What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Dante wakes up in a chaise next to Sam at the pool, and says, they’re losing sun. How long was he out? She says, about an hour. It’s been a glorious day in the sun. He asks, thanks to Drew, and asks if they had any SOS calls, checking his phone, but she says she thinks with Drew’s Navy SEAL training, he can survive a day with Rocco, Scout, and Danny. He says, don’t forget, they have a sleepover at the Q’s tonight too, and she says, ouch. All for this? They may have pushed it a little. He says he thinks they’re in good hands. Plus it gives them a chance to focus on nothing but them.

At the MetroCourt Gardens, Esme suggests she and Spencer snag a spot on the roof terrace to watch the fireworks, but he says, they’re already pushing it by being here. Carly banned them from the pool, remember? They could go to the park. She says, but it’s so much better on the terrace, and he says, which is reason number two to skip it. Joss, Cam, and Trina are probably already out there.

At a table by the pool, Trina tells Josslyn, sorry. Maybe coming to the pool was a bad idea. She can’t seem to get out of her own head. Josslyn says, her either. She can’t help thinking about the trial starting tomorrow. Trina says, it feels like it’s been looming over her for so long. Part of her is glad it’s finally happening, but she hate the thought of listening to that ADA trash her to the jury. Josslyn tells her, don’t worry about that. The jury is going to hear from her and Cam too. They’re the victims and they’re testifying on her behalf. That’s got to outweigh anything that over-eager ADA has prepared.

Valentin goes to Nina’s office, and says, this is how they’re celebrating the birth of the nation? When she called, he hoped she was meeting him with hot dogs and a marching band. She kisses him on the cheek, and says, the marching band was booked. She’s super busy, and he’s busy too. Congratulations on getting over on Michael and Drew, and maintaining control of ELQ. He says he thought she’d be pleased, and she says, pleased? Someone finally told Michael that he can’t get everything he wants? Absolutely. He says he was thinking more along the lines of Carly.

Money manager Reggie tells Carly that he doesn’t like what she’s proposing. Is she comfortable assuming more debt? She says, no, of course (🍷) not, but from what he’s telling her, she has no other option. She has to secure a loan to buy back her half of the MetroCourt. He says he’ll make some calls, but prepare herself. The interest rate on such a large loan is going to be quite high. Olivia comes in, and says, a loan? Is Carly out of her mind?

In the park, Maxie tells Austin, this is the perfect place to watch the fireworks. Port Charles always puts on the best show. No offense to Pautuck’s lightning bugs. He says, none taken, and she’s probably right. She says, he’s not even going to defend his home town? and he says, what’s the point? He’s a lucky guy. He’s here enjoying the holiday, and he’s so happy to be with her. He takes Maxie’s hand, and we see Britt is sitting with them. She says, kill me now.

Cody sits on the chaise next to Dante, and says, what a day. He can’t wait for the fireworks. Dante asks if he means the ones the city puts on, and Cody says, unless Dante has some cherry bombs hidden somewhere.

Temp Michael and Willow walk into the MetroCourt Gardens, and Michael says, his mom must be in her office. Willow suggests they go; she’s kind of tired. He says, they don’t have to stick around for the fireworks. They can grab Wiley, and watch them from the house. She says she’s a little tired, but just because she’s pregnant; nothing to worry about. He says, worried? He’s on top of the world, and she says she’s right there with him. Sonny walks in, and he and Michael lock eyes. Michael tells Willow that his mom might be in the restroom. Why doesn’t Willow look for her there? She says, fine, but first… She leads him over to Sonny, and Sonny says he’s glad to see her up and about. How’s she feeling? She thanks him, and says, much better. He asks if they found out why she fainted, and she says, yes. There’s something he should know.

Olivia says, please tell her that she misheard that. Carly can’t possibly be considering taking out a loan when she’s so deep in the hole, she can’t even see daylight. Carly says she knows it’s a big risk, but it’s the only way she can buy back her half of the hotel before Stillwater Venture Group gets better offer. Olivia says, and this is the only way. Carly can swallow her stubborn pride, and let her friends help her. Carly says, unless pride is the only thing she has left.

Valentin says he didn’t realize how heavily invested Carly was, and Nina says, it was a surprise all right. He says, they’ll just file it under unintended collateral benefits. When he stayed in power, Aurora stock tanked, and Carly lost big. Nina says, don’t expect a standing ovation, and he says, don’t tell him she’s softened toward Carly. She says, not her, but Sonny has.

Sonny says, Willow told him she’s fine; he hopes she’s better. She says she is, and she’s been meaning to thank him for his help at the pool. She understands he caught her when she fainted, and even went to GH to make sure she was all right. He says, of course (🍷). She’s family. Michael says they should get going, and catch up with mom. Willow thanks Sonny again, and they leave.

Britt says she’s out of here, and Maxie asks why; she said she’d stay. Britt tells her, she said she’d come for the picnic. Now that’s over, and sitting here watching them make goo-goo eyes at each other all night isn’t what she signed up for. Austin says he wonders what happened to all the other people, and Maxie says, they had no way of knowing no one else would show up. Britt says, maybe they had better things to do, and Maxie says, they still had fun, didn’t they? Britt says, so much fun, but now it’s time to leave. Spinelli struggles in, pulling a cooler, and says, celebratory greetings, friends. Apologies for the late arrival. Maxie tells Britt, look! Spinelli! and Spinelli smiles.

