At the Jerome Art Gallery, Trina confirmed over the phone that it was not her mother who had told the Invader that Trina would grant the paper an interview. Gio arrived, carrying his violin case. Ava soon joined them. Trina introduced Gio to Ava. Ava needed someone to provide background music for the next opening at the gallery.
Trina explained that Gio had earned a free ride to PCU's music program and had been drafted into their summer concert series. Ava commented that Gio's parents had to be glad about Gio's scholarship. Gio explained that if he hadn't received the scholarship, his "Uncle Sonny" would have paid for Gio's education. The mention of Sonny's name caught Ava's attention.
Gio explained that Sonny had paid for Gio's musical education, lessons, conservatory, and even his instrument. Ava asked Gio to play. Gio wanted to tune up first. As Gio stepped to the other side of the room, Trina told Ava that while she herself had not heard Gio play, Josslyn had praised Gio's performance at Chase and Brook Lynn's wedding.
Gio asked if Ava had a request. She asked Gio to play something that would put people in a mood to buy expensive art. "I got you," Gio replied with a smile. Gio played a beautiful rendition of "Nessun Dorma" from the opera Turandot. Trina watched with admiration in her eyes. Ava interrupted Gio before he had finished the piece. She offered him the job. They stepped into the back room to discuss numbers.
Trina ran her hand gently over the violin as Josslyn entered the gallery. Trina told Josslyn that Gio had just auditioned for Ava. Josslyn called Gio "really good." Trina replied, "No, he's more than good. The way he played, it was... a painting. Gio's an artist."
Trina was captivated. She described Gio's playing as "a secret voice. Like if, somehow, the paintings on the wall started singing." Gio caught the tail end of Trina's praise as he reentered the room. Josslyn explained to Gio that she and Trina were going apartment hunting together. Gio informed Trina and Josslyn about an apartment above the Quartermaines' garage.
Drew sat at his desk in the Aurora office. His phone rang. Drew saw that the call was from Nina. As he debated whether to answer, Congressman McConkey entered the office. Drew sent Nina's call to voicemail. McConkey got right to the point. "Time to fish or cut bait. What's it gonna be, Drew? You gonna run for my seat or not?" Drew explained that he'd needed to discuss the opportunity with the friends and family who would be impacted by his decision. Drew ultimately told McConkey, "I would be honored, sir, to run for your seat."
McConkey reminded Drew that the House had a lot of charlatans and cheats and that people of integrity had to "step forward and do the right thing." Drew thanked McConkey and told him that Drew looked forward to shaking things up in Congress. McConkey asked if Drew had a good speech writer, but he advised Drew to use his own voice. McConkey suggested that Drew change his last name to Quartermaine because name recognition had value.
Drew was about to respond when Nina showed up. Nina was surprised to learn that Drew would be running for Congress. McConkey asked Nina for her opinion on the matter. Nina put on a big smile and told McConkey that she thought Drew would be the perfect candidate to succeed him. Nina added a little dig about Drew's "past legal troubles" that earned her a sharp look from Drew. McConkey waved that issue off.
Nina told McConkey that he would be the perfect mentor for Drew. McConkey, pleased to hear that his instincts were right, advised Drew to put his staff together quickly. McConkey wanted to announce his retirement and his endorsem*nt of Drew at the same time, and soon, mainly because McConkey considered the opponent "opportunistic." He took his leave.
The second the door was closed, Drew spun around and laid into Nina. "What the hell was that?" Drew demanded. He reminded Nina that she had been the one who had pointed the SEC in his direction. Nina insisted she had been supportive with the congressman. "So, what's the catch?" Drew asked. Nina replied, "No catch. As loathsome as I think you are, your brand of loathsome is perfect for Washington." She paused a moment, then added, "And I need a favor." "Of course, you do," Drew said.
Nina told Drew not to be so cynical, as she was only seeking advice. Nina wanted to know if Drew thought it would be a good idea for Nina to buy Willow a birthday gift. Nina was afraid she might be pushing things. Nina did not want to undo all the progress she had recently made regarding her relationship with Willow. Drew offered to help Nina to attend the birthday party Michael was throwing for Willow that evening. Drew added the caveat, "if you play it cool and do exactly as I say."
