Gaslights, whiskey flasks, and the boy (and girl) that cried (were)wolf

The truth is a funny thing in Port Charles. Ava told the truth about Nikolas, but no one believed her. Brad was honest about an anonymous sext, but Lucas doubted him. Why be honest if you're accused of crying (were)wolf? Find out the truth -- we promise! -- in the latest General Hospital Two Scoops commentary.

My dark prince has arisen; Nikolas Mikhail Starvosovich Cassadine is back!

Not that I ever really had any doubt. Nikolas' story was far from over, and there was no body. Everyone knows that on a soap opera, a lack of definitive proof of death means a "return from the dead" storyline down the road. You just have to be patient.

So, no, I never truly believed that Nikolas was dead, but I am a bit bummed that it's not Tyler Christopher reprising the role. He was always my favorite incarnation of the Cassadine heir apparent.

Not to say that I'm disappointed with Marcus Coloma. I'm not. But he hasn't done much beyond scare Ava into Shadybrook, kiss her forehead (I didn't imagine that, did I?), and then make an appearance in Jax's home to greet his cohorts. He definitely has the look of Nikolas, and he's in the right age range, so that's good. Time will tell if he does the character justice, but I have a good feeling because he's new to daytime but not the acting world.

Nikolas has always been one of my favorites, so Marcus will have his work cut out for him. Good luck, sir. I'm rooting for ya.

Hopefully, we will get some answers on Monday about how Nikolas ended up surviving the point-blank gunshot wound, falling from a second story balcony, and teaming up with Jax and Hayden. I'm also interested to know if Nikolas managed to get his hands on Helena's portrait when he erased the security tapes in Ava's gallery. Most of all, I'm curious if Nikolas' return means that Spencer will be making his way back home to take his rightful place at his father's side.

Based on the law of averages and Valentin's comment about Spencer being a young man not a child, I'm fairly certain that when we next see Spencer, he will be recovering from a recent case of SORAS (Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome) and looking more like his peers who are aging in dog years compared to him. It will be interesting to see him interact with Josslyn and the "townies," so I look forward to Spencer ditching school in Europe and shaking things up in Port Charles.

I realize that Brad is gaslighting Lucas, but why does Lucas have to look so darn paranoid?

Obviously, Lucas has reason to be concerned that something is up with Brad, but why immediately leap to cheating? Sure, Brad has a shady past, but Lucas' paranoia regarding the flowers seemed rather overblown. I didn't think that Lucas was the jealous type. Brad is the insecure one with a tendency to leap to the worst possible conclusion, which invariably leads to all of his poor choices and legal woes.

People send flowers all the time for all kind of reasons, so one random bouquet from an unknown person is no reason to get as bent out of shape as Lucas was, even if Brad had recently called out Michael's name in his sleep. As we saw, the nightmare wasn't about a lover, so why would Lucas go there? Brad sounded terrified not breathless when he cried out in his sleep.

The only truly disconcerting thing that Brad has done to indicate a possible lover is change the password on his phone, which was stupid on Brad's part if he and Lucas freely shared each other's phones. Brad should have known that would be an issue, so I'm not sure why he did that, knowing that Lucas regularly used his phone. Deleting Liesl's messages should have been enough, unless the suggestion is that Lucas regularly snoops through Brad's messages, which brings me right back to my first question.

Not that it matters anymore because receiving a photo of a naked guy is pretty compelling evidence that someone might be straying.

Granted, the man behind those flowers and the text is Julian rather than a secret lover, but let's be honest, cheating would be far preferable to the truth, so Brad's betrayal runs far deeper than Lucas can possibly imagine. It's for that reason that I really don't think that Julian is doing a bad thing by trying to drive Lucas and Brad apart. Do I wish Julian would just tell Lucas the truth? Yup, I sure do, but Brad made that impossible by threatening to claim that Julian had known the truth about Wiley from the beginning because Brad is a coward and doesn't want to face the wrath of Sonny alone.

