Brenda Returns #13A April 1-23, 2013: 2 1/2 hour dvd
Dvd #13A 4/1 Michael visited Sonny at home. After catching Sonny up on news about Lulu's rescue attempt and Michael's visit to Carly, Michael asked about Sonny, who said that he was tired of losing people he loved, referring to Connie/Kate. Michael said that he hoped that the therapy worked. He inquired if Sonny knew which personality would emerge. Sonny said that he loved both women but had no idea who would walk through his door when the therapy was over.
Sonny said that going back and forth between Kate and Connie was tearing him up, plus it hurt Connie for him to be with Kate, and it hurt Kate for him to be with Connie. Sonny admitted that he sympathized with both women because he understood firsthand the debilitating effects of a mental illness and how that illness, if not controlled by medication, could take over and cause a person to do terrible things to their loved ones. Sonny added that he had high hopes that Connie/Kate's therapist would be successful at helping both personalities integrate.
Michael asked which woman Sonny wanted to emerge, but Sonny said that he was glad that he did not have to make a choice between the two women. Sonny told Michael about his early, tempestuous relationship with Brenda and about how he had also fallen love with Lily, despite having been forced to marry her. However, Sonny had been unable to stay away from Brenda and had been on the verge of leaving Lily when Lily had revealed that she had been carrying Sonny's baby.
Sonny had chosen to stay with Lily, but Lily's angry father had planted a bomb that had killed Lily instead of Sonny and Brenda, the intended targets. Sonny said that he had made the wrong choice and Lily had died. Michael asked if that was why Sonny's marriage to Brenda had failed. Sonny said that by then, Carly and Jax had also been in the mix.
Michael got a text from A.J. Michael told Sonny that he had to go because he and A.J. were working on a project to put ELQ back in the black. Sonny said that despite his feelings about A.J., he loved Michael and was proud of Michael's achievements. Michael said that he loved Sonny and that he was glad to have grown up with Sonny, who would always be his dad. Michael hugged Sonny and said that he hoped that the woman that Sonny loved would soon return home. Later, as Sonny's memory was replaying Michael's last words to him, the doorbell rang. When Sonny opened his door, he was surprised to see his visitor.
GH 50th Anniversary Episode 4/2 At Greystone Manor, Sonny was surprised when he saw Brenda standing on his doorstep. "Hey, Brenda," Sonny said. She smiled at him and asked if she could enter. He invited her in then led her to the parlor. After Brenda sat down, Sonny asked why she was there. She confessed that she wanted to make sure that they could be civil to each other during the Nurses' Ball the following day.
Brenda saw the scorn in Sonny's expression, which she suspected stemmed from her not attending Robin's funeral. Brenda didn't offer an explanation, but she admitted that it was difficult to believe that a year had passed since her friend's tragic death. Sonny and Brenda reminisced about Robin until Brenda revealed that she had entrusted Robin with a letter that Brenda had asked to be given to Sonny when the time was right. "What letter?" Sonny asked.
Brenda knew that Sonny had been given the letter. Sonny recalled looking at the letter, but explained that it had been a difficult time in his life, so Jason had "handled it." Brenda wasn't surprised because Jason had been good for things like that. Sonny's temper flared as he asked her if she had been told about Jason's death. Brenda's tone softened as she admitted that Michael had called her. She offered Sonny her condolences but then returned to the topic of the letter.
Brenda wanted to know why Sonny hadn't answered it. Sonny admitted that he hadn't read it because he hadn't thought that it would make a difference. Brenda tearfully disagreed and explained that it would have changed everything. Sonny doubted that the letter had had the power to save their marriage, so she told him what it had said.
"Dear Sonny, I know things are bad right now. That would be an understatement, but I just want you to know that I did what I thought was right for my son," Brenda recounted. She explained that she had written that she had hated how vengeful and angry he had become, so she had been forced to make her son a priority by leaving. However, Brenda had hoped that time apart would help them both find perspective. She assured Sonny that she had never intended to give up on their marriage.
"I'm your wife, and I want to be with you," Brenda had written in the letter to Sonny. She had believed that their marriage had been worth fighting for, so she had told him in the letter that she would wait for him in Rome. Brenda recalled how anxious she had been waiting for Sonny to join her, but the day had never arrived. Sonny realized that was when she had sent him the divorce papers. Brenda smiled sadly as she admitted that she had heard that Sonny had moved on.
Sonny confessed that he had, but the woman he loved was gone. He had no idea when his love would return, or if, like Brenda, she was lost to him forever. Sonny confided that he wouldn't be able to look at Brenda without wondering "What if...?" Brenda quietly revealed that she had stopped by for another reason; she had wanted to let Sonny know that she was engaged.
Carly was delighted when Jax turned up on her doorstep. She quickly invited him inside then asked him why he was in town. Jax explained that he needed to talk to her about something. Seconds later, Josslyn appeared at the bottom of the doorstep and called out to her father with excitement. Josslyn ran into her father's waiting arms, while Carly happily watched the reunion. Jax surprised his daughter with a tea set, which Josslyn promptly took to her bedroom to play with.
Carly doubted that Jax had flown to Port Charles to give Josslyn a tea set, so she was curious why Jax was there. Jax handed Carly new divorce papers to sign then explained that there had been a filing problem, so the state of New York didn't have a copy of their first divorce papers. Carly realized that they were still legally married. She wasn't surprised that their divorce had turned out as difficult as their attempt to get married.
Jax smiled as he and Carly reminisced about the number of times that they had postponed their wedding and Carly's decision not to have a maid of honor, so that Jason could be her best man. Jax sobered as he offered Carly his condolences on Jason's passing. Carly thanked Jax and admitted that she would always miss her best friend. Jax thought that Carly appeared to have handled Jason's death surprisingly well, so she confessed that she had finally learned to stand on her own two feet, which she hadn't thought possible.
Jax assured Carly that he had always known that she'd had it in her. Carly turned wistful as she wondered how their marriage had failed. Jax blamed Sonny for always getting between them. However, Jax confessed that he would always admire Carly because she was a fearless one-of-a-kind woman. Carly wondered if perhaps the file mix-up was a sign to give their marriage another try.
Carly admitted that she had recently ended a relationship that had forced her to reevaluate what was important. Jax admitted that he didn't want to be Carly's fallback guy, so she quickly assured him that he wasn't that. According to Carly, he was the guy -- the man that she kept trying to get over. Jax apologized then explained that he had discovered the mistake with their divorce papers because he had become engaged. Carly was stunned when he revealed that he intended to marry Brenda.
The episode ended with a message from everyone at General Hospital:
Happy 50th Anniversary General Hospital. Thank you to all of our fans for your decades of support!
4/3 At Carly's house, Carly thought that Jax was insane for getting engaged to Brenda. Jax realized that Carly didn't like Brenda, so Carly quickly clarified that she despised Brenda for being a "pathetic narcissistic person." Carly insisted that Brenda only loved herself, so Carly couldn't understand why Jax would get wrapped up with Brenda again. Jax tried to explain how he and Brenda had rekindled things, but Carly continued to rant about Brenda.
