Category Archives: real housewives

February 2, 2022 – Tracy Is Accused Of Counterfeiting the Ice Princess, Cabo Is a Sweat Lodge & Janet’s Rhythm

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Ned says, the Ice Princess? and Tracy says, it was genuine the last time she looked. Michael asks, when was that? but she doesn’t know. Luke always took care of that. Ned says, how comforting, and she says, all she knows is, she did not try to pass off a fake diamond. Laura tells Tracy that the warrant for her arrest is valid. She’s so sorry, but there’s nothing she can do. Ned says he’s calling a lawyer, and Tracy says, hold on. She looks at head official guy and says, I know you.

Austin tells Maxie that he knows how he feels. Does she want to tell him what the kiss meant to her? She says, it meant a lot actually. Proof that her connection with him is real; that her heart is ready to be happy. He’s important to her. He says, she’s important to him, and she says, so she’s happy she kissed him, but it can’t happen again.

Alexis gets up, and asks if Willow is in trouble, but Harmony says, no. She didn’t mean to alarm Alexis. Alexis says, good, and sits back down. She just had a very good heart-to-heart with Kristina, and she thinks Kristina is on board with them being friends. What’s wrong? Harmony says, Alexis may not want to be her friend after she hears this.

Trina walks into the gallery, and Ava asks what she’s doing here. Isn’t she supposed to be away? Trina says, their trip got cut short, and Ava asks if Trina and her friends weren’t having any fun. Trina says she’s not sure it could have gone any worse.

Spencer joins Doc and Esme at the counter in Kelly’s, and says, his final check before he goes to the big house. Should he put it in his account for ramen and postage stamps? Doc says he thinks Spencer has seen too many prison movies (or thinks he’s going to college), but Spencer says he’s about to experience the real thing. Doc says, one step at a time, okay? His grandmother’s on the way, and Doc is sure some of Spencer’s friends will be stopping by to wish him well, but Spencer says he’s not holding his breath.

Outside Kelly’s, Anna leaves another voicemail for Valentin. She asks if he can call her back. She wants to know what it is he’s discovered about Louise. And she wants an update on him, if he’s all right. Victor comes by, and says, Anna, a pleasure. She tells him, speak for himself.

Sonny doesn’t understand why Carly is so worked up, and she says, it’s the not understanding part that’s the problem. She’s asked him for time and space, and instead, he cooks up some over-the-top display of love. He says, that’s a bad thing? and she says, no, it’s not the right thing. And after all these years, he should know her better than that. He says he knows her better than anyone.

Tracy says, it all makes sense now, and Ned asks, what makes sense? She asks if official guy followed her all the way from the Netherlands, Dean… Dan… He says, Dave. Tracy says, Dave the Dumpster Diver. That’s what Luke used to call him when he was sniffing around them in Amsterdam. He was obsessed with nailing Luke on some trumped-up charge. He found a new angle. Ned asks if Dave has been hounding his mother, but Dave says he’s just doing his job. Tracy says, like he was just doing his job holding her and Luke at the Belgian border for twelve hours without cause. Laura says, that sounds a little above and beyond the call of duty, and Tracy says, above and beyond the law. Dave says, here’s the deal. He doesn’t answer to any of them, and Tracy is in their custody now. Drew says he doesn’t think so. They’re not taking his aunt anywhere.

Austin says he is kind of a bonehead about a lot of things, but can Maxie explain something to him? If them kissing makes her happy, why doesn’t she want to do it again? She says, she likes him… a lot, but until she has her daughter back, she can’t give them the focus they deserve. He says he understands, and she says, does he? He says, no, and she says, those aren’t just words. She really does care about him, but she just can’t give in to her feelings. She’s sorry. He says, not ever? and she says, not yet.

Victor says he understands Peter was being transferred today. He supposes Anna is on her way to the hospital to supervise. She says, no, it’s being handled, and he says, may his trial be swift, and his incarceration infinite. She says, on that, they agree, and he says, and coffee. Can they at least agree on that as well? She asks, as in, does she like it? but he says, as in, can he buy her a cup? It will give them a chance to get better acquainted. She thanks him, but says, she thinks she knows all she needs to know, and he asks why she despises him, particularly since Valentin means so much to them both. She asks if he’s heard from Valentin, but he says, not since yesterday. She says she hasn’t been able to reach him, and Victor says, he did seem a little distracted last night. She’s worried about his son. She tells him that she didn’t say that, and he says, she didn’t have to.

Doc asks if Spencer is having problems with his friends, and Esme tells Spencer not to worry. No matter who shows up, she’ll be at Spring Ridge every week to visit him. She’ll do whatever he needs to help him through.

Trina tells Ava, then apparently, Spencer and Esme left. Ava says, apparently? and Trina says she was passed out. Ava asks how much she had to drink, and Trina says, just one, she promises. She never had hot toddies before. Ava says, at Trina’s age, drinking is just ill-advised, and Trina says, lesson learned. Apparently, whiskey is not her friend. Ava says, neither is Esme. From the sound of it, she had quite a hand in the night taking a turn. Trina says, did she ever, and Ava wonders, why is that girl always nearby when there’s trouble?

Sonny says, Carly used to appreciate it when he thought outside the box. She knows him better than anybody. She says, maybe they don’t know each other anymore, but he says, that’s not true, and when she sees what he’s got planned, he’s going to prove that to her. She says she appreciates him trying; the flowers, the meals, now this big surprise. He says, but? and she says, it’s not what she needs. He says, tell him what she needs, and she says she has, over and over again. He says, give him something concrete that’s going to save their marriage; something that’s going to get her to come home.

Alexis hands Harmony a cup, and says, compliments of Corinthos Coffee as a welcome back gift. Harmony says she’s happy things are going so well for Alexis post-release, and Alexis says, everyone has been very kind. Okay, so why doesn’t she want to be friends with Harmony? Harmony says, because she failed her daughter again, and Alexis asks, how? Harmony says, because Willow wants something from her that she can’t give her. Alexis tells her, says every mother from the beginning of time. They sit, and Harmony says, Willow has been more forgiving and accepting than she deserves, especially when it comes to Wiley. Alexis says, good. It sounds like they’re on the path to rebuilding their relationship. Harmony says she wants the best for Willow, and just wants to be a mother to her, and Alexis says, Harmony is her mother. Harmony says, she’s a liability.

Drew says, Tracy isn’t going anywhere with Dave until they speak to his superiors. Dave says, and he is? and Drew says, Drew Cain. Dave looks at the other official guy, and Drew says, they’re familiar with his name He was debriefed by Dave’s boss at the WSB, but new memories have surfaced; memories he believes would be of use to the agency. Michael says, maybe Drew would rather share his experiences with their online readership. He introduces himself, and says, he’s CEO of Aurora’s visual division. He’d love to get the scoop. Drew says, so Michael is suggesting he go public, instead of cooperating further with the WSB? He asks what Dave thinks. Is he willing to grant Drew’s small request, or explain to his higher ups why Drew’s not willing to play ball anymore? Dave asks what it is Drew wants, and Drew says he wants Dave to call Anna Devane.

Anna tells Victor, if he sees or hears from Valentin, please ask him to call her. He says he will, and her phone rings. She sees it’s the WSB, and answers. She asks, what’s the problem?… She’s on her way. Victor says, WSB business? and she says she’s got to see a man about a dog. She leaves, and he goes into Kelly’s.

Spencer thanks Victor for coming, and hugs him. Victor says, it’s a pleasure, and thanks Spencer for including him. Victor asks how he’s doing on this not-so celebratory occasion, and Spencer says, he’s hanging in there. Victor says, he’ll continue to do so; day by day, hour by hour. Esme says, minute by minute if he has to, and Victor says, if at any time Spencer feels adrift, reach out to a guy by the name of Samuel. He’s arranged for him to look out for Spencer. Spencer says, for real? That’s amazing. He doesn’t know how to thank Victor. Victor says, his pleasure, and Doc asks if he and Victor can have a word, and they go outside. Esme says, that should make Spencer feel a little better, and he says he’s so grateful for his uncle, and her for trying to make things easier. She says she wishes he could add his friends to that list.

Trina says, Ava isn’t the only one who thinks Esme’s trouble. Cam and Joss told Spencer that night. Ava asks if Trina thinks they got through to him, but Trina says she doesn’t know. She still can’t believe he’s into that girl. Ava says, he’s young; he’ll learn. Trina says, when? and Ava says, someday. Often it takes the right person to come along before someone realizes they should have someone better. So how did Trina leave things with Cam and Josslyn? Trina says she thinks they’re good. She told them there were no bad feelings about them being together, even though it was awkward with a capital A. Ava says she remembers how Trina used to feel about Cam, and Trina says she’s sorry Ava had to hear all that. Ava says she’s honored Trina shared that with her. She just hopes her advice helped. Trina says, Ava told her to be honest about her feelings, while also prioritizing her friendship with Joss. Ava says, and has Trina been completely honest with them?

Sonny asks Carly to tell him how to make this right, and she says she would if she thought he’d listen. He says, forget the time nonsense, and she says, it’s not nonsense. He says he can’t give her that, and she says, that’s awesome, and starts to leave. He says, time away from him and time away from their daughters, their life together, is that what she wants? She says, she doesn’t want any of it. She hates being away from the girls, and every morning when she opens her eyes and he’s not there in bed with her. He broke her heart. Not to mention the humiliation factor. He asks, who’s humiliated? and she says she is. He says, by what? and she says, the multiple people who knew about him and Nina before she did. Finding out in the hearing room in front of everybody. She felt so stupid. He says he didn’t want her to find out about it that way; he wanted it to come from him. She says, but it didn’t. Not one word. He says he planned to. He told her that how many times? Then Jason died and… He doesn’t want to make it an excuse. She says she knows it’s not an excuse. Jason died, and everything else faded into the background. She gets that. He says, so she understands? and she says, that part, yes. He asks if she forgives him.

Trina tells Ava, she was honest with Joss and Cam, or at least as honest as she could have been without hurting anyone’s feelings. She liked Cam back in the day, but they realized it just wasn’t right. It’s no one’s fault; it just is. Ava asks how she feels about that, and Trina says, lousy. Ava asks if she told her friends that, and Trina asks if Ava heard the part about not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings. Ava says she should never have to suck it up, and Trina says she thinks she’d be open to that now. She’s learned that shoving it down doesn’t help. Ava says, Trina is her priority in this scenario, and Trina thanks her for listening. Ava says, always, and Trina says, so that’s it. She told Cam and Joss that she was over it, and they could all move on. Ava says, over it or over Cam? and Trina says, both. Ava asks if she thinks it has anything to do with Spencer.

Spencer tells Esme, his friends have every reason to be angry; their weekend away was a disaster. He hopes Trina is okay. Esme says, she’ll be fine, but by all means worry more about Trina than the girlfriend he’s leaving behind.

Doc tells Victor, all of them who care about Spencer want him to be safe while he’s inside Spring Ridge. However, he doesn’t think it serves Spencer’s interest to rely on whatever guard Victor is in league with. Victor says, can he help it if he has friends Spencer can avail himself of? Just like the mayor has friends, or Doc has friends. His friends are just more useful to Spencer right now. Perhaps instead of scolding him, Doc should be thanking him.

Anna comes in, and Tracy says, finally. Is she aware her friends are harassing a grieving widow? Drew tells her, what his aunt means to say is, thanks for getting here so quickly, and Anna says, of course (🍷). What’s going on? Drew says, they need some clarity on grounds for arrest, and Anna says, the arrest being…? Tracy says, her. She’s under arrest for something she did not do. Michael says they think one of the agents has an agenda, and Anna says she’ll ask some questions. Tracy asks her if Anna can be quick; she has a plane to catch. Luke left some loose ends she needs to tie up. God knows what he was into before he died. Anna says she’ll be right back, and Ned thanks Drew for sticking his neck out on Tracy’s behalf. He didn’t have to. Drew says, they’re family, and Ned says, that, we are.

Austin says, one thing he knows for sure, he has terrible timing, but Maxie asks how he can say that. She kissed him. If timing is the issue, it’s hers. He asks if there’s a second issue, and she says, her, the woods, a baby popping out. Does any of it ring a bell? He says, it rings some vague bells, and she says she doesn’t want to think what would have happened if he wasn’t there. He says he’s glad he was, and she says, her too. He says, honest follow-up question. If they hadn’t met in the woods; if they’d met in a café or library… She says, what? and he says, a box store. If they’d met in a box store, would she be friendzoning him? She says, he’s not friendzoned… Okay, he is, but only until things get settled. He says he totally gets it, and she thanks him. She says, just so they’re clear, she’s not expecting him to wait for her. He’s well within his rights to move on. He asks if that’s what she wants, and she says she wants him to be happy. He says, having this moment with her right now makes him totally happy. He has no plans to go anywhere or do anything. Unless she has a problem with that. She says, not the tiniest bit.

Carly says she gets why Jason dying made it difficult to tell her about Nina, and he says, then why the distance between them? He’s not going to be with Nina. They still love each other, right? She says, of course (🍷), and he asks, then what’s the problem? She says she just wants for this never to have happened, and he says, one thing he can’t do is turn back time. If he could, he would. If he could erase what happened in Nixon Falls, being Mike and everything, he would. She says, would he? if given the chance, would he choose to forget everything that happened in Nixon Falls, everything with Nina? He says, if it meant they could be together and happy, yeah, he would. She says, he was almost convincing, and he tells her, anything he says isn’t good enough. He’s got props being delivered. She asks what he’s talking about, and he says he’s recreating their wedding in Martinique. She says, that’s the surprise? and he says, he thought she knew the plan. She says she knew he had something planned, but didn’t know what it was, and he says, that’s what it was. They don’t have to. He can do anything she wants. She asks, what’s better then Martinique? and he says, not much. She says, as far as grand gestures go, it’s pretty perfect.

Esme says, the entire town hates her, but Spencer asks if she doesn’t think she’s overreacting a little. Victor walks in, and she says, who does she have besides him? He says, Doc and his grandmother for starters, and she says, they tolerate her at best because of him. Victor approaches, and says he’s sorry for eavesdropping, but if there’s anything Esme needs while his nephew is away,  he’s always available. Spencer says, see? and asks them to excuse him a moment. He goes outside, and Esme thanks Victor, saying, that’s very sweet. He says, and earnest. He knows something about feeling unwelcome. As a matter-of-fact, he just got an earful from the good doctor Collins.

Spencer asks what Doc is still doing out here; it’s freezing. Doc says he’s waiting for Laura. She should be here any minute. Spencer says he’s sorry, and Doc says, for what? Spencer says he should have told Doc that he was inviting his great uncle, but Doc says he’s allowed to invite whoever he likes. Spencer says, grandmother has made it painfully clear she doesn’t trust Victor, and Doc says, Laura is concerned, but if Victor is important to Spencer, he should be there. The last thing Spencer wants to start this next chapter is regrets.

Trina tells Ava, Spencer’s her friend. Sure, he makes idiotic choices, and his girlfriend’s a nightmare, but he’s basically a good guy. Not that she supports what he did to Ava. Ava says, Trina doesn’t have to justify anything to her. She knows Spencer is a complicated young man. She may not be able to trust him, but she thinks he benefits from having Trina in his life. She just wants the friendship to be reciprocal; she wants Trina to benefit as well, not just be a target for Esme’s jealousy. Trina says, Esme has nothing to be jealous about, and Ava says, if it makes Trina uncomfortable supervising Spencer when he starts working there, she’ll be happy to keep the two of them apart.

Anna comes back, and tells Tracy, apparently the buyer she sold a piece of the Ice Princess to, had it appraised, and the fragment is close to worthless. Tracy says, if that’s true, it’s news to her, and Anna says, the WSB has doubts about that. Laura asks why the WSB is involved, and not Interpol, and Anna says, jockeying for jurisdiction is her guess. The Ice Princess is of enormous interest, as she knows. Laura says, all too well. It put a shadow over their lives for decades; everyone wanted a piece of it. Anna says, it’s history alone is every man’s desire, not to mention it’s monetary worth. She tells Dave, which is to say, there will be no shortage of scrutiny as to how this case is handled. She asks how Tracy found a buyer, and Tracy says, she used an intermediary, someone who did deals for her and Luke in the past. Anna says, she’ll need a name. She’ll also need Tracy to walk her through where she stored the diamond, and how often she had it appraised, and the contact information of the previous buyer. Ned asks if this means his mother isn’t under arrest, and Anna says she thinks arrest is a little aggressive, especially since Tracy is so willing to cooperate. She’ll make a call, and have them void the warrant. Dave says, they were given the green light, but Anna says, they’ll discuss his conduct later, and tells them to wait outside. They leave, and she tells Tracy that she’ll need every detail as to where the diamond was, and how it passed from Luke to Tracy. Every detail. Go.  

Harmony tells Alexis, Michael surprised Willow with an upcoming trip to Paris, and to get a passport, she needs a birth certificate. Alexis says, so she doesn’t have it, she lost it, she can get another one; it’s easy. Harmony says, it’s not easy. Willow doesn’t have a birth certificate, and it’s her fault. Alexis doesn’t get it. Willow got married, she was in school, she got a driver’s license. You can’t have all those things and not have a birth certificate. Harmony says, the one she had wasn’t official. Harmony was living in a commune when she gave birth to Willow, and the community didn’t adhere to societal norms. Alexis asks what she means, and she says she forged Willow’s birth certificate.  

Ned walks Laura to the door, and says he appreciates her trying to help out with those agents. She says, that diamond has always brought bad luck. He says, he would never tell his mother this – she says, then she won’t either – but part of him is relieved that someone took it off her. Laura doesn’t blame him. Has his mother ever mentioned someone threatening Luke over the Ice Princess? He says, not that he recalls; why? She says she was just wondering. She’s sorry his vow ceremony was overshadowed by this nonsense. It really was a lovely ceremony. He says, with a lovely officiant. Nothing could ruin today. He was, and still is, the happiest man on earth. She tells him, keep it that way, and he says, that’s the plan, and she leaves.

Anna says, it’s a good start. When Tracy gets home, she’ll have an agent reach out with further questions. Tracy asks her to get a competent one please, and Anna says she’ll do her best. She steps into the foyer, and calls Maxie. She asks if Maxie is free right now to meet… Good. Where is she?… You’re kidding.

Alexis says, Harmony forged her daughter’s birth certificate? and Harmony says, not her personally. Alexis says, oh, in that case… and Harmony says, there was a guy at the commune who could recreate official looking documents. Alexis asks, what was wrong with the actual document? and Harmony says, the people at the commune were worried if they filed with the state, it would be used for scrutiny, or to track them. Alexis says, so that’s it; Harmony isn’t leaving anything out. Harmony says, yes. Sadly it’s just typical group-think paranoia. Alexis says, it must have been some forger if no one questioned the certificate, and Harmony says, she was worried this day would come. That her stupid decision to live off the grid would impact Willow in some way, and now here they are. Alexis should have seen how excited Willow was at the prospect of traveling abroad. She can’t be the reason it doesn’t happen. She’s caused Willow too much pain and unhappiness as it is. Alexis says, Harmony does realize she’s not a lawyer anymore, and Harmony says, she used to be, and she’s smart. And most important, Harmony trusts her. She can’t lose her daughter over this.

Willow tells Michael that she’s going to check on Wiley, and goes upstairs. Drew says, it’s been an eventful day, and Michael says, it usually is around here. He tells Drew, it was a useful threat in the moment, but if he ever wants to go public about what Victor did to him, he’ll be happy to help. Drew says, thanks, but one way or another, Victor is going to get what’s coming to him.

Victor sits down, and says, when you’re young, time seems infinite, but he can assure Esme, the time Spencer’s away will just fly by. She says she hopes so, and he says, she knows the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder. She says, Sextus Propertius, and he says he’s impressed. She says, Spence audited a Roman Civ class. He got really into ancient poets and philosophers. Anyway, when Sextus wrote that, she’s sure he had friends to distract him. He tells her, a wise man once said, if everyone likes you, you’re probably not being true to yourself. She asks, who’s the author? and he says, me.

Trina tells Ava that she doesn’t think supervising Spencer will be a problem. She’s gotten a million texts and voicemails from him that he’s sorry about what went down at the cabin. Ava says, a million, huh? and Trina’s phone rings. She says, there he is again. She just doesn’t know what to say to him. She was a mess that night, and the worst part is, she doesn’t know how messy. Ava says, Spencer might be trying to touch base with her today because has to report to prison, and Trina says, she totally forgot; he must be freaking out. Ava says, he probably is, but he has his grandmother and his girlfriend; any number of people to lean on really, and yet he keeps calling Trina.

Anna goes to where Maxie and Austin are, and says she’s surprised they didn’t hear all the excitement. He says, they were kind of busy, and Maxie asks, what happened? Anna says, nothing for her to concern herself with, and Maxie says, good. She’s concerned enough already. Anna asks if she’s spoken with Valentin, and Maxie says, no; why?  Anna says she got a voicemail from him that sounded urgent. Now she can’t get ahold of him. Maxie asks what that has to do with her. What did his voicemail say? Anna tells her, he said he had a lead on Louise.

Sonny tells Carly, there were so many memories to choose from; a lifetime’s worth. She says she remembers he was so determined not to marry her; he fought her at every turn. He says he thought he was protecting her. He wishes he could say it was the last time he did the wrong thing for the right reason. She says, he finally gave in, despite his fears, and he says, because he trusted her. He wants her to trust him, and she says she wants to. He says, they can take it slow, and tonight could be like the first time. She says she knows tonight would be beautiful. It would be filled with romance and nostalgia, but what about tomorrow? Or next week or the week after that? Reliving Martinique isn’t going to change what’s so clear. He says, what’s that? and she says, what they have between them right now isn’t working for him, and it’s definitely not working for her.

Alexis says, she’ll figure something out, and Harmony says, she was hoping Alexis would say that, but only if it’s no trouble. Alexis says she’ll call a lawyer colleague and see what can be done, but Harmony has to stop with the too much trouble thing. After all Harmony has done for her? Harmony says, Alexis doesn’t owe her, but Alexis says she’s not doing it out of obligation. She’s doing it because they’re friends, and that’s what friends do; they help each other out. Harmony hugs her, and says, thank you. Alexis has no idea how much she appreciates this.  

Willow comes back, and says, Leo is showing Wiley how to build an aqueduct using cookie dough and milk. Drew says, maybe the boys will get into building, and Willow says, and not be in the family business? Michael wouldn’t stand for it. Michael says, Wiley can absolutely do what he wants, but for the record, ELQ would benefit from any business helm by those two. Drew asks if he isn’t forgetting about somebody. Scout is part of that generation too. Willow says, it’s going to be wild, isn’t it? Watching them grow up, seeing who they become, what they do, who they love. Drew says, parenthood, what ride, and Michael says, it’s scary and overwhelming at times, but… Drew says, it’s so worth it, and Willow takes Michael’s hand.

Tracy tells Ned, those agents are insisting on escorting her aboard her flight to Amsterdam. He says, it could be worse; they could be escorting her to prison. She says, one thing she learned on this trip; nothing and nobody can hold her back. He says, try not to test that theory please, and they hug. She says, he has his family back. Protect them. He says he will, and she says she meant what she said earlier. He says he loves her too, and opens the door for her. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that escort thing.

Laura runs up to Doc, apologizing for being late, and he says, she just missed Spencer. She says, he’s gone? and he says, momentarily; he said he’d be right back. How was the vow renewal? She says, it was beautiful. Until the WSB showed up and tried to arrest Tracy for counterfeiting the Ice Princess. He says he can’t tell if she’s joking, and she says she’s not. He says, why would she do that? and Laura says, she didn’t, or so she says, but Laura believes her. First, Luke dies, then the diamond gets counterfeited, and Victor has resurfaced. That’s not a coincidence.

Victor looks at his watch, and Esme asks if he has someplace he needs to be. That’s the third time he’s checked his watch. He says, she doesn’t miss much, and she says she’s an observer of human behavior; that’s why she’s studying psychology. He says, his family will give her lots to analyze. Speaking of – he gets up and looks out – he doesn’t see his nephew outside anymore. Esme gets up and looks out the window, and says, he’s absolutely right.

Ava says Spencer seems desperate to reach Trina, but Trina says, he just feels bad that his girlfriend is legitimately the worst. Ava says, maybe, but either way, it’s a good thing Trina isn’t hung up on him. Spencer walks in to the gallery.  

Sonny says, Carly is wrong. What they have does work. She proved it to him in Martinique. He pushed her away, but she knew better. She says, because she had faith, and he says, now he has the faith. He says she told him they were stronger then, but they’re strong now. At least do him a favor. Meet with him, and show him that she’s willing to try. She says, what if she’s not ready when he wants her to be? and he says, he’ll be waiting, but if she’s not ready now, maybe she never will be. He leaves, and I think, ooh, Carly’s earrings.

Austin says, Valentin is where Louise is? but Anna says, no. She has no reason to believe that. The message was light on detail. Maxie says she doesn’t understand. How could Valentin figure something out that Anna, her mom, and the police couldn’t? Anna says, good question. She imagines Valentin kept digging until he found something. Because ever since he was told Bailey wasn’t his child, he’s more determined than ever to reunite Maxie with her daughter. Austin flashes back to seeing Brook and Maxie with their heads together, Maxie saying she doesn’t even consider Brook a friend, and Brook saying that Maxie is the bravest person she knows.

