Tag Archives: Whitney Thore

Sep25

September 24, 2024 – Alexis Meets With Martin, Excuses, Steven Lars, No Rain In Spain, Sparks In Plathville, The Brothers Monster, All Agatha, From Again, Big Baby & Flaming

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Natalia walks into Pozzulo’s where Sonny is fighting with his espresso machine. He says his old machine was temperamental, but it worked. She says, why hang on ghosts of the past when there’s a perfectly good future staring him in the face?

Jack goes to Bobbie’s, and Carly says, he can’t get enough of this place. He says he’s a fan of the food and the company, and he has news. He got word from his man in Kenya. Anna and Jason located the compound Lucky is in, and they’re in transit there. She asks if they have back up, but he says, no need. They were invited by Sidwell. She says she’s nervous, and he says, she should be. They haven’t rescued Lucky yet. Carly asks if they’re close and safe, and he says, for now. She wonders what he isn’t telling her.

TJ finds Molly in the breakroom, along with a spread of bagels, and she says she thought she’d bring them a nice breakfast. She slept on the couch because she didn’t want to wake him. He says he appreciates that, but where was she last night?

Dante walks into Kristina’s apartment with her, and she thanks him for his help. She asks how Lulu is. How is the search for Lucky? He says, there’s been no news, but Lulu is strong like her. She says she doesn’t feel strong, and he says, she is. She just needs help. She says, it feels like it’s been a thousand years since she’s been home. So much has changed. He asks if she’s sure she’s going to be okay, and she says she’s fine, but she’s worried about her mom.

Alexis tosses and turns in her bunk, when Heather hangs her head down from the top bunk and says, good morning. Alexis says she wasn’t dreaming, and Heather laughs.

Jack tells Caarly, there are too many unknown variables. Sidwell’s mysterious companion could be an operative, but she’s not theirs. The element of surprise… Carly says, it’s now lost, and he says, they haven’t seemed to raise suspicions from their host yet. She says, Jason is the most capable man she knows, but he’s a terrible liar, and he says, Anna will have no trouble. Will Jason have a problem following her lead? She asks, why? and he says, some men find strong women threatening. She says, that’s so old school. She expected more of him. He says, she knows he likes strong, confident women, when Diane walks in. She says she’ll have her usual and an introduction to the new WSB station chief. Carly introduces Jack, then introduces Diane as her attorney. Jack says, she’s also Sonny’s attorney. Her reputation proceeds her. Diane tells him, what can she say? She’s a woman not to be trifled with. They shake hands, and Diane says she assumes he’s not here for an unauthorized interrogation. Carly says, he’s here for breakfast, and Diane tells her, that’s what they all say. Can she have a word? She’ll be brief. Jack says, far be it for him to come between a woman and her lawyer. He tells Carly, they’ll talk soon, and leaves. Diane says, so much for breakfast. What about not being seen with the handsome, eligible station chief? Carly needs to maintain appearances, and make it look like she and Sonny have reunited, as she led the PCPD to believe.

Natalia says, it’s a beautiful machine, and Sonny says, if he can’t find a way to make it work, how is he going to make coffee? She says she worked at a restaurant where the manager had a ton of old kitchen appliances he’d salvaged from junkyards. He said he was a collector, but she knew he was a hoarder. She convinced him to buy a state-of-the-art machine, and once she got it up and running, he now serves the best coffee in San Juan. Change is hard and sometimes you need a push in the right direction. He says, switching could be a risk, but she says, there’s no reward without a little risk.

Heather asks how Alexis enjoyed her bed, and Alexis says her back is killing her. Heather asks if she can help, and Alexis asks if her help involves a hook, but Heather says, new hip, no hook. She suggests Alexis splash cold water on her face to help get her going, and Alexis says, it’s not her first rodeo. She cups her hands to get some water, and says, it smells like wet feet. Heather says, the first night is always rough, and Alexis says she doesn’t intend to be here that long. Heather says, in the meantime, she’d like to do what can to help. She knows it’s a hard time for Alexis. Alexis says, they’re going to drop the charges, but Heather says she’s not talking about that. She knows Alexis lost a grandbaby and almost lost her daughter and she’s so sorry.

TJ asks if Molly was working late, but she says, no. She was at the Brown Dog. She needed a drink after her mom went to Pentenville. He says he’s sorry he was in surgery, but she says, don’t worry. She ran into Dex Heller. He’s a police officer now, and he was with her mom before court. He asks if they talked about the case, and she says, he’s been helpful. He says he texted, but she didn’t respond. He’s here for her and wants to help. She says, it was just a moment, and he says, she texted and left him a message, so she wanted to talk. He loves her and she can tell him anything.

Dante says, Kristina’s mom can handle herself fine. What she can’t handle is Kristina not taking care of herself. Kristina says she’s trying. She met with a therapist and joined a support group for grieving mothers who lost their babies. He says, she’s brave to acknowledge that she needs help and she’s getting it, but Kristina says she doesn’t feel the bravery part yet. She hopes the therapist helps. She’s all over the place. He says, it gets better, and she says, the hardest part is realizing she made terrible decisions. Now she doesn’t trust herself and she’s afraid she’ll keep making terrible decisions over and over again. She needs to prove to the family that she can handle this. He says she doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. Just focus on herself and know she’s not alone. She says, he’s always had her back, and he says, of course (🍷). He’s her big brother and loves her. They hug, when there’s a knock at the door, and Dante opens it to Chase. Dante wonders if Chase was looking for him, but he says he’s here to see Kristina. She asks if everything is okay with her mom, and he says, as far as he knows. He hopes it’s not a bad time. He needs to ask her a few questions.

