Monthly Archives: August 2022

Aug31

August 30, 2022 – Victor Thinks Spencer Did It, Mason, Souvenir, a Farewell, Kyle Speaks, Childish, Med Trailer, Cobweb & Over

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina sleeps on a couch in the hospital, Sonny’s arm around her. She wakes, and says she almost forgot where they were. Last night at the Quartermaines wasn’t a nightmare; what happened? Sonny says, it happened. Someone tried to kill Ava.

Nikolas goes to the reception desk, and says he’s been waiting for hours. Someone needs to give him an update on his wife’s condition. The nurse says she’s sorry, there’s been no update, and Nikolas starts yelling, demanding to talk to the head of surgery. Jordan comes along, and he tells her that his wife has been in surgery all night. Can she please help him find out something? She says she can try, and he says he just needs to know what happened to his wife. She says, that makes two of them.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Brook tells an officer that she was out on the terrace for a while, then helped distribute desserts. The officer says, before that? and Brook says, in and out of the kitchen. The officer says, and you? and Drew says he was probably on s’mores duty at the time Ava was injured. She says, and before? and he flashes back to him and Carly kissing. He says, manning the grill, and asks how much longer this is going to take. She says she just has a few more questions, when her phone rings. She steps away to take it, and Brook asks why Drew is so antsy. If he seems too eager to get away, they’ll think he has something to hide. He says, he wants to check on Carly.

THE MOSS BOWL IS BACK!!! 🎍 Do Carly and Sonny have shared custody? Carly pours coffee, and flashes back to flirting with Drew, and Drew kissing her. Josslyn comes in, and Carly says she didn’t expect Josslyn to be up for hours. She hands Josslyn some coffee, saying, she thinks Josslyn needs it more than her. Josslyn says she didn’t really sleep last night, and Carly says, of course (🍷) not. She saved Ava’s life. Josslyn says she just keeps replying it in her head. It’s like she’s outside her body watching as she holds that towel to stop the bleeding. She doesn’t love Ava, but she couldn’t let Ava die. Before she passed out, Ava was so scared. All she wanted was for Josslyn to hold her hand. Carly hugs Josslyn, and says, she’s so proud of her. She hates that Josslyn went through that. Josslyn asks if there’s any news, but Carly says, not yet. Josslyn says, Avery? and Carly says, she doesn’t know. She and Sonny are trying to decide when to tell her. Josslyn says she doesn’t think Trina knows either. She had a meeting at PCU this morning, and she’s supposed to come here after. There’s a knock at the door, and Trina waves through the window.

Elizabeth goes to Finn’s office, and says she got his messages – all five of them. He says he’s sorry. He couldn’t sleep. He felt horrible about what happened. It was all he could do to stop from driving to her house, so he kept calling, hoping she’d pick up. She says she should have, but he says, it’s okay. He was just worried. She seemed like she was in shock after what happened to Ava. She says she thinks what happened is pretty shocking, doesn’t he? He says, it’s horrible. It just seems like Elizabeth shut down. She wouldn’t let him drive her home. She says she doesn’t want to revisit last night. Being that close to violence really makes her nervous. He asks if she saw something last night.

Spencer is lying on his hotel room bed, when somebody starts banging on the door. He says, this better be a damned emergency, and opens the door. Victor says, it is a damned emergency.

Brook says she knew it. Something is going on with Drew and Carly. He says, Joss found Ava near death, so of course (🍷) he’s worried about Joss and Carly both. And Avery. Carly’s probably wondering what to tell her. He just wants to see Carly needs anything, and she says, as friends do, and smiles. He says, no offense, but what’s it to her? Why is she so interested in him and Carly? She says, before yesterday, pure nosiness, but today, she doesn’t want to see anyone waste as much time as she did.

Carly hugs Trina, and asks, how is she? Trina says, better than she’s been in a long time, and even better now that she sees the moss bowl 🎍 .  PCU just dropped the Title IX violation against her, and Carly says, that’s great news. Josslyn says, finally. Did they apologize while they were at it? Trina says she met with the Title IX coordinator and the dean, and they apologized for the previous finding. Nothing will be on her record, and she can continue with the rest of her classes. Carly says, that’s great on their part, and Trina says she hoped they would, but she was still nervous. Josslyn says she really wanted to go with Trina, but it was a crazy night. Trina says, that’s okay; it all worked out. She can really enjoy her party tonight. Carly says, her mom must be over the moon. Has Trina talked to her? Trina says, her mom is super excited they dropped the Title IX determination, but they really didn’t get to talk because her mom was getting ready for work at the hospital. She can’t wait to tell Ava. She thinks she’s going to stop by the gallery… Josslyn says, she doesn’t think there’s any point in going to the gallery today, and Trina asks, why? Did something happen to it? Josslyn says, no. Something happened to Ava.

Finn asks if Elizabeth was nearby when Ava got attacked. Did she hear something or see something? She flashes back to meeting Nikolas, and telling him, it happened again; she’s losing time. She tells Finn, she only knows what he knows, and he says, when he couldn’t reach her on the phone, he got a little worried. She apologizes, and says she didn’t mean to worry him. She just needed time to herself. He says, because she was angry with him for contacting Sarah. He was so wrong. He tried to apologize last night, but she said he wasn’t her anything. Does she still mean that?

The reception nurse goes with Jordan to answer a couple of questions, and Nina comes by with Sonny. She asks if Ava is out of surgery, and he asks what Sonny is doing here. Sonny tells Nikolas, don’t step any closer to him. Same as Nikolas; that’s what he’s doing here. Nikolas says, Ava is his wife. She’s nothing to Sonny. Sonny says, it’s not a competition. Ava is the mother of his child and a good friend to somebody that means a lot to him. Nina says, they’re not here to upset him. They’re worried, the same as him. Nikolas says he wants Sonny gone, and Sonny says, he wants Nikolas out of here, so he guesses neither of them is going to get what they want. Jordan asks if there’s a problem. She sincerely hopes not, since this is a hospital, and she’ll have no qualms about escorting them out. Sonny says, no problem, and Jordan tells Nikolas, the surgeon will come out to speak with him shortly. He asks if Ava is going to recover, and she says, they didn’t share details because she’s not family, but she believes Ava is in post op. Nikolas asks if she’s conscious. Did she say what happened?

Nikolas tells room service to send coffee in a carafe. On second thought, send two. Victor picks up Spencer’s clothes, and says he sees housekeeping hasn’t been here. Spencer apologizes for the surroundings, but doesn’t imagine Victor will be staying long. Victor says, Spencer doesn’t make it easy to track him down. Although registering here as Fred Flintstone was a dead giveaway. Spencer says, Carly banned him from the hotel, and Olivia has a long memory, so what was so urgent? Is Ava dead? Victor says, not yet. How does Spencer feel about that? Spencer says, ambivalent. Him? Victor says, much the same, and Spencer says, not angry? Victor says, that Ava was attacked? and Spencer says, that the attack wasn’t more successful. Victor says, that’s a rather callous point-of-view. Who would think that? Spencer says, the person responsible – Victor.

Drew says, so Brook and Chase are officially a thing now? and she says she doesn’t know what they’re calling themselves, but they’re together. He says, it’s about damn time, and she says, a lot of people were pulling for them. He says he’s happy they didn’t give up on each other, and she says, her too. Now can he see why she’s meddling? He says he has no idea, and she says, jokes aside, if he and Carly have real feelings for each other, if there’s a chance at happiness, don’t let this window close. He says, they actually did sort of have a breakthrough yesterday, and she says, and? He says, and that is the extent of her helpful nosiness. He’ll take it from here. He starts to leave, but the officer comes back, and says, he isn’t cleared to leave. She has a few more questions.

Trina says she has to go to the hospital, and Josslyn says, let her change, and she’ll go too. Carly asks her to check on the girls while she’s upstairs, and tells Trina, Avery stayed here last night. Trina says, poor baby. She can’t believe she’s been fighting over a stupid school judgment, and Ava’s been fighting for her life all night. Carly says, Trina’s school judgment isn’t stupid; she got her future back. Trina says, what about Ava’s future? Why didn’t they tell her what was going on? Carly says, because Josslyn didn’t home until after midnight; she had to give a statement to the police. And she didn’t tell Trina because she didn’t want Trina to miss her appointment this morning. It’s too important, and there’s nothing Trina could have done anyway. She understands that, right? Trina says she does. Thank God Joss found Ava. She just can’t… What about Avery? Does she know what happened to her mom? Carly says, they don’t want to tell her until they have some concrete information, and Trina says, she’s just so little to have her life turned upside down. She’s already dealing with a lot. Carly says, including her and Sonny’s divorce, and Trina says, but Carly is a constant, and Ava knows that too. Thank God Avery has Carly.

Victor asks if Spencer is suggesting he attacked Ava. He must still be suffering from his alcohol fueled evening. Spencer says, they all know the lengths Victor will go to protect this family. Perhaps he felt Ava was becoming a liability. Victor says, she was, but does Spencer really think he’d stab her? Spencer says, no, of course (🍷) not. Victor would never risk getting the blood spatter on his Italian loafers, but sending in an operative to kill Ava at a party with a million suspects is definitely in Victor’s wheelhouse. Victor says, clever boy, and Spencer says, the Police Commissioner probably has that figured out too. So it might be time for Victor to take an extended vacation, and look into the house at Cassadine Island. Victor tells Spencer not to mistake himself. He’s not complimenting Spencer on his cleverness on figuring him out. Rather on being clever enough to start deflecting suspicion from himself. Let him lay it all out for Spencer. Ava controls Spencer’s fortune, his money. In other words, she controls him. She flung the betrayal of Spencer’s father and girlfriend in his face, and turned his world on its axis yesterday. Spencer’s rage drove him to consume an obscene amount of alcohol, and loosened his inhibitions. The attack was up close personal, and Spencer has as much reason to kill Ava as anyone.

Nikolas says, he’s Ava’s husband, and she’ll talk to him, but Jordan says she has a few questions first. They step away, and Sonny tells Nina, it looks like Ava is going to be in recovery for a while before she goes to ICU. Does she want to get some breakfast? Nina says she’s not hungry. She’s going to stick around here. He says he’s going to check on Avery, and she says, of course (🍷). She thanks him for spending the night with her here. They see Nikolas talking animatedly with Jordan, and Nina asks, what’s up? He says, Nikolas seems more wound up than he usually is, and Nina says she thinks he’s probably terrified. Sonny wonders, of what?

Jordan tells Nikolas, as soon as she gets the all clear from Ava’s doctors, she’ll question Ava. Until then, does he have any information that could aid this investigation? He says, not really, and she asks if he’s sure that’s all. Things looked pretty tense with him and Sonny. Nikolas says, his nerves are raw, and he’s been up all night. He thanks her for the update, but now he needs some black coffee. She says he can’t go. She’s sure he doesn’t want to miss the surgeon. Until they arrive, help her out. Walk her through everything that happened with Ava at the picnic yesterday.

Elizabeth says she asked Finn not to interfere, and he called her sister? He crossed a boundary she’d clearly drawn. How is she supposed to feel about that? He says he understands. He shouldn’t have done it. Obviously, he won’t call Sarah back. She says, the damage is already done. Sarah is going to assume she messed up somehow. He says he never spoke to her; how would she? Elizabeth says he doesn’t know her, and he says, she’s right. He doesn’t know anything about her family because ELizabeth never speaks about them. He’s not trying to justify this, but the only reason he reached out is because he’s concerned about her and her health, and he felt like he had no other alternative. She says, than going behind her back? Ignoring her when she asked him not to mention her parents again? He says, it was arrogant of him, and disrespectful. Please let him know how he can make this right. She says, he can’t.

Spencer tells Victor, nice try. Despite his father’s betrayal, Spencer didn’t try to filet him – yet. Victor says, he almost believes Spencer. So he didn’t attack Ava? Spencer says, sorry. He was too busy emptying the contents of his stomach onto the Quartermaine azaleas. Victor says, that is curious. He was certain Spencer did it, and Spencer says, so Victor didn’t? Victor says, and leave Ava alive, and Spencer with no clear alibi? He may be many things, but sloppy is not one of them. Spencer says, he’s relieved to hear this, but he’d never turn Victor in. Victor says, nor I you. He hasn’t forgotten the reason Spencer is headed to Pentenville; turning down that plea deal, and not turning Victor in for arranging Spencer’s visit his mother’s grave. There’s a lot of strength in Spencer; more than his father. Spencer says, who was also at the picnic, and angry with Ava. Can his father account for his whereabouts? Victor says he believes not. Maybe he’s the one they should be looking to protect.

Nikolas says, he can’t believe a fun day has ended in this, and Jordan says, take his time. He says he wishes he could tell her where Ava was the whole time, but they were at the Quartermaines for hours. They were on the grounds, in the house. They spoke with Olivia and Sonny… She asks, when was the last time he saw Ava? and he says, in the den. She asks if they were alone, and he says, no; he was with Spencer. Ava left, and then it was just him and Spencer. She asks if Ava said where she was headed, and he says he thinks she was going to get a drink. She asks if Ava seemed upset or worried about anything, and Nikolas flashes back to Ava slapping him after he said only she was to blame for not healing things with Kiki. He wonders why Jordan is asking, and she says, she’s just trying to ascertain his wife’s state of mind. Has she had any conflicts with any recently, and troubling phone calls? He says, no, and she says, things are fine at home? He says he doesn’t know why she’s wasting time with him, when she could be out finding the person who tried to kill his wife. She says, they’re questioning everyone who was on the Quartermaine estate, and the department is actively engaged in tracking down leads. He says, Sonny and Ava are constantly having ongoing custody issues. Why isn’t Jordan grilling him? She says, as she stated, they’re questioning everyone. Why is he so resistant to providing answers? The doctor comes out looking for Nikolas.

Carly tells Trina, Avery has an entire family who loves her, Ava included. She’s sure Ava is going to make a full recovery, but whatever happens, she’ll always protect Avery like she’s one of her own. Josslyn brings Avery in, and Trina says, she’s getting to be such a big girl now. Josslyn says, too big for Donna’s bed, which is where she found Avery. Avery says, she was reading to Donna, and they fell asleep. Josslyn says, Donna is still out like a light, and Carly says, Avery is a wonderful big sister. Did she have fun sleeping with her little sis? Avery nods, and says she’s hungry. Carly goes over possible breakfasts with Donna, and Josslyn asks if Trina is ready to go. Trina says, Ava is her friend. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do if she loses her. Avery says she wants daddy’s pancakes, and Sonny comes in, saying, hey, kiddo.

Elizabeth – who is getting so very annoying now – says she didn’t appreciate Finn using her boys to justify his actions. He tells her, all he was saying is, they’re struggling too, and she says she’d never subject them to harm. He’s not a psychiatrist, and just because she shared some aspects of her life with him, doesn’t give him the right to intervene. He says, that’s not at all what he was doing. She has every right to be angry with him… She says, gee, thanks, and he tells her, everything he says is going to be wrong, right? If she wants to end things with him over this, he’ll understand, but he has something to say first. Then if she wants to leave, he’ll let her go. He loves her. He just wants her to be happy, and however she chooses to get there, he wants to be on that journey with her.

Spencer asks Victor, why should they protect his father? He is the worst of them, and that’s saying something in a family with Stavros and Helena. Victor says, Spencer never lived with Stavros and Helena. Nonetheless, they must protect their family first. Spencer pours the coffee, and says, he never agreed to that. Victor says he’s deeply disappointed in Spencer’s father, but Nikolas is also his grandmother’s son. How does Spencer think Laura would feel if she knew he turned his back on his father? Spencer says, grandmother asked them both to behave while she was away, and Victor says, Nikolas made a mistake. We Cassadines hold each other accountable in house. So if the police come asking questions, Spencer must say nothing to implicate his father. Spencer asks why he should lie for someone who’s done nothing but lie to him, and Victor says, he’s asking Spencer to just omit any reference to what he learned about his father and Esme yesterday. If he does, he may be rewarded. Spencer says, that sounds a little vague. What’s Victor going to do? Take him out for ice cream? He’d like Victor to be more specific. Victor says, protect his family, and Spencer might get his hands on his birthright earlier than he expected. Spencer says, even if he omits, what will Ava say when she wakes up? Victor says, assuming she does. Leave Ava to him.

The doctor tells Nikolas, they managed to repair much of the damage, but they’re keeping Ava in ICU, where they can observe her for possible complications. Nina wanders over, and Nikolas asks, what kind of complications? The doctor says, peritonitis, sepsis, bowel obstruction… Nina asks if it’s serious, and Nikolas nods to the doctor. She says, Ava’s condition is serious, but stable. Nikolas asks if he can see her, and the doctor says, briefly. He leaves with the doctor, and Jordan asks the nurse to let her know the minute Ava wakes up. The nurse says she’ll clear it with Ava’s doctor, and Nina asks, what about visitors? The nurse says, just those who are approved, like family. She leaves, and Nina tells Jordan, the person who did this to Ava is still out there. Like she didn’t know. Please do everything she can to find this monster who did this to her. Jordan says, they’ll chase down every clue, no matter where it leads.

Victor asks if he and Spencer understand each other, and Spencer says he understands what Victor expects, but he’s not fully convinced he should agree. Victor says, for heaven’s sake. Spencer went to great lengths to dupe his girlfriend into revealing Trina’s innocence, yet he won’t agree to mislead the PCPD for his father’s sake? Nikolas says, Trina must have heard by now, and jumps up to put on his shoes. Victor says, his concern for his friend is touching. He wishes Spencer would show the same kind of loyalty to his father. Spencer tells Victor, thanks for dropping by, but he can’t stay, and jets.

Sonny says he hopes Carly doesn’t mind; he let himself in. She says, special circumstances, and he says, one batch of chocolate chip pancakes coming up, but first, Avery has to clean that face and get dressed. Avery says, let her mix in the chips, and he says, as long as they make it to the batter. She runs upstairs, and Sonny asks how Carly is doing. Carly says, fine, and Trina asks if there’s any news about Ava. Sonny says he got a call on the way here, and she’s out of surgery, and they’re putting her in ICU. Trina says, they’re on their way there now, and he says, let Dex take them. He’s waiting for Sonny in front. Carly says, Josslyn told her everything that happened last night, and she says this Dex kid helped save Ava’s life. Josslyn says, Dex did more than help. He told her that he used to be a soldier, and if they’d waited for the ambulance, it wouldn’t have worked. He saved Ava’s life. Trina says, they both did, and Sonny says, Dex is a good guy to have around. Let Dex take them to GH and wait. Trina says, okay, and thanks him. They leave, and Sonny asks if Carly minds. She says, go ahead, and he starts taking out pancake making supplies. She asks if he was at the hospital all night, and he says, yeah. She nods, and says, she’ll get the griddle.

The officer thanks Drew and Brook for their statements, and says, they’ll be in touch. She leaves, and Drew says, he’s all for being thorough, but that was taking forever. He says he’ll see her later, but she says, one more thing before he goes. Chase has been crazy patient with her. It helps. He says he’s a pretty laid back guy, but he doesn’t share Chase’s fortitude. She says, nobody does, but he’s a close second on the thoughtful scale. Take his cues from Carly. He says, noted, and leaves. Brook’s phone rings, and she tells Chase that she was just thinking about him.

Elizabeth says she needs time to think, and Finn tells her, take all the time she needs. She says, whatever challenges she might have, let her work through them in her own way on her own time. He can do that? He says he can and he will. Advice will be given only when asked. It’s hard for him to not to try to heal; occupational hazard. That’s his challenge, and he has to realize he can’t always have things his way. She says she has to tell him something. Something really strange happened to her last night… There’s a knock at the door, and Finn says he’s busy, but Jordan says, it’s the Police Commissioner. He lets her in, and she says she only has a few questions. She sees Elizabeth, and says, great. She was looking for her.

Carly says, Donna is still asleep, so she’s not going to wake her up, and Sonny says, more pancakes for them. Carly sits down, and tells Avery that she and her daddy want to talk to her about her mommy. Avery asks if her mommy is coming over for pancakes, but Sonny says, she’s not able to do that. Her mommy got hurt last night. Avery asks if that’s why her mommy didn’t pick her up, and Carly says, yeah. Avery asks if mommy’s okay, and Sonny says, her mommy has a lot of people at the hospital taking care of her. Carly says, until her mommy is better, Avery is going to stay with them. How does that sound? Avery says she wants to see mommy, and Carly says she knows Avery does, but she doesn’t think Avery is old enough. Avery asks if she can see Daddy Nikolas.

Trina tells Josslyn, the nurse said it’s only family right now, but Trina can sit in the waiting area of the ICU. She thanks Josslyn for coming with her, and they hug. Trina thanks Dex for saving Ava’s life, and says, Joss told her that he’s the main reason Ava’s alive. Dex says, Joss did her part. It was definitely a team effort. Trina says she’s grateful to both of them. Can he see that Joss gets home and gets some rest? She’ll keep Josslyn posted. Trina leaves, and Josslyn says, Sonny couldn’t give Dex the morning off? Not even after saving Avery’s mother? He says he wouldn’t have taken the time, even if Sonny offered. He’s still feeling a little fuzzy after last night; it’s better to be working. She thanks him for stepping up. Ava isn’t her favorite person in the world, but she’s Avery’s mother and a dear friend of Trina’s. She couldn’t have done it by herself. She’s really glad he was there. He says, ditto, and she says, sorry for freaking out so much, but he says, he’s seen people with a lot more training completely lose it over a lot less.

Jordan says she’d like brief statements from Finn and Elizabeth about last night, and Elizabeth says, of course (🍷). Finn asks if she’d like a seat, but Jordan says, that’s not necessary. She looks at Elizabeth, and says, ouch. What happened to her head? Elizabeth says, a tree branch at the Quartermaine picnic, and Jordan says, be thankful she suffered nothing worse there. Finn asks if there are any leads, and Jordan says, her team is constructing a timeline. This was a particularly vicious crime, with a woman’s life hanging in the balance. Until she can question Ava, she has to rely on other people’s accounts. With so many people there, anyone could be an eyewitness and not even realize it. That’s why it’s vital she gather information while it’s still fresh. Finn says, of course (🍷), and Jordan thanks him. She hopes with everyone’s help, they can piece it together, and identify this butcher, whoever he or she is.

Ava lies in a hospital bed, and her door closes. Nikolas comes in, and stands by her bedside. Trina arrives, and looks at them through the window. Someone puts a hand on her shoulder, and she turns around to see Spencer.

Avery says, Daddy Nikolas must be worried about mommy too. Can she see him? Please? Sonny tells her take one more bite, then they’ll go. He feeds her a forkful of pancake, and Carly says, take her car; the booster seat is already set up. She hugs Avery, saying, she’s a strong girl. Avery leaves with Sonny, leaving Carly alone with the moss bowl 🎍. She puts the pancake stuff away, and Drew comes to the door. He peeks in, and she smiles. She tells him that he’s here early. Would he like some coffee? He says, that would be great. He’s been thinking a lot about last night. It’s all he’s been thinking about actually. She says, every five seconds? and he says, it’s pretty much constant. She says, she’s been thinking a lot about it too.

Sonny and Avery get to the hospital, and Nina is there. Sonny says, Avery knows Nina, right? and she says, mommy’s friend. Nina says she’s her mommy’s really good friend, and Avery asks if Nina is here to see her mommy. Nina says she’s hoping, and Sonny asks how she’s doing. Nina says, she’s doing okay. She was moved to ICU. She’s just waiting to find out when she can see Ava. He asks if they can wait with her, and she says, it would mean the world to her. She takes Avery’s hand, and they go to the elevator.

Josslyn thanks Dex for not calling Sonny over, and he asks if she’s avoiding him. She says she doesn’t feel like dealing with Nina right now, and she has to go. She hates the thought of leaving Trina alone. He says, plans? and she says, yeah, with Cam, her boyfriend. He says, the guy he met at the pool the other day? Don’t worry about Trina. The boss will let him stay and make sure she gets home. Josslyn says, dutiful to a fault, and he says he likes to see his commitments through to the end. She says she wishes she could say the same about his boss, and leaves.

Jordan says, based on the blood loss at the scene, her team believes Ava was injured shortly before she was discovered. That gives them a short window for the approximate time of the attack; somewhere between 9:45 and 10 pm. Finn says, that’s probably around the time he ran into Maxie, and spoke to her briefly. Jordan thanks him, and asks if Elizabeth remembers where she was during that time.

Trina says she wasn’t expecting to see Spencer here, especially knowing how he feels about Ava. He says he’s sorry Ava got hurt; mostly because it hurts her. He figured she’d be here. She says, he’s here for her? and he says, always. And as his Uncle Victor constantly reminds him, they support family no matter what, and Ava is family. She says, and he wants to support his father too.

Nikolas sits next to Ava’s bed, and says, if only she’d listened to him. It never would have come to this.

Tomorrow, Sasha asks when Brando stopped believing in her; Anna says she has no doubt she has Victor to thank for that; and Drew tells Carly that he feels they’re on the brink of something incredible.

❓ Not a Lot…

It’s kind of like when the news breaks in on GH and everyone weighs in, even though there’s hardly any information.

Who Is Mason on GENERAL HOSPITAL?

🧥 Nice Jacket…

I’m actually kind of impressed.

Parry Shen’s New Role Came With the Coolest Souvenir!

🥀 Leaving the Stage…

Strangely enough, I remembered him from Odd Mom Out. Then I wondered, what happened to that show?

Daytime Alum Robert LuPone Dead at 76

💎 Town Cryer Of More Than One Town…

Because inserting herself where she doesn’t belong on RHOBH isn’t enough.

RHOBH’s Kyle Richards Addresses Melissa Skipping Teresa’s Wedding as She Weighs in on RHONJ Stars’ Family Drama

🗽 Unfollowed…

I always think it seems so stupid for an adult to unfollow or unfriend. I don’t have tons of FB friends because I like to actually know the people I let into my life. Although if your profile pic includes a dog, you’re probably in. Years ago, I noticed I was a friend down, looked at the list, but couldn’t figure out who it was. Then about a year later, I found out someone I knew from karaoke unfriended me because of a perceived insult from a mutual friend. I found out from a neighbor who went out with her via a dating sight. She made him swear not to tell me, but he couldn’t get on the phone fast enough. The moral of the story is, it was just as well.

Leah McSweeney And Eboni K. Williams Unfollow Each Other On Instagram

🛥 Happy Mid-Season Trails…

Swells! Dolphins (not the mammal)! Tantrums! Pink wigs!

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/below-deck-med-midseason-tease-previews-drama-injuries-tears-for-crew

🐱 New Cat In Town…

Hocus Pocus 2’s furry CGI cast member.

https://ew.com/movies/hocus-pocus-2-cat-cobweb-not-thackery-binkx/

https://comicbook.com/horror/news/hocus-pocus-2-thackery-binx-easter-egg-cat-cameo-explained-cobweb/

💃🏽 Wiggling It Just a Little Bit…

It looks like those awful women of Beverly Hills will be on tomorrow, so join me for some of that and some soap. Until then, stay safe, stay setting the bar high, and stay not registering at a hotel as Fred Flintstone. It’s a dead giveaway.

Aug30

August 29, 2022 – Dex Comes To Ava’s Rescue, Kyle Flirts On Deck, Everything VMA, Tale Talk & Best Bunny

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Josslyn tells Michael that he’s got great timing. She just got done reading Wiley a bedtime story, and he’s loving his sleepover at the main house. His nanny’s upstairs with him now. She tells him to enjoy kicking back with Willow. They’re all good on their end. She sees Nina, and says, this may not be her house, but she knows for a fact Nina isn’t welcome here. Nina says she’s not here for a social visit. This is uncomfortable for her, and she’s only here because she has a carload of desserts for Olivia that were mistakenly delivered to the MetroCourt. She’s just trying to correct a mistake. Josslyn says she was just on the phone with Michael, and she could have told him that Nina was there trespassing, but he and Willow rarely get a night to themselves, and Josslyn’s completely capable of throwing Nina out herself. But apparently she’s not capable of listening. She says, Nina will not go anywhere near Wiley, and Nina tells her, like she said, she just brought desserts for Olivia. She wasn’t planning on seeing her grandson. Josslyn says, let’s make sure – get out – when Sonny comes in, and asks, what’s the problem here? Josslyn says, the problem? She’s looking at it. Sonny says, Olivia knows that Nina’s here and why, and Josslyn asks how long it takes to drop off desserts, because she highly doubts Olivia invited her to stay. Sonny says, Josslyn doesn’t have to like it, but he thinks her mom taught her how to be civil to people, and Josslyn says, her mom also taught her how to deal with a back-stabbing bitch. Sonny tried to help Trina, and that’s the only reason she’s not slapping his girlfriend into next week. Since apparently she also has no concept of the law. She leaves, and Nina says, that was fun. She thinks she’ll go. Sonny says, hell no.

Felicia says she’s not going to tell Mac what to do. It’s his call whether or not he tells Cody that he was once romantically involved with Cody’s mother. But Mac and Dominique as a couple was pretty common knowledge back in the day. Somebody’s bound to point that out to Cody eventually. He says, one thing at a time, okay? He’s still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Dominique had a son she gave up. That’s not at all like the woman they both knew.

Britt slaps Cody, and he asks, what the hell is wrong with her? That was a damn good kiss.

Finn finds Valentin in the living room, and says he’s looking for Elizabeth. He asks if she came by, and Valentin says he hasn’t seen her, but he’s looking for Anna. Has Finn seen her? They hear groaning outside, and find Spencer walking up to the patio. Finn says, take it easy, and Spencer says, leave him the hell alone. Finn says, Spencer doesn’t look so good. He’ll get a glass of water, and Spencer can come inside. They’ll get someone to find his dad. Clearly drunk, Spencer says, forget it. He never wants to see his dad again.

Nikolas finds Elizabeth sitting on the ground, and she asks, what happened?

Ava lies outside the boathouse, bleeding. She touches her wound and looks at the blood on her hand. She feebly tries to call for help.

Mac tells Felicia, Dominique was a bright light. She was a loving generous person, who would have cherished having a son. It’s obvious she gave him away to protect him from Taub, but once Leopold died, why not reclaim him and raise him herself? Felicia says, what if she didn’t realize she had a son?

Britt says she didn’t slap Cody based on the quality of the kiss. She slapped him because of why he kissed her. He says, she’s telling him it was a good kiss though, and she says, he only kissed her to distract her. He says, distract her from what? and she says, his interrogation about Peter and Faison. Come on. Just be honest. Why is he so fascinated by her father and brother?

Nina says, besides Sonny, nobody wants her here, and he says, nobody can make mistakes and move on with their lives. The way Josslyn and Michael treat her is unfair, it’s rude, and… it’s actually sad. A lot of people here will be happy to see her, and he’s at the top of the list. she says she knows he’ll always be on her side, and he’ll face down all the haters, but she doesn’t want another confrontation. She’d rather go home. He asks if she can’t stay a little while, and she asks, why? He says he’s got Dex bringing him some paperwork. Once he signs off on it, they’ll go to his place and have a nightcap. She says, that’s an offer she can’t refuse, when Anna walks in. She says she didn’t mean to interrupt… Actually, she is interrupting. She wonders if she can have a moment with Sonny.

Finn sits Spencer down on the couch, and Valentin gives him some water, saying, Spencer’s clearly dehydrated. Spencer says he doesn’t need damn thing from Valentin. All of the trouble between Spencer and his father started when Valentin came sniffing for an inheritance that never belonged to him. Spencer puts his arm around Finn, and says, that’s when his father made the horrible decision to play dead to get his revenge. That’s something his father has to live with, but all the drama started with Valentin. Valentin says, anything he’s done to hurt Spencer, he’s sorry, and leaves. Spencer says he hates that guy, and Finn says he’s not a big fan himself. Spencer says he wishes he could blame Valentin for everything, but Valentin didn’t force his father to lie, play dead, or marry Ava… Finn says, but what? Did Spencer’s dad do something to upset him? Spencer says, it doesn’t matter, because the man he grew up with, the man he hero worshipped, either changed or was never real in the first place.

Nikolas helps Elizabeth up, and says, it looks like she hit her head. How did that happen? She says she doesn’t know, and he asks, what’s the last thing she remembers? She says she was at the stables with Finn. They had an argument, and now she’s here. He says, she’s not that close to the stables. She doesn’t remember walking here or how she got that scrape on her forehead? She says, no. She remembers being really angry and feeling betrayed, and he asks what they argued about. She says, Finn went behind her back again. He called Sarah. Nikolas says, her sister who hasn’t been in town for ten years? Why would Finn call her? She says, because Finn thinks she’s losing her mind.

Josslyn sees Ava, who’s still weakly calling for help, and says, oh my God. She’s going to get help. Does Ava have her phone on her? Was she carrying it and dropped it? She’s going to get help. The picnic is for GH, so there are nurses and doctors here. Ava grabs Josslyn’s leg, and says, don’t leave her.

Sonny asks if Anna wants to talk WSB business. They’ll have to get Diane… Anna says, he doesn’t need Diane. This is more official-adjacent. Nina says she’ll go get some fresh air; it’s a lovely night. Anna thanks her, and she leaves. Sonny says, Anna’s got his attention, so what’s up? She says she’s aware that in addition to his business enterprises, he keeps a close watch on all the illegal activities in Port Charles. He says he can neither confirm nor deny that statement, and she says, let her cut to the chase. Does he have any information about what Victor Cassadine is doing here?

Nina stands outside, and hears Valentin say, she walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that’s best of dark and bright meet in her aspect and her eyes… Nina says, Thus mellowed to that tender light, which Heaven to gaudy day denies. Most people think it’s Shakespeare, but it’s really… He says, Lord Byron; mad, bad, and dangerous to know.

Mac asks how Dominique could have a son and not be aware, and Felicia says, think back. Dominique stayed at Shadybrook for a time. He says, Leopold had her committed. He wanted control of Dominique and her fortune. She says, that’s what everyone assumed, but what if there were other reasons? What if Dominique was pregnant, and Leopold took the baby?

Cody says he asked about Britt’s family. That’s what you do when you’re trying to get to know new people in your life. She says she keeps telling him; she doesn’t want to talk about Peter or her father. Why can’t he accept it and move on? He says, the better questions is, why is she being so defensive? It’s not like he asked if she had a criminal past too. Why is it easier to accuse him of being manipulative, rather than just admit she’s attracted to him? What is so God-so awful about them being into each other? She asks, who said she was into him?

Finn tells Spencer, to be bitterly disappointed in his father’s life choices? Welcome to the club. He’s not in a good place to be giving any sort of advice, but he’s going to throw it out there anyway. Maybe somewhere down the line, it will mean something to Spencer. Spencer says, it couldn’t be worse than the garbage his father’s been throwing out there, and Finn says, that’s the thing, kid. If we’re lucky, we grow up thinking our parents are superhuman; they have all the right answers, and can fix all the problems. Spencer says, but in his case, his father is the problem, and Finn says, and at some point we realize, they’re not superhuman. They’re just people, doing the best they can, who occasionally screw up. Human beings come with flaws, even parents, but that doesn’t mean they love us any less. Spencer says, if that’s how things shook out for Finn and his dad, good for him. But it doesn’t seem like that’s how things are working out for him and his father. Victor walks in, and tells Finn, it seems his great-nephew is a little worse for wear. Don’t worry; he’ll take care of Spencer. Finn says, they were just making headway on their talk, but Victor says he won’t hear of it. Go ahead. Let family deal with family. Finn says, it’s Spencer’s call, and Spencer says, he’ll be fine with his Great-Uncle Victor. Finn says, fair enough; feel better. He leaves, and Spencer tells Victor not to ask why he’s so upset, but Victor says he doesn’t have to. He already knows.

Nikolas says, Finn thinks Elizabeth is losing her mind? and Elizabeth says, she wouldn’t have checked herself out of Shadybrook if she hadn’t felt ready to face the world. He says, Finn doesn’t agree? and she says, he keeps going back and forth. He’s trying to be supportive, but she knows he’s watching her and doubting her. She knows it sounds paranoid, but he says, it doesn’t. If Finn is reaching out to Sarah, why would he do that if he wasn’t checking in on her? Elizabeth says, exactly. He’s fixated on her non-existent relationship with her parents. He keeps fishing around, like she’s hiding some dire secret. He says, about who? Someone in her family? Elizabeth flashes back to being on the stair landing with another young woman, who asks what she’s doing. Elizabeth says, stay away from her father. In the present, she says, Nikolas? Where are we?… No. It happened again. She’s losing time.

Josslyn tells Ava that she just needs to stop the bleeding. She needs a towel. She’s not leaving Ava, but she has to stop the bleeding. She runs inside, and Ava passes out. Josslyn runs back out with a towel, and says she needs Ava to wake back up. Josslyn needs her to hold this while she gets help. If Ava doesn’t wake up, she’s going to die. Josslyn yells for help, and says she can’t leave or Ava will bleed out, but she has to get help. Dex runs onto the scene, asking Josslyn if that’s her, and sees what’s happening. Josslyn tells him to call 9-1-1, but he tells her to call; he’ll hold it. She makes the call, while Dex presses on Ava’s wound.

Mac tells Felicia, when Dominique was in Shadybrook, no one was allowed to visit her. She finally signed herself out after Taub was killed. Felicia asks if he remembers what kind of mood she was in when she got out, and he says, she was eager to get on with her life. It was a long time ago, but he remembers she was happy and upbeat; there wasn’t a hint of sadness. There’s no way anyone would have suspected she was hiding her child. Felicia says, what if there were no hints because she didn’t know she had a baby? and Mac says, Leopold Taub was a bastard. He would have had no problem taking Dominique’s child away from her, except… She says, except what? and he says, why would Leopold Taub want to hide his own child?

Cody asks if Britt expects him to believe she didn’t like the kiss and doesn’t find him attractive. That’s her story? All the verbal sparring they do; the moments they connect? Did he just misinterpret all the signs? He’s sorry; his bad. He won’t bother her anymore. She knows her way back to the main house. She says, fine. He didn’t make it up. He says, sorry, what? and she says, he was right. She is attracted to him. Sometimes she even likes him. He says, then what’s the problem? and she says, there’s nothing more terrifying than liking someone.

Elizabeth says, she was just lost in her train of thought, and Nikolas says, it happens to everyone, but she says, he doesn’t understand. It’s more than that. She keeps having a memory that doesn’t make sense to her. She had an attack of vertigo in the stairwell… He asks if she needs to see a neurologist, and she tells him, Finn said the same thing, and he wants her to see a psychiatrist. Nikolas says, they don’t sound like bad ideas, but she says she thinks if Finn would stop pressuring her this would all go away. He keeps going behind her back; first with Terry, now with her sister. How is she supposed to react to that? How is she supposed to have a meaningful relationship with someone she can’t trust? Nikolas says, you can’t.

Spencer walks over to the bar, and says, now that is more like it. He’s going to need something stronger than water. Victor says, it’s more than obvious Spencer’s had more than he needs already. Getting sloppy drunk is not only undignified, it can lead to errors in judgment, which can be costly. Spencer says, if Victor wants to lecture on errors in judgement, he’s afraid Victor is talking to the wrong Cassadine, and Victor says, he thought so. Spencer says, he thought what? when Olivia walks in. She says, just a friendly reminder that the festivities are taking place out on the grounds, and Victor says he’s so sorry. He and his nephew were just taking a short break from the all the merrymaking. He hopes she doesn’t mind. She says she’ll take care of a couple of things. It turns out hosting this party is a bigger ordeal than she could have imagined. She leaves, and Victor says, Mrs. Quartermaine seemed out of sorts. He wonders why.

