(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Finn gives Alexis some water, and says, drink this. Doctor’s orders. She asks if he has some rubbing alcohol to chase it with, but he says, the bar’s closed. He tells her to talk to him about Neil, and she says when she went to sleep, he was alive, and when she woke up, he wasn’t. He asks how she found out, and she says she brought coffee to him in bed.
Molly goes to the hospital, and asks TJ if he’s all ready to go. He says he is; today was a train wreck. She says she sees beers with their name on them at The Floating Rib, and he asks if she’d be okay with take-out. He’s going to have batting practice before work, and see what Brando is made of.
Not much right now. Cyrus’s two thugs beat the snot out of him. They start to leave, and one grabs a wrench to finish Brando off, but the other one stops him, and they jet.
Jordan walks toward her office while on the phone with Taggert. She tells him, stay out of Port Charles until they’re done with Cyrus. It’s hard enough without him coming back from the dead. She’s handling it. She opens her office door, and Curtis is waiting by a beautifully set table, wearing a chef’s hat and glasses. He says her table awaits, and she sits. I have to add, he looks super cute.
On the phone with Trina, Portia says sorry she’s going to be late, and tells Trina to order out healthy. She asks who Trina is hanging out with, and says, of course (🍷) she trusts Trina. It’s other people she doesn’t trust.
At the MetroCourt, Anna looks at the sonogram picture, and Maxie says she can’t stop staring at it either. Peter tells her it was too early to tell the sex, and I wish they’d stop saying that, since it looks like it’s practically ready for kindergarten. Maxie says James is neutral on the subject, but she thinks he’s too young to understand. She wants a sister for Georgie though. Valentin comes by, and says, be careful what you wish for. Sisters can be a handful. Like Anna’s sister, right?
Jason runs into the garage, gun drawn, and looks around. Sam and Spinelli come in, and Sam runs to Brando. Jason checks his pulse, and she asks if he’s alive. Jason says, for now. They worked him over pretty good. He tells Spinelli to call an ambulance, but Sam says they can take him themselves. Jason tells Spinelli to help get him to the car, then come back and get the camera. They take Brando out, and Sam closes the door.
Curtis lights the candles on the table, and Jordan says, what is all this? Did he think she’d be raiding the vending machine for dinner? He says they can’t have that, and welcomes her to Chez Cop, where they pride themselves on fine dining. Would she like sparkling water, or still water from the great state of New York? She says, sparkling, and he says, like her eyes. She laughs, and he says, tonight, the chef has insisted on picking out her entrée himself. She says, what a welcome surprise, and he says he just works there. She can take it up with her dinner companion. He excuses himself.
Molly asks if TJ and Brando are hanging out, and he says he thought he’d take a break and they could visit the batting cages. He can take out his obsession on someone else. She likes Brando, right? She flashes back to sleeping with Brando, and says she doesn’t know him well enough to like or dislike him; he seems like a good guy. TJ says she told him that he should widen his circle outside if the hospital. She thinks he should be a little careful, and he says, of who? Brando? Why? She tells him, Sam said he was recovering from an injury. He doesn’t want Brando to get hurt. She’s seen TJ transform into a relentless and dirty player as soon as he steps on the field. He says he’ll take it easy, but not too much. You never know when you’ll get blindsided. She says he should discuss it with Monica, but he says she’s no longer there. She and Bobbie were fired. Molly says, impossible, but he says the board fired them under orders from their new benefactor.
Curtis comes back in, after changing clothes, and tells Jordan, sorry he’s late. He hopes she hasn’t been waiting long. She says, no, but she might run off with the hot waiter. She’s going to give him a big tip. (I sit hard on a joke here.) He says he heard the cuisine is great, and lifts the cover on her plate. She says, lake trout, and he says, and sweet tea, straight from Baltimore. Like old times. She says, it’s not their anniversary or her birthday. What gives? He says he doesn’t need an excuse pamper his wife, but she says she was just wondering if he has one.
Finn tells Alexis that he’s sorry for her loss, and she says she is too. She’s sorry she doesn’t know what to say or how to feel. The worst part is… never mind. He says he’s calling a meeting here and now, but she says, that’s against the rules. You can’t have a meeting with two people. He says, it’s an exclusive club, and pulls out a chair. She sits, and he says she has a safe space. What’s the worst part? She says she and Neil finally decided to go forward together, and he died in her bed. She takes it very personally.
Valentin hopes he’s not interrupting, and Anna says she’s sure she’s held on to these lovely people way too long. Maxie says she has a meeting with Lucy, and Valentin asks if it’s about Deception. She says, it’s more of a concept meeting, but she’ll let him know what comes of it. Anna tells them, you two take care, or should she say three? They leave, and Valentin asks if he can join her. She says, please, and he says she’s happy to see him. She’s only happy to see him when she needs something. Does she need something? She says she’s going after Alex, and needs him as back-up.
Spinelli tries to reach camera, but can’t, so he gets a toolbox to stand on. He hears Peter and Maxie coming, and runs to sit in a chair. They walk in, and he says, Maxinista… and companion. Maxie asks why he’s there, and he says, car trouble. His van is increasingly temperamental. She says she thought he used his electric bike in warmer weather, but he says he didn’t want the van to suffer from lack of use. Peter says he needs a new crankshaft. The dealer said it would take two weeks to install, so he thought he’d try his luck with the local mechanic. Maxie sees the mess, and says, if this is the way he keeps his shop, she’s not sure Peter wants him working on the car. Peter says he can call the other company tomorrow, but Spinelli assures him, it’s worth the wait. He’s sure Brando just stepped out for a few minutes. In the meantime, they can chat; catch up, as it were. Peter looks like, huh?
Valentin says Anna is going after Alex? and she says she thought that would get his attention. He says Alex betrayed him. She exploited his infatuation with Anna, and performed a treasonous act, leaving him holding the bag. If not for her, he might have spent his career with the WSB. Anna says Alex wasn’t solely responsible for his fall from grace. He says she’ll never see him as a victim, and she says he may very well have been set up, but he crossed the line on his own. He says this is no way to ask him a favor, but she says she’ll be doing him a favor; he can bring Alex to justice. The waitress brings the drinks, and Anna wonders where to start. Valentin says he thought she lost Alex’s trail last year. She says she found it again, and he asks, why him? She says, it’s a two person job, but he says there are plenty of other agents. She says they would get in her way. She needs his talent. She needs his special brand of selective ethics. He asks how old the lead is, and she says, less than an hour old. Alex wants to meet her in Berlin. Alex claims she wants to stop running. He asks, why now? but Anna tells him, she didn’t say. Anna wants to find out, and she’s going to Berlin. She wasn’t sure about it, but then she saw him, and it all clicked. She wants him to come with her, and they can both bring Alex in together. Valentin doesn’t know who the greater fool is; her for going, or him, for going along with her.
Alexis tells Finn, before he met her, Neil had a career and a life. Now he has no career and no life. She can’t help but think she sent him to an early grave. Finn says she didn’t; she can’t bring on someone’s death by loving them. She says she cared about Neil. They had something. Finn tells her, then honor that.
Curtis wonders if all wives are this suspicious, or is it a hazard of the job? She says she should know better than to question a romantic gesture, and Curtis says he figured she was due for an interlude, given all the hours she’s been putting in, and the pressure. She says the main priority has been to find Nelle, and make sure she’s not out there plotting. Curtis says, and she has Cyrus to contend with. Does she have any idea what he’s up to? She says she knows he seized GH for the sole purpose of upping his PR, but she needs to uncover his plan, and put him away for good. He says, sounds obvious, but Cyrus is never far behind her – or him. No matter how hard he tries, he just can’t let it go. Every time he sees Trina, he asks himself, if he had made a different call, would her father still be alive? She takes it Trina is still giving him a hard time, and he says, only when she sees him. She says she knows him, and he needs to stop tiptoeing around. He says he tried confronting Trina. He tried talking things through, and tried to apologize, but no matter what he does, he just makes it worse. She thinks Portia might be able to help. If anyone can bring him and Trina together, it’s her mother.
Portia sees Brando in the ER, and asks what they have. Sam says they found him like this, and brought him in. She asks if he’s spoken, and Jason says, he has, but he’s not making sense. Portia tells them to get out, and Sam says, but… Portia says now. Outside, Sam says, this is Cyrus. Cyrus had to have done it.
Cyrus messes with his phone, and Molly tells TJ, you’d think someone who was a benefactor for the hospital would have asked Monica and Bobbie for guidance instead of firing them. They’re pillars of the hospital. If her mom was still practicing, she’d file a wrongful termination suit. TJ says, there’s always Diane, and Molly says, if Monica and Bobbie want to fight, it’s their choice. She’s going to mind her business, and behave. TJ says, she can if she wants, but he won’t. Cyrus approaches and tries to introduce himself, holding out his hand. TJ says he knows who Cyrus is, and don’t offer his hand unless he wants TJ to spit on it.
Finn tells Alexis, if she needs anything, she can call anytime. She says she knows that, and thanks him. He suggests she go to a meeting. She doesn’t have to share. She says she is going to go to a meeting – later. He says, later is the first step toward never, but she says she’s not avoiding it. She’s meeting the medical examiner. They owe her a favor, and she’s getting the preliminary report on Neil’s autopsy. Finn asks if Neil ever mentioned an underlying condition or family history, but she says, nothing. He asks if she and Neil had regular contact, and she says they’d been actively avoiding each other. Finn says it would have given Neil time to develop something, and she says, something she would have picked up on if she’d acted on her feelings sooner.
Cyrus says he has no idea what he’s done to merit TJ’s hostility. TJ says Monica and Bobbie deserved better than what Cyrus gave them. Cyrus says they opened the hospital up to a massive lawsuit, and were fired for cause. TJ asks if he considered the lives they’ve saved, their work in the community, and inspiration to others to work in the medical profession, like him. Cyrus says he had no idea they’d had such an impact on TJ, using his name. TJ says, Cyrus knows him? and Cyrus says he would recognize his mother’s fire anywhere.
Jordan tells Curtis, it doesn’t do any good for Trina to misdirect her grief about what happened to Taggert. She thinks Portia can help. Curtis says he didn’t want to confuse things, and Jordan says she thought everything was in the past. He says, it is, but he ran into Portia at Kelly’s after the Nurses Ball. They had a good talk, and he’d rather leave it there. They have enough going on with Cyrus. Why add one more burden? Jordan flashes back to being with Jason on the pier, and telling him that Curtis doesn’t know about Taggert. So much time has passed, if she tells him now, it could destroy her marriage. She tells Curtis, she and Taggert worked together on a difficult assignment, and he trusted her to have his back. She wants the gift of peace for Trina, and Curtis. Her desk phone rings, and he says, might as well get it. It will drive her crazy if she doesn’t. She answers, and says she’s on her way. She tells Curtis, sorry, and he says, don’t tell him; Cyrus.
Sam asks if they should call Sonny, but Jason says, he’s focused on Mike, and it’s more important. Sam says, maybe they should get the footage, and Jason says, it’s got to be Cyrus. It’s his way of pushing the boundaries of the truce without openly breaking it. Portia comes out, and Sam asks how Brando is. Jason asks if he’s going to be all right.
Valentin tells Anna, he has a daughter now. He has to consider things differently. He also just acquired ELQ, and the Quartermaines have the resources to take it back. He has to be there. She says, what if Alex is a threat to Peter?Peter’s grasp on happiness is fragile at best. He remade himself into a good man; he’s expecting his first child. If Alex undermines that, it could hurt Peter, Maxie, and the baby. You’d think Valentin would want to help Peter, given the way he messed up Peter’s life.
On the phone, Maxie tells Lucy, don’t sign anything until she gets there. They’re not risking Deception’s reputation on an untested product. She’ll be right there. She tells Peter, sorry she has to go. Peter says he’ll wait. If Brando doesn’t show up, he’ll go the other route. Maxie leaves, and Peter hopes it’s worth the wait, and Spinelli says, Brando should be back imminently. He tells Peter, it’s too bad Maxie had to leave, and Peter says, is it? He got the distinct impression Spinelli wanted to talk to him. Spinelli says, at the Nurses Ball, a little birdie whispered something disconcerting in his ear about Peter. He and Shiloh apparently go way back and far away, overseas even.
Cyrus tells TJ, he’s privileged to meet Jordan’s son at last. He sees they share passion. He’s grateful for her keen sense of justice. She freed him when he was wrongly sent to prison. TJ says where’s the justice in him firing Monica and Bobbie? but Cyrus says they were a liability, and had to go to preserve the hospital’s integrity. He wants to see the hospital survive and thrive. He hopes someday TJ can appreciate that, even to the point of shaking his hand. TJ holds out his hand, but fakes Cyrus out, and says, don’t hold your breath. I wonder how many times they had to do that without laughing. TJ and Molly walk off, and Cyrus goes to the elevator. Curtis is there, and says, bad strategy, when Curtis knows what he knows. Cyrus says, TJ works for him now. Sooner all later, everyone does. Cyrus goes into the elevator, and when the doors close, Curtis says Cyrus is going to find out he’s wrong about that, and a whole lot more.
Finn says he thinks Alexis is trying to make sense of something that happened to someone important to her, someone she cared about. She asks if he has any suggestion on how not to do that. He says, breathe, talk to someone, practice self-care. The verbiage is obnoxious (thank you, Finn! I think so too), but the concept is good. There’s a knock at the door, and it’s Jordan. She says she was told Alexis was with him, and asks if she can speak to Alexis alone. Alexis asks, what about? and Jordan says, Neil’s death.
Portia says Brando has multiple contusions and lacerations, and possibly fractured ribs. He’s going to get x-rays and a CT scan. Jason asks if he’s speaking, and Portia says he’s alert, and gave her permission to talk to them. Jason asks what the prognosis is, and she says, he has some healing to do, but he’ll recover. They’re keeping him for a few days for observation. Sam asks when they can speak to him, and Portia says, as soon as the nurse is finished. She leaves, and Sam says, that was convincing. Jason asks if she thinks it was staged, and Sam says, if Brando has thrown in with Cyrus, it’s what he’d want Sonny to see. Jason says no one knew Brando was being watched. His guess is that Brando is collateral damage, and they’re sending a message to Sonny. Sam says, or maybe Brando was going to come clean, and it was a way of discouraging him. Oh, come on. Brando could kill Cyrus and all of his associates, and burn down all of Cyrus’s warehouses, and Sam would still be like, I don’t know… Jason says, Brando’s story hasn’t changed. Jason believes him. Sam says, Brando admitted to Cyrus being in the garage, and Jason asks how hard would it be to tamper with his bike while Brando was distracted? Cyrus approaches, and asks how the patient is.
Molly tells TJ, that just now, was a thing of beauty. Cyrus isn’t used to someone speaking truth to power. TJ says he had no idea how Cyrus would respond. He didn’t know Cyrus would bring up his mom; it threw him off. Molly says, it didn’t work. He just kept hammering at Cyrus. Curtis joins them, and says he hopes they’re hungry. He doesn’t want the lake trout to go to waste. Molly says Curtis should have been there. TJ handed Cyrus’s ass to him, metaphorically speaking. TJ says, he doesn’t want to brag, but he was stoked. Curtis should have been there. Curtis says, yeah – to stop him.
Cyrus tells Jason and Sam, he heard Brando was in the ER. Jason asks where he heard that, and Cyrus says he takes an interest in every patient who comes through the doors of GH. He’s particularly interested with anyone who has ties to Sonny. Which reminds him. He understands Jason checked out against doctor’s orders. Jason says he’s fine, and Cyrus says, that’s more than can be said about Sonny’s father. Such a shame. So many tragedies on so many fronts. It’s all Sonny can do to keep his head above water. Jason says, that’s why Sonny has him.
Sam goes in to see Brando and asks how he feels. He says, like he should have gone back to Chicago. She tells him, the doctor says he’ll recover, which is good news. Does he remember anything? He says, besides waking up there, he remembers he got jumped. She asks if he knew the guys and if they said anything. He says, it’s fuzzy. One minute, he was fighting for his life, and the next thing he knew, he was there, with a doctor shining a light in his eyes. She says, if it makes him feel any better. She and Jason found him and brought him in. He says, great timing.
Alexis says she doesn’t know what she can tell Jordan that she didn’t tell Detective Spencer. Jordan asks if they can use Finn’s office, but he’s hesitant, so she says they can talk outside.
Valentin says Anna knows Alex is setting her up, and Anna says, of course (🍷), but she’ll never suspect Anna being with him. He asks what she’s going to do when she finds Alex. The WSB won’t prosecute; they’d rather pretend Alex doesn’t exist. They’re happier with her on the lam. Is Anna willing to arrange an untimely accident? He says Anna is hesitant and desperate; he notices her voice wavering. Alex will be waiting for her to make a mistake, and she can’t slip. Professional rule number one, objectively access the situation. Two, find the subject’s weaknesses, and three… She says, seize the initiative, and finish them. She’s going to play Alex’s game. She wants to set a trap, and wants Valentin to help her.
Peter tells Spinelli, unfounded rumors, and Spinelli says, as Georgie’s father, it’s his duty to make sure Georgie and Maxie are protected. Peter says his constant intrusion reads more like jealousy. Spinelli assures Peter that he’s content with Ellie. Peter wonders if Ellie would say the same. Spinelli says his personal life is none of Peter’s business, and Peter says Spinelli isn’t endearing himself to Maxie or him. He’s tried to get along, but Spinelli is making it hard, like he wants Peter as an enemy rather than a friend. Spinelli asks if Peter didn’t arrange for Drew’s kidnapping. Then, Shiloh used the information to make Peter help him escape. Peter asks, who’s spreading these lies? and Drew says Shiloh’s widow confided in him. Nelle is a known liar, but perhaps Peter will shed more light on it. In the meantime, sorry to trouble him. Spinelli says, good luck with his crankshaft, and leaves.
Alexis says she’s been through this with the detective, but Jordan says she wants to hear it directly. Alexis says, Neil came over, Sam was there, and Sam left. They talked. Jordan says, about anything in particular? and Alexis says they talked about their love for each other, and how they were looking forward to a happy future together. They went upstairs, made love, and went to sleep. Jordan says, Neil was happy, and asks if there was anything unusual about his behavior. Alexis says, he wasn’t hopping and skipping around. He was his usual self. Intelligent, articulate, and with a dry wit. What is this about? Jordan says she got the preliminary autopsy results, and Alexis asks how Neil died.
Jordan tells Alexis, the preliminary report says Neil died from respiratory failure of the heart and lungs. Alexis wonders what would make him stop breathing, and Jordan says, drugs. He died from an OD.
Molly tells Curtis, he doesn’t understand. Cyrus just fired Monica and Bobbie. TJ was standing up for them. Curtis says he applauds TJ’s integrity, but not his instinct. Do not pick a fight with Cyrus. TJ asks, what’s the worst Cyrus can do? Drop him from the medical program? Cyrus was exonerated. Curtis says, he’s still dangerous to a lot of people, but TJ says he refuses to be silenced. Curtis says, let it go. Nothing TJ says is going to affect Cyrus. TJ says, maybe he should take action, but Curtis says it could cost him a lot. TJ says, so he’ll be thrown out and not get a reference. He’ll transfer to Mercy Hospital.
Brando tells Sam, he had a run in with Cyrus’s lieutenant. He stopped by to ask if Brando needed help, and his implication had been clear. Sam asks what he said, and Brando tells her that he said no thank you. She can draw her own conclusions. Jason says he already has, and knows Brando had nothing to do with his accident. It was all Cyrus.
Anna comes into the hospital, and sees Finn. He says he wasn’t sure when he’d hear from her again. She says she wanted to let him know that she’s made the decision not to go to Berlin. She’ll figure out another way to deal with her sister. I’m guessing this is Alex, who is sending Anna on another wild goose chase while she wreaks havoc in Port Charles. Again.
Maxie calls Peter, who says he’s still at the garage. She asks if the mechanic ever showed, and he says, not yet. What happened with Lucy? Maxie says she got there just in time, before Lucy put them in dept to a Korean conglomerate for the next 13 years. She asks when he’s coming home, and he says he’s going to wait a little while for the mythical mechanic. He’ll let her know when he’s on his way. He hangs up, and calls Valentin. He says, Nelle Benson Jerome. He’s dealing with her. Valentin says, can he ask why? and Peter says, because she’s been running her mouth, and it could blow up his life. Spinelli watches on the laptop, and says, gotcha.
On Monday, GH will be a repeat. On Tuesday, Valentin talks to Julian, Brando thinks there’s something else behind Jason’s change of heart, and Olivia arrives at he WSB facility.
It’s sad that the best Brandi can do is talk about Denise, since she has nothing going on in her own life. No one ever said Denise was an angel. Brandi also needs to make up her mind about why she blabbed.
Do you think that’s a cultural thing?**It’s a bullsh*t thing. – Alexi and Loren Brovarnik, respectively, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiancé
We shall not be here forever. One day the kind old nurse will come and rock us all to sleep. Let us help one another while we may. – Unknown
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time. – John Lubbock
You are beautiful. Your beauty, just like your capacity for life, happiness, and success, is immeasurable. – Steve Maraboli
Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. – Dale Carnegie
You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. – Albert Einstein (The first guy to figure out Survivor.)
If this bitch was any dumber, you’d have to water her. – Joan (Regina Hall), About Last Night
There is so much wealth and so much misery at the same time, that it seems incredible that people can endure such class difference, and accept such a form of hunger while on the other hand, the millionaires throw away millions on stupidities. – Frida Kahlo
It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them. – Ida B. Wells
Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. – Dennis P. Kimbro
Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face. – Carol Moseley-Braun
Well-behaved women seldom make history. – Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try. – Beverly Sills
🥁 In Conclusion…
It’s here. A three-day weekend. Otherwise known as three consecutive days, if you work all the time or not at all. Whatever it is to you, stay safe, stay composed, and stay making hay while the sun shines. Or even when it rains.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the phone, Anna says, Alex? She says, if Alex is calling, she must want something. Alex says she wants to offer Anna congratulations, since she’s going to be a grandmother again.
Peter runs into an examining room where Maxie is sitting. He asks if he’s too late. Did he miss the ultrasound? She says the doctor is running late, and he says, it will be the first and last time work interferes. She says, it was a work emergency and understandable, but he says, priorities. She and the baby will always be his.
Robert asks if Olivia wants an aisle or window seat. She says, is he kidding? He’s taking her to see her son. She doesn’t care. She says sorry she couldn’t bring any manicotti, and he says, save it for the celebration. He has a few more strings to pull. Nothing bad; it’s all good. Olivia says she needs to stay positive. She wishes Ned wasn’t so upset about her leaving.
Spinelli tells Jason to secure a spot inside with an unobstructed view, where they’ll be able to see all that transpires. Alexis comes into the apartment with Sam and a suitcase. Spinelli wonders where she’s going, but Sam says, she’s reached her destination. Alexis is staying with them.
Brando works on a bike at the garage, and a cop comes in, introducing himself as Officer Williams. He has questions for Brando, and Brando says, let him guess. It’s about the stabilizer on Jason’s bike. The one that caused the accident.
At Turning Woods, Cyrus helps an old man with a jigsaw puzzle. He says the piece is a tricky one, and the man thinks it’s somewhere near the corner. He finds it, and places it, and Cyrus says, good job. Main thug Walker comes in, and says, Cyrus asked for him? Cyrus says, it’s time to pay their friend another visit, and see how he’s doing. He might need assistance. Walker leaves, and Sonny walks in. Cyrus says his day is complete. It’s a pleasure to see him. Sonny asks if he can join Cyrus. A nurse says it’s time for the old man’s walk, and he thanks Cyrus for helping him with the puzzle. Cyrus says, it’s been a pleasure. He tells Sonny that he’s impressed with the quality of care, and how the patients get regular exercise. He asks if Sonny’s father can still walk, and Sonny tells him, don’t ask about his father. The fact that Cyrus is there where his father lives broke the truce. Sonny could consider it an act of war.
Alexis says, to be clear, it’s only temporary, and Jason says she’s welcome there at any time. Sam says there’s something Alexis isn’t telling them, and Spinelli asks if there was something untoward. Sam says, Neil died in his sleep last night at her mom’s house. Spinelli says, it’s a most distressing turn of events. Can he ask how Neil’s life ended? Alexis says she’s waiting for the autopsy, but the paramedics thought it was a heart attack. Sam says she thought Alexis should spend time with them; her house is too morbid. Jason says the kids will love having her. Spinelli says, excuse them; they have a project to attend to. Sam asks if they found the answers they were looking for, and Spinelli says, that’s the plan. They leave, and Alexis asks if she wants to know what that’s about.
Brando shows Officer Williams the receipt for the stabilizer, and says when he heard about the accident, the first thing he did was call the company to see if they had any complaints about defective parts. They didn’t, but before Officer Williams asks, he knows he installed it properly. Whatever caused Jason to wipe out, isn’t his fault. Walker comes in, and Williams says he’ll be in touch. Walker tells Brando, nothing like a visit from the cops to direct your day, and Brando asks if he can help him. Walker says Cyrus asked him to come by to see if Brando needed any help. Like maybe making his legal issue go away?
The stewardess gives Olivia and Robert champagne, and Olivia says, Ned is worried about Brook. Robert says, it was a brutal attack; he’s right to be worried. Olivia says, there’s more to the story. Before the attack went down, there was a total implosion at ELQ. Brook was involved, and Ned was so angry, he kicked Brook out of the house. Now he feels terrible. Robert says, and Brook’s not in a forgiving mood. Olivia says, she’s not. Ned has apologized over and over, but she’s pushing the family away when she needs them most. Ned’s made mistakes, Brook’s made mistakes, but it’s so ugly and awful. Now Ned wants to jump in and undo the damage, but she keeps explaining that he’s got to take his time. Brook needs time and space to heal. Robert laughs, and asks if it doesn’t drive her crazy when someone she loves refuses to see what’s right in front of them, and keeps banging their head against a wall, insisting everything will be just the way they want it. She says they’re not talking about Ned and Brook anymore, are they?
Maxie tells Peter, she got everything backward with this pregnancy. She’s made imaginary obstacles, or at least blown things out of proportion. Like with Robert. He’s been unfair to Peter, but that’s only because… Peter says Robert despised his father, so Robert despises him. She says she knows the more time Robert spends with Peter, and sees how happy he makes her, he’ll relax. He’s always been suspicious of everyone she dated, but a baby brings out the best in him. Peter says, and her. She’s never been more beautiful. She says she loves it when he flatters her. Doctor Navarro comes in, and Maxie introduces her baby’s father. The doctor asks if they’re ready to meet their baby, and Maxie says Peter was there when she went into labor with James; he’s an old pro. Dr. Navarro says the story was all over the ward. Not many men could have done what he did. He’s a real hero.
Anna says, Alex has more on her mind than congratulations. Why is she really calling? Alex says she wants to stop running, and looking over her shoulder. She’s tired of this life. Now that the family is growing, it’s time for her to join them. Anna asks what she wants, and Alex asks Anna to meet her in Berlin. She’ll text the particulars. She has to go, but she’s begging Anna, please help her come home. Finn comes in, and asks if she’s okay, but Anna says, no, she’s not. Alex led her on a wild goose chase around Europe. Now she’s decided to call and say she wants to come back. Finn asks, why? and she says, allegedly because of Maxie’s pregnancy, but she’s sure Alex is avoiding consequences or trouble she’s in. Finn asks how Alex knew about Maxie, and Anna says, obviously Alex has her finger on the pulse of what’s happening in Port Charles.She’s going to use it to her advantage. Every word was chosen to bait Anna. Finn asks if she’s going to take the bait.
Brando tells Walker, they were just standard questions; nothing he can’t handle. He could use more business. How’s Walker’s car? Does he need a reputable mechanic? Walker says his car is fine. He was just checking in. Brando says, he’ll give Walker a little tip. The weather is getting hot, so he should top off his radiator with antifreeze. It will save him trouble down the road. Walker says he’ll keep it in mind. I wonder if that’s code for something or a real thing. Note to self: google that.
Sam tells Alexis that Jason and Spinelli are trying to figure out how Jason wiped out. Alexis says, so they’re not convinced it was an accident? Sam says, no. It was a faulty stabilizer that Brando installed the day of the crash. Alexis asks if that isn’t Sonny’s cousin, who Molly had the one-night thing with, and Sam says, that’s the one. They think he might be working with Cyrus. Carly and Sonny are buying his good guy persona, but the second she met him, she knew he was bad news.
Spinelli goes to the garage, and Brando says he recognizes Spinelli from the gym, where they traded blows with the heavy bag. Has the situation improved? Spinelli says, unfortunately, it’s become more dire, but that’s not why he’s there. It’s a more practical matter. His vehicle. Brando asks if it’s outside, but Spinelli says, it’s at the mini mart down the street. His domestic partner gave him a list of errands. He’d just completed them, and when he tried to start the van, there was nothing. He asks if Brando can take a look at it; it’s a block away. Brando says, sure, and locks up. They walk out, and Spinelli says he feared he’d have to call a tow.
Cyrus tells Sonny, let’s not overreact. It’s a misunderstanding. He’s not there to harass Sonny’s father or jeopardize the peace. He hopes to volunteer. So many people are strapped for time, they can’t give their loved ones proper attention. Sonny says, so Cyrus wants to fill in? and Cyrus asks if that’s so hard to believe. Brick appears and says, from him, it’s impossible to believe.
Jason just looks at the garage lock, and it magically opens. He goes inside. Okay, I exaggerated a little.
Anna tells Finn, Alex said she was calling about Maxie, but she thinks it’s about Peter. He’s turned his life around, and Alex could undo all his good work if he suspects for a second that she’s his mother. She has to find out what Alex is planning. Finn asks, how? and Anna says she’s going to accept Alex’s invitation to meet her in Berlin.
Peter asks Dr. Navarro if they’ll be able to see if it’s a boy or girl, but the doctor says, it’s too soon. She asks if they can see the baby on the monitor, but Peter says he doesn’t see anything. She makes an adjustment, and says, what about now? and Maxie says she sees it. Peter says, oh my God; him too. Maxie asks how the baby looks. Is he or she healthy?
Alexis says Sam never told her how she got rid of Delores, and swapped her out for a more lenient parole officer. Sam says she’s sure Alexis is curious, but thinks she’s avoiding talking about Neil. She knows Alexis is hurting. Alexis says she is, but she doesn’t want to talk about her. How did Sam get rid of Delores and secure her freedom? Sam says Alexis isn’t going like it, and Alexis asks if Sonny threatened a judge. Sam says, Sonny had nothing to do with it. She traded favors with Valentin.
Spinelli and Brando stand outside the garage, and Spinelli talks really loud, saying Brando has most impressive skills. He’s a computer whiz, but when it comes to automobiles, he’s lacking. Brando says Spinelli left the lights on and drained the battery, and Spinelli says Brando helped him out of a bind. He’d like to return the favor. Can he get Brando lunch? Brando says, thanks, but no, and goes inside, where Jason has disappeared, poof! in a puff of smoke. Spinelli asks what he owes Brando, and Brando laughs. He says if Spinelli wants his advice, get a new model. Spinelli says he prefers vintage; it’s a personal homage. Brando says he’s not taking Spinelli’s money. Save it and get a better vehicle.And remember to turn the lights off. Spinelli says he can’t thank Brando enough. We see the camera has been installed, and Jason watches on the laptop.
Sonny asks what brings Brick back to Port Charles, and Brick says he’s on assignment, but thought he’d stop by and pay his respects. It seems his time might be spent with something more important. He asks if Sonny needs help with Cyrus, but Sonny says, no. Cyrus is volunteering. He’s doing God’s work, right? Cyrus says it seems Brick knows him, but he hasn’t had the pleasure. Brick introduces himself, and says he’s a private security consultant. He knows a lot about Cyrus; none of it good. Sonny says, no need to bring up the ugly past. They’re all friends, or at least not enemies.
Sam tells Alexis, she had no idea Valentin was staging a takeover of ELQ, or that when he got it, he’d refuse to bail out the hospital, leaving it wide open to Cyrus becoming chairman of the hospital board. She wonders why Alexis isn’t saying anything, and Alexis says, Valentin kept his part of the bargain. Sam got a new parole officer. Sam says, she got what she wanted, and Alexis says, and Jason got what he wanted. Sam says actually, Jason had nothing to do with it. She had no idea why Valentin needed her voting proxy, but Alexis says, it’s fine. Sam made a mistake and was wrong, but honestly, after what she just went through, life is too short for regrets.
In the park, Spinelli says he was certain Brando would walk in on Jason, and did his utmost to stop him, but Brando insisted on going back to work. He was so worried, it took a year off his life. How did Jason know how to get out? Jason says Sonny has owned the place for years. He’s familiar with the layout, and used the back door. Spinelli asks if he had the time to install the camera, and Jason says, see for himself. Spinelli looks at the laptop, and says, it worked. They watch Brando, and Spinelli wonders if he’s waiting for Cyrus.
Cyrus says, he was just telling Sonny that patients benefit from interaction, but families can’t offer as much time as is needed, so he’s here to do that. Sonny says, it’s not uncommon for patients to be losing their memory, but Cyrus says, they’re still people, and deserve respect. Sonny says Turning Woods has ample staff, and Cyrus agrees he’s not needed, and actually has more on his plate than he’s used to. Sonny tells Brick, Cyrus is the chairman at GH, and Brick says, is that right? Cyrus says as his first official act, he hired a consultants. GH has practiced a lot of institutional rot, and he wants to do a big revamp to get them in shape for the challenges of the 21st century. Sonny is sure Cyrus has a plan, and he says he does. Change comes from the top down, as Sonny knows. He understands Jason checked out against the doctors’ advice. He hopes that didn’t set back Jason’s recovery. Cyrus leaves, and Brick says he’ll give Sonny three guesses why Cyrus wants to control GH, but Sonny says he’s way ahead of him.
Dr. Navarro says the baby is perfect for this stage of Maxie’s pregnancy. She has to remember to take her vitamins, and get enough folic acid. Peter says he has no idea what that is, but he’ll keep an eye on her. The doctor asks if they want to hear the baby’s heartbeat, and Maxie says she might lose it. Dr. Navarro says, that’s a common reaction; there are tissues behind her. Peter kisses her hand.
Finn asks if Anna knows she’s walking into a trap, and she says she does. She’s taking the necessary precautions. Ignoring her, so she’ll go away, is not the way her sister operates. She has to do this. He says, to protect Peter?It seems extreme. She says, Maxie and Peter are so happy, and Alex could destroy all that. He asks what she’s going to do when she finds Alex.
Robert tells Olivia, he doesn’t want to go to Holly’s memorial. Anna bulldozed him into it. She was relentless. She’s been all over him about his unresolved feelings for Holly. What did she expect? Holly was a huge part of his life. Olivia says she read the tribute in The Invader. Holly sounded like the perfect woman for him; adventurous, fascinating, a real women of the world. He says, the article didn’t even scratch the surface. She says, it’s a long trip to Geneva, and headphones don’t work. Talk to her. If she focuses on his life, maybe she’ll stop going crazy about her own. He says, once upon a time, Luke and Holly were an item. They’d been having an affair for some time, but had a falling out. Luke took off to the mountains to clear his head, and got caught up in an avalanche. He was presumed dead, and at the same time, Holly discovered she was pregnant. She was also about to be deported, so he stepped up and asked her to marry him just so she could stay in the country. Around this time, Holly miscarried and lost the child, but slowly, they both fell in love. Olivia says, it’s such an amazing story. No wonder he’s afraid to go to the memorial. He says he’s not afraid, but she says, of course (🍷) he is. He’s afraid same way she’s afraid to go to the facility where Dante is.
Brick tells Sonny that he’ll look in on Cyrus; he always has time for friends. Sonny says he appreciates that. He may need Brick’s expertise at some point. He thanks Brick for coming, and Brick says he needed an update. They sit down, and Brick asks how Sonny’s lovely wife is, and Sonny laughs, saying, off limits. Brick wonders how the kids are, and Sonny says, they’re good. He asks how Mike is, and Sonny says he thinks it’s getting to the end. Brick is sorry to hear that, and asks what he can do. Sonny says he keeps asking himself the same question, and can’t come up with an answer. Brick says he doesn’t have an answer either, but he does have a bottle of scotch with Sonny’s name on it anytime he wants. Sonny says he’ll take Brick up on it the first chance he gets.
Alexis tells Sam that she and Neil had a legitimate roadblock that kept them from being together, and when it was taken away, they created one of their own. She can’t tell Sam how much she regrets it. She could kick herself for not realizing sooner. Sam totally understands, and is glad Alexis had last night. Alexis says she’s happy they got to have one night. Her phone dings, and she says, it’s the medical examiner. They have the autopsy. Sam says she thought it would have to go through the police, and Alexis says someone owed her a favor. Sam asks if Alexis wants her to come, but Alexis says she doesn’t need a shadow. Sam says she could have Molly or Kristina meet her, but Alexis says, Neil is dead. She’s just going to find out how. If it was an aneurysm, a heart attack, a stroke, and really, what difference does it make? She apologizes, saying she didn’t mean to be harsh. She just wants Sam to live her life. Be with Spinelli and Jason, solve mysteries, and enjoy herself. She’ll go find out what happened to Neil.
Spinelli tells Jason that he can’t help thinking about revisiting the idea of his P.I. agency. He asks what Jason thinks of Jackal and Associates, Jason being the associates. He wants to vent about Maxie’s condition, and Jason asks if she’s sick. Spinelli says, Jason doesn’t know? Maxie is pregnant, and Peter is the father. He wonders what’s going to happen when she finds out Peter’s redemption is a sham. He arranged Drew’s death, and he’s every bit as heinous as his father.
Dr. Navarro tells Maxie to make an appointment for a follow-up in a week. Peter says he’ll be there, but Maxie says there will be a lot of appointments; he doesn’t have to come to every single one. He asks if she’d mind if he did, and she says, no. She looks at the sonogram, and says, the first baby picture of a bazillion, and he says he’ll love every single one.
Walker meets up with Cyrus, who says he and Sonny had a civil exchange at Turning Woods, and were interrupted by an unexpected friend; nothing that can’t be handled. He asks how Walker’s errand went, and Walker says the cops are investigating Brando. Cyrus asks if Brando accepted his offer to smooth things over, but Walker says, no deal. Brando thinks he can handle it on his own. Cyrus says, time for the next step.
Robert asks if Olivia is afraid of seeing her own son, and she says she is. She keeps trying to ignore what Ned said. He told her that she was flying to Geneva to break her own heart. Her letters were returned unopened, and the only thing Dante has said to her is, stop sending letters. That was back in November. What if she gets there, and her own kid wants nothing to do with her? Robert says he’ll be with her every foot of the way. Them together. They’ve got to get rid of the negative, and stay positive. She says he’s got a deal, as long as he lets her support him too. They clink glasses.
Finn asks Anna what she’s going to do when she sees Alex, but she says she hasn’t thought that far ahead. She literally just got off the phone. He says she’s determined to confront Alex, but what does she think is going to happen? How is she going to stop Alex, short of killing her? He tells her not to go. She’s admitted Alex was baiting her, and she played right into Alex’s hands. One mention of Maxie, and Anna comes running. Alex knows Peter is Anna’s weak spot. Anna says she doesn’t have a choice. She has to protect her family. He says let him know when she’s leaving. Violet will want to say goodbye. She says, come on, Finn, but he walks out.
Sonny sees Nurse Deanna at the hospital, and says he needs a favor. He needs to see Monica as soon as possible. Deanna says, Monica no longer works here, and he asks what she means. She says, neither does Bobbie. They cleaned out their offices. Cyrus fired them both. Um… don’t they belong to a union?
Brando flashes back to telling Cyrus that he expects nothing, and needs nothing that Cyrus has to offer. Cyrus says Brando can drive the cars he repairs, and he needs a chauffeur. An experienced mechanic could come in handy. Brando says he already has a full time job, but Cyrus says when he hears the terms, he thinks Brando will reconsider. Plus, there’s room advancement. Brando says, no thanks. He’s really happy there in the shop his cousin Sonny set him up in. Cyrus says, he can do better, and Brando tells him, he said no thanks. We see a guy messing with Jason’s bike in the back, while Brando is occupied with Cyrus. Cyrus tells Brando, take time to consider it, but Brando says he doesn’t need to. Cyrus tells Walker, the guy he hired to tamper with Jason’s bike didn’t know what he was doing. Jason is still alive, and as long as Jason is in the way, he can’t get to his real target – Sonny.
Alexis walks into the hospital, and Finn says, the AA meeting is upstairs. He’ll go with her. She says she’s not going to a meeting. She’s there because of Neil. She found him dead this morning.
Anna sits down, and Maxie and Peter run in. Maxie thanks her for waiting, and Anna asks how it went. What did the doctor say? Maxie says, so far, the baby is perfectly healthy, and shows Anna a picture of her new grandchild. The picture is so clear, and the baby so big, even I would have been able to tell if it was a boy or girl from the right angle. Anna says, beautiful, and Maxie says having her and Felicia as grandmothers, she’s sure it will be the smartest, most adventurous, best looking baby of all time. Peter says, the baby is lucky to have two magnificent grandmothers.
Jason tells Spinelli, Maxie sees what she wants to see, and this will entail breaking her heart. The more Spinelli tries to convince her, the more she’ll pull away. They need to find proof; something that neither Anna or Maxie can deny. Sam comes along, and asks if they’ve found proof that Brando is working with Cyrus.
Olivia tells Robert, there’s nothing worse than being alone when you’re scared. She suggests they make a deal, and lean on each other. That’s what friends do. She’s going to the memorial with him; end of story. He says he’s heard worse ideas, and they clink glasses.
Jason, Spinelli, and Sam watch the feed, and Jason says, Brando seems pristine.
The guy who rigged Jason’s bike walks into the garage, and Brando says he’ll be with him in a minute. Another dude follows, and asks if he’s Corbin. They stand on either side of Brando, and Jason says, this doesn’t look good. They start to beat Brando up, and Sam asks. who would do that? Jason says, it doesn’t matter. Let’s go. The three of them run out of the park, Spinelli clutching the open laptop.
Tomorrow, Anna tells Valentin that she needs him as back-up, Sam asks how Brando is doing, and Peter says he got the distinct impression Spinelli wants to talk to him.
The Real Housewives of New York City
It’s Christmastime in NYC – my favorite time there. Ramona wants to take a picture of Coco, but Coco isn’t having it. Ramona decorates her tree.
Sonja tells her assistant that Leah is the only one who RSVP’d. She calls Dorinda, who says she just had an operation, and is on all kinds of Vicodin. Sonja reminds her about drag queen bingo, and Dorinda says she has the best outfit. LuAnn will steal it for her next show.
Leah spars with trainer Martin.
LuAnn goes to the recording studio to meet with producer Desmond Child. In her interview, she says they met through friends, and hit it off. They decide to work together, and he said he had the perfect match for her – Viva la Diva. She feels lucky that they clicked and now they’re working together. She goes through the song, and sounds pretty awful. Desmond tells her to be more coy, and show more of her personality. I try to figure out how those two things go together. He thinks they’ve got it, and LuAnn says it’s about the diva in all of them. The inner strength and power that comes from deep within. She tells Desmond about Sonja’s party, and he asks if he can come. She says, of course.
