What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the pool, Violet asks if Gregory saw her backwards somersault, and he says he did; she was great. She says, Uncle Chase taught her, and Chase says, know who taught him? Her grandpa. Gregory says, he did indeed. Chase could use a little practice. Maybe Violet could give him some pointers. Finn walks in, saying, he just ran into a buddy of his, and introduces Curtis to Gregory. Gregory says he’s heard all about Curtis’s club, The Savoy, but Finn has never taken him there. Finn says, he will, and Curtis tells Gregory, feel free to come by anytime; drinks are on him, and Finn can fend for himself. Violet says, what about her? and Curtis says he’ll open his place at lunchtime, and she can have all the Shirley Temples she can drink. Chase comes over, and congratulates Curtis on his engagement. Finn told him. Finn makes a cut-it motion, and Curtis says, the old GH grapevine. Violet says, he’s getting married? Can she come? She loves weddings.

Stella is about to knock on Jordan’s office door, when she stops. She flashes back to taking the divorce papers from Jordan’s desk. She starts to knock again, stops, and turns away, when Jordan comes out and asks if Stella is looking for her.

Selina comes into the club, and N’neka says she’s sorry; they’re closed. Selina says, the club is always open for her. She’ll have an iced tea, no sugar, while she waits for her guest to join her. N’neka says, they don’t have any iced tea (seriously?), and Selina says she’s sure it won’t take N’neka long to make some. N’neka goes in the back, and Selina sits down. Cody comes in, and thanks her for meeting with him. He holds out his hand, and says, he’s Cody Bell. He called her earlier. He’s not bleeding, so maybe that’s why she doesn’t recognize him. She says she assumes he’s not back for another beating, and he laughs, saying, definitely not. In fact, he has a proposition for her.

In the nook, Brook thanks Ned for having lunch with her, and he thanks Brook for inviting him. What’s up? She asks why everyone always assumes she has an ulterior motive, and he just looks at her. She says, fine. She has something to tell him. He says, let’s hear it, and she says she and Chase are dating now. He says, that’s great, and she says, it is? He says, isn’t it? and she says, of course (🍷) it is. Never mind. He asks if she’s happy, and she asks what he thinks. He says, if she’s happy, that’s all that matters to him. Has Chase decided on who his manager is? She asks what he’s talking about. She’s Chase’s manager just like they planned. He says, uh-oh.

Dante sees Elizabeth at the hospital, and she asks what she can do for him. He says he needs to see the ER intake records for the night Ava Jerome was stabbed. He needs to see if anyone else checked in with similar wounds. She asks if he thinks someone is running around Port Charles attacking people, and he says he doubts it. They didn’t get any calls at the PCPD, but he’s got to double-check. She says, sure, but if no one else was attacked, does that mean… He says, Ava’s attack wasn’t a random act of violence. Her attacker knew her.

Sonny asks if Ava has any idea who attacked her, but she says she doesn’t. He asks why he gets the feeling she’s not telling him something. Who is he protecting her from? She says she has no idea, and he says she’s too smart to play dumb with him. Franks says she doesn’t want Nikolas to visit. She was staying at the MetroCourt before she was attacked. Obviously, she and Nikolas are going through some problems. Does she think Nikolas would attack her?

Brook asks, what just happened here? Ned seemed happy that she and Chase were dating. He was supportive of her managing Chase’s singing career, so what changed? He says, the other day, when she and Leo were looking at all those pictures of Eddie Maine, he started to remember what it was like to work with her mom, when Lois managed him and the band. It was really tough on their relationship. She says, mom left him because he chose ELQ over family. Sound familiar? He tells her, good luck with managing Chase’s career, and she says, she and Chase share a common goal; to make him a star and rub Linc’s nose in it. Sharing interests brings a couple closer together. Like when she and Chase worked together to protect Bailey from Peter August. Something changed between them. She admits, at first, they couldn’t stand each other, but that probably had something to do with her hitting him three times. Ned says, ya think? and she says, but they got past it. He says, there’s still potential for friction, and she says, there is for all couples. He says, his point is, trying to maintain a romantic relationship while also maintaining a business relationship is hard; sometimes impossible. She says she and Chase make a good team. They could succeed at anything if they try. He says, and if they don’t?

