What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna opens the lower compartment of her trunk, and finds a gun. After examining it, she puts it back. She also finds some black clothing, and flashes back to watching the video of Lucy getting shot.

Drew and Carly kiss on the beach, as the camera wildly pans around them, and I feel a little dizzy.

Nina sees Sonny at the hospital, and says, she knows they’re here for Sasha, but has he heard anything about Lucy? Was she found? Is she okay? He says he wishes he had good news, but there’s no word yet. He knows it looks bad, but you can’t bet against Lucy Coe.

In a conference room, Sasha tells Martin, they don’t have to discuss this now. She knows he’s focused on Lucy, as he should be. He asks if she’s kidding. He’s doing this for Lucy. She’d give it to him if she knew he was neglecting a client, especially if that client’s Sasha. Sonny and Nina come in, and Sasha thanks them for coming. Martin said the judge made a decision about her guardianship, and she asks him to tell her.

Scotty tells Felicia that he’s going nutty, and Serena’s going out of her mind. Felicia has to give him something to take back to her. Felicia says she’s been texting Mac constantly for updates, but there’s just no news other than what they already know. Two shots fired, and no sign of Lucy anywhere. He says he can’t believe this is happening. He’s going to hire his own divers, and have them look. She says, Mac and Anna are doing everything they can, but he says he feels in his gut Lucy is alive, and there’s always miracles. She says, he’s right, and they walk into the MetroCourt Gardens, seeing Holly and Robert at a table. Felicia tells him, what was he saying about miracles?

Jordan says she has a job to do, so if Arden doesn’t mind… Arden says she does mind. Victor Cassadine has a team of lawyers who are salivating to sue for unlawful arrest. Jordan says, that’s going to be difficult, considering she didn’t arrest him, but he is a person of interest in Lucy Coe’s disappearance. Arden says she didn’t see him in that drone footage, did Jordan? and Jordan suggests she call Arden’s boss and see if he agrees. Arden says, do not involve DA Scorpio, but Jordan says, it is his case, not Arden’s. Arden says, with all the evidence against his ex-wife and the mother of his child, Robert will have no choice but to recuse himself. Jordan says, they’re in the very early stages of the investigation; it’s way too early to be talking recusal. Just to be clear, the evidence they have at this point is all circumstantial. Arden says, we’ll see, and leaves.

Drew says, that felt different, and Carly agrees. He says he means in the best possible way, and she says, what now? He asks if she means right now, or the big picture? She says, both, but mostly right now, and he says, now they head back to Port Charles. She says she knew he’d say that, and he wonders why she asked. She says, on the off-chance he wouldn’t, and he asks if she doesn’t want to go home. She says, she does; she misses her kids like crazy. She’s just reluctant to go. She found something in Jacksonville that made her not want to leave. He asks, what? and she says, you.

Anna puts everything back the way it was, closing the trunk and stuffing her gloves in her pocket. Dante comes along, and says, she’s still here. Did Jordan cut Victor loose? She says, she had no choice. He lawyered up, and he’s convinced he got away with murder.

Jordan says, Arden is putting a lot of stock in what could be considered falsified evidence, and Arden says, Jordan is giving her friend Anna a whole lot of specialized treatment. Jordan says she’s using the discretion of her office, and Arden says, an office Anna Devane occupied for how many years? She’s been with the PCPD off and on since the 80s. Jordan was her hire, wasn’t she? Jordan says, in the beginning, and Arden says, maybe Jordan’s discretion isn’t so professional after all. How many people in this department, from the old timers to the officers who’ve got five years in feel loyalty to Anna Devane? How many would be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt? Or turn a blind eye? Or actively steer the investigation in another direction? There’s a case here, and she intends to prosecute it. Because she didn’t learn from the last one where she was way off base because of doctored evidence. Jordan calls Robert, and tells him to call her when he can; it’s important. Mac asks, what’s got the ADA all fired up now? but Jordan says, first things first. Any news from harbor patrol? He says he was on a police boat all night and most of the day. They came up empty. She says, no sign of Lucy? and he says he was hoping she had better news. She says, they have a suspect, but he’s not going to like who it is.

Dante says, whoever shot Lucy, it’s just a matter of time, and Anna says, she needs to share something with him. He says, the woman who washed up at the Quartermaines, and she says, Jordan told her it’s not Lucy. He asks if she knows who it was, but she says, no. He says, she’ll never believe it. It was Holly Sutton.

