Cyrus Hears Nina’s Confession — and a Struggling Esme Visits [Spoiler]
Tuesday, December 26, 2023: Today on General Hospital, Nina tries to apologize, Esme leaves evidence behind, and Sonny shocks Ava with his plan.
At the church, Nina steps into the confessional and admits she’s never confessed before, and hopes it is okay she is here. Cyrus, sitting in as the priest, tells her that God is eager to help all his children. Nina explains she acted out of spite, and hurt people, so many people. Cyrus asks Nina to open her heart and tell God everything.
Nina confesses she reported a crime that sent a man to prison, where he suffered horribly, as did his loved ones. She’s also letting an innocent man take the blame for what she did. She cries she’d do anything to fix this, but it’s too late. Cyrus says she needs to confess to the people she hurt, but Nina says she’ll lose everything. Cyrus says this secret will always eat at her, and the truth will set her free. He pushes her to have the strength to right the wrongs she did and says God is always with her. Nina thanks the “father” and steps out of the confessional.
Later the priest asks Cyrus if he saw a woman as he was to hear a confession but got delayed. Cyrus claims he saw a woman leave, so the priest hopes she will come back. Cyrus asks the father how he helps someone when they come to him for help and guidance. The priest thinks he is asking for himself, but Cyrus admits he has a friend who is lost, and he would like to help them. The priest says his friend is lucky to have him and that confession is good for the soul. The priest leaves, and Cyrus tells the statue of Mary, “Confession is good for the soul, but if Nina doesn’t do what’s best for her soul, then I’ll have to do it for her.”
At the hospital, the reading of the Christmas story ends, and Carly and Sonny both tell Laura how great it was this year. Laura says rumor has it that Sonny is funding all of this, and she just wished Nina could have been here. Sonny is sure she’ll be here soon.
Laura mentions how it also feels odd not having Bobbie here. Carly says she spoke to her earlier, and Luke’s estate is taking longer than she thought to straighten out.
Nina finally arrives, and as Laura and Carly look over photos of the evening, Sonny asks why she stayed behind. He says Willow mentioned it had to do with Nelle. Nina says she reflected on Nelle and others.
Suddenly Sonny gets a text from Ava about a break-in at Wyndemere. He decides to head over, and Laura asks to come with him given that used to be her son’s house. As they depart, Carly decides to get Donna and leave. Nina stops Cary from leaving and says she has something to say to her.
Nina explains she says she stayed behind to ask the priest for guidance about her. Carly is confused. Nina says in church she thought about how lucky she is to be able to spend Christmas with her family after everything that’s happened. Then she thought about what Carly went through, and Drew, and she’s sorry and asking for her forgiveness. Carly responds, “Forgiveness for what?” Nina states the holidays get you thinking, about the good and the bad, the mistakes you’ve made. She thought about Nelle, and what could have been, but she realized blaming Carly for Nelle’s death was what made her want to hurt her in the first place. Carly says she’s said this before, but Nina says tonight something changed. She wants to be a person Willow, Wiley and Amelia can be proud of. She knows a part of her is broken, a part of her still wants revenge for her daughter, that’s why… Carly stops her as she knows what she’s going to say. She says church has Nina feeling guilty, and she’s gotten every gift under the tree, so now she feels entitled to ask for forgiveness. Carly tells her to seek redemption somewhere else and walks off.
Nina follows and says it’s Christmas Eve, can’t Carly give her an inch? Carly lashes out that she’s given her a mile, she’s invited her to family affairs, she’s bit her tongue, she’s been pleasant for Sonny’s happiness and Wiley’s sake. However, Nina doesn’t get to demand forgiveness. Nina says she came to her with good intentions, and she didn’t come here to fight with her but to make peace and tell her the truth, and she was sincere. Carly says it’s been a long day, so she wants to get her little girl and go home and enjoy what’s left of Christmas Eve. Carly walks off.
At Wyndemere, out on the parapet, Esme remembers her past and what she did to Trina, Cam and Joss. She remembers all the awful things she said to everyone, including Ava. She remembers setting fire to the tree while pregnant and trapped in the tower, and telling Ace to remember she is always here for them.
Downstairs, Ava arrives to a dark mansion, with all the furniture covered in sheets. She finds the patio door open and gets a call from the security company about an alarm signal being triggered on Spoon Island and the PCPD being alerted and should be there soon. Ava pulls out a gun and says, “That may be too late.”
Dante soon shows up, and asks Ava what she’s doing here. She says she hasn’t sold Wyndemere yet, so it’s still her property. Dante guesses he can’t take her in for walking around her home with a gun. She says she was defending herself from a possible intruder. Dante adds, “Or looking for someone to shoot.”