Stella says, if this is a bad time, she can come back, but Jordan says, not at all. Why did Stella want to see her? Stella says, it’s about Curtis and his engagement to Portia, and Jordan says she hopes Stella isn’t angry that she wasn’t told right away. Stella says, no, she understands, but she and Jordan didn’t even speak about the engagement last night. Is Jordan avoiding? Jordan says, not at all. She almost witnessed the proposal for herself, but she hadn’t had a chance to congratulate Curtis and Portia. Stella asks, when she said her congratulations, how much pain was she hiding? Jordan says, the engagement was hardly a shock. They did buy a house together. Stella says, still, it had to be difficult. Jordan loved Curtis so very much. Jordan says, Curtis has moved on, and she needs to do the same. Their marriage has been over for a while after all. Stella says, about that…

Violet says she likes her Shirley Temples with two cherries instead of one, and Curtis says, duly noted. His phone rings, and he steps away to take the call. He asks N’neka, what’s up? and she says, Miss Wu is here meeting someone at the club? She told Miss Wu they were closed, but she said the club was open for her. He thanks her, and says he’ll be there as soon as he can.

Selina says she can’t imagine Cody would have an offer she might want, and he says he’s sure she remembers he’s really good at poker. She says, he fleeced her high rollers, leaving her with very unhappy patrons. As she explained that night, her players come to relax and have a good time; not loose their shirts in a few hands. He says, so her associate worked him over after she got her money back, and left him with a pathetic fifty dollars, not even enough to feed a horse in oats. She says, his point? and he says he wants in on the next game. She asks if he has the $10,000 buy-in, and he says, hear him out. She stakes him, and he’ll pay her $15,000 on the back end. He promises he won’t clean anyone out; just lighten their wallets a little bit, even though her players can afford to lose. She says, just the one game? Why? He says he needs to ride off into the sunset, and a couple bucks in his belt will help set him up in a new place. She asks if he doesn’t make a salary working for the Quartermaines at their stables, but he says he has a lot of debts to pay off; he’s still broke. She says, there’s no guarantee he’ll win. What if he loses her $15,000 and more? He laughs, and says he won’t lose. He’s a sure thing, so what does she say?

Violet wants to practice her somersault, and Finn tells her to be careful. Chase says he guesses that’s his cue, and tells her, come on, picking her up. Gregory says, when Finn was in first grade, he had the biggest crush on this little girl who sat next to him in class. Gretchen? Finn asks where this is going, and Gregory says, she wouldn’t give Finn the time of day, and he couldn’t understand why. He thought about her all the time, and did everything he could to get her to pay attention to him. The look on his face then was… Finn says, just like the look on his face now, and Gregory asks if something is going on between Finn and Elizabeth. He thought things had gotten better between them. Finn says, the other night at the Quartermaine picnic, Elizabeth admitted she has a problem.

Elizabeth tells Dante, no one else was stabbed the night of the Quartermaine picnic, and he thanks her for checking. She asks how the investigation is going, and he says, it’s still the early days. She says, it’s too bad Ava couldn’t identify her attacker, and he says, they’re still talking to everyone who went to the picnic; something will come up. She says, no one suspicious has crossed his radar? when Nikolas comes out of the elevator. Dante says, no one yet. How about her? Anything of importance she remembers from that night?

Ava says, Nikolas would never stab her, and Sonny says, really? Then why is she acting like she thinks he’s guilty, and if he is, why is she protecting him? She says, a little thing called love, but he says, she doesn’t love anybody but herself. She says, so much for playing nice, and he says, if it wasn’t for her being Avery’s mother, he’d let her and Nikolas tear each other to pieces. She says, please leave, and he asks if she wants him to take Frank with him. She gives him a look, and he says he didn’t think so. She has to come clean. What happened with Esme?

Brook says, Ned doesn’t think she can make Chase a star, and he says he’s just trying to manage her expectations. She knows better than anyone that only a small fraction of hopefuls make it in the music business. She thanks him for his support, and he says he’s just being realistic. Be honest with herself. The things she likes about Chase as a boyfriend might drive her crazy as his manager, or drive Chase crazy as her client. Just sayin’. He leaves, and she flashes back to Chase telling her that she went way too far tonight.

Violet watches a boy get out of the pool, and Chase singsongs, Violet’s got a crush. She says she doesn’t, and he says he saw the way she was looking at him getting out of the pool. She says she doesn’t have a crush on Tommy Richardson. He’s not her boyfriend. Chase singsongs, Violet and Tommy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, and she asks who he’s sitting in a tree with. Who’s his girlfriend?

Finn says he hates seeing Elizabeth suffering, and Gregory says, she’s opened up to Finn, right? Finn says, she thinks there’s something in her past that’s adversely affecting her life, and she’s asked for some help. Gregory says, that’s progress, and Finn says he wished he knew how to help her. Gregory says, if Finn needs to talk, here he is, and Finn says he appreciates Gregory. Gregory says, besides Finn, Elizabeth has a ton of family and friends; a good support system, right? Finn says, she does, but he’s not sure everyone in Elizabeth’s life has her best interest at heart.

