Ever since Gio Palmieri popped up on General Hospital, complete with mad violin skills and a charming smile, viewers have wondered how this virtuoso fits into the Port Charles canvas. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he’s a cousin of Olivia, Dante, Lois, Brooke Lynn, and his honorary “uncle” Sonny. That seems pretty straightforward. Is anything ever that straightforward on a soap? Here’s what could make Gio’s presence much more interesting.

Long Ago and Far Away

Sonny (Maurice Benard) seems fond of Gio (Giovanni Mazza — here’s what you need to know). Now, we know that Sonny is a friend to all wayward youth, from Jason (Steve Burton) to Stone (Michael Sutton) to Spencer (Nicholas Alexander Chavez).

But his interest in Gio’s future seems a bit random. Unless…Gio means more to Sonny than just his son, Dante’s (Dominic Zaparonga), cousin. What if Gio isn’t just Oliva (Lisa LoCicero) and Lois’ (Rena Sofer) relative, but also the relative of a woman Sonny once loved…and probably still does?

Missing Child

The love of Sonny’s life — sorry, Carly (Laura Wright) fans; we know it, you know it — Brenda (Vanessa Marcil) had an affair with an Eastern European mobster, Alexander, and bore his son, Alec.

Dante claimed to be the baby’s father to throw Alexander off the scent. Alexander’s scheming mother drugged Brenda, induced labor, and kidnapped the boy. Sonny eventually tracked down Alec and reunited the now four-year-old with Brenda, but both mother and son left town after Brenda realized she’d traded in the Eastern European mob for Sonny’s homegrown version, and she didn’t want her little boy around either.

Safe at Home

But Brenda had to know that Alec would never be safe as long as his crazy biological family was after him. So wouldn’t it make sense for her to hide Alec with someone she trusted…like the family of her best pal, Lois?

Sonny, of course, would have to be told since he’d be watching Alec/Gio from afar. But now that Gio is back in Port Charles, Sonny can watch him from a-near. That is until his family secret comes out…and Carly learns she’s been kept out of the loop.