’s late. Alexis says, only forty-five minutes, and Blaze says her plans were a no-show, and she saw Kristina’s mother. Alexis says, Blaze introduced herself. That was so 1990s. Blaze says, and a lot of fun. She tells Kristina to sit, and says she was grilling Alexis about her job. Alexis says, actually, Blaze was keeping her company while she waited for Kristina… and waited… and waited… Kristina says, okay. Sorry about that. She got caught up with some planning commission things at the youth center. Alexis says, she’s here now and Blaze is here, so why don’t they all have dinner together?

Curtis says, it must be strange, being about to get up and go to sleep when he wants to and turn off his own lights, and Drew says, absolutely. But there are a few things he can think of that he missed more than that. Curtis says he knows that must have been hard. He’s sorry he didn’t visit Drew. Drew says, Curtis had a few things going on. What he went through is nothing in comparison to what Curtis went through. Curtis protests, but Drew says he’s serious. Doesn’t he think it’s silly for either one of them to feel they need to apologize to each other? They’ve been through it. Curtis has been there for him more times than he can count. This friendship is forged in fire. It’s brotherhood born in battle. Curtis says, wow, and raises his glass. To the battle… and to freedom. Drew says, and to survival, and they clink glasses.

Josslyn says, Esme again, and Spencer asks if Josslyn and Dex can give him a minute. Josslyn says, gladly, and she and Dex go into his apartment, Josslyn touching Trina’s shoulder as she passes. Trina asks what Esme did, and Spencer says, it’s nothing that Esme did; it’s what she’s going to do. She’s going to take Ace and she’s going to move into another apartment. Trina says, finally.

Laura looks in the window to Charlotte’s room. Elizabeth is with Charlotte, sees Laura, and comes out. Laura says, she looks so fragile in that bed, and Elizabeth says she knows, but Charlotte’s just sleeping right now. It’s best to let her rest as long as possible because her system is still fighting. But her vitals are excellent. She’s on track to make a full recovery. Laura breathes a sigh of relief and says, that’s fantastic. Where’s Valentin? She can’t imagine he’d leave her alone. (Geez, the poor guy doesn’t even get a bathroom break?) Elizabeth says, no. He’s been here the entire time. In fact, she just saw him walking down the hall with Anna just a little bit ago. Laura asks how Jake is handling all of this. She knows they all went trick-or-treating together, and heard he was the first one back to Anna’s house right after it happened. Elizabeth says she’s never seen him like this. It’s like he’s caught in this loop of feeling upset and feeling guilty that he lost track of her. He promised Valentin they would stick together, and that’s why he went looking for her. And now he’s scared and confused and doesn’t understand how Anna could have shot Charlotte. And honestly, neither can she.

First of all, didn’t anyone notice Charlotte was wearing a huge, dark, hooded robe and the apartment was dark? And on another topic, Jake knows that Charlotte had the keys and what she’d said about them getting her everything she wanted. This hasn’t come up yet, but I’m thinking it might give him a clue she was up to no good.

On a landing in the stairwell, Valentin asks Anna what it is he needs to know. She says, he has to believe her when she tells him, what happened with Charlotte was an accident. She had no way of knowing Charlotte was in that apartment. He says he knows that. She says she’s not making an excuse, because she understands this is killing him, and he says, there’s nothing she could have done. She says, when she left the apartment, she locked it, and when she returned, it was unlocked. So she knew there was someone inside there, and she thought she was going to be ambushed. That’s why she pulled her gun, and that’s when she made a terrible mistake. And she wishes she could make it all go away. When she saw Charlotte lying on the ground like that, and his face when he came in… He says, it was an accident. It was a tragic accident. She says, yes… How did he know to come to the apartment?

Ned and Olivia are dripping wet and sitting on the ground. Olivia asks what Ned is saying. Her Ned? Is it really him? He says, it’s really him. He saw her. He doesn’t even know how it happened. His mind was rushing like a whirlwind. Literally. The next thing he knows, he’s in the water, and stuck. And there she was. And now they’re here. She says, Lois told her that he was depressed. She went to the boathouse and saw his guitar and his shoes(🤷🏽‍♀️), and she thought… She cries, and he takes her face in his hands and says, it’s okay. They made it. She made it. They’re going to be okay. She says she thought she lost him, and he says, but she didn’t. She found him. It was her all along. She says, what? and he says, in the song. He knows how it ends. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says, the siren song. He knows how to finish it. She says, Eddie… Ned, let’s not do this right now, and he says he’s not Eddie. He’s Ned. She says, if he’s not Eddie, how did he remember the song? He says he remembers everything, and they kiss. So is he going to kind of be like Sonny/Mike now?

Spencer says, finally? Trina didn’t really just say that. She says, yes, she did. She knows he’s going to miss living with Ace, but it’s way past time that Esme go live on her own. He yells, who cares about Esme? He’s talking about Ace. Ace is the one he’s worried about in this instance. Josslyn and Dex come out, and Josslyn asks, what the hell is going on out here?

Kristina asks if Alexis knows that Blaze just signed with BLQ Management, and Alexis says, Brook Lynn Quartermaine. Blaze says, makes a refreshing change from that sleaze Linc Brown, and Alexis says she remembers his public takedown at the Nurses Ball. To Catch a Predator anyone? Blaze says, oh, we caught him, and Alexis says, and then he disappeared, and as she recalls, the whole thing went radio silent. She’s curious. How long before the abuse started?

Curtis asks how it feels to be back in the real world, and Drew says, he has no idea. Although he has to say, some things are more challenging than he anticipated. Curtis says, Drew has been out of the mix for a while, but Drew says, compared to when he broke out of captivity in Greece, the life he came back to this time hasn’t changed nearly as drastically. But Curtis’s has. What about him?

Elizabeth tells Laura that she knows Anna would never intentionally hurt Charlotte. Obviously, it was just a terrible mistake. But what was she doing carrying a gun around on Halloween? With people in costumes and kids jumping out at each other, acting all crazy. Laura says, she’s right, and Elizabeth says, and you add a gun in that mix? It only increases the odds that something tragic is going to happen. Yes, Charlotte is going to recover physically, but what about her emotional scars? And Jake is going to have to deal with this as well.

Valentin says he was supposed to pick up Charlotte and the other kids after trick-or-treating. Apparently, Charlotte went off on her own, and according to Georgie and Danny, Jake went after Charlotte in the direction of Maxie’s place, so he thought she was heading there. Anna says, well, he was right. She couldn’t figure out why Charlotte would come to the apartment. The police found her backpack, and in it was the keychain she showed him to Maxie’s apartment. Remember the one that had the shoe on it? In there were also these two cans of spray paint that were the same color that was used to paint the word murderer on her door. He says, Charlotte told him about the keychain; she didn’t tell him about the paint. She says, that doesn’t matter. What she’s trying to tell him is, she’s figured out who’s after her. He says he’s so sorry, and she says, and it is the WSB. Former WSB. She figured out the connection, and it’s a man called Jameson Forsythe. Old guard Bureau. They crossed swords ages ago. He says, no. She doesn’t understand… but she says she does. She found evidence, and Forsythe is trying to discredit, destabilize her, and somehow he’s involved Charlotte. She doesn’t know how he’s done it, but he’s using Charlotte to get to her.

Olivia and Ned go into the boathouse, and Ned puts a towel around her shoulders, then takes one for himself. She says she’s a little behind the curve. He has to catch her up. He’s not Eddie Maine anymore. He says, no. He’s just plain old Ned, her husband. She says, they have to get back to the house. They have to get him to a doctor. He says, you know what? He doesn’t want to go to the house. He wants to stay right here with her because it’s been too long. He just wants to enjoy this moment with her, okay? She says, okay, and they sit down. She says she doesn’t understand. He remembers everything? He says, it’s a bit fuzzy, a little disjointed, but he was here the whole time, like he was on autopilot. Or like playing one of Leo’s video games. He’s Ned, but he’s a little fuzzy. She asks if he remembers his daughter, and Tracy, and Leo. He says, yeah. He remembers everyone. He’s a Quartermaine. They were married in 2017. It’s now 2022. She says, 2023, and he says, right. He told her that things were fuzzy. She says, that’s just the small stuff. The important thing is that he’s here. They hug, and she says she was praying so hard for this, and he came back to her. He says, but she was willing to let Eddie stay, wasn’t she?

Blaze tells Alexis, at first, she was starstruck around all the beautiful people, all the glitz and glamour of the industry. She was so lost in it. When Linc began to overstep, she thought, maybe that’s just the way this world works; maybe he’s that way with all his artists. She didn’t want to seem uptight, so she stayed quiet and avoided being alone with him. Alexis says, Blaze made it her problem, not his, and Blaze says, exactly. One more layer of pressure to being in the public eye. Backstage, where you’re supposed to let your guard down, she was constantly looking over her shoulder. Alexis says, so she’s spending her downtime dodging him, and Kristina says, no one should have to do that. Alexis says, women are conditioned to normalize that kind of behavior, and then that message gets passed down to other artists. Blaze says she gets that entirely. By keeping her mouth shut, she was basically endorsing him.

Curtis tells Drew that his life is upside down for sure. Simple things like walking, running, even standing up, he can’t take for granted anymore. Drew says, but he’s not alone in this. He has family, friends. Curtis says he does and he’s grateful for that, but everything has shifted. The dynamic is different. Hell, he’s different.

They all go into Dex’s apartment, and Josslyn says she gets it. Spencer’s upset. One thing she’s learned about living in the dorms is, you have to be considerate of your neighbors and your own business. The whole building doesn’t need to know what’s going on right now. Spencer asks if she really thinks he cares what the building thinks. He gets louder, and says, Esme just told him that she’s taking Ace and moving into a new apartment, and his grandmother is going to co-sign the lease because they think Ace shouldn’t be a part of his life anymore. And when he comes to Trina with this, saying he’s going to be losing his baby brother, all she can say is, finally.

Anna tells Valentin that this is her past catching up to her. And somehow, it’s caught up to Charlotte, and she never wanted that. Forsythe has gotten to her somehow. Valentin says, there is no Forsythe. At least not the way she’s thinking. She asks what he’s trying to say, and he says his daughter’s been stalking her for months. And he’s been covering for her.

Laura sits next to Charlotte’s bed and says she’s here. How does it feel? Charlotte says her stomach hurts, but not too bad, and Laura says, she’s such a brave girl. Charlotte asks, where’s papa? He promised to be here. Laura says, he’s been here the whole time. He just went for a walk with Anna. Charlotte gets agitated, and says, it’s dangerous. They can’t trust Anna. She’ll hurt him.

Olivia tells Ned, every waking moment, with every beat of her heart, she was fighting for him. He says, no… and she says, he’s got to hear this. He needed to find his way back to them. She couldn’t push him. He needed to choose to come back to them. If he thinks she preferred Eddie Maine… He tells her, stop. She misunderstands. He’s not accusing her of being disloyal. He knows she was supporting him, and he loves her all the more for it. She says, Eddie… and realizes her mistake. He laughs and hugs her. He says he needed that space. After the accident, when he woke up in the hospital, everything was so confusing and unfamiliar, he grabbed the first thing that made him feel safe and comfortable. She says, Eddie Maine, and he says, it was his escape to a time when life was less complicated, and he wasn’t feeling the weight of his family and business suffocating him. To a time when it was just him, on stage, playing his music, no restraints, no judgements, just freedom.

Blaze says she didn’t mean to open a vein here, but Alexis says she’s the one who pried. Old attorney habits die hard. Kristina says, Blaze doesn’t know her mother; this is like catnip for her. Alexis says she’s more than curious. She’s outraged. Her nerve endings are twitching thinking about the lawsuit Blaze could file. Blaze says she doesn’t know… and Alexis says she’s serious. Kristina says, if Blaze doesn’t want to go the legal route, how about collaborating together on a piece about sexual harassment in the music industry? What does Alexis think? A feature with Blaze as the focus? Alexis says she thinks it’s a great idea; shed light on a rampant issue. Is Blaze willing to go on the record? Blaze says, it’s no secret what happened what happened to her. Anyone who was at the Nurses Ball or who saw it on television knows about it, but she wants to move forward with her career. She doesn’t want to go backward. Kristina tells her, what about what she just said? What about all of the artists who could fall into the same trap? Here’s her chance to show that predators aren’t the only way to do business. This is an opportunity for her to break that cycle.

Curtis tells Drew that sometimes he actually feels fortunate. There’s this guy, Devon, his gym buddy. Devon has it way worse than him, but this guy always stays positive. He has the most amazing outlook on life. Drew says, that’s incredible. He’s so glad to hear that. Curtis says, but to be perfectly honest, there are moments, split seconds, where he forgets about his new reality and tries to do normal things like get out of bed and stand up. Then reality slams back, so he’s learning to adjust.

Trina tells Spencer that she never meant to say it was a good thing losing Ace. She just thinks that Esme moving out is healthy for her, and ultimately for him. He says, healthy for him, to be separated from Ace. He’s losing a member of his family, and he thought she would understand that. Josslyn says, it’s not like Esme’s moving to another planet. She’s still going to be in Port Charles and so will Ace. He can see them whenever he wants. Isn’t that a good thing? Dex says, but it won’t be the same thing, and Josslyn and Trina look at him, as I would. Thanks, Dex.

Valentin says, Charlotte’s the one who vandalized Anna’s hotel suite. Security footage showed her breaking into that room with a backpack. Anna says, what? and he says he had Nina delete the footage from the server. She asks why he would have Nina do that. Why would he hide that from her? He says, the moment he saw it, he knew she was the one who spray painted Anna’s front door, that she was the one who set Anna’s house on fire. Anna says, no, but Valentin says, she knew how to get in Anna’s house. Her camp was less than an hour away. She could have gotten there easily. Anna says, it’s not possible, but he says he doesn’t know what Charlotte is capable of anymore. She says, so he knew his daughter was terrorizing her and he just let Charlotte keep doing it? and he says he was protecting Charlotte because he failed her so many times as a father. And he thinks he was protecting himself… She says, what about protecting her? Didn’t she have a right to know?

Laura tells Charlotte, it’s okay. Her father isn’t in any danger from Anna. Charlotte says, she’s wrong. Grandfather Victor warned her about Anna. He told her to protect papa. Laura asks what Victor said about Anna, and Charlotte tells her, he said she was a double-agent, and everyone would know about it soon. He visited her at school and told her to stay there where she’d be safe from Anna. He even wrote her a letter. She grabs her side, and Laura tells her, try to be still. She doesn’t want to reopen the wound. Charlotte says, Laura doesn’t understand. Grandfather told her that Anna was going to use her and pretend to be nice to her so she could trick papa. Laura says, he told her all of this in a letter? and Charlotte says, yes. He said that papa was so in love with Anna, he wouldn’t realize she was using him. Anna’s done a lot of bad things in the past, and made papa take the blame. She’s going to do it again and this time, papa’s going to end up in prison forever. He’ll be killed if she doesn’t keep Anna away from him. Laura says, shhh. It’s okay.

Olivia says she can understand Ned getting nostalgic for the past, for simpler times. So she’s got to ask him. Does Lois figure into this equation? (I laugh because Lois likes math.) He asks why she would bring Lois up, and she says, Lois was the last one he talked to before he jumped in, and everything changed. Is Lois the reason he came back to them?

Kristina says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to put Blaze on the spot. Her mother can vouch that is something she does. Blaze says, don’t worry about it. She appreciates Kristina’s passion. Alexis says, there’s no pressure here at all. It was a just an idea. She sees Drew and Curtis, and says she sees two friends over there who she’d love to say hello to. She’ll be right back. She leaves, and Kristina tells Blaze, that was not her place. Here she is, lecturing Blaze about her story when she knows better than anyone it’s an intensely personal decision. Blaze says, Kristina’s fire, her commitment to justice is infectious. It’s okay to want to make a difference. The thing she’d hate is if Kristina started editing herself and only told her what she wanted to hear.

Curtis says, Drew told him the whole story. Alexis is one gutsy reporter. Threatening to expose that judge like that? He’s glad it all worked out. They really missed Drew and he’s glad Drew’s back. Drew says he appreciates that, and there are smiles all around.

Ned tells Olivia that he was talking to Lois before he came down here to the boathouse. She was giving him a pep talk about finishing the song. Olivia says she wanted him to finish the song too, and he says he guesses he needed Lois’s no-nonsense bullying, and Olivia laughs. He says, Lois told him to take a leap of faith and go find the siren. She says, the siren, and he says, maybe she knew that was the key to getting him back to his real self. Or maybe not. But Olivia. She’s the one who actually pulled him back. She cries and he kisses the top of her head, pulling her to him. He says, turns out, she’s the siren. Hers is the only voice that could have brought him back. Lois may have had the idea, but Olivia made it a reality.

Dex says he understands where Spencer is coming from. Up to now, he and Esme have been raising Ace together. Obviously, living apart changes that dynamic, like a divorce. Spencer says, yes, a divorce where, if he wants to spend time with his own brother, he’ll have to act like a visitor. And it’s not the same as living together. He tells Trina, it’s just not, and Dex asks, what if they could get shared custody? and Spencer says, Esme’s not going to do shared custody with him, not with grandmother on her side. Trina says, Esme doesn’t have to share custody. He’s Ace’s brother, not his father.

Laura says she needs Charlotte to help her understand. She’s trying to keep her father away from Anna to protect him? Charlotte says, yes. Maybe move to London or somewhere near her granddaughter Emma. Anywhere really, as long as she’s away from papa and papa is safe. Laura says, okay, but this is what Victor wanted her to do, right? Charlotte tells her, he said it was the only way. Anna must have figured out she knew about her. That’s why Anna shot her, so she wouldn’t ruin Anna’s plans. Laura says, no, that was a terrible accident, but Charlotte says, it wasn’t. Anna saw her in the apartment. She knew it was her. Anna shot her on purpose. Anna wanted to kill her. Just like she’ll do to papa.

Valentin says he loves Anna, but Charlotte is everything to him. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her that Charlotte was targeting her. She says, so he just lied to her over and over again, and he says he wanted to tell her the truth. She says, but he didn’t. What did he think? That he could fix this? That he would just stitch this whole mess together and they would live in separate worlds, and it would all work? He says he was hoping by moving her into the house and giving her a home with him, that for once it would end her destructive behavior. They met with Doc. She was willing to have… Anna slaps him in the face, then pushes him, and says, shut up. If she’d known Charlotte was the one after her, she never would have pulled a gun. She shot a child. His child. She has to live with that for the rest of her life. She’s never going to forgive him. She storms out, and he can’t believe how stupid he is.

Ned and Olivia leave the boathouse, and he picks up his guitar. He says he thinks he knows the way the song ends now. She says she can’t wait to hear it, and they look out over the water, his arm around her. He says, she saved his life – literally and figuratively. She says, they save each other. That’s what love is. They kiss.

Drew and Curtis’s food comes, and Alexis says, that’s her cue to leave. She has to get back to her dates over there. It was such a pleasure to see Curtis, and he says, good to see her too. Drew says it was good to see her, and she leaves. Curtis tells Drew, sometimes it is so hard to just have a conversation without everyone trying to help when they know good and well they can’t. So that’s why it’s good to just hang out with a good friend who gets it. Drew says, any time, and Curtis asks what he thinks of the Nets’ chances this year, but Drew says he’s not falling for that. Curtis got him last time. Although they do have some good games coming up. Curtis agrees, and says, Boston tomorrow. Drew says, Curtis’s couch, his beer? and Curtis says he’s in… Portia may have other ideas. Drew says, then he’ll have to bring some wine, and Curtis laughs.

Alexis sits down, and Blaze says she’s decided. Kristina says she doesn’t want Blaze to feel pressured, but Blaze says, she’s in. A complete interview; nothing off limits. Alexis says, really? and Blaze says, yes. Kristina brought up some really good points. She can’t complain about what happened to her on one hand and not do everything she can to change it on the other. This is something she can do to stand up for those coming after her. Her contribution to their art, and to their voices. Kristina says she didn’t put it nearly as poetically as that, and Blaze says, that’s what collaboration’s all about. Someone comes up with an idea, someone comes up with the words, put it together, you’ve got magic. She has to make a quick call, but they can talk details when she gets back. She excuses herself and leaves, and Kristina asks what Alexis thinks. Alexis says she thinks Blaze likes Kristina, and Kristina says she likes Blaze too; she’s cool. Alexis says, no. I mean she likes you likes you.

Spencer says, Trina… but Trina says, no. Let’s unpack this. The only way he gets to be Ace’s father is if he’s with Esme, in a relationship. If the two of them are a couple, then they get to raise him together. That is a sure-fire way to solve his problem. Is that what he wants? He says, no, of course (🍷) not. He doesn’t love Esme; he loves her. But he also really loves his little brother, and he knows in his heart that Ace needs to be in his life. Trina says, he will always be in Spencer’s life, just not in the house, but Spencer says, no, because that would be abandoning him, and she knows he’s not going to do that. She says, then he knows what the solution is for that, but where does that leave them? He tells her not to ask him to choose between her and Ace. She’s not going to like the answer. She says, don’t worry. She’ll save him the trouble. She grabs her bag and walks out.

Laura tells Charlotte, don’t worry. She’ll make sure Charlotte’s papa is safe. They’re going to figure all of this out. Charlotte says, Anna can tell that she knows she’s bad. That’s why Anna shot her. Papa can’t trust her. Laura has to tell him. Laura says, it’s going to be all right, she promises. Close her eyes and get some rest. It’s going to be okay. She kisses Charlotte’s forehead and leaves.

In the hallway, Anna says she really needs to talk to Charlotte, but Elizabeth says, it’s only family. Anna says, it will only take one minute, but Elizabeth says, it’s not possible. Laura comes out of Charlotte’s room and Elizabeth goes in. Valentin comes out of the stairwell, and Laura tells Anna that Charlotte’s just fallen back to sleep. Anna says, she doesn’t understand. It’s imperative that she speak with Charlotte right now. Laura says she really thinks Anna should wait… but Anna says, it can’t wait. She has to tell her… Laura says, Anna can’t go in there. Charlotte is terrified of her. She thinks Anna shot her on purpose. Anna cries and says she didn’t, and Valentin hangs his head, as he should.

On Monday… they show scenes from several days ago, so I’m not sure what that means. Either it’s a mistake, or we’re going to be forced to watch news-not-news.

💣 He’s Just Misunderstood…

They’ll have to dig deep to find some redeeming qualities.

🍕 Didn’t Think So…

What would the Q mansion be without her? My money’s on her coming back for Thanksgiving pizza.

👻 Fun And Games…

The kids always look like they’re having a good time off-camera.

🏆 For Real This Time…

As predicted, the main event of the Daytime Emmys will be aired on December 15th.

👖 It’s Not The Pants…

I knew there was a reason I liked Sutton so much. This is it.

👠 Bouncing Back…

Hopefully, she can keep the momentum going. Talk about making (hard) lemonade out of lemons.

https://extratv.com/2023/11/08/ariana-madix-on-fan-support-at-bravocon-and-her-resiliency-exclusive/

🍸 Her Calendar Is Full…

Why would she come back? Just to be harassed by Erika and get offers of fake friendship from Kyle? It’s not like she has nothing to do.

And while we’re on the subject.

🌁 Lasting Long Enough For Last…

2025? Really? Although I can hardly blame Pedro Pascal.

https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-season-2-everything-we-know/

https://collider.com/gladiator-2-filming-start-pedro-pascal-last-of-us/

🛟 Like They’re On A Water Slide…

The short answer: yes. The golden years with Captain Lee and Kate are over, but we’ll always have Couch Talk.

⚰️ A Diabolical Plot…

Of course, he’s not against reviving the original series. It’s got to be a billion dollar franchise by now. And brilliant idea to merge all the Deads into one big kumbaya Dead.

🦥 This Guy…

I’m obsessed with 90 Day Fiancé and all its spin-offs. I don’t include it here because I already give it too much time. If this guy’s mother wasn’t living in the closet, it might be fun to live there. For about a week. I love the annoyed chihuahua.

https://people.com/90-day-fiance-clayton-introduces-5-roommates-including-two-guinea-pigs-exclusive-8386660

🐩 You Didn’t Think I Was Done…

Oh, come on, just one more.

https://www.homecrux.com/celebrity-pet-halloween-costumes/181675/

🍿 Quotes of the Week

Never trust humans just to let things be. – David (Mike Colter), Extinction

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. – Alexander the Great

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. – Ronald E. Osborn

It is never too late to be what you might have been. – George Eliot

It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end. – Ursula K. Le Guin

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. – Eleanor Roosevelt

Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them. – C.S. Lewis, Studies in Medieval Literature, compiled in Words to Live By

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas Edison

An idea is a fart your brain makes. But if you patent an idea, it’s an asset. – Rufus Griswold (Michael Trucco), Fall of the House of Usher

🍠 Keep Your Yams To Yourself…

On Sunday, stop the scaries by dropping in for some Fear. Until then, stay safe, stay considering going out for Thanksgiving dinner (nothing says Thanksgiving like Oysters Rockefeller!), and stay toasting to the battle, freedom, and survival.

January 27, 2023 – Terry Gives Willow Another Option, She’s Fine, Paris Meeting, Messy On Deck, Last Return, Early Roll Call, AniPug, Quotes Of Ten & Borderline

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Carly wakes up and asks why Drew is smiling. He  tells her that when she sleeps her nose wrinkles.

On the phone at the MetroCourt, Victor says, give him the latest. Have  they determined the cause of the flooding? A man with a French accent says, the water main under the building burst, and Victor says he’s aware the pipes are old, but it’s inconceivable that they should happen to burst on the very night Valentin and Anna come to retrieve his guest. Have they found  his son? The man says, not yet. Or Miss Devane or Miss Coe. Victor says that’s not the answer he was looking for, and asks, what’s the hold-up? The man says, the adjoining catacombs collapsed; it’s too unstable. Victor says he doesn’t care how dangerous it is. He wants a team down there right now looking for his son.

Martin goes into the elevator, and flashes back to the first time he met Lucy when he was dressed as Santa, and their subsequent romantic encounter. He looks at a photo of her on his phone, and says, my dear sweet Lucy, where are you? The elevator stops, and the door opens. He sees someone there, and says, they’ve been ignoring his calls, which he doesn’t appreciate. Now what the hell… He’s grabbed by the lapels and pulled out.

Victor says he’ll pay triple the rate. His son might be trapped in those catacombs; he could be injured. He sees Alexis sitting at one of the tables in the restaurant. He says, just find him, when Alexis comes over. He asks if she’s having breakfast with her daughters; he’d love to see them. She says, he never gives up, and he says, family is worth every effort. She says she’s sorry to disappoint him, but she’s here to see the mayor, not her children. Victor says, that’s a pity, and excuses himself, going over to the bar. Alexis follows him, and asks how everything is going with Nikolas. He says he assumes she’s referring to his utter and total disappointment in his nephew. Fathering Esme’s child is just… She says, so unseemly. She guesses things are a little tense at Windymere, and he says, they would be. He’s taken a suite here at the MetroCourt. Not that it has anything to do with the conflict with his nephew. She asks, then why? and he says he thought Nikolas would have told her. He’s handed Spoon Island over to Ava as part of the divorce settlement.

Ava is looking at the settlement papers, when Nina comes out. Ava says, Britt’s memorial is today, isn’t it? At General Hospital? Nina says, they’re honoring her work as Co-Chief of Staff. She thinks Britt would really like it. Practicing medicine was important to her. Ava asks how Nina is holding up, and Nina says she’s fine. Her job right now is to be strong for Aunt Liesl, and that’s what she’s going to do. Ava says she was referring to the Willow situation. They haven’t had a chance to talk about that yet. Ava can’t believe it. Willow is Nina’s daughter? Nina says, a fact she wouldn’t know if that bitch Carly had her way.

Michael tells Willow, good morning, and she says, is it morning? It’s always so hard to tell in here. Did he get any sleep? He says, a few hours, and takes her hand. She asks him to promise he won’t let go, and he says he promises.

Ava says, what Carly did was unconscionable, and Nina says, first with Nelle; now it’s Willow. Ava says, to be fair, Carly didn’t know Nelle was Nina’s daughter until after Nelle died. Nina says, and that makes it okay? but Ava says, of course (🍷) not. She’s not defending Carly. Nina says she hopes not, since there is no defense. Of Course (🍷) St. Carly will be forgiven, because she was protecting Willow from evil Nina, who no one would ever want as a mother. And now that she’s not a bone marrow match, there’s no foul, no harm. She knows that’s what Carly is going to say, and people will buy it. She doesn’t care if the whole world forgives Carly; she’s not – ever. She’s not going to rest until that woman pays for what she did to her.

