Please don't eat the daisies

A stroll to the dark side, a reversal of fortune, a bombshell marriage, and a cute little puppy should have made for an exciting week, but betrayal, explosive secrets, and conflicting messages sprinkled down like acid rain and withered away some of the fun.

I'd like to start with a little public service reminder about pet adoption. Despite the show's surprisingly cavalier view on the issue, it's not something that should ever be taken lightly. Whether you adopt a pet from an animal rescue, shelter, or reputable breeder, please remember that you are taking responsibility for an innocent life.

I have two dogs -- both rescues -- and my family is committed to giving them the best life possible because they each had a very difficult start in life and were thrown away.

It's for that reason that I was truly disappointed with Franco's decision to surprise Nina with an adorable little puppy named Daisy and then watch him pass that precious puppy around town like an unwanted hot potato. It broke my heart because that's how one of my dogs ended up cast aside and tied to a tree all day.

So, please, do the right thing and don't adopt unless you know that you can give that animal a forever home where it will be cherished and well cared for.

Jason annoyed me more than anyone else on this issue because not only was it very high-handed of him to make a decision for Liz without hesitation, but he really was an ass for rejecting little Daisy outright simply because she was a gift from Franco. I could never have crushed my child's joy the way Jason did Jake's by so callously saying no. Franco didn't make Jason look bad -- Jason did that all on his own.

The writers forget that many of us have seen Audrey's house -- even her back and front yards -- during Liz's teenage years, so we know it's a big home with plenty of room for a puppy -- even with Liz and her three sons in residence. Jason should have consulted Liz before making that decision because she had custody of Jake, and Jake is in a very precarious place emotionally these days.

That said, it appears Franco is backsliding into crazy, which has the potential to spice things up as long as the writers don't have him go too far. I don't mind Franco stirring up a bit of trouble, but I don't want him to turn homicidal, kidnap people, and plant bombs under them. Jason and Sam's reunion has turned boring because everything has fallen nicely back into place for them, and it's been nothing but sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns since. They need someone to shake them up and give them a storyline. Franco is the perfect adversary for them, provided Franco limits his misdeeds to mind games and doesn't actually harm anyone.

I have to admit, it was getting a bit tedious seeing Franco being Jason's doormat and taking the constant hostility and animosity like a whipping boy. It was unfair because, whether Jason wants to admit it or not, Franco did recognize that Jake was in trouble long before either Jason or Liz did. More importantly, Franco has a genuine connection with Jake and has helped him quite a lot. I don't expect Jason to embrace Franco with open arms, but I do wish Jason would be more civil and less angry.

Contrary to what Sonny and Carly said at the close of Friday's show, I think Jason is far more like his old self than ever. The sweet, almost carefree Jake Doe is fading away, and the stubborn and intense Jason Morgan is once again emerging.

I'm assuming the hooded figure who shadowed Jason and Sam then spied on them as they canoodled in the barn was Franco -- based on the altercation between Franco and Jason at the hospital, Franco's remark about needing a worthy opponent, and the muddy boots that Franco was sporting when he arrived home. I honestly don't mind if it is, but it was creepy for him to watch Jason and Sam hook up -- twice.

As frustrated as I was with Jason this week, he did score major points when he made it clear to Sonny that he wanted no part of the mob. I don't believe Sonny's denials about trying to lure Jason back because Sonny kept asking Jason to protect Michael, not just talk to him. I believe Sonny's concern for Michael is real, but my gut tells me that a part of Sonny is hoping Jason will pick up where he left off before Faison shot Jason on the pier. Therefore, I was delighted when Jason reminded Sonny that Michael was a grown man and capable of making his own choices and left it at that.

Of course, Jason's next action was to run down to the police station to pay Michael a visit. That sound you hear is Jason being slowly sucked back into Sonny's world.

