What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Nina tells Jamika Pessoa, as the new co-owner of the MetroCourt restaurant, she’s hoping to shake things up, and thinks having a celebrity chef would be the perfect shake-up. Jamika says, it sounds exciting, and asks if Nina has anything specific in mind. Nina says she’d like to do a tasting menu every Saturday night. She wants the MetroCourt to be a destination venue, with more emphasis on organic seasonal items. Jamika says, these are some really interesting ideas, but the MetroCourt already enjoys such an excellent reputation. Why the change? Nina says, because she thinks this restaurant can be so much more. She wants this restaurant to be the best restaurant on the east coast. That’s why she’s talking to Jamika. Obrecht walks in, and Jamika says, she’s enjoyed the tour of the kitchen, the space is really nice, and she really likes Nina’s vision. Nina says, great. Has she persuaded Jamika? Jamika says, hold on. It’s a lot to think about, but she’ll definitely give Nina’s offer some serious consideration, and get back to her really soon. They shake hands, and Jamika leaves. Obrecht tells Nina, excellent work. She’s a natural. Nina says, maybe Obrecht should tell the staff, who still remain staunchly Team Carly. Obrecht says she’s watch Nina work at Crimson. She’s smart, she’s charming, she’s fair. Obrecht has no doubt Nina will win them over, given time. Nina thanks Obrecht for her vote of confidence, and Obrecht says she enjoys seeing Nina thrive. Speaking of which, she brought Nina a gift. She slides a case over, and Nina opens it. Obrecht says, it’s Japanese. Nina takes out a sheathed knife, and Obrecht says, it’s called a tanto. On a day to day basis, Nina can use it to open her mail, but in emergencies… Nina unsheathes it, and says, she can use it to defend her turf? Obrecht says, it’s always good to be prepared.

At Charlie’s on the phone, Kristina talks to a vendor. She says she knows they have a long relationship with Charlie’s, but if they can’t make the delivery by the end of the day tomorrow, they’ll take their business elsewhere… That’s what she thought they’d say. Thank you. Sonny comes in and applauds, saying, she handled that nicely. Now he knows why Phyllis promoted her to manager. Actually, that’s why he came by. He wanted to congratulate her in person. She thanks him, but says she has to ask. Phyllis is Sonny’s friend. Did he put Phyllis up to promoting her? He says, not at all. She’s earned it. She works hard, and he’s very proud of her. She thanks him, and says she has a good example to follow.

Spinelli says, Britt can’t go out with Cody again, and Britt asks who he is to tell her who she can and can’t go out with? He says he’s in earnest. She must resist spurious entreaties. She says, what? Plain English, Spinelli. He says, believe him. She must not see Cody Bell again.

Sam says, Cody is telling her that he had no idea Spinelli was giving him a dirty look the entire time he was talking to Britt? Cody says, maybe he doesn’t like cowboys. Maybe he should find Spinelli and clear the air. Maxie says she knows Spinelli is quirky, and he’s an acquired taste, and it takes time to warm up to him, but he’s the father of her daughter, so please don’t give him a hard time. He’s kind of sensitive. Cody promises he’ll go easy on Spinelli. Being new in town, the last thing he wants to do is create an enemy. He leaves, and Sam tells Maxie, spill. Spinelli’s been acting squirrely for weeks now. Does she know why? Does she know what he’s up to?

Brook asks if Dante has been a detective so long he sees conspiracies everywhere. Is it that hard to believe she just wants to help further Chase’s music career as a pop star? Dante says, yeah, it is. The way he sees it, this is less about Chase about more about her trying to stick it to her former manager. Is he getting warm?

Chase asks what makes Linc think Brook is up to something, and Linc says, he told Chase; he knows her. It’s right there in her music. Some people write vague lyrics, or lyrics with metaphors, but not BLQ. In her songs, she wears her heart on her sleeve. It’s in every note, every line. She’s looking for love, and he’s telling Chase, she thinks she’s found it – in him.

Michael is parked next to a dumpster, and Dex gets in his car. Michael says, be quick; he has a graduation to attend. Dex says, this couldn’t wait, and Michael wonders if it’s worth the risk of being seen together. Dex says he knows what he’s doing. He made sure no one followed him. Michael asks, what’s up? and Dex says, after what Michael’s dad asked him to do, he deserves a raise.

Willow tries to look for her test results on the hospital computer, but it says, pending. She says, damn, when Ava approaches, and asks if something is wrong.

Sonny says, Kristina’s mother is good role model. It’s amazing how she turned her life around, and made a legitimate success of The Invader. Kristina says she agrees about her mom and The Invader, but she wasn’t talking about her; she was talking about Sonny. He laughs, and says, that’s nice. According to Michael, he’s a traitor who turned his back on his family, and Josslyn feels the same way. Dante is stuck in the middle. He’s trying to keep the peace. She says she can’t speak for any of them, but she knows she wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for him. He stood by her when she turned her back on the family, and bought into Dawn of Day. Sonny refused to give up on her, even when she hated him for it. He opened her eyes and showed her who really loved her versus who was just using her. No way she’ll ever turn her back on him. He says her support means a lot, but… She asks, what is it? and he says, she seemed very careful not to mention Nina.

