Tag Archives: The Real Housewives of New Jersey

August 15, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Drew Targets Wiley and Stella, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watching, Watching Someday, Top Paws, 10 Solid Quotes & Distance

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…

Monday:

Cody told the pool guy to put Tracy’s drink on his tab and he went over to her table. She said she was seeking solace from the children at the house, but she enjoyed his company. She asked what he was dressed for, and he said he had a date.

Ava met Nina at the MetroCourt bar. She said she was meeting someone, but he could wait.

Molly was working on her laptop working on her new romance at Haven’s Coffee Bistro, when Alexis arrived.

Dante threated Obrecht with jail, and she asked how he’d tell his son that he’d put his grandmother in a jail cell. Laura suggested he take a walk and cool down. He left and Obrecht thanked Laura, but Laura said the only reason Obrecht was there was for them to see if she was capable of putting Rocco’s needs before her own. She’d proved she couldn’t. Obrecht said just because they disagreed didn’t mean she was wrong.

Jack said there was something he had to tell Carly. He hadn’t been completely honest. He wasn’t sure she’d want to go away with him after he told her.

Anna told Jason that she’d thought it was Britt’s choice to disappear, but now she was wondering if it wasn’t Britt’s choice at all.

Vaughn asked if they were interrupting and Pascal let Britt go. She left and he asked if he could help them. They said they were on their honeymoon.

Jack said he hadn’t been honest about his assignment. The WSB had a specific target, a threat with worldwide complications. There was a clear and present danger, and at some point, he may have to disappear and had no idea how long he’d be gone.

Nina asked if things were better with Ric, and Ava said her date wasn’t with Ric. Nina asked if Ava had dumped Ric, and Ava said, yes, but he didn’t know it.

Cody said his date was with Ava, and Tracy asked what he was thinking. Ava was a dangerous woman and not worth it. Cody said he could handle Ava and was only doing it for the money.

Alexis told Molly that Drew was taking Scout away from them.

Obrecht said she and Rocco had bonded and if his parents came between them, they’d be his enemies. Laura said Obrecht and Rocco didn’t have a relationship, and his parents could make him understand their concerns. Obrecht said Lulu hadn’t done that, and Lulu said she’d been in a coma. Her absence wasn’t her fault. Obrecht said she left Rocco when she went looking for his sister. She hadn’t been a mother to Rocco for years. Was it any wonder he was curious about Britt? Laura asked, how dare she imply Lulu wasn’t a good mother?

Pascal said Vaughn and Josslyn’s room was ready, and Vaughn asked if they could rent a boat tomorrow. Pascal said, no problem, and Josslyn asked for a tour of the grounds. Pascal showed them around.

Anna told Jason that she wasn’t sure, but new information had come to light. She thought Britt’s tote bag was from the Five Poppies, and Jason said he was convinced Britt was there. Anna said she learned that the resort was under WSB scrutiny, and he asked what she knew and how she knew it.

Alexis told Molly about Drew’s plans to move to DC full time, and Molly thought, strategically, Alexis shouldn’t take an antagonistic position. Alexis said she’d gone to Monica to intervene, but wasn’t holding out much hope. She wondered if they could research legal precedents on a grandmother taking custody of a minor child.

Ava told Nina that she had to take care of a few things before telling Ric. They had fun, but it was time to move on. He was too preoccupied with Elizabeth and always would be. Nina said Ava deserved a man’s full attention.

Tracy asked if Ava was paying Cody for sex, but he said someone else was, but they just wanted Ava distracted. Tracy didn’t approve.

Laura told Obrecht that Lulu was a very good mother and her children loved her. She knew Obrecht would grieve Britt for the rest of her life, but never speak to daughter like that again. She wouldn’t disrespect Rocco’s parents and if she wanted to be part of Rocco’s life, she had to earn it. She had to prove to them she could be respectful and a positive force in Rocco’s life and put his needs ahead of her own grief. If she couldn’t respect the rules his parents created, she’d have no place in Rocco’s life. What was it going to be?

Carly said she thought Jack was going to say he had a wife and kids stashed away, and he said it was a national issue. She said she trusted him, but wanted him to be careful. She admired his commitment to protecting them from harm.

Anna told Jason that one of Brennan’s men had grabbed her. Jack filled her in, then told her to back off. He believed the Five Poppies was a front for something dangerous. She didn’t doubt Britt being there was a coincidence, but she didn’t know if it was by Britt’s free will or she’d been coerced.

Molly said she didn’t think it was the right way to go, but Alexis said grandparents had legal standing in New York. Molly said it was for visitation, not custody, and Alexis said that’s how new laws were made. Molly made a list of pros and cons, and said they’d need to prove Drew was unfit. Alexis said there was a laundry list of reasons. He was nowhere to be seen at Scout’s extracurriculars, and Scout spent all day in her room. She needed the support of family and friends, and leaving wasn’t in Scout’s best interest.

Ava told Nina that it was Cody, and Nina asked how they happened. Ava said they kept bumping into each other and he’d filled in for her carpenter. He appreciated her, made her smile, and he was uncomplicated.

Tracy asked if Cody needed money. She usually sided with the woman, but her sympathy was with him. He was better than that and a better man than he knew. He needed to get over his low opinion of himself. He’d stepped up for her, saved Rocco’s life, was fabulous the night of the fire, and saved James from drowning. He was a good man and shouldn’t sell himself cheaply.

Jason wondered if it had something to do with Faison, and Anna said, even though Faison was dead, his work lived on. Britt had worked closely with him when they were on the run. Jason wondered if there was an illegal lab there, and Anna said that was the type of bad Faison was into. Did Britt talk about her father? He said, only that she’d inherited Huntington’s from him. What did the WSB think was happening? She said Faison had been interested in weaponizable tech with the potential to destabilize entire countries.

Pascal showed Vaughn and Josslyn to their room, and Vaughn tossed Josslyn on the bed. Pascal left and they checked the room for bugs.

Dante came back, and Laura said she knew it wasn’t easy, but it didn’t need to devolve into an ugly, nasty fight. It still didn’t. They owed it to Rocco to find common ground. Obrecht said Laura was right. She shouldn’t have spoken like that. The pain of losing Britta was very present. They’d gotten close and had the mother/daughter relationship she’d always dreamed of. Dante said maybe them getting along was what was best for Rocco if they could still make it happen, and Obrecht said Rocco was lucky to have a family who loved him. If one of them wanted to be there when they talked, it was fine. She’d wait to hear from them. She left.  

Cody said Tracy was being kind, but she said that wasn’t something she did. Cody said he’d sold out to Drew for $50K, and Tracy said he should have asked for more. He said he’d gambled and lost to Selina. If he hadn’t, he could have had a downpayment on Serenity instead of doing this side hustle. Tracy asked if he needed the money.

Molly told Alexis that family and custody law was based on property law. Each parent had a 50% interest, and since Sam was gone, Drew got 100%. Alexis said they had to prove Scout was physically or emotionally jeopardized, but Molly said, in the eyes of the law, Drew provided her needs. Alexis said she needed her mother, and in lieu of that, she needed them, a connection. Sam wouldn’t be okay with this, and she had to fight for Scout’s mother since she wasn’t there.

Jason said, Britt didn’t want anything to do with weapon development, and Anna asked if he was going to Dalmatia. He said, yes, and thanked her for the information. She said, if Jack got wind of it, he’d have her arrested and shipped to Steinmaur, possibly for treason, and Jason said he wouldn’t tell a soul.

Jack said he’d never been with someone he wanted to confide in and Carly was the most amazing woman he’d ever met. Carly said she understood that secrecy was unavoidable. Not all secrets should come to light, and she was grateful he was making those decisions. She trusted him to handle the threats. He said not many agents sustained a stable relationship, and she said, as long as he was honest, she wasn’t going anywhere.

Nina said Cody tended to be sloppy, and she reminded Ava of Cody’s drunken brawl with Drew at the Brown Dog Bar. Ava said Drew had treated them horribly, and Nina said she wanted Ava to be careful. Every relationship had complications. Ava said it wasn’t a relationship. They were just having fun and enjoying each other’s company. Nina said, the last time she had uncomplicated fun with Drew, they knew how that turned out, and Ava said Nina was a good friend. She appreciated Nina’s concern, but she didn’t have to worry. She could handle Cody Bell.

Tracy said she’d help Cody if he was in trouble, but he said he wasn’t. Tracy said the next generation of Quartermaines should be asleep now, so she could go home. Cody didn’t have to do this. Cody said she hadn’t known him long, and she said, maybe that was why she saw who he was now, not who he once was. She respected him and hoped he could respect himself. She left.

Molly said she was with Alexis 100%, but as a lawyer, Alexis’s chance of proving Drew unfit was small. If she filed, Drew would deny them any access to Scout and his lawyers would make sure it was a lengthy trial. In the meantime, Drew would find reasons to turn Scout against them. She hated it, but thought with Scout being in DC, she’d still have access to the Davis women. It was the best way to go. It wasn’t what Sam wanted, but they’d see Scout on vacations and holidays. Alexis asked how they could possibly let Scout go.  

Vaughn poured champagne, and he and Josslyn toasted to no bugs. Josslyn said at least they got a break from faking it, and Vaughn found a map of the grounds. They marked where they’d seen security cameras, and Josslyn said there was a large staff present, and the public grounds were only a fraction of the compound. It confirmed Brennan’s suspicions. If they were looking around, it would be convincing that they were newlyweds looking for secluded spot. Vaughn took his shirt off.

Dante said he was sorry he went off, and Lulu said, same. Laura said they’d been out of line, but she was proud of them both for hanging in. She thought they could reach an agreement and believed that in Obrecht’s own broken way, she was trying. They had to remain focused make Rocco understand that they understood his need to learn more about Britt and Leisl. Lulu said, whatever it took. She wasn’t going to lose Rocco.

Alexis thanked Molly for not giving her false hope and keeping a level head, and Molly said they weren’t letting Sam and Scout down. Drew was. Alexis said the custody petition was a last resort, but she needed to keep that option open. She was going to write a petition. She asked if Molly would be a second pair of eyes, and Molly said, absolutely. And if Alexis went through with it, she’d be by her side then too. Alexis said she had to get back to work.

Ava found Cody at the MetroCourt and said she was ready to go, but he said he’d have to take a raincheck. One of the horses had a minor medical procedure and he needed to check on him. She said, another time, and he said, definitely. She kissed him and said she’d text him. He said he was looking forward to it, and left.

Lulu said Laura had always been wise, but she wasn’t sure she could follow Laura’s advice. Laura said they had to keep the lines of communication open with Rocco, make him feel like he could confide in them. Dante said they could do that, and Laura said she’d keep an eye on Leisl. Obrecht was trying, but she’d be foolish to trust her completely.

At the bar, Obrecht told Nina that she had to agree to Dante and Lulu’s rules, and Nina said she saw both sides. Obrecht said, ultimately, it was up to Rocco. She was sure he’d come to her again. Nina asked what she’d do then, and Obrecht said she’d respond the way Britt would want her to.

Jack told Carly that the first thing agents were taught is that you can’t count on the future. He was happy for the time he got to spend with her. Carly said she was an optimist. As far as she was concerned, they had all the time in the world. They kissed.

Josslyn came out in her shortie-nightie, and Vaughn said he was wondering if this was okay. Josslyn said, sharing a bed? What was the alternative? He said, the floor, and she told him, don’t be ridiculous, but thanks for asking. They got in bed and Josslyn turned out the light. She said, goodnight Mr. Nash, and he said, goodnight, Mrs. Nash.

Jason said Anna had his word that he’d protect her, and she said she told him because she trusted him. Take care… Good luck. She left.  

Britt asked Pascal where her medicine was. It wasn’t in her room and she couldn’t miss a dose. He said it was in the lab, waiting for her, and she asked if she was expected to work took. He said she took the whole day off, and she said she couldn’t believe he was playing this game. He said it was a reminder that her good health was reliant on his good will and results in a timely manner result. Or her medication would be withheld completely. Pascal’s phone rang, and Jason said he’d like to book a room. The name was John Moore. Pascal said they’d be happy to have him.

Tuesday:

A room service breakfast was brought to Vaughn and Josslyn. Vaughn got the tray and brought it over to the bed. He kissed Josslyn and tipped the man at the door. Josslyn asked if the kiss was really necessary, and Vaughn said, absolutely.

Britt lounged by the pool looking at photos of Rocco on her phone.

At the MetroCourt pool, Gio told Rocco about Outback needing a new home. Obrecht came by and fawned over Outback, who reminded her of her childhood dog. Lulu came in, saw them, and left.

Anna told Emma that she didn’t have leg to stand on with the no pet policy, but Emma said she wasn’t just upset about Outback. Anna had the lecture canceled, didn’t she? Anna said she did. Did Emma know why?

Drew found Willow at the hospital, but she was unreceptive, saying it wasn’t the time or place. He said he’d meet her anywhere, but Lucas suggested he leave.

Lulu told Carly that she needed to evict Obrecht from her hotel.

Marco met Alexis, who said she needed a third-party attorney who could be brutally honest. Her granddaughter’s future depended on it.

Danny said he invited someone over and Jason saw Scout in the living room. He asked how she got there, and Danny said he took Scout.

Anna said she knew it was Dalton’s lab Emma broke into at her last university and presumed that’s what she was doing in Port Charles. Did she learn nothing from what happened at the last school? Emma said she was just trying to right a wrong and do some good in the world. Why was Anna against it?

Vaughn said they were newlyweds and Josslyn sleeping in bolstered their cover story. They needed to figure out where the tracker went dark and look for restricted zones, starting with a romantic garden walk. She said she had a better idea.

Pascal approached Britt, who said she earned her break. He said she certainly had. Her work was impressive, and she’d made excellent progress. Britt said, give her what she wanted, and they’d get results, and he said, they got results when she was focused and not distracted. She put her phone away.

Gio had to get back to work and asked Rocco to hang with Outback. Rocco asked if Britt liked dogs, and Obrecht said she loved other people’s dogs, but was too busy for her own. Dogs loved without condition, something humans couldn’t manage. He suggested she adopt Outback. If she did, he’d owe her.

Lulu told Carly that she’d seen Rocco and Obrecht fawning over some dog at the pool. They’d had a meeting and Obrecht said she’d only see Rocco at his parents’ discretion. With Obrecht living at the hotel and Rocco working there, she could see him when she felt like it. Carly said Obrecht would assume she was doing it for Lulu, but Lulu said Carly could come up with a plausible excuse.

Marco asked what Alexis needed to know about grandparents’ rights, and Alexis said she needed someone to be impartial. Since Scout’s mother passed away, her father had made questionable choices. Marco said he was at The Savoy when Drew was doing body shots off his date, and she said he wasn’t an unfit parent per se, but he was irrational and spinning too many plates – his career, his mess with his ex-fiancé, and his battle with the Quartermaines. It had been one scandal after another for months and a plate was going to drop. He asked if she thought the plate was Scout, and she said it was already affecting Scout negatively, but she didn’t know if it was enough for her to get custody.

Danny told Jason that he’d visited Scout at Lila’s Kids, and she’d begged him to bring her there. She missed everybody. Jason said they missed her too, and asked if Danny signed her out. Danny said, no. They just took off. Jason said he had to call Drew, but Scout said, no. She didn’t want to leave.

Lucas said Nurse Tate was on duty, but Willow said she could handle this and thanked him. Lucas left, and Willow said Lucas was right. Drew should go. It was going to matter in court, and she didn’t want to give anyone anything to use against her. Drew said he was trying to help her get her kids back, but she said he was the reason she lost them. She didn’t want or need his help.

Anna said Emma had been arrested twice. If it happened again, it could jeopardize her future. Emma said she knew what she was doing, and Anna said, if that was true, she’d understand what happened now mattered. Choices you make today stay with you. Emma said she didn’t get why the person she looked up to most was the same person standing in her way, but Anna said she was trying to help Emma by protecting her from herself.

Josslyn suggested she and Vaughn split up. He’d walk the grounds, while she checked out the facilities, starting with the spa. No cellphones were allowed there, so people might have their guards down. She thought it would be faster and more efficient if she got the layout of the grounds and staff rotation, and he found the access points to the shielded areas. He said they’d do it her way. Be careful and keep her eyes open.

Carly said she couldn’t pass up a challenge and would find a way to send Obrecht packing. Lulu hugged her and left. Carly saw Alexis talking to Marco.

Marco said he concurred with Molly’s assessment. A sustained litany of scandals introduced in court might be enough to get temporary custody. Alexis said Drew was powerful and as the surviving parent, was likely to win Scout back. Then he’d come at her with every weapon in his arsenal. Her phone rang, and Jason said he needed her to come to the Quartermaines right now.

Drew said he had resources Willow didn’t have, but she said she didn’t care. Every second they’d spent together was a lie. He said she was his truest love, but she said, no more speeches, grand gestures, or pretending. His phone rang, and it was Scout’s camp. He said, what did they mean, Scout was missing?

Drew told Willow that it was the director of Lila’s Kids. They couldn’t find Scout and he was going to call the cops. She said, when she was a teacher, kids snuck off all the time. She was sure something caught Scout’s attention, and she’d turn back up. Give it time and let her know when Scout was found. Lucas watched them.

Alexis arrived at the Quartermaines, and Scout hugged her. She asked if Scout wasn’t supposed to be at camp, but Scout said she’d rather be there. She missed it. Jason suggested Danny take Scout to the stables, and they left. Alexis asked how Scout got there, and Jason said Danny had seen her at camp and she begged him to bring her back. He couldn’t say no. Alexis said Scout missed her family so much, and Jason said they were the people she lived with when Sam was still alive. Alexis said Scout missed her mother so much.

Carly asked if Marco had a minute. It was about Lucas. Marco said, okay, and she said she needed to make something clear.

Obrecht was playing with Outback when Rocco came back and asked if she’d thought about taking the dog. She said she wished she could, but she was staying at the hotel. If circumstances were different, she’d do it in a heartbeat. He thanked her for considering it, and she said, anything for him. Lulu went over to Anna and Chase at the bar, and Anna said she loved her granddaughter, but she was a bit of a challenge. Lulu said she knew the feeling, and Chase left for the station. Lulu asked if everything was okay with Emma, and Anna said she hoped so.

Gio told Emma that Anna was Police Commissioner and a former spy. She’d be watching Emma like a hawk now that she knew. It was over. Emma said, not necessarily.

Alone in the room, Josslyn looked at the bed and flashed back to sparring with Vaughn, Vaughn saying he’d tell her his goal when they knew each other better, Vaughn kissing her, throwing her on the bed, and bringing her breakfast. She left.

At the pool, Vaughn introduced himself to Britt as Christopher Nash, and she said she was Britt. He asked how she was enjoying her vacation, but she said she was a resident of the resort. It wasn’t perfect, but it had its upside. He asked if the seat next to her was taken, and she said it was all his. He took his shirt off, because that’s where we are now, and made himself comfortable.

Vaughn said he was interested in buying a place there, but was looking first before he made an offer. Britt must know the resort like the back of her hand. He’d heard there was a private hot spring. She said, no one told her about it, and he said he’d ask the manager. She said, that guy is useless, and he said maybe she could show him around. She said he was wearing a wedding ring and asked if he was happily married.

Willow saw Lucas in the breakroom and thanked him for his help with Drew. He said he tried to help, but she wouldn’t let him, and she said she wanted to handle it herself and not cause a scene. He said he didn’t understand why she was still willing to give Drew the time of day, and she said it was none of his business. He said Drew made a fool of her publicly and to be seen talking to him was just… a little pathetic, and she said she came to thank him and move past the tension, but she guessed not. He said she only seemed interested in hearing what she wanted to hear. Next time, he’d keep his mouth shut. She said he’d been policing her. Why? Was he going to report to Michael and Carly?

Marco said he wasn’t comfortable talking behind Lucas’s back, and Carly said she wanted to make sure he didn’t make Lucas pick sides between his father and Sonny. He said her brother had a mind of his own, and she said he obviously had sway. She didn’t want him complicating her brother’s life. He asked if it was possible she thought him dating Lucas complicated hers.

Scout and Danny came back, and Jason asked Danny to help him with something. They left, and Alexis asked Scout why she left camp to come there. Why did she call Danny and not her dad? Scout said she asked her dad all the time, and Alexis asked if she told him that she missed coming there. Scout said he knew and said he’d take her, but then work stuff happened and they didn’t go. Alexis said she’d talk to Scout’s dad and get him to understand, and Scout said she hated not living there with Danny and Rocco. Alexis said she knew and hugged Scout.

Jason said he knew Scout was Danny’s sister and he loved her, but he couldn’t just take her wherever she wanted to go. Danny said Scout was lonely. She was with a nanny all day. He wasn’t wrong. His mom would want him to do the right thing and take care of Scout. Jason said he knew she would, when Drew burst in with Chase and asked, where was his daughter?

Rocco told Obrecht that there was an issue with her charging her order to her room. She needed to check at the front desk, but he needed a credit card for now. She gave one to him.

Emma said Gio was right. Her grandmother would watch her every move. She’d walk the straight and narrow for a few weeks, throw her off the scent, then come after Dalton. She wasn’t going to stop until she found out what she needed to take the guy down.

Obrecht walked by and Outback jumped onto Lulu’s chaise lounge. She said she saw Rocco showing Outback around, and he said Outback needed a new home. What if they adopted her?

Carly said she didn’t want Lucas to get hurt again, and Marco said they had similar priorities. Was she asking him for something specific? She told him to be as transparent and honest as Lucas was. If there was any inkling that Lucas was into it more than Marco was, she’d rather Lucas be angry at her meddling than be hurt down the road. Marco said he understood, and he left.

Lucas said Willow choosing him and Brad to raise her baby meant everything. He was trying to return the gift. She said, by making her feel awful and reporting to his sister and nephew? but he said he was pretty good at staying objective and thought he was right in this case. She said she’d prove in court that he wasn’t, and he said dragging everyone into court did no one any favors, especially Wiley and Amelia. The day they lost Wiley was the hardest of his life, but the silver lining was that he knew Wiley would be happy and safe with her and Michael. He thought she’d put Wiley first. She said she did, but he said that wasn’t what he was seeing. She was putting her feelings and needs first. He understood betrayal, but why was she going back for more? She said she left Drew at the altar, and he said it was like watching an addict and their drug of choice. Her addiction was Drew.

Chase said two campers had seen Scout ride off with Danny. Drew said he was worried about her, and noticed Alexis was there. He told Scout to go to the car, but Scout said she hadn’t seen Grandma Monica yet. Alexis said she’d drive Scout home, but Drew said they’d find another time to see Monica. Scout said he always told her that, he promised they would, and she left. Danny asked what the big deal was, and Drew said they had things they needed to do, but Alexis said Scout would normally be at camp. She wanted to stay there. Why did a teenager see things more clearly than Scout’s own father?

Vaughn told Britt that he was on his honeymoon, and it was too soon to tell if he was happily married, but he was crazy about his wife. She wondered what his wife would think about him chatting up another woman. Josslyn told the pool attendant that she was meeting her husband, and Vaughn told Britt that he thought his wife would be totally fine.

Drew said Scout’s well-being was all he cared about. He hadn’t wanted her to see what was about to happen. Jason asked if Drew was going to have him arrested, but Drew said Jason wasn’t the one who broke the law. Alexis said he wasn’t serious, and Drew told Chase to arrest Danny for kidnapping. Danny said he couldn’t do this, but Drew said he sure as hell could. (Does he think this will be a good look to impress Willow with? Also, police IRL would tell them it was a civil matter and jet.)

Willow said Lucas had it all wrong. He didn’t hear the conversation. She knew who Drew was. That’s why she walked out on him at their wedding. She ended things, but it had nothing to do with Lucas. Wiley wasn’t his son anymore. Lucas said Wiley was still family. She wasn’t doing right by him, and now her mess was spilling into the hospital. Stella, Elizabeth, and Deanna all agreed to testify for her and write a statement. They were going above and beyond, while she did the bare minimum getting Drew to stay away. She said, next time, she’d consult his playbook, and he said, if she kept engaging, people would think she cared more about Drew than the kids. At least he was saying it to her face. She slapped him and said, how dare he?  

Lulu said they had a lot going on and a dog was a huge responsibility, and Rocco said he got it, but he’d been trying to find a home for Outback all day. The closest he came was Obrecht. She wanted to, but she couldn’t. Lulu said, let’s just do it. She saw how much it meant to him, but he had to help with walking and feeding her. Whatever it takes. He said, definitely, and she said, it’s settled. They were bringing Outback home. They hugged.

Obrecht asked if Carly had anything to say, and Carly said, good morning. Obrecht said the front desk informed her that she’d been evicted from her room, and Carly said the room was toxic. Mold. She could comp Obrecht a room elsewhere. Obrecht said she’d be sure to tell Rocco that his mother orchestrated the whole thing to keep them apart.

Britt asked Vaughn to put sunscreen on her back and turned around. Josslyn got a full view of her and was like, WTF???

Wednesday:

Drew said he was a congressman, and his daughter had been abducted. He and Willow were the only two authorized to pick up Scout. Jason told Danny to wait om the living room, and said Drew wasn’t arresting his son. Drew said, of course (🍷) not. Chase was, and if Jason stopped it, he’d have Jason arrested for obstructing justice. (That Drew, always a real laugh riot.)

Marco looked for Lucas at the hospital, and Elizabeth said he was in the breakroom.

Lucas told Willow that her colleagues had gone above and beyond, and she said she was grateful, but he said, was she? While they were stepping up, she still couldn’t stay away from Drew. If she continued this behavior, people would think she cared more about Drew than her kids. She said she knew he did, and he said at least he said it to her face. She slapped him, and left, walking past Marco. Marco asked if Lucas was okay. What the hell was that?

Temp Maxie brought James to the pool where they met Cody. She told him to listen to Cody, and started to leave, but she ran into Sidwell. He said Lucy told him about Deception keeping quiet about Sonny’s investment. He thought it was a wise decision, but she disagreed.

Rocco told Gio than his family was adopting Outback, and he and Emma could visit whenever they wanted. Brook came in, and Gio asked what she was doing there.

Carly said if Obrecht squealed on Lulu, she’d just stick to the mold story, but Obrecht said Rocco would see through her lies. Carly said Obrecht wouldn’t just hurt Lulu; she’d hurt Rocco.

At the MetroCourt restaurant, Anna asked if Jack had heard from Josslyn, but he said it wasn’t her concern. She said maybe not, but if he didn’t give her an update, she’d tell Carly that he’d recruited her daughter to the WSB.

Britt thanked Vaughn for lotioning her back and smoothed his hair. As Josslyn watched, he said his wife refused to let him cut it for the wedding, and Britt asked if he always did what his wife wanted, or did he sometimes go his own way. Pascal told Josslyn that she looked like she’d seen a ghost.

Willow hyperventilated and Elizabeth asked if something was wrong. Willow said she’d just made a mistake that could permanently cost her the kids.

Alexis told Drew that nothing was worse than not knowing where your child was, but Scout was fine and safe. There was no need to punish Danny. Drew said Danny had broken the law and there were consequences for that his criminal father hadn’t taught him. She said Danny was a minor who picked up his sister on his bike and forgot to sign her out. No judge would be convinced, and he had no case. Drew said he didn’t care. He wanted it on record. She said Scout adored her brother and asked him to pick her up. Scout would feel guilty and think it was her fault. Cut the crap and stop the nonsense for Scout’s sake.

Brook said she was just there to see Maxie, and Gio pointed to where she was. Brook thanked him and left.

Brook told Sidwell that she needed to borrow Maxie, and he left. Maxie said Brook seemed rattled, and Brook said she ran into Gio, and as usual, it didn’t go well.

Obrecht told Carly that she’d never dream of hurting Rocco. He wanted answers to questions about the woman who died saving Carly’s daughter’s life. Carly said she was grateful, but Obrecht would only make Rocco resent his mother. Was that what she wished to accomplish?

Jack told Anna that the agents hadn’t checked in, but were still well within the agreed-on time frame. He cared about Josslyn too, and would know if something was wrong. Anna asked if he was sure about that.

Josslyn said that woman was getting handsy with her husband, and Pascal said she was a long-term guest. Josslyn asked if she had a name, but Pascal said he’d take care of it. She said she didn’t want to make a scene, and he said he’d be discreet.

Britt suggested Vaughn come to her room for a beverage, but he proposed they go to the bar instead. She said he could invite his wife. The more, the merrier. Pascal told Britt it was time for her massage, but she said she hadn’t booked one. He said her friend must have booked it on her behalf and she didn’t want to disappoint him. Britt told Vaughn she was sorry to cut things short, and he said he hoped he saw her around. She said he definitely would, and Vaughn left (which made no sense, but okay). Pascal told Britt that she knew the rules and the consequences for breaking them.

Sidwell picked up a plastic football and gave it to James. James said he thought Sidwell worked with his mom, Maxie Jones, and Sidwell said she was lovely and smart. James said he was the guy with the zincite, and his mom said he’d saved their company, and Sidwell said maybe James should work at Deception one day, but James said he wanted to be a cowboy or a policeman like his Grandpa Mac. Sidwell asked if Mac wasn’t Chief of Detectives.

Lucas told Marco that Drew was talking to Willow, and he tried to run interference, but she insisted on hearing Drew out. She’d come in to thank him for trying to help. Marco asked how it ended with her slapping him, and Lucas said he was frustrated, and it went downhill. She accused him of spying for Carly and Michael, then he pointed out that her colleagues were vouching for her at the visitation hearing, but she’d done nothing to change her own behavior. Marco said he saw the part where Lucas said she cared more about Drew than the kids, and Lucas said, and Marco saw Willow slap him. Marco said Lucas had a witness. Did he want to go to HR?

Willow told Elizabeth that Lucas said she didn’t care about her kids and chose Drew. She lost it and slapped him. Elizabeth asked if Lucas put hands on her or threatened her, and Willow said, no, but he antagonized her. Elizabeth asked, who initiated the conversation? and Willow said she did, but she knew what she did was wrong. Elizabeth said Willow assaulted a fellow staff member. It was grounds for suspension and maybe even termination.

Gio said he and Emma would definitely come over to see Outback, and Rocco said he thought it was a peace offering after he’d started asking questions about Britt, the woman who gave birth to him. Things with his mom were better, but how were things with Gio and his mom?  

Drew told Alexis that Scout would initially feel guilty, but he’d have a conversation with her and tell her that none of this was her fault. Her brother should have known better. He told Chase, please arrest Danny, and Chase said he came with Drew because Drew was worried, but Scout had come of her own volition. It had been her idea, and he had no grounds to arrest Danny. Drew said it was Chase’s job, but Chase said his job was to protect the people of Port Charles, not carry out Drew’s personal vendetta. He’d give Danny a warning, but that was the best he could do. He went into the living room, and Jason said if Drew wanted to come at him, fine, but don’t try to do it through his son again.

Danny asked if Chase was going to arrest him, and Chase said, no, but he couldn’t do that again. Jason came in, and Chase said he wanted them to know they were both lucky. Danny took his sister without telling anyone and they rode a dangerous strip of road. They could have been picked up by a random squad car and been in serious trouble.

Drew asked Alexis to try to see his perspective. He was a public figure, and Scout could have been kidnapped. Alexis said, but she wasn’t. She wanted to spend time with her brother. She missed Danny. He said, they could have gotten in an accident, and she said he had a right to be upset, but was taking it too far. He said he was trying to protect his daughter, and she said, from her brother? He said Jason taught Danny that rules didn’t apply, which made him a danger to Scout.

Brook said she knew Maxie wasn’t happy about the vote to keep quiet about Uncle Sonny, and Maxie said, it was a bad decision. To make it worse, it was for personal reasons. Brook admitted they didn’t want to hurt Sonny and Gio, but still thought it was the best way to protect Deception. Maxie asked if there was anything she could say to make Brook change her mind.

James told Sidwell that Mac was the Chief of Detectives and Cody’s dad, and Cody said he was the black sheep of the family. Mac was the moral compass. James said that Maxie needed Mac’s advice on something important.

Obrecht told Carly that Lulu was afraid she was using Rocco’s interest in Britt to her advantage, but she had no ulterior motive. She’d cleaned up her act and Anna could vouch for her. She called Anna over and said she needed Anna to convince Carly that she wasn’t a danger to anyone. The past was the past. Rocco’s parents feared she was out for no good, but Rocco was her last connection to her daughter. Anna said she thought Obrecht should honor her daughter and make peace with Rocco’s parents, or it would just make it harder on Rocco. Britt wouldn’t want that.

Pascal reminded Britt that there was no fraternizing with the guests, but she said she was tired of being by herself. He suggested sending Tomas to her, but she said Tomas was cute, but no fun. He said she was supposed to keep a low profile, but she said she wasn’t Taylor Swift. She was in Croatia. Who would recognize her? He said people came there on vacation and posted to social media. Even if she was in the background, someone who knew her could spot her and their project would go up in flames. She said she just wanted five minutes of real interaction with a real human who didn’t report back. What did it hurt if she flirted? He said it was too risky. Don’t go near that man again.

Jack found Colette sitting at his table, and she said he’d sent Vaughn and Josslyn to Croatia, but Josslyn wasn’t ready. He said it was a recon mission, and she said, on foreign soil. She couldn’t believe he sent in someone so inexperienced. He had to have her extracted immediately.

Josslyn went back to the room and Vaughn asked if she’d sent the manager over. She said, yes, and he asked, why? He was working an angle. She said he’d been lecturing her on how they had to be convincing as newlyweds. It would be suspicious if she didn’t care about a random woman hitting on him. Weren’t they supposed to be in love? Vaughn said the woman was a long-term resident and had access to places they couldn’t go. He wanted to establish a relationship and get to know her. Josslyn said she’d save him the trouble. She knew the woman. He said, who is she? and Josslyn said, who was she. She’s supposed to be dead.  

Willow told Elizabeth that she couldn’t lose her job. It would hurt her chances of getting her kids back. She’d apologize… Elizabeth said, no. The only thing Willow was going to do was go home. Willow said she needed to show the court that she was responsible and stable, and Elizabeth said she’d do her best to smooth things over, but Willow was in no state to see patients. It wasn’t a request. She was telling Willow to leave.

Lucas told Marco that he didn’t want to report Willow. She was going through a tough time. Marco said it was good to get Lucas’s side on the record first, in case Willow tried to blame him, but Lucas said he doubted she would. She knew he had a witness and in retrospect, he should have stayed out of it. Aside from coming to his rescue, why was Marco there? Marco said he had an interesting conversation with Lucas’s sister. She wanted to make it clear that she loved Lucas. Lucas said, details, but Marco said he’d have to wait. He had an errand to run. He gave Lucas a kiss and left.  

Anna said Britt wouldn’t want Rocco in the middle of a war with Obrecht and his parents, and Obrecht said, in the spirit of cooperation, she’d content herself with a room at the Cosmopolitan. She’d need the penthouse. Carly said, of course (🍷), thanked them, and left. Obrecht said it wasn’t the help she’d been looking for. She preferred to stay there. Anna said Carly wasn’t going to let that happen and she did get the penthouse. Obrecht apologized for interrupting her conversation with Agent Brennan. It looked intense.

Jack reminded Colette that it was his op, and she didn’t give him orders, and she said she was sorry, but Josslyn had expedited training and had only been an agent for a few months. She hadn’t proven herself. He said, if not for Josslyn, they wouldn’t have known about the Five Poppies, and she said, Josslyn hadn’t been undercover before. What if she slipped? He said Vaughn was more than capable and he wasn’t pulling the plug. Carly came back, and Colette said she was just leaving. She left, and Carly said Colette didn’t like her, but Jack said she was upset about how he was handling a case. Carly said she was sure he knew what he was doing, but he said, not always.

Britt said if Pascal didn’t want her hitting on a guest, let her leave, but he said she was just in Paris. She said, that was a month ago. Let her go to the city for a night and have fun. He said she enjoyed a lot of privileges there and a quick way to lose them was to overstep, but she said they both knew he wasn’t the one in charge. He said he’d been given full authority over her and she’d do as he said, and she said she thought she’d demand some changes, starting with him.

Josslyn showed Vaughn Britt’s photo on her phone, and he said, that was definitely the woman. She said her name was Britt. Josslyn said, Dr. Britt Westbourne. Britt lived in Port Charles and supposedly died saving her from a serial killer. He said he’d want that story later. Did Josslyn think it was staged? She said saving her life was real, but after that, she wasn’t there and doesn’t know. Vaughn wondered why Britt would fake her own death, and Josslyn said, before she died, Britt was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. Maybe she wanted to spare her family and friends her deterioration. He said, there were no signs of deterioration. Maybe she faked her diagnosis. If she saw Josslyn, it was over. Their assignment would be compromised.

Sidwell introduced Marco to Cody and James, his new friends, and Cody suggested he and James get back to their game. They left, and Sidwell said James was a charming child, full of surprisingly useful information. Marco said he knew Sidwell made it look like Judge Haran took a bribe from Sonny so he could threaten Sonny with being exposed. He couldn’t wait much longer and had to play that card before it was too late.

Elizabeth said Willow told her what happened, and she sent Willow home, and Lucas said it was ugly. She asked if he wanted to file an incident report, and he said things got heated, but it was over. He was letting it go. She said she knew Willow deeply regretted it, and he said, to be fair, he said things he shouldn’t have. She said Willow had been struggling and the incident wouldn’t be helpful for her getting visitation rights. He said he didn’t want to sound harsh, but unless there was a huge change, he didn’t think Willow should be anywhere near his nephew’s children.

Gio told Rocco that it wasn’t just about Brook giving him up for adoption. He’d watched her do other things that hurt people, like Rocco. Rocco said not to be mad at her on his account. She didn’t want him to find the file, but Danny found it by accident. Gio said it turned Rocco’s life upside down, but Rocco said he was glad to know the truth and told that to Brook.

Brook told Maxie, why invite law enforcement to dig into Deception’s financials? They didn’t know what Natalia did. They needed to leave it alone and pray nobody found out about Sonny’s dirty money. It was gone now. Maxie said that might work for Brook. Brook was a Quartermaine, but she couldn’t afford that gamble.

Jason said he appreciate Chase handling things, and Chase said he was glad to help. He left, and Jason said he knew Danny thought he did the right thing. Danny said Scout was his sister and she was sad and alone. He couldn’t tell her no. Jason said Danny could have called him or his grandmother. Next time, he wanted Danny to look at all of his options before he acted. Danny said he got it and asked if Jason thought Drew would have him arrested. Jason said, absolutely.

Alexis said Drew knew Danny wouldn’t put Scout in danger. She was his sister, and he loved her. Drew said, Danny considered Rocco his brother, but didn’t he bring Rocco to a college party where he got alcohol poisoning? Danny was out of control. She said that was a gross exaggeration, and he said, Sam always worried about Jason’s influence and would want him to protect Scout from Danny. She said since he was invoking her daughter’s name, what Sam wouldn’t want is Scout being isolated from her brother and denied access to the house she considered home. Sam wouldn’t want Scout moving to Washington DC away from the only family she knew and would want Drew to stop being selfish and to put his daughter’s needs above his own. Drew said what Sam wanted or not didn’t matter. She wasn’t here and he was. Alexis said, how dare he? and he said he was only stating facts. He was Scout’s only living parent, and he wanted his daughter to feel safe, protected, and loved. He thought it was best that Scout stayed away from people who constantly undermined him. People like her.

Rocco said Gio’s mom did him a favor. Gio shouldn’t think she was a bad person. Gio said they still had so many issues, that wasn’t going to happen.

Maxie said, if Brook was wrong, Brook would lose her job, a project Brook was doing with her grandmother. She’d lose everything. It was her company and also how she supported her family. She had no inheritance or trust fund and had three children. Brook said they were protecting their future, but Maxie thought it was best they came clean with the authorities.

Marco told Sidwell that the mother of Michael’s children was unravelling quickly. If it continued, no court would see her as a viable parent. Michael would keep his kids and Sidwell would lose his leverage over Sonny.

Lucas said, based on what he’d seen and heard, Willow was too emotional and volatile, but Elizabeth said Willow just needed time. With Drew not being around, she thought Willow would be back to her old self. He said he was just glad Michael had sole custody. If that hadn’t been the case, he’d have reported the incident in a heartbeat.

Jason said Drew hated him and wanted to hurt him, and the easiest way was through Danny. Danny said, if he messed up, it was giving Drew more ammo, and Jason said it wasn’t fair and cowardly as hell, but it was the reality of the situation. Be careful. If anything happened to Danny, he wouldn’t be able to stand it.

Alexis told Drew that temperatures were running high. They needed to calm down and take a step back before they did something they’d regret. Drew said it was too late. He’d tried his best to keep Scout in Alexis’s life, but she’d made it impossible. When she found out Scout was there, she should have called him. Instead, she kept him from his daughter. She said that wasn’t her intention, but he said she’d proved he couldn’t trust her. From now on, Scout had no more contact, either with her, Danny, or anyone else from her family. He walked out. (Once again topping himself with horrifying behavior.)

Anna said she and Jack had a long history, not all of it good, and Obrecht said he’d beat Anna out for the number one spot at the WSB Training Academy. Anna asked how she knew, and Obrecht said, Cesar talked about her all the time. She knew more about Anna’s life than Anna remembered. Anna said she didn’t hold a grudge, but she and Jack didn’t see eye to eye. He was more of a soulless company man. Obrecht said she heard Jack didn’t play by the rules. Kind of like Anna. She thought that would make him Anna’s type.

Carly thought she and Jack should go somewhere more private, when his phone chimed. It was a text from Vaughn about enjoying the sunsets, and Jack smiled. Carly said, it must be a good text, and he said his associates checked in and everything was going to plan.

Vaughn told Josslyn that he sent Jack a message to let him know things were good on their end, and she asked if he told Jack about Britt. He said, not yet. He wanted to do more research. Britt was a doctor? Josslyn said, a very good one. She was the daughter of Leisl Obrecht and Cesar Faison. He said, a notorious family tree, and she said Britt was similar. She was fearless, strong, and very intelligent, with a background in lab research. He said that couldn’t be a coincidence. Did Josslyn think Britt was the person receiving Dalton’s package? She asked if he thought Britt was involved with cold fusion, and he said, it fit. He would bet anything that Britt was the key to getting the answers they needed.

Britt asked why Pascal didn’t tell her that he left the resort, and Pascal said it didn’t matter. She was to work and if she fell behind, he’d been instructed to keep her in the lab until they were back on schedule. She said they couldn’t continue to treat her this way… Forget it. He wasn’t worth her time. She walked off, and Pascal’s phone rang. Speaking in French, he said it was a surprise, and Colette said there was a problem. They had trouble. Two WSB agents had infiltrated the resort and were posing as a couple on their honeymoon. Their names were Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Nash.

Thursday:

Jordan admired her new apartment, when there was a knock at the door. It was Anna with a housewarming gift.

Curtis found Portia at the hospital and said he had an important invitation for his wife.

Stella met Trina at the pool and said she was about to be in trouble. She was left with no choice but to meddle and matchmake.

At the MetroCourt, Drew told Kai that Measure C would have to wait. He was focusing on moving to DC.

At a table nearby, Boyle told Laura that he wanted to stop her resolution to expand the public library. It could wait for November, and once Laura was voted out, he’d sign the resolution.

ADA Turner told Molly that she’d been informed that a pricey basket of restorative bath produces arrived at her office. There was no name on the card, but she knew exactly who sent it – Sonny Corinthos.

Sonny brought Donna to the pool, and Donna reminded Gio that he’d promised to play the violin at her birthday party in September.

Dante told Michael that he could pull camera footage to see if Willow was in the vicinity of the Quartermaine mansion on July 4th. It would hold up court. Brook came in and asked, who’s going court?

Chase found Willow sitting in the park asked what was going on. Could he do something for her? She said he was doing it. (Running by with his shirt off?)

Stella said she was curious about what happened, and Trina said she and Kai were happy, but Kai overheard her mom and dad planning something that involved Drew. They talked and agreed it had nothing to do with them, so they’d stay out of it. Stella said Kai worked for Drew and probably felt indebted grateful, and Trina said, in spite of their agreement and without giving her a heads up, Kai told Drew what he’d overheard. He broke his word and hurt her family. It was something she couldn’t get past.

Curtis told Portia that her favorite chef Adrian Sinclair from Chef Supreme was in town and he’d arranged for a private tasting. He figured they should make time for just them. She said she loved the sound of that and kissed him. Isaiah watched and shook his head.

Anna said Jordan’s place was amazing. It would be lovely furnished if she could afford it. Jordan said she was working with an interior designer. She could afford it now.

Gio told Donna that his violin broke so he couldn’t play, but he’d never miss her birthday party. She went for her swim lesson, and Sonny said Gio didn’t have to go, but Gio said there was no way he’d disappoint Donna, although he was guessing Brook and Dante would be there. Everyone said he should give it time, and he had, but his feelings hadn’t changed. Sonny said Gio couldn’t get past it and had given up.

Michael said he was going back to court for the visitation hearing in October, and Brook said Willow missed her kids and they missed her. Why not let her see them? Michael said Willow wasn’t stable and it wasn’t good for the kids to see her like this. He left and Brook told Dante that she knew she’d screwed up and she was heartbroken. He suggested they do something about it.

Sonny said Gio had a right to his feelings. When Dante found out Sonny was his father, he had to figure it out on his own. Gio asked how he did that, and Sonny said he’d have to ask Dante, but there was a time he thought they’d never have a relationship, and they got there. He wouldn’t trade it for the world. Gio said he wasn’t sure that was going to happen with him and his parents, but Sonny believed they’d get there. Gio said, and if they didn’t? and Sonny said he wasn’t obligated to make nice, but they’d be there if he decided to make a go of it. His parents were amazing people.

Dante said he kept putting off telling Rocco about Britt and now he was vulnerable to Obrecht, and Brook apologized. He said he didn’t bring it up to talk about the file. They’d chosen to give Gio space. She said Gio seemed just as hurt and angry. Space wasn’t helping him heal. Dante said it was actually making Gio’s anger fester and he’d built a wall. Things were difficult with Rocco, but they talked and worked through it. He wanted to do the same with Gio.

Willow told Chase that she’d normally be at work, but Elizabeth sent her home yesterday and told her to take the day off. Chase asked what was going on, and she said she’d lost her temper and slapped Lucas. It was basically assault. He didn’t report it and it wasn’t on her record, but Elizabeth thought she should decompress. He asked what led her to do something like that. Had Lucas provoked her? She said he was the first person in a long time that gave her the benefit of the doubt.

Stella asked why Trina thought Kai went to Drew, and Trina said Kai told her was because he felt he should be honest. He threw trust and loyalty out the window when she’d thought they were building something. Why did his loyalty to Drew outweigh that when Drew wasn’t loyal to anyone?

Kai told Drew that Scout loved her brother and talked about her grandmother and aunts all time. He was worried she’d miss them, and she’d already lost so much. Drew said he appreciated Kai’s kindness, but Scout’s grandmother believed Scout was better off with her. Kai said, while Drew was in DC? but Drew said, not just then. He didn’t agree and it wasn’t fair to put Scout in the middle of the tension. He’d lost Willow, his son Oscar, and Scout’s mother Sam. His daughter was everything in the entire world to him, and the best thing to do was to move to DC as soon as possible.

Turner told Molly about Sonny helping her when she’d twisted her ankle. Sending restorative bath products was inappropriate and she needed to make that clear. One trip to the ER didn’t equal a friendship. Molly said, here was her chance, as Sonny came into the restaurant.

Brook said she agreed 100%, and Dante said they needed to be the ones to break down the wall, but Brook said he hadn’t even known he had a child. Gio would understand why Dante hadn’t been in his life. Dante said it was an us thing and he wanted them to do it together, but Brook said, maybe Gio could forgive him. She didn’t see Gio ever forgiving her.

Willow told Chase that Lucas said she didn’t care about her kids as much as she cared about Drew, and she lost it. It wasn’t like it was the first time anyone said that to her. Chase said everybody had limits. Maybe it was one time too many. He wasn’t there, and obviously she shouldn’t have slapped him, but – off the record – it sounded like he had it coming. She was a good mom and loved her kids. Lucas had no right to make that judgement. (Wow. That is not the response Chase should have given her. She gave her co-worker a pretty good whack – at work. If he had it coming or not is immaterial. I’m reporting her… Oh, wait. I don’t really live in Port Charles.)  

Curtis saw Michael at the hospital and asked if everything was okay. Michael said he was there for routine bloodwork. Was Curtis okay? Curtis said he was confirming the date for the Pediatric Sports Initiative 🍷, but the reason he was there was to visit his wife. Michael asked how it went, and Curtis said things were going great and a lot of that was because of Michael.

Isaiah said it seemed like things were looking good, and Portia said she and Curtis were going on a date tonight. They’d both recommitted to working on their marriage. Isaiah said that was great, but where did Jordan fit in all this?

