Tag Archives: Whitney Houston

April 11, 2025 – GH Weekdays, Josslyn Gets Her First Mission, Soap Suds, This Week In Reality, Weekend Watch, Future Watching, Awarding, Fluffy Tales, Novenary Quotes & Believe

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

🥢 Weekday Bites…

Monday:

Jack went to Anna’s office and she asked if something happened. He said she was trapped. Lucy asked if Trina wanted to perform at the Nurses Ball with Kai or do another duet with Josslyn. Carly hugged Josslyn, saying she didn’t know Josslyn was coming home, and Jason told her, welcome home. Carly wanted to hear about Easter Island, but first, Josslyn wanted to talk how Carly almost died. Elizabeth thanked Lucas for checking on her and he said the guy he met in Miami was in town and they’d gone for a drink. Ava came by wanting to talk to Elizabeth about the accident. Molly said it was a miracle the ambulance got there as quick as it did, and Ric had a hazy recollection of seeing Kristina there. He told Molly that he just remembered something about the accident. Kristina said she didn’t mean to hurt Elizabeth, but Lucky said, she almost died. Kristina said Ava kept pushing her (bad choice of words), but he said she needed to take responsibility. She hadn’t even apologized for almost killing two people. She said she was glad they were both okay and she was sorry. He said she’d gone too far and needed to pay for it. Elizabeth and Ric had to know what she did.

Kai said he’d have to pass, and Trina said she didn’t know if she could perform, but Lucy said she was always a huge hit. Trina said a lot had changed since the last Nurses Ball. Carly told Josslyn about the poisoned champagne, and Josslyn asked if Carly and Jack were sleeping together. Jack told Anna that ADA Turner had asked for every file the WSB had on her. He sent them, but between what was confidential and redacted, what he’d sent was her birth date and shoe size. He’d come to warn her. It was disturbing that the ADA was asking about her at all. Molly asked what Ric remembered, but he said it didn’t make sense. He lost control of the car and swerved all over. Molly suggested it might have been black ice, when her phone rang. Ric said, the law never sleeps, and to take it. Molly left, and Alexis said they’d finally made a truce and Ric got in an accident. He’d rather die than be on good terms with her. Elizabeth said it was still fuzzy, and Ava said Ric had been at her apartment – they’d gotten close – and Elizabeth dropped by to bring him some paperwork. Elizabeth said her kid had her car and Ric offered to drive her home, but all she remembered was the car swerving and that no one else was involved. Why was Ava asking? Kristina begged Lucky not to tell anyone. She wasn’t thinking straight and tried to stop it when she came to her senses. Lucky said she wasn’t fast enough, and Kristina said he was the one who told her not to leave the scene and not to tell anyone. He said that was before he knew she’d almost killed the mother of his child and the love of his life. He couldn’t look the other way. Kristina needed to turn herself in or he would.

Anna said she thought she could handle an ADA, but Jack said if she wanted to oust Anna as Commissioner, it wouldn’t be hard considering the company she kept. She asked why he cared, and he said he didn’t want to deal with another Commissioner. She was a pain in the ass, but a pain he was familiar with. Carly said it was none of Josslyn’s business, and Josslyn took that as a yes. Carly had been down that road with Sonny, and she wanted to know when Carly was involved with a dangerous man. Carly said she and Jack had gotten closer, and Jason wanted to leave, but Josslyn said Carly wouldn’t lie if he was there. Carly wanted to talk about Easter Island, and Josslyn said she’d drop the Jack thing for now. The trip was amazing. She showed Carly the pictures on her phone, and Carly wondered why she wasn’t in any of them. Josslyn said the trip was for school, not the Gram. Jason asked if she’d hiked the crater and looked at her pictures. Ava told Elizabeth that she hadn’t been able to talk to Ric and she was confounded since he was a good driver. Elizabeth said the only unusual thing was that they’d taken Route 42 to miss the traffic. Maybe it was icier since it was less traveled. Ava said she was glad they were both okay, thanked Elizabeth, and left. Lucas wondered what that was about, and Elizabeth asked if it wasn’t obvious. Kristina asked Lucky to just hear her out. Ava found out personal information about her dad that no one could know. Ava threatened to blackmail her dad and use it to get full custody by going public. Lucky said it would jeopardize Sonny’s whole family, and she said Ava was going to let her dad die and threw Morgan and Adela in her face. She lost it and snapped. She saw Ava’s car in her parking spot and found some wire cutters. Before she knew it, she was cutting the wires to what she thought was Ava’s car. She guessed Ric was in Ava’s spot. He said it was attempted murder, and she said she wasn’t in her right mind, but when she realized, she raced to Ava’s apartment. Just because someone survived an accident didn’t mean it couldn’t destroy their lives and she wouldn’t wish that on anyone, not even Ava. Did he believe her?

Kai said Lucy’s excitement got him excited, so he’d do it, and Lucy said the sports fan niche was a tough nut to crack, but now they had their very own Josh Allen. If Trina changed her mind, she always had a spot. She’d be in touch. She left and Trina said she didn’t take Kai as the type of guy who Lucy terrified. Why did he agree? He said because of her. Josslyn asked when Jason went to Easter Island, and he said during his time away from Port Charles. Jack arrived, and Josslyn said, this guy. He almost got Carly killed and she was still seeing him. Turner went to Anna’s office and said she assumed it was about Emma, but Anna said, no, it was about herself. Why did Turner ask the WSB for her files? If Turner had a problem with her, she preferred to be dealt with directly. Turner said she was gathering evidence against Anna. She was tired of Anna letting her friends like Jason get away with murder. Lucky said, had it been him, he would probably have gone crazy, but it didn’t excuse Kristina. She couldn’t walk away from this… Maybe there was a way for her to be held accountable without any legal consequences. If she talked to her mom, maybe Alexis could cut her a plea deal. Kristina said she couldn’t take that chance. Alexis would tell Molly and Molly could never know about this. Elizabeth told Lucas that it was Ava’s not so subtle way of staking a claim on Ric. Lucas asked if she cared, and she said, if Ric fully embraced his good side, maybe there might be a world where she’d change her mind about him. Lucas said Ric and Ava were both comfortable in that grey area, and Elizabeth said she was no different. She used Ric to find out more about what was going on with Portia and Brad. They were putting it together when they crashed. Ava told Ric that Elizabeth was no help. She went to see his car at the impound lot, and the mechanic told her that someone had cut the brake line. It was no accident. Somebody tried to kill him.

Anna asked what Jason had to do with it, and Turner said nothing came of his arrest for Cyrus’s murder. Anna said there was no body and no other evidence of a crime being committed. They had to let him go. Turner said, there was also Sonny Corinthos, Duke Lavery, and Valentin Cassadine. Anna had a habit of keeping questionable company. Anna said it had no bearing on her professional life, but Turner said she believed it did. Anna was misusing her power to protect them. Now that DA Scorpio was on leave, she was investigating it. She knew how close Anna and Robert were and would never put him in an awkward position. Anna said she’d dedicated her entire career to law enforcement, but Turner said that didn’t make less true. She was sure Anna would do the same for her granddaughter. Anna said she’d brought Emma in herself. She also brought in Valentin, Sonny, and Jason several times. She did everything by the book. Turner said she hoped so. Unlike Anna, she never looked the other way. She left. Josslyn said Jack had a lot of nerve showing up after almost killing her mother, and Jack said she had a reason to be upset. He wanted to discuss it further, but he needed to talk to Jason about something alone first. They went to another room and Jack told Jason to contact Anna, but be discreet. Jason left, and Jack told Josslyn to let him have it. Alexis told Molly that Ric would be back to his old self in no time – God help them – and Molly said she couldn’t have gotten through this without Alexis. The last few times she needed Alexis, Kristina did too. It was nice to have Alexis to herself and nice to have Kristina to lean on too. Kristina told Lucky that she and Molly were finally in a good place. Molly couldn’t know she was the reason Molly’s father was in an accident. Molly would never forgive her. Her mom already lost Sam and if she lost another daughter to prison, she couldn’t survive that. Lucky said his family would always be grateful to Sam for saving Lulu, and Kristina said losing Sam almost broke them. If they lost her on top of it, it would break them. He said, thank God Ric and Elizabeth were okay, and he didn’t see how Kristina going prison would help anything. Her family had been through enough tragedy and Kristina had to live with the guilt of almost killing two innocent people. If she was anything like him, that was punishment enough. She thanked him, they hugged, and he left. She texted Alexis: In the chapel. Can you and Molly meet me? Ava wondered who wanted Ric dead and he asked how much time she had. It couldn’t be Alexis. Sonny would be at the top of the list if it had been her car. She said, the day of the accident, he parked in her spot. The spot has her name on it and their cars look almost identical… Oh my God. His car wasn’t the target; hers was.

Kai said if he hadn’t volunteered, that lady would still be there talking. They way she talked, Trina’s past performances must have left an impression. Trina said she loved performing and guessed she was like Marshall. On stage, you connect with the music and the audience goes with you. There was nothing like it. He said that was how he felt on the field and hoped he got a chance to see her in her element. Don’t give up her chance to be in the spotlight. Maybe he couldn’t do the thing he loved because of his injury, but she could and should. Trina agreed and said she’d perform with him. Lucy went to Elizabeth’s room to discuss the Nurses Ball and Lucas tried to jet, but Lucy said she needed his help. When he did Magic Milo, he was a huge hit. He said it was his final bow. He’d bared it all and literally had nothing more give or show, but he’d cheer in the audience. Lucy said she’d circle back to him, but Elizabeth was the heart and soul of the nursing staff. She had to perform. Elizabeth said she’d be in a cast for six to eight weeks, but Lucy said that fit in her schedule. She would put both of them down for a duet.

Josslyn asked how she was supposed trust Jack. What if someone hurt her or Donna? Carly said it had been a terrible mistake and not Jack’s fault, but Jack said Josslyn had a reason to be angry. It was important to him to protect them both. Josslyn said she couldn’t control who her mother chose to date, but Jack needed to promise to take Carly’s safety very seriously. He said she had his word, and Carly suggested Josslyn stay the night, but she said she was dying to see Trina and wanted to sleep in her own bed. Carly said Donna had gotten Josslyn a gift and left to get it. Jack said Josslyn gave an impressive performance. He almost believed she wanted him to have nothing to do with her mother. She said, who told him that she was performing? Carly came back with a giftbag, and Josslyn left. Jack said it was unanimous. Carly’s entire family hated him. Jason met Anna in the park, and she said she was in ADA Turner’s crosshairs. Turner had questioned her about releasing him after his hair had been found at Cyrus’s cabin. She thought Emma’s arrest had brought her front and center. Jason said Robert was also gone, and Anna said she wasn’t worried, but Turner would use any excuse and might find something hidden in her career. Jason said their friendship meant a lot and he didn’t want her to get into trouble for protecting him. If she had a reason to bring him in and build a case against him, do it. Alexis asked if Kristina had been in the chapel the whole time, and Kristina said she’d been going over it and wanted to apologize to Molly. They hugged and she told Molly that she was so sorry for everything. Ric said he didn’t believe Sonny would try to kill the mother of his child, and Ava agreed. Sonny would never risk Avery being in the car and she doubted Sonny would go that route. Too many variables and he wasn’t sloppy. She did know someone who was that sloppy though. Ric said, Kristina, and Ava said before he left with Elizabeth, Kristina had been in her apartment. He heard what she’d said. She was furious. We flashed back to Kristina saying Ava had taken her brother and daughter and wasn’t going to take her father. Ava said Kristina blamed her for what happened to Sonny and Morgan and got feral when she suggested Michael’s injuries were Sonny’s fault. It was like the fight at the MetroCourt all over again, but this time it didn’t end with Kristina falling out a window. We flashed back to Kristina saying she would stop Ava, and Ava said, Kristina threatened her. Kristina must have cut the brakes thinking it was her car and tried to kill her. Ric said, and Kristina almost killed him.

Elizabeth told Lucy that even when she got the cast off, she’d have to take it easy. She was sorry, but she couldn’t perform. Lucas said she couldn’t have the whole staff in the audience. He’d help out. Lucy said he wouldn’t regret it. She was good at finding hidden talents for a good cause. He said he had none. He’d help, but not perform. She said he didn’t have to perform, she promised, and crossed her fingers behind her back. Carly said, not everyone in her family hated Jack, and he said, name one. She said Donna loved him, but the only approval that mattered was hers. They’d agreed to keep their relationship separate from the WSB and the further the WSB was away from her life, the better. Kai and Trina were kissing when Josslyn came in. She said Trina was probably sorry to see her, but Trina said, never, and they hugged. Anna said everything would be fine. She and Jason could continue to work together, but he needed to keep his head down. He said he’d do his best not to put her in a position where she needed to look the other way. She said they had to be strategic and couldn’t be seen in public for the foreseeable future, and he said they could meet in his room above Bobbie’s. Anna said she wanted to make it clear that their friendship would stay the same, and he said, they just had to keep it private.

Lucky went to the impound lot and asked if there was any way he could check the crashed car for his girlfriend’s wallet. The mechanic said they were lucky to be alive; the car had been totaled. He made a call and told Lucky that the car had no location at the impound, so it had gone to the crusher. Lucky said, so it was already destroyed, and the mechanic said he was sorry. Molly asked why Kristina was apologizing again, and Kristina said she’d been thinking about how much Molly had lost. Losing Sam… losing their daughter… She couldn’t stop thinking about how selfish she’d been. Consumed with her own grief, she didn’t think how Molly had lost her daughter too and lost her sister too. She didn’t even see that; she was so selfish. She said she was so sorry, and Molly thanked her. Kristina said she’d caused everyone pain and she was really sorry. Alexis said she’d been hoping to get to this place, and now that they had, look at them, all taking care of each other. Sam would be happy. They had a three-way hug. Ava said the garage camera showed Kristina looking at her car and reaching for some wire cutters, and Ric said he remembered Kristina being at the crash site. It didn’t make sense, but now it did. Ava said, she was checking to see if the deed was done, and Ric said it would destroy the relationship Molly had with Kristina. Truce or no truce, Alexis needed to see Kristina for who she really was as the cops dragged her away for attempted murder. He was calling the police now and was going to nail Kristina’s ass to the wall. Ava said, no, Uncle Ric. Don’t be so hasty.

Tuesday:

Chase and Brook thought things were quieting down, and Chase asked if Lois leaving was a good call. Brook said they’d needed space, when Olivia came in and said she had a surprise – Lois was back. Lulu went to the stables to apologize to Cody. She lied to him when she said she’d known about Dante and Brook. Dante came in and asked for an explanation. Alexis went to the office, and Diane said she was perky and early. Alexis said she’d gone to the gym and worked out, and Diane wondered who she was. Did Ric die? Alexis said, as far as she knew, he was still alive, but she’d gotten her girls back. Kristina brought flowers to Elizabeth, and said she was sorry this happened, but Elizabeth said she and Ric were both okay. Kristina said Elizabeth had been there for her and she wanted to do the same, when Lucky came by. Ava told Ric that it was a rare opportunity. Kristina was certifiable. Ric thought they should go to the police, but Ava wanted to aim higher and use the information to their advantage. Ric said blackmailing Sonny would get them nowhere, but Ava said she had something far better in mind.

Lois said, Olivia wanted it to be a surprise, and Brook said, mission accomplished. Brook said she needed to leave for a Deception call and Chase said he’d help her with the technology. Olivia wondered why Lois and Brook couldn’t be in the same room together. What the hell was going on? Lulu told Dante that she’d tricked Cody into telling her. She had a hunch Dante hadn’t been open about his and Brook’s history. Cody said he’d thought she already knew, and apology not accepted. He left to feed the horses, and Dante asked, why dig up old dirt? Lulu asked, why lie for years? Alexis told Diane that Kristina was able to put aside her animosity toward Molly and they’d connected. Lucky was sneaking in contraband to Elizabeth, baked goods from Aiden. He told Kristina that he had to speak with her about a Charlie’s thing, and they left. Ava said Alexis would be the one to pay, but Ric said Kristina would go free. He almost died and Elizabeth could have been paralyzed. Ava said Elizabeth could handle herself, but Ric thought she should have her day in court. Ava asked how Molly would feel if her remaining sister was sent to prison. Chase found Brook outside and she said she’d gone into fight or flight mode. Seeing her mom got her fired up again. Chase wondered if she was a reminder of the secret Brook had kept from Dante. Dante said he and Brook were teenagers and it was nothing, and Lulu wondered, why lie? She rehashed Brook trying to break them up, and Dante wondered why she was laser focused on Brook. Lulu said she’d always thought there was something more and had been made to feel like she was crazy. She didn’t know if she could trust him. Alexis told Diane that Kristina and Molly had different grieving processes, but now Kristina realized she couldn’t heal without her sister. Diane said Alexis had weathered the storm and there were fairer days ahead. Ava said if Kristina had been made to pay for her mistakes, she might not be such a trainwreck, but Ric said by covering for Kristina and blackmailing Alexis, Ava allowed Kristina to escape culpability. It wouldn’t take much for her to try and kill Ava again. Lucky asked why Kristina was visiting Elizabeth, and Kristina said she wanted to make sure Elizabeth was okay. Lucky asked if she’d thought about confessing, and Kristina said, maybe. Elizabeth almost died and she almost killed her sister’s father. She didn’t know if she could live with that.

Lois told Lois that she’d made decisions where Brook was concerned, thinking they were in her best interest, but Brook had every right not to agree. She couldn’t handle the distance. Brook told Chase that she didn’t need Lois to remind her that she had a son out there. It hit her how many people would have loved her child. It was easier when she was younger. Adulting stunk. Chase said if it was a secret she wanted to keep, he’d go to his grave with it, but she had to do a better job of hiding the truth. Dante said he omitted a detail he didn’t think mattered, but he should have told her even though it amounted to nothing. For one summer, he and Brook were training to be camp counselors and hooked up. It was over before it started, and they made lives with other people. Nothing that summer mattered. She said, what if it did? Lucky said guilt meant Kristina wasn’t a sociopath, but she couldn’t put the guilt on Elizabeth. It would end up getting her caught. Was that what she wanted? Kristina said she didn’t want to put Elizabeth in any more harm, and Lucky said she could go to her mom and work on a confession to get a plea deal that didn’t send her to prison for the rest of her life. Elizabeth called Deanna and asked for help getting into a wheelchair. Ric said Kristina could make another attempt to kill Ava, but Ava said she was on her guard and did her best to steer clear. She wanted them both to have a peaceful path forward, but it was the last grace she was extending. Ric said, how generous, especially when she was extorting Alexis. Ava said, that was business. She was willing to work with Alexis on a beneficial transaction… or multiple transactions, steady, like an IV drip. Marco arrived at the office and Diane introduced him to Alexis. Diane had been called to the judge’s chambers, and it would give them a chance to get to know each other better. She told Marco that Alexis was the good cop, and left. Alexis said, on most days.

