Throwing it all away

Will Valentin reveal what Victor is up to or risk losing Anna because of his lies? Is Michael and Willow's celebration about to come to a screeching halt? And is Elizabeth about to lose any progress she made by springing herself from Shadybrook? Trouble is brewing, and secret plots are unfolding. Liz Masters is back with Two Scoops of love and intrigue, Port Charles style.

Love is in the air, and Michael and Willow are floating on cloud nine since learning that they will soon be hearing the pitter-patter of another set of little feet. Wiley is going to be a big brother, and even though it's a surprise pregnancy, Michael and Willow couldn't be happier.

If this weren't a soap, I'd be happy for them. However, this is General Hospital, where staircases are to be avoided at all costs during pregnancy, and a little bombshell named Nina Reeves is ticking in the wings. Plus, Willow looked particularly bad -- pale complexion, purple circles under her eyes -- right before she passed out at the pool, and she's been complaining for months of being tired. She also passed out one other time a few months earlier. Given that she's only a few weeks pregnant, it's unlikely the pregnancy was the cause of all those symptoms.

T.J. said as much when he told Willow about the pregnancy. I know Willow didn't share that part of her conversation with Michael because she didn't want to worry him, but it bothers me that she's not even a little on edge, waiting for the results of the rest of the tests. I know that I would be an absolute mess until I was assured that everything was okay with my baby and with me. You should have seen me when they did the glucose test during my pregnancies. I couldn't even pretend not to be worried, much less keep my concerns from my husband.

Thankfully, I never developed gestational diabetes, but until I had that confirmation, I feared the worst.

I guess Willow is too busy reminiscing about her deep love for horses and the special bond she shared with a cow pony named Hector back when Willow was twelve -- a not-so-subtle reminder by the writers that Willow and Nina have more than DNA in common. They both share an affinity for horses. Will Willow also have twins? After all, the twin trait is only determined by the mother's genetics.

To be honest, I don't really want Willow and Nina to find common ground when the truth comes out. Nina has been positively awful to Willow since they first laid eyes on each other. I want Willow to hold Nina's feet to the fire and to force Nina to take accountability for the things Nina has done instead of always playing the victim.

Carly is no innocent lamb, but she didn't wrong Nina. Nina's mother is the one who lied, gave Nina's babies away, and covered it up, not Carly. Madeline -- and Harmony -- were the ones who kept Willow and Nelle away from Nina. Carly was tormented by Nelle, and Carly nearly lost her son because of Nelle's evil ways. Carly was a victim, and it wasn't her responsibility to tell Nina anything. Besides, Carly didn't learn the truth about Nelle until after it was already too late to make a difference because Nelle was dead.

Nina is the one who has repeatedly acted in bad faith. She kept the secret about Sonny out of spite, and she continued to have clandestine meetings with a married man when he made it clear that he wanted to focus on his marriage. Nina slept with that married man, too, and it directly led to Carly filing for divorce. Two young sisters -- Avery and Donna -- were torn apart and had their lives turned upside down when their parents split, so Carly was by no means the only victim of Sonny and Nina's betrayal. It's infuriating that Sonny and Nina act like they were the ones who were wronged.

To this day, Nina mitigates the damage and hurt she caused by blaming it all on her grief for a daughter who wreaked havoc on people's lives for fun and personal gain. Nelle confessed to murdering her first fianc, and we saw her conspire to kill her second one. Nelle slit Brook Lynn's throat, and Nelle drugged Sonny to make him think that he had slept with her. This fantasy that Nina has of her love somehow redeeming Nelle is just that, a fantasy. Nelle was beyond saving, and even if Nina had turned Nelle's life around, it still wouldn't justify the things that Nina did in the name of grief.

I'm so tired of both Sonny and Nina painting Carly as the bad guy. Carly is no angel, by any means, but she didn't deserve any of the things that Nelle did to her or that Nina did. It's why I hate that the writers gave Nina a boon by having Carly keep the secret about Willow. I pray that Carly sees the light before it's too late because Carly owes Willow the truth. It should be up to Willow to decide if Nina is told or not. If Nina finds out that Carly knew Nina was Willow's mother and Carly didn't say anything, Nina will wield the information like the sword of Damocles.

Now, let's talk about Sonny and his narcissistic ways.

