01-03-2017 (Tuesday) NEW YEAR'S DAY

Valentin carries Nina across the threshold and into a room for their honeymoon; Nina tells him that she thinks they did the right thing, for themselves and for Charlotte.  They make love and then laugh about there being no backing out now –no annulment- Valentine goes to shower; Nina picks up their clothes from off the floor and the arm of the couch.  When she goes to grab his jacket, she sees a gun laying underneath it.  When he comes out, she tells him that she doesn’t like guns; he says he doesn’t either, but sometimes they are necessary.  He tells her it is only a precaution.  They get dressed to go back to the party.  

Lulu tells Dante they have to protect her daughter and get her away from Valentin Cassadine; she thanks him for being so supportive and reassuring.  They talk about what it will be like to have Charlotte as part of their family, talk about the pending suit for custody, and discuss Nina’s relationship with Valentine.  Lulu says Nina is an outsider and always will be; she doesn’t consider her part of the equation.  They are extremely surprised when Nina and Valentin come into the club and announce that they were married tonight/morning.

Sam is trying to reach her mother, who is passed out cold on the couch, half-empty bottle of vodka on the coffee table; Julian stares at her as he stands with his cane, looking at the phone ring.  He tries to wake her up, but she won’t move…until Sam knocks on the door.  Julian cleans the coffee table off and hides in the kitchen; Alexis answers the door and tries not to let Sam and Jason in, but they insist they need to talk to her.  Jason shows her a picture and asks if she knows the man; she says she does, he works with Julian.  They ask what he was doing here yesterday; she asks how they know he was.  Jason tells her that he was following him because of a case he is working on; Alexis says he was just looking for Julian, apparently not knowing they had split up.  She says she gave him Ava’s number and address, which he said he already had and he left.  They press her for more answers and she gets frustrated, tells them that she is really tired; Sam leans forward and smells the alcohol of her breath.  She questions it, and Alexis admits to drinking, but because it was New Year’s, she says.  They leave and go the café to talk; Jason says her mother’s story does not add up, and Sam agrees.  

Elizabeth answers her door; it’s Franco.  She asks him if that knife the police found was his; he says yes…but he explains that he only just discovered it missing from his studio.  Elizabeth is not sure she can believe him this time; he talks sweetly to her, and describes the vivid dream/nightmare he experienced while locked in the cage.  She tells him that she overheard him saying that he loved her; he says that’s true, he does…she says she believes that.  She then tells him that she also believes he did not kill Tom Baker.  

Carly stops kissing Sonny; she says she has to go.  He tells her he wants her to stay and says she can leave in the morning.  He says, deep down, she knows they belong together; he tells her he loves her and she says she loves him too.  He tells her to say that she wants to stay with him, and she does exactly that.  They go upstairs and make love.  Carly holds onto Sonny and tells him she doesn’t want to leave; she admits that she loves him and needs him more than ever, but she is still undecided about what to do in the future.  He smiles and tells her that he will just be thankful for this night.

12-29-2016 (Thursday) NEW YEAR’S EVE - PORT CHARLES

A crowd begins to gather at the Metro Court for the New Year’s Eve party; Curtis sees Jordan and asks if he is allowed to say Happy New Year to her.  She says certainly; she is starting off 2017 by letting go of all the things that pulled her down in 2016.  They toast and drink to that.  Valentine shows up; Nina warns him that no one is going to be happy to see him there…and adds that Lulu has threatened to do exactly what she told him she would do – not stop until she takes Charlotte away.  Jordan tells Curtis the mayor and new DA are pressuring her to solidify this case; she says she needs his help, as an outside investigator for the PCPD – (this position would be in opposition to his investigation with Jason).  He tells her he’s already investigating the bomb that blew up Sonny’s son, asking what he would get out of working for her, adding suggestions with sarcasm.  She asks if he’d rather work for Jason; he says yeah.  She asks if he is going to Sonny with whatever they find so he can walk yet again; Curtis suggests she wants him to bury evidence so she can get a conviction.  He says no thanks and turns to walk away; Andre greets him.  Andre apologizes for the way he answered the phone and acted towards him that night; Curtis thanks him and shakes his hand.  Jordan tells Andre she’s proud of him.

