General Hospital Recaps: The week of July 13, 2009 on GH

Spinelli proposed marriage to Maxie, but Maxie couldn't give Spinelli an answer. Sonny agreed to give Dominic a position in the organization. Rebecca asked Edward for money. Kiefer became violent when Kristina refused to have sex.

Monday, July 13, 2009

by Boone

Robin and Patrick were a hit singing karaoke at Jake's. When Coleman tried to get someone else to perform, Lulu went to the table where Liz and Lucky sat with Nikolas, Rebecca, and Ethan. They all declined, and when Rebecca volunteered to get another pitcher of margaritas, Ethan followed her and told her that he wanted money. Nikolas walked over and wanted to know what was happening. Rebecca and Ethan played dumb.

Maxie wanted Spinelli to sing his song, but because he had ruined the microphone that would make his voice seem to have perfect pitch, he was reluctant to sing. To help him get over what she thought was stage fright, Maxie got Rebecca and Lulu to perform with her. They did a hot number that got everyone in the bar dancing and singing. Diane was there with Max and joined them on stage. The girls got rousing applause.

Spinelli told Maxie that she was great. She said all she had to do was look in Spinelli's eyes and she had all the courage she needed. Lucky, Rebecca, Nikolas, and Ethan were equally impressed with Lulu and Rebecca's performance. At their table, Max told Diane that she was "hot, hot, hot."

At Sonny's place, Dominic, a.k.a. Dante, burst in on Sonny and Carly. He wanted a job from Sonny. He asked Carly for a reference, but Carly told Sonny to shoot him. Dante pointed out that he had not harmed Carly or her children when he happened upon them in the woods, although he could have. He told Sonny that he knew everyone in the organization and that he could be very helpful to Sonny in finding out who was disloyal. He said that neither Claudia nor Johnny knew the organization like he did.

Claudia arrived home, so Carly left after warning Sonny to get Jason out of jail or she would be back. Claudia told Sonny not to hire Dante. Dante implied that Sonny took orders from Claudia, so Sonny said that he would give Dante a job if Dante brought proof that someone in Sonny's organization was betraying him.

Dante said that was no problem, and left to get proof. Claudia was adamant that Dante could not be trusted, and said that if Sonny hired Dante, they would have to meet elsewhere because Claudia did not want Dante in the house. Sonny wanted to know why Claudia was so impassioned in her hatred of Dante.

Claudia said that she was just looking out for Sonny, but she was sick of being treated so badly by Sonny. He said that he was sick of her period, and walked out.

At Olivia's apartment, Johnny questioned her about her relationship to Sonny. She told him that Sonny had been a hurt, angry teen, due to the abusive behavior of his stepfather, and she had felt sorry for him. Johnny said that he cared for Olivia, but did not want to stand in her way if what she really wanted was Sonny. She said that she cared for Johnny, as well, and liked things as they were between them, even though he was only slightly older than her son. They kissed.

Jason went to see Anthony in prison. Anthony said he was resigned to spending the rest of his life in prison, but wanted Sonny to know that he was not behind the unrest in Sonny's organization. Jason told Anthony that he did not care about that, but if Anthony would provide proof that Claudia was behind Michael's shooting, he would tell Sonny anything that Anthony wanted. Anthony denied that he knew anything about the shooting and reiterated that he was not responsible for the unrest in the mob. When Jason turned to leave, Anthony smirked, but when Jason looked back at him, his helpless, downcast look was back in place.

Johnny met Jason at his apartment. Jason told about his visit to Anthony. Johnny asked if Jason believed Anthony. Jason said that he was not sure whether or not Anthony was telling the truth. Jason said that he appreciated that Johnny had saved his life and that Johnny had to walk a fine line, but that the time was going to come when Johnny had to show which side he was on. Jason urged Johnny to consider carefully where his loyalties would be when that time arrived.

After Johnny left, Dante showed up at Jason's place. Jason pulled a gun, but Dante told him about his visit to Sonny's and his deal with Sonny, so Jason put his gun away. He asked Jason to give him time to expose a traitor so he could prove himself and earn a place in Sonny's organization. Jason agreed. After Dante left, Jason made a phone call to Sam.