Britt asks what Drew did to get on Sonny’s bad side: Austin says he remembers what happened in the woods; Laura says, Victor’s connections come at a heavy price; and Peter tells Dante, no one here will ever forget him.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

In Gina’s interview, she said she was definitely in mid-level management. She was trying to support Noella, but get her to respect Heather. Now she got why no one wanted to be in mid-level management. The guys were getting together for dinner, and Heather FaceTimed with Terry. In Jen’s interview, she said she hadn’t known the guys were going to dinner. She thought Ryne would love the guys. She scared him so much, it was just the women he shut up around. We saw some of the guys’ dinner, and no surprise, it looked like a lot more fun than the women’s dinner. Lots of laughing and joking, and no wine glass throwing or screaming. Emily asked Shannon, if she and John were going to have a threesome, who would she bring in? but Shannon said they’d never do it. In Shannon’s interview, she said she asked John if he’d ever had one, and he said, a third party damages a relationship. She told Emily that she didn’t discount people who do that, but she and John were at a level she never thought she’d be at with someone. They planned on getting a home together after the twins went to college. Noella thought Shannon’s kids were her soulmates, and Shannon said they were going to love Noella. In Gina’s interview, she said, Noella didn’t have to dominate every conversation. She wanted Noella to exist in the room without becoming the room. Gina and Emily started goofing around, talking about chakras and going, ohm, and Noella told them they were behaving like children. In Noella’s interview, she said she thought Emily and Gina’s IQ’s went down 10 points when they hung out together. In Emily’s interview, she said she was allowed to have fun with her best friend. Noella couldn’t even get on commercial flight, and is calling her a child? Gina and Emily left the table, Emily saying that Shannon and Noella were being offensive, and Gina saying, don’t call them children. Gina told Noella that she was reactionary in the moment, and we flashed back to Noella shouting that she’d eat potatoes when Emily said she wasn’t eating. In her interview, Gina said, Noella was like finding a puppy in the street. You felt sorry for it, but if it bit you, you would be like, f*** you, puppy. Figure it out for yourself.

During a video chat, Shannon told John that she was tired with all the running around, and he said he’d thought she was going to be taking it easy. In her interview, she said, with Heather, things were meticulously planned. It was great, but at the same time, she was exhausted. Emily, Gina, and Noella met to go to the sweat lodge, and Emily said she felt like Cabo was a sweat lodge. In Noella’s interview, she said, last night was a nightmare. She couldn’t sleep, and she was a ball of anxiety. James had said such hurtful things. Heather’s friend Tawnie met Heather, Jen and Shannon to go look at properties, and in Heather’s interview, she said Tawnie just happened to be staying there in the most fabulous hotel down the street. We saw a clip, and it was definitely fabulous. At the sweat lodge, the ceremony guide said she was going to clean their souls. In Emily’s interview, she said she’d studied abroad in the heart of Mexico, and loved the culture. It seemed like home. In Noella’s interview, she said, she hoped it provided a safe space to let the emotions out she’d been holding on to so tight. The guide burned sage or something, and told them that they’d be going into their mother’s womb, and to let go of everything they needed to. They’d find the answers to what they wanted in themselves. They started off at 97 degrees. I’d already be out the door.

Heather’s group went to meet Heather’s realtor, and in Heather’s interview, she said, when she and Terry talked budget and design, she wanted to find something that spoke to her, and Terry wanted something that spoke to his wallet. They looked at a 26,000 square foot, $13 million house with a wraparound pool, and in Shannon’s interview, she said she didn’t know if it was her age or what, but she didn’t want to walk four flights. It was an amazing place, and I don’t think I’ve seen a wraparound pool before, even on Million Dollar Listing. At the sweat lodge, the temperature was at 102, and Emily said she’d never felt such stifling heat. Gina said she was just trying to survive the moment. She’d thought they were going to a spa. In their respective interviews, Noella said she felt a wave of sadness coming out of her by force, and Emily said, tears and snot and saliva and sweat were pouring out. Noella ended up passing out and had to be carried to another area, where she lay in the fetal position, crying. She asked, what happened? and Gina told her that she passed out. Outside, Gina told Emily that she was happy, and wanted them to be happy. In Emily’s interview, she said she didn’t know what happened in the sweat lodge, but it was a surreal experience. She felt like every trauma and hurt had come out. Noella joined them, and Gina said she felt bad, but Noella said she didn’t want it to stick with Gina.  

An hour later, Emily and Gina were napping, while Heather and company looked at a piece of land with a view of a lighthouse that was the oldest structure in Cabo. Jen told Heather that she’d been in pain all day. It was literally radiating up and down her leg, and she needed to go handle it. Heather found out the lot was $8 million, and in her interview, she said, she wanted her man to be happy, which is why he loved her and went along with her harebrained schemes. She got Terry on FaceTime, and showed him the property, along with views of the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean. She told him it was a little over an acre, and he did some fast figuring, coming to a $15.5 million total for building a house there. 

Emily, Gina, and Noella went to the beach, and Emily let slip they’d flown in by private jet. Gina said she didn’t think Heather would leave Noella hanging, but in Noella’s interview, she said, Heather hadn’t spoken to her about flights – or anything. Emily said Heather hadn’t wanted Noella to come, and Gina talked her into it. In Emily’s interview, she said she felt it was important that Noella know that Gina had advocated for her, but in Gina’s interview, she said, what the f***ing f***? WTF??? We went back to Emily’s interview, and she said, I’m Emily Simpson, and I’m an a-hole. In Noella’s interview, she said she’d understood the invite as being an olive branch, and Heather’s way of saying they could be civil, decent, and respectable to each other. We flashed back to Heather saying, maybe she’s not the right friend for Noella, and Noella said, it was a pity invite, like in high school. Gina said she knew Noella was sad, but not everybody wanted details. Emily suggested pulling it back, and letting Heather get to know her; not over-the-top Noella. In her interview, Noella wondered why everyone was so terrified of Heather. Heather still bled, and was still a human being.

Jen worked out to manage her pain, and made the mistake of calling Ryne. She told him that the pain was debilitating and excruciating; she couldn’t function. The best he could come up with was that it would be better tomorrow. She said what she wanted now was to feel loved and protected, and know that how she felt was important. She felt alone. He couldn’t come up with even a smidgeon of empathy, and I wanted to kick his ass. No doubt she’d torn him away from a video game or something. You can talk on the phone and hold the chihuahua.

The women met at the bar, and a table was set up by the beach for dinner, complete with nearby piñata and sombreros for everyone. Bartender Alex hosted a tequila tasting first, and in Emily’s interview, she said, it gets to a point where fun Emily turns into destructive drunk Emily. With three or four shots, she was good, but after five or six she started stuff. We flashed back to her starting stuff. Shannon said she was going to wear her sombrero all night; she loved a theme. Emily said she loved the commitment. They talked about the sweat lodge, and in Jen’s interview, she said, it wasn’t shocking that Noella passed out. She’d been drinking the night before, and was in severe emotional distress. That wasn’t a good combination for a sweat lodge. Jen talked to Heather about her conversation with Ryne, and how she was bearing the burden of a long work day so the family could live well. Heather said, she and Terry had a come to Jesus conversation. They had to be in agreement of who was doing what. In her interview, Jen said, there was a simple solution to her and Ryne’s problem; recognizing and being appreciative of each other. But they were always so pissed off at each other, they couldn’t do it.

Shannon asked Noella, what happened last night? and Noella talked smack about Gina and Emily, saying they were a tag team. Shannon asked if she was over what happened, and Noella said she was. Shannon asked Emily and Gina if they were over what happened, and Gina wondered what had happened. Emily told her, apparently, they were over it. Shannon said she was just trying to help, but Noella told her that she wasn’t helping. Heather was like, not tonight, and Noella felt provoked. She told Heather that she found out she’d gotten a pity invite, but Heather said that wasn’t true. She hadn’t wanted to invite Noella because Noella had given her daughter porn as a gift, and she felt uncomfortable. It was inappropriate. We flashed back to Heather telling Shannon about the card deck, and Noella said she got it on Amazon, like you couldn’t possibly get anything inappropriate there. In her interview, Noella said, accusing her of giving a teen pornography was a new low, even for Heather. Heather said she told Gina this was why she didn’t want to invite her, and Noella got whiplash turning to Gina, and asked why Gina didn’t tell her. Gina said she didn’t think it was her place. In Jen’s interview, she couldn’t understand why Noella just did tell Heather that she didn’t know and she was sorry. Say sorry like you mean it, and maybe it will go be okay. Noella said she’d put LGBTQ gift in the search. Shannon kept trying to interject, and then wailed that no one listened to her. Emily said, Shannon Beador, you have the floor, and Shannon suggested Noella back down and let Heather explain her perspective. Noella accused Heather of straight fragility, and Heather said she had gay children. Noella ranted that she was a bisexual, biracial liberal, and don’t call her inappropriate, totally missing the point as usual. Heather said she never called Noella inappropriate; she said the gift was inappropriate. She assumed Noella hadn’t looked at the cards, and given her the benefit of the doubt. Jen told Heather to read the cards, and Heather brought the info up on her phone. Everyone was like, whoa, and Noella said she never would have given them to Max had she known. In Noella’s interview, she counterbalanced that with saying, even though it was an inappropriate gift for a 17 year old, calling it porn was blowing it out of proportion. Heather said she was proud and supportive of her children. Don’t say she’s not understanding. In Heather’s interview, she says, that’s what she was worried about in inviting Noella. Noella was so calculated, she had things in her back pocket to say if she got in trouble. You don’t win that way. Noella told Heather that she said she was sorry, so were they done?

Next time, Piñata mania, Shannon wears all the sombreros at once, Noella says it’s not a good trip for her, and Jen talks to Ryne about getting a job. Hint: It does not go well.

🛶 Row, Row, Rowing My Boat…

Tomorrow, Bravo has Runway all day, and I’ll be hear for soap and the Runway finale. Until then, stay safe, stay having a sense of adventure, and stay knowing, if you can’t find your birth certificate online, you might have been born in a commune.

February 1, 2022 – Vow Renewal At the Quartermaines, New Jersey Pool Party, Who’s Who, New Nose, Abandonment, Housewife Tease, Called Out, Sad News & Brighter

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase finds Brook getting coffee in the nook, and tells her that Bailey is conked out. She says she wishes Bailey slept this much at the beach house, but Chase says, she’ll get used to the new digs; just give her a minute. She says, they’ll probably be out of there by the time that happens, and Chase says, then Peter will be locked up, and Bailey can go home. She says, and they can officially stop pretending. They hear Bailey cry on the monitor, and touch hands as they’re both reaching for it. Chase says, he’ll go, and leaves.

Michael says, Wiley is excited to see his cousin Bailey today, and Willow says, he misses her. Michael asks if she’s ready to go to the house, but she says, she’s actually waiting for her mom to drop by. She still can’t find any record of her birth certificate, and needs to get her passport application in. He says, oui, oui, and she asks if that’s the only French word he knows. He says, oui, and she laughs, saying, she really hopes her mom has a copy. He says they can’t go to Paris without one, and kisses her.

Kristina shows up at Alexis’s office with coffee, and says, stop the presses. Local editor’s down, unharmed, coaxed from behind the desk with caffeine. Alexis reaches for the cup, and says, bless you. She takes a sip, and says, hello, my daughter. Kristina says, hello, mother. She came to observe Alexis in her natural habitat. She picks up a placard from Alexis’s desk, and reads, truth never damages a cause that is just. She says she likes it, and Alexis says, Harmony gave it to her. Kristina says, just the person she wanted to talk about.

Britt meets Austin in Kelly’s, and he says he wants to get a female perspective. What does it mean when a woman kisses a man?

Maxie adjusts the chairs for the vow renewal at the Quartermaines, and flashes back to kissing Austin. Brook asks if she’s ready. Guests are arriving; it’s time to open the doors. Maxie says, first, she has to tell Brook something, and Brook says, uh-oh. Unless it’s not an uh-oh. Maxie says, it’s definitely an uh-oh. Austin remembered something. Brook says, something as in… and Maxie says, he remembered hearing them talking the night Louise was born.

Dante tells Leo that he’s looking sharp (we’re back to the usual Leo), and Leo says, it’s not itchy. Ned says, Leo is wearing a T-shirt under his shirt instead of a button-down. Dante says, button-downs can be itchy; what’s with that? Leo shrugs, and Dante says, it doesn’t matter. Once Leo’s mother walks in the room, no one is going to notice them anyway. Ned tells him, you can say that again, and Olivia walks down the stairs, smiling at Ned.

Drew sees Carly alone in one of the rooms, and asks what she’s doing there. She says she’s hiding, and he says he hates to break it to her, but she’s not going to be very successful looking like that. She says, still the charmer, and he says, it’s the truth. He tells her, hiding isn’t usually her style, and she says she doesn’t feel like herself these days. She’s nervous to see Sonny. How ridiculous is that? He asks what exactly she’s nervous about, and she says she doesn’t want their issues to cast a shadow over Olivia and Ned. He says, she doesn’t think Sonny gets that? and she says, here’s hoping.

Sonny comes in as Ned is thanking Laura for officiating today. She says, it’s an honor. She wouldn’t have missed it for the world. She’s so sorry Doc couldn’t be here, but there was another patient emergency. Olivia says they’re sorry too, and excuses herself. She goes over to hug Sonny, and he tells her that she looks good. She thanks him, and asks how he’s doing. He says he’s good, and asks if Carly’s there, and Olivia says, Carly came early to help her get ready. She would have understood if he couldn’t make it today. It’s hard to celebrate someone else’s happiness when you’re not exactly in the best place yourself. He says, he and Carly will be back together before she knows it. Just you bet on it.

Britt says, Austin was a doctor last she checked, and he says he still is. She says she’s pretty sure human sexuality was covered in his studies, and he says, it was, but he’s a grown man and she’s a grown woman, so he’s asking her. If you kiss a man who’s your friend, why would you apologize? She says she assumes they’re talking about… He says, Maxie, and she says, was it good? He says he thought so, and she says, why didn’t he ask Maxie what she meant? He says, her mom kind of interrupted them, and she says, so this happened in high school? He says, she’s hilarious. What happened was, he and Maxie went to Pawtuck with Anna and Felicia to try and jog their memories about what happened the night Louise was born. She says, oh wow. And? Did either of them remember what happened? He says he doesn’t know. That part’s even more confusing than the kissing.

Maxie tells Brook, she tried to convince Austin that he was misremembering – if that’s even a word (FYI, it is according to spellcheck) – but she doesn’t think it worked. Brook says she has to try harder, and Maxie says, she did everything she could think of. She even kissed him. Brook says, that is an interesting and creative strategy. They’ll revisit that later. Maxie says, it wasn’t a strategy. Austin’s gone above and beyond to help her out. The problem is, what he thinks is helping could probably ruin everything. Brook says they shouldn’t panic. They just need to come up with a plan. Maxie says, ya think? when Tracy comes in, and asks, what’s going on in here? The two of them having their heads together doesn’t look suspicious at all, while the guests are milling around outside. Brook says, they have everything under control, and Tracy says her confidence knows no bounds. Maxie thanks her for keeping all of this under wraps, and Tracy says, Peter August is a despicable human being, who doesn’t deserve to be a father, and she’s very sorry Maxie has to be separated from Louise. Maxie says she knows Louise is in good hands, but she can’t wait to have her daughter back in her arms.

Harmony arrives at the gatehouse, and says, she was so happy to get Willow’s call. What did she want to talk about? Willow says she needs a copy of her birth certificate, and Harmony asks, how come? Willow says she can’t find hers. It must have gotten lost in all the moving around. Normally, it wouldn’t be anything urgent, but she needs to get a passport. Harmony asks where she’s headed, and Willow says, Michael is taking her to Paris. Michael comes in, and Harmony says, how wonderful. Are they taking Wiley with them? Michael says, not this time, and tells Willow that he’s heading to the house; he wants to see how his mom and dad are doing. Willow says she’ll be right behind him with Wiley, and he says it was nice seeing Harmony. (Since when?) She says, him too, and he leaves. Willow tells Harmony, the first step to her getting a passport is getting a copy of her birth certificate, and she can’t find any record of it online. How can that be?

Alexis says, just so Kristina knows, Harmony is a non-issue. They won’t be spending time together anymore. Kristina says, because of her, and Alexis says, she and Harmony both think it’s best. Kristina says, so that’s the end, but she really wants Alexis to hear her out on this. Sam way overstepped when she told Harmony to stay away from Alexis. Sam just assumed the friendship would make her uncomfortable. Alexis says, it doesn’t? and Kristina says, whatever she feels, it wasn’t Sam’s place to speak for her. Alexis says, Sam was just protecting her, and Kristina says she’s sure there was a sincere desire to protect her, but Sam was also avoiding focusing on her own mess of a life.

Ned says, Olivia takes his breath away, and she says, stop. Dante says, it’s true; she looks beautiful. Right, Leo? Leo says he loves her sparkly dress, and Olivia says, that’s why she wore a sparkly dress. She’s so grateful to have all her guys here with her today. Ned says, they’re a lucky crew, and she says, they sure are. Tracy comes in with Brook and Maxie, and Maxie says they can come in. Tracy says, hopefully, they’ll deem it worth the wait. Olivia tells Maxie, it’s just gorgeous, and Ned says she captured the mood perfectly. Brook asks, what mood would that be? and he says, you know, bliss, gratitude – he takes Olivia’s hand – love. Brook hugs him, and says she’s so glad this day came. She’s so sorry… Olivia says, they’re not doing any of that today. Today, they’re all looking forward; they’re not looking back. Ned says, it means everything to them that they’re all here together, and Brook says, it means everything to her too.

Sonny asks Laura if there’s any word on Cyrus, but she says, all’s quiet on that front. She asks how he is, and he says, things were a little bumpy for a little bit, but things are back on track. She says, good, and he says, things are definitely looking up. She says, with him and Carly? and he says, he just has to prove they belong together. He sees Carly standing in the doorway.

Britt tells Austin, feelings can be tricky, and aren’t always accurate. Maxie suffered severe emotional trauma that night, and Austin was knocked unconscious. She’s not shocked the recall is a little fuzzy. He says he guesses, and she says, back to that kiss. He says, what about it? and she says, only Maxie can tell him what it meant. So he has to put on those big boy pants and talk to her. He asks if there’s a B option, and she says, call her. He says he can’t; she’s coordinating at the Quartermaines. She’s in charge of Ned and Olivia’s vow renewal. She says, to which he was invited, and he says, to which he declined. She says, he might want to revisit that decision, and he says, just to see Maxie? She says, there isn’t even the tiniest part of him that wants to get to know his family? and he says, he already knows them. She says, get to know them better. Maybe even get close. He says, maybe she’s right. Maybe he did decline that invitation a little too quickly. She laughs, and Brad walks in. He says he’s fifteen minutes late, so technically, he’s on time. Britt says, that’s not what technically means, and he says, for him, it’s still on time. He and Austin say, hello, and Austin starts to get up. Britt says he doesn’t have to leave, but Austin says he has somewhere to be, right? She says, he does. Good luck. He leaves, and Brad sits down. Brad says, he seems nice, and Britt says, he’s straight. And she just sent him off into the arms of another woman.

Maxie says, according to Britt, Peter’s getting transferred to Pentenville tonight, and Brook says, couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Once Peter is finally locked away, this whole thing is going to be over. Once that happens and this nightmare is behind them, what is Maxie going to do about Austin? Maxie asks what she means, and Brook says, it’s pretty obvious Austin is into her. Maxie says, obvious to who? and Brook says, everyone. The question is, is Maxie into him? Maxie says she thinks so, but it’s hard to tell when all she’s doing is lying to his face. Brook says she can see that being an obstacle, and Maxie says she can’t think about Austin right now. Brook doesn’t think he’s going to show up there, does she? Brook says, with her family? It’s the last place he wants to be.

Willow gives Harmony a cup of coffee, and Harmony says she’s sure she has a copy of Willow’s birth certificate with her important documents. She’ll look for it right away. Willow thanks her, and says, it was so strange she couldn’t find it online. Harmony says, maybe not every piece of information is on the internet, and Willow says, not to rush her, but time is of the essence if she wants to get a passport. Harmony promises to look for it right away, and Willow asks if she wants to see Wiley. She says she’d love that, and Willow leaves to get him.

On the phone in the nook, Dante says, keep him posted. Chase comes in and asks if something is up, but Dante says, it can wait. His mother will kill him if he misses the ceremony. Chase asks if it’s sad that just hearing the words keep me posted makes him nostalgic. He hands Dante a cup of coffee, and Dante says, kinda. Is he missing the job? Chase says, big time. He hates being in limbo. Dante says he hears that, and Chase asks if Sam is coming. Dante tells him, she said she was, and Chase wonders why he’s saying it like that. Dante says, never mind, but Chase says, come on; tell him. Dante says, ever since Drew came back… Chase asks if they’re having problems, but Dante says, no. That’s the problem. It’s nothing as tangible as that. They had some good momentum going for a while, then Drew came back, and it stopped. They were full steam ahead for a while there. Chase says, but now they’re stuck in neutral.

Alexis asks what mess Sam’s in now, and Kristina says, maybe mess is too harsh. Let’s say, Sam seems conflicted. Who can blame her, torn between two men? Alexis says, Kristina… and Kristina says, if she were Sam and had to choose between Dante and Drew, it would be tough. Both are charming, both are handsome, and both are sincerely good guys. Drew is Scout’s father, so he has that in his favor, but Dante’s been with Sam for months, helping her rebuild her life when she and Jason split. Alexis hopes she didn’t share any of this with Sam, and Kristina says, of course (🍷) not. None of this is really any of her business, but Alexis is their mom, so… Alexis says, that’s true. She is Kristina’s mom, and as such, she gets the feeling Kristina is talking about Sam in order not to talk about what she came there to talk about, and she thinks for once, they need to talk about it. She wants Kristina to tell her how she feels about her friendship with Harmony.

Carly walks over to Sonny, and he says she looks gorgeous. She says he cleans up pretty well himself. Tracy asks if she can borrow Laura for a moment, and as they walk away, Laura asks if something is wrong, but Tracy says she just wanted to get Laura out of the line of fire. Laura says, good job. Sonny says he misses Carly, and she says she just saw him this morning for breakfast. He says she knows what he means. He’s not trying to pressure her, or tell her how to feel, but they can still be honest with each other, right? She says she hopes so, and he says, they’re still seeing each other tonight, right? She says she told him that she could give him an hour or so to talk. She’s not going to back down. Michael comes in, and Carly hugs him. She asks, where’s Wiley? and he says, he and Willow should be coming. Carly says she’s going to check if Olivia needs anything, and leaves. Michael asks if everything is okay, and Sonny says, it’s not like they’re a bomb ready to go off. Michael asks if he’s sure, and Sonny says, yes. He just wants to work things out. He’s got everything under control.

Ned offers Sonny some champagne, and promises it will be pathogen free. Sonny says, Leo is a trip, and Ned agrees. Sonny says he has to decline. He has to stay sharp tonight. Ned says, right. The bold move he was talking about with Carly, and Sonny says, that’s the one.

Willow walks in, and Michael says, no Wiley? but she says, he was intercepted by Monica; they’re in the playroom. She sees his parents are here; have they crossed paths? He says, yeah, and she says, and? He says, it was painfully polite, which is the best thing they can expect right now. He asks how it went with Harmony, and if she was able to help Willow with her birth certificate, and Willow says, she thinks she has a copy, so Paris, here we come. Michael says, oui, oui, and she kisses him.

Kristina says, Alexis doesn’t need her permission to be friends with someone, but Alexis says, it’s not just someone, and Kristina knows it. It’s Harmony. Kristina is her daughter, and Alexis loves her. Hurting her is clearly not an option, but she needs to know how Kristina actually feels about this, so let her give an example. If Kristina came home, and Harmony were there for dinner, would that make her uncomfortable? Kristina says, maybe give her a heads up until she gets used to it? and Alexis says, so yes, she’d be uncomfortable. Kristian says she doesn’t know what Alexis wants her to say, and Alexis tells her to say what she really feels. Kristina says, seeing Harmony brings up a lot for her, like everything that happened at Dawn of Day, how utterly stupid she was… Alexis says she wasn’t stupid; she was trusting. That’s different. Kristina says, Shiloh was a master manipulator, and intellectually, she knows Harmony was just another one of his victims. Alexis says, but Kristina can’t forget what she did.

Laura asks when Tracy is going back to Amsterdam, and Tracy says, later today. Laura says, and after the next memorial, then what? and Tracy says she has some ideas, and was actually able to remove a piece of the Ice Princess that she’s going to use to fund her future endeavors. Laura says, Tracy knows how she feels about that diamond, but she wishes Tracy the best, and Tracy thanks her.

Austin comes in, and thanks Ned for his kind invitation. He hopes it still stands. Ned says, of course (🍷), and Olivia says they’re glad he’s here. He shakes hands with them, and Leo runs up, saying, he knows Austin. Austin says Leo has the best memory; he’s Dr. Austin. Leo brings out his fidget spinner, and Austin says, oh wow. He still has it; that’s great. He’s good at looking after his things. Ned says, the things he cares about, and Leo asks if it’s time yet. Olivia says she guesses it is, and suggests he round everybody up. Leo yells, we’re starting, and Ned says, that’s one way to do it. Austin waves to Maxie, who waves back, and Ned says, they heard the man. It’s time for him to marry the woman of his dreams – again.