Naturally, Sonny thinks Carly invested in Aurora Media because of him. It's his theory that Carly wanted to give Michael an easy win because she supports Michael's vendetta against him. Dear Sonny, you had absolutely nothing to do with Carly's decision to team up with Drew and Michael.

The viewing audience was privy to how Carly ended up throwing her lot in with Drew and Michael, and Sonny's name was never mentioned. It was all about voting Valentin out and merging Aurora Media with ELQ. It's because this was clearly established that Sonny's accusations about Carly sound incredibly delusional.

I could never root for a couple who have to lie so completely and utterly to themselves -- and each other -- in order to make their relationship work. I don't understand why the writers have invested so much time into Sonny and Nina. Their love affair has greatly tarnished both characters, and it makes them both look unbelievably selfish. I used to like Nina, but these days, I gnash my teeth every time I see that hangdog expression she gets right before she starts weeping tears of self-pity.

I'm also getting a little tired of Sonny's passive-aggressive digs at Carly, like when Nina told him about Carly's financial loss, and his response was to say that Nina has a great head for business, unlike Carly, who lost hers. What? Why would he say that? She made one miscalculation, and it was more Drew and Michael's short-sightedness rather than Carly's that tanked the merger.

Another example was when Carly rejected Sonny's offer to help. I know Sonny was trying to make a point when he told Carly that there would come a day that she would have to pay to visit Metro Court's pool, but I thought it was pretty petty and heartless -- not to mention wrong. Does anyone seriously believe that Olivia would make Carly pay membership fees at Metro Court? Also, if Carly is such a terrible businesswoman, what does that say about Sonny, if he's happy to hand over half his assets without a second thought?

Sadly, I have a feeling Nina is going to take advantage of the situation by swooping in and buying Carly's half of the hotel. I'm sure Nina will have a self-serving excuse for doing it, but it won't matter. I will always believe that it was done out of spite. I hope I'm wrong, but if selling Crimson would have raised enough capital for Carly to secure ownership of Metro Court, then it means Nina can afford to buy the hotel. Remember, Nina didn't turn Drew's offer down because she didn't have the money. She said print media was a risky investment, and she didn't want to look like a spoiled real estate heiress playing editor-in-chief and owner of a fashion magazine, even though Nina has been successfully running Crimson for years now, and it's the most profitable asset in Aurora Media's print division.

I'm not worried about Carly. She might not have enough money to buy back her half of the hotel, but she's far from poor. Carly will find a way to bounce back, and likely come out on top better than before. Carly is nothing if not resilient. Plus, she knows a lot of rich people who would be happy to invest in her business ventures.

I do like the chemistry between Carly and Drew, but I'm kind of annoyed with Drew right now. He might take after Lila Quartermaine, but his arrogance was all Edward. Even though Carly paid the price, I hope both Drew and Michael learned a valuable lesson about the art of listening and compromise.

Something Brook Lynn could use a class in as well -- especially the listening part.

Brook Lynn decided the best way to get back at Linc was to beat him at his own game. She realized that Chase might just be the key to doing that because Chase can sing, and he is currently on suspension from his job. With Brook Lynn as his manager and songwriter, she's convinced they can go far and take down Linc at the same time. Thanks to Leo clicking the like button on a video of Chase performing one of Brook Lynn's songs, the video went viral, and Chase is now considering Brook Lynn's proposal.

I absolutely hate this stupid storyline. There, I said it. It's not often that I have a strong objection to the direction of a plot, but this is one of those rare exceptions.

Not only does this collaboration give off major Ned/Eddie Maine and Lois Cerullo vibes, but music is Brook Lynn's passion, not Chase's. He loves the law, and he especially loved being a detective. He shouldn't have to sacrifice that to help Brook Lynn. I also fail to see how Chase breaking into the music industry hurts Linc. Linc will still own the rights to the songs that Brook Lynn wrote. If anything, Chase and Brook Lynn's success would only make the songs that Linc owns more valuable.

Why can't Brook Lynn simply write new music and collaborate with someone who not only has the talent but the desire to be a singer? It would be different if Chase had always dreamed of being a performer, but that is just not the case. It irks me that Brook Lynn is hiding behind Chase because she lacks confidence in her own talent.