Dante asks if there’s anything Elizabeth forgot to mention when Jordan took her statement, but she says she’s sorry; she has nothing else to add. Nikolas asks if the PCPD is any closer to finding his wife’s attacker, and Dante says, the investigation is ongoing. He thanks Elizabeth and leaves. Elizabeth looks at Nikolas, and he says, what? She says, they need to talk in private.

Cody says, how about it? Will Selina give him a seat at the table? She says, okay, fine. She’ll let him in the game, provided he works for her. He asks what she means, and she says, he talks like he can control the game’s outcome. Can he insure another player wins big too? He says, sure, as long as they’re not completely hopeless at poker. She says she’ll stake his buy-in if he follows her orders. He’s allowed to win, but she might ask him to help or hinder another player along the way. Losing his nerve? He says, they’re not just talking about one game anymore, are they? and she says, he might want to reconsider his desire to leave town, at least for now. He’ll be making more money than he ever dreamed of. He says, maybe, but he’s so not crazy about taking orders, and she says, think it over, but don’t take too long. She’s not known for her patience. She smiles at him, and leaves.

Stella says she realizes how hard she was on Jordan at first. So bullheaded, she refused to attend Jordan’s wedding to Curtis. Jordan says she did come, and it meant so much to the both of them, and Stella says, after that, she was Team Jordan all the way. Jordan says, Stella refused to give up on their marriage, even after she and Curtis separated. Unfortunately, it was already too late. She kept too much hidden from him, and it was too late to walk it back. Stella says, they were so good together, and Jordan says, except when they weren’t. But why is Stella bringing it up now? Is she opposed to Curtis’s engagement? She thought Stella liked Portia. Stella says, she does. It’s not about Portia; it’s about herself, and what she did, and how sorry she is. Jordan asks, what did she do?

Ava wonders why Sonny is asking about Esme. Isn’t she gone? To Europe? Isn’t that what the cops are saying? He tells her that she knows more about Esme’s disappearance than the cops, and she asks if he’s a mind reader now. Is it more lucrative than selling coffee, among other things? He says, he remembers when she came to him, asking him to make sure Trina’s jurors found her not guilty. He said it made more sense for him to talk to Esme, but she said his guys wouldn’t be able to find her. So when she was in surgery, and they thought she wasn’t going to make it, Nikolas acted a little strange. Ava asks, strange how? and he says, like he was hiding something. She says, but she heard he was frantic, the picture of a devoted husband, and he says, they both know better than that.

Dante meets Cody in the park, and Cody says, finally. Dante says, he told Cody that he was on the clock. What’s so urgent? Cody asks why Dante’s boss is out to get him.

Stella asks if Jordan remembers when she had that last stroke. She felt like she’d forgotten something really important. Jordan says, vaguely, but isn’t that common among stroke victims? Stella says, it is, but she finally remembered what was bothering her. She’s so sorry. You’d think by now she would have learned her lesson, but there’s no fool like an old fool. Jordan asks what she did, and Stella says she meddled in Jordan’s personal business; hers and Curtis’s. Jordan asks, how? and Stella says, it happened right here in her office. She took the envelope that contained the signed divorce papers. They were never filed. Jordan and Curtis are still married.

N’neka brings Selina’s iced tea, when Curtis walks in. Selina says, that didn’t take him long. She saw his bartender call him. He asks what she’s doing here, and who she had a meeting with, but she says, her meeting is none of his business. She stayed because she wanted to deliver a gift. He says, that she’s taking her game somewhere else? and she laughs, saying, he has a wonderful sense of humor. No. This gift is her way of thanking him for the continued use of The Savoy. She’s upgrading the club’s audio board. He says, not necessary, and she says, his live music nights are very successful. An advanced audio system can only enhance his customers’ experience. Has he thought about focusing more on local artists? She’s been hearing about a singer. He tells her that she can stop right there. Need he remind her that The Savoy is his business, not hers?  

Chase says hello to Ned, and asks if Brook is here. He texted her that he was coming over. Ned says, she is here. He’s sure she’ll be back soon. Would Chase like some iced tea? Chase says he’s good, and thanks Ned again for helping him find the right look to be a professional singer. Ned says, Brook tells him that she and Chase are a couple now, and Chase asks if this is the part where Ned tells him, if Chase hurts his daughter… Ned says, he’ll hurt Chase? He’s thinking about it. Chase promises that he only wants to make Brook happy, and Ned says, that’s not always possible in relationships, but Brook’s an adult. He was never able to keep her under glass, but he will hurt Chase badly if he hurts her, in addition to what she’ll do. Chase says, he knows better than to cross Brook. if he’s learned one thing, it’s that she can be ruthless. Brook overhears.  