Kristina talked with Alexis at her mother's office. Kristina asked Alexis what would happen to the baby if Molly and T.J. broke up. Alexis asked, "Where is this coming from?" Kristina told Alexis about the visit Kristina and Allie had had from Molly, in which Molly had vented about all the recent problems Molly had been having with T.J. Alexis told Kristina that a little conflict did not foretell the end of Molly and T.J.'s relationship. Kristina maintained that she should be prepared for any eventuality.
Alexis asked what Kristina wanted Alexis to do. Kristina wanted her mother to walk Kristina through all the possible consequences, should Molly and T.J. break up. Kristina reminded Alexis, "You told me that the only two people who would have legal claim to custody of this baby would be T.J. and me." Kristina remembered that, in New York, the baby belonged to the birth mother until she signed the rights away. Kristina wondered if custody would fall to herself and T.J. if Molly and T.J. broke up.
Alexis said that Kristina was jumping to conclusions. "Does Molly know that you're here? Asking these questions?" Alexis asked. "No," Kristina admitted. Alexis informed her daughter that she was not unprepared for the questions because Kristina's asking them had been Alexis' "worst nightmare since the two of you told me about the surrogacy." Alexis insisted that she could not and would not take a position on the subject "because I cannot choose between my daughters. Don't ask me to."
Kristina told Alexis that she wasn't asking her mother to choose. Kristina insisted that she had been trying to do the right thing for the baby since she had been asked to carry it. Kristina declared that she had to know what her rights were, so she could protect the baby. Alexis emailed Kristina links to the relevant statutes. "You just happened to have that open on your browser?" Kristina asked. Alexis replied, "I've had it bookmarked since you told me you were pregnant." Before Kristina left, Alexis made a request. "I want you to think long and hard about the promises you made to Molly and T.J. -- and the consequences if you break them."
Elizabeth met with Chase. Chase explained that he had been just about to knock on Finn's door when Elizabeth had called. Elizabeth asked Chase, "How bad was he?" Chase gave Elizabeth details about the run-in he'd had with Finn. Elizabeth told Chase about how Jake had seen Finn leave a bar with "some random woman." Elizabeth explained that she'd wanted to give Finn the benefit of the doubt, but after having gone to Finn's apartment, the situation had been exactly as Jake had interpreted it.
Chase was mortified. He tried to apologize, but Elizabeth told Chase that it was all Finn's illness and Finn's responsibility. Elizabeth told Chase that she had just come from her first Al-Anon meeting. She realized that she could not save Finn. Elizabeth told Chase that she could not subject her children to what was happening with Finn. Chase explained that, as Finn's brother, Chase did not have "the option to end things." Chase was at a loss as to how to reach Finn.
Elizabeth told Chase about how Finn had behaved while he had been with Elizabeth's sister, Hayden, before Finn had admitted that he had been using. "He was arrogant and confrontational. He lied to my face... and I saw that same denial last night," she said Elizabeth reminded Chase that he was not responsible for Finn's behavior. She informed Chase that Finn's sponsor had left town a year earlier and that Finn had not sought a new one.
Elizabeth speculated that Finn might open up to Alexis, since they had worked the program together. Elizabeth told Chase that her greatest concern was for Violet. Chase told Elizabeth about the plan he and Brook Lynn had devised for Violet to stay with them at the Quartermaines' for a few weeks but that Finn had refused. Elizabeth offered to try to talk Finn through the idea because Violet would need all the support she could get.
Finn, at home, woke up on his sofa with a start. Violet was standing at the end of the sofa. "Daddy, what's wrong?" she asked.
Soon thereafter, Finn, quite hungover, walked in from the kitchen with a glass of water. "How was your nap?" Violet asked her father. Finn fought to keep his mood light. He suggested that kids who took naps had the right idea. Violet felt that naps were boring. Violet asked Finn if they could go to the pool, as Finn had promised before he'd fallen asleep. "Don't you remember?" Violet asked.
Finn asked Violet for a hug. He told his daughter that he loved her. He apologized for having been "so sad lately." "About Grandpa?" Violet asked Finn. "Yeah, about Grandpa. How about you?" Finn asked. "I'm sad, too," Violet admitted. Finn told Violet that he would get cleaned up and take her to the pool. Finn pinkie-promised Violet that they would stop being sad and have fun.
Gio showed the apartment to Trina and Josslyn. Josslyn remarked that, with all the times she had parked next to the Quartermaine garage, she'd had no idea the apartment was there. Gio explained that it had been offered to him but that Lois and Olivia had insisted that he live in the main house. Because Josslyn was Michael's sister, Gio expected the Quartermaines would not drive a hard bargain with her.
