Tag Archives: The Last of Us

February 1, 2023 – Willow Goes To Heaven, Moonlighting, One Season Wife, New Judge, No Consent, Dead Reviews Last, Adoption Help & Good

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny and Nina wait for news on Willow. Nina wonders why she’s still in the OR, but Sonny says, the good news is, Willow’s having a healthy baby girl; their shared grandchild. (Weird how that worked out.) Curtis comes by, and he and Nina hug. He says, Drew just told him about Nina and Willow, and Nina says, Curtis, more than anyone, knows the disappointments she’s had searching for her daughter. Now her new daughter has a new daughter, and this miracle is a long time coming. He says he’s thrilled for her, and they hug again.

Stella tells Jordan that she’s not just Curtis’s aunt; she’s the officiant at his wedding to Portia. How can she stand before the Almighty, and ask Him to bless a marriage, when she knows the bride is lying to the groom? How can she be solid when she knows Portia hasn’t told Curtis that Trina might be his daughter? Portia walks in.

Spencer tells Trina that Ava was right; this changes everything. His father actually confessed on record that he thought he killed Esme. Trina says, there had to be a reason he confessed, but Spencer asks if it matters. He plays the confession again.

Esme says, her boyfriend’s father is also her baby’s father, and Nikolas says, it’s a complicated situation. He’ll answer her questions as best he can, but she has to know that she can trust him.

Elizabeth says, there’s nothing Carolyn can do for her, but Carolyn is right that she’s exhausted, and she’s too tired to listen. Carolyn says, Elizabeth won’t have to worry about seeing her again, since she’s flying back to California and out of Elizabeth’s life for as long as Elizabeth likes. Elizabeth asks if she wasn’t consulting on a case, but Carolyn says, now that she’s met the patient, she’s decided she wants nothing to do with the case, or the person who requested her help. And neither should Elizabeth.

Michael tells Josslyn, despite everything, his daughter is healthy and happy, when Carly runs in, asking, where’s her favorite new person on the planet? They all look at the new baby through the window.

Austin runs into the ER, asking, what’s going on? and Dr. Navarro says, Willow’s still hemorrhaging. Willow drifts out of herself, and sees Harmony in the clouds. Harmony holds out her arms, and tells Willow not to worry; mama is here.

Nina tells Curtis that Willow is still in the OR, and he says, Drew told him how Willow risked everything to have the baby. She has one brave daughter. Nina says, sometimes it takes more than bravery; look at Britt. He says, part of the reason he’s here is to support Nina at Britt’s memorial, and she says, he knows what a long, strange journey it’s been for her. He says he still regrets letting Valentin play them about Sasha, but she says, that’s water under the bridge. Sasha’s not her daughter, but she still considers Sasha family. Sonny says, almost a daughter. Curtis is going to know what that’s like one day. Curtis says, from his lips, but first there’s a wedding, and he’s counting on them to be in attendance.

Jordan says she knows Portia and Stella are picking up Stella’s dress, and hopes all goes well. She tells them that she should get going to Britt’s memorial, and Portia says to give Britt’s friends and family her condolences. She would have been there, but things with the wedding got backed up. Portia and Stella leave.

Spencer says, his father actually tried to kill Esme, and Trina says, so Spencer is going to use the confession to force his father to drop any claim to Esme’s baby, and let Spencer have custody. Spencer says, absolutely, and she says, what if he refuses? but Spencer says, how can he? This confession is evidence of a crime. Not only did his father seduce his ex-girlfriend, he tried to murder her. This isn’t just an accusation, but his father’s own incriminating words. He’s not the one who threw Esme off the parapet; his father did. She says, they both know Esme is a monster, and the way his father described it, it wasn’t premeditated, but a fit of rage. He says, that makes it okay? and she says, of course (🍷) not, but if he goes down that path, he’ll be deliberately destroying his father’s life; using his own words to take his child away. He asks what she’s suggesting; that he does nothing, and lets his father get away with it?

Esme says, Nikolas paid for her defense, and brought in a psychiatrist to consult on her case, who within ten minutes, just takes off. Now he informs her that she made this baby with him, her boyfriend’s father, and she’s supposed to trust him? He says, before her memory loss, she trusted him, and said there was a connection between them that they couldn’t deny. They were both in extremely vulnerable situations; Spencer had just broken up with her, and he thought his marriage was over. What they did was wrong, but they couldn’t resist. She says, if he’s the father, why would Spencer say he is?

Michael says his baby is gorgeous, and Carly says, of course (🍷) she is; it runs in the family. He says he can’t wait for Willow to see her. He wonders why he hasn’t heard from the OR, but Carly says, he’ll hear soon. Josslyn asks if he has a name for the baby, but he says, they hadn’t settled on one yet. Wiley suggested Ashoka, and he and Willow called the baby Walnut because of how she looked on the first sonogram. Josslyn says, Ashoka Walnut Corinthos is an option, but Carly is sure Michael and Willow have some alternatives in mind. Bobbie comes out, and asks Michael to come with her to meet his daughter.