Carly says she needs to get back to the party at the Metro Court; Sonny asks her to please stay.  He says he loves it when she’s here; she says she loves being there, but hesitates.  He says he can’t stand the thought of going through the countdown alone and asks if she can’t stay.  They start talking about Morgan again; Carly says she can’t imagine the coming years without him.  Sonny says that’s why they should be together; she recalls last Christmas Eve, with him in the wheelchair.  Sonny says hope didn’t die with their son- Christmas gave him a glimmer; Carly says there is a fine line between hope and denial… she says losing Morgan taught her she has to be realistic about the life he leads and the danger it brings to the family.  She says she misses him; waking up with him every morning, going to bed with him every night, misses spending time with him, crying with him, laughing with him… she wants it all back.  But, she says, he can’t promise there won’t be another bullet, another bomb, another hit; so she has to walk away.  She says she hates the thought of life without him, but she would hate it more if his business hurts someone she loves.  She leaves.

Bobbie goes to see Nelle, shows her the pill, and says she found it in Sonny’s room.  She asks what Nelle might have been doing in Sonny’s room.  Nelle explains that she was picking up a dress for Carly and her reminder went off to take her pill; they spilled all over when she tried to get the lid off.  She thought she picked them all up; she grabs it out of Bobbie’s hand and says she can’t afford to lose one.  Bobbie then asks Nelle about her intentions toward Michael; she says they are just friends, and tells her, she turned down his invitation to go out tonight.  Bobbie says, “good” adding, she won’t let anyone hurt her family; she leaves.  Nelle sends a text to Michael, saying if he is still free, she’d love to spend time with him.  

Kiki can’t believe the bus isn’t even going to stop for bathroom breaks; Dillon lays his head back and tells her to just ignore him.  She says if she could ignore him, she wouldn’t be on that bus.  This takes him by surprise; he asks if she left town because of him.  She says, him, Valerie… he asks if she has a problem with Valerie.  She says she just couldn’t stand the though of seeing the two of them together.  He is happy to hear this.  He stops her as she goes on and on about how horrible it would be to see him with Valerie all over town; he tells her that he and Valerie are JUST friends.  He says the night they spent together, they spent talking about how much relationships suck.  He laughs.  She admits he was the ONLY reason she left Port Charles; he admits she was the only reason HE left.  She pulls out a bottle of champagne and says they should toast, to fate; maybe it isn’t so cruel after all.  They wish each other a Happy New Year and kiss.

Jason and Sam walk into the chapel; it is all decorated with white streamers and white trees!  It’s beautiful.  Lucy is practicing her lines (as minister) and when she says, “you can kiss the bride” Jason grabs Sam and kisses her.  She giggles.  Lucy turns around and sees them; she says she just wants everything to be perfect for Maxie and Nathan’s wedding.  Lulu puts Maxie in the tub and turns a cold shower on; Maxie comes running out, screaming.  Lulu says she’ll go get the hair dryer; Maxie lays back down on the bed.  Robin comes in with coffee; she’s says, “no, no, no, no…” and pushes Maxie back up into a sitting position.  She tries to stimulate her by getting her dress and laying it on Maxie’s lap, then hands her a cup of coffee; Maxie sneezes and spills the whole cup of coffee on her dress.  They all just look at it.  Nathan gets a phone call; it appears that he and Claudette are still married.  Someone sends him a picture of his Divorce Decree, still unsigned and un-filed by Claudette.  He goes to tell Maxie his bad news and finds out that she has plenty of her own; the wedding is postponed, indefinitely.  

Robin comes into the chapel to deliver the bad news; she, Sam and Jason engage in small talk for a minute, Jason asks how Patrick is, and then Lucy comes back in.  Robin tells them all that there cannot be a wedding tonight after all, as Maxie is sick (she doesn’t even know that Nathan is still married).  Sam and Jason invite Robin to go to the Metro Court party with them; she says she’ll come, but there’s someone she has to see first.  They head to the party.  She goes to see Sonny; he is happy to see her.  He tells her that they have discovered that Morgan didn’t die because of him; he says at least he can sleep at night now.  She asks about Carly; he says she doesn’t trust him anymore, but he’s not giving up.  She tells him she is sure he can prove to Carly that he is worthy of her trust; she heads to the Metro Court party.Nina and Valentin come into the chapel; he wonders if they are early.  Nina assures him they are not early at all.  Lucy comes in and tells them, unfortunately, the wedding has been cancelled.  She is posting signs and getting ready to close up the chapel; Nina suggests Valentin marry her so they can fight for Charlotte together.  