When she arrived, Jason noted that she seemed taller. She pointed to her very high-heeled pink shoes that she said was part of the costume she was wearing so that she could work undercover at a strip club. Jason said that he needed her to do a background check for him. When she took off her coat and revealed her very skimpy outfit, Jason was speechless.

Sonny went to Olivia's apartment to talk to her. She told him that she only felt pity for him. She said that he was married and she wanted no part of him. Sonny snapped back that she was angry at him because she still wanted him. Olivia opened her door and told Sonny to get out. When he kissed her instead, Olivia responded eagerly.

Dante went to see Claudia. He told her to quit trying to get rid of him and to work with him. He told her that they were in a position to help each other get what each wanted.

Maxie was disappointed that Spinelli did not want to sing for her, so he turned to Diane for advice about what to do. She advised him to be honest. Spinelli went back to Maxie's table determined to tell her the truth, but faltered when she looked disappointed. He decided to give singing a try, anyway, despite his broken microphone. Spinelli got up on the stage, but was visibly shaking and tongue-tied when Coleman asked what song to play for him.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

by LoraLu

In her apartment, Olivia and Sonny kissed. He told her not to fight their obvious attraction, but Olivia slapped him instead. Olivia had been with Sonny before, and she knew better than to get involved with him again. Sonny was a married man, and Olivia told Sonny to go back home to his wife. Before he left, Sonny told Olivia that he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

While Sonny was gone, Dominic met with Claudia to try to broker a deal. Although Claudia was tempted to team up with Dominic, she was in no position to make another deal. Dominic was not dejected, though. He soon met up with a friend on the piers, and Dominic explained that he was close to getting a job with Sonny. Dominic needed some insider information to convince Sonny to trust him. Although the man didn't like Dominic's plan, he agreed to provide information about a shipment that would be arriving.

It didn't take long for Claudia to smell Olivia's perfume on Sonny, and she immediately accused him of cheating on her. Claudia couldn't believe Sonny had left his pregnant wife at home for his brother-in-law's leftovers. Sonny was getting fed up with Claudia's insults towards Olivia, but he finally had enough when she mentioned Kate and Sonny's wedding that almost was. Sonny reminded Claudia that she had slept with her husband's brother, so she wasn't perfect, either. Claudia's immunity was over if the paternity test proved Sonny was not her baby's father.

At the karaoke contest, Spinelli started nervously singing, "I Want To Know What Love Is." He stumbled over the words, and he could barely be heard because of how softly he was singing. Everyone seemed to enjoy his embarrassment until Maxie took pity on him and walked towards the stage. As she approached, Spinelli grew braver and his singing got better. By the end of the song, everyone was in shock at Spinelli's amazing performance. Maxie passionately kissed Spinelli, which drove the crowd wild.

It was no surprise that Spinelli won the karaoke contest, so Spinelli and Maxie sat at their table and enjoyed their celebratory bottle of champagne. Spinelli told Maxie that his performance had been out of love for her, and they decided to go home and finish their celebration.

Meanwhile, Sam bounded up the stairs at Jason's place to get Spinelli's laptop for the background check on Dominic. Sam didn't make it far in her ridiculous outfit and heels, because she fell down the stairs. Jason helped Sam to the couch and retrieved an ice pack for her.

Spinelli and Maxie couldn't stop kissing as they frantically made their way back to Jason's apartment and up to Spinelli's bedroom. Sam and Jason were amused to see Spinelli had finally won over Maxie. Upstairs, after lighting candles, Spinelli and Maxie began where they left off and noisily made love. Before drifting off to sleep, Maxie told Spinelli she loved him. Delighted, Spinelli told his Maximista that he also loved her.

Sam and Jason tried to ignore the love-making that was going on upstairs, but the noise was making it almost impossible. Sam decided to give Dominic's background check another try, but all she could find were past misdemeanors and nothing serious.

Back at Jake's, Diane told Max how impressed she was with Spinelli's performance. She could tell Spinelli loved Maxie, and Diane didn't think there was anything sweeter than a man singing to his woman. Max decided to serenade Diane, but it didn't take long for Diane to figure out he was lip-syncing. Diane was still touched by his thoughtfulness, and she jumped up to dance with him.