Eventually, Jax wondered if Carly was interested in hearing his side of things or if she intended to keep talking over him. Carly invited Jax to have his say, so Jax told her that he and Brenda had remained in touch when they had left Port Charles. Jax would take Brenda and her son, Alec, out on the town whenever he visited Rome. Jax confessed that he and Brenda had reconnected as time had passed. Carly continued to bristle, so Jax reminded her that he and Carly had signed their divorce papers the previous December and that Carly had moved on with someone else.
Carly recalled that Jax had once said that the secret to winning was knowing when to walk away. "Why can't you take your own advice and walk away from Brenda?" Carly asked in frustration. Jax insisted that he was going to marry Brenda, but Carly argued that the engagement was just a means for Brenda to get a reaction from Sonny. Carly was certain that Jax knew it, deep down inside, but he was too stubborn to admit it. Carly believed that Brenda had decided to marry Jax because Brenda had failed to get a reaction out of Sonny when Brenda had first left.
Carly doubted that Jax would ever be happy with Brenda because Sonny was the only man that Brenda wanted. "Not this time," Jax argued. Carly was curious if Jax knew where Brenda was. He assured Carly that Brenda was at the hotel, waiting for him, but Carly bet a million dollars that Brenda had gone to Sonny's place. Carly imagined that Brenda was tearfully telling Sonny about the engagement and talking about missed chances. Jax denied it and ordered Carly to sign the divorce papers.
Carly claimed that she needed to look over the papers first. Jax insisted that they were the same papers that she had signed before, but Carly refused to sign them. Jax made it clear that he expected her to give him the signed divorce papers at the Nurses' Ball. Carly was not pleased when she realized that Jax intended to attend the charity event with Brenda. Jax made it clear that Carly couldn't make him doubt his love for Brenda and then left. "Well, Jax, I'm about to do you a huge favor," Carly quietly replied as the front door slammed shut.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny quickly recovered from the shock of Brenda's engagement news. Brenda suspected that Sonny had something to say about the engagement, so she invited Sonny to speak his mind. Sonny wondered what she expected him to say, so Brenda suggested that he congratulate her.
"Congratulations. Now you can go ahead and leave," Sonny replied. Brenda started to walk out, but Sonny had one question to ask her. He reminded her of why she had left him, so he was curious why she had turned up on his doorstep to tell him about her wedding plans. Brenda argued that she had sent Sonny a letter and that she had waited for him for nearly a year before sending the divorce papers. Sonny asked if marrying Jax had been part of her plan all along. Stunned, Brenda denied that she had planned anything, but Sonny didn't believe her because he saw a direct correlation between her engagement to Jax and her showing up at Sonny's house.
Brenda insisted that not everything was about Sonny, but she conceded that perhaps things might have turned out differently if he had read her letter. Sonny suspected that Brenda's decision to marry Jax had to do with Sonny, but Brenda claimed that she had agreed to marry Jax because of how she and Jax had always felt about each other. According to Brenda, she and Jax were happy and finally able to be together. Sonny remained skeptical because he couldn't understand why she had felt the need to tell Sonny about the engagement.
Meanwhile, Carly used her key to let herself into Sonny's home. She quietly crept to the closed parlor door when she overheard muffled voices. Carly smiled with satisfaction as she eavesdropped on Sonny and Brenda's conversation.
In the parlor, Sonny accused Brenda of marrying Jax as a way to get back at Sonny. Brenda denied it, but Sonny didn't believe her. He was certain that Brenda had agreed to marry Jax because she had been hurt when Sonny hadn't showed up in Rome. Brenda continued to deny it, prompting Sonny to wonder if she had hoped that he would talk her out of the marriage. Brenda assured Sonny that he was wrong; she had simply wanted him to hear the news from her, not someone else. Sonny pointed out that she could have sent him an email, so Brenda reminded him that he had torn up her last letter to him.
Sonny explained that he had been in a freefall, so he had been afraid to read the letter that Brenda had written to him because he believed that everything had been lost to him. "What if it's not?" Brenda asked. Sonny reminded her that she was engaged to Jax, so Brenda admitted that she hadn't known that Sonny hadn't read the letter. Brenda suggested that if he had then Sonny might have gone to Rome, and everything could have been different.
In the hallway, Carly grinned as she tiptoed to the front door and left, unaware that she had dropped her scarf. In the parlor, Sonny gently reminded Brenda that they couldn't change the past, so all they could do was deal with the consequences of their choices. However, he doubted that Jax would make Brenda happy. Brenda ignored the remark as she decided to head to the hotel before Jax returned. She confessed that she didn't want Jax to know about her visit with Sonny. Sonny offered to give Brenda a lift, but she assured him that she could drive herself. Sonny told Brenda that it had been good to see her.
At Metro Court, Jax bumped into Michael as Michael was exiting the elevator. After a warm greeting, Jax told Michael about the engagement. Michael wondered how Carly had handled the news, so Jax admitted that she hadn't taken it well. Michael wasn't surprised. Jax revealed that there had been a glitch with the divorce and that Carly refused to sign the papers to finalize the divorce. According to Jax, Carly was certain that Brenda had only agreed to marry Jax to provoke Sonny into action.
Jax conceded that there had been a time when Carly might have had a point, but Jax and Brenda had discussed it, so Jax trusted that Brenda was marrying him for the right reasons. Jax confided that Carly had also suggested that Brenda was with Sonny at that very moment, but Jax was equally certain that Brenda was waiting for him in their hotel room. Michael didn't want to keep Jax, so he promised to catch up with Jax at the Nurses' Ball. Later, Jax entered his hotel room, but Brenda was not there.
4/4 In Jax and Brenda's suite, Jax showered, while Brenda thought about her talk with Sonny when Sonny had confessed that he had been afraid to read the letter that she had given to Robin because he had been in a freefall after Brenda had walked out on their marriage. Jax entered the room and immediately noticed that Brenda had seemed distracted. Jax was curious what Brenda had been thinking about, so she admitted that she hated his ex-wife for not signing the divorce papers.
Jax assured Brenda that Carly would give him the signed divorce papers at the Nurses Ball. Brenda imagined that Carly hadn't reacted well to the news about the engagement, so Jax revealed that Carly had accused Brenda of agreeing to marry Jax to get a reaction out of Sonny. Jax also confessed that Carly had been certain that Brenda had gone to Sonny's house to try to reconcile with Sonny.
Later, Jax was curious why Brenda wasn't ready for the ball. Brenda confessed that she hated getting ready for events like the ball because it reminded her of her modeling days. Jax pointed out that she was only attending the event, so she could relax and enjoy the evening.
Brenda disagreed because she suspected that she would have to deal with Carly all evening. Brenda couldn't understand why Carly couldn't focus on Carly's own "pathetic" life, so Jax explained that Carly was just protective of him because Carly feared that Brenda would hurt him. Brenda couldn't believe that Jax had defended Carly to her, but Jax assured Brenda that he had made it clear to Carly that Brenda loved him and didn't have any intention of rekindling things with Sonny.
