What I Watched Today

(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)

General Hospital

I seem to be on a streak, and missed the pre-credit warm-up. What you need to know is, Brook tried to get in to see Finn at the hospital, pretending to be his second cousin once removed, but the nurse knew she wasn’t family. Chase showed up and wondered who she was trying to commit fraud to see, and she said, Finn. Michael came home to find Willow painting Wiley’s room, drop cloths everywhere, and dancing around to loud music. Elizabeth didn’t believe Franco’s tumor had returned, and Nina saw Carly and Jax with their heads together at the MetroCourt. She asked Sasha if she was feeling better, and off drugs now, but Sasha didn’t think Nina really cared. Carly was pissed that Cyrus had booked the terrace table, but told Jax she was keeping the peace. She also told him that she had news about Nelle. Cyrus told Brando that his job was to keep Carly at bay while he had dinner with Sasha. That’s where I came in.

Elizabeth says, Franco kept this to himself? and he says Terry wanted him to tell her. She says, Terry knew? Her friend Terry? He tells her to blame him. He asked Terry to keep patient/doctor confidentiality, but she wanted him to talk to Elizabeth. She asks what he was going to do. Pretend he was painting while he snuck off to surgery? He doesn’t say anything, and she asks what else he’s not telling her. He says, it’s inoperable.

Chase says he didn’t know Brook and Finn were that close, but she says she was looking for Finn’s room because she knew she’d find him there. She wanted to see how he was doing. He says, good. Finn is going to make a full recovery, but heart surgery is never a joyride. She says he must have been losing his mind, and he says his dad showed up after his mom called. Finn was not thrilled. She asks if Chase has a problem with his dad, but Chase says, no. They’re great, but his parents are getting a divorce. At least that’s what his mom thinks. His dad is holding out hope the marriage can be fixed. She asks if he wants to grab some coffee, and talk about it, but he says he’d rather hear how she’s doing. She says, after that karaoke trainwreck? and he says, it wasn’t that bad. She says, it was a disaster, but something did come of it. She’s vacating his couch, and got a one-way bus ticket to New York City.

Willow says she should have run it by Michael first, but he was busy, and when Wiley wants something, he wants it now. He asks if Wiley told her that he wanted to be an astronaut. She says he did, and Michael says Wiley told him too, at breakfast. Willow says, Wiley wants stars on the ceiling so he can visit them in his rocket ship. Michael says so she went to the store and bought paint and drop cloths, while he called a painter. They’re coming tomorrow. She says, Wiley has a very specific vision. She doesn’t think they can trust stranger with this important task. Michael says, done. Wiley will like her stars better anyway; he loves everything she does. She says she’s lucky Wiley has faith in her, and Michael asks if she needs help. She says she wouldn’t mind an assistant, but he’ll have to change. Her art projects can get messy. Her students tend to tease her about it. She drips some paint on his head, and starts coming down the ladder to help clean him up, but almost falls. Michael grabs her.

Brando tells Cyrus that Carly is a piece of work. Cyrus says Brando rescued Carly from an ambush at her husband’s warehouse, and took a bullet for her, and Brando says, and how does Sonny thank him? By setting him up in a garage. Sonny doesn’t think he’s good enough for the family business. Cyrus says he thought Sonny protected his family, and Brando says he and his mom are the exception. His mother was good to Sonny’s dad, but Sonny couldn’t get her out of Port Charles fast enough. Cyrus says Sonny will come to regret not embracing Brando and his mother.

Nina says she cares about Sasha. When she brought Sasha to her place, she’d asked if there was anyone she could call, but Sasha told her there was no one. It made her sad how alone Sasha must feel. Sasha thanks Nina for talking to Jax about her, but Nina says, it’s not like that. Sasha says she’s sure it was like that. She tells Nina that she’s late for a meeting, and jets.

Carly tells Jax that she got a call from the DA in Hanover. After reading her interview, and reviewing her statement to the PCPD, Nelle’s death has officially been ruled an accident. Jax says so they don’t have worry about the detective anymore, and she says he wanted her to be responsible, but there was no proof she was on the cliff. He says she’s free now. Hopefully no more dreams, and she won’t be looking over her shoulder anymore. She says, yeah, and he asks why she’s not happy.

