Trina Wants Spencer to Focus On Their Future Together — and Laura Realizes Victor’s Influencing Charlotte

Trina works at the gallery, looks at the turtle dove on her desk, and thinks about making love to Spencer in New York. Spencer appears with a coffee for her and fills her in on his grandmother’s return and the news on his dad. Trina asks if he’s not upset his dad is staying away, but Spencer feels it would ruin things. He explains he, Esme and Ace have a routine going, and his dad’s presence would throw everything off. Trina asks if he doesn’t feel Ace needs his father. Spencer doesn’t because Ace has him.

Trina believes it’s important for a boy to have his father, but Spencer thinks not when it’s his father. Trina reminds Spencer the other day he admitted he hoped his dad was okay, but Spencer says it doesn’t mean he wants his father’s influence in Ace’s life. Trina asks about Esme’s influence. Spencer says he has to admit Esme has been a good mother. She realizes his opinion of Esme has changed. Spencer insists he’ll never forgive Esme for what she’s done in the past, but this new version is somewhat sincere. Trina still believes Esme wants to be with him, but he doesn’t agree. She tells him to snap out of it as this fantasy of playing house is a dream come true for Esme.

Trina tells Spencer that no matter what he thinks of his father, Nicholas raised him, the man she loves, so he can’t be all bad. He asks if she’s telling him to abandon his brother. She’s not, but she needs him to start thinking about his future, and their future together.

Trina asks Spencer where he sees himself in five years. Spencer doesn’t know, having fun? Spending time with friends and family? Being with her? She is being serious and wants to know what he wants out of life and what makes him happy. He says she and Ace make him happy.

Spencer tells Trina that he loves her, but Ace will always be a part of her life. She gets that, but it seems like he wants to be more than his brother. He knows Ace isn’t his son, but he wants to give him everything his father never gave him.

Trina doesn’t see Esme and Ace living with him forever, and as Ace gets older, Esme will be the one making decisions for his future. Spencer says they’ll cross that bridge when they get to it. Trina says eventually Esme and Ace will be on their own, and he can’t do anything about it.

Laura arrives at Valentine’s. Charlotte is at school, and Laura asks what is going on. He feels he doesn’t know his daughter anymore and needs her help. He blames himself for losing touch with Charlotte in his pursuit of his father, and romance with Anna. Laura again asks what has happened. Valentin tells her about Anna’s townhouse fire and the message on the mirror at the Metro Court. He confirms it was Charlotte’s doing.

Laura feels there must be a mistake, but Valentin says the security footage showed Charlotte breaking into his and Anna’s room. Laura finds it hard to believe that Charlotte could do something like this. Laura asks if he’s confronted Charlotte. He says he gave her a chance to come clean and she lied to his face. Laura promises him that they’ll figure this out and help Charlotte. Valentin says it’s worse than she realizes.

Valentin believes Charlotte may have torched Anna’s house, which stuns Laura. He doesn’t think he can get through to her any longer and is praying Laura can.

Laura doesn’t believe Charlotte is capable of burning down Anna’s house, but Valentin never thought she’d trash a hotel suite. She asks to see the footage, but he says it no longer exists. Laura says they need to find out what is driving this behavior. Valentin is clueless as she used to like Anna, and perhaps she’s come to resent her and is jealous of the time he and Anna spent in the safehouse hiding from Victor. Laura realizes this is Victor’s doing.

Laura says Victor could have fed Charlotte lies while she was in boarding school, and she recalls finding Charlotte in the alcove with Victor at the Metro Court during a family dinner. She thinks Victor may have been in her ear for who knows how long. Valentin knows Victor always hated Anna, and now he’s weaponized Charlotte and pointed her towards Anna as revenge. Valentin can’t believe his father got his claws into her and got her to commit arson. Laura still doesn’t believe she set the fire, but the hotel room seems more like something she’d do. She says they need to work to get her out from under Victor’s influence.

Anna meets with Jordan at the Metro Court and asks if they can move tables from the middle of the restaurant to one more private and sheltered. She apologizes for being paranoid, but Jordan understands. Jordan asks if there have been more incidents. Anna says there hasn’t, but it still has her looking over her shoulder. She believes this is the WSB toying with her. Anna says when her enemy makes another move, she’ll be ready.