Drew says, it’s so incredible being alone with Carly. Does she have any idea how hard it is pretending to be just friends? She says, really? She thought it was easy. She’d see him across the room, and think, there’s Drew. Whatever. She’s kidding. When she would see him across the room, like at the Quartermaines’ on Christmas, he has no idea how bad she wanted to come across the room and kiss him. He says, if she’s feeling the urge… and kisses her. Wake me when this is over. She thanks him for sticking with her. He had every reason to bail. She’s really glad he didn’t. He says he is too, and she says, any regrets? He says, except for the fact they can’t go public? and she says, it’s so frustrating because the Aurora/ELQ merger didn’t even happen. She doesn’t know why there’s this issue with insider trading. He says he guesses it helps on some level, but someone could still report it to the SEC, and she asks if they can talk about something else. He says, please, and she tells him to start. He says he loves waking up with her, and she says she loves waking up with him. Is there anything else he likes doing with her? He says he can think of a few things, and she says, tell her more. He says he’d rather show her, and they get busy. Zzzzz….

Terry comes into Willow’s room, and asks how she’s doing. Michael says, she’s in some pain, and suggests upping her medication, but Willow says she doesn’t want that. If she gets more medication, she’ll just sleep, and she refuses to waste… She asks if Terry is here to discuss treatment since Nina isn’t a viable bone marrow match, and Terry says, the donor registry could still come through. Michael says, they can’t count on that though, and Terry says she woudn’t advise it. Michael says, so what now? and Terry says, there is another option. As they know, when bone marrow is taken from a donor, stem cells are harvested, and Willow’s body can use those healthy stem cells to fight leukemia. But bone marrow isn’t the only source. They can also find stem cells in cord blood from the umbilical cord and placenta. Willow says, if Terry is talking about taking something away from the baby to help her, the answer is no, and I wonder how she passed nursing school. Michael says, if there’s an option that can save both Willow and their daughter, they need to hear the doctor out.

Alexis finds it hard to believe Nikolas would give up Windymere, and Victor says, perhaps he felt he owed it to Ava for sleeping with his son’s ex-girlfriend. She says, when he puts it that way… It still seems out of character for her nephew. Laura joins them, and says she hopes Victor is happy. Victor says he doesn’t know; is he? She says he’s gone too far this time, and he asks what on earth she’s talking about. She says she was just contacted by the Paris authorities. Valentin is dead. Alexis says, Valentin is dead? and Laura says she’s sorry. A portion of the Paris catacombs collapsed last night. Alexis says, how? Why? Laura says, it flooded when the water main broke. Rescue efforts are ongoing, but they’ve already recovered three bodies. One of them has been identified as Valentin. Alexis says, what about Anna? Wasn’t she traveling with him? Laura says, Martin told her that he saw them leave Ireland together, so yes, and Alexis asks, what about the other body? Laura says, a woman, but she hasn’t been identified yet. Alexis says she can’t believe Valentin is gone, and Laura says, it’s just horrible. All she can think about is Charlotte. She’s going to be completely devastated. Alexis says, and Robin, but Laura says, they don’t know about that yet. As bleak as it may look, there’s always the possibility that Anna survived somehow.

Martin walks through the woods, blindfolded, and asks if it’s necessary. Clearly, he’s cooperating. Robert and Felicia are with him, and Felicia says, it’s best for all of them, him included, if he doesn’t know where they are. Martin says, mission accomplished, and Felicia knocks on the door of a small house. Anna opens the door, and tells them to get inside. She and Felicia hug, and Felicia says, it’s good to see her safe. Anna says, and breathing, and Felicia says, well, there’s that. Robert says, good to see her, and Martin asks if he can please take this thing off. Robert says, so sorry, and undoes the blindfold. Lucy runs out, saying, Marty, Marty, Marty, and throws herself into his arms. He tells her that she’s a sight for weary eyes, and she says, take it all in, and then kiss her this instant. He says, if she insists, and he does. He says, the nightmare is over, but Valentin comes out, and says, not quite. There’s the small matter of his death.

Basking in the afterglow with Drew, Carly says she wants to stay right here forever. Is that too much to ask? He says he’s got to admit, hiding out sounds pretty damn perfect right now, and she says she doesn’t want to go back to the real world. It’s where Willow has cancer, Wiley might lose his mom, and Michael… She sits up, and grabs her phone, saying, she promised Michael that she would take Wiley to visit Willow. Drew says, Michael asking her to bring Wiley is promising that things are going to be okay between them, and she says she’s lucky Michael has a big heart. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s Sonny. It’s probably news about Nina. She says, hello?… No… Are they sure?… Okay. Thanks for calling. Drew says, Nina’s not a match? and she says, no. He says he’s so sorry, and she says, Willow is so sick. What if they don’t find a donor in time? She leans back in his arms.

Nina tells Ava that she could strangle Carly for trying to keep her daughter away from her. Who does she think she is? Ava tells her, stop it, and Nina asks if Ava is saying she doesn’t have the right to hate Carly. Ava says, of course (🍷) she does, but Carly isn’t what’s important right now, and Nina says she’s not going to let it go. She can’t let it go. Ava says she knows. Because it’s easier to be angry with Carly that facing the pain and fear of losing another child. Willow is Nina’s daughter, and she’s very sick. Nina says, she can’t save her. She can’t.

Willow says she won’t do anything to jeopardize the baby’s health, and Terry says she understands, but the baby won’t be affected in any way, other than being delivered by C-section a few weeks early. Willow says she knows she agreed to have the baby early to prepare for the marrow transplant, but she was never comfortable; she’s still not. Their daughter will be born when she’s ready. Terry says she’s consulted with Dr. Navarro, and she’s confirmed that this late in the pregnancy, the risks to the baby are minimal. 99% of babies born at this stage not only survive, but thrive, and after the birth, the umbilical cord and placenta are no longer serving a purpose. It’s possible to harvest stem cells from the blood. Michael asks, what’s the success rate of this type of transplant? and Terry says, nothing’s 100%, but it’s the best chance they have. Because the stem cells are coming from Willow’s baby, they only need about half the HLA markers to match, which is less than bone marrow stem cells. Michael says, that’s incredible, and we finally agree on something. It is pretty amazing. Terry says, in her medical opinion, this is by far Willow’s best option. Will she give it a shot?

Robert asks if there’s any reason they needed to bring Martin here, and Valentin says, it was vital. Anna says, otherwise, Lucy would have driven them crazy. Felicia says, when Anna called this morning, saying they brought Lucy back, she doesn’t remember the last time she was so relieved. And Anna’s life as a fugitive is over. Robert asks if they’re forgetting the fact that the PCPD has a videotape of someone looking a lot like Anna putting a bullet in Lucy point blank, and Felicia says, Lucy will just say the shooter wasn’t Anna. Charges dropped, right? Anna says she doesn’t know as she’s ready to reveal herself just yet; not since they’ve gone to the trouble of convincing Victor that Valentin is dead. Robert says, any plan that puts Valentin six feet under is fine with him, and Felicia says, they really need to think about this. There are people other than Victor who will be very upset. Are they willing to have that on their conscience?

Victor asks, who contacted Laura, and why did they call her and not him? Laura says, because Charlotte is Valentin’s next of kin, and Alexis says, poor Charlotte. Victor asks how they know the body is Valentin’s, and Laura tells him not to pretend he cares. He says, of course (🍷) he cares; Valentin is his son. Laura says, who he tried to control by threatening Valentin’s little girl, and Victor says, Charlotte was never in any danger, but Laura says, face it. Victor only values family when it works to his advantage. He says he needs to make some calls, and leaves.

Nina tells Ava that she’s filled with regret; what they missed out on and what could have been. Ava says, stop talking in the past tense. Willow is not gone. There’s still hope. Nina says she was Willow’s hope. She was supposed to be the game changer. Her bone marrow was supposed to save Willow’s life, and then Willow would forgive her and love her, but Willow doesn’t want to be her daughter. She doesn’t want anything to do with Nina. Ava says she’s been there, and knows how much it hurts, and Nina says she can’t breathe. She just feels the pain going through her body with every heartbeat. Now she has to go to the hospital, and say goodbye to her cousin when she knows her daughter is there fighting for her life, and there’s not a damn thing she can do about it. She won’t survive losing Willow. Ava hugs her.

Michael asks what Willow thinks, when Carly peeks in, and asks if it’s a good time. Michael says, of course (🍷). Bring him in. Terry says she’ll give them some time to consider their options, and leaves as Wiley runs in. Michael lifts Wiley onto the bed, telling him to be careful, but Willow says she wants the biggest, strongest hug she can get. She hugs him, and says she’s missed him so much, and he says he’s missed her too.

On the phone, Victor says he wants to know exactly what the Paris police know, down to the last detail. This is unacceptable. His son was never supposed to be harmed. He wants answers and he wants them immediately.

Alexis and Laura sit at a table, and Alexis says, Victor seemed really shaken up. Laura says, did he ever, and Alexis says, well done, Madame Mayor; she was very convincing. Laura says, you this better work.

Anna says, Laura and Alexis know the truth. They brought them in on it. Felicia says, what about Charlotte? Valentin can’t be okay with letting her believe he’s dead. Valentin says, there’s a plan in place. Laura knows exactly what to say to Charlotte. Anna says, and if everything has gone according to plan, Laura should have broken the news to Victor right about now. Robert is sure their illustrious mayor is right on schedule. He laughs, and says, sometimes he just can’t believe that little Laura, on the run from Frank Smith, holding the Cassadines at bay with a machine gun. Now here they are, the epitome of law and order. Felicia says, look who’s talking, Mr. District Attorney, and he says, my, how the mighty have fallen.

In the bedroom, Martin asks Lucy to swear to him she’s all right, and she says she’s fine. He says, they didn’t hurt her or touch her in any way? and she slips off his jacket, asking if she doesn’t feel all right. He says she feels incredible, and kisses her. He says, still, it had to be awful being Victor’s prisoner, and she says she did spend every minute of every hour of every day praying to get out of there, and did manage to concoct a few escape plans. He says, that’s his girl, and she says, surprisingly, physically they treated her okay… except for the part where she was chained in the basement. Literally. She thinks it was all part of the plan to get Anna and Valentin… He says he could just kill that smug son of a bitch, and she says, the worst part, she actually had to swim through the catacombs, and it was disgusting and icky. Okay. Deep breath. She breathes, and says, that is all in the past, and she’s back and home safe with him. He kisses her, and says, yes, she is. He  thanks God for that, but watching her get shot, that drone footage… She says she knows, and rubber bullets are really not rubbery, but they hurt. He says, it’s not funny. It was one of the worst moments of his life. She says, her poor baby. She’s so sorry he had to go through all of this. He asks if it’s just him, or does this not feel real? She says, it’s real, and she knows just how to convince him. They get busy.

Ava says, Nina has to hold on to hope, and Nina asks if there is any. Ava says, of course (🍷) there is. As long as Willow is alive, there’s always a chance to reconcile, but Nina says, if she beats this cancer, the possibilities of that are remote. Ava says, look at it this way. Nina’s feelings changed the second she learned Willow was her daughter. She immediately saw Willow in a different light. Nina says, but that wasn’t the case for Willow. She’s made that abundantly clear. Ava says, still early days, and Nina says, she tried to remember the first time she saw Willow – it may have been the park or the classroom – when she was only Miss Tate, and giving Charlotte a hard time. She couldn’t stand Willow. Ava says, because Nina thought Willow was picking on her kid, and Nina says, turns out Willow was her kid too. It makes sense that they didn’t get along; Willow is a lot like her, never running from a fight. Willow’s always been really strong. Ava says, now it’s Nina’s turn. Don’t let Willow push her away. Nina asks what Ava wants her to do. Should she force herself into Willow’s hospital room? Ava says, that might be going a little too far, and Nina says, Ava is a really good friend. Ava says, don’t give up, and Nina says, no giving up. Ava says, that’s more like it, and they shake pinkies.

Willow talks bagels with Wiley, and he asks when she’s coming home. She says she’s not exactly sure, but the second the doctors say she can, she’s running straight to the gatehouse. He says, in a hospital gown? and she says, if she has too. Carly says she’d like to see that, and Michael says, him too. Carly takes a handmade card out of her purse, and tells Wiley to give mommy the card he made her. Willow opens it, and it says Get Well Mommy on the inside. She says, he didn’t make this, but he says he did. She says, these pictures are amazing. They must have been drawn by a professional artist. He says he’s the artist, and she says she loves it. Michael and Carly slip out of the room, and Willow says she’s putting the card next to her pillow, so it’s the first thing she sees when she wakes up. In the hallway, Michael thanks Carly for bringing Wiley, and she says, seeing Willow’s face light up when she saw him was everything. He says, it means the world to Willow, and she says, it meant the world to her that he asked. She hopes this means they’re okay. He says, they are… At least they will be eventually. She asks what Terry had to say, and he tells her, it was actually good news. There may be a way to save Willow.

Alexis says she was relieved to get Laura’s call this morning; she was starting to lose hope. Laura says she was too, but it’s true. Anna, Valentin, and Lucy are safe, and back in the U.S. Alexis says, good, and asks if she thinks Valentin’s supposed death will hold up under Victor’s scrutiny. Laura says, she thinks so; at least in the short term. She thanks Alexis for her help, and Alexis says, The Invader will print an official story that the French authorities say Valentin was caught in an underground flood in Paris. He’s been declared dead. Laura says, excellent. She has to get going. Britt Westbourne’s memorial is going to start very soon. Alexis says she’s so sorry. What happened to Britt is tragic. Laura says, she did die a hero, and Alexis says, if only all of them could say the same thing. Laura says, they’re good? and Alexis says she’s got it from here. Laura thanks her, and leaves.

Lucy comes up for air, and says she has to tell Martin something.  You know how they say when you’re about to die, your life flashes before your eyes? He says, it must have taken a while, and she smacks his arm. He says, that’s not what he meant; she’s the definition of ageless beauty. He was thinking his Lucy is a woman who’s lived one heck of a life. Lucy says she sure has, and he says he loves that about her. She lives each day to the fullest and then some. She says, her last conscious thought before she hit the water was that she didn’t want it to be over, and he has a lot to do with that. There’s so much she still wants to do, and there’s so much life left to live. She’d kind of like it if he’d do it with her, and be by her side. He kisses her, and thanks her for coming back to him. She says, any time, and he says he means it. He doesn’t know what he would have done if she hadn’t. She says, he knows she would never, ever let Victor Cassadine get the best of her. Never. He kisses her.

Anna asks if Robert has heard from Holly, and he says, no, but he doesn’t expect to. At least not until she finds Ethan. She asks, what about those pieces of the Ice Princess that Victor was looking for? and he says, Victor thinks that was destroyed in the explosion. She says, they’re getting closer and closer to Victor paying for what he’s done to Luke.

Felicia says, it’s good to have the gang back together, isn’t it? and Valentin asks if he’s part of the gang. She says, he did okay in Paris. He managed not to slow Anna down. He says, that’s high praise, and she says, how about this? As long as Anna trusts him, she’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. But the second he steps out of line… He says, message received.

Carly tells Michael, this is incredible. It’s the answer they’ve been looking for. He tells her not to get too excited; Willow hasn’t agreed to it yet. Carly asks, why woudn’t she? and he says, Carly has seen how protective Willow is over the baby; she’s going to say no. Carly says, that’s insane. They have to convince her to do this. He says he’ll do his best, but ultimately, it’s Willow’s decision. They go back into Willow’s room, and Wiley is saying, okay, baby, it’s time to come out. We’re ready for you. Willow says, Wiley’s right; it’s time. They’d better call Dr. Navarro. They’re having a baby. He kisses her, and says he loves her. She says she loves him too, and he asks if Wiley is excited.

Victor looks at his phone, and Alexis says she’s sorry to intrude. Has he been able to find out anything? He says, not yet, and she sits down. She says, it’s absolutely unfathomable that Valentin is gone. They got off to a rocky start, but they ended up in a good place. She so sorry for his loss. He says, don’t be. Screw these reports. He refuses to believe his son is dead.

On the phone, Valentin thanks Laura, and says he’ll pass along that update. He tells the others, Victor bought it, and Anna says, that’s great. Felicia says, they finally have him off-balance, and Robert asks, what’s the next part of the plan? Anna says, they exploit Victor’s guilt. Maybe he’ll admit to something in his grief stricken state. Robert says, ramp up the pressure, and Valentin says, big time. Anna says, ideas? and Felicia says, don’t worry. She’s got plenty.

Carly cries in the hallway, and Drew sees her. He asks if Willow had a setback, but she says, just the opposite. She thinks Willow’s going to be okay. He says, that’s incredible, and they hug. Nina walks out, sees them, and moonwalks back out of sight.

On the phone, Ava tells Demetrius that she wants Nikolas out of Windymere by tomorrow… No, this is not a negotiation. The house is hers; she wants him out… Good… No. She doesn’t plan on moving in right away. She’s staying here for the time being.

A nurse tells Michael that she’ll have Terry paged right away, and Wiley asks if she has any apple juice, confusing the nurse with a waitress. Michael says, sorry about that, but the nurse says, no problem, and tells Wiley that she thinks they can scrounge up some juice. He asks what scrounge means, and she says, let’s find out. They leave, and Michael says, Willow means it? She’s going through with the cord blood transplant? She says, yes. She’s going to trust the doctors that their daughter won’t be hurt. He says, she won’t. She’s strong just like her mother. Willow says she can’t wait to meet her, and he says, neither can he, and someday they can tell her how she saved her mother’s life.

On Monday, Curtis says, this is great news, and Marshall says, but what if it isn’t; Stella has a surprise for the bride-to-be; and Nina says, aren’t you two cozy.

🗽 Sure She Is…

The more she keeps saying how happy she is, the less I think that’s the case.

💎 Allez les Filles…

Maybe they were celebrating LisaR making her exit.

⚓️ Out Like a Lamb…

I’m with Captain Lee on this one. All she had to do was give him a quick call, which she apparently had time to do after the fact.

Passive aggressive much?

While we’re at it, none of these people are a prize.

🤯 Already…

They didn’t waste any time. I’m not surprised. It’s very engaging, and the creatures are pretty cool.

🥀 Dropping Like Flies…

Already the roll call is forming.

https://www.distractify.com/p/lance-kerwin-cause-of-death

https://ew.com/celebrity/stars-we-lost-in-2023-celebrity-deaths/

🐶 Double the Doug…

If anyone deserves it, Doug does.

https://people.com/pets/doug-the-pug-working-on-animated-show/

🎬 Quotes of the Week

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once. – Albert Einstein

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. – Indian Proverb

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. – Oscar Wilde

Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof. – John Kenneth Galbraith

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. – Henry Ford

Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. – Vince Lombardi

Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity… successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results. – DuPree Jordan, Jr. (Getting out my tiara…)

Sometimes you have to do what you don’t want to do to maintain the life you’ve created.Judge Lynn Toler, explaining to a man why he has to work to feed his children (sigh)

Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve.Erich Fromm

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

☁️ In the Cloud…

If you’re still hanging in with me, hang out on Monday really Tuesday for soap and what’s happening on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay resilient, and stay not sleeping with your son’s ex-girlfriend. It’s unseemly.

January 20, 2023 – Austin Has a Visitor, Back Again, Casting For Wives, Miami Trailer, Girl Fight, New Game, Romero Ranked, Theory, NYC Ball, Puppies (!), Exactly 10 Quotes & You

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Nikolas says, their expertise will make all the difference, when Victor walks in. Nikolas says he has to go, but he’ll see them soon, and Victor says, that sounds important. Nikolas says, business, and Victor says, they have some pressing business to discuss. Nikolas says, such as? and Victor says, finalizing Nikolas’s divorce.

Austin tells Ava that her wound is healing nicely, and she says, uh-huh. He says, all that’s left is the ankleplasty. This cutting edge surgery replaces her with an ankle. She says, what? and he says he’s just goofing around, but is she okay? She seems a little distracted. She says she guesses she is because she loves too much. She doesn’t suppose there’s a procedure where her heart could be removed altogether.

As they approach Josslyn’s dorm room, Josslyn apologizes for being so quiet on the way over, but Dex says, she has a lot on her mind. When she’s ready to talk, he’s here. He starts to leave, but she asks if they can talk now. If he has time. He says, for her, always, and they go in her room.

Violet runs into Kelly’s, yelling that she missed Cameron. He hugs her, and says he missed her too. Finn comes in behind her, and says, Violet insisted on two things today; a brownie, and a visit with her cousin. Cameron says, in that order, he assumes, and Violet asks, if he missed her so much, where has he been?

Portia says she knows Marshall doesn’t want to hear it, but she still thinks there’s a possibility he was misdiagnosed, and he doesn’t have schizophrenia. He says he knows she means well… and she says, there’s an easy way to find out, and maybe he can show up for Curtis after all. Why doesn’t he want to take the steps to find out for sure? He says, because it’s too late. She says, it’s never too late to advocate for yourself, and he says he appreciates her interest… She says, this has gone beyond interest, and he says, but she has to understand, he’s already made peace with his diagnosis. She says she respects that, but is this really acceptance, or has it morphed into complacency at this point. If not for himself, then do it for Curtis. Marshall shouts, enough! Why can’t she just mind her own business?

At the hospital, Carly comes out of the elevator, and asks Michael, how’s Willow? He wonders why she asks, since it’s obvious she doesn’t give a damn about Willow, but she says, of course (🍷) she gives a damn. Willow’s well-being is the most important… He says, Willow’s physical well-being maybe, but Carly concealed this secret from them. She knew how important it was for Willow to find her mother. She confessed to save Willow’s life, but she couldn’t care less about Willow’s actual feelings. She says, he couldn’t be more wrong.

Austin says he doesn’t mean to disappoint Ava, but from a medical standpoint, he doesn’t think there’s a medical procedure to remove a human heart. At least not without putting in another heart. Not yet anyway. She says, darn. Keep her posted. He says he’ll let her know. He’ll be the first test patient. She says, bad break-up, huh? and he says, yeah. Her? She says, pretty bad. He may have seen some of the gory details… He says he never reads the newspaper, and she asks if he’s seen Nina around here today. He says he has seen her, and Ava wonders if Nina got the results from her bloodwork. She knows about Willow and the hopes for a bone marrow match. Nina called her while she was waiting. He says he can’t speak to the bloodwork obviously, but from what he could tell, Nina seemed to be suffering from the same affliction as Ava – heartache.

Nikolas says he hasn’t had a chance to meet with Ava about the divorce yet, but Victor says, no need. All the details have been handled. Nikolas says, by whom? and Victor says, by Ava and himself. Nikolas says, Victor and Ava discussed the end of his marriage without him? and Victor says, Nikolas has been a little preoccupied lately, hasn’t he? Not that it’s surprising, now that his pregnant mistress has escaped her captivity. Nikolas says, Ava hates him so much, she couldn’t even sit with him to talk this through, and Victor says, talk what through exactly? His marriage is over. Don’t tell him that Nikolas is still holding out hope after cheating with Esme and Elizabeth. Nikolas says, he and Ava share something special; it’s indescribable. Victor says, shared, past tense. Nikolas says he still can’t believe she didn’t come home, but Victor says, no. Ava’s coming home. It’s just that Nikolas won’t be here.

Cameron says he’s been working a lot, and Violet asks, where’s Jake and Aiden? He says, they’re in school, just like her, and she says, Aunt Elizabeth hasn’t been over in forever. Does she not like Violet anymore? Cameron asks if she’s crazy. Of course (🍷) she likes Violet. They’ve all just been really busy with the holidays, but never doubt for a second Elizabeth likes her. She loves Violet; they all do. Violet says, that’s good, because she loves them too. She asks Finn if it’s him, and Finn asks what she means. She asks if he doesn’t like Aunt Elizabeth anymore, when Elizabeth walks in.

Josslyn says, her mother kept a secret from their family, and Dex says he’s guessing a big one. She says, huge, and he says, she doesn’t have to tell him. She says, that’s okay. He’ll find out eventually. It sounds so weird to say. Nina Reeves is Willow’s biological mother. He says, damn, and Josslyn’s mom knew? She says, her mother has known for months apparently, but she didn’t want to say anything until… He says, until she realized Willow was sick, and she says, and as he can imagine, it’s made the messy things within her family even messier. He says, that explains why her mom stormed out of the chapel. He went to find Sonny, and that Sonny was pissed is an understatement. She says, Sonny’s not the only one who’s pissed. Michael is furious. He asks how she feels, and she says she feels terrible. She feels awful for Michael and Willow. What they’re going through is the worst thing that anyone could possibly face. But she still feels really bad for her mom.

Michael asks if Carly ever stopped for a second to see what impact this secret would have on Willow, and she says, Willow’s feelings were all she was thinking of. Willow told her that she did not want to know who her birth mother was, and it was clear how Willow felt about Nina. He says. how Carly feels about Nina, and she says, how they all feel. That woman tried her best to destroy their family. Can he imagine the damage she would have done if she’d known Willow was her daughter? So yes, however it much it cost her, however much she loses, she will not apologize for trying to stop her.

Marshall apologizes for raising his voice, and Portia says she shouldn’t have pushed him. Curtis comes in, and asks if everything’s okay. Why did he hear yelling? Marshall says, that would be him, but Portia says, it’s her fault. Marshall says, no. He should have never spoken to her that way. Please accept his apology. She says, only if he accepts hers. Curtis asks what they’re apologizing for. If the two of them are at odds, why don’t they squash it now? Marshall says, they’re having a difference of opinion, and Curtis says, about what? Marshall says, Portia thinks he should get a second opinion about his diagnosis. She has this crazy notion that he may not have schizophrenia at all. Portia says, aside from the episode that precipitated Marshall’s arrest all those decades ago, he hasn’t suffered any other signs of acute mental illness. No signs of psychosis associated with schizophrenia; hallucinations, delusions, paranoia. Curtis says, okay, but his dad’s been on medication all those years. Aren’t they designed to repress those symptoms? She says, yes, absolutely, but how do you explain that Marshall hasn’t had an episode in nearly 40 years? Marshall says, couldn’t that just be because the illness is being managed properly? and Portia says, or it could mean he never had the illness at all. And then factor in Curtis’s genetic testing results, completely devoid of any of the markers for schizophrenia. Curtis says, that’s not that unheard of; it’s not always inherited. Portia says, the simple fact is, Marshall’s answers to her many, many inquiries has led her to believe in general, that his life and behavior don’t fit any clinical diagnosis. Has he ever suffered from any cognitive challenges? Marshall says, no, and she says, depression that’s escalated to suicidal ideation? He says, that would also be a no, but with all due respect, she’s not a psychiatrist. Curtis thinks maybe it’s time Marshall saw one.

Josslyn tells Dex, Michael is losing his mind right now, because the woman he loves might die. She remembers that feeling. He says, with Oscar, and she says, you’re going crazy because you feel there’s nothing you can do, and you’re getting angry, and picking a fight. She gets it. Michael just wants to feel like he’s making an impact. Dex says, and who’s a safer place to unload on than her mom, and she says, exactly. There’s nothing Michael could do to ever make their mom stop loving him. So eventually, he has to understand that their mom was just trying to protect Willow. She wasn’t trying to hurt her. He says, Josslyn’s good at that. Seeing all the different sides, and where everybody is coming from. (Really???) She says she’s had practice, and he says, this isn’t the first time people in her family have been at odds? She says, shocking, she knows. She just hates that her mom is taking all the heat, when the people who are really to blame are Sonny and Nina. Oops. A side she forgot to see it from.

Elizabeth tells Violet to stop growing; she’s getting out of control. They hug, and Finn says, tell him about. He asks Violet to grab them a table, and Violet asks if Elizabeth wants to have a brownie with them. Finn says, if she has the time, she’s welcome to join them, and Cameron gets the brownies, while Violet gets the table. Elizabeth says, clearly, she walked in on something, and Finn says, Violet had some questions about them. She asks what he told Violet, and he says, not much. He wasn’t sure what to say, but he’ll figure something out. She says, how about we’ll figure something out – together.

Michael says, so Carly isn’t sorry, and she says, for trying to protect Willow, him, and his family? No, but she’s very sorry for how she went about it. Michael says, and how did she go about it? He already knows she lied by omission. She conducted a DNA test without consent, but something tells him that’s not the whole story. She says, it’s going to do no good to keep going over this, but he says, just tell him the truth. Now. They sit down, and Carly asks what he wants to know. He asks if she enlisted that firefighter to talk to Drew about who Willow’s mother was? She says, yes, and he says, and when she offered to assist Drew with his investigation? She says, her goal was to obstruct it.

Finn asks Violet if she remembers asking if they were going to live with Aunt Elizabeth in the house together, and she says, will they? He says, no. She says, oh, obviously disappointed, and he says he’ll try this another way. Does she know how he and Anna almost got married, but they didn’t? She says, he and Aunt Elizabeth are going to get married? and he says, no. He’s really bad at this. She agrees that he is.

At the counter, Elizabeth asks how Cameron is, and he says he’s doing good. He’s done better, but he’s not falling apart over the break-up. She says she knows he’s not, but it’s still hard. Especially since he’s always been such a big source of support for Josslyn. It must feel weird not being there for her when her family’s going through this nightmare. He asks, what nightmare?

