What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

We see Peter lying at the bottom of the stairs, blood pooling around his head. A hospital employee runs down the stairs, and checks the pulse in his neck. There’s someone on the landing above, but all we see is a long, white sleeve. There’s a sign near Peter that says, Roof Access, and a smear of blood on the wall.

One Hour Earlier. In the ER, Deanna puts up an IV bag for Maxie, and says, Dr. Navarro wants her admitted. They’re just waiting for a room. Maxie thanks her, and Deanna asks if she can get Maxie anything or call anyone, but Maxie says, not right now. She just needs a minute. Deanna says she’ll be back in a minute to check on Maxie, and leaves. Maxie tells herself, you can do this. You can do this for your daughter. Peter comes in, and says he saw the nurse leave. She says, they’re going to admit her, and he says, what about the baby? What did Maxie mean when she said the baby was gone? Maxie says she keeps hoping this is some nightmare and she’s going to wake up, but she knows it’s not. She starts to cry, and says she knows that it’s real, and she feels so empty, it’s almost unbearable. He asks if Louise died in childbirth, but Maxie says she didn’t lose her. Peter says, thank God. Where is she? Where is their daughter? Maxie says, you know that nurse you insisted I hire, Chloe? He says, Nurse Jennings? What about her? Maxie says, it was so awful. She took her. She stole our baby.

Finn asks Elizabeth if she’s seen Peter. He was on his way to the hospital with a dose for Chase. I notice Finn is wearing – wait for it – a white, long-sleeved shirt. (DUN-DUN-DUNN!) She says, no sign of him, but she did hear the most unbelievable story about his baby.

Jackie and Gregory go into Chase’s room. Jackie tells Chase, Finn texted, and told them that he’d been readmitted. Gregory says he was hoping Finn would have found a cure by now, but he knows it’s not for lack of trying. Jackie asks if they can get Chase anything, and he says, yeah, his badge.

Anna sees Jordan at the hospital, and asks if she’s seen Peter. It’s important that she speak with him. Jordan says, no, but Anna is going to have to take a number. She just spoke with Gladys about the night Franco was killed. Anna asks what Gladys said, and Jordan says, more than enough for her to arrest Peter for murder.

Laura asks Curtis what Portia said, and he says, for a moment, it sounded like she was trying to tell him something urgent, then the phone went dead. Laura says, that’s strange, and he says he thinks Portia’s in trouble.

Cyrus says Portia is a doctor. She knows what kind of damage a bullet could do to Trina. Portia blocks Trina, and says, don’t. He says, no more stunts; no more tricks. That was very unprofessional. She took advantage of her patient’s momentary weakness to call her friend. Portia says, Curtis called her. If he’s suspicious now, it’s because Cyrus panicked, not her. Trina tells him, and people say he has ice water in his veins instead of blood. He says, if there’s any more blood spilled tonight, he can tell them this – it won’t be his.

Laura tells Curtis, before they jump to conclusions, call Portia back. He immediately gets voicemail, and Laura says, Portia is a doctor, right? Could she be on an emergency call? Curtis says, she picked up before, so if she was in the middle of a medical emergency, she wouldn’t have done that. He says he’s going to Portia’s house, and Laura says she’ll come with him.

Portia tells Cyrus, medically speaking, she’s done all she can do. The bullet is out. If he doesn’t want to risk infection, he needs to go to a hospital. It doesn’t have to be General Hospital, but he needs proper medical attention. Trina asks, what good it does him to be the boss of GH if he’s afraid to go there? He says he’s not sure which one of them he admires more. Portia, for her medical expertise, or her daughter for her attitude. Too bad he has to choose. Portia asks what he’s talking about, and he says, as much as he regrets leaving GH to other people, it’s time he says farewell to Port Charles. At least for now. Trina tells him, she’d say he’d be missed, but her mother taught her not to lie. He says, no need to worry on that count. They’ll be leaving town together.

Elizabeth tells Finn, Maxie had her baby. She gave birth in the middle of the woods somewhere. He says, all by herself? but Elizabeth says, no. Luckily, some country doctor was out for a hike, ran across her, and helped her deliver. He asks if Peter was there, and wonders if that’s why he hasn’t shown up with the dose for Chase. Elizabeth says, as far as she knows, Peter wasn’t involved.