"Right? I mean, you weren't at Sonny's last night, were you?" Jax asked as someone knocked on the door. Brenda assured him that she hadn't been at Sonny's house as she opened the door. Carly stood on the doorstep with a smug smile. Brenda demanded to know what Carly was doing there, so Carly claimed that she was there to make certain that Brenda and Jax were satisfied with their room. Brenda insisted that all they needed from Carly was for Carly to hand over the signed divorce papers. Carly promised to give Jax the signed divorce papers at the ball, but Carly expected Jax to have a million-dollar check for Carly.
"Excuse me?" Jax asked. Carly told Brenda about the bet that Carly had made with Jax and then admitted that she had heard Brenda's denial about visiting Sonny. Carly informed Jax that Brenda had been at Sonny's house the previous evening; Carly knew that because Carly had gone to Sonny's house after Jax had left and had overheard Brenda asking Sonny for reconciliation. "Have fun at the ball," Carly cheerily said as she sailed out of the room.
Jax demanded to know if what Carly had said was true. Brenda insisted that Carly couldn't be trusted because Carly wanted to break them up. Jax pushed for an answer until Brenda tearfully admitted that she had gone to Sonny's house to tell him about the engagement. Jax was furious and wanted to know why she had lied to him. Brenda insisted that she hadn't wanted to upset Jax, but Jax wanted to know if Brenda had tried to work things out with Sonny.
Brenda explained that she had wanted closure because she had written Sonny a letter that she had assumed that Sonny had read. Jax realized that Brenda had wanted Sonny to work things out with her, so Brenda quietly admitted that it was true. Jax refused to spend another minute with Brenda, but Brenda desperately tried to salvage her relationship with Jax by suggesting that they skip the ball and leave town. She begged Jax not to let Carly break them up, but Jax confessed that Carly had saved him from making a huge mistake. Jax credited Carly with making him see that Brenda was irreparably damaged and that he couldn't save her. Brenda refused to believe that it was over, so Jax walked out.
Carly returned home and discovered Sonny, dressed in a tuxedo, sitting in her living room. She was curious when he had started to let himself into her home, so he revealed that it was only fair since she had entered his home uninvited the previous evening. Sonny held up the scarf that Carly had dropped while she had been eavesdropping on his private conversation with Brenda.
Carly told Sonny about Jax's visit and her certainty that Brenda had been at Sonny's house. Sonny insisted that it was none of Carly's business, but Carly disagreed because Jax was Josslyn's father. Sonny argued that Carly had no right to spy on him, but Carly was certain that Sonny would want to know if his and Jax's roles had been reversed. Sonny argued that it wasn't about him, so she needed to stay out of Jax and Brenda's business.
Carly revealed that it was too late because she had told Jax about Brenda's visit with Sonny. Carly didn't want Jax to end up brokenhearted because Brenda was addicted to Sonny.
Sonny started to leave, but Carly asked him to wait for her because she wanted to attend the ball with him. She promised him that she only needed ten minutes to get ready, so he sat back down on the sofa. Pleased, Carly confessed that she looked forward to the evening because she had saved her ex-husband from a "man-eating snake."
4/5 On the red carpet, an entertainment television host introduced the viewing audience to Aztec princess, Felicia Jones, and her daughter, fashion icon and selfless surrogate, Maxie Jones. Felicia and Maxie smiled as they made their way to an area where photographers snapped their pictures. Moments later, Frisco joined Felicia and Maxie. Frisco's smile faded when the red carpet host announced that Mac had arrived, prompting Felicia to invite Mac to join them. Frisco scowled when Mac slid next to Felicia and smiled pleasantly for the photographers.
Spinelli and Ellie were the next to arrive, but Ellie's good humor waned when Spinelli spotted Maxie and remarked that Maxie was "blossoming with child." Ellie reminded Spinelli that he had promised not to talk about children. Tensions were high as Spinelli and Ellie quickly posed for pictures before fleeing to the ballroom.
Duke, sporting a kilt, arrived on the red carpet alone, but Anna and Emma soon followed, and Anna stopped to talk to the host. Anna confessed that she believed that her daughter, Robin, was there in spirit. Emma smiled brightly when she saw Duke posing for pictures, so she called out to him. Duke waved back at Emma as she ran towards him. However, Emma's happiness dimmed when she overheard the host inform the viewing audience that Patrick had not arrived yet.
Sonny and Carly stepped onto the red carpet as Duke, Anna, and Emma walked away. The host asked if Sonny and Carly were back together. "No comment," Carly replied. The host was curious if Carly wanted to address rumors about Brenda's engagement to Jax. Carly smiled as she assured everyone that Jax and Brenda were not headed down the aisle and then confessed that they were unlikely to arrive together that evening. As if on cue, Brenda appeared on the red carpet alone.
Brenda smiled brightly as she waved to the crowd, while Carly watched Brenda with smug satisfaction. Sonny's eyes were on Brenda as the host asked Brenda where her fiancé was. Brenda claimed that Jax had been called away, so Carly pointedly asked Brenda about the missing engagement ring. Brenda's smile tightened as she explained that the ring hadn't matched her gown. The host moved on when Michael arrived with Bobbie and Olivia. However, the host noted that there hadn't been any sign of Bobbie's former flame, Noah Drake.
Moments later, the host announced the arrival of "beautiful and beloved" Nurse Elizabeth Webber and "back-from-the-dead" ELQ CEO A.J. Quartermaine. A.J. and Elizabeth posed for pictures and then made their way to the ballroom. Shortly afterwards, Monica and Tracy arrived. The host admitted that he was surprised that the feuding sisters-in-law had attended together. Meanwhile, Monica and Tracy pasted on saccharine smiles as they quietly spoke to each other between gritted teeth about the spirits who had visited them. Tracy admitted that the sprits had a done a number on her and Monica.
Next up were Alexis, Shawn, Molly, and T.J., followed by Sam, who had arrived at the event alone. The Davis women and their dates posed for pictures as Epiphany and her escort, Anton, stepped onto the red carpet. Sam was startled when Anton suddenly bumped into as the photo area became crowded. Anton smiled at Sam as he reminded her that it wasn't too late to dance with him. The last to arrive on the red carpet were Felix and Lucy.
In the ballroom, Alexis approached Sonny to find out why Carly was his date. Michael walked up as Sonny explained that it was a long story. "Let me guess; it has something to do with Brenda," Michael said as they all watched as Carly had approached Brenda at a nearby table. Carly announced that she had the signed divorce papers for Jax and then innocently asked where he was. Brenda smiled bitterly at Carly as she replied, "Go to hell."
"That's what I thought. The wedding is off," Carly shot back with satisfaction. Brenda blamed the broken engagement on Carly, who Brenda insisted was a "miserable skank." Alexis, Shawn, Michael, and Sonny quickly ran over to the table to keep the argument from escalating. Shawn offered to take Brenda to another table, but Brenda refused to be moved. She took her place at the table as the announcer welcomed the guests to the 2013 Nurses Ball. Annoyed, Carly sat down next to Brenda as the rest of the guests took their seats.