Trina and Spencer bring Ace back to Laura’s to put him down. Spencer is happy to spend this night with her and Ace, and suggests maybe Esme is turning over a new leaf after all. Trina suggests maybe Esme had plans, even a date. Spencer doesn’t think Esme knows many people, but Trina says she could have met someone at work who doesn’t know the old Esme. Trina asks if that bothers him. Spencer says it doesn’t, he just wants to make sure whoever she is with that they are good to Ace. He also suggests maybe they’ll have more nights like this, alone or with Ace if Esme finds someone.
They are interrupted when Esme calls, she is still at Wyndemere. Trina excuses herself, and Spencer assumes Esme is worried about being away from Ace. He assures her that Ace is asleep and well. She is happy to hear that, but that’s not why she called. When Esme hears Trina’s voice in the background, she stops herself. She then hears Trina asking, “What does she want?” Esme says she wants him to know Ace can stay the night and wake up with them on Christmas morning. He thanks her, and she hangs up.
Back at Laura’s, Spencer tells Trina what Esme said, and after checking on Ace again, Trina suggests she probably needs to get home because her mom has so many plans for the family. He wishes she could stay as it’s hard being away from her after New York. She feels the same way. They kiss, but she pulls away and admits she has something else on her mind… Esme. She asks if he really thinks Esme has changed. He’d like to think so, but they can’t know that for sure. He thinks they’ve talked about Esme enough for the night, and they get back to kissing. He tries to convince her to stay the night, but she reminds him that they want her mom to like him, and this won’t help with that. Plus, she promised to open one gift with her and Curtis on Christmas Eve. Trina’s ride share arrives, and they make plans to see one another in the morning.
Back at Wyndemere, Ava turns the lights on and there is a knock at the door. It’s Laura and Sonny, and Ava invites them in. They greet Dante and discuss who could have broken in. Laura offers to look around with Dante, but Dante says that isn’t a good idea as it’s a crime scene. Laura reminds him that she used to live here and could show him around all the secret areas. He allows her to do so but cautions her to say behind him.
Back in the tower, Esme looks at a photo of Spencer on her phone and cries she was a fool to think she could tell him the truth, and he’d forgive her and they’d get a happily ever after. She knows he only cares about Trina, and if she told him she remembers… Suddenly she hears footsteps. She rushes to hide, and Dante and Laura enter. They see the turret door open and go to investigate. While outside, Esme flees but drops a glove in the process.
Dante and Laura find nothing outside, and Dante says maybe forensics can find something. They head back in, and Dante spots the glove Esme dropped. Dante bags it, and Laura wonders if it is Nikolas’. He says it’s not a man’s glove, this wouldn’t have fit him. Laura says she’s not thinking rationally, and she just thought maybe… Dante understands.
Downstairs, Ava tells Sonny that this is likely just kids playing a prank, but Sonny says it could be the person who has been sending her all those notes. Ava insists she can protect herself, but Sonny suggests she’s not the real target and he is. Sonny brings up the gunman who targeted him and Anna at the Metro Court, who hasn’t been found. Sonny suggests this could all be about him if this is Cyrus’ doing again. Ava jokes she’d love to blame him for this situation, but she has enemies of her own. Sonny notes whoever hurts her hurts Avery, so he’s taken an interest in her security. Ava asks what he has in mind. Sonny says until they figure out what is going on, she and Avery are going to come live with him.
Esme goes to the graveyard where Ryan is buried. She doesn’t know why she’s here, other than only he and crazy Heather Webber would understand that she got her memories back and is lying about it. She says Christmas Eve is known to be a lonely night for many, and here she is talking to her dead serial killer dad. She thinks it should be easy to be a good person, but nobody showed her how to do it, and she had to learn it on her own. That was only because she lost her memory. She has a good life, a good job, and an amazing child and home. She is happy, at least she thinks she is. It’s hard to know as this feeling is so new to her. However, there is another path too, the crooked one that Ryan showed her, and it would be so easy to go back. She wonders what if she doesn’t have a choice. What if being bad is in her DNA? She cries that’s the legacy her father left her. Suddenly she realizes one of her gloves is missing.
On the next General Hospital: Finn worries about Gregory and asks what’s going on with him. Brook Lynn tells Chase they may have to make this wedding happen faster than they first thought. Felicia says to Robert, “He got over it, why can’t you?” Alexis tells Molly and Kristina, “I’m not certain that’s entirely true.” Tracy shows up to work at Deception and Lucy grimaces, “Some company you and your granddaughter are running.” Sasha visits Cody and warns him that he could be in trouble.