Dorinda goes with stylist Luke to her old condo where she’s having work done. She says it’s becoming a classic, clean, efficient New York apartment. She’s wearing a sling, and in her interview, Dorinda says she had a bump taken out of her hand, and it was quite invasive. It was big and had all these legs on it. The interviewer reacts as we all do, by saying, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Luke wonders what’s next for her, and she says she was flooded, she broke a rib, and gutted the place. It started with just a facelift. We flash back to Dorinda telling her real estate agent that she’s doing a little renovation. She says, it’s representative of her life. She’s starting the new year off thinking about good things for the future. In her interview, she says she had to go through the murky waters, but it’s clear now; the water is calming. She tells Luke that she thinks 2020 will be a good year. Ha-ha-ha! We all did. She says she has to start growing. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, it’s a lot of me, mine, and what to do next. She deserves it. She’s a good person, and feels good about it. Luke picks up a flat, round piece of metal from the floor, and Dorinda says Robert leaves coins when he wants to wish her good luck. Since it’s blank, she wonders if she’s going broke.
Sonja is at her old townhouse, waiting for Ramona. She says she needs Ramona’s help. Ramona got rid of her old place, and is light as a feather now. She wants to be in the same boat. Ramona arrives, and Sonja tells her, it’s not fancy, but it’s clean and new. Ramona told her that she should put it on the market, and she talked to her daughter about it. In Sonja’s interview, she says the house is a financial and emotional drain. She wants to be footloose and fancy free. She’s worked hard to get to this point, and doesn’t want to be house heavy. We see before and after shots. Ramona thinks it’s perfect. In her interview, Sonja says now that her daughter is in college, she doesn’t need all this house. It’s time for a new family to make it their own. She’s ready for a place that’s just for her. Ramona says she’s proud of Sonja, and didn’t realize how attached she was to her apartment until she was closing. Sonja says she looks at it as the place where her daughter brought her friends, and had stability after the divorce, but once she was in college, it was different. Ramona says they’re going to all live life now. Ramona lies down on the new carpet, and Sonja takes pictures. Sonja’s assistant is like, omg.
Leah, Bunny, and Kier go to Abigail’s Kitchen for a gingerbread house decorating session. In Leah’s interview, she says she feels like she has so much to be grateful for, but she feels tired. She and Kier talk about going to Jamaica, and a guy at the table says he did paragliding in the Bahamas. Leah says Kier is trying to get her to do it, but she refuses; she’s scared. Bunny has a suggestion, and Kier says she knows what it is; no phone. Leah says maybe she’ll take a social media detox. In her interview, she says she appreciates her mom looking out for them. No matter how tumultuous their relationship is, family is everything. She says Kier missed her grandma’s speech; it was Oscar worthy. They’re in a better place than they were a few months ago, but she knows Bunny isn’t happy with all of her decisions. At the end of the day, she thinks Bunny understands and respects her. Bunny says she does, and Leah says Bunny told her to go to hell the other day. Bunny asks what Leah told her first, and Leah says, f*** off. In her interview, Leah says their relationship is a work in progress. She has to work on being more mature in dealing with her mom. More change is coming from baby steps. Leah is impressed with Bunny’s gingerbread house, but isn’t so crazy about her own. Kier says she’s hard on herself, and Bunny says it’s because of her. Leah tells her, she wasn’t going to say that.
Leah, Kier, and Sarah are in a limo, and Sarah asks what they’re going to see. Leah says LuAnn has a new cabaret act, and Sonja is in it. Dorinda had surgery, so she gets a pass, but Ramona called to say she wasn’t coming today. In her interview, Leah says, the ladies seems sick of cabaret, but LuAnn has a new audience member since she hasn’t seen it. The venue isn’t a regular club, more like a rehearsal studio, and Ben says they’re taking it on road, and trying it out. He thanks the audience for coming, and says they appreciate it. LuAnn comes out to much applause. She says she was inspired to do Marry F*** Kill because they have a Q&A during the shows, and everyone always asks her that question. The material is based on sex and relationships. In her interview, she says, the fun things they never talk about. Her piano player asks if she has a New Year’s resolution, and she says her track record at this time of year isn’t great. She’s going to try not to get married, divorced, or arrested. In Sonja’s interview, she says, this is LuAnn’s idea of how to refresh cabaret. The material is getting old. LuAnn says she just got back from a vacation in Mexico with her girlfriends, and didn’t fall into one bush. She tells the audience that she has a problem with Harry Dubin. Every time she sees him, he asks if she’s getting married again. If he asks one more time, she’s going to kill him. Sonja yells, don’t kill Harry! She has a solution. LuAnn invites her up on stage, and asks who she would marry, f***, kill, between Dorinda, Ramona, and Tinsley. Sonja says she’d kill Ramona, but Tinsley is unf***able. Maybe she’d marry Tinsley after her second divorce. That leaves sex with Dorinda. In her interview, Sonja says, marry, f***, kill is nothing new. Some of them have f***ed everybody; the list is getting short. It’s a quick show for us, since we don’t see any more of it. In her interview, Leah thought it was a treat seeing LuAnn and Sonja perform together. She doesn’t know why Ramona wouldn’t want to come. Backstage, Leah says she’s glad Ramona isn’t there. She can chew gum and show her vagina to everyone. In LuAnn’s interview, she says Ramona loves to support women, but doesn’t support her. Sonja says she feels self-conscious. She’s had a lot on her plate this year, and let herself go. She tells Leah that she wants to work out, In her interview, she says she put herself on the back burner. Now she has to tackle things that have piled up, and take care of herself. Leah says she likes doing different things, and has an app that tells her what class is available that day. They make plans to work out the day after bingo. Leah says, no matter how hungover they are, even if they’re covered with glitter, and makes the appointment. In Leah’s interview, she says she’s come to love Sonja. She’s a free artist soul, misunderstood, layered, and complicated. She wants Sonja to feel her best. Leah makes a toast to friendship. She says LuAnn and Sonja have been friends a long time and have a special chemistry. She’s happy she and Sonja are working out together; it will be awesome.
Luke helps Dorinda get ready, and wonders if RuPaul is in her closet. I think he was out of any and all closets a long time ago.
It’s time for Sonja’s Drag Queen Bingo Party, where the bartenders wear elf hats and no shirts. Sonja loves the room, saying, it’s spacious and tinselly; it’s a winter wonderland. The party is about raising money for GLAAD, one of her favorite charities. In her interview, she wants them to have a good time, and celebrate their differences and similarities. It’s one big hot mess, which she loves. She wonders if one of them is a drag queen or housewife. Dorinda is dressed in silver, along with accessories of a turban and sling. In her interview, she says you’d think the queens went into her closet. She has half these clothes. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, there are few great hostesses in the world, and Sonja is one of them. She’s not great at accounting, but she knows how to throw a party. Leah wears Adidas sneakers with her gown, saying she wants to be comfortable. Desmond comes in wearing a huge black sunhat, and tells LuAnn it’s the hat’s premiere. Ramona brings her friend Ron, and Sonja asks why she brought a straight guy. Ramona says, he’s a garnish. In Sonja’s interview, she says, Ron is just a guy friend, but Ramona likes to flirt. It’s the reason she doesn’t invite Ramona to her gay parties. Read the invite, bitch.
Sonja asks LuAnn if she’s made out with Ron. He says they did, but she doesn’t remember. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she’s delighted to see Ron. At least he’s not Missy. Sonja insists that she’s written jokes for LuAnn, but LuAnn doesn’t think so. Dorinda tells Leah that Ramona never told LuAnn that she wasn’t coming to the show. Ramona pulls up the text LuAnn sent, and claims she didn’t see the invite. LuAnn says she needed to open the attachment, and Ramona tells her – business advice – she should put it in the header. By which, I assume she means subject line. LuAnn says – business advice – open the attachment. In Ramona’s interview, she says LuAnn called her at the last minute and she had a commitment already. Ron tells Leah that she’s quiet, and needs tequila. He says he and Ramona are super platonic, and in Leah’s interview, she says she thinks Ramona brought him because she likes straight male energy. She asks Ramona why there isn’t more between her and Ron, and Ramona says, it’s better that way. She has something in the works. Leah says she likes being single, and Ron says she should have a friend with benefits. At the mention of it, Ramona has to leave their presence, and Leah tells Ron that Ramona runs when anyone mentions sex. Ron says Leah is in her prime, and he can make her shine. That’s a no, and I’m like, uuuugh.
Bingo is about to start, and Sonja takes the mic, saying, before they start, the number one message is that this is an LGBTQ+ benefit. She also announces that she doesn’t know why Ramona brought a straight man. Ramona says, the invitation didn’t say gay only, and Sonja tells her not to bring her boring friends. Leah says, he’ll be gay by the end of the night. In Dorinda’s interview, she says she’s learned to have a specific permanent smile on her face, and demonstrates. Dorinda gets serious about the bingo game, and LuAnn says, when Dorinda isn’t doing aerobics, she must be at the Elk’s lodge playing bingo. Ramona yells that she likes the number 69 – having no clue about the sexual connotation. Honestly, I’m not sure how she made it to age 75 60. In her interview, she says she just likes the way it looks. It’s graphically pretty. Someone else gets bingo, and Dorinda says, they cheated. She needs a drink. Uh-oh.
Sonja introduces LuAnn, who’s performing her new song. LuAnn says they’re still working on it, so it’s just a preview. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, at least it’s not Happy Birthday. LuAnn starts to sing Viva la Diva, and I die laughing at Leah’s face. In Leah’s interview, she says, it really gets stuck in your head. Sonja says, it’s refreshing that LuAnn is owning up to being a diva. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she’s happy. Everyone is dancing and loving the song. She’s gone through so much, and now respects every day; every day is a gift. Since it’s the finale, the text tells us that LuAnn hasn’t been able to do cabaret because of quarantine, but she’s focusing on her memoir, and sold her round house upstate.
We read that Dorinda has a book coming out, Making It Nice; Making It Through. She won’t be wearing Jovani on the cover. In Leah’s interview, she says she’s grown so much, and she’s getting it right with her mom. She also has a new love for the Upper East Side. She’s ready to let go, and possibly be in a relationship. Her text says that she’s quit drinking, which strengthened her relationship with her mom. She understands that she’s not always liked, but she is always loved. In Sonja’s interview, she says she has all her ducks line up in a row. Sometimes you go off the rails, but then get back up, and fight the fight. We read that, despite the facelift of the townhouse, she had no bidders, so she took it off the market. Her own facelift was more successful in attracting attention. In Ramona’s interview, she says, you should never play the victim. It’s best when you’re real with yourself. The text says she’s settled into a new building, and moved to a higher floor with more Instagrammable views.
Leah thanks the women for having open hearts toward her. She says Tinsley introduced her to the group, and suddenly Dorinda loses her sh*t, saying she won’t give Tinsley that. Tinsley almost ruined their show. She keeps repeating that Tinsley breached her contract, and Sonja says, if you’re not there, you don’t get kudos. Dorinda starts getting all animated, and the women have to duck her recently operated on hand. LuAnn says, merry Christmas. Sonja says she invited Tinsley, but she’d gone back to Chicago. Dorinda says, she’s leaving, and bleepity-bleep-bleep-bleep. Ron says, wow. Leah says Dorinda didn’t give her a chance to finish. Tinsley left, and she formed a bond with them, and she loves them. That’s what she was trying to say. Before she leaves, Dorinda tells Sonja, Tinsley breached her contract, and she’s a bitch. LuAnn tells Leah that Dorinda has gone beyond her expectations of her as a person. I get what she means, but I would rephrase that to say beyond her expectations as an a-hole. She says, Dorinda has work to do. They all do, but you have to keep growing. Dorinda is a great example of not growing. Leah says she’s done with Dorinda, and LuAnn says, she’s not. Dorinda is in a lot of pain, and has a lot of sh*t going on. She came there after having surgery, but didn’t come to LuAnn’s show. She doesn’t want to come to the show. Leah says, that’s awful, and LuAnn says, happy effing holidays.
Next time, the Reunion – Part One – the show is live, with everyone together (but of course socially distanced), Tinsley joins the group, and Andy has to yell at them to shut up.
🍼 Toddling Off…
It’s been a long week, and I’ve gathered quite a bit of tea, but I’ll save it for the next post. Especially since there’s not much going on TVwise on Friday. For the time being, stay safe, stay composed, and stay keeping it more real than Ramona.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Anna tells Maxie and Peter that she wants to have a dinner party at her house to celebrate the happy news. It is happy news, right? Maxie says, it was a surprise, but they’re happy. Anna still can’t believe they’re having a baby, and Maxie says neither can she.
On the phone, Robert tells Spinelli that he’ll be out of town for a couple of days. Keep him in the loop about Peter. Nine months will go by in a flash. Before the kid pops out, he wants Maxie to know the truth about its father.
Olivia rushes around, and Ned says, she’s still determined to leave? She says she has to, but he says she doesn’t. She says she does if she wants to see her son again. Robert’s friend is only temporarily in charge, and doing him a huge favor. A month from now, there might be someone in charge who won’t let Dante have visitors. She has to go now. He asks where that leaves Brook.
Brook touches her throat. Lulu and Dustin come by, and Dustin asks if she’s up for visitors. She just looks at them, and Lulu says she doesn’t know how Brook is feeling, but she looks great. Dustin agrees, and asks how she is. Brook writes, Fantastic. You can go now.
Sasha meets Chase at the café, and apologizes for being late. He thanks her for meeting him, and she says his text made it sound important. He says he wants her to know that he’s prepared to tell Willow the truth about their affair, or non-affair. She says he’s out of his mind.
In the park, Michael spreads out a blanket, and Willow asks if they’re hovering. It’s the nanny’s job to watch Wiley. Michael says, it’s not personal; Wiley was just kidnapped. Willow says they can’t use that as a reason to turn into helicopter parents; it’s not fair to Wiley. He says that’s why they’re all the way over here. She says he makes it sound reasonable, and he says hovering time is only a temporary thing. They’ll be back to normal at some point. They’ve got to go back to work. Willow says, but not today, and he says, not today. Today they can hang out and watch Wiley on the swings, and appreciate that he’s home safe. She says she couldn’t ask for anything more, and he says, he could.
Carly and Sonny enter the stables, followed by Felix, pushing Mike in a wheelchair. Sonny points out a horse, and says, looks like a winner. Felix says Mike wants to see what the other options are before they bet. Sonny says, sounds like a plan, and Felix takes Mike over to the horses. Carly asks if Sonny is okay, and he says, it’s near the end. He can feel it, and just wanted to spend as much time as he can with his father; every day, every hour. Carly says, a wise man once said, sounds like a plan, and she kisses his forehead.
Carly says there’s something she has to tell Sonny. He knows how much she hates being wrong. That’s why they get along. He’s the only person who hates being wrong more than she does. He says, fair enough, and she says when he told her that he was taking Mike there, she got scared. She thought he was hiding from reality, and pushing Mike to do something he didn’t want to. She thought it was denial or magical thinking, that he was trying to make it better, but she was wrong. It was the best gift he could have given Mike. How wonderful is it to watch Mike enjoying himself. He says, absolutely wonderful.
Michael says he spoke to Diane. It will be tricky. He has full custody, but Nelle is still Wiley’s biological mother. They can go the abandonment route. Willow says she has no idea where he’s going with this, and he admits he’s all over the place. What he was trying to say is, once Diane can legally put the question of Nelle to rest, he wants Willow to adopt Wiley.
Chase tells Sasha, every reason Michael and Willow had to get married is gone. Nelle was banished, she literally slashed Brook’s throat, and kidnapped Wiley. That’s kidnapping and assault with intent to kill.There’s no way Nelle will be allowed near Wiley again. It’s over, and Wiley is safe for the rest of his life. He can tell Willow what happened, and why. Sasha asks what he thinks will happen then. Willow will say, great news, return Michael’s ring, kiss Wiley goodbye, and run into his arms? He says, she’ll be angry at first, but eventually she’ll understand. She loves him. She says, Willow loves Wiley more, the way a mother should love a child. In Willow’s heart, that’s what she is to Wiley. That’s why they did this. He can’t put something in motion, and think he can control the outcome. You can’t un-ring a bell, and no matter how bad he wants to, you can’t ungive up someone’s love.
Lulu tells Brook, they have something in common. She’s also known the terror of being stabbed and left to die. She’s sure Brook must have followed the Ryan Chamberlain nightmare. When she came to, she was terrified. It took a long time to get over the trauma. It felt like someone had stolen something so deeply personal, she’d never get it back. She gets it, and she’s around if Brook wants to commiserate. Dustin suggests they let Brook get some rest, and says he’ll check in soon.
Ned tells Olivia, Brook is in ICU, and refusing to see him. Olivia is the one – and he thanks her for it – who reached out, and put Brook up in the MetroCourt after he threw her out. Olivia asks why he’s saying this like she wasn’t there, and he says he wants to make her understand that she’s the only one Brook will allow to help her. She thinks he’s mistaken. She’d allow Sonny to help her, and Michael. Michael is probably dicey right now, since he’s technically a Quartermaine, and she wants to keep them out of her life. She gets how much he wants to make it work, and he says she can make help make that happen. She can be the bridge, and get Brook to accept his help. She says, it’s not about Brook accepting help, but accepting help from him. He says, because he’s her father, he needs Olivia’s help to help his daughter. And whether she wants to admit it or not, Brook needs him.
Anna says, it will be a small dinner party; them, her and Finn, Mac and Felicia. They can just sit back and be celebrated. Maxie says, sounds great, and Peter agrees. He says he couldn’t have imagined coming to Port Charles and falling in love. Anna says, and being a family man. Maxie says, before he knows it, he’ll be driving a minivan, but she still wants an edge. She says they have to meet Dustin and Lulu before their appointment at the hospital, and Peter asks if Anna is sure. Anna says, this is what you do when you celebrate family. Peter says, family. He likes the sound of that. Anna says, don’t mess it up, and Maxie says she won’t let him. Anna watches them leave, and Robert startles her. He asks if something’s wrong.
Sonny says, when he was a kid, his dad took him to the track; it was something fun to do. His dad was always so happy; he loved being there. He knew everybody, and everybody knew him. Carly says, it must have been so cool, and Sonny says, he thinks before gambling became an addiction, his dad was at his best at the track. He loved horses, and the people who handled the horses. He loved the whole experience. She says she understands what he’s saying, to a point. She thinks Mike is his best self when he’s with Sonny. She thinks that’s why it was so hard for so long, because Mike left parts of himself behind when he left Sonny. Now that he’s at the end, Mike is his best self all over again. Thanks to Sonny.
Willow says, Michael… and he asks if it’s too much too soon. She says, no. She wanted this. He doesn’t have to pay her back. He says, it’s not about that, and she asks if he’s sure. He’s conscientious to a fault, and trips over himself thanking her and giving her credit. It wasn’t the sacrifice he thinks. She was happy to testify, and loves being married to his family, and being Wiley’s stepmom. He says, it’s not about thanking her. He wants her to adopt Wiley for him, so legally, she has claim on Wiley, but also so Wiley has claim on her.
Sasha tells Chase, Michael and Willow are adults with feelings. They love Wiley, and are committed to making him happy. He can’t show up just because Wiley was kidnapped. Doesn’t that mean he’s playing God again? He’s counting on Willow choosing him, but why would she? He lied, and deliberately broke her heart. She won’t forgive him any more than Michael would forgive her. There’s no going back. Their only option is to move on. He says maybe that works for her, throwing herself into her career, but he’s in love with Willow. He can’t and won’t give her up.
Robert tells Anna that he’s going to Holly’s memorial; his flight is tonight. Anna is glad he’s out of his strange denial, and facing things head on. He says he thought he’d take one more crack at hers, but she says, it’s not about Peter. He says, when isn’t it? and she says, for him, never.
Carly says, such beautiful animals, and Felix comes back with Mike. Sonny asks how it went, and Felix says his father can be mayor if Laura ever decides to step down. Sonny says, it’s good to be with friends, and Mike nods. Carly says she saw a concession stand. She and Felix can go while Sonny has a chat with his dad. They leave, and Sonny starts to bring a horse over to Mike, but Mike gets up. Sonny helps him, and asks if he’s okay. Mike nods, and Sonny says, Carly was saying, they’re beautiful animals. Mike says, uh-huh, and Sonny asks if Mike’s sure he’s got it. Mike says, uh-huh, and takes the horses head in his hands. He runs his face along the horse’s nose and kisses it, and I’m going to burst out crying any second. Mike looks at Sonny, and Sonny asks, what is it? Mike puts his hand on his heart, and says, thank you, son, and kisses Sonny’s cheek. That squishing sound is Mike stepping all over my heart.
Anna says she knows what Robert is going to say, word for word. She’s playing a game, and he thinks she’s ignoring the warnings everyone has given her. She’s cleared the way for Maxie to allow the relationship to be serious, and now she and Peter are having a child together. Robert says, he murdered Drew, and she says, according to you. He says, according to a lot of people. She says, what if she finds out Peter is the evil mastermind Robert claims he is? Maxie will be devastated, more so than when she lost Nathan. Even worse, Anna allowed it to happen because she ignored the proof and her instincts to believe what she wanted, instead of going where the facts led her. Is she close? He says, wow. Clearly he doesn’t need to be having this fight with her. She’s having it with herself.
Ned says, please, and Olivia says he’s telling her that his daughter is more important than her son. He’s asking her to choose between their children. He says, Dante’s situation is terrible, but static. Nothing has changed in over a year. Brook is recovering, and rejected him. She needs him right now. She says she understands. It’s a horrible situation for him, but Brook is getting better. It’s not like Brook won’t be there, and can’t reach out. If he truly needs her to build a bridge, wait a couple of days. Ned says, so she’s flying to Geneva to break her own heart.
Sasha comes by Brook’s room, and asks if it’s a bad time. Brook writes, They’re all bad times, so… Sasha says she brought Brook something, and gives her a gift bag. Brook takes out a small box, and Sasha says, it’s Deception’s new moisturizer. Of all the things she hated when she was in the hospital, dry skin was at the top of the list. It’s amazing, and all natural. Brook writes, Thank you, and Sasha says, you’re welcome. She’s going to totally take advantage of the fact that Brook can’t talk. She can type all she wants, but Sasha will ignore her. Chase is not a dirtbag.
Willow tells Michael, of course (🍷) she wants to adopt Wiley. She wants Wiley to have claim on her forever. He says, but…? and she says, no buts. She’ll happily, wholeheartedly adopt Wiley, as soon as she’s legally able to, but – he says, there it is – since that hasn’t happened yet, and there’s a legal pause… He tells her, just say it, and she says she wants to make sure he’s not doing this because he felt like it was wrong to kiss her. Chase approaches, but stays behind some bushes. Willow says she doesn’t want him to do it because he feels it shouldn’t have happened or whatever. He says they promised to be honest, and not try to protect each other with lies, which is where Chase and Sasha ended up. He doesn’t regret the kiss. He regrets the timing, because he knows she’s still in love with Chase. He wants her to know that he completely respects that. She thanks him, and says, since they’re being honest, she doesn’t regret the kiss either. He and Wiley are too important to her, and she can’t mess this up. They can’t rush into things and make assumptions. He’s Wiley’s father, and there’s nothing more important than giving Wiley a stable, loving family. Chase listens.
Michael tells Willow, this is weird to say, but as horrible as Nelle is, he considers it a gift, waiting to see what happens. They can get to know each other and be a family. See where they are, and find their comfort level. Willow says she doesn’t want to rush, and he says they’ll take it day by day. She says, day by day is great with her. Remember how she told him Nina stopped by? He asks how it went, and she says, surprisingly well. Nina was really kind, which she’s never have believed would happen, since Nina tried to have her fired over Charlotte. He says, maybe Nina learned to appreciate her, and she says she’s learned to appreciate Nina too. Nina taught her how to play backgammon. He says, it’s a fun game, and she asks if he plays. He says, a little, and she asks how much a little is. He suggests they play, and she can find out, but she has the feeling she’s being set up. Behind that innocent face is the heart of a shark.
Sasha tells Brook, Chase is the opposite of a dirtbag. He’s the greatest guy. What happened with them, she was feeling overwhelmed with no way to solve Wiley’s problem. The only person who could keep Willow in Wiley’s life was Michael, if he married her. Chase wanted be the hero, but only Michael could. As for her, she was feeling alone and scared, and completely over her head. There was no way she was ready to be married, let alone be an insta-mom. She kissed Chase first, so don’t hold him responsible.
Ned says Dante has told Olivia that he doesn’t want to see her. It’s not a choice between kids; she can help Brook. This is just going to be another futile attempt at reaching out to Dante. She asks if he’s telling her that she’s wasting her time helping her own son, and he says he thinks she’s better off honoring Dante’s wishes, and leaving him alone. Olivia says she doesn’t understand how it’s possible for him to give her advice, considering he threw his daughter out of the family home like a common criminal. She would never abandon her children. She goes upstairs.
Anna says Robert can’t accept that Peter and Maxie are happy. It’s over. Does he want to accept that a beautiful, innocent baby is on the way, and represents a whole new chapter, or does he want to continue dredging up misery in his endless quest to be right? What sounds better? He says she has two choices. Keep avoiding the truth, or step up and face it. She says he’s going to be late for his flight, and he leaves.
Maxie and Peter get to the café, and Maxie says, sorry they’re late, but Lulu says they just got there. Maxie says they met up with Anna, and Peter says, she’s excited to be a grandma again. Maxie asks how Lulu and Dustin are doing, and Lulu says they just came from seeing Brook. Maxie says, was it horrible? and Lulu says, in a word, yes.
Mike says, sure is a beauty, and Sonny says, sure is. He’s been thinking a lot about the equestrian park. He asks if Mike remembers the night he spent there with Avery. He asks if Mike wants to sit, but Mike says, no. Sonny says, Mike and Avery got lost, and they were worried, but Dante found them. Does he know who Dante is; his grandson? Mike says, yeah, and Sonny says, Dante brought them home safe and sound. A lot has happened since then; a lot of loss, but a lot gain. He’s happy he was able to bring Mike there, a place where Mike just loves to be. They hug, and Sonny says he wants to play the ponies. He’s going to bet on the long shot, and asks Mike how much he should bet. Mike says, shoot the moon, son, and Sonny says, yeah. They’re going to shoot the moon. My heart is completely squashed flat.
Robert goes to pick up Olivia, who says he’s right on time.
Sasha says she knows Brook has to put up with her because they work together, and Chase also arrested Brook twice. Brook holds up three fingers, and Sasha says she doesn’t want Brook to think Chase is a hypocritical jerk. Believe her, if Brook was drowning, Chase is the person she’d want to jump in to save her. He’s a good guy. Brook makes a gesture, asking if they’re together, but Sasha says, who is not the guy for her. When they’ve blown their lives apart that bad, they can’t revisit that avenue. The only saving grace is that Michael got custody. That counts for something, right?
Michael looks at his phone, and Willow asks if everything is okay. He says his sole focus has been Wiley lately, as it should be, but his family is going through some stuff. His grandfather stopped eating, and his dad decided against a feeding tube. He completely agrees, but it means they don’t have much time. She says she’s so sorry, and he says his mom texted. Apparently they brought Mike to the track; he loves betting. Willow says she thought he meant a running track. That’s no place for his grandfather. He tells her that his mom says it’s going well, and he’s happy for his dad. They get to spend time together. Willow says Michael doesn’t have to stay if he doesn’t want to. His dad is losing his father, and that’s a really sad thing, but he’s losing someone too. How is he doing?
Carly and Felix come back, and Carly asks what they’ve been up to while she and Felix were eating junk food? Sonny says they’re making plans to come back, so his dad can pick the right horse. Felix brought carrots, and asks if he can meet Mike’s friend. While they feed the horse, Carly says Mike looks great. Sonny wonders how he’ll say goodbye to his father, when Mike doesn’t know it’s goodbye. They watch Mike and Felix give the horse carrots
Chase shows up at Brook’s room, but says he can come back. Sasha says she was just heading out. She’s already bored Brook to tears. She leaves, and Chase says he just wanted to check and see if Brook was okay. She writes, Is that it? He says, one more thing. He messed up pretty bad with Nelle, and she did a lot of damage as a result. Wiley is safe because of her, so he thanks her. She writes, So does that mean I get a free pass the next time you want to arrest me? He tells her, just feel better.
Robert says he’ll put Olivia’s bag in the car. Ned says, so this is it, and she says, this is it. He tells her, good luck. He hopes it works out for her. She says she wishes he meant that. He says, please don’t leave angry, and she says she’ll call when she gets to Geneva, and leaves.
Sasha heads for the hospital elevator, and sees Chase. She says, well? Did he talk to Willow? He says, she was right. It’s too late to take it back. What’s done is done. She says she’s sorry. The worst part about accepting reality, is that it doesn’t make it hurt any less. She gets in elevator, but he doesn’t.
Michael tells Willow, when he was little, he never understood the undercurrent between Mike and his dad. Willow asks, what undercurrent? and Michael says, Mike screwed up, and it took Sonny a lifetime to forgive him. Willow says she’d always thought Michael was named for his grandfather, but he says Michael is his dad’s name too. She says she learns something new every day, and Michael says, as wonderful as his grandfather was to him, the main thing he remembers is all the regret Mike had. He had a wife and son he loved very much. Life gives us endless chances, but we don’t always get those chances back. He enjoyed fishing with Mike, and they had fun at the track, but the biggest thing Mike taught him was what not to do. He won’t make the same mistakes Mike did, and squander Wiley’s childhood, leaving him hurting. He won’t put his career or ambition before his promise to himself, just to make up down the line. He’s committed to give Wiley the best life possible, and he wants her in it. He takes her hand, and she says, sounds like a plan. The phrase of the day.
Mike sits, and we hear that bugle that says, they’re off. Sonny asks if Mike is ready, and Mike gives both thumbs up. Sonny says, let’s go.
Lulu says she never thought she’d say this, but she feels bad for Brook. Maxie says, her too, and Lulu tells her, because of Brook’s bravery her nephew is safe, but Maxie says, what if Brook is never able to sing again? Peter says, it’s a possibility, and Lulu hopes it doesn’t come to pass. She suggests for one moment they stop talking about depressing things, and talk about the perfect, amazing, wonderful baby that’s coming. Maxie says she thinks Peter will be an incredible dad.
Anna receives a call from an unknown caller. She answers, Anna Devane.
Tomorrow, Anna says she’s going to Berlin to meet Alex, Sam tells Alexis that she traded favors with Valentin, Spinelli tells Jason it worked, and Sonny says he could consider it an act of war.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – The Reunion – Part One
I see Denise is already eating her feelings during the logistics set up. I’ll be joining her shortly.
Andy welcomes us to the reunion – virtual edition. No surprise, they’re still all dressed like they’re going to the opera, and Dorit says, it’s the reunion, and they have to bring it. The early 2000s called, and wants bring it back. Garcelle wearing a dress by Asa (Shahs of Sunset), and it’s beautiful; a yellow wrap-around with marabou feathers on the sleeve cuffs. Andy asks, who’s wearing shoes? Garcelle admits hers are off, but several others shove their adorned feet in our faces. Andy says, newest Housewife Garcelle isn’t afraid to let her unfiltered opinion fly, and we flash back on all things Garcelle. He says there was a lot response to her saying Kyle was the least welcoming when she was on Watch What Happens Live. We flash back to that, and Kyle says she was blindsided, and insists she was welcoming. Garcelle isn’t buying it, and neither is Denise. Garcelle says she really couldn’t remember anyone else’s name, and Kyle interrupts, prompting Garcelle to say Kyle is doing it already; let her finish. Dorit says she’s had issues with Kyle’s listening skills. It’s not nice to make someone feel their point isn’t valuable, and that they have a better point to make. Ha! If Dorit wants nice, boy, is she on the wrong show. We see clips of Kyle interrupting just about everyone. Kyle says, it happens, which sounds like something my husband would say. When he talks over me, which I despise, he says it’s how you have a conversation. Um… no. It’s called interrupting. Denise says Kyle talks at them, doesn’t listen, and the conversation comes back to her. Kyle claims she has respect for all of them. Frankly I think Kyle just has the attention span of a gnat. She accuses Garcelle of not paying on her bid in a charity event, which ticks Garcelle off. Garcelle says Kyle had better watch what she’s saying, because that’s not true. Denise and I laugh. Garcelle says Kyle waits until the show is aired, then gets on Twitter. Which is what I do. Garcelle says she was warned about Kyle, and Andy wonders who warned her, but Garcelle isn’t talking, and no one raises their hand. Garcelle says she told Andy how she was feeling, and how Kyle took it, is on her.
Andy asks how Garcelle feels to be the first Black Beverly Hills Housewife, and Garcelle says, it’s great to be the first anything. He asks if she felt any pressure, and she says, Black women are often labeled angry because they’re outspoken and strong. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have pain. Andy says she told Wendy Williams that she was hesitant, since Black social media might come at her co-stars. Garcelle says, it’s a fine line, since it can be perceived as racial if it’s directed at her. He asks if anyone wants speak to that, but apparently they’re afraid to, since it’s the first time they’ve all been quiet in… ever. Garcelle talks about being pulled over, and how she was glad one of her sons was in the car to see her reaction, which was respectful and calm. She feels hopeful of change, and says, it’s been a long time coming. Kyle says, people are scared to say something, and don’t know what to ask. Garcelle says she wants her friends to call her, and ask questions. They can all grow and move forward from it. Erika’s son being a policeman is touched on, but not much. At least she didn’t freak out like when it was brought up in her first season.
We see pictures of Lil Bit Blanche, Sutton’s new Ragamuffin cat. Andy calls her the queen of couture, and once again I’m confused as to why she doesn’t hold a diamond, since her air time is equal to that of the others. Did she fund the show? Did they run out of diamonds? I love her dress with a silver lace overlay, and she tells us she’s wearing Pamela Roland. Andy says people are surprised she’s on Match rather than a millionaire dating site, and she says the worst date she had was with a millionaire. Andy says she’s one of a kind, like the Dolce in her closet. I agree. She can be snarky, but I like Sutton; I think she’s got a good heart. Laura from Rochester asks why Dorit blew what Sutton said about freaking out, out of proportion. We flash back to Sutton quietly telling Dorit she might freak out, and Dorit claiming at dinner that Sutton loudly proclaimed she was going to freak the f*** out. The viewer asks, why lie and exaggerate? Dorit apologizes, saying she made it a bigger issue than it was. When she watched it back, she felt bad. Sutton says, if Dorit was concerned about how she feeling, Dorit would have pulled her aside, but instead, she shared it with the table. She didn’t ask about it privately, but wanted to announce it, and freaked everyone else out. This goes back and forth for a while, with Dorit apologizing, and Sutton finally saying they’re good. Andy asks what was in Sutton’s gift bag, and Kyle says, good sh*t. Garcelle says, Sutton is very generous. Not only did she give them the giftbags, she’d gotten rainboots for everyone when they were in Rome, and was nice enough to haul them to Italy for a surprise. Sutton jokes that she’s trying to buy friendships, and Erika says she has the best social graces. She’s a well-bred Southern woman. Andy says when they played the first impression game, it went from zero to sixty, when Sutton said she’d thought Teddi would be boring, and Teddi ended up in tears. Oh please. Andy says Teddi claims she wants her friends to be direct and honest, but was Sutton too honest? Teddi says, it wasn’t the boring thing. It was Sutton saying, ugh, even worse, she’s pregnant. Sutton says she was joking around, and Andy says viewers find Sutton’s unflinching honesty refreshing. Sutton says, they all have insecurities, but she thought she looked like a snotty a-hole, and that’s not who she is.
Andy asks if Garcelle is annoyed or just listening, and Garcelle says, both. She says, it’s tough to be in a place where people are judging and questioning you. Kyle says they’ve all had moments like that. That might be true, but both LVP and Denise had entire seasons; you can’t compare it. Andy says, last season Denise casually talked about her husband’s penis and a happy ending, but this year, she flinched. We see the clip where LisaR trotted after Denise and Aaron when they left Kyle’s barbecue, and Denise saying they were headed to a strip club for a steak. Denise said she even tweeted that she was kidding. She knew LisaR would run back to them and repeat it. Andy says he was confused about the quality of steaks at strip clubs, and asks Erika if the steaks at Shakers were top-notch. Erika doesn’t answer, and Denise says it was her experience that when the husbands were around, they didn’t really talk sex. LisaR brings up (no pun intended) Denise talking about Aaron’s penis, and Erika says Denise brought it up in every conversation and set the tone. Huh? I think she brought it up twice, and once was at a private dinner with just a few people. Teddi (zzzz…. I’m sorry, what?) says, it’s frustrating, and Erika says Denise tried to make them look like a-holes. I’d say they don’t need any help with that. Dorit disagrees, but Erika says Denise thought she’d malign them as a group, and make them look bad. Again, they need no assistance in that department. Denise says she wasn’t upset about it, and Erika says she was upset enough to go with her to have coffee and discuss it. Denise says that wasn’t the reason she asked Erika out for coffee, but Erika is too busy concentrating on what she’s already decided to say to hear it. Erika says she took on the chin and apologized, but then Denise took it to Teddi and Sutton. She says, blah-blah-blah, mofo; she’s out. I have no idea what her problem is, except maybe she just feels like starting the yelling early. She says, it’s bullsh*t, and Denise insists she’s not upset. She said she couldn’t believe they’d said that, and Erika wonders why Denise picked on her. Denise asks if Erika took it as her being upset with her personally, and LisaR says Erika is being gaslit. Denise says, it’s not a big deal, but they kept it going on. She didn’t say, shame on everyone. She talked to them mom to mom. It was awkward. LisaR says, it wasn’t awkward, and Denise asks how she knows. I hate when someone tells me how I feel. LisaR says she saw it on film, and asks why Denise wouldn’t tell her what she and Sami talked about. Denise says, because it was between her and Sami, but LisaR says she made it more about them as parents. Kyle admits that she’d never want her children to hear that; she would have died. Andy needs to do some pot stirring, so he says, perhaps Denise was upset about Erika saying teens already knew about threesomes, and were doing it. Erika said she was speaking about teens in general, not Denise’s kids in particular, forgetting about something called context. LisaR says the fans came at them, and Erika says Denise liked a comment that suggested LisaR was a racist and should be fired. Denise says she only saw the part about Erika, and when she realized, deleted it. We see the tweet, which is as long as tweets get, and part of it mentioned what Erika had said about Denise’s daughters. LisaR says, in liking the tweet, that said everything. They all talk at once, the thing I hate most about reunions, and LisaR says, it was in a public forum. It was vile and nasty, and Denise knew what she was doing. Don’t lie. (Ooh. She’s so angry.) Denise asks why she would have taken it down if she felt that way, and LisaR says because she was called out, and Bravo called her, which I actually find that hard to believe. If anything, they want drama. Andy asks Denise, when she said all the fun stuff (i.e. the penis and happy ending comments), did she sit the kids down and tell them? Denise says, it’s walking a fine line, but her kids don’t watch the show… Without letting her finish, LisaR says, that’s bullsh*t, and Denise continues that they’ve heard things from their friends. Erika says, blah-blah-blah happy ending, and demands to know if Denise thinks it’s just the group who says bad things. Denise says she doesn’t tell her kids about that, and LisaR says, the whole world knows that Aaron got a happy ending from a hundred year old woman. Since I’ve been waiting for this opportunity through the entire show, I say, YOUR NECK LOOKS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD. Ba-dum-chh! Erika wonders how much it cost, which is actually the only interesting question so far. Andy asks if Denise is consciously trying to change her image, but Denise says she was uncomfortable early on, since she was on the receiving end of being a target. Andy asks if she sees why people might be confused, but Denise says they should have agreed to disagree, and moved on. She wasn’t the one who kept bringing it up. LisaR starts to singsong, gaslighting, gaslighting, gaslighting. She claps and tells Denise, good job. Denise rolls her eyes, and Garcelle says, wow.
Next time, same sh*t, different week.
🪔 Perhaps LisaR should look up the definition of gaslighting.
I found this on Reddit. Not only does she explain why Denise might be reticent to discuss the Brandi situation, but fantasizes about having Kyle on the stand. It’s pretty funny.
I’m not sure how it happens, but even when I have extra time, it turns into running late. I’m looking forward to the long weekend – or another three days, depending on your viewpoint – so I can squeeze in some more work. No matter how you look at it, stay safe, stay cordial, and stay knowing the meaning of words before you use them.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
I swear the moss bowl got bigger. Carly gets coffee, and shuffles over to the kitchen island. She sees Nelle tapping at the door, but when she goes over, there’s nothing there. She turns, and Nelle is in the kitchen. She says she saw Nelle fall. Nelle says something I can’t hear because the music is so loud. Carly wakes up, and says, it’s just a dream.
Nina meets with jeweler Evelyn, and says she knows Evelyn’s time is valuable. She appreciates Evelyn looking into the necklace for her. Evelyn says Jax is her favorite client. His taste in jewelry is exquisite. She also enjoys the challenge of solving a mystery. Nina says any clues she may have found, could trace the necklace back to its original craftsman.
Willow joins Michael and Jason in the Quartermaine living room, and says, Wiley is in the kitchen. Cook is so glad to have him back, he’s helping with breakfast. Michael says, none of the family is ever allowed in the kitchen, and Jason says, it’s a special occasion. Michael thanks Jason, who says he wasn’t needed; Michael found Wiley himself. Michael says he and Willow were up half the night; they were never so worried in their lives. Jason says he’ll go check on Wiley (I’m not sure why, since he’ll just get kicked out of the kitchen), and Michael says he didn’t mean it the way it sounded. He’s still on overload. Willow says, last night was a big night, and we flash back to her saying, if anything had happened to Michael… and Michael kissing her. Michael says, yeah, it was.
Felix asks if Sonny wants to take a break, and get some rest. He can call if Mike needs anything. Sonny says, he’s decided against heroic measures, and Felix says, and he doesn’t want to waste a single moment. Sonny says, it’s not what he wanted. He wanted Mike to stay around forever. He’s not 100% sure, but if it’s what his dad wants, he respects Mike’s wishes. He doesn’t want Mike to be alone. Mike wakes up, and Sonny says, it’s okay. He’s there.
Olivia and Ned find Brook out of bed, and lead her back. Olivia tells her, since she can’t be talking, they thought this would help her communicate better. She hands Brook a tablet with a gigantic keypad.
Neil is in bed, and Alexis says she made coffee. She didn’t know if he likes it first thing in the morning, or likes a shower first. She was thinking a foot rub. She touches his feet, and says, they’re freezing. She says Neil’s name, and turns him over. She shakes him, and says, oh my God. She yells for Sam to come, and hurry.
On the phone, Alexis tells 911 that she can’t wake Neil, and doesn’t think he’s breathing. She sees Sam come downstairs, and Sam’s face says it all. Alexis says, just hurry.
Brook makes a sign with her hand like, go, and Olivia says, nice try. They’re not going anywhere. Ned says, as Quartermaines they thrive on overcoming the odds, and Brook types, U disowned me, and Olivia says Ned overreacted. He said things he didn’t mean, like when Olivia was mad at Brook’s mother. She said, Lois, you’re dead to me, but then they were playing stickball the following day. Ned says Brook is his daughter, and nothing can change that. Brook types, 2 late.
Michael tells Willow, they should talk about what happened. Willow says, the kiss? They probably should. Michael says, probably, and she says, definitely. She tells Michael, Wiley is running wild in the kitchen, and Jason wants to talk to him, and Michael says, later. She leaves, and Jason asks if everything is okay. Michael says, Wiley is fine, but Jason says he was talking about Michael. Michael says he’s still trying to process everything, and Jason says, sometimes it helps to talk. Michael ask if Jason just said that, which was what I was thinking, and Jason says, sometimes. Michael says he doesn’t know where to start, and Jason says, start anywhere. Michael says, it was a crazy night. Nelle was completely out of her mind. She started to believe her own lies, and saw herself as a victim, and completely justified. He was so afraid she’d do something to Wiley.