Kristina tells Alexis, she wants to get to the point where seeing Harmony doesn’t bother her, but she doesn’t think she’s there yet. Alexis says, fair enough, and Kristina says, Sam told her that Harmony stopped Alexis from drinking on New Year’s Eve. Alexis says, when she was in prison, Harmony was there for her when she needed someone to be there for her, and Kristina says, sounds like a good friend. Alexis says, she is, and Kristina says, then Alexis should hang out with her. Alexis says she wants Kristina to be sure; is she sure? Kristina says, Shiloh preyed on Harmony like the rest of them, and let’s be real. She wouldn’t want someone holding her past against her, so permission granted. Alexis deserves a great friend. Alexis says she has a really great daughter, and they hug.

Brad says, so Austin was the new wing man Britt was telling him about. First clubbing, now a coffee date; is there something he should know? Britt says, no. He has eyes for another woman. Brad asks, more important, does he have BFF competition? She says, never, and he says, good answer. She says she’s surprised he wanted to meet here. Isn’t this a little public? He says, Kelly’s? His aunt would never come to a place like this. She says, so she’s a snob and controlling? and he laughs, and says, dare he ask about Peter? He hasn’t relapsed or anything, right? She lowers her voice, and says, does he mean did he end up killing Peter with that poison? No, Peter’s fine. Enough to be heading back to Pentenville tonight anyway. He wonders if his Aunt Selena will let Peter get there alive.

Laura says, they’re here to celebrate something really wonderful – the persistence of love. Every couple gets tested. Every couple has problems. It’s how we come through them that matters. Ned and Olivia have come through theirs stronger, and more committed, and more in love than ever. Olivia says, they have, and Laura says she has the sneaking suspicion they have some things they want to say to each other. Ned says, ladies first, and Olivia says, Ned, Ned, Ned. He says, oh boy, and she says, it’s all good, she promises. She also promises to love him, cherish him, and honor and keep him for the rest of their lives. They will celebrate together, commiserate together. They’ll watch movies and eat Chinese food together. They’ll raise their son together. He says he likes the sound of that, and she says she looks into the future and sees him; the three of them. All of them. She can’t believe how blessed she is. He asks if it’s okay if he makes some promises, and she says, copycat. He says, his beautiful, extraordinary, animal loving wife. He too, vows to love, cherish, honor and keep her the rest of their lives. He’ll fight the good fight with her, and celebrate with her. He’ll sing duets with her. She says, slightly off key, and he says, hey, that’s his wife she’s talking about. And he will raise their son with her. He loves her endlessly. She says she loves him too, and he says, how he got this lucky he’ll never comprehend, but he’s holding onto her, and he’ll be damned if he ever lets go again. He puts a wedding ring on her finger, above the set she’d wearing, and she says, they weren’t doing new rings. He says, he couldn’t resist, but it’s not a replacement ring; it’s a companion ring. She says, it’s perfect, and Laura says, by this renewal of vows in front of family and friends, they’ve once again proclaimed their commitment to their life together. Olivia says, Ned better kiss her if he knows what’s good for him. He asks Laura, may I? and she says, she thinks he better. They kiss and everyone applauds, all happy for a hot minute.

Maxie says she never expected Austin to be here, and he says, Ned invited him. She says, that she expected, but she didn’t expect he’d come. He tells her, he said no at first, but then realized he wanted to know his family… most of them anyway. Plus, he knew she’d be here. She says, an added draw? and he says, maybe. Who is he kidding? Definitely.

Monica congratulates Ned, and hugs him. She says she knew he and Olivia would find their way back, and he thanks her for believing that, even when he had his doubts. She says, some couples are just built for the long haul. They bend, but never break. Ed and Lila were like that; so were she and Alan actually. She thinks he and Olivia fit that pattern, and he says, then they’re in good company, and they hug again.

Dante says he’d ask how Olivia is doing, but she’s absolutely glowing. Sam says she looks beautiful, and she thanks them. She says she had no idea how official the whole thing would feel. She really feels like a new bride all over again. Dante says, Ned better treat her right, or Ned’s going to have to answer to him, and Olivia says she couldn’t love Dante any more than she does. He says he loves her too, and they hug.

Carly looks out the window, and Drew says, they meet again. Is she okay? She says she needed a breather. They were perfectly civil, and that’s what makes it so awful. He says, she means her and Sonny? and she says, there was no screaming; there was no yelling. Clearly, they can be in the same room together. That should make her happy, right? He says, that’s a pretty low bar for happiness, and she says, that’s where she is these days, just trying to keep the peace for their family. He says he’s going to do his part and steer clear of Sonny, just to be safe. She asks, why? Did something happen between him and Sonny?

In the nook, Brook tells Chase, her dad was practically levitating, he’s so happy. She’s so glad everything worked out for them. He says, Ned and Olivia seem like the real deal, and she says, they definitely are. He says he forgot to tell her, she looks great today, and she thanks him, and says, he looks pretty good too. They hear Bailey cry on the monitor, and he says, someone is awake. Why don’t they both go? She says, deal, and they go upstairs.  

Drew tells Carly, he walked in on Sonny and Curtis having… let’s call it a heated discussion. She says, at The Savoy? and he says, yeah. He tried to intervene, but he just made everything worse. He flashes back to Sonny saying, Drew is just a poor shadow of his brother, and tells her, Sonny was acting pretty erratic. She says, in what way? And what was he doing there? Drew says, he was determined to buy out the club for the night, and she says, she told Sonny that she needed time, not some big, romantic gesture, and he says, Curtis shot him down; it’s not going to happen. But she says, he knows Sonny. Once Sonny sets his mind on something, it’s really hard to talk him out of it.

Kristina says, Alexis has hardly talked about her time in Spring Ridge, and Alexis says, it was prison. Lightyears better than Pentenville, but still prison. When she was paying her debt to society, it was hard, and lonely sometimes. Kristina says, and Harmony helped, and Alexis says, she did. Because Harmony had also done time in prison, she could meet Alexis where she was, as an equal. There’s tremendous relief in that kind of shorthand. She didn’t have to explain anything to Harmony. Harmony knew where she was coming from, and knew what she’d be going through when she got out. She thinks the most interesting realization for her was that, like Kristina, Harmony was Shiloh’s victim. Like Kristina, she was desperate for some enlightenment, and he weaponized it against both of them. She gives Harmony a lot of credit for recognizing her mistakes. She testified against him, and didn’t do it in exchange for anything. She got no deal. She went to prison and took her lumps. She did it because she knew it was the right thing to do. Kristina says, kind of like Alexis pleading guilty, and Alexis says, kind of like that. She knows they thought she was out of her mind for doing that, but Harmony understood why, and it’s nice to be able to be that honest with someone, and have someone get you. Isn’t that the essence of a good friendship, to be honest with somebody? Kristina says, sounds right to her.

Britt asks if Brad thinks his aunt is going to try and kill Peter again, but he says he doesn’t know her plans, and doesn’t want to. She says, good, because he needs to be the perfect parolee. He asks if she cares, and she says, if he went back to prison? He says, no, if Peter died, and she says, the world would be a far better place, but she will say this. If Peter meets with an accident of some kind, she doesn’t want GH involved in any way. Get that guy out of her hospital. Brad says, amen.

Sonny says, sorry to interrupt, and congratulates Olivia and Ned again. He says, he wishes he could stay, but he has to get going. Olivia says, he has something more important than them? and he says he’s got some details he needs to take care of. He leaves, and Ned laughs, and Olivia says, okay. When did Ned and Sonny start sharing secrets? He says he’s not quite sure, and she asks, what’s the secret? He says he doesn’t know much, but evidently Sonny is planning a big surprise for Carly. She says, oh no. What is he doing? Carly thinks they’re just getting together to talk. He says he told Sonny it was a bad idea, but he wouldn’t hear it. Olivia says she’s got to warn Carly, but Ned says, maybe they should stay out of this. Olivia says, ha! and goes over to Carly. She says she just heard something she thinks Carly should know about, and Carly says, Sonny is planning something really big, isn’t he? Olivia says, apparently Carly already heard it, and Carly says, she’s on it, and leaves.

Carly asks if she can talk to Sonny a minute in private, and Michael says, no one is at the gatehouse; they could go there. They leave, and Willow asks what he thinks that’s about. Michael says, based on his mom’s tone, nothing good.

Austin says, Maxie disappeared, and she says, she’s in charge, and she needed to take a break. He says, she’s not avoiding him? He’s not a creeper. She says she knows, and he says, she kissed him. She says, she did, and he says, then her mom interrupted, and they couldn’t talk about it. Think they can talk about it now? She says, sure, and he says he knows how he feels. Does she want to tell him what that kiss meant to her?

Harmony knocks at Alexis’s office door, and Alexis says, good. Harmony has impeccable timing; Alexis was just about to call her. She looks at Harmony, and says, what’s wrong? Harmony says she needs Alexis’s help. It’s Willow.

At the gatehouse, Sonny tells Carly, don’t try to get anything out of him, because he’s not talking. She says she already knows he has something planned, and he asks, who ruined the surprise? She says, the surprise was realizing he’s still not listening to her, and that stops now.

Ned and Tracy are alone in the living room, and Tracy closes the doors. Ned says, worried about witnesses? and she says, no. She just wanted a little privacy. They’ve barely had a chance to talk today. He says, it has been a hectic day, and she says, that was not a criticism. Everybody wanted to wish him well because they love him. She just wanted him to know that she loves him too. He says, mother, are we having a moment? She says, they could have, but he ruined it. The doors open, and Michael and Brook come in with some official looking guys. Ned asks, what’s going on? and Michael says, they asked for Tracy. Tracy asks the head official guy if she can help him, and he says she’s under arrest. She says, for what? and he says, felony fraud; trafficking in counterfeit goods. She says she did no such thing. What did she counterfeit? He says, the Ice Princess. By now, everyone else has come in, and Laura looks horrified.

Tomorrow, Maxie tells Austin, not yet; Harmony says, Alexis might not want to be her friend after she hears this; Anna thinks she knows all she needs to know; and Carly says, as far as grand gestures go, it’s pretty perfect.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

We get a preview of the season, and it looks to be a lively one, full of yelling, screaming shrews.

Teresa talked with her daughters about blending families with Luis, who has two sons. She’d always wanted sons, although only one would be living with them; the other was twenty and on his own. She was having a summer kick-off party, and told the girls that she’d invited Melissa and Joe #2. The girls were pissed at Joe #2 for talking smack about Joe #1, and in her interview, Teresa said she and Joe #2 had made peace, but her daughters wanted him to take it back.

Frankie was working for Luis, and said Luis was a good worker and had a good heart. The house was still being renovated, so Dolores had rented a townhouse, but then Frankie graduated from college and Gabby from vet school. In Delores’s interview, she said, Frank’s priorities were off since he had a new young girlfriend, so she hassled him until he said he’d get some things finished.

Some video came out with Luis in it, and we saw tweets that said everything from, it was horrifying, to what the hell is this? Marge said Teresa was going to loose her mind, and I felt out of the loop, since I had no idea what this video was all about. Jackie came over to Marge’s to discuss the video, and described it as, Luis being in the middle of a pack of men, and they were all naked. It looked like Luis had been dragged through the river, and was begging for forgiveness. He was apologizing for something, and obviously had done something wrong. They showed it, but I’m guessing a lot was cut out. It actually looked like someone being artistic and not doing the best job. Like maybe it was the first video they made. Joe #4 said Theresa had to get a clue, but Marge said he forgot they were talking about Teresa. Marge told Jackie that it looked like Luis was on an apology tour in the video, and there were allegations out there. We flashed back to Watch What Happens Live where it was mentioned that Kim D said Luis had been abusive to past girlfriends. Marge said, Jennifer was an unhappy liar who was all smoke and mirrors, and had talked all kinds of smack about her.

Melissa and Joe #2 were glad to get out after quarantine. They met with new Housewife Traci and her husband Tiki Barber. In Melissa’s interview, she said they’d met through a mutual friend, and Joe had been excited about meeting Tiki because of his Giants background and being a sports commentator. Traci asked if Joe and Melissa had gotten a house, but Melissa said they were temporarily living in a rental until their new house was ready. Teresa had just bought a house nearby, and it seemed like Melissa had mixed feelings about that. She said, Luis was like a knight in shining armor to Teresa, but Joe wasn’t so sure. They’d seen Joe #1 make her happy too, and there were a lot of rumors about Luis. In Traci’s interview, she said she didn’t put much stock in rumors. She and Tiki had been married nine years, and he was already separated from his wife when they met. His wife had been eight months pregnant, and it was a media circus with rumors swirling. In Joe #2’s interview, he said, Luis told him about the camp depicted in the video, but when the video came out, he said he wasn’t into that kind of camp. That’s when the lightbulb came on for me. The video was from some kind of men’s retreat, where no doubt they did drum circles and such. In other words, all these horrified, freaked out people were making something out of nothing. On top of it, it had been privately sent to his girlfriend at the time.

Jennifer gotten her nose and chin done when she was in Turkey for her nephew’s christening. In her interview, she said, when she’d gotten her tummy tuck, Bill said she was the worst patient ever, and he was never doing surgery on her again. During the past year, Jennifer had been in a bad place with her mom, because Jennifer’s ailing father had moved in with Jennifer and Bill. Her mom was in Turkey, so Jennifer approached her when she was there, and they hugged it out, her mom crying, and saying, let’s be done with this. Bill said, some issues were better off not being fully addressed, and Jennifer said she wished it was as easy with girls. Marge had a Pride party, and hadn’t invited her.  

Joe #2 had been part of a comedy show in Atlantic City, and when asked about Luis, he hadn’t wanted to talk about it, so he just said something funny. Now Luis was upset with him. Melissa said he did Luis a favor, but Joe said he thought it best if he stayed away, and wasn’t going to Teresa’s pool party. Marge told Joe #3, the last time Teresa had a party, Jennifer was a drunken mess. We flashed back to that, and Joe told Marge that Bill had to pay two grand to get the vomit out of his car. Marge said, some behavior wasn’t forgivable, and Jennifer was getting there.

Dolores said she didn’t know how Luis couldn’t be nervous, but if everyone knew what was good for them, they’d keep their mouths shut. It was the pink elephant in the room. Just for the record. A pink elephant is what you see when you have the DTs; an obvious thing that everyone refuses to talk about is the elephant in the room. In Melissa’s interview, she said they weren’t going to come, but Teresa called Joe #2 the night before. Melissa thought if they didn’t go, it would create more tension. She felt for Joe. He and Teresa put things under the rug, but sh*t never went away. In Jackie’s interview, she said it was better to be friends than enemies with Teresa, because that woman would come for you. Oh yeah, that’s another thing. I hate watching adults behave like middle schoolers.

Dolores told Teresa, when Joe #2 had done the show in Atlantic City, someone asked how he felt about Luis. He’d told them that he was missing Joe #1. Teresa threw Dolores a curveball, and said it was nice of him. In Teresa’s interview, she said, nobody should be getting in Luis’s business. Jackie told Marge that you couldn’t have all this sh*t out there and not expect people to talk about it. When you addressed things, they went away. Joe #3 said, the video was creepy. In Joe #2’s interview, he said, Luis was acting like they were a big happy family, and it was all bullsh*t. In Marge’s interview, she said when someone pretended not to care, and lied about it, that made it seem like they did care. Yeah, she lost me too. She thought Luis needed to address the video, but Teresa said he didn’t owe anybody any explanations. It was part of his past. She said it was her party, and asked that they both be given respect. Okay, I’m definitely down with that. What I hate about all of the Housewives shows are how these women bring up issues at inappropriate times, like someone else’s party. And it’s never just an argument. It’s always a rip-roarer with lots of screaming and yelling and throwing things. Other people’s things. Not acceptable. I had a family member once create a scene at a party I was hosting. Albeit, she was drunk, but her boyfriend (now husband – good luck with that) steered her out and took her home.

Marge told Teresa that everyone loved her and was concerned, but she said she was a big girl. Wow. When Teresa is the voice of reason, I don’t know whether to take notes, or run before there’s an explosion. Jennifer and Bill arrived, and Marge the last time Jennifer was there, her face was on the pavement. Bill told Jennifer, just water. Jackie told Marge that Jennifer had tried to destroy her friendships, and called Melissa and Joe #2 crooked. Marge said Jennifer hadn’t supported her about being sexually harassed. Jennifer had been wearing a bandage, and her party entrance was also her nose reveal, but I wasn’t so sure I liked it. Apparently, I had company because both Dolores and Marge agreed with me; she’d looked better before. Jackie walked past Jennifer, but barely said hello, and no one else talked to her, so Jennifer whined to Teresa. She said she knew Marge was still mad at her because she hadn’t invited Jennifer to her party, but she’d thought she and Jackie had let bygones be bygones. Teresa wasn’t having it, and dragged Jackie over. Jennifer asked if Jackie was mad at her, and said she thought they’d ended on a good note. Jackie said Jennifer had tried to drive s wedge between her and Marge, and Jennifer said she regretted what she said, but it was like all three of them – Jackie, Marge, and Melissa – were against her. Jackie said Jennifer did it to herself, and Jennifer said that she was friends with Teresa and Dolores, but they didn’t stick by her like the other three. She got all weepy, and Jackie said she was a forgiver, but thought Jennifer needed to talk to the others. Marge had already headed over to them, and said Jennifer had called her a snake on social media. Jennifer said, it was tit for tat, but Marge said Jennifer didn’t know when to stop. She thought Jennifer was unhappy. Jennifer insisted she felt blessed, and said Marge was jealous. Marge said Jennifer wasn’t being honest. Jennifer had attacked her from beginning, and called her mother a slut. She made like she was better than everyone. We flashed back to all that, and Marge said, Bill left his job because he’d had an affair with the office manager. Jennifer told her to get it right, it was a pharmacy representative.   

Quote of the night: The chances of her going nuts are pretty high. – Dolores referring to Teresa

There was no preview for next week, because it was a rerun/encore performance/second showing.

👠 Refresher Course…

Prep for this season of RHONJ.

https://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-season-12-cast-updates-spoilers

👃 You Decide…

Check out the new nose for yourself.

⚖️ Not So Sweet…

I dunno. Any ambulance chaser attorney who calls himself Sweet James is suspect to me.

https://people.com/tv/rhoc-noella-bergener-says-estranged-husband-abandoned-autistic-son-he-denies-claims/

🗺 Foot Back In the Door…

I’m sure she’ll make it nice.

💎 On the Warpath…

Garcelle is not letting Erika off the hook.

https://radaronline.com/p/garcelle-beauvais-calls-out-erika-jayne-refusing-to-return-1-million-diamond-earrings-tom-girardi-victims/

🥀 Gone Too Soon…

A member of The Walking Dead family has walked his last, and was way too young.

https://ew.com/tv/moses-j-moseley-dies-walking-dead-actor/

🍕 Midnight Snacking…

Hope to see you tomorrow for some soap and OC doings. Until then, stay safe, stay distinctive, and stay remembering that the essence of a good friendship is to be honest with someone.

January 28, 2022 – Peter Sees His Daughter, Subbing, Connections, Parry’s Start, New Venture, Rinnafish, Salty Talk, Unfollowed, Calendar, Puppies (!), a Countdown’s Worth Of Quotes & 28th

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook backs into an examining room with Bailey in her stroller. Chase is there in his briefs, and she says, sorry to interrupt. TJ said he’d be in here, and it’s really important. She turns around, and says, oh, hi.

Esme asks if Spencer heard what Josslyn just called her. Trina’s a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, and somehow that makes her a manipulative bitch? Josslyn asks if she wasn’t clear. Esme’s always been a bitch from the moment she got into town. Playing that stupid drinking game is just her stupid way of proving it. Cameron thinks it’s settled; the bar is closed for tonight. No more alcohol for any of them. Josslyn says she’s not going to let Esme blame alcohol for what happened tonight. She’s jealous of Spencer’s friendship with Trina, so Esme deliberately set out to humiliate her by dredging up the past. Trina ran out of here in tears, but she’s guessing that’s exactly what Esme wanted. Esme says, really? Josslyn thinks it was her goal to hurt Trina? Josslyn says, hurt her, embarrass her, one or the other. Josslyn looks at Spencer, and says, and what about him? Can he finally see Esme for who she really is?

Stella meets Curtis at Charlie’s, and he says she looks fantastic. She thanks him, and sits down. He says, her time at the wellness center agreed with her, and she says she can’t thank him enough for arranging that. She feels better than ever. Catch her up on everything. She doesn’t need to hear about him and Portia; she can tell by the look on his face. He says, that obvious, huh? and she says she’s happy for both of them. TJ’s been texting her about the latest doings at GH, but there’s at least one empty space in her family album. How are things going with him and Marshall? He says, improving. Kind of. But at least he’s not in the dark anymore. Marshall told him everything. She says, he did what?

Marshall (temporary Marshall – see below) walks into Kelly’s, and puts a little plant on the table Epiphany is sitting at. He says, he was told he could find her here, and sits down. She asks, what’s up with the plant? and he says it’s to thank her for looking out for him after he spoiled their date. She says, he didn’t spoil anything. He had a health crisis. She’s just glad it wasn’t anything serious. He says, it was his serious chance to get to know her better. He just hopes he gets another crack at it.

Martin sees Laura at the Bistro, and she says thanks for meeting her. He sits down, and says he’s just sorry he missed Luke’s memorial. He never met the man, but he wanted to be there to support her. You know what they say about the life of an attorney; it’s either feast or famine. She says, right now, as she understands it, he’s feasting on Peter August’s retainer, and he asks, who told her? She says she’s the mayor, remember? The DA is a good friend of hers. Does he have any idea what he’s in for?

Peter pulls at his handcuffs, and flashes back to talking to Victor saying, Brook and Maxie conspired to pass off Louise as Brook and Valentin’s child, so Peter would be convinced his child had been kidnapped and disappeared into thin air. Dante comes in, and Peter asks if it’s an official visit, or is Dante just dropping by as a concerned friend? Dante laughs, and says, he’s there to tell Peter that he’s now being transferred to Pentenville tomorrow. They want to do some more tests; make sure they dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. Peter says, they already cleared him to go, and Dante asks, what’s a few more hours? Does he have someplace to be? Peter laughs.

Valentin shows the reception nurse his driver’s license, and says, she can check Bailey’s file and see he’s her father. The nurse leaves, and Victor says he couldn’t help but overhear. What does Valentin want with Bailey’s medical records? She’s not his daughter. Valentin says, legally, she still is. For whatever reason, Brook hasn’t updated Bailey’s birth certificate or medical records. Victor says, makes you wonder, doesn’t it? and Valentin says, wonder what? Victor says, whether Brook is hiding something.

Chase puts on his pants, and asks if Brook ever knocks. She says she’s sorry. When the nurse said he was in this room, she didn’t mention he’d be doing a strip routine. He says, that tends to happen when you’re having a physical, and she asks if he’s all right. Did he have a setback? He says, no. His blood pressure’s stabilized, and he passed with flying colors. She says, good, and he says, which is ironic. If he wasn’t suspended, he’d be cleared from desk duty and back out in the field. But the upside of being suspended is, he gets more time with Bailey. He tells Bailey that she’s the best little workout buddy. He’s never run so many miles so fast. Brook says it’s too bad Chase is her father in name only. Bailey could get used to having him around.

Esme tells Spencer to say something, and he asks, how’s Trina? Is she okay? Josslyn says, no, she’s not okay. He saw her; she ran out of the room in tears. She won’t even come out of the room. Josslyn had to talk to her through the door. Cameron says, the alcohol hit her hard, but Josslyn says, the problem was not what was in the mug. Cameron says he’s never seen Trina drink before, and he thought that might have been it. Josslyn says, the problem was Esme implying Trina had feelings for Cameron, but Cameron says, it doesn’t make sense. It’s ancient history. Why would it bother her now? Esme says, maybe it never stopped bothering Trina, or she didn’t want to bother them with it. Or maybe Trina’s just a drama queen. They had plenty of those at boarding school. Spencer says he doesn’t think Trina’s a drama queen. He thinks she’s legitimately upset. Esme says, Josslyn and Cameron must be thrilled. Now they’ve even got Spence doubting her. All roads lead to Trina. Trina has Spencer wrapped around her little finger, and he doesn’t even see it. She stomps off, and Josslyn asks if Spencer heard her; how she’s trying to make this Trina’s fault. What is wrong with him? Trina is his friend. She’s given him chance after chance. Why can’t he call Esme out for the snake she is?

Stella asks Curtis, when he said Marshall told him everything, what exactly did he mean? Curtis tells her, he said he got mixed up with some shady characters, and he was afraid they were going to use his family as a bargaining chip to keep him in line. So Marshall decided, in order to keep his wife and kids safe, he would disappear and make everyone think he was dead. She sighs, and he asks if she’s okay. He knows it comes as a shock. She says, he has no idea, and he tells her, Marshall didn’t say it in so many words, but his father was in the Witness Protection Program. She says, he believes that? and he asks if she’s saying he shouldn’t.

Epiphany says, Marshall needs to keep taking those new pills the doctor prescribed, and focus on lowering his blood pressure, and she needs to get back to work and finish her shift. He says, the medication is working already; he can feel it. But why does she sound like the one with a problem? She says, no problem. The doctor that wrote him the prescription reminded her of something. That there are some dreams, no matter how sweet, that deserve to die.

Peter tells Dante, the only place he’s going is the courtroom, and the sooner, the better. His attorney is going to get all these charges dismissed, and he can move on with his life. Dante says, the only life Peter is going to have is inside a prison. The question is, is it going to be in Pentenville or Steinmaur? Peter tells Dante, he’s going to beat these charges. Then he’s going to do what everyone, including the PCPD, failed to do. Find his daughter. Dante asks, what makes him think he’s going to find Louise when no one else has? Peter says he has some resources that have yet to be tapped into, and Dante says, like what? Peter says, he could tell Dante, but then he’d have to kill him, and Dante asks if he’s threatening a police officer. Peter asks if Dante is trying to entrap an innocent man. Come on. Don’t they have some tests to run to initiate his transfer? Or is Dante going to risk getting charged with police brutality by compromising Peter’s mortality?

