United against a common enemy

The Quartermaine family continued to grow, karma found Julian in the form of Brook Lynn, and the townsfolk lined up on Sonny's doorstep to beg him to vanquish Cyrus, but the evil drug lord continued to wreak havoc. Kidnappings, blackmail, and a fallen hero were just a few of the things that rocked Port Charles and have our columnist ready to serve up Two Scoops of soapy goodness.

Wow, what a week! Actually, what a fantastic year we've had so far. Head writer Dan O'Connor has breathed new life into this show and made this soap fan eager to tune in each and every day. So much has been happening over the past few months, but nothing has been sweeter than Michael finally learning that Wiley is his son!

I've been impatiently waiting for this moment for nearly two years, and there were times when I feared that it wouldn't happen until Wiley grew up and stumbled upon the truth himself. For me, this couldn't have happened soon enough. From the very start, I hated that Brad had kept Wiley from Michael. As much as I love Lucas, I believed that he deserved so much better than a husband willing to steal a baby to save his marriage.

Lucas was right -- had Brad spoken up the following morning, once Brad had learned what a lunatic Nelle was and that Michael had done nothing to Nelle that she hadn't deserved, people probably would have understood that Brad had acted foolishly in the moment and forgiven him. But that's not what happened. Brad justified keeping Wiley by pointing his finger at Sonny's violent lifestyle, even though Lucas is Sonny's brother-in-law and a part of Sonny's life, too.

Nelle will always be far more of a threat to Wiley than Sonny's mob choices because Michael doesn't live with Sonny. He lives at the Quartermaine mansion, and I'm sure once Michael hears about Cyrus' latest move to use children to get to their parents, Michael will take stock of things because he now has Wiley to worry about. Will Michael continue to see Sonny as a "powerful businessman" or instead as someone who puts a target on his son's back?

Parenthood changes people, and there is a difference between what you think you'll be like as a parent and the reality of being one. To be honest, I want Michael to reevaluate things with Sonny for Wiley's sake. It seems that Carly only ever did that once her kids had paid a price, and then when the danger had passed and everything had settled back to normal, she found a way to forgive Sonny and convince herself that it wouldn't happen again. Except, it always does.

The bullet in Dev's backpack was only the latest example in a very long line of how Sonny's loved ones are impacted by Sonny's choices. I don't expect or even want Michael to cut Sonny out of his life, but I would like for Michael to draw a clear line between his life and Sonny's. Michael is a grown man now, and he has a child to safeguard, which I'm confident he will do.

I was a bit taken aback by Michael's insistence that poor Willow continue to have a significant role in Wiley's life. Don't get me wrong -- I love Willow, and I know that Michael's heart was in the right place, but I don't think that five seconds after learning about the switch was the right time to press Willow for promises because she's barely had time to process what has happened let alone how she feels about all of it. Plus, she's still recovering from a concussion and is far from clearheaded.

Sadly, I fear that Michael's request is going to return to haunt him because Willow spending time with Wiley while she's grieving for her baby has the potential to go sideways quickly, especially with Sasha and Michael trying to figure out if their relationship can survive instant parenthood. I'm not worried that Willow will hurt Wiley -- she would rather die than harm a hair on his head -- but it could definitely complicate things for Michael and Sasha. Then there's the crazy baby mama who will always pose a threat to anyone near Michael and Wiley as long as Nelle has breath left in her body.

We don't have to look far for an example. Willow's recent encounter with Nelle perfectly illustrates just how far Nelle is willing to go to get what she wants. There were moments that I truly feared Nelle would do the unthinkable, especially when she had her hands wrapped around Willow's throat. Luckily for Willow, there was only a book within reach for Nelle to clobber Willow with rather than something more lethal because I have no doubt Nelle would have killed Willow if given the chance. Nelle can spin her tale of woe all she likes, but there is no getting around the fact that she pushed her way into Willow's apartment and viciously assaulted her. Willow was not a danger to Wiley, so Nelle had no legal justification for her actions.