Carly hears a tap at door, but it’s Jax. She lets him in, and gives him some coffee. She says he’s there early, and he says he assumed she had a rough night, with the kidnapping and everything else that went on. She says he could have called. Is he there to see how she’s doing, or how Sonny reacted to Nelle’s death? He says, why not both? He’d thought they were on the same page. She says, Sonny doesn’t know. He’s at Turning Woods. Jax asks if something happened, and she says, Mike isn’t eating, but that’s been going on a while. They don’t know how much time he has left, and she doesn’t want Sonny wasting a second on Nelle. He says, Nelle is gone; let that be the end of it. Carly says, is she?Isn’t there a chance she didn’t die? He says she saw the drop. There’s no way. She says she saw the drop, but not Nelle’s body. Look at what happened with Ryan. If they don’t find a body, there’s a chance someone is alive. On soaps, sometimes even when they do find a body, there’s a chance someone is alive. Jax asks if that’s what she’s hoping. That Nelle survived.
Apparently dead, Neil is taken out on a stretcher. Valerie, who now works every case in Port Charles, says she’s sorry, but she needs to ask Alexis a few questions. Alexis says, there’s nothing to tell. When they went to sleep, Neil was alive, and when she brought him coffee this morning, he was dead. Valerie says, Neil was her former therapist? How would Alexis characterize their relationship? Alexis says she characterizes her relationship with Dr. Bern as over. What they were, or could have been, she doesn’t know, and never will. Sam hugs her.
Sonny looks at the racing form, and asks Mike what he thinks about this one. Does it sound promising? Tina’s Temptation; a beautiful horse, first year in the circuit. What does he think the odds are? Mike doesn’t respond, and Sonny says, it’s all right. Mike holds up two fingers, then one. Sonny says, two to one. See? Mike is great at odds. Felix comes in, and asks if everything is okay. Sonny says, it’s great, and Felix asks if there’s anything he can do to make Mike more comfortable. Sonny says he could bring Mike a horse to visit. Felix laughs, and says, Mike would love it. He knows how much Mike enjoys racing. Sonny says, it’s like being at home at the track, and Felix says, someone is chatty. Have they been studying the racing form? He thinks that’s why it’s a good day. Strong emotional ties do that sometimes. Sonny quietly says he wants to ask Felix something. He wants to take Mike to the track. Can Felix make that happen?
Michael tells Jason that Brook said Nelle had a GPS on Wiley. He got Nelle’s phone, and tracked her to the cabin. She had Wiley in the bedroom, and he heard Wiley making a noise. When he saw Wiley was fast asleep, he can’t describe the feeling. Jason gets it. It’s more than relief. It’s like you were suffocating, and can breathe again. Michael says, Nelle must have taken off. His mom and Jax showed up, and his mom went after Nelle. He doesn’t want to think about what would have happened if Wiley hadn’t made a noise. He was so close to losing control. Jason says, Nelle is pretty skilled at pushing someone to the breaking point, but Michael stood his ground to save his son, and didn’t crack. That’s all that matters.
Evelyn explains to Nina, that there are initials interwoven in the clasp. She was able to track down the artisan, who is working in Manhattan. Nina says, amazing, and Evelyn says she thinks it’s possible Nina’s mother might have purchased an identical chain from the same artisan. Nina says, if she finds the artist, maybe she can find the other necklace. She knows it’s a longshot, but she’s closer to the answer than she was a week ago.
Carly says, it’s best for Wiley and everyone if Nelle is dead, but she doesn’t know how she feels. Jax says, that’s why she’s having nightmares about what happened on the cliff. She says, that wasn’t it. She was getting coffee; it was normal and ordinary. That’s what made it scary. She heard a tap at the door, and it was Nelle. Jax says she had a traumatic experience, and Carly says, she locked it, then Nelle was sitting there in front of her. It was so real, she could touch her. He says, then? and she says she woke up screaming. She wonders how he can be so calm, and he says she had a nightmare; it’s perfectly understandable. He can’t imagine how hard it is to live with the vision in her mind of someone falling to their death. She thinks it’s more than the fall. She’s spent so much time looking over her shoulder, she doesn’t know what do if Nelle isn’t there. She hopes the fear goes away into the past where it belongs. Nelle can’t hurt anyone she loves again. I don’t think Carly really believes that.
Valerie tells Alexis, the paramedics think it was a heart attack. They’ll know more after the autopsy. She’s sorry, but she has more questions. Alexis says, just do it, and Valerie asks if Alexis knew if Neil had a heart condition. Alexis says, he never mentioned it, and Valerie asks if Neil ever complained of chest pains. Alexis says, no, and she can assure Valerie that last night he wasn’t complaining about anything. Sam thinks it’s a good time to rest, if Valerie has no more pressing questions. Valerie says she doesn’t, and she’ll be in touch when they know more. She’s sorry for Alexis’s loss.
Sonny says they should get Mike dressed, and Mike strokes his chin. Sonny says he knows what Mike is trying to say. He can’t go looking like a bum. He has to look sharp. Sonny thinks he can make that happen.
Ned tells Brook, he’s so, so sorry. He never should have implied that he didn’t want her in the family. She writes, Ucan’t take it back, and he says, maybe not, but he can admit he was wrong. Olivia made him realize how foolish he was. Brook types, Go away!!! and Olivia says, enough. She understands Brook has been through a terrible trauma. She doesn’t know when she’ll get to sing again, and singing isn’t just a pastime or hobby for her; it’s who she is. But find a little compassion. Her father was beside himself worrying that he’d lose her. Ned says he was, and no matter how mad she is, he can take it. Olivia says her father isn’t perfect; far from it. He often misses the point completely, and acts like a stubborn ass, but think about the times she needed forgiveness. He needs forgiveness now, and she promises it will make them both feel so much better. She leaves, and Ned tells Brook, Olivia is on her side, and believe it or not, so is he. He knows she’s going through something horrific, and he just wants to make things better for her. He hopes she lets them when she comes home. She gestures with her hand, and he says, of course (🍷) she’s coming home. She types, What home?
Carly’s phone dings, and Jax asks if everything is okay. She says Sonny just wants her to bring something by Turning Woods. He asks if she’s going to tell Sonny about Nelle, but she says, no. Like she told him, she doesn’t want to intrude on Sonny’s time with his father. Jax says, good idea, and she says she knows when she does tell him, and he realizes she’s been keeping it from him, he’s going to be upset. But now is the only time Sonny has with Mike.
Jason asks if Michael has talked to his dad, but Michael says, not last night. Sonny was at Turning Woods with Mike. He wonders if he should say something about… When he brought Wiley home to Willow, things got complicated. Jason says, Wiley seems happy, and Michael says, Wiley is great, but he and Willow were emotional after it happened. They’d been so terrified, knowing Wiley was home safe and upstairs, they got to talking and kissed. Jason says, wow. He guessed that would probably happen sooner or later. Michael says, really? Neither one of them expected it.
Sonny gives Mike a shave, and says this is what he taught his boys; shaving cream and clean strokes. A man should always know how to give himself a proper shave. That’s what Mike said to him, and what he repeated to Michael and Morgan. Michael will teach Wiley how to shave, and Wiley will repeat that himself. He finishes, and asks what Mike thinks. Mike smiles, and Sonny says, that’s nice.
Jason says, Michael and Willow trust each other, and love Wiley. It’s the foundation for a good life, if that’s what they want. Michael says he doesn’t want to pressure Willow, and Jason says, be honest. Tell her what he wants and let her decide what she wants. And tell Wiley congratulations for making it into the kitchen.
Willow tells Wiley, he needs to get dressed. He can’t run around in PJs all day. She picks out an outfit, and says she loves this one; it makes him look handsome. He’s looking more and more like his daddy, who also happens to be handsome, and very brave. Michael listens on the monitor, and she says, when Michael brought Wiley home, she was so happy and so relieved, but she never expected to kiss him. It just happened out of nowhere, like the most natural thing in the world. It’s crazy, right? His dad is a best friend to her, but she didn’t realize how easy it would be to kiss him. Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that she and his dad both love him very much.
Evelyn gives the contact information to Nina, who thanks her. Nina says she can’t wait to contact the artisan, and talk to them about the necklace. Evelyn hopes they remember; it’s been a long time. Forgive her, but… Nina says she knows. Don’t get her hopes up. Her mother gave her the necklace, not out of sentimentality or love, and it’s the key to a secret she’s meant to unlock. She’ll be damned if she lets anything stop her.
Willow tells Michael that either Wiley ate too many pancakes, or he’s worn out from last night. Michael says, that’s okay. It’s better not to bring him. He’s too young to understand, but it’s still important. Brook put everything on the line for Wiley, and they need to thank her. Willow says, let’s do it.
Ned says he understands why Brook feels the family home isn’t her home. He said what he said, and made her feel unwelcome, and can’t apologize enough. She writes, So stop trying. He says they’ve done a lot of damage to each other, and it will take a lot of healing for her to hear him. The point is to heal her throat first; that’s top priority. She doesn’t have to go it alone. She writes, My choice, and he says, she was stabbed, and nearly bled out. They had to rush her into surgery to save her life. He prayed to God, and anyone who would listen, to give him his daughter back. It’s going to be a rough road emotionally and physically. The best thing for her is to be home with the family. She writes, Nope, and waves goodbye to him.
Alexis tells Sam, she finally met someone who meant what they said, and said what they meant. A man who actually liked her. One that didn’t lie to her. Does Sam know how long she’s waited to be with a man who didn’t lie? They wasted all that time and worry about their jobs and feelings, and who hurt who. People hurt each other. Does Sam know what Neil did when he hurt her? He showed up, looked her in the eye, and said he messed up and he was sorry. Sam says she’s sorry; she doesn’t know what to say. Alexis says she can’t imagine anyone will know. Who the hell would believe this would happen? Last night, when they finally decided to get out of their own way and go for it, they went for it a lot. It was great. Apparently too great. Now he’s dead. She killed him. Alexis laughs, and says she wore him out. One night with her, and he’s dead. She laugh/cries, and Sam says she’s sorry. Alexis says she wanted more, and they hug.
Nina tells Jax that his jeweler didn’t have a complete answer, but it’s definitely a lead. The chain was a limited signature piece, and Evelyn gave her the name of the artisan. Jax asks, why isn’t she happier? and she says, initially, she was. She knows her mother divided the original pendant, and probably bought identical chains, one for each half. If that’s the case, the artisan can lead her to the other necklace. It could lead her to her child, but there are still a lot of dots to be connected. Jax says, true, but what’s the alternative? Give up the search when she finally got a lead? She says, not a chance. Never underestimate her ability to find a needle in a haystack. He says he wouldn’t dream of it.
Ned finds Olivia finishing up a call in the hallway, and says, that girl is her mother and his mother rolled into one. She’s refusing to go home. Not only that, she’s refusing his help. Olivia asks if he’s surprised. Brook is him, Lois, and Tracy all rolled into one. She has more pride than sense. She also has a neck wound where a psycho stabbed her throat. She needs time to recover from the physical and emotional trauma. She’s so messed up, she doesn’t know what to do, so she’s lashing out at the most convenient target. Give her the space to figure it out. When they get back, she has to pack her bag or she’ll lose her plane. He asks where she’s going, and she says she told him – to see Dante.
Michael and Willow go into Brook’s room, and Brook smiles.
Carly tells Mike, Hi, handsome. Come here often? She hands Sonny a gift box and says she hopes Mike loves what she picked out. Sonny says they’re going to the track, and Carly asks if he’s sure that’s advisable. He says it’s all right for him to check Mike out as long as he has the proper medical care. Felix set it up. She asks if it’s boys only, or can she tag along? Sonny asks Mike what he says. Is there room for one more? Mike smiles, and takes Carly’s hand. I tear up.
Ned tells Olivia, she can’t leave now. Brook is in the middle of a crisis; he needs Olivia. She says he doesn’t need her there. He wants her there, and she wants to be there for him, but he doesn’t need her. He says no one gets through to Brook like she does, but she says, that’s not true. There are a number of people Brook loves and respects. She listens to Michael and Sonny. He says he’s not asking Sonny for help, and she says he’s not going to make any progress if he keeps trying to control the situation. It’s going to take time. He just has to wait. She needs to talk to her son. Robert is doing her a big favor. She’s not going to leave him waiting. She leaves.
Michael says he and Willow wanted to thank Brook. Wiley will thank her too, when he’s old enough to understand what she did. If not for her, Nelle would have gotten away with Wiley. She stopped Nelle backstage, and risked her life. Willow says, she’s not surprised Brook found a way to speak, no matter how painful it was. Michael says, for once, Brook can’t change the subject. Let herself be thanked. Willow says she heard Michael talking on the monitor when he brought Wiley home, and she ran upstairs. It was the happiest moment of her life, seeing Wiley safe in his own bed. It was real because of Brook’s sacrifice. She knows Brook hates sentimentality, but it’s a beautiful day outside. They drove there with all the windows open, and sang Bob the Builder. Michael admits to knowing the lyrics, but says he doesn’t know Aladdin like Willow does. Tonight when they read Wiley a story, and tuck him into bed, there will be a special thank you to her. Willow says she made it all possible.
Sam strips the bed, telling Alexis that she doesn’t need to be there. Alexis opens Neil’s wallet, and touches his license. She takes out his ticket stub from Aida. She and Sam sit on the bed, and Sam holds Alexis while she cries.
Jax knows Nina must be chomping at the bit to get to the next step in her search, and asks if he can tag along. She tells him that she was hoping he’d say that. He says he’ll make arrangements… unless she wants to her. It’s her search. She says she’ll handle everything. She asks how Carly is doing, and he says, good, all things considered. He’s hoping she can finally get past all this, but Nina asks if he thinks that’s realistic. He knows how determined Nelle is, psychotically so. She’ll be back. He says he’s not so sure.
Jason asks if Mike is going somewhere, and Sonny says, they’re on their way to the track. Carly asks what Jason thinks of Mike’s hat. He’s wearing a newsboy cap, and Jason says, pretty sharp. She says, guess who picked it out? Unlike Jason, some people appreciate her input. Sonny says, Jason doesn’t have to, but he can join them. Jason says he has some things to catch up on, and Sonny says he’s missing out. Mike is all happy, and Sonny says, the ponies are waiting.
Robert tells Anna that she can keep avoiding the truth or face it, Michael wants Willow to adopt Wiley ,and Mike thanks sonny
The Haves and The Have Nots
Uncle Vinny shoots Officer Miller in the middle of the forehead. Sandy says, what did he just do? and Vinny says, relax. An officer runs out, and says, my God. Vinny shrugs and says, he shot himself. More cops come out, and Vinny says, he committed suicide. He points to the first officer, and says, he saw it, and the cop agrees. Vinny says they’ve got his mother back there, and one of the cops says, get an ambulance. Sandy says he doesn’t feel too good, and Vinny says, then get out. He’s never seen anything like this before? He tells one of his guys to take the kid outside. One of the cops tells another to pull the footage on the camera. Vinny asks if they’re going to get his mother out or what? Are they going to ignore him? An officer says, give them a few minutes, and Vinny says, hurry up; his mom’s in a cage.
In her cell, Mama Rose hears the gunshot, and says her boys must be there. Kathryn asks what she means, and Rose says asks if Kathryn knows that Rose knew his father. Kathryn says she didn’t, and Rose says he was in deep with her mob. It wasn’t like that, but they did a lot of business together around town. Kathryn says she didn’t know, and Rose says she should. That son of hers is really disrespectful. Kathryn says she knows, and Rose asks how she can raise a son like that. He’s got a drug problem, and goes to the bar and stabs her son. Kathryn says she’s sorry, and Rose says, is she really? Kathryn says she is, and Rose asks, how does that happen? Kathryn says, Wyatt has issues, and Rose says they all do, but they don’t do what he did. Kathryn asks if Rose is really judging her, and Rose says she is. Kathryn says Rose is in the mob. Do they call her mob boss? Rose says they call her mob queen, and Kathryn says she doesn’t think Rose has room to judge, but Rose says she does. All that money and all those opportunities, and Kathryn raises a kid like that. Kathryn says she thought Rose wanted to rest, but Rose says she wanted some information. Kathryn says she does too, and Rose asks if she wants to find out where her son is. She can do that. Kathryn says, no, and Rose says she thought Kathryn wanted to know. She wonders if Kathryn thinks she’s going to hurt him, and Kathryn says she paid Rose to call off the hit. Rose says she doesn’t know what Kathryn is talking about, and Kathryn says she has 75,000 reasons why Rose does. Rose says she thinks she’s had enough lies. Kathryn is pissing her off. She doesn’t think she likes Kathryn. Kathryn says, the feeling is mutual, and Rose asks, how much is he worth? What they paid her ain’t enough. She wants a million. Kathryn says she’s never getting that, and Rose asks if he’s not worth it. Kathryn says she’s done talking to Rose, and Rose says Kathryn really doesn’t know who she is, does she? Kathryn says, Rose doesn’t know who she is. Rose says, she’s Mama Rose, and Kathryn says, well, old lady, she’s her father’s daughter – Kathryn Hargrave Cryer. Rose asks if Kathryn wants to go to war with her, and Kathryn says, no, but she will. Rose says, one million in 24 hours, or the little prick is dead. Kathryn says don’t think she forgot what Rose did with Jennifer Sallison’s body. Rose says, that’s just a warm up, and Kathryn says, okay, old grey haired bitch, bring it. Rose says the only reason Kathryn isn’t a grey haired bitch is hair dye. She’s changed her mind; she likes Kathryn. This is gonna be fun. I say, yes it is, and Rose says, the first thing she’s going to do is kill Kathryn’s hair dresser. Kathryn points her fingers like a gun, shooting Rose.
Wyatt calls for the nurse. She comes in, and he says, it’s about time. He’s in pain. She says they gave him meds. He says, they didn’t work, and he needs to pee. She says a cup is over there, but he says he can’t reach. When she goes to get it, he steals her pen. She tosses the cup at him and leaves. He opens the pen and works the cartridge in the handcuff lock, opening it. He walks out.
Madison gets to his apartment, and Justin is in the hallway. Madison says, what the hell? Justin needs to leave or he’s calling the police. Justin says he’s not there to hurt Madison. He knows about getting his ass beat. His brother came to see him. Madison says he doesn’t know Justin, and Justin says he’s just trying to understand himself. He needs to talk to someone. Madison says he’s not a therapist, and Justin says he can’t talk to a therapist. Madison says Justin’s not coming into his apartment, and Justin says, please. He just needs someone to talk to. He’s sorry. He’s not going to make it. He’s going to end up killing himself. Madison says Justin needs to talk to somebody, but Justin says Madison is the only one who understands him. The stuff Madison told him made sense; he hates himself because he’s gay. Madison is glad he can admit it, and Justin says, please, let’s talk. Madison says what Justin did was unforgiveable, so leave. Madison’s phone rings, and Justin asks, who’s that? Madison says, none of his business, and Justin says he’s not upset. Madison says he doesn’t care, and Justin says he needs someone to talk to. Madison says, he’s not the one, and goes into his apartment, leaving Justin standing there.
Inside, Madison calls Jeffrey, who’s glad he made it home. Madison says he just walked in; he’s going to bed. Justin is there. He walked into the building. Jeffrey says, right there? In the apartment? Madison says, no; he doesn’t know where Justin is now. Jeffrey says, that’s crazy. What did Justin want? Madison says, he wanted to talk. He was being nice, so Madison knows he’s up to something. He doesn’t trust Justin. Jeffrey says Madison doesn’t need to tell him that. Is Madison sure he’s okay? Does he have a gun? Madison asks why he’d need a gun, and Jeffrey says, in case… Madison says he doesn’t need one, and Jeffrey says he’s coming over. Madison says if Jeffrey keeps this up, he’s going to start thinking Jeffrey cares about him. Jeffrey says he does. He’ll text when he’s on his way.
Wyatt runs home. He tries the doors and windows, but they’re all locked. He kicks the front door in, and the alarm goes off. He tries putting in a code, but it doesn’t work. He keeps trying, but has no luck. He calls security, and says he thinks his wife changed the code, telling them that he’s Jim. They ask for the password, and he says, Kathryn. The guy says, no, and he says, Amanda, but it’s still no. He says, sorry, and the guy says, the police are on their way. Wyatt says, dammit, and runs upstairs. Boy, does he move fast for someone who recently bled out. He gets his clothes on in record time, rifles through his drawers for socks, and puts on his shoes. He ties his shoes faster than I’ve ever seen anyone do it, goes to Kathryn’s bathroom and shoves stuff (presumably drugs) in his pockets. He moves on to her closet, and grabs whatever jewelry he can. He runs downstairs, and out to the car, and takes off. I see the police are really on the ball there.
Jeff finds David sitting in the dark, and asks what he’s doing home. David asks where Jeffrey is going, and Jeffrey says he’s going to Madison’s place. David says Madison just left, and Jeffrey says he knows. David says, oh, okay, and Jeffrey asks what that was for. Does David think he’s moving too fast? David asks if Jeffrey is using condoms, and Jeffrey says he’s good. David says, okay then. Jeffrey asks, what is it? and David says he’s not thinking about Madison; he’s thinking about the woman outside. Jeffrey asks, what woman? and David tells him, she says her name is Alissa. She’s a friend of Erica’s, and… Jeffrey says, what? and David says she showed him a video of Erica apologizing for what she’d done. Apparently she made it before she was killed. Jeffrey asks why she’s out there, and David says she came to show him the video. Jeffrey asks why she’s still there, and David says she wants to sleep with him. Apparently (WOTD), Erica told her a lot about him. Jeffrey says he’s not thinking about it, and David says, not at all, but he’s curious about how much she knows. Jeffrey suggests he let it go. He knows David loved Erica. David says he’ll see Jeffrey in the morning; he loves him. He decides to walk Jeffrey out, and sees Alissa is still there. He says he thought he told the guard to get rid of her, but the guard says she’s not on the property. Jeffrey asks if he should stay, but David tells him to go on. The guard apologizes, and says he’ll keep eye on her. He found out she was a prostitute. She went to college, and worked as a stripper. David says, bring her in. Jeffrey leaves, and the guard gets Alissa, saying, it’s her lucky day. He asks if he should stay, and David says no, but Alissa says she’d love to have both of them. David asks how old she is, and she says, 29. The guard confirms it, and she asks how he knows. He says he just knows, and David says he can go now. The guard says he checked her purse, and she’s clear, and Alissa asks if he wants to search her too. He says, it’s not necessary, and leaves. She shucks her dress off, and asks what David has to drink. He says he’d prefer if she kept her dress on, but she says she prefers it this way. Does he have music? He asks why she’s there; tell the whole truth. She says she wants to take Erica’s place. He has no idea what she would do for a man like him, as good as him, a man who takes care of a girl. Erica told her all the things he did for her; the car, the clothes. She promises to tell him what she knows. He suggests they go for a ride, and she says, on the couch? Okay. But he leads her outside. If she wants a good man like him, maybe she doesn’t want to do things like suggest a threesome. Just a thought.
Mitch pulls up outside of Hannah’s with Candace in the car. Candace says, she left; she’s not there. Mitch says, she’s going to be pissed, and Candace says, what choice did she have? Benny comes out, and asks where their mom is. Candace says, she left; she’s fine. He asks what they did to her, and Candace says, they needed to take her out. What other choice did she have? Benny asks where she is, and Candace says, she got in her car – obviously pissed – and left. Benny wonders if she’ll go back, but Candace says someone is posted outside the bar. They won’t let her back in. She asks where Benny is going, and he says to find out about Derrick. Maybe she’s there. Candace doubts it, and he says he’ll be back. Mitch asks if Candace is okay, and she says, yeah, but Benny isn’t.
Mitch asks Candace, what about Derrick? and she says she needs his help. Derrick was dating her mother, and apparently, she’s his daughter. Mitch says, he didn’t know… and Candace says Derrick raped Hanna. Mitch says, and she’s dating him? but Candace says Hanna didn’t know until she recognized his tattoo. Mitch says he’s sorry, and she says she doesn’t care, but Benny is going after him. They need to throw him off. Mitch says, maybe they shouldn’t, and she says, his name is Derrick David. She looks at her phone, and says, what the hell? She was bumped from her flight. She doesn’t have the keys, and can’t get in to get her stuff so she can get the hell out. Mitch says, it looks like she got her wish. Hanna pulls up, and Mitch asks if Candace wants him to stay, but she thinks it will just make Hanna more mad. She thanks him, and gets out. He says he loves her, and she says she loves him too. He says, a lot, and pulls out. I’m wondering if they mean the same type of love. Candace approaches Hanna, who says she doesn’t want anything Candace has to say. Candace says she just wants to grab her things, but Hanna says she’s not coming in. Candace let her thugs drag Hanna out. Candace says, for her own good, and Hanna asks how she knows what’s good for anybody. She ain’t getting nothing. Anything of value will go to the homeless. Candace says just let her get her passport; Hanna can have the rest. Hanna asks if Candace thinks running is going to keep him from finding her. She has $8 million; she doesn’t need anything from the house. He’s going to find her, and kill her and her brother. Candace says that’s why she needed Hanna to leave the bar. The Malones are handling it. Hanna says, okay, gansta princess. What else is she going to do? Send another thug to rough her up and threaten her? Hanna’s phone rings, and a man tells her, there was a break-in at the Cryer residence. She says she’s on her way. He says, the police need speak with someone, and she says Jim is in the hospital. Maybe they should talk to him. He says he’ll have an officer en route. Hanna repeats she’s on her way, and walks back to her car. Candace says, okay, cool, all right.
Veronica’s doorbell rings, and she opens the door to Benny. She says, well, well, well, and he says, let him in. She says, attitude already. He says he needs to talk to her, and she says she figured that. She hasn’t heard from him in a long time. What’s going on? He asks if she knows that Derrick dude, and she says he asked already. He asks if she knows where he lives, and she asks what Derrick did. He says Derrick has been dating his mother, and Veronica asks, what happened? Did he piss Hanna off? Did he hit her? He asks if she can tell him where Derrick is, and she says she can, but what is he going to give her in exchange? He’s dumb, but carries a big stick. He asks if she’s going to tell him where Derrick is or not, and she says she loves when he gets worked up; it turns her on. He asks her again to tell him where Derrick is, and she asks what he’s going to do for her and her body. He’s the best she’s had. He says, he appreciates that, but is she going to tell him? She says he’s angry; take it out on her. He says he doesn’t have time, but she says she’s been waiting for him, and kisses him. David comes in the front door, dragging Alissa with him, and Veronica says, what the hell? He can’t just walk in. He asks, who is this? and she says her young lover, Benny, but he says, who is this? indicating Alissa. She says she doesn’t know, but from the look of things, it’s someone who needs a facial, a bath, and probably antibiotics. He asks again, and she says, ask the bitch. Bitch, who are you? Alissa says her name, and Veronica says, see? She’s a little slut. Now get the hell out. David says she’s still doing this? Send someone else over and see what happens. He heads for the door, and Alissa says she’s not coming with him? He says, nope, and keeps going. Veronica asks Alissa what she’s looking at; get out of her house. Alissa says she can’t believe David did that; left her. Veronica says, girl, you’re not left; you’re gone. How is she still standing there if she’s gone? Alissa says he has her purse, and left her. Veronica says, that’s what men do. He slapped her to the ground, and tried to kill her in her own pool. That’s what they do; they’re men. She asks, what the hell’s that perfume? Ass? Get the hell out. Alissa says, oh, you’re her, and Veronica says, yes. She’s her; she’s that bitch. Alissa says she heard about her, and Veronica says, everyone has, and if Alissa knows about her, she knows it’s not a good idea to be standing in her living room. Alissa asks if she can have twenty for cab fare, looking at Benny. Benny says, all he wants, is to know about Derrick. Veronica asks if he’s going to screw her or not, and Benny says, never mind. He leaves, and Alissa trots after him, asking if she can get a ride. Veronica says, pathetic. Bye, little slut.
Outside, Alissa tells Benny, please. David brought her there, and took her purse. She has no way to get home. he says, sorry, and she says he’s Candace’s brother. He asks how she knows, and she says she was one of Candace’s girls. Candace was her pimp. He wonders if that’s supposed to make him give her a ride, and she says she knows a lot of people. She can help him find who he’s looking for. He asks what she knows about a guy named Derrick David. She says she doesn’t know him, but knows someone who will. Her friend Rod knows everyone. He asks who that guy is, and Alissa says, Rod is a she. He says she’d better not be lying, but she swears he’s not. He says, okay, and she gets in his car.
A cop comes into Jim’s room, and Jim says, what the hell is it? He says he’s Officer Payne, and Jim says, congratulations. Why is Payne waking him up? The officer says there’s been a break-in at his house. Jim asks, who did it? but Payne says, they don’t know. Jim asks what they took, and Payne says, that’s what he needs to talk to Jim about. It looks like they ransacked a closet. Jim asks, which one? and the officer says, there were women’s clothes. Jim laughs, and says that’s his wife’s closet. What did they take? Payne shows him photos, and Jim wonders if it was RK. The officer asks, who’s that? and Jim says, some cocky bastard who works at the hotel. He’s short, Black, and manscapes too much. Payne says, from the description, the perp was a white guy, and Jim says, hang on. He looks at an app on his phone, and says, oh sh*t. Payne asks if he knows who it is, and Jim says he does. The officer asks if Jim wants them to proceed, but Jim says, no. He wonders if he can ask a question off the record. Is his son still in custody? Wyatt Cryer. Payne says he believes so, and Jim shows him something on his phone, and asks, how can he be in custody? Payne has no idea, and Jim thanks him for his time.
Jim calls David, who says he’s dealing with Veronica. Jim asks what that ray of sunshine is up to now, and David says he’ll tell Jim tomorrow. Jim says he needs David to do him a favor. Wyatt broke into the house. David says he thought Wyatt… Jim says he broke into Kathryn’s closet, which is like a pharmacy. He wants David to check out the damage. David says, sure, and Jim says he appreciates it. They’ll talk later.
Alissa brings Benny to a bar, where she meets Rod. Rod says, girl, who’s this? and Alissa says, off limits. She needs some help. She asks if Rod knows a Derrick David. Rod asks why Alissa thinks she knows him, and Alissa says she knows everybody; he’s an ex-con. Rod asks if she thinks all ex-cons know each other. Who’s looking for him? Benny says he is, and Rod asks what’s in it for her? Alissa says she owes Rod, and Rod says that means she’ll be deeper in debt. Alissa says, come on, and Rod says, last she heard, he was on Collier (I think). Benny says he appreciates it, and thanks Alissa. She thanks him for the ride, and says if he needs anything, call her. And she means anything. He says she’s a pretty girl. She should think about not being so thirsty all the time. His phone rings, and it’s Mitch, who tells him to come by the bar. Benny says he’s still trying to find this punk Derrick, and Mitch says he’s got info. Benny says he’s on his way, and Mitch says, hurry up. Alissa asks if she can roll with him, but Benny says, no. She says she’s good company, but he says she’s too thirsty. Take care of herself.
Hanna goes to the Cryer house, and introduces herself. A cop asks for her ID, and asks what she’s doing there. She says she works for the Cryers, and asks, what happened? He says, someone kicked in the door. Can she tell if anything is missing? She says, sure, and he asks if she knows the place well pretty well. She says she does, and he says, before they go inside, they have a suspect. Can she tell them if she recognizes him? She says, sure, and they go inside. It’s Derrick.
Next time, Kathryn tells Rose if anything happens to her son, it’s the end of her reign; Rose tells Vinny to find someone (Wyatt?) and keep him until she gets her money; Derrick meets with Candace; and David tells Veronica that he was in love with Hanna – while they’re in bed together. Alrighty then.
Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles
The brokers set up cameras for social distancing interviews. No one seemed to grasp how to use them, and Josh Flagg said he’d appreciate a haircut.
Josh Altman and Tracy drove to meet a seller, and Josh jokingly told Tracy not to f*** it up. She said that if they were both called, that meant the seller called at four or five other agents. In Josh’s interview, he explained the property was the Barrymore estate in Hollywood. While it was built over 100 years ago, he’s seen it over the years, and getting to sell it was worth co-listing with Tracy. Tracy said she was hesitant since it had been on and off the market for six years. He told Tracy that the seller’s late husband, Tony Scott, directed his favorite movie, Top Gun. He’s Maverick, and she’s Goose. They pulled into the property, and Josh said it was insane. Tracy said there was true Hollywood royalty there.
Seller Donna welcomed them to Seabright, the former Bella Vista. It was built in 1926, and she called it the octopus house because it shoots in different directions. They began by seeing the city and ocean views, and a massive 13’ deep pool. Donna explained that King Vidor had begun building the house, and John Barrymore took over. In Josh’s interview, he explained that Barrymore was an actor in the 1920s and 1930s; he was the Johnny Depp of his day, and has a famous granddaughter. Donna said Barrymore used to invite Esther Williams over, and they had parties with synchronized swimming. Josh said there had to be a speakeasy there, and Donna led them to the cigar lounge and bar, saying Barrymore used to play poker there with W.C. Fields. The 7 bedroom, 11 bath house had the original redwood floors, which were like nothing I’ve ever seen, the slices of the trunks making up the floor. The house was 6,976 square feet, had the original floors and ceramic tiles, and a chef’s kitchen. Richard Piccolo had been commissioned to paint a mural on the living room ceiling that depicted all of the Scott’s family members, and their pets. Donna suggested anyone moving in get a GPS, since the place was humongous, with all kinds of twists and turns. In his interview, Josh said the cool element was the vintage feel, which was part of the charm, but there were parts of the house that needed updating. It could cost a few million to bring it back to life. There was a wrap-around veranda, and Donna said there was also an opium den. They took a hand-carved ladder upstairs, and Josh said it was the coolest thing in the world. A potential buyer would love all the nooks. Donna showed them a telephone room where there were Barrymore sketches. As I mentioned last week, I knew someone who lived in a Barrymore vacation home, who also had found sketches left in the house. I wonder if John left them everywhere he lived. Like a breadcrumb trail. Tracy asked how high Donna thought he was when he did them. There was a wood-paneled library with an original 1920s fireplace, and an aviary that had been revamped, with a sub lower level where there was a converted guest room. Tracy said it was like a bunker with a skylight, and Donna said Anthony Quinn and Marlon Brando both stayed there. Josh thought any showings would take at least two hours. In Tracy’s interview, she said the house was a labyrinth. It had zero continuity though, and she wanted buyers to experience the architecture and history, but feel like it was a place they could live in. I thought, the hell with continuity. I’d move in tomorrow, but had to settle for eating my feelings some cookies instead.
Donna confirmed that she wasn’t living there, and Tracy said they knew it had been on the market at several alliterations and price points. She asks how it was marketed, and Donna said she thought it was pretty basic, but wasn’t sure about the outreach. Josh said she had the dream team, and they needed to get the reach to get the right buyer. It was a needle in a haystack, or what he called a specific house. Tracy said it would also require a ton of maintenance, but the hard part was the continuity; the flow was choppy. She asked Donna if she’d thought about staging it, and Donna said she’d been through generations of staging. Tracy thought it would bring continuity, and Josh let her take the reins on that, since she was good at it. He asked what a comfortable price point was, and Donna asked where they thought it should be. Josh said they wanted to be in the comp ballpark, and thought a hair under $17 million. It would give people who’d looked at it before the message that she was ready to sell, and they’d look again. Donna said she loved hearing what they were saying, and would love to work with them. She was open to any input. They priced the house at $16.995 million, and their potential commission was $424K and change.
David and James drove to Hidden Valley, a gated community in Beverly Hills. James David told David James that there was something said about the purity and privacy. Hidden Valley was also unassuming, since it just had a guard house. In James’s interview, he said Hidden Valley was tucked away in Beverly Hills, and there were only a handful of homes. The biggest celebrities worked there – so big, he couldn’t mention their names, but trust him, they were really big. Their boss Mauricio (from RHOBH; I didn’t know he was their boss) met them there. David was anxious, as he hadn’t seen the property in a while, and it had been under construction. After they all said, God save the queen, since the doors looked very British, they met with developer Joan. The house was 12,000 square feet, with a 30,927 square foot lot, 7 bedrooms, 6 en suite guest bedrooms, and 12 baths. The kitchen had a single slab of marble for the massive kitchen island, and a La Cornue range, Joan saying she had pictured herself living there, and created her own dream kitchen. In addition to it being a smart home, there was a humongous entertainment space downstairs, as well as a 10 car garage with turntables, which the guys played on, an elevator, a glass-enclosed wine room, a private movie theater, and a heated bathtub in the woman’s master bath. In his interview, James said the privacy was such, that people would feel far removed from the canyon where everyone commuted to the Valley. He was impressed with the quality of the construction, but with such a large size, there were no direct comps. Joan had also spent $40K in staging, and after working on it for four years, was trying not to be emotionally attached. James thought it should be priced at about $20 million, and Mauricio agreed, believing that would be the price point where they could get Joan the most money in the long run. Joan agreed, and they decided on $19.950 million, the potential commission being nearly $500K. Mauricio said it wasn’t their first rodeo together, and James said they didn’t want it to be their last either.
Tracy and Josh went back to Seabright to check out the staging. In Tracy’s interview, she said it looked too much like a Hollywood museum, and not a home, so they’d agreed on spending $25K to stage it. Tracy wanted it to feel modern, and less like a whiskey with your grandpa, and more like tequila with a friend. The stager said it was a challenge, but fun, and the common thread was eclectic with an intentional artsy edge. Josh was pumped, and in his interview, said he thought they were a good team.
James and David had an open house for Hidden Valley, wanting to get feedback on the price before their big event. James and/or David said the neighborhood was tight knit, so they knocked on doors to get buyers who might be a friend of a friend. In his interview, he said they hadn’t gotten the number of agents they’d hoped for, so they wanted to have an event quickly to keep the momentum going and get an offer as soon as possible. I noticed watching this show always makes me want to clean the house.
Josh was ready to divide and conquer, and he and Tracy decided to each take a side of Seabright, but also do a couple of showings together. In Josh’s interview, he says obviously, hosting an open house wasn’t the right move. They needed to personally walk brokers and buyers through the house, so they’d see why it was worth buying. After having to explain who John Barrymore and Tony Scott were, in Tracy’s interview, she said, clearly, not everyone knows Hollywood royalty. It wasn’t going to be an easy sell, and they needed someone who would appreciate the architecture, as well as have what was needed to bring it back to its heyday. In Josh’s interview, he said, relisting at a more aggressive price was the right move. Getting people through the door when it was a specific house wasn’t a sprint, but a marathon. They needed someone who could envision the future, rather than the past.
James and David decided on a 007 James Bond event, which David said was the perfect opportunity to show how good he looked in a tux. Spending $40K on the event, there was a red carpet, casino games, and a live band, as well as catering, florals, and candles. They felt the house had come to life. The bartenders said the featured drink was a margarita, and in his interview, James said, margaritas instead of martinis? Either someone missed the memo or Mauricio had something to do with it. We saw a clip of Mauricio calling it triple 07, and saying he was a Mexican/British guy. What did he know?
JoshA and Heather worked on their mom and dad’s night out, attending the 007 event. JoshF and Bobby picked up Tracy for the event, who said she couldn’t seem to kick Josh. She’d sold her house, and ended up in a rental four houses away from him. In his interview, Josh said he and Tracy had a ball. They both like vodka, and it was a convenient relationship. Bobby suggested Josh had become her third child. At the Hidden Valley house, Tracy said she felt the closet was big enough, and rarely said that. DavidJames Whoever said she was their demographic, rich and recently divorced. JoshA said he’d seen the house during construction, and basically bashed everything about it. In James’s interview, he said JoshA had an opinion on everything, and never had a nice thing to say about any of their listings. It was to be expected. JoshA told JoshF that they’d been super tight when they were selling the Razor house, and then JoshF disappeared from his life. JoshA insisted the asking price for Hidden Valley couldn’t be secured after he’d sold the Beverly Ridge house (i.e. the castle) for $14 million, but James said it was like a Game of Thrones house and a disappointing comp. Tracy and Bobby stayed out of it, playing dice, and David congratulated Tracy on the sale of her house. JoshF asked how JoshA was lucky enough to snag Heather, and wondered if Heather would rather JoshA have an affair with him or a hot chick. She said she’d grab a drink and think about it.
As it was the finale, we saw the brokers each doing their thing at home. David’s daughter celebrated her 2nd birthday in quarantine. JoshF was sharpening his cooking skills in quarantine, and when he found out chicken had to be washed before cooking, used soap. He’d done $302 million in listings the previous year, and even sold homes during quarantine. JoshA mostly wanted a haircut. James got buff during quarantine, had made 6 deals, and acquired 3 new listings. Tracy felt at peace and happy with where she was living, and hadn’t let quarantine stop her from living her best life. She and JoshA took Seabright off the market until quarantine was over, and David and James hadn’t had any offers on the Hidden Valley house yet.
😵 Parting Is Such Sweet…Zzzzz…
As usual, Tuesday is my toughest day, with a heavy TV night, as well as my deadline at https://mupoentertainment.com/theresa-krakauskas/, so until next time, stay safe, stay appreciative, and stay looking for that needle in a haystack, whatever it is for you.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Valentin sees Nina outside Kelly’s, and asks if she’s all right. He asks what he can do.
Valerie says if Carly is up for it, she has questions. Carly says she is, and Valerie says she tore out after Nelle. What happened? Did she find Nelle? Carly points to the scratches on her face, and says she got them from Nelle, so yeah, she found Nelle. Valerie says she’s lucky she wasn’t hurt worse; they know how dangerous Nelle gets when she feels cornered. Carly says, she was vicious, and flashes back to telling Jax that Nelle was begging and pleading, and could barely hang on. She grabbed Nelle’s hand, but Nelle slipped. Valerie asks, what happened next?
At Turning Woods, Sonny hesitates before going into Mike’s room. Mike lies in bed with his earbuds in. Sonny says he took a chance that Mike would be awake, and he’s glad he did. He asks if he can turn off the music, and takes out Mike’s earbuds. He listens, and says, Ella. It’s one of the songs Brook sang when she came to visit him. It was nice of her to come and visit; she’s a good kid. She’s going to be fine. When she’s feeling better, she’ll come and sing some more songs.
On the phone, Michael tells Ned, if Brook wakes up, tell her Wiley is home safe because of her. He and Willow owe Brook forever. They’re just a call away if she needs anything. Willow asks why Michael is thanking Brook, and he says, Brook told him how to find Wiley.
Jason calls Sam, and says he’s sorry it took him so long to check in. She asks if he feels okay, and if he has a headache, but he says he’s fine. She says she’s not surprised that he checked out of the hospital without telling her. She’s not happy about it, but she knows why he had to. She’s glad Wiley is safe. He says, according to Sonny, Nelle was hiding with Wiley in the cabin. She says she thought he was there, but he says, no. He got sidetracked.
Neil tells Alexis, she’d said they couldn’t be friends. He wants to know if she still feels that way, or does she want to see him as much as he wants to see her?
Sonny tells Mike that Wiley is with Michael, and doing great. That’s why he came. Michael is a great dad, and he wanted to see his dad. He takes Mike’s hand. I’m like, oh no. I don’t have time to cry today.
Neil says he tried to respect Alexis’s wishes, but it was too hard to see after what they’d lost. He’s sorry he had a hand in making her feel that way. He was even grateful that she’d lied, so he understands why she didn’t want to tell him that she was disbarred. She says she didn’t tell him because of her pride. She couldn’t bear it. Neil says, as much as he regrets how it turned out, he misses her, and hopes she misses him.
Sam asks Jason what could possibly be more important than getting Wiley away from Nelle? He says he’ll explain later at home, and she says he’s coming home? He says, if she wants him, and she asks if that’s a trick question. Of course (🍷) she does. Danny and Scout will be over the moon. He says he’ll grab some things from his apartment, and be right over. She say she can’t wait, and he says, him too.