Nina says, leave it to her Aunt Liesl to say congratulations with samurai steel. Hopefully, she’ll never have to use it in anger. Obrecht says she’s confident Nina will make a success of her new venture. That it’s coming at Carly’s expense? Consider that a bonus. But don’t kid yourself. Carly isn’t the kind to just turn the other cheek. Nina says she didn’t buy Carly’s half of the MetroCourt out of spite, and Obrecht says she knows that. She also knows how deeply it wounded Nina when she found out Willow is carrying one more grandchild for Carly to love. Nina says, it’s just a reminder that the universe is always looking out for Carly, and Obrecht says, now that Nina knows that, maybe she should stop apologizing for falling for Carly’s husband.

Britt says she just doesn’t understand why her love life, or lack thereof, is so important to Spinelli, and he tells her not to be distracted by his motivations. Stay away from Cody. There’s too much at stake. She says, for who? and he says, actually, it’s for whom. She says, enough with the grammar lessons. What is he so afraid of? He tells her, who says he’s afraid of anything? He’s just expressing concern for a friend. She says she doesn’t understand him. He begged her to give Society Set-Ups a shot. She did, and they matched her with Cody, who, much to her surprise, didn’t turn out to be as horrible as she thought he’d be. But now that he wants a second date, Spinelli is all of a sudden telling her to run as fast as she can? He says, exactly. Don’t look back. She asks, why? What business is it of his? What does he know about Cody that she doesn’t? Cody comes in and sees them.

Maxie asks, what makes Sam think something is going on with Spinelli? and Sam says, when she and Dante were with Cody, Spinelli was acting strangely, as if he owed Cody money. He couldn’t rush out fast enough. Maxie says, Sam knows Spinelli. He’s really shy until he gets to know someone. Sam says, really? She doesn’t think Spinelli was shy about encouraging Britt to date again and getting back on the horse. And who better to do that with than the horse expert Cody? Maxie tells her, despite what the matchmaker says, things don’t work out for everyone, and Sam says, right. Maxie asks if something is going on. Is something wrong with Sam and Dante?

Brook says, it’s not that she doesn’t trust Dante, they just have different views of what is and isn’t… He says, legal? and she tells him, she was going to say appropriate. He says, if she doesn’t want to tell him, that’s fine; it’s her decision. But this involves Chase, and because she’s a Quartermaine, she has that gene that compels her to be plotting and scheming and stuff. She says, if he thinks that insults her, it doesn’t, and he says he’s not trying to insult her. He’s just trying to let her know that Chase doesn’t have that gene. And if Chase has a chance of getting his badge back, Dante doesn’t want to see him blow it.

Chase says, Linc doesn’t know Brook as well as he thinks, because their relationship is strictly professional. Linc says, for Chase, sure, but Brook isn’t going to go through all this trouble just to win a competition over who gets to manage him. Take it from someone who knows. He let his heart rule his brain when he first met her. That’s another reason Chase should sign with him and not with Brook. When you mix business with romance, it never ends well. Chase and Brook look at each other.

Michael says, they set Dex’s pay rate when he took the deal. Dex knew what the job was when he signed up. Dex says he’s not talking about undermining Michael’s father. His eyes were wide open on that when he took the job, but no one said anything about threatening civilians. Michael says he never asked Dex to threaten anybody, and Dex says, no, but his daddy did.

Willow tells Ava that nothing is wrong. She’s graduating from nursing school in a couple of hours, and she’s wrapping up some loose ends. She starts to leave, but Ava says, wait. She wants to congratulate Willow on graduating nursing school; that’s quite an accomplishment. GH is very lucky to have her. Willow thanks her, and asks why she has the feeling Ava wants something from her. Ava says, Willow is as preceptive as she is dedicated. They’ve had a member of the household at Windymere go missing. She disappeared from the island last night, and nobody’s heard from her. She’s been troubled, so they’re all a little concerned. Willow says she’s sorry to hear about that, but she doesn’t know how she can help. Ava says, if she’d been in some kind of accident, she probably would have been brought here, right? Willow says she can check recent admissions. Last night? Ava says, that’s right. She’d just hate to think of the poor girl lying helpless in the ER, or worse, the morgue.

Kristina says she should get back to work, and Sonny says, in other words, she doesn’t want to talk about Nina. He’s not there to get Kristina’s blessing. He knows Nina hurt their family, and he’s not saying she should be okay with that. She says, good, because he’s right; she’s not okay with it. Losing him was one of the hardest things she’s ever had to face. Losing Morgan still causes her grief. He was her little brother, but he wasn’t her dad. When Sonny came home, it was nothing short of a miracle, but Nina could have spared them six months of pan and suffering. (It was nine, but I’ll let it pass.) He says, no one knows it better than he does; only Nina, he would say. Kristina says, she doesn’t like what Nina did, but who is she to throw stones? She’s made some bad calls, and done things she wishes she could take back, so she’s not judging Nina or him. He says, her respect and opinion really matters to him, and she says, he seems to be avoiding the real question. Does Nina matter to him?

Nina tells Obrecht, the idea of Carly bouncing yet another grandchild on her knee on knee when she can’t even see Wiley triggered something in her. She’s going to go after what she wants, and she’s not going to feel bad about it. And anyone who has a problem with it, too bad for them. Obrecht says, that’s the spirit. Now there’s nothing to keep Nina and Sonny apart… Is there? Nina says, Sonny made it very clear Carly will always be in their lives. She is going to be the third person at their table for two. He claims he’s found some kind of peace with that, and unless she doesn’t the same… Obrecht says, Sonny is damn lucky to have Nina in his life. It’s up to him to tell Carly to find her own table for one, and if he can’t or won’t do that, Nina needs to walk away right now.