Felicia and Scotty go over to Holly and Robert, and Felicia says she doesn’t believe what she’s seeing right now. Scotty wonders if they died and went to heaven, but Holly says she doesn’t think they’d let him through those gates. Felicia hugs Holly, and Robert tells her, careful; they just fished Holly out of the lake. Scotty asks if there’s a hug for him, and Holly says, always, hugging him. Robert says, he wants to take her home to rest, but Holly says she doesn’t need to rest. She needs faces, people, especially the people she missed so much. Felicia says, not as much as they missed her. Where has she been, and how did she end up in the lake? Robert says, her memory is fragile right now, and Holly says, that’s a kind way of saying, it’s all a fog. She doesn’t remember much about the last two years. Scotty says, poof! She’s just back in Port Charles with no clue? She says, that’s the gist of it, but Felicia says, now that Holly is home, she’s sure everything will come back

Martin says, it’s Sasha’s right to contest the decision, but she should know it could take months, and Sasha says, the decision being? He says, Brando’s death makes it even more imperative that she remain under the guidance of a guardian, and she says she can’t imagine it being anyone except Brando. Who did the judge choose? He says, that’s the thing. He’s sorry, but seeing she has no other living relatives, it will have to be a court-appointed guardian. She says, he means a stranger? and he says he’s afraid so.

Carly tells Drew, when she left Jacksonville in her 20s, she thought she was going after everything she wanted. In retrospect, she wasn’t really running toward anything; she was trying to escape all the mistakes she made here. He says, the funny thing is, she ended up with a lot of what she wanted, and she says, she did. She figured out who she was at her core, and that was huge. But she never realized she was running away. Now she’s able to admit that. He asks if she’s afraid if she leaves now, somehow she’ll lose that clarity, and she says she’s afraid if they leave, it’s going change them; how they are together, the ease between them. She can talk to him about everything and nothing. She loves being with him, and she’s afraid to lose that.

Sonny says, so Sasha’s life and day-to-day decisions are going to be left in the hands of a stranger? and Martin says, that’s correct. Sonny says, that’s not happening, and Nina says, they can fight it. Sonny says, and they’ll win, because if Sasha needs a guardian, he’s in. Nina says, so is she. They’re here to help in any way possible. Martin says, no disrespect intended, but the court will never sign off on somebody with a criminal record, and Nina says, there has to be something they can do; someone else to step in. Gladys walks in, and says, there is. They’re looking at her. I’m wondering why the judge didn’t appoint Gladys right away.

Mac asks where Anna is now, and Jordan says, she believes she was framed. He says, of course (🍷) she was framed, and Jordan says, she went looking for evidence to prove it. He says, obviously. He gets Anna wants to clear her name, but he’s surprised Jordan let her walk. In a good way, Jordan is usually about playing it by the book. She says she still is. That so-called incriminating video may have convinced the ADA, but to her, it screams set-up. And whether or not Anna has it in her to kill Lucy, she doesn’t for one second believe Anna would do it in such a stupid and obvious way. There’s something else going on here. Mac says she’ll get no argument from him, and she says, and in the rush to declare Lucy dead and charge Anna, people seem to be missing the fact that Lucy’s been missing less than 48 hours, and they have no body.

Holly asks why Robert didn’t tell her Lucy was missing, and Felicia says, he was probably too busy pinching himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He says, it’s still sinking in, and Holly says she’s so sorry. What happened? They’ve all wanted to tear Lucy’s hair out at some point – she knows she has – but wanting to kill her. Who would go to those lengths? Victor walks in, and Scotty suggests they ask him.

Anna says, Holly’s alive? and Dante says he saw her in the flesh. Anna says, that’s incredible. She has to call Robert. He says, Robert already knows, and she says, that’s probably why she couldn’t reach him. He says, Robert was one of the first on the scene when the Quartermaines found Holly in the boathouse, and she says, he must be so happy. Damte says, it was a wild reunion, and she asks if Holly is all right. Where has she been all this time, and why didn’t she contact them? He says, her mind seems kind of fuzzy on the details, but they checked her out at the hospital, and she seems fine. Anna says, maybe it’s a sign, and he says, of what? She says, if Holly can be found, maybe so can Lucy. She’s going to see for herself. She goes to her car, but Arden comes by with an officer, and says, Anna’s not going anywhere.