Willow says, Harmony isn’t her mother, and Harmony – who’s dressed in black, which I find a weird color choice for heaven – says, in life no, but it wasn’t all a lie. No one loved Willow more than she did. Willow says, she knows what love is and isn’t, and Harmony asks if she thinks Nina loves her. Nina loves only Nina, but Harmony was there for her. When they moved from one temporary home to another, and it seemed impossible to make new friends. When Willow got lost, who found her? Who did their best to dry her tears? She calls Willow Kali, but Willow tells Harmony that her name is Willow. We see the staff in the OR working on her, and Harmony says, Willow is still her Kali.

Curtis says he’ll see Nina at the memorial, and she thanks him for his good wishes. He says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Nina thinks there should have been an update by now, but Sonny says, when Willow is in recovery, they’ll be told.

Trina says she’s not defending Nikolas, or suggesting he get away with attempted murder, but before Spencer uses the confession, ask himself why Nikolas confessed in the first place. His father’s not a fool; he must have had a reason. She loves Ava, but Ava wants Nikolas to pay for breaking her heart. This confession might not even be true. It might be another game between the two of them, and if Spencer uses this confession as leverage, he could get caught in the middle. He says, if it saves his little brother or sister, he doesn’t mind, and she says, he might not mind, but she does.

Elizabeth says, Nikolas brought Carolyn to town? and Carolyn says, he told her it was on Elizabeth’s behalf. He said she was in trouble. Elizabeth asks why Carolyn didn’t say anything when they ran into each other, and Carolyn says, Nikolas told her it was imperative Elizabeth not know. From her perspective, she was flying blind, and wanted all the facts before she went to Elizabeth. Once she’d spent time with him, it became clear that any trouble Elizabeth was in, started with Nikolas. Elizabeth asks what Nikolas told her, and Carolyn says, enough to sense that what Nikolas roped Elizabeth into doing was wrong, maybe even illegal. He said Carolyn could atone for any harm she’d done to Elizabeth in the past. He said she could use those same skills to keep someone else from remembering something that would end up hurting Elizabeth and her boys. Elizabeth says, and that someone is Esme Prince, right? and Carolyn says, yes.

Bobbie brings out the baby for Michael to hold, and Carly and Josslyn watch. They remark how little she is, but she really isn’t, so it’s weird. Michael tells the baby he’d give her anything. There’s so many people who want to meet her, starting with her mommy.

Sonny calls Carly, who tells him that they’re in the NICU visiting with the new baby. He asks if Michael is with her, and she says, he’s holding the baby; why? Sonny says, the doctors in the OR are looking for Michael, and she asks, what happened?

Willow says that she’s Willow, Michael’s fiancé, the mother of his children, but Harmony says, where they’re going, names don’t matter. There’s nothing to tie you to the past. Don’t be afraid. Come with her. Harmony holds out her hand, and I yell, go into the light, Carol Anne Willow!

On the phone, Jordan says she thinks she should attend Britt’s memorial herself. She wants Britt’s family to understand that Britt’s sacrifice won’t be in vain. Curtis says he couldn’t help but overhear. It takes a lot of courage to face Britt’s family on a day like today. She says, they deserve answers. She just wishes she had better ones to give them. He says, Obrecht has a temper, and he’d hate to see her take incoming fire, but she says, it goes with the badge. If she’d lost a child, she’d feel the same way. Curtis says, so would he.

A woman leads Stella and Portia to the dress viewing area (I have no idea what it’s called), and Portia says she’s a grown woman with a daughter in college, and her butterflies have butterflies. She suggests they start with Stella’s dress, and the woman leaves to get it. Stella wonders if there’s a reason Portia is so nervous, and Portia says, the last time she got married, she was in her 20s. She asks how many weddings Stella has been a part of, and Stella says, enough to know they’re not all the same. They all start off beautifully, with the dress, the cake, the music of course (🍷)… Portia says, it seems like something is on Stella’s mind, but she’s not saying it, which is unlike her. She seemed cheerful and supportive of the wedding until now. Has something changed?

Trina tells Spencer that she cares about that baby too. That poor thing never asked to be born, let alone have Esme and his dad as parents. He says, then she understands why he can’t just turn the other way, and why he needs to fight using any weapon he can find. His father can’t afford for this information to become public, and a judge or the police will want answers. That’s why his father is going to bow out and give him custody. She says, if that’s really his endgame, why leverage his dad? Why not go straight to the cops?

Esme asks why it isn’t possible that Spencer is the father of her baby, and Nikolas says, timing-wise makes it impossible. Esme says, Spencer disagrees, but Nikolas says, because she has no way to know he was lying. His son has a good heart, but sometimes he ends up hurting the people he wants to help. He’ll deal with his son, but right now they need to focus on the baby. Esme has other challenges she’s facing, like her precarious legal situation. The reason he brought Carolyn to see her is because he wanted to take one of those burdens off her hands. He takes out a document, and says, all she has to do is sign it, and he’ll make sure her baby is waiting, until she’s free once more.