A short time later, Lucy stepped onto the stage to officially kick off the 2013 Nurses Ball. She informed the audience that T.J. and Molly had written the music and lyrics for the opening number. The nurses of General Hospital wowed the crowed with a song and dance routine, which featured solos from Epiphany, Sabrina, and Felix. Spinelli and Ellie performed a lively and entertaining song and dance routine to She Blinded Me With Science.
As everyone applauded, Brenda threw a dinner roll at the back of Carly's head. Carly turned and glared at Brenda, who glared right back at Carly, so Carly picked up a bread roll then threw it at Brenda. The food fight quickly escalated as Carly tossed a drink at Brenda. Security quickly appeared, so Carly ordered them to escort Brenda out of the ballroom. Brenda warned the security guard not to touch her then stood up and calmly walked out. Annoyed, Sonny reminded Carly that Brenda had been there to honor Robin, so it hadn't been necessary to toss Brenda out. Carly disagreed and refused to apologize. Disgusted, Sonny went after Brenda.
4/10 At Metro Court, Carly spotted one of her employees about to deliver a breakfast trolley to Brenda's room. Carly was curious why there were two servings, so the employee explained that Brenda had ordered breakfast for two. Carly knew that Jax wasn't with Brenda because Jax had checked out of the hotel the previous day, so she quickly dismissed her employee then let herself into Brenda's room with the master key. Carly pushed the trolley into the room as a startled Brenda jumped up from the bed.
Brenda demanded to know what Carly was doing in the room, but Carly's eyes had landed on a pair of men's slacks that had been discarded on the floor. Carly accused Brenda of picking up a stranger on the same night that Jax had dumped Brenda. Brenda secured her robe with a belt as she admitted that the man in the bed wasn't a stranger.
Carly assumed that Sonny had spent the night with Brenda, so Carly ripped the covers off of the bed with the intention of blasting Sonny for sleeping with Brenda. However, it was Michael who groggily looked up as Carly stared in disbelief at her son. Brenda assured Carly that things were not as they appeared, but Carly was too furious to listen. Carly sputtered with outrage as she demanded to know what Michael was doing in Brenda's bed.
Michael tried to get his bearings as Carly turned her wrath on Brenda. Michael assured his mother that everything was fine, but Carly ordered him to get dressed. Brenda suggested that Carly listen to her son, who was an adult, not a child. Michael asked his mother to leave, but Carly refused to leave without Michael.
Michael pulled on his slacks, while Carly accused Brenda of being an "evil predator" who had gone after Michael to punish Carly for being instrumental in Brenda and Jax's broken engagement. Brenda laughed at the suggestion, which only fueled Carly's rage. Michael made it clear that he wanted to talk to Brenda alone, so he ordered his mother to leave. Carly refused, but Michael stood his ground. Brenda wasn't intimidated when Carly vowed that things were far from over between Carly and Brenda.
Carly's temper flared, so she picked up a glass then threw it at Brenda. Brenda ducked then taunted Carly for missing her target. Carly growled that Brenda was a "vile, pathetic, filthy whore" then stormed out of the room. Brenda calmly walked over to lock the door, while Michael finished getting dressed. Michael apologized for the cruel things that his mother had said to Brenda, but Brenda insisted that Carly's words were not his responsibility.
However, Brenda reminded Michael that he was an adult, so Carly had been out of line barging into the room. Michael changed the subject by confessing that his memory of the previous night was a bit hazy, so he wondered how much he'd had to drink. "More than a few, less than ten," Brenda answered as she invited him to have some breakfast. Michael grimaced at the thought of food, so Brenda handed him two tablets for his headache and some coffee.
Michael thanked Brenda then apologized for taking advantage of her. Brenda assured Michael that it wasn't necessary because they hadn't done anything to be ashamed of. Michael realized that he had missed a meeting with his father. Brenda assumed that he had meant Sonny, but Michael quickly clarified that he had been referring to A.J.
Michael once again tried to apologize for causing trouble between Brenda and Carly, so Brenda promised him that she could handle Carly. Michael confessed that he had had no idea what had happened between him and Brenda, but he was certain that she hadn't hurt him. Michael made his way to the door and confessed that he hoped to avoid his mother in the lobby. Brenda promised to keep her fingers crossed. After Michael left, Brenda looked at the bed then smiled.
Carly marched up to the front desk to instruct the manager to call security and have Brenda tossed out of the hotel. Carly ordered the manager to call the police if Brenda tried to return. Bobbie and Scott entered the lobby as Carly ranted about "that slut." Stunned, Bobbie asked her daughter what was going on, so Carly explained that she had found Brenda in bed with Michael. According to Carly, Brenda had seduced Michael to get back at Carly.
Carly was certain that Brenda had drugged Michael because he hadn't seemed very coherent. Bobbie was curious why Brenda would do such a thing, so Carly told Bobbie about Brenda's visit with Sonny and about Jax's reaction when Carly had told him about it. Carly suddenly realized that Sonny had no idea that Brenda had taken advantage of Michael sexually, so she decided to call him. Carly was confident that Sonny would kill Brenda when he learned about what Brenda had done, but Bobbie quickly snatched the cell phone out of Carly's hand.
Bobbie was curious if Carly was prepared for what would happen to Sonny and Michael if Sonny were to actually kill Brenda. Carly insisted that she wanted "the bitch" to stay away from Carly's child, so Scott stepped forward to reason with Carly. Scott pointed out that Michael was not a child and that most men Michael's age would think that they had hit pay dirt by waking up next to a supermodel. Carly reminded Scott that Brenda had once been Michael's stepmother, so Scott conceded that that aspect of it had been a bit "sketchy."
Meanwhile, Michael exited the elevator and stopped when he spotted his mother. Scott noticed Michael hovering near the elevator, so Scott kept Carly's attention focused on Scott by cautioning her not to act rashly because she might alienate her son. Michael slipped out of the hotel, unnoticed, as Bobbie reminded Carly that Jason had always advised Carly not to act rashly. Carly started to calm down as she conceded that Bobbie and Scott each had made a point.
Bobbie reached for Scott's hand and squeezed it in silent gratitude for his help. Scott smiled then announced that he was headed to his suite to focus on his own problems, but Bobbie ordered him to get some rest. After Scott left, Bobbie decided to return to the hospital because she hadn't had a chance to check on Nikolas. However, she advised Carly to let things settle down and not to do anything that Carly couldn't take back.
Later, Carly was looking at some pictures of Michael on her cell phone when Brenda walked up to dangle Michael's bowtie in front of Carly. Brenda cheerily asked Carly to return it to Michael because he had left it behind in Brenda's bed. Carly tried to calm down by closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. A.J. smiled when Michael revealed that he had spent the night with someone.
"Really? Who?" A.J. asked.
"Brenda Barrett," Michael answered.