Drew says, looking back on life, it’s a trip, isn’t it? and Carly says, sometimes fun; sometimes not so much. He says he had a similar experience as she did. He joined the Navy right out of high school. Now he realizes he was just looking for a home, and he found that. Those guys are his brothers in every sense of the word. It did fill a void for a little while. She says, but the void’s still there, and he says, after everything that happened, after thinking he was Jason, everything became so clear to him. His whole life he’s just been looking for who he was, where to belong, someone to belong to. She asks if he doesn’t think he found it in Port Charles with the Quartermaines, and he says, yeah, but where he really feels it is with her. He doesn’t want her to think he’s looking to her to be the answer to all his problems. That everything is just going to slide into place, and be happily ever after. She says, good, because happily ever after doesn’t exist, and certainly not with her. He knows her, and inevitably, she’ll get fired up about something, and go tearing off to God knows where, doing God knows what. He says he knows and he’s okay with that. Remember the conversation they had in her kitchen after the Quartermaine picnic? She says, of course (🍷) she does, and he says, she told him that she was scared to see the end before it had even begun. After their time here, does she still feel that way? She says, no. What they have feels solid. He says, in a way it didn’t before, and she says, she guesses Jacksonville not only changed her, it changed them. He says, doesn’t that tell them all they need to know?

Gladys apologizes for being late; stuck in traffic. Sasha tells her, Martin was just filling them in on the judge’s decision. Gladys says she figured as much; a court-appointed guardian? Nina says, Sasha’s not too happy about it, and Gladys says, and Sonny and Nina are out because of their… history. That leaves her. Sonny asks if she’s serious, and she says, he’s the one who told her it’s time to step up and be here for her family. Somebody has to do what Brando wanted, so why not her?

Mac looks at the video, and Jordan says, well? He says, it looks like Anna with a gun, but there has to be another explanation. The video is doctored or… She says, something. He says, this much he knows. No way in hell did Anna lure Lucy to the docks, and shoot her in cold blood. Jordan says, which means someone else did, and set Anna up to take the fall. He says, in other words, Lucy may be the victim, but Anna was really the intended target. She says, exactly, and he says, she knows who’s after Anna, doesn’t she?

Victor apologizes for the interruption, but asks Robert if he has an update on Lucy. Scotty says, Victor is the one who should know, since he’s been spending all that time with her, and Victor says, if only he could. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to find her, so if anyone has any idea how he can help, please let him know. Scotty says, Victor will be his first call, and Victor goes to his table. Holly says, Cassadine? and Robert says, Victor. Scotty says, the rottenest apple in the whole barrel, and Felicia tells Holly, and that’s saying something. Holly says, he seems sincere about wanting to find Lucy; why were they hostile to him? Felicia says, because they think he’s behind Lucy’s disappearance, and Holly says, that suit doesn’t scream cold-blooded killer to her, but Felicia says, looks can be deceiving. In fact… Robert shakes his head, and Holly tells him, don’t give Felicia that look like she wouldn’t catch it. What has that man done?

Dante asks, what’s going on? and Arden says she has a warrant to search Anna’s car. A warrant has already been issued for her home. Officers are on their way as they speak. Anna says, that’s very efficient, and Arden says, when the system works, it works. Anna says she knows Jordan didn’t sign off on that, and Arden says, fortunately, she’s not judge and jury. Dante says, funny. He was going to say the same thing about Arden. Arden says she admires his loyalty, but it’s misplaced. His former boss is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Lucy Coe. Dante laughs, and says, that is insane. Arden says, maybe, maybe not. Let’s take a look and find out. Anna pops open the trunk, and the three of them look inside like there’s an extinct animal living in it. Maybe a baby triceratops.

Walking on the beach, Carly says, Drew was right about everything. Not only is what they have worth pursuing, she wants it. But she wants it because it’s something she chooses, not because it’s something she’s hiding in. He asks if she feels like hiding, and she says she feels like he’s the best thing that’s happened in a long time. She doesn’t want to mess it up because she doesn’t something stupid or makes a dumb mistake. He says, she won’t, and she says, make a mistake? but he says, no. She won’t lose him over it. She asks how he knows, and he says he just does.  Zzzz… Wake me when they’re done with this conversation.

Sonny says, when he told Gladys to step up her game, he didn’t mean she should take on this kind of responsibility, but she says she wants to take on this responsibility. She wants to be here for Sasha, since Brando can’t be, and help her through this awful time. Nina says, keep it in the family? That’s good, right? Sasha says, that’s very good, and takes Gladys’s hand across the table. Gladys says, she’s not Brando – no one is or could be – but she promises to give it her best shot. Sasha says she knows Gladys will. The last thing she wants is a stranger telling her what she can and can’t do, so is it a possibility for Gladys to be her guardian, even though she’s not technically family? Martin says, it’s not the worst idea in the world. In terms of succession, New York State doesn’t distinguish between the mother and the mother-in-law. The judge might be persuaded to see it in the same terms, provided Gladys is a suitable option. Nina says, what’s the worst that could happen? They say no. Gladys says, then it’s decided. Unless Sonny thinks she’s not up for the job.