Finn tells Gregory that Elizabeth is friends with Nikolas Cassadine; they were together years ago. Gregory says, it sounds like Finn doesn’t trust the guy. Did it end badly? Like he wants to hurt her? Finn says, no, but he’s the reason Hayden left town. He’s the kind of guy who’s always in it for himself first, and doesn’t care if the people around him get hurt.

Elizabeth says, there’s a chunk of time she can’t account for, after she left Finn, and before Nikolas found her, possibly the time when Ava was attacked. Nikolas says he doesn’t believe for a moment that she’s the one who stabbed Ava, and she says, when he lied to Jordan about being with her, was it to protect her, or him?

Ava tells Sonny, Nikolas couldn’t have stabbed her; he was with Elizabeth at the time. Sonny says, that’s what he told the police, and she says she’s sure Nikolas confirmed it with Elizabeth. He says, Elizabeth and Nikolas have been friends since they were teenagers, and she asks if he really believes pure as the driven snow Elizabeth would lie to the cops to protect Nikolas. He says, Elizabeth is loyal to her friends; she thinks the best of everybody. But now that they’ve established that, she could cover for Nikolas. Why does she think he stabbed her? Come on. Something happened with Esme.

Brook asks what Chase is doing here, and he says he texted her. She says, he did? Not that it matters. He says he can come back if it’s inconvenient, but Ned says, he’d like to continue their discussion. Brook told him that she’s officially his manager. Brook tries to interrupt, but Ned says, there’s a hell of a lot of pressure involved with getting a music career off the ground. It could lead to a lot of arguments. Brook asks if Ned doesn’t have somewhere else to be, and Ned says he’s not telling Chase what he doesn’t already know. It’s good to see him. He’s sure Brook will take very good care of him. Ned leaves, and Brook says, alone at last. He asks if her dad was right. Is she going to take good care of him? She says, he can count on it. She hopes Ned didn’t get in his head, and he says, Ned didn’t, but he’s been thinking the same thing, about what the music business can do to relationships. She says, the magazines are right; women end up dating their fathers. He says he’s being serious. Now that they’re dating, does she think going after Linc is still worth it?

Cody says, Dante’s boss… Dante says, Jordan Ashford? but Cody says, Mac Scorpio, and Dante says, what about him? Cody says, Mac’s been asking a lot of questions about him, treating him like a suspect in the attack at the Quartermaines. Dante says, Mac thinks Cody stabbed Ava Jerome? and Cody says, never even met her, but you know rich people; they blame the help. Dante says he’s working that case, and Mac didn’t say anything to him about bringing Cody in for questioning. Cody says, Mac didn’t talk to him directly, but he asked Britt a bunch of questions., which is ridiculous since they’ve only been on one date. Dante says, Britt said Mac thinks he’s a suspect? and Cody says, Britt said Mac asked her a bunch of questions. It’s pretty easy to fill in the blanks. He’s been all over the attack on this Jerome woman. Is Dante’s boss trying to pin it on him, so he can say he solved it? Dante says, Mac wouldn’t do that, and Cody asks if he’s being paranoid. Dante says, that depends. Has Cody done anything considered illegal? Cody says, no, hell no, and Dante says, that doesn’t seem defensive at all. Cody says, he’s the new guy in town. People tend to blame the outsider when something bad happens. Dante tells him, relax. Mac is going to follow the evidence; that’s all he’s going to do. Cody says he doesn’t want any more trouble with the police. He’s had enough already. Dante says, which proves his point exactly. Back then, Cody was guilty. Cody says, he wasn’t the only one.

Selina says she’d never presume to tell Curtis how to run his business. She just wants to lend a helping hand. He asks, why? and she says she’s invested in The Savoy’s success. Her players have grown fond of the club. It feels safe and comfortable here. He asks, why her sudden interest in music? and she flashes back to Sonny telling her that Chase is a good singer and a good guy, and he thinks Chase would be a good fit for The Savoy. She tells Curtis that she knows what she likes. Harrison Chase brought the house down when he played open mic night at The Haunted Star. Curtis says he booked Harrison Chase. His contact called and canceled. He says he was no longer Chase’s manager. She asks if he’d be willing to rebook Chase, and he asks why she cares. She says she knows a thing or two about business, and how to keep one profitable. Harrison Chase could be his big discovery, and give the club the reputation of spotlighting new talent. Think about it. She leaves, and he makes a call. He says, Jermaine, did you find it?… What?