Jackie asks why Chase wants his badge, and he says, because he’s a cop. It’s not just what he does; it’s who he is. He’s supposed to help people, instead, it’s doctors and nurses helping him. Gregory says he knows it’s hard to be patient, but he has to try. Jackie says Chase might need some alternative therapy, and she thinks she knows what it is.

Jordan tells Anna, Gladys was glad to recant her statement, and Anna says, the eyewitness account that led to Jason’s arrest? Jordan says, it was manufactured. Cyrus forced Gladys to accuse Jason of Franco’s murder. Anna says, she had to have seen something; she led them to the murder weapon, and Jordan says, she did. She saw Peter dispose of the murder weapon. Anna says, she saw Peter. That’s what she thought, and now it’s confirmed. If a jury believes her, it’s over for Peter. He’ll have to face the consequences of his actions. Jordan says they’ll have to get their hands on him first, and Anna asks if she’s put out an APB. Jordan says she’s advised everyone to use extreme caution. Peter should be considered armed and dangerous.

Peter says, Chloe was hired to help Maxie and Louise. He can’t imagine she’d run off, or do anything to harm Maxie. Maxie says she knows Peter checked Chloe out through her private nursing agency; she even interviewed Chloe herself, but she fooled all of them. He sits next to the bed, and says, it sounds awful; tell him everything. She says, Chloe drugged her, and took her to this house in the woods near some small town, Pawtuck. She said she wanted to induce Maxie’s labor, and Maxie managed to get away from her, but she wasn’t very far into the woods before her labor actually started. He says, and then what? and she says, then she gave birth in the woods. He says, by herself? and she says, as he knows, it’s not her first unconventional birth. That’s probably what kept her so calm, knowing she’d done it before. Maxie cries, and says, she was so beautiful, their perfect little Louise. He says, just like her mother. He knows this must be awful for Maxie, but please, tell him everything; he needs to know. She says, obviously, giving birth isn’t quiet. She couldn’t help but scream from the pain, and it wasn’t hard for Chloe to find her. Once she did, she claimed the baby was hers, grabbed her, and took off. He says, where? Where was she going? Maxie says she doesn’t know, and takes his hand, saying, she took her. She took their beautiful little girl.

Peter says he never imagined Chloe would do anything like this. He doesn’t know where she is, but he promises he won’t let anything happen to the baby. He’ll find their baby. He’ll find Louise and bring her back to them. Maxie says, how? Chloe could be anywhere by now. How will he find them? He says, traveling with a newborn isn’t easy. You have to make frequent stops. Diapers, formula, there would be security cameras. He doesn’t know where Chloe is, but he’ll find her. He gets up, but she grabs his hand, and says, Chloe is sick and twisted. He doesn’t know what she’s capable of. Do you know what she said? Chloe actually tried to convince her that she was working for Peter. That drugging her and taking her to that house to give birth was all his idea. Can he believe that?   

Jordan tells Anna, she recorded Gladys’s statement on her phone. She made multiple copies, and forwarded one to the DA’s office, and Robert. Anna says, the wheels of justice are going to turn swiftly, and Jordan says, Anna had to know this day would happen sooner or later. Peter has damaged so many lives, including Anna’s. Please don’t shed a tear for him. Anna promises, no tears. He’s been on a self-destructive path for a long time. He deserves to pay the consequences – he really does – but Jordan has to bring him in alive. Jordan says, the PCPD will do their job, but if Peter resists arrest… Anna says, Peter is responsible for someone else’s life. Jordan has to bring him in alive.

Peter says, Chloe blamed him? and Maxie says, Chloe claimed Peter wanted her to give birth in the middle of nowhere. She said he was going to join them. She said he was going to take her and Louise, and the three of them were going to leave the country and never come back. He says, some people will say anything. It sounds like Chloe really wanted to get her hands on their baby. Maxie says, she knows Peter tried so hard to prove he’s not his father’s son. She starts crying again, and says there were times she doubted him. She let Anna and the others get to her. She knows how devoted he is to her and Louise, and knows he would never hurt them. Peter says, never, and hugs her. She says she just wishes Peter could access his dark side; the one that would do anything to get their daughter back, and damn anyone who gets in the way. He says, then that’s exactly what he’ll do, but Maxie says she can’t let him.   