Olivia said she could be objective and help sort things out, but Lois said, it might make things worse. She thought it was something they needed figure out for themselves. Olivia said if Lois needed help with anything, she would always be there for her. Chase said someone else would have noticed the tension, and Brook wondered if she should avoid Lois, but he said they needed to fix it. She loved her mom. Brook said her mom was her ride or die. That was why it hurt so much. Chase said he’d give anything for one more day, hour, or even minute with his dad, and the last thing he’d want to do is spend it fighting. If Brook wanted to keep the secret, she had to get over the hurt and forgive Lois. Dante thought Lulu was grabbing onto Brook because of the changes in her own life, and Lulu said she had Doc if she wanted psychoanalysis. Dante said it wasn’t rooted in anything real, and she was making Brook out to be more than she was. They were two kids with a crush. Lulu asked if there were lingering feelings when Brook came back to Port Charles, but Dante said the only woman who truly had his heart was Lulu. Alexis told Marco that their goal was to strike a healthy balance between being rainmakers and justice seekers. She leaned toward pro bono work, while Diane leaned into billable hours. Most of their income came from criminal law retainers, which was his specialty. Marco said, at one point, but now he was focused on entrepreneurial clients. She asked how he’d feel about a client involved in an alleged illegal enterprise, and he said it depended. Lucky told Kristina that he was putting himself on the line lying to the woman he loved, which he hated, but would do because he believed she was a good person who made a mistake. He’d made a few and he’d help her cover it, but it would only work if she got help. Elizabeth went to see Ric, and he said he was relieved to find out she was all right. He’d been driving and if anything happened and he’d lost her… He would have never forgiven himself.

Olivia said Lois would work it out with Brook, and Lois said she didn’t know what she’d do without Olivia. What they had was special. Olivia said what they had was ancient, since before they were in pre-K. they weren’t just friends; they were family. When Lois was ready to open up, she was a vault. Olivia left to check on Monica. Brook told Chase that her grandma had lied to her for decades and it hurt. Her mom let her think they told each other everything, which made it the ultimate betrayal. It also made her the biggest hypocrite on the planet, since she did same thing to Dante and about a million other people. Chase said it wasn’t the same thing, and she said she was glad she could be honest with him. He said if the secret ever got too big, too heavy, or too anything, he’d be by her side when she came clean. Dante said he should have told Lulu so it wouldn’t have blown up like this, and Lulu said her gut had been right again. He said it had also given her a reason to distrust Brook. He wanted them to be able to trust each other. It was important for Rocco. No more secrets between them. Lulu said they were good, and he left. Cody asked what Lulu was trying to pull. Elizabeth told Ric that her surgery went well, and she’d be walking the halls in no time. She’d been worried about him and asked if he remembered what happened. Alexis told Marco that said client masked their alleged illegal activity behind a thin veil of hypotheticals, and he said, so they’d have legal deniability. As long as it didn’t put them in legal jeopardy, the client was entitled to a defense. But if the client crossed the line of a deeply held belief, he had no problem recusing himself. All money was not good money, and sometimes it’s best just to say no. Alexis thanked him and said she’d confer with her partner, but it was safe to say a job offer was forthcoming. He said he’d look forward to it and thanked her for the meeting. He left, and Ava knocked at the door. She told Alexis that they had business to attend to.

Lulu told Cody that she said she was sorry, and he told her that he said he refused to accept it. She implied that Brook had told her already. She spun a lot of stores to a lot of people and he knew a con when he saw one. What was really going on? Dante went to the nook and saw that Lois was back. Brook came in and said she needed to talk to Lois. Ric asked what Elizabeth remembered, and she said, not much. She remembered getting in the car and buckling her seatbelt. They were talking about helping Portia when the car swerved. Ric said he remembered wanting to avoid traffic, so he took Route 42. They were going along fine when he lost control of the car. They must have hit black ice or something. Kristina told Lucky that she couldn’t confess. Her parents were going through too much. Her father had health issues and her mom had gone through enough. She couldn’t add Kristina goes to prison to the list. But what would she do if someone found out? Lucky said there was no police investigation and they were treating it like an accident. He went to the impound lot and the car went to the compactor already. As long as they both kept their mouths shut, it was over. Alexis asked if it wasn’t exhausting showing up in places where she wasn’t wanted, but Ava said she didn’t give it much thought. She thought Alexis would change her tune once Alexis heard what she had to say. She was sure Alexis could make time to discuss Kristina, couldn’t she?

Wednesday:

Brook said there was something she needed to tell Dante, but Lois interrupted with news about the old neighborhood. Dante felt that wasn’t what Brook wanted to tell him. Cody asked Lulu what was really going on. Clearly, it was eating her alive. Spill. Isaiah cooked a three-course meal for lunch at Jordan’s apartment, and she said she’d make herself available anytime he wanted to cook. He asked how much longer they needed to keep hiding. Marco was waiting for someone at the MetroCourt, when he saw Sidwell. Curtis met with Laura and said he had bad news, but Sidwell interrupted saying that Laura was just the person he wanted to see. She wondered if he was part of the bad news. Sonny and Kristina lunched on the MetroCourt terrace, and Kristina said she had a confession Sonny wasn’t going to like. Alexis told Ava to go away, but Ava thought she could make time to discuss Kristina’s future. Alexis told her to get out and that Kristina’s future was none of her business. Ava said she could make it the business of the police.

Sidwell said he’d been trying to set up a meeting, but Laura’s office wasn’t calling back. She said then it was safe to assume she didn’t want to meet with him, and Curtis said they’d been having a private conversation. Sidwell said if she changed her mind, call him, and left. Laura asked Curtis to distract her with the bad news, and he said Ezra Boyle had it out for her and he didn’t know how much longer he could protect her. Kristina said she’d invited Dante to lunch because he needed to know about Sonny’s heart issue. Sidwell saw Natalia and told her that Marco was waiting. If possible, show some tact when she talked to him. Jordan said Isaiah knew Sidwell couldn’t know they were together. That hadn’t changed. He said all he was asking for was a timeline. Was it weeks? Months? She told him that she couldn’t say, but was he asking because they couldn’t go public, or he was concerned for her safety? He asked if it couldn’t be bother. Her phone dinged and she said, guess who was asking if they could see her? Lucas looked at the text he’d sent Marco: Had a great time. Maybe I can show you around town sometime soon. LMK. He saw the usual three dots, then they disappeared. Marco put down his phone, and Natalia said she was sorry she was late. They made small talk, and Marco told her that he’d had a great interview at Miller and Davis. He was expecting an offer and if the terms were satisfactory, he’d be staying in Port Charles. She said, practicing law was a tragic waste of his talent. Alexis asked what Ava was alleging, but Ava said she wasn’t alleging anything. Kristina had tried to kill her, and she could prove it.

Cody said he was invoking the code of the lollipop, and Lulu said, whoa. He told her it was just them and if he told her in confidence, he’d honor that. What couldn’t Dante know? She said that she was still in love with him. Dante left to meet Kristina and Sonny, and Lois said she couldn’t imagine Brook was going to tell him about the baby. Natalia said Marco could be on tour, selling out venues, but he said he wasn’t having that conversation again. He’d been a lawyer for ten years and any other mother would be proud. She said, proud that he threw away everything he’d worked so hard for because he was angry? He trashed his career to spite her. He said he told her that he was gay, and she tried to shove him back in the closet, and she said she wished she’d handled it differently. He said it wasn’t about who he loved or what he wanted to do with his life. She didn’t accept who he was. She said she just didn’t want him to waste his potential, and he said she couldn’t accept Allie either. He guessed she wasn’t answering Natalia’s calls. She said Allie was busy on tour and she respected that, and he said she didn’t respect him, but she said it was his choices. He was a talented musician and could have been a star. Instead, his father manipulated him into going to law school so he could mold Marco into one of his flunkies. She blamed him, but she also blamed herself because she didn’t fight hard enough for him. At Jordan’s place, Sidwell thanked her for meeting him. He wondered if a civil servant’s salary met her needs. He needed someone he could count on and would like her to work for him.

Lulu told Cody that the last thing she wanted was to divorce Dante, but he went completely off the rails and dropped out of his own life. She couldn’t stay married to him and moved on. She met a great guy who asked her to marry him, but then she realized she hadn’t moved on. She couldn’t because she still loved Dante. She realized the night after the explosion, then she woke up and four years had passed for Dante, but for her, nothing had changed. She was glad Dante met Sam, and they built a life together. He and Rocco were happy, but now Sam was gone, and Dante was still grieving. Cody asked if she thought Dante still had feelings for her, and she said she thought Dante loved her, but wasn’t in love with her. Did Cody think she should tell him how she felt?  Brook said she was going tell Dante that they’d patched things up and she was glad Loise was home. She and Chase discussed how people would talk, and those same people were good at finding answers. Lois said, Tracy and Ned, and Brook said Tracy was already asking questions. Tracy would nudge her dad until he helped find out what was going on. Lois said Olivia had been grilling her, and Brook said trouble had already stated and eventually they’d find out about the baby. Lois said they’d want to know who the father was, and Brook said she didn’t think she could lie, especially to Dante. She loved these people, and didn’t want them to be hurt because she’d been keeping a secret. Lois said it sounded like Brook was leaning toward coming clean, but Brook said she also didn’t want to hurt Lois.

Marco said Natalia wanted him to be a musician, but he wanted something different. She wanted him to be straight, but he wanted to stay true to himself. She said she wanted him to be happy, but he said, on her terms, not his. He’d been away a long time, and this was a reminder why. She trashed her relationship with her daughter because of her bigoted opinions that she shared with the world. She hadn’t learned. She said she’d learned so much and if he gave her a chance, he’d see how much she’d changed. He asked how she could say that when they were still having the same conversation. Charge whatever she wanted to the room. He was done. He left and she ordered a vodka gimlet – a double. Curtis said Boyle published an editorial about Laura’s friendship with Sonny. He was trying to draw a line between her refusing to move the esplanade to Sonny’s piers and the firebombing in the penthouse. Laura wondered how they were connected, and Curtis said, Boyle made a point in saying, if someone could attack the penthouse, what was stopping them from blowing up the docks next? Laura asked if he made an argument that the threat would be eliminated by moving the piers, and Curtis said, exactly. She said it was absolutely maddening, since Sidwell was the first to propose moving the esplanade for his own selfish reasons. Curtis said, unfortunately, the appearance of impropriety was just as damaging as actual impropriety. Even though she backed the original plan, Boyle would say she was pulling strings to protect Sonny.

Dante joined Sonny and Kristina, and asked Kristina how Molly was doing. Kristina said she was doing better now that her dad was going to be okay. Sonny said he was happy for Kristina’s sister. She loved her father. Dante said the family had suffered enough loss, and Sonny said, Ric should be more careful on the road. Alexis asked what Ava was talking about, and Ava said Kristina came to her apartment and Ric was there. She barged in, hysterical over a minor custody dispute Ava had with her father. Kristina was out control and accused Ava of taking her daughter and brother away. She said she wasn’t going to let Ava take her father too. She and Ric drove cars that were almost identical, and on the night in question, Ric parked in her spot. Elizabeth came by with papers for Ric and he offered her a ride home. They know what happened next. Ric’s brakes failed, and Kristina had the perfect opportunity to tamper with them. Alexis asked what proof she had that the brakes failed or that Kristina had something to do with it, and Ava took out her phone. She showed Alexis the footage from the garage and asked if she should do her civic duty and give it to the police or could they come to an understanding.

Curtis said he’d do what he could to make sure Laura’s voice was heard, but prepare herself. It might be hard to justify. Sidwell told Jordan that he was solidifying his position in Port Charles and the United States and needed an ambassador. Someone to do PR or public service, a righthand man… or woman. Someone to smooth the way. Jordan said he wanted her to be his lobbyist, and he said she was well-liked, well-connected, and respected by all the players – Mayor Collins, Curtis Ashford, and Congressman Cain, to name a few. She said she and the congressman weren’t seeing eye to eye these days, and he said he could add honesty. He was sure she’d repair her relationship with the congressman. It was no secret she’d proved herself indispensable to the mayor, but she must have her own aspirations. Let him help her achieve them. Jordan said it was a generous offer… He said she didn’t know how generous, but she said she wasn’t interested. Isaiah asked if Lucas could take his shift in the ER tomorrow, and Lucas said he thought he’d be showing a guy he met around town, but the guy hadn’t gotten back to him… Could he give Isaiah an answer in a couple of hours? Isaiah said, no rush, and Marco walked in. Cody said he advised against it, for now, but Lulu had to shift her attitude. Not telling Dante was selfless and she was showing restraint by giving him space to heal. It showed how much she cared, but as with everything else, it was temporary. Just give Dante time. Sonny said he had something he needed to tell Dante, and Dante asked how worried he should be. Sonny said he had health issues, heart stuff. He’d been shot years ago, and it damaged his heart and it got worse. He was taking medication, but it wasn’t a permanent fix. Kristina said Sonny needed surgery, and Dante asked why Sonny hadn’t told him. Sonny said he didn’t want his enemies thinking he was vulnerable, so he left them out of it. Dante could thank his sister for Sonny telling him. Dante said he did. He was happy to be looped in, but why now? Sonny said, Ava knows. Alexis said, how much? It was obviously an attempt at blackmail, so she was trying to get an idea of how much. Ava said, a great deal, possibly millions, and Alexis said she didn’t have close to that. Ava said, good thing she was administrator of the Cassadine estate, and Alexis asked if Ava thought she could embezzle funds from it. Ava said, yes, but Alexis said she couldn’t. She asked for proof, but all Ava has is circumstantial evidence. She had nothing to show Kristina tampered with the car. Ava asked what she thought the wire cutters were for. A manicure? Alexis asked what proof she had that the brakes were cut, and Ava said she had the car. It was moved from impound and was in a safe alternate location. Alexis said, congratulations on breaking the chain of evidence. Maybe Ava cut the wires and was framing Kristina. Why not go to the police? Didn’t she think they’d buy her theory? Ava said, Ric knows the brakes were cut and he was a witness to Kristina threatening her, but Alexis said, neither one was proof. Ava said all she had to do was point the police in the right direction, and they’d prove the brakes were tampered with. While they built a case, she’d let the DA’s office know about the investigation. How did Alexis think Molly would react when she learned Kristina nearly killed her father?

Marco said he got Lucas’s text, but he’d been in the middle of something. He wasn’t avoiding Lucas. Lucas said he’d been busy and hadn’t realized Marco didn’t reply, and Marco asked if the offer still stood. Lucas asked how much time he had, and Marco said, quite a bit. A job offer is imminent and he’s moving to Port Charles. Sidwell said they hadn’t discussed compensation or what Jordan’s role could be, but Jordan said she didn’t want to waste either of their time. She was happy being Deputy Mayor. He said he understood, but if she changed her mind, the offer was still on the table. He left. Lois said she was relieved, but was the real reason Brook wanted to patch things up because people would talk? Brook said she didn’t like that Lois told her grandma, and Lois said she was so sorry. Brook said, but she understood that Lois needed someone to confide in, like she’d needed to confide in Chase. Lois said Brook had every right to tell him. It was her truth. Brook said she doesn’t know what she would have done without him, but it dawned on her that when she told Lois that she was pregnant, she’d expected Lois to have all the answers. It turned out that Lois needed her ma like she needed Lois. Lois said she did try to steer Brook in the right direction, but she wasn’t a teenager anymore. Did she want to tell the family about the baby? Brook said, what was done was done, and she didn’t want to hurt her relationship with Lois, but Lois said it was about Brook. If she thought it was important to tell the family about the baby, Brook had her full support. Brook said she’d given it a lot of thought to telling Dante what happened, but then what? They can’t change anything and all that’s left is disappointment and a huge gaping hole. Letting the past stay in the past and focusing on the future was what was best. Lulu told Cody that she was conflicted. She was alive because of Sam. Cody said she wasn’t taking anything away by her feelings, and she said she would love Dante even though she couldn’t be with him. Cody said, right now, and she said she recognized that he was still grieving, and it was all he could deal with. Cody said, right now, and gave her a lollipop. She asked if that meant she was in the clear and not running a con, and he said he thought she was just a woman in love. She said she didn’t think there would ever be a day she wasn’t in love with Dante Falconari, and left. Sonny said he was with Ava when he had an extreme panic attack. Dante asked if they were arguing, and Sonny said he was doing what he could to avoid stress, but they started going at it about their custody agreement. We flashed back as he spoke, and he said he couldn’t breathe. He tried to take his pills, but couldn’t reach them. Luckily, Kristina was in with Donna and came out at the exact right time. Kristina said, their dad was struggling. She gave him a pill and he was okay. Sonny said now Ava knew information she shouldn’t. She could go public, and he had to be one step ahead of that. He was having surgery a month from now in California. Laura came out to let them know she’d be able to be there for Rocco’s debate tournament, then went back to her table. Dante said all that mattered was that Sonny took care of himself and that he was around a long time for Avery, Donna, and Rocco. Kristina said, and Wiley and Amelia, and Dante said, all of them. Curtis said he guessed Laura wasn’t distancing herself from Sonny, and Laura said they shared a grandchild and had decades of history together. She’s never tried to hide that they’re friends. Boyle was just using that fact as a way to amass power. Curtis said he was doing a good job, but she said she didn’t care. She cared about the people of Port Charles. If they decided they didn’t want her to serve, they were free to vote her out. She wasn’t going to suddenly hide her and Sonny’s friendship and start lying. She wasn’t doing that for one bad opinion poll. Curtis said, then remove herself from the equation. Put the esplanade location up for a vote. Let the people decide.

Brook said she was grateful for Lois. She didn’t scream at her or shame her, but helped her. Lois said she loved Brook, always and forever, no matter. Brook said she was sorry they fought, and Lois said her too. Brook said she was glad Lois was home, and Lois said she was Brook’s ma. She’d always come home. On the phone, Isaiah asked what Sidwell wanted, and Jordan said he offered her a job as a lobbyist for his company. Isaiah said, and she turned him down, but she said she started tomorrow… She was just kidding. He said he hoped she was done and got the dirt on Sidwell, but she said she had Sidwell just where she wanted him. Marco said it was a great city and he and Lucas would have a chance to get to know each other better. Lucas said if Marco didn’t think they would jinx it, they should celebrate, and Marco said he could use a celebration. Alexis said the way she saw it, what Ava had were baseless allegations. She had a video out of context and a witness with a head injury. If she went to the police, that was on her, but be careful. She might end up in the hot seat for tampering with evidence and wasting law enforcement’s time. Ava said maybe Alexis was right. Maybe she should head straight to Molly. She knew it was a lot to process, so she was giving Alexis until 9 am tomorrow to decide what she was willing to do to protect her daughter’s future. If she didn’t hear from Alexis by 9 am, then she’d go right to Molly. She walked out, leaving the door open. Laura said, Curtis wanted her to hold a public referendum on the location, and he said, let them decide if they wanted to use eminent domain to seize the pier. Laura said they wouldn’t just vote on the location, but it would end up being a vote on Sonny. While waiting for the elevator, Sonny noticed Natalia at the bar and told Kristina and Dante to go ahead. Sonny went to the bar, and Dante told Kristina that they’d get through this. She said they had to. Ava had done enough damage. Natalia asked Sonny, how was the lunch with his kids? and he asked what she was doing with Jenz Sidwell.