Nikolas asks if Elizabeth really thinks he stabbed Ava, and she says she doesn’t want to think that, but why was he so quick to give them a false alibi? He says, the police don’t know the exact time of Ava’s attack. Maybe it was when they were together. She says, then why didn’t he just say that? He’s been acting suspiciously lately. He asks what he’s done since Ava’s attack. He’s protected her. He’s worried himself sick wondering if his wife is going to live or die. He’s been nothing but frustrated, since he’s concerned that the person who attacked Ava is still out there. And he feels helpless because there’s nothing he can do to try and catch him. And instead of understanding, she’s going to think the worst of him? Is that because she’s been going through so much; because her nerves are frayed? She says, wait a minute. Is he saying she’s imagining his sneaky behavior?

Finn tells Gregory, if Elizabeth had an unknown infection, he’d track it down, he’d identify it, and design a protocol. Gregory says, like he did with Harry (Chase)? and Finn says, but this psychological thing, he’s made a mess of it at times. And please don’t tell him some story about when he was five and went through every encyclopedia, trying to find a cure for the common cold. Gregory asks why he’d tell Finn that story, and Finn says, to point out how he always tries to find the right answer. Gregory says, he’ll tell Finn what he told him then. He has to learn to read before he tackles the encyclopedia. Finn says, in other words, don’t rush, and Gregory says he imagines there’s a reason Elizabeth repressed her memories. She can’t work through them until she’s truly ready to face what they are.

Ava tells Sonny, Esme was a manipulative, spiteful little viper that Nikolas let into their home without consulting her. She did everything she could to come between them; even Spencer saw her true colors. Nikolas is so stupid… Sonny says, keep going, because it’s interesting. Why was Nikolas stupid? She says, stupid because he’s a man. Like Sonny with Carly, alienating her and the family… He says, this isn’t about him; it’s about her, Nikolas, and Esme. Something is going on with Esme. Why are she and Nikolas covering it up? And why hasn’t she told the cops that she thinks her husband attacked her?

Dante tells Cody that he’s sorry. He shouldn’t have brought that up. Cody did him a solid back then. Cody says, no reason to mess up both of their lives, and Dante asks if all that’s behind Cody. Cody says, 100%. Cops don’t like him. Never have; never will. Dante says he’s a cop, and Cody says, other cops have an aversion to him. Dante says, Mac is one of the fairest cops, the fairest people, he knows. And he was a friend of Dominique Stanton’s when she was in Port Charles. Cody says, Mac told him, and Dante says, maybe that’s why he’s got interest in Cody. Cody says, maybe, but it still might be time for him to move on, and Dante asks if Cody really thinks he’s ready to go.

Jordan says, the divorce was never finalized because of Stella? and Stella says, she wanted to give Jordan and Curtis a chance to work it out. It was an unconscionable act of hubris. Jordan says, Stella had no right to play God with their marriage. What happened to the divorce papers? Stella says she doesn’t know. She suffered the stroke at Kelly’s, and everything after that is a blank. Jordan says, this is unbelievable. Stella is unbelievable. Stella says she realizes there aren’t enough apologies in the world to make this right. She would have never let it go this far, but she lost track; she lost memory. She remembers taking the envelope from Jordan’s desk, and after hearing about Curtis’s engagement to Portia, some of it came back. Jordan asks if Curtis knows, and Stella says, no. She wanted Jordan to know first, and if sometime in the future, Jordan could find it in her heart to forgive her, but she’ll understand if Jordan can’t. There’s a knock at the door, and Jordan says she’s in the middle of something. Can it wait? Curtis comes in, and says, sorry to interrupt. It’s important. He sees Stella, and asks what she’s doing here.

Elizabeth tells Nikolas not to act like she’s the crazy one, when she knows he’s hiding something. He says he doesn’t think she’s crazy, but he thinks she’s overreacting. She says, maybe she is, or maybe she’s just crazy. He wouldn’t be the first one to think so. He asks what she’s talking about. He thought when she signed herself out of Shadybrook, everything was okay. She says, something is happening to her. She can’t explain it, but her life is out of control. He asks how he can help, and hugs her. She’ll be okay, he promises. They continue to hug, and Finn walks in.

Brook asks Chase if she just heard what she thinks she heard. Now that they’re dating, he wants to back out of their deal? He says he’s not backing out; he’s just asking the question. They could have something great, but her being his manager didn’t start out so great. She asks what he means, and he says, when she asked Sonny to use his influence to book him at The Savoy? She says, she thought they got past that, and  he says, they did. He knows they’re not going to always see eye to eye… She says, so any friction between them will be her fault? but he says, no. It’s just that he doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their relationship. So maybe they should drop this plan to get revenge on Linc. Brook says, he’s got concerns. Their relationship is new, and they don’t want to do anything to mess it up, but he’s being an idiot. Just because they’re kissing doesn’t mean they can’t get past an argument or two. It’s not a myth; they can have it all, and they will. He tells her to be honest with him. Does she really think they can make Linc look bad without letting revenge destroy them as a couple? She says, of course (🍷). They’re not fragile flowers. They’re bond isn’t going to be broken over a dirtbag like Linc. He says he likes her passion.