Finn finds Jackie and Gregory in Chase’s room, with Chase standing and leaning on Jackie. He tells Chase to get back into bed, but Jackie says she’s just taking him for a short walk. Chase asks, what’s the worst that can happen? He’s already in the hospital. Finn says he strongly recommends… that Chase enjoy his walk. Jackie leaves with Chase, and Elizabeth tells Finn that she knows Chase is frustrated, but he’s handling this like a champ. His family should be proud. She leaves, and Finn says, whatever grace Chase is showing, he learned from Gregory. He’s sure as hell failing Chase.  

Peter tells Maxie, he’ll find their daughter and bring her back. Whatever it takes. She asks, what that means, and he says, threats, bribes, calling his father’s old associates; nothing’s off the table. She says he’s not going to do that. He worked so hard to reinvent himself. They should just let the PCPD handle this. He says, they have to follow protocol, and don’t even know where to look. She says, Mac is the head of detectives; he will find Chloe and Louise. Peter says, Chloe isn’t even her real name, and Maxie says, she hired Chloe. Now he’s telling her that’s not Chloe’s real name? How would he even know that?

On the phone, Cyrus says, what the hell do they mean, not available? Make himself available. Bring the car… They’ve obviously hung up, and Trina says, running out of friends? Portia says, don’t push it, and Cyrus tells her, listen to her mother. Trina says he already took her as a hostage once; she’s not going to be afraid of him again. He’s the one who should be afraid now. No one wants to help him. No surprise there. He asks if she thinks this is a game, that he’s holding a toy? Curtis and Laura are approaching the house, and Cyrus gets louder, and says, Trina thinks she can defy him and insult him, and he’ll do nothing? Curtis starts to run toward the door, but Laura says, wait. He kicks the door in anyway.

Peter says, everything else Chloe told them was fake, so she probably had a fake name too. Maxie says, Chloe’s not the only one who’s fake. The house Chloe took her to cost money. Chloe said when the baby was born, they’d be airlifted by a helicopter. That’s a little pricey on a nurse’s salary. He says, Chloe was clearly delusional, and she says, from the first day, Chloe had the uncanny ability to anticipate her every need. Not every pregnant woman has the same cravings or health issues, but Chloe seemed to know hers. There’s no way a new person in her life could have known her personal information, unless someone she knew was feeding it to them. Someone like him. Peter says he can’t believe Maxie would buy into what this woman told her. Like she said, Chloe was so sick and twisted. Maxie says, it takes one to know one, you demented son of a bitch.

Curtis stands inside the doorway, with Laura behind him, and Cyrus says, step back or he’ll shoot Portia… right after he shoots her daughter. Portia tells Curtis, just do what he says, and Laura says they’ve got to go; he means it. They leave, and Cyrus tells Trina to close the door. She starts to move, and he says, stop. He doesn’t trust her not to pull something. He tells Portia to close the door, and don’t try anything. His gun is aimed directly at Trina. Portia looks at Curtis and Laura, and closes the door. Curtis looks at Laura.   

Jordan says, Peter poisoned Chase? and Anna says, Finn was the target. Peter wanted to hurt Finn in order to hurt her. Chase took the wrong glass or something, which makes her feel worse. Jordan says, but Peter has the antidote, and Anna says he was supplying it to her, as long as she followed orders. She had to facilitate his reunion with Maxie. He was parceling it out, one dose at a time. Jordan says, and Anna saw fit to clue her in just now? Anna knows how much she cares about Chase. Anna says, that was the deal; she couldn’t tell anyone, especially not Jordan, not with Chase’s life hanging in the balance. Peter is going to leave town. Jordan has to find him, because when he goes, the antidote vanishes with him. Jordan’s phone rings, and she tells Curtis, it’s not a good time. He tells her, Cyrus is holding Portia and Trina hostage at Portia’s house. He and Laura are outside right now; here she is. He gives the phone to Laura, who says, Cyrus is desperate, and he has nothing to lose. They need her there now. They need help. Jordan tells Anna that Cyrus is holding Portia and Trina hostage. She has to go, but her people will keep looking for Peter. Anna says she will too. Good luck.   

