What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Portia goes into the breakroom and sees TJ staring into space. She says, it looks like he’s got a lot on his mind, and he says he was lost in his thoughts. He asks if she’s on a break or just getting off work, and she says, he doesn’t have to do that with her. She can tell something’s wrong. Does he want to talk to her about it? He says he might have made a huge mistake with Molly.
Molly walks into the park and sees Willow playing with Amelia on a picnic blanket.
Maxie says, it’s generous of Felicia and Mac to offer to bail her out of credit card debt, and Felicia says, she’s their daughter. Of course (🍷) they want to help. She and Mac are confident that Maxie will be on her financial feet in no time. The Deceptor will be flying off the shelves and Deception will make an historic comeback. Maxie says, maybe she can hang on until it does. Or she could take out a partial loan. They don’t have to completely bail her out. She looks at the unmade desk and says, if someone would just assemble this desk, she’d be eternally grateful. Felicia asks if Maxie wants her to ask Mac to come put it together for her, when James runs in and says, guess what? He saddled his own pony today. Felicia says, by himself? and James says, Cody helped. Cody is the coolest. Cody walks in.
Sam and Kristina go to Sam’s place after shopping, and Kristina says, watching Sam move around with maximum efficiency… She knew exactly what she wanted and exactly where to get it. Sam says, when she feels like wandering, she goes to the farmers’ market, but for staples, she is in and out. Kristina asks if Sam is telling her all this is only going to last her three days. Teenage boys. Sam says, and Scout. Scout can hold her own. Trust her. Kristina picks up a brochure and says, Westwood. That’s where she went. She loved Westwood Academy. Are they thinking of sending Scout there? Sam says, Drew is pushing it, and Scout really wants to please her dad.
Michael sees Nina at the MetroCourt and asks if she knows where Sonny is. She says she hasn’t seen Sonny since he left the penthouse this morning. Are Willow and the kids all right? He says, they’re fine. Sonny asked him to meet there. Nina says she’s sure he’ll be along soon. If he wants to sit at a table, he’s more than welcome to. Sonny comes in and says, good. They’re both here. There are a few things they need to settle.
Giles welcomes Ava home and tells her that all her mail is on the desk. He asks if he can make her a martini, but she says she’s surprisingly not in the mood. He says he’ll be down the hall if she needs him, and she thanks him. She goes into the living room and pours herself some (I think) water. She remembers Sonny telling her that Austin is dead, and that if she killed Austin, she needs to tell him now. The doorbell rings, and Ava hears Dante say he’s here to see her.
Maxie tells Cody that James said he saddled his own pony today, and Cody says, he did. He aced all of his riding lessons too. James tells Maxie that Cody said he was a natural with the horses, and Cody says he sure did. James has come a long way since he took his first riding lesson. James says his riding lessons are his favorite part of the week. He looks forward to them more than recess. Felicia says she knew Cody was a jack of all trades, but he’s gone from riding instructor to handman. She looks at the tool bag in his hand, and James says, Cody fixed Comet’s stable door really fast. He told Cody that Georgie’s desk went back in the box because they didn’t know how to put it together. Maxie says, what? and tells Cody that she’s sorry James put him on the spot like that. He doesn’t need to assemble Georgie’s desk, but thank you. James tells them, Cody said he’s going to help him put it together, but Maxie says, no, he’s not. She tells Cody that she’s going to send the desk back, and he asks if she’s sure. Because he always likes an opportunity to show off his handyman skills.
Kristina asks if that’s the blender she heard, and Sam comes in with two smoothies, saying, she thought they should try the new protein powder she bought. She gives one to Kristina, who tastes it and says, it’s really good. The other place that has really good smoothies is the snack bar at Westwood Academy. Funny. She doesn’t know if Sam remembers, but she really enjoyed her time there. She thinks in hindsight, it might have been better to stay there through 12th grade, rather than transferring to Madison. Sam says, she used to talk about Westwood a lot, and Kristina says, it was a lot of fun, and she still keeps in touch with a lot of the girls from there. It’s a great school, and the teachers there are invested; they really care. Why does Sam think it might not be a good fit for Scout? Sam says, because she’s thriving where she is right now, and Kristina says, what if she thrives even more at Westwood? All girls. They have a great swim team. Sam says she knows. Drew told her about all that, but she doesn’t think he realizes Scout had a really tough time when he was in prison. She would ask Sam every single day if he was going to be okay, and school is a bright spot for Scout. She likes her teachers and her friends, and Sam doesn’t want to take her away from all that, especially in the middle of the year. Drew wants her to start at Westwood in January, and it can be tough on a kid. It’s not fair. Kristina says, just say no then, but Sam says she’s not sure she should.