Cody tells Dante that he loves his job, and loved reconnecting with Dante, and making new friends, some who are driving him crazy. Honestly, he’s not ready to leave Port Charles. Dante says, good, and Cody asks if Dante wants him to stay. Dante says, it was good reconnecting with Cody too, even if he had to arrest Cody a few times. Cody promises to behave from now on, and Dante says, he’ll hold Cody to that. Meanwhile, he has to get back to work, but he promises he won’t let Cody take the fall for the attack on Ava. Cody says he has faith in Dante, and Dante laughs. He leaves, and Cody calls Selina. She asks if he has an answer for her, and he says he could use the extra cash. She says, then he’ll be her ringer in the poker games? and he says, deal him in.

Stella asks Curtis if she needs a reason to visit Jordan; she’s still family. Jordan asks what brings Curtis barreling through her door? and he says he just got off the phone with his attorney. Apparently, there’s no record of them being divorced. How does something like that happen? Jordan looks at Stella.

Ava asks if Sonny thinks it’s easy wondering if Nikolas attacked her; that she enjoys having so little faith in him. Sonny says, here’s the deal. He will not allow Avery to lose her mother. If he finds out Nikolas stabbed her, he’s not going to let that stand. Ava says she’s not going to let Nikolas get away with hurting her. She promises Sonny that.

Nikolas says he should go. They’ll talk soon. He leaves, and Finn closes the door. Finn asks if she’s okay, and she just lost her cool with Nikolas. He asks if Nikolas was being an ass, but she says, she was. She asked why he lied to Jordan about them being together when Ava was attacked, and he insisted he was just trying to help her out, but she can’t shake this feeling that there was more going on. He asks how that makes her an ass, and she says she’s known Nikolas a long time, and knows when he’s hiding something. He says, she didn’t accuse Nikolas of attacking Ava? and she says she came close, even though she doesn’t think he really did it. Then she totally overreacted when she thought he was calling her crazy. Finn says, she’s not crazy, but she says, they both know something is happening with her. She’s losing time, and thinks she has to tell the police that she doesn’t know if she and Nikolas were together at the time of the attack.

Tomorrow, Drew says he owes Marshall an apology; Josslyn asks Dex to keep it between them; and Sonny gives Nikolas a warning.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Grand Harbour Marina, Malta. Everybody snores away. Natalya grumbles about being hungover, and Mzi says he’s dying. Captain Sandy sees the wind is at 27 knots, and it concerns her. Kyle tells Natalya, 25 days left, and we flash back to last night with Frank. He says, if he could turn back time with Frank, he’d be riding Frank like a pony. He feels like a superstar. The captain calls Dave, Tasha, and Storm for a preference sheet meeting. The co-primaries are Lisa Moore and her daughter Shelby, and they’re bringing along some of Shelby’s friends for a fabulous getaway. Dave says they want several cuisines including elevated Californian, and Captain Sandy asks, what is that? He says, tacos and sushi. They also want a tapas dinner, and a surf yoga session. In Storm’s interview, he says, he’s not used to being bosun. There’s a different level of achievement and consequence. Now he has everything to lose, and if something goes wrong, it’s on him. Tasha reads, the guests also want a happy hour on the shore, two beach set-ups, a 70s party, and Shelby wants to celebrate birthdays past with crew members dressing up like Guy Fieri and Dolly Parton, her favorite celebrities. Interesting duo. In Jason’s interview, he says he loves being on a team, but people already knowing each other is not a good thing. He misses Raygan. We flash back to her working even less than he does. Tasha tells Dave that when she worked with this one girl, they used to start the day saying three things they’re grateful for. He says he’s grateful for his chief stew, and she calls him a fibber. He says he’s also grateful for his new mandolin, and in his interview, he says, not going out paid off. Everyone else feels like sh*t, and he feels like stars, roses, and sunshine. It’s good not having hangover guilt. He says he’s grateful for six hours of sleep. Captain Sandy tells the crew that the guests are boarding on anchor because of potential weather. In her interview, she says, she knows the weather will change, and if there’s a window of opportunity for them to get out and into protection, she’s going to take it. She doesn’t want to get stuck on the dock. Tasha gets constant texts from her boyfriend, and tells Natalya that Friday is both drop-off day and Mzi’s birthday. Provisions come in, and there’s nowhere to put everything. In Natalya’s interview, she says she prefers ordering when they start running out, and not just keep adding things. Tasha is the worst provisioner ever. It’s not that hard to see what they have room for. They could put orange juice on every doorstep in Australia and still have some left over.