Elizabeth tells Franco, they’ll get a second opinion, but he says Terry is the best oncologist around; he’s not getting one. She says she’s not accepting it’s inoperable; she’s not accepting he’s going die. He says he’s trying to be realistic about a terrible situation. She asks if he wants to leave their family or her, and he says he doesn’t like when she leaves the room. He loves her. She’s made him happy in a million different ways. She’s a gift he doesn’t deserve. She says he does, and they’ll find alternative treatment. He says they won’t, but she insists they will. He’s saying he doesn’t want to leave her, but all she’s hearing is that he wants to die. He says maybe he’s not being clear. There’s a fate worse than death, and that’s what he’s trying to avoid.

Willow tells Michael, she got most of the paint off. She thinks he should know, when she found out Finn was shot, she went to the hospital to see how Chase was doing. He told her Finn was going to recover. Michael says, Chase must be relieved, and she says, he is. She said she wanted to let him know she was thinking about him and Finn, and show support. He says she doesn’t have to explain. Of course (🍷) she cares about Chase and wants to support him, and he’s glad she did.

Chase says, Brook is leaving Port Charles? and she says it’s not like her life is full of options. He says he thought she’d patch things up with her dad, and she tells him, like she said; no other options. He asks what she’ll do; how will she live? and she says she’s moving in with her mother. He says, it was just one night. She’s got to keep going. She promises to give it a try, and see a specialist, if it will make him happy. He asks if she knows what would make him happy, and she says, arresting her again? He says he was thinking of getting a drink, but he does need a collar. She asks if he’s filling his quota. She can’t spend the night in jail though. She’s leaving tonight, but he could read her rights to her for old times’ sake. He says she’s not getting off that easy. If she wants to hear the Miranda again, she’ll have to stick around. She asks if he’ll miss her.

Carly tells Jax, it’s a relief to know Nelle’s death has been ruled an accident, and the case is closed. It’s the truth, but like she told him, there’s something about that night that keeps nagging her. Jax says, maybe she’s so used to looking for Nelle, she can’t let it go. She doesn’t have to worry. Nelle can’t hurt her anymore, and she can go on with her life. Nina joins them, and says, it’s been a frustrating day. She talked to Sasha, but Sasha took her advice as much as she did Carly’s. Carly thinks Sasha is worse off than they realize, and Jax asks, what makes her say that? Sasha appears, and asks if they’re lives are so boring that they need to talk about her. She doesn’t need their pity.  To give Nina more fuel for her firepit, she’s going to see someone who doesn’t judge her, and doesn’t get in her business. Carly says, like Cyrus, and Sasha walks away.

Brando thanks Cyrus for helping him; he appreciates it. Cyrus says, don’t thank him before hearing what he has to do, but Brando says keeping Carly away from Cyrus and his guests isn’t a big deal. Cyrus says, that’s the short term request. He has bigger plans for a man with Brando’s skill set. Much bigger. Sasha comes in, apologizing for being late, and Cyrus says, that’s okay; he and his driver needed to catch up. Brando asks if that’s all, and Cyrus says it is, and thanks him. Brando leaves, and Cyrus pulls out a chair for Sasha, saying, he deliberately reserved this table so she’d feel more comfortable. She says, that’s thoughtful, but beside the point. She just announced to Carly and Jax that she was meeting him. He says he’s surprised they didn’t stop her, but she says she didn’t give them a chance. Maybe she should have. He says he thought he’d persuaded her that he’s not the big, bad wolf. She says, after she left him the last time, she got a delivery in the elevator; an envelope full of blow. She doesn’t think it was a coincidence, and thinks it came from him. He asks why she would think that. He respects her, and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize their relationship. She says she won’t force the issue, but insists he answer one question honestly. What does he expect from her in return?