Valentin asks what brings Nina out so late, and she says she’s waiting for news, and didn’t want to be home. He asks if she’s thinking about her child, and she says she’s always thinking about her child. She thought she’d had a daughter because of Sasha, but she really doesn’t know. She doesn’t even know if her child is alive. It’s the thing that hurts the most. He says he hates what he did to add to her pain. Sam comes out of Kelly’s, and says she has a few things she needs to say to Valentin. He suggests she call his office, and have his assistant make an appointment. Nina says be her guest, and Sam says Valentin left out some details when he bargained for her children’s ELQ proxies. He didn’t tell her that he’d refuse to help the hospital, and leave them wide open to a drug trafficker.
Sonny tells Mike that his kids are the best part of his life. He hasn’t been perfect. He wishes he was, but he’s lucky they don’t judge him like he judged Mike. He knows he was very unfair. They didn’t spend a lot of time together when he was young, and that’s on Mike, but as Sonny got older, the time not spent together is on him. He hopes Mike knows that he’s happier than words can say about the time they’ve spent together. He knows it’s coming to an end… Mike squeezes his hand, and Sonny asks him to squeeze it again. Mike looks at him sadly, and looks away, a tear on his cheek.
Michael tells Willow, Nelle had a GPS tracker on Wiley, and Willow asks, how? When did she have a chance? Michael says, it was in Mr. Hopsicle. They heard the fuss Nelle was making about the toy when she was last there. Willow says, and they told her Wiley never went anywhere without it. He says, Nelle had an app on her phone, and the police confiscated the phone when she transferred cars. Chase let him try and unlock it. It took a few tries, but he wouldn’t have known about it at all without Brook. She couldn’t talk, but she was able to tell him about the tracker, and he followed Nelle to the cabin where she was hiding out. If not for Brook, he couldn’t have stopped Nelle, and Wiley wouldn’t be home. Wiley and Nelle would be long gone. Willow says she always liked Brook. Now she likes Brook so much more. Michael says they owe everything to Brook, but Willow says, not quite. He rescued Wiley.
Carly tells Valerie, when she caught up to Nelle, she tried to talk Nelle into turning herself in. Nelle refused, and Carly grabbed her. They had a fight, and Nelle got the better of her. Valerie asks, how? and Carly says, Nelle threw her off balance, and she fell hard. By the time she looked up, Nelle was gone.
Valentin tells Sam, the terms were clear, and he kept his part of the bargain. She says he didn’t tell her that he was going to fire Michael as CEO. He says she wanted a sympathetic parole officer, and he got her one. She says he told her it was a good business move, but it was also about punishing Michael for protecting Sasha. Nina asks how Michael protected Sasha, and Sam says, when Sasha was posing as Nina’s real daughter, she talked about pressing fraud charges. Didn’t she think it was strange that Valentin talked her out of it? Michael knew Valentin had recruited Sasha to pose as her daughter, and told Valentin that he’d come forward with the information. So Valentin took over ELQ to punish Michael. His goal was revenge. Valentin says his goal was always to make ELQ more of a success, and more profitable, and Sam says, then he should left it under Michael’s leadership. Valentin says, Michael has his mind on other things. His son Wiley is safe, and they’ll all be happy. Nina says their prayers have been answered, and Sam says, exactly, and walks away. Nina asks how Valentin arranged for Sam to get a sympathetic parole officer, and he says he got lucky; someone owed him a favor. Now Sam can see who she wants, including Jason, without the threat of going back to Pentenville. Nina says she understands why Sam would take the deal, and he says, most people do what they have to, to be with the person they love.
Neil asks if Alexis thinks they can be friends again. He’d like it very much. She says she doesn’t think that’s what she’d like, and he says he appreciates her honesty. He starts to leave, and she says, let her finish. She’s spent a lot of time thinking; actually, it’s all she’s been doing. Taking stock of where she’s been and where she wants to go. She misses him. They made a crucial error in judgment, focusing on what they’d lost, and not what they’d found with each other. She doesn’t want to be friends. She wants to be a whole lot more.
Willow and Michael come downstairs, and Willow wonders how long they’ll keep checking Wiley every twenty minutes. Michael says maybe they should try every hour, then twice a night, like training for a marathon. Start small, and work their way up. Willow says she knows he’s safe, but she’s not sure her body knows the danger is over. Michael says he knows the feeling. I’ll bet. He tells her that he could use a distraction. Does she want to watch the movie? She has a different idea, and suggests they talk. He says it sounds like she wants to talk about something specific, and she says she does.
Valerie asks, by gone, does Carly mean Nelle ran away? Carly says, it happened so fast, and Valerie says, it’s all right; take her time. Jax asks if Carly wants a drink, but she says, no. Nelle shoved her to the ground, and she fell hard. When she got back up, Nelle was nowhere to be found. She must have run. Valerie asks if Carly saw what direction Nelle went in, but Carly says, no. She was so turned around… Jax says, when he found Carly, she was in the clearing, trying to get her bearings. Valerie says she’s Carly’s cousin. They’re family, and she knows how relentless Nelle has been trying to wreck Carly’s life, but she’s also a cop, and has to ask. When Carly fought with Nelle, did Carly hurt her?
Willow tells Michael that she made a big mistake that she doesn’t want to make again. When she decided to stay home, and not go to the PCPD, she should have been with him. Waiting and fearing the worst was torture. He says he’s sorry she had to go through that, and she says, other people felt the same way. She had a string of visitors; Nina, Jax, Lulu, even Sasha came by. There was some underlying tension, but it was a kind gesture. They used to be close. Sasha saw Nina, and made a graceful exit. Michael is glad it didn’t add any stress, but Willow says she made her own stress. Her point is that she never wants to split up again. He’s the only person who knew what she was going through. He says, and vice versa, and she says she wishes she’d been there. Despite the strange circumstances of them becoming husband and wife, she realized they’re stronger together.
Sonny says when Mike squeezed his hand, and looked at him, Mike knew he was his son, right? Can Mike stay with him a little longer? They had a moment, and that’s enough for him.
Jax tells Valerie, Carly already told her that Nelle knocked her down and was gone. An injured person wouldn’t have run off. Valerie asks if Nelle had a black eye or cut lip. Any information, however small, will help. Carly says Nelle might have some scratches, but no black eye or split lip that she recalls. Jax asks if he can take Carly home now, and Valerie says he can. She’ll need Carly’s official statement, but can get it tomorrow. It’s not just another case. The thought of Nelle looming constantly over them, being a never ending threat to Michael, Willow, and Carly, is something they don’t deserve, especially Wiley. Carly’s family needs closure, and she promises she won’t stop until she finds Nelle, and brings her to justice. Carly and Jax leave, and outside, Carly leans against the side of the cabin.
Willow says when she and Michael got married, they agreed to raise and protect Wiley as a team. She should have been with him. Michael says he agrees they’re a team, but 100% disagrees that Willow should have been there. Willow asks, why not? and he says Nelle already knocked her out once, and slashed Brook’s throat. If Nelle had hit Willow with that vase… She asks, why is she just hearing this now?
Nina says she’d thought Valentin was remorseful, and that’s why he helped Sasha. But the only reason was because Michael was blackmailing him. He says he wanted to protect their relationship and love, and she knows he goes to extremes. He went the extra measure to get her child back. Would Jax do the same thing?
Alexis says it’s clear she and Neil mean something to each other, but were too stupid to move forward like normal people. They did have professional issues and boundaries, but right now there’s no excuse to keep their distance. If he still wants to see where this can go… He says he wants that very much, and she says, so does she, very much. Neil says now that they’ve agreed, they don’t have to rush. They can take it as slow as she wants. She tells him, who said anything about slow?
Sonny says Mike looks like he lost a little weight, and that’s fine, but he doesn’t want Mike to be uncomfortable. He wants Mike to stay around forever, but if Mike wants to rest, if he wants to go, that’s up to him. He doesn’t want Mike sticking around for him. He’ll be fine, and the family will be fine. Mike needs to do what he needs to do. He deserves that.
Neil says, define not slow, and Alexis says she has all the free time in the world, and nothing but options. He says he knows the feeling. When he dropped off his patient files to Doc, he head a voice in his head saying, Bye, Doctor Bern. He started thinking that the last time he felt good about anything, was when he was with her. That’s why he ended up at her front door. He’d been thinking about their night together; it was amazing. She says, it was. One brief moment was all they got, then all hell broke loose. He says they can have a lot of moments, and should enjoy them. A carpe diem kind of thing. She says she loves when he speaks Latin. He should probably kiss her.
Jax tells Carly, she did the right thing. There was no need to volunteer that Nelle went over the cliff. She says she wanted to explain why she hesitated, and why she didn’t save Nelle, but Jax says Nelle might have pulled her over, and they would have both died. Knowing that, Carly still tried to save her. Carly says, too little too late, and he says, an ambitious DA would love the chance to try Sonny’s wife for murder. She says he doesn’t have to convince her again; she made up her mind. He says she can’t tell Michael and Willow either, but she says they’ll always be looking over their shoulders. He says if it’s found out, they’ll be accessories after the fact, and she says she can’t keep something that big from her husband.
Nina tells Valentin that Jax didn’t go behind her back looking for her child. They’re looking together. He says he thought she gave up to save herself further disappointment, but she says she changed her mind. Jax has a new lead. Valentin says, impossible,
Jason arrives home, and tells Sam that he was mentally prepared not to live there, and now reality has to sink in. She says Danny and Scout are sleeping, or she would get them. She has a question. What’s more important than finding Wiley? He says, right now, nothing. He had Spinelli track Nelle’s cell phone to Pier 55, but there was no sign of them. It was a dead end, but he walked into another situation. She asks what he means by situation, and he says, Taggert is alive.
Willow examines Michael head, and puts ice on it, saying, she didn’t break the skin. She asks him to let her see his eyes, and he asks if she’s okay. She says it was one of the worst nights of their lives, but it’s over. Wiley is safe; they all are. If anything bad had happened… He says, it didn’t. He’s okay. He smooths her hair, and then kisses her.
Nina asks Valentin why it’s impossible. They both know Valentin has lied over and over and over again. He says he exhausted every avenue and got nowhere. The most likely scenario is that her child died at birth. He’s sorry. She says, don’t be. Maybe he didn’t think of everything. Jax has a lead with the jeweler who separated the necklace for her mother. His associate is looking into it. Valentin says she’s hanging on to hope, and she says, it’s better than hanging onto them. Time and again he’s proven she can’t trust him. How does she know he hasn’t already found her child and hasn’t told her?
Jason explains to Sam that he brought Taggert to a safe house where Epiphany patched him up. She asks if Taggert is going to kill Cyrus, but Jason says, Taggert knew the only chance he had of reuniting with his daughter was to leave town, and let other people handle Cyrus. Danny stands at the top of the stairs, and asks if his dad is home. Jason says, sure am, and Danny asks if it’s just a visit or… Jason says he’s home to stay, and they hug.
Alexis lotions up for bed, and Neil asks how her wrist is. She tells him to stop worrying about her, but he says he enjoys worrying. She admits she doesn’t like a fuss, but when he does it, it’s sexy. She asks if he’s spending the night, and he says, absolutely. Tomorrow morning, they start new lives. He thinks he’d like to be a chef. She says she’s always wanted a personal chef, and asks if he has any specialties, but he says he’s pretty basic. He’s upping his game now. Does she have a secret fantasy job? She says, professional poker player, and he says he didn’t see that coming. She says, there’s a lot of overlap with attorney. She has to read people and look for tells, and crush people without breaking a sweat. Another dream dies. She doesn’t know about the future, but she’s glad he’s there. He says, him too.
Michael says, Willow… The doorbell rings, and he goes to the door. Valerie apologizes that it’s so late, but she wanted ask about Wiley. Willow says, he’s fine; he’s upstairs. Michael says the didn’t expect to see her tonight, and she says she has an update on Nelle.
Danny tells Jason about his video game, and suggests Jason see it now, but Jason suggests they wait until tomorrow. Danny needs to wind down, and not wake up his sister. Danny says, there’s no way he’ll fall asleep, and Sam says, it’s a special night. Danny can be up a little longer. Danny says he missed Jason, and Scout missed him like crazy. It will be better when they wake up with him there. Right, mom? Sam says, right, and they have a three-way hug.
Sonny looks out the window, and Carly comes in. She asks if Mike is just sleeping. Is he okay? Sonny says he’s asking her the same question. Why did she go after Nelle? She says she’s fine, and asks if Mike has been asleep the whole time. Sonny says Mike woke up and looked him. Mike squeezed his hand; it was amazing. She says she’s so happy he had that, and Sonny says, then Mike went back again. Carly says they had that moment, and he says he doesn’t think his dad will last much longer, so he told Mike to do what he’s got to do. If he needs to rest, they’ll be fine. Carly knows how hard it was, and she’s so proud of him. Sonny asks, what happened to Nelle? Is she in jail? Carly says, she got away.
Valentin swears he’d never keep Nina from her child, and asks why she’s continuing the search, when she doesn’t want to be disappointed again. She says, maybe she won’t be. MaybeJax succeeded where the great Valentin Cassadine failed. Jax comes along, and tells them, Wiley is fine at home. Nina asks, what happened with Nelle? and he says, unfortunately, she got away. Valentin says he’s going to go, and tells Nina, be careful. When he’s gone, Jax asks what that was about, and Nina says, nothing. He tried to discourage her from searching for her child, but she didn’t listen. She knows the necklace is the key to finding her child.
The cops look through the woods. We see the other half of the necklace on the ground.
Valerie says, the search is ongoing. Nelle is on foot, so she expects it will end soon. Willow says she’s going to check on Wiley, and Valerie says she sent a PCPD squad car to watch the house, on the slim chance Nelle tries to come back. She asks if Sonny’s people are also on the lookout, and Michael says, they are. She says she’ll get out of his way, and he thanks her for the update. He’s glad she’s working the case. She says, her too, and tells him, goodnight. Willow comes down, and they gaze at each other. Michael smiles.
It’s dawn, and Alexis brings coffee into the bedroom. She says, take it in, take it in; she’s so happy. She tells Neil, she made coffee, but doesn’t know if he likes it first thing in the morning, or if he likes a shower, or if he’d like another foot rub. She touches his foot, and says, it’s cold. I say, nooo! She tries to wake him, but nothing. No, no, no. They cannot do this to me. I mean, Alexis.
Tomorrow, Nina says she has the key meant to unlock a secret, Willow says she didn’t know how easy it would be to kiss Michael, Jax asks if Carly was hoping Nelle survived, and Sonny asks if that’s what his dad wants.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Aesha is back. She hugs Captain Sandy and snakeface Malia, and meets the rest of the crew. In her interview, she says she wants to get praise from Captain Sandy this season. We flash back to the captain saying she did a fabulous job. Aesha is her same bubbly self, and in her interview, she says, it’s awkward. Hannah isn’t there, and no one wants to tell her what’s actually going on. They pull out when it’s still dark, and head for Ibiza. Captain Sandy says, at 7 am, it’s smooth sailing. She couldn’t ask for a better time to go. Bugs shows Aesha around, and tells her about going to Ibiza. In Aesha’s interview, she says she was there a month ago. It’s known as the party capital of the Mediterranean. She’s so excited. She says she remembers the Damons, and they were super down to earth; Michelle is fun. We flash back, and yeah, I was right. Michelle is the one who caused trouble with the yacht parked next door. Aesha says, they’re not like snobby rich people at all. The crew gets ready.
Malia asks Rob if he’s all right. In his interview, he says he’d die happy not going to Ibiza. It’s a trigger. When he was younger, he knew if he went there, he wouldn’t come back. He decides he’s over-thinking it. Aesha asks Bugs, what’s going on? and Bugs says, the second stew left, so she came in to help. The chef left, and by an amazing coincidence Tom, who’s dating Malia, was visiting at the time. She’s vague about Hannah, just saying she left, so they had to run the last charter with just two interior crew members. In Aesha’s interview, she says she and Hannah are close, and she knows Hannah’s history with Bugs. But so far, Bugs has treated her with kindness, so there’s no reason to be bitch. Aesha tells Bugs that she wants to bring some energy, and Bugs says that’s what they need.
In Tom’s interview, he says Johnny being a baseball player makes him nervous. He’s got no idea what baseball is about, but thinks it’s like fast paced cricket. Aesha asks if Jess and Rob are romantically intertwined. She thinks it’s cute. We flash back to Aesha and Jack. In Jess’s interview, she says Rob and his ex were supposed to see each other in London when they got back. She found out by seeing the ex’s Instagram stories. She was like, get f***ed. Aesha suggests they have a cheeky pound before the guests arrive. She has their backs.
Bugs has a meeting with the stews, and says she’s excited to have Aesha. She has a ton of experience, and she’s very helpful. Bugs says Jess has gone through a couple of second stews. In her interview, Jess thinks Aesha is great, but why wasn’t she moved up? Bugs tells Jess that she’s on laundry. Bugs says, let’s show Captain Sandy how well it can be done, and says she’ll be up with Jess to set the table, since Jess is creative with table settings. Aesha thinks they’re a good team.
Balearic islands, Ibiza, Spain. In Malia’s interview, she says they’re docking in a tight spot, and have quite the audience. A crowd forms on the dock, and Captain Sandy says she feels like she needs a rearview mirror. Isn’t that supposed to be Malia? The captain curses the boat, or something, saying, this effing thing. Malia tells Rob that he’s on the lines, and they need to be quick. They dock, and the captain says, well done; nice work. Alex says, it was a tight squeeze, but they made it work. Tom says Malia killed it, and Aesha has a good feeling about the team. Tom says he has to google baseball. Bugs pours the champagne, and the crew lines up. Captain Sandy welcomes Johnny and Michelle back. In Alex’s interview, he says Johnny is their man from Boston. He hated Johnny when he went to the Yankees and got a haircut, but Johnny will always have a place in his heart. The captain says she’s glad they came back, so they can make it right, especially in the food department. Bugs does the tour, and Malia says, all crew on deck. The stern lines are released.
Aesha realizes she had Michelle mixed up with the Queen of Versailles, and we flash back to that. Guest Adena falls, and smashes her champagne glass. Bugs flies over to pick up the shards, and Aesha tells Malia they need the first aid kit; there’s a lot of blood. Adena wonders if it’s going to hurt, and Malia say she doesn’t think Adena can feel anything. Adena whines that it hurts. In Malia’s interview, she says as soon as they were off the dock, a guest was drunk, fell, and cut herself. This is Ibiza; she’s not going to last. In Bugs’s interview, she says, Aesha is ticking the boxes that a good stew should check off. She doesn’t want to jinx it, but it seems to be working. Aesha asks if Adena wants a plastic glass, and Johnny says she broke two at their wedding. Tom makes lobster on skewers, and I shove a vanilla wafer in my mouth. Anchor is dropped. In Tom’s interview, he says if a guest didn’t have a good previous experience, he has to be perfect.
Bugs sets a baseball themed table, while Alex and Rob set up the slide. Jess does laundry, and I wonder how many times I’ve typed that. Johnny says, the food is so much better this time, and we flash back to last time. Bugs tells Alex she’s an umpire, and he asks if that’s because he strikes out. Johnny says, it’s the best food they’ve had since they came to Spain. Tom tells Bugs, he learned it’s a white ball, so he’s doing a white chocolate parfait. It looks like a baseball, and the guests are all, oooh. Johnny tells Aesha to let the chef know they love it. Aesha tells Tom, and says, it’s so exciting. The slide is set up, but Malia tells the guests there are jellyfish in the water. Johnny says the slide is there, so they have to use it. Malia says she’ll put some of the crew in the water to watch, and Alex says he’ll protect them. Rob is on his phone, frowning, and Jess asks, what’s wrong? In his interview, he says his ex reached out, and she’s going through a lot, but he doesn’t know how to explain it to Jess. Alex gets in the water, and Johnny says, at least there’s one real man on the boat. Malia goes in, and Michelle and the other women screech that they see jellyfish.
Malia says Alex’s balls are about to get lit up, and he says, that’s okay; he’s already peeing on himself. FYI, that is not a real solution to a jellyfish sting. The guests use the slide, and paddleboards. Adena snores on deck. In Jess’s interview, she says she didn’t want to admit it, but since Bugs took over, they’ve had direction, and she thinks everything is running smoother. Some of the guests get in the hot tub, and Adena wakes up, asking where they are. She toddles out, asking, what happened? and says she just woke up. It was the best sleep she ever had. Mine was when I was under anesthesia. Aesha takes a picture of the group, and says they’re like a weird Brady Bunch. In Bugs’s interview, she says give her a theme, and she’ll run with it. She, Jess, and Aesha put on brightly colored tutus, and she says, it’s a funky neon party. What better way to add to it, than have the people who are serving be in funky neon too? A theme is a dream. Ron comes into the crew mess, and the captain asks if he’s okay. He says he’s checked out, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she’s never seen anyone not even fake it in front of their captain. Rob seems out of it.
Malia tells Tom that Rob told her and the captain that he checked out. Captain Sandy is honestly worried for him to be on tonight. The guests dress in neon, and Bugs puts neon paint on their faces. I could think of a better theme than this. Seriously, WTH? Michelle says, the table is festive, and they toast to nothing in particular. Malia helps plate the food, and Michelle asks, who’s getting pregnant tonight? Dinner is served, and Captain Sandy questions Johnny about how hot his food is. He thinks it’s not super hot, but more warm. She says she wants it hot, and tells Tom that it was warm. He’s got to figure it out. Tom says, effing hell, and she suggests he put a bowl over Johnny’s plate. Malia brings it upstairs, and Bugs takes it from her. In Tom’s interview, he says if they say it’s warm and not hot, and it comes back, he’s going to lose his sh*t. Bugs drops the bowl, and half the food lands in it. Malia says, Tom is going to freak, and I laugh.
Malia tells Tom, but he says he’s not stressing out. The whole thing is crazy; it’s lucky he’s prepared. He makes a fresh plate in five seconds, and Bugs asks if Johnny is happy. The guests all say it’s delicious and amazing. Bugs tells Tom, they’re loving it, and the captain says, good recovery; Johnny said it was hot. Aesha brings up fireball and Jameson shots, and the guests repair to the cigar room. Guest Shanna suggests Michelle is wearing Spanx, and Michelle denies it, showing off her thong. Aesha tells Bugs, Michelle and the other girl are having a fight. When they get drunk, the claws come out. Michelle tells Shanna that her voice is annoying. Shanna stomps off, and Michelle tells Johnny that she called Shanna out, and now she’s having a hissy fit. Whatever dude Shanna is with, informs her, saying a woman is wearing Spanx is not a compliment. Bugs says, good times… Shanna approaches Michelle, and says she’s sorry. She made an a-hole comment. She loves Michelle. I think, especially since they’re paying for the trip. Michelle says she loves Shanna too. Alex tells Bugs that she’s killing it.
Formentera, Spain; second day of charter. Jess asks who’s on Rob’s phone, and he says it might sound strange, but his ex reached out, and he’s communicating with her. He asks if Jess is mad, and she says she’s not okay with it. He says, it’s not a personal thing, and she says, okay, and starts to leave. He says, don’t disappear, and in Jess’s interview, she says, she’s trusting him, but there are red flags as to why she shouldn’t. The boat gets to Cap Blanc, Alicante, and Bugs calls to confirm a VIP table at 3 pm. Anchor is dropped, and Malia radios the deckhands that there’s an end of season party, and to have the tender ready to go at 2 o’clock. Rob tells Alex that Jess is blowing things out of proportion, and he asked her not to make it about herself, because he’s an absolute moron. Alex says he should ask, what if he hadn’t told her? Tell her to be a grown up, and not give him sh*t. Rob says he has no control over who texts him, but it’s his choice to reply. She shouldn’t make him feel like he did something wrong. He just changed his flight, but maybe he needs to take a step back and see if he’s ready to spend time in Bali. Alex tells Jess not to let sh*t bother her. He sees both sides. Jess says the ex is invading both sides of their space. Alex suggests she be more understanding, and she says she gets it, but in her head gives him the finger. In her interview, she says, this is negative sh*t she has to deal with. Block the bitch.
Johnny asks Bugs if she’ll put makeup on them, and she says they need flair. Bugs says she’s sending Aesha to shore for the closing party. Rob says he’s going to take a nap, and asks how Jess feels. Jess says she has questions, and he says he can’t control his ex reaching out. I don’t know if I want to smack him more for saying reaching out every other sentence, or for allowing his ex to manipulate him at Jess’s expense. He says, she caught feelings, and thinks they should try to keep going. She’s pushing to create drama. Jess says she thinks so too, and can’t pretend it’s normal. He tells her that he feels empathetic, and she says, the old Jess would beat the sh*t out of her. In Jess’s interview, she says, demon Jess will emerge if pushed. She and her ex got in a fight, and she kind of destroyed his house. Bugs asks why Jess is rubbing her tummy, because we’re five, and Jess says, it hurts. Michelle and Bugs put makeup on everyone. WTF?
The guests are taken to shore, and it looks like a combination of Mardi Gras and the old MTV beach house in the 90s. In Aesha’s interview, she says, it’s like a real life acid trip; a real life drunken circus in a dream. It’s amazing. Captain Sandy tells the crew left on board to play on the water toys, and they use the slide, jet skis, and paddleboat. Alex takes Bugs on a jet ski, and says he can’t get her off of his mind. He’s happy on board; the dynamic has changed. He likes being around her. She’s the sh*t. She thanks him.
The party on shore looks way too crowded to be fun, but Aesha says, it’s the best trip ever. It reminds me of Times Square on New Year’s Eve. I had a roommate who went, and she hated it. When the crowd moved you moved, and she got beer spilled on her, as well as peed on. I never had the desire to go, and desired it even less once she told me that. Jess comes out of the water, clutching her chest, and says she needs to sit. Alex goes to get her water. In Malia’s interview she says, seeing Jess grab her heart is terrifying. She tells Jess to breathe.
Next time, Johnny acts like an a-hole, Rob makes the same mistake a third time, Jess calls Rob out for flirting in a bar, and Alex kisses Bugs and says, bye-bye friend zone.
🪀 Bravo Yo-Yo…
Oh, so now Bravo is open to bringing Dorinda back? Blowback anyone?
I’m a huge fan of Denzel. I used to cash his check when I was a teller back in the day. FYI, he’s not only a beautiful person, he has beautiful handwriting.
I caught Lovecraft Country a couple of weekends ago, and highly recommend it. It’s a story with many levels, dealing with both traditional and real life horror. The acting is phenomenal, the sets and effects are incredible, and even the soundtrack is brilliant. It’s on its third episode on HBO and HBO Max, and also On Demand. Whether you’re a fan of horror and/or despise social injustice, this is a genre-shattering series for you. Until next time, stay safe, stay staunch, and stay away from the Cthulhu.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Clinging to the side of a cliff, Nelle calls to Carly, and says, please. She’s going to fall. Carly tells Nelle to take her hand, and Nelle does, but her grip isn’t strong enough, and she falls. I’m thinking, the police will never believe Carly didn’t push her.
Jordan meets Jason at the pier, and he asks if this location is better. She says, what’s so important that he’d risk her reputation and career by barging into her office? He says, this, and shows her a shell casing. She asks where he found it, and he says, the pier. The same place he just found Taggert.
Jax finds Carly, and asks, what happened? She says she was trying to save Nelle, but she fell. He looks over the edge, and then holds Carly, who’s freaking out. He says he’s got her.
At Kelly’s, Portia says she hopes the coffee is hot after the icy blast her daughter sent Curtis’s way. He says he doesn’t blame Trina. She’s grieving her father, and has to put her anger somewhere. She appreciates him understanding, and he says, it’s good Trina has friends to help her through it. She says, Josslyn and Cameron are terrific. It was Cameron’s idea for them to perform at the Nurses Ball. It was a gift. It took Trina out of herself for a while. She asks if he ever performed at the Nurses Ball, and he says, more than once. A few years ago, he did a magic act. She asks if he pulled a rabbit out of his hat, and he says he did dazzling illusions. It was his way of asking Jordan to marry him. She says, so the Nurses Ball is a kind of anniversary. She apologizes, saying it was the worst possible time to bring up the past, and she wishes she hadn’t said anything.
Dante tosses and turns. He dreams, and hears, complete the mission. He flashes back on loading his gun, and saying goodbye to Lulu. He sees Lulu come into the room, and he raises his gun. Complete the mission. Dr, Kirk comes in, and stands next to his bed. Dante jumps up, and grabs him, but the doctor says he’s in no danger; he’s safe. Stand down. Dante lets go.
Lulu goes to the Quartermaine mansion, and asks Willow where everybody is. She thought this would be the command center. Willow says Olivia and Ned are with Brook at the hospital. Monica is at the hospital, and Michael is searching for Wiley. Nina was there, and insisted on trying to teach her to play backgammon, but she finally convinced Nina to head home. Lulu says, Brook is through the worst of it, and she can stick around to keep Willow company.
Sonny tells Michael, the place is crawling with police searching for Nelle. Michael says, Wiley is sleeping, but as soon as he talks to the cops, he’s taking Wiley home. Sonny asks if he’s all right, and he says they still don’t know where Nelle is.
Jax asks Carly, what happened? and she says she went after Nelle. She caught up with Nelle, and tried to stop her. They fought, and Nelle got away. She heard a scream, and when she got there, Nelle was begging for her help; she said she’d fallen. Carly hesitated for a moment, thinking Nelle was trying to trick her, and Jax says, of course (🍷). She could have taken Carly with her. Carly says, Nelle was barely hanging on. She had Nelle’s hand, but she slipped and fell. Jax tells Carly to look at him and listen. They need to decide what to do next. She asks what he’s talking about. Nelle fell, and she tried to save her. She only hesitated for a second. Jax says he believes her, but the police might not.
Sam visits Alexis, and asks if Alexis is still having trouble with her wrist. Alexis says, hello to her too. It’s nothing that a little ice and aspirin won’t help. If she was working, she wouldn’t bother, but she has nothing to do, so she’s coddling it. Sam thinks maybe she should see a doctor, and Alexis says, then what would Sam have to nag her about? Sam asks if Alexis thinks she’s nagging, and Alexis says she thinks Sam cares, and she appreciates it. Sam asks if she’s seen the missing child alert. She’s worried, but also angry with Jason.
Jordan says, Taggert was shot? What happened? Jason says she’s not surprised Taggert is alive, just that he was shot. He was chasing a lead, and found Taggert slumped over on the pier along with the bullet. He said he’d stopped a man from shooting a woman, but didn’t know who they were. He took Taggert to a safe place, and called Epiphany. She wasn’t surprised either. Jordan asks where Taggert is now, and Jason says he left Port Charles. He said it was what Jordan would want. He answered her questions; now it’s her turn. How did she help Taggert fake his death?
Portia tells Curtis that she shouldn’t have dredged up ancient history. Even if it sounds like it, that’s not what ended her marriage. She and Taggert had many other problems. His job for one. He was away all the time when he was undercover with the DEA. She loves being a doctor, but it’s not her entire life. Getting involved with Curtis took away the loneliness. He asks why she eventually told him, and she said she could imagine a life with him. He wonders if she thought he’d ask her to leave, and she says he made it clear it was deal breaker, so that was the end of that.
Sonny asks Michael where his mother is, but Valerie shows up (remember her?), and tells Sonny and Michael that they have all hands on deck. Wiley is VIP status. She’ll need their statements while they’re still fresh. Michael asks if there’s any news about Nelle, and she says they have roadblocks in place. Nelle’s car is still there; she won’t get far on foot. Michael says he walked in the door, and it was dark. Nelle was waiting, and hit him in the head with something; he thinks it was a vase. He grabbed her, and they argued. She wouldn’t tell him where Wiley was, but he heard Wiley crying, and left to check on him. Valerie asks if he’s sure Wiley was unharmed, and he says, just worn out. He tried to call Willow, but there’s no cell reception. Valerie says she’ll do it from the car, and leaves.
Willow tells Lulu, the last time Michael checked in was hours ago. He was at the PCPD. Lulu understands what it’s like to wait, and be worried about a child you love. Willows phone rings, and she says, it’s the police. Valerie tells her, Wiley is safe, and Willow says, thank God. She asks where he is, and Valerie says, with Michael at a place in the mountains. There’s no cell reception, but they’re safe. Willow thanks her for calling. Thanks for finding Wiley.
Dante tells Dr. Kirk, he had a nightmare, and the doctor asks if it was the same one. Dante says, it’s always the same. He overreacted; sorry. Dr. Kirk says, if Dante is concerned, he can up the dosage of his medication, but Dante says, it’s like living in a fog; everything is dull and far away, except his dreams. They’re just as bad. Dr. Kirk says Dante refuses to participate in therapy, so there aren’t many options to treat him. Dante says, maybe he can’t be treated, but Dr. Kirk says, the trick is getting Dante to believe him. Dante’s lack of progress is a blow to his professional ego, but now the situation has changed. He’s getting pressure from his superiors. Dante says, about him? and the doctor says, yes. They want him to go home immediately.
Jax tells Carly, when he got there, Nelle was gone, and he saw her reaching over the edge. He doesn’t know what happened. She says he told her that he believed her, and he says, he does, but he’d be lying if he said the worst didn’t cross his mind. Carly says she didn’t push Nelle, and he asks if she thinks the cops would take her word for that. She’s Sonny’s wife. Every DA dreams of prosecuting and convicting him, and she’s the next best thing. Wiley is safe, but she went after Nelle anyway, and a DA would spin it for the jury. She and Nelle have had years of fighting in public, and Nelle falls off a cliff. Carly’s hair is a mess, her clothes are ripped, and she has scratches. Don’t think they won’t say Nelle defended herself. She says he can back her up, but he says, they’re exes, and on good terms. No one will believe him. Does she want to go to prison? She asks what he’s saying, and he says he wants her to volunteer as little information as possible. There’s evidence of a struggle. She can say Nelle knocked her down, and by the time she came to her sense, Nelle was gone. That’s it. That’s all she has to say.
Alexis asks why Sam is mad at Jason, and Sam says she has a new parole officer who has a heart. Alexis says, that’s great, and asks when and how it happened. Sam says she’s sorry she hasn’t kept Alexis in the loop, but she’s been under a lot of stress. Alexis says she understands, and asks how Jason is. Sam says, he was fine, but isn’t now. He checked himself out of the hospital against doctor’s orders to help Michael find Wiley. Aside from one phone call, she has no idea where he is or what he’s doing.
Jordan says she doesn’t owe Jason any explanations. He says he could have called 911, and she’d be explaining to someone else. The DA for starters. She says she let everyone believe Taggert was dead to protect him and Trina from Cyrus. He says, she knew Cyrus would still punish Taggert by using Trina, like he’s doing with her and TJ. He and Sonny could have helped. She says they have a truce with Cyrus. How does she know they didn’t give Taggert up to Cyrus, or that they’re not divvying up Port Charles? He says she doesn’t believe that, and she says, tell her what she believes. Enlighten her about herself.
Alexis asks how Sam got a sympathetic parole officer, but Sam wants to talk about anything else. Alexis asks how the Nurses Ball went; she heard there were a lot of volunteers. Sam says, Sonny and Carly were there. Maxie had a hot mic, and told the world she was pregnant. Alexis says, any other volunteers? and Sam says, Mac, Anna, Robert… She knows there’s only one name Alexis wants to hear. Why doesn’t she just ask if Neil was there?
Sonny asks Michael when Carly got there, and where she is now. Michael says, it was shortly after Nelle took off. Carly went after her. Valerie comes back, and says they have officers searching every inch of the woods; they’ll find his mother. Michael says Jax is searching for her too. Sonny looks at Michael.
Carly asks if Jax wants her to say Nelle disappeared, and she doesn’t know where Nelle went? He says, let the police find her, and Carly asks if he wants her to lie. He says, no be truthful… to a point. Nelle slashed Brook’s throat. They know she’s dangerous. He says, Nelle is dead under questionable circumstances, and she can either tell the whole truth, or take his advice, and save herself.
Curtis tells Portia, before he knew she was married, it was early in his recovery, and he couldn’t let it be serious. There’s a rule for every recovering addict. She says, don’t get in a relationship, and Curtis says he had a long way to go. He’d tanked his career as a cop. When she told him that she was married, it brought up a lot of stuff. He never wanted to be that guy who wrecks a marriage. He let himself get involved, and needed to take a closer look at what he was doing in his life. She says she knew it was wrong to deceive him; she’s so sorry. He apologizes for being harsh when she admitted the truth. It touched on personal issues for him, but one thing he couldn’t ignore was dishonesty in a relationship.
Jason says Jordan is in deep. She can’t make a move unless and until Cyrus incriminates himself. In the meantime, she’s stuck, and has to take out her anger and frustration on someone. And here he is. Jordan tells him that she’s said he should have been a cop, but maybe he should have been a shrink. He’s right; she’s pretty damn stuck. Jason says, Taggert didn’t kill Cyrus for two reasons. One, he’s hoping to get back to his daughter one day, and two, he owes Jordan, and knows she’s against it. She says, Taggert was quite chatty, and Jason says, he was. Taggert cares about her. That’s why he decided to get out of Port Charles and let her handle it her way. He asks how it went with Cyrus. He went looking for her and wound up in the hospital. Cyrus wants to get rid of him to clear a path to Sonny.
Alexis says Sam brought up Neil, not her, and Sam says, no. Neil wasn’t at the Nurses Ball Telethon. Not that Alexis would care what he does with his time. Not that it’s any of her business, but Neil came over with an opera DVD and wanted to hang out, but she sent him away. Alexis says she did, but he wasn’t supposed to listen to her.
Dante says he’s not safe to be around. He was put in there because of his PTSD. The doctor says the Bureau is willing to suspend treatment because they want him for a priority operative. Dante says, they’re going to ignore that he’s a danger to himself and others? What kind of operative is that? The doctor says he was to be given no details, unless Dante accepts the assignment. Dante wonders why they’re asking for him, and the doctor says the operative concerns someone close to him.
Willow thanks Lulu for waiting with her, and Lulu says, thanks for letting her. Now that it’s over, she can tell Willow, based on personal experience with Sonny as her father-in-law, he would have never let Nelle disappear with Wiley.
Valerie tells Michael and Sonny, they haven’t located Nelle, Carly, or Jax. Are any of them familiar with the area? Michael says Carly has been there before. Jax hasn’t, but he’s an experienced hiker. To his knowledge, Nelle doesn’t know the woods and trails at all. Jax calls Michael, and says he’s found Carly; they’re together. Michael asks if they found Nelle, but Jax says he’s having a hard time hearing. The reception is bad. He hangs up, and I laugh, since we’ve all done something like that. Michael tells Valerie and Sonny, there’s bad service even with a satellite phone. He doesn’t know if they found Nelle.
Carly tells Jax, Michael has to know Nelle is dead. He can’t spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. Jax says, if the truth comes out, Michael could get in trouble too. She says her DNA will be all over Nelle, but Jax says, that’s okay; they fought. She’s overthinking it. She says from her experience, cover-ups never turn out the way you want. Look at Michael and Claudia Zacchara. It was justifiable homicide, and they should have turned him in. He went to prison. Jax says they wouldn’t be punishing her for killing Nelle, but to get to Sonny. She can’t let that happen. They hear the police coming, and Jax says the police can’t find them there. They have to get to the clearing where she found Nelle.
Valerie finds the fake passports Nelle had that disappeared from the evidence locker. Michael says they might never have found his son. Valerie says, Nelle has no more options, and must still be in the woods. Michael says he wants to bring Wiley back home; Willow won’t believe it until Wiley is in her arms. Sonny says Michael isn’t driving alone; he’ll go too. Valerie says, in the meantime, she’ll send a squad car to follow them home just in case.
Curtis tells Portia, to be honest, if he could go back in time, he would have ended it before it began. She tells him, she can’t say she regrets the time they spent together, and Curtis says he liked her a lot. He was lonely, and being with her gave him a sense of peace and focus he hadn’t felt in a while. When she told him that she was married, he really couldn’t trust her. She says, the truth is, she didn’t trust herself. She married Taggert, and didn’t keep her vows. Instead of addressing it with her husband, she turned to Curtis for comfort. She built a huge wall between herself and Taggert, and he died without knowing it was there.
Jordan asks if Jason is angry because she didn’t tell them Taggert was alive. He says they’ve been cooperating with each other, but that doesn’t mean she owes them full disclosure. She says, almost no one knows, not even her husband. She didn’t want to implicate him if things went south. Jason says, it’s his risk, and she says that’s what Curtis would say. She’s sure he would have supported her, but she didn’t want to put him in a compromising position. If she tells him now, it could destroy her marriage.
Alexis tells Sam, her mommy is a hypocrite. Sam says her mommy sounds like she’s arguing with herself. Alexis says she always wins that way. Guys always either tell her what she wants to hear or don’t listen to her. Neil actually listened when she told him to keep his distance, but she wished he hadn’t. The doorbell rings, and surprise, it’s Neil, who looks very cute in his new beard. Unlike Michael with his new hair-do, that looks like he’s auditioning for a Flock of Seagulls cover band.
Portia tells Curtis, here she is talking honesty and she insists Trina tells the truth. She thinks it’s the most important lesson she has to teach her daughter, and Trina gets it. Curtis says, Trina has a good, strong, moral center. He knows that’s what Jordan wants for TJ too, and Portia says, from what she’s seen, TJ has those qualities. That’s what she wants for Trina; to be honest, and have integrity. She wants Trina to be a better woman than she is. She wants Trina to be more like her father.
Jordan tells Jason, Curtis will never accept that she was protecting him. She helped frame Cyrus, and everything that happened after that was her fault. Curtis is a good man, and she doesn’t want him tainted with her failures. Jason says she’s making a lot of assumptions for Curtis. If she’d just give him a chance to support her… Jordan says this is on no one but her, and she has to figure it out the only way she knows how. He doesn’t need to understand.
Neil asks if it’s a bad time, but Alexis says, not at all, and invites him in. He sees her wrist, and asks if everything is okay. She says, it’s just a gym mishap. Sam asks if Neil is just dropping by, or is there a reason for his visit? Alexis says, Sam… but Neil says, it’s okay. Sam’s phone dings, and she says, the missing child alert has been canceled. That’s good news. She should go. Does Alexis need her to stay? Alexis says they’re fine. Sam leaves, and Neil says he doesn’t want to pressure Alexis, but thinks it’s important that they talk. She says so does she.
Carly and Jax get back to the cabin. Valerie asks how Carly is doing, and Jax says he didn’t want to worry Michael, but she might need some medical attention. Carly asks where Michael and Wiley are, and Valerie says Michael was anxious to bring Wiley home to Willow. Sonny gave them a ride. She sent officers to protect the house, in case Nelle sneaks back. They’ve pulled out all the stops searching for her. Carly sits, and just shakes her head.
Dr. Kirk tells Dante, he wasn’t full briefed, but it might involve family. They want someone with access. Dante asks if it’s about his father. Is the Bureau suddenly interested in racketeering and organized crime? Dr. Kirk says he doesn’t have the details, and Dante says, give the director a message from him – go to hell.
Neil says, Sam is protective, and Alexis says her injury happened at the gym Sam forced her to go to. She feels guilty. At least Alexis doesn’t need to write a brief since she has no job. Neil says he tells himself the same thing. He’s going to read those books he’s been meaning to, and fix his boat. She says, it’s like a forced retirement, and he says they could take up knitting together. She says, that won’t work; what about bird watching? He says they’re dancing around the issue, so he’s going to come straight out and say it. She told him they couldn’t be friends. He wants to know if she still feels that way.