Finn is looking in his microscope when Gregory walks in. Gregory asks why he gets the feeling Finn is avoiding him, but Finn sys he’s not. He’s trying to save Chase’s life. Gregory says, tell him the truth. He knows what’s wrong with Chase, doesn’t he?

As they walk, Jackie tells Chase, slow and steady. An officer walks up to them, and says Chase is missed back at the station. He hopes Chase is back on the job soon. Chase introduces the officer to his mother as Officer LaRue, and LaRue says Jackie should be proud of her son; he’s one of the best. She says he’ll get no argument from her. She’s incredibly proud of what he’s accomplished. She tells Chase that she thinks they should get back to his room. LaRue presses the elevator button for them, and says, hurry back, detective.

Peter says Maxie must be in shock. It’s understandable since their baby is missing; it’s the only explanation. She says, the only explanation? She can think of plenty of other explanations, and they all lead back to the same thing. You’re a horrible person, Peter. She cries some more, and says, correction, Henrik. It feels good not to pretend anymore. The only reason she did that was to protect the baby, but the baby is gone because of him. Does that hurt? She hopes so. She hopes he feels every bit of fear she felt every time he’d show up at her apartment, or her birthing classes, or anywhere else. She couldn’t get away from him. He says it’s her grief taking, and she says, it’s called the truth. Thank God Valentin and Obrecht stopped their wedding in time to tell her that her fiancé was a cold-blooded killer. Once she learned that, everything changed. Every time he smiled at her or touched her, she was repulsed. It took every ounce of her resolve not to run from him, screaming. His face crumples, and she asks, does that hurt badly, Henrik? She wonders if it’s as bad as what he did to Drew, or Franco, or any of his other victims. Was the real Chloe Jennings one of those? He says, she got in way, and he had to get rid of her, and Maxie says, because she put a star on Chloe’s resume? He says, it was for her and the baby. He had to eliminate anyone who got in the way. It’s not too late. She says, of course (🍷) it’s too late, you arrogant bastard. She lost the baby to a lunatic he brought into their lives to kidnap her. He says he’ll find Louise and bring her back, but she says he won’t get the chance. She recorded this entire conversation, every word he said. He tells her to give him that phone, but she says, no, and sends the file. She says, message sent to Mac. She’s sure it will only be minutes before the entire PCPD is listening to the conversation. Which means his next stop is prison.

Peter says, Maxie turned him in? He’s the father of her child; she loved him. She says she loved Peter. That man wasn’t real. Every kind, caring, thoughtful thing he did was to cover; a disguise. Because Henrik Faison is cruel, manipulative, and selfish to his core. She would say he’s as bad as his father, but he’s not. At least Faison was an evil genius. He’s just some cheap imitation knock-off. Deanna looks in, and asks if everything is okay, but Maxie says, no. Call security. Peter is a murderer, who had her kidnapped. Security needs to detain him until the cops get here. Deanna says she’s on it, and leaves, and Peter says he can’t believe Maxie did this. Maxie says she can’t believe he thought he’d get away with kidnapping her, and dragging her and her baby out of the country. He says he’s going to find Louise, and when he does, he’s coming back for her. He will. He runs out, and Maxie cries, her head in her hands. Deanna comes back, and says she notified security, but Maxie is kind of freaking her out. Is she okay? Maxie says she’s not, but she will be.  

Finn tells Gregory, knowing what’s wrong with Chase isn’t the same thing as finding a cure. Gregory says, in other words, Finn can’t tell him. It’s okay; he’s not a doctor. Him knowing won’t change the situation. Finn says, he’s a doctor, and he hasn’t been able to change the situation. Gregory says it reminds him of the time Finn was in sixth grade, and failed American history, his field of expertise. Finn says he hid his report card, and Gregory says when he finally saw it, does Finn remember what he said? Finn tells him that he believes Gregory said, don’t try so hard to please him; just do his best because… Gregory says, because his best is good enough. It still is today.

Anna tells Elizabeth that she’s looking for Peter. Has she seen him? Elizabeth says, no, but she has seen Maxie. She was moved from the ER to the 4^th floor. Anna asks if there was an issue with the baby, and Elizabeth says, Maxie had the baby. Anna asks why Maxie was in the ER, but Elizabeth doesn’t know for sure. Peter wasn’t present for the birth, and for Maxie and the baby’s sake, she hopes it stays that way.