Nina says, hello, friend, and Valentin says, this is the last place he expected to find her. She says she could say the same about him. Last she heard, he was the Quartermaines’ public enemy number one. He says, not all of them. Ned is an ally. Michael’s mad at him, but Drew is yet to be determined. He supposes that’s a long-winded way of saying he’s tolerated. She says, lucky him. Josslyn just tried to throw her out. He says he’s so sorry to hear that. It’s no fun being the target for the ire of youth, especially when they think they’re on the side of righteousness. She says, as she recalls, he was in a similar situation with Spencer. He thought Valentin stole his home and inheritance, and Josslyn thinks she stole Carly’s husband and half of the hotel. He says he assumes she has no regrets about Sonny. How about obtaining half the MetroCourt?

Anna tells Sonny, Victor has intimated on more than one occasion that he has a larger agenda. So if he is, for example, transporting something illegal, he’d have to use the waterfront, in which case, Sonny would most likely hear about it, right? Sonny says, If he had any information on Victor, he’d give it to her. As far as he knows, Victor’s only recent crime has been to bust Spencer out of Spring Ridge to visit his mother’s grave. She asks if Spencer told Sonny that Victor got him out of prison.

On the phone, Josslyn explains they’re at the boathouse by the lake. It’s a woman; she’s been stabbed in the abdomen very badly. Dex says, her pulse is weak, and her breathing is shallow. They have to move her now. Josslyn says, is he kidding? They’ll kill her. But he says, if they don’t get her to a hospital in the next 20 minutes, she’ll be dead already. He tells Josslyn to keep pressure on the wound, and goes inside. She asks what he’s getting, and he says, they have to create a pressure. He starts ripping a shirt, and she asks how he knows all this. Did he go to medical school or something? He says he was a soldier. He did a tour in Afghanistan, and that’s how he knows they don’t have time to wait for an ambulance. If the body loses too much blood, it’s like an engine running without oil, and the body shuts down. He gives Josslyn a piece of material he’s fashioned into a sort-of belt, and tells her to tie it around Ava. He says, if it goes past a certain point, her organs will never recover. It might take a couple of days, but she’ll get through it. He tells Josslyn, good job, and she says, now what? He tells her to keep the pressure on. His SUV is nearby. They’ll carry Ava to the car, and Josslyn will stay in the back, keeping pressure on the wound. He’ll drive. She asks if all this movement won’t hurt Ava more, but he says, they do this, or she dies.

Elizabeth asks if they’re talking about him and Ava now, and Nikolas says, yeah. The whole time he was with her, he kept trying to overcome her trust issues, and get to a place where they could believe in each other. That process proved impossible. He had his part in it, and takes full responsibility for his failures, but in the end, the most hurtful betrayal was all Ava. Elizabeth asks what she did, but he says, the particulars don’t matter. She lashed out and didn’t care what she destroyed in the process. She was vindictive to the very end. Elizabeth asks if he’s saying he and Ava are over, and he says, they’re definitely over. Finn comes along, and says he was looking for her. What happened to her head? She says, it’s not a big deal; it’s just a scrape. Nikolas says, Elizabeth is fine, and Finn asks if he can speak to her alone for a moment, but Nikolas says, now’s not a good time.

Spencer says, sorry, Victor thought what? and Victor says, it’s obvious from the hints Spencer’s been dropping that he already knows his father had sex with Esme. Spencer laughs, and says he can’t believe Nikolas told Victor. Victor says, he and Nikolas have their differences, but first and foremost, they’re Cassadines. They stick together. Spencer says, count him out. He wants nothing to do with his father. When he heard Ava say he slept with Esme… Victor says, Ava told him? That is indiscreet of her.

Valentin asks Nina how she feels about owning that particular hotel. Is she having buyer’s remorse? She says, a little bit. Sonny warned her there would be pushback, and there is. People just assume she bought it out of spite. He asks if Sonny assumes that.

Anna asks Sonny to please tell that he has proof, and he says he did his best to get Spencer to give up Victor, but he refused. He has mixed feelings about that, because on one hand, he wants to break Victor’s hold on Spencer. If he gets arrested, that’s a bonus. On the other hand, he admires Spencer letting him take the easy way out. He’s always emphasized to this boy that loyalty is so important, and always taking responsibilities for his actions. It’s nice to see he’s finally doing it. She says, loyalty, that’s cool. In this instance, given the family he comes from, when it comes to loyalty, Spencer is lucky to have Sonny as a role model.

Mac tells Felicia, Taub was obsessed with money and power. He wanted Dominique so he could control the Stanton fortune. But if Dominique got pregnant with his child, he’d have an even stronger hold on that fortune. So why keep the kid a secret? Olivia runs up, and says, she just got a call from the PCPD. Someone’s been attacked on the property. Mac asks if they were attacked at the main house, but she says, no, on the property. It was a stabbing, and whoever found them decided to take them right to GH. The police are on the way here right now. Mac asks if the police told her the victim’s name, and she says, only that it took place on the property, but the property is enormous. And God knows how many people were at this party. Mac gets on the phone, and says he’s at the Quartermaine estate. He needs information about the attack that was just reported.

Cody says he doesn’t understand what’s scary about liking someone, and Britt says, last year, she finally met someone she could be completely honest with, who she could share her deepest darkest secrets, and he didn’t judge her. Cody says, sounds like a cool dude. Where is he? She says, that’s the thing. The universe finally gave her someone she felt safe to be honest with. Then the universe decided to kill him. He says he’s so sorry, and she says, her too. That’s why she slapped him. It isn’t because the kiss was bad or inappropriate; it made her feel something. And if she’s learned anything about this life, it’s when she feels something good, it only leads to pain, and that’s terrifying. He says, maybe it was just a one-time thing; like the heat of the moment. Maybe if they kissed again, nothing would happen. She woudn’t feel anything, and she’d have nothing to be afraid of. She says, there’s zero logic in that statement, and he says, it’s still just a theory, but there’s only one way to test it out. They kiss.

Spencer says he’s taking off, but Victor says, if Spencer thinks he’s going in search of another beer keg or bar set-up, he’s sadly mistaken. Spencer says, Victor doesn’t have to worry he’ll get so drunk he’ll tell someone about the little day pass from Spring Ridge that Victor arranged. Victor says he’s not worried about that. He’s worried that Spencer will tell someone about his father’s affair with Esme. Unless he already has. Spencer says, if he told anyone his father slept with his girlfriend, that’s a really bad look for him. He’s not that drunk. Victor asks if he’s sure about that. How much can he remember about the last few hours? Spencer says, next to nothing, and honestly that’s how he likes it.

Nina tells Valentin, Sonny just gave her his honest opinion. He warned her about the optics of buying Carly’s half of the hotel. Initially, she thought he was taking Carly’s side, but he was just being a realist. He thought Olivia was going to stay loyal to Carly, and the hotel staff was going to stay loyal to Carly. Right now she’s working on them, but Sonny wanted her to see what she’d be up against, but he also said they’d do it together; that he’d be by her side.

Sonny tells Anna that he appreciates her saying he’s a good role model. There’s a few people in his family who don’t agree with that. She guesses things have been difficult for him since he got back. She’s sorry to hear about his divorce. She knows from her own life that sometimes people truly do have irreconcilable differences, even if at one point they were very much in love. Look at her and Robert. He says, isn’t Robert her best friend now? and laughs. He says he doesn’t think he and Carly can do that, because she has so much resentment toward Nina. She says, he’s not willing to give her up, right? and he asks if she thinks he’s wrong. She says she thinks he’s following his heart. How could that ever be wrong? Her phone rings, and she says she has to take it. Anna says, Jordan… attacked?… She’s here at the Quartermaines’.

Finn says, Nikolas wants to talk about timing? He just left Nikolas’s kid at the main house, and he’s in a bad way. Nikolas might want to check on him. Nikolas says he’s not the right person to help his son, and he doesn’t feel comfortable leaving Elizabeth alone if she doesn’t want to be with him. Finn tells Elizabeth that he’s sorry. He shouldn’t have gone behind Elizabeth’s back. He thought he was helping, but he was so wrong. He just wants to talk. Please don’t shut him out.

As they walk toward the boathouse, Olivia asks if they shouldn’t go to the house and let everyone know what’s happening, but Mac says, the whole estate will have to be searched. The boathouse is the perfect staging area. He tells them, wait here, and looks at the pool of blood where Ava was. He calls dispatch, and tells them he’s at the Quartermaine estate. Send forensics to the boathouse. He found the attack site.

Ava is wheeled into the hospital, and the doctor says medical stuff, and gives the nurses instructions. He wants to do a massive transfusion, and asks for O negative blood. He wants two lines in her, and a lot of stuff with initials. Tell the OR they’re coming up. Josslyn and Dex come in, as Ava is being wheeled away. Josslyn gives Dex his phone, and says, sorry about the blood. He says, it’s okay; it’ll wash off. I have a mental picture of him holding his phone under a faucet. She says, if Ava lives, it’s because of him, but he says, it was both of them.

Cody says, still scared? and Britt says, quaking in her boots. He asks if that means another date is out of the question, but she says she’ll risk it, and leaves.

Anna tells Valentin, Jordan is on her way with forensics. Mac already determined the attack took place at the boathouse. He asks if they know the name of the victim yet, and she says, no, but she figures Jordan will know by the time she gets here. So she’s going to wait and see if they need any assistance. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it, if this is a criminal matter or intelligence. He says, she doesn’t think Victor was involved, but she says, you can’t deny the possibility. He says he guesses it depends on who the victim is, when Anna’s phone dings. She says, it’s Jordan, and looks at her phone. She shows it to Valentin and us, and it says, Ava Jerome.

On the phone, Sonny asks Frank to tell Dex that he knows why Dex did what he did, and he’ll see Dex when he gets there. He tells Nina, he knows why Dex didn’t show up with the paperwork. He found someone stabbed on the property, and took her to the hospital. Nina says, here? That’s awful. Sonny said, her. Was it a woman? He says, it was Ava, and she says, oh my God. He says, she’s in pretty bad shape, and Nina says she needs to be there for her. He says he’ll go with her, and they run out.

Forensics has gotten to the boathouse, and Elizabeth asks Mac, what’s going on? Why are the police here? Mac says, Ava Jerome was attacked tonight. She’s at the hospital. Nikolas says, oh my God, and Finn asks, how bad is it? Mac says, she’s in critical condition; her survival is uncertain. Olivia crosses herself, and by now, Victor and Spencer are there too. Nikolas says he has to get to his wife, but Mac says, hang on. The police are going to need statements from all of them. They’re still determining the time of the attack. They know it happened within the last two hours, and they’re going to need the whereabouts of everyone she was in contact with. We look down the line of possible suspects, although Mason and Austin aren’t among them.

Tomorrow, Brook tells Drew that they’ll think he has something to hide; Jordan asks why Nikolas is so resistant to providing answers; Josslyn tells Trina, something happened to Ava; and Sonny tells someone that neither of them is going to get what they want.

Below Deck Mediterranean

First thing in the morning, Tasha is texting her ex-boyfriend now boyfriend (I think), and Natalya tells Storm, last night was fun, but he got a little emo. She can’t be serious when she goes out. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Storm was a bit tragic last night, but she gets over things quickly. She thinks he’s caring and considerate, and wants to see where it goes. Captain Sandy calls for a preference sheet meeting. Primary Adam is a tech executive in NYC. Joining him is sister Jennifer, and they’re celebrating Adam’s 30th. They want to play with all the water toys, especially the slide, which the captain expects today with the provisions. Storm looks thrilled. Adam wants a water obstacle course for a friendly competition. Dave reads that they want a tasting menu of courses from around the world, and Captain Sandy says, it’s gonna be a fun charter. Storm tells the deck crew they have to move quickly, and Kyle and Natalya do their usual banter.

In the crew mess, Dave whines to Tasha that she couldn’t even look at him last night and it was awkward. She says she’s not ignoring him; she’s just struggling with the situation in her head. He tells her to do her job, and he’ll do his. She says, their jobs require them to work together, and he says he’s tired of pussyfooting around. No more. He’s not dwelling on this, and he deserves better than her. What they had is done. Captain Sandy comes in, and asks if she interrupted something. Should she leave? Tasha says, they were just talking work, but the captain says, clearly there’s tension. Just be patient with each other, focus on the job, and stay professional. In the captain’s interview, she says it’s not the first time she’s had a boatmance that went wrong. She wants her crew to feel supported, but to give them the space to work it out. She also wants them to understand she still has an expectation. When they step up those stairs, she needs to know they can remain professional.

Courtney is hoisted down in the tender, and in her interview, she says she hopes to get the hang of it, but for now, she’s not friends with this tender. You have to press buttons to go forward and reverse. Just f***ing put a throttle in there or something. It’s like patting your head and rubbing your stomach. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, the deck crew has found their groove, and having Courtney is a part of it. They have a rhythm; they’re crushing it. Kyle goes through the preference sheets looking at the photos, and in his interview, he says, this charter is going to test him. Provisions come in, and the slide is on its way. In Tasha’s interview, she’s excited about doing a wine pairing. It takes the service level up a few notches. Tasha texts her boyfriend, while Kyle and Natalya bicker about the laundry. The slide arrives, all 500 pounds of it, and the captain says, guest arrival is in 30 minutes. In Storm’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what he’s going to do. This is a disaster. Jason gives some suggestions about getting the slide on board, and in his interview, he says he’s not entirely green. His problem is in knowing when his input is welcome, and when he’s barking up the wrong tree. Storm radios Courtney and Dave for help. The get the slide into the tender, and Courtney drives it to the boat, then hooks the slide to the crane. In Mzi’s interview, he says, it’s good to see Courtney in her groove, but to be honest, he’s always impressed with her. Everyone gets ready for the guests.

Kyle says, for the first time he’s clammy, and they welcome the guests. In Kyle’s interview, he says, all men with beautiful smiles. Holy hell, Lord save me. There are fancy welcome drinks in pineapples, Tasha gives the tour, and the luggage is brought on board. Kyle toasts, here’s to the queers with the guests. Captain Sandy checks her weather screen, and sees no bumps on the horizon. In Storm’s interview, he says, all docking operations make him nervous at this point, and we flash back to the last one, which was not so good, but this time, all is well. Guest Frank chats up Kyle in the galley; then they move to flirting on deck. In his interview, Kyle says, there is a God. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s going to let Kyle continue to flirt with Frank, but that’s as far as it can go. He needs to be careful. If the captain finds out, he could lose his job over this.

Anchor is dropped into the blue, blue water I long for, and Kyle flirts some more with Frank as he shakes martinis. In Kyle’s interview, he says, they are a professional team and have their limitations. One of those is, don’t get intimate with guests. He could possibly lose his job. A producer suggests he’s being unprofessional now, and he agrees. Fabulous food is made, and in Dave’s interview, he says, this is the hardest job he’s ever done because of the situation with Tasha. They weren’t dating, but it does feel like a break-up. It’s torture on a stick seeing her. He guesses he’s just going to hang in there. A guest says, the food is like art, and the deck crew gets ready to set up the slide. In Mzi’s interview, he says he just remembers the slide is horrible to deal with, and we flash back to that. He says, now it’s four new people who have never done this before, setting it up on a boat that’s never had a slide before. Tasha and her boyfriend text some more, and in her interview, she says, long distance relationships in yachting almost seem impossible. It’s very distracting. In Storm’s interview, he says, he wants people to understand he knows what he’s doing, but he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s never set up a slide before. He’s worked on expedition vessels, small sailing vessels, and charters. Fake it til you make it, baby.

At the table, guest Jennifer says, Frank and Kyle are going to be boyfriends, and she’s going to marry them. Frank says he needs a boyfriend, and I wonder where Kyle is. Captain Sandy tells the deck crew they’re doing a good job, and helps out with the slide. They need more slack, and Storm can’t undo Jason’s bowline, but Jason insists he did it right. Storm says he can’t stand this arguing, and in Jason’s interview, he says, Storm looks like an idiot. Jason goes over to undo the knot, and Storm suggests he tie it properly next time. Jason tells him, f*** off. In Storm’s interview, he says he doesn’t know what Jason tied, but it wasn’t a bowline. Then Jason swore at him. Don’t ever do that. Ever.

The guests discuss Iceland, and the verdict is, it’s all gay and vegan. They get wind of the slide being set up, and get ready for the water. Mzi tells Courtney, Jason told Storm to f*** off, and she says, Jason’s annoying. Kyle finds out Frank is 37, and asks what creams he’s using. In the galley, he tells Natalya, that’s maturity you want, and she says, you never know. He could be the love of Kyle’s life. The guests use the slide, and Tasha tells Dave that the wine-pairing is tonight. Dave is making pasta, and asks for her help. In Dave’s interview, he says he doesn’t know how Tasha thinks she’s doing wine pairing with a buffet. He’s doing street food. Give him a can of beer. Natalya asks if Storm’s up for a cuddle later, and he’s in. It’s been a sh*tty day. He tells her about Jason, and says, he’s out of control. In his interview, Storm says he’s changed his mind about Jason. Since he’s been put in this position, it’s been his biggest challenge as far as team management goes.

Kyle is on break, and the guests ask him to sit with him. He obliges, and asks for the gossip. In Natalya’s interview, she hints at once having had a quickie with a guest. In Jason’s interview, he says he can’t knowingly do something wrong if he knows a better, more efficient way to do it. He’s dealing with an imbecile. In Courtney’s interview, she says, it seems like Jason doesn’t really want to be here. You have to be a team player. Sometimes you don’t want to do sh*t, but you do it because it’s your f***ing job. They pull up the trampoline, and the wind picks up. Storm says they need a secondary line, and calls to Jason, who ignores him. Storm asks if Jason is f***ing kidding him. In his interview, Storm says, Jason’s been insubordinate to him. He guesses it’s up to him to find out what Jason’s good at and what motivates him. He’s still got a lot to learn with Jason.

Tasha goes over the menu with Kyle, and how she’s doing a wine pairing with the buffet. Captain Sandy calls Storm to the bridge, and asks if he knows what an anchor dragging looks like, showing him on the screen. She tells him, that’s what you’re watching for on anchor watch. In her interview, she says she sees bosun material in Storm. He’s great on deck and great with the clients. It’s important she teach him; she wants him to succeed. In Dave’s interview, he says, it’s an around the world dinner tonight, and he wants a street food vibe. Nice one bite wonder food. Dave does that smoke cloche thing for one of the courses, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, the guests’ reaction to the first wine pairing makes her want to keep it going throughout the dinner. She asks if Dave can send things out one at a time since the guests are enjoying the elegance, and he acts like he’s okay with that, but he’s not. In his interview, he says, it’s a huge change. They were doing a buffet, but now it’s a la carte, and going to effect the quality of his food. Tasha’s promised the guests, so it’s not ideal, but he’s sucking it up. The American sliders end up cold, and when Dave reheats them, they literally slide. He says, this is ridiculous. The wine pairing has slowed down service. He’s reheating most of the dishes and his burgers are f***ed. He complains to Tasha that it’s taking too long. A wine gets paired wrong, but the guests don’t notice, so who cares? Dave starts complaining and Tasha radios for help, but everyone else is sleeping. In Kyle’s interview, he says, the last thing you want is service that doesn’t seem seamless. This is poor planning. Tasha insists, it’s not her.

Next time, Kyle in spandex; a mini Olympics; Jason doesn’t respond to his radio; and Tasha’s boyfriend has issues about her working with Dave.

🎶 Over the Moon…

All of it.

https://www.popsugar.com/MTV-VMAs

The winners.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/28/entertainment/mtv-vmas-winners-2022/index.html

Best and worst moments.

https://people.com/music/2022-vmas-best-moments/

https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/the-best-and-worst-of-the-2022-mtv-vmas/

The performances.

https://pitchfork.com/news/vmas-2022-performers-list-see-the-full-lineup-here/

The fashion. You know you want it. Here are four ways to get it.

https://people.com/style/vmas-2022-best-dressed-stars-red-carpet-photos/

https://pagesix.com/2022/08/28/vmas-live-red-carpet-2022-see-all-the-celebrity-outfits/
VMAs 2022 Red Carpet Fashion: See What the Stars Wore
https://www.essence.com/fashion/roundup-the-best-looks-from-the-2022-mtv-awards/

⚰️ The Alpha Of Alpha…

I did wonder why she found it crazy that Lydia believed in fairies. Why not? The dead are walking, for God’s sake. But my main question is, will Beta be in the mix? They owe me that one.

Tales of The Walking Dead Explains Alpha’s Origin

🐄 More Cowbell…

While I can’t promise blue skies tomorrow, I can promise soap, tea, and a little music. Until then, stay safe, stay rooting for the underdog, and stay knowing, human beings come with flaws, even parents, but that doesn’t mean they love us any less.

Aug27

August 26, 2022 – Spencer Is Done With Nikolas, a Temp, Memories, Official, BH Clash, In the Book, Married, Renewed, Joining, Dead Spin, a Goodbye, Moonmen, 8 Great Quotes & Cruel

Posted on by
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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Finn says, one blanket coming up, and walks in to find Elizabeth with his ringing phone in her hand.

Anna says she doesn’t remember the last time the Quartermaines hosted such a… Mac says, rabble? but she tells him, she was going to say event. He says, doesn’t she remember her wedding to Robert, with all the fancy hats that blocked out the sun? and she says, she remembers his girlfriend crashed the party. He says, Dominique always had a flair for the dramatic, when Lucy walks in with Felicia, and says, yes she did. Felicia hands Mac a drink, and says, he needs it more than she does. Anna asks, why? and Mac says, what’s wrong?

Britt asks Austin if she missed anything. Work was no picnic; pun intended. She wants to smack something around. Austin says, the next thing that gets smacked around is going to be her boy toy if he doesn’t stop flirting with his girlfriend. At the grill, Cody asks if Maxie wants some pork, and holds out a pork chop.

Inside, Victor wonders if Valentin brought a decent bottle of Bordeaux. Valentin pours a glass of wine, and says, if he brought a decent bottle of Bordeaux does Victor think he’d be drinking this plunk? The Quartermaines save the good stuff for themselves. He’s surprised to see Victor there. He looks a bit posh for a barbecue. Victor says he’s not there for the cuisine. Their family’s out of order, and Victor has to get them in line. He needs Valentin’s help.

Nikolas kisses Ava, but she breaks away, and says, it’s too late for words. It’s too late for kisses. It’s too late. He broke them the second he had sex with Esme. They see Spencer has walked in, and Nikolas says, Spencer… but Spencer says, don’t. What is Ava talking about? She says, he heard her. His father betrayed her with Spencer’s girlfriend.

Terry sits with her feet in the pool, and Yuri says, apologies. The bar is closed. Terry says, thanks for trying, and tells him, have a seat. He takes off his socks and shoes, and she says she hopes he didn’t mind leaving the party early. He says, the Quartermaines are busy, besides, she’s much better company. He sits next to her, and says, refreshing. She says, nice, huh?

Elizabeth says Finn will want to answer this, showing him the phone. Sarah’s on California time. It might be hard to connect if he doesn’t talk to her now. He takes the phone, and puts it down. He says he’d rather talk to her, and she says, enjoy the rest of his picnic. She starts to leave, and he says, please don’t walk away. Not now. Not like this. Don’t turn away from herself and whatever burden she’s carrying.

Maxie says she’s a vegetarian, and Cody asks if he has any takers. Austin steps up to the grill, and Britt says she didn’t know Cody was a grill master as well as a horse master. Cody says he’s really not, and Britt says she didn’t know he was capable of cooking something without burning it. Cody says he has to keep some secrets before date number two, and tells them that he needs to resupply. Maxie suggests Britt go with him, and Britt and Cody leave. Maxie asks if it’s burnt, and Austin says, it’s… this, indicating the pork chop She asks him to tell her the secret to a good pork chop, and he says, it’s the rub. Mason comes along, and says, nah. Any Gatlin worth his salt knows you can dress a barbecue up, but you won’t get what you want if you don’t turn up the heat.

Mac says, Dominique had a son, and he works for the Quartermaines? and Felicia says, so it would seem. Mac says, impossible. He would have known. Lucy says, what about Scotty? He should have known next. And what about her? She gave birth to Scotty and Dominique’s daughter after all. Anna says, she never gave any indication that she had a son? and Mac says, not once. Felicia says, it’s possible she kept the child a secret to protect him from her husband. Leopold Taub was a controlling monster; he even partnered with Faison. Anna says, a mother will go to any lengths to keep a child secret from an abuser, and Lucy says, you don’t realize who that child will turn out to be as an adult, which is precisely why she called Serena and told her not to come home anytime soon. She wants Serena to stay with her whales until they know more about this Cody person. Mac says, leave it to him, and Felicia follows him out. Lucy says she’s going to help, but Anna grabs her arm, and says she thinks they’ve got it. Besides, Lucy already has one man on her plate. Wait. Make that two.

Spencer says, Nikolas and Esme? but Nikolas says, it’s not the time or the place. Spencer says he’s not moving until Nikolas tells him everything, and Nikolas says, let’s talk about this later. Ava should have been more discreet. Ava says, don’t put this on her, and he says she knew Spencer was standing there. She says she doesn’t have eyes in the back of her head; do not make her the bad guy. They start screaming at each other, and Spencer yells, shut up! He needs to know. If this is just another one of Ava’s lies, that’s fine. Tell him. He knows what she is, and he knows who Nikolas is – his dad. Please… He starts to cry. Please say something. Nikolas says, it’s not a lie. He slept with Esme.

Cody says, it was right here, and Britt says, what? He says, the cooler, packed with burgers, hot dogs, ears of corn. Someone must have swiped it for one of the other grilling stations. She asks if this means his grilling duties are over, and he says, that’s up to Mama Q. She asks, he answers. She says she can’t see Olivia being okay with that nickname, but he says, she loves it. She knows it’s a term of affection. Does Britt have a nickname? She says she does. It’s definitely not a term of affection. He asks what her mother calls her, and she says, a disgrace, but Cody doesn’t believe it. He says, even when Obrecht was smacking him down, he could see her love for Britt. Britt says, mutter has gotten more sentimental these days, but she doesn’t want anyone to know. He says, all right. If she doesn’t want to share her mother’s nickname for her, what was her dad’s?

Maxie tells Mason, welcome. She didn’t think he was going to make it. Mason says he wouldn’t miss it. He needed to see how the other half grills. Besides, Cousin Austin insisted. He didn’t want Mason sitting around twiddling his thumbs. She asks if he’s an expert griller too, and he says, everyone in Pautuck is; some are better than others. He asks if Austin wants to flip over that chop, and Austin suggests Maxie take some food orders; see if her parents want something. Mason says, her parents are here? She should bring them over. He’d love to make their acquaintance.

Elizabeth says, Finn doesn’t know when to quit, does he? She told him… He says, if he brought up whatever’s troubling her again, they’d be over, and she says, so he brought it up with her sister instead? He tells her, he hasn’t said a word to Sarah, and she says, don’t argue semantics with her. He says he’d argue any point he could if he knew it meant helping her, and she says she never asked for his help. She never wanted it; she never needed it. She was just fine without it, but somehow he’s still meddling in her life.

Ava suggests Nikolas talk to his son in private. Here or at Windymere; she doesn’t care. She’s done. Nikolas says she should stay and watch the results of her ambush, but she says, he did this; no one else. He says, this is what she’s always wanted, to see his relationship with his son destroyed. It killed her to see them get close. She says, that’s absolutely not true, and he says, knowing she’d never get the chance to heal with Kiki the way he did with Spencer, but she’s the only one to blame for that. She smacks him across the face, and he says, the truth hurts, doesn’t it? She says, ask his son, and walks out.

Lucy says she agreed to make certain inquiries, so Marty wouldn’t ping on the government’s radar, and Anna says, or more important, his third ex-wife. Lucy says, this is going beyond the pale, but Anna says, not for Lucy. She could lead a master class extract secrets out of people. Lucy says, the old her, not now, and Anna says she’s not asking Lucy to do anything she wouldn’t do. She’s just asking Lucy to exploit the attention that Victor can’t wait to lavish on her. Just shake the tree until information about Valentin comes loose. Lucy asks, what makes Anna so sure she can get Victor to let his guard down? and Anna asks if Lucy has seen the way Victor looks at he. Lucy has the necessary assets to be her asset. Lucy says, nope. Flattery isn’t going to get her anywhere. Anna says, let’s hope for Marty’s sake she’s wrong.

Victor tells Valentin, he’s not asking for much; just another pair of eyes on a developing situation in Nikolas’s family. Valentin says, Nikolas, Ava, and Spencer all loathe him with varying degrees of justification, and Victor says he can’t do everything himself. It’s time his son stepped up and did his duty. If not for him, then for Valentin’s daughter. Valentin says, they agreed to leave his daughter out of this, and Victor says, her temporary stay in that boarding school could easily become permanent. Valentin says, you bastard, when Lucy walks in and asks if she’s interrupting.

Spencer asks Nikolas to please tell him this didn’t happen. He doesn’t understand. Nikolas says, of course (🍷) he doesn’t. Ava vomited that all up… Spencer says, she didn’t know he’d be here. She didn’t know he was standing right behind her. Nikolas says, Spencer doesn’t know that; he doesn’t know that. Never credit or defend Ava; she’s capable of anything. Spencer says, so is Nikolas. When did it start? How long have he and Esme been going at it? Nikolas says, just one time in May. They never repeated it. It was a mistake. Spencer says, Nikolas slept with his girlfriend, and Nikolas tells him, she said they’d broken up. Spencer asks if Nikolas is trying to justify this, but Nikolas says he’s just trying to explain. Spencer says he had his reasons. He had to keep Esme close because he was trying to help Trina. Nikolas says he knows that now; he didn’t know it then. All he knew is Spencer accepted Ava’s offer and took his inheritance over him. Spencer says, is that what this is about? Revenge? Nikolas says, no. He didn’t want to hurt Spencer. Spencer says, it may have actually meant something if Nikolas tried to hurt him, but they’re in the same place they’ve found themselves time and time again. Nikolas didn’t think. He didn’t think about Spencer at all.

Finn tells Elizabeth, he’s in the wrong. She asked him to honor her wishes, and obviously he didn’t. He’s sorry, but the truth is, she’s not the only one he’s concerned about. He’s worried about Violet. She says, how so? and he says, Violet loves Elizabeth and her cousins. When they’re all together, it’s all she talks about for days. Elizabeth makes her so happy. She brings light into Violet’s life, but less so lately. He knows the handling of her health is her decision alone, but he has a decision to make too, and he doesn’t know how to ignore the clear signs that she’s in some sort of distress. She says, it’s her distress, her burden, not his, and he sits. She says, what? and he says, at least they’re finally getting somewhere. She finally admitted she has a burden.

Terry says, Yuri worked for the Quartermaines as a bodyguard. Was it dangerous? He tells her, more, how you say… frustrateous? She says, frustrating, and he says, that. She says, from what she’s heard about the Quartermaines, she’s not surprised. Although she likes and respects Monica. He says, him too, and she says, it looks like they have something in common. She plays with her necklace, and he says, pretty. She thanks him, and says, it was a gift. He says, from a special someone? and she says, her mother. There’s no special someone in her life right now. He says, this is crime.

Austin tells Mason, Maxie’s dad is a cop. He’s Chief of Detectives at the PCPD. Mason says, if there’s any trouble, Austin only has himself to blame. He has obligations to fulfill. To whom much is given, much is required. Austin says, thanks for that, fortune cookie. His dept is repaid. Mason says, his creditors disagree. Ingratitude isn’t a good look on him. He doesn’t think Maxie would find it attractive. Austin says, leave Maxie out of this, and Mason says, he’s the one who brought her up. Or her father, or rather her Chief of Detectives father. He only wants what’s good for Austin. Austin says, the feeling’s mutual, and grabs Mason’s head with both hands, and says, that’s why he’s only going to say this one time. Leave Maxie and her family out of this, or the pain Mason is feeling right now will not be fleeting.

Anna says, she hates being lied to, but Valentin says he’s not lying. She tosses a cornhole sack, and we see his head popping out of the hole, like Whack-a-Mole. It hits him, and he says, ouch. She says, it didn’t look like it hurt quite enough. She’s trying again. Stay still. She hits him with another sack, and he says, ouch. She says, yes, and Maxie joins her. Maxie says, looks like fun, and Anna says, yeah. She gets a sack into the hole, and says, that’ll do.

Lucy says she’s so sorry. She certainly didn’t mean to interrupt a family moment. Victor says, it’s all sorted, and Valentin says, it isn’t, but Victor asks what he can do for her. She says she’s looking for… She sees a jar on the counter, and says, pickles. Outside, gherkins, gherkins everywhere, and not a dill to eat. He says, here you are, sliding the jar over, but slides it back when she reaches for it. She says, he’s playing with her, and he asks how he can resist. Valentin says, will he give the woman her pickles? He’ll see her for s’mores. Victor gives her the jar, but says, no need to rush away, and Valentin says, Martin Grey is probably looking for her. Victor remembers Martin, doesn’t he? Lucy’s boyfriend?

Britt says, back to her father. Surprise, surprise. Cody says, it was an innocent question, and she says he knows she doesn’t like talking about him. Cody says, he thought the boundaries were the Dr. Evil stuff. He didn’t realize, and wasn’t aware, her father was entirely off limits. She says, he’s aware now, and he says, okay, no dad talk. What about her brother? She says, Peter? and Cody says, is he out of bounds, or should they just avoid her whole family and stick with his? She says, good idea, when Felicia and Mac come alone. Felicia says, they’re sorry to interrupt. They’re looking for someone. Mac says he thinks they found him.

Maxie gets her toss in the hole, and Anna says, she’s a natural. Maxie is a natural leader as well. She never said congratulations yet about Deception’s IPO. Maxie thanks her, and says, it was a lot of work, but it helps to have a great team behind you. Anna says, including Valentin? and Maxie says, shockingly. He was a little more involved than she would have liked at the beginning, but he had some great ideas. He’s has been quiet lately. Anna says she noticed that too. She thinks he’s still convalescing from the injury he had a few months ago, and Maxie says, sometimes she thinks he still hasn’t recovered. It’s like his mind is someplace else. With Anna? Anna says, maybe, and Maxie says, what is she doing? She’s supposed to be taking orders. Has Anna seen her mom and dad? Anna says she hasn’t seen them in a while, but there here somewhere, and Maxie asks if she’d like something, but Anna says, she can’t eat when she’s thinking.

Lucy says, it’s the darndest thing. Martin is still out of town. Victor asks if he’s left Lucy unattended again. The man should be tarred and feathered. There is a solution though; allow him. Lucy says she was one leg short for the three-legged race, and he says, all his legs are at her service. Valentin says he’s been trying to reach Martin. Where is her one and only? She says, his mother. He’s so busy taking care of her, he’s had no time to answer her calls or texts. Victor says, a woman of advanced age does need a lot of attention. A dutiful son can be away for some time. Valentin says, he should be back soon, and Lucy tries to open the pickles, but she’s unsuccessful. She says she can’t get this lid unscrewed. Valentin snaps a picture on his phone, and says, if Martin can’t be reached, he’s sure this message will get his attention.

Cody asks if he knows Mac, and Mac says, not exactly. Felicia asks if he’s Cody Bell, and he says he is. She introduces herself and Mac, and Cody says, they’re Maxie’s parents. Nice to meet them. She’s great; he loves that girl. Did they hear about him through Maxie, or… Britt says, don’t be modest. Mac is Chief of Detectives. She’s sure his cops told him how they arrested Cody. Felicia says, to be honest, they only just heard about him, and came right over to meet him. Cody says, why is that? and Felicia looks at Mac. He doesn’t say anything, and she says, they knew Cody’s mother.

Austin keeps his grip on Mason’s head, and says, hurts, right? That’s the parotid nerve. It’s super sensitive nerve, and it hurts even more if you press on it like this. He presses Mason’s head down, and Mason says, let him go. Austin says, he’ll let Mason go as soon as he feels like they they’re understanding one another. Mason says, he can live with the pain – he grabs a knife from the cutting board – but can Austin live with a nicked artery? Austin lets go, and Mason says, blood or no blood, when he calls, Austin will answer, and it will be, yes, sir, and, thank you, sir, when he gives Austin instructions. Got it? Ava comes along, and says, loud and clear.

Nikolas says he knows sleeping with Esme was wrong, and Spencer says, Captain Obvious did it occur to him, not owning up to the truth was also wrong? Nikolas asks, what would be the point in telling Spencer? and Spencer says, not lying would have been the point, but Nikolas says he was more concerned with not hurting Spencer. And it didn’t matter to Esme. Spencer says he knows Nikolas didn’t do this on his own. Esme’s just as responsible. Nikolas says, that’s not what he’s saying. It shouldn’t have happened. Spencer says, he’d really like it if Nikolas would start calling it what it is. It is a betrayal, and there have been so many, including the years Nikolas let Spencer believe he was dead. He’s sick. Nikolas says he’ll never forgive himself for that, but how does sleeping with Esme compare to that? Spencer told Nikolas himself that he was just using her to get Trina out of prison. Spencer says, that is the worst part. Because he stopped loving Esme. She didn’t matter to him, but Nikolas did. He loved Nikolas. Nikolas was his dad and meant everything to him. No longer.

Finn tells Elizabeth, now is the time to get out in front of this thing before it digs in any deeper, before it harms her or someone else. She asks if he’s suggesting she’d hurt someone like she did Chase, and he says, not intentionally, but it’s clear to him that she has a problem. And despite all the denials, he thinks it’s clear to her too. Does she think maybe it’s clear to her boys? How does she think it is for them, seeing their mom struggling, and they can’t help her and don’t know how? And what’s going to happen if they reach out to somebody she doesn’t want them too, like her father? She says, don’t talk about her father. Why can’t he just leave her alone? He says, because he’s been there. He’s been in denial; he’s an addict. He’d probably be dead right now if certain people hadn’t fought through his lies and helped him. That’s why he can’t turn a blind eye when he sees someone in pain. What’s the point of being a doctor? She says, he’s not her doctor. He’s not her anything. She runs out, and he calls after her.  

Elizabeth comes out of the woods, and feels her head. She sees blood on her hands. She hears Finn’s words about her boys, and him asking, what if they reach out to her father? She flashes back to being at the top of the stairs with someone, and saying, don’t talk about my father. The woman asks what she’s doing; they probably don’t want her involved. Elizabeth says, don’t talk about her father. You’ll see what happens if you do. She keeps walking, then stops and looks back.

Cody asks how they knew his mother, and Felicia says, she didn’t know Dominique well, but Mac… Mac says, he and Dominique were friends. He met her when she was married to Cody’s father. Cody says, Mac has his deepest sympathies. From what he’s heard, Leopold Taub was a real piece of work. Mac says, no doubt about that, and Cody promises he’s nothing like that guy, at least as far as he knows, He’s definitely not in a criminal cartel, trying to hold Port Charles hostage. Mac says he doesn’t see a bit of Taub in Cody; plenty of Dominique though. She was a good person. Cody tells him, if you say so, and Mac says he does. Felicia says she’s starving, and suggests they rustle up some ribs. Cody says, the barbecue by the boathouse is out of supplies, so they’ll have to hit up another one. He asks if he can interest Britt in a beer inside, and she guesses it woudn’t hurt. He says, it never does, and tells Mac and Felicia, nice meeting them. Felicia says, him too, and Britt and Cody go into the stable. Cody says, weird guy. Outside, Felicia asks if Mac is okay, and Mac says, why wouldn’t he be? She says, he just lied to Cody.