Cyrus says he doesn’t want anything; just her friendship, if that’s possible. She asks, why? and he says because she’s the only person in Port Charles who hasn’t attacked him for what they think he’s done. She says she’s the last person who should judge anyone, and he says, still, she agreed to meet despite the Page Five item on them in The Invader. She says The Invader must be desperate, to talk about them having dinner. He says he had no idea the paparazzi were lurking, and she says, the fake daughter and the phony philanthropist; a match made in hell. He says sorry about his notoriety. He hopes it didn’t cause her any harm, but she says the publicity is good for Deception. She hopes she didn’t cause him any harm. If he can put up with her, she can put up with him. He says, there’s nothing to put up with. Would she see him again for the occasional meal and conversation? They hear Nina arguing with Brando outside, saying the last time she checked, it was a free country, and she wants to talk to Cyrus. Brando says, she’ll have to make an appointment. She asks if Brando is Cyrus’s personal secretary, and Cyrus comes out. He thanks Brando, and says, it’s perfectly okay. He’s been wanting to meet Nina. He’s heard glowing reports about her.

Chase asks if Brook knows why he kept arresting her, and she says, he enjoys seeing her behind bars? He says she’s outrageous and impulsive, and made his life fun. It was an excuse to have her in his orbit. She says she thinks that’s a compliment, and he says, it is. She asks why she should believe him. How does she know he’s not just feeling sorry for her? Chase says, when he thought his brother was going to die, he decided not to waste time anymore. He doesn’t want to leave things unsaid, or talk around stuff. He wants to be honest. He’s going to miss her. She asks how far his honesty policy goes. Is he going to tell Willow that he’s still in love with her?

Willow tells Michael this is a good place to raise his son, and he says, once the adoption papers come through, she’ll officially be Wiley’s mom. She says she likes the sound of that. She sees an envelope in his hand, and says, it looks serious. He says, a messenger dropped it off from Diane. She says, it must be serious, but he says, not necessarily. He loves Diane. She’s a wonderful lawyer and family friend, but she’s not shy about billable hours and fees. He opens it, and says, it’s a copy of the annulment paperwork.

Franco tells Elizabeth, he can handle losing his sense of smell and taste, but he can’t handle losing his sense of time, and having periods where he’s not aware of his surroundings. During that time, he could undergo a shift in personality. Elizabeth asks if that’s what scares him, and he says he could turn back into the person who used to take pleasure in hurting people, including her.

Chase tells Brook, he said he was going to be honest, but that doesn’t mean she can make assumptions. She says, Nelle slashed her throat, but didn’t damage her eyes. She’s seen the way Chase looks at the pictures of Willow on his phone. He says Willow is married to his ex-best friend. She tells him, she’s not saying break Willow and Michael up; that’s their business. But his feelings aren’t going away. Maybe he should acknowledge them, and tell Willow how he feels. See what she has to say. He says if he tells her something, promise she won’t think it’s a sign. She says, no, but tell her anyway, and he says, Willow came to check on Finn. She told him that she and Michael are getting an annulment. Brook says she wasn’t expecting that, but it definitely helps. Tell Willow he never stopped loving her. He says he can’t. He cheated with Sasha, and broke Willow’s heart. Brook says, the cheating thing was over before it began, and Chase says, once they were found out, he and Sasha felt guilty. She says, cough it up. What really happened with him and Sasha?

Michael says, Diane made it seem like it would take a while, but Willow says they knew this day would come. He says he didn’t know eventually would be so soon. What does she think they should do?

Sasha says she’ll give Nina and Cyrus privacy, and leaves. Cyrus tells Nina to sit, but she says she’s going to keep this short. Stay away from Sasha. He asks if she doesn’t think that’s up to Sasha to decide, but she says, Sasha isn’t in a place to make decisions, and she doesn’t like him taking advantage of her. He says he’s not. She’s a delightful young woman whose company he enjoys. Nina tells him, said the spider to the fly. He says, it’s not very complimentary to speak of Sasha as a fly, and she says, Sasha isn’t in a good place. She’s asking that he respect that, and back off. He says he’s a big fan of her magazine, Crimson, and she laughs. She says he doesn’t seem like the typical Crimson reader, and he says he doesn’t suppose so, but the articles are intelligent and thought-provoking. She says, and the models are sexy and beautiful. He says he’s not blind, but the recent article on women governors made for compelling reading, as did the article on women in shelters. She says, no amount of flattery will convince her that he has good intentions toward Sasha. He says, the magazine celebrates women’s independence, strength, and intelligence; the ability to think for themselves. Doesn’t she believe Sasha embodies those same qualities? 