Additionally, Nelle had fake passports, which I'm pretty sure broke several federal laws. A person on parole can't leave town, much less the country, without permission from their parole officer, and they certainly can't do it under a false identity while kidnapping a child. Technically, Lucas and Brad remain Wiley's legal custodians, and Nelle most definitely did not have their permission to take Wiley on a trip under an assumed name.

I can't imagine that Nelle's story about Brad taking advantage of her will hold up once Liesl steps forward to reveal that she had delivered a healthy baby and that Nelle had most definitely been fully aware that her son was alive and well when Liesl and Nelle had parted ways. If Liesl is smart, she will make clear to Sonny that she will only testify against Nelle if Sonny promises to leave Liesl in peace for not speaking up sooner.

I don't think Nelle will have much luck persuading Martin to represent her, since he no longer has any incentive to help Nelle after she sold her shares of ELQ to Valentin. Of course, Nelle could try to blackmail Martin by telling the Q's that Valentin had bought the shares, but Martin would probably call her bluff. The passports won't help her, either, because Valentin would have been careful enough not to leave a trail that could trace them back to him. Nelle has proven time and again that she's willing to cut off her nose to spite her face when it comes to thwarting Michael, and Martin knows that.

However, sending Nelle off to jail isn't without peril because she could befriend Cyrus just as easily as she had Shiloh and Ryan. Nelle is an opportunist, and anyone who hates the Corinthos clan is a friend of hers.

That's why I'm hoping that Michael decides to give Wiley the Quartermaine surname rather than the Corinthos one. Not only because it would be safer for Wiley to grow up as a Quartermaine but also because we need more Quartermaines. Wiley is the youngest generation of the Q's and potentially the last heir to carry on the name. I also wish that Michael would go back to using the Quartermaine name because it seems wrong that a "Corinthos" is running ELQ.

While Michael basked in the joys of fatherhood, Sonny had the mayor, an old enemy, and the police commissioner lining up on his doorstep to request his help in dealing with their mutual enemy Cyrus.

Folks, I love Genie Francis. She is a soap opera icon and one of my favorite things about General Hospital. I thought it was absolutely fitting that Laura Webber Spencer Collins became the mayor of Port Charles. She is to Port Charles what Steve Hardy was to General Hospital. Laura and her family have saved that town more times than I can count, and now that Cyrus is trying to topple Sonny, she responded to the problem pragmatically. No ridiculous threats about leaving it to the police or Feds to handle or empty promises of throwing Sonny in jail if he retaliated. Laura has been down this road enough to know that the only way to deal with people like Cyrus is to do the unexpected.

In this case, that means Laura joining forces with Sonny. Taggert was of the same mind as Laura because he, too, swallowed his pride and went to Sonny, hat in hand, to suggest that they team up to take down their common foe. Jordan needed a little more convincing -- and Curtis siding with Taggert -- to see the light, but she, too, grudgingly agreed that working together might be in everyone's best interests.

Cyrus would never expect these enemies to band together, and that will be the key to taking Cyrus down. Unfortunately for the good people of Port Charles, that will not happen anytime soon because we recently learned that Cyrus has partners overseas. How much do you want to bet that Cassandra Pierce is one of them? Her body was never recovered after the explosion, but if not Cassandra, then definitely her killer because Valentin has decided to take a scorched earth approach to dealing with his problems. Teaming up with Cyrus would fit in nicely with those plans.

How long before Jordan and Taggert's dirty little secret about framing Cyrus is exposed and Mac is forced to take Jordan's badge? I'm sorry, but I don't think that would be the worst thing to happen to Jordan or the police department. Jordan isn't a very effective police commissioner, and she has a history of getting her hands dirty. Also, it really bugs me that Shawn Butler is sitting in Pentonville, rotting away for a crime that everyone knows he didn't commit, yet Jordan has done nothing about it.

Didn't Curtis, Jason, Sam, and Hayden all prove that Shawn's bullet landed in the wall at the garage the day that Hayden was struck by an assassin's bullet? Shawn pleaded guilty, and Hayden lived to tell the tale, so why is Shawn still doing time when Nelle was convicted of far worse years later and has already been paroled? Could Shawn have been the person that Sonny referenced when he told Jason that they had someone on the inside that could take Cyrus out?