Anna helped Jordan measure a window, and Jordan said she was suddenly working in the private sector and making good money for the first time. Anna said Jordan had spent a lot of time in the civil service trenches. She deserved to treat herself. The job with Sidwell must be paying off more than she’d anticipated. Jordan said it took her completely by surprise. It was nothing like what she’d expected. Anna said, including Sidwell? and Jordan said her mission was standard undercover. The plan was to get close to Sidwell, get inside his organization, and get evidence. Anna asked if the plan had changed.   

Laura found Sonny at the MetroCourt bar and asked if he was snubbing her. He said he didn’t think it was good for them to talk in public, and she asked when he was going to accept that she didn’t care who saw her with him in public. If she disavowed him now, without a reason to prosecute him, it would look performative and everyone would know. She did have a question though. Was it true what happened Marco Rios?

Drew said he’d be leaning on Kai more when he moved to DC. Kai would be his eyes and ears in Port Charles. He needed to know what was happening in his district. Kai said, politically speaking? but Drew said, everything.

Stella said loyalty was important, but sometimes you put your faith and loyalty in the wrong people, and Trina asked if Stella thought she did that with Kai. Stella said, no. She thought Kai did that with Drew. He got the wrong way in trying to maintain a personal/work balance. Had Trina never failed? Trina said, of course (🍷), but she never went back on her word or hurt someone she cared about. Stella said Trina reminded her of Curtis. He could be rigid. Most things weren’t, especially love. Trina said Kai told her that he loved her after he confessed, and Stella asked if she believed it.

Sonny said Laura was navigating a complicated situation. He didn’t want anything he did to blow back on her. She said Drew and Sidwell were trying to make her look bad, but she’d looked worse. He said he was doing what he could to make sure that didn’t happen, and she said she had to protect her position as mayor. He said maybe she had a problem then.

Trina said Kai was honest and she believed he loved her, but she didn’t think it mattered, and Stella said, of course (🍷) it did. It would be a shame to let go of something good… especially when it was standing in front of her. Trina turned around and Kai was there.

Michael said he was glad things were going great, but he wasn’t sure how he helped, and Curtis said Michael refused to accept his resignation at Aurora. Michael encouraged him not to let Drew destroy his marriage. Things with Drew had calmed down and they’d called a tentative truce. Michael asked if Curtis was sure it wasn’t a trap, and Curtis said he was proceeding with caution. He thanked Michael for his support, and Michael said he considered a friend coming out on top his own victory.

Jordan told Anna, the plan was the plan, but she needed to regroup. There hadn’t been a whiff of anything illegal. Maybe Sidwell’s business there was legit. If it was and she was enjoying the work, why not enjoy getting paid? Anna said she was glad Jordan was enjoying it, but she’d be remiss if she didn’t remind Jordan that she and a number of other people were almost killed by Sidwell, including Isaiah. Jordan said if she didn’t live the life she could afford, it would also tip Sidwell off, but Anna wondered if Jordan would be able to pull herself out when it was over.

Chase said it was easy to draw conclusions when someone had no idea what Willow was going through, and Willow asked if things were okay with him and Brook. He said they’d decided to pursue adoption, and she said he and Brook would make the best parents. He said he’d like to think so, but they’d stopped looking.

Brook told Dante that Gio was there when Lulu accused her of intentionally leaving out the file to get back at her. Dante said Gio only knew half the story and he’d been mad already, and Brook said Gio knew that Dante was an overprotective jerk who desperately loved his son. He might believe that love could extend to him. Gio had seen her in the worst possible light and she didn’t want to be the reason Dante didn’t build a relationship with his son. She told Dante to go to Gio and change Gio’s perception of him.

Drew asked if Boyle had the latest poll numbers, and Boyle said he was within five points of Laura. Drew said they were one step closer to getting rid of Sonny, and Boyle asked why it was so personal. Drew said Sonny and his brother Jason were linked. They were both dangerous and destructive and had never been held to account the way they deserved, but it was going to happen with him. Boyle’s phone rang and he stepped away. Molly approached the table and asked if Drew had a minute. She sat down and said it was about Scout.

Laura said she had to protect the city from organized crime and if Sonny got caught up in the crossfire, she might not be able to protect him. In the meantime, she knew Port Charles was better off with him in power than Jenz Sidwell. The most frustrating thing was that she couldn’t just say that. Anna approached them and asked if she was interrupting.

Kai came over to the table, and Stella asked him to join them. Trina said they could catch up, but she needed to get a book back to the library and wanted to finish it. (Ouch!) She left, and Stella said Trina was nothing if not stubborn. She was hurt, with good reason. He sat down and said he didn’t know how to fix things. She said she thought he could still win back Trina’s heart, but he’d have to try a lot harder than this.

Michael saw Gio at the pool and said Donna was here for her swim lesson. He was sure she talked about her birthday. It was next month, but Donna was a bit of a planner. Gio said it was going to be awkward. Brook and Dante would be there, but he’d do anything for Donna, and he was sure she knew it. Michael said she definitely did. It didn’t have to be awkward with Dante and Brook. Not if he didn’t make it that way.  

Isaiah apologized to Portia and said it wasn’t his place to ask about Jordan. She said she knew it was out of concern for her, and he said he was glad things were looking up. She said she and Curtis were in a better place than they’d been in a long time. Jordan wasn’t a consideration.

Jordan opened the door to Curtis, who said, here he was, at her service.

Kai brought iced tea over to Trina and asked if she’d like to join him. She said she was getting ready to leave, but thanks for offering.

Isaiah said he hadn’t seen Portia this happy maybe ever. It looked good on her. She thanked him and said it felt good too, and she left.

Curtis told Jordan, based on the report and looking at the place, she didn’t need his eye, and she said she’d appreciate it if he took a look around. She wanted him to inspect every inch of this place.

Gio said there was nothing Michael could say about Brook and Dante to change his mind, and Michael said he got it. He’d written his dad off more than once. He figured out a way to forgive. Family is everything. Gio said, then why not let Willow see the kids? and Michael said the situation was different and he hoped it was temporary. Gio said not to worry about him. He was fine. Michael asked if he wanted to feel this kind of fine forever. If not, he had to move forward, or the anger and pain would calcify and cripple him. Gio thanked Michael for his advice, but said he was good. Michael said he wasn’t and wouldn’t be until he changed it.

Chase told Willow that Brook decided she didn’t want to adopt right now. She had to be fully on board, so they were putting it on hold. Willow said she was sorry, and he said he wanted a child so bad. He was starting to think it would never happen. Not until everything was figured out with Gio, if that was even possible.

Dante said they had to do something to change the whole thing up and he wanted it to be the three of them, but Brook said it wasn’t possible. Maybe never. He said she was Gio’s mom. They made a mistake when they were stupid kids, but they also created a beautiful son. They owed it to him to be his parents together. It was the only way to get past the anger about all this. She asked when he got so smart, and he said he had lived, and he was learning. Did she want to give it a go? She said, all right. They’d do it his way.

Laura thanked Anna for meeting her, and Sonny said he had something to do. He left and saw Turner. He said, fancy meeting her here, and she asked if he was following her. He said his daughter had a swim lesson, and she said she was glad she ran into him. She’d received a very expensive gift at her office with no signed card. She knows he didn’t send it, since she explained a public official cannot and will not accept gifts. She also didn’t think he’d make the same mistake twice. If he did, she’d prosecute him for harassment.

Laura told Anna that she’d advocated for Obrecht to have supervised visits with Rocco. She was hoping Anna would tell her that she made the right choice. Anna said Obrecht had evolved over the years. She though Obrecht genuinely regretted her past actions. She was a woman of extremes, but Anna didn’t think she’d hurt Rocco. Still, it was better to be Obrecht’s friend than her enemy. Boyle came over and he said Laura’s resolution to expand the library had enough votes to pass. Laura said it was wonderful news, and she couldn’t be happier that he was the one delivering the news. He asked how much Sonny bribed the councilmen, and Anna said that was a serious accusation. She’d get the PCPD right on it. Boyle said, laugh it up. When he exposed her protecting a common criminal, the office would be his and firing her would be his first order of business.

Molly told Drew, obviously, Scout missed her mother. It was important that she had family around. How could they make it happen? Drew asked if she meant after they moved to DC, and Molly said she was worried about Scout. Scout was so young and had lost so much. She was hoping they could compromise on what was best for her. He said he appreciated her coming to him, but unfortunately, they were past that. She said they didn’t have to be, and he said the best thing for Scout was having a good relationship with her father. Molly’s mother was trying to undermine that, and given the reality of the current situation, the best thing was for Scout to move to DC and have no contact with her grandmother or her aunts. 😡

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Portia tells Trina, be honest. What does she think? Trina says, the dress looks amazing and looks even more amazing with her in it. Portia says she needs to look perfect tonight.

Jordan says, the apartment isn’t technically hers yet, but now that Curtis has seen every corner of the place, what does he think? Curtis says he thinks she has a natural eye for real estate. This place is great. She says, that’s a relief to hear. She should be hearing from her realtor soon. He says, good luck. This place is fantastic. She thanks him and says, tell her it’s not too good to be true.

At Sonny’s place, he tells Donna that he thought he’d need a net to get her out of the pool. She swam a lot. Is she hungry? What does she want him to make her for dinner? She says, birthday cake, but he says, that’s not until September. She says, regular cake, but he says, cake is for dessert. She needs to eat dinner. What is she in the mood for? She says, pizza? and he says, okay. There’s a knock at the door, and he opens it to Turner.

Stella says she’s just glad she ran into Tracy and they both have time for a quick iced tea and catching up. Tracy says, it doesn’t have to be quick. How about dinner? Stella says she’d love to, but she has a meeting at the hospital later. They walk into the MetroCourt and see Drew with Martin, and Stella says, maybe they should have an iced tea by the pool, but Tracy says, is she going to let those two chase them out? Absolutely not.

Martin says his back goes into spasms just being in the same room as Tracy Quartermaine. He can’t believe someone as wonderful as Stella Henry would be willing to be friends with someone like that. Michael comes in with Wiley, and Wiley tells Tracy that he did the butterfly stroke all the way across pool. She says, is that the one with the splashing and the bobbing? and he says, yeah. His dad said he did so good, he can have a hot fudge sundae. Tracy says, sorry, but she believes they’re all out of hot fudge. Michael notices Drew, and Wiley asks if they have caramel. (Which is seriously no substitute, but okay.)

In the room, Josslyn looks at the resort layout on a tablet, when Vaughn comes in. He says he took a quick walk around the lobby, and clocked the cameras, shift changes, and keyboard access points. She says, while he was gone, she snagged a hotel tablet from the housekeeping cart. It has a more detailed version of the resort map. She figured they could use it and narrow in on the dead zones where the tracker might have lost the signal. He says, good. He’ll take it from here. She says, excuse me? and he says, she’s been scrubbed from the mission.

Britt tells a staff member that she needs to Christopher Nash’s room number, and the woman says, of course (🍷). One moment please. Pascal appears and says, thank you, but that won’t be necessary.

Jason gets in a car, and calling him Mr. Moore, the driver welcomes him and says he’s going to love his stay at the Five Poppies. Jason thanks him.

Tracy tells Wiley that she’s sorry, but she thinks they’re out of caramel too, and Wiley asks if that’s true. Michael says, no way. Grandma Carly would never let that happen. He thinks Aunt Tracy wants to keep all the hot fudge and caramel to herself. Tracy indicates Drew is there, and Michael says, thanks for the heads up, but he can’t avoid Drew forever. He’s going to deal with it now. He tells Wiley, let’s get a sundae, and Tracy says, enjoy his ice cream. Michael and Wiley go to a table, and Stella says, what he’s done to that family is a crying shame. After all the things he’s done, you’d think that man would hide himself under a rock somewhere. Nope. Here he is. Tracy says she never heard Stella speak against Drew like that. She’s loving it. What’s the occasion? Stella says, Drew Cain has been nothing but trouble for Curtis. She tried taking the high road and not judging people, but Drew makes that very difficult. Tracy says he’s more than earned Stella’s low opinion and hers. He’s a self-promoting narcissist who is still trying to extract all the wealth and power he can from her family name. Stella says, if she feels that way, why is she continuing to promote Measure C? Why is she helping a man she despises? Tracy says, because politics makes strange bedfellows. And yes, she loathes Drew and Ezra Boyle, but it’s temporary and worth it if they get rid of Sonny.

Sonny said Turner was the last person he expected to see, and she says she’s afraid she has to bother him at home, but it won’t take too much time. He says he appreciates it. He has his daughter tonight and she’s hungry. He asks if Donna can say hi to Miss Turner, and Donna says, hi. Her hair is so pretty. Turner thanks her and tells Donna to call her Justine. She remembers Donna from the Nurses Ball. Personally she thinks Donna had the best dress. Donna says she helped pick it out, and Turner says, obviously, she has great taste. Donna thanks her and says her daddy is making pizza. Does she like pizza? Turner says, of course (🍷). Who doesn’t? Donna asks if she can stay and eat dinner with them, and Turner says, thanks for the invitation… Sonny asks if she’s eaten, and Turner says, no, not yet. He says, then stick around. Nobody goes hungry on his watch. She says she doesn’t want to impose, but he says she’s not. What does she want on her pizza? Mushrooms? Pepperoni? The only thing he doesn’t deal with is pineapple. Donna says, come on. You’ve got to draw the line somewhere. Sonny says he stands by that, and Donna says, she’s got to stay. They always have fun. Turner says, what about olives? Are olives acceptable? Sonny says, okay. Olives on the pizza coming right up. Donna says, Turner is lucky. Her daddy makes the best pizza ever. Sonny and Donna go into the kitchen. (Hey, we’ve never seen Sonny’s new kitchen. I wonder if it has a moss bowl🎍. )

Portia tells Trina that she really like this one, but she still wants to try on the rest. There could be one here that blows them away. She could do a solid color or could do a different style altogether. She holds up some dresses, and says, what? Trina says, nothing. She just looks pretty nervous for someone picking out a dress, especially because she looks amazing in pretty much everything. Portia says, and she’s just going out to dinner with her husband. Trina must think she’s being really ridiculous right about now. Trina says, no, not at all. She knows things between Portia and her dad have been stressful lately. Portia says, sorry about that. She knows they haven’t done a great job hiding that either. Trina says she’s not a kid. She doesn’t want them to feel like they have to hide anything. She doesn’t know all the details, but she’s glad they’re reconnecting. Portia says her too. More than she can put into words. She wishes she didn’t feel like they still had so far to go. Trina says, she might feel like that, but it’s a good first step, and Portia says, now she’s feeling foolish, thinking one dinner is magically going to save her marriage. Trina says, she’s not foolish, okay? And this is a good start. After everything they’ve been through, she hopes Portia can relax and let tonight be a really wonderful night between her and Curtis.

At the hospital, Isaiah tells Felicia that he knows he’s overstepping, but he’s seen how great she is at advising patients. He was hoping to impose for some advice on a personal matter. Felicia says, absolutely. It’s not an imposition. He asks if it’s okay if it stays between them, and she says, of course (🍷). It might not be a work matter, but she would never break his confidence. He says, thanks. Okay. Let’s say she knew a couple were having problems and were doing their best to work things out. One spouse is hoping they work things out together, but then she saw the other spouse with someone else, someone from their past, their romantic past. Does she owe it to the hopeful spouse to say something? She says, he asked for her advice. Here it goes. Stay out of it.

Jordan tells Curtis, the thing about real estate is that a lot of the time it looks really great. Then the escrow closes, and you discover hidden flaws, like the water pressure is terrible, or none of the outlets work, and every morning a garbage truck pulls under your beautiful balcony and beeps for 20 minutes. (Truth!) He says he’s not sure there’s anything he can do about the garbage, but if she likes, he can do a take no prisoners inspection of the place. She thanks him, but says, it’s already too late. She’s completely in love with this place. Whatever problems it has are hers to fix. He says he’s been there. If it makes her feel better, even without a full inspection, he can tell her this place is in good shape and the quality of the building is top notch. It all is. She says, that’s such a relief to hear, and he says, don’t worry. She’s one of the hardest working people he knows and deserves to come home to a place like this every night. She thanks him and says she has one more feature to show him. Trust her. She’s saved the best for last.

Trish brings Wiley a hot fudge sundae, and Michael says, dig in. He’s earned it. Wiley asks why Aunt Tracy said they were out of hot fudge, and Michael says, she was just teasing. She knows how much he loves it. Wiley says he thinks she’s pretending, and Michael asks what he means. Wiley says, she’s being silly, but he thinks she’s sad. She misses Gio. Michael says he thinks Wiley is right. He’s proud Wiley is paying attention to people’s feelings, especially when it’s people they love. Would it be okay if he went and talked to Aunt Tracy for a minute? He’ll be right back.

Stella says she’s going to give Tracy the benefit of the doubt and assume she knows what she’s doing with that Measure C business, but she still thinks it’s a big gamble. Tracy says, Stella’s not wrong, but the thing about gambling is, sometimes you get a big payoff. Michael says he’s sorry to interrupt, but does Stella mind if he steals Tracy for a minute? Stella says, fine. Go ahead.

Drew tells Martin, as usual, the Quartermaines are being complete hypocrites. Michael is out doing whatever he wants, playing golf every day, while Willow is working herself to the point of exhaustion at the hospital just to prove she’s good enough to see her own children. It is unconscionable. Martin says, admittedly, Willow is in a terrible situation, but he thinks this is the part where he’s supposed to remind Drew that Willow made it perfectly clear she doesn’t want his help. Drew says, but she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know what she’s up against. She doesn’t know how badly she needs his help, so he’s going to show her.

Britt asks if Pascal spends his days hiding behind palm trees ready to jump out and yell at her if she does something he doesn’t like, and Pascal says, the Nashes have a right to their privacy. She says, this has nothing to do with the Nashes. He’s trying to control her. He says, if she’d quit fighting with him, he wouldn’t have to. Nothing can get in the way of her work, and to that end, he’s told her repeatedly to stay away from the guests. She says, what she does on her own time is none of Pascal’s business or his, but he says, that’s where she’s wrong. He made it clear that his main responsibility is to keep her focused and on task while he’s away.

Josslyn says she and Vaughn already talked about this. She’s going to lay low in the room and Britt will never see her. Vaughn says, they can’t take that chance, but she says, their cover is that they’re on their honeymoon. The bride doesn’t just pack and go home. He says, she  does if saw her husband flirting with a guest and they had a fight. She discovered he’s a serial cheater and booked the first flight home to see her mom. Don’t forget throw the ring at him when he gets home. Just don’t hit him in the eye. She says she might throw something at him, but it won’t be the ring. She doesn’t have to go. The resort is huge. Once they know Britt’s routine, she’ll have no issue avoiding Britt. He says, they’re talking about Britt Westbourne. According to his research and her experience, Britt isn’t someone to underestimate. She’s Cesar Faison’s daughter, the woman who saved Josslyn’s life and should be dead, a woman who will recognize Josslyn the second she sees her, even at a distance. Josslyn says she knows what she’s doing, okay? Britt will not see her. There’s no good reason why she shouldn’t stay. He says he doesn’t need her. All she is, is a liability.

Portia asks what Trina thinks of this one, and Trina says now she’s torn because she loves this one now. Portia says, better than the first? and Trina says, Portia is having so much trouble picking out a dress. More than she did before her first date. Portia says she’s sorry. Trina must think she’s being completely ridiculous. The last time she dressed up like this was at the Nurses Ball. She and Curtis weren’t in a great place and she spent the whole night pretending, acting like everything was okay, when in reality, she was dying inside. It was awful. Trina says she remembers. She was worried about Portia and her dad. She could tell there was something they weren’t telling her. Portis says, yeah. Well, it’s over now. It’s all in the past. She wants to just put on a beautiful dress tonight, do her makeup and hair, and take Trina’s dad’s breath away. She looks in the mirror and says she wants tonight to be absolutely perfect. Trina says, it will be, and Portia says, everything is out in the open. There are no more secrets between her and Trina’s father. Tonight should be a fresh start, but what if there’s no going back to the beginning? Trina says, look. Wherever they’re going and however they do it, they’re doing it together. And considering Portia is making sure tonight is a perfect night, they both want the same thing. Portia says she does really hope so.

Jordan says, what did she tell him? and Curtis says, if anything, she undersold it. That stove is crazy. She says, right? Six burners, a griddle, and the pièce de résistance, a double convection oven. She dreams about that stove at night and all the things she’s going to cook on it. He says, yeah. Uh-huh. Interesting hearing her talk about the dream stove. He seems to remember back in Baltimore when she stored the shoes she couldn’t fit in the closet in the stove. That’s just nasty. She says, that’s because the pilot light wouldn’t stay lit. That thing was useless, but it did give her space for more shoes. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s her realtor. She’s nervous. What if the answer is no? He tells her to answer, and she says, hello… You’re sure?… Well, thanks for letting her know. They’ll talk soon. She tells Curtis, well, it’s official. They’re standing in her new apartment. He says, allow him to be the first to say, welcome home, and she thanks him.

Felicia tells Isaiah, unfortunately, this is one of those things she had to learn the hard way. Never insert yourself in someone’s marriage, no matter how much you want to help. That’s why she says, let it play it out. Say he tells the spouse who’s hopeful about what he saw? Who does he think is going to take the brunt of their anger? He says, shoot this messenger? and she says, to start. Then they’ll say he’s meddling in matters that don’t concern him, and they’ll be right. He says he was already leaning toward staying out of it, but he needed the opinion of someone he respected. He was right. He thanks her for her advice and honest opinion, and she says, anytime. She wishes there was something he could do to help his friend. He says, there’s nothing he can say to either spouse, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he needs to leave it alone.

Drew approaches Wiley and says, he doesn’t mind if Uncle Ernie Drew joins him, does he?

Michael says he told Gio how he should make the first move to work things out with his parents, and Tracy says, really? What inspired that? He says he just thinks Dante and Brook are good people trying to do the right thing by their son. He should give them a chance. She says, perhaps, or an armchair psychologist might think that he’s trying to ensure Gio has both parents because his children don’t have both of theirs. He says, that hadn’t occurred to him, but yeah. She may be right. Every day, it seems less likely that their mother is going to be in the kids’ lives. Michael walks over to Drew and says, it looks like Drew is sitting in his seat. His friend is sitting alone. Maybe Drew should go back to him. Wiley tells Michael that Uncle Drew says mommy misses him and he should let him see her, and Drew says, out of the mouths of babes.

Portia says, it was so much fun, and Trina says, it was. She’s glad she convinced Portia to try on that last dress because it really is the winner, and she looked stunning in it. Portia says, Trina’s fantastic sense of style saved her again, and more than that, she thanks Trina for lifting her up when her anxiety was trying to get the best of her. Trina says, Portia has done that for her so many times, and Portia says she knows, but thanks Trina anyway. She’s lucky to have Trina and lucky to have her beautiful family together again. That’s all that matters to her. They exchange I love yous and hug.

Curtis pops a bottle of champagne and Jordan says she can’t believe this amazing place is going to be all hers. Curtis says, well, believe it. New stove, new life, and a better view than the inner harbor in Baltimore. Did she think back in the day, she’d wind up here, her in this fancy apartment? She says, and him, the CEO of a major media conglomerate? and he says, and they deserve all the credit. He wishes he could go back and talk to the younger version of them and let them know all their hard work will pay off. She says her too, because there were more than a few times it didn’t seem like it would, and he says he’s glad they witnessed each other’s success because they both know intimately the sacrifices it took to make it here. She says, cheers to that, and they clink glasses. He says, maybe he shouldn’t drink before he drives. He’s meeting Portia for dinner. She says he hopes they have a good night, and he says he’d better get going don’t. He doesn’t want to be late. She says, definitely not, and thanks him. He says, congratulations on the apartment, and he leaves. She sips champagne alone.

Turner says, the pizza was incredible. Where did Sonny get that sauce? Sonny says he made it himself, and she says, no way. Donna says he did, and he doesn’t lie, and Turner says she’s not suggesting he did. She just never took Donna’s father for a chef. Sonny says, there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him, and Turner sits down. She asks when he started making his own pizza, and he says, when his older kids were little, to have fun and spend time together, they’d cook in the kitchen. She says, that’s actually nice, and Donna yawns. Sonny says, look who’s getting sleepy, but Donna says she’s not. Can she have cake now? Sonny says, how about cake in the morning? and Donna says, sounds delicious. He says, don’t tell mom, and she says she won’t. He says he’ll find one of her favorite movies so she can watch it and fall asleep, and she says, good idea. He tells her to say goodbye to Justine, and Turner tells her to enjoy the movie. She thanks Donna for inviting her to such a delicious dinner, and Sonny says he’ll be right back. As he walks Donna to her room, she says she likes Justine. She’s really nice. Turner smiles.

Pascal tells Jason, welcome to the Five Poppies. How was his journey? Jason says, fine. He’s looking forward to having a break. Pascal says, of course (🍷). That’s what they do best here. And he’s here, if Mr. Moore wants to partake in any of their experiences, excursions, or treatments, anything he likes. Jason says, right now, he’d like to get to his room, and Pascal says, of course (🍷). Everything has been set up according to his preferences. An attendant will show him to his room.

Josslyn tells Vaughn that she doesn’t have to go. They’re here to do surveillance. She can stay in the room away from all the guests. She doesn’t have to leave. Vaughn says, what’s the point of that? and she says, the point is, she can’t leave him there all alone. They don’t have all of the facts, but they know something is going on. He’ll need backup. He says he doesn’t. He’s done this before and her getting recognized will not be the reason this op is blown. He won’t let it. She’s leaving. She says, fine. She picks up the tablet and says she’s going to return it to the housekeeping cart before someone comes looking for it. Don’t worry. No one will see her face. She leaves.

Tracy asks how dare Drew accost that child, and Drew says, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, even for her. He saw Wiley sitting by himself and came over. He was worried about Wiley. Tracy says she’s made a lot of mistakes in her life, but the biggest one was backing him. She’s pulling her support for Measure C and going tell Monica everything that’s going on, in vivid detail. She’s going to break him if it’s the last thing she does. Michael asks Tracy to do him a favor and take Wiley to the pool for a popsicle. His sundae melted, but he still deserves a treat. She says she’d love to, and tells Wiley, come with her. She tells Stella that she’s so sorry to cut their evening short, but Stella says, that’s fine. Go get this little boy some dessert. They leave and Michael tells Drew that he’s only going to say this once. Stay the hell away from his son.

Curtis is at the table, when Portia comes in, looking glamorous. She asks what he thinks, and he says he thinks she looks incredible.

Isaiah calls Jordan and says he’s glad he caught her. He hasn’t heard from her in a while. She says she was surprised when his name popped up. It’s been a minute. He asks if she can come see him at GH. It’s important.

Sonny comes back and tells Turner that he put one of Donna’s favorite movies on and she was asleep in about a minute. Turner laughs and says she’s got to admire Donna’s fighting spirit though. She’s a really great kid. She’s funny, smart, intuitive, and full of charm. He says he’s biased. She’s his girl and has him wrapped around her little finger, and she knows it. Turner says, she’s so cute. She can see how it’s hard to say no. She wouldn’t have come if she’d known Donna was here tonight. He says he’s glad she stayed, but doesn’t understand just why she’s here. He thought they already had a discussion and made it clear this afternoon. What did she want talk about? She says she’s still not okay about him sending any sort of gifts, and he asks, who said it was him? She says, whoever sent it, it was a very nice gesture. He was so helpful when she sprained her ankle, and she repaid his kindness by taking a cheap shot at his expense. She came tonight to tell him that she’s sorry.

Drew says he doesn’t know what Michael is so angry about. He was just telling Wiley the truth; his mother misses him. Martin says, excuse me. There’s something urgent he needs to talk to Drew about. Drew asks if it can wait, but Martin says, no, it can’t. Drew says, just one more thing, and asks when Michael is going to stop lying to Wiley about his mother. Michael slugs him.  

Sonny says Turner was just doing her job, and she says her job is to prosecute people accused of committing a crime in a courtroom. And she wants to win those cases because of the evidence and facts she put together, not because she’s successful in vilifying them in public. He says he thinks some of her colleagues would disagree with that. They would just say do whatever works. She says she thinks that’s a cheap trick. That’s not the kind of prosecutor she wants to be and not the kind of person she wants to be either. He says he doesn’t think she’ll be receiving any anonymous gifts in the future. Not because she doesn’t deserve it, but because whoever sent them doesn’t want to put her in an awkward position again.

Stella arrives at the hospital, and Felicia says she was just about to text her. Is she ready for their favorite weekly task, the patient review meeting? Stella says, it’s the highlight of her week, and Felicia says she’s gone through most of the records, but not all of them. Hopefully, it won’t take too long for them to do the rest. Stella says, however long it takes, she’d rather be here than part of what she just witnessed at the MetroCourt. Felicia asks, what happened? and Stella says, Drew Cain happened. She can’t believe the lengths that man will go to in order to get what he wants. Felicia says, it had to be bad to get Stella this angry, and Stella says, oh, it was. If she hadn’t seen it for herself, she wouldn’t believe it. Drew tried to get a little boy to turn against his father.

Portia tells Curtis, the night has been incredible. The tasting menu, the beautiful table, and the handsome man in a suit sitting right next to her. It’s perfect. Curtis says he wanted to make sure tonight was extra special for her, and she says, it has been. She just has no words. He asks why she sounds wistful. Is there something she’s not telling him? She says, only that she appreciates this more than he knows because she wasn’t sure it was ever going to happen.  

A server gets champagne ready on a serving cart outside of Josslyn and Vaughn’s room. He puts a silencer on a gun and hides the gun. He knocks at the door and says, room service. He goes in and says, compliments of the management. He pulls out his gun, and Vaughn wrestles with him.

Portia says she was trying to find the perfect dress for tonight, and Curtis says, it looks like she found the right one. It looks like it was made for her. She thanks him and says she has to admit she was a bit nervous about tonight. She felt like it had to go well, like it was the first step toward them finding their way back to one another again. He says he felt the same way – he takes her hand – but this time, they should do it right. He kisses her and the next thing we know, they’re getting busy. Not at the table, in their bedroom.

Felicia says, the sooner they finish the review, the sooner they can catch up, and Stella can tell her what happened tonight. Stella says she likes the way Felicia thinks. Give her one minute. She goes over to Jordan and says, good to see her. Jordan says, her too, and Stella says, Marshall is coming down and she was planning a dinner with Curtis and Portia. Can she make it by any chance? Two men come in and one says, Stella Henry? Stella asks what she can do for them, and the man says they’re with the New York State Department of Financial Services Fraud Division. They have a few questions for her. Isaiah watches. (Somehow, I don’t think that’s how that works, but it’s not the first time GH has played fast and loose with various rules.)

Tracy tells Wiley, don’t even think about going in that pool. Come over here. She can see him thinking about it. Sit. Wiley sits down, and she says, thank you. Michael joins them and says, sorry about the sundae. Wiley says, that’s okay. Aunt Tracy got him a great popsicle instead. She knew his favorite flavor. Tracy says, it’s all about who you know. She has to talk to his dad for a minute. Sit here. Do not move or go anywhere near the pool. She has her eyes on him.

Tracy asks, what happened? and Michael says he did exactly what she wanted. He hit Drew.

Turner thanks Sonny again, when there’s a knock at the door. Sonny says, what the hell? and Drew says, it’s his congressman. He needs to see him. Turner says, that’s Congressman Cain. He can’t know that she’s here. Sonny says, get out of sight and he’ll get Drew out of here. She leaves and he opens the door. He says, rough night? and Drew says they need to talk. Sonny says, about what? and Drew says, about what Sonny is going to do for him. Sonny says, why the hell should he do anything for Drew? and Drew says, if he doesn’t, he’s having Sonny’s son arrested for assaulting a public official. Turner listens from another room.

Pascal says he hopes Mr. Moore’s room is to his liking, and Jason says, it’s very nice. Thank you. Tomorrow, he’d like to schedule a boat for scuba diving. Pascal says he’s more than happy to help him with that. He’ll see what he can arrange. Britt comes by and suddenly stops when she sees Jason. They lock eyes. (Ooh, I can’t wait.)

Josslyn goes into the room and sees Vaughn tussling with the server. She sees the gun on the floor and picks it up. She angles for shot while they’re moving around, squints, and shoots.

On Monday, Curtis tells Portia, Aunt Stella may be in trouble; Stella wonders what kind of questions they could have for her; Britt says Jason has to come with her – now; and Maxie asks Martin if she can be kicked out of Deception if she goes against them.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

In case you weren’t around or need a refresher.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-jason-and-britt-relive-the-complete-history-of-their-relationship-so-far/

Of course Britt’s plugged into social media.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-kelly-thiebaud-previews-britt-and-jasons-complicated-reunion-excl/

I like him, and as much as I like an opposites attract thing, I’m not so sure he vibes with Molly.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/casting-exclusive-josh-kelly-breaks-his-silence-on-general-hospital-future-i-want-to-stay/

And in the oh yeah, you’re on this show category.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/tajh-bellow-speaks-out-on-tjs-future-on-general-hospital/

Sad last minute news. I was just talking with a friend last weekend about how long he’s been on the show. Let’s hope they do better by him than they’re doing with Leslie Charleson.

https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/general-hospitals-tristan-rogers-dies-at-79/

https://people.com/tristan-rogers-dead-general-hospital-8600222

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck

Without guest Kelly’s drunken antics, things ran more smoothly, but the boatmance quadrangles continued to complicate things. There was a pajama party complete with a pillow fight, which seemed really stupid. If I was paying a billion dollars for a few days, especially after the first day had been ruined, it would be the last choice I’d make. Cleaning up the feathers was no easy chore for the crew either. Kyle decided Solene’s cavalier ways were an ick for him. They got a $22K tip, which I didn’t think was nearly enough for what the crew had to endure, and neither did the captain. Kyle screwed himself by drunk talking that he “slipped it” to the primary while he was holding her up in the water. Considering that other guests were around them and it was broad daylight, it was highly unlikely, but he went overboard (figuratively) and nearly got the boot. Luckily, no one believed him and Captain Kerry had mercy.

The Valley

Danny’s inappropriate behavior was rehashed and Andy asked if Danny thought he had a drinking problem. Then we moved on to the ring rumor about Jason and revisited Jax’s burner account under the name of Frank Dremon which he really meant to be Frank Drebin. Kristen called Jax attending a party he wasn’t invited to pulling a Doute. We flashed back to Jax insisting it was his show, then went even further in flashing back to the same thing on Vanderpump Rules. We all had déjà vu and everyone had a good laugh, but Jax needs some new material. Danny touching some woman’s butt was also rehashed, and we flashed back to the 50th time it was brought up on the show. This is one of the reasons I hate Reunions. It’s like a three-part rerun of all the bad stuff.

Real Housewives Of Miami

A trip to Sevilla, Spain didn’t stop these women from being a-holes. In a surprise twist, this was a two-parter and was on Thursday as well. I paid more attention to the second part.

Marysol said they’d brought hurricane season to Spain. Did no one look at a weather report? Lisa was still upset over Larsa following her ex. I can see her point. I’m not so sure it wouldn’t piss me off too, especially if the wounds were fresh, but instead of harping on it at every opportunity, just reframe the friendship. Lisa had a phenomenal dress for her interviews – see below. Fashion first. When they picked out flamenco dresses, there were some big ass earrings that I also eyeballed. There was bickering the car and Julia told them to knock it off, but Kiki said it best: Come on, ladies. We’re in Spain. Apparently, Lisa ended up getting rage texts from Larsa’s SO Jody, which was totally inappropriate. Whenever I hear them talk about Jody, it always takes me a moment to remember who he is. At first, I always think it must be a Housewife I can’t place.

Lisa’s dress.

https://wornontv.net/528799

Real Housewives Of Orange County

Shannon was all I’m not going if Katie is going, but she seemed to be everywhere anyway. Tamra admitted to Shannon and Emily that she shouldn’t drink because she got mean, and in Jenn’s interview, she said, until there was an intervention or exorcism, nothing was going to change with Tamra. In NOLA there was a dog parade/adoption event, and I applaud the women for having no arguments while they were there. They also went to see a lady about voodoo dolls. I’m sure there’s a pin shortage in NOLA now. Even though in Gina’s interview, she said voodoo had a positive side and went on about manifestation, I don’t think it’s the best choice to open any doors there. Tamra apologized to Gretchen, and in Gretchen’s interview, she said Tamra was good at making you hope she’d changed. It didn’t take long for Tamara to be at odds with Gretchen, who said she believed Katie wasn’t taking smack about Tamra to a blogger. No surprise, Shannon screeched about how much she hated Katie during a nice restaurant dinner, right in front of the server. Fancy Pants Heather tried to sympathize with Tamra, who screamed at her and walked away. Gina said Tamra had taken a Xanax and had a drink, and in her interview, Tamra said she felt unloved and unwanted. She was out. I see therapy is working out well.

Random Reality Items

If only.

No real information here. It’s literally just a tease.

I can’t wait to see this.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Twisted Metal. Peacock. I mentioned this last week, but now that I’ve seen more, I’m all about this show. Love the story, love the characters, love the apocalyptic weirdness. The action scenes are amazing, the car crashes could give Quentin Tarantino a run for his money, the editing is incredible, and the backstories of the characters are well done. The soundtrack is phenomenal, and I’ve already downloaded several songs to my playlists. It’s also funny. Crazy ass clown, Sweet Tooth, has many good one-liners – he wanted to do stand-up, but flopped in Vegas, and has a backstory to beat them all – but not in a trite Freddy Krueger way. Even the sex scenes have a humorous quality to them. I’ve watched into Season 2, but now they’re doling out episodes like methadone once a week, so I saved a couple of them until I can rack up more.

https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/how-to-watch-twisted-metal-season-2-on-peacock

https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/twisted-metal-season-2-review-plot

https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/twisted-metal-season-2-guide-to-racers-cars-costumes

https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/twisted-metal-on-peacock-licensed-music-soundtrack

Woman in the Yard. Peacock. I was glad I didn’t spend money to see this in the movies. It was pretty creepy throughout most of the film, but then it ended up being an allegory and having a philosophical point. It was still better than Mother, time I will never get back, but all the same, I felt cheated. This review accurately sums up how I felt.

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption and Conspiracy. Netflix. A trip down 80s Memory Lane when cocaine was in vogue and then crack came into being changing everything. This just about says it all – A user: I can walk to the moon. I’m good to go.

The Gilded Age – Finale. HBO/MAX. It doesn’t get much better than this. I hope we don’t have to wait years for the next season. All the spoilers.

https://ew.com/the-gilded-age-creators-on-the-russells-marriage-larian-and-more-11787314

🔮 Watch Of the Future…

I almost forgot about this show. I loved the first season. I think I’ll make it to Season 2, but hopefully I live long enough to see a Season 3.

https://ew.com/one-piece-season-2-first-look-photos-teaser-reveal-early-season-3-renewal-11787924

Not a given, but it would be nice. We need more Deadpool in the world.

https://ew.com/ryan-reynolds-deadpool-avengers-doomsday-tease-11789267

🐾 Tails Of Rescue…

🐶 El Wray didn’t win, but I’m not bitter… sniff…

https://people.com/worlds-cutest-rescue-dog-contest-2025-voting-11786201

🐩 Another rescue makes good.

https://people.com/dog-travels-to-40-countries-with-his-foster-dog-exclusive-11786287

🐕 So ugly, she’s cute.

https://people.com/bulldog-named-petunia-crowned-worlds-ugliest-dog-2025-11788211

🦨  Quotes of the Week

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

Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity. – Augustine Og Mandino II

Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive. – Hafez

The danger in buying silence is, it only works until somebody talks. – Christopher Lee Parson aka Captain Obvious, The Nine Lives of Vince McMahon

With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now. Ralph Waldo Emerson

The deeper the truth in a creative work, the longer it will live. – Sir Charlie Chaplin

A year from now you may wish you had started today.Karen Lamb

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. – George Orwell

My eyes cannot take this anymore. – Salsa instructor Santi, Beyond the Gates

🌻 The Odd Uneven Time…

Until next week, stay safe; stay catching fireflies, then letting them go; and stay having anything you want on your pizza, even pineapple.

March 28, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Emma Chains Herself To the Crypt, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watch, Latest On Last, Outside the Norm, Only Five Quotes & Fool

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Note: I’ve been calling Josslyn’s WSB handler Bryce when it’s Vaughn. Why? Who knows, but it proves no one is paying attention.

🥢 Weekday Bites…

Monday:

Lucas told Elizabeth that he needed her help with something that had to stay between them. Brad was blackmailing someone at the hospital. Portia told Ava that she got Drew off her back… at least for now. Ava asked what Portia wanted to do, and Portia picked up Drew’s medical folder. At Drew’s, Nina heard something, closed the safe, and headed for the door. Alexis asked what exactly Valentin thought she could do for him, and he said he wanted her to take care of his daughter. Charlotte went to the station to find out if she could see Valentin. Drew popped up behind Nina and asked if she relocked the safe. Carly told Jason that she was used to Sonny giving her orders, but never expected it from him, and Jason said, she almost died. Josslyn was hooked up to a lie detector, and Vaughn asked who she blamed for Michael’s injuries. She said, the person who set the bomb, and Vaughn asked what she’d do if she met them face to face. Jack watched through the window.

Drew said he knew Nina wasn’t looking for money, since she was a rich, spoiled brat. Maybe she was looking for something to use against him, but there was nothing in the safe that he had any reason to hide from her. Nina said she was protecting her daughter. If Willow and the kids moved in, Willow would lose her children. Drew said she was using the kids as a cover and wanted him all to herself. If she couldn’t have him, nobody else could, especially Willow. Lucas said, Brad did this in the hopes they’d get back together, and Elizabeth told him, start talking. Ava said if Portia used something in his medical records against Drew, it would be a serious HIPPA violation. While Ava would do a lot worse, it wasn’t something Portia should do. Don’t let fear and desperation make her do dumb things. Carly told Jason to respect her choices, but he said she was being willfully naïve and in over her head. The WSB was more than Jack and she didn’t know Jack as well as she thought she did. She said Jason upset because he didn’t know Jack’s world and couldn’t control it, but Jason said it wasn’t a game. She barely knew Jack and almost died. She had to get out now.

Josslyn said, if she came face to face with the person who hurt her brother, she’d do her best to subdue them and call the police. Jack came in and asked how Josslyn was doing, and Vaughn said, excellent. Vaughn and the lie detector guy left, and Josslyn asked what the hell the question about her brother was about. Jack said, conditioning. Adversaries wouldn’t ask comfortable questions and she’d be in a position to be tested and challenged for her life and the lives of others while she kept her composure and lied through her teeth. Did she think she could handle that? Alexis told Valentin that Charlotte had a mother who was more than happy to make up for lost time and Laura was a wonderful grandmother. If Charlotte needed a connection to the less diabolical side of the Cassadine lineage, she’d be there. He said that wasn’t what he was talking about. She was the trustee of the Cassadine estate, and he’d been behind the funds and Windymere being taken from Ava. The estate would be better served given to the Cassadine heirs. Alexis said, well played, and Valentin said he’d wanted to make sure she was trustee and needed her to support his daughter financially. Lulu saw Anna at the station and said Charlotte had snuck out. Anna said, Charlotte was upstairs. Valentin was headed to Steinmauer, possibly for the rest of his life. This could be the last time she saw him when it wasn’t through a pain of bulletproof glass. She asked Lulu to consider letting them say goodbye.

Josslyn told Jack that she could handle it. What was next? He said her mother was in the hospital, and she asked if that was a test, but he said, Carly was admitted last night for polonium poisoning. She was going to make a full recovery. Josslyn asked if she could see her mother, and he said, of course (🍷). It wasn’t a prison, but if she left, she wouldn’t be coming back. Carly said she was aware it wasn’t a game, but Jason said he thought she was being stubborn. She saw the red flags, but was ignoring them. Only professionals like the WSB had access to the kind of explosive device that blew up the penthouse. She said if he was going to tell her that Jack had something to do with it, he’d better have proof, and he said he wasn’t ruling it out. She said he was using Michael to get her to do what he wanted, but he said he wanted her to see what was at stake with Brennan in her life. She wondered how many times she’d heard that about Sonny and Sam had heard it about Jason. Alexis said, kudos to Valentin for wrestling the money away from Ava, but she couldn’t use the money from the estate to financially support anyone. She was keeping the estate intact for Ace. Valentin said he just wanted her to carve out a portion for Charlotte. Consider it his commission for making the estate whole. She said she couldn’t do that, but could make sure Charlotte had all the love and support she needed because he’d made the ultimate sacrifice as a father by bringing her home. He’d proven his love for his daughter by doing the right thing. Lulu asked if seeing Valentin was for Charlotte’s benefit or Valentin’s, and Anna said she thought both. Lulu thought Anna was more concerned about Valentin, and Anna said she had concern about Charlotte and thought she always would. Lulu said she get her daughter, when Alexis came out. Nina said Drew was delusional if he thought she was pining away for him. Michael and Willow were headed for divorce. They had two children, and Michael had been away for months having treatment for painful burns. He would come home to his wife and children living with the man – his uncle – who blew up his marriage. Did Drew think Michael wouldn’t move heaven and earth to get the kids away from him? How was Drew going to keep her daughter from losing her children? Willow walked in and asked what Nina was doing.

Lucas told Elizabeth that Brad was blackmailing Portia. That’s how he attended the symposium. She asked what Brad had on Portia, but he said he had no clue and didn’t want to know. She said, obviously it was bad if a hospital Chief was under a lab technician’s thumb, and he said he felt responsible because Brad did it to worm his way back into his life, and Elizabeth said, did he? Portia asked if Ava was telling her that she was screwed. She couldn’t just wait for Drew to blow her life apart. Ava said Portia could tell Curtis, but Portia said, secrets ruined Curtis’s marriage to Jordan, and she didn’t want secrets to destroy her marriage. It was too late to tell him. Ava said Portia had to find a way out or cope with living under Drew’s thumb, and Portia said she was going to lose everything. Drew would only keep a secret as long as it benefited him. Ava said, or he got bored, and Portia said she could go to prison. Ava told her not to get ahead of herself. She needed resources to fight Drew that weren’t easily tied back to her and needed an ally, someone just as interested in Drew’s downfall as she was. Willow said she thought Nina left, and Nina said she realized she’d forgotten something she needed to tell Drew. Willow asked what it was, and Nina said she had concerns. Willow said Nina wanted to convince Drew that she and the kids shouldn’t move in, didn’t she? Anna stepped away, and Alexis asked if Lulu was there to see Valentin. Lulu said she was here to get Charlotte who’d come to see him. Alexis said it was nice to see her and headed for the door, but Lulu asked her to wait. She owed Alexis two things – gratitude and an apology. Anna told Valentin that Lulu was there to pick up Charlotte, and he said he wanted to see Charlotte. She said it was up to Lulu. She was trying to get Lulu to allow it, since she didn’t want him to go to Steinmauer without see her one last time. Carly said, no one had the right to tell her or Sam that the risk was too high. It was her choice and her decision. If she decided she couldn’t handle Jack’s life, she’d make that choice herself. He didn’t get to choose what was best for her. He said it was best for her to be around for her kids and she knew he was right, and she said maybe he was, but if she was wrong, she was betting he’d still have her back. He’d never quit on her. Don’t start now. Jack showed Josslyn a live feed of Carly and Jason from GH, and said she had his word. She said she was going to stay there and asked how it happened. Was someone targeting him? He said they’d ordered room service and Valentin sent champagne to the room. It was compromised and Carly drank a glass while he was in the shower. She asked if he cared about her mother or was he using her, and he asked if it mattered.

Josslyn said, clearly, Jack and her mother were seeing each other. Yes. It mattered if he was using her. It mattered if he was in their family home on Christmas Eve. He said maybe she wanted to warn her mother about him, but if she told her mother anything, she’d never be a WSB agent. She’d become another unfulfilled soul desperately searching for a place in this world. This is the job. Josslyn said she wasn’t leaving, and he said he was glad to hear it. He was headed back to Port Charles. She said, if he was using her mother, Carly would find out. She wasn’t stupid. He agreed and left. Lulu said she was sorry she hadn’t come to see Alexis. She’d been afraid to face Alexis and what her being there meant for Alexis. She was also afraid seeing her would make Alexis… Alexis said, miss Sam? and Lulu said she was truly sorry she wasn’t brave enough to face Alexis and was sorry for her loss. She was grateful to Sam for her life. Alexis hugged Lulu, and she thanked Alexis. Valentin asked why Anna was helping him, and she said he was a good father and loved his daughter. He said, no, that wasn’t it, and she said, no, it wasn’t. He said it himself. She cared about him. He said Anna had changed him in so many ways, and with tears in her eyes, Anna asked why he hadn’t left well enough alone. He was free. Why didn’t he leave it all behind – the WSB, the lies, the deception, Pikeman. Why did he let them pull him back in? He said he was never free, but Anna said he was. He could have had it all. Why put himself in the position where he’d lose it all? He said, because of her, and she said, he had her. Wasn’t that enough? He shook his head.