Diane says, Carly needs to do everything in her in power to make the alibi more convincing, and Carly says, like what? Diane says, no more flirting with overly friendly handsome, eligible men, and Carly says, they’re just friends. Diane says, it’s about appearances now that she and Sonny are back together, but Carly says, we’re not back together. It was a one-night stand. That’s all that happened. Diane says, that just sounds convenient. She and Sonny have to solidify it. Carly asks how Diane suggests she do that, and Diane says, move in with Sonny or have Sonny move in with her. Carly says, not going to happen. How about going to the park with Donna? Diane says, boring, not sexy. She’s being watched by the PCPD and maybe the Feds. She has to convince them that she and Sonny are mad for each other as opposed to arranging a custody agreement. Carly says, that’s not what she agreed to, but Diane says, too bad. It’s too late to go back on her story that they’re in love. Carly says, that’s not the story, and Diane says, if she can’t convince probing eyes that she and Sonny are reuniting, they’ll conclude it’s fiction and won’t stop digging until they find something damning. Carly says, the Feds have been after Sonny for years, and Diane says, it’s going to put Carly back on their radar. If Sonny is put behind bars, she’ll be an accessory after the fact. For now, Operation Strange Bedfellows remains in effect. Diane walks out.

Sonny and Natalia say, alla salute, and clink cups. Sonny takes a sip and says, it could be one of best espressos he’s had. Natalia tries hers, and says, it’s pretty good, but it could be better. She’s hard to please. He says, lucky he likes a challenge, and they clink cups again.

Molly says she loves TJ too, but she doesn’t know what to do anymore. Her mom is in Pentenville, and there’s a chance she’ll be staying there. He asks if it’s that bad, and she says, her mom is defending herself and should have never been interviewed by the police without a lawyer. She knows better. He asks what she thinks Alexis is doing, and she says, protecting Kristina. He says, why? From what? She says, her mom won’t say it, but she thinks Kristina is hiding something. Sam thinks Sonny did it, but her mom wouldn’t do this to save Sonny. She thinks Kristina had something to do with John Cates’s murder.

Chase says, it won’t take long, and Dante says he’s going to head back. Kristina thanks him, and he says, of course (🍷). Call him if she needs anything. When he’s in the hallway, he makes a call. He leaves a message saying, give him a call when they can. It’s about Kristina. He thinks she’s about to do something she shouldn’t. Kristina tells Chase, before he starts, she wants to make it clear. He can ask her anything about her mother, but she’s innocent. She didn’t commit a crime. He says he wants to talk about Kristina’s whereabouts the night John Cates was murdered.

Heather says she’s glad Alexis’s daughter survived the fall, but it’s so sad about her grandbaby. She had to be looking forward to being a grandma. Alexis says, she’s already a grandma, but she was looking forward to another little one. Heather says she’s spent time dreaming about being a grandma to Ace. Taking him to the zoo and playgrounds and getting him ice cream before dinner. Alexis says, before you know it, they’re at their first dance, and Heather says, that’s what she’s afraid of. She’s never held her grandson and had a shot at getting out for a minute, but nope. She’s not trying to turn the focus on her. She just wants Alexis to know she understands what she’s going through. Alexis thanks her, and Heather says, just know that if Alexis ruins one more night of her sleep, they’ve got a big problem. A guard opens the cell and asks Alexis to follow her. They’re going to see her lawyer. Alexis says, what lawyer?

Molly says, her mom sent herself to prison to shield Kristina from the consequences of her own actions. It’s the family dynamic. TJ says, Molly always had to be the strong one, but those days are over. She doesn’t have to go through this by herself. He’s with her, especially now. They’re still grieving the loss of their child. Molly’s phone dings and she says, it’s work. She has a meeting. She’s got to go. They’ll talk. She promises to try and get home early. She tells him to enjoy the bagels. She loves him. She leaves and he says he loves her too.

Sonny says, if he has more coffee, he won’t be able to sleep and he’s not sleeping well. Natalia says, Alexis or Kristina? and he says, both. He hired a lawyer for Alexis. She says, that’s generous, but she’s not surprised. Allie asked if she should reach out, but she’s not sure if it would make things better or worse. He says he thinks it would muddy the waters, and she says, let her know if there’s anything she can do to help. He asks if she can fix his toaster, and she says she’ll buy him a new one. Seriously, she’d like to help. Sonny says he appreciates it, and puts his hand on hers, when Carly walks in.

Martin says he’d like a moment alone with his client, and tells Alexis that Sonny retained him on her behalf. Alexis says she needs a moment to process. She hasn’t had her latte yet. He asks, how was her first night? and she says, all things considered, terrible. Sonny hired him? He says, she’s welcome to refuse, but he advises against it. She says she thinks she knows not to incriminate herself, and he says, yet she did at the PCPD. What was she thinking? She consents to having him as her lawyer, and he says, now it’s confidential. She says she had nothing to do with John’s murder, but considering how everything went down, she’s not sure they can convince a jury. He says, since she’s looking at spending the rest of her life in prison, tell him what did go down

Kristina says, her mother is in Pentenville awaiting trial for John Cates’s murder, but Chase is here questioning her again. He says, it’s an ongoing investigation and he’s tying up loose ends. What were her exact movements? She flashes back to Alexis saying, she doesn’t have an alibi, and had the means, motive, and opportunity to kill John. Kristina says, they’ve been over this, and Chase says, one more time for him. She says she’s realizing she was suffering from postpartum depression, and she was consumed with grief, and he says he’s sorry for her loss. She says she went to the cemetery to be with her daughter, and he asks if she saw anyone, but she says, not that she knows of. He asks if someone saw her on her way there. Did she drive? She says she must have. She’s having trouble recalling the details. He says he checked, and her car hasn’t left the MetroCourt garage since the accident. Did she drive her mom’s car?