Peter runs out the door to the stairs, panicking. He flashes back to what Maxie said to him, and runs upstairs toward the roof.

Crime scene tape is put up, and Curtis asks if Jordan told Taggert what’s going on. Jordan says, not yet. She needed to assess the situation. The last thing she wants if for Taggert to storm in, and try to take on Cyrus himself. Curtis says he had the same impulse. They heard raised voices, so he kicked the door in, and Cyrus threatened to kill Portia and Trina unless he backed off. Laura says, then they called her, and Jordan says she called a hostage negotiator. Maybe they can reason with Cyrus, and things will end peacefully. Curtis says, what if they don’t? and Laura says, he’s right. They don’t get to decide. Cyrus is holding all the cards.

Portia says, whatever she thinks of Cyrus, she recognizes that he’s an intelligent man. The house is surrounded. It’s time for him to give himself up. Cyrus’s phone rings, and Jordan tells him, there’s been enough bloodshed tonight. A hostage negotiator is on the way. In the meantime, maybe they can work things out, just her and him. He says, nothing would please him more. Now if she’ll kindly go away. She says he knows she can’t do that. How are the people who are with him? He says, fine… for now. She asks how he is. There have been multiple reports that he was shot on the pier. She assumes he chose Portia’s house for a reason. He says he can still hold a gun with a fresh clip in it. Although he only needs two bullets unless she gives him what he wants.  

Jordan says, okay, she’s listening, and Cyrus says they’ll call this his exit strategy. The three of them are going to walk out, get in a car, and be driven to a private airstrip, where a private plane will take him and his new best friends far away. Once he’s safely out of the country, Portia and Trina will be free to return home. Jordan asks how he expects her to make that happen, and he says he’s sure his sister is listening in. She’s the mayor, and can make all that happen. Can’t you, sis? Laura says he gives her too much credit. His best… his only option, is to lay down his weapon and come out. Portia says, please, but he tells her, shut up. Jordan says, everything is on him; he has to demonstrate good faith. He asks what Jordan proposes, and she says, the only thing he can do. Release his hostages.

Jackie gets Chase back to bed, and Chase tells Finn not to blame his mom. He ran into a sergeant from work, and they had a nice chat. He felt like a cop again for a few minutes. Elizabeth asks to speak to Finn, and in the hallway, she says she thought he’d want to know, Peter is there. Apparently, he and Maxie had a huge argument in the ER. Deanna called security, and now they’re looking for him. She thinks he must still be in the hospital. He tells her to stay there; he’ll go. She says, Maxie turned him into the police. Peter is desperate and dangerous.  

Deanna tells Anna, absolutely not. Her patient needs rest. Anna says, she spoke to Elizabeth. She said Maxie and Peter had a huge argument… Deanna asks if Anna didn’t hear her the first time. Her questions will have to wait. Anna says she has to find Peter before the police do, and Maxie asks how she knew Mac was looking for Peter. Anna says, it’s not just Mac; it’s the entire PCPD. She’s sorry, but Peter is wanted for Franco’s murder.   

Peter goes up the stairs, and gets to the roof. He makes a call, and says, listen carefully. There’s been a change in plans. They’re no longer landing in Pawtuck, and it’s no longer two passengers, it’s just one. Come to the roof of General Hospital in Port Charles. Understood?… Hurry. He walks to other side of the roof, and calls again. He says he’s there at the heliport. Where are they? He needs them now. Hurry. He’s waiting; go. He goes up the ladder to the heliport, while Finn walks up the stairs inside. Finn sees the sign that says, Roof Access.