Jordan tells Mac, Anna is convinced Victor set her up to cover his own tracks. It’s a win-win. He gets rid of Anna and Lucy in one shot. Mac says he thought Victor liked Lucy, and vice versa. Felicia told him they were all over each other when Martin was out of town. She says, they were, but according to Anna, it was all an act on Lucy’s part. Lucy was working for her, trying to get an angle on Victor to connect him to Luke’s murder. Problem is, Lucy went a little rogue. He says, sounds about right, and Jordan says, Anna tried to call her off… He says, but Lucy being lucy, she didn’t listen. So Anna thinks Victor found out and turned the tables. She says, Victor denies it of course (🍷), but if that drone footage can’t be disproved… He says, Victor gets away with murder – again.

On the phone, Victor says, warrants have been issued already? That’s impressive. Remind him to make a sizable contribution to ADA Arden’s campaign if she should decide to run for a higher office.

Robert thinks it’s enough excitement for today, and wants to get Holly home and put her to bed. Felicia says, really, and he says, while he sleeps on the couch. Holly says, this is the worst example of deflection she’s ever seen attempted. What is so terrible about Victor Cassadine? Scotty says, where should he begin? and Felicia tells Robert that Holly’s not going to stop asking. Holly says, like a dog with a bone, and Robert says, an elegant, sweet, loveable dog. Felicia says, Luke is gone, and Holly says, gone, as in… Robert says, yeah, gone, and Felicia says, they had no reason to believe Victor was responsible. They thought it was an accident… Scotty says, accident, my foot. They all know it was premeditated murder. Holly says, she can’t believe it. Luke, of all people. How can that kind of energy cease to exist? Robert says, they’ll talk about it at home, but Holly says, she’s not going anywhere just yet.

Arden comes into the station with Dante and Anna, and Mac says, she can’t just go around harassing law abiding citizens to high-profile the case. Arden says, he may want to rephrase the law abiding part when he sees what they found in the trunk of Anna’s car. She shows him a bag with the gun in it, and Dante says, which Anna showed them voluntarily; she popped the trunk herself. Arden says, also, here are the clothes the perpetrator was wearing at the time she shot Lucy Coe, and Dante asks how she knows what they were wearing. Arden says, from the footage, and as Mac will see, she bears an uncanny resemblance to Miss Devane. Jordan says, footage that hasn’t been verified. They don’t know if anything on there is real. Dante quietly tells Anna that he has to take care of something. They’ve got to play by the rules. The system is working against her, but the advantage they have is, they know someone set her up. They’re going to fix this. Trust in that. Seriously. Does anyone think Anna would be this stupid? Although it was stupid of her not to drive the car somewhere else to look it over.

Drew says, Carly’s not going to lose him, because he understands the true meaning of what she’s lost, and the weight that comes with it. He was lost for over two years. It’s not like a fight or break-up or differences you can’t work through. When you lose something, it’s gone, and if by some miracle, you get it back, it’s never the same. The time you don’t have together, and the time you couldn’t reach out and hold someone you love, you don’t get that back. But loss does teach you the difference between what you simply like and value, and what is truly irreplaceable. She’s irreplaceable. There’s nobody like her, and no one is to him what she is to him. That’s just a fact. They kiss.

Sonny says he thinks Gladys would make a great guardian, but since she’s throwing his words back at him, he also told her, they’re all in this together. Nina says she hopes that includes her. She knows she’s no technically family either, but part of her will always think of Sasha as the daughter she never knew. Sasha says, she’s honored, even though she doesn’t deserve it, and Nina says, if life was about deserving, the people in this room would all be in trouble. She loves Sasha, and will always be here for her. Sasha says she loves Nina too, and they hug. On the phone, Martin says, let him know as soon as possible, and Sasha says, Lucy? but he says, no, nothing yet. You know what they say, no news… Right now, he has to be honest. He feels pretty lousy. Sonny says, they’re all pulling for her, and Sasha hugs Martin.

Mac tells Anna that she doesn’t have to say anything without a lawyer, and Arden says, she seems to have the silent thing down pat. Jordan says, silence is not an admission of guilt, or didn’t they teach the Fifth Amendment when Arden went to law school? Arden says, what she was taught was to follow the evidence, and that’s all she’s doing – her job. Mac says, they don’t know how the gun and those clothes got in Anna’s car. Someone planted them. It had to be Victor.