Thursday:

Josslyn met Gio and Emma at the Surf Lodge and told them she had to say thank you to Emma. At the MetroCourt, Carly told Jack that she’d missed Josslyn so much, and he said Josslyn was a remarkable young woman. He was sorry he ruined her homecoming. Carly said she’d come around about them being together. She and Jason also had a heart to heart and although he didn’t approve, they weren’t going to let it affect their friendship. In the nook, Tracy said she needed a word with Sasha’s baby daddy, but Sasha said she had no idea where he was. Tracy said Sasha needed to keep better tabs on him, when Jason walked in. Sasha said Tracy needed a word with him and she needed to put a tracker in his jacket. Tracy said Jason was conspicuously absent when the family crypt was threatened by his odious brother. Jason said he knew she could handle it, but she said his presence would have been appreciated. Now that he lived there, he needed to step up and help protect the family. A man knocked at the door and said he was from PC Moving & Storage. They were picking up boxes from the gatehouse and delivering them to 419 Crestview Lane. Tracy said that was Drew’s new place. At Drew’s, Willow said Drew had made Wiley so happy and she’d never been happier, and they kissed. Laura went to Jordan’s apartment, and Jordan said she needed Laura to do her a favor, but it needed to stay between them. She needed Laura to fire her. Sidwell met with Maxie and Lucy at the MetroCourt and asked if Tracy would be joining them. Maxie said she would. They needed to make sure they were on the same page. Sidwell asked, what page is that? Sonny and Natalia went to Pozzulo’s where Sonny said Sidwell couldn’t monitor them. He said he’d seen Natalia talking to Sidwell at the MetroCourt. It was obvious they knew each other outside of Deception. What was her connection to Sidwell? She said Jenz Sidwell was her ex-husband.

Laura asked why she should fire Jordan, and Jordan said she had a unique opportunity to find out what Sidwell was up to, but she couldn’t in her current position. Sidwell had shown up and offered her a job as his lobbyist. She didn’t want to seem eager, so she turned it down, but he left the offer on the table. Now she needed a reason to accept it. Laura said it would be hard to justify her termination, and Jordan said there was one thing she and Laura didn’t see eye to eye on – Sonny Corinthos. Sonny said Brick did a background check on Natalia and wondered how her and Sidwell’s marriage was missed. She said, probably because they’d eloped decades ago before there were digital records. The marriage was a disaster and didn’t last long. The only good thing to come out of it was their son. Sonny asked if that’s who she’d been talking to at the MetroCourt, and she said Marco had come to town last week. Their relationship was worse than hers and Allison’s. Sonny said he could see why she didn’t tell him about her son, but why didn’t she tell him about her ex? Lucy told Maxie that they’d agreed on the terms, and they’d been incorporated into the contract. There was nothing to discuss. Maxie said she was grateful that Sidwell was willing to sell the zincite to them, but Deception was a legitimate business, and they needed to make sure their imports were screened. Sidwell said he had nothing to hide and welcomed their protocols and safeguards. Lucy said she agreed, but Maxie asked if they shouldn’t wait for Tracy. Lucy said they could still get the ball rolling. Tracy told the moving guy that if he moved a single item, she’d have him arrested for trespassing and theft, and he said he was going to go now. He left, and Tracy said she couldn’t believe Willow was moving Michael’s kids to Drew’s house. Jason said he’d handle it, and she told him, good luck with that. She left, and Jason said he was going to tell Willow that she couldn’t move in with Drew, but Sasha said that was a bad idea. Drew opened the door to Nina, who handed him a package for Congressman Cain. Willow said she hated that he was forced to give up his name, and Nina said, cutting ties with Monica was a huge mistake. Josslyn thanked Emma for stopping the crypt from being bulldozed and getting arrested, especially since Michael didn’t need any more heartache from his disgusting uncle. Emma said she couldn’t have done it without Gio, and he said he was happy to be there. The Quartermaines had been good to him. He asked Josslyn how Easter Island was and if she saw the big heads. She said it was amazing and showed him the pictures, when Vaughn walked in. He and Josslyn exchanged a glance. Jack said his schedule was clear and Carly could have him to herself if she was interested. She said she was definitely interested, and he asked if she’d like to do dinner and a movie. She said she had something else in mind, and he said he was very interested in that, as he felt her leg under the table. From the terrace, Sidwell showed Maxie and Lucy that his ship had docked. They just needed Tracy’s signature to conclude their business. He took out a vial and showed them a sample of the core component of their miracle cream in crystal form. Lucy said it was so stunning; it was a shame they had to crush it up into a powder. Sidwell said anyone who appreciated how beautiful it was deserved a piece of it for their own, and Lucy said, if he insisted, taking the vial. She wished she could see the look on Erica Kane’s face when she found out they’d snagged her supply. Sidwell said they hadn’t quite closed the deal. Drew said, Monica had cut ties with him when she took away his leverage over Tracy and saved the crypt, and Nina said threatening her wasn’t the way to go. Even so, Wiley and Amelia adored their great-grandmother, and they were the ones being punished by cutting Monica out. Willow said she had a point and they’d been asking about Monica. She knew they missed her. Nina said it would behoove them to play nice with at least one family member, and that person may become an ally. Willow said, true, and the Quartermaines listened to Monica. Wiley came out and hugged Nina. He told her about his new room and asked Willow for help with the sheets. Willow left with Wiley, and Drew said he didn’t need Nina coming there with helpful advice. Nina asked if he was throwing her out, and he said, not yet, but watch herself. This was his house, and she didn’t want to wear out her welcome. Tracy found Carly and said she thought Carly should know that while she was doing… this, Willow was moving her grandchildren into Drew’s house.

A server brough Vaughn a take-out bag and he left. Josslyn looked at her phone and said she’d forgotten she needed to meet her lab partner so they could show her what she’d missed. She left, and Emma said she gave credit to Josslyn for thanking her for something other than her leaving town. Gio asked what was up with the frenemy vibe, and Emma said it started when they were kids. She had a crush on a guy named Cameron when she was around 10 and they hung out for a while, but he and Josslyn got together in high school. Gio said, a playground love triangle, and she said when Cameron found out Josslyn had cheated, it broke his heart. He was past it, so she supposed she should be too, but Josslyn was an entitled girl who created chaos, then threw money at it to make it go away. She never faced the consequences of her actions. he said Emma could create chaos, but paid the price, like getting expelled. She said she knew he’d understand, and he said he’d understand more if he knew why. Jordan said she and Laura differed in their opinion about Sonny, but she’d chosen to steer clear of Laura’s relationship with him. Laura asked if she was saying that now was the time to voice her concerns, and Jordan said they could find a way to publicly disagree about Laura’s ties to a notorious mob boss. Laura said she thought she knew how they could do that. Natalia said she was sorry she didn’t tell Sonny. She’d hoped Sidwell would go away for good. Sonny asked how likely that was, especially since he was involved with Deception, and she said she thought it was too late and didn’t want to ruin the trust he had in her. It meant everything. He told her that she should have said something. How did he know she wasn’t feeding Sidwell information about him? She said, no, and swore they barely talked. They parted after Marco was born and had barely spoken since Marco was grown. They hated each other. She hadn’t told anyone about his heart condition and would die before she told Sidwell. He said he still needed discretion. He’d told Kristina and Dante what was going on and was going to tell the rest of the family. She said she was glad he let his family, and he would be able to lean on them, and he said he appreciated her support and wouldn’t forget it, but it was time their association came to an end. Sasha said if Jason gave Willow an order, it would make things worse. No matter how civil and sweet he was, she’d see what he said as an attack. She saw herself as a victim in this star-crossed lover story and it worked perfectly for Drew because he could play the hero. Jason would only be moving them closer together. He asked what he should do then, and she said, nothing. He didn’t have the legal authority. She got that it was hard for him as a man of action, but he had to stand down and let this go. Nina said she thought the house was Drew’s and Willow’s, and Drew said it was. She said she was just trying to keep the peace and do what was best for the children. He said she’d helped them sneak off in the middle of the night, but she said it was to establish physical custody. Now that Willow had that, she’d have to play her cards carefully. The move didn’t help, and she couldn’t antagonize the Quartermaines further or they’d fight back with a vengeance and Michael would do the same. Drew said he wasn’t afraid of them. He had the power and connections to make sure Willow got custody. He would protect her himself. She said what he wanted was a showdown with the Quartermaines so he could ride in and rescue Willow and be her savior, so she’d be forever in his debt. He said all he wanted was for Willow to be happy and Nina couldn’t stand that Willow was happier with him than with her. Carly told Tracy that she thought the situation had been handled and Willow was moving out on her own, and Tracy said, it had to be stopped. Jason said he’d take care of it, but she had her doubts about trusting him to take the right steps to rectify it. Jack asked if Carly thought Michael should know, but Carly said she didn’t want to upset him. Tracy said, for Michael and Monica’s sake, this cannot happen. Tracy joined the Deception team and apologized for being late. Maxie said they’d signed the contract and just needed her signature, but Tracy said the deal was not going to happen.

Emma said she couldn’t talk about why she was expelled. She couldn’t even tell her grandmother. Gio asked why the school wanted to silence her, but she just looked at him, and he said, got it. Before they ordered, he thought she had the wrong idea about Josslyn. She’d been though stuff since them. She’d dealt with boyfriends dying and Trina told him that she’d been the target of revenge porn. She’d been knocked hard, but got back up, and she’d been nothing but kind and helpful since he got there. Emma said he was a fan, but he said he was a friend. Didn’t Josslyn donate to Emma’s charity? Emma said, so she didn’t have to volunteer and actually do something. She didn’t see Josslyn believing in anything enough to risk putting herself or her future on the line. Josslyn found Vaughn in the park and said she’d followed the scent of onion rings. She asked what he was doing in Port Charles, and he said Brennan had put him on as her handler. Was that a problem? She said, not at all, and he suggested they go over the assignment.

 Laura told Jordan that Boyle published an editorial about her and how she allegedly favored and protected Sonny. Curtis killed the story, although she was sure Boyle would go to another outlet. Curtis also gave her great advice, suggesting she have a public referendum and let the public vote on the location of the esplanade and if they wanted it move. Jordan said, Sonny and the public wouldn’t have a reason to be mad at her. Smart move. Laura said when she made the announcement about the referendum, Jordan could take that moment to publicly criticize her and say she was too buddy-buddy with Sonny. She could say she didn’t support Laura’s decision to hold a referendum. Jordan said, then Laura would have grounds to fire her for insubordination. She loved it. Let’s do it. Sonny told Natalia that he had a lot going on. He had to be able to trust his inner circle completely. Natalia said she understood, and he said, for what it was worth (🍷), he misspoke. He said they had an association, but they had a friendship. He’d miss it. Through her tears, Natalia said she would too. She told him to take care of himself and left. Maxie said they already took a vote. Remember? Tracy said, and she abstained. Remember? She spoke to Lulu and Lulu told her that Sidwell kept Lucky locked up on his compound. Maxie said Lulu told them and Tracy said, and they still wanted to do business with him? Sidwell said he didn’t like friction. He could take his business elsewhere. Lucy said everything was fine. Lucky was a Spencer and used to being kidnapped. Maybe it was his fault. And this wasn’t about Lucky. It was about Tracy wanting to destroy and sabotage her company. Tracy said, that she owned 51% of, and Lucy said, to Tracy, Deception was a whim. If everything tanked, Tracy had a lot to fall back on. She didn’t. Deception was her baby, her livelihood, and she wasn’t letting Tracy destroy it. Tracy said she wasn’t. She was trying to protect them from doing business with an international criminal. Carly said, obviously, Willow didn’t reveal her plans, and Jack said he gathered she wasn’t going to tell Michael. She said she wanted Michael to focus on getting better and coming home. The doctors didn’t want to give a timetable. She should have kept an eye on her grandkids. They’re going to be confused, and Michael was counting on her to look out for his kids. Willow needed to be told there was no way in hell she was moving them in with Drew. Jack suggested she do it.

Sidwell told Tracy, the tales were told about his work in East Africa. His business in Port Charles is completely legitimate. Maxie said they’d vetted Sidwell as best they could and made it clear they were going to monitor his business activity closely. There was a morals clause, which they all signed. They just need Tracy’s signature. Tracy asked if they were going to ignore his criminal past, and Lucy said, they ignored Tracy’s. Tracy said, Lucy was one to talk, and Maxie said they’d all broken the law at one time or another. This was Sidwell’s chance to prove he was legit, and the future of Deception depended on it. Laura said before she and Jordan put their plan in action, she needed to know something. Did Jordan really want to do this? She’d talked to Lucky about his encounters with Sidwell. Sidwell was ruthless and really dangerous. Jordan said she was sure, but was Laura? Their falling out would be a fabrication, but the political consequences would be real for Laura. She was worried it would backfire and Laura’s close relationship with Sonny would her constituents’ focus. It could cause problems in the future. Laura thanked her and said Boyle was going to cause her problems, whether they did this or not, but Jordan said, this could make it worse. It could cost Laura her career. Laura said, if this would keep Port Charles safe from Jenz Sidwell, they had to do it. Sasha told Jason that he had to be strategic. Let Willow move in and settle in, and let Drew think he won. From a custody standpoint, Michael held all the cards. Jason said, Michael cheated too, and Sasha said, that’s why he was pretending to be the father of the baby. If Willow found out Michael was really the father, it would be all the ammunition she needed. Jason said he wished he could talk sense to Willow, but Sasha said it was like Willow had fallen for another cult. Not Dawn of Day, but Dawn of Drew. Willow said Nina was right. Wiley missed Monica and the dogs and the staff. Now that they were settled, they’d make sure to visit Monica. Drew asked if she was sure it was a good idea, and she said the kids deserved a relationship with their great-grandmother. Drew said, of course (🍷), but it would be better if Monica came there. The kids might be confused if they go back to their old home. Carly wondered if she should confront Willow and Jack said, as an experienced agent, appeasement never worked. You had to go in and show force. Let the opposition know you were willing to fight to the death. She said, what if she made it worse? and he asked if it was worth the risk. Willow needed to know that just because Michael was laid up, it didn’t give her carte blanche. Carly had Sonny and the Quartermaines on her side, and she could let Willow know that she had the WSB office at her disposal. Carly said he sounded sexy when he talked like that, and he said, Willow needed to know that she was in for the fight of her life. This was the moment she needed to find out you don’t mess with Carly Spencer.

Emma told Gio that there was a class she didn’t want to miss. Environmental Physics with Professor Dalton. Josslyn told Vaughn that she had to go back to PCU and pick up her classes, and he said she had another class she was taking, but she said, the semester already started. He said her enrollment was taken care of. All she had to do was show up. She said, what class? and he said, Environmental Physics with Professor Dalton. (Like we didn’t see where that was going.) Tracy signed the contract and said she hoped they were satisfied. Sidwell thanked them and said it was the beginning of a very profitable association. Lucy said she’d be in touch about the Nurses Ball, and he left. Lucy thanked Maxie for getting Tracy to see reason, and Tracy said this had the potential to go very, very wrong. Lucy said, or very, very right. By the elevators, Jack told Sidwell, a word to the wise. The sole suspect in the penthouse bombing was found with his neck broken in Toronto. Sidwell said he’d heard. It had nothing to do with him. Jack said, people who cross Sonny have a way of coming to a bad end, and Sidwell said he didn’t know the WSB cared. Jack said they didn’t. The WSB was continuing their investigation of him. Sidwell asked if Jack was going to call a drone strike. They weren’t in Africa, and in the US, Jack didn’t have as much authority. Jack said, try him, and find out. (More sexy talk!) Laura called Sonny and said she needed to give him a heads up. He was about to be at the center of a political hurricane. Jason told Sasha that he appreciated the advice, and she said, enough to take it? He said he’d stand down for now, but in the meantime, they’d have to ride this out together. Sasha said, the together part was tough. She’d been putting it off, but she was still planning on moving out. Willow said she didn’t want to confuse the kids about home, but Monica had been so ill and the kids did miss being there. She thought it was better to go to the Quartermaines. Nina said that was smart. With Monica being ill, it was more pragmatic. Willow thanked Nina for suggesting an olive branch. She’d let Monica and Michael know she wanted peace, not harm. The doorbell rang and Wiley ran to answer it. It was Carly, and he asked if she came to see their new house. She said she sure did. When she heard about it, she couldn’t wait to visit him and his mommy.  

🫔 Friday’s Enchilada…

Portia finds Curtis in her office and asks if he’s okay. He says, yeah, and she says, liar. Let her guess. It has something to do with Drew. He asks how she knows, and she says, because most things do these days. What did the congressman do now?

Willow says, Nina is distracting Wiley and Amelia, but who knows how long it will last? and Drew tells Carly to say what she has to say, then leave. Carly wonders if Willow is sure moving in with the kids is what’s best for them, but Willow insists it is. Carly says, Willow can move in with her or with her mom. She could stay at the MetroCourt or find her own place. Willow says, Carly has no right to dictate their lives, but Carly says, Michael does. She’s here because he can’t be here. They’re Michael’s kids too, and if he can’t be here to fight for them, she’s going to do it for him.

Kai meets Trina at the Surf Lodge and says, sorry he’s late. She says, there must be a good reason, and he says, it’s all thanks to her. He’s going to play football again.

Sasha tells Jason that she’s been thinking a lot and decided moving out of the Quartermaines is what’s best for her and her baby. He asks why, and she says she has to walk the walk. She’s been saying she wants to be independent and make a life for them on her own, but it can’t happen while she’s living there. Is he mad? He says, no. She gets to raise her baby however and wherever she wants. He guesses he was hoping the wherever would be here.

Emma comes in and says, hi, grandma, and Anna says, they need to have a little chat about her prior arrest in California. She won’t be violating the NDA and has the WSB to thank for that. The particulars don’t matter. What matters is, she got ahold of Emma’s sealed arrest records and knows everything.

Josslyn says, the WSB wants her to get enrolled in Environmental Physics? That’s her mission? Vaughn says, that’s right. They want her to get close to her instructor, Professor Dalton. She wonders why they want her to cozy up to him, and he says, she’s on a need-to-know basis. She says, then tell her what she needs to know.

Alexis walks into the office and Diane says, the Longeron deposition was a complete scene. There she is, grilling the louse of a husband about his alleged infidelity, when Mrs. Longeron goes rogue, leaps across the table, and tries strangling him with her bare hands. She loves her job… Guess you had to be there… What’s wrong? Alexis says, it’s bad, really bad, and Diane asks, what is it? She tells Diane to close the door before she tells her. First, she needs to hire Diane as her lawyer.

Anna says, everything Emma told her since she arrived has been a lie, but Emma says, not everything. Anna says, so she wasn’t thrown out of her previous school because a party got out of hand? and Emma says, no. The party happened. Anna says, as a distraction for the actual crime she got kicked out for. She has it here – breaking and entering, trespass, assault… Has she missed anything?