As she plays with her necklace, Terry tells Yuri, a crystal’s a symbol of transformation. Her mother says, it’s a reminder that change is ongoing. We’re always creating or discovering new parts of ourselves. Sometimes change is big and visible, and sometimes you have to look closely to find it. He says, this crystal is helpful to her? and she says, yes. The clasp is loose, and she needs a new chain, because every time she plays with it – the chain opens and the necklace falls in the water – that happens. Yuri dives in.

Lucy says, Valentin doesn’t have to send Victor those pictures. In fact, she bets she could get ahold of him right now, and make sure he contacts Valentin immediately. As for Victor, she’s so sorry. She just remembered she has to meet Brook, but she sure hopes they can do this again sometime maybe. He holds a pickle spear out to her, and says, no maybe about it. She takes her pickle, thanks him, and leaves. Valentin says, Victor always wants what he can’t have, and Victor says he gets what he wants. It just takes a little patience. But rather than concerning himself with Victor’s personal affairs, perhaps Valentin should focus on his own. Or is Anna proving too hard to handle?

Ava says, good evening, as she walks closer, and Mason puts the knife back. She says, is everything okay here? Mason says, he and Austin were just arguing the merits of medium rare versus well done. She asks what they decided, and Austin says, well done. She says she came out to find a refill, but it looks like she’s out of luck. She looks at them weird, and says, so carry on, gentlemen. She leaves, and Mason starts to follow, but Austin says, don’t even worry about her. Mason says he doesn’t worry, and leaves. Austin follows. I actually get confused for a moment, thinking, aren’t Ava and Austin good friends? But that was Ava and Todd. I mean, Franco.

Nikolas says, Spencer doesn’t mean that. They’ve come too far to let their relationship go. Spencer says, everything he’s done since he came home was to bring them closer; every gamble, every stupid mistake, every act of contrition. All to get his dad back. And for every step he took closer to Nikolas, Nikolas took two steps backwards. There’s no closing that gap now. He thought he knew who Nikolas was, but he doesn’t. He’s done with Nikolas. He walks out.

Mac asks how he lied to Cody, and Felicia says she’s not sure the word friend accurately captures Mac’s relationship with Dominique. He says, ancient history. They guy obviously has mother issues he needs to work out. There’s no reason to add one more thing to his list.

Cody hands Britt a beer, and says, where were they? Oh yeah. She was about to tell him about her brother. She says, no. He was about to ask her if he was allowed to ask about Peter. He says, is he? and she says, stick to your favorite color crayon, worst remake, best Toto song. He says, burnt sienna, he never watches remakes and never will, and Rosanna. She says, Africa, and he says, too obvious. And how is it fair her brother is off-limits, just like when he brings up any of her other family members? She says she thinks about Peter and Faison nearly every day, and talking about them only makes it worse. He takes her beer, and puts it on the table with his, and says, fine. Enough talking. He moves closer to her.

Lucy finds Anna, and Anna asks how it went with Victor. Lucy says, Victor fell for her, hook, line, and pickles, but Valentin was there, so there wasn’t anything of interested revealed. But there’s a heck of a lot of tension between father and son. Anna asks, how so? and Lucy says, she would recognize a thwarted and disgruntled Valentin, but it wasn’t just that. Valentin was going for the jugular when she interrupted them. So her sense is, big daddy has Valentin on a very short leash, and that leash is beginning to chafe. She takes a bite of her pickle, and walks off.

Victor says, he’s noticed Valentin and Anna have become close since Valentin’s return from Tahiti. Has it clouded Valentin’s judgement? Valentin says, he told Victor, he has Anna well in hand, and Victor says, with a little cultivation, he’ll have the lovely Lucy in his hand soon. So a be chum, and delete that photo. Valentin says, yes, father, and does. Victor says, Charlotte would be proud, pats Valentin on the shoulder, and leaves.

Spencer chugs a beer, and goes into the cooler for another. Nikolas asks how much he’s had to drink, and Spencer gives him the standard answer, not nearly enough, but Nikolas says, he’s had plenty. He tries to take Spencer’s beer, and grabs him. Spencer says, let him go, and they struggle. Nikolas says, he’ll never let Spencer go, and Victor comes along, as Spencer breaks away. Spencer says, he’s let Nikolas go. He’s done his last good deed, and now Nikolas can go win Ava back, without even considering Spencer. Good luck. Spencer leaves, and Victor says, what the hell? What just happened? Nikolas says, Ava happened. Oh, I see. Nikolas has changed not-at-all, and is going to blame all his mistakes on Ava.

Mason walks through the boathouse, and says, he thought she came this way. Austin says, can’t he just let this go? but Mason says, she heard them. Austin says, she heard a family squabble, but Mason says, it was more than that. Austin says, Ava doesn’t know that, and Mason says, he can’t take the chance, and neither can Austin.

Yuri brings back Terry’s necklace, and sits next to her again. He says, it’s only water; it will dry. She laughs, and he says, wear it? She says, of course (🍷), and he puts it on her.

As Ava walks, we see someone take a pair gardening gloves, and  a hook is taken from a row of them. Ava says, to Windymere. Living there was nice while it lasted. Hook guy comes up behind her, and she says, if Scotty’s worth his fee, he’ll pry it from Nikolas before the divorce. To divorce. The hook comes down, Ava doubles over. She looks down to see it sticking out of her stomach.  

On Monday, Cody asks Britt, what’s so awful about them being into each other; Finn tells Elizabeth, don’t shut him out; Sonny tells Anna, he can neither confirm nor deny that; and Ava asks someone not to leave her.

😴 Ho-Hum…

Temp Michael is coming back. Again.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/michael-on-general-hospital-recast-with-robert-adamson-again

💖 Charming Remembrance…

She’s also celebrating her 45th GH Anniversary.

GH’s Leslie Charleson Shares Fond Memories of Stuart Damon

💑 She Likes Him…

I’m glad Sutton has found a man. He seems like a good match for her.

PHOTO: Sutton Stracke Becomes Instagram Official With Boyfriend Sanjit Das! See RHOBH Star’s Post

💎 A Feud In Them There Hills…

Diana needs to take a step back, and Garcelle needs her own show. Google me is one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time.

https://www.distractify.com/p/garcelle-beauvais-diana-jenkins-feud

https://heavy.com/entertainment/real-housewives/diana-jenkins-bully-garcelle-son/

I actually don’t believe this, but then again, who knows?

https://screenrant.com/why-rhobh-fans-diana-used-bots-attack-garcelle/

☎️ Another Number…

I’m not sure why this isn’t in the Who Cares? file. It’s not like they were all kinkballs. At least I hope not.

https://pagesix.com/2022/08/24/caroline-stanbury-accused-of-being-in-jeffrey-epsteins-black-book/

👰🏻 Knot Officially Tied…

She finally did it. I wish them the best.

https://people.com/tv/vanderpump-rules-stars-scheana-shay-brock-davies-get-married/

🐉 That Was Quick…

I’ll have to hurry up and watch this. The article also contains a recap video.

House of the Dragon Renewed: HBO’s Game of Thrones Prequel Gets Season 2

☠️ Oh Boys…

Another one I have yet to watch. Now there’s even more incentive.

‘The Boys’: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Joins Season 4 Cast

⚰️ Spinning…

I see the both of them are also producers. Smart move.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/walking-dead-maggie-negan-spinoff-new-title-dead-city/

🥀 Goodbye To a Peachy Guy…

He was one of those actors who was in everything too.

https://people.com/tv/beverly-hills-90210-actor-joe-e-tata-dead-at-86/

🎶 On Sunday…

I don’t know if this is everything you need to know, but it’s a lot.

https://ew.com/awards/mtv-video-music-awards-2022-everything-to-know/

📣 Quotes of the Week

Look around you. Everything changes. Everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing and changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant. – Steve Maraboli

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. – Frederick Douglass

I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man. – George Washington

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use. – Søren Kierkegaard

I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature. – Paulo Coelho

The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state… Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. – James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

My responsibility to myself, my neighbors, my family and the human family is to try to tell the truth. – Toni Cade Bambara

We were good before things went bad. – Silas Clay (Michael Easton, 2013-1015), General Hospital

🏃🏽‍♀️ Never Gonna Break My Stride…

Time to kick back and fill your head with good things. Take in some nature. Or if you’re a rural dweller, take in some concrete. Inviting both city and country mice to join me on Monday for some soap and what’s on Deck in the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay not limiting your friendships to those who think like you, and stay not keeping all the good stuff for yourself.

Aug26

August 25, 2022 – Love Is In the Air At the Quartermaine Picnic, Shep Turns On the Charm & State

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Drew and Carly kiss, while way too LOUD music plays. He asks if they should be doing this, but she says she doesn’t know and doesn’t care. He says, him neither, and they go back to it.

On the phone, Olivia says, this cannot be happening, and Sonny asks, what’s going on? Leo tells him, all the desserts for the picnic have gone missing, and Olivia says, they do understand these are frozen desserts, right? In this heat, she’s going to be serving her guests puddles… No, wait… She says, they put her on hold. Unbelievable. Sonny says, missing desserts? and she says, he’s got people, right? Do something.

At the pool, Obrecht asks if Nina is sure, and Nina says, yes. Scotty says, God knows he has no love for Sonny, and Obrecht says, God and everyone in Port Charles. Scotty says, if Nina wants to chase after him… and Nina says, they both mean well, but she’s not welcome at the Quartermaines. And the truth is, the feeling is mutual, so if they want to go… Obrecht says, not if it means meeting the man who put the dent in her Scotty’s nase, and Scotty says, that Cody Bell is working for the Quartermaines. He’s a stable hand, shoveling manure, but if his schnitz wants to go, he’ll go. Nina says, it’s unanimous; they stay here. She’s sitting back and enjoying her half of this beautiful hotel. A woman comes running in, and says, they have a disaster on their hands.

Ava walks into one of the many Quartermaine living rooms to find Victor shaking martinis. He asks if this is what she’s looking for.

Nikolas looks for Ava at the stable, asking why she took off like that. They were having fun. Spencer is sitting on the steps, and says, maybe that’s the problem. He can’t say he blames her. Nikolas says, that would be a first, and Spencer says, who wants to put their heart out there only to have it crushed? Nikolas asks whose heart they’re talking about.

Elizabeth says, admit it, but Finn says, never. She says, he’s glad she talked him into coming here, and he says he’d go anywhere with her. She asks why he’s so sweet, but he says he’s not. It’s just the truth. He kisses her, when Terry comes along, and says, that’s more like it.

Sonny says he knows people in the trucking business. Does Olivia want him to track down a delivery? Leo says, maybe the truck driver drank some too, and fell in love, and Sonny asks what he’s talking about. Olivia asks if he remembers Nonna’s Sicilian Thunderbolt, and he says he hasn’t thought about that in ages. She said the original recipe came from Cupid himself. Leo says he put it in the lemonade, and Olivia shrugs and laughs.

Drew and Carly kiss their way into the boathouse.

Sonny says, Leo spiked the lemonade? and Leo says, Brook and Chase drank it. Olivia says, they don’t know who drank it actually. Leo meant it for Dante and Sam, but then the whole thing got mixed up. Sonny says, anybody could have had a drink, but don’t worry about it; it’s harmless. Leo says, Olivia told him it was magic, when Yuri walks in, and says, still no delivery truck. On the phone, Olivia says, yes, this is Olivia Quartermaine. She has a picnic and there are people outside waiting for desserts… Yes, she used a vendor she’s used multiple times. Please tell her the delivery is on the way… It’s where now?

Nina asks if the woman needs a paper bag, but she says she’s okay. Nina tells her, inhale… Now exhale slow. Perfect. Now tell her what happened. The woman says, the new chef threatened to quit, and Scotty asks if someone asked for ketchup for the dover sole, but Nina says he’s not helping. The woman says, there was a huge delivery of ready-made desserts, and Nina says, Jamika was offended because she brought over her own pastry chef. The woman says, they’d never get desserts from the outside, and Nina says, of course (🍷) not, but she knows who would on a special occasion like today. She and Obrecht both say, the Quartermaine picnic, and Nina says, Olivia must have gone through their vendor, and they mistakenly delivered it here. This is what she needs the woman to do. Concentrate. Go to Jamika and tell her it was a mistake, and it will never happen again. Go. Run. Faster, faster, faster, faster. She says she’ll have to redirect this delivery, and Obrecht says, these things happen of course (🍷), but why not take advantage? Nina asks, how? and Obrecht says, ride to the rescue herself.

Ava says, he read her mind, and Victor hands her a martini. He says, let’s sit while we reach an understanding, and she says she certainly understands his nephew. Every time she gets close to Nikolas, he proves himself to be… Victor says, human? and she says, a Cassadine. He says, their family is complicated, and she says, that’s one word for it. He asks if the same can’t be said for hers, or has Ava Jerome never fallen from grace? She says she’s fallen all right, more times than she cares to count. She’s never pretended to be a saint. He says, she just wants to be married to one, and she says she just wants to be married to someone who doesn’t have sex with his son’s girlfriend. Is that really too big of an ask? He says he doesn’t condone his nephew’s behavior, but it does take two to tango. They both know Esme is more than capable of seduction, and taking advantage of a weak moment. She’s quite the manipulator that one. Ava says, was, and he says, from her lips. Let’s assume she’s right. Then she’d have nothing left to fear from the late Miss Prince, so she must be afraid of something else. Could she be afraid of being hurt again?

Nikolas asks how things are going with Trina, and Spencer says, they don’t. Nikolas says, Spencer hasn’t told her that he was on her side all along? and Nikolas says, why bother? His plan was a fail. He didn’t get the goods on Esme, and hurt Trina in the process. Nikolas says, it’s not Spencer’s fault that Esme vanished, and Spencer says, not that he misses her or anything, but his big chance to be a hero vanished with her. What a complete waste of time. Nikolas says he thinks it was pretty heroic. Spencer got on the stand and testified, knowing he’d be sent back to prison, and he bets Trina thinks so too, even if she doesn’t want to admit it. Spencer says, Trina’s over him; she’s moved on, and he’s happy for her. As for Pentenville, he’s almost looking forward to it. Nikolas asks how he can say that, and Spencer says, because no one is going to miss him. Nikolas says, that’s not true, and Spencer says, grandmother? She’s not even in the country. Nikolas says he was talking about himself.

Elizabeth says she’s sorry she was so hard on them the other day, but Terry says she understands. Elizabeth walked in on them talking about her; that’s never fun. Elizabeth says, it just felt like they thought they knew her better than she knows herself, and Terry says, they were just concerned. Elizabeth says she knows, but it’s all good. She and Finn are in a good place, right? Finn flashes back to calling Dr. Webber, and saying that he needs a consult about someone they have in common, and Elizabeth says, feel free to chime in. He says, right, a great place, and Terry says she’s glad. She heard about the accident – she indicates Elizabeth’s bandaged hand – and Elizabeth says she was careless with a collection tube. She would much rather talk about something else. Or she should say, someone. Terry says, anyone in particular? and Elizabeth says, yeah, Terry.

Drew kicks the door shut, and Carly takes his apron off. He asks if she doesn’t want him to leave it on, and she says, that would be a look. He says she has no idea how many times he’s pictured this, and she says, he has? He says, hasn’t she? and she says, only about every 30 seconds, and he says, he’s thought about it every 5. They get busy, as the flames from the grill burn out of control.

Sonny asks if Olivia has a copy of the order, and she says, she has it on her phone. He can see the address of the house right there. He says he sees what she did. She checked the delivery address the same as billing by mistake. She says, basically she had it sent to herself at the hotel, and Yuri says he can go over and clear things up. He’s happy to help. She says she appreciates it, but he doesn’t work here anymore; he’s a guest in their home. She’ll call and see if someone can bring it. They hear beeping, and Olivia says, it’s her security app. It looks like there’s a fire at the boathouse. Sonny says, don’t panic. He’ll check it out.

Obrecht says, it’s an opportunity, but Nina says, absolutely not. Michael and Willow made her feel like a common criminal, banning her from seeing Wiley, and Olivia has been openly hostile to her since she bought Carly’s half of the hotel. Now they’re at the Quartermaines having this really great picnic for charity when she was pointedly not invited. So why would she go out of her way for them? Obrecht says she’s looking at this from the wrong angle. Nina has the upper hand. Either the picnic is a total bust, as they say, or they have Nina to thank for its success. Scotty says, her aunt’s a genius. Make them beg for those cream puffs. Obrecht says, and when Nina saves the day, they owe her, and Scotty says, yes, they do – big time. Nina says, they’re both evil, and they both say, yes. Scotty says, they work at that, and Nina says, they have a point. Are they coming or not? Obrecht takes Scotty’s arm, and says, let’s roll.

Victor says, while they’ve all been squabbling about who slept with who, he’s been keeping his eye on the prize, and Ava says, which is? He says, keeping this family intact, and she says, he’s always there when they need him, after he makes damn sure they do. That’s not love; that’s control. He laughs, and says he’s always admired her clarity. Though at times cynical, she’s always the pragmatist. She has her priorities in order, which is another reason she’s a good match for his nephew. Nikolas always thinks with his heart… She says, and other organs, and he says he knows she’s been horribly wronged. He’s deeply disappointed in his nephew. What man in his right mind would cheat on her? And with Esme of all people. But anger, no matter how righteous, must be tempered with common sense, which is why he wants to make himself abundantly clear. When you attack one Cassadine, you attack us all. Now they can either be enemies or family. Ask herself, does she really want it to be the former?

Nikolas says he can’t speak for everyone, but he’ll miss Spencer terribly. Spencer says, really? and Nikolas says, they’ve come a long way since Spencer first came home. Spencer says, translation: when he came home, he was on a mission to make Ava miserable. If only he’d known how skilled they were at doing that for themselves. Nikolas says, it could have saved Spencer some time. He won’t give up on Ava… or Spencer. He thinks he knows why Spencer picked this place to hide out at. Spencer says, he’s not hiding… Okay, maybe he’s hiding. He comes down the stairs, and Nikolas says, horseback riding. It’s where Spencer feels free, without a care in the world. Spencer says he’d really love to have that feeling right now, and Nikolas says, when Spencer gets out of Pentenville, they’re going to fly to Greece, and ride on the beach. They’re going to feast on moussaka and souvlaki, and all the seafood they both can handle. Spencer says, that’s a nice picture. Definitely something to frame and hang on the wall. He’s sorry, but he just can’t see it. He walks out.

Terry says, her love life? and Elizabeth asks why it’s a surprise. Terry says, because it’s essentially non-existent. Elizabeth says, no word from Chet, but Terry says, they spoke this morning actually. He’s doing well. The new job is everything he hoped for and more. She’s happy for him. Finn says, but it’s not easy letting go, is it? and she says, it’s a little easier when you know it’s the right thing to do. Anyway, enjoy the picnic. Elizabeth says, her too, and Terry leaves. Finn says, oy, and Elizabeth says, Terry puts on a brave front, but she really wanted things to work out with Chet. The next time she forgets how lucky they are, please remind her. He says he won’t let her forget in the first place.

Carly and Drew are busy making out on the boathouse couch, when Olivia and Sonny arrive. Olivia asks what they do. Should she grab some water from the lake? Sonny says, the water will make it worse; he’ll get some dirt. He grabs a convenient shovel, and dumps dirt on the grill. Carly says, what’s that? and Drew says, the grill. She says, oh my God, and he pulls her up. They run outside, and Carly asks, what the hell happened? Olivia says, they had a situation here. Who was on grill duty? Drew says, that would be him.

Nina calls for Olivia, but Leo says, his mom’s not here. She asks if he knows where she can find Olivia, and he says, she used to be Wiley’s grandmother. She says she still is, but she knows who he is. She heard about that play he’s doing; it sounds like so much fun. She’s sure he’ll steal the show. He tells her, his mom said she stole Aunt Carly’s business, and she asks if he knows where his mom is. She has something for her. Yuri comes in, and says, she’s at the boathouse. Leo says, she’s putting out a fire with Uncle Sonny, and Nina says, fire? Yuri says he can take her, but she says she knows where it is, and runs out.

Finn tells Elizabeth, it’s like what he and Violet talk about sometimes at bedtime. Happy endings are hard to come by. They take work, and sometimes you take a wrong turn on the way to grandma’s house, and you run into the Big Bad Wolf… What is he talking about? Elizabeth laughs and says she doesn’t know, but whatever it is, good thing those obstacles are behind them. Scotty and Obrecht come along, and Scotty asks, why the long faces? Obrecht says, don’t they know love is in the air?

Ava says she’d love to get on Victor’s good side, if only he had one, and he says, don’t be misled by his helping hand the other day. It was not a vow of loyalty. She says, sounds like a threat. If she doesn’t play along, he’ll reveal her little secret? He says, so murder is a little secret now, is it? and she says, it was an accident. He says, of course (🍷) it was, and no threat. He’s merely trying to point out secrets have a way of being revealed, and should that happen, who would she turn to? Julian is gone. Sonny may be Avery’s father, but that’s as far as their relationship goes. She says, he’s certainly done his research, and he says, face it, there’s no one. She says, except him? and he says he was thinking more of his nephew. Nikolas would take a bullet for her and she knows it. She says, that ship has sailed, but he says, then she’d better get back on board. Nikolas comes in, and says, there she is. He’s been looking for her everywhere. What’s going on?

Olivia says, thank God Sonny was here, and Sonny says, that grill’s going to need some serious cleaning. Olivia says, people don’t want dirt burgers for dinner? and Carly says, probably not. Drew apologizes, and says he got a little distracted and left the grill unattended. It’s completely and totally his fault. Carly says she was there too, but Olivia says, all that matters is everyone is safe. Nina runs to Sonny, throwing her arms around him, and he says he’s fine. Nina tells him, Yuri said there was a fire, and she kept thinking about the Tan-O, but there’s no fire here. What was burning? Drew says, just the grill, and Carly says, they were in the boathouse and didn’t realize things got out of control. Nina says, so this is a whole overreaction. For the record, she’s not crashing their party; she brought desserts. Olivia says, the truck is here? but Nina says she had them load the desserts in her car because they had another delivery to make. Carly says, her timing couldn’t be more perfect, and Nina says she sees that. Sonny says he’ll help unload, and Olivia says, no more grilling for Drew. Carly and Drew are left alone, and they smile at one another.  

Elizabeth says, give them a break. She and Finn have catching up to do in the romance department. Obrecht says she sees Finn insists on wearing black, even to a picnic, and Finn says, he tries to avoid grass stains, and Scotty says he could wear mustard yellow as long as he puts a smile on Elizabeth’s face. Finn says he’s doing his best, but Elizabeth says, better than that. She tells them to have fun, and leaves with Finn. Scotty asks, what’s the verdict? Is she sorry she came? Obrecht says she’s only there are so many people in attendance. She wants her man all to herself. He says he thinks that can be arranged, and tells her, come on.

Victor says, he and Ava were just having a friendly drink, and Ava says, so friendly. She’ll leave them to talk. Victor says, please stay; both of them. He was just headed out anyway. He takes out a cigar, and says, such a lovely night. And a remember, on an evening like this, anything is possible, even new beginnings. He leaves, and Ava says, that uncle of Nikolas’s is a real peach. Nikolas asks what Victor did, and she says, he threatened her. Not that he’d ever admit it. He says, threatened her how? and she says, short version. She’s to stay in this sham of a marriage or else. He says, it doesn’t have to be a sham; not if they don’t want it to be. They enjoy each other’s company. They were having so much fun. Don’t say she didn’t feel it. She asks if he really thinks lawn games make up for what he did to her, and he tells her, he’s just saying he thinks still work. He loves her, and deep down, he thinks she loves him too. She says, he’s delusional. Unlike his uncle. Victor did say one thing that made sense. She can count on no one but herself. Nikolas says she can count on him.

Carly says, Drew left his apron inside, but he says he doesn’t feel like much of a chef for torching those burgers. She says she thinks he’ll get another chance to show off his skills, and he says he hopes so. That was… She says, unexpected? and he says, was it? She says she doesn’t think a grill fire was on the itinerary, and he says, it’s his mess, he’ll clean it up, but she says, it’s our mess. She’ll help. He says, if she insists, and she says she does.

Sonny says, Nina  saved the day, and Nina says, her and her carload of desserts. He asks if she saw Olivia; she was losing her mind. She says she thinks he saved the day putting out that fire, but he says, it’s not like the estate burned down. She says, you never know. A spark could turn into something much bigger. Speaking of which, did he notice what was happening over there? He says, at the boathouse? and she says she could be wrong, but there’s definitely something going on between Carly and Drew.

Carly and Drew clean up, and Carly says, fires are scary, so wild and unpredictable. He says, yeah, but he gets why people are drawn to them; the heat, the movement, the color. When they’re not hurting people, they can be beautiful. She says, in a fireplace, where they’re lit and contained. It’s the ones that get away that are dangerous; lethal even. They can cause damage to things you didn’t even think about. He asks if she’s talking fire safety or them, and I don’t know if I can take much more innuendo.  

Finn and Elizabeth walk into the stable. He’s looking at his phone, and she says, he’s not on call. He says, he’s not on call, and she takes his phone, putting it on a table. She says, no phones, and he says, now that they’re here, what would she like to… She pulls him to her, and they kiss. He lifts her onto the dining table, and they kiss some more, with the door wide open behind them. She says, wow, and he says, that was wow. She says, it’s been a while since he kissed her like that, and he says, shame on him, but she says she likes to be taken by surprise. If every kiss was a knee buckler, their knees woudn’t buckle anymore. He says he wishes he had the words to tell her what she means to him. All he wants is for her to feel safe and happy. She says, then he’s in luck,  because she does. And it’s all because of him. They kiss again.

Outside, Victor sees Spencer, and says he was worried Spencer wouldn’t make an appearance. Spencer says, he might as well have stayed home. Everyone’s already looking at him like he’s behind bars. Victor says, nonsense, and Spencer says, either they’re looking at him like they feel sorry for him, or avoiding him altogether. Victor says, everybody? and Spencer says, not his father. He said all the right things. victor says, let him guess. And Spencer pushed him away, and Spencer says, he’s sorry, but there’s nothing his father can do. Victor says, that may be, but did Spencer ever wonder if there was something he could do for his father? His father loves him, and is going to be losing him soon. He has no idea what the next few months are going to look like. So maybe in the time Spencer has before he goes, he might stop feeling sorry for himself, and think about Nikolas.

Ava says, don’t, and Nikolas says, don’t what? Does she want him to lie and say he’s fine with them sleeping in separate bedrooms, because he’s not. She says, that’s her best offer, and he says, then he rejects her offer. They were having fun together; laughing and joking. She says, because they were pretending, but he says he wasn’t. He thinks if she dared to be honest with herself, she wasn’t either. It was them at their best, husband and wife, working together, not against each other. She says, she’s not the one who cheated. He’s the one who cheated, and not with just anybody. With someone she detests. He says he’s not trying to erase what he did. He made a terrible mistake. One that he has to own, and does. Can they move forward at the same time? They can remember what they had when it was good, and build on that. It’s their choice. They can wake up tomorrow and start over. It just requires a huge leap of faith. He’s willing to take that step. Is she?

Nina tells Sonny, she’s not the only one who sees it. There’s a vibe between Drew and Carly. Sonny says, okay, and she mimics him, saying, okay. He asks what she wants him to say. Whatever they’re doing is their business. He’d much rather discuss her. She says, what about her? and he says, the fact that she’s here, and he likes it. She says she likes him… a lot, and they kiss.

Drew says he didn’t meant to put Carly on the spot, but she says, he’s right. She was absolutely talking them. Can she be honest? He says, always, and she says she’s 50/50 about the fire breaking out. Part of her of course (🍷) didn’t want it to happen, but what was going on in the boathouse was incredible, and she didn’t want it to stop. He says, agreed, and she says, but another part of herself says, it was a gift; a chance to step back and breathe. See what they have now, and figure out if they’re willing to risk it. That being said, he’s one hell of a kisser. He says, back atcha, and she leaves.

Olivia pops pieces of marshmallow in her mouth, and tells Leo, she can’t think of a better way to end the day than with s’mores, can he? He asks if he can have two, and she says, that depends. Did he have any other desserts today? He says, no, and she says, okay, then he can have two. He’s still wondering who drank his Sicilian Thunderbolt, and she asks if he thinks there are any lovestruck picnic goers wandering around the grounds. He says, does she? and she says, that depends. Did he make it exactly the way Nonna made it? He says he thinks he did, and she says, well, then there just might be.

Yuri sees Terry, and they smile at one another. We see the tray of cups and hands taking them. Two of those hands belong to Yuri and Terry, who sip from their cups. Back to the present, he says he doesn’t even know her name, and she says she’s Terry. He says, nice to meet her. He’s Yuri. He holds out his arm, she takes it, and they walk together.

Elizabeth says, there’s got to be a blanket in here somewhere, and Finn says, it’s 82… Oh, a blanket. Don’t move, not even an inch. She says, Scout’s honor, and he goes in the back. She breaks her promise and closes the door, because somebody had to. Finn’s phone rings, and she looks at it, seeing a call coming in from Sarah Webber. Rut-roh.

As they walk into a clearing, Scotty says, see what he sees? and Obrecht says, nothing. He says, hear what he hears? and she says, nothing. He says, they now have the privacy they wanted, and she says, what, pray tell, is he going to do with it? He tells her, close those beautiful blue eyes first, and he’ll show her. He takes her face in his hands, but she looks behind him, and sees Victor. Victor says he hopes he’s not interrupting, and Obrecht says she hopes he plunders into a patch of poison ivy. She tells Scotty, come, and he asks where they’re going. She says, anywhere but here, and drags him off.

Nikolas says he knows Ava needs more than marginal proof. He’ll start with this. He kisses her, and she can’t resist for a moment, but then she says, no. It’s too late for words. It’s too late for kisses. It’s too late. He broke them the moment he had sex with Esme. They hear footsteps, and Spencer comes in from the doorway.

Tomorrow, Terry says it looks like she and Yuri have something in common; Victor says he’s got to get them in line, and needs Valentin’s help; and Finn tells Elizabeth not to turn away from the burden she’s carrying.

Southern Charm

At Auldbrass, after Shep and Craig get done screaming at one another, the dinner bell rings. Taylor suggests Shep apologize to Craig, but gets a hard no. The table is gorgeous – all autumn flowers and colors – and it goes without saying, is wasted on this group. In Olivia’s interview, she says she’s hella uncomfortable. She dealt with the bullsh*t with Austen and Madison, and now he and Ciara hung out. Define hung out. Whitney says they’re going to have some amazing wine and soul food. He has friends there who make the most amazing soul food they’ve ever had. He tells Craig that they don’t hate him, and they toast to positive vibes. Shep doesn’t like cucumbers, and tosses them out of his plate onto the ground, like the spoiled brat he is. In Leva’s interview, she wonders if they could stop fighting. She just wants to have fun. Whitney says, let them eat, drink… and Olivia says, remarry, as his mom says. Taylor tells Shep that at one point he doubted Craig with the pillows, and he’s obviously succeeding. Shep says, it’s not about that, but she thinks it is. He says he’ll never say he’s sorry, but she tells him that he has to rise above his ego. Marcie tells Naomie, Shep should say he’s sorry he made Craig feel that way, even if he doesn’t mean it, and Naomie says, Shep just can’t help it. Shep and Craig step aside, and Shep tells Craig that he’s sorry for all the sh*t he said. Craig wonders why they just can’t acknowledge that they don’t see eye to eye and have differing opinions on almost everything. They have to be okay with that. Craig says he loves Shep, and they bro hug.

Austen says, why blah-blah-blah? and Olivia asks if they’re doing this now. Craig comes back to the table, and Austen asks if Shep apologized. Craig says he did, and makes the observation that people act out because they’re not happy. Austen says, Craig did it too; he was lashing out. Craig asks why Austen is defending Shep when he’s always had Austen’s back. He thought they were good. Austen says, this is first level delusion, and in his interview, he says, Craig is on a trip with his ex, who’s hooking up with Whitney, and Craig turned his anger to him. Craig needs to look in the mirror and see he’s a-hole number one. Craig says, they’re all crazy, and he doesn’t want to be around this negative behavior. Craig tells Austen that he’s a crazy person, but Craig is the one with an insane look on his face. He says, for the record, he and Austen aren’t friends anymore, and Venita says, that’s a lot. Craig says, these people are crazy; it’s nuts. He walks toward the house, saying, what’s wrong with these people? More food comes, and Craig comes back. He says, there’s one person who needs to apologize, and he knows who he is. Olivia says, well? and Austen says, wow. Crickets chirp, and finally Naomie says, how about them Metsthe food is incredible. Whitney says, they have the rec center set up especially for Craig. He’s looking despondent… pissy. Naomie tells Craig, stop being mad, and Taylor says, leave his bullsh*t. Nobody hates him. Craig says, there’s a person who needs to apologize, and Whitney says, Craig is being a Debbie Downer. Craig says, classic projection, and Olivia suggests Austen apologize so they can enjoy night, but Austen says she’s not putting that on him. Craig screamed like a crazy person, and Olivia is taking his side. He’s not even. He’s out of here.

Austin wakes up saying, f*** you, Craig. Olivia calls Leva, and says, their cabin looks like spring break. Leva asks what she missed, and we see a clip of Leva saying she’s going to bed and Venita saying she’s not about to do this all night. The two of them leave, and in Leva’s interview, she says, is she going to sit and listen to them scream or go home and cuddle with one of her Lemars? She’s going home. In Venita’s interview, she says, they can have their fighting. She’s going to need more than a spa day to get over Auldbrass. Olivia tells Leva that she sat next to Austen at dinner, but she didn’t even get to talk to him about Ciara. He can’t have girlfriend expectations of her when he’s going out with someone else. There’s an amazing breakfast spread – food porn! – and Leva asks if Austen and Olivia are going to talk today. Olivia says she wasn’t chasing after anyone in these woods last night. Austen disappeared, and they went to a magical rec room. We see a clip of Whitney taking them to a well-equipped game room, and telling them, they have snacks, liquor, bowling… Olivia says, they bowled and played basketball. It was so much fun. Naomie and Whitney kept disappearing. We see a clip of Craig carrying a sword. He bangs on Whitney’s bedroom door and yells, and Naomie’s voice says he sounds like a crackhead. Craig says he’s the guard of the house, and hopes they find happiness. He’ll protect the gates. Craig calls Paige, and says, apparently everyone knew Whitney and Naomie were hooking up. He guesses they’re a thing now, so why keep it a secret? He found an antique sword, and he was banging on Whitney’s door, telling him to come party with his friend, and Naomie’s voice told him to go to f***ing bed. Paige says, can you imagine talking to your ex while the guy you’re doing it with is next to you? Whitney sees Naomie walking toward the house, and tells Austen that her gait has elegance. When she comes in, Whitney tells her what he just said, and she doesn’t understand, thinking he’s talking about a gate. He says, the way she walks, and she asks if it’s weird, but he says, she has elegance. He tells her that they have an incredible chef, and she goes to the kitchen. Austen winks at Whitney, and asks what they did last night. Whitney says, they drove around the property; the moonlight was beautiful. Then they had a glass of wine, but Craig interrupted them. Whitney sits with Naomie, and thanks her for being a loyal and good friend. She’s a good shoulder to cry on; a naked shoulder. She face palms. Craig comes in, and goes to get food. Austen wonders what kind of person acts normal after a psychotic break. Whitney says, he knows it’s not normal, but doesn’t care.

In Naomie’s interview, she says, of course she should have known Craig and Austen’s lovers quarrel would continue. Austen says he hates Craig, and with a German accent, Whitney says he wants to do American pedestrian games. Craig gets in a hammock with Shep, and Shep dumps him out. Whitney says he’s too old for this sh*t. Agreed.  Shep asks if Olivia is still mad at Austen, and she says she is. In Olivia’s interview, she wonders why she should be upset when she doing something Austen encouraged, and he was just going to play naked Twister with his ex. The group decides to do an egg toss, and Shep says he’s going to win. They called him Old Egg Toss in college. They argue, and Whitney says he’s not playing. He wonders why they’re not on the tennis court. Marcie is the referee, and John is paired with Austen. They’re out first, then Shep drops the egg that Naomie tossed to him, so they’re out. The egg doesn’t break though, and Taylor steps on it, causing Shep to have a hissy fit. She says, it fell, but he says, that’s not the name of the game, and calls her a f***ing idiot. Olivia throws an egg at him, telling him not to call Taylor names. Shep says, Taylor is his opponent, but Olivia says, Taylor is his girlfriend. They argue, and Craig wonders, what the f*** is going on? Olivia says, Shep is a f***ing idiot, and Shep says, he should have called Taylor something worse. In Austen’s interview, he says he’s seen Shep be rude to Taylor before. It doesn’t sit well, and it shouldn’t sit well with Taylor either. Naomie walks back to the house with Olivia, and tells her that Shep is being abusive. Shep says, the wussification of America continues.

Craig tells Whitney that the girls are getting pissed off, and in Craig’s interview, he says he’s never seen Shep talk to Taylor like that. He’s talked to other people that way, but not his girlfriend. This is bad. In Marcie’s interview, she says she’s known Shep his whole life. He’s like that; he throws tantrums. He curses out his mother, and he was raised better. He had good parents, but he’s just hard to tame. Naomie and Taylor sit inside, and Naomie says, that was insane. She can tell Taylor is used to it. Taylor says, it happens often, and Naomie tells her, Shep said it was lucky he didn’t call her something worse in front of all their friends. That’s abuse. Taylor says she didn’t even hear him call her a f***ing idiot; she’s so accustomed to it. Whitney joins them, and says, Shep is a feral animal who doesn’t think. Naomie tells Taylor, what Whitney said. If Shep loved her, he woudn’t put her in this situation. Taylor says she loves and cares about him. She knows she can’t fix him, but she cares about him, and she’s exhausted. Naomie asks, how much is Taylor going to take before… Taylor says, she absolutely breaks. Marcie tells Shep that Taylor is upset, and he says, she stomped his egg; it was the proper response. Marcie suggests he say he’s sorry that he was heated in the moment, but Shep says, he’ll never say he’s sorry. Maybe Taylor should date Craig, and they can say they’re sorry all day. How are you feeling? I’m sorry. Whitney says, as Shep’s counsel and attorney, he wants to talk to him. Taylor is upset. Shep says, Naomie made her upset. Everybody sucks. Whitney says, trust him on this. Talk to her. In Shep’s interview, he says he talks to Taylor like she’s one of the family. They roasted his dad at the dinner table. It’s how he was raised. He tells Whitney, it’s never her fault. It couldn’t possibly be.

Craig says, Austen is doing it again; acting like nothing happened. He says he has no problem with Austen, and Austen says, you could have fooled him. Craig says he wondered why Austen was defending Shep. Austen is supposed to be his best friend, and didn’t have his back. He’d do anything for Austen. Austen says, friends tell you when you do something stupid, and Craig says, Austen’s timing was off. He should have said he’s just trying to help, and Craig shouldn’t act that way. He loves Austen, and doesn’t like battling him. He doesn’t like waking up being mad at Austen. They were saying stuff to hurt each other. In Craig’s interview, he says, every relationship has faults, and he has his. Austen needs to accept him so when he’s drunk, he doesn’t blow up. Austen says he has Craig’s back, and Craig is wrong if he thinks he doesn’t. They hug, and Craig tells Austen not to act like everything is okay. He can’t keep doing that cycle. In Austen’s interview, he says, no way hell he’s in the wrong, and he’s not apologizing. They go to find out what Shep did. Naomie tells Taylor that she’ll literally fight Shep if Taylor wants, when Shep comes in, and Taylor walks outside. Shep says, lay it on him, and Naomie asks, what attitude is that? Taylor is crying because of the way he spoke to her, and how he’s treating her. Shep tells her that he doesn’t say everything right all the time. If she has a problem with that, she can look elsewhere. He’s sure there’s a boring accountant who will worship the ground she walks on. Go get him. Because there’s no middle ground, I guess. Naomie tells him, just acknowledge he made a mistake. It’s not weakness to say you’re sorry; it doesn’t change who he is. Shep says he means what he says, and says what he means.  

