At the hospital, T.J. was upset that Marshall had left town, and T.J. wanted to know what Curtis' plan was to bring to bring Marshall back. Curtis said he had no plan and offered that Marshall had made the decision to leave on his own. T.J. defended Marshall and asked Curtis if it had been worth losing the chance Curtis had found to have a relationship with Marshall.
Curtis insisted that he'd had no choice but to investigate Marshall in order to know if Marshall might bring trouble to T.J., Portia, and Trina. T.J. said that it hadn't been worth it because T.J. had just gotten to know his grandfather. T.J. reminded Curtis that Marshall had made an effort with T.J., Portia, Stella, Trina, and Curtis.
Curtis confided to T.J. that Marshall had been arrested many years earlier at a protest rally and had been remanded to a mental health facility. T.J. reminded Curtis that there was a lot of stigma attached to mental illness, especially among men. T.J. then informed Curtis that he intended to find Marshall and bring him back to Port Charles.
At the Metro Court gardens, Chet arrived as Terry's date. Both admitted they were nervous but quickly got over their awkwardness. Chet shared that he'd enjoyed his time in the Middle East, but it hadn't been easy to clear his own hurdles. Chet apologized to Terry for not having told her of his prosthetic limbs on Valentine's Day, but Terry admired Chet for his bravery and understood why he'd wanted to keep his prosthetic limbs a secret. Chet then asked if Terry had been nervous when she'd told him about her transition to become a woman. Terry said that she was proud of who she was but that she'd have been devastated if Chet had told her that dating a transgender woman was a dealbreaker.
Terry then told Chet about her dustup with "a coworker" at the hospital earlier in the day. Chet mentioned that his sister worked at the hospital. When Chet revealed that his sister was none other than Amy Driscoll, Terry tried to force a smile.
Also outside at the Metro Court garden, Valentin asked Carly to appeal to her compassionate side about Nina. Valentin said that Carly had everything Nina had ever wanted. "Really? Last I checked, she has my husband," Carly said.
Carly told Valentin that he was another of Nina's many defenders who came running toward her every time Nina chipped a fingernail. Valentin said that Carly was strong and had a big heart. He asked if there was any part of Carly that felt for Nina. Carly told Valentin that many people had endured hardships and trauma and that Nina wasn't a special case.
Valentin casually brought up Phyllis' name, and Carly recalled that Phyllis had nursed Nina when Nina had been pregnant and in a coma. Carly said she thought that Phyllis might feel guilty for Phyllis' part in giving Nina's baby away years before.
At Charlie's Pub, Nina met Ava for cocktails and to discuss Nina's latest plan to secure visitation rights to Wiley. Ava revealed that Smoltz had reached out to her for his series of articles on Nina. Nina wondered why Smoltz would have asked Ava about Wiley. Ava informed Nina that Smoltz's questions hadn't been about Wiley. "It was about Avery -- and how she was born," Ava said.
Ava reminded Nina that all of Nina's drama was public record. Nina claimed that she'd been a different person when she'd kidnapped Avery and taken Avery to Canada. Ava shifted the conversation to Nina and Sonny's growing relationship and asked how things had been between them. Nina told Ava that they had recently danced at the Savoy.
Nina then asked about Ava, and Ava admitted she had a hard time staying calm with Esme at Wyndemere. Ava said that Nikolas had ingratiated himself to Esme and was blind to Esme's manipulations due to Nikolas' desperation to be a father to Spencer. Ava confided that she'd canceled her vow-renewal ceremony. "Never have a stepson," Ava joked.
Ava mentioned that Nina would have two stepsons and three stepdaughters if Nina ever married Sonny. Nina was undeterred at the prospect of having Michael as a stepson and vowed that she would come after Michael and Willow with everything she had. Ava cautioned that if Nina went after Carly's son, Carly would rip Nina's throat out. Nina said that when she came out "guns blazing," Carly had better hope to not be in Nina's line of fire. Ava glanced up and found Carly standing in the door of Charlie's.
At the yoga studio, Trina and Josslyn arrived for a workout and were surprised to see Rory. Josslyn noticed Rory staring at Trina and encouraged the two to have a conversation. Josslyn rushed off to give Trina and Rory some time alone. Trina and Rory made small talk, and Esme sneaked into the gallery to eavesdrop. Rory told Trina that she would beat the charges against her, much to Esme's chagrin.
As Rory left the studio, Esme left for Kelly's. When Josslyn and Trina were alone, Josslyn said it was obvious that Rory was into Trina, and she encouraged Trina to have a friendship with Rory. Trina mentioned in passing that Spencer and Esme had been at the Jerome art gallery the previous night, and she revealed that Esme had followed Spencer "like a creepy, jealous parasite."
With Rory gone, Trina said she would not ask for Rory's help. Josslyn worried that the sex tape might never go away and said that it could cost her jobs and other opportunities in the future. Trina said that she'd "learned to live with" the grief after the sex tape had become public and following her arrest. Josslyn disagreed and said that Esme had to have made a mistake and that there had to be evidence to prove Esme's guilt.