Dante goes the Gardens and asks if Robert has heard from Anna, but Robert says, his phone hasn’t made a peep all day. Felicia asks if it’s about Lucy, and Dante says, Lucy still hasn’t turned up. The ADA is convinced she’s got her shooter. Scotty says, of course (🍷) she does. She works for Robert, but she’s always jumping to conclusions. Robert asks, who does she suspect? and Dante says, Anna.  

Anna says, Arden is falling for it. Just like he knew she would. Arden sees that, doesn’t she? Arden says, Jordan knows what needs to happen, and Jordan tells Officer Williams to take the evidence to forensics to be analyzed. Arden says, Mac has more than enough to arrest Anna, and knows it. Do his duty, or she’ll find someone who will.

Robert says, Arden is investigating Anna for shooting Lucy? and Felicia says, that’s ridiculous; it’s a set-up. Dante agrees, and Scotty says he’d bet the farm on who’s behind it. Holly says, excuse her, and stomps over to Victor’s table. Robert says, dammit, and Victor gets up, saying he’s sorry. He doesn’t believe they’ve met. Holly says, consider this their introduction then, and slaps him across the face.

Carly says she loves this. The ocean is so incredible. It’s amazing how it can make you feel so small in the face of such vast beauty. You’d think it would make you feel the opposite, but it’s empowering. He says he feels it. Such a big part of the year was spent sweeping away all the stuff that doesn’t matter, and letting go of everything that happened to him. It was a nightmare, but he survived. It’s over, and it shaped him into who he is, like this experience shaped her. She says, 100%, and he says, it’s not like they’re going to lose sight of themselves. It’s not who they’ve become; it’s who they are. This is us. She says she thinks she’s going to like them a lot, and he says, he already does, and kisses her.

Martin says, he’ll officially petition to have Gladys appointed as Sasha’s guardian, and Sasha thanks him. Nina thanks him too, and says she can’t imagine how distracted he is, and he’s here getting things done. He says, with any luck, at least they’ll have one happy ending. Sasha tells Martin, don’t lose hope, and he says, to better days, little one, and leaves. Gladys asks if Sasha is ready to go home, and Sasha hugs Sonny and Nina, who says, she’s got this. Gladys thanks Sonny for everything, and she and Sasha leave. Nina says she’s so impressed. With everything Sasha’s had to go through, she still has empathy for Martin. Sonny says, it gives him hope that she’ll get through this, and Nina says, Sasha is going to get through this. Because she has them. He says, damn straight, and kisses her.  

Holly tells Victor, that was for Luke Spencer. The next one will be for Lucy Coe and Anna Devane. Robert runs over, and says he thinks she made her point, but she says, there’s a lot more where that came from. Robert pulls her away, and Victor says he’s tempted to press charges. Dante says, for what? He didn’t see anything. Victor sighs, and Felicia says, she was checking her email. Scotty says he should throw his drink in Victor’s face, but he doesn’t want to waste good vodka. Victor’s day is coming. Tick-tock. They all move along, and Victor’s phone rings. He says, give him some good news… Yes. He thought their little surprise package would pay dividends. Now how about casa Devane?… The search is underway? He almost feels sorry for Anna. It would be such a shame for them to find something in her own home that would put her away for the rest of her life.

Arden says, it must be nice to be Anna. Defenders and special treatment wherever she goes. A crime was committed. It’s her job to prosecute the case. End of story. Mac asks if she doesn’t recognize a frame job when she sees one. Or is she just another name on Victor Cassadine’s payroll? She says she could have his badge for that, and Anna tells him not to fall on hid sword for her. He says he’s not arresting her, and Arden says, she’ll have no choice but to report him to internal affairs. Anna tells Jordan, just do it. They’ll figure it out later. She rolls up her sleeves, and Jordan handcuffs her and reads her rights.  

Tomorrow, Josslyn asks Dex, how long before Sonny betrays him; Finn says he knows the real reason Elizabeth and Terry are going away; Nikolas tells Victor, the Cassadine legacy is in his hands; and Britt says, here goes nothing.