4/11 In Metro Court's lobby, Brenda appeared to take delight in tormenting Carly by asking Carly to return the bowtie that Michael had left behind in Brenda's bed. Carly offered to wrap the tie around Brenda's "bony throat" and strangle Brenda with it, but Brenda declined. Carly's thinly veiled civility crumbled as she accused Brenda of being "disgusting and sick" for going after Michael to get back at Carly. Brenda reminded Carly that Michael was a grown man who could make his own choices about who he spent the night with. Brenda suggested that Carly try to respect Michael's independence.
Carly demanded to know if Brenda had drugged Michael because Carly refused to believe that her son would sleep with Brenda when he was in love with his girlfriend. Brenda informed Carly that Starr had ended things with Michael, prompting Carly to accuse Brenda of taking advantage of Michael's broken heart. Brenda conceded that she had consoled Michael and that things had started out innocent, but then one thing had led to another. The reins on Carly's temper snapped as she lunged at Brenda.
Carly and Brenda screeched and flung insults as they shoved and pulled each other's hair. Eventually, two security guards pulled them apart. Carly quickly regained control of herself to call off the security guards. After the men left, Carly reminded Brenda that Carly had told Jax the truth about what Brenda had done, which had been Carly's right because Jax was Josslyn's father, which meant that Brenda would have been Josslyn's stepmother if Jax had married Brenda.
Brenda thought that Carly should consider therapy for Carly's "over-attachment issues" stemming from Carly's belief that Michael was a child. Carly accused Brenda of having found the perfect way to devastate Carly, but Carly was curious if Brenda had considered how Sonny would feel when he found out that Brenda had slept with Michael. Carly insisted that Sonny deserved to know because parents had a right to protect their kids. "Their kids. Their kids. Your son is not a kid anymore, you freak," Brenda shouted at Carly.
Carly reminded Brenda that Sonny saw women two ways. "Whores and angels," Carly explained. According to Carly, Brenda had spent her entire relationship with Sonny climbing out of one category and into another, so Carly wondered how Sonny would react when he learned that Brenda had spread her wings for Michael. Carly decided to call Sonny to find out, but Brenda quietly asked her not to. Carly agreed, but not because Brenda had asked.
Carly revealed that Dante and Lulu had disappeared, so Sonny had enough to deal with. "I had no idea," Brenda replied, shocked. Carly doubted that it would have mattered if Brenda had known. Carly also wanted to give Michael some time to realize that Brenda had used him. Carly invited Brenda to savor the moment, but Brenda admitted that Carly had made things unnecessarily ugly. Carly coldly accused Brenda of being "pathologically selfish." Carly was certain that Sonny would learn the truth, so Carly was curious how Brenda planned to handle things. However, Carly didn't wait for an answer. "Get the hell out of my hotel," Carly growled as she walked away.
At the Quartermaine mansion, A.J. took a drink of water as he waited for Michael to reveal who Michael had spent the night with. Water sprayed out of A.J.'s mouth when Michael confessed that he'd had sex with Brenda. "You slept with Brenda Barrett?" A.J. asked in stunned disbelief. A.J. was curious what had happened to Michael's girlfriend, so Michael told A.J. about the breakup. A.J. smiled as he pointed out that at least Michael hadn't cheated on anyone.
However, A.J. realized that Jax and Brenda were another issue. Michael quickly explained that Jax had broken off the engagement and had left town prior to Michael's encounter with Brenda in the bar. Satisfied, A.J. pointed out that Michael and Brenda had been free to spend the night together without regrets, which A.J. believed was a great way to get over a painful breakup. A.J. suddenly realized that Michael's guilt stemmed from not having told Sonny.
"What the hell are you waiting for?" A.J. asked. Michael admitted that he wasn't eager to hurt Sonny, but A.J. relished the idea of Sonny getting some payback. Michael assured A.J. that he intended to tell Sonny about the night with Brenda, but not for the reasons that A.J. wanted him to. A.J. warned Michael that Sonny would be angry because Sonny was a vain and selfish man who believed that Sonny was the sole reason for Brenda's existence.
"How am I going to tell my father that I slept with the love of his life?" Michael despaired. A.J. was curious how Michael had ended up in bed with Brenda, so Michael revealed that he had gone to the bar for a drink after Starr's phone call. Michael explained that he'd bumped into Brenda, who had been in the bar for similar reasons. According to Michael, they had made their way to Brenda's room after leaving the bar.
"I guess we had sex," Michael added. A.J. was confused about Michael's strange remark, so Michael admitted that the night had been a blank from the time that Michael had entered Brenda's room until the next morning. A.J. wondered how Michael could be certain that Michael and Brenda had had sex, prompting Michael to confess that Carly had walked in on Michael naked in bed with Brenda. A.J.'s eyes rounded with surprise as he realized that Carly had caught Michael in bed with Brenda.
"This is priceless," A.J. admitted with glee. A.J. felt like he had hit a trifecta. Michael sarcastically claimed that he was glad that A.J. was amused, so A.J. confessed that what he felt went far beyond amusement. A.J. explained that Sonny and Jax had loved Brenda far more than they had ever loved Carly, so A.J. imagined that Carly's head had exploded when she had caught her son in bed with Brenda. A.J. quickly apologized for his reaction because he knew how Michael felt about Carly.
A.J. confessed that he loved the idea that his son had slept with a supermodel, but he was concerned that Michael had gotten drunk enough to black out. A.J. reminded Michael that alcoholism ran in the family, so Michael had to be careful about drinking. Michael assured A.J. that the thought of getting drunk again didn't appeal to him, but A.J. argued that things might change when Michael's hangover wore off. Michael appreciated his father's concern, so he promised not to drink heavily in the future.
Olivia was shocked when she and Sonny entered their son's loft and she saw Dante standing in the living room. Dante explained that he had failed Lulu, so he hadn't been able to save her. Olivia rushed to wrap her arms around Dante to comfort him.
Moments later, a police officer cleared his throat. "Excuse me, ma'am?" the police officer asked as Olivia held him tightly. Olivia quickly jumped back and apologized when she realized that she'd been hugging the police officer, not her son.
After the police officer left, Sonny asked Olivia about the vision. She quickly filled him in then admitted that she was worried that something terrible had happened to Lulu. Sonny cautioned her not to jump to conclusions, so Olivia asked him to distract her by explaining why Carly and Brenda had been arguing during the Nurses Ball.
Sonny told Olivia about Carly's reaction to Jax and Brenda's engagement and Brenda's visit to Greystone Manor to find out if Sonny and Brenda could salvage their relationship. Olivia was curious if she should worry on her cousin's behalf, but Sonny assured Olivia that he was committed to Connie and Kate. Their conversation then returned to the topic of their son. Sonny hated waiting, so Olivia suggested that they check in with Anna. Sonny claimed that he had a better idea. Moments later, Sonny and Olivia left the loft.
4/15 Sonny was on the phone with Olivia when he arrived home. He stopped short when he noticed that the front door was ajar, so he ended the call, pulled out his gun, and then entered the house quietly.
Seconds later, Sonny burst through the living room door, ready to shoot an intruder. Startled, Michael assured Sonny that everything was okay. Sonny quickly lowered the gun but warned Michael that it had been reckless to leave the front door open because Sonny had thought that someone had been lying in wait to ambush Sonny. Michael apologized then explained that he had been waiting for Sonny to arrive home.