Nina said she was trying to explain how Willow and the kids moving in would provoke Michael, but Willow said going behind her back wasn’t okay. It was manipulative and even if she hadn’t walked in, Drew would have told her. Drew said, of course (🍷) he would have, and Nina said, whether they liked it or not, Michael would have to be accommodated. The only way was to not move in. At least not right now. She was wrong and sorry for talking to Drew behind Willow’s back. She told them that they could figure it out on their own, and left. Lucas asked if Elizabeth thought he would let Brad back into his life, and she said she knew he had a soft spot for Brad. Not that she was judging. She constantly looked for the good in Ric. She told Lucas about Ric meeting with Portia and wondered why Portia would hire him. There had been tension between them because of Heather. Lucas wondered if the meeting had something to do with Brad. If they went digging and found out there was a legal issue professional in nature, they might uncover something. Elizabeth said, what if they got caught up in something they couldn’t turn away from?

Ava let Nina into the breakroom, and said she’d brought Nina and Portia together because the most serious problem in both their lives had a common source. They didn’t have to share their reasons, but they both needed leverage to take down Drew. If they combined their resources and intellects, they’d come up with something. It wasn’t her fight, but if they needed her, they knew where to find her. She left. Drew said he would have told Willow about his conversation with Nina because it was important they tell each other everything and be truthful. Willow said she was counting on it. Tell her the truth now. Was there a risk of losing her children if she moved in? Josslyn did some stretches before sparring with Vaughn. He asked if she was ready to go another round. She was putting herself thought unnecessary hassle. He saw her with Brennan. They were always watching. She said, then he saw her keep her cool, and he said, not when Brennan told her that he was going out with her mom. Knocking her to the floor, he said, watch that temper. Jason said, Carly would do what she wanted. She always did. She said he’d been against Jack from the beginning, and he said, for good reason. Stay or don’t. It was her choice. But keep in mind that in keeping Brennan in her life, whole she should worry about her kids and family, what she really needed to worry about was what this would do to Brennan. Charlotte told Lulu that they couldn’t leave without her seeing her papa, and Alexis said it was good to say goodbye since we didn’t always get the chance. Lulu said Charlotte could go see her papa and thanked Alexis. Anna said, let them in, and Charlotte and Valentin hugged, Valentin mouthing thank you to Alexis. Jack came in and told Valentin, your chariot awaits.

Drew told Willow that he was a US Congressman and his influence outreached Michael’s, but Willow said Michael had the Quartermaines’ support, plus Sonny and Carly. Drew said, Michael almost died at Sonny’s penthouse. Wiley and Amelia’s grandfather lived a dangerous life. Willow said the Quartermaines would argue against that, but Drew said it didn’t matter in court. He fell in love with her. It wasn’t a crime. She said her kids were everything to her, and he said, of course (🍷) because she was an incredible mother. It was intense now, but at his core, Michael was a good man and would think about the kids. There was plenty of room for compromise, but even if it turned ugly, they would fight. He promised he wouldn’t let her lose her kids. They hugged, but Willow looked unconvinced. Nina told Portia that it was awkward, but that didn’t mean it could be productive. She respected Portia and trusted Ava. Portia said they had an interest in getting leverage on Drew, and Nina said they didn’t need to know each other’s reason, but for insight, hers was solely for her daughter and her grandchildren. Because there was no stopping Drew. He would always want something. He would always take something. Portia agreed and said she was already in a slow-living nightmare that she couldn’t figure out how to stop. At least not by herself. Nina said she didn’t have to be in it all alone – as long as it stayed between them, and Portia said, the hold Drew had wouldn’t end unless they ended it. So she was in.

Lucas said he couldn’t have Brad blackmailing Portia because of him, and Elizabeth said if Portia was willing to put herself and the hospital at risk, it must be bad. He said they already knew something was wrong, and she said, as professionals, they were obligated to figure out what it is. Josslyn got up and asked if Vaughn was listening as well as watching her and Jack talk. He said he was, and Josslyn pulled him to the mat by his leg. She said, it was a private conversation, and he said, welcome to the WSB. They see and hear everything. They’re even tracking her body temperature using Infared monitors. They sparred, he punched her in the face, and she fell. He asked, what was stopping her from bailing? Jason said if Carly didn’t care about saving her own life, care about saving Brennan’s. He was making her a promise. Whatever happened to her, would happen to Brennan. If she got hurt because of Brennan, Brennan would get hurt. If she happened to die because of John Brennan, he’d kill him. He left. Jack signed off on Valentin, and Anna said she was releasing him into Jack’s custody. See that he arrived safely. She was holding him personally responsible if anything happened to him. Jack told Valentin, time to go, old friend, and Valentin asked to say goodbye to his daughter. He and Charlotte hugged, and he said, I love you, ma petite. Always. Charlotte said she loved him too, and Valentin told Lulu, take good care of our girl. Lulu promised she would, and Jack led Valentin away. As he was leaving, Valentin turned and said, until next time, and smiled.

Tuesday:

Vaughn asked Josslyn what was stopping her from bailing, and she said, sorry to disappoint him, but she wasn’t quitting, and kicked him to the floor. Carly was ready to leave the hospital, but Elizabeth said she hadn’t been cleared. She asked if she should call Lucas, but Carly said she didn’t need another lecture. Elizabeth said if they were warning her to stay away from Brennan, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea. Lulu went to see Jack and asked if he was positive Valentin was in Steinmauer. Jack said he saw Valentin board the plane himself and gave his word. No one wanted Valentin locked up more than him. If it was up to the WSB, Valentin would be dead. Lulu didn’t want to worry about Valentin kidnapping Charlotte, but Jack said there was no chance. Valentin was going away for a very long time. Lulu asked if people who wanted Valentin dead would try to use Charlotte as leverage. How could she protect her daughter. At Deception, Brook complained that Lulu kept changing her password, and Maxie said she was going to book Lois for Home & Heart, but she’d taken off to Bensonhurst. Tracy said she prayed every night for Lois to leave, and when she finally did, it created a problem. How long was she going to be gone? Brook said, at least a few days, and Tracy wondered what had gotten into Brook’s mother. Gio and Emma found Ned and Gio said they were worried about protecting the crypt and Emma came up with a plan to save it. Ava went to the hospital to see Lucas and said his father must have left him an inheritance, but Lucas said he hadn’t. Ava said Julian had a fortune. Maybe he’d stashed it in an offshore account. Lucas said, even if he had, he couldn’t be paid to touch that money. Kristina went to Sonny’s and said she’d had a run-in with Ava. She’d learned valuable information that might solve his problems with her.

Kristina told Sonny that Ava had been having money trouble, but it was more dire than they thought. She’d come to Alexis begging for a loan from the Cassadine trust. Alexis said no. She wasn’t helping Ava after what she’d done to Adela. Ava showed her hand. She was desperate and overextended. Sonny had to fight to get custody Avery. Ava asked if Lucas wouldn’t touch Julian’s ill-gotten gains to help his favorite aunt, abut he said Aunt Tiffany needed money like a hole in the head. Ava said, the aunt who was right here, and he said he knew nothing about any accounts. Ava suggested they were under an alias. She needed to pay off her debts if she was going to support her daughter. He said he was sorry. He couldn’t help, but Sonny would make sure Avery was always taken care of. Elizabeth said Carly had almost been killed, and Carly said how she moved forward was up to her, no one else. She’d already heard from Lucas, Felicia, and Jason. If one more person told her how to live her life, she was going to scream. Jack told Lulu that Valentin was locked up and could likely have no visitors. The WSB could get to him anytime, so his daughter was no longer of value to the Bureau. She was safe. It was ironic because it was what Valentin wanted all along after he’d made the fatal mistake of having a child first place. Something he cared about more than himself. Lulu guessed that was something Jack wouldn’t have to worry about ever. Vaughn said it would have been more impressive if Josslyn hadn’t injured herself, and checked her ankle. Brook said her mom and grandma wanted to spend more time together and she was sorry it cost them the Home & Heart spot. Maxie said she had an appointment and left. Tracy said it wasn’t like Lois not to say goodbye. She and Brook must have had a fight. Lois made a Broadway production about going to the dentist, much less going home to her beloved Bensonhurst. What did they fight about?

Brook told Tracy that she and Lois had a disagreement and she didn’t want to talk about it. Tracy said she’d see Brook at home and left. Emma said Drew was trying to demolish the crypt to get the land, but Ned said it was Drew’s excuse, not his reason. His reason was to drive Ned’s mother crazy. Gio said he thought they had a solution, and Emma said, what if gave the same amount land in exchange for keeping the crypt where it was. The shoreline would be even better for environmental protection. Gio said it would also generate great publicity for the family, and Ned said it was a pretty solid plan. Gio said, but Ned wasn’t sold, and Ned said before they gave away real estate, he may have a different way to handle it. Ric met Elizabeth at the hospital, and she thanked him for getting there quickly. She was worried about Portia. Being Portia’s friend, she knew something was off. Ric asked, why come to him? and Elizabeth said he’d gone to see Portia the other day and she assumed it was as an attorney. Ric said Portia had hired him as an attorney, and Elizabeth asked if he didn’t think it was strange. Portia and Curtis hated him because he’d represented Heather Webber. Ric said Portia had seen him in action. She knew he was a fantastic lawyer. Elizabeth asked how much trouble Portia was in. Maxie saw Lucas and wanted him to tell her about the Miami trip. Lucas said he’d gotten some socializing in, a lot of it with Brad. It was great at first, until Brad admitted to using shady tactics to worm his way in to the symposium. A lot of drama ensued, but there was one bright spot. Maxie asked, how bright? Sonny told Kristina that he and Ava had settled their arrangement. It was better than putting them through a trial. Kristina said, but now they knew Ava’s financial situation and could prove she didn’t have the means to care for Avery properly. Sonny said he’d think about it. Right now, Donna was staying there while Carly was in the hospital. Kristina said she’d check on Donna and went into the back. Sonny opened the front door and Ava was there.

Tracy told Ned that Gio and Emma looked like somebody kicked their puppy. Was it him? Ned said he may have rained on their parade, and Tracy said they had something more important to discuss. Lois and Brook had a bad dust up. He asked what it was about, and Tracy said she didn’t know, but she’d sure as hell find out. Lulu showed up at Deception, and Brook asked her to stop changing her password. Lulu said, done. She quits. Ric said Portia was his client, and Elizabeth said she wasn’t prying, just worried. Ric said he knew he could trust her, but it had to stay between them. Portia was facing a potential legal matter and asked him for advice. Elizabeth asked if it had to do with Portia’s position at the hospital, and Ric said he’d had experience defending Elizabeth against the hospital board, which would be helpful to Portia if certain details came to light. Elizabeth said she knew what it was like to be falsely accused when you were innocent, but Ric told her, who said Portia was innocent? Vaughn said it looked like a heel injury, and Josslyn said she’d sprained it during her endurance test. He asked why she didn’t say anything, and she said he would have called her a whining baby. No thank you. He said, next time she was injured, ask for help, but she said she thought the point was to be self-sufficient. He said the idea was to use good judgment. Fighting battles on you own only got you killed. Carly went to Jack’s office and he said he knew she wanted to end things. She almost died and he didn’t blame her, but give him a second to tell her something. She suggested that instead, he let her tell him why she was here. Sonny asked if Avery was okay, and Ava said she was perfectly fine. The reason she was here was that she needed more child support. He asked how much more. As much as she needed to pay the IRS? He knew her financial situation was in the toilet. If she wanted to ask for herself, have the guts to ask instead of hiding behind their daughter. Ava said, fine. She needed the money. He asked, how much? and she said, two million. He said that was a big ask, and she said, for him, it was a drop in the bucket. She’d pay him back plus interest. If she didn’t pay her debt, she’d lose everything. He said, okay, on one condition.

Maxie said Marco sounded like a catch, and Lucas said he was sweet, funny, and easy to talk to. Maxie asked if Marco was into the kiss, and Lucas said, from what he remembered. Then he ruined it by throwing up on Marco. Marco probably wished he’d never met him. Maxie said he knew Marco respected him enough not to take advantage of him and made sure he got home okay. She thought Lucas should give him a call. Casually check in. See what happens. You never know where it could lead. Brook said, God forbid Lulu should give a two week notice, and Lulu said, why prolong the torture? She’d been thinking about it for a while, but the visit from Brook’s husband sealed the deal. He’d said what Brook wanted him to. Brook closed the door and said she had no idea Chase went to see Lulu. When? Lulu said, last night. He told her to stay away from Brook and keep her mouth shut about the baby. If she didn’t, he’d have her arrested for breaking into Martin’s hotel room. She didn’t believe Brook didn’t know, but Brook said she had no idea. Lulu said, Chase used his position as a cop to keep Brook’s secret. That’s love. Brook said Lulu wasn’t an innocent victim. She’d broken the law and inserted herself into a situation she had nothing to do with. Lulu said it directly affected her family. Dante deserved to know he had a child and Rocco deserved to know he had a half-brother. She was being forced to lie to both of them. Ned asked how Tracy knew Brook and Lois were fighting, and she said Brook tried to downplay it, but considering how quickly Lois left, it must have been big. Ned said, Lois was gone? and Tracy said she went back to Bensonhurst. Talk to his daughter and find out what Lois did. He asked how she knew it was Lois, and she said Brook was acting wounded, not guilty. Lois did something to upset her. Ned said Brook was a mature married woman. If she wanted to talk, she knew she could come to him. Until then, he’d respect her privacy. Tracy laughed and said, since when? Says who? Ned said, if it was important, Lois would have told him. Vaughn told Josslyn that being physically strong was important, but judgement was more important. To know when you could and should trust someone to help you. He wrapped her ankle and told her about his best mentor. An older woman whose mind was sharp and she was so good at reading people, she never had to call on her training. Josslyn said, from everything she’d learned, it was a last resort. Don’t attack unless a weapon is pulled or unless it’s absolutely necessary. The minute violence is introduced, the situation can get out of control fast. Vaughn said, then you have to live with the consequences. Carly said she came to warn Jack. Jason blamed him for the poisoning. Jack said so did he, and she said Jason decided from here on out, what happens to her would happen to him too. He asked if Jason was out shopping for polonium, and she said, probably not, but she wouldn’t rule it out. He doesn’t say things just to say them. He means it. Jack thanked her for the intel. He wasn’t scared of Jason. All he cared about was her and that what just happened was because of him. Being an agent wasn’t an easy life. It was lonely and isolating, which suited him just fine… until now… until her. He needed her. Ava asked, what kind of condition? and Sonny said, in exchange for the cash, they’d revisit the custody arrangement. Ava said it was working great, but Sonny said he realized it wasn’t satisfactory. He wasn’t comfortable with 50/50 and thought she should have Avery two weekends a month. Ava said, over her dead body.

Elizabeth asked if there was anything she could do, and Ric asked if she could access the administrative records that showed the tests Portia accessed. She said she thought she could figure it out, and he said it would help the case if he could get a hard copy. Nothing that broke HIPPA laws, just names, dates, and time of access. Go back about a year or so. Elizabeth asked, how bad is this situation? and Ric said, bad enough to ruin Portia’s life. Emma said she thought Ned would go for their idea, and Gio said Ned saw the world differently. He was an awesome guy, but he was still a Quartermaine, and for better or worse, it was family first, no matter what. He doesn’t think they’d give up the land unless a Quartermaine asked. She said maybe they shouldn’t have been the ones to pitch it. Maybe he’d be more receptive if someone else in the family backed them up. Tracy wondered what was with the hands-off parenting, and Ned said he had something to cheer her. He knew how to get Drew to leave the family crypt alone. Tracy said she was cheered adjacent. How? He suggested they drop the bombshell they’d been keeping about Willow, and she said, that he was sleeping with her mother? He said, exactly. One threat, and he would be forced to back off. Tracy said, what if called their bluff? and Ned said it would blow up his relationship with Willow.

Josslyn got up and told Vaughn that her ankle felt fine. How did he become an agent? Did Brennan recruit him? Vaughn asked if she wanted to know more about him or Brennan, and she said, both. He said he got that she was concerned about her mom, but she needed to compartmentalize, and she said, forget Brennan. How did he end up an agent? He said he could tell her a bunch of cover stories, and she asked if any of them was the truth. He said, the truth was… he couldn’t tell her. Jack said he knew he was being selfish, but wanted her know, and Carly said she wasn’t walking away because she wanted to know what this was. He saved her. She didn’t want to overthink, but wanted to dive in and explore every minute with him. He said it was her life and her decision, and she said she needed him too. She wanted them to be together. They kissed. Ava asked if Sonny thought she’d give up custody for a few measly bucks. He said, two million wasn’t a few, and she said she would never. What kind of mother did he think she was? He said, the kind that would use her child to cover asking for more money for herself. That’s why he feels Avery should spend more time with him. She asked if Avery would thrive under his care. Would she be looking forward to visiting Avery in a burn clinic in Germany? How was Michael? Or did he not know since Sonny hadn’t visited? Was the airfare too high or was he overwhelmed with guilt? Ric was right. They should have fought for sole custody to protect Avery from him. Sonny told her to look in the mirror. She would see Morgan and Connie. She was the reason they were dead. He hadn’t forgotten that and would never forgive. She said she wasn’t the only one who would come up short at the pearly gates, and he said he was trying to be civil. If it wasn’t for her being Avery’s mother, he wouldn’t… He clutched his chest, and Ava asked, what’s happening? Sonny dropped to his knees and leaned on the sofa.

Tracy asked if Ned would be satisfied with annihilating Drew’s relationship, and Ned said he thought Drew was too stubborn to be blackmailed. But once they blew the secret, it was blown for good. They would sit on it for now. He had the feeling the information would be better used against Nina. Her money and influence could come in handy down the line. Tracy said they’d just wait for the right moment. Gio said he thought Emma was right. The next time they made a pitch, they’d recruit someone from the family for support. He had the perfect candidate in mind. Lulu said, all those years ago, Brook came to town to break her and Dante up, and Brook said, let it go. The key words were all those years ago. Lulu said, at the time, she thought Brook was acting on an unrequited crush. Had she known they slept together… Brook said, that’s why Lulu was mad. It wasn’t because Brook was lying to Dante. It was because Dante lied to her. Ric said, if Elizabeth could doit under the radar, great, but if not… Elizabeth said she was sure she could figure it out, and Ric thanked her for the assist. She said it was the least she could do. Lucas asked Maxie, what was the point? Marco was in Miami. She said long distance booty calls were an actual thing and so were long distance relationships. Keep his options open. Lucas said Marco put his number in the phone and invited him to keep in touch, and Maxie said, text him or she would. Josslyn said she thought she was ready for another round, but Vaughn thought they should call it a day and left. Carly said Jack still had a dangerous job and her life was still in danger, but she wanted to make it clear that if something happened to her, Jason would follow through. Jack said, he could try, and Carly said that’s what scared her. Either Jason would try to kill him, or he’d try to kill Jason, and she wasn’t okay with either scenario. He said then he’d have to make sure nothing ever happened to her, and they kissed. Ava asked what was going on, and Sonny fell to the floor, his bottle of pills falling nearby. Ava leaned over to look at the pills, then stood up. She said, my, my. Lookee here. Do you need those?

(Seems like she’s going to pull a Tracy, but Kristina is in the next room with Donna, so…)

Wednesday:

Brook said Lulu wasn’t riled up over Dante’s rights. She was just resentful and threatened. She thought she and Dante told each other everything, but Dante had a secret he’d kept from her. Lulu said she had no idea Dante had lied to her and now she’d have to lie for Brook. At the PC Grill, Jordan told Laura that Congressman Boyle was at GH for Drew’s press conference for the pediatric sports initiative (🍷), and Laura said, if there was a camera, he’d find it. Jordan said he and Drew looked chummy, but Laura said it was a good cause and good for the city, although she didn’t think the Aurora coverage was good for him. Jordan said he almost forced Curtis to cover it, and Curtis wasn’t going to take it sitting down. At the Quartermaine’s, Curtis walked into the solarium, finding Tracy and Stella there. He thanked Tracy for the invite, and she said, his was the only media outlet to fact check in covering the pediatric sports initiative (🍷). Stella said Tracy and Curtis also had a common cause so they should get to know each other. Tracy’s phone rang and she said, let him in, and told Stella and Curtis, this might be entertaining. Drew walked in and said, of course (🍷) Curtis teamed up with Tracy. As Sonny groped for his pills, Ava asked if something was wrong. Should she call 911? Did he want his pills? Wasn’t it awful to be in need with no one to help and instead they stood by and enjoyed his pain? Kristina came in and asked what Ava was doing. She went over to Sonny and asked why Ava wasn’t helping him.

Brook said Lulu was upset because of how it affected her. If she’d stayed out of Brook’s business, she wouldn’t have to lie. Lulu said she didn’t go looking for information about Brook. She was looking for something on Valentin to help her track her daughter. Now every time Dante told her that he was happy she had Charlotte back, she choked on the knowledge Dante had a son. Brook said Lulu wanted to tell Dante because Lulu hated her and wanted him to hate her to. If it upended their son’s life, so what? Lulu said she’d already agreed not to tell before Brook’s husband threatened to arrest her, when Gio and Emma walked in. Emma said they could come back, but Brook said they were just having a little disagreement. Lulu said they’d been fighting because Brook was a self-serving manip… but one thing Brook was not was her boss, and she left. Ava said, Sonny just collapsed. She didn’t know what was happening, but of course (🍷) she was going to help. Then Kristina came in. Kristina told her, go, and Ava asked if she should call 911. Kristina said, just go, and Ava left. Kristina gave Sonny a pill and said she was calling an ambulance, but Sonny said, no. Dr. Gannon. Boyle (Ezra) asked if he could join Laura and Jordan, then sat down before getting an answer. Jordan asked what was on his mind, and he said the esplanade project. A snail that tree-huggers were worried about was causing a delay, but no snail was more important than jobs and revenue. Laura said they weren’t allowed to ignore the environmental impact, and Boyle said his constituents were upset. This wouldn’t be happening if they’d moved the esplanade to Pier 55. Jordan said it wasn’t a workable option, and Laura said she made the right decision. It made no sense to move the esplanade away from the city center and Sonny would have fought it. Boyle said given how close she was to Sonny, he suggested she reconsider and avoid the embarrassment of family ties to a notorious crime lord.

Gio asked if Brook was okay, and Brook said Lulu had to be the heroine in her own drama. She wouldn’t listen to anyone, but had a lot to say about how other people lived their lives. Her grandma insisted on hiring Lulu, but she knew it would never work. Emma asked if she was firing Lulu just now, but Brook said, Lulu quit. Gio said they had something that would give Tracy what she wanted most. Curtis said he hadn’t teamed up with anyone, and Drew said Aurora had referred to him as Drew Cain in their coverage. Tracy said that was his name. He had no legal right to call himself a Quartermaine. Drew said that was never going to stand up, and Curtis said the journalists were held to the same standards Drew had put in place when he was running Aurora. Drew said Curtis thought he’d detract from him doing something good, but Curtis said the pediatric sports initiative (🍷) was trending on social media. Wasn’t that what the conference was for? To help the kids, not Drew’s ego? Drew said if Curtis wanted it get ugly, it would, and he left. Stella said she was a bit entertained, and Tracy said, well done. Stella said, what they had was the start of a beautiful friendship, and they all clinked teacups. Boyle said Laura and Sonny shared a grandchild and people would say she was protecting Sonny’s interests, and Laura said, which people? Jordan said, protect how? and Laura said she had nothing to hide. Her relationship with Sonny was a matter of public record and she disclosed her financials every year, something he’d managed to avoid. She thought they were done. Jordan said she’d meet Laura back at the office, and Laura left. Boyle said he was lucky to have an opportunity to speak to Jordan alone, but Jordan said he might feel differently when he heard what she had to say. Kristina asked, what happened? and Sonny said he lost his temper and went after Ava. He got a pain, went to grab his pills, and fell. Kristina said, and Ava just stood there? Sonny nodded, when the doorbell rang. Kristina let in Isaiah, who asked if Sonny took his pill. Sonny said, eventually. He’d dropped them. Kristina said, Ava was just standing there, but Sonny said it was better that she didn’t know what they were. Let her think he was having a panic attack. Now that he took a pill, he was fine. Kristina said he wasn’t fine until Isaiah said he was. Cody heard a ruckus in the boathouse and found Lulu beating a stuffed frog with a bat. She said she came to see Rocco and needed to blow off steam, and he asked why she was worked up. She said maybe she was as horrible as Brook thought she was.  

Curtis left, and Stella said he loved him like one of her own. Tracy asked if she and her sister were close, and Stella said they loved each other dearly. Tracy said she wished she and Alan had been closer. They just drove each other crazy. Stella said, when you were siblings, that was love. Lulu told Cody that she knew she should let it go. It killed her that Dante never said a word about Brook. Cody said, Dante didn’t know she got pregnant, but Lulu said Dante knew they’d slept together, but told her they were just friends. Cody said it was years ago when they were teens and Dante thought nothing came of it, but Lulu said, something did come of it. Something major. Isaiah listened to Sonny’s heart and said the rhythm was normal. If he went to GH, they could do nothing but monitor him. Sonny said he was sorry he scared Kristina, and she said Ava obviously provoked him. Sonny asked for a minute with the doctor, and she said she’d call to check on him later. She left and Sonny said he appreciated Isaiah coming. Isaiah said he was making an appointment for the surgery today, but Sonny said he wasn’t. Jordan said any attempt to smear Laura would blow up in Boyle’s face, and he said, if she played her cards right, she could be the next mayor. As the former Police Commissioner, how did she justify Laura’s friendship with Sonny? She said Laura was an excellent mayor and an honest politician. Ava and Ric walked in, and Boyle said all it would take for a push was one defining moment, her boss kowtowing to organized crime. Ava told Ric that he wouldn’t believe what happened with Sonny, and he asked why she was there. She said she was asking for a loan because she was desperate. While she was there, Sonny collapsed. There was something wrong with Sonny.

Brook said, so Gio and Emma proposed the family trade lakefront property for the public land the crypt was on, and Emma said, nothing would change. Gio said, and it was good for nature. They’d gone to Ned… Brook said, that was a mistake. He looked at everything from a financial perspective. They shouldn’t pursue this. Jordan went to Curtis’s office and thanked him for the flattering coverage photo. It made it seem like she was running the program. He said who wouldn’t rather look at her and Portia instead of a crooked politician, and she told him that Drew said he’d regret calling him Congressman Cain. He said it was Drew’s legal name. It just denied his ego satisfactory PR. She said, well done. Stella said the look on Drew’s face when he saw Curtis having tea with them. She was locking the image away. Tracy said she thought he’d pop something. She didn’t know Stella had that in her. She was a helpful composed patient advocate at work, but didn’t let anybody mess with her family. Stella said, would she? and Tracy said, of course (🍷) not. Stella said they also didn’t suffer fools gladly. If someone came for their family… Tracy said, they’d fight back, and they high-fived. Drew sat with Boyle at the bar and said Tracy was way too happy to help Curtis screw him over. Curtis undermined him at every opportunity and he was sick of it. Boyle had a connection at public works and the Quartermaine crypt was partially on public land. Get a bulldozer over there as soon as possible. He wanted it torn down now. (Again, that’s not how any of this works.) Cody asked if Lulu never had feelings for anyone before Dante, and she said, of course (🍷), but Dante had a relationship with Brook that he’d kept secret between them. He lied about his feelings. She thought she always knew and that’s why she couldn’t let it go. Cody said Dante picked Lulu a long time ago, but Lulu said he lied to her. Cody said, by omission, and she said, it was still a lie. He lied that he’d never had feelings for Brook. She’d thought they were so in sync, they’d never lie to each other, but that was never true. Sonny said his cardiologist told him that he could wait if he took his medication and avoided stress, and Isaiah asked how that was going. Sonny said his health meant nothing if he lost his family. He had security issues, but if he resolved them before the scheduled surgery, maybe they could move up the procedure. He owed Isaiah. Isaiah asked if he didn’t owe it to himself to get the surgery as soon as he could. He opened the door, and Laura was there. Isaiah left, and Laura asked why he was there. Sonny said it wasn’t important, and he’d appreciate it if she didn’t tell anyone. He had a heart condition and was going to have surgery.

Gio told Brook, it made sense. Tracy would get her way and their ancestors wouldn’t be disturbed. Brook said it was a good idea, but don’t get moored into the fight. It was classic Quartermaine infighting. They weren’t even hardcore Q’s and should walk away while they still could. Cody said he didn’t know why Dante didn’t come clean, but he knows Dante loved Lulu. Brook was never a threat. Lulu said she and Dante had been over for a long time, and Cody said he’d thought things were true that weren’t, and it messed him up to find out the Bells weren’t his birth parents. He got over it and moved on. Lulu wondered how Dante could care about someone like Brook. Now she had to live with Brook’s lie. Kristina went to Adela/Irene’s grave and told her about seeing Sonny. She thought he was going to die, and Ava was just standing there over the pill bottle. She could have helped him, but didn’t. By not helping him, she was killing him. Like she killed Adela. Ava asked if Ric found out anything, and he said he could confirm Sonny wasn’t admitted to GH. Ava said Kristina gave him a pill and he must have recovered, and Ric asked what happened before that. Ava said they were arguing and Sonny suddenly stopped, obviously in pain. He had a prescription pill bottle, but dropped it before he was able to take one. He fell at her feet. Ric said, and she just stood there? and she said, of course (🍷) she was going to help, but Kristina scared her. Obviously, Kristina knew what was going on and screamed at her to get out, so she left. Ric said Sonny had been on medication for years, and Ava said, mood stabilizers. Nothing for pain. He could barely breathe. Something was seriously wrong with his brother. Sonny told Laura that he was shot years ago and it damaged his heart. Only surgery could repair it. She wondered if it was safe to wait, and he said he had business to take care of before he was out commission for a couple weeks. He had Isaiah and his medication and had to avoid stress. She told him, easier said than done, and he said he was doing all right until today. Ava came by. He was trying to be cordial, but she wanted more money and thought she’d take advantage of him. They got into it and the pain hit. He couldn’t get to his pills and fell, and the pills were on the ground. Luckily, Kristina came in. Everything was fine, but he couldn’t control himself and it scared him. Gio said it was something where both sides would be happy, but Brook said, Drew wouldn’t be happy until he hurt her grandma enough and got his name back. She’d try to talk to her dad. The phone rang and she said they’d talk later. In the hallway, Gio said, the house belonged to Monica, right? Maybe she was the one they should be talking to.

Cody said Lulu could always talk to him. He’d listen and not judge. An argument didn’t make her a bad person. Lulu wasn’t sure she could trust his judgement since he picked up hitchhikers. Tracy asked if Stella wanted to check out an art exhibit, but Stella said she had a doctor’s appointment. Everything was fine, but it took two tests – urine and blood – to screen for kidney disease. Tracy asked if Stella was concerned, and Stella said she didn’t think so, but 90% of those with the disease didn’t know they had it and had no symptoms until irreversible kidney damage was done. There was high blood pressure and diabetes in ⅔ of the cases. It could also uncover cardiovascular risk. She had high blood pressure, so as they say, knowledge is power. They high-fived and laughed. Curtis said Jordan should have seen Drew’s face when Drew saw he was having tea with Tracy. He went from zero to a thousand in half a second. Jordan said Drew would assume Curtis was working against him. He was declaring war. Curtis said Drew’s pride took a direct hit and his ego was demanding retribution, and she asked if he was sure he was ready to wave a red flag in front of Drew. He said until Drew’s anger made him do something stupid where he exposed his true colors to all the world, and she said she got the logic, but it could hurt Curtis. Watch out for unintended consequences. Curtis said he’d played this game before, and Drew had better watch out for him.

Drew told Boyle that they were righting a wrong from when the Quartermaine patriarch helped himself to public land. Boyle said, we? It was Drew’s battle. <making a wah-wah sound). Drew said he thought Boyle was a champion of the people, but Boyle said it was Drew’s family. Drew said they’d been given notice that the crypt had to be moved and were using their money and privilege to stonewall. They weren’t above law. They had their chance and didn’t take it. Now he wanted the crypt razed to the ground tomorrow. Ava asked Ric, what was wrong with Sonny? How serious was it? Ric said she was enjoying this too much, and she said, Sonny told her, if not for Avery, he would have her killed, and it wasn’t the first time he’d said it. So excuse her for not getting misty over his passing. With Avery’s inheritance, she could pay all her debts and have enough left over to keep… Avery in the lifestyle she’s accustomed to. Ric said, pragmatic to a fault, and Ava wondered why Sonny was hiding his condition. Obviously, he didn’t want anyone to know so it must be serious. Laura said she hoped Sonny wasn’t carrying his burden all alone, and he said there were key people who knew. He didn’t want it made public and didn’t want his family to worry. He didn’t want his enemies to know he wasn’t 100%. He was also thinking about Port Charles. Laura said she appreciated that and would keep his secret. Kristina said no one saw how dangerous Ava was but her. Ava convinced a jury that she wasn’t guilty of killing Adela and used Avery against her dad every chance she got. They just throw their hands up and shake their heads. They tell her to walk away, but she can’t do that. That’s what makes Ava so dangerous. No one holds her accountable for what she’s done. She’s not a nuisance. Ava is a threat to everyone she loves. If she didn’t stop Ava, Ava would take away everyone she cared about… She cried, then suddenly looked up and said she had to stop her. Ava had to be stopped, and she had to stop her. She touched Adela’s gravestone.

Thursday:

Diane found Alexis on the floor in her office, but she was fine, just meditating. She needed to find peace because she was going to do something hard. She had to strike a truce with Ric or kill him trying. On the phone, Elizabeth talked to Lucas about Brad blackmailing Portia. She went to Charlie’s after hours, where lucky had prepared dinner. Stella went to the hospital for her kidney disease screen. Isaiah told Jordan that when he pictured a clandestine relationship, a five-mile hike didn’t occur to him, and she said she ran fast so she could get back and be alone with him. As Sasha’s patient advocate, Felicia asked if Sasha had given any thought to adding her baby daddy’s medical information to her file. Nina stopped by Ava’s to thank her for teaming her up with Portia. She thought they could deal with their mutual Drew problem. Ava was bringing Avery over to Sonny’s and Nina wondered why she was hurrying. Kristina left a message for Isaiah with a question about Sonny’s condition. She wanted to know the worst-case scenario if he didn’t have his meds on him. There was a knock at Sonny’s door, and Kristina opened it to Molly. Sonny told Jason that it would take more than Ava to kill him. He was going to be more careful in the future. Jason suggested Sonny get the surgery sooner, but Sonny said he wasn’t lying around while his family was in danger. Brick joined them and said he had a lead on the man who almost burned Michael to death.

Chase found Brook working at home and asked if Lulu was harassing her, but Brook said Lulu had quit because of Chase. Isaiah thought Jordan was distracting herself, and she told him about Boyle suggesting she distance herself from Laura because of Laura’s relationship with Sonny. Isaiah said, he may have a point, and Jordan said she agreed. Brick said Soliski was a contract killer, ex-intelligence. The only way to contact him was on the dark web. He was in Toronto right now. Jason said he could be there in an hour. Molly told Kristina that she wanted her sister back. Felicia said, since it came out that Jason was the father, she wondered if Sasha reconsidered, but Sasha said she didn’t want him involved. Elizabeth said it was the best chicken parm she’d ever had, and Lucky said he’d gotten it from Lorenzo’s in NYC. He reminisced about their past time together and asked if she wanted to go away for the weekend. Let him take her back to New York.

Lucas and Stella rehashed the information she gave us about kidney screening yesterday. Jordan told Isaiah that she respected Laura and it wouldn’t bother her except for the esplanade. A mayor not as close to Sonny might have made a stronger case for kicking a mob boss out of an area that needed revitalization. She was realizing Laura would never see Sonny as the danger he was. Alexis told Diane that her fighting with Ric upset Molly. She was going to reach a truce and asked Diane to stay as referee. Diane asked if there was time to make popcorn. Molly said people she loved, and thought would be here forever were gone, but Kristina wasn’t. She didn’t want to just see Kristina in a crisis and wanted it to be like it was. She was without Sam and didn’t want to be without Kristina. Nina asked, what changed? and Ava said Sonny was particular about times and dates, and it was good for Avery to see they were getting along. She was seeing Sonny with fresh eyes. Sonny asked if Soliski was tipped off, but Brick said there was no way to be sure. Jason said Soliski wouldn’t see him coming, and Brick said Soliski was paranoid and dangerous, but Sonny said coming after him was dangerous.

Elizabeth and Lucky rehashed when they went to NYC and missed the last bus home. We flashed back to when they were babies, and Elizabeth said she’d had the time of her life. Chase asked what he’d done to make Lulu quit, and Brook said he’d had a chat with Lulu. Chase said he was going to tell her. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t Lulu’s business; she just had to say it. Her way needed to change, and he’d dropped by to tell her. Brook said threatening Lulu and flashing his badge wasn’t who he was, but he said just because he didn’t show it often, it didn’t mean that side wasn’t there. He’d do what it took to keep her secret safe. Felicia said Sasha wouldn’t be raising her baby alone if the Scorpios had anything to say about it. Kristina wondered if things would ever be the same, but Molly said maybe they could find a new normal and suggested Little Buddha take-out and a movie at home. Kristina said she’d missed Molly even when she didn’t want to, and Molly said sometimes she just wanted to be home with Kristina and their mom. They hugged, and Ava came by with Avery. Jordan said Sonny’s generosity didn’t change his involvement in illegal activities. But then there were the supposed good guys like Drew and Boyle who she trusted less than Sonny. Sonny wanted to go with Jason, but Brick said it was a major operation, especially for someone having surgery soon. Brick left and Sonny said he was going with Jason.

A song began to play, and Elizabeth said it was the first song on the mix tape Lucky gave her that they listened to on their way to New York. They danced and he said he’d found the hotel they’d stayed at and slept on the floor. We flashed back to that, and he said he’d booked a room for them, when her phone alarm went off. She had to get to work, but he knew the answer before he’d asked. This time neither of them would sleep on the floor. Molly took Avery to the playroom and Kristina said Ava could go. Ava tried to get information on Sonny’s condition, but Kristina said it was none of her business. Ava said if Sonny wasn’t well enough to take care of their daughter full time, she would, and she was pretty sure a judge would agree. Ric told Alexis he owed her an apology, confusing her. He said he realized baiting her into arguments was unfair to her and their daughter, and he was truly sorry. They could be neutral parties with a common interest. She asked where this was coming from, and he said Cody had given him perspective. She said she accepted his apology, and he said he accepted hers, but she said she didn’t give him one. Diane suggested they quit while they were ahead and shake on it. Hesitantly, they did. Lucas said Stella was taking preventative steps and doing research and everyone be as concerned about their healthcare. She told him, knowledge is power, and he said she was pretty powerful. Felicia asked if Jason would be on the birth certificate and Sasha said they’d agreed he wouldn’t be involved, and it would only complicate things. Felicia advised her to get things settled before the baby was born so Jason didn’t insist later. Sasha said Jason would never do that, but Felicia said she didn’t know Jason wouldn’t change his mind. She didn’t want to leave anything open to interpretation. Jason said the last thing Sonny needed was going to Toronto to track down a professional killer, but Sonny said it couldn’t wait. Jason said he was going alone. It was too much risk. Sonny said he’d have his meds, but Jason said too many things could go wrong.

Lucas said he had diabetes, so he was at risk, and he’d also taken the tests. There was no reason not to be proactive. It could reduce potentially serious complications down road and also uncover cardiovascular risk. Chase said Lulu had taken things too far, but Brook said she didn’t think Lulu was upset with her. She was upset with Dante for not telling her that they had a past together. Chase said it didn’t affect Lulu, and Brook said Lulu was too self-centered and self-righteous. Chase said Lulu’s life hadn’t changed and she was just rubbing it in. Brook said she’d do anything to change it, but Chase said it wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t even a fault thing. Brook said she never expected to meet someone like him, and Chase said neither did he. She asked if he was glad they met. Molly went to Alexis’s office and asked what Ric was doing there. He said he’d let her mom fill her in. (Diane called him Richard, startling me. I don’t remember anyone ever calling him that.) Ric left and Diane said she was exhausted. It was more than she’d hoped for. She left, and Alexis told Molly that she’d invited Ric there. What she’d said at the PCPD hit home and she was going to call a truce, but he did before she had a chance. Molly asked if he was dying, but Alexis said she didn’t think so. He’d said Cody had gotten to him. It didn’t happen often, but her father was the bigger person for her sake. She was happy to accept the olive branch. Jordan told Isaiah that she didn’t want to steal Laura’s job, but if she had a choice, she’d stay as far away from Sonny as possible. Brick came by with flowers to see if Jordan was free for dinner. Jordan said she had plans, and he said he could see that. Sonny said he knew Jason was worried, but Soliski was the reason his son was in a burn clinic in Germany in unbelievable pain. He was going to be stressed if he didn’t go and make sure the job was done. Maybe it would be a stress reliever. Jason said Soliski was just the middleman. Someone hired him and they needed to know who. Sonny said he needed to know the name of his real enemy.

Brick asked if Jordan and Isaiah were a couple now, and Jordan said she needed a favor. Don’t tell anyone she knew they were dating. He asked if it was a request from her or her new boyfriend, and Isaiah said if it was up to him, the whole world would know, but Jordan had her reasons to keep it a secret and he’d promised to honor that for her sake. Brick said he’d do the same. He’d heard questionable things about Isaiah’s family and hoped Isaiah had no part of that. He left and Isaiah said he guessed Brick looked into him. Jordan didn’t ask him to, did she? She said if there was anything she wanted to know, she trusted he’d tell her himself, and they hugged. Chase said Brook was the best thing that had happened to him, and she said he was a remarkable man. No matter what anyone did, don’t compromise himself or his values. He thought they could handle it and they hugged. Molly said Alexis deserved credit for the truce with Ric and Alexis said it was easier because she was doing it for Molly. Molly said she’d gone to see Kristina and they talked for the first time in a long time. They were taking it slow, but she wanted to try and get back to how they used to be. They were having a Davis girls’ night and were hoping Alexis would come too. Alexis said she wouldn’t miss it for the world, and they hugged. (A lot of that going around today.) Ava went home and found Ric there and he said he had the most unbelievable conversation with Alexis. The last thing he expected happened. They made peace. There was knocking at the door and Kristina said, open the damn door. They were going to finish this once and for all. Sasha left Jason a message that she was finished with her check-up and everything was good, but there was something they needed to take care of. Jason saw there was a missed call from Sasha and asked if he couldn’t change Sonny’s mind. Since Soliski couldn’t kill him last time, the contract on him was still out. Sonny took out his gun, loaded it, and said he wasn’t going to let Soliski or anyone else come after his family again. They left and we saw a framed photo of Morgan and Michael.

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

At the café, Sasha asks if Maxie has been waiting long, and Maxie says, long enough to get tea for her sore throat and a cookie. She’s been waiting a week. In reality, less than five minutes. Sasha says she’s glad they’re doing this. She wants to show something to Maxie, but she can’t tell anyone she saw it. Maxie says, okay. Is it bad? Sasha says, it’s actually pretty miraculous, and shows Maxie her sonogram. Maxie squees.

Tracy finds Elizabeth at the hospital and says she knows Stella was coming in for tests. She thought if Stella was done, she’d ask if Stella wanted to go to dinner. Elizabeth says, sorry, but Stella already finished and left. It was a sweet idea. Tracy says she knows, and Elizabeth asks how Monica is doing. Tracy says, today’s a good day, and Elizabeth says she’s glad to hear it. Tracy says her too. She’ll let Monica know that everyone is thinking about her. Elizabeth says, tell her they can’t wait for their former Chief of Staff to get back to her old self, and Tracy says, will do. Elizabeth says she hopes Monica is better soon, and Tracy says, her too, and she hopes Monica doesn’t find out Drew is threatening to dig up her late husband.

Trina approaches the crypt, and asks, what’s going on? Boyle says, she can’t be here, but she says she lives here. She’s trying to study. Boyle says, she lives here? and she says, in the apartment over the garage. He introduces himself as Ezra Boyle, Port Charles City Council, and says he’s here on important city business. Trina says she knows who he is. They met at the press conference. He says, right. She was with Kai Taylor. She asks if he has a right to be here, and he says he does. He has a signed demolition order. Emma and Gio join them, and Emma asks, what is all this? Ezra asks if they live here, and Gio says, at the main house. Ezra says, great, and hands him a paper, saying, you’ve been served.

In Drew’s office, he says Kai has a few more speaking engagements, and Kai asks if Drew is sure he’s the right guy. Now that he’s done with football, people might not want to listen to him much longer. Drew says Kai is the reason the speaking engagements have more than doubled. People want to hear what he has to say about the pediatric sports initiative (🍷). He saw how well Kai handled himself at the press conference and people want more. He’s got more going for him than just football. Kai says, good thing because he’s never going pro, and Drew asks if he’s sure about that

Lucky brings Lulu to Charlie’s, and she wonders if everything is free since the club isn’t open. He says he can spot her an appetizer and a beer, and thanks her for coming by. She says she never sees him at their mom’s place where they live together, and he says he’s been spending time at Elizabeth’s. She asks how it’s going, and he says, pretty good. In fact, they’re going away together.

Kristina pounds on Ava’s door, and Ava tells Ric to listen to the sound of Kristina Corinthos Davis acting even more unhinged than usual. He says he just made peace with Alexis. If Kristina sees him here, it will all be blown to hell. She says, don’t let Kristina see him, but stick around. She may need a witness. He grabs his drink and goes to another room, while the banging continues. Ava tells Kristina, come in and speak her piece, but stay away from the windows. They don’t want a repeat of what happened the last time Kristina barged in. (Wow. A new low.)

On a private jet, Jason says, the flight time is 40 minutes, and Sonny says, Brick said Soliski could be in two possible locations, his apartment or a warehouse. They’ll check each one to minimize the chance of missing him. Jason says he’ll take the warehouse. They don’t know when Soliski will leave town for his next job. Sonny says, whoever hired him is responsible for Michael’s pain and he wants to make them pay.

Maxie says she’s guessing Sasha’s OB appointment went well, and Sasha says she and the baby are fine. Her pregnancy is in the honeymoon phase, so she has all this energy. Maxie asks if she needs to get away from the Quartermaines, but Sasha says she’s thinking it calmed down slightly. Maxie says she thought Sasha wanted to move out to get away from all of them, but Sasha says she’s staying for now. Maxie says, if Sasha changes her mind, she’ll make space in her house for Sasha and the baby, and Sasha thanks her, but says she’s fine at the Quartermaines. She likes her job and it’s going good. Maxie says, if she needs help… but Sasha says, like she told Maxie, she can afford to have this baby. She promises it’s not a problem. She’s just sorry she said something that made it harder for Maxie to take care of her babies.

Tract tells Elizabeth that Drew went as far as to sic the Public Land Trust on her because her family’s crypt accidentally extends maybe 20 feet onto public land. Elizabeth says she doesn’t think Edward would make a mistake like that, and Tracy says, Drew doesn’t care. He’s using it as leverage to remain a Quartermaine. Elizabeth says she assumes Monica isn’t aware of what Drew’s done, and Tracy says she’s done everything she can to shield Monica. She’s furious with Drew already for multiple reasons. Elizabeth says she thought Monica had always accepted Drew, but Tracy says, not anymore. For once, she and Monica are in complete agreement. Elizabeth says she hopes hell hasn’t frozen over, and Tracy says, Drew is no longer a member of the Quartermaine family. He has no right to that name.

Gio tells Boyle that he’s not family, just a guest. Monica is the owner. Doesn’t he have to serve her? Boyle says, another Quartermaine stall tactic, and the sheriff says, it has to be served to the appropriate party before they start demolition. Boyle tells him, walk to the front door, knock, and serve it, and Emma says, the family is fighting the order. Trina says, in case he hasn’t noticed, the Quartermaine family doesn’t lose, but Boyle says he already has the order. It’s signed and there’s nothing anybody can do to stop it. Get the crew ready. That building is coming down.

Kai says, because of his injury, he can’t play without risking paralysis, and Drew says he’s sorry. Kai says, Trina helped him come to terms with it, and Drew says he’s glad Trina is part of Kai’s life. They make a good couple. Kai says, they’re spending more time together and things are good. He has to admit, he misses playing so much sometimes, he thinks it might be worth the risk. Drew says, if there was a way for him to play safely, would he take it? and Kai says, absolutely, but the doctor said it was a non-starter. Drew says, he may be right, but he’s a big believer in active problem solving. He knows a great specialist, a fantastic doctor who does amazing things. He may be able to help. Kai says, even if it’s true, he can’t pay for what his insurance would consider elective surgery. He doesn’t have those kinds of resources. Drew says, maybe not, but he does.

