Freebirds in Port Charles

Brando got his walking papers, Josslyn and Dev were released from lockdown, and Chase and Sasha cut their significant others loose. But freedom comes at a price in Port Charles. Buckle up -- it's time to escape into the exciting world of our beloved soap with our intrepid columnist as your guide.

What a difference a couple of weeks makes -- or a few days in Port Charles.

When last I wrote about Charlotte, she had decided to slip a slithering reptile into Ava's purse with the intention of frightening Ava. I, for one, was greatly relieved to learn that Charlotte had known the snake wasn't venomous, but to Valentin's horror, Charlotte confided that she had pulled the prank on Ava because Ava was the enemy. Charlotte knew this because she had seen Valentin shove Ava off the parapet of Wyndemere, thus confirming what I and many astute viewers had suspected from the onset.

Valentin loves his daughter, and he wants the best for her, but how do you raise a good person when you are a man who does bad things? Valentin decided that his best course of action was to walk away from Charlotte and hope that Laura's goodness would rub off on Charlotte. That was the easy way out, which Nina promptly pointed out to Valentin when a desperate Charlotte showed up at her office to implore Nina to take Valentin back and return to Wyndemere to live happily ever after.

Has no one explained to Charlotte that Nikolas is actually the rightful heir of the Cassadine empire and that Wyndemere belongs to him? Even if Valentin and Nina reconciled, they would never return to Wyndemere.

I'm happy that Valentin and Lulu decided to act like responsible parents by working on their relationship for their daughter's sake. Valentin walking away from Charlotte would have just caused far more problems for the child because she trusts him above all others. He made certain of that. To be abandoned by the one that you trust the most at such a tender age would have devastating effects on poor Charlotte.

However, it's not enough for Valentin to be present in Charlotte's life, going horseback riding and letting her charge reptiles on his credit card. He needs to set an example, which means that he has to stop breaking the law and be the kind of man that raises a strong, kind, and generous person. Can he do that? At the very least, Charlotte needs to see him trying. Lulu also needs to stop treating Charlotte like she's a toddler. She's old enough to torment her cousin and terrorize adults, so it's time to put Charlotte in therapy and be honest about the decisions made on her behalf.

Ava can score some points by not pursuing charges against Valentin, for Charlotte's sake.

Charlotte needs to be free to grow up and become her own person without worrying about hurting her mom's feelings and fighting her father's battles. Otherwise, she will continue to act out in an unhealthy manner whenever she faces challenges.

That brings me to Sam. Oh, Sam.

Sam doesn't like Brando. Nope, not at all. He had the gall to question how someone could fall for all that "mumbo-jumbo cult stuff." Sam clutched her pearls as she haughtily informed Brando that her sister had been in a cult, so he had better shut his mouth. Brando apologized to Kristina, but Sam wasn't satisfied. Sam's impression of Brando didn't improve when, a short time later, Molly blurted out that she had slept with the handsome new mechanic during a moment of weakness when Molly had been told that T.J. had dumped her.

Sam couldn't get to the garage fast enough to confront Brando about Molly and any ideas that he might have of pursing a relationship with her baby sister. Sam didn't want an ex-con like Brando near her precious sibling. That's when Brando won my heart. He smiled at Sam then pointed out the hypocrisy of an ex-con on parole lecturing him.

I also loved how Brando questioned why Sam was sticking her nose in Molly's business. Great question. It wasn't as if Molly had sent Sam to talk to Brando. It's up to Molly whether or not he's a part of her life, not Sam. Sam insisted that she was only looking out for her sister, but I think there is much more to what was going on in that garage between Sam and Brando than Sam being a protective big sister. It might have started that way, but I noticed that Sam didn't appear to be in any rush to leave once Brando assured her that he would respect Molly's wishes. Sam continued to beat a dead horse, and she didn't look away when Brando changed his shirt in front of her.

Could Sam's animosity stem from a sudden and unexpected attraction?

Before anyone shoots off angry emails and Tweets, please hear me out. I know that Sam is in love with Jason, and I fully recognize that he's her soul mate. However, she's not blind, and Brando is an attractive guy. Plus, Sam has been frustrated lately because all her efforts to be with Jason have fallen flat, and now Jason has decided to put some distance between them because of the threat that Cyrus poses. What's a girl to do when she can't be with the man she loves? Live in limbo?

