Category Archives: Bravo

June 21, 2023 – Spinelli Helps Plan a Trap For Gladys, Rotten O(C)ranges & Jesse

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

In the park, Cody asks Sam if she’s sure he’s coming, and she says, he’ll be here. Cody says he can think of one reason he wouldn’t be, but she says she didn’t tell him the reason. Spinelli arrives, and greets Sam. Cody says, long time, and Spinelli says, Sam knows there’s little he can refuse her, so clear up this moment of confusion. Last he checked, she didn’t trust Cody as far as she could throw him. What changed? Cody asks if Spinelli’s illegal algorithm told him that, and Spinelli says, funny. Without threat of physical violence or blackmail, he has no reason to employ it. Cody says he thinks Spinelli was employing it long before he got to town, and Spinelli says he doesn’t need an algorithm, proprietary or otherwise, to tell him that Cody is no stranger to their system of jurisprudence. Cody says, wasn’t Spinelli best friends with Sonny’s old business partner? He’s pretty sure that guy was no stranger… Sam says, enough, both of them. Deciding which of them is the best criminal mastermind is not their major concern right now. Spinelli asks, what is? and she says, catching the person who is the bigger criminal mastermind than the two of them combined.

Sasha, Lucy, Maxie, and Gladys are at the MetroCourt Gardens, and Sasha says she feels sorry for Brook. She’s been at the hospital worried sick, and now on top of that, she has to miss this meeting. Maxie says, she’s been the poster child for professional dedication since Lucy hired her back, but Lucy says, Maxie hired her back. Maxie says, of course (🍷) she’s happy to have Brook back, but she’s pretty sure… Sasha says she hopes Ned makes a speedy recovery. The situation is hard on everybody, but Brook told her that Leo is really struggling. Maxie says, Brook told her that he was hiding out in the stables, and Gladys says, the kid lives in a humongous mansion, and chooses to hide in a smelly stable with the horses? Maxie says, anyway, she said Cody was there, and managed to talk Leo down. Sasha says, Cody has a gift for calming people down. Must come from working with horses. Gladys says, please. The only thing worse than horse crap is the person who shovels it. Sasha tells her, give it a rest. Gladys doesn’t know the first thing about Cody Bell.

In Dr. Navarro’s office, TJ tells Molly, the speed with which ultrasound results are interpreted doesn’t mean anything, good or bad. She’s young, she’s healthy. Chances are her ovarian reserve is high. She says, he’s right; there’s nothing to worry about. The doctor walks in, and Molly says, so what’s the word? How many eggs are they working with?

Doing paperwork at the club, Curtis flashes back to confessing to Portia that he kissed Jordan. He hears the door open, and says, we’re closed. Trina asks if there’s any exception for family, and he says, always. What a nice surprise. Can he get her anything? She says she’s good, and he asks, what brings her by? She says, him and her mom. What happened between the two of them yesterday?

There’s a knock at Jordan’s office door, and she says, come in. Portia walks in, and Jordan asks what she can help Portia with. Portia says, help her understand what on earth possessed Jordan to kiss her husband.

Sam tells Spinelli, the hope is, once they’ve compiled the evidence and presented it to Gladys, she’ll feel compelled to exonerate Cody. Spinelli says, quick query. Is Cody’s freedom the only thing at stake here? Because it’s not the greatest usage of his expertise. Sam says, there’s more, and Cody asks how much Spinelli knows about Gladys Corbin. Spinelli says, quite a bit actually. Gladys is cousin to Sonny Corinthos’s late father Mike Corbin. Former resident of Bridgeport, Connecticut, where she was employed as a waitress, so limited financial resources. As a result, Gladys became somewhat mercenary; some might say avaricious. To wit, a claim that her son Brando was dead to collect insurance payments, got involved with Cyrus Renault, perjured herself when she claimed she saw Jason Morgan dispose of the gun that killed Franco Baldwin. In short, without the offices of her late son Brando and her daughter-in-law Sasha, Gladys’s presence in Port Charles would likely not be tolerated. Cody says, it’s the daughter-in-law he’s worried about. Sasha had a very public breakdown after back-to-back devastating losses. She’s been working really hard at building back her life, and she’s been leaning on Gladys because she’s Brando’s mother, but Gladys doesn’t deserve Sasha’s trust. He didn’t even know about the insurance fraud or framing the guy for murder, but just watching Gladys messing with Sasha’s finances is enough for him. Sasha has no idea who her mother-in-law really is, and if they don’t expose Gladys, she’s going to get hurt. Sam says, which is why she thinks they can put aside their differences, and use their collective powers for good. Cody says he’s not going to lie… Spinelli says, that would be a refreshing change, and Cody says he stands to benefit also. If the trial should go against him, and he’s convicted of theft, he’s been through worse. Sasha’s the one at risk here. Spinelli asks why he cares, and Cody says, unlike him, Sasha’s a good person. He messed with Spinelli – there’s no doubt – but he’s sorry. Please don’t let his totally justified anger at Cody keep him from helping Sasha. They can’t pull this off without his help. Spinelli says, for fair Samantha, and Sasha, and Sam says, he’ll help them keep the law from riding Cody out of town on a rail. Spinelli says he’ll rustle up the real outlaw.

Gladys says she knows one thing about Cody Bell, and it’s all she needs to know; he’s a thief. Lucy asks, what happened to innocent until proven guilty? and Maxie says she had her reservations about Cody, but she’s really warmed up to him. He’s got this low-key self-confidence thing she really likes. Not to mention, he’s great with kids. Liesl said he and James were sharing a sundae together the other day. Gladys says, so nobody’s bothered about the crime Cody committed against her, or Sasha? Or the good people of Gelhorn Jewelers? Sasha says she cares, but this is a business meeting, which means they should talk about the numbers for The Deceptor. Maxie says, happily. Demand for The Deceptor is outpacing supply. They need to find a new supplier who can handle that type of volume. Lucy says, exactly. And they need to do it before the new product is in the hopper. Gladys says, new product? and Lucy says, it’s so top secret for now. Gladys says, in that case, she’ll let them talk confidential business. She has an important meeting… with a cocktail. She leaves, and Sasha says she’s sure Gladys didn’t mean to be rude… Actually, she probably did. She apologizes on Gladys’s behalf. Lucy says she doesn’t think anybody would call Gladys an assistant type, but she sure is quick to get her little feelings hurt. Maxie says, let’s be real. Gladys can dish it, but she sure can’t take it. She can’t believe the things Gladys was saying about Cody.

Trina says, everyone was enjoying Curtis’s birthday party. For the first time in a long time, things just felt… perfect. Curtis says he knows; he felt it too. Trina says, so what happened? One minute, things were fine. The next minute, her mom runs out. She can’t even get her mom to talk to her. He says, she hasn’t heard from her mother?

Gladys goes to the pool, when her phone rings. She asks, who’s this? and Cody says, don’t hang up. It’s Cody Bell. She says, there’s no escaping him today, and he says, weird, but okay. She asks what he wants, and he says, to meet up. She says, what for? and he says, it’s for her benefit. She says, what’s for her benefit is a strawberry daquiri – she signals the waiter – at the MetroCourt pool. He says, for breakfast. That’s classy. She says, there’s fruit in it. (Ha-ha!) She’s hanging up. He says he should probably take what he knows about her and go directly to Sasha anyway. Enjoy her breakfast. She says, okay, let’s hear it. Come tell her what he thinks he has. Sam says, Cody gets to make a splash at the MetroCourt pool again, and Spinelli says, without a parachute this time.

Trina says, she and her mom have been in touch, but when she asked about yesterday, her mom said it’s between her and Curtis. Curtis says, yeah, it’s complicated, but he promises, it’s got nothing to do with her. She says, it has everything to do with her. Her mom’s feelings are important to her. So are his. But she can’t do anything to help if neither one of them will tell her what’s going on. Hasn’t there been enough of that in this family already?

Portia says she’s heard Curtis’s side. Now she’d like to hear Jordan’s. Jordan says, it was one kiss. That’s all. Portia tells her, that’s what Curtis said, and Jordan says, they wouldn’t lie to her; it was fleeting. Portia says, don’t downplay it. She knows there were feelings involved, right? Jordan says, there were. Confusion, history, and unresolved emotions. Portia asks if they’re resolved now, and Jordan says, absolutely. She’s done, and she won’t be interfering in their lives again. Portia says, aside from sleeping with her brother.

Dr. Navarro says, Molly’s ultrasound indicates her ovarian reserve, her egg count, is normal, and Molly says, TJ was right; there’s nothing to worry about. The doctor says, however, egg count is just one factor in fertility. Egg quality is another, and in many ways more important. Molly asks if they were able to determine the quality from the ultrasound, and Dr. Navarro says, based on the number of follicles in her ovaries and her bloodwork, her endometriosis has had an adverse effect on the quality of her eggs. Conceiving a child using her eggs poses a real challenge.

Curtis says he’s not sure he and Trina should have this conversation before she has it with her mom, and she asks, why? What’s he hiding? He says, she knows he’d never hide anything from her, but he thinks she should talk to her mom first. She says, he hasn’t talked to her mom since his party? and he says, she didn’t come home last night. Don’t worry. She texted; she’s at the hospital. She’s fine. Trina says, then she’ll go there to get some answers, but Curtis says, hang on. Don’t push her mom, especially at work.  Trina says, this is officially freaking her out. If there’s another secret, she needs to know. And not from her mom; from him… Zeke was right. She shouldn’t have come here. He asks what her Uncle Zeke has to do with this, and she says, Zeke said she should keep her distance from Curtis.

Jordan says, Zeke told Portia about their recent night together? and Portia says, not at first. She pressed him about it. She thinks he could tell she wasn’t in the mood for nonsense. Jordan says, that’s disappointing, and Portia says, because he admitted to their fling? Or because he exposed Jordan’s designs on her husband? Which one? Jordan says, it wasn’t like that, but she’s disappointed in the recent choices she’s made in men. She wishes she hadn’t kissed Curtis. Portia says, it wasn’t just a kiss though. It didn’t just come out of nowhere. The two of them were talking and hanging out… sharing things, confidences. Did Jordan talk to her husband about their marriage? About his feelings for Trina? What conversations did Jordan have with Portia’s husband behind her back? Jordan says, Portia’s torturing herself for no good reason. She’s with Curtis. Portia says she’s not sure about that one. Jordan might get what she wants, and that’s Curtis, free and clear.

Lucy says, Maxie is so right. Gladys definitely has strong opinions about Cody. Sasha says she feels like Gladys disliked Cody even before the whole thing with the bracelet, and Lucy says, well, Dominique Stanton Taub Baldwin was a very, very, very dear friend of hers. She was Lucy’s daughter Serina’s biological mom, and she’s Cody’s mother, so that makes Cody and Serina half-siblings. That means she’s kind of predisposed to believe Cody. She doesn’t know him that well, but truthfully, if she had to choose between believing Cody or Gladys, she would choose Cody, always. Maxie says, same here. Not that she’s doubting the facts. The bracelet was found in Cody’s pocket, but there has to be some other explanation. Sasha says, that’s what she’s come to believe. What if someone stole the bracelet off Gladys and slipped it into the first pocket they saw? She thinks Cody and Gladys are both victims. She wishes they could both see it. Maxie says, just because there’s friction between Gladys and Cody, that doesn’t mean it needs to affect Sasha’s friendship with Cody, but Sasha says, it already has.

Sam walks into the pool area, wearing a big sunhat, and carrying a copy of Crimson. I wonder if there’s a real Crimson magazine out there somewhere, and then I try to remember the last time I read a physical copy of a magazine. Sam sits at a table near the bar, and watches Gladys sunning herself and sipping her daquiri. Cody comes over to Gladys’s chaise, and she says, always a displeasure. Spinelli joins him, and she says, what’s he doing here? Cody says, they both know she planted that bracelet on him. Now he has the evidence to prove it.

Jordan tells Portia that she doesn’t want Curtis. Not anymore. Portia says, please, and Jordan says, there was a time she fantasized about reconciling with Curtis, but even then she didn’t want to disrupt what he and Portia had. Portia says, not until she found an opening. She can’t believe she just praised Jordan, and thanked her for looking out for Trina, not knowing the whole while that Jordan had just kissed her father. Jordan says, the father Portia never intended to tell her about? (Oh, snap!)

Curtis says, Trina’s uncle has no right to come between them, and Trina says, if there’s a you and me, it’s because of mutual respect and trust, but not if he’s keeping secrets from her about him and her mother. She’s going to find out. If not from him or her mom, then from Zeke. And he implied that it’s Curtis’s fault her mom’s upset. Curtis wonders how Zeke would know that, and says, because Portia told him. Trina asks if it’s true, and Curtis says, yes. It’s his fault. She asks what he did, and he says he kissed Jordan. She says, what? Recently? He says, since the wedding. And he didn’t tell her mother.

TJ says, what about fertility medication? and Dr. Navarro says, Molly has a high level of estradiol, which she believes is preventing Molly’s body from producing some kind of hormone. TJ says, which will make it even harder for her ovaries to respond to medication. Molly says, so that’s it? but the doctor says, they can do a test to see how Molly’s body responds to fertility drugs. Molly says, but statistically, how likely is it she’s able to create a viable embryo? and the doctor says, without further testing, it’s difficult to assess a specific percentage. Molly says, she understands, but are they talking low, extremely low, non-existent? Dr. Navarro tells Molly that she’d say, extremely low.

Maxie says, Cody came to Sasha’s rescue at Home & Heart, and that was after his arrest, so he doesn’t seem to be holding Gladys’s accusations against Sasha. Sasha says, that’s the kind of person Cody is. He saw some of the hateful tweets the producers at Home & Heart were putting out, he realized she might be in trouble, and showed up to help. But when she tried to thank him, he basically said they couldn’t be friends unless she picked a side. Cody insists Gladys isn’t the person Sasha thinks she is. Lucy says, Gladys is still Sasha’s guardian. Does she think Cody really wants her to turn her back on the person who controls her money? Sasha says, what? and Lucy says she happens to be a very pragmatic woman. Sasha says, Gladys will always be her family, but Gladys may not be her guardian for much longer.

Gladys says, he’s delusional, but Cody says, thinking she can frame him and get away with it is delusional. Sam takes something from her ear, and puts it in the crease of the magazine. (A recorder of some kind?) Cody says, Gladys is going to get the insurance company to drop the charges, and Gladys asks how she’s going to do that. He says, she’s imaginative; she’ll figure it out. Gladys says, and if she doesn’t? and Cody says he’ll show everyone in town the evidence that says she did. Gladys gets up, and says, he’s bluffing. The PCPD and the insurance company investigated. If there was evidence she set Cody up, they would have found it. Spinelli says, fascinating, and she says, it speaks… What? He tells her, she never once said she’s innocent.

Kristina asks Sam, come here often? and Sam closes the magazine. Kristina sits down and asks what Sam is up to.

Portia says, Saint Jordan. Jordan is never going to let her forget that she kept Portia’s secret all those months, and Jordan didn’t expose her, despite her strong feelings for Curtis, right? Jordan says, believe it or not, all she ever wanted was for Portia to be happy. Portia says, at the expense of her own happiness, and Jordan says she cares about Portia and Curtis. She prayed for them on their wedding day. Portia says she knows she made mistakes in her marriage to Taggert. And it must have been extremely difficult to let go of a man like Curtis, but Jordan had to know how much it would hurt her not to hear about the kiss from her or Curtis. Jordan says she almost told Portia at GH, and Portia asks, why didn’t she? Jordan says, because Curtis asked her not to.

Trina says, now she knows why her mom left the party, and why Curtis isn’t her uncle’s favorite person at the moment. Curtis says, they were separated, but he still understands why Portia was hurt, and she asks why he didn’t tell Portia right away. He says, because he wasn’t sure what the kiss meant. He had to work it out first. She asks, has he worked it out? and he says, his future’s with Portia. Trina says, if she’ll have him, and he says he sure hopes forgiveness goes both ways. So how does she feel about things? About him? She says she hates that he hurt her mom, and she hates that her mom hurt him. She likes him, but she doesn’t like secrets. Maybe it’s hereditary.

Kristina tells Sam, she has the day off, so she’s doing some research for her foundation. She thought she’d multitask and catch some rays at the same time. Sam says, good for her, and good luck with that tasking, but Kristina says she always has time for her big sis. She takes a sip of Sam’s drink, and says, that’s good.

Gladys says, of course (🍷) she’s innocent. Cody here’s the criminal. Spinelli should consider the company he keeps. Spinelli says, Mr. Bell is a lot of things, and Cody says, there’s a photographer that has pictures of her at the Nurses Ball, with and without the bracelet. It really narrows down the timeframe that the bracelet was – air quotes – stolen – end air quotes. Funnily enough, that timeframe happens to be more or less when he was changing. She says, more or less? That’s his evidence? He says, that’s just Exhibit A. Mr. Spinelli, would you present Exhibit B?

Sasha says she had a session with the psychiatrist who’s doing her guardianship evaluation, and Maxie says, that’s great. How’d it go? Sasha says, pretty good, she thinks. Dr. Montague seemed nice enough. It’s really hard to tell with these guys. Maxie asks when the judge will make the decision, but Sasha says she doesn’t know. She has to hope she can convince Dr. Montague that she’s in full control of her faculties again. Lucy asks, who would think that now? and Sasha says, Lucy did, when Lucy asked her to step down as the Face of Deception. Lucy says, that was ancient history, and it was a business decision. Maxie says, one that they weren’t all on board with, and Lucy says she got a lot more respect when she was dead. Maxie says, they’ve all seen how far Sasha’s come, and she’s sure the judge will see it too. Sasha says, Nina wrote her this wonderful letter of support to add to her petition, and she was hoping maybe… Maxie says, done, and Brook can put it on the Deception letterhead, but Lucy says, no. Sorry. She would really like to do it, truly. She wants to attest to Sasha’s strength of character, and how hard she worked in recovery, and her commitment. Look at her. Look how far she’s come. Sasha says she’s so lucky and so grateful that the people she works with are also her friends.

Dr. Navarro says, while the chances are extremely low Molly’s eggs are viable, it’s not impossible, but they may want to start exploring other options. It’s a lot to take in. She’ll give them some time to process. She leaves, and TJ says, this is just a setback. It’s not the end of the road. They can still have a biological child. She says, he can have a biological child; she can’t. He says, they don’t know that yet, not for sure, and she says she’s just connecting the dots. It’s not just that she can’t conceive a baby or carry a baby. She can’t even create one. He says, biology isn’t everything. There are all kinds of families, and all kinds of ways to create one. She says, but she fantasized about their baby. His curly hair, his stubborn streak… He says, his stubborn streak? Her eyes. She says, his smile. Doesn’t he want a baby that’s a blend of both of them? He says, of course (🍷), but he has the original – her. And whether they foster or adopt or whatever, their child will be remarkable because she’ll be its mother. She says, Dr. Navarro’s right; it’s a lot to take in. She just needs to think about it. She gets up, and he says, about the tests the doctor recommended? but she says, all of it. More needles won’t change the fact that she needs time to make a decision. He says he gets it. No pressure. She says she knows it affects him too, and he’s been amazing through all of it. He says, anything for her, and she says, how about an honest answer? How is he going to feel if it doesn’t happen for them?

Maxie says, Sasha’s got lots of friends, even ones she thinks she’s lost. And yes, she’s thinking of one hunky friend in particular. Sasha says she hopes that’s true, and Maxie suggests they get back to manufacturers, but Lucy says she’s reached her limit of what she can do without coffee. Maxie says, the waiter was just here, and Sasha says she has to go powder her nose, so she’ll let the waiter know Lucy wants coffee. As she walks away, Lucy says, this time she needs an espresso, stronger… one pump non-fat vanilla, and raw sugar, and four dashes of cinnamon. When Sasha is gone, Lucy asks Maxie to tell the truth. What exactly is the story about Cody and Sasha?

Spinelli says, testis unus testis nullus, and Gladys says, Exhibit B’s an anatomy lesson? Spinelli says, no, it’s Latin. It means, one witness is no witness. Gladys says, it’ll come in handy the next time she’s on Jeopardy, and Spinelli says, she’s the only one claiming Cody stole her bracelet. She says, her account was enough for the insurance agency and the PCPD, and Spinelli says, which is why she should recant. And soon. Otherwise, she’ll be the one facing a judge.

Kristina says, Sam should be really proud. Once she pushed past the hurt pride, she’s really doing her due diligence with her foundation plans, handling things in a logical order, and staying practical. With one eye toward Gladys, Sam says, that’s good. She’d love to hear all about it. Later. Kristina says, why not now, big shot?

Gladys asks, on what charges? and Cody says, falsifying a crime is a crime itself, punishable for up to seven years in prison. Spinelli says, but she already knew that having provided false testimony against Jason Morgan, claiming she saw him dispose of a murder weapon he never even touched. Given her previously unreliable, patently false testimony is a matter of record, he can’t believe the police would have a problem believing she’d lied again. Gladys says, it’s the truth, but Spinelli says, not according to her location at the time Cody was getting dressed for his Nurses Ball performance.

Trina says, as much as her mom is hurting right now, she knows Curtis was going through the same thing not that long ago because her mom was keeping something from him. She knows it’s not the same, but transparency – or the lack of it – is the common denominator in all of this. He says he was always going to tell her mother, but point taken. He shouldn’t have waited. Trina says, one time, Spencer pretended to be on Esme’s side so he could trap her, and he was going to tell Trina eventually, but she suffered a lot until he did. If he’d just been upfront with her, or everybody was upfront, it would save a lot of pain and heartache. He says, she’s right. Very wise. Her mom and Taggert raised her very well. She says, they did, but lately she’s had to learn a lot of lessons despite her parents.

Portia says, Curtis wanted to hide this from her, but Jordan says she doesn’t think he viewed it that way. Portia says, how then? and Jordan says she thinks Curtis wanted to protect Portia while he sorted through his feelings. Portia says, so Curtis wasn’t sure which one of them he wanted, but Jordan tells her, that’s not what she said. Portia says, she didn’t have to, and Jordan says, none of that matters anymore. She’s out of the picture. Portia asks, whose choice was that? and Jordan flashes back to telling Curtis that she has to finally let go. Two years was too long to put her life on hold. Portia says, who walked away? Was it Jordan or was it Curtis?

Sam asks Kristina to grab them two mimosas. Then Kristina can tell Sam about her plan. She hands Kristina some money, and suggests she go to the bar downstairs; this one is super slow. Kristina says she tries not to question freebies, but why does she get the distinct feeling that Sam’s trying to get rid of her? Sam says, because she is. Beat it.

Gladys says she knows Spinelli is Sonny’s IT whiz kid, but even she knows you can’t pinpoint an exact location by room. Spinelli says, you can with the right tracking apps, and Gladys says, he hacked into her phone and installed one? He says he didn’t need to. She did it for him.

Jordan tells Portia that she walked away, but not to overanalyze what happens during a separation. She’ll drive herself crazy. Portia says, at least Jordan doesn’t have to worry about an ex-wife still pining for her husband, and grabs her bag. Jordan says, Portia’s husband would have never kissed her if Portia had taken her advice, and told him the truth before the wedding. So who is Portia really mad at? Her? Curtis? Or is she mad at herself? Portia walks out.

Curtis tells Trina, everybody’s human. Even parents. She says, that’s true. They all make mistakes. But she has three parents, and only one of them has kept their marriage vows – her dad, Marcus Taggert. He’s not perfect, and he hasn’t made the best choices, but he’s a great example of fidelity and forgiveness. Curtis says he wants to be that for Trina too, but she says, they’re not off to a great start, and leaves.

TJ says, the more they talked about it, the more he fell in love with the thought of having a family with Molly. Even though the emotions are tense for both of them, she’s the one who has to go through the physical ordeal. He can understand not wanting to be poked and prodded. She says, it’s not just about the physical discomfort; it’s everything else. Work, friends, them. It’s all taken a backseat to tests and doctor’s appointments. It’s been overwhelming. He asks if she’s saying she doesn’t want a baby anymore, but she says, no. She’s just saying she needs a break. Doesn’t he? He says, it’s been a bit consuming, and she asks if he doesn’t want to sleep again, and go to the movies, and dance at The Savoy, and love the life they’ve been living? He says he does, but can’t they do that and plan a family? She says, eventually, after some time, and he says he can give her time. She kisses him, and says she loves him. He says he loves her, and she says, how about that coffee? Their whole day’s free. He says, sounds good, and they hug, but I’m not so sure that’s how he feels.

Maxie says, Sasha and Cody haven’t been hanging out for long, but she knows their friendship means a lot to both of them. Lucy says, obviously, because he didn’t hesitate when he thought she needed help at Home & Heart. He put his butt on the line. Literally, and to her it’s a very grand gesture for just chums. Sasha comes back, but stands a few feet away, messing with her phone. Maxie says she doesn’t like to speculate, and Lucy says, really? Come on. Maxie knows Lucy can read her mind, and she’s thinking exactly what Lucy is thinking. As Sasha listens, Maxie says, fine. She thinks what Cody feels for Sasha is more than friendship.

Gladys asks what Spinelli is talking about, and he says, 14,000 steps and eight flights of stairs the day of the Nurses Ball; that’s very impressive. Cody says, very. How many miles is that? Spinelli says, just over seven, given that Gladys’s stride is between 2.1 and 2.35 feet. Gladys says, what is this? and Spinelli says, it’s the minute data from her favorite fitness app, the one that she uses to map her walks. Cody asks if an app like that can place a user in a dressing room near a certain jacket, and Spinelli says, the spatial metadata is surprisingly advanced. It can pinpoint exact latitudes and longitudes, complete with tagging and time stamps. Cody asks if Gladys knows what that is. It’s nerd for, gotcha!

Tomorrow, Michael asks if there’s anyway this could blow back on his mom; Alexis asks if Tracy is suggesting Ned fell on purpose; Sasha says someone couldn’t be more wrong; and Drew makes his plea to the judge.

🍊 Animal Housewives…

Still not loving things in the same old Real Housewives of Orange County. Last week, Tamra let loose, screaming at Shannon for no real reason, suggesting Shannon f*** a duck. Although she claimed she didn’t remember, Tamra apologized. Ho-hum. Taking it with a grain of salt, Shannon accepted a hug, but didn’t exactly say she accepted the apology. In Shannon’s interview, she said, Tamra was going to have to apologize for everything in the past two years. Good luck with that.

New Housewife and friend of Tamra’s, Jenn, runs a yoga studio, and it looks like she’ll have the black cloud of infidelity following her. Did she or did she not sleep with a guy from the gym before separating from her husband? I don’t know and don’t care, but I’m sure every single one of these women will have an opinion. Jenn also had unfortunate timing, posting a happy dance about still being open after covid on TikTok – the day before Tamra and Eddie were having a goodbye party to close the gym. Thanks to Gina – who has consistent diarrhea of the mouth – this was brought up at the party. While Tamra seemed understanding, I guaran-effing-tee you she will be pissed about it at some point later. Probably after one or ten glasses of pinot.

I’ve always liked Emily and Shane, and it’s amusing to see Emily more glammed and toned this season, but still not quite fitting in. Even less than Rachel on RHONJ or that one who was a witch on RHOBH. Emily sort of politely fumbles her way through Housewives territory, while her on and off buddy misfit Gina shouts her way in. I liked Gina more when she had bad hair. Fancy Pants Heather is still, well, fancy pants, and in a way doesn’t fit in either. The desire to be in charge is strong in this one, and she’d be better served with her own show. In this one, she just comes off looking at best insensitive, and at worst, mean.

The party ended with a food fight, courtesy of Tamra. Really? Middle aged women in gowns smushing and throwing cake? Call me a killjoy, but I can’t stand to see adults throwing food at each other. Unless it’s a scheduled event at Camp Puerile. I fail to understand why it’s such a go-to with a lot of these women.

Meet Jenn:

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhoc-season-17-who-is-new-housewife-jennifer-pedranti

🩰 Polishing My Barbiecore…

Since we have plenty of time for tea this week, keeping it short, but dip back tomorrow for soap and some freshly brewed. Until then, stay safe, stay never littering (it’s disgusting), and stay being careful what apps you put on your phone.

June 19, 2023 – Drew Gives Sam Bad News, Hacked, Strange, Strike Out, Oh Daddy, Signs, Wives Guide, Not Done, Crazy, Cattitude, Watch This & Cruel

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Elizabeth looks at Epiphany’s photo on the memorial wall, and says, hello, my friend. I miss you, especially on a day like this. I’m about to start my first shift as head nurse. I’m excited and nervous, and could really use a no-nonsense Epiphany pep talk right now. Remembering your words that I’m the best choice for the job are almost as good… almost. But when I start to doubt myself – which is more often than I care to admit – I remember I was taught by the best, so I got this. I won’t let you down.

Molly thanks Dr. Navarro for seeing her and TJ on such short notice. TJ says, they realize their call is a little… Molly says, spur of the moment. The doctor says, it’s her pleasure, and asks how Molly is feeling since she started treatment for endometriosis. Molly says, better, thanks. She hadn’t realized how much pain she’d been in since the medication got rid of most of it. Unfortunately, there still is some. Dr. Navarro asks if she’s given any more thought to hormone therapy, and Molly says, actually, that’s why they’re here. If she starts hormone therapy, her periods will stop. So before that, they want to harvest her eggs. What’s their first step?

Carly tells Drew, they don’t have to do this. Call his lawyer, and tell him the deal’s off. He says, they already settled this, and she says, if by settling this he means he won’t listen to reason. He says he has the best reason in the whole world, and she kisses him. She says, don’t pin this on her, but he says he’d 100% rather do the time than see her do it, and they kiss again. He tells her that he’ll see her later.

Nina finds Ava in the park, and thanks Ava for meeting her. Ava says, of course (🍷). When Nina said she was going to come clean to Sonny, Ava thought Nina would be in a lot worse shape than she is. She wonders if Nina came to her senses and realized she’s better off without him anyway, but Nina says, no. It turns out she didn’t lose Sonny after all. Ava says, don’t tell her that Sonny forgave her for turning Carly into the SEC, but Nina says, she didn’t tell him. She was ready to tell him; she was thisclose. But she looked into his eyes and couldn’t say the words. Ava says, but what about Ned? Didn’t he regain consciousness yesterday? Nina says, yes, and Ava says, Ned knows what she did. It’s only a matter of time before he tells everybody the truth. Nina tells her, let’s just say Ned is no longer interested in clearing his name.

Elizabeth asks a nurse if Ned is still combative this morning, and she says, only when they forget to call him Eddie Maine. She feels so sorry for his family. At the reception desk, Amy says good morning to Portia, and apologizes for waking her. She thought the on-call room was empty. Portia says she wasn’t really sleeping, and Amy says she hopes the patient’s okay. Portia asks, what patient? and Amy says she figured one of Portia’s patients must have taken a turn for the worse. Why else would she be sleeping at the hospital? Elizabeth hears, and asks Amy to check on Mr. Pascal in 1013 to make sure he ate his breakfast. Amy leaves, and Portia says she’d better get started on her rounds. Elizabeth asks if she wants to talk about it, and Portia says, about what? Elizabeth says, yesterday was Curtis’s birthday, and she knows there weren’t any emergencies on the floor last night. So why did Portia sleep here instead of at home with her husband?

Carly goes to Sonny’s penthouse, and he asks if she’s okay. She sounded awful on the phone. Carly says she thinks Sonny should know that things are about to be resolved with the SEC, and he asks what she did. She says she didn’t. Drew did.

Dante lets Drew into the apartment, and Alexis is there. Drew says, it’s a nice surprise, and she hugs him. She says she was delivering one of Danny’s skateboards, and Sam said he was stopping by, so she thought she’d stay and say hello. He says, it’s always great to see her, and she says, same. Now that she’s said hello, she’s on her way out. Drew asks her to stay; this actually involves her, in a way. Sam asks what he wants to talk to them about, and he says he’s asked his lawyer to offer a plea deal to the SEC, and he has every reason to believe they’re going to accept. Dante asks what Drew offered them, and Drew says he’s going to have to pay a fine, and he’s also going to have to go to prison. Sam asks how long he plans on being in prison (like he decides), and he says, they haven’t accepted the deal yet, but his lawyer proposed six months. Sam says, that doesn’t seem like a good deal to her, and asks if it does to Alexis. Alexis says she wouldn’t recommend it if she were his lawyer, and Drew says his lawyer isn’t crazy about it either, but he’s made up his mind. (Is it me? It doesn’t sound that bad considering it’s usually like, two years.) Dante asks if Diane suggested the same thing for Carly, and Drew says, no. Sam says, of course (🍷) she didn’t. Drew’s going to prison so Carly doesn’t have to. Drew says he’s weighed all the options, and she has to trust him that this is the best possible solution. Sam asks what Carly says about this, and he says he was just hoping they could figure out a way to tell Scout together. She asks, what would be their approach to that conversation, because she doesn’t know how they explain to their six-year-old daughter that he’s not only leaving her again, but this time, it’s his choice.

Taggert goes to Jordan’s office, and she asks, how’s his head? He just looks at her, and she asks, what brings him by? He says he wanted to apologize for being such an ass yesterday, but she says she doesn’t need an apology. She’s just glad to see he sobered up. He says, lesson learned, and she says, since she doesn’t need an apology, and he doesn’t need an intervention, what else can she help him with? He says, actually, there is something. He needs a job, so he was wondering if there’s any room for another detective at the PCPD.

Portia says she knows this is Elizabeth’s first day in charge. She must have a million things to do. Elizabeth says she has a meeting with Monica in an hour. Until then, she’s free if Portia wants to talk. Portia says she doesn’t even know what to say, and Elizabeth says she doesn’t have to go into detail. What she does know is that Portia’s upset, and she wants to help. Portia says she appreciates Elizabeth, and Elizabeth says, stop her if she’s prying. Portia says, pry away, and Elizabeth asks if things aren’t working out with her and Curtis. Portia says she thought they were. Don’t get her wrong; she knew it was going to be a long path to reconciliation, but when Curtis moved back in, she took that as a sign he was ready to try. From the guest room, but still. Elizabeth says, that seems like a fair assumption, and Portia says, they actually started to talk again. Trina came to his birthday party, and it made him really, really happy. Things were still tense, but they were so much better than they had been. She could really start to see a future where they were family, but it turns out Curtis had other ideas.

Ava says, so Ned thinks it’s the 90s, back when he was performing as Eddie Maine? and Nina says, from what she understands, he actually believes he is Eddie Maine. He only remembers his stage persona. He doesn’t remember his life as a Quartermaine at all. Ava asks if that means he doesn’t remember Tracy. She doesn’t think Tracy would take that well. Nina says, all she knows is, he doesn’t remember she was the one who called the SEC, and her secret is safe. Ava says, they’ll get to that, but if Nina didn’t come clean to Sonny, why isn’t she wearing her engagement ring? Nina says, Ava was there. She put it on the mantel when she was going to the hospital to tell Sonny the truth. There she was, ready to come clean… Ava says, and she looked into his eyes, and his dimples… and Nina says, then she had to come up with this lame excuse for why she didn’t have the ring on. She told him that she lost it down the drain. Luckily, when they got to the house, she managed to swipe it off the mantel and put it in the sink. Ava says, she’s crazy. That is a big, very expensive diamond. Nina says, he called the plumber. All right, she panicked. It’s a small price to pay. This is such a mess. Ava says, Nina has to know, this situation is not sustainable. Sooner or later, Ned is going to remember his real life. Nina says, trauma victims often don’t remember the events leading up to their accident. Ned overheard her conversation with Martin, then he bumped his head, so that knowledge may be gone for good. Ava says, she better hope so. If Sonny finds out now, Nina’s going to be under the gun with no way out.