Ric listens, and Kristina asks if Ava just made a joke about her baby dying, but Ava says she’d never joke about what happened to Irene. Kristina says, Adela, and Ava says, that’s not what it says on her headstone. Kristina says, stay away from her daughter. Her daughter would be here if Ava hadn’t killed her. Ava says she has no interest in relitigating something a jury already deemed an accident, and Kristina says she was there. Ava pushed her. Ava says, keep telling herself that, but stop telling her, and Kristina says she’ll tell Ava every time she sees her. She’ll be a walking remembrance. Ava says, go away, and Kristina asks where the hell Ava gets off dragging her father back to court over Avery. Ava says, he’s in a no condition to take care of Avery, a fact she’ll be all too happy to share with a judge in open court.

Lucky tells Lulu that he and Elizabeth are making a return trip to Manhattan. He booked a room in the hotel where they stayed when they were kids. Does she remember? Lulu says, it was when they were planning on moving to NYC so Elizabeth could study art, and he says, it’s only a weekend. He was hoping Aiden could stay at their mom’s. Aiden is old enough to be by himself, but he’d feel better if they kept an eye on him. She says, of course (🍷). They’d love to. Is he sure he wants to do this?

Yuri calls Tracy and says, man with official paper bring bulldozer to crypt. She says she’ll be right there.

Trina wonders why a councilman would get involved, and Emma says she’ll tell Trina why. He’s Cutthroat Cain’s dirty little stooge. Boyle says, okay. Congressman Quartermaine brought a legitimate issue to his attention, and it was his duty to rectify it to show that rich people can’t flaunt the law. Emma says, only public officials have that privilege, and Boyle sighs and says, the building violates the laws twice over. It’s a public structure built on conservancy land. There’s no construction allowed. Gio says, what construction? It’s already been constructed. The sheriff says he gave the paperwork to some Russian guy, and Emma says, he’s from Belarus. Boyle says he doesn’t care and tells the workers, get moving. Emma tells Gio and Trina to stall until she gets back. The sheriff tells Boyle, sorry about the legality of serving an order of demolition to some domestic employee instead of the owner, especially one whose English is a little shaky. Gio says, hey, Yuri’s English is just fine, but Trina says, it’s terrible. They need to go back and make sure he understands, and the order is served to the owner. Boyle says he’s a member of the City Council. Tear that thing down. Gio says, what about the people in the building? and a demolition worker says, there are people in there? Boyle says, no people, just dead bodies, and Trina starts to film on her phone. She says, desecrating the remains of a family’s loved ones is not a good look for a public official, and Gio says, besides being immoral, isn’t unearthing human remains a public health issue? (I would think so. That’s not how any of this works.)

As Ric continues to listen in, Ava says she thinks Sonny would be wise not to return to court. Doesn’t Kristina? If his health issue becomes public, his enemies could take advantage of that. She thinks he’s vulnerable enough as it is. One of his enemies already try to kill him, and Michael got barbecued instead. She’s sure Sonny would agree he was the target, and it should have been him. Kristina says, it should have been Ava, and Ava says she’s glad Avery wasn’t there. It would be far better if Sonny quietly handed Avery over to her and increased child support to sufficiently provide the kind of care Avery is accustomed to. Kristina says, oh my God. Ava has no limit. She’s using Michael’s pain to her own advantage. Ava says, as a mother, she’d do absolutely anything to protect her child. Something Kristina obviously can’t understand since she’s not a mother. (An even newer low.)

Lucky tells Lulu that he already invited Elizabeth and she accepted. It would be rude to withdraw the invite now. Lulu says, he’s right. Forget she said that. He says, she thinks it’s a bad idea, and she says she’s not passing judgment. If he wants to go, he should go. He says, it was a pretty negative reaction to a weekend getaway. What is risky about taking Elizabeth back someplace that meant so much to both of them? She says, a lot can change, including him and Elizabeth. They spent so much more time apart than together and both of them have picked up emotional baggage. He says, life happens. What can you do? She says, nothing, but it’s tough for some people to get over. He says they’re not just some people, and she says, it would be one thing not to recreate the magic, but worse if they tarnish a memory that means so much to both of them.

Sonny asks if Michael told Jason that he’s getting another skin graft, and Jason says, he did. He sounded good. Sonny says, except for the pain. He could hear it in Michael’s voice. Jason says he knows how much Michael misses Wiley and Amelia too, and Sonny says, his love for the kids will get him through. Jason says, the same way Sonny’s love for Michael is pushing him to find Soliski instead of just sending him, and Sonny says he needs the client’s name. They can’t go in there guns blazing. Jason says, when Sonny finds Soliski… Sonny wonders if Jason is asking what he’s going to do when he’s face to face with the man who set his son on fire and nearly killed him. Honestly? He doesn’t know.

Kai wonders why Drew is offering to pay for his surgery when Drew doesn’t know him, and Drew says, not yet, but he was a Navy SEAL. He appreciates Kai’s passion, determination, and willingness to put himself on the line for everyone to see. Kai thanks him, but says he’s still not explaining why, and Drew says, he thinks Kai has a bright future. He wants to do what he can to help Kai realize it. Kai says, Drew has to want something, and Drew says, why… Oh. Because Kai is close to Trina, Kai heard he and Trina’s father had a falling out. That explains why Kai is hesitant to trust him. He totally gets it. It makes perfect sense. He and Curtis did have a disagreement, and Curtis definitely has an opinion about some of his actions, which he has a right to have. But before Kai makes up his mind, at least hear his side.  

The demolition worker says he doesn’t deal with dead bodies, and walks away, but Boyle says, he works for the city. The City Council is running this and they pay him to work, not think. Come back and do his damn job. Continuing to film, Trina says, he’s not a man of the people if he talks to his workers like that, and Boyle says, put that damn phone down. She asks if he’s denying her right to record a public official performing his duties in his elected office. Gio says he’s a registered voter and a Catholic. Boyle’s religious constituents will be horrified by his callous disregard for the Quartermaines’ dearly departed. Boyle says, enough nonsense and Quartermaine grandstanding. It’s a legal order and there’s no legitimate reason to delay. Emma chains herself to the crypt and says, they’ll tear it down over her dead body.  

Maxie says her babies are fine. The only time they’re not is when they’re James. Sasha says she made things harder at Deception, so she made things harder for Maxie, but Maxie says, Deception is doing fine. Sasha says she freaked out when Jenz Sidwell showed up. She said he was a monster. Maxie says, because he kidnapped her. They need zinc desperately, but they’ll find someplace else. Sasha says, but will they find it in time? and Maxie says, they’re not doing business with someone who threatened Sasha’s life. Sasha says, that’s the thing. She may have overreacted. Maxie asks, how? Sidwell kidnapped her and threatened to kill her. Sasha says she was scared, but none of that would have happened if her mother hadn’t stolen millions of dollars’ worth of Sidwell’s diamonds. Maxie asks if they’re blaming Holly, and Sasha says, Holly is the only reason Sidwell grabbed her. He didn’t mistreat her. He wasn’t cruel. Maxie says, he tried to blow her up, and Sasha says, Holly’s greed put her in danger and it wasn’t the first time. Don’t feel they shouldn’t do business with Sidwell because of her. She wouldn’t say it if she didn’t mean it. Maxie says she’s not sure she’s okay with doing business with Sidwell, and Sasha says she is. Maxie is just being a good friend and Sasha loves her for it, but business and family are more important.

Lulu tells Lucky not to listen to her. She’s just projecting her own situation. Lucky says, what situation? and Lulu says, her life. Take your pick. Let’s talk about anything else. He says, she makes a good point. It’s risky and it could be serious if they end up disappointed, but he doesn’t think that’s going to happen. She says she hopes he’s right, and he says, they can’t erase their baggage or the years they spent in the apartment. Going back to a place that’s so important and revisiting memories they made together isn’t about reclaiming the past. It’s considering the future. She asks if he’s hoping for a future with Elizabeth.

Kristina says, this isn’t about protecting Avery. It’s about blackmailing her father. Ric listens hard, and Ava says, how is it blackmail when it’s speaking the truth? Her father has a medical condition so severe that he collapsed at her feet. Kristina says, Ava withheld his medication, but Ava says she was in shock. What if Avery had found him? She should go straight to the court. The sooner they know what happened, the sooner Avery is safe. Kristina says, Ava is making a threat out of her father’s medical issue and making him a target, and Ava says, that’s the price he pays for the life he chose. Kristina says, Ava took her brother and her daughter. She won’t let Ava take her father too. It’s too late for Morgan and Adela, but it’s not too late for her father. She will stop Ava. She leaves and Ric comes out. Ava says she’s glad he was here for that. He just heard Kristina blatantly threaten her.

A man walks into an apartment carrying a gym bag and finds Sonny with a gun waiting for him. Sonny says, Mr. Soliski. Did you have a good workout? Soliski asks what he wants.

Gio and Trina join Emma on the crypt steps, and Boyle tells her, unchain yourself right now. Emma says, not while he and Killer Cain clearly circumvent proper channels to get a demolition order so fast. Boyle says, arrest her, and the sheriff says, give him the key. Emma says she swallowed it, and Gio asks where she got the lock. She says, from her car. She always travels with the necessary tools for a peaceful protest. Trina says she likes the way Emma thinks, when Tracy arrives. She says, a bulldozer hacked the lawn. The city is going to pay for it. Boyle says, the order was served, but Tracy says she doesn’t know about any order.  She thought Gio was missing and went looking. She found people milling around with nothing to do. The sheriff says, the young lady is not moving, and Boyle says, cut her loose. Emma tells Trina, be sure to record them groping her. It will make court easier. Tracy says she’ll need his badge number for when she calls in her friend Judge Lymon, and tells Gio to call Emma’s grandma. They need her here now.  

Drew tells Kai that he and Curtis were best friends for a long time. Based on their friendship, he brought Curtis in at Aurora. He put Curtis in charge of a new division, and he made it a success. Kai asks, why not pick him to replace Drew as CEO? but Drew says, it’s confidential. He can tell Kai that Curtis had expectations that he didn’t meet, but he never lied. Kai asks if it was worth the friendship, and Drew says he wishes it hadn’t cost what it did, but that’s between him and Curtis. He’d never ask Kai to choose between them. He just wants to help. He has a lot of money and to be completely honest, he thinks it will feel good spending it to invest in Kai’s future. Kai says, also sports is big business and high profile. If a mentee is drafted to the NFL, it’s good for the mentor. Drew says, true, but it goes both ways, and Kai says, what if Drew pays for his surgery, but he still can’t play? What happens then?

Soliski says, Sonny has the wrong apartment, but Sonny says, no, he doesn’t. Don’t waste his time. Put the bag down, slowly. Soliski drops his bag, and Sonny says, take two fingers and take the gun out of your pocket. Soliski does that, and Sonny says, put it on the table and slide it to me. Soliski slides the gun over and says, happy? Sonny says, getting there. He’s made himself comfortable in Soliski’s home like Soliski made himself comfortable in his. He planted an incendiary device and got sloppy. It didn’t get him. It got his son instead. Big mistake. Lucky for Soliski, his son lived. He’ll give Soliski a chance. All he has to do is tell Sonny who hired him.

Lucky tells Lulu that he doesn’t want to get ahead of himself. All he’s planning is a weekend away someplace where they’re not constantly interrupted by loving, well-meaning family. Lulu says she hears that dodge, and he says it’s up to him, like a future with Elizabeth. Even though it’s going well, she might not want to take the chance. She says, maybe this time’s the charm, but he says he’s not making assumptions. He’s putting himself out there in the hope of a chance. She says, he’s braver than she is, and he says he thinks farther down the road and goes for what he wants. She says, exactly. He’s on the road while she’s stuck in neutral. He says he’s sure when she figures out what she wants, there will be no stopping her, and she says she does know that their mom will love having Aiden hang with them for the weekend. And if they’re having a great time in NYC and want to extend their stay, they’ve got it covered. He says, she’s great, and she says she really is, isn’t she.

Ric says, judging by Kristina’s overreaction, Sonny’s condition must be serious, and Ava says, serious enough to look weak, which he can’t afford. She’s more than willing to take full custody of Avery, plus a tidy sum to keep quiet. He says he’d advise caution. They both know Sonny is never more dangerous than when his back is against the wall. His phone rings, and Elizabeth says she has the information he wanted. She’ll drop it off at his office when she gets a Ride Share, since she doesn’t have her car. He says, she doesn’t have to, and Ava realizes he’s talking to Elizabeth. She says, that’s why he’s talking like that. Of course (🍷). It’s Elizabeth. Elizabeth says, nice to hear he’s with Ava and not toiling away at his desk, and he says, they were just working at her place. Elizabeth says she’ll drop it off there. The sooner she gives it to him, the sooner he can help Portia. The call ends and Ava says, if he’s done working, does he mind telling her what all that was about? He says, if she must know, Elizabeth is providing evidence to help protect Portia. Ava asks if Portia told Elizabeth that Drew was blackmailing her, and he says, not exactly. She knew Portia consulted with him. Ava says, because Portia trusted her with the problem, she referred Portia to Ric. Ric says, Elizabeth just wanted to help, and Ava asks if she got confidential patient files. Ric says, nothing HIPPA related. Elizabeth was much less suspect than Portia would be gathering the files. Ava says, no one would bat an eye at the saintly head nurse, and Ric says, Portia is her friend. She was just trying to help. Ava says, Elizabeth is playing him. She wants to help herself. Ric says, really? Elizabeth? Ava says, maybe she cares about Portia, but she cares about GH more. She’s snooping for the hospital and using him to do it. Because Portia went to him, Elizabeth knows she’s cornered. If he’s asking her to get specific file, she knows where to look for Portia’s problem. He’s given Elizabeth information. It goes against client/attorney privilege with Portia. He says, Elizabeth wouldn’t use that or him. She would not do that to him. Ava says, why not? Because she still loves him? She’s clinging to the hope they’ll get back together? Ric says, wrong. Elizabeth just wanted to help. He saved her from being a suspect at GH. Ava says, Lucky saved her. Ric just did the paperwork.

Kristina cries in the apartment parking garage. (Wow, another perk of Ava’s supposedly horrible apartment.) She looks at a license plate and then at the sign above it that says, #4 Jerome. She digs in a nearby took bag.  

The demolition worker says, nothing is getting bulldozed until the area is cleared, and Boyle tells the sheriff to arrest them for obstructing a lawful order. Tracy says, come near her and she’ll have his badge. She asks if Emma is all right, and Emma says she’s fine. She thinks she’ll bring more chains next time. She’ll bring them for everybody. Tracy says, not to worry, and chains herself to Emma. Trina asks what she’s doing, and Tracy says, protecting her family’s final resting place. This isn’t about the environment. It’s about Congressman Cain using city resources to wage a personal war against his former family. They will not be moved.

Elizabeth comes to Ava’s door, and Ric says he’s done more for Elizabeth than Ava knows. And she has no idea what Elizabeth thinks. Elizabeth knocks, and Ric says, that was fast. She didn’t need to come over. Elizabeth says she doesn’t want to interrupt, and he says he’ll give her a ride home. He has to talk to her. He tells Ava that he’ll be right back, and she says, take his time. There’s no reason to hurry back.

Kristina goes to Charlie’s and Lucky asks where she’s been. It’s almost time to open. She says she was at Ava’s. They had a huge fight. Ava threatened dad and she lost it, so… He asks what she did, and she says she made a mistake she’s going to fix. She can fix it. She runs out, and Lucky says, dammit, and leaves.

Soliski says he’s a professional and did a job he was hired to do, but Sonny says, no. Soliski is a problem for him and his family. Tell him who hired him, and he’ll let him go. Soliski says he never met the client. Details are always handled where they can’t be traced. Sonny asks how he got paid, and Soliski says, crypto currency, also untraceable. He’s sorry. He can’t help Sonny. Sonny says, no one in this line of work would take a job this dangerous without knowing who was involved, and Soliski says, times are tough. He had to loosen his standards. Sonny says, Soliski was sloppy, like he said. Soliski quickly opens a drawer, and Sonny says, looking for this? showing him a gun. Soliski tries to get out the door, but Jason is there with a gun and backs him up into the room. Sonny says, stop wasting his time and tell him who hired him.

Drew says, even if Kai got the surgery and didn’t go back into football, he still feels Kai is going places. He doesn’t know what Curtis told him… Kai says he respects Mr. Ashford, but he makes his own decisions, and Drew says he’s happy to hear it. He gives Kai some paperwork about the procedure and the doctor who performs it and says, if he finds anything else, he’ll send it out. Kai says, in the meantime, he’ll look on his own, and Drew says he highly encourages it and would appreciate it if Kai did. If he does want the surgery, he might want to make a move sooner rather than later. The closer it is to the original date of the injury, the more success it has. He can tell by the way Kai plays the game that he loves it. If there’s a medical procedure that gets him playing a game he loves safely, it makes sense to take the opportunity. Kai leaves.  

Maxie says she has to admit, she didn’t think Jenz Sidwell would play a big part in her night out, and Sasha says she’s sorry. With the benefit of time, she saw what happened differently and wanted to tell Maxie. Maxie says Sasha gave her a lot to think about, and Sasha raised her teacup and said, here’s to helping.

Anna thanks Gio for calling her, and Tracy says, at last. Please arrest the trespassers. Anna asks if Emma is all right, and Emma asks why she wouldn’t be. Anna says, she’s chained to a mausoleum, and Emma says she’s fighting for what’s right. Tracy says she’s fine too, and Boyle asks if there’s any chance Anna will do her job and arrest these women. Anna asks if there’s a demolition order, and the sheriff gives it to her. Tracy says she thinks Boyle’s powerplay is about to end, but Boyle says, it’s not over until the building is rubble. Tracy says, like his career, and Anna says, fetch the bolt cutter. Tracy says, she’s siding with him? and Anna says, the law’s the law.  

Soliski says if he gives Sonny his client’s name, they’ll take him out, but Sonny says, this way, maybe he’ll have a chance disappear. If Soliski doesn’t tell him, he’s going to shoot Soliski right now. He’s out of options. Either tell Sonny who hired him or Soliski is going to be the one paying for his son’s suffering.

While she’s driving, Kristina calls Ava. She says, come on. Pick up.

Ava looks at her phone, but ignores the call.

Kristina gets voicemail.  

In the car with Ric, Elizabeth says she didn’t need a ride. She would have been happy to call a Ride Share. Ric says, not when she went to the trouble to bring him the records, and she says, she told him that she’d be happy help, since he’s done so much for her. Is there anything else she can do to help Portia? Ric says, that depends. Is she trying to help Portia or get insider information out of him? He knows when she’s most deceitful. She asks if he thinks she’s being deceitful now. She went out of her way to try and help. Why would she do that to him? She looks up and says, watch out for the car! (no doubt Kristina) but when he pumps the brakes, nothing happens. He says, something’s wrong, and they crash.

On Monday, Mac tells Anna that he’s not sure she’ll feel the same way once she takes a look at this; Drew tells someone to get it done and he doesn’t care how they do it; Molly asks if Cody is sure it’s a good idea for him to be here; and Sonny tells Jason, the trail may not be cold just yet.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit to Print…

This is really nice and all, but we’re still going to pretend she’s alive? Every time they say her name, it gets weirder.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/genie-francis-previews-ghs-special-anniversary-episode

Happy Anniversary!

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/tabyana-ali-celebrates-her-gh-anniversary-see-her-backstage-pics-and-videos

She’s as bad as I am.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospitals-eden-mccoy-shows-off-whats-in-my-bag

I’d love to see Valentin back, but how he’ll get out of Steinmauer is a sticky one. Perhaps a not-so-evil twin?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/james-patrick-stuart-on-returning-to-general-hospital

Aww! I’m getting used to him, but still, he couldn’t work up an accent?

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/watch-chris-mckenna-sing-to-his-baby-boy

I was really sad to hear Wings Hauser passed away. He was the villain in my favorite film, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time. (Quit laughing.) I hadn’t known he gave Michael Easton his start.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-remembers-working-with-the-late-wings-hauser

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

You need one of those detective bulletin boards to keep track of who’s hooking up/wants to hook up with who.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

They were still in St. Lucia, and I still wanted to cry since, with a few exceptions, this is a group who likes to waste their time and money. There was a slideshow of the women picking on Sutton and a slideshow of Sutton saying out loud what had been on everyone’s mind at the time. When Sutton told Kathy, let’s pretend I don’t have an IQ of 140, it was obvious that the bottom line is Sutton’s insecurity, but who wouldn’t be insecure among this bunch of twits with superiority complexes? Anyway, once Sutton barely got past the boat trip, she mentioned to Garcelle and Jennifer that it seemed coordinated with Erika and Dorit both picking on her at the same time. As concerned actual friends, they tried to talk to Erika, who only ended up grilling Sutton about it and then bringing it up again at – all together – dinner. Their last dinner there. Yep, I’d spend that money a lot more wisely. There I am now as they argue. On the beach with an umbrella drink in hand and a pool boy fanning me with a palm frond…

She probably thought he said Lebanese.

Garcelle drops a hint.

https://extratv.com/2025/03/26/rhobh-s14-reunion-garcelle-storms-out-and-kyle-gets-grilled-about-sexuality/

Denise Richards & Her Wild Things

I read that even though fans love the series, the ratings aren’t great. I’m hoping that if it gets canceled, they’ll continue on streaming. This week, Denise acted in Patrick’s video and it was pretty impressive. Even more impressive was Aaron being so chill about Denise’s friendship with Patrick.

https://pagesix.com/2025/03/26/celebrity-news/denise-richards-claims-charlie-sheen-was-threatened-by-friendship-with-ex-patrick-muldoon/

I’m not sure which one is the plot twist.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1415223/denise-richards-daughter-sami-sheen-reveals-how-onlyfans-has-hurt-her-modeling-career

https://people.com/denise-richards-got-more-acting-offers-after-starting-onlyfans-page-husband-aaron-phypers-helps-run-11703394

Summer House

Kyle wasn’t happy with Craig having said it was just business, and Craig said, if Kyle couldn’t apologize for calling him a liar, they weren’t cool. Even though Jesse was clearly supposed to be exclusive with Lexi, who wasn’t at the house that weekend, he sure acted single with Ciara. There weren’t any passionate kisses, but they were hanging all over each other. While that for sure makes him a sh*thead, that goes double for Ciara. I used to like her, but not so much now. I wonder if that’s the way she would act if Lexi had been there. Seems like a pretty good rule. Don’t behave alone with someone’s SO in a way that you wouldn’t in front of them. The cherry on the idiot cake was Jesse walking into new guy Imrul’s threesome where… No, I can’t. Read the recap.

Southern Charm

Part 1 of the Reunion – someone forgot their cufflinks and Craig said he hated wearing underwear. Thanks for the mental picture, Craig – TMI. Madison was now pregnant, so there were lots of congratulatory hugs. It was Molly’s first Reunion, and Rodrigo and Tyler had gotten engaged. I thought they were married, so that was anticlimactic for me. Andy grilled Craig about the break-up immediately. We revisited Madison’s ups and downs, and she and JT apologized to each other, but it still seemed like Madison wasn’t satisfied. Shep claimed to have changed and said it was good to be humble, but my jury is still out. Apparently, Sienna was annoyed that Shep shared details of the relationship she claimed they hadn’t had on the show and said she hadn’t signed up for this. Didn’t she notice the cameras? We also relived Shep’s cringeworthy freckled lips text to her, and found out that he had Molly had hooked up, but I wish the rest of them would quit pushing it.  JT hit the hotseat with his Venita/secret girlfriend thing. There was a lot of hemming and hawing by him and awkward silences. It ended with Venita jetting to get her phone, which is of course in a pink case. Receipts! Timelines! More next week along with Patricia!

Random Reality Items

I was shocked that The Littlest Groom wasn’t on the list. Although blink and you missed it. Be glad.

https://ew.com/reality-shows-you-wont-believe-existed-11687123

When she was on the hook with Juicy Joe, I could believe she signed whatever papers he gave her without question, but strike two, it’s her.

And in this week’s biggest plot twist.

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

I Think We’re Alone Now. Amazon Prime. Tubi. The human race has been obliterated after an unspecified pandemic. Del (Peter Dinklage) is happy with his job clearing out the dead bodies until Grace (Elle Fanning) comes along and disrupts his peace. Beautifully acted, with a surprise ending that I still have questions about. I would have liked this a lot better if the sound on Amazon hadn’t seemed like the boom man checked out. Hopefully, you have better luck.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/i-think-were-alone-now-2018

Scamanda. Hulu. A four-episode series documenting the scam of con artist Amanda Riley. Similar to the scam in Apple Cider Vinegar, Amanda faked having cancer, but this time, there was no product to sell but herself. Still, she roped in her church, several celebrities, and whoever else was caught up in reading her blog, into donating lots and lots of money to fund her and her husband’s lives. Again, it seemed like too much work. She literally got herself checked into ERs so she could set up photos. Eventually, people started to put two and two together and came up with fraud, with which she was eventually charged. Her husband was not, but I don’t believe for a second he wasn’t complicit.

https://ew.com/scamanda-true-story-explained-where-is-amanda-riley-now-11685263

Heretic. MAX. Again, saved the best for last. The most intriguing thing about this film, besides a house that seems to have endless mazes and rooms underneath it, is the subject matter. What is the one true religion? After a request for more information on the Mormon church, two young female missionaries visit Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant, chewing the scenery to perfection), who poses the question to them. Eventually, they realize his wife is not in the house as he’s told them, and they have no way out. The game of cat and mouse is exciting, the acting is top-notch, and the ending is a twist I never saw coming. It was a film that was actually something different and that alone made it worth my time.

https://decider.com/2025/03/06/hugh-grant-heretic-streaming-movie-review

🌁 To Be Watched Soon…

We’re almost there. The second season of The Last of Us premieres April 13th on HBO/MAX.

https://ew.com/the-last-of-us-gives-abby-backstory-earlier-explained-11703014

https://www.thepopverse.com/tv-the-last-of-us-season-2-filming-painful-for-pedro-pascal-gap-between-ellie-joel

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/last-of-us-season-2-showrunners-craig-mazin-neil-druckmann-interview

🐾 Two Dogs and a Really Old Cat Walk Into a Bar…

🐶 I hear she’s auditioning for Survivor.

https://people.com/lost-dachshund-valerie-survives-rugged-island-still-missing-11704330

🐈 I had a cat who lived to be almost 21. I was pretty sure she was going to outlive me out of pure meanness. She didn’t like anyone except me and even I was questionable.

https://people.com/man-claims-to-have-worlds-oldest-cat-30-years-11703824

🐕 He went the long way around.

https://people.com/woman-reunites-dog-11-years-after-disappearance-thanks-to-microchip-11703300

🐓 Quotes of the Week

I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear. – Rosa Parks

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu

If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it.Olin Miller

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

You drive like grandma when grandma smokes crack. – Alec Baldwin to Hilaria

🐙 Out Like an Axolotl…

Until next week, stay safe; stay respecting nature and following the Leave No Trace principles; and stay making sure you have enough chains for everybody when staging a peaceful protest.

August 28, 2024 – Laura Calls In a Favor, A Petition, Powerful, This Week In LA, Test Flirt, Her Date, Rails Residue, Post Deck, New Apes, Where’d He Go & Sadness

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Alexis tells Sonny what happened at Irene’s funeral; how Molly tore into Kristina and Kristina ended up falling on the grave. Everyone was hysterical. Sonny asks what Molly was thinking, and Kristina walks in.

In a hotel room somewhere, Ava says she knows John is headed back to Port Charles and asks when he’ll be back. He says he won’t be gone long, but she says she doesn’t feel safe without him. He says, she’ll be fine, when there’s a knock at the door. He says, Agent Boyle will watch over her, and Boyle walks in.

At the hospital, Anna says, Tracy looks pale. Is she all right? Tracy says she’s not, and Anna asks if she can get Tracy something. Tracy says, it’s not her. It’s Lulu. She needs a miracle.

Laura tells Doc that Nikolas was crushed. That leaves Lucky. She’s got to find him. He travels a lot doing humanitarian work, but she hasn’t heard from him in months. She’s waiting to hear back from the place he last worked. She’s also going through some back channels. Her phone rings, and she asks if Robert has an update.

Gerard (a guard who has a name) says, they’re going in five minutes, and leaves. Lucky says, they did it. It worked. Isaiah says, it played out just like Lucky said, and Lucky tells him that they’re getting out today.

Kristina says she keeps wishing she hadn’t gotten so angry and stormed into Ava’s suite. Sonny says she didn’t know how Ava was going to react. She can’t blame herself. She says, not according to Molly. Molly said she chose to protect Sonny instead of her child and that she was selfish. Alexis says, Molly doesn’t mean that. She was lashing out. Trying to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense. She’s grieving too, and Kristina was the easiest person to blame. Kristina says, Molly thinks she was going to steal her baby after it was born, but you can’t steal what belongs to you. She was never more certain than at the funeral. When Adela was lowered into the ground, a part of her died too.

Ava says, John told her that he’d keep her safe, and he says he’s held up his end of the bargain so far, but she says she needs to know about the future. When is he bringing Avery? Are they going to be put in the witness protection program? He asks if that’s what she wants, living in some backwater town trying to fit in, and she says she wants to survive. Isn’t that the best option? John says he’s doing what he can. If the plan goes right, she’ll be able to go back, and Sonny will never threaten her or Avery again. She asks if she can give Avery a call, but John says, she’s having a wonderful time with the nanny. If Ava calls, it will just make Avery miss her. She asks if she can at least have her phone, but he says, it’s too risky. Her location could be compromised. Ava says she’s feeling cut off, and he says, that’s the whole point. It’s keeping her safe. Everything is going according to plan. Be patient. Does she trust him? She says, of course (🍷), and he says he’ll see her soon. He leaves with his suitcases.

Anna says, if Nikolas isn’t an option, what happens next? and Tracy says, they have to find Lucky. Anna says, it won’t be easy, but Tracy says, it has to happen unless some donor was overlooked. Anna asks if they have to share DNA or just the same blood type, and Tracy says, they don’t have to share the same DNA, but it’s the best chance for a match. Time is of the essence. If it doesn’t happen soon…. She says she has to take care of something, and leaves.

Robert says, the WSB said Lucky was participating in humanitarian efforts. He saved several doctors and patients in an area under siege. The organization decided to relocate to a more friendly part of the world, and Lucky found himself an area where his talents could be used. Laura asks if the WSB knows where he is, and Robert says, they believe he was headed toward East Africa, to a refugee camp. But it was months ago and nearly impossible to get a message to him. She asks if they have the location of the camp, but he says, the camp is always in flux and isolated. He’ll let her know if he can do more. Keep him in the loop. Doc says he’s sorry, and Laura says, it’s a setback. She’s not giving up. She thinks it’s time to call in a favor.

Isaiah says, Sidwell is complaining of stomach pain. He’s known toddlers who whine less. It’s just indigestion, but he told Sidwell that he needed to get a full panel of tests that require equipment they don’t have, so they’re leaving. Lucky says, all they need to do is make it off the compound. Once they lose the guards, he can get ahold of his contact, and they’ll be on their way. It’s not going to be easy, but it will work. It has to.

Anna goes to Portia’s office and says she learned from Tracy that Lulu’s condition is declining, and she needs a liver transplant. Is that true? Portia says she can’t discuss a patient’s condition without permission of the patient or family, and Anna says, of course (🍷). She doesn’t need information about Lulu’s condition, but needs information about the donor search. Portia says, the potential donor needs to be in good physical and psychological condition. They need to be a non-smoker for six weeks prior, understand the risks of the procedure, and have a compatible blood type. Anna says, what about age? Can they be a minor? Portia says, it’s rare. They prefer it be an adult, but in special circumstances, it’s possible. Anna says, that’s all she needed to hear, and leaves.

Laura goes to Jack’s office, and he asks, to what does he owe the honor? She says she needs his help, and he invites her in. She says her daughter was badly injured in an explosion and has been in a coma ever since. Her health has taken a sudden turn for the worse and she needs a liver transplant in order to survive. He says he’s sorry, but she says she’s not here for sympathy. She’s here for information. He asks what he could possibly know that would help, and she says, he’s a very high-ranking member of the WSB and she’s here to ask him to help her find her son.

Lucky says, Isaiah knows the plan. Wait for his signal, then move. Gerard comes back and says, let’s go. They pick up their bags, and Gerard says, just the doctor. Lucky is staying.

Kristina says she falls asleep and dreams about Adela, and Sonny says, she named the baby after his mother? She says, it’s not what TJ and Molly would have named her, but if she’d lived, that’s what she would have named her. Sonny says, it’s beautiful, and thanks her, and she says, in her dreams, Adela is so beautiful, so tiny, and so sweet. Kristina cries and says she’s so full of joy. She holds Adela and she’s laughing and kissing her face. Then she wakes up and remembers Adela is gone all over again. It’s like a knife to her heart and she can’t breathe. That’s why she’s not sleeping. When she sleeps, she can be with Adela, but when she wakes up, she remembers again that Adela has been taken away from her. There’s a knock at the door, and Alexis says she’ll get rid of them. She opens the door and asks what John is doing here again. He says he’s sorry to intrude, but he has a few more questions for Kristina.

Laura tells Jack that Lucky has been away from Port Charles for several years doing humanitarian work. He’s been providing security for aid workers in East Africa, and it isn’t easy getting in touch in an emergency. Jack says, it’s a chaotic part of the world, and Laura says she needs to bring him back. A donor that’s a full sibling is the best chance for a match. Can he help? He says he’ll do what he can, but he doesn’t want to lie. Finding Lucky will be a challenge. Laura says she realizes that, but he has more resources than she does, and he says, the WSB isn’t popular in that area. Inquiries will have to be made under the radar. Otherwise, it will be considered interference. She says she expects the WSB is expert in covert operations. She’s asking him to give her daughter a chance at life and to locate her son. He says, if it’s in his power to help, he will. He gets up, and she thanks him for his time. Before she goes out the door, she says, her family has done more than their share of favors for the WSB. When they had the power to help, they did. It’s time the WSB repaid the favor. Good day. She leaves.

Isaiah says, Lucky needs to come. They need protection. They’ll be transporting expensive equipment. If it’s stolen, is Gerard going to tell Sidwell it’s gone? Gerard hears something, and he tells Isaiah to be ready by the time he gets back. He leaves, and Isaiah asks what they do now.

Alexis says, no way in hell is John speaking to her daughter, but Kristina says, maybe she should just answer the questions. She has nothing to hide. Alexis says, as her attorney, she’s advising Kristina that it’s a bad idea. As her mother, she forbids it. John can’t come here without scheduling it in advance, and when he does, she’ll be present as Kristina’s attorney. Sonny says, John didn’t come to talk to their daughter. All John has to do is ask him. He’ll talk to John. John says he does have a few questions for Sonny, and Sonny tells him to come to his office tomorrow, but John says, Sonny doesn’t get to pick the time and place. The PC Grill in 20 minutes. Don’t keep him waiting or he’ll come back and take Kristina into custody. (Ugh. His schtick is getting so very old.) He leaves, and Kristina says, he’s just trying to get Sonny to say something. It’s a trap. Sonny says he can deal with it. He knows how to handle Agent Cates.

Ava asks how long Boyle has been with the Bureau, and Boyle says, five years. Ava asks if she’s been working with John, and Boyle says, some of the time. Ava says, John is high up, and asks if he has a lot of power, but Boyle says, they don’t divulge those things to the public. Ava says, nice shoes. She would wear them. Cartullo? Boyle says, good eye. She got them at a sample sale. Ava says, they still must have cost a lot. You can usually tell a cop or a Fed by their shoes. Those are chic. Boyle asks if she needs anything, and Ava says she’d like to have her phone, but Boyles says she meant to eat or drink. Ava says, that depends on how long they’re going to be here, and Boyle says she doesn’t think that long.  

On the phone, Alexis says she’ll be right there. She tells Kristina that the hospital has a problem with her insurance. She’ll be as quick as possible. Will she be okay? Kristina says, yes, but she’s worried about dad. Alexis says, Sonny can take care of himself, but Kristina says she’s upset that she’s the reason John has leverage over him. Alexis says, she has nothing to do with it. John would use any excuse to go after Sonny. When she gets back, they’ll have a snack watch harmless movie. She leaves, and Kristina makes a call. She asks if they can come over. She needs their help.

Lucky tells Isaiah to take the gun. If he gets a chance to stop the guards, run to the airfield and meet his contact. He’ll get Isaiah to Mogadishu. Isaiah says he’s not leaving with Lucky, but Lucky says, unless they shoot their way out, that’s not happening. If he had the chance to get out, he’d leave Isaiah in a heartbeat. Go save himself to save him.

Tracy goes to Laura’s apartment, and Laura asks what she can do for her. Tracy says she wants to help Lulu.

Kristina says she didn’t know who to call, and Jason says, Sonny kept him updated, but it’s good to see her. How is she feeling? She says, physically, she’s healing. She’s just scared. Cates came looking for her and her mom stood up to him. She knows Cates is working with Ava, who’s lying and making up everything. Ava is blaming her, but that’s not accurate. Jason says, it’s hard to be accused of a crime you didn’t commit. She has to fight the impulse to do something. Cates wants her to react and make a mistake so he can find something to charge her with that sticks. Please do not give him that chance. Kristina says, she can’t sit around and wait. She has to do something, but she can’t do it alone. She knows it’s a lot to ask, but he has to help her stop Cates and find a way to make Ava pay.

Ava says she knows a little bit about guns and the one Agent Boyle has, isn’t what Feds typically carry. Boyle says, female agents have their choice of weapons now, and Ava says she could use a coffee. She’ll run down and get one. Boyle says, you never know who’s out there. She’ll go. Ava says she’d like a macchiato, and Boyle says she’ll go to the coffee shop lobby. Sit tight. She leaves, and Ava picks up Boyle’s bag. She says, all right. Who are you?

Sonny meets John at the PC Grill and John says, Kristina seemed upset. How is she doing? Sonny says, John doesn’t care about Kristina or the fake crimes he’s charging her with. Stop playing around and tell him what he wants. John says, Kristina’s not looking too good. She probably won’t make it through the trial, let alone a 20-year sentence. Sonny says, it’s not going to come to that, and John says, Sonny can make his daughter’s troubles go away. Sonny asks, how? and John says, he’s going to confess.

Anna goes to Jack’s office (I’m starting to feel sorry for him), and he says, what an unexpected pleasure. What can he do for her? She tells him to stop playing games. She needs to know Valentin’s location. He says, the WSB doesn’t currently have it, but if he learns anything, she’ll be his first call. She says, he’s lying. She’s conducted run arounds herself. He asks if she’s rethinking letting Valentin escape. Browbeating him won’t help her find him any quicker. She says she needs to find his daughter for Lulu. His phone rings, and he tells them to send him the information immediately. Anna says, he knows Lulu is dying and Charlotte might help save her mother’s life. He needs to give her the courtesy of his full attention to discuss it. He says, she always sees him in the worst possible light, and she says she has reason to. He says, she can badger him or save Lulu. That’s what the phone call was about.

Tracy says she knows Laura is looking for Lucky, and she can use any of the Quartermaines’ resources to help bring him home. Laura thanks her for her generosity, but she’s waiting to hear from the WSB. She spoke to Jack Brennan, the station chief in Port Charles. Tracy says, they should be able to find Lucky, and Laura says, he told her that it was a chaotic part of the world, when her phone rings. It’s Jack, and she says she’s putting him on speakerphone. He says he has good news. He has a location for Lucky. She thanks him, and he says, Lucky was last seen at refugee camps in Somalia and Ethiopia a week ago. She asks if he’s there now, but Jack says he’s not sure. His contact doesn’t currently have eyes on Lucky and he can’t get satellite information for 48 hours. By then, it will be a long shot, since they move frequently. She asks if she can get a message to him to let him know it’s urgent, but he says, communication is sketchy to non-existent. Her best bet is to send someone, but whoever she sends needs to be prepared for the substantial risk. It’s a dangerous part of the world.

Alexis thanks Portia for helping with the insurance, and Portia says, no problem. She knows Alexis has a lot on her plate. How is Kristina doing? Alexis says, she slept last night, so there’s that. She’s got a long road ahead of her. Portia says, she’s a strong woman and clearly has a lot of support. It’s not easy, but she will get through it. Alexis says she takes it Portia heard about the scene between Kristina and Molly after the funeral, and Portia says she thinks they’re in a lot of pain. She imagines Alexis is too. As a mother, she truly feels for Alexis. It’s a terrible position to be in. She’d do anything for Trina, and she just has one daughter. Alexis is stuck in the middle, having to choose. She doesn’t know what she’d do.

Jason says he totally gets where Kristina is coming from, but it’s not her fight. If Cates hadn’t used her, he would find another way. Ava is a means to an end. He’s using Kristina, so don’t give him anything else he can hold over her head. He’s obsessed with getting Sonny. Being obsessed makes him crazy and it makes him dangerous. It also makes him weak. He has tunnel vision. He wants revenge for something that happened decades ago and will risk everything to get it. At some point, he’s going to make a mistake and leave himself open. Sonny knows when to make a move and Cates will never see it coming.

Sonny asks what he’s supposed to confess to, and John says, everything last thing. On the record of course (🍷). No trial, witnesses, or plea bargain. He’ll confess to the smuggling, money laundering, counterfeiting, and murder. Last but not least, he’ll tell them how he groomed an innocent underage girl and put her to work as a stripper. Sonny says, that’s a pretty big swing John’s taking. What if John misses? John says he won’t, and Sonny says, all he’s got is a phony statement from Ava that any lawyer can poke holes in. John asks if he wants to test that theory. If he’s wrong, Kristina will go to prison for a long, long time. It’s her freedom or his.

Isaiah says he’s not leaving Lucky in this mess, and Lucky says he came to rescue Isaiah. Isaiah says he didn’t ask, and Lucky says, he’s asking Isaiah to rescue them both. They’re out of their league and Isaiah needs to get out of here, get back to the states, and bring backup of the three letter kind. Isaiah says, don’t say the CIA, and Lucky says, no. Never go near them. But the WSB owes his family a favor.

Anna tells Jack, time is of the essence. She doesn’t know why they’re pinning their hope on Lucky when there’s another viable donor out there. He says, for the last time, he doesn’t know where Valentin and Charlotte are, but she says she doesn’t believe him. Jack is robbing Charlotte of the chance to save her own mother’s life and putting his efforts into a desperate search for a single man in a strife torn part of the world. When this fails, he’ll have to face the fact that he chose to protect the WSB rather than save the life of an innocent woman. She leaves and Jack ponders.

Tracy tells Laura that they can hire a mercenary or an extraction team. There are security contractors. Laura says, no. She doesn’t want a stranger to find her son. She can do it herself. Tracy says, it’s too dangerous, but Laura says she’s aware of the risks. She has a contact, the man who runs the last organization Lucky was working for. Tracy says she understands the impulse for Laura to go herself, but professionals would be better qualified. Laura says she doesn’t agree. Blood is thicker than water. Tracy asks if Doc is okay with this, and Doc says he knows better than to argue… because he’s going with her. Tracy says, fabulous. The mayor and her psychiatrist husband. What could possibly go wrong? Laura says she appreciates Laura’s concern, but they’ll be okay. Tracy says she hopes so, and Laura says, there is something Tracy can do to help. Look after Ace. Tracy wonders if he shouldn’t be with a family like Elizabeth’s. She has a child who’s Ace’s cousin. Laura says she thought Ace would be more comfortable with Tracy’s family. Don’t they have a nanny on staff? Tracy says, two, and Laura says she hopes throwing Ace into the mix won’t be overwhelming. Tracy says, Ace is welcome to come stay at Monica’s house, and Laura says she couldn’t do this without knowing he was safe. She trusts Tracy. Tracy says she’ll make sure Laura’s grandson has excellent care, and Larua says, then it’s settled. Let’s go find Lucky.  

Kristina says, so Jason isn’t going to stop Cates? but he says, something will be done. He can’t talk about it. She thanks him and says she knew he’d come through.

Sonny says, John has a lot riding on Ava. If she finds a better offer, she’ll recant her statement, and his case will fall apart. John says he’s not worried. Ava is in no position to recant – ever.  

Ava looks in Boyle’s bag. She takes out a pair of sunglasses and says, these cost a fortune. You can’t afford them on a government salary. She takes out a phone, thinks a moment, then puts it back. She finds a wad of cash and says, this is not right. She flashes back to Sonny telling her that John wants her dead and will try to frame him for her murder. The only thing John wants is her dead. Ava puts the bag back and opens the door. Boyle is there with the coffee and says, going somewhere?

Tomorrow, Violet asks when Chase and Brook are having a baby; Willow tells Drew that she’s so sorry; and John tells Kristina that she has a way to make this go away.

📋 Don’t Let Her Go…

You never know. Could work.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/general-hospital-fans-rally-to-save-kelly-monaco

Here’s the petition. I signed and commented.

https://www.change.org/p/retain-kelly-monaco-in-the-cast-of-general-hospital

🎭 No Drama Outside the Lines…

Kudos to them for the tough scenes they’ve been doing so well.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kate-mansi-opens-up-about-the-powerful-drama-on-gh

💰 Fancy Crossover….

JoshA showed Fancy Pants Heather from the OC a mansion. In his interview, he explained that the Dubrows moved fast and didn’t mess around. That made them his kind of people. The house on a hill had 8 acres and amazing views of pretty much everything, and it was priced at $20 million. A steal Heather couldn’t resist.

There was trouble in his paradise between JoshA and his Heather. HeatherA was being spread too thin between work and family, especially now that the office had expanded to include Orange County.

JoshF went to Fashion Week in Paris, which left Tracy to handle their co-listing. In an odd twist, she showed it to a couple who were JoshF’s clients, meaning she might have to negotiate against Josh, which she said would be fun… for her.

Next time, a 20-car garage and doody on the curtains.

🐩 Looking For a Fabulous Match…

While I think a dog park is a great place to meet a potential date, it was weird when a guy asked if he could buy Whitney and her friend a drink. Are there bars in dog parks now? She finally made the smart move to use a matchmaker.

https://parade.com/news/my-big-fat-fabulous-lifes-whitney-thore-hones-flirting-skills-dog-park-exclusive-clip

🥂 Two Firsts In One Night…

I have to admit, it surprised me that Olivia spent the night with her first ever date. No judgement at all. As a matter of fact, good for her. I just didn’t expect it. If she doesn’t cut out that nervous laughing though, she might not get a second date.

https://people.com/welcome-to-plathville-recap-olivia-plath-spent-night-on-first-date-post-divorce-8702802

👠 Down the Not Quite Shore…

Melissa says she’s done with the drama.

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2024/08/longtime-rhonj-star-promises-to-leave-if-castmate-stays-on-show.html

And Danielle is putting on her big girl pants.

🛟 After the Deck Is Over…

We need Chef Ben to come back and save the Med.

🦧 Their Kingdom…

I watched this last weekend. Nice plot twists and phenomenal effects. The story wasn’t bad, but I didn’t exactly come for the drama. It did not disappoint on the action/FX front.

Behind the curtain.

https://ew.com/kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-side-by-side-raw-cut-with-unfinished-vfx-clip-exclusive-8697941

🦍 Find the Chimp…

Coincidentally, I started watching Chimp Crazy too. The takeaway point being, don’t keep wild animals as pets. It’s abusive to the animal and it could backfire on you.

https://people.com/where-is-tonka-from-chimp-crazy-now-all-about-florida-sanctuary-8703367

🚓 Giving Summer a Speeding Ticket…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a seat in the OC shade. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping an emergency vehicle kit in your car, and stay not trying to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense.

April 19, 2024 – Sonny Calls Out Three Traitors, Pre-Med, Back Again, Arrested, One Out One In, Not Leaving, Together At Last, Pups (!) For All, Ten Quotes A-Quoting & Showers

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Jason does push-ups in his room so we can see his muscles and tattoos. Carly knocks at the door, and he lets her in. She says she really needs his help. There’s a guy downstairs and… She sees his sleeve and asks when he got that. He says, about a year ago, and she asks, why?

Adhering to protocol this time, Diane tells Madison that she’s here to see Nina. Nina’s expecting her. Madison says, yes, she is, and brings Diane into Nina’s office. Madison leaves, and Diane asks if Nina has news for her. Nina tells Diane, smile. She’s going to give Diane what she wants.

Brook says, it would be good to know what Olivia and Lois have planned for her for her bachelorette-slash-bridal shower, and Olivia says, it’s going to be fantastic. Doesn’t she trust them? Brook says, absolutely not, and Olivia says, wise girl. She knows whatever it is, it’s going to be fabulous, and with Brook’s mother running the show, it’s going to be one for the ages. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy her surprise. Lois comes in and says, speaking of surprises, she’s got one for them.