Sadly, there will be no winners if Brando and Sam should spark a romance, least of all Brando. Not only will Sam go back to Jason the first chance that she gets, but the fling might not go over well with Molly. This is a soap opera. There is no way that the writers put Brando and Molly together for one night only for it to end there. Molly was attracted enough to Brando to take him home with her, and that doesn't just vanish because things worked out with T.J.

Already, Molly is choosing to take Kristina's advice by keeping mum about her night of passion with Brando. Big mistake. First, no one should ever take relationship advice from Kristina, and second, it's just going to make things worse. I know it will gut T.J. to hear the truth, but T.J. loves Molly, and he would forgive her if she was honest with him from the start. If anything, T.J. would reserve his anger for Jordan because Jordan was the one to set things in motion by cruelly breaking Molly's heart to get Molly to back down from searching for T.J. I said it then, and I'll say it again. Jordan could have found a better way to handle that situation.

Instead, T.J. will now learn the truth down the road. That's not a spoiler, just the way things are in the land of soaps. Either Molly will end up pregnant, or T.J. will glean the truth in some other devastating way. Worse, the longer it remains buried, the more poisonous it will be to their relationship because they will be building their future with a lie between them.

Just ask Valentin and Nina how that worked out for them.

Broken relationships were a recurring theme because both Michael and Willow found themselves suddenly single after Chase and Sasha feigned having an illicit affair. Chase and Sasha insist that it's for the best that Michael and Willow marry in order to thwart Nelle in her bid for custody of Wiley, but neither is handling the breakup well. Chase is regretting his decision to crush Willow's heart, and Sasha is desperate to numb herself with alcohol from the pain of losing her soul mate.

Carly found Sasha nursing a drink at Metro Court Restaurant, and she easily saw through Sasha's lies. Carly applauds both Sasha and Chase for putting Wiley first by allowing Michael and Willow to marry, but I agree with Finn, who insisted that Michael and Willow should be allowed to make the choice for themselves without Chase and Sasha manipulating them.

I just don't get why no one bothers to record their encounters with Nelle. Had Nelle actually recorded her conversation with Michael in the park as he had feared then played it in court, the judge would have seen that Nelle is the one who provokes and antagonizes. I'd be whipping out my cell phone every time I spotted Nelle. If nothing else, it would force her to behave while she's being recorded.

I realized this week that as much as I like Michael with Sasha, and Chase with Willow, they were not meant for each other. If Finn and Carly were able to easily see through Chase and Sasha's lies, then why didn't their own soul mates?

I don't blame Michael and Willow for being desperate. Nelle is diabolical to the core. She's a great soap villain, but she has no business being anywhere near a child. There is no redemption for a person like Nelle because she continues to feel completely justified in everything that she's done and will do, including murder. She is irrevocably broken, much like Olivia Jerome, Heather Webber, and Ryan Chamberlain, and I'm quite okay with that because characters like Nelle keep things interesting.

I don't mind if Nelle sticks around, stirring up trouble, but I really don't want her to be Nina's daughter. If she is, then I want Willow to be Nelle's twin. Nina deserves to have some good in her life, and I'm not referring to Wiley, because I certainly don't want Nina trying to use Wiley as motivation to reform Nelle. Short of injecting Nelle full of LSD or finding a brain tumor in her thick noggin, nothing is going to turn off Nelle's homicidal impulses.

I worry that if Nina finds out that Nelle is her daughter, she will help Nelle in court. Nelle would make certain of it by insisting that it was the least that Nina could do for her after Madeline dumped Nelle with a guy like Frank. I would hope that Nina would put Wiley's needs first, but Nina has longed for a baby for so long that I just know a grandson would prove to be more temptation than Nina could resist.

Then again, what judge would listen to a woman who had once drugged another woman to steal her unborn baby. Now, that's an episode GH should consider for the Flashback Friday lineup!

I might be wrong, but I get the feeling that Brook Lynn is headed for a hookup with Julian, and I'm really not sure how I feel about that.

On the one hand, I can't blame her. Julian is definitely hot, and he's single, which is a rarity in that town. However, he's also the father of Brook Lynn's stepbrother and old enough to be her father. I know this because Brook Lynn is younger than Sam. Usually, age gaps don't bother me unless one of the people is a minor. However, in this case, it does, because I feel that Brook Lynn has big time daddy issues, and I don't think getting involved with a fatherly type would help resolve those.