Below Deck Mediterranean

Valetta, Malta. Natalya and Kyle continue to argue tells Kyle to calm down, and he tells her to face her f***ing sh*t. Tasha tells them, stop, and walks Kyle away from the table. She knows he’s not trying to be a knob, but… He says he’s not apologizing again. Storm says Natalya didn’t tell him the captain got involved. It didn’t seem like a big deal; it was a chill vibe. She’s been super off to him, when he’s only been nice to her. He leaves to have a smoke, and in Tasha’s interview, she says, she feels like everything exploded into big drama. It’s becoming a sh*tshow, and she needs to stop it, but she doesn’t know what to do. Kyle tells Tasha that he will not shut up when he’s being attacked, and in Reid’s interview, he says, one thing he learned in conflict was, if an argument happens in public, deal with it later. Kyle and Tasha come back, and Natalya tells him that they were friends, but now they’re just colleagues. Kyle says, they were never friends; she’s never even asked about his life. Reid tells Kyle to just block it out, and say, cool. In his interview, Reid says, he has no idea what this is about, but when he was in college, people would get drunk and fight, and he’d try to lessen the tension. Tasha says, she and Natalya need to be holding the peace, but Natalya says, it happened at work. It’s Tasha’s role to tell Kyle that he can’t call her a bitch. In Natalya’s interview, she says, if the chief stew doesn’t want it to happen outside of work, handle it during working hours. Courtney suggests they go get tequila, which will certainly solve things, and they go to a pub. Kyle says, after this season, he and Natalya will never have to see each other’s faces again. Natalya says, Tasha hasn’t stood up for her, and isn’t addressing this, but Tasha says, they’re adults. Natalya says, Kyle called her a bitch during work hours, and the captain heard it. Which isn’t true, what the captain heard was Kyle telling Tasha about it. Kyle tells her, he’ll say it again with pleasure.

Natalya leaves the table, and Storm comes back. He tells Mzi that he found a McDonald’s for him. He ordered six hamburgers, and then they said they were closed. Mzi says, Storm needs to talk to his woman, and Courtney tells Natalya to go back with Storm, but she says she doesn’t think he wants to. She wants to put knives in Kyle’s pillow, and Courtney says, she saw Kyle apologize, and Natalya accepted it. She wonders what happened. At the table, Reid suggests they talk about something else, and I feel sorry for him. He seems halfway normal and doesn’t realize these people are five-year-olds in adult bodies. Courtney tells Storm to shut up; he’s going home with Natalya, and she puts them in a taxi. Natalya digs in her bra, pulling out what looks like maybe a received letter and envelope, and a lottery ticket. She hands them to Storm, and he asks what it is. She says, it was in her bra, explaining nothing. Even worse, they never revisit this. WTF? Courtney tells Tasha, whatever is going on, the situation needs be resolved, and they need to have professionalism. Kyle can’t speak like that. Tasha says she’ll deal with it tomorrow. Reid moves to the other end of the table with Dave, saying, he knows they don’t have much to talk about, but he doesn’t want to be in the middle of that. In Storm’s interview, he says he’s frustrated to see Natalya like this. He still cares, and wants to make sure she’s okay. They cuddle in her bunk. I’m so sick of some of them. and long for the days of Captain Lee, Kate, and Chef Ben.

They leave the restaurant, and Dave walks with Tasha. He says, they only have 10 more days. He starts asking about her boyfriend, and in his interview, he says, he should probably give up this point, but he thinks there’s hope; he can’t help it. Tasha tells him, it’s been sh*t enough tonight, and the crew gets in the taxis. They get back to the boat, and Dave sends a sweet dreams text to Tasha. Then he’s off to the races with wishing it were better between them, it’s hard loving her, and it sucks between them. Tasha tells Kyle, some people have serious issues, and he says, they’ll deal with it tomorrow. He’s not playing the victim, but he did feel under attack. Courtney tells Natalya that she needs to speak to Kyle.

In the morning, Captain Sandy says, the wind is terrible, and Kyle thinks he’s still drunk. Tasha texts Dave, thanking him for caring, but asking him to please text only work related things. In his interview, Dave says, fair enough, but the next couple of charters are going to be sh*t. In Tasha’s interview, she says she wants him to realize there are boundaries. She doesn’t want to go back in the mess they were in before. We flash back to that, and she says she’s got enough on her plate. It’s the last thing she wants. The captain says, the wind is going to be over 30 knots, and the swell is a massive bummer. She calls Tasha, Dave, and Storm for the preference sheet meeting.