Josslyn tells Dex, her family is so fractured right now. They’re in no position to handle this type of crisis. She’s sorry, but that’s on Sonny. Sonny dropkicking all of them to run away with Nina didn’t exactly leave them on stable ground. He says, she doesn’t want him back with her mom? and she says, never. She wishes she never had to hear his name or see his face ever again. She wants to choke every time he says they’ll always be a family. She can’t stand Donna and Avery growing up idolizing that man when she knows he’s going to fail them, like he failed all of them. She just wishes… It doesn’t matter. He says, tell him anyway, and she says she wishes he would quit. She wishes he would hand Sonny back his gun, and tell him that he’s not taking orders anymore, and walk out. He says he’s going to, and she says, when? He says, within six months, hopefully a lot less, he will no longer be working for Sonny. She asks why he doesn’t quit now, and he says, there’s something he has to finish first. He says he’ll tell her once it’s done, but until then, she’s going to have to trust him.

Austin says, if Ava wants, he can give her a referral for a plastic surgeon to look after the scar she got from The Hook, and she thanks him. She says she doesn’t know him very well – she doesn’t know him at all – but from what she can tell, she thinks it would be a real shame to remove that heart of his. He thanks her, and leaves.

Curtis says, what about a mental health evaluation? and Portia says she can get Marshall a referral. Marshall asks if Curtis is jumping on this bandwagon too, and Curtis says, Portia made some good points. Marshall says, you young people think you know everything, but Curtis says, that’s not it. Marshall says, the treatment he got back then worked. Why mess with it now? Curtis says, because Marshall had an episode, and it could be tied to his meds. Who knows what the long term effects could be, or even if he needs to take them at all. Marshall says, the pills help, and Curtis says, or maybe he just thinks they do. Marshall says, he was able to perform without anxiety as long as he wasn’t trying to solo, and Portia says, that could be psychosomatic. He said himself the illness doesn’t effect his music, just his ambition. It could be that what’s held him back all these years isn’t schizophrenia, but the mistaken belief that he has it. Marshall says, that’s quite a leap, and Curtis says, maybe it isn’t. All they’re asking is for him to find out.

Michael says, so Carly actively tried to prevent Willow from discovering she had a family, and Carly says, yes. He says, she delayed Willow’s cancer treatment, and Carly says, unknowingly; she didn’t know Willow was sick. He says, it doesn’t matter. Doesn’t she get it? She made decisions for Willow without even considering the consequences. She played God with Willow’s life. She says, he can’t possibly think she’d want to hurt Willow, and he says he doesn’t think she did it out of malice, but she thought Nina was the enemy, right? So Willow wouldn’t have wanted her as a mother in the first place. Carly says, Willow told her… and Michael says, what Carly has done – the lying, the manipulation, the double dealing – sounds an awful lot like Nina. If Nina is the enemy, what does this make Carly? Carly says she believed Willow needed protecting from Nina; she still does. He says, she’s not in the wrong about Nina. Willow told him that Nina is already lobbying for a relationship. Carly says, with Willow? and he says, and the kids. She says, that woman can’t help herself, and Michael says, they need her. She’s their best chance. Just so they’re clear, the last 24 hours hasn’t changed his opinion about Nina. She’s self-centered, greedy, and unstable, and she’s the last person he would have chosen to be Willow’s mother. He’s not going to pretend he doesn’t understand why Carly did what she did. If he’d been the one Harmony confessed to, he would have considered hiding it himself.

Josslyn says, so in six months, when Dex isn’t working for Sonny anymore, he’ll give her the details. He says, when it’s over, he’ll tell her everything, and she says she’ll trust him. She thanks him for telling her, and he says, it’s a relief. She agrees, and says, he won’t be around Nina and Sonny. It might even help her to bite her tongue when everyone is pointing fingers at her mom, saying she’s out for revenge; that’s not the reason she kept the secret. He says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he thinks she’s handling it well, and she says, really well. Her family is in the middle of a crisis, and instead of being with them, she’s cooped up here with him, hiding. He says, she’s not hiding. There’s a reason soldiers are rotated home for R&R; why they all sleep at night. You need a break from the physical, the mental, the emotional. You’re allowed to take a breather. She says, so she’s not being selfish? Good. Being right here with him is the only place she wants to be. They kiss.

Cameron says he had no idea Willow was sick, and Elizabeth says, no one did. He says, Josslyn was just here, and he was so cold to her. He takes off his apron, and she asks where he’s going. He says he’s going to find Joss, and make sure she’s okay. He asks her to deliver the brownies for him, and she says, of course (🍷). He runs out the door, and Elizabeth gives Violet and Finn the brownies. Finn asks if Cam is okay; he rushed out of here pretty quickly. Elizabeth says, Josslyn, and he says, got it. Violet says she’s going to draw a picture of Cam and his girlfriend, and Elizabeth says, actually, Cameron and Josslyn aren’t dating anymore. Finn asks if Violet knows what that means when people break up, but she shakes her head.

Austin goes into his office to find Mason at his desk, enjoying a lollipop. He asks what the hell Mason is doing, and Mason says he could ask Austin the same thing. He turned away a patient he was ordered to treat. Austin says he doesn’t turn away patients. If he can’t treat them, he refers them to another physician. Mason says, semantics, but Austin says, it’s his job. Mason says, Austin isn’t doing his job. He defied a direct order from the boss. Austin says he’s not playing this game anymore. Tell the boss that he’s done taking orders.

Nikolas says, Victor promised to give Ava Spoon Island? and Victor says, including Windymere, and most of its contents. He excluded some of the more important Cassadine family mementos naturally. Nikolas says, naturally, and Victor says he’s sensing a little sarcasm. Nikolas says, he’s also sensing complete and utter shock. How could he? Victor says, quite easily actually. When Ava let it be known she was in possession of information and materials that could seriously damage the Cassadine family name. Windymere is a small price to pay for the family name. Nikolas says, not only does he disagree, he strenuously objects, but Victor says, it’s too late now. How long does Nikolas think it will take to pack all this up and move out? Nikolas says, not long, considering he’s not going anywhere. Victor can’t take away his home.

Curtis asks how long Marshall and Portia have been talking about this genetic thing, and Marshall says, a few months. Curtis asks if Marshall trusts that Portia has his best interest at heart, and Marshall says, of course (🍷). Curtis asks if Marshall trusts her expertise, and Marshall says, implicitly. Curtis says, that’s where Marshall loses him. Why the resistance? Marshall says, his reasons are his alone, but Curtis says he wants to understand, and Portia says, so does she. She promises to never bring it up again if that’s what he wants. Marshall says, this damn disease ruined his life. It forced him to abandon his family. He missed out on precious years with his sons. If he was misdiagnosed, that means all those sacrifices were for nothing.

Basking in the afterglow, Josslyn thanks Dex for telling her it’s okay to take a break. Life is so strange. You can feel so many things at once. He asks what she’s feeling, and she says, safe and happy, and worried and guilty. He says, why guilty? and she says, for feeling safe and happy when her brother is in hell. Michael has a pretty rough romantic history. To think he found love – the real thing – to possibly have it ripped away… He says, they’re not there yet, but she says, the thought that they could be, she can’t stand it. He tells her, think about something else. R&R, remember? She says she’s not a soldier, and he says, she’s way tougher than those guys. She says, you know what else she is? Starving. He says, him too, and she says, sushi or pizza? He asks if that’s even a question. Sushi.

Elizabet tells Violet that she and Finn just needed a little time apart, and Violet asks, why? Finn says, because sometimes people realize they’re not meant to be together. Violet says, like him and Anna? and Finn says, yes. Violet says, and now him and Aunt Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says, that doesn’t mean they don’t like each other. Finn says, quite the opposite, and Violet asks if that means maybe they’ll get back together, but he says, not this time. Elizabeth says, they can still be friends, and he says, Elizabeth will always be family. Elizabeth is Violet’s aunt and her sons are Violet’s cousins, and that will never change. Elizabeth says, they all love Violet so much, and Violet asks if they can go camping. Elizabeth says she’d like that, and Finn says, as soon as it warms up. They can ask grandpa and Uncle Chase too. Elizabeth asks, how’s that brownie? and Violet says, delicious. She should get one. Finn tells Elizabeth that she can share his.

Marshall chokes up, and says, he walked away from his life and his sons, breaking all of their hearts in the process. To protect them, not just from the violent instincts, but the stigma. He stayed away for it all. TJ’s birth… Tommy’s death. He cries, and says, Curtis’s struggles with addiction. All because of one diagnosis, he avoided being close to anyone for over half his life. So when she tells him that he may not have schizophrenia, that he may not be sick… Curtis says, it forces him to face painful questions, and Marshall asks if he’s wasted his entire life… or worse. Was it stolen from him? Curtis says, genetic testing is the first step, and no matter the result, it’s not Marshall’s fault. Portia says she knows this is terrifying; the prospect he’s been operating on misinformation this entire time. But think about the other side of it. Think about how freeing it could be to be out from under this diagnosis. She knows Curtis wouldn’t tell Marshall this, but he’s already shared his fears with her that this disease could steal Marshall away from him again. Curtis says, wouldn’t it be nice to know this is something they didn’t have to worry about? and Portia says, please, for his family, but Marshall says he doesn’t think he can.  

Michael says, Carly knew what blood ties with Nina could do to their family, and she says she was so afraid to let Nina in. He says she was right to be, and he would have felt the same way, but unlike her and what she did, he would have let Willow decide. Why not give her all this information, and let her decide where to take it from there? Carly says, now she sees that’s what she should have done. She was trying so hard to protect their family because Nina has hurt them all so much. She had tunnel vision, and it seemed like the only option. She’s so sorry. He asks where things stand with Drew, and she says, he’s disappointed and has every right to be. She’s really great at ruining things. He says, Drew is a very forgiving guy. Don’t give up hope. She says, what about him? Can she hold out hope for him, or is he as done with her as he is with his father?

Nikolas says he may have lost his wife and son, but he won’t lose his home, and Victor says he has a storage locker full of evidence that he held Esme against her will. Nikolas says, that junk may be damning, but it’s not definitive, and Victor says, as is his written confession to pushing Esme off a parapet, not to mention the recorded version in Ava’s possession. Nikolas says, not to mention a very alive Esme, and if she can’t remember, she can’t testify. Victor says, Hayden Barnes. His patience with Nikolas is nearing an end. After all he’s done for Nikolas. Nikolas says, what about after all he’s done for Victor? He sheltered Victor on Cassadine Island. Victor says, that’s the only reason he hasn’t washed his hands of Nikolas altogether, and Nikolas says, here he thought it was because Victor is such a family man. Victor says he does have big plans for this family, but Nikolas keeps throwing a monkey wrench into them. Nikolas says, plans, you have to follow through on. He calls Victor’s bluff. Victor tells Nikolas that he’ll say it once more. The next time Nikolas defies him will be his last.

Mason says, the boss doesn’t like a quitter, and Austin says, that’s too bad because he quits. Why can’t she just find another doctor who’s amenable to the cause? Mason says he knows Austin doesn’t take well to being strong-armed – Austin says, nobody does – so how about this? The next time they send him a patient, take care of them. Austin says, or what? What’s going to happen? Basically, the answer’s no. He recently lost a good friend, and got dumped by his girlfriend. He’s starting to feel like he has nothing left to lose. Mason says he guesses he’s been told. So why doesn’t he leave Austin to his legal doctoring? Austin says, hallelujah, and Mason offers him a lollipop, but Austin says, no thank you. Mason says he’s starting to take it personally. Maxie’s daughter wouldn’t take one either.

Carly says, she made a mistake. It would kill her if Michael cut her out of his life. Michael says, dad made more than one mistake. He chose Nina over his family again and again. What Carly did was wrong, but she did it for their family. She says, the second she heard Willow was sick… and he says he knows. She asks if he can forgive her, and he says, Willow already has. She asks if he ever wonders if they deserve her, and he says, every day. He has a long way to go to be as forgiving as Willow. He does know he needs Carly in his life, and his children need her, and Willow needs all of them. She says she needs him too, more than he knows. She hugs him and cries.

Curtis says he has to believe Marshall is strong enough to face a future that’s different from what he’s used to, and Portia says, one that includes Curtis, TJ, Stella, Trina, Epiphany, and her. Curtis says, and anyone else who comes along, and Marshall asks if he can have all that without unraveling the past? Curtis says, he can try, but he has the feeling the past will always come back to haunt Marshall. Portia says, he can’t go back; no one can. Curtis says, but if he gets these answers, the next chapter could be a whole helluva lot better than the one before it.

Austin asks when Mason saw Georgie, and Mason says, this morning, with her brother and little sister at the playground. They were with a very attractive older couple; Maxie’s parents he bets. Austin asks what Mason has done, but Mason says, take it easy. He already told Austin. He just offered Maxie’s daughter a treat, but she turned him down. Either she doesn’t like lollipops or she’s been warned against strangers. The thing is, he’s not going to be a stranger when he visits her. Kids can be so trusting. Austin says, he wouldn’t dare, and Mason says, don’t make him. Austin grabs Mason by the lapels, when Ava walks in. Austin releases Mason, and she asks if she’s interrupting.

Nikolas says he’ll take what Victor told him under advisement. Now if Victor is finished he has a meeting. Victor says, of course (🍷). He’ll make himself scarce. He takes out some paperwork, and says, before he forgets, Nikolas’s divorce settlement papers. In addition to the standard provisions, there’s a paragraph ceding the deed to Spoon Island over to Ava. He tosses it on the table, and says, please have it signed before he returns.

Violet says she’s going to draw a new family picture, and put Cameron in it. Cameron, Jake, and Aiden will be on a log. Grandpa and Uncle Chase will be in the lake. She asks if Elizabeth and Finn can sit next to each other in her drawing, and Finn says, as long as they’re not in the fire, he’s good. She says, they’ll be by the fire, roasting marshmallows, and Elizabeth asks Violet not to make her too short next to Finn. Violet says, she’ll be wearing heels, and Elizabeth says, heels camping? Violet says, fashion first. Maxie taught her that. Elizabeth says, of course (🍷) she did, and Finn says, it’s getting late. He suggests Violet finish her drawing at home, and they leave. Elizabeth sits looking at her phone when Carolyn comes in and says, hi, Lizzie.

Dex and Josslyn kiss when there’s a knock at the door. She says, that would be the food, and he says, the delivery person has horrible timing. She asks if he’ll get it so she can put something on. He asks if she has to, and she says, yes. He puts his pants on, and opens the door. No surprise, it’s Cameron.

On Monday, Sonny tells Spencer, what he’s saying proves he can’t; Cameron asks Josslyn if Dex is the reason they broke up; and Ava says, Mason was most definitely there.  

🏥 Beaming Back In…

Looks like she left Jeff at home this time.

🧂 Salt Shaker…

Well, it wasn’t like we thought Jen would be back.

🏝  The Latest In Miami…

Looks like there will be sufficient drama.

🥊 It’s a Knockout…

I’d pay to see this fight.

⚔️ Changing Games…

I can’t wait to check this out this weekend.

https://ew.com/tv/the-last-of-us-pedro-pascal-bella-ramsey-game-of-thrones/

🎥 Ranking George…

I’d say they’re spot-on. While I actually liked the remake of Dawn of the Dead, it didn’t have the same satiric wit of the original.

https://ew.com/movies/george-romero-movies-ranked/

🐯 Ongoing Tiger Tale…

The sequel wasn’t nearly as good as the first series. The first collective diversion during the pandemic lockdown.

🎸 If You’re In the Neighborhood…

The Governor’s Ball line-up and deets.

🐕 More Bowl Please…

What you need to know about the upcoming Puppy Bowl XIX

https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/puppy-bowl-date-dogs-and-everything-we-know-about-the-pet-centric-event

First flag.

🦩 Quotes of the Week

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.Corrie ten Boom

The expert in anything was once a beginner. – Helen Hayes

I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. – Thomas Jefferson

The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible. – Arthur C. Clarke

It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste. – Henry Ford

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

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. – T.S. Eliot

Being funny is a very serious business. – Soupy Sales

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.Franklin D. Roosevelt

Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. – Stephen Hawking

🍨 Chillaxing and HBO Maxing…

Whatever the next two days hold for you – be it streaming service or rowing merrily down a stream – enjoy. Hope to see you back after that for soap and a less than full Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay curious, but not intrusive, and stay knowing, it’s never too late to advocate for yourself.

January 10, 2023 – Drew Confronts Carly About the Search, Bye From Britt, Sonja’s Sunset, Get Out, You Too, Traitors Coming, Eli’s Thanksgiving, Special Pups (!) & Family

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Willow stares at the fireplace, when Michael and Wiley come in with a plate of cookies. She says, just what the doctor ordered, and Wiley asks if the doctor told her to have dessert. Michael says, it’s just something people say, and Wiley asks, why? Willow tells him, in this case, it means she can’t think of a better way to spend time; just the three of them. Wiley says, when his little sister is born, it will be four of them. That’s a lot.

Drew walks into Sonny’s ex-kitchen and current home of the great moss bowl🎍, and Carly says, he’s right on time. He takes off his jacket, and she asks if everything is okay. He says he’d feel like an ass if he kissed her, and then ambushed her with a question, and she says, ask her the question. He asks why she doesn’t want to find Willow’s birth mother.

Sonny asks Nina, where did these papers come from? and she says, Aunt Liesl cleaned out Britt’s office, including some papers she shouldn’t have. She was going to sort through it and return the papers that belonged to the hospital… Why? He says, see for herself, handing her a document, and she sees it’s Willow’s chemotherapy report. She says, Willow’s getting chemotherapy.

Josslyn knocks at Dex’s door, and she asks if she can come in. He says, of course (🍷), and she walks inside, saying, she can’t stop thinking about Britt. If Britt hadn’t held off The Hook, she would be dead by now. He tells her, stop, but she says, listen to her. She couldn’t have held The Hook off by herself, and by the time Dex got to the pier, it would have been too late. Britt got cut saving her. The Hook was after her. It all happened because of her. He says, what you’re feeling is survivor’s guilt, and if you’re not careful, it can really mess you up.

Esme wonders if she can ask Elizabeth a question, and Elizabeth says she doesn’t know if she can answer it, but she’ll try. Esme asks if Elizabeth thinks her lawyer is any good. She’s being accused of all these terrible things, and he thinks if they can find out where she’s been hiding out these past few months, she’ll have an alibi.

Spencer asks why Laura is at the hospital, and she says she wanted to see him. He says, maybe she doesn’t approve of him moving in with Uncle Sonny, but he had to get out of Windymere, and she says she’s happy he’s with Sonny. She just wanted to see for herself how he’s doing. He says, truthfully, he’s heartbroken that Britt is dead, and if Esme killed her, if she’s The Hook, then she needs to be held accountable.

Walking to the porch at Windymere, Dante asks Jordan if they’re going to wait for a warrant. She says, unless they can get the judge to sign one in the next ten minutes, they’ll have to hope Nikolas cooperates, and Dante says he wishes her good luck with that one. When he questioned Nikolas this morning, the only thing Nikolas would tell him is that he’s the father of Esme’s baby. She asks if the lab turned up anything from Esme’s personal effects, and he says, the only thing she had was a Christmas ornament. She asks if he’s sure it was on her, and he says, she definitely had it; he asked the doctor. She asks if they can trace it, and he says, it wasn’t mass produced. It’s from Poland, and it’s hand-painted. If they can find out who painted it, maybe they can find out who it was sold to.

Victor tells Nikolas, there was a fire in the north tower; a Christmas tree went up in flames. Who would put a Christmas tree in an unused bedroom? His guess is, the same person who put toiletries in the bathroom, or clothes in the closet. Nothing fancy. Just some sweats, loose-fitting, suitable for a pregnant woman. Nikolas has been keeping Esme prisoner, hasn’t he? Right under Victor’s nose.

Nina says, this is personal medical information. Maybe they shouldn’t be looking at this. But Sonny says, if she thinks it’s a violation of her ethics, look at it this way; he found it, she didn’t. She asks what he’s going to do with it, and he says, Willow is Wiley’s mother. She’s carrying his grandchild. He doesn’t care what’s going on as far as the fighting goes; she’s still family. He’s going to do everything he can to find out about her condition. She says she doesn’t care about right or wrong. She only wants to help Willow.

Wiley asks what his baby sister’s name is, but Michael says, they haven’t chosen one yet. What does he think it should be? Wiley says, Annabelle III, but Michael says, that might be confusing for the baby and the dog to have the same name. Any other ideas? Wiley says, T’chooka. His sister could be a dead-eyed Padawan. Michael says, that’s interesting. They’ll have to think about that one. What does Willow think? Wiping tears from her eyes without them seeing, Willow says she thinks her eyes are bigger than her stomach. She’s going to save the cookie for a late night treat. Michael says, speaking of late night, it’s past Wiley’s bedtime. He suggests Wiley get in his PJs, and he’ll read Wiley a bedtime story. Wiley says goodnight to Willow, and she tells him, sweet dreams. He gives her bump a kiss, telling his little sister to take good care of mommy. Michael brings Wiley upstairs, as they discuss which story to read, and Willow cries.

Drew says, ever since he first told Carly that he was searching for Willow’s birth parents, he felt resistance. She pours them some wine, and he says, when he told her he tracked down a source, she questioned their credibility. When he mentioned he had some great information, she was opposed to telling Willow. She asks if he thinks she was wrong, and he says, at the time, the reason seemed to make sense to him. Once they told Willow her birth mother was dead, why get her hopes up? When they found out that was a lie, why stress her out, telling her that she might have been kidnapped, and stolen from her birth parents? But then he took a step back, and there was a pattern there, and the pattern became very clear. She doesn’t want Willow’s birth parents to be found. She says, no, she doesn’t.

Dex says, of course (🍷) Josslyn is grateful to Britt; he’s grateful too. He doesn’t even want to think about how he’d be feeling if Josslyn had gotten killed. But there’s only one person responsible for Britt’s death, and that is The Hook. He’s sorrier than he can say that he’s not a better shot, and didn’t kill The Hook when he had the chance. She says she’s sorry too. The world would be a much safer and happier place. But even if he’d shot The Hook, there’s no guarantee Britt would have survived. There was poison in her system; she didn’t even know it. Does he think it would have made a difference? They took off and left Britt to cover for them. Does that make them partly responsible for her death?

Esme tells Elizabeth, Mr. Grey seems very competent. He seems like he cares about defending her, but she’s not paying him. He’s defending her for free. How does she know if she can trust him or his strategy? He says if she can get an alibi… but she has no idea where she’s been for the past few months – or her whole life for that matter. She doesn’t know how she got here. She doesn’t know who got her pregnant… Elizabeth says, she’ll remember, but Esme says, what if she doesn’t? Elizabeth says, traumatic memory loss isn’t uncommon. Permanent memory loss does happen, but it’s pretty rare, so the chances she’ll remember are good. But to answer her question, Mr. Grey is a great attorney. She thinks Esme can trust him.

Spencer says, if Esme is The Hook, Britt is dead because of him, because he brought Esme to Port Charles, but Laura says, no. They’ve talked about this. He isn’t responsible for anything Esme does. If Esme is The Hook; that hasn’t been proven yet. She’s in her third trimester of her pregnancy. Laura thinks it’s highly unlikely she’d have the physical strength to attack Britt with a hook. He says, she doesn’t know Esme like he does. She can do a lot of damage when she wants. Laura says, there isn’t just Esme to consider. There’s also a baby.

Victor asks if Nikolas had a plan. Did he have an end game, or was he just winging it; keeping Esme prisoner because he couldn’t think of anything else to do? Nikolas says, Esme turned up alive and pregnant with his child. He had every reason to believe she was The Hook. He couldn’t allow her to harm anyone else, but he couldn’t turn her over to the police, and risk her giving birth to his unborn child while incarcerated. Victor says, so he lured her to Windymere, but Nikolas says, she was already here. She was stealing money from his safe. He took her to a tower bedroom, and locked her in. He enlisted Demetrius to take care of her, and that was his mistake. Esme was able to manipulate Demetrius. Victor says, Esme manipulated Nikolas. She fooled him into putting her somewhere she could easily escape from – which she did. Very successfully, he might add. She’s cunning, creative, and she’s able to keep a cool head. Qualities Nikolas soundly lacks. He’s been protecting Nikolas for the sake of this family, but perhaps the Cassadines would be better off if they cut their losses. The doorbell rings, and Nikolas answers it. It’s Dante and Jordan, who says, they have more questions for him about Esme Prince.

Carly and Drew gravitate to the moss bowl, and Carly says, after Willow learned the truth about Harmony, Willow made the decision not to look for her birth parents, and she was relieved. Drew asks, why? He’s confused. He and Carly both grew up without their biological family, and they both went searching for answers. Unlike him, Carly found her mother right away. He waited years to connect with the Quartermaines. The point is, she and Bobbie have a strong, loving relationship. Why doesn’t she want that for Willow? Carly says, because Willow was afraid her birth mother would turn out to be someone like Nina. And the truth is, all reunions aren’t happy; some of them are awful. And Willow has had so much loss and pain, she wanted to spare Willow any more. Drew says, that wasn’t her call to make.

Nina tells Sonny, the doctor’s notes say, Willow was originally diagnosed with leukemia in late August, but she didn’t start her first round of chemotherapy until later November. Sonny wonders, why the delay? and Nina says, when Willow was first diagnosed, she was in Stage Two. By the time she received treatment, she was in Stage Four. He says, the doctors must have warned her. You don’t get diagnosed with leukemia, and wait three months to get treatment. She says, you do if you’re pregnant.

Michael says, once again, Goodnight Moon does the trick, and Willow says, bedtime’s best friend. He sees she’s been crying, and asks, what happened? She says, chemo isn’t working, and her marrow donor can’t donate. She can barely be a mother to Wiley. She can’t join in the conversation, or ask about his day, or even eat a damn cookie. He says, Wiley will be okay, but she says, he’s not okay. He knows something’s wrong and he’s scared. It’s all her fault. The whole thing is her fault. Michael holds her as she cries.

Dex says, Josslyn was willing to stay and talk to the police. He was the one who asked Britt to cover for them; he didn’t want to explain the gun. It’s on him. She says, he didn’t drag her. She left with him willingly. And yeah, Britt told them she had it covered. There was no reason not to believe her, but she feels like she’s alive at Britt’s expense. He says, maybe there’s another way to look at this. Britt saved her life, so doesn’t she owe it to Britt to live the best life she can?

Nikolas says he already sat through one pointless investigation at the PCPD. If they want to ask him more questions, they can call his lawyer. Victor says, nonsense, and tells them to come in. He asks how they can be of help, and Dante says, Esme Prince showed up on the Haunted Star in the early morning hours of January 1st. She was soaking wet and suffering from hypothermia. Which Nikolas is aware of since he showed up at the hospital with Elizabeth. Nikolas asks if it’s a crime to show concern, and Dante says, the last time Esme was seen was back in November on Pier 55, which is near the Haunted Star, and coincidentally near where the boat to Windymere docks. Since she used to live here, they think maybe she was hiding out on Spoon Island, or even right here in this house.

Laura tells Spencer, whatever Esme has or hasn’t done, that baby is innocent. Britt is gone, and there’s nothing he can do to bring her back, but he can do something to make sure Esme’s baby is born safely. Don’t confront Esme. Don’t interrogate her about Britt or anything else. He says, what if she’s lying about the memory loss? and Laura says, she’s not lying about the pregnancy. The priority right now should be the health and safety of that baby. That means allowing Esme to rest and recover. Elizabeth comes out of Esme’s room, and Spencer asks if Esme is awake. Elizabeth says, awake and alert, and he says he’d like to see her. Laura tells the guard to let Commissioner Ashford know that she okayed the visit, and Spencer thanks her. He knocks at Esme’s door, and she says, yes? He walks in, and she asks if she knows him.

Nikolas says he thinks he’d know if Esme was living in his house, and Jordan says, it’s a big house. There must be plenty of rooms that go unused. Esme could have taken refuge in any one of them, and Nikolas would never know, which is why they’d like to search the premises. Nikolas says, absolutely not, and Dante says, come on. They search the house, find out Esme was never here, and they can move on with their investigation. Nikolas says, if they want to search his house, get a warrant. And for that, they’ll need to show probable cause, and there isn’t any. Jordan says, DA Scorpio found plenty of evidence and was able to get Judge Winters to sign off on a warrant, but she thought she’d spare them the time and trouble by giving Nikolas the option to voluntarily agree to the search. Nikolas asks what evidence Robert has, and Victor says, they appreciate the courtesy, but they have nothing to hide. So feel free to search the house. Nikolas says, it could take hours, and Victor says, best get started then. He tells Nikolas to accompany the detective and his officers so they don’t get lost.

Dex tells Josslyn, the way he gives thanks for his life is by living it. Maybe she could try it. She says, maybe she could, and they kiss.

Nina tells Sonny, apparently the danger chemotherapy poses to the fetus is higher in the first trimester because the organs are developing. It’s safer for the baby in the second or third trimester. He says, safer for the baby, but not for Willow, and Nina says she has no idea how Willow is getting through this. To find out she’s pregnant, then be diagnosed with a life threatening illness; to have to choose between your health and the health of your unborn baby? Sonny takes her hand.