Britt says, if Spinelli is worried about her dating Cody because he has inside information, she’s entitled to know about it. Cody joins them, and says he thought his ears were burning. Is there a problem? Britt says, you tell me. Spinelli is warning her away from him. Spinelli says, it’s for her own good, and Cody says he knows Spinelli is friends with Sam and Dante, but what did he ever do to Spinelli? Spinelli says, as if Cody didn’t know, and Cody says, if that’s how Spinelli is going to play it, might as well put their cards on the table, and tell Britt what’s really going on.

Sam tells Maxie, things have never been better between her and Dante. Actually, Dante asked her to move in with him. Maxie says, that’s big news, and Sam asks if it surprises her, but she says, no, not at all. She sees how happy they are. It’s just that every step Dante takes with Sam, it’s one step he takes away from Lulu. She knows there’s no change in Lulu’s condition, and gets that Dante has to move on with his life… Forget she said anything. Let’s talk more about this idea of cohabiting. Are Rocco and Dante going to move into her townhouse, or are they going to move into his house, or are they going to… Sam says, slow down. It was just an idea. They haven’t told the kids yet. Maxie says she’s seen Rocco with Danny and Scout; they get along great. And if Dante wants to merge their two families, what more is there to talk about? This is something Sam wants too, right? Sam says she can’t get the image of Cody going after Spinelli out of her head. She feels like he needs back-up right now, so she’s going to go. She jets, and Maxie follows.

Brook says, Chase isn’t as squeaky clean as Dante is making him sound. He told a whole bunch of lies to a whole bunch of people when he pretended to be Bailey’s father. And what about the time he and Sasha pretended to have an affair to push Michael and Willow together to prevent Nelle from getting custody of Wiley? Dante says, Brook is proving his point. Chase sacrificed himself for the greater good. He punched Valentin in the face to defend Brook. Now he’s derailed his career by doing the same thing with Linc. She says, he doesn’t need to remind her of the million ways she owes Chase. That’s why she’s trying to help him with his music career to pay him back. If he doesn’t believe her, that’s his problem, not hers.

Chase tells Linc that he’s got it all wrong. Brook is way too smart to mix business with romance. Linc says he thought he was too smart too, until he met Brook. Stick with him, and kick BLQ to the curb. In 30 days, when he launches Chase’s career, Chase will forget he even knew her, and Chase will thank him for it. Chase looks at Brook again.

Michael wonders what his dad asked Dex to do, and Dex says, Sonny is hoping for a certain outcome at Trina Robinson’s trial. Michael says, Trina is his sisters best friend and a great young women. She’s being charged for a crime she didn’t commit; he wants her exonerated too. Dex says, Sonny isn’t just hoping for that outcome. He wants Dex to guarantee the jury comes back with a verdict of not guilty. Michael asks if he gave Dex specific instructions as to how, and Dex nods. Michael says, he had Dex pressure a juror, and Dex says, Michael got it on the first guess. Jury tampering is a felony, but he followed orders and did as he was asked.

Willow thinks Ava can rest easy. No Jane Doe was admitted in the last 24 hours. If Ava wants to give her the name of the young woman, she can double-check on her specifically. A doctor comes to the desk, and asks if Willow has the file he requested. She says she got his message, and goes to get it. Ava leans over to look at the screen, but doesn’t see Esme’s name. Willow comes back, and says she hopes Ava considers it a positive sign that nothing bad has happened to the young woman who vanished from Windymere. Ava says, they wouldn’t want that. She’s learned the hard way, life is short. You never know when your number’s up, do you? Willow excuses herself, and Ava wonders, what was that about?

Sonny says, Kristina knows him well enough to know Nina matters to him. They were on the verge of seeing where that was going to take them, and had to come to the reality that what they had in Nixon Falls isn’t what they have in Port Charles. It was like they were in their little bubble out there. Kristina says, but that’s the thing. He wasn’t alone there. He just didn’t know it, but Nina did. He says, fair enough, but Carly isn’t going anywhere. She’s Donna’s mother, and she’ll always be a part of his life, forever. He can face that reality, but he doesn’t know of Nina can. Kristina says she still feels horrible about the role she played in his divorce. She was the one who convinced him that Carly wasn’t going to show up to The Haunted Star that night. If she’d just kept her mouth shut, Sonny wouldn’t have given up so easy, and turned to Nina, and maybe he and Carly would still be married. He says he wants her to understand something. He did everything he could to go after Carly. He takes her hand, and tells her that she can’t blame herself at all. We make choices; we have to live by them. She says, all she wants is for him to be happy. It would be a shame for him to come back to them and not grab life with both hands and make the most of it. And if that means Nina for him, so be it.

Nina tells Obrecht, she’s being realistic. Donna isn’t even in kindergarten yet. Sonny and Carly are going to be co-parents forever – and ever. She didn’t want to buy the MetroCourt. She bought it so she could give it back to Carly. Carly refused, so she kept it for herself, even though she knew it was one more reason for Carly to keep a target on her. When she and Sonny were in Nixon Falls, it was easier. They were isolated. There weren’t all these people and problems coming between them. But she still sees that man, that man she fell for, and wanted in the worst way. Obrecht takes her hand, and says, that was then. Knowing what Nina knows now, does she still want Sonny?