Dante says he doesn’t know what Cody is talking about. He’s an officer of the law. Cody says, how things change. Dante was the one who snuck fireworks into camp; impressive fire power. Dante says, it was. Cody was actually the one who told the counselors it was the Gallagher twins. Cody says, please don’t tell him that with maturity comes remorse, and Cody says, hell no. Those two little punks? They’re probably Wall Street hot shots by now. Sam comes back, and says, look who’s here. She asks what they’re talking about, and Cody says, illicit firework stories; got any? She says she pleads the fifth, and Cody says, good woman.

Trina says she should go, but Josslyn says, forget it. She won’t let Trina go back to her room and obsess about the trial. Trina says, she should obsess in public? and Josslyn says, she gets it. It’s like this black hole that’s a gravity well, and you try to think about other things, but somehow it all connects back to the trial and keeps pulling you down. Trina says, that’s it exactly. She’d give anything to forget about the trial, even for an hour. Rory joins them, and says, easy. He can make that happen.

Esme says she doesn’t see how Joss, Cam, and Trina have anything to do with their plans for the evening, and Spencer says, the last time she and Joss were face-to-face, they both ended up in the pool. Trina’s trial is tomorrow, and he’s sure emotions are running high. He’d rather avoid another confrontation… for her benefit. Carly’s probably up there anyway; she’d throw them out. Esme doesn’t need the aggravation. She says, so considerate, always thinking of her, and he says, night and day. She kisses him, and Sonny clears his throat, getting their attention. Esme gasps, and he says he’s glad he ran into them.

Spinelli wonders, where’d everybody go? Don’t tell him they departed before the fireworks? Maxie says, her mom and Mac took the kids home. They played so hard, they could barely keep their eyes open. Austin says, everyone else was pretty much a no-show, and Spinelli says, no Terry? No Amy? and Austin says, no. Spinelli says, Epiphany? and Britt says, no one; just the three of us. Spinelli says he’s sure a good time was still had by all, and Britt says, it was a blast. Now that Spinelli is here, the party can continue. Thanks for inviting her. She jets.

Sam asks how the job is at the Quartermaines’, and Cody says he loves it. She says, Danny keeps going on about how Leo just loves Comet, and she tells Dante, Comet’s one of the horses. Cody says, the Quartermaines couldn’t have picked a better horse for Leo. He’s calm, steady, he’s almost impossible to startle. The other day, Cody accidentally knocked over this metal bucket. It was so loud, it sounded like a firecracker going off. A couple of the horses shied, one started going crazy in its stall. Comet barely even noticed. Half the time, he pretends that he’s asleep, except when Leo is there. When Leo’s there, he’s totally engaged; he’s focused. Leo will groom him, and he’ll suddenly connect. Sam says, don’t let Leo get it in his head to take Comet out solo, but Cody says, another thing about Comet. If Leo were to hop up on him alone, no one grabbing the lead rein, he’s not going anywhere. That horse is smarter than most of the dudes he knows. Dante tells Sam, this guy is basically half-horse… Smells like one too. Cody says he took a shower after work, and smells his shirt. He says, oh my God, I’m sorry, and they laugh.

Trina asks what Rory is doing here, and he says, looking for her. Does she have plans for watching the fireworks? She says she was planning on taking off. He says he knows it’s short notice. Being one of the newbies, he had to work crowd control for the parade, and wasn’t sure he’d be done, but he’s free now and has plenty of time to take her mind off tomorrow. Trina asks what he has in mind, and he says, dessert in the park while they watch the fireworks? Josslyn tells Trina, go, but Trina says she doesn’t want to leave Josslyn all alone. Josslyn says, go, and she’ll hang out with her mom; she hasn’t talked to her in a while. This is Trina’s chance to escape gravity well. Rory says, sorry? and Josslyn says, Trina will explain. Take her, please. Rory says, Trina heard her girl. How about it? He promises to be as distracting as possible.

Esme says, please, Mr. Corinthos. You promised Laura you wouldn’t kidnap me again. Sonny says, first of all, he didn’t kidnap her, and Spencer says, he woudn’t have to. He had one of his people do it for him, but Esme’s right. His grandmother assured them that she had his word Esme had nothing to fear. Sonny says he did and she doesn’t. He just wanted to give Esme the opportunity to tell the truth, and since she doesn’t want to tell the truth, she’s smart to stay away from him. Ain’t that right, Esme? Will she do him a favor? Can she give him some time with his nephew? Spencer suggests Esme go to the park, and find them a good space to watch the fireworks. She tells him, be careful, and he says he’ll join her soon. She leaves, and Spencer asks what he can do for Sonny. Sonny asks Spencer, what the hell has happened to him?