Taylor calls Craig, who’s with Marcie on the tennis court. She tells them that she’s going back. She wants to get out. Marcie asks her to talk to them, and Taylor says she’s packing. Marcie says she didn’t know Taylor was that upset, and Craig says, clearly, it didn’t go well with Shep. They go to find Taylor. Shep tells Naomie that he doesn’t care about this trivial bullsh*t. He just wants to shoot hoops, throw eggs, and laugh, You know, the non-trivial bullsh*t. Naomie says, maybe he and Taylor don’t need to talk today, and Shep rants about being in love with Taylor. He sarcastically thanks Naomie for the great advice.  Taylor tells Marcie and Craig that Shep is out of his mind, and Marcie says, they don’t want Taylor to leave.

Austen looks for Olivia , and they walk to the lake. She says, they haven’t talked since the dog wedding, which in itself is weird. She got word from Leva and Naomie that Austen was unhappy with her date situation. Austen says he’s been bummed, but it’s his own fault for saying they should have fun and take it slow, She did exactly what he told her to do. Everything dumb that happens in his life is a product of his own decision making. He wants to date her. She says she knows he was hanging out with Ciara, and he starts to stammer. She asks if he went home with her, and Austen says, it was a great time to reconnect, totally avoiding the question. Olivia asks how he could be so bothered by her blind date that he went out with someone he has a history with. He asks if it bothers her, and she says she wishes he had told her. He says he’s been thinking about her, and doesn’t want to date other people. He likes her a lot. Olivia says she doesn’t want to date other people either, and she genuinely cares about him. They need to be honest, and go from there. If he’d told her what was bothering him, this could have all been avoided. From now on, they need to talk to each other. You’d think this wouldn’t be a problem, since none of these guys seem to have issues with airing their feelings.

Shep asks to talk to Taylor, and Craig asks if he can see Shep for a second first. They sit outside, and Craig says, Shep has met one girl who loves him for who he is. He told her who he was, and she appreciates and loves him anyway. Being considerate and nice isn’t asking him to change. He needs to say he didn’t mean to upset her; not that she shouldn’t have gotten upset. Shep says he treats every relationship the same, and Craig says, if Shep loves her, he’ll say he’s sorry. It’s a choice he has to make. Apologizing doesn’t change him. Shep says, he’ll apologize because he loves her, and in Shep’s interview, he says, Craig knows him best. Craig is the only one qualified to talk about his and Taylor’s relationship. Craig says, sometimes you’ve got to do things you think are stupid for the people you love. Shep goes back in, and asks to talk to Taylor. She says she doesn’t know, but he says he’s begging her.

Taylor finally relents, and she and Shep go to thier room. She says, this sucks – all of it. The others pack, and Craig says he hates packing. Austen tells Craig that he’s a disease. Marcie tells John that she’s glad to get out of Chaotic Creek; so much drama. She’s ready to go home. Taylor cries, and Shep says, they’re okay, right? He’s sorry. He loves her, and doesn’t love anybody except her. He’s stubborn, opinionated, loud, and hard to deal with, and he appreciates her dealing with him. He’s a better person with her. He’s not a fool though, so if he’s not good enough, that’s okay. He’ll be sad and brokenhearted, but he’ll understand. He knows he’s an idiot. She says, she didn’t even hear him call her an idiot. She didn’t realize until Olivia threw the egg, and told him not to talk to her like that. Then he said he should have said worse, in front of their friends. When he’s angry, this inner being comes out. She doesn’t know what it is, and it scares her. She loves him so much. Her family loves him, but she’s exhausted. Sometimes she wants to quit, but she doesn’t think they’re totally lost. Shep says, that’s why he’s with her. He needs someone like her. He wants to see her happy, and make plans for the future. What does she want him to do? He’ll do anything. It’s not easy finding someone like her, he knows that. She says, the one thing she wants him to work on is being vulnerable. He needs to put his ego aside, and be kind to people. He says, that’s completely fair. Every now and then, he’s a jerk. He’ll work on being better. He never wants to be a jerk to her. In his interview, he says, it’s awful seeing her upset. He reacted in the worst way. She tells him how she really feels, and even if it’s not what he wants to hear, he respects it. He tells her that he wants her to be happy, and kisses her.

Next time, Austen throws a Friendsgiving; Naomie says she stayed an extra night with Whitney; a deep friend turkey; and Naomie asks to talk to Paige, who asks if Naomie still has feelings for Craig. Hard to believe these people are in their 30s, eh? I’m just glad Taylor finally came to her senses.

🏝 A Three Hour Tour…

Cruise by tomorrow for some soap, tea, quotes, and a diverse pick from the music collection in my mind. Until then, stay safe, stay never losing hope or your sense of humor, and stay sometimes doing things you think are stupid for the people you love.

Aug25

August 24, 2022 – Curtis Has an Unscheduled Meeting, No Diamonds For You, GH Con, Where’s the Beef & Can’t

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Walking into the pool area on the phone, Anna says, just make it work. Victor is going to be at that picnic, and so is he. He’s the CEO of Deception; just live up to the name… What?… The call is cut-off, when Curtis walks in. He says, don’t tell him the hardest working woman in international law enforcement is taking the day off, and she says, every now and then she indulges in a little R & R. She was so happy to hear about Trina. They dropped the charges, yes? He says, they did, and Anna says, she must be so relieved. He says, that’s an understatement. His whole family has many reasons to be celebrating. She asks if something else good happened, and he says, as of a little over an hour ago, he and Portia are engaged.

On the phone in a private area, Portia says she’s already been waiting for a genetic counseling appointment. Jordan almost walks in, but stops, and Portia says, yes, put her on the schedule as soon as they can… No, it’s not concerning her; it’s concerning her daughter. Actually, her medical history isn’t relevant to the screening. It’s in reference to her daughter’s paternal line. Jordan flashes back to being with Portia at The Savoy, and Portia asking if there’s something on her mind. Jordan says, Portia, and the things Portia said the night they were almost killed. Did she ever tell Trina what she thought Trina should know about Taggert?

At Kelly’s, Rory takes Trina’s hand, and says he could get used to this. She says, is he? Or is it going to get boring now that it’s not forbidden anymore?

Olivia tells Leo that he didn’t do anything wrong. She wishes he’d talked to her before he mixed up a batch of Nonna’s love potion for Dante and Sam, but there is nothing in any of those ingredients that can do anyone any harm. He says, but what if the wrong people drink it, and what if the wrong people fall in love with each other? We see Brook run into Dante, and Olivia says, the thing about the play Leo is doing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Titania the fairy queen thinks she’s nuts about his character Bottom, but they’re wrong for each other. We see Brook and Dante clink cups.

Drew says, Carly can be his sous chef, but she says, that’s not why she’s here. In a voiceover, Olivia says, like it says in the play, the course of true love never did run smooth. But just like in the play, the universe always rights itself in the end. Drew says he bets Carly likes it smoking hot. He’s more of a low and slow guy. Carly asks if he’s flirting with her.

Leo asks if Olivia is sure everything is going to be okay, and Ned asks, what happened now? Leo says, the Sicilian Thunderbolt, and Ned says, that stuff made with flowers Olivia tried to give him when he had shingles? Olivia says, it serves many purposes, and Leo says, it also makes you fall in love. Just like the potion in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Olivia says, people swear by it. Leo mixed up a batch and now it’s out there in the picnic somewhere. Leo says, what if all the couples get mixed up? but Ned says, that’s highly unlikely. Although, depending on the couples, it could be an improvement. Olivia says, just in case… Nonna, if you’re listening, hear our plea, and set things right. She throws some salt over her shoulder and blesses herself, and Leo blesses himself.

Dante asks if Brook is having a good time. He’s having a great time. He doesn’t know the last time he had this good of a time actually. She says, same, and he says, it’s terrible. She says, abysmal, and he says he guesses they know each other too well. She says, they go way, back, and he says, they do. They sip their drinks, and she asks, so why is he hiding out here with all the food, drinks, and lawn games? He says, everything but the girl, and she says she thought he and Sam were solid. He says, they were. They may have hit a roadblock… a big one.

Carly says, for months, she’s been getting signals from Drew, and she told herself, no way; they’re just friends. He says, they are, but she says, lately, it’s felt different, and she’s not the only one who’s noticed. He says, he’ll bite; who noticed? She says, Olivia and Brook. They think there’s something going on between them. He says, those two never met a pot they didn’t want to stir, and she says, that’s true. Olivia wants everyone to fall in love, and Brook is a troublemaker with good intentions, but she doesn’t care about them. She’s asking him. From where he’s standing, what the hell is going on between them?

Anna congratulates Curtis, when Portia joins them. Anna says, Curtis’s fiancé; he just told her the good news. Portia says, fiancé has a nice ring to it, and Anna says, speaking of rings… Portia squeals, and Anna admires her ring. Portia says, can she believe Curtis found it at the bottom of the pool? and Anna asks if that’s how he proposed to her. He says, hiding a ring in a dessert or cocktail, we’ve seen that before. Now in a pool… Anna says, wow, and he says he figured Portia wouldn’t see that coming. Portia says, he figured right, and he says, nothing’s too good for his baby, including champagne and strawberries waiting for them when they get home, and a few other surprises he knows she’ll love. His phone rings, and he says he has to take this. Portia tells him, go. Now they can talk about him. He leaves, and Portia thanks Anna for everything. She’s being so gracious, and Portia appreciates it. Anna asks why she wouldn’t be, and Portia says, Anna and Jordan are friends.

Jordan walks in, and bumps into a chair, dropping her bag. Spencer asks if everything is okay, but she says, no. Everything is not okay.

Ned says, Leo is taking his play a little too much to heart, but Leo says, that’s where love happens. Ned says he’s seen that play many times before, and it teaches a valuable lesson. You know what happens when you try and manipulate people’s feelings? Leo says, it can cause trouble? and Ned says, exactly. It’s a very good thing to remember. Leo says, he’ll remember it, and Ned says he wants Leo to go out to the picnic and enjoy himself. And don’t worry about this so-called potion. Leo says, okay, but he’ll just make sure while he’s at it, and he runs out. Olivia wonders what he meant by make sure, and Ned says he has no idea, but Sicilian Thunderbolt? She says, there’s plenty of magic to be found in this world. You just need to know how to recognize it.

Dante sees Sam, and asks where she’s headed. She says she was headed to the stable. She thinks she left her phone there. He wonders if Cody knows they’re on his turf, and she says she hasn’t seen him. She can understand why he loves it here. He’s got all the creature comforts. Dante says, too bad he didn’t invite her to live in the stables. She might have moved in with him then. She says, ouch.

Rory asks if Trina is really worried. He doesn’t buy a soda for every beautiful woman who graces the interrogation room. She says, this relationship is lopsided. He knows her likes, he knows her hobbies. He knows her family; he’s been to her job. He says she’s been to his job too, and she says, okay. He knows what she means. She wants to know him better. What kind of music is he into? When he’s eating on the steps of The Chuck, what’s for lunch? He says, there’s a reason she doesn’t know that much about him. And it’s because she might not like what she hears.

Brook is coming out of the stable, and this time, runs into Chase. She says, he just missed Dante, but he says he’s not here to see Dante. He’s here to see her. He’s going to make this fast, because they always get interrupted. Brook Lynn Quartermaine, you are pigheaded, brash, and impossible to understand from one moment to the next. She says, in that case, Mr. Harrison Chase, you’re a Pollyanna choirboy with a questionable sense of fashion. He looks at his outfit, and says, she’s also caring, passionate, and incredibly sexy. And he’s been falling for her for a long time now. And even if she doesn’t feel the same way about him, he had to tell her. Because we miss 100% of the shots we don’t take. She says she couldn’t agree more, and kisses him.

Spencer picks up Jordan’s bag, and she thanks him. He says, of course (🍷). Does she want him to call someone? She says she’s fine. She just had a bit too much sun.

Anna asks if it was a surprise, and Portia says she had no idea. Curtis comes back, and says he’s sorry, but he and Portia are going to have to put the champagne on ice. She asks if it’s something at the club, but he says, nothing he can’t handle. She says, that’s fine. They’ll just have to pick up their celebration a little bit later. He kisses her and leaves, and Anna tells Portia, Jordan is her friend, but she feels like everyone has moved on. So she’s very sincere in her congratulations. Portia thanks her, and says she appreciates that. Anna says she just wants the best for the both of them, and Jordan joins them, saying, so does she. Curtis deserves nothing less.

Drew says he can’t tell Carly what’s going on between them, because honestly, he’s not sure himself. Does she? She says, forget she asked. She’s a grown woman and she’s telling him that her friends think he’s crushing on her. She’s totally embarrassed, so can they just pretend like this conversation never happened? She starts to leave, and he says, they could, grabbing her arm, but he doesn’t think they should. She says, why not? and he says, because the reason people are getting ideas about them is, he is flirting with her.

On the terrace, Chase tells Brook that he thinks he hears a three-foot mosquito, and Leo pops out. He says, Chase knows they never grow larger than half an inch, and Brook says, Leo knows he shouldn’t eavesdrop. Leo asks how he can eavesdrop when they weren’t talking, and Chase says, Leo has her there. Leo says, they weren’t talking because they were kissing, and it’s all because of him.

Dante tells Sam that he’s sorry; it’s not about her. She says, except he wasn’t joking; she heard him when she didn’t agree right away. He says he doesn’t know if he’d go that far, and she says she knows he wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. For that, she’s so sorry. he says, she doesn’t have anything to apologize for. He’s the one who’s sorry. He wanted too much too soon, and pushed her away. She says, here she is, so now what? He suggests they pick up where they left off, and hold off on the moving talk until she’s ready. She says, that’s the thing. She doesn’t know if she’s ever going to be ready.

Drew says, Carly can’t be surprised, and she says, she knows what she felt, but she didn’t think he’d confirm it. So he’s really been… He says, flirting with her. Yeah, just like she’s been flirting with him. She says, not true, but he says, she’s not hanging this on him. He said at the beginning of the friendship that he’d always be honest with her. Can’t she do that for him? She admits she’s been flirting with him, and she looks forward to seeing him, in and out of the pool. Although in the pool is pretty damn spectacular. He says, see that right there? Flirting. She says, why hide it now? Unless she’s been reading this wrong, and there’s really nothing underneath. Is he just kidding around? He says, no, is she? and she says, no.

Trina asks what’s not to like about Rory, and he says he’s worried she’ll think he’s boring. She asks if he has a stamp collection, and he says, no, but has he told her that he’s working on a graphic novel? She says, he’s an artist. Check, please. Why would he think she’d find that boring? He says, he’s not an artist; he just doodles. She says, he has to start somewhere. What else is he good at? He says, cooking. Actually, he’d like to cook dinner for her at his place sometime. She says, so he’s telling her that he’s a physically active man, who has artistic ambitions, and cooks. And he was worried she was going to find that boring? He says, when she puts it like that… So it’s his choice what they get to do today? She says, anything he wants.

Portia tells Jordan, rest assured, she intends to spend the rest of her life making Curtis happy, and Jordan says, bear in mind, Curtis values transparency more than anything. Portia says, meaning what exactly? and Jordan says, meaning she couldn’t give him that. She kept too many things from him – important things – and it ended their marriage. She hopes Portia doesn’t make the same mistakes she did. Portia thanks her, and says, but she and Curtis try not to keep any secrets from each other. Spencer comes over with a glass of water for Jordan, and tells her, feel better. Portia asks him to wait as second. She’d like to have a word.

Curtis sees Selina on a bench in the park, and says, she called, he came, what might she want? She says good afternoon to him as well, and felicitations. He asks how she heard about it, and she says, how could she not? Every news report covered the final day of Trina Robinson’s trial. He says, they’re all relieved. No disrespect intended, but she could have just sent him a message. She says she is sending a message. She needed to express in person how pleased she is that her tip on where to find Oz Haggerty paid off. He says, it did, and he’s grateful. She asks, how grateful?

Carly says she hasn’t let herself consider Drew anything other than a friend, and he asks, why not? She says, he’s Sam’s ex and Jason’s brother. He asks if that’s really what’s been holding her back, and she asks, what’s been holding him back? He says, she’s been going through a lot these past few months, and she says, that’s an understatement. He says, all things considered, what was he supposed to do? Put the moves on her while she was in the middle of a divorce? She asks if he’s considered putting the moves on her, and he says, every man alive has considered putting the moves on her.

Dante says he knows he pushed too fast, but Sam says, it wasn’t about the timing. She just got stuck in her own head. He says, about Lulu? and she says, yeah. She just keeps thinking that she could never measure up to his memories of her. He asks what she’s talking about. They haven’t been in that house together in years. She says she was already in her own head, and had this thought that she wasn’t who he wanted. He says, she’s the only person he wants, and she says she was going to say the same thing about him, when all of a sudden, he took the idea of living together off the table. She thought that window had closed. He says he didn’t take it off the table, an that window is always open for her. Always.

Ned says, Olivia doesn’t believe this potion business, does she? and she says, Titania wasn’t the only one enamored of an ass. He says, she does believe it, and she says, Nonna was madly in love with Carlo, the village butcher, and he had eyes for her too. Unfortunately, he was already promised to Valeria, the milkman’s daughter. So Nonna, slips Carlo the Sicilian Thunderbolt, and bam! – she bangs the table – all of a sudden, goodbye village Valeria, hello new life in Palermo with Nonna. Now did the Thunderbolt give him the courage to make a new life with Nonna, or did he just think it did? Who knows? What difference does it make? Ned asks if she slipped him the Thunderbolt when they first met, and she says, as if they needed it, and they kiss.

Leo says, they drank a love potion, and Chase says, they did? Brook says, not the Sicilian Thunderbolt, and Chase says, the Sicilian what now? Leo says, it shows people who they belong with, but it can also create confusion. Chase says, it certainly worked here, but in the future, maybe lay off the magic. He’s stressing himself out. Leo says, so it can cause trouble with him too? and Chase says, exactly. So buzz off, petito mosquito. Leo says he’s not a mosquito, and goes inside. Chase asks Brook, now where were they? and she says, Nonna Tuccia’s recipes were well known in the old neighborhood. She had a gift. He says, she can’t think they kissed because of Leo’s Sienna Lightning, and she says, Sicilian Thunderbolt, and don’t knock it. She’s seen things. He says he’s had feelings for her for a long time. Whatever was in that lemonade has nothing to do with it. She says, but that doesn’t mean what they’re feeling is real.

Anna tells Jordan that she’s sorry she hasn’t been in touch. They’ve both been swamped, and they’re overdue for that drink. Is Jordan allowed to have a drink? Jordan says, every now and then. She looks over at Spencer telling Portia, the last thing he wanted to do is cause her more stress, so if his being here is causing a problem… Anna asks why Spencer told Jordan to feel better, but Jordan says, it’s nothing. She just got a little dehydrated; hence, the water. Anna says, and warning Portia about transparency? Jordan says, if Anna thought she knew something that could deeply impact her ex’s relationship, would she say something? Portia tells Spencer, she’s not saying she’s completely changed her mind about him, but she appreciates his sacrifice. He says, that means a lot, and she says she needs him to understand something. Trina has moved on; from the trial, from what Esme tried to do to her, and from him. She’s so happy now, finally. And because of what he did, what he attempted to do, Portia wishes the same for him. Rory and Trina walk in.

Curtis thanks Selina for her congratulations, and asks what she really wants from him. She says, The Savoy will soon be in receipt of an import; her people will take possession when the shipment arrives from the dock. He asks, what’s the product? and she says she could tell him, but that would deepen their arrangement, and she doesn’t think he’s willing to do that – or is he? He says, she was right the first time, and she says, that’s what she thought. In the meantime, she trusts his staff will be discreet, and not obstruct the transport of this delivery, into and out of The Savoy. He says, his staff will not be involved; neither will he. Poker games are one thing, but he won’t let her use him, or The Savoy, to traffic illegal goods. She says, she’s informing him as a courtesy because she appreciates their friendship, and he says, so that’s what this is? A friendship? Her strongarming him? She asks if they can agree that without her assistance, Trina Robinson might not be walking around free right now. They may have different definitions of friendship, but she thinks they can agree that he’d rather have her as his ally than his adversary.

Jordan says, if what she suspects is true, it’s life-changing information, and Anna says, and not for the good she assumes. Jordan says, it could cause serious problems, and Anna says, Jordan is an investigator. If she has a hunch, she’s probably right. Jordan says, that’s what she’s afraid of, and Anna says she does think the most important thing is not whether the information is true. What matters are Jordan’s reasons for revealing it.

Spencer thanks Portia for what she said, and tells them all to have a lovely afternoon. He leaves, and Portia hustles Rory and Trina over to a table. Trina asks, what was that about? and Portia says, she’ll tell Trina later. She’s just happy Trina is here; both of them. Rory is welcome to hang out with them anytime. Trina says, Portia is being a little extra, and she can’t tell if it’s a good thing or a bad ting, so… Portia says, actually, there’s something she needs to speak to Trina about. It’s very important.

Sam tells Dante, he said they’d know when the time was right, and he asks if she doesn’t agree. She says she thinks they need to control their own fate, and decide for themselves. Let’s do it. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, about moving in? Yes, absolutely. He picks her up, and spins her around. She tells him, there’s one thing she needs to say to clear the air. She respects the memories he and Rocco have made in the house, and she wants him to know that he doesn’t have to change a thing when she and the kids move in. He says he doesn’t actually think he wants her and the kids to move in with him and Rocco.

Chase says he’s not following, and Brook asks, when was the last time they were just Chase and Brook? He says, right now, but she says, they’re client and manager. And before that, they were co-conspirators, shielding a baby from her homicidal father. He says, of course (🍷) they got closer when they were co-parenting Bailey; it was bound to happen. She says, they were on an adventure; it wasn’t real life. What if they’re mistaking other feelings for something more? He says, what other feelings? and she says, her guilt and his gratitude. She got him suspended twice, and he’s grateful because she’s helping him embark on a new career. He says he can’t believe she’s saying this right now. She doesn’t think he understands his own feelings? She says she would love it if these feelings were real, but how can they know for sure?

Trina tells Portia, don’t keep her in suspense. What’s the earth shattering news? Portia looks all sad, and puts her hand on her forehead so Trina sees the ring. Trina says, oh my God. Does this mean…? Portia says, Curtis proposed, and Trina asks, when? Portia says, about an hour ago, and Trina asks, where? Portia says, in the pool, and Trina says, in the pool? She can see how that would be romantic. Portia says, it was, and they squeal, stamp their feet, and hug, Rory watching with amusement. Portia says, she’s glad Trina came here. She wanted to tell her in person. Trina says she’s thrilled, and Rory says, congratulations. Portia’s phone rings, and she says she has to take it. They’ll catch up later. Have so much fun. She leaves, and Rory says, seems like there’s a lot of good news. Trina says, not for everybody, and goes over to Spencer, who’s lying on a chaise. She says, any word from the DA’s office? and he says, just what he told her before; he reports to Pentenville in three days. She says, that’s so unfair. They’re giving him three months, and he only left Spring Ridge for a couple of hours. The only reason they even know is because he tried to help her. He says he’s only sorry he didn’t come to her defense sooner, and Rory joins them. He says he knows the COO at Pentenville, and was told the cushiest job is working in the library. He can check and see if they have any openings for that assignment. Trina says, that’s so sweet.

Drew says he thinks what’s holding Carly back is how complicated it might get, and Carly says, agreed, so… Whatever this is, they just leave it alone? He says, maybe, and she gives him the tongs. He says he learned on an open grill. You have to make sure the charcoal is out when you’re done grilling. The slightest stir in the air causes the charcoal to reignite. She asks why she gets the feeling this is more than a grilling tutorial. What is he getting at? He says, they can try to ignore it, and move on, but something tells him it will take a lot more than walking away to make this fire go out.

Selina says she only wanted to convey her sincere investment in her and Curtis’s partnership. He says he’s going to go, and she asks if there’s something more pressing than their business. He says, she summoned him when he was in the midst of a celebration; this was not a scheduled meeting. She asks if more congratulations are in order, but he says, Trina’s exoneration, that’s all. She says, an outcome that is celebrated by all, particularly those of us who had a hand in it. She won’t delay his festivities any longer. Her people will reach out about the shipment. Curtis says he never agreed… and she says she’s happy his family is no longer in jeopardy. She gets up, says, may his good fortune continue, and walks out of the park. Her outfit, including accessories, is beyond chic. Whoever does wardrobe for this show is a genius.

Portia goes to the hospital reception desk, and says, Dr. Samuels? She introduces herself, and says she spoke with the doctor’s office. Dr. Samuels says, genetic counseling for her daughter, right? and Portia says, yes. She scheduled a consultation, and can provide the doctor with the family medical history, but her daughter’s so busy with work and school, and as a physician, she was wondering if it would be okay for her to provide the doctor with a DNA sample for analysis. Dr. Samuels says she’s afraid not. She can’t discuss results with anyone other than the patient seeking counseling. And she certainly can’t accept a sample without verifying consent. Portia says, of course (🍷), and the doctor says, as soon as her daughter has the time, have her daughter come see her. The doctor will get her the answers she needs.

Portia says, anything she’d have to say would be to protect Curtis, and Anna asks if that’s the only reason. If she were to do something, or nothing at all, she’d want to understand her own reasons. Jordan says she would too, and thanks Anna. Anna asks if she’s available for that drink right now, and Jordan says, yes. Please. Lead the way.

Spencer says he needs to head out, and tells Trina, enjoy the pool. She says, he’s leaving already? He hasn’t even gone in. He says he has things to take care of before he reports to Pentenville, and thanks Rory for the advice. He says, it’s good to see Trina happy, and leaves. Rory says, is this spot good? and Trina says, it’s great. They sit down, and Spencer leaves after taking one last look.

Sam says she doesn’t understand. Dante asked her to move in; now he’s changing his mind? He says he doesn’t want her to move in with him and Rocco. He wants them to move in with her. She says, oh, and he says, oh is how they got into this mess. Is that, oh, it’s what she wants… She says she doesn’t want Rocco to lose any of his memories with Lulu, but Dante says, he won’t. Anything he wants to remind him of his mother, he can bring with him. All he needs is them… and a PlayStation and a fridge full of food. She hugs him, and he asks if that’s a yes. She says, it is, and he asks what she wants to do. How should they tell the kids? She says she doesn’t know. Tell Olivia. Let’s put it in skywriting. He says, that’s kind of like the same thing. Why don’t they start by telling the kids? He kisses her.  

Leo runs inside, and says, guess what? He saw Chase and Brook kissing. Olivia says, it’s about time, and Ned says, honestly? He thought it would never happen. Olivia says she wonders what finally gave them that little push they needed, and Leo says he knows what it was. They drank the Sicilian Thunderbolt. Olivia says, mystery solved, and hugs him. Ned says, thank you, Nonna, and they have a group hug.

Brook tells Chase, say something, and he says, she’s one of the bravest people he’s met. She says, and? and he says, to a point. She’s absolutely fearless until it comes to risking her own heart. That soliloquy she delivered would give Shakespeare a run for his money. But it won’t work. She says, what won’t? and he says, this whole pushing away from him thing. It’s an exercise in futility, because the feelings they have for each other are real. She says, feelings are one thing, but acting on them is when you can get really hurt. She admits she’s scared, and he says, then she’s in luck, because he’s absolutely terrified. She says, so much for being brave, and he says, if she wasn’t scared, she wouldn’t need to be brave. She says she’s not going to be scared all by herself. Is he in? He says, all in, and she says, great. They can be scared together. He says he thinks Leo’s love potion worked, and she says, maybe, but maybe they made all this magic on their own. He says he thinks there’s a lyric in there, and they kiss.

Carly says, what’s gotten into them? and Drew says he’s betting it’s the apron that did it. She says, it is rather fetching, and he says, or they could chalk it up to what it is; an attraction they can no longer ignore. He kisses her

Tomorrow, Nikolas won’t give up on Ava or Spencer; Victor tells Ava that they can either be family or enemies; and Olivia tells Sonny, he’s got people. Do something.

💎 For whatever reason, RHOBH wasn’t on tonight, and Dubai took over Bravo. At this point, Caroline Stanbury looks like she was kidnapped and dropped in from another planet.

🏥 Mark Your Calendars…

You say celebration, I say convention. Potato, potahto.

Meet Your Favorite GENERAL HOSPITAL Stars!

🍝 Beefing It Up…

I happened to catch this, and loved it. The guest chefs were Caroline and Dolores from RHONJ, but host Joel McHale is what makes the show. He makes me literally lol. I thought his postscript of Tiger King, The Tiger King and I, was brilliant.

https://www.eonline.com/videos/341424/celebrity-beef-with-joel-mchale-official-trailer

🐳 Got Me a Car As Big As a Whale…

If all goes according to plan, you can meet me here tomorrow for some soap and Charm. Until then, stay safe, stay breaking the mold, and stay remembering there’s plenty of magic to be found in this world. You just need to know how to recognize it.

Aug24

August 23, 2022 – The Quartermaine Picnic Commences, a Thought, Long Awaited Return, Wish Come True, She Hates It, New Wife, Tales Talk, Who’s Worthy & Virtual

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Willow suggests she and Michael sit on the couch. She takes his hand, and he says, she knows she can tell him anything. Whatever it is, they’ll figure it out together. She says she doesn’t know if they can this time, and he says, sounds serious. He sees Sonny on the terrace, and jumps up. He whips open the door, and tells Sonny that he’s not welcome here.

Carly asks how Drew got roped into grilling, and he says, all the Q’s are doing their part. He’s trying to help out GH, and it just so happens he’s a grill master. Carly says, show her what he’s got, and he says, prepare to be amazed, clicking his tongs.

Jordan tells Marshall that he bears no responsibility for Tommy’s death. He wasn’t there. Tommy barely had any memories of Marshall; he thought Marshall died when he was a child. Marshall says, maybe if he’d stayed, he could have prepared Tommy for what was to come. If he had more courage, Tommy might still be alive.

Walking into the picnic, Nikolas says, they could sell this better if Ava would just smile a little bit. She says, never tell a woman to smile (thank you), and he says, even if it keeps that woman out of prison? She doesn’t want any suspicion coming her way if Esme’s body turns up. She says, he’s the one causing suspicion, and he says, he’s trying to save her, so play nice and let him. She says she didn’t ask for his help, when Olivia comes by, and tells them, this is a party. Kindly take their fighting somewhere else.

Leo stirs his concoction, and says, amore… amore. Dante comes in, and asks what he’s doing, and Leo says he’s helping. Sam comes in the other door, and she and Dante smile at each other.

Brook thanks Chase for coming, and he thanks her for inviting him. She tells him, what can she say? He’s her favorite client. He says he’s her only client, and also co-conspirator, and she says, nothing solidifies relationships like a mutually beneficial scheme. He says he’s glad she sees it that way. He could really use her help.

Curtis tells Portia, God knows he loves her. He loves her kindness, her selflessness… He loves the way she loves family. TJ sees what’s going on, and takes out his phone to film it. Curtis says he loves Portia’s dimple, especially when she’s laughing at his bad jokes. He loves the way she supports, encourages, and brings out the best in him. And when he thinks about his future, he sees her right there by his side, and he wants them to spend forever together. Will she marry him?

Sonny tells Michael, he’s supposed to be here. He’s one of the largest donors to the children’s wing. Michael says, of course (🍷) he’d be invited. He just thought Sonny would have the sense to stay home. Sonny says, Michael doesn’t have to worry about Nina. She didn’t want to come; she didn’t want to cause any trouble. Michael says, that’s a first, and Sonny says, it’s obvious Michael doesn’t like Nina, but he won’t tolerate Michael disrespecting her. Michael says, but he’ll tolerate Nina disrespecting their entire family. He doesn’t have time for this. He slams the door, and starts to go back to Willow, but Sonny busts back in. Sonny says, let him tell Michael something. If he ever does that again, it will be the last time he closes a door.

Sam says hi to Leo, and tells Dante that she came to see if Olivia needed any help. He says, she just missed Olivia, but he’s heading out to the grill to give Drew a break. Does she want to come with him? She says she’s going to check on Scout, but she’s glad he has everything under control. She jets, and Dante says, never mind. Leo asks if Sam is mad at him, and he says, seems like it, right? Leo says, don’t worry. She won’t be soon. Dante thanks him, and tells him not to hang out in here too long. Go outside and play a little bit. Leo says he will, and Dante leaves. Leo goes back to mixing, and says, amore. He stirs the mixture with a carnation, and repeats, amore.

Ava apologizes to Olivia, and says, it’s a party, right? And an important fundraiser too. Nikolas says, it’s very generous of the Quartermaines to throw this benefit for the GH Children’s Wing. His mom sends her regards. She wishes she could be here. Olivia says, that’s sweet of her, and asks how Grandma Lesley is doing. He says, she and Marcello are still recovering from the fire, but they are honing in on a place in town. They’ll probably be moving in soon, but his mother will probably stay there until they’re completely settled. Olivia says, as any good daughter should. Tell her that they’ll miss her today, and about before, forget it. She understands couples need to squabble, even at the most inopportune moments. She moves on, and Ava says, he almost got them caught, but he says, she was the one raising her voice. She says he’s the one who brought up the topic in public. She doesn’t need his help. He says he didn’t ask to be dragged into this, but it’s too late now, and she says, poor darling. It’s never too late.

Brook says, Chase needs her help? 100%. Anything. She’s his girl. He says, anything? and she laughs. He says he needs a partner for the three-legged race. It’s kind of his jam… Not to brag. She says she didn’t take it that way, and he says he knows it’s silly, but it’s something he always used to crush when he was a cop at the department picnics. She says, she’ll do it, and he says, that’s really great, and thanks her. Yuri comes by with a covered dish, and says, Mr. Chase and Miss Brook Lynn; you’re still together. Brook says, they’re not together together. It’s so good to see him. Chase asks what he has there, and Yuri says, it’s a native dish from Belarus, and Brook says, yum. She suggests the find a platter and put it out. As they leave, Chase says, don’t be late. He’s counting on her.

Jordan assures Marshall that his being gone had nothing to do with Tommy’s death, but he says, she doesn’t know the whole story. Has TJ told her about his medical condition? She says, no. TJ respects Marshall’s privacy, and so does she. Don’t feel he owes her an explanation. He says, that’s all right; he wants to. They sit, and he says he’s been ashamed of his medical condition for way too long, and he’s not giving it power over him anymore. The reason he left his family is because he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She says, he was afraid he’d bring harm to them? and he says, harm, shame, the whole stigma. Folks understand a lot more about mental illness now than they did back in the day. He was so afraid of the diagnosis, he left his family. He got treatment; it’s under control now. She says, that was very brave. She’s sorry he lost so much time with his family, and she’s glad he’s back in their lives. She knows TJ is glad. He says, all that is a dream come true, but he feels he still may have brought harm to his sons. She asks, how so? and he says, schizophrenia can be passed down genetically, and TJ and Shawn told him that Tommy wasn’t in his right mind when he was killed. She says, so he thinks Tommy may have been having an episode of some sort? and he says, yeah. He tears up, and says he wishes he was with his boy when he was going through those struggles. He’s not trying to overstep here, but can she tell him what her marriage to Tommy was like? Thinking back, did she see any signs?

Portia tells Curtis, she doesn’t know what to say. This is the last thing she expected. He says, you know it’s right when you’re staring at your forever love every morning, and can’t wait for another day. TJ continues to film, and she says she loves Curtis so much. They fit so well together. She could only focus on Trina, and loading herself up with work. She forgot to even think about what she wanted out of life. Then he came back into it, and the clouds opened up, and all these possibilities are available to her now; love and happiness and security. He’s given all of those things to her, and that’s what she wants for them; she wants it forever. All this time, he’s been holding this ring up, and probably treading water, and he asks, is that a yes? She says, yes. She’s going to marry him. He puts the ring on her, and there’s applause from the people who have shown up out of nowhere. They kiss, and there’s more applause.

TJ congratulates Curtis and Portia, and says he wishes the best for both of them. Portia thanks him, and Curtis says he appreciates it. He’s glad TJ could be a part of this. TJ says, actually, he’s meeting mom for lunch, so he’d better get back to his table. He congratulates them again, and leaves. Portia asks how long Curtis has been planning this, and he says, for months, but he wanted to wait until the situation with Trina was settled. She says, they have had their plate full, but all things are better now; better than she could have hoped. She looks at her ring and squeals. She says she can’t believe he proposed in front of all these people, and he says he had his eyes on her and her alone, but now he can’t wait to tell the world that she agreed to be his pretty wife. She says, they have to tell Trina. She has plans right now, but she’s going to be so excited. He says, they’ll tell her tonight, and if she comes home late, they’ll tell her tomorrow. Or they’ll tell her whenever because they’re going to be together… She says, for the rest of their lives, and they kiss.

Jordan tells Marshall, she’s dealt with people who have schizophrenia in the field. She knows enough about the symptoms to have a rudimentary understanding of the illness. Looking back on their marriage, she can’t say she observed any signs of schizophrenia in Tommy. He asks if she’s certain, and she says, Tommy was suffering from PTSD at the time of his death. What pushed him over the edge was her infidelity, and discovering TJ was not his biological son. If anyone’s to blame, it’s her. She’s truly sorry for the part she played in Tommy’s death, but it’s her cross to bear, not Marshall’s. She gets up, and he says, you can’t go to heaven dragging hell along with you. He guesses that’s the title of the composition he’s been writing his whole life, watching himself and other people play all the notes, trying to distract from the pain and sorrow… insecurities. Except they’re just dragging along the same torment they’re running from, compounding it. Look at him. He dragged around fear, pain, and guilt for nearly a lifetime. It wasn’t until he set them down that he got free, and he was able to come here to Port Charles, and find and discover everything he lost. Blaming herself won’t bring Tommy back, and Lord knows he’s in no position to judge her. He’s still struggling. And that’s why he forgives her. She tears up, and asks, how can he? He says he’s not going to pretend he wasn’t angry when he heard what happened between her, Tommy, and Shawn, but in life you got all these unexpected blue notes. To tell her the truth, on one level, he was kind of relieved that he couldn’t have passed down his disease to TJ; he was spared. Ain’t nothing about this going to change his feelings for TJ; not one bit. He couldn’t love TJ more if TJ were his own flesh and blood. She says, TJ loves his grandpa too. She’s glad they finally met, and he says he is too, shaking her hand. He puts his other hand on top of hers, and says, maybe now she’s going to lay that burden down.

Drew tells Carly, with grilling, timing is everything, when Dante appears, and says he’s here to relieve Drew of his grilling duties. At least temporarily; don’t go too far. Carly says, Drew is going to have to relinquish his mighty tongs, and Drew says, with an apron like that, he thinks the grill is in good hands. Dante takes over, and Drew asks if Carly wants to go for a walk. Maybe they could play some games. They can still sign up for the three-legged race. She says she hasn’t played that in so long, and he says, all the more reason to do it. They make a great team. I have never once participated in a three-legged race. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen one IRL.