At Kelly's, Cameron pressed Spencer for updates on Spencer's plan to expose Esme. Spencer said he'd tried but that even Esme's secrets had secrets. Spencer then revealed that Esme wanted to have sex with him and said that he was running out of ways to avoid it. Spencer insisted that he needed more time to get the evidence on Esme. Spencer said that no matter how hard he tried, he could never shake Esme's shadow. Cameron offered to distract Esme at Kelly's when she arrived to meet Spencer at the end of his shift, while Spencer went to search for clues about Esme's guilt.
Esme arrived at Kelly's to look for Spencer, who'd already left. Cameron told Esme that they needed to clear the air, and he tried to persuade Esme of Spencer's loyalty by pointing out that Spencer and Cameron had only gotten into a fight because Cameron had attacked Esme's character. Esme said that she missed having friends like Cameron and that she was sorry they'd gotten off track. Cameron told Esme that he would always treat her the way she deserved. Esme smiled then pulled Cameron close for a warm embrace.
Esme said that it meant a lot to her that Cameron hadn't turned his back on her. Esme had her hands around Cameron's shirt and thanked him for being his own man. "No, he's my man, and you have about five seconds to get your tentacles off him," Josslyn said to Esme as she came into the room.
Earlier, at Wyndemere, Esme went into her room and opened a letter from Maggie, her former nanny. In the letter, Maggie confided that she was glad that Esme had decided not to pursue a relationship with her father. Esme then went into the closet in her room and pulled another letter from Maggie out of a shoebox. In the letter, Maggie told Esme to be happy. "Don't worry, Maggie. I intend to be very happy," Esme said.
Later, when Esme had left the mansion, Spencer arrived and sneaked into her room to look for evidence that Esme had framed Trina. Spencer opened the closet door and saw Esme's different shoeboxes, including one from 2019. Spencer pulled out the box and stared inside as something caught his eye. "What do we have here?" Spencer asked.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Ned asked Drew to call off the plan to merge ELQ and Aurora. Drew tried to explain that it was in the companies' best interests to merge because it would dilute Valentin's shares even more. Michael then discussed the leadership structure in a possible merger. Ned felt he could be left out in the cold if the merger went through.
Ned said that he'd always assumed he would revert back to CEO of ELQ once the Quartermaines regained control of the company from Valentin. Ned felt he should be part of all discussions, but Michael said it wasn't that simple. Drew admitted he wasn't sure he'd be able to offer Ned a position commensurate to CEO, but Drew told Ned to trust him when Drew said that Ned would be happy. Drew left to take a phone call.
Alone with Michael, Ned said that he'd sacrificed a lot for ELQ and admitted he felt he was about to be "put out to pasture." Michael assured Ned that no one was trying to drive him out. Michael promised that Ned would be active in discussions about how to move forward. Michael asked Ned to not worry so much. "Anything for the family," Ned said.
At the gatehouse of the Quartermaine mansion, Willow reeled from the shock that Harmony was dead and had never been Willow's birth mother. Alexis stopped by to visit Willow and said that Harmony had approached her for help in getting Willow a fake birth certificate. Alexis said she felt bad for keeping the truth about Harmony from Willow, but she said that it wasn't her place to tell a friend's secret. Alexis recalled that Harmony had told her that a woman on a commune in Colorado named Joan had given birth to Willow and then disappeared. Willow asked if Alexis thought that any of Harmony's story had been true.
Alexis recalled that the more time had passed, the more Harmony's story hadn't added up. Alexis told Willow that she'd encouraged Harmony to tell the truth several times. Alexis added that Harmony's relationship with Willow had to have meant the world to Harmony if she'd been willing to kill to keep Willow's identity a secret. Willow then mentioned her father and wondered if he'd known of Harmony's lies.
Alexis told Willow that Harmony had never mentioned Willow's father. Willow said she needed to know where she'd come from and who her biological parents were.
At Charlie's Pub, Carly asked how it was that Nina always managed to consider herself the victim in every situation that Nina caused. Nina tried to tell Carly that they both wanted peace, and she asked Carly to sit with her.
Nina asked how Willow was doing and asked Carly to send Nina's condolences to Willow. Carly refused and called Nina out for only pretending to care about Willow. Nina asked if Michael and Willow had told Wiley that Harmony had died. Nina said that Wiley shouldn't feel abandoned. Carly told Nina that Wiley was too young to process that type of information. Carly accused Nina of not putting Wiley first. "You're not doing this for Wiley; you're doing this for yourself because you can't see past your own selfishness to do what's best for him," Carly said.
Nina claimed she loved Wiley and deserved to be in his life, and just then, Phyllis walked in the door. Nina excused herself, and Phyllis invited Carly to join her at the bar. Carly said she'd wanted to see how Phyllis had been since the robbery. Phyllis said that Carly was always welcome at Charlie's. The two mentioned Nina, and Phyllis said that it was hard not to care about someone who'd been helpless and in a coma as Nina had been many years before.
Phyllis revealed that she hadn't been with Nina at the time Nina had given birth and that Madeline Reeves had later given the baby to Phyllis to deliver to the child's adoptive parents. Carly asked if Phyllis knew if anyone had been present when Nelle had been born. Phyllis wondered why Carly would ask, and Carly claimed that Nelle had been on her mind lately.