Cyrus tells Jordan, it’s a two-way street. He’s not giving her something for nothing. Call her people, and make arrangements for him to leave, or he’ll be forced to make an example of someone. She says, it doesn’t help anyone to escalate, and he says, he’s just being practical. Two hostages are one too many. Curtis puts Jordan’s phone on mute, and says they don’t have time to wait for a hostage negotiator. She says, what’s the alternative? She sure as hell can’t give him what he’s asking. Curtis says, promise to give Cyrus everything he’s asking for, keep the police presence outside, and he’ll sneak in by himself and disarm Cyrus. Jordan says, that’s a non-starter, and he tells her that she just said there was no alternative. She says, he’s not a policeman. If she sends him in there, and something goes wrong, the PCPD will face so many lawsuits, it will bankrupt the city. Besides, anyone going in there increases the risk of Portia and Trina getting caught in the crossfire. Curtis says she heard Cyrus say two is too many, and Jordan says, he’s posturing. Curtis says, he’s desperate. If he feels like things are about to go down, Cyrus could kill both of them out of spite. Laura says there is another option, and gets on the phone. She tells Cyrus, she’s not talking as the mayor, but as his sister. Cyrus says, please. How big of a fool does she think he is? She made it clear that she despises him, and thinks their relationship is just an accident of biology. Now she expects him to buy into the fantasy that it’s not too late to be a family? She says she’s not saying that She’s trying to bargain with him. He’s looking for a hostage, so here’s an offer. Let Portia and Trina go, and take her instead.

Deanna tells Anna that she’s putting her foot down. Maxie just gave birth, and not in hospital, and without pain meds in a forest. Her body has been through a tremendous situation, and she needs to rest.  Maxie says she appreciates Deanna having her back – she really does – but she thinks it’s important for her to talk to Anna. Deanna asks if Maxie is sure, and Maxie says she is. She thanks Deanna for taking care of her, and Deanna tells Anna, do not upset her. Anna promises she won’t, and Deanna leaves. Maxie says, so it’s true? and Anna says, yeah. Gladys amended her statement to the police. Apparently, Cyrus forced her into accusing Jason, but it was actually Peter she saw disposing the weapon. There’s an APB out on Peter, and she has to find him before the police do. Maxie says, to help Chase? and Anna says, Chase was readmitted a few hours ago. Finn is doing everything he can to beat the toxin, but Chase needs another dose of the antidote now. His life depends on finding Peter. Maxie says, another life depends on never finding Peter, and Anna asks, did something happen to her baby?

Jackie feels Chase’s forehead, and tells Gregory, he’s still so warm. It’s not healthy for someone to have a fever for an extended period. They can’t let anything happen to Chase. Gregory says he’s sure it’s a comfort to Chase to know they can still be in the same room at the same time. She says she’s grateful too, and Gregory says they’re still a family – all of them. Elizabeth comes by, and Jackie says, Chase is so hot. Gregory asks if Finn is coming back, and Elizabeth says, Finn is getting Chase the help he needs.

On the phone, Peter says he doesn’t see them. Where the hell are they? Call him back. He goes back down the ladder from the heliport, and looks at the fake passports for him and Maxie. His phone rings, and we see a helicopter close by. He says he’s paying them to be where he wants them to be, when he wants… He doesn’t care. He’s in a hurry, and he’s got to get the hell out of there. Finn appears, and says, Peter isn’t going anywhere.   

Tomorrow, Finn tells Peter to give him what he needs to save Chase’s life, Maxie tells Anna that Peter has no idea where their daughter is, Brook tells Little Lu that they have a long road ahead, Michael says he changed his mind, and Portia tells Trina to run.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Crystal asked Sutton if she’s one of those girls who says they don’t see color; she thought that was brushing it under the rug. Kyle said she’d been up at night thinking about her conversation with Garcelle, and Sutton said she looked at someone as a person, not a race. In her interview, she said, that’s bad, why? Crystal said she was proud of her race, and Kyle said Sutton meant she saw all people equally, but Crystal was saying it wasn’t a good way to word it. In Crystal’s interview, she said Sutton’s perspective was outdated. She told Sutton that they should agree to disagree, but Sutton wondered, on what? Kyle thought they both had good intentions, but weren’t going to see eye to eye.

