Sonny's threats seems like a little boy sticking his tongue out and Jason looks like a kid developing a "capture the flag" strategy on a Saturday afternoon in a vacant lot rather than planning a mob war defense when they are in the powerful presence of Trevor. Kate was rendered clueless and insignificant to him in an instant when she tried to play "Pollyanna Peacemaker” between Trevor and Sonny, which was equally interesting to watch. How stupid was that? He didn't even fall for Sweet Sam trying to manipulate him into thinking that they were "practically family" via their relation to Molly and her tactics to try to get him help get Molly back to Alexis were dismissed with two words, "not quite." The condescending follow up, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" rang to me like, "Aren't you one of a million young little tramps who thinks they can flash a smile, bat an eyelash and get what you want from me?" Trevor's been around the block waaaay too many times to fall for that.  

Then there's Ric. Always angry and insecure where acceptance issues are concerned, he's uncomfortable in his own skin when Trevor is around. He's long ago learned not to expect love from this man and only desires to be left alone. But Trevor can still punch his son's buttons and it sounds like he's made a lifetime out of stomping on any self-esteem Ric has. It could be resentment because Ric reminds him of Adela or what happened, but he constantly refers to his son as “sullen” and “a disappointment”. No wonder he felt so abandoned as a child. Growing up with such a man would make him wonder why his mother didn't want him. Was he really that bad? Was Sonny really that much better? Was Adela's choice worth it? Justified? Or was Sonny truly so bad that he tried to kill Ric in the womb and cost him a "happily ever after" with his mother. Geez! You let this fester as long as Ric has and it's no wonder he's the way he is.  

The thing is, he's seen real love in Molly. He's learned that mothers (Liz and Alexis) can turn against him - in his mind - just as Adela did but that the product of their union, the child, is still left innocent and hurting; raw with confusion and feelings of abandonment after all is said and done. That's why he holds Molly so close to him and fought so hard for her during Alexis's illness. That's "the look" in his eyes when he walked in and saw Trevor holding and kissing his little girl. He saw him threaten to use her as leverage as he must have done to Ric with Adela so many years ago.  

I was fascinated with Ric's desperation after Trevor left. Calling Diane Miller in was an interesting move. The one thing this show tells me over and over is how little faith it has in the legal system. Even lawyers admit that corruption exists and that if you are well connected enough, you can manipulate the system. There hasn't been one attorney on the show who hasn't done it – the righteous Alexis included! Then, when one gets away with it the others look on and gasp, which is laughable. I loved the scene between Ric and Diane. He put his cards on the table admitting that she'd beat him at the legal game. She knows damn well he's fabricated evidence in the past and he knows she did the same (visa vie Carly and Jerry's manufactured evidence) to get Jason off. Diane seized it, ran with it and won. That mutual admission was unspoken but very evident to me. Still, Diane realizes just how powerful Trevor is and gave Ric the opinion he knew but didn't want to hear another "respected" adversary validate; he stood no chance against Trevor in an emergency petition for custody. Trevor knew too much and was in bed with too many influential people not to win against his son.  

Here's where the Nancy's fans will argue until they’re purple that Ric only made his next move because Trevor backed him up against a wall. He opted to return Molly to live with her mother. Selfless? Not entirely. Trevor did influence the decision but so, in my opinion, did many other things: His love for Molly, for one. His desire to keep Trevor as far away from their little girl as possible. His desire to keep Molly safe from the upcoming mob war with Anthony Zacharra. Ric put Molly first. Trevor may have forced the hand but Ric played it entirely on his own.

Of course, Ric and Alexis fans got a double "ouch!" Remember Ric's invitation to take her to Paris after she beat cancer? He gave her the beautiful Eiffel Tower charm with a romantic promise of walking hand in hand down the Champs Elysees, "like two people in love"? Well Alexis went alone, or rather, with Kristina. Then she came home, all smiles, greeting Sam with a huge hug while praising Kristina's budding talent and bearing gifts. How sad. She's clearly forgiven Sam for sleeping with her husband (and little does she know, plotting to do it again with Lucky!)  

When Sam tells her of the new danger that's brewing in Port Charles, Alexis flies over to Jason's concerned about Kristina. (Um, what about Molly?) Perhaps it's semantics, but the scribes could have had her address both children. Then, she jumps back on her broom and flies to Ric's and barges in, orders Sally to take Molly out of the room and lays into him for not telling her that Trevor was in town and that he worked for Zacharra, etc. Excuuuuuse me, but why didn't you tell your (then) husband that you had cancer? Pot, meet kettle. Honestly, I think that Ric was just trying to grasp the true significance of what Trevor's presence really means to Port Charles. After all, Sonny was the one who clued him in about the Trevor/Zacharra connection and his first reaction to his brother has always been suspicion of motive. Also, how many times does Ric have to ask, then demand that Alexis shut up and check her messages before jumping to all sorts of ugly conclusions and firing off accusations?  

Hope she had a romantic time in Paris all by herself. Alone seems to be the way she likes to be.  

I can't express how disappointed I am in the way they’ve opted to write Alexis in all of this. Three words come to mind: Self-centered. Cold. Bitch. I hope it changes. I hope that her part in this story may be an eye opening revelation into who Ric is and why as well. She used to at least empathize with the traumatic childhood Ric had and even compared it to her own. As for worrying about the Molly suffering a dysfunctional reunion between Ric and Trevor, how about Helena lying in wait in her apartment with a knife while she read to Kristina on the couch? And has she forgotten Ric saving her in the hospital elevator when Helena held a knife to her throat? There is no room to cast stones here.  

Of course, they left us with her jaw dropping after hearing the message from Ric, then had Trevor show up and charm the socks off of the gullible Alexis. I mean, come on! First Jerry. Now Trevor. For an intelligent woman, her judgment is seriously flawed.  

Of course, Trevor played her like a violin and I fear that this is just the first movement of a symphony that will last well into November sweeps. Let’s just hope that Alexis wakes up and hears the real music soon. 

Until then, you do the same. Pop in a good CD, kick back and enjoy!