Stella walks into the breakroom and asks if she missed the party. TJ says, Molly surprised him with breakfast, then had to run to a meeting, and she says, Molly managed to tell her where TJ was as she zoomed past. How is she doing? He says, not so good, and she says, her family is in crisis mode. He says, big time. She’s consumed with her mom’s legal troubles, but he feels it’s a diversion from dealing with losing Irene. She says, Molly will never come to terms with it unless she deals with it. That goes for both of them. He says, Molly is overwhelmed. He’s trying to be patient. He knows she’s grieving too, and he doesn’t want to blame or resent her, but he has to admit he’s starting to.

Sonny asks Carly, what’s up? and tells Natalia that they’ll do the deal later. He thanks her for her help with the machine, and Natalia leaves. Carly asks if he’s kidding her. Diane came into Bobbie’s and read her the riot act about flirting, while he’s getting handsy with what’s her name. He asks who she was flirting with, and she says, this isn’t a joke. Diane was serious. She thinks to keep them out of prison, they have to fall back in love.

Kristina says she told Chase everything she remembers. She’d love to help him find the killer, but she’s dealing with depression and things are foggy. He says he understands given what she’s been through, and she says she thinks she took a Ride Share. He asks which ones she uses, when there’s a knock at the door. She opens the door, and Diane is there with a takeout bag. Diane asks what Chase is doing here. She’s going to presume he’s her to check on his partner’s sister. That’s admirable. But if he’s in here in an official capacity and questioning her about the case, he’s going to have to make an appointment and make sure her counsel is present. He asks if that’s what Kristina wants, and she says, it makes sense. Chase asks what Diane is doing here in Noseytown, and she says, delivering soup. He tells Kristina that he’ll be in touch, and leaves. Kristina says she needs help. She thinks she said something incriminating. Diane says, not another word.

Alexis says, Kristina is in an extremely fragile state of mind, and Martin says, Sonny filled him in. She asks if Sonny told him about the chain of events beforehand. Cates was tormenting Kristina while she was recuperating from a traumatic situation. He says, that’s despicable. Does she have something to add? She says she thought Kristina would crack and found a gun in her purse, and he asks if that’s the one she threw off the bridge. Alexis says she thought Kristina would hurt herself and she wanted the gun out of her house. He says, she was deliberately shielding her daughter, and she’s got to amend her statement. Just explain why she felt she should take the gun and Krishna’s emotional state. Alexis says, no one is going to believe it, and he says, they’ll sell it. She says, then she’ll have to explain why her car ended up at the Quartermaines and the reason why, and he says, which was? She says, Kristina was looking for Cates to kill him.

Carly says she and Sonny have to seem romantically involved and need to spend more time with each other, and he says he thought it was a one-time thing. She says she thought the same, but Diane said there’s no way it will hold up as an ironclad alibi. It’s too convenient. They have to convince everyone that they’re back together. Sonny says he pays Diane a lot of money for her advice, and she says, he’s the number one suspect. They’re still looking for evidence. He asks if she’s up for doing this, and she says, what else can she do? He says he guesses she’s stuck as his girlfriend, and she says she doesn’t mind pretending for the sake of the alibi, but she’s not going to lie to Donna and Avery, especially Donna. If she thinks her parents are getting back together and we don’t, it will break her heart.

At the hospital, Dante asks if Chase is following him, and Chase says, while he was interviewing Kristina, Diane showed up. Does Dante have any idea why? Dante says, Kristina is going through a lot. She lost her baby, and her mom is in jail. It’s not a good time. Chase says he was just doing his job, investigating the murder of an FBI agent. Kristina is hiding something, and she was willing to talk until Dante got in the way.

Diane says she’s not Kristina’s lawyer, and the privilege of confidentiality doesn’t exist. Kristina says she thinks she said… but Diane says, whatever it was, don’t say it. She doesn’t need to know more. The good news is, Chase was interrogating her without counsel, so whatever he learned is inadmissible. Kristina says, thank God. She thinks she incriminated herself big time. Diane says, Kristina still has a problem.

Alexis says, if the police find out Kristina had a weapon and was in the vicinity of the murder, they’ll realize she had the – they say it together – means, motive, and opportunity. Martin says, that’s the case they’re building against Alexis. Is she absolutely confident Kristina had nothing to do the crime? She says, 100%, and he says, then amend her statement. Give the police the facts. Let them do their job and investigate. She says, if someone is going to stand trial for a murder they didn’t commit, it’s going to be her. Kristina can’t handle it. If he wants to back out, she understands. He says he should, and she asks why he’s still here. He says, there’s one other choice she can make if she’s willing to take it.

Stella says she doesn’t think TJ needs to end his and Molly’s story yet. Give Molly time and be kind to himself. Be honest about his grief. TJ says, it comes and goes, but when it comes, it’s overwhelming, and she says she knows. He says he wanted to ask Molly to visit Irene’s grave, but she bolted before he had a chance, and Stella says she has a light afternoon. They can go together.

Diane says, it’s important that Kristina retain her own counsel, and Kristina says, Diane just told her that what she said is inadmissible. Diane says, it can’t be used in court. However, if it’s truly incriminating, Chase can open up a new investigation. Kristina says she opened her mouth and wasn’t thinking about what was coming out, and Diane says, Chase is a skilled interrogator. She bought Kristina time. Now Kristina has to get busy and find an attorney. Chase isn’t going to forget what she said.

Chase reminds Dante that he recused himself from the case due to conflict of interest, and Dante asks if Chase is accusing him of something. He feels like Chase is. Chase says, he’s too close to be involved. He knows Dante cares about his sister, and she’s been through a lot, so he’s going to let it go with a warning. Do it again, and he’ll turn Dante in. (I’m failing to see for what. Dante called a lawyer for his sister to make sure her rights weren’t trampled on, and he’s not on the case. It seems more like Chase was being unethical.)