Giles brings Dante in and tells Ava that Detective Falconari is here to see her. She says she can see that and thanks him. Giles leaves, and Ava says she assumes Dante is here on official business. Best to keep her wits about her. What can she do for him? He says, answer some questions? and she says, go for it. He asks, when’s the last time she saw Austin Gatlin-Holt?
Willow sees Molly and says, come. Hang out. She pats the blanket, and Molly walks over. She says she doesn’t want to intrude, but Willow says, it’s no intrusion at all. The more, the merrier. What brings her out this afternoon? Molly says, this gorgeous autumn day. How many more of these do they have before it gets cold? Willow says, winter is right around the corner. And with the lake effect winds, it will be cold before they realize. She asks Molly to have a seat, and Molly kneels down on the blanket. She tells Willow that Amelia is so precious, and Willow says, they were just enjoying some mother/daughter bonding.
TJ says, the service that matched them with Andrea contacted Molly about other potential surrogates, and Portia asks how he feels about that. He says, it’s too soon. He’s still processing the miscarriage. He can’t imagine investing in the prospect of another baby this quicky. She says, how about Molly? How does she feel? He says, Molly is ready to meet with the matching professional and other possible surrogates, and she asks if he’s told Molly how he’s feeling about the whole thing. He says he sort of put it on hold for now. It’s such a time consuming and complicated process, does Portia think trying again so soon would be rushing it? She says, actually, she doesn’t.
Sonny says, Christmas is around the corner and Michael is probably busy with a lot of family obligations. Is he right? Michael says, between mom and Josslyn and bringing the kids to the Quartermaines, he just has enough time for him, Willow, and the kids. They’re fully booked. Sonny says, that’s what he thought. They have a busy schedule too. He was thinking maybe Michael, Willow, and the kids could spend time with him and Nina as a family.
Ava wonders why Dante is asking her about Austin, and he says, because Austin’s dead. She says she’s so sorry to hear about the doctor’s passing, but he says, she doesn’t seem that sorry or surprised to hear about it. Did she already know? She says, so what are these questions he came all the way out here to ask her? She’d like to get on with her afternoon. He says, she shows a remarkable lack of curiosity, and she says, curiosity killed the cat. He asks if she doesn’t want to know how Austin died, but she says she imagines he’s going to tell her. He says he imagines she already knows.
Michael says he’ll have to talk to Willow, and Sonny says he figured that. That’s what he’s approaching Michael now. Do they have any plans for Christmas yet? Michael says, nothing definitive yet. Wiley’s really excited about Santa Claus. Willow wants to make Christmas morning really special for him. Sonny says he knows Carly is going to want to carry over the tradition of Michael coming over for Christmas breakfast and the Qs are going to do their traditional gathering on Christmas Day. So he was thinking maybe they could come over on Christmas Eve. Everybody can see them. They’ll make everybody happy. Nina says, that’s a great compromise, and Sonny says, the kids will open up their Christmas presents from grandma and grandpa. They can make up their own traditions. He’ll even cook. Egg salad… ravioli… like the one Michael used to love. Nina asks if it’s Sonny’s own recipe, but Sonny says, no. It’s Mrs. Cerullo’s, but Lois doesn’t even know the recipe. But if Michael comes early and brings Wiley, they can come in the kitchen, and help cook like they used to.
Portia tells TJ, if she’s learned anything in her life, from keeping Trina’s paternity a secret for as long as she did to Curtis’s shooting, it’s that life is too short. Don’t postpone your joy; don’t postpone happiness. And you can’t sit around and wait for somebody to come knocking on your door to make your dreams come true. They want to have a baby, right? There is never ever going to be the perfect time that you’re guaranteed everything is going to work out the way you want it to. It just doesn’t work like that. You’ve got to take a leap of faith. He says, they’re both still in mourning, and she says she gets that. They’re going to have to find another surrogate. They’re going to have to go through the whole process again and it’s going to take time, maybe even months. He says, so why subject themselves to that kind of stress? and she says, he’s always going to have stress. He’s got stress now being a doctor. And she knows Molly’s got all kinds of stress being an ADA. But time? Time waits for no one, and it plays by its own rules. Rules that you can’t, and honestly you won’t, change.