Carly thinks she should be with Michael, but Bobbie says, Willow is getting the best care. Josslyn says, Michael can’t lose her, and they have a three-way hug.

Michael asks Sonny, what’s going on? and Sonny says, Willow’s in the OR; they’re waiting for an update. All he knows is, Willow’s a fighter, and that kind of runs in the family.

Willow’s blood pressure continues to drop, and she asks where Harmony is taking her. Harmony says, to a better place; the kind of place they’ve been searching for. A place of peace and tranquility. A place of love. Take her hand. Willow says, what about her family? but Harmony says she’s Willow’s family. Trust her. Willow takes her hand, and Harmony says, that’s my girl.

Jordan says she ran into Curtis’s Aunt Stella. She and Portia are on their way to the bridal boutique. He says, everyone’s excited. Between Aunt Stella and his father, you’d think they were going to be at the top of the cake. He apologizes, and says he didn’t mean to sound insensitive, but Jordan says she wants him to be happy. That’s why… nothing. She starts to walk away, but he says he knows her. If it’s not about the wedding, what’s wrong?

Stella says she’s going to stand before God, and Portia’s family and friends, but Portia says, our family. She used to think all she needed was her medical degree and Trina, but then Curtis came back into he life. They went from separate homes to this beautiful home of their own that they share with Trina, and were able to welcome Curtis’s dad, Stella, TJ, and Molly. She feels the more they give, the more they have. The more love, more joy, more everything. That’s why she feels this wedding isn’t just about the two of them; it’s about all of them. She gives Stella a jewelry box, and says, it’s for her. Stella opens it to find  a beautiful bracelet, and Portia says, it’s been in her family for generations. She wants Stella to wear it to the wedding, but Stella says she can’t accept this, and Portia asks, why not?

Elizabeth says, Carolyn visited Esme at Spring Ridge? and Carolyn says, Nikolas insisted. The moment she saw Esme was pregnant, and realized he wanted to silence Esme for some selfish reason, she couldn’t go along with it. She refuses to ruin someone else’s life. She knows Nikolas has been in Elizabeth’s life since high school, and been around for important events that she and Elizabeth’s dad missed out on, but trust her, Nikolas is not her friend. She doesn’t believe he has Elizabeth’s best interests at heart. She wishes she’d realized it sooner, and been straight with Elizabeth the moment she got to town. She wishes so many things. All she can say in her defense is, she’s still learning. She hopes one day she earns Elizabeth’s forgiveness. Elizabeth thanks Carolyn for telling her, and Carolyn says, you’re very welcome, Elizabeth. Elizabeth thanks Carolyn for calling her Elizabeth instead of Lizzie, and Carolyn tells her, like she said, she’s still learning.

Carly wants to be with Michael, but Bobbie says, Sonny is up there, and Josslyn points out that Nina will be there too. What’s worse, Michael facing them on his own, or them going up there, and a fight breaking out? He told them to stay with the baby. Bobbie gives them scrubs, and tells them to put smiles on their faces. They’re going in to see the baby.

Sonny tells Nina to have faith. He doesn’t think God would bring her daughter into her life to take her away. Nina says, please don’t let Willow die. Please. She has two children that need their mom. Please let Willow live.

Harmony tells Willow, just one more step, and she’ll find perfect peace.

Curtis says he knows he and Jordan are past losing the divorce papers, so what is it? She says she meant what she said. She genuinely hopes there’s a happy ending for him and Portia, and Trina. She leaves, but I don’t think Curtis is convinced she’s telling him everything.

Stella says, Portia should save the family heirloom and give it to Trina for her own wedding, but Portia says, Stella can pay it forward and give it to Trina then. Please say she’ll wear it to the wedding. Stella says, the last thing she wants to do is spoil Portia’s happiness. Portia’s right. When she marries Curtis, she marries his family, flaws and all. Portia says, Stella is flawless, but Stella says, hardly. Think of what she kept from Curtis all those years; letting him and his brother think their father was dead. Portia says, Stella thought she was doing right by her sister, and asks if she’d make the same choice if she had it to do over again. Stella says she honestly doesn’t know, and no one can make that decision for you. The woman brings Stella’s dress in, and says, showtime.

Spencer and Trina go into the chapel, and he says, if he brings the video directly to the police, it becomes a legal matter. If he takes it directly to his father, then his father backs off, it stays between them, and he becomes responsible for Esme’s baby. She says, it sounds like he has it all figured out, even though they know he’s doing this for another reason. By keeping this from the police, he’s not completely shutting the door on his dad. Part of Spencer still loves him, and knows if he uses that confession, he’ll lose his father forever.

Nikolas gives Esme the papers along with a pen, and she asks if she shouldn’t have a lawyer look at it. He says, this is a mere formality, and she says she appreciates him looking out for her and her baby, but this is all overwhelming. She’s gone from thinking Spencer is the father of her baby to finding out it’s really him, and it’s a lot to process. He says, of course (🍷). He’ll leave the paper with her and come back tomorrow. She needs to be at her best so she can clear her name and come back to her… their baby. He leaves, and Esme wonders if she can really trust him.