Amazing food was cooked by the chef in the morning, and LisaR, Garcelle, and Erika came to breakfast wearing sunglasses. Kyle said Kathy had been drinking Red Bull at 1 am, while reading the paper. She asked what the plan was for the day, and LisaR said, a bike ride on the railroad tracks. They discussed the (then) upcoming election, and LisaR said when she was on The Apprentice, Trump had been professional, and nothing like he was now. In her interview, she said she never imagined a reality star being POTUS. She did not see that coming. Sutton had a private talk with Crystal, and said she didn’t want Crystal to think she was insensitive. Crystal said she believed Sutton saw everyone equally, and Sutton said what set her off was Crystal asking if she was a girl who said she didn’t see color. Crystal said it was confusing. She saw friends as Black, white, or whatever, and knew she was Asian. Sutton said it struck a nerve, and Crystal said she’d been attacked for being Asian. In her interview, she talked about when she was a child and her dad was accosted by a racist at a gas station. He’d obviously been scared, but never said a word on the way home. She explained to Sutton that the turn of phrase makes it seem like her culture doesn’t matter, and Sutton said she never meant to offend Crystal. Sutton also told her own story about being in an elevator, and when a guy heard her accent, he asked if she was a racist. Crystal said she appreciated the conversation, and they hugged, even though Sutton is not a hugger.

On the way to the railbike place, Crystal told the women she’d been named for Crystal Gayle and Krystal Carrington. In Garcelle’s interview, she said, if she’d been named after them, she would have kept it to herself. When they got to their destination, the railbike manager said they’d just had a group of senior citizens, and Garcelle told everyone that they had this. In Sutton’s interview, she said she was not looking forward to this. She was a dancer, so she was coordinated, but when you danced, you were in control. You weren’t in control on a bike. She didn’t like heights, and hated elevators, tall buildings, and roller coasters. She liked being on the ground. It looked like fun, but seemed kind of scary because you’re basically out in the open with no protection as this thing hurtles along. Erika and LisaR paired up, which I thought was appropriate. Crystal and Dorit went with them, and on the other bike were Kyle, Sutton, and Garcelle. On the way back, Sutton and Crystal talked some more, and Sutton said her mom was from Charleston, and was a real piece of work. Crystal said her dad had passed away three years ago, and he’d had Alzheimer’s. In her interview, Sutton said that her dad had been mentally ill and depressed. He’d died 18 years ago, and not a day went by without her thinking about him. When someone brought up their father’s death, it opened her heart up. Garcelle had a quick nap in the back of the limo bus.

Kathy, who’d passed on the railbikes, had put shampoo in her eyes, instead of eye drops. I’m not surprised, since she seems like a real ditz. Erika, Garcelle, Dorit, and Sutton sat outside, talking, and Erika said she consented to let people be who they were, since she liked to be herself. It was one of the things she liked about Tom; he let her be herself. Well, that sure went sideways, eh? Sutton refused to say how much her furry slippers cost, and Kyle looked them up online, finding out they were $2K. Garcelle said she was judging. Kyle said if she put on a dark wig, she looked like Paris (Hilton, not the city). Garcelle said Paris was now using her real voice, and it had surprised her. Kathy said she thought Paris was more confident now, and Garcelle said it drove her nuts when she’d see Paris on her phone at an event. She wondered why Paris was there. Kyle said the phone was a prop because Paris had felt uncomfortable. In Kyle’s interview, she said she was glad she and Garcelle had patched things up before the trip. Otherwise she would have been upset that Garcelle was judging someone in her family.