Vaught tells Josslyn that he can say the WSB arranged for her enrollment. Her mission… She says, should she choose to accept it… Sorry. He says, her mission is to secure a spot as Professor Dalton’s research assistant. She says, how? She’s starting the semester late. He’s got to have other students lined up for the position. He says he suggests she make her way to the front of the line, and she asks if he has any suggestions. He says, they recruited her for a reason. She’s received instruction and the tools. It’s her school and she’s resourceful. It’s up to her to do the rest. She can handle that, can’t she?

Curtis tells Portia that he and Laura agree the original location for the esplanade is what’s best for Port Charles, but Ezra Boyle – who’s obviously in bed with Drew and Sidwell – wants to move it to Sonny’s piers. Portia says, Boyle wants to make it look like Laura is doing Sonny’s bidding and hiding behind her position to do it, and he says, if Laura wants to be seen as not abusing her power by protecting Sonny, she’s going to have to do what Boyle wants. She says, that’s what Drew wants, and Curtis says, exactly. She says she knows Sonny and Laura have history, but she’d never put her friendship with Sonny over her duty as mayor, and Curtis says, they know that, but perception is reality. Boyle will get the story out and it could likely end Laura’s career. She says, but it’s Drew doing this. Boyle is just his puppet. Curtis says, pretty much, and she wonders if there’s anyone’s life Drew’s not trying to ruin. He says, that’s why he’s trying to keep Drew away from Kai, and she says, what does any of this have to do with Kai?

Kai says, the hope and goal is for him to play football after his surgery, and Trina says she thought he was waiting to decide until her mom did some research. Then he’d figure out if he wanted to go through with it. Did he consult with the surgeon? He says, not yet, but he realized his hesitation, his asking for advice, was fear talking. What if it doesn’t work out or what if he’s not as good as he was before the surgery? He can’t let what ifs hold him back. Trina says, fear can be healthy and is evolution’s way of keeping us safe in some situations, like this one. If there’s the smallest chance of getting his dream back, he should take it, but football is the reason he got there in the first place. He agrees there are risks, but says, it’s what makes his life worth living. It’s been that way since he was a kid. She says she doesn’t know. She thinks it’s a big decision and feels like he’s making it really fast. He wonders if he can ask her something, and she says, of course (🍷). He says, is she worried about the actual surgery or that it’s a gift from Drew?

Willow tells Carly, her children, her decision. She doesn’t need permission to do anything. Carly says, child. Wiley isn’t technically hers. Drew says, wow, and Willow says, that might be the worst thing Carly has ever said to her. Carly says, it’s true. Michael made her Wiley’s mother. He didn’t have to, but he gave her that gift because he thought she was a good person, one who would put the kids’ needs before her own. Willow says, that’s exactly what she’s doing, but Carly says, she’s not. She’s repaying Michael’s extraordinary kindness by shacking up with his uncle and uprooting and confusing the kids in the process. Willow says she is a good person. (I trust no one who says that about themselves.) At the bare minimum she’s safe. Carly chose Sonny to be Michael’s father and look how that turned out. Carly tells Willow, say her romantic story works out. What will she tell Wiley and Amelia when they get older? What is she going to say? Sorry she blew up their lives and abandoned their father, but she couldn’t keep her hands off their great-uncle? Willow says she didn’t abandon… The children love Drew. Carly says, of course (🍷) they do. He’s family. Drew says, Carly wouldn’t know about getting involved with multiple family members. He could start listing them, but he doesn’t think they have the time. Carly says, the Willow that Michael married wouldn’t do this to him, and Willow says she’s sorry for hurting Michael. She truly means that, but it didn’t happen in a vacuum. Carly says, as she recalls, it happened in the Quartermaine nursery, and Willow says she and Michael were having problems before she got together with Drew. She’s not apologizing for wanting to be with Drew and certainly won’t apologize for falling in love with him.

Sasha asks why Jason wants her to stay so badly, and he says he thinks it’s good for her to be here and he knows it would be good for the baby. He knows the Quartermaines drive each other crazy, but underneath, they love and take care of each other. She asks if he really believes that, and he says he does. She says, then why has he spent most of his life avoiding them.

Curtis tells Portia that no one knows better than he does how cutting-edge surgery can change your life, but he hates that the offer came from Drew. He doesn’t like it. Portia asks what he thinks Drew wants from Kai, and he says he doesn’t know yet, but he doesn’t want to stand in the young man’s way. She says, Drew has proved nothing but untrue and questionable motives, and he says he knows that and knows they’re biased. Why did Kai want to talk to her? She says, he asked about the surgery, and she looked into it like she said she would. She has to say, it’s a great option. He says he knew she’d give her honest assessment as an objective third party, and she doesn’t owe Drew anything.

Trina says, if the surgery is a success she’s afraid Kai might get hurt if he plays again. And if it isn’t successful, she knows his hopes and dreams will be gone and he’ll be devastated. Kai says he has a lot of the same concerns. What about the Drew part? She says, he wasn’t concerned, but she is. She’s worried about the Drew of it all. He says, Drew has only been decent to him. His dream was over, and Drew gave him hope that it might not be. He knows the risk. She says he had to make the decision quickly, and he says, it increases the success of the surgery. If he gets over his fears – the surgery and recovery – then it was all worth it, as long as he has her cheering him on. He takes her hand, and she says she knows football is his dream. If there’s a chance it can happen again, he has to pursue every option. He thanks her and says he couldn’t do it without her. She says, he could, but he doesn’t have to. She needs to take care of something for Ava. She’ll text him later. She leaves, Kai looks at his phone, and she peers at him from around the corner.  

Diane says, engagement signed, and asks why Alexis needs a lawyer. Alexis says she doesn’t, and Diane says, Kristina. With everything she’s been through, what’s happened to her now? Alexis says, nothing happened to her. Something happened because of her. Diane tells her that she has to come out and say it, and Alexis says, Kristina caused Ric’s car crash. She’s the reason Ric and Elizabeth were almost killed. Diane says, that can’t be true, but Alexis says, Kristina cut the brake lines on Ric’s car. Diane asks, why? She knows there’s no love lost between Ric and Kristina… Alexis says, Kristina wasn’t trying to kill Ric. She was trying to kill Ava.

Nina says, the kids are okay. She got them settled down with a movie. She turned the volume up, but it would be great if things would settle down in here. Carly says, Nina missed the big announcement. Willow is in love with Drew. Does she realize she doesn’t know him? Drew asks what she means, and Carly says, he has many different personas. No one knows what they’re getting at any given time. Willow says she knows who Drew is and how he makes her feel, and Carly says, and she’s not apologizing for any of it. She’d think at least using Michael’s burnt body as a bargaining chip might merit an, I’m sorry, my bad, but no. Willow says, everything she’s done is in the best interest of her children. She’s a mother like Carly. Carly says she would never keep her kids away from their father, but Drew says he thinks AJ would have something to say about that. Carly says, if he thinks Michael is anything like AJ, he’s too stupid to be standing in this room (HA-HA-HA!), and Drew says, what he’s seeing is mind blowing. Carly says, what Willow can’t see that everyone else sees is that he’s a liar. It’s repulsive. Willow says, for the millionth time, Carly doesn’t get a say, and Carly says, but Michael does. And she’s going to make sure there’s no doubt of his position. Drew says, if Michael has something to say, he needs to stop using his mommy as a mouthpiece. He has to heal, get back here, and say it for himself.

Anna suggests Emma start with the party, and Emma says she thought Anna knew everything, but Anna says she wants to hear it from her. Amma says, fine. They invited everyone they knew because they needed the crowd to be big. Anna says, because they wanted to distract campus security so they could break into the lab? and Emma says, because they suspected the lab was doing animal testing. Once they were inside office, they could see everything was totally true. The animals were banging around in their cages. It was heartbreaking. Their plan was to get the animals out, but building security caught them before they could start. Anna asks, what happened then? and Emma says, when security got there, it was total chaos. The animals were trapped in their cages and people were tearing off in all directions and she was one of them. Anna asks, what happened next? and Emma says, she tried to get out, but a guard grabbed her and swung her around. The crowbar she used to break in hit him, but she didn’t mean for it to. It was an accident. Obviously, she was arrested. Anna says, and charged with multiple counts, and Emma says, the school didn’t want the testing exposed, so they offered her the NDA to drop it in exchange for her expulsion. It’s ironic. She thought the party was the perfect cover for her, but it turned out to be the perfect cover for the school. She’s telling the truth. Anna says, her account is consistent with her arrest record, but she doesn’t think Emma is grasping the severity of the situation. She believes Emma when she says hitting the security guard was an accident, but he could have been severely hurt. What if he’d died? Emma says she knows. Things spiraled so out of control. Anna says, because of her choices and the way she handled them, and Emma says, what Anna is doing is why she didn’t want Anna to find out.

Josslyn asks if she was hired because of her resourcefulness, and Vaughn says, that’s one of the reasons. She says she’ll find a way to get in with Professor Dalton. She’ll have him begging her to be his assistant. He says, that’s the spirit. See how smooth things go when you nod and say, yes, sir? She says she didn’t do any of that and doesn’t think she will in the future, and he says he hopes the professor likes spunk. They have no other agent for this mission. She asks if the reason they recruited her is because she attends PCU, and he says, Brennan is the best of the best. He saw something special in her. That’s why she’s here. She says, okay. She guesses she should be relieved that her first mission is doing something she knows how to do – be a college student. He says, she’s not a student anymore. She’s an agent posing as a student.  She says, on to a new life and new beginnings.

Jason tells Sasha, it’s true he’s been estranged from the Quartermaines for most of his life. But since he’s been back, he thinks he finally understands what it means to suck things up for the family’s sake. She says, he does his share, and he says, there is value in living here, especially for Danny. He’s around his relatives and he loves that it’s a big, crazy family, emphasis on crazy. Even when they’re annoyed at each other, Jason can still tell they love each other. He thinks they’d love the baby too. Sasha says she always wanted a big family, but never had one. She’d hoped to give her kids one. He couldn’t give Danny that on his own, but she can. He says he doesn’t mean to guilt trip her… She says, he’s about to bring up Monica, and he says, yeah. She may not know who the real father of the baby is, but the baby is still her family. He thinks it would be nice for the baby be close to Monica, especially since Michael’s other kids can’t be. Danny comes in and says he wanted to make cake pops for Scout. They’re her favorite and she misses having them. He promised to make them using Sasha’s recipe, but it’s not go too well. (They look like UPS drop kicked them there.) He’s not a baking person and it’s harder than he thought. Jason’s phone dings, and Sasha says she’d be happy make a new batch, but Danny says he told Scout that he’d make them, so they have to be from him. Sasha says, how about if she oversees things? Jason looks at a text from Nina: Come to Drew’s. It’s Carly. 911. Danny says, that would work great, and Sasha says, excellent. Jason says, good. He’s got to go. Good luck with those. Danny thanks him, and Jason leaves. Sasha says, let’s get started. It will be fun.

Carly asks if Drew is faulting Michael for not being here when he’s recovering from nearly dying, and Drew says, as much as his heart breaks for Michael, despite what she thinks, Michael can’t be a father from Germany. Carly says, he’s fighting to get back. They both know that. Willow says she wanted Michael to stay close. She advocated for Maryland. Remember? Carly says, she’d have Michael get subpar care because his cheating wife thinks that’s what’s best? and Willow says, it didn’t matter what she thought. Michael chose to go to Germany. Carly pushed it and Michael did what she wanted. Now she’s whining about the fallout. Carly says she can’t believe Willow is the woman she walked down the aisle. If she had it to do again, she’d drag Willow as far away as possible. She can’t believe she didn’t see it. Willow has been like her all along. Willow says, like who? and Carly says, Nelle.

Alexis tells Diane that Kristina tried to kill Ava. Apparently, things got heated between them and Kristina went into a rage. She cut the brake lines of Ava’s car – or at least what she thought was Ava’s car, because it was Ric’s car, who happened to be in her space at the time. Apparently, their cars are similar. Diane asks if Molly knows, but Alexis says, just herself, now Diane. She guesses it’s a blessing. Diane says she’s so sorry. She knows how thrilled Alexis was to have her girls close again. Alexis says, maybe Kristina was doing it because she felt guilty. This cannot get out. Diane says, if it does, her girls may not recover, and Alexis says she can’t think straight. She needs Diane to come up with some legal options. Diane says, Kristina is facing three counts of attempted murder, the failed attempt on Ava and the two nearly successful attempts on Ric and Elizabeth. Alexis says, there’s no way out. She can’t think of a way to begin, a way to defend Kristina. Diane says, she can. Alexis needs to have Kristina committed.

Brad goes to Portia’s office, and she tells him, close the door. He says, saying please wouldn’t kill her, but she says, it actually might. Sit down. He says, it was a lot more fun when he was blackmailing her, but she says, those days are over now. He’s going to do what she says or get fired. He asks what she wants, and she says, every file, test, and screening related to Drew. Brad needs to go back all the way to when Drew arrived in Port Charles. Don’t forget the John Doe files. Brad says, that’s going back ten years. It’s not even his job. She says, it is now. The only alternative is finding employment elsewhere, somewhere far, far, far away from his precious Lucas. He says, Lucas wants nothing to do with him, and she says, that could change, but it probably won’t if he’s not here. He says, fine. He’ll do it. What is she looking for? Drugs? She says she’ll know it when she sees it. Don’t forget… He says he knows. Shut the door behind him. He leaves, shutting the door behind him.

Kai sees Curtis at the Surf Lodge and says, he just missed Trina. Is he here for lunch? Curtis says, no. His auntie dropped hints about how wonderful the fish tacos are, so he thought he’d surprise with some takeout. Kai says, the food is great, and Curtis says, Portia told him that Kai had asked for her advice. Kai says he did, but he made his decision. He’s going to do it. He thinks it’s the right choice. Curtis says, if Drew has taken an interest in Kai, he’s got to believe there’s an ulterior motive. Kai says he knows Curtis and Drew have a history and he respects that, but all Drew is doing is connecting him to the doctor, and Curtis says, be careful. Kai saw what Drew did to his nephew and he threatened to bulldoze the Quartermaine family crypt. If he can betray his family like that, what does Kai think Drew could do to him?

Alexis says, Diane wants her to commit her own daughter? but Diane says, of course (🍷) not, but this is the best way, the only way out. Alexis knows this. Alexis says she doesn’t know anything. She can’t do it. Diane says, even if she gets the charges reduced to attempted murder, second degree, that’s three stacked charges. In the state of New York, she’d be looking at 15 years in prison. That’s the best-case scenario. Alexis says, maybe it won’t come to that. Nobody knows. There’s no investigation, no charges, and the police don’t know anything. Diane says, they both know whatever is done in darkness always comes to light. The question is when. Does Alexis want to live like that, jumping out of her skin every time there’s a knock at the door or the phone rings? Is it the cops, or isn’t it? This is Kristina’s best chance. Take it.

Nina says, Carly went too far and needs to leave right now, but Carly says, no. Willow’s good, right? Using her own voice, making her own choices. She’s fine, right? Willow says she and Nelle are nothing alike, and Carly says, she’s right. As sick as Nelle was, she actually loved Michael. She can’t say same about Willow. Willow says she did love Michael and part of her always will, and Carly says, she has an interesting way of showing it. At least with Nelle, she knew who she was dealing with, but with Willow, she had no idea who Willow was. Willow asks if she hears herself. Nelle told Michael that his baby was dead and gave it to another couple. Carly says, she’s right. Nelle stole Michael’s child, but Willow stole two. She guesses that means Willow is the winner. Willow says, how dare she? and Carly says, how dare she? Drew tells Carly, get out or he’ll have the cops take her out, and Willow says, Carly has a lot of nerve coming into their home and speaking to her like that. The days of Carly telling her what to do are over. She can say she’s here for Michael, but she’s here for herself. She’ll do what she wants with her kids, so shut up already. Everybody here knows Carly’s altruistic mother act is about as fake as she is. Carly pulls her hand back to smack Willow, but Jason grabs it.

Alexis tells Diane that she can’t do it. Kristina would never go along with it. Diane says, after everything Kristina’s been through lately – the fall, losing the baby, Sam, Michael’s accident – she wouldn’t need to get permission. Alexis says, what? and Diane says, Kristina is in therapy. Alexis can have her committed involuntarily. Alexis says she can’t. No. Kristina would never forgive her. Diane says she thinks Kristina would, and Alexis says, on what planet? Diane says, on the planet where she understands it’s a far cry between a few months in Ferncliff and 15 to 25 years in Pentenville. Alexis says, Sonny would never go along with it, but Diane says, Sonny has shared his mental health struggles and was the one who suggested Kristina seek a therapist to begin with. Alexis says, a therapist is a far cry from a mental institution, and Diane says, Sonny also understands the law better than most, and sometimes you have to think outside the box to protect yourself and those you love. Alexis says she can’t do this to her family, but Diane says, she’s not doing it to them, she’s doing it for them. Besides, it sets up Kristina in the perfect position for a great defense when the truth comes out, and it sets up Molly to forgive her sister when everything is exposed. Even without those reasons, Kristina needs help. Alexis went on trial for a murder she didn’t commit because she disposed of Kristina’s gun. There’s a pattern here. Kristina gets herself in trouble and Alexis comes in and cleans it all up. It’s not helping. It’s having the opposite effect and it’s time to take drastic action.

Emma asks if Anna wants to know what she was thinking about when she was in that jail cell. You. Anna says, me? and Emma says she wasn’t thinking about her mom and dad or her record or her regret. She was thinking about Anna and how disappointed she’d be in her. She was thinking about how Anna is looking at her now. Anna asks how she’s looking, and Emma says, like sad. Like she can’t believe Emma turned into this thing or something. Anna knows she loves her mom and dad so much, but she was raised to believe if she did everything right and followed the rules, life would fall into place. It’s not true. Playing by the rules doesn’t stop injustice. She wants to spend every day of her life fighting for what’s right. Anna says, she’s not giving her parents enough credit. That’s exactly what they do, help people. Emma says she knows. Trust her when she says what they do and who they are is absolutely amazing. Anna says, they agree on one thing at least, and Emma says she’s more like Anna. She does what’s right and fights for people who can’t fight for themselves. Sometimes that means stepping over the line and breaking the rules. That’s why she thought of Anna when she was in her cell. They do what they think is right, don’t they?  

Carly says, Drew must be happy. Everyone thought he was the master manipulator in this situation, but it’s been Willow all along. She made her choices. Willow says, she doesn’t need anyone to make choices for her, and Carly says, she wants everyone to believe she’s the victim and heroine in this fairytale, but she’s nothing but a selfish little bitch. They deserve each other, but they don’t deserve those kids. Willow says, Carly crossed the line and almost slapped her grandchildren’s mother, and Carly says, for now. Willow asks what she means, and Carly says she’s going to help Michael get his kids back and Willow is never going to see them again ever. She and Jason leave.