Robin and Patrick left Jake's after learning that Spinelli was the winner of the contest. Patrick was very disappointed, and he felt that Robin's performance should have at least earned them the trophy. Robin thought it was cute that Patrick was so competitive, and Patrick realized that he was being silly over something as trivial as a karaoke contest. Robin thought Patrick's real disappointment was realizing how much fun he would have had at that contest if he had still been a bachelor. Patrick corrected her and said he was a changed man. Patrick wouldn't give up Emma and Robin for anything.

Rebecca and Nikolas left Jake's and waited for the launch to take them back to Wyndemere. As they kissed, Rebecca saw Ethan spying on them. When Rebecca and Nikolas arrived on the island, they quickly were undressed and in bed.

As soon as Nikolas was asleep, Rebecca snuck back to the docks and met up with Ethan. He thought Rebecca was falling in love with Nikolas, especially since she turned down Nikolas' offer of money. Rebecca explained that she wanted to scam as much money from Nikolas as possible, and she felt that her patience would net her more cash. Ethan told her he needed $10,000 by noon the next day, or he would reveal everything to Nikolas.

Dominic/Dante arrived at his mother's apartment after having been summoned. He tried to joke around with his mother, but Olivia was clearly in no mood for jesting. She told him that Port Charles was not safe for him. He needed to get his business done and get out.

Dominic arrived at Sonny's house to tell him about the shipment that would be arriving. Sonny wasn't sure what to think about Dominic's helpfulness, so he threatened to put a bullet between Dominic's eyes if the tip turned out to be false. Claudia listened from the top of the stairs as Dominic asked what would happen when Sonny found out he could be trusted. Sonny said his bullet would miss.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

by Elisabeth

At Wyndemere, Rebecca was on the phone with Ethan. Ethan wanted Rebecca to meet him on the docks with his money. Rebecca told Ethan that she couldn't get her hands on the ten thousand dollars, but Ethan refused to accept her excuses. As Rebecca ended the call, Nikolas walked into the living room. He immediately sensed that Rebecca was troubled. Rebecca lied; she told him that her car was going to cost more to fix than she had anticipated.

Rebecca used the lie as an opportunity to broach the subject of money with Nikolas. Unfortunately for Rebecca, Alfred chose that moment to poke his head in to inform Nikolas that a representative from the bank had questions about Ms. Shaw's account. Nikolas instructed Alfred to cancel his arrangement with the bank. Nikolas smiled at Rebecca as he explained to the butler that Rebecca had declined his offer of money.

Ethan grew impatient as he waited on the pier for Rebecca to arrive. When Rebecca walked up, Ethan asked her where the money was. Rebecca explained that she hadn't been able to get her hands on the money. Frustrated, Ethan reminded Rebecca of their pact. Ethan complained that Rebecca was taking too long to carry out their plans and she was getting in way too deep with Nikolas. Ethan gave Rebecca an ultimatum: hand over the ten thousand dollars by noon or suffer the consequences.

Ethan went to the Quartermaine mansion to speak to Edward. Edward wasn't interested in anything that Ethan had to say until Ethan mentioned Emily and Nikolas. Edward grumbled that he had not approved of Nikolas. Edward was all ears when Ethan revealed that he had something interesting to share about Rebecca.

Rebecca turned up at the mansion some time after Ethan had left. Edward was delighted by the visit and invited Rebecca to speak up if she needed anything. Rebecca pounced on the offer; she asked Edward for ten thousand dollars. Edward walked to the desk and wrote a check. Rebecca seemed surprised by how easy it had been. Edward proved to be true to form when he informed Rebecca that there was one string attached to the money: Edward wanted Rebecca to move into the Quartermaine mansion.

Nikolas and Alfred discussed the changes to Wyndemere's decor. Nikolas was determined to rid the castle of its gloomy atmosphere, because he wanted Rebecca to feel at home.

Kristina and her boyfriend, Kiefer, paid Michael a visit at the Quartermaine mansion. Michael was less than thrilled to see Kiefer. Kristina ignored the tension between Michael and Kiefer as she begged Michael to play tennis with them. Eventually Michael capitulated, and the teens went out to the estate's tennis court.