Nina gives Valentin something to drink, and says, Sonny’s first instinct, once again, is to rush to Carly’s rescue. She’s the one who asked for the divorce. He shouldn’t feel guilty, but he does, and that guilt is making him feel responsible for Carly’s financial misfortune. Valentin says, well, he shouldn’t. She took the risk, she rolled the dice, and she lost. That’s not Nina’s problem. Nina says she’s sure Michael and Willow will blame her for everything, like they do all the time. He says he’s sorry to hear that, and sorry hear she lost her petition for visitation with Wiley. She says she doesn’t absolve herself of the mistakes she’s made, lying about Sonny when he was in Nixon Falls, but losing her grandson is an unbearable price pay. He says, soon enough, Wiley will be making his own decisions, won’t he? and she says, she’s holding out hope, but what are the chances he’s going to choose to get to know her, hearing how she’s the schemer who blew up his family? She’s tired of being the villain all the time. He says, maybe it’s time to change that.

Carly says she doesn’t appreciate Olivia barging into her office and making her second guess herself. Olivia says, she didn’t barge; she entered with urgency, because she cares. She doesn’t want to see Carly make another mistake that she’s going to regret. Reggie says, maybe he’ll wait outside while they confer, and Carly asks him to look into the loan, and let her know their best terms, and she’ll make a decision. He leaves, and Olivia says she’s only trying to help. Carly says she knows, and she’s sorry she snapped at Olivia. She’s angry at everyone; she’s angry at herself. Helping Drew and Michael is a great thing, but as usual she took it too far. Olivia says she talked to Ned. He’s completely behind the idea of buying Carly’s half of the hotel and holding onto it until she can buy it back. Carly thanks her, but says, she has no idea when that will be. Olivia says, however long it takes. She doesn’t care. Michael and Willow come in, and Olivia says, look who’s here. She asks Michael  to talk some sense into his mother. Carly tries to stop her, but Olivia continues, saying, talk some sense in to your mother. Tell her the only idea that makes any sense is Olivia buying Carly’s half of the MetroCourt. Michael says, she’s selling her half of the hotel? and Olivia says, he didn’t know? She has a big mouth; she’s sorry. Carly says she didn’t have a chance to tell her family her plan, and Olivia says, or maybe she knew that her family wasn’t going to agree with her. Please, think long and hard about her offer. Please. She leaves, and Carly asks if Willow is okay; any more dizziness, fainting? Willow says, like she told Carly on the phone, she’s doing great, and Carly says she knows, but she felt like Willow was holding something back. Michael says, Carly is deflecting. What were she and Olivia talking about? He knows she took a financial hit when the Aurora/ELQ merger fell apart, but she can’t possibly be thinking about selling her half of the MetroCourt. Carly says, she can’t… because it’s already gone.

Spencer says, he’s the same as he’s always been, and Sonny says, really? He heard Spencer made a deal with Ava to loosen the purse strings on his trust, and he heard Spencer quit Kelly’s, and Spencer lost all his friends because of his shifty girlfriend. Loyalty and friendship are very important. He doesn’t take that lightly, and Spencer shouldn’t take that lightly. Spencer asks if that loyalty shouldn’t extend to his girlfriend, and Sonny says, his girlfriend is a liar. She made a sex tape on Josslyn and Cam, and framed Trina. They can’t forget that, can they? Spencer says, as long as the evidence proves otherwise, he’s staying by Esme’s side.

At the park, Rory opens a container, and Trina says, brownies; pretty basic. He says, not his brownies, and she says, so his amazing, stupendous, spectacular dessert is brownies. He says, try one. He made them himself. She says, they’re not special brownies, are they? (ha-ha; I was thinking that too) and he says, remember? I’m a cop. Just taste. She takes a bite, and looks at him, saying, oh my God. This is amazing. He says, and stupendous and spectacular. Best brownies she’s ever had, right? She says she’s in heaven. She’s sorry she doubted him. He says, it’s okay. Maybe she’s used to being let down. She can count on him. He won’t disappoint her.

Austin’s phone rings, and he says he’ll be right back. He leaves, and Spinelli says, Britt left in a hurry. Did he miss something? Maxie says, no; she was angling to leave the entire time. She’s actually a bit worried about Britt. He asks, why? Hasn’t she had any more matches? Maxie says, Britt hasn’t mentioned any, but she’s trying to stay positive with Britt about the whole Society Set-Ups thing. She’s afraid Britt’s soured on the idea, especially after the whole pool incident. She thinks Britt’s given up on dating altogether. He says, maybe that’s for the best for now, and she asks why he’d say that.

Cody brings Dante and Sam something to drink, as Britt walks in. She takes a look at them, and keeps walking. Cody says he forgot the napkins. He’ll grab a menu too, for appetizers. He goes over to the bar, and Britt says she doesn’t really need this right now. He says, good evening to her as well. He’s just here to get a menu and some napkins. Happy 4^th, by the way. She asks if he wasn’t bragging that he had access to the Quartermaines’ pool? Why isn’t he there? He says, because he’s here, hanging with his friends, and she says, great. She’s sure Dante told him to stay away from her. He should listen. He asks what makes her think she knows what he and Dante talk about, and she says, because Dante hates her guts, for good reason. She hands him a menu and napkins, and says, bye, but he asks why he should leave now that he’s met his match?