Willow sits up, and Michael asks, what’s wrong? She says, it’s not fair to lean on him, and he says she agreed to marry him, and that’s what married people do; they lean on each other. She asks why he’s not angry with her. She didn’t share her diagnosis with him, and didn’t include him in her decision making. She didn’t give him a vote. She gambled with her life, with Wiley’s security and future, and with everything they planned together, and now it looks like she lost.

Drew says, Carly fights like hell when someone tries to make choices for her. He’s confused. What made her decide what Willow could or couldn’t know about her own family? Carly says, Willow didn’t want to know, and he says, she reconsidered and decided she wants to track down her family. Not only that, she asked him to help search. Carly says she gets that, but Willow was having a hard pregnancy. The last thing she needs is stress. She thought it was best not to open the door to total strangers with whom Willow shares biology and nothing else. He says, she denied Willow her own family, and Carly says, Willow has family. She has her, and Michael, and Wiley, and Drew, and the Quartermaines. He says, enough excuses. Willow’s biological family can give her things that none of them can.

Nina tells Sonny, after one of her many clashes with Willow, she tracked them down at the hospital. She found them in Terry’s office. She’s an oncologist. Nina didn’t think much about it then, but – she picks up the document – Terry is treating Willow. Sonny says, Willow and Michael probably want to keep it quiet; the family didn’t say anything to him. She says, they probably do. They probably don’t want to upset Wiley. By delaying treatment, Willow is risking leaving Wiley, leaving him without the only mother he’s ever known. It must be so difficult for her. Nina wonders how much influence Michael had in Willow’s decision to delay cancer treatment. They know Michael is very selfish. He’s focused and single-minded in getting what he wants. Sonny says, this family infighting has to stop. They have to pull it together for Willow.

Carly tells Drew, she gets it. Willow is pregnant, and she wants her medical history to be complete for her baby’s sake. She understands that, but felt the emotional consideration outweighed it, so she obstructed his efforts… pretty considerably. He says, describe considerably, and she says, when he tracked down Denise Mackenzie, the firefighter who was on the commune with Harmony, she intercepted Denise before their meeting, and paid her to back Harmony’s original story about getting Willow from some mythical Joan. Then when Denise recanted, she paid Denise off for not giving her up. He says, when she went out after Denise to give her glove back. Carly says, then most recently, she found information on the commune leader Josiah, she took it and hid it, so Drew couldn’t follow up on him. Drew says, so the whole time they were supposed to be working together, she was sabotaging him.

Michael says he understands Willow is disappointed and frustrated; he is too. But they found a bone marrow match, and they’ll find another. There’s still time. She says, there’s a lot less time than when she was first diagnosed. When she made the choice not to tell him about her diagnosis or include him in her decision to wait, which is the opposite of how he’s always treated her. He didn’t have to include her in Wiley’s life, much less let her adopt him. Michael trusted her with his son. He made Wiley their son, and now she may be leaving them both. At the very moment she should have shared with him, she shut him out. Why doesn’t he hate her for that?

Laura asks Elizabeth how Esme seems, and Elizabeth says, if this is Laura’s way of asking if she thinks Esme is faking the memory loss, her answer is, she doesn’t know. Laura says, Doc started to assess her, but her brother threw him out of the room. Doc would never violate patient privacy, so he hasn’t said anything, but she has the feeling he believes Esme. He got to see Esme in all her manipulative glory when she was living with them, so she thinks he’d know if Esme was lying. Elizabeth says, maybe they’ll get lucky and she’ll never remember, and Laura asks why that would be a good thing.

Spencer introduces himself to Esme, and says, he and his friend Trina Robinson brought her to the hospital. Esme thanks him for that, and he asks how she’s feeling. She says she’s see-sawing between numb and total panic. They say she could be charged with everything from revenge porn to attempted murder, which is really scary. She doesn’t suppose he knows where she’s been hiding these past few months. Apparently it’s the only thing that could exonerate her.

Jordan asks how much contact Victor had with Esme, and he says, minimal really. He lived at the MetroCourt until recently. He and Esme never lived at Windymere at the same time. She says, their paths never crossed? and he says, occasionally, when she was dating Spencer. Their interactions were superficial at best. She says, what about Nikolas? How would Victor characterize his actions with Esme?

In front of Esme’s old prison room, Dante asks, what’s in here? and Nikolas says, a bedroom. Dante asks if anyone is using it, and Nikolas says, it’s possible one of the staff could be staying there. Dante says, Nikolas lets the staff stay with him? He thought they’d be out on the grounds. Nikolas says, like the Commissioner pointed out, it’s a big house, and if for whatever reason one of the staff needed to stay the night, he doesn’t see the harm. Dante says he’d like to check the room out, but Nikolas says, it’s locked. Dante tries the door, and it opens.

Carly says she’s so sorry for misleading Drew, and he says, lying to him. She says she made the choice to protect Willow long before they got together, but he says, there’s no contract. There’s no pre-existing condition clause. This is about them trusting each other. He let her in on an investigation, and she took advantage of his trust to undermine it. She says she was protecting Willow. Doesn’t he understand? He says she knew damn well Willow asked him to do the search, and he gets that Willow was initially resistant to finding out her birth mother, but once Carly knew she reconsidered, didn’t that change her calculations? She says she was conflicted, but then she decided Willow was better off not knowing. Drew says, if Carly knew the complete information about Willow’s health situation, she would have reacted differently, and Carly asks what he’s talking about. Is there something wrong with Willow? He says, she has leukemia.

Michael says he could never hate Willow. He wishes she’d shared her diagnosis with him from the start, but he understands why she didn’t. He’ll never forget the pain of losing Jonah, and knows she won’t either. She chose to protect the life she’s carrying the best way she could, and he’s good with that. She says she was selfish, and he says she’s the least selfish person he knows. She says she did what she wanted and if she chose wrong, he and Wiley will be left alone. He says, they’re not going to lose her, but she says, he can’t promise that. He says he can promise this much. He’ll never regret any day he’s spent with her, or making her Wiley’s mother. He’ll never regret the love she’s given Wiley, and the place she has in his life. Even if Wiley has to grow up without her, her love will sustain him. Even if Wiley doesn’t consciously remember it, Michael will remember all of it. And he’ll love her for the rest of his life. He kisses her.

Basking in the afterglow on Dex’s couch, since he apparently doesn’t have a bed, Josslyn says, this was not the plan. He asks if she regrets it, but she says, no. He says, good. Because if he hasn’t made it clear, he doesn’t want this to be a one or two time thing. She says, neither does she. She doesn’t know what she feels for him, but she knows it’s strong. He says, him too, and kisses her. Her phone dings, and she says, sorry. It might be her mom, and she’ll freak out if Josslyn doesn’t answer. She looks at the phone and says, unbelievable. She shows it to Dex, and he reads a text from Sonny: Need to see you. My office. Important. She says, how dare Sonny summon her like that?. She starts getting dressed, and says, he has no right. Who does he think he is? Dex asks where she’s going, and she says, Sonny’s office. She’s going to tell him that she’s going to see who she wants to see, and it’s none of his damn business.

Elizabeth tells Laura, if she was Esme, she’d want to forget everything too; the crimes, the mistakes. She could almost wish that for her own life… Not really of course (🍷). She’d never want to forget her kids or the people she loves, but it would be nice to forget the ways she’s messed up. Laura asks if this would have anything to do with what’s going on between her and Nikolas.

Spencer says, sorry. He has no alibi for Esme, and she says she supposes he never laid eyes on her before he and his friend brought her to the hospital. He says, that’s not true. He knows her better than anyone else in Port Charles. She asks, how? From where? Does he know why she’s in Port Charles? Does he really think she did all this crazy stuff?

Jordan asks Dante if the search is finished, but he says, the officers are still searching. Nikolas was kind enough to show him the north wing. Victor says, don’t keep them in suspense, and Dante says, they checked out the room at the top; no sign of Esme. Nikolas tells them, he said it was a waste of time, but Jordan says, due diligence is never a waste of time. If the officers find anything of interest, she and Dante may have to return and search further. They’ll be sure to bring a warrant. Nikolas says he’ll show them out, and Jordan thanks him for his time. She and Dante leave, and outside, she says, well? Dante says, the tower room has been cleaned and painted. He could smell the cleaning agents, and smell the paint; probably in the last few hours. They’ve definitely been hiding something or someone up there. Inside, Nikolas asks why Victor agreed to the search, and Victor says, because there was nothing to find. He had Demetrius do a thorough cleaning, and put everything in storage. He kept everything; ample evidence of Esme’s imprisonment. He takes the broken ornament out of his pocket, and says, just in case he needs to ensure Nikolas’s future cooperation

Elizabeth tells Laura that Nikolas is her oldest friend. They have a lot of history, and he knows her like nobody else does. She knows him too. She knows he can be selfish and reckless, and makes foolish choices. She also knows him to be generous and loving, and for the most part, he had good intentions. Laura says, Elizabeth has always been loyal to her son. She sees the good in him, and she thanks Elizabeth for that. She treasures Elizabeth, and not just because she’s the mother of her grandchildren. She’s known Elizabeth most of her life, and thinks of Elizabeth as another daughter. Elizabeth says, that means a lot to her, and Laura says, she’s very worried right now. She feels Nikolas has backed himself into a corner, and he’s in a very dark place.

Spencer says, he and Esme went to boarding school in France: Ecole Internationale de Chatel. She says, it doesn’t ring a bell, and he says he has family in Port Charles. When he graduated from boarding school, he came back here, and he brought her with him. She says, as a buddy? but he says, they were dating. She was his girlfriend and they broke up… for many reasons. She asks, how long ago did they break up? Is this his baby? He says, possibly.

On the phone, Dex says, call me. We’ve got a problem.

Josslyn strides into Sonny’s office, and says, before he starts in, she has a few things to say about the way she chooses to live her life, and how it’s none of his damn business.

Michael tucks Willow in, and she thanks him. She tells him not to let her sleep too late. She wants to see Wiley off to school. Maybe they can all have breakfast together in the morning. Michael says, they’ll figure it out. Just get some rest. She tells him that she loves him, and he says he loves her too. There’s a knock at the door, and he goes downstairs. Nina is there, and he says, it’s not a good time. She says she realizes that, and knows he doesn’t want her here, so she’ll make it quick. She needs to talk about her grandson.

Carly says, Willow has leukemia? and Drew says, Stage Four. She says, oh my God. That’s why she’s so pale and… weak. That’s why she fainted, and why Michael has been hovering, and… Why didn’t she see it? He says, Willow has been going out of her way to keep it a secret. Michael didn’t even know until she was in her second trimester. Drew just found out a few weeks ago. She asks how he found out, and he says, at first, Willow was saying the search was for medical history, but he knew there was more to it. Then she admitted she needs a bone marrow transplant. Carly says, and the best chance for a match is with a family member. He says, that’s why he stepped up the search, and she says, he doesn’t need to search. Nina is Willow’s birth mother.

Tomorrow, Chase says, Gladys won’t have to be Sasha’s guardian much longer; Drew asks if Carly was ever going to tell Willow; and Josslyn tells Dex that her life is falling apart, and she doesn’t know what to do about it.

👩🏻‍⚕️ Last Wave…

I’m sad to see her go, but she did get quite an exit.

🥀 In Memoriam…

A beautiful tribute to one taken too soon.

👠 Please Leave Now…

Is he actually watching the show?

https://people.com/tv/harry-hamlin-says-lisa-rinna-made-the-right-decision-to-leave-rhobh-exclusive/

Bless her heart.

💎 No More Diamond For You…

Another one who shouldn’t let the door hit her on the way out.

💣 Reality Turncoats…

I guess Alan Cumming needed to pay his mortgage.

🍗 At Long Last…

It’s about time. Machete is ahead by two films and a trailer.

🐶 Something Special In the Bowl…

Ending on an adorable note. I love a dog with special needs.

https://people.com/pets/puppy-bowl-2023-dogs-with-special-needs/

🌃 Yesterday Once More…

Swing by tomorrow for more soap, tea, and a tune. Until then, stay safe, stay ambitious, but not arrogant, and stay giving thanks for your life by living it.

October 28, 2022 – Olivia Gets Two Shocks, New Old Face, Trash Talk, Ho-Hum, More Call Out, Creepy, Debut, After Life, Sequel Scoop, Vampire Chat, Differences, Costumes x 2, a Dozen Halloweeny Quotes & Dusty’s Take

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook wakes up, and Chase is already up. He says he wanted to let her sleep in, and she asks why she’d want to when she could spend her morning with him. He gets back in bed, and they kiss.

On the phone at the hospital, Britt says, if an inmate needs treatment, bring her in. Just make sure she has a guard and orderly with her at all times. TJ asks for a private word, and they go where there are no people. She asks, what’s on his mind? and he says he hasn’t heard from Willow in several days. He’s starting to get concerned.

In the nook, Willow says, her one and only cup of coffee for the day, and Michael says he loves how conscientious she’s being with this pregnancy. He can’t believe it’s time for her second trimester check-up. She says she almost felt like they woudn’t get here, and he says, here’s hoping they get wonderful news today. She says, there’s a lot she wants to share with him today, when Ned comes in, saying, Michael saved him a phone call. Valentin has been missing in action for several days, so ELQ is still without it’s CEO. Is that something Michael orchestrated, or was it Drew?

Drew and Carly kiss in her kitchen, and she says, they’re back. She thanks him for helping her, and he thanks her for letting him help. He kisses her again, and I look desperately for the moss bowl 🎍, since I’m bored. He asks if she’s ready to hear some I told you so’s from their friends, and she says, all the people who said they saw sparks between them? No. She wants to hold off on telling anyone. She kind of likes having him all to herself.

Before Josslyn leaves, she asks Cameron if he’s sure Jake and Aiden don’t know she spent the night. He says, they were asleep when she got here, and left early for some pre-school activities, so he thinks they’re good. And she’s perfect. He kisses her, and says he knows this last year was rough for them, but he’s glad they’re finding their footing again… unless he’s going too fast. She says, not at all. She just remembered it’s Oscar’s birthday. He says he understands, and they walk out on the porch to find Finn.

Sitting alone in Terry’s car, Elizabeth remembers when she was a teenager, saying, she hates her family and hates everyone. Terry gets in the car, and says, Elizabeth’s mom and dad were shocked to hear from her, and more shocked to find out she was in town. Elizabeth asks if they’re going to meet with Terry, and Terry says, yes. She asks if everything is okay, and Elizabeth says, they’re at her parents’ house. She hasn’t been anywhere near them in decades. Terry says, it’s okay if she wants to go back, but Elizabeth says, no. She needs to find out the truth about what happened, once and for all.

As Brook gets dressed, she wonders why it can’t be the weekend. She and Chase could just stay in bed, and never leave this room. Still in bed, Chase says, that would be absolutely fine with him, but she’s the one who said they have to prep to meet Linc’s big pop star. Although he’d be happy to push that. She says, not on his life, but there’s no reason they can’t prep for the meeting in here. She goes to the door, and he asks where she’s going. She says, to get them some coffee and pastries. Don’t bother getting dressed.

Michael says, Valentin is a Cassadine, and they tend to go missing under murky circumstances, so what exactly does Ned think he did to Valentin? Olivia walks in with some pastries, and Ned says, called immigration; had him stopped at customs. Just like his dad did to Jax. Michael says he’s nothing like his father, but Ned says, he and Sonny are exactly alike, and Olivia says, that’s enough. Willow asks where she’s going, and Olivia says, to get reinforcements. She leaves, and Willow says, come on. It’s a big day for her and the baby. Can they focus on that?

Drew leaves, Bobbie comes in, and I see the glorious moss bowl 🎍, so all is right with the world. Bobbie asks, who was at the door? and Carly says, Drew. Bobbie says she didn’t realize they were flying back this morning, and Carly says, now that everything is reconciled with Virginia, she can focus on her family here. Bobbie says she thinks it’s really beautiful what Carly did for Virginia; scattering her ashes by the ocean. Carly says, it felt right. Bobbie coming to Jacksonville meant a lot. She knows it couldn’t have been east with that local station dredging up her past with Aunt Ruby. Bobbie says, she knows who she is, and owns her past, even the unsavory parts. She was more concerned about it being weaponized against Carly, but when she got to Jacksonville, she realized Carly already had all the support she needed with Drew.

Finn apologizes to Cameron for stopping by unannounced, but he was on his way to the hospital, and thought he’d stop by to check in. How are Aiden and Jake? Cameron says, they left already; they had some stuff to do before school. His mom asked Finn to check on them, didn’t she? Finn says, maybe. Got any proof? Josslyn says she’s going to go. She tells Cameron she’ll see him on campus, and tells Finn, it’s good to see him. She leaves, and Cameron invites Finn inside. He says, Josslyn just stopped by to drop off some books he needed before class, and Finn says, that’s his story, and he’s sticking to it? Cameron says, yeah, and Finn says, Cameron is a sophomore in college. He gets the plot. Joss spent the night here, didn’t she? Cameron says, maybe. Got any proof?

Terry says she thinks Jeff and Carolyn are going to have as many questions for her as she does for them. The coffee shop they agreed to is just around the corner, so they can’t count on traffic delays. She’ll stall them as long as possible. Is Elizabeth sure she knows her parents’ alarm code? Elizabeth says, they’ll see, but they never changed it when she was growing up, and Terry asks what she’s looking for, but Elizabeth isn’t sure. She thinks it’s one of those she’ll know it when she sees it kind of things. Both of her parents kept diaries of their years abroad. She’s just hoping it’s enough to help her connect the dots. Like how they all knew Reiko, who turned out to be Finn’s first wife. How could she have forgotten? Terry says, Elizabeth has been raising three boys, mostly by herself, along with a full-time career as a nurse. It makes sense to her why Elizabeth forgot the connection. Elizabeth says, they’re literally sitting in front of her parents’ house. There’s no way she can turn back now.

Out of the shower, Chase loses his towel and gets back in bed, striking a sexy pose. Olivia walks in, covers her eyes, blesses herself, then covers her eyes again.

Ned says, the merger was nothing more than an excuse to marginalize him, and Michael says, they offered Ned the job of COO; that’s hardly marginal. He asks if Brook can weigh in here, because her dad is going in circles. She says, just pretend she’s not here. She’s just getting a little breakfast to go. Ned asks why she’s holding two cups of coffee, when Olivia walks in, saying, it’s her bad, Chase following. She tells him, please forget she saw anything, and he says, he’s so sorry she saw anything. He thought she was – he sees everyone looking at them – Brook Lynn. Ned asks, what’s going on? and Olivia says she was looking for Brook and forgot to knock, and walked in on Chase. Ned says, in a guest room, and Brook says she and Chase spent the night together.

Bobbie says, now that they have their coffee, back to Drew, and Carly says, she didn’t ask Drew to come to Florida; he showed up on his own. And it turns out, he was exactly the friend she needed. Bobbie says, so Carly is telling her that he’s just a friend? and Carly asks what’s going on with Bobbie’s wrist here? Bobbie says, it’s nothing serious. She was on her laptop on the plane, and her carpal tunnel’s been acting up. Carly massages Bobbie’s wrist, and asks how it feels. Bobbie says, better, thanks, and Carly says she still remembers some of her physical therapy training. Now that she’s starting over, she could renew her PT license, or finish her nursing degree. Bobbie says, that’s a very different path than running a luxury hotel, and Carly says, maybe not nursing school, but physical therapy can be fun. At least until she figures out her next passion project. Bobbie says she’s sure it won’t be long before Carly finds her next inspiration.

Drew goes to the rock in Oscar’s Meadow, and says he got back just in time for Oscar’s birthday. He didn’t want Oscar to think he’d forgotten. Oscar still inspires him. When things were bleak and so hopeless, he would just think that Oscar never gave up – never – and neither should he. On those bad days, he would close his eyes, and visualize Oscar’s face; his and Scout’s. And that’s the only way he survived, and managed to see the light again, even if it shines more dimly in a world without him in it. Josslyn arrives with flowers, and hugs Drew.

Britt says, Willow is TJ’s friend, but not his patient, and TJ says, but he’s been staying in regular touch with Willow about her condition. Unofficially, of course (🍷). He knows Willow is in her second trimester, and from what he understands, that’s what she was waiting for before starting her leukemia treatment. Britt asks what he’s looking for from her, and he says he noticed Willow had an appointment this morning. He was hoping he could sit in on a consult. She says, Willow does have an appointment with her this morning about her pregnancy. If Willow wants him to be there for moral support, it’s Willow’s choice, but let her be very clear. He would be there as Willow’s friend only. He says, yes, but, and she tells him, there are no yes, buts. She knows it’s a very difficult situation. On their best days as doctors, they provide a binary option of right and wrong, but on other days, the patient is left with an option of doing the least harm. And what they might think is the most palatable outcome, won’t be the same for every patient. It might not even be the same course they’d use for themselves or advise for their loved ones. It’s what’s right for that patient. And as doctors, they might not always agree, but they must respect the patient’s choices.

Elizabeth says, it’s been so long, she can’t remember the last time she saw her parents in person, and Terry asks, how long has it been again? Elizabeth says, over 20 years, and Terry asks why Elizabeth never told her that she was hurting. Elizabeth says, how do you explain your parents put the greater good over their own children? and Terry says, she doesn’t owe anyone an explanation. Elizabeth says, not to the world, but she owes one to herself. There are way more secrets being kept from her than she realizes. She thanks Terry for helping her, for coming all this way, and giving her the space to process it all, and Terry says, sometimes all a person needs is a little space and grace. She’s got Elizabeth. Terry’s phone dings, and she says, it’s Jeff and Carolyn. They’re at the coffee shop. Elizabeth says, this is it.

Josslyn says she didn’t know Drew was back in town, and he says, he and her mom just landed a couple hours ago; he just dropped her off at the house. He knows she’d love to see Josslyn. She says she hopes she didn’t interrupt his visit, but he says, no. He and Oscar just had a nice little chat, and he was on his way out. He’ll give her some privacy. He starts to leave, then says, his son’s life was cut way too short, but it was rich and full of meaning because she was in it. He thanks her for that, and leaves.

Bobbie says she’s always admired Carly’s resilience, her fierce spirit, and especially her tenacity. Carly says, even on days Bobbie wanted to kill her? and Bobbie says, it’s not always easy being Carly’s mother. That’s something she and Virginia Benson both understood. Still, she knows it won’t be long before Carly discovers her next chapter, and she can’t wait to read it.

Chase says, this is beyond embarrassing, and Brook says, now every woman in this house has seen her boyfriend naked. Olivia laughs nervously, and says, she doesn’t think Monica has, and it’s her house. Chase says, Alan gave it to her, and I die laughing. I love an ongoing soap joke. Michael tells Chase, it sounds like he’s going to fit in fine here, and suggests they go outside. On the patio, he tells Chase, welcome to your latest super awkward Quartermaine family moment. He’s sure Chase had plenty of those while pretending to be Bailey’s father. Michael’s phone rings, and he says, it’s Aurora. He has to take this. He steps away, and Chase tells Willow, he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to make things weird. She says, no. She’s happy for him; for him and Brook both. She kisses his cheek, and he says he hopes she knows how happy he is for her and Michael. Olivia comes out, and says, that felt like a father/daughter moment. What happened to Michael?

Brook tells Ned not to get patriarchal on her. If he has issues with this going on under the same roof, there’s nothing preventing him from moving out. He says he’s sorry if he made her feel like she needed to sneak around. Did she feel that way because of his reaction to her and Valentin? She says, Ned sure had an about-face on Valentin.

Willow says, Michael had to take a work call, and Olivia asks if Willow doesn’t have a doctor’s appointment. She’ll drive Willow over, and Michael can meet them there. Text him their plan. She goes back in, and Chase says, before she goes, maybe he can be Uncle Chase to her new little one. Put in a good word for him.

Terry says she’ll stall them for as long as she can, and Elizabeth thanks her. They hug, and Terry asks if Elizabeth is sure she knows how to pick her front door lock. Elizabeth says, it’s been a while, but she used to be good at it. If she remembers, she taught Terry that skill in high school. Terry says, Elizabeth was a bad influence on her back then, but she hasn’t been that girl for a very long time. Does she think she still has it in her? Elizabeth flashes back to when she was a bad girl and smoking cigarettes, and says, she better be. She gets out of the car.

Cameron says, Finn was right before. It’s actually none of his business. Finn tells him, relax. He’s not here to give Cameron the talk; clearly, he knows the drill. And it’s not his place to tell Cameron’s mom either. Although Cameron might want to come clean at some point. Cameron says, Finn is probably right. He can’t imagine his mom is going to be in the best headspace when she comes back. Finn says he thinks she’ll be more relaxed after enjoying the spa and hotel, and Cameron says, maybe, but it might not be easy spending time in the city where Grandpa Jeff and Grandma Carolyn live. Finn says, what? and Cameron says, Finn didn’t know, did he?

Willow checks in with Britt, who says, Dr. Ashford asked to sit in on their check-up if she’s comfortable with that. Willow says, of course (🍷). TJ is her friend, and she knows he’s still deciding on a specialty. Britt says, let’s go to an exam room, and Olivia asks if Willow wants her to stick around. Willow says, it’s sweet of her to offer, but no.

Ned says he can see Brook is still upset with him about siding with Valentin against Michael and Drew, and she says, sometimes it feels like it was all for nothing. He says he doesn’t want her to ever feel that way, and she says, she also learned there’s a different side to Valentin, when they were raising Bailey together. It really proved the point to her that none of us are all good or all bad. He says he appreciates her saying that, when Drew comes in. He says he’s sorry; he didn’t mean to interrupt. Brook says, she and her father were just having a moment of understanding, but she has to grab Chase and get to work. She leaves, and Ned says, the staff expected Drew back a few hours ago. Drew says, it’s Oscar’s birthday today, so he stopped by Oscar’s marker in the Meadow. Ned says, of course (🍷). He’s sorry. He didn’t remember the date. Drew says he hasn’t forgotten how incredible Ned and Olivia were to Oscar in his final days. So for Oscar’s sake, can they find a way to put aside their differences and fix what’s broken in this family?

Cameron can’t believe his mom didn’t tell Finn that she was going to be staying in the same town her parents live in. Did he just cause trouble for them? Finn says, not at all. There’s no need to make a big deal out of this. Cameron says, it’s probably nothing, but what are the odds she’s seeking out her parents after all these years? Finn says, he doesn’t know; he wishes he did. He’s been trying to help where he can, but he doesn’t want Cameron’s mom to resent him. To be honest, sometimes he knows what he’s doing, and other times, he doesn’t get it. Cameron says he thinks he does. He and his mother struggle with a lot of the same baggage. The people they care about tend to underestimate their family and what they’re capable of handling.

Josslyn puts the flowers on Oscar’s rock, and says, she knows it’s been a while since she visited, but she carries Oscar in her heart every day. If he’s been checking in, then he knows she and Cam are together. Although with all of the recent drama they’ve been a part of kind of threw them off. Things haven’t been the same since their first time went viral on the internet. Since then, she feels like she’s in this current. Not a riptide; nothing scary. She just feels herself drifting further away from Cam. She knows she should tell him that, and they should talk through it, but if she does… She’s just so scared he won’t be able to handle it.

Cameron tells Finn, people tend to confuse their manners with being weak, fragile even. His mom isn’t weak, and when Finn tries to fix her problems, or make decisions for her because he thinks she’s a victim, it takes her back to a time in her life when she did feel powerless. And trust him. She doesn’t want to go back there again, even if that means shutting things and people out. He knows Finn’s heart is in the right place, but she doesn’t need a hero. She’s already her own hero. Finn thanks him, says, good talk, and leaves.

Elizabeth gets into the house. She hears the alarm beeping, and puts in the code. It stops.  

Carly says she’s been doing a lot of thinking lately, and she and Bobbie have come a long way. Bobbie had every reason to hate her forever, yet Bobbie still found a way to forgive her, and made a place in life for Carly. She’s always heard the stories about Bobbie’s upbringing, and going back to Jacksonville, and hearing again about Ruby and her house of ill repute, she was reminded that Bobbie started off with even less than she did. Bobbie made a name for herself, and Carly admires her so much. Bobbie says, first of all, Carly needs to visit Jacksonville more often. Secondly, right back at her. Carly says she told Drew that she felt like she was in an identity crisis, literally. She was no longer Sonny’s wife, and no longer the co-owner of the MetroCourt. Who is she anymore? But sitting here with her mom, she’s more sure of who she is than ever.

Michael walks in, as Drew tells Ned, maybe they can schedule another vote on Valentin’s leadership. What they need is for Ned’s vote to switch. Then Valentin is out. Ned says, what about the role of CEO? and Michael tells Drew, forget it. Ned’s too far gone to think of family over himself. Ned says, that’s rich. Biologically, Michael is AJ’s son, but whose last name does he use? Corinthos. He’s only a Quartermaine when it’s convenient. Drew says, there’s no reason for things to get escalated here, and Ned says, and Drew. His insistence on being the nice guy is really starting to wear thin. Drew says, Ned is tired of him being a nice guy? Fine. The gloves are off, and Ned’s not going to like the moves he makes to get Ned and Valentin out. Ned asks how Drew plans to do that when he’s fighting an insider trading charge.