Anna says, whatever she thinks Emma is, she has a lot of admiration for her. She helps people and animals in need, but she wonders if Emma is remorseful for her actions. She got lucky. Nobody was hurt – this time. Emma says she knows. She’s not saying it’s a bad thing to hurt animals and an okay thing to hurt people. If something had actually happened to the security guard… Believe her when she says she doesn’t always sleep well at night. Anna says she’s been there and has to live with the consequences of that. She thinks they are alike in many ways, except there’s one profound difference. She always has a fine-tuned plan and significant resources and training to back her up. For her, it’s been the PCPD and the WSB. Emma says she sees what Anna is saying. She knows they had a rocky start, but she’s determined to do better. She still wants to change the world, but going to do it Anna’s way. It’s safer. Anna says, and smarter, and Emma says she’s already enjoying her class with Professor Dalton. She thinks he’s touched on some pretty cool ideas. Anna says, thank goodness. She found a class she can stand. That’s a good start. Emma says she’s sorry being here has stressed Anna out, but Anna says, her being here is a gift. She loves Emma profoundly, without any hesitation, and no conditions. So never forget that. She just wants Emma to be safe and smarter. Emma says, safer and smarter, and they hug.

Josslyn asks, what happens after she secures her position? and Vaughn says, keep gaining Professor Dalton’s trust and wait for further instructions. Josslyn says, okay, got it, and he says, just remember what he said. It might feel the same going to class, going out with her friends, and getting assignments in, but this isn’t school anymore. There are no makeup exams or extra credit. If she fails her mission, there will be serious consequences for all of them.

Trina is waiting in Portia’s office, and Portia says, a visit from Trina’s father and now Trina. What did she do to get so lucky? Trina says she wishes the reason was good, and Portia asks, what’s wrong? Trina says, Kai isn’t waiting for Portia’s opinion about the surgery. He’s made up his mind. He’s going through with it.

Kai says he appreciates the warning and appreciates Curtis’s family looking out for him, and Curtis asks him to promise to be careful. Drew is shrewd and manipulative and there’s always something in it for him. Kai says he doesn’t see what Drew could possibly get from him. He’s in college and the guy is a congressman. Curtis says he wishes he could tell Kai what Drew is after, but he hasn’t figured it out. Just know that the favor Drew is doing will come at a cost, maybe higher than Kai could ever imagine.

Willow says she can’t believe that just happened, and Drew says, she did great. Nina says, holding your own against Carly is no small feat, and Willow asks if she can really take Wiley and Amelia. Drew says, Carly has her resources, but so does he. He promises with everything in him that he won’t let her lose her kids.

Carly says, Jason doesn’t need to drive her home, but he says, she’s too upset right now. Carly says, did he text you and tell you to come and get me? and he asks what she was thinking. She says, is that a real question? and he says, attacking Willow is going to push her and the kids further away and make Drew look like a savior. She says she doesn’t care. She gave Willow space to make the right decision, and it didn’t work out. Now it’s time to fight and she can fight a hell of a lot harder than they can.

Diane says she knows it’s a lot to take in. Alexis doesn’t have to decide this second, but don’t take too long. Diane is about to leave, when Alexis says, do it. Draw up the papers and have Kristina committed.

On Monday, Willow tells Nina that she’s scared there’s some truth to it; Ric tells Ava it may not be the done deal she thinks it is; Sonny asks if someone is pressuring Laura to come after him; and Carly tells Jack that she may have just handed Michael’s children over to Willow.

🧼 All the Soap News Fit To Print…

It’s about time.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-van-hansis-dishes-lucas-new-romance-with-marco

Amusing, but not life changing.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/the-line-you-didnt-get-to-hear-on-yesterdays-gh

I love this storyline too.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/why-ghs-eden-mccoy-loves-josslyns-new-spy-storyline

Ric gets roughed up.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/behind-the-scenes-of-rics-accident-on-general-hospital

The professor is in.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/daniel-goddard-cast-on-general-hospital-as-professor-dalton

So cool how they found certain items. That happened to me after the flood, and it was really weird how certain things that ended up under water emerged unscathed.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/ghs-cameron-mathison-shares-an-inspirational-post-fire-update

💉 A Dose Of Reality…

Below Deck Down Under

This boat just sounds so messy.

Captain Jason attempts to clean up.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Memes and jokes were revisited, no doubt to be forever remembered like Erika’s panties and Crystal’s ugly leather pants. Lots of blah-blah-blah about Kyle and Morgan, and no surprise, Jennifer was the highlight of the entire Reunion. Snacking while watching the ping-pong match that is part of every rehash, she didn’t disappoint. She talked about a necklace considered the most important piece of American jewelry that she’d worn for a photo shoot and explained that it had once belonged to Cole Porter. She’d fallen in love with it before she could afford it, and when she could, chased it around until she scored it. The best part of the story? I could tell Erika and Dorit were just boiling with jealousy. Another highlight was Kathy managing to find her seat without getting lost. She did bring her pocketbook with her as we all would.

Aww. This is what I like to hear.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/how-denise-richards-jennifer-tilly-sutton-stracke-supported-garcelle-beauvais-career-move

Because inquiring minds want to know.

Denise Richards & Her Wild Things

In this week’s finale, Sami thought her car had been stolen when it had really been repossessed. Even though she makes a ton of money on OnlyFans, she literally forgot to make the payments. And this is the second car this has happened with. Good to see she learns from her mistakes. On the upside, Denise brought her feuding daughters together with a photo shoot. I hope this show gets another season. It’s funny enough, relatively harmless, and rather charming.

https://people.com/denise-richards-daughter-sami-sheen-car-repossessed-season-finale-11711617

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/where-denise-richards-family-daughters-are-today-april-2025

Summer House

Jesse invited the group to Shabbat, and he was very impressive with his singing. This is the kind of reality thing I enjoy, observing a culture other than my own. Since Lindsay will never, ever really let go of Carl, she continued to harangue him about speaking to some girl before they’d broken up. Carl had receipts, but Shabbat prohibited him from using his phone. However, Jesse spoke to God, who said it was okay. Problem solved and Carl exonerated.

This was possibly one of the most surprising things I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot

Random Reality Items

This has possibilities as long as their mother’s footsteps aren’t followed in and no Solo cups, tableware, or actual tables are thrown.

https://ew.com/bravo-next-gen-nyc-real-housewives-gia-giudice-brooks-marks-nyc-chaos-exclusive-11707585

I still feel badly about Kenya. She twirled her way into my heart.

https://www.essence.com/op-ed/kenya-moore-brit-eady/

So what’s up with those Top Chefs now? And wasn’t Brooke Aaron Phyper’s hall pass?

https://www.eonline.com/news/1415807/bobby-flay-brooke-williamsons-basketball-date-night

👀 Last Weekend’s Watch…

Deadpool & Wolverine. Disney+. Yes, I watched this again even though I saw it in the movies. Not only is it one of those films you can watch a hundred times and still see something new, it was all I had the bandwidth for that day. I love this movie and already posted ad nauseum about it, so here’s something new.

https://collider.com/deadpool-and-wolverine-hugh-jackman-breathing-video/

Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me. Netflix. Probably nothing you haven’t heard before, but she was an icon, and her story is just so sad.

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/anna-nicole-smith-you-dont-know-me-release-date-trailer-news

Upgrade. Netflix. This wasn’t at all what I thought from the preview, but it was interesting nonetheless. In the future, a quadriplegic plays amateur detective investigating his wife’s murder. Somewhat humorous with a relatively satisfying ending, and kudos for actually being something different.

https://movieweb.com/upgrade-netflix-sci-fi-thriller-top-10/

Talk To Me. Hulu – also on Netflix and Paramount+. An interesting take on possession with a good cast of newcomers. An embalmed medium’s hand becomes a tool to open an entrance to the dark side. My jury is still out about the ending.

https://movieweb.com/terrifying-debut-talk-to-me-streaming-success/

https://www.slashfilm.com/1434605/talk-to-me-haunted-hand-true-story-inspiration/

🔮 The Future Is (Almost) Now…

It’s finally here. Season 2 of The Last of Us begins April 13th. Oddly enough, it hasn’t even started yet, and it’s been renewed for a 3rd season.

https://ew.com/the-last-of-us-gabriel-luna-rutina-wesley-tease-season-2-infected-attack-11709833

https://ew.com/the-last-of-us-season-3-official-renewed-11711769

Season 7 of Black Mirror began on April 10th. I’m hoping to catch a few episodes this weekend. I can’t wait to see what’s happening on the USS Callister.

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/black-mirror-season-7-review-netflix-sci-fi

🏆 All the Awards All the Time…

All the awards dates you need to know.

https://deadline.com/feature/awards-season-calendar-oscars-emmys-golden-globes-list-1234814076/

This year’s Emmy nominations and predictions.

https://ew.com/2025-emmy-nominations-predictions-main-acting-categories-11706398

🐾 Game Of Bones, Thrones, and…

🐈‍⬛ It’s Choupette!

https://people.com/karl-lagerfeld-s-former-housekeeper-reveals-how-his-cat-choupette-lives-as-a-multi-million-dollar-heiress-11712255

🐕 Be still my heart.

https://people.com/glen-powell-dog-brisket-meets-demi-moore-tiny-pup-pilar-exclusive-11707737

🐺 Yes, you heard right.

https://people.com/joe-manganiello-seen-the-future-after-dire-wolves-brought-back-de-extinction-exclusive-11711202

📲 Quotes of the Week

Success does not consist in never making mistakes, but in never making the same one a second time.George Bernard Shaw

In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current. – Thomas Jefferson

To know how much there is to know is the beginning of learning to live. Dorothy West

Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.Theodore Roosevelt

Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.Vernon Sanders Law

A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.Dwight D. Eisenhower

Happiness is not a goal… it’s a by-product of a life well lived.Eleanor Roosevelt

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.Margaret Mead

I understand. I just don’t care. – Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), General Hospital

👒 Donning My Easter Bonnet…

Until next week, stay safe; stay respecting others’ beliefs, even those who have none; and stay remembering, whatever is done in darkness, always comes to light.

June 24, 2024 – Tracy Gives Finn an Ultimatum, Just Okay Food On Deck & Greatest

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

John says he needs to celebrate with someone, and so far, Carly is the closest friend he has here. She tells him that he has to get some new friends, and toasts to taking down the bad guys – or bad persons. He says he’ll definitely drink to that.

Molly comes home, where TJ is waiting. She apologizes for being late. She was stuck at the office, then there was traffic. He asks if that’s true or was she avoiding coming home?

Kristina goes to Sonny’s office and says she got him a gift. He looks in the bag, and she asks how she did. He says, perfect.

On the phone, Tracy says, Brook’s mother is waiting. She’ll take care of it. Finn comes out and says, tell him where his daughter is.

Brook and Chase bring Violet to the Quartermaines. Lois tells Violet that there’s nothing she loves more than a sleepover. They’re going to stay up all night, eat tons of sugar, and do all the fun stuff. Chase tells Yuri to make sure the front gate is locked, and the staff knows not to let his brother in.

Molly asks if TJ thinks she’d volunteer to stay at work, and he says he wouldn’t blame her. She says she was stuck at the office, and he says he ordered take out, but she tells him that she had a late lunch. Maybe later. He says he was hoping they could talk about what happened, but she says she doesn’t know what more they can talk about. They can’t go back in time and change the surrogate. TJ says he wants her to accept his apology. He was a total ass and he’s sorry.

Sonny takes something out of the bag, and Kristina says, it’s organic and locally grown. He says he’ll put it to good use. He’s starting to feel like he wants to cook. Is she hungry? She says, Blaze is meeting her and they’re going out, when Natalia and Blaze come in. Natalia says she told Blaze that Sonny wasn’t a vampire, and tells Sonny that she thought she’d drop by and say hey. He says he’s glad she did and hopes she stays. He has a lot of basil in the kitchen, and he’s thinking of making pesto and chicken piccata. Blaze and Kristina agree to stay for dinner, and Natalia says, he had her at pesto. Can she help? He says, that depends. How good is she in the kitchen? She tells Blaze, careful, and Blaze says, she’s a pretty good cook. Sonny says, there are some kitchen rules. In the kitchen, he’s the boss. Natalia says, yes, chef, and they go to the kitchen. Blaze asks if Kristina is cool with this, and Kristina says, yeah. It helps that Blaze is here and can be a buffer. Blaze says, who thought they’d be having dinner all together? and Kristina says, it’s been a long and winding road. Blaze says she wouldn’t change a thing, and Kristina says her either.

Carly asks if John will be checking out when he wraps up his assignment, and he says, soon. She asks, how soon, or is it classified? and he says, within the week. He was here longer than he’d intended. Carly says, thanks for choosing us for your stay, and he thanks her for saving his hide on the docks and watching him all night. She says, he thanked her already, but he says, it deserves repeating. Carly says, he’s welcome, and he tells her to enjoy the rest of the champagne. She says, if he insists, and he says he did enjoy her company. She says, back at him. Give her a give a call if he’s severely beaten, and good luck with whatever happens next. He says, it’s been a while, but he feels like luck is finally on his side. He leaves, and she says, not for long, you bastard.

Violet wonders if she should go home in case her daddy needs help, but Lois says she spoke to Brook’s grandma and she’s with Violet’s daddy, helping him feel better. Let them spoil her. Violet says her stomach hurts, and Brook takes her to the bathroom. Lois says, of course (🍷) Violet feels sick. So does she. Chase thanks her, and she says, they all want to help. Chase says, if Violet had stayed with them, Finn would have been pounding on the door all night. Violet is going through enough. She found Finn bleeding and couldn’t wake him up. She says, thank God Violet called Tracy, and Chase says, with the amount of booze Finn consumed, he could have been passed out all night. As it is, Violet is going to carry this with her for the rest of her life. Lois says, they’ll get her through this. It’s important that Chase is here, and Violet knows she has him. He says, he hopes so. He has to make some more arrangements. She tells him to let her know if there’s anything else she can do, and leaves. He makes a call and says he’s sorry to be calling so late.  

Tracy says, Violet is safe, but Finn says, that’s not what he asked. She asks if he has any idea what Violet saw when she walked in here. He was passed out cold, bleeding on the floor in a sea of broken glass. He says he’s sorry Violet had to witness that, but Tracy says, she didn’t have to. He created the situation. Finn asks if Violet called her, and she says, Violet picked up the phone, saw the missed calls from her, and had the good sense to call her back. She said her father needed help. She’d thought he died. Tracy called 911, and when she got here, Violet was standing over him, keeping watch, scared out of her mind. Finn says he’s sorry for how he spoke to her earlier. This was the wake-up call he needed. He’s going to clean himself and the apartment up, and bring Violet home. Tracy says, no, and Finn says, he’s Violet’s father. She says, he can’t care for his daughter, and she’s not coming home until he proves he can care for himself.

Finn asks where his daughter is, and Tracy says, she’s with people who love her, and they’ll continue to care for her when he seeks help. She’s booked him a room at Sky Meadow Lodge. It’s a 90-day minimum treatment facility. He says, she’s overstepping. He doesn’t need residential treatment. She says, even before tonight, she would have argued that he did, and he says he’ll go to meetings, but Violet is staying with him. She says, meetings are no longer sufficient, and he says, she doesn’t know his life. His daughter is at the Quartermaines, isn’t she? He’s going there and getting her, and if anyone tries to stop him, he’ll call the police.

On the phone, Chase says, Yuri will meet them at the gate. Violet comes back with Brook and asks if Chase is sure that Brook’s grandma will take care of her dad. He says, she can, and she will. Violet says, it’s a big house, and Brook says, their room is next to hers. If she needs anything, or if she has a bad dream, they’ll be right there. Violet asks if they think her daddy had bad dreams, and Chase says, they make some people so sad, they feel sick. Violet says, like grandpa? but Brook says, no. This is completely different. Violet says, if her daddy is sick, he needs her, and Chase says, that was his first intention, but Brook says, her daddy taking some time away is the best way. Violet asks, what if he thinks she doesn’t love him anymore? but Chase says, he would never think that and that will never change.

As they enjoy dinner, Natalia tells stories about Blaze as a kid, and Blaze asks if they’re done laughing at her younger self. Dinner was incredible. Natalia says she thought Corinthos was a Greek name, and Sonny says, it is. She asks how he got so good at cooking authentic Italian food, and Sonny asks how Brook’s wedding looked. Natalia says, the Cerullos, when Ava walks in and says, isn’t this cozy?

Carly flashes back to Sonny telling her that Jason working for Cates is proof Jason is working against him, and Carly saying, if he thinks Jason is trying to get evidence against him, Jason must be bad at it, since he’s a free man. Spinelli comes into Carly’s office, saying, gracious greetings. He says, she seems disgruntled, and she says she wonders why. She can’t believe that guy used her as leverage to hold Jason hostage. Then he had the nerve to show up here with champagne. Spinelli just missed him. Spinelli asks how it went, and she says, she smiled and said she hoped he’d enjoyed his stay in Port Charles. Spinelli wonders if there was cause for celebration, or was he trying to come on to Carly, and she says she wishes he’d tried something. It would have given her an excuse to stab him. (Ah, my favorite side of Carly.)

TJ tells Molly that he let his anxiety run away with him and it wasn’t fair. They both decided on Kristina being the surrogate together. It’s not like she strongarmed him. So for him to blame her was messed up and he’s sorry. She thanks him, and asks if he wishes they hadn’t used Kristina, but he says, Kristina is a great surrogate. She loves Molly more than anything and would never hurt her… intentionally. He’s not going to allow worry to overshadow their joy. What he hates most is that he didn’t make Molly feel like she could share things with him because his reaction would be so… She says, big? and he says, an understatement. They weren’t on the same page, but now he’s all in. She says she’s scared when the time comes… She doesn’t want to say it out loud, but he tells her that she can say anything to him. She says she’s afraid when the time comes, Kristina won’t be able to let go of their child. What if they were wrong to trust her sister?

Ava says she came by to see if Sonny wanted to grab dinner. It looks delightful. Natalia says, he’s a master chef, and Sonny says, she minced garlic like a pro. Ava says, it’s nice to share a passion. She’ll grab a chair. Kristina says, no. There’s no way in hell she’s sharing a meal with the woman who stabbed her mother in the back.

Brook says, Violet is braver than she was at Violet’s age, and Chase tells Violet that she did the right thing, calling for help. Violet says, that’s what he told her to do when there was trouble, and he says, she got the ball rolling, and now she can leave it to the grown-ups to get her daddy better. Lois comes in and asks if Violet would like to see her room, and Brook says, when she wakes up, she’ll see the most beautiful view. Lois says she picked out a pair of Scout’s pajamas and suggests they set her up. Brook says, they’ll be up in a minute, and Lois takes Violet upstairs. Brook thanks Chase for being her rock, but he says he’s just following her lead. He knows Violet can’t stay with Finn, but getting it in his head… She says, watching it play out breaks your heart.