Olivia asks if Sam and Dante are enjoying the holiday, and Sam says, yes, very much. She thanks Olivia for letting the kids crash at the Q’s, and Olivia says, no problem. Drew wore them out at the fair, and the nanny is an expert at getting them down. No work for her. Although she will be doing all the work around here pretty soon. Dante asks what she’s talking about, and she says she guesses she can tell him; he’s family. Carly lost her half of the hotel. Sam asks if it’s because of the drop in the Aurora stock, and Olivia says, she leveraged her half of the hotel, and now she can’t cover what she lost. And the woman is too damn stubborn to let her help. Dante says, Olivia is pretty stubborn too. Don’t let Carly tell her what to do; do what’s right.

Nina tells Valentin, she’s kept a low-ish profile, and she’s tried to make almonds amends to Sonny’s family. But when that didn’t work, she wanted to focus her attention on restoring her public image. That Invader article didn’t help at all, but she’s just going to keep trying, and maybe it will pay off in ten years or so. He says he’s no stranger to the court of public opinion. He tries not to pay too much attention to it. As long as Charlotte’s all right, the rest of the world can go hang. She asks if that includes Anna, and he says he admits there are certain people whose opinion matters to him; Nina is actually one of them. Nina says she’s glad they get to be friends. She forgot to tell him, Charlotte emailed her, and included pictures of her equestrian event. She’s ribboned? He says, she’s pretty competitive, and Nina says she never would have predicted it, but this boarding school seems like a really good fit for her. He says, seems that way, and she says she’s still surprised Charlotte wanted to live away from home, and that he could bear to see her go. He says he’ll do what he has to, to make sure Charlotte is okay, whatever the cost to him.

Carly says, Stillwater intends to put her half of the hotel on the market, and Willow says, that’s terrible, but Carly says she’s going to buy it back. Michael says he knew it was a mistake for her to buy in, just like it was a mistake to include Ned. Carly says, this is why she didn’t want to tell him. It was her decision to bet on the merger between ELQ and Aurora, and it didn’t happen, so she has to suffer the consequences. Michael says, so now she’s going to take out a loan. What’s she going to use as collateral? The house? No. Just let him give her the money, or he’ll buy her half and sign it over to her. She says, no. She knew he’d do that, and she loves him for it, but she just wants her family to be happy and safe. That’s it… What’s going on? She saw the look. Did something happen with Willow when she was in the hospital? Willow says, they hadn’t planned on saying anything this early… Michael says, he and Willow are having a baby. Carly gets all excited, and hugs them both.

On the phone, Austin says he was only in town for a couple of days; he’s not in Pautuk… Now they need to live up to their end of the bargain. Don’t contact him again.

Trina tells Rory that she was around six or seven, and was convinced her dad was a magician, and of course (🍷) he encouraged her. That 4^th of July, he had a real wand, and he’d point it at the sky, and say, presto. The sky would light up with fireworks. He probably heard the whoosh when they sent it up, but she didn’t, and thought, wow, her dad is magic. She could use some of that magic now… She’s so sorry. She’s really trying not to think about the trial. He takes her hand and says, she can’t ignore reality; he doesn’t expect her to. He just wanted her to have a few moments where is wasn’t the only thing she thought about. She says she appreciates his efforts, but he says he wishes he could do more. She moves closer to him, and says, he’s doing just fine.

Carly asks why they didn’t tell her, and Michael says he thinks that’s what they’re doing right now. Willow says, keeping quiet is so much harder than she expected, and she certainly didn’t want Carly worrying she was ill. Carly says she’s so happy they told her. She really needed good news today. Josslyn walks in, and says, her too. What’s the good news? Willow says she’s pregnant, and Josslyn congratulates them and hugs them, saying, she’s going to be an auntie again. Reggie comes to the door, and says he has those numbers for Carly, and she tells the others to go to the Garden and she’ll meet them. Michael says, they’re still not done talking, and they leave. Carly invites Reggie in, and says, well?

Maxie says, she thought Spinelli was the champion for love and romance these days. He thinks it’s better for Britt to be alone? Spinelli says, alone is better than being with the wrong person. Austin returns, and Maxie asks if everything is okay. He says, it was just the hospital, and Spinelli says he thinks he’ll take his leave, but Maxie says, he just got here. Spinelli says, they should have an evening alone together. Farewell. He drags his cooler back out, and Maxie wonders, what’s up with him?

Sam wonders if Carly is coming back, but Dante doesn’t know. He asks if it matters, and she says, as much as she loves hearing stories about his outlaw past, she wants to go somewhere private to watch the fireworks, just the two of them. He asks if she has a place in mind, and she says she does. She was thinking, the view from her bedroom is spectacular, and he says he happens to know that for a fact. She says, the harbor lights up, and it’s so beautiful. She was thinking it would be incredible. He says, it probably would be incredible. Does she want to get out of here? He kisses her, and they jet.