After they had played tennis, Michael, Kristina, and Kiefer returned to the living room. Michael had won the tennis match, but his victory was short-lived. Kiefer revealed that, at Kristina's request, he had gone easy on Michael. Kristina was forced to step in before things got out of hand. After Kiefer walked out, Michael asked Kristina what she saw in the guy. Kristina confessed that Kiefer was a senior in high school, part of the popular crowd, and a good kisser. Michael wasn't impressed with her list of reasons.

Jason was asleep on his sofa when the sounds of Spinelli and Maxie making love woke him up. Jason was annoyed because they had kept him awake all night with their bedroom antics.

Johnny showed up at the penthouse a short time later. Jason was eager to question Johnny about Dominic; he wanted to know if Dominic could be trusted. Before Johnny could answer, someone knocked on the door. It was Dominic. Dominic walked into Jason's penthouse and immediately made himself at home by the pool table. While Dominic shot pool, he worked on gaining Jason and Johnny's trust.

Spinelli and Maxie woke up in bed after a night of passionate lovemaking. After another romp under the sheets, Maxie confessed that she trusted Spinelli completely. Spinelli declared his undying love then stunned Maxie with a proposal of marriage. Maxie was at a loss for words, which prompted Spinelli to propose a second time. Maxie scrambled for a way to avoid answering Spinelli.

When she noted the time, Maxie flew into panic mode. She told Spinelli that she had to rush to Crimson because Kate was expected back later that morning. Spinelli grew concerned as he realized what Maxie was doing. Maxie apologized to Spinelli; she recognized that he deserved an answer. However, she insisted that she needed to get to work. Before Spinelli could stop her, Maxie dashed downstairs.

Dominic was pleasantly surprised when Maxie breezed through the living room on her way out. Dominic's surprise turned to shock when he discovered that Maxie was Spinelli's girlfriend, not Jason's. Spinelli was too distraught to take offense to Dominic's reaction. Jason dismissed Johnny and Dominic when Spinelli begged Jason for a moment of his time.

As soon as they were alone, Spinelli told Jason about his spectacular night with Maxie and the request for Maxie's hand in marriage that had followed. Spinelli worried that he had moved too fast. Jason tried to encourage Spinelli to move slowly with Maxie, but Spinelli pointed out that Jason had two failed marriages under his belt.

At Crimson, Maxie told Lulu about Spinelli's marriage proposal. Lulu assumed that Maxie had let Spinelli down gently. Maxie confessed that she hadn't been able to muster up the courage to break Spinelli's heart.

At the hospital, Patrick was nursing a hangover when Robin approached him. Robin teased Patrick about his sad state. Patrick blamed Coleman and Robin for his condition; he accused them of purposefully getting him drunk so that Patrick would sing. Patrick was also concerned about his malpractice suit. He reminded Robin that Diane had seen him drinking at Jake's. Robin assured Patrick that Diane would not use the incident against him. She pointed out that Diane had been drinking and singing right along with everyone else.

Moments later, Andrea Floyd arrived at the nurse's station to talk to Patrick and Robin. Andrea had good news; she had persuaded Brianna's family to drop their malpractice suit against Patrick and Matt. Andrea explained that the family had realized that they didn't have a malpractice case because Brianna's death had been ruled a murder. Robin didn't understand why Andrea had been eager to help them when the mayor was the prime suspect for the murder. Andrea confidently assured Robin that Garrett had not killed Brianna.

As Andrea walked away, Robin was more convinced than ever that Andrea had murdered the mayor's mistress. Later, Robin told Patrick that she had left a message for Spinelli to return her call. Robin was hopeful that Spinelli could find surveillance footage that would place Andrea in the hotel around the time of Brianna's murder. Patrick reminded Robin that Andrea could be dangerous.

Robin was confident that Andrea had not intended to kill her husband's mistress. Robin suspected that Andrea had gotten wind of the mayor's plans to divorce her and gone to the hotel room to pay Brianna off. Robin speculated that things had gotten out of hand, which ultimately had led to Brianna's death.