Carly tells Bobbie, part of the reason she felt so lost is because her name didn’t provide any answers for her. She can’t be Carly Corinthos anymore because she doesn’t want people thinking her goal is to get back with Sonny, because it’s not. She can’t be Carly Benson or Carly Roberts because… she just can’t. Bobbie asks, what’s left? and Carly says, sitting here with Bobbie, looking into her eyes, she knows what the right answer is. She’s a Spencer. She thinks it’s time she took Bobbie’s name, if it’s okay with her. Bobbie says, it’s more than okay, it’s as it should be, and they hug.

Britt says, everything looks good with the baby. Developmentally, they’re right on track. Willow says, that’s good news, right? She asks Britt, what is it? and Britt says she’s feeling Willow’s lymph nodes, as she places her hands on Willow’s neck. Willow asks, why? and Britt says, oncology isn’t her specialty, but she noticed certain areas of the surrounding tissue appear inflamed. Just to be clear, this has nothing to do with that baby, but she wants to be extra cautious given Willow’s other health concerns. Dr. Randolph is away for a few days, but Britt’s going to give her a call. Hang tight. She leaves, and Willow asks TJ what Britt is concerned about.

On the phone, Terry tells Britt, she’s kind of in the middle of something with some family friends. What’s up? Britt says, she just did an ultrasound on Willow, and the baby is fine, but she noticed inflamed  tissue nearby, and swelling in the lymph nodes. Terry says, Britt is worried about the enlargement of Willow’s liver, isn’t she? and Britt says she is, but Terry’s the expert. Terry says, have Dr. Carmichael do her bloodwork, and schedule and ultrasound on her liver. She should be back by the time the results are in. Britt thanks her, and Terry looks around for Jeff and Carolyn, but they’re gone.

Elizabeth sees family pictures on the mantel, and remembers her angst when she was younger from her parents being absent, and being expected to be like her sister Sarah. She remembers things she said about her parents as an adult, how the world needs them more than the family does. She focuses on a particular picture, and says, her and Sarah, 25 years ago.

Finn runs into Olivia at the hospital, and says, if she talks to Tracy, tell her that he’s waiting. She hasn’t made a move in their virtual backgammon game in weeks. Olivia says she’s not surprised. You’d never know Tracy is retired. She still keeps getting into all kinds of trouble. She puts her hand to her forehead, and he asks if she’s okay. She says, it’s so weird. Does he ever get the feeling like someone walked over his grave? The inmate is brought in, a woman in shackles, between an officer and an orderly, and she says, hello, Olivia. Olivia turns around, and lets out a blood-curdling scream.

Brook listens at the door, and Drew asks what Ned is talking about. Ned says, it’s right there in the name; insider trading. Brook steps away, telling Chase that she thinks talking’s a lost cause. Chase says he knows something to perk her up, and kisses her. Her phone dings, and he says, go ahead. She says, it’s Linc. He wants them to meet with his pop star today. Chase says, it’s so soon, but she says he has to get to know her if they’re doing a duet. He says he’s never met a pop star; any advice? She says, don’t mess this up for them.

Bobbie says, Carly Spencer has a nice ring to it, and Carly says, it really does. Josslyn walks in, and hugs Carly, saying, you’re home. Carly puts her arms around both of them, and says, I’m home.

Ned tells Drew, Michael’s mother knew about the potential merger. That’s why she bought the stock. That’s called insider trading, and it’s illegal. Martha Stewart went to prison for much less. Lucky for Michael and Drew, no one’s really looked into it, but it’s something they need to consider, and never forget. He walks out, and Michael says, Ned is bluffing; he wouldn’t go there. He has to meet Willow, but he can see Drew is worried. Don’t be.

TJ says, if she noticed inflamed tissue, Dr. Westbourne might be concerned that Willow’s liver is enlarged as well. Willow says, and that means? and TJ says, if her liver and lymph nodes are swollen, and her blood cell count has dropped even further, it may mean she’s advanced to stage 3, which may limit her treatment options. Britt says, she’d like Willow to come with her upstairs. They’d like to run some more tests.

Finn asks Olivia, what’s all this? Is she okay? The woman says, now there’s the scream she loves so much. And here she thought Olivia had gotten too classy to let her emotions out. After Olivia let her son rot in prison, and traded up to marry a Quartermaine. The officer says, sorry, ma’am. D’Archam patient. Don’t pay her any attention. The woman says, nice seeing you. Oops. I mean, I’ll be seeing you. She laughs as she’s led away, and Finn says, what’s going on? Who is that woman? Olivia says, doesn’t he know? That’s Heather Webber.

Elizabeth hugs the photo to her chest, and hears the door. She quickly puts it back, and Jeff comes in. He says, Elizabeth, and she says, dad.  

On Monday, Anna says, as soon as she gets out of this cell, she’ll put Victor in his; Robert tells Olivia, she looks like she’s seen a ghost; and Elizabeth says, Jeff’s not supposed to be here.

💣 Wrong Guess Of Jacksonville…

I have to admit, I’m surprised. Not that I can’t see her in the role, but what happened to the old Heather?

🗽 No Surprise…

Wasn’t asked back, was she?

💋 It Will Never End…

This one just needs to go, be put on pause, however you want to put it.

💎 The Other F-Word…

I could have sworn it was the c-word, but in my defense, it was bleeped and I’m no lip reader. Ugly for sure, but it doesn’t make Kathy wrong about Erika and LisaR looking for a storyline.

https://people.com/tv/rhobh-erika-girardi-doubles-down-on-claim-kathy-hilton-used-gay-slur-in-aspen/

📸 Eww…

I’m sure it wasn’t meant to be taken this way, but yuk.

🤷🏼 Who’d Have Guessed…?

They’re cute when they’re on Watch What Happens Live together.

https://www.etonline.com/sutton-stracke-joins-bff-jennifer-tilly-in-chucky-season-2-185881

🐎 She Has a Brand Now…

I doubt this will be rebooted, but if it is, I doubt any previous cast members will be invited back. Although I did love Kameron’s stick figure graphics of the ping-pong ball show in Thailand.

https://okmagazine.com/p/rhod-cary-deuber-life-after-bravo-lemmon-avenue/

🧹 This Year’s Theme…

I’m going to watch the sequel this weekend for inspiration.

https://ew.com/movies/original-hocus-pocus-actors-thoughts-sequel/

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-2-post-credits-scene-explained-sanderson-sisters-return/

🧛🏻‍♂️ In Vampire News…

Last Sunday’s Interview.

⚰️ Dead End…

More on how the series will end versus the comic book.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-series-finale-ending-tv-comic-book/

🎃 Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop…

As long as the costumes keep coming, I’ll keep checking them out.

https://ew.com/celebrity/best-celebrity-halloween-costumes-2022-photos/

Even better.

https://www.thedodo.com/dodowell/tompkins-square-halloween-dog-parade-wildest-costumes-2022-celebration

👽 Quotes of the Week

I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that any weirdo wearing a mask is never friendly. – Lizabeth (Nancy McLaughlin), Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones. – Stephen King

Where there is no imagination, there is no horror. – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Villainy wears many masks, none so dangerous as the mask of virtue. – Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp), Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it’s about finding the imagination and costume within. – Elvis Duran

If human beings had genuine courage, they’d wear their costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween. – Douglas Copeland

Being normal is vastly overrated. – Aggie Cromwell (Debbie Reynolds), Halloweentown

Some people are born for Halloween, and some are just counting the days until Christmas. – Stephen Graham Jones

There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch. – Robert Brault

Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see. – Edgar Allan Poe, The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether

Listen to them – the children of the night. What music they make!Dracula, Bram Stoker

Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. – Linus, Charles M. Schulz, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

🦇 Going Batty…

Decorations are ready to be hung, costumes ready to be worn, and candy ready to be put in bags. Let’s hope it makes it there. In the meantime, you have an invitation to join me for some Dead on Sunday. Until then, stay safe, stay approaching life with a sense of adventure,  and stay giving a little space and grace when a person needs it.

October 21, 2022 – Martin Accuses Anna Of Murder, Holly, Renewed, Nuclear, Non-Leak, New Side, RumbleCon, Just Go Away, Joking, Southern Touch, Story News, Pets (!), One More Than Ten Quotes & Anything

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In Jacksonville, Carly and Drew walk on the beach, Drew carrying the urn with Virginia’s ashes. He says, it’s so beautiful. There’s no rush. She can take as much time as she wants. They can come back tomorrow if she wants. She says, that’s okay; she’s ready.

Robert goes into the boathouse and says, oh my God. Holly is there wrapped in a blanket, and says, hello, Robert. He says, Holly? (like she might be someone else) and she says, it’s me. He kneels down and asks if it’s really her. She says, don’t tell her she looks so awful, he didn’t recognize her (like she doesn’t look like she did 20 years ago), and he says, it’s really her. She’s the most beautiful sight in the world. He hugs her.

Sasha tells Maxie, no one matching Lucy’s description was brought into the ER. Maxie asks if it’s a good thing, or a bad thing, and Sasha says she doesn’t know. On one hand, it could mean she isn’t hurt… Maxie says, but where is she? She’s been worrying non-stop since she got that call from the police. Sasha wonders why the police would be looking for Lucy. Maxie says, Dante was being intentionally vague, giving her that whole, I can’t discuss an ongoing investigation thing. He just wanted to know if she’d heard from Lucy. Austin joins them, and says he got Maxie’s weird text; what’s going on? Maxie says, Lucy’s missing.

Chase meets Brook at the Quartermaines, and asks if everything is okay; he saw the patrol car out front. She says, they found a woman in the boathouse, and he says, that doesn’t sound creepy at all. She says, they were hoping it was Lucy, since no one’s heard from her since yesterday, but Michael and Willow were just here, and apparently, it’s Robert Scorpio’s dead wife. Just another day at the Quartermaine’s.

Holly says she’s missed Robert too. Why does he look like he’s seen a ghost? He says, they all thought she was dead, and she asks why anyone would think that. He asks where she’s been for the last two years.

Victor’s attorney, Roz, says, this is so typical of Anna Devane. Everybody knows she’s made it her life’s work to send Victor to prison. Victor says he’s counting on that.

Jordan, Anna, and Martin look at the drone footage, and Jordan says, there’s Lucy. She turns, reacts, then she’s shot. Martin says, by Anna, but Anna says, she wasn’t there. Martin says, that screen says otherwise, and we see the shooter’s face. It’s Anna’s face, and she says, there’s an obvious explanation, but Martin says, she’s a murderer. She says, no. She’s being set up.

Holly tells Robert, she doesn’t know; everything is mixed up. She was on a boat… she thinks. He says he’d like to have her checked out for a concussion, but she says she’s fine. He says he’d like a doctor to tell him that. Shall we? On the side, Olivia asks how Holly got into their boathouse, but Ned says, her guess is as good as his. Dante comes in, and says, the ambulance is on the way. Holly says, ambulance? and Robert says, hospital, medical people, stuff like that. She says she just needs dry clothes and a shower, and he says, and a guy with an MD after his name. This is not negotiable. She says, still as stubborn as ever, and he says, look who’s talking. Dante introduces himself, and asks if she knows how she got to Port Charles. Olivia says, her last known location was Monte Carlo, and Holly says, she has no idea. Robert says, GH, now. She says, fine, but no ambulance. Where’s his car? He asks if she’d like to drive, and she says, is he kidding? They drive insane in this country. (Agreed.)

Austin says, if Lucy’s brought in, he’ll let Maxie know as soon as possible, and Sasha says she can’t stand to lose anyone else. Maxie tells her, it’s too soon to be thinking like that. Do they know anyone who’s tougher or more resilient than Lucy? Sasha says, no, and Maxie says, she’s a survivor. They have to think about that, and think positive. Mason comes along, and Maxie says she didn’t know he was still in town. She introduces Sasha, and Austin suggests they head home. He’ll give them a call if there’s any change. Sasha says, the thought of going back to her apartment is… and Maxie asks, when was the last time she ate? Sasha says she’s not hungry, but Maxie says, that’s not going to work for her, and steers Sasha toward the cafeteria. Austin says, Mason can’t be here, and Mason says, Austin keeps saying that like it’s his choice. They both know it’s not up to either one of them.

Anna says she didn’t shoot Lucy, and Martin says, they just watched her do it. She says, it’s not her. Jordan joins them, and says, the woman found at the Quartermaine boathouse wasn’t Lucy. Martin says, if Lucy is gone, it’s because Anna killed her, and Jordan tells him to keep his voice down. He asks why he should, and she says, he’s a lawyer. Of all people, he should know video footage can be altered. Anna says, it’s fake, and he says, of course (🍷) she would say that. Jordan asks if he really thinks Anna would shoot Lucy at point blank range, and Anna adds, and stand here and watch a video of it? Martin says, Anna is a lot more complicated, and maybe cold-blooded than she gets credit for, and why not? She’s a trained WSB operative, and he’s sure wrongfully accused is the first song they teach you in spy school. Anna says she knows he’s upset; she is too, but he needs to take a breath. She would never do anything to hurt Lucy. He says, don’t tell him to calm down. The last time he saw Lucy, she was storming off to confront Anna. Now Anna’s here and she’s not. So what happened on that pier? Lucy wouldn’t give Anna what she wanted? She threatened to turn things around, so Anna got rid of her. Anna says, this is all Victor, and Jordan says, wait here. She heads for the interrogation room, Anna on her heels. Roz says, finally, and Anna moves past Jordan, asking Victor, where is she?

Carly and Drew walk on the beach, as the cameraman perfects his crane shots. They get to a cliff, and Carly says, this is it.

Olivia tells Ned, Holly is a gutsy lady, but she could tell Holly was scared. Couldn’t he? He says, not remembering things that happened to you is scary, and she says she hopes Holly is all right. Did he see the look on Robert’s face when he saw her? Ned tells her, go to the hospital. Robert’s her friend, and could obviously use some support right now. Holly’s reappearance is a lot to wrap your head around. Besides, he can tell she’s dying of curiosity. She kisses him, they exchange I love yous, and she jets.

Mason says, he and Austin both answer to a higher power, and Austin says, God? Mason says, as far as they’re concerned, it might as well be. Face it, family’s forever, especially theirs. Robert wheels Holly out of the elevator, and she says, for the last time, she doesn’t need a wheelchair, and he says, for the last time, he wants a doctor to tell him that. And he thinks they found one. He wheels her over to Austin, who asks if he can help them. Robert says, this woman was found wandering on the Quartermaine grounds, but Holly says, she’s not this woman and she wasn’t wandering. Robert asks what she was doing there, and she says she doesn’t know. He says, memory issues. He’s concerned there might be a bit of damage there. She says she doesn’t want to be examined; she’s scared. Robert says he’s going to be with her every step of the way, and if there’s something wrong or there’s a problem, better that it happens here. She agrees, and introduces herself to Austin.

Carly says, this is her mother’s favorite spot. She would sit and watch Carly down below, catching hermit crabs. He says he can see it. Little Caroline, running around on the beach, not a care in the world. Scrambling over the rocks with a bucket. Did she ever try to take one of the crabs home as a pet? She says, she would show them to her mom, who would act impressed and amazed, and then they’d put them back because her mom said, this is their home. Then she would joke, and say, maybe one day it would be her home too. He says, now it will, and Carly says, it feels right. Laying her mother to rest at the ocean. There’s nowhere she’d rather be.

Chase wonders where Holly came from, and asks Brook if the Coast Guard found a boat nearby, but Brook doesn’t know. She brings him inside, and asks where he was this morning. He says he had an engagement with his niece, and she says, aka a tea party. She hopes Violet realizes she was having tea with a rock star. He says, let’s not go overboard, but she says, it’s not an exaggeration. Has he been following his social media accounts? He says, not really. Does that mean his set at The Savoy went well? She says, it didn’t go well; the people loved it. The video she posted has over 100,000 views already. This is huge. He’s going to be the next big thing.

Victor asks, what’s happened? Don’t tell him they found Lucy’s body. Anna says, so he killed her, and Roz tells Anna to watch her tone with her client. Jordan says, there’s no sign of Lucy’s body in the harbor. Tell them where she is. He says he doesn’t know, and Anna says, he’s lying. Jordan says, they watched the footage, and Anna says, his little show. He arranged for a drone to fly over the docks… Victor says, Anna’s become completely unhinged. Will someone tell him what’s going on here? Jordan says, they have a video of what appears to be a woman firing two shots at Lucy Coe, and Victor pretends to be mortified. He says he was clinging on to some hope that she was alive, and Anna flies around the table, but Roz blocks her from getting to Victor.

Maxie asks how Sasha is doing, and Sasha says, some days she feels like it’s going to be okay. Other days, she hangs out at the hospital because she doesn’t want to be home without him. Maxie says she remembers that. One of the worst parts of grief is that it’s not a straight line. It ebbs and flows, and she just wanted an end date. It’s unfortunate it doesn’t work like that. She’s here if Sasha wants to talk. Mason comes by, and says he was hoping to chat with Maxie before he leaves. He needs a favor.

Chase says, so Holly has zero memory of what happened, and Ned says, she doesn’t even know how she got to the US. Brook calls Chase over to show him the comments from his latest performance. That voice, those yes. I’m officially dead. Where can I get this song? Never mind the song, where can I get him? Chase says, that’s embarrassing, but Brook says, it’s incredible. They have to release the single by the end of the week, and an entire album by the end of the month. They have to give these people something to buy. Don’t worry; he’ll still be able to perform live. She misses that feeling of being in the spotlight, in front of hundreds of thousands of people. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s the studio calling about the session she booked. She steps out to the patio, and Chase tells Ned, Brook’s really in her element. Ned says, Brook’s having the time of her life. How about Chase?

Olivia gets to the hospital, and asks Robert how Holly is. He says, Austin is in with her now, and she asks how he’s doing, when Austin tells Robert he can come in. Robert says, well? and Austin says he thinks she’s great; no double vision, no headaches. No case of hypothermia. Holly says, this blanket is doing the trick, and Robert asks when she’s going to be admitted. Holly says she’s not, but Robert says he wasn’t asking her. Austin says, how about if he orders an MRI, and when he gets the results, they can discuss. Does that sound fair? Holly says it does, and Austin leaves. Robert sits down, and asks if anything has come back to her, but she says, not yet. He asks, what’s the last thing she remembers? and she says, it’s all so foggy. She was working for the WSB, and investigating a casino in Monaco. He says, Monte Carlo. He and Ethan turned the place upside down looking for her. She asks how Ethan is, and Robert says, last he heard, Ethan was pretty good, but he’ll be better once he knows his mother’s alive. She says she wants to hear his voice, but she has no way of reaching him. He gives her his phone, and says, it’s on him. He has to talk to Olivia about something. He leaves, and Holly looks at the phone.

Anna is hustled out of the interrogation room, and Jordan says, she needs to pull it together unless she wants to be arrested for assault. Anna says she just couldn’t stand looking at his smug face for one more second, and Jordan says, Anna is a professional; she knows better. Cool down. Anna tries to follow Jordan back in, but Jordan says, uh-uh. After that little display, Anna is out of this. Jordan goes in, and Roz says she wants Anna arrested. Jordan says, for? and Roz asks if Jordan didn’t see what Anna just did to her client, but Victor says, now is not the time. A woman is missing, possibly dead. Roz says, the shooter is female? and Jordan says, it looked that way, but they still have to analyze the footage. Victor says he assumes her tech experts are working on that. Lucy’s attacker has to be identified. In the squad room, Anna leaves a message for Robert to call her back as soon as he gets this. Victor has made his move. He’s trying to frame her for Lucy’s murder. Anna picks up the laptop to look closer, but Martin runs in with ADA Arden, and says, that’s tampering with evidence. Arden asks if this is the surveillance footage, and Martin tells her, watch it. Then have this woman arrested for murder.

Carly tells Drew, she hates that she lost fight to save the cemetery, but thinks Virginia would love being part of the ocean she loved so much. He says, two things can be true at the same time, and she says she’s beginning to see that. He says, life is quite the ride, and she says she hates that her mother’s life was cut short. She didn’t have the opportunity to say so many things she wanted to say. He tells her, it’s not too late to say them now. Go ahead. She takes the urn, and walks away from him. She says, Virginia, you were a good mom; you were a great mom. I’m so sorry I didn’t always make you feel that way. I wish I could say this to your face. I wish you could know my kids. I wish you could be a part of our lives, but we can’t go back, no matter how bad we want to. I hope you’ve been at peace, and I hope you continue to be. I love you, mom. She walks to the edge of the cliff, and pours out the ashes. The wind takes them out to the ocean.

Anna tells Martin, so he’s alleging she followed Lucy to a public pier, and shot her in full view of anyone who might come by. He just said she went to spy school. So surely she’d have had a more clandestine method to eliminate someone at her disposal. She basically put herself out there to get caught. Does he see that this doesn’t make any sense? He says he sees the woman who blackmailed him. The same woman who, when he refused to spy for her, threatened to destroy his life. She uses people any way she has to, to even the score in her petty grudges. With people like her and Victor, that gets dangerous real fast. He watched his own brother do it for years. When the stakes get too high, when something goes wrong, someone like Lucy gets in the way, she’s got to get rid of the problem permanently. Jordan comes out, and asks Arden, what’s going on? Arden says, nice of her to join them, and Jordan says she was questioning a suspect. Arden says, she can tell Victor that he’s free to go.  

Olivia asks how long Austin said the MRI would take, and Robert says, he didn’t. She says, he didn’t answer her question from before. How is he holding up? He says, she means with his deceased ex-wife turning up alive and well? It’s overwhelming, in a nice, warm, fuzzy way. She says, it’s a miracle. Now he gets the chance to say all the things he didn’t think he’d have a chance to say.

Dante tells Austin, he was wondering if he could get an update on Holly, and Austin asks if Dante is family. Dante says, no, and Austin says, then Dante knows he can’t tell him anything. Dante says, it’s for the investigation. He doesn’t need details. Are they going to be admitting Holly? Austin says he’s recommending she stay for observation, but you can’t make a patient stay against their will. Dante says, what about that memory loss thing? and Austin say, so much for no details. There doesn’t seem to be any physical reason for Holly’s memory loss.

Chase tells Ned, singing at The Savoy was great; connecting with the audience, getting lost in the music. Ned says he’s sensing a but, and Chase says, he spent the whole time waiting for it to be over. He enjoys singing… Ned says, but it’s not his passion, and Chase says, he enjoys making people happy, and who doesn’t love a crowd cheering for them? But at the end of the day, it’s not making a real difference. Ned says, like he would be if he were on the force, and Chase says, exactly. He wants nothing more than to be a part of that investigation, and find out who’s going around attacking people with a hook. He wants to take that killer off the streets. Ned asks if Brook knows about this, and Chase says, managing him means so much to her, and he can’t be a cop right now, which is entirely on him. He lost his cool, he punched Linc, and now he’s paying the price. Ned thanks him for defending his daughter’s honor, but Chase says, no thanks needed. He regrets the outcome, but he can’t say he wouldn’t do it again, which is why the suspension is totally merited, but it doesn’t make him miss being a cop any less. It’s pointless focusing on something he can’t have. He needs to focus on something he can control… for Brook’s sake.

Brook finishes talking to the studio, and sees an email from Dante. The subject says: Letter of support to get Chase reinstated. She deletes it, and the phone rings. She says, hello, Linc. What can I do for you?

Maxie says she’ll be glad to help Mason if she can. What does he need? He asks if she can talk some sense into Austin, and convince him to come home to Pautuck for Thanksgiving. They miss him something fierce. Austin walks up behind him, and Maxie says she didn’t mean to take Austin away from his family, but Austin says, she’s not taking him away from anything. He’s right where he wants to be. Maxie would be welcome too, of course (🍷), and her kids; Georgie, James, and Bailey, right? She says, that’s impressive, and Austin asks if Mason didn’t say he had to be on the road. Mason says, always looking out, and tells Maxie, think about Turkey Day. Austin says he’ll walk Mason out, and Mason says, gobble-gobble, as they leave. Sasha says, he’s an interesting guy, and Maxie says, yeah…  Are they cannibals??? I’m intrigued.

Victor thanks Arden for her interest in this case, and Arden says, as soon as she was made aware, she knew it required her attention. Anna tells Jordan, she’s got to get out of here. If Victor set her up – which she believes he has – he’s not going to stop with the drone footage. There’s going to be other false evidence out there against her. Jordan says, go, and Anna moves to the door, but Martin says, no. There’s no way Anna is walking out of here. Jordan says, Agent Devane isn’t under arrest. But don’t leave town. Anna says, understood, and leaves. Martin says, isn’t that sweet? Does Jordan give all her friends preferential treatment, or only the guilty ones? Victor says he’s not following. Does Martin think Anna did something to Lucy? Martin says he knows she did. You can see it plain as day on that video. Victor says, the Commissioner failed to mention that, and Arden says, since Jordan’s judgement is clearly compromised by her relationship with Anna, it’s her opinion Jordan be removed from the case.

Drew asks if Carly is okay, and she says she’s feeling so many things; mostly free. When she thinks about that emergency landing in Jacksonville, she was so frustrated. She just wanted to get where she was going, and that’s exactly what happened. Her mother needed her to be there, and she needed to be here for her mother. He says, divine intervention, and she laughs. She says, it gave her closure with Virginia, and reminded her of who she is, and what’s important to her. Her family and her friends… He says, hermit crabs, and she says, hermit crabs, and him. She’s been focused on everything she’s lost in these past couple years, and it’s been a lot, but she’s also gained something. He asks, what’s that? and she says, him. He dropped everything to help her. He slept on a really  bad couch. He says, the couch was not so bad, and she thanks him for helping her. It meant so much to her. He says, it meant as much to him. Watching her face her past made him take a good look at his own life. She says, what did he see?

Holly is wheeled back to the exam room, and Olivia and Robert join her. Robert asks, how’s the head? and Holly says, still attached. He suggests she give Ethan a call; maybe he’ll pick up now. Olivia says, not exactly the kind of message you can leave in a voicemail, and Holly says, sorry, she is? Olivia apologizes, and introduces herself, saying, she was at the boathouse earlier. She brought Holly some clothes for later. Holly says, that’s really thoughtful, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). It’s so wonderful to finally meet Holly. Although Olivia feels like she already knows her. She was in Monte Carlo with Robert and Ethan when they were looking for Holly. Holly should have seen what Robert went through to find her. She’ll let Robert tell her, but it was really something else. Holly says, he did all that for her? and he says he doesn’t know why she’s so surprised. He’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Brook comes in and tells Chase, they did it. They got him. She just knew this would work. He says, feel free to fill him in anytime, and she says, Linc called. He took the bait.

Austin tells Mason, do not involve Maxie in this, but Mason says, he’s not; Austin is. Because he deluded himself into thinking he can keep Pautuck separate from his life here. He can’t. In all honesty, Maxie and her kids would do better to stay as far away from Austin as possible.

Jordan says she’s following the evidence without making assumptions. Arden saw the video. Can she say, without question, that the shooter is Anna Devane? Arden says, without question? No. Jordan says, she’s sending the video to IT. They’ll do their best to see if it’s been altered in any way. Victor thinks it might be worth mentioning that whenever he was with Lucy and Anna’s name came up, Lucy was visibly uncomfortable. Martin agrees, and Victor says, he didn’t think anything of it at the time, but now he’s wondering if Lucy might have been afraid of Anna. Roz tells Jordan to add that to the evidence she’s following, even though it’s hearsay. Jordan asks if Victor is willing to make an official statement, and he says he supposes so. Arden asks if this means Jordan’s changed her mind, and Jordan says, if the shooter in the video proves to be Anna, she’ll reassess. Martin says he can’t listen to any more of this, and walks away. Jordan says, until then, nothing links Anna to Lucy’s presumed death

Anna puts on gloves, and opens her car. She wonders where evidence would be planted. She feels around the seats, and looks in the glove compartment.

Drew tells Carly, the life he came back to a year ago, wasn’t the one he left, and it took him a while to see it, but there’s beauty in that. She says, in new beginnings. He says, a new beginning for both of them, and she says, new beginnings can be scary. He says, they can, but they also can be exciting and hopeful, and full of possibility, and she says she likes the sound of that. He says, so does he. He smooths her hair back from her face, and asks, is this okay? She says, yes, and he doesn’t have to ask ever again. He kisses her, and we get a spinning crane shot like the one at the end of The Beastmaster when Dar kisses Kiri.

Sasha sees Martin at the hospital, and says she didn’t realize he was back in town. Has he heard from Lucy? He says, nothing, but he’s not giving up until they find her. He was actually here to check the ER. He knows it’s futile… She says, but better than sitting around waiting. He asks how she’s holding up, and she says she’s taking it day by day. It’s hard to think beyond that. He says he heard from the judge, and has an update on her future.

Brook tells Chase, right after she got off the phone with the studio, Linc called. He said he wants Chase to do a duet with one of his rising stars. Brook’s actually heard of her; she has a pretty big following. She thinks she has the perfect song for them to sing together. It will be huge boost for Chase’s career. He says, and one step closer to exposing Linc for the predator he is, and she says, that too. He says, this is really happening, and they hug.

