These boots are made for stalking

Austin dropped a bombshell on the Q's, Maxie shared her secrets with Nina, and Spencer returned to his family fold. Meanwhile, everyone flocked to the newest hot spot -- Metro Court's rooftop pool. The temperature is rising in Port Charles, but Liz Masters has all the shade.

The prodigal son has returned!

After learning that his expensive designer boots -- caked in dried red goop -- might be tied back to him, Spencer ditched the footwear in the nearest Dumpster then took the launch to Wyndemere. Personally, I would have torched the fancy boots to make sure no trace of them existed, but that's me. I tend to be paranoid. At the very least, Spencer should have wiped the boots clean of incriminating fingerprints and worn gloves when he disposed of the evidence, but alas, he didn't do either.

Proof that, despite a bout of stalking, Spencer is not a criminal mastermind.

If the boots don't come back to haunt Spencer, he will still be in a heap of trouble with Trina. She is going to be pissed when she finds out who "Victor" really is, and she will have every right to be. Doubly so when she learns what Spencer has been up to during his little reign of terror. Will she forgive him for lying? Of course, she will. Eventually. Spencer is not only a chip off his princely father's charming block, but he's good-looking, he's intelligent (especially in the finer arts that Trina loves), and he has battled a few demons in his young life, as legacy soap opera children tend to do.

It's a lethal combination that few could resist, and Trina already has a crush on Spencer

I like the dynamic between Spencer and Trina. She's wonderfully awkward, geeky, and shy around him, which is exactly the way I would expect a young lady like Trina -- who has little to no experience with romance -- to be. True, Trina did have a crush on Cameron for a time, and they kissed, but that was more about the shared trauma of being kidnapped at gunpoint and nearly killed than it was about romance. Trina has always known that Cam's heart belonged to Josslyn. Josslyn would always be Cam's first choice, and Trina deserves better than being her first love's consolation prize.

I don't know what Spencer has been up to dating-wise during his years abroad in an exclusive private school, but he appears to have the confidence of a young man who has been out on at least a few dates. Perfect for a girl like Trina. She needs someone to sweep her off her feet and shower her with attention.

To me, Trina has always been the Velma to Josslyn's Daphne. There's nothing wrong with that. I actually liked Velma more than I did Daphne. Velma was the smart and loyal friend, the one the Scooby gang could depend on, and often the one who kept everyone from driving off the cliff. Daphne might get all the attention, but Velma is the one who saves the day.

Trina is a beautiful young lady, but she's always been a bit lost in Josslyn's shadow. It will be a nice change of pace to watch Trina shine and for Josslyn to be the supportive friend. Besides, Josslyn has Cameron now.

As for Spencer's vendetta against Ava, all I can say is that he needs to get over it. Yes, Ava chose vanity over justice, but the woman's face had been horribly disfigured from a fire. I doubt that Spencer would have done any different if their roles had been reversed. Plus, Spencer is far from innocent. I can think of at least a dozen times that boy's chicanery ended in utter disaster -- once even being the catalyst for his father's breakup with Britt. Spencer has hurt his own fair share of people, and he was always forgiven. He's a grown man now, and it's time for him to pay it forward.

Nikolas is happy with Ava, and Spencer will soon see that Ava is actually a good influence on his papa. With Trina's help, I'm certain that Spencer will come to understand that Ava is not the same person that he once knew. Kiki's tragic death changed Ava fundamentally, and it's been for the better. The fact that Ava sent Avery to live with Carly to keep Avery safe underscores that. The old Ava would have never made such a sacrifice.

Speaking of Britt, I can't wait for Spencer to run into her. Of all the women in his father's life, she was the most like a mother to him, so I think it would greatly benefit both Spencer and Britt if they reconnected on that level again. Spencer needs someone that he respects to help guide him, and Britt could use someone other than Jason to focus on for a while.

I can't tell you how happy I am that Britt is standing her ground when it comes to Jason. Don't get me wrong, I love Jason and Britt as a couple, but I don't have any desire to watch another woman throw herself at the altar of Jason by compromising her desires in order to be a part of his life. I want Jason to be the one to make the concessions in the name of love. He's never had to, which is why all his relationships have ultimately ended in heartbreak.