Britt says, don’t keep her in suspense. What do Spinelli and Cody know that she doesn’t? Cody says, isn’t it obvious? when Maxie and Sam join them. Sam asks, what’s obvious? and Cody tells Spinelli, it’s no use, my friend. They’re going to find out sooner or later. Mr. Spinelli here doesn’t want him and Britt to be a match. Britt asks, why is that? and Cody says, because Spinelli wants her all to himself.

Dante says, if Brook means what she says, she’ll leave Chase out of whatever revenge scheme she has planned for Linc. Chase deserves better.

Linc says, this is how he’s going to turn Chase into a star. First, they’re going to book a studio and record Chase singing one of Brook’s songs; they’ll make that his signature song. Then, they’ll promote the hell out of it all over social media. He’ll sing at The Savoy to season himself as a performer, and build anticipation for his big splash at The Mercury Lounge. And then… Brook comes over, and says she’s been thinking. They should just call off this competition.  

Michael says, if his father was convinced of jury tampering, he’d only have himself to blame, and Dex says, all they have to do is find a third party to tip off the judge while he’s waiting for the jury to come back with a verdict. Michael says, Dex is going to get that bonus – he’s earned it – but he can’t tip off the authorities about his father.

Ava says she doesn’t want to pry, but is Willow sure she’s all right? Willow says, just a touch of morning sickness. Ava knows how it goes through the first trimester. Ava says, Willow is pregnant, and Willow says, either that or she’s developing a strange craving for pickles and pancakes. Ava says, that’s wonderful news. She’s sure everybody must be so thrilled, and Willow says, this baby is a gift for the entire family, which makes her the happiest person in the whole world. She bursts into tears, and Ava holds her and asks, is something going on beyond the baby?

Dex says he doesn’t understand. He just gave Michael the perfect opportunity to nail his old man, but he refuses to pull the trigger? Why? Michael says, he wants to take Sonny down, but not at Trina’s expense, and Dex asks, what’s the big deal? There’s a new trial, and Trina gets another day in court. Michael says, and put Trina through the stress of another trial, and her family? Not to mention, his sister Josslyn is the victim here. Maybe the jury was ready to acquit anyway. Dex says, but what if they were ready to convict? This way, Trina gets another chance, and Sonny goes directly to prison. Michael says, Dex is going to get his bonus, but he’s not going to risk this. Dex says, whatever; it’s Michael’s call. He gets out of the car, and Michael says, wait. If there’s a silver lining in all this, Dex proved himself to Sonny. It gets him a step closer, so next time… Dex says, if there is a next time. This all hinges on whether the jury got the message or not.  

Sonny says, Kristina’s support means everything to him. Can he get a hug? She hugs him, and he asks what he did to earn this kind of love and loyalty. She says, besides being loving and loyal to her? Not just with the Dawn of Day thing, but he didn’t judge her about Parker. He was upset when she tried to bribe her professor and got kicked out of Wesleyan, but he didn’t judge her when her partner was a woman. He shakes his head, and she says she knows she can always count on him to be there, no matter how hard she tries to push him away. He says, it looks like we’re stuck with each other, kid, and Kristina says, looks like it. They laugh, and hug again.

Nina tells Obrecht, she just asked herself that question; does she still want Sonny? And the answer is yes, probably more than ever. Obrecht says, it’s nice to see Nina this happy, but still, be careful. Wanting Sonny and having him all to herself are not the same thing. The man has five children. Not to mention, Sonny’s ex is never really an ex. They’ve split up more times than she can count, and they’ve always gotten back together. The pattern is consistent; they could get back together again. Then where will Nina be? Nina thanks Obrecht, and says she hears Obrecht’s warning loud and clear. They get up, and hug. Nina says she loves Obrecht and thanks her for the talk. Obrecht says, whatever Nina decides, make sure her little gift is never far away. She leaves, and Nina takes the knife out of its sheath and looks at it.

Dante asks what he missed, and Sam says, Cody just made the craziest suggestion. Maxie says, Cody thinks the reason Spinelli doesn’t want Britt to date Cody, is because Spinelli wants Britt all to himself, and Britt says, as if. Maxie says, no offense, but it’s kind of funny; Britt and Spinelli? Spinelli says, it’s a preposterous proposition, and Cody says, come on, little boy, let’s go talk this man to man, pushing Spinelli into the next room.  

Chase tells Brook that he doesn’t understand. Why the change of heart? Cancel the competition? She was the one who decided… She tells him, she knows what she said, but if he feels exploited, like they’re just two dogs fighting over the same juicy bone, now’s the time to call it quits. Linc laughs, and she asks, what’s so funny? He tells Chase, what did he say? He’ll be in touch. He leaves, and Brook asks, what was that about? Chase says, him… and her.