Carly says she’ll go along with Diane’s plan, but she and Sonny have to be honest with their daughter. Sonny says he agrees. They won’t play the family things, but they have to be out together, drinking and dinner. How about tonight? She says, okay, it’s a date, and he says, don’t be flirting with other guys.

Alexis says she’s willing to do anything as long as it doesn’t involve her daughter, and Martin says, if she doesn’t come forward about the gun and what Kristina was doing that night, their only chance of winning is to prove John Cates was murdered by the man paying his fee – Sonny Corinthos.

Tomorrow, Sam asks Carly to help her to save her mother; Molly says she was right to worry; and Sidwell says, this might be his lucky day.

🩺 A Lot Of ‘Splainin’ To Do…

I don’t care how she spins it, Portia seems to have times of being totally irrational. I get her weak justification, but what bugs me is how many of them jumped right to Heather being set free. She probably will be since she’s under contract, but it’s hardly likely in the real world. She’d be sent to Spring Ridge or something.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/brook-kerr-defends-portias-actions-on-general-hospital

🔎 Looking Into the Past…

A refresher course or an introduction. I remember him not at all.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/steven-lars-webber

🎂 Big Fat Fabulous Fortieth…

Whitney decided to take a trip to Spain with friends and family to celebrate her 40th birthday. At the end of last week’s episode, she broke down when a man she’d met online stood her up after suggesting she meet him at a restaurant on the beach. To his credit, he did call and say he wasn’t coming, but to his debit, he waited until the last possible minute and there was no actual excuse given. Like, I’m dead, would have been good. During her interview, poor Whitney cried that she couldn’t even get a first date, and she felt that she was truly cursed. My heart broke for her. It grieves me that any woman would be this distraught over any man, but it was also sad how she felt no one would ever love her. I believe there’s someone for everyone, and I also believe the best love is found when you’re not looking. Despite this long-distance d-bag, Whitney’s birthday turned out to be her best one after all.

https://parade.com/news/my-big-fat-fabulous-lifes-isaiah-bares-it-all-to-cheer-up-whitney-thore-exclusive-clip

https://www.accessonline.com/videos/my-big-fat-fabulous-life-hunter-pressured-to-propose-to-karen-on-whitneys-birthday

🧪 Welcome To Chemistry…

One of the most enjoyable things about this show has been the Plath offspring discovering things that we take for granted, but are new to them. Soda! Wine! Television! Sugar! Cities! In this week’s episode, Ethan talked about babysitting a three-year-old and being more interested in SpongeBob SquarePants than the toddler was. Micah buying an engagement ring for Veronica to wear as a cocktail ring was just weird, and maybe a little insulting. You’re good enough to drink with, but…

Welcome to Plathville’s Micah Says ‘Marriage Is on the Table’ With Veronica
‘Welcome to Plathville’ Preview: Ethan Asks for Girl’s Number Line Dancing

They are kind of judgy. I don’t think Olivia is a narcissist. I think the reason she believes everything is about her is that she’s immature, not unlike the Plath clan. And she, too, is experiencing things most of us would take for granted. We move out (hopefully) sometime after high school, do stupid sh*t, and eventually focus and find a path for our lives. She got a late start.

https://screenrant.com/welcome-to-plathville-real-reason-barry-plath-veronica-peters-called-olivia-plath-narcissist-think-olivia-mean-girl/

👬🏻 Monsters Joined At the Hip…

I watched all of this except the final episode over the weekend. Saving that for later. I had tried watching the Dahmer series, but only made it through two episodes. It was just too depressing, although not for the reasons you might think. I couldn’t watch a side of my beloved NYC that I never saw and never want to. But I have no investment in the Menendez story, so I binged away. The acting from everyone is impressive, but bravo to Nicholas Chavez for breaking away from GH’s Spencer. I was skeptical about his acting prowess, since I felt Spencer was often talking too fast and too loudly, but I wasn’t sure if he was just directed that way or the director was afraid to direct him and that was his style. Happens. Apparently, it was the character, because his portrayal of Lyle is incredible. The series is graphic for sure, so those with weak stomachs might want to take a pass, but it’s a fascinating watch for the rest of us.

To answer the author’s question, I think there are as many different reasons for people becoming monsters as there are monsters.

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/monsters-lyle-erik-menendez-story-review

A little bit on the celebrity one cell over.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/true-false-monsters-netflix-erik-menendez-oj-simpson-jail-1236011328/

It sounds like Murphy is right and Erik hasn’t seen it. While there were a lot of tributaries depicting scenarios that may or may not have been true, the abuse was definitely part of the story and not just hinted at. It was actually pretty disgusting.

https://people.com/erik-menendez-slams-ryan-murphy-new-monsters-series-8716430

https://people.com/ryan-murphy-has-many-things-to-say-following-erik-menendez-critiques-of-monsters-8717625

🔮 Hunting For Her Powers…

This was also on last weekend’s menu, but only two episodes were available. Being spoiled by the opportunity to watch a series in its entirety, this annoys me, but on the other hand, it brings back the excitement of the old days when we looked forward to the next weekly installment of a show. Agatha does not disappoint. It’s a load of fun, but it’s also creepy, and I love the diversity of the coven characters. And of course, Kathryn Hahn is out of this (under)world.

https://collider.com/agatha-all-along-review/

https://www.slashfilm.com/1667525/agatha-all-along-review/

🏠 Speaking Of Creepy…

This was a new season I was really looking forward to, although, like Agatha, it’s a drop a week. I had the pleasure of never having seen it until earlier last year and binged the first two seasons together. If you haven’t seen it yet, that pleasure is now all yours. It’s one of my favorite premises. A group of people, unknown to each other, find themselves in a town they can’t leave where monsters come out at night. And the Menendez brothers have nothing on these guys. At first, they look like regular folks, albeit old-fashioned – a milk man, a grandma, some preppy kids with weird smiles – but get too close and they have razor sharp fangs and claws and will literally turn you inside out. There are talismans that keep them away, but that doesn’t stop them from doing damage or stop random idiots from going out at night. Sheriff Boyd Stevens is the leader who tries to keep things together while trying not to fall apart himself, and Harold Perrineau (Lost) is magnificent in the role.

https://www.avclub.com/from-season-3-review

Warning: Spoilers ahead. But if you dare, be sure to check out the Breakdown video from Emmanuel “E-Man” Noisette.