Speaking of choices, this week Franco and Nina decided to call it quits when they acknowledged that they had fundamentally different views about parenthood and that it would eventually drive them apart. I was crushed as I watched those heartbreaking scenes as Nina struggled to hold onto the relationship and Franco gently helped her let go because I truly believe that Franco and Nina are perfect for each other in every single other way. However, I was proud of them for being mature about their situation by deciding to part ways amicably rather than drawing it out and growing to resent each other.

The demise of Franco and Nina's relationship made me that much more nervous for Maxie and Nathan, especially since Maxie is like a dog with a bone when it comes to Claudette.

What baffles me about this storyline is why Nathan, who loves and wants to spend the rest of his life with Maxie, doesn't trust her enough to keep his deepest, darkest secrets. I want Nathan and Maxie to emerge from this stronger than ever, but I can't see that happening unless Nathan opens up to Maxie before Sam digs up the truth.

I'm not sure what Nathan did that could possibly land him in Pentonville, but I'm pretty sure that Alexis, Diane, Ric, or Scott could get him off. If people like Carlos, Sonny, Ava, and Julian can walk free then Nathan should get a ticker-tape parade out of the courthouse. Nathan actually is one of the good guys, which I realize can sometimes be confusing when you have people like Paul and Janice running the town and men like Sonny apprehending criminals.

Also befuddling was Kristina's reaction to being asked out by a guy she just met -- at a mental health care facility, no less. What happened to her struggle to figure out her sexual identity? One minute she's talking about being gay, and the next she's agreeing to go out with a stranger who paid her a couple of compliments. Does she even know his name?

At the very least, I expected Kristina to be hesitant about it being a date and to suggest that she and the guy get to know each other a little first.

My least favorite scene of the week was Julian using Alexis to get information about the eyewitness and passing that information along to Hammer with instructions to take care of the witness. Is Helena's curse on Sam and her loved ones coming true? I hope not.

My favorite scene this week was when Alexis turned the tables on Molly when Molly showed up to lecture Alexis about representing Carlos. I love Molly, but sometimes -- scratch that -- a lot of times, she can be quite sanctimonious. Alexis pulling out the dagger that Helena had used to slit Alexis' mother's throat to show Molly a tangible reminder of what pure evil is was both chilling and effective.

Meanwhile, Hayden and Curtis claim that they have proof that Nikolas tried to have Hayden killed. The viewing audience, as well as Liz and Laura, know what Nikolas did, but Hayden and Curtis don't actually have evidence. At best, the ballistics test proves that Shawn's gun didn't fire the bullet that nearly killed Hayden. Curtis would need to find a paper trail leading to the hit man and the hit man's gun to prove that Nikolas put a hit on Hayden.

All Hayden and Curtis have is a theory and tainted evidence, since the bullet was not collected by the police or surgeons, and Shawn's gun was removed from the evidence room for testing, which broke the chain of custody.

Elsewhere, Carly is on a quest for answers because she is determined to find out where Josslyn's kidney came from.

It's always been my understanding that unless you receive an organ from a friend or loved one, both the donor and recipient are kept anonymous. If either party wants to contact the other, then they do so through the registry. However, release forms from both parties must be submitted for them to release any personal information.

I appreciate that Carly is concerned that Josslyn might have received the kidney from the black market, but if that's the case, then what good would it do anyone, especially Josslyn, knowing that perhaps some child was murdered or butchered to save Josslyn's life? These days, they can do extensive testing to determine if a person has a predisposition for a host of diseases, including cancer, so it seems unnecessary for Carly to be so worried about Josslyn's health that she's willing to possibly do more harm than good by digging for answers.

Answers are one thing that Michael is lacking about Sabrina. I don't really trust Carlos' claims that he and Sabrina are married because Carlos likes to push buttons, and he sees Michael as the competition. I want to believe that it was simply a tactic to get Michael to stop looking for Sabrina because Carlos knows that Sabrina would happily rekindle things with Michael if Michael expressed an interest.