I always knew that Sam and Jason were doomed their last time around because Jason would never be able to do for Sam and the children what Drew did. As Jason, Drew put Sam and the children first by walking away from the mob. Despite being given a second chance, Jason still chose Sonny and Carly. Whether Sam acknowledged it or not, that undeniable truth had to have always been lurking in the back of her mind. How could it not?

Britt and Jason don't have children, so I don't expect Jason to walk away from the mob (if he couldn't do it for his sons, he better never do it for a lover), but that doesn't mean he can't find other ways to show Britt that she would be a priority in his life if they were in a relationship.

My only fear is that the writers might be tempted to spark another romance between Jason and Carly -- a rekindling of what they shared a million years ago when they first met and fell for each other. I don't want that to happen. Not only because I think it would spoil the friendship that they have but also because we all know it wouldn't last once Sonny returned.

The Nixon Falls saga might feel like it's been dragging on for an eternity, but Sonny is not going to stay there forever, nor will his memories remain buried. He might not have had any recent dreams or visions of Carly in silhouette, but he did have a fleeting memory of his last words to his father. If finding a hat similar to the one that Mike wore can spark a memory, imagine what a trip to Port Charles could do for repressed memories.

There's a reason that Sonny and Carly have been married so many times that most of us have lost count. No matter how many times they are driven apart, they always find their way back to each other. Always. It's as inevitable as the sun, moon, and stars rising in the east and setting in the west.

That's why I have zero empathy for Nina's plight. Nina can tell herself all she likes that "Mike" is happy in Nixon Falls and that she's giving him a chance to be who he would like to be, but the truth is, when Sonny's memories return -- and they will -- he will be furious. He will resent her for lying because Sonny values loyalty above all things, and in Sonny's world, loyalty means complete honesty.

When Sonny realizes that Nina knew about Carly and Jason's wedding, and she still chose to remain silent to him about his true identity, Nina will be dead to Sonny. Nina's grief over losing Nelle will only take her so far. Sonny's temper is infamous, and his ability to hold a grudge unparalleled. The only thing that would save Nina from his wrath is a child -- and I'm not referring to Wiley.

I'm afraid Nina won't get a shoulder to cry on with Valentin, either, because he's going to be equally pissed when he learns that Nina knew the truth about "Bailey" and didn't tell him. Valentin loved Nina, true, but now there's Anna -- or should I say, but there's always been Anna. Either way, Nina is unlikely to find succor from Valentin when things go south with Sonny.

The only people who might have empathy for Nina are Michael and Willow, because they are neck deep in deceit, as well.

Folks, I like that Valentin makes Anna nervous. It's nice to see Anna pushed out of her comfort zone, but it's also refreshing to watch Valentin tangle with someone that he sees as an equal. Anna is fully capable of rescuing herself -- and Valentin, if necessary. I also like that they have a complicated history, yet they are on even footing when it comes to spy games and espionage. They give me strong John Steed and Emma Peel vibes, and I'm definitely down for that this summer.

The question is, what does Anna do when she figures out that Peter is dead -- and that Finn is responsible? It's doubtful that she would turn Finn over to the authorities, but it's one thing to cover up Peter's death; it's another to give up the search for Louise. With Maxie leaving for Texas and Nina returning to Nixon Falls, only Brook Lynn will know the truth about Louise, and she's not going to have any incentive to fess up as long as she believes that Peter is out there, ready to pounce on Louise.

It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out, especially since Brook Lynn is already plagued with a guilty conscience over lying to Valentin. She sees what a devoted father he is, and how he's bonding with a child that is not his. Good thing Anna will be around to soothe the savage beast when he learns the truth about "Bailey." It will probably save lives, especially Brook Lynn's.

That brings me to Brando and Sasha. Sasha would love to have Brando be a part of their child's life, but not if he's involved with the mob. Yes, she should have thought about that before she had sex with Brando, but I don't think she's being unreasonable, since Brando has been able to walk away from Cyrus' defunct organization. Brando has his garage, but that is a legal business. If faced with a choice, I do believe that Brando would choose Sasha and their child over the mob, even if it's the Corinthos organization.