Captain Sandy says, it’s charter 8, and they’re all still together; they’re a strong team. The primaries are Garold and Katharine, who own a 58 foot sailing yacht. They’re celebrating their 25^th anniversary, and want the crew to tend to their every need. Their youngest daughter Lila is a yacht broker, and will be celebrating her 21^st birthday. Dave says he’ll smash out some sushi when they arrive, and do a Spanish theme for the anniversary dinner. The captain says, they spend summers jet skiing and snorkeling, and want all the toys out all the time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they’re getting off the dock. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, there’s a major weather system that’s not going to change. There’s no way they’re getting off the dock. It’s so rough, they’ll have no protection in this weather. She tells them, the pressure’s on, like they don’t already know. Tasha says she’s having the meeting she would like to have had yesterday, and the stews sit at a table. Tasha says, what happened when they were out was because people get alcohol in their system, and things are heighted. There was no need for shouting. Natalya says, Kyle called her a bitch, and got so hotheaded, Captain Sandy stepped in and said it’s not appropriate. Again, not exactly what happened. Kyle says he was 100% wrong, and it’s on him, but Natalya says, after he apologized, he called her a bitch again, so his apology means nothing. Kyle tells her that he said it to her face, and she says, he said it in front of the crew; it’s not appropriate. Kyle says, Natalya has attacked him and his profession, and said, he and Tasha are unprofessional. Tasha says, Natalya said she was a bad manager, that she can’t manage her time, and she’s unapproachable. And Tasha said it behind her back. Things are said in the heat of the moment, and she understands; they’ve all said something. But going forward, if one of them feels something is upsetting, or needs to change, they need to speak about it first; not let it make them angry down the line. They can try to make it better. Natalya agrees, and Kyle says he’s not blowing smoke up Natalya’s ass, but it’s the facts. He’s genuinely apologetic about his use of words, and has no excuse except he’s exhausted. He tears up, and she laughs and hugs him. He says he’s going to miss her, and Tasha comes in for a three-way hug. She suggests they hit the refresh, and in Kyle’s interview, he says he was defending himself with Natalya. He was bullied in school, and had a tough time. With Natalya, he wasn’t thinking about where she might be coming from. Natalya says, new rule; no talking sh*t. Kyle says, but he loves talking sh*t. They just won’t talk sh*t about the interior. They don’t want to change too many things.

Tasha makes coffee, and provisions come in. The captain announces the guests’ arrival at 12 o’clock. The guests come up the dock, and Captain Sandy welcomes them to their home away from home. Tasha will show them around, and then she’ll have a chat with them about the weather. Katharine says, at least it’s sunny, sounding hopeful, but the captain says, they’re not leaving the dock. They’ll talk inside. In the captain’s interview, she says, they see the sun, and there isn’t much wind, but outside the port, it’s bad, and wind brings waves. Tasha says, the guests look angry about not leaving, and Kyle says, it’s a bummer. The guests are given champagne, and the tour. Birthday girl Lila already seems like she’ll be a pita, whining about how she wants the ocean. In Tasha’s interview, she says, it’s a test. They had a chief stew that was constantly testing them. He would put gum on an apple in the fruit bowl to see if they were checking the fruit bowls. The captain shows Lila the screen, and she agrees, it’s bad. Captain Sandy says, it’s dangerous. They can’t leave, but the minute it lays down, they’ll take off. Kyle tells Dave, 30 minutes to lunch, as Tasha searches for mint. She says, last charter they had a bunch of mint, but Dave says, it wasn’t used. All I can think is, it’s not like it’s expensive or difficult to grow; what’s his problem? She says, she can’t help what the guests want, and he gives her attitude. She tells him to stop being sh*tty. She has no time for it. He pretends not to know what he’s doing, and she says, he’s been rude to her all morning.

Tasha says, Dave won’t communicate, when she’s going out of her way to be helpful. Captain Sandy shows Storm the waves on screen, and says, they can be deceiving because you can’t see the swell. Storm says, he’ll have Courtney take out the tender to check the other side of the marina, and tells Mzi to go with her to see how the swell is. They head out, and Courtney asks if he’s sure it’s safe. In Courtney’s interview, she says she’s never been in a tender with a swell this bad. All she can see are massive f***ing waves. Holy sh*t. The guests sit for lunch, and Storm tells the captain that it’s not safe, while Courtney tells the other deckhands how scary it was. Storm suggests they get the guests to shore for a museum tour or something, and in the captain’s interview, she says, it’s bad timing. They have super active guests who are into water sports. They have to think of something or they’re screwed. Storm calls provider Rico, and leaves a message asking if there are any things the guests can do in town. Kyle serves, and one of the guests says, it looks beautiful. Kyle says, thank you, but what about the food? Storm tells the guests that cannons are set off every day at St. Peter Paul Baston, and a private tour has been arranged. Courtney and Reid go with them, and Storm cuddles with Natalya in her bunk. In Natalya’s interview, she says she’s been so stressed lately with the interior, it’s nice to have Storm to cuddle with. On shore, primary Ben asks if Mzi thinks they’ll get off the dock tomorrow, and Mzi says he thinks so, even though he clearly doesn’t know.