A priest comes in and they ask if he would mind performing a ceremony for them; Valentine makes a call to line up the marriage license.  Lulu and Dante discuss the upcoming battle for custody of Charlotte; he vows to stand behind her, even if it gets ugly.  The priest begins the ceremony for Nina and Valentin; they say their vows, unrehearsed, using strings as their wedding bands.  Carly runs in the door, calling out to Sonny; she tells him Happy New Year.  He says Happy New Year and they kiss.  Nathan comes back into the room to find Maxie sound asleep again; he kisses her on the forehead and tells her Happy New Year as he snuggles down beside her.  Robin makes it to the party just in time; she’s on the phone with Patrick, wishing him a Happy New Year.  Michael and Nelle dance and wish each other a Happy New Year, Sam and Jason kiss and wish each other a Happy New Year (Scout too), and Dante toasts with Lulu to a Happy 2017.  The priest pronounces Valentin and Nina, husband and wife.

12-28-2016 (Wednesday)

Maxie practices her wedding vows; she sneezes.  Lulu arrives with supplies; lotion-soft tissues and cold medicine.  Maxie says she’s a god-send; Lulu says nothing will stop her from getting married today.  Maxie sneezes again.  Felicia suggests maybe they should postpone the wedding date, but Maxie insists they have to get married on this date.  Robin steps in the doorway and says it’s a good thing there’s a doctor in the house; everyone is glad to see her, of course.  Felicia asks Maxie if she is nervous about marrying Nathan; she says not in the slightest.  She has never been so sure about anything in her life.  Dante finds Nathan sitting on the couch; he asks if he’s okay.  Nathan says he just hasn’t been sleeping very well; he says it must have caught up with him.  Dante sits down by him; Nathan says he has this sense that something big, something bad is going to happen to keep him and Maxie from getting married today.  Max shows up and offers a toast; he tells Nathan that it is an honor to welcome him into their family.  Dante and Nathan lose the wedding rings; they are on their hands and knees looking all over the floor for them.  Thankfully, they find them.  

Ava comes back to town from seeing her mother; she invites Kiki to spend New Year’s Eve with her.  Kiki says she already has plans.  She hugs her mother and says she loves her; Ava says it sounds like she’s never going to see her again.  They laugh; Ava leaves.  Kiki calls someone to confirm that she is “ready to go.  ”Dillon tells his mom that he is going to Los Angeles today; feeling out jobs, he says.  He wants to get back to directing; she asks about his current job.  He says he didn’t go to school to be a fashion photographer; he has stories he wants to tell.  Tracy doesn’t buy it; she says he is just trying to avoid Kiki Jerome.  She guesses he will be back soon and leaves; he says, “bye.”  He boards a bus to Los Angeles to find Kiki on it; the seat next to her is the only empty one.  He sits down and apologizes to her; he says he can get off at the next stop so he’s not bothering her.  She says he really doesn’t have to; it’s a good thing too because the driver announces that the first stop is five hours away.  

Hayden wakes up; she calls out to Finn, saying, “you’re still here” and he smiles, and says, “so are you.”  She congratulates him on developing the cure; she asks if he took a dose too… if he is also cured.  He evades the question; she tells him his dead wife would be very proud.  Tracy comes in and tells Finn he is a “little ripe.”  He says he’ll go take a shower; he steps out into the hallway and starts sweating and breathing heavy.  He has obviously not gotten his dose of the medicine made yet.  He comes back from showering, feeling much better; Tracy tells him that she and Monica have talked and they agree he is an asset to the hospital.  He has his job back.  Finn and Hayden kiss; she says she thinks 2017 is going to be a good year.

Nelle holds that silver rattle, asking, “are you ever sorry Caroline?”  Then she says, “you will be.”  Carly knocks on the door; Nelle puts the rattle back and puts the box away.  It’s Carly.  Carly says she wants to talk to Nelle about Sonny; Nelle looks a little nervous.  She tells her that she knew the second she saw the gloves that they were from her… Sonny always gets her jewelry, except the one time he got her a car.  Nelle’s timer goes off; she says it’s just time to take her blood pressure medication – a side effect of having only one kidney.  Carly tells her again how grateful they are to her and hugs her goodbye.  She heads back to Sonny’s, where Michael admits to his dad that he kind of likes Nelle; he is thinking about asking her about for New Years.  Bobbie overhears and offers her opinion of Nelle and Michael dating; after Michael leaves, she asks Sonny if he has “misgivings” about Nelle.  He denies having any problem with Nelle.  