FROM Season 3 Episode 1 Review: We Are So Back!

An interview with Sheriff Boyd.

Harold Perrineau Says Why FROM Season 3 Is BETTER Than Season 2

 🐧 Have Some Pesto…

He’s bringing love and joy to the world.

https://people.com/meet-pesto-the-penguin-9-month-old-sea-animal-australia-8715343

🧥 Smells Like Sweater Weather…

Join me tomorrow for soap and a little Salt. Until then, stay safe; stay starting to think about Halloween shopping (if you’re so inclined to celebrate), since things sell out quickly; and stay dealing with the hard things or you will never come to terms with them.

Aug29

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

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

📋 Don’t Let Her Go…

You never know. Could work.

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

Here’s the petition. I signed and commented.

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

🎭 No Drama Outside the Lines…

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

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

💰 Fancy Crossover….

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

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

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

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

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles Season 15, Episode 8 Recap: Mo’ Mansions, Mo’ Problems

🐩 Looking For a Fabulous Match…

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

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

🥂 Two Firsts In One Night…

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

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

👠 Down the Not Quite Shore…

Melissa says she’s done with the drama.

Melissa Gorga Fine With Leaving RHONJ if Teresa Giudice Returns to the Franchise

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

RHONJ: Melissa Gorga Calls Jackie Goldschneider ‘Desperate’ For Fueding With Margaret Josephs

And Danielle is putting on her big girl pants.

Danielle Cabral Says RHONJ Finale at Rails Was ‘Worst Form of Abuse’

🛟 After the Deck Is Over…

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

What Are the Below Deck Season 1 Cast Doing Now?

🦧 Their Kingdom…

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

‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ reigns on Hulu

Behind the curtain.

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

🦍 Find the Chimp…

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

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

🚓 Giving Summer a Speeding Ticket…

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

Jul18

July 17, 2024 – Jason Gives the FBI What It Wants, Dubai In the House, Selling LA, You’re It, Still VanderMessy, Horrible People, Are They Done Yet, Sanctuary Please & Hold ‘Em

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sonny says, if Nina can bury the hatchet with Drew, maybe she can do the same with him. She says, absolutely not… There’s no hatchet to bury. Everything that went wrong is on her. He says, not everything, and she says, almost everything. When she finally told him the truth, it was too late. Their relationship was founded on a mirage named Mike. Mike never really existed. Sonny says, he did and he cared, and Nina says, she can’t forgive and forget because there’s nothing to forgive and she doesn’t want to forget. He says, there are a few things he can forget, and they laugh. She says she wants him to be happy and he says he wants the same for her. She says, he’s happy being a father, and if Ava and Scotty are stupid enough to approach her, she’ll tell them that she’ll testify against him, then blindside them with examples of how great a father he is. He asks if she’s trying to make him fall in love with her again, and she tells him, good luck with Ava. She hopes he gets custody for Avery’s sake.

At the pool, Josslyn finds Gio daydreaming and tells him that people are waiting for towels. He runs to assist them, while Carly brings a pina colada to Lois. Lois says, Carly and Sonny… she can pretend nothing is going on and it’s none of her business… Carly says, she could accept it’s none of her business, but it’s good to see her. She thanks Lois for bringing Gio to Port Charles, and Lois says she asks him to play one wedding and he falls in love with the entire town. Carly says, Olivia hired him, but she thinks he’s a great kid, and Lois says she wants to make sure his future is bright. Gio comes back and tells Josslyn that it won’t happen again, but she says, her mom doesn’t care. She asks if everything is okay, and he says, it’s fine, except he may have overstayed his welcome.

Valentin asks Anna to come with him. They belong together. She says, they have no time to talk. He needs to take Charlotte and disappear. He says he’s ready to go except for her. He knows she wants to. She just put her life on the line to warn him. She says, for Charlotte. She needs her father in her life. If it was just him, she’d let Cates take him. He says, she wouldn’t. She’d face charges too, but she’s here because she loves him almost as much as he loves her. She can disappear as easily as he can. Come with him and they’ll start a new life together.

John yells, open up or he’s coming in, and Jason opens the door. John asks, what took so long? and Jason says, this is where he lives. They should talk at the warehouse. John (who’s becoming more of an a-hole every time he opens his mouth, which is a shame since he’s sooo good looking) says, they’ll talk where and when he wants on whatever subject he chooses. Jason forgets he holds all the cards. Jason says, how can he when John reminds him every ten minutes? and John says, Jason will do what he says, or Carly pays the price.

Nina says, she was warned about Ava over and over again. She should have listened. Sonny says he should have taken his own advice. Why did he think he could rely on Ava and let her in? Nina says she wonders why too, but he doesn’t owe her any explanation. He says, because of Avery. He’s very protective of his children’s mothers, even Ava. She says, it’s a very Mike thing to do, and he says, Mike is a great guy. She says, Mike has great taste in women, and Sonny says, the other reason was because he was so messed up over losing her. She says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she was messed up too. She’s better now. He says he’s glad to hear it. He’ll see her later. She says, what about him? How’s he feeling? He says he’s ready for anything, and she says, such as? He says, not letting anyone take advantage of him, and she says, there he is. She wants all the best for him. He says he wants all the best for her too, and leaves.