Brad deserves everything that he gets and more. Not only is he a kidnapper, liar, and coward, but Brad is spiteful. He'd rather Lucas lose everything, including his father, than take full responsibility for his own actions. Julian had nothing to do with the kidnapping. He believed Brad's lie that some homeless woman gave Brad her newborn, so I'm completely over Brad, and a part of me hopes that Sonny will take him out to the Pine Barrens.

Sadly, I suspect that it will be Julian who pays a steeper price. Lucas won't care that Julian was lied to just as much as Lucas was and that Brad was blackmailing Julian into remaining silent and even tried to pressure Julian to kill people to keep the secret buried. Julian is trying to free his son of a man who thinks murder is a solution, has lied consistently throughout their relationship, and who exposed Lucas to a possible charge as an accomplice in kidnapping. Brad is an idiot to think that Julian wouldn't take action.

Lucas needs to be free of Brad, and if it takes Julian framing Brad for cheating, then so be it. At this point, I'd root for Nelle to get out of jail if it meant an end to Brad's lies.

Whereas Brad is one of the worst things about GH, Cameron Webber is one of the best.

I love Cameron, and lately, he's one of my favorite things about the show. William Lipton is talented beyond words, and he has chemistry with everyone. It's only a matter of time before Hollywood comes a-knockin'. I've seen plenty of movie stars get their start on soaps, and Will has that same je ne sais quoi as Brad Pitt (Chris, Another World), Leonardo DiCaprio (Mason Capwell, Santa Barbara), Kevin Bacon (Tim "T.J." Werner, Guiding Light), and others have had.

This week, Cam decided to drown his sorrows during the school's Halloween dance on the Haunted Star with some booze stolen from Sonny's liquor trolley. Josslyn joined in on the fun, and she, too, got soused. Cam had used a plastic bottle of Coke as a flask, so the adults were oblivious to what was going on until Dustin and Lulu took time out from locking lips to notice the kids stumbling around.

My heart breaks for Cam. I'm a Friz (Franco and Liz) fan, but I want Franco back for Cam's sake more than anyone's. Cam loves his stepfather, and Franco, without hesitation, was willing to put his very life on the line for Cam. That's more than any other man has done for Cam.

Folks, I remember Zander Smith. I was never a fan of his. He was self-destructive and vindictive, and he had a habit of acting before thinking things through. I didn't have much sympathy for him by the time he committed suicide-by-cop, and I recall thinking that Zander had taken the selfish way out. I was also a Liaison (Liz and Jason) fan, so I never really forgave Zander for his role in driving them apart.

Through the years, Ric Lansing, Lucky Spencer, A.J. Quartermaine, and even Jason have all proven themselves to be men who were only there for Cam as long as things were good with Elizabeth. At the first sign of trouble, each man bailed on Cam despite promises made. It was disappointing because a romantic relationship isn't necessary to be a father figure to a fatherless child. Lucky is the worst offender by far because he not only abandoned Cam, but he also turned his back on Jake and Aiden, too. Video calls do not make you a parent, and to my knowledge, that is the only contact that Lucky has had with the boys since leaving Port Charles behind.

That's why I really want Franco to get his memories back. It's not about reconnecting with Liz, which I think will happen once Kim gets her clingy, needy self out of town and to a therapist. It's about Cam, Jake, and Aiden having a father figure who actually stays.

I realized during Kim and Franco's scenes following the judge's ruling that Kim is actively trying to keep Franco from remembering his life with Liz. That's why Kim told him that he owes Liz nothing, not even a proper goodbye with his family then urged him to hit the road with her as soon as possible for their new beginning. Perhaps, on some level, Kim recognizes that "Drew" is already slipping away.

Franco was subjected to the memory mapping for all of a few minutes, and by everyone's account, it had not been completed. That's why Franco was unable to help Jason when he came to him with questions about Drew and Peter. By contrast, Drew underwent the complete procedure, yet a few years later, he was beginning to have memories break through. Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but I really do see more of Franco's personality traits in FrankenDrew than I do Drew's.