Nina returned to the main room at Charlie's and thanked Phyllis for being a friend. As she did, Nina put a glass of wine that she'd been sipping on a table as Carly stared at the glass. When Nina left, Carly got up and put a napkin around the glass to slip into her purse. Carly looked up and was startled by Drew.
At Kelly's Diner, Josslyn yelled for Esme to leave. When Cameron refused to take sides, Trina and Josslyn accused Esme of manipulation and both said that Cameron's refusal to take sides was as bad as taking Esme's side. Esme left but made a point to compliment Cameron on being a gentleman and for having a heart.
Josslyn grilled Cameron about why he insisted on being so friendly to Esme. Josslyn told Cameron the right thing would be for Cameron to stay as far away from Spencer and Esme as possible. Trina left and told Josslyn and Cameron on her way out to play nice and to not fight because that would let Esme win. After Trina left, Cameron told Josslyn that she had one of the biggest hearts of anyone he knew but that Josslyn couldn't look at Esme without wanting to start a fight. Josslyn countered that her friends and family were worth fighting for. Cameron said that he and Josslyn shared the same loyalties.
Josslyn told Cameron that she'd seen the way Esme had touched Cameron before she'd left and that it had been Esme's way of saying to Josslyn that Cameron didn't mind Esme touching him. Cameron didn't see it that way and insisted that in time, Trina would understand Cameron's actions. Cameron told Josslyn that he had to get back to work, and he gave Josslyn a hug.
At the Jerome art gallery, Trina told Ava that she needed Ava's help. Trina said she needed to prove that Esme was responsible for the sex tape and to make Esme pay for it. Trina surmised that Esme was a true schemer, just like Ava, and added that Ava was the only person Trina knew that could "out-scheme" Esme. Ava was flattered by Trina's faith in her.
Ava told Trina that Spencer knew Trina to be a wonderful person, and Ava asked Trina to take advantage of Spencer's feelings. Ava suggested that Trina set a trap and goad Esme into making a mistake. Ava thought that if Trina put on the right act around Spencer, it would drive Esme crazy. Ava said that if Trina stuck to the plan, Esme would lash out just enough to incriminate herself. Trina then confessed there was something that could help her. "Something I've been keeping to myself. But before I tell you what it is, this is a last resort," Trina said.
Ava wondered what Trina's secret weapon might be and later told Trina that she was proud of her for being such a bad schemer because Trina was a good person who didn't stoop to Esme's or Ava's levels. Ava said she was proud to be Trina's "go-to schemer" and offered Trina her help.
At Wyndemere, Spencer went through an old box of Esme's and found a prescription bottle. Spencer discovered the bottle contained pills but had no label. Spencer slipped the bottle into his shirt pocket to take for testing and wondered what else Esme had hidden. Spencer continued to look through the box of Esme's things when he found Maggie's letter to Esme. Spencer read the letter as Esme sneaked into the room and watched Spencer from behind the door.
Esme yelled at Spencer for having gone through her personal things. Spencer confessed that he'd read the letter Maggie had written Esme, and he wanted to know why there was an entire box full of letters from Maggie when Esme claimed to have thrown them away. Esme wanted to know why Spencer had gone through her private things. "When you found that box, exactly what did you think you'd find?" Esme asked.
Spencer claimed he didn't know what he'd been looking for, but he wanted to know Esme more. Esme said that if she and Spencer were going to get back to being the couple they'd once been, they both needed to be completely transparent with each other. Spencer readily agreed.
"Why don't we start with this? Why did Maggie write, 'No good can come from you having contact with your father'?" Spencer asked Esme.
In Esme's bedroom, Spencer confronted Esme about the letter he had found. He realized that he might not have known Esme as well as he had thought. Esme argued that he could have asked her anything, and she reminded him how close they had once been and how they had shared everything with each other. She wanted to recapture what they had lost, but she insisted it would take honesty. Spencer agreed, and he suggested that Esme start with the letter from Maggie.
Spencer wanted to know why Maggie had warned Esme against contacting Esme's biological father and why Esme had told him that she had lost touch with Maggie. Spencer demanded to know who Esme's biological father was, but Esme claimed that she had no idea. Esme insisted that she had recently reached out to Maggie to see if Maggie knew anything about Esme's biological parents. According to Esme, she had painted a picture of a wonderful life at boarding school and her loving boyfriend in the hopes of persuading Maggie to share details about Esme's birth parents, but Esme had been forced to cut Maggie off when it had become clear that Maggie had no intention divulging anything. Esme admitted that she had kept Maggie's letters for sentimental reasons because they had been a reminder of better days.
Esme explained that not having a family had felt isolating, especially when Spencer had distanced himself from her. Spencer pretended to accept her answers, and he apologized for doubting her. Esme blamed it on Spencer's "supposed friends" getting into his head, but she gave Cameron credit for at least being nice to her when she'd seen Cameron at Kelly's. Esme reminded Spencer that she'd always been there for Spencer, and she assured him that she wanted things to work out between them. Spencer played along as he told her that he wanted the same thing.