Josslyn, Carly, and Bobbie visit with the baby, and Bobbie says, she thinks Willow’s name is perfect. Willow trees are strong. A big, strong wind can knock down a giant oak tree, but willows can weather any storm.

Michael says, if Willow can hear him right now, she has to know how much they need her. Not just him; Wiley and their new daughter. They’re waiting for her. Waiting to take her home.

Willow hears Michael say, home. We’re waiting for you. Come back to us. Harmony says, they’re almost there, but Willow turns around.

Austin comes out, and Michael asks if Willow is okay.

Trina says, Spencer has suffered some horrible losses, but he’s also lived a pretty privileged life. Remember that. Jordan walks in, but says she can wait in the hall if they want privacy. Trina says, that’s okay. She’ll give them some time alone. She thinks Spencer and Jordan have something to discuss. Nice blindside, Trina. WTH? She leaves, and Jordan says, they do?

Stella comes out, and the dress is gorgeous, but I wonder why it’s black. I get that she’s the officiant, but maybe a dark blue would have been a better choice. Portia gets all excited, and says, now all Stella needs is some sparkle – even though the dress has white lace with rhinestone accents – and puts the bracelet on her, saying, bling it up. She says, now she knows everything is going to be perfect for her wedding day, and they look in the mirror.

Curtis sees Trina outside the chapel, and asks if everything is okay.

Jordan asks what Spencer wants to talk to her about. He holds his phone with the video on it behind his back.

Elizabeth sees Nikolas come out of the elevator, and doubles back. She looks at him like she might possibly kill him.

Esme looks at the papers, playing with the pen, and wondering why she doesn’t want to sign it. Like she said before, she lost her memory, but she’s not stupid.

Austin says, it was touch and go for a while, but Willow came through just great. Nina says she can’t believe how close they came to losing her daughter, and Michael asks if he can see her. Austin says, absolutely, she’s in ICU, Michael hugs Austin, and Michael leaves. Sonny thanks Austin, and Nina thanks him for saving Willow’s life, but Austin says he can’t take credit for something Willow’s done. Clearly, she doesn’t want to leave them just yet.

Carly says, look at them. They’re so lucky. Four generations of Spencer women. Josslyn says, it’s enough to start their own sorority, and Bobbie says, Sigma Spencer Phi. Carly gets a text that Willow is in recovery, and Josslyn tells the baby that she’s a lucky girl to be born into such an amazing sisterhood, but Carly thinks they’re the lucky ones. This little angel may not have a name yet, but hopefully she has the gift that can give her mother life.

Michael takes Willow’s hand, and says he held their beautiful baby girl. Willow did the hardest part. She carried her, kept her safe, and brought her into this world. Now all she has to do is wake up, so they can give their little girl a name.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth says, the only thing she needs protecting from is Nikolas; Spencer tells sonny that his father shouldn’t be anywhere near that child; and Heather tells Esme, not so fast.

🎥 Extra Gig…

Mama Q takes it outside Port Charles.

🐪 One and Done…

Except they didn’t do their homework. She is not the only one to exit after her freshman year. Hello? Kim Fields, Carlton Gebbia, et al.

Resting my case.

https://collider.com/real-housewives-only-lasted-one-season/#carlton-gebbia-amp-joyce-giraud-de-ohoven-mdash-lsquo-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-rsquo-season-4

👩🏽‍⚖️ That’s Judge Eboni To You…

I’ll bet she brings down a mean gavel.

👠 And They’re Out…

Apparently, Brandi still doesn’t grasp boundaries. Why do they still entertain the antics of this lush?

⚰️ Strange Crossover…

But is there pudding?

https://screenrant.com/the-last-of-us-reviewed-walking-dead-carl/

🐕 She Needs Your Help…

IMO, two of the most important things: veterans and dogs.

https://people.com/pets/air-force-sergeant-needs-help-adopting-dog-from-deployment/

🎸 Off To Get the Band Back Together…

Take a load off tomorrow for some soap and tea. Until then, stay safe, stay gentle as a dove, but wise as a serpent, and stay not going into the light if someone wearing all black comes to meet you.

⚠️ Warning: Words that could be considered bad to some.

January 31, 2023 – Ava Gives Spencer Ammunition, No More Temping, Two Goodbyes, Her 21st, Losing the Legacy, Fear’s End, About the Last, Puppy (!) Bowl & Stars

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava finds Spencer alone in the chapel before Britt’s memorial begins. She asks if he talked to Trina about fighting his father for custody of Esme’s baby. He says he did, and she asks if Trina convinced him to abandon this highly risky scheme.

Josslyn runs into Trina, who says she’s going to the memorial. Josslyn says she owes Britt for helping Willow with her cancer diagnosis, but she didn’t realize Trina knew Britt very well. Trina says she’s just there to support Spencer, and Josslyn says she’s bringing her family some food. They’re about to get one person bigger.