That brings me to Franco wearing Drew's Navy dress uniform to court.

Folks, my great-grandfather fought in WWI for the United States shortly after immigrating from Czechoslovakia. Both of his sons, including my grandfather, fought in WWII. My grandfather was in the Navy, and he proudly wore his uniform in his wedding picture with my grandmother. I have friends who have served in the various branches of the Armed Forces, and I know kids that my children grew up with who are currently serving. To me, a military uniform is sacred. It's certainly not a prop, and I would think that someone who spent his life serving his country would recognize that.

FrankenDrew claims that he understands that his memories were put into a body that is not his own, yet he fails to recognize that the same body never served a day in the military. I don't think a real service member would have exploited their uniform in that manner, and I applauded Liz for calling FrankenDrew out on it.

Also, why isn't anyone telling FrankenDrew how Franco saved Drew from a sexual predator who had set his sights on preschool Drew? Why does Drew not remember that or ask why Betsy had dropped him off at an orphanage? Maybe then FrankenDrew will realize that he, too, owes Franco at least the opportunity to get to know Franco's family. They were brothers for a time, which the real Drew had recognized.

I find it strange that FrankenDrew has no real interest in what is supposed to be his own history.

When it comes to history, Jordan could use a lesson or two in T.J.'s because she made zero sense to me with her objections to T.J. proposing to Molly. She loves Molly, but she thinks that T.J. should expand his horizons to make sure that Molly is the one for him? Really? Curtis accused Jordan of projecting, but that's because he loves her and doesn't want to tell her that her costume's headband was clearly wrapped too tight.

Molly isn't exactly the only girl that T.J. has dated. There was a young lady named Taylor Dubois who did everything in her power to woo T.J. away from Molly. For a time, it worked, but despite Rafe Kovich and Taylor's best efforts, the childhood sweethearts found their way back to each other. Dating others didn't end well for anyone, least of all the people they dated.

I also have an issue with Jordan's argument that T.J. and Molly are too young to get married. It should be about love not age (with the exception of minors). Not only are T.J. and Molly old enough to fight and die for their country, buy alcohol, and choose a path in life, but they've been living together for well over a year, which means that they are responsible enough to balance a household budget without killing each other. Also, they are happy together, despite school, heavy workloads, and each having a family filled with an assortment of lunatics and drama queens.

One of which is currently sitting in the hospital with symptoms of the flu and a nasty rash that looks suspiciously like shingles. Did Kendra sprinkle some chicken pox virus in the supplement? I thought it might be drugs, but surely Alexis would recognize the sensation of a drug-induced high. It makes sense that Kendra would expose Alexis to something harder to detect, although I had suspected something more like rat poison, not an illness.

Luckily, Alexis has Molly on her side. It won't be long before Molly starts to get suspicious of Kendra. Kendra is Levi Dunkleman all over again, and Molly has a nose for dubious people.

That brings me to Valentin and Nina.

Remember when Nina received that bottle of Champagne from Spencer? The one that she decided to keep rather than return. I recall at the end of the scene that Nina had picked that bottle of Champs up as her expression had turned reflective for several moments before a secret smile lifted the corners of her lips. I had wondered what that was all about, and now I think I might know.

After Nina's confrontation with Sasha during the Halloween bash, I'm convinced that Nina knows the truth about Valentin's role in Sasha's deception and that Nina's reconciliation with Valentin is part of a grander scheme to take him down as payback for breaking her heart. I'm not sure what Nina has planned, but she is definitely up to something because it's as clear as the nose on everyone's face that Valentin -- not some lame dead attorney -- was the driving force behind Sasha's scam.