Carly arrives; she and Sonny sit down and the couch and start reminiscing about that being the last place they saw Morgan alive… they talk about all the “what ifs” and then Sonny reassures Carly that they will make sure Avery remembers him and how special he was to all of them.  They snuggle; Bobbie comes back in, saying she hates to interrupt.  She brings in tissues and tells them that she needs to go; they hug goodbye.  When she steps out of the door, Bobbie looks in her hand; she has two pills in it.  Carly tells Sonny that she needs to go; Sonny says, first, he did get her a little something – it just arrived yesterday.  It’s a pressed flower, from the church where they first got married, framed in glass.  They both admit that they have no regrets.  Nelle looks at the rattle again and wonders if Carly would even remember it; she says she probably just tossed it side, like so many other things in her life.  

Nina tells Lulu that she is bringing Valentin as her guess to the wedding tonight; Lulu gets extremely upset and tells her to uninvited him.  She gets really pissed off when Nina brings up Charlotte and says Lulu doesn’t deserve her; Lulu tells Nina that her daughter is not some consolation prize for the fact that Nina can’t have a daughter.  Maxie and Robin break up the argument and take Nina away, telling Lulu she is on Maid of Honor duty.; it's her job to keep Maxie calm.  She goes back in to find that Maxie has taken a cold pill and it has knocked her completely out; she won’t wake up.

12-27-2016 (Tuesday)

Jason tells Sam that he and Curtis are no longer convinced that Julian was behind the bombing.  They think whoever did this was trying to set up Julian, parking the van right where it would easily be seen.  Sam asks who would do that; Jason suggests a mutual enemy of Julian and Sonny’s (since the finger was pointed at Sonny).  She asks about the pawnshop owner, who Jason says is “cagey” – he says he’s the only employee but seems to know more than he is letter on.  Sam offers to do a background check.  Curtis calls Jason; the "owner" closed up shop early and took off (so the shop is unattended).  Curtis is going to follow him; Jason leaves to check out the shop.  

Julian’s assistant walks into a room, with an “update” on Julian – he tells some unseen person that it appears he and his ex-wife may have resumed relations, as he is no longer convalescing at Ava’s.  He tells the man they have other means, than resorting to violence, to assure Julian’s compliance and silence; he says he will start on that right away.  Alexis wakes with a start when she has a dream that Julian got up the stairs and was sitting on the edge of her bed.  She comes down stairs irritated when Julian starts yelling at her from downstairs; she tells him it’s bad enough he’s moved in on her, she shouldn’t have to clock in on a schedule.  He says he is trying to support her; he then brings up her drinking again.  She gets annoyed.  She tells him she doesn’t interfere in his magazine, or the crimes he commits; he denies committing crimes and she points out all that he’s done.  She says you can’t try to kill your wife and still love her; she says that’s delusional.  He questions again, why she kissed him last night.  She was just giving him a tiny taste of how he treats her, she says.  A man knocks on the door asking to speak with Julian; she asks if he works for him, as she doesn’t recognize him.  The man says he works WITH Julian, not for him; she lets him in.  Curtis is watching; it’s the man from the pawnshop.  Curtis comments, “now that’s weird.”  

Lucas sits down at the table with Sam after Jason leaves; she tries to show him a pic of Danny and he sees the plastic bag picture.  He says they need a new translator because those symbols don’t mean anything close to “GOOD TASTE” in Chinese; not even close, he says.  Sam is intrigued.  She asks him to translate it; he says he’s just a beginner, but it seems to be saying “reincarnation.”  Sam is further intrigued.

Jason gets into the shop and snoops around; Curtis hears a report of an intruder at the pawnshop, over the police scanner.  The man asks Alexis to give he and Julian a minute to talk shop; Julian asks how they knew he was there.  The man says his not informing them that he was relocating, when he saw him at his sister’s the other day, doesn’t look good; he says their boss has asked him to show him something they’ve been keeping from him.  He pulls up a video on his phone; it’s footage of him getting run over by Alexis.  Julian wondered why the footage from the bar security camera was unusable; he says they got there before and took all the good bits.  They say they don’t want the truth to come out either; the man pats Julian on the cheek and says he knows nothing is going to happen, because Julian won’t let it.  The man goes back to the pawnshop, where he tells the police that he has done an inventory and nothing is missing.  Jason comes back to the diner with Curtis; he sits the model ship down (that he stole from the pawnshop) – the one the “owner” was so cautious about protecting in our last episode.   