Outside the room, Sasha says, Brando is Sonny’s cousin. What’s he doing working for the man who tried to kill Sonny’s family? He says, that was never proven, and Cyrus was in prison when it happened. She asks how much Cyrus is paying him, and he asks if she wants to go down that road, since she’s dating Cyrus. She says, they’re not dating, but he says, that’s not what it looks like. She says they met once for dinner, and she’s not defending herself to him. He says, ditto, but he is going to say this. Up until a few moments ago, she was with Michael. Now she’s out with the guy who tried to have him killed.   

A woman asks the MetroCourt hostess if she could be directed to Nina’s table. Jax overhears, and says, Nina is busy at the moment, but he’s her boss. The woman says she heard he was looking for her.

Elizabeth asks if that’s what Terry told Franco; that the tumor could turn him back into the man he used to be. He says, no, that’s not what she said. She said he might skip when it comes to time, and that’s when he realized that there were times he couldn’t account for. She asks, when? and he says when he was painting Ava’s portrait. She says, it’s not abnormal for an artist to lose track of time, and he says, true, but it’s the personality change that’s really scaring him. It should scare her too. She knows the damage he’s capable of. He couldn’t stop himself. He was completely addicted to doing horrible things to people, and getting away with it. If he gets like that again… She tells him, stop. She’s seen a lot of patients who have brain tumors, and none of them have the same symptoms. Just because the tumor returned, that doesn’t mean it will affect him the same way. He says she doesn’t know that, but she says, the compulsion to cause harm and get away with it was removed with the first tumor. Those feelings are gone for good. He promises her that he’ll do anything and everything not be that person, but she needs to promise him if there’s even a hint of danger, no matter how small, to her and the boys, she’ll cut and run. Promise him.

Chase tells Brook, Sasha is a good person, who was trying to do the right thing. Michael was trying to get custody fo Wiley, and his lawyer said getting married would help. Since Sasha had scammed Nina, she would have been torn apart in court, and the odds would be against Michael getting his son. Willow loves Wiley like her own, and they needed a push in the right direction. Brook says, so they pretended to have an affair, and arranged to get caught. He asks, what’s more important? Their hearts or the future of an innocent child? Brook tells him, he’d said it was time for him to be honest. He should be honest with himself first, and then Willow.   

Michael asks if Willow wants to sign first, but she guesses a paintbrush won’t work. She’ll have to get a pen, but doesn’t he think they should read it first? He says, Diane told him it was all boilerplate, no surprises, but if she feels the need to read it before she signs, why not? They look at the paperwork, then look at each other.

Sasha tells Brando, to be honest, she’s not sure what’s going on between them. She ran into him the other night at The Rib (wasn’t it the MetroCourt?), and she was in a bad way. He was supportive and kind. Brando says, and she could use an ally. She’d lied to Nina, and made Nina believe she was her daughter. Of course (🍷) she regrets it, but what she regrets most is that she and Nina were really compatible; for a time they were more than friends. Nina was like a mother to her, and the lies didn’t change how she felt. She thinks it was that way for Nina too. That why Nina is talking to Cyrus. Nina genuinely wants to look out for her. Brando says he doesn’t think she’ll score any points.

Cyrus asks why Nina thinks Sasha can’t take care of herself. Unless she doesn’t believe the foundation of her own publication. Nina says they’ve written many articles on unique and different women who control their own destinies, but they don’t say every woman can. He wonders if she hasn’t read her magazine. He doesn’t talk down to Sasha or treat her like an infant. Why is she telling him to stay away? Sasha has a strong voice. If she didn’t want his company, she would say so. Nina says, Sasha needs to be surrounded by friends, not people who will use her. He says he couldn’t agree more, but she says he’s not Sasha’s friend. She’s a strong woman too, and not to be underestimated. He says her attempt to control Sasha will only serve to alienate her. How would she like it if someone tried to do that to her? Nina says, if he hurts Sasha, she’ll destroy him.

