Esme Sneaks In to Visit Her Father Ryan in Spring Ridge — and Carly Considers Changing Her Last Name

In Jacksonville, Carly, with Drew by her side, speaks to a reporter named Tara (played by ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Ellen Leyva) in the cemetery. She explains the people buried here are middle class and their families don’t have the resources to fight this injustice. This is a classic case of the haves versus have-nots. The reporter thanks Carly, and says they will air this segment tonight, but she should be prepared for pushback from some in the community.

Later, Carly tells Drew that Virginia deserved so much more from life, and from her as a daughter. She at least wants to make sure her grave isn’t dug up. She wonders why Virginia kept the name Benson after what Frank did to her. She realizes she could ask herself the same question and thinks it’s time she becomes somebody else. Drew asks what name she’d use. Carly isn’t sure, but it sure won’t be Benson or Corinthos.

Tara calls Drew and he puts her on speaker. Tara says the story will air tonight, but someone beat them to the punch with a story on a rival station. She sends a link, and Carly looks at the story. It states the person fighting the cemetery relocation has ties to the late madam Ruby Anderson, has a history of crime and being institutionalized, and as a teen was linked to a car accident that left two teens dead and one in a coma.

More: Viewers call out Carly’s re-written history with Reese

At the hospital, Curtis and Nina run into one another and share their troubles. Nina tells him about the pushback she’s getting from some in running the Metro Court, especially Joss. Curtis explains his troubles with Trina.

Willow looks at a printout of her lab work and runs into TJ. She confides in him that her numbers are moving in the wrong direction. He’s not surprised and asks what she’ll do about it. Willow says in a few weeks she’ll be in the second trimester and can start the chemotherapy. TJ is still worried that she’s overdoing it, but as her friend, he will support her. As they embrace, Nina walks by and sees Willow in TJ’s arms.

Nina sneaks off, and says, “Well, well, well, who are the cheaters now.” Meanwhile, Willow thanks TJ for his concern. However, she can’t lose another child so this is the only choice she can make.

TJ and Willow get back to work. Willow turns the corner and runs into Nina, who asks, “Did you get good news?” Willow tells her she must get home now that her shift is over. Nina notes that not many women would work while pregnant, especially ones who have a wealthy family to support them. She also notes Willow looks pale, so she can’t help but wonder what is so important here at the hospital that she insists on staying. Willow vents that GH needs nurses, and she worked hard to get her degree and wants to use it. She tells Nina her decisions are none of her business. Nina disagrees because they disparaged her character as a threat to Wiley. She saw that embrace she shared with TJ, and while she won’t tell anyone, others might gossip and not be so considerate.

More: Is Esme the hook killer? Or someone else?

TJ meets up with Curtis and tells him about Willow’s situation without naming her. Curtis relays his own problems with Trina to TJ. TJ is confident Trina has come to love him and will be cheering him and Portia on at the wedding.

At Spring Ridge, Ava taunts Ryan that she doubts anyone will see Esme again. He tightens his fist as Ava notes he seems to have a lot of rage on his face. She tells him that she’ll talk to Kevin about another exam for him to make sure there is no change in his state. She leaves, and Ryan murmurs, “Ava my love what have you done to my daughter.”

At Sonny’s restaurant, Sonny arrives to find Michael and Joss have discovered Dex. Joss wants to call Dante, but Michael thinks it’s not fair to have to make him arrest his father. Joss rants that Sonny hired this freak to torture Dex with knives. Sonny tells them Diane woke up and identified her attacker as a woman. Joss still wants to call Dante, but Dex says he just wants to leave. Joss calls him ridiculous for sticking by his boss. She storms out, and Dex follows. Michael shakes his head at his father and asks, “What happened to you?” He leaves, and Sonny asks Carver what is with the knives.

They go to Sonny’s office, and Sonny states he never authorized the use of knives on Dex. He says now they know Dex is innocent, and it’s lucky for him because he has a problem with Carver acting without his knowledge and authorization. Later Sonny explains he called Selina and said he wouldn’t be using him in the future. Carver takes off.

More: Maurice Benard on the co-worker who intimidated him

Outside of Kelly’s, Esme spies on Trina as she leaves a message with Ava to meet her at Kelly’s. She then calls and leaves a message with Joss asking if she found Dex. Later, Ava shows up and sits down with Trina. She tells her that she just came from Spring Ridge and saw Ryan. She wanted to make sure he wasn’t her attacker all along. Ava is called by the police and excuses herself. Joss arrives, and Ava returns and tells them that Diane woke up and said her attacker is a woman. Joss just heard the same news from Sonny, and it’s a good thing she woke up because Sonny was blaming Dex. Ava says she needs to run, plus she thinks Joss could use time with Trina alone.

Joss vents to Trina that Sonny is worse than she ever thought. They sit down, and Esme listens in as Joss tells Trina about how Sonny was blaming Dex for the attacks, and that she should have called Dante to arrest Sonny for holding him hostage. However, Michael stopped her, and Dex also didn’t want the cops involved which she found strange. Joss doesn’t get why he won’t press charges.

Trina questions her concern for Dex. Joss simply wants to see Dex safe, maybe out of Port Charles and away from Sonny. Trina feels she’s been where Joss is. She warns that getting involved with someone like Dex or Spencer, people with secrets, can cost you a lot.

More: Parry Shen says a fond farewell to a colleague 

Michael visits Dex at his place and informs him their working relationship is over. He gives him $50,000 as severance pay and can’t have him die for this job. Michael isn’t giving up, but he needs to have his dad charged with organized crime, not assault. Dex says with Sonny knowing he was wrong about him, he can use that guilt to get Michael what he needs.

Dex vents that after what Sonny did to him, he wants to see him pay. Michael tells him he can keep the check as hazard pay, but going forward he must stay away from Joss. Michael knows if Joss figures out what they are doing then she’ll want in on the plan. Dex doesn’t like lying to Joss, so he’ll have to avoid seeing her altogether.

Back at Spring Ridge, Ava returns and catches Ryan moving. She seethes that she knew it was too good to be true. Ryan springs from his chair pins her against the wall and says he’s getting out of here with her as his hostage. He fumes that she killed his daughter. Ava says it all makes sense now, and Esme is as sick as him. He swears he’ll get vengeance for Esme after he loves her one more time. As he kisses Ava, Ryan snaps out of his fantasy. Later, Esme appears and visits her daddy. He smiles.

Ava arrives at Sonny’s office to put in a good word for Dex. Sonny assures her that Dex is in no danger from him now that he’s no longer a suspect. Ava asks what he would have done to get him to confess when he thought he was guilty. Sonny explains he couldn’t let him walk around free if he was a threat to his friends and family, but he wouldn’t condemn him without proof. Ava thinks he made the right call. However, she thinks Dex is a keeper, someone who can be trained to be trustworthy and valuable.

On the next General Hospital: Curtis tells someone, “I would like to explain.” Trina vents at Portia, “That’s never going to happen.” Ryan wonders if Esme is pitching him a new strategy. Dante believes he has a fix for something. Ms. Wu tells Cody they have a significant problem. Chase swears he’ll drop the singing career in a heartbeat.

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