Daily Updates

General Hospital Update for Monday, 19-Jun-2000

Well, lah-de-dah. Let's get to it...

1) Helena and Lucky are standing on the docks, but unlike the Lucky of just a few (soap time) moments ago, this one is docile and practically bowing and scraping before his "Queen". Yes, that's right, Helena has pulled out that old "Always protect your queen" thingie, and it's worked its charm. Young Master Spencer is as pliable in the old woman's hands as Andreas after a tankard of port...anyway, they don't get quite that close, because Nik interrupts them, yelling at his gran to get away from his brother.

2) And just in case we'd forgotten about the stunning bait-and-switch the writers are playing with Stefan's death storyline (*rolls eyes*), we're treated to a shot of the very much alive man himself, sitting comfortably in a rather ornate room, reading newspapers. The rag from Port Chuck is handed to him, and he laughs maniacally at the front page, where Luke's face is emblazoned beside an article saying that he killed Stefan. Mr Cassadine's plan is falling into place quite nicely...

3) Meanwhile, Chloe and Ned are running into resistance at Wyndemere, resistance in the form of Mrs Lansbury. The faithful servant won't let them gawk about the house unless they have the permission of a family member--permission that Alexis readily grants as she strides in, freshly returned from Greece...with no news of Stefan.

4) Felicia is crying. Man, these women who end up with Luke...anyway, as she blubbers, she remembers moments with her departed lover, then brokenly and melodramatically wishes him good luck. I'd cry, but wouldn't you know it, I had that really expensive surgery on my tear ducts the other day...

5) Also connected to The Old Master Spencer, Laura demands that Roy take her to see her husband. Roy tries to make excuses, knowing full well that Filly should still be there, but Laura has none of it, and they leave to go to Luke.

6) And now, the answer to the cliffhanger we've all been waiting for--what will Hannah say to AJ's invite to the Nurses' Ball?? Well--she says no. And then they joke about drunken dancers. Fun is had by all...

7) Carly's not having any more luck with getting Sonny to take her to the Ball; he believes it's too soon after the baby's death, and having to be cheerful in a big group of people who, let's face it, will be judging them both rather mercilessly, would not be the Good Fun she thinks it will be. He tells her how he felt going to the Ball so soon after Lily's death, but she counters with that good old strength thing again. Unfortunately, he remains unmoved, and reiterates his position--they're not going.

8) Bobbie breezes into Kelly's with some inane question about Roy being back from the travel agency (methinks I dost smell a cover story!), but she doesn't get much beyond the bare bones of her story with Tammy before AJ moseys on over to whine about the happy family times he, Carly, and Michael had. (Pardon me while I smack him upside the head; this is Carly's *mother* he's complaining to, for gawd's sake! Grow a brain, junior.) Bobbie is decidedly unimpressed, and tells him to skedaddle; AJ proclaims his soberness, then goes on with the usual tiresome comments about unfairness and Big Bad Mobster 'n' Moll. Le sigh.

9) Over at Wyndemere, Chloe is having no luck finding rooms that match the one she dreamed Stefan "died" in. She recaps her nighttime adventure for Ned and Alexis (not to mention us short-term-memory audience members), then starts debating Luke's guilt in the matter. Alexis, bless her heart, doesn't believe Luke did it, and places the blame squarely on Helena's shoulders. Ned tries to reassure her that things will straighten out, but she brushes him off; she sends Ned and Chloe out, then sits behind Stefan's desk, pondering the situation and trying to hold herself together.

10) More reassurance is to be had as Helena tries to placate Nikolas, with Lucky looking on silently. Nik, however, won't be allayed, and accuses his gran of the murderous deed. She gently berates him while denying all culpability--but Nik is still angry, and tells her that if she's trying to pit him and Lucky against each other, he won't fall for it. Helena, ever-unflappable, is defended by--yes, by Lucky, who is back to standing with the Cassadine matriarch against his own father. Surprise, surprise. Silently gloating, Helena leaves the two boys to themselves.

11) When Roy and Laura reach the safehouse, Felicia is still there--a little more composed, but still sad over Luke leaving. Of course, Laura puts things together and immediately throws down the gauntlet, which Filly more than readily picks up. The bitchfest begins, with Roy tactfully trying to keep the two women from actually getting to the slapping-and-claws stage. Accusations of blame are tossed willy-nilly, with Laura naming Mac and Felicia as the ones in the wrong, and Filly naming Laura--no one else. At that point Laura launches herself at Luke's mistress, and Roy has to thrust himself bodily between them so that no one gets hurt. Filly, knowing that Laura could take her in an all-out match, retreats up the stairs and away, leaving Laura to collapse into tears and admit that maybe she *is* partly to blame for Luke and Stefan's hatred of each other. (Gee, ya think?) She then asks Roy if Luke did indeed do the deed.
Roy assures her that he did not.