Valentin asks, what makes Victor think Brook is hiding something? and Victor says he’s not the one looking into Bailey’s medical records. Think about it. He starts to leave, but Valentin says, hang on. If he tells Victor something, can he trust him?

Spencer asks what Josslyn wants him to say. Esme’s his girlfriend. Back in boarding school, when he thought his father was dead, she stood by him. When they came to Port Charles, she repeatedly had his back. She thought she was going to be living at Windymere, and when he told her that he’d decided they were living at his grandmother’s house, she didn’t complain at all. Josslyn and Trina made it well-known that they don’t like Esme. She hasn’t felt accepted by any of his friends. Josslyn says she knows that Esme has some kind of hold over Spencer, but he’s got to wake up and see all the hurt she’s done. When she’s not burning down a car, she’s burning down his friendship with Trina. He asks what Cameron thinks. Cameron has always tried to mediate, and see Esme’s perspective. Cameron says he can’t believe Spencer has to ask him that. Cameron saw how Esme treated Trina. The question is, did Spencer?

Esme goes into the master bedroom, and says, perfect.

Stella tells Curtis that she’s not saying he should doubt Marshall’s story. It just really surprises her. He says he’s sorry if it upsets her, but at least now they know why Marshall felt the need to disappear. But when he tries to find out more, like who those guys were and if they’re still a threat, Marshall tells him to back off. It’s funny to him, since he was the one who wanted no part of Marshall. Now Marshall is telling him to lay off. She tells him, maybe he should do as Marshall says, and set aside his interrogation for a while. He says, wait a minute. She’s his Bible scripture quoting auntie, who’s always reminding him that the truth shall set you free. So where is it written that Marshall gets a pass?

Marshall tells Epiphany, dreams don’t die, unless you give up on them. He doesn’t know her well, but she doesn’t strike him as a quitter. She says, that’s the thing. She thought she knew what kind of treatment he needed, but that wasn’t her place. He says, her place was to speak her mind, and he’s grateful she did. She thanks him, but says, it’s the last time she’s going to tell a doctor what to do. He says, even if the doctor is wrong? but she says, that’s the thing; Dr. Rose wasn’t wrong. Marshall just needed to adjust his blood pressure medication, right?

Martin tells Laura, every defendant is entitled to legal counsel. It’s right there in the Constitution, and Peter August is no exception. She asks if he’s saying he took the case in the spirit of justice under the law, and he asks, why shouldn’t he? His little sister isn’t the only person who cares about the public good. She says, how noble of him. And does doing the public good come along with a big, fat check made out to Martin Grey, Esquire?

Victor says he’s Valentin’s father. Of course (🍷) Valentin can trust him. Valentin says, but he’s a one-time ally to Peter August, and Peter says, it was strictly a business arrangement that terminated on the Island of Crete, when Peter crossed the line. Doesn’t he remember? It was the first time he and Valentin teamed up together. And when he got back to the states, he provided information to help track Peter down. What does he have to prove? Whatever’s troubling Valentin, he shouldn’t carry this burden alone. It’s too bad lovely Anna isn’t here by his side. And why this interest in medical records of a child that’s not even his, and what has it got to do with Peter?

Chase says, he could get used being around… Bailey, and Brook says, he missed a button. She fixes it for him, and says she hopes he gets to be a real father someday. He’s got the touch. He says, so does she. She didn’t tell him why she was looking for him. Did she hear from Maxie? She says, no. She’s been sitting on pins and needles. What if being in Pawtuck somehow jars Austin’s memory, and he remembers Maxie handing Louise off to her? He says, Maxie knows what’s at stake; keeping her precious little girl away from Peter. Come on; let’s go home. They leave, as Peter is being wheeled around the corner. Peter looks at Bailey, and I wonder, did Peter get a perm???  Peter says, what a beautiful baby, and Brook says, they think so. Chase says he’s one proud dad, and Peter says he’s sure Chase is. Chase asks Dante what Peter is doing here, and Dante says, a final bit of clearance before Pentenville. Peter says, he never saw the resemblance before, but now he gets it. Bailey looks just like her mother. Chase says, get him out of here, and Dante says, sure thing, and they wheel Peter into the elevator. He stares at Bailey until the last possible second, and then gives a creepy smile.

Martin tells Laura, they were in hiding for months. He couldn’t work. It’s not like he doesn’t have expenses; his mother’s around the clock care for one thing. Then there’s the herd of ex-wives, none of whom will ever get married, because they’re having way too much fun playing the alimony mambo. Of course (🍷) there’s his private wine collection. It should be a tax deduction, since he only has it to impress his clients, but try telling that to the IRS. She asks if he’s going to tell them about the expenses of courting Lucy, and he says, no, and neither is she, especially when Valentin is around. He’s got this thing about conflict of interest. She says, as the mayor, and defender of their Constitution, she wholeheartedly believes in Peter’s right to competent legal counsel, but as his sister, does it have to be him? Peter has hurt so many people; Maxie and her baby. He says, about that. She doesn’t think Peter will ever get his hands on that little baby girl, does she? Nobody’s known about her whereabouts for months. She says, that’s her point. The only way Peter will get his hands on that little girl is if someone as smart as Martin finds a way to exonerate him. Martin says, fine. Laura is going to make a play for the cheap seats.

Valentin tells Victor that Brook used Bailey to help the Quartermaine family regain control of ELQ. He would say, turnabout is fair play, wouldn’t Victor? Victor says, so Valentin is hoping to find something in the medical records he can use to his advantage. Like what for instance? Valentin doesn’t know; he’s fishing. He’s throwing a line in the water and seeing if anything bites. Victor tells him, happy fishing. He hopes Valentin catches something. The nurse comes back with Bailey’s folder, and asks if there’s something in particular Valentin is looking for in Bailey’s records.

Marshall tells Epiphany, changing medications isn’t going to heal the family he abandoned. She says, but he came back. He’s here now, and the longer he lives, the better chance he stands of making his family whole again. He says he’d rather talk about her dream of becoming a doctor, and she says, while she appreciates his interest, she thinks he should save some of his concern for that family of his.

Stella says she’s not giving Marshall a pass. She’s just asking why Curtis can’t accept his father’s version of events, and move on. Or is he using this as an excuse to keep from letting his father into his life? He says, Marshall’s already got one foot in the door. This is about his family’s safety; him, her, and TJ. What if the trouble that caused him to leave all those decades ago is still out there? If he opens that door just a little more, and trouble follows Marshall in, doesn’t she think he deserves to know what to expect? Or is none of this news to her? Does she know something he doesn’t?

Esme comes out with her coat, and says she’s leaving, but Spencer suggests taking a minute to cool off. She says she’s not spending another minute with small-minded people who have never, and will never, accept her for who she is. Josslyn says, the problem is, they know who she is. That’s why they don’t accept her. Esme asks if Spencer is coming or not, and he says, they all had those hot toddies, and with icy conditions, he doesn’t think it’s safe for either of them to drive right now. She says she ordered a car, but it seems he’s made his choice. He’s choosing them over her. Spencer says he’ll go with her, but first, he’s going to check on Trina. Then he’ll get their bags, and he’ll meet her outside. Esme says, Trina’s asleep, and they can send for their things; let’s go. Spencer says, sorry, guys, and follows her out. Cameron says, so much for their weekend getaway. He’s so sorry this all blew up. Josslyn says she’s not. She can’t stand Esme, and she’s thrilled that she doesn’t have to pretend otherwise. She feels horrible for Trina, but remember when they got drunk on the Haunted Star? The only cure is to sleep it off, so she guesses for now, it’s just the two of them.

Outside, Cameron tells Josslyn, the stars are very beautiful tonight; very close. Josslyn says, the more she thinks about it, this whole getaway was Esme’s idea. He says, so? and she asks if he thinks this was Esme’s plan all along; to embarrass them, and humiliate Trina? He says he hopes not. The funny thing is, he always thought Esme was so sure of herself, but after tonight, he realizes how insecure and terrified she is of losing Spencer. She says, here’s hoping by the time they’re down from the mountain, Spencer realizes Esme was trying to hurt his friends, and he dumps her. Cameron says he’s tired talking of talking about Esme, and Spencer. He thinks they should stop talking altogether. They kiss, and she nods, and they go inside. 

Stella tells Curtis, honestly, until this moment, she never suspected Marshall was mixed up in dirty business. He says he’s not trying to upset her, but now that she knows, does it ring any bells? Can she think back 40 years ago, and remember any names or faces that might have been mixed up with Marshall? She says she wasn’t even there, and Irene is no longer with them. All the more reason to consider what Marshall is saying, and leave things alone.

Marshall says, things are good with TJ, and getting better with Curtis, but Epiphany says, that’s not what he said when they went out to dinner. He says, while Curtis owns a nightclub, he still thinks like a P.I.; he questions everything. But he’s sure in time, Curtis will come around. She says, remember what she told him about her son? and he says, yeah, that they don’t always have as much time as they think they do. But doesn’t that apply to her as well, with her dream of becoming a doctor?

Brook asks if Chase saw the way Peter was smiling at Bailey. It’s almost as if he knows the truth. He tells her, Peter said she looks just like her mother; he meant her. She says, did he? What If he suspects the truth? What if he was saying Bailey looks like Maxie? Chase says, she has to remember, that’s just who Peter is. He wants to get under your skin, if not with poison, than with words. But Peter can’t possibly know. Laura approaches them, and says, Peter can’t possibly know what?

Peter says he can’t wait to get back to Pentenville, and Dante says, really? The place where he was poisoned, and it almost killed him? Peter says he’ll take the risk of lax security if it means getting to trial faster. (Ha Security doesn’t get any less lax than at GH.) Martin walks in, and Peter says, speaking of which, here’s his attorney. Martin asks if Dante will do him a favor, and give him five minutes with alone with Peter. Dante says he’ll be right outside, and leaves. Peter asks, what brings Martin here? Good news he hopes. Martin says, that depends on which side of those handcuffs you’re on. He’s sorry, but he finds it necessary to recuse himself from Peter’s defense. Peter says he sees. If Martin no longer wishes to represent him, they’ll go their separate ways; no hard feelings. Martin asks, what’s the catch?

Valentin asks if he and Victor can meet later, and Victor says, of course (🍷). He’ll make a reservation at the PC Grill. Valentin thanks him, and he leaves. Valentin thanks the nurse for getting his daughter’s file, and she tells him that the file can’t leave this floor. He says, understood. He’s looking for a sonogram from the third trimester. He’s a bit of a sentimental, and wants a copy. He’ll treasure it for always. He flips through the file, and says, there’s no sonogram in the file. How’s that possible? He was there when it was taken. Did somebody deliberately remove it? She says, no, it was never in here, and he says, of course (🍷). It would be in her mother’s file. He doesn’t suppose she could let him have a look at Brook’s information without permission, and she says, no. He says, so he can be prepared in case of an emergency, his daughter’s blood type is O negative, right? She says, no, his daughter is O positive, and he thanks her.

Brook tells Laura, they were just talking about what an awful human being Peter is. How much harm he’s caused to Maxie, and Elizabeth; to her family, especially to Monica. Between Jason dying, and Drew being locked away in that prison for all that time, Peter deserves to be locked up until the end of time. Chase says, they’re hoping when Peter goes to trial, he’ll be convicted, and sentenced to life. Laura says she has the same hope. It’s really easy for young adults, new parents, to lose their sense of faith with all the responsibility, but they can’t let that happen, for Bailey’s sake. Because she will grow up in a better, safer, kinder world, where Peter can’t come back to haunt any of them. Brook says, amen to that, and Chase tells Brook, anything to protect Bailey

Peter tells Martin, there’s no catch. If Martin can’t give his defense the time and attention it deserves, he’ll find someone who will. Martin thanks him for being so understanding, and Peter says, naturally, Martin will be returning his retainer. Martin says, ordinarily, he’d deduct the time he’s already spent working on Peter’s case, but what the hell? It’s a small price to pay for his conscience. Peter says he didn’t know Martin had one, when Dante comes back. He asks if everything is okay here, and Martin tells him, he’d say so. Peter no longer requires his services. He wishes them both a good night, and leaves. Dante says, Peter fired Martin? but Peter says, no. Martin walked away from him. Dante says, smart man. He’ll leave Peter with Officer Bridges in case he gets scared. Peter tells him, sleep tight, and Dante says he’s sure he will, and leaves.

Epiphany tell Marshall that she doesn’t have time for dreams, and her break is almost over. He says he was about to go too, but not before she hears him out. Whatever Dr. Rose told her, he had his reasons, but he wants her to know that he trusts her with his life any day. He knew he was in good hands that night because she was there. He puts some money on the table, and tips his hat. He leaves, and Epiphany smiles.

In the car, Spencer asks Esme, was Joss right? Did she get everyone to the cabin to humiliate them, and blow up his friendships? She looks at him coldly.  

Cameron and Josslyn go into the bedroom, and there’s a song part. They kiss, and he asks, is she sure? She says, she’s so sure, and they get busy. I used to work at a women’s clinic, and a brochure popped into my mind that had a cartoon condom saying, wait! Stop! Put me on!

Esme asks Spencer, what difference does it make what she says? He’s so ready to believe the worst of her. He says, that’s not an answer. He needs to know if what Joss accused her of is actually true. Esme remembers going into the master bedroom, and looking in the mirror. She wipes some tears away, and takes out her phone. She sets up the phone behind some plants on a dresser, pointing the camera toward the bed, and putting it on to film. In the present, she tells Spencer, all she wanted to do was get to know his friends better, and for him to make great memories before he goes to prison. Does he think she planned this weekend to be something diabolical? It just makes her sad.

Basking in their first afterglow, Cameron tells Josslyn, wow. Don’t get him wrong. He’s glad they waited, but…  She says she’s glad they waited too, but she’s also really glad they had this moment. To think how close they came to letting Esme ruin this for them… He says he doesn’t want to think about Esme right now. He wants to focus on her. They start getting busy again, and we see the phone camera filming. I have to say, I don’t see the purpose. They’re exclusive and in college, for Pete’s sake. Even if Esme was going to doctor it in some way, both Cameron and Josslyn are sober, and who would everyone believe?

Stella says, Curtis clearly has a choice to make. Does he want answers that might tell him things he doesn’t want to know, or does he want his father back in ? Marshall walks in, and says, small world. Do they mind if he joins them?

On the phone, gliding through the hall, Martin says, la Lucy, his sexy, sexy thing. His schedule just opened up. What say they catch a flight to the Big Easy and get themselves a nice heaping helping of Mardi Gras?

Laura goes into Peter’s room, and he says, madame mayor. To what does he owe this honor? She says she just saw Martin, and he was smiling ear to ear, because he no longer represents Peter. He told her that Peter didn’t argue or put up any fight to try and keep him. She had to wonder, why so magnanimous? Peter flashes back to seeing Bailey, and saying she looks just like her mother. He says he has faith in the system. Somehow, he just knows things are going to work out for the best.

Valentin walks through the hospital parking lot, leaving a voicemail for Anna. He tells her to call him. He’s got a lead on Louise. A thug runs up behind him, chloroforming him, and knocking him out. Someone picks up Valentin’s car remote, and we see it’s Victor. He says, be careful; that’s his son. He opens a hatchback, and a fancy – and very clean and spacious – trunk opens up. He tells the thug, oh, and cancel his dinner reservations. The thug puts Valentin in the truck, and it’s closed up.  

On Monday, Phyllis asks if she knows Stella, Esme says she doesn’t want to go home with Spencer, Carly says that happiness seems further away, and Ned tells Sonny that he should reconsider whatever he’s planning.

👨🏽‍🔧 Filling In…

For how long, no one knows.

https://www.soapoperanews.net/2022/01/damien-leake-books-role-on-general.html

👥 Shared Experience…

I love how Maurice Benard has mastered his illness, and used it, and his position, for good.

🎬 First Time Out…

Before he was Brad, he danced. Sort of.

🧼 Nuevo Suds…

This looks pretty good, and it’s got some great people in it.

💋 Checking Motive…

I tend to agree that it’s probably a bad spray tan job.

https://screenrant.com/rhobh-lisa-rinna-blackfishing-image-erika-jayne-instagram/

🧂 Bringing the Salt…

What went on in Salt Lake City last week.

I have the feeling she’s not coming back.

The cast keeps getting smaller.

https://people.com/tv/bravo-fires-jennie-nguyen-from-rhoslc-after-racially-insensitive-posts-resurface/

🚫 Next Comes Blocking…

I can’t believe people keep track of this stuff.

https://people.com/tv/rhobh-sutton-stracke-garcelle-beauvais-feuding-with-erika-girardi-source/

🏆 All the Awards…

This year’s calendar of events.

https://www.etonline.com/sag-awards-grammys-and-more-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2022-awards-season-177460

🐕 Pup Alternative…

I can’t think of better hosts.

https://people.com/pets/martha-stewart-and-snoop-dogg-hosting-puppy-bowl-2022/

A sneak peek.

https://ew.com/tv/puppy-bowl-xviii-first-look-penalty-french-bulldog/

🐘 Quotes of the Week

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. – Indian Proverb

It’s like a summer camp for drunk third graders. – Kate Chastain, referring to some guests on Below Deck

Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost. – Robert H. Schuller

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. – Bruce Lee

There are no regrets in life. Just lessons. – Jennifer Aniston  

Maturity is achieved when a person accepts life as full of tension. – Joshua L. Liebman

Speak out on behalf of those who have no voice, and defend all those who have been passed over. – Proverbs 31:8 (TVT)

Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance. – Jean Antoine Petit-Senn

Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen. – Leonardo da Vinci

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. – Anatole France

🚙 Am I There Yet…?

I’ll be stepping out until another month is ripped off the calendar, if you’re still using one of those. Three sunsets for the rest of you. See you then for some soap and the Deck. Until we meet again, stay safe, stay bending, but not breaking, and stay remembering, dreams don’t die, unless you give up on them.

January 21, 2022 – Memorial To an Anti-Hero, a Return, Reunion Woes, Baby #2, Summer Tea, Moving, Loss Of a Legend, Dead Talk, Close To 10 Quotes & Objects

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura looks at a portrait of Luke behind the bar on the Haunted Star. Curtis comes in, and says, hello, friend. Laura says she didn’t know he was going to be here, and he says, Doc called and said he had a patient emergency. Laura says they talked about it, and she’s fine with it, and Curtis says he knows memorials can be hard. He wanted her to know he’ll be here for her, assuming she doesn’t object. She says, not at all. She’s prepared to do this solo, but she’d rather do it with a friend by her side.

Dante finds Sonny in Charlie’s, and Sonny says he and Phyllis are going to have a shot in memory of Luke. Does Dante want to join them? Dante declines, and Sonny asks if Dante is keeping tabs on him, but Dante says, no. He saw Frank outside, and figured Sonny was in here. Dante says, he knows how important Luke was to Sonny, and Sonny throws back a shot. Dante says, Luke was important to him too, as Lulu’s dad. Sonny says he knows Dante can’t be with Lulu because she’s in a coma, but he can be with Carly, and thinks they should be together when they say goodbye to her Uncle Luke.

Bobbie meets Carly at Kelly’s, and says she couldn’t bring herself to wear black. Luke would hate that. She thanks Carly for meeting her, and says she doesn’t think she could get through this memorial without Carly by her side. Carly says she was just thinking about Uncle Luke and how he always called her Caroline. He insisted on it, and not because he was trying to make fun of her. It was a reminder that he knew exactly who she was, and to never forget where she came from. She asks how Bobbie is; Luke was her big brother. Bobbie says she’s a little wobbly, but just like when Aunt Ruby died, they’ll get through this together. Carly hates that Lucas has to work; he should be here. Bobbie named him after Luke. Bobbie says she thinks Carly’s brother hasn’t quite gotten over losing Wiley, and she thinks working is easier for him than facing his family. Carly says, yeah, but they need him too. Bobbie says she needs Carly by her side, but something tells her that her bright, beautiful, incredibly brave daughter might need her even more. Carly says, more than she knows, and Bobbie takes her hand.

Felicia and Anna arrive at the memorial, and Anna says, it’s very Luke. Laura says Anna should really be saying that to Tracy. It’s her event. Laura is just here to pay her respects and see her friends. Anna says she keeps half-expecting Luke to show up (as we all do), and Felicia says, the man is a legend. Anna says, in so many ways, and Laura thanks them for coming. She tells them to help themselves to a drink. She doesn’t know where Tracy is right now. Anna and Felicia go to the bar, and Nikolas comes in with Ava. He asks how Laura is, and she says, better now that he’s here. Ava says she’s so sorry to hear about Luke, and Laura thanks her. Nikolas asks if she’s heard from Lucky and Ethan; are they going to make it? Laura says, unfortunately, they’re not. There was an outbreak of cholera in the village where Lucky is volunteering, so for him to come home, he would have to quarantine in Africa for two weeks, but Tracy is having another memorial in Amsterdam in a few weeks, so hopefully Lucky and Ethan will both be at that. Nikolas says, it’s nice for Lucky and Ethan to have each other, like he’s here for Laura now. Ava and Nikolas go to the bar, and Spencer says, hello. grandmother. Laura says she’s happy to see him, and he tells her, Esme sends her regrets. She’s interning at Spring Ridge, but he’s here for her. He hugs Laura, and Victor tells him, well said. Tonight they are indeed all one family, despite their differences. Oh Luke. In life, he always cast a large shadow. To die in such a random accident just doesn’t have the sense of poetic beauty one would have expected of him. Laura tells Victor, get out of here, and – she gestures toward his bodyguard – take his burly Doberman with him. Victor says, Yohan isn’t just there for him; he’s there for all of them. Luke may be dead, but he has a long list of enemies, and they’re all still very much alive.

Tracy stands on deck, holding a beautiful covered urn. Alexis approaches her, and asks if that’s what she thinks it is. Tracy says, yep. Luke.

Dante says he knows Sonny wants to be with Carly, and he knows it’s hard, but she’s asked for space and he has to respect that. Sonny says, Carly moved out. How much time does she need? Luke is her uncle, and his longtime friend, and they should be together. They lost almost a year of their lives. They can’t get that time back. What does Dante think Luke would do to get just a couple seconds of that time back? He’s not wasting any more time.

Alexis asks if Tracy is okay. Would she like Alexis to call Ned? Tracy asks if Alexis doesn’t think she’s capable of calling her son herself. And why wouldn’t she be okay? She’s holding Luke in a jar. Everything is peachy keen in her life. Alexis says she’ll see Tracy inside, and Tracy says, wait. She’s sorry. She didn’t mean to snap at Alexis. Alexis says, Tracy is having a hard time; she understands. Tracy says, does she? Because she wouldn’t after what she did to Alexis.

Anna says Victor knows he doesn’t belong here, and Luke would be the first to tell him that, so get out. Victor says, unless Luke is silent, and likely to remain so, and Felicia says, Mac will be happy to send a patrol car to get Victor off the boat. Victor asks if calling the Police Commissioner isn’t a bit of an overreach, and Felicia says, not when he’s her husband. Curtis tells Victor to ask himself if he really wants this to escalate. The time to tap out is before things get broken. Spencer says, a gentleman shouldn’t stay when he’s been asked to leave, and Victor says, he’s so right. He tells Yohan that they’re leaving. Do give Luke his best. Laura says, hopefully, Victor can tell Luke himself, in person, the sooner the better. Victor laughs and leaves.

Bobbie tells Carly, so much of her history with Luke is so dark. Carly knows their story. Their dad was an alcoholic and beat their mother. When mama died, she and Luke just took off; they went to Florida. They moved in with dad’s sister Aunt Ruby. They loved that woman. She did the best she could, but honestly, she and Luke raised themselves as much as Ruby did. Then when Bobbie came back to Port Charles, Luke followed her. It was like a second chance for them to make something of themselves. Carly says, and Bobbie did it. A nursing degree, a career, a family; she should be so proud of herself. Carly is extremely proud of her. Bobbie thanks her, and says, if she managed to survive, even thrive here, it was always because she knew her big brother had her back. She was the one who recruited Luke to come back to Port Charles. Granted, her plan was to have him break up Scotty and Laura, so she could have Scotty all to herself; that wasn’t exactly noble. Carly laughs, and Bobbie says, but she called Luke to help her, and he came running, just like he always did. Now she doesn’t know what she’s going to do next time she needs Luke’s help. Carly tells Bobbie, look at her. Bobbie is going to call her, or Lucas, or Josslyn, or Michael, and they’ll come running. Bobbie says, okay. That’s a two-way street. Carly says she knows, and Bobbie says she has the rest of her life to grieve her big brother. Meanwhile, her daughter is living in a hotel, trying to figure out how to save her marriage. Talk to her. Carly says, that’s the thing. She doesn’t know whether there’s a marriage left to save.

Dante says, Sonny may have lost time in Nixon Falls, but he wasn’t alone. Sonny says, Nina is not the problem, but Dante says, she is to Carly. Sonny’s got to see that. Carly’s got to know that it’s over between Sonny and Nina. When Sonny got on the witness stand and said he wasn’t a victim, that didn’t help things. Sonny says, it is over between him and Nina. What does he have to do to prove that to Carly, so she’ll give him a chance?