Pleased, Esme kissed Spencer passionately. One kiss led to another, and she began to undress him, but Spencer put a stop to things when she reached for his pants. Spencer insisted they take things slow. Spencer wanted a fresh start in every way, and he warned her no more secrets if they hoped to spend the rest of their lives together. Esme perked up when he suggested that they do things right because she loved when he made grand gestures.
Esme was curious what Spencer had in mind, but he told her that she would have to wait. He promised that he had something very special in mind for her. Spencer gave her a quick kiss and turned to leave, but Esme asked him to wait. She wondered if there was anything else he wanted to ask her. Spencer recalled finding the prescription bottle in her shoebox, but he kept that to himself and assured her that there was nothing else troubling him. After Spencer left, Esme's smile faded. She conceded that things had gone better than expected, but she wouldn't take anything at face value.
In the hallway, Spencer examined the blue and white capsule that he'd taken from the prescription bottle. After he dropped it back into his shirt pocket, Spencer fired off a text message to Britt, asking to meet about an important matter.
At the hospital, Finn spoke to Elizabeth on the phone. She assured him that she was safe and on her way to Wyndemere. Elizabeth was grateful that Nikolas had offered her to stay, but she wasn't eager to run into Esme. However, Elizabeth took comfort in knowing that Cameron was safe with friends at the dorm, and both Jake and Aiden were staying with Laura. Finn reluctantly agreed that Spoon Island was the safest place for Elizabeth until they could get to the bottom of things.
After Elizabeth ended the call with Finn, she entered her house. She turned on the light and lit candles until the doorbell rang. Elizabeth acknowledged that she was about to embark on a crazy plan. At the door, Elizabeth greeted Chelsea Lam and invited the medium into her home. Chelsea was eager to get started, but Elizabeth was nervous.
Chelsea asked why she was there, so Elizabeth filled Chelsea in about the unsettling incidents. Elizabeth assured Chelsea that the police were investigating, but there hadn't been any answers. Chelsea revealed that Lucy had provided some background information, including that all the incidents pointed to Elizabeth's late husband. Chelsea clarified that she wasn't a psychic; she believed the spirits of the universe were always talking to them, and it was up to them to listen to the messages. Elizabeth confessed that it was her first time with a medium, and her friend Terry would have joined them if Chelsea hadn't asked to meet Elizabeth at the house.
Chelsea explained that they would have the strongest connection in the house if Franco was responsible for the incidents. Elizabeth conceded that it made sense, but she wondered what would happen if Franco had nothing to do with what was happening. Chelsea suggested they get started and find out. Elizabeth tensed when Chelsea mentioned the possibility of contacting a poltergeist. Chelsea explained that a poltergeist could be a spirit, or it could be a psychic impression of someone who was still living. When Chelsea asked for something of sentimental value to Franco, Elizabeth fetched her wedding band.
Elizabeth started to share why it was significant to Franco, but Chelsea stopped Elizabeth. Chelsea admitted that the less she knew, the better, because they would use the information later to determine if they had indeed reached Franco. The two women joined hands and closed their eyes as Chelsea called out to see if anyone wanted their presence known. Elizabeth became alarmed when Chelsea's tone suddenly changed and her words drifted off. Moments later, Chelsea's eyes snapped open. "There is a dark presence in this house," Chelsea said in an ominous tone.
Elizabeth refused to believe the dark presence was Franco because he had loved her and her boys, and Franco would have wanted them to be happy. Chelsea retrieved the wedding band from the table and studied it. Chelsea's eyes rolled back in her head as the dark presence spoke to her. Chelsea revealed that the dark presence didn't go by their first name, but Chelsea wasn't certain if it was their middle name or even last name. Elizabeth revealed that Franco was a variation of Robert Frank, which had been Franco's legal name at one time.
Chelsea sensed that the dark presence had been born out of trauma and pain -- someone who had been abandoned by their family, and someone who had found a real family within the walls of Elizabeth's home. Chelsea warned Elizabeth that the dark presence didn't like the new family that Elizabeth had been building, and it was very clear that it did not want a new family to be formed in the house. Elizabeth assumed the dark presence was Franco, and she begged Chelsea to let Franco know that she was ready to listen if he had something to say.
Outside Kelly's, Sonny sat on a bench as he remembered having to break the news to Carly that Jason had died and how she had refused to accept it because she had been told the same thing about Sonny. Moments later, Laura called out to Sonny. He pushed the memory away as he apologized to Laura. He admitted that he had been lost in thought. Laura wasn't surprised because she knew he had a lot going on. Sonny explained that Monica was finalizing the paperwork to have Jason legally declared dead.
Sonny confided that there had also been an ongoing argument about whether to place Jason's memorial plaque in the Quartermaine crypt or at the cemetery next to Morgan's grave. Laura felt bad for everyone, but she confessed that she had assumed Sonny's mind had been on Nina's petition for visitation with Wiley. Sonny was surprised when Laura told him the first part of a feature story on Nina had dropped earlier that day, and details about Sonny and Nina's time in Nixon Falls had been shared. Nikolas walked up in time to hear Laura, so he jumped at the opportunity to taunt Sonny about Nina being painted in an unflattering light in the article.