At Greystone Manor, Claudia invited Sonny to spend some time with her. Sonny made it clear that the only thing that he was interested in doing with Claudia was taking her to her amniocentesis appointment. Claudia resented Sonny's attitude. She demanded that he show her the same respect that he showed to the other mothers of his children. Sonny asked Claudia how hard it could have been for her to have gotten pregnant, and admitted that he would never know if Claudia had intentionally trapped him.

Claudia slapped Sonny across the face and cried that she had tried to make their marriage work. Sonny asked Claudia how her affair with Ric had helped their marriage. Claudia's knee-jerk reaction was to accuse Sonny of sleeping with Olivia. The two continued to argue until Claudia stormed out of the living room.

A short time later, Claudia confirmed her amniocentesis appointment with Dr. Lee. After Claudia ended the call, Sonny reminded her that he intended to accompany her to the appointment. Claudia snapped that it didn't matter who the father of her child was, because she would be the mother. Sonny softened toward Claudia. Claudia took advantage by sharing a poignant story about her mother, Dominica.

Later, Johnny arrived at Greystone Manor to pick his sister up for her appointment. Claudia was touched by Johnny's gesture. Johnny admitted that, despite everything, he was looking forward to helping Claudia raise his niece or nephew. Claudia insisted that her child was a boy. Johnny wondered if Claudia had picked out any names for her son. Claudia confessed that she had been too busy trying to stay alive.

Claudia confided that she was terrified of the amniocentesis, even though she was confident that Sonny was the father. Johnny asked Claudia what she intended to do if the paternity test revealed that Ric was the father. They were startled when Sonny suddenly appeared in the doorway and said, "That's a good question, Johnny."

Thursday, July 16, 2009

by Elisabeth

At the penthouse, Spinelli turned to Max for romantic advice. Spinelli was hopeful that Max could give him some pointers on how to propose marriage. Spinelli considered Max an expert because Diane had once accepted Max's request for her hand in marriage. When Max asked why Spinelli wanted to marry Maxie, Spinelli waxed poetic about the glorious connection that he and Maxie shared.

Max was blunt when he learned that Maxie had fled after Spinelli's proposal. According to Max, Maxie didn't want to get married. Spinelli was certain that the problem had been that Spinelli had not adequately conveyed the depth of his feelings for Maxie. Max decided to call for reinforcement when he realized that Spinelli was determined to propose to Maxie a third time.

Diane was brought up to speed shortly after her arrival. She agreed that Maxie's initial response indicated that Maxie didn't want to get married. Diane suggested that perhaps Maxie simply wanted to focus on her career in the fashion industry. She gave insight into the difficulties that women faced while trying to establish a successful career. Diane explained that some women just didn't want to get married.

Spinelli refused to be deterred; he wondered what would prompt Diane to accept another offer of marriage from Max. Spinelli figured if it would work for Diane then it would work for Maxie. Max grew increasingly uncomfortable as Diane painted a vivid picture of what it would take for her to accept a proposal of marriage. When Max finally passed out, Diane smiled victoriously. She had taken delight in torturing Max.

At Crimson, Lulu asked what Maxie's intentions were toward Spinelli. Maxie admitted that she didn't want marriage to ruin what she had with Spinelli. Maxie had a harsh view of marriage thanks to her mother, Felicia. Maxie revealed that she had confided to Spinelli that she never intended to get married.

Lulu thought a reminder of that conversation would pave the way for Maxie to gently turn down Spinelli's marriage proposal. Maxie was plagued with doubts. Maxie confessed that when she was with Spinelli, she believed that anything was possible-including marriage. Maxie professed to love Spinelli with all of her heart, and admitted that she wondered why she should rule out marriage to him.

Lulu realized that Maxie was considering accepting Spinelli's proposal. She warned Maxie against it. Lulu's lecture was cut short when Kate strolled into Crimson, barking orders. The girls scrambled to meet Kate's numerous demands. A short time later, Kate called Maxie into her office. Kate was upset because Maxie had taken it upon herself to change a design concept for one of Crimson's issues.