Jax asks who the woman is, and she says the P.I. who found her mentioned his name. Curtis said she was the last call on his list, and he was about to give up all hope. He’d asked if she’d worked as Nina’s nurse, and she said she had. She was happy to hear Nina is not only healthy, but doing well. Jax wonders why Curtis didn’t call him or Nina, and Phyllis asks if he’d like to call to confirm her identity. She also has a driver’s license. Nina comes out and says, Phyllis? She’d recognize Phyllis’s voice anywhere. Phillis says, Nina Reeves, as I live and breathe. They hug.

Elizabeth says she knows Franco thinks he’s going to hurt her, but their love is stronger than the tumor. He says, the tumor is getting bigger. He’s going to turn back into a monster. She says they’re not going to let that happen. They’ll find a way to fix it. He asks if she has a magic wand, and she says, their love. It will give them the strength they need to not give up. He cries a little, and says he just wants to grow old with her. She says, he will, and he’s going to survive as the man she knows now and loves with all her heart.

Brook says Chase can’t play God with Willow’s life. He has to tell her the truth. He says, what’s done is done, but she says, Willow is making decisions based on false information and lies. Not telling her isn’t fair to her or Michael. She can’t leave until he sets it right. He asks how he’s going to do that, and she says he’s going to talk with Willow and tell her that he never had an affair.

Willow asks how it looks to Michael, and he says, legal. She says, the words are kind of a blur. It’s hard to concentrate or focus. He says he knows what she means, and moves in for a kiss.

Carly asks Brando if there’s any chance Sasha intends to kick Cyrus to the curb, but he says, not from what she told him. Does Carly want him to do something about that? She says he’s in a delicate position, but she’d like him to keep an eye on Sasha. Sasha has been good to her family. Brando says he’s on it. Whatever it takes.

Nina tells Cyrus, she saw the look of thunder Nina’s face when she left. She assumes Nina told him to back off. Cyrus says she assumes correctly. He doesn’t like people telling him what to do, and didn’t think that’s what she’d want. As his friend, that’s what matters. She thanks him for being a good friend, and he asks if she’s hungry. She says she supposes she could eat something, and when she lifts up her menu, there’s a new envelope of coke underneath it. They smile at each other.

Phyllis says Nina is so beautiful and healthy. Is she happy? Nina says she’s officially very happy, and Phillis says, seeing Nina, she feels the same. It’s been too long. Is that why Curtis called? So they could reconnect? Nina says she realized Phillis wasn’t just her nurse. She took care of Nina when she was first in a coma and pregnant. Phillis says she did, and Nina says there’s something Phyllis needs to tell her. What happened to her baby?

Tomorrow, Monica tells Ned not to blow what could be his last chance, Sasha says Cyrus knows her appetite, and Jason says there’s a possibility things could go sideways, which won’t be good for anyone.

Southern Charm

Austen griped about how many shoes Craig had around the living room, and Craig accused Austen of finding things to complain about, telling him the house was legit spotless. Austen said Craig saw spotless, but he didn’t, and Craig called him a crybaby. Craig thought the festival was blast, and said he drank 30 of Austen’s beers. That’s a lot of beer, and I wondered if Craig was exaggerating or still drunk. He said Austen needed to prioritize and not be self-destructive, like Austen was the one sponging off of him. Madison visited the chaos that was Kathryn’s house, and Kathryn was in the midst of color coordinating her books. She said her last memories of her mom were in that house, since she’d taken care of her at the end. She was still staying with Thomas while her house was being worked on, and she told Madison, no, they weren’t back together. She didn’t think. In her interview, Kathryn said Thomas was the father of her kids, and she’d thought about it more than a few times.

Shep took Lil Craig to the dog park/bar, where Lil Craig immediately paddled around in the marsh. Danni joined him with her Australian Shepherd, and said she loved seeing Shep act like a parent. He guessed he was a little domesticated. He told Danni that he was forty now, and had a dog and a girlfriend, and Danni said he looked happy. He told her Taylor was chill, but Danni wondered what if she had a goal of getting married? Shep said he would be roadblocked, but he was seeing a therapist. He’d told the therapist he wondered, what if he met someone else? but the therapist said everyone thinks that. He told Madison that he was never getting involved in Austen’s personal life again, and was plugging his ears to any information. Danni thought that was the best thing to do, especially since she’d been on the receiving end of something similar, and we flashed back to when Madison let fly that Shep had given Danni chlamydia. Shep apologized, and said he was glad their friendship survived the craziness. Lil Craig and Danni’s Shepherd took a swim in the marsh together, and Shep told Lil Craig that he was the biggest slob in dog park. He said he’d need a hazmat suit to get Lil Craig home.