Willow tells Molly, since she went back to work at GH and Michael’s been running Aurora, Amelia’s been spending a lot of time in the Q’s nursery. And Wiley’s in school full-time now. If she’s not careful, she’ll blink, and it will be Amelia’s turn. So they thought they’d take full advantage of her day off and hang out in the park while they had the chance. Molly says, and here she is intruding on their special day together, but Willow says, not at all. She wanted Molly to join them. She and Michael were talking this morning about how fast Amelia’s growing. She’s loved watching every stage of Wiley growing up, but there is something about this time when they’re still babies. She wants to take in every moment, every smile, every laugh. Molly says, she’s a sweet little angel, and Willow asks if Molly would like to hold her.
Felicia says, James has really taken to Cody, and Maxie says, yeah. Don’t tell Cody she said this, but he’s kind of terrific. James runs out and tells Maxie, come on. He and Cody put Georgie’s desk together. Maxie goes with James, and Cody comes out. Felicia says, it sounds like he impressed James with his handiwork, but Cody says, James did it all himself. Felicia says, sure he did. She’s impressed too. He says, it was no big deal, really, and she says she wasn’t just referring to the desk, although it was really lovely for him to put that together for Maxie. What she meant was, all the attention he’s been giving to James. Teaching him how to ride and tie knots, and now assembling a desk. He says he really likes James a lot; he’s a great kid. And he does have a way with horses. He doesn’t just want to ride them; he wants to get to know them. He has a real understanding of them that’s going to lead to a great connection. He’s going to be an awesome rider someday. Felicia says she’s quite the horsewoman herself. She grew up on a hacienda in Texas that she and her grandmother ran. They had some really wonderful horses, so it runs in her family. Maxie comes back with James, and says, wow, she’s impressed. She tried for two hours to assemble that thing and got nowhere. Georgie’s going to love it. She thanks Cody, and James says, he and Cody did an awesome job. They high-five.
Kristina asks if Sam is going to tell Drew how she really feels about Westwood Academy, and Sam says she’s really torn over it. Kristina says, Scout is Sam’s daughter. She can and should do whatever’s best for her. She knows Drew is a good dad, but mother’s intuition knows best, right? If she doesn’t think this is a good fit for Scout, then just say so. Sam says she wants to parent with Drew amicably and wants to respect what he thinks is best for Scout. If that’s going to Westwood Academy, then maybe she should just agree. After all, he’s been through so much. (Then let him go to Westwood.) Kristina asks how he’s doing physically from the assault, and Sam says, it seems like he’s recovering, but she can tell he’s in a lot of pain. She keeps finding him trying to hide it from her or trying to cover it up. She just doesn’t want Drew to feel more shut out from Scout’s life than he already has. She adores her dad. She would do anything for him. Kristina says, even if she doesn’t want to go? and Sam says, she doesn’t. Scout already told her. Kristina says, then there you go, and Sam says she knows Scout deserves to have her opinion considered, but she’s way too young to be choosing what school she needs to go to. In the end, it’s between her and Drew, but what unsettles her is the way he just decided this for her. There was no discussion, no debate. It literally went just like that. Kristina says, let’s face it. There are a lot of gaps in Scout’s childhood where her father was missing. She thinks now he’s trying to make up for that time. Sam says she doesn’t know. There’s something different about Drew. She didn’t see it at first, and she can’t quite put her finger on it, but something about him has changed.
Molly thanks Willow for letting her hold Amelia. She’s so amazing, such a blessing. Willow says, she really is a miracle, considering everything she went through to get here. Molly asks how many weeks pregnant Willow was when she had to have a C-section, and Willow says, thirty-six. She heard from TJ that their surrogate miscarried. She’s so sorry. There are support groups at GH who specialize in this kind of loss if Molly ever needs Willow to point her in the direction of one. Or Molly can talk to her. Anytime. Molly thanks Willow for being so understanding, and for being so open and generous with Amelia. Willow says, of course (🍷), and Molly says, Willow could have easily scurried away the second she saw Molly, thinking the sight of a baby would upset her too much, but she didn’t. Willow says she thinks it depends on the person, but when she learned her son had died, she found tremendous comfort in holding Wiley. It helped her on her road to healing and she thought it might help Molly to hold Amelia. Molly says, it does, and wonders if she can ask Willow a personal question. Willow says, no subject is off the table between them, and Molly says, after what happened with her first child, did she ever think that maybe she didn’t want to try again?