Sonny says, it’s a good deal Drew made. It keeps Carly out of prison. That’s if the Feds agree to the terms. Carly says, it’s not a slam dunk, but Drew’s an optimist. Sonny says, if it keeps her out of prison, then the Feds won’t be pressuring her to flip on him. That’s if he’s really willing to do this. Carly says, he is. She didn’t even hear about this deal until after Drew’s lawyer submitted it to the SEC. Sonny says, it’s an honorable thing to do, and she says, Drew totally cut her out of his decision. Sonny says, how could they get out of this, and nobody take the fall? and she says, that’s the thing; there’s no other way out. At least none that she can see. And if they take their chances in court, they could go to prison for a helluva lot longer than six months.

Nina tells Ava that Ned has a traumatic brain injury. He’s lost most of his life as Ned Quartermaine. If he ever gets his memory back – which she sincerely hopes he does – what are the odds of him remembering this small little detail about her? Ava says, if Ned gets his memory back, she thinks it’s pretty likely that he’d remember being wrongly accused of turning Drew and Carly in to the SEC. Even if he doesn’t, if those two go to prison, everyone who believes he’s innocent will be looking for the guilty party. Nina asks what she’s supposed to do, and Ava says, she’s supposed to do what she said she was going to do. Come clean to Sonny. Tell him that she made a mistake, and wishes she could take it back, but she can’t. Nina says she just can’t do it. She can’t lose Sonny now. And what about Willow? If she finds out Nina is responsible for putting Drew and Carly in prison, Willow’s never going to speak to her again. If the truth comes out, she’ll lose the man that she loves, and she’s going to lose any kind of relationship she has with Willow. She’s just going to have to keep walking the tightrope she’s been walking, and hope for the best. Ava suggests they go for a latte, and Nina says she thought they were going for a run, but Ava says she only agreed to that because she thought Nina would have broken up with Sonny, and would need the endorphins. She clearly doesn’t, but Ava needs the caffeine.

Dr. Navarro says, they’re all set. The technician will be in shortly to prep Molly for the ultrasound. Molly says she can’t wait, and thanks the doctor again. Dr. Navarro leaves, and TJ asks if Molly is okay. Molly says, once she’s on hormone therapy, harvesting her eggs won’t be an option, so it makes sense to do it now. They can decide what they do with the eggs later. He says he hates that she’s in pain, but she says, it’s better. He says, any pain. If the hormone therapy can take that away, he wants her on it as soon as humanly possible. She says, her too. So they freeze her eggs and keep all of their options open. She keeps reminding herself that her endometriosis might make it harder for them to have a baby. He says, but not impossible, and she says, even though she might not be able to carry the baby herself, they can use her eggs and find a surrogate to carry their child. He says, tons of people do it, and she says, they do, but they’re not us. So she has to ask. Would he be okay with using a surrogate?

Alexis says she’s sorry, but she has to go. She has to go to GH and check on Ned. Dante says, they’ll keep her posted, and she leaves. Sam says she’s waiting. How are she and Drew supposed to tell their daughter that he’s chosen to leave her? (I dunno, but I bet it’s easier than having to tell her about a trial dragging on forever, and then him being in Pentenville for a few years.) Drew says he doesn’t want to leave Scout, and she says, then don’t. Fight the charges. It’s not like he and Carly made money on the merger because Carly knew about the merger; the merger didn’t even happen. ELQ and Aurora are still separate companies, and they both lost money. Dante says, not to be cop in the room, but it’s the intent that matters with insider trading. It’s not the outcome. Sam says she doesn’t care, but Drew still deserves the lesser sentence. Carly is the one who bought the shares. Drew says, she was trying to help him and Michael, but Sam says, that’s still on her. Unless he expects her to believe that he and Michael told her to buy the shares to drive up the stock, which not in any universe does she think is possible. Dante says he thinks there are dishes that need to be done, and jets to the kitchen. (The Invader announces, for the first time ever, a man volunteers to do dishes. Just kidding, male readers.) Drew asks Sam not to make this any harder than it already is, and she says she’s not going to make it any easier, that’s for damn sure. He says, this is the best way out of a bad situation, and she says, best way for who? Not for him. Not for their daughter. So she guesses it’s best for Carly then. He says, Carly’s got primary custody of Donna. If Carly goes to prison, Donna’s whole world gets turned upside down. Scout has Sam and Dante, and she’s used to not seeing him. She says, what is he talking about? He was held captive in a dungeon for half of her life. Drew says, she can bring Scout to see him in Spring Ridge, and she says, that makes everything okay. He says, Dante is an amazing father, but she says, don’t you do that. Dante and Scout have an excellent relationship, but Dante is not Scout’s father; he is. When they lost Drew the first time, Scout was truly too young to miss him. She didn’t know what she was missing because she had no memories of him. But now she’s going to know he’s gone, and she’s going to miss him every single day of her life, and she’s not going to watch their daughter go through that kind of pain.

Jordan says, Taggert wants to work here? Again? He says he’s a good detective, and she says, one of the best. She just thought he preferred working for himself these days. Picking and choosing his own cases. He says he did. It was great, but now with all this traveling, it’s getting old. He wants to stay in Port Charles. She says, so this is about Trina, and he says, if he told her no, would she believe him? She says, and she thought it was the booze talking yesterday. Come on. Is he really worried Curtis will replace him in Trina’s life?

Portia tells Elizabeth, all these months, all she wanted was for Curtis to move back home. She thought they needed to be together, so they could figure out if they could get their marriage to work. But as soon as her feelings get hurt, she runs away. Elizabeth asks why she ran. With Curtis in the guest bedroom, Portia could have avoided him if she wanted to. Portia says, that’s just the thing. She didn’t want to avoid Curtis. She wanted to hurt him the way he’d hurt her. She didn’t go home last night because she was afraid if she and Curtis were in the same house, she would say something in anger that she couldn’t take back. And then that would push Curtis to say something he couldn’t take back, and then their marriage would really be over. Elizabeth says, so despite what Portia found out about him and how he hurt her, she still wants a life with him? Portia says, sure… She doesn’t know. They sit, and Portia says she’s been working so hard to regain Curtis’s trust. She wanted to show him that she could make up for all the mistakes she’s made. He kept saying, it was too soon to talk, and she’s thinking, it’s because she hurt him so deeply that he needed time to heal; she needed time to atone. In her mind, they were both getting stronger, and they were going to come together and work on their marriage. Turns out Curtis wasn’t thinking about their marriage. He wasn’t thinking about her at all.

Jordan says she can’t imagine what a blow it must have been; Taggert learning Trina wasn’t his biological child. She is still his daughter, no matter what. He tells her, that’s what everyone keeps saying, and she says, he honestly doesn’t think Trina would cut him out of her life, does he?

TJ says, he wants to raise his and Molly’s child with her, no matter how they get there, and she says, if they choose surrogacy, how do they choose the surrogate? It’s a huge responsibility. He asks, what qualities are essential besides general good health? No drinking, non-smoker. Molly says, she has to be a vegetarian, and he says, agreed. Is that it? She says she doesn’t know. How picky can they get? Can they ask her to read to the baby, and listen to classical music, and to refrain from watching any violent movies? He says he’s not sure, and she says, fortunately, there are experts who can advise them. He says, right. Let’s listen to the experts. You know what? He thinks this’ll work. They kiss.

Jordan says, they don’t have to talk about it if Taggert doesn’t want to, and he thanks her, adding, he doesn’t. So let’s talk about that job. She says, bottom line, she doesn’t have room in the budget for another detective, and he says, oh well. Didn’t hurt to ask. She says, but she does have another position opening up, and he says he’s listening. What job? She says, hers.

Drew tells Sam, if he could find a better solution, he’d take it in a heartbeat. It breaks his heart thinking of being away from Scout. Things he’ll be missing. Things they’ll be missing together. The things they love to do together; like camping, and the holidays, and trick-or-treating, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She says she just wants him to know how important he is to Scout; that he’s not taking this deal because he thinks Scout won’t miss him. Because she will. She’ll miss him every day. She loves her daddy. He says he knows that, and he loves her too. Please don’t ever let her doubt that.

Carly tells Sonny that she still can’t believe Ned turned them in. Speaking of whom, is it true? Ned thinks he’s Eddie Maine? Sonny says, yep, it’s true. Olivia is so upset because he says he doesn’t know anybody. He even told Leo that he thinks Leo’s not his son. Carly says, poor Leo, and Sonny says, that’s Ned. Even when he doesn’t know who he is, he’s hurting people. (Ha-ha! Poor Ned.) She says, before all this happened, she and Drew were trying to figure out a way to persuade Ned to get the SEC to drop the charges. He asks if she can tell him what the plan is, but she says, it doesn’t matter. He thinks he’s Eddie Maine. And it makes her sick to think of Drew behind bars again, after everything Peter August and Victor Cassadine did to him. Nina walks in with Ava.

Elizabeth says, Curtis wouldn’t move back in if he’d truly given up on their marriage, and Portia says, she’s right. This is why she shouldn’t be talking to Curtis yet. She’s just not ready. She has no clarity. She’s just a ball of hurt and resentment right now. Elizabeth’s phone chimes several times, and Elizabeth says, and so it begins. Portia asks if those are all from the same person, and Elizabeth says she wishes. Portia says, that’s what comes with being in charge. Go. Be head nurse. Just remember… They say it together, you asked for this. Elizabeth suggests they pick this up over lunch, and Portia thanks her, but says, Elizabeth has helped her realize who she really needs to be talking to.

Alexis sees TJ looking at some files, and she says, he’s working? She thought he and Molly had an appointment with Dr. Navarro this morning. He says he’s not officially working, but since he’s here… She says, he couldn’t help himself. He says, Molly’s having an ultrasound to have an some-medical-term count, and Alexis says, what’s that? since she’s as confused as I am about that word. He says, it’s a way to determine how many eggs Molly has left, which will tell them how many eggs they can hope for if they harvest them. Alexis says, that’s good, right? and he says, yes. It gives them options just in case. She says she knows this isn’t how he and Molly imagined having a baby, and he says, it sure isn’t. Funny thing is, ever since they were teenagers, they were told, don’t have sex; you could get pregnant. Alexis asks if they heard that from anyone else besides her, or was she the lone voice in the wilderness? but he says, it felt like everybody. She says, but her voice was the loudest? It happens often. Go on. He says, they were so careful, but now that they actually want a baby, it’s not this instantaneous thing they’ve been worried about all these years. And if that’s not confusing enough, it’s no longer private. Something just between him and Molly, it’s doctors, testing, labs. She says she knows they didn’t plan it this way, and she knows it’s not ideal. He and Molly can keep focused on the prize, which will be a baby coming to them, one way or the other.

Jordan says she’s the new acting Deputy Mayor, and Taggert says, wow! That’s amazing. Congratulations. She thanks him, but says, she can’t do both jobs. She needs to find her replacement. He says, she’d be like his boss? and she says, yes, just like she would have been if he’d taken the detective job. She can’t just offer him the position, but she can run it up the flagpole and see if it flies. He asks if she thinks he can really be Police Commissioner, and she says, if she didn’t think he’d be good at the job, she wouldn’t have mentioned it. So what does he think?

Carly says, she was just leaving, and addresses Ava as she walks out. Sonny says, good run? and Nina says, they decided to walk to Perks instead. Ava asks, how things are with Carly? Is there anything new from the SEC? Sonny says he hates to disappoint Ava, but the insider trading charges aren’t going to be a problem for Carly. Nina asks, why is that? and Sonny says, there’s a deal in the works. Carly and Drew are just going to have to pay a fine, so she doesn’t have to spend any time behind bars. Nina says, Carly didn’t agree to give Sonny up to save herself, did she? but he says, nothing like that. Drew agreed to spend some time at Spring Ridge, so Carly doesn’t have to go to prison.

Drew tells Sam, Scout didn’t even remember him when he got back. She was so shy around him; they’ve come so far. Sam says, now she can’t wait to be around him, especially when he picks her up for sleepovers. He says, she’ll have sleepovers at the Quartermaines, and he’s sure she’s still going to try and teach Leo and Annabelle II how to play the keyboard. Sam says, but who’s going to be there to teach her how to play the harmonica? Or go to her swim meets? Can he really stand not seeing their daughter for six months? He says, no, he can’t, but he’s going to have to. There’s a knock at the door, and Dante opens it to Carly. She says she thought Sam might have a few things she wants to say to her, and Sam says, Drew’s going to prison. She’s not happy about that. Carly says, neither is she, and Sam says, but it is his decision, so she respects that. Carly says, for the record, she tried to talk him out of it, and Sam says she appreciates that. She turns to Drew and asks if he’s figured out a way for them to tell their daughter. He says, the deal hasn’t been officially accepted yet, and she says, he thinks they should wait. He says he thinks it’s better they don’t say anything until he has an exact date that he’s heading to Spring Ridge. Sam says, Scout doesn’t need to know any maybes. This is going to be hard enough. Drew says, which is another reason he wanted to talk, so that Sam, him, and Dante can figure out how to tell her. Dante says, Drew wants him there? and Drew says, absolutely. Dante says, that means a lot. Thanks. Drew says, Dante means a lot to Scout, and he’s grateful she’s going to have the two of them in her life while he’s gone.

Alexis goes to the reception desk, and Amy asks if she’s here to see Mr. Maine. She’s trying to get used to calling him that instead of his real name. At least until he remembers who he is. Isn’t it crazy that he thinks he’s this singer from back in the day? Elizabeth calls over to Amy, who says she didn’t see Elizabeth behind her. Elizabeth says she just got here, but Amy must have… Amy says, patients to check on, and leaves.

Nina says, words fail her, and Ava says she thinks it’s great news, especially for little Donna. Sonny says he’s just glad his daughter doesn’t have to go through the pain of not having a mother, even if it’s temporary. But he does have some good news. Guess what the plumber found in the pipeline? He shows Nina her ring.

Sam tells Dante that she hates that Drew decided without consulting anyone. At the same time, she’s glad they have time to think of how to break it to Scout. He says he thinks they just have to tell her it’s temporary; that her dad is coming back. Sam says, maybe they can make her a chest, and he says, like a treasure chest? She says, exactly, snuggling next to him on the couch. They can put in report cards, her artwork, and… He says, disciplinary actions, and she laughs. She says, all the little things she does, and when Drew gets out, they can go through it together. He says he thinks it’s a great idea. That way, he won’t miss anything. She says, he’s going to miss a lot.

Walking outside, Drew says he’s so happy Carly and Sam are friends. She’s going to need a good, solid support system when he’s gone. She says, he’s going to prison. That means he’s going to be a prisoner again. (Another Sherlock!) He says, Spring Ridge is not exactly an underground cell in Crete. (Thank you.) He’ll be fine. She says she knows he’ll be fine; she’s not. How is she supposed to be okay without him? They hug.

Molly comes back, and TJ says he ran into her mom. He told her what they were considering. He hopes that was okay. She says, of course (🍷) it is. She’ll call her mom later, but right now why don’t they go somewhere and get coffee, and enjoy her rare day off. He says, they’ve already seen her OB/GYN. How can they top that? She really knows how to party. They walk, and Dr. Navarro comes by. She says she was just about to call them. Molly’s test results came in. Wow. Fastest. Lab. Ever.

Ava says she’ll leave them to it, and asks Nina to call her later. Sonny wants to talk to Frank, and Nina says she’ll walk Ava out. They go around the corner, and Nina says, can you believe it? Carly gets off scot free – again. Ava says she’s appalled, but not entirely surprised, and Nina says, Carly is the one who bought the damn stock. She’s the one who acted on the information she wasn’t supposed to have. Carly should go to prison; not Drew. It’s not fair. Ava says, there is a bright side to this Nina isn’t seeing. Carly getting off is really the best thing that could happen for Nina. Nina asks how Carly staying out of prison and staying in Port Charles good for her, and Ava says, because if Carly went to prison, and Sonny found out it was because of her, a broken engagement would be the least of her worries. If he finds out now, there’s a chance he might forgive Nina… maybe. Nina says, it’s small comfort.

Drew tells Carly, it’s six months. It’s not going to be fun, but they’ll get through this. She says she knows. He’s right. He says, does she know what else he is? Not wrong yet. They’re going to make the most of their time together. She says, that sounds like a challenge, and he says, what if it is? She says, challenge accepted, and they kiss.

Sonny puts Nina’s ring on her finger, saying, back where it belongs. She says she’s so relieved. It didn’t feel right not having it on. He says, never take it off, and she says she won’t. They kiss.

Elizabeth sees Amy, and asks if they need to talk about patient confidentiality, but Amy says, no, and she’s sorry. It’s just that Miss Davis and Mr. Quartermaine are practically family. Elizabeth says she knows, but practically family… Amy says, isn’t actually family. It won’t happen again. Elizabeth thanks her, and asks if she’s seen Portia. Amy says, her office is locked. She thinks Dr. Robinson left.

There’s a knock at Jordan’s office door, and she says, come in. Portia walks in, not looking too happy.

Tomorrow, Lucy asks Maxie, what exactly is the story; Gladys wants to know what someone thinks they have; and Portia asks, what on earth possessed Jordan to kiss her husband?

🕊 Nothing Is Sacred…

Although the posts do seem a little odd. I would think people caught on pretty quickly.

🙋🏻‍♂️ It’s Not Right…

What a bummer he didn’t get a proper goodbye.

🪧 No Picket Sign For You…

Looks like there’s been a workaround.

💪 Who’s Your Daddy…?

A little DILF for your coffee.

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Here’s a Shock…

Even though she’s no prize, I’m dumbfounded Teresa takes the amount of crap she does from Louie. I figure she’s either in it for the money (and does he really have money?), or the TV time, or both.

👠 History Lesson…

A handy guide to the Housewives franchise.

⚓️ He’s Got Plans…

It absolutely sucks that my Boat Daddy won’t be on Deck anymore, but I’m glad to hear there’s a Plan B.

In Related News…

It doesn’t seem as bad as some of the things that have been on Deck. Well, except for the 💩 one.

🐈‍⬛ Follow That Cat…

Who could resist this feline fatling?

https://celebritypets.net/big-kitty-puss-puss-the-cat-with-an-attitude-as-big-as-her-appetite/

📺 If you can, catch Bryan Cranston on Watch What Happens Live. He reenacted Ariana’s speech to Sandoval where she told him that she was sorry she ever loved him. It was the best.

🏖 Currently Doing Summer…

Circle back tomorrow for soap and probably some OC smack talk. Until then, stay safe, stay not being your own worst enemy, and stay keeping focused on the prize, even if it didn’t come the way you’d planned.

June 19, 2023 – Zeke Tells Portia About Curtis Kissing Jordan, Double the Guests On Deck & Sing

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Ava says, there’s nothing. They might as well face it. Sonny doesn’t keep sensitive documents out where anyone can find them. Maybe he’s got some information on this Pikeman deal in his home office. Austin asks if she can get in, but she says, it’s locked… unless he’s got a spare key hidden in a drawer somewhere. She looks in some drawers, and Austin says, maybe now isn’t the time to take chances, but she asks how many chances she’s going to get. He says, somebody might see her. Sonny’s always got a lot of people, and a really tall bodyguard, right? She hears something and says she’s got to go.

Austin sees Laura going by, and she nearly falls over. He grabs her, and she says she’s a little… He says, unsteady. Maybe they should find a quiet place.

Nina says she had to see Sonny, and he takes her hands, asking, what’s wrong? Where’s her ring? She says, that’s what she needs to talk to him about, and he says, tell him, because she’s worrying him. She says she’s trying to find the words and the courage, because once he knows, there’s no going back.

TJ says he’s not sure he heard Ned correctly. Can he repeat that? Ned asks why TJ keeps calling him Ned. He already told TJ; his name is Eddie Maine. Olivia asks if this is some kind of joke, and Brook asks if he’s messing with them, calling him daddy. They’re family. Ned says, daddy? He’s not her daddy. He doesn’t know any of them. (I was pretty sure he was going to say he’d like to be her daddy, but that didn’t happen.) Tracy says, he fell down and hit his head at the MetroCourt pool. Does he remember that? He says, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, lady.

While she pretends to do paperwork, Jordan flashes back to begging Zeke not to tell Portia about her and Curtis kissing. She picks up her phone.

At the pool, Trina asks how Curtis liked his birthday, and he says he got a good swim in, he got to celebrate with the people he loves, and he got his first macaroni picture frame. What else could he want? I say, two macaroni frames?

Portia tells Zeke not to blame Curtis for his behavior the night of the wedding, but he says he’s concerned with how Curtis has behaved since the wedding. She asks what he’s talking about. He only just came to town. How could he possibly know how Curtis is behaving? He says, sorry, and tries to jet, but she says, that’s not happening. She wants to know what he meant. What’s going on?

Pilar walks into Sonny’s apartment, and says she didn’t realize Ava would be there. Ava says, Sonny and Nina were called away. They asked her to stay with the girls until she arrived, but she should be going. When Avery wakes up, tell her that Ava loves her very much and will see her tomorrow. Ava goes to the door, and Pilar asks her to wait. She forgot her magazine. She hands it to Ava, and Ava says, she was just in the middle of a very long, very interesting article. She thanks Pilar and leaves. Pilar notices a drawer slightly open, and closes it.

Sonny says, Nina can tell him anything. They promised to be honest with each other. Before she can speak, Leo calls to Sonny. Dante brings Leo over, and Sonny says, two of his favorite people. How’s it going? Leo says, Brook brought him here, but she’s in with his dad. Dante is taking him for a walk. Dante says, Brook needed a break, huh? and Leo dashes off. Sonny asks, how’s Ned? and Dante says, they’re still trying to get him out of the twilight sleep. He wasn’t awake when they went for a walk. Sonny looks over at Leo, who’s playing with his fidget spinner on the steps.

Ned says he doesn’t know what scam they’re trying to pull, but he’s not falling for it, and TJ says, he’s disoriented, which can happen after an injury to the head. Olivia says, please tell her what’s wrong with her husband, and Ned says, for the last time, he’s not her husband. TJ asks Brook, Tracy, and Olivia to wait in the hall so he can examine Ned in private. They leave, and Ned says, and stay out.

In the hall, Olivia wonders what’s happening, and Tracy says she never should have sent him to that boarding school. It cost a fortune, and he obviously didn’t get over that ridiculous fantasy of being a rock star. Olivia says, it’s got to be the anesthesia. When it wears off, he’s going to be himself again. Tracy says, Eddie Maine… She never saw that coming.

Austin helps Laura to a bench and asks if they should find an exam room, but she says she’s fine. It’s just that she gets a little lightheaded when she gets her bloodwork done. He hands her a cup of water, and says, generally speaking, the medical advice is to wait ten or so minutes before leaving the office. She says she thinks Dr. Chang suggested that, and she… He says, she must be joking. Is she telling him a patient ignored medical advice? He’s never heard of that. That’s bananas. He can’t believe it. She says she’s in a rush. She’s trying to make a trip abroad. He says, she must be going somewhere remote if she needs bloodwork, and she says, the Chechen Republic. He says he could be wrong about this, but isn’t that an incredibly dangerous place for her to go? She says she wishes she had a choice, and he asks if she’s going in her capacity as Mayor Collins, but she says, no. She thinks her son may be there. She’s his mother, and she feels it’s kind of her responsibility to bring him back. He says she can’t go; she can’t do that.

Trina says she was glad to hear Curtis moved back in with her mom. It’s good they’re working things out. He says, it’s important to him that she approve, and she says, her mom is crazy in love with him. And despite all the mistakes she’s made, Trina still wants her to be happy.

A call comes in from Jordan, but Curtis ignores it, and says, they all want Trina’s mom to be happy. Trina says, being angry becomes like a rock sitting on your shoulders, and he says he hears her.

Jordan gets voicemail, and she says she wanted to let Curtis know that… Never mind.

Zeke tells Portia, let it go. It’s none of his business. He walks away, but she follows, and says, remember when he told mom and dad that he was late for curfew because he was helping his pal Derrick with a flat tire, when he was really out playing poker with his buddies? He asks how she knows, and she says she can read him like a book. She knows him. She always has, and always will. If there’s something he needs to tell her, then tell her. They don’t keep secrets from one another. He says, she’s not going to like it, but she says, what she doesn’t like is being kept in the dark. He says, she won’t let this go, will she? and she says, no. He says, Curtis kissed his ex-wife. Jordan.

Laura says she can’t do that, and Austin says, as a doctor, given her condition, he’s going to make a strong medical recommendation that she not go anywhere dangerous outside of the US. If something should happen, she needs reliable medical care, and she doesn’t speak the language, right? She’s going to need a translator, she’ll need a knowledgeable guide, and she’ll need considerable military level protection. If something went wrong, does she have a foolproof way to get out of the country and get home? She asks if it’s his medical advice, and he says, yes. She’s not wrong. He’s a medical doctor, but he’s also a citizen. As one of her constituents, he has concerns. Who’s going to be in charge? How long is she going to be gone? Has she made arrangements for what will happen during her absence? She says, these are all really good questions. He’s given her a lot to think about. He says, so she’s changed her mind, and she says, no, but she thanks him for the advice, and the water. She hands the cup back to him, and he says, she’s welcome. She says she’s feeling much better, and moves on. His phone dings, and it’s a text from Ava: Meet me in your office.

Sonny goes over to Leo, and Dante tells Nina, Leo’s a smart kid. There’s no point in shielding him from the truth. Sonny sits on the steps next to Leo, and says he hasn’t seen one of those in a while. Leo says, fidget spinners aren’t cool anymore, but he still has his, and Sonny says, if Leo thinks it’s cool, then it’s cool. Does he know what else is cool? Worrying about his dad. Leo says, his brain’s swelled because he hit his head, but his skull can’t expand. That’s what prevents blood flow. Sonny says he’ll take Leo’s word for that. He knows Leo knows a lot about skulls and blood flow and everything, but he knows a lot about people. Leo’s dad is a tough customer. He’s going to fight like heck to get well.

Brook says, they don’t know anything yet, and Olivia wonders what she’s going to tell Leo, but Brook says, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Although it’s probably best for him not to see dad until he’s himself again. Olivia says, what if he’s never himself again? What if he decides to stay Eddie Maine? Brook says, that’s a bridge too far. Let’s just concentrate on the present. She asks Tracy to stay with Olivia. She’d like to find Leo and Dante, and tell them dad is awake. And take it easy on her. She needs their sympathy, not snap out of it. Tracy asks if that’s how Brook sees her, and Brook says, that’s how she saw Tracy in the ICU. She knows Tracy is as scared as they all are, and it’s just how she reacts, but Olivia needs their support, and Tracy needs to step up. Brook leaves, and Tracy sits next to Olivia. Olivia says, what if this is just like Jason? What if he just never comes back to them? Tracy pats her shoulder and says, there, there.

Curtis says he heard Trina was staying with Josslyn over the summer while the dorms are closed. How’s that going? Trina turns away, and he says, no agenda. He’s just curious. Trina says, Josslyn and her mom have been very generous, letting her stay with them while she figures things out. He says, sometimes you need space; he gets that. She says, her mom doesn’t, but he says, her mom gets it more than she thinks. She’s just trying to respect Trina’s boundaries. Her mom can’t help it if she misses her. Trina is her world.

Portia says, Curtis kissed Jordan? How does Zeke even know that? Did he see them? He says, nothing like that. Jordan told him. She says, so yesterday at the bar, Jordan told him, a complete stranger, that she kissed her ex-husband. Is that what he’s telling her? He says, no, and she says, then he overheard her? She could have been talking about a different ex. He says, just trust him. He knows. She asks how she can trust him if she doesn’t have the whole story, but he says he promised he wouldn’t. She says, promised who? and he says, Jordan. They spent the night together. Portia says, ugh, and walks away, shaking her head, but he says, Jordan made it clear that what happened between them wasn’t serious, and she was still hung up on her ex. She said they kissed once, but it was over. Portia says, she could have been talking about a different ex. It’s not like she hasn’t had past relationships. He says, it was her ex-husband; it was Curtis. He’s sorry. He wishes it weren’t true, but he had to tell her.

Dante asks if Leo wants to see his dad, and Leo says, okay. Dante says, he’ll let Sonny and Nina know if anything changes, and Brook joins them, saying, dad’s awake. Leo asks if he can see Ned, but Brook says, not yet. He’s a little confused. Sonny asks what she means, and Brook says, Dr. Ashford said it’s not uncommon with a head injury. He’s examining Ned now. Dante suggests they go see mom. He’s sure she’d like a hug from her two boys. Brook says she’ll catch up with them later, and Dante and Leo leave. Sonny asks, what’s wrong with Ned? and Brook hugs him. He asks, what happened? and Brook says, dad’s awake, but he’s different. Nina asks, how? and Sonny says, he’s not going to come back to normal right away after a hit like that. Nina says, Sonny’s right. They have to give him time. Brook says, they don’t understand. He doesn’t know who he is. He says he’s Eddie Maine.

Leo runs to Olivia and hugs her, saying, Dante told him that she needed it. She says she sure does, and Dante hugs her. Tracy says, the doctor’s in with Ned, and Dante says, they ran into Brook. She said he woke up, but he’s confused? Tracy says, that’s putting it mildly, when TJ comes out. He says, Ned doesn’t appear to be suffering from any physical deficits. There’s no loss of coordination, he’s not slurring his words, and his motor functions and reflexes are normal. Olivia says, that’s good, right? but TJ says, however, he is experiencing some cognitive symptoms, such as combative behavior and profound confusion.

Leo goes into Ned’s room, and says, dad? Ned says he doesn’t mean to be rude, but he’s no one’s dad.

Trina says she misses her mom too, but it’s complicated, and Curtis says he gets that. When is it not? She asks if her mom said anything to him, but he says, she doesn’t have to. Her face lit up when Trina arrived. Trina says, her mom was just glad she came to Curtis’s birthday party, but he says, news flash; her mom lights up when she’s around. She doesn’t need a reason. Always. Trina says, all right. Message received. Speaking of her mom, where is she? She needs her advice about this art fellowship she’s thinking of applying for. He says, sounds promising, but she says, don’t get too excited. It’s super boring. He says, boring progress, but it’s still progress. Her mom’s at the restaurant. Think they should join her?

Austin finds Ava in his office, and says he just ran into Laura. He tried to convince her not to go to a war zone to look for dead Nikolas. She asks if Laura listened to him, but he says he didn’t do such a great job. He did the best he could; maybe she’ll reconsider. Ava says, maybe? That’s not good enough. They have to stop her. No maybes about it. He says, one calamity at a time. He sees she got out of Sonny’s in one piece. She says, Pilar, the girls’ nanny, came in, but she covered… maybe. He says he thought there were no maybes, but she says, what does it matter anyway? There’s no way she’s getting into Sonny’s home office, and that’s the only place he’d keep anything to do with Pikeman. He says, well mayb… perhaps, there’s another way into Sonny’s office, but she says she’s not crawling through any airshaft. He tells her that he didn’t say anything about her.

Laura goes to Jordan’s office, and asks if she has a minute. Jordan says, of course (🍷), and Laura says she won’t take much of Jordan’s time. She needs a favor. Jordan says, anything for Laura. What does she need? Laura says, Jordan’s resignation.

Zeke says he’s so sorry. He never wanted to hurt Portia. To think Curtis… She says, that’s enough. She appreciates what he’s trying to do, but she considers his involvement in her marriage over. She needs to talk to Curtis. Curtis walks in with Trina, and Zeke says, don’t look now. Here’s her chance. Portia asks how they’re doing, and Trina says she wanted to talk to Portia about next fall, and then she’ll probably head out. Portia says, sounds good, and picking up on Portia’s obvious distress, Trina asks if she’s okay. Zeke says he won’t let Trina leave before he has a chance to hang out with her. What does she say? Portia nods, and Trina says, sure. They leave, and Curtis says he just had the best conversation with Trina. Portia says, did he kiss Jordan?

Zeke and Trina sit at a table poolside, and he says, her mom had the best cannonball as a kid. He couldn’t improve his, no matter how much he worked on it. Then he saw Trina make her first cannonball, and it was even better than Portia’s. She asks, what’s going on between her mom and Curtis? Her mom looked really upset. She’s going back to the restaurant. She gets up, but he blocks her way and says, don’t. She asks what he’s not telling her.

Curtis tells Portia, yes, he kissed Jordan. It was just one kiss a few weeks ago. He should have told her. He’s sorry. She says, a few weeks ago? That’s when they started talking again; that’s when he moved back into the house. He says he’s not making excuses, but their marriage was hanging in the balance. He was confused. He ran into Jordan… and it just happened. She says, so Jordan just kissed him out of nowhere? but he says, no, it was mutual. She turns away, but he moves in front of her, and says, but Jordan made him realize how much he wants to give their marriage a second chance. She says, oh my goodness, lucky me. Let me send Jordan a card and thank her. He says, that came out wrong. What he meant… She says she knows exactly what he meant, and he says he didn’t want to hurt her. She says, that’s why he didn’t tell her, and he says, not while things were so fragile between them. She asks if he was ever going to tell her.

Jordan says, if she’s done anything to offend Laura… but Laura says she wants Jordan to resign as Commissioner of police so she can serve as acting Deputy Mayor of Port Charles. She needs somebody she can trust, and somebody who knows how government works, and to be perfectly honest, there isn’t anyone who comes anywhere close. So she has to accept. She’ll be responsible for choosing her replacement, and she’s going to need Jordan to do that immediately, because she’s leaving. Jordan says, leaving? and Laura says, hence the urgency. Jordan says she’s honored and will do anything to support Laura, but she’s not the right person for the job. She’s sorry, but she has to turn Laura down.

Sonny says, that was Ned’s stage name when he sang for L&B Records back in the day, and Brook says, but now he thinks that’s who he actually is. Eddie Maine doesn’t have a wife or kids, or any family at all. Nina asks if she means her father lost his memory, but Brook says, not exactly. He remembers certain details about his life, but he doesn’t remember what happened yesterday. Nina says, so he doesn’t remember his fall? and Brook says, not even the pool. She has to meet up with her family, but thanks Sonny for the shoulder to cry on. He says, anytime, and she leaves. He tells Nina, leave it to Ned to cause this mess. (Ha-ha! Like it’s Ned’s fault.) Now Brook has the weight of her family on her shoulders. Nina says, he’s right. When she thinks about everything the Quartermaines are going through, their problems don’t seem so bad. He takes her hand.