Nina says, Valentin didn’t tell her what he wanted to see her about, and he asks if Victor has approached her. She says, no, why? and he says, Victor is determined to stay a part of his life. So much so, he’s reaching out to the people closest to him. She says, not a fan, and Valentin says, stay away from him. He’s a dangerous man, and Valentin doesn’t care how devoted he seems to be. She says, duly noted, and thanks him for his concern. It’s actually refreshing not to be the perpetually guilty one. He says, she doesn’t care that much what people think, and she says she doesn’t, but Wiley is a different story. She’s never going to be considered a saint, but she does want to be than the woman who destroyed Wiley’s family. Valentin says he knows a way she can balance the scales.

Sonny says, Spencer wants to be a better man, and have a better life? He respects that. Spencer says, but Sonny doesn’t respect him now, and Sonny says, Spencer is living at Windymere, standing with his girlfriend, he quit his job… is this about money? Spencer’s got to tell him. Spencer shakes his head, and Sonny says, tell him; what is it? Spencer says he’s still trying to be better. Sonny, of all people, should know you have to do what’s in your heart, not what other people are telling you to do. He knows how it looks, but he swears on his mother’s memory, he’s doing the right thing. He loves Sonny, and would never ever do anything to hurt or disappoint him. Sonny says, okay. He guesses time will tell. Just be careful. Understand him? Sonny leaves, and Spencer says, time’s running out.

Cody says, Britt feels it too, right? There’s something between them. She says, he’s delusional. He’s clearly fallen off a horse one too many times. He says, the first thing they teach you in riding is how to fall off a horse, and she asks why he’s pushing this. He can’t be that hard up for a date, and he asks if she just called him handsome. Charming? A catch? She says, he’d do in a pinch, and obviously, he keeps up with his physique. He thanks her for noticing, and says he feels she’s easy on the eyes as well. He bets if she didn’t treat every conversation like a prizefight, she’d have her pick of men. She wonders how she can put this… He’s not her type. He says, obviously, dating her type hasn’t worked out for her, and she says, he’s relentless. He says, she doesn’t know the half of it; he has a lot of stamina. If she really wants to be alone, he’ll respect that, but he thought they could have a few laughs and try to enjoy each other’s company for a change. She says, one date, and he says, sweet, let’s go, but she says, not tonight. She’ll find him on Society Set-Ups. He says he’s looking forward to it, and leaves.

Carly asks if that’s really the best offer she can get, and Reggie says, unfortunately, news of her sizeable investment in Aurora has made the rounds. The lenders know she’s over a barrel. She says, and sharks smell blood in the water, but it’s just business, right?  He asks what she wants him to do, and she says, she just got the best reminder in the world that there are more important things than money. She can’t risk her house; she can’t buy back her half. She guesses she’s no longer co-owner of the MetroCourt.

As they lie in Sam’s bed, Sam asks Dante to tell her more about the cherry bomb capers. He says, it was his second summer at camp, and he was trying to make up for his first summer at camp. She asks, what happened? and he says, he was doing pretty good for a city boy out in the country, when the 4^th of July rolled around. In his neighborhood, come 4^th of July, everybody’s out in the street; the Falconaris, the Cerullos, the entire neighborhood. And there he was in this place he didn’t want to be in, surrounded by people he didn’t want to be surrounded by. So he found a spot by himself, and started to break down about everything. Then Cody comes looking for him, and he told Cody the whole thing, about his aunts and uncles and cousins and his grandmother, and the food, and the stickball games, and the fireworks. Even Cody started to get sad, thinking about their situation, because he said it sounded like the coolest 4^th of July ever. She asks if the two families still get together, and he says, they’re probably out there, 100 tables strong, still in the street as we speak. She asks him to promise they’ll take the kids next year, and he says, it’s a date. She kisses him as the fireworks begin, and they watch through the window.

Carly starts to leave her office, but just puts her forehead against the door. There’s a song part, as everyone watches the fireworks. At the pool, Britt looks at Cody, who raises his glass to her. In the park, Austin and Maxie watch, lying on a blanket. Esme texts Spencer: You’re missing the fireworks! Where r u??? Rory and Trina kiss. Finally.

Cody sees Spinelli walk into the pool area, and says, my man. Come. Join him. He’ll let Spinelli buy him a drink. Spinelli asks, why, pray tell, would he do that? and Cody says, to celebrate his date with the lovely Dr. Britt Westbourne. Thanks for setting that up. He claps Spinelli on the shoulder, making him jump, and Spinelli says, Cody didn’t give him much choice. Cody says, Spinelli doesn’t want everyone to know matchmaker Zelda’s just a front, and the real man behind Society Set-Ups is Damien Spinelli. Spinelli tells him to keep his voice down, and Cody says, once that came to light, it wouldn’t take long for everyone to figure out how he matches one lovelorn sucker with another. He’s doing Cody a solid. Spinelli says, Cody got what he wanted. Spinelli engineered his match with Britt. Their business is concluded. Buy his own drink. Spinelli walks away.

Josslyn, Willow, and Michael go back to Carly’s office, and Josslyn asks why she didn’t come down. Carly says she got caught up in a few things here, and she kind of wasn’t feeling it. Michael says, they’re going to figure out something that doesn’t involve Carly taking out another loan, and Carly says, okay. He says, they’ll talk tomorrow; they’ll drop off Josslyn. Carly tells Willow, congratulations again, and everyone exchanges I love yous. They leave, Carly’s smile disappears, and she says, oh my God.  