Leva told us that she hadn’t achieved a work-life/mom balance yet. I can see why, since Little seems like a handful. Her mom Nahid came by to help do some cooking. Leva said most of her friends didn’t know their story, so she was having a Persian dinner. It was a nice way for them to see that side of her. She’d asked Nahid for help, since she wanted to make a big dinner the way her mom used to back in the day. Nahid said her philosophy was to get inspiration from talking to other people. In Leva’s interview, she said she didn’t want Little to grow up being treated like a novelty. She was Persian by descent, grew up in Winnipeg, and ended up in the deep south. It was like taking part of her mask off. She told Nahid that she’d gotten what she thought was a Persian tea set from Amazon, thinking it was a fantastic price, but didn’t read the measurements. What she got was a miniature. Yep, you’ve got to read that description thoroughly, and always read the reviews.

John visited his sister Jenny, brother-in-law Alan, and their dog who sure looked like a Pekingese or a Peke mix. In John’s interview, he said he and Jenny were twins, and grew up together raising hell. He told us that his kids were the greatest thing that ever happened to him. Quinn was sweet and sensitive, and would do anything for anybody. Asher had the swagger. He FaceTimed with them, and Asher called him a butthole. He told us that his ex-wife got pregnant early on in their relationship, and they’d done their best, but they were better friends now, and did a good job co-parenting. He thought the hardest part of being back in Charleston was being away from his kids. He saw them ten days during spring break, and for half of the summer, and wanted them to feel like Charleston was home. Jenny asked if saw himself dating, but he said dating was work, although being in love was the best. Jenny said he could have the pick of the crop. He showed her Madison’s picture, and she said he was screwed.

Leva talked to her middle sister Mona about the Persian dinner, and said someone was coming in to do her house like a Persian palace. In her interview, she said she and Mona were best friends. She told Mona that she was thinking of inviting Kathryn, but was anxious about it. Mona said everyone deserved a chance, and Leva thought she and Kathryn should have a do-over. She called Kathryn, who was psyched to come, and Leva said the dinner theme was Persian princess. Lots of layers, and a headpiece, but don’t show up looking like Jasmine from Aladdin.

Austen came by to take Madison out, and helped her son Hudson with his math homework. In Austen’s interview, he said, two years ago, he wouldn’t have swiped right on someone with a child. Now, he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about what if with Madison – and he’s helping with homework. They were meeting Shep and Taylor for dinner, and Madison said she was going to be as positive as she could be. Already at the restaurant, Shep told Taylor that he was putting the final nail in the coffin of his angst with Austen. After Austen and Madison joined them, Taylor told Austen how much fun she had at the festival. Austen gave Madison a kiss, and Taylor said she could tell they were in love. Austen asked where Shep stood on PDA, and Shep said if he gives Taylor a nibble, she wants the whole steak. Austen asked if they were an actual couple, and Shep said he was ready to have the talk when Taylor was. Madison wanted them to have the talk right now, and in her interview, said she liked to see Shep squirm. Shep said he and Taylor were together, and Taylor asked if they were dating. Shep gave a thumps up, and Taylor said she approved of this message. Shep said, that was the talk, and they toasted to defining the relationship. Shep said he didn’t want it to be too serious, but Madison said it already was. In his interview, Shep said it was hard to say out loud that he had a girlfriend. Shep got something in his teeth, which Austen and Madison pointed out. Shep thanked them, and Austen said that’s what friends do. Madison asked if this made it official that she and Shep were friends now. Shep asked if she wanted to have the talk.