NuNikolas brings Carolyn to see Esme at Spring Ridge, but Carolyn makes it clear she’s not on board with his plan. She’s just there to evaluate Esme, nothing more. He says if she helps him, she helps Elizabeth, because Esme is a very real and dangerous threat to them both.

Jordan brings Stella to an empty office to talk, and Stella asks why Jordan was asking about the DNA tests she and Trina took. Jordan says, it’s pertinent to a case, and Stella asks if she’s investigating the genealogy website for unethical practices, but Jordan says, it’s nothing like that. She just fact finding. Stella says she thought Jordan knew her well enough not to play her for a fool.

Drew meets Curtis for a tux fitting, and says he’s looking forward to fulfilling his best man duties. Curtis says, that’s why Drew is his best man, especially with everything going on in Drew’s family, and he asks how Willow is.

Austin puts scrubs on Michael, and Michael says, this wasn’t how he pictured the birth of the new baby. Austin asks if Michael didn’t imagine he’d be dressed up like a big marshmallow, and tells him that they’re taking extra precautions. Michael asks if Austin is sure he’s not putting Willow at risk by being there, but Austin says, the only way he’d be putting Willow at risk is if he’s not there. He asks if Michael would mind if he’s in the OR too.

In the OR, Elizabeth asks if Willow is excited to meet her daughter, and Willow says she is, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t anxious. Elizabeth says, Dr. Navarro will be here soon, but she can answer any questions, and Willow asks if the doctor has done many C-sections. Elizabeth says, they’re pretty routine, and Willow asks if she’s ever seen one performed on a patient with Stage IV leukemia. Elizabeth says, it’s the first in her career, but Willow knows and has worked in this hospital. She has the most prepared and proficient team to get her through this. Michael and Austin come in, and Elizabeth adds, and the best support system. Michael asks how Willow is, and she says, hanging in there. Austin says, Michael is cool as a cucumber, when Dr. Adler comes in, and Elizabeth introduces him as Willows anesthesiologist. Dr. Adler explains the procedure.

Stella says, Jordan was oddly interested in her DNA test, even sending it to her friend in forensics. Jordan says, she and Curtis were just trying to help. The markers indicated Stella had a close relative in town. Stella says, which was a glitch in the website. They discovered it, after she found out she had a cousin in London. Jordan says, TJ always felt the chances of a glitch were low, and she agrees. Stella wonders why Jordan won’t let this go, and asks if Jordan believes she has a secret love child in Port Charles. Hold on… Is Jordan implying someone else has a child out there, and that person is related to her?

Trina asks why Josslyn didn’t tell her how bad things had gotten with Willow, and Josslyn says, things have been crazy. Trina says she wishes she’d been there to support Josslyn. Cam told her about the break-up. Josslyn says, it’s been rough, but she’s okay, and Trina says, Josslyn must have felt like there was no other option. Josslyn says she wishes Cam could understand that, and Trina says, Spencer thinks there was more to their break-up than drifting apart, and Josslyn says, Spencer’s not wrong.

Spencer tells Ava that Trina has reservations about him seeking custody, but she’s supportive, and Ava says, Trina is as loyal as they come. He says, Trina’s a good friend. She’s meeting him here soon. Ava says, he used the F-word. He and Trina are friends after all. He says, for now. So Ava thinks his scheme is risky? She tells him that she said highly risky, but that doesn’t mean she’s against it. She asks if Diane didn’t tell him the odds of him winning custody are slim. What if she could increase his chances exponentially, without him having to set foot in a courtroom?

Nikolas introduces himself to Esme, and she says, he’s Spencer’s father. He says he also arranged for her legal representation and she thanks him, saying, it’s nice to know someone is looking out for her, even if they’re being paid to do it. He says, Dr. Webber is also here to help, and Carolyn says she understands Esme is experiencing some memory loss. Esme says, not just some; she can’t remember anything about who she is. Carolyn says, they’ll try to get to the root of it, and see if they can’t restore her memory, and Nikolas says, or determine if her condition is permanent.

Austin explains C-section recovery to Willow, but she says she’s not like most patients. He says he’s delivered his share of babies, and Elizabeth says, including one in the woods. He says, it never ceases to amaze him how mothers and babies thrive under the most dire circumstances. Dr. Adler asks what Willow is feeling, and Willow says, almost nothing. Dr. Navarro says, good, and asks if she’s ready to meet her daughter.

Jordan says, Stella is right. There’s no point in rehashing a test years old. Stella says, Jordan asked about Trina’s test too, and obviously did it for a reason. This isn’t about a case. Jordan says, she and TJ thought it was strange that Stella had a match in town that vanished. She called the company, and a match can only disappear if a profile is withdrawn from the website. Stella tells her that Trina said she deleted her account after finding out she had a close match in Port Charles. She asks if Jordan thinks Curtis and Portia are related to each other.