Nina, Michael, and Sonny sit at a table, and Nina says, having the whole family gathered at their place on Christmas Eve sounds too good to be true. She wants to hear about these fabled ravioli and why she hasn’t had them. Sonny says he only makes them on Christmas because they’re very special, and Nina says she can’t wait. Is it totally 100% homemade or is he secretly buying the dough premade? Sonny says, all authentic made from scratch. Does she know those big raviolis? You got to cut them with a water glass? Put ricotta cheese in there and some secret ingredients. He asked Gloria for the recipe for years and she wouldn’t give it to him. Finally, she gave him the recipe, but he can’t make it as good as hers. He excuses himself and says he’ll be right back. When he’s gone, Michael asks what Nina is trying to pull, using Sonny to get around him. Michael officially becomes insufferable.
In the hallway, Dex says he thought Sonny would want to know right away. They heard from Pikeman.
James says he has their next job, and Cody asks, what is it? James says, the cabinet in the kitchen is loose. Let’s go take a look at it. Cody says, all right, boss, and follows James, but Maxie says, that’s enough. Cody’s already done plenty for them. Cody says, no big deal. He’s sure he and Big James can fix it. James says, they can. And when they’re done, they can take a look at the garage door and the front door; they both squeak. And can Cody build him a treehouse? There’s a huge tree in that backyard, and that would be perfect. (He sounds like me talking to my husband on the weekend.) Maxie tells James, if Cody does everything on his list, he’s going to be here all night, and James says, that would be so cool if he did spend the night. Can he? Cody can sleep in his room. He has two sleeping bags and they’re both Star Wars. Grandma bought them for him. Felicia says, and grandpa, and Maxie says, Cody has a job he has to go do. He needs to go back to the Quartermaine stables to take care of Comet and the other horses. James says, this isn’t fair. Grandpa’s at work and if Cody leaves, that means he’s the only boy. He wishes Cody was his brother.
Ava says, Dante came all the way out here to Spoon Island to inform her of Austin’s death. He’s done his civic duty. He can go now. He says he can’t. He’s here on behalf of the Pautuck PD. They have questions for her. She asks, why Pautuck? and he says, that’s where Austin died… or was murdered. Two shots to the chest, close range. Whoever did it wasn’t messing around. But because he lived and worked in Port Charles, the Pautuck PD thinks the killer is here. She says, there’s a whole big city of people out there, and yet, he’s questioning her. He says, no one knew Austin quite as well as she did, but she says, Austin had a lot of associates. Has he spoken with the Quartermaines? How about Maxie Jones? How about all the people he worked with at the hospital? Dante says, none of those people were kidnapped by Austin’s cousin Mason, but she was.
Kristina tells Sam, of course (🍷) he’s changed. Sam did when she was in Pentenville and Michael was a shell of himself at first. Maybe Drew wanting Scout to go to Westwood is his way of proving to himself that he can provide better opportunities for his daughter. You never really know. Sam says, she could be right. That’s why she doesn’t know if she should fight Drew on this. Kristina says, then don’t. Maybe Scout will be as happy as she was at Westwood. Sam says, or maybe she won’t be. She doesn’t know what’s best for her.
Dex says, Hume came in person to the restaurant and asked to see Sonny, and Sonny asks what Dex told him. Dex says he sent him away pretty quicky, but before he left, he told Dex to give Sonny this message. He needs to see Sonny and he’ll meet Sonny wherever he wants.
Nina says she didn’t put Sonny up to anything. Michael should know his father well enough to understand he’s not easily manipulated. Wiley and Amelia are his grandchildren, so of course (🍷) he wants to see his grandchildren at Christmas. Can’t Michael see that his whole plan to police her access to her daughter and grandchildren isn’t going to work? They’re family. Their lives intersect on too many levels for him to continue this vendetta against her. He says, his mom is family too, and her life intersects with his and Willow’s on just as many levels, but that didn’t stop Nina from turning her in to the SEC. She says she’s done everything he’s wanted her to do. She offered to sell her half of the hotel back to Carly and Carly refused. What more does he want? He says, what he wants is to expose her in front of the whole world for the liar she really is. The only reason he’s not doing that is because he knows how much it will hurt his father and Willow. So he’s keeping silent for them. For them, not her, but she benefits, so it’s going to cost her. She says, what if she’s not willing to pay? when Sonny comes back. He asks if they want to tell him what he just missed.