Willow tells Ava, she’s so sorry about that. She doesn’t know how she lost it like that. Ava says, Willow doesn’t have to explain to her. She’s been there. Willow says, that’s right. Ava knows the joy of feeling that little life inside you… the agony you feel when… Ava says, you lose it. Their situations were very different, but still, losing a child, no matter what the age, is devastating. She would give anything to be there to protect her darling Kiki, but she’s so grateful for every day that she has with Avery. She’s determined to do whatever she needs to keep Avery happy and safe. She’s sure Willow feels exactly the same about Wiley and the new baby. Michael joins them, and asks if Willow is okay. She says, she’s fine, but he says, she’s not fine; he can see it in her face. He asks Ava, what did you do to her? but Willow says, he’s got it wrong. Ava didn’t do anything to upset her. They were just talking about children, and her hormones got the better of her. Ava says, she heard the good news; congratulations. Michael thanks her, and Willow thanks her for the talk. Ava says, her pleasure. She knows Willow is going to take excellent care of her baby, but don’t forget to take care of herself too. Ava leaves, and Michael asks what Ava meant by that. Is there something he should know?

Ava’s phone rings, and she sees it’s Nikolas. She asks what he wants.

Maxie says, they know Spinelli has been lonely since Ellie left him, and Sam says, maybe that’s why he seems so interested in Britt’s love life. Britt says, they’re both wrong. Spinelli is not interested in her. He’s into Brandi. Dante asks, who’s Brandi? and Britt says, the woman he’s dating from Society Set-Ups. He showed Britt her photo. She’s a bombshell who speaks three languages; Elvish, Klingon, and Dothraki? Maxie says, no. She’s the mother of Spinelli’s only child. If he were dating someone, she would know. Dante says, something seems off with this whole thing. He’s going to check it out. He leaves, and Britt says, they’re both Spinelli’s friends. Why would he go on and on about this Brandi lady, if he’s not really dating her? Sam says she doesn’t think there is a Brandi. What are the chances of a bombshell speaking three made up languages? Maxie says, maybe Spinelli is trying to make Britt jealous, and Britt says, so she’s saying Cody is right, and Spinelli is interested in her? No.

In a private area, Cody tells Spinelli, sit, and pushes him into a chair. Spinelli says he doesn’t know what they have to discuss, and Cody says, Spinelli can start by thanking him. Spinelli says he’s supposed to thank Cody for lying to Britt, claiming she’s his destiny and love? Cody says, yeah, doofus. Think about the alternative. Spinelli tells her the truth. He imitates Spinelli, and says, yeah, uh, Britt, that cowboy you’re all hot for? He wasn’t selected by a matchmaker. I actually arranged it because he threatened to expose I am the genius behind Society Set-Ups. Spinelli tells him to keep his voice down, and Cody says, and Zelda? She’s just a front. The real matchmaker is an algorithm that Searches all sorts of private accounts of unsuspecting citizens, not just the people who sign up for the service. Does Spinelli think Britt wants to hear that? What does Spinelli think the NSA is going to say when they find out he’s been doing unauthorized data mining? Violating privacy? Breaching unauthorized data systems? Spinelli says, Cody wouldn’t… would he? Cody says, that depends on Spinelli.

Brook says, Chase should know by now not to believe a word Linc says, and Chase says, don’t worry. He told Linc that he had it all wrong. He said Brook had feelings for Chase. She laughs, and says, Linc actually said that? He tells her, Linc said she can’t separate business from romance, which is why he would make a better fit as Chase’s manger. Brook says, that man has no shame. He’s the one who sexually harassed her, and now he’s claiming she’d do the same thing to Chase? He says, Linc didn’t phrase it exactly like that. He just thinks she cares too much. She asks if he doesn’t see what that means, and he says, no, but he supposes she’s going to tell him.

At Charlie’s, Dex asks Kristina if she can tell him if his boss is here, and she says, she’ll bite. Who’s his boss? He sees Sonny behind the bar, and says, there he is. Kristina asks if Sonny knows this guy, and Dex asks if she’s another bodyguard. Kristina says, no; she’s his daughter. Sonny says, Dex is a new hire, and thanks her again for having his back. She goes to the bar, and Dex says he’d like to do a little digging; see where the jury stands. Sonny says he has informants at the courthouse. From what he hears, the jury’s still out. Nina comes in, and smiles at Sonny.

Maxie tells Britt not to worry about Spinelli, and Sam says, she and Maxie have been friends with him for a while. They’ll take care of him. Britt should focus on Cody. She thinks if Britt wants to give him another chance, she should do that. If not, kick that cowboy to the curb.

Cody says, Spinelli got himself into this mess. The way he sees it, there are only two ways to get out. Spinelli says he’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to hear what they are, and Cody says, option one. Spinelli comes clean with Britt, and gets ready for Society Set-Ups to go belly up when those Feds investigate the invasion of privacy, and all those other security breaches. Spinelli says, and the other option? and Cody says, make everyone believe his cover story. Spinelli needs to convince everyone that he’s crushing on Britt.

Brook tells Chase, isn’t it obvious? Their plan must be working. He says, she just told him that she wanted to cancel the competition, but she says, not now. Linc is getting desperate. If he thinks she just wants to jump into bed with Chase, that’s ludicrous. He must be feeling threatened. He says, so they just continue as planned? and she says, unless he wants out. He says, not unless she does, and she says, not when they’re this close… to winning. Right? He says, right.  