Robert and Scotty walk into Charlie’s, and Robert asks what they’re doing there. When they left the courthouse, the idea was to go to the Haunted Star for Luke’s memorial. Scotty says, Robert got an invitation. He’s going to have to crash that thing, so he needs a couple of cocktails to do it, and if anybody’s boo-hooing over Luke, he won’t care. Robert says, if Scotty ever loved Laura, he strongly advises against it. Dante and Sonny watch them, and Robert says, he knows Scotty hated the guy, and he probably had his reasons. Let’s just go. Scotty tells Dante and Sonny, if life was a horserace, it would probably be neck-and-neck as to who he hates more; Luke Spencer or Sonny Corinthos. Guess what? Sonny wins, by a photo finish. Sonny says he doesn’t know if Scotty knows or not, but he owns this bar, and nobody comes in there and insults Luke. Dante says he has an idea. Why doesn’t Robert take Scotty to the memorial? and Robert says, sounds like a great idea; let’s go. Scotty says he’s not going anywhere until he’s had a couple of drinks. So why doesn’t Dante take daddy here and vamoose? Sonny laughs, and tells Dante to go ahead without him. Dante asks if he’s sure about that, and Sonny says Dante should be with Laura. Dante says he wants to be with Laura, but remember, it’s a about Luke. Sonny says, yeah, and Dante leaves. Sonny tells Phyllis to give these two gentlemen whatever they want to drink on his tab, but Scotty says he doesn’t think so; they buy their own drinks. Sonny walks up to Scotty, and says, Scotty thinks he scored a touchdown at the hearing for Nina. Robert suggests he and Scotty go to the MetroCourt; he’ll buy the drinks. Scotty says he kind of feels bad for Carly, but it made his day that Sonny got caught stepping out on his wife. He pokes Sonny in the lapel, and Sonny tells Scotty not to put his hands on him. Scotty asks what he’s going to do. Come on.

Bobbie asks if Carly is going to return home, but Carly doesn’t know. The man who disappeared over a year ago is not the man who came back to her. Bobbie says, losing his memory, and living as another man changed Sonny. Carly says she gets that, but in the past, she and Sonny would have a knock down drag out fight. She never doubted that Sonny loved her. Bobbie says, now she does? and Carly says, Sonny refuses to acknowledge that what Nina did to them was awful. He refuses to acknowledge the damage, and the hell Nina put Carly and her family through for her own selfish reasons. Sonny claims Carly comes first in his life, and she told him the way he could prove it was to kick Nina to the curb, and he won’t do it. Maybe he can’t do it. And that’s a dealbreaker for her. If Sonny can’t put her and her family first, then all his promises mean nothing.

Nikolas says, with Victor mercifully gone, they can focus on the celebration of Luke’s life, and Laura agrees. Spencer says, Nikolas really is shameless. He’ll use anything, even Luke’s death, to make himself out to be the good guy. Laura asks if they can drop this for one night, and Ava says she’s going to do Laura a favor. She’s going to take these two guys out of here. Spencer protests, but Ava says, too bad, and steers them away. Curtis asks if Laura is okay, and she says, honestly, she could use some fresh air. He says, luckily, they’re on a boat; a boat with several decks. Let’s go.

Anna tells Felicia, she feels like Luke would have loved this, and Felicia says, 100%. The only thing Luke would have loved more is if someone would have punched Victor Cassadine in his smug face. Anna says she was so close.

Robert says, emotions are running rather high at the moment. Let’s all go to our respective corners. Phyllis says, he’s right. Aren’t they all honoring someone’s memory tonight? Sonny says she’s absolutely right. In memory of Luke, he’s going to teach Scotty a lesson. Scotty says, all right, then shut up and fight, and Frank asks Scotty if there’s a problem. Scotty says, there it is. Same old story. A stooge does all the fighting for you, chicken. Sonny tells Frank, back off, and takes off his jacket, saying, it’s about time he teaches this guy… Robert says, now listen, he is the DA. They don’t want to be doing this in front of him. Scotty takes off his jacket too, and says, then get lost. Phyllis tells Sonny, she’s asking, as her friend, please stop this now, when Victor comes in with Yohan. Victor says, look what we’ve just walked into, and Robert says, a Cassadine, just what they need. Victor says, the mob boss and the ambulance chaser. Too bad Luke Spencer isn’t here. He was just crass enough to enjoy this sort of thing. Sonny says, who’s he calling crass? and Scotty says, who’s he calling an ambulance chaser? Sonny tells Scotty, what do you say? and Scotty says he thinks he hates Victor more than he hates Sonny. He’s in. Victor takes his jacket off, and says, it’s time they were taught a lesson. Sonny shoves a table aside, and Phyllis yells, stop it now. They start slugging each other, and Phyllis runs out from behind the bar, yelling for them to stop.

On deck, Curtis says, better? and Laura says, definitely. He says, life sure has a lot of twists and turns, doesn’t it? and she says, tell her about it. She and Luke were quite a team. He was a part of her, and she was a part of him. Curtis says, must have been hard to let him go, but Laura says, he’s been gone for a long time. Not all at once; it was in stages. First they got separated, then divorced. Luke fell in love with Tracy, then she met Doc, thank God. She mostly feels sad about the grandkids. The only way they’ll know Luke is from pictures and stories, and some of those stories will be true.

Ava takes Spencer and Nikolas to a state room, and says, get in there, both of you. Spencer says he resents being treated like a wayward adolescent, and she says, then don’t act like one. He says she doesn’t get to tell him what to do, and she says, enough. Can the two of them please just set aside their differences for one night, and think about somebody else? Nikolas says, she’s right. He should be focused on his mother, not himself. Spencer says, with all due respect to grandmother’s loss, Luke Spencer was a grifter; he was a con man. Ava says, Luke Spencer came from nothing, and he made something of himself. People loved him, respected him, admired him. Spencer came from everything. He had everything handed to him on a silver platter, and he throws it all away.

Dante comes in to the memorial, and asks where everyone is. Did he miss it? Felicia says, they’re just walking around the boat; the memorial will start soon. Anna says, since they’re here to remember Luke, she thinks he should expect the unexpected. They hear a crash, and Felicia says, what was that? Anna says she doesn’t know, and they all go to investigate.

Tracy says she knows if Alexis had chosen to testify against her, she’d be headed to trial and quite possibly to a stay at Pentenville. And because she didn’t, Tracy gets to be a free woman and come here and say farewell. Alexis says she did what she did for Luke, because she knows he was better off with Tracy than without her. She also did it for herself, and she did it for Tracy, because everyone deserves a second chance. Tracy thanks her, and Alexis says she’s welcome. Now how about if they go in there, and get the party started? Tracy asks how she sums up a life as complicated as Luke’s, and Alexis says she can’t, but if Tracy doesn’t do it, someone else will. She understands Lucy might be making an appearance, and she has a 42 page speech prepared. Tracy asks what they’re waiting for, and they go inside.

Sonny asks what Victor is waiting for, and Phyllis pulls him away. She asks if he’s happy now, and he says, yeah. He definitely feels better. Scotty says, so does he, and Robert dabs at his mouth, saying, that’s what he gets for trying to mediate. Scotty tells Sonny that he has a helluva right cross, and Sonny says Scotty did pretty well himself. Phyllis asks which one of them is going to pay for the damages, and Sonny says he owns the bar; he’ll make up the cost. Victor says he’s got this. He insists on paying for everything, but Scotty says he’ll pay. Victor says he’s heard Scotty is as tight as a bad oyster with his money, and Robert asks if they’ve all forgotten there’s a memorial to attend. Sonny tells Frank, let’s go, and they all walk out, leaving Victor and Yohan behind. Victor tells Yohan, nice work. It looks like all those hours at the gym are paying off. He’s got a nice fat bonus coming to him. Outside, Sonny looks through the window, and says, they’re laughing. He’s going to smack Victor right now. He starts to head back in, but Robert says, enough. Carly is waiting. Sonny says, that’s right, Carly. Whatever.

Tracy puts the urn on the bar, and Ava comes back in with Nikolas and Spencer. She wonders if they missed something, when Laura and Curtis come back in. Laura hopes she didn’t keep everybody waiting, and everyone gathers. Everyone is wearing black, and even Bobbie has dark purple on. They look so solemn, and I’m thinking, Luke wouldn’t have wanted them to wear black. Tracy says they should get started, but Anna asks if she can wait a minute. Tracy asks, why? and Dante wonders if someone is trying to send them a message. Who brought in the giant TV? Tracy says she didn’t order it, and Anna says, they heard a crash. When they went to investigate, they found an envelope with a DVD and a note. Felicia takes the note out, and tells them, all it said was, play me. Nikolas says, maybe Lucky sent a message from Africa, but Laura says, he didn’t mention anything on the phone, besides, he’s in a very rural area. She doesn’t think so. Alexis says, her money’s on Luke. He always did want to have the last word. Anna says she wonders if he had an inkling this day was going to come sooner rather than later, and Dante asks what Tracy wants to do; this is her event. Tracy says, if it’s from Luke, she wants to hear it, and Dante puts the disk in the TV. Helena appears, and says, hi. We meet again. Alexis says, oh my God, and Laura says, Helena.

At the dock, Scotty asks Robert if he looks presentable, and Robert asks, why start today? He suggests they board the Haunted Star, but Sonny says he’s going to wait for Carly. Robert asks if Scotty is in, but Scotty says he doesn’t think so. He was at the Luke and Laura wedding. Robert says he remembers, and Scotty says, he caught the bouquet; he got a black eye then too. Robert says he’ll see Sonny over there, and he and Scotty go in separate directions. Carly arrives at the dock with Bobbie.

Helena asks if she surprised them, and laughs. Nikolas says, leave it to his grandmother to upstage a man at his own memorial. Helena says, if they’re seeing her now, it’s because she went first, and Luke Spencer has finally done the world a favor by following her into the Great Beyond. Tracy says, she hates that woman, and Helena says she hopes they’ll pardon her if she gloats, but she always told Luke that she would have the last word. And now, she’s going to have it. Nikolas says, here she goes, and Helena says she always considered Luke a parvenu, and since none of them is familiar with that word, let her explain. A parvenu is somebody who’s suddenly reached the level of unaccustomed power and wealth, but has not yet gained the prestige and dignity associated with it. Luke was a cheap, tawdry rhinestone, even though he fancied himself a diamond in the rough. The truth is, Luke Spencer was always destined to lose in the end. Laura pulls the plug on the TV, and says she doesn’t know about the rest of them, but she’s heard enough out of that woman to last her a lifetime. Dante says, here, here, and Anna says, thank you.

Bobbie tells Carly, they’re going to be late, but Carly tells her to go; she’ll meet Bobbie there. Bobbie goes past Sonny, giving him a look, and gets on the boat. Sonny tells Carly, he knows he’s not her mother’s favorite person at the moment, but he’s here, and she’s here, and that’s all that matters. Why don’t they go say goodbye to her uncle? He tells Frank to go get in the car, and asks Carly if she’s ready. He holds out his arm, and she asks, what happened to his hand? He says, Luke happened, and she says, he has to go to GH after Luke’s memorial and make sure he didn’t break any bones in his hand. He says, it’s fine. The night wasn’t a total loss. Does she know why? She asks, why? and he says, believe it or not, he and Scotty teamed up, and ripped Victor a new one. Forget about that; they’re here for Luke. He holds out his arm again, but she walks past him onto the boat, and he follows.

Tracy thanks everyone for coming to honor a man they all loved. Well, she guesses some of them loved him. Some of them probably hated him, but she bets most of them did both. It doesn’t matter what they thought of him. The truth is, they’re never going to forget him. Luke made her promise if this day ever came, that nobody would call him a hero, or even a good guy for that matter – no danger of that. So he was just Luke, a walking, talking contradiction. He could be cruel, then turn around and dazzle you with his kindness. He was cunning, yet caring. He was generous at the same time as impossibly selfish. He brought out the worst and the best in all of them. And she thinks ultimately, he changed them. Every one of them. Forever.

Scotty sits on a bench at the dock, and says he hopes Luke’s enjoying himself on his beloved Haunted Star… All the people singing his praises, including Scotty’s wife Luke stole from him 40 years ago. Luke is dead and gone, and Scotty’s still standing. So you lose, you son of a bitch.

Standing on the deck with the urn, Tracy tells Luke that she did it. She got through the speech. She thinks they appreciated it. Now it’s just them… She has no words. She opens the jar and dumps out the ashes. The wind carries them away.

On the docks, Scotty says, so long, Luke Spencer, and gets a face full of ashes. He says, what the…?

Sonny tells Laura that he knows it’s not the right time, but he got confirmation on the warning Cyrus gave her. She says they’ll talk later. Bobbie asks Carly is she’s sure she doesn’t want to join them, but Carly says, Avery and Donna were looking forward to their sleepover with Bobbie. She doesn’t want to crash the party. Bobbie says, it will be lovely to be surrounded with all that youth. Maybe she won’t miss her big brother so much. Bobbie leaves, and Sonny watches as Carly follows.

Laura thanks Curtis for coming, and he says he can hang out a little longer if she wants, but she says, he’s got a club to run, and she has a life to get on with. He says he just wants her to know he’s there if she needs him, and she thanks him, and says, she knows he is.

Ava tells Nikolas, this was a fitting sendoff for Luke; the roving rascal. She does have a soft spot for rascals. He says he can’t stop thinking about the way Victor left. He was so angry, even hurt, and you know what they say, a wounded tiger is twice as dangerous.

Felica says, Sonny and Scotty fought on the same side? Who would have ever thought? Robert says he guesses they hated Victor Cassadine more than they hated each other, and Anna says, good point.  

Victor helps Phyllis right a table, and says if she won’t let him pay for the damage, at least let him offer her a more conventional transaction. Give him a bottle of her top-shelf Napoleon brandy please, and a couple of glasses. She says, that will be $55. He puts a hundred dollar bill on the bar, and says, keep the change. She puts the bottle and glasses on the bar, and he says, and his apology. He pours two brandies, and puts one at the empty seat next to him. He says, here’s to you, Luke Spencer, champion of Port Charles. He should just tell Luke, the good people of his fair city are in for a big surprise. He clinks the other glass with his, and says, cheers.

Bobbie sees Scotty, and asks, what happened to him? He says, he caught the bouquet.

Alexis says, she can’t believe she’s saying this, but does Tracy need a ride home? She can be the designated driver. Tracy laughs, and says she deserved that. She has one thing to do first. She goes over to Laura with what looks like a jewelry box. Laura says, it was a very moving speech, and Tracy says, she has something that was a keepsake of Luke’s that she thinks really belongs to Laura. Laura says, if it’s the Ice Princess, she wants no part of it, and Spencer asks if it’s the actual Cassadine diamond.  Laura says, that thing has never done anyone any good, and tells Tracy to throw it into the sea when she scatters Luke’s ashes. Tracy says she can’t do that, and walks away. Laura asks Spencer if he’s disappointed, and he says he wouldn’t mind seeing it, or maybe holding it just once. She says, trust her, that thing never did anybody any good, and he says he won’t argue with her; not tonight of all nights. She thanks him for being there, and says she knows he’d rather be with his friends, but he says, of course (🍷) he wanted to be there with her. He knew tonight was going to be difficult for her, and wanted to be there. Once the bad stuff is over with, he hopes he can make her proud of him. She says she’s proud of him now, and they hug, and she says, let’s go home. They start to leave, and she looks back, and blows a kiss to Luke’s portrait. She says, goodbye, my love. A woman in a black veil comes in, and stands in front of Laura. She removes the veil, and Laura says, Jennifer Smith?

Carly stands on the deck, and says, Luke. Are you out there? Sonny comes out, and puts his hand on hers.  

On Monday, Maxie tells Brook that she’s there for her daughter, Curtis asks Marshall to stop by, Victor says he and Valentin are going to need each other for what’s coming next, and Sonny says he’s going to show Carly how much he loves her.

🕶 Old Villains Never Die…

Told you she’d be back. I don’t think Luke is dead either.

🧂 Salty Reunion…

I hear if you ditch the Reunion, you won’t be asked back. Except for LVP, who can do whatever she wants because she’s Queen of the World and can do no wrong.

Maybe she didn’t have a dress horrible enough to wear. Although I don’t think the outfits are all that bad. Except for what Meredith is wearing. What is that?

👶🏽 Friend Of Shahs Baby…

I didn’t even know about baby number one.

🏖 Summer Choices…

Paige spills the tea about Lindsay and Carl.

And about herself.

🎶 It’s Off, It’s On, It’s Moved…

The newest news about the Grammys.

https://variety.com/2022/music/news/grammy-awards-moving-to-las-vegas-on-april-3-1235156447/

🎤 Goodbye To a True Artist…

I had the pleasure of seeing Meat Loaf in concert a few times, meeting him a couple of times, and being in the audience of a special he did for VH1. (Hint: If you wear black because you think it’s slimming, you will just blend into the crowd. Go bold.) He and Jim Steinman will be forever missed.

⚰️ Look At the Flowers…

Watch your back when Carol goes domestic.

https://ew.com/tv/walking-dead-11b-trailer-carol-cookies/

BTW, Walking Dead is sort of returning this Sunday, with something called Origins. I’ll be watching, but not recapping this one. First up is Daryl’s Story.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-walking-dead-origins-stories-air-amc-season-11b-daryl-carol-maggie-negan/

📋 Quotes of the Week

If you’re trying to achieve, there will be road blocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.Michael Jordan (Or kick it down.)

Sometimes you have to do what you don’t want to do to maintain the life you’ve created.Judge Lynn Toler in explaining to man why he has to work to feed his children (sigh).

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. – Corrie  ten Boom

And that, my dear, is how you run an asylum. – Matron Grady (Judith Light), Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. – Alice Walker

Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness. – Earl of Derby (I don’t have time for illness either.)

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. – Amelia Earhart

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. – Nelson Mandela

The ultimate measure of a person is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy. – Martin Luther King, Jr

🚂 Midnight Train To Dr. Phil Reruns…

It’s that time of week where either two days off work is appropriate, or you’re living the life of the resigned. I’ll be changing writing hats, and taking down those pesky decorations before I have to dust them. (I was busy last weekend, okay?) Join me on Monday for soap and what’s on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay inquisitive, and stay knowing that, even if you’re dead, you can still have the last word.

January 19, 2022 – Brook Foils a Romantic Intrusion, the OC Private Jets It To Cabo & Valley

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the gym, Chase tells Dante that he’s glad he came. It feels good sweating off the stress from the move. Dante says he noticed Chase was pumping iron pretty good. Does it have anything to do with Brook?

Brook flashes back to overhearing Chase tell Dante that she’s not his type, and even if she were, how could he trust her? She tells herself to get it together. Who cares about one guy’s opinion?

At the hospital, Curtis says, that was a struggle, and Portia asks if TJ didn’t want to go back to work. Curtis says, he told TJ that he’d let him know if there were any updates on Marshall. Did the doctor come by when he was gone? Epiphany says, no, but thanks to Finn the cardiac care team was here when they arrived. Elizabeth says, his father is in good hands, and Finn says, it’s scary, but his father is going to be okay. Curtis thanks them for getting Marshall there as quickly as they did. Portia asks how he’s holding up, but Curtis says, honestly, he doesn’t know. Mostly, he’s confused.

Carly tosses a magazine aside, and picks up her phone. She looks at an old voicemail from Jason. There’s a knock at the door, and she opens it to Sam, who holds up a six-pack, and says, thirsty?

Brook asks herself what she needs Chase for anyway. There are thousands of guys who will think she’s awesome. Obviously. That’s what dating apps are for. She picks up her phone, and sees the battery is low. She wonders what she did with her charger, and digs around in a box. She hears a door open, and says, Chase?

Chase asks why it would have anything to do with Brook, and Dante says, Chase was pretty harsh with her back at the house. Is it underlying resentment about the baby or… something else? Chase says, it’s a confusing situation, and Dante says he bets it is. Chase says, one minute they’re fine, and the next… They’ll figure it out. Does Dante want to grab a beer after this? Dante says, sure. Why not? Is Chase buying? Chase says, done. Consider it a thank you for helping him move. Sonny walks in, and says he and Chase need to have a talk.

Curtis says, right before Portia called, he was deciding whether or not to give Marshall a chance. Then he had a conversation with Drew, and Drew reminded him that he had time to make a decision, but that might not be the case now. He knows he has legit reasons to be cautious… She says, he has very legitimate reasons, and he says, he can’t help wondering if he wasted time interrogating Marshall, instead of getting to know him. Portia suggests they take one step at a time. First, they need to hear what the doctor has to say. Then we’ll take it from there. He thanks her for throwing we in there, and she says she’s right there for him. No matter what, she’s got him. They hug, and the doctor comes out. Portia introduces Dr. Rose to Curtis, and says, Curtis is Marshall’s son. Curtis asks if his father is going to be okay.

At the PC Grill, Shawn toasts to his an Alexis’s partnership. They clink glasses, when Alexis sees Harmony on her way out. She asks if Harmony wants to join them.

Carly says, Sam does know she has a minibar, right? and Sam says, where the beer costs an arm and a leg. No offense. Carly says, none taken, and asks how Sam knew she was here. Sam says, Spinelli. He had a feeling she wasn’t going home, and had Sam check on her. So she came here. Carly says, that’s sweet, but Sam can see she’s fine. Sam says she’s not. She knows Carly, and knows she would normally talk to Jason at a time like this, but she can’t. Sam knows she can’t replace him. She could put on a black T-shirt if it makes Carly happy. Carly laughs, and Sam says, the kids are at Monica’s for the night, so she’s all Carly’s. Does she want to start over? Carly says, okay, and Sam hands her a beer. She asks how Carly is feeling, and Carly says, not so great.

Sonny says he hears Chase is Bailey’s father, not Valentin. Chase says, that’s right, and Sonny says, good; Valentin doesn’t deserve that little girl. Did Chase hit him? Chase says, it wasn’t his finest moment, and Sonny says, he probably had it coming. He asks what’s going on with Chase and Brook, and Chase says they’re not together. Sonny asks if Brook isn’t good enough for Chase, and Dante says, whoa. Sonny tells Chase, he’s just saying that any man is lucky to have someone like Brook, and Dante says, but if Chase isn’t interested in her, Chase isn’t interested in her. Sonny tells him, if he says so, that’s fine, and Chase says he’s going to hit the showers before they grab a beer. He tells Sonny it was good to see him, and leaves. Dante asks Sonny, what was that? Sonny lit into Chase; what for? Sonny says, Brook is his goddaughter, and Dante says, she’s also an adult. No offense, but with everything that’s going on with Sonny right now, doesn’t he think he should be more focused on his own life?

Brook pokes around in a box until she comes up with a vase. She says she’s got this, and sneaks downstairs. She looks around, and sees pillows and a blanket by the fireplace. She checks some other rooms, and sees someone going into the living room. She smashes them over the head with the vase.

Dr. Rose says, it wasn’t a heart attack, and Portia says, that’s very good news. Curtis asks, so what happened? and the doctor says his father’s blood pressure was elevated. They’ve switched his medication to one that will hopefully take care of that. Curtis asks if he’s all right, and Dr. Rose says, he’s perfectly fine. He can be discharged as soon as he gets his new prescription. Feel free to go in and see him. Curtis thanks the doctor, and thanks everyone for their help, and for waiting with him until Curtis got there. Elizabeth says, of course (🍷), and Portia’s phone beeps. She says it’s a patient, and asks if she can check in with Curtis in a little bit. He says, that’s fine. He should call TJ and let him know what’s going on. Elizabeth asks if Epiphany is okay, and Epiphany says, something’s just not tracking. Excuse her. She leaves, and Finn says, he knows she doesn’t like to elaborate, and Elizabeth says, not so much. He says, now that they know Marshall is in the clear, they have a big decision to make. Elizabeth says, they do? and he says, correct him if he’s wrong, but they were having a pretty okay time before all the excitement. His babysitter is still on the clock for another couple of hours. Elizabeth says, same here, and he asks how she feels about continuing their date. She says she feels pretty okay about that, and he says, let’s go. They start to leave, and Elizabeth’s phone rings. She says, Cameron, hi; then says, wait. What?

Sonny tells Dante, he’s just looking out for his family like he always does. Why is everyone giving him so much grief? Dante asks, who’s everyone? Carly? Sonny says, yeah. It’s like they’re mad at him for something that happened in Nixon Falls. He didn’t know who he was; he didn’t have control over it. All he’s done since he came back is try to make things okay. Dante says, okay. How can he help Sonny? Sonny says he’s just trying to clear his head. He’s going to work out. He tells Dante to go with his friend, and starts punching the heavy bag. Chase comes back, and says, ready? but Dante thinks he should stay with his dad. Sonny tells him, no, go, and Dante says, don’t worry about it. Chase says, no problem, when his phone rings. He answers, and says, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang tight. He’ll be right there. He runs out.

Harmony tells Shawn that it’s good to see him, and Alexis says they were just going over some of their plans for The Invader. Harmony says Alexis seems excited, and Alexis says she is. She asks Shawn if they’re done with business and asks Harmony to join them. Harmony says she’s just there for take-out. Enjoy their evening. She goes over to the bar, and Alexis says she’ll be right back.

Alexis asks if everything is all right, and Harmony says, yes; why? Alexis says, she seems uncomfortable, and Harmony says she gets the sense that Shawn’s not her biggest fan. Alexis says, he, too, will come around, and Harmony says, like Sam did the other day. Alexis asks what that means.