Then there is Dustin. "Dusty" and Brook Lynn have history, which feels less and less significant because I don't get any romance vibes from them at all. They seem more like old friends than ex-lovers with unresolved business. It appears to me that any flirtation from Brook Lynn is spurred by the desire to push Lulu's buttons rather than feelings of affection for Dustin.

I like Dustin for Lulu because he has a quiet way of calling Lulu out on her shenanigans. He grounds her and gives her balance. Plus, Dustin is a teacher -- and quite a good one at that, given how Josslyn, Cam, Trina, and Dev rave about him. I just don't see him giving that up to follow Brook Lynn on the road if and when her career takes off. He might enjoy writing music, but I suspect that will be more of a side gig for him. Brook Lynn is on a different path and far from ready to settle down. That's why a guy like Julian is a better fit for her. Plus, he owns a bar where she can try out her new music with a live audience.

Now that Josslyn and Dev have been released from lockdown (lucky kids), Dustin might have his hands full, dealing with an infatuated student. I haven't forgotten about Josslyn's crush on Dustin and all that journaling she does. Obviously, there's a storyline brewing, and I, for one, am eager to see what it's all about.

I don't have any illusions that Josslyn will suddenly see Cam in a different light and forget all about Dustin. The Josslyn/Cam ship has sailed for me. I'm definitely team Cam/Trina (Camina?) because Trina appreciates Cam and sees him as more than just a friend. Life is short, and it shouldn't be wasted pining for someone who doesn't return your affection. If Josslyn hasn't figured out by now that she likes Cam, then I'd rather see him move on with someone who does.

I like Trina for Cam. She's not high strung or a drama queen like Josslyn, and she is wise beyond her years. Cam needs that in his life right now, and Trina needs someone kind and generous like Cam. They've been through a harrowing experience together that few could understand. I'm happy that they've gotten their friendship back on track until they can figure things out. I still think Trina is Curtis' daughter, so Trina will need a guy like Cam to lean on when that bombshell lands in her lap.

Finally, what is Cyrus' agenda? I keep trying to figure out what his game is because if it were just about moving drugs through Sonny's territory and taking Jordan down, then he could have accomplished both goals by now. You go gunning for an enemy, not someone that you hope to negotiate with. Also, he had Jordan right where he wanted her, so why not insist that she confess the truth about her role in his conviction before releasing T.J.?

Cyrus' "European partners" are another mystery, and I'm eager to know if they are tied to anyone that we might know. I've been watching GH for decades, so I know a lot of villains, including arch-villain Jerry Jacks, who rears his dastardly head every now and then to wreak havoc on Port Charles. Is Cyrus working with Jerry? Jerry has a special hatred for Sonny and Jason, and he has oodles of scores to settle with them.

Truth be told, I've been waiting for Jerry to appear ever since Jax returned. Jerry just can't seem to stay away from his brother for any length of time.

Why do they insist on dressing Brook Lynn like my 70-year-old aunt? Amanda Seton is a beautiful, vibrant young woman, and Brook Lynn is supposed to be trying to revive her music career. Who is she trying to attract, the Helen Reddy crowd?

Why does Nina leave her precious keepsake necklace in her office in a box rather than in a safe? The other day, the box was left open on her desk when Nina left her office. It seems rather careless for something that is supposed to be special.

Did anyone else get a sense of foreboding when Willow whacked that tree with a branch while shouting, "I hate you. Nelle"? I love a good mystery, and Nelle is the type of character begging to be the center of a murder/attempted-murder mystery.

Every once in a while Carly will admit to her hypocrisy, but note that Sonny and Jason don't have any such self-awareness. BTW, Carly telling Donna that Jason doesn't judge is also laughable. The only people he DOESN'T judge is her, Sam and Sonny. -- Ladysmom

I hope Peter is exposed before we run out of episodes because I don't want to see his lame/non-villain/annoying attempts to protect a secret that didn't need protecting anymore. We all know Anna is in blatant denial, but Maxie doesn't even have a clue. Peter doesn't know what a vindictive and vengeful person Maxie can be, and I hope the writers let her be that person instead of having her cry about it. -- BCAD

Was it just me, or was it fun watching Ava and Lulu trying to adjust to their new relationship as sisters-in-law? Ava was surprisingly (over?)confident that the struggle between NuNik and Vlad for control of the Cassadine estate was over, and that "We WON!" This is one of those times when she should realize that their apparent victory came just a little TOO easily. -- Scrimmage

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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