Tracy says, if Finn calls the police, she’ll show them the pictures, and he asks her not to take Violet away from him. She’s all he has left. She can’t take his daughter. She says, nobody wants this, and he insists he’ll pull it together. She asks if he thinks he’s the only one grieving. This is not the way to handle it. Finn says, and taking away his daughter is? He made a mistake. Seeing the pictures, he doesn’t like the person he is any more than she does. That’s not him. She says, but it is. (Thank you.) But it doesn’t have to be if he goes to rehab. He says he’ll fight it on his own. He’ll do whatever she wants. She says, this is not a negotiation. If he wants Violet back, he’ll have to seek treatment. If he can’t or won’t commit to sobriety, she’ll have to use all her resources to make sure his brother and Brook get custody of Violet, temporary or otherwise. Finn asks why she’s doing this, and she says, it’s not about him. It’s about Violet, and until he understands that there’s nothing left to say. She walks out.

Chase and Brook talk about Florence, and Chase says he wishes they were there, but Brook says she doesn’t. It’s hard and messy and heartbreaking, but it’s real, and they’ll get through it together. Home is where he is. It doesn’t matter. He says he loves her, and she says she loves him too. They’ve got this. Diane walks in, and Chase thanks her for coming. She says, he felt it was important that they met, and he says, to protect Violet from her father. Finn is in danger. Brook says, he’s been drinking heavily since Gregory died, and Chase says, Violet walked in on him, passed out. Brook says, he’d cut his hand and was bleeding. Violet was terrified. Chase says, she thought Finn had died like her grandfather, and Diane says, tell her what they need.  

TJ tells Molly that Kristina keeping the baby is their worst nightmare, but isn’t it anyone’s who uses a surrogate? They wanted to have a child, but they couldn’t. Kristina gave them a beautiful gift because Kristina loves her. He thinks she loves him too, but a little less. Molly says she was being paranoid. They’re the ones who wanted to be parents, not Kristina. It was the furthest thing from her mind, and now she’s in a new relationship. The last thing she needs is to be up all night with a baby. TJ says, their baby is going to sleep through the night, and Molly says, they’re going to come out of the womb a perfect angel and never want screen time. They’ve mastered parenting already. TJ says he’s sorry about their fight, and she says her too. He says he knows it sounds rich coming from the guy who was second guessing things, but they need to try and have faith in her sister. She says she’ll try if he will, and he says, deal.

Ava asks if Sonny is going to condone this hostility, and Kristina says, she’s lucky hostility is all it is. Ava had her mother disbarred because she was mad that Alexis was being mean to her brother. Ava says, it goes deeper than that, and Kristina says, she didn’t even have the courage to attach her name. Ava says, Alexis lied under oath, and Kristina says, this coming from the paragon of truth and justice. Sonny suggests someone fill him in, and Kristina says, that actually sounds like fun. Does Ava want to do the honors or should she? Ava says, knock herself out. She’ll give Sonny the unbiased version later. She walks out, and Natalia looks like she wants to disappear, as we all would.

Spinelli tells Carly that he tried his best to pull the file out of the hands of the FBI, but there were too many levels of protection to penetrate. Carly says, for two years Jason could have been with the people who loved him, but he was too busy protecting her. She has to make it right. She’s going to tell Cates to arrest her. Spinelli says he can’t let her do that, and blocks her way.

Molly says she shouldn’t have kept what happened from TJ, but he says, he didn’t make it easy for her to confide in him. She thought he’d react in anger, and she was right. She wonders if they’ll ever feel easy again, and he says, considering they’re bringing a baby into the mix, no. At least not for a while. Something can be wonderful and hard at the same time. Molly says she can’t believe how fast it’s coming. Soon the apartment will be littered with baby stuff. TJ says, and diapers everywhere, and she asks if it’s stressing him out. He says he’s not worried. He just wants to do right by their child and let them know they’re loved and supported, no matter what.

Kristina says, at the hearing, her mom found out Ava was the one that accused her of perjury, and signed an affidavit that was hearsay. Sonny asks if it’s Ava’s fault Alexis lost her license, and Kristina says her mom just found out now. She can’t believe he lives with the same woman who caused so much pain. It’s the first time she’s seen Ava since the hearing, and she had to say something. She’s sorry she ruined dinner. Sonny says, she didn’t ruin it, and Natalia says she commends Kristina. She defended her mother and has nothing to apologize for.

Diane says, it will be an uphill battle, and Chase says he’s aware of that. She says. Finn is Violet’s legal guardian, and the law is on his side, but they can preempt him with an emergency custody order, so Violet can stay for the time being. Lois comes in and says she can’t find Yuri. Tracy walks in behind her, and says, he was opening the gate for her. Diane being here saved her a phone call. She’s afraid they’re going to need a restraining order.

Carly says she’d rather be in prison than see Jason blackmailed one more day. Diane has successfully gotten her exonerated before; she’ll do it again. He says, what if she doesn’t? What if she’s incriminated? What happens to her children, specifically Donna? Carly says she can’t stand the thought of that, but how is Donna more important than Danny or Jake? He says, what happened to them was tragic, but they still had their mothers. If she goes away, Donna will be without hers. He’s sure Jason was aware of that and wanted to avoid it at all costs. Carly says she’s struggling with how she’s feeling. On one hand, she’s frustrated that Jason would do this without her knowledge or consent. She’s responsible for him being gone so long. Spinelli says, and on the other hand? and she says she’s so moved to see how much he loves her. Spinelli says he’d do the same for Maxie without hesitation. He loves Maxie the way Jason loves Carly. And if Carly loves Jason… She says, he knows she does, and he says, then she has to let this go. She asks, how? and he says, it’s already done. They can’t go back and undo it, and if she turns herself in, Jason’s sacrifice was for nothing.

Molly says, they won’t have much time for themselves, and TJ says, not any. She suggests they make the most of it while they can, and he asks what she has in mind. She says she was thinking they could start with this – she kisses him – and go from there. He says, so basically, dinner can wait, and she says, dinner can wait. They get busy and I think it would be really funny if she got pregnant.

Natalia says, it would have been easy to keep the peace, but Kristina defended her mother. She hopes her daughter would do the same. Blaze says, of course (🍷), she would, and Sonny says, Alexis should be proud. He asks, who’s up for tiramisu? but Natalia says she couldn’t eat another bite. Kristina says, she can, and Sonny says, she won’t regret it.

Spinelli says, freedom is the greatest gift Jason could give Carly. She can’t give it back and has to accept it. She says, okay. She won’t turn herself in, but she won’t allow the FBI to use her as leverage with Jason. He asks how she plans to stop them, and she says, she’ll find a way. And when she does, Cates won’t see her coming.

Tracy says she tried to get through to Finn, but doesn’t know if she succeeded, and Brook says, arrangements have been made if Finn wants. Chase says, that’s a big if. He wishes you could force someone into treatment. Diane says she’ll need a statement from him, and Brook asks when the restraining order can be filed. Diane says she’ll present it to a judge tomorrow morning, and Chase wonders if Finn is going to come there tonight. Tracy says she doesn’t know, but she hopes he realizes they’re trying to save his relationship with Violet.

Alone in his apartment, Finn looks at family pictures on his phone.

Tomorrow, Finn says he’s not going to let Chase steal his daughter; Carly says she needs Jack’s expertise, but doesn’t know if she can trust him; and Sonny asks someone, who are you to judge?

Below Deck Mediterranean

Captain Sandy calls Jono to the bridge and tells him that the primary came to her and said the spices were too strong and the eggs were cold. How did that happen? He says he had the eggs ready at 8:30 when they’d wanted to have breakfast, but the guests had a slower morning. She tells him to make sure the eggs are made to order, and in her interview, she says, for a chef to tell her that he made breakfast when it was supposed to start is a huge red flag, but she has to give him the opportunity to show he can do this. Finish strong and she’ll assess the next charter. Anchor is in the pocket, and they head out. Bri says she’s feeling more confident, and in Ellie’s interview, she says she’s putting in a lot of effort because they’re improving as a team. The team’s success is her success.

Nathan tells Gael that she’s a genuine girl, and she thanks him. Did she not know? Was she a questioning young adult? The captain tells Iain that once the beach is set up, take two crew members there and come back. He can help them set up, but then he has to stay on board. Since he’s bosun, he’s not allowed to have fun anymore. In her interview, the captain says, if something goes wrong, she needs someone to know what’s going on. It’s a safety thing, Aesha talks to Jono about lunch, and in Jono’s interview, he says he’s hoping lunch goes smoothly. He needs to create a menu that doesn’t need microwaving. There’s no microwave on the beach. In Aesha’s interview, she says she thinks Iain heard Captain Sandy say the guests knew what they wanted and that meant the guests set it up themselves. In Iain’s interview, he says he’s had no time to scout for a location, and it makes him nervous. He prefers to trust his team rather than micromanage. This is a little test. Ellie and Joe flirt, and in Ellie’s interview, she says she would not kick Joe out of bed. Iain drops Joe and Gael off with a ton of stuff, but goes directly back to the boat instead of helping them set up. They lug the stuff a long way to the beach, making several trips, and in Joe’s interview, he says, there’s no leadership. Iain could have helped. Back on the boat, the guests are getting antsy to leave, and are finally given the green light. Iain radios that the guests are on their way, and Joe says, what the f***? The guests are underway, and they haven’t set up. This is bad. Gael wonders why no one is communicating. It’s a sh*tshow.

Aesha comes with the guests and helps with the set up. She asks Joe if the beach Olympics were organized, but he tells her, there was no time. On the boat, Jono frets over what Captain Sandy told him, and in his interview, he says, there’s no time to process his disappointment like there would be at a normal job. He has to focus on the meals to come. Joe tells Aesha that no one let them know when the guests were coming, and she says, it’s their first beach picnic. They’ll get it. Gael says, they’ll make it work, and Aesha says, when the food comes, Gael can swap out with Bri. There’s volleyball, then a ring toss. Joe takes his shirt off, the guests cheer, and he wins the long jump. The food is served, and on the yacht, the captain has the deck crew set up the water toys. Joe tells Gael that he’s never had guests arrive before everything is set up, and they wonder why they weren’t told until the guests were on their way. In his Joe’s interview, he says, his granddad taught him that respect is everything, and he doesn’t want step on Iain’s toes. He’s in an awkward situation. Lunch is a success, and one of the guests suggests they’ll have to wear muumuus on the plane back. When the guests come back, Aesha tells Iain, if there’s something like Beach Olympics on the preference sheets, he has to organize it ahead of time, and he makes up some lame excuse per usual. In Gael’s interview, she wonders what Iain was doing. Where was he? And he didn’t even acknowledge that they managed to do it anyway. In Iain’s interview, he compares his lack of management to a difficult task on a previous job – i.e. apples and oranges – and says, sometimes you have to do things that frustrate you. Just get it done. Aesha calls the provisioner for a Greek folk dance instructor, and the provisioner says she knows just the guy and he’ll bring plates for smashing. In his interview, Jono says, there’s a lot to be proved. If he makes a mistake and the captain picks up on it, his job is at risk.

The captain is joining the guests for dinner, and Aesha tells Iain that the Greek dancer needs to be picked up at 9:15. One of the guests says, they’re going to their next feeding, and they sit down for dinner. Gigi asks Jono about the spices in the gazpacho, and he says he googled it. It was some grandma’s recipe and it sounded authentic. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, don’t say it’s some grandma’s recipe; say it’s a secret recipe. Don’t say you googled it; say it’s someone else’s recipe. Joe and Ellie flirt, and in Bri’s interview, she says, it feels awkward. After tasting the entrée, Gigi says, there’s that spice again. It’s not agreeing with her palate. Jono takes the dessert out of the oven, and in his interview, he says he can see the cakes are overdone. F*** me. In the captain’s interview, she says, this is a superyacht. The food shouldn’t be just okay. It should be excellent. Jono is 0 for 2 now.

Captain Sandy asks Gigi about qualifying for the Olympics, and Gigi says, when she and Mary Jo Fernandez were in the finals, two audience members came in between serves to sit in some front seats. She’d missed her first serve and it was distracting, so she asked Mary Jo who those people were. Mary Jo told her to calm down. It was the Queen and King of Spain. That’s okay. I wouldn’t know who they were either. In Gael’s interview, she says she’s more comfortable with Nathan every day. He’s a good guy to be around. Jono doesn’t have a freezer in the galley (!) and leaves to get vanilla ice cream. Aesha and Ellie look at the cakes, and Aesha thinks they don’t look good. Ellie agrees, and Jono comes back with coffee ice cream. In Aesha’s interview, she says, last night, she had to serve grocery store sponge cake. Now she has to serve overcooked lava cake and melted ice cream. When she finds herself questioning too many dishes this early on, she needs to say something. Gigi says, the cake is interesting, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s subpar. When the guests are off the boat, she’s going to have a very real conversation with Jono, but she’s definitely looking for backup. The guests are brought to the sundeck where they’re serenaded by two guys on lute and guitar. Afterward, the instructor teaches them Greek dancing.

Aesha cuts herself on a glass behind the bar, and in her interview, she says, it’s been a long day. When you’re exhausted, that’s when accidents happen, but unless they have to amputate her thumb, she’s going to keep going. Guest Rabbi Deb offers to get her Band-Aids. Upstairs, plates are smashed, and the guests all say, that was so fun.

Third day of charter. The captain hauls anchor, and Ellie says she’s proud of Bri. Bri says, they can drink to that tonight. They talk about Joe, but neither one of them stakes claim. Ellie says, no matter what happens, she’s not fighting over boys, since there’s no future in any of them. The boat docks, and it’s time for the guests to leave. There are lots of hugs, and Gigi says, it’s been a special couple of days. They had an amazing time and beach day was outstanding. The food was… okay. It was hit or miss. Some of it was good, but some of it missed the mark. The tip represents a little bit of that. Captain Sandy says, feedback makes us better, and they hug. In Aesha’s interview, she says, Gigi’s comment was accurate. Jono’s plating is mostly average, and she doesn’t want to be embarrassed by any plate she puts down on charter. She tells Ellie and Bri that she’s impressed with their improvement. Ellie is a natural born service person, and she thanks her for taking Bri under her wing. The captain radios that it’s time for the tip meeting.

Captain Sandy says, the deck team killed it. There were some issues with a guest and the catamaran, but Nathan and Gael did an amazing job with the beach games. She loved how they worked together. She’ll discuss the food with Jono on the bridge later. She tells interior that the party was epic, and the guests loved it. The tip is $25K or $2000 each, which doesn’t reflect okay to me. I wonder what excellent would have been. She tells them that they’re going to turn the boat around and thanks them. In Joe’s interview, he says he likes two babes in the same department. He’s testing the waters on both ends. The captain calls Jono to the bridge, which is where we started this episode.

Captain Sandy tells Jono that she tasted the food, and it was salty. She asks why he chose chicken for the chef’s choice when it was a chance for him to show what he could do. We flash back to the guests being underwhelmed, and he says, he was trying to see what he could serve that satisfied all preferences. Some people didn’t like seafood, and some didn’t like red meat. The captain says she doesn’t think chicken should be served on a yacht. He could make epic seafood for those who like it, and a different protein for those who don’t. He’s got to work on his plating, and the ice cream was also melted. Jono blames the freezer, and Captain Sandy says, she’ll make sure it’s fixed. Don’t lose his mind in the galley. Jono says he prides himself on his professionalism and accepts criticism. He was self-trained, and if the guests don’t like it, he needs to know why and he’s happy to improve. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s only charter two, but it has to be perfect from charter one. She’s given second chances in the past, but she’s not waiting to find another chef just in case he doesn’t come through. She texts provisioner Norma, and says she needs someone on standby.

The crew goes out to a restaurant, and Aesha asks Jono if he’s okay. He says, the captain wasn’t super critical, and he welcomes feedback. Bri wonders what’s up with the espresso martinis in Greece. They’re like a sweaty person after a long day. In Ellie’s interview, she says she’s not jealous of Bri flirting with Joe, but Bri knows she’s attracted to him and they’re roommates. The general rule on a boat is, you don’t want to go for the guy your supervisor is interested in. Gael’s boyfriend texts her, and Bri tells Jono that she’s annoyed with Ellie because she wants Joe.

They leave for a club, drink some more, and dance. Ellie dances with Joe, and Nathan comes on to Gael. In Ellie’s interview, she says she’s going for Joe. They’re getting it on. Not tonight, but pretty soon. Gael says, it looks like Bri needs to get something out, and Bri says she’s irritated. She and Ellie talked about Joe, and she knows Ellie is interested in him because she asked if Bri was. Gael encourages Bri to go after Joe anyway, and while Ellie takes a break, Bri sits next to him. He asks who she’s gravitating toward, and she says she’s feeling it out. He asks if she’d s*ck Nathan’s d*ck, and she says she’d take his.

Ugh.

Next time, Jono says, it’s still not good; Ellie tells Bri that she’s breaking girl code; Bri tells the captain that this unnecessary drama is killing her; and Ellie says she’s out.

🏇 Matching My Polos…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a little Dubai talk. Until then, stay safe, stay never body shaming anyone who hasn’t worked on their summer body, and stay remembering that something can be wonderful and hard at the same time.

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

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

💣 He’s Just Misunderstood…

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

🍕 Didn’t Think So…

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

👻 Fun And Games…

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

🏆 For Real This Time…

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

👖 It’s Not The Pants…

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

👠 Bouncing Back…

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

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

🍸 Her Calendar Is Full…

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

And while we’re on the subject.

🌁 Lasting Long Enough For Last…

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

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

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

🛟 Like They’re On A Water Slide…

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

⚰️ A Diabolical Plot…

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

🦥 This Guy…

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

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

🐩 You Didn’t Think I Was Done…

Oh, come on, just one more.

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

🍿 Quotes of the Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

🍠 Keep Your Yams To Yourself…

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

March 8, 2022 – Laura Puts Together a Small Army, Bill Makes an Exit, Forgetting That Awful House & Every

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Esme says she doesn’t know what’s sadder, that Josslyn taped her little spectacle to show to the world – Cameron says, they didn’t even know it existed – or that she can’t do a halfway decent job of blaming Esme. If Josslyn is so hellbent on blaming someone, don’t look at her, she wasn’t there. Why doesn’t she ask someone who was? She points, and they turn around to see Trina, who asks, what’s going on? Cameron says, what was supposed to be a private moment between him and Joss was filmed and made public. Josslyn says, there’s a video of her and Cam at the cabin, and it was just played in front of Professor Kahn’s class. Trina says she’s so sorry, and Esme says, is she though?

Harmony points at letters, and Ryan blinks. She says, he’s cold; she can get him a blanket. Doc comes in, and says, she’s Harmony, right? Harmony says she is, and he’s Ryan’s brother, Dr. Collins. She’s never seen him visit before. He says he limits contact with this brother whenever possible, and she asks what made him show up today. He says, primarily curiosity. He understands she’s Ryan’s primary caregiver. How would she assess his condition? She says, unchanged. He remains locked in, and communicates only by blinking. He says, so he’s heard, and says hello to Ryan, who doesn’t respond.