Carly says she’s furious, and Sam says, of course (🍷) she is. Carly says, about all of it. Nina gets top billing because she’s a hateful liar, but Sonny too, for not telling her all this time that he fell in love with Nina. And the worst part is, she can’t get angry about it, because if she does, they switch places in this story. Sam says, her and Nina? and Carly says, yeah. Nina becomes the victim and she becomes the villain, which is laughable, after Nina kept Sonny from his family out of spite, and stole months from his life in the process. Sam saw; she watched. They were barely hanging on over here, while Sonny and Nina attended barn dances and barbecues. And God forbid she wants Nina to deal with some kind of consequences; that makes Carly the bad guy. Sam says she hardly thinks that makes Carly… but Carly says, oh yes it does. She doesn’t have the words for how messed up this is. Sam says she actually thinks Carly is doing a great job.

Epiphany approaches Dr. Rose, and asks if she can have a word about Marshall. He says she knows he can’t discuss Marshall’s case with her, and she says she knows, but she couldn’t help noticing he quickly determined it was a simple medication issue. He says he’s confident in his diagnosis, and she says, with all due respect, in her experience, it’s best to perform ambulatory monitoring to rule out any underlying causes of hypertension. He says he understands she’s a very experienced nurse, but as Mr. Ashford’s doctor, he knows what he’s doing.

Curtis goes into the examining room, and asks how Marshall is feeling. Marshall says he’s embarrassed by all the attention, and Curtis asks if this has happened before. Marshall tells him, the doctor says there’s better medication that should help, and Curtis asks how long he’s had blood pressure issues. Marshall says, this isn’t an issue; he has it under control. Curtis says, really? Look where he is. Marshall says, it’s nothing for Curtis to concern himself about, and Curtis says, what if it’s hereditary? and Marshall says, leave it alone.

Alexis says, Sam told Harmony that she’s watching her? and Harmony says, it was more a warning than a statement. Alexis says she wishes Sam hadn’t told her that, and Harmony says she didn’t tell Alexis to cause friction between Alexis and Sam; in fact, the total opposite. She and Alexis talked about how difficult their friendship might be for Alexis’s daughters. Alexis says, they did, and she understands where Sam is coming from, but she’s also a grown woman, and is allowed to have the friends she chooses. Harmony says, under normal circumstances, sure. The bartender puts her to-go bag on the bar, and Harmony says, Alexis knows she cherishes their friendship, but now they’re seeing the reality of it. She didn’t want to keep Alexis in the dark about how Sam was feeling. If she needs to distance herself while her daughters come to terms – if her daughters come to terms with it – she completely understands. She takes the bag, and leaves, and Alexis goes back to the table. Shawn asks, what’s wrong? and Alexis says, she’s trying to do what’s right for her and what’s right for her daughters, and she’s starting to think that might not be possible.

Brook lets Elizabeth, Finn, and Chase in, and says she’s really sorry. Elizabeth asks, what happened? and Chase says he’d like to know the answer to that too. Brook says she was upstairs giving herself a manicure; moving is hard on the nails. She heard a noise, multiple noises actually. She grabbed a vase and came downstairs. We see Cameron and Josslyn on the couch, Elizabeth examining Cameron’s head, and Finn checking his eyes. Brook says she thought Cameron was an intruder, so she whacked him over the head with the vase. Cameron says, she’s very strong, and Brook thanks him. Josslyn says this is all her fault. She thought the house was empty. She had no idea her dad loaned it to Brook. Elizabeth says, the good news is, he doesn’t need stitches, and Finn says, he’s going to be okay. Brook says, thank God, and Elizabeth thanks Brook for calling her. Brook says, of course (🍷), and Cameron says, yeah, thanks a bunch. Brook is just glad his head is still intact, and Josslyn says, her too. She’s really sorry for the… Brook says, intrusion. It’s okay. Josslyn promises it won’t happen again, and Elizabeth suggests they get home. They leave with Finn, and Chase asks if Brook is okay. She says she feels awful that she hurt the poor kid, and he says, he gets why she called Elizabeth, but why did she call him?

Sonny and Dante sit down, and Sonny says, Dante should have gotten a beer while he had the chance. He asks if Dante wants to get in the ring, and Dante says, in a minute. He wants Sonny to tell him what’s going on first. Sonny says, he did, but Dante says, there’s clearly more than that going on. Sonny says, Carly came by to say goodnight to Donna and Avery. That’s what she’s doing now to make them think everything is normal. Dante says, but everything’s not normal? and Sonny says, it isn’t because they keep asking, when is mom coming? Is she staying? It’s not going to work out. Dante says, Sonny did tell Michael that he’d give Carly space, and Sonny says, he tried, but it’s obvious to him that Carly refuses to see what’s in front of her.

Sam asks if Carly has been holding this in the whole time, and Carly says she lost her mind on Nina at first, but yes, since the hearing. I guess she’s leaving out the part about going to Nina’s office and slapping her. Sam says she can’t imagine how hard this must be on Carly, and Carly says, anger is the easy emotion. She’d rather feel rage than everything else. Sam asks, what’s everything else? and Carly says she feels embarrassed. She feels stupid. She should have known something was going on. All the times Sonny insisted they shouldn’t go after Nina and all he wanted was to focus on their life together. Tell her one time Sonny hasn’t demanded retaliation, especially when someone hurts his family. God knows they were. Sam says she knows they were, and Carly says, she remembers how confused she was, and how devastated everyone was. Nina did that to them, and Sonny stood by her. He swore on the stand that he wasn’t Nina’s victim. What the hell was that? They’re all Nina’s victims; every single one of them. Do they not matter? How is she supposed to believe Sonny loves her when he still has a place in his heart for a woman who hurt her like that?

Brook tells Chase, she accidentally assaulted a hormonal teenager. She’s sorry if she didn’t know what to do. He says she really needs to break this pattern of hitting people in the head, accidental or not, and she says she was alone in a strange house that they moved into to protect a tiny baby from a giant psychopath. She’s sorry. She was terrified and he was working out. He says, she told him to go, but she says, not because she wanted him to.

Curtis says, for someone who says they want a relationship – Marshall says he does – why is everything off limits? Marshall says, not everything, just some things. If he thought it was important to Curtis in any way… Curtis says Marshall’s medical history is important. He just suffered a cardiac episode. Marshall says he’s fine, and asks if the doctor didn’t talk to Curtis. Curtis says he’s talking to Marshall. He needs information from Marshall. Does anything warrant a conversation, or is he only allowed to know that Marshall plays the clarinet? Marshall says he’s sorry the events in his life have made him guarded. He’s also sorry the events in Curtis’s life have made him more inquisitive. Curtis says, these are regular run-of-the-mill questions. The only thing that irregular is, Marshall refuses to answer them. Marshall puts his hand on Curtis’s shoulder, and says he hopes and prays they’ll somehow find a way to reconcile their differences. Curtis says, they’re some big differences, but Marshall says, they’re not insurmountable. He’s willing to try. Is Curtis?

Carly tells Sam, she gets it. If she ignores all the horrible things Nina has done, she can see why it would be hard for Sonny to turn off his feelings for her. She couldn’t do it with Jason. Sam shifts her position, and Carly says she’s sorry, but Sam says, don’t be. They passed that a long time ago. Carly says she knows it hurt Sonny when he came home and found out she and Jason had developed feelings for each other. That was really difficult for him. Never mind that it never would have happened if it weren’t for Nina and her lies. But the point is, the second Sonny came home, she and Jason shut that door permanently, and she’s done everything she can to do right by her husband. But Sonny is still acting on his feelings for Nina. Sam asks if Sonny is saying he loves Nina, and Carly tells her, he’s saying he still has feelings for her, but what they had is in the past. How does she believe that when he keeps defending her? Sam says, Nina’s in the wrong, clearly, but if Sonny keeps sticking up for her, Sonny is making Carly feel like it’s her attacking Nina. Carly says, yeah, and what does it say about him if he feels that way? More important, what does it say about their marriage?

Sonny tells Dante, he and Carly had this moment, that undeniable pull, then Carly’s walls go up. Dante says he’s sorry, and Sonny says he just thinks if they were living together, Carly would see what they have and who they are, and nothing’s changed. Whatever residual feelings he has for Nina doesn’t compare to his love for Carly. Dante says, maybe deep down she does, but she hasn’t processed it yet. Sonny knows he hurt her, right? Sonny says, but if anybody gets it, it’s Carly. She fell in love with Jason, then she insisted on being with him. What’s the difference between that and what happened with Nina? Dante says, but there is a difference. Say what he will about Carly and Jason. He’s not going to touch that one, but they thought Sonny was dead, so in their eyes, there was no betrayal. In Carly’s eyes, she feels Sonny betrayed her, because he protected Nina after he knew Nina lied about him being alive. Sonny admits he didn’t say anything when he first came back, because he thought he could get over these feelings. Then Jason died and a lot went down. Dante says, the bottom line is, Carly asked for space and time. Is she Sonny’s person? Sonny says, she is, and Dante says, then he’s got give them to her. Sonny says, that’s worst thing he could do.

Back home, Elizabeth tells Finn that she’s going to check on Jake and Aiden, and goes upstairs. Josslyn’s phone dings, and she says, oh no. Devon just texted. He’ll be here soon to pick her up. Cameron says, goodbye already? and she says she knows. Finn says, he’ll just be… not here, and goes in the kitchen. Josslyn says she had a lot of fun tonight. Up until… Cameron says he knows. They can try again at the cabin. She says, that should be no problem. They just have to avoid Esme, and Spencer, and Trina. He says, see? Easy. She says, honestly, alone or not, she likes spending time with him, and he says, as does he, and they kiss.

Brook tells Chase that she’s sorry. She’s just overwhelmed with the situation. They keep trying to set boundaries, and Bailey’s still in danger, and she doesn’t know what the right thing to do is. He says, it’s an adjustment for sure, but they’ll figure it out together.

Elizabeth meets Finn in the kitchen, and he says, some first date, huh? She says, not the most romantic in history, and they laugh. He says, it might sound crazy given all the interruptions, but he had a good time with her. If she lets him, he’d love to take her out again. She says she’d like that very much, although she’s hoping for less eventful. He says he’ll see what he can do, and they kiss.

Shawn tells Alexis, he’s all for second chances. God knows he’s been given a few, but Harmony’s not just a former criminal; the crimes she committed were against Alexis’s daughters. She says she’s very well aware of that, and doesn’t excuse any of that. However, it’s important to realize that Harmony was also one of Shiloh’s victims. He asks if she thinks Sam and Kristina will see it that way, and she says she doesn’t know about Sam, but truthfully, Kristina’s opinion matters more. He asks if Kristina knew how beneficial Alexis’s relationship with Harmony was, what does she think that opinion would be?   

Epiphany goes in to see Marshall, and he says, she’s still here. She says, hypertension can be a sign of something more serious. She knows Dr. Rose is convinced it’s just a matter of Marshall’s medication, but if he wants a second opinion… but he says, no; it won’t be necessary. It’s happened before, and everything’s been fine. She asks if he calls this fine, and he says he and the doctor have an understanding. He thanks her for looking out for him, and says, her patients are lucky to have her. She tells him, don’t think he has an out. She’s still paying her half of the bill. They laugh, and he says, deal.

Portia asks Curtis how Marshall is, and he says, the same; closed off and stubborn. He feels like he’s getting whiplashed. One minute he never wants to see Marshall again, and the next minute, he’s reminded of why they’re at an impasse in the first place. She says, relationships are tricky, and he says, that’s an understatement. She says, they’ll make progress; they’ll have setbacks. It’s to be expected. He says, how can they expect to make progress if Marshall is controlling how much he can and can’t know? She tells him, he said it himself. He wanted time, and now thankfully he has it. It’s up to him how he wants to spend that time. He says he does want a relationship with his father. He just doesn’t know if it’s possible.

Sonny says he took Dante’s advice. He talked to Carly, but it didn’t help much. Dante says, or Sonny could say he made his point, and she made hers. He thinks it would be a huge mistake if Sonny doesn’t listen to what she wants. Sonny says, she wants space. They had it for nine months. They should be making up for that. Being apart, they gain nothing. Dante says, obviously, Carly doesn’t see it that way.

Sam tells Carly, she knows how hard it is when you and your husband aren’t on the same page. She’s so sorry. Carly says, for the first time in a long time, she has no idea what to do. She doesn’t know what comes next. That’s not true. She knows that she goes to bed, and she’ll get up in the morning because she promised the girls she’d be there early to make them pancakes. Sam says she’s going to go. Does Carly want her to call Josslyn? She doesn’t want Carly to be alone. Carly says, Josslyn and Michael have already came down pretty hard on Sonny. She doesn’t want them more involved than they already are, or feel they have to pick sides. Sam starts to leave, then stops and asks Carly, what’s the hardest part? Carly asks what Sam means, and Sam says, Carly told her that she was angry, then she said she was embarrassed. What else? Carly says, underneath it all is this deep aching sadness. Nina devastated her family, and she’s not so sure they can recover.

Curtis says he guesses Marshall is free to go, and Marshall says, he guesses so. He’s sorry things got tense earlier. He didn’t know what to expect when he came back, but he knew he had to try. It seems he’s not doing too good of a job. It means a lot that Curtis showed up. He should call for a car. Do they have taxis out front? Curtis says, they do, but he’ll give Marshall a ride. Ready? Marshall says, lead the way.

Chase hands Brook a glass of wine, and she thanks him. He says, long day. huh? She asks if he was working out when she called, and he says, he and Dante were just finishing up. He was a little confused when he didn’t recognize the number. She says, her phone died; she called from Cameron’s phone. He says, Cameron has his cell info? and she says, no. He asks how she called him then, and she says she knows his number by heart. He says, for real? and she tells him, don’t sound so pleased. After the Maxie/fake Chloe horror show, she thought it was a good idea to memorize some important numbers in case of an emergency. He says, important? and she says, he is Bailey’s father. She flashes back to overhearing Chase say letting himself fall for someone like Brook would be a major disaster; she lied, schemed, and hurt people. Brook says she’s so tired. It turns out amorous teenagers breaking into your house takes a lot more out of you than she thought. Sorry she ruined his night. He says she didn’t, and she says, it’s not always going to be like this. Most of the time, he won’t even know she’s here. She tells him, goodnight, and goes upstairs.

Alexis says, Shawn is right, but he says he’s not looking to be right. She says, the friendship she formed with Harmony in prison will end up being hurtful to Kristina. Shawn says, even if Kristina knew how Alexis feels about Harmony now? and she says, even if, and she doesn’t want to make things difficult for Kristina. He says he thinks she has her answer, and she says, apparently, she’s not going to be able to continue her friendship with Harmony.

Dante says, if Sonny keeps pushing Carly, he’s going to sabotage the whole thing, but Sonny says, no. The only way he’s going to do that is by letting this go on. He needs to up the stakes; he needs to show Carly how much she means to him. One thing he does know is, he can’t fix this if they’re not together. If she wants time, then they’ll do it together. Dante says he doesn’t think that’s what Carly meant, and Sonny says he doesn’t care what she meant. It’s Carly who he wants, and he’s going to let her know that. End of story. Sonny leaves, and Dante looks worried.

Carly thanks Sam for letting her get all that off her chest, and Sam says she practically forced Carly into it. Carly says, either way, it felt good. Sam says, she’s glad. In case no one told Carly, she’s not the bad guy here. Nina hurt her, a lot, and if she’s being honest, Sonny did too. Carly is entitled to feel all of these emotions. Just know that. Carly thanks her, and Sam leaves.

Elizabeth asks how Cameron’s head is; does he need some ice? He says he’s fine. He’s so sorry her date got messed up because of him, but she says, she’s just glad he still needs her. Is everything good with him and Josslyn? He says, everything is great, and she says she likes seeing his smile. He says he likes seeing hers too. He bets Franco’s really glad to see them doing so well. She says she hopes so, and he says he knows so. She says, he and Josslyn are being safe, right? and he says, goodnight. She says she can’t wait to finish this conversation in the morning, and he says, great, as he goes upstairs.

The clock says quarter to three, when there’s a knock at the door. Elizabeth comes down in her robe, and opens the door to Dante. He says he’s sorry. He knows it’s early, but something terrible happened last night, and he thought she should know about it.

Tomorrow, Chase asks Finn what the hell he’s talking about, Maxie says there’s nothing else to remember, Cameron asks why Dante is here, and Peter can’t wait to tell the world what someone did to him.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

Emily shopped for bathing suits with Jen and Nicole. She said she didn’t remember having all those tequila shots at Max’s party. In Emily’s interview, she said Jen and Nicole were not normal sized people. Nicole said it was going to be awkward with Noella now, and we flashed back to Nicole telling Noella that she couldn’t be the friend Noella needed. Nicole said Noella had talked sh*t about her and Heather, and she was over it. In Emily’s interview, she said, she didn’t know what was going on, but clearly Nicole’s intent was to get her to think badly about Noella. Nicole said if Noella went to Cabo, she wasn’t going. Emily suggested they share a room – a padded room.

While Shannon packed for the trip, she called John. She said she hadn’t seen any of the women for two weeks, since she’d been in Nashville. Before that, she’d felt like they were going after each other. In Shannon’s interview, she said Gina and Emily had blindsided her with their untrust ambush. They’d never discussed it further, and it posed a potential problem. She was glad she and Heather were in a decent place. We flashed back to Heather saying Shannon would lose more than her friendship if Shannon ever came after her family again. In her interview, Shannon told John that she was having fun reconnecting with Heather, and he said, it was time for fun and healing.

Gina visited Heather in her giant house that apparently has more than one doorbell, since Gina got one of the staff by mistake. Heather joked (I think) that there was a vetting process. They hung out in the hallowed closet, and in Gina’s interview, she said her sex dreams were the closet. She told Heather that she was excited to be flying private, and Heather said she’d rented a house in Cabo. Gina asked if Heather would do her a favor. She knew Heather and Noella weren’t thick as thieves, but as excited as she was, she felt badly for Noella. They’d been texting, and Noella said she was going to be lonely when they were in Maxico. In Gina’s interview, she said she understood what Noella was going through. She’d rather Noella be with her, or she was going to worry about her. Noella was going through a hard time, and Gina wanted her to have fun. Heather said she didn’t dislike Noella, but every time she tries, something goes sideways. She extended an invitation to Max’s party, and when Max came home, she found out Noella had given her a questionable gift. It was a Pride themed card game, which was fine, but Max was 17 and the questions weren’t appropriate. She read some of them, but so much was bleeped, the only audible word was licking. In her interview, Gina said, it was so awkward. Being in this room was like when you make the mistake of watching a movie with your parents, and there’s an explicit sex scene. You’d do anything to get TF out of the room, but you’re trapped. Boy, do I know about that. When I was in school in NYC, I’d gone home for winter break, and my sister and I wanted to watch American Werewolf in London. My dad was with us, and we’d forgotten there was a nakey shower scene. It wasn’t all that explicit, but nothing we wanted to watch in front of him. When it got to that scene, it was so quiet, you could hear the proverbial pin drop. After what seemed like hours of silence, my sister suddenly said, I don’t know why they have to put this kind of scene in every movie. Yep. I wanted to get TF out, but I was trapped. Heather reads another card that says something about telling Heather Dubrow to f*** off. She told Gina that it was basically porn, and Gina said, it wasn’t appropriate. Heather said she didn’t want anyone to feel left out or bad, especially at her expense, but give her a reason why it was a good idea to invite Noella. Gina told Heather that she wasn’t saying this was her best decision, and couldn’t give Heather a reason why things wouldn’t go awry, but she was asking Heather to do her a solid. Heather said she’d extend an invite, but it was on Gina.

Heather conferred with her driver Pete about the trip, and he said, it should be fun. She asked if he was being serious or facetious, and he said, they had champagne, right? In Heather’s interview, she said they went to Cabo ten times a year, maybe more. She loved Cabo, and she was excited to hang out with the women there. She and Shannon historically, had a great time on trips. We flashed back to some of that, and Heather said, she and Gina have connected. She loved Jen, and she was excited to get to know Emily. Heather told the group that Nicole said she couldn’t come, and Noella would be coming late. In her interview, she said she wasn’t sorry Noella would be late. We saw them in the private airport area via Heather Cam, and on the private plane via Gina Cam. In Gina’s interview, she said, some people would think Heather was controlling, but she thought, this bitch is handling everything. All she has to do is show up. Yes I’ll fly on your private jet. In Heather’s interview, she said she had a legal pad where she wrote everything down. It was important to have a framework or there was no plan. The plane looked like a good time. I would love to fly on a PJ. I’d even settle for flying first class.

The women arrived at San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, and had more champagne in the limo going to the villa. Emily told Shannon that if she said fun Emily one more time, she’d snatch the tequila out of Shannon’s ass. Which made no sense whatsoever, but was still funny. The group was met by the staff, including a Spanish tutor, and some tequila. Heather toasted to a successful, fabulous trip. She said the villa was amazing, with a big main house, and little casitas. They had privacy and pools. They danced around by the pool to a mariachi band and Spanish dancer. The rooms were… Oh never mind, you know how fabulous they were. They took a tour of the place, deciding where they were going to bunk, and in Gina’s interview, she said she and Emily were vacation wives. If there was one bed, no problem. If Travis wasn’t there, she could slot Emily right in. The found the perfect casita, with two beds.

Jen called, and in her interview, she said she never took trips without her family. If she had time away from the office, she spent it with her kids and husband. She said, there was no balance in home life, work, and friendships. If you worked on one, the others suffered. Heather showed Emily and Gina some house plans for a place in Cabo, and in her interview, she said she and Terry had been talking about vacation homes for two years. She wanted it to be a beautiful, cool, sexy hideaway. She told the two of them that Terry thought it was a lot of money to park in a place they don’t live at, but she wanted to have a place they could give the kids; a place that could be theirs. She and Terry had them when they were older, and they wouldn’t be around forever. In Heather’s interview, she said she had a dream, seeing her kids in the future. They were looking at something, but she didn’t know what, and one of them said, mom would have loved this. She wanted to make sure they had places to go together. She told Emily and Gina that she was hoping to find something already built, and would be looking at land and houses tomorrow. They could do everything or nothing; their choice. Gina wanted to go horseback riding, and in her interview, she said she was a legit survivor of a shark attack, and we flashed back to when she was on a jet ski and there was a shark in the vicinity that was not Jaws. She said, riding a horse was still better than swimming with sharks.

In Noella’s interview, she said, obviously, she was the last person invited, but she could get over it for her feet in the sand and a Skinnygirl margarita. I have to give a shout out to Noella’s chihuahua Rihanna, who is just an adorable angel. Emily, Gina, and Shannon went horseback riding, and in Shannon’s interview, she said, she grew up around horses; they had 18 acres. In Emily’s interview, she said she grew up riding horses in Ohio, and in Gina’s interview, she said she didn’t know how to ride a horse. Shannon thought her horse was a little feisty, and they all trotted down the beach. In her interview, Gina said Emily looked good on a horse; hair flowing and sexy. She expected Emily would get off the horse, and there was going to be a porno. That’s how good she looked.

Heather told Jen that she never ate carbs so she could eat them on vacation, and Jen said she had a narrow diet because of how her schedule was. Heather asked if she did family dinners, and Jen said she strived for them, but usually didn’t get home until 8 or 9 pm. Heather said, earlier in his career, Terry had never around, and we flashed back to Terry saying, Max was sending him photos of the empty dad chair. Heather said he’d gotten to the point where changes had to be made, and he did. In Jen’s interview, she said Ryne didn’t recognize what she did for the family because he wasn’t living it. In turn, she didn’t recognize what he did, but she wanted the family dynamic; they were disconnected. She told Heather that she was going to work out, and in her interview, she said, in her 20s, she’d had a long, painful journey with a tumor in her femur. They’d replaced the marrow with cement, and she was always in pain, but managed it with physical therapy, and working out. Heather thought it should be a chill-by-the-pool day.

After riding, Emily, Gina, and Shannon sat on the beach. Gina popped some champagne, and Shannon almost got creamed by the cork. Shannon was worried about Noella coming, and the reception she’d get from Heather. Gina said she was the reason Noella was on the trip. She’d asked Heather for a personal favor. In Shannon’s interview, she said she was surprised. She thought Noella should come, but if there were feelings of animosity, she was worried about that. Gina thought if they got Noella and Heather under the same roof, they’d bond, to which Emily gave a quick and hard, no, she didn’t think so. In Gina’s interview, she said she was hoping they’d hit it off. She wanted Noella to come with an open mind, and hoped it worked out. Shannon suggested Gina act as peacemaker, and Gina said she just wanted to take one step in the right direction. Here’s where the camera panned out, and we saw the poor guide waiting with the horses.

They came back and got in the pool at Gina and Emily’s room. This place was absolutely amazing, but everyone kept saying, it’s so hot, and I’m not fond of the heat. In Shannon’s interview, she said, tequila Emily and Gina were more fun than the everyday Emily and Gina. In Emily’s interview, she said, fun Shannon was great. There was no bad behavior; just having a good time. Everyone got dressed for dinner, and Heather mentioned that Terry was having dinner with John and Travis. On the way to the restaurant, Shannon said Noella had texted to say they wouldn’t take her passport, but Heather rolled her eyes and said, Noella forgot her passport. In Heather’s interview, she said she had mixed emotions about Noella coming. She wanted to believe it was going to be great, but the truth was, historically, when Noella showed up, things went to sh*t.