Sonny slams his hand on the table, and says, Dex is becoming a cop? Is Ava sure? Ava says she was with Trina and Trina told her. So unless she’s mistaken… He says, son of a bitch. If Dex goes to the cops, he’s going to tell them everything he knows, unless he stops Dex cold.

Josslyn thanks Anna for seeing her, and Anna says, of course (🍷). What’s on her mind? Josslyn says, Dex. She knows he applied to the police academy. Anna says, yeah. He took his fitness test today. Josslyn says, she can’t let him into the academy. She has to turn him down. Anna asks, why? and Josslyn says, because if Dex becomes a cop, Sonny will have him killed.

Nina looks through some paperwork while Diane peruses the dresses on a rack in the office. She says she thinks Nina will find everything in order, and as Nina is about to sign, Drew walks in. Nina says, they’re in the middle of something. So why doesn’t he leave word with Madison, and she’ll get back with him. Drew tells Diane that he needs to speak with Nina, and Diane says she has a court date anyway. She’s sure they can pick this up tomorrow. She picks up her bag, but Nina says, no. This is her office, and she can do what she wants when she wants to do it. So she’s sure Drew can wait until they finish their business. Nina signs the papers and says, done and done. Diane says, excellent, and double checks the paperwork. She says, fully executed. A pleasure doing business with her. They shake hands, and Diane leaves. Drew asks, what was that all about? and Nina says her current situation wasn’t working for her, so she made some changes. (Forget having sex with this guy. I’d be poisoning his coffee.)

Carly says she would have bet money Jason never got a tattoo, and he says he guesses she would have lost. She asks if she can see it, and he shows her his arm. (I see the word victory and a lion in the mix.) She asks why he did it, and he says, because he was alone. Obviously, he’s been alone before and he thought he liked it, but this time was different because he knew he couldn’t come home. So he guesses he just wanted something that was his, something that couldn’t be taken from him, or something he couldn’t be forced to leave behind. She asks if it hurt, and he says, it doesn’t really matter. It took a while. He never let himself think about home. He’d just shut it down; he wouldn’t think about it. There was nothing to do that night except sit there while this guy worked on him. He guesses he broke his own rule; he thought about home. He thought about Jake and Danny and how tall they were getting. If Jake still liked art and Danny still liked football. He thought about Elizabeth and hoped that they were happy. He thought about Monica and was just hoping she was okay, and she didn’t grieve for him. By that time, the guy was half done. That’s when he let himself think about her.

Lois says, Sonny is coming to the wedding, and Brook asks how she managed that. Since he didn’t RSVP, she assumed he didn’t want to come, and she didn’t want to push since he’s got all this stuff going on lately. Lois says, that is where she comes in. She pushes for Brook… gently and lovingly of course (🍷). Olivia says, of course (🍷). Good for her. Whatever she did, Olivia is glad she did it. Brook thanks her and says, the wedding just wouldn’t be the same without Uncle Sonny there. They hug, and Olivia says, and the Bensonhurst Brigade will be back together again. Brook asks if they should update the seating chart. Does she think Uncle Sonny will bring a plus one? Lois says she asked, but before he could answer, Ava interrupted. What is up with that one anyway? Sonny better watch out, because she’s putting those roots down fast. Brook says, she doesn’t think Uncle Sonny would bring Ava as his plus one, does she?

Sonny tells Ava that he should have taken care of Dex when he had a chance, but Carly talked him out of it. Why did he have to listen? Then Michael hires Dex to infiltrate him and spy on him. Ava says, Michael was definitely wrong, but children do lash out in anger… He says, how is he supposed to forgive? Carly said Michael redeemed himself, but Michael is his son. He wanted to destroy his father, then he changes his mind. No, I don’t want to destroy my father now. I’m going to hire Dex to protect him. What does he need protection from? She says, Michael and Carly definitely overstepped, and he says, yes. When Carly showed up, he should have had his men take her to the car. Or drag her to the car, whatever was needed. But she insisted that Dex was innocent and to let him go, so that’s what he did. He spared Dex’s life and let him go. And now he’s becoming a cop. She says she doesn’t know what Dex is thinking. She does have a soft spot for Dex – he saved her life – but he’s crazy to think he can get away with this. Sonny says he’s done… with all of them. He’ll get that divorce from Nina and deal with Dex, but what does he do about Michael and Carly, especially Jason?

Anna says she sees Josslyn’s concern, but she needs to calm down. Josslyn says, Dex told Anna about how Sonny ordered him to kill Cyrus. That alone is enough for Sonny to kill him. Anna says, Dex joining the PCPD is the best way for them to keep him safe, because Sonny is hardly going to target a police recruit. Josslyn says she’s sorry, but Anna is wrong. Does she know how Josslyn knows? Because last night, Sonny had an FBI agent beat up.

Jason says he figured Carly would be okay without him, but she says, he’s wrong. He says, come on. She’s tough, adaptive, and resilient. She asks where that came from, and he says, it’s something they say on assessments and fitness reports, that if you’re adaptive and resilient, you have a better chance for survival. And she’s the most resilient person he’s ever met. Nothing knocks her down for long. She says, losing him. When she was happy, she didn’t have him to share things with. When she was sad and miserable, he wasn’t there to fix it. It’s funny that he had a rule, because she had one of her own. When she would think she can’t do this because Jason’s not here, she’d tell herself, no. You do it for Jason. Jason wouldn’t let you quit. So even though he wasn’t with her, in a way, he was with her. She takes his hand, lifts his arm, and looks at the tattoo again. She says she likes it. It looks good on him. He thanks her.

Nina says she just needed to finalize some paperwork, and nosiest dude in the world Drew says, for the divorce from Sonny. She says, no. Why doesn’t he just say what he came to say and get out? He says he wants to hear about her business with Diane. What she does on company property affects him. So if she’s planning some new revenge scheme, she has to keep it away from him. She asks if he’s paranoid. That’s why she doesn’t want to tell him anything. But since he insists, she just sold her half of the MetroCourt to his brother… She thought the same thing. Jason’s just going to turn around and give it to Carly, but she has to hand it to Carly, she didn’t waste any time having Jason do her bidding. He says, a buyer can’t buy without a seller, so he’s sure she made a sweet profit on that. She says her father was in the real estate business. She learned a lot from him. You have to wait until somebody really wants your property, and then you make them pay. He says, so much for her loyalty to the MetroCourt, and she says, Carly can have the hotel. It brings her one step closer to the real prize. He says, which is? and she says, getting Sonny back.

Anna says, accusing Sonny of targeting a federal agent is a serious allegation. Does Josslyn have proof to back it up? Josslyn says she doesn’t need physical evidence to put two and two together. Her mom found Agent Cates on the ground, beaten up, not far from Corinthos Coffee warehouse. And it wasn’t a robbery, because he had his gun, he had his wallet. What does that tell her? Anna says, maybe the assailants were interrupted before they could rob him, and Josslyn says, come on. Anna knows that’s not true. She knows it was Sonny. He’s dangerous. And Dex becoming a cop is not protecting him. It’s making him even more of a target. She has to turn him down. Please. Anna says, all right. She can see how much this means to Josslyn, but assuming Dex gets accepted into the academy, ultimately, it’s his choice whether he decides to move forward or not. And she believes he understands the risks involved. Josslyn says, so she’s not going to do anything? Really? Josslyn walks to the door and says, okay, but when Anna throws him some big funeral after Sonny has him killed, and Anna invites all of his family, she doesn’t think they’re going to be there, but she will, and she’ll be sitting front row. And she’s going to look at Anna and they’ll both know Anna could have saved him and she chose not to. So do not hand her the flag from his coffin. She leaves and Anna picks up the phone. She asks someone to come to her office immediately. It’s important.

Ava says she understands Sonny’s anger. She’s been there. Not knowing who you can trust and who you can’t. Not even sure of the ground beneath your feet. She knows it’s tempting to turn his back on everyone that’s failed him, but please, tread lightly. Betrayal by family is a tricky thing. Sometimes family is all you’ve got. He says, they’re family because of Avery. That counts, right? She says, it does to her, and they’re on each other’s side. As for Michael and Carly and even Jason, up until now, they’ve been very loyal. He says, no. That’s wrong. Everything changed when he was in Nixon Falls. When he came back, the trust was broken. First of all, his wife was married, and he was gone what? Less than six months? Jason supposedly died and he was gone for over two years. He couldn’t pick up a phone and say, hey, I’m alive? He didn’t know what Jason was doing. Then Jason tells him to his face that he’s an informant for the Feds. All he knows is, Jason was on the roof with a guy who shot at him. He has to defend himself.

Jason asks if Carly needs him to help her with something, but she says, that’s okay. She can handle it. He says, Carly… and she says, the gas has been shut off downstairs, and there’s an obnoxious man from the city downstairs telling her that it’s all her fault. She could use some back-up. He says he’ll be right down, and she says, thanks. She can’t wait for him to meet Jason.

Lois brings out the seating chart and says, Sonny is seated unaccompanied. She purposely didn’t invite Ava, even though she was standing right there. Sonny knows not to bring her. Olivia says, she hopes, and Lois says, Sonny can read her like she can read Sonny, and he knows not to bring her. Olivia says, okay. Sounds like she has it all under control. She’s got to get back to work. Does Lois need anything else for the bachelorette party? Lois says, no, go on, and Olivia says she’ll see them tonight. She leaves, and Lois asks if Brook has started packing for the honeymoon. Brook says she’s narrowing down her choices. She can’t bring half her closet. She has to leave some space for shopping. She’s going to Florence. They both squeal, and Brook says she’s dreamed about this her entire life. And now, she doesn’t only get to go, she gets to go with the man she loves. How perfect is that?… Well, it’s not entirely perfect. Chase did have to sell his truck to pay for it. Lois says, which she thinks is very sweet of him and noble, and Brook says she does too. She very nearly ruined it though. Thank God Tracy stopped her. Lois asks if she just said, thank God for Tracy.

Drew says he knows he shouldn’t ask (then don’t), but how does Jason buying back the MetroCourt for Carly get Nina closer to Sonny? Nina says she didn’t know he cared, and he says he doesn’t. So forget he asked. You do you. Nina says she was hoping that Sonny would appreciate that she gave her stake up at the MetroCourt so his best friend could have it, and Drew says, good luck with that. She says, that’s it? What did he come here to talk to her about? He says, never mind. He’ll shoot her an email. It had to do with the wellness article she’s running. He’d like to look at some of the research; maybe talk to a reporter. He’ll let her know. He leaves, and Madison tells Nina, the update and revisions are in her inbox. Does Nina want her to print hard copies? Nina says, not yet. She wants Madison to contact the hotel manager because she wants to know when Olivia gets in. She has something very important to discuss with her.

Gas guy Mr. Tandy tells Carly, notifications about the essential repairs were sent, but she says she didn’t get a notification. Will he please have her gas turned back on? Jason joins them and Tandy says, the repairs will take three days. Her carelessness or disorganization is not the city’s fault. Danny walks by outside, and Carly says she’s not careless or disorganized, and unless he has proof those notifications were delivered, she has grounds to sue. He says, the city followed policy, and she says she guesses they’ll find out when her lawyer… Jason says, they know things get lost and misdelivered all the time, but they can’t run a business without gas for three days. Is there anything he can do to help them out? Tandy says he’ll speak with the gas company. They may be able to expedite repairs and get the gas restored by tomorrow. He’ll get right on that. Jason thanks him and he leaves. Jason asks what Carly needed him for, and she says, he’s been arrested enough times to know how good cop/bad cop works. He asks which cop he was, and she says, the good cop.

Danny goes onto the fire escape and enters Jason’s room through the wide-open window. (Really? In a city that’s crime ridden on and off?)

Ava says she knows it’s difficult for Sonny to trust anyone right now, but isolating himself from everybody who might care about him might put him at a disadvantage. He asks, who might that be. Carly? Michael? The only ones he has left are Kristina and Dante. And he can’t talk to Dante because he’s a cop. Michael, Carly, Jason, Dex, and Nina have all turned on him. She tells him that she’s not saying he doesn’t have the right to feel the way he does. She’s just suggesting that things aren’t always black and white. Carly and Michael, in their own warped way, probably thought they were protecting him. And Dex put his life on the line for Sonny more than once. She was in Puerto Rico. She saw it herself. He says, that was before Dex became a cop. And Michael and Carly can think whatever they want, but they put a spy in his organization. She says, at least he knows Jason didn’t have anything to do with that, and he says, based on what? Does she think Carly and Jason didn’t have any contact? She says, he doesn’t believe that, and he says, here’s what he believes. Carly and Jason are loyal to each other. He’s seen it for years with his own eyes. Carly would lie for him, do anything for him. So does he believe she may have had contact with him? Of course (🍷) he believes that. She may have known Jason was alive and didn’t tell him for months. Maybe even years. That’s unforgivable.

Anna thanks Molly for coming, and Molly says, of course (🍷). What’s going on? She said it was important. Anna says, it is. In this file, there are two statements, one from Cyrus Renault, one from Dex Heller. One details how Sonny Corinthos viciously attacked Cyrus at All Saints Chapel on New Year’s Eve, landing him in hospital. Molly looks at the statements, and Anna says, the other tells how Sonny Corinthos ordered his then employee Dex to kill Cyrus when he was a patient at GH. Molly sits down as she reads, and Anna says, questions? Molly says, yeah, one. She has to ask, what’s changed? May she speak plainly? Anna says, please do, and Molly says she thought Anna and Sonny were friends. Anna says she thinks they had a friendship of sorts, a mutual understanding maybe. Mostly because of his relationship with Robin. And she thinks at times, perhaps, they were on the same side, so to speak, battling a common enemy. That being said, when she was Police Commissioner before, she gave Sonny no passes and she gives him none now. And this case falls in her jurisdiction, and she has to pursue it, even if it implicates someone who has been kind to her in the past. Molly says, and why show it to her? Why not go directly to DA Scorpio? Anna says, Robert loathes Sonny, and she thinks he would enjoy it too much. Molly says, that can’t be the reason, and Anna says, in so many words, if Robert were to prosecute Corinthos, it’s just too personal to him. Molly says, it’s personal to her too.

Ava takes the drink out of Sonny’s hand and says, you know what you need? Some air. It’s beautiful out, so why don’t they go for a walk? They can walk across the park and get something to eat. It’ll do him good. Besides, if he’s seen out and about in public, he’ll let everybody know, as far as he’s concerned, it’s business as usual. They’re not getting to him. He says, yeah. He’s not going to get holed up in this place like he’s trying to hide something. He’s not going to be a victim. Come on. He’s hungry. Let’s go get something to eat. He takes Ava’s hand and they walk out.

Danny checks out Jason’s sunglasses and looks around the room. He picks up Jason’s razor and looks at it, then puts on Jason’s leather jacket.

Carly says, that bureaucrat messed up, but he didn’t want to admit it. That’s why she brought Jason into it. She knew Jason could get him to compromise without losing face. Jason says, or maybe he just didn’t want Carly to sue him, and she says she would have won, by the way. She didn’t want to lose three days of business. Her way was faster. Diane comes in and says, Carly is closed? Why? Carly says, it’s a long story. Is she here to see Jason? Diane says, no. She’s here to see both of them actually. She hands Jason some papers and says, there you go, signed, sealed, and delivered. He’s now half-owner of the MetroCourt. Carly says, he bought the MetroCourt? and Diane says, just Nina Reeves’ half. Now all that’s left to do is both of them sign the transfer of ownership, and Jason’s half is once again Carly’s. Jason thanks her and says he’ll get it back to her. Good job. Diane says she’s very happy for Carly, and leaves. Carly says, Jason can’t give her the MetroCourt, and he asks, why not? She says, because it’s on her to get it back. She’s the one who lost it. She did it all on her own. Drew and Michael told her not to invest, but she did it anyway. She put the MetroCourt up for… He says, okay. If he’d been here, does she think it would have happened that way? She says, no, and he signs the paper. He gives it to her and she hugs him, crying. He says, this deal is done. Enjoy it. He leaves.

Brook tells Lois that Tracy explained, if she bought Chase a brand-new truck, it would just devalue the sacrifice he made in order to pay for the honeymoon. Lois says, and she would be right, which is surprising for her to say. Brook says, it was surprising for her to take Tracy’s advice, which prompted her and Chase to talk about money, including her trust fund. Lois says, how did that go? and Brook says, really good. She’s glad they finally did it. It’s actually kind of a relief, and she thinks they’re in a really good place with it now. Lois says, that’s wonderful. She’s so proud of Brook. Brook says she never wanted to talk to Chase about a prenup or her money, because she never wanted him to think she’d believe he would take advantage of it or her. But the whole what’s mine is his wasn’t working either. It was actually doing quite the opposite. She’s just glad all that stuff is behind them. Lois says, it’s better late than never. Some people don’t even have those open lines of communication to discuss the important things. So it’s a good sign that she and Chase do.

Anna asks what Molly thinks. Can she get a conviction? Molly says, it’s pretty comprehensive. Someone could definitely make a case for assault, conspiracy, and attempted murder. Anna says, not someone. She’s giving it to Molly. Molly says she couldn’t possibly prosecute this case, and Anna asks, why not? Molly says, conflict of interest. Her sister is Sonny Corinthos’s daughter and currently pregnant with her child. Anna should give it to Robert. He’ll be aware of the stakes and do what he needs to do to keep emotion out of it. Or there are other ADAs who can work with him and give him the objectivity he needs. Maybe he’ll even assign the case to one of them. Anna says she’s not ready to move forward with it just yet, and Molly says, then why did Anna need to see her? Anna says, because she wants Molly to do it. So consider this fair warning. When she is ready to pull the trigger on it, she’ll be pushing Robert to give it to Molly to prosecute.

Sonny and Ava walk into the MetroCourt, and Olivia says she heard Sonny had a visit from Lois this morning. He says, she won’t take no for an answer, and Olivia says, does she ever? He says, not really, but he stopped fighting. How’s Dante? She says, good. She talked to him this morning. He’s back at work, grumbling about being behind a desk. Sonny says, at least he’s healing quickly, and Ava says, hear, hear. Carly comes in and says she needs to talk to Olivia. It’s very important. They step aside, and Olivia asks, what’s going on? Carly says, welcome her back, and Olivia asks what she’s talking about. Carly says she got her half of the MetroCourt back. She’s Olivia’s partner again. They screech, hug each other, and jump up and down. Sonny and Ava look at each other.

Molly tells Anna that Sonny is her uncle. He’s her sister’s father. It’s a clear conflict of interest. Anna says, that’s usually the judge’s call to make. Yes, of course (🍷) Molly can go to the court and inform them of their relationship, but ultimately, it will be the judge’s decision whether she stays on the case or not. Molly says, not if she recuses herself first, which she would, and Anna says, oh my God. She’s asking Molly to reconsider. Please. It has taken her a while to recognize the fact that Sonny isn’t the person she thought he was all these years. And she’s gravely concerned and disappointed in some of his recent actions. That is why she wants Molly, because she knows Molly will prosecute him fairly. She won’t seek to make him pay, or showboat; nor will she be too lenient. Molly asks if Anna feels that she’s been too lenient with him all these years, and Anna says, maybe. Sonny Corinthos is a larger-than-life figure in this community; he has been for decades. And he’s a generous benefactor, and in his own way, he’s kept Port Charles safe from others less scrupulous than he is about the drug trade. She imagines most city officials feel he’s the lesser of two evils, that he’s like a power to be tolerated and not eliminated. But that is over because she now has tangible proof of what Sonny has become, and frankly, it’s disturbing. And she’s going after him for something he actually did. And he needs to be stopped. Molly says she agrees. There’s absolutely a case here and it needs to be prosecuted. But not by her. There are four other ADAs in this office who don’t have close ties to Sonny. Anna says, in a perfect world, every case would be black and white. They’d know who was right and who was wrong. Who the good guys are and the bad. But that is not reality. In reality, most cases are layered, they’re complicated, they’re messy, and that is why they have to adhere to the rule of law. They can’t just decide who they’re going to pick and choose to investigate and who they’re going to prosecute. If they start relying on their own personal bias, that’s when the entire system breaks down. They have to do their duty, and it’s hers to investigate, and it may well be Molly’s to prosecute. (Um… but this isn’t some personal bias. She’s literally related to the guy. If she was a doctor, she wouldn’t be the one performing surgery either.)

Sitting at the counter in the nook, Lois says, Brook has never really asked about her dad, and Brook says she guesses she just accepted things didn’t work out between the two of them. Her dad was always present in her life, and they were really good at co-parenting. Lois says, and she’s very proud of that. Ned is a wonderful man, and they loved each other so, so much. They just didn’t agree with each other on things like money… and a bunch of other things, which was why she was so adamant about raising Brook in Bensonhurst. She didn’t want Brook to be around all that Quartermaine money and the drama that accompanied it. It’s a decision she’s never regretted. Brook says, she’ll forever be grateful for her upbringing. Growing up with the Bensonhurst Brigade was a gift. Lois says, oh ho! They’re all going to be there, right? And look – she points at the seating chart – she seated Sonny next to Kristina and her girlfriend Blaze, and then she put Michael on the whole other side of the room because something is still going on between Michael and Sonny. Hmm… She hadn’t even thought about that. Brook says, about what? and Lois says, should they invite Jason?

Jason opens the door to his room and sees Danny in his jacket. He heaves a Jason sigh and says, Danny…

Olivia says, how did this happen? and Carly says, Jason. Nina sold him her half, and he signed it over to her. Sonny looks grim, and Olivia says, this is so fantastic. She’s missed Carly so much. The hotel has missed her so much. Please tell Jason, thank you, a million, million times. Nina looks all happy and pleased with herself, and like a cloud of doom, Sonny walks over to Carly and asks if he can have a moment. Carly says, no. Whatever he has to say, he can just say it. He says, you, Jason, Nina. Three liars. Three traitors. You all deserve each other. Soap looks all around, and Nina catches Ava’s eye.

On Monday, dressed in a boa, Lois says, it’s showtime; Drew says he thought maybe Willow would like to know; Nina asks how long Ava’s been playing her for a fool; Sonny tells Carly, that’s proof someone is working against him; and Sam asks Jason how he can do this to their son.

🔬 Before He Was Finn…

This actually sounds like a pretty good story. My favorite role of his will always be the vampire Caleb on Port Charles though. No surprise there.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-easton-shares-a-throwback-movie-clip-with-emma-samms

🏆 Feels Like We Just Did This…

Everyone is hopeful that the Daytime Emmys will be on time this year.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/the-2024-daytime-emmy-awards-nominations

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/daytime-emmys/daytime-emmy-awards-155953

🍻 Nature Or Nurture…

I don’t remember her well, but I do remember her as being a bit unhinged. Perhaps it’s true about the apple not falling far from the tree.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/tyler-campanella-stepson-of-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-star-siggy-flicker-arrested-on-jan-6-charges

🔄 The Circle of Minkoffs…

Where one Minkoff ends, another begins. Hey, wait. Has anyone ever seen them in the same room at the same time?

I’m going to miss her… sniff…

🍼 Daddy Don’t Go…

While I have mad admiration for Andy’s business sense, I don’t think he recognizes that the Housewives franchise is getting old, and Bravo should move on. Now it’s old and cranky and come back to bite him in the ass. I wouldn’t bet the farm on it, but I tend to think the lawsuits against him personally don’t have a lot of merit. I believe what he said about Brandi, who’s scrambling to get away from her own lawsuit, and as for Leah, no one complained at the time, and this isn’t the 80s.

https://people.com/andy-cohen-not-leaving-bravo-despite-legal-troubles-says-network-8635855

🦸🏻 A Bromance For the Ages…

Deadpool is the best and the trailer looks very promising.

https://www.gamesradar.com/deadpool-3-release-date-cast-trailer-plot-deadpool-and-wolverine-marvel

The tease.

https://www.cbr.com/deadpool-wolverine-secret-wars-psa-teaser-theaters

The cameo… maybe.

https://www.cbr.com/deadpool-wolverine-shawn-levy-taylor-swift-cameo

For theorists, conspiracy or otherwise.

https://www.escapistmagazine.com/taylor-swift-fans-think-her-new-album-confirms-her-role-in-deadpool-wolverine

🐶 Barking Up the Right Tree…

Celebrity dogs. They’re just like ours.

https://okmagazine.com/p/most-adorable-moments-celebrities-dogs

You, too, can be a celebrity in your dog’s eyes.

https://people.com/daniel-radcliffe-stephen-colbert-lies-about-puppies-dog-adoption-segment-8636078

🦧 Quotes of the Week

Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway. – Mary Kay Ash

Confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong. Peter McIntyre

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. – Earl Nightingale

People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it. – George Bernard Shaw

Get your face out of my… look. – Debbie Johnson, 90 Day Fiancé: Tell All Part 5, after being told by Debbie Aguero, keep my name out of your mouth. (Obviously, comebacks aren’t her strong suit.)

Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones. – Thich Nhat Hanh

Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. – Stephen R. Covey

A memory is a beautiful thing, it’s almost a desire that you miss. – Gustave Flaubert

So, Earth is round, Earth is flat, where are you guys at on that these days? – Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell), Fallout

🪂 Pulling the Cord…

Have a weekend filled with places to go and people to see, or at least catching up on your streaming and sleep. Come back again on Monday really Tuesday for soap and Deck exploits. Until then, stay safe, stay knowing your audience, and stay having open lines of communication to discuss the important things.

January 12, 2024 – Sonny Tests Dex’s Loyalty, Return Reveal, Supporters, A Legend Remembered, Absurd, Competent, No Drama, Next Us, The Ones, After, Bowling Pups, X Quotes & Dry

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ava walks into the gallery and Nikolas says, good morning. She says, not anymore, it isn’t, and he asks if she’s sent out the invites to her little party yet. She says, nope, and he says, they agreed she’d throw a party and invite Esme. Ava says, Esme’s partying days are over. At least for now. She’s in jail. You’re welcome.

Spencer meets Esme in the interrogation room, and she asks if Ace is okay. Did he miss her? Did he sleep? Spencer says, Ace is okay. Of course (🍷) he missed her, but they were able to keep him preoccupied until he fell asleep. He’s comfortable at Laura’s place. After all, it was his first home. She says she doesn’t want him upset, but he says, it seems like she’s the one who’s upset right now. Did she sleep? She says, of course (🍷) not. She was too keyed up about the hearing today. He says he gets it. Facing prison time is frightening. She says, of course (🍷) he gets it; he’s done this himself. She’s not worried so much about her. She’s just worried about what will happen to her son.

Portia is snoozing with her head on Curtis’s hospital bed, when Curtis wakes up. He asks how he did, and she says, flying colors. One for the record books. Stella comes in with coffee and says, look who’s up… again. Curtis says he was up before? and Stella says, yes, and he promised to buy her a new car. He says he has no recollection of that, and Portia says, nice try. He’s been in and out, but that’s to be expected, and he seems fully conscious now. He says he’s slept enough and he’s ready to take on the day. Stella says, time to spread the good news.

Josslyn asks where Trina is off to, and Trina says, GH to see about Curtis. Is she okay? What’s going on? Josslyn says she’s just second-guessing herself. She told the RA about Adam. He was just so drunk on New Year’s Eve and so upset about his parents possibly pulling him out of PCU. She just wants to help. Trina says, Josslyn doesn’t have to justify it to her. Josslyn says, Dex thinks Adam’s emotional problems are too big for her to handle by herself. She agrees, but she still feels like she ratted him out. Trina’s phone rings, and she asks Stella if everything is okay… Really?… Okay. She’s on her way. Josslyn asks, is everything okay? and Trina says, everything’s great. Curtis is awake.

Diane meets Robert at the PC Grill, and he says he’s so sorry about last night, but she says she completely understands. She’s just curious as to who or what was enticing enough to lure him away from what would have been a wonderful evening. He says, Sonny Corinthos.

Sonny and Dex walk into Sonny’s office at Pozzulo’s, and Sonny says, anything? Frank says, crib’s clean, and runs a device over Dex. Dex asks, what’s wrong? Did they find a bug? Sonny says he’s just being careful, and Frank says, he’s clean. Frank leaves, and Sonny says, he and Dex need to have a conversation. Once they do, it does not leave this office. They sit down, and Dex says, understood. Sonny says he needs Dex to do something important for him. It’s sort of a crucial test, and once Dex does this for him, there’s no looking back.

Josslyn hugs Trina and says she’s so glad Curtis is awake. Trina must be so relieved. Trina says, Josslyn has no idea. Is she going to be okay, or does she need to talk some more? Josslyn says she’s good. Go see Curtis… Trina’s dad she means. Trina laughs and says, that’s okay. She trips up all the time. (Hey, what happened to Taggert anyway?) Trina tells Josslyn not to beat herself up for talking to Kylie. Adam is really lucky to have a friend who cares so much. Josslyn says, thanks, and Trina opens the door. Adam is there, and she says she was just on her way out. She leaves, and Josslyn invites Adam in. He says he was surprised to get her text. He figured after New Year’s, she wouldn’t want to talk to him again. He was wrecked. It turns out frat parties aren’t his vibe. She says she was really worried about him. Has he heard from his parents, or have they said anything more about him leaving school? He says, they really want him back home, but he’d rather be anywhere but there. She says she knows problems with parents can be tough, but they’re not insurmountable. He says he gets that she’s being kind and tactful. He knows he should stand up for himself, but he’s just not strong enough.

Deanna tells Curtis that everything looks good. Just buzz if he needs anything. They all thank her, she says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Portia says, Dr. Martel came by earlier and should be back a little bit later, but he said the surgery went very well. No surprises, no complications, and he says it’s looking very positive. Curtis says, that’s good to hear. Now they just wait for the swelling to go down and maybe he can dunk a ball again. Stella says, big talk. She’s glad she’s here and not TJ. She knows he’d have something to say about that. Does Curtis want them to call his dad and tell him that he’s awake? Portia says, they probably should, right? but Curtis says, not if it means waking him up. Let him rest. Portia should get some rest too. Portia says she’s fine. She’s fresh as a daisy. He says, and twice as beautiful.

Esme asks if Spencer saw Ace this morning. She normally feeds him and gets him ready for daycare. Spencer says he fed Ace, and she says, he’s going to be so confused. His whole schedule is off. Spencer says, he’s fine, but she says, he won’t be if she disappears from his life. Growing up without a mother is awful. Isn’t that what Spencer told her? He says, Ace isn’t growing up without her. He’s not. She’s a good mother. She says, does he really mean that? and he says, yes, but he’s got to ask. Why would she sacrifice his safety and security so she could break into Windymere of all places? Why did she go there on Christmas?

Nikolas says, why insist on pressing charges against Esme? and Ava says, because the opportunity to right a wrong presented itself. Esme should already be serving a very long sentence for what she did to Trina and to Josslyn and to Cameron. In an hour, she’s going down to the courthouse and watch their judicial system in action. He says, so Esme’s hearing is today, and she say she wishes she could bring popcorn. Nikolas suddenly jets, and Nina calls Ava’s name. She comes in the back way and asks if Ava is with a customer. She thought she heard her talking to someone. Ava says she was on the phone. She’s been trying to reach Nina. What happened after New Year’s Eve? How did Sonny find out it was her who went to the SEC? Nina says, Sonny told Ava, but Ava says, he hasn’t said a word, and she thought it best to just stay out of his way. When Sonny feels betrayed, he’s downright dangerous.

Sonny says, Dex is aware of his legal troubles. Cyrus brought cops into a situation that should just have been between them. He seriously miscalculated. Dex says, in what way? and Sonny says, the only thing Dex needs to know is, things are going to change around here. He needs to go back to focusing on the business. He hasn’t been doing that lately. Cyrus was released from prison, and now he’s causing trouble – again. Dex asks if Sonny wants to suspend business until after his trial, but Sonny says, there’s not going to be a trial. That’s where Dex comes in. Dex has to take care of Cyrus for him. Dex says, to keep him from testifying? Does Sonny want him to scare Cyrus? Sonny says, to death.

Josslyn hands Adam something to drink, and he says, thanks, but she didn’t ask him over here to check his hydration, did she? She says, he’s right. She didn’t. And what he said about not being strong enough to talk to his parents? She thinks he can. He needs to tell them what’s going on with him. But when she said that he should talk to someone, she didn’t mean just her. There’s a knock at the door, and she says she went to someone for help. She opens the door to RA Kylie, and Adam says, she’s a snitch.

Nina says she’s guessing Sonny doesn’t know that Ava’s the one who encouraged her to turn in Carly and Drew, and Ava says, what? They’ve been over this. She did not encourage Nina and Nina knows it. She was just calling Nina’s bluff to make her see reason. She wasn’t supposed to actually go through with it, which Nina did without her knowledge and involvement. But Sonny doesn’t know she knew it was Nina. She doesn’t think she’d be staying at his penthouse if he did. She and Sonny have reached a place where they can almost trust each other for Avery’s sake. Nina says, don’t worry. She’s not going to put Ava in the middle of this. She’s afraid Sonny hates her now and she’s just going to have to deal with it on her own. Ava says she doesn’t think Sonny hates Nina. He just goes to a dark place when he’s hurt. And you know what they say; hurt people hurt people. Nina says her earth shattered when Sonny slammed the door in her face, and Ava says she’s sure it was painful, but she’s talking about Cyrus Renault. Nina says, what about him? and Ava says, she doesn’t know? Cyrus is in the hospital. Sonny beat him almost to death.

Trina says she’s so happy to see Curtis and runs to the bed to hug him. He says he’s happy for the same, and she says, how is he? How is he feeling? He’s not in any pain, right? He says, no. Her beautiful mom and his doctor have his pain management under control. Enough about him. How about her? She’s back in school. Did she get the classes she wanted? Portia says, that and then some, and Trina gives her a look. Curtis says, okay, what did he miss? and Trina says she was accepted to study at the Sorbonne for a semester abroad. He says, that’s great. Paris, that’s wonderful, the Louvre, all the artwork. She’s going to be in heaven. Plus, Paris is beautiful in the fall. She says, the thing is, she was accepted to study for the spring semester, and he says, as in this spring? Why hasn’t she said anything? She says she found out over the holidays and thought she wasn’t going to go. Portia says, it’s just such a wonderful opportunity, and Stella says, the chance of a lifetime. Curtis says, it absolutely is. Why wouldn’t she? Trina says she just thought that right now wouldn’t be the right moment to be so far away, and he says, for him? She says, if he’d rather she stay, she totally understands. She wants to. He asks if Portia and Stella mind if he talks to his child, Stella says, absolutely, and she and Portia leave.

Spencer tells Esme, look at that. Coffee, something to eat. He puts it in front of her and says, the coffee’s terrible though. She says she’ll take the terrible coffee. She’s not hungry. She pushes the plate aside, and he says, she should eat something. She has a big day ahead of her. He sits down and asks if she’s going to tell him what she was thinking; why she broke into Windymere. She says she was lonely. They had Ace and she was confused about her life. Windymere was the last place she was before she lost her memory. He says, it sounds to him like she went looking for her old memories, and she says, so she can be the most hated person in Port Charles again? Sure. Why doesn’t she go back to a time when everyone was against her? He says, that’s really interesting because the old Esme had a persecution complex as well. Maybe she’s closer to her than she thinks. She says she doesn’t have to imagine much. Everyone has already told her how terrible the old Esme was. You know what they say about first impressions. Her first impression of her former self has been a lasting one. She really wants to be a good person, but he has no idea how hard it is. He says he gets it. He knows what it’s like to have people judge you for your past actions, but the bottom line is, he doesn’t want her to go to prison. He thinks that Ace is going to be a lot happier if she doesn’t go away. She asks if he’ll bring Ace to the courthouse. She already misses him so much. She needs to see her baby. Please. Will he do that for her?

In the hallway, Portia asks Stella if she just blew it, bringing up that news about Trina. He just woke up from his surgery… Stella says, take a breath. She wanted to give him some good news and this is good news. Portia says, it is good news, but she’s tired. She’s really not thinking straight. She just should have waited, that’s all. Stella says, it’s no wonder. They’ve all gone home to sleep, and she’s been by Curtis’s side since he went into surgery. She has to take care of herself. Curtis still has a long road ahead of him, and he’s going to need her to support him.

Curtis asks if Trina has accepted yet, and she says, not yet, but the deadline is approaching. She knows he’s going to tell her to go, but when she thinks about not being here when he gets back on his feet… He says, there’s no guarantee he will walk again, but she says she has faith. He’s one of the strongest people she knows, and she knows he’s going to do anything to get back on his feet. He says, whether he does or doesn’t, it’s not helping if she passes on this amazing opportunity. She should go. He’ll be here when she gets back. Not right here, but he’ll be here. Who knows? Maybe he’ll be on his feet in time to see her there in Paris. Unless he’d be cramping her style. Because he doesn’t want to interfere with her solo adventure. She says, actually, she won’t be solo. Spencer’s coming with her.

Nina asks if Cyrus went to Sonny, but Ava says she thinks it was a case of wrong place, wrong time. Sonny found out about Nina, he went to the church, and Cyrus showed up and said something that triggered him, and Sonny lost it. Nina says, at the church? It was Cyrus who told Sonny that she was the one who tipped off the SEC. Ava asks, how the hell did Cyrus know? and Nina says, because she was in church. She was confessing her sins to a priest, but it wasn’t a priest. It was Cyrus Renault. He knows everything. Ava says, he knew before Sonny knew. She can see why that might push Sonny over the edge. Nina says, bragging to Sonny when Sonny was at his lowest, he deserved whatever happened to him. At least now Cyrus doesn’t have anything that he’s holding over either one of them. Ava says, Cyrus went to the cops. Sonny is facing assault charges. Nina says, he was arrested? and Ava says, he’s out now, but he’s going to have to go to trial. Nina says, Diane will get him off, right? and Ava says, Diane is a very good lawyer, but Cyrus hates Sonny. He’s not going to let this go. And the PCPD has been trying to put Sonny behind bars for decades. They’re not going to miss this chance.

Diane says, Robert doesn’t want to appear overconfident. That’s going to make it all the more disappointing when her client walks, yet again. Robert says, these charges aren’t business as usual. Whatever it was that set Sonny off, he almost killed a man with his bare hands. He’s simply here to see that Sonny pays for it. She says, he’s unusually and unprofessionally gleeful about this, but she is a professional, so she’ll remind him that her client is innocent until proven guilty. This community loves Sonny Corinthos, an exceptional businessman, a wonderful father. Cyrus Renault on the other hand, is a career criminal with a rap sheet that stretches across Texas. She doesn’t know why he’s bothering to bring this to trial. Who’s the more credible witness here? He says, Cyrus Renault, he’s a criminal. Then again, so is Sonny. Diane says, well… and Robert says, the thing is, they now have DNA that puts Sonny at the scene of the crime, which is actually going to put him away, and there’s not a thing she can do about that.

Sonny says, Dex has always come through for him when he’s asked. Dex has proven his loyalty. Sonny thinks there’s just one final step. Dex does this for him, they’ll always have his back. He won’t have to ask for anything. He’ll always be there for Dex. Cyrus is an old man. Nobody’s going to be surprised when his heart gives out on him. Dex says he guesses that makes sense, and Sonny asks what he means. Does he have something on his mind? Dex says, it’s not his place, and Sonny says, it’s not, but it’s a big ask. So if Dex has something on his mind, go ahead and spit it out. Dex says, killing Cyrus Renault gets rid of the man, but it doesn’t necessarily get rid of the charges against Sonny. The DA might even up the charges from assault to manslaughter, saying that Renault died as a result of his injuries. Sonny says, Robert Scorpio can do whatever he wants, but his case is going to fall apart if Cyrus isn’t there. Nobody saw him at All Saints. There are no witnesses to testify against him. There are no cameras in the church. He wants to send a message – nobody crosses Sonny Corinthos. He wants people to remember that. Dex says he’s sure they will, but he’s concerned about Sonny. There’s DNA. He wasn’t wearing gloves; his knuckles are proof. Sonny says, that’s what he pays Diane for, because she can discredit any DNA evidence if she has to. Dex gets up, and Sonny asks if he’s satisfied, or does he have something else? Dex looks at Sonny and Sonny says, disappointing. He gets up and says, if he can’t ask Dex to do something for him, that means Dex doesn’t trust him, which means he can’t rely on Dex. He told Dex from the beginning that he needs loyal men by his side. Is he loyal or not?

Curtis says, Spencer cares a great deal about Trina. He’s going to give her his two cents. Spend it how she likes. He thinks Paris should be about her. It should be about figuring out who she is, and the woman she wants to become. It’s only a semester, right? And Spencer will be here when she gets back. Won’t he?

Spencer tells Esme, don’t worry. He’ll bring Ace to the courthouse. She thanks him and says she still doesn’t know what she’s going to do. Ava’s intent on throwing the book at her for what she supposedly did to Trina. He says, supposedly? and she says she doesn’t remember any of it. She’s not denying the things people have said the old Esme has done, but to go to jail for something she doesn’t remember doing, when she’s no longer that person? Even Trina didn’t want that. He says, that’s correct. Trina convinced them all that it wasn’t fair and that’s why Esme wasn’t charged. Esme says, and Trina said she did it for Ace, and she appreciates that, but Ava doesn’t see it that way. Why can’t she just let it go? Spencer says, Esme broke into Ava’s home and actions have consequences, and she tells him, says the person who’s skirted consequences his entire life. He says, she remembers, doesn’t she?

Adam says he can’t believe Josslyn would do this to him. How can she get him in trouble like this? She says she was just trying to get him some help, and Kylie says, he’s not in trouble. Josslyn did the right thing coming to her. It’s okay. They want to help him. Adam tells Josslyn that she had no right to say anything, but she says she knows he’s unhappy. All he does is study and push himself. He barely even goes out. He says, that’s because it’s all he’s got, okay? Or that he had. Kylie says, school can be a lot of pressure, and Josslyn’s just being a friend. She’s already spoken to Health Services, and someone can speak to him today. The counselor sent a form to his student portal. He asks why she’d do that. His parents are going to see it.

Nina tells Ava that Sonny could go to prison because of her. It’s all her fault. Does she know where he is? Ava says, in his office maybe? and Nina says she has to help him. She has to do something. Ava says, no. She doesn’t think Sonny wants Nina’s help right now. Nina says, he’s still her husband and she loves him. She has to try. Ava says, okay. Good luck. Call me. Nina leaves, and Nikolas comes back in. He says, so Sonny’s not so untouchable after all. It’s about time that sanctimonious hypocrite was taken down a peg or two. Ava says, he’s still here, huh? and he says, so Esme’s hearing is definitely today? She says, uh-huh, and he says he supposes his mother and Spencer will be there. She says, that’s very likely. Like she said, you’re welcome. He says, what for? and she says, once Esme is behind bars, he won’t have to worry about sweet little Ace. He’ll be safe and sound with Laura. He says, then he guesses this is goodbye.

Diane says, Robert wouldn’t be the first public servant to get giddy at the thought of taking down Sonny Corinthos. So allow her to point out a few things that others have learned at great cost. He says, that sounds like a threat, but she says, don’t be silly. She’s simply observing that if he were to bring this to trial, the defendant is going to be far more appealing than the alleged victim. Does he even think he can impanel twelve jurors who will find Cyrus Renault more credible than Sonny Corinthos? Even if he was able to prove that Sonny attacked Cyrus, no one’s going to shed any tears at the fact that Cyrus finally got a taste of his own medicine. Robert asks if there’s nothing to be said for redemption here, and she laughs. He says, Cyrus Renault is now a man of God, beaten within an inch of his life in a church. What does she think the jury’s going to make of that?

Dex says he is loyal to Sonny. It’s his job to protect Sonny and protect his interests. And that includes speaking up when he sees potential problems. Sonny says he knows. He hears what Dex is saying, but this is something Dex needs to know. He’s going to make this happen and he thought Dex was up to the job. It’s just a shame Dex is going to fall short of his expectations, but it’s better he’s hearing about this now than hearing about it later. So let’s just erase any doubts we have here. Is Dex with him?

Adam says, his parents will go crazy if they think he’s out partying. They’ll think he has a drinking problem. Kylie says, no. His student portal is confidential. He says, she doesn’t get it. His parents forced him to give them his password when they found out he lied about having an internship. Kylie says she’s sure the counselor will be willing to talk to his parents. Don’t worry. Everything will be confidential. There are so many students going through tough times these days. It’s not that uncommon. Josslyn says, please, just listen to Kylie. She thinks talking to the counselor is a good idea, and it could really help him. She’ll even go with him if he wants. Kylie says, they can go over to Health Services right now, and Josslyn says, come on, Adam, please.

Ava says, goodbye? and Nikolas says, it’s time for him to leave Port Charles. He’s a wanted man. He held Esme captive and it’s too soon to make almonds amends with Spencer and his mother. He doesn’t have a place in Port Charles right now. She asks if he’ll be back, and he says he’s not sure as to when. She guesses this is goodbye then, and he turns to leave, but she calls him back. She says she’s really glad she didn’t kill him, and he tells her that she says the sweetest things. He touches her face and tells her to take care of herself. She says, him too, and he leaves.

Sonny says, Dex told him that he wanted to advance. He said he wanted to do something for the organization. The way he sees it, this is how Dex does it. Dex says he agrees that Cyrus is dangerous, and Sonny says he has no doubt that Cyrus is going to come after the people closest to him. His kids, his grandkids, Sasha, Carly – he puts his hand on Dex’s shoulder – Josslyn. They’re all in danger and he doesn’t want them to live like this forever. Dex says, what about Mrs. Corinthos? Is she being protected? Sonny says he will deal with Nina. Dex deals with Cyrus. Dex asks when Sonny wants him to do it, and Sonny says, immediately. Cyrus is weak. He’s exposed. Anything can happen in a hospital. Dex says, okay. How do they make that happen?

Portia and Stella go back into Curtis’s room, and Curtis asks if Trina is going to the hearing. Portia says, Trina told him about Esme breaking into Windymere, and he says, he’s guessing she’s sitting with Ava. Trina says she thought about it, but she wanted to be here with him. He says, don’t worry about him. He’s not going anywhere. Besides, she needs to see this through. This could mean Esme’s finally out of her life. He’s glad Ava pressed charges. Trina says, her too, and he asks what Esme was doing at Windymere anyway. It just seems strange. Trina says, no clue, and Stella says she still doesn’t trust her. Trina says, neither does she, but she does feel bad for Ace. If Esme goes to prison, he’ll have no parents.

Spencer asks if Esme is starting to remember, but she says, no. She’s just going off everything she’s learned of his past from Laura and Doc. An officer tells Esme that her lawyer’s here. He’ll take her back to get dressed for court. She thanks him and says, Spencer is still bringing Ace to court, right? He says he is, and she thanks him for coming. She says, I really need you on my side, Spence, and leaves, and he flashes back to her calling him Spence, and saying, he’s even more pathetic than when she first met him. He says, Spence.

Trina leaves, and Portia asks if she told Curtis everything about Paris. He says, she did, and Portia says, he knows she doesn’t like the idea of Spencer going to Paris with Trina. He says, neither does he, but hopefully, they won’t have to worry about that. Stella says, why is that? and Curtis says, if Esme goes to prison, Spencer’s not going to want his brother to be alone. He’s going to stay right here in Port Charles and raise Ace. Portia says, fingers crossed.

Robert says, Diane hasn’t touched her food. She doesn’t like it? She says, no. She just seems to have lost her appetite. Clearly, Robert doesn’t want to litigate this case on its merits. He’s just someone else who wants to take down Sonny. He says, anything at all to rid this town of Corinthos. Although he will miss Sonny’s coffee. She folds her arms, and he says, come on. Think of all the extra time she’ll have on her hands now that her biggest client is going away for the rest of his life. Whatever will she do? She says, oh golly. She’s sure she can find someone or something to keep her busy. She gets up and says, she’ll tell him this though, she won’t be busy with him. She walks out and he looks perplexed.

In his office, Sonny looks at his bruised knuckles, then puts the picture of Nina on his desk face down. There’s a knock at the door, and he says, come in. Frank brings him the mail and asks if there’s anything else he can get Sonny. Sonny says, no. He thinks he’s got everything under control.

At the hospital, Dex makes a call and says, come on, Joss, pick up.

Josslyn ignores Dex’s call, and Adam says he’s not going to Health Services, and they can’t make him. This is none of their business. Josslyn asks him to just please calm down, but he says she doesn’t want to hear this. Both of them, just leave him alone. And take the damn counselor off his portal. He storms out, and Josslyn asks Kylie, now what?

Leaving a message, Dex says, Josslyn doesn’t have to call him back. he just wanted to hear her voice and tell her how important she is to him. And let her know that no matter what happens with them, he loves her, and he always will. He sees a text from Unknown that says: Room 1002. He says, gotta go, and walks down the hall, noticing Nina at the reception desk.

Nina asks what room Cyrus Renault is in, as Dex listens from around the corner.