Holly says she’d like to change into these clothes, but Robert says, she won’t be needing them, because she’s staying. Holly says, she’s not, and Olivia wisely says she’ll leave it between the two of them, and gets the hell out of there. Holly tells Robert, Austin said she’s fine, but he says, Austin never said anything remotely like that. She says, she will be once she’s had a long bath and a decent meal, neither of which she’ll get here. He says, he’s not going to win this one, is he? and she says, when does he ever win with her? She assumes the MetroCourt is still around, and he says, it is. She says, perfect. She’ll need a full English breakfast, and some tea, preferably with whiskey in it.

Arden says she’s sorry the police wasted Victor’s valuable time, but Victor says, all that matters is justice for Lucy. As the Commissioner said, just follow the evidence.

Anna looks in her amazingly neat trunk, taking out the few things in it. She lifts the bottom, where there are blankets stored underneath. Underneath the blankets, she finds a gun.

On Monday, Sasha says, the Judge made a decision on her guardianship: Mac says. Lucy may have been the victim, but is Anna the real target; and Anna tells Dante that there’s something he needs to know.

💕 And It Feels So Good…

Who Holly is, for those needing to catch up, and the feelings about her return.

🍻 Another Round…

This show sounds promising.

🧂 ShahBoom…

This does not compare to Teresa Giudice’s situation. I’m not a Teresa fan by any stretch of the imagination, but even I can see she was just a moron whose husband said, sign this, and she did. Jen is a whole other level of thief.

🍊 Was It With Paul…?

Is Noella even coming back? This is kind of a non-story.

🤸 Script Flipping…

I like Taylor, and she’s been through it. I’m interested to see what she brings to the mix.

https://people.com/tv/bravocon-2022-taylor-armstrong-went-through-so-much-rhobh-drama-different-side-real-housewives-of-orange-county/

🤼 BravoCon Smackdown…

I can’t imagine what they were like by the end of the night.

https://people.com/tv/bravocon-2022-melissa-gorga-calls-rhonj-costar-jennifer-aydin-toxic-trashy-for-throwing-drink-at-joe-gorga/

Andy isn’t going to be happy until there’s a lawsuit. And not that any of these cretins with money are any kind of role model, how did it get to be okay to throw drinks on people, shove them, and throw whatever is in front of you at them? I’ve noticed a lot of drink throwing on 90 Day Fiancé lately too. It’s not okay. Stop it. And if you do it to me, you’d best run fast.

💋 Don’t Go Away Mad…

Yeah, that’s the problem. She thinks she’s in the WME when it’s supposed to be a reality show.

💎 Not Funny…

They always say they’re joking when they realize it’s not well-received.

🍹 From Down South…

Patricia picks sides.

And makes no excuses.

https://www.bravotv.com/southern-charm/bravocon-2022/patricia-altschul-explains-whitney-sudler-smith-bravocon-absence-naomie-olindo-update

⚰️ About That Horror…

The latest on American Horror Story: NYC.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/michelelbird/ahs-nyc-cast-guide

https://ew.com/tv/american-horror-story-season-11-ahs-nyc/

🐹 But Of Course…

To make you feel warm and fuzzy after all that angst.

🌩 Quotes of the Week

Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them. – C.S. Lewis, Studies in Medieval Literature, compiled in Words to Live By

What are you waiting for? How long will you keep waiting? Don’t sit back and wait for life to happen to you. Have a plan and take the needed steps to create what you want. – Steve Maraboli (Dude is a real taskmaster.)

Healing comes from taking responsibility: to realize that it is you – and no one else – that creates your thoughts, your feelings, and your actions.Peter Shepherd

We can have peace if we let go of wanting to change the past and wanting to control the future. – Lester Levinson

Dare to be true: nothing can need a lie: A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby. – George Herbert

Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong. – Ella Fitzgerald

A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.Elbert Hubbard

This adoration of an artist as a lone genius is quite misled, I think, because they are very much part of their time and their community. – Hannah Gadsby

It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it. – Benjamin Franklin

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. – Marie Curie

I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people. – Isaac Newton

🛣 Easing On Down the Road…

See you when the bell tolls for the Dead. Until then, stay safe, stay getting all the facts before picking a side, and stay not being frustrated by emergency landings. Sometimes they get you where you’re going.

August 26, 2022 – Spencer Is Done With Nikolas, a Temp, Memories, Official, BH Clash, In the Book, Married, Renewed, Joining, Dead Spin, a Goodbye, Moonmen, 8 Great Quotes & Cruel

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Finn says, one blanket coming up, and walks in to find Elizabeth with his ringing phone in her hand.

Anna says she doesn’t remember the last time the Quartermaines hosted such a… Mac says, rabble? but she tells him, she was going to say event. He says, doesn’t she remember her wedding to Robert, with all the fancy hats that blocked out the sun? and she says, she remembers his girlfriend crashed the party. He says, Dominique always had a flair for the dramatic, when Lucy walks in with Felicia, and says, yes she did. Felicia hands Mac a drink, and says, he needs it more than she does. Anna asks, why? and Mac says, what’s wrong?

Britt asks Austin if she missed anything. Work was no picnic; pun intended. She wants to smack something around. Austin says, the next thing that gets smacked around is going to be her boy toy if he doesn’t stop flirting with his girlfriend. At the grill, Cody asks if Maxie wants some pork, and holds out a pork chop.

Inside, Victor wonders if Valentin brought a decent bottle of Bordeaux. Valentin pours a glass of wine, and says, if he brought a decent bottle of Bordeaux does Victor think he’d be drinking this plunk? The Quartermaines save the good stuff for themselves. He’s surprised to see Victor there. He looks a bit posh for a barbecue. Victor says he’s not there for the cuisine. Their family’s out of order, and Victor has to get them in line. He needs Valentin’s help.

Nikolas kisses Ava, but she breaks away, and says, it’s too late for words. It’s too late for kisses. It’s too late. He broke them the second he had sex with Esme. They see Spencer has walked in, and Nikolas says, Spencer… but Spencer says, don’t. What is Ava talking about? She says, he heard her. His father betrayed her with Spencer’s girlfriend.

Terry sits with her feet in the pool, and Yuri says, apologies. The bar is closed. Terry says, thanks for trying, and tells him, have a seat. He takes off his socks and shoes, and she says she hopes he didn’t mind leaving the party early. He says, the Quartermaines are busy, besides, she’s much better company. He sits next to her, and says, refreshing. She says, nice, huh?

Elizabeth says Finn will want to answer this, showing him the phone. Sarah’s on California time. It might be hard to connect if he doesn’t talk to her now. He takes the phone, and puts it down. He says he’d rather talk to her, and she says, enjoy the rest of his picnic. She starts to leave, and he says, please don’t walk away. Not now. Not like this. Don’t turn away from herself and whatever burden she’s carrying.

Maxie says she’s a vegetarian, and Cody asks if he has any takers. Austin steps up to the grill, and Britt says she didn’t know Cody was a grill master as well as a horse master. Cody says he’s really not, and Britt says she didn’t know he was capable of cooking something without burning it. Cody says he has to keep some secrets before date number two, and tells them that he needs to resupply. Maxie suggests Britt go with him, and Britt and Cody leave. Maxie asks if it’s burnt, and Austin says, it’s… this, indicating the pork chop She asks him to tell her the secret to a good pork chop, and he says, it’s the rub. Mason comes along, and says, nah. Any Gatlin worth his salt knows you can dress a barbecue up, but you won’t get what you want if you don’t turn up the heat.

Mac says, Dominique had a son, and he works for the Quartermaines? and Felicia says, so it would seem. Mac says, impossible. He would have known. Lucy says, what about Scotty? He should have known next. And what about her? She gave birth to Scotty and Dominique’s daughter after all. Anna says, she never gave any indication that she had a son? and Mac says, not once. Felicia says, it’s possible she kept the child a secret to protect him from her husband. Leopold Taub was a controlling monster; he even partnered with Faison. Anna says, a mother will go to any lengths to keep a child secret from an abuser, and Lucy says, you don’t realize who that child will turn out to be as an adult, which is precisely why she called Serena and told her not to come home anytime soon. She wants Serena to stay with her whales until they know more about this Cody person. Mac says, leave it to him, and Felicia follows him out. Lucy says she’s going to help, but Anna grabs her arm, and says she thinks they’ve got it. Besides, Lucy already has one man on her plate. Wait. Make that two.

Spencer says, Nikolas and Esme? but Nikolas says, it’s not the time or the place. Spencer says he’s not moving until Nikolas tells him everything, and Nikolas says, let’s talk about this later. Ava should have been more discreet. Ava says, don’t put this on her, and he says she knew Spencer was standing there. She says she doesn’t have eyes in the back of her head; do not make her the bad guy. They start screaming at each other, and Spencer yells, shut up! He needs to know. If this is just another one of Ava’s lies, that’s fine. Tell him. He knows what she is, and he knows who Nikolas is – his dad. Please… He starts to cry. Please say something. Nikolas says, it’s not a lie. He slept with Esme.

Cody says, it was right here, and Britt says, what? He says, the cooler, packed with burgers, hot dogs, ears of corn. Someone must have swiped it for one of the other grilling stations. She asks if this means his grilling duties are over, and he says, that’s up to Mama Q. She asks, he answers. She says she can’t see Olivia being okay with that nickname, but he says, she loves it. She knows it’s a term of affection. Does Britt have a nickname? She says she does. It’s definitely not a term of affection. He asks what her mother calls her, and she says, a disgrace, but Cody doesn’t believe it. He says, even when Obrecht was smacking him down, he could see her love for Britt. Britt says, mutter has gotten more sentimental these days, but she doesn’t want anyone to know. He says, all right. If she doesn’t want to share her mother’s nickname for her, what was her dad’s?

Maxie tells Mason, welcome. She didn’t think he was going to make it. Mason says he wouldn’t miss it. He needed to see how the other half grills. Besides, Cousin Austin insisted. He didn’t want Mason sitting around twiddling his thumbs. She asks if he’s an expert griller too, and he says, everyone in Pautuck is; some are better than others. He asks if Austin wants to flip over that chop, and Austin suggests Maxie take some food orders; see if her parents want something. Mason says, her parents are here? She should bring them over. He’d love to make their acquaintance.

Elizabeth says, Finn doesn’t know when to quit, does he? She told him… He says, if he brought up whatever’s troubling her again, they’d be over, and she says, so he brought it up with her sister instead? He tells her, he hasn’t said a word to Sarah, and she says, don’t argue semantics with her. He says he’d argue any point he could if he knew it meant helping her, and she says she never asked for his help. She never wanted it; she never needed it. She was just fine without it, but somehow he’s still meddling in her life.

Ava suggests Nikolas talk to his son in private. Here or at Windymere; she doesn’t care. She’s done. Nikolas says she should stay and watch the results of her ambush, but she says, he did this; no one else. He says, this is what she’s always wanted, to see his relationship with his son destroyed. It killed her to see them get close. She says, that’s absolutely not true, and he says, knowing she’d never get the chance to heal with Kiki the way he did with Spencer, but she’s the only one to blame for that. She smacks him across the face, and he says, the truth hurts, doesn’t it? She says, ask his son, and walks out.

Lucy says she agreed to make certain inquiries, so Marty wouldn’t ping on the government’s radar, and Anna says, or more important, his third ex-wife. Lucy says, this is going beyond the pale, but Anna says, not for Lucy. She could lead a master class extract secrets out of people. Lucy says, the old her, not now, and Anna says she’s not asking Lucy to do anything she wouldn’t do. She’s just asking Lucy to exploit the attention that Victor can’t wait to lavish on her. Just shake the tree until information about Valentin comes loose. Lucy asks, what makes Anna so sure she can get Victor to let his guard down? and Anna asks if Lucy has seen the way Victor looks at he. Lucy has the necessary assets to be her asset. Lucy says, nope. Flattery isn’t going to get her anywhere. Anna says, let’s hope for Marty’s sake she’s wrong.

Victor tells Valentin, he’s not asking for much; just another pair of eyes on a developing situation in Nikolas’s family. Valentin says, Nikolas, Ava, and Spencer all loathe him with varying degrees of justification, and Victor says he can’t do everything himself. It’s time his son stepped up and did his duty. If not for him, then for Valentin’s daughter. Valentin says, they agreed to leave his daughter out of this, and Victor says, her temporary stay in that boarding school could easily become permanent. Valentin says, you bastard, when Lucy walks in and asks if she’s interrupting.

Spencer asks Nikolas to please tell him this didn’t happen. He doesn’t understand. Nikolas says, of course (🍷) he doesn’t. Ava vomited that all up… Spencer says, she didn’t know he’d be here. She didn’t know he was standing right behind her. Nikolas says, Spencer doesn’t know that; he doesn’t know that. Never credit or defend Ava; she’s capable of anything. Spencer says, so is Nikolas. When did it start? How long have he and Esme been going at it? Nikolas says, just one time in May. They never repeated it. It was a mistake. Spencer says, Nikolas slept with his girlfriend, and Nikolas tells him, she said they’d broken up. Spencer asks if Nikolas is trying to justify this, but Nikolas says he’s just trying to explain. Spencer says he had his reasons. He had to keep Esme close because he was trying to help Trina. Nikolas says he knows that now; he didn’t know it then. All he knew is Spencer accepted Ava’s offer and took his inheritance over him. Spencer says, is that what this is about? Revenge? Nikolas says, no. He didn’t want to hurt Spencer. Spencer says, it may have actually meant something if Nikolas tried to hurt him, but they’re in the same place they’ve found themselves time and time again. Nikolas didn’t think. He didn’t think about Spencer at all.

Finn tells Elizabeth, he’s in the wrong. She asked him to honor her wishes, and obviously he didn’t. He’s sorry, but the truth is, she’s not the only one he’s concerned about. He’s worried about Violet. She says, how so? and he says, Violet loves Elizabeth and her cousins. When they’re all together, it’s all she talks about for days. Elizabeth makes her so happy. She brings light into Violet’s life, but less so lately. He knows the handling of her health is her decision alone, but he has a decision to make too, and he doesn’t know how to ignore the clear signs that she’s in some sort of distress. She says, it’s her distress, her burden, not his, and he sits. She says, what? and he says, at least they’re finally getting somewhere. She finally admitted she has a burden.

Terry says, Yuri worked for the Quartermaines as a bodyguard. Was it dangerous? He tells her, more, how you say… frustrateous? She says, frustrating, and he says, that. She says, from what she’s heard about the Quartermaines, she’s not surprised. Although she likes and respects Monica. He says, him too, and she says, it looks like they have something in common. She plays with her necklace, and he says, pretty. She thanks him, and says, it was a gift. He says, from a special someone? and she says, her mother. There’s no special someone in her life right now. He says, this is crime.

Austin tells Mason, Maxie’s dad is a cop. He’s Chief of Detectives at the PCPD. Mason says, if there’s any trouble, Austin only has himself to blame. He has obligations to fulfill. To whom much is given, much is required. Austin says, thanks for that, fortune cookie. His dept is repaid. Mason says, his creditors disagree. Ingratitude isn’t a good look on him. He doesn’t think Maxie would find it attractive. Austin says, leave Maxie out of this, and Mason says, he’s the one who brought her up. Or her father, or rather her Chief of Detectives father. He only wants what’s good for Austin. Austin says, the feeling’s mutual, and grabs Mason’s head with both hands, and says, that’s why he’s only going to say this one time. Leave Maxie and her family out of this, or the pain Mason is feeling right now will not be fleeting.

Anna says, she hates being lied to, but Valentin says he’s not lying. She tosses a cornhole sack, and we see his head popping out of the hole, like Whack-a-Mole. It hits him, and he says, ouch. She says, it didn’t look like it hurt quite enough. She’s trying again. Stay still. She hits him with another sack, and he says, ouch. She says, yes, and Maxie joins her. Maxie says, looks like fun, and Anna says, yeah. She gets a sack into the hole, and says, that’ll do.

Lucy says she’s so sorry. She certainly didn’t mean to interrupt a family moment. Victor says, it’s all sorted, and Valentin says, it isn’t, but Victor asks what he can do for her. She says she’s looking for… She sees a jar on the counter, and says, pickles. Outside, gherkins, gherkins everywhere, and not a dill to eat. He says, here you are, sliding the jar over, but slides it back when she reaches for it. She says, he’s playing with her, and he asks how he can resist. Valentin says, will he give the woman her pickles? He’ll see her for s’mores. Victor gives her the jar, but says, no need to rush away, and Valentin says, Martin Grey is probably looking for her. Victor remembers Martin, doesn’t he? Lucy’s boyfriend?

Britt says, back to her father. Surprise, surprise. Cody says, it was an innocent question, and she says he knows she doesn’t like talking about him. Cody says, he thought the boundaries were the Dr. Evil stuff. He didn’t realize, and wasn’t aware, her father was entirely off limits. She says, he’s aware now, and he says, okay, no dad talk. What about her brother? She says, Peter? and Cody says, is he out of bounds, or should they just avoid her whole family and stick with his? She says, good idea, when Felicia and Mac come alone. Felicia says, they’re sorry to interrupt. They’re looking for someone. Mac says he thinks they found him.

Maxie gets her toss in the hole, and Anna says, she’s a natural. Maxie is a natural leader as well. She never said congratulations yet about Deception’s IPO. Maxie thanks her, and says, it was a lot of work, but it helps to have a great team behind you. Anna says, including Valentin? and Maxie says, shockingly. He was a little more involved than she would have liked at the beginning, but he had some great ideas. He’s has been quiet lately. Anna says she noticed that too. She thinks he’s still convalescing from the injury he had a few months ago, and Maxie says, sometimes she thinks he still hasn’t recovered. It’s like his mind is someplace else. With Anna? Anna says, maybe, and Maxie says, what is she doing? She’s supposed to be taking orders. Has Anna seen her mom and dad? Anna says she hasn’t seen them in a while, but there here somewhere, and Maxie asks if she’d like something, but Anna says, she can’t eat when she’s thinking.

Lucy says, it’s the darndest thing. Martin is still out of town. Victor asks if he’s left Lucy unattended again. The man should be tarred and feathered. There is a solution though; allow him. Lucy says she was one leg short for the three-legged race, and he says, all his legs are at her service. Valentin says he’s been trying to reach Martin. Where is her one and only? She says, his mother. He’s so busy taking care of her, he’s had no time to answer her calls or texts. Victor says, a woman of advanced age does need a lot of attention. A dutiful son can be away for some time. Valentin says, he should be back soon, and Lucy tries to open the pickles, but she’s unsuccessful. She says she can’t get this lid unscrewed. Valentin snaps a picture on his phone, and says, if Martin can’t be reached, he’s sure this message will get his attention.

Cody asks if he knows Mac, and Mac says, not exactly. Felicia asks if he’s Cody Bell, and he says he is. She introduces herself and Mac, and Cody says, they’re Maxie’s parents. Nice to meet them. She’s great; he loves that girl. Did they hear about him through Maxie, or… Britt says, don’t be modest. Mac is Chief of Detectives. She’s sure his cops told him how they arrested Cody. Felicia says, to be honest, they only just heard about him, and came right over to meet him. Cody says, why is that? and Felicia looks at Mac. He doesn’t say anything, and she says, they knew Cody’s mother.

Austin keeps his grip on Mason’s head, and says, hurts, right? That’s the parotid nerve. It’s super sensitive nerve, and it hurts even more if you press on it like this. He presses Mason’s head down, and Mason says, let him go. Austin says, he’ll let Mason go as soon as he feels like they they’re understanding one another. Mason says, he can live with the pain – he grabs a knife from the cutting board – but can Austin live with a nicked artery? Austin lets go, and Mason says, blood or no blood, when he calls, Austin will answer, and it will be, yes, sir, and, thank you, sir, when he gives Austin instructions. Got it? Ava comes along, and says, loud and clear.

Nikolas says he knows sleeping with Esme was wrong, and Spencer says, Captain Obvious did it occur to him, not owning up to the truth was also wrong? Nikolas asks, what would be the point in telling Spencer? and Spencer says, not lying would have been the point, but Nikolas says he was more concerned with not hurting Spencer. And it didn’t matter to Esme. Spencer says he knows Nikolas didn’t do this on his own. Esme’s just as responsible. Nikolas says, that’s not what he’s saying. It shouldn’t have happened. Spencer says, he’d really like it if Nikolas would start calling it what it is. It is a betrayal, and there have been so many, including the years Nikolas let Spencer believe he was dead. He’s sick. Nikolas says he’ll never forgive himself for that, but how does sleeping with Esme compare to that? Spencer told Nikolas himself that he was just using her to get Trina out of prison. Spencer says, that is the worst part. Because he stopped loving Esme. She didn’t matter to him, but Nikolas did. He loved Nikolas. Nikolas was his dad and meant everything to him. No longer.

Finn tells Elizabeth, now is the time to get out in front of this thing before it digs in any deeper, before it harms her or someone else. She asks if he’s suggesting she’d hurt someone like she did Chase, and he says, not intentionally, but it’s clear to him that she has a problem. And despite all the denials, he thinks it’s clear to her too. Does she think maybe it’s clear to her boys? How does she think it is for them, seeing their mom struggling, and they can’t help her and don’t know how? And what’s going to happen if they reach out to somebody she doesn’t want them too, like her father? She says, don’t talk about her father. Why can’t he just leave her alone? He says, because he’s been there. He’s been in denial; he’s an addict. He’d probably be dead right now if certain people hadn’t fought through his lies and helped him. That’s why he can’t turn a blind eye when he sees someone in pain. What’s the point of being a doctor? She says, he’s not her doctor. He’s not her anything. She runs out, and he calls after her.  

Elizabeth comes out of the woods, and feels her head. She sees blood on her hands. She hears Finn’s words about her boys, and him asking, what if they reach out to her father? She flashes back to being at the top of the stairs with someone, and saying, don’t talk about my father. The woman asks what she’s doing; they probably don’t want her involved. Elizabeth says, don’t talk about her father. You’ll see what happens if you do. She keeps walking, then stops and looks back.

Cody asks how they knew his mother, and Felicia says, she didn’t know Dominique well, but Mac… Mac says, he and Dominique were friends. He met her when she was married to Cody’s father. Cody says, Mac has his deepest sympathies. From what he’s heard, Leopold Taub was a real piece of work. Mac says, no doubt about that, and Cody promises he’s nothing like that guy, at least as far as he knows, He’s definitely not in a criminal cartel, trying to hold Port Charles hostage. Mac says he doesn’t see a bit of Taub in Cody; plenty of Dominique though. She was a good person. Cody tells him, if you say so, and Mac says he does. Felicia says she’s starving, and suggests they rustle up some ribs. Cody says, the barbecue by the boathouse is out of supplies, so they’ll have to hit up another one. He asks if he can interest Britt in a beer inside, and she guesses it woudn’t hurt. He says, it never does, and tells Mac and Felicia, nice meeting them. Felicia says, him too, and Britt and Cody go into the stable. Cody says, weird guy. Outside, Felicia asks if Mac is okay, and Mac says, why wouldn’t he be? She says, he just lied to Cody.

As she plays with her necklace, Terry tells Yuri, a crystal’s a symbol of transformation. Her mother says, it’s a reminder that change is ongoing. We’re always creating or discovering new parts of ourselves. Sometimes change is big and visible, and sometimes you have to look closely to find it. He says, this crystal is helpful to her? and she says, yes. The clasp is loose, and she needs a new chain, because every time she plays with it – the chain opens and the necklace falls in the water – that happens. Yuri dives in.

Lucy says, Valentin doesn’t have to send Victor those pictures. In fact, she bets she could get ahold of him right now, and make sure he contacts Valentin immediately. As for Victor, she’s so sorry. She just remembered she has to meet Brook, but she sure hopes they can do this again sometime maybe. He holds a pickle spear out to her, and says, no maybe about it. She takes her pickle, thanks him, and leaves. Valentin says, Victor always wants what he can’t have, and Victor says he gets what he wants. It just takes a little patience. But rather than concerning himself with Victor’s personal affairs, perhaps Valentin should focus on his own. Or is Anna proving too hard to handle?

Ava says, good evening, as she walks closer, and Mason puts the knife back. She says, is everything okay here? Mason says, he and Austin were just arguing the merits of medium rare versus well done. She asks what they decided, and Austin says, well done. She says she came out to find a refill, but it looks like she’s out of luck. She looks at them weird, and says, so carry on, gentlemen. She leaves, and Mason starts to follow, but Austin says, don’t even worry about her. Mason says he doesn’t worry, and leaves. Austin follows. I actually get confused for a moment, thinking, aren’t Ava and Austin good friends? But that was Ava and Todd. I mean, Franco.

Nikolas says, Spencer doesn’t mean that. They’ve come too far to let their relationship go. Spencer says, everything he’s done since he came home was to bring them closer; every gamble, every stupid mistake, every act of contrition. All to get his dad back. And for every step he took closer to Nikolas, Nikolas took two steps backwards. There’s no closing that gap now. He thought he knew who Nikolas was, but he doesn’t. He’s done with Nikolas. He walks out.

Mac asks how he lied to Cody, and Felicia says she’s not sure the word friend accurately captures Mac’s relationship with Dominique. He says, ancient history. They guy obviously has mother issues he needs to work out. There’s no reason to add one more thing to his list.

Cody hands Britt a beer, and says, where were they? Oh yeah. She was about to tell him about her brother. She says, no. He was about to ask her if he was allowed to ask about Peter. He says, is he? and she says, stick to your favorite color crayon, worst remake, best Toto song. He says, burnt sienna, he never watches remakes and never will, and Rosanna. She says, Africa, and he says, too obvious. And how is it fair her brother is off-limits, just like when he brings up any of her other family members? She says she thinks about Peter and Faison nearly every day, and talking about them only makes it worse. He takes her beer, and puts it on the table with his, and says, fine. Enough talking. He moves closer to her.

Lucy finds Anna, and Anna asks how it went with Victor. Lucy says, Victor fell for her, hook, line, and pickles, but Valentin was there, so there wasn’t anything of interested revealed. But there’s a heck of a lot of tension between father and son. Anna asks, how so? and Lucy says, she would recognize a thwarted and disgruntled Valentin, but it wasn’t just that. Valentin was going for the jugular when she interrupted them. So her sense is, big daddy has Valentin on a very short leash, and that leash is beginning to chafe. She takes a bite of her pickle, and walks off.

Victor says, he’s noticed Valentin and Anna have become close since Valentin’s return from Tahiti. Has it clouded Valentin’s judgement? Valentin says, he told Victor, he has Anna well in hand, and Victor says, with a little cultivation, he’ll have the lovely Lucy in his hand soon. So a be chum, and delete that photo. Valentin says, yes, father, and does. Victor says, Charlotte would be proud, pats Valentin on the shoulder, and leaves.

Spencer chugs a beer, and goes into the cooler for another. Nikolas asks how much he’s had to drink, and Spencer gives him the standard answer, not nearly enough, but Nikolas says, he’s had plenty. He tries to take Spencer’s beer, and grabs him. Spencer says, let him go, and they struggle. Nikolas says, he’ll never let Spencer go, and Victor comes along, as Spencer breaks away. Spencer says, he’s let Nikolas go. He’s done his last good deed, and now Nikolas can go win Ava back, without even considering Spencer. Good luck. Spencer leaves, and Victor says, what the hell? What just happened? Nikolas says, Ava happened. Oh, I see. Nikolas has changed not-at-all, and is going to blame all his mistakes on Ava.

Mason walks through the boathouse, and says, he thought she came this way. Austin says, can’t he just let this go? but Mason says, she heard them. Austin says, she heard a family squabble, but Mason says, it was more than that. Austin says, Ava doesn’t know that, and Mason says, he can’t take the chance, and neither can Austin.

Yuri brings back Terry’s necklace, and sits next to her again. He says, it’s only water; it will dry. She laughs, and he says, wear it? She says, of course (🍷), and he puts it on her.

As Ava walks, we see someone take a pair gardening gloves, and  a hook is taken from a row of them. Ava says, to Windymere. Living there was nice while it lasted. Hook guy comes up behind her, and she says, if Scotty’s worth his fee, he’ll pry it from Nikolas before the divorce. To divorce. The hook comes down, Ava doubles over. She looks down to see it sticking out of her stomach.  

On Monday, Cody asks Britt, what’s so awful about them being into each other; Finn tells Elizabeth, don’t shut him out; Sonny tells Anna, he can neither confirm nor deny that; and Ava asks someone not to leave her.

😴 Ho-Hum…

Temp Michael is coming back. Again.

💖 Charming Remembrance…

She’s also celebrating her 45th GH Anniversary.

💑 She Likes Him…

I’m glad Sutton has found a man. He seems like a good match for her.

💎 A Feud In Them There Hills…

Diana needs to take a step back, and Garcelle needs her own show. Google me is one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time.

https://www.distractify.com/p/garcelle-beauvais-diana-jenkins-feud

I actually don’t believe this, but then again, who knows?

https://screenrant.com/why-rhobh-fans-diana-used-bots-attack-garcelle/

☎️ Another Number…

I’m not sure why this isn’t in the Who Cares? file. It’s not like they were all kinkballs. At least I hope not.