Portia tells Curtis, maybe Taggert wasn’t the man of integrity she’s held him up to be. He fabricated evidence to put Cyrus in prison. Curtis says, he deserves to be in prison, and she says she doesn’t disagree, but she’s the one who has to explain to Trina her father’s… mistake? Curtis says it doesn’t seem to have knocked Taggert off the pedestal Trina has him on, and Portia says, that’s the other thing. She’s glad Trina loves her father, but she can’t be civil to Curtis. He says he can handle her anger. She has to grieve in her own way. Portia says, as does she. Curtis says he has to get going. Just so she knows, he told Jordan about the conversation they had at the Nurses Ball.
Jason gets that Jordan doesn’t want anyone else to be burdened, and she asks if that means he and Sonny will let Taggert stay dead, until she can figure out how to reveal his existence. Jason says she doesn’t have to do it by herself. She says, Jason Morgan working with a cop? He says he’ll be working with her. He can handle that. He starts walking away, and she calls to him, and says, thank you.
Dante tells Dr. Kirk, even if it’s not about his father, he’ll have to betray someone he cares about. He did enough of that when he was undercover. Dr. Kirk says, all right. In that case, he has one of two choices. Sit and rot, or do the work to address his PTSD, and get back to his life. Dante says he’s spent enough time locked up for his own good. He’s ready to do the treatment. Dr. Kirk says, it’s a decision Dante had to make, but he’s glad he did. He’ll look around and see if he can find a medication to help with Dante’s nightmares without the fog. He’ll check in tomorrow. Dante asks, now that he’s willing to do the work, how long will it take? He’s been gone more than a year, and he doesn’t know how much longer his family will wait for him.
Outside Kelly’s, Lulu looks at her phone. She sees a text from Dustin: Kids in bed. Wine uncorked. How soon can you get home?She texts back, on my way.❤️
Willow sleeps on the couch, but wakes when she hears Michael on the monitor. He says he loves Wiley so much. Willow loves him too; he’ll see her in the morning. He’ll see both of them. They’re never losing him again. He promises.
Carly says she’s fine, but Jax says she isn’t. Valerie tells the paramedic they’ll still need him in case they find Nelle. She’d like to ask Carly some questions if she’s up for it, and Carly says, go ahead. Valerie says, Carly tore out after Nelle. Did she find her?
Willow goes into Wiley’s room, and says, he’s home. Michael smiles, and says, home, and they hug.
On Monday, Sam asks Jason what’s more important than finding Wiley, Neil missed Alexis and hopes she missed him, Sonny tells Mike not to stick around for him, and Valerie asks if Carly hurt Nelle when they fought.
Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles
Tracy went to look at house in West Hollywood, but a few blocks east. Tracy explained that West Hollywood was the liveliest place to live, but further east was less desirable and more affordable. She met with Michele who lived in Vegas, bought the house the year before at $3.850 million, but never lived there. It was a boxy white modern, which Tracy said was the type of house to sit on the market because it was flooded with them. The Fuller house was 4,440 square feet, with tons of skylights, a chef’s kitchen with Wolf appliances, and four-sided infinity pool and spa. Michele said what had attracted them was the openness and high ceilings. It had 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths, and the coup de gras was a boutique style walk-in closet, Tracy saying, nothing comes between a girl and her closet. There was an open air atrium, and a 1,200 square foot rooftop deck. Tracy thought it was the quintessential (a word they use a lot) West Hollywood new construction, and felt the skylights set it apart from its competitors. Michele said the plan had been to stay there while they were building a house in Vegas, but within three weeks, discovered nine leaks. Luckily, nothing was in the closet. In Tracy’s interview, she said a lot of newer constructions had sacrificed quality for speed. Michele said they had nowhere to go, since they had renters in their old home – like someone who can pay $4 million for a house can’t afford a hotel – and were already $200K out of pocket. All of the balconies had been redone, and she was hoping to recoup at $4.3 million. Tracy thought $4.1 million was more realistic; it was competitive, but the under $4 million buyers would consider it. That would be me, but I’m about $3.95 under $4 million. Tracy’s potential commission was $102,500.
James and David headed for their Tigertail property, which had been in the Getty fires. All of the roads were closed and David James said it was like doomsday. We saw horrifying clips of the L.A. fires, and the incredible devastation. They were going to see how bad the damage was, so they knew what they were dealing with. The first word out of James’sDavid’s James’s mouth was, f***, which about summed it up. The property was burned to the ground. In James’s interview, he said living through fires was becoming a normality. It wasn’t a question of if, but when, and you didn’t know where they’d come from, where they’d go, or how quickly they’d be put out.
Josh Altman went to meet developer Ilan at a Laurel Way property he’d been waiting five years to list. In Josh’s interview, he said the business was about relationships. Ilan was a big developer, and one of his most important relationships – a VIP client, but also a good friend. He explained that everyone knew the cachet of the 90210 zip code, but there were amazing pockets where you could find the best real estate. Laurel Way was a trophy property, nestled at the top of a hill, and super exclusive. Ilan said he’d been stressed enough trying to finish, but had the added stress of Josh calling him every day and asking when he could put it on the market. At 15,473 square feet, it had 7 bedrooms and – wait for it – 22 toilets housed in 15 bathrooms. There was an open floor plan, entertainer kitchen with Miele appliances, a 65’ infinity pool, a view to die for, a million dollar outdoor kitchen featuring a pizza oven and six beers on tap. But wait, there’s more. Altogether there were 4 kitchens – Ilan said he’d built it for convenience – a four-story glass elevator, a wine cellar and tasting room, and a custom gym with a marble sauna that had radiant heating and massaging water jets. When I saw it, I cried, and ate a cookie to swallow my feelings. There was an indoor hot tub with a gorgeous blue agate wall, which the wine cellar also had. Josh’s favorite spot was the garage, which had three turntables for cars and one for a motorcycle. He was also impressed with the uplit stairs, and Ilan said, at night, this place is unreal. There was also a $75K smart shower, and a private staircase that went to a rooftop infinity pool. Ilan wanted $55 million, but Josh thought it should be more like $45 million. He knew Ilan had poured his heart and soul into it for five years, but the price still needed to reflect the neighborhood, which had nothing over $38 million. Josh suggested they wait, and test the market first, and get feedback. He thought they should have an event with a soft launch, pricing it at $48 million, and see what people who could afford it would say.
Tracy wanted to use a different approach with the Fuller house, since there were so many like it. Since the area typically attracted young professionals in their 30s, who enjoyed the nightlife, Tracy went to a trivia night to see if she could attract buyers. She hoped a traditional marketing plan, plus her outreach worked. She and team member Erika planned an open house from 11-2 pm, but at noon, no one was there. Eventually, people trickled in – local agents, as well as those from New York and Miami. As well as pointing out the panoramic view that included the Hollywood sign, Tracy said that a 3 bedroom condo, three blocks away, was the same price.
JoshA told his team that the Laurel Way house would get white glove service. Ilan was one of his best friends, and they’d been in business together for a decade. There was no room for error. He wanted to do something that was able to create a buzz without actually listing the property. In his interview, he said when he started in real estate, you listed a property in the paper, and it was still a limited audience. Today, with social media, you could reach 5 million people for free. It’s how he got his buyer for Beverly Ridge (that phenomenal castle from last week). Millennials were the largest group buying now, and were involved with social media – Instagram, Twitter, TikTok. He said he was going to boomerang that sh*t, but a producer said, that’s not how it works.
James and/or David said Tigertail was a burned mess. In his interview, James said a few weeks ago, they didn’t even know what strategy they’d be using, but how were they going to bring a buyer to a burned down structure with a hillside covered in ash. He said, for once, he was bloody speechless. They met with developer Phillip, who said in his ten years in the business, he’d never seen something like this. He literally saw his big investment go up in smoke when he was just about to sell, and might never make his money back. We saw before and after shots, and it was pretty sad. James and/or David asked how long before Phillip could clean it up, haul things out, and make it presentable? and David estimated it to be up to six months. James David said that wasn’t a bad thing, since the stigma would be more in the past. Phillip said he was fighting with the insurance company, and boy, did I understand. We were flooded during Sandy, and first it was like pulling teeth to extract what we’d paid premiums for, just to get some furniture, and then came the fight with the mortgage company who doled it out like methadone. Until they decided I was more of a pain in the ass to them than they wanted to be to me. But I digress. James said, as is, a buyer would try to lowball Phillip, and insurance companies had declared a moratorium. In James’s interview, he said it could take months to process claims. Investment comes with risk, and sometimes you were lucky to come out with your shirt. He thought in six months, it might be viable. He told Phillip, it had to be delivered and packaged correctly. The text told us that Phillip was going to demolish it, and build again with his own plans.
JoshA said he needed to up his game for the Fuller house. He needed a unique way to show a special house, so they were doing a soft launch, inviting tons of influencers. When people saw celebrities partying in a house, they wanted to own it. They partnered with Vital Proteins, which Josh said had an unbelievable social reach. He stuck to his story that a trophy property deserved a trophy price. Ilan was right; the place was absolutely unreal at night. I ate more cookies. There was a DJ and tremendous catered spread, including Vital Proteins juices. Josh gave a personal tour to Camille, a Sports Illustrated cover model, and domestic partner of Rob The Gronk Gronkowski, tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. Many selfies were taken, and Camille pointed out that, being a model, she knew good lighting when she saw it. They took a photo in the master bath, and damn if she wasn’t right. Josh said he knew they were aggressive with the price, but it would be trending so hard when it hit the market, it would need its own social media account.
Tracy met with agent Tony about the Fuller house. Tony said his client was a powerful executive in the entertainment industry. He offered $3.75 million, and in her interview, Tracy said her client had moved back to Vegas, and she had no other offers. She thought it was priced too high, but Michelle said, anything below $3.8 million would be disappointing. I’m guessing she’d about break even. Tracy countered with $3.9 million, and better contingencies, and they settled at $3.8 million, all cash, 10 day close, and no contingencies. Lesson for this week: This is called an ACR – all contingencies removed. They decided to have a drink on it, and Tracy told Tony that he was buying.
Next time, a house designed by John Barrymore in 1920, complete with opium den, and sketches left behind. I knew someone who lived in a Barrymore house here on the beach, and had sketches. He must have left a trail.
🏀 Enjoy the Ball…
Behind-the-scenes and video performances from the 2020 GH Nurses Ball.
Make the choice to embrace this day. Do not let your TODAY be stolen by the ghost of yesterday or the “To-Do” list of tomorrow! It’s inspiring to see all the wonderfully amazing things that can happen in a day in which you participate. – Steve Maraboli
Our thoughts and actions should express our mind of compassion, even if the other person says and does things that are not easy to accept. We must practice this way until we see clearly that our love is not contingent upon the other person being lovable. – Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, Author and Peace Activist (It’s that pesky loving the unlovable thing that trips me up every time.)
We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing and inclusion. – Max de Pree
We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten. – Cesare Pavese
I think the only answer is to live life to the fullest while you can and collect memories like fools collect money. Because in the end, that’s all you have – happy memories. – Sarah Strohmeyer
It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. – Paulo Coelho
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete. – Buckminster Fuller
We’re all islands shouting lies to each other across seas of misunderstanding. – Rudyard Kipling
History is much more the product of chaos than of conspiracy. – Zbigniew Brzeziński
The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men. – Lyndon B. Johnson
It’s not easy having a good time. Even smiling makes my face ache. – Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), The Rocky Horror Picture Show
📦 Delivered As Promised…
It might be late/early, but I finally got in those million dollar houses. And wept enough tears for an infinity pool watching them. Do something different in the next two days, whether you still call them the weekend or not. Until the next yacht sails, stay safe, stay breathing deep, and stay not pretending your dead.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the phone, Jordan says to keep her posted. Curtis comes by, and asks if it’s about Wiley’s kidnapping. Is there any news? She says, not yet, but she’s got all her resources on finding him. She asks if Curtis has something on his mind, and he says he does – Taggert.
Sonny asks how the hell Taggert is alive in the first place? Taggert says, long story, and Sonny says he’s got other things going on, so make it brief. Why is he back? Taggert says it was the only way he could protect his family, and make sure he’s the only one who has to die.
At Kelly’s, Josslyn tells Trina that it was a fun performance. She’s not bragging, but she thinks they nailed it. Trina says, totally. She wonders why Cameron didn’t come with them, and Josslyn says maybe he’s tired. Is she… Trina says, what? and Josslyn asks if she thinks Cameron acts weird around her.
Ned sits by Brook’s bedside. Brook dreams about Nelle slashing her, and wakes with a start. Ned tells her that she was dreaming, but it’s okay. He’s right there. The doctors are working on a treatment plan for her, and everything is going to be okay.
Michael calls Carly, and she asks where he is. He says he had a lead on Nelle. She’s in the mountain cabin. Call the police, and let them know. He hangs up, and Carly tells Jax, Michael found Nelle.
Nelle rants, asking herself, why did she tell Julian to bring the kangaroo? Why did she tell him to bring the stupid tracker? It’s all falling apart. She tells Wiley, Mommy will not let that happen.
Curtis tells Jordan, objectively, he did everything he could to save Trina. He went along like Taggert asked him to, and got her out. Jordan says, he saved her life, but he says he can’t help thinking, what if he’d called for backup? What if he’d pushed Trina out the door, and stayed behind? It might have played out a million different ways. He knows what she’s going to say, and he gets it. It’s no good to play the what-if game, but Trina is a teenager grieving her dad. He can say over and over that Trina’s anger and irritation is just her looking for a place to put her grief – and it is – but part of him feels like she’s not entirely wrong. One different decision, and Taggert would be alive.
Sonny says Taggert’s daughter is grieving him, and Taggert says, doesn’t Sonny think he knows that? What the hell was he supposed to do? As long as he was around, Cyrus could take revenge on his daughter. Jason says, like he’s using TJ to get to Jordan, and Taggert says, at least she gets to be alive and be with her son. Sonny asks if Taggert understands how dangerous Cyrus is, and Taggert says, more than anyone. Sonny says, but he’s dead. He’s the last person they’d suspect. Why not take Cyrus out and save everyone the trouble?
Portia says Brook’s vitals are strong. She’s suffered a major trauma, but her prognosis is excellent. It’s just a matter of taking the time to heal. They don’t know the extent of her vocal chord damage (yes, you can spell chord that way in this case). There’s no way to tell. Ned asks what they need to do, and Portia tells Brook not to strain herself. Don’t try to talk under any circumstances. Brook remembers telling Michael about the tracker. This time, she sounded clearer, and said there was a tracker on Wiley, when I thought she’d said, a tracker in the wallaby. But on Wiley, in the wallaby, same thing. I actually like wallaby better.
Michael gets to the cabin, and opens the door. It’s dark inside, and Nelle is waiting. She hits him over the head, and he drops.
But after the commercial, he’s back up. They struggle, and he asks where his son is.
Taggert says, if Cyrus dies, Sonny and Jason will be blamed. Sonny says, and they’re innocent. Taggert says, foronce, and Jason says, Sonny is right. Cyrus is a threat to Taggert’s daughter, and the only way to keep her safe is to eliminate him. Cyrus thinks he’s dead; he’ll never see it coming. Taggert says, it would work if he hadn’t gone to Jordan. Sonny asks why the hell he did that, and Taggert says Jordan was the only reason he could fake his death. His daughter is still alive; it was a trade-off. He lives his life underground for Trina. He knows he and Sonny disagree on a lot, but they’re on the same page about the people they love. Sonny says, family first, always. Taggert says Jordan is already drowning. He doesn’t want to add to her burden. He’s not doing it.
Jordan says Curtis is blaming himself for something he had no control over. Taggert knew how dangerous Cyrus was, and Trina was in jeopardy. She wishes she could have called in a SWAT team, but in Taggert’s professional opinion, that would have gotten his daughter killed. Taggert thought the best course of action was to invite Curtis in. The bottom line is – his daughter, his decision. She knows Trina doesn’t understand, and given time, she has reason to believe Trina will, and hopefully Portia will get her there. Curtis says, that might be tough. Portia is dealing with guilt over the way her and Taggert’s marriage ended. They were talking, and she said it was because of him. Like he told Jordan, as soon as he found out she was married, he broke it off. Portia never told Taggert, but the marriage crumbled anyway. Jordan asks how Curtis feels about that, and he says, blindsided, but Portia made it clear that it was ancient history. It’s done and over with. He’s telling Jordan because he doesn’t want any secrets between them.
Josslyn says, it’s not even Cameron. Dev brought it up that Cameron liked her. Trina asks if she means like like, and Josslyn says she doesn’t think so. He didn’t act weird during rehearsal, or their water fight backstage. Trina says she thinks Lucy is still mad about that, and Josslyn says Cameron is still giving her a hard time like usual. Everything is the same. She looks at Trina, and says, huh. Trina asks what that means, and Josslyn says, now that she thinks about it, the only person Cameron acts different around is Trina.
Michael asks Nelle where their son is. She says now he’s their son? He wasn’t their son in the courtroom, or when Michael brought out that ridiculous Willow. Nelle says she’s a strong capable mother, and Michael asks if she hears herself. She says, Willow doesn’t deserve their son, and neither does he after taking her side. Michael says, Nelle thinks she’s a good mother? He’ll give her a chance to prove it. Tell him where Wiley is, and he gives her his word that he’ll find a way to keep her in Wiley’s life.
Brook flashes back to Ned telling her, when he needed her most, she chose Valentin over him. He tried to buy out her contract. She says, Valentin was successful. Ned told her to grow up, and stop asking him to come to her rescue. Well, guess what? She’s all grown up, and came to her own rescue, like any good Quartermaine. How does he like her now? He tells her, get out. She’s no longer welcome.
Ned tells Olivia, when he was young, he had a front row seat to the battles between his mother and grandfather. Olivia says, they were epic. He says he witnessed Tracy withhold Edward’s heart medication, which set the standard. Tracy messed up worse than Brook, and he’s never forgotten how his grandfather spoke to her; so harsh and unforgiving. It just made her act worse. He was young at the time, but he remembers thinking it didn’t have to be this way. They could just get along. Deep down, they loved each other. He looks into Brook’s room, and says, if someone had told him he would ever make the mistake his grandfather made, he would have sworn there was no way.
Trina asks, since when does Josslyn pay attention to what Dev says? Josslyn says she doesn’t know that he’s wrong. Trina tells Josslyn this is a conversation she should be having with Cameron, and Josslyn asks what she’s supposed to say? Word on the street is that he likes her? Trina tells Josslyn that she would never say word on the street, and Josslyn says, true, but what if she asks, and he doesn’t? What if he’s shocked she’d even mention it? How humiliating would that be? They couldn’t be friends anymore. It would be super awkward. Can she imagine? Trina says, actually, she can.
Sonny says he respects Taggert looking out for Jordan, and Taggert says, if he kills Cyrus, he’s a murderer. He’ll have to stay dead; no coming back. Sonny asks if Taggert expects him to eliminate Cyrus, and Taggert says, not personally. That’s the challenging part. The law is always around, Sonny is in public, and there are witnesses when his enemies go down, but Jason is another story. He tells Jason, disappear Cyrus. No one deserves it more. Taggert knows Sonny. He takes his time, and makes sure there’s nothing to trace it back. Do all that, but remember he’s waiting. If it works, maybe he’ll get the chance to see his daughter again. Hold her again. Protect her, and talk to her. He’s given up a lot, but he’s not giving that up.
Nelle says she wants to believe Michael. He says she can, but she says even if he means it, be honest. He can’t let her in Wiley’s life; his mom won’t let him. Carly runs his life, and that’s a fact. Carly never wanted him to love her. She didn’t want him to be happy with her, and certainly didn’t want her to have his child. And at every single turn, Michael gave in to her. Their relationship, or lack thereof, is on Carly, but it’s his fault too. He said he loved her, then never stood up for her. If he’d believed in her, and fought for her, just think where they’d be. He says he can’t change how she sees it in her head, but lead him to Wiley, or he’ll let his father handle it. She says, it must be nice. He gets to be Mr. Wonderful, and his hands stay nice and clean. She’s done the dirty work, getting her hands dirty, while his gangster father takes care of everything. He says maybe she’s right. He’s had everything done for him, and he’s the world’s biggest hypocrite, but he has resources, both inside and outside the law. She tried to kill Brook, and kidnapped Wiley. It’s serious, and there’s no way she’s spinning it. She’ll go back to Pentenville, and where she’ll be within his father’s reach. She’s done, unless he intervenes. So tell him… He hears Wiley, and says, it’s okay; he’s there. He goes into the bedroom, and she says, screw him. By the time the cops get there… She runs out the door.
Michael goes to Wiley, and says, it’s okay. She’s gone. He tricked her into running away. Wiley is safe, and she’ll never touch him again.
Brook flashes back to Ned slamming the door behind her. Ned tells Olivia, don’t get him wrong – he loved them – but he promised never to put business before family like his grandfather did. He was so focused on the damage at ELQ, he lashed out at Brook. He can see that clearly now. Life is funny like that. Brook did something stupid, and Valentin took advantage. It’s what businessmen do. Of course (🍷) he outmaneuvered her; it’s his specialty. Why is it that we only understand our unbelievably stupid behavior when it’s too late? Olivia says, it’s not too late. His daughter is getting better now. It was a terrible thing, but the silver lining is, he got his priorities straight. He says, it took long enough. The hard reality is, he’s no better than Edward. She says, but he can do what Edward never did with Tracy. He can actually learn from his mistakes. It’s awesome and spectacular, and all that really matters. He says he’s so grateful to have that chance, and looks in on Brook again.
Trina tells Josslyn, when she and Cameron were kidnapped, it was a crazy, scary, emotional thing. Afterwards, it felt like they understood each other in a way other people couldn’t. Josslyn says, it makes sense. They went through a trauma together. Trina says, it bonds people. So when they came over to study, and they were out on the terrace and Josslyn went back in… Josslyn says, yeah? Trina says, she and Cameron kissed.
Taggert tells Sonny, he has to disappear. He doesn’t have any option. He’s asking one more time. He needs Sonny to look after his daughter; protect her and take care of her. Sonny says, for the record, he admires Taggert for taking a stand against Cyrus. He’ll protect Trina as much as he can.
Michael tells Wiley, tomorrow, when he wakes up. he’ll be in his own bed, and this will feel like a bad dream. He’s so sorry. He let it go too far. He knew who Nelle was, and should have stopped it sooner. Carly and Jax run in, and Carly calls to Michael. Michael comes out, and she asks where Wiley is, and he says, Wiley is okay. He’s sleeping. They hug, and Jax asks, what about Nelle? Michael says they were arguing, and he heard Wiley crying. He went to Wiley, and assumes Nelle ran. The police will track her down. Carly says she needs to let Sonny know he’s okay, but her phone is getting no reception. Jax says he has a satellite phone in the car, and leaves. Carly asks if Michael is sure Wiley is okay. Michael says, he woke Wiley up for a minute. He smiled and went back to sleep. Carly says, this can’t happen again. Nelle has to be stopped.
Jax calls Jordan, and explains where they are. He says, Wiley and Michael are safe, but Nelle is still at large.
Carly tells Michael to look after Wiley. He asks where she’s going, and she says she’s going after Nelle. The police won’t be there in time. If she thought Nelle would leave, and start a new life, she’d let Nelle go. But she’s obsessed and won’t let go. For Wiley’s sake, Nelle has to be locked up. She’s going after her.
Nelle is walking through the woods, and stops. Carly comes up behind her, and asks if she’s having trouble finding the road. Nelle isn’t surprised mommy came to Michael’s rescue, but Carly said she didn’t. He found her on his own, but this is between them. Nelle is done. It ends right here.
Jordan says she’s relieved to know that little boy is safe. Curtis says he is too. He knows she has work to do, so he’s going to get out of her hair. She’s glad he came to check in, and he says he is too. He says she knows he loves her, and she says she loves him more.
Sonny says he has more to deal with than Cyrus. He’s thinking Cyrus should have been taken out when he got out. Jason says it takes planning, but even if Cyrus has an accident that’s no accident, they’ll be suspected. Sonny’s phone rings, and it’s Jordan. She says she wanted him to know that Wiley was rescued. Sonny asks where he is, and Jordan says, apparently, Michael chased him and Nelle to their cabin in the mountains. Jax called to tell her. Sonny asks, where’s Nelle? and she says, still missing. She has a dragnet in place. Sonny thanks her, and tells Jason, Wiley is safe. Jason says, that’s great news, and Sonny says, it’s one less reason to wait. His dad doesn’t have much time… Taggert says, and he doesn’t want to waste it. Sonny says, even though they want him gone, Cyrus deals with heavy hitters. If they take him out, there will be someone to replace him. He has to fail, so his associates lose money, cut their losses, and leave Port Charles. Taggert says, makes sense, and Sonny says, no more surprises. He wants answers. Jason says he’ll get them, and leaves.
Josslyn tells Trina, okay. That was not what she expected. So she and Cameron… Trina says, back up. There is no her and Cameron. She flipped out. Her dad had just died, and there was nothing she could do. Josslyn says, so what it was, was a mistake, but Trina says, that makes it sound bigger than it was. They were scared, and comforted each other. Josslyn says, makes sense. She guesses after what happened, it was reaction to trauma. Trina says, totally, but she thinks sometimes Cameron feels like he did something wrong. Like he crossed a line. She doesn’t see it that way. Josslyn says, but if Trina liked Cameron, she’d tell her, right?
Jax tells Michael that he spoke to Jordan. The police are no more than ten minutes away. He asks where Carly is, and Michael says, she went after Nelle. Jax says, what?! Why didn’t he stop her? Carly should have waited. Michael says, Nelle had too much of a head start.
Carly tells Nelle, attempted murder and kidnapping. Brook ID’d her, and she’s going to prison for the rest of her life. Nelle says Carly must be happy to be right about her. She’s trash, crazy, a psycho. It must be like Christmas for Carly, but Carly pushed her. She was supposed to be Nelle’s sister. She was supposed to love her, and be there for her, and teach her, but she did none of those things. Instead, she screwed Nelle over, and drove to the only option she had to be with her son. She didn’t set out to attack Brook, or any of it. She just wanted a piece of what Carly had. Carly says, Nelle had that. She tried over and over. When Nelle first got there, Carly opened her life to her. She would have given Nelle everything. She kept trying to find reasons to believe Nelle. She didn’t want this, but Nelle kept testing and pushing her, until anything good was destroyed, because Nelle can’t let herself be happy. She won’t accept kindness or love. She pushes anything good away. Carly wants to believe that somewhere inside, Nelle loves Wiley, and wants him to have the best life; the life she never had. So take responsibility, and turn herself in. Let this be over. For once in her life, do the right thing for herself.
Sonny calls Olivia to tell her that Wiley is safe, and Olivia tells him, give that baby a hug. Olivia tells Ned and Brook that Wiley was found, and will be okay. Ned tells Brook, he doesn’t know how, but she did it. Brook smiles.
Trina tells Josslyn, they’ve wasted enough time talking about Cameron. They had a blast, and will never let a stupid boy come between them. They pinky swear, and Portia comes in with Curtis. She says, it must be serious, and asks if they’re celebrating their performance. Trina says they are, and Curtis says, the telethon was a huge success. The two of them and Cameron made it possible. Josslyn thanks him, and says, it was a lot of fun. Trina and Josslyn’s phones ding, and Trina says, Cameron is joking, right? He was the lead, and they were his back-up? Josslyn says, if they’re being honest, Cameron is talented. Trina says, the best part is, he has no idea. Josslyn says, don’t tell him, and Trina says, are you kidding? He already has an ego the size of New York. Curtis tells Portia, it’s good to see Trina smile. Portia asks, what’s so funny? and Trina tells her, Cameron is saying they were his back-up, and they should take their gig on the road. Taggert looks in the window, hiding his face with his hood. Which isn’t too obvious.
On the phone, Jordan says, they found the child. She’s informed the local law enforcement. Let her know when they arrive. Jason walks into her office, and she tells him that he can’t just barge in. He says he saw a friend of hers, and she has a lot of explaining to do.
Nelle says, give herself up for Wiley? Carly is a hypocritical bitch. It would make it easier on her. If Carly wants her to give up, come and get her. She runs, but Carly tackles her. They struggle, but Nelle gets the better of Carly, and takes off. Carly hears a scream.
Michael tells Wiley, they’ll get home, but first they have to wait for the police. He can’t believe how Wiley can sleep through all this. He says, sometimes thing happen in life that we don’t understand; that we can’t fathom. People make bad choices, and do wrong things, but few people are actually evil. Wiley’s mom isn’t evil.
Nelle begs Carly to help her. She says, please. She can’t hold on much longer. Oh my God, please. She’s going to fall. Carly finds Nelle hanging from the side of a cliff, and says, grab her hand. Nelle does, but doesn’t get a good enough grip, and falls.
Tomorrow, Curtis tells Portia that he can’t ignore dishonesty, Jason tells Jordan that Cyrus wants to get rid of him to clear a path to Sonny, and Dante attacks the doctor.
The Real Housewives of New York City
I’m sure you’ve heard the news about Dorinda. We’ll get to that afterwards.
Sarah calla Leah, who says she’s getting ready for her party. There’s a lot of pressure. She’s celebrating her brand, and their mom is coming. She’s going to be staring at her and Sarah with binoculars. Maybe they should slip something in her drink.
Dorinda calls LuAnn, and asks if she got the invite to Dorinda’s birthday party. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, the party is at the Russian Samovar (a place I have always wanted to go). She tells LuAnn to bring her happy birthday voice. She settles on to the couch, and says, nothing is better than a nap under the Christmas tree.
Sonja confers with her assistant Destiny. She says she needs to text her old assistant Raquel. She needs help with the townhouse, and flew Raquel in. All the packages for the townhouse were going there, and it was a schlep. In her interview, she says, Sonja By Sonja Morgan is a success story, but redoing her home simultaneously has been a lot. She tells Destiny she needs a sample for the staircase she’s redoing, and needs to check with the broker. Where are the renters? She’s put the house on the market as well. In her interview, she says it’s a daily drain on her emotions and time, and will be one less thing to worry about. It would be great for her. She puts down wee-wee pads for Marley, tucking one under the table for when he poops, because he gets embarrassed. I believe this, since I actually have a dog that likes privacy too. She tells Destiny, it’s an effort for him, like Elvis.
Ramona gets her outfit together while conferring with her dog Coco. LuAnn comes by, and in Ramona’s interview, she says she wants to support Leah. After Mexico, they were in a good place .She even bought some of Leah’s items and paid retail, so she’s definitely supportive. She tells LuAnn she got sushi for them. The Mexico trip knocked her for a loop. She thought LuAnn was talking to Dorinda about them as a group, and LuAnn says she couldn’t, since the text Ramona sent got her going. Ramona says, she blows up, and LuAnn says Dorinda barely gave her a hug. it feels unsettled. It was a great trip, but nothing was resolved. We flash back to LuAnn trying to talk to Dorinda, and LuAnn says, it’s like a bad taste in her mouth. She feels like she was sucker punched. She tells Ramona, Dorinda said she was sorry, but there was no warmth or compassion, nothing. Ramona says, something deep inside is bothering Dorinda, but if Dorinda doesn’t get to the root of it, she can’t be around it. They can’t fix it for her. LuAnn wants to give Ramona a heads up, and says, Leah invited Elyse to her party. We see a clip where Leah tells Dorinda that Ramona said she’s not allowed to invite Elyse. That’s crazy. LuAnn asks what happened between Ramona and Elyse, and Ramona says she has to go to the bathroom. In her interview, LuAnn says she hasn’t seen Ramona get up that fast to go to the bathroom since Mexico. And she didn’t make it. Ramona says, Elyse isn’t a girl’s girl, and LuAnn says she’s had Elyse’s number from the beginning, and it’s not 212 (the area code for Manhattan). In Ramona’s interview, she says the trouble started when she brought Elyse into their friend group. She was always about the other girls. She’s like a friend jumper. Ramona tells LuAnn that she thinks Elyse is manipulative, not genuine, and disgusts her. LuAnn says, there you go. It’s a list.
It’s the 15th anniversary party for Married to the Mob, and Leah arrives with Sarah. Leah complains about not having palm trees, but Sarah thinks it’s a great space. Leah is excited to have her friends and family in one place to celebrate, but she’s nervous about Ramona, Dorinda, and the rest of the group coming. Her brand is streetwear, and her friends in the community know what they’re getting, but she thinks the Housewives will want caviar served, and that’s not happening. In Dorinda’s interview, she says it was like going down into a dungeon. It was some kind of hip-hop thing, with everyone dressed in what looked like pajamas. She tells Leah she must have missed the dress code. They look like they’re going to work out class. Once you start dressing up, it’s hard to wear sweats. In Leah’s interview, she says, maybe Dorinda never saw the website, but she’s in business because of sweat pants and T-shirts. Dorinda insists she’s really gangster despite what she’s wearing. Elyse comes in, and Dorinda says they look like they came from the office.
Elyse says she hasn’t heard from Ramona. She doesn’t think they’re friends anymore. Dorinda says, for some reason something turned, and Ramona doesn’t trust Elyse. Leah says Ramona said she shouldn’t invite her, and Elyse says, that’s definitely not friend if Ramona is trying to neutralize her. Leah says she would never tell Ramona who to invite to her party. In her interview, Leah says Ramona told her that she was not allowed to invite Elyse, which obviously is complete bullsh*t. Elyse says, if there’s a problem, friends talk about it. Bunny comes in, and in Leah’s interview, she says Dorinda’s mom is like her mom. They both go to church. She introduces Dorinda, and says Dorinda said Bunny was like her mom. We see a clip of Leah meeting Dorinda’s mom, and in her interview, Dorinda says their moms love them for who they are, and let them be. That creates confident women. She thinks they should go to church together. Leah tells her friends, if Bunny asks, she’s drinking Pellegrino. Hint: It’s not Pellegrino.
LuAnn comes in, and Leah hollers, viva la diva! LuAnn says, very cool, and Dorinda says they’re the only ones dressed up. Leah says, what about her? and Dorinda says she looks hot, but these people need to go home and get dressed. Leah tells her, quiet; these people are her friends. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, it’s streetwear. She doesn’t know what Dorinda expected. Sonja comes down the stairs, telling a guy, don’t be scared; she doesn’t bite. She yells, where does she start? Hot guys! She plops in the middle of a bunch of dudes, and Leah says she’s got to say hi to Sonja. Sonja tells a random guy that she never gets invited to parties with hot guys. In Sonja’s interview, she says she loves this group. The men look like they’re over twenty… four? She tells Leah that she just landed there. In Ramona’s interview, she says she’s not engaging in BS. She’s lived her life, and knows how she is. At this stage of her life, she wants to surround herself with people she enjoys, who respect her and who she respects. She tells Leah that she wore sparkly for her, and Leah introduces Ramona to her mom. Ramona says she feels like she knows Bunny. She feels like Leah is her daughter too; she gets frustrated. Bunny says they need to have a conversation. Ramona says she loves Bunny. Elyse joins them, and Ramona pretends like she’s not there. Elyse asks if Ramona isn’t talking to her, and Ramona says she doesn’t know who Elyse is. She walks away, and Elyse tries to grab her arm. Ramona shakes her off, and Elyse says she’s duplicitous. Ramona calls Elyse sick and evil, and trots back up the stairs to the street. Leah calls to her not to leave.
Leah tells Ramona, please stay; it’s just her. Ramona won’t even turn around and keeps going. In Leah’s interview, she says Romana didn’t even look back, and just prances out. She wonders wtf happened, and says, Ramona is off to an Upper East Side bar to pick up men, which is where she really wants to be. Elyse says she’s so done with Ramona, and in her interview, she says she never thought she’d resent or be as angry with Ramona as she is. She doesn’t know where go from here. She asks Dorinda, who’s had Ramona’s back the most? and Dorinda says she accused Elyse of having Stockholm disease. Stockhouse syndrome. Balloons pop, and LuAnn say she loves this party. A guy tells Sonja that he had Captain Morgan last night, and she says he has Lady Morgan right now. Sonja tells Leah that she likes Leah’s friends more than her own. In her interview, she says, there’s a good mix of people; fashion, artists, rappers. This party is real. LuAnn thinks Bunny looks like Mother Earth. She’s right.
Leah takes the mic, and thanks everyone for coming. All of the people in the room. They mean so much. Married to the Mob is her brand – everyone cheers – that she started 22 years ago. Rob saved her life in so many ways. If they hadn’t met, she wouldn’t have started the brand. He also gave her their daughter Kiki. She wants to acknowledge Sarah, whose life coach asked her why she didn’t buy stock in Leah’s company. She’s giving Sarah 15 % of her brand. She says, thanks, bitch. I love you. Sonja says she’s going marry Sarah. Leah says her mom wants to say a couple of words. She’d be nothing without Bunny. Bunny says her husband couldn’t be there because he’s not feeling well. She’s never seen anyone work as hard as Leah. She marches to her own drum, and was reading Vogue at nine years old. Bunny has never read Vogue in her life. If Leah had asked if she should start a business, Bunny would have said, get a job. Thank God Leah followed her dream. She loves her. She tells Leah, congratulations, and in Leah’s interview, she says she’s relishing this moment, knowing her parents are proud. Hopefully Bunny will give a toast in front of the family at dinner on Sunday.
Dorinda toasts to a badass bitch. Leah is a great mom, and a great friend. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, Leah was so young when she started her company. She was a baby 15 years ago. Leah says her heart is bursting. These are great people she’s known for a long time, and her new friends, who are genuinely proud of her.
LuAnn calls Ramona from a restaurant, and asks, what happened? Why did she leave? Ramona says she doesn’t like negative energy. She doesn’t want to be around negative people. She had a lovely talk with Bunny. She wasn’t what Ramona expected. LuAnn says, she was very granola looking. Obviously, Ramona didn’t bond with Elyse. Ramona says Elyse asked if she wasn’t going to talk to her; very aggressive. Elyse went nuts, and grabbed her arm. LuAnn says Ramona should have stayed, and Ramona says, whatever. She’s not doing that. In her interview, Ramona says Elise is manipulative, and doesn’t make her feel good. Luann says she’s having coffee while she’s waiting for the writer who’s doing her book. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she’s been through so much – horses, therapy, rehab, being arrested – she wants to write a book, and needs some help. Writer Sheryl comes in, and LuAnn introduces her to Ramona on the phone. Ramona tells Sheryl to write a bestseller. Sheryl says she’s on it. LuAnn says, she has a lot of story. Her life hasn’t been easy. She wasn’t privileged. Sheryl says she was surprised that boys said she was pretty, but chubby. LuAnn says, and taller than them. She used to saw the heels off her shoes. Sheryl says she shopped at Payless, and LuAnn says, there were seven children; life wasn’t easy. Sheryl says, the stuff about her dad, and LuAnn says he was important to her. Going through what she went through, she understands his struggle. Ramona is still on the phone because she can’t figure out how to hang up. LuAnn suggests she power off the phone. Ramona says LuAnn is an inspiration. Sheryl says, when LuAnn described being in the jail cell, and it was the first moment. When she was connecting with her dad for the first time, and understood what he went through; it was a shame. LuAnn says, it was ten years of craziness. He was a drinker, and when she got arrested, she looked at her ankles and thought, oh my God. Now she could start to understand his pain and struggle. In her interview, she says her father was her everything; he was her rock. He struggled with alcohol, eventually stopped, and AA saved his life. Now she understands so much more than she did as a young adult. His struggles were real. She’s had the same struggles. He’s not there today, but she is. She’s coming full circle, and if everything hadn’t happened, she’d never be doing this. She had to figure out how to believe in herself again, and get back in the driver’s seat. She repaired herself in a certain way, and there’s plenty to be done, but this will fix something. She thanks Sheryl, who says, it’s a New York Times best seller in the making.
Dorinda calls her sister Melissa from her bed, and says she’s so high up, it looks like she’s in no man’s land because of the fog outside. Does Melissa have something to say to her? Melissa says, happy birthday, and Dorinda says she’s calling about the party tonight. In her interview, she says she’s looking forward to it. It’s all people she’s known for ten or twenty years, not someone she met at CVS a few days ago. Ramona collects friends the way people collect leaves in the fall. She tells Melissa that she’s having the party at the Russian Samovar. It’s really Russian, and an old-fashioned fun bar. In her interview, she says, it’s one of the best places; old New York. You start off at the supper table, and end up drinking with the chef at 2 am. She tells Melissa that she invited John, and Melissa asks what she last talked to him. Dorinda says he stopped by church when she was there. It was sad, but things are better now. She asks if she doesn’t seem calmer, and Melissa says she’s more peaceful. Dorinda says she and John are friends now; he’s part of the family, and that’s how she wants it to be. Melissa says they’ve been through a lot together, and Dorinda says, they have fun. She loves him on some level, and always will. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, it would be mean, cruel, and unkind to cut him out. Just because their relationship is in a different place, doesn’t mean she should dispose of a person who’s been part of her life for seven years. Melissa says, be careful tonight, and Dorinda says she’s not being careful, and tells Melissa to call tomorrow, and see who she ended up with. Just kidding.
Sonja picks up LuAnn, and LuAnn asks what she thought of Leah’s party. Sonja says she had a blast. Those people are real. LuAnn asks what she thought about Ramona with Elyse, and Sonja asks, what happened? LuAnn says Ramona went on about how Elyse had done this and that, and how she was going to tell Elyse about everything. Sonja says, and Ramona hightailed out of there. LuAnn says, Ramona came in guns blazing, but didn’t say a word. Like she didn’t say anything to Dorinda in Mexico. Ramona does that; she retreats. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she’s not a retreater. She sticks around and confronts the issue head on. When the going gets tough, Ramona runs.
The Russian Samovar is the coolest place. Hannah mentions she’s been there once before. Sonja says, the vodka is flavored and so good. In Sonja’s interview, she says LuAnn is drinking again. Let’s get this train going again. Leah comes in, and Sonja says Leah’s party was real. Leah asks, for Sonja’s drag queen party, does she have to bring a drag queen or dress like one? Sonja says, whatever she wants to do, and Leah says she’s wearing big hair. In her interview, Sonja says she’s has drag queen Bingo nights to raise money for the LGBTQ community. There’s something about drag queens; they’re more theatrical. More guests arrive, and they toast to 2020, LuAnn asking, how crazy is that? Dorinda comes in, and tells everyone, happy birthday. They’re like, wait a minute… In Dorinda’s interview, She says she’s looking forward to tonight; a table filled with people she loves, who she knows will love each other. John joins the party, and in her interview, Dorinda says, it’s not about the food; it’s about the music, the people, and the atmosphere. It’s a great place to let all things go. It’s her birthday. She announces that she loves a dinner party in honor of her. In Ramona’s interview, she says she’s shocked to see John. It doesn’t make sense. Dorinda is sending him the wrong messages. He didn’t want it to end. Is she giving him a carrot? Ramona doesn’t like it. Oh, well, by all means, banish him then. What the hell? Leah approaches Ramona. In Leah’s interview, she says, Ramona called to apologize. Little does Ramona know, she doesn’t care. We see a clip of Ramona saying she’s proud of Leah – congratulations. She was happy she met Leah’s mom. She was much smarter; not like Ramona thought she was. In her interview, Leah says, Ramona doesn’t mean to be one of the rudest people in the world. She has no awareness of how socially awkward she is. Even when she tries to compliment you, she disses you.