Willow says she always knew she wanted more children, and Molly asks where she found the courage after losing her first. Willow says, it’s different for everyone. Molly may feel the same way she did, or it may take her a while to decide. But when Willow realized she was pregnant with Amelia and was diagnosed with leukemia, she was advised to terminate her pregnancy so she could start chemo right away. Molly says, but despite the health risks involved, she kept the pregnancy, and Willow says, in her mind, there was no alternative. She even went so far as keeping her diagnosis a secret from Michael. Something she’ll always regret. She should have shared everything with him. It’s not fair to shut the person you love out of a life altering decision.
Maxie tells James that she always wanted a brother, but even though Cody would make an excellent brother, they’re going to settle for him being their friend, okay? James says, Cody would be an awesome brother. They could play video games until midnight every night. Felicia says, but not on school nights, and Cody says, that should do it; no more squeaking. James says, now he can sneak candy without his mom hearing the door open, and Maxie wonders if that’s why he wanted the cabinet door fixed. James wants to move on to the garage door, but Cody says he’s really got to get back to the stables and bed down the horses. James asks if he can’t stay for dinner, and Cody says, James wouldn’t want Comet to be uncomfortable in his bed tonight, would he? James says, no, and Cody says he’s sorry. He really does have to go. James says he’ll walk Cody out and asks Maxie to come with them. Felicia thanks Cody and he says he’ll see her later. She flashes back to Cody saying he’s not Mac’s son, and Mac telling her that looking at the paper isn’t going to change that.
Dante asks, when was the last time Ava saw or spoke to Austin, and she says, two days before Thanksgiving. He asks, where? and she says, he came by her gallery to see her. They spoke. He left. Dante asks if she has proof, and she says, yes. They have security cameras. He’ll be able to see Austin leaving through the front entrance. He asks what time she left the gallery, and she says she was working late. It had to be some time after midnight. He asks if the security footage will back up the time that she says she left, but she says, unfortunately, no. She locked the front door after Austin left, went in the backroom to do inventory, and left out the back. He says, there’s no security cameras at the back door? and she says, they’ve been having trouble with those cameras. They’ve been shut off for weeks. They’re in the process of upgrading them now. He says, so basically, she’s saying she can’t prove she was at the gallery past midnight. He thanks her for her time, and says he imagines the Pautuck PD will have more questions for her at a later date. She says she’ll be sure to have her lawyer with her, and he says, that would be a good idea, and leaves.
Sonny says he’s trying to take the temperature down between Nina and Michael. The reason he wanted to have this discussion today was to make plans for Christmas. He leaves for five minutes and there’s tension? Nina says, no. There’s no tension. She was just quizzing Michael about what he’s going to get Wiley for Christmas. She just doesn’t want to duplicate gifts. Sonny says, speaking of which, he wants to get Wiley a ticket to the Yankee game next summer. Michael, him, and Wiley sitting behind Homeplate. They’ll take the jet. What does he think? Michael says he thinks it’s a great idea. He never thought about giving Wiley Yankee tickets, so yeah, feel free to. Sonny says he just wants to create family memories with Michael and Wiley, and Michael says he’ll have to talk it over with Willow, but he hopes he sees Sonny at Christmas. He leaves, and Sonny asks if Nina is okay.
Portia offers to take care of TJ’s patients for the rest of the day, but he says he thinks being at work actually helps. He thanks Portia for her time and advice. She always knows what to say. She says she should take her own advice, and he says, they’re their own worst critics. She’s doing fine. She tells him, good luck, whatever he and Molly decide.
Molly says, obviously, Willow and Michael got past all that. She’s never seen two people more in love. Willow says, they’re very lucky, and Molly says, she’s in remission, she and Michael have two beautiful children, and Willow even has her birth mother in her life as a bonus. How are things with her and Nina now? Willow says she and Nina are getting along better than she ever dreamed possible, and Molly says, that’s great to hear. Willow says, the kids adore Nina. She brought over gifts on Thanksgiving and gave Wiley this robot that he still can’t put down and a stuffed kitty for Amelia. Molly says, if she knows Michael, he’s still holding a grudge against Nina, and Willow says, he can’t seem to let go of his anger at her. Molly says, when Michael makes up his mind, it’s hard to change it, and Willow says, don’t get her wrong. She respects Michael’s feelings, but she wishes he’d see Nina for who she is now, instead of focusing on what she’s done in the past.
Ava goes through her mail and comes to a handwritten envelope. She opens it, and a folded note says, you’re welcome. She unfolds the paper, and inside is a picture of Austin’s dead body.