Maxie tells Austin, what a perfect night. Clear sky, not too muggy… Austin is lost in thought, and she says, should they have some more wine? He says, sounds nice, and she asks, where was he? Is everything okay? He says, everything’s fine. It’s just… some old memories, that’s all. She says, such as? but he says, nothing. He’s much happier being here in the moment with her.

Rory says, Trina is just so beautiful… If he overstepped… She says, he didn’t. They kiss again, just as Spencer is walking into the area. He sees them, and leaves quickly and quietly.

Britt takes out her phone, bringing up the email from Society Set-Ups. She hesitates, then accepts her match.

Olivia sees Sonny having a cup of coffee, and he says, why the face? She says, he knows about Carly and the hotel? She offered to buy Carly’s half and sell it back to her, but Carly’s too stubborn to let her help. He asks if she’s surprised. She wouldn’t let him help her either. She says she was going to do it anyway, but someone beat her to it.

There’s a knock at Carly’s office door, and Carly says, come in. Nina walks in, and Carly says, get out. They have nothing to talk about. Nina says, that’s not true.

Tomorrow, Trina tells Rory, this can’t happen again; Nina asks Carly to let her do this; Sonny wants some information checked out; and Sasha asks Brando how bad the fallout is.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Ugh. I hate when it’s all new people and I have to learn their names. Even better, this season there’s a Natasha and a Natalya – and they look alike. I don’t even mean similar. They could be twins. Moving on.

Captain Sandy says, they’re going to Malta this season. It’s a new place with a new boat, and new department heads. Challenge accepted. We see a preview of the coming season.

Grand Harbour Marina, Malta. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Malta is a small country off the coast if Sicily; a little piece of paradise, undiscovered by the superyacht industry. Chief stew Natasha (who later introduces herself as Tasha, so we’ll go with that) arrives first, and the captain says she loves that Tasha has had a lot of experience. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s been in yachting almost 10 years. She likes to lead by example, which she knows sounds super cringe. Bosun Raygan and Chef Dave are next, and we find out Dave and Tasha have worked together before. Captain Sandy tells Raygan, it’s nice to have a female bosun again, and in her interview, the captain says, she tried to get Malia again, but she’s Chief Operating Officer on another vessel. But someone once gave her an opportunity, so she wants to extend it forward. In Dave’s interview, he says he and Tasha are good friends. They get on like a house on fire, and her smile is unreal, so yeah… He says he’s trying to dig himself out of this hole. Hmm… a boatmance?

Raygan examines the boat, and Dave meets the captain. In his interview, Dave says, he’s been in yachting for 8 years, and owns his own restaurant in the south of France. He’s won the British Ski Championship, done skydiving, and climbed Mt. Everest. He’s cheated death so many times, it’s a joke. Deckhand Jason, and stews Natalya and Kyle show up. Natalya remarks that she and Tasha could be twins, and seriously, they could. In Raygan’s interview, she says, she was born in Essex, but moved to Turkey when she was 12, because her parents had a business there. It’s a Muslim country, so she calmed down, but she’s loud when she goes to Essex. They divvy up the cabins, and Captain Sandy calls Mzi, who’s the only repeat this season. In the captain’s interview, she says she saw potential and growth in Mzi. Bringing him back and watching him flourish will be incredible. He referred his friend Storm, who will also be a deckhand, but unfortunately, they’re both stuck in quarantine for another day. Mzi says, they’re being released at 8 pm, and Captain Sandy says, that’s a bummer. Tasha and Dave decide to share the one co-ed cabin, and in Dave’s interview, he says, it’s cool. He doesn’t know what to say. The captain radios the crew to meet in the main salon for the welcome meeting.

The captain tells the crew that the boat is a hybrid, a Motor Yacht Home; futuristic, white and stainless, and ultra-modern. She explains, they have two deckhands that are still in quarantine. It’s going to be challenging, since they have to pick up a charter tomorrow. With the turnaround time, it’s a disaster. In Raygan’s interview, she says, just her and Jason; that’s bad. Captain Sandy says, she likes the crew to help each other, and she’s there for them. They’re adults, and she expects them to act like it. She doesn’t tolerate hate comments or sexual harassment. If you fall in love, that’s not harassment. She introduces, Chief Officer Ray and Chief Engineer Carlos, and says they’ll be helping until the deckhands come. In her interview, she says, it’s been a while since she’s had a whole new crew, and we flash back to previous seasons. She says, how they handle pressure and can lead is critical. There’s no room for error. They ready the boat, except for Raygan, who goes for a smoke. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s not a scream-in-your-face chief stew. She’s worked a 107 meter boat, with 10 stews under her. She’s worked with people who scream and swear, and she doesn’t like negativity. When her parents divorced, she was the peacemaker. She tells Kyle and Natalya, she doesn’t think they need ranks, and Kyle jokes that he deserves his rank. In Kyle’s interview, he says he was a service queen from the get-go; an extreme personality and extreme service. He grew up around 18 cousins, and had to stand out. Provisions come in, and Kyle says, this is the most meat he’s ever handled. He’s no Josiah, but he might turn out to be fun. Jason says he’s not used to a mega-yacht, and in his interview, he says, his perception was incorrect. He did commodities training, and when his company was bought out, he was like a divorcee with a new lease life, and went into yachting. He’s one of the wild cards for sure. The captain calls Tasha, Dave, and Raygan for a preference sheet meeting.