Dorinda says she’s 55, she can’t wait too long, and LuAnn says, 55 never looked so beautiful. Dorinda says, every face there means so much to her. They’ve laughed and cried with her, and she’s blessed to call all of them friends. The best present is in front of her. LuAnn says she loves Dorinda, and Sonja tells Dorinda to stop worrying about them, and enjoy herself. Dorinda says Sonja has too many apps open on her phone; her phone is dying. LuAnn tells them to get off their phones, reminding Dorinda of how she got on their cases about that in Mexico. We flash back to that, and LuAnn tells Dorinda, it’s not her problem. Dorinda says she’s closing the apps for Sonja, and Ramona tells Dorinda, don’t raise her voice because – wait for it – it’s her birthday. Nothing has ever made less sense coming from Ramona, and that’s saying a lot. LuAnn says Dorinda is yelling at her. In Dorinda’s interview, she says LuAnn rides her hard. LuAnn watches her closely, but it’s her party. She’ll phone if she wants to. She tells LuAnn to stay out of it.
Dorinda says her phone is turned off, and in her bag, which is what you do at a dinner party. Ramona babbles, and tells Dorinda to chill. In Ramona’s interview, she says, even at Dorinda’s own party, she’s snapping at someone. Ramona tells a random guy, it’s not healthy emotionally. They’ve been trying to figure out how to help, but Dorinda doesn’t want to recognize the problem. This is beyond socially awkward, and not what you do at someone’s birthday party. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, Ramona has nothing going on in her life, so this is what Ramona is stuck on. It’s kind of sad. John wants to make a toast, and Dorinda tells him to keep it short. He says everyone there are all dear friends, family, and loved ones, and they’re fortunate to be so close for so many years. They’ll have a special bond for a lifetime. Dorinda says he’ll always have a seat at her table, no matter what. He’s in her family. In her interview, Dorinda says she’s proud that John had the confidence to give a toast, and it was sincere. It shows she did it. It’s what she wanted to achieve tonight, and she feels positive.
LuAnn takes the mic, and says she and Dorinda met on the dance floor of a bar mitzvah. Huh? What? Really? In Leah’s interview, she says, LuAnn will always find a mic, no matter where they are. LuAnn says they had a connection, and danced the night away. They never lost the embrace, and they’ve been friends ever since. She relates to Dorinda, and supports and loves her. In Ramona’s interview, she says, LuAnn is going on forever. I tell Ramona, STFU. In Sonja’s interview, she wonders if they’re going down Memory Lane with LuAnn at Dorinda’s party. Ramona, who can never contain herself, tells LuAnn that she’s ruining the party; it’s about Dorinda, not her. This is not a cabaret show. LuAnn says if it makes Ramona feel better, she’s winding it up. I wonder how everyone allows Ramona to dictate what should happen at their parties. LuAnn sings Happy Birthday, and in Leah’s interview, she says, it’s a sh*t show. LuAnn gets up, and in Dorinda’s interview, she says, it never fails. LuAnn is so on cue. Dorinda thinks she pops out at birthday parties all over NYC, at clambakes, car washes… It’s like something out of a Saturday Night Live skit. I’m sure all of them are right, but Dorinda did tell LuAnn to bring her happy birthday voice, so… They all sing and I’m sad. In her interview, Dorinda says a little bit of vodka, a red room, great music, her girls from New York. They all like each other. It’s the ultimate reason they’ve been together for so long . She and John dance, and John complains about having to sit hear Ramona. He says he needs a shot.
Next time, LuAnn goes to the recording studio, drag queen Bingo happens, and LuAnn says happy-effing-holidays.
🏯 Goodbye, Bluestone Manor…
And all holidays Dorinda. Since sources conflict as to whether she was fired or she decided to go, maybe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. If she was fired, especially for drinking, it would be pretty hypocritical, since Bravo keeps the booze free and always available. For sure Dorinda has issues, and they aren’t excuses, but everyone deserves a chance. I had to fire someone as a friend for being a mean drunk, so I can get it, but I hadn’t exploited displayed her issues on TV for all to see. Or give her free liquor. Take your pick of sides.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Jason thanks Epiphany for coming, and she says she didn’t have a choice. One minute, she’s informed that Jason checked out against doctor’s orders, and the next there’s a car waiting for her and it drives her here. What’s going on? He says one of her patients needs help. She sees Taggert lying on a bed.
Sonny looks in on Ned and Brook. Olivia says she’d asked to be notified when Brook woke up. Thank God she was there when Brook opened eyes. Sonny hopes Brook knows something about Wiley’s abduction, and Olivia says she prays Brook can help find him.
Ned tells Brook, don’t try to talk; just listen. He loves her, and was praying she’d wake up, so he could make sure she knows. He’s sorry for saying the things he said, and throwing her out of the house. He was wrong. She’s his daughter, and he loves her. That’s all that matters now. Brook flashes back to telling Nelle that she’s going to call the cops, and that Nelle is going back to prison where she belongs.
Nina and Willow play backgammon. Nina asks how it’s going for Willow at the Quartermaines. Is the bickering driving her crazy? Willow says, it’s not too terrible. They’re still on their best behavior, and trying not to shock her. Wouldn’t it be nice if the worst thing she had to worry about was the Quartermaines bickering? The doorbell rings, and Nina says she’ll get that. It’s Jax, who says he thought he’d find Nina there. Willow comes out, and he asks if there’s any news about Wiley. She says there’s an update on the alert with Nelle’s alias.
Michael says, Nelle was just waiting for a chance to snatch Wiley and run. She doesn’t love Wiley. She doesn’t know the meaning of the word love, and sees Wiley as a prize, not a child. The moment Wiley becomes a burden, God knows what she’ll do.
Chase tells his men to keep the patrol on the backroads, and roads going to the northern border. Sasha comes into the station, and says she heard about Nelle taking Wiley. Chase says someone broke into the Quartermaine mansion, chloroformed Monica, and Wiley was stolen. She tells Michael, she’s so sorry. Michael says they’re going to find him. They have to.
The woman tells Nelle, her little boy is a cutie. What’s his name? Nelle says, Will, and I still can’t believe for such a scheming manipulator, she couldn’t come up with something that wasn’t so close to his real name. She tells the woman, he’s a light sleeper, and the car is the only thing that will keep him sleeping. She gets in the car, and the woman tells her, keep below 30. The roads are marked, but there are blind turns. If she goes more than two miles, she’s missed the Occidental, and will have to turn around or drive for hours. Nelle says she’ll look out for it, and pulls out. The woman says, if you miss it, hon, you’ll be driving all night. Her wrist thing beeps, and she says, dear Lord, another alert about some poor missing… Oh my God. It was her. She knows it’s that poor little boy.
Sasha says she saw the alert, and asks if Willow is there, but Michael says she’s at home. He said he’d call if anything came up, but so far, there hasn’t been anything. An officer found Nelle’s cell phone in the bushes a few feet away from the car. She’d abandoned it, but if she’s kept a tracker on the car, it could indicate where they’re going or who’s helping her.
Sonny asks Olivia if there’s been any word on Dante, but she says, no. He still hasn’t reached out. Sonny says, he will. Someday when he’s healed. She says she believes that, and Sonny says he believes Dante may be struggling, but he’s strong, and won’t give up on the people he loves or himself. Olivia says, he’s right. Dante is strong, and will never give up. Now there’s Brook.
Ned tells Brook, Olivia tried to tell him that the family isn’t a corporation. He knows that, of course (🍷). He allowed himself to lose sight of that, and got caught up in ELQ and his decisions. He lost track of the most important thing int the world – his child. He was wrong, and couldn’t bear it if her last memory of him was shutting the door in her face. Brook flashes back to saying she can’t wait for Nelle to be hauled off in front of all the people at the Nurses Ball and the viewers at home. She remembers Nelle knocking the phone out of her hand, and her saying, no worries. Mac is there, and can arrest her himself. Nelle picks up the shears when Brook’s back is turned, and says she’s sorry, and asks Brook to pretend she didn’t see or hear her. Brook says, save it, bitch. She’s messed with her last Quartermaine. Ned tells Brook, what he’s trying to say is, he’s sorry. Brook gets distressed, and he asks if she’s okay. He tells her to lie still, goes to the hallway, and asks for somebody to get a doctor. Olivia runs off.
Epiphany says Taggert’s blood pressure is stabilized, and his blood loss isn’t severe. He’s a lucky man. Jason asks if she’s going to report it to the police, but she says, how is she supposed to report the shooting of a dead man? Jason guesses Taggert faked his death to protect his family from Cyrus, and she says, how is she supposed to know? He says Taggert couldn’t have pulled it off without help. He knows it must have been difficult for her to talk to Trina, who was grieving when Taggert wasn’t dead, but he also knows she wouldn’t have supported it without good reason. He’s grateful. She says, good. He’s come to her from time to time over the years, like tonight, requesting her help, no questions asked. The point is, he’s not the only one with secrets. She respects his privacy, and expects him to respect hers. What she knew, what she did, and why she did it, is her business, not his. He says, understood, and she says she’s given him a lot of leeway. Mostly because she knows if she ever needs him, he’ll be there, no questions asked. She asks if his driver is waiting, and Jason says, he’s outside. She says, good. She expects he’ll make sure Taggert finds a way safely out of Port Charles. He says, yes, and she says he did good calling her. At the door, she almost says something else, but keeps going. I’m really hoping they give Epiphany more storyline soon. I’ve been waiting for an eternity.
Ned tells Brook, don’t try to talk. There will be plenty of time after, when she’s healed. Sonny comes in, and says, they can take the girl out of Brooklyn, but they can’t take Brooklyn out of the girl. Ned tells him not to cause Brook any stress. They’ll find out later who did this when she’s stronger. Olivia suggests they wait until the doctor has a chance to look at her. Sonny approaches Brook’s bed, and says he doesn’t want to bother her, but his grandson Wiley was kidnapped. She doesn’t have to talk. Just nod her head, yes or no. Was it Nelle who attacked her? She nods.
Nina says, it must have been Nelle, and Willow says they know the attack happened backstage. Nelle was supposed to perform, but never did. Brook probably overheard or tried to stop her. Jax says, there’s a possibility it’s not related, and tells them not to jump to conclusions. Willow says, at least Brook is at the hospital, surrounded by family and an expert medical staff. Wiley is all alone with Nelle, and she’s gotten a head start. Jax says, she’s traveling with a toddler, and has to stop for gas, food, and to change diapers. There’s a missing child alert, and he doesn’t think it will be long before someone puts two and two together. It’s just a matter of time.
Chase says, Nelle’s phone is locked. He’ll have a tech look at it. Michael asks how long it will take, and Chase says, there’s no way to predict. Michael says, let him look. Chase is hesitant, but Michael says, when you live with someone, you get to know them and what matters to them. Let him try.
Nelle tells Wiley, that woman never shut up. The sacrifices she makes for him. At least she told them out to get back on the highway, and she’s gotten him away from Michael and Willow. They deserve each other, but they don’t deserve him. He belongs with her.
Michael says, please, and I say, oh come on, Chase. Chase hands over the phone, and Michael messes with it. Carly comes in, and sees Sasha. She thanks Sasha for being concerned about Wiley, and Sasha says, Wiley is a wonderful little boy. She doesn’t think she’s cut out to be a stepmom, even if things didn’t unfold like they did, but she cares about him and Michael. Michael is a good person, and a good dad. Carly says she knows what it cost for Sasha to make sure Michael got custody, and Sasha says she prays to God it all works out.
Michael tells Chase, no good. He could have sworn it was Wiley’s birthday. Chase says, careful. A few more tries and he’ll get locked out.
Ned tells Sonny, sorry; he didn’t know. Olivia wonders why Nelle would attack Brook, and Sonny says, she tried to call Michael before the attack. He’s sorry to bother her, but is that why she tried to call? Brook nods, and Sonny says, to warn him about Nelle? She nods again, and Sonny asks, is that why Nelle tried to silence her? She nods, and looks like she wants to cry. Sonny asks if there’s anything more, and she nods. He asks for a pencil and paper, and Olivia gives it to Brook. Sonny says, she can do it, and Brook is shaky, but tries to write.
Brook has hard time writing, and Epiphany comes in. She asks, what’s going on? What are they all doing there? The doctor with her says, everyone out. Sonny says give him one minute, but Epiphany says, him too. Brook is in ICU for a reason. Visitors will have to wait. They leave, and the doctor tells Brook, he’s Dr. Fisher. He did her surgery. She’s a tough patient. She did great, but has to give herself time to recover. He can’t stress enough not to try and speak. She could do greater harm to her vocal chords. Understand? She nods.
In the interrogation room, Michael says, Nelle’s birthday didn’t work, and Chase tells him, think hard before he tries again. Sonny calls, and Carly asks how Brook is. He says, awake, but the doctors say she can’t talk yet. He asked her if Nelle was the one who attacked her, and she confirmed it. Carly says she’ll put him on speaker. Chase asks if there are any details, and Sonny says, Brook seems to know more, but can’t communicate it.
Olivia calls Willow, and asks how she’s holding up. She heard about Wiley. Willow says she’s hanging in, but how is Brook? Olivia says, she pulled through and she’s awake. Willow says, that’s wonderful news. She knows Olivia and Ned must be relieved. Olivia says, they are, but brace herself. Brook confirmed Nelle attacked her. Willow says, at least they know now for sure. Olivia says, she’s not alone, is she? and Willow says, no. Nina and Jax are there. Olivia says, good. She’ll let Willow know as soon as they know. Willow thanks her for calling, and Nina asks about Brook. Willow says, Brook was able to confirm that Nelle attacked her. She didn’t realize it until this minute, but deep down, she was hoping Nelle wasn’t this desperate or vicious. Nina says she doesn’t know if this will be a comfort, but she knows Nelle wouldn’t hurt her own child. She might hurt someone who tries to take him, but not Wiley himself. Jax says he’ll go to the hospital and see what he can find out. Willow says she appreciates it, and he says he’ll do what he can. Stay calm. Nina walks him to the door, and says, thank you for that. He says, absolutely. He’s there to support her, Michael, and Willow. He’ll do what he can to bring Wiley back to the people who love him. Inside, Willow looks at pictures of Wiley on her phone.
The woman calls the PCPD hotline, and says she saw the kidnapper. She spoke to her for about ten minutes, and saw the little boy in the back of the car. Nelle was pulled over on Schoolhouse Road outside of Clarksfield. She says she’ll wait, but hurry. Nelle’s been gone at least 20 minutes.
Nelle pulls over, and says, they’re here. She gets out of the car.
Sonny calls Jason, and asks where he is. Jason says he’s at the safe house outside of Telegraph Road. Sonny asks, what’s going on? and Jason says he has a situation, but it’s not urgent. He asks if there’s an update, but Sonny says, not yet. There’s a wide net, but his people haven’t found anything. What about Spinelli? Jason says Spinelli tracked Nelle’s phone to where she last used it, on Pier 55, but there was no signal. Sonny wonders if she could be traveling by boat, but Jason says the alert was updated, and she’s in a car. Sonny asks if Jason wants to tell him about the situation, but Jason says he’s handling it. Sonny says he has to go; Michael and Carly are there. Sonny asks Michael if there’s any news, and Michael says Chase found Nelle’s cell phone. He says he needs to talk to Brook, and leaves. Sonny tells Carly that he talked to Jason. She asks if he has a lead, and he says, it’s not about Wiley, but he has something going on.He’s at a safe house, and said he has a situation, but he knows what he’s doing. It must be important or he’d be looking for Wiley. Carly suggests Sonny go help Jason.
Willow looks at pictures of Wiley, and Nina wonders if she can ask a question about Charlotte. Willow says, okay, and Nina asks what she thinks about Charlotte as a student. Willow says, Charlotte is extremely bright; it helps that she’s bilingual. She’s curious, articulate, inventive, and good at synthesizing information. Academically, she could skip ahead, but socially she should stay in a regular class. She’s been somewhat isolated, and it’s good for her to be around regular kids. Nina says, they all need friends, right? The doorbell rings, and Nina says, it might be Jax. She runs to the door, but it’s Sasha. Sasha and Willow lock eyes.
Nelle says, good thing she remembered where the key was hidden. Michael and his family will be looking, but they’ll never think of looking there.
Chase tells Epiphany he needs to speak to Brook, but Epiphany says, she’s resting, and shouldn’t be disturbed. She walks away, and Michael messes with Nelle’s phone. Chase says, any luck? but Michael says, no. Chase says two more tries and they’re locked out for good. Chase looks at his phone, and says, there’s been a possible Nelle and Wiley sighting outside town. He tells Michael to stay, and let him know if he cracks the password. He’ll be in touch. He leaves, and Michael looks in on Brook. She raises her hand, and he tells the guard that he’s going to check out his cousin. He goes into the room, and Brook smiles. He closes the door, and sits next to her bed. He says he’s so sorry this happened to her. He’s sorry he brought Nelle into their lives. He’s sure Brook tried to stop her, and thanks her for that. She flashes back to Nelle telling Julian about the tracker in the kangaroo. She whispers to Michael, Nelle has a tracker in the wallaby.
Sonny arrives at the safe house, and asks Jason to tell him about the situation. Jason says, see for himself. Sonny goes inside, and sees Taggert. He asks, how the hell is he alive?
Sasha says she saw the alert, and went to the PCPD. Michael was there, and said Willow was waiting at home. She didn’t want Willow to be alone, but obviously she’s not. Willow says it was kind of Sasha to check on her, and Sasha says she’s so sorry. Whatever Willow thinks of her, never in million years did she think this would happen. Willow says, no one did.
The woman tells Chase, that’s her. She recognized her as soon as she saw the alert. He asks, how was the child? and she says, snug in his car seat, fast asleep. He asks if there were any signs of distress, but she says, he was sleeping the whole time. She gave Nelle directions to get back on the highway, since her GPS wasn’t working on her phone. He says, she had a phone? and the woman says the reception stinks there. Chase asks if she said anything about where they were going, but the woman says Nelle just asked how to get back to the highway. She told Nelle to turn right, but she was in a hurry. If she missed the turn, she could still be driving around there.
Nelle tells Wiley, it’s Michael’s fault. He let Carly come against her time and again. He believed Carly, and took her side. One more person to betray her and lie to her.
Michael tells Brook that he has Nelle’s cell phone. She dropped it next to the car, and the police recovered it. Is she telling him that Nelle installed an app to keep track of Wiley? Brook nods. He says he tried to guess the password, and only has one more try. He’s tried Nelle and Wiley’s birthdays, and Wiley’s name. Apparently Michael knows Nelle isn’t very creative. He says he knows it has to be something about her, and thinks back to when they were together. He remembers telling Nelle that he’s sorry about what happened, but grateful she saved his sister. Nelle says she prefers to think of her scar as a birthmark. From that moment on, she was reborn, and it led her to him. Her life started over on March 21st, 2011. Michael tells Brook, Nelle thought her new birthday was the day before Josslyn’s transplant. He tries it, and the phone opens. He looks at Brook.
Michael says he can’t thank Brook enough for the lead in finding his son. Ned asks what Michael is doing there; Brook is supposed to rest. Michael says he saw her trying to get out of bed, and Olivia says, you know Brook; she always leaps before she looks. Michael tells Brook to take care of herself. He’ll take care everything else. In the hallway, Epiphany tells the guard, there you are. She understands he has a job to do, but so do they, and theirs takes precedence. Michael slips away.
Sonny asks Jason how he found Taggert, and Jason says he was tracking Nelle’s cell phone to Pier 55. She wasn’t there, but Taggert was lying on the ground, bleeding. He called Epiphany, who showed up, no questions asked. She wasn’t expecting to see Taggert, but didn’t seem surprised that he was alive. Sonny asks if she told him who helped, and Jason says she told him it was her business, and not his. Sonny says, she couldn’t have done this alone. He’s sure Jordan is in on it, but why did Taggert go through all this trouble just to come back? Taggert wakes up, and says, what the hell? How is the girl? Sonny asks, what girl? and Taggert says, on the pier. A guy was going to shoot her. Sonny asks him to focus. What is he trying to tell them?
Jax sees Carly at the hospital, and thanks her for meeting him. He didn’t want to intrude on the family. He asks how she’s holding up, and she says she’s trying. Nelle has done so much damage. He asks if she’s seen Brook, but she says, not yet. Sonny had to leave, so she was making phone calls to make sure everything is okay at home. Jax asks how Josslyn is, and Carly says, she’s still with Trina. She’s praying Wiley is brought home safe before Josslyn knows he’s gone.
Sasha says she should go. Let her know if she can do anything. Willow says, say a prayer, think good thoughts. Sometimes their faith is all they have. Sasha says she’s got it, and leaves. Nina says, well that was weird. Willow doesn’t hate Sasha? Willow says, actually, she misses having Sasha as a friend.
Carly sees Olivia, and says she’s so sorry this happened. Jax asks how Brook is, and Olivia says, she’s already stronger. Ned is in with her. Carly asks if she saw Michael and Chase. They were supposed to talk to Brook. Olivia says she hasn’t seen Chase in a while, but Michael was visiting with Brook. They had to kick everyone out, since she’s supposed to be resting. Carly asks if Olivia talked to Michael, and she says, not really, but he did say something weird. He told Brook to take care of herself, and said he’ll take care of everything else.
Sonny asks if Taggert remembers what happened at the pier. Taggert says he was supposed to meet a launch that would take him to a freighter. But when he got close, he saw a man holding a women at gunpoint. Jason asks if he got a look at the man, but he says, it was dark; he only had time to react. He grabbed the man from behind, and they struggled for the gun. He lost. All he remembers after that is Jason showing up. Sonny says they’ll revisit that later. Right now, he just wants to know, how the hell is Taggert still alive?
Ned promises Brook that the police will find Nelle, and make her pay. If they don’t, he’ll hire people to track Nelle to the ends of the earth. Olivia says the important thing is that Brook beat Nelle; she survived, and she’s going to heal. Chase calls, and says he wants to ask Brook some questions. The medication is wearing off, so she should be able to use a tablet or write. Dr. Fisher says, it’s essential that she try not to speak. Any attempt could damage her vocal chords. Olivia tells Brook to rest; get all the sleep she can. Brook nods, tearing up, and Olivia says, don’t cry. Everything will be okay. Ned says she’ll be good as new in no time.
Chase calls all units, telling them that he’s outside of Clarksfield. He give them Nelle’s alias and the license plate number, saying she was last seen on Route 73. He describes Wiley, and tells them, approach with caution. She’s a convicted killer, and considered dangerous.
Outside, Sasha takes out a small bag of coke.
Nina says, Willow has let go of resentment. What’s her secret, and can Willow teach her? Willow says she feels betrayed, and hasn’t forgiven them, but she doesn’t think they did it with malice. They were weak and hurting, and overwhelmed by the situation. They made a wrong choice. Nina tells her, the same could be said about what Sasha did to her. Valentin can be overwhelming, and probably convinced Sasha that they weren’t doing any harm. The ironic part is, she misses Sasha, even after knowing Sasha’s not her daughter.
Nelle fingers her half-heart necklace. She says Wiley is worn out. He’s sound asleep, but she can’t blame him. She can barely keep her eyes open. They need to leave early to avoid the police. She digs in her bag for something, and pulls out the kangaroo.
Carly looks at her phone.
In the car, Michael follows the tracker. His phone rings, but he ignores it. He says, sorry, mom. I’m coming, buddy. Dad’s coming.
Nelle asks why she brought this stupid thing. She takes out the tracker, and says they had it on them the whole time.
Tomorrow, Curtis tells Jordan that he doesn’t want any secrets between them, Josslyn says the only person Cameron is different around is Trina, Carly says Michael found Nelle, and Michael asks Nelle where his son is.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Ugh.
Kyle and Sutton work on a collaboration. In her interview, Kyle says, Sutton has the right clientele.
Garcelle finally found a director for her movie, and meets her team for drinks. Director Amy Barrett says, it’s the kind of movie that needs to get made. In Garcelle’s interview, she says, it’s called Split Marriage, and it’s a psychological thriller. Garcelle tells them, let’s make a kick ass movie, and they clink glasses.
Party planner Nick Pary meets with Dorit to plan a housewarming/Christmas/whatever party. In her interview, Dorit says she’s dealt with a lot of BS. We see a headline that questions them being able to afford a $6 million house. She asks, what do people want The Real Tax Returns of Beverly Hills? Her kids enjoy every space in the house, and she feels that it’s a happy home. She talks to PK and Nick about integrating the party with the people. PK wonders if the illusionist can make Dorit’s friends disappear, and Dorit suggests he make her husband disappear. The planner is staying out of it. Dorit wants everyone to come together, and bury the hatchet. Good luck with that. In her interview, she says, two years ago, she and LisaR weren’t in a good place. We flash back to them making up, and Dorit says, now LisaR is one of her best friends. She knows LisaR and Denise are at odds, but she believes they can get through anything. She tells PK that Denise never ended up coming last time, then Brandi showed up. As Denise’s friend, she feels responsible to challenge what Brandi has said, and Brandi is telling them to look at the texts on her phone. PK says, that’s not a friend, and Dorit tells him to let her finish, but she’s lost her train of thought. PK says he’s a great listener. Is he supposed to just nod? She says, that’s what people do. She thinks it’s important that Denise be able to tell her side. PK says he has no interest in getting involved. Don’t bring him in. He only gets involved if Dorit is being attacked. Dorit says, for the first time in a long time, it’s not her, and he says, keep it that way.
Teddi and LisaR call Erika in New York. She’s at the theatre, and LisaR says, it’s the role of a lifetime. Which she ought to know, since she did it 18 years ago. In Erika’s interview, she says she’s back in New York, walking to work like she used to when she was 18 with her backpack. She sees a poster for the show on a receptacle, and says, you know you’ve made it when you’re on a trashcan. She asks if everything is okay, and LisaR says, the party was an intense moment. Teddi says Erika left at just the right moment. Erika wonders what happened, and LisaR says she and Denise talked and texted a few times. She told Denise about the party, and Denise said she’d see her there. In LisaR’s interview, she says she’s torn. She wants to be a good friend, but now thinks maybe Denise is the sh*tty friend. She made her bed, she has to sleep in it. Even if it’s felled with nails and snakes. Don’t give me ideas. Already my blood pressure is going up.
PK models some outfits for Dorit. After seeing a particularly loud jacket, Dorit says, maybe not tonight… or ever.
Kyle tells her glam squad that her sister is coming. She had her boobs redone, and her teeth done. Now they have to find her a nice husband. One of the squad says Kim has no problem attracting men, and Kyle says, she has seven or eight engagement rings. Um… Isn’t the usual practice to only keep the ring if the other person breaks up with you?
Everyone gets glam. I sleep through this part.
Garcelle waits with Michael outside Denise’s hotel. Garcelle says, Denise is nervous. Some of the girls (cough) had it out for her, so they decided to arrive together. She thinks Denise feels vulnerable with the group ganging up on her. They’ll probably have a few shots in the car. She has Denise’s back, no matter what. That’s what friendship means to her.
Dorit loves the party set-up, and talks to René, her pyro for tonight; he’s taking care of the candles. I didn’t even know you could hire people for that. LisaR says the place is gorgeous, and PK asks her to try his new non-alcoholic champagne. He thinks it will be a huge hit. She tells him it’s good, but in her interview, she doesn’t own it, and says, champagne with no alcohol is like sex without an orgasm. What’s the point? Have water. Can this woman even be more of a self-centered a-hole? Dorit points out that the name of it is L’astuce, which means trick in French. She says they wanted to have it on time for the baby shower, and Teddi says, it’s good. The morally corrupt Faye Resnick shows up, and LisaR babbles about naming her wig. In her interview, she forces us to listen to stories about her wigs, and tells us their names. Adrienne arrives, and I’m loving what Sutton is wearing. It’s weird, hard to explain, and I couldn’t find a picture. She was dragged on social media for it, but I love crazy clothes.
Garcelle keeps trying to call Denise, and says she’s starving. Michael asks if she didn’t eat, and Garcelle says only some chicken wings a friend brought her. She loves them; it’s so Black of her. Michael says she’s getting animated while she’s talking about it, and says he should see how animated she gets when she talks diamonds. He asks if she wants to talk diamonds, and she laughs. In her interview, Garcelle says she’s feeling like she’s ready to have a relationship. She didn’t have sex for seven years after her divorce. She didn’t trust, and didn’t think she was capable of letting someone in. And she didn’t. She was tight as hell. She tells Michael, her calls are going right to voicemail, and he says, that’s what happens when your phone is off.
PK tells everyone that his wife has something to say. Kyle says, that’s a shocker. Dorit welcomes everyone to her new home, and says, it’s a very special night. Phoenix pops out and asks why she’s being loud, and she explains she’s projecting her voice. Phoenix tells her to whisper it, and Dorit says, mommy teaches well. They have a nice treat, a world-renowned illusionist and mentalist. She introduces Simon Winthrop, and he makes Teddi’s ring disappear. Too bad he couldn’t make Teddi disappear.
Still no Denise, and Garcelle suggests they just go and see if she shows. She gets it if Denise doesn’t want to be there, but don’t leave them hanging. Garcelle says, if Denise is there, she’s going to kill her.
Simon makes a cigarette float in the air. He’s no David Blaine, but then again, he’s not harassing the women at the party either. Garcelle and Michael arrive, and LisaR states the obvious, saying Denise isn’t with them. No. She’s hiding in Garcelle’s purse. What an ass LisaR is. Garcelle says Denise was supposed to meet them, and was a no show. Her calls are going straight to voicemail. Dorit says, maybe she’s going to be late, but Garcelle says she would have returned a text or taken her calls. Dorit says Garcelle missed the magic act. In asshat LisaR’s interview, she says, it’s strange how Denise never showed, yet she reached out, asking if LisaR was going to be there, and saying they needed to work through stuff. She said, of course she’ll be there. LisaR tells the others, Denise had asked if she was dressing up, and said she was going with Garcelle. Garcelle asks if Dorit is okay, and Dorit says her heart is racing. This woman could get nervous over a snail race. LisaR says either Denise’s phone is off or she’s been blocked. Dorit says Denise just texted her last night. In Dorit’s interview, she says, Denise has no problem facing people. When Dorit had a problem with Camille, Denise was supportive. LisaR says, Denise isn’t coming, and Garcelle says Denise stood her up; that’s not okay. At least say something. In her interview, Garcelle says she’s sure Denise has a reason for not showing, but she’s been there for Denise, and Denise should value the friendship. She asks if Brandi was invited, but Dorit says she’s not even friends with Brandi. On the side, Garcelle tells Michael they’ll have to go to In & Out Burger. I’m not sure why, since there’s food, but maybe Garcelle isn’t keen on the menu. Garcelle recognizes a server from Kyle’s party, and we flash back to her calling him a tall drink of water. Chocolate Michael talks to Sutton’s boyfriend Michael, saying he and Garcelle are talking about a proposal. Michael #2 says, don’t tell Sutton. Chocolate Michael says, it’s not often both people are on the same page at the same time.
Dorit says Camille phoned her out of the blue last night. She has no desire of any kind to have a relationship with Camille. Sh*tty friend LisaR says, someone saw Denise and Camille together. We see a clip of Denise telling Camille, no matter what she says, they don’t believe her, and Camille saying, now Denise knows what she went through. Denise says, she’s going to be seeing them tomorrow. Camille says she hopes Denise is prepared. In LisaR’s interview, she wonders why Denise would want to reach out to Camille. We flash back to Denise getting in Camille’s face, yelling, back off, and LisaR says, Camille will jump on anyone’s bandwagon. This coming from the one who has admitted she’ll do anything for money/exposure. She says, you could manipulate Camille wearing a blindfold and a ball in your mouth. No comment. Too easy. Brandi comes in with Kim, and Garcelle says, there you have it. Dorit says, oh my goodness gracious, and in her interview, she says, thank God Denise isn’t here, but holy sh*t. She and Brandi aren’t in the best of places, and this girl is at her house. She didn’t know Brandi was Kim’s plus one. Hmmm… maybe Kim is the one from the group Brandi was talking about. They seem to be joined at the hip. Kim yaps about how great her boobs are since her implants were taken out, and Kyle pokes at them. Kim asks Mauricio to touch her side boob, and dumb as a box of rocks Kyle seconds that request, but Mauricio wisely declines. Brandi asks if Denise is there, and Sutton says, no, but they need to work this out. In Sutton’s interview, she says she’s known Denise for years. They go to the same skincare specialist, and see each other socially on occasion. She’s not worried about anyone saying she had sex with them. Look at her. I’m not sure what that means. She’s too good for everyone, or she’s no one anybody would brag about having sex with? She tells Brandi, maybe one day she’ll learn not to say stuff, but Brandi says, that’s not happening. Kim can’t stop touching her own boobs. Dorit is surprised Denise didn’t come, and Brandi says she sent Denise a text. Putting paramedics on speed dial for when I have my stroke. Brandi says she assumed Denise would be there, so she was giving her a heads up. Kyle asks if Brandi has talked to Denise, and Brandi says she has. First, Denise called her a liar, and then asked wtf she was doing. In Garcelle’s interview, she says she doesn’t want to see any texts. She wants to believe Denise. She wants Denise to show up with all the tea, and know she’s vindicated with the truth. She chooses to believe Denise because she’s Denise’s friend. The women throw ice cubes in the pool like they did with coins in the Trevi fountain. Brandi acts like she’s in the opening credits already.
Remember how I said the texts Brandi produced didn’t sound like Denise, but sounded like Brandi? Well, I remember, and when Brandi goes over to the women, she says, hey, pretty ladies. That was in her text, supposedly from Denise. Maybe I’m delusional, but I’m telling you, Denise is right. Brandi made this sh*t up. And there are several apps for that.
15 minutes later. Another sh*tty thing happens. As Garcelle is getting in her car, a producer pops his head in, and tells Garcelle that they got a text from Aaron saying there was a family emergency. He says Garcelle was defending her and now Denise bails on her. Garcelle says, that’s not cool. W. T. F. ? Producers are now blatantly manipulating situations on the show? I always knew the pot was stirred behind the scenes, but do they just not care anymore?
Garcelle meets LisaR at a restaurant, and supreme phony LisaR says, it’s a nice surprise; meeting for a Christmas drink. Garcelle says her favorite drink there is called Emotionally Unavailable. LisaR thinks she’s joking, but it’s a real thing. LisaR asks if Garcelle is going to be there for Christmas, and Garcelle says she’s been on so many flights, she just wants to be home. She’s still unpacking from the move, and just wants to nest. Dorit joins them, and Garcelle asks where Dorit’s kids were at the party; in the basement? Dorit says Garcelle didn’t make it for the beginning, still not answering the question, and Garcelle says, waiting for Denise, her mind went straight to the worst. Dorit says she never heard anything, then Denise messaged her the following day, saying, sorry she missed last night; they’ll talk soon. She says, but Denise and Garcelle are friends. Garcelle says Denise reached out (holy! I have never once said a friend reached out, and they say it every five minutes) on Sunday, but she had people over, and couldn’t go into it in depth. Denise said she didn’t want Garcelle to have to lie for her, so she didn’t call. She’d told the producers there was a family emergency. Dorit says, so there was no family emergency? In her interview, Garcelle says, it’s like a jigsaw puzzle. She’s not sure where the pieces go, or what’s real or not. Garcelle says Denise wanted to get together, but she had the feeling things were going to fall apart, and they did. We see a clip of Garcelle going to meet Denise, and Denise calling, saying she got hung up, and can’t make it. She suggests dinner over the holidays with their men. Garcelle mumbles that she came all the way up there. Dorit says, it’s sad, and Garcelle says she’s been Denise’s friend. Dorit says, it feels tricky, and in her interview, says it feels manipulative, and she wonders what’s real. LisaR wonders why Denise reached out to her, but says she’s still there for Denise.
This show is going to make me gain weight. I need a constant stream of cookies while watching. The sad part is, I used to look forward to it. LVP, glimpses of Giggy, even Brandi when she was just an a-hole and still seemed like she might learn how to be a decent human.
LisaR says Garcelle has proven she’s Denise’s friend, but wonders why Denise reached out to her. We flash back to Garcelle telling Denise that LisaR is different today from the LisaR she knew. It feels like she’s the bad guy in their movie. Dorit says, that’s deflecting, apparently not understanding the definition, and asks if Denise thinks she’s able to control the narrative through the press. LisaR says, Denise has done it her whole life. Evidently, LisaR is now owning it for other people. She says Denise didn’t show on Saturday, and the first post on her social media was from Aaron of her in a hospital bed with hernias. It’s called a sympathy post. It happened three months ago, and it conveniently looks like she’s still recovering, but that’s not the truth. Dorit doesn’t know if it’s strategic, and LisaR says, of course it is. Garcelle finds it hard to believe, but LisaR says Denise was married to Charlie Sheen, and fought him in the press for 14 years with 14 different lawyers. They’ll all be portrayed as mean girls. She knows how the game works. If they don’t think Denise is capable of this, they’re effing crazy.
The text tells us that Denise sent a cease and desist letter to the cast and the producers. We see a January 8th headline that says Denise stopped filming. In Kyle’s interview, she says, you can’t get entangled with Brandi and think it’s going to be kept quiet. LisaR calls Kyle, and says they’ll probably never see Denise again. Kyle says she’s scared to show who she is. We see Denise driving, and she calls Aaron, saying she’s done with the shoot, but wants to stop by LisaR’s house. They talked on the phone. He asks how it went, and she says, not so good. He tells her, selfishly, he’d like to understand the thought process, and why Denise is being treated this way. Denise says she would too, and Aaron says, so ask her. We see a clip of her calling LisaR, and saying she’d like to talk in person. She asks if LisaR would be open to doing that, and LisaR says if Denise comes with an open mind and heart, she’ll be happy to. Denise says she’s not coming for a therapy session (snort), but as a friend. LisaR says Denise can’t beat her over the head for being a bad friend. Denise says she’s never done that, and LisaR whines, that’s how she feels, since she can’t possibly own it. Denise says, great. See her soon.
They hug, and Denise thanks LisaR for letting her come over; she’s missed LisaR. She asks what they can do to move past this. She asks if LisaR knew Brandi was going to be at the party, but LisaR says, no. Denise seems skeptical, and LisaR asks if Denise knew. Denise says she did; that’s why she didn’t show up. She didn’t want Brandi to create some Jerry-effing-Springer moment. A high horse trots out, and LisaR gets on it, saying, so there was no family emergency. Denise says, no, and LisaR hisses, that’s a lie. They were worried about her. Denise didn’t respond to her. Denise says she responded to Dorit and Garcelle, and LisaR says she doesn’t care about them. Denise says she didn’t get LisaR’s text, but LisaR pats her horse, says good boy, and claims she has a screen shot. Denise says, the reality is what it is, and LisaR says Denise lied. Whatever is going on isn’t her business… Denise says, there’s nothing going on. Why doesn’t LisaR believe her? LisaR says, to be honest (choke), she doesn’t know what to believe. She witnessed something that confused her. We flashed back to her hunger for looking at the texts Brandi had, and she tells Denise that it was a long text chain. Even if it was platonic, there was a relationship. Denise says she doesn’t care what Brandi has. Their interaction was limited. In Denise’s interview, she says there’s an app that can revise texts. She tells LisaR, whatever Brandi has, she doesn’t care. She’s only seen Brandi four times in her life. LisaR says she doesn’t buy that. It’s none of her business, but she doesn’t understand why Denise doesn’t ask Brandi why she’s doing this. Denise asks why she should engage with something like that, and LisaR asks if that’s how it goes away, by ignoring it? Denise says she’s dealt with other things, but doesn’t want to say how. LisaR says, by sending cease and desist letters? She knows Denise wanted the footage taken out. Denise asks who told LisaR that, but instead of owning it or being honest, LisaR creepily whispers, you’re so angry. Seriously, her face and tone aren’t just deflective, but disturbing. Denise says LisaR is playing dirty. Slanderous things have been said, and if they’d been about LisaR wouldn’t she send a cease and desist letter? LisaR doesn’t know, but she’s shown up and dealt with who she’s needed to. Denise says she has too. She wants to resolve this and move on. LisaR wants to know who’s being honest. Denise says she’s had to explain to her kids that stuff was said that’s not true, but they have to hold their heads high and move past it. They can’t let it take them down. It’s actually been a lesson she’s talked to her kids about. LisaR says, that’s positive, because she’s a twit, and Denise says it’s not a conversation she wants to have with them. LisaR says there are a lot of conversations they don’t want to have with their kids. In her interview, Denise says it’s not the first time their family has been in the press, but they have to rise above it holding their heads high. If she didn’t have a solid marriage, it might be a different situation. In LisaR’s interview, she says neither one of them is changing their point of view. They’ll have to agree to disagree, which puts a dead end on their friendship, since LisaR doesn’t understand how to actually be a friend. She says, it’s sad. LisaR says she’s always been there for Denise, and still will be if she wants her too. Denise says same with her, but I’m guessing these two are never going to talk again when this season is over.
Sutton gives everyone a private jet ride to NYC. She tells the others that she got a text from Denise that said, have fun. LisaR wonders who wouldn’t want to be on a private jet going to see Erika in Chicago. If you don’t, you need to work on your life. I guess I’d better start working on mine. Thanks for the enlightenment. They meet Erika, and it’s all hugs and kisses. In Erika’s interview, she says, nothing worth having is easy. She’s always kept her eye on the prize. What great thing is next? I dunno. Covid-19? The text says, Erika earned rave reviews, then we see a video where Erika is in an empty theater, looking downcast. She says, no audience. So this is how it ends. The text says Covid shut down the theatre two months after Erika started, and she went home to Tom.
Garcelle tells us, she’d say to that little girl living in Haiti, don’t be scared, even though things aren’t right and they’re hurtful. The text tells us that she wasn’t so sweet on Chocolate Michael, and is on the hunt for a spicier guy.
Teddi says, like it or not, this is who she is. I pick not. The text says she had baby Dove, and is finding time to work off the baby weight. Zzzz…
Kyle says the pandemic has changed her thinking. She’s been analyzing the things she can’t live without – people and things. Articulate as ever. The text tells us her fashion line is being sold online, and her loungewear is selling big during quarantine.
In Denise’s interview, she says there are a few sides to her. You can be a wild thing, and be a protective mom at the same time. The text tells us The Bold and the Beautiful was the first soap to return to filming. Due to restrictions, Aaron has been her stand-in during love scenes. I did read that shows are doing their best to have real life couples do the up close and personal romance.
We see LisaR acting like a jerk on Instagram, and she says, you can’t sweep things under the rug. She’s a big nasty bully truth seeker, and knows when she’s being bullsh*tted. She couldn’t not listen to that voice.
Dorit tells us, it’s really important that she voice what she believes. Even if it’s not the majority opinion, she’s okay being on the island. Can we vote her off? Actually, I’m least annoyed with her. The text tells us the Capri room closed because of the pandemic, but Dorit is helping Phoenix do her cooking show. We see Phoenix in the kitchen, and Dorit says, the ladies (choke again) have the ability to look past their disagreements, and move forward. They’re always holding on to hope.
Next time, the Reunion. I think this is my last season for this show. I said that last time, but this was almost worse.
🛣 The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City begins this fall. I, too, hold on to hope.
I ended up with another long day, but promise Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles is on this week’s agenda. RHOBH took a lot out of me, and yes, I know how sad that sounds. So until next time, stay safe, stay truthful, and stay out of Dorinda’s way.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Ned tells Olivia, all the words we have. All the different ways we have of saying things. All the different lyrics to songs, and it all comes down to one thing. What else is there to say? He loves Brook, and if Brook can’t hear him say it again, he’ll never forgive himself. Portia comes out, and says she spoke to Brook’s surgical team. Ned asks if his daughter made it, and Portia says, she survived the surgery. He says, thank God, but she says, unfortunately, there were some complications.