Sonny says, Dex can leave. Sonny will call if he needs him. Dex leaves, and Nina says, hi. Kristina tells her, welcome. She figures Nina would like some time alone with her dad, so she’s going to check on something in the kitchen. Nina thanks her, and she goes in the back. Nina asks if Sonny heard that; Kristina was almost polite to her. She figured Kristina would tell her to go take a hike. Sonny says he has a very complicated, loving relationship with Kristina. They’ve had a few bumps in the road, but they always have each other’s backs. Nina says she’s happy Kristina isn’t turning against him like Michael did, and he says, if she’s there to see Phyllis, Phyllis isn’t there, but she says, that’s okay. She thinks he’ll do just fine.

On the phone, Ava says she’s not going to tell Nikolas where she spent the night. He lost the right to know her whereabouts when he slept with his son’s witch of a girlfriend. Speaking of Esme, she has good and bad news. Esme’s not in the ER or the GH morgue. The bad news is she could be anywhere. Bye.

Michael tells Willow, talk to him, and she flashes back to Ava saying she’s grateful for every minute with Avery. She’s going to do whatever she can to keep her happy and safe. Willow says, believe it or not, Ava was very helpful. She’s more convinced than ever that she needs to do what’s best for their baby, and she will, whatever it takes. She hugs him.

Tomorrow, Dante tells Sam that he wants to make something perfectly clear; Ava says she’s giving Nikolas what he wants; Felicia asks if Anna ever found out what Valentin is up to; and Nina tells Sonny, their relationship has changed.

Below Deck Mediterranean

When we last left, Captain Sandy said, The docking was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and Raygan was called to the bridge. The captain says, on the first charter, they were down two people, but she could see Raygan’s lack of experience. This charter, she has a full team and it was complete chaos. It’s obvious Raygan hasn’t run a deck crew in a boat this busy of this size. Raygan starts babbling about how now that she knows the ins and outs, she thinks she should do better, but Captain Sandy says, it’s the final straw. When they were docking, Raygan said she had three meters when she had less than one and a half. That’s a big thing for her, so she’s letting Raygan go. If she had the time and wasn’t running a boat this size, she’d train and teach Raygan. She’ll give Raygan a recommendation, and suggests she work under a strong bosun. She truly hopes Raygan pursues her career because she wants to see more women on deck and on the bridge. Raygan thanks her, and the captain tells her, don’t give up. Go be a deckhand under a strong bosun on a busy charter boat. Raygan leaves, and Captain Sandy says, that was hard. Raygan asks for her luggage, and Tasha calls Storm, asking him to get Raygan’s suitcase. Raygan tells Tasha that Captain Sandy just sacked her. Apparently, she’s not strong enough for the deck. Tasha says she’s sorry. She doesn’t know what to say. They hug, and Storm wonders why Raygan needs her suitcase, and Raygan says, apparently, she’s not experienced enough, so she’s been sacked. Word spreads, and in Jason’s interview, he says, sounds about right. The day she had a hangover, and took off the whole day, he loved it. Storm hopes they can find someone in two days, and Mzi says, it’s going to be intense. Raygan says goodbye to everyone, and in her interview, she says, she feels sad to leave under these circumstances. It’s a bad feeling, like she hasn’t achieved what she was supposed to. She’s trying to keep positive, and see what happens in the future. Tasha tells Kyle hat she hates when someone is fired, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he thinks there are going to be challenges for the exterior, as opposed to the interior’s power team.  

The crew cleans the boat, and when Tasha opens the oven, she gets steam in her eye. Dave trots after her to the bathroom with a cold compress. In Tasha’s interview, she says, when they first met, they had fun and laughed, but now he’s suffocating her. Captain Sandy calls Storm to the bridge, and Natalya pins a paper that says, Third Stew Kyle, on Kyle’s shirt. The captain tells Storm that she needs a bosun who has experience on the lines. It can be dangerous, and it’s important that she feels she can trust them. She’d love to offer him the position of provisional bosun, and he says, bosun is his goal. She tells him to figure out a schedule, and he says he has something planned in his head already. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s difficult to find a great bosun. She saw Storm’s potential and how he took command. She’s giving him the opportunity to show he can be bosun, but she needs to make sure he can lead a team. That’s why it’s provisional. Storm tells the other deckhands, and says, he’s over the moon, but it’s terrifying. Mzi says they have his back, and Captain Sandy radios the crew to meet in the main salon. She says, everybody knows she let Raygan go. It wasn’t easy; it was gut-wrenching. For now, Storm will be stepping in as provisional bosun. He’s going to show her what he’s got. Everyone applauds, and in his interview, Storm says, it’s been a dream of his, and he feels emotional. He’s been working hard, and has to rely on his experience. He needs to keep a calm head, and show the captain that she made the right decision. Captain Sandy tells them that the new female deckhand is arriving the first day of charter.