Ava says, so this means she doesn’t have to keep putting her neck on the line? That’s great, but will Austin’s cousin go for it? Mason seemed pretty keen on her being the one to get close to Sonny. Austin says, Mason is nothing but pragmatic. He doesn’t think Mason cares as long as he gets results. She asks how they find this mystery person. Is it him? Is he going to start making house calls over there? He laughs, and says he thinks it might be time for a new nanny. She says, that’s not a bad idea. The nanny has open access. She’s there when Sonny isn’t, and his goons don’t keep tabs on her… Austin says, right? And it might be a good idea to get rid of Pilar because she said Pilar was suspicious of her just now. She admits Pilar doesn’t like her so much, but she’s extremely loyal to Sonny. She won’t quit. He tells Ava, who said anything about her quitting? and she says, then how do they replace her? He says, they have to get Sonny to fire her.

Brook joins the rest of the family, as TJ is telling them, Ned is calling himself Eddie Maine. Does that name mean anything? Olivia says, that was his stage name, and TJ asks if Ned was an actor. Tracy says, no, small mercies, and Olivia says, he was on tour with a rock band. TJ says, but not recently, and Olivia says, not since the 90s. TJ says, both memory impairment and changes to his personality indicate that Ned is suffering from a traumatic brain injury, and Tracy asks if they didn’t know that already. He says, they’re trying to ascertain the full extent of his injury, and what part of his brain was affected, because no two brains are alike, and no two injuries are the same. He’s trying to arrive at a specific diagnosis, but they should prepare themselves. Finding the prognosis for a full recovery will be challenging. Personality changes, memory and judgement deficits, lack of impulse control are all common side effects and may be with Olivia’s husband for a while. Brook asks if Leo didn’t come up with Dante, and they all look around.

Leo says, Ned isn’t his real dad; Julian is. But Ned adopted him. Ned says, that doesn’t sound like something he’d do, and Leo says, but he did. Brook comes in, and tells Leo, let’s go. His dad’s not feeling well; he has to rest. Ned says, for the last time, he’s not his dad, or hers. Leo runs out.

Brook tells Olivia that Leo was with dad, and Olivia says she’s got to find him. God knows what Ned said to him. Brook says she’ll go; Olivia might make him worse. Dante says, why doesn’t he go? They should stay here. Tracy says, stop, all of them. She’ll go look for her grandson. Stay here and listen to the doctor. She dashes off.

Sonny says, there was something Nina was going to tell him. She’s going to tell him, right? She says she was an idiot. She was trying this new facial clay mask from Deception, and she took off her engagement ring and put it on the sink. The clay got in her eye, and she couldn’t see anything. She was trying to find a hand towel, and accidentally dropped her beautiful ring down the drain. She feels terrible. He asks if she called a plumber to check the drainpipe… Never mind. He’ll call his guy and he’ll find the ring. She says, that’s a possibility, and he says, the ring’s not the problem. Does she know what the problem is? He’ll tell her. He’s concerned about her; how she’s acting.

Laura asks why Jordan is turning her down, and Jordan says she’s a cop, not a politician. She’s not qualified to be Deputy Mayor. Laura thinks she’s selling herself short. Police Commissioner and Deputy Mayor are civil servants, and Jordan has been serving as Police Commissioner for ten years. She knows how the town works, and knows about the different power systems in play here. And if Laura has learned anything from Eileen Ashby, it’s that political savvy means absolutely nothing if the trust’s not there. She trusts Jordan more than anyone. Jordan thanks her, and Laura says, then how can she refuse? She’s risen to the highest rank the PCPD has. Isn’t she ready for a new challenge?

Trina asks Zeke, what’s going on with Curtis and her mom? but he says, her mother will let her know when the time is right. He knows Trina would do anything for her mom, but this is between her mom and Curtis. Trina says she’ll hang back for now, and he says, she was always her mom’s little defender. She asks what that means, and he says, no one would dare upset her mom, or they’d get a kick in the shins from… He points at her, and she says she wasn’t that bad. They sit back down, and he tells her that he didn’t say it was bad; she was amazing. It also wasn’t one-sided. Her mom was an expert shin kicker if she thought someone was going to hurt her little girl. The two of them had quite the bond. It’s good to see her all fired up and protective. It’s good to see that bond is still there. She says, that doesn’t mean she’s still not angry with her mom for lying to her. When she was little, she and her mom were honest about everything. At least she thought. But he’s right. Her mom may have disappointed her, but she’ll always love her. If anything happens to her, she’ll be at her side.

Curtis says he doesn’t have a good explanation, and Portia says, this is incredible. After all of this talk about honesty and openness, he had no problem not sharing this with her. He says, she can’t compare this one transgression, kissing Jordan one time, to her twenty years of lying about Trina’s paternity, and she says, that gives him a lifetime pass? She deserves to know the truth. They’re married. She doesn’t understand what happened. He says he was in rough shape. He started talking to Jordan. They’d been hanging out for a while… She says, wait a second. He said it was one kiss. Now he’s making it sound like it was more than that. He says, it wasn’t more than that, and she says, but he was thinking about Jordan and sought her out. He says, it wasn’t like that, but Portia says, he was confiding in her, and she comforted him. He says, it’s history; that’s all it is. She says, really? Because to her, it sounds real current. And they both know Jordan has been harboring feelings for him. She just never knew he felt the same way.

Tracy sees Leo sitting on a credenza in a waiting area, playing with his fidget spinner. She says, there he is. He’s quite the runner, isn’t he? He asks why his dad said he wasn’t his dad, and Tracy says, technically, he’s not. Leo tells her, that’s what he said, but then his dad said he never adopted him. She asks what he knows about her, and he says, she’s mean. She and I laugh, and she says, maybe, but she’s direct. She’s going to tell him the truth. She sits next to him, and says, his dad fell. And he hit his head so hard… he’s confused. He’s so confused, he doesn’t recognize his family. That hurts her feelings. She imagines it hurts his too. He nods, and she says, but she knows somewhere deep inside his dad knows exactly who they are. He just can’t remember it right now, but he knows it. Because the man in that bed is Leo’s dad. He’ll always be Leo’s dad. Got it? Leo nods, and she puts her arm around him, pulling him close, and he hugs her. That was just precious.

Olivia asks when she’s getting her husband back, and TJ says, Ned has to be seen by a neurologist and a psychiatrist, and they’ll have recommendations on how to proceed. Until then, they won’t know for any certainty when Ned will recover. Brook says, but it’s not like he’s going to be Eddie Maine forever, and TJ says, they’ll do everything possible to treat him, but it’s just too soon to tell. Olivia says, this is crazy, and TJ says he wishes he could do more. Dante says, it’s okay, and TJ says, in the meantime, he’ll call in the additional specialists he mentioned, and they’ll determine a course of treatment. Olivia thanks him, and he leaves.

Ava tells Austin, she can’t get Pilar fired. She’s been working for Sonny for years. Avery loves her. He says, will Avery love Pilar more than Ava who’s dead and gone, thank you Cousin Mason? He’s just saying. Who is she going to turn to? Nina? Carly? Ava says, okay, point taken. Pilar’s out. He says, she can get this done, and she says, in her sleep.

Jordan doesn’t know what to say, and Laura tells her, say yes. She needs Jordan by her side. The city of Port Charles needs her. Jordan says she told Laura that she’d do anything for her, and she meant it. She accepts. Laura shakes her hand, and says, welcome aboard, Deputy Mayor Ashford. She asks if Jordan likes the sound of that, and Jordan says she does.

Zeke says he always knew Trina would stand up for her mom, but it’s good to hear her say it. Trina says, he’s not the first person to make the case for her mom. In fact, he’s not the first person today. Curtis went out of his way to tell her how much her mom missed her… What isn’t he telling her? He says, maybe she should keep her distance, and she says, from who? He says, from Curtis. Wow. Isn’t he all up in his sister’s business? And so quickly.

Curtis takes Portia’s hands, and says, Jordan’s his past. She’s his future. He wants to be with her. Her voice breaks as she says she wants to believe him, and he says, please don’t give up on them. Not when they’re so close to finding their way back to each other. She says she wishes it was that simple, taking her hands from his. She says she can’t be here right now, and leaves.

Nina says, Sonny is concerned about her? and he says, she had him thinking the worst. Like she was going to tell him something terrible. She lost her engagement ring. Does she think he cares about that? She says, it’s her engagement ring that she loves. It’s beautiful and it’s expensive. He says, it’s a piece of jewelry. As long as he’s with her, that’s all he cares about. He hugs her.

Laughing, Tracy plays with the fidget spinner, and tells Leo, this is fun. It flies off her finger, and onto the floor. They both jump down to get it, and she says, did she break it? She can get Leo another one. Leo says, it drops all the time. See? He spins it. It’s okay. She says, so it is.

Olivia says, what if Ned never comes back to them? but Dante says, he will. She says, he heard what TJ just said, and Dante says, he’s just doing his job, letting her know about possible outcomes. So let’s wait for the neurologist and psychiatrist to get in here, and see what happens. She says, okay, and he hugs her, saying, give it some time.

Brook looks through the room window at Ned.

Tomorrow, Taggert tells Jordan, if he said no, would she believe him; Drew tells Sam, it’s the best possible solution; and Carly tells Sonny, things are about to be resolved with the SEC.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Last night of charter. Daisy asks if she and Colin are okay, and he says, his policy in life is honesty. Ileisha hopes that guest Kevin is drunk enough that he won’t notice his piece of cake is a mess. Kevin thinks it’s small, but he’s more of a mess than the cake, so it’s a non-issue. Colin says he’s over it, and Daisy says, no way she wanted this drama. He tells her, it’ll be fine, and she says she’s sorry. In Colin’s interview, he says, you don’t often hear Daisy say she’s sorry or admit she’s wrong. He knows she cares and feels remorse, but it’s hard to swallow since he has true feelings involved. They hug it out. The guests and most of the crew go to bed. Alex points out various fish to Mads, and in Alex’s interview, he says he loves working, but he’d rather hang out with Mads. He considers this work/life balance.  

Last day of charter. Daisy tells Ileisha that breakfast is at 9, and tells Lucy, happy graduation. In Gary’s interview, he says, if Colin is willing to throw the friendship away over this, it didn’t mean that much to him. The guests sit for breakfast, and Suginia says, they’ve had an amazing time. She can’t believe it’s coming to an end. Chase calls Gary, and shows him crumbs under the table. He says, this is how the whole boat looked before. In his interview, Gary says, if Alex only had a few hours, he should focus on the obvious sh*t like crumbs. He’s pissed off. Alex should know better. He tells Chase that Alex should be able to tell what to prioritize by now. Colin tells Daisy that they’re moving in the right direction, and they hug. Daisy tells the guests that she would love for them to stay. They’re having a party for Lucy’s graduation. Lucy’s friends video call her, and in Lucy’s interview, she says she’s not at her own graduation. That’s the life of yachting, but she would do it again, so she can’t get upset. Tonight she wants to have a couple shots and get drunk. Glenn tells Colin to fire up when he’s ready. The anchor is home, and Gary sings, it’s your graduation to Lucy as she washes dishes. They dock, and there are the usual hugs and goodbyes. Suginia says, it was amazing. From the bottom of her heart she thanks each and every one of them. Ileisha taking the time to make Johnny cakes had her beloved Grandma Flo smiling down. She gives Glenn a small token for the best yachting crew ever, handing him the tip envelope. Glenn toots the horn, and the guests wave. Ileisha is pleased that she got a shout out, and the crew changes clothes.

Gary tells Alex about the crumbs, and says, Chase wasn’t happy. Alex asks if Chase was upset, and Chase says, it’s not the best to see food where the guests were sitting. In Chase’s interview, he says he didn’t expect Gary to run to Alex about the food on the sundeck. Gary says, suck it up buttercup, like he could ever be Captain Lee, and in his interview, Chase says, this is pissing him off. Gary is making him look like a tattletale bitch. In Alex’s interview, he says he shouldn’t have to hear from Gary how Chase feels. He’s dealing with small d*ck energy. Glenn radios the crew for the tip meeting, and says, it was a fun charter. All around, the service was good, so kudos for that. They raved about the Caribbean dinner as well, but it’s not time to let foot off pedal. They need to remotivate, and see it through to the end. The tip is $20K, or 1957 euros each. In Lucy’s interview, their hard work paid off. She couldn’t be at her graduation, but $20K… Chase helps Ileisha in the galley, and in her interview, she says, Chase is a sweetheart. He’s good looking, tall, and has a good body, but her boyfriend has those things. It’s tough long distance, but she’s pretty loyal… She laughs and says, she is loyal. Daisy tells Gary that she to chat with him and Colin, but Gary says, it will blow over. Daisy asks Mads to help her decorate for Lucy’s graduation, and in their cabin, Chase tells Gary that if Ileisha crawled in his bed, he wouldn’t kick her out. Gary says, neither would he, and Chase says, he can’t have them all. Mads and Daisy decorate, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Lucy made it clear that she’s sad she’s not home, but they’ll have her family on FaceTime. They’ll bring the graduation to the Parsifal.

The crew gathers together, and when Lucy joins them, they cheer. She sees her family on the laptop, and the crew puts a cap and gown on her. In Lucy’s interview, she says, this is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for her. She sees her grandad and gran, and tells them that she’s going to get pissed. She loves them. The crew leaves in a taxi, Daisy going with Colin and Gary. Daisy says, they lost focus. Together, they’re a team. Gary asks how Colin feels, but he doesn’t think crew night out is the time. In Gary’s interview, he says, the van ride is awkward. He’s not good with confrontation, and he’s very nervous. They get to the restaurant, and Daisy toasts to Lucy being a smart, beautiful woman. Back on the boat, Glenn plays chess with himself. Some of the crew steps away for a smoke, and Gary tells Colin that he’s sorry he lied. It was a catch-22 for him. Colin says, Gary is a p*ssy, and Gary says he told the truth, but lied to Daisy in breaking his promise. Hindsight is a beautiful thing. Colin says, when he asked Gary about hooking up with Daisy, he said no. He lied to Colin’s face, and Colin never would have done that. That’s why it hurt. Gary says, he feels like a puss, but nothing is happening between them. In Colin’s interview, he says, Gary hasn’t respected his and Daisy’s relationship. He’ll take what Gary says with a pinch of salt. He doesn’t know what to believe.

Gary says he’s been a d*ck the majority of his life. He wanted to show he could keep a promise. He was in a lose-lose situation. Mads in still keeping her distance from Gary, and in her interview, she says, she made the wrong choice. She put herself in this position, and set a bomb about to explode. She tells Alex that she wishes she could rechoose. Colin tells Gary that he thought the van ride was scary. He thought Daisy was going to be like, you did this, and you did that. In Daisy’s interview, she says, she feels the weight being lifted. She’s relieved Gary and Colin are speaking to each other. She’s ready to forget this f***ing mess and move forward.

Just before they get back on the boat, Lucy and Gary jump in the water in their underwear. In Lucy’s interview, she says, sorry mum and dad. On the boat, Mads gets in the jacuzzi with Alex, and Daisy gets in bed with Colin. Mads decides to call her family, and when Gary sees her, he says, she’s pathetic. She tells him, f*** off. She’s trying to speak to her family. He says, she’s being weird, and he doesn’t know why. Ileisha and Chase hunt for food in the galley. Mads tells Lucy that she was trying to call her family, and Gary called her pathetic. She’s not answering him; it’s f***ing over. She has guys who can f*** her just as well. Ileisha hugs Chase, and thanks him for helping her through her struggles and being there as a friend. In his interview, he sighs. She tells him that she appreciates him, and he says, his pleasure. They go to their separate cabins, and Chase tells Gary that Ileisha is killing him. She’s hugging and caressing him, and every moment he feels like they’re going to make out. Gary says, she’s putting him in the friendzone, and Chase realizes Daisy is in Colin’s bed. He says he’s not coming back, and leaves. He asks if he can sleep in Ileisha’s room, but she says, he can’t sleep next to her. In her interview, she says she feels bad for him, and he ends up sleeping in the crew mess. Half asleep, Daisy mistakes Colin for Gary, and asks what he’s doing in her bed. In Colin’s interview, he says he’s never been mistaken for someone else in bed.

Daisy tells Colin that she kept seeing Gary’s face; she’s not going to lie. In Colin’s interview, he says it’s a blow to his ego, and he wonders if she’s thinking about Gary when they’re fooling around. He tells her that she’s an idiot; a stage five idiot. She goes back to her cabin. In the morning, everyone stumbles out, holding their heads. I can’t imagine waking up hungover on a boat and having to work. It makes me queasy just thinking about it. Chase tells Gary that he called Mads pathetic, and Mads tells Daisy that she’s not giving Gary attention, and he called her pathetic. Lucy throws up, and Mads thinks she’s still drunk. Gary asks if Mads wants to chat, and in his interview, he says, she’s pissed. Maybe she likes him if it affected her so much. He says, Chase told him what he said, but he has no recollection of it. He’s sorry. She says she’s never been called pathetic in her life. She’s going back to bed. In Gary’s interview, he says he apologized, but she’s still keeping a grudge. He follows her, and says, he apologized for something he doesn’t remember. Colin walked into the room when they were having sex, and she let it blow over. She says she doesn’t want to start. It pisses her off that he said that too. F*** off. Making his bed, Glenn says he had weird dreams last night, and I wonder if it was another donkey dream. They clean the boat, and Gary asks Daisy if she and Colin hooked up last night, but she says, they kissed. Lucy says she feels like she was dragged through a bush backward. Daisy and Gary joke around, and Colin doesn’t look happy. Daisy asks to talk to Colin in the guest area, and he says he’s pissed off at her. Daisy says, the two of them are in her head, and she wants them out of her head. Colin says, it’s unbelievable that she’s giving him this attitude, and she says, Gary needs to stop being in her head. It’s his fault. She wasn’t thinking about him; she didn’t know where she was. Colin says, she’s blaming literally everyone else for what comes out of her mouth. She needs to take accountability.

Chase tells Alex that twice he gave feedback on the night thing. The first time he asked to talk to Alex on his own, but Gary said, no way; he’d handle it. Then he tried to shoot down what Chase was going for. He suggests they include Gary in as little as possible, and Alex says, cut out the little middleman. In Alex’s interview, he says, the only reason there’s a problem with him and Chase is, Gary is f***ing up the communication chain. He and Chase fist bump. Daisy tells Colin that she apologized, but Gary started this. He says he wants her to figure out what she wants, and she says she wants him. He says, if you want someone, you’re not thinking about other people, and in Daisy’s interview, she says she was thinking about the two of them, and the friendship mess they’re in. I’m not sure if I missed something, but all of a sudden, it seems all good.  

It’s time for the preference sheet meeting, and Glenn says, primary Alisa is in finance. She wants to be with her amigos doing water sports and wants a guitar serenade. They all say, Colin, and Daisy reads that they want a sushi, seafood, and sashimi dinner with oysters, and Italian fare; chef’s choice. Ileisha says, that’s her favorite thing, and Daisy reads that they also want a Viva le France party. Glenn says, France isn’t all that far from where they are. Maybe he can take them there for the dinner.

The next morning, provisions come in. Glenn says, the guests will be here in 20 minutes, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, at this point in the game, he has the same high expectations as he did at the beginning. He’s happy, but wants them to finish strong, not limp their way to the end of the season. He wants to push them a little bit to keep them on top of their game. Glenn tells the guests to kick off their shoes, and welcomes them to Sardinia and the Parsifal. They have a lot of stuff planned, but first Daisy will give them a tour. After the tour, oysters are served, and they look amazing. Guest Tim says he wants marry Daisy when she presents the oysters to him, and I think, me too. The guests agree the view is awesome, and ask Mads to take a group photo. They drop anchor, and shut down the engines.

There’s a boat close behind, and Gary thinks they might be dragging. Glenn doesn’t want to fire it up until they’re sure, and still checking, Gary says, they’re definitely dragging. He lets out more chain, and yells for the other boat to do the same. One of the guests says, it’s getting dicey, and Gary yells for help with the fenders. He asks Glenn to reverse, and one of the guests says, they know they shouldn’t be this close. The other boat starts to throw out their fenders.

To be continued…

But we don’t have to wait.

Gary lets out more chain, and Glenn reverses. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the other boat is going to T-bone them, and they’re not doing anything. He’s got to let out the chain, shut the thrusters down, and spin around or they’re f***ed. Gary finally says, they’re clear. His f***ing heart. Mine too. In his interview, Glenn says, this is the first time it was too close for comfort, but the Parsifal lives to sink another day. Moving on to the next crisis. Daisy says, just another day on the Parsifal. I’ve seen those situations where another boat will think they’re big stuff and play chicken, trying to force the superyacht to move, but the way this looked, I don’t think the other boat knew what to do. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, sushi is an art form. She wants to make something different, so she’s making mosaic sushi. She’s a chef because she loves creating beautiful pieces. They drop anchor again.

The sushi is served, and when Daisy says, it’s tuna onigiri, Tim says, tuna on Gary. Daisy says, Gary might enjoy it. Be careful what they wish for. In the laundry, Lucy says she has towels coming out her a-hole, and Daisy asks Gary to be a sushi model tonight. He says he’ll do it, but they’re not allowed to eat the worm in the middle. Ugh. He’s so gross. In Colin’s interview, he says, Gary’s given his blessing for him to pursue Daisy, yet Gary’s still flirty like he’s pursuing her. Maybe he’s overthinking it (probably), but it feels like something different now. Ileisha is excited to do the Italian food, and the guests tell Alex that he looks like hot Jesus. Daisy’s sister Bonnie texts that she’s coming to visit, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, Bonnie is free-spirited. She thinks the change of energy will be good for her. She laughs, and says, Bonnie drinks like a fish, so she’ll fit in quite well. The guests use the water toys, and one of the women loses their pants while racing Alex on a bodyboard. Alex says, cheeky. In the crew mess, Chase says he heard they almost hit a boat, and Mads tells him about it. I guess he slept through the whole thing, and I can identify. My house was flooded during Hurricane Sandy, and I slept through most of it on the third floor. Tim looks around for service, and Glenn tells Lucy. In Glenn’s interview, he says he never wants a guest to come looking for service. The expectation level for service on charter one doesn’t change when they get to charter seven. A guest shouldn’t have to come looking for anyone.

Mads tells Daisy that she was putting away stuff – we flash back to her chatting with Chase in the crew mess – and Glenn came down. He told her that one of them always needs to be one deck, but she was literally on her way up. Daisy thinks having two of them there at all times is unreasonable, when Glenn comes by, and tells her to try and stay on top of things. The stews decorate the table with flowers, and it’s gorgeous. The guests get a beautiful sunset for dinner as well. In Gary’s interview, he says he wanted to give Mads space, but it’s difficult because he’s an attention seeker. He feels like he’s in kindergarten again. The guests sit down, and dinner begins with more amazing oysters. Mads says she needs a sugar daddy; she can’t do this life anymore. Glenn asks Daisy to check on the guests, and she says she was literally there five minutes ago. Guest Robyn starts to open a bottle of something, and in Daisy’s interview, she says, oops, and sighs. Chase shows Ileisha his muscles, and Glenn sings deedly-deet while getting ready for bed.

Glenn gets a message that they can dock in France, and in his interview, he says, Bonifacio, Corsica is less than two hours away. He wants to seize the moment, and give the guests something special. It’s one of the coolest ports in France, and he thinks it’s going to be awesome. Daisy texts Bonnie that she can’t wait for her to meet Colin and Gary. Tim asks if they can move upstairs where there’s a breeze, and Daisy says, it will just take them two seconds, but the guests insist on helping by carrying their own plates. Glenn tells Daisy, it’s not cool. He wishes he’d known; he would have asked the boys to put up the awning. In his interview, Glenn says he doesn’t know what’s going on with Daisy, but now isn’t the time to drag their asses. Star players are always improving, and that’s his goal. Daisy says, stupid f***ing cockpit.

In the morning, it’s freshly baked blueberry and blackberry muffins. I would be huge in a minute on one of these cruises. I would do nothing but eat. Gary tells Lucy that he’s trying to give Mads space, and in Lucy’s interview, she wonders what he wants from her. He and Mads aren’t getting married. She’s not getting involved. Mads drops a glass, and Gary is right there to help clean up, saying, sh*t happens. Daisy kisses Colin, and he asks how her day is going. She says, sh*tty, but she’s trying not to let it get to her. Her sister is coming on their night out. Colin says he’s excited to meet her. Alisa says, what vacation could top this? and Tim says he’s excited about France. Glenn radios Colin and says he’s getting ready to sail, and Colin says, go for it. In Chase’s interview, she says he’s finally figuring Gary out. No matter what Gary says, he’ll smile and do the work. He wants to tell Gary off, but he’s not going to. The anchor is in the pocket, the pirate movie music plays, and they sail. Things slide and pop open, and one of the guests says, who needs a roller coaster? Glenn says, goodbye Sardinia; hello Corsica.

The guests rate the sail a ten out of ten, and Daisy tells the stews, as soon as they get there, do the table and turn downs. Keep their radios with them and on at all times. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the stakes are high. The space to dock is long and narrow, and there’s no room to turn a boat this size. He has to dock in reverse. If you can dock here, everywhere else is a breeze. The guests find the city breathtaking, and Tim asks the next boat if they have any Grey Poupon. Gary and Daisy take the guests for a walk in the city, and Gary does some shopping. In Ileisha’s interview, she says she’s doing sushi and seafood isn’t French, but since they’re in France, she’ll give them a French vibe. They’re going to love it; she’s amazing. Daisy asks Gary where her present is, but he says he couldn’t find anything suitable. She’s got a boyfriend now, and it’s made things awkward and complicated. Back at the boat, Glenn tells Gary to take a shower, but Gary jokes, it will add extra salt. Gary does shower, and as he lies down to be the sushi platter, Colin gets ready with his guitar, and Daisy tells him to take his shirt off too. They decorate Gary with the sushi, putting wasabi on his nipples. In Mads’ interview, she says, she had sex with Gary, but she still wouldn’t eat off him; it’s so unsanitary. I love sushi, but I wouldn’t eat off Gary either. Or anyone. Just the thought of it is grossing me out.

The guests toast to making memories, and applaud Gary being a good sport. When he’s done being a sushi plate, Gary shows Glenn his nipples, saying, they’re burning from the wasabi. Alisa says, Ileisha nails it every time, and Tim says, it’s Gary fresh. In Glenn’s interview, he says, maneuvering this port in the dark is even more challenging. There are reeds and underwater rocks. You have to be confident in your chart work and navigation. As they pull out, Alex says, the party’s over, and their fries aren’t even that good. Mads calls Gary stupid, and he tries to hug her. In her interview, she says, she’s not big on holding a grudge. She can easily forgive, but in the end, people show their true colors. She tells Gary that he’s so ridiculous. Anchor is dropped in Cannigione, and Colin tells Gary that Bonnie is coming tomorrow.

Last day of charter. They head for Igy Marina, and Daisy tells Glenn about her sister coming to town. She asks if it’s okay if Bonnie stays on the boat after their night out. Glenn says he’d love to meet her, and Daisy says, she’s a good time. No surprise, the guests don’t want to go.  Fancy Eggs Benedict comes out, and Tim says, it’s a sad day for all of them. When they head inside, Tim walks into the door. He’s bleeding, and Gary radios Daisy for ice, but she’s busy talking to Ileisha and doesn’t hear him. It’s time to dock, and in Gary’s interview, he says, if he’s not there because he’s tending to a guest, and something happens, it’s his fault. Where is Daisy? It’s absurd.

Glenn asks, what the hell is going on? and Gary says, Tim is bleeding. He radios Daisy again, but she still doesn’t hear. Another guest gives Tim tissues to hold against his wound. They dock, and in Glenn’s interview, he says, it’s been 15 minutes since they made the call to tend to Tim. Why the hell haven’t they taken care of him? It’s unacceptable. Glenn finds Daisy, and says, they called when they were docking. She gets ice, and in her interview, she says, if it’s a serious injury, she would presume somebody would come find her on this relatively small boat. She says she’s sorry; she didn’t hear the call. Alisa asks if Tim sees stars, and he says he did, but now he’s good. Daisy runs in with the ice, apologizing for missing the radio call. They were docking, and she zoned out. She asks if it hurts, and Tim says, his ego more. Yeah, been there, done that.

The guests say their goodbyes, and Alisa says, they had the most amazing time, and thanks Glenn for making France happen. It was a once in a lifetime trip, and they appreciated tuna Gary. She gives Glenn the tip envelope, and he tells them to have a safe trip home. The horn and the waving happen, and Glenn says he’s calling the tip meeting now. They gather in the main saloon, and Glenn says he knows they’re tired and burned out, but that’s not a good reason to drop the ball. Please keep their radios on, and make sure they’re working; it’s a safety issue. They need communication at all times. He can’t stress that enough. Daisy says, when they’re docking she can’t hear it; it doesn’t pass through. Glenn says, that’s an excuse, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t want to hear it. You f***ed up; own it. He says, Tim cut himself and was bleeding for 15 minutes. It’s unacceptable.

Next time, guests in heels with fans; a boat race; Bonnie arrives; and Mads says, if she’d been trying to go for better, she would have made out with Alex.

😵‍💫 Just Another Manic Monday…

Drop in tomorrow for soap and tea, since Jersey is blessedly over. Until then, stay safe, stay having private conversations in private, and stay remembering that being angry can become like a rock sitting on your shoulders.

June 16, 2023 – Ned Is Brought Out of Twilight Sleep, School’s Out, Not Too Late, Something, Après Rules, Messy Lou, Almost Here, Pets (!) Of the Famous, 3 Squared Quotes & Parade

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Finn plays a solo game of Backgammon in the breakroom, when Elizabeth walks in and asks if he’s playing against himself. He asks what she wants to hear, and she asks if he has no friends. He says, Tracy’s back in town, so he’s practicing. He can’t let her beat him. She’s impossible to deal with under normal circumstances. If she got a win… He’s got to stay on his toes. Elizabeth says, maybe she can help, and sits across from him.

Diane and Alexis find seats at the Bistro, and Diane says she keeps forgetting this place serves Earl Grey by default. She’s not a fan. Alexis says, take it back and get something else, but Diane says she can’t. Alexis calls her a martyr, and asks why she’s so cranky. Somebody on her mind? Diane says, if she’s referring to DA Scorpio, no. Holly left town; Robert told her himself. Alexis says, that sounds good… isn’t it? but Diane says, he couldn’t say if or when she was going to return. Alexis says, sounds like a win to her. She’s gone; he’s here. So is Diane.

On the phone, Cody says he knows they have a lot going on right now, but he wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important. Sam asks if he got arrested again, and he says, no, but he does need her help. She says, with what? and he says, exposing Gladys Corbin.

Sasha comes into Willow’s room, apologizing for being late, but Willow says she imagines it take time to get all suited up. Sasha says, that’s not what distracted her. She got hung up by an email. Willow says she has no concept of time in this room. She’s just glad Sasha’s here. Sasha says, Willow looks so much better, and Willow thanks her. She says she doesn’t want to sound insensitive, but Sasha’s eyes look red. Has she been crying? Sasha says, time to rethink Deception’s concealer formula (well, I would hope you don’t put it in your eyes), and Willow asks, what’s going on? Sasha says she was crying because of Nina.

On the phone, Michael asks Dex if there’s any news from the Pikeman camp… Keep him posted. It’s important Sonny thinks things are status quo. He doesn’t want Sonny to know they had any connection. Chase comes along and asks how Willow is doing. Michael says, she’s holding her own. Sasha’s in with her right now. Chase says, no more phones? and Michael says, they still have to wear masks and gowns to keep the room sterile, but she’s only allowed one visitor at a time. Chase says, that’s great. He’s sure she appreciates the human contact. Michael says, what about him? and Chase says he’s actually trying to avoid human contact. Everybody’s on the 10th floor, waiting for news about Ned, and he doesn’t want to get in the way of… Michael says, Brook’s sweet Granny Tracy?

TJ checks Ned’s vitals, as Olivia stands by nervously. Tracy and Brook come in, and Brook asks how he is. Olivia tells them, the doctor said, it’s time to bring Ned out of his twilight sleep. Brook says, sounds hopeful, and Tracy asks TJ, is it hopeful?

Finn tells Elizabeth that backgammon dates back 5000 years, and she says she didn’t realize she was in for a history lesson. Elizabeth makes a good move, and Finn says, that was lucky. Gilgamesh, the Mesopotamian king who wanted immortality, would play. She says she guesses he had to do something if he was going to live forever, and Finn says, big time player? Cleopatra. Elizabeth says, wow, and Finn says, maybe the best of all; Lucille Ball. She and Sammy Davis would just sit down at parties and start playing backgammon. She asks if he’s trying to distract her with this amazing information and his dazzling charm, and he says, the dazzling charm comes naturally. The backgammon history is a bonus. She says, so he’s a charmer and a nerd; it’s a winning combination. He asks if she just called him a nerd, and she makes a winning move, saying, she thinks she likes this game.

Diane tells Alexis, Robert said his complicated life just got less complicated. Isn’t that attractive? Then their uncomplicated conversation became more complicated after Olivia Quartermaine came over and started pressing Robert for inside information on the SEC case, and was there a possible deal on the table where her client Carly could give up her client Sonny. Alexis says, and Diane was all ears, and Diane says, of course (🍷) she was. Robert didn’t seem to appreciate that. She just doesn’t know if they’re compatible. Alexis says, Diane really likes those bad boy clients, doesn’t she? and Diane says, she likes the bad boy clients? She coughs, saying, Jerry Jax…. cough, cough… Julian Jerome. Alexis says, stop. Everyone to their corners. Diane says, that’s not what she wanted to talk about anyway. She’s consulting on a new case, and she needs Alexis’s great wisdom. Has she ever heard of Bidz Secure? With a Z. It’s crypto currency. Alexis says she doesn’t do that, and Diane says, neither does she. Just stay with her. It’s a digital currency security start-up. Their client is the CFO who’s been accused of stealing the keys to a big wallet which has somehow gone missing. Alexis says, a big wallet? and Diane says, it’s not a real wallet. It’s a digital wallet. He says he’s being framed by the CEO, who’s apparently a real crypto bro, according to her associate. Alexis says, that’s a he said/he said, and Diane says, the wife of the crypto bro CEO says she actually witnessed their client downloading funds, so it’s a he said/she said/he said. Alexis says, it sounds like Diane doesn’t believe what she said. Does she have any evidence? Diane says, no. The security is all in the digital ether, so there’s no paper trail. It’s keystrokes and clicks, and no, she doesn’t believe her. According to Diane’s associate, her husband is a real shark. Alexis says, so where does the shark swim? What does the shark eat? Diane asks if Alexis is having a stroke. What is she talking about? Alexis says, hunger. She may not know anything about tech bros, but she knows something about bros, and if it were her, she would be looking into the proclivities and the extracurricular activities of this certain CEO, and Diane might find something that his wife doesn’t like. If she’s going out on a limb for a lying cheater, or worse, she might think twice. Diane says, Alexis Davis, you are yummy and brilliant and devious, and Alexis says, all’s fair in love and law.

Cody tells Sam that he’ll fill her in when she gets here. He’s at the stables. He thanks her, and flashes back to talking to Brook saying he has the support of her entire family, granny aside. He says, Comet would miss him. Wouldn’t you boy? He puts his forehead against the horse, and says, apparently, there’s a few people out there who would. Don’t worry. Gladys won’t get rid of him that easily.