12) Nik and Lucky have suddenly switched places in their own blame wars; now Nik is giving Luke the benefit of the doubt, while attacking Helena. Liz, who happens upon the discussion, hides and eavesdrops, and hears Lucky comment on bringing whomever was responsible to justice--especially if it was his father. Nik replies that they had wanted to stay out of their parents battles--at which point Liz makes herself known, and defends Lucky. The man himself, fully under Helena's control again, steps clear of the argument and again advocates all that is Nik to Liz. Distraught, Nik hardly notices, and heads off to Wyndemere, leaving the truly odd couple alone. Liz immediately starts in on the "what's wrong with you?" tack, but Lucky brushes her off, again telling her that she should be standing by Nik, not him.

13) AJ is still being tiresome about his rights as a father to Bobbie, who is having none of it. She reams him out over the stairs incident, tells him to leave Michael alone, then huffs away; taking a cue from her boss, Tammy makes AJ leave.

14) Meanwhile, Carly and Sonny are still debating the Ball. Carly pulls out the sympathy plea she knows will get her the farthest, and says that since she wants to get out of the house and away from her depression, why shouldn't she? Sonny starts to waver--then shuts her down again, at which point she pulls out the big gun: Stone. Doesn't Sonny owe it to him to go? Sonny protests once more, saying that the Ball will only remind him of who's not there--to which Carly responds, okay then, I'll go by myself. What do you think Sonny says to that? Yup--hell no. But with a little more emotional manipulation--a tactic that Sonny picks up on *real* easily--he caves, more out of curiosity than an actual desire to go, I think. This makes Carly *very* happy, and she immediately bounces out to go buy a dress.

15) Liz picks up on the wierdness that has become Lucky, and asks him if something happened. The boy is cool once more, however, and reiterates the same old crap about being different now, and wanting her to find happiness with Nik. Liz is completely flummoxed, and reminds him that a short time ago, he *kissed* her--to which he responds that he wishes he hadn't. With that parting cruelty, he leaves.

16) Alexis is still sitting alone in Stefan's office when Nik arrives, distraught and angry with himself over how he treated his uncle when he was alive. The Cassadine estate is yelled over a bit, as well as feelings of guilt about how important it was to Stefan. Poor lil' prince feels bad...aww.

17) Hannah has returned to Kelly's and greets Taggert enthusiastically. They flirt, and Taggert--charmer that he is--invites her to...work at the station?!? Oddly enough, she doesn't seem to mind, and agrees...but only if he'll take her to the Nurses' Ball later. In another part of the room, Liz rushes in and tries to bury herself in her work--but Tammy oh-so-astutely notices that something's wrong, and asks her about it.

18) Alexis comforts Nik as much as she can, then discusses the possibility of Luke's involvement with her nephew. After the obligatory mention of the Spencer/Cassadine war and the supposition that Helena had something to do with it instead, Laura makes an appearance, is motherly to Nik--and then loudly proclaims Luke's innocence.

19) Off in that well-decorated room he's stashed himself in, Steffi toasts himself with a glass of something expensive: "To a successful death." You know you're nuts when...

20) Felicia finds herself wandering the docks--but unfortunately, so does Mac, who immediately starts in on her about Luke again. Filly complains about the wrongness that is inherent to the whole situation, but Mac simply restates the question he asked her earlier--if Luke contacts her, would she let Mac know?

21) Hannah accepts Taggerts invite, and he is relieved. He had thought that, since she'd gone with Sonny last year, there might be unpleasant memories for her at this year's Ball; with a smile and a little more flirting, Hannah allays his fears, and they exit for their date at the station. A moment later, Ned and Chloe wander in, still discussing the possibility of tracking down the room from her dream. Ned has a radical suggestion in this regard--have another dream! Over at the counter, Tammy listens as Liz goes over the change in Lucky--from intimate to casual acquaintance, in a heartbeat. Unbeknownst to them, the man himself is spying through the window; after a moment, however, he turns and runs away.

22) Laura tells Nikolas that she thinks that Stefan might not even be dead; she can "feel his spirit still on earth". (Ahem. HUH?!?) Nik rehashes his regrets, then is distracted by Mrs Lansbury, who announces that a reporter is at the door wanting a soundbite. He goes to take care of it, leaving his mother and his aunt alone. Alexis takes the opportunity to royally berate Laura for the inappropriatness of her timing in regards to her feelings for Stefan; Laura only loves Stefan when it's convenient for her, and when it's not, she drops him cold. The two women glare at one another.

23) Felicia avoids Mac's question yet again by saying that an answer won;t mean anything if he doesn't trust that she'll tell the truth. She turns on the tears again, and swears that she'll never leave her girls again. Boo-hoo, and sob.

24) Roy tracks Bobbie down in her bedroom, where they discuss Luke, AJ, and the alibi she established for Roy at Kelly's (I was right!). After that, they fall on the bed and do that rabbit impersonation they've got so good at.

25) Returning from her shopping trip, Carly is in a great mood--but she refuses to show Sonny her dress. She brags about it, though, and pulls out her brand new handbag--as Sonny is generally unimpressed by women's accessories, he listens in bemusement, then beats a hasty retreat before she can show him the matching earrings and pumps. Alone, Carly reiterates what she just told Sonny about the bag--it will hold everything she needs. (Cue ominous music.)

Next episode: Nurses Ball, Nurses Ball, Nurses Ball. Gee, d'you think it's coming up soon or something?