By the time Noella got there, the others were already at the restaurant, and in Noella’s interview, she said, everything was lovely, and she wasn’t being shady, but – she fanned herself – she was the guest. She was grateful for the invite, but she would have made an effort to be there when the guest arrived. At the restaurant, the women were shown to the jungle room, which was magnificent. Shannon said Noella had texted, and was on her way there. In Gina’s interview, she said, it was a big job. Noella was a bit of a wild card, and she didn’t know if she could tame a wild child. She had the feeling that Noella was going to light this sh*t on fire.

Noella was brought to the table, and Heather said, the traveling sounded long. Noella said, it was pure hellishness, but it’s all good; it was so gorgeous there. Heather thanked Noella for joining them, told everyone, happy dinner, and they ordered starters. Noella explained that she usually traveled by private plane, and brought a passport card, but the airport would only accept an actual passport. In Noella’s interview, she said she knew she was spoiled AF, but this was her first trip since she’d lost the private plane. They got tequila shots, and Noella whined that there was no ice. She said, yay to warm tequila, and in Heather’s interview, she said, she understood getting picky about vintage champagne, or the clarity and color of a diamond, but it was a tequila shot. Throw it back and shut up.

Noella raved about how much she loved Shannon’s phone calls, and how Shannon was always checking in with her. Shannon said she’d been through it, and in Jen’s interview, she said Noella was in The Noella Show. Emily asked Noella why she’d been talking smack about her and Gina. She’d said all Emily did was take the kids out for yogurt, and go to Costco. Noella admitted she’d said that, although I don’t quite understand how anyone could come up with an insult like that. I’m not sure if it’s even an insult. Gina told Noella that she’d said Travis was a loser, but Noella insisted she never said anything about Travis. In her interview, Noella said she did say something about Gina’s house before she’d even met Gina, but she’d heard it from Braunwyn. Ugh. I wanted to like this woman, especially since she has a cute dog, but no. She said, obviously Nicole had gotten marching orders to discredit her, and when a producer asked, from who? she said, Heather, duh.

Emily pointed out that Noella wasn’t eating the meal she’d ordered, and Noella made a big production about taking a bite of potatoes. In Gina’s interview, she said, if Noella didn’t want to eat, be low key. Gina was just trying to manage the dynamic, and the dynamic was already becoming unmanageable. Gina, Emily, and Noella went to the bathroom, which was code for, they were going to talk on the side. Emily told Noella that she thought Heather was annoyed that she was picking up the tab for a meal Noella ordered, but didn’t eat after Heather had thrown out $3 million in sushi the previous week. In Noella’s interview, she said, she didn’t need anyone to tell her how to behave. Emily and Gina must have drunk the Kool-Aid. Something was going on. These weren’t the same girls she’d hung out with before. She told Emily that she didn’t care if Heather thought she should eat or not, and at the table, Heather said this was the exact situation she didn’t want. She was worried. She hadn’t wanted to do this, and still didn’t.  

To be continued…

This season, a trip to Aspen; Shane gets his diploma (or whatever you call it) for passing the bar; Ryne leaves Jen; Noella has a breakdown, and says she smells bullsh*t, but I’m not sure if the two are related; John tells Shannon, f*** Gina; Shannon says she owns her sh*t; Heather says, Noella is a liar and a thirsty girl; and Noella is shocked Heather knows what thirsty means. Is that an admission of thirst guilt?

🏂 Sliding Under the Covers Like…

It’s been real, so come back again tomorrow, for soap and a Supermodel on the Runway. Until then, stay safe, stay looking for hidden opportunities, and stay knowing that even if difficulties are big, that doesn’t mean they’re insurmountable.

January 17, 2022 – Brick Warns Sonny About a New Player, Vow Renewal On Deck, It’s Back, Salty Talk, Betty’s Birthday, Fit For a King & Dream

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the gym, Drew tells Michael that his shares were in a trust for Scout, and Sam signed the proxy over to Valentin. So assuming he can figure all that out… Michael says he’d have to remove the proverbial gloves, and get in a bare-knuckle brawl with the family. Drew says, been there, done that? and Michael says, he’d hoped for a knockout in the hearing, but Nina walked away without a scratch. The way she keeps coming between his mom and dad, this fight isn’t going to end any time soon.

In her office, Nina flashes back to saying Carly is going to drive Sonny away for good, and if Sonny comes to her, she’s definitely not going to send him away. Britt knocks at the door, and asks if it’s a bad time.

Carly tells Donna and Avery that she knows she’s been working a lot, but she’s going to be there every morning to take them to school, and every night to put them to bed. Sonny says, there’s no school today, so Laura is going to take them sledding. Avery asks if Carly can come, and Carly says she wishes she could, but she has so much work to do. She’s working all day, and all night. Sonny says he knows they’re disappointed, but they’ve just got to make the best of things. So why don’t they find Pilar? Carly tells them not to forget their mittens, and they go upstairs. Sonny says, Pilar always makes sure they have their mittens, and Carly says she’s just looking out for their girls. He says, they’d be a lot happier if she stayed home. So would he.

At the Savoy, Laura says she’s sorry she missed Curtis on New Year’s. She wanted to ring in the New Year with him, and pray for a better year. He says he’s sorry he missed her, but 2022 is off to a great start. She says she thinks she knows that look. Did he ring in the New Year with Portia? He says, and then some, and she laughs. He says, enough about him; what about her? She says she got tired of hiding, and he asks if that means Cyrus is no longer a threat. She says, it means she went to pay a visit to him in person before she came home, and he asks what Cyrus had to say. She tells him to brace himself. He claims he found religion. He says, Cyrus Renault is holy. So he found religion? She says, or seen the light; whatever version Curtis prefers. He says, pardon him if he finds it hard to believe, when he can still feel the scar where the man shot him, and she says she’s pretty skeptical too. Like everything Cyrus does, it’s sort of bigger than life and kind of flashy. He asks what she thinks Cyrus’s angle is. Is he trying to gain sympathy, or is he trying to gain the ear of some powerful person who will fall for it? She says she’s not sure; time will tell. He says, if recent events have taught him anything, it’s that time doesn’t change people like that. It only brings out the worst in them. She says, they’re not talking about Cyrus anymore, are they?

In an examining room, Marshall tells Epiphany that he doesn’t need an x-ray, but she says, he came to the hospital. It’s her job to be thorough. He’s going to sit tight and she’s going to schedule things with radiology. She drops his chart, and he picks it up and hands it to her. She asks if that’s not his injured wrist, and he says, maybe it’s the other one. She says, Mr. Ashford… and he asks her to call him Marshall. She says, Mr. Ashford. Her break’s almost over, and she has legitimate patients to see who have real issues, so if he doesn’t mind… He says, okay, he’s busted. His wrists are fine. He was just trying to get her attention. He hasn’t seen her since he asked her to join his band, after they teamed up and serenaded the GH patients for Christmas. She says she remembers, but he says she didn’t give him an answer one way or the other, which is better than a cold, hard pass, but he’s texted her since and no response. So it begs the question, is she not interested in his music, or him?

Michael says he wants to talk about his parents rocky marriage about as much as Drew wants to talk about ELQ. Drew says, fair enough, and Michael asks how it’s going with Drew’s little girl; they’re reunited again. Drew says, it’s the best thing in the whole world. It blew him away how much she’s grown. She was a little shy at first, but every time they get together, it gets better and better. It’s like they’re building a vocabulary of their common experience; it’s so in the moment. Michael asks if Drew is building a vocabulary with Sam, since he’s clearly out of the loop, and Drew says, she’s moved on. He doesn’t blame her; Michael’s brother Dante is a great guy. Michael says, he’s one of the best, but so is Drew. Drew says, you know what they say about nice guys, but Michael says, that’s not necessarily true. They don’t always finish last. Maybe he could help Drew prove it.

Nina says she doubts Britt is just there to check up on her, but Britt says, they made a pact at Nathan’s grave to always support each other. She takes that very seriously, and she heard what happened at Nina’s hearing; quite the bombshell. Nina says, as Britt can see, she walked away without a scratch, but Britt says, take it from a doctor; some scratches only show up on the inside. Nina takes it Britt and her mother have been talking about this. Let her guess. Obrecht thinks she’s busy licking her wounds, but she can assure Britt… Britt says, Nina is a big girl. She knows Nina can handle it. Nina thanks Britt for not seeing her as a victim, and Britt says, no way. It sounds to her like Nina left the hearing with her head held high, and Carly’s head was left spinning. What about Sonny? Nina says, what about him? and Britt says, from what she hears, the two of them are in an interesting place. Nina says, let’s cut to the chase. What does Britt want? Britt says she has a friend who’s in a bit of a sticky situation, and he has an aunt who’s even more lethal than her mother. She called in a favor that her friend delivered, and now he’s afraid she’s going to hold it over his head. Nina says, no offense, but Britt isn’t known to have a ton of friends. Are they talking about Brad Cooper? Britt says, yes, and he needs help; the kind of help Sonny Corinthos can deliver. Nina says, and Britt wants her to get him to deliver it.

Sonny says he’s not going to lie to Carly. It’s only been one night, and he misses her. She says she misses him too, and he asks why they’re wasting every precious moment staying apart. She called his bluff, and went to the MetroCourt, and proved her point. So let’s figure out what we need to move forward. She says she’s not trying to prove a point, and she’s not trying to call his bluff. She meant what she said. She needs some time to herself. She needs to wrap her head around what came out at that hearing. And not just Willow’s testimony. He admitted he had feelings for Nina. He says, they can’t get through that if they’re sleeping in separate beds or avoiding each other instead of working this out. She says she was tagged in an email from the pharmacy. Did he refill his prescription? He sighs, and says, for a second there, he thought she didn’t care, and she says, did he? He flashes back to throwing the pill bottle across the kitchen, and he says he’s on it; don’t try to change the subject. He’s going to give her the time she wants, but he’s not giving up on their marriage. Is she?

Curtis says, while Laura was away at the safe house, being protected from Cyrus, his life has been a lot less eventful. Which is why he traded his P.I. license for a liquor license, which she framed and hand delivered. Now he’s just a hard-working club owner, chasing down a million minute details. She asks why she feels like he left out a story or two in his very uneventful life. She’s kept in touch with Jordan. She’s recuperating, and told her that things are going very well with him and Portia. And Doc has given her glowing reviews about how TJ is excelling at the hospital. So did somebody else get under his skin? He says she does know him, and she says she can tell he’s trying to tough something out, and she knows he can handle anything, but maybe she can help if he lets her.

Epiphany says she and Marshall did make some beautiful music on Christmas, but when she made the mistake of thinking he had some personal interest in her, he told her that he wasn’t in the market for a social life. He says, so it’s not the music; it’s him. She says, he might be on wiz on that clarinet, but he’s just like every other man she’s met in her life. He thinks it’s all about him. There was somebody else who thought it was all about him too, and he took her job from her. Compared to him, Marshall’s a saint, but she got her job back, and that’s all that matters. He says, understood, but he began to think she was mad at him because he mistakenly called her doctor.

Michael tells Drew, he feels like a placeholder at Aurora. He took the job because Sam asked him to, and it gave him a place to land when he was out as CEO at ELQ. Drew says, Sam told him that Michael is doing an incredible job. The profits are up at Aurora, and Michael is making it respected throughout the industry. Michael says, thanks, but Drew set the standard. He’s just doing his best to maintain it. Aurora is Drew’s vision – always has been, always will be. He’s more than willing to step aside and let Drew take his rightful place behind the desk, and start calling the shots again. If that’s what Drew wants.

Britt tells Nina, Brad’s done some terrible things, but he’s paid for them. Not only by doing his time in Pentenville; he lost his husband and his son. His aunt came to him with a chance for parole and he took it. Nina asks what exactly she asked him to do, and Britt says, did she ask Nina for a play-by-play of her time in Nixon Falls with Sonny? Nina says she guesses Britt thinks she knows enough to ask her for a favor. What does she want Sonny to do? Britt says, Sonny can be very persuasive. If he were to intercede on Brad’s behalf… Nina says, hold on. Sonny hates Brad. Brad kept Michael away from his son for a year. Sonny’s never going to forget that. Britt says, not even for Nina? and Nina walks into the reception area. Following her, Britt says, according to the testimony at Nina’s hearing, she has pull with Sonny. Nina says, it doesn’t matter what was said at the hearing. All that matters is, Sonny loves Carly. Nothing else matters. Britt says, not even how Sonny feels about Nina, or Nina feels about him?

Carly tells Sonny not to force her to make decisions about their marriage on her timetable, but he says, he’s not forcing her to do anything. As if he ever could. But she’s not going to stop him from telling her about how he feels and what he wants, and what he wants is their marriage, her, their family. That’s what happened when he wasn’t himself. It wasn’t the medication; it was the memories that brought him back to her, and brought him back to their kids. If she doesn’t trust how he feels about her – if she can’t cross that bridge – trust how she feels about him. That’s going to tell her all she needs to know. Carly says she knows how she feels about him. Everything would be so much easier if she didn’t. He says, it’s never been easy with them; that’s just the way it is. It’s not who they are, but in the end, it’s always good. The door opens, and Brick comes in. He says he loves those guards. They wave him in like he’s one of the family… On the other hand, maybe they shouldn’t have called him up. He feels like he walked into the middle of something.

Laura says, so this guy shows up, claims to be Curtis’s father who died decades ago? Wow. She can see why he’s skeptical. Just because the guy has a few details and photos doesn’t necessarily mean he’s who he claims to be. Curtis says he’s a trained P.I.; he’s trained to be skeptical. Pictures can be doctored, stories can be invented. He was sure this mystery man was up to no good. Then Aunt Stella confirmed it. Marshall Ashford is the man who abandoned them all those years ago, and let them believe he was dead. Now this man comes back to Port Charles, and wants to reconnect, and wants to start fresh. TJ, God bless him, he’s all for it. He was ready to accept Marshall as his grandpa from the jump. She says, he’s never been hurt by this man. What about Curtis? Is he ready accept his father back in his life?

Epiphany asks if Marshall is saying there’s something wrong with being a nurse, but he says, not at all. He thinks it’s a noble profession. He’s sorry if he touched a nerve by assuming she wanted an MD after her name. She says, if she overreacted, it’s because there was a time she did have dreams about being a doctor. When she was in high school, she used to haunt the library, pouring over the Gray’s Anatomythe book, not the TV series. She even took an after school job with a vet, so she could assist her when the vet was setting a broken bone for a cat, or stitching up a dog. He says, that takes real dedication. So what happened? Why didn’t she follow her dream?

Drew tells Michael, he started Aurora Media with Sam. It was more than a company for them. It was so they could break free from a life of uncertainty and danger, for the family they wanted to create. Michael says, and a life working closely with his dad, and Drew says he realizes when he stepped away, he probably dampened his friendship with Sonny. Sometimes he wonders if it was the right thing. Michael tells him not to second guess himself. He was right to distance himself from Michael’s father.

Nina tells Britt that she cares about Sonny way too much to get in between him and Carly. Britt says, that didn’t stop her in Nixon Falls, and Nina says, Nixon Falls was a fantasy. Now she’s back here in reality, and Sonny’s reality is at home with his wife and his children, both the older ones and the two little girls at his home. She doesn’t want to be the cliché, the heartless homewrecker. Britt says she understands, but is Nina sure there’s still a home left to wreck?

Carly hugs Brick, and says, he is family. He’s always welcome and never an interruption. He says, what that really means is, he stepped in it, didn’t he? but Sonny says, when Carly gives you a pass, you take it. Brick says, Sonny talked him into it, and hugs Carly again. She says, it’s good to see him, but she has a feeling they need to talk business, and she needs to get to the hotel. Tell the girls that she’ll be home later tonight to see them. Sonny says he’ll see her then, and she leaves. Brick says, she’s gone now; it’s just the two of them. What’s going on with him and Carly?

Curtis tells Laura, when Marshall first came here, he wanted to forget the past and start over. Curtis made it abundantly clear that was not okay. When they started talking, Marshall said he got mixed up in some bad business; got on the wrong side of some seriously dangerous people. Not long after that, he went off the radar. She says she can relate to that, and he says he thought she might. She says, if his situation was anything like with her, he had no choice. Stay with the family, put the family at risk; stay underground and the family is safe. He says, that’s exactly what Marshall told him, and she says, so if Marshall’s story is true, Curtis has to face something she’s not sure he’s willing to accept. No matter how much his father hurt him, he did it out of love.

Epiphany tells Marshall, why didn’t she become a doctor? It’s a long story, and her break’s almost over. He says, she’s still got a few minutes. She can skip the lollypop or whatever she rewards her patients with, and just tell him, what happened that she didn’t become Epiphany Johnson, MD? She says, life happened, and he says, meaning? She says, you dream big, work hard, and you learn sometimes things don’t go the way you planned them to. He says, been there for sure, but it’s not too late for him. She tells him, says him, and he says, he wouldn’t have moved to Port Charles if he didn’t believe that. And if it’s not too late for him, it’s not too late for her.

Drew says he thought Michael was devoted to his father. He knows Michael didn’t go into the business, and took the corporate route, but he didn’t think Michael was ashamed to be a Corinthos. Michael says, it’s not that; he’s not ashamed of his last name. It’s just that he and his dad have had their differences in the past… and in the present. Drew asks, how so? and Michael says, his dad defended Nina in court, despite all the harm she did to him and their entire family, especially his mother. Drew says he saw Carly last night at the MetroCourt; she seemed pretty upset, but Michael knows his mom. If she’s not okay now, she’ll find a way to be okay very soon.

At the MetroCourt, Carly says, sorry to keep Diane waiting, but Diane says, that’s okay; she’s on her third mimosa. Carly says, really? but Diane says, just coffee. Carly sits with her, and Diane asks if someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Carly says, wrong side, wrong bed, and Diane asks whose bed they’re talking about. Carly says, her bed, but not at her house; she’s staying in the hotel. Diane tells her, before she says another word, did Carly ask to speak to her as her friend or attorney? Carly says, friend. She’s sure Diane heard all the dirty laundry that came out at Nina’s hearing, and Diane says she got the general gist; she’s so sorry. Carly says, it’s not like she stopped loving Sonny, and she adores the girls, but is staying in a broken marriage good for Donna and Avery? Is love enough? Diane says, in her vast experience, she’s found it takes more than two people to break up a marriage. Carly says, so Diane knows what she’s up against, and Diane says, Sonny and Nina had a relationship in Nixon Falls, and Sonny is continuing to protect Nina in Port Charles. Carly says, that’s why she’s staying at the hotel. She needs some space to clear her head, figure out what her options are, what’s best for the girls, and if things start going south… Diane says she’s going to stop Carly there.

Sonny tells Brick, this is about marriage; something Brick knows little about. Brick says, fair enough, but he does know something about trouble, and he knows Sonny’s got it. And he’s not talking about Sonny’s marriage. One of his suppliers on the left coast is out of business, permanently. His going out of business sale was brought on by a brand new player, a complete unknown. Sonny says, players come and go, and Brick asks if Sonny is listening to him. This dude just took out one of Sonny’s players. That’s like waving a red flag in front of el toro, even from 2000 miles away. Sonny asks if this player has a name, and Brick says, everybody’s got a name; he’s working on it. Sonny says, Cyrus made noise about someone filling the power vacuum he left in the west, and Brick says, it could be part of the same party. Sonny says, he’ll ask around. He makes an aggressive move, then rubs his forehead, saying, he’s got a lot on his mind. Brick says, pardon him for asking, but such as? Sonny shakes his head, and Brick says, okay. He was just being a friend. He’s going to say it for Sonny, whether he wants to hear it or not. One man, two women; it’s one too many.

Nina tells Britt, of course (🍷) there’s still a home to wreck; two little girls are living in it. Britt asks how Nina can be so sure, and Nina says, Carly was standing at the same spot Britt is two days ago. Britt says, Carly came here looking for Nina? She hopes Nina had on body armor. What happened? Nina says, before Carly slapped her across the face? and Britt says, ouch. Nina says, Britt can guess what Carly had to say. She blames Nina for what Willow said on the witness stand, and blames her for what Sonny confirmed on the witness stand, even though she and Sonny never… Britt says, they might have. And they still might, if Carly keeps driving him into Nina’s arms. Is that what earned Nina the slap? Nina says, she told Carly that if Sonny showed up on her doorstep again, she woudn’t say no. Britt says, from what she’s been hearing, Sonny didn’t come back to a marriage. Sounds more like a prison with two unhappy people locked inside. Doesn’t Nina think she might be doing Sonny, and Carly, a favor if she gave him the key?

Curtis asks Laura, if Marshall was really trying to protect his family by dropping out of sight, why risk it now? She says, that’s an excellent question, and she’s sure Curtis asked it. What did he say? Curtis says, it was more about what he didn’t say. He said the danger is less, but he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, give proof to back it up. He warned Curtis against digging into his past. He said the only way to keep Aunt Stella and TJ safe was to let things be. She says, and he might be right about that, but Curtis says, or he might be blowing smoke. He doesn’t know what to believe, or if this man is even telling the truth.

Marshall says Epiphany can be anything she sets her mind to, and she says, like becoming a doctor? He tells her, he didn’t say it would be easy. She can start small; baby steps. She says, by joining his band? and they laugh. He says, warmer, but he was thinking about something a little easier, like dinner for two. She says, she thought he said he wasn’t into having a social life, and he says, he misspoke. He’s new in town, and he’s still putting one toe in the water, and the water is brutal in western New York this time of year. What does she say? Can they start over?

Drew says, it’s the second time he ran into Michael’s mom; the first time was on the footbridge. He had the distinct feeing he was not who she wanted to see. Not that she blames him for Jason’s death, it’s just, he’s still alive. Michael says, and Jason’s not, and Drew says, last night seemed different. She really needed someone to talk to, and he just happened to be there. If she could confide in him, of all people, it made him that maybe she’s… Michael says, desperate? and Drew laughs, saying, thanks. That’s good for his ego. Michael says, he meant he’s glad Drew was there for his mom. Drew says, him too.

Carly says she doesn’t understand. She thought she could tell Diane anything. Diane says, of course (🍷) she can, and trust her, she’s heard everything. As Carly’s friend, she’d never judge her or Sonny, but if they’re talking about a potential separation and possible divorce, just as Carly has her on retainer, Sonny has her on retainer. She can’t represent one of them without recusing herself of the other. Carly says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to put Diane in an awkward position. Diane says, welcome to the wonderful world of domestic law. Whatever decision Carly makes, it will be one she doesn’t make lightly. Carly has to be honest with herself. Is this a step she wants to take?

Brick says he knows his way out, but Sonny says he guesses it’s public knowledge, everything that came out during the hearing. Brick says, people talk; it’s his business to listen. Unless of course (🍷), Sonny only values his electronics expertise, and not his friendship. Sonny says, Brick knows that’s not true. He appreciates everything Brick does, and appreciates Brick coming to him with this threat on the west coast. He has to keep his eyes open, right? Brick says he does, and Sonny says, as far as what Brick walked in on… Brick says he knows Sonny misses Jason a lot. He misses Jason too. Not that anyone could replace Jason in Sonny’s business or his life, he’s just saying, if there’s anything he can do, or any way he can help, he’s there for Sonny. Sonny says he appreciates that. This nameless threat is child’s play compared to what he and Carly are going through. It’s like they’re going through a maze and they’re lost. Brick suggests he drop some breadcrumbs and leave a trail, but Sonny says, they have to work this one out for themselves.

Nina tells Britt, she’s not going to take advantage of what may or may not be happening in Sonny’s home, and Britt says, it’s so obvious what Nina wants. Why doesn’t she just go for it? Nina asks why she’s getting the feeling there’s something more to this than Britt encouraging her to follow her heart? What’s in it for Britt? Britt says, fine. She thought Nina wanted an objective opinion; God forbid a friend, but from now on, Nina can make her own mistakes. She gets up, and Nina says, wait. She’s a little tired of being the other woman without the benefits. Britt says, yes; now they’re talking. The question is, what does Nina want to do about it?

Curtis says he’s sorry to lay all his troubles on Laura, but she says she didn’t just come home to snip ribbons in the strip mall. She wanted to see the people she loves, and hopes he knows he’s one of them. He thanks her, and says, balancing the budget of Port Charles has got to be simpler than unraveling the mystery that is Marshall Ashford. She says she thinks she can solve one mystery for him, and he asks, what’s that? She says, despite Curtis’s doubts and questions, she thinks he does want to have a relationship with his father. Maybe even more than his father wants one with him. He thanks her for her insights, and hugs her. She tells him to take care of himself and let her know how it goes, and she leaves.  

Epiphany tells Marshall that her break’s over; she has work to do. He says, understood, and starts to leave. She says she has an idea, and he says, he’s listening. She asks how he feels about prime rib, grilled to perfection, and he says, medium rare? She says, mm-hm, and he says, with blue cheese? She says, mm-hm, If he’s serious about dinner, her shift ends at six. The PC Grill has some of the best food around, and a fantastic wine list. He says, that sounds great, and maybe she can finish that long story of hers. She says, we’ll see, and he says, okay then. He’s looking forward. She says, her too, and he leaves.

Drew tells Michael, for what it’s worth(🍷), when he left Carly last night, he’s pretty sure he saw that spark back in her eye. Michael’s mom might be down, but she’s not out. Michael says he’s glad to hear it. Honestly, it’s getting harder for his mom and dad to put the pieces back together again. Drew says, all Michael can do is trust their love for each other is stronger than anything, or anyone, that comes between them. Michael says, he never used to doubt that, but now… Drew says, Michael knows he can’t fix this for them; that’s their job. All he can do is be there if they need him. The two of them leave the gym.