Maxie explained that she had been forced to make an executive decision when disaster had struck during Kate's absence. Kate was clearly annoyed, but agreed to review all of the work. Maxie decided to start clearing out her desk after she left Kate's office. Lulu thought Maxie was being premature; she confessed that she thought Maxie's concept had been better than Kate's.

A few minutes later, Kate asked Maxie to step into her office. Kate had reviewed everything and had found several flaws with Maxie's concept; however, Kate agreed that it had been good enough to print. Maxie was stunned when Kate offered to promote Maxie to junior editor. Maxie happily accepted the position. Kate cautioned Maxie that the new title meant that Maxie had more responsibilities. Kate hoped that Maxie's relationship with Spinelli wouldn't interfere with Maxie's work. Maxie assured Kate that she rarely saw Spinelli.

After Kate left the office, Maxie and Lulu talked about Maxie's promotion. Lulu was happy for Maxie. Maxie was relieved when she realized that the promotion gave her the perfect excuse to turn down Spinelli's proposal. Seconds after Maxie made the observation, Spinelli's voice could be heard. Apparently "the Jackal" had hijacked Metro Court's public announcement system. Maxie feared that Spinelli's stunt would not end well.

Michael and Kristina went to the country club to enjoy a day poolside. They were getting comfortable when Kiefer joined them. Kiefer referred to Michael as "coma boy" then snatched a bottle of suntan lotion out of Michael's hand. Michael bit his tongue while he watched Kiefer spray lotion onto Kristina's back.

Later, Michael admitted that he resented the nickname that Kiefer had tagged him with. Michael wondered what Kristina saw in Kiefer. Kristina confided that Kiefer was a really sweet guy when he was alone with her. She brushed off the unflattering nickname as an aberration. As if to prove her wrong, Kiefer ran up, scooped Kristina into his arms, and then, despite Kristina's protests, tossed her into the pool.

The tension between Michael and Kiefer mounted as the day wore on. When Kristina went to fetch something to drink, Kiefer renewed his efforts to push Michael's buttons. Michael's temper flared and he shoved Kiefer just as Kristina approached. Kristina was horrified by Michael's behavior.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Rebecca was taken aback by Edward's stipulation that she had to move into the mansion in exchange for the ten thousand dollars. Rebecca explained that she couldn't move in with the Quartermaines because she had just moved in with Nikolas. Edward admitted that he had known about her recent change of address, which was why he had made the suggestion that she move in with the Quartermaines.

Edward blamed Nikolas for contributing to Emily's death. Edward said that because of Nikolas, Emily's life had been repeatedly threatened. Had it not been for Nikolas, Emily would not have been at Wyndemere on the night that Anthony Zacchara had gone on a murderous rampage. Edward refused to allow Rebecca to meet the same fate as her twin sister.

Rebecca was furious; she told Edward that it wasn't his call to make. Edward shot back that the only reason Nikolas had looked in Rebecca's direction was because of her uncanny resemblance to Emily. Rebecca didn't discount that Nikolas had loved Emily, but she insisted that Nikolas had feelings for her, too. Edward continued to play hardball until Rebecca relented.

As Edward handed Rebecca the check, he told her that it had been five years since his beloved Lila had died. Edward was certain that Lila would have liked Rebecca's spunk. As Rebecca started to leave Edward, reminded her that he expected her to move in the following day.

Ethan showed up at Wyndemere to request money on Rebecca's behalf. Nikolas thought it was presumptuous of Ethan to petition money for Rebecca. Rebecca walked in moments later. Ethan explained that he had asked for the money because he knew how much Rebecca had enjoyed playing cards. Rebecca didn't appreciate Ethan's help. She told Ethan that she would pay her own way if she were interested in buying into a card game. Ethan asked if Rebecca was certain that was how she wanted to play it. She assured Ethan that it was. Nikolas seemed oblivious to the undercurrents of the conversation between Rebecca and Ethan.

Later, as Nikolas invited Rebecca to make changes to the castle, she announced that she was moving in with the Quartermaines.

At Greystone Manor, Claudia asked Johnny and Sonny to stop arguing. She reminded them that she didn't need the added stress on top of the amniocentesis. Johnny and Sonny ignored her, so Claudia decided to head to her appointment with Dr. Lee. Sonny wondered why Claudia wanted to arrive early. Claudia bristled at the implication that she intended to tamper with the paternity results. Out of spite, she suggested that Sonny explain to Johnny why he had "banged his whore last night."