Leva and Nahid cooking was amazing to watch, and in Leva’s interview, she said cooking together was a big deal, and a gesture of friendship. Leva tried to get Little to eat a date, but he preferred a piece of squash. It mystified me that a kid would choose squash over something sweet. Craig’s assistant Anna-Heyward called him, telling him that he was still living with Austen, but had a lot to get done removing the asbestos from the house. He said it was effing stressful, and she said he kept wanting to go out instead of getting stuff done. She thought he needed to find a rental, since fish and houseguests stink after three days. Craig said he’d never heard that. Proof that he’s not from this planet.

While getting ready, Kathryn wondered if they were supposed to wear belly dancer stuff, and Madison reminded her they weren’t supposed to look like Jasmine. Leva and her home both looked spectacular, and even her dog wore a statement necklace. The spread of food reminded me of a dinner on Shahs of Sunset, and as usual, I was fascinated. There were five different rice dishes alone. Leva’s friends, Jackie and another Madison (Simon), joined them. Kathryn asked if Leva felt weird being Persian in Charleston, and Leva said her roots were completely different. Her parents left a country in turmoil, lost and rebuilt everything, and could never go back to Iran. After her parents got married, her mother had said if she got pregnant with a girl, they were leaving the country, and they did. Leva said she was aware of the sacrifices her parents had made, so their children could do what they wanted. There were things North American women took for granted, like education and wearing what they liked, that were denied to eastern women. She said when she’d moved to Charleston, there were different lines for Black people at clubs, and she wondered where to go and how she fit in. The city wasn’t as open minded as she’d hoped. In her interview, she said she got questions like, did she speak English? Was she legal? Was that her car or her boss’s? Kathryn said when Leva and her husband opened Republic was when life began for everyone. It’s where she met her baby daddy. Leva said she was at that party, and told her husband to watch the red head. She was so young, and the dude she was with was so much older than her. Kathryn thanked her, and Leva said, live and learn.

Craig, Whitney, Austen, and John met at a beer bar. They did tequila shots along with the beer, and in Craig’s interview, he said he had to pace himself. If he didn’t stay disciplined, it was a slippery slope. John struck up a conversation with a table of girls, who barely understood what he was saying. In his interview, he said his game was having no game. Shep joined them, and chatted up the girls, getting everyone Goldschläger shots. He said he could still flirt. It doesn’t matter where you get your appetite as long as you eat at home.

Everyone admired Madison’s necklace, which was from Patricia’s closet. Madison said she couldn’t help but look up to Patricia, and in Kathryn’s interview, she said she thought Patricia was meddling in Madison’s life. Patricia was like the puppet master on the N’Sync album cover. At the bar, Whitney wondered if Madison and Austen broke up, would John… and John joked that he’d definitely sleep with Austen. They moved on to another bar that had a mechanical bull, and Shep begged John to get on it. Madison told the girls that Austen took the guys out for a boys night, and they talked about John. Madison said he was cute and had great manners. At the bar, John took off his shirt and got on the bull, but fell off pretty quickly. Kathryn was asked if John was a good kisser, but all she said was, y’all, come on. Kathryn got a message on her phone, and got up. She said Thomas was an effing liar, and called Danni over. She told Danni that Thomas had gotten a girl pregnant, and she was having the baby. She was six or seven months along. Kathryn’s lawyer found out, and just confirmed it. Kathryn came back, and told the others about Thomas. She said when she asked why he didn’t tell her, he said, why would he? She told him that their children were the baby’s siblings, and he responded, just half. Madison asked if Thomas was dating the girl, and Kathryn said she heard he’d been spotted at an OB/GYN with someone who was showing. She couldn’t believe she’d been living with him, while he’d been hiding a secret, and she’d been thinking about being together again. Leva said Kathryn just threw down a bomb, and Danni thought it was f***ed up, and not fair to Kathryn and the kids. Madison said she’d thought everything was perfect, and Danni said Kathryn couldn’t be living there anymore. Kathryn wondered what she was going to do, and Madison said they were getting Kathryn out of there.

Next time, Craig tells John to drop thinking about Madison, Covid hits, and Taylor isn’t sure if she was exposed.

🚣‍♀️ Rowing the Boat Ashore…

Time for tea tomorrow, but for now, stay safe, stay lucid, and stay getting inspiration from talking to people outside of your cultural sphere.