Sam looks at the Westwood brochure, when Dante comes in. He says he really hates going out to Windymere. Between the cold, foggy boat ride to Spoon Island, and its inhabitants, not a good time. Is she okay? She says she’s just got a lot on her mind, and he asks, what’s going on? She says she thinks she and Drew may have hit their first co-parenting snag, and she doesn’t know what to do about it.
Michael goes to the park, and says, here’s his two favorite girls. He sits on the blanket and takes Amelia. He asks how Amelia is liking the park, and Willow says, she loves it. She was pointing out a few squirrels to Amelia and she was smiling. He just missed Molly. She hung out with them for a bit. He asks how she’s doing, and Willow says, she’s still dealing with her surrogate’s miscarriage. It helped her to see Amelia though. She understands what Molly is going through right now. Hopefully, she and TJ will figure out how they want to proceed. Where has he been? She tried to reach him at his office, but his assistant said he was out. he wasn’t picking up his cell. That’s why she sent him a couple text messages. He says he had a meeting outside of work, something that needed to be straightened out.
Nina says she’s okay, and kisses Sonny on the cheek. She’s better than okay. He says he just worries about her, and she says, why? The prospect of having the whole family over at their place for Christmas Eve, having this legendary ravioli, and a beautiful set table… and Christmas carols. The family she always wanted. It’s perfect. He says he knows things with Michael are still tense, and he’s sorry about it, but she says, he doesn’t have anything to apologize to her for when it comes to Michael. Sonny says, yes, he does, because Michael is his son and he knows Michael doesn’t make it easy. It’s taken Michael a long time to get right with him and he still feels like the relationship is tense. He wants her to know he appreciates her being patient.
Molly sits on a bench in the park and looks through the pictures of the surrogates. She flashes back to Willow saying she should have shared her diagnosis with Michael and it’s not fair to shut out the person you love from a life altering decision. She starts to cry, and the folder falls to the ground. Kristina comes into the park and runs to Molly. She takes Molly in her arms and holds her as she sobs.
Tomorrow, Lois tells Brook and Chase, if you’re in love, put a ring on it; Finn tells Elizabeth that GH plans to sacrifice him; Dex thinks a mistake has been made; and Nina tells Sonny that the person she should hear it from is him.
Southern Charm
Craig tells Austen that he invited the whole crew to Jamaica so Paige can get to know everyone better. JT says, Rod that has to come on the trip. He needs his wingman. Venita calls Madison and tells her that Manny can’t come because he’s in Utah, and Madison says, Brett had to go back to work after only three days. Paige will make it better. They can have a pina colada and laugh at everyone else. Craig paints one nail blue and I wonder, what’s up with that? He calls Paige and says he was thinking about taking a trip together. He asks if she’s ever been to Jamaica, and she says, no. He says, he found this last-minute deal to go next week for three days. If she came, all the crazy cats in Charleston would get to know her better. She says she thinks it would be a heck of a time, but workwise, it would be irresponsible of her. She wants to hang out, but she can’t right now. In Craig’s interview, he says he’s more of a big picture guy. He should have checked with Paige before scheduling the get to know Paige trip and inviting all his friends. Well, yeah.
Craig and JT meet to shop for beach stuff, and in Shep’s interview, he says, the last time he was in Jamaica was when he was in college. He had a lot of fun. He was partaking in extracurricular activities. He tells JT that after the guys’ dinner, Taylor tried to make him jealous. She texted asking where he was and if he wanted to hook up. He said he didn’t think it was a good idea, and she said, fine. She’d stay with Austen. In his interview, Shep says, the text shocked him to say the least. He doesn’t know what Taylor is trying to do. JT says he thinks she needs closure and she’s having a hard time with it. Shep says, maybe it’s his fault. Maybe??? In JT’s interview, he says, Shep cares about Taylor, but he thinks Shep’s presence is causing complications. Shep says he should leave her alone, and JT says, after their dream trip to Jamaica.
Austen goes to his therapist Kristen and tells her that he feels his routine is good; he’s keeping busy. He’s going to Jamaica, and Taylor is going. He told Kristen about the entanglement at the guys’ dinner. Taylor texted him and Shep. She met them there and proceeded to attempt to make Shep jealous via him. In Austen’s interview, he says he wonders what he got himself into. It was already tense with Shep. She didn’t have to use him for that. He tells Kristen that he thought it would be fine to hang out with other people, in a group setting, but he should have boundaries. Kristen tells him to listen to his intuition, his gut feeling. In his interview, a producer asks if Austen thinks he had good intuition, but he says, no, he doesn’t. Kristen tells him to listen to himself instead of getting caught up in everyone else. In his interview, he says he doesn’t want to piss off people. He’s a people pleaser and his first instinct absolutely gets him in trouble. Kristen says, he can’t make everyone happy, and Austen says he’s realized how much his life is consumed by a pretty girl. He’s not seeking out somebody or dating. That’s not what he’s looking for. He and Olivia now have a working friendship. We flash back to their last conversation, and Kristen says, be clear that his intentions aren’t romantic. Listen to his intuition.