I hope not because I like Shawn, and I don't want anything to happen to him, especially now when his son is reeling from Molly's rejection of T.J.'s marriage proposal.

Boy, did Molly channel her neurotic mother or what?

I have no doubt that Molly will ultimately come to her senses and marry T.J. because he's a wonderful guy who accepts all of Molly's quirks and foibles -- of which there are a surprising many -- and loves her unconditionally. Their love has stood the test of time and flourished, which is downright miraculous for relationships in real life let alone in the world of soap operas. If T.J.'s love, acceptance, and loyalty aren't enough to prove that he's perfect for Molly, he's intelligent, driven, hard-working, and a genuinely kind person. She couldn't ask for more from a life partner, and Molly will soon realize just how lucky she was to find her soul mate in her first love.

Sparks were flying over at the Webber-Baldwin household, too, as Franco and Liz celebrated their first anniversary with a really sweet treasure hunt that Franco had set up for his wife. The prize was a gift that shows just how much Franco gets Liz. It was a bunch of art supplies because he and the boys wanted to encourage her to get back to painting. There was a time that Liz had dreams of becoming a famous artist, and she even had a studio and an art show or two before she became a single mother then followed her beloved grandmother into nursing.

The only issue I had with the scene was the lack of follow-through. We got some steamy kisses and promising talk of taking it to the bedroom, but that's it. The next thing I knew, Liz was returning to the living room in her robe. I was a little disappointed because it seems that we haven't had a good hot love scene in ages, and showing a loving, married couple enjoying a healthy sex life should be a no-brainer.

That said, I am delighted that Franco and Liz are finally getting to enjoy being married, but not surprisingly, there is never a dull moment raising three boys. No sooner had Franco and Liz enjoyed some romantic time together after shipping Cameron and a stunning Trina off to their Midwinter Formal than Liz received a frantic text message from Cameron pleading for help because he had been kidnapped.

Me, I would probably have screamed, hyperventilated, screamed some more as I showed my husband the text message, then called 9-1-1. Uncontrollable crying might have also been thrown into the mix. However, Liz is a pro at this. Jake has been kidnapped on a regular basis since infancy, Aiden was abducted hours after his birth by Franco, and Cameron was recently snatched by Shiloh then strapped to a chair in preparation for a mad science experiment. Liz didn't panic; she called Jason.

I was stunned that Liz's first instinct was to call Jason, but then I reminded myself that it only proves what we've all known for ages -- Sonny and Jason are the real sheriffs in town. If there had been any doubt, it was eradicated when Jason showed up to save Cameron from a gunman's deadly bullet while Jordan was still standing on Liz's front stoop, asking Chase to get back to her with a list of Cyrus' known associates. Cameron would have died if Liz had left it up to Jordan to rescue the kids.

As Friday's episode drew to a close, Taggert passed out from his gunshot wound to the abdomen. Despite him spitting up blood, I'm fairly certain that Taggert will make it, mainly because it would be incredibly cruel to have Trina a witness to her father's fatal shooting, especially when he had ditched her earlier in the evening when she'd been taking pictures with her date.

Why didn't Taggert take a minute at the hospital to fire off a text message to his daughter that he'd been delayed with work? I felt so bad for Trina as she kept delaying leaving with Cameron because she was hoping for her dad to get there. It was the saddest thing.

Also, can we please meet Trina's mom? I want to know more about this mysterious Ms. Robinson that Taggert fathered a child with and how she ended up raising her daughter in Port Charles, a town that Taggert had left many years earlier.

Folks, I have to confess that as much as I would love to see Cameron finally get Josslyn's attention, I like the chemistry between him and Trina. At least Trina likes Cameron without him having to make grand gestures to get her attention, and Trina never takes him for granted. After their harrowing experience, Trina is going to need someone that she can lean on. Why should Josslyn have all the guys fawning over her? Trina is equally clever, beautiful, and available, and nothing against Josslyn, but Trina doesn't appear to have even a fraction of the baggage that Josslyn does, even with a dad shot trying to rescue her and her date from kidnappers.