At the MetroCourt, Franco tells Elizabeth, Ava isn’t trying to destroy their marriage by pushing her closer to Nikolas. Elizabeth says she heard Ava say it, but Franco says, maybe she misunderstood or misinterpreted something. She says, Ava made it very clear that she gets 90% of the Cassadine fortune if Nikolas cheats. That’s why Ava is pushing Nikolas closer to her. Franco suggests it’s the other way around. Nikolas is trying to push him closer to Ava. Elizabeth insists Nikolas would never undermine her happiness like that, but Franco says, obviously he would. She sees Nikolas come in, and says, in that case, why doesn’t she just ask him?
Ava walks into Charlie’s, and tells Julian that she just got an alert about Wiley being missing, and she was concerned Nelle roped him into helping her kidnap Wiley. Julian says, it’s ironic. Sonny thought the same thing. Ava just missed him. She says she’s glad Julian convinced Sonny that he had nothing to do with it, but he says he’s not sure he convinced Sonny. As long as he sticks to his story though, he’s sure Sonny will leave him alone. She says, so there’s a story, and he says Nelle did have use for him after the hearing. Ava says she told him that Nelle would, after he let that harpy – I laugh; who uses that word? – blackmail him into marriage. He says he had no choice, and she says, a gun or a knife. A revolver or automatic. Silencer or no silencer. Those are choices. He says he was hoping to avoid being involved with murder. He though he’d hold his nose for a couple of weeks, and it would be over. She asks what Nelle wanted him to do, and he says he’s the one who snatched Wiley from the Quartermaine mansion.
Sonny arrives at the Quartermaine mansion, and Michael tells him that Nelle’s car was found. Before she absconded with Wiley, she parked in a public lot. Chase says there have been no hits on her phone, but she could have turned it off. The PCPD is searching her car, and the surrounding area. They’ll contact him if they find any clues to Nelle and Wiley’s whereabouts. Michael doubts they will, but Chase says, even the best criminals make mistakes. There’s also still a chance someone will spot them from their photos. Willow says the alert is useless, since Nelle isn’t using her own car, but Michael says, the photos and descriptions are still the same. Someone could recognize them.
In the car, Nelle tells Wiley, he’s a lucky little boy. His mom wasn’t too intimidated to rescue him from Michael’s stepfather. She’s not calling Sonny his grandfather; he’s got no strand of Corinthos blood in his DNA. She can’t say the same for Carly. She’s his biological grandmother, but good news. He’ll never know that. Carly will never see him again.
Chase says he has to get back. He needs to connect with customs and the border patrol, in case Nelle runs to Canada. He promises they’ll get Wiley back. He leaves, and Sonny says he paid Julian a visit, but Julian claims he knows nothing. Michael asks if Sonny believes that, but Sonny says, no. Sonny wants to go to the station, and Carly says she’ll go with him. He says there’s nowhere Nelle can run where he can’t find her. They’ll get Wiley back. Michael says he’s going too, and asks if Willow wants to go. She says she can’t deal with the squad room. Every time someone runs in or the phone rings, she’ll jump out of her skin, thinking it’s about Wiley. She’d rather Michael be there, so when there’s a lead, he can go straight to Wiley. He says he’ll call as soon as he know anything. Wiley will be okay.
Portia tells Ned and Olivia, during surgery, Brook became hypotensive; her blood pressure dropped, and she lost a lot of blood. The problem caused DIC, a condition where tiny blood clots form and block the blood vessels. When the damage is repaired, they can stabilize her, but it’s too risky to continue the procedure right now. Ned asks what that means. Will she be okay, or not? She tells him, that’s difficult to say. They’ve stopped the bleeding, and they’re issuing a transfusion protocol. They’ll do tests to see how she responds once she’s stabilized. Ned asks if he can see her, and Portia says, of course (🍷). She’ll let him know when Brook is settled into her room in ICU. She leaves, and Olivia tells him to focus on the good news. Brook is alive. She made it through the surgery. He’ll get to see her, and when he does, he’ll get to say all the things he didn’t say before. Ned says he knows. He needs to call Lois. Cyrus walks by, and says, what a terrible tragedy. His sympathies. For Ned to have his daughter attacked in such a fashion, who would do such a thing?
Nelle says, Carly was sure she’d won. She probably hand-picked Willow to marry Michael, and Michael fell in line. It never occurred to him to do anything else. Willow is now Mrs. Michael Corinthos, but you know what she doesn’t get? Nelle’s son. Wiley is only hers.
Nina goes to the Quartermaine mansion, and Willow answers the door. Nina says she takes it they haven’t found Wiley, and Willow says Sonny and Michael are confident they will. Nina is sure they’re right, and says he knows they’re not great friends, but if there’s anything she can do to help. Willow says, Michael and his parents are at the station, and said they’d call as soon as there’s news. Nina says she can wait with Willow, and Willow says, thanks, but… Actually, that would be great if she stayed.
Franco says it’s that thing Elizabeth does; she sees the best in people. Case in point. But she’s wasting her time on Nikolas. He’s not a good guy, not even close. He’s awful to Ava, and used Kiki’s death to make Ava think she was crazy. That’s a low blow. Elizabeth says, Ava punished him by forcing him to marry her, but Franco says he doesn’t blame her. He also doesn’t blame her for wanting to leave with every cent, but he can’t see her doing this. Elizabeth says, for the first twenty years of Kiki’s life, Franco believed Kiki was his daughter, and was devastated when he found out the truth. Franco says he and Ava have developed a real, true friendship. She knows how much his and Elizabeth’s relationship means to him. Elizabeth says, sure she does, but she doesn’t care.
Ava tells Julian absconding with a child is worse than aiding and abetting, but he says no one saw him. She asks if he came in through the nursery window, and left the same way, with a toddler on his back, but he says, Monica was in the living room. He chloroformed her; he had to get upstairs to take Wiley to the pier where Nelle was waiting to meet them. She says, please don’t tell her that he handed Wiley over to that sociopathic mother. Julian says he changed his mind. He decided to end his life with Nelle by ending Nelle. She says, a moment of sanity. She likes it, but he says, somebody got the jump on him before he pulled the trigger. They struggled and the guy went down, but he didn’t stick around. He threw the gun in the harbor and took off. Nelle and Wiley were long gone. She asks if the guy was working for Nelle, but he says it was impossible to tell. All he knows is, Wiley is gone because of him. She says, at least he tried to do the right thing, and he says, in the end, he wants to do more than try. He wants to do something about it. She asks if Nelle said anything that might be useful in getting Wiley back, and he says he might know something that could help Wiley.
Ned tells Cyrus, it’s not a good time, and Cyrus says, of course (🍷) not. He just wants Ned to know his resources are at Ned’s disposal. Olivia says Ned’s family practically built the hospital, and Ned says every patient who comes there gets the finest care, with or without the Chairman’s approval. Portia comes back, and tells Ned that he can see Brook now, but keep in mind she’s sedated. She probably won’t wake up for some time, but she can hear him. Ned and Olivia go to find Brook’s room, and Cyrus asks if he can have a word with Portia. He heard about the attack, and wonders how Miss Quartermaine is doing. She says since he’s new to the medical profession, she’ll inform him about the HIPPA laws that ensure a patient’s legal rights to medical privacy. He says he’s familiar with them, and she says then he knows why she can’t give him the information. He says he’s not enjoying her tone at all. Remember, he’s her boss. She says, as if she could forget. He asks if they’re good, or is he going to have a problem? and she asks if the Chairman objects to her using her skills as a doctor to help patients. He says, not at all, and she says, then they don’t have a problem, and walks away.
Sonny tells Carly that Tony the harbor master said all vessels are accounted for. Nothing has left in the last two hours. Carly says, this late, there are no trains or flights, so Nelle has to be on road. Michael runs in, and Carly asks where Willow is. He says she decided to stay home, and Sonny’s phone rings. He steps away to take the call, and it’s Olivia. He asks if everything is okay, and she says, no. She doesn’t know how to say this, but Brook was attacked backstage at the Nurses Ball. He asks how bad it is, and she says, she’s hurt bad. She was stabbed; her throat was slashed. She was rushed into emergency surgery, and she’s in ICU, listed in critical, but stable condition. Sonny thanks her for letting him know.
Chase tells an officer to find Julian, and bring him in. Chase tells Carly and Michael that the hotline has gotten hundreds of calls, but it will take a long time to sift through them. They can eliminate the car sightings, and they’re compiling a list of license plates. Sonny tells them, Brook was attacked at the Nurses Ball, and Carly asks if she’s okay. Sonny , she’s in surgery right now, and Michael asks, why? Sonny says, her throat was slashed, and she’s in critical condition. Michael says Brook called him, but when he called back, she didn’t answer. Chase looks at Michael’s phone, and says, it was around the same time as the attack, and Carly says, it was Nelle. She was supposed to perform at the Nurses Ball, but she never did. Chase says the attack was in one of the dressing rooms, and Michael says, Brook must have overheard what Nelle was up to, and got in her way.
On the phone with Spencer, Nicolas says Ava figures out they were working together. He hasn’t forgot; it’s a minor setback. He has a contingency plan to get Ava out of their lives for good. It’s going to work like a charm.
Elizabeth tells Franco that Nikolas wouldn’t risk it, but he says he doesn’t think she knows what’s at stake. Nikolas will never give up telling Elizabeth that she’s better off without him.
Julian tells Ava that Nelle tracked Wiley through one of his stuffed toys. She asks what he plans to do with that information, and he says if he gives it to the cops, they can track Wiley. Ava says if he tells the cops, in a matter of minutes, Sonny will find out, and when they find Nelle… Julian says Nelle will tell Sonny what she knows about him; that he knew Wiley was Michael’s son. Ava says, and kidnapped him. The only thing the tracker will do is sign his death warrant. He says, the best thing, is if Nelle disappears.
Nelle tells Wiley, Michael never cared about him. Michael only cared about Willow and Carly, and look where it got him. Left alone with Monica watching him. All she needed was to threaten Julian a little bit, and here they are, free and clear.
Chase says there’s no record of Nelle buying or renting another vehicle. Carly says she has cash, or could have borrowed or stolen a car. Julian is brought in, and Michael asks where the hell his son is.
Willow give Nina some tea, and Nina says, this is not okay. Willow isn’t supposed to be waiting on her. Willow says she’s glad for something to do, and Nina says, good; then her visit isn’t in vain. Willow says, don’t get her wrong. It was kind of Nina to come, but… Nina says, why did she? Willow says, well, yeah. She’ll forever be grateful for Nina’s testimony, but on a personal level the best they’ve been able to manage is cordial. Nina says, the answer is surprisingly simple. Because Willow loves Wiley, and she’s a good person. All the love she has is making the uncertainty that much worse. Nina was in a similar situation once, and thought while Willow waits and worries, she was hoping to come there and be supportive. If it means a tea party or listening, she’s there. Willow says, the truth is, she’s beyond afraid; she’s terrified. It physically hurts. Her heart is literally aching at the thought of Wiley being with Nelle. He must be so confused and afraid. She’d give anything to know he’s safe, but how can he be with Nelle? Nina says, for what it’s worth, she spent time with Nelle, and while she saw Wiley as a possession and a weapon, she still thinks of him as her child. They have to believe she’s not going to hurt him. Willow prays she’s right.
Outside of the car, Nelle holds her phone up. She asks, what good is a burner phone with no navigation? She looks at a map, when a woman comes by. She asks if Nelle is lost, and where is she headed?
Elizabeth says Franco has a point; Nikolas isn’t his biggest fan. He wonders why Nikolas is being so friendly. Nikolas keeps telling him how much Ava appreciates his support. Elizabeth wonders if it’s not a good manners reflex, or maybe Nikolas wants a break from his horrible life. The more time Franco spends with Ava, the less she’s with Nikolas. Franco says so when it’s Nikolas pushing him closer to Ava, it’s polite, but when Ava is pushing Nikolas closer to her, it’s a great big plot. She says, to Ava, they’re just collateral damage. She doesn’t trust Ava, and neither should he. He says he doesn’t trust Nikolas, so where does that leave them?
Ned goes into Brook’s room, where a machine is beeping way too loud. He says, it’s her dad. He’s here. He takes her hand.
Ava sees Franco, and asks if something is wrong. He says he and Elizabeth are having a disagreement. She says, what about? and he says, her and Nikolas.
Elizabeth asks if Nikolas has a minute, and he asks, what’s up? She says she and Franco are having a disagreement. He asks if she’s okay, and she says, not really. It might sound silly, but ever since Franco said he’d paint Ava’s portrait, they’ve gotten closer. Ava’s not just dredging up Franco’s past; it’s the way Ava says she knows and understands him that bothers her. He says, she doesn’t think… and she says, no. God no. The problem is, Franco doesn’t see Ava for who she is. It doesn’t matter what she says, but the more time he spends with Ava, the more tense it is at home. After the unveiling, when she thought this portrait business was over, the portrait was vandalized. It’s not as simple as wiping it off; Franco wants to restore it, which means Ava sitting for him some more. She could use Nikolas’s perspective. He lives with Ava. He says, don’t remind him, and she says, even though their marriage was staged, does he think there’s reason to be concerned about Ava and Franco? I’m not sure if she’s serious or she’s setting Nikolas up.
Michael says Nelle couldn’t have done it alone; Julian helped her. Julian says he has no idea where Nelle took Wiley. Carly asks why they should believe him. Nelle had leverage big enough to get him to marry her, so it’s big enough for him to help her take Wiley. Julian says their marriage was built on mistrust; Nelle never confided in him. Chase tells an officer to put Julian in isolation, and tells Michael to let him handle it. Michael’s phone rings. It’s Willow, and he says there’s been nothing new about Wiley. Chase brought Julian in, and they think he knows more than he’s saying, but he’s not incriminating himself. There is something else. It’s not about Wiley, but it’s pretty bad. Brook was attacked backstage at the Nurses Ball.Her throat was slit, and they’re afraid it might be Nelle.
Ned tells Brook that he spoke to her mother in Australia. She’s taking the next flight there from Sydney. When she was little, he sat next to her bed, just to watch her. He strokes her hair, and says, sweet Brook. He never had enough time. He’s so sorry he wasted so much time now. He loves her, and prays she knows that. He should never have thrown her out of the house. It was a pure Edward Quartermaine move, and he’s sorry. He regrets it, and should have stopped himself from making the biggest mistake of his life. It doesn’t change how brilliant, beautiful, and irreplaceable she is. He kisses her forehead, and says, come back to me. Her dad’s waiting for her.
The woman tells Nelle that she hasn’t seen a map in a while. Nelle says she’s having trouble with her reception, and the woman says, it’s sketchy there. There’s only one carrier that gets reception; otherwise, you’re out of luck. Nelle wishes she’d known that, and the woman says, lucky she came along. The road is great for training, and usually deserted. She shows Nelle where she is, and asks where she’s headed.
Sonny goes to the hospital, and finds Olivia. He hugs her and asks how Brook is doing. She says they had to stop the surgery halfway through because Brook was losing too much blood. He asks if there’s anything he can do, and she says, pray, hope, talk to Brook. Brook loves him. He says he loves her too. He hates to ask, but do they have any idea who did it? She says, it was totally senseless. Does he? He says they’re thinking it was Nelle, and she says, what the hell? He says Brook called Michael before she was attacked. Nelle and Wiley are missing, and they’re thinking Brook tried to stop Nelle from taking Wiley. Someone broke in the house, and knocked Monica out with chloroform. When Willow and Michael came home, Wiley was missing.
Nikolas tells Elizabeth that he’s been suspicious for a while, but didn’t want to say anything. He’s walked in on Franco and Ava a few times, and things seemed fraught. Elizabeth says, her marriage and the life they’ve created with the boys means everything to her, and he says, sorry. He knows it’s not what she wants to hear. She says she wants the truth, and he says, here it is. In his opinion, she’s better off without Franco. She says, even if losing him breaks her heart? and he says, she’s a strong, beautiful woman. He knows eventually she’ll find someone worth it who truly makes her happy.
Franco tells Ava, her dark prince husband has weaseled into Elizabeth’s good graces. He’s totally transparent, and Franco hates it. Ava says she’s sure Elizabeth isn’t thrilled that they’ve rekindled their friendship. Franco says, they have, and she says he’s her best friend. She’s glad they’ve gotten closer.
Chase asks Julian if Nelle said or did anything that would give them insight, any detail. Julian says not that he recalls. Chase doesn’t buy it, but Julian says, like he told everyone, Nelle doesn’t confide in him. Chase says, no, but she brags. She thinks she’s the smartest in the whole room, and flaunts it. She drops hints; enough to pique interest, but vague enough that you don’t know what she’s doing. Julian says he can’t think of anything, and Chase tells him, get comfortable. He’s not going anywhere until he gives Chase something.
Chase comes out, and says Julian still says he doesn’t know anything. Michael says he was thinking about sources that don’t involve a car, and when Nelle tried kidnapping Wiley before. Chase remembers the first time, she took a fake passport, and Carly says, it was missing from evidence; that’s why she’s out there. Chase looks up the name that was on it, and says, Barbara and William Langley.
The woman tells Nelle to stay on the road for a mile and a half, and turn right on Occidental. She’ll see a gas station; she can’t miss it. There’s a motel there too. It’s clean and safe. She might want to rest, and start fresh in the morning. Nelle says she’ll be okay. She’s not too far from her destination. The woman notices Wiley, and says, hey. She’s got her little one with her.
Nikolas sees Ava at the bar, and says he thought she went home. She said she was avoiding it, thinking he was there. She was going to have a drink in peace, but fate is playing a prank on her. He asks why she’s avoiding him. Does he make her nervous? She says, sometimes she just needs a break from being his lawful wedded wife. He says he could use a respite from… She says, what? and he says, all of this. She says, for a prince, he’s no prize. He says, they’re stuck with each other; a pity. She says, it’s the worst
Portia tells Olivia, Brook’s blood pressure is stabilizing, and Sonny asks if she has any idea when Brook will wake up. They need to find out who did this. Portia hopes in the next few hours, but to be honest, the throat injury is so severe, she may not be able to talk. I think, she can write.
Chase says he’s caught a break. Barbara Langley purchased a car a week ago. He’s sending out the description, and registration. They’re back on Nelle’s trail.
Willow tells Nina that she’s trying to convince herself that Nell’s not a threat. Brook is an adult, overheard Nelle, and was an obstacle Nelle felt justified in removing. Wiley is Nelle’s child, and most valuable possession, but it’s not hard to think Nelle will also hold on to Wiley more tightly and be more motivated to disappear. There’s no chance she can lie her way out. She slashed Brook’s throat. She’s going to prison forever if she’s caught. She’ll vanish without a trace. Nina says they can only hope, and Willow says, what if Nelle’s plan works, and she’s never caught? Wiley will be out in the world somewhere, and they’ll never know where. Nina gets it. She has a child out there somewhere in the world, and doesn’t know where they are, or if they’re alive. They have to hold on to wishful thinking; the alternative is unbearable. With all of this uncertainty in the world, they have hope. They need to hold on to that, the hope they’ll see their child again, and that wherever they are, they’re living a good life.
Ned says he knows Brook will come back to him. He knows she won’t let him have the last word. Please wake up. She opens her eyes, and he asks if she can hear him. It’s him, her dad. He’s right there.
The woman tells Nelle that her little boy is a cutie. What’s his name? Nelle says, Will, because she’s less than creative. She tells the woman that he’s a light sleeper, and she’s got to get going. It’s the only thing keeping him asleep. The woman tells her to keep to 30 miles and hour; there are blind turns. If she goes more than two miles, she’s passed the turn. She’ll have to turn around or drive for hours. Nelle says, got it, and pulls out. The woman says, miss that turn, and you’ll be driving all night. Her wrist thing beeps, and she says, another alert. Poor lost… Oh my God.
Tomorrow, Sonny asks Brook if it was Nelle who attacked her, Chase meets with the woman who saw Nelle, Epiphany wonders what the hell is going on, and Nelle whines about the sacrifices she makes for Wiley.
The Haves and The Have Nots
Kathryn screams for the guard as Wyatt lies bleeding after cutting his wrists. The guard comes, and calls for help. Another guard runs up, and he says they have to get an ambulance. Kathryn cries, do something; tell her something. The guard says they have to get him to the infirmary, and Kathryn says, that is her son. They carry Wyatt out she says, don’t hurt him please. Tell her something. She alternately cries and screams Wyatt’s name, and wails for them to let her out of there.
Benny looks at Derrick’s picture online, and says, this is that dude. Candace tells him, listen. She doesn’t think… She says, that’s not him. Benny says, bullsh*t. Why is she lying? She says she’s not, and asks what he’s doing. He says, checking the dates. Let this be that dude. She says, relax, and he insists that’s him. He tells her, keep lying in his face. Look at the lion on his chest. She says he’s getting upset for nothing, and he says Hanna was so upset. He thinks she knows. Hanna was hot and bothered for this dude, and now she won’t see him. Candace says, maybe she’s not attracted to him anymore, but he says she didn’t see Hanna. She was in love with him. She says he’s getting too worked up. Doesn’t he see how ridiculous it is for Hanna to date the guy who raped her? He says, the dates; Derrick is her father. She tells him, let it go. There’s no way it could be the same guy. He says, the dates add up. Do not be telling him he’s crazy. She says he never liked Derrick, and never will. Let it go. He says he can’t do that. He wants to get some answers from their mom. Candace says she’s not going to tell him anything. She’ll be mad as hell. Benny says, if their mom won’t tell him, Derrick will. He’ll make Derrick tell. He heads for Hanna’s bedroom, and Candace follows him. He says, she’s not there, and Candace says she needs to finish packing. He says she’s not going anywhere until he finds out what’s going on .
Oliver walks into Landon’s office, and says he’s about to head home, and Landon asks if he needs to announce it. Get his snotty-nose ass out of there. Oliver says he may have some information that might be helpful to Landon, and Landon asks why he’d want to be helpful? Olivas asks if he doesn’t want to know… and Landon tells him, stop acting like he’s seven. Oliver starts to leave, and Landon says, come back and tell him. Oliver says, so now Landon wants to know, and Landon says he’ll have Oliver run over with the biggest, pinkest car he can find. So much of the conversation between these two is nonsense, and/or naughty nonsense, but some of it is funny. Landon says kids with rich parents think they can get a job anywhere, and Oliver says, it’s about Candace. She booked a flight; she’s leaving Savannah. She has a plane ticket booked for tonight. Oliver thinks Candace needs to move on, and Landon says Oliver has no idea of the favors owed to Landon in this town. Oliver says, unless Landon knows how to make the pilot disappear… Landon says, get the hell out. Oliver tells Landon that he should get some sleep; he looks exhausted. Landon calls Oliver an a-hole. When Oliver is gone, Landon makes a call. He says he needs a huge favor. He needs someone put on the no fly list, just short time; it’s legit. Candace Young. Please do it for him. The little bitch thinks she’s playing with them.
At the Iron Bone (my favorite bar name), Sandy asks Mitch how the Black got the money. Mitch calls Sandy an a-hole, and says he told him Benny’s name. Call him by his right name, or Mitch isn’t talking. Sandy asks where Mitch got the new truck, and Vinny says Mitch knows he’ll find out. Where did the money come from? Mitch says Benny got the money to get Vinny off his back. Don’t worry about it. Vinny asks where Mitch got the money for the truck. He’d better not be working for another family. Mitch says, with all due respect, don’t ever come at him with that again. Sandy’s girlfriend comes in, and he walks over to her. Mitch tells Vinny, Sandy talks about African Americans, and he’s dating one. Vinny says, look at her. Sandy asks the girl – is that Melissa? – what the hell is going on? He’s been calling her. She says she’s been taking care of things at her mother’s; she’s still living there. He says her car hasn’t moved, and she says she doesn’t go anywhere. He’s watching her? He says she knows he loves her. She says she knows that, but… they’re not together anymore. He asks if she’s seeing another guy, and she says she came there to give him this, She hands him some papers, and says, it’s a restraining order. She brought it to him in person to show she’s not afraid of him. He says she put his name in court on this? No cop would come in there and serve a Malone. He says she has no protection from him. Be at his place when he gets off. She says he doesn’t get it, and he says she better get it quick. She says, he’s been served, and walks away. He says he’s going to serve her big time. He goes back to the table, and Vinny says Sandy still can’t get women, even by making threats. He asks Mitch, what’s wrong with this kid? Vinny’s phone rings, and he answers. He says, you’ve got to be kidding, James; you’re pulling my leg. They’re on their way. Mitch asks, what happened? and Vinny says, Mama Rose was arrested on a DUI. Mitch asks, who would do that to her? and Vinny tells Mitch, stay and watch the bar. Mitch says she’s his grandma too, but Sandy says he’s not a part of this.
Madison and Jeff get back to David’s house a little drunk. David gets up from the couch, and Jeffrey asks if it’s okay if Madison stays tonight. David says, yes; he was just going out. Jeffrey says, this late? and David says, Jim needs to see him. Jeffrey says, he’s in his PJs, and David says, it’s an urgent matter. Madison can barely contain his laughter, and Jeffrey asks if David is sure. David says he’ll be back later. David walks out, and Madison dies laughing, and says Jeffrey knows David had nowhere to go. Outside, David says, dammit, and the guard asks if there’s something he can help with. David says, his keys. The guard asks if David wants him to get them, and David says, could he? He starts to tell the guard where his keys are, but then asks where the guard’s car is. Can he borrow it? The guard says he can, and David promises to take good care of it. In the house, Madison tells Jeffrey that he’s just got to be comfortable. Jeffrey says he doesn’t want his dad wandering the streets. He says Madison is just drunk, and not listening, but Madison says he is listening. Jeffrey says Madison isn’t caring then, and Madison says, ding-ding-ding! Jeffrey says Madison is so mean, but Madison says he’s just horny. Jeffrey suggests going to the bedroom, but Madison takes his shirt off, and tells Jeffrey to strip. It’s his first lesson in getting comfortable. Jeffrey plays along, but says he has a better idea. Why not do it at his mom’s house? Madison says, now Jeffrey is drunk, but Jeffrey says, after how she treated him and his dad… Madison says, please go upstairs, and Jeffrey says, for the first round. The second round they go to his mom’s house. Madison says she’ll shoot them, but Jeffrey says, she won’t get her hands dirty; she’ll pay someone. They go upstairs.
On the phone, Oliver says, talk to him. A dude named Marco says, she left Savannah. She’s been hanging around Mitch; he’s bad news. Oliver asks if Jim knows Marco is working for his father, but Marco says, no. Oliver asks what Jim has him doing, and Marco says, watching a woman; Veronica Harrington. Oliver says, keep an eye on Candace, and give him everything he can. And he needs to see Marco in Detroit, if Marco knows what he means, Marco says he can’t get there, but Oliver says, make it happen, or he knows where he’ll be. Oliver thanks him, as Landon walks into his office. He says his father thanks him too. Landon asks who he was talking to, and Oliver says, his girlfriend. Landon says he knows Oliver doesn’t have one, but Oliver says Landon doesn’t know him. Landon says he’s learning more and more every day. Marco says he’s doing the same with Landon. Landon hopes Oliver is finding out as much about him as he’s finding out about Oliver. Oliver asks what Landon means, and Landon tells him to enjoy his evening. Oliver’s phone dings, and he looks at it, saying, he doesn’t know anything.
Mitch is talking to a girl at the bar when Hanna comes in. He asks what she’s doing there, and she says looking for his family. He says she shouldn’t be there, and she says she won’t be long. She want to know how his family is going keep Jim from killing her son. Isn’t this where they hang out? Mitch says it’s not the kind of place for a lady like her, but she says he doesn’t know her. He says, no, but he knows the place. She should leave. She asks where his family is, and he says, not there. She asks when they’re coming back, and he says, tomorrow. She says he’s lying, but he insists he’s not. She says she thinks she’ll have a drink, and stick around a little longer. She’ll have a beer. Hanna sits at the bar, while Mitch orders her a beer. Mitch steps away and calls Benny.
Candace wants Benny to get off her computer. She has to confirm her flight. He tells her to do it on her phone, or buy another computer. Mitch calls, and tells Benny that his mother is there, trying to talk to his folks. Get down there. Hurry up. Benny says he’s on his way. Candance asks, what’s up? and he says, mama is at the Malone bar. Candace asks, why? and he says he doesn’t know. If she talks to them… Let’s go. They leave.
Financial finagler Don is on the phone in a restaurant. He says they’re starting a new company with a 23% annual return. He should get in on the ground floor. He and John have been doing this their whole lives at the accounting firm with their father. They’ve taken care of all the wealthy families; he can call for references. Kathryn Cryer lets them use her name… No, he didn’t know. They’ll talk soon. John sits down, and asks if he got the money, but Don says, he didn’t sound enthused. John says, they have to get his money. Don knows what happens if they don’t. Don says John doesn’t need to remind him. John says he’s stressing out, but Don says it’s okay; they have time. John asks if the new company is set up, and Don says the licenses are in place; they just need the money. They’re out of options, but John says he thinks he has one. Don says he’s not going to believe this. She got arrested – Kathryn Cryer. John says, for what? and Don says, the murder of Jennifer Sallison. John says he’s got to be kidding. They have to call Marty and find out what he knows, Don says, no; it could be exactly what they need. John says her husband will handle the account, but Don says, she hates him; she doesn’t trust him at all. They’ll be in charge of everything, get her to invest, and take it public. They can move $5 million away, and she won’t even notice. John asks what if she wants an audit? but Don says she trusts them more than Jim. John says, what about her son? and Don says, he has a major drug problem. So they move the money. John agrees, and says they’ve got to call Marty first, but Don says they don’t want to seem too desperate. John asks what they do in the meantime, and Don says, order the biggest steak, and champagne. They’ve got to toast to this. Jim will be in jail soon too. John says, Kathryn went to jail to get away from him. Marty calls John, who says they were just about to sit down for dinner… Copy that. They’ll be there shortly. He tells John that Marty wants to see them in the office, and asks the waitress to hold their table. They’ll be right back.
Justin’s brother knocks on the door, saying if Justin doesn’t open it, he’ll break it down. Justin is looking pretty beat up, and his brother says their mom is worried about him. Justin opens the door, and says he’s fine, but his brother says he doesn’t look fine. Their mom is convinced something seriously off. Justin asks if he came there to nag. He’s fine. He’s just going through a tough time. His brother asks what’s going on with him and his wife? and Justin suggests he go back to his nice life. His brother, who obviously has no name, says he’s not going anywhere until Justin tells him what the hell is going on. He sees pictures of Jeffrey all over the wall, and asks, who is this? Justin says, nobody, and his brother says their mom says he was doing something; messing with guys. He’ll beat Justin bloody, like he did when Justin was a kid. It stopped; he made sure of that. Justin’s brother takes one of the photos, and says if he finds out Justin is doing something he was told to never do again, he’ll get Justin’s other (presumably nameless) brothers and beat Justin’s ass worse than last time. He takes the photo with him.
Veronica walks through her house to the kitchen. This may be the first time we’ve seen the kitchen. She tops off her drink, and looks at the pool. She says, that’s where he did it. What the hell…? She sees someone in the pool, and goes outside. She asks what Rondell is doing there, and he says, hello to you too. She tells him, get out of the pool, and he says, no, but she can get in the water. She says she’ll never get in with him. Leave her house. He says he’s almost naked, and she says, and…? He says that means she should get in. She wonders what would happen if she threw a plugged in hair dryer in the pool. He says they both know she won’t do that, and she heads back toward the house. He says, okay, and gets out. He says she used to be fun, and takes a sip of her drink. He tells her that he saw her son in restaurant with some guy. She asks what Jeffrey was doing, and he says, having dinner. She tells him, get out, and he tells her, shut up and get on her knees. She says she’s not one his bitches, and he asks if she’s sure about that. She likes when he manhandles her. She says he likes it, and asks where the cute one is who she told to stay. Rondell says he can be there too. He asks why she’s cold, and she says they confuse her; none mommas taught them to bathe. He says she’s wrong, and tells him to get on his knees. He has 30 seconds to prove he should be there. I guess he does because she tells him to bring his ass upstairs.
Benny and Candace arrive at the Iron Bone, and Mitch says, get Hanna out of there. They approach Hanna, who says, don’t talk to her. Benny wonders what she’s doing there, and she says they have their money, and Benny’s gangster protection. She wants to know what $8 million in protection looks like. What’s he worried about? Mitch’s family will protect him. Candace says they don’t let Black people in there, and Hanna says she’ll sit anywhere she damn well wants to. Benny tells Mitch, close the bar, but Mitch says he can’t do that; it will cause delivery problems. Go talk to her again. Benny goes back to the bar. Candace asks Mitch, how long before his family gets back? She needs to bring in Milo. Mitch wants to get Hanna out of there, and doesn’t want her talking to the family. Candace says, what choice do they have? Mitch says, fine, and Benny says, Hanna’s not leaving. Candace tells Benny to leave; it’s going to get ugly. He has five minutes to get Hanna out, then she’ll do it her way. Benny goes the bar, and Candace makes a call. She says she needs Milo at the Iron Bone. She knows. They have Malone permission. They can come.
A young man walks into Jim’s room at the hospital, and he says, it’s about damn time. The trash smells; take it out. the man says Jim thinks he’s there for the trash? and Jim says, why else would he be there? The man says Jim thinks he’s picking up trash in a suit? Jim says he didn’t notice, and he man says all Jim sees is Latino. Jim says, cut the sh*t. If he’s not there for the trash, what is he there for? He’s tired, and it’s late. The man says maybe he is there for the trash, but not the one in the can; the one in the bed. Jim is his father. Jim says, a-hole. Not this sh*t again. The man says he’s one of Celine’s sons; Jim’s son. Jim says he’s established that fact. What does he want? Jim’s son asks if he has any compassion in his body, but Jim says Celine sucked it out of him. It’s a joke. His son says, of course. A sexual joke. Jim says, get out, and his son says, his mother cries. Jim says, all mothers cry, and his son says Jim is a sick individual. Jim’s glad he noticed; he’s in the hospital. He must have gone to school, and Jim guesses he paid for it. His son says, so they don’t matter to him, and Jim says, no they don’t. his son says, okay, and takes out a gun.
Next Chapter…
Jim says, listen son, and the guy says, now he’s Jim’s son. Jim says, put the gun down, but the guy says he won’t. Tell him how it feels to have two of his sons wanting him dead. The guy says his name is Jimmy; say his name. Jim does, and Jimmy tells Jim to say Jimmy is his son. Jim says Jimmy is his son, and Jimmy asks again how it feels having both his kids wanting him dead. Jim says, not great, and Jimmy asks why he’s this way, but Jim says he doesn’t know. Jimmy asks if Jim loved his mother at all, and Jim says, yes. Jimmy says he’s lying, but Jim says, no. Jimmy says he heard the way Jim talks to her. He called her a piece of ass. Jim tells Jimmy to take his finger off the trigger; he’s shaking. Jimmy says he will when Jim tells him everything. How did they meet? Jim says Celine worked for him as his maid. Jimmy says Jim was married, and Jim says regretfully. Jimmy says Jim slept with his mother, and Jim says, yes he did. Jimmy asks if she was an easy lay, and Jim says no; she was a beautiful woman. Jimmy says, was? and Jim says, is. He didn’t mean that. Jimmy says, well, he means this, and points the gun at Jim.
Jim says, son of a bitch; put the gun down. Jimmy tells him to beg for his life. Tell him how sorry he is that he caused her pain. Jim says he’s sorry he caused Jimmy’s mother pain. All he cares about is himself. He’s a despicable human being. He doesn’t care how Jimmy or Celine feel, and he can’t help it. He’s sorry. Jimmy says he has a pretty good iea why Jim is that way, and Jim says, then enlighten him. Jimmy says, Jim is a sociopath, incapable of feeling or caring. He’s an evil man, but thinks he’s a genius. He deserves to die several deaths. Jimmy points the gun, and Jim says, please don’t. Jimmy tosses the gun onto the bed, and Jim picks it up. He says, what the hell is this? and Jimmy says, it’s a toy. Fake, like Jim is. Jim says, get the hell out, and Jimmy says maybe he’ll come back with a real one. He’ll bring Wyatt’s gun. Jim tells him, bring an army, but take the trash out. Jimmy leaves, and Jim says he’ll be a son of a bitch. The kid’s got balls. Jimmy just might be his. He laughs. I love to hate Jim.
Kathryn calls to Officer Miller, and a woman tells her, shut up. Kathryn says, go to hell, bitch, and the woman says Kathryn needs to shut up. Another woman says, leave her alone. She saw Kathryn’s son. The first woman says she wants to kick her ass. Mama Rose (played by a different actress this season) has a cell to herself, and sits in an easy chair. Rose says, forgive her, and Kathryn says, guard, please. Rose says, he ain’t coming, hon. She can scream all she wants. Kathryn says, what the hell? What kind of place is this? Rose says, it’s called jail, hon, and Kathryn asks how she can find out about her son. Rose says she can help, but Kathryn says she doesn’t want any help from her. Rose says, okay; fine. Kathryn says she needs information, and Rose asks if Kathryn wants smoke, brandishing a silver cigarette case. Kathryn says, she doesn’t smoke, and Rose says she better start. Kathryn asks why Rose is talking to her, and Rose asks if she hasn’t been in jail. Kathryn asks if she looks like a person who’s spent time in jail, and Rose says she’s wearing the same orange as the rest of them. Rose is wearing street clothes with a leather jacket, and Kathryn asks why she’s not in orange. Rose says she told them orange was not her color. Kathryn really has a mouth on her. Kathryn tells Rose to stop talking to her, and Rose says she’s only trying to help. Kathryn says she doesn’t want or need Rose’s help. Rose says, okay, have it her way, and calls for the guard. Kathryn says she doesn’t need Rose’s help; she’s Kathryn Cryer. An inmate says, girl, everyone needs help in here. Rose calls for Officer Miller, and a guard hustles in. Kathryn says she needs to know about her son, but he walks past without looking at her, and tells her to shut up. Kathryn wonders why he comes running when this bitch calls him, and he asks if Kathryn doesn’t know who Rose is. She says she doesn’t know or care. Officer Miller says, sorry, Mama Rose, and Rose asks if her family is out there yet, and he says, not yet. She says, what about the kid who arrested her? He was adamant she stay in there, no matter who she was, so she’ll stay. He says, the kid is still out there, and she says, be sure her kids meet him. He asks if he can get her anything, and she says, a light. He gives her a lighter, and she tells him to call her boys again, and he says, yes, ma’am. Kathryn asks the guard, please tell her about her son, and he says, shut up. She tells Mama Rose, hey, and Rose says, so now it’s hey. She says she’s Kathryn, and Rose says she knows, and Kathryn says she believes Rose knows her husband. Rose says she does, and Kathryn says she’s sorry; she meant no disrespect. She didn’t know who Rose was. Rose says, it shouldn’t matter, should it? She’s right. What can Rose do for her? Kathryn wonders if Rose can ask how her son is doing. Rose says the officer will be back in a minute. She’s Rose Malone. Is Kathryn’s son Wyatt? He stabbed her Vinny. Kathryn says she thought that was cleared up, and Rose says, if she says so. Kathryn says, can she please ask them how her son is doing? and Rose shrugs. She says, not yet. She wants some quiet for a while. An inmate says, girl, better let her rest. Rose says, it’s too bright in here, and the lights dim. Rose laughs. Me too. She’s fun.
In the infirmary, the nurse says, it’s all superficial, and Wyatt says he needs pain meds. She tells him, stop ringing the bell, and he says, at least loosen the straps. She says, no; he’s a prisoner. He says, a little? and she says, bye. She tells the guard outside, Wyatt is a mess. She’s getting coffee. The guard asks her to bring him some, but she says Wyatt isn’t going anywhere. He says, ain’t it the truth? and they leave. Jimmy slips in to see Wyatt, who asks who the hell he is. Jimmy says, Wyatt? and Wyatt says, that’s his name. Is he a cop? Jimmy says, no. Doesn’t Wyatt recognize him? Wyatt says he’s not in the mood for guessing games. Jimmy says they’ve met, and Wyatt asks if he owes Jimmy money; he’s not getting any. Jimmy says he’s Wyatt’s brother, and Wyatt says, the half-breed. Jimmy says, damn; just like his father. Wyatt asks if he doesn’t mean their father; he’s nothing like him. Jimmy tells him, if he says so (the phrase of the night). Wyatt says he does. He shot Jim. He wishes he’d killed that bastard. Jimmy asks if he means that, and Wyatt says Jimmy is judging him? He doesn’t give a damn. Jimmy says Wyatt was given everything, and Wyatt says, money? What does money mean? Jimmy asks if he pissed it all away, and Wyatt says Jim took his inheritance. Jimmy says he heard it was $12 million. Wyatt bitches, when he had everything handed to him, and he managed to screw it up. Wyatt says, it’s called privilege. Something Jimmy knows nothing about. Jimmy says he has something Wyatt will never have, a mother who loves him. He’s glad he’s not in Wyatt’s life. He’d gotten ready to like him. Wyatt says, get the hell out, and Jimmy says, sure, brother. Wyatt says, half-brother.
Jeffrey stands on the bed and dances, then does a handstand. He and Madison laugh. Jeffrey suggests they go do it in his mother’s pool. Madison says he loves the wild side of Jeffrey, but doesn’t think they should poke the bear. Jeffrey says Madison is a small-minded person, but Madison says he doesn’t want make Veronica come after Jeffrey. They need to give his dad more time. Jeffrey says Madison needs to stop making so much noise, and Madison asks if Jeffrey has heard himself. His dad heard him in the hospital. Jeffrey says, it’s worth it. Madison starts to get dressed, and Jeffrey says, don’t leave, and Madison asks if Jeffrey is ready to go again. Jeffrey says, it’s the third time, and Madison says he’s created a monster. Jeffrey says he’s thankful, and Madison says Jeffrey can show he’s really thankful by letting him go home and get some rest. He can’t take any more tonight. He gets up, but Jeffrey pulls him back into the bed.
Laura shows her husband Samuel (according to internet scuttlebutt), the clothes Veronica gave her. She wants to wear all of it. He wonders why Veronica gave them to her, and she says they’ll see what Derrick says. She loves all of it, and he says, that sh*t is expensive. He can’t wait to see the house. She tells him to come by tomorrow, and he asks if that’s not too soon. There’s a knock at the door, and Derrick asks, what’s going on? Lauea says Veronica gave her all these clothes, and he says, they’re in? How did they do it? Laura says Veronica was looking for a new maid; he was right. She almost blew it, but they’re in. She goes into the other room, and Derrick says, we in this bitch; incredible. His past is behind him, and it’s what he’s got to do to keep her from threatening him. She doesn’t know Samuel. Pace himself; she’s slick. Get done what needs to get done. She likes them young; he knew this sh*t would work. Samuel says he hates dragging Derrick back in, but don’t forget their cut; 50/50. She gave Laura her clothes. Derrick shakes his head, and Samuel asks what he’s thinking. Derrick says, watch her; she got an agenda. Samuel wonders if she’d be like that with Laura, and Derrick says, don’t trust her. Don’t worry; it’s all good. He’ll let them know when he’s worked it out. Samuel says he appreciates Derrick being back in with them. They’re going to get her.
Celine Dion’s It’s All Coming Back to Me Now plays in my head.