👰🏻 Knot Officially Tied…

She finally did it. I wish them the best.

https://people.com/tv/vanderpump-rules-stars-scheana-shay-brock-davies-get-married/

🐉 That Was Quick…

I’ll have to hurry up and watch this. The article also contains a recap video.

☠️ Oh Boys…

Another one I have yet to watch. Now there’s even more incentive.

⚰️ Spinning…

I see the both of them are also producers. Smart move.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/walking-dead-maggie-negan-spinoff-new-title-dead-city/

🥀 Goodbye To a Peachy Guy…

He was one of those actors who was in everything too.

https://people.com/tv/beverly-hills-90210-actor-joe-e-tata-dead-at-86/

🎶 On Sunday…

I don’t know if this is everything you need to know, but it’s a lot.

https://ew.com/awards/mtv-video-music-awards-2022-everything-to-know/

📣 Quotes of the Week

Look around you. Everything changes. Everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing and changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant. – Steve Maraboli

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. – Frederick Douglass

I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.George Washington

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. – Søren Kierkegaard

I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature. – Paulo Coelho

The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state… Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. – James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

My responsibility to myself, my neighbors, my family and the human family is to try to tell the truth. – Toni Cade Bambara

We were good before things went bad. – Silas Clay (Michael Easton, 2013-1015), General Hospital

🏃🏽‍♀️ Never Gonna Break My Stride…

Time to kick back and fill your head with good things. Take in some nature. Or if you’re a rural dweller, take in some concrete. Inviting both city and country mice to join me on Monday for some soap and what’s on Deck in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay not limiting your friendships to those who think like you, and stay not keeping all the good stuff for yourself.

July 8, 2022 – Victor’s Plan Fails, NYC Sale, Awful Humans, Charm News, Disgusting Weasel, Where They Are, About Plath, Spicey, What a Doll, Good Deed, 8 Of Quotes & Under

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase calls Brook just as she’s walking into the pool area. He says, don’t hang up. He thinks they need to talk. She says, no time like the present, and he realizes she’s right there. She comes over to where he’s sitting, and he wonders why it feels like déjà vu. She says, maybe because they apologize to each other two or three times a day. You’d think they’d be used to it by now. He says, maybe that’s it, and she says, since they’ve played this scene before, could they just fast forward to the part where they’re friends again? He says, they could, but he doesn’t know if they should.

Alexis says, Gregory’s op ed is less of an opinion and more of a hit piece. The Invader’s interjection of opinion into the reporting of facts is not only lamentable, but an ethical slippery slope? He says, she issued a challenge; he accepted. Now the question is, can she set her ego aside and accept his? She says, his ego? and he says, his challenge.

Finn says, what does Doc mean, Elizabeth is gone? and Doc says, Finn just missed her; she checked herself out. Finn asks if that’s a good idea, but Doc says, she came of her own volition. She had the power to leave any time. Finn asks if Doc is saying Elizabeth left against his recommendation. Then Doc knows as well as he does that’s a mistake.

Terry asks if Britt can look at this, holding out her tablet, and Britt asks if it’s boring. Terry says, yes, and Britt says, then she lives for it. She takes the tablet, and Terry says, Epiphany made some last minute changes to the nurse’s rotation. Also, she wanted ask Britt about that Society Set-Ups mixer. Britt says, oh God, what now? A new GIF from another angle? Terry says, nothing like that. She was so impressed with the clientele, she signed up. Britt hopes Terry has better luck than she did, and asks if they have enough coverage for tonight. Elizabeth joins them, and says, problem solved. She’s back and reporting for duty. Where do they need her?

Olivia comes into the stables, and Cody says, Mama Falconari. She says, it’s Quartermaine now, and he says he knows, but he’s thought of her as Mama Falconari for all these years, so he hates to break tradition. She says, then don’t; she answers to both. He asks, what can he do for her? and she says, he already has. He’s made a forever friend in her son Leo. He says, Leo’s a great kid, and she says, he can’t stop raving about Cowboy Cody, and how he can answer any question about horses. He says, it’s nice to have an appreciative audience, and she says, it’s funny. He grew up making trouble with her one son, now he’s showing the ropes to her other one. He says, handling horses is a lot like getting to know people… Sometimes it’s a lot easier. She says, in regard to her son Leo, horses are a lot smarter than the men in her life, and Ned walks in.

Valentin comes into the MetroCourt Garden, and sees Laura texting. He says he’s glad he found her. Does she mind if he joins her? She says, not at all, and he sits. She asks if Charlotte is all right, and he says he believes so; why wouldn’t she be? She asks why else he’d be seeking her out, and he says, Charlotte is healthy and safe, and he promises there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to make sure she remains so.

On the phone, Anna says, C-A-S-S-A-D-I-N-E, first name Valentin, as Victor lurks around behind her. She says, he was recuperating at their clinic several weeks ago. She knows they wouldn’t normally release that kind of patient information, but this is an ongoing official investigation with the WSB… Yeah, she can send over her credentials immediately. Could they please have the director call her back at this number… She thanks them, saying, she appreciates it. Victor says, good morning, Agent Devane, and she asks if he’s stalking or lurking. He says, out for a morning constitutional is all, and she says, an agenda-free stroll. Why doesn’t she believe him? He says he would have announced himself, but he saw she was preoccupied investigating his son.

Brook says, Chase doesn’t want to be friends? but he says, of course (🍷) he does, and they are. She says, okay, then what? and he says he just thinks they don’t bring out the best in each other; that maybe their friendship, as much as it means to both of them, isn’t healthy. She says, he may have a point. The pattern they’ve fallen into with all the fighting and apologizing. Not to mention it made him punch someone. You could say it’s… He says, childish? Co-dependent? She tells him, she was going to say tricky. Forget about being a cop; he could work for Webster’s. He asks how she’d benefit from that, and she says, ouch. He says he’s sorry, but she says, don’t be; she deserves it.

Gregory says he realizes Alexis hasn’t had time to do more than skim the op ed, and she says she can’t wait to sit down and take it all in. He says, the gist of it is, The Invader coverage blurs the lines between objecting reporting and editorializing. He challenged her staff to commit to objectivity at all costs. She says, first of all, The Invader is a newspaper, not a wire service, and he asks if she’s saying only wire services can be objective. She says, secondly, the newspaper has to have a point of view, and he says, still, The Invader is miles ahead of where it was when Peter August was at the helm. She asks if he’s damning her with faint praise, but he says, not at all. The Invader can become a journal not unworthy of respect, and she says, as an editor, she needs to point out the double negative, but he says he used it for effect. She says, sure he did, and he says, still, as far as The Invader has come, there’s still room for improvement – for both of them. She says, he’s just chock full of suggestions – she points to her phone – thousands of words of them, most of them scathing. He says, listening to her now, he’s reminded of a criticism he omitted, and she says, there’s more? He says, her penchant for hyperbole, and she says, you know what she thinks? He says he’s eager to hear, and she says she thinks the good professor is so accustomed to dusty dry tomes, and just isn’t used to contemporary journalism. He says, and if he may? and she says, by all means. He says he concludes, the humble – that’s irony, by the way… She says she recognizes it, and he says, the humble editrix is unused to being challenged.

Doc says, Finn knows he can’t discuss specifics of Elizabeth’s treatment, and Finn says, he doesn’t need to explain doctor/patient confidentiality to him. He doesn’t want the details; he just wants Doc’s honest determination. Did Elizabeth discharge herself prematurely? Doc tells him, look, all he can say is, if a patient no longer wants intensive therapy, it’s their call. As for Elizabeth, he takes heart in knowing she has a good support system at home. Finn says, as long as she doesn’t push everyone away, and Doc says, then he’s afraid it’s going to take time and patience. Finn says, he’ll hang back. He’ll give her time. It seems like that’s all he’s doing these days, but how does he know if he’s giving her the space to heal or the room to relapse? Doc says, he doesn’t.

Terry says, Elizabeth didn’t tell her that she was coming in today, and Elizabeth says, it’s time; she’s ready. Britt says, it’s good to see her, and Elizabeth thanks her, saying, it’s good to be seen. So how about it? Put me in, coach. Britt says she’d be happy too, as soon as she hears from HR that Elizabeth is cleared, and Elizabeth suggests they skip the red tape. It sounds like they’re shorthanded. Britt says, while she loves the enthusiasm, the hospital has policies, protocol where… Elizabeth says she knows what protocol is. She’s worked here longer than Britt. Terry says, hang on, Biz, and Elizabeth says, Britt was probably hoping she got rid of her for good. Britt says, actually she was hoping Elizabeth had a speedy recovery and returned to work soon. She’s an excellent nurse, and yes, they are short-staffed. Elizabeth says, then what’s the problem? and Britt asks if she needs flash cards. If Elizabeth wants to come back, then she needs to be cleared by HR. So go to HR and get cleared. Elizabeth says, this is so like Britt. She’s sure Britt has convinced everyone else that she’s turned over a new leaf, but she can see pretty clearly, the Britch is back, and bitchier than ever.

Victor asks what possible reason Anna could have for looking into Valentin’s private medical records, and Anna asks if he’s ever heard the quote, we don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are. He asks her point? and she says, given his villainy, it makes sense he would ascribe nefarious intent to others. He says, cynicism is an ugly look on such an attractive woman, and she says, so is misogyny on such a dapper man. Yet here we are. He laughs, and says, she’s such a joy, and she says she tries. He says, always a quick rebut, and the appropriate literary reference. The question, however, remains, does Valentin know she’s a spy, in and out of the bedroom? She says, yes; why? He says he’s asking as a concerned parent. What exactly is the nature of her relationship with his son? She asks, what exactly is his?

Laura tells Valentin, she doesn’t say this often enough, but she’s actually grateful that Charlotte has him to watch out for her. He says, that’s nothing he’d expect to hear her say, and she says, they’ve had their difficulties in the past, but she can’t deny he’s an excellent parent. He thanks her, and says, coming from her, that means more to him than he can express. She says, if this little visit isn’t about Charlotte, to what does she owe the pleasure? and he says, just a drink between friends. He tells the waiter that he’ll have a bloody Mary, and Laura says she’ll have an iced tea. The waiter says, coming right up, and Valentin says, just an iced tea? She says, day drinking is not a good look for the mayor, especially after an attempted recall, and he says he’s glad that ridiculous attempt to oust her failed. She was a wonderful mayor, and Port Charles thrived under her leadership. She asks, why does he talk about her tenure in the past tense?

Brook says, when she offered to manage Chase’s singing career, she really did it to help him, and he asks, what percentage was to help him? She says, 90, and he looks at her. She says, 85, hand to heart, and he says he believes her. She says she hates that he’s out a paycheck, for defending her honor – again. He says, his actions were his own, and she says, but she put him in the middle of her mistakes… and two guys anyone would want to punch. He says, that is true, and she says, so even though it wasn’t her main goal when she was pitching the idea to him, the revenge part kind of slipped in. He says, so it wasn’t always there in the back of her mind? and she says, of course (🍷) it was. He says, then why not come out and say it; tell him the plan from the get-go. She says, because she didn’t want him to think she was using him, and he says, was she? She says she’s a Quartermaine. Self-interest is kind of in her DNA. She puts her hand on his knee, and says, on her word, nothing is more important than helping him.

Ned says, Olivia? and Olivia tells Cody, and here’s one of those men right now. Ned says he’s been looking for her. Can he speak to her about something? Cody says he’ll leave them alone, but Olivia says, they wouldn’t dream of interrupting his work, and tells Ned, she was just thanking Cody for being such a good friend to Leo. Ned says, Leo seems to think Cowboy Cody stepped straight out of a John Ford Western, and Cody says he’s lived a lot of places. Home is wherever you hang your hat. Ned says, about that. Since Cody will be interacting with his son, he took the liberty of going over Cody’s employment history. Seems like he doesn’t stay in one place for long. Should they already be looking for a replacement? Olivia says, Ned… and Cody says, no worries, Mama Q. He has been bouncing around for a while, that’s true, but their kind employment has gotten him doing exactly what he wants to do, exactly where he wants to do it. Don’t worry. He’s not going anywhere.

Britt tells Elizabeth, that’s enough, Nurse Baldwin. Clearly she’s still under duress. So leave now, while she still has a job. Elizabeth says, Britt can’t fire her; she’s union. Britt says she doubts Elizabeth’s union rep will come running to her defense, and as Chief of Staff… Elizabeth says, Co-Chief, and asks Terry if she’s going to let Britt threaten her like this. Terry says she’s sorry, but she has to agree with Britt. Elizabeth’s out of line.

Victor says, if Anna is curious about the deepening bond he has with his son, why ask him? Ask Valentin. Anna says she knows what Valentin’s intentions are when it comes to Victor; now she wants to know Victor’s. What does he want with Valentin? He says, what any parent wants. To see their child excel; to uplift and exalt the family. Most of all, to make him proud. Anna says, okay, and he says, she seems confused. She says, the relationship Victor is describing doesn’t sound reciprocal. It sounds like he’s using Valentin. And knowing what Victor is capable of, compels her to ask, to what end?

Valentin tells Laura that he’s sorry; he misspoke. He meant say, she is a great mayor, and Port Charles continues to thrive…  With all the machinations of ELQ, he’s not sleeping. She says, she’s not going anywhere, and he says he hears the all-stars gathered at Charlie’s to celebrate her. She’s much loved and very respected. Her phone rings, and she says she has to take this. She steps away, the waiter brings the drinks, and Valentin puts something powdered in her iced tea that’s probably not Splenda. After he’s done, with convenient timing, she comes back, telling him, it was Doc. A patient canceled, so he’s on his way over. Valentin says, he certainly won’t be a third wheel, so until Doc arrives, they should make the most of their time. They clink glasses, and as Laura is about to take a sip, her phone dings. She says, what a coincidence; it’s Charlotte. He asks if everything is all right, and she says, everything’s fine. Charlotte was just thanking her for the care package she sent. He says, he wasn’t aware Charlotte needed anything, and she says, it was hardly disaster relief. It was just the new book by her favorite author, and a couple little other fun things she thought Charlotte might enjoy. He says she’s sure she appreciates it, and Laura says, Charlotte’s mother is still not able to be present, so she tries to fill the void when she can. He says, Charlotte’s lucky to have her, and she says, and him. And Charlotte’s not the only lady in his life that feels that way. Anna seems to have grown very fond of him.

Victor says he’ll tell Anna what his plans are for Valentin, provided she tells him why the furtive call to check up on him. She says she’ll never explain herself to him. They can remain mysteries wrapped in riddles inside enigmas forever. He says, it’s obvious to him that she and Valentin don’t know each other nearly as well as they claim to. Nor do they trust each other, which is a pity. Because without trust, she’s nothing more to Valentin than a comely diversion.

Gregory says, for someone who takes issue with his subjective opinion, Alexis certainly prints a lot of them, and calls it hard news. She says, her paper takes stances on vital issues alongside fact-based articles, like the fact-based articles they did on city hall. He says, so will The Invader next be printing an interview with the exculpated mayor? and she says, she doesn’t see why not; they printed the petition against her. He says, she’s still relatively new to journalism. It’s a subject he teaches at university level. She says she’s sure it’s easy for him to sit on his high horse behind ivy walls, but while he’s talking about journalism theory, some of them are out in the field doing actual reporting.

Brook says she’d hoped Chase would see that his intentions were sincere, and when he didn’t… He says, she thought he was overreacting, and she says she did, until she talked with her dad. He helped her see that she probably should have run the whole plan by him, including the revenge plot. He says he also talked to his father. His father and brother urged him to give her the benefit of the doubt. She says, they did? and he says, they saw she was just trying to help him, and… She says, and what? and he says, they don’t seem to think her proposition is as crazy as he does. She gets up, and says, great. Then it’s settled. They move forward with her plan. He says, whoa. Pump the brakes, Quartermaine.

Elizabeth says she can’t believe Terry is taking Britt’s side, and Terry says, Elizabeth knows if she’s on anyone’s side, it’s hers. Elizabeth says, then let her come back to work, but Terry says, no; she’s not ready. Elizabeth says she’s fine. She just can’t stand the way Britt acts like she’s queen of this place. She’s Co-Chief of Staff, not God. Terry says, she is, and Britt asked Elizabeth to go to HR, the same as she would have. Elizabeth says, she was at that clinic voluntary. Why does she need to go to HR? Terry says, for liability purposes, she still needs medical clearance. Did her doctor at Shadybrook sign off? Elizabeth says, she signed herself out, which is her right, and Terry says, it is her right, but was it right for her? Elizabeth says she appreciates Terry’s concern caring for her doesn’t give Terry the right to question her decisions. She shouldn’t have to justify herself to anyone. She turns around and sees Finn.

Chase says he hasn’t agreed to Brook’s pop star scheme, and she says, but he will. It’s inevitable, so why waste time? He says, it’s doubtful it’s going to do either of the things she wants; get him paid or give Linc what he deserves. She says, maybe not, but they don’t know until they’ve tried, and he says, he’s not the pop star she’s envisioning. She says she’s not suggesting they put him in a Spandex onesie and throw glitter all over him, and he says, he doesn’t think the PCPD will value a singing detective as much as she does. She says, if after his suspension, he wants to go back to being a detective, she’ll totally support that. But while he’s in limbo, why not take the road not traveled? Maybe this setback will lead to a new passion. He says, a new passion can be a risky proposition, and she says, but the rewards could be greater than they ever dreamed.

Gregory says he didn’t write the op ed to insult Alexis. In fact, he admires what she’s done in such a short time. She thanks him for that, and says, she’s sure he understands that in the era where news is a click away, she has to distinguish the paper. He says, when she reads what he wrote, she’ll see he doesn’t fault her for that. He merely offers constructive ideas to help maintain integrity in reporting. She says she’ll read the whole op ed piece, put her wrath aside, and let him know if there’s a place for it. She starts to leave, and he says, if she stands by her vision for The Invader, she won’t have a problem printing every word.

Olivia says she’s glad Cody is sticking around. She’d hate for Leo to lose him. Cody says he’d hate to leave behind a brand new friend. Leo is stuck with him. Ned says, that’s good to hear. They’ll let him get back to work. Cody goes in the back, and Olivia asks if Ned is planning on alienating every single person in this house this week. He says he guesses he could have been a little more tactful, and she says, he couldn’t have been less. He says he was just looking out for Leo, and she says she knows that. He says, it looks like he’s been inconsiderate and self-centered all around, and she says, if that’s the road he wants to go down, she’s not going to stop him. He says, and because she deserves to hear this as often as possible, he should have looped her in on his decision making process about his ELQ vote. She says, yes he should have. It’s not like she’s asking for veto power over all his business decisions, but she does expect communication in the marriage. And she’s just going to pray for peace in this family. He says he let her down and he know that; he’s sorry. Now he needs to know they’re okay. She puts her arms around his neck, and says, they’re a team. If they stick with that, they’ll be fine. She kisses him, and he asks if there’s something else bothering her. She says, he picked up on that, and he asks if it’s anything he should know about. She says, things may be fine at home, but at work… it’s all falling apart.

Britt thanks Terry for the back-up, and says she knows Elizabeth is Terry’s friend. Terry says, Elizabeth is her best friend, and Britt says, great. Maybe Terry can tell her what the hell is going on with her BFF.  

Elizabeth walks with Finn, and he says, she looks good. She thanks him, and says she feels good. The pills are out of her system, so no more sleepwalking. He says, that’s a great start, and she says, start? She was at that clinic for weeks. She did the work, and she’s better. Believe her, if she felt like she was a danger to herself, her boys or her patients, she’d still be at Shadybrook. He says, he knows how committed she is to the people in her life. He thinks they’d just like to return the favor. She says she knows, and he asks, then why didn’t she tell anyone when she discharged herself? Or was he the only one who didn’t know?

Anna says, Victor doesn’t know the first thing about her and Valentin. They go back decades, and unlike Victor, his concerned father, she’s been there for him. He says, this isn’t a competition, and she says, if it were, he’d lose. He says, the difference is, unlike her, he trusts Valentin. He relies on Valentin to do what’s expected of him. She says she trusts Valentin too. She just doesn’t trust the people around him. He says, that makes two of us.

Valentin says, Anna spoke to Laura about him? and Laura says, she did. He says, anything she can repeat? and she says, it seems Anna has found a kindred spirit in him. He asks if that’s what she said, and Laura says, it’s not so much what she said, but how she said it, or how she didn’t say it, as the case may be. She does seem to have found the good in him. He says he told Laura it was there, and she says, he did. He seems to get Anna in a way most people don’t; kindred spirits. She just hopes Anna’s faith in him isn’t misplaced. She’s about to take a sip of her tea, and Valentin reaches for the pepper mill, practically shoving it in her face, so she spills her drink. She gets up, brushing herself off, as Doc comes in.

Alexis says, as she told Gregory, The Invader welcomes all viewpoints, even his. She’s sure after it’s proof read, it will be submitted into the next issue. He says, good to hear. Print and digital? She asks, exactly how many platforms does he need? and he says, it’s easier to read the commentary online; he likes the readers chiming in. She says, so he’s pretty sure the feedback will all be in his favor? and he says he suspects many will agree, with tweaks, The Invader is on its way to being a great source of information. She says she suspects the readers will already attest to what they’re doing right, and he says he looks forward to reading their reactions… providing the feedback is uncensored. She asks, what the hell is that supposed to mean?  

Anna’s phone rings, and she says she has to take this. She steps away, and Director Gibson says they received her credentials, and he can confirm Valentin Cassadine was a patient there. Anna thanks him, and says, that’s what she needed to know, but he says, however, his convalescence didn’t occur on the dates she provided. According to their records, he discharged himself after a week. The end date she provided… She says, exceeds that by a lot, and he says, exactly. He’s sure she can’t divulge the nature of the investigation, and that’s fine, but his priority is that the clinic not be held liable for any health implications caused by his early departure. She says, that won’t be a n issue, and he says, great, and asks if there’s anything else he can help her with. She says, no. He’s helped her more than he knows. Victor approaches her, and says, problem? but she just walks away.

Valentin says he’s so sorry, and tells Laura to send him her dry cleaning bill. She says she will, and Doc asks, what happened here? Valentin says he’s afraid Doc arrived to witness a rather inelegant lunch with the pepper. He tells the passing waiter, another iced tea, and says, as he was telling Doc’s wife, he hasn’t been sleeping well, and it’s made him clumsy. Doc says he’s never known Valentin to be clumsy before, but Valentin says, it happens. He apologizes. He looks at Laura, and says he’s so very sorry, and she says, just when things were going so well. Valentin jets, and Doc asks, what’s all this about? She says she wishes she knew. She’s just as confused as he is. Valentin asked to join her, and they had a surprisingly civil conversation. Doc says, he’s about as social as he is clumsy, and she says, today he was both. Doc asks why he doesn’t believe any of it, and she says, because he’s keenly perceptive and smart. He thanks her and kisses her hello, and she asks how things are with him. He says, today could have gone better, and she says, it’s not even lunchtime yet. (I know the feeling.) Is it Elizabeth? He says, she left Shadybrook, and Laura asks if she was his patient cancelation. He says, yeah, and she asks if she should be worried. He says he wishes he could say no.

Terry tells Britt that she’s sorry; Elizabeth’s not like that. Britt says, Elizabeth has been downright hostile to her since they met, and Terry says she knows they never liked each other. Britt says she was terrible to Elizabeth; to everybody. She earned all of her lovely nicknames, but now…? Today, this? Terry says, she’s been going through a lot, and Britt says, she understands, but her time away didn’t seem to have helped at all. Elizabeth seems to be the same… Terry says, again, best friend, and Britt says, challenging personality she always was. Whatever Elizabeth has going on, she can’t bring it to work like that. Terry says, agreed. She just hopes Elizabeth is okay. Britt says, oh, she’s in fine form.

Elizabeth says she’s sorry she didn’t tell Finn, but he says, it’s okay. He was just trying to figure out why she left him out of the loop. He knows he had a little trouble giving her the space she needed to heal, and for that he’s sorry, but he thinks he’s gotten better with that. She says, he has, and he asks if this is the way she wants things going forward; she doesn’t need him around? She says, no. She asked for distance when she was at Shadybrook because she had a lot to work through. She knows he wanted to be there for her and help her, and he did, by allowing her to have the space she needed to take this journey and figure things out on her own. He asks, how’d that go? and she says she learned a lot. The most important thing she realized is, her life is just better with him in it.

Brook and Chase almost kiss, and Brook says, so for what it’s worth (🍷), she thinks he’s the It Factor, and she knows Linc agrees. He says, two people; that’s quite the niche fan base. She asks him to give her his phone, and he does. She says, check this out, and she shows him the video of him singing. She says, whether or not he wants to be a recognized performer, he’s well on his way.

Ned says, if he’d known Carly had invested so heavily in Aurora… and Olivia says she didn’t even know until the morning of the vote. He says, anyway, it’s not going to be a problem, but she says she might end up owning he hotel with some oligarch who’s laundering his money; it’s a problem. He says, not if they buy Carly’s half of the hotel and give it to her, but she says she already floated that idea; it’s not going to happen. Carly said, no dice. He says, not even if they sell it to her at the same price she purchased it? and Olivia says, the history between Carly and the Quartermaines is too much; forget about it. He says, it’s going to be okay. The best partnerships cannot be torn apart. They’re proof of that. He kisses her, and they leave.

Elizabeth says she knows she kept Finn at arm’s length, but it was never meant to hurt him. He says he knows. He can be thick sometimes, and wanted to help. It took time for him to realize she needed some distance, and that’s on him. She asks, what if she told him what she really needs is him? and he says he’d probably tell her that he’s the luckiest guy on the face of the earth. Is she sure? Because everything that was wrong with him before is still there. He’s working on himself, but he has a long way to go. Is she sure she wants all that? She says, all of it, and they kiss. She says she’s sorry about everything she put him through. She promises it’s all behind them, and he holds her.

Cody puts away a saddle, and his phone chirps. A message from Society Set-Ups says they’ve found a match for him.

Britt looks at Elizabeth and Finn, and tells Terry, apparently, there is a lid for every pot, even the cracked ones. Terry says, if that’s true, maybe there’s hope for Britt yet (BA-DUM-CHH!) and walks away. Britt’s phone dings, she looks at it, and says, okay Society Set-Ups. Let’s see what unpromising loser you insist is my perfect match. She sees Cody’s name and photo, and sighs.

Alexis says, first Gregory maligns her leadership of the paper, and now he’s questioning her integrity? He says, he’s merely pointing out how tempting it is to confirm our own biases, and she says, she’s convinced the readers will reject his narrow suppositions. He says, care to make it interesting? and she says, like a bet? He says, unless she’s not as confident as she’s pretending to be, and she says, now his strategy is to call her chicken? She didn’t know they had playgrounds at universities, because that’s clearly where he picked up his tactics. He asks if his tactics are working, and she says, no, but she’ll take his idiotic wager. She’s in. He says, great. What are the stakes? She says, besides the massive hit to his ego? If the readers support him, then she’ll entertain his archaic notions. He says, is that all? and she says, he’s got her time and attention; take it or leave it. He says, done. And on the off-chance the readers side with her? She says, he’ll promise to pipe down, and stick to enlightening young minds. He says, it’s a bet, holding out his hand, and they shake.

Chase looks at the video and says, he can’t believe this. She says, they have to credit Leo. He’s the first one who liked the performance, and it sort of blew up from there. Chase asks how it has so many views, and she says she has an intern at Deception watching it on repeat, and he says, she does? She says, no. The numbers are all him. Face it. There’s an audience who wants him. All they have to do is cultivate it, and monetize it of course (🍷). He asks where they start, and she says, is that a yes? He says, it’s not a no, it’s a how. She says, don’t stress the details. By the time she’s finished these numbers will look quant in comparison. Leave it to her. She’s going to make him a household name.

Anna walks into the MetroCourt Garden, and Laura asks if she forgot something. Anna says she was looking for Valentin. He’s not in his room, so she thought she’d try here. Doc says, her instincts are good, but she just missed him. Laura says she doesn’t know where he went, and Anna says she was going to ask him something, but now that she’s here, she’s changed her mind. Laura asks if everything is okay, and Anna says she’s not sure, but she intends to find out.

Back in the park, Victor asks Valentin, is it done? but Valentin says, no. Laura remains in perfect health. Victor asks, why, pray tell, is that? and Valentin says, because he failed. Victor says, that’s a pity. He’s sure by now Valentin is aware, failure is not an option.

On Monday, Cody asks Britt why he’d leave, now that he’s met his match; Maxie asks why Spinelli would say something like that; and Carly says, it’s her only option.

🗽 Moving It Nice…

I’m not sure what her selling the apartment has to do with RHUGT. Doing it for an extra tag?

💎 Those Horrible, Horrible Women…

This episode turned my stomach. I’m not sure which incident pissed me off more. Kyle accusing Sutton of lying about her miscarriages…

https://screenrant.com/rhobh-kyle-richards-apologizes-sutton-stracke-miscarriage-accusation/

Or Erika cursing out Garcelle’s son – after she hit on Garcelle’s other son. At least Oliver was of age, but still.