The primaries are Billy, who has an ad agency, and his fiancé Chris. They met in Japan, and will be celebrating their anniversary with a Japanese themed evening. They’d also like a local drag performer to come out, and have an all-out drag night. They also expect all the water toys. Captain Sandy says, it’s a bummer (her WOTD) that their slide is still in customs. They need to pull out all the stops. Chef Dave reads that they like a lot of seafood, and beets taste like dirt. He says, you can’t beat a root, which the captain finds funnier than I do. She says, Ray will be helping when they pull out of the dock, and in her interview, she says, being down two deckhands, it’s a safety issue. She needs the Chief Officer to call out distances; they need the support. Natalya says, on her last job, she was the sole stew, and it was lonely. She was every department, and she’s super excited to have 8 crew members. Raygan sits on the dock, having a smoke, while everyone else readies the boat.   The crew goes to bed early.

In the morning, Tasha tells Natalya that Dave brought her coffee. Natalya wonders if there’s romance, but Tasha says, they’re just like Musketeers. In her interview, she says, she just went through a break-up, and she’s focusing on herself. Captain Sandy thanks Jason for working so hard, when the floating dock arrives. Jason tries dealing with it himself, and the captain wonders where the bosun is. She ends up helping Jason herself, and I’m thinking Raygan seems lazy. In Kyle’s interview, he says he grew up in South Africa, where it’s not popular to be a homosexual. Plus, he went to an all-boy’s school, and hid being gay. He had a relationship for 12 years that was kept secret, and it damaged him, but he likes to make humor out of an uncomfortable situation. Don’t look at the gay guy, look at the funny guy. He tells Natalya that he wants to get married and have kids one day. They need to get all the provision boxes out of the guests’ site, and Kyle says, wherever you find a hole, fill it. The captain radios for the crew to get in their whites.

The guests arrive while everyone is still getting ready, but somehow they manage to be lined up in time. Captain Sandy tells them, welcome to Motor Yacht Home. Their goal is to make it their home, and give them the best holiday. They’ll head out as soon as the luggage is on board. Tasha says, they have blue Jolly Rancher shots (gag), as well as champagne. She gives them the tour, and it’s definitely a different boat design than we’ve seen before. Raygan tells Jason, the suitcases are too heavy for her, and in his interview, Jason says, she could help. The luggage is on board, and Tasha confers with primary Billy to have their fabulous Italian luncheon at 3. Sandy says, they’re ready to depart, and in her interview, she says, the current in this marina pushes the vessel starboard, and the dolphins (markers, not to be confused with the sea creatures) are really close. They get out of the marina, and Ray says, slow and easy wins the race. In Dave’s interview, he says he follows the preference sheet, but not recipes. He’s always bouncing ideas against himself. He shuts his eyes and envisions the plate.

Jason says he’s lifting more than everyone, but Raygan (who’s not lifting anything) says, he’s just not used to it. In Jason’s interview, he says, he’s trying to bite his tongue. He stands by his work ethic, but it’s easier to take it on the chin. Raygan tells him to get the toys out, and Jason says, she couldn’t lift a bag, but she has energy now. They eat, and Jason says, there’s only one of him. Raygan says, that’s because the other deckhands didn’t come. Dave tells Tasha that lunch is a family style Italian buffet, and she seats the guests, as Jason struggles with the water toys. Tasha tells Dave the food looks beautiful, and he says, she looks beautiful. Lunch is served, and the guests pronounce it delicious, although Billy says, it’s very peppery. Captain Sandy radios Raygan, telling her to get the toys out, and in her interview, the captain says, it’s difficult having the toys in the hull of the boat, but it’s so the guests don’t see behind-the-scenes work. It’s magic. You step outside, and the toys are there. The food keeps coming, including beef cheeks (Chef Leon would approve) made with cinnamon. Billy whines about the cinnamon, telling Kyle, it’s like his kryptonite. Kyle tells Dave that he hates to be the barer of bad news, but he needs some beef without cinnamon. Billy demands to look at his preference sheet, but when it’s produced, he can’t believe he didn’t put no cinnamon on it. In Natalya’s interview, she tells us that she can’t pronounce cinnamon or ambulance, and demonstrates. In Dave’s interview, he says, the first lunch is important, and sets the tone for the charter. And the beef wasn’t seasoned with cinnamon, it was just sticks to give it aromatic flavor. But if the guest doesn’t like his food, he’ll keep going until they do. Billy says he can still taste the cinnamon, and guest Twanna thinks they should be in the water.