The view is spectacular, and Ben says, they’re not in Alabama anymore. Katharine wonders if they’ll be able to go out, and in Courtney’s interview, she says, it’s hard to keep them entertained for 12 hours. It’s not a great situation. The cannons are fired, and there’s applause. Katharine says, very cool, and the cannon guy asks if there are any questions. She asks if he thinks they’ll get off the docks tomorrow, and he says, oh yeah, like he knows. I don’t know why guests always think repeatedly asking will make it happen faster. On the boat, the stews create a Spanish theme to match the food. Dave says he’s making chicken and prawn paella, and he’s doing as many starters as he can. Tasha practically has to extract the information from him, and asks if he’s okay. He says, not really, and in his interview, he says, he’s having a hard time processing that there’s no chance. The thought was so dumb. It’s stupid, and he wants to run away. I look up his age, and he’s 35 not 15. The guests come back, and Tasha tells Natalya about Dave’s incessant non-work messages, and how she told him to stop. Natalya says, Tasha is hanging in, and doing good in maintaining. The guests are greeted with sangria, and decide on an 8:30 dinner. I’m not liking daughter Lila much; she’s a real brat. Natalya tells Courtney that Dave is being short with Tasha, and Captain Sandy checks out the table, impressed with Tasha’s rose napkins. In her interview, she says, interior is pulling out all the stops; the setting, the theme, all the courses. It’s a lot of pressure for the chef. They’re all committed to keeping the guests happy, and that makes her happy. There are silver mylar balloons in numbers 2 and 5, and the guests get excited over them. Go figure. Courtney tries to help serve, and Dave is vague with her. She says, he’s in a mood, and it’s not good. He makes a million appetizers… excuse me, starters, and grumbles about too many people asking him questions. In Tasha’s interview, she says, Dave is being unprofessional, giving her the cold shoulder because she set boundaries. Their job is communicating, especially with these guests. Lila whines that dinner is taking too long a time, and Katharine tells her to pace herself. Lila says, if they were in a restaurant, dad Ben would be wondering what the hell is going on. Katharine says, it’s fine. Storm has been there helping with service, and tells Kyle, they’re not stoked. Lila goes to the bathroom with her sister or friend or whatever she is, and says, she’s annoyed. It’s embarrassing. It’s supposed to be five-star, and it’s slow, and no one said anything. She’s an asshat. There, someone said something.

Captain Sandy wonders who’s complaining, and Katharine says, positive thoughts about getting off the dock. Tasha and Dave set up the paella on the bar inside, and in the captain’s interview, she says, she senses major tension between Dave and Tasha. She’s not sure why, but she’s going to keep an eye on them, and see it stays at this level. Lila wails that she doesn’t think this is seven-star, bumping the rating up by two. Or down, depending on how you’re looking at it. Kyle tells Tasha, the daughter is complaining on the father’s behalf, but Tasha tells him not to say anything until after service. In her interview, she says she feels like telling Dave now, but paella won’t help the situation, and it will take 45 minutes to make more. These guests clearly don’t want to wait. Ben says, it’s not the best thing Dave has made them, Lila says, she’s not hungry anymore, and I wonder if they were doing drugs in that bathroom. Tasha tells Dave that the guests are happy, and everyone heads for bed. Like the junior d-bag she is, while passing the galley, Lila says, dinner was amazing… and when she passes the corner, adds, kind of. Reid thinks she’s hot, so he obviously doesn’t care about personality. Mzi doesn’t see them getting off the dock tomorrow, and they clean up.

Kyle heads down the stairs, balloons in one hand, dishes in another, and we don’t see it, but he takes a tumble. Yeah, I don’t like that staircase. I can’t even imagine drinking then going down that staircase. Kyle lies at the bottom, face down, and calls for help. Natalya runs up, and radios for Captain Sandy to come to the pantry.

To be continued…

🥁 Marching To a Different Drummer…

Meet me here tomorrow for soap and a Winter House read. Until then, stay safe, stay tipping as well as you can, and stay understanding, when you lose something, it’s gone, and if by some miracle, you get it back, it’s never the same. But loss does teach you the difference between what you simply like and value, and what is truly irreplaceable.