After Claudia breezed out, Sonny and Johnny argued about Olivia. Sonny claimed that Olivia only saw Johnny as a "fling" and a "mistake." Olivia was livid when she heard Sonny's bold statements. Olivia announced that she had stopped by to drop off Michael's insurance papers. She slammed them down on the desk then turned her wrath on Sonny.

Olivia did not appreciate Sonny speaking for her. She denied having feelings for Sonny and reminded him that he was married to Johnny's sister. Sonny wondered if Olivia would remain indifferent to him if things changed with Claudia. Sonny's cavalier attitude toward Claudia and her unborn child infuriated Johnny.

After Johnny stormed out, Olivia tried to reason with Sonny. She told him that he had a responsibility to Claudia's child if he was the father. Olivia urged Sonny to focus on his child, not his love life. She explained that parents didn't have the luxury of putting their own desires ahead of the needs of their children.

At the hospital, Sonny walked into an exam room just as Kelly prepared to do an ultrasound on Claudia. Kelly explained that they needed to determine the baby's position before they could do the amniocentesis. While Sonny and Claudia watched, the image of the baby appeared on the monitor. Claudia and Sonny were awed. When Claudia reached out for Sonny's hand, he hesitated just a fraction of a second before he took her hand in his.

Friday, July 17, 2009

by Elisabeth

Alexis went to Olivia's apartment to question her about Brianna Hughes. Olivia was surprised to see the former D.A. on her doorstep. Alexis realized that Olivia was aware her situation. Alexis admitted that she was there on her own behalf. Alexis insisted that she had not sent the obsessive emails to the mayor. Olivia seemed to believe Alexis. She poured them each a glass of wine while Alexis confessed that it had hurt her how easily people had believed that she could have send the horrible emails.

Olivia suggested that perhaps people had judged Alexis based on her past with Sonny. Alexis admitted that Olivia had a point. However, Alexis was clear that she did not regret her affair with Sonny, because Kristina had been the result. Alexis realized that she had a thing for bad boys. Alexis claimed that she had grown up with them, so they felt "homey" to her. Olivia asked how the mayor had fit into the picture. Alexis confided that her tryst with Garrett had been a lapse in judgment and had only lasted one night.

At Wyndemere, Nikolas was disconcerted when Rebecca announced that she was moving in with the Quartermaines. Rebecca explained that she felt that she owed it to the Quartermaines after everything that they had done for her. Nikolas warned Rebecca that if she moved out, everything would change. For a moment, Rebecca appeared stricken, but she quickly buried it beneath indignation. Rebecca couldn't believe that Nikolas would end their relationship because she was moving out.

Nikolas confessed that he wanted to move forward with their relationship. He wasn't satisfied to merely date; he wanted to be able to hold her every night. Rebecca promised that she would occasionally spend the night, but Nikolas wasn't satisfied with that. Rebecca couldn't be swayed. She told Nikolas that if her moving out was a deal breaker, then it was better that they found out sooner rather than later.

Spinelli hijacked Metro Court's public announcement system from a building rooftop. After a brief interruption from Jason, who had tracked Spinelli down, Spinelli recited a poem to Maxie. The poem contained clues for Maxie to figure out. After Spinelli disconnected from the PA system, he explained that the clues in his poem would lead Maxie to a billboard sign. That sign was visible from her bedroom window. From there, she would find the building rooftop that he was on.

Spinelli intended to decorate the rooftop for a romantic dinner. His hope was to woo Maxie, so that she would readily accept his request for her hand in marriage. Spinelli enlisted Jason's help to transform the rooftop by nightfall. As Spinelli talked about his plans for the actual proposal, he realized that he had forgotten to buy a ring. Jason promised to take care of the decorations while Spinelli went in search of the perfect engagement ring.