TJ says, his hope is that the sedation allowed Ned’s brain to rest, preventing any further swelling and maybe decreasing it. Tracy says, hope; that’s carefully worded. He says, medical professionals are discouraged from giving blanket assurances, but he can tell them that Ned’s medical team is cautiously optimistic. Brook thanks him, and asks, what’s next? TJ says, they’ll wake him up and assess his cognitive state, and Olivia says she was told there was a slight chance of lasting effects. Tracy says, like what? and he says, they’re getting ahead of themselves. Instead of rattling off a list of possible complications, they’ll start with removing Ned’s IV sedation, and work from there.

Diane says, Alexis misses being a lawyer; she can hear it. Alexis says, miss it? Being a lawyer is like voluntarily signing up to go into battle with an army of paperwork and legal jargon. It’s like navigating a perverse maze of precedents and cases that have no mercy. Diane says, but cracking the case. Wiping the smug grin off the face of opposing counsel. That was never done to her of course (🍷), but then there’s winning, winning, winning. Alexis says, pages and pages and pages of statutory law that you have to memorize, only to find out that it’s just been revised, and Diane says, it’s like putting together a giant puzzle. Alexis says, you get no sleep, you have no life, because you know you have to be in court for the next 20 days in a row, and Diane says, that’s why we have caffeine. Alexis says, to watch an innocent person get exonerated and order restored to a chaotic world. God, she misses it so much. It’s like losing a limb. She misses arguing in court; she loved arguing. And the thrill of advocating for justice. It’s who she is. She can’t just stand on the sidelines and watch. Diane says, like a reporter?

Sam arrives at the stables, and tells Cody, this better be important. She’s got to go back to the hospital. He asks, how’s Ned? Leo and Brook were here earlier. So was Tracy. Sam says, so he met Tracy, and he says, it was quite the experience. She’s a mother who’s worried about her son. They’re all worried. Sam says she and Dante are at the hospital supporting Dante’s mother, so if Cody wouldn’t mind being brief; what’s his plan? He says, that’s what he needs her help with, and she says she thought he needed help executing the plan, not brainstorming the whole damn thing. He’s never had problems executing his own schemes before. He says, way harsh. Besides, she has proximity to the Corinthos family. She can gain inside knowledge on Gladys a helluva lot easier than he could. Besides, she’s the only one who knows the whole story and believes him. She says she doesn’t know the whole story. He never told her Gladys’s motive for framing him. He says, she does believe him, right?

Willow says, Nina made Sasha cry? What has she done now? Sasha says, it’s not what Willow thinks. These are tears of joy. Willow asks if they’re in a parallel universe. Nina sparked joy? Sasha says, very funny. Willow must be feeling better. Willow says she’s just trying to process, and Sasha says she knows Willow’s relationship with Nina has been… Willow says, disastrous… fraught, and Sasha says, and this is all her fault. There was a time when she and Nina were at odds, remember? Willow says, now Sasha will tell her again how that’s all changed, and Sasha says, it has changed. Nina just wrote her the most wonderful letter of commendation to end her guardianship. Willow says, that’s great. She’s so proud of Sasha. Sasha thanks her, and says she’s finally ready to move forward. How about Willow?

Michael says, so Tracy is putting Chase through the paces, and Chase says, oh yeah. Now he knows how Comet feels. Michael says, she’s not as bad as she seems. When the chips are down, she loves her family, and she’s extremely loyal. Maybe too loyal, but she loves Brook. They have this whole love/hate thing going on. Chase says, but Brook can hold her own. It’s actually kind of fun to watch. Michael says, looks like someone is getting desensitized to the Quartermaine ways, and Chase asks how Michael is holding up through all this. Michael says, it’s a roller coaster. But they’ll get to the other side. He’s just really thankful for the nanny, because with Wiley’s endless energy and keeping Amelia on track is a non-stop juggling act. Chase says he can’t imagine that. It’s got to take a lot of strength and patience, especially while worrying about Willow.

Tracy asks, how long is this going to take? and Brook asks if she has a pickleball championship. Why doesn’t she wait outside with Dante? Olivia says, TJ told them, it could be twenty minutes; it could be a few hours. Tracy is acting like a six-year-old on a road trip. Stop. Tracy says, where is the doctor? Can’t they be doing more? What happened to the Quartermaine name? Monica left them… Olivia says, seriously? Tracy can’t sit in her own son’s ICU room without complaining about everything? Tracy says, he’s used to it. It’s like home. Ned moves his head, and Tracy says she rests her case. Olivia says, they’re here, and Ned opens his eyes, the three of them coming into focus. He closes his eyes again, as we all would.

Elizabeth sets up another game, and Finn says, today’s the last day of being just Nurse Baldwin. How does it feel? She says, it feels good. She’s happy to have been chosen for this position. She hopes she can do some good. Maybe bring some healing to this hospital. Lord knows they could use it after losing Epiphany. He says he thinks she’s the right person to bring back the humanity they need, and she thanks him. She says she keeps telling herself, this isn’t about her. It’s about her service to the patients and the staff who work so hard. She’s been linked to this hospital her entire life. One of her grandfathers was Dr. Hardy, the symbol of virtue, the true hero of General Hospital. I find myself nodding. It’s in this place she’s had her highest highs and her lowest lows. This place has put her back together more times than she’d like to count. Let’s not forget all the legends of the nurses station; Jessie Brewer, Bobbie Spencer, and Epiphany. Sometimes she wonders if she’s strong enough to be like them. Finn says, she is strong. In the end, she might be the strongest of them all.

Sam says she bailed Cody out. If she’d thought he was a thief, she wouldn’t have bothered. He thanks her, and she says, maybe it’s best if he does this legally. Why doesn’t he ask Dante for help? He says he doesn’t want to compromise Dante, and she laughs, and says, but he’s compromising her? He says he could just skip town, but she’d be out her bail money, and she says she’d find him in a heartbeat. He says he has no doubt, and feeds Comet some carrots. He says, it kills him that Sasha doesn’t know who Gladys really is, and Sam says, which is why they need to prove that the bracelet was planted. He says, Sasha needs to know that Gladys can’t be trusted. So does Port Charles. Sam suggests they just focus on keeping him out of jail, and not bite off more than they can chew. Feeding Comet more carrots, Cody tells her, Comet says, why limit ourselves?

Michael tells Chase that his heart breaks every time there’s a moment with Amelia, and Willow’s not there to experience it. The other day, Amelia looked up at him and smiled at him for the first time, like she really saw him. It was incredible, but Willow wasn’t there; she was here. He tries to record what he can on his phone, but it’s not the same. Willow needs to be there, experiencing it firsthand, to see the look on Amelia’s face when she lights up. It’s time she’ll never get back. Chase says, she’ll be able to watch those videos forever, and she’ll treasure every single one of them. Even more because she’ll know Michael took the time to record, even though he was going through his own hell.

Sasha tells Willow that she just met with Dr. Montague. He’s the psychiatrist the court appointed to evaluate her. Willow asks, how’d it go? and Sasha says, pretty good? She thinks. It’s hard to know for sure. Willow is sure Dr. Montague was very impressed. Why wouldn’t he be? Sasha has survived things that would have broken anyone else. Sasha says, Willow’s one to talk, and Willow says, having the support of family and friends has made all the difference. Sasha says, same, and Nina was a very big part of that for her. Nina was there for her when she gave Nina every reason to hate her. She pretended to be the thing Nina wanted more than anything. Nina was searching for her daughter, and what she and Valentin did was horrible, but Nina somehow found the strength and love to forgive her. That could not have been easy. Willow says she sees what Sasha is doing, but Nina has put her and the family she loves through the wringer. Some things can’t be forgiven.

Finn says, maybe it’s time for a Hardy to be in charge again. Elizabeth’s Gram was a legend in her own right. It’s kind of her destiny. Elizabeth says, those are some big shoes to fill, and he says, the shoe fits, Cinderella. He’s sorry he couldn’t join her celebration last night. She says, couldn’t or wouldn’t? She realizes girls night out isn’t for everyone, but we missed you. He says, we? and she says, I missed you. He says, hopefully, there will be many more celebrations, but he knew she needed a night out with her best friends. She says she’d like to think he’s one of them, and he says, no doubt about it.

Olivia says, thank God. She’s been praying so hard. She knew he’d wake up. Tracy tells her, back off. His brain’s been deprived of enough oxygen. She tells Ned, say something, but Brook says, don’t rush him. Ned says, water, and Brook gets a glass, Olivia putting the straw in his mouth. TJ comes in, and says, that was fast. Tracy says she wouldn’t expect any less, and TJ tells Ned, welcome back. Does he know why he’s in the hospital?

Alexis says, Diane’s not the only one she complains to about her job. While Diane was chatting it up at The Savoy with Robert’s ex, she was complaining to Felicia about her job. Diane says, her, complain? and Alexis says she believes in free press. She believes in reporters. And maybe that passion for complaining just fuels that commitment… She just wishes she were more fulfilled at The Invader. Diane says, but? and Alexis says she sometimes makes a difference. She sometimes shines a light on a story that’s important, but those stories hardly ever happen. For every impactful story, it’s like there’s a zillion mundane, stupid ones, like celebrity gossip or fashion. It’s like finding a needle of significance in a haystack of triviality. Diane says, it’s not exactly Woodward and Bernstein, and Alexis says, maybe she’s just spreading herself too thin, and needs to take advantage of her support team, and do some serious outreach. Diane says, yes, her support team. That now includes – she clears her throat – the wonderful Esme Prince.

Michael says, Chase is right. He needs to focus on the future. Once Willow is released, they’ll have the rest of their lives to make more moments together. Chase says, and they will, but until then, don’t forget to send a flare up when things get tough. His friends are here, and they want to help. Michael thanks him, and says, despite all the angst and craziness with the kids, he wouldn’t trade being a father for anything. Chase says he can see that, and Michael asks if Chase ever thinks about children. Chase says, talk about turning the tables, and Michael asks if it’s a touchy subject. Chase says, no, of course (🍷) not. He grew up in a great family. His dad was always there. His mom was kind of busy, but they both loved him. Michael says, so how about it? and Chase says, let him put it this way. He definitely loves kids, and he and Brook are back together, but as for his own, that’s a long way off in the future. Michael says, the future kind of has a habit of catching up to you sooner than you think.

Sasha says, Willow’s relationship with Nina is complicated, but so is hers. She lied to Nina, she conned her, she broke Nina’s heart. And she put Brando through hell with her addiction. Both times, she was the recipient of grace; forgiven. And recently, she wrongfully accused a friend of something. Willow says, and she was forgiven? but Sasha says, he doesn’t hold it against her, but he’s not sure he can be her friend. Willow says she’s sorry, and Sasha says, so is she. It’s painful wanting to connect to someone you’ve wronged, even if they don’t owe you a thing.

Sam says, Cody’s innocence is going to be a lot easier to prove than Gladys’s guilt, and Cody says, tell it to his lawyer. She says, what lawyer? and he says, Scott Baldwin. She asks why Scotty isn’t dealing with this, and he says, Scotty is working on something else for him. She says, bigger than a conviction for grand larceny? They have to prove Gladys was in his pants the night of the Nurses Ball. He says, she was in his jacket, thank you very much, and the PCPD already looked into all this. There was no surveillance footage. She says, there are other ways.

Finn asks if Elizabeth wants to play, and she says, yeah, she wants to play. He asks if they’re still talking about backgammon, and she laughs, saying, yes, they’re talking about backgammon. He says, just checking, and they sit back at the board. He says he’s a little afraid. He thinks she cheats. She says she wants that cup, and he hands her the cup with the dice. She shakes them up, and spills them onto the board. They play another game, and she beats him again.

Alexis says, Esme Prince, the latest entrant into the Cassadine family Squid Game, and Diane laughs. Alexis says she did that as a favor to Laura, and Diane says, that’s some favor. Esme is a… not nice person… snake. That’s mild. Is Alexis sure that’s wise? Alexis says, since when has she done anything that’s wise? and Diane says, Alexis is one of the wisest people she knows. Occasionally, she’s led astray by her passion and idealism. Alexis says, in this case, she was just trying to provide Esme with some stability, so she doesn’t run off with Laura’s grandchild in tow. Diane says, it’s generous of her, and Alexis says, actually, she has a soft spot for Esme. Alexis knows firsthand what it’s like to have a psychotic parent, and Esme’s got two. And Gregory actually keeps her calm. Diane says, Gregory? and Alexis says, he’s agreed to join the editorial board. Diane says she thought Alexis was persona non grata when she went over his head and called the dean, but Alexis says, they have an understanding now. She can be his friend and care about him; she just can’t meddle. And the editorial board is actually happy to have him, and he’s happy to be in his erudite element. Diane says, so all’s well that ends well, and Alexis says, to quote the Bard.

Sasha asks if she can read Willow something, and Willow says, sure. Sasha reads: Sasha Gilmore is not defined by her past. No matter our mistakes, shortcomings, or circumstances, everyone deserves another chance to build a life that once seemed impossible. Willow says, that’s what Nina wrote about Sasha, isn’t it? and Sasha nods. Willow says, she writes well, and Sasha says, she writes from her heart. But maybe she was also writing about herself. Maybe it’s a prayer of sorts. All she knows is that Nina’s capacity for forgiveness is massive. Something tells her, it might be hereditary.

In the elevator, Michael says he’s glad Chase and Brook are back together. They’re good for each other. Chase says, there’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure. Last weekend, she took him to the Beecher’s Corners flea market. She said she had a surprise for him, and whisked him away on this whirlwind tour. It was like she was possessed; like she had this sixth sense for finding vintage clothing. They leave the elevator, and Michael says, Brook is usually all over the place, but Chase grounds her. She can be her own worst enemy. Chase is like a moral compass for her. It’s important each person bring something to the relationship, so they can complement each other. That’s what Willow does for him. She really helped him focus on what really matters, and Chase does that for Brook. Chase asks what Brook does for him, but Michael says, you tell me.

Ned says, his head… hurts, and TJ says, he has a head injury. They’ll get him a drip to manage the pain. Does he know how he hurt his head? Ned says, did he fall? and Tracy says, yes, at the MetroCourt pool. Ned says, pool… and Olivia says, hopefully, he won’t sue the owner. Tracy says, what she wants to know is why he came barreling out like he had some earthshattering news to tell Drew. What got him all fired up?

Diane says, she and Alexis need to exercise together, and Alexis asks, what’s wrong with her? Diane says, come on, but Alexis says, no. Diane says she’s going to take Alexis to her trapeze class. It is such a good workout. Alexis says, she knows a girl who broke her foot playing pickleball (WOTD), and Diane says, then they’ll do yoga. It’s nice, it’s safe, it’s close to the ground. All that stretching and core. Alexis says, it sounds hard, and Diane says, you are impossible. Alexis says, but consistent, giving Diane a thumbs up before she leaves.

Finn says he thinks the tide is turning, and Elizabeth says, we’ll see. She rolls the dice, and he says, ouch. That’s got to hurt a little bit. She calls him Genghis Khan, and he says, Genghis Khan playing backgammon? Is she sure? She says, if he did, she’s sure this world would be a much different place. He says he’s sure it would, and she rolls again. She says she doesn’t like this game anymore, and she has to get back to work. She doesn’t want that head nurse breathing down her neck. He says, she’s okay; I’ve heard some good things about her. She says she hopes it stays that way, and he says he’s sure it will. She bids him goodnight and leaves. He sighs and rolls the dice, getting snake eyes. He says, the tide is turning, and moves his pieces.

Sam calls Spinelli, and Cody says, no, wait, but she doesn’t pay attention to him. She tells Spinelli that she’s got a job for him, making a shushing motion to Cody.

Willow asks if Sasha thinks she’s been too hard on Nina, but Sasha says she didn’t say that. There’s been real harm done. All she’s saying is, the story doesn’t have to end there. Willow says she told Wiley, new beginnings are always possible, and Sasha flashes back to Cody telling her that Gladys framed him. He says, even if she doesn’t believe that, at least she believes he’s not a thief, and he hopes someday she knows he’s the one telling her the truth. She tells Willow, he’s got a wise mommy, and Willow blows her a kiss.

Chase tells Michael that he’s going to check in on Brook, and see how Ned’s doing… or he could just text her, and avoid Tracy. Michael says, that’s not really Chase’s style though, is it? and Chase says, no. He has to face things head-on. He just doesn’t want Brook to have to run interference with Tracy. Then again, it might give her something to do to take her mind off her dad. Michael asks how Ned is doing, and Chase says, they were waiting for Dr. Ashford to wake him up from the induced coma. Brook brought Leo in to sit with him earlier. Michael says, tell Brook that he’s thinking about her, and Chase says, and send Willow his love. Michael says, for what it’s worth (🍷), he thinks Chase would be a great dad. Chase heads for the elevator.

Ned says, this is all a bit fuzzy, and TJ says, totally normal. Let’s start with this. What year is it? Ned says, 2023, and TJ asks where they are. Ned says, Port Charles, New York, and everyone gets all happy. TJ says, seems like you’re on your way to recovery, Ned. He gave them a scare though. Ned says, his name is not Ned. And he and I say it together… My name is Eddie Maine. The happiness gets sucked out of the room.

On Monday, Austin tells Ava, it might be time for a new nanny; Brook tells someone that they need to step up; Ned wonders what they’re talking about; and Nina tells Sonny, once you know, there’s no going back.

🎓 They Made It…

It’s matriculation time.

🏆 How To See Them…

You can still watch the Daytime Emmys even if you missed them tonight.

🥪 Magical Sandwiches…

Stassi gives us a tour of Something About Her.

🍸 VanderHits Still Coming…

A million times hotter than Sandoval, who looks like a leftover beatnik from the 60s.

https://okmagazine.com/p/ariana-madix-new-boyfriend-daniel-wai-instagram-official-scandoval/

Again, when Jax is the voice of reason, we are living in Bizarro World.

https://okmagazine.com/p/jax-taylor-trolls-tom-sandoval-apart-inviting-brittany-cartwright-concert/

Eww.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/raquel-leviss-blasted-for-2013-post-about-making-your-ex-feel-uncomfortable-after-tom-sandoval-affair-not-much-has-changed/ar-AA1crJR1

At first I gave Schwartz credit.

https://www.eonline.com/news/1377111/where-tom-schwartz-stands-with-tom-sandoval-after-incredibly-messed-up-affair-with-raquel-leviss

And then I didn’t.

More about those not-so-secret revelations.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2023/06/14/vanderpump-rules-secrets-revealed-recap-tom-sandoval-raquel-leviss-lies-ariana-madix/70321716007/

Yeah, yeah. Hindsight is 20/20. I wouldn’t be so quick shame anyone for wanting a paycheck either. Still not loving Charli.

🍕 Just Another Juicy Joe…

I don’t believe for one second this guy’s on the up and up.

This time she didn’t understand the question.

🎉 Juneteenth Is Bustin’ Out All Over…

Read all about it.

https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth

Juneteenth.com

🐖 Latest In Celebrity Fashion…

Pets never go out of style.

https://parade.com/celebrities/celebrity-pets-on-instagram

🐳 Quotes of the Week

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. – John Burroughs

Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.Annette Funicello

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. – Ralph Waldo Emerson (Uh-oh.)

Happiness depends to some extent upon external conditions, but chiefly upon mental attitudes. – Paramahansa Yogananda

We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. – Steve Maraboli

Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. — Robert Louis Stevenson

Sometimes you make the right decision, and sometimes you have to make the decision right. – Dr. Phil

There’s a difference between undercooked and raw. – TomColicchio, Top Chef

There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. – Elie Wiesel

📼 Made You a Mixtape…

If you still believe in weekends, do something outside of your usual routine. Then meet me on Sunday for a little Dead and/or on Monday for the usual soap and a lotta Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay using your time wisely, since there’s a limited supply, and stay believing new beginnings are always possible.

June 15, 2023 – Zeke Finds Out Who Jordan Is, Down But Not Out, What a Guy, Clueless On the Runway & Dancer

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Spencer brings a birthday gift to Curtis at the pool. He hopes it’s okay he’s here. At one of the tables, Stella says she’ll give Trina’s young man this; he doesn’t shrink from a challenge. Trina says, he puts up a good front. He believes in never letting them see you sweat, and by now, she’s guessing he’s sweating.

Portia asks Zeke what he means that Taggert didn’t seem well, but Zeke says, he had someone to help him; he’s not alone. Portia asks, who was with him, as Jordan comes out of the elevator, and Zeke says, there she is right now. He calls over to her, and tells Portia that Jordan will let them now how Taggert is doing.

At the stables, Cody (who I forgot was on this show) asks Leo what he’s doing. Leo shows him Joel Sartore’s book, Photo Ark Insects, and says, he takes all the good pictures. Leo got to meet him once. It was at a show of all Joel’s animal pictures. His mom and dad took him. His dad got hurt. He’s in the hospital.

Gladys gets out of the hospital elevator, and her phone dings. It’s a text from Selina: Returning to PC soon. Let’s have lunch and discuss settling up.

Carly says, either Ned recovers, and gets the SEC to drop the charges, or they’ll fight it out in court, but Drew says, they’d both be putting their freedom on the line. They don’t have to do that. They don’t have to both go down for this; only one of them does. She says she’s the one who invested heavily in Aurora after he and Michael told her not to. Her mistake, her consequences.

Sonny tells Nina that he just got a call from the church. It looks like they could have an opening in the fall. He hands her coffee, and she thanks him. He says, fall? The wedding? She says, right, the wedding. She’s sorry. She’s been trying to busy herself with Crimson work, but it seems all she can think about is Ned. Sonny says, he just hit his head; he’s going to make a full recovery. She says, probably, and he says, and then maybe he’ll start telling everybody the truth.

Carly says, it’s not up to Drew, and he says he’s all for taking accountability for mistakes, but just think about it for a second. What about Donna? What about her grandkids, and Joss, and Michael, and Willow, who’s still in recovery? And her mom? They all need her. She’s the heart, the center of this family. She says, putting them through a long trial wouldn’t be right, and he says, then let him help her. She asks, how? and he says, by offering himself up. He’s going to plead guilty.

Sonny tells Nina, nothing like a brush with death to shift your priorities. You never know. Maybe Ned will wake up and say he tipped off the SEC, or maybe it wasn’t him. She says, he’s doubting Ned tipped off the SEC now? and Sonny says, Ned gave him an impassioned plea, saying he didn’t do it, so he’s thinking maybe somebody else wanted leverage against him. But they shouldn’t worry about this right now; they have a church to book. She still wants to do this, right? She says, more than anything. If she marries him, she’ll be the luckiest woman alive. He tells her, she just said if. Is there a question?

Cody says he heard Leo’s dad got in an accident. Leo must be pretty worried. Leo says, his mom told him that that’ll get to visit, and Cody says, that’s a good thing, right? but Leo says, his dad won’t even know he’s there. She said he’s unconscious. That’s like a sleep where you can’t wake up. Cody says, fair point, but his mom would like to see his dad. Leo says he doesn’t want to go, and Cody says he gets that. He gets over things he’s scared to do by talking it out with his friends. They’re buddies, right? So why doesn’t Leo tell him why he doesn’t want to go? Leo says he doesn’t want to see his dad like that. What if he doesn’t wake up?

Portia says, Zeke’s met Jordan? and he says, Portia knows her too? Jordan comes over, and Zeke says he was going to introduce her to his sister, but it seems they’re already acquainted. Jordan says, of course (🍷), and asks how Portia is. Portia says she’s good. How is Jordan? Jordan smiles and nods, and Zeke says, he was just telling Portia how Jordan helped Taggert onto the elevator. He seemed a bit unsteady. Portia asks if he’s okay, and Jordan says, he’s fine. There’s nothing to worry about. Portia thanks her for talking to Taggert for her, and asks if Jordan wants to join them.

Curtis holds up a frame, and Spencer says, it’s called Kim at the Savoy. It seemed appropriate. Curtis says, it’s not just a print, and Trina says, signed by the artist? Spencer says, limited edition, and Stella says, it’s a gorgeous piece. Marshall says, some of the greatest acts in the world played at The Savoy in Harlem, and Curtis thanks Spencer, and says, he’d better believe it will have a permanent spot at The Savoy… in Port Charles. Spencer says he should be thanking Curtis for saving him and his brother in Greenland, but Curtis says, no thank you necessary. He had reasons for being there, and Trina was at the top of the list. But he does know how important Spencer is to Trina. Spencer says, Trina’s very important to him too, but he doesn’t think Curtis believes that. He leaves with Trina, and Stella says, isn’t Curtis the diplomat. Marshall says, he was very kind, and Curtis says he just wants his daughter to be happy. That doesn’t mean he’s not keeping his eye on Spencer.

Trina says, since Spencer is into making folks so happy, she has a request, and he says he’s awaiting instructions. She says she’s wondering if he can switch the playlist for her.

Sonny wonders if it should be when, and Nina says, of course (🍷); when they get married. There’s a knock at the door, and Frank lets Ava in. She asks if Avery is ready, and Nina says, she and Donna have been playing with wedding fabrics all morning, so Ava will have to pry them away. Sonny says, out like a light. They collapsed on a mountain of chiffon. Nina says, it’s organza, but Sonny says, it doesn’t matter. Nina could put burlap on, and she’d still be the most beautiful bride in the world. Sonny’s phone rings, and it’s Dante. Sonny asks, what’s going on?… and tells Nina, they’re waking Ned up now.

Ava says, can Nina believe Sonny rushing off to the hospital? Sonny doesn’t even like Ned. Nina says, Dante called, and Sonny offered support. She thinks Sonny feels guilty for accusing Ned, because all of a sudden, he’s not convinced Ned made the call to the SEC. Ava says, still, Sonny has no reason to suspect Nina. Nina just needs to keep cool and keep quiet. Luckily, she’s the only one who knows the truth. Nina says, Ava, her attorney Martin Grey, and now Ned Quartermaine knows the truth too.

Gladys replies to Selina: Need more time to pay you back. Sonny asks, what’s cookin’? and Gladys drops the phone. Luckily, it lands face down, and Sonny picks it up, handing it back to her.

Cody tells Leo that he knows it’s scary when someone you love is sick or hurt, but his adoptive mom always told him that love is the most powerful medicine, and Leo’s dad loves him so much. Cody is sure he’s trying his best to get better for Leo. Leo says, his biological dad loves him, but it didn’t help him; he’s dead. Cody says he’s sorry. He bets Leo misses him a lot. Leo says, no. He barely remembers him. Tracy walks in, and Cody says, Ned has the best doctors taking care of him, and he won’t be alone. He’ll have Leo’s mom, his stepsister, his granny, all his friends. Leo says, like him? and Cody says, you bet. He’s not going anywhere. Leo hugs Cody, and Tracy says, they’ve been looking everywhere for Leo. It’s time to visit his dad. Let’s go. Leo goes over to her, and she says, he smells like horses. Leo says he likes the smell, and she tells him, go clean up. Cody says, he wants to look nice for his dad, right? and Leo says he guesses. Cody says, besides, Leo needs to put his book back in his room. He hands the book to Leo, saying, he doesn’t want it to get all dirty and messed up in here. Leo says he wants to keep it safe, and runs off. Cody says he’s found Leo responds better to general suggestions, and Tracy says, now he’s telling her about her grandson.

Zeke tells Portia that he met Jordan last night at the pool. After Portia blew him off, he had to make alternate plans. Portia says, if Jordan met Zeke, he probably pinned her down for hours (ha-ha! their faces). He’s quite gregarious. When he came home from school, his report card always said he talked too much. He would go on and on and on, and just keep talking. Jordan probably found that out, huh? Jordan says, he’s certainly good company, when Spencer joins them. Portia says she doesn’t know if Spencer met her baby brother, Ezekiel Robinson, and Spencer says, of course (🍷) he has, at Portia’s wedding. It’s good to see him again. They shake hands, and Zeke says, him too. Spencer excuses himself, and says he’ll see them all outside. He leaves, and Portia says, of course (🍷) Trina invited Spencer to the party; of course (🍷) she did. Jordan says, the party? and Portia says, it’s a party for Curtis actually. Jordan says, that’s right, it’s his birthday, and Portia says, Stella reserved some spots for them at the pool. Jordan is more than welcome to join them. Portia excuses herself and leaves to oversee the cake, and Zeke asks if there’s something Jordan wants to tell him.

Stella asks how it feels, and Curtis says, he’s still wrapping his brain around everything, but it feels good. She says, to know that he doesn’t just have a child, but that child. She’s a remarkable young woman, and Stella thought so even before she had an inkling that she was Curtis’s daughter. Curtis says, they haven’t discussed labels yet. For now, he’s still Curtis, but he’s cool with that. He’s just going to follow her lead. Marshall says, Curtis called him by his first name when they met, but it didn’t change how he felt about Curtis or being part of the family. Curtis says, family; he likes the sound of that. Spencer joins Trina, telling her that it was an accomplishment. Portia comes over to them, and says she reintroduced Spencer to Trina’s Uncle Zeke. Trina says, cool, and Spencer says, he seems like a good guy. Portia says, he is. She’s happy Spencer could make it. Spencer says he’s happy to be included, and she says, he’s just in time for the cake. He says he had to drop off Esme and Ace at Esme’s new job; Ace is in daycare there. Portia says, co-parenting a baby is a lot of responsibility for a young man. So many moving parts you have to juggle.

Jordan says she’s the Police Commissioner, and Zeke says, good thing he doesn’t have any unpaid parking tickets. It’s such a familiar surname. Is she related to…? She says, yes, she is. She’s Curtis’s ex-wife.

Trina tells Portia, Spencer is doing such a good job at balancing his responsibilities. She’s really proud of him. Portia says she’s just acknowledging that caring for a baby is all consuming, and Spencer says, she’s absolutely right. If someone had told him a year ago he’d know how to comfort a colicky child, he’d have laughed in their face. It’s certainly a big challenge, and his father wasn’t up to it, so he’s assumed the responsibility, but she’s correct; it’s a big commitment. Trina says, which makes it all the more impressive that Spencer is stepping up, and Portia says, absolutely. What he’s doing is admirable. But do her a favor and enjoy his youth while he can. Balancing friends and activities while caring for a little one can be exhausting, no matter what your intentions are. Spencer says he’ll do his best, but one thing he’ll always do is make time for Trina.

Stella asks why Curtis refuses to let her put candles on his cake, and he says, because Trix candles are for kids. Besides, everything he would wish for is already coming true. Marshall says, not everything, and looks over at Spencer and Trina.

Zeke asks if Jordan knew who he was when they met, but she says, would she have confessed so much if she had? How was she supposed to know he was related to Portia? He says, so the ex she kissed who went back to his wife… She says she realizes this is an awkward position they’re in, and he says, awkward for her, but it’s excruciating for him. His sister’s finally hopeful again, and now he’s sitting on information that could ruin everything? She says, nothing has to be ruined. Portia never has to know. He asks if she’s suggesting he keep it from her, and she says, that kiss happened in a moment in time, and that time is over, so let it go. She has.

Cody suggests he and Tracy start over. He holds out his hand, and says, I’m Cody, but she doesn’t take it. She says she knows who he is. The question is, does he know who she is? She’s Tracy Quartermaine. She may not always be physically present, but she’s like the wind; she’s everywhere. She knows absolutely everything that’s going on with her family, and definitely doesn’t need to be brought up to speed by the hired help. And just to put him on notice, she will be counting the silverware. He says, that won’t be necessary, and she says, why her family has a jewel thief in its employ is beyond her. He would have been gone the minute he got arrested. Normally, she’d blame Monica, but she understands the only reason he’s still here is because he’s got Mama Q wrapped around his little finger? And Tracy’s son adores Olivia, but that won’t help him with her. Brook comes in, and says, leave him alone, granny.

Sonny says, Gladys is welcome. Nice to see her too. She says she’s sorry. She wanted to make sure the screen wasn’t cracked. She’s such a butterfingers these days. He asks why she’s so jumpy, and she says, Sasha is meeting with a court appointed shrink. He says he thought Doc was treating her, and she says, yeah, but in order to hear her petition, the judge had to send her to an impartial medical practitioner. He asks what petition she’s talking about, and she says, Sasha wants to sever the guardianship. He says, that’s great news, right? and she says, is it?

Drew says he’s instructed his lawyer to make a deal, and Carly won’t get out unscathed, but she’ll stay out of prison. She says, call it off, but he says, it’s too late. He’s already proposed the deal. She asks if the SEC accepted it, and he says, not yet, but his lawyer is confident they will. Carly’s going to have to pay a very big fine. She says she doesn’t care about the money. He’s telling her that he’s going to prison instead of her. He says, it’s very likely he’ll spend some time behind bars, and she says she knows he’s doing this for her and her family, but she’s not the only one with children. Scout has spent enough time away from him. He says he hates the idea of being away from Scout again, but he knows Scout is in a stable, loving home with Sam and Dante, a man he likes and respects. If Carly goes away, Donna is with Sonny. She says, and Nina.

Ava says she can’t believe it; Ned overheard Nina with Martin. Nina says, the second Ned wakes up, he’s going to spill everything, but Ava says, she doesn’t know that. Nina says she talked to Ned before he had his accident. He was determined to clear his name, and Ned isn’t the only exposure she’s had. The so-called anonymous source isn’t so anonymous. Martin told her that the Feds can uncover her identity. Once Sonny finds out she’s the cause of Carly’s trouble, goodbye wedding, goodbye marriage, goodbye love. And Willow. Drew saved Willow’s life, and Carly… She was going to say, Carly is like her second mother, but Carly is Willow’s mother by choice. So when Willow finds out she’s the one who turned in Carly and Drew, any chance she had of forming a relationship is gone. Ava tells her to take a breath, and Nina says she just wanted more time. She just wanted to be happy with him and be his fiancé a little bit more. Ned is waking up, and that means her time and her luck is running out. Ava says, maybe, but maybe not, and Nina says she doesn’t want any more tricks, but Ava says, what she’s proposing is more radical than any trick. If there’s a hope of salvaging things with Sonny, there’s only one thing to do. Nina has to go to him and tell him the truth – now.

Zeke says, Jordan didn’t seem surprised when she found out he was Portia’s brother, and she says she found out last night. She overheard Portia introducing him. That’s why she texted him to meet up today. He says, so it wasn’t because she liked him and his sparkling conversation? and she says she does like him, but this is too messy. Last night shouldn’t have happened. He says, so she regrets sleeping with him? but she says she thinks he knows otherwise. But this situation is regrettable, and she’s pretty sure he feels his first loyalty is to Portia. He says, which brings them back to Jordan’s suggestion that he lie to her, and she says, Portia wants her marriage to work, and he just said she was feeling hopeful again. Why hurt what she and Curtis are trying to rebuild?

Marshall says, the best birthday gift he can give Curtis is space. He’s moving out. Curtis says, he doesn’t have to, and Marshall says he knows, but he wants to. Better now while he’s confident. He has a little nest egg saved, so he can afford his own place. Curtis starts to object, but Stella tells him to let his father finish. He says, clearly, Aunt Stella is on Marshall’s side, but Marshall says, there ain’t no side. The best thing Curtis can do is focus on his marriage, and his daughter.