Dave texts Tasha, asks if they can talk, but she ignores him. In Dave’s interview, he says he has no idea where he’s standing with Tasha. She runs from any approach he makes, and he’s scared to confront her because he’s scared to lose her. He texts that he can’t do this. The crew wraps it up, and changes to go out. In Natalya’s interview, she says, she thinks something is going to happen with Storm, but she doesn’t know when. She tries to say, it’s inevitable, and fails miserably. They take taxis to the restaurant, ordering espresso martinis all around, except for Dave, who broods and says he’ll have a beer. Mzi sits in between Tasha and Natalya, and Dave says he’s jealous. Kyle says, if a newcomer thinks they can get between him, Tasha, and Natalya – the third stew – they’re highly mistaken. There’s a discussion about which cabin the new crew members will take, and Dave tells Tasha that not being able to go into detail is stressing him out. They need to talk. She gives him a hard no, and he says, it’s a joke. It’s driving him nuts that this is consistently going on. They all leave, and go to a club. In Jason’s interview, he says he doesn’t know his flirting style. He’s an introvert after the initial introduction. He’s either a fish out of water or a huge p*ssy. Mzi and Storm go for a smoke, and Storm tells Mzi some plans in his head. Mzi suggests he stop saying I; don’t make it about himself. In Mzi’s interview, he says, while he’s never been in Storm’s position, he felt the pressure last season just stepping on board. We flash back to the yacht education of Mzi, and a producer asks if Mzi’s nerves are gone now. He says he’s getting there. He and Storm bro hug, and Natalya dances on the bar. Dave hunts down Tasha, and says he wants to chat. He asks her not to hate him, and she says she doesn’t, but he says she seems uncomfortable. She literally can’t be around him, and he deserves more. She tells him, they’re not in a relationship, and she doesn’t play games. He says he asked her about it, but she didn’t message back, and she says, they work 20 hours a day. He says, she has time to read his messages, but she says, she should never feel like she has to answer to anyone. He tells her not to lead him on, and she says she’s not. He insists she is, and she walks away. Dave tells Storm that he’s potentially lost one of the best things that’s happened to him. Tasha gets in a taxi, and heads back to the boat, and Dave starts asking everyone if they’ve seen her. In Tasha’s interview, she says, the fact is, they’re sharing a cabin. She doesn’t know what to do about this.

The rest of the crew continues to drink and dance. Dave continues to text Tasha, asking where she is. On the boat, she moves some stuff to a guest cabin, and he texts, this is really not cool. The crew decide to call it a night, and in the taxi, Dave says, this needs to be over now. Natalya wonders what secrets Storm’s mustache is hiding, and they kiss. In Storm’s interview, he says, it’s been a wonderful day. They got a big tip, the charter guests are off the boat, and he’s just kissed the most beautiful woman in the world. A producer says, and he got a promotion, and he says he forgot. Dave sees Tasha isn’t in their cabin, and he says he’s over it. He’s been saving her rotten secret the whole time. He calls her, and she ignores it. Natalya bites at Storm, and he says he’s not an apple. Dave starts to rage text Tasha, saying he’s going to tell everyone if she doesn’t, calling her a slut, and telling her, f*** you. Kyle goes to the guest cabin, and asks, what’s going on? Tasha explains that she and Dave hooked up on their last boat. Kyle says he knew it, and she shows him the messages Dave’s been sending. In her interview, she says, when you hook up, you have a level of trust in the person. Now he’s sending her messages calling her names. Dave texts, goodbye rotten secret. You deserve this. Kyle says, that sh*t is stopping now, and Tasha says, Dave is psycho. In Kyle’s interview, he says he’s seen the type of person Dave is. We flash back to Dave trying to start something with Jason, and Jason saying, it’s a power move. Dave’s not getting the girl, so he’s trying to be the alpha. Kyle finds Dave in a ball in the bathroom, and Dave says he caused damage with his behavior that he can’t take back. Natalya and Storm kiss in her bunk, and Kyle comes in, covering his eyes. He tells them that Dave is having anxiety, and Storm suggests telling him to go to bed, and stop this sh*t now. Storm goes to find Dave, and asks if he’s all right. Dave says he’s feeling like sh*t. He and Tasha have been hooking up for the last two months. Storm says he already put that two and two together, and Dave says, the whole thing is frustrating because no one understands what’s going on, but he’s had enough. F*** her. He doesn’t deserve it. He’s been nothing but good to her. Storm says, this is toxic, and somehow gets Dave to go back to bed. Kyle stays with Tasha, suggesting they watch something funny. Storm goes back to Natalya’s cabin, and says, Dave and Tasha have been sleeping with each other for two months; it’s a big secret. Dave looks at photos of him and Tasha on his phone, and Natalya reminds Storm that there are two sides to every story, but Storm says he’s agreeing with Tasha.

Storm tells Mzi about Tasha and Dave, and Tasha tells Kyle, it’s going be hell having to work with him. Kyle says she’s overthinking it, and in Dave’s interview, he says he doesn’t remember what happened, but he knows he f***ed up. Regardless of being drunk and not remembering, what he said in the texts was unforgivable. You don’t talk like that even if people are in the wrong. Tasha tells Kyle that she’s trying to figure out how to get her stuff from the cabin. In Natalya’s interview, she says, she doesn’t know if she and Storm are having small romance or something else. She’s taking it day by day. Jason tells Storm, if they can be professional, go for it. Tasha goes into the cabin where Jason is lying on the bottom bunk, and heads straight into the bathroom. Kyle goes to the crew mess, and says he needs endless amounts of water and coffee today. Tasha gets her stuff, and leaves without talking to Dave. Storm says, when he got up this morning, he forgot he had to be bosun. In Jason’s interview, he thinks there’s going to be more order, and people will know what they’re doing. He expects Storm will act like a bosun, and he thinks it’s going to be good. Tasha talks to Natalya, saying, she’s obviously the one who brought this on, but Natalya says, it’s takes two to tango. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past; Dave had no right to talk to her that way. Tasha apologizes for the disruption she caused, and Natalya hugs her. Storm asks Mzi to be with him on the stern, and in his interview, Storm says he’s nervous. He knows he still needs to learn a lot, but he’s worked on a lot of boats, and they’ve shaped him to be who he is. He feels it’s a big mountain he has to climb, but he has the right set of boots on. Kyle and Tasha discuss what habit in a partner would send them over the edge, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, before he came out, he had a 12 year relationship. It was challenging because his whole life was a secret. It was tough when he was left for a woman, but when you lay manure first, you get the best veggies. Tasha says, they should enjoy being single.