Sonny noticed Michael's rumpled clothes from the Nurses Ball, so he suggested that Michael get cleaned up. Michael ignored the suggestion to ask if there had been any news about Dante. Sonny gave Michael an update but sensed that something else was troubling Michael. Michael confessed that he had something to tell Sonny, so Sonny assumed that it concerned Starr. Michael revealed Starr had called to break up with Michael and inform him that she wouldn't be returning to Port Charles.
Sonny felt bad for Michael, but he assured Michael that the pain over the breakup would fade with time. Michael explained that he had gotten drunk and then had slept with someone. Sonny promised Michael that it was okay, but Michael insisted that Sonny didn't understand. Sonny assured his son that he did. "Dad, I slept with Brenda," Michael confessed.
Stunned, Sonny asked Michael to explain exactly what had happened. Michael promised Sonny that Michael and Brenda hadn't planned for it to happen. Michael apologized profusely because he realized that he had betrayed Sonny. Sonny calmly walked to the door, quietly closed it, and then pulled out the gun.
Michael nervously asked Sonny what Sonny was doing, so Sonny secured the safety on the gun then explained that he simply wanted to put it away. Sonny offered Michael a drink as Sonny locked up the gun, but Michael declined because he doubted that he would ever drink again. Sonny joined Michael on the sofa to find out exactly what had transpired between Michael and Brenda. Michael revealed that he and Brenda had been in a bad place emotionally because they had each been nursing a broken heart. Michael admitted that he and Brenda had commiserated over drinks until people from the Nurses Ball had filtered into the bar, so Michael and Brenda had gone to Brenda's suite.
According to Michael, the next thing that Michael recalled was waking up in bed with Brenda the following morning. Sonny was curious if Brenda had said anything to indicate that she had felt bad about sleeping with Michael. Michael admitted that Brenda had assured Michael that she and Michael had nothing to be ashamed of.
Sonny saw the regret in Michael's eyes, so Michael explained that he loved Sonny and would never do anything to hurt or betray him. Michael wondered if Sonny could forgive him, so Sonny assured Michael that he didn't blame Michael. Sonny appreciated that it had been difficult for Michael to tell Sonny about what had happened with Brenda, so he suggested that Michael go home to get some rest. After a warm hug from Sonny, Michael left.
Sonny waited until he heard the front door close then slammed the living room door shut. "Son of a bitch," Sonny spat. "I can forgive my son, but Brenda, that's another story," he added. Sonny pulled out his phone to order his men to pick up Brenda and deliver her to him. Moments later, the doorbell rang. Sonny assumed that it was Brenda, so he cancelled the order then went to the door. He was stunned when he saw a familiar face, but he didn't know if it was Kate or Connie.
Carly knocked on Michael's front door, demanding to talk to him. A.J. walked up and suggested that Carly let Michael sleep, since Brenda had likely worn their son out. Carly was shocked that A.J. knew about what Brenda had done to Michael. A.J. clarified that Michael was an adult, so it had been mutual. Carly argued that Brenda was twice Michael's age, so Brenda had taken advantage of their son. A.J. countered that Michael had been with a beautiful supermodel. "There ain't nothing wrong with that," A.J. added.
Disgusted, Carly pulled out a key to let herself into Michael's apartment. A.J. was stunned that Carly had entered Michael's apartment without Michael's consent. He insisted that Carly didn't have any boundaries, so he followed her into the apartment to call out a warning to Michael that Carly was headed to the bedroom.
Seconds later, Carly returned to the living room to announce that Michael's bed had been undisturbed, so Michael hadn't spent the night in the apartment. Carly was determined to look for Michael, but A.J. advised her against it because he suspected that Michael was with Brenda. Carly decided that it was time for Sonny to know what had happened, but A.J. warned her that Michael wouldn't want her to do that.
Carly was curious why A.J. thought that, so he explained that he had actually had a conversation with their son. A.J. confessed that he had told Michael that the tryst with Brenda hadn't been a big deal, but Carly argued that it had to have been traumatic for Michael to wake up in bed with a woman who had once been Michael's stepmother. Carly insisted that Michael needed their love, support, and perhaps a little guidance, which A.J. was unlikely to provide.
"Really? And he's going to get that from Sonny, the guy who considers Brenda his personal property?" A.J. asked. Carly was confident that Sonny would agree that Brenda had exploited Michael, but A.J. disagreed. A.J. thought that Sonny was more likely to fly into a jealous rage and shoot Michael. Carly vehemently denied that Sonny would shoot his own son.
"Why don't you tell Dante that," A.J. challenged. Carly defended Sonny, but A.J. insisted that Sonny was "a violent thug with a hair-trigger temper" who was obsessed with Brenda.
"How do you think he's going to react when Michael tells him he had sex with her?" A.J. asked. Carly argued that Sonny loved his children, so Sonny wouldn't blame Michael for what Brenda had done. A.J. reminded Carly that Brenda was a famous beauty who had wanted Michael, so perhaps Brenda had built up Michael's self-esteem.
"Why the hell should he feel guilty about that?" A.J. asked. Carly suspected that A.J. had wanted to sleep with Brenda himself, but Brenda hadn't given A.J. the time of day. A.J. explained that he had simply wanted to point out that Michael hadn't been the first person to get drunk and sleep with someone that he shouldn't have. Carly argued that Michael wasn't anything like A.J. because Michael had a conscience and morals. A.J. countered that Michael hadn't gotten those qualities from Carly.
Carly ignored the remark because she believed that Michael was vulnerable and screwed up because Michael had slept with "that evil whore." "Slept with a whore like I did with you?" A.J. shot back. Carly raised her hand to strike A.J., but he stopped her by grabbing her wrist. The two glared at each other until Carly's phone rang. It was Bobbie calling to give Carly an update on the search for Lulu and to let Carly know that Bobbie was headed back to Seattle.
Carly was disappointed, but wished her mother a safe trip. After Carly ended the call, she decided to look for Michael but made it clear that A.J. had to leave. A.J. confessed that he was tempted to let Carly hunt Michael down because it would suit A.J.'s agenda, since Michael would resent Carly's interference. However, A.J. urged Carly to give their son some space. "Go to hell," Carly snarled. A.J. shrugged and invited her to treat Michael like a child. "See how that works out for you," A.J. added as he left.
A short time later, Michael arrived home. He was not pleased to discover that Carly was waiting for him. Michael reminded his mother that she couldn't just let herself into his apartment, but Carly explained that she had been worried about him. Furious, Michael ordered Carly to leave him alone.
4/18 At Greystone Manor, Carly told Sonny that Brenda had seduced Michael. She was shocked when Sonny revealed that he already knew, so Carly demanded to know why Brenda wasn't dead yet. Sonny realized that Carly was angry, but Carly made it clear that she expected Sonny to be angry, too, because Michael was their son.