Portia tells Spencer that she’s trying to be more forthright these days, so she’s going to tell him something. She knows he has the best intentions where his baby brother is concerned, but she also knows he’s not the primary caregiver. What if the charges against Esme are reinstated, and all that responsibility falls on him? Trina flashes back to Spencer saying the evidence in Victor’s safety deposit box was probably falsified. Spencer’s phone rings, and he says, it’s probably about Ace. He steps away to take the call, and Trina tells Portia that she doesn’t have to say it. She knows Portia disapproves. Portia says she’s just trying to do what’s best for Trina, and Trina says she knows.

Tracy wonders if this whole family lost their minds while she was absent, and Brook says, after Cody was charged with stealing the bracelet, her dad wanted to fire him, but she convinced him not to. Tracy says, so the singing detective wasn’t enough. Brook wanted the cowboy as back-up, but Brook says, it wasn’t that way. He’s good with Leo. Tracy says, all the more reason to get rid of the criminal, but Cody says, accused criminal. Nothing’s been proven yet. Brook says, ever since Leo was diagnosed with being on the spectrum, it’s important he have people who accept him and understand him. Tracy says, that’s what family’s for, but Brook says, Leo also needs constituency and routine. She’d put money on dad being in the hospital really messing with Leo’s head. If Tracy fires Cody, she’s just going to upend Leo even more. Does Tracy really want dad to clean up the mess she made? Tracy says, Brook’s walking on thin ice, and Brook says, so be it. She’d do anything for Leo. Tracy says, all right. Going to her deep and abiding love for this family, she’ll table the discussion for now, but while Ned is recovering, they’ll slowly and gently change Leo’s routine. She tells Cody, take the time to find other employment, because the minute Ned is better, you’re gone, ponyboy. She leaves, and Brook says, so that’s her grandmother. Cody says he never had a grandma, but after meeting hers, he’s damn glad he didn’t.

Nina says she and Ava have talked about this. If she tells Sonny the truth, it’s over; he’ll never forgive her. Ava says, he might, if she gets out in front of it. There’s a chance Sonny could forgive her… Maybe not right away, but he’ll definitely appreciate her coming clean. But she has to get to the hospital before Ned wakes up. If she doesn’t, she can kiss her life with Sonny goodbye. Nina gets up and puts her engagement ring on the mantel. Ava says, that’s it, huh? Just giving up? Nina says she has the feeling today will be the end of her engagement, so she’s going to make it easy for Sonny and leave the ring there. It’s time for her to start letting go. Will Ava stay with the girls? Ava says, Nina doesn’t even have to ask, and Nina leaves.

Sonny tells Gladys, Sasha’s doing better, she’s feeling better, the end of the guardianship is a good thing. Gladys says, in theory, and Sonny asks if there’s something she isn’t telling him right now. Because if there is, she needs to spit it out. Gladys says she doesn’t think Sasha is ready, but Sonny says, that is for Sasha and the judge to decide, not her. She says, it’s too soon. What if Sasha has a relapse? What would happen to her business? Her reputation? If she does this right now, it could ruin her life. They have to protect Sasha. He can’t let this happen. He says, of course (🍷) he wants to protect Sasha, but Gladys hasn’t given him a good reason to think she can’t handle her own life. She did well under pressure, didn’t she? Gladys says, they got lucky. He knows how it is with those mental health struggles. Are those struggles ever really over? He says, they’re two different people with two different circumstances. Yes, they’ve overcome a lot, and they’ve gotten help. Sasha’s handled the guardianship with dignity. She’s going to be okay. Gladys says she wants her daughter-in-law to be healthy and independent someday. She just doesn’t want to make a hasty decision. He says, it is up to the judge, but she says, Sasha respects him. She’ll listen to him. Will he talk with her? Convince her to give this arrangement a little more time.

Stella says she’s going to leave Curtis and Marshall to settle this, but for her part, Marshall’s making good sense. She leaves, and Curtis says, he and Portia told him that he’d always have a home with them. Marshall says, and that won’t change, will it? This is addition by subtraction. With his absence, he’s creating more room for Curtis and Portia to live their lives. Trina’s out of school now, and she’s eventually going to want to come home. Curtis says he sure hopes so. Marshall says, take this time and be with his family. This father in the family is all right. They’re good. Marshall grabs Curtis’s hand and shakes it.

Trina asks if everything is okay, but Spencer says, no. Esme called. The daycare provider is ill. They’re shutting down for the day as a precaution, so he’s picking Ace up. Trina says, she can’t do it? but he says, she’s at work. The same with Doc and his grandmother. He hates this, but… She says, he’s got to go.

Jordan tells Zeke, Portia’s been through so much, she hopes he considers sparing her more pain. As for her, she thanks him for being a true gentleman. She walks to the elevator, as he watches. She turns to give him a last look, and dammit, I want him to follow her. She gets in and they smile at each other. Portia comes around the corner, and says, she doesn’t know which Spencer she finds more infuriating, the entitled brat, or the new version, the responsible aspiring parent. Whichever one shows up, it doesn’t matter. She doesn’t see how he can make Trina a priority. Zeke asks, what’s this about Spencer being an aspiring parent? and Portia says, he wants to get custody of his baby brother, the brother whose mother, also Spencer’s ex-girlfriend, tried to frame Trina. Messy, right? He says, there’s a lot going on, and she says she doesn’t want Trina involved with any of that stuff. Even though she believes Spencer really does care about Trina, she doesn’t think he can give Trina the attention she deserves. No one can be a devoted partner when their focus is so split.

Brook says, unfortunately, Cody met her grandmother on a bad day, and he asks if this is the part where she tells him that her bark is worse than her bite. She says, they’re both bad, but that’s Tracy. She’ll take the screws to ya and come through for ya in equal measure. He says, translation, she’s a Quartermaine, and Brook says, he’s learning. He’s really sorry about Ned. He’s been praying for her and her family, and if there’s anything he can do, let him know. She says, just keep supporting Leo, and he says, Leo’s taking it pretty hard. He caught Leo with his nose in a book earlier; some pictures of insects. She says, a Joel Sartore photo book; he loves those. (Me too!) Cody says, Leo said his mom and dad took him to meet the photographer. He got pretty shaky talking about Ned’s accident. He knows Ned is unconscious. He’s pretty worried. Brook thanks him for telling her. She’s glad Leo has a friend he can count on. He says, it won’t do Leo much good if he goes to jail. It looks like his days are numbered.

Carly tells Drew, let’s just wait it out. She read somewhere that the statute of limitations for the SEC is five years. He asks if she can make it that long with a hold on her finances, and she says, him taking the rap for her can’t be their only option. He says, it’s his choice. He doesn’t want her feeling guilty about it. She says, it’s not guilt; it’s heartbreak. She can’t stand the thought of losing him. He holds her.

Stella thanks Spencer for coming, and he thanks her for having him. Trina thanks him for coming, and says, he scored points with the gift. He says he likes her family; they’re good people. He’s not going anywhere. He kisses her forehead and leaves, and she says, except for daycare.

Curtis says he appreciates Marshall’s offer to move out, and Marshall says he’s not talking about far away. Those days are over. But Curtis and Portia bought that home for their shared future, and from where he stands, that future looks like it’s possible again.

Zeke tells Portia, Trina’s sharp. She realizes Spencer’s life is complicated. Portia says, she should see the pattern. She shouldn’t have to compromise. She shouldn’t have to come in second place in her boyfriend’s life. He says, both she and Trina deserve better, and she tells him not to blame Curtis for how he behaved on their wedding night. There was a lot going on. He says, his issue with Curtis is how he’s behaved since the wedding.

Sonny tells Gladys that he’ll talk to Sasha, but he’s not going to convince her of anything. She’ll do what she thinks is best. Gladys says, and if she doesn’t know what that is? but he says he trusts Sasha. She should too. She rolls her eyes and walks away.

As Gladys goes into the elevator, Nina comes out, and Sonny asks what she’s doing here. Are the girls okay? She says, Ava’s with the girls. She had to see him. He asks, what’s wrong? and she just gives him a pained look. He holds her hand and notices her ring finger is bare. He asks, where’s her ring?

On the phone, Ava says, Nina’s gone, and the girls are asleep. She has this apartment to herself until Sonny gets here, which could be any moment, so she has to be quick. If you were incriminating information that Mason wants, where would you hide?

Cody says, Gladys is still claiming he stole that bracelet, and Brook tells him, hang in there. He has the full support of her entire family, granny aside. They’d hate to lose him. He says, she means, Leo would, but she says, they’d all miss him, Leo especially. She’ll work on her grandmother, but he’ll always have a home here. Tracy yells, is Brook coming or what? and Brook says, that’s her cue. Leo tells Cody, goodbye, and Cody says, he’s got this, hugging him. They do a high-five and then a fancy fist bump/handshake. They leave, Tracy giving Cody a last glare.

Drew says, Carly’s not going to lose him. No matter what, no matter where. If he’s in prison or anywhere, he’s still hers, but he wants her to know that he understands if she doesn’t want to wait for him. She says, that’s not going to happen because none of this is going to happen. They’re not doing this. He says he has to do this for her, but she says she doesn’t want him to do this for her. He says he’s doing this for them.

Tomorrow, Cody asks if someone believes him; Diane says, all’s well that ends well; Elizabeth tells Finn, there are other ways; and Sam says, some things can’t be forgiven.

💣 Just On Pause…

I have the feeling she’ll be just fine.

💛 Mob Boss With a Heart Of Gold…

This was so very nice of him.

👗 Redeemed Or Not…

I feel the same way about Project Runway that I do about the many cooking shows I love; those who can’t do, watch. I can barely hem pants, but I love watching what the designers come up with using only a Hefty bag, a row of sequins, and a funnel. This season (number 20!) features contestants from seasons past, their first challenge to create a Redemption Look, a new riff on the outfit that got them ousted. Alicia Silverstone was the guest judge.

📉 Wrong Side Of the Day…

Let’s just say my love/hate relationship with technology is leaning heavily on the latter side today, so I’m calling it a night. But be prepared tomorrow for soap, tea, quotes and music. Until then, stay safe, stay knowing there will always be another sale and the lowest prices of the season probably aren’t, and stay never being too old for candles on your birthday cake.

June 14, 2023 – TJ Gives Olivia an Update On Ned, More VanderMess Revealed, New Old OC, They’d Better Work & Turn

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis gets out of the pool, and says, Zeke should give it a try. Zeke says he’d like to, but he has to meet with a client. Curtis says he appreciates Zeke dropping by, and Zeke says, of course (🍷). He had to wish happy birthday to his brother-in-law. Stella tells Zeke to hurry back; they’re having cake later. Zeke says he’ll so be there, and leaves. Curtis asks Portia if everything is okay, and she says she was just kind of hoping maybe… She turns to see Trina holding a gift, and Trina says, happy birthday, Curtis.

Jordan walks into the MetroCourt, and sends a text to Zeke: Zeke, it’s me from the other night… Do you have a minute to meet up? I’m at the MC.

Drew calls Michael, and thanks him for holding down the fort at Aurora… No, he hasn’t been to GH yet. Things got a little crazy last night. He’ll get there soon. He has to take care of a little business first… Let’s just say he’s taking the future into his own hands.

Gladys finds Sasha at the hospital, and is surprised she’s there already, but Sasha says she didn’t want to be late. Gladys says, they have time to take a breath, and Sasha says she knows where this is going. Please don’t start. Gladys says, there’s no reason to be terminating the guardianship, but Sasha says, they’ve been over this several times. Gladys says she just wants Sasha to think about it a little bit longer. It was just a few days ago when she went on the Home & Heart shopping channel, and almost had another break. Sasha says she was being manipulated by those sleazy producers. She wasn’t hearing a baby crying in her head. They were playing that noise in her earpiece. Gladys says, still, the worst could have happened, and Sasha says, but the worst didn’t happen. She was able to hold it together, and the producers backed off, thanks to Cody. Sam and Dante walk in, and Sam says, even Gladys has to admit it; Cody stepped up and saved the day.

Olivia prays the rosary outside Ned’s room, and Brook asks if she’s okay. Olivia says, she remembers growing up in Bensonhurst, how the mamas and great aunts would pull out their rosaries in a time of crisis. She swore she’d never be that old fashioned old lady. Then she got old, and realized how scary life can be, and she’s so grateful for her rosaries and her prayer, and for her faith. It comforts her. Brook asks why she stopped praying, and Olivia says she’s been praying all night, and doesn’t think God is listening. Not to mention, Brook interrupted her. Brook says, if God listens to anyone, it’s Olivia, and Olivia asks, then why they don’t have any news about Brook’s dad? Just give her a sign… something. Carly approaches with some coffee, and says, Drew told her what happened to Ned, and she wanted to be here for Olivia and her family. Brook says, Carly is an angel, taking the coffee, and Carly says, if she’s the last person Olivia wants to see, she can just go. TJ comes out of Ned’s room, and says, he has some news about Olivia’s husband.

Trina hands Curtis the gift, and he thanks her, adding, he’s really glad she came. Portia says, it’s nice to see Trina, hugging her, and Trina says she couldn’t miss Curtis’s birthday. Stella gives Trina a hug, and Marshall says, his turn. Stella wonders what’s keeping Thomas Jr., and Curtis says, TJ called to wish him a happy birthday, and apologized that he can’t be with them. He’s shadowing the head of neurology at GH, and couldn’t get the day off. Stella says, what a shame. She was hoping to get the whole family together, now that it’s all official.

Zeke sees Jordan at the bar, and says, here he thought she forgot about him. She says she actually has something to talk to him about. Does he have time for coffee? He says he can’t stay; he has to meet a client. She tells him that he’s going to have to come up with another excuse. That one is getting old. He says he doesn’t live in Port Charles, so when he’s in town, he’s kind of at the mercy of his clients. However, now that she’s called him, he has her digits, so… Is she free for lunch? She says she’ll see what she can do, and he says, if she can’t, he’ll call her and they’ll make other plans. Drew comes in, and Zeke excuses himself. Jordan heads for the elevator, and sees Taggert coming out. He asks if she won’t join him for a drink, but it looks like he’s already started.

Sasha says she’s come around about Cody. He seems like he’s one of the good guys. Gladys asks if she’s the only one who remembers that Cody stole an expensive bracelet from her, but Sam says, that’s yet to be proven. Gladys asks Dante if that’s true, but he says he’s not going to comment on that. Sasha asks if they’re here to see Willow, but Dante says, Ned, actually. He was in an accident. Sasha says she’s so sorry. As if his family hasn’t been going through enough. She’ll pray for them all. Dante thanks her, and his phone rings. He says, it’s the station, and steps away to take the call. Sam says she assumes they’re here to see Willow, and Sasha says, she is… after her appointment. She’s here to see a psychiatrist to talk about ending her guardianship. Sam congratulates her, and says, that’s great news, but Gladys says, just to be clear, it’s not a done deal. It’s just an initial consultation. Sam says, Gladys isn’t against Sasha regaining control of her life, is she?

TJ wants to give them an update about Ned, but Carly says she doesn’t want to intrude, and starts to leave. Olivia tells her, wait. Will she stay… please? Carly says, of course (🍷). Of course (🍷) she’ll stay with Olivia. Olivia tells TJ that they’re ready, and he says, last night, they put Ned under twilight sedation for his brain swelling. Carly says she’s sorry, but Olivia says, TJ explained that the swelling was moderate enough, they may be able to bring it down using a medication with diuretics. TJ says, they’re keeping Ned in a twilight state to manage his pain while the swelling goes down. Unfortunately, they’re not seeing as much improvement as they’d like. Olivia asks what that means, and TJ says, they’ll continue to monitor him for now, but if the swelling persists, they’ll have to bring him in for surgery. (Bring him in where? He’s already in the hospital.)

Taggert puts his arm around Jordan as they walk to the bar, and he asks, when was the last time they had a drink together? She says, it’s only 11 am, and he’s already had a few. Is he okay? He asks why he wouldn’t be okay, and Jordan flashes back to Portia asking if she’s spoken to Taggert recently; he might need a friend. Jordan tells her, the DNA test results came in. Curtis is Trina’s father. Jordan tells Taggert, what he needs isn’t found in a bottle, and he tells her, says you. She says, let’s get you back to your room.

Zeke says he’s on his way to the conference room to meet with the SEC attorneys to work out the plea deal, but it’s his job to look out for Drew’s best interests. So once again, Zeke is advising him not to do this. Drew says he hears Zeke – again. He’s not changing his mind. I can actually see this, since prison there is probably a cakewalk compared to Greece. Zeke says, but Drew wants him to hold off on finalizing the deal because of the ace up his sleeve? Correct? Drew says, right. He’s still holding on to hope. Zeke sees Jordan helping Taggert into the elevator, and Drew asks if he’s okay. Zeke says he’s not sure. He thinks he just saw his ex-brother-in-law.

Marshall wants to make a toast, but Curtis says, it’s not necessary. Marshall says he knows he doesn’t have to, but he’s going to anyway. He remembers when Curtis was born. He held Curtis in his arms, and couldn’t believe how blessed he was to be the father of another perfect son. He wanted to teach Curtis things that his father taught him. His father wanted to make sure he knew that it was just as valuable to play a musical instrument as it was to throw a ball around. He wanted to make sure Marshall was open to new experiences; explore the world. That’s what he wanted to teach Curtis, but as they all know, sadly, life turned out differently. I feel sorry for Stella who’s holding her drink the way you raise it for a toast, as Marshall keeps going. He says, but in spite of that, his son loves music anyway, and he got to cook Curtis his world famous gumbo yaya. So he guesses, how the saying goes, better late than never. Standing here today with his son on his birthday, he feels just as blessed as he did years ago. To Curtis. Everyone is like, thank God, we can drink now, and says, to Curtis. But no. Stella (of all people) says, before everyone drinks, she has something to add. The only thing that gives her more joy than being with her nephew on his birthday, is that this year they’re joined by his daughter. Welcome to the family, Trina. Curtis says, it’s quite a birthday gift, and they clink glasses. Stella says she needs to get their first family picture, and Trina excuses herself to use the restroom. Stella wonders if it’s something she said.

Gladys says, of course (🍷) she wants Sasha to heal, and not need her as a guardian anymore; that was always the goal. Sam wonders if it was everyone’s goal, and Gladys says, yes, it was. Dante comes back, and asks if everything’s all right. Sam says, of course (🍷), and tells Sasha, good luck. Sasha says, thanks, she’ll take it, and they leave. Gladys glowers, and Sasha tells her, please stop worrying. She’s ready. It’s time she took her life back.

TJ says he’ll keep them posted, and leaves. Olivia says she’s got to tell Tracy. She’s bringing Leo. He won’t stop asking about Ned. He must be so worried. She didn’t go home last night; he was alone with Tracy. Brook says she’ll go home and act as a buffer, and leaves. Carly tells Olivia, It’s going to be okay; Ned is strong. Olivia says she’s just glad Drew was there. If he hadn’t been there and acted so quickly… Carly says, there isn’t anyone Drew wouldn’t help, and Olivia asks, what the hell did you just say? Carly says she must have misspoke. She didn’t mean… Olivia tells her, just say it. It’s ironic that Drew saved Ned’s life, when she thinks Ned is trying to destroy Drew’s. Carly tells Olivia that she didn’t say any of that, but Olivia says, it’s what she’s thinking. Even though Ned saw it, he wasn’t the one who told the SEC about their insider trading. Carly says, it doesn’t matter; she’s here for Olivia. Olivia says, Ned only needs people here who are rooting for him; not people who are against him. Carly says she doesn’t wish Ned any harm. Neither does Drew. Olivia says, Ned swore to her that he’s innocent, and she believed him. So if Carly is going to be here and sit in judgement of her husband while he’s fighting for his life, just go. She doesn’t need Carly here. This is hard enough for her already. Carly says, that’s fair, when Sam and Dante join them. Carly says she was just leaving, and Dante asks if there’s bad news about Ned, but Carly says, it’s her. She’s sorry. The last thing she wanted to do was upset Olivia. She’ll be praying for Olivia, Ned, and their whole family. She leaves, and Dante asks if Olivia is okay. Olivia shakes her head, and he holds her as she cries.

Gladys sits next to Sasha, and says she hopes Sasha didn’t listen to what Sam suggested. She’s just concerned about Sasha, that’s all. Sasha says she understands, and knows Gladys feels she has to do right by Sasha out of obligation to Brando, but it’s starting to feel like Gladys can’t see how far she’s come. Like at the last Home & Heart taping. The producers were literally messing with her head, hoping she’d melt down so they could get a pathetic boost for their ratings. But she didn’t freak out. She held it together. And Gladys was the one who was against her making that appearance in the first place. She’s starting to feel like Gladys doesn’t believe in her. Gladys says, no, that’s not it, and Sasha says, then what is it?

Marshall says he knows Stella is excited about having Trina in the family. She’s a great aunt now. He’s a grandfather; he’s excited too. But they have to give Trina space. Ease up. She says, he’s right; she’s pushing too hard. She just wanted to have the family come together, and get over all this hurt between everyone. He says he understands, but the situation is still damaged. They have to give Trina time to want to be with them. Stella says she sees so much of her sister’s spirit in Trina. He does too, doesn’t he? He says, oh yeah, and she says, it just kills her that Trina will never get a chance to know Irene.

Portia says she’s worried about Trina, but Curtis says, she probably just needs a minute. And maybe they should chill on this instant family kumbaya stuff. She says she’s with him on that, but Trina’s on summer break and living with Carly. How much more space could she possibly need? He says, she’s not choosing to live with Carly over Portia. She’s already Josslyn’s roommate. She’s just extending the arrangement over the summer. They’ve got to give her that. She tells him that what he’s saying makes sense, but it’s still difficult, and he says he knows. It’s going to take some getting used to for everyone. Maybe she could explain that to Aunt Stella, but he thinks his dad’s already taken care of that. Portia says, maybe that gives them a chance to talk about them. Where do they really stand?

Jordan dumps Taggert on the couch, and he says, this is better. He looks at his phone and suggests they order room service. Does she want a Bloody Mary or a mimosa? She says, the only thing he’s drinking is water, handing him a bottle. Being an alcoholic isn’t going to solve his problems. He asks what she knows about his problems, and she says, Portia told her about the DNA test. He says, so she knows a lot, but she doesn’t know what it feels like. She didn’t have to wake up knowing TJ wasn’t her son. She says she didn’t, and he says, one minute he has a daughter, the next minute, he doesn’t, and there’s no way for him to get her back.

Drew and Carly walk out to the terrace holding hands, and he says, what happened at GH with Ned? She says, he’s not good. If they can’t get the swelling in his brain to go down, they’ll have to operate. He says, that can be a really dangerous surgery, and she says she knows. Olivia is taking it so hard. Drew bets she was glad to have Carly there, but Carly says she doesn’t know about that. She thinks she made everything worse. She said something that came out wrong. She said that Drew would risk everything to save anyone, and Olivia interpreted that to mean she didn’t want Ned to get better and deserves what’s happening to him. She doesn’t; that’s not true. Wow. Does anyone listen to anyone? He says, Olivia is just frantic with worry. She needed a place to vent, and Carly was it. They’re way to close not to figure this out. Carly says, these insider trading charges are looming over everything. And if Ned stays in the hospital, their one plan to get these SEC charges dropped isn’t going to happen. He says he’s not counting them out just yet, and she asks if he found something. He says, on Tracy.

Gladys says she made a promise to take care of Sasha. Brando was gone and she needed help. She wants to do right by her son. Sasha says she has, and so much more. She wouldn’t be doing this if she didn’t feel ready to take control of her life again. Gladys says she hopes Sasha’s right. The doctor comes out and introduces himself as Damon Montague. He’s here to discuss terminating her guardianship. Sasha says, it’s nice to meet him, and introduces Gladys. He says, nice to meet Gladys. Follow him. Gladys says she has a whole list of questions for him, but he says he’s afraid this visit is just between him and Sasha. Gladys says, she’s Sasha’s guardian, and he says, they’ll be time for that later. Today it’s just about him getting to know Sasha. Sasha follows him into his office.

Olivia tells Dante, TJ explained they’re going to try and bring down the swelling in Ned’s brain with diuretics, but if it doesn’t come down fast enough, he’s going to need surgery. Dante says, it sounds like they’re doing everything they can to avoid that route. Sam gets a call, and steps away to take it. Dante asks if Olivia wants to talk about Carly, but she says, the only thing that matters right now is Ned coming back to them. Even if he doesn’t need surgery, there could be brain damage. He tells her, stop. He knows it’s hard right now. In moments of uncertainty, she lets her mind go wild, but try to stay with him in the here and now. She says she was so upset with Ned about the stupid SEC thing, but Dante says, she already told Ned that she knew he wasn’t responsible for the anonymous tip. Don’t do this to herself. She says she was just thanking God for that. It’s the only thing making this even slightly tolerable. She can’t help thinking about the time they lost that they might never get back.

Jordan says she’s sure it was hard to hear that Trina isn’t Taggert’s biological daughter, but she isn’t gone. He’s still the man who raised her. She’s seen how much Trina loves him. That DNA test didn’t change any of that for her. He says, that’s what he told himself; nothing could break their bond. He thinks he actually convinced himself that he was prepared for the possibility she might not be his daughter. But deep down he was holding on to the hope she was really his daughter. When it was the opposite, he was crushed. She says, of course (🍷) he was. Anyone would feel the same. It will take some time to process, but the shock will wear off eventually, and he and Trina will pick right back up where they left off. He says he’s keeping a brave face up for Trina. He doesn’t want her to worry about him. She isn’t just related to Curtis. She’s related to Marshall, Stella, TJ… Wow. If Trina wants to get to know her real family, he doesn’t want to get in the way. She says, he’s Trina’s real family too. They all know that. Why won’t he let himself see it?

Curtis says, they’re figuring things out, and Portia says, but they’re not. They’re dancing around the issue; they’re not really talking about it. Now they know Trina is his biological daughter, and he missed out on her childhood. He must resent her. He says he’s not going to lie. He would have loved to see Trina grow up, but what’s done is done. He’s not going to let it hold him back, because he has every moment from here on out to connect with his daughter. And if she’ll have him, he’s here for it. She says she’ll never forgive herself for staying silent as long as she did, but he says, at some point, you have to just forgive and move on. She says, a few weeks ago, she would have never imagined they’d all be here together. Is there still hope for them to become a real family? He says, there is.

Marshall tells Stella that Trina is going to want to know all about Irene. She just has to give Trina some time.  She says, he sounds so sure, and he says, because he is. She just has to stop pushing. It’s new, but once the newness wears off, Trina’s going to want to get to know this side of the family. She says she doesn’t know. That girl really loves Marcus Taggert. He says, they have to encourage all of that. He’s gotten to know Trina, and believes she wants to be a part of them. They’ll be able to tell her all about the family she didn’t get to be with; the family she has now. Stella prays he’s right, and says she’ll wait patiently for that day to come. He says, her? Patient? She says she’s been overrun with boys in this family, and now that they finally have a girl, she’s not going to push her away.

Trina comes back out, and says, sorry about that, but Curtis says, it’s all right. It’s all new for them too. So they’ll just take it one day at a time. How’s Taggert? Trina says she saw him last night; he’s doing well. Portia says, that’s really good to hear, and excuses herself to check on the cake for later. Trina picks up her gift, and asks Curtis if he could open it when it’s just them. He says, sure, and opens the gift. He smiles.

Taggert tells Jordan that Trina was just talking to him about her plans for summer like it was normal… and he started to notice her features that he always thought came from him… When she laughed, he thought of his sister Gia, and when she was serious, she seemed like his mom and dad. Then he realized none of it was from him, or his blood. Everything that he thought made up his daughter came from someone else.

Sasha asks Dr. Montague if it’s wrong to say she’s nervous. Of course (🍷) she wants to be independent again, and she thinks she’s ready, but actually being here is daunting. The doctor says, it’s his job is to relieve some of that pressure. He gives his opinion to the court, so they can decide if she’s really ready for this. He read her file. She experienced two traumatic losses, all while living in the pubic eye. It must have been incredibly difficult. She says, it was definitely a struggle, and he asks how she characterizes her relationship with her guardian. She says she’s grateful to Gladys. When her husband Brando died, she was shattered to lose him so soon after losing Liam. She couldn’t get out of bed. Gladys really stepped up for her. They’ve butted heads a few times but she always knows Gladys has her best interests at heart. He asks her to tell him more about them butting heads.

Drew tells Carly that he was confronting Tracy about telling Ned to go to the SEC in exchange for keeping her secret. That’s when Ned came charging into the pool area. He tripped and fell, and naturally Tracy tried to pin it on him, and say he pushed Ned, but the security cameras covered him. She says, thank God she insisted on putting those cameras around the pool. That’s what happens when she runs the place. Her phone rings, and she says, hey, Diane… Really? Drew is here with her now. She tells Drew that the US Attorney called Diane. They want to meet her and Diane in their office. Back on the phone, she says, okay, so this is where they make the offer for her to go against Sonny in exchange for them dropping the charges against her and Drew, right?… She tells Drew, probably. She wants Diane to tell them that she’s not going to turn against someone she cares about to get out of this. Make sure she tells them that… Thank you. Drew says, that was very brave, but he’s got to ask her, now what?

Sam comes back, and tells Dante, it was Scout; she’s fine. She asks if Olivia needs anything. Is she hungry? Olivia shakes her head, but says she appreciates it. TJ comes out, and, ever the optimist, Olivia says, he’s going to need surgery, isn’t he? but TJ says, no. He was going over Ned’s latest test results, and he turned a corner. He won’t need surgery. Olivia jumps on TJ, hugging him.

Sasha walks out with the doctor, and Gladys asks, how’d it go? Sasha says, it was a good start, and Dr. Montague says, he’ll see Sasha soon. Sasha leaves, and Gladys says, excuse me. Damon? He says he had no idea Sasha was her daughter-in-law. It’s surprising to run into her this way. She says, definitely unexpected. Will he need to recuse himself from Sasha’s case, since they know each other? He says, why invite questions? His private life has no bearing on his work. He hasn’t seen her at The Savoy for a while. Will she be rejoining Miss Wu’s game any time soon? She shakes her head, and says, Sasha isn’t the only one trying to turn over a new leaf.

Taggert cries as he talks, and tells Jordan that he’s made a lot of mistakes in his life. He’s jealous. He chose his job over his marriage. He compromised himself in the pursuit of justice. Through all of that, he told himself that he got one thing perfect… his daughter. None of that was true. She says, he’s wrong. He made Trina who she is. no one can ever take that away from him. He says, that’s just it. They already have.

Curtis takes a frame decorated with macaroni – the kind like you make in Girl Scouts – out of the box, and Trina says, he never got any of her homemade gifts as a kid. He says, it’s perfect, and thanks her. She says, maybe one day, he’ll be able to put a picture of them in it. He says he thinks they can do something about that now, and takes a selfie of them.

Jordan looks at her phone, and says, come on, Zeke. We’ve got to sort this out before you talk to your sister.

Jordan sees Zeke walking through the restaurant, and asks if he’s ready to join them at the party. What’s that look about? He says he thought he just saw Taggert. They didn’t talk, but he didn’t see Taggert for long. He was just glad someone was there to help him.

TJ says, now that the swelling has reduced, they’ll prepare to bring Ned out of the twilight state. First they’ll make sure his vitals are stable; then they’ll bring him out of the anesthesia. Olivia says, then he just wakes up and he’s okay? but TJ says, as with any head injury, there are a lot of unknowns. Once Ned wakes up, they’ll be able to better assess the extent of his injuries, but they’re cautiously optimistic. He leaves, and Dante says he told Olivia it was going to be okay. She says, thank God, blessing herself. It’s about time this family got some good news.

Carly tells Drew, either Ned recovers, and gets the SEC to drop the charges, or they fight like hell in court. He says, but they’d both be putting their freedom on the line. They don’t have to do that. They both don’t have to go down. Only one of them does.

Tomorrow, Curtis says, everything he’s wished for is coming true; Trina tells Spencer that she has a request; and Sonny asks if Nina has a question.

Vanderpump Rules – Season 10 – Secrets Revealed

I’m not sure how this is going to go, since it’s basically unseen footage. Lisa tells us the fallout wouldn’t fit into one episode. They had no alternative but to carry on with the story. I think it’s more like they scrambled through cut footage to get more mileage out of it. Once again, I’ll be using Raquel’s given name of Rachel. Because she thinks it’s disrespectful and I have zero respect for her.

A producer asks if Lisa ever expected something like this to happen, and Lisa says she never expected to still be sitting here eleven years ago. Soon it will be Vanderpump Drools.

Our first stop is Katie and Schwartz still living together post-divorce. And still calling each other Bub, which bothers me to no end. In Katie’s interview, she says, it’s not ideal, but they’re listing their house and it’s better than cold turkey. Schwartz says, Stassi told him, as divorcees they’re f***ing gold. He asks if she’s dated, and she says, yeah, then he’s sorry he asked. In his interview, he says he had to physically walk away when Katie said she wanted a divorce. They had their dream home and were talking about having kids. He doesn’t know how to handle it. In Katie’s interview, she says she couldn’t keep waiting for him to grow up. She’ll always love him, but she’s been defending the relationship for years.

Lisa says, this season was a lot of out with the old, and in with the new, including Sandoval’s apartment. If Sandoval’s old walls could talk, he probably wouldn’t get his deposit back. In Sandoval’s interview, he says Ariana’s brother has been living there. Now her brother is moving out, and he has to say goodbye to the place he’s lived the longest in. Schwartz comes by, and they reminisce about the days when Jax lived there. I congratulate Sandoval again on replacing Jax as Worst Human Being On Earth. Sandoval says, the times he went through in that apartment made him who he is today. We flash back over his and Ariana’s time there, and Sandoval says, it will always be a part of him. They find a beer bong from Hawaii, and Schwartz drinks some out of it.🤮He says, it’s the end of an era.

The producer asks about a funnier scene that didn’t make it, and Lisa says, when Rachel broke up with Peter, he was so drunk, he had to ask her to do it again. We see Peter at See You Next Tuesday, and James swears he didn’t run to Lisa about anything. We flash back to Lisa telling James that Rachel and Peter aren’t dating. James tells Peter that Rachel said she wasn’t him, but he has his own girlfriend and doesn’t care about Peter’s middle-aged sh*t. Peter asks Rachel to talk, and tells her that he doesn’t remember anything from their conversation. We flash back to her saying she sees no future between them. She literally has to repeat to Peter that she came to the conclusion they’re not going anywhere. Peter says, James told him that Rachel was never into him and was afraid breaking his heart. No offense, but that’s not going to happen. Rachel says she’s glad they’re on the same page. I can’t exactly read him, so I’m not sure about that.