Dave looks at the text he sent, and sighs. He cries in the bathroom, and Kyle asks, what’s wrong? Dave says he’s having an anxiety attack, and Kyle tells Captain Sandy. He says, Dave is a bit emotional, and he was hoping she could have a word with him. The captain goes to the bathroom where Dave is, and asks if he’s okay. She tells him to breathe, and he says his mind is literally out of control. She tells him, keep breathing, and he says, this hasn’t happened in a long time. He thought he had it under control. Captain Sandy says she thinks something made it surface; the lack of sleep, and the intense work environment. He says he can’t sleep. He can’t switch it off. She suggests they go for a walk and look at the water. Storm says, you can’t make this sh*t up, and tells Jason what’s going on. Mzi says he thinks it’s just emotions from previous things, and Captain Sandy takes Dave to sit on the dock. She asks, what’s going on? and he says he’s ashamed. She says, he’s human, and he says he sent Tasha texts she didn’t deserve; he was mean. The captain thinks they should change cabins, and says she’ll talk to Tasha. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, she’s not sure what happened, but as captain, it’s her obligation to make sure Tasha feels safe. That’s more important than anything. She goes back to the boat, and radios Tasha to come to the bridge. She tells Tasha that she doesn’t know the story, and Tasha says, Dave sent her texts that were not nice, but she feels she caused this mess. The captain says, it’s not her fault. People make their own decisions. Tasha says, the situation was that she’d just come out of a five year relationship. She and Dave had a thing, then she didn’t want anything else to happen, so there’s been upsetting things. Captain Sandy asks if she feels safe, and Tasha says, to be honest, she feels better. She hopes it doesn’t get out of hand, where one of them has to go, but she feels she can move on. The captain says she trusts Tasha and her judgment, so they’ll go from there. One of them does need to move out of the cabin. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s not telling Captain Sandy about the messages. Dave is a lovely person, kind and caring. She wants the peace of mind to be able to carry on a professional work relationship, and thinks it’s best not to say anything. She says, if the captain is happy, let them carry on, and Tasha won’t let it affect anything. Captain Sandy says she already knows that, and in the captain’s interview, she says she’s not concerned if crew members had a relationship; it’s none of her business. She cares about their mental health and well-being, and getting through the season. When people go into yachting, some people are running from something, and others are looking for something. They have her support, but she’s here to do a job, and expects the same from them.

In Storm’s interview, he says, it’s his first time as a bosun. With all the boat drama, it’s important to have someone who’s passionate about what they do, and good vibes. They need to gel as a team. Captain Sandy calls Dave to the bridge, and Tasha tells Kyle that she created this mess.

Captain Sandy tells Dave that she had a conversation with Tasha, and this is not okay; it’s unacceptable. She needs to know everybody is safe. Dave admits he was out of line, and there’s no excuse for that, but asks that she please give him another chance. She says, if he does it again, he’s fired. Does he think he can get through the season? Can they reset and move on? He says, definitely, and she says she wants them to move cabins. It happens today. He says he’s sorry, and in her interview, Captain Sandy says, with interpersonal relationships on board, each crew member draws their own line, but if Tasha had said she felt threatened, she would have let Dave go. Tasha tells Kyle, she’s been in a relationship where she’s felt controlled, and it’s not nice. What she saw last night, it was like she was being owned. They’re not even in a relationship. At the same time, Dave isn’t a bad person; he was just drunk. She doesn’t know what to say to him. Kyle says she has to make him understand nothing can happen. Tell him that she needs to work on herself. There are lots of hugs and thanks. Natalya sings in the laundry about the new girl arriving. She’s ready for fresh faces.

Tasha seeks out Dave in what’s now his cabin, and he says he feels like he betrayed Tasha; he f***ed up. She says, he’s a good person, but he says he’s ashamed. The situation should never have gotten to this. She says she’s sorry she made him feel like he had to hide his stuff, and asks if he feels like they can work together professionally. Can he still do what he does best? They hug it out, and Tasha says, no hard feelings. In Tasha’s interview, she says she’s never seen Dave act this way. She doesn’t recognize him. Hopefully, he’ll never do this again.

Next time, the new stew arrives; a duel birthday celebration; Tasha needs to speak to her ex properly, and doesn’t know the right thing to do; and it looks like another close call with a dolphin (not the mammal).

🚂 Time To Relax At the Junction…

Roll on by tomorrow for soap, a cuppa tea, and a song. Until then, stay safe, stay thinking before you speak, and stay remembering, when you lay manure first, you get the best veggies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i52mlmJtyJQ