Laura was not pleased. She reminded Nikolas of the adage to remain silent if he didn't have anything nice to say, but Nikolas promised to remember that the next time she crossed paths with Victor. Laura was stunned that Nikolas would put Victor and Sonny in the same category, but Nikolas believed his mother had a blind spot for Sonny. Nikolas accused Sonny of kidnapping Esme, but Sonny argued that -- unlike Nikolas -- Sonny hadn't bought Esme's innocent act.
Sonny started to walk away, but Nikolas grabbed Sonny's shoulder as Sonny passed. Sonny spun on his heel and reached for Nikolas' hand and bent it back until Nikolas cried out in pain. Sonny shouted a warning to never grab Sonny again. Shocked by Sonny's fury, Laura interceded on her son's behalf. Martin walked up during the heated exchange and asked if his sister needed help. Sonny apologized to Laura and stormed off.
Laura worried that Nikolas might have been injured. Martin agreed that Nikolas' wrist might be sprained, but Nikolas complained that Sonny kept getting a free pass. Laura reminded Nikolas that Esme was prone to exaggeration, but Nikolas was adamant that Esme hadn't filmed Cameron and Josslyn having sex and framed Trina as the culprit. Laura argued that she believed Trina, but Laura was willing to reserve judgment about Esme until after Trina was exonerated.
Laura was surprised when Martin revealed that he was there at Nikolas' request because Nikolas wanted to discuss options about Nikolas' marriage. Laura didn't like the sound of that, but she insisted it would have to wait because Nikolas needed to go to the hospital to have his wrist checked out. Laura offered to take Nikolas, but he reluctantly agreed to have his driver take him. After Nikolas left, Martin and Laura sat down to catch up. Martin told Laura about his visit with his mother, and he shared that he and Lucy were officially a couple.
The conversation turned to Elizabeth when Martin mentioned that he had heard about Elizabeth's trouble at the hotel. Laura was surprised when Martin told her that Elizabeth had approached Lucy for the name of a medium.
At the nurse's station, Finn asked what was going on with Nikolas' hand. Nikolas downplayed the injury, but he admitted that he had promised to have it looked at. Finn took the opportunity to thank Nikolas for letting Elizabeth stay at Wyndemere, but Nikolas had no idea what Finn was talking about. Nikolas acknowledged that he had missed a call from Elizabeth earlier, but Nikolas hadn't spoken to her. Finn grew alarmed when he realized that Elizabeth had lied.
In the alley behind Charlie's Pub, Drew stopped Carly because he had seen her take Nina's glass. He wanted to know what was going on, but Carly refused to explain. Drew's concern mounted, prompting Carly to admit that "certain" information had fallen into her lap. She wished that she could discuss it with Jason, but it was impossible. Drew acknowledged that he couldn't replace his twin, but Drew promised to keep an open mind. Drew refused to promise to support Carly's choices without judgment, but he vowed that he would always be honest with her.
Carly decided to trust Drew with her secret. She told him about Harmony's confession that Willow was Nelle's twin -- and Nina's daughter. Carly explained that she didn't have anything to back up the claim because Willow's birth certificate had been forged and could not be trusted to have an accurate birthdate. Carly revealed that she had gone to Charlie's Pub to question Phyllis, but Phyllis hadn't been present for Nelle's birth, so Carly had taken Nina's glass on impulse. However, Carly had no idea how to get a sample of Willow's DNA.
Drew disagreed with Carly's decision not to tell Willow, but Carly suggested that Harmony might have lied. Drew doubted that Harmony would spend her final moments trying to manipulate Carly, but Carly refused to add to Willow's grief unless she was certain.
At the gatehouse, Michael asked about Willow's visit with Alexis. Willow realized that she would have to take the DNA test to prove that Harmony was not her biological mother, but Willow was reluctant to because it would mean that Willow would not be related to anyone. Michael suggested a break. He offered to take Willow out on the boat, but she declined. She wanted to take a car ride instead because she had a particular destination in mind.
At the cemetery, Nina stood before Nelle's grave. Nina talked about her fight for visitation with Wiley and how things had turned nasty because Michael and Willow had paid off a reporter to write a story that made Nina look like the villain. Nina conceded that it was ironic because the whole world had seen Nelle in the same light. Nina acknowledged that she had made a lot of bad choices, but Nelle wasn't one of them. Nina wanted the world to know that Nelle hadn't been all bad, and Nelle's life had mattered.
Nina confessed that a part of her had wanted Carly to suffer the same way that Carly had made both Nina and Nelle suffer, but Nina realized that she could have done a better job of building a bridge between Carly, Michael, and Willow. Nina believed if she had, she would have had an active role in Wiley's life, and she would have been able to tell him about Nelle. Nina recalled her confrontation with Carly when Nina had told Wiley about Nelle, and how Nina had warned Carly that they couldn't pretend that Wiley's mother had never existed. Nina vowed to do whatever was necessary to be a part of Wiley's life and to make certain that Nelle was not forgotten.
Just then, Michael and Willow entered the cemetery. Nina was livid, and she demanded to know what they were doing at her daughter's grave. Michael explained that he and Willow had been on their way to Jonah's grave. Nina's anger evaporated as she offered her condolences to Willow because Nina knew the pain of losing a child long after they had passed away. Michael reminded Nina that Nelle had switched Jonah with Wiley. Nina resented that Michael never missed an opportunity to say something nasty about Nelle, but Michael argued that Nina never missed an opportunity to rewrite history.