Then again, Sabrina tends to be an idiot when it comes to Carlos, and I can see her martyring herself by marrying him for their child's sake. If she did that, then I hope she stays wherever she is because this is the 21st century, and parents don't have to be married to give their child a good life and stable upbringing. The last time I saw Sabrina, she was not in love with Carlos -- she was still in love with Michael.

Finally, I'm happy that Monica is back in charge of the hospital, but I don't want Liesl to go away because I enjoy Liesl a lot. Ideally, they will have Monica and Liesl run the hospital together because I have a feeling that Monica is going to end up regretting that she gave Finn a job. I don't know if the mention of the missing pills is a red herring or a sign that Finn has been helping himself to the pharmaceuticals on the tenth floor, but I do know that anyone who insists on complete autonomy in a hospital lab is generally up to no good and hiding something.

Did Sam forget that Jason and Franco are, in fact, related? Their mothers, Susan and Heather, were first cousins.

Speaking of Sam, is she under the impression that the barn she and Jason spent the night in is a bed and breakfast that she and Jason can visit anytime they want to get away? The fresh straw and the sound of the rooster crowing indicate that it's on someone's property, and they might not take too kindly to two strangers using the barn as a love shack.

Hayden wants to take money from ELQ to repay the investors her father bilked through an elaborate Ponzi scheme, but what about the ELQ investors? Why should they pay for Hayden's father's sins?

I loved Tracy's silk headscarf mainly because it's the first time that I've seen someone leave the hospital after brain surgery who actually looks like they had brain surgery. Usually they slap a bulky bandage on the patient's forehead and send them out the door with perfectly coiffed hair.

As the mother of a nineteen-year old daughter, I found this exchange amusingAlexis: "Hi, honey. Did you come to do your laundry?"Molly: "No. I came to ask why you're defending Carlos Rivera." Alexis: "Hello, Molly."Molly: "The man who took T.J. hostage. The man who shot Kristina's father -- my uncle -- and put him in wheelchair. I know you must have a compelling reason to take his case, and I want to hear what it is. I'm hoping to have a good conversation with you about this like an adult. I'm being an adult about this, an angry adult." Alexis: "Fair enough."Molly: "But you should know, no matter what you're thinking of telling me, there is no way you can spin this."Alexis: "So, I see that you've already had a conversation about this with yourself."

Ava makes a good point when she talks to Julian about his assurancesAva: "I just saw Kiki. And she said that she would rather stay with Franco and Nina than come home with me. And Avery is still with Sonny and Carly. I can't bring my girls home until I know it's safe."Julian: "Well, I've told you I've taken care of any issues with the organization."Ava: "You said that before, and then my bed became a grave for little animals! I need to be certain."Finn gives Carly an update on TracyFinn: "Hi. May I have a table for one, please?"Carly: "Table for one? You getting a late start to your day?"Finn: "No. Already started and finished."Carly: "Oh?"Finn: "Tracy's been cured, and she's being released back into the wild today."Carly: "Congratulations. And woe to the rest of us."

I often talk about the great messages and thoughts that readers share. This week, I wanted to include some of them in the column!

GH barely has a budget so ANYTHING outside of those nasty cardboard sets is an improvement even if its chain linked fences and weeds! -- Chunkles

As great as it was to see Jason return control of ELQ to the Quartermaines, my enjoyment was dampened by Michael's sycophantic and inexplicable kissing of Sonny's ass. I couldn't believe Michael felt compelled to reassure his father's murderer that his return to his position as CEO of ELQ wouldn't affect their relationship, and I think I threw up in my mouth a little when he practically apologized for changing his name to Quartermaine, and promised that would never happen again. That was certainly barf-worthy! -- Scrimmage

Paul is so damn slimy and I can't wait until he get's his comeuppance. I have no idea how Julian is going to get out of this, but I hope he has some stuff up his sleeve that wrecks Paul and Carlos. -- Stacy Logan

Now, I turn the spotlight on you, dear readers. Please, share your thoughts about the show in the comments section below. I love reading what everyone has to say.

Until next time, take care.Liz Masters

What are your thoughts on General Hospital? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.