Curtis asks why Drew isn’t at the hospital, and Drew says, Willow has plenty of people looking out for her, including her mother – who is Nina. Nina gave birth to twins, Nelle and Willow, and Nina’s mother gave Willow to Harmony to raise. Curtis says, years ago, Nina hired him to track down her missing child. That’s when he tracked down Phyllis. Nina was crushed when she found out Nelle was her daughter, especially after Nelle died. She thought she’d blown her only chance at becoming a mother; turns out she didn’t. He asks if Drew was the one who uncovered the truth, but Drew says, it was Carly. When Harmony was dying, she told Carly that Nina was Willow’s mother. Curtis says, Carly waited all this time to reveal the truth?

Trina asks if Josslyn didn’t break up with Cameron because they grew apart, but Josslyn says, mostly. She’s sorry she didn’t tell Trina, and that Trina had to hear it from Cam. She thinks she was scared because she didn’t feel great about how it went down. It’s too much to get into now, but she promises she’ll tell Trina, and Trina says, she better. Josslyn asks what’s going on with Spencer, and Trina says, they’re friends again, for real this time. Josslyn asks if Trina trusts Spencer, and Trina says, he’s changed. Josslyn asks if Trina really believes that.

Spencer tells Ava, avoiding court sounds ideal. How? She says, leverage, and he says, blackmail. She says, potato, potahto. There’s one thing in this world Nikolas doesn’t want coming to light, and this is it. He asks if Nikolas could go to jail, and she says, if he doesn’t, it will irreparably harm his reputation. She takes a paper out of her pocket, and he asks what it is. She says, dynamite, and if he uses it, it will clear any and all obstacles in his path.

Trina says, Josslyn and Cameron forgave Spencer a thousand times; why can’t she? Josslyn says she and Cameron never had feelings for Spencer that went beyond friendship, and Trina wonders if Josslyn and Cameron will stay friends. Josslyn says she wants Cameron in her life, but ultimately, it’s up to Cam. Her phone dings, and she tells Trina that her niece is on the way. They’ll continue this later. They hug, and Josslyn says, Britt was a really brave woman. Tell Spencer that she’s sorry.

Ava says, there’s a web address on here. Go to the site, and he’ll find a video. He says, of what? and she says, something that will give him power over Nikolas. He asks why she’s helping him, since his father already gave her what she wanted, but she says, all the Windymeres in the world wouldn’t make up for his betrayal. She warns him that he can’t unsee this, and if he chooses to use it, his father will be his sworn enemy. Is he ready for that? Spencer says he can’t let Nikolas parent another child, and asks if she’s having second thoughts. Nikolas will resent her too, assuming he knows where Spencer got it. She says, he’ll know, but she’s an expert at watching her back. She gives him the paper as Trina walks into the chapel.

Carolyn assumes Esme has had cognitive and diagnostic tests at General Hospital, and Esme says, it felt like they ran every test under the sun. Carolyn says, no sign of a brain injury? and Esme tells her, that’s what they say. Carolyn asks, what’s her earliest memory? and Esme says, seeing Spencer and his friend on the ship before she collapsed. Carolyn says she’s leaning toward dissociative amnesia. It’s when someone is unable to recall important personal information, as opposed to not remembering a few hours or days. Esme can’t remember her identity, and this kind of amnesia is usually brought on by trauma or stress. Esme asks if it’s fixable, and Carolyn says, psycho and cognitive therapies have proved helpful. Esme asks if Carolyn can help her regain her memory, and Nikolas says, there’s also cognitive hypnosis, and Dr. Webber is an expert in the field. Esme says, if hypnosis can help, she’s all in. She needs to remember who she is, so she can raise his grandchild right.

Dr. Navarro tells Willow that she’s going in to get the baby, and wow, she is some magician because the baby is crying two seconds after she says that.

Stella asks if Curtis is about to marry his own kin, and Jordan says, Curtis and Portia are not related. Stella says, thank God. She was worried whatever this is would interfere with the wedding. She asks what Jordan isn’t telling her, and Jordan says, it’s Stella’s family matter; not hers. Stella says, this is about her and Trina. If they were a match, is she a distant relative of Trina’s father? That can’t be right. The indicator said it was a closer relation. If she’s not related to Portia or Taggert, how could she possibly… Unless Taggert isn’t Trina’s father, and Curtis is. Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner!

Elizabeth shows Willow the baby, and asks if they have a name, but Willow says, they were afraid to make plans. Michael says, everyone has been so supportive. He and Willow can’t thank them enough. They made an incredibly difficult situation more tolerable. Willow thanks them, and includes Britt, saying, they couldn’t have gotten through without her. Dr. Navarro suggests they get Willow to recovery, so she can hold her daughter. Elizabeth will go with the baby to the NICU for a routine exam. Willow asks Michael to go with Elizabeth, and he says he’s so incredibly grateful. Willow says she is too.