Maxie rolls the stroller to where Britt is sitting in the MetroCourt lounge, and says she hopes Britt doesn’t mind Bailey crashing their ladies lunch. Britt says, of course (🍷) she doesn’t. It’s about time she got to meet her niece. Maxie says, Baby Lu, this is your Auntie Britt, and Britt says she’s Bailey’s resident bad influence. She promises to send Bailey home all sticky and keep all her secrets. Bailey looks at Britt like she totally gets it, and Maxie says, speaking of secrets, can Britt forgive her for hers?

Laura sits with Sam and Drew, and says she think it’s their best shot at finding out what Victor’s agenda is. Sam agrees, and says, they just have to iron out the logistical issues. Drew says, Victor isn’t going to be easy to manipulate; their execution has to be flawless. Laura says, which is why they shouldn’t bring in any more people. Do they agree on that? The fewer people the better? They do, and there’s a knock at the door. Sam opens it to Dante, who says he was in the neighborhood and thought he’d drop by. He realizes she has company, and asks if he should he go back outside.

Ava lets Victor into Windymere, and says, what a surprise. He says he was hoping to share some tea with his nephew, and she asks if he’s talking literal tea or the gossip kind. He says, as fun as the second one would be, Darjeeling was more what he had in mind. She says, that can be arranged. Will she do, since Nikolas isn’t here? He says what he was hoping to discuss with his nephew, he could happily relay to his charming wife. It’s about Spencer. The poor boy is struggling, and he’s afraid she and Nikolas are making it worse.

Doc asks Harmony to tell him more about Ryan’s communication skills. She said he can blink out complex messages. She says, it depends on the caregiver. She and Ryan communicate pretty effectively with the letterboard, but it doesn’t go so well with the other staff. Nikolas comes in, and Samuel asks if he can help him. He says he’s there to see Spencer. Samuel knows who he is. His Uncle Victor hired him to look after Spencer, so why doesn’t Samuel go find his son? Samuel asks if Nikolas’s son wants to see him, and Spencer walks in.

Britt picks up Bailey, and says, there’s nothing to forgive, but Maxie says, Bailey is Britt’s family, and Maxie kept her hidden from Britt. Not that it was her intention. She was ready to have Britt deliver her. Britt asks how they could know Cyrus was going to try and kill her, and she’d end up on the run with Jason? Things happen; she understands. Maxie kept her beautiful niece safe, and now they’re both here. She’s proud of Maxie. Maxie thanks her, but says she hates the thought that Peter got his hands on Bailey at all. Britt says, it was ultimately Maxie’s quick thinking that saved her daughter, and Peter’s gone. They never have to worry about him again. Maxie says, but he didn’t take Bailey on his own. There’s another person out there responsible for taking Bailey, and they’re free as a bird right now.

Laura tells Dante, come in, and he asks what he’s walking in on. Laura says, a plot, and he says, sounds both illegal and dangerous. She says, it’s definitely risky, and the legality is kind of murky, so they’re calling this unofficial. Sam says, but necessary, and Laura says, it could be considered a matter of public safety, but it goes beyond her interest as mayor. She’s here as a mother and grandmother, and even thought the plan gives her pause, she’s committed to doing what must be done. Drew says, it sounds like she’s considering bringing Dante in, and Sam says they can trust him. Laura says she knows. Considering Dante’s position, she understands if he doesn’t want to help them, but she needs his discretion either way. He says, of course (🍷). He’s in. He trusts them, they trust him; what are they doing? Laura notices the time, and says she’ll let Sam and Drew fill Dante in on the details. Doc is waiting for her and she’s already late. Don’t anyone make a move without consulting her first. Drew says, they’ll reach out as soon as the plan gets solidified. Laura tells Dante, welcome aboard, and leaves. Dante says, the plan to do what? and Drew says, stop Victor Cassadine.

Victor tells Ava that he was visiting Spencer earlier today, and Spencer was devastated not to be able to visit his mother’s grave on the anniversary of her death. Ava asks if that’s now her fault, and Victor says, of course (🍷) it is; it’s entirely her fault. She brought charges. She says, Spencer stalked and terrorized her and her child, and Victor agrees it wasn’t Spencer’s finest hour, but he’s always felt they should keep family squabbles in-house. She says, what’s done is done; can’t change the past. He says he agrees, but you can change your future plans. She says, any plan in particular? and he says, now that she mentions it, he thinks she and Nikolas should rethink their vow renewal.

Doc says his brother appears unresponsive, and Harmony suggests he let her try. She asks if Ryan needs some eyedrops, and he blinks twice. She says, that’s a no, and Doc says, so his eyes aren’t dry. Ryan just has nothing to say to him. There’s no response, and Doc says, let’s keep it that way. He says goodbye to Harmony, and leaves.

Spencer tells Samuel, it’s okay, and Samuel steps away. Nikolas says he has to admit, he’s surprised Spencer agreed to see him. The last time he was there, Spencer told him not to come back. Spencer says Nikolas can thank his better angels for a change of heart; one angel in particular. Nikolas asks if this angel has a name.

Trina asks what Esme is trying to imply, and Esme says she’s just wondering. Is Trina sorry for Joss and Cam, or is she apologizing for something more? Trina says, like what? and Esme says, whoever recorded and emailed that video was in the cabin. Trina says, and Esme has the nerve to be pointing her crooked finger at her? and Cameron says, no one’s pointing fingers, but Josslyn says, she is. Right in Esme’s face. Esme says, once again, she and Spence left that night, but Trina probably doesn’t remember much. She was pretty out of it. Cameron says, there has to be an explanation for all of this, and Trina says, there is. Cameron and Josslyn were set up.

Britt says, Austin and her mom are convinced Victor Cassadine is involved, and Maxie says, yeah, but they can’t prove it. Britt says, yet. There’s no way her mother’s letting this go. Maxie says, Anna and Robert aren’t going to let go of it either, but she’s tired of looking over her shoulder and jumping at shadows. She just wants to relax, spend time with her kids, and with her precious baby girl. Britt holds Bailey, and asks how James and Georgie are feeling about their little sister. Maxie says, the bright spot in all this; they’re so in love. Britt says, as is Maxie, and Maxie says, it’s new. Anything is possible. She’s not going to rush things. Britt says she was referring to Bailey. Who is Maxie talking about?

Laura meets Doc at the MetroCourt, and he says he hopes her day was more productive than his. She says, that remains to be seen, and asks, what happened at Spring Ridge? He says, Ryan refused to communicate with him. He blinks messages that are understood by the caregivers and medical staff. In fact, he saw Ryan interact with his primary caregiver, but he absolutely refused to acknowledge Doc. Laura asks what that means, and he says, he’s not sure, but it makes him uneasy.

Spencer says, Uncle Victor urged him to be more receptive to Nikolas’s visits, despite his misgivings. Nikolas says, and Spencer listened to him, and Spencer asks why he wouldn’t; Victor listens to him. Believe it or not, Victor holds Nikolas in high esteem. Nikolas says he wouldn’t expect Victor to be his champion, and Spencer says, something else that might surprise Nikolas is, Victor’s never said a word against him. He always says family is what matters most, which is why it surprises Spencer that Nikolas never appears to give Victor the benefit of the doubt. Nikolas says his dealings with Victor is complicated, but he does agree with him on the importance of family. It’s why he’s here today, of all days. Spencer says, so he remembered, and Nikolas says, it’s been almost two decades since Nikolas lost his mother. It seems like it was yesterday. He regrets Spencer has lost so much in his young life, and Spencer says he’s lost Nikolas twice. Nikolas says Spencer hasn’t lost him; he’s lost Spencer.

Ava says, their vow renewal is none of Victor’s business, and he says, therein lies the problem. She and Nikolas want to live in their own private little bubble, and while that might be very romantic, he doesn’t think either one of them considered Spencer. It’s driven him to these sad, desperate acts to get his father’s love and attention. Ava says, Spencer wants to break them up, and Victor says, of course (🍷) he does. Why wouldn’t he? He has to watch the two of them so deeply in love to the exclusion of everyone else, including him. How does she think that makes him feel? She says, Spencer’s a young man; he’s not a child. And from what she’s seen, he should be less concerned about his father’s love, and more concerned about his own.

Trina says, only one person at that cabin was twisted enough to give a teddy bear with Ryan Chamberlain’s voice to an innocent child, and Josslyn says, or torch Ava’s car, leaving her murdered daughter’s hospital badge beneath it. Esme says, those were terrible mistakes, and Josslyn says, mistakes? Because Esme has regrets, or because she got caught? Trina says, and now everyone knows what kind of soulless person Esme really is, and Esme says, she messed up. She doesn’t know how many times she can apologize. She guesses forever, but suggesting she set up Joss and Cam is deflection. Trina says, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. Esme’s had trouble following her since she first set foot in Port Charles, and now she expects them to believe this disgusting stunt is somehow beneath her? Cameron says, let’s not do this right now, and Trina says she doesn’t want to do this at all. She’s sorry it’s making this harder on him and Joss, but Esme’s coming for her, and she’ll be damned if she doesn’t defend herself. Esme says, right. Trina’s not to blame here; she’s at fault.

Britt says, Austin? He and Maxie are a thing? Officially? Maxie says they’re officially trying it out, and Britt says she knew Austin liked Maxie, but after he pointed Bailey in Victor’s direction, his chances had dropped to none and never. Maxie says, Austin majorly messed up, but he apologized, and if you take into consideration how supportive he’s been, and how his quirky personality just cracks her up, she wants to see where it goes. Slowly. Super slowly. Britt says, after what happened with Peter, she’s proud of Maxie not rushing into things too fast. Very pragmatic. Maxie says her kids just got their mom back. She needs to settle in, and reestablish stability for them. Then there’s Deception. They’re coming up on the IPO, and she’s done nothing to contribute. So officially unofficial is the best she can do with Austin at the moment. What about Britt? Anyone new on the horizon? Britt says, same as always. Work keeps her busy. Maxie says, work always keeps her busy. What’s really preventing her from seeing someone?

Josslyn asks if Esme admits she’s behind this, and Esme says, in a manner of speaking. She pushed for the weekend getaway, and described it as a couples trip, which made Trina feel like an outsider. Then she asked those provocative questions during the drinking game. It was immature, petty, and she’s sorry. Had she known it would push Trina over the edge… Trina says, oh hell no, and moves forward. Cameron stops her, but Trina says, no. Not when Esme is talking all this trash about her. Esme says she had no idea Trina had issues with anger. She always seems so poised, but if Esme’s psychology class has taught her anything, it’s that sometimes people who seem so controlled, have an undercurrent of disfunction. Trina says, who the hell are you calling dysfunctional, you conniving bitch?

Nikolas says, he and Spencer both have a lot to answer for. They say, like father like son, and it seems accountability is something they both struggle with, but he’s sure of one thing. Spencer is the greatest gift of his life. He’d planned to tell Courtney that when he visited her grave. Spencer says, he visited mom’s grave? and Nikolas says he had some things he wanted to say to her. Spencer says, like what? and Nikolas says he wanted to apologize for failing Spencer, that Spencer would have been so much better off if his mother had lived. He wanted to ask for help. Spencer asks, what kind of help? and Nikolas says, help in being a better father to Spencer. He didn’t get to say any of it because Sonny was there, and in spite of everything going on with his own life, he was quick to point out the mistakes Nikolas made with Spencer. Spencer says, that sounds like Uncle Sonny, and Nikolas says he’s not Sonny’s biggest fan, but Sonny certainly cares about Spencer. So does he. Spencer says he knows, but what about Ava? Where does Nikolas’s wife fit into all this?

Harmony sits down with a book, and says she’s surprised Ryan chose Wuthering Heights, although she supposes it’s not a romance if you read the novel. It’s about the price of obsession, isn’t it?

Victor says he’s simply trying to promote family harmony, and Ava says, by criticizing her and Nikolas? He says, their desire to recommit themselves to each other is lovely. Actually, it’s inspiriting, but isn’t a vow renewal a chance to recommit themselves to melding their families together? How can they do that without including Spencer? Ava asks if he’s suggesting they call off the ceremony, but he says, no, of course (🍷) not, but it’s a family affair, and as such, surely they have to include the entire family. Ava says, she appreciates that sentiment, and don’t call her Shirley, but she and Nikolas want a drama free ceremony. It is, after all, still about them. Victor says, it is, but Nikolas and Spencer are in a very precarious position right now, and he’s sure she woudn’t want to widen the gap between them. He’s afraid a small, intimate ceremony would do just that. If it’s a matter of expense… She says, it is not, and he says, excellent. He gets up, and says, it’s all settled. She asks whatever gave him that impression. So please sit back down.

Dante says, Drew thinks Victor is after him? and Drew says, Victor tried to activate his conditioning a few days ago, and it didn’t work because he had the wrong tarot card, but it all fits. Victor was helping Peter because Peter promised Victor the means to control him. Dante says, to what end? He knows Drew has combat experience and skills; a lot of ex-military do. Why is Victor going through the trouble for Drew? Sam says, because he wants Drew’s memories, and Drew says, the theory is, Victor is going to activate his conditioning and order Drew to tell him something. Probably something from one of his classified ops when he was a SEAL, but it doesn’t matter, because Andre Maddox said those memories are gone; they cannot be accessed. Sam says, but Victor doesn’t know that, so they’re going to pick up where Peter left off, and let Victor think it’s still possible. Dante asks, how? and Drew says they’re going to supply Victor with the tarot card Peter never handed over. Sam says, and Victor is going to use it, and Drew says, whether Victor gives him an order or asks him a question, it doesn’t matter; they’ll find out what his objective is. Dante asks if Drew is sure he wants to put himself in such a vulnerable spot, and Drew says, absolutely. He wants Victor out of all of their lives for good. Dante asks how they get him the card, and Sam says, they’re still working on that one. Dante says, too bad they can’t just put it in an envelope and slip it under his door, and Sam says, that would be nice. She asks if Dante has any better ideas, and Drew says, in order for this to work, Victor’s got to believe he found the card himself. He wonders if Peter knew why Victor wanted to activate his conditioning, but Dante says, Peter’s dead. Sam says, Dante is a genius. She knows how they’re going to get the tarot card to Victor. Drew asks, how? and Sam says, Peter’s going to give it to him.

Esme says she had no idea that Trina was capable of hurting their friends, or she wouldn’t have provoked her. Josslyn asks if Esme is psycho or just stupid. She and Esme are not friends, and Josslyn wouldn’t spit on Esme if she was on fire. Esme says she’s sorry Josslyn feels that way, but Josslyn says, Esme’s not sorry for any of it. She’s probably actually enjoying herself, and why not? She obviously took a lot of trouble to set it up. Esme says, how dare Josslyn blame her for this; she’s not the one responsible. Cameron says, enough. Trina’s right, Esme is toxic. Get out. Esme says, fine. She’ll go. She hopes they both realize who their true friends are someday. She storms out, and Trina says, she swears, one more word, and she doesn’t know what she would have done. She asks if Josslyn is going to be okay, and Josslyn says, she just needs to pull herself together to leave this room. Trina says she doesn’t know who Esme thought she was fooling with that fake innocent act, and Josslyn says, she’s the absolute worst. How do they think it happened after Esme and Spencer left? Trina says, cameras have timers, and Josslyn asks if anyone saw Esme near their room. Cameron says he doesn’t know. He wasn’t watching her; he didn’t think he needed to. Trina says, sadly, she was out of it most of the night, and Josslyn says she wishes that night had never happened.

Britt asks if Maxie knows who she sounds like, and Maxie says, don’t say it, but Britt says, her mother. It’s a conspiracy, and during Women’s History Month no less, or doesn’t she care? Maxie says, of course (🍷) she cares. She’s the mother of two daughters. Britt says, then Maxie should know how important it is for women to blaze their own trails, reach their own goals, follow their own passion. History isn’t made by women desperate to be in a relationship; it’s made by women who see the bigger picture. Maxie says she’s all for blazing trails and following passions, but she thinks love can be part of the equation. When was the last time Britt went on a date? Britt says she’s had no time. She had to expose Cyrus. Maxie says, he’s been in prison for months, and Britt says, then she had to go to Greece and rescue her mother. Maxie says, she’s home, and in love with Scotty. Britt says, then the whole Peter thing… and Maxie says, that’s defunct, departed; next. Britt says she works a lot. Unless she dates a patient or another doctor, it’s slim pickings. Maxie asks if she’s thought of a matchmaking service, and Britt says, Maxie is working with her mother. Maxie says she just wants Britt to be happy, and Britt asks if anyone is really happy. Maxie says, that’s dark, very dark.

Doc asks how Laura’s meeting went, and she says, they have a plan in the works. All they really need is confirmation of what they suspect, that Victor had a hand in Luke’s death, and also in the abduction of Maxie’s baby. He also seems to have an interest in Drew. Doc asks if she thinks this plan could lead to Victor’s arrest, and she says, probably not. He’s got a real talent for evading justice, but right now she’d settle for getting him out of Port Charles; getting him away from Spencer and Nikolas. He asks if Ava is on board, and Laura says, she is. They’re putting together a small army; all eyes on Victor. All they need is to come up with the right bait, and then they can trip him up for good.

Victor says, as Ava wishes, and sits back down. He didn’t mean to jump the gun. She says she appreciates his concerns and takes them to heart, but if he expects her to unilaterally make a decision about their ceremony, he’s out of luck. She and Nikolas will decide what’s best together. He says, that’s the tragedy of us Cassadines. We’re either fiercely loyal or at each other’s throats, and never the twain. And that plays right into their enemies’ hands. She asks if he doesn’t think that’s a bit grandiose, and he says, maybe, but he’s been a Cassadine a lot longer than she has, and there are always those who wish to thwart them., to undermine their power, and feed off their disunity. Stavros, Mikkos, Helena, all tried and failed to unify them as a family, but he’s determined to change that. That’s why he’s been cultivating a relationship with his son Valentin, as well as working to end the rift between Nikolas and his son. That’s why he’s always there to help Nikolas in times of trouble. Ava flashes back to talking to Laura about getting Victor to lower his guard enough to confide in her. Victor says, he has big plans for this family, and he needs her help. She says, with what? What are these big plans?

Harmony says, if you go by pop culture, Heathcliff is the hero, but if you dive into the book, he’s vengeful and obsessive. Nikolas tells Spencer that Ava knows he’s here. She encouraged him to come, despite what Spencer’s done to her. She won’t not stand in the way of their relationship. Today was a painful reminder that Spencer’s already lost one parent; the other one is right here, hoping Spencer will give him a chance to make things right between them. What does he say? Can he find a way to put the past aside, and can they start fresh? Spencer says, Nikolas didn’t get to say what he wanted at Courtney’s grave, but he thinks she heard him now, and he feels she would want him to say – Esme walks in – yes. Esme says, this is the best thing she’s seen all day, or at least a close second. Nikolas says he’ll be back to visit next week. Maybe when Spencer is out, they can properly celebrate his birthday. Nikolas squeezes Spencer’s shoulder and leaves, and Esme says she didn’t mean to run him off. Spencer says, she heard him; he’ll be back. She says she’s glad, and he says he’s glad she’s back. It gives him a chance to make things right with her. He’s sorry he was so thoughtless about the loss of her parents. She says, it’s forgotten. She didn’t have the best relationship with her adoptive parents. Her grief is nothing compared to his. He never even got the opportunity to know his mother. He says he’s so grateful she understands, and he understands she’s sensitive where Trina is concerned. He won’t bring Trina up so much from now on. She says she’s not sensitive when it comes to Trina. She’s just on to her.