At Crimson, Maxie had no idea where Spinelli wanted her to meet him. Lulu had written down the poem, so that the two girls could try to figure out the clues. Unfortunately, the girls wrongly concluded that Spinelli was waiting for Maxie at Wyndemere. When Maxie arrived at Wyndemere, she found Nikolas alone. Dejected by her failure, Maxie returned to Crimson. Lulu urged Maxie to think like Spinelli, in the hopes of figuring out the clues. It took Maxie a few minutes, but eventually she realized where Spinelli might be.

Spinelli was crushed when the appointed time for his rendezvous with Maxie had passed. Spinelli realized that he had his answer to the proposal. As he turned to leave the rooftop, Maxie walked through the door. Spinelli was thrilled to see Maxie and kissed her.

At the country club, things quickly deteriorated between Michael and Kiefer. Michael was disappointed when Kristina introduced Michael as Edward Quartermaine's grandson to the country club's president, Chip Howell. Michael suspected that Kristina had been ashamed that their father was Sonny Corinthos. Kiefer sneered that Kristina couldn't help that her father was a "gangster." Infuriated, Michael punched Kiefer.

Chip Howell was outraged by the altercation and demanded an explanation. Kiefer easily lied as he painted himself an innocent victim. When Chip turned to Kristina for answers, Kristina appeared torn. Quietly, she revealed that Michael had suffered brain damage. Chip quickly determined that Michael's brain damage had been the cause for the assault and decided that Kiefer could leave. Michael was stung by his sister's defection.

After Kiefer and Kristina left, Chip Howell called Carly when his attempts to reach Edward had failed.

Jax surprised Carly with a tour of their newly built home. The mansion had been decorated and was ready for occupancy. Carly loved the colors and dcor that they had selected. As the two sat down on the living room sofa, to soak in the beauty of their new home, Jax mentioned the nursery. He thought that they should be prepared in case the baby was a boy. Carly asked him if he wanted a boy. Jax confessed that he wanted a little girl. He had always hoped for a sister and had learned, after his father's death, that Lady Jane had tried for years to have a third child. Reality intruded when Carly's cell phone rang. It was Chip Howell, from the country club.

Carly arrived at the country club a short time later. Chip Howell told her about Michael's fight with Kiefer. Chip demanded that Carly sign papers agreeing to keep her "brain-damaged" son off of the country club's premises. Carly refused to sign anything until she had heard both sides of the story. When Chip Howell became belligerent and threatened to call police, Carly decided to reach out to Sonny.

At the hospital, Claudia had an ultrasound to determine the position of the baby. Sonny and Claudia were moved when they saw the image of the baby appear on the monitor. Kelly revealed that the baby, which she referred to as "he," was healthy. After the ultrasound, Kelly reviewed the procedure for the amniocentesis.

Following the amniocentesis, Kelly put a rush on the paternity test. She promised Sonny and Claudia that the results would be back within a few hours. Sonny decided to wait at the hospital for the results. Claudia assured Sonny that she didn't have any plans to tamper with the results, but Sonny wasn't concerned. He informed her that he had arranged for another lab to run additional tests.

Frustrated by his attitude, Claudia snapped at Sonny. Sonny made it clear that if the baby was Ric's, their marriage would be over. Claudia was furious; she wondered how Sonny could be so cavalier about their marriage. Sonny reminded Claudia of the circumstances of their marriage and of her affair with Ric. A short time later, Carly called to ask Sonny to meet her at the country club.

Sonny arrived at the country club, flanked by Max and Milo. With a smug smile, Carly introduced Chip Howell to Sonny Corinthos. Michael sat nearby, quietly watching the scene unfold.

Kelly received the paternity test results. While Claudia watched, Kelly opened the envelope.

When Kristina arrived home to an empty house, she invited Kiefer up to her bedroom. Kiefer kissed Kristina. When he tried to take it further, Kristina pulled away. She told Kiefer that she wasn't ready for more than kissing. Frustrated, Kiefer complained that he had put up with her brain-damaged brother. He also reminded Kristina that he had kept silent about Alexis' affair with the mayor. Kiefer felt that he was entitled to more than a few kisses.

Things turned ugly when Kiefer tried to pick up where he had left off with Kristina. When Kristina pushed Kiefer away, Kiefer became violent. He slapped Kristina across the face with considerable force.