Lisa thinks it’s a shame Scheana and Katie aren’t friends. Scheana instigated the Schwartz make out, but why is Rachel at the table when she offered to make out with Schwartz? It’s a girls night at SUR, and Katie’s not there yet. Scheana says she thinks she’s apologized enough, but Katie’s not changing her opinion. Katie’s telling Schwartz that he can’t make out with her. We see Scheana asking Schwartz about making out at Coachella on her podcast, and him saying he wasn’t even at Coachella. She asks if he’d like to make the rumor true. Rachel says she was prepared to be uninvited to Vegas, and Scheana says, they’ll have to reconfigurate [sic] the seating arrangement. They shuffle around before Katie arrives, and Charli sits with them. Katie invites Charli to come on the Vegas/Havasu trip, and Charli says, Havasu is white trash. Maybe. Didn’t former RHOC’s Vicki vacation there? In Scheana’s interview she says, it’s so rude for Katie to invite Charli in front of her, and she tells Katie that she wants to stay in a good place. Katie says, if she didn’t think that was possible, she wouldn’t be here, and in Katie’s interview, she says, if Scheana would own what she’s done and apologize, after dying of shock, she could move forward, but that’s not what’s happening.

Lisa says she never would have suspected Sandoval would cheat on Ariana with Rachel. Now they know why Sandoval stuck up for her so much; he was in more than her corner. Tom tells Ariana that he missed her, and plays it up that Rachel crashed guys night and it was a big drag. Rachel and Charli arrive, and we see a clip captioned, Saddle Ranch 10 hours earlier, with Sandoval and Rachel looking cozy. Charli says, they were sad Ariana had to leave the trip, and Rachel tells them about meeting Oliver. She told Lala that she thought he was cute too, and Lala said she was giving her the green light. The next thing she knew, she and Olivier were making out on the dance floor. We see Tom’s face, and he looks stoic, but you know he must be boiling under the surface; his eyes are daggers. Rachel tells them, afterward Lala said she wouldn’t feel comfortable with Rachel around her man, so she said, good thing Lala doesn’t have one. Charli says she thinks Lala was embarrassed. She f***ed the wrong guy for money. Methinks Charli better duck and run the next time she sees Lala.

A producer asks how pissed Lisa would be if she were in Ariana’s position, being taken out on a date when Sandoval was stepping out on her with one of her friends. She says she’d have Sandoval’s balls crystalized and wear them for earrings. Alrighty then. Sandoval and Ariana go roller skating, and in her interview, she says, she and Sandoval started as friends, so it allows them to rebuild the fun, romantic times. She wants him to succeed, but misses them being together. He falls. I laugh. He tells her that she does a lovely dance of hot and cute, and she says she told the girls that she invited everyone to the pool party. Katie and Rachel aren’t in a great spot, and Katie and Lala are in lockstep on it. She told Katie that she’d have to work hard for her not to love Rachel. They have this beautiful friendship family. Sandoval says, they have this transparent love, and Ariana says she hopes she never hears about it again after the pool party.🤮

Schwartz waits for a date, and in his interview, he says, it’s been 12 years since he’s been on a date someone other than Katie. He met Kendall on Hinge. They matched and decided to take it to the next level. He tells her that he’s never met someone online, and she says, it’s weird. In his interview, Schwartz says, his neurosis dissipated when she walked in. Kendall says she lives in Brentwood, and he says, she might as well live in Minnesota. Oh, I see. It’s like telling a dude living in Manhattan that you live in Queens. Schwartz says he’s slowly getting his life back together, and asks Kendall’s take on a hypothetical situation. John goes to a dear friend’s wedding in Mexico. He’s been divorced seven months, and makes out with this girl, and his ex-wife defriends him. He didn’t do it with spite. Yeah, he left out the part where she was in John and the ex-wife’s friend group. Kendall thinks John’s human, and they agree they’re having fun. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he thinks the date was a success. Kendall was super charming, and they had a connection. She’ll always be his first date after the divorce. She suggests they go for a stroll.

In Lisa’s interview, she says she wasn’t suspicious. She’d put it to bed, but others in the group were suspicious. Kristina, Katie, and Lala go to dinner at SUR. They order appetizers, and I wonder, what the hell is street corn? Lisa joins them, and the server brings her some fries to try. She says she can’t try the whole menu. It could take weeks, or years in some people’s case. We see a clip of the Schwartz & Sandy’s debacle. She says, they can talk smack indulge in this kind of conversation because none of them work for her, and Kristina says, they’re just girls having dinner. Katie recalls Ken spilling the tea about Sandoval and Rachel in the kitchen, and we flash back to that. Katie says she asked Ariana about it, and Ariana said, Rachel was friends with both of them. Lala says, the day Ariana’s grandmother died, Sandoval was with Rachel. Ariana was calling him, and she was furious. He said he was on his way, but he didn’t leave for two hours. In Lala’s interview, she says, something is going on with Sandoval and Rachel, and she tells the girls, when you get that close with someone, and you’re drinking, sometimes things happen.

Scheana and Rachel go to a resin jewelry workshop to make a necklace and earrings. Scheana asks why Rachel was late to work, and Rachel says she and the Toms carpooled. When they got back, they went in the jacuzzi – she had her bathing suit with her. They drank a little bit, and she went to the social media room and passed out. Sandoval told her to crash in the guest room. In Rachel’s interview, she says she didn’t make a move on Schwartz, and nothing happened with her and Sandoval either. It was just a fun night as friends, and she overslept. Scheana says, both Toms said she didn’t stay over, and we flash back to Brock asking, and Sandoval saying no. Scheana says, if they lie, it looks like something is going on, but Rachel says, what’s weird is everyone making it weird. Scheana says, like Rachel would act like a friend, and secretly do something with one of their guys when they’re not there.😐Rachel says, they want to paint the picture that she’s a homewrecking whore; it’s so farfetched. We go back to the final interview where Rachel is bawling her eyes out, and saying, Tom wanted to lie about it because it’s a really bad look to hook up with someone’s boyfriend in their own house when they’ve gone out of town, especially to a funeral of all things. Scheana tells Rachel that she was the OG homewrecker, then came Lala, now here Rachel is, and they laugh.

In her interview, Lisa says, she and Ariana connected over their love of horseback riding. Then Lisa sustained an injury so devastating, she didn’t think she could ride again, but Ariana encouraged her to get back in saddle. Lisa meets Ariana at the stables, and digs in her bag for loose carrots (as we all do) to feed Prince Tardon. They sit, and Lisa says she came to ride, and when she got on, Tardon was frisky. He settled down, but he tripped. She flew over him, then he jumped over her. In her interview, she says she knew her leg was broken, but it turned out to be broken in four places and shattered. She tells Ariana that she doesn’t know what to do. She feels like such a failure. She’s always been that person to say get back on the horse, now here she is. She’s strong when comes to life, but wonders, can she risk it? In Lisa’s interview, she says she hasn’t been riding, and feels like a coward. She shows Ariana where she was when it happened, and Ariana offers to do something stupid to make a different memory. She does a cartwheel, twerks, and flips the spot off. She tells Lisa, now when she thinks of the spot, Lisa will think of her. In her interview, Lisa says, when they captured the huge fallout that happened because of the affair, there was so much going on. A lot of people would let it die, but it’s their responsibility to tell the true story.

March 9th 2023. James tells Ally that Sandoval apologized a bunch of times, but didn’t really apologize to Ariana. And 1000%, Rachel didn’t write her apology herself. Not that she has the brain capacity, but she doesn’t talk like that. They can have each other; they deserve each other. They get a drink, and James says, f*** Rachel. The most traumatic thing is Graham’s life. He guesses Sandoval is his daddy now. Ally says, he’s been a fake friend, and, mixing his metaphors a little, James says, it’s like Judas stabbed him in the back. It’s betrayal. In James’s interview, he says, Sandoval is 42 and washed up. He threw away his amazing girlfriend for an airhead bimbo, who’s using Sandoval like she used him. He tells Ally that Schwartz plays dumb, but Graham knows more tricks than Schwartz.

Ally meets Lala and Katie, who’s hung over from a girls night the night before. Lala says she’d hoped the shots would bond Katie and Scheana, and Katie says she doesn’t want to kill Scheana now. So much has happened; Rachel with the restraining orders and posting pictures of her scrape. She asks what James said, and Ally tells her that he’s hurt. He said Sandoval’s not a friend; never was and never will be. Lala can’t believe someone could look you in the eye and know they’re sleeping with your ex-fiancé. Ally says, Sandoval was texting James after Ariana found out, and James had no idea. Katie says, Ariana is pretending to be cool. The most diabolical thing is them covering it up and being deceptive for so long. In Ally’s interview, she says she’s surprised they kept it a secret for so long. She doesn’t trust anyone. Lala tells Ally that she’d wanted to make sure James had gotten over Rachel.  They’d been planning a life together. They were going to get married and have babies. The whole thing happened very quickly when Ally came into the picture. She shouldn’t have to deal with things that happened with James before she was in the picture. Ally says, James felt everyone sided with Rachel, and he had no friends. He felt a deeply about his relationships, and he’d been friends with Sandoval for so long. He hasn’t talked to Sandoval yet, but he feels he was disposable. Lala says, it’s heartbreaking that Scheana and Ariana were riding hard for Rachel. You expect betrayal from a dude, but you expect to lean on your girlfriends. Ally says, it’s a bigger betrayal. That’s some deep sh*t.

The End?

🍊 Same Old Orange…

While I’m sort of watching Real Housewives of Orange County, it just looks like more of the same. I’d actually started liking it better after Tamra left, now it’s, same sh*t, different season. Tonight, they went out on a lovely day cruise, and Tamra proceeded to get drunk and screech, you’re a liar at Shannon over and over, and call her an alcoholic. 😐 And this was after they’d met for lunch and agreed to be copacetic and move forward. Tamra is such an asshat. I can’t help but think of the very first season, when I said, this is the future of TV. Seriously, I said those words, and I was right, but it’s time to retire these Wives. The only one of the franchise I still liked was RHONY, and those are the only ones Bravo replaced, despite their lame attempt at correcting that mistake with spin-offs. From what I’ve seen of the previews, the new cast looks like a potential clone of the rest of these sociopathic screamers.

👗 On the Catwalk…

The new season of Project Runway has commenced.

🧹 Dusting Myself Off…

Join me tomorrow for soap and whatever I can pull out of the teapot. Until then, stay safe, stay being kind to those in the service industry, and stay knowing it’s never too late to make a macaroni frame for a loved one.

June 13, 2023 – No Soap Again, Awful People Blabber Nonsense Part 3, Sonny’s Badger, Opening Up, First Kiss, Teasing, Speaking Out, Care For All, Sad News, She’s Single & Life

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Again, this happened.

Please note: Fans will also want to double-check their DVR boxes for tomorrow because these kinds of interruptions play havoc with DVR scheduling. Many viewers find that following a preemption, their DVR won’t record the next episode.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey – The Reunion – Part 3

I’m off to a good start, calling Teresa an idiot during the review of last week. Bitch boy is on the way.😐 = incomprehensible.

The dudes join the fray, and Andy promises us the intense conclusion of the Reunion. They talk Botox until the countdown, and Andy welcomes our Jersey men. Paulie says he’s in awe of the Irish castle, and Andy congratulates Louie and  Teresa on the wedding. He asks Louie’s first reaction to Teresa’s hair, and Louie says, wow. Andy says, same. Joe #2 says his heart is hammering, and Andy says, that’s ironic, because that’s what his sister said. He talks about the men’s calendar, saying they have it at the Watch What Happens Live studio, and it’s Frank’s month. Joe #2 says, Frank as the Easter Bunny made his life, and we flash back to the women asking Paulie’s mom if she thought the calendar was hot, and her saying, no. Jumping right in, Andy says, they’ll start with the PJs, and Louie says, that came out wrong. When Teresa was emptying the house, he took an old pair of sweats out of a bag of clothes, and wore them one night; in an endearing good way. It sounded creepy, but that’s not what happened.😐 He says he tried connecting with Joe #2 because he knew what Teresa wanted, and she didn’t want this. Joe says he wants to believe Louie, but whenever he gives Louie the benefit of the doubt, he gets screwed. All he wanted was a family, and after Teresa got back from prison, they were on the best terms. She was humble and they talked every day. Teresa says, because they were filming, and confuses everyone, including me. I saw Teresa and Juicy Joe Go To Prison, and that wasn’t part of it. Teresa and Joe #2 get argumentative. Teresa whines about them not taking her out, and Joe says, she was single and going out like crazy. Melissa concurs, and Teresa tells her, STFU. She’s talking to her brother. Andy looks so exhausted, I literally lol. Melissa says, five minutes ago, Teresa said she never wanted to see them again, and now Joe’s her brother. Teresa says, they dragged her through the mud for ten years, once again confusing everyone, since she was the one on Melissa from day one. Andy finally says, they’re not getting anywhere, and to stop. Teresa says she wants to speak to her brother, not Melissa, and Andy says, they’ve established that. Teresa tells Andy to shut up, and calls Melissa a gaslighting bitch. Alrighty then.

Andy suggests they talk about something else, and after some small talk about the toddler in Marge’s house and John being hazed, we take a look at the Real Househusbands of New Jersey. We go down Jersey Dude Memory Lane, proving once again that the guys are the ones who should have a show. Andy asks, who’s best at holding their booze? and Joe #2 says he is, but John begs to differ. A viewer says, Frank seems to be having a hard time letting Dolores go, and Frank stresses that there’s nothing beyond friendship and family. Dolores is one of his best friends, and their family dynamic isn’t orthodox. Andy says, speaking of unorthodox, is Frank still living with David? Frank says, he and Brittany just got their own house, and he and Paulie are in a great place. Paulie agrees 100%. A viewer asks if Bill feels guilty about ignoring his family, but Bill says, he’s missed games, but because of work, not because he was in the pool house. Jennifer says, he’s not always there; that’s just how it feels. Andy says, Bill looked miserable, but Bill says he’s not. He works hard to make his wife happy, and certain things had been ignored, but not on purpose. Things have improved. Andy asks when Paulie is going to make an honest woman of Dolores, and Paulie says, Dolores wants to take her time. Andy suggests he get a divorce first, and Paulie says, it’s in the works. Andy asks how Paulie’s relationship with his ex is, and he says, Dolores is the first woman he brought around his kids, and he’s been separated 14 years. It was a gear shift like with Frank, and Dolores is also on the TV box, but his ex is understanding. A viewer asks, what happened when Frankie was working with Louie? and Dolores says, he got another job, but we flash back to Frank telling Joe #2, the business seems closed, and Louie’s not returning his calls. Dolores says, Louie gave her son a job, and she’s grateful for that. She doesn’t know what the rumor is, and doesn’t want to talk about Frankie. Joe #2 says he’s known Frankie his whole life, and Frankie told him things. Teresa says, he’s lying, and Dolores tells Joe #2, it ends right here. She doesn’t have a problem with him, and doesn’t want one. Andy asks why she’s upset, and she says she doesn’t want to talk about her son. He has a good job, and that’s all that happened. Andy says, that begs more questions, and I wonder if Dolores is afraid of Louie. John asks, how come Louie brought his kid’s mother into this? Bo Dietl’s friends were subcontracted to investigate him. Louis says, Bo is a good friend, but he didn’t have John investigated. John says, you can’t just contact someone in prison, and the number used was traced back to Bo’s people. Andy reminds Louie how he threw Bo Dietl’s name around in the finale, and said he had information on all of them. Louie says, he was misstating in anger.😐We flash back to that, and Rachel says, she and Melissa went out to lunch, and Bo was sitting at a table next to them. She wonders what the odds are of that, and I wonder if Bo could actually stink that much at being a P.I. John tells Louie to stop the bullsh*t. He sees through both of them. Teresa says she’s all about the proof, and Melissa asks if Louie is saying he didn’t hire Bo Dietl, who’s getting a lot of free publicity tonight. Louie says he did not; he was just angry. Andy says, production just called from downstairs, and asks Louie if a security person he hired is here. Louie says he didn’t hire him. Bo sent him. This guy… I don’t even know what to say. Do they watch this stuff back? He doesn’t just look like a liar; he looks like a liar confused by his own lies. He also looks batsh*t crazy sometimes. Like scary crazy.

Louie says, they’ve gotten death threats, and John applauds Louie’s acting skills. Louie says, Bo is working on a case; someone is harassing him. Since she hasn’t drug Marge into it for a minute, Teresa says, Marge has been talking to the person harassing them, and putting out false information. Louie tells Marge, let’s play, because he thinks he’s in some spy movie or maybe Batman, and Marge says she has no idea what they’re talking about. Louie is under criminal investigation. Louie says, she’s lying, and Marge says, Louie called her child, and they have the phone records. She shows Andy, who shows Louie, who admits it’s his cell number. Frank asks if Louie hired Bo to create a slander campaign against him and Joe #2, and Louie says, that’s nothing that would benefit him. Melissa says, bad tweets and bad publicity; that’s why they see so much hate. Louie says, be careful. Their day is coming. Once more reverting to his Bond villain persona. Joe #2 says, the people Louie hires tell them everything, and Andy says, a viewer writes that it sounded like Louie ghosted Joe #2 over the pizza business. Louie says, Joe approached him, and met with Louie’s nephew, who gave Joe money for the ovens. There’s an undercurrent of Teresa and Melissa trading insults, and Teresa says, Melissa is embarrassing. Melissa says, no, you, and Andy says, they’re both embarrassing. Louie says he called Joe and asked if he wanted to take 5 or 10%. Everything was for Teresa, and in her name. Then Joe got upset. Joe says he figured they’d put in half a million to start, and when he asked what was going on, Louie said he was busy. He stole Joe’s idea. Andy asks what John’s reaction is, and John says, if it was Joe’s idea, they should have drawn up a document. Teresa starts nattering on about how she told them to do that, and Andy finally screams at her to let them talk. She’s been doing this all day. She finally shuts up, and Andy asks about Louie and Dina’s husband having a falling out over business. We flash back to Joe #2 talking about Pizzagate, Part 2, and Louie says, Joe is lying and Dina’s husband called him out. Joe calls Louie a woman abuser, which sounds out of context, but to be honest, they’re all talking at once and over each other, so I’m not sure I didn’t miss something. Louie says, Joe is a bully, and he’s going to meet his match. Joe says, Louie will say something nice, then says, in due time… Louie says, Joe will regret this, and Joe says he regrets it every day. He’s done. Okay, I still don’t get Pizzagate Part 1 or 2, especially not 2.

Andy says he wants Joe #2’s reaction. Teresa said Jacqueline told her that he and Melissa were hanging out with Juicy Joe’s former partner who ratted them out. Teresa now believes Joe and Melissa are responsible for her going to jail. Frank asks if Joe waives attorney/client privilege, and Joe agrees. Frank says he was Joe’s attorney at the time, and they were contacted by the FBI. They were asked to come to Paterson to talk. Teresa says she knows Joe #2 would never try to hurt her… and Frank says, Joe #2 never showed up. Teresa says, it was Juicy Joe’s partner, and says something in Italian. Joe says, she broke his heart, and Teresa says, they were talking to Juicy Joe’s partner. Marge asks why Teresa believes every bad rumor, and Teresa says, Jacqueline has no reason to lie. Andy says, her standing up for Jacqueline is the joke of the century, since she’s been talking sh*t about Jacqueline for 10 years. Teresa insists she has not, we flash back, and yes, she has. Hoping to divert from the proof, Teresa says, she’s been through this for 10 years; it’s disgraceful. Louie says, it’s just a matter of time, twirling his moustache, and Joe #2 asks if Louie is threatening him. There’s something about a video, but again, it’s such a noisy mess, I miss it, and Teresa says, there’s stuff in Joe #2’s past. Andy suggests they do something old fashioned and pretend he’s the host. He asks is Joe regrets not going to the wedding, but Joe says, no, and somehow the pizza thing gets brought up again. Andy tells Teresa to stop talking, and Joe says, they were saying his wife was cheating on him. Louie says, they never believed it. He just told Joe so he could get ahead of it. Andy asks why they didn’t invite Melissa, and Louie says, he just called Joe; it’s his fault. He didn’t want what happened to him to happen to Joe. Joe says, Louie told him that it was with multiple men, but Louie says, no, he didn’t. Andy asks if Teresa said Joe could do better, but Joe says, that was Gia. She called him. Teresa says, she’ll call Gia right now at Coachella, and does. Andy takes the phone, and asks if she told her uncle that he can do better than Melissa, and Gia says, she called regarding the wedding. She asked him to do the right thing; mom wanted him to walk her down the aisle. She never said he could do better than her Aunt Melissa. It’s sad. Joe asks if she’s calling him a liar, and Andy tells her to have a blast. Be careful, and don’t take anything someone gives her. Be smart. Obviously he’s been there and done that. Melissa asks why Joe would make it up, and Teresa says, because he’s married to Melissa. Teresa says she was always good to him and put him first. He was her best friend. She starts crying, and says, this is disgraceful. She can’t. She gets up, and as she leaves, she says, mommy and daddy. He should be ashamed. She yells, and don’t come following me! but it’s unclear if she means Joe or the camera.

Melissa says, Teresa’s embarrassed, and we hear her ranting backstage, saying, he lies about her daughter. She doesn’t want to make up. She wants it over. Still onstage, Joe #2 says, she’ll never give up what’s in her brain. Gia calls Teresa and tells her not to cry. Louie has jetted back there too, because Teresa can’t utter a word without him butting in. Frank says, he’s never seen it this bad. It’s not like with Juicy Joe. Melissa says, they never suffered a P.I., and Jennifer insists Louie never hired one. John says, it’s not hearsay, and Melissa says she thinks there’s so much out there on Louie, he wants a folder on everyone else. And Teresa doesn’t want it to come out. Andy goes to see Teresa, and she says she didn’t know Gia called Joe to beg him to come to the wedding. Louie says, Gia might have told him that he could do better for her mom, and Teresa says, not to leave Melissa. Andy says, they can’t keep relitigating this. They have to go out and finish. Teresa says, there are a lot of accusations, and Louie says, they have to build their narrative. Andy apologizes for yelling at Teresa, although I don’t know why. I don’t know how he doesn’t smack her one, or knock her and Melissa’s heads together. Onstage, Dolores says, nobody put their two cents in. Let it be.

Returning to his seat, Andy says, obviously, they’re not resolving anything, but he wants to see if there’s anything else Teresa and Joe want to say before he sends the husbands away. Joe says, Teresa told him that she’s heartbroken, and she says it in Italian again. He says he’ll never say never. She’s his only sister, and he’s not happy with her. He’s upset with her, but he’ll always love her. If she was in an accident tomorrow, he’d run to be by her side. If she was sick, he’d pick her up… She says, no, and Joe says, this is why it will never be with her. She says, it’s like their parents said, honor me while I’m alive, not when I’m dead. Joe says, he and Louie have their differences, and he thinks the best thing to do is to forget about each other. Let Louie do his thing, and leave them alone. Since he’s recharging for his next spiral, Louie shakes hands with Joe. As they leave, Frank says, they’ve wasted way too much energy on this. They’re too old for this. Andy says, it’s a bittersweet time to say goodbye to the husbands, and tells us, we’ll be right back. Louie goes over to John and says, he’s sorry. John’s a good father. John says, then be a friend and admit to what he knows he did, but Louie says he can’t. John says, if he’s going to apologize, own it, when Joe comes over to them, and they all leave the stage area.

Andy says, their final moments are rather somber, and asks Dolores what she’s feeling. Dolores says, nothing got resolved, and she thinks it’s time to part ways. It’s toxic for both of them, and both of them are hurt. Time apart is good. Andy wonders if watching it back spoke to Danielle, since she’s seeing her brother tomorrow. Danielle says she doesn’t know how he’ll react, and she’s afraid. She doesn’t want any toxic fighting. Andy asks if Marge is putting her arsenal behind her, and Jennifer says she’s sick of hearing arsenal. Suddenly struck by the wand of the Wisdom Fairy, she says, at the end of the day, it’s about them being friends. She felt it in Ireland. They had a great time having fun. They’re going to make mistakes; sh*t happens. They need to find a way to put on their big girl panties.😐Dolores says, there’s only one way, and that’s to leave everything behind. Jennifer says, Marge is right, 😐causing me to nearly faint. Unless you forget, you can’t truly forgive. Andy asks if Jennifer and Marge are going to bury the hatchet, and Marge says she’s in a different place in life. She doesn’t want insanity; no negative energy. Danielle agrees, and Andy asks if Rachel has decided to forget the nonsense with her and Danielle, and if they can come together. Rachel says she’s happy to move forward. They have more in common than not, and she’d like to form a new friendship. Danielle says she would too, and Andy says, last, but not least, Melissa and Teresa were more open with their real feelings, yet managed to coexist in a weird way. Teresa says she was getting married, and wanted peace. She tried everything, but Melissa kept denying her. Andy asks where she is now, and she says she just wants peace and to close the door. Melissa says she feels the hate. She could never please Teresa. Whatever she did was wrong. She loves Teresa, no matter what Teresa thinks, and worries about her. She’s just going to go with the flow; whatever the family decides to do.

Andy says, it’s been a tough season, from the highest high, Teresa’s hair; to the lowest low. He thanks them for allowing us into part of their life. They’re going to toast with Irish whiskey and pizza. Surprisingly, when the pizza is brought out (looks like NYC pizza, so I assume they filmed there), several of the ladies chow down.😐I guess it is a pretty long day. Andy asks Dolores to give the toast, and she says; Here’s to cheating, stealing, fighting and drinking. If you cheat, may you cheat death; If you steal, may you steal someone’s heart; If you fight, may you fight for a brother; If you drink, may you drink with me.

Andy says, it’s been a wild ride.

🦫 It’s Official…

I’m ashamed to say, I never even noticed this.

🏥 His Real Life Backstory…

Very cool how he had a bit part on GH way back when.

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Sprina Locks Lips…

And you thought a kiss was just a kiss.

🏃🏼‍♂️ Willey’s Crossing…

There’s quite a few AMC alum on GH now.

🌈 Pride For All…

Now if she could just get a storyline.

🩺 Sharing Is Caring…

For those in the LGBTQ+ community in need of healthcare.

🥀 Gone Too Soon…

Hair is one of my favorite movie musicals, and despite its sad ending, it’s often chased my blues away. I also had the good fortune to see him play Buddy in my all-time favorite musical, Follies, on Broadway. He was an absolute joy to watch.

https://people.com/treat-williams-dead-at-71-7511398

🐻‍❄️ She’s the Only One…

Awesome!

https://people.com/white-panda-captured-on-video-in-china-7508366

🤹🏽‍♀️ Giving the Old Razzle Dazzle…

Hopefully, we’re back to soap tomorrow, along with some awful Secrets Revealed. Although I doubt there will be anything new. I hope not anyway. Until then, stay safe, stay looking both ways, even when in the crosswalk – as my father would say, you’ll be the only one with the right of way in the hospital – and stay keeping in mind, unless you forget, you can’t truly forgive.

June 12, 2023 – Chase Asks If Tracy Wants To Change Her Statement, Twice the Awful People On Deck (and I don’t mean the guests), On Broadway & Real

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Josslyn says she doesn’t like Dex continuing to work for Sonny, but she understands it, and he says, it’ll be safer this time. She says, good, maybe he’ll get shot less, but he says he won’t have to worry about Sonny catching him spying for Michael, since he’s no longer spying for Michael. She says she’s still going to worry, and he says, nice to know someone cares about him. She tells him, get used to it. He’s not alone anymore. Michael walks in with Carly, looks at Josslyn, and says, truce?

At the hospital, someone calls for the head nurse, and Elizabeth takes the call. She says she’s so sorry. Unfortunately, Nurse Johnson is no longer with them… Thank you. She was a very special person… Of course (🍷) she can transfer them. Finn says he still misses her, and Elizabeth says she does too, all the time. But being here is when she misses Epiphany the most.

Austin finds Ava in a private lounge at the MetroCourt, and asks if she knows what’s going on by the pool. She says, somebody fell and they called the paramedics. Have a seat. He thanks her and sits down. He says, this is cozy; a public place, but still away from it all. She says she thought privacy would be best, considering they’re talking about betraying the most dangerous man she knows.

Sonny asks if Nina is okay, and she wonders if he’d believe her if she said she was. He asks if this is still about what happened after he got back from Nixon Falls. She has to know, that’s all behind them. They’ve both done things they regret, and guess what? You move forward. She flashes back to Ned saying that he didn’t tip off the SEC; she did. She says she knows they’ve moved on since then, and he asks, what’s the problem? She says she’ll always regret the pain that she caused him.

Olivia says she’s not leaving Ned for one single second, and Brook asks Drew, what happened? Tracy comes flying over, and says, Drew attacked Ned; he practically killed him. She tells Chase to put his badge to use and arrest Drew for assault. Brook says, Drew attacked her dad? and Drew says, what? That is not what happened. Ned came charging in here, looked like he tripped on something, and hit his head falling in the pool. It was an accident. Tracy says, it was attempted murder, and Drew says, if anything, he saved Ned’s life. He pulled Ned out of the pool before he drowned. Tracy says, covering his tracks. If it had just been the two of them, Drew would have let Ned drown. Brook says, that doesn’t sound like Drew, and Tracy says, this isn’t the first time he attacked Ned. He sucker punched Ned back at the house; Brook saw it. Brook says, that’s true, and Tracy asks what Chase is waiting for; arrest him. Olivia says, this is not the time, and tells Brook that they’re taking her father down in the service elevator. She’s going to ride with him in the ambulance. Brook says she’ll be right behind Tracy, and Tracy says she’s going too. She tells Chase, do his duty, and walks out behind Brook, glaring at Drew on her way out. Drew says he was nowhere near Ned when he fell. Is Chase seriously going to arrest him?

I miss something here, but it’s not worth going back for. Drew flashes back to Ned’s trip and fall, and God forgive me, I laugh again. Zeke walks in, and asks, what’s going on? Why is Drew wet? Drew says, his cousin Ned tripped and fell in the pool. He had to go in and rescue him. He gave Ned CPR, but he wasn’t breathing. Zeke asks if Ned is going to be okay, but Drew doesn’t know. Zeke asks if Ned is the same guy who ratted out Drew and Carly to the SEC, and Drew says, that’s him. Zeke says, please tell him that he didn’t… but Drew says he didn’t do anything. He wasn’t anywhere near Ned, but unfortunately, it’s his word against Ned’s mother’s, and his mother is Tracy Quartermaine. Zeke says, and no one else saw what happened? and Drew says he’s afraid not.

Austin tells Ava to try and understand, there’s more dangerous things in this world than Sonny Corinthos, like unicorns and daisies, and she says, maybe for him, but Sonny can keep Avery away from her, and nothing in this world would be worse for her than losing her child. He says he thinks she’s not using her imagination, and she says she’s sick of these vague portents of doom. He says, Mason will be sure she never sees Avery or anyone else again, ever, and she says she knows Mason isn’t the one calling the shots; he reeks of errand boy. But is that all he is? He says, Mason is many things, a lot of things, none of them good, but he really doesn’t understand what she’s asking. Could she narrow it down? She asks if Mason could be acting on his own, without his boss knowing.

Sonny says, they settled this a long time ago. Why is Nina dredging it up now? She says she’s just in a mood, one she doesn’t necessarily want to be in. Is he still working? Or can she tempt him away? He says, she always tempts him. What does she have in mind? She says, what she wants is to get out of here, go home, get into bed, and pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

Tracy and Brook dash into the hospital, and Tracy asks if the desk nurse knows where Ned Quartermaine is. They see Olivia, and run over to her, and Brook asks if Ned woke up. Olivia says she was talking to Ned the whole way there, and she hopes he could hear her. Tracy starts to go in, but Olivia says, she can’t right now. Tracy asks if Olivia knows how much money her family gives to the hospital. Nobody’s going to stop her. Olivia says she knows Ned is Tracy’s son, but if Tracy interrupts, and Ned dies on that gurney, she promises they’ll be having a double funeral. Brook asks if the doctors said anything, but Olivia says, Dr. Ashford is in with Ned right now. Finn comes by, and Tracy tells him that Ned has a head injury. Brook says, Dr. Ashford is in with him right now, and Tracy asks if he knows Dr. Ashford. Finn says, he’s a very talented intern, but Tracy says, that’s not good enough. She wants Finn to examine him. Finn says he’s not a neurologist, but Tracy says she doesn’t care. He says, okay, he’ll take a look, and goes inside.

Josslyn says, Michael has another job for Dex after he left Dex hanging? That’s unbelievable; let’s go. Feeling the call of the moss bowl🎍, Dex tells her, wait. He wants to hear Michael’s offer. Josslyn says, he doesn’t owe Michael any more favors, but Dex says, spying on Sonny was a job, not a favor. What does Michael want him to do? Michael says he wants Dex to do what he’s already been doing; keep working for Sonny. Josslyn says, so he can keep getting evidence Michael won’t use? but Michael says he doesn’t need Dex to get evidence. He needs Dex to keep an eye on Sonny. Protect him. Dex says, this is a 180, and Josslyn says, five minutes ago, Michael wanted Sonny in prison. Dex says, besides, Sonny pays him for protection, and Michael says, which is why this’ll work. All Dex has to do is what he’s already been doing for Sonny. And if he gets wind of any trouble from Pikeman, or anyone, report back to him. Dex says, to what end? and Michael says, so he can help him. The moss bowl🎍 is pleased, but Josslyn says, no. This is insane. Michael is putting Dex right back where he was; spying on Sonny for him. Carly can’t possibly think this is a good idea. Carly says, it was her idea.

Sonny says he likes the way Nina thinks, but he’s waiting on a call from Brick, and Nina asks if he’s choosing Brick over her. He says, well, he and Brick go way back, and she’s a close second, like a photo finish. She says, he’s comparing her to a horse? but he says, not just any horse; a racehorse. She says, consider her swept off her feet, and he says, it shouldn’t take too long. Then she can have him for the rest of their lives.

Finn comes out, and Olivia asks, how is Ned? Tracy says, is he awake? Can he talk? Can they see him? Finn says, they managed to stabilize Ned, but he’s still unconscious. They’re prepping him for a CT scan. They believe there might be some swelling on the brain. A specialist will meet them at imaging and go over the scans as they’re being taken. Olivia asks how bad it is that he hasn’t regained consciousness yet, but Finn says, it’s entirely too soon to jump to any conclusions. Brook says, it seems like they’ve been waiting forever, and Finn says he knows waiting is hard, but he can promise Ned is getting the best possible care. Can Olivia tell him what happened? Olivia says, she wasn’t there. When she got there, he was already out of the pool and on the ground. Tracy says she was there; she saw everything. Drew Cain flew into a rage and attacked him. Finn wonders why Drew would do that, and she says, he’s convinced Ned turned him into the SEC and wants revenge.

Chase asks if Drew would come down to the station and answer a few questions, and Zeke says, not without his lawyer present. Drew introduces them, and they shake hands. Chase says he just has to get Drew’s official statement, and Zeke asks why he can’t do it there. Chase says, an accusation has been made, so it’s customary to do it at the station, but by all means, his attorney should be present. Zeke says, but his client is soaked, and asks if it can’t wait, but Drew says, it’s fine. He’s happy to answer some questions; no problem. Zeke asks if Chase will excuse them a moment, and takes Drew aside. He asks Drew, what’s going on? Doesn’t he want to go to the hospital and be with his family? Drew says he does, but if he goes there now, Tracy’s going to be pointing fingers. She’s probably already telling everybody within earshot that he tried to kill her son. Zeke says, great. He’ll prepare the slander suit. Drew says, in the meantime, they need to make this thing go away as quickly as possible. The last thing they need is Tracy’s wild accusations complicating things with the SEC.