The boat is ready for departure, they leave the dock, and Captain Sandy says, now Storm is getting it. Storm tells Jason, everything they just polished is now f***ed, and tasks Jason with unf***ing it. The captain says, the guests are coming on the tender, and calls Storm to the bridge. She tells him that they’re dropping two anchors, and in her interview, she says, the pro is that the anchor’s not going to drag; the con is, if the wind drops, the anchors can tangle. It happens to every captain every season, and she wants to make sure she’s on top of it. They double anchor, and the captain explains that it should look like a V. She tells them that they did a good job, and in Storm’s interview, he says, as a deckhand, he strived to be the best. He had to be a step ahead growing up, and it also makes it trickier for him to trust people, but it’s what you need as a bosun. He’d like to do everything himself, but that wouldn’t make him good leader. They get ready to greet the guests, and Kyle tells Dave that he’s too positive. It irritates Kyle more when he’s trying to be sad. Storm sees rails that need polishing, and Jason is busy eating. Storm tells Mzi that Jason only did 50%, and radios Jason to join him. He tells Jason that he has to take notice, and Jason says he didn’t get to that part yet. Storm says, this is where the entrance gates are, and the first thing the guests see. In Courtney’s interview, she says, Jason doesn’t know how yachting is meant to go, and he’s 35. They’ll see if this the year he learns how not to be a big d*ck.

The guests are picked up in the tender, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, the hardest thing about long distance relationships on a boat is that you don’t have enough time to keep in touch. And you miss things going on back home, like babies being born and weddings. Her granddad was a yachtie. He worked on the Queen’s boat, the Royal Yacht Britannia. He was six months on, six months off, and was one of  250 who ever served on the yacht. He wasn’t there when her dad was born, and her dad was a twin. She thinks the way she is comes from her grandma. Being in the industry makes you realize how hard it is to juggle everything. The tender arrives with the guests, and Storm helps them onto the yacht. The captain says, Tasha will show them around, and Kyle serves the welcome drinks of (I think) wine. He tells them that they can start classy, and get messy later. In his interview, he says, it’s The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. They’re like The Gilmore Girls on steroids.  Captain Sandy explains anchor stuff to Mzi and Courtney, and Kyle tells Natalya that he feels drained. Natalya says, it should be more basic tonight, and we flash back to the last charter wanting a million different cocktails. In Natalya’s interview, she says she would approach Tasha, but she doesn’t want to get on the bad books. She wants a happy, healthy team, but wonders what’s better in the long run. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Steven is the tenth member of their crew. He’s big, bald, and beautiful. (Hint: Steven is a sex toy.) We flash back to Kyle showing Steven to the guys on the last charter, and Tasha says, Steven is here to party. She calls a yoga instructor, and says, the guests want a session of stand-up paddle yoga in the morning.  For whatever reason, Tasha tells the guests about Steven without actually telling them what Steven is. One guests says they want a shot out of Steven, and another one says, they thought they take a shot with Steven. Tasha says she thinks Steven will make an appearance this evening. In Dave’s interview, he says, California elevated is deconstructed fresh food. He wants to be fun and creative this charter. The guests toast to yachting, and lunch is served. The food is pronounced godly, and they tell Tasha, the chef nailed upscale LA. Mzi goes over the beach set-up with the deckhands, and in Dave’s interview, he says he feels like he and Tasha have a new start. He fell quickly, and obviously, there’s still a bit of hope.

Mzi and Storm talk logistics about bringing things to the beach. In Storm’s interview, he says he’s got a great team, but at the same time, he can’t expect people to mirror him. The stews gets stuff together for the 70s party, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, if she had a time machine, she’d go back to the 70s. She could dance and have fun, and there would be no horrible texts constantly coming in on her phone. In Mzi’s interview, he says he feels disjointed. Storm is saying, do this; no, do that. He doesn’t mind, as long as Storm is also working. He’s sure in time Storm will learn to delegate. The guests head for the beach in the tender, and the stews set up for the 70s party. In Dave’s interview, he says, he loves doing tapas. He can put so much passion in a dish without prepping as much. He’d love to do 15 courses one one-bite wonders. On the beach, s’mores are made, and Storm tells Mzi that he’s not sure what the plan is. On the yacht, Jason helps Natalya decorate, and Captain Sandy wonders what’s taking Storm so long. It’s getting dark, and she wants them back. She finds out Storm’s radio is out of range, and asks Jason to take the wave runner and get them. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, it’s not a good idea for the guests to be on shore after dark. They could get into trouble coming back, and they don’t have the lighting for it. Storm should know to stay in touch. Jason breezes in and yells for Storm to bring the guests back, and in Storm’s interview, he says he knows he needs to work on time management, but don’t shout over like you’re Brad Pitt and just bought Malta. That’s not how things work. Going back, Storm tells Mzi, this is not ideal at all.