Don and John go to Marty’s office. Marty says he didn’t want to do this in writing, and gives them some paperwork. Don asks if this is right, and Marty says, yes. Kathryn gave power of attorney to her maid. John says he’s got to be kidding, and Don asks if she’s gone insane from too much pressure. Marty says, she’s fine, and Don asks how they’re supposed to abide by this. No way. Sorry. Marty says, those are Kathryn’s wishes. She gave Hanna power of attorney over everything. Marty tells them, be careful, and Don says, what does the maid know about it? Marty says he doesn’t know. Kathryn trusts her, and it’s good enough for him; she worked for Kathryn. John says he doesn’t like this, and Marty tells them to set up a meeting. John says, set up a meeting with the maid, and ask her whatever they like? Marty says they heard him, and Don says it reminds him of the Sims account where the mother was incompetent, and signed everything over to her dog. I don’t find this unreasonable, and I’m even thinking of voting for one of mine in the next election. John says, they took her name off, and she lost all power, but John tells them, don’t do it with Kathryn. Let him know after they set up the meeting with the maid. They’re done here.
Rondell is on top of Veronica, but she looks bored. She says, no, and shoves him off. She tells him, get out of her house, and he says, bitch, you crazy. She asks what that little thing is that’s tickling her. Get out, and take his little thing with him. If she wanted to use a pin, she’d use a pin. He’s making every Black man look bad. She knows women with bigger penises. He says someone should kill her ass, and she says at least she knows what it’s like to screw a corpse. If that’s his representation of a gun, she’ll live. Please exit. Bye-bye now.
Back at the restaurant, Don says they have a problem. He’s already moved the money; what if she knows? John says, she’s the maid. What was Kathryn thinking? Don says, she wasn’t, and John says, she’s out of her mind. Don thinks they need to speak to a judge, but John says Marty thought that was a wrong move. Don doesn’t care, but John says a judge will delve into everything. Don says he’s right, and John says, maybe it’s not the worst thing. Don says, a maid doesn’t know about accounting. She’ll see how helpful they can be. If anything is screwed up, they can blame it on her. John says, it’s their cover-our-ass policy. Don wonders if they should speak to Jim. He’s a snake, but he won’t catch on. John suggests they just let this play out. They just have to get it done. Don says, if it goes up in flames, so be it. He wonders if Jim knows about the power of attorney, but John doesn’t think so. They’d have heard about it. They laugh, and Don says by the time Jim knows what’s up, they’ll be in control. John says the world will be better off. At least they know where to find Kathryn.
Back at the Iron Bone, Mitch says Candace has to get Hanna out. Hanna says she’s not leaving. What do they think they’re doing, taking that man’s money? Benny says, mama, please, and Hanna asks what else they’re going to do. Mitch says, she’ll be fine, and Candace says, Benny needs to go. No one will hurt her. Mitch agrees he’s got to leave, and Benny goes. Candace walks over to Hanna, and tells her that she has 43 seconds to get up and walk out, or she’s gonna… Hanna says, gonna what? Candace says, sorry, and makes a call. She tells Milo to come in. A guy who looks like Hagrid from Harry Potter comes in with a bunch of guys. Hanna says, the hell? and Candace says she’s sorry. Take her home. The guys grab Hanna, lift her up, and take her out. The patrons must be used to this, because they barely look. Candace says, don’t fight them, and tells Mitch that she needs a drink. He says, him too, and orders two double whiskeys.
David brings the car keys back to the guard. He sees a woman standing in the driveway, and asks who she is. The guard says she wanted to talk to him, and David says, it’s after midnight. The guard says he doesn’t know her? David says, no, but he’ll talk to her. He asks if he can help her, and she says she’s Alissa. He asks if he knows her, and she says, no, but she feels like she knows him. He says, how so? and she says she’s a friend of Erica’s. He says she should go, and she says Erica loved him. She has something for him. He says he doesn’t want it, but she says she was supposed to give it to him if something happened. Erica was in love with him. He says, she was hustling, and asks if Alissa is a whore too. Alissa says, yeah, and he asks if she works for Candace. She says she did at one point. He asks if his ex-wife sent her, and she says, no. She wanted to see the man Erica talked about. He asks how he knows she’s not lying, and she says Erica made a video. Play it. She hands him her phone, and Erica says, Hi, David. She hopes he never sees this video. If he does, that means something happened to her. She told her girl to play it for him at 12:18. He knows why. So many times she tried telling him that she was lying to him. She promises she fell in love with him. She was trying so hard to get out. She just wanted them to run. He was so special and kind, and treated her like a real person. She’s so sorry. He hands it back, and Alissa says, there’s more. He says he doesn’t care, and she says she’s sorry. He says, bye, and she asks, what happened at 12:18? He tells her, leave it, and she says, if he lets her come inside, she’ll make him feel better. He says he thought she was Erica’s friend, and she says, that’s the problem when you tell friends about a man who’s good. They all want him. He says he’s not into whores, and she says she’ll quit. She’ll do anything; she’ll get on her knees and beg. He walks away, and she says she’ll do anything for him.
Marco gets into Oliver’s car, and Oliver says, see? Marco made it. Marco says, there’s nothing like daddy’s plane, and Oliver says, pretty nice. Marco asks, what’s going on, and Oliver says, he just wanted some drugs. Did Marco bring what he needed. Marco gives him a bag, of what, I don’t know. Oliver says, this stuff is incredible. Marco always gets the best stuff. Marco says Oliver brought him all the way out there for this? and Oliver says he brought Marco all the way out there to tell him what else his team has on Candace. Marco says, nothing more than he told Oliver on the phone, but Oliver says, it’s not enough. Marco says, still, daddy sent a plane. Oliver says, daddy doesn’t give a damn, as long as Oliver is happy, and he gets to humiliate the a-hole President Elect. His daddy is going to run for President, and win. Marco says, he’s not even a politician, but Oliver says, who gives a sh*t?Anybody can run for President. This country is his, and if Marco wants to stay in it, he’ll get Oliver more information. Marco says he’s told Oliver everything, and Oliver asks if Jim has anything on Candace. Marco says, no, and warns Oliver to be careful with the drugs; they’re pure. Oliver says he knows what he’s doing, and Marco gets out of the car.
Alissa writhes around in the fountain in front of David’s house, wearing nothing but fancy underwear. The guard says, she’s embarrassing herself. Please get out of the fountain, and put her clothes back on. David watches from the window, and Madison comes downstairs. He says, hello. Did David go to the hospital? David says he did, and Madison says, in his PJs? and David says, yes, still staring at Alissa. Madison says David knows he can look at him, right? David turns around, and Madison says, hi. David says he knows he can, and says hi back. Madison says he was just leaving, and walks outside, telling David, have a great night. He sees Alissa, comes back, and says, Mr. Harrington, there’s a woman in your fountain. Should security be called? David says he’ll take care of it. The guard tells Alissa, please get out of the fountain. As Madison goes to his car, he says, work it, bitch; yes! He tells her, good luck, and gets in his car. The guard asks Alissa again to please get out of the fountain, but she poses all over the place.
Benny looks at his phone, and says, no way. He calls Veronica, and she asks what he’s doing calling her. He says he needs to talk to her, and she tells him, come talk over this bed; she’s horny. He says he needs to talk to her, and she repeats that she’s horny. He says he’s waiting for his mother to get back, and asks if she knows Derrick. She says, who? and he says she represented him. She says if she represented him, she knows him. Benny asks for his address, and she gives him one, but he says that’s her address. She says, come over and get it. Bring the small ones he uses. He asks for the address again, and she says she’ll see him later, hanging up. She sinks into her pillows, and says, beautiful boys, can’t get enough of mama. They have to do better, like David.
Vinny and his boys go to the station. He says he wants to see his mother, and the desk officer asks who his mother is. He says, Rose Malone, and Sandy asks why she’s there. The officer tries to answer, and Sandy asks if he’s stuttering. Vinny asks how it happened. Who the hell was the officer who arrested his mother? The officer says he doesn’t know who they think they are, and Vinny says, they’re the Malones. Who’s he? The officer says he arrested Vinny’s mother. Vinny asks if he’s new, and he says, no. Vinny says he must be, but the officer says she was DUI, so now she’s in jail. They can pick her up tomorrow morning when the court is open. Sandy asks, who the hell is this guy? and Vinny says, he doesn’t know. The officer asks them to leave, and Sandy says, calm down. He doesn’t think the officer understands, but the officer repeats, please leave. Vinny tells him that he said get his mother out of there, and the officer says, get out of here right now. If they don’t leave, he’ll have them all arrested. Vinny says, is that so? Okay. He starts to walk away, but turns around. One of his guys covers the camera with his hand, and Vinny asks the officer’s name. He says, Officer Morris, and Vinny shoots him point blank in the chest.
Next time, Mama Rose says Kathryn is pissing her off; Kathryn says tells Mama Rose to bring it; Alissa wants to sleep with David; Hanna tells Candace that they’re going to find her, and kill her; and David interrupts Veronica and Benny.
💋 Temptation Tuesday is back at a new time – 8 pm. Why? Who knows.
🪁 Finally Someone Gives a Flying…
I have been watching this show for years now, with precious little being online about it. At last, Oprah paid attention to her OWN network.
🎍 On Backyard Envy, the landscapers were going for a Mad Men meets The Jetsons vibe. I wasn’t paying all that much attention, but thought that was an interesting concept.
🥱 Zzzzzz…
What? I’m done with this post? Because HAHN had this insane two-hour block, I had to DVR Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, which will have to wait until the next post, where it will pair nicely with The Real A-holes Housewives of Beverly Hills. I’m sure you can’t wait to hear about houses you will never, ever be able to afford. Because if you could, you wouldn’t be here, you’d be roller skating around your mansion. Stay safe, stay discerning, and stay out of Veronica’s pool.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
At the MetroCourt, Brando says he owes Sonny one. Sonny told him not to miss the Nurses Ball. Sonny bets Brando didn’t think he’d be answering phones, but Brando said he enjoyed it, especially the sense of community. Sonny gets a call from Turning Woods, and Brando says he hopes Mike is okay.
Sam visits Jason at the hospital, and he asks, how was the telethon? She says, musically, it was a major success, but the best part of the night is seeing him there. She was sure the second she turned her back on him, he’d make a great escape. He says he promised to stay unless there was a big emergency. Sam says, no emergency.
Jax and Nina go to the MetroCourt, and Jax says they deserve a drink after their dance. She says it was fun dancing with him, and he says she was incredible. She says that’s because she had a dynamite partner. In between basking in the spotlight, she realized that finally her life is on track. She has a job she loves, peace in her heart, and a refreshingly healthy relationship with a good man. He says he’s not saying, I told you so. Carly approaches their table, and asks if they’re recuperating or savoring their onstage triumph. Jax says, both, and Carly says she’ll have a server come over to take their orders. They deserve a drink.
At the hospital, Ned wonders why they’re not being told anything, and Olivia says they’re focused on saving Brook’s life. He says he’s going to call Monica, and ask her to pull rank. Olivia says she understands it’s painful, but it’s not about him. It’s about the doctors and nurses doing their work. Let them. Chase comes in, and tells them that he just came back from the crime scene. They’re questioning everyone who was backstage, and gathering security footage. He asks if Brook had any enemies. Was anyone angry with her? Ned says, other than him?
Nelle asks Julian what the hell he’s doing, and he says he’s not letting her take Wiley. He’s done with this. Nelle says if he wants to help Wiley, leave with her tonight. She has money… He says, it’s over. He should have put an end to it a long, long time ago.
Willow says, Wiley’s not in his room, and Michael asks if Monica brough him downstairs at any point. Monica says she heard Wiley on the monitor, but no; she didn’t go upstairs. Willow says Wiley is just big enough to have gotten out on his own, and Michael suggests they start searching the rooms, but sees a cloth on the ground. He sniffs it and says, it’s soaked in some kind of chemical. Monica smells it, and says, it’s chloroform. Michael and Willow look at each other.
Carly tells Jax and Nina, everything is on the house tonight, and Jax says they appreciate it. Carly tells Nina, she’s already said that Nina’s testimony was crucial in Michael and Willow getting custody of Wiley, and Nina asks how Wiley is doing. Carly says, it’s like the three of them have been together all along. It’s so much lighter. They hadn’t realize Nelle was like a heavy weight hanging over everything. She’s manipulative and broken, and would have inflicted that on Wiley, doing indefinite damage. All’s well that ends well. Nina says, as long as Wiley is happy, and Carly tells them to enjoy. Nina asks Jax not to hate her for what she’s about to say, and Jax says he might not agree with her, but he’d never hate her. She says, when Carly said, all’s well that ends well, she couldn’t help thinking that she doubts Nelle feels that way.
Sam tells Jason that Josslyn was the highlight, and there was a beautiful closing number. She asks how he’s doing, and he says he went for a walk. She says, scouting escape routes? but he says he was told to start moving around, and he fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed. She says, good. She wants him healed. She has some major plans for when he’s fully recovered. Jason’s phone rings, and he answers it. He frowns, and says, correct. All right. He appreciates the call. She asks who that was, and he says, the PCPD. They got the preliminary report about his accident. It turns out it was the stabilizer after all. Sam says, the part Brando installed.
On the phone, Sonny says he understands, and Brando tells Carly, it’s Turning Woods. She asks, what’s going on? and Sonny says Mike’s caregiver showed him a video from the 2018 Nurses Ball when they sang Summer Wind. His dad was smiling all the way through. Brando says, Sonny sang with Mike? and Carly says, it was an impromptu number. He should have seen it. Sonny says, it’s on the Nurses Ball website, and Brando says he definitely wants to see that, and Sonny laughs.
Chase asks why Ned was at odds with his daughter, and Ned says there was tension because she’d sold her ELQ shares. Who is he kidding? He called her a traitor, and kicked her out. Chase asks if that’s when he saw Brook last, and Olivia says they understand he’s just doing his job, but… Ned says he didn’t attack his own daughter. Everyone can testify they were at the Ball the whole time. Chase says he’s just trying to establish a timeline; Brook’s movements and state of mind. Any detail will help. Olivia says Brook had recently been with her ex-manager, Linc Brown; he operates out of NYC, and he’s a total sleazebag. He wouldn’t let Brook out of her contract, and sexually harassed her. When she resisted, he killed her career. She was trying to get away from him, which is why she sold her shares. Chase says, it’s a good lead, and Olivia asks if he thinks someone was plotting to do something to Brook at the Nurses Ball. Chase doesn’t think so, and she says she thinks it’s more likely that Brook walked in on something she shouldn’t have. Chase says, she’s strong and resilient, and she’ll pull through. They’re going to investigate every lead. He leaves, and Olivia tells Ned, he’s right; Brook is strong. She’s got the Quartermaine fight, and that spirit is going to pull her through.
Officer Sanchez asks Chase if they’re starting with Brook’s manager. He says, it’s their best lead, but Olivia might be on to something. This came out of nowhere. It wasn’t calculated, and there were too many people. It was too risky. It seems like a crime of passion or desperation.
Nelle says Julian doesn’t have to do this, but he says she went too far. He drugged Monica, and kidnapped Wiley. What was he thinking? He’s not handing Wiley over to her. She says she has the document that Martin will open in the event of her death. It details everything. How he helped Brad and rigged Brad’s car. He says he’s not going to roll over, and she says, Sonny will kill him.
Willow tells Monica, she needs to rest, and Michael asks if she doesn’t remember anything; a face or a voice? She says she heard an alert on her phone. She’d left it in the foyer, and went to get it. When she came in, she heard Wiley on the monitor, but she didn’t go upstairs. Michael calls the police, and says his child was kidnapped. A toddler, blond with blue eyes; his name is Wiley, and he was abducted from 66 Harbor View Road. He needs the police there, and a missing child alert issued immediately.
Officer Sanchez tells Ned and Olivia, so far, there are no eyewitnesses, but they’re going over the security footage. Chase says he has to go; another case requires his immediate attention. Officer Sanchez will stay there, and he’ll check in later. Portia comes out and says she has an update on Brook.
Sam says Jason didn’t ask Brando to put in the part; he volunteered. Jason says it could have been a faulty part from the manufacturer, but Sam says, that’s not a mistake a mechanic would make. He says, it depends on the defect, but she insists Brando sabotaged the bike. He says Brando has been open with him and Sonny, and admitted Cyrus came into the garage. She says, maybe he knew they’d figure it out eventually, but Jason asks, how? Cyrus wasn’t going to call him. Sonny gave Brando a pass for right now. Sam says she questioned him too; more like confronted him. He denied it of course (🍷), and was sweet to Molly and TJ, so she was all right with it, but it’s not over. He says they don’t need to decide tonight. Brando knows better than to disappear. Sonny would hunt him down if he had to. Sam says, not if she got to him first.
Brando watches Sonny and Mike’s performance, and tells Sonny, that was good. They were both loving it. Sonny says there was a problem with an act, and the stage was empty. Before he knew it, his dad was on stage singing, and then forgot the words. Carly says Sonny jumped on stage, and it was natural, like it was choreographed. Brando thanks Sonny for showing him. Carly’s phone rings, and she says, it’s Michael. Michael tells her about Wiley being kidnapped. She asks if he’s sure, and he says he found Monica unconscious, and a rag soaked in chloroform. The police are on their way. She says, you know it was Nelle, and he says he knows.
Julian tells Nelle that Wiley is in his car, where he’s fast asleep. It’s locked, so she can’t get to him. She says, put down the gun, and hand her the keys, but he says, try to keep up. He’s done taking orders from her. He doesn’t care if Sonny kills him or not. She won’t be able to destroy Wiley’s life, and that’s the important part. She says this will scar Wiley for life, knowing his mother was murdered, but he says that’s what he’s trying to prevent; her scarring Wiley for life. Somebody has to stop her. Taggert comes out of nowhere, and knocks the gun out of Julian’s hand. I just shake my head.
Portia tells Ned and Olivia, to be honest, Brook has a long way to go before she’s out of the woods. She’s going through an extremely difficult procedure, and is in critical condition. Ned asks what she’s saying. His daughter’s not going to die, is she?
Sam says Jason could have died, and he says he knows, but he didn’t. He’s going to make a full recovery. If Brando had anything to do with the crash, he and Sonny will handle it; stay out of it. She asks if he thinks she’s wrong or blames her for Michael losing his job at ELQ. He says he wishes she’d made a different decision, but she did what she thought was right, and Sam says they’ll have to agree to disagree about Valentin, but Brando is another story. He says he understands her concern, and trusts her instincts, and she says she’s not buying Brando’s nice thing. He says he’ll keep that in mind, and she says, it’s getting late. The kids will want know about the Nurses Ball, and how daddy is doing. He says, tell them he loves them, and will be home as soon as he can. She says she can’t wait.
Monica says she had no idea anyone was in the house, and Michael says, it’s not her fault. Chase is there, and asks if Nelle had the keys. Michael says, not to the main house, but she could have stolen one. He should have changed the locks, but so much was happening. Chase says officers are checking the last place she was staying, and they have her car description and license plate number issued in a bulletin. Michael says, Nelle will anticipate that, and Chase says he’s reached out to the FBI, and they’ve expanded the search. She was supposed to perform at the Nurses Ball. Epiphany was upset that Nelle would be up there, pretending to care about the hospital she was suing. He asks if she ever went on, but Michael says, no. It was probably a diversion. While everyone was focused on the Ball, no one knew what she was doing. Chase asks Monica if she knows how long she was out, and she says she was watching telethon, but it wasn’t over. Chase says Nelle had at least an hour head start. Wiley could be anywhere.
Julian throws Taggert off of him, grabs the gun. Taggert is on the ground, knocked out, and Julian looks around, but Nelle is gone. He throws the gun in the river. Why? He says, sorry, guy, and leaves.
Carly tells Sonny, when Michael and Willow got home, they found Monica unconscious, and no sign of Wiley. Michael found a rag with chloroform on the ground. Sonny says, son of a bitch, and Carly says, it had to be Nelle. She’s had enough time to put distance between her and Wiley, and Port Charles. Brando says, they don’t think she’d hurt her own son? and Sonny says, she’s psycho but won’t hurt her only leverage. Carly decides to go to the Quartermaines, and tells Sonny, do what he can. Sonny asks her to tell Michael that his heart is with him. They’ll get Wiley back. Carly says, do whatever takes, and Sonny agrees. Brando says Jason is usually Sonny’s backup, so if Sonny needs him, he’s in. Carly tells Jax and Nina that Wiley was kidnapped, and Nina asks if it was Nelle. Carly says, it couldn’t be anyone else. She tells Jax, Josslyn is with Trina, and there’s nothing she can do right now, but tomorrow, if they still don’t know anything, she might need his help. She leaves, and Nina says, oh my God. She’s so sorry. Jax says, it’s Nelle’s fault, and the authorities for letting her out on parole. Nina says she should have realized what Nelle is capable of, and warned someone. She knows how Nelle thinks.
Ned asks Portia if he can see Brook after her surgery. He has to speak to her, and she needs to hear his voice. Portia says Brook was barely alive when she was brought to them. They had to do a lot of work to get her blood pressure back, so she could withstand the surgery. She has her best surgeons working on Brook, but unfortunately, that’s all they know for now. She goes back in, and Ned cries. He says, my little girl, and Olivia holds him.
Julian goes to Charlie’s, and his phone dings. He sees a missing child alert for Wiley, and says, dammit. Sonny comes in, and says he has a problem, adding, Julian does too. His wife kidnapped Sonny’s grandson. Julian says, she’s not here, and Sonny says he’s not surprised. He came looking for Julian. Julian says he had nothing to do with it. They both know Nelle is crazy. Sonny says Julian didn’t seem shocked; why? They’re not meeting up later, are they? Instead of saying he just saw the alert, like a normal guilty person would, Julian says, nope. He’s not surprised Nelle took Wiley because she’s desperate. Michael said she lost it in court. Sonny says, quit stalling, and tell him now where Nelle is with his grandson. Julian says he doesn’t know; he swears. Brando comes out from the back, and says, no sign of Nelle or Wiley, but he found this. He shows Sonny a packed duffel bag, and says, someone is planning on taking a trip. Sonny says, going someplace, Jules? No one ever called Julian Jules before, and suddenly it’s a thing?
Carly asks how Michael is holding up, and he says he keeps telling himself that he won’t do Wiley any good if he loses it. Chase comes in, and says they found nothing at Nelle’s apartment. Carly says, she has money from the sale of her ELQ shares; so she can get pretty far. Chase says they know that and are staking out the airports, including private jets, and the busses and train stations. Nelle is smart, but her resources are limited; theirs aren’t. Willow comes downstairs, and says she can’t find Wiley’s kangaroo. Michael explains, it’s his comfort toy, and Carly asks if Nelle knew that. Willow says they talked about it the last time Nelle was there. Michael says Wiley was having his nap, and Nelle took off without seeing him, which was suspicious. She’s more likely to hang around and make everyone uncomfortable. Willow wonders if Nelle was planning on taking Wiley even then, and Carly says, absolutely. That’s even more proof that it was Nelle, if she took his favorite toy.
In the car, Nelle tells Wiley, it was crazy back there. She thought Julian was going to kill her. One more person who betrayed her, but she got him. The man at the dock was a stroke of luck. He saved mommy’s life. At the expense of his own, but no good deed goes unpunished.
Taggert lies unconscious on the pier.
Olivia asks if Ned wants to spend time in the chapel, but he says, later. He wants to be there if Brook wakes up. He wonders how long it’s been, but Olivia says, not long. Dr. Robinson said it’s a delicate operation; give it time. She thinks right now they have to accept that no news is good news. Ned says she’s being great. When she should be saying, I told you so. She asked him to speak to Brook and forgive her, but he wouldn’t listen. In typical Quartermaine fashion, he put the company ahead of his daughter, and shut down. He threw her out of the house; out of the family. He let her believe he didn’t care or love her anymore. If she dies, the last memory she’ll have of him is when he slammed door in her face.
Carly calls Jason, and tells him that Wiley has been kidnapped. He says, tell him everything, but she says, there’s not much to tell. Monica was downstairs, and Wiley was upstairs in the nursery. Michael and Willow came home to find Monica unconscious, and no sign of Wiley. He asks if Monica is okay, and she says, Monica was knocked out by chloroform. Michael called after he found the rag. He asks if the cops are there, and she says, yeah; they’re following procedure, but Nelle is crazy and motivated. She knows there will be alerts at the border crossings, so maybe she’s going to NYC or Philadelphia, where she can blend in. She’ll be driving, so they’re looking for her car, but someone may be helping her. He asks where Sonny is, and she says, following another lead. She doesn’t know what, but he said he’d call if he finds anything. Jason says, anything else? and Carly says Wiley’s stuffed kangaroo is missing; Nelle knew enough to take it. He says, that’s the kind of detail that could make a difference. He tells her to stay there with Michael, and he’ll call when he knows something. She asks if he’s sure he’s okay enough to help, and he says she wouldn’t have called if she didn’t think he was, and she knows it. He hangs up, and calls Spinelli.
Sonny says, just when he started to believe Julian, they find a packed duffel bag. Not good. Julian says it’s stuff he was donating to the Waterfront clothing drive. Sonny asks where he was tonight, and Julian says they were in the same place, the Nurses Ball. Sonny says he didn’t see Julian much; did he leave early with Wiley? Monica was knocked out with chloroform. Does he know anything about it? Julian says he doesn’t know what Nelle did. Sonny should call the cops. Sonny says he doesn’t need the cops. If his grandson isn’t found, he’s going to be Julian’s judge, jury, and executioner. Understand? Sonny tells Brando that they’ll go check on Michael. Julian tells him, hold up.
Nina tells Jax, she should have known how far Nelle would go. She’s a schemer, manipulator, and a liar, and would do anything to get Wiley. She’s sorry she thought otherwise. Jax says they’ll find him, and give him back to Michael and Willow, and Nelle says, they must be going crazy with worry. She feels horrible about Willow. She said horrible things to and about her, but respects her, and how she’s trying to protect Wiley. Jax says he doesn’t know much about Willow, but what he saw in court impressed him. Nina says, Willow is more of a mother to Wiley than Nelle will ever be.
Chase says the officers who went to Nelle’s apartment said it was cleared out; her clothes and car are gone. Monica says she thought of something – Wiley’s heart condition. What if it flares up, and Nelle refuses to get him treatment like before? Carly asks if he was showing any symptoms, but Willow says, he was his normal, smiling self. Carly says, let’s take care of one crisis at a time. Monica was drugged, and should go to the hospital. Michael says he’ll take her, but Monica tells him to stay, and keep her posted. He and Carly walk her out, and Chase tells Willow, he promises they’ll find Nelle before anything happens to Wiley.
Nelle hears sirens, and sees flashing lights. She tells Wiley, they’re going to try and take him away, and give him to Carly.
Sonny asks what Julian remembers. Where did Nelle hide his grandson? Julian says if he knew, he would tell Sonny. He just wants Sonny to know he’s sorry for all of this. He’s sorry he got involved with Nelle; that’s the God’s honest truth. Sonny says if Julian is going to bring God into it, pray when Nelle gets caught, she doesn’t have a different story to tell. He’ll do Julian a favor and take the duffel bag to the collection box, and save him a trip.
On the phone at the pier, Jason asks Spinelli if he’s sure the last place the phone pinged was at Pier 55. Maybe she ditched the phone; he’ll look around. He hears Taggert groan, and says, talk to him. Who did this? He realizes it’s Taggert, who says, hey.
Olivia tells Ned, Brook loves screwing things up, and they’ll get in more fights, but her spirit will bring her through. She won’t let go easily. She does nothing easily, and she’s going to come back to them. When she does, he’ll get to say what he needs to say. Ned says he’s sitting there, trying find the words to use, the right things to tell her, and all he can come up with is, I love you. Isn’t it strange? All the words they have, and different ways of saying things; the lyrics to songs. But when it comes down to it, what else is there to say? He loves her, and if she can’t hear him say that again, he will never, ever forgive himself.
Portia comes back out, and says she spoke to Brook’s surgical team. Ned says, please. Did she make it?
Jax tells Nina, he’s lucky he never stopped listening to Lady Jane. Nina wishes she’d met Lady Jane, and he says she would have loved Nina. She appreciated strong, intelligent women. She says, that explains why Jax is who he is; a steady, good man, unafraid of strong women. He says, and intelligent, beautiful, sexy… and she says she likes it better the longer it’s getting. He says he’s sorry for what happened in her life, and Nina says she over-compensated with Charlotte, but he says he thinks she’s a great mother. He saw her with Charlotte. She thanks him, saying, that’s high praise. She did discover something, and is sure Willow did too. You don’t have to be a biological mother to have undying love for a child.
Carly tells Michael and Willow that Jason will call when he knows something. Michael asks if Jason isn’t in the hospital, but she says he’s out there looking. Michael says, it’s selfish, but he feel better knowing Jason is out there. Willow asks how much Jason can do, just being out of the hospital, but Michael says, he’s resourceful. Carly says they have to follow Jason’s example. Stay calm, but with their eyes open. Nelle is all about mind games, and making them jump through hoops. She won’t be able to resist leaving a clue. Chase comes back, and says they found Nelle’s car.
Nelle looks in the rearview mirror, as the cop cars pass. She says she swears she thought they found them, but how could they? Not in this car. She knew it would be the perfect car for their special trip.
Chase says she parked at the far end of a lot, but the car was abandoned. There were no signs of her or Wiley, but they’re searching the surrounding area. Michael says, they have no way to track the car, and Carly says, of course (🍷) not. Nelle thought of everything.
Nelle tells Wiley, smart mommy. Sonny can’t even link this car to them. They’re going far, far away, where Carly and the rest can never find them. The family will miss him terribly, and never know what happened to him, but they’ll have wonderful adventures, and Wiley will love the only mommy he’ll ever know. He’ll never have a grandmother, which is exactly what Carly deserves.
Tomorrow, Elizabeth asks why Franco won’t believe her, Nikolas tells Spencer that he has a plan to get Ava out of their lives, Sonny says there’s nowhere Nelle can hide where he can’t find her, and Cyrus asks someone if they’re going to have a problem.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Tom tells Bugs he’ll sort it out, but then bitches about a potato. The guests discuss the merits, or not, of raw lobster. Tom and Malia go into the walk-in refrigerator, and Tom says he’s good at what he does. She asks him to tell her how to help, and he says he has way too much self-respect to do this effing bullsh*t. She says, it hurts her for him to be like this, and he says, sorry; he didn’t expect this, and he has a cake to make. They come out, and Malia says, effing ridiculous, but I’m not sure if she’s referring to the situation or Tom. He continues to complain, while Jess and Alex have a pillow fight in one of the guest rooms. Tom sends out new lobster for the guests, and says he’s cooking the steak on the grill. Jess tucks the gigantic dildo under the covers on the bed, its other kind of head on the pillow. Guest Jared or Jacob, or whatever the hell his name is, tells Tom, the raw lobster was good, and Tom says, it was cooked for at least an hour. Bugs serves the steak and primary Isaac says, it’s on point. Tom makes his last minute cake, and decorates it. He tells Malia that he’ll go up, but he’s not carrying anything. He hates this sh*t. Everyone sings Happy Birthday, and Jacob blows out the candles, but I think he’s older than three. At least chronologically.
Jess asks Rob for help with the laundry, and he says he’s thinking about the future. She says, how so? and he says, like Bali; things like that. She asks if that means he’s loving her more, and he says, something like that. He’s so articulate, I can’t stand it. In her interview, she says, if he doesn’t go, she’ll be sad, and Bali is a dream of hers. He’s messing with her head. The guests relax in the outside lounge. Alex tells Pete that he’s kind of glad Hannah is gone; there’s a different vibe. Tom thanks Malia for her help, and says he’s disappointed. She says they just turned the boat yesterday, and he got thrown in. In his interview, he says, when you’re on a super yacht, everything you’ve worked for is at risk. Reputation is everything, and it has to be perfect.
Bugs begs for coffee and sympathy from Alex. In her interview, she says she’s had a lot put on her plate. They have a new chef, and suddenly, she’s a chief stew with an interior team of one. It’s a lot to handle in a day. She calls for a status update on the belly dancer, and is told to call back when the boat is closer. She reminds the guests that their beach picnic is noon, and serves breakfast; my favorite, eggs benedict. Tom goes over the menu for the picnic, and the deckhands discuss logistics. Bugs tell Jess to do the beds, and says she’ll catch up when she comes back. It’s a bit of a juggling act. She gets the deckhands to clear the table, and she and Alex head for the beach. There’s a bunch of back and forth with the deckhands about loading the boat and the line on the tender, and in Rob’s interview, he says he can contribute, but they don’t listen, It’s a clusterf*** with everyone in the same place at the same time, doing the same thing. He’s tired of this sh*t. The other deckhands wonder what’s up with him.
Captain Sandy asks if Jacob/Jarod slept well, and he says he did, but his Russian snow pony is blitzed. These kids are too much for him. In Bugs’s interview, she says, it’s her first time on a boat this big, with just two stews. She doesn’t want the crew to see her flustered. She likes to be in control. It’s madness. At the beach, Bugs tells Alex, great job setting up, and goes back to the boat. Jess leans against the wall and takes a quick nap. Rob complains that people are delegating who aren’t his boss. In the snake Malia’s interview, she says, a lot of the problems are HR, and it’s annoying. It’s Tom’s first charter, and they’re down a stew. They have to not sweat the little things, and focus on the bigger picture. Bugs sends Jess on a break, and Tom plates the food for the picnic. Bugs says, it’s delicious-looking, and they hand it off to Malia. Two shrimp cocktails promptly fall over, spilling everything out. She says, the bottoms of the glasses are round, and yells for Tom. He fixes the food, and she suggests he not send unbalanced glass jars on a beach picnic. Malia packs them tightly in a cooler, and I wonder why it wasn’t done that way in the first place. Bugs returns to the beach with the food. The guests are taken to the beach in two shifts, and Bugs greets them with champagne. Bugs prepares and serves the food, then radios Tom, saying, the food is going down well. Alex tells Malia that Rob is upset. He loves Rob, but he gets sensitive about the little things. Malia says, people are irritated and tired. Snow pony wants Jared/Jacob to take bare ass photos of her bending over, and tells him use the portrait mode for better quality.
Alex asks Bugs when they’re having their first official date, so they can see if they really hate or love each other. In her interview, she doesn’t know if he’s joking with her. She doesn’t want to put herself in a vulnerable position by accepting, and then find out it a joke. Rob is pulling in the slide, and Malia suggests a different way, and works with him. Apparently, he’s as tired of the slide as everyone else who’s ever dealt with it. Malia tells him to put the cover on. The belly dancer arrives, and Pete asks if Rob wants to reroll it, and they start rerolling. Malia says they can do that, but she just asked him to put the cover on it. Rob says, they’re stubborn, and in Malia’s interview, she says she’s tired of them ignoring her; it’s disrespectful. She tells them that she’s had it.
In her interview, Malia says, dinner service is starting, she’s supposed to help Bugs, and they aren’t even in their blacks. These two (meaning Rob and Pete) don’t see there are so many other moving parts. The belly dancer arrives, and Jared shows off his elephant thong to the other guests. The elephant’s trunk is where… never mind. Everyone dresses up for the Arabian Nights theme. In Jess’s interview, she says she’s doing two people’s jobs, and thinks she’s deserving of the second stew position. Rob sees Malia and the captain eating in the galley, and says Malia seems angry. She says she doesn’t appreciate being blatantly ignored. He says they thought it would be quick, but she says, it wasn’t quick. It’s 9 pm, and they’re just getting into their blacks. There are more moving parts other than him and Pete that she needs to worry about. Isn’t she allowed to get upset? He says he’s speaking to her as a professional. Captain Sandy says she doesn’t know what happened, but if someone tells you how to do something a certain way, making a suggestion is one thing, but being blatantly insubordinate is disrespectful and not cool. She leaves them, but Rob says he has nothing else to say. The guests toast to family, and Bugs welcomes them to their Arabian Night. Baeya does her thing, and Jacob asks where her monkey is at, and dances with her. Ugh.
Malia tells Tom that she’s tired of dealing with the same stuff. In Tom’s interview, he says, last night at dinner was frustrating. He figures the guests don’t have refined taste buds, but it’s still frustrating because it’s part of his identity. Rob meets with Jess, and says Malia was mad about some silly thing over the slide. He’d never disrespect her. In Jess’s interview, she says, every second they have together has been interrupted. She thinks if they go to Bali, they can get to know each other, but she’s trying not to get excited in case he doesn’t go. Jacob says, the chicken is pink as a mofo. Bugs takes it back, and tells Tom to just pan fry it; the guest wants it more brown. In Tom’s interview, he says he doesn’t think they understand what poached means, because they’re complete idiots, but whatever. Bugs tells Alex to take his shirt off, and he says, the things he does. Apparently, he’ll be the monkey, and he tells Baeya that he’ll just follow her lead. She says he has the soul of a belly dancer, no? and he says, no; he’s never danced in his life. Jacob gets new, more browned chicken, and Alex is introduced as Jingles. He comes out covered in glitter, and dances with Baeya. In his interview, he says he literally hates himself. Everyone laughs, and says it’s wonderful. Jacob tells Bugs that his Russian pony changed her name to Carmen because she loves cars and men. His name is BJ Golf. Bugs says, on that note, and runs for her life.
Bugs asks Jess to put a load of laundry in before she goes to bed. Rob asks if Malia thinks he doesn’t respect her, but she says, it’s more Pete. He says he’s not going to overthink it, and fixes up the table. He tells Malia, it’s scary. He’s worried about making the wrong choice if he follows his heart rather than his head. Malia says, always follow your heart, I choke on my coffee, and he repeats, it’s scary. One of the guests asks if they’re a person down in the interior, and Rob says they are. The guest says they noticed. It wasn’t that they lacked service, but Bugs is always there; she’s doing a phenomenal job. Malia tells Tom about getting pissed off, and says, the deck crew is strung out. In Malia’s interview she says, it’s refreshing to have a person to confide in, and the person she wants most to have around. Tom says he was frustrated as hell, but he knows it will get easier. Bugs does laundry, and Rob washes dishes.
Jess vacuums up glitter. Having taken care of kids, I’ve grown to hate glitter. The captain sees laundry piled up, and asks Jess why it’s not going 24/7. She needs to stay on top of the laundry. In Jess’s interview, she says they’re down a stew – again. She’s trying her best, but keeps getting shat on with the damn laundry. Captain Sandy tells Bugs, it’s ridiculous. There should never be piles. In her interview, the captain says, there’s no excuse, and we flash back over Jess’s laundry issues. Captain Sandy says Jess has a laxy daisy attitude. I don’t know if she’s making a joke, or doesn’t know how to pronouce lackadaisical. Bugs asks why Jess isn’t happy; it’s the last day of charter. In Bugs’s interview, she says, it’s not the charter for cracking the whip. It’s not the time and place to get up to speed, but she’ll have to. Jess mutters, she will not make me a bitch. She’s nice, calm, and effing happy. In her interview, she says she’s trying to suppress Jessica. She claws at the air, saying, let me out to handle this sh*t. Bugs has never heard of huevos ranchero, and calls it guevos, cuevos, and eventually queros. She asks Jess to do laundry, and Jess says, yeah, which I’ve never heard less enthusiastically. The guests pack, the boat is docked, and the captain says, good job; well done.
Isaac tells the crew, it was a blast. The service was phenomenal. They kept the booze flowing, and it was appreciated. He gives Captain Sandy the tip envelope, and she tells everyone to get in their reds and meet in the main salon. Rob tells Jess, in two weeks, they’re leaving, and she says, hopefully together. She feels like she wants it more than he does. Bugs pours champagne, and the crew gathers together. The captain says she thinks they killed it, considering what went down. They got a new chef, and were without a chief stew, but Bugs took over with ease and grace. Her goal never changed. It was always about the guests and that’s what the captain has wanted. They’re getting a second stew for the next charter, and picking her up in Ibiza. Their departure is at 6 am, so tonight they have to stay on board and rest. The tip is $20,500, or $1680 each. Despite Tom’s kvetching, I thought the guests were relatively low maintenance. Jess tells the captain that she got a message from the doctor, and he wants to check her finger. Rob changes his flight to the same open Jess is on for Bali. He tells Malia and Alex, and wonders how to tell Jess. Alex suggests putting whipped cream on his nipples, but Malia thinks he should print out a fake ticket and give it to Jess with some champagne.
It’s time for the preference sheet meeting, and Captain Sandy says they have return guests; Michelle and Johnny Damon. Johnny was an all-star baseball player, and they want a good time and good food. The last charter he complained about the food. We flash back to when stew Anastasia filled in for fired chef Mila, and see Michelle complaining that it wasn’t five star. The captain says, it needs to be steaming hot. The guests also want to go to a beach club, and have the captain join them for dinner one night. Captain Sandy says, they’re a lot of fun, but we flash back, and they look like a-holes. I think this is the group who started sh*t with the yacht docked next door. Jess goes to see the doctor, and Malia tells the rest of the crew that Rob wants to make a romantic gesture. Jess doesn’t know it, but Rob is going to Bali. Bugs suggests writing clues for her to find him waiting for her with the news, and he says he’ll make up a fake ticket. In Rob’s interview, he says he wants something creative, and out of his comfort zone. He wants to come up with something to show his intention. Jess returns, and says she got her finger back.
Bugs sets up candles on the top deck, and gets champagne ready. She goes to Jessica’s cabin, hands her the first clue, telling her, take this, and runs away, saying, gotta go. Rob waits, and in his interview, he says he wants it to be special, and he’s nervous. The first clue says, go to the bridge – you’re in trouble – make it quick – on the double. In her interview, Jess wonders if she’s getting fired and Bugs is running away. On the bridge, Malia holds the next clue. He wears an apron and cooks your food – be ten minutes late to set the mood. She goes to the galley, and Tom gives her the next clue, which leads her to the dining room where Bugs waits with a glass of champagne and her next clue. Follow the glitter to the main deck – your next clue check. Alex gives her the last one. He is tall and handsome – a face from GQ – upstairs with a surprise for you. Rob kisses her, and says she’s been asking about Bali, and he booked the same flight; it’s all done. Malia and the others sneak in, and they all toast to Bali. Jess tells Rob that he’s a good liar, and hugs him. The crew has a group hug, and Alex says, they’re all going to Bali. Rob thanks them for all being a part of it, and everyone goes to bed.
In their cabin, Jess tells Rob that she knew it was related to him, since he wasn’t there. Don’t ever be that good a liar again. He says, it wasn’t a lie. He wanted it to be a surprise.
In the morning, Jess asks if Bugs is excited to be getting a new stew, and Bugs says, it will be good to have another body back in interior. Everyone gets ready for the next charter, and Captain Sandy says, she’s here. It’s Aesha! She was on the last season as second stew, and she’s a lot of fun, really laid back. The captain says she’s so happy Aesha could come.
Next time, the yacht goes to Ibiza, which Aesha describes as the party capital of the Mediterranean, and a real life acid trip; Captain Sandy has to get into a very tight parking spot, and has a big audience; a guest falls and ends up bleeding; Bugs wears a tutu; and the guests fight.
👋🏻 Meet Aesha…
And while you’re there, be sure to scroll down, and read all about how BDM’s producer swears Tom wasn’t a plant. Uh-huh. Sure.
Don’t Be Tardy will be returning on October 6th, when Kim Zolciak and family take a road trip. I’ve found this show to be surprisingly pleasant, and a refreshing change from the usual reality conflict.
CBS All Access is making all six episodes of its Emmy-nominated shorts series Star Trek Short Treks available to watch for free on CBS platforms and YouTube. But hurry, since they will only be available until August 31st.
As usual, I’m still editing for my deadline tomorrow at https://mupoentertainment.com/theresa-krakauskas/. Plus, tomorrow is the return of Tyler Perry’s The Haves and The Have Nots, with a two-hour premiere starting at 8 pm. Somewhere in there, I’ll have to include that pesky sleep, so I might have to condense, but rest assured, I’ll include all the good juicy stuff. Until then, stay safe, stay punctual, and stay out of walk-in refrigerators.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 