Plus, I think it's clear where Josslyn's head is these days. All that journaling that she's been doing and the way that she perked up when she learned that Dustin Phillips -- the understanding teacher who recently saved her life -- would be at the dance. Josslyn has a crush on Dustin. I suspect that it stems partly from Dev's recent rejection, but mostly from losing Oscar. No doubt, the fact that Dustin is older and forbidden only adds to the excitement, which probably makes Josslyn feel alive.

Unfortunately, Josslyn is her mother's daughter, which means that Josslyn tends to take things too far. Will she cost Dustin his job? I hope not because I have no desire to see Dustin end up becoming involved in the mess that Brook Lynn has brewing with Julian and that sleazy music producer.

In a rather baffling twist, Brook Lynn, who was too stupid to let an attorney review a contract before signing it, somehow put a vague conversation that she overheard between Brad and Julian months ago together with Lucas' accident and deduced that Julian had known about Wiley and had tampered with the brakes on Brad's car. Naturally, Brook Lynn threatened to pitch her hypothesis to "Uncle Sonny" unless Julian did as she demanded. As much as I love Julian, I do not feel any pity for him. He brought this on himself, and we all know how karma is.

It seems almost inevitable that this will lead to angry sex between Julian and Brook Lynn at some point, which is not something that I relish happening.

It's not their age difference that bothers me, since both Julian and Brook Lynn are consenting adults, and Brook Lynn is in her 30s. My issue with these two is that I hate how Brook Lynn is always trying to take the easy way out of things, and even though everyone insists that she's a great singer, she can't really be that good if she still hasn't made it big with all the advantages that she's had. Not everyone is meant to be a big star, and I'm with Ned -- it's time for Brook Lynn to grow up and stop acting like she's sixteen going on twelve.

Sam should do the same and stop plotting to take down Delores the parole officer.

I get that Sam loves Jason, and Jason is the father of her son, but that doesn't give Sam the right to destroy someone's life for doing their job. Jason is a convicted felon with a very long criminal record, and Sam is out on parole. Sam agreed to the terms of her parole. Someone needs to make Sam understand that she's still paying her debt to society, and at least she gets to be home with her children while she does it.

This vendetta that Sam has makes Sam look petty and stupid. Also, Jasam (Jason and Sam) deserve better than being constantly pulled apart. It is not romantic; it's tedious. Jason and Sam have spent more time apart than they have together at this point. Stop making Delores the bad guy and have Sam save a ship of fools already, so she can earn a governor's pardon and get on with her life.

Did anyone else cringe when Cameron helped himself to a cookie from the cookie jar in Sonny and Carly's kitchen, take a bite, then put it back when Trina knocked it out of his hands? Yuck!

While we are on the topic of desserts, what a seriously yummy-looking slice of cake T.J. ordered to surprise Molly with when he proposed. I would have accepted the proposal because of the divine dessert alone.

Is there a hidden meaning to the stuffed badger displayed in Sonny's office at Pozullo's? It seems oddly out of place. I don't recall Sonny ever expressing a big interest in hunting, much less for badgers. How strange.

Valentin doesn't seem to pay for anything that he does. Charlotte cutting up Sasha's picture just proves that she is not right in the head. Sasha has publicly apologized and taken FULL responsibility for her and even Valentin's actions. Even Nina seems to be softening to her again, but Charlotte...not so much and for someone that young to behave like that is disturbing. -- moniemone1980

Sam's lack of self-awareness knows no bounds. She's sitting in Kelly's with bodyguards and lecturing Finn on keeping his daughter safe from Peter????? She's never been all that bright, but this is a new low, even for her. Would have loved how Finn put her in her place if I thought it registered at all. -- Ladysmom

Could someone please tell me what is it that Sonny deals with that is illegal? He needs the shipping docks for something, and I thought coffee was just a cover. He doesn't import drugs, so what is he doing that makes him so rich? Gun runner, (so much saintlier than drugs) smuggled diamonds, what??? -- Connie McKenzie

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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