Nina claimed that she had just been trying to express her sympathy to Willow. To Nina's surprise, Willow agreed that it was the right time because Willow had lost her mother in more ways than Nina could imagine, and the stress of the upcoming hearing had made things worse. Willow asked Nina to call off the hearing, but Nina insisted that she hadn't started the fight. Nina blamed Michael and Willow for the feature story in the Invader, but Michael put the blame on Nina for filing a petition.
Nina claimed that she had tried to compromise, but Willow disagreed. Willow reminded Nina that Willow had gone to Nina's office to work something out, but Nina had refused. Nina insisted that she would not sign away her rights to Wiley, but Michael pointed out that Nina only had a right to file a petition, which Nina had done. Willow added that Nina's idea of a compromise was for Nina to get everything Nina's way, which worked for Nina but not for Wiley. The three continued to argue until Sonny approached and asked if there was a problem.
Nina didn't want to involve Sonny, but Michael accused Nina of giving Willow a hard time. Michael didn't expect Sonny to do anything about it because Sonny always defended Nina, but Sonny assured his son that he would have Michael's back during the hearing. Michael wanted Sonny to prove it by telling Nina to stop harassing Willow, but Sonny made it clear that Michael didn't give the orders. Nina conceded that she had been too hard on Willow, and Nina apologized.
Michael waited for Sonny to say something, but Sonny remained silent. Michael made a snide remark about Nina properly begging for Sonny's forgiveness for what had transpired in Nixon Falls. "At least she had the courage to apologize," Sonny said. Michael insisted that he had nothing to be sorry for. After Michael and Willow left, Nina admitted that she hated that Sonny had been caught in the middle. Sonny realized that Nina had no choice except to "go for the jugular" in court.
Nina warned Sonny that things would get intense. She suggested that they keep their distance from each other until after the hearing. At that time, Nina and Sonny could decide what -- if anything -- happened next. "When that day comes, save me a dance," Sonny said.
Meanwhile, Drew and Carly entered the gatehouse. Carly objected to Drew turning on the light, but he pointed out that it would be harder to explain why they were alone in the dark in the gatehouse if they were caught. Carly slipped upstairs, while Drew kept guard at the window. A short time later, Carly returned with Willow's toothbrush that she had put in a small plastic baggie. Drew and Carly were startled when Michael and Willow arrived home. Confused, Michael asked why Drew and Carly were in the gatehouse.
Spencer entered Britt's office and promised to make it worth her while to help him. "Ask me nicely," she said, and she took out her phone to record Spencer saying, "Pwetty pwease, Bwitt?" Satisfied with her new ringtone, she asked what he needed. He took the pill out of his pocket and told her that he'd found it. She took it from him to research, and she suddenly became solemn. She revealed that the pill was a controlled substance used for severe pain management, and it was habit-forming. He asked what would happen if it was mixed with alcohol, and Britt described symptoms close to what Trina had suffered at the cabin.
Britt demanded to know if Esme was misusing the pills, as she couldn't in good conscience stand by and not do anything. "It's a little late in life for you to grow a conscience," Spencer said angrily. He apologized and clarified that he was there for information and not a lecture. She instructed him to do something about it like someone in a healthy relationship would if he cared about Esme. He challenged that Britt probably didn't know anything about healthy relationships. Hurt, she told him that he couldn't cry to her when things exploded in his face, and she stormed out.
At Spring Ridge, an orderly lifted Ryan into bed as Esme watched from the door. She asked if he needed help, as there was a mess down the hall. The orderly ran out to take care of the sick inmate, and she closed the door behind him. "Well played," Ryan commended her as they chuckled. She updated him that Ava and Nikolas were on the rocks, and Spencer were "back in." He wondered how badly she'd screwed up, since his number one rule was "no unplanned, uncontrolled communication."
Esme told Ryan that Spencer had been acting strangely. Aside from not wanting to be intimate, she'd caught him going through her things. Ryan immediately knew that Spencer was onto her, and he reminded her of how he'd warned her to stay on task. He lamented that everything they'd built was crashing down, but she replied that there was still time for her. She figured that in order to save herself, the cops would rather have an update on Ryan's condition than go after her. Ryan was happy that Esme had inherited her mother's sense of self-preservation, but he thought that they needed to stick together.
Esme talked about how much Spencer's betrayal hurt. Ryan flashed back to a physical fight with Felicia and empathized that it was agony. He thought revenge was the best option, but he needed Esme to recommit to the task at hand. He continued that the best way to destroy Nikolas and Ava was for Esme to seduce Nikolas, and she looked forward to the look on Spencer's face when he found out. When that was done, he decided that they would turn their attention to everyone else.
At Maxie's, Felicia was on the phone with Bobbie when there was a knock on the door. When she opened the door to Nina, she ended her call. Nina had stopped by to see Maxie and the kids, but Felicia revealed that Maxie wasn't there, and the kids were asleep. Felicia invited Nina in, and a few minutes later, each woman had her own bowl of popcorn. Felicia admitted that she'd been talking on the phone to Bobbie, one of Felicia's best friends, when Nina had arrived. Noting the familial connections to Carly, Michael, and Wiley, Nina wondered why Felicia hadn't slammed the door in Nina's face.