The crew all put on wigs, and Kyle makes shots. In Kyle’s interview, he says he’s constantly thinking about Frank. He makes it seem like he’s having the time of his life, but he’ll make it through. It’s not the best charter, but it’s an experience. Captain Sandy asks for a quick chat with Storm, and the guests sit down to dinner, where the table is decorated with disco balls and strobe lights. Dave tells the servers to check the plates for hair, since they’re all wearing wigs. The food is dubbed unbelievable, and it does look good. In Dave’s interview, he says, the last charter was super tough. Now everybody is getting on, and the guests are stoked. He’s better off being friends with the interior. They make his job run smoother. He respects what they do. To this day, he can’t fold a T-shirt. He can’t be a stew. Tasha wants them to be too full to stay up until 5 am. After dinner, it’s time for the dance party, and co-primary Lisa goes to bed. Co-primary Shelby tries to spin on the floor, then grabs a disco ball. Kyle says, people make him cringe. The guests ask, what’s up with Steven? and Tasha tells Kyle to get Steven ready. Kyle tells Dave, these are 11 year old girls in 25 year old bodies. He feels like they’re not that type. Tasha says, they asked, but she doesn’t know if they know Steven is a sex toy. Kyle says, when they see it, they’ll know. In Kyle’s interview, he says he can profile a person in 2.2 seconds. Tasha should not be doing this. She says, Steven is in town, and he’s filled with tequila. The guests scream, and there are no takers.

Guest Dakota says she thought Steven was a pirate, and Kyle says, this is painful to watch. One guest almost has a drink, but they’re all kind of, eww! Shelby finally removes Steven from their presence, and they go to bed. Kyle tells Jason that it was a fail, but he’d suggested Tasha not do it. He just came from the biggest high too. Jason says, with certain people, he can’t be 100% himself. He’s playing a role. In Jason’s interview, he says, the people he gets along with most aren’t working with him. The things he randomly knows because he’s interested in them aren’t anything he can share. He feels like there’s a culture gap in regard to interests. He has no common ground with anyone, and it’s a bummer. Kyle tells him, be you on your own time. Storm cuddles with Natalya in her bunk, and she wonders what’s happening with Tasha and the chef. Dave’s obsessed with her. Strom says, he’s in love, and realizes they’re done. Kyle takes his wig off, and says, now the bitch is back, tossing it on a pile of disco balls.

Storm tells Courtney that she’ll be picking up the yoga instructor. Tasha sees she has 9 messages, and calls her sister. She asks her sister to ask her boyfriend to stop sending nasty messages. She can’t deal with any more. In Natalya’s interview, she says, Tasha’s boyfriend keeps her from focusing on the main goal; doing a great job so they get a great tip. The guests go to meet the instructor on the water, and Captain Sandy tells Storm to never be out of radio range. She likes to keep a line of sight on her team just in case. That’s why she sent Jason. The minute the sun goes down, they have to be back with the guests, since they’re responsible for everybody, but he did a great job. She tells him that he can explore and scout locations, but don’t remain ashore. Trust his deckhands, and let them make mistakes. Correct them, but don’t do their job. He’s her person to rely on. In Storm’s interview, he says he’s so used to not being bosun, and being on a deck team where he’s relied on. He needs to learn to delegate. If he doesn’t have to check on them, that would be smooth. It’s his goal.

We see some yoga, and the captain says she wants to bring up one of the anchors. She thinks they might be twisting around, and tells Storm that he’ll have to dive down. Storm jumps into the water with his mask. When he comes back up, he says, it’s crossed, and Captain Sandy says, they’re totally f***ed. Storm is going back to untangle them, and in Jason’s interview, he says, it’s dangerous. Storm is going to use his own body on a sharp, heavy anchor. If the anchor cuts you, it’s not a nick; your arm’s gone. We see Storm underwater, messing with the chain.

To be continued…

🐝 Buzzing Off…

Stop by tomorrow for soap, Emmy talk and tea, and of course a little music. Until then, stay safe, stay knowing your limits, and stay knowing you can’t work through your problems until you’re truly ready to face what they are.