*A belated but special welcome to new reader ParadigmShift81 who left a signed review. I completely agree that Carly and Ned are a bit interesting as a pairing (and if you've read more you may see that they probably aren't an endgame pairing but maybe they will both come out of this with some personal growth and a healthy friendship both of which were rare on GH when I watched). I would love to hear your thoughts as you keep reading (which of course I hope you will).*
Now to my other wonderful readers…..
1.) Is this the just the beginning of a spectacular meltdown for Dr. Tony Jones?
Unfortunately, yes, at least to an extent. I am incorporating existing GH canon in some cases so this will ultimately proceed there but it will play out somewhat differently after Michael's kidnapping because Carly is in a different place and has a very different relationship with the Qs. Also, the consequences for Tony will likely be more true to NY state law and the policies and protocols of the NY State Medical Board.
2.) Is Carly still Bobbie's daughter?
That is how I have written this so far and I would only change that if there was very compelling reason. The truth about Carly's biological parents will eventually come out and she will discover a biological sister and brother she had no clue about. Then there is Lucas…and Melissa McKee Murdoch.
3.) What is next for Carly and Monica?
In this and much of everything I have written Monica is Ned's favorite Aunt (and no they never had an affair because they met when Ned was five, so he was the ring bearor in her wedding to Alan and well aware of who she was) so she has tried to be very kind to his wives. Jenny was a struggle because Jenny was quite unkind to Ned. Monica really loved Lois (and perhaps Monica realizes Lois is finishing her neurology residency) and tried to reach out to her but sometimes things were too complicated for Lois to accept that. I think Monica will always want things to go well for Carly and the baby even if she does feel that Carly AND TONY made some very unkind and wrong choices where Bobbie was concerned. Monica can treat Carly kindly and even accept her into the family without feeling like she is betraying her friendship to Bobbie. We will see if Bobbie understands that when she returns to Port Charles at the end of November.
4.) Is Rex setting Scott up?
Yes, Tifffany Peterson was paid by Rex Stanton to make the rape allegations against Scott Baldwin. (She will admit that she got the work study job at Scott and Lee's firm so she could do that.) Rex was counting on a no evidence he said she said and Tiffany being a nice young girl from a good family being believed. The problem was that Tiffany actually had sex with JR Chandler (which was technically dual statutory rape since they were both under the NYS age of consent and both intoxicated) after partying with Alison Barrington, Sarah Webber, Xander Smith, Jamal, and JR. The latter was not part of Rex's plan (he also didn't think Scott would have an adult alibi—Scott had been hanging out with Serena most nights since her return after the kidnapping, but Karen planned the sisters slumber party and Scott got brave and took Eve out—or at least to Mt. Kisco to eat Eli's Ribs). But Rex had already drugged Lucy, so he just went ahead.
Rex doesn't realize how much the evidence basically acquits Scott. So, he realizes it isn't ideal, but he thinks since he pushed for the Mayor to lean on the DA to go to the grand jury, they should at least get an indictment which should be enough to get him custody. Or at least he thinks that. He probably also isn't above bribing a family court judge, or ten.
But keep reading because Dara is going to present the case to the grand jury and some twists will come out then. I'll just say that JR Chandler isn't completely off the hook.
5.) So, Lucy isn't pregnant?
No, medically and physically, Lucy Coe Stanton is not pregnant. She may or may not accept that reality though.
6.) So, I still think Lois is a bad mom, that's allowed right?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and at this point I can even understand why people would feel that way. In this version of canon, Lois left Ned in September 1996 (after he admitted that he slept with Katherine Bell [although how consensual that sex was on his part may be the question of the decade]). Their divorce was finalized a few months after that so less than a year before this story is taking place. My divorced friends tell me that even if you really both mean well it can take a while to figure out how to coparent after divorce. Add in some extra grief because they buried their baby a little over a year before this story is set. Although I agree that Ned's absence from Brooke's life isn't good for her, I tend to think Lois is more wounded than vindictive and I also think that Ned himself is not pushing to be involved because he can't face any of it. So, I'm not sure that all of the lack of relationship is all on Lois.
**Point of Clarification:
When Lois talks about children growing up without their dad, she is referring to her nephew Dante Cerullo. Dante is the son of Olivia Falconeri Cerullo and Lois's brother Vinny Cerullo. Vinnie was killed by the Zaccharas when Dante was a few months old in 1987. At least in October 1997 it is also fair to be concerned that Brooklyn Ashton is in danger of growing up without her father if her mom doesn't get it together and figure out how to let him be in her life. Perhaps on some level Lois grasps that but can't really face it or figure out how to make it right. Perhaps…
7.)Is something actually wrong with Carly?
In a word, yes. Look for Carly to return to GH as a patient before the baby is born. I think on canon GH she had a placental abruption which is not why she gets readmitted in a few chapters but may also still happen. I wonder if GH was planning to pursue a drug storyline because of how they wrote that but then backed off. If I do the abruption it will be much more subacute than truly acute so it won't look like it is drug related to anyone who knows anything, (ie Monica and Alan) but Tony may push that angle. We'll see where that goes.
Now some questions for anyone who feels like answering:
1-Any ideas on an attorney to help Ned & Carly deal with Jones's attempts to establish paternity? Justus Ward should have a conflict of interest as he represented Tony when he divorced Bobbie. He is also busy defending Kaylee Reynolds against murder charges. Alexis Davis is representing Tony (largely because she is PCGH Pro-Counsel).
2-Any ideas for a pairing for Celia Quartermaine? Ideally someone who was on GH's canvas in the mid 1990s or that appeared in early 2000. I would also consider someone from AMC or OLTL who showed up in Pine Valley or Llanview at some point after October 1997.