Ava says she’s missed Trina. They should have dinner soon. Maybe in her new home. Trina asks if Ava is moving, and Ava says, back to Windymere. Trina says she thought Ava said no, but Ava says, it’s hers and hers alone. They’ll talk soon. She leaves, and Trina says, she’s confused. Spencer’s father sold Windymere to Ava? He says, his father gave it to her, and she asks what Ava gave Spencer. When she walked in, Ava was giving him a slip of paper… Never mind. He doesn’t have to tell her. He says, no more secrets between them, and tells her, it’s a link to a video. Evidence of his father at his worst, and just what he needs to beat Nikolas out of custody of Esme’s baby. She says, that sounds sketchy at best, and he asks if she doesn’t trust Ava. She says she does, but she also has no illusions about Ava. Is he sure he wants to use what’s on the video?

Carolyn says it was nice meeting Esme, and wishes her nothing but the best. She gets up, and beats a path to the door. Nikolas follows, and in the hall, Carolyn asks, what’s wrong with him? He never mentioned Esme was pregnant. He’s asking her to influence and exploit someone carrying his grandchild. He says, it’s not his grandchild, and she says, then why did Esme… She doesn’t care. This is unethical and he knows it. He says, and she’s never done anything unethical. Why don’t they call her daughter and ask her? She says, God help him, and walks out. He says, if only.

Curtis says, Drew and Carly are good friends, and she never let on about Nina and Willow? Drew says he wishes she had. Then Nina would have known sooner that she was Willow’s mom. Curtis asks if Carly wasn’t helping with Drew’s search for Willow’s birth parents, but Drew says, it turns out she was impeding the progress so the truth wouldn’t come to light. Curtis says, tell him Drew didn’t let that go.

Stella asks how long Jordan has known, but Jordan says she doesn’t know anything for sure. Stella says, but she suspected? and Jordan says, yes. Stella says, Curtis and Portia’s affair would line up with how old Trina is. Why didn’t Curtis tell her?… Oh my God, he doesn’t know. Jordan says, none of them do, not even Trina, and Stella asks if Jordan and Portia have discussed this. Jordan says she urged Portia to tell Curtis, and told Portia that a marriage with secrets was doomed to fail like hers did. Stella says, maybe Portia talked to Curtis, but Jordan asks if Stella thinks Curtis would go through with the wedding knowing Portia had kept that from him. Stella says, he’d need time to work through this, and even that wouldn’t suffice. So what do they do now? Jordan’s gathered the evidence. Is she going to tell Curtis? Jordan says, it’s not her business to tell, and Stella says, if Jordan won’t tell Curtis, she will.

Trina says, Spencer has come such a long way since he came to Port Charles and pulled all that crap, and he says, fun times. She tells him, if he’s serious about getting custody – he says he is – then shouldn’t he go about it the right way? He says, in an idea world, yes, but the right way isn’t going to work, and she says she’s been telling people he’s changed. He says he has changed. He’s not saying he’s going to use what’s in the video for sure, but he needs to know. He could have lied to her, but he told her because he trusts her. She says she appreciates that, but what if she’s not on board with him fighting dirty? He says, even if it saves his sibling? and she says, who’s going to save him? He says he thought that was her job. For once, this isn’t about him; it’s about protecting an innocent life. He’s going to do what he has to, starting with watching that video. She says, fine, but he’s not watching it alone.

Drew tells Curtis that he’s not okay with what Carly did, and Carly is well aware of that. He checks out his tux jacket, and asks if the wedding feels real. Curtis says, it’s about as real as it gets, and he’s jazzed to have Drew by his side. Drew says, it’s a privilege, and he’ll always stand by Curtis, like Curtis has stood by him. Curtis says, the way he’ll always stand by Nina, and Drew says, and we’re back. Curtis says he doesn’t appreciate what Carly did to Nina and to Drew, and Drew says, for what it’s worth (🍷), Carly truly regrets lying to him. Curtis says, but not to Nina. Carly’s gonna do what Carly’s gonna do, but he’s really glad she and Drew never got together. D’oh!

Jordan tells Stella, hold on, but Stella says, Jordan isn’t talking her out of this. Jordan says, stop and think. What will she accomplish by telling Curtis something that will blow up his life? Stella says, she’ll be providing him with the truth, but Jordan says, she’ll be sharing an unproven theory. She agrees Curtis has a right to know, but shouldn’t he hear it from Portia, his fiancé and possible mother of his child? And don’t forget, Stella has a history of meddling. Stella says she meddles out of love, and Jordan says she knows that, but Curtis could perceive it differently, especially if it turns out they’re wrong. Stella says, then let’s find out before Curtis walks down that aisle.

Spencer and Trina find a private place off the main staircase, and sit on a bench. He takes out his phone, and she asks if he’s sure. He brings up the video, and says, last chance to bail. She says, they’re in this together, and we see Nikolas confess that he’s responsible for the disappearance of Esme Prince.

Esme asks Nikolas if Carolyn is upset. She wonders if she said something wrong, but he says, she said nothing wrong, but one part did confuse him. What gave her the impression Spencer is the father of her baby?