Billy wants a Seabob, but one isn’t available, and Raygan suggests a kayak, but he says, that’s too much exercise. He tells Kyle that he’s not sure Raygan is his favorite. She gave him a stank face, and he thinks she hates him. In Kyle’s interview, he says he thinks Billy has had one too many, and he’s going to be overdramatic about everything, but at the end of the day, he’s the guest. Chris complains that Raygan is being a stupid bitch to him, and treating him like he’s stupid. Captain Sandy wonders what’s going on, and Billy says he’s irritated. He’s sure they think he’s a drama queen… but the captain lies assures him that no one thinks that. He says, Raygan wouldn’t put the slide out, and Captain Sandy explains, it’s in customs. Billy says, well, make up for it then, instead of realizing he is stupid. The captain says, they’re without two crew members, and Billy says he’s in customer service. Raygan isn’t rude, but she’s not warm and fuzzy. The captain says she’ll take care of it, but tells him, using the WaveRunner and drinking can’t happen. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, she’ll shoulder the complaint, but she’s concerned about Raygan not getting the toys out. They need to work with what they have. She should have communicated, and not blindsided the client. Billy says, the captain is hands-on, and she says, that’s how she started; she didn’t start out driving a boat. In Tasha’s interview, she tells us, people say if you don’t laugh, you cry. She also doesn’t have time for it. The guests get in the water, and Raygan takes primary Chris for a ride. Using a paddleboard, Billy says he’s like a dolphin.

In Dave’s interview, he says, it’s not like he has all day to prep, but he puts pressure on himself. He grew up poor, and started working at 13. He’s afraid to fail. The dinner table is decorated, and Natalya steams the guests’ clothing. The guests come out, and Billy asks if he’s the only one wearing suit, and says the other guests are trash. Mzi and Storm are on their way, and Captain Sandy freaks over how disorganized everything is. The guests are seated, and Wagyu beef with wild mushrooms and mashed potatoes is served. I want some very badly, but Billy is already making faces. He tells Kyle that it’s more rare. More rare than what, he doesn’t say, but he wants it cooked more. Kyle takes his plate, and Billy says he can’t believe he had to send it back. Kyle tells Dave that he’s sorry. It’s perfect, but Billy wants it cooked more. In his interview, Dave says, you can eat Wagyu raw. It’s ridiculous.

Billy whines some more about how his steak wasn’t medium, and guest Crystal says, it was like it was a mooing cow, not exaggerating too much. Mzi and Storm arrive, and Captain Sandy says it couldn’t be better timing. She takes it back. It could have been yesterday. Billy gets his new steak, and the captain says she’s so happy. She meets Storm, who says, it’s been a long 14 days. She says she’s happy to have Mzi back, and in Mzi’s interview, he says, it’s like breaking out of prison. It seems like they’re chilling, but quarantine isn’t easy. He wants to hit the ground running. The captain says she’ll give Mzi the lowdown, and he can relay it to Storm, who she wants to start sorting out the mess; it’s a safety issue. Raygan goes for a smoke, which seems to be the only thing she does. Billy puts his placemat on his head, and in Storm’s interview, he says he’s a dirtbag pirate. Some people don’t enjoy him, but if everybody likes you, you’re doing something wrong. Dessert is served, and everyone loves it. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm is pretty fit.

Tasha and Kyle get dressed in drag, and discuss the drag themed evening. In Mzi’s interview, he says, Storm is a childhood friend. When Storm was 13, he looked 18, and they were petrified of him. The same mustache he has today, he’s had since he was 13. Drag queen Trihanna Wilde arrives, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, theme parties are her strong point. When she was growing up, they had no money, and her grandma would treat them to the theater. She wants to make other people feel how she felt as a child; it’s magic. Trihanna does a show, and in her interview, Tasha says, thank the Lord they pulled tonight together. She’s happy that they guests are happy. She says she’s had two long term relationships on boats. It’s nice to share a cabin, and blow off steam, and you can trust the other person won’t say anything. She asks Dave if he wants to hook up, and he nods.

Captain Sandy consults a chart, and says, they’re going to have a swell. In her interview, she says, every bosun should have their watch schedule on day one. She wants to see it and approve it, so she’s comfortable with who’s on anchor watch. She asks Raygan for her schedule, and tells her, the tender should be in the water. The toys are a priority, and she wants the tender and WaveRunner out. In Raygan’s interview, she says, the last boat she worked on was a private yacht, and it was more relaxed. This is the most demanding job she’s had in a long time. Well, that’s obvious. The captain tells her to get the tender in the water, and get the schedule done. The guests get ready to go in the water.

Around noon, the guests are back on board, and things start rocking. Captain Sandy realizes they’ve lost their stabilizers; they’re malfunctioning. Everything starts falling, and Crystal wonders what’s happening. The boat rocks like crazy, and the captain radios for all crew to hold onto everything. Everything is just crashing everywhere, and it’s worse than Sailing Yacht. A guest asks where the lifejackets are.

To be continued…  

🦋 Catch You Later…

Join me tomorrow for soap, and who knows what else. Below Deck Down Under is on in the evening, and although I’ll no doubt be watching, too many Decks spoils… something. So until then, stay safe, stay fighting the good fight, whatever that is for you, and stay knowing that, being alone is better than being with the wrong person.