Josslyn asks if someone said something unwelcoming, but Gio says, it’s nothing like that. Don’t look. His Aunt Lois… She says, Lois is always going on and on about how great he is, and he says, she’s always been his biggest fan, but she suggested he go back home. She says, that makes no sense. Lois brought him to Port Charles.

Anna says, Valentin wants her to leave her life and be a fugitive, but she doesn’t want to live like that. He says, but it’s okay for Charlotte, and she says, it’s not ideal, but she’ll have her father. He’s her entire family. She left Robin once and won’t again. She’s not sacrificing her time with Noah and Emma for – she tears up – any reason. So unless he’s planning on turning her in… He says he’d never do that. When the FBI comes, he’ll be long gone, but they’re going to connect the dots. She says, dots aren’t proof, and there won’t be any proof, but he says, prison is no place for a cop, especially an ex-WSB agent. Don’t throw her life away. Come with him. She kisses him and says she’s sorry. She loves him, but can’t go with him.

Natalia is waiting for Sonny at the penthouse and says she’s sorry. His housekeeper said she could wait. He asks what she’s doing here, and she says she knows he’s upset with her and has every reason to be. Her comments did nothing but cause trouble for Allison and Kristina. Sonny says he doesn’t like what she said, but Ava was the one who used it and made it national news to get back at him. She, Allison, and Kristina are collateral damage. She says, that’s why she’s here. For Allison… Blaze rather.  

Geo tells Josslyn that Lois lined up a gig for him as a session musician in Manhattan. He knows. First world problems. She says, what a monster. Maybe she just wants to get him back to New York. She was a music manager and knows what she’s talking about. Maybe she thinks it’s a nice opportunity. Gio says, that has to be it. Why else would she want him to leave?

Lois tells Carly that there’s nothing Gio can’t play. He once played a slow version of AC/DC’s Back In Black for her and had her sobbing. Carly says she heard Sonny paid for Gio’s music education, and Lois says, he did. Camilla was a cousin of the Cerullos from Italy. She was a violinist like Gio and came to America to play with the New York Philharmonic. She was there 6 months and fell in love with Francis Palmieri. He was as handsome as Gio, but was already scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan. They had a whirlwind romance and eloped. It wasn’t until after he left, she found out she was pregnant with Gio. But before she was able to tell Francis about the baby, she found out he was killed in action.

Valentin asks if there’s nothing he can say, and Anna says, don’t even try. He asks if she’s afraid he’ll convince her, but she says, no. It was just hard to say no once. What’s Charlotte’s ETA? He says, she’ll be here soon, and Anna says she has to ask. Does he have contingencies in place? Money, cash, new IDs? He says, they’ll be fine, and they both wipe tears away. She says, he was always going to be fine. He was set financially with ELQ and enjoyed the work. Charlotte was happy in school, and he built a good life. Why risk it all for Pikeman? What happened? He says, she did.

John says he needs Jason to turn over any and all information about Sonny, but Jason says, that wasn’t the deal. The deal was to get information about Pikeman, not Sonny. John says, Sonny is in the purview of the investigation because he was involved with Pikeman, and Jason says, let him make this clear. He’s not answering any questions about Sonny. John sighs (because it’s catching) and asks how Jason can be loyal when Sonny tried to kill him. When Jason came back and didn’t fall in line and assume his place in Sonny’s organization, Sonny tried to take him out. Jason asks, then why is he still here? and John says, because the guys Sonny hired aren’t as good as him. Sonny is only about Sonny. He uses people and discards them. He used Jason and discarded him. He literally destroyed Jason’s life. Jason says, Sonny didn’t destroy his life. John did. (Truth!)

Maxie goes to Nina’s office wanting to discuss the timetable for Deception’s ad campaign. She wonders if they should continue with No One Cancels Love campaign or put it behind them and move forward. Thoughts? Nina says, Sonny was just here, and they had a good conversation. He was like his old self. Maxie asks what he wanted, and Nina says, to bury the hatchet. Maxie says, in who? (ha-ha! that’s actually what I’d say) and Nina says she told him there was no hatchet to bury. It’s not like they want to fight anymore. Maxie says, not to open old wounds, but does Nina want Sonny back? and Nina says, she’ll always have feelings for Sonny and always love him, but she’s not hopelessly, desperately in love with him. She’s stronger now and she’s finally ready to move on.

Carly says, it’s so sad. Gio’s parents had such little time and Francis never got to know his son. Lois says, the family was heartbroken and rallied around Camilla. Sonny was in town and wanted to make sure Camilla was okay. She went back to playing after she had Gio, but just when they thought Gio and Camilla would finally get their happy ever after, Camilla died. Gio was ten at the time and had already started his musical education. It was expensive, so Lois reached out to Sonny. Of course (🍷) he agreed, and paid for everything, even Gio’s two years at Fordham. Then Gio got a scholarship at PCU. Carly says she gets that Sonny is generous, but she doesn’t understand why he never mentioned Gio to her.

Anna asks how long Valentin has been involved with Pikeman, and he says he’s always been aware of them, even in the planning stages, which included the head of the WSB. They wanted her on the ops team so they could look legit. Anna says she had questions, but wasn’t in a position to know, and Valentin says, they just wanted to get the ten million to form a money funnel for the weapons. He resigned as a traitor, but kept in touch with Pikeman. They liked his expertise, and he liked the money. When Anna busted Brennan, it created a vacuum. She says she knows why he couldn’t, but she wishes he’d told her, and he says he does too. She asks when he was going to that, and he says, maybe during the brief window when they were openly in love and said they trusted one another.  