Laura asks to sit down with Anna at a table in the Metro Court; she wants to follow-up with her about Valentin.  Anna asks what that whole Christmas thing was; Laura says mind-games.  She adds, it’s time they neutralize him.  Anna lets her know she is working with the WSB to build a case against him; she says they need time.  Laura says she doesn’t have time; he has already murdered her son and is raising her granddaughter.  Lulu is going to fight for custody, and she’s afraid what Lulu might do if the court rules against her; so, she then says, if they rule against her, she will kill Valentin herself.  Anna says to give her a chance first to prove that Valentin is unfit.  She assures Laura that will someone like Valentin there is always something to be found.  Anna later discusses this photograph with Andre; she says it proves he was there at that time… he says not necessarily – maybe he got it from someone else that knew her back in the day.  She doesn’t buy it because she says this is too personal for him.  She tells him about her memory of the whistling; the same tune that Valentin taught his daughter.  She asks Andre if he will hypnotize her.  

Laura asks how Olivia enjoyed her visit with Rocco and his new dog; Lulu says Olivia rolls with the punches, and adds that Leo loves “Yankie.”  Lulu mentions Charlotte; Laura says she found a good family attorney.  Sadly, she says, the attorney tells her their chances are not as good as they think.  Laura tries to assure her that Anna is working on a case against Valentin; and the WSB is going to build enough information to throw him in a hole so deep he won’t be able to crawl out of it.  Lulu says she honestly believes that Charlotte is in danger with that man and she cannot wait another day; she has to fight now.  One way or another, she says, she will win.  Laura tells Lulu, whatever she decides, she has her back.  

Nina hears Valentine scream; he has just discovered the old photo of Anna missing.  He mentions it non-chalantly; Nina offers to help look for it and asks who it’s a picture of.  He doesn’t tell her, but he does say it’s a “relic” a “memento of the past” to remind him how far he has come.  He says it just had sentimental value; Nina says she can’t live with him just dropping hints and then pulling back.  She needs him to trust her, asking don’t they need to take a leap of faith and trust each other in order to have a relationship.  He says, despite a lifetime of learning not to trust people, he is making strides in trusting her.  But he is not sure he can tell her about the photograph.  He just says there was someone he trusted that he shouldn’t have.  He let her see the real him, and she made him pay a deep price; Charlotte is the only person he has trusted since.  Nina says that she hopes he can eventually let her in; then she says she needs to go make plans for J’s wedding.  A beautiful song plays at the end of this episode.

12-26-2016 (Monday) "CAROLINE"

Franco asks how Tom Baker could be dead; Dante says he was hoping Franco could tell him.  Scotty steps out of nowhere and says, “Don’t answer that.”  Franco is surprised to see him; Elizabeth says she called him.  Franco almost can’t believe she did that for him; she says she wasn’t going to let the police railroad him.  Awe.  Dante questions why Scotty is there; he says Franco isn’t under arrest.  Dante says Franco is a ‘person of interest’ because he had a public altercation with the deceased; Franco says he doesn’t mind answering questions about that at all.  Elizabeth offers to talk to Dante too; Scotty insists of being in there with them.  Dante says it sounds like a party; they head to the interrogation room.  They describe to Dante why Tom Baker supposedly came to the hospital that day, but Franco adds that he believes it was all because he wanted to be near Elizabeth, either to make her nervous or to hurt her again.  

Franco admits to making the threat to kill Baker, but adds that threats and actions are two different things.  Dante points out just having had a fight with the guy, and making that threat, a month before the guy was murdered doesn’t look good; Dante gets a phone call.  Scotty tells Franco to shut up and tells Liz he doesn’t want her talking to the police; he goes out to tell them the interview is over.  She asks Franco what it is he is not telling Dante, that he started to tell her about the “bad thing” he did to Tom.  Franco says he will still tell her, just not here.  She asks anyway and he tells her; she is upset – oh boy – she says it isn’t helping her to hurt another man in her name.  He screams that he wasn’t going to let that son-of-a-bitch hurt the woman he loves; that takes Liz by surprise.  Dante comes back in with Scotty and tells Franco not to leave town; he lets Elizabeth know that they might still need to talk to her.  He says they can go.  Franco asks his dad why he hasn’t asked if he did it; he says he can hear his side of everything later…right now, he just needs to know what the cops know.  He offers to take Franco home; Liz says she’ll take him.  Franco smiles.  As they start to leave, an officer comes in with the murder weapon – a folding “L” knife, like artists use.  Elizabeth walks out, leaving Franco standing there.  