Willow says, Michael has every right to his feelings about his father and Nina, but this picnic is to benefit the Children’s Wing at GH. Sonny’s here to support that cause, so today is about charity and gratitude. Just for today, why don’t they put their personal issues aside? Michael says, okay, and Sonny says, have fun at the picnic. He leaves, and Willow asks if Michael is okay. He says, she’s really incredible. With everything going on, she’s the only one who can keep him grounded. She tells him, never underestimate himself. He can pull himself back from the brink without her. He says, he’s so much stronger with her by his side. She means everything to him, and he doesn’t know what he’d do without her. They hug, and he says he’s sorry. She wanted to tell him something. She says, it can wait; he just had a run-in with his father. He says he’s over it. He wants to know what’s on her mind. Olivia comes in with Wiley, and says, somebody is asking for mommy and daddy. Wiley asks if they can play a game, and Willow says, absolutely. Olivia tells them to get out there and have fun, and leaves. Willow says, Michael heard Olivia. She wants to get out there and spend the day with her two favorite people. Wiley says, him too, and they leave. Ava walks in, and I’m guessing she was listening.

Jordan meets TJ, and says she just had a wonderful conversation with his grandfather. He says he’d love to hear all about it, but first he has to tell her something. Portia and Curtis are here. She says, okay. It’s fine if he wants to ask them to join them. He says, it’s not that. Curtis proposed to Portia, and she said yes. Jordan says she guesses she should have expected it. They did just buy that house together. He says he knows, but it’s still a bit of a shock. Is she okay?

Sitting at one of the tables, Portia tells Curtis, life sure does change on a dime, doesn’t it? and I wonder, what does that even mean? She says, just the other day, things were as bleak as they ever could have been. Trina’s future was up in the air; the only man who could exonerate her was in a coma. He says, but they got through it together, and she says, yes they did. And now Trina’s future is clear. She can do whatever she wants with her life. And their future is as bright as this diamond. Soon, he’s going to be her husband. He says, how soon? and she says, not soon enough. They kiss, and Jordan approaches the table.

Ned says, they’re down to the final two teams. Number one: Carly Corinthos and Drew Cain. Carly and Drew flex their muscles, and Ned says, and team number two: Brook Lynn Quartermaine and Harrison Chase. Brook and Chase fist bump, and Ned says, on your marks. The teams wrap their legs for the three-legged race, and Chase puts his arm around Brook’s waist.

Sonny comes in to find Ava on the couch eating something. She asks if Nina is with him, but he says, no. She says, Nina didn’t want stir pot; that’s wise. She asks if Avery is having a good time, and he says, she’s having a blast. She’s getting her face all painted. Ava says, that’s so cute; she loves that. He says he’ll see her, but she says, don’t go. Keep her company for a minute. She wanted to thank him again for helping Trina. He says he did it for Trina, and she says, still, she appreciates it. He says, there’s been no justice for Josslyn and Cameron. It’s too bad Esme left town. She says, rats. They know when to jump ship, don’t they? He says he heard she posted something on social media from the south of France, which is surprising since Ava said she’d never be found. Ava says, she was wrong. It happens from time to time. He says, it seems like an amateur move for Esme. Maybe Ava could shed some light… Nikolas comes in, and says, that’s enough, and Sonny asks what he means. He was just talking to Ava. Nikolas says, Ava doesn’t know anything about Esme. Leave her alone. Sonny says, or what?

Chase and Brook take a tumble, Chase falling on top of her. Carly and Drew win the race.

Jordan says she’s sorry to interrupt their celebration, but TJ just told her the good news. Congratulations to them both. They thank her, and she asks to see the ring. Portia shows her, and Jordan says, it’s beautiful. She’s very happy for them. Portia says, that means so much to her, and they hug. Portia says she’s going to give them a second, and excuses herself. Curtis asks if Jordan is really that happy for them (which is kind of insulting), and she says, all she’s ever wanted is for him to be happy. He says he wants the same for her, and she says she’s trying to learn to lay down her burdens, so she can move on, just like he has. His dad is back in his life, and he has a new beginning with Portia. She truly wishes them the best of everything. He says, she’s a class act, and he really appreciates everything she’s done for Portia, Trina, and him. She says, her job is to stop injustice. She’s just trying to keep her promise to the people of this city. He says, sometimes the job entails testing the boundaries, and she flashes back to stopping the elevator. He says, he appreciates her discretion, and she says, if he’s referring to Oz Haggerty’s recovery, and the circumstances that allowed it to happen… He says he is, and she says, then there’s something she has to say about that.

Chase helps Brook up, and she says she’s so sorry. She’s such a klutz. He says, that’s okay. He’s in the mood for something cold. He wanders off.

Drew tells Carly, first cornhole, now the three-legged race. Look out tug-of-war; we’re unstoppable. They high-five, and he asks if she’s thirsty. She says she is, and he goes to get her something to drink. Brook tells Carly, congratulations. She and Drew make a great team. Carly says, they do.

Nikolas says, stay away from his wife, and Sonny says, don’t take another step. He doesn’t need Nikolas’s permission to talk to Ava or anybody else. It’s none of his business; stay out of it. Nikolas says he’s not one of Sonny’s minions that he can order around. If Sonny doesn’t stay away from his wife, there will be consequences. Ava says, Nikolas is overreacting, and Sonny says he’ll tell Nikolas what he told Nikolas’s uncle – take your best shot, and we’ll see what happens. Ava takes Nikolas’s hand, and asks Sonny to excuse them. She pulls Nikolas outside, and he asks, what the hell was that? She says, her sentiments exactly. Why is he provoking Sonny? He says, Sonny was the one who was way out of line, not him, and she says, she can handle Sonny. She’s been dealing with him for years. He says he’s her husband. It’s his job to defend her. She says, it was his job to be faithful, and he couldn’t manage that. So let’s drop the pretense. This was more about Nikolas and his issues with Sonny than Nikolas coming to her rescue. He says he’ll always come to her rescue, no matter how hard she pushes him away. He knows he messed up, but he loves her, and will always be there for her.

Terry and Willow watch Michael with Wiley, and Willow says she doesn’t think Wiley quite gets the concept of the egg and spoon race.  Terry says, Michael seems like a very patient teacher, and Willow says, he’s the best dad. Terry says she spoke to Britt, and Britt told her that Willow had an appointment. Willow says she’s going to postpone treatment until she’s in her second trimester. It’s just a few more weeks. She just… She can’t lose another baby. She knows Terry probably doesn’t approve, but Terry says, if it’s the right choice for Willow, she supports it. Willow says, it is; thanks. They watch Wiley and laugh, and Terry says she takes it Willow hasn’t told her family yet. Willow says, she decided to wait until she starts treatment, and Terry says she’s still going to suggest Willow tell her family, especially since she decided postpone treatment. Willow says, if she tells Michael, he’ll try to convince her to get treatment immediately. She doesn’t want to fight with him for the next few weeks. They just finished one big battle; she wants to enjoy this time. Terry says, there is a lot of research showing patients benefit from a strong support system, but Willow says she’s made her choice. She’s not ruining the next few weeks they have left with fighting and tears. What they have right now is what it’s all about. Her decision is the best choice for her family.

Olivia goes to the nook, where Leo is with a tray of Solo cups, and she says, he poured lemonade for the guests? That is so thoughtful. She thanks him for helping her today, and he says she’s welcome. She always helps him; now it’s his turn to help somebody else. She says, that’s so sweet, and hugs him. She tells him, keep up the good work; she loves him. She leaves, and he pours his concoction into two of the cups.

Brook brings Carly into the stables, and says, it’s just the two of them. Be honest. Are her and Drew a thing? Carly says, is she kidding? Olivia asked her the same thing, and she’s going to tell Brook what she told Olivia; she and Drew are just friends. Brook says she’s got that, especially how they were just all over each other. Carly asks what she’s talking about, and Brook says she gets it. It’s complicated. Carly and her family have a long not-so peachy history. And he’s Jason’s twin and Sam’s ex, but the two of them have some serious chemistry. Carly should go for it. Carly says, like Brook is going for it with Chase? Anyone with eyes could see how they look at each other. Brook says, Chase is her client. There can’t be anything between them. Carly says, but Brook wants there to be, right? Brook says, it doesn’t matter. Carly is changing the subject; they were talking about her and Drew. Carly says she’s going to talk to Drew before people get the wrong idea, and starts to leave, but Brook grabs her arm, and says, are they though? Speaking to Drew is a good idea, because from what she’s observed, there are some real feelings growing. Deal with it now before the situation gets all muddled and hopelessly mired with mixed signals and regrets because you were just too afraid, or it took too long to have that conversation. Carly says, that’s some really great advice. Maybe Brook should take it. She leaves.

Leo sets the tray of cups on a table, and asks if Chase has seen Sam and Dante. Chase says, no, but he needs a person for tug-of-war. Is Leo in? Leo can be on his team. Leo says, sure, and runs off. Chase says, save him a spot on the rope, and looks at the cups.

Jordan tells Curtis, as far as she’s concerned, Mr. Haggerty woke up just in time to exonerate Trina. She’s glad he did. Trina’s free, which is all that matters. He says, and the elevator? She says she’d heard it had been on the fritz again. They don’t make elevators like they used to. He tells her, like he said, class act, and raises his glass. She goes back to TJ, who says he swears he didn’t know Curtis was proposing when he suggested they meet here. She says she’s okay, and he says he knows she and Uncle Curtis are on good terms, but it still has to be hard hearing he’s engaged. She says she’s happy for Curtis; he and Portia are a good match. He asks how it went with Marshall. She said they had a good talk. She says, the best. Marshall forgave her for everything that happened with Tommy, and he told her about his diagnosis. TJ says, that was some conversation, and she says, it was. Marshall was worried TJ’s dad might have inherited the predisposition for schizophrenia, and that’s what led to Tommy’s death, but she told him that she never saw signs of it when they were married. She thinks it brought him some comfort, and TJ bets it did. He says, Curtis should tell Marshall that he’s considering genetic counseling for himself, in case he decides to have children. She says, of course (🍷) Curtis would want children of his own. He and Portia would make good parents.

Olivia is chopping vegetables, and Sonny asks if she needs a hand. She says she’s got it, and asks if he’s here by himself. He says, he is; it seems to be the question of the day. She says she just figured Nina wouldn’t be able to resist rubbing Carly’s nose their new relationship, and he says, well, she’s wrong. Can’t you just be divorced and live your life? Because that’s what they’re trying to do, but everybody seems to have a judgement. She says, she would have thought he’d be immune to that at this point in his life, and he says, he is, but that doesn’t mean he likes it. Take them. They’ve known each other since before Carly; they have a son together. Can’t she wish him well? Dante’s happy for him. Can’t she be?

One by one, people take the cups. Leo comes back, and sees they’re all gone.  

Picking up a cornhole sack, Wiley says, it’s perfect, and Michael agrees; everything is perfect. He thanks Willow for reminding him of what’s most important, and Wiley hugs Willow, saying, I love you, mommy.

Curtis tells Portia, the best part for him is, now she and Trina are officially his family. She says she already thinks of him, TJ, and Marshall as part of her family. And even Aunt Stella. They laugh, and her phone rings. She says, it’s the hospital; she needs to take this. He says he thought she was off, but she says, it will only take a second. Then they can talk about Trina’s upcoming party. She steps away, and says, this is Dr. Portia Robinson. Has an appointment opened up yet?…  No, that’s three weeks away. She’s already been waiting for an appointment for genetic counseling… Jordan stops short of coming in, and Portia says, yes, please. The soonest available spot… No, it’s not concerning her. It’s concerning her daughter.

Olivia says she does want Sonny to be happy. She just wishes he’d found his happiness with literally anyone else in the world. He says, sorry to disappoint her, but sometimes life chooses who you’re with. Leo runs in, and says he’s got to talk to Olivia. Sonny says he’ll let them get to it, and leaves. Olivia asks, what’s up? and Leo says he made Nonna’s Sicilian Thunderbolt for Sam and Dante. She says, why didn’t she think of that? Did it work? He says he doesn’t know. He put the cups down for just a minute. When he came back, all the cups were gone. She says, so he only put the Sicilian Thunderbolt in some of the cups? but he says, only two, and he doesn’t know what happened to them. What if he messed up everything?

Sitting in the stables, Sam takes a sip of her drink. Chase comes in, and asks if she’s seen Brook. She says, what? and he says, never mind. He doesn’t want to intrude, but she looks like she could use a friend. He’s available. He takes a sip of his drink.

Dante takes a sip of his drink, and literally runs into Brook, who’s holding her cup. She says she’s sorry, but he says, his bad, and they smile at each other.

Nikolas tells Ava, cornhole’s free. How about it? He takes a sip of his drink, and she says, is he kidding? He says, why not? Or is she afraid he’ll beat her? She says, in your dreams.

Carly sees Drew grilling, and says, back at it, huh?  He says, hot dog?

Tomorrow, Carly asks if Drew is flirting with her; Jordan hopes Portia doesn’t make the same mistakes she did; Selena tells Curtis that he’d rather have her as an ally than an adversary; and Sam tells Dante that she doesn’t know if she’s ever going to be ready.

🧚🏼‍♂️ Of course those who don’t know the plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream might not understand Leo’s fears. Part of the plot involves a love potion, and the result is the wrong people falling in love. Kudos though to GH for assuming we’re all well-read.

🚑 Long Road Back…

Glad to hear Emma Samms is moving past covid and on to GH.

Emma Samms GENERAL HOSPITAL Return Date Revealed!

🥁 Sammy Was the Man…

Now here’s an interesting story I never heard before.

John Stamos Reveals How Sammy Davis, Jr. Helped Him Play Drums on GH!

🍑 Me Too…

The only Housewives who like Reunions are the ignorant and the devil’s spawn.

https://pagesix.com/2022/08/14/kandi-burruss-explains-why-she-hates-rhoa-reunions/

🗽 Joining the Apples…

One of the new Real Housewives of NYC.

https://pagesix.com/2022/08/22/lizzy-savetsky-joins-real-housewives-of-new-york/

⚰️ Telling Tales…

I want to like this show more than I do. It’s not bad, but I want something more. I do like how it’s a different story every week, and that it takes place at the point the world was starting to be zombiefied. It also has a sense of humor, which is much appreciated after years of the humorless TWD. In last week’s episode, the main characters had to Groundhog Day until they got it right.

Tales of the Walking Dead Episode 2 Introduces a Shocking Sci-Fi Element

🎸 Vote the Rock…

Get your votes in for this Sunday.

https://www.mtv.com/vma/vote/

🍒 With a Cherry On Top…

Join me tomorrow for soap and to see if Beverly Hills can top themselves in awfulness. Until then, stay safe, stay never judging a book by its cover, and stay knowing that you can’t go to heaven dragging hell along with you. It’s not until you set your burdens down that you’ll get free.

Aug23

August 22, 2022 – Marshall Finally Meets Jordan, Studio 54 On Deck, Home Away From Home & Moves

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In the nook, Olivia yells, status report! and Dante says, coolers are full. He’s got meat in there, he’s got drinks in there, for kids and grown-ups alike. I hope not in the same cooler. Brook says, dining tent is up, the tables are set, and Michael says, and the parking valet is ready to go. Willow will be here soon. She definitely does not want to miss… They all say, the first annual picnic to support the GH children’s wing.  Dex knocks at the door, and Olivia asks, who’s this now? Dante says, he works for Sonny, and Michael opens the door. Dex says he hopes he’s in the right place, and Dante says, we’ll see about that. Michael asks what Dex is doing here.

Spencer joins Ava at Kelly’s, and she says she doesn’t appreciate being kept waiting. He says, sorry. He’s a little busy since he has to report to Pentenville soon. She says, because he admitted on the stand he broke out of Spring Ridge? and he says, he was trying to give Trina an alibi. They needed all the reasonable doubt they could get. She says, that’s very noble, but since he never does anything that doesn’t benefit him somehow, the question is, what is his angle?

TJ sees Willow at the hospital, and says he thought she’d be at the picnic. She says she will be, but she needs to meet with Dr. Westbourne first. Here’s hoping she’s still in the mood for a picnic when she’s done. He says, she doesn’t have to answer this of course (🍷), but… She says, no. She hasn’t told Michael yet. It seems pretty simple, right? It’s four words; Michael, I have leukemia. He says, it’s going to be difficult, but she deserves all the support she can get. If he was in Michael’s place, he’d want to be there for her. Jordan comes by, and says hello to Willow. Willow moves along, and TJ asks what brings Jordan by. She says she was following up on a case, and thought, since she’s there, maybe they could have lunch. He says, that sounds great. How about if he meets her at the MetroCourt in… She asks why she has the sense he’s trying to get rid of her, and he says, maybe because he is.

As they relax in the pool, Curtis asks Portia if she hears that sound. She asks, what sound? and he says, of contentment and peace. It’s almost as if… She says, all things are right with the world. And now that Trina is free, and she doesn’t have to worry anymore, they can enjoy some sun. He says, yes, they can. This whole ordeal has take a toll on her and Trina. Not just because of the trial… She says, the things they had to do to get the results they wanted, and he says, but she took most of the risk. She got Oz to testify before the jury rendered its verdict. She says, that’s all because of him, and thanks him for his support. There’s no way she could have gone through with that without him standing by her side every step of the way. He says, if it was up to him, that’s exactly where he’d be for the rest of their lives.

Sonny and Nina walk through the park, holding hands, and she says, he’s being very mysterious about what they’re doing today. He says, that’s because he wants her to guess, but she says, she can’t guess, because she doesn’t have a clue. He says, the GH fundraiser picnic is today at the Quartermaines, and she says she knows that, just like she’s sure he knows she was blatantly not invited. He says, but he was, and he wants her to come as his date. She says, he wants her to be his date at the Quartermaines, and he says he’s one of the hospital’s largest donors, and he can bring who he wants. She says, and the fact that her presence would really stick it to the Q’s… Is that why he’s really inviting her, or is that just an added bonus?

Portia says, the rest of their lives? She likes the sound of that. Curtis says he’s glad, because it’s time they started talking about their future, and she asks what he has in mind. Marshall walks in, and says he’s glad he ran into them. Curtis asks if he’s here to enjoy the pool, but Marshall says, no. He’s here on business actually. He picked up a gig at the MetroCourt Gardens. He’s going over some last minute details, and there’s some pretty fine details in there, if Curtis knows what he means. Curtis congratulates him, and they bro hug. Portia says, that’s wonderful. They’ll be sure not to miss it. Marshall says he always plays better for family. He’s going to leave them to their rest and relaxation, but Curtis suggests he stay. Marshall says he’s not dressed for this. Besides, he has an appointment over at GH. Curtis asks if everything is okay, but Marshall says, it’s just a check-up. What the heck; he can sit for a minute. They sit down, and he tells Portia that he can’t wait to celebrate Trina’s victory in court. She says, it’s going to be amazing; a party to remember. Trust that. Marshall says, anything he can do to help, let him know, but Portia says she thinks he’s done his part. She talked to Trina, and she told Portia how Marshall spoke to her, and influenced her to plead not guilty, and stand up and fight. He says he’s glad he could help, but he only told Trina the truth. The biggest mistake of his life was running away from his family.

Britt asks how Willow is coping with the news, and Willow says, that she has cancer? Terrifying… surreal… Britt says she knows it’s a lot to take in, and Willow says, but it’s not all bad news. They did catch it early; they can do something about it. She knows chemotherapy is the recommended course of treatment, and Britt says, starting as soon as possible. Willow says she did some research on her own, but online or in her studies, one thing was consistent across the board. If she starts chemo now, she could harm or even lose the baby. Is that right? Britt says, yes. That is true.

Sonny says he doesn’t want to fight with Nina. He just wants her to come as his date. That’s what they’re doing, right? She says, that party is going to be full of people who despise her, and he says, it’s not a family event; it’s for the hospital. She has every right to be there. She says, if it means so much to him for her to be there, he’ll fight for her, and he says he’d never let anyone disrespect her. She says, she knows that, and that’s exactly the reason why she’s not going with him.

Dex says, he’s here with the raffle prize, donated by Corinthos Coffee, and Olivia asks what Sonny sent them. Dex says, it’s a state of the art espresso machine and a year’s worth of coffee. It’s out in his car. Leo says, he has a year’s supply of coffee in his car? and Dex says, it’s an SUV actually, but no. He has a few bags and a gift certificate for the rest. Does Leo drink a lot of coffee? Leo says he doesn’t drink any, so a year’s supply would be… zero. Dex says, good math, and Michael says he’ll walk Dex to his car, and bring in the machine, but Olivia says she’ll get someone to unload it. Dex works for Sonny? Have something to eat. Dex comes inside, and Brook’s phone dings. She says, great. There’s an issue with the sound system in the tent. Dante says he’ll fire up the grill, and Brook says, nice meeting Dex. Dex formally introduces himself, and she says she’s Brook Lynn. He says, cool name, and she says she knows. She leaves, and Michael says he told Dex not to come here, but Dex says, it’s an emergency. Sonny’s pissed. After all that work, Michael’s plan could be going down in flames.

Spencer says, what was his angle? and Ava says she knew he was up to something; she just didn’t know what it was. He says, she asked what side he was on, and good news, he was Team Trina the whole time, and she says, that’s obvious now, but Trina didn’t know. Does he have any idea how much he hurt her? Did he know, from the moment Trina met him, she insisted there was good in him. Despite the lies, despite Esme. despite all of it, she believed in him. If Trina had known he returned that faith, it would not have been as difficult for her. He says he thought he was doing the right thing, and she says, of course (🍷) he did. Spreading chaos seems right to him, so that’s what he does. Cassadine men. It’s what they all do; hurt somebody they claim to care about. Then they swear they’re sorry and had good reason, but it’s too little too late. He asks what Ava wants from him, and she says, how about some honesty? He asks if that’s a joke. She’s the most deceitful woman he knows. She lied to him when he was a child. She promised him that she’d testify against Valentin. She says she didn’t lie; she changed her mind. And when half your face gets melted off, pretty boy, then you can tell me that you wouldn’t have done the exact same thing. He says he can only hope his father doesn’t give in when she inevitably comes crawling back to him. She says, he wants honesty? She’s got some truths that will lay him to waste. He tells her, take her best shot, and she says, just remember he asked for it. He asks what she’s waiting for, and she says, he has this fantasy that without her, he and his father would be as close as they were when Spencer was a boy. But she’s not the problem. She never has been. The fact is, Esme and his precious daddy… Nikolas has walked in, and tells her, don’t say anything she’s going to regret, but she says, she’s not going to regret it; she’s going to savor it. Spencer asks what they’re talking about, and Nikolas says, whatever Ava’s reasons. it’s only going to hurt her, not Spencer. She says, is that a threat? If it is, she thinks he needs to walk it back. He says, it’s not a threat; it’s just some perspective. He sits down, and says, his son is going to a maximum security prison for three months. She’s been to prison, and he’s sure she’d never want to go back. She says, it depends on the alternative, and he says, whatever animosity exists between her and Spencer, the one thing they need to remember is, Esme is gone. Spencer says, good riddance. He’s only sorry she’s not going to pay for what she’s done.

Curtis says, Marshall’s mistakes are water under bridge. He just wants them to move forward. He and Portia were just talking about the future earlier, and he’s so glad to be a part of it. Portia says, so is she, and Marshall says, that’s what he wants too. He’s been so worried, terrified, for so long that his schizophrenia would pose a threat to everyone he holds dear. Even though he wasn’t having any symptoms, it hung around his neck. Like the meds could stop working at any moment, which is possible. If they did, he couldn’t risk hurting, or even embarrassing anybody. Portia says, he doesn’t have to worry about any of that anymore, and Curtis says, even if it got worse – not that it will – Marshall knows they’ll always be here for him. Marshall says he appreciates that. All in all, he’s been lucky. He asks if Curtis has thought any more about genetic counseling, but Curtis says he’s been busy lately. Portia says, even if he inherited the genetic predisposition for schizophrenia, Curtis is far past the usual age of onset. And there’s no reason to think of Curtis getting symptoms. A predisposition is no guarantee that the illness will actually develop. Marshall says, thank God Curtis was spared that, and Curtis says, it looks like he’s in the clear. The only reason he would get tested is if he wanted to have children; they could be affected. Marshall asks if that’s the plan. Are they going to give him more grandchildren? They all laugh.

TJ says, Marshall told him that he made an appointment for today, and he figured Marshall and Jordan shouldn’t cross paths considering… She says, considering the tragedy of Tommy’s death? She assumes his grandfather won’t be too pleased to meet her. TJ says, Marshall has been in town for a while, but the two of them have never been in the same place at the same time. Obviously, that’s not a coincidence. She says she’s kept her distance. She didn’t want to get in the way of TJ getting to know his grandfather, but it looks like he’s here to stay. TJ says he hopes so, and she says, so she doesn’t think it’s practical to keep avoiding Marshall. Unless that’s what TJ wants.

Leo asks if Dante is coming to his play. It’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Dante says he wouldn’t miss it, and asks Olivia if that isn’t an adult kind of play. She says, the entire show is only 30 minutes, and no one kid is one stage for more than ten minutes. Leo says he plays Bottom; that’s a funny name. Dante says, it sure is, and Leo says, he turns into a donkey, so he gets to wear a donkey head. It’s really cool. Olivia says she’s totally loving this theater therapy. The kids get to use their God given communication skills to ask clearly for the things they might want or need. It might be nice if they had something like that for neurotypical adults. He says, really, ma? And she says, sorry. Sam is out on the front lawn with Danny and Scout setting up the games. Maybe he wants to help. Unless he thinks that’s moving a little too fast for Sam. He says, maybe he will, and leaves. Olivia takes a deep breath, and Brook asks, what was that all about? Olivia says she’s not saying anything, and Brook asks if she promised not to say anything. Olivia says, that’s a good point. Dante wants Sam to move in, and she’s afraid that’s moving too fast; she doesn’t want to take that next step. You know what the two of them need? Brook says, no, no, no. She doesn’t mean… Olivia says, they need to be hit by a good old fashioned… They both say, Sicilian Thunderbolt. Leo asks if they want Dante to be hit by lightning, but Olivia says, it’s not an actual thunderbolt. Her Nonna Tuccia had a very special recipe – the Sicilian Thunderbolt. This very simple concoction had the power to unite reluctant lovers, and make them see they were destined to be together. He asks what she means, and she says, if two people – let’s say Sam and Dante – if they’re really meant to be together, they drink the Sicilian Thunderbolt, and suddenly clouds are lifted from their eyes, and they’re able to see the undeniable true love they have for each other. He says, a love potion, like Oberon gave to Titania, but Brook says, the love potion in the play made them fall in love with the next person they see, which would be a no-no. We don’t want that. But the Sicilian Thunderbolt will work if the two people are right for each other. He asks, then why do they need the Sicilian Thunderbolt? and Olivia says, sometimes people are taking their own sweet time, when what they need is a good swift kick in the… Brook clears her throat, and Olivia says, they just need a little push, and he says, encouragement. She says, that’s exactly it, and he asks how it works.

Britt tells Willow, because the fetus’s organs are developing the first 12 to 14 weeks, chemotherapy during the first trimester can cause birth defects or even miscarriage. Willow says, Terry told her that her cancer is in the earliest stage. She thinks chemotherapy will have to wait until her baby’s further along. Britt says, that would be ideal, but delaying treatment can be extremely risky, but Willow says, they’re only talking about a matter of weeks. Britt says, when dealing with cancer, conventional wisdom is that any delay is dangerous. If it spreads, Willow could not only lose her baby, she could lose her life. Willow says she won’t accept that. She’s already lost one child. She will not lose another. Thus speaketh Willow.

Sonny asks if Nina is making him go to the picnic alone, and she says she thinks he’ll survive. He says he’ll have a better time with her there, but she says, he won’t. Here’s what will happen. Michael is going to confront him; one, because Sonny showed up at all, and two, because Sonny showed up with her. Carly will pretend not to care they’re together, but inevitably find some reason to confront her about something. Sonny says, it’s none of their business what guest he brings, but she says she thinks it is. Because Wiley will probably be there, and Willow and everyone else will do everything possible to keep her away from him, which will hurt. Meanwhile, people will be watching and whispering, and Olivia will be waiting in the wings for her chance to give Nina a piece of her mind. He’ll be there, fighting this non-stop battle to make sure no one disrespects her. It’s not her idea of a good time.

Spencer says, let’s hear this big truth, and Ava says, the guards can’t protect him at Pentenville. Prison is a dangerous place, especially for a young man of means, which he is. He says she can’t scare him. Besides, Uncle Sonny has people on the inside looking out for him. She says, no one can look out for him 24/7; he has to be careful. He tells her watch out. If she keeps talking like that, he’ll start to think she cares. She says, he did try to help Trina, even though he messed it up. He says, she was so close to being a human being. He’s heading out. He gets up, and she says, they were supposed to talk about his trust fund, but he says, do what she wants. She will anyway. It’s not like he’s going to need it behind bars. Spencer leaves, and Nikolas thanks her for not telling Spencer about him and Esme. She says she didn’t do it for him. She did it because of those not-so-subtle hints he was dropping. What’s he going to do? Turn her in if she doesn’t behave? He tells her, that’s not what he’s saying at all. If Esme’s body is ever found, her knowing he slept with Esme gives her motivation to have killed her. Her only hope is to convince the world that they’re in a happy marriage, which means she moves back to Windymere today.

Jordan says she’s touched by TJ’s concern, but she takes responsibility for her part in the confrontation between Tommy and Shawn. Honestly, she’d rather clear the air between her and Marshall. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, TJ wants Marshall in his life, which means she and Marshall are going to bump into each other; on holidays, on special occasions, and randomly. He says he loves having more family, but she’s his mom, and he never wants her to feel uncomfortable in his home.

Olivia tells Leo, the Sicilian Thunderbolt recipe was passed down from generation to generation. She thinks she still has a copy in her hope chest. Brook says, as she recalls, it was pretty simple. A bunch of fresh herbs, and some kind of blessing over the mixture. Leo says, and a flower, like in the play. Olivia says, that’s a good guess. How did he guess that? He says, it only makes sense, and she says, fair enough. And you know what kind of flower it was? A very special flower she grew in her garden. It was called… Brook says, a cupid carnation, and Olivia says, yes. And it had to be picked fresh, just before you combine the ingredients. Nonna Tuccia swears that’s what gave Nonno Tuccia the guts to propose to her. Brook says, good for her. She can see how it could be scary taking the next step. It would be nice to get a little nudge.  

Michael brings Dex to the boathouse, and says, they can talk privately. What’s going on? Dex says, Sonny went through the roof when he found out he was given a discharge to avoid court martial. Michael says, he’ll be fine, and Dex says he warned Michael that Sonny was digging into his background, but Michael says, it was all part of the plan. Dex’s past was part of the reason Michael hired him. Dex asks if almost being court martialed for striking a superior officer is such a big selling point, and Michael says, in this case, yes. Knowing Dex protected a family the way Sonny wishes he could have protected his mother from an abusive stepfather will only further Sonny’s opinion; he’ll trust Dex more. Dex says, he was really pissed, but Michael says, he’ll cool down. And once he does, this is what Dex will do next…

Britt says, cancer doesn’t care what Willow will or won’t accept; it’s trying to kill her. They have to stop it. Willow asks, what is the rate of miscarriages during chemotherapy during the first trimester? and Britt says, some studies indicate nearly 38%. Willow says, and the second trimester? and Britt says, close to 10%. Willow says she’s willing to accept the risk to protect her child. They need to wait until the second trimester. They can’t say for sure the cancer is going to get worse. Britt says, it will definitely get worse. Can she say with any certainty that this gamble will or won’t pay off? She can’t; there’s no way to know that. Willow asks if Britt wants kids, and Britt says she doesn’t think kids are in her future. Willow says she’s always wanted to be a mom, and Wiley is her greatest joy. With all due respect… Britt says, no one ever said anything nice after saying that, and Willow says she doesn’t mean to be harsh, but if Britt doesn’t want kids herself, and has never lost a child, she can’t possibly understand. Britt says, Willow’s course of treatment is her personal choice. It’s Britt’s job to help her make an informed decision. Willow says she wants to give her baby the best chance at life as possible, and Britt says, then Willow should also know that if she waits, there’s no guaranty her body will be able to carry a baby to term. Willow could go through all this, she could risk everything, and lose the baby anyway.

Ava says, as much as she hates to admit it, she sees Nikolas’s point. Outside the castle, they’ll pretend to be the happy couple. Inside the castle, he’ll leave her the hell alone. (Hmm… Not much different than some marriages IRL.) Agreed, daring? He says, agreed, darling, and she gets up. She says she’s headed to the gallery, but he tells her, wait. She says, why? and he says, because she’s going with him to the Quartermaine picnic.

Dante asks Brook if the coast is clear, and she tells him, come in. Olivia’s not here. He says he loves his mom, but holy… When she thinks she’s right about something, her boundaries go out the window. Brook says, she’s nothing like the rest of the Quartermaines; we really respect boundaries. He says he didn’t notice that, and she says she can’t imagine how he missed it. Why all the pushing? He and Sam seem solid. He says, they are. What’s going on with her and Chase? She says, same as always, and he says, she’s still using Chase to get back at Linc? She says, she would never use Chase. Never.

Curtis says, Marshall doesn’t beat around the bush, and Portia says, he makes Aunt Stella seem demure. Curtis guesses they haven’t talked about having kids, and she says, kids, plural. He says, yeah. His brother Tommy was his best friend, and he always wanted that for his children. Siblings you can count on. She says, like Trina, and he says, can she imagine how fiercely protective Trina would be? She says she can, and asks if that’s the future he’s wanting to talk to her about. Does he want to have kids? He says, there’s some other things he wants first.

Willow asks if Britt is saying she has to choose between herself and her baby, and Britt says she strongly recommends Willow not delay treatment. Willow gets up, and Britt says, she can get a second opinion, but it won’t be different. Willow says, if she waits, the chemotherapy could still be successful, and both she and the baby could survive. That’s possible too, right? Britt says, yes, it’s possible, and Willow asks if Britt has ever had a patient in this situation before. Britt says, again, every case is unique… but Willow says, please… Britt says, yes. A few years back, she had a patient in a similar situation; she chose to delay treatment. Willow says, and? and Britt says, the baby survived; she died. Willow says she thinks she needs time, but Britt says, the one thing Willow doesn’t have is time. The longer she waits, the fewer options she has. She’s sorry. it’s just the reality of Willow’s situation. And while the choice is hers, fortunately she doesn’t have to make it alone. Willow says she needs to talk to Michael.

TJ tells Jordan that he has to check some labs, but he’ll only be a minute. Is she still free for lunch? She says she’ll make the time, and asks if there’s any chance Molly can join them. He says he wishes. He just talked to her. She had lunch with her mom and sisters, and now she’s back at work. Jordan says she’s glad she’s Commissioner. Otherwise, she’d never see Molly at all. Marshall walks in, and says he was hoping to run into TJ. He sees Jordan is there, and TJ says he’d like Marshall to meet his mother, and tells Jordan, this is Curtis’s father Marshall. Marshall says he’s been waiting for this day to come, and TJ tells them, before anyone says anything… but Jordan tells him, go ahead; do what he needs to do. She’ll meet him at the MetroCourt. She and Mr. Ashford will be fine. TJ leaves, and she says she’s sure Marshall has some things he wants to say to her. He says he does. She did not do right by his son, but then again, neither did he.

Britt looks at a photo of herself with a baby on her phone, and says, Ben, Ben, Ben. He’ll always be Ben to her. Why Dante and Lulu gave him that stupid name she’ll never know – Rocco. There’s a knock at the door, she gets herself together, and says, come in. Spencer says he comes in peace. Has she got a minute? She tells him, come in, and he asks if she’s okay. She says she’s fine. What’s he doing here? It better not be for another favor. He says he’s here to apologize, and she says he did that already. He says he knows, but not as much as he should have; not nearly enough. She says, go on… and he says, back then during his first apology, he wasn’t able to tell her what was going on. Now he’s finally able to tell her truth.

Dex heads toward Sonny in the park, and Sonny says, this better be a coincidence, but Dex says he called Frank; he said Sonny might be here. Sonny says he’s going to call Frank. Dex is supposed to be staying out of his face. Dex says he wants to apologize about the misunderstanding, but Sonny says, it wasn’t a misunderstanding; Dex withheld information. Does Dex know what that’s called? It’s a lie. Dex says he’s sorry he didn’t disclose the trouble he got into when he was in the service, but he didn’t think it was relevant. Sonny says he decides what’s relevant, not Dex. Knowledge is power. Don’t ever keep anything from him again. Dex says he won’t, he swears. Sonny starts to walk away, and Dex says, Sonny told him, again. Does that mean he still has a job?

Portia asks what Curtis wants that’s so urgent, and Curtis asks, did she see that? There’s something in the pool. He takes his shirt off, and jumps in.

Ava says, go to a picnic at the Quartermaines with Nikolas? and he says, the Cassadines have always supported General Hospital. If they don’t make an appearance, people will comment. She asks why he didn’t say so. They can’t have people commenting. He says, maybe she’ll have fun. Stranger things have happened. She leaves, and he smiles.

Leo puts a carnation on the table, and looks at a recipe card. He says, Sam and Dante deserve to be happy, and he’s going to help.

Britt says, Spencer did all that for Trina? Talk about no good deed going unpunished. He’s paying one heavy price. He says he can handle it, but she says, Pentenville’s no joke. He’ll need to watch his back – quite literally. He says he’ll be okay. He just wanted to make sure they were good, again before he leaves. She says, they’re good, and he goes to the door. She asks what Trina said when she found out what he did for her, but he says, she doesn’t know, and she’s never going to. Britt says, all that, and he’s not getting her back? but he says, she was never his to lose. He never had her; he never deserved her. What Trina deserves is to forget about him and to be happy.

Sonny says, Dex isn’t fired… yet. Dex thanks him, and says he really appreciates the second chance. He won’t let Sonny down. Sonny says, good. Because Dex is going to spend every day proving to Sonny that he didn’t make a mistake. Understood? Dex says, got it, and Sonny says, he can go.

Willow walks into the living room, and Michael says, here she is. He kisses her, and says, what’s wrong? She asks if they can sit down. She needs to tell him something.

Jordan says she thought Marshall would be angrier at her for what happened to Tommy. He tells her, don’t get it twisted. When he’d heard she betrayed his son, and Tommy lost his life in the process, his thoughts of her were far from Christian. She says, that’s fair, and he says, except he’s in no position to judge. There’s a whole lot of sumthin’-sumthin’ she doesn’t know about. He believes he might have been responsible for Tommy’s death.

At the MetroCourt Gardens, TJ’s phone rings, and he asks Molly, what’s going on? Nina starts to walk in, and stops. He says, no worries. He’s accepted that they may never share a meal again. Nina flashes back to seeing Willow hug TJ.

Portia asks Curtis if he found it, and he says, yeah, swimming over to her. She asks, what was it? and he holds up a ring, saying, their future. She says, oh my God.  

Tomorrow, Chase tells Brook that he could use her help; Curtis asks Portia to marry him; Drew tells Carly, prepare to be amazed; and Sonny tells someone to take their best show, and they’ll see what happens.