Dr. Navarro tells Willow that the process to get the cord blood only took about ten minutes, and Willow asks if Michael is with the baby. The doctor says, he’s with their daughter in the NICU, and Willow says, they can’t let Jonah slip away again. Dr. Navarro asks her today’s date, and Willow says, the fourth of July. A nurse says, her BP is dropping, and another nurse says, she’s hemorrhaging. The doctor shouts instructions, and tells Willow to stay with her.

Drew says, that’s a bold statement, and Curtis asks if he doesn’t agree. Drew says, that’s it’s a good thing he and Carly never got together? Curtis says, lies are hard to get past, and Drew reminds Curtis that he said he’d never forgive his father, and now look at the two of them. Curtis says, fair point, and Drew says he hears a but coming. Curtis says, it was for his dad; that was family. Marshall’s lies were to protect him. Drew says, in Carly’s mind, she was protecting her family, but Curtis says, at the expense of someone else’s. If Drew wants to be friends with Carly, that’s on him, but if someone had kept a life-altering secret from him, there’s no getting past that.

Jordan tells Stella, the only way to be sure is a DNA test, but they can’t do that without Curtis and Trina’s consent. Stella asks if Jordan is saying her hands are tied, and Jordan tells her, she’s saying it’s not their place. Stella says she doesn’t accept that. Is she supposed to officiate the wedding like everything is fine and dandy? Jordan says, yes. Because that’s what Curtis and Portia asked her to do. Stella says, that’s insane. She won’t watch the woman lying to her nephew’s face walk down the aisle and marry him. No way, no how.

Spencer watches Nikolas talk about Esme ruining his life, and how he pushed her to her death in a fit of rage. His only regret is not doing it sooner to spare the people he loves the pain he’s caused them. This he solemnly swears.

Esme says, when Spencer came to see her in the hospital, he said he might be the baby’s father, but Nikolas says he’s sorry. Spencer isn’t the father. She says she was really hoping she’d found her baby’s family, and he says, she has. That baby is more loved and wanted than she can imagine. She asks how he knows that, and he says, because it’s his.

Carolyn sees Elizabeth, and says she looks exhausted, calling her Lizzie. Elizabeth tells her, it’s Elizabeth, and asks what she can do for Carolyn. Carolyn says, nothing, but she hopes to do something for Elizabeth.

Ava sees Austin, and tells him that she made an appointment with the plastic surgeon he recommended. Pretty soon her scar will be a thing of the past. He says he’s sorry she walked in on that scene in his office and wants to apologize, but she tells him, if anyone understands complicated family dynamics, he’s looking at her. He says, if only all scars were so easily fixed, when he gets a page. He tells her that it’s an emergency, and jets.

Michael looks at the new baby, who looks anything but premature. He says, she has no idea how loved she is, but she will, when Josslyn joins him. She says, that’s a promise, and asks if that’s her niece. He says, in all her glory, and she congratulates him. She asks if the surgery went okay, and he says, it did. She says she might be biased, but she can’t handle how beautiful the baby is, and he says, just like her mother.

Willow is unconscious, and everyone runs around doing medical stuff. Dr. Navarro tells Willow to stay with her, but she flatlines, and the doctor says, they need to defibrillate. She uses the defibrillator, and goes for a second time, when we see a bright light. Harmony tells Willow not to be afraid. She’s not alone. Harmony holds out her arms.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth asks what Nikolas told Carolyn; Trina suggests she and Spencer go to the cops; Curtis asks Jordan, what’s wrong; and Sonny says, the doctors are looking for Michael.

🤵🏻 Back Again…

Apparently, for good this time.

https://daytimeconfidential.com/2023/01/31/adam-huss-returns-as-general-hospitals-nikolas

🥀 Taken Too Soon…

The Wednesday bar was set with her.
https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/as-the-world-turns/as-the-world-turns-vet-lisa-loring-dead-at-64

I don’t remember her on GH, but I don’t think I was watching at the time.

🎂 She’s Legal…

Is that a fanny pack on Taggert?

🗽 Dumped Legacy…

The finger pointing starts.

The Countess remains hopeful.

https://people.com/tv/luann-de-lesseps-rhony-legacy-contracts-have-stalled-never-say-never-on-return/

⚰️ Another Dead End…

No surprise, they’re going to string out the last season.

https://www.tvinsider.com/1076325/fear-the-walking-dead-ending-season-8-release-schedule/

🛣 More Than Game…

This show is great. Pedro Pascal was one of my favorites on Game of Thrones. Until The Mountain squashed his head like a grape. Here’s hoping he does better in a post-apocalyptic world.

https://www.hbo.com/the-last-of-us

🐶 Almost Bowl Time…

I can hear the yips now.

https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/see/meet-the-players-of-puppy-bowl-xix-

👜 Taking a Sentimental Journey…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and a tea leaf or two. Until then, stay safe, stay hanging onto your sanity in an insane world, and stay not keeping life-altering secrets from anyone, lest there’s no getting past that.

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.