There is no way that Nina believed the gobbledygook flowing out of Valentin's mouth when he urged her to drop the charges against Sasha. Valentin is nothing if not a vindictive man, so why wouldn't he want to punish Sasha for scamming the love of his life and interrupting his wedding to Nina? I also saw the way that Nina looked at Jax during the party, and that was not the look of a woman committed to the man at her side.

I almost feel sorry for Valentin. He's about to get his just deserts from several people.

This week, Finn finally met his daughter, and what a beautiful child Violet is. Goodness, casting always picks the best kids. Violet is as sweet as she is gorgeous, and Jophielle Love has a natural talent that is quite impressive for a child that young. I look forward to seeing Finn as a father, but I fear that it spells doom for his relationship with Anna.

I love Hayden, but all I heard from her were excuses -- and selfish ones at that -- for ripping Finn's heart out and absconding with his child.

It's very magnanimous of Hayden to tell Finn that he can be whatever he wants to Violet, but that is not -- nor has it ever been -- her call to make. It's not a "possession is nine-tenths of the law" thing. Fathers have equal rights, and it's for Finn to assert them not for Hayden to give her permission.

What Hayden did was wrong, and she really will have no one to blame if Finn decides to sue for full custody because he doesn't trust Hayden not to take off in the middle of the night with their daughter. I would prefer that he not do that, but I would certainly understand if he did. However, Finn is obviously still in love with Hayden, so it's just a matter of time before these two find their way back to each other.

Finally, thank you, everyone, for the prayers and well-wishes for my dog, Hazel. I'm so grateful that everyone took the time to think of her. Sadly, the news was not good. The biopsy confirmed that Hazel does have cancer. I'm absolutely devastated, but I'm also determined to make certain that what time she has left is spent living life to the fullest. I will post periodic updates on Twitter, if anyone is interested. Until then my little stinker is busy recovering from her surgery and doing quite well. They were able to get most of the tumor, which gave her tremendous relief.

Bravo, GH! I loved all of the costumes this year. My favorite was Ava's Cruella de Ville from 101 Dalmatians. Chase's Buzz Lightyear and Willow's Woody from Toy Story were a close second. I also enjoyed Curtis as Sherlock Holmes (very apropos) as well as Dustin and Lulu's Bert and Mary Poppins.

That supplement drink that Alexis swills is just putrid looking, and the container still reads vanilla! Alexis is on her third or fourth container at this point, so she deserves to be poisoned if she's that unobservant.

How utterly predictable; Dev has a crush on Josslyn. Quick, someone, loan Dev a copy of Wuthering Heights because it's not going to end well for him. I'm glad that he rejected Trina because she deserves to be someone's first choice not second.

Why are Danny and Scout with Monica while their mother is in jail? Jason is Danny's father and Scout's uncle. I understand wanting to keep the kids together, but I thought that Jason and Sam were officially a couple. Wouldn't it be better for the kids to be at home and for Danny to be with one of his parents while mommy is in jail? Come on, Jason, even Bambi's father stepped up to the plate when the forest caught fire.

MK is a welcome addition to the canvas for me. I hope to see more of him, and not just in legal work. I wonder if he would have chem with Finola Hughes???? Because Anna needs someone who can sizzle with her, and that's not Finn. -- Trudy

I loved that line said by Jon Lindstrom/Ryan:"I don't know what the warden was thinking. We were not suited for each other." (Isn't it what every viewer was thinking when he & Bryce were paired in the same cell? ) L0L -- WideAwake in Sleepy Eye

Ava made a good point about the downside of having no Death Penalty in New York State. A Serial Killer in Ryan's position is doubly dangerous because he knows he's got absolutely nothing to lose if he adds more victims to his personal body count, even while he's behind bars. What are they going to do to him? Slap him with ANOTHER life sentence? -- Scrimmage

I don't understand why Peter is framing Sam. Shiloh is dead and he was the only one who could rat Peter out for what he did with Helena. So why frame Sam? -- JMOM

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment below.

Take care and happy viewing,Liz Masters

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