Madison calls Brett on the way to her OB appointment. In Madison’s interview, she says she couldn’t imagine having another child, but she met Brett and thought she’d be crazy not to. He’ll make an amazing father, and he’s amazing already as a stepfather. She tells him that she’ll treat this trip as her last hurrah, since she’ll be getting pregnant when he comes home. He tells her to have fun, and says he hates that he can’t be there. In her interview, Madison says she just got this body, and now she’s going to ruin it, but it’s totally worth it. She tells Dr. Pound that she’s had an IUD for five years, and wanted to know if she needs to do anything beforehand. She’s also having PTSD about being pregnant because she had a pelvic fracture during delivery. In Madison’s interview, she says she was on bed rest for three months after the baby was born. She had a Baby Bjorn and a walker. Being pregnant scares her, but she’s doing it again. Dr. Pound recommends a C-section, but just to avoid fracture. She’s not high risk. When she’s ready, they’ll take out the IUD, and as soon as it comes out, she’ll be immediately fertile.
Taylor visits Leva at the restaurant, and says she has a lot of emotions right now. She knows Shep and she’s comfortable with him. This past weekend, she texted him, and asked what he was doing after the guys’ dinner. She supposes it was a booty call. In Taylor’s interview, she says she’s not sorry about calling. She’s in love with Shep, and it wasn’t a mistake. She tried and it didn’t work out. She tells Leva that Shep said he was headed home, so she said she’d stay with Austen. She was being petty. Leva says she’d love to see them untethered, and in Leva’s interview, she says she’s not sure this is the person she knew, but she thinks Taylor is just having bad breakup. Guys act out of pocket all the time after a breakup, but as women, they’re seen by different standards. She tells Taylor that Shep doesn’t bring out the best in her. She needs to find new boys to hang out with.
Olivia packs while she talks to her mom Robin. Robin asks if Olivia is going to talk to Taylor, but Olivia says, no more conversations. Taylor doesn’t understand the level of betrayal. So she’s taking some space and wants to shelve this in Jamaica. She wants to have fun. Robin says, Rob is sweet, but Olivia says, they agreed it’s better for them to pump the breaks. We flash back to her putting Rob in the friendzone, and Olivia tells Robin, thinking about the different dynamics of uncomfortableness is overwhelming. Austen is saying he still loves her. Robin says she knows it’s confusing at times, and in Olivia’s interview, she says she’s annoyed at herself for back questioning her feelings. She tells Robin that she’s looking forward to the trip and having vacation time.
Craig and Austen work out, and Craig says, Paige isn’t able to make it. They’re more fortunate than most to be able to go at the drop of a hat. He probably should have checked with her earlier. Again, I say, well, yeah, and Austen says, classic Craig. Craig says he can’t get mad, and in Austen’s interview, he says, Craig puts on a façade that it’s all good, but deep down, he’s fretting. He’s not saying there’s trouble in paradise, but Craig can talk to him. He tells Craig that Olivia calls him and they just chat. He has to figure out how to move forward as friends. Craig asks if Austen thinks it’s a steppingstone back to romance, but Austen says he has no agenda. Craig wonders if a friendship can continue. She’s a gal pal, but they used to have chemistry and history. In Craig’s interview, he says, that’s why you shouldn’t hang out with your ex. You just remember the good, but the bad and the reason you broke up is still there, and will rear it’s ugly face sooner or later. Austen is trying to compartmentalize.
They all meet at airport, and fly to Montego Bay, going straight to the Shot Bar. Craig explains the dynamics of the group to the bartender, who I’m sure couldn’t care less. In Craig’s interview, he says, all the exes are hanging out together without closure. He doesn’t know what he was thinking. A bus comes to take them to the hotel, and Craig says, everyone has an oceanfront room. In Austen’s interview, he says, when he and Olivia are getting along, they’re like two peas in a pod. They have to make sure to stay in the friendzone. It takes forever for everyone to check in, Whitney wondering if he got the presidential suite. In his interview, Craig says, checking into a hotel is not that hard. It’s like they never did it before. Taylor suggests someone is trying to get her drunk, and Shep is all for it. In JT’s interview, he says, he and Shep just talked about not giving mixed signals and they just got here. Whitney says his room is not presidential. Not at all.