Below Deck Mediterranean

When we left last week, it looked like Home had hit a dolphin, but Storm tells Captain Sandy, they’re touching. She asks if they sustained any damage, and he says, no. He tells her, they’re three meters off, but she says, he’s garbled. Mzi finally goes over to Storm, and tells him that he’s not coming through. He has to press the mic, then talk. Storm apologizes, and tells the captain, the stern is clear. The fenders are pulled up, and Storm tells the deckhands, well done. Kyle tells Natasha that he was drooling blood all night; that’s why he’s doing housekeeping. Natalya says she’s going to flip laundry. Whatever that means. Captain Sandy calls Storm to the bridge, and says he did well… He says he understands where he went wrong. He was pressing the mic too early, and she wasn’t getting full sentences. The captain says she knows there’s a lot of pressure. Relax and breathe. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, before this season, she never hit anything. Storm is still provisional. She needs to make sure he can run the deck, and lead the team. Tasha brings primary Kristina coffee, and Kristina says, it was a birthday to remember. Tasha says, they looked fabulous, but Kristina says, they don’t feel fabulous. In Courtney’s interview, she says, she’s finally a deckhand, and she wants to be good. She wants to show Mzi that she’s a good deckhand, and also Captain Sandy, who’s got some weird faith in her. Tasha is busy texting her not-so-ex-anymore boyfriend, and Natalya tries talking smack about her to Kyle, but he tells Natalya, STFU.

Captain Sandy radios the deck crew to be ready for water sports, and they anchor in a gorgeous spot. Natalya complains about Kyle not being on service, but he says he’s in massive pain, and he doesn’t want to be around the guests while he’s in pain. Natalya asks how she was supposed to know that. Tasha sees them, and says she’ll come back when they’ve chatted it out. Kyle tells Tasha that his teeth are painful, so he said he’d be on laundry, but Natalya’s there again. Natalya says, Kyle is starting stuff out of nothing, and in Tasha’s interview, she says she feels like a schoolteacher. They can’t afford not to get along. Kyle says, Natalya gets defensive when she knows she’s wrong, and Dave tells them to quiet down. The toys are brought out, and Storm takes the guests for a ride on the inflatable banana. And no, that’s not a euphemism for anything. It’s literally an inflatable banana that seats quite a few people. Captain Sandy says, yay! The guests are having fun. Tasha texts her boyfriend, and Dave asks, what’s going on? but she says, nothing. In Tasha’s interview, she says she feels like Dave would be upset if she told him that she was getting back together with her boyfriend. He’s so unpredictable. The captain says she doesn’t know where the wind is coming from; it wasn’t predicted. She tells the deckhands to bring in the toys, and Storm asks Courtney to hook up the jet ski to a crane so they can bring it back on board. She says, the last time she did that in a swell, she got smacked in the face with a crane. Captain Sandy radios for them to wrap it up; the wind is 20 knots. Courtney misses the crane on the first try, but gets it on the second. Storm says, good job, and in her interview, she says, thank God.

The wind starts whipping, and the swell comes. I’m guessing these are like rogue waves. I’ve experienced those, and they’re not funny. The captain can’t get the stabilizers to work, and it’s like last time. Everything careens, and smashes. Captain Sandy tells them, hang on, and says, it’s a f***ing nightmare. She tells everyone, hang on; the boat is gonna roll. There’s crashing and smashing, and the captain radios for someone to find the engineer. Engineer Carlos says he’s working on it, as guest Michelle falls on her ass. There’s also an alarm blaring the entire time. Captain Sandy goes over mechanical stuff with Carlos, and it seems like the air conditioner is the main culprit. She tells everyone, from now on, the doors are closed. Like the stalker he’s become, Dave asks Tasha if she’s all right, and she says she’s fine. The captain says, they’re going back to the dock, and in her interview, she says, the stabilizers aren’t working, and it’s not safe for the guests. Her decision is based on safety. In Mzi’s interview, he says he’s happy Courtney is on board. She’s good energy. Jason can monotone, and she balances things out. The captain says, tonight is decadent night with the Studio 54 party.

As they near the dock, Captain Sandy says she can’t see sh*t, and we see it’s seriously dark. In Storm’s interview, he says he’s nervous. He hit a dolphin, and his first docking was a failure. He hates failure. The captain tells Jason that she can’t see his hand signals, and Storm asks Mzi to being a fender just in case. They manage to dock without hitting anything, and Captain Sandy says, excellent job; they didn’t hit anything. Storm thanks all of them, and asks how Courtney feels. She says, relived. Kyle is in severe pain, and Tasha tells him to lie down. She asks if any of the deckhands are available, and Storm tells her to give him 20 minutes. In Dave’s interview, he says, Tasha can’t box it up. He still enjoys her presence, and doesn’t want to make it hard to work as a team. He doesn’t know how to act; it’s weird. Tasha and her boyfriend text a bunch of cringy Hallmark type stuff. Storm says he hates putting her back there, but will Courtney help the interior? In Courtney’s interview, she says, she’s happy to help. She understands; she’s been there. We flash back to her being a stew, and asking the deck crew for help, and she says, at the same time, she wants to move forward and progress on deck.

The guests are seated for dinner, and Tasha tells Captain Sandy about Kyle. The captain goes to find him, and the guests complement Courtney on doing double-duty. Captain Sandy asks Kyle how he is, and he says he has an infection, and he’s so sore. She says, it’s the worst pain (agreed), and he needs to see a dentist. Guest Michelle talks about doing Cabo for Thanksgiving, while the captain calls marina doctor, Dr. Tea. She tells Dr. Tea that she thinks Kyle should go to the hospital. For some reason, Storm walks around wearing deedly-boppers, what you might call antennae on a headband. Creeper though he may be, Dave makes food that I’m sure surpasses anything Studio 54 ever churned out. He tells them the octopus dish was inspired by Tasha; it’s super tender. Kyle leaves for the hospital, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t want to let the team down, but he feels like he’s being punched in the face by a professional boxer. That would have been preferable. We see him enter the hospital.

For dessert, Dave brings up a false apple ganache, with a banana caramel inside. It looks like a green apple, but everything is edible, and I’m sure incredibly rich. I don’t even like caramel, but I’m in. In Tasha’s interview, she says, she was engaged to someone she worked on a boat with. They’d been together for three years, and engaged for a year and a half. She broke up with him on a crossing, realizing that she still loved him, but not in that way. Afterward, they shared a cabin for a month, and it was awkward. There’s nowhere to run and hide on a boat. Kyle texts Tasha that his tooth is severely infected, but he can’t see a dentist until morning. He has to spend the night at the hospital. The guests go upstairs to the pseudo Studio 54, complete with streamers and disco ball. They demand more alcohol, but in a nice way. Mzi explains nautical stuff to Jason for future reference, and in his interview, Mzi says, things are taking shape. He wants a bit of structure in place. Growing up, he did the dishes after dinner, and books on holidays. In order to have progress, they need structure to make them more efficient. The guests do The Running Man, and Mzi helps Courtney with the dishes. The guests go to bed by the time Studio 54 was probably just getting rolling for the night. Natalya sits with Storm, and says she’s exhausted; they lost Kyle. He tells her that she crushed it, and asks if she’d be keen to have dinner on their night off, then join the crew after. She says, it’s not called a date, and he tells her that she’s paying as well. In Natalya’s interview, she says, 99% of the men she had relationships with cheated on her. She’s hoping Storm is different. It’s hard to find good people. She tells him, don’t even think of kissing her.

In Jason’s interview, he says he’s not in sync with the deck crew. His jokes are not landing, and Mzi is laughing at everything Courtney says. At this point, he’s strategizing how to fit in, because right now, he’s 100% not. The first one up for breakfast, guest Kimberlee says she’s barely alive. As they pack, guest Gina says she doesn’t want to leave. The crew gets into their whites to say their goodbyes, and Captain Sandy explains that Kyle had to go to the dentist. Kristina says, they expected a lot, and the crew exceeded their expectations. The guests leave, and the captain tells the crew to meet for the tip meeting. Kyle returns, and tells Tasha that he had two of his back teeth removed. The pain was next level, and he’s so relieved. He can’t wait to eat certain things and suck on certain things. Hey, he said it, not me. I’m just reporting the facts.

They sit down for the meeting, and the captain says, they did well with a man down, and a new crew member. She says, it’s great having Courtney on board, and Storm accepted her challenge, telling her that he was ready. When they came off the dock, she was worried, but when they came in last night, he did a superb job. She tells them, the envelope is thick. The tip is $20K, or $1800 each. Everyone applauds, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, her first charter is over, so she can relax more now. A producer asks if she thinks Coco is coming out tonight, and we flash back to Courtney’s drunken alter-ego. She says she’s not getting as drunk as she used to, but she’s letting her hair down, so who knows… Storm makes reservations for dinner, and Natalya tells Kyle about a guy who broke up with her at 2 am over text. She just doesn’t think love lasts. In Storm’s interview, he says, his last relationship lasted  8 months. He was prepared to leave his job for her, but she lost feelings for him. Anything that’s worth doing is worth overdoing, and that’s how he is with work and love. Tasha asks if she can speak to Dave, and tells him, right now, she and her ex are sorting things out. They got their dogs together; they bought a home together; they’re friends with each other’s friends; and have so much in common. They make each other laugh. Dave says, to him, he thinks she’s taking the easy way out. She doesn’t know what she wants. She says, she’d been running away from problems that were hard to face. Now she has to face them. In Dave’s interview, he wonders, WTF is she doing? She told him about her ex; she spoke openly about him cheating on her. She told him they’d had difficulties for years, and he didn’t seem like a great guy. It doesn’t make sense.

Everyone gets ready to go out, and Storm and Natalya go to the restaurant. Tasha tells Kyle that she wishes Dave would back off. Courtney says, it’s her first night out with them; yay! Natalya asks if Storm has ever hooked up with a crew member, and he tells her, no, then starts talking about the work schedule he made. In his interview, he says, he’s stoked. She’s beautiful, but he’s thinking about work. He’s nervous, since this is a trial period. He tells her that he’s stoked (his WOTD) to see where this goes. They meet the rest of the crew at another restaurant, and Kyle tells them, don’t get comfortable. They’re going to a club. They move on.

Dave whines to Storm about Tasha getting back with her boyfriend. Tasha and Natalya talk in the ladies room. Natalya tells Tasha about her date with Storm, and asks how it’s going with Dave. Tasha says, just awful. Back at the table, Storm says, not in his wildest dreams did he imagine he’d be bosun. Mzi says, he’s killing it. Natalya comes back, and yells for shots. Storm tells Mzi, if the docking hadn’t gone the way it did, he’d be done. Natalya suggests ending the emotional pity party, and in her interview, she says, Storm overthinks things. Keep work chat in the workplace. It’s very draining. Some of the crew gets up to dance, and Storm asks if he pissed Natalya off. She tells him not to be emotional; he’s ruining the vibe. In the taxi back, Storm tells Dave that he doesn’t know what he did, and Dave says, they’re f***ed up.

Back on the boat, Tasha makes some food, and Dave creeps around, staring at her. Jason tells Storm that he didn’t do anything wrong. Natalya takes her bedding, and hides in a guest cabin. Storm wails that she wanted nothing to do with him, and Mzi says, let her deal with her sh*t. Storm’s not here for a relationship; he’s here to work. He’s been promoted. Tasha tells Kyle that she thinks Dave’s in a strange place, and Kyle says, he knows it’s tough, but she came her for a bigger purpose. (Like what? Serving margaritas? She’s not curing cancer here.) Dave says, the Tasha situation is over with. F*** Natasha. F*** it all.  

Next time, Kyle flirts with a guest; Natasha says, Kyle could lose his job over this; Jason tells Storm to f*** off; and Dave tells Natasha that she’s on her own.

🛥 Don’t Need a Bigger Boat…

As the captain says, your home away from home. Packing as we speak.

https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/news/home-yacht-below-deck-mediterranean-season-7

🧂 Looking For My Lost Shaker Of Salt…

Don’t hesitate to drop by unannounced tomorrow for soap, and some hot tea. Until then, stay safe, stay making new friends, but cherishing the old, and stay keeping work chat in the workplace. It’s very draining.

Aug20

August 19, 2022 – Austin’s Cousin Is In Town, Mason, Leaving, Wedding Aftershock, Shahnanigans, Cheshire Wives, Wedding Album, Dead Tales, Reviewing Dragons, Lucky Amount of Quotes & Time

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Cody says, Britt has questions about him? Good, because he has questions about her too. Which is why it’s good to have date number two. They can learn more about each other. Britt says, much more, and he says, for starters, how does she feel about anchovies on pizza? She says, he’s assuming she likes pizza, and he says, everybody likes pizza. She says, that’s the problem with assumptions. Everybody doesn’t parachute into a pool, then punch a mother’s boyfriend, and announce they’re the son of said boyfriend’s dead wife. He says, now she knows something about him, and she says, he asked about her father before. Why does Cody keep asking about him?

Outside Kelly’s, Alexis says, even though she provides headlines for The Invader, the only headlines she wants to know about right now are from her girls. She, Molly, Kristina, and Sam sit at an outside table, and she asks, who’s first? Molly says, Kristina; she’s got the best news. Alexis says, goodie. What’s up? Kristina says she was promoted to manager at Charlie’s, and Alexis says, congratulations. Well done. Kristina thanks her, and says she’s pretty happy about it. Alexis asks if she sees much of her dad, and Kristina says, he doesn’t own the pub anymore, but he comes in fairly often, so it’s good to spend time with him. Alexis says, even though he’s with Nina? and Kristina says, is she happy dad’s in a relationship with Nina? No, and she was clear about that. She also told him that she’s in no position to throw stones, and he appreciated that, so it doesn’t really effect their relationship. Alexis says, look at her adulting, and hugs Kristina, saying, her baby’s all grown up. Molly’s turn. How’s it going in the DA’s office? Molly says, as Alexis knows, ADA Arden maneuvered her off Trina Robinson’s case because she felt Molly was biased. Kristina says, which is untrue and unfair, but isn’t it a silver lining that Molly doesn’t have to try someone in TJ’s extended family? Molly says, definitely a silver lining, but she hates that no one gives the system a chance to work the way it actually should. As a prosecutor, it’s her job, or should have been her job, to make the strongest case against Trina, using the facts for support. Then Trina’s defense attorney – Diane in this case – makes the strongest defense, and the jury gets to decide. But Jennifer Arden wanted to prove a point. She followed the letter, but not the spirit with her case. At least it ended with the right verdict… this time. Kristina says, tell mom what she’s thinking, and Molly says, about following in Alexis’s footsteps and going over to criminal defense. Alexis says, whatever Molly does, Molly has her full support, and Molly thanks her. Alexis says, Sam’s turn. She’s awfully quiet, so is no news good news?

Dante walks in as Olivia is on the phone, asking if they remembered to order the special picnic dessert… Okay. Also, make absolutely sure that Leo’s donkey head is just what they discussed… Perfect. Thank you. She’ll be in touch. Dante asks what that was all about, and she says, the first annual Quartermaine picnic to support the GH Children’s wing is tomorrow, and her frozen desserts, the pièce de résistance. He says, with a donkey’s head thrown in? and she says, naturally. Leo’s summer theater camp is doing a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He’s playing Bottom. He says, the character that turns into a donkey. He must be so excited. He gets to play the donkey. He’s going to kill that. Does he need help with running lines? She says, he already has somebody helping him get into the role, and Dante says, let him guess; Chase? She says, Dante’s friend Cody.

Spinelli frets about management checking the chlorine level in the pool, and Maxie tells him, live dangerously. Take the plunge. He can start by forgetting about Britt, and finding someone who’s a better fit. He asks who she has in mind, and she says, no one specifically, but generally, she should be a match for his heart and his intelligence, have an appreciation for his unique perspective. A sense of humor couldn’t hurt, and it’s not absolutely necessary she be into sci/fi, but a basic knowledge of the Star Wars universe would help. So no, he’s not going to meet her at a business conference or whatever, but that’s what computer programs are for, right? She still doesn’t understand why he won’t try his own algorithm, and he says, there’s no need. His brief infatuation with Dr. Westbourne is already fading. He’s put her in the rearview mirror, so to speak. She asks if he’s been holding out on her. Who’s the lucky lady?

Finn tells Violet, she has her sunblock on, but it’s still not good to get too much sun, and she puts on her sunhat. Gregory says, translation: I know what I’m doing, dad, and Finn says, of course (🍷) she does. He situates Violet in her chaise, and gives her a book. She thanks him, and he tells Gregory that he can’t help it. He loves Violet. He told Elizabeth that he loves her. Gregory says, big step, and Finn says, that’s why he can’t look the other way, even if she hates him for it.

Elizabeth looks at the crushed tube in her bloody palm, when TJ walks in. He asks, what happened? She says she was examining Scotty’s nose… He asks how she cut her hand, but she says she doesn’t know. She clutched the tube, and it just seemed to shatter. TJ asks her to let him take a look, but she says, it’s nothing. He says, it’s a nasty cut, and there are glass shards embedded… She says she can take care of it. She’s sure he has patients to deal with. He says he does, and she’s the first one. Has this ever happened before? She asks what he means, and he says he knows she took some personal time for stress. Did Scotty say something to upset her?

Gregory asks if Elizabeth said she loved Finn back, and Finn says, she did. That’s before he blew it all to hell. Gregory asks how Finn managed that, and Finn says, there’s something going on with Elizabeth beyond the sleeping pills she was taking. Something that involves her parents, maybe her father. Gregory says, let him guess; she wasn’t forthcoming. Finn says, not in the slightest, and Gregory asks if that doesn’t tell him maybe he should drop the subject. Finn asks who he’s talking to. Isn’t Gregory the one who told him to analyze a problem from all sides, and come to a rational conclusion? Gregory says, not when it comes to the heart. There’s nothing rational about emotions. Finn says, now you tell me. There’s a million possibilities, but everything tells him that Elizabeth’s issue involves her family, especially since she keeps acting like they don’t exist. Violet asks if Aunt Elizabeth is seeing ghosts again.

Maxie says, if Spinelli doesn’t fess up, she’s going to throw him in the pool, but he asks what he has to confess. She says, if he’s over Britt, who is he pining for? and he says, a luminous creature; a beacon of warmth and intelligence… with a working knowledge of Star Wars. She asks if they know how he feels, but he says he’s only been worshipping her from afar. If things were different… Austen comes in, and Maxie says, oh my God, throwing her arms around him and kissing him.

Kristina says, they’re all concerned for Spencer, but why would Sam want to talk about him and not Dante? Molly says she kind of has the same feeling. Is everything okay with them? She just wants Sam and Dante to be as happy as she and TJ are. Sam says, she and Dante are very happy… They were happy, until… until he suggested they move in together.

Dante tells Olivia, last he checked, Cody wasn’t a drama coach. How’s he going to help Leo? She says she doesn’t know. He knows about horses and donkeys and stuff. Anyway, Dante should see Leo up on the stage, prancing around and braying. She’s never seen that kid more confident. He says he’s happy Leo and Cody have made fast friends, and he asks if she needs any help with this picnic. She says, he could find that embarrassing apron, and help her with the grill. Before she forgets, she saved seats in the front row for him and Sam for Leo’s play. He says, cool, sounds good, and she says, really? Because his face is telling a different story. He says, it’s fine, ma, and she says, now she’s really worried. He tells her, he said, everything is fine, but she says, Dante Angelo Falconari. From the time he was four years old, she knows when she hears him say, it’s fine, ma, in that tone of voice, she knows two things. A, it’s not fine, and B, he’s trying to hide something from her. Sometimes it’s something completely innocuous, like the time he broke Aunt Cia’s lamp. He says, that damn lamp again. It was hideous, and he was seven. She says, did the family offer up a silent prayer of gratitude for the lamp? Yes, but that’s not the point. The point is, she heard a crash, she asked, what happened? and he said, it’s fine, ma. Just like the time he got drunk for the first time, or the first time he got shot. He should just stop ducking and dodging the question, and tell her what’s really going on. He says he thinks he messed up with Sam.

Cody says, whoa there. He mentioned Britt’s father once, she shut him down, and he never mentioned him again. She says, he failed to mention their fathers knew one another, and he asks how she found out. She says, her mother, and he asks what Obrecht said exactly. Britt says, that Cesar Faison and Leopold Taub had – air quotes – dealings – end air quotes – with one another, and he says, isn’t it weird that their fathers knew each other? She says, weird doesn’t even begin to cover it. He could have told her that from the start. He says he barely knew her. Hell, he didn’t even know Leopold Taub was his father until a few months ago. At the same time he got poleaxed with the news that Dominique was his mother, and her mother’s schnitzel got a fortune that should have been his. She says, as he knows, that fortune belongs to a bunch of beluga whales thanks to Scotty’s daughter Serena. So he can kiss it goodbye. He says, that’s harsh, and she says, he wants harsh? Let’s talk about her family tree. Does he remember when she treated his cracked ribs after he received that beatdown outside of The Savoy? He says he’s probably not going to forget that, and she says, then does he also remember asking her about her parents? He was particularly interested in her father, and – what did he call it? – his legacy. He says, her point? and she says, her point is, why didn’t he tell her then that his father and her father not only knew each other, they did business together. What else is he keeping from her? He asks if she’s proud being Cesar Faison’s daughter, because he looked up Leopold Taub, and he’s not proud either. That whole cartel thing he had going on, and yeah, Cesar Faison was listed as one of his members. So when Dante told him that she was Faison’s daughter… She says, he smelled an opportunity, but he says, no; he smelled trouble. His first instinct was to run as far away from her as possible, and never look back. She asks, what stopped him? and he says, gratitude, for her scraping him up in that alley, giving him his 50 back, driving him all the way to Dante’s… Plus, he liked the smell of her perfume. Gardenias, right? She says, camellias, and he says, close. He liked her crooked smile, and the way she always sees the glass as half full – of strychnine. She asks if that’s a compliment or a cheap shot, and he says he just liked her. But if that’s not good enough, he’ll stick to horses. She can go back to Society Set-Ups and see if Zelda can do better next time. He brings a box into the stables, and when he comes back out, she’s still there. He asks if something is keeping her, and she says, her mother said the matchmaker may be more accurate than she thought.

Olivia says, she thought Dante and Sam were in a good place, and he says, they are. He should have left it there. She says, as opposed to… and he says, as opposed to asking Sam to move in with him. She says, it makes sense, all the time they spend together, and he says, that’s what he was thinking. They spend all this time together, they like each other, they have fun, and when the kids are together, it’s like the most perfect thing in the world. Sam thinks he’s rushing it; that he has to work through some stuff. She asks, what kind of stuff? and he says, like feelings. She says, like his feelings for Sam, or…? He says, for Lulu, and she says, he knows she loves Lulu. She prays everyday that Lulu will come out of that coma, but he’s moved on with his life. Lulu moved on with her life before the explosion. She was going to marry that teacher, wasn’t she? He says, she was. Dustin handed him the ring to give to her before he passed away. She says, Sam’s got to be aware of that, that Lulu was moving on with someone else. He says, it’s not Lulu’s feelings Sam’s talking about. She thinks he’s papered over his feelings. She says, has he? and he says, there’s a big part of him that thinks he should have been able to save her. Olivia hugs him, and says, her wonderful sweet boy. He didn’t put Lulu in that coma. That was Cyrus Renault’s fault. Even if he could go back in time, it’s still Cyrus Renault’s fault, with Julian Jerome doing his dirty work. He says, if he had just gotten there earlier, but she says, don’t do that. If he’d gotten to The Floating Rib earlier, she would have lost him too. No. They’re living in the here and now; that’s what matters. What matters are his feelings for Sam.  

Molly says, so Sam and Dante are moving in together, but Sam says, she and Dante are not moving in together. Kristina says, why not? and Sam says, like she told Spinelli, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Kristina says, moving in together doesn’t fix a bad relationship, it makes a good one better. Molly says, she and TJ had their doubts about sharing everything, even the rent… but Alexis says, let her alone. Kristina says, they’re not pressuring Sam. She’s in a committed relationship with a loving, supportive partner; not everyone gets that lucky. Sam says she knows she hit the jackpot, and Molly asks, what’s the problem? Sam asks if they can not talk about this, and Alexis says, absolutely. Now tell her what’s going on.

Maxie says she thought Austin was going to be gone for days, but he says he got through his business quickly. He tells Spinelli, in fact, he got through his business at warp speed. He came back to be with Maxie, and she says, he did? He says she sounds surprised, and she says, she thought all that talk about family… He says, what talk about family? and she glances at Spinelli, and says, never mind. The important thing is, he’s back. He says, he is. Back for good. Spinelli rolls his eyes.

Finn asks what makes Violet think Aunt Elizabeth is seeing ghosts, and she tells him, he just said,  they don’t exist. Gregory says, her daddy was just talking about her grandpa and step-grandma and how she never sees them. Violet says, okay, and goes back to her book. Finn thanks Gregory, and says, he has to get back to GH. Does Gregory mind? Gregory says, no, and Finn says, everything he needs is right there. Gregory says he’s getting kind of hungry; is Violet? She says she’s so hungry, and Finn tell her to be good for grandpa. He’ll see her back home. They exchange I love yous, and he says, eskimo? They rub noses and he leaves.  

TJ says, he’s let Epiphany know he’s sending Elizabeth home after the x-ray. She should not hold a steering wheel. He’ll call Finn. She says, don’t bother him; she’ll call a Ride Share. They leave the exam room, and in the hallway, he says he’s calling radiation to make sure they get the x-ray right away. She says, he’s very thorough, and he says he thinks the word she’s avoiding is annoying, maybe even obnoxious. She says she’s the one who should apologize for being less than cooperative, and he says he gets it. For a lot of people, it’s an automatic reflex; you’re fine, keep going. He thinks on some level, it’s a survival mechanism, because we’re afraid if we slow down and admit we’re hurt, we won’t get started again. She says she appreciates the we, and he says he’s definitely been through it, and will again, but if he goes too far, hopefully there will be someone to pull him back. He picks up the phone, and says he needs to order an x-ray for a GH staff person… As he talks, Elizabeth looks at the door to the stairs. She goes to it, opens, it, and stands on the landing. She looks down the stairs, and falls forward. It’s all in her head, and TJ asks if she’s okay. She says, absolutely, and he says, radiology can take her now. They leave, and she gives the door one last look.

Cody says, he had quite the interaction with Britt’s mother, and Britt says, when she twisted Cody’s arm behind his back for punching Scotty? He says he can see her mother’s no pushover. He bets Cesar Faison met his match with Liesl Obrecht. She says, no. Don’t let her black belt in karate fool him. Deep down, her mother is a born romantic. She’s actually the one who signed Britt up with Society Set-Ups. He says, remind him to thank her, and Britt says, he punched her boyfriend in the nose. She doubts her mother is interested in a thanks from him. She did suggest they have something in common. He says, really? Tell him something. Did her dad ever mention his?

Austin thanks Spinelli for keeping an eye on Maxie while he was gone. He hates thinking of her alone. Spinelli says, that makes them even. He hates thinking of her with the wrong people. Maxie says, Austin’s timing is perfect. Tomorrow is the first annual Quartermaine picnic for the Children’s wing at GH. Spinelli says, given Austin’s resentment of the Quartermaines, he may choose to skip the picnic, in which case he offers himself as escort to Maxinista. Austin says, that’s very kind of him, but he can handle the Quartermaines if Maxinista can. She says, how about if both of them escort her to the picnic? Mason suddenly bounds in, and asks where Austin’s manners are. Isn’t Austin going to introduce him to his friends?

Sam asks how she can move in with Dante when Lulu is still so much a presence in that house. She doesn’t go there often, but when she does, all she sees are her kitchen, her books, her furniture, or at least the furniture they picked out together. Alexis says, maybe he’s leaving those things around for Rocco’s sake; for Rocco’s comfort. Sam says, fair enough, and it all makes sense, but it’s still really awkward for her. Alexis says, she gets it. For what it’s worth (🍷), she hasn’t seen Sam this happy in a long time. Whatever Dante’s doing, he’s bringing out a peacefulness in Sam that no one else has managed to. And Sam brings joy to Dante’s life, because no one’s seen him this joyful since he came back to Port Charles. She’s pretty certain he’s not seeing Lulu when he sees Sam. Sam’s phone dings, and she says she’s got to go. She tells Alexis that she loves her, and Alexis says she loves Sam more. Sam leaves, passing Gregory and Violet on their way in. Violet says, that’s the lady in the park who grandpa hit with the frisbee, and Alexis says, that’s her.  

Finn asks, what happened to Elizabeth’s hand? and she says, it’s just a cut. TJ says, according to the x-ray, they got all the shards, and she tells Finn, she was just holding an empty collection tube, and it shattered. TJ says he has to check on a patient, and asks if Finn minds waiting until Elizabeth’s Ride Share comes. Finn says, sure, and TJ tells Elizabeth, go home and rest. She says she will, and he leaves. Finn says, forget about the Ride Share; he’ll drive her home himself. She says, what about his patients? and he says he’ll get someone to cover. It just shattered in her hand? She says, it wasn’t an accident. He deserves to know the truth. They go into an exam room, and she says she wasn’t watching what she was doing. He asks, what was distracting her? and she says, for one thing, walking in on him and Terry talking behind her back. He says, that’s his fault, not Terry’s, and they didn’t mean to upset her. She says, he upset her. He doesn’t think she’s capable of  taking care of herself. Why doesn’t he trust her? He says, he’d trust her with his life, but he’s not exactly clear on how just mentioning her family is a violation of that trust. He means no disrespect by that, but he wants to know how to fix things between them. She says, there’s nothing to fix, and he says, if that was true, she’d tell him what really caused her to cut her hand.

Kristina asks Gregory and Violet to join them. She and Molly would love to her all about the frisbee. Violet says, it was an accident, and Gregory thanks them, but says, he and Violet will find another table. Alexis says, don’t be silly. She always enjoys Violet’s company. He tells her, Finn told him that she said he was pestering her, and she asks if she actually used the word pester. He says, according to Finn. He vigorously denied it of course (🍷), but if that’s how she feels, he’ll pester her no longer. Alexis says, don’t go, and tells him to pull up chairs for him and Violet. After all, it’s not every day you get to have lunch with the Davis girls.

Dante tells Olivia, when he asked Sam to move in with him, in retrospect, it probably did catch her off-guard. They were at the Hatchet Ranch… She says, that’s romantic, and he says, it was just one of those things. He’d been thinking about it so much, and he thought Sam had to be on the same page, or at least thinking about it too. When she didn’t say yes immediately, he was thrown off. He backed off. He didn’t want to pressure her. Olivia says she thinks she knows where this is going, and Dante says, they talked it out; at least he thinks they did. He told her that he loved her, and he’d wait as long as she wanted to wait to move in together. He thought they were good. She says, but then the question of whether to move in with each other or not grows from this small manageable thing to this giant elephant that’s taken up permanent residence, not just in the room, but in his psyche. Probably Sam’s psyche too. He says, he doesn’t want to mess this up. He feels like he did, and doesn’t know what to do next. She asks if he’s open to a suggestion, and he says, please. She tells him, stick to basics. What does he want to happen with Sam? He says he wants them to have a life to together with their kids. They don’t need to live in the same place; it doesn’t matter to him. Olivia pats his chest, and says, stick with the feelings; it’s all about the feelings. The living arrangements, all that can wait. It’s all about the feelings. He says he loves her. He wants to trust her and support her, and try to make her as happy as she’s made him. Sam comes in.

Austin says, this is his cousin Mason, and Mason says, country cousin from Pautuck. Maxie says, Austin didn’t tell her that he had a cousin coming into town, but Mason says, don’t blame Austin. He’s a hot-shot doctor. Sometimes he forgets where he’s from, even though the family’s so proud of him. Spinelli asks, what brings him to their fair city? and Mason says, family, while Austin says, business. Mason says, family business. They were hoping Cousin Austin would have stayed longer. Austin says, he did what he had to do when he was there. Now he’s here in his home, Port Charles.

Britt says, whatever unholy alliance her father made with Cody’s ended before they were born. Unless there’s something else he’s not telling her. He says, their fathers knowing each other is just a random coincidence; something they have in common. But isn’t she the least bit curious about what Leopold Taub and Cesar Faison were up to? She says, he never knew his father. Unfortunately, she knew hers, and she’s been trying to live him down ever since. So if he wants to go digging for skeletons in that closet, he can do it alone. She starts to leave, but he grabs her hand, and says, she’s right. Whatever their fathers did, died with them. He’s card player… She says, not a very good one, and he says, it depends on the players, and the game. He lets her hand go, and says, his point is, he always factors the odds and figures them out. What are the odds that on that day, he would parachute into that pool… She says, and almost drown her, but he says, she got a little wet. And if he didn’t say it then, he’s saying it now – she looked gorgeous. She says, now he’s trying to flatter her, and he says, he thinks she looks good soaking wet; so sue him. She says she considered it, and he tells her, just keep in mind, he can’t afford a lawyer, so there’s no way he could pay for the damages. She says, don’t worry. She’s not going to drag him to court, and he says he knew she couldn’t be that hard-hearted. They laugh, and she says, that GIF of her climbing out of the pool is just now coming down everyone’s feed. She doesn’t need to draw more attention to it. He says, so he’s being saved by her self-interest, and she says, bingo, but he says he doesn’t buy it.

Olivia says she has Quartermaine picnic stuff to see to, and tells Dante that she’ll see him later. She tells Sam that it’s nice to see her, and leaves. Sam says, so the Quartermaine picnic fundraiser is tomorrow? and Dante says, his mom’s been going crazy with that. Plus she has Leo’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; he’s playing Bottom. He’s pretty excited about that. She says, and him? He says, that depends on whether or not she’s going with him. I have to mention that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a pretty ambitious play for a summer theater camp in Leo’s age group.

Alexis says, that was delicious. Anyone for desserts? Violet says, ice cream sundaes for all of us, and Alexis says she likes Violet’s style. She liked it the minute they met. Violet says, as much as Alexis likes her grandpa? and Gregory apologizes for his granddaughter; she apparently has no filter. Alexis says, don’t apologize at all. And to answer Violet’s question, Alexis likes her grandpa… ‘s writing. She doesn’t always agree with it, but it’s never boring. Violet says, never. Alexis should hear one of his bedtime stories.

Spinelli asks how long Mason is in town, and Mason say, it depends on his cousin. Austin tells him, he thinks they said all they needed to say back in Pautuck, but Mason says, not quite. He can’t leave until Austin understands how much he means to his family back home. Austin knows how much they expect from him. Besides, he was hoping Austin would show him the sights in Port Charles. Although he doesn’t have to look much further than this lovely lady. Spinelli says, this lovely lady’s not on the tour, and not reading the room at all, Maxie says she has an idea. Why doesn’t Mason come to the Quartermaine picnic tomorrow? Austin says he’s sure Mason has better things to do, but Mason says he can’t think of one. He hears the Quartermaines are practically royalty. Too bad cuz here missed out on the family jewels.

Elizabeth says, Finn is right; it wasn’t just an accident. He asks, what happened? and she says she was thinking about all the time he’s wasted worrying about her; time they’ll never get back. She just got so angry, she crushed the tube without realizing it. He says he knows what it’s like to keep that kind of anger inside. Is there any chance that’s only part of it? Could the anger be about something else, something in her past, something she barely remembers? She tells him, stick to infectious diseases, and leave the psychiatry to Doc.

Austin says he’s made peace with his father’s family, and Mason says, that’s their Austin. Some folks say money buys happiness, but Austin was raised right. Austin says, thanks, and suggests he and Maxie get out of here. Spinelli tells Maxie, Georgie, James, and Bailey Lou are with her parents, but Mac and Felicia aren’t going to want to babysit all night. Can they talk childcare before she leaves? Maxie tells Austin, one second, and they’ll go, and steps away with Spinelli. Austin tells Mason, there’s no way he’s going to that picnic, but Mason says, watch me.

Alexis says, who knew the eminent Professor Chase was capable of blushing? but he says he doesn’t blush. Violet says, yes he does. He blushed when daddy saw his name in The Invader, and said he was famous. Alexis says, he was famous already academically; he now has a wider audience. Gregory says he wasn’t looking for fame, just for fairness in journalism, and Alexis says, it’s okay to enjoy some attention. Everyone likes attention. He says, he’s not everyone, and she says, that’s for sure.  

Elizabeth asks how many times she has to tell Finn; she’s fine. Now she has to meet her Ride Share. She tells him, let’s not fight anymore. She really hates it. She kisses him, and he says he hates it too. She leaves, and Finn flashes back to Gregory saying, if he disregards Elizabeth’s wishes, it could cost him the relationship; and him saying, he could stand losing her if he knew she would be okay in the end. He makes a call, and says, this is Dr. Finn for Dr. Webber. Is she available?… Yes. Tell her Hamilton Finn called. He needs a consult with Dr. Webber about someone they have in common.

Sam says, of course (🍷) she’ll go to Leo’s play, and Dante says, cool. His mom said she’d get them good seats. She says, Olivia is going to worry about seats after everything she’s got to do tomorrow? and he says, speaking of tomorrow… and she says, she told him, of course (🍷) she’ll go to the picnic. They both start talking, and she says, him first. He says, they don’t have to rush through this. They can just take it slow. They’ll know when the time is right, and just take it slow like she wanted to. She says, yeah, and hugs him.

Cody says, Britt wants to come off as selfish and uncaring, but it’s just not true. She says, yes it is, and he asks, then why did she help him out in that alley behind The Savoy? Why didn’t she just pick up his last 50 and walk off? She says she wishes she did, and he says, really? She says, no, but he was pathetic, crawling on his hands and knees, all bruised and broken. He says he never got to thank her properly for that rescue, so let him do it now. She says, how? and he says he’d like to invite her to the Quartermaine picnic tomorrow. There will be so many people there, it’s not like a date. She says, when he words it like that… She accepts. He says, shall they shake on it? They do, and he says, see her tomorrow. She says, tomorrow, and leaves. Outside, she smiles.  

On Monday, Brook says she would never use Chase; Jordan asks why she gets the sense TJ is trying to get rid of her; Ava says she has truths that will lay Spencer to waste; and Willow won’t accept that.

🍃 Leaf From the Family Tree…

A little bit about the cousin we never knew Austin had.

https://soapdirt.com/general-hospital-comings-goings-austin-holt-shady-cousin-says-fan-fave-returns/

🩺 Nooo…

Kudos to her for prime time and all, but I hope she comes back. I like Britt.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/kelly-thiebaud-is-leaving-general-hospital

More in depth than In Depth.

https://www.thelist.com/969983/the-real-reason-kelly-thiebaud-is-leaving-britt-and-general-hospital-behind/

🛀 Love Bubble Suds…

Teresa being her usual horrible self.

Teresa Giudice Reacts to Dina Manzo’s Cryptic IG Posts and Gorgas Skipping Wedding, Says Event Was How It Was “Supposed to Be”

I wonder if her hair has its own IG.

https://pagesix.com/2022/08/17/bethenny-frankel-teresa-giudices-wedding-hair-was-its-own-being/

🧂 Shah’s Got Guts…

No doubt it will be the highlight of the season.

https://people.com/tv/jen-shah-real-housewives-of-salt-lake-city-costar-meredith-marks-calls-her-gutsy-amid-legal-situation/

✈️ Wives From Where…?