On the phone, Sonny says, another dead end?… Yeah… He knows Brick isn’t giving up, and he isn’t giving up either. Talk to him soon. Nina says, bad news? and Sonny says, Brick is just trying to track down some information for him, and it’s taking longer than he thought. If there’s any way she wants to distract him… She says she’ll do her best, and they’re about to kiss, when Sonny’s phone rings. She tells him, ignore it, but he says he’s sorry. He looks at the phone, and says, it’s Brook… Just calm down… He’ll be there. Nina asks, what’s going on? and Sonny says, Ned fell and hit his head. He’s at General Hospital. Nina asks if he’s going to be okay, but Sonny says he doesn’t know. Brook was very upset. She says, Ned didn’t tell them what happened? and he says, Ned’s unconscious. He has to go. She says she’ll go with him, and follows him out the door.

Ava says, Austin thinks Mason’s acting on orders. Could it be that Mason is just torturing them for the fun of it, so he can have power over them? Austin says, Mason does like having power over him, but he’s not the one calling the shots. She asks, who is, and how do they get out from under them? and Austin says he’s been trying to get out from under them for years, but it’s not possible. That should tell her how powerful these people are. He knows she doesn’t want to hear it, but the best course of action – she says, for him, but he says, for both of them – would be for her to do what Mason wants her to do. She says she can’t go against Sonny. That’s suicide. He says, she’s Avery’s mother; that protects her against Sonny. But if she doesn’t do what Mason wants, that could get them both killed.

Sonny and Nina come into the hospital, and Olivia cries, putting her arms around Sonny. She asks how he knew they were there, and Brook says she called him. He hugs Brook, and asks what they know, but she says, nothing. They took dad for a CT scan. Sonny asks if Ned woke up. Did they talk to him? Olivia says, he’s unconscious, and starts to cry, but Sonny says, he’s going to be okay. He’s a fighter. They’ll take care of him. Olivia says, he wasn’t breathing, and Nina says, they’re so sorry this is happening. Brook says, so are they, and Nina says, they were so shocked when Brook called. This is a horrible accident. Tracy comes by with Finn, and says, it was no accident. Drew tried to kill Ned. Sonny says he knows Tracy is upset and wants to blame somebody, but Drew had nothing to do with it. Tracy tells him, of course (🍷) he’d say that. He always denies crimes that have actually been committed. Why wouldn’t he defend a former Navy SEAL who’s trained to kill? Why would a man like that ever get violent? He says, in a public place, in front of her? and she asks, what part of in a rage doesn’t he get? TJ comes out, and Olivia asks, how’s her husband?

Josslyn says, Carly wants Dex to continue to risk his life, but instead of risking it to put Sonny in jail, he’s risking it to protect him? Carly says she wants Dex to keep doing what he’s doing. The only difference is, now he has Michael for back-up. Josslyn asks why she’s doing this. And don’t say Donna and Avery. Michael says, she’s right. It was beyond their baby sisters. This is about keeping them and the moss bowl🎍 safe, and moving on. Josslyn says, except Dex can’t move on if he gets caught this time, and Dex asks to speak with Josslyn privately. Carly says she wants Josslyn to think about what they said, and wants her to understand how important this is. She and Michael leave, and Josslyn says, don’t tell her that he’s actually considering it.

Chase sets up the recorder in the interrogation room, and asks if Drew is there voluntarily. Drew says he is, and Chase asks Drew to walk him through what happened. Drew says, he and Tracy Quartermaine were in the pool area. Ned came rushing out and was calling his name. Ned came around the corner and it seemed like he tripped on something. He went down, hit his head, and immediately rolled into the pool; face down, unconscious, bleeding. Drew went in, pulled him out of the pool. He determined Ned wasn’t breathing, and checked for a pulse. There was no pulse, so he started performing CPR. He told Tracy to call 9-1-1, and that’s that until the paramedics showed up and took over. Chase thanks him, and asks if he and Tracy were at the pool area alone. Drew says, they were, and Chase asks what they were doing. Drew says, they were talking, and Chase says, about? Drew says, business, family. With the Quartermaines, they kind of go hand in hand. Chase says, it’s kind of an odd place to discuss business, doesn’t he think? but Drew says, what he and Tracy needed to speak about required privacy. Chase says, Drew told him that Ned was rushing toward him. Did the two of them make any contact before Ned fell? Drew says, absolutely not. They weren’t even remotely close. Chase asks why Tracy would think otherwise, but Zeke says, Drew doesn’t have to answer that. His client isn’t a mind reader. Chase says, fair enough, and asks why Drew thinks she made that accusation. Drew says, he and Tracy are at odds; family issues he guesses. An officer comes in, and says, there’s something Chase should see, and Chase says he’ll be right back. He leaves, and Zeke says, talk to him. How is he doing? Drew says he’s fine. He’s just worried about Ned. Zeke says, him too. From what Drew told him, Ned is his best shot at making these insider trading charges go away.

The officer gives Chase the security footage from the MetroCourt pool area, and Chase looks at the tablet.

TJ says, Ned has sustained a TBI; a traumatic brain injury. When he fell, the impact of his brain against his skull caused his brain to swell. They can see some physical damage on the scans, but won’t know any cognitive damage until he regains consciousness. Brook asks if it’s bad that he’s still out, but TJ says, not necessarily. The body often shuts down to devote all its energy to the injury, the brain in particular. The neuropathways can be rerouted after an injury, but it takes time. This might actually assist in his healing. Olivia says, what if he doesn’t wake up tomorrow, or the day after that? and TJ says, the longer Ned remains unconscious, the longer they go without a sense of how and where his brain has been affected. Mr. Quartermaine is also suffering from hypoxemia; the oxygen level in his blood is low. This indicates his brain was deprived of oxygen for a time. Olivia cries, and Brook asks if he’s saying her dad may never wake up.

Ava tells Austin that Mason wants inside information on Sonny. Good luck with that. Sonny doesn’t discuss his business with her. They share a child together; that’s it. It’s the only reason he didn’t kill her years ago. Sonny barely tolerates her, and certainly doesn’t trust her. Austin says, she’ll just have to figure out a different way to get the information, and she says, how exactly? He says, she’s really smart. She’ll figure it out. She can listen to his conversations, go through his papers. She says, like he just leaves important documents lying around. It’s just as likely he’ll have a conversation about it near enough that she can hear. He says he knows she can do it. She’s just got to think outside the box. She says, the Feds have been after Sonny for decades. They use actual undercover agents, and surveillance equipment, and Austin might have noticed, the guy is walking around a free man. How can she possibly do any better? He says, she knows him, so she can do better. She knows all his vulnerabilities. She knows his weaknesses, and knows how to use them against him. She says, what makes him so sure about that? Because they share Avery? They both love their daughter, but that doesn’t mean she was conceived in a moment of mutual regard. He says, okay, but she still has access because of Avery. She’s got to help him out. He helped her out. She says, Sonny is Avery’s father. She’s not going to betray him like that. He says, she should rethink that. Because when Mason talks about taking Sonny down, he’s not just talking about sending him to prison. She says, Mason wants to kill Sonny? and he says he imagines Sonny’s made her walk this emotional tightrope and jump through these hoops. When was the last time Sonny tried to take Avery from her? She says, he did that a lot, but not lately, and he says, what if he does it again? Next week, next month, or next year? What if he gets grumpy? Wouldn’t her life be just a little bit better if Sonny were gone for good?

TJ says, it’s hard to tell, and Tracy says, that’s what doctors tell you when they don’t know what’s going on. Olivia asks if they can see Ned, and TJ says, he’s in the ICU; one visitor at a time. He leaves, and Tracy says, Olivia can go first. Brook takes her hand, and says, tell daddy that they’re here, they love him, and they’re waiting for him. Deanna takes Olivia to the ICU, Brook hugs Sonny, and Nina looks incredibly uncomfortable.

Dex says, he’s thinking about taking the job, but Josslyn says, didn’t he just tell her how much safer he’d be now that he’s not spying for Michael? He says he won’t be spying; he’ll be protecting Sonny. She says, Sonny doesn’t need his protection. He says he thinks Sonny does. Sonny’s business is changing. The people he’s dealing with are extremely dangerous. She says, what else is new? but he says, this is different. Pikeman is massive. The scope of its resources and connections are global. She says, he has Brick, and Dex says, who’s on the west coast. Brick can’t be with Sonny day to day; he can. She asks why he’d want to, and he says, because Sonny is going to need someone who has his back, and someone who’s not going to sell him out for more money, somebody who isn’t going to cut and run when things get dangerous. Someone like him. She asks why it has to be him, and he says, because he won’t be doing it for the money. He’ll be doing it for her.

Drew says he can’t even think about the SEC charges right now, and Zeke says, no problem. That’s why he’s here. Drew says, when he pulled Ned out of the pool and he wasn’t breathing, he felt like he was performing CPR forever. That’s not good. Zeke says he doesn’t mean to sound callous, but Drew’s his client, and he’s going to do what’s best for him. Will Tracy drop the accusation once she’s had a chance to cool down? Drew says, absolutely not. Tracy wants to neutralize him. Zeke says, by neutralize, Drew means what? but Drew says, it’s better he doesn’t know. Zeke says, something every attorney loves to hear, and Drew says, Tracy’s accusations are just a temporary nuisance. Whatever the PCPD drags up will prove he’s innocent. Zeke says, eventually… hopefully. But if he’s charged with attempted murder, the US Attorney’s office will never accept his plea deal.

Chase walks into the hospital, and Brook runs up and hugs him. He asks how her dad is, and if he’s woken up, but she shakes her head. He says he’s so sorry, and Tracy says, detective. Brook says, here we go, and Tracy says she trusts Chase’s presence here means Drew Cain is safely locked up in a cell. Chase says, about that. He’s here because he’s wondering if, on time to reflect, Tracy wants to change her statement. She asks why she’d want to that. She knows what she saw. She’s the only one who witnessed Drew Cain’s vicious attack on her son. Why would he think she’d want to change that? He says, because the MetroCourt security cameras captured the whole incident, plain as day.

Dex tells Josslyn that his best option is to keep working for Sonny. It’s in his best interest to keep Sonny on top, and with Michael involved… She asks how that’s remotely a good thing, and he says, because Michael is smart, and he understands the business. He can’t advise Sonny directly, but he can do it through Dex. She says she just hates that her family is putting him in this position, but he says he made his choices, and his eyes have been wide open the whole time. She asks if anyone’s ever told him that he makes really bad decisions, and he says he doesn’t know about that. Look where they’ve led him. He wouldn’t have it any other way. He kisses her.

Ava says she doesn’t not want Sonny dead. Once upon a time… Austin says, why not? and she says she won’t deprive Avery of her father; she loves him. He says, with Sonny out of the way, she can gain full custody. She’ll never have to worry… She says, stop it. She won’t be a part of this. He says he’s just trying to convince her… She says, he’s trying to manipulate her, and this might shock him, but she doesn’t take kindly to that sort of thing. He says he’s being honest with her. If she does this one thing… She says, he only wants her to cooperate because if she does, Mason will leave him alone. He says, please. Mason is never, ever, ever going to leave him alone. It’s like she refuses to believe how dangerous these people really are. She says she needs context; she needs names. He says, believe it or not, he’s trying to protect her, and she asks, why? He says, she’s never boring, even when she’s at her worst, but when she’s at her best, she says mean things that make him want to hear her say more mean things. It’s like the burn you get after a strong drink. She says, comparing her to cocktails. Is he trying to flatter her or something? He says, maybe… partly, but not entirely. They can do this if they do it together.

Chase says, Tracy witnessed a traumatic event involving her son. Her first impressions may not be accurate. In light of the security footage, would she like to rethink he original statement? She says, it all happened very fast and she was very upset, thinking her son was going to die. Sonny tells her, spit it out, and Tracy says, he might have slipped and fell. Chase says, just to be clear, Drew Cain was not the aggressor, and Brook says, like Alexis wasn’t driving that car. Tracy says, it was an accident, okay? Now is Olivia going to stay with Ned all night? She’d like to see her son. She heads for ICU, and Finn follows her. Brook thanks Chase, and says she knows he cut her grandmother some slack. He says he’s just glad they cleared it all up. He’s sure Drew will be glad to hear it’s over. His phone dings, and he looks at it, then looks over at Nina and Sonny.

Olivia asks Deanna if she can touch Ned, and Deanna says, she can hold his hand. Crying, she goes over to the bed, takes Ned’s hand, and says, she’s here, just like she said she’d be. His daughter Brook is here, and his mother’s here, breathing fire on his behalf. She laughs through her tears, and says, they’re all here; staying close together for him. He’s got to wake up. She loves him so much. He’s got to come back to them. He’s got to come back to her. She lays her head on his chest.

The officer says, Drew is free to go, and Zeke says, so his client isn’t being charged. The officer says, according to the witness, the fall wasn’t Mr. Cain’s fault; it was an accident. Detective Chase wanted him to thank Drew for his cooperation, and apologize for any inconvenience. Drew thanks the officer, and says he’s glad this got cleared up. The officer leaves, and Zeke says he’s glad that turned out okay. Drew says, him too, but he’s wondering what got Tracy to change her mind.

Josslyn tells Michael that she doesn’t like it, as they have a stand-off, the moss bowl🎍 between them. She thinks he and Carly are both terrible for putting Dex in this position, but it’s his choice. Dex says he’ll do it. He’ll protect Sonny. Michael thanks him, and says he really believes it’s the best way to keep everybody safe. Dex says, it’s not going to be easy. Pikeman is massive and dangerous. Carly says, that’s why it’s important for Dex to keep Michael informed. This is a situation Sonny’s never been in before. Michael says he just hopes Sonny doesn’t end up trusting the wrong people. I love how they’re acting like Sonny is five years old.

Ava says she’ll think about it, but Austin says, what’s there to think about? She says, if he could just tell her who Mason is working for… He says, that’s not going to happen, and she says she’s being threatened to do this without knowing who she’s doing it for. He says, whatever they’re doing, they’re doing for her own good, but she says, it’s pretty obvious her best interests aren’t his main concern. He says, when he found her with Nikolas in the stables, he didn’t run away. He stayed and helped her out. It’s time for her to return the favor. She says, so that’s what all of this has been leading up to; one big, fat quid pro quo. He says, maybe a little, but she does get to help herself out in the process.

Olivia comes out of Ned’s room, and Brook goes in. Nina tells Olivia that she’s so sorry this is happening. If there’s anything she can do for Olivia or the family… Chase’s phone dings, and Nina says, Olivia’s been so great with Willow, and if there’s anything she can do to repay that… Chase looks at his phone, and looks over at Nina. Nina says, in any way… and Chase looks troubled.

The text says, In Loving Memory Of Jacklyn Zeman.

Hmm… I wonder if Chase saw Nina in the footage.

Tomorrow, Portia wonders if there’s still hope for her and Curtis to become a real family; Taggert asks Jordan to join him for a drink; and Drew says he’s taking the future in his own hands.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

I have no clue why, but it was double the Deck tonight. Maybe they’re rushing the season. Just as well.

It’s literally Colin’s worst nightmare. The toilets won’t flush, and are overflowing. He says, the blockage is directly under the girls bathrooms, and in his interview, he says, to get out the turd the size of a football, he has to pressurize the line. Too much pressure, and there will be an explosion out of the toilet; it’s horrific. He makes magic with a vacuum hooked to a hose, Alex says he hears a thump, thump, thump, and the toilet flushes. Colin says, one of them blocked it and took dump after. He asks if this is why Gary calls Daisy Daisy Poo, and she insists it’s not her. They bleach everything, and it’s time for the tip meeting.

Glenn says, the four person charter gave them an opportunity to catch up and get ahead. He compliments Ileisha on her food again, and says, the tip is $13K, or $1273 euros per person. At first I think, how cheap, but then I remember it was only one night. He says he knows they’re heading out for dinner tonight, and wishes Gary a happy birthday. He tells them to have fun, but save some energy for tomorrow because they have the whole day off. He’s booked them a private cabana at Blu Beach, where dinner is also being done for them. He wants them to recharge their batteries since they still have half a season to go. In Daisy’s interview, she says she’s ready to have a f***ing drink. Daisy brings out champagne, but drops a glass off the tray, and Chase yells, mazel tov! In her interview, she says, it’s been a tough season for her. They toast to Gary’s birthday, and Daisy radios Glenn to tell him that they’re setting up the party. Colin prints out Gary masks for everyone, and Lucy makes sure her bunk is stocked with water, a charger, M&Ms, and magnesium. They hang letter balloons, and Gary puts on his lucky underwear. In Colin’s interview, he says, the situation with Daisy feels natural. They know each other so well; it’s comfortable. He’s just concerned it will affect their friendship. They’re great friends, but may not be great lovers… yet. Gary comes upstairs, and in his interview, he says he wants the best birthday ever. He sees the masks, and says, and you get a Gary, and you get a Gary… Mads asks if Gary is mad at her, and we flash back to him grumbling that she didn’t say goodnight. They drink, and Gary says, there’s enough Gary for everyone tonight. He tells Daisy, since it’s his birthday, she has to be nice to him. She always brings him down in front of everyone. We flash back to that, and he says he’s asking her nicely not to do that tonight. In Daisy’s interview, she says, maybe she goes too far in taking the piss out of Gary. But if he’s so upset, why bring it up now? She tells him, noted, and Glenn tells them to have fun. In Chase’s interview, he says he’s not the smartest guy, but he’s trying his best not to offend anyone. His number one goal is to drink less; to be less. In the taxi, Gary points out that the Southern ladies were into Chase, and Chase says he thinks they were 10s in their heydays. If one of them had three beach houses and one foot on the banana peel, they’d be an automatic 10.

They get to the restaurant, and Ileisha says she’s very stoked with herself. Daisy goes for a smoke with Ileisha, and says, Gary asked her to be nice. She’d thought she was nice, and it hurt because she stands up for him. In Daisy’s interview, she says, the idea that she hurt someone’s feelings without realizing it feels awful. She tells Ileisha that she can’t be around him. Everything she says is wrong. They go back to the table, and Mads takes Gary’s hand. He says he loves affection, and is a person who needs affection. Mads says she’s the opposite. In Alex’s interview, he says he thinks he’d be more forward and go for Mads, but stealing the boss’s girl is not the best move. It’s not him. Daisy tells Colin that she’s over dinner, and Chase says he’s never been out to dinner with better looking ladies. He toasts to the mistakes he’ll make, and they head back to the boat. In the taxi, Gary kisses Mads, and Chase walks on the taxi ceiling. Mads says, there are three things in life: penis, chocolate, and money… and sleep. Glenn is down for that last one on the boat, and when they get back Chase goes to bed. Lucy says, the hot tub is 800 degrees, which we can safely assume is an exaggeration. Mads kisses Alex, and says, don’t tell Gary. Gary asks Colin if he’s going to hook up with Daisy, and they play wrestle in the crew mess until Colin pushes Gary’s face in some cake. Mads and Lucy ditch the hot tub, and Gary wants a kiss from Daisy, but she says no. He says he doesn’t want her to be mad, and she says she’s mad at herself. She’s sorry she made him feel bad. Gary says, coming from her, it hurts. They’re like a house on fire together. In Gary’s interview, he says, regardless of their conflict, he believes he and Daisy have chemistry. His feelings are different for Mads than for Daisy. They hug, and Mads asks if she’s interrupting. In Mads’ interview, she says she doesn’t f***ing know what he wants. She doesn’t know what’s going on, but it’s not her issue. She could get mad. If he was her boyfriend, she’d flip a table, but she doesn’t care. She’s just taking care of herself; that’s it. She kisses Gary in the hot tub. Daisy goes to Colin’s cabin, and Gary and Mads go to a guest cabin. Daisy says she wants Colin sleeping next to her, and in her interview, she says, they’ve been friends more than anything, but she can see them falling into a relationship. Colin is kind and loyal, and who doesn’t love kisses and cuddles? We hear sounds from the guest cabin I can’t unhear, and Gary sings, happy birthday to me.

Igy Marina, Portisco. Colin tells Daisy that she’s snoring, and Mads and Gary go back to their own cabins. In Chase’s interview, he says he picked the wrong cabin. He should have bunked with Glenn. Daisy snores like a bear. Gary farts, and Daisy jets out of the cabin. Glenn says, it’s time to get up, and Alex says, it’s a fun day ahead. They clean up from the night before, and Gary asks Colin if he and Daisy hooked up. Colin says he thinks so, and Gary says he saw her storming out when he farted. Let’s have a drama free day. They crack beers and head out. In the taxi, Gary says, Daisy snores like a freight train, and in the other one, Daisy says, she slept in Colin’s bed, and he’s literally like a radiator. Gary says he only drinks on days that start with a T; today, tomorrow, Thursday, Thaturday, and Thunday. They immediately start drinking at the beach, and in Ileisha’s interview, she says, on charter, they’re go-go-go, and now they can actually chat and be friends. She sings, it feels like heaven on earth. Back at the boat, Glenn gets on the eFoil, and wipes out pretty quickly. The crew plays in the water, then tequila happens. Mads tells Gary to stop being clingy, and they snack and drink. Glenn uses the eFoil as a bodyboard, and says, this is fun. Colin asks if Ileisha is feeling more comfortable, and she says she is. She’s finally found it easier in the galley. She asks how she measures up to the last chef, and Colin says, their other chef was better, but they were older and more experienced. Why he says something this stupid, I have no clue, and Chase says, how to piss off a chef. In Ileisha’s interview, she says, you don’t say that to someone. What a d*ckhead. She’s striving to be her best personal self. Pick her up; don’t bring her down. Chase tells Colin, when a woman asks how they compare, say you’re the best. Wise words. Ileisha cries in the bathroom. Probably because she’s had way too much to drink. They probably never sobered up from the night before.

Ileisha says, it’s too much, and Gary asks Daisy to give him a spin, singing, baby, come back to me. In Daisy’s interview, she says, it’s a confusing situation. He should have a certain amount of respect and consideration. Mads tells Lucy that she’s not taking Gary seriously, and Gary tries to motorboat Daisy, but it’s a fail. In her interview, Mads says she’s not giving serious emotion to someone who’s not serious with her. He’ll never stop being Gary. She tells Lucy that Gary’s not her boyfriend.  She’s enjoying a non-serious relationship. It is what it is. Glenn is finally successful on the eFoil, says, I did it! but then falls off. Gary lies with his head in Daisy’s lap, and Colin asks if Ileisha is okay. He’s sorry. She says, it was hard to hear. She wants to be awesome. He says, she is, and in his interview, he says, knowing she takes pride in her work, he shouldn’t have said it. He thinks she’s an amazing chef, and says, let’s be friends again. She says, they’re good. Daisy tells Gary that he’s gross, and in her interview, she says she’s made it clear that she wants to be with Colin; it’s the healthier choice. To Gary, it’s a game, and she feels like another number. The crew races to the water on their bellies, and Chase wins. They all roll around in the waves. Gary takes his trunks off, and asks, who wants to swim with Gary? One of the things that makes him even more distasteful is him constantly talking about himself in the third person. Mads asks if Alex is having a good time, and he says he wishes the day would never end. He tells her that she’s pretty, and she says, he is too. Colin and Daisy goof around in the water, and everyone changes for dinner. Daisy kisses Colin, and in Gary’s interview, he tells us that he can’t say what he wants. It’s a recipe for disaster. Off to the side of the table, Gary tries to kiss Daisy, and she tells him that she doesn’t think they need to be together. Clearly it’s not happening. He hooked up with Mads on the first night, and showed Daisy what she meant to him. In her interview, she says, it’s a pattern, and it’s ridiculous. She doesn’t want to be one of ten million. Gary says he thinks she has feelings for him, and likes Colin as a mate. At the table, Chase tells Ileisha that she’s crushing it. Gary says he thinks it would have been different had he not had covid, but Daisy says, it’s too complicated. Gary says, she’s just getting back at him, but she shakes her head. She says she doesn’t want to be with him. He wants to be with everybody else, but now that he can’t have her, he wants her. She’s not into his games. He says he didn’t stay at her house in London when she invited him, and she says, he made his choice. He says, having sex with her was f***ing amazing, and she tells him to shut up, calling him a moron. She’s so done with this.

Colin wonders what they’re talking about, and Daisy tells Gary that she has to look out for herself. She’s done with this conversation. In Daisy’s interview, she says, they slept together when the season ended, and also when they went to Disneyland. After that, it was the usual Gary thing, going from female to female. He never made it anything more, and she wanted to keep it private. It’s such a mess. She tells Gary that she doesn’t know what he wants her to say. It’s done and they have to move on. They can’t go back in the past. He’s with Mads, and she likes Colin. She feels a lot for him. She likes Gary, but it is what it is. They go back to the table, and Colin tells Daisy that they can talk about it, but she says, it’s fine. They leave, and in Chase’s interview, he says he didn’t piss anyone off. He’s pinching himself. He can have fun and no one got angry. In the taxi, Ileisha wonders why she’s being an emotional mess. One comment sticks with her. Daisy says, like Gary saying she’s being a mean person. She thought she was awful. On the boat, Glenn snoozes while listening to an audiobook on humpback whales. The crew returns, and Daisy asks if Colin is okay. He says, no drama? and she says she doesn’t think so. In Colin’s interview, he says, he’s not stupid. What’s going on? Alex tucks Chase in, and Mads hugs Alex, saying she loves him. He says he’d totally smash her, and in her interview, she says she doesn’t want anyone’s feelings hurt, but Alex is a grown up man, and she’s getting a grown toddler with Gary. She didn’t play her cards right. She tells Alex that she’ll come upstairs, and he waits on deck, but Gary pulls her into a cabin. Alex snoozes on the deck, and Gary suggests he and Mads go to a guest cabin.

Daisy walks into Gary, Colin, and Chase’s cabin, and Mads suggests a thruple. Gary wonders if Daisy would keep them awake with her snoring, and in his interview, Chase says he just wants some goddam sleep. If there’s an orgy, he doesn’t want to be a part of it. He goes to a guest cabin, and Ileisha texts her boyfriend that she loves him. Mads, Daisy, and Colin squish into the same bunk. Lucy find Alex sleeping, and in her interview, she says, bless him. This is f***ing gold. She takes some photos. She pretends to lead him to his cabin, but brings him to where Colin, Daisy, et al are, and tells him to get some cuddles. Daisy says she’s actually going to bed, and Colin says he’ll come along, and gets his headphones. They get in her bunk, and she asks if he had a good day. Colin says, it was fun, and she says she wants to honest; with Gary, it’s complicated. They have slept together; in L.A. and in Menorca. I’m not sure why Colin is acting all shocked, and Daisy asks if he’s mad. He says he’s confused. She and Gary led him to believe there was nothing going on. She says she asked Gary not to tell anyone, and not to be mad at him. In Colin’s interview, he says, WTF? Why lie about that? Colin says he’s going back to his cabin, but Daisy asks him not to. He says, she has to respect that he needs to figure it out. She begs him not to go, and stands in front of the door, but he says, this is f***ing bullsh*t. She says, it didn’t mean anything, but he leaves, saying he feels stupid. He should, but not for the reasons he thinks.

There’s no point in talking about next time, because it is next time.

Hard to believe, but it’s only midnight. Daisy follows Colin, and he says he feels weird now. Gary is his boy, and they talk all the time, even off season. He asked if they had something going on. Daisy says, they don’t. Just because they smashed doesn’t mean they had anything. He says, it’s just weird, and she gets in his bunk with him, but he tells her to get out. She says she feels like sh*t, and he says, she should. She’s a liar. They’re supposed to be friends. I’m literally shocked at how unreasonable he’s being, and she asks if he really wants her to leave. He says, yes, and she does. He says, f*** those guys, and they both lie in their separate cabins, in bed alone. In his interview, Colin says he thought Daisy and Gary were just friends, but he could see the chemistry they have. Now it all makes sense, and it’s blowing his mind. Everyone goes back to their original bunks.

After two straight days of drinking, it’s not pretty. Gary wonders if he has anyone to apologize to, and Daisy texts him a heads up. He says he’s not looking forward to the conversation, when Colin comes out. Chase asks if Daisy is all right, and she says she’s stressed. Alex wonders, about what? Gary tells Colin that he needs to stop drinking so much. It’s embarrassing. Colin says, Daisy gave him some interesting news, and Gary says, she messaged him. Colin asks, why not tell him? Gary said nothing happened, and it was a d*ck move. Gary said he and Daisy were meant to be mates. Gary agrees not telling Colin was a d*ck move, and Colin says, he lied. In the crew mess, Daisy says, there’s drama and she feels sick. Colin tells Gary that he’s confused. He’s getting feelings for Daisy, but he thought she and Gary were nothing, or he never would have started anything. Gary says, there’s nothing between them, and Colin says, they don’t sleep with someone they don’t like. In Gary’s interview, he says he doesn’t know why he promised not to tell. In a sense, it’s his way of getting Daisy back. Daisy was happy to show the world she was with Colin, but she was ashamed of him, and it was bruise on his ego. And with that, Gary proves once again what a d-bag he is. He tells Colin, maybe deep down Daisy has some feelings for him, and I call him a bastard out loud. Chase says, there’s so much drama going on with the heads of their departments. Lucy waits to see if she graduated from uni. She majored in sports management, and doesn’t know how to tell her parents if she doesn’t pass. Glenn radios Daisy, Gary, and Ileisha for the preference sheet meeting.

Glenn says, it’s primary Suginia’s birthday trip. Daisy reads that they want the water toys, food, lots of laughs, and dinner with the captain. They want an all-white cocktail party. Ileisha says, they want a Caribbean meal, and Daisy says, after dinner on Suginia’s birthday, they want to continue the celebration with dancing and a birthday cake including tropical fruits. In Ileisha’s interview, she says she’s spent some time in the Caribbean – not cooking, eating. The stews start cleaning the cabins, and Lucy says she f***ing reeks. Gary tells Mads that he and Daisy had hooked up in the past, and she says, okay. He says he told Colin, who got pissed off, but she says she doesn’t care. Good talk. In her interview, Mads says she thinks Gary wants her to be upset. She tells him that she figured they had; it makes sense. In her interview, she says she’s not investing emotionally, and she’s not playing his stupid f***ing game. Daisy asks Colin if he’s mad, but he says he doesn’t know what to think. He’s hurt that they lied. She should have said something. This changes a lot, because there’s something deep in there. She doesn’t f*** everybody. She says she didn’t want to lie to him or keep a secret from him. She didn’t want anyone to know. She doesn’t see a future with Gary. Colin says he doesn’t know what to do now, and I’m pissed at Colin since I thought he was the mature one of the group. In Daisy’s interview, she says, that’s exactly why she didn’t want anyone to know. She f***ed up. She tells Colin, okay. You do you, and I’ll do me, and he says, cool.

Alex asks Colin about Daisy, and Chase asks, what’s up with the weird awkward tensions? Mads says she’s privy to information because she’s a part of it now, and Colin removes himself from the conversation. Mads says, Gary and Daisy hooked up. Chase says, it’s a weird love triangle, and Alex says, they’re three of the weirdest people he’s ever met. Daisy tells Gary that things have changed with Colin, but Gary says, if Colin has real feelings, this shouldn’t change his perception. In her interview, Daisy says she’d rather talk about it than move on. She likes Colin and cares about him. It’s different from Gary. He hasn’t slept with all stews, and after sleeping with her roommate, that’s it. The person Gary is most concerned about is Gary. He sees a toy and wants it. Gary suggests a threesome, and Daisy says, STFU.

The crew does last minute stuff, and Daisy asks Gary if he and Colin are okay. Gary says, they’ll be fine; they’ll get over it. She says she feels awful for causing this; she’s sorry. Gary says, there’s nothing they can do about it, and provisions come in. Chase tells Ileisha that they didn’t have all the sex appeal she ordered. He’ll have to do. It’s 30 minutes until the guests arrive, and in Glenn’s interview, he says he hopes the crew is fully rested and ready to power through the mid-season hump. He wants to knock it out of the ballpark. The guests arrive, Daisy gives the tour, and fancy snacks are served. The boat pulls out, and Suginia says, this is real. The fire alarm goes off in the engine room, and one of the guests says, it smells like gas. Another says, they smell food, and they’re hungry. Gary pushes past a cameraman, and everyone runs around.

Yep, that boat needs to be retired.

Gary tells the deckhands to look around anywhere there’s smoke, and Colin tells Glenn that he’s been pushing the diesel more than he should have. He thinks it should be fine after letting it cool down. Colin says, Gary shouldn’t have panicked, and in Gary’s interview, he says, who knows what’s bothering Colin? He’s sorry he f***ed Daisy, but work is work. Glenn asks if it’s clear to sail, and Colin says, they’re good to go with sailing put. The sails are put up, and a guest says, it feels like heaven on earth, but Ileisha doesn’t sing this time. Glenn says, it’s a nice day to be a super yachtie. Ileisha burns herself, taking the skin off of her thumb, and Chase helps dress and tape the wound. He tells her, it’s not ideal, but it’s a challenge, and she’s a badass. It’s her time to shine. The sails come down, and Daisy catches Lucy talking to herself in the laundry. A guest is looking for a piña colada, and Gary says he can get a girl to bring it.😐Glenn hunts down Daisy, and in his interview, he says, that’s his pet peeve. Guests shouldn’t have to look for someone. I wonder what happened to the two other girls on duty. The guests play in the water, and Colin calls his sister Monica. He tells her about Daisy and Gary, and she says, not cool. He says he got tricked. He was starting to like her. My God. He needs to put some big boy pants on. It’s not like it was yesterday. Monica suggests Daisy didn’t want anyone to know because she was embarrassed. To be honest, she wouldn’t want anyone to know. Me neither. In Colin’s interview, he says he’s closer to his sister than anyone else in the family. She knows the mistakes he’s made screwing the crew. She’s his guru. He says he’s not sure he can believe anything now, and she says, he has to decide if he wants to spend more time with Daisy. Daisy asks Mads to pack a cooler for the beach, then help prepare for Suginia’s birthday dinner. Gary slinks up to Mads, and says, they had an interesting time. She asks, what’s the problem then? Why is he complaining? In her interview, she wonders why Gary can’t get a f***ing clue. He’s getting all the perks. What’s the problem? He needs to stop being a clinger. It’s not cute. Lucy checks her grades online, but she doesn’t look happy. She slams the door.

Cannigione. Lucy calls her parents, and tells her dad that she got 2.1, and he asks why she’s bummed. In Lucy’s interview, she says, 2.1 means she didn’t get first class honors, but she’ll graduate. Her dad says he wasn’t going to have a drink tonight, but he will now, and her mom says, they’re so proud. Guest Troy yells, to infinity and beyond, and jumps off the boat. Daisy gets ready for the beach, eying Colin, who slips around like a ghost. Gary goes to help set up, and Chase loads the tender. Colin helps Ileisha in the galley, and in Mads’ interview, she says, Daisy has a lot going on right now. She loves proving her worth. As a junior stew, it’s her job to make Daisy’s life easier. Put me in, coach. On the beach, Daisy asks how Gary and Colin are, and Gary says he’s fine, but Colin, not so much. Daisy suggests Colin needs time, but Gary says, at the end of the day, he’s not worrying about it. She asks if he apologized, but he says he doesn’t think it needs an apology, and asks if Daisy is using him as a scapegoat. Chase brings the guests, and Gary tells Daisy, a promise is a promise; end of story. In Daisy’s interview, she says, not only are she and Colin on the rocks, but thinking she’s the catalyst that will end Gary and Colin’s friendship is a disaster. The anxiety is eating her up, and she doesn’t know how to fix this. She tells Gary that he’s stirring it and he loves it.