They replay the scene of Alexis stupidly kissing Julian again; they kiss for a few seconds and then Alexis pulls away.  Julian says he’s been praying for that for a long time.  Alexis says she didn’t mean it; he says at least part of it did…she asks which part so she can have it removed.  He tells her he didn’t mean for it to happen “like that” – with her being drunk.  She’s sick of his nagging; she says she’s not “drunk” yet.  She says she wants him to know that she did ‘hear’ him; she just doesn’t care anymore.  She says the kiss was PREMEDITATED, to point out that because of his vanity and raging narciscm he thinks she still has feelings for him; she wants him to remember everything they had, and assure him that THAT will never ever happen again.  She throws his pillows on the couch and hands him his medicine; she guarantees him she will be a great nurse because she wants him on his feet and out of her house as soon as possible.  She tells him goodnight and heads upstairs to bed, an empty bottle of vodka on top of the cabinet in the foreground.

Jordan tells someone that they have obtained a few statements that could prove very helpful and says to have someone call her immediately if anything develops, otherwise she wants to see “him” first thing in the morning.  Andre shows up; he says, “hello stranger.”  They have some idle conversation and then decide to rectify the fact that they haven’t been spending time together, tonight.  He admits that he hasn’t quite been ready to talk about “everything that happened yet” and Jordan seems to understand; he says he is ready now, as he’s had time to think.  He swears it was never his intention to withhold information or invade her privacy; he says it was a spur of the moment thing… he was tired of Curtis, he saw it was him calling so he answered it and told him to leave her alone.  He admits that was his insecurity and that he believes he is better than that; he admits he should never have done it and apologizes.  She thanks him.  He says he really misses her and wants to pick up where they left off; she wants to, but worries if Curtis will still “get in the way.”  Andre looks around and says he doesn’t see him right now; Jordan smiles.  They kiss.  

Michael helps Nelle on with her coat and offers her a ride home; he says to consider it his Christmas present to her.  She says okay; they wish Sonny a Merry Christmas.  Sonny mentions how quickly everybody cleared out; Carly tells Sonny she wanted to be alone with him.  He thinks this might be a good thing, but then Carly says that she knows he and Nelle were lying to him tonight; she also says she knows what it’s about.  Now Sonny looks scared.  Carly tells him that she knows well those gloves were from Nelle and not from him; he apologizes and offers to get her something else.  She says all she wants is to be there with him.  Sonny asks if there is a chance they can work this all out; Carly says she doesn't know about tomorrow, but tonight she was right where she wanted to be.  He smiles.

Nelle offers Michael a cup of tea or hot cocoa when they arrive at her door; he is more than willing to accept.  He sits down on the couch and thanks her for joining their family; she thanks him for including her.  Michael admits that he noticed Nelle “cloud over” when Carly was talking about bringing the family together for the holiday; he asks what is to be so sad about on Christmas Eve.  She tells him Christmas was always hard for their family; her dad had a hard time making ends meet, and she admits that she gets really jealous sometimes.  He tells her that’s okay, as long as you don’t get “stuck there.”  She doesn’t understand; he does his best to explain about being treated unfairly at one point in his life and tells her how he dealt with it.  She thanks him, gets up to get the teapot when it starts to whistle, trips and knocks her music box off the coffee table; Michael bends over to help her pick it up and she snaps “no” at him, while staring at him sternly.  She then asks if he would go get the kettle off the stove instead; he does.  He comes back and says he didn’t want to rummage through her cupboards for the tea; she suggests cocoa instead, even though it’s the cheap powered kind.  Michael says that sounds great.  They sip their cocoa, talk a little more (about respecting where you came from) and then say their goodbyes; Michael leaves.  Nelle goes back to her music box and pulls out that silver baby rattle; it is engraved with the name “Caroline.”