Jason says he’s been risking his life. He lived in hell when the people he loved thought he was dead. John says, he could have let Carly take her chances, but Jason chose to be an informant the way Carly chose to present herself as mob leadership. The only one who never had to pay was Sonny. He destroys lives and right now, he’s using his money and power to take Avery away from her mother. The woman is terrified. Jason says, Ava Jerome? He’d think twice about believing anything that woman has to say.

Natalie says, they worked so hard on Blaze’s career, and she trashed it in an instant by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. Sonny says, it’s what she meant, and she says she’s painfully aware of the effect of her words on their daughters. Kristina made her thoughts on the subject spectacularly clear. She can see both Kristina’s mom and Sonny in her, and she had it coming. Even though she may not join a parade anytime soon, it’s clear Blaze and Kristina love each other. He says he’s happy she’s seeing clearly, but she says, too little too late. The damage is done, and she can’t say she blames them if they never speak to her again. He asks if she wants him to be a go-between, but she says, there’s not much she can do about her relationship with her daughter, but she can save her career.

Maxie asks, what happened? Nina was hellbent on getting Sonny back. Nina says she hates to say it, but Ava was right about her and Sonny. She was so desperate to hold on to their relationship, but their lives don’t fit. They never did. Maxie says, wow. Forgive her, but it’s about time Nina realized. She wanted to be wrong. It’s been known to happen. Nina says, the worst part is, Carly was right. They’re not special, and she feels like an idiot. The worst part was that she was turning herself into the perfect woman for Sonny, instead of holding onto who she is. Although a lot of people consider her the worst. Maxie says she’s not one of them.

Sonny asks if that’s why Natalia is here. She wants him to help save Blaze’s career. She says, Sonny was in the music business and owned L&B records in the 90’s, and he says he invested. The founder was an old friend, someone he was in love with. Natalia says, so for personal reasons, not unlike now for Kristina. If he invests in Blaze’s career, they’ll put the money toward releasing a new album and new material on a private label. There are so many indie labels now, it will take money to get noticed. She’d put every dime she has into it, but it’s not enough. That’s why she’s here. He says, she wants him to bankroll a brand-new record label?

Valentin looks out the window, and says, it crossed his mind to tell Anna, and she says, before or after he took over? He says, before, when they were in love and claiming to trust each other. She asks why he didn’t, and he says he didn’t want to force her into a position to arrest him. She says, yet here we are, and he says, she’s not arresting him and she’s letting him go. She says, before he does that, Cates got ahold of five years’ worth of correspondence between her and Brennan, all fabricated. Valentin says, that was him, but he was careful. So careful not to say anything that would hold up as evidence. Just red herrings to make John believe they were talking about Pikeman. Just a diversion. He’d never incriminate her. She says, he loves her, but still couldn’t resist using her.

John asks if Jason is so far gone that anyone who speaks out against Sonny is lying, but Jason says, trust him. Ava can take care of herself. John says, he sounds like Sonny. Jason got his and the hell with the rest of the world. Jason tells him, that’s not what he said at all, and John says, the Jason he knew was a good guy. Do the right thing and give him something he can use to bust Sonny so Ava can keep her kid. Jason asks, since when does the FBI concern itself with custody battles? And John says, Sonny has to be stopped before he wrecks his daughter’s life like he’s wrecked other lives. Admit Sonny tried to kill him. Jason says he has nothing on Sonny, and he looks at the clock. He gets the phone from the fire escape, and says, but he does have this. It’s Valentin’s phone and proof he’s the one running Pikeman. John asks if he’s sure it’s Valentin and not Anna, and he says, it’s Valentin. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of recordings, including the facilitation of illegal arms transports. John asks where he got it, and Jason asks if he really wants to know. John asks how long he’s had it, and Jason says, a few hours. John asks why Jason didn’t tell him sooner, and Jason says, John was so busy trying to get him to flip on Sonny, he couldn’t talk. John makes a call and says he wants all units at 2100 Belleforest Drive now.

Gio tells Josslyn that maybe he should go home and take the gig. Lois went through a lot of trouble and it would be rude to turn her down. Josslyn asks what he wants to do. The people who love them and want what’s best for them can still be wrong. He says, what if they’re the ones who are right? but she says, nobody learns from the right decisions. It’s up to them to figure out their own lives and what makes them happy.

Sonny says he doesn’t know anything about the music business, but Natalia says she does. He says, it’s risky, but she says, his investment will make a hundredfold when Blaze is touring. He says, if she’s successful, and Natalia says, she will be. She knows she can run a new label. He asks what Blaze thinks, but she says, Blaze doesn’t know yet. Even if Blaze never forgives her, she believes in Blaze’s talent and knows she’s a star. If Sonny says, no, don’t worry. She’ll accept it and no one will ever know he turned her down. He says he’s in.

Maxie says she’s proud of Nina. She wanted a relationship with Sonny, but realized there was no future in pretending she was the Nina that Sonny wanted. Nina says, she couldn’t swing it. It’s all on her. Maxie says, so much for girl power. Even though she’s sorry it happened, Nina got some wisdom. Nina says she’s not sure about that, and Maxie asks if she’s talking about the Drew situation. Nina says, they’ve gone through so many stages. From loathing to not exactly mutual respect, but they’re able to help each other now.