Felicia replied that their connections to James made them family, and Nina warned that that distinction could cost Felicia. Felicia insisted that her bond with Bobbie was too strong to be broken. Felicia could see some of herself in Nina -- "a gorgeous, badass woman who's made mistakes." Nina didn't know what she would say to Wiley and James when they asked her questions later in life, but she figured she would own up to the things she'd done. Felicia urged Nina to stick around to see that day, and Nina promised that she wasn't going anywhere.
At the hospital, Finn was on the phone with Ava and wondered where Elizabeth could be if not at Wyndemere. As he got off the phone, Laura arrived, and neither knew where Elizabeth was. Laura told Finn about Lucy giving Elizabeth contact information for a medium, and they ran out of the hospital together.
At Elizabeth's, Chelsea informed Elizabeth that the spirit did not want a new family to be formed in the house. Elizabeth insisted that Franco wanted her to be happy, but she asked him for a sign. Just then, the window and front door burst open, blowing most of the candles out. Elizabeth saw Chelsea shivering and closed the front door. When she returned, Chelsea stopped shivering and said, "I'm not Chelsea." Elizabeth assumed it was Franco talking as Chelsea told Elizabeth how beautiful and strong she was. Through Chelsea, he revealed that he couldn't move on if she wasn't at peace, but she didn't know how to be at peace without him.
Just then, Finn and Laura entered Elizabeth's house, and Chelsea snapped out of the trance. Elizabeth pleaded with Franco to return, and Finn asked what was going on. She demanded to know why he was there, as she'd been in the middle of communicating with Franco. She sensed that he didn't believe her and probably thought she was crazy. Laura urged Elizabeth to go home with her so Elizabeth could see the boys. Elizabeth agreed, and she advised Chelsea that she would be calling on the psychic again. Finn offered to stay and make sure everything was locked up, and Elizabeth left with Laura.
Finn sarcastically observed that "channeling spirits must be draining," and Chelsea confirmed that it was. He wondered how draining it was to lie to a vulnerable woman, but Chelsea shot back that Finn was the one lying to Elizabeth. She added that she'd provided Elizabeth with comfort and support, which was more than he could say. He ordered Chelsea not to contact Elizabeth again. Chelsea informed him that Elizabeth was supposed to call her, and she hoped that Finn would have a more open mind the next time so that he could help the woman he claimed to care about.
At the gatehouse, Carly descended the stairs with Willow's toothbrush in a baggie. Just as she showed Drew and stuffed it into her purse, Michael and Willow arrived home. Drew claimed that he'd been walking up the drive, and he'd seen Carly at the gatehouse door. Carly claimed that she'd wanted to see her family and be there when they got home. Drew continued that he had a key, so he'd let her in. Michael informed his mother that he and Willow had been visiting Jonah at the cemetery when they'd bumped into Nina, who'd been visiting Nelle, and Sonny.
Carly commented on how Nina was still "clinging to the fantasy" that she could have saved Nelle. Michael said that Nelle had inherited the "crazy" from Nina. "What does that say about Wiley?" Drew wondered, since Wiley was next in that line. He added that Wiley might want to get to know Nina later, and Michael stated that Wiley would have the knowledge of Nina's history. Carly apologized for just showing up and promised to be in touch the next time. Willow decided to give Carly a key, and Michael clarified that she still needed to call first. Carly hugged Michael and Willow, and she and Drew left.
Willow commended Michael on being civil when Drew had talked about Nina, and she admitted that she'd been worried about the argument with Sonny. She thought that cutting Sonny out had to hurt, but Michael didn't want to compromise with anything. He insisted that Willow and Wiley would always be his first priority.
Carly and Drew arrived at the hospital, and she decided that he was "no longer needed," as the situation didn't involve him. He replied that they were in it together, as he couldn't just "unknow" something. He wondered what Carly would do if Willow turned out to be Nina's daughter. She insisted that she would do the right thing. Just then, she spotted Britt and asked how she should go about having a DNA test done.
At the Metro Court spa, Carly took Josslyn for a mother-daughter outing. Josslyn was dismayed that Nina had chosen to go the legal route with regard to Wiley, and she scoffed at Nina's claim to visitation rights. Carly recalled how often she had wiped tears away from Avery and Donna's faces when they'd believed that Sonny had been dead.
Carly said that Nina had kept Sonny to herself for nine months while the rest of his family had been collateral damage. "What kind of mother would I be if I didn't insist that Nina suffer the consequences for what she did to our family?" Carly asked.
Josslyn said that Carly was justified in trying to shield Wiley from Nina, no matter how far Carly had to go.
At the Crimson office, Nina tried to stay busy to keep her mind off Smoltz's article in the Invader. Curtis arrived and asked Nina how she really felt. Nina eventually confessed that Smoltz's story had gotten to her. Curtis told Nina that she had her own ammunition. "If Michael and Willow determine that you are unfit to see Wiley, then you and your attorney should demand to know why someone with Sonny's reputation is granted unrestricted access," Curtis said.