Gio got a phone call and stepped outside to take it. Josslyn tallied the benefits of the apartment: it was close to campus, clean, and safe; had plenty of parking; and was close to the lake. Trina had said very little since they'd arrived. Josslyn wondered if Trina might not be ready to move on with her life. Trina said the apartment seemed perhaps "too perfect, too good to be true."
Josslyn smiled and asked her best friend Trina, "Well, every now and then, that can happen. And aren't you due for something like that?" Gio returned and asked Trina and Josslyn what they thought of the place. Josslyn knew her decision but needed to hear from Trina, as well. Trina said, "Yes." Josslyn got excited. Trina gave Gio one last chance to keep the apartment for himself. Gio declined, preferring his room at the main house. He also told Trina and Josslyn that was looking forward to having them as neighbors.
Chase went to Alexis' office. He told her, in detail, about how bad things were with Finn. Because she was not Finn's sponsor, Alexis was able to discuss it with Chase. She told Chase that Finn had admitted to having had "a slip" at the wedding. Chase was stunned. "Wait. Finn drank at my wedding -- before my dad died?" Chase asked. Alexis told Chase that Finn had inadvertently picked up a glass of Champagne at the wedding. From the look on Chase's face, Alexis could tell that Finn had not mentioned that to him.
Alexis said that Finn had told her that he had stopped drinking. Chase informed Alexis that Finn had drunk shots after Gregory's memorial service and had been going to bars. Chase told Alexis that Finn had claimed to be "an addict" but also that he was able to "drink normally, like anyone else." Alexis shot that idea down. "That's a story he's telling in order to justify his behavior," she told Chase.
Chase berated himself for being "willfully blind." Alexis said that Chase could not control the situation and that he would have to take his cues from Finn's actions, not his words. Chase asked Alexis, "He promised me he was going to A.A. meetings. Have you seen him?" Alexis informed Chase that she could not reveal who had attended meetings.
Chase tried semantics. He asked about people Alexis had not seen at meetings. Alexis admitted that she had not seen Chase or Brook Lynn at a meeting. Then, Chase asked, "And my brother. Have you seen him at a meeting since my father died?" Chase took Alexis' silence as a no.
Chase sat and asked the main question. "It's about my niece, Violet," Chase said. Alexis' shoulders slumped, and she lowered her head without saying a word. Chase pleaded, "Please. I just want to know what to expect." Alexis agreed to speak to Finn. "If he's not going to meetings, he needs to speak to someone who has gone down that road. Since his sponsor is gone, that leaves me," she said.
Elizabeth went to Finn's apartment, where Violet happily greeted her. Finn walked in. Elizabeth wondered why Violet would be going swimming so late in the day. Violet told her that Finn had fallen asleep. Finn sent Violet to the building's lobby to retrieve the mail.
Elizabeth mentioned Jake and Aiden's concern about their relationships with Violet. Elizabeth offered to take Violet swimming and then back to Elizabeth's house for dinner. Finn stopped her. "Elizabeth, I know a wellness check when I see one. Did Chase send you here?" Finn asked.
Finn admitted to having had "a couple of bad days." Elizabeth wanted Finn to stop lying to himself and everyone else. She explained that, after what had happened the previous night, she didn't want to come back to Finn's place, but she had come back because she loved him. Elizabeth told Finn that he was in trouble and that Violet needed a safe home. Finn bristled at that. "Violet has a safe home! Please, leave my daughter out of this!" "She doesn't deserve to be in the middle of your crisis, Finn!" Elizabeth snapped back.
"You've got to get help, before things get really out of control," Elizabeth implored Finn. Finn accused Elizabeth of turning her back on him. Elizabeth said she only wanted to give Violet a break from the way Finn was handling his grief. Finn was adamant. "Violet is my daughter! I am her father! And she stays with me! That's the last time I'm gonna say that!"
Elizabeth reminded Finn that she'd been through it all with him once before. She begged Finn to do the right thing and put Violet first. Violet returned before Finn could reply. The adults put on smiles. Finn told Violet to say goodbye to Elizabeth so that he could take Violet to the pool. Elizabeth hugged Violet tightly and expressed her love for Violet, assuring her that her Aunt Elizabeth would always be there for her.
Elizabeth and Finn traded silent looks. Elizabeth and Finn said goodbye to each other at the door, and Elizabeth left. Outside the closed door, Elizabeth had a look of deep concern on her face.