Valentin says he’s sorry he used her, and Anna says, he’d do it again. He says, that doesn’t mean he’s not sorry. The problem is, any good in him is because of her. She says, that’s not true. He has a good heart. She’s been here too long. As soon as Charlotte gets back, he has to take her and leave. He takes her hand and says, she can’t go with him, he knows that, but tell him that she wants to even if it’s not true. She says, if she could, she would go with him in a heartbeat. She cries a little, and he asks if she means that. She says, he’ll never know, when the door opens. Charlotte says she came as soon as she could… What’s wrong?

Natalia asks if Sonny just said yes, and he says, absolutely. They laugh, and she says she can’t thank him enough. He says, one condition. No one is to know he’s doing this. She says, okay, but she’s used to working with people who want credit, and he says he wants Brook to have credit. Brook is in charge. That’s his offer. Take it or leave it.

Nina says, being a good citizen, she’s giving it her all to make sure Drew is elected, and Maxie says, how civic minded. Nina says she does believe in Drew, and he’s helping her with Willow. Willow reached out and wanted to talk to her, mother and daughter, for the first time. Maxie says, that’s amazing. She’s happy for Nina. Nina says, there’s a chance Willow might let her be a part of her life. She can’t mess it up. If Willow is convinced Drew needs to be elected, she’ll support him for her.

Jason goes to the pool and asks if Gio is the one who played the violin at Brook’s wedding. Gio says he did, and he’s Jason Morgan. Is he looking for Miss Spencer? She was just here. Can he get Jason something while he looks for her? Jason asks how Gio would know, and Gio says, Josslyn said to treat him like a VIP, but Jason says, only Joss and her mom do that. He enjoyed Gio’s playing. Gio thanks him and says he’ll find Carly, but Jason says, it’s okay. He sees her right now. It was nice to meet him. Jason goes over to Carly, who asks, what brings him here? He says, it’s done, and she says, what? He says he gave the FBI what they wanted. If Cates keeps his word, they’re freed.

John shows up at Valentin’s house with some men. They draw their guns, and he says, 3… 2… 1… mark! They bust in, and John yells, FBI! Down on the ground! One of the men says, the bedrooms are clear, and John says, fan out and search. (I say, wah-wah.)

Outside in her car, Anna smiles.

This kinda, sorta brought tears to my eyes. I rarely invest in the couples, since most of the time there’s zero chemistry, but I love Anna and Valentin together.

Tomorrow, Blaze says, any hope of reviving her music career is gone; Carly asks Jason to promise her something; and Sonny tells Brook that his and Natalia’s plan depends on her.

🐪 There’s a Camel In My Soup…

What happened in Dubai. It was pointed out in an interview that you could get arrested for arguing in public, but it didn’t stop Taleen.

Real Housewives of Dubai Season 2, Episode 7 Recap: Beggars and Badass B*tches

https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/the-real-housewives-of-dubai-episode-7-recap-everything-you-missed-1328945

As NeNe once said, stay out of women’s business. At least when you’re the husband of one of the Housewives.

Taleen Marie Defends Husband After RHODubai Drama: ‘He Walked Away’

💰 Spiraling LA…

Tracy says, the market is sh*t, and JoshA says, in this market, you don’t sleep. Closets to die for, bigger than my first apartment. JoshF dressed as a shark. Read on for this week’s Listings.

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles Season 15, Episode 2 Recap: Hate To Say I Told You So

🍊 Tag This Line…

Tamra works being rude like it’s a second job.

RHOC Season 18 Taglines Revealed: Stormy Weather, Terrible Form and a Middle Finger

🍸 VanderWTF…

What is wrong with this guy? The average sociopath has better social skills.

How Tom Sandoval Ruined Any Chance of Redemption After Suing Ariana Madix

To make it even creepier.

Tom Sandoval’s Attorney for Ariana Madix Lawsuit Is Rachel Leviss’ Lawyer’s Brother

Not surprising that he backpedaled. Dude. Cut Sandoval loose already.

Tom Schwartz Deletes Tom Sandoval Birthday Post After Ariana Madix Lawsuit

👿 The Internet Is Evil…

This is exactly what I hate about the internet. I can’t fathom what’s in people’s heads to justify this sort of behavior. I don’t care if she’s the freaking Elephant Man. There’s just no reason for it. The only conclusion I can come to is that they hate themselves and are taking it out on someone who is making the most of what they have and doing well with it.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1404738/my-big-fat-fabulous-life-star-whitney-way-thore-reveals-the-cruel-insults-that-led-to-panic-attacks

💒 Cringing In Plathville…

This was just so uncomfortable. As usual, he whined and she was stone cold, her big blue eyes filled with tears.

Welcome to Plathville’s Season 6 Trailer Teases Ethan and Olivia Plath Reunion Following Split

Seriously, I was shifting around in my chair.

https://people.com/welcome-to-plathville-recap-ethan-plath-pleads-with-olivia-to-make-it-work-8679099

🦍 Furred and Feathered Fringes Of Fame…

All I can think of when I see things like this is the woman who got her face ripped off by the pet chimp. By no means does this make the chimp bad. He’s just being the animal he is and proving he is not a pet, but belongs in the wild or a sanctuary. Tiger King was eye-opening, as well as trainwreck entertaining, so I’ll be watching this for sure.

https://people.com/tonia-haddix-subject-of-tiger-king-director-new-series-chimp-crazy-8678996

An interesting tributary.

https://people.com/pets/alan-cumming-missing-chimpanzee-costar-found-moved-to-rescue/

🦜 Hottest new couple.

https://people.com/zoo-tries-to-save-endangered-macaw-species-with-love-match-8679024

🤷🏽‍♀️ Summer Of Ambiguity…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and less than nine oranges in a bowl. Until then, stay safe, stay steering away from political discussion at get togethers of all kinds (my neighbor recently had a near fistfight at a family party), and stay knowing that the people who love you and want what’s best for you can still be wrong. Even if they’re right, nobody learns from the right decisions.