"Tell me you don't want to murder Brenda for sleeping with Michael," Carly asked. Sonny explained that Michael had stopped by for a visit the morning after the Nurses Ball to confess that he had slept with Brenda. Carly insisted that it had been the other way around because Brenda had instigated the sexual encounter. Sonny assured Carly that he understood, but Carly wanted to make certain that Sonny knew exactly what had happened. Carly revealed that Michael had been devastated after his breakup with Starr, so Michael had gone to the bar to get drunk.
According to Carly, Brenda had taken advantage of Michael's vulnerability and had exploited him sexually. Sonny didn't want to talk about it, but Carly insisted that they had to deal with it because Brenda had been an authority figure who had manipulated Michael while his judgment had been impaired. "She abused him," Carly declared. Sonny confessed that he couldn't think about it because he feared that he would lose his mind. Carly thought that Brenda deserved it, but Sonny pointed out that Michael would blame himself if something were to happen to Brenda.
Sonny explained that the only way to spare Michael more hurt was for them to leave things alone, but Carly warned Sonny that Brenda was still after Michael. Sonny was certain that it had been an isolated incident because Brenda had been hurt and had self-destructed after Jax had left her. Carly argued that Brenda had slept with Michael to get back at Carly for telling Jax the truth about Brenda's visit with Sonny. Sonny didn't want to hear what Carly thought was true, but rather what was actually true.
Carly told Sonny how she had found Brenda naked in bed with Michael. Carly had spotted the tuxedo pants on the ground, so she had accused Brenda of picking up a stranger for the night, but Brenda had smiled with satisfaction as she had informed Carly that the man in the bed was not a stranger. Carly had been shocked to discover Michael when Carly had pulled the covers off of the bed. According to Carly, Michael had been naked, confused, and so hungover that he hadn't known where he was.
Sonny was curious what Brenda had said, so Carly admitted that Brenda had insisted that it wasn't what it had looked like and then had tried to get Carly to leave because Brenda didn't think that a mother should see her son with another woman like that. Brenda had reminded Carly that Michael was a legal adult, but Michael had seemed embarrassed and had tried to take full responsibility for what had transpired between him and Brenda. It had broken Carly's heart.
Carly insisted that Brenda had been out for revenge and wasn't done, so Sonny and Carly needed to stop Brenda from ruining Michael's life. Carly explained that Brenda had approached Carly in the lobby to ask Carly to return Michael's bowtie that Brenda claimed Michael had left behind in the bed. Sonny wondered if Carly had hit her. Carly said that she had held her temper in check until Brenda had accused Carly of being a "creepy mother" then had reiterated that Michael was an adult who was free to choose who he wanted. Carly had slapped Brenda when Brenda bragged that one thing had led to "another and another" between Brenda and Michael.
Afterwards, Brenda had told Carly that Brenda and Michael were consenting adults and that Carly had been the one to turn Brenda's encounter with Michael into something ugly. "What could be more pure and innocent than Brenda sleeping with her own stepson?" Sonny sarcastically asked. Sonny hated what Brenda had done.
"At best, she was stupid, at worst, she manipulated our son," Sonny concluded. Carly implored Sonny to do something, so Sonny wondered if Carly expected him to shoot Brenda. Carly made it clear that she wanted Brenda gone, but Sonny refused take action. Carly and Sonny briefly talked about his breakup with Connie then resumed their discussion about Brenda. Sonny had thought that Brenda had been out of his life until she had showed up on his doorstep to ask him to give their relationship another try. He couldn't understand why Brenda would ask that only to turn around and sleep with Michael.
"Because she wants to matter to you," Carly replied. Sonny admitted that, in that way, Carly and Brenda were a lot alike. "That's the meanest thing you've ever said to me," Carly angrily replied. Carly reminded Sonny that they had once slept with each other out of revenge, but they had been adults and had known what they were doing.
Carly insisted that Michael hadn't known what he was doing. Sonny assured her that he knew that, but Carly wanted more from him; she wanted him to make sure that Brenda didn't do something worse because Carly was certain that Brenda would continue to pursue Michael. Sonny was outraged at the suggestion because Michael was a "kid." Carly explained that Brenda would rather have Sonny's hate than for him to ignore Brenda.
Carly believed that Brenda would keep using Michael if Sonny didn't stop Brenda. Sonny promised that he would figure something out then apologized for comparing Carly to Brenda. Sonny conceded that Carly could do damage, but she would never go after a kid to get back at a parent. Carly admitted that she hated the air that Brenda breathed, but she appreciated that Sonny had loved Brenda. Carly didn't think that Sonny had deserved what Brenda had done to him. Sonny argued that Michael hadn't deserved it either. Carly confessed that the only consolation was that Brenda had guaranteed that Sonny would never touch Brenda again.
At Kelly's, A.J. warmly greeted Brenda with a friendly hug when she entered the diner. "You know my son, Michael," A.J. said with a smile as Michael and Brenda exchanged awkward greetings. Brenda apologized for not catching up with A.J. at the Nurses Ball, so A.J. assured her that he understood that she had been busy throwing food at Carly and "having sex with my son." Brenda's smile faltered as she realized that Michael had told people about their encounter.
A.J. promised Brenda that his lips were sealed because he respected that Michael and Brenda were consenting adults and single. A.J. admitted that he was happy that Michael and Brenda had made a meaningful connection and thought that it was great that Carly had walked in on Michael and Brenda. A.J. noticed Michael and Brenda exchange a look, so he asked them not to start judging each other. According to A.J., Michael was a good-looking guy and Brenda was a beautiful woman, so it made sense that they would be attracted to each other.
Michael asked A.J. to stop, while Brenda agreed that A.J. was not helping. "It is what it is," A.J. explained as he reminded Michael and Brenda that they were both adults who had done what consenting adults did. Michael decided to send A.J. on his way by reminding A.J. that A.J. had mentioned catching up with Elizabeth at the hospital. A.J. took the hint, but before he left, he asked Brenda to take care of Michael and for them to be good to each other.
After A.J. left, Brenda revealed that Carly had kicked her out of the hotel, so Brenda had decided to head back to Rome. She confessed that she was eager to get back to her son because she missed him. Michael held out a chair for Brenda so that they could talk about what had happened. After Brenda sat down, Michael took a seat across from her to explain that he had felt obligated to tell Sonny about what had happened.
Brenda wanted to know exactly what Michael had told Sonny, so Michael confessed that he had told the truth because Sonny was his father. Brenda argued that Michael had the right to keep his personal life private. Michael was glad that Brenda didn't have any regrets, but Michael insisted that he shouldn't have been with Brenda. "This is all Carly's fault," Brenda argued. She insisted that Carly had overacted to the situation and had made Michael feel as if he had done something horrible.
Michael argued that his mother wasn't to blame; it had been his choice. Brenda couldn't understand why Michael had told Sonny, knowing that it would upset his father. Michael admitted that he had felt as if he had betrayed his father because Brenda had once been married to Sonny and Sonny loved Brenda. According to Michael, keeping a secret was the same as lying, so he had needed to tell Sonny the truth. Brenda was curious what Sonny's reaction had been.