Dinner is outside, and Madison, Olivia, and Venita show up first. Madison says she wants a conversation with Taylor, but it’s not the time or place. There’s a bunch of mess about seating, and Shep says, the last time he was in Jamaica was 22 years ago. Venita says she’s 29, and Shep looks uncomfortable. Craig thanks everyone for joining him, and says, no matter what’s happening, they can still enjoy a meal, share a smile, and poke non-malicious fun. He tells them that Paige couldn’t make it, and friends sub in when a couple in a long-distance relationship can’t be together. Shep asks if Craig has a girlfriend, and says, that changes everything. In JT’s interview, he says, it’s hard feeling bad for Craig. He’s kind of perfect. (Huh?) But he feels bad that they’re in a beautiful place and Craig must be bummed she’s not here. He’s doing a good job of not showing it. After Shep makes a dig at Taylor for not being more well-traveled, in her interview, she says, Shep acts like he has more life experience, but he’s 40. In his interview, JT says, Shep is being patronizing and disrespectful to Taylor. Let the fish off the line. (Ugh. He acts like he’s so respectful, and consistently likens women to some kind of prey.) Craig tells everyone, it’s an adventure chic aspect tomorrow, but wear a bathing suit underneath. They drink, balancing the glasses on their biceps, and Shep wanders out to the beach, rolling up his pants, and putting his feet in the water. Austen says, they’re all on vacation together, and in Madison’s interview, she says, Austen is like a big kid and drives her crazy, but deep down, she thinks he’s a good person. She sits with him away from the table and asks how he is. She’s seen his face and demeanor, and feels like he loves Taylor.
Austen laughs, but she tells him, don’t laugh. He says, it’s not what he was expecting her to say. She says she’d hate for him not to pursue something because of other people. That motherf***er (i.e. Shep) is the is most selfish person in the entire world. Deep down, she knows Austen has a good heart. She doesn’t want either of them hurt, but at the same time, she wants to be happy for him. The others hang by the bar and discuss Madison talking to Austen. Austen says, at one point, they thought there might be something and Taylor made a move, but now she won’t admit there was a moment. She said it was a two-and-a-half-hour thing, but it was a four or five-day thing when they were thinking about it. He wants the romcom ending. Madison says, he’s a dork, but it’s his niche. That’s what draws people to him. Austen says, this is not his romcom ending. It wasn’t Taylor. They were confused and thought there were vibes, but it was because they were hurting. He was hurting for Olivia.
Olivia tells Craig that Austen talks negative things about Madison. He’s so f***ing fake. Craig says he knows she’s not able to shake him, but she can do better than that. Olivia says, maybe she has unresolved feelings, and Craig asks if she had closure. Olivia says, no. Logically, she knows Austen’s not the person for her. In Olivia’s interview, she says, the problem with Austen is, you don’t know what you’re going to get with him. He’s confusing and can be manipulative. It reminds her of why she didn’t want him in her life in the first place. Craig says, there must be things she can never forgive, and Olivia says, it bothers her that she’s so bothered.
Austen tells Madison, it’s not about Taylor; it’s about Olivia. He loves her. It was always about her. He went to therapy for her and should have ended up with her. Madison asks why he still can’t. He says he doesn’t know why. If he can’t be happy with the person who’s perfect, what’s he going to do?
Next time, waterfalls; Page Six writes about Austen and Taylor hooking up; and Shep and Craig butt heads.
💭 This episode was fairly innocuous. Probably because we need a break now and then. It looks like next week will make up for it.
🧂 Rubbing Salt In the Wound…
I’m watching this peripherally, but it just seems to be circling the same drain. It’s sad that the first season seemed promising and at this point, women who were genuine friends at the start are now at each other’s throats. Jen’s life in prison is probably more peaceful.
🎿 Schwartz Skates Out…
The show I literally can’t watch anymore, but no judgement.
🍤 Requesting the Secret Menu…
Start your weekend off tomorrow with soap and a sleigh full of internet joy. Until then, stay safe, stay not giving to receive, and stay not postponing your joy or happiness, or waiting for somebody to come knocking on your door to make your dreams come true.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 