Gregory drops by The Invader office, where Alexis is prepared to meet with the judge to try and set Drew free. Alexis has on the suit she used to wear in court for her closing arguments. He asks if she misses being in court, and she admits she does, and this isn’t the same as court. However, for this to work she’ll need his help.

Gregory is surprised she wants him in the room. Alexis does, she needs his help in buttering Judge Kim up and playing to his ego, which is when they blindside him with what they know. He doesn’t think she needs him, but she calls him her co-counsel. He agrees to help.

Alexis gets a call that the Judge has arrived, so she leaves to go get him and escort him up. Alexis soon arrives with Judge Kim and introduces him to Gregory, who she says has written pieces on the judicial system and the Supreme Court. Gregory praises some of his cases, and they get the meeting started. Alexis starts off with general questions about his career.

Kim says he likes cases that deal with the Constitution and federal matters. Alexis brings up the millionaire Asher who shares his views on being an originalist when it comes to the Constitution. Kim says he wouldn’t know as he’s never met the man. Alexis finds that interesting as he flew to the Mediterranean on his jet to go fishing.

At the hospital, Finn thanks Liz for the advice on finding his dad a new specialist. She’s glad it worked out but is sorry their dinner plans didn’t. He apologizes that they had to cancel because of Violet’s illness, so she suggests they plan to make it up on Friday. He has another idea and suggests they spend the weekend together and get out of town.

He knows she has a lot going on with the boys being back in school, but this offer from a friend fell into his lap. He says his friend has this cabin in the mountains, a place to retreat after a long week of working here. Liz thinks they need to take advantage of every opportunity, and they agree to do this. Finn is paged and has to head to surgery.

Liz calls her Gram to update her on the kids, and her plans to go away with Finn this weekend. Meanwhile, Finn calls Chase and thanks him for taking Violet for the weekend while he and Liz go away to the mountains.

Elsewhere, Maxie brings her mom breakfast and tells her how proud they all are of her new job. Maxie talks about the new house, which she loves as do the kids, but she also misses Lulu. Felicia knows Lulu would be happy for her. Felicia changes the subject to Deception and the settling of the lawsuit. Maxie says Lucy saved the company, but it came at a high price.

Maxie explains Tracy now owns 51 percent of the company, but at least they can market The Deceptor again. However, Lucy wants to replace Sasha as the face of the company. Maxie went to warn Sasha, only to find her packing to move to Texas and start over. Felicia feels bad for Sasha, and for her as she’s losing a good friend.

Maxie doesn’t blame Sasha for wanting to start over somewhere else, and Deception won’t be the same without her. Maxie rants about Brook Lynn being gone too and how she’s lost her as a friend as well. Felicia doesn’t believe their friendship has to be over.

Felicia knows Brook Lynn made a mistake, but she was likely forced into it by Tracy. Maxie feels Brook Lynn should have come to her and tried to figure something out together. Felicia reminds Maxie of her own past mistakes, and to tell Brook Lynn she forgives her. She urges her daughter to also tell Sasha she doesn’t want her to leave.

In the halls, TJ officially congratulates Portia on being named co-chief. He hates to bring up bad news on her first official day, but she needs to know that Cyrus Renault is out of prison and was here last night.

Later, Finn talks to TJ and reveals he can’t give help him with that consultation this weekend as he’s going away. TJ notices a change in him and says he’s upbeat and like a whole different person.

Finn asks TJ about the surrogacy. TJ says everything is going well, and he and Molly are excited for the first ultrasound.

Back at the Metro Court, Anna asks Jordan if she’s going to go back to being Commissioner with Laura back in town. Jordan isn’t sure. She feels she can serve Port Charles by working with Laura, but she misses the force. Suddenly Portia appears and blasts Jordan for not warning her that Cyrus was released.

Angry, Jordan makes calls about Cyrus’ release. She then tells Portia that Cyrus got a hardship release, a doctor testified to his poor health, and even the warden testified he was a reformed man. Portia can’t believe this and there has to be a way to get him sent back to prison. Anna says that’s not possible.

Portia rants that Cyrus is exploiting the justice system, but Jordan says their hands are tied. Jordan thinks Cyrus won’t go near her and Trina again, and he won’t do anything to jeopardize this release. Anna also thinks he’ll want to win Laura’s favor and will be on his best behavior.