Michael revealed that Sonny had heard him out and then had forgiven him. However, Michael could tell that Sonny had been hurt, so Michael feared that things would never be the same again between him and Sonny. Brenda apologized, but Michael insisted that he had to live with the consequences of his choices. Michael admitted that he couldn't remember anything that had happened after they had left the bar, but it didn't matter because they couldn't change it. "Actually, we can change it," Brenda revealed. Michael was startled when she admitted that she had to confess something.
4/22 Carly found A.J. at General Hospital. She told him that she was looking for Brenda. A.J. could not resist taunting Carly with the knowledge that he had just left Brenda and Michael together. Carly was livid. She told A.J. that Brenda had taken advantage of Michael, and she intended to run Brenda, the "pedophile tramp," out of town if Sonny did not kill Brenda first.
A.J. refused to tell Carly where Brenda was. He said that Michael was a grown man who could make his own choices. Carly responded that Brenda was exploiting Michael for her own sick purposes. A.J. said that he respected his son and would not tell. Carly grabbed a pair of large hospital scissors and told A.J. that she would make a falsetto out of him and he would never father another child if he did not tell Carly where to find Brenda. A.J. caved quickly and admitted that Brenda and Michael were at Kelly's, getting ready to go public.
At Kelly’s, Brenda told Michael that he had nothing to feel guilty about because they had never had sex. Brenda told Michael that she had lied as a way to get even with Carly because Carly had gotten between Brenda and Jax. Brenda said that as a result of Carly telling Jax about a conversation that Carly had overheard between Brenda and Sonny, Jax had broken off his engagement to Brenda.
Michael was stunned as Brenda explained how she had at first taken Michael up to her room to sober him up because he was too drunk to drive home. Brenda said that she had seized the opportunity to taunt when she had tried to get Michael into a cold shower, but he had taken off his clothes and passed out naked in her bed instead. Brenda said that she had lain on the couch and plotted all night.
Brenda said that she had risen the next morning and deliberately gotten Carly to her room by ordering room service for two and charging it to Carly's account. Michael was hurt that Brenda had used him. He asked if he and Sonny were just "collateral damage." Brenda felt guilty, apologized, and asked Michael to forgive her. Michael understood Brenda's reasons and agreed to forgive her.
Michael was relieved that he had not betrayed Sonny. Brenda told Michael that he would meet an amazing girl who would be right for him. Later, Carly arrived at Kelly's to confront Brenda, but Michael said that Carly was too late because Brenda had gone.
Olivia took festive balloons to the airport to welcome Lulu home. As she waited with Sonny for the plane to arrive, they discussed the integration of Connie and Kate, and Connie's decision to break off with Sonny. Olivia said that she had been stunned and had gone to Connie and begged her to reconsider her options. Sonny said that the break with Connie was not the only devastating news he had received. Sonny told Kate about his visit from Michael and Michael's apology for sleeping with Brenda.
Sonny told Olivia that Carly wanted him to kill Brenda. Olivia said that she could understand how Carly felt and would probably have had a similar response if she had found a young Dante in similar circumstances. Olivia did not seem surprised that Sonny had held his temper and comforted Michael while seething inside at the turn of events. Dante, Luke, Laura, and Lulu emerged from the plane. Olivia threw herself at Dante and welcomed him home. She grabbed the balloons and thrust them and herself at Lulu, who ran from Olivia's embrace, screaming that she did not know who any of them were. Laura went after her.
Dante and Luke told Sonny and Olivia about Lulu's memory loss. Dante said that they were taking Lulu to General Hospital, where they hoped Dr. Drake could find a cure. Olivia and Sonny told Dante to have patience and wait until after Patrick had examined Lulu. When Sonny got a phone call, Olivia and Dante took their leave. When Sonny turned around, he saw Brenda standing in front of him.
4/22 At Kelly's, Carly arrived looking for Brenda, but Michael explained that Brenda had decided to leave town. Carly wasn't surprised that Brenda had "run away" after exacting her revenge against Carly. Carly admitted that she was happy that Brenda would be far away from Michael and unable to take advantage of him. Michael informed his mother that he and Brenda had never had sex.
Stunned, Carly demanded to know how Michael could be certain, so Michael explained that Brenda had set the whole thing up to hurt Carly. Carly didn't appear the least bit relieved as she accused Brenda of being a "lying witch." Carly explained that she didn't appreciate what Brenda had put Michael through, so she decided to head to the airport to confront Brenda before the flight.
At the airport, Sonny was startled when he heard Brenda greet him. He wondered if she was leaving town, so she nodded. Sonny was curious if sleeping with his son had been a one-night stand. "It wasn't a one-night stand. I lied," Brenda confessed. Sonny was skeptical, so Brenda admitted that she had perpetrated the ruse to punish Carly. Sonny was furious because Brenda had put Michael through a lot of needless guilt and remorse.
Brenda explained that she had snapped when Jax had left her, so she had finally succumbed to the temptation by giving Carly a taste of her own medicine. Brenda insisted that Carly had deserved it, but she regretted what her lie had done to Sonny and Michael's relationship. Sonny was caught off-guard when Brenda confessed that she was in love with Sonny and always would be. She assured Sonny that she didn't expect him to do anything about it because she knew that he was in love with Kate.
"There is no Kate," Sonny quietly revealed. Sonny explained that Connie had decided to break off their relationship, prompting Brenda to wonder if fate had put Sonny and Brenda together at the airport. Brenda suggested that perhaps it was a sign that they were meant to be together. Brenda painted a wonderful picture of a happy life together for them and then asked Sonny to fly to Rome with her. Sonny was tempted, but he doubted that things would work out because they always ended up hurting each other.
Sonny also reminded Brenda that they were both on the rebound, so they each needed time to heal if they were to have a shot at happiness together. Moments later, Brenda's flight began to board, so Brenda warned Sonny that it was his last chance to change his mind. Sonny offered her a bittersweet smile as he told her that it was time for them to say goodbye. Brenda refused because she insisted that they had never meant it.
"Until next time," Brenda said instead. "Until next time," Sonny replied. Brenda started to walk away until Sonny pulled her back for a brief, but passionate kiss. Brenda took a moment to recover then walked away with tears in her eyes.
After Brenda left, Carly walked up demanding to know where Brenda was. Sonny explained that Brenda had boarded the plane. Carly was furious that Brenda hadn't been forced to answer for lying to everyone about sleeping with Michael.
Meanwhile, the flight attendant offered Brenda a cup coffee, so Brenda accepted. She became lost in her thoughts as she looked at the cup.
At Kelly's, the waitress offered to refill Michael's cup of coffee, so he accepted. She was curious if the woman who had been seated at his table earlier had been Brenda Barrett, the model. "Yeah, that was her," Michael answered with a smile. After the waitress walked away, Michael picked up his coffee cup as he had a sudden flash of memory from the night of the Nurses' Ball. Michael recalled that Brenda had ordered him to drink some coffee to help sober up, while she started the shower. Michael's expression turned troubled as the rest of the memory faded away.
**The End**
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