In LisaR’s interview, she said her situation with Garcelle wasn’t changing overnight. She wasn’t 100% comfortable, and she didn’t think Garcelle was either. They were being polite and cautious. The women went to a restaurant called The Bistro, and agreed it was a big deal after being inside for so long during the pandemic. In her interview, Kyle said even though Kathy was her older sister, Kathy had never done a girls trip, and she felt protective. Happy sister, happy life. Kathy told everyone to raise their glasses, and thanked LisaR for planning the beautiful weekend. LisaR talked about how as she was about to launch her lip liner, covid hit, and it was hard to get things manufactured. It was coming out on Black Friday. Sutton said it would break the internet, and LisaR said they were wearing masks, and she was selling lipstick. LisaR asked, what happened last night? and Sutton said the conversation had turned to race. She felt, being Southern, she had to defend herself against being automatically thought of as a racist. In Erika’s interview, she said, growing up in the South, she’d heard racist things, but no one had ever accused her of being racist. Sutton said people had a preconceived notion, and Dorit said it was the first time she’d heard this, but Sutton clearly had a Southern accent. She suggested maybe it was because she and Erika lived in a multicultural world that they’d never felt that way, but Sutton said that wasn’t fair. She also lived in a multicultural world. In her interview, she said she’d lived in New York, London, L.A., and Paris. She didn’t just arrive from some hick town. Dorit wondered why Sutton was being sensitive. In Garcelle’s interview, she felt Sutton was fragile right now. Things were hitting Sutton too hard, and she thought everyone should lay off a little. I have to mention that Garcelle’s interview hair was powder blue, and looked gorgeous. Kathy suggested they do a bottom’s up with a martini, and in her interview, she said it was a girls trip, and they were going to have fun. The ones who didn’t want to have fun could watch. Kathy and Dorit chugged their martinis, and LisaR said, those bitches are hard core. In Erika’s interview, she said she was impressed. Kathy wanted to do another, and Garcelle asked how bad she wanted to feel tomorrow. Dorit asked if LisaR would like to join in, and LisaR said she had one life to live. Erika said she’d do one too, and the whole thing seemed stupid. LisaR asked what time the after-party started, and in her interview, Kathy revealed that she and Dorit were just drinking water. In Dorit’s interview, she said, it was genius. In Kathy’s interview, she said she had no idea Erika and LisaR were in on the prank, and in Sutton’s interview, she said she knew something was up.   

On the way back, Sutton said when there was a joke, and she wasn’t in on it, it freaked her out. Crystal gave her a kick, and whispered that they didn’t want Kathy to know she was the brunt of the joke. In Garcelle’s interview, she said, nobody was trying to keep Sutton out of it, but you don’t tell everyone that it’s a prank. Sutton said she was going to bed, and Kyle wondered what she’d missed. Sutton said she didn’t want to do this, and in Crystal’s interview, she said Sutton was highly insecure. If it wasn’t about her, or she wasn’t included, she thought somehow that she was the victim of something. She should win an Oscar for drama queen. Sutton asked who was in on the joke, and they raised their hands. She said, everyone but her; that wasn’t nice. Garcelle said Kyle didn’t know, and detective Crystal figured out that Erika, LisaR, and Kathy were playing a joke. In LisaR’s interview, she said her head was blown off. She didn’t know how it became so complicated. In Erika’s interview, she said Kathy thought she’d downed a real martini. It made her happy because it was always good to prank the prankster. Sutton said she’d never had a friend kick her, and being told she was ridiculous, wasn’t the nicest thing. Crystal said, sorry, and in Garcelle’s interview, she said she thought Crystal was being tough on Sutton. She and Sutton hadn’t hit it off at first either. Right now, Crystal and Sutton’s energy wasn’t vibing. In Crystal’s interview, she said Sutton was proving that she was the kind of person Crystal thought she was. You can’t rationalize with irrational people.

On the phone with a friend, Crystal said it was really sad, and made it sound like Sutton was going after her. She said, no loss to her, and that Sutton’s unhealthy level scared her. She was losing her mind. Sutton had decided to be nice, and bring up Crystal’s coat that she’d left in the living room. She knocked on the door, and…

To be continued.

Next time, a boat trip, playing pool, water ballet, and Crystal calls Sutton crazy.

📸 My take: I’ve said a few times that I like Sutton, but she is eccentric. Not crazy though. She is insecure to a certain degree, but just needs to be reassured she’s one of the gang now and then, and don’t yell at her. I’m also probably the only one in the world who loves her fashion sense, but I used to wear crazy sh*t in the 80s, and I still love those clothes, even if I wouldn’t wear them today. I don’t think Sutton is mean-spirited, racist, or any other negative thing either, and for whatever reason, Crystal is acting like a mean girl. I read she’s 35, but she seems a little immature, and I wonder if she has her own insecurities. As always, I love Garcelle, who’s always the voice of reason. And I agree with her, Sutton is being picked on. and they should lay off. I also thought, for people who claim to be all about empathy, they have a hard time grasping that someone else’s experience might not be their own.

🐄 Before the Cows Come Home…

I’m hoping to get off here early (for me). Tomorrow, Ryan renovates, and there will be plenty of time for tea. Until then, stay safe, stay ambitious, and stay consenting to let people be themselves, but do it better than Erika.

⚠️ Warning: Possible nasty words.