Spencer tells the sitter to enjoy the rest of her day. He’ll be taking Ace to see his mother in court. She thanks him and says she hopes everything works out for him. He says he’s sure it will, and she leaves. He says, one way or another, and flashes back to Esme saying, no deal, Spence. He says, she was lying. She remembers everything. There’s a knock at the door and he opens it. Nikolas is there.

On Monday, Ava asks Laura why she would do that; Kristina says, this is exactly where she needs to be right now; Nina says, if Cyrus is truly sorry, prove it; and the judge asks how Esme pleads.

💝 Bringing the Surprise Twist…

I hadn’t realized the woman playing BJ was the child who played BJ. Very clever!

🌷 Bobbie’s Last Save…

I swear they didn’t address Famke by name, but I might have blinked and missed it.

👩‍⚕️ Memorializing a GH Icon…

Taking everything into consideration, it was worth the wait. It must have been tough on the actors though, pretending she was still alive. Obviously, there was going to be no recast.

The Why.

The How.

GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers: Remembering Bobbie

Memories.

🪙 In Random Stupid News…

This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard.

https://people.com/eminem-opposes-deposition-seeks-protective-order-against-gizelle-bryant-robyn-dixon-shady-trademark-dispute-case-8420744

⚖️ You’re All Out Of Order…

Who knows? It probably wouldn’t change the outcome anyway.

https://people.com/tom-girardi-deemed-competent-to-stand-trial-by-judge-reports-8421562

💤 For Those Who Still Care…

Teresa and Jennifer are so volatile, the rest of them can finally relax.

🌁 News Of the Last…

What’s happened up until now. (First the earth cooled, then the dinosaurs came…)

https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-season-2-release-date-cast/

I don’t think it’s necessary either. It was a great episode, but a spinoff would just be depressing knowing the ending.

https://www.themarysue.com/will-there-be-a-bill-and-frank-the-last-of-us-spinoff-explained/

⚰️ Next Dead Up…

This looks like another winner. In all these spinoffs, it’s like they finally got the idea that Walking Dead was too stagnant.

https://ew.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-trailer-rick-grimes-action-8424639

https://ew.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-terry-o-quinn-character-8421730

https://ew.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-exclusive-first-look-pollyanna-mcintosh-jadis-8413410

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-rick-and-michonne-jadis-pollyanna-mcintosh-the-ones-who-live/

🎉 Not Letting Go Yet…

The overtime is probably pretty good.

https://www.justjared.com/2024/01/01/how-long-does-it-take-up-to-clean-times-square-after-new-years-eve-clean-up-details-revealed/

🐕‍🦺 Love the Players and the Game…

Who’s competing in this year’s Puppy Bowl.

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

Mr. Bean!

https://people.com/puppy-bowl-2024-puppy-players-with-special-needs-8424973

🫦 Quotes of the Week

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. – Michael Jordan (Or kick it down.)

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.Spencer Johnson

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

It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Your dream is a reality that is waiting for you to materialize. Today is a new day! Don’t let your history interfere with your destiny! Learn from your past so that it can empower your present and propel you to greatness. – Steve Maraboli

In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy. – Albert Clarke

I challenge you to let every day be a Friday. Permit yourself to be happy every day. – Joel Osteen

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. – Henry David Thoreau

You don’t have to be great at something to start but you have to start to be great at something. – Zig Ziglar

I’d say he was lying through his teeth, but he ain’t got none. – Amy Slaton referring to Glenn, 1000-Lb. Sisters

😐 Feeling Mediocre…

Return to this spot on Monday really Tuesday for soap and the final Med charter. Until then, stay safe, stay making time every day to do a small thing that brings you joy, and stay having faith even when there are no guarantees.

March 7, 2023 – Willow Has a Moment With Nina, Spitting Venom At Brunch In New Jersey & Your Mama

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Portia is looking at her wedding photo, when there’s a knock at her office door. Marshall asks if she’s got a minute, and she says, of course (🍷). He says, they’ve barely seen each other at the house, and she says, that’s on her. She’s been so busy with work. He says, of course (🍷). It’s perfectly understandable. He’s getting the results of his genetic screening, and she says, he must have so many questions. He says he does, but the only thing he’s going to ask her about is Curtis.

At the hospital, Alexis says hi to Curtis, but he doesn’t respond, so she calls to him again. He says he’s sorry; he didn’t hear her. She says, it must have been quite a meeting. She apologizes that her wedding present is going to be super late, but he tells her, save her money. Where he and Portia are headed, it’s probably going to get returned.

Nina comes out of the elevator, and sees Willow and Michael. She says she was looking for her Aunt Liesl, and Michael says, Nina just missed her. Nina starts to leave, but Willow says, wait, and asks Michael to give them a moment alone.

Sonny asks why Ava is willing to give her ex-husband a pass. If Nikolas has something over on her, he can help her. Austin approaches and says he’s sorry to interrupt, but he’d like to speak to Ava. Sonny says, they’re in the middle of something, but Ava says, it’s okay; she has things to discuss with Austin. Sonny asks, what about the situation with Nikolas? but she says, there is no situation. Nikolas was just trying to hurt her, and is absolutely no threat to their daughter. Forget she said anything, and chalk it up to a few martinis and a thousand bad decisions. She leaves with Austin, and Olivia asks what that was about, but Sonny says, Ava wouldn’t tell him.

Molly meets TJ at Charlie’s, and he asks if she took it. She says she did. He says, so… are they having a baby?

Drew kisses Carly in what used to be Sonny’s kitchen. She’s removed the moss bowl 🎍 so there are no witnesses, but its absence is keenly felt. She says, they have to wait until her brownies are done, and he says he can’t believe she’s baking. She says, these are for Willow. She hasn’t had much of an appetite lately, but she loves Carly’s brownies. It also looks like Liesl Obrecht is going to be a match for a donor, and they need to celebrate. What’s a celebration without brownies? He says he has something he wants to celebrate – them; openly, as a couple.

Molly tells TJ, no, they’re not having a baby; the test was negative. He says, it’s funny. He was just cruising along, not even thinking about having a baby; at least not yet. Then, all of a sudden, there could be a baby and it’s back to no baby in a couple of minutes. She asks how he feels about all of this, and he says, it’s not like they were planning on starting a family; not until he’s finished his residency. They would need a bigger place. They definitely haven’t saved for a baby, so… She says, so he’s relieved she’s not pregnant, right?

Curtis says, it’s a long story he doesn’t care to repeat, and Alexis says, no worries. He tells her, let’s just say he’ll be attending more meetings than usual, and she says, that’s what they’re there for. It must have been quite a blow. He says he’ll be fine, and she says she’s not one to preach, but for what it’s worth (🍷), that’s where prayer comes in handy sometimes. He says, it does. He doesn’t want to be the reason she misses her meeting, and she asks him to come with her. He hesitates, but she says, don’t be difficult, and he follows her.

Marshall says he’s deeply troubled about the rift between Portia and Curtis. Not only has he witnessed how devoted they were to each other, but he and Curtis wouldn’t have the relationship they do if not for her. She says she couldn’t even tell him why she didn’t tell Curtis that he could be Trina’s father, but he says, she doesn’t have to justify her actions to him.

Austin says, it looked like Ava was just about to tell Sonny that Nikolas is dead and the body is missing. Why would she do something like that? She says she needs help, and Sonny is Avery’s father. He’d do anything to protect Avery, and protecting Avery means protecting her; and if she’s protected, Austin is protected.

Olivia says, if Sonny want to stick his nose all up in Ava’s business, go right ahead, and he says, she’s Avery’s mother. After what she’s been through with Ryan Chamberlain, she has every right to be spooked. She says, Ava and Austin seem cozy at the moment. Why doesn’t Sonny let Austin be her emotional support animal? Sonny’s got enough going on in his life right now.

Michael parks Willow’s wheelchair near a bench, and asks if she’s sure about this. She says, if it becomes too much, she’ll send up a flare. He sees he has a text from Dex that says, GH roof, and tells her that he won’t be far. He leaves, and Willow tells Nina, they just had a meeting with Dr. Randolph and Aunt Liesl. They’re running more tests to make sure it’s safe for her to donate, but Dr. Randolph is hopeful. She wanted to talk to Nina about where things stand. Nina asks how Willow is. How are the kids? Is there anything she can do… Willow says she wanted to talk to Nina about her condition; the kids are off-limits. She’s not going to tell Nina anything about them, and Nina won’t ask. Are they clear? Bitch.

Waiting on the roof, Dex gets a text from Michael that says, On my way.

Portia tells Marshall that she doesn’t know if her actions can even be justified; not anymore anyway. He says, and at the time? and she says, Curtis was out of her life for good, with no expectations of him coming back. She was with Taggert, and he’d just come back from his assignment, and she found out she was pregnant. They were overjoyed, and Trina and Taggert have this bond that’s so sacred. She would do anything to protect it. He says, even at the expense of the bond she shares with his son, and she says, it made perfect sense at the time. She thought Marshall, of all people, would be able to understand this. He says, but he walked away from his family because he thought it was the right thing to do. Everyone wants to protect their loved ones from harm. It’s a natural instinct, and it shouldn’t be ignored, but maybe looking back on it all, that instinct shouldn’t be trusted.

TJ says he wouldn’t say that, but Molly says, he can tell her. He says he thinks they need to have a talk. Sit down and really… She says, he can tell her anything… except right now. Alexis walks in with Curtis, and they all say hi. Alexis says, happy anniversary, and Molly asks them to join her and TJ. Alexis says, they don’t want to interrupt, but TJ tells them to stay; he hasn’t seen Curtis since the wedding. Curtis says he’s going to order from the bar, and asks if he can talk to TJ for a second.

Dex takes the SIM card out of his phone, throws it down, and steps on it. Michael comes out on the roof and says he doesn’t have a lot of time. He wants to get Willow home. Dex says he wants to give Michael a heads up. He thinks Sonny is on to him.

Ava tells Austin that Nikolas is her responsibility. Don’t give anyone a reason to suspect him. Let her protect herself. He says, telling a guy like Sonny Corinthos isn’t going to help them. In fact, it could get them both killed. Mason watches from outside the doorway, and smiles.

Sonny says he has a lot on his plate, which is why he needs Olivia’s help, and she asks, in what way? He says, Nina… and she says, the answer’s no. He asks if she can’t hear him out. Nina’s climbing the walls about this whole Willow situation. Olivia lives at the Quartermaines. Can she just keep him posted on how Willow is?

Carly says, Drew wants to take their relationship public? What happened to the whole they might be accused of insider trading thing? He says, it’s a risk, and she says, call her crazy, but she’s not really excited about going to prison. And if she’s being honest, she finds this being in secret not so bad. He says, she’s enjoying the intrigue; having an elicit affair without actually betraying anyone. She says she finds it sexy and exciting, and he says he gets that, but enough time has passed since the stock purchase and the failed merger. It’s not as obvious to people that they were together when the stock was purchased. She says, he’s such a romantic, but he says he’s just being realistic. The longer they keep this a secret, it increases their chances of getting caught, which will make people question how long they’ve actually been together, which brings them back to insider trading. She says she thinks they’ve done a pretty good job of keeping this quiet. Only her kids and Sonny know they’re together. He says, and Olivia, and she says, none of them are going to say anything. No one is on to them.

Nina says she won’t ask about the kids, and Willow says, if she does, this conversation is over. What I said. Nina sits down, and asks Willow to go on, and Willow says, first, about the bone marrow transplant. While Nina’s aunt is a match, there are questions about her fitness as a bone marrow donor. Nina says, because of her age? and Willow says, bone marrow donors are ideally between the ages of 18 and 35 years of age, and Nina’s aunt is… Nina says, over 35, but she’s as strong as an ox. Willow says, it’s not so much her physical fitness as her medical history they have to consider, and they also have to determine if there are any underlying issues she may not know about. Nina says, Willow’s been talking about her Aunt Liesl. How are you?

Drew says, it’s kind of a miracle the secret has lasted as long as it has, and Carly says, Ned was the one who threatened to go to the FCC. Won’t them going public with their relationship cause him to react? Drew says, the only reason Ned threatened that was to keep him and Michael out of ELQ, and she says, what’s changed? He says, Ned was afraid they’d push him out, so he teamed up with Valentin. Valentin is now dead, and his shares were inherited by his daughter, but Laura is the one handling her affairs, so now is the perfect opportunity to get back Valentin’s shares. She says, but if they isolate Ned, won’t he pull the trigger with the FCC? and Drew says, not if he bows out.

Alexis says she feels like she interrupted something big, and Molly says, it was almost something big. Alexis asks if everything is okay, and Molly says, everything’s fine. It’s just that she and TJ thought she might be pregnant. I’m glad she did say we, because face it, only one of you carries and delivers the baby. Molly says, she’s not, and Alexis says, it’s something to talk about. Molly says, they weren’t planning on having kids yet, with both of them being so busy. If they add a baby to the mix… Alexis says, it’s exhausting, and Molly works. So when she’s at work, she’ll be thinking about the baby, and when she’s with the baby, she’ll be thinking about what she has to do at work. And with TJ’s schedule, she’ll be doing the night shift. Good luck with that. And the truth is, you’ve got to keep your eye on them 24 hours a day. As small as they are, you can’t imagine how they have such a long reach, and they’ll put anything in their mouth. Molly was a cross between an octopus and a Dustbuster. It makes you wonder how you’ll get through a whole day, let alone 18 years. She sees Molly’s face – which is a mix of horrified, panicked, and exhausted already – and says, on the other hand, it’s the best thing that could ever happen to you.

TJ says he knows something went down after he and Molly left the reception. He’s not asking Curtis for details. He just wants to know if there’s anything he can do. Curtis says he appreciates the offer. Right now, he just wants to focus on anything else. Like TJ. How are he and Molly? TJ says, actually, it’s crazy. He and Molly are talking about having a baby. Any thoughts on fatherhood?

Portia says, the reason she’s been burying herself in her work and avoiding Marshall is, she didn’t want to have this conversation. Now she’s thankful they had it. She thought she’d ruined everything. Not just between her and Curtis, but between her and Marshall as well. And now he’s saying he doesn’t hate her for what she’s done. It gives her hope. He says he could never hate her, not after everything she’s done for him. He wouldn’t have questioned his schizophrenia diagnosis if it wasn’t for her. That’s why he wanted to see her before he got his test results from the geneticist; to say thank you.

Nina can’t imagine how Willow must be feeling, and Willow says she doesn’t have a lot of energy, or an appetite. She has difficulty concentrating. Also – this is going to sound really shallow – her nails are really brittle. She always prefers it when they look nice. Nina asks to see, and Willow shows Nina her hand. Nina says, not long ago, Crimson did a feature on nail art, and a nail artist gave her a nail strengthening recommendation. She digs in her bag, and pulls out a bottle, saying, she’s been using it all the time. She hands it to Willow, who thanks her.

Michael says, if Sonny was on to Dex, he’d be dead, but Dex says, something’s changed. When Sonny agreed to the Pikeman deal, he said he wanted Dex involved, and last night he got an update and shut Dex out. He went into his office with one of his guys and shut the door. Michael says, that doesn’t mean he’s pushing Dex out, but Dex says, if Sonny trusted him, he would have been there. And this shipment is still Michael’s best chance of busting Sonny.

Olivia says she hates to break it to Sonny, but there’s absolutely nothing he can do for Michael and Willow right now. He says he knows that, but this distance is killing him, and she says, then go do something about it.

Mason peeks in from behind a door, and Ava tells Austin, if she lets Sonny know what she did and why, he’ll take care of things and make sure Avery doesn’t lose her mother. Austin says he thinks she’s making a huge mistake, and she asks what he wants her to do. Sit around and wait; do nothing. Mason pops out, and says, Austin’s ladyfriend has a point. If she’s begging Sonny Corinthos for help, they both must be in big trouble.

Drew says, if he leaves ELQ, Ned has no reason to turn them in. So if no one else finds out when their relationship actually started, they should be in the clear. She says, what about Michael? He has some serious differences with Ned about ELQ. Drew says, Michael has something more important on his mind than business. The people they care about, the people they love, that’s way more important. That’s become crystal clear to him. She says, that’s sweet, but she can’t let him do this.

Alexis says, Molly and TJ would make wonderful parents. They’re healthy, they’re smart, they’re successful, they have a great support system. Molly asks, what about work? and Alexis says she raised two babies while working as a lawyer and as a single mom. She thinks Molly can manage. Molly says, TJ works insane hours, and Alexis tells her, she didn’t say it was going to be easy. They’ll make it work. She thinks Molly would love being a mom. She did… she does. Are she and TJ on the same page about having a kid? Molly looks over at TJ.

Curtis says, sorry. TJ could ask him about literally anything else. TJ says he’s sorry; he didn’t realize. They thought Molly might be pregnant, but she’s not. He’s never had the feeling before, but having a baby with Molly would be amazing. Curtis says, that’s great news, but TJ says he’s not so sure. Molly’s freaked out. She has a five-year plan, and this isn’t in it. The last thing he wants to do is push her to have a baby if she doesn’t want to, and if she thinks he does, she won’t want to disappoint him. Maybe he should keep his feelings to himself.

Portia asks how Marshall is feeling about all of this, and he says, not only does he not know what to expect, he doesn’t know what to hope for. That he has schizophrenia, and he can congratulate himself for managing it so well for so long, or… Portia says, absolutely. Schizophrenia is a very difficult disease to manage, and he says, on the other hand, what if he’s healthy? Everything he gave up; his wife, his boys, a life with his family. All of his sacrifice; all for nothing. She says, he thought he was a threat to his family, and wanted to protect them. He’s wasted nothing. Now he just has to move forward. He says, but how does he move forward?

Willow tells Nina, aside from the state of her nails and her need to take a lot of naps, she’s better than okay. Michael is taking excellent care of her. Nina says she sees how much Michael loves Willow, and she’s glad they have each other. She’s thankful that Willow chose to tell her all of this, but Willow says, to be honest, she didn’t want to. Nina’s Aunt Liesl asked her to.

Michael asks how Sonny’s attitude been toward Dex overall, and Dex tells him that he would have said good. Michael asks, why? and Dex says he was waiting for Sonny at Pizzulo’s, and didn’t have anything to do. He started poking around the kitchen, and found this recipe for chicken piccata, so he decided to make it. When Sonny got there, he asked if Sonny wanted some, and he did, so they had dinner together. They talked; nothing about business. Sonny told him about who he’d gotten the recipe from; Gloria Cerullo. Michael says, forget about the Pikeman update. If Sonny is talking about his past, Dex has nothing to worry about.

Austin tells Mason, this is not a good time, but Ava says, Mason never shows up without a good reason. She doesn’t know what Mason thinks he’s heard… Mason asks if Austin wants to enlighten the lady, and Austin says, Mason has some concerns, but Mason says he’s not concerned. He’s not even bothered. Like he was telling Austin, Windymere has some very impressive stables. He can see no expense was spared for the horses. Something about being around animals is calming to a person. Particularly when that animal is left behind to rot.

Olivia says, always a pleasure, and Sonny says he’s got one more thing, and yes, it’s about Nina. Olivia sighs loudly, and Sonny says, just be nice to her. This whole thing with Willow is tearing her apart. She’s running Crimson, and trying to prove herself at the MetroCourt. Olivia says, fine. She’ll be nicer to Nina, but her first loyalty is to Carly, and it always will be. He says he wouldn’t expect anything less, and she says, not for nothing, Carly seems pretty happy these days. Sonny says he’s noticed, and she says, noticed what exactly?

Portia says, Marshall’s not alone. She’s going to be there for him. And she knows Curtis wants to be there for him. Curtis is going to Marshall’s appointment with him, isn’t he? Marshall says he thought he’d wait until he got the results. He doesn’t want to bother anyone; not now. She says, she and Curtis aren’t in the best of positions right now, but she knows he’d want to be there for his dad. He says he never thought he’d hear those words, but he’s hearing them in no small part now because of her. She says, Marshall and Curtis definitely started building that bridge themselves. She has to see some patients, but why doesn’t he stay there, make a phone call, and have some privacy? She leaves, and he takes out his phone, putting it on the arm of the chair and looking at it.

Molly tells Alexis that she and TJ have talked about having kids somewhere down the line, but sooner than that, she doesn’t know what he thinks. Alexis says, maybe that’s a conversation they should have, and Molly says, they’re trying to. Alexis says, that’s her cue to leave. She knows how Molly likes to plan things, but from one planner to another, plan to have her mind changed. Molly says, that’s good advice, and Alexis says, when you think you’re the smartest person in the room, you tend not to listen to your partner… or in her case, a friend.

Curtis’s phone rings, and he says, it’s TJ’s granddad. He says, hey pop, what’s up? and Marshall says he knows Curtis is busy, but he’d appreciate it if Curtis was here.

Michael says, he told Dex before that Sonny wants to be a mentor, a father figure. Making that dinner gave him that opportunity. Dex says, that’s not why he did it. He genuinely wanted to try the recipe. Michael says, it was spur of the moment; that’s why it worked. Sonny hasn’t lasted this long by being stupid or naïve. If Dex had forced it, Sonny would have noticed. So just keep doing what he’s doing. He’s closer than he thinks. Dex says, what about Pikeman? and Michael says, don’t push it. That will only make him suspicious. Let Sonny choose to trust him. He has to get back downstairs to Willow. Dex says he hopes she feels better, and Michael says, they’re working on it, and leaves.

Willow says, Aunt Liesl wanted her to give Nina a chance, and Nina says, Aunt Liesl didn’t… and Willow says, threaten to withhold her bone marrow if she didn’t make an effort with Nina? No. Nina breathes a sigh of relief, and Willow says, Liesl just explained how much her heath matters to Nina, and she wanted to respect that. Nina says, it does matter. More than she can say. Michael comes back, and asks if Willow is ready to go home. Willow says, sounds like heaven, and Nina says she has to get back to the hotel. It’s convention season. Michael says, they won’t keep her, like they just did lunch, and Nina presses the elevator button. After an awkward five seconds, Nina thanks Willow, and leaves, presumably choosing to take the stairs.

Mason asks if they’re having fun yet. He’s having fun. He thinks the three of them should socialize more together. How are they going to stay in contact?… He snaps his fingers, and says, they’ll exchange numbers. He asks to see Ava’s phone, and she suggests he just tell her the number and she’ll add him to her contacts, but he says, no. He wouldn’t want her to get the number wrong. He holds out his hand, but she says, Austin can give him her number, and he can text her. He says he’d rather take care of it here and now, and she says, fine, handing him her phone.

Sonny says, he and Olivia both know Carly and Drew have been spending time together. It’s too bad they have to be so discreet. She asks how he’d know about that.

Carly says, it’s too much. She can’t let Drew give up on ELQ because of her. He says his first priority is to protect them from the SEC, but giving Ned control of ELQ is a good strategy. She says, he has to work on that romance thing, and he says, she wants romance? He’ll do anything to prove his devotion. He’ll even do the dishes. He’ll clear the dishes right here. She says, he doesn’t have to, and he swipes all the dishes off the kitchen island. Luckily, they’re all plastic, and the moss bowl 🎍 wasn’t there. He kisses her, picks her up, and puts her on the counter.

Mason says he’s in Ava’s contacts, and he texted himself, so she has his number and he has hers. That way, when he calls, she’ll answer. He tells them to have a good evening, and leaves.

Marshall thanks Portia for letting him use her office, and for everything else. She says, their conversation was helpful to her, and she appreciates him letting her talk things out. She hopes his test results are everything he wants them to be. He tips his hat to her, and walks off, but she calls to him. She asks if he thinks there’s any hope for her and Curtis, and Curtis walks out of the elevator.

On the phone, Alexis leaves a message for Gregory, saying, she doesn’t like how they left things. Can they talk?

TJ tells Molly, having a baby is a big decision – the biggest – so he thinks they should sit down and talk about how they feel. Go over their finances… She says she wants to have a baby, and he says, him too.

In the elevator, Michael asks how it went with Nina, and Willow says, surprisingly well. She told Nina that the kids were off-limits, and she agreed. The questions she did ask were appropriate, and Willow got the sense Nina really heard her answers. He says he’s glad it went well, and she says, it did, but she’s not forgetting who Nina is, or what she’s done to their family.

Magically having teleported to Carly’s bed, Drew and Carly kiss. He says, soon, he’ll be able to spend any night she wants, and she tells him to be careful; she might take him up on that. He says, in the meantime, there is something she could do for him, and she says, anything. He says he’d really love a brownie… with a glass of milk. Oh yeah? Did anybody clean up that mess in the kitchen?

Sonny tells Olivia that he knows why Carly and Drew have to stay quiet. If certain people find out how long they’ve been together or what they’ve discussed, they’ll have to deal with the consequences. She says, only because her husband threatened to sic the SEC on them. Nina walks in, and Olivia says, how’s that for romantic? She pats Sonny on the shoulder and leaves, and Nina stares at the back of Sonny’s head.

Tomorrow, Portia asks if Trina has something to say to her; Victor thinks he feels better already; Elizabeth asks if someone thinks they can ever forgive her; and Esme says she’s done listening to someone’s lies.

Real Housewives of New Jersey

Danielle practiced with Valentina for her birthday party entrance. In her interview, she said, it was going to be a full-on production. When she throws a party, she throws a party. It’s what her babies will remember. Nate said, she wanted their kids to have her personality. Was she happy now? She’d invited Jennifer and Rachel, but they’d gotten into it at Teresa’s housewarming, and she hoped they didn’t get into it at Valentina’s party or she’d go off.

Rachel’s family came over, and in her interview, she talked about being a guidette back in the day. She said that her mother is a typical Jewish mother, and her type A personality and Italian attitude come from her father. Her grandmother doesn’t give a single sh*t, and uses the excuse that she’s old and can say whatever she wants. Rachel’s mom asked about Teresa’s housewarming, and Rachel told her about Jennifer calling her a f***ing idiot.

Melissa gave Antonia a driving lesson, and said, please don’t hit any humans. I guess squirrels, street signs, etc. are okay? When Melissa asked her to pull into a drive-through for coffee, Antonia made Melissa take the wheel. In Melissa’s interview, she said, she and Antonia had turned a corner. Antonia still gave her side-eye when she could, but it seemed more copacetic. Maybe because she wanted a car. Melissa told her, whatever went on between her father and Teresa had nothing to do with Antonia, and in Melissa’s interview, she said, she and Joe #2 had always vowed to never involve the kids. Antonia told her, the kids stay out of their stuff, and Melissa said, if you have no family you have nothing. Family is everything.

5 weeks to the wedding. Teresa, Gia, and Milania went to the city where Teresa tried on wedding dresses and veils. Apparently, these were fake wedding dresses by the same designer, since the real dress was being kept secret. In Teresa’s interview, she said, the theme of her first wedding was Shakespeare in Love, which I shocked the hell out of me, since I can’t imagine Teresa even knows who Shakespeare is. She said she’d been stressed putting everything together, but this time she was using a wedding planner, and it was so much easier. Well, duh. Designer Mark Zunino was there because Teresa wanted her veil to be special. She explained about wanting something about her parents incorporated into it, and got all teary, even though she just gave a slap in the face to her parents’ dear friends by not inviting them to the wedding. In her interview, she said, Milania took it the hardest when Joe #1 left – we flashed back to that – but now Milania was thriving. She asked the girls if Melissa had talked to them, but they said it was no more than hi and bye. In Gia’s interview, she said, they were at Melissa’s and Joe #2’s shore house all the time last year. Milania said, Joe #2 should be walking Teresa down the aisle, and Gia said Teresa was two seconds from asking him, and now it was questionable whether he was coming to the wedding. Milania said, if he didn’t, it was over.

Jennifer met Melissa for lunch, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said she and Melissa were finally good. She was excited to maybe start a friendship. We flashed back to Jennifer throwing things at Melissa. They talked babies, and Jennifer said, it was like Bill was her boss. She took care of the kids, and if something went wrong, it was her fault. She whined that Marge always had an issue with her, and Melissa admitted that Marge didn’t give Jennifer a pass like she did other people. Jennifer said, there was a pattern of Marge losing friends. She asked if Marge hadn’t encouraged Melissa to leave Joe #2, and in Melissa’s interview, she said, it was at a time when she and Joe were going through something, and we flashed back to them arguing. Melissa said, it was just a girlfriend trying flatter her, but Jennifer told her to be careful. Marge can be dangerous. Please.

Jen was having the women over for a comfortable brunch where she was serving southern comfort food. In her interview, she said she wasn’t domestic, but every party with these women seemed to be filled with venom. She hoped to get them to understand that parties were about eating, drinking, and laughing; not women looking for blood. She’d liked Jennifer before Jennifer called and trashed her friend, but since Jennifer hadn’t slept with her husband, Jen was willing to give her another chance. The women started to arrive, and Melissa said, Jennifer had told her to watch her back with Marge. Marge said, Jennifer always twisted the things she said, and in Marge’s interview, she said, Jennifer was pathetic, obsessed, and embarrassing. They ate outside, which was probably wise, just in case things got thrown. Marge said Danielle wasn’t like her Instagram, and Melissa said, Danielle’s Instagram was extra. She thought it was one reason Danielle and her brother didn’t talk. Jackie showed up, and I thought, she might as well be a Housewife this season, since she’s getting as much screen time. Danielle explained that she and her brother hadn’t talked in two years. She’d blocked him on social media after he made fun of her, and he kicked her out of his wedding, Marge said, that was hardcore, but in Rachel’s interview, she said, it seemed sketchy that something so miniscule ripped the family apart. Danielle said, it was painful, but at a certain point, you had to block your heart. Melissa asked what terms Dolores was on with Jennifer, and Dolores said she didn’t know; she just wanted peace. Marge said, nothing was ever put to bed with Jennifer. She was a f***ing a-hole.

Jennifer arrived, and a hush fell over the group. Jen thanked everyone for coming, and they all clinked glasses. The topic of Jennifer’s house came up, and she said she didn’t brag; she just explained. She stated facts. Everyone received those facts differently, depending on if they liked her or not. Marge asked why Jennifer was trying to change people’s opinions of her. She’d told Melissa to watch her back. Why was Jennifer trash talking her? Jennifer said, that was her experience and she could talk about what she wanted. Marge said she thought she and Jennifer had moved forward, but it seemed they couldn’t. Jennifer insisted she was just giving the history, since history and facts are her new buzzwords. They began raising their voices, and in Rachel’s interview, she said she wasn’t understanding how it gets to this point. Grown-ass women were screaming like children over something stupid, Marge told Jennifer that you don’t win friendships by turning one friend against another, and Jennifer said she had a family; Marge would never know what that was like. Marge said she had a good marriage, and Jennifer would never know what that was like. In Melissa’s interview, she said, as many times as she’d seen them fight – we flashed back to several of them – she’s shook at what they’re saying. Jen finally got up, and yelled for them to stop.

It didn’t matter. Jennifer kept going, and Jen said, it’s not Teresa’s house; she has neighbors. They still continued on, now calling each other stupid, and in Danielle’s interview, she said, both of them were throwing dirty laundry in each other’s faces. She wasn’t telling these bitches nothing. There was a lot of no, you stuff, and Marge called Jennifer a disheveled drug addict. In Jen’s interview, she said she’d rather see them punch each other in the face. You know a party’s not fun if even she hasn’t eaten the fried chicken. Jen went inside, and Marge tried to leave, but Jen blocked her, saying, she wasn’t going anywhere. She told Marge to sit her ass down, and asked Jennifer to leave. They weren’t doing this. Teresa said, if Jennifer was going, she was going to leave too, which was no great loss. In front of the house, Jennifer told Teresa that Marge was jealous, and in her interview, she said it bothered Marge that she was living the f***ing dream. She doesn’t run at the first glimpse of unhappiness. Oh yeah, she definitely seems like she’s living the f***ing dream, gathering history and facts, and screaming the sh*t out of people with them. Marge said that Jennifer was a sick f***ing a-hole, and Jen said it was nice having everyone over, but they could leave now.  

Valentina’s birthday was over-the-top as promised. On the scale of a wedding reception, the theme seemed to be Barbiecore, with everything pink, as well as a real live Barbie, although a lot of the kids seemed too little to know what was going on. In Danielle’s interview, she said, there was nothing better than to be able to do for her kids. She thought she nailed it. Rachel told Danielle that the argument at Jen’s lunch was hard to watch, and Danielle said she liked Jennifer and Marge individually. She asked where she stood, and Rachel said she was annoyed when Jennifer screamed in her face that she was a f***ing idiot. They got off to a sh*tty start. Jennifer asked Rachel if she wanted to talk, and Rachel said she didn’t appreciate being called a f***ing idiot. Jennifer spent so much time talking about owning it, I don’t even know if she actually apologized. She told Rachel that when she talked about history, it didn’t mean she was still mad. The facts might be negative, but she wasn’t. In Rachel’s interview, she said, in Jennifer’s mind, Jennifer makes sense, but in Rachel’s mind, nothing makes sense. Jennifer said she was doing what she needed to in order to move forward. Valentina made her entrance, escorted by her brother, and did a cartwheel. Jennifer wailed to Louie that Marge was always coming for her and spitting out venom. Marijuana is not drugs. Um… She complained to Rachel about Marge telling Melissa to leave Joe, and Teresa said, she’d rather keep Marge as a friend than as an enemy. In Teresa’s interview, she said, they’d made up, but their history was no secret. Rachel said she had a mind of her own, and Teresa suggested she do her homework and pay attention.  

This is one of the reasons I think this franchise is over. They’re still rehashing fights from seasons ago. They need some new material. Or maybe, how about less screaming at each other and more fun stuff?

Next time, Teresa tells her therapist that Joe #2’s temper is out of control; Teresa’s therapist says, moving on is Teresa’s only option; Rachel tells Melissa what Jennifer said about Marge; the charity softball game happens; and Frank misses his and Dolores’s friendship.

👩‍👩‍👧‍👧 Celebrating Women Of All Nations…

Take a break with me tomorrow for soap and what’s up with the servers, ex-servers, and servers-to-be at SUR. After which, LVP will be on Watch What Happens Live. Until then, stay safe, stay remembering to spring ahead this weekend, and stay not always trusting the instinct to protect your loved ones from harm.

February 28, 2023 – The Police Descend On Spoon Island, Teresa’s Love Bubble Housewarming & Wake

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis apologizes to Trina for showing up unannounced, but he hasn’t seen her since the reception. She asks why he would; there’s nothing to say. He says he doesn’t think so. It’s not every day he finds out he might be a father, and it’s not every day she finds out she might have a father she never knew.

Jordan gives Dante a signed warrant that gives the PCPD the right to search every inch of Spoon Island. Dante says, if Nikolas is there, they’re going to find him, and Jordan says, and with Elizabeth’s testimony, he’ll be going away to prison for a very long time.

Scotty asks why Elizabeth isn’t smiling. They got a really good deal. She asks, what’s going to happen to Nikolas? and Scotty says, he’ll be charged with a boatload of crimes. She says, because she incriminated him, and Scotty asks if she’d rather Nikolas incriminate her. All she did was tell the truth. Nikolas sucked her in to this whole Esme thing; he thought she was the killer. When he found out she wasn’t, they were in over their heads, and he got the DA to make the deal for immunity. She didn’t know Esme was the killer for a long time. She says, tell that to the woman he loves – Britt’s mom.

At the hospital, Obrecht tells Finn that she can’t imagine what’s keeping Scotty. He looks away, and she asks what he knows that she doesn’t.

On the phone, Nina says, her daughter needs a bone marrow transplant, and all people have to do to help is register to be a donor. With Crimson’s demographics, they can reach under 35 year olds, people with more stem cells to offer. They need to launch an appeal. Every second counts.

Willow films herself, and says, by the time Michael sees this, their wedding will be just a memory. She hopes he doesn’t just remember the tears, but the flowers, the music, and the dancing. She hopes the photographer takes lots of pictures, and a video that he can show to Amelia when she’s old enough to understand how very much Willow loved her daddy. Michael comes downstairs, and asks what she’s doing.

Austin and Ava go into Windymere, and Austin says, it’s a little weird. She says, which part? and he says, the part where Heather sticks him with a hook and he falls to the floor, and there was this moment where he thought about all the things he didn’t get to do in his life. She says she’s glad she was able to stop the bleeding, and he says, him too. And he was glad she got to go after Ryan Chamberlain. She says, Mac fired the fatal shot. It’s ironic. If she’d killed Ryan, it would have been self-defense. Meanwhile, she has no defense at all for killing Nikolas. He says, it’s possible at this point, Elizabeth has given the cops a full statement, and she says, the cops are going to be here soon, looking for evidence to corroborate her story. He says, they’re going to be looking for corroborative evidence in the north tower, but she says, they’re going to be looking for Nikolas, which puts the whole island at play. He knows what they have to do.

Trina invites Curtis in, and he says, they have a lot to talk about, but she says, not really. Her mom lied to all of them. He says he’s not here to talk about her mom. He’s here to talk about them, and where they go from here.

Willow says she was just thinking about their wedding, and asks if Michael is getting cold feet, but he says, never. He wants it to be everything she ever dreamed of, and she says, as long as he’s beside her when they say I do, it will be. Wiley comes down, and says he was going to kiss his baby sister, but she spit up on him. Willow says, babies will do that, but she’s counting on him to look out for his baby sister; big brothers are important. Michael says, it’s time for Wiley to go to his playroom, and Wiley says he almost forgot. He found something. The half-heart necklace dangles from his hand.

Nina asks, what’s going on? and Obrecht says, that’s what she’s trying to find out. It seems Dr. Finn is keeping secrets. Nina says, about what? and Finn says, it’s hardly a secret. Scotty’s not here because he’s with a client. Obrecht says, of course (🍷). Scotty said something about helping Elizabeth with a legal matter. Nina wonders if Elizabeth is in trouble, but Obrecht says, it’s probably something mundane, like a parking ticket, while that maniac Heather Webber gets away with murder. Finn says, not exactly; she’s been returned to D’Archam. Obrecht says, to live out her days in a padded cell, when the police wasted precious time looking for Esme, and Heather was the killer all along. Finn says, a lot of people thought Esme was the killer. No one could have known otherwise. Obrecht says, someone must have known the killer wasn’t Esme and looked the other way, and because of them, her Britta is no more.

Elizabeth doesn’t know how she’ll ever face Obrecht again, and Scotty says, she’ll be very upset, but if he can convince the DA’s office, he can reason with Liesl. She wonders how you reason with someone who’s lost a child, and he says, when Peter August killed Franco, that’s a different story. What she and Nikolas did with Esme… that’s different. Elizabeth wonders why she didn’t come forward sooner, and he says, because she truly believed Esme was The Hook killer. It wasn’t until that rookie cop was killed that she knew it was someone else. She asks if he really thinks that will make a difference to Obrecht.

Dante tells Jordan, the search team is assembled, and the Coast Guard is going to take them to Spoon Island. Jordan says she’s going to GH to talk to Austin. She’s curious what he was doing at Windymere when all hell broke loose. He asks if she thinks Austin knows something about Nikolas, and she says, it’s worth a shot. He tells her, good luck with that, she says, back atcha, and leaves. Dante takes his gun out of his desk.

Trina says she has an exam to prep for, and her slide show for the post-Impressionist report on Friday, and Curtis says he gets it. When the whole world blows up, it’s nice to have work to focus on. (Agreed.) The other night, when he and her mother were going through it, he went straight to The Savoy, the one place he knew he was on solid ground and there was an endless supply of liquor. She asks if it helped, but he says, not exactly. All he wanted was a glass and a bottle to drown his woes, but fortunately N’neka knew it was a bad sign, and called his father. Marshall beelined it down to The Savoy, and gave him hell. Marshall reminded him booze is never the answer. Trina asks, what happened then? and he says, they talked about what he wanted to forget. He let Marshall know that Portia lied to them for twenty years, but he’s here to talk about him and Trina, and where they go from here.

At the hospital, Jordan walks out of the elevator and down the hall, and comes face-to-face with Portia.

Wiley asks if he did something wrong, but Willow says, not at all. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Sasha, who says she came to offer her help, and Michael takes Wiley upstairs to check on his sister. Sasha asks what she can do, and Willow says, she can start by getting rid of this necklace.

Nina suggests they go somewhere private, but Obrecht says, all she wants is the key to Heather’s padded cell. That, and five minutes alone with whoever hid Esme all that time. Finn asks what makes her think someone was hiding her, and she says, Esme was pregnant. She doesn’t think Esme is resourceful enough to manage on her own. Someone must have helped her. Nina suggests they go sit down, and leads Obrecht away. Finn calls Scotty, and asks if it’s over. How’s Elizabeth? Scotty and Elizabeth walk in, and Scotty tells him to turn around and see for himself. He did well. Finn is looking at an innocent woman. Elizabeth says, not guilty, but that doesn’t make her innocent.

Austin says, Ava does have options. She’s a wealthy woman. She could go anywhere in the world, and no one would ever find her. She says, if she were to run now, she’d have to run without her child. Ryan Chamberlain has already taken one daughter from her. She’ll die before she loses another. He says, it would probably make him really sad if she was dead, so whatever she’s got going on, count him in. She says, Nikolas is dead because of her. She won’t fault Austin if he goes back to GH, and forgets he was ever here. There’s a knock at the door (because this humongous house doesn’t have a doorbell), and Dante says, it’s the PCPD. Ava looks at Austin.

Curtis says he was a witness to the horrible year Trina had last year. Being accused of a crime she didn’t commit and it’s subsequent trial. Rory’s death, and the fear of knowing The Hook killer was targeting people she’s close to. But through it all, she had her family – her mom and her dad. Right now, it probably feels like her family is up for grabs. She’d only be human to resent his presence in her life. She says she doesn’t resent him. He’s always been wonderful to her. He might have been a little pushy at times, but that’s before they established boundaries. He says, those boundaries have a really big hole in them right now, and it’s only going to get wider until they answer one big question once and for all. She asks if he’s saying they need to see what their DNA says about them.

Portia says, if Jordan is there to see Austin, she just missed him. He checked himself out. Jordan asks if she approved that, but Portia says, absolutely not, but he’s a doctor, and they say we make the worst patients. Jordan says, since she’s here, she’ll pay a visit to Esme and see if giving birth jogged her memory. Portia asks if Esme can wait, and Jordan says, sure. Why? Portia says, Austin’s room is empty and they can talk in there without being disturbed. She thinks they need to have a conversation.

Sasha tells Willow, just to make it clear, she didn’t come here to lobby for Nina. She’s on Willow’s and Michael’s side because she understands two things can be true at the same time. (They love that one, so… 🍷) Nina’s been very good to her, but she’s aware that hasn’t been the case for everyone. Willow thanks her for understanding. So many people think they need to choose sides, and it’s just not necessary. She doesn’t want to waste the time she has thinking about Nina. She and Michael want to make this wedding as joyful and perfect for everyone, and she’s going to need all the help she can get. Sasha says, she’s got it, but she needs Willow to stop talking about the time she has left. Miracles can still happen. Willow says she’s not being a pessimist, just realistic. She’s run out of options. Sasha says, it’s so unfair. Willow has so much to live for, and so many people who need her. Willow tells her, nobody said life was fair; Sasha knows that better than anyone. Sasha says she went to visit Heather Webber at the PCPD, and Willow says, no, but Sasha says, it’s a good thing. She’s glad she did it. She got to put a face to Brando’s murderer, and it gave her a chance to release all the pent-up anger she’s been keeping it check. It also made her realize, when Liam died, she thought there could be nothing worse than death, but she was wrong. She loved Liam and loved Brando, and she loves Willow. She realized if someone goes through life without experiencing love and never having anything to lose, that would be the worst thing that could happen.

Nina says she understands Obrecht’s pain; she misses Britt too. But even if Obrecht could prove someone knew Esme wasn’t the killer, it’s not going to bring Britt back. Obrecht says, no, but it would give her great pleasure to give that person pain. She asks if her honesty upsets Nina, and Nina says, no; she’s used to it. Crimson is going to do a campaign for stem cell donors. She’s not fooling herself. She understands it might be too late, but if they can save other lives… Obrecht says, it might not be too late. She knows a possible donor. Nina says, who?

Finn says, Liesl was asking about Scotty. She’s here. Scotty thanks him for the heads up, and tells Elizabeth, if she needs anything, call him. He leaves to look for Obrecht, and Finn asks if Elizabeth is okay. She asks if he means, can she live with herself after throwing a lifelong friend under the bus, but Finn says he doesn’t know what kind of friend Nikolas is. He ran off and left her holding the ball. She says she may not be guilty of holding Esme hostage, but she fully enabled Nikolas. Finn says, but she took responsibility. What would Nik have done to Esme and the baby if she’d just walked away?

Ava hands the warrant back to Dante, and says, everything seems to be in order. He sends some officers to comb the main house, and others to comb the outlying buildings. Ava asks if this is really necessary. Heather’s in custody, and Ryan’s in the morgue. He says, it has nothing to do with what happened here last night. They got testimony that Esme Prince was being held here against her will after Ava moved out. So they can’t go anywhere until the find some proof, or at least a clue where Nikolas is hiding.

Trina says, she and Curtis will have to agree to disagree. She doesn’t need a DNA test. She already knows all she needs to know about her family; the good and the bad. He says he knows how she feels. When Marshall came back into his life, he shut the door in Marshall’s face. After 40 years, the last thing he needed was some dude coming into his life claiming to be his father. All those years without him, Curtis learned to be strong, almost unbreakable. Then he realized, who was he kidding? A piece of him was missing. He didn’t even realize it until he looked Marshall in the face and saw a part of him looking back. Trina says she’s glad for him and Marshall, but it’s not the same thing for her. He grew up without a dad; she grew up with a dad. A dad who was always there for her. He says he understands all of that. He bets she thinks even asking the question of asking who her biological father is, is betraying Taggert.

Portia tells Jordan, this isn’t easy for her to say, but there’s something Jordan needs to know. Jordan says, before Portia tells her anything, full disclosure. Curtis came to her earlier, and told her what happened at their wedding reception. Portia says, Jordan tried to warn her, and she wants Jordan to know she was right. She kept telling herself that she was trying to protect her daughter – protect her whole family – but in reality, the only one she was protecting was herself. She didn’t want to face the fact that Dr. Portia Robinson, at the top of her profession and respected by her peers, loved by the people who matter the most, is so very far from perfect. In fact, she’s a coward. Jordan says, that’s simply not true.

Michael says, Wiley decided to take a nap, and Willow suggests they take advantage of the quiet. Sasha says, they’re trying to decide between orchids and roses, and he says, why not both? Sasha says, that’s why he’s a CEO, and he says, he’s also a dad. Not that Amelia seems to care. Willow asks if their daughter is giving him a hard time, and he says, it’s that damn mobile above her bed. She’s fascinated with it and can’t stop staring at it. Sasha suggests removing it, but he says, she’ll just start crying, and Willow says, it sounds like she needs a dose of her mommy. She goes upstairs, and Michael tells Sasha not to let Willow limit herself. He wants the wedding to be everything she wants. Sasha says, it’s his wedding too; what does he want? He says he wants what he can’t have – more time.

Obrecht says, if Nina is looking for a donor, look no further, and Nina asks if she’s a match. Obrecht says she doesn’t want them to get ahead of themselves, but she’s been swabbed and had the bloodwork done, and she’s still waiting to hear if she’s a match. That’s why she’s here today. Nina thanks her, and they hug. Nina says, when she found out she wasn’t a match, she was so disappointed. She thought that’s why the universe threw her and Willow together; so she could help save Willow’s life. She felt so helpless. Obrecht says, that’s one of the reasons she volunteered, and Scotty joins them, asking Obrecht to tell Nina the other reason. Obrecht says, if it turns out that she’s a match and can save Willow’s life when Carly’s silence almost killed her, that will be sweet revenge. Scotty says, that’s my girl.

Ava says, that explains why Nikolas vanished into thin air. If he sensed Elizabeth was going to confess, she couldn’t do it without implicating him. He must have felt the walls were closing in and just run. Austin says he’s so sorry. It must be agonizing realizing the man she thought she knew inside and out was keeping that poor pregnant girl prisoner. She tells him, let’s not go overboard; Esme is no saint. But no one deserves to be locked in a tower. Dante asks, who said anything about a tower? and Ava says she just remembered that for the last few months, Nikolas said the north tower was off-limits, even to the staff, so it makes sense. Where else could he have been hiding Esme? Dante says, they checked the tower once already. It had been painted and cleaned, and it looked like Nikolas was trying to cover his tracks. His phone rings, and he tells them, don’t touch anything; he’ll be right there. Ava asks if something was found, but he says he doesn’t know yet, and leaves.