I also find it hard to see romance blossoming between Chase and Brook Lynn when it feels so one-sided. Chase is giving up everything for a woman who doesn't seem to appreciate anything. I really don't see why Chase would be drawn to Brook Lynn other than for superficial reasons. She lies, insults him, and has no problem breaking the law to get what she wants. I know opposites attract, but there needs to be something that binds them together, or they are doomed to fall apart.

If Chase and Brook Lynn find love, they should find it through their own story, not a redux of Ned and Lois' romance. We see how that ended.

On the Cassadine front, trouble is brewing between Victor and Valentin. After weeks of wondering what is going on between father and son and why Valentin has been shady and secretive about his comings and goings, we learned that Victor has Charlotte locked in an ivory tower at a faraway boarding school that she loves, and he is keeping Valentin from visiting his daughter. Valentin is allowed to talk to Charlotte on the phone and have video chats, but only at Victor's leisure. Victor is threatening to harm Charlotte if Valentin doesn't do exactly as Victor instructs.

On Friday, those instructions were to slip a poisonous powder into Laura's iced tea. Thankfully, Valentin had a change of heart at the very last second and managed to knock the drink over before Laura took a sip. However, the fact that Valentin even considered following through with the attempt on Laura's life tells me just how high the stakes are for Valentin. Personally, I don't think Victor would do anything to Charlotte; she's his granddaughter and his legacy. I truly do believe it's a bluff, but I get why Valentin wouldn't risk it.

In Valentin's shoes, I'd probably err on the side of caution, too.

As Laura said, Valentin is a good dad, even if he made some selfish choices that ended up doing more harm than good, like keeping Charlotte away from Lulu for years and passing Claudette off as Charlotte's mother. Both Charlotte and Lulu deserved better than that, but it's the past, and now Valentin is the only parent that Charlotte has. Valentin loves Charlotte, and I know that he will do everything in his power to keep her safe. I just hope that he realizes that confiding in Anna is the best way to proceed.

The exchange between Victor and Anna in the park is one of the many reasons that I can't wait to see Valentin and Anna team up to uncover Victor's nefarious plot.

Why did Victor target Luke? Why was the Ice Princess planted on Jennifer Smith? Where is Holly Sutton, and how does she fit into all of this? What is driving Victor to kill people and threaten his own granddaughter? I want answers to these questions -- and more -- like yesterday.

I love the budding romance between Valentin and Anna, so I'm really hoping they end up working together to save the world. This adventure checks all my boxes: action, spy games, romance, all things Cassadine, and mysteries galore. The writers have set the stage for an exciting ride. It's time to step on the gas.

My other must-see storyline involves Elizabeth. She's been languishing in Shadybrook for a few weeks, and on Friday, Kevin managed to hit a nerve when he asked her about Jeff and Carolyn Webber's special style of parenting -- or lack thereof. Elizabeth's temper flared, and she sent puzzle pieces sailing across the room, all the while insisting that her parents meant nothing to her. Kevin barely contained his glee at the realization that he finally broke through one of her carefully constructed walls. Unfortunately, Elizabeth hightailed it out of Shadybrook soon afterwards, which almost guarantees that things are going to get a lot worse for her before they get better.

I have been waiting since 1997 -- when Elizabeth first turned up on her grandmother Audrey's doorstep -- to find out why Jeff and Carolyn left their youngest child with family friends, but they shipped Sarah (the golden child) off to Audrey's. I had hoped Terry's arrival would shed some light on the mystery of why Elizabeth's parents essentially abandoned their 15-year-old daughter, but all we learned is that Jeff knows how to get in touch with Terry.

Elizabeth's life before Port Charles is shrouded in secrecy. She gave Jake the middle name of Martin to honor her maternal grandfather, whom she'd been close to as a child, but that's about all we know of him. In the 25 years Elizabeth has been in Port Charles, she's said little about her parents except that they were more interested in saving the world than in raising children and that she had failed to live up to their lofty expectations.

We never saw Carolyn. Jeff met her after he left Port Charles with Steven Lars. She was only mentioned a few times back in the early days when there would be periodic updates about Jeff through family conversations. I had a huge crush on Richard Dean Anderson, and I loved Jeff. When he was on the show, he was one of the good guys. As Steve Hardy's only son, Jeff was also General Hospital royalty. Steve was legendary in part because he was one of the original characters. John Beradino portrayed beloved Dr. Steve Hardy from the show's premiere in 1963 until 1996, when the character died of a heart attack.