Victor says, the only plan that matters is Ava’s vow renewal, and she says, to be clear, she does know the value of family, and considers herself a Cassadine just as much as a Jerome. He says he didn’t mean to imply otherwise, and she says, if opening their special ceremony to the family will mark a new start, she’s all in, but only if Nikolas agrees. In perfect soap timing, Nikolas walks in, and says, agrees to what? Victor says, he and Nikolas’s lovely bride were having tea. Please do join them. They were discussing the possibility of opening their vow renewal to the entire family. Nikolas says he thought they decided on just the two of them, and Ava says, they had, but his uncle got her wondering if it’s the right way to go. Wasn’t she just saying earlier how important family is, and they’ve got to make an effort? They could start by inviting Spencer. He may not come, but they can extend the invitation. Victor says he’ll be glad to do his part in bringing the lad around, and Nikolas says, Victor does seem to have a lot of pull with his son. Victor asks if that’s a  problem, and Nikolas says, it worked in his favor today. He and Spencer are in a better place than they’ve ever been. Victor says he feels Nikolas is still uncomfortable with his and Spencer’s relationship, but Nikolas says, he has no issue in Victor getting to know Spencer. What worries him is what Spencer might discover about Victor. For instance, none of them initially knew Victor was in league with Peter. Is he hiding anything else? Victor says, certainly. If Nikolas is concerned he has an ulterior motive, he most certainly does.

Sam says, Peter had personal effects, items that were with him at the time of his death? And Dante says, they would have been collected off him; it’s standard procedure. Drew asks, who would have that stuff now? and Dante says, the WSB. Sam says, as evidence? and Dante says, at first, but then they would have gone through it, and passed it on to his next of kin. Drew says, Bailey, by way of Maxie, and Sam says, they have to make that known to Victor. Dante says, so Victor goes through Peter’s belongings, thinking the card he can use to control Drew is among them, and Drew says, he’s a genius. Sam says, they have to get access to Peter’s things, and plant the tarot card in there, and hope Victor finds it. Does Dante know anyone who would be able to help them? He says he might. He’ll make a call.

Doc asks if Laura has shared her suspicions with Tracy, but Laura says, no; she’s too much of a wild card. Anna is going to Austria, and she’s sure Anna will uncover the truth about Luke’s death. He says, so she has full confidence in Anna, and she says, absolutely. He says, but she still wants to go to Austria herself.

Spencer asks what Esme means by she’s on to Trina? and she says, every time she turns around, Trina is trying to get close to him. He says, this is what he was trying to avoid, and she says, don’t you dare try to tell me I’m making it up. She’s seen the stolen glances, Trina holding his hand at Kelly’s, the secret meeting at the gallery before he came here, and her Valentine’s Day present. He says, it wasn’t intended as a Valentine, and she says, he and Trina have an intimate relationship; they share secrets. He flashes back to meeting Trina in the cemetery, and says, they’re just friends. She says, Joss and Cam thought Trina was their friend until she recorded them having sex, and sent the footage to the entire PCU class, and Spencer asks when that happened. She says, just this morning. They were definitely not ready for prime time. He says, that’s insane. Poor Joss. She says, poor Joss accused her at first, until it became clear that her so-called bestie was the culprit. He says, Trina wouldn’t do something like that, and she says, the footage was taken at the cabin after they left. He asks what makes her think it was Trina, and she says, Trina was black out drunk, and in her feelings about being alone and unloved; it tracks. He says, the Trina he knows… and she tells him, that’s what she’s been saying. Maybe he doesn’t know Trina as well as he thinks.

Josslyn tells Cameron, she doesn’t mean she wishes the whole night had never happened, and he says, he knows what she meant. She says, her mind is going a thousand miles a minute. She doesn’t know how this happened. She feels like she’s in a nightmare. Trina says they’ll get to the bottom of this, she promises, and Cameron says, he’ll go to the dean. At least it was contained in the internal student PCU website. Trina’s phone dings, and Josslyn says, what? Trina says, somebody sent her a link to an X-rated website, and Josslyn asks, have we gone viral?

Laura tells Doc, she would like go to Austria with Anna if she could. She still feels a kind of loyalty to Luke. She’s sorry if it’s hard to hear. He takes her hand, and says, it’s not; it’s understandable. Of course (🍷) he’s concerned it might be dangerous, and he’ll miss her, but he’s not going to stand in her way. She says, that means the world to her, and he asks if she’s leaving right away, but she says she’s not leaving at all. She’s needed here. He says he could have told her that, and she says, not just as mayor; as a wife, as a mother, as a grandmother. They have a predator in Port Charles, and she’s not about to leave while it’s circling the nest.

Nikolas says, so Victor has an ulterior motive, and Victor says, yes, happily. As he told Ava, he intends to reunite this family, and if he can move the needle even a fraction toward a reconciliation between Nikolas and Spencer, he’s gratified. Nikolas says, as is he, and thanks Victor, but Victor says, no. He thanks Nikolas and Ava for reconsidering their plans for their vow renewal. He says, to their family celebration, and they clink teacups.

Dante gets off the phone, and Drew says, that didn’t sound good. Dante says, Peter’s belongings have already been delivered, and it’s too late to recall the messenger. Sam says she’ll reach out to Maxie and see what she can find. Dante says, it’s not Maxie. Peter stipulated a different executor for his estate.

A messenger asks Britt to sign and initial, and she asks who it’s from. He says, everything she needs to know is inside the box. She signs, the messenger leaves, and she opens the attached note. Maxie says, what is it? and Britt says, what’s left of Peter.

Cameron looks at his phone, and says he’s not clicking that. Josslyn asks what they do, and he says, damage control, but first, they’re getting the hell out of here. Let’s go. Trina tells Josslyn to go. They’ll talk later; she’s here for Josslyn. They leave, and Trina’s phone dings. It’s a text from Spencer that says: Heard about the video. Are u ok?

Esme tells Spencer that she’s glad they left the cabin early. They could have been victims of Trina, amateur pornographer. Samuel tells Spencer, it’s time for routine room checks, and Spencer says, these take a while. Esme sees Ryan, and says, don’t worry; she’ll be here. Spencer leaves, and Harmony tells Ryan, that’s it for today. She’ll order him some nutrition before she finishes her shift. She asks if he’s warm enough, and he blinks once.

Harmony leaves, and Esme approaches Ryan. She asks if Ryan needs something. She can get an orderly. He seems distressed. Through clenched teeth, barely moving his mouth, he says, what they hell are you doing?

Tomorrow, Sasha asks if Brando has changed his mind about getting married; Sam tells Dante, there might be a problem with the plan; Drew tells Victor that his timing couldn’t be better; and Maxie tells Britt, don’t do that.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Teresa bitched to Luis that the women were coming for her. They were always right, and she was always wrong. She didn’t want to fight with her family. Back at the house, Traci told the others, all she said was Teresa should be more vocal in supporting her brother. In Teresa’s interview, she said, Traci didn’t know her or what goes on in her family. She needed to step away. Joe #2 and Melissa followed Teresa and Luis down to the dock, and Joe said, sometimes he wanted a sister. Jennifer had called him a crook when he works like a dog. If someone had said the same about Teresa, he’d defend her. Jennifer was evil. Teresa said she didn’t think Jennifer was a bad person, and in Joe’s interview, he said this was coming from the woman yelled at Marge for asking questions. In Melissa’s interview, she said it was ripping the family apart, and Teresa didn’t get it. It was the usual ridiculous amount of hypocrisy. She was done. Joe said Teresa should have his back; that’s what brothers and sisters did. Back at the house, the party continued on, with pictures taken, food consumed, and lots of pinkness. Teresa and Luis came back, and Teresa told Tracy that she didn’t want to fight, but Tracy said, Joe was Teresa’s brother, and she should stand up for him. Teresa said when Marge brought up the video, Joe didn’t say anything, and Tracy said that was a different thing; Teresa’s friends were concerned. Teresa said she’d never seen the video, and in her interview, she said, she never watched it because she didn’t care, and Gia had never seen it either. In Marge’s interview, Marge said Teresa was full of sh*t. She didn’t believe Teresa and Gia hadn’t seen it, or Teresa wouldn’t be so upset. Teresa said they should respect it if she didn’t want to talk about something. She brought up Marge outing Bill on his affair, and Marge said, for years Jennifer had been saying horrible things about her. Everybody had an issue with Jennifer, and she’d pushed it to the limit.

At Jennifer’s house, it wasn’t so pink, and the kids played in the pool. Jennifer said they’d have their own pink party and family night, but in her interview, she said she was mad at Bill for not defending her. She was tired of putting on a brave face for the children, and pretending everything was okay when it was clearly not. Back in Pinkworld, Tiki was wondering what had happened, and Joe #2 said he loved Bill, but Jennifer put her hands on his wife, and Bill didn’t want to get involved. In Joe’s interview, he said, Jennifer had called him a crook, and kicked him out of their house. He and Bill were supposed to be friends. We saw some clips of good times with the guys, and Joe told them, that’s what the wolf pack is. Frank said, no matter what happened with the wives, they don’t let anything come between them. They called Luis over to join them in doing a shot. Melissa told Jackie that she loved them hanging out together. It was too bad Jennifer took Bill away.

Marge and Marge Sr. went out to lunch, and in Marge’s interview, she said,  two weeks into the pandemic, Marge Sr. landed a gig with a wine distributor. Wine was essential to life as far as Marge Sr. was concerned. Marge wondered how they were going to find Marge Sr. a man. She was opinionated and it scared people. Marge Sr. said, and Marge wasn’t opinionated? and Marge said, rumor had it, she could be.

Teresa took Gia to Asbury Park, not far from where I live. Asbury Park was really cool, started going downhill, was a nightmare, and now it’s cool again. She and Gia had some ice cream, and talked about Gia’s first year anniversary with boyfriend Christian coming up. Gia said she wanted to take a helicopter ride around the city, and Teresa asked if Gia liked Luis, and Gia thought he and Teresa were moving too fast. In Gia’s interview, she said, when you were in the honeymoon stage, it was easy to just see the good.

Marge told Marge Sr., on the surface, Luis seemed great, but she heard things. We saw headlines about Luis facing a lawsuit for abuse, and having a playboy past. Marge said, it was hearsay, but Luis’s ex-fiancé implied he’d hit her in front of her kids. Teresa told Gia that she didn’t care what people thought. Marge brought up Luis’s past, but all she cared about were her children, Luis, and his children. Marge Sr. said she hoped it worked out for Teresa, and Marge said, her too.

Dolores’s mother Valerie and father Larry visited her townhouse, and she gave them the tour. She told them that she was up in the air about how long she’d be there. The house renovation fell behind because of covid, and now she felt afraid to leave. She’d never felt so peaceful. She  loved the house where her kids grew up, but it also held some painful memories. Apparently, Frank had exhibited quite a bit of rage back in the day, and in Dolores’s interview, she said, she used to cry to her mother, but there were a lot of things she didn’t tell her dad. He’d been a cop, and would probably have wanted to strangle Frank. Thank God he’d cheated. She didn’t know if the yelling, screaming, and breaking things would have been enough for her to break up with him. She told her parents that Frank was moving back in, and we flashed back to the rule setting dinner. Then she reluctantly told them about breaking up with David, and there was a bit of a silence, broken by Larry saying, oh boy. It had been five years. Dolores said she went on vacations and to events by herself. David didn’t want a life outside of work. Larry said David was like his own, and Valerie said, they didn’t come better, but Dolores had the right to expect more. Dolores said she didn’t want life to pass her by, and Valerie said, Dolores had gone through a lot and survived.

Melissa went to the new property with Joe #2, and in her interview, she said they looked for a great property with a house to knock down. Even though it didn’t look like much now, it would have six bedrooms, and the kitchen would be bigger than the one she had. Joe showed her the plans, and they went out on the back porch where there was a humongous beehive. Melissa screeched and squealed, and flew off the porch. She noticed a broken window, and Joe said he’d broken it since she’d had the keys. He broke another one, and she was like, WTF? but he said they’d have to be broken anyway. She wanted to take a shot, but her rock just bounced off. She said it was hard to believe it was going to go from this to a big beautiful house. She loved her house, but was ready for a change. In Joe’s interview, he said that they’d been going through a rough time – we flashed back to that – and Melissa wanted to move. He loved the house, but changes in life kept it fresh. He was taking his time with building, and Melissa had designed it. They were having fun, and it was going to be like a new chapter.

Jennifer had a kickboxing instructor coming to the house for a session with her and Gabby. In Jennifer’s interview, she said she wasn’t big on working out, but her family decided to change to a healthier diet. It would fun to do something together that was also teaching them a healthy lifestyle change. Dolores was going to join them. She said her mother was extending her trip in Turkey, which didn’t thrill Olivia, but when Olivia was gone, Jennifer told Gabby that she was in no rush for grandma to get back. She was going to have a lot to tell her. In her interview, Jennifer said, they’d decided to tell Gabby about Bill’s affair, and wanted her to know they were in a place where they could talk about it, and everything was going to be okay. Her mother wouldn’t think Bill was the culprit, since she thought, men will be men, but she was going to be mad at Marge for bringing it to light. She told Gabby that grandma would want her to have revenge, and Gabby said, but it was ten years ago. The instructor arrived, and Jennifer told Gabby that she and dad were good. They were going to get through this. I want to like her, but she is really awful.

Dolores came shortly afterward, and they started with squats. Ugh. I hate squats. They used the heavy bag and the instructor sparred with them, and in Jennifer’s interview, she said she thought it was a great idea. It was releasing a lot of tension. She just pictured Marge as a  punching bag, and got some good jabs in there. The instructor said they looked fantastic and did well, and Dolores said she’d take it over a therapist. When the instructor left, Dolores told Jennifer that an abnormality had been discovered when her mother took a stress test. She was going to need an angioplasty. Jennifer asked about David, and Dolores said they’d talked every day when they were going out, and when she texted, saying they hadn’t talked in a while, he said he thought there was nothing left to say. He was still in contact with the kids, and was hanging out with everyone but her. She was avoiding him by not going to the hospital, but she’d also wanted to talk to Jennifer. Jennifer said she’d been hoping she and Melissa would get to a better place, but Melissa got confrontational. And thanks to Marge, Jennifer had to tell everyone about Bill cheating. In Dolores’s interview, she said, Frank cheated on her when she was pregnant with Frankie, and she’d felt shame, wondering if she wasn’t good enough. Jennifer told Dolores, Joe #2 said he loved Bill, but couldn’t stand his wife, and Bill was a p*ssy, not saying a word all night. For ten years, she’d put him on a pedestal. If she saw Bill was being ganged up on, she’d say, if you disrespect him, you disrespect me. He betrayed her once, and was doing it again. Dolores asked if Jennifer was still mad about the affair, and Jennifer said, at this point, she was numb. She dealt with it the only way she knew how, and thought if she forgave Bill, they should never talk about it again. Maybe she hadn’t gotten over it. Dolores said Jennifer’s Cinderella dream was thrown off a cliff. She might still be angry. Jennifer wondered, since she’d decided to move on at the time, was it okay to change her mind? Dolores said, Bill was a reasonable guy, and if Jennifer needed to deal with it, speaking to him might be cathartic. Dolores’s brother called, and told her that Valerie had a 90% blockage. A triple bypass had been scheduled. Dolores told Jennifer that her family was crumbling.

The guys got ready for their night out, and Marge picked out a shirt for Joe #3, which her teeny tiny pup immediately took up residence on. She told him to wear extra cologne. Teresa asked if Luis was looking forward to it, and he said he was nervous. Teresa said she was staying out of the Bill thing, since she didn’t want Joe #2 to think she was taking sides. Bill told Jennifer that obviously, Joe #2 brought the girl drama. Even told Jackie that he didn’t hold Bill responsible for Jennifer’s behavior, and Jackie said she hoped he could admit what his wife did was terrible. The guys met at a restaurant, where Frank ordered an appletini, and Joe #3 said, Frank could crush apples with his biceps. Tiki asked Joe #2 what was up with Luis, and Joe said, supposedly he’d smacked around his ex in front of her kids. He didn’t know what to believe. In Joe #2’s interview, he said, what if the rumors were true, and he’d given Luis the benefit of the doubt? Joe #3 said, when there were witnesses, that was bad. Teresa was in love and it was making her blind. Tiki thought Joe #2 needed to have a conversation with Luis, and wondered if Bill was coming. Frank said, Bill hadn’t responded to the group text, but Joe #2 had responded with, f*** you, Bill. Tiki said, the last thing dude needed was for his ass to be kicked again when he was going through this.

Bill showed up, and said he hadn’t been sure if Joe #2 was joking with the text. He’d thought they were cool, but a night like that changes a lot. He tried not to get involved in the women’s drama. Joe #2 said, Bill’s wife was out of control. What she’d said was dirty and disgusting, and she’d crossed the line. Bill asked if Marge didn’t cross the line. She’d done some digging, but Jennifer hadn’t. Evan said, oh yes she did. She was always trying to find stuff to hurt people. She was not a good person. Bill said he was done, and left. Evan said, bye. See ya.

To be continued…

🏖 Summer House is so awful, I’d literally wiped watching it from my mind immediately, and forgot to include it yesterday. Here are the highlights.

Carl wished Kyle would read the room sometimes. Good luck with that. Paige thought it was rude to go on a date with Adrian while she was talking to Craig, but didn’t know where she and Craig were at. Paige thought it was loser-ish to ask a guy where you were in a relationship, but Paige asked anyway. Craig told Paige that he felt saying they were exclusive at that moment might be too much pressure on him. Austen came to the house, and Ciara told him that she didn’t want Lindsay in his room, which Lindsay reacted to by spitting fire. Then Ciara made out with Austen at the bar to cinch the deal.

Carl invited new main squeeze McKenzie to Lindsay’s princess fairytale birthday party. Just in case you’re confused, no, she wasn’t turning 12; she was turning 35. It was McKenzie’s first time in the Hamptons, so double good luck with that for her in the house. The party décor was pretty impressive, and I loved the costumes, but it still seemed weird. Like, call it a Game of Thrones party or something. Kyle humped the unicorn floatie, proving once again that he shouldn’t drink, and McKenzie told Carl, it was hard to believe Amanda would be with that forever. She was the luckiest girl alive.

This season, Craig wants to introduce Paige to his parents; lots of drinking; Carl and Lindsay hook up; Amanda and Kyle argue about a prenup; lots of fighting, more drinking, and throwing things. In other words, it continues to be just as awful. Maybe Jennifer should move in.

🌉 Once More Unto the Breach…

Drop in tomorrow for a dash of soap and OC happenings. Until then, stay safe, stay viewing your cup as half full, and stay believing someone if they show you who they are.