Nina didn't want Sonny's name to be dragged into court, and she recalled that she'd visited Nelle's grave and wondered if being a mother to Nelle might have made Nelle a different person. Nina told Curtis that at least Curtis had gotten a second chance with his father. Curtis informed Nina that Marshall had left town, and he wondered why it bothered him so much when it hadn't affected him as a child. Nina reminded Curtis that it was more difficult because Marshall was no longer someone his family talked about. Nina told Curtis that she wouldn't give up on Wiley and wouldn't allow Curtis to give up on Marshall. Nina said she couldn't live without her grandchild, and she surmised that Curtis had to ask himself if he could live without Marshall.
At the hospital, T.J. told Jordan that he wanted to file a missing persons report with regard to Marshall. Jordan told T.J. that it was possible Marshall didn't want to be found and that Marshall wasn't considered missing because he'd left Port Charles of his own free will. T.J. brought Jordan the musical instrument that Marshall had sent and discovered a receipt from a music shop in Brooklyn. Jordan encouraged T.J. to reach out to the store owner to see if he might know where Marshall was. T.J. said that he'd secured some time off from work, and he announced that he'd head to Brooklyn to find Marshall. Jordan told T.J. to follow his heart, and she promised to help square any concerns that Curtis might have about T.J. reuniting with Marshall.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Ned told Olivia that he'd meet her and Leo at the elementary school fair for Leo's poem after he tended to some business with ELQ. Brook Lynn gave Leo a warm hug, and a displeased Olivia told Ned that he should concentrate on the things he had and be grateful for them.
After Olivia left with Leo, Brook Lynn asked Ned to take Olivia's advice and to be grateful. Brook Lynn asked why merging ELQ with Aurora was a bad thing, and Ned asserted that Michael and Drew had already spoken to Brook Lynn and gotten her on their side. Brook Lynn admitted that she'd spoken to Michael, but she wasn't on anyone's side except the family's. Brook Lynn surmised that getting rid of Valentin made the merger worth it. Ned worried that Michael and Drew were planning a future that didn't include him, but Brook Lynn urged Ned not to do something he would regret. Brook Lynn told Ned that the day was all about Leo, and she encouraged Ned to not let business get in the way. Ned agreed and left with Brook Lynn.
At Kelly's Diner, Valentin knew the Quartermaines were trying to oust him as CEO and wanted to know what Martin planned to do about it. Martin said that Valentin's month-long absence from town had given the Quartermaines time to plot Valentin's exodus, and Martin added that Valentin wouldn't have a chance if the family stayed a united front. Valentin said that a united front had never been the Quartermaines' best strong suit.
Valentin admitted that he needed to find a way to bring a member of the Quartermaines over to his side. Martin scoffed at the idea that a Quartermaine would ever side with Valentin, but Valentin asked Martin who would benefit the most. Valentin guessed that the answer to his question was Ned.
At the elementary school fair, Sonny and Drew arrived for their daughters' talent activities and greeted one another. Sonny and Drew spoke of Sonny's icy relationship with Michael, and Sonny told Drew that Michael felt embarrassed by what the Corinthos name stood for. Sonny expressed his regret that things had deteriorated between him and Michael. "By the time Wiley is old enough to ask questions about his grandfather, I'm going to be a distant memory," Sonny said.
Drew said that he hated to see bad blood between Sonny and Michael, and he asked if there was anything he could do to help things. Sonny asked how Drew thought he could help, and Drew offered to get Sonny and Michael together and serve as a mediator without taking sides. Sonny said that Michael was building walls around his family to keep Sonny out, and Michael wouldn't listen to reason. Drew told Sonny that walls didn't last forever and that things could change.
Drew confided to Sonny that he and Michael were working on a merger with ELQ, and he said that he could perhaps broker peace. Sonny wanted to know if Valentin was likely to retaliate against Michael. Drew assured Sonny that Drew and Michael could handle themselves, but Sonny said he wouldn't allow Michael to go up against someone like Valentin without backup. "I want in," Sonny said.
Drew told Sonny that as much as their friendship meant to him, his answer was no. Sonny said that Michael was lucky to have Drew on his side, but he added that if Michael let a family disagreement escalate to something more, he would need all the luck he could get.
At the gatehouse at the Quartermaine mansion, Dante told Willow that the lab results had confirmed that Harmony wasn't Willow's biological mother. Sam came to lend emotional support to Willow and invited Willow to join her at the elementary school fair to take Willow's mind off Harmony.
After Sam and Willow left, Michael asked Dante why he'd really come to the mansion, and he surmised that it hadn't just been to see Willow. Dante said that Michael and Sonny needed to get in a room and hash out their differences. Michael said that Sonny had abandoned his family, but Dante didn't believe that. Dante said that no one was perfect. Dante later accused Michael of behaving just like Sonny, and Michael exploded on Dante and said he was nothing like Sonny. Dante asked why Michael couldn't leave their dad out of things.
"It's not enough that I have to rise to the top, Sonny has to fall. I'm going to take everything from him. Every shred of legitimacy that he has. And the next time the PCPD comes calling, he's not going to have anywhere to hide," Michael told Dante about Sonny.