In real life, Mr. Beradino had passed away from pancreatic cancer a few months earlier, so the decision was made not to recast the role. I thought it was an incredible way to honor his legacy, and I still get teary-eyed thinking about that heartbreaking episode.

I couldn't imagine the Jeff I knew abandoning his child. He moved heaven and earth to safeguard Steven Lars from Heather, and they maintained a close relationship until Steven was sent to jail. At least, that was the impression that Steven gave. Steven also spoke highly of his stepmother the few times he talked about her. Why did Jeff and Carolyn treat Steven and Sarah so vastly differently than Elizabeth, and why are they suddenly so keen on reconnecting with her when they haven't made any effort to do so over the many years? I'm eager to find out.

Elizabeth has always been my favorite character. Becky Herbst is as talented as she is beautiful, and she's been a part of our GH lives for 25 years. She met her husband on the show, she had three beautiful children, and she's given us some of the best storylines and plot twists GH has had.

I can't wait to see what the writers have in store for Elizabeth -- and for Finn. Will their relationship survive the storm ahead? I hope so. Elizabeth deserves a happily ever after that lasts for more than five minutes.

Finally, what in the world are the writers doing with Britt?

It's pretty clear that Spinelli has a crush on Britt, and I'm pretty sure that way back when Britt was first stood up by her date through Society Setups, Spinelli was that date. The program is clearly defective if Spinelli and Britt were matched. Besides their love for Maxie and Jason, they have nothing in common. That said, I'd pick Spinelli for Britt over Cody, which should give you a pretty good idea of how bad I think Cody would be for Britt.

Cody is getting on my nerves. Obviously, something about Britt's connection to Faison has sparked Cody's interest. He's now hot for her, and for whatever reason, Cody thinks the way to Britt's heart is to aggravate her at every opportunity. What happened to flowers, compliments, and a little bit of respect?

I thought it was creepy -- not cute -- that Cody put Britt down as an emergency contact, especially when Dante and Mama Q live in Port Charles, too. I don't find manipulation charming, and I definitely don't think lying is a good foundation for a romance.

If Cody wants to break through Britt's defenses, he should try being kind instead of pushing her buttons. A sincere apology would go a lot further than insults and challenges. In Britt's shoes, I'd file a restraining order against Cody.

Who else cheered when Selina Wu put Haven de Havilland in her place? I loved the scene, and I find myself smiling whenever Selina appears on my screen. She's a great character and a wonderful addition to the canvas.

Comet is a beautiful horse, but I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking he looks a lot like Mr. Ed. I keep expecting Comet to start spilling tea about everyone who wanders into the stables to chat and conspire.

Why doesn't Olivia just buy the other half of Metro Court? I'm sure, since Carly can't buy it, Carly would be happy for Olivia to become the sole owner.

Was Austin abducted by the mystery person he met in the woods during the camping trip? It's like Austin vanished into thin air, and everyone has forgotten him.

Dante suffers from a severe case of "Situational Morality." In his world view, there IS no absolute "right or wrong." It all depends on the circumstances, and how it affects HIM. Sam's marital shenanigans didn't cost Dante anything, so he's willing to overlook his current squeeze's sordid past. On the other hand, he's not dating Britt, whose crimes DID affect him, personally, so he still holds a grudge, and won't give her a pass, DESPITE the fact that she actually served time in prison, something that Sam never did when she was conning men out of their family fortunes. -- Scrimmage

I can't put my finger on it, but for some reason I think Rory is going to end up being a bad guy. I hope I'm wrong -- I guess I'm just cynical about any guy who's just SO nice, SO helpful...it usually leads to a bad end on a soap. Plus, it feels like the only way we'll be able to accept [Trina] getting together with Spencer when all of this is done. -- Melissa H. Hanbey

Carly -- the Aurora shares will drop in value so fast, leaving Carly without enough money to buy back her half-share of the Metro Court. This makes me very happy! Carly without the MC is like Jason without a gun -- no more big stick to bully everyone around her. -- Trudy

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

Take care and happy viewing,

Liz Masters

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