Unfortunately for Brando and Sasha, fate seems to be conspiring against him because, not only is Gladys scheming to get Brando a seat at the head of the Corinthos table, but both Carly and Jason recognize the benefit of having Brando at their side.

I do like Brando and Sasha as a couple, so I'm rooting for them to find a way to make things work. Brando is a genuinely nice guy who seems content to live a simple and quiet life, which is exactly what Sasha wants. When all is said and done, that's what I want for Brando and Sasha. Sasha deserves some happiness. She's made her fair share of mistakes, but she's a really sweet person who doesn't have a malicious bone in her body.

I don't think the same can be said for Austin Gatlin-Holt, son of Jimmy Lee Holt (Steve Bond) and his wife, Charity Gatlin (Gloria Carlin). According to Austin, Jimmy Lee died in January of COPD.

I don't remember much about Jimmy Lee, who was the love child of Edward Quartermaine and one of his mistresses. I do know that Jimmy Lee was a shady character who was always out for a quick buck. Oh, and he had a sordid affair with his cousin, Celia Quartermaine. They were distant cousins (I think), but it was quite shocking, and their scenes were one of the few times that my mom would insist that I leave the room.

Eventually, my mom got past the illicit union, so I was able to watch uninterrupted again. I remember Jimmy Lee tangling with evil Grant Putnam a number of times until Grant was vanquished, Celia left Port Charles, and Jimmy started a new life with a new bride in another town. As for Edward and Jimmy Lee, they were estranged. Edward never forgave Jimmy Lee for all the trouble he caused, which is why Edward made the decision in 2012 to disinherit Jimmy Lee.

Does the Austin apple fall close to the Jimmy Lee tree? That remains to be seen, but Roger Howarth has quite a knack for doing complicated evil villains. I also have a vague recollection that Charity had a son from a previous marriage. If that's the case, and Austin is that son, then it would make sense why he would want a DNA test done at GH. We all know they aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

Someone with a vendetta and money could spell quite a bit of trouble for the Quartermaines. Luckily for the Q's, there is (allegedly) another Q poised to rise from the ashes in the very near future who might be able to tip the balance of power back into their favor.

Summer in Port Charles is shaping up to be quite a scorcher in more ways than one.

I can't remember the last time that I saw Olivia at Metro Court, much less working. I think it's time for her to sell her shares to Carly and move on. It was a stupid plot twist to give Olivia a reason to stay in Port Charles back when she had no reason to, but she's a Q now, and she has several other familial ties to the town. Metro Court is a huge part of who Carly is, not Olivia, so it only seems fair that Carly become the sole owner of the hotel and restaurant.

Please don't hate me, but I'm happy that Spinelli and Ellie broke up. An off-screen relationship can only last for so long for someone on-screen, and since there weren't any plans to bring Ellie Trout back to our television screens, it's best to say goodbye. Hopefully, this paves the way for Spinelli and Maxie to reunite. Spinelli is already halfway there, which I believe is the true reason that he's not more torn up about the breakup.

Due to some kind of odd glitch with Disqus, the feedback to my last column was wiped out. Please know that I generally check out the comments on Mondays over morning coffee, so I did read most of the responses before they vanished.

Every week, you, my dear readers, weigh in with respect and humor, offering your perspective on the various things that I touched on in my column and sharing your viewpoints about other aspects of the show that I might not have mentioned. You keep an open mind and don't take personal jabs at each other, which makes it a delight to read all the different posts to my Two Scoops. Thank you for that. These days, online chatter can get nasty, but not here, and for that, I'm eternally grateful.

This week, I selected a few snippets from those who emailed me or contacted me through Twitter.

I'm sure this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I really hope that Jason and Carly fall in love and live happily ever after. They've been more loyal to each other than anyone else, Sonny included. -- Debra D

When are Dante and Sam going to have a chat about Sam and Sonny's past and their stillborn daughter Lila? The kiss between Dante and Sam is the least of their troubles. -- Becky M

Why did they get rid of Cyrus? He was the perfect adversary for Jason/Carly, and it made a lot more sense why he would want to control Port Charles instead than some random mob family we never heard of. Missed opportunity. -- Scott J.

I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to leave a comment below or email me.

Take care and happy viewing,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.