What the hell is this? How is it on Season 15 and I had no clue? And what the hell are those streaming services that carry it? Not that I need another bunch of horrible people to watch.

https://tvdeets.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-real-housewives-of-cheshire-season-15/

👰🏽 All the Weddings…

Better than attending them.

https://people.com/tv/real-housewives-wedding-album/

⚰️ Telling Tales…

I watched the first episode, and thought it was promising. Maybe a spoiler, but the dog got it a few minutes in, and I was not pleased with them leading with it. Or including it at all. That being said, I thought it improved as the episode went on. I’m just glad to be out of Georgia.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/tales-of-the-walking-dead-terry-crews-olivia-munn-parker-posey-jillian-bell-1235198520/

🐉 About That Dragon…

I actually haven’t seen this yet.

https://ew.com/tv/tv-reviews/house-of-the-dragon-review-game-of-thrones/

🐓 Quotes of the Week

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. – Theodore Roosevelt

After a while you learn that privacy is something you can sell, but you can’t buy it back. – Bob Dylan

If you fuel your journey on the opinions of others, you are going to run out of gas. – Steve Maraboli

Dance above the surface of the world. Let your thoughts lift you into creativity that is not hampered by opinion. – Red Haircrow

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. – Buddha

Our lives are the only meaningful expression of what we believe and in Whom we believe. And the only real wealth, for any of us, lies in our faith. – Gordon B. Hinckley

We got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent, cuz you can’t buy a house in heaven. – Lady Gaga, You & I

💋 Come On, Barbie, Let’s Go Party…

Before you know it, it will be hoodie weather, so take a break, whether you call it the weekend or not. Soak up some sun, walk in the park, or if you’re allergic to nature, take in a movie at the theater. I hear they’re back. See you on Monday for soap and yachting on the Med. Until then, stay safe, stay sassy, and stay not letting any giant elephants take up permanent residence in your psyche. Or the room.

Aug19

August 18, 2022 – Chase Gets a New Pop Persona, a Charming Weekend Begins, About Auldbrass & Kids

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Violet swims in the pool while Finn, Gregory, and Chase watch. Finn tells her to be careful, but she says, Uncle Chase will protect her. Finn says, it’s not like he saves lives or anything; he’s just a doctor. Chase says, the kid knows who the real hero is, and Gregory says he’s proud of both of his sons. Chase says, even if the only protecting he gets to do is of Violet in the swimming pool? and Gregory asks if he’s heard from the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Chase tells him, Dante said it didn’t look good, but luckily, he’s about to embark on a new career.

Brook and Leo sit in the nook, laughing at a photo album. Ned comes in, sees a box, and asks, what’s all this? What’s so funny? Leo says, him, holding up a picture of Ned as Eddie Maine. He says, Ned never told him that he was a rock star, and Ned says, no, he didn’t.

Valentin sits at a table with Anna and Victor at the MetroCourt, and says, this is nice, right? Victor says, it’s lovely of Anna to take the time, considering what a busy investigator she is, and she says, and he’s always so hard to catch. Valentin suggests they order, when Lucy walks in and comes over to their table. She says, Anna and Valentin, beloveds at breakfast; how very sweet. She wishes she had a handsome companion to dine with. She tells Anna to hold on to hers with both hands.

Elizabeth examines Scotty’s nose, and asks if he’s still sore. He says, incredibly, and his nose is sore too. She says, his nose isn’t broken. It’s just badly bruised, but there’s a lot of inflammation going on there. He won’t need a bandage though. Britt walks in, and asks if somebody ordered a cosmetic surgery consult, and Scotty says, that’s funny coming from her, who’s an OB. She says she dabbles. So whose nose would he like; Grumpy Dwarf… Pinocchio… He says he’ll keep his own nose, but speaking of Pinocchio and liars, she should stay away from that Cody Bell.

Cody holds an arts and crafts figurine, and says, Olivia is blowing his mind. He can’t believe she kept this thing. Olivia says, they worked really hard on it, and Cody says, they had the cut fingers to prove it. She says, she was just grateful Dante was thinking about her while he was at camp, and she was also very grateful he made such a good friend. He says, Dante talked about her all the time. He felt like he knew her, especially her cooking, which he’s grateful to have sampled in real life now. Dante comes to the door and listens, and Olivia says she’s just grateful Dante and Cody hooked up again. These last couple years, Dante could have used a friend. Cody says he has something to tell her, calling her Mama Q. He’s afraid it might change her opinion.

Britt says, Scotty doesn’t believe Cody is Dominique’s son? but he says he does. That’s why he didn’t press charges, for Dominique’s sake, not Cody’s. All this business about making it on his own is nonsense. He’s definitely on the make, and she’d be wise not to trust him, because Scotty certainly doesn’t. She says she hasn’t made up her mind about Cody, but when she does, she won’t consult him. No offense. He says, none taken; it’s her bank account. But how does Liesl feel about this sucker punching grifter? She says she just came to check on him, but she sees he’s in capable hands. She leaves, and Elizabeth asks, what was that all about? Scotty says, if only Britt had her mother’s good taste in men.

Maxie sees Britt at the reception desk, and asks why she’s not in her office. Britt says, because she’s here. What’s up? Maxie says she has some good news. Britt says she could use some, and Maxie says, Spinelli will not be pursuing her anymore. Britt says, Spinelli…? Wait. No, no, no. Maxie says, it is true. He has a hopeless crush on Britt.

Olivia says, Cody is Dominique’s son, and Katherine Bell’s baby brother? Cody says, she knew them? and she says, they were before her time in Port Charles, but she heard the stories. Katherine was married to her husband at a certain point. Cody says, that’s wild. It seems his adoptive and biological families are both connected to Port Charles. He should have told her sooner. She asks if that’s why he came here, but he says, no, he swears. Like he told Dante, he wasn’t. Under the circumstances, he’ll totally understand if she’s not comfortable with him staying here. He’s loved working with the horses and Leo… She tells him to get over himself. He’s not going anywhere; he’s staying here. He says, her husband wasn’t completely sold on him working here. Now with his connection to Katherine… She says, leave that to her. Cody is friends with both her sons, that makes him family. Dante clears his throat, and asks, what’s up with them? Olivia says, Dante. He’s what’s up with them. He arrested his good friend. Dante says he had no choice, and she says she gets it. He’s a cop; he’s doing his duty. Now they’ve got to figure out how to get Cody out of this situation.

Ned says, Eddie Maine and the Idol Rich. Seems like a lifetime ago. Leo says, he looked funny, and Brook says, he means cool. Leo says, funny and cool, and Ned says, he thought so anyway. He was the lead singer in the band, and Brook’s mother was their manager. Brook asks if Leo remembers her telling him about her mom Lois, and Leo says, oh yeah. Brook tells Ned, this look was iconic, and tells Leo, he’s still an incredible musician. Ned says she’s buttering him up; she must want something. He asks why she’s dragging out all this Idol Rich memorabilia, besides making fun of her old man? What does Eddie Maine have to do with anything? She says, inspiration for her new musical act, and Ned says, no, no, no , no. He didn’t. She says, he did, and Leo says, Chase is going to be a star.

Chase says, Violet is almost there. Just spin a little faster, and she’ll be golden. She says she’s thirsty, but she wants to keep practicing, and Finn says, dad to the rescue, bringing her a juice box, and telling her not to get dehydrated. Chase says she doesn’t want to shrivel up like a dried prune, and Finn tells her to be glad she doesn’t have any brothers. Gregory says, so Chase is moving ahead with this music thing, and Chase says, he and Brook are going to try some things out. He’s actually supposed to meet her soon to talk strategy. Hopefully she’s good at disaster planning. Gregory says, that’s a pessimistic view. Chase hasn’t even given it a try yet. Chase says, singing at the Nurses Ball is one thing, but singing at The Savoy is a whole other level. Finn says, The Savoy? Congratulations. Violet asks if Uncle Chase is going to be famous like BTS, and Finn asks, what happened to Doc McStuffin? She says, Doc McStuffin is for babies. Her new favorite is BTS. Chase says he thinks he has a long way to go before he sells as many albums as the most popular boy band in the world, but Violet says, he will. She’s sure of it. Chase says he wishes he shared in her confidence.

Victor says, please join us, Miss Coe, and she says, please call me Lucy. He says, Lucy then, kissing her hand. Now she has to call him Victor. She thanks him for including her, but she’s afraid she can’t stay. Valentin says, what a pity. By the way, where is her beloved Martin Grey these days? He can’t get Martin on the phone. She says, oh, he doesn’t know. Martin took an impromptu trip. Valentin says, Martin didn’t tell him, and Lucy says, he was compelled to by forces beyond his control. Valentin asks, what kind of forces? and Lucy says, not to worry. Martin has expressed that he’s excessively respectful of the exemplary relationship he and Valentin have when they work together, and is extraordinarily excited to explain what’s going on when he returns. And with that, she simply must go, but it’s nice see all of them. Ta! She leaves, and Victor says, what a charming woman. Valentin says, trouble in heels, and Anna says, her phone buzzed. She’s expecting a call, and has to take this. She excuses herself, and Victor tells Valentin, it is polite to turn off your phone during a civilized meal. Valentin says, the WSB is neither polite nor civilized, and she’s on the clock. What is it going to take for Victor to stand down? Victor asks what it is Valentin sees in this woman again, and Valentin says, it’s not essential Victor and Anna like each other. He just wants Anna to leave Victor alone. Victor says he’ll drink to that.

Anna sees Lucy in a private area, and Lucy says, trust a superspy to pick up her hints, and find her lickety-split. Anna says, it won’t take her any time to find Martin either, so Lucy might as well dispense with all the games, and tell her where he is.

Violet asks if they saw her flip, and Finn says, amazing. Gregory says, awesome, and Chase gives it a solid 10. He’s proud of her for not giving up. Gregory suggests Violet can coach Chase. It’s never too late to learn a few new tricks. Finn says, she’ll probably give him the family rate, and Chase says, as much as he’d like to stick around for lessons, he’s got to jet. He’ll see them later. Gregory says, hang on, and tells Chase that he’s really sorry about the CCRB, but whether it’s the PCPD, or the music, or something entirely different, he knows Chase will succeed at it. Chase thanks him, and as they shake hands, Gregory slips a check to Chase. Chase says, no, he can’t accept it, but Gregory says he can, and he will. They’ll call it a loan until Chase signs his first major contract. They hug, and Chase thanks him.

Ned says, last time they talked, Chase wasn’t exactly on board, and Brook says, it did take some convincing, but Ned will be happy to know she took his advice. She made it more about Chase, and less about her songs. Ned says, he’s all for her songwriting, but artist management is wholly dependent on the artist. No disrespect to Chase, but he hopes she hasn’t quit her day job. She says she’s not leaving Deception. This is just a side gig, and Chase doesn’t have a day job. He’s still waiting to hear back from the PCPD, and until he gets reinstated, he’s got to get paid – like, now. She thinks she could be good at this. He says he doesn’t doubt that, but the music industry doesn’t generate instant revenue. So if Chase is strapped for cash, she needs to be real with him about this. She says, gigs pay. Chase is performing at The Savoy. He says, she booked him already? She is good at this. She says, she didn’t book him; Linc did.

Maxie tells Britt, it took some doing. She had to get Spinelli a pedicure, but she got it out of him. Britt asks if she even wants to know what he said, and Maxie tells her, it was hard to decipher, but it’s obvious Britt put some kind of spell on him. Britt says, this is so awkward, but Maxie says, no, it’s fine. He’s fine. She helped him through it. Honestly, she just thinks he’s lonely. He lost both Ellie and Jason. Maybe he did a transference thing since they both were close to Jason. Britt says, that is a stretch, psychologically speaking, and Maxie says, she’s not a psychologist. All she knows is, Spinelli won’t be showing up at Britt’s door with flowers and chocolate, or hiring a lute player to serenade her. Britt says, a lute player? and Maxie says, it was a thing… in the Middle Ages. Her point is, she let Spinelli down gently; Britt is in the clear. Has she made her second date with Cody? Britt says, about that…

Elizabeth says, so Cody’s adoptive sister is Katherine Bell? and Scotty says, yeah. She was quite a piece of work. Elizabeth says, Katherine did everything she could to come between her and Nikolas. He says, she tried to come after him and get Dominique’s money. If Lucy hadn’t been on to her, he would have been in big trouble. Now that this Cody is in the mix… He knows they’re not blood related, but he thinks Cody is a money grubber like his sister.

Dante tells Olivia, relax. Scotty refused to press charges. Cody says, even if he hadn’t, Dante’s not obligated to help him, but Olivia says, that’s what friends do for each other. She picks up the figurine, and says, remember that guy? Dante says, he does, and she says she was so nervous that first time, dropping him at camp. Dante says, no she wasn’t. He got home from school, she had his bags packed, and said he was going to camp, since he couldn’t stay out of trouble. She says she knew the shoplifting would lead to worse things. Was she right? Dante says she was right about him and Cody, and she thanks him. She says she knew camp was the right alternative for him, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous. She was worried. What if he was lonely, or allergic to nature, or something? Honestly, she was afraid he was going to be mad at her for leaving him. Cody says, no way. The way Dante talked about her, it was hard to believe she was a real person. He thought Dante was making stuff up, but now he can see he wasn’t. Dante says, she’s the real deal, and Olivia says she’ll see them at dinner. She leaves, and Cody says, Dante is a lucky guy. She didn’t miss a beat. She’s letting him stay; no questions asked. Dante says, he does have questions though. What else is Cody hiding?

Ned says, Brook’s still trying to turn the tables on Linc? and Leo says, quiet, dad, covering his ears. He says, sorry, and lowers his voice, asking Brook, why would Chase go along with this? She says, because he realizes they can accomplish two goals at once, and he says, or it could backfire spectacularly, and further anger Linc; thereby assuring she’ll never get her songs back. She says she’s having a tough enough time trying to convince Chase that he can do this, and he says, or maybe it’s because her other schemes with Chase didn’t exactly… She says, work out for the best? Can’t he just support her? He says, fine. What does she need him to do? She says she needs another pair of eyes, when Chase walks in, and asks, what’s going on? Wearing sunglasses, a hat, and a feather boa, Leo says, a fashion show, and Chase says, no, no, no. He’s not… Brook says, they’ve talked about this. He needs a new pop persona. He says he thought they were going to talk about strategy, not a fashion show, and she says, think of it as a fitting. They’re going to go through some looks, create a look book, and see what works. Olivia comes in, and says, what’s this? A fashion show? She’s in. Brook says, let’s do this, and Chase comes out in different outfits, the music matching his look. He dances around, while Brook takes Potoroids. The outfits all get a thumbs down from the group, and afterwards they look at the pictures. Chase says, that was a total disaster, and Brook says, well… He says, he’s hopeless, he told her that, but Ned says, maybe not.

Maxie says, so Dominique Baldwin is Cody’s mom, and Britt asks if Maxie knew her. Maxie says, Dominique was her mom’s friend. Dominique was with Mac before she and Scotty got together. Scotty was crazy in love with her. They wanted a child, but Dominique was diagnosed with cancer, so Lucy carried their embryo. That’s how Lucy became Serena’s mom. Does knowing who Cody’s real mom is change Britt’s view of him? Britt says she’s not really sure. Their first date went down in flames. Then agreeing to the second date was like negotiating a trade agreement. Then he goes and punches her mom’s boyfriend out of nowhere… Maxie says, it’s not like Scotty hasn’t been hit before; Luke Spencer used to do it all the time. Britt says, maybe Luke had good reason, and Maxie says, looks like Cody did too. Britt tells her, Cody said he didn’t come to Port Charles to find Scotty, but he’s also been known to play fast and loose when it comes to the truth. Then again, so does Scotty. They’ll figure it out or they won’t. She just doesn’t need the drama. Maxie says she thinks they both know dull men are not Britt’s type, and Britt says she tried the danger guy, and look where it got her; lesson learned. Maxie says, come on. Cody is hot, and he’s fun, and she knows Britt is into him. Britt says, all the more reason to bail out now. Scotty might have dropped his charges against Cody, but don’t expect her mother to drop her grudge. Maxie says, Britt’s lived with Liesl’s disappointment before, but Britt says, her mother has stood by her through some of the worst news of her life. She doesn’t dismiss her so easily anymore. Maxie says she’s sorry for sounding flippant when she mentioned Jason. She knows Britt still misses him, and Britt says, that’s fine. Maxie says, and when it comes down to it, Liesl just wants Britt to be happy. She’s going to go along with whoever makes Britt that way. Does she know about that stupid, adorable passport that Cody made for her? Britt says, of course (🍷) not, and laughs. Maxie asks if she’s talked to Cody since he was arrested, but Britt says she hasn’t had the chance, and Maxie asks if Britt thinks she could give Cody the opportunity to explain himself. He might appreciate that. Britt says, when Maxie’s not scheming at epic proportions, she gives pretty good advice. She thanks Maxie, and they hug. Britt says, one day, she’ll return the favor, and jets. Maxie says, one day soon, she might need it.

Valentin says, Anna hasn’t asked any questions about Victor and his dealings, and Victor says, she doesn’t have to. She has resources. She’s still interested in Valentin’s dealings by the way. Valentin says they’ve moved past that, and Victor says, as far as Valentin knows.

Anna asks, where is Martin? and Lucy says, he signed up to give exculpatory evidence for an extended period of time. Anna says, that’s very cute. Obviously Martin told her about the ex-wives club. Lucy says, they don’t hide anything from one another, unlike Anna and Valentin apparently. Is this espionage stuff a kind of seductive, fun flirtation deal? One day, Anna is extorting Valentin’s lawyer to get dirt on him, and the next day, she’s cozying up to Valentin and daddy dearest. This is really weird. They’re quite the pair. Anna says, she’s angry, and Lucy says, yes, she’s angry. Anna drove her man away, just when it was getting good. So you know what she’s going to do? She doesn’t think Valentin will be happy to hear what Anna’s up to, so she’s going to tell him right now. She starts to leave, but Anna grabs her arm, and holds her in place. She asks if Lucy really wants to do that, and Lucy says, let her go, and she’ll find out. Anna says, go. Go tell Valentin. She’s sure Valentin will find Martin’s absence completely understandable, and not like a betrayal, since Martin chose not to tell Valentin about her involvement. Lucy says she just wants Anna to back off Marty so he can come home. Anna says, he’ll come home when he chooses, but if Lucy goes around telling people about what they discussed, then he’ll have more than Valentin to worry about. The IRS will be here when he returns, along with his third wife; which, if Martin told Lucy anything about her, she doesn’t disappoint. Lucy asks if Anna realizes she’s threatening the mayor’s brother, but Anna says she’s not. She wants what Lucy wants. She wants Martin back in Port Charles. Lucy says, right, just to do Anna’s bidding, but Anna says, to pick up where he left off with Lucy of course (🍷). Lucy says she really doesn’t know where Martin is. She has the feeling they’re both in the dark when it comes to their gentleman friends.

Victor says, it’s of vital importance, now more than ever, that he and Valentin protect their interests. This family is under siege. Valentin says, we’re talking about Spencer’s imminent return to prison, are we? and  Victor says, that, among other things. Spencer’s dalliance was costly indeed. It’s vital that they all be more judicious in the company they keep. Valentin says he’s sure Victor isn’t comparing Anna to Esme, and Victor says, Anna is more polished, but never assume she’s any less devious or troublesome.

Cody says, Dante heard his mom; it’s all good. Dante says he doesn’t think so. Cody is here with Dante’s family. He’s working for Dante’s mother, and with his little brother. If there’s anything he should know, Cody needs to tell him right now. Cody says he won’t bring any danger to Dante’s family, and he’ll try not to put Dante in any compromising positions. Dante says he appreciates that. Cody went to bat for him back in the day. Cody says, they don’t have to do this, but Dante says, they do. He’s never thanked Cody for what he did. Britt stands in the doorway, and asks, what exactly did Cody do for Dante?

Brook asks why there’s a mad scientist look in Ned’s eye, and Ned says, because he’s a genius. Olivia says, a fashion genius? and she and Brook laugh. He says, doubt him at their peril, and asks if Chase is a 33. Chase says, 30… 31. He had a pizza last night. Ned says, those were the days.

Gregory spins Violet on a floatie, and tells Finn, she’ll be diving by Labor Day. Time sure flies. A few more weeks, and school will be starting, for both of them. Finn asks how Gregory is going to spend his last days of summer; pestering Alexis about The Invader? Gregory asks if Alexis told him that, and Finn says, she mentioned it. Gregory says he doesn’t pester, and Finn laughs. Gregory suggests they try to squeeze in another camping trip before school starts. He found a new campsite. They could bring the kids again, and maybe invite Elizabeth. Does Finn think she’d be up for that? Finn says, it might be too soon, and Gregory says, problems? Finn says he’s still trying to figure out where he stands; where Elizabeth’s head is at. Gregory says he doesn’t suppose Finn asked her, and Finn says he did, but she was even less forthcoming after she left treatment. She insists she’s worked through her issues, and wants him to leave it at that. Gregory says, but Finn doesn’t believe her, and Finn says, he wants to, but she keeps giving him reasons to doubt it.

Elizabeth says, Scotty is going to be fine. Stop walking into so many fists. He says, that Cody character can thank his lucky stars Dominique was his mother, or they’d be going to court. And he doesn’t want to go to court, especially if Cody’s actual father was that slimy Leopold Taub. Elizabeth says, people can’t help who their parents are, and he says he doesn’t think they’re talking about Cody anymore. She says, his nose looks good. Next time don’t wait a day before coming in. He says, are Jeff and Carolyn… and she snaps that she doesn’t want to talk about it, but he says, he’s just here to support her. How is she feeling? She says, like she needs people to stay out of her business, including him.

Chase says he wants to help Brook get her songs back, but he doesn’t think he can sell himself as a performer. She says, it’s not just about her songs. They want to get him paid while he fights to get his badge back, because he’s one of the good guys. She knows he has jitters; all artists do, and that’s what he is, an artist. He has to share his gift with the world. He asks if she really believes in him, and she says, with all her heart. Ned comes back with a garment bag, and says, this is the ticket. He tells Chase, come with him.

Anna says, she and Lucy go back a long way. They’ve helped each other out on more than one occasion. They’ve been through some difficult  times together. Lucy says, yes. They’ve helped each other, and they’ve known each other a long time, and they’ve been through some difficult times together. Anna says, at this moment, she doesn’t give a damn about that, because she has her reasons for approaching Martin, and Lucy better not stand in her way. Lucy says, or what? and Anna asks if she honestly wants to know. Her man has hightailed out of town and left her in his mess. Lucy says, okay. She swears on the stars she doesn’t know anything about Valentin’s secret plans. Anna says, what? and Lucy says, she doesn’t know why she said that; she just made it up. She doesn’t know what’s going on. She and Valentin work at Deception and ELQ together; that’s the extent of their relationship. And Martin can’t help. He just does all that legal mumbo-jumbo legalese stuff for Valentin. He really keeps Valentin at arm’s length. What she really thinks is maybe Anna should be looking at Victor, because Victor and Valentin have been thick as thieves these days. Anna says, so they agree on one point. In Martin’s absence, Lucy is her proxy. Lucy says, no, no, no, no (WOTD), but Anna says, she’d better not run, because she’ll hunt Lucy down like a hound on a hare.

Gregory tells Finn, he imagines coming out of a treatment program could make Elizabeth introspective and raw. It’s best not to push it. Finn says, she walked in on him talking to Terry, the Co-Chief of Staff, who also happens to be Elizabeth’s best friend. Gregory asks if they were talking about Elizabeth, and Finn says, they’re both worried about her, but Elizabeth didn’t see it that way, and she wasn’t happy. Gregory says, when she settles down, she’ll understand they were talking about how best to support her moving forward… unless it was more than that. Finn says, by the end of the conversation, he thinks they were considering something Gregory already warned him about. Gregory says, contacting her family? and Finn nods. Gregory says, Finn’s instincts are what makes him such an extraordinary doctor, but not everyone is his patient. Finn says, he couldn’t save Reiko when she got sick. He tried, but it wasn’t enough. Now he’s watching Elizabeth struggle in a different way. So is the solution to watch Elizabeth fall apart?

Elizabeth says she’s sorry. She shouldn’t have snapped at Scotty like that. She’s just kind of sensitive right now. She walked in on Terry and Finn talking about her behind her back. He says, they all love her, and just want to make sure she’s okay, and she says, she is. He says, she has the right to her feelings about her folks. Don’t talk to your mother; stay away from your father. Just don’t write the rest of them off. He asks if he said something wrong, and she says, no. He’s given her plenty of food for thought. He thanks her for looking at his nose, tells her, chin up, and leaves.  

Cody tells Britt, Dante can’t repay him for everything he’s done for him. For one thing, he snuck Dante into the girls camp when he was 16. Dante says, and that’s all they’re going to tell her, because they’re a couple of gentlemen. Cody says, they wouldn’t want to divulge, and Britt says, fascinating stuff. She’ll let them keep their secrets. Dante wanders off, and Britt tells Cody that she doesn’t know what she’s doing here. Scotty is her mother’s boyfriend, so there’s already a major complication, and even if she partially understands why he did what he did, she still doesn’t like it. He says, so what is she doing here? Did she come to tell him that she’s blowing off their second date, or that he’s worth a second chance?

Ned says, ladies and Leo, have a seat, and ready your thumbs. Whether you’re new school or old school, keep your eyes on this one. He gives them Chase. Chase comes out in black boots, pants, and a very much opened shirt. Brook walks up to him, and says, turn. He does, and she nods. Olivia says, those pants, and Ned says, original Eddie Maine’s. Chase says, what do they think? Brook and Olivia whisper for a moment, and Brook says, perfection. Olivia gives a thumbs up, and says, now lose the shirt. Everyone laughs.

Anna comes back to the table, and says, it was her granddaughter Emma. She just finished her freshman year at university, and Anna promised her a car. They were just going over finances. Valentin says, it’s a bit early for Emma, isn’t it? but Anna says, or late. She’s a night owl; she’s excited. Victor says, it’s so hard to believe Anna has a granddaughter in college. What’s her secret? Anna says, honest living, good face cream, and Victor says, let him guess – Deception. Valentin’s just been explaining to him the rewards and challenges of working with Lucy Coe. Anna’s known her a long time. Tell him. What’s her story? Valentin says, aside from dating his attorney Martin, and Victor says, his MIA attorney. It’s foolish of him leaving such a lovely spitfire’s bed so cold. Anna says, and Lucy is one who can’t stand being alone for long. Victor watches as Lucy walks to the elevator. She literally runs into Scotty, who’s coming out, and he says, lady, watch it… He realizes it’s Lucy, and says, she saved him a phone call. She pulls his sunglasses off, and asks if someone punched him, and he says, a little blast from the past, that’s all. He says, that’s why he wants to talk to her about Britt’s new boyfriend, but she says she doesn’t care about his girlfriend’s daughter’s suitor. Why would she? Yuk. He says he’ll tell her why. His name is Cody Bell. She asks if he said Bell, and he tells her that he did.

Britt says, the purpose of a date is to get to know one another, and Cody says, that’s what he’s hoping for. She says she knows he smiles one minute, and throws sucker punches the next, and he says he explained the extenuating circumstances. She says she’s going to need him to explain more if they’re going to add another stamp to the passport he made her. So get comfortable, Cody Bell. Start talking.

Dante comes into the nook, where Olivia is repacking the box, and tells her, Leo said he missed a fashion show. Olivia says, Chase is on his way to the big time, and he asks if that means she’s in favor of Brook’s whacked out plan. She says he could eat those words, and he says, maybe, but in the meantime, he wants to find out what she’s really up to. Olivia asks, what’s that supposed to mean? and he says, it’s Brook; she always has another angle. She asks when he became a cynic, and he says, sorry, handing her the figuring. Peace offering. She says, that’s so sweet he picked up where he left off with Cody, but he says, just because you knew someone doesn’t mean you still know them. She asks, what’s with the insinuations; first Brook, now Cody. He says he can’t help it. His antenna is up. She suggests he put it back down, and turn his cop brain off for a second. Sometimes what you see is actually what you get. He says, yeah, sometimes.

Violet asks if she can have a lemonade, and Finn says she can have whatever she wants. Why doesn’t she order three lemonades; one for her, one for him, and one for grandpa. She goes to get the drinks, and Gregory says he’s sure it was gut-wrenching, watching Reiko die, and that’s the underlying reason he wants to intervene with Elizabeth. But he must know his desire to help Elizabeth could cost him the relationship. He says he knows it would hurt like hell, but it’s not about him. It’s about Elizabeth. He could stand losing her if he knew she was going to be okay in the end.

Elizabeth cleans up the exam room, and remembers Scotty’s words: don’t talk to your mother; stay away from your father. She picks up a glass tube, and hears, stay away from your father. She sees herself as a young girl, standing at the top of a stairwell. Another girl grabs her arm, and says, Elizabeth, what are you doing? Stay away from my father. She opens her hand, and it’s covered in blood, the tube crushed.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth says, someone deserves to know the truth; Alexis asks Josslyn if no news is good news; Maxie asks if Spinelli has been holding out on her; and Dante thinks he messed up with Sam.

Southern Charm

I’m pretty sure anything after the dog wedding will be a let-down, but moving on.

Shep points out that Little Craig is still wearing his tuxedo, and says, that’s the mark of a good night. Kathryn and Chleb bicker. Paige tries to close her suitcase, and Craig says he’ll send her a video of their weekend trip. They’re going to a farm that belongs to Whitney’s friend. Paige asks if Naomie will be there, but he says, it doesn’t affect him. Paige says she trusts him, but not Naomie. Pulling him aside for a one-on-one is inappropriate. She thinks what Naomie did at the dog wedding was a calculating move. To pull him aside even though Paige was at the event took nerve. She wouldn’t have the balls. It’s crazy to her. She says, Craig loves girls who linger, but if they broke up, he’d never see her again. I’m with Paige. I’ve said it before, the only ex I’m still in contact with is my high school boyfriend. Naomie is sleeping, when the doorbell rings. She’s like, ugh, and says, come in, but the bell continues to ring. She groans, gets up, and opens the door. It’s Leva, and Naomie says she has the worst hangover. Leva says she doesn’t know why she’s not hurting, and Naomie says she looks how she feels. Leva wonders why everyone got so drunk at a dog wedding, and we see clips of everyone tossing them back. Austen calls Leva, and she tells him that he’s on speaker. He asks if they ever wake up, and start thinking about things that happened the night before. He hung out with Ciara. Naomie asks if they had a rendezvous, and he says, wouldn’t she like to know? She says, now she knows all she needs to know. In Austen’s interview, he says, he and Ciara met in Vermont (Winter House). They spent time together during the summer, and one thing led to another. Leva asks if he’d have hung out with Ciara if Olivia hadn’t brought a date, and he says, no. Naomie says she doesn’t think all is lost with Olivia, but Austen needs to tell her. In Leva’s interview, she asks why Austen does this to himself. Some people like getting kicked. Naomie says, after the wedding, she kissed Whitney, and Austen says, this is juicy; he loves this. In her interview, Leva says, was Naomie always attracted to Whitney? Did it just happen? Were they drunk? In Austen’s interview, he says, why, why, why? How? It’s Whitney. Naomie says he spent the night at her place, and Leva says, Naomie was spooning Whitney? Why didn’t she say something immediately? In his interview, Austen says he’s sure Whitney doesn’t take his socks off, and Naomie says, Whitney told her, they need to breed. Leva says, Patricia would die, and Naomie says, her mom would love it. Leva says she won’t tell, but it’s going to show on her face. She just got excited about the group trip.

Everyone packs for the trip. Shep calls Whitney, who tells him, it’s totally casual, but the nights can be cold, so pack a cardigan. He’s going early to check in with the staff, and make sure everything is up to snuff. It’s out of this world, and they’re going to love it. They’re going to have fun. A party bus has been chartered, and Austen can barely look at Olivia. In Olivia’s interview, she says, at this point, it’s already awkward, and they haven’t even left the parking lot. Craig comes on the bus, and says, the party’s here. I tell Craig, Jersey Shore in 2009 called. They want their phrase back. In Craig’s interview, he says, it’s weird to hang out with your ex-girlfriend. Naomie has seven other people to talk to; don’t talk to him. In Naomie’s interview, she says, the boundaries are clear. They both mind their own business, and be nice. Shep tells them that they’re going to a Frank Lloyd Wright house that Whitney’s friend bought in the 80s, and restored. They wonder if Kathryn and Chleb are coming.

At Kathryn and Chleb’s house, they’re still packing. Kathryn says, it’s weird going on a group trip. It feels like their relationship took a turn really fast, and they didn’t realize. Chleb agrees they’re in a weird place, and Kathryn says, outside drama created tension. We flash back to several downhill moments, and Kathryn telling Chleb that he should be shutting people down who are talking about her, and not listening because he’s a good guy. Kathryn tells him that she thinks they should take a break, and he suggests they just be friends. In Kathryn’s interview, she says she regretted getting back together with Chleb. It was a weak move. Better to be alone than with someone she can’t trust. He says he’s just going to leave, and goes. On the bus, Olivia wonders if something happened, since she’d just talked to Kathryn, and they were coming. Shep gets a text from Kathryn, saying, she and Chleb aren’t in a good place. It’s not a good idea for them to come. Venita says, they’ve got to get this bus moving. Driver Mr. Paul heads out, and Olivia asks how Little Craig is enjoying married life. Shep says, they’re spending time apart like Kathryn and Chleb. Leva asks how Olivia’s date was, and Olivia says she enjoyed it. She asks if Austen is jealous, and he says, a little. He also admits to having more fun when Madison isn’t around. Craig tells him, Madison doesn’t thinks she did anything wrong.

Whitney meets them at Auldbrass, which is an amazing spread. Whitney tells them that it was built in 1941, and the design is called organic architecture. In Leva’s interview, she says she’s still shocked about Whitney and Naomie. It’s like finding out your cousins are hooking up. Whitney says, a friend of his saved the house, and restored it to its original splendor. In Austen’s interview, he says, it’s Whitney’s esthetic, a 70s porn house. There are little cabins where the guest rooms are that are just gorgeous, and Craig wonders if they’re getting punked. Whitney gives Naomie preferential room treatment, and in his interview, Austen says, he’s trying not to look at Leva. A secret like this usually has a 24 hour grace period, but he already told Shep and Taylor. Whitney says, they have ATVs lined up, and horseback riding. They’ll meet for lunch in 30 minutes. Olivia finds a lizard in the cabin she’s sharing with Shep and Taylor, and in her interview, she says, she likes the wilderness, but doesn’t want the wilderness on her. Shep orders Taylor to put the lizard in a cup, like you do with an insect, and Taylor and I are both surprised when it fits, and she deposits it back in the wild. I would have put a ribbon on it, and given it a name. Everyone gets gift bags with a coffee table book on Auldbrass. Taylor tells Olivia about Whitney and Naomie, and Olivia asks if they really hooked up. Shep says, that’s the word on the street. Patricia’s Mr. Randy has prepared lunch, and I have no words. Olivia tells Craig that Austen jumped to conclusions about her and Zach (I think that was his name). She says, Madison is a different kind of ex, and Craig says, it’s f***ing crazy. Olivia says, she’s not sticking around, trying to figure out the weirdness. It’s weird.

Venita, Leva, Shep, Whitney, and Austen do the ATVs, while ranch hands Rick and Tammy take Naomie, Olivia, and Taylor horseback riding. In Olivia’s interview, she says, the last horse she rode, she put a quarter in to make it move. The ATVs go around a lake, and the horses go through the woods. Olivia can’t get hers to stop going in circles, and in Naomie’s interview, she says, watching Olivia ride a horse is like watching a trainwreck in slow motion. Olivia gets smacked by some tree branches, and Rick says, they call it a hair brush. The ATVs go through the woods, and in Venita’s interview, she says, don’t let the outfit fool you. She can get down and dirty. Rick suggests the horses take a breather. Taylor asks if Naomie has any new love interests, and Naomie laughs. Olivia says, Naomie told her dating in Charleston is horrible, and Taylor says, Austen asked who the guy was, and she told him, Olivia’s date. Naomie says, Ciara was in town, and Austen called her. He said they hung out, but she doesn’t know if he was retaliating. Olivia wonders how Austen has feelings about a date she has zero history with; then hangs out with someone he does have a history with. Naomie says he still has feelings for Olivia, but Olivia says, retaliation is not okay. Naomie says, when Austen was with Madison, it was tit for tat, and Olivia says she wants Austen to be able to trust again; with Madison, it wasn’t normal. In Olivia’s interview, she says, a lot of people told her that Madison has something over Austen, but to see it was baffling. She might need two therapists after this.

Whitney tells everyone that dinner is in an hour and a half, and suggests they decompose [sic]. Shep thinks he means decompress, and tells Taylor, they’re so country, they don’t even know they’re country. As they get ready for dinner, Naomie says, Frank Lloyd didn’t think about a makeup station. Craig asks Austen about Ciara, and Austen says he’s glad it happened, but it stemmed from Olivia bringing a date to the dog wedding. It bugged him, even though he tried to act like it didn’t. Taylor tells Olivia that she’s not sure if Austen and Ciara hooked up; she’d just assumed. Olivia says she’ll have a conversation with Austen about it. Craig tells Austen that Madison talking to him is takin up time he could be spending with someone who actually cares. To thank Craig for this nugget of wisdom, Austen tells him about Naomie and Whitney. Leva asks Naomie if Craig knows what’s going on, and Naomie says she hopes not. In Venita’s interview, she says, Naomie is the crème de la crème. Why is she hooking up with Whitney? Naomie says, it’s kind of weird, but it happened, and she’s not trying to hide it, Leva says, Craig has big feelings like a baby, and gets mean. Austen asks if Craig cares about Naomie and Whitney, and Craig says, no, but asks if they made out. Austen says he didn’t get the details, but he heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, not Whitney’s. Whitney walks in, and says he could hear his name, and he was listening to them. They’re f***ing idiots. Craig says, the story is, Whitney and Naomie hooked up, and Whitney says he’s not going to lie. But it wasn’t a random hook up, and it’s none of their business. He doesn’t need to explain himself. Craig says, whatever, which is often his answer to everything.

Whitney tells Shep that he overheard Craig interrogating Austen about him, and Craig got super agro. (Is that a thing?) The table is set under Spanish moss, and I long to be there. Just not with these people. Whitney tells Craig and Austen that he’s sorry. He didn’t intend to burst in on an intimate moment. Craig says, Whitney doesn’t understand, but it’s his life. In Craig’s interview, he says he thinks it’s shady of Whitney. The bro code can be complicated, but she’s still his ex. What the f***? Shep tells Craig, it’s not personal, but Craig says he was disappointed.

In his interview, Craig says, if you’d told anyone a year ago about Naomie and Whitney, no one would have believed it. Craig asks, where’s their host and his new girlfriend? and Shep says, sometimes attraction is irrational. Truth! Taylor asks how Austen is feeling about Olivia, and I swear I hear the clock ticking as he ponders his answer. Shep asks if Craig is happy, and Craig says, he’s in a happy place now, but he needed to find another path. Shep asks if he can present a theory, and says he thinks part of Craig likes being around people he doesn’t know; who didn’t know the Craig from eight years ago. They’ve known him at his lowest. Whitney saunters over, and says, Craig has become an a-hole. Shep says, the people who knew Craig… and Craig says, were not the best for him. Shep was terrible, and Craig progressed in moving away. In Shep’s interview, he says, it’s not about him and Craig. Craig’s anger is with Naomie and Whitney, and he’s lashing out. Craig isn’t wrong though – Shep was terrible to him. Craig says he removed himself from the negativity, and Shep was part of that negativity. Leva says she doesn’t think Shep meant to be negative, and Shep says, it was like little bro stuff. Craig needed acceptance from him, and had a chip on his shoulder about Charleston and status. Leva says, Shep does like to poke people, and Shep says, it’s not a kumbaya, getting agitated. Naomie wonders if that isn’t better than what Shep’s doing now, and Leva tells Shep to relax. Craig gets up, and says, it’s not going to change. Shep says, they didn’t realize how sensitive Craig was, and Whitney says, they just couldn’t help it. Leva asks if Craig heard what Shep said, but Craig says, that’s just putting it on him. Whitney says, Craig can’t play the victim, and Craig says, they’re doing anything to justify their behavior. It sounds like they’re jealous and deflecting. Shep starts to pontificate, and falls backward in his chair.