Trina tells Curtis that she’s not trying to be selfish. She’s sure it’s complicated for everyone and her dad has some questions of his own. Is it fair to him, wondering if or when the truth will eventually come out? Or say there’s some random medical emergency? Curtis says, is it fair to Taggert? and Trina says, the only thing that matters to her is, she loves her dad, and knows her dad loves her. He says he doesn’t want that to change. If there’s one thing this family has learned… Trina says she knows the end of the sentence; it’s the not knowing that will cause the real damage. He says he’s not going to lie. He wants to know the real truth, but he’s not going to push. It’s her call. So what does she want to do?

Portia says, Jordan has been warning her to come clean to Curtis for months, and now Jordan is defending her? Jordan tells her, she’s just saying Portia isn’t a coward. She had valid reasons for keeping her secret. She was protecting herself, but also protecting Trina and Taggert, even Curtis in a way. Portia’s a good person who puts her family first. Portia says, even though she chose to ignore Jordan’s warnings, but Jordan says, Portia had reasons to doubt her motives. She might have done the same in Portia’s place, but believe it or not, she was trying to spare Portia the kind of pain she’s dealing with now. Portia says she knows that, but what she doesn’t know is if there’s anything she can do to make the situation better.

Sasha says, if she could give Michael more time with Willow, she would do it in a heartbeat. She knows how he feels. Not a day goes by when she doesn’t wish she could hold Liam in her arms again, or get a glimpse of Brando and that epic smile when he’s changing a tire in his garage. Michael says he’s sorry for not checking in with her more often, but she says, don’t be. They all suffer their burdens, and most days she manages to put one foot in front of the other. It’s almost like she’s dancing with Brando. He says, Willow wants him to dance with her at the wedding, and she says, then that’s what he has to do. He says, even if it’s their last dance? when Willow comes back, saying, mission accomplished. Amelia’s asleep… What did she miss?

Nina wants to check with Terry and see if they can’t put a rush on the results, but Obrecht says, Terry knows she’s here. While they’re waiting, she suggests Scotty distract them with Elizabeth’s legal troubles, but he says, it’s no big deal really. The cops are questioning anybody and everybody about the whereabouts of Nikolas. Obrecht asks what angelic Elizabeth can tell the police about Nikolas’s nefarious dealings, and he says, they’re old friends… at least before. Obrecht says, before what? and Nina says, they have more important things to worry about, like the test results. Obrecht says she’s as anxious as Nina, and asks why Scotty won’t look at her. What legal trouble did he handle for Elizabeth?

Elizabeth tells Finn, of course (🍷) she’s grateful that Scotty cut a deal for her. She’s not going to prison and she’s not going to derail her boys’ lives. He asks what she’s worried about, and she says, the police can’t sit on the story forever, and when it comes out… He says, she’ll deal with it. The one positive that’s come out of this is how she’s handled the whole ordeal. There might have been a time she needed to lean on someone, but he didn’t do her justice.

Ava tells Austin, maybe she should take Avery and run. They practically gave her a medal for her part in taking Ryan down. When they find out what happened to Nikolas, they’ll reinstate the death penalty because Victor will make sure she’s dead. Her phone rings, and it’s Dante. He asks if she and the doctor could join him down here. She says, certainly, and asks where he is. He says, the tack room, and she looks at Austin. A lot of that going around today.

Trina says she loves her dad, and she’s come to love Curtis too; it’s just different. He says, okay. If she decides to take the test down the road, let him know. He opens the door, and she says she just wants to make one thing clear. No matter what the test says… He says, Taggert will always be her father, she nods, and he leaves.

Portia says she’s dreaded having this talk, but now that she and Jordan have had it… you know. Jordan says she feels the same. Don’t lose hope. The lies that cost Jordan her marriage, was her choosing to put her job before her family. Portia chose family over everything, and one day, Curtis and Trina will see that. She leaves.

Sasha says, Michael was just telling her that he didn’t want to step on Willow’s toes at the reception, so she told him to stop making excuses and take some dancing lessons. Willow says, so Sasha went for some tough love, and Sasha says, the best kind. She needs to get started on the arrangements they discussed. Michael thanks her, and she tells him, you take care of Willow, and I’ll take care of everything else. Michael fusses over Willow, and Sasha watches them for a moment. She looks at the necklace in her hand, and leaves.

Scotty says, Nina’s right. They should concern themselves with the test results. Obrecht says, agreed, but why does she sense he’s keeping something from her? What has Elizabeth done? He says, to be clear, it’s not Elizabeth, it’s Nikolas, and Nina says, what about those results? Obrecht asks, what did Nikolas do? and Scotty says, it’s going to come out sooner or later. Nikolas held Esme hostage in the tower at Windymere. He thought she was The Hook killer. She says, Nikolas isn’t his client. How does he know this? He says, Elizabeth helped him, even though they knew Esme was not The Hook killer.

Elizabeth says she’s grateful to Finn for everything he’s done for her, and respecting her choice to come forward. Even though she’s very nervous about the fallout to come, she knows she can face it. It’s a million times better than living in fear, waiting to be exposed. He says he respects the choice she made, and whatever comes, he’s with her all the way. She thanks him, and says she’s excited to get back to work. She starts to walk down the hall, but Obrecht storms up to her, followed by Scotty and Nina, and asks where Elizabeth thinks she’s going.

Ava and Austin arrive at the tack room, and Dante thanks them for coming like he’s hosting a party. He asks Ava if she knows what’s behind the padlocked door, but she says, no; she doesn’t spend a lot of time here. She thinks it’s just for storage. He says, Nikolas’s personal, effects, documents, stuff like that? but she says she thinks if Nikolas kept anything important in there, he would have removed it before she took possession of the house. Austin asks why they’re here. It seems like a waste of time. Dante says, the door has a padlock on it. Does she have a key? She says she’s sure there’s a key, but she doesn’t have it, and Dante asks an officer for the crowbar. Dante takes it, and walks to the door.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth says, if Finn stands by her, he’s going to be caught in the crossfire; TJ has important news; and Obrecht says, you reap what you sow.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

The guys get home from guys night pretty drunk. Louie told Teresa that he’d brought up what Joe #2 had said about them on social media, and it got heated. She said, Louie’s family was so wonderful to her, and hers was causing this circus. Teresa is a circus unto herself.

Melissa stopped by the new house Joe #2 is constructing, and asked about guys night. Joe said, Louie brought up the podcast, and Melissa said, they’d helped out when Teresa was in prison. Juicy Joe needed someone to film with, and they were there. We flash back to that, and in Melissa’s interview, she said, when the family was down, they stepped up. Now twist it, string it out, and throw it the wrong way. Joe #2 said, Teresa kicked out everything on their side.

Teresa told Louie that she was embarrassed that Joe #2 told him to go f*** himself. How dare he? Louie said, Joe was pissed about Melissa’s family not being invited, and Teresa said, if she hadn’t put Melissa in the wedding party, why would she invite them? To his credit, Louie said, Melissa’s parents had a relationship with her parents, but Teresa countered this with the nonsensical question of, then why didn’t Joe invite Louie’s family to Antonia’s 16th birthday party? In Joe #2’s interview, he said, since Teresa met Louie, he didn’t feel welcome in her new life, and it bothered him. Louie said he felt bad that Joe was in pain. He thought Joe missed his sister. Teresa whined that Joe was hurting her, and Louie suggested making peace. She said she’d call and ask if he was coming to their housewarming party. She wants to be in her love bubble. We saw a clip of her telling everyone that she’s having a love bubble housewarming, and she called Joe. Louie wrote something down and showed her, and she said she wanted to make peace. Joe said it was a done deal, and she asked if he wanted to talk about anything. He said he just wanted to move forward, and Teresa said, her therapist told her, it was no good to talk about the past. You don’t get anywhere. I guess it isn’t the kind of therapy where you blame everything on your parents. Louie pointed to the pad again, and she asked if Joe was coming to her party. He said he didn’t know, and afterward, Louie said, baby steps.

Dolores’s mom Valerie came over, and Dolores asked if Valerie was being careful with her diet, since she didn’t want heart surgery again. She asked what Valerie had for breakfast, and Valerie said, cake. In Dolores’s interview, she said, her mom was God fearing and set in her ways. So she’s not arguing anymore. She told Valerie that Paulie had met the guys, but Frank hadn’t been there since he was in the hospital. She said, everyone loved Paulie, and Frankie said, Paulie was protective. Valerie asked what was going on with Paulie and Frank, but Dolores said that Frank took it personally when Paulie said he was taking over as the man in her life. He didn’t want a relationship with her and Frank. They didn’t have to be friends, just get along. In her interview, Dolores said, family was always a priority, and it included Frank. She’d wanted them to be close, but now her family and relationship was with Paulie. Frank would get over it.

Bill and Jennifer went out to dinner. It was raining, and Bill said, summer in Jersey; you get whatever comes. Yep, he’s right, but it’s more like all year round. Whoever first said, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute, lived here. Jennifer said she was getting Justin a party bus for prom, and Bill said, she created a monster. In Jennifer’s interview, she said, Bill thought she spoiled the kids, but they’d had a rough year because of what he’d done. If they want a bus, they get a bus. Jennifer said it was easy for Bill to use her as a scapegoat, and Bill said he tried to diffuse situations she was in. She asked why he could never see it from her side. She felt like he took her love for granted. She always forgives him, and instead of backing her up, he only says things in rebuttal to what she’s said, not her opponent. Bill asked if she only wanted things on her terms, and in her interview, she said she needed someone to support her and be there, and she didn’t always feel it. It wasn’t okay anymore.

Rachel met with Marge’s (and Housewives) friend Jen, and in Rachel’s interview, she said she felt like she knew Jen from another life; they’d immediately clicked. In Jen’s interview, she said she and Rachel were kindred spirits. Rachel was an old soul, and she was sucked in by Rachel’s sweetness. Rachel told Jen, it was constant drama with the women. RIP the mozzarella that wasn’t consumed. Jen said, she consumed it, and we flashed back to her stuffing her face with cheese. As I would. She said she saw Marge and Jennifer yelling at each other, and heard Jennifer talking about Rachel’s nose. Rachel said she wasn’t offended; she’s an open book. Jen said that Rachel was a better woman than her. She would have told Jennifer, f*** you. Rachel said, Jennifer had called her, and hoped she hadn’t offended her; she’d been unhappy with her own results. Then she segued into talking about Dolores. She didn’t think Jennifer realized they were friendly. She’d known Frank and Britt for ten years. She told Jennifer that she didn’t want any part of this, but Jennifer said she was just giving the history. Jen told Rachel that Jennifer had called her too. She claimed she wanted a marriage therapy referral, and then badmouthed Marge. She said, Marge was jealous. Rachel said, of what? but Jen didn’t know. In Jen’s interview, she said, Jennifer thought she had big balls. Like she was going to switch teams, and dump her bestie. She’d been friends with Marge for three years. In Rachel’s interview, she said she didn’t want to hear about it or participate. It brought her back to high school. Her mom always said, if someone is waving a red flag, a parade is coming, and Jennifer was waving a red flag.

Dolores met Marge to shop for a housewarming gift, and Dolores said, Frank told her what had happened on guys night. Joe #2 was upset because Teresa hadn’t invited Melissa’s parent to the wedding. They called Melissa, who said, her husband lost his sh*t. Teresa has known her mother and sisters forever. He didn’t want to come to the housewarming, but she wanted him to go, listen to what Teresa has to say, accept it for what it is, and move on. Dolores said, you never know, but she wasn’t specific about what we never know.

No surprise, the housewarming party was over-the-top, including a dancer inside a bubble in the pool, and lots of love bubble kitsch. Joe called Melissa, who was getting her makeup done, and said he couldn’t go. He’d already texted Teresa; he wasn’t ready to come. In his interview, he says, Teresa didn’t want him there, and it feels like a game. It was the worst feeling coming from his own family. He’d be uncomfortable and couldn’t fake it. Louie told Teresa that he felt sad, and she said she did too. Joe was missing milestones in their life, like the housewarming and her 50th birthday. In Teresa’s interview, she said, it was no after no, and told the girls about him canceling, adding that he’d brought up Melissa’s family not being invited to the wedding on guys night. Joe said he needed to get over it. He would never have what he thought he would. His sister does what makes her happy, and that means keeping the family away. He told Melissa to go and have a good time, but in her interview, Melissa’s said, it’s just the next thing for Teresa to hold over her head and make Joe the bad guy, but she wanted to keep the peace.

Danielle said she loved the vibe at the party. Evan and Jackie were there, and Marge said, Jennifer had been up Jen’s ass talking sh*t about her. We saw a clip of that, and Marge said, talking about therapy turned into talking about her. In Marge’s interview, she said, Jennifer was a professional victim. She wanted the attention she didn’t get at home. Did she think Jen wasn’t going to tell her? In Jennifer’s interview, she said, Melissa coming to the party without Joe was making a clear statement. He’s a drama queen. Teresa said, the girls hadn’t seen Joe in six months, and in Danielle’s interview, she said, you’d have to be blind, deaf and mute not to see the connection between her situation with her brother. Once too much time passes, that’s it. She hoped they didn’t make the same mistake. Rachel told Dolores that Frank missed her and the old dynamic, but Dolores said she was 52 years old and had taken care of everyone. It was time to worry about herself. Paulie didn’t want Frank to be the man in her life, and if that meant they had to be separate in some things, everyone needed to get over it. Gia said she missed Melissa’s kids, and in her interview, she said, every time Teresa and Joe had drama, the kids were separated. In Melissa’s interview, she said, it was sad. She loved them, and knew they had hate for her and Joe. She wouldn’t wish the situation on anybody. Dude, I would have moved on ages ago. Then again, I wasn’t born into a big Italian family. Although I do have an Italian family by marriage to my aunt.

Louie thanked everybody for coming. Not just friends and family, but those who gave them loving support. Teresa said, their chosen family. Everyone there was special and they loved them, and they wouldn’t want to be celebrating with anyone but them. In Melissa’s interview, she said she didn’t appreciate Teresa’s chosen family remark, especially with Joe not being there. But if she brought it up, Teresa would just say she didn’t mean it that way. Think before you speak. She knows it’s hard. Melissa said Joe wasn’t here, and Teresa was his only family member. She slipped out to have a cry, and in her interview, she said she tried to be strong for Joe, but she had her own breaking point. She didn’t get why the subtle digs, things like chosen family. What about the ones who had been there for years? It meant nothing to Teresa, and she knew Joe would be upset. The sprinklers went on, and the guys said, Louie had one job… Melissa said she wanted to be honest with Jackie – and you know when a Housewife says honest, it’s an excuse to gossip. She’d been talking to Danielle about the mozzarella party, and told Danielle that Jackie had insulted her shorts and said they looked like they’d come out of the hamper. Jackie said she didn’t care. Danielle was a horrible dresser, and she wore those shorts two weeks in a row. I guess Jackie doesn’t have a favorite anything? Geez. She should see what I wear on repeat. Danielle’s antennae went up, and she jetted over. Jackie insisted she never looked Danielle up and down, but we flashed back, and yeah, she did. In Danielle’s interview, she said, maybe Jackie didn’t realize how judgy she was. Her hands were going all over the place as she talked, and Jackie told Danielle to get her hands out of her face. Danielle said, Jackie was from Staten Island, and she would know if Danielle was coming for her. Jackie told Danielle to leave her hands out of her space. If I’m sorry can’t leave your mouth, then f*** off. Marge said she was offended be Jennifer calling Jen and bitching about her. Jennifer insisted she’d just called for a marriage counselor referral, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said, when they were on the call, Jen did not defend Marge. It’s called not engaging, Jennifer. You should try it sometime. Marge said, Jennifer had called her jealous, but Jennifer said she never said that. She’d told Jen that Marge was threatened by her. She’d wanted Jen to know the context of their history. No surprise, Marge called Jen over, and Jen told Jennifer that she hadn’t said Jennifer called specifically for that, but the conversation morphed. Marge wondered how she and Jennifer were supposed to move forward if Jennifer kept holding a grudge. Sounding like a character from Hamilton, Jennifer said she was allowed to state the facts of the matter. Rachel said, Jennifer did the same thing with her, and talked sh*t about Dolores. Jennifer stamped her foot and said she was giving Rachel context, but Rachel said, it wasn’t a history lesson. Jennifer called her a f***ing idiot, and Rachel told her to watch her mouth. Jennifer called Dolores an idiot too, and in Dolores’s interview, she wondered where this was coming from, and if Jennifer was out of her f***ing mind. Jennifer started winding up, and Jackie said, if she wanted to get her point across, she’d better calm down. Jennifer said she was sorry she spoke about Rachel’s nose job, but Dolores had offended her. Dolores said, Jennifer just left the house without talking about what happened, and Teresa said, Dolores was never going to take sides. Rachel said this was not what she wanted to be a part of, and Jennifer said, give her a medal. So much for apologies. In Rachel’s interview, she said she could give two sh*ts about what comes out of Jennifer’s mouth. It’s giving someone power, and Jennifer would never have that over her. Rachel said she was leaving, and Jennifer (even though it wasn’t her party) said, don’t let the door hit her on the way out. Rachel pointed out that there was no door, since they were outside. Jennifer had no f***ing class. Jennifer called Rachel a f***ing idiot again since she’d run out of words.

Next time, Valentina’s party; Teresa tries on her wedding dress; and Marge and Jennifer argue.

🙃 Yes, No, Maybe, I Don’t Know…

Tomorrow is VanderDay, so join me for some soap and Rules. Until then, stay safe, stay not being the first to arrive or the last to leave a party, and stay facing the fallout. It’s a million times better than living in fear, waiting to be exposed.

February 24, 2023 – Heather Has One Condition, New Wife, All By Herself, Sharing, Trial Desire, Two Pairs, Shady Scheana, First World Problems, Edit Err, Pets (!), Teetering On 10 Quotes & Mountain

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Esme holds her baby, who looks suspiciously like Baby Amelia. She says she doesn’t remember much, but she knows she’s his mommy. They have each other and that’s all that matters. Heather comes in, wearing an orange jumpsuit, and says, there’s her baby girl and her new baby. Esme says, Heather shouldn’t be here, but Heather says she’s Esme’s mother; where else would she be? Esme picks up the nurse call button, but Heather stops her, and says, Esme doesn’t want to interrupt family time. She can’t wait to start spoiling her little grandson. In fact, she’s starting right now. She reaches for the baby, and Esme sits up with a start. The guard lets Laura in, and she asks if Esme is okay. Esme asks, where’s Heather? and Laura says, she’s in custody at the police station. Esme says, please don’t let her take my baby away.

Spencer points to a baby through the nursery window, and tells Sonny, that’s his baby brother. He’s handsome, isn’t he? Sonny asks if the little guy has a name, but Spencer says, not yet. Sonny asks if Spencer is still suing for custody, and Spencer says he may not have to now that his father has disappeared.

Dex tells Josslyn that he was hired to find evidence that would put Sonny away once and for all, but he’ll tell his employer that he’s out if that’s what she wants. She says, it’s not her decision to make, but he says, let’s not make this about Sonny; let’s make this about you and me. (Huh? It’s all about Sonny.) She hates that he’s working for Sonny. How does she feel about him working against Sonny? (What I said.)

Elizabeth looks at a photo of the boys, and remembers Scotty chastising her for letting Nikolas talk her into his cockamamie plan. Cameron comes in, and she says she wasn’t expecting him this morning. He asks if she’s as freaked out as he is about Esme.

Ava asks the reception nurse if Austin is allowed to have visitors, and Mac asks why she wants to see Austin. She says, why would she want to see the man who nearly bled to death on her living room floor? Does that really seem so strange? He says, that depends. Felicia said Ava encouraged her to leave Austin behind when Heather said they could go. She says, so they could get him help, and he says, but instead, she went after Ryan with a gun. (Really, Mac? Does any of that sound strange?) She says, Austin didn’t need both of them to get him help, and she needed to confront the man who made her life a living hell. Mac’s the one who ultimately killed Ryan. He says, the world’s a better place now that Ryan Chamberlain’s dead, and she says, they agree on something. Is Mac done? He says he has a few more questions. Why don’t they start with why Austin was on Spoon Island in the first place.

Robert congratulates Jordan on catching Heather. He can assure the public that their safe, that The Hook killer’s been caught, and that she’s going away for good. She says, her people have already made progress, when Dante walks out, and says, Heather is ready to make a statement. Scotty walks in, and says, hey, Mr. D.A., but Robert asks if it can wait. Scotty says he’s about to make Robert’s life a whole lot easier.

Jordan and Robert go into the interrogation room, and Jordan says, Dante told her that Heather wants to make a statement. Heather says she does. She’s done some very bad things that she’s ready to confess. Jordan says, Heather wants to confess to The Hook attacks without a lawyer present, and Heather says she only wants to unburden her soul. Dante sets up the recorder, and tells Heather, it’s her right to have an attorney present, but she says she doesn’t want an attorney. She just wants to tell the truth. Jordan tells her, start talking, but Heather says she does have one condition.

Scotty tells Robert that he has a client with information about The Hook attacks, and they want to make a deal.

Cameron asks how long Elizabeth thinks Esme has known Ryan and Heather are her parents, but she says she has no idea. He says, she realizes, if Heather is Esme’s mom, that makes her Franco’s half-sister. When Esme moved to Port Charles, he really tried to give her a chance because Spencer was so into her. Does Elizabeth think she was working with Ryan when she was interning at Spring Ridge? Elizabeth says, before she lost her memory? and he says, what if she’s been faking this whole time? He wonders if Joss knows about everything that’s happened.

Josslyn tells Dex, Sonny was in her life for a very long time. Not as a father – she had one obviously – but as a stepfather. They were a family. Dex says, he was good to her, and she says, he was, when she was little and didn’t know about his business. He says, Sonny still considers her family. It’s one of the reasons Sonny thinks he’s not good enough for her. She says, like he has the right to judge anyone after what he’s done? He had Dex beaten and tortured, and Sonny’s hurt so many people, she can’t even count. Where does he get off thinking he’s better than anyone else? The hypocrisy of it all. He asks if that means she wants him to see it through, and see that Sonny goes to prison.

Sonny asks what Spencer means, and Spencer says he doesn’t know what to think anymore. How can someone just walk out on their child? He doesn’t even mean himself at this point. How can someone walk out on an innocent baby? Sonny says, Spencer’s not responsible for his father’s actions. Spencer can’t fix his messes. Spencer says, someone has to. His baby brother has an absent father, and a mother who’s in police custody. That little guy must feel all alone in the world. Sonny says, they can fix that.

Laura tells the guard that he can leave them alone, and tells Esme that she had a nightmare. Esme wishes that’s all it was; that she hadn’t been forced to break out of Spring Ridge, and her parents weren’t serial killers. Laura says, unfortunately, that is true, but she told Esme, Heather is in custody, and can’t hurt her. Esme asks, where’s her baby? and Laura says, in the nursery. He got a perfect bill of health despite his impromptu entrance into the world. Esme says, thank God, and thank Laura and Dr. Collins for helping bring her baby into the world. Laura says she feels lucky that she could be there for her grandson’s birth, and Esme says she just realized, she has a son. Laura asks if Esme wants her to arrange for the baby to visit, but Esme says, no; he should stay away. Laura asks, why? and Esme says, it’s not safe. Her parents are killers. For all she knows, she could be a killer too.

Heather says, what she wants is pretty simple, and Dante says, if she cooperates fully, they’ll see about her request. She says, he knows that’s not how it works, but he says, she doesn’t know how anything works, and grabs the recorder. Jordan gets up, and says, waste of time, but Heather says, fine. What do they want to know? Dante puts the recorder back, and asks if she attacked Ava in August, and she says, yes. He asks if she attacked… She says, it’s going to take all day. She’s The Hook, okay? Anyone stabbed with a hook, it was her. Jordan says, they need details, and Heather says, Ava Jerome, with a hook, at the Quartermaines. Brando Corbin, behind Charlie’s with a hook, except that was a mistake; she was really after Josslyn Jax for making her daughter’s life so miserable. Diane Miller, in the garage. The bartender, Oz Haggerty, at the docks. Nikolas Cassadine, with a hook… Dante says, wait a second, and Jordan says, she attacked Nikolas Cassadine?

Ava tells Mac, that’s one of the reasons she’s here. She wants to ask Austin how he’s doing, and why he came to Windymere last night. Mac says he didn’t know they were friends, and she says, friendly perhaps. Austin treated her after Heather attacked her at the Quartermaine picnic, but she wouldn’t say they bonded over it. He thanks her for her time, and she says she just can’t wrap her head around the fact that Spencer’s girlfriend from boarding school is Ryan and Heather’s daughter. He says, quite a coincidence, but she says, it isn’t at all. Ryan told her that he sent Esme to that boarding school specifically to ensnare Spencer. Ryan was intent on splitting her and Nikolas up, and he succeeded. Mac says, maybe now that the truth has come out, she and Nikolas can find their way back to each other.

Dante asks when Heather attacked Nikolas, but she says she doesn’t know. In the fall? It was breezy. Jordan asks where it happened, and Heather says, at Windymere. It wasn’t her finest hour; he escaped without a scratch. He’s still breathing, unlike that doctor on New Year’s Eve. Dante asks if Britt was a target, but Heather says, no. She appeared out of nowhere, and decided to play hero, and again, Josslyn Jax escaped. Everyone stood between her and protecting her little girl. Jordan says, about Officer Cabrera. A keepsake from one of Ryan’s victims was found on Rory’s person. How did it get there?

Mac asks if Ava has heard from Ryan, but she says, no, and she doesn’t expect to. Things between them had gone too far, and she’s accepted that she’s lost Nikolas for good. Ryan’s destroyed her life, again. Mac says, at least it’s for the last time, and she says she has him to thank for that. She’s just sorry she didn’t kill the bastard herself. He says, after everything Ryan has put her through, killing him would be self-defense under any circumstances, and she says, he has no idea what Ryan has taken from her.

Obviously not having read The Invader, Scotty tells Robert that his client has information on the PCPD’s number one suspect, the one and only Esme Prince. Robert says, keep going, and Scotty says, his client knows Esme’s whereabouts before she showed up at the Haunted Star, soaking wet, with child and no memories. Robert says, so this client will only divulge said information if Scotty makes deal? and Scotty says, that’s why he’s here. Robert says, if this client knows what they know because they’re an accomplice to the crime, he should be telling them to turn themselves in, and he walks away.

Elizabeth asks if Cameron has spoken to Josslyn recently, but he says, no, and he doesn’t plan to. She says she knows the break-up really hurt him, but they’ve been friends their entire lives. He says he feels like that makes it worse, and she asks if he’s hoping they can be friends again someday, but he says, with what Josslyn did… She’s not the person he thought. Maybe she never was.

Josslyn says, it would be easier to figure out how she feels about this, if Dex would tell her who he’s working for, but he says he can’t. She asks, why not? and he tells her, all he can say is, he trusts his employer. She says, and this mystery person wants to take Sonny down, and he says, it’s the whole reason he’s here. She asks how close he is, and he says he doesn’t have any solid evidence yet, but Sonny’s about to get involved with some people in arms trafficking. The plan is for him to get some evidence and turn it over to his real boss, who will turn it over to the Feds. She says her first instinct is to tell him, do it. No one’s forcing Sonny to break the law, and he’d just be reporting what he saw. But if this goes wrong, and he gets caught, that’s on him, not his mystery boss. What happens if he calls the whole thing off? Does he have to work for Sonny for real? Sonny’s not going to let him just walk away.

Esme tells Laura that Heather and Ryan want her baby for themselves. They were talking about all of these plans… Laura says, Heather is locked up, but Esme says, Heather has a revolving door in and out of Spring Ridge, and Ryan… Laura says, Ryan is dead. She’s sorry. He died last night on Spoon Island. Esme says, good. He was a monster, and she’s glad he’s dead. She was terrified of that man. Laura says, what about Heather? and Esme says, Heather kept saying she wanted to protect her, but she’s so crazy. She’s the offspring of two monsters, so she must be a terrible person. Oh my God. She did all of those things she’s accused of; the revenge porn and trying to kill that man. Laura asks if she remembers doing those things.

In the nursery with the baby, Sonny tells Spencer that his family has every right to meet this baby. Spencer says, all he wants to do now is protect him from the world, and Sonny says, it’s the most amazing thing. Spencer asks if Sonny thinks his father felt like this when he was a baby, and Sonny says he guarantees it. Spencer says, that’s good. That means he has to come back now that his new son is here. How could he stay away knowing what he’s missing? Sonny asks if Spencer is changing his mind, and Ava peeks in the window.

Laura asks if Esme remembers her past, but Esme says, no, sorry. Her memory of before she showed up on the boat is still a blank. Laura asks why she said she was guilty, and Esme says, with parents like Heather and Ryan, how could she not be? Laura says, you’re not destined to be bad no matter who your parents are. Does she think her baby is bad? Esme says, no, he’s completely innocent. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen to him. If she’s found guilty, she’s going straight back to prison. Laura says she hasn’t stood trial yet; let’s not jump to conclusions. Esme asks, where’s Nikolas? Why isn’t her baby’s father here?

Heather says, when she discovered she was pregnant with Esme, she left Ryan. She took this chain of trophies he had as insurance, in case he ever decided to come after her. Dante says, that was twenty years ago. How does Cabrera end up with it? She says she wore the chain during The Hook attacks because she was getting justice for their daughter. She just thought it was fitting. Dante tells Jordan, that’s the sound Josslyn heard when Brando was attacked in the alley, and Jordan says, Brando heard it too. Heather says, Cabrera surprised her. They tussled a bit, and in the struggle, he managed to grab one of the trophies off the chain, but she didn’t realize it until she got back to Spring Ridge. Jordan says, so she’s confessing to murdering six people, and attacking four others? but Heather says, it was five, not six. Brando, Oz Haggerty, the venom guy, Rory Cabrera, and that doctor, whatever they said her name was. Dante says, what about Corrections Officer Williams, who was stabbed to death when she and Ryan escaped? but Heather says, she didn’t kill him; that was Ryan. He stabbed Williams. He planned the escape. He forced her and Esme to go with him. They can’t pin this on her.

Dex says he can’t just tell Sonny that he’s not cut out for this, not without him getting suspicious, and Josslyn says, if Sonny had any idea Dex was working against him… He says, Sonny would kill him, and she says, he’s right; Sonny can never know. He says, so either he keeps working for Sonny, or he has to leave Port Charles. She asks if Dex’s mystery boss would be okay with him quitting, and he says, not okay. He’s gone to a lot of trouble to set this up (what trouble; the occasional phone call to Dex?), and he’s close to getting what he wants. But if Dex tells him that he wants out, he’ll let Dex go. She says, but that doesn’t solve anything. He wouldn’t have to spy on Sonny anymore, but he’d still have to work for Sonny; smuggle arms and commit crimes, hustle coffee or whatever it is. And if he gets caught… Dex says, he goes to prison, and she says, as long as he stays in Port Charles, he’s trapped. I guess Dex can’t possibly get another job? Like a normal one?

Cameron tells Elizabeth that he couldn’t have predicted in a million years that Josslyn would hurt him the way she did. It makes him feel like he never knew her at all. She says, it always hurts when someone you love lets you down, but it doesn’t negate what the two of you had. People make mistakes all the time – big ones – but all you can do is come clean, and deal with the consequences. He asks if they’re still talking about him and Joss.

Scotty tells Robert, his client got involved in a crime that was already in progress, and they would like to make things right, and testify against the real perpetrator. Robert tells him, say more, but Scotty says he needs to hear the deal. Robert says he needs more information, and Scotty says, his client is a good person, not a criminal. They got mixed up in some bad business. So Robert can go after a person who made a mistake, or go after the real felon.

Spencer comes out, and says, Ava’s not here to see… He doesn’t mind if she is; he’s just surprised. She laughs, and says, actually, she’s here to see him. She saw him with the baby though. Cute. He’s a natural. He thanks her, and asks what she wanted to see him about. She takes it he knows Ryan was Esme’s father, and he says, yes, and Heather Webber was her mother. Odd how something can come as a perfect shock, yet make perfect sense. She says she thinks they all felt that way, and he says, is that it? but she says, not quite. Esme and Ryan knew who they were to each other. He says, since Esme came to Port Charles? and she says, since before he met her. Ryan sent Esme to that school in France to get close to him. He asks if she’s saying Ryan sent Esme to France to seduce him in some long game to break up her and Nikolas. That’s good. She says, think about it. Whose idea was it to come to Port Charles and stalk her? Was it his, or was it Esme’s?

On the phone, Mac tells Jordan that he spoke with Ava, and he’s about to question Esme Prince. Jordan says, check Esme’s answers against what Heather told them, and he says he thinks once he talks to Esme, they’ll have a clearer picture about what happened on Spoon Island.

Laura says she doesn’t know where her son is, and Esme says, he came to see her at Spring Ridge to try and get her to sign her rights to the baby over. Why isn’t he here now? Laura says she wishes she knew, when Mac walks in, and Esme says she remembers him from the roadside outside the prison. He stopped to help them, then Ryan hit him over the head. Is he okay? He says he’s fine, thanks. He’s Chief of Detectives Mac Scorpio, and he has some questions. Esme says, Heather and Ryan kidnapped her. They forced her to escape. Ryan even killed a guard right in front of her. He asks if Heather helped him, but she says, no. The guard was questioning her and Heather, and Ryan snuck up behind him and stabbed him in the back; it was horrible. Then Heather told her that she had to do what Ryan said, or he’d hurt her. He asks if Heather seemed scared of Ryan, and she says, not really. He asks, what happened next? and she says, Heather let them out of the prison. Laura asks, whose idea was it to escape? and Esme says she’s not sure. She thinks Heather and Ryan were planning it together, but Heather was the one who knew her way out of Spring Ridge.

Dante says, they know Heather and Ryan were working together. They were planning this escape for months. Heather says, no, no, no, no. She didn’t even know Ryan could walk and talk until Esme showed up at Spring Ridge. He never even told her that he could. They’ve got to believe her. He showed her that he’d been faking his condition when Esme showed up just because he wanted her help with getting Esme out. Dante says, which she was more than happy to provide, but she says, Ryan terrified her. She had to do what he said. Jordan tells her, he isn’t saying anything; he’s dead.

Spencer says, Esme was always going on and on about how Ava pushed him out of his father’s life, and said he should push back. She encouraged him to get revenge. Ava wonders if he ever asked himself why Esme cared so much. She was no one to Esme, and they had the kind of life teenagers dream of. They had Europe at their fingertips. Wouldn’t living his best life have been the best revenge? He says, apparently not. Esme was determined to get him back here. Ava says, because Ryan ordered her to do all of that, and look what happened. She and Nikolas are divorced, and he and his father are more estranged than ever. It was Ryan. Ryan played them all. (Way to get Esme and Spencer off the hook. No pun intended.)

Heather says, thank God, and Dante tells her, give it a rest. She wanted Ryan gone so he can’t contradict her narrative. They know she gave Ava a gun, and sent Ava after Ryan. Heather says, Ava killed Ryan? and Jordan says, no, but she shot him in self-defense. Heather says, of course (🍷) it was self-defense. After everything he’d done to her; running her life, killing her daughter. Ryan was a cold-blooded murderer. Dante says, unlike her, and she says she was just a mother protecting her child. Jordan says, a child she abandoned, and Heather says, because she wanted to give her a better life. But she never stopped missing her. When Esme arrived in Port Charles, she was overjoyed. Then she saw what Esme’s life had become. She saw Trina Robinson’s attempts to humiliate and destroy her. What else could she do? She had to defend her family. Dante says he feels for her, and she says she’s told them everything she knows; she’s confessed to The Hook murders. Can’t they just grant the one little thing she asked them? Otherwise, she can always recant. Who’s going to trust the word of a crazy person anyway?

Laura asks what Sonny is doing at the hospital, and he says, looking after her grandsons, both of them. Congratulations, by the way. She thanks him, and he asks if she was with Esme. She says she was, but now Mac’s questioning her, and he asks if there’s anything he should know. She says she doesn’t think so; not yet. Is Spencer at the nursery? He says, yeah. Spencer’s been here all morning doing the big brother thing; he’s good at it. She says she doesn’t know if he heard, but Ryan died last night, and he says he heard the good news. He also heard Heather Webber killed his cousin Brando. She says, it would appear that way, and he says, that’s a mistake going after his family, but she says, let the justice system do what it does. He says, she knows him. He just protects the people he loves.

Dex tells Josslyn, option one. Say he disappears from Port Charles. Sonny might come looking for him, but he can cover his tracks. She says, if Sonny can’t find him, neither can she, and he says, not for a while anyway. She says she’s not liking option one, and he says, him neither. He says, option two. He tells his real boss that he’s out. He keeps working for Sonny, legitimately following his orders, but Sonny told him that he can’t go near Josslyn. They would have to hide that they’re together indefinitely. She says, marginally better than option one, but not by much. He says, option three. He sticks with the original plan, and gets evidence on Sonny. He turns it over to his real boss, who turns it over to the Feds, Sonny goes to prison, and he’s in the clear. She doubts it will be that easy, and he says, probably not, but it’s the only option that gives him what he really wants; a chance to stay here, a chance to be with her, free of Sonny. She says, option three it is, and he says, option three, kissing her. He says, no matter what happens, he can’t walk away from her, and she says she doesn’t want him to. Um… For all Josslyn’s talk on how she cares so much about her sisters, how come Donna and Avery, and the effect this might have on them, hasn’t been mentioned once?

Elizabeth’s phone rings, and she asks what he said… Yeah, she’s sure. She’ll be right there. She tells Cameron that she has to go, and he asks if everything is okay. She says she loves him, and jets.

Spencer admits he didn’t think Ava knew him so well, but she’s right. He didn’t want any of this to happen until he met Esme, and she used his resentment toward Ava to talk him into stalking her. He owns up to what he did, his part of it, but the escalation – putting the bear on Avery’s bed, setting Ava’s car on fire, putting Kiki’s hospital ID badge next to the wreckage – that was all Esme. He didn’t even know it was done until it happened. Ava says she believes him. All that misery because Ryan couldn’t stand her being with someone else. He says he can’t believe he was so blind, and she says, they all were. They were all blind, and used, and manipulated… He says, manipulated or not, he did Ryan’s dirty work for him. Spencer suddenly looks terrified, and says, he drove his father away, but Ava says, no, it wasn’t him. Nikolas would still be here if not for Ryan Chamberlain.

Mac asks, when was the last time Esme saw Ryan? and she says, he was in the woods with Ava Jerome; she had a gun on him. He was focused on Ava, so she made a break for it. Is she okay? He says, Ava’s fine, and she asks Mac to tell Ava thank you for helping her get away from Ryan. he says he’ll pass along that message. He thanks her for the information, and says, if he has anything more to ask… She lifts up her arm, showing she’s cuffed to the bed, and says, he knows where to find her. He congratulates her on the birth of her son, and she says, before he goes, maybe he could tell her what’s going to happen to her and Ace. He says, Ace? and she says, her baby. He says, she named her baby Ace? and she says, it just came out. Sounds right to her for some reason. Ace? Where did that come from?

Jordan asks if Dante believes Heather, and he says he does. Robert joins them, and says he may have additional answers on this hook business. Baldwin has a client who says she knows what Esme was doing at the time she went missing. Jordan asks, who? when Scotty walks in with Elizabeth, and says he thinks they all know his client.

Laura tells Sonny, she’s glad Spencer is spending time with his baby brother, because he really needs something positive to focus on right now. Sonny says he feels Spencer needs the baby as much as the baby needs him, and Laura’s phone dings. He asks if everything is okay, but she says, no. She’s got to go. She jets, and he follows her.

Josslyn tells Dex that she’s got to go back to her family, and needs to talk to Trina. It’s been a crazy couple of days. (Boy, does she have some news to catch up on.) He says, people need her, and she says, she needs him. So do whatever he has to do, but watch his back. Option three only works if he’s alive at the end of it. He promises to be careful, they kiss, and she leaves.

Laura and Sonny go to the nursery, and Laura asks Spencer, what’s wrong? He says he messed up, and she says, take a deep breath, and tell her what’s going on. He says, because of him, he and his baby brother no longer have a father. It seems even in death, Ryan Chamberlain wins. Laura says, they’ll find his father, and when they do, they’ll explain to him what took place here, and she’ll talk some sense into him. Until then, take a look around him. He’s not alone. Sonny’s here, she’s here… Sonny says, always, and she says, he and his brother are going to have more support than they know what to do with. Ava slips away.

Mac goes into Esme’s room, and asks if she’s sure about this. She nods, and the guard brings Heather in. Heather sort of smiles, but Esme just looks at her blankly.

On Monday, Dante tells Molly that they need to start that search immediately; Laura tells Spencer to think before he acts; and Curtis asks how long Jordan has known Trina might be his daughter.

👠 For Now…

She’s the only one I like at this point on RHONJ, but give it time.

https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/rachel-fuda-from-rhonj-husband-family-instagram-bio

👰🏻 All About the Love, But Alone…

Are you kidding me? She had the option of her brother walking her down the aisle, and decided to be the turd that she is. My father passed away before I got married too, and my sister walked me down the aisle. Teresa just wanted to give Joe #2 another slap in the face and get more attention for herself.

🧉 The Unending Grope…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Anyone who could slap LVP in the face could do anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if she drank the blood of virgins to help her face fillers last. Although I would be surprised if she could find one in L.A.

💎 What Victims…?

You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, but I’ll bet she has bags that cost more than my house. And being an entertainer with a 12th grade education doesn’t mean you don’t know how many zeros are on the check.

🏖  Summer Lovin’…

Paige might be close to one of the normal ones if she wasn’t attached to ticking time bomb Craig.

Great. The only genuinely normal one. Let’s hope Austen isn’t her rebound. Or anyone else who enters the house for that matter.

🍸 Passing the Shade…

She is clueless when it comes to Girl Code. And did she watch this week’s episode? She pushed.

🎰 Showing Her Cards…

Gambling has never been my jam. I went to Atlantic City once to see a show, and played the slots for a few hours first – back when they were actual slot machines and somewhat exciting. I’d gotten a certain amount of rolled coins from the bank, and decided that would be the only amount I’d play with. I came home a quarter shy. Yeah, it was cool on the spins when a bunch of money came out, but I didn’t feel the need to play any more when I had to get going. Or ever.

Geez. I take better pictures for eBay.

🛣  In Last Week’s Last…

I have to admit, I didn’t even notice.

https://people.com/tv/the-last-of-us-fans-point-out-hbo-editing-error/

My favorite reply.

🐈 Prosperous Pets…

I’ll bet they all still poop on the floor.

🎯 Quotes of the Week

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle (Once again, don’t step on any butterflies.)

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. – Oscar Wilde

What I did or said should never be more important than why I did it or said it.Andrea Kelly

There is only one way to avoid criticism: say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. – Elbert Hubbard

Just knowing you don’t have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn – and those are all good things. – Dick Van Dyke

Each day we are given the opportunity to choose between that which is easy and fast and that which is more difficult and slow. The fast and easy track is attractive, but doesn’t bear fruit. The slow and hard track is intimidating, but has the most potential. – Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy. – Dean Koontz

Renew, release, let go. Yesterday’s gone. There’s nothing you can do to bring it back. You can’t “should’ve” done something. You can only DO something. Renew yourself. Release that attachment. Today is a new day!Steve Maraboli

There is no room for mediocrity in karaoke. – some obviously Drunk Kid I met there

🚶🏽‍♀️ Walking It Off…

Come back fresh on Monday really Tuesday for soap and the return of Captain Lee, which might offset the middle aged adolescents in that House. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your head in the clouds, but your feet on the ground, and stay letting living your best life be your best revenge.

February 21, 2023 – Ava Confronts Ryan, Teresa Doesn’t Invite More People To the Wedding & Gifted

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer and Trina kiss. She tells him, don’t stop.

Curtis strides through an empty Savoy, and goes behind the bar. N’neka says, it’s his wedding night. Why isn’t he…? He says he’ll explain another time, and tells her to head home; he’ll close up. He sits down at a table with a fifth of whiskey, and starts drinking shots. N’neka slips out, and makes a call in the back hallway. She says she doesn’t know what’s happening, but they need to get down here, like, now.

Laura tells Alexis that Jordan’s on her way to Windymere, and Alexis asks, what’s at Windymere? (Johnny in Airplane: Well, there’s an island with a big house, and…) Laura says, off the record, a hostage situation, and Alexis asks if it has anything to do with the escapees from Spring Ridge. Doc wonders why she’s asking, and Alexis says, all the victims are linked to Trina Robinson and Esme Prince. That list was compiled to avenge Esme Prince. Laura says, they suspected something like that, but didn’t have any concrete proof, and Doc asks if Alexis knows why The Hook would avenge Esme. Alexis says she doesn’t know why, but she knows who. She knows who The Hook is. It’s Heather Webber.

Ava tells Felicia, it’s best if they leave the island, and send help back for Austin, and Heather says, now that she thinks about it, Ava might want to hang back. Ava asks why she’d want to do that, and Heather says, to finally end this unholy obsession between her and Ryan once and for all. Ava says, that obsession is one-sided, thank you very much. She’ll let the authorities deal with Ryan – again. Heather asks if Ava isn’t the least bit curious to hear what Ryan did to try and get her back, but Ava says, not particularly. Heather says, how he’s responsible for destroying Ava’s life in the process? When she does, she’s going to want to take care of Ryan herself. Felicia says, let’s go, but Ava says she’s listening. How exactly did a man in prison destroy her life? Heather says, isn’t it obvious? Ryan had help.

Ryan runs through the forest looking for Esme, and finds her on the ground, leaning up against a large rock. He tells her, daddy’s here. She can’t be on the ground. It can’t be good for her or the baby. She says, and he is? and he says, right now he’s the best chance for both of them, so let him help. She says her water broke; the baby’s coming. He says, they have to get her back to the house, but he can’t carry her; she’ll have to lean on him. She cries, and tells him to get away from her. The baby’s coming.

Curtis continues to drink, and flashes back to Trina saying, they’re making progress. Marshall says, put that glass down, son.

Spencer asks if Trina knows how long he’s wanted this, and she says she wanted it too, even though everyone told her to stay away. He says, when everything exploded, and she said they couldn’t be friends anymore, he tried to stay away. He stops kissing her, and says he won’t. She means too much to him. She asks, why not?

Laura asks how Heather can be The Hook killer when she was locked up, and Alexis says, she just broke out. What makes Laura think she hasn’t broken out on a regular basis? Laura admits Heather has broken out of other facilities before, and Alexis reminds them about the letter the killer wrote. Doc says he remembers it saying she was avenging someone she cares about, and Alexis says, it was written on an old school typewriter with a very specific keystroke. She called D’Archam, and guess who had access to the exact same machine? Laura says, that explains why they all broke out together, and Doc says, it was a family affair. Alexis says, they clearly know something she doesn’t, so what is she missing?

Ryan puts his coat over Esme, and says, they broke out of prison. It’s the stress that sent her into labor. The good news is, the contractions are just beginning. There’s plenty of time before the baby comes. She asks why she should believe him, and he says, because he’s a doctor, and he’s also her dad. Which is why he couldn’t let her stay in jail. They’re a team, and a damn good one. Just ask Nikolas. She groans in pain, and he tells her, no need to panic. Everything is proceeding normally. She shakes his hand off, and says, this isn’t normal. She tries to get up, but he tells her, right now, he’s the only person who can help her and that precious cargo she’s carrying. Trust him. Daddy knows best.

Felicia thinks they don’t want to stand around while Heather plays mind games with Ava, and Austin struggles to get up. Ava helps him, and Heather says she’s glad he’s awake. Sorry about the hook, but he shouldn’t have used his phone. Ava asks her what she means that Ryan had help, and Heather says, she and Ryan were in Spring Ridge together, and he confided in her. Felicia says, Heather knew he was faking, and didn’t say anything, and Heather says, if only Ava knew how badly he played her. How he insinuated himself into her family, her marriage. She has to admit it was brilliant, but it was sick. Ava gets up, and says, what did Ryan do, and who did he do it with?

Curtis says, Marshall just happened to be in the neighborhood, and Marshall says, don’t blame N’neka. She’s just looking out for her boss, especially when that boss is supposed to be on his honeymoon. Curtis says, Marshall may as well sit down and have a drink with him, and Marshall says he’s not having a drink, but he’d like Curtis to put the cap back on that bottle, so they can deal with whatever happened at the reception. Curtis says he’s sorry Marshall came all the way down here, but the very last thing he wants to do is talk about it. Marshall says, he told Drew that he was done being a no-show when his family needs him. So tough luck – he pulls up a chair – he’s not leaving until they talk this out.

Alexis says, so Ryan is Esme’s father, and Doc says, according to Dante and Sam, who spoke to Esme’s old nanny. Alexis says, so if Ryan is Esme’s father… Doc says, her mother could see herself as an avenging angel, believing she’s protecting her daughter, even if she has to kill for her. Alexis says, Heather Webber is Esme’s mother and Ryan is her father? What a coincidence they all escaped Spring Ridge together. Laura says, now they’re all on the island together. They all look out over the water.