🍹 Bring On the Charm…

This doesn’t sound much different from what we saw.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1337327/why-southern-charms-kathryn-dennis-and-chleb-ravenell-really-split

I was stressed too. I even said, no one makes/receives calls while they’re not driving?

🍸 As the Stomach Turns…

Whenever I see his name, all I can think is, that little troll. How dare he have done this to her and that cute little baby?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10996103/Scheana-Shay-blasts-Lala-Kents-ex-Randall-Emmett-reacts-allegations-against-him.html

While Surfing…

Actually, I was watching reruns of the first seasons, and thinking about what an a-hole Adrienne was. Then I stumbled on this.

🏞 Meanwhile, In the Middle Of Nowhere…

All about Plathville, and a little speculation.

https://www.thelist.com/176645/the-untold-truth-of-tlcs-welcome-to-plathville/

https://screenrant.com/why-welcome-plathville-fans-suspect-kim-plath-unfaithful/

👠 Still Posh…

I love her. Can you imagine a woman being intimidated into getting on a scale in public today? Me neither. But she did end up winning at life.

https://people.com/health/victoria-beckham-recalls-being-forced-to-weigh-herself-on-live-tv-after-giving-birth/

https://people.com/health/victoria-beckham-says-being-thin-is-old-fashioned-talks-new-health-and-fitness-journey/

https://people.com/sports/david-and-victoria-beckham-mark-their-23rd-wedding-anniversary/

🩰 Outside the Dreamhouse…

All about the Barbie movie. I can’t wait.

https://people.com/movies/margot-robbie-celebrates-32nd-birthday-pink-barbie-cake-on-set-greta-gerwig-movie/

https://people.com/movies/barbie-movie-set-pictures/

https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a23638293/margot-robbie-barbie-doll-film/

👍 Ending On a Good Note…

I’m not a Hallmark kind of person, but I still appreciate kindness.

👄 Quotes of the Week

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. – Martin Luther King Jr.

Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering. – Santosh Kalwar

Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change. – Thomas Hardy

The four hardest tasks on earth are neither physical nor intellectual feats, but spiritual ones: To return love for hate; to include the excluded; to forgive without apology, and to be able to say, ‘I was wrong.’Unknown

Faith is daring to put your dream to the test. It is better to try to do something and fail than to try to do nothing and succeed. – Robert H. Schuller

Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies, and the character of his friends.K@$H

Above all else, go with a sense of humor. It is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lip is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.Hugh Sidey

You can roll manure in powder sugar, but that still doesn’t make it a jelly donut. – Berta (Conchata Ferrell), Two and a Half Men

👡 Shuffling Off This Internet Coil…

Enjoy formerly known as the weekend, but come back for soap and some Deck when it’s over. Until then, stay safe, stay giving without expecting a return, and stay keeping in mind, we don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.

June 16, 2022 – GH Preemptus, Dorinda’s World, He’s an Idiot, Bad Fit, Keeping It Real, Cryptically Salty, Pets (!) & Forgive

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Thanks to the not-so-patriotic heathens who attacked the Capitol, there was no GH today across the board.

🗽 Oh Yeah, John…

Dorinda gives an update on how she’s making it nice these days.

And ignoring the not-so-nice. One might even say stalkerish.

Unfortunately, there are no pie charts or graphs.

https://screenrant.com/rhugt-dorinda-medley-vicki-gunvalsons-feud-explained/

🖥 Men…

Apparently, he’s the picture of good parenting. I’m totally in agreement with how Denise is handling this. She’s right. Her daughter is 18, and she’ll do what she wants, with or without her parents’ approval. If Denise had come down on her, she’d only distance herself.

👠 You Can’t Fire Me…

When was she a good fit? When she accused the Richards sisters of smoking meth? When she slapped LVP? When she weaseled her way onto the show by attacking Denise? When?

💎 Taking Sides…

I hate that cryptic post stuff. This is what happens when they hire a twelve year old to be on the show. At best, Crystal belongs in middle school.

On the other hand, I think these two should have their own spin-off. Poor Sutton. Awkward for sure, and perhaps at times inappropriate, but not malicious.

https://okmagazine.com/p/garcelle-beauvais-rhobh-sutton-stracke-reality/

🧂 Speaking of Cryptic…

We haven’t heard too much from the Salt Lakers lately. It took them a while to hate each other. The Dubai group came in swinging.

🦥 Ending On a High Note…

I’m partial to the kinkajou.

https://collider.com/celebrity-pets-too-cute/

🦘 Bouncing On Out…

Hopefully, all will be well in the world of soap tomorrow, so stop by for some, along with tea, weekly quotes, and a piece of music from the vast catalog in my brain. Until then, stay safe, stay not making snap judgements, and stay not posting cryptic things on social media. It’s just annoying, and screams, desperate need for attention.

May 31, 2022 – Willow Confronts Nina, Speaking From Experience, Divorcing, Dina Tells All, Sutton Slam, Ultimate Birthday Gift & End

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Britt and Brad walk into an event going on at the MetroCourt pool. Brad’s impressed; Britt, not so much. She calls it tacky, and grabs a drink from a passing waiter’s tray. Spinelli is there, and as he looks for his card to give a woman, she walks away. Austin comes in, and says he thought Spinelli told him it was a charity event. Spinelli says, it is, but Austin says, it looks more like a meat market. Spinelli says, the invitation he received clearly said it was first and foremost a fundraiser, and Austin asks, then how does Spinelli account for everyone having great hair and sparkling white teeth? Spinelli says, maybe it’s the icing on the cake, and asks if Maxie is accompanying Austin, or might she be attending solo? Austin says, Maxie was supposed to come with him, but got stuck at work.

Drew thanks Brook for inviting him to this. How did she know about it? She says, how could you not? Whoever does the PR for Society Set-Ups stopped only at skywriting. Everyone who’s anyone is here. He says, should make for an interesting party, when they see Chase walk in. Chase and Brook lock eyes.

At the courthouse, Carly says, Scotty grossly distorted Michael’s history. Nobody is going to believe what he said, least of all Wiley. Michael says, he can explain away fiction, but one day Wiley is going to have to face the bad parts of his past. And Nelle’s, and Harmony’s. He was thinking, Will Wiley ever forget any of this?

Ava is practicing at the shooting range, when Laura comes in. Laura asks if Ava ever misses, and Ava says, you know what they say. Practice the way you play. Laura asks what she’s practicing for, and Ava says, not what; who.

Esme takes off her jacket to reveal her crop top, and tells Nikolas, it looks like they’re both having a bad day. He says he didn’t hear her come in. Is Spencer with her? She says, he was, but then he left her… again. She pours a drink, takes a sip, and hands it to Nikolas, saying, she guesses they’re both on their own.

Chet says, Terry wants him to move to Chicago? and she says, of course (🍷) not, but this isn’t about what she wants. He says, what if it is? If she’s as interested as he is in seeing where this goes, he should stick around, right?

On the phone with Obrecht, Nina says, the judge just ordered a recess… Willow walks in, and Nina says she thinks she can meet Obrecht for a quick cup of coffee. She tries to pass Willow, but Willow grabs her arm and says, she’s not going anywhere. Nina tells Obrecht, something came up. She grabs Willow with her other hand, and says she won’t be able to meet Obrecht after all, but she’ll call after the hearing. She tells Willow, let go of me, little girl, and Willow says, I will if you will. They break apart, and Nina asks what she wants. Willow says she wants Nina to give up the pretense of being a loving grandmother who only wants what’s best for Wiley. Nina says, that is all she wants, and Willow asks, then why did she let Scotty attack Wiley’s father on the stand?

Sam goes over to Spinelli, and says, another new outfit? Or is he just here to impress the ladies? He says he only aims to impress her. Beverage? She says, yes, and he takes her hand, leading her to the bar. Brook goes back to talking to Drew, and Dante asks Chase, what’s going on with him and Brook these days? Are they on, off? Chase says, it’s unclear, even to him. Is Dante available to help out a former partner? He may need an emissary. Dante says, at his service. He happens to speak fluent BLQ. Brook looks at Chase again, then tells Drew that he should mix and mingle. He asks if she’s trying to get rid of him, and she says, she’s trying to get him to see the opportunity to get investors for Aurora. He tells her, careful. She’s going to live down the cliché that the Quartermaines eat, sleep, and drink business. She says she learned at her father’s knee, and Drew asks if Ned has spoken to her about the offer he and Michael made him. She says, their paths haven’t crossed since the last time Ned turned down their COO offer. If they want Ned involved, this ELQ/Aurora merger has to happen, so he’d better flash his smile. Actually, there’s a woman at the bar who keeps glancing his way. She’s carrying the newest Cartulo bag. She should be good for a few hundred shares. She leaves, and he says, yeah, that’s not how it works.

Carly says, one day, Wiley is going to discover his parents are flawed, just like Michael did with Sonny, but Michael says, he never wants Wiley to see him the same way he sees Sonny. She says she hates that Sonny brought him to this point, but it’s not going to be the same as Wiley.

Nina says she didn’t want to bring this to court; Willow and Michael forced her hand. Willow says, no one forced Nina’s lawyer to say Michael is violent toward women, and a baby thief, and Nina says, Scotty just presented the facts. Willow says, so it’s a fact, that Nelle was protecting Wiley when she put Willow’s dead baby in Michael’s arms, and told him that his son was dead?

Britt wonders, what’s the point of a pool party if no one’s swimming? and Brad says, he’s just taking a wild guess, but maybe no one wants to ruin their hair and makeup. She says she may need his help tonight, and he says ready and available for wingman duty, but she says, no. She means in keeping her glass filled. She can only face this party in a state of cheerful oblivion. He says she might want to stay sober for him, and she turns to see Drew. Drew asks if they’re here for the fundraiser, the singles mixer, or both, and Britt says, both. The company behind this is the matchmaking service her mother signed her up for. Drew says he guesses she’s feeling more optimistic, and she says she’s optimistic about free cocktails. He laughs, and she says, as for the rest, the jury’s still out.

Laura tells Ava, it sounds serious. What’s wrong? Ava says she’s just blowing off steam, and Laura asks what has her so steamed she’s at the firing range? Is it Esme, Spencer, Nikolas…? Ava asks if she has to choose just one, and Laura asks if she has a favorite. Ava says, Laura’s son, and Laura says, so things are no better between the two of them? Ava says, Nikolas knows they need time alone, just the two of them, to work on their marriage, but he resents her efforts to make that happen. Laura asks if she thinks it has something to do with their houseguests, and Ava says, she’d love to blame everything on Spencer and Esme, but really, they’re just a symptom. Laura asks, what’s the disease?

Esme says she hopes she didn’t cause trouble when she told Nikolas about Ava asking them to leave Windymere in exchange for Spencer getting control of his trust fund. Nikolas says, an allowance from his trust fund, and Esme takes it he and Ava talked. He tells her, you could say that, and she says, they argued, and she’s to blame. Can he forgive her? She thought he already knew about the arrangement and approved. He says, his and Spencer’s failure to communicate isn’t her fault; neither is the fact Spencer didn’t say something himself. She says, don’t take it personally. Spencer only seems to communicate with Trina these days. He says he thought Spencer and Trina didn’t have much of a friendship anymore, but she says, they keep running into each other. It’s like Port Charles has a population of two people. He says, he’s sorry his son isn’t more considerate, but a word of advice – pick your battles. She says, there is no battle. The fighting is over. So is her relationship with his son.

Chase asks Austin if Maxie is there, and Austin says, she got stuck at work; she’ll be here soon. Chase says, he wanted to thank her for inviting him to Bailey’s first birthday party, and Austin asks if Chase and Brook will be attending together. Chase says he can’t speak for Brook, but he’ll be there. Austin says, right. So they haven’t gotten off that roller coaster yet.

Brook hugs Dante, and says she’s glad he’s here. He asks, why? and she says, because he’s her friend and stepsibling. He says, good to see her too, and she says she needs a favor. He says, he knew it. How many people has she asked already?

Sam says she’s still adjusting to the new look, and Spinelli says, it’s not a crime to overhaul his threads. Besides, sartorial splendor is underrated in these modern times. She says, but not underpriced. She asks if this means he’s ready to move on, and he says, if he was contemplating a new romance, he could do worse than signing up for Society Set-Ups, with their proven track record.

Laura says, Ava and Nikolas both came into the marriage with their fair share of baggage. She’s wondering if the root issue isn’t in the here and now, but more in past? Ava says, the truth is, she fought her feelings for Nikolas tooth and nail, because she knew she couldn’t trust him. Laura says she thought they worked through that, and Ava says, she thought so too. Now she wonders if they fell in love because they solved their trust issues or in despite them.

Nikolas says, Esme and Spencer broke up? and Esme says, in every way that matters. Spence made his choice, and it’s not her. Nikolas says, Spencer is young; they both are. However bad things seem now, is she sure they can’t ride out this particular rough patch? She says, that depends. How do you know when it’s time to give up? He says he wishes he knew. Interjecting here. I have never once used or heard a friend use the phrase rough patch, yet I hear it all the time on this show. Is this colloquial or something?

Terry says she likes Chet, a lot, and she’s enjoyed getting to know him, also a lot. He asks if he’s about to get one of those let’s-be-friends speeches, and she tells him, don’t turn down this amazing job opportunity for her. What if they don’t work out, and he regrets not taking the job and moving to Chicago? He says, what if he regrets missing out on a chance with her? and she says, if a train doesn’t stop at your station, it’s not your train. He says he has no idea what that means, and she says, what’s meant to be won’t pass us by, and right now, this job opportunity is waiting. He says, he just hates ending things with them before they’ve even begun.

Carly says, they knew today would be hard, but Michael was amazing on the stand. There’s no way the judge will grant Nina’s petition. He says he wishes it was her job, and asks if she’s wondering when the judge will be finished tearing into Scotty. She says she was, and she was wondering if she had enough time to run a quick errand. Inside the courtroom, Willow says, Nelle made her believe her son was alive. Carly and Michael go back in, and Willow says, Nelle used her newborn son as a prop in her sick manipulation. Nina says, she has to understand, Nelle was abused by her father, and Willow says, stop trying to rehabilitate Nelle. She was irredeemable. Nina says, she was a product of her upbringing. If she hadn’t been stolen… Willow says, Nina would have made all the difference in Nelle’s life? Nina would have steered her off the path she was on? How would that have worked? Nina was in a coma until Nelle was in her 20s. Nina says, exactly. She didn’t get the chance to raise Nelle. Willow says, Nina may not have raised Nelle, but it’s obvious Nelle inherited Nina’s nature, and Nina asks if she’s implying people are born bad. Willow tells Nina, look at her mother, then look at herself, then Nelle. She’s saying, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Nina says, if we can’t escape our DNA, Willow must be terrified. Willow goes over to Michael, and Nina says, too bad Harmony’s not here to tell her who, or what, her real mother was. Willow lunges at Nina, but Michael stops her. Nina walks away, and Carly asks if she hasn’t done enough damage. Nina tells Carly, shut up, but Carly says she won’t shut up. Willow says, Nina doesn’t care what damage she does. She’s ripped this family apart, and she’s not done yet. Distorting Michal’s past and weaponizing it, when all Michael’s done is love and protect his son in a way Nelle never did. Nina says she never told anyone Willow and Michael weren’t great parents, and Michael says, she had her lawyer do it for her. Willow says, Nina is so disingenuous. She pretends to care, when in reality, she never treated Willow very well, starting from when she was Charlotte’s teacher. Nina says she thought they were past that, and Willow says she got past that, despite Nina’s attacks on her. She gave Nina multiple chances when she found out Nina was Nelle’s mother, and how did Nina thank her? By exploiting her generosity, and trying to manipulate her. Nina isn’t worthy of Wiley. Nina says, it’s not Willow’s decision to make, and Willow says, whatever the judge rules, Wiley is her son, and his childhood will be different from hers. She wasn’t protected, but Wiley will be. Nina says she would never hurt that little boy, and Willow tells her, so Nina keeps saying, but she already has, and Willow will lay down her life before she lets it happen again.

Drew commends Britt on her bravery; it’s hard to put yourself out there. Britt says, as her mother puts it, time is not on her side, and Brad asks why Obrecht would say that. Britt says, any way to find fault. Now that her mother is paired off, she sees Britt’s singledom as a failure. Brad asks if anyone wants refills, and Drew and Britt both say they do. He goes to the bar, and Britt asks if Drew is on the prowl, or there for the fundraiser. He says he’s not much of a prowler, never has been, but Brook wanted to check out the party, and it’s great to support a good cause.  

Chase tells Austin that he and Brook have their off days. Maybe they’re a lost cause. Austen asks if that’s why Chase is at a singles event.

Dante asks, what’s the favor? and Brook says she has a Linc issue. He asks why she doesn’t talk to Chase about it… Wait. Did she ask Chase to do something illegal or unethical? He doesn’t want to know. She says she thought Chase would be supportive, and Dante says, he has been supportive. Isn’t that how he got suspended from the force in the first place? Chase helped Brook out in a big way, so why doesn’t she cut him some slack?

Sam asks, since when has Spinelli been a fan of matchmaking? and he says, professional help can be more reliable, certainly than his judgement. He chose Ellie, and in the end, their lives diverged because they wanted different things at different times. Perhaps with proper vetting, he can be matched with someone whose life fits in more with his. Sam asks, then why does he have a new look? It’s a look that’s different than the one she’s used to him having. What’s going on?   

Laura and Ava shoot, then bring the targets forward. Ava’s has a shot dead center, but Laura has nothing. Ava says, maybe the why doesn’t matter; their marriage is in trouble. Nikolas can be unfailingly generous when he wants to be – when the gift is something he wants to give – but when it comes to something that matters to her, he’s oblivious. Laura says, this may not be the right time to bring this up, but she sent in her letter of recommendation to Adams Day School, and Ava says, Laura wrote a letter for Avery? Laura says she did. she knows the headmistress, and she also put in a call the head of admissions, letting her know she’s looking forward to meeting with her to talk about Avery. Ava says she doesn’t know how to thank Laura, but Laura says, don’t thank her; thank Nikolas. He’s the one who told her that Ava wanted to get Avery in there. Ava asks if he suggested Laura write the letter, and Laura says, he did, and she was more than happy to do it. She thinks it’s a great idea. It’s a terrific school, and Avery is a terrific kid. Ava says she mentioned it to Nikolas, but didn’t think he was paying attention, and Laura says, it’s nice that he pleasantly surprised Ava. Ava asks if this is where Laura tells her not to give up too soon.

Esme asks if Nikolas is considering giving up on his marriage, but he says, that’s private. She says she only asks because she could use some advice. Spence is her first real relationship. All she knows is, they don’t bring out the best in each other anymore. They don’t put each other first the way they used to. He says, nobody wants to feel like a consolation prize, and she says, she deserves better. And so does he. His wife should put him first, or set him free to find someone who will.

Austin asks if Chase and Brook aren’t tired of this dance.

Brook tells Dante, it’s just how she and Chase are. One day, they’re besties, and the next they’re not speaking, until one day it blows over. Dante says, until it doesn’t. Chase is a patient guy, but everyone has their breaking point. There will come a day when Brook pushes him too far, and he doesn’t come running when she calls.

Laura asks if Ava still loves Nikolas, and Ava says, love isn’t always enough. Laura says, that’s true, but where there’s love, there’s hope. Ava’s been so generous with Nikolas, encouraging him to reconcile with his son. The thing is, he’s not that good at finding the balance. Does Ava think she could be more patient with him; give him the time he needs to work on the two most important relationships in his life? Ava says, she’d give Nikolas all the time in the world if he was working on their marriage, but he’s not. He doesn’t even acknowledge that Ava deserves better. He’s not asking her to be patient. He’s asking her to keep her head down, and shut up and face east.

Nikolas says he’d rather not discuss his marriage, and Esme says, of course (🍷). She’s only trying to be a good friend to him like he’s been to her. Can he forgive her? He asks, how can he help her? Can he get one of the maids to help her pack? She says, thanks, but she’s already finished packing. Not that she knows where she’s going. She rubs her arms, and he says, she’s cold. Her back is to him, and she smiles as he takes his jacket off and puts it around her shoulders. He says, old houses are drafty, but she says, Windymere’s not old and drafty; it’s stately and formidable, like the Cassadines themselves. She was proud to be associated with this family, even if for a little while. He asks if it’s possible with time and distance, she and Spencer will find their way back to each other, and she says, even if they can get past the mistrust, neglect, and dishonesty, something changed, and it’s a deal breaker. He asks, what’s that? and she says, their attraction. Spence doesn’t want to make love to her anymore. It hurts, but she doesn’t have to tell him that. She and Spence aren’t the only ones sleeping apart.

Terry tells Chet, let’s talk about these new beginnings. Director of Mental Health Outreach; sounds like he’ll have his hands full. He says, the facility has innovative programs that really do some good, and she says, and he’s already thinking of a way to make them better. He says, to be honest, he hasn’t been this excited in a long time – present company excluded. She says, he’s entitled to feel excited about this opportunity, and he asks if there’s any way he can take this job and still see her. What are her feelings about long distance relationships? She says she’s not opposed, but this job is going to require all his energy and attention. He won’t even have time to date all those midwestern women who will be flinging themselves at him. He says, and if the job’s not all it’s cracked up to be, and those midwestern women can’t compare to her? She says, then there are planes from Chicago to Port Charles every day. He says, but the way he got the job… and she says, his sister may have applied in his name, but he got the job based on his experience and credentials. All he has to do is decide if he wants it, and she thinks they both know the answer to that.

Nina says she respects that Willow is looking out for Wiley, but doesn’t Willow understand? She’s doing the same thing. Willow says, then drop the petition. Accept that her forced presence in Wiley’s life is self-serving, not to mention, a constant reminder of a mother that Wiley will thankfully never know. If Nina really wants what’s best for Wiley, give him a different lineage; a new legacy. Nina says she can’t do that, and Willow says, it’s ironic. Nina wears those heart pendants when she’s heartless. Michael leads Willow away, and Carly asks if she’s okay. Michael says he’s got this, and asks if Carly didn’t have an errand. Carly says, she does, and she wouldn’t leave if it wasn’t important. Stay strong. Carly leaves, and Willow says she’s sorry she lost her cool, but Michael says he couldn’t be more proud of her. And Wiley couldn’t as for a more protective mother. He hugs Willow, and Nina watches.

Diane and Scotty come out, and Scotty tells Nina, that could’ve gone worse. She says, really? and he says, the judge skinned him alive. She’s going to put his hide on her wall like a trophy. Nina says, she’s sorry. He’s not the only one who got flayed. Willow came after her like a mama bear. He says, she’s not changing her mind, is she? She doesn’t say anything, and the bailiff says, all rise. The judge comes in, and Diane calls Willow to the stand. Willow and Nina stare at each other.

Britt grabs another drink from a waiter going by, and tells Drew, the more she looks around, the more she wonders what she’s doing here. He says, she’s supporting a great cause, and she says, if that was the reason, she would have stayed home and written a check. He says, she’s stepping out of her comfort zone a little bit, and giving Society Set-Ups another try. She says, why is she bothering? Everyone knows she’s hopeless at dating. He asks who everyone is, and she says, Maxie, her mother, Spencer… He asks what Spencer has to do with it, and she says, the point is, this is a colossal waste of time.

Sam says, Spinelli never answered her question. What’s going on? He says he truly respects her sleuthing instincts, but isn’t her docket full? She says she always has time for him, so whatever he’s hiding, spill. He sips his drink.

Diane asks Willow, what is her relationship to Wiley? and Willow says she’s his mother. Diane asks her to tell the court why she feels the petition should be denied, and Willow says, Nina doesn’t have her son’s best interest at heart. Diane asks if she’s saying Nina doesn’t love Wiley, but Willow says, she believes Nina does love Wiley, on her terms, as she defines love. What worries her, is Nina feels she has a right to Wiley, but Willow doesn’t believe sharing DNA automatically entitles you to a familial relationship. Nina kept Wiley’s grandfather from him for months. She played an active role in breaking up the marriage of Wiley’s grandparents. Today at the hearing, Nina directed her attorney to attack the character of Wiley’s father, and grossly distort a tragedy. And she did all of it without thinking about the cost to Willow’s son. As a mother, there’s nothing Willow won’t do to protect her son, including putting his best interests ahead of her own, and everyone worthy of being in his life should feel the same.

Laura tells Ava, she loves her son, but she knows who he is, and knows he puts pride ahead of all other emotions. Ava says, they’re both proud, not conducive to compromise. Laura says, that makes it tough, but not impossible, and Ava says, advice? Laura says, you know the myth that marriage is 50/50, and all responsibilities are shared equally? and Ava says, she wishes. Laura says she thinks it’s more give and take. One partner falters, and the other steps up, and vice versa. She and Doc have a good relationship, but it’s not without its troubles. Ava says, really? and Laura says, for sure. They both have tough jobs that take up a lot of their time, and they feel they don’t have enough time for each other. So they have to work on shutting the world out, and making time to focus on each other. Ava says, that’s exactly what she wants, but Nikolas won’t reciprocate. What is she supposed to do; hold on indefinitely, while she’s selling herself short? Laura says, only Ava can decide that, but she’ll ask Ava the same question she’s going to ask her son. Would she rather be right, or would she rather be happy? Apparently, Laura’s been watching Dr. Phil.

Esme tells Nikolas, never forget that he’s a powerful attractive man in his prime. She admires the way he cares for his family, but while he’s trying to make Ava and Spence happy, he’s losing himself. What does he want? What does he need? He says, respect… peace… faith, and she says, Ava should give him that and more. The woman lucky enough to be in his life shouldn’t hesitate to give him everything she has, everything he needs. She would.  

Carly asks the lab tech if it will be difficult to decipher the DNA results. The tech says, sometimes there are mutations in the results, but the report should draw a clear conclusion based on probability.

Judge Foster asks Willow to confine her answers to her or counsel. She asks if Scotty wants to cross, but Nina says, enough. Scotty says, no further questions, and the judge asks if they’ve both presented their arguments. Diane and Scotty say they have, and the judge says she’ll be ready to issue her ruling within the hour.

Chet says, but his sister, and Terry says, Amy only wants the best for him; so does she. He says he guesses he’ll call the recruiter, and she says, congratulations. He says, if she doesn’t have a date next Valentine’s Day… She tears up, and says, he’ll be her first call.

Spinelli says, there’s nothing to spill. Enjoy the festivities. He tries to leave, but Sam grabs his arm, and says, nice try. He’s not getting off that easy. What’s going on?

Brook approaches Chase, and he asks, how annoyed she is with him on scale of one to really ticked off? She says, funny. She was about to ask him the same thing.

Britt tells Drew, this is pointless. She’s going to her room and going to bed. He asks, since when is she a quitter? She survived her demented half-brother on Cassadine Island and can’t handle an extra hour of mingling? She says, that’s something her mother would say, and he says, Liesl Obrecht is a sharp lady. Maybe when she signed Britt up for this, she was onto something. Society Set-Ups has a great track record. There’s a lot of people here. Not all of them will interest her, but someone might. If she packs it in now and goes home, she may never know what she missed. She says, a half hour; not a minute more.

Laura says she’s noticed since her son has been with Ava, he’s grown as a father, as a husband, and as a man. As his mother, all she wants is for him to be happy and live his best life. She’s always felt he could have that with Ava. Ava says, that’s what she wanted; to live her best life with him. Laura says, if Ava and Nikolas want to reclaim their happiness, they can. She thinks it’s worth fighting for.

Esme says she should be going, and Nikolas says, she’s welcome in his home. She says, Spence wants his trust fund back, and he says, she told him it was over with Spencer. What does she want? She says, to belong, and he says, then stay. She says she knows he’s just being kind; nobody is choosing her. He says, that’s not true, but she says, even her own boyfriend doesn’t want her. He says he wants her… here… now. She says, prove it, launches herself at him, and they kiss. I’m totally grossed out.

Tomorrow, Valentin tells Anna that he always hits his target; Sam asks why Spinelli is desperate to get away from her; and Nikolas says he shouldn’t have done that. Damn right.

👠 Hey There Lonely Girl…

Cassandra James speaks on being trans and Asian in Hollywood.

https://people.com/tv/cassandra-james-on-navigating-being-trans-and-asian-in-hollywood-its-pretty-lonely/

🗽 If I Squint…

I kinda, sorta remember her.

📬 She Wrote Me a Letter…

The Jersey girls continue to be messy.

👩🏼‍🏫 Tsk Tsk…

Well, what did she expect from a mean girl? I’ll bet Erika has a slam book too.

💃🏾 Barbie Girl…

It’s been a big week for Laverne. The doll is gorgeous, and I love, love, love the outfit. And really for me and Barbie, it’s all about the clothes.

👩🏽‍🌾 Moseying On Outta Here…

Tomorrow is a full day with both soap and Beverly Hills. Dubai also premiers tomorrow, but I’ve found 2 Wives in 1 night is 2 much. Although I’ll be weighing in on its worth. Until then, stay safe, stay reading the fine print, and stay knowing that if a train doesn’t stop at your station, it’s not your train. What’s meant to be won’t pass you by.