Next time, Austen says, Craig is a crazy person; Craig says, he and Austen are no longer friends; an egg toss; Shep calls Taylor, a f***ing idiot during the egg toss; and Olivia asks if Austen hooked up with Ciara.

🏰 No Make Up Station, But…

You can even visit Auldbrass yourself.

https://www.eatstayplaybeaufort.com/auldbrass-tour-yemassee-plantation-built-by-frank-lloyd-wright/

Auldbrass Plantation

⚾️ Sliding Into Home…

Join me tomorrow, my favorite day of the week, for soap, a sip of tea, a few words on Tales of the Walking Dead, some words from the famous and the infamous, and music to your ears. Until then, stay safe, stay striving for excellence in all things, and stay remembering, just because you knew someone doesn’t mean you still know them. However, sometimes what you see is actually what you get. Sometimes.

Aug18

August 17, 2022 – Sonny Questions Dex About His Past, LisaR Hosts a 70s Disco Party, a Thought & Liking It

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Frank tosses Dex into Sonny’s office, and Dex says, watch it. Sonny says he’ll take it from here, and Frank leaves. Dex asks what that was about. Is that the way Sonny congratulates someone on a job well done? Sonny says, this is how he deals with liars.

Willow says, this is too much, but Michael says, she’s going to be a nurse. It’s a big deal, and he wants to celebrate her future. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says she just has a lot on her mind. She really needs… Everyone comes in, and yells, surprise! Wiley holds up a sign that says, Go Mommy.

Carly brings the cake through the restaurant, balancing her phone on the box. The phone slides off, and when she puts the box on the bar to pick it up. Nina hands it to her, saying, can I help you? but Carly says she’s good. Nina says she’s sorry, but it looks like Carly was in the kitchen. The kitchen is for management and employees, not customers. Carly says, really? Is that how it’s going to be?

Portia asks where Jordan went, and Curtis tells her, Taggert said she went on a mission. He’s guessing it ends at Windymere. Ava has come out of the courtroom and stops to listen. He says, Jordan is hellbent on finding Esme Prince, and Ava dashes off.

Jordan tells Nikolas that she’s following up on their discussion about Esme, when Victor joins them, and says he’s sorry, but now is not a good time. Nikolas says he’ll call her and set up a meeting, but she says, that wasn’t a request. She holds up a warrant, and tells him that she has a warrant to search the premises for any evidence that may lead to Esme Prince’s whereabouts. So how does he want to do this; the easy way or the hard way?

Cameron gets to the courthouse, and hugs Josslyn. He says, it’s so great that Trina was exonerated. Where is she? Josslyn says, she’s still in the courtroom. She’s tying up some loose ends, so to speak.

Inside the courtroom, Spencer says he’s so relieved Trina was exonerated, and she tells him, if he’d said that to her a couple days ago, she wouldn’t have believed him. Is he finally going to tell her what changed? He says, everything, and she says, starting with what? He says, starting with her.

Dex says he did exactly what Sonny asked. He talked to the head juror, and made sure he knew it was in his best interest to acquit Trina Robinson. It’s not his fault the DA threw out the charges against her. Sonny says, Trina Robinson’s charges were dropped, and Dex asks if that isn’t what this is about. Sonny says, no. This is about the lies Dex has been feeding him. When Dex came to him, Dex wanted a position in Sonny’s organization. He was telling Sonny about his war record, but he left out that he left the military on bad terms. So he had his people digging, and it turns out Dex was kicked out after he assaulted a superior officer. So tell him, why should he expect Dex to obey the chain of command when it comes to his organization?

Carly tells Nina, Olivia gave her permission to pick up the cake. They’re hosting a graduation party for Willow by the pool. Nina says she didn’t realize, and Carly says, Olivia is half-owner. She doesn’t have to run everything by Nina. Nina says, that’s not what she meant, and Carly says, but Nina couldn’t wait to lord her new power over her, huh? Nina says, absolutely not, but she does have the right to ask. She’s not interested in banning Carly from the hotel, if that’s what she’s implying. Carly says, it’s not, and Nina can’t. Nina’s partner is one of Carly’s best friends, and she can go anywhere she wants. Nina says, Carly’s not the only one. She doesn’t like Carly either, but she’s trying to make peace with the fact they’re going to be in each other’s lives now that she and Sonny are together. Carly says, it’s official, huh? It took Nina a year and a half, but she finally got what she wanted.

Wiley runs to Willow, and says, his mommy is a nurse who saves people’s lives. He and Willow hug, and Brook says, they’ve been rehearsing that line all day. Wiley is proud of everything Willow’s accomplished, and she gave him the coaching. Olivia says, they’re so proud of her. She’s going to have this great career for the rest of her life. Willow says she’s sorry. She thinks she’s having some morning sickness, at night. She laughs, excuses herself, and jets. Brook wonders if it’s something they said, and Michael asks her to look after Wiley, and follows Willow.

Nikolas says he woudn’t dream of interfering with the police investigation. Trust him. He wants Esme found as much as anyone. Jordan walks in with the officers, and says, she guesses they haven’t heard; the charges against Trina Robinson have been dismissed. The man who sold the black market phone that recorded the revenge porn testified that he sold the phone to Esme. That makes Esme Prince a person of interest for recording the revenge porn video of Josslyn Jax and Cameron Webber. Victor says, no wonder she left town then, and Nikolas says he wishes they had more information, but nobody knows what happened to Esme. She says, they’d like to start their search in Esme’s bedroom, and Victor says, of course (🍷). He’ll show the officers the way. They leave, and we see the suitcase behind the bushes. Nikolas says he’ll leave Jordan to her search, but she says she’d like to ask him a few questions first.

Spencer tells Trina, he’s been waiting for this moment for so long, but now that it’s here, he’s strangely tongue tied. Portia and Curtis come in, and Portia says, they’re about to head home. So many people want to wish Trina well, they’ve invited some friends and family over to the house. Joss and Cam are welcome to come. Trina says, sounds great. She’ll meet them there. Portia asks if she’s sure, and Trina says she’s fine. She knows what she’s doing. They exchange I love yous, and Portia leaves with Curtis. Trina asks, what happened with Spencer and the cops? and he says he’s going back to prison, but not to Spring Ridge this time; Pentenville… for three months. She says, no, and he says, it’s what he deserves, but it was worth it to help her out. She says, if she ran out of options, she was going to testify she was with him at the cemetery when the sex tape came out. She never expected him to testify about it first. He was in the clear completely, but chose to risk his own future to help her out. And all this time, he’s been protecting Esme, until he did a 180 and helped her. She doesn’t get it. Why did he do that?

Carly says, they decided to celebrate at her hotel, and Nina says, just a little reminder. It’s no longer Carly’s hotel; it’s hers. Carly tells her, don’t get too comfortable. It’s Nina’s hotel for now. Nina says, Carly doesn’t have a job, so she doesn’t have an income. Nina imagines it will be a few decades until Carly is in a position to try and buy back her half of the MetroCourt. Carly asks if Nina is taunting her, even though she started it. Is Nina gloating about her big win? It must be refreshing to show her true colors, because the gracious act she turns on for Sonny must be exhausting. Nina says, what’s refreshing is seeing this change of pace, now that Carly has lost Sonny and her business. So now when she decides to spit her venom, she has to aim up, not down.

Michael finds Willow crying on the terrace, and asks, what’s wrong? She says she guesses it’s the hormones. She’s feeling a bit overwhelmed about the graduation earlier today, and the pregnancy. Her emotions are all out of whack. She just needs a moment to get it together. He offers to wait with her, but she says she’d feel better if he went back, and made sure the guests don’t think she’s ditching them. She is the guest of honor after all. He says he’ll see her soon, and goes back inside.

Nikolas says he’s already told Jordan everything he knows. He’s not seeing the need for a return visit. She says, standard procedure. Now that Trina’s been freed, and the suspicion has shifted to Esme, they all want the same thing – answers. And justice for the victims Josslyn and Cameron. So let’s start with the basics. When was the last time he saw Esme? He says he already told her; a few days ago. She says, any indication of where she went? and he says, no. She asks if Esme could be staying with family, but he says, as far as he knows, she doesn’t have any family; at least none that are close. Her adoptive parents are deceased. She says, to clarify, he was the last person to see Esme at Windymere, when Ava walks in and says, no. She was.

Spencer tells Trina, he so gets it. He’s sure his testimony at her trial makes zero sense, but he promises that if she just hears him out… Rory walks in, and asks if it’s a bad time, but Trina says, no. He’s just in time. She tells Spencer that she’s truly sorry he’s going back prison, and so glad he’s finally opened his eyes to see the kind of person Esme was all along. She just wishes it had happened sooner. For her sake, and for his. She takes Rory’s hand, and leaves with him. Cameron asks why Spencer didn’t tell Trina the truth.

As they walk into one of the small lounges, Nina says, at least this is more private, but Carly says she doesn’t know what they have left to talk about. Nina and Sonny are together, and she can’t think of two people who deserve each other more; who’ve convinced themselves that they’re heroes in their own stories. Nina says she’s not going to waste her breath asking Carly to be civil, but can they just not engage with each other? Not for Sonny’s sake, but for the children’s? For Donna? Carly says she’s stopping Nina right there. Nina is never going to have a relationship with Donna – ever. Nina’s not going to see her or spend time with her. Nina is going to be as big a factor in Donna’s life as she is in Wiley’s, and that’s non-existent.

Sonny says, Dex purposely misled him. Did Dex really think Sonny wasn’t going to find out why he left the military? Dex says he didn’t care. What Sonny found out was true, but he’d do it again in a heartbeat. Sonny says, Dex has two minutes to explain it, and Dex says, he was the youngest of three brothers. His brothers used to smack him around; he doesn’t mean roughhousing. His parents wrote it off as boys will be boys, but it wasn’t. He must have been sent to the hospital at least five times. Sonny says, what about his parents? and Dex says, they did nothing. That’s why he joined the military; to get away from them as fast as he could. He did a tour in Afghanistan; Sonny can see that on his record. When he got sent to Germany, it was supposed to be an upgrade, away from the front lines. Families lived there, including his superior officer. He was a complete jerk, toxic to his soldiers. Apparently, he was even worse to his own family. He had a reputation for smacking his wife around; he did the same thing to his kids. The really messed up thing? Everyone whispered about it, but no one did anything. Until one day, Dex did. He doesn’t know if he got the son of a bitch to stop, but at least his family knew someone tried. When he was a kid, he was too small to step up to his brothers, but as a man, he could step up for that family.  

Carly says, Nina can have as much fun as she wants with Sonny. Donna’s not included. Now she’s going back to celebrate Willow’s graduation with the rest of her family. She doesn’t know if Nina’s heard, but it’s expanding. Nina says she’s heard. Congratulations. And just for the record, she’s not trying to hone in on Carly’s family. Carly has made it perfectly clear she’s not welcome, especially now that Willow has replaced and eliminated her daughter from Wiley’s life.  Carly flashes back to finding out Nina is Willow’s mother, and tells Nina, no one did that to her. She did it to herself. And it’s a shame Nina doesn’t realize, she deserves everything she’s getting. Carly takes her cake, and walks off.

Michael apologizes for the guest of honor’s abrupt exit. It’s just that with the baby on the way and graduating nursing school, she’s a little overwhelmed right now. She’ll be back. Drew says, they’ll celebrate when Willow is ready. Brook takes Wiley to get something to drink, and Carly comes in with the cake. Olivia says, please tell her that Carly didn’t run into Sonny and Nina on their date night, and Carly says, just Nina. Olivia says, unbelievable, and Carly says, Nina is welcome to him. She’s ready for what comes next in her life. She looks at Drew, and they smile at each other.

Willow reads about chemotherapy while pregnant on her phone. TJ comes out, and says, he thought he’d find her out here. Is she okay? She says she’s fine. She’ll rejoin the party soon. He says, if she wants to be alone, he’ll respect that, but he thinks he knows more about the possibilities going on in her head than anyone else. She says, they’re not a possibility anymore; it’s definite. Terry said the biopsy confirmed TJ’s theory. She has leukemia.

Nikolas says, Ava is home, and she says she sees they have company. Jordan says, Ava was at Trina’s trial. No doubt she understands how vital it is for them to find Esme. Ava says, nothing would make her happier than finding Esme, and seeing her pay for her crimes. She wishes they had more to tell Jordan. She does know that Esme was aware Oz Haggerty was a patient at General Hospital. Jordan says, is that it? and Ava says, she had a suitcase with her. She said she was going on a trip, but after Oz Haggerty’s testimony, she can only assume Esme was making a run for it while she could. If she could offer Jordan a little advice, she’d say, don’t underestimate that young woman. She’s sure Esme is planning on disappearing for a while. Jordan says, that’s why they’re gathering as much information as they can. Ava’s husband already said they could take a look around. Ava says, yes, of course (🍷). Be her guest. Jordan looks out the window, but doesn’t see the suitcase just a few feet away behind the shrubs.

Cameron asks what Spencer is doing. Trina doesn’t know the full story yet. Josslyn says she agrees Trina has the right to know the truth. Of course (🍷) it matters that he believed in Trina the whole time, but he still lied to Trina, and enabled Esme by not coming forward sooner. Spencer says he knows. He was trying to fix things, because he needed to be the one to save Trina, because… Josslyn says, because why? Because he couldn’t take responsibility for his own actions? Because he didn’t trust Trina? Spencer says, because he loves her, and Cameron says, if he means that, now is the time to tell Trina the truth.

In the hallway, Rory says he has something for Trina. He hopes it’s not too corny. He gives her a can of soda with a bow on it, and she says, it’s the same as the one he brought her in the interrogation room. He says, also known as the day they met, and she thanks him. She says, and for the record, it’s just the right amount of corny. He says he doesn’t want to step on her big celebration, but if she’s up for it, he’d like to see what the future has in store for her. No pressure if… She kisses him, as Spencer walks out. Aww, I feel sorry for him.

Olivia says, Carly is telling her that she’s just fine with Sonny and Nina living happily ever after, and Carly tells her, she never said she wanted them to be happy. She’s just saying she’s moved on. She’s at peace with what happened. So, next. Olivia says, so Carly is trying to tell her this peace after the divorce with Sonny has nothing to do with Drew? Carly tells her, stop. There’s nothing going on between her and Drew except friendship. Olivia says, and Carly is telling her that she’s never even thought about what it would be like to be more than friends. Carly says, no, that would be a really bad idea, and Olivia asks, why is that exactly? Carly flashes back to telling Drew that Nina isn’t Willow’s mother, and tells Olivia, Drew is a really good friend, and in a world where she doesn’t have Jason, she can’t risk losing another good friend. Olivia says, and yet, every time Carly talks about him, she gets a big silly grin on her face. Carly says she gets a big silly grin on her face because she’s finally at peace with what happened, and she’s so ready to move on with her life. Drew brings them drinks, and says, that’s a sentiment he can get behind. Cheers. They clink glasses.

TJ says he’s so sorry. He wishes his diagnosis was wrong. Willow says, who knows how much worse it could have been if he hadn’t trusted his instincts? From where she’s standing, she owes him one. At least now she knows what the issue is. He says, and she knows there are ways to fight this, right? and she starts to cry. She says, all of her options feel like they’re lose-lose situation right now, and he says, because she’s pregnant. She says, Britt and Terry explained there could be complications if she begins treatment in the first trimester. They didn’t get into specifics; she’s supposed to talk to both of them tomorrow. He says he’s not going to weigh in. Neither oncology or OB are his fields of expertise, but she can’t have a better team than Britt and Terry. She says she knows in a lot of ways she’s lucky. It’s just that she and Michael were so happy when they found out she was pregnant. TJ says he knows. She didn’t want to worry Michael until she got a diagnosis, and that makes sense. But now that she knows what’s at stake, she’s going to tell him, isn’t she?

Curtis says, it’s important that Portia and Trina celebrate this win. Feel  the joy. Portia laughs, and he says, she and Trina have been waiting to exhale for months now. So no more fears; no more worries. She’s earned this victory lap. She says, so did he. He’s been there with her every single step of the way. And Oz wouldn’t have even been an option to testify if not for him and Marshall finding Oz. She owes him everything. He says, she doesn’t owe him anything. She’s his family, and he feels the same way about Trina. He knows Taggert is Trina’s father, but he’s going to love her just like she’s his.

Jordan’s phone rings, and she asks if they have a location. She says she’s on her way, and tells the officers, she’s ending the search. Let’s go. Nikolas asks, what’s going on? and she says she was just notified Esme posted a rant on social media trashing Trina’s acquittal. The post was geotagged with the south of France. Sounds like he and Ava were right. Esme managed to get out of town, but her anger got the better of her, and now they know how to track her. She needs to notify the authorities in France. She thanks Nikolas for his cooperation, and he says, of course (🍷). He’s happy to help. She says she’ll be in touch, and leaves with the officers. Ava closes the door, and says, what was that? Nikolas says, that was a close call. He goes outside, and pulls up the suitcase, telling Ava, if Jordan had looked on the terrace, she would have found the suitcase. They’re really lucky. Ava says, lucky? If Esme is posting on social media, she’s not dead. She’s very much alive, and could ruin their lives. Victor walks in, and says, he’s not so sure about that.

Trina asks if this makes her Rory’s girlfriend, and he says he doesn’t know. Does this make him her boyfriend? She suggests he walk her back to her place, and they’ll take it from there, and he says he likes that. They leave, and Spencer looks lonely. He goes back in, and Josslyn  says, that was quick. Cameron asks, how’d it go? and Spencer says he didn’t tell her – and he never will.

Ava tells Victor, she meant, if Esme has slipped up, and given her location away, then… The only thing that’s more dangerous than a sociopath, is a sociopath off their game. Victor says, give it up. He knows everything. She says, he does, and asks Nikolas, what the hell is wrong with him? Victor says, her husband is a terrible liar, and she says, doesn’t she know it. And he may think Esme being alive solves their problems, but it doesn’t. She’ll probably pin an attempted murder charge on Ava, now that she’s alive and well, and posting disgusting stuff online. Victor says, Esme didn’t post that; it was his handiwork. He took the liberty of reaching out to an old colleague. The two of them parted ways with the WSB on less than stellar terms, but he owed Victor a favor, and hacked into Esme’s MyFace page. Victor gave him a few juicy details, and he ran with it. Ava thanks him, and says she owes him one, but he says, let’s not open the bubbly quite yet. Those fake posts won’t hold up against much scrutiny, but they will buy them enough time to destroy the evidence. But none of that will matter if Ava and Nikolas don’t get on the same team. Ava says, he doesn’t know what he’s asking, and he says, if he’s learned anything over the years, it’s that nothing motivates forgiveness quicker than mutual jeopardy. Ava and Nikolas need to present a united front because, like it or not, they’re all in this together.

Trina brings Rory in the house, and says, they have company. Portia hugs her, and she asks, where’s dad? She thought he’d be here by now. Curtis says, Taggert’s out spreading the good news, and Portia says, he’s picking up a feast for them at the Port Charles Grill. Rory is more than welcome to stay and celebrate with them. Curtis says, Marshall is on his way, and Stella is coming. He’s going to text TJ, and see if he’ll join them. Portia says, unless all of this is too overwhelming for Trina, but Trina says, no; it’s perfect. Rory says he’s going to let her celebrate with her family. He’ll check in with her tomorrow. Trina says, he doesn’t have to go. He heard her mom; she invited him to join them. So please do. He says, that’d be great.

Spencer says, when he went out there, Trina was talking to Rory. They were kissing, and wondering if they should call each other boyfriend and girlfriend. Cameron says, that’s because Trina doesn’t have all the facts yet, but Spencer says, Trina deserves to be happy. For God’s sake, he hasn’t been able to give that to her. All he’s given her are lies and grief. Is he supposed to step on her and Rory’s happiness? Mess with her head, and say, by the way, I have feelings for you too, then I’m off to prison for three months? Josslyn says, there’s no one happier about Rory and Trina than she is, but Spencer still owes Trina the truth. He asks, why does Trina need to know the truth? Why does she need to know that he’s always believed in her, and that he loves her? Don’t put that on her; it doesn’t matter. And they both need to promise they’re not going to tell her anything. Josslyn says she understands his point. They don’t want to put any more stress on Trina either, but Trina is her best friend, and she can’t promise to keep this from Trina forever. Spencer asks, but is it really going to make Trina happier to know the truth?

Dex tells Sonny, they offered him a discharge. The brass figured it would cause less of a stink, and prevent the authorities looking into how the officer treated his family. He took the deal and was out, but for a few brief seconds, he got to do the right thing, and he woudn’t change it for the world. Sonny says he can understand. Without going into gory details, what Dex said about his family violence, Sonny lived through it. But Dex still lied to him, and that’s unacceptable. Why should he trust Dex? Dex says, he never told Sonny that he should. He just said Sonny could count on him. Sonny says he’s not sure it’s that simple, no matter how sympathetic he is to Dex’s story, and Dex says, so that’s it? One strike and he’s out? Sonny says, that’s not it. What it means is, he needs time to think. Dex says, about what? and Sonny says, about whether Dex is worth the trouble. Dex takes the paper out of his pocket, and says, from Trina Robinson’s trial. In case it matters to see how the jury voted. He puts it on Sonny’s desk, and leaves.

Olivia says she needs some ice. It’s getting hot in here… She means warm… it’s getting muggy… She’s getting ice. Drew says, when he was setting up, he got a text from Mia asking for Carly’s information. She’s coaching at a retreat in Aruba, and thought Carly might be interested in going. Carly says, sounds perfect, especially with Trina’s trial being over. She doesn’t suppose Mia invited him too.

TJ thinks Willow might feel better if she talks to Michael about this, but she says she’s still processing all of this. She was about to tell Michael, when this party happened. He says, she’s not under any obligation to put on a happy face for the sake of the party. Don’t do that on their account. She says, she, Michael, and Wiley are due one last good night before everything gets shot to hell. This can keep quiet until after the party, after her follow-up. He says he can understand that, when his phone dings. He says, it’s from his Uncle Curtis; Trina’s verdict came in. Willow says, what is it? and he says, yes! It’s good news. The charges were dropped. She says, that’s amazing. She’s so glad someone got good news today. He says he can join his family later if she needs support, but she tells him, go. Be with his family. She’ll be fine, she promises. She thanks him, and says she lucked out making a friend like him. They hug, and Nina walks past the doorway, doing a doubletake when she sees them. Willow tells him to give everyone her best, especially Trina. He tells her, just remember, she’s got this. Nina watches.

Drew tells Carly that he’d love to go to Aruba, but he’s putting all his energy into getting Aurora into fighting shape. He hopes it doesn’t stop her from going, but she says, no. She’s definitely going to think about it. It’s a fresh start for her. She wants to see what’s out there. Willow comes in, and apologizes for keeping them waiting. Wiley says he’s proud of her, and Michael says, she’s worth it. Carly says she’s happy for Willow, and Drew picks Wiley up. Nina walks in, and back out again.

There’s a song part, and Sonny looks at the verdict. It’s hard to tell from his face, but I’m thinking, acquitted. There’s much happiness at Trina’s house. Josslyn arrives, and hugs Trina. Spencer and Cameron put their arms around each other’s shoulders, and walk out of the courtroom together. At the bottom of a cliff on the beach, Nikolas dumps the contents of Esme’s suitcase in a barrel. Victor nods, and Nikolas pours lighter fluid on it. He sets on fire, and he, Ava, and Victor watch it burn.

Tomorrow, Chase asks if Brook really believes in him; Elizabeth wishes everyone would stay out of her business; and Valentin asks what it will take for Victor to stand down.

The Most Awful People in Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Still at Dorit’s party, LisaR says she didn’t think she’d end up crying, but she’s grateful it came. Dorit suggests they lighten the mood by singing Happy Birthday to Kyle. A cake with candles is brought in, and they sing. It’s awful. Can’t we rewrite that song? In Dorit’s interview, she says, they’ve had rage, tears, and laughter, and at this point, she’s looking for more laughter. PK tells Mauricio that he has a new real estate company based on crypto, and he’s a conceptual genius. He says, bow to the emperor of real estate, and Mauricio says he thought PK was the king of rock. PK says he likes it. LisaR thanks everyone for being with her in the moment. She and Sutton had a moment that triggered it, and she thinks there are deeper issues. I can tell you this, if any of my friendships got this complicated, I’d drop walk away. These women are like middle schoolers, with emotions all over the place, and way too much work. Sutton asks if the poor people outside the group, who look like they’re being held hostage, want to leave, and they can’t get out fast enough. Crystal says she heard her eating disorder was being talked about, and she’s been seeing a professional since she was 13. Kyle asks if Crystal thinks she’s seeing the right people, and Crystal says she’s spent hours interviewing people. In Erika’s interview, she says she hopes Crystal can effectively deal with her eating disorder, so she can enjoy life. Put this to bed and be done with it. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with these women? Not to mention, Crystal has a husband who’s extremely supportive and rich. Crystal says she’s on the journey, and Garcelle asks if they have anything else to clean up. Sutton says she didn’t like being called a friend liability, and we flash back to that. She thinks of herself as a good friend. Something happened that she hasn’t told them about. She got a letter from an attorney about a lawsuit Tom and Erika are involved with. They thought she had some kind of information. In Sutton’s interview, she says, she received a letter from an attorney involved in one of the Girardis’ lawsuits, asking about information she doesn’t have. She’s not getting subpoenaed, and she’s not going to Chicago, although she’s quick to add, it’s a lovely city. She tells the group that she hired a litigator to answer questions, and in her interview, she says, attorneys are not cheap. You know who knows that? The Girardis. Erika says she knows what they asked, and we flash back to the Reunion when Sutton brought up a rumor about Tom’s business. Sutton says, Erika is looking at a lot of lawsuits, and was a liability to all of them last year. Erika says, it’s not her fault. She told Sutton to be quiet. We flash back to Erika threatening Sutton, and Dorit tells Sutton not to feel like she was targeted; she was the only one questioning Erika. Garcelle says, not true, and we flash back to Garcelle, Dorit, and Kyle all questioning Erika. Garcelle adds, and she’s not being Sutton’s bodyguard. Diana takes this as a segue, and says, Garcelle is the most guarded of the group. Garcelle wonders how they got here, and Diana says, it’s where they started, making no sense whatsoever. She says she likes Garcelle, but fells like she has to work extra hard for Garcelle’s friendship, but still doesn’t get anywhere. Garcelle always shuts her down. Garcelle says, when they said goodbye at Diana’s Christmas party, Diana said they’d gotten off on the  wrong foot. We flash back to that, and Garcelle says, Diana can’t claim she shuts her down when she was open in that conversation. Diana says she hasn’t seen Garcelle since then, and Garcelle says she hasn’t seen Diana either. In Garcelle’s interview, she asks when Diana tried to get to know her. Diana trashed her in a group text, and was a total bitch at her birthday party. If Diana wants to get to know her, she can google her. LisaR asks if Garcelle hears where Diana is coming from, and Garcelle asks, what does LisaR hear? LisaR says she thinks Diana is sad and in pain about what happened between her and Garcelle, while Diana sits there like she’s five and can’t speak for herself, which is odd, considering she’s so aggressive. Diana says she’d like know Garcelle better differently, and Garcelle says, ditto. Garcelle asks how LisaR feels about that, and LisaR says, good, but why did Garcelle have to say it like that? Garcelle says, that’s how LisaR said it, and LisaR thinks Garcelle is defensive. Garcelle asks why she’d be defensive. Tell her, since LisaR seems to know everything. LisaR says, fear, and Garcelle says, of what? LisaR says, Garcelle has to ask herself that question, like they’re on some contemplative version of The Twilight Zone. LisaR says, when you come from love, you don’t come defensive, and Garcelle says, LisaR telling her about coming from love is bullsh*t. In Kyle’s interview, she says she doesn’t know if LisaR is in a position to talk about coming from love, since she just screamed her head off at Sutton. You have to practice what you preach. Garcelle says, once in a while, she’d like to feel supported, and Kyle says she doesn’t know what’s happening, but she agrees with Garcelle. Mauricio comes over to the table, and says, they’re all out of their minds. He asks if they’re ready to go home, and Kathy says, take her out of here.

Rob asks Crystal, how was last night for her? and she says, it was fun. He says he saw LisaR screaming at the girls, and Crystal tells him about the women talking about her eating disorder. She’d posted that she was struggling, and they were controlling concerned. Rob says he was surprised she posted about it too, since she doesn’t always talk about it. Crystal says, the group wants her to get help, but she doesn’t want a timeline pushed on her. She doesn’t want do it to make them feel better, and she’s feeling pressured. Rob tells her not to let that be what she focuses on, and to focus on herself. She owes it to herself. He holds her while she cries, and she says she wants to be recovered, but doesn’t want pressure. In Crystal’s interview, she says, when someone assumes it’s easy, it makes her feel like she’s failing, but she isn’t; she’s trying. Kathy comes by, and Crystal admits she’s been crying. Kathy says, the girls love her, and are coming from a good place, but they’re not lawyers, doctors, or therapists. Crystal shouldn’t feel pressure to answer their questions. Tell them she’s working on her issue, and it’s between me, myself, and I.  

Kyle looks over her flowers and gifts. Mauricio opens a bottle of 1999 Dom, saying, it was the oldest he could find. He couldn’t find one her age. They toast, and Alexia gifts Kyle with a pair of roller skates, the disco version. Kyle skates around, and says she won races when she was growing up. In Kyle’s interview, she says she doesn’t remember a  time when there weren’t roller skates on her feet. She went to the same rink the casts of Different Strokes and the Facts of Life, and the Jacksons went. Farrah and Alex join them, and in her interview, Kyle says, she was intimidated when she met Mauricio’s family. They were anti Kyle and Mauricio, especially his grandparents. She wasn’t Jewish, she was divorced with children, and an actress. When she thinks about her daughters meeting someone, she doesn’t want them to feel that way. They  talk about the wedding, and Farrah thinks it will be in the fall. In her interview, Kyle says, she remembers her wedding process. So many people were giving their two cents, and driving her crazy. Her family was Catholic, and couldn’t understand why they had to wear yarmulkes. She didn’t want so many weighing in. Boy, I understand that. I wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. People said, you can’t do that. I said, watch me, and did.

Erika and LisaR go to lunch, and LisaR talks about the shoot she and Harry did for People’s Couples Issue. She tells Erika, it’s a day by day thing. She didn’t expect to have a breakdown, but it was probably important for her to get it out. Precipitating her hurt and pain is anger, and Sutton is her trigger. Maybe Erika’s too. She wonders why Sutton chose that moment to talk about the lawsuit, and Erika says she’d called Sutton a liability, and Sutton said Erika was. LisaR makes a big deal out of Sutton choosing to keep it, then throw it out in a public forum. Like 1) they don’t all do this, and worse, 2) it was really just the group, so not public, and 3) Garcelle had asked if there were any more problems to air. LisaR says she has moments of fun with Sutton, but then there are moments like that. At the end of the day, Sutton likes to poke the bear, and is her own worst enemy. She tells Erika that she’s having a 70s disco party for Rinna Beauty, and in LisaR’s interview, she says, the first one ended up in Chris’s backyard. Then they had a huge launch planned for this year, and covid rehit. You need to be creative in the time of covid. It’s basically the same people in a different venue.

Kyle meets Sutton for lunch, carrying a new Birkin. I just don’t see the charm of that bag. Talk about basic. Kyle says, Sutton threw everyone for a loop with the comment about Erika being a liability as a friend. Sutton says, she found Erika using that word ironic and hypocritical. In Kyle’s interview, she says she thought Sutton and Erika were going in a good direction, and Sutton drops that bomb. She’s stirring up sh*t. This, coming from the biggest sh*t stirrer of all. Sutton says, her attorney got a letter saying the attorney in the lawsuit wanted to call her as a third party witness. Erika is involved with so many different cases, she’s not saying which one it is, but Erika put them all in a bad position. She says she has a date, and Kyle suggests she give off vulnerable vibes. She wants to look like she wants to be taken care of, not like she wants to take care of someone. Yo, Kyle. 2022 is calling. Sutton admits she’s difficult, and Kyle says, especially when she’s arguing. Sutton says she likes to debate, and likes to know she’s right.

Everyone gets ready for LisaR’s party, and Erika yaps to her glam squad about doing a Jerry Hall homage. LisaR checks out the venue, and party planner Cheryl says, they have a fun photo booth, gifts, a dessert bar, and a bar. In LisaR’s interview, she says, Harry usually does it all, but she doesn’t have Harry here. She demands real lemons and limes, and says it like, 10,000 times. In her interview, LisaR says she went to Studio 54 one time; they had communal bathrooms. On a side note, Studio 54 is now a theater, and while I don’t think the bathrooms were ever designated as communal, the ladies room is fabulous. It has a sitting room with individual mirrored vanities. Although for the price of a theater ticket, they should have a fabulous bathroom. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she remembers Studio 54 from her modeling days. It was the place to be. Everybody was amazing. One night, she sat down, and they had coke on the table. She didn’t want to do it, but didn’t want to say no. She ended up spilling it, and the people were pissed, and said never mind. Thank God she didn’t have to do it. Ha-ha! That reminds me of Woody Allen sneezing in the coke in (I think) Annie Hall. Group photos are taken, and I hate the way these women scream when they see each other.

Kyle invites everyone to Aspen, and says, her house there is small, but there’s a house ten minutes from her that they can stay at. Diana says she’ll stay at a hotel, and in her interview, she says she’s a great hostess, but not a great guest. She’s demanding, and feels like she’s saving everybody stress. Dancers Forrest and Victoria come out on stage, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, nothing beats Melissa Etheridge, but it’s cute they have the Solid Gold dancers. She, Garcelle, Kyle, and Dorit get on stage and dance.

Garcelle asks Kathy what her and Rick’s secret is, and Kathy says, having the right people around, and not allowing outside influences. He’s an old-fashioned Catholic whose parents have been married a long time, and he had to be on his best behavior. He told her that, if you get caught doing the wrong thing  today, you get canceled. Kyle asks how Sutton is feeling since they spoke after Dorit’s dinner. We flash back to that, and Kathy tries to interrupt, asking Kyle if they’re going out after this. Kyle is like, um… we’re talking, and Kathy finally gets the hint. Sutton says, she was making a point about Erika calling her a liability. Kyle doesn’t know what that means, and Sutton says she doesn’t either. No surprise, Kyle shouts over to Erika, and asks what she meant. Erika says, Sutton is a hindrance to the rest of the group in making friendships. Sutton asks Garcelle if she’s a hindrance, and Garcelle says, not at all. Erika says, Sutton is a hindrance in their relationships with Garcelle, because Garcelle will see them through Sutton’s eyes. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, this doesn’t all have to do with Sutton. If she saw Erika treat anyone the way she treated Sutton, it would make her pause. Dorit says, Sutton saying Erika had a lot of lawsuits was hurtful, and LisaR says, it was mean. Sutton says, LisaR never has her back, and LisaR tells Sutton to have her own back. Kyle says something about the Toothless and Homeless charity [sic], and there’s a whole thing about the name again. Dorit scolds them for laughing, but even I can’t help laughing. Kyle says, the name is not amazing, but they do amazing work. Every time someone says the name, it’s different (it’s Homeless Not Toothless), and in their interview, a producer asks for the name, but none of them can get it right. Sutton suggests maybe renaming the organization. Kathy says she’s sorry, but she’s worked with the homeless and the toothless. Then she tells Garcelle, it should be given another name. For who knows what reason, Kyle says, LisaR had a moment of strong feelings about Sutton, and in Sutton’s interview, she says, LisaR keeps saying she forgives Sutton and their friends. Clearly that’s not true, and LisaR keeps doing the backpedal. LisaR says, if it’s supposed to work out, it will. If she loves someone one minute, and is angry the next, she’s going to cut herself some slack. She has the right to work out her grief. Yeah, she does, but not at the expense of others. Is she stupid or just that self-centered? Sutton says she can be a loose cannon, but she’s a colt. I have no clue what she means, and oddly enough, no one asks. She says she doesn’t want to take away from the fact she was making a point… She should have said what she said… She gets confused, and Erika says, and she has a drinking problem. Looking at Garcelle, she says, they’ll get to that later.

Diana asks if Garcelle has a drinking problem, and Garcelle laughs and says, no. Erika says, neither does she, even though Garcelle tried to push it. Garcelle says she cited instances, and Erika says, three. Garcelle tried to push a false narrative. Garcelle tells Erika, what she said was that Erika needed to figure out her medication and drink ratio, and in her interview, she says, just because you don’t like the narrative, doesn’t mean it’s false. Erika asks if Garcelle was trying to be helpful, and Garcelle tells her, she’d said she was worried about Erika. Erika says, Garcelle is the last person she’d discuss her problems with. The ones closest to her would have noticed and said something. I think that’s highly doubtful, but okay. Garcelle says she didn’t suggests they get together and talk about Erika, and we flash back to Garcelle expressing her concern to Kyle and Dorit. Erika says, it does seem like Garcelle wants to make her look bad, but Garcelle says – wait for it – she doesn’t have to. Erika can do that on her own. Erika says, Garcelle is making herself look like a liar, like she has an ulterior motive, and wants Erika to have a problem. Garcelle says, Erika having a problem doesn’t change her life, and Erika says, it’s her life to destroy or build. In her interview, Garcelle says, it’s Erika’s prerogative if she wants to blow up her life. Dorit says, when she asked if Garcelle was concerned about Erika, Garcelle yelled, don’t be Kyle! Garcelle says, Dorit is exaggerating, and Kyle asks, what’s wrong with being Kyle? Kathy says, they should lift each other up with good conversation (she asks a lot), and Dorit says, they need to have real conversations. Kyle picks this time to say, Erika and Sutton need to start over. Sutton says she’s going to call Erika, but Erika says, please don’t. Kyle asks if Erika doesn’t want to have more clarity about the relationship, and Kathy says she thinks everyone is all good. She tells Garcelle that she got snapped at about the Homeless and Toothless organization.

Next time, LisaR looks at some of Lois’s stuff; the Aspen trip happens; Kyle asks the Ouija board if they’ll be able to work out their issues and have a good time (Magic 8 Ball says, are you out of your mind?); Garcelle says she was hurt that Erika called her a liar, and they don’t have to be friends. I love Garcelle.

🗯 I have to admit, this week’s episode was somewhat amusing. I couldn’t keep up with the homeless/toothless thing, but I was laughing pretty hard. I’ve also come to the conclusion that both LisaR and Erika have sociopathic tendencies. They’re not on the Robert Chambers side of the spectrum, but enough that they’re… what’s that word? Oh yeah. A liability.

🏂 Electric Sliding On Out…

Feel free to join me tomorrow for a delve into soap and a look at some Charm. Until then, stay safe, stay not making promises you can’t keep, and stay practicing what you preach.