Ryan says, they have to get Esme back to the house, where it’s warm and dry, and she can give birth to his grandchild safely. Esme says she’s not going anywhere with him, but he says, that’s just the pain talking. He wishes she could remember how close they were before she lost her memory. She practically worshipped the ground he walked on. She went to great lengths to get an internship at Spring Ridge. They used to spend hours, planning and dreaming for when he’d be free, and all of them would be together; her, him, and Ava. She says, he’s crazy and delusional. She saw for herself that Ava despises him. He asks when she’s going to learn hate is just the other side of love.

Heather says, it’s not her story to tell; Ryan started it, but Ava has a chance to end it. She hands Ava the gun, and Felicia says, shoot her, but Heather says, shooting her won’t solve Ava’s problem. But Ryan? That’s a totally different story. Felicia says, no one understands being tormented by Ryan better than she does, but don’t make a bad situation worse. Forget Ryan; forget Heather. Let’s just get the hell out of here, and call 9-1-1 for Austin. Ava says, Heather may be psychotic, but she’s right about one thing. Ryan Chamberlain started this, and she’s going to finish it. She stalks out.

Curtis asks how much Marshall knows, and he says, not much, but he’s guessing whatever kept Stella from the wedding wasn’t contagious. Curtis says, that is correct. Portia has been lying to Trina, she’s been lying to Taggert, and she’s been lying to him. She’s been lying since Trina was born, and when he asked her, she lied to his face. She’s been lying since they said I do. Marshall says, the lie being? and Curtis says, Trina may be his daughter.

Spencer asks if Trina is sure this is what she wants, and she says, it is; doesn’t he? He says, of course (🍷) he does, but not like this, and she says, if it’s because it would be her first time… but he says, she just means too much to him to make this anything other than perfect. Just not in an empty art gallery. And she’s hurting right now, and might think if they sleep together the pain will subside, and maybe it would, but it would come back. Then he’d just be the guy who took advantage of her, and for once, he needs her to see him; he needs her to see the good in him, not the bad. She laughs, and says, she’s just not sure she likes him when he’s trying to be noble. He says he’s not sure he does either, but that’s the path he’s choosing. So let him take her home. She says she can’t go back there, and he says, that’s fine, but where should he take her?

Alexis asks if Doc thinks Esme was faking her memory loss this whole time, but he says he doesn’t think so. She may have no idea Heather and Ryan are her parents. Laura says, they got to know Esme when she and Spencer moved in with them. She didn’t like Esme’s sense of entitlement, and she had the elitism of a young woman who studied at a boarding school in France, but she thinks underneath that, was a very wounded little girl. Doc says, it would be just like his brother to use her for his own purposes. Now that Esme’s lost her memory, there’s no telling what he might have told her. She could be an innocent accessory in all this. She is nine months pregnant, after all. Alexis says, unwilling she can buy, but Esme Prince innocent? That’s hard to swallow.

Mac walks into Windymere, and Heather says, it’s good to see him again. She’s glad he’s okay. He hugs Felicia, saying, he’s glad she’s okay, and she says, the same to him. Jordan and Detective Bennett come in, and Felicia says, Ryan is somewhere on the island. Esme ran out, and he went after Esme, and Ava went after him. Mac says, Ava’s asking to be taken hostage, but Felicia says, Ava is armed; Heather gave her a gun. Mac says, what the hell? and an officer calls him over, showing him the hook. Mac tells him, take photos and bag it. Bennett tells Heather that she’s being arrested, and reads her rights. She says she’s heard all this before, but he delivers the Miranda with great panache. He asks if she understands her rights. They wouldn’t want anything she said to be thrown out on a technicality.

Jordan asks Austin what happened to him, and he says she got stabbed… with a hook, so hooked would be more accurate. She asks, who did this? and he says, the nice lady in the handcuffs over there. Heather smiles.

Mac calls for paramedics, and says, there’s been another Hook attack. The victim appears stable, but will need immediate transport. Heather says, if it’s any help, there’s no rush. The hook she used on the good doctor didn’t have any venom in it. Jordan tells Bennett to have the men search the island. Ryan is to be considered very dangerous, and Esme Prince, while technically a fugitive, is nine months pregnant. He says, there’s also a civilian in the mix. Miss Jerome is armed, and she’s been severely traumatized. They don’t want her firing on one of their own. He hands Heather to an officer, and leaves. Mac asks, what happened? and Felicia says, after Heather stabbed Austin, Esme freaked out and ran off, and Ryan ran after her. She wonders what Ryan would want with Esme, and Heather says, didn’t she mention? He’s her daddy.

Ryan tells Esme, be practical. It’s night; it’s February. She can’t give birth out here. She screams for someone to help her, but he says he’s the only help she needs. He’s right here. Ava shows up, and says, get away from her. Now. Or she’ll blow his head off.

Curtis tells Marshall that Stella found out, and that’s why she stayed away from the wedding. She knew. Jordan knew. In fact, the only people who didn’t know this little secret were the people most affected by it. Trina, Taggert… Marshall says, and you, and Curtis says, and me. And if Trina wouldn’t have went and found Stella, he never would have known. That young lady knew something was off. Aunt Stella was just being Aunt Stella. Marshall says he doesn’t believe for a minute that Aunt Stella would deliberately break Curtis’s heart or betray a confidence. Curtis says, nope, but she did hint that there was a problem and it wasn’t her story to tell. And Trina should hear that story from her mama. Marshall asks if that’s why Trina and Portia disappeared from the reception, and Curtis says, damn! How do you keep a secret that’s that important for twenty years? Marshall says he did it too. He did it for forty years. You put the secret in a box, you shove it to the back of the closet, and you forget about it; or at least you try to. Curtis asks if that’s what Marshall did with them. Out of sight out of mind? Marshall says, no, of course (🍷) not. It’s always there. Always. Then sooner or later, that closet door opens, and it all spills out.

Trina says, what about where Spencer’s staying? but he says, no; don’t tempt him. What about her dorm room? but she says, that’s the first place her mom will come looking for her. Besides, Joss is going through her own stuff. He says, what if he gets her a room at the MetroCourt? but she says, her mom and Curtis could still be in their room. He says, they’re kind of running out of options, and she says she just needs a place where she can slam doors, and scream at the top of her lungs without neighbors calling the cops, and then be alone with her thoughts. He says, of course (🍷). He can’t believe he didn’t think of it before. He takes her hand, says he knows just the place where she’ll be safe, and pulls her out the door.

Laura tells Alexis, Jordan and Mac have secured the house, and they have Heather in custody. Alexis says, anyone hurt? and Laura says, there was one final Hook stabbing; Austin Gatlin-Holt. Doc asks, how bad? and Laura says, according to Mac, there was no poison on the hook, so the injuries are not life-threatening. He says, what about Ryan? and she says, still a fugitive. Alexis asks, what about Esme? and Laura promises to get back to her with an update, but right now, she has to get to Spoon Island. Doc says, you mean, we are, and they go to the launch. Alexis makes a call, and says, they have breaking news, and there’s a lot of it. Put on the recorder. The Hook killer has been apprehended. The killer, who after months and months of terrorizing Port Charles, is in police custody. And that’s just the beginning of the story.

Heather says, Ryan Chamberlain is Esme Prince’s biological father, and Felicia asks how she knows. Heather says she must have one of those faces. People trust her with their deepest secrets. Mac asks the paramedics if they can take Felicia to the mainland, but Felicia says she’s going to stay with him. He says he needs to know she’s safe. Ryan is still on the loose. She’s been his obsession for so many years. She says, what if he comes after you? and Mac says, it will save him hunting Ryan down. Tonight, he either goes to Pentenville or maybe hell for that matter. Austin asks if Felicia could come with him. He could use the company. Felicia nods, and hugs Mac, saying, she doesn’t want to make him worry more than he has to. On their way out the door, Austin tells Jordan, please find Ava, and she says, they’ll find her before Ryan does. Heather says, it’s Ryan who should be worried.

Ryan asks how Ava got the gun away from Heather, and she says she has her ways. He says, the first thing she did was look for him. She missed him that much. She says, he’s irresistible, and Esme says, please help her. Her water broke. Ava says, she’s in labor, and Ryan says, they have to get her back to the house where she can have his grandchild safely. Ava says, Esme is his daughter? and he says, yes. This has all worked out even better than he planned. She says, it was him all along, and he says, of course (🍷) it was. How does she think Esme met Spencer? He got her into that snooty French school, where Spencer was walking around with a nice big target on his back. How does she think Esme learned to manipulate Spencer… and his father? He taught her everything she knows. He created her. And this is his crowning moment. Doesn’t she see? Esme has brought them all together. He walks over to Ava, and she says, one more step, and she’ll kill him.

Curtis says, forty years ago, Marshall made a decision, however misguided, to protect the people he loves. That same love inspired him to reunite with his family. What Portia did was only to protect herself. Marshall says he’s not going to let Curtis make him out to be a hero, and Portia to be a villain. He was scared of what he might become without the medication, and truly believes Portia was scared too. What if the truth cost her Trina’s love and respect? What if Curtis refuses to understand? Isn’t the way Curtis walked out on his wedding night proof that Portia had a right to be afraid? Curtis says he can’t excuse this. Some things are really unforgiveable. Curtis drinks another shot.

On the pier, Felicia says she knows Alexis is just trying to get the whole story, but Austin has to get to General Hospital. If she wants to meet them there, do it, but not until after the doctors treat him. Alexis says she understands, and asks if anything is happening at Windymere. Felicia tells her, all she can say is Mac and Jordan have everything under control, and Alexis says, in other words, Ryan Chamberlain is still on the loose. The paramedics start moving the stretcher, and Felicia says she’s sorry, she’s riding with Austin, and they leave.

Alexis sees Spencer and Trina, and tells the officer that they’re with her. Spencer tells her that he was taking Trina over to Windymere, so she could spend the night with Ava. What the hell is happening? Trina asks, what’s with all the police? and Alexis says she assumes they heard about the breakout at Spring Ridge. Spencer says, three prisoners escaped, including Esme. Is Alexis saying Esme is on Spoon Island right now? Alexis says, sadly, she is, and she’s not alone.

On the radio, Mac says, keep him updated. And remember, Ryan Chamberlain is considered very dangerous. He is searching for Esme Prince, who is nine months pregnant. A civilian, Ava Jerome, is unaccounted for. She’s armed. So identify yourself as police, and proceed with extreme caution. Laura says, if Jordan needs any resources, she’ll get them, and Doc says if they need any intel into his brother’s mind or whatever, just ask. Jordan thanks them, and says, this is a very messy situation. She hopes they can end it quickly with as little bloodshed as possible. Doc says he’d think Heather would be keen to help, and Laura asks how he figures that. He says he doesn’t think Heather would want to see any harm come to her daughter or grandchild, and Laura says, Esme is Heather’s daughter, isn’t she? Hers and Ryan’s. Heather says, how could you miss it? She’s got my smile.

Ryan says, once Ava calms down and gets a little perspective, she’ll see that every step he took was worth it. She says, worth it for who? How? He says, so they could be together. Be the family they were always meant to be. Behind him, Esme struggles to get up, and Ava says, he sent his own daughter to seduce Spencer; to convince him to stalk and torture her, and drive her away from Nikolas. Esme limps away into the woods, and Ava says, all the while, making him feel like it was his idea. He says, she convinced herself that she was in love with Nikolas. It required strong measures. She says, so after he got Spencer to destroy her marriage, he sent Esme to seduce her husband, and he says, husbands come and go. The two of them are forever. She says, of course (🍷) he took Kiki. He took her daughter, and then he took Nikolas, and he’ll keep taking until somebody stops him. He says he knows things are complicated, but they have plenty of time to work that out. Right now, Esme’s water broke, and they need to get… He sees Esme is gone, and calls out to her. He runs to the rock, and picks up his coat. Ava asks if he lost something. He says, yes, his daughter, and she asks him to tell her how it feels. How does it feel to lose the one thing you truly love?

Ryan says he’s going to find Esme, and starts walking, but Ava shoots him in his handless arm, and he drops to the ground. He gets to his knees, and says, she shot him. She asks if it hurts. Is he in pain? She can tell him something about real pain, the kind of pain that comes from losing a child, her daughter, her first born. Now his daughter’s gone; she ran from him. Ave starts to cry, and says, she needed Kiki. She needed Nikolas. And they’re both gone because of him. He gets to his feet, clutching his arm, and says, maybe killing Kiki was a mistake, but he didn’t hurt a hair on Nikolas’s stupid thick head. She says she did that. Because of him and Esme. They destroyed her marriage; they poisoned it. There was nothing else she could do. He says, then it was all worth it. She killed him. Now they can be together. There’s nothing that stands between them.

Curtis pushes the bottle away, and Marshall says he knows Curtis is hurting. He has every right, but Marshall hurt him too, and Curtis found it in his heart to forgive him. And because Curtis did, he found the family he’d thought he’d lost forever. In the eyes of God and the State of New York, Curtis has a wife, and he also might have a daughter. Don’t shut himself off from the woman he loves because she committed the unpardonable sin of being human. He puts his hand on Curtis’s shoulder, and tells him, go on and let it hurt, but then he has to let it heal. He’s going to figure this out, and Marshall will be right here for him. He loves Curtis, and he’ll always support him. Tears in his eyes, Curtis thanks Marshall, and they hug.

Trina asks if Spencer is okay. She knows he’s thinking about Esme’s baby. He says he’ll feel a lot better once he knows his little brother or sister isn’t in danger. When Alexis said Esme wasn’t alone, she meant Esme is on the island with crazy Heather Webber and psychopath Ryan Chamberlain, right? Is she a hostage? Alexis says, actually, she’s there with her biological parents.

Laura says, still nothing? but Jordan assures her that they’re doing everything they can, and Mac says, they have the island surrounded. Ryan won’t get away. Doc says, if Esme is Ryan’s daughter, he sees her as a possession; something that belongs to him. It’s like an extension of himself, and they know he’s obsessed with Ava. He’ll do anything to hold her. Laura says she can’t just sit here while Ryan does his worst. They’ve got to do something. Esme stumbles through the door, and collapses in Laura’s arms, sobbing.

Ryan says, with Nikolas out of the way, he and Ava are bound together forever. His life is in her hands, and hers in his. She tells him that he’s crazy, and he says he knows the wounds have to heal – the physical and emotional – but he promises they’ll find Esme, and they’ll take her and  the baby, and vanish to someplace no one will ever find them. And he promises her, she’ll thank him. She says, he’s right about one thing. His life is in her hands. He says, til death do us part, and she repeats, til death do us part, taking steady aim. He reaches out, and she slowly… pulls… the trigger.

Tomorrow, Scotty tells Elizabeth that they have unfinished business; Taggert tells Portia that he is Trina’s dad; Esme has her baby; and Ryan says, Ava isn’t done with him yet.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Carrying over the somewhat civilized argument Teresa and Melissa were having at the mozzarella party last week, Teresa asked Melissa if she wanted to be a bridesmaid, but Melissa said, not at this point. It would be like going back to an ex-boyfriend.

There was more rehash about the Dolores dynamic having changed for Frank, since Paulie’s got her now. Melissa met with Marge and Jackie for lunch, and said Danielle had complained about Jackie looking her up and down at the mozzarella party. Jackie admitted she had, and said, Danielle looked like a trainwreck, and she couldn’t look away. Her shorts looked like she’d just taken them out of the hamper. She added that Danielle could have been an adult about it, and come to her if she had a gripe, rather than telling Melissa. Pot apparently doesn’t recognize kettle, as it’s not too adult to 1) look someone up and down, and 2) comment to someone else about said trainwreck’s appearance – at their own party, no less. Melissa asked if she wanted to talk to Danielle, but she said, Danielle’s wardrobe was punishment enough. Marge said Jennifer was in a downward spiral, and she was like a festering wound that doesn’t heal. Geez. This bunch is slowly encroaching on Most Awful People territory. However, no one will ever top Jax Taylor for top spot.

It was Rachel’s daughter’s 2nd birthday, and there was a photo session. In Rachel’s interview, she said, everyone thinks they have the cutest kid, but she actually does have the cutest kid. She asked husband John if he wanted another baby, but he wanted to wait a year. In her interview, she said, after they got married, she’d gotten pregnant right away, and had a miscarriage, and never got pregnant again. I guess she did eventually, since they have several kids. She said, it was emotionally and physically draining, and wouldn’t wish it on anybody. It was the most challenging thing in her life. They have five embryos in the freezer, and the time is now. She’s the one who will have to do all the work.

For Teresa, it was all wedding, wedding, wedding, but it wasn’t long before she talked smack about Melissa, bringing Gia and Gabriella (who claims to want nothing to do with the drama, but that’s doubtful) into the conversation. On her podcast, Melissa had claimed she’d been there for the girls when Teresa was in prison, but Gia said, the only time they saw Melissa and Joe #2 was when the cameras were rolling. Louie said Melissa didn’t put one left foot in front of the other, and I wondered if Teresa’s mangling of the English language was catching. Or was Louie born with it and the stars aligned? Louie got all involved in the discussion because he wants more camera time.

In Danielle’s interview, she talked about her kids clothing line, Bougie Kidz, and said, Melissa was living the dream. She met Melissa for I’m not sure what, but it seemed like Melissa was teaching her how to be a stylist. Then, since no one can keep anything to themselves for more than five seconds, Melissa told Danielle about what Jackie had said. In her interview, Danielle said Jackie was a judgy bitch. Danielle said she was concerned about the Teresa/Joe #2 situation because she and her brother had been close, and hadn’t spoken in two years When covid hit, Danielle began filming herself for Instagram, and reviewing products. Her brother constantly made fun of her, so she blocked him, saying, he didn’t have to look. He then cut her out of his wedding, and in her interview, she said she’d thought it was a joke. Obviously not. Melissa felt like she was missing part of the story, and Danielle said some things had happened prior to the wedding. She’d tried not to put in her two cents about the wedding preparations, but she didn’t have a sister, and it was so exciting. She wanted to do things for her future SIL, and was told it wasn’t all about her. She sent a text to her brother, saying, see who she’s dealing with? and he kicked all of them out of the wedding. She thinks it’s the wife behind it, but Melissa said, Danielle’s brother was the one making fun of her. Playing devil’s advocate, she’s tried getting Joe #2 and Teresa together, but unless Joe wants to, she can’t force him. In Melissa’s interview, she said, it’s not always the sister-in-law’s fault. Joe is a grown man, and she can only try so many times.

At Jennifer’s house, there was discussion about teaching the kids more chores, and paying them to do them. In Jennifer’s interview, she said, she and Bill had different approaches to parenting. She told Bill that Marge had said she was sometimes disingenuous, and not self-reflective. She insisted she was the most self-reflective person ever, and Bill rolled his eyes. She asked if he didn’t think so, and he started giving a flowery speech about how people have different personalities. In her interview, Jennifer said she didn’t want to hear it. STFU. Bill said she had to acknowledge her part in things, and in her interview, she said she didn’t need him to validate the other person’s point-of-view. We flashed back to the times Bill was less than supportive.

Danielle said daughter Valentina had been robbed of her school art show because of covid, so she invited her parents over, and there was a private showing. In Danielle’s interview, she said her parents had separated when she was eight, and couldn’t tolerate being in the same room, but they came together when her son Dominic was born. Dominic introduced Valentina, who came out in a rainbow tutu. I’m not sure how old she is, maybe five? As her pieces were brought out, she told her audience what artist inspired them. I took college art courses in high school, and this kid knows more than I do. In her interview, Danielle said, it would kill her if her kids were separated like she and her brother. If her son marries a megabitch, she’ll poison her. Her mother also didn’t talk to her brother, and Danielle mentioned that it was the first time her brother wasn’t there for something with the kids. Her dad started crying, and in her interview, she said, all her dad wants it for the family to be together. This destroyed her whole family. We saw a clip from a home movie when they were kids, and Danielle’s father said, this too shall pass.

Melissa and Joe #2 went to what they call their shore house, but I beg to differ since it’s in Tom’s River. Melissa’s mother and sister came over, and Joe asked if they’d been invited to Teresa’s wedding. They said, no, and in Joe’s interview, he said Juicy Joe’s family had been at his wedding. Melissa’s family had been in their lives for 20 years. Teresa was making a statement that they mean nothing to her. Melissa’s family sat with their parents for 18 years – we see clips of that – and his dad’s last words were, love each other. After New York, he’d called Louie, and said he wanted things to be better. Teresa just had to admit she was wrong. Louie said, she was never going to do that. Louie has done nothing to help the situation, and only made it worse. Joe said, they were going to be having guys night soon, and Melissa’s sister said she could see his Gorga-ness coming out.

The guys met at a bar, and Frank started busting Joe #2’s balls immediately, saying the tables were too high for him. New (Danielle’s) husband Nate was joining the fold, and Frank said, Paulie had to work, then whined about the Dolores dynamic changing. He missed his relationship with Dolores. Joe said, they’d taken Louie in with open arms, and Melissa had treated him like royalty, yet Melissa’s family wasn’t invited to the wedding. Louie walked in just as Joe was saying, he’s garbage.

There was a toast to Louie – for what reason, I don’t know – and Joe #2 asked Louie, how many wedding guests? Louie said, 200, and Joe said he’d met Melissa’s family. Were they were good people? Louie said, they were great people, and Joe asked why they weren’t invited to the wedding. Everyone on his side was f***ed up. Frank asked if there was a reason, and Louie said, past bullsh*t. Joe said, Melissa’s family should be respected because they were close to his and Teresa’s parents. It was like a f*** you. There was some discussion about the hierarchy in Italian families, and Louie said, Joe’s wife was on social media saying Teresa’s kids wouldn’t have eaten if it wasn’t for them. Joe claimed that’s not what she said, and Louie said he was there. Joe said, Louie didn’t know sh*t, and should be embarrassed. Louie said, Joe was on the podcast talking about his sister, and Joe told him, f*** you, saying he wasn’t a man; he was a p*ssy. Louie said, Joe’s talk didn’t affect him, and to stop the theatrics. Joe said he was tired of the bullsh*t, and Louie always backpedals. Louie said, Teresa was his fiancé, and she was 50 years old. What did Joe think he could do? Joe suggested he tell Teresa that she’s out of line, and Louie said he did, but she stood her ground. Joe said he was hurt, and didn’t want to be hurt anymore, and Louie said, Teresa didn’t deserve to be hurt either. She and Joe should talk, and Joe should be vulnerable. What he’s feeling is justified, but they should hear what each other feels. In Joe’s interview, he says, Teresa will just bring up that he didn’t defend Louie. She doesn’t move forward. Louie said that Teresa loved Joe so much, but in his interview, Joe said in his heart, he knows how she feels, and he doesn’t want to waste his time. He told Louie that he’d think about it.

Next time, Bill’s feelings are hurt; Frank Jr. asks Dolores, what’s up with Paulie and his dad; Teresa calls Joe wanting to make peace, but he says he doesn’t know; and Jennifer says she can do what she f***ing wants.

🌊 Slouching Towards the Jersey Shore…

Have your late-night snack here tomorrow, along with some soap and VanderDoings. Until then, stay safe, stay going the extra mile in all you do, and stay not cutting yourself off from loved ones because they committed the unpardonable sin of being human.

February 14, 2023 – A Valentine’s Wedding, Mozzarella Memories in New Jersey, That Awful House Full of Awful People Is Back & Endless

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura asks that question that’s only asked in movie and TV weddings; if anyone can show just cause why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace. Everyone laughs, and Portia flashes back to Jordan telling her to let Curtis know Trina might be his daughter before the wedding.

Stella reads from the Bible, speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one with another. She flashes back to telling Jordan that Curtis and Portia’s affair would line up with how old Trina is. There’s a knock on the door, and she opens it to Jordan.

Heather slips into Ryan’s room, and says, evening, grandpa. She tells him, it’s only the most romantic day of the year, and gives him a heart she made out of construction paper that says Happy Valentine’s Day on it. She says, from mee-maw. It’s not his only gift. He asks if it’s chocolate covered strawberries, but she says, something much sweeter; a way out for all four of us.

Outside the pub, Dante teases Sam about driving on the wrong side of the road. They peek inside the pub, and Sam says, what if Maggie isn’t a drinker? Dante says, hopefully, someone who knows her is, and they go inside. A woman asks if she can help them, and Dante says, they’re counting on it.

Laura says, as per tradition, she’ll pose the same question of Curtis and Portia. Do either of them know any reason why they should not be joined in holy matrimony? Portia looks at Trina, but doesn’t say anything, and Laura says, let’s get these two hitched. She reads the wedding vows, and they both say, I will. She asks the guests if they’ll do their best to support Portia and Curtis in their new union, and they say they will. Another part of a wedding I’ve never seen or heard of. Laura says, surrounded by love and support. They’re truly blessed.

Stella warns Jordan that what she has might be contagious, and Jordan says, diagnosis? Stella says, second guessing herself, and Jordan says she’ll take the risk. She sees someone’s been drawing comfort from the Good Book, and Stella says, trying to anyway. Not much success. She wonders if she’s doing the right thing, staying away from the wedding, or is hiding out just plain cowardly? Jordan says, Stella Henry is no coward. She loves her nephew and wants him to be happy.

Heather tells Ryan that she made the heart in arts and crafts. They wouldn’t let her use scissors, so she had to improvise. She pulls out a homemade knife, and he says, she’s all heart. I love these two. She says he’s going to owe her huge when they blow this joint, and he asks, who’s the fourth? She says, Esme’s baby – duh. He has to work on his grandfathering skills when they hit the road. He says, it sounds like she has it all figured out, and she says, down to the last detail. He asks if their daughter is on board, but Heather avoids the question, and he grabs her arm, saying, Esme doesn’t know, does she?

Dante says, two of your finest ales, and the woman says, that’s a matter of opinion, isn’t it? He says, hers, and she says, two of her favorite ales coming right up. She asks what brings them to her village. It’s not one of those fancy tourist sites. Sam says, they’re drawn to faraway places, and she says, then they’ve come to the right spot. She serves them, and they take a sip, declaring it delicious. She asks if there’s anything else she can help them with, and Dante says, they’re looking for a friend of a friend. She asks if the friend has a name, and Sam says, Maggie Fitzgerald.

Laura says, Portia and Curtis want to say a few words to each other, and suggests Curtis start. He takes Portia’s hands, and says, my love, it’s been a long and winding road with us. First, we were together, then they were apart. Thankfully, now we’re back together, and I don’t doubt that journey took a toll on us, and others, but some of those others have blessed us, and for that, I’m eternally grateful. What I’ve learned about love ain’t always pretty, and certainly not easy, but nothing worth having ever is. But this – he looks around – this is everything. He vows to love her with all his heart, to give her all he has, and all he is, to make their lives and the lives of the people they treasure better. This is his vow to her. Laura says, Portia’s up.

Portia says, you mentioned a long and winding road. I know it well. I thought I’d be traveling that road with my daughter, and she and my work was all that I would ever need, and I was fine with that, but then you came back into my life and literally saved my life, and Trina’s, and all of a sudden, I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. Your courage, your kindness, your conviction – all of it – literally leaves me breathless. No one can make me laugh like you do, or cry like you do – in a good way, in the best possible way. You make me want to do and be better, and you have no idea how thankful I am for that. You’re part of me, and I can’t imagine a world without you in it. That’s… that’s why I… She looks around, and stammers. Curtis asks, what is it?

Stella tells Jordan, they’re damned if they do, and damned if they don’t. She’s terrified that, no matter how this plays out, Curtis’s heart is going to be broken. Jordan says, maybe temporarily, but she’s forgetting Curtis loves Trina. He might be shocked if it turns out she’s his daughter, but once that settles, he’ll be thrilled. Stella says, that blessing comes with a price. He’ll realize Portia’s been lying to him for decades. Jordan says, Portia was looking out for Taggert. The man adores Trina, and has been an amazing father to her. Stella says she understands that. Telling the truth has the potential to upend a lot of lives. Jordan says, once Portia and Curtis got back together, Trina was going through so much, and Stella says, maybe it wasn’t the time then, but once they decided to join their lives together and be a family? She keeps praying about this, but she doesn’t know if prayer is enough.

Heather says Ryan is a handy one-handed man, and puts the knife to his throat. He laughs, and she says, they’ll be told when the time is right. Can they please leave the family’s paths for the road trip? He says, every law enforcement agency from here to Alaska will be looking for them, and she says, but they’ll be looking for three escaped fugitives. Not a happy family cruising in their RV, listening to the radio. Can he picture this? He says, no, and she asks why he’s being so negative. He says, Esme has kind of outgrown a baby seat, but Heather says, they’ll be needing one of those for the RV. He says, she’s an adult, pregnant woman who’s lost her memory. Does she really think Esme will let herself be thrown into the back of an RV? Heather says, he’s the one who said she’s got it all figured out, and he says, then tell him the plan. They can’t be too careful, especially with that detective and his girlfriend trying to track down Esme’s nanny. She says she doubts Ryan is going to be doing the driving, so why doesn’t he sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride?

Sam says, they’re not there to make trouble for Maggie, and Dante says, just the opposite. Maggie was this person’s nanny. Sam says, there was this family she used to work for, and they said she moved to this village. The woman says she recalls a woman who used to work as a nanny, but her name was Marjorie. She only came for trivia nights on Thursdays. She was fantastic at that, but she stopped showing up, so they figured she’d moved on. Sam says, maybe she left a clue as to where she was going. It’s really important they find her. A woman she once cared for, Esme, is in trouble. Dante says, Esme Prince. Did Marjorie ever mention her?

Portia looks at Trina, who says, it’s okay, then she looks around. She tells Curtis that she’s sorry. It’s just hitting her all over again that she’s not just marrying him; she’s marrying him and his beautiful family. He says, they’ll be her family too, and she says, and hers will be his. That road doesn’t stop here. All of them travel together. He says, together, and puts the ring on her finger, pledging to love her today, tomorrow, and always. Finn looks at Elizabeth, and smiles, and Portia says, with this ring, she pledges all her love. And like this ring has no end, neither does her love for him. She puts the ring on him, and Trina smiles at Spencer. Laura says, with vows and rings, they’ve pledged their love to each other. Therefore, by the power vested in her by the State of New York, and the blessing of all their family and friends, she pronounces them husband and wife. They know what to do. Everyone laughs, and Curtis says he certainly does. They kiss, and everyone applauds.

Heather says she almost forgot. His Valentine’s present. She hands him the knife, and he asks, what’s the catch? She says, is he always this suspicious? and he says, yes. She says, it’s her Valentine’s gift to him, but he has to keep it hidden before the big escape. He says, she does recall he’s supposed to be in a fugue state, unable to speak or move, let alone wield a weapon, but she says, once they’re outside these walls, he can be his old self again. He says, but if something goes wrong, and he’s caught holding a knife, and she’s caught holding Esme’s hand and claiming he hijacked them… Everyone needs a back-up plan, right?

The woman says, Marjorie never talked about her charges. Why are they so invested in this Esme person? Dante says, she’s in quite a bit of trouble back in the states, the kind that Maggie could be the key to get her out of. Sam says, she gets that the woman has no reason to trust them, but if Maggie knew what Esme was going through, she’d want to help. Dante asks if she’s sure there’s nothing she can tell them.

At the reception, Drew asks everyone to join him in welcoming the newlyweds, Portia and Curtis. Everyone applauds as they walk in, and the band begins to play. Portia and Curtis dance, and there’s a song part as they gaze into each other’s eyes. Curtis asks if he’s told her that he loves her, and she says, he has. He asks if he’s told her how excited he is to start their lives together, and Portia says, he has. He asks if he should stop, but she says, never. Trina says she’s never seen her mom so happy, and Josslyn says, maybe true love does exist. Spencer says, maybe it does, and looks at Trina.

Sonny tells Nina that everything looks gorgeous, especially the co-owner of the venue. How is she holding up? She says she’s okay. She’s thinking about Willow, and imagining dancing at her wedding. He says, there still may be a chance of that, so they can’t lose hope.

Marshall says he’s lived long enough to see his son get married, and TJ says, Curtis looks like he’s on Cloud 9. I wonder if there’s a Cloud 10, and Zeke says, his sister looks stunned. Molly says, it’s like she can’t believe the wedding actually happened, and Marshall says, those two are destined for a lifetime of bliss. Elizabeth tells Finn, watching them, it seems so simple, and he says, maybe it is. Maybe people tend to overcomplicate things. To life getting simpler one day. She says she can cheers to that, and they clink glasses. The dance finishes, and everyone applauds. Curtis brings Portia over to Sterling, and says he believes there’s another tradition to uphold. Sterling says he believes there is. He’d love to dance with his little girl. Portia says she’d love that too, and they go out to the dance floor to more applause.

Taggert tells Trina, it looks like they’re doing the daddy/daughter thing. Should they show them what they’ve got? She says, lead the way, and they go out too. Drew says, it looks like they’ve got a father/daughter duo, and asks for another round of applause. Portia looks over at Trina.

Stella takes a pill, and Jordan says, Stella is actually making herself sick over this. Stella says, it’s just something she takes for her blood pressure. Don’t worry. Her cardiologist assured her that she’ll outlive them all. Jordan says, she’d better; she’s indispensable. Stella says, the cemetery is full of indispensable people, and suggests they talk about something else. Has Jordan forgotten what day it is? Enough about Curtis’s love life. What about hers?

Heather tells Ryan, just stay in that chair, look as vacant as the Bates Motel, and she’ll have him and their daughter out of here and on their way to their new life before the guards have a chance to realize they’re gone. She gets misty-eyed just thinking about it. After all this time, together again; a real all-American family. He says, it sounds promising, but she says, it’s more than promising. It’s a sure thing. He says she’s not accounting for one potential glitch, but she says, this plan is glitch-free. He says, what if Esme refuses to come with them?

The woman says, as Dante and Sam pointed out, she’s never laid eyes on them before tonight. How does she know they’re not the reason that poor girl’s in trouble? Dante says, she just has to trust them. Sam says, Maggie Fitzgerald was the closest thing Esme had to a friend. Maybe she can tell them something about Esme’s family; a mother or a father… Dante says, basically someone who would do anything for her, and Sam says, and they mean anything. The woman says she wishes she could help them. Marjorie could name all of the Spice Girls faster than lightning – Mel B, Mel C, Victoria, Emma, and Geri – but she never heard her mention an Esme Prince.

Curtis asks Taggert if he can cut in, and Taggert says, now that he’s official the stepfather, it’s only fair. He thanks Trina for the dance, kisses her cheek, and tells Curtis, precious cargo. Curtis says, doesn’t he know it, and tells Trina that she looks lovely. They dance, and Trina asks how he feels. He says, mostly elated, and grateful. Of course (🍷) for her beautiful mother, and everyone here, but a large piece of that is reserved for her. Sterling asks Portia, what’s wrong? and she says, nothing. She’s just getting emotional. He says, the happiest day of your life can do that.

Sonny says he and Nina used to be good at that. Remember when he used to spin her around at the Tan-O? Let’s give it a shot. He knows it’s hard to have fun with what’s going on with Willow and Michael and everything, but they’ve got to live life, or what’s the point? He takes her hand, and they go onto the dance floor.

Elizabeth tells Terry to go dance and have fun, and Terry says, Elizabeth might consider taking her own advice. The dance floor is calling. Finn says he’s only an innocent bystander, not a dancer, and Elizabeth tells Terry, what he said. Terry says, suit yourself, and she and Yuri go to dance. Josslyn asks Spencer what he’s waiting for. She still doesn’t think he’s good enough for Trina, but that’s not for her to decide. Just like it’s not for Spencer to decide who she spends her time with. Got it? He says, got it.

Spencer asks if Trina has one more dance in her, and she says, with him? They start to dance, and she says she thought they weren’t pretending to be friends in public anymore. He says he wasn’t pretending.

Jordan asks Stella, please tell her that she’s not playing matchmaker, and Stella says, not after the mess she made of Curtis’s love life. Jordan says, Stella’s not to blame for the break-up of their marriage, but Stella says she didn’t help. Then there was Curtis’s relationship with Portia. Jordan says, Portia’s good people. If only she’d been upfront from the start, they’d know if Curtis was Trina’s father or not. Stella says, it’s too late for it to come out with minimal damage. She sees what Jordan is doing. They were talking about Jordan’s love life. Jordan says, Stella was talking about it, and Stella says, message received. She won’t be meddling in Curtis’s love life or Jordan’s. Jordan picks up the Bible, and tells Stella, like the Good Book says, take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Stella says, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew, 6:34. Jordan says, that Matthew, he really knew what was up. She kisses Stella on the cheek, and leaves. Stella says, he most certainly did.

Trina tells Spencer that Curtis is hiding it well, but it’s killing him that Stella isn’t here. He asks what she’s thinking, and she says she’s thinking it’s wrong that Stella’s sitting in her hotel room. She thinks Stella needs to be at this wedding.

Heather sticks her Valentine to the wall, and tells Ryan that she’s been earning Esme’s trust since Esme was brought here. She has no one else she can count on, especially that supposed baby daddy of hers. All he ever did was dump a bunch of papers in her lap, and tell her to sign away her rights. Ryan looks at the knife, and says, give him five minutes with that prince, and he swears he’ll eviscerate him. Heather says, spoken like a true and loving father. (She’s not wrong.) She tells him, for now, just be patient. Let mama take care of everything, and once they’re outside these walls, no one will ever hurt their baby girl again.

Dante puts some money on the bar, and tells the woman that they’ll get out of her hair, thanking her for the beer. She thanks him for the generous tip, and Sam says, they’ll be staying at the B&B, so if she thinks of anything that could help them, that would be fantastic. The woman says she’ll be sure to reach out. In the meantime, they’re welcome here anytime. They leave, and outside, Dante asks what Sam thought. She says, same as him; she’s lying through her teeth. I wonder where else you would lie from, and Sam tells him, that woman knows more than she’s saying. He tells Sam, say she’s lying… Sam says, she was, and he says, what’s the next obvious question? Why? Inside, the woman takes out a box of letters, and says, Esme, I warned you not to go look for your father. What have you gotten yourself into now? I think we all already guessed she’s Maggie.

Heather asks if Ryan is on board, and he says, he has a choice? She says, not so much. Once the stars are aligned, and Esme’s with them, they’ll make their escape. It’ll happen so fast, Esme won’t have time to object. He says, still, no plan is foolproof. What if they encounter an unforeseen complication? She touches the knife, and says, then he’ll be the solution. Happy Valentine’s Day. He says, let him throw one little wrinkle into the itinerary. He just needs to make one stop before they take off. I’m guessing to see Ava.

Making his toast, Drew says, the quality that stands out the most when he thinks of Curtis is loyalty. This man would lay down his life for those he cares about, and he considers himself lucky to be among them. He’s so happy for them, and can’t wait to see the life they build together. They’re beautiful inside and out. All of them love Curtis and Portia. Everyone is in agreement with that, and Drew says, to the best of the best. Congratulations, Curtis and Portia. Everyone raises their glasses and says, to the best. Portia and Curtis thank and hug Drew, and he says he meant every word. He tells the guests, it’s the maid-of-honor’s turn now, and asks Trina to show herself. She’s nowhere to be seen, and Marshall suggests she’s fixing her makeup. Portia wonders, where’s Trina? She was excited to give the toast. Where could she be?

Stella looks through the Bible, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens it, and Trina and Spencer are there.

Tomorrow, Trina asks, what would keep Stella from the wedding; Heather tells Esme, everything’s going to be taken care of; Nina tells Ava that she’s sure the reasons are less than legitimate; and Ryan says, you what?

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

When we last left, Bill was dragging Jennifer out of the party as she called Dolores the c-word. Dolores was pissed, since she’d been backing Jennifer for ages. In the car, Jennifer whined that Dolores didn’t care about her, but Bill said Jennifer’s expectations were too high for her friends. I think he really wanted to tell her that she was being an a-hole, but he has to sleep with her. Dolores said she was quitting Jennifer.

Wedding planning was in full force, and Teresa conferred about invitations with Louie’s assistant Jess. In her interview, Teresa said she wanted an epic wedding with Circe de Soleil dancers and fireworks. Melissa and Joe #2 thought the wedding was going to be awkward, and Melissa hated that Louie had called her insecure. Joe was shocked that Teresa put them out in the cold at the engagement party, and said she didn’t want him to walk her down the aisle.

Danielle visited Jennifer along with her kids, and was afraid once her kids saw Jennifer’s house, they’d want one. Danielle asked if it was going to be awkward with Jennifer and Dolores at her house, and Jennifer rehashed all that. They called Teresa to ask how her meeting with Marge went, and Teresa said it was a fresh of breath air [sic] because they’d communicated. Jennifer and Teresa had also met with Laura, an ex-friend of Marge’s, who said she had stuff they’d want to hear. In Jennifer’s interview she said, since Marge would do it, she decided to do it. Teresa indicated there was something serious Laura knew about, but Jennifer said she didn’t want to know… unless she needed ammunition.

Rachel has two under two, and a fifteen year old stepson, and actually seems like a decent person. My advice, stay far away from most of these people. Marge was having Dolores, Melissa, new friend Jen (who Marge knows through Siggy), Lexi, and Jackie over. Melissa brought sprinkle cookies, and we had a flashback of that Christmas long ago when Teresa threw them in the trash. Lexi said one of her worst faux pas was eating from the wrong bowl of edamame; she ate the pods people had sucked the beans out of. I can’t even imagine how TF you could make this mistake. She must be a real dimbulb. They played a sex question game, the first question being, what sex act did they feel guilty about? Jackie said, since she was Jewish, it was all of them. They never got past the first question because Melissa started talking about how sad it was for Joe #2, as he’d decided to call it quits with his sister. Jackie thought Jennifer was more dangerous than Teresa, and Dolores said, after being accused of not being a good friend, she and Jennifer were done. Marge said she’d genuinely made up with Jennifer, then found out she and Teresa were digging for info about her from a childhood friend. She felt played. In Marge’s interview, she said she found out because there was a mole in Jennifer’s camp.

Regarding her relationship with Paul, Dolores said, for the first time, she was dropping her guard 100%. Paul told her that he’d thought the other night was fun, and we flashed back to Jennifer going berserk. He’s clearly not paying attention. In Dolores’s interview, she said, beforehand, Paul had told her to be the bigger person. Had he not, it could have gone differently. Frank wasn’t used to her having a guy in her life that did everything for her, and Paul said he had her now. I’m liking Paul, so maybe there’s hope for Dolores. Teresa’s invites went out, imprinted on an acrylic pane that rested on top of fresh flowers. Fancy! Joe #2 said it was going to be awkward like in L.A. They’d been at this amazing event, and Teresa woudn’t even take a red carpet picture with him. In his interview, he said, their parents were looking down, and thinking it was a disgrace. Instead of being zen, Louie added fuel to the fire, and Teresa went apesh*t again.

Danielle got ready to have the women over for a mozzarella making party, and said Jennifer’s house could eat hers for breakfast. If anyone said her house was cute, they’d have a problem. Dolores arrived first, and when Danielle asked if there was going to be a problem with Jennifer, she said she always started off with a clean slate. Apparently, she’s never watched herself on this show. Melissa and Marge rode over together, and Marge said she didn’t care if Laura had said she was f***ing goats in her backyard, but Jennifer had undermined their friendship. Teresa said she had to send out new invites, thanks to Ramona. (Yes. RHONY Ramona of the googly eye fame.) Ramona had put Teresa’s invitation up on social media, and we saw the clip of her filming the invite. Teresa wasn’t able to get new acrylics in less than a few weeks’ time, so now the guests were going to be emailed new passwords. In Teresa’s interview, she said she’d wanted to keep the wedding private, and Ramona ruined it. I have to admit, I’m on her side with this one. WTF, Ramona? Dolores said she hadn’t spoken to Jennifer since Jennifer’s (latest) meltdown, and Teresa said she wasn’t taking sides. She wanted them to talk it out, but Dolores didn’t want hear what Jennifer had to say anymore.

Before Melissa got there, Teresa told everyone what a great time they’d had in L.A., but said, Joe was still hurt even though she’d apologized. She said she was seeing a therapist, and they talked about how Italians felt there was a stigma with therapy. When everyone got there, Danielle introduced the two chef instructors, and they all put on Making Mozz Memories aprons. It actually didn’t look too hard to make. Marge asked to chat with Jennifer, which was a mistake, since Jennifer only justified what she’d done. Marge asked if her apology hadn’t seemed genuine, but Jennifer said it had. Laura had approached her, and she was just curious. Marge suggested Jennifer be more self-reflective, which wasn’t a popular idea. She asked if Jennifer didn’t want to be friends, and Jennifer said, friends were on a spectrum. While I agree with that, I don’t go around digging up dirt about the ones on the low end of mine. Later, Marge told Teresa that Jennifer could benefit from therapy, and when Jennifer got annoyed about that, Marge pointed out that she also had issues with Dolores. Jennifer said she and Dolores were good, and Dolores got up and took off her earrings.

Dolores said if Jennifer had a problem with her, Jennifer should come to her, and then there was a bunch of no, you stuff. Teresa wondered what happened to the clean slate. Jen tried to intervene, and told them that this wasn’t going to get anywhere. When they ignored her suggestion, Jen stuffed her face from the buffet. Dolores suddenly decided they were good, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said she was done with people who didn’t care. I have to add, this was all shouted about in front of the chefs, who must have wondered WTF they’d gotten themselves into. Teresa said, all these people were going to be at her wedding, and no seating chart was probably a good idea. Marge said, Teresa had issues with it last time at the engagement party, and in Dolores’s interview, she said, in Italian families, it’s big deal where you sit. Teresa insisted that Melissa and Joe #2 were supposed to be at her table, and Jennifer backed her up, saying, Teresa was unaware of the issue. Melissa said Teresa was horrible to them in New York, which brought us back to Teresa feeling that Melissa hadn’t stuck up for Louie with Marge. Melissa said she’d told Marge to knock it off a million times, and Marge agreed. Melissa told Teresa to stop saying how family was everything.

Next time, Paul confronts Frank; Marge thinks Jennifer is on a downward spiral; Danielle admits she’s also estranged from her brother; and Joe #2 has a fight with Louie.

🏖  The Summer House premiere was just the warm up to what will surely be a summer of awful people drinking liquor and fighting.

Carl and Lindsay have moved in together, and Lindsay said she was living a rom-com movie in real life. I give this five minutes. On July 1st, the housemates headed for the Hamptons, and Kyle said he intended to have a massive summer, since he’s about to turn 40 and he’s married now. I’m not sure what he means by massive, but I’m sure it involves a lot of drinking and acting like an a-hole. When they got to the house, they found out the number of bedrooms had been cut back, due to zoning laws. In other words, the landlord advertised that he was renting out too many rooms on national TV, and got caught.

Paige picked her up new girl Gabby, who is all about astrology, and on the way, explained the logistics of the house. She said, Mya, who was dating Oliver, would also be joining them, and Gabby realized she was the only one not part of a couple. Kyle said he took the vibe of the house very seriously, and I decided the word vibe is overused. Mya said she was friends with Carl, but Lindsay thought she wanted Carl in a sexual way. Lindsay didn’t want Mya near him, even though she and Carl were in a permanent friendzone. Mya said after they’d played Family Feud (like really, on TV, not in the living room), she told Lindsay that she’d texted Carl to see if he wanted to smoke a jay. She’d smoked with Carl before, but Lindsay said it wasn’t respectful, and got all bent out of shape. I see Lindsay overreacting in the future. Another new girl, Sam, showed up, as well as a new guy named Chris. Carl was now working with Kyle at Loverboy, but described it as rocky, and said he didn’t know if Loverboy was for him. The first night they decided to have pool party, and Lindsay told the girls that she’d been sober for nine months, but then she wanted a glass of wine with her Aunt Rhonda at Easter, so she was drinking again. But now she didn’t black out. Oh okay. There’s that. Add drunken to overreacting.

Gabby whined to Carl about Lindsay, but kudos to Carl – who’s been the one actual adult in the bunch for a few seasons – for saying, nope. Lindsay was his priority. There will still be overreacting though. Lindsay explained to the others that she got pissed because she’d been supporting Carl’s sobriety, and felt Gabby was sabotaging it by suggesting he smoke weed with her. New guy Jaerez joined the group, and one of the girls (I think Sam) mixed up Leonardo da Vinci with Leonardo DiCaprio, which is pretty amusing, and shows how stupid these people are. How did I miss out on making millions and being on TV?

This season, stupidity; alcohol; alcohol and stupidity; Kory comes to the house; Craig puts pressure on Paige; fights; and a possible engagement.

🐰 Don’t Change a Hare For Me…

Stop in tomorrow, where there will be soap, a glimpse into everything Vanderpumpish, and perhaps some Bowl talk. Until then, stay safe, stay knowing friends are God’s apology for relatives, and stay living life. Or what’s the point?