Daisy welcomes the guests to the beach. On the boat, Lucy goes over silverware with Ileisha. Glenn frets that a 9:30 dinner will be going on until midnight. On the beach, Gary tells Daisy, if Colin wants to hold a grudge, it’s his problem. F***ing grow up. Daisy says she’s asking him to change his mindset, and in Chase’s interview, he says, if Gary, Colin, and Daisy don’t work out their love triangle, it can seep to the rest of the crew and ruin the season. Pull it together. This is messy. Lucy wonders why the guests have to use every single towel, and in Ileisha’s interview, she says, her high expectations are stressful. This is their heritage. She doesn’t know if this is the traditional version, but she’ll make the best food she can with the flavors she knows represent the Caribbean. Gary smacks himself in the face getting the canopy back in the case, and I laaaugh. The guests go back to the boat and get ready for dinner. Colin heaves a huge sigh when he sees Gary in the crew mess, and even I feel the tension every time Daisy and Colin cross paths. Glenn joins the guests for dinner, and they get excited over Johnny cakes. Guest Troy explains, in the 50s, New York had a big migration from the Caribbean community, and Suginia’s grandmother was a matriarch who brought people west. Guest Kevin says, Ileisha hit that one spot on, and Suginia says, it brought her back to her grandma who has passed away. In Gary’s interview, he says, if Colin thinks he’s a bad friend and can’t forgive him, he’s a f***ing idiot. He tells Chase that he’s so over this.

Suginia says, Ileisha is amazing, and guest Nicole says, Ileisha is on fire. Daisy asks Lucy to pull out some art deco decorations for the birthday party, and in Lucy’s interview, she says, Daisy has two men in love with her. She doesn’t get how they didn’t know, but she doesn’t want to know. Gary and Lucy blow up balloons, and Daisy says she hates her life. Chase tells Ileisha that the guests are hyped up and saying she’s on fire.

Daisy tells the guests that the last course is upstairs, and asks the crew to come up. There’s varicolored mood lighting, and Ileisha brings up the cake as they sing Happy Birthday. The cake is served, and Suginia says she loves it. It’s the best birthday cake she’s ever had. Daisy thanks the stews and says she couldn’t do it without them. She’s stressed out and hates her life. She heads for her cabin, and as soon as the cake is put away, the guests decide they want more. Daisy asks if Colin is okay, and in Colin’s interview, he says, his heart says to live in the moment and enjoy it, but his brain says this has trouble written all over it. Wow. I think he’s making a much bigger deal out of pretty much everything than it needs to be.

Next time, Chase is pissed off that Gary is making him look like a tattletale bitch; Gary tells Colin that nothing is happening between him and Daisy, and Colin calls him a p*ssy; and there’s an anchor drag that may or may not cause the Parsifal III to hit another boat.

🎭  If You Can Make It There…

The Tony winners.

https://people.com/tony-awards-2023-winners-list-7508437

And even more important, the fashion. I dunno if I’d call some of these best dressed though. Maybe you had to be there.

https://people.com/2023-tony-awards-best-dressed-stars-red-carpet-photos-7510770

🌃  Those Summer Nights…

U-turn it back tomorrow for soap and watching steam come out of Louie’s ears. Until then, stay safe, stay striving to be the person your dog thinks you are, and stay watching your step when you walk around a pool.

June 9, 2023 – No Soap For You, 2 Mollys, Jersey Mess, Vandermath, VanderNew, Sink It, Dead Dates, A Farewell, Star Releases, Sharks, Cuteness, Double 4 Quotes & Love

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Well there was this:

So I did this:

💼 Ups and Downs…

She’s doing a good job so far. She’s not straying too far from the already established character.

She’s lucky she didn’t kill someone.

👠 Jersey Devils…

They still don’t totally explain it. So like, what happened the next time Frankie and Louie spoke? Or haven’t they?

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/frank-catania-shares-why-frankie-stopped-working-for-luis-ruelas

Where they are now.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/rhonj-season-13-finale-recap-cast-updates

This one doesn’t live in the real world with the rest of us. I don’t blame Andy for losing his sh*t. It was like, STFU already.

About that text.

And the rest.

🍸 Trying To Recover…

I don’t think there is a future for her on the show. At least, I hope not.

I guess, but I can’t imagine she didn’t want to smack Rachel’s bobblehead face. I thought she was restrained.

https://people.com/lala-kent-regrets-attacking-raquel-leviss-at-vanderpump-rules-reunion-7510310

Giving you more Lala.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/raquels-big-secret-on-vanderpump-rules-reunion-lala-reacts

She’ll be fine. She dodged a narcissistic bullet.

https://extratv.com/2023/06/08/ariana-madix-reveals-plans-for-the-future-and-thoughts-on-marriage-after-scandoval/

She was so funny on WWHL.

🎁 Just What We Need…

I still want more episodes of Overserved, but I’ll take what I can get. After I take a million showers to get the smell of the Reunion off.

⛵️ Aye, Aye, Captain…

She’s right. That boat needs to die. I’m sure Glenn and Colin are having a grand old time holding it together with duct tape and bubble gum, but it almost tanked the season.

⚰️ Moving Dead…

Updates on both Dead City’s premiere and Fear the Walking Dead’s mid-season finale.

https://screenrant.com/fear-the-walking-dead-season-8-episode-6-airtime-change/

🥀 She’ll Be Missed…

I love this show, and was so sad to hear this.

https://people.com/bling-empire-anna-shay-dead-7508300

👽 When the Force Will Be With You…

Updates on Star Wars releases.

https://ew.com/movies/star-wars-movie-tv-show-release-dates/

🦈 Doo-Doo Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo…

Cue the music.

https://people.com/sharkfest-2023-how-to-watch-sharkfest-7509679

🦙 Take a Deep Breath…

Some relief from all the nasty, awful reality this week.

https://paradepets.com/pet-news/cute-animals

☄️ Quotes of the Week

Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy. – Dean Koontz

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.  — John Powell

The border to eternity is never ahead of us. It runs parallel to life and can be crossed over at any moment by old and young. – Reinhard Bonnke

A mathematical formula for happiness: Reality divided by Expectations. There were two ways to be happy: improve your reality or lower your expectations.Jodi Picoult (I vote for lowering expectations.)

Even while we kill and punish we must try to feel about the enemy as we feel about ourselves—to wish that he were not bad, to hope that he may, in this world or another, be cured: in fact, to wish his good. That is what is meant in the Bible by loving him: wishing his good, not feeling fond of him nor saying he is nice when he is not. – C.S. Lewis, from Mere Christianity

I can tell you, without diversity, creativity remains stagnant.Edward Enninful

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. – Plato

That wasn’t karaoke. It was you, a jukebox, and a bar full of angry people. – Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell), Mike & Molly

🕺🏽 Curly Shuffling Away…

Tune in for a chance of Fear on Sunday, and on Monday really Tuesday for soap and double the Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay respecting your elders no matter how old you are, and stay making sure that when you’re singing karaoke, you’re really at karaoke.

June 8, 2023 – A Slip and Fall At the Pool, Incoming, His First, Remembrance, Striking, In Jersey, Reunited, No Return, All Star Chef, My VanderTake, Rocky & Walk

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Walk I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Anna arrives home to find Sonny at her door. He says he was going to give it another ten minutes, then leave a note. She asks why he didn’t text her, and he tells her, some things are better said face to face.

Dante lets Valentin into the interrogation room through the side door, and he asks why Dante wanted to see him. Dante says he needs Valentin’s help with Anna.

Michael brings Carly to the stairwell, and says, they can talk more privately here. She asks if this is where he brought Dex when he asked Dex to spy on Sonny, and he says, sometimes. Why? She says, because she wants his opinion on Dex. Is he trustworthy? Would Michael put the life of someone he loves in Dex’s hands?

Josslyn puts the pieces of the flashdrive in Dex’s palm, and says, there goes their ticket out. Pretty useless now. He asks if it’s the footage of Sonny doing the Pikeman deal, and she says, mm-hm. Michael gave it to her mom. She could have traded this footage to the Feds in exchange for them dropping the charges against her and Drew. Dex risked his life to get that footage, and Carly destroyed it, because protecting Sonny is more important to her.

As they sit down at the MetroCourt restaurant, Chase tells Brook, just say it. She hates it, doesn’t she? She says, what’s to hate? He wanted the new car; he got the one he wanted. How could she possibly hate that? He says, it’s not a car; it’s a truck. It’s got 4-wheel drive, off roading capabilities, advanced driver assistance, and you can operate the off roading capabilities in operating mode or manual. It will be perfect for them to go camping. She says, he wants them to go camping?

Tracy meets Drew at the pool, and she asks why he wanted to meet away from the house. He says, blackmail works so much better when there’s no one to overhear.

Ned comes out on the terrace, and tells Nina, poor Drew. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong girlfriend. She wasn’t after Aurora’s CEO; she wanted to take down Carly. She says she doesn’t know where he came up with this, but he couldn’t be more wrong, and he says he just overheard her conversation with her lawyer. Everyone believes he was the one who handed Carly and Drew over to the SEC, but it was her all along.

Michael asks where Carly is going with this. Has she changed her mind and decided to give the flashdrive to the FBI so she and Drew stay out of prison? Does she think Dex may have to testify because he’s on the footage? She says, the footage no longer exists; she smashed the flashdrive. He asks why she did that. She should have held onto it in case she still wanted a way out for her and Drew. She says, the footage was dangerous. It could have gotten Sonny and Dex killed. Besides, she has a much better use for Dex.

Dex puts the flashdrive pieces in his pocket, and Josslyn asks if he’s sure he wants to hold on to that. There’s no way to retrieve the footage. He says he doesn’t want to retrieve the footage; he wants to physically destroy the flashdrive. He doesn’t want anything left to imply he was ever collecting evidence against Sonny. From here on in, he has to be the most loyal, discreet, trustworthy employee Sonny has. She says, take his orders, risk his life so Sonny can get richer… and he’s okay with that? He says, it’s not about being okay; it’s about survival.

Chase says, Brook doesn’t enjoy camping? Sleeping close to nature and catching a fish in the stream, then cooking it over an open fire? She says, no. She likes sleeping in a bed, and she likes her fish to be caught and prepared by someone else, preferably a five-star chef. He says, what about fresh air, hiking, everything you need in a backpack? and she says, are they hiking, or running from the bear who’s trying to eat them?  He says, what about cuddling up next to each other in front of a roaring campfire? and she says, what about cuddling up next to each other in front of a firepit in the Q boathouse? He says he could totally see that. Her, him, a fire, Olivia bringing them lasagna, Ned going on about his beloved ELQ, and Tracy lecturing him yet again about how he’s not good enough for her. She says, the Q’s date might not be the most romantic, but there are alternatives, and he says, such as? She says, nightclubs, live music. He might even be tempted to get back in the game. He says his heart is very much out of the music biz, but it seems like hers is still in it. Tell him again why she went back to work at Deception.

Tracy says, so much for Drew’s upright and honorable routine, and he says he really didn’t want it to come to this, but a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do. Tracy understands the language of blackmail. She says she understands more about the process than he does apparently. Blackmail requires leverage, and he has none to use against her. He says, let’s start with Deception, shall we? She coerced Brook into going back to work there. She says, where Brook chooses to work is her business, and he says, his point exactly. If it were up to Brook, she’d be working in music. She’s working at Deception under Tracy’s orders, and he kind of feels Lucy Coe would like to hear that. She says, fine. Get Lucy Coe down here; tell her everything. A waiter asks if they’re looking for Lucy Coe.

Dante asks if Valentin thought he was getting arrested, and Valentin says, given their history, he couldn’t be sure. Falsifying his death… Dante says he’s sure Valentin had reasons for doing that, and Valentin says, so did Anna. He asks if this is an official inquiry, but Dante says, it’s off the record, and personal. That article in The Sun that was about Anna’s WSB file was pretty brutal. Valentin asks how Dante is hoping he can help, and Dante says, Valentin is Victor’s son, and Victor was head of the WSB for many years. He had a lot of opportunity to plant a lie in Anna’s file that could be used as a time bomb he could set off whenever he wanted to. Valentin says, his father was a mean and spiteful man. He had full faith in his plan, but he was prepared to exact revenge in case of his failure, in which he thought Anna Devane could always play a part. He was right, and now he’s making her pay for it. Dante says he wants to clear Anna’s name. So how do they prove her file was doctored?

Nina says she was curious about Carly and Drew’s legal situation, so she asked her lawyer about it. Ned must have misinterpreted. Ned says, it’s too late to save this. As soon as you eliminate him, she becomes the obvious suspect; the one that has the most to gain by sending Carly off to prison. Although she took a big risk, and maybe she’s realized that by now, and that’s the reason she called a meeting with her lawyer. She must have realized that, even though Sonny and Carly are divorced, Sonny would do anything to protect her. When he finds out Nina was the one who pointed the SEC at Carly, she and Sonny are done.

Anna asks if Sonny wants to come inside, but he says, it’s up to her. He doesn’t want to intrude. She tells him, she has the feeling that whatever he was about to say, she doesn’t want to hear it on the doorstep. They go inside, and she asks if he’d like some water, but he says, no thanks. She says she’s going to have a drink, and he says, go ahead. She pours herself something, and takes a sip. She says, go ahead, call her a hypocrite, and he asks if that’s why she thinks he came here. She says, obviously. After all the years she spent upholding the law as a special agent and Police Commissioner, investigating him for various crimes, questioning him about how he could possibly reconcile breaking the law with being a loving parent, and now he gets to find out that she was a criminal herself? Actually, worse than that. A double agent, which is to say, a traitor. He asks if she’s finished, because he wasn’t going to say any of that, and she asks what he was going to say. He says, she’s upset. He’ll come back some other time. She says, please wait. She’s sorry. Not at her best. Please stay.

Michael asks what better use Carly has for Dex, and she says, before she tells him, what’s his assessment of Dex? He says he guesses he likes Dex. He took on an impossible job and did it really well. He’s had relentless pressure for months and didn’t crack. He wormed his way into Sonny’s confidence, despite being with Josslyn, which Sonny didn’t like. She asks what he knows about Dex’s time in the military, and he says he knows Dex was discharged because of some personal issue, but his combat experience is excellent; highest rating. He had the reputation of keeping a cool head under fire, which is one of the reasons Michael hired him. Why is she interested? She says, because she wants him to hire Dex to do another job.

Josslyn asks why Dex isn’t angrier. Why isn’t he angry period? Both her mother and brother have the chance to set him free, yet they’re leaving him trapped. He says, Michael gave him a job; the job changed. It happens. She says, so he’s totally fine working for Sonny, but he says, it’s not about what’s fine. It’s the situation he’s in. He spent months earning Sonny’s trust, convincing Sonny to let him in. Just tonight, Sonny gave him a lecture on how he’s in this now; how he has to commit. He doesn’t have the option to leave. She says, actually, he might. He can just ask Sonny to let him go.

Tracy asks if the waiter always eavesdrops on private conversations, but he says he wasn’t eavesdropping. He was just doing his job. They’re about to resume poolside cocktail service. Tracy says, well don’t. She wants privacy. That means, no bartender, no guests, no staff, including himself; just her and Mr. Cain. And if anyone has any questions about that, they can contact Olivia Quartermaine, her daughter-in-law, the co-owner of this place. The waiter leaves, and Drew says, that was rude. And pointless. Chewing out a hotel employee just to make herself feel better. It’s not going to keep Brook in place at Deception. She suggests he focus on his own problems. He seems to have enough of them. He says, as it happens, she’s the answer to his problems.

Brook tells Chase, they’ve been over this. She went back to Deception because she really loves those ladies, and they really need her. He says, really? They seem like pretty savvy businesswomen. She says, they are, but they don’t really understand the nuances of social media presence, and he says, and the music? She says she’ll still be doing music on a part-time basis, and he says, music is her passion. It’s one of the first things he learned about her. What happened to change that? She says she found a new passion, and he says, Deception? She says, him, when Olivia stops by. Brook asks her to join them, but she says she thinks Ned is waiting for her on the terrace. Brook says her dad is probably on some phone calls. Please sit down. Chase can tell her about his new truck. Oliva says, a new truck? and sits down. Tell her all about it.

Ned says, in the long run, Nina’s done herself a favor. She’s much better off without Sonny Corinthos. Nina says she and Sonny are engaged, but he says, not for long. She says, gee, most people say congratulations, and he tells her, just accept the fact that she and Sonny won’t be living happily ever after. She says, that tip was anonymous. There’s no way anyone will be able to prove he did it. He says he didn’t; she did. She says, no one’s going to have to know who’s responsible for this. Just keep doing what he’s doing, insisting he didn’t do anything. The people who know him, the people who really matter will believe him… eventually. He says he has no intention of taking the fall for her. She did this, and she’d better find a way to clean it up. Nina sees Trish and shushes him. Trish tells Nina, the pool man just told her that Tracy Quartermaine shut down the entire pool area because she wanted privacy, and Nina says, for what? Trish says she doesn’t know, but apparently Drew Cain is there. Trish leaves, and Ned says, Drew’s here. He needs to talk to him. Ned dashes off, and Nina runs after him.

Dante is looking at the article about Anna, when there’s a knock at the door. He says, come in, and Sam walks in. He asks how she got in here, and she says, her boyfriend’s a cop and the desk sergeant breaks the rules for her occasionally. They kiss, and Dante says, he doesn’t blame him. He would’ve done the same thing. She says, lucky her, and he asks why she is here. Was he supposed to do something or be somewhere? She says, he was supposed to be home two hours ago, and he says he’s sorry. She says she figured he was working on a case, but he’s just sitting here and she got no text or call. She wants to know what’s going on. He says he’s just worried about a friend.

Sonny says, when the news story broke about Anna, he started thinking about all the headlines he’s been through over the years. She says, they don’t seem like headlines now; they seem like take downs. He says, two were seared in his memory. Wife of Crime Lord Dies in a Car Bomb. He saw the headline the next morning, after his wife died. And the other one was, Corinthos Son Killed in a Suspected Mob Hit. That was Morgan. He was already in hell from all the pain and grief. It was a lot to take. His private life all over the world for everybody to see, for everybody to read, for everybody to judge. (Yet no one knew who he was in Nixon Falls. Go figure.) They don’t know what happened to him. They don’t know how he suffered. Just like he doesn’t know why she did what she did. That’s why he’s here to tell her that he’s sorry for how she fell. He’s sorry for what happened to her. She thanks him for sharing that, and says she feels like sometimes she gets in her own way. He says, that headline was just a take down. She knows that, right? She says, the most difficult part of this is, the news story is true. It’s factually accurate; she did those things. There were reasons. There were justifications, excuses. There was a context then that the media has chosen to leave out, but she can’t deny it happened. She tears up, and says she made a lot of mistakes at the beginning of her career, and thinks she’s spent most of her life trying to make up for them. Now it’s come and bit her in the most public way. He says he’s done things allegedly – they both laugh – but he’s done them. Some, he felt there was a reason to do them, and others he regrets. But he always tells himself, his life, who he is now, should not be limited to the worst things he’s done in his life. Just like her. She’s a great mother, a great grandma. She’s courageous and brilliant, and no matter what, he’ll always consider her his friend… whatever that’s worth. She says, it’s worth a lot.

Michael tells Carly, the peace between him and Sonny right now is pretty fragile. He’s going to be suspicious if Michael hires Dex out from under him. She says she wants him to pay Dex to keep working for Sonny. Since Jason died, Sonny doesn’t have someone to be his right hand. Michael says, what about Brick? and she says, Brick’s great, but he’s based on the west coast. He can’t be by Sonny’s side day in and day out, but Dex can, and given Michael’s description, he’s obviously qualified. Michael says, in what way specifically? and she says she wants Dex to use all of his skills to protect Sonny; to follow orders. And if he sees trouble coming, he needs to tell Michael, and Michael needs to tell him how to advise Sonny.

Josslyn says, when she met with Sonny in his office that day and asked him to fire Dex, he told her that Dex would have to go in himself and ask him. But he never said anything about refusing to let Dex quit. Everybody knows they’re together now. Everybody’s seen them. Sonny can’t just disappear him and nobody will ask questions. Sonny already knows she doesn’t want Dex working for him. It makes perfect sense for him to quit. She’s not saying it will be easy, but it can be done. Dex just has to meet with Sonny, and tell him respectfully that he wants out. Dex says he doesn’t want out.

Drew tells Tracy, Ned’s got connections at the SEC. He can make this investigation into him and Carly go away. She says, and he thinks he can force Ned into getting the SEC to back off, and he says, no, but he thinks she can. She laughs and says, she loves his sense of humor, and his imaginative fantasy world, but he says, no fantasy here. She either persuades Ned, or he tells Ned the truth that she dragged Brook into potential intellectual property theft, malfeasance, and corporate espionage. These are activities that carry the potential for criminal penalties. So how is her son going to react when he finds out she put her granddaughter at risk? Ned comes running in, and says, there’s something he has to tell Drew… He trips on a pile of towels, and falls into the pool, hitting his head on the side. He floats face down, and Nina stops short in the hallway, where she can see, but not be seen.

Anna sits on the steps going upstairs, when Valentin walks in. She says, he needs to not do that, and he asks why she’s not taking his calls. She says she doesn’t want to. She’d like to smash her phone actually. She’d like to put the SIM card down the waste disposal. He asks if he can join her, and sits next to her. He says he’s sorry. He’s sorry his father has done this to her. She says she hates Victor. She hated him when he was alive, and loathes him now that he’s dead. If there’s a hell, she hopes he burns there for all eternity. Valentin says, him too, and Anna says, Victor didn’t do this to her. She did it to herself.

Sam asks who Dante’s friend is, and what made them keep Dante here. He asks if she knows that hit piece about Anna in The Sun, about her being a double agent, and she says, yeah. He says, it’s true, and Sam says she just assumed it was a lie. He says, so did he, so he called Valentin over here to help him exonerate her. She says, Valentin loves Anna. Of course (🍷) he’d want to help her. Dante tells her, there were some things Valentin said about the classified information, and about how ugly it is when it sees the light of day, which is why it’s classified. Valentin said he should know, because after some of the things Dante did for the WSB, the last thing he would want is for it to be plastered on the front page of anything. He just feels bad for Anna. He doesn’t know how she’s going to build back her life again. Sam says, it’s possible. After all, he did.   

Josslyn says, Dex wants to work for Sonny? and he says he wants to work in Port Charles. Mostly for her, but he likes it here. He gravitates to the moss bowl🎍, because he likes that too, and he says he likes a lot of the people he’s met here. It’s starting to feel like home. He hasn’t had one of those since he was a kid. She says, sometimes she forgets how different their lives have been. There are so many things she takes for granted; some things Dex never had. He says, one of the advantages of not having things is that when you get them, you value them and don’t want to let them go. He likes what he has here. He wants to stay. She says, he doesn’t have to work for Sonny to stay, but he says he can’t think of anything he’d rather do.

Michael says, let him get this straight. Carly wants him to be Sonny’s guardian angel while Dex does all the legwork. She says, yes, and he says, so instead of sending Sonny to prison, she wants him and Dex to work together to keep him out of Pentenville. Keep him safe, monitor his business ventures, keep a level head, and counsel. She nods, and he says, so everything Jason used to do, he and Dex will be doing together. She says, yes, except there’s one obvious catch. Sonny can never know.

Drew turns Ned over, and Tracy asks if he’s breathing. Nina scrambles for her phone to film it for social media, and Tracy runs for her bag. Drew tells Ned, they’ve got this, and gets Ned out of the pool and onto the floor. Nina pockets her phone, as Tracy says, her adult son just fell into the MetroCourt pool and he hit his head and he’s not breathing. On opposite sides of the room, Tracy and Nina both look distraught, and Drew begins chest compression.

Anna says, Valentin knew she was a double agent, right? and he says, and she knows espionage is a shadowy thing. It’s all compromise, neither good nor bad; just varying shades of grey. And no one can claim being entirely pure of intentions, certainly not him. Not even Robert Scorpio. She says she’s not afraid to face Robert. He knew everything; found out years ago. And Robin was aware. Maybe not all the gory details, but she knew enough. He says, so who is it she’s worried about? and she says she thinks the people it’s going to affect the most, the people who are going to look at her differently, are Emma and Noah.

Michael says, what he doesn’t get is that Carly, Drew, or both could be sent to federal prison, yet her priority is to protect Sonny? Apparently, he wasn’t listening to the last speech she gave him on why Sonny can’t go to prison. She says, her problems with the SEC are for her and Drew to figure out. When she showed him that flashdrive, it proved how vulnerable his father is. Pikeman is a defense contractor, right? He says, enemies against the government, and potential enemies in the government (or something to that effect), and she says, a challenge his father has never dealt with before. When he showed her that footage of Sonny taking that delivery, it was evidence he violated national security. If Michael hadn’t changed his mind, his father would be in prison right now. Donna and Avery’s lives would be destroyed, and their lives would be in danger. She needs him to step up and protect his father. He says, what if he’s willing, but Dex isn’t?

Dex tells Josslyn, he has a high school diploma, no college courses, no interest in taking any. What kind of job can he get? Security? Doorman at the MetroCourt? She says, he was in security before, and there’s noting wrong with making a good, honest living, but he says he’s not as noble as she thinks he is. Sonny pays a helluva lot more than her honest living, and he’s good at it. Sonny is paying him to do things he already knows how to do, and he’s willing to accept a certain amount of risk. She says, and he’s willing to break the law, and he says, the worst thing he’s seen Sonny do is hang him from a meat hook. I laugh, because it’s true. Sonny is the most innocuous mobster in the world. She says, that could have been a lot worse, but he says he survived, thanks to her. Ever since he saved Sonny’s life at the warehouse, Sonny’s attitude toward him has changed. Sonny’s giving him more opportunities and trusting him more. This is his best option, and he’s going to take it. Unless it’s going to cost him her.

Brook says, Chase did all the research, and can tell Olivia all the specs. Olivia is all excited, and asks if it has 4-wheel drive, advanced driver assist, hands-free technology. Brook says, Olivia’s family used to own a garage in Brooklyn, and Chase says, nice. To answer her question, yes, yes, and yes. She says, then don’t think, do. Can she ask what’s the special reason he decided to buy this fancy new truck? He says he came into some money doing this whole singing thing – Brook says, like she promised – and now that he’s back to being a cop, he thought he’d treat himself to the truck of his dreams. Olivia says, congratulations, when Trish runs over, and tells Olivia that the paramedics are coming up. There’s been a slip and fall at the pool.

Drew continues to work on Ned, when the paramedics come in and take over. Drew says, he’s been unconscious for a couple of minutes. He’s been doing CPR. He got no sign of any pulse at all. Please… Olivia comes in, followed by Brook and Chase. She starts to run to Ned, but Drew holds her back, saying, let them do their work. The hallway is empty.

Nina pours a drink in Sonny’s office, and looks at her engagement ring. She flashes back to Sonny proposing. Then she remembers Ned saying, when Sonny finds out she was the one who pointed the SEC at Carly, she and Sonny are done. Sonny comes in, and says, Frank told him that she was waiting. What brings her by?

Anna tells Valentin that she switched her phone off because she’s a coward. Of all the people that could reach out to her, the one person she dreads is Emma. Emma is going to beg her to say it’s not true, that she wasn’t a traitor. She’s going to have to tell Emma… She starts to cry, and he puts his hand on her knee. She says, that she was, and Valentin says he thinks Anna shouldn’t underestimate her. She’s going to be hurt, she’s going to want an explanation, but Anna can give it to her. Anna can tell her that she was pulled in over her head; that she was manipulated by Cesar Faison. Anna says, she knows. She was, but how do you explain that? Maybe one day she’ll want to listen. Emma might even forgive her. But the way Emma used to look at her, with such pride, like she was the thing Emma aspired to be, that’s gone forever. He holds her as she cries. I wish my grandma had been Anna. She used to try and get us to take hard boiled eggs in a paper bag for the plane ride home. 😖

Sam says, Dante was pretty wrecked when he came back from the WSB, and he says, that’s one way to put it. She says, he managed to rebuild his life, and he says he had a lot of help; from Anna, from his family, and mostly from her. He wouldn’t have chosen any of that, but he survived. And waiting for him on the other side was Sam, someone he never expected. Now he never wants any other life, and it’s all her fault. He says he loves her, and they kiss.

Michael tells Carly, yes, Dex is qualified to protect Sonny, but who says he wants to, or that he’ll agree to take the risk of reporting back to him what Sonny does. Sure, it’s in Sonny’s best interest, but Sonny won’t see it that way. That means Dex would be a spy, and it could get him killed. Why should he take that risk when he can just take the money he’s earned and disappear? She says, he knows Dex. Would he do that? Michael says, he wouldn’t blame him if he did. He knows it would break Josslyn’s heart; she cares about him. Carly says, she truly cares about him. That’s one of the reasons she came up with this plan. Josslyn’s feelings are getting deeper and deeper all the time. The longer Dex stays in Port Charles, the more devastated she’ll be if he decides to leaved. If he decides to disappear, better it happens now. He asks if she’s sure about this, and she says, no. She’s not sure about any of this, but she does know she wants Michael to give Dex a choice, and let’s see what he decides.

Josslyn says, Dex just made this big case about why he wants to work for Sonny, but he’ll quit if she wants him to? He says he’s very clear she wants him to, but he’ll quit if it’s the only way they can stay together. She takes his hand and says, no. She’s not going to put conditions on their relationship. She’s not going to tell him what he can and can’t do. He’d only start resenting her. So she’d rather take her chances, and watch him take his with Sonny. Dex can go be his best lieutenant, risk his life, and break the law. Just remember, his life is kind of important to her. He says he’ll remember, and kisses her.

Sonny asks, what’s wrong? and Nina says, it’s all his fault. If he hadn’t given her such a spectacular ring, she wouldn’t be thinking about him all the time. So it leads her to want to see him, which led her to come here. He says, she’s always welcome, and she says, remember when they came back from Nixon Falls, and she was convinced she’d lost him forever? He hated her for withholding the truth about who he was. She thought he’d never forgive her, but what made it even worse was the memory of how happy she’d been with him. He says, they’ve all done things they regret and can’t forget the past, but what they can do is not live there. They can also think about the future they’re going to have – together. She says she wants that more than anything, but tonight, she just wants him, and they hug.

The paramedics get Ned situated on the gurney, and Olivia says she’s his wife. She needs to be riding in the ambulance with him. She tells Ned she’s here, and asks if he can hear her. She’s not leaving him, even for a second. Brook asks, what happened? and Tracy says, Drew attacked Ned and almost killed him. She tells Chase to put his badge to use; arrest him for assault.

Tomorrow, Austin tells Ava, if she doesn’t do what Mason wants, it could get them both killed; Elizabeth says, Finn’s secret is safe with her; and Drew asks if Chase is seriously going to arrest him.

🏥 Checking In…

I always liked him on AMC, but I’m hoping he’s not going to play a nice guy. We already have enough of those on the show right now.

💃🏽 Welcome To the Nurses Ball…

It must have been a blast.

📹 Sweet Share…

Such a shame. I can’t even fathom how she must feel.

🪧 Soap Solidarity…

Six degrees of GH. Fran Drescher is the SAG-AFTRA president, and Charles Shaughnessy (Victor) starred with her on The Nanny.

☯️ Yin and Yang…

Jersey Girl.

https://okmagazine.com/p/melissa-gorga-fan-post-star-rhonj-amid-nasty-feud-teresa-giudice/

Bitch Boy.

https://screenrant.com/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-luis-ruelas-lawsuit/

🍊 Angry Woman No More…

This is good… I guess.

💎 Exit Stage Hilton…

Did anyone really think she was coming back after last season?

https://people.com/kathy-hilton-exits-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-not-filming-season-13-7502450

👨🏽‍🍳 Winner, Winner, Deconstructed Chicken Dinner…

This was an excellent season, and I called it. I couldn’t help thinking of what I’d do during the different challenges. Like when the chefs did elevated picnics. I would have handed the judges a to-go bag from Balducci’s.

https://people.com/top-chef-crowns-winner-in-first-world-all-stars-finale-7510110

🍸 Not Today Satan…

We all need a break from the Vanderpump Rules Reunion blues – I know it bummed me out – so I’ll just say this about that. While I blame them both, Sandoval is the worse of the two. He’s truly a sociopath with delusions of grandeur, and I don’t care how much he wails that he’s human. That wasn’t an, oops, we were really drunk, or even, I fell in love with someone else. Not that those would be an excuse to cheat. You should always close the door on one relationship before opening it to another. The thing that made it so awful was that it went on for so long. Sandoval is also nearly 40, and obviously the less sheltered of the two, and no doubt manipulating the situation.

Which brings me to the awful vapidness of the ex-beauty queen runner-up. The fact that she could pretend to be such a good friend to Ariana is extremely disturbing. I don’t know if Rachel is a sociopath, but there’s definitely something going on there in that there seems to be nothing going on there. Lisa had it correct that she seemed to be playing a role, like it was a competition. It’s what she knows, but it’s not as human as she claims. Normally, those who grow up in that life either leave it behind eventually, live off their endorsements, or when they can no longer do, they teach the next generation of contestants. Rachel is stuck in some weird groove in the movie in her head, and Ariana also had it right in that she finds her identity in men, and has no original thoughts. Why? Who knows? Hopefully, she’ll find these things out in therapy, but she’s done for on reality TV. And if she’s offered one of those villain roles in some all-stars challenge show, it would be in her best interest to steer clear. I have no clue what her parents are really like, since James’s narrative is questionable to be sure; that they started it. It would behoove them to take charge, and get her as far away from LA as possible.

As for Lisa, she who can do no wrong, I have never seen her look sadder. At least not in public. I have no clue what happens behind closed doors, nor should I, but I have never seen her look like that. Not when her mother died, not when her brother died of an overdose, not when Giggy, or any of the other dogs, or the pony died. It was the sadness of a mother whose children have seriously f***ed up. And she does look at them as her children, so I hope Ariana and Lala eventually give her a pass.

Ariana is already doing okay. Her heart’s still broken, but better now than after they got married and/or had children. I’m with her on thank God her eggs weren’t fertilized. He would have probably challenged her for them on top of it. Lala was spot on once again when she said Ariana would look back and see this as a favor.

The whole thing was just sad.

🦫 So I Leave You With This…

Because we all need a laugh, and animals are the best.

https://www.upworthy.com/flying-squirrel-faking-its-own-death

🎨 Being My Own Muse…

Stop on in tomorrow for soap, the tea du jour, quotes, and a song. Until then, stay safe, stay filling the paper tray if you’ve used the last piece, and stay not living in the past.