Carly tells Diane that she doesn’t know what she’s prepared to do, and Diane asks if that doesn’t speak volumes. If Carly was ready to pull the plug on her marriage to Sonny, they’d be sitting there as attorney and client, not two girlfriends. Carly says, maybe, and Diane says, perhaps Carly wants to fight for her marriage more than she realizes. Call her if she needs to talk – Diane gets up – as client or as a friend. She squeezes Carly’s shoulder, and leaves.

Nina tells Britt, there’s nothing for her to do, as long as Sonny, Carly, and their children are living under the same roof. She’s just an outsider, looking in, and she’s not going to break up their family. As far as Brad is concerned, she’s in no position to ask Sonny for any favors. Britt says, she won’t take no for an answer. So if Nina can’t or won’t reach out to Sonny on Brad’s behalf, she’ll do it herself. I don’t know why she doesn’t, since Sonny expressed a fondness for her after Jason died. And I use the term died loosely.

Sonny tells Brick, if he hears any more chatter about Mr. Nobody, let him know. Brick says he’s got it. In the meantime, he’s in town for the next few days. How about if they go out to dinner, all three of them; him, Sonny, and Carly. Sonny says he’d love to, but he thinks Carly is probably busy at the MetroCourt. Sonny’s phone rings, and Brick asks if he needs to take that. It stops ringing, and Sonny says, I guess not.

Nina tells Britt, hang up the phone, but Britt says, he picked up. Hey, Sonny. Avery says her daddy isn’t here, and Mama Carly isn’t here either. Britt says, okay, never mind, and thanks Avery. Nina asks what Avery said, and Britt tells her that she’s not entirely sure, but it sure sounded like Carly moved out of the house.

Wow. Even though she’s correct, that’s a big leap from Avery saying Carly’s not there to her having moved out.

Tomorrow, Portia tells Terry, maybe Camelot is closer than she thinks; Epiphany tells Marshall that she doesn’t want to hear any arguments; and Maxie says, she’s not going back to that cabin.

Below Deck

When we last left, Fraser was comforting Rayna who misconstrued Eddie and the captain’s attempt to make her feel better about things.

In Rayna’s interview, she said, she felt alone, and couldn’t act happy when her feelings were played with like a puppet. Eddie tried to get Rayna to tell him what the problem was, but she said she just needed a minute. In Heather’s interview, she said they weren’t even halfway through the charter, and still had a beach picnic and vow renewal. She was relieved Kaylee was coming to save the day. Guest Melissa got water in her ear, and stayed in her room, so Heather delivered breakfast to her. Fraser asked Wes what was up with Rayna, and Fraser said, Rayna wasn’t fine, but she would be. Fraser relayed that to Heather, adding that he thought it was code for, nothing’s okay on deck. Eddie questioned Rayna again about what had happened, and she brought up Heather having used the n-word. She told Eddie that Heather had apologized, but it didn’t feel right. She said, the first time she’d told him, Eddie said it shouldn’t bother her, which confused Eddie, since that wasn’t what he said. He asked what had happened this morning, but Rayna was like, later. Rachel told primary Tony that she was making Japanese for dinner, and he said it was one of his favorite places in the world. Captain Lee told Eddie that Rayna had sounded like someone in distress, and asked if he found out what the problem was. Eddie told him about Heather using the n-word, and said Heather hadn’t directed it at Rayna, but apologized. In his interview, the captain said he personally found the word offensive, and couldn’t think of any context where it would be okay. Eddie told Captain Lee it had been about something else this morning, but Rayna didn’t want to talk about it. The captain said they had to get to the bottom of it.

Eddie took Wes, Fraser, and Rayna to set up for the picnic. Still not feeling well, Melissa decided to stay behind with husband Pete. Fraser told Rayna that he was hoping the new stew would do the things he hated, like laundry. From the beach, they saw the small boat bringing Kaylee to the yacht, and in Fraser’s interview, he said he felt betrayed. He’d earned his place with Heather, and they worked well together. He was still the best bitch on the boat.

Shitten You Not Bay. In Kaylee’s interview, she said she was coming in mid-charter, and had no idea what she was coming into. She and Heather had been roommates on the last boat, and were good friends. Heather had the spotlight, and Kaylee was in the background, where she still got light, and she was okay with that. The guests played cornhole on the beach, while Captain Lee went over the vows they’d be saying. In his interview, he said he didn’t know why anyone needed a vow renewal, but he’d been volunteered. He guessed he was good with it – said no one ever. Jake chatted with Kaylee in the crew mess, and when the guests came back, they gave her a big woohoo. Kaylee introduced herself as she handed out warm towels. Tony and wife Porcha went off on the jet skis, and Fraser was given a break. In his interview, he said he was happy to hear the word break, and when he came back, Kaylee could do laundry while he tended bar.  

Eddie tried to pin down Rayna again, and told her, what Heather said was uncalled for, and he had her back. Rayna said, it bothered her more that he’d shrugged it off, but he said if he’d heard that happen, he would have shut it down; it was not okay in any way, shape, or form. He wondered if it could be worked out with Heather, but got a hard no. Rayna said she could work with Heather without being friends, and Eddie said if there was anything he could do to make Rayna more comfortable, let him know.

Heather introduced Kaylee around, and in Rachel’s interview, she was excited about the Japanese dinner. In Japan, they didn’t reinvent the wheel; they just perfected it. She told us, every finite detail had to come to the table perfectly, and she may or may not be a control freak. Captain Lee joined the guests for dinner, wearing his dress uniform, and Tony asked for permission to be seated. Jake flirted with Kaylee, but in her interview, she said she was okay with being single. Tony told the captain that the trip was exceeding expectation. He said guest Darion was the new cornhole king, and sometimes you had to let people win. Tony pronounced the first course of seaweed salad amazing, and it looked amazing. The next course was a delicious-looking miso soup, but Melissa said her ear was painful when she chewed. Poached egg with caviar was next, followed by a rice cake, but not the kind of dry desperation snack you get in the grocery store; a real cake made of rice. The captain said he’d never had the same meal twice from Rachel, and I thought, unlike Chef Leon, who made beef cheeks every chance he got. Melissa ended up leaving the table, and in Heather’s interview, she said it was a huge bummer. It was a situation she couldn’t control, but it could still be a reason they lost tip money. There was an ice cream concoction for dessert, and in Rachel’s interview, she said, dear God. Thirty thousand tip, here we come. I think this is my favorite meal since I’ve been vicariously cruising with them.

It was time for the vow renewal, and Heather made up a reason to get the wives off the deck for a moment, so it was a surprise when everything was in place. Captain Lee told the couples, in these tumultuous, sometimes frightening times, they had each other. They were there to celebrate their bonds with each other, and the vows they’d taken. The captain then gave a renewal spin to the traditional vows, ending with, as I continue life with you, to which the couples said, I do. The crew applauded, and in Rayna’s interview, she said the way the men looked at their wives was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. She loved Black love, and it was something people her age needed to see. Agreed. Afterward, Captain Lee asked Eddie about Rayna, and Eddie said he felt deflated after they talked. It seemed her main issue was with him. She was accusing him of brushing off her concerns. We flashed back to Rayna waking Eddie up to tell him about Heather, and him talking to her for a while. He did tell her to try and separate personal stuff from work, but it wasn’t like he brushed it off. The captain told Eddie that he wanted Rayna to be comfortable, but as long as she was doing her job, that was all he cared about. I don’t think he meant it as bad as it sounded. It was more like, they’d tried several t times to ask her what was wrong, and there was nothing more they could do.

Rachel’s departure day breakfast special was a seafood omelet with caviar, or chicken and waffles. Yes please! In Fraser’s interview, he said so far, so good with Kaylee, but his first impressions were mostly incorrect. So he was hoping for the best. The captain radioed for the crew to go to the main deck in their whites. The guests said goodbye, and guest Bonnie gave Rachel a Navy service pin as a thank you. In Rachel’s interview, she said they weren’t given out often, and it meant a great deal to her. Tony said he searched for superlatives, but couldn’t come up with anything – they were that good. They loved the crew. He asked for permission to go ashore. I loved the whole respect thing Tony gave the captain. When the guests were gone, the crew changed, and started turning over the boat.

Fraser told Heather and Kaylee about getting sprayed in the face with a bidet, and in his interview, he said, no one uses them, ever. It was time for the tip meeting, and Captain Lee said they’d gotten a good dose of military personnel, and rose to the occasion, taking pride in their work. The tip was $25K, or $2270 each. Since Kaylee got to partake of that share – the captain saying she was appreciated – I’m sure that steamed the rest of the crew, although no one made a peep. The captain told them to work hard until 5, and they’d be leaving the dock at 11 am. Another one bites the dust. Heather said, one more, and Kaylee did laundry. The crew got ready to go out.

On the way to the restaurant, Rayna told Fraser that she liked Kaylee, but wasn’t happy to be out money. Still, not an awful complaint. Fraser said Kaylee genuinely helped, and she was great. At the table, he raised his glass, welcomed Kaylee, and toasted to a successful trip. Rachel thanked Rayna for her help in the galley, and everyone else who helped. Rayna said cooking excited her, and she felt it was time she needed to figure things out. Rachel suggested she go to the country to study. In Rayna’s interview, she said it was something she’d like to take seriously in the future. Eddie said Rayna was a kickass deckhand, but she shined in the galley. It’s where she was laser focused. Rayna noticed Jake wearing a colorful thong under his pants, and he danced around with his pants lowered. Rayna said she wished she had that much confidence. Fraser went to sit with Heather and Kaylee, and said, when he heard Kaylee was coming, he thought his efforts were void. She took the initiative and respected him, and he appreciated it. In his interview, he said he had a different perspective now. He was being an immature, insecure brat. He said he appreciated Kaylee, and Heather said that meant the world to her. On their way back, Jake took off his shirt, and jumped into the pool in the restaurant courtyard, which I don’t think was for swimming. Fraser said he wasn’t sharing a back seat with Jake.  

Back at the boat, Wes ate chips, lying on a crew mess bench, and dropping them into his mouth. Eddie tried to fix a bidet, and Jake and Fraser had another drink on deck. Jake said Fraser would be the one he stayed friends with after the season, and in his interview, he said, as different as they were, he and Jake were friends for life.

Next time, primary Jennifer is a real estate entrepreneur who wants the trip of a lifetime; the guests are Hamilton fans; Heather is grumpy and over people being grumpy and over it; a guest whines for champagne; Captain Lee says, the crew better either get their heads out of their asses, or he’ll eat their asses; and something else falls off the boat.

🏖 Summer House is back again. Didn’t we just leave these awful people? They’re worse than a bad penny. Or a toxic boomerang. The main takeaway points were as follows. Carl was getting his act together, doing things like going to AA meetings. He said he needed to be more serene, but I failed to see how being on this show, or dating Lindsay, of all people, was going to help with that. Kyle’s motto this season was, go big or go home, but it looked like the only big thing will be his out-of-control drinking. Paige had dated Andrea after Vermont’s Winter House, but he asked her to stop seeing other people, and she didn’t want to give up being single. At the time of filming, she’d been with Craig (Southern Charm) for two months, but they weren’t exclusive, and free to do what they wanted. We also found out that Lindsay had been pregnant by Carl, but lost the baby. It didn’t take long for Kyle to make a drunken ass of himself, and Amanda to be pissed off. Word on the street had it, if the wedding was called off, he’d have to pay back her parents. My only question is, why are 50 45 40 35 year olds acting like they’re twenty, and have never been out of the house? Otherwise known as the cast of The Real World.

If you want more, go here:

Or here:

https://www.bravotv.com/summer-house

🧂 Salting the Wound…

All you need to know about the latest RHOSL.

🎂 Happy Birthday To You…

In honor of Betty White’s 100th birthday, one of her last pictures is shared, and donations are made. In honor of Betty – or even if not – please donate to your local animal shelter.

https://people.com/pets/betty-white-would-be-touched-to-see-animal-shelter-donations-on-her-birthday/

🙏🏾 He Had a Dream…

Things to learn.

Things to stream.

Things to ponder.

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.Martin Luther King Jr.

💡 Flipping the Switch To Off…

Come back again tomorrow for soap and the Rules of James and Raquel’s engagement. Until then, stay safe, stay fearless in your faith, and stay knowing that even though things didn’t go as planned, it’s never too late for your dream.

January 14, 2022 – Laura Has a Family Meeting, Back On, Anniversary, Returning, Undecided, Salty Talk, New Old Romance, Awards, Final Tally, Puppies (!), 22’s First Baker’s Dozen Of Quotes & Birthday

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Drew sits at the MetroCourt bar looking at the picture of him that Scout made. Carly comes in, and asks what he has, and he shows her, saying, it’s a portrait of him made by a budding young artist who goes by the name of Scout. It looks just like him, wouldn’t she say? She does say, and adds it’s good he appreciates the effort. He asks if she’s okay. After the other night on the bridge, he wants her to know she can talk to him. Her phone rings, and it’s Michael, so she steps away to take it. She asks, what’s up?

Laura asks Doc if he thinks there’s any chance this could work, and he says, either way, she has to try, right? She says, absolutely. She can’t just stand by and watch her family fall apart. She says they should get going on this, and calls upstairs to Spencer. He asks what he can do for her. It’s not about his take-out order of dinner, is it? She says, no. It’s about a family meeting. He says, what’s tonight’s topic? and she says, family unity. There’s a knock at the door, and Doc lets Nikolas in.

Britt says, Brad poisoned Peter? He means literally poisoned him, not a figure of speech? He says, literally, but she doesn’t believe it, and says, he’s no killer. He says he’s done some pretty horrible things, and she says, agreed; so has she. But murder? She gets up, and says, he hadn’t crossed that threshold. He says he still hasn’t. Peter’s not dead. She says, attempted murder doesn’t score him any points, and he says he didn’t know what he was doing until after the fact. She says, okay. How did he get the poison? He says, his Aunt Selena. I’m not sure why they’re both acting like this is the worst crime of the century, since, had Brad succeeded, he would have been doing the world a favor. And how come Selena wasn’t on top of this, and someone finish the job?

Ava goes to Nina’s office, and hears Martin saying that Nina’s in the clear now. It might be in her best interest to let sleeping dogs lie. Nina sees Ava, and tells her to come in. She’s just finishing up with Martin. Ava says she thought Scotty was Nina’s lawyer, but Nina says she had to fire him after he forced Willow to talk about her relationship with Sonny on the witness stand. Ava says, which got the identity fraud charges dropped. It’s thanks to Scotty that her legal problems are over, or has something new come up? Nina says, there’s nothing new. It’s still what it’s always been about; her grandson Wiley.

Michael says, Carly moved out? Where is she? She says she has a suite at the MetroCourt. She just needed some time away from Sonny so she could get her head straight. He asks if she took Donna and Avery with her, but she says, no. She couldn’t disrupt their lives, and Avery has been so clingy with Sonny since he got home. She didn’t want the girls to think she and their father were having problems. She told them that she was working a lot at the MetroCourt and had to stay over. She’ll be there at night before the go to bed, and first thing in the morning when they go to school. Michael says, that’s a lot, and she’ll probably run into dad. Won’t it be too much for her? She says, yeah, but keeping some semblance of stability and seeing the girls will be worth it. What about him? Has he talked to Sonny since Nina’s hearing? Sonny walks in, and Michael says he’ll call her back.

Ava asks how Nina expects Martin to help her with Wiley. No offense. Martin says, none taken, but maybe they should discuss this another time. Nina says they can speak freely in front of Ava, and tells Ava that she’s consulting Martin about ways to ensure she can see Wiley. Ava asks if she’s talking about taking Michael and Willow to court, and Nina says, it’s an option. Martin says, if memory serves, he and Ava were discussing the same point a while back. How in the state of New York, if a biological parent is deceased… Ava says, yes, and a biological grandparent has the right to visitation. She asks if Nina is sure she wants to start poking this hornet’s nest. She doesn’t think she and Michael can work something out between the two of them? Nina says, with Carly whispering in Michael’s ear? No, not likely.

Michael says he didn’t expect to see Sonny here, and Sonny says, he heard Michael was speaking to Frank about his whereabouts, instead of talking to him directly. Michael says he’s still processing. He couldn’t believe what he heard that Sonny said on the stand, and Sonny says he didn’t want Michael’s mom to hear that on the stand. Whatever he and Nina had is over. Michael says, what happened between Sonny and Nina is none of his business, but the look on mom’s face when she told him about it? That, he can’t forgive.

Drew finds Carly in a private lounge area, and says her name. She says, she’s sorry. It’s been a day. It’s been a really rough day. He says he really hopes things get better, and starts to leave, but she says, he’s not going to ask her what’s going on? He says, it seems like she’s got a lot on her mind, and she says, it’s because of New Year’s Eve, isn’t it? She’s sorry. She should have never put him off, and acted the way she did. He says she has nothing to apologize for. He’s not trying to take Jason’s place – been there, done that – but just know, if she ever needs a shoulder… She says she does.

Laura thanks Nikolas for coming, and Spencer says, no Ava? At least grandmother realizes she isn’t part of our family. Nikolas says, Ava is most definitely part of this family, and Laura agrees. She invited Ava, but Ava politely declined. Nikolas says, Ava was being thoughtful. She probably thought her being here would make the conversation less smooth. Spencer says, she’s probably out spending his money, and Nikolas says, what was that? Spencer says, when she summoned him to the MetroCourt to discuss the work he’d being doing for her at the gallery to make restitution – after he serves his sentence – she made it a point of throwing it in his face that she was using money from his trust fund to cover their tab. Doc comes in, and says he thinks they’re getting off track, and Laura says she’s very sorry she wasn’t here when everything fell apart between the two of them. Spencer says, translation, when Nikolas lost his mind and gave Ava control of his trust fund, and Nikolas says, because Spencer refuses to accept that Ava is part of this family. Spencer says, not his family, and Doc suggests they take it down a notch. Laura says, how about if they all sit down? but Spencer says, he’ll stand.

Brad tells Britt, his aunt told him to deliver a specific food tray to a specific cell in solitary. When he got there, he realized he was transporting a meal for Peter August, and that there might be something suspect about it. She says, he had no idea whatsoever? Why did he think his aunt was catering for anyone, let alone Peter? Brad says, he had his suspicions, but it was the only way she’d help with the parole board. Britt says, now she has leverage. Brad does her bidding or she’ll tip off the cops about Peter’s adventures in not-so fine dining. He says, nothing that satiric. He’s afraid his aunt will kill him if he tries to defy her. There’s a knock at the door, and Britt says, come in. Dante walks in, and Britt asks what she can do for him. She asks if it has something to do with a patient’s confidential medical information, but he says, no. Not currently. He has information about Peter August. She says, what about Peter? and he says he wants to discuss plans to have Peter moved to the infirmary in Pentenville. According to his doctor, he’s going to be strong enough to travel pretty soon. Brad sighs, and Dante asks if Brad has something to say. Britt says, soon isn’t now. How can she help facilitate this transfer? Dante says, that’s what he’s here to try and coordinate. They have to make sure all the boxes are checked. They need to have the medical records done by the medical director, and schedule the appropriate section meeting before they can have him released. Once that’s done, they can issue a transfer warrant. He knows it’s a lot, and he’ll walk her through it, but they can’t have anyone dropping the ball on this one. She says, agreed. Let her look at Peter’s labs, and they can talk tomorrow. Dante says, sounds good; give him a call. He stops before he goes out the door, and says, hey, Brad. What’s this he hears about Brad staying with Selena Wu? Brad says, she’s his aunt, and Dante says, that’s a good idea, right? Getting close to the head of the Wu crime family while you’re on parole. Watch your step. Britt asks why Dante is harassing Brad. Dante’s brother is the one threatening people. Dante says, Michael? and she says, yes, Michael. He threatened Brad at the MetroCourt in front of everyone. Dante asks if she was a witness to this alleged threat, and she says she heard about it. Dante says, so no, and asks if Brad wants to file a complaint, but Brad says, no need. He just wants to get on with his life. Dante says, sounds like they’re done here, and Britt says, tell his brother that Brad won’t be intimidated, and Dante says, sure. He asks her to let him know when she has those labs, and leaves. She says, that went well, and Brad pops an antacid.

Laura says, Nikolas and Spencer are so much alike, and Doc says, birds of a feather. Nikolas says he’s sorry. As the adult, he shouldn’t have let Spencer bait him. Spencer says, Nikolas keeps forgetting he’s an adult too. He has a job, and makes his own money. He’s certainly not relying on an inherited family fortune. Laura says she’s proud of him for that. She’s proud he kept his job at Kelly’s, even though it wasn’t easy for him. Spencer thanks her, and says, he’s adjusted. After he serves his time, both at Ava’s gallery and Spring Ridge, he can start saving up for his own place. Laura says, this is exactly what she wanted to talk about. He’s only got a few weeks before he goes to Spring Ridge, and serving a 30 day sentence. And going to prison, even if it’s a minimum security prison, is going to test his emotional and mental strength. She knows he can do it, and has every faith in him. Look how stubborn he’s being now. She thinks it would be better and easier if when he went to Spring Ridge, he had his whole family standing by him. She turns to Nikolas, and says, she thinks it’s important. Does Nikolas think he can reconcile with his son before Spencer goes to prison? Nikolas says, he wants that. He hates the walls between them. He misses his son. Spencer says he misses Nikolas too. He sits down, and Esme comes in. She asks, what’s going on? and Spencer says, they’re just having a meeting. Grandmother wants him to make peace with his father. She says, is that what he wants? He gets up, and says, no. She says she’s glad she came home when she did. Don’t worry. She won’t let his family gang up on him. She takes off her coat, and stands in front of them with her arms folded.

Nina tells Ava that Willow came to her last night, and suggested she give up her legal rights to Wiley as a gesture of good will to Michael. Ava says, that sounds extreme, and Nina says, she accused Willow of doing Michael’s dirty work, but Willow said it was her own idea. She promised to do everything she can to get through to Michael so Nina can still be in Wiley’s life. Ava says, Nina can’t give up her rights to her grandchild, and Martin says, he explained doing so would be irrevocable. If Nina legally abdicates her rights as Wiley’s legal grandmother, she can’t turn around and take them back if Willow failed to soften Michael’s attitude. Nina says, it’s too risky. She can’t take that chance. She picks up Wiley’s photo, and Ava says, then don’t. Do not give up her rights; listen to Martin. Nina says she did, and they were talking about the alternatives, which include going to court, so she can guarantee she has a right to see Wiley. Ava says, she’d be going on the offensive. Is she ready to do that? Nina says, what other choice does she have? She can’t just wait around for Michael’s mood to soften. She wants to be part of her grandson’s life now. Ava says, of course (🍷) she does. The question is – she looks at Martin – can Nina win? He says, she can definitely win. The problem is, is she really ready to burn down that last bridge?

Drew asks if Carly just wants to dive right in and talk about it, but Carly wants to hear about something that makes her smile. Why doesn’t he tell her about Scout? He says, she’s amazing. She’s getting more comfortable every time they see each other, just like Sonny said she would. Him, on the other hand, he’s been gone so long, half of Scout’s life. He has a lot of catching up to do, things to learn. What’s her favorite color? Her best friend’s name? He asked her what her favorite flavor of ice cream was, and she was so confused, like, you don’t know? You’re my daddy. Carly says, that must have hurt, and he says, he just told her that he had a lot to learn, and she needs to teach him. That made her happy. It brought home how much time they’ve lost and how many things they have to get back. She says, reunions are tough. As happy as you are to reconnect, you realize the person has changed since you last saw them.

Sonny tells Michael, when he came home he was hit with a lot of things. Michael’s mom was getting married. He wanted to tell her, but then Jason died. He did the best he could for his family. Michael says, Nina lied to Sonny, to them, for months. How is it best for his family to protect her? Sonny says he understands; Michael wants to hold Nina accountable. He’s not saying anything about that. Michael says, but Sonny doesn’t understand what he’s feeling, because if he did, he would have never stood up for Nina at that hearing.

Doc asks Esme to allow him to buy her a cup of coffee while the family talks, but Esme says she thinks she should be here. Spencer says, go, it’s fine. Please go. He needs to do this on his own. She kisses him, and says, if he needs her, just text her. She’ll come right back. Doc opens the door, and says, shall we? Esme snatches up her coat, and they leave. Spencer shrugs, and says, Esme seems to be the only one who’s there for him, and Nikolas says, he wants to be there for Spencer, but Esme’s attitude of us-against-them isn’t helping. Spencer says, and Ava’s idea of family unity is? Laura asks if they can please get back to where they were. It’s really only about the two of them, father and son. Do try to leave everyone else out of it. It’s really frustrating for her, because she knows how much they love each other. Nikolas says he does love Spencer, and Spencer says he felt the love all those years Nikolas let him believe he was dead.

Drew tells Carly, it amazes him how quickly Scout warmed up to him, as if nothing bad ever happened to her in her life. She’s fearless. Who knows? Maybe there will come a time in her life when she doesn’t remember daddy wasn’t around to tuck her in. She says, the father/daughter bond is so special. She’d never want to deprive Avery or Donna of it ever. He asks, why would she? and she says, she and Sonny are having a problem. He says he’s sorry to hear that. Who threw the first vase this time? She laughs, and says, nothing was thrown. She moved out.

Nina says, maybe she should give it more thought before she take legal action, and Martin says he thinks that would be advisable. Why set something like that in motion if she’s not certain? In the meantime, he’ll see if he can find any precedents that help or hurt her cause, should she decide to go forward. Nina says she likes that idea, and he says he’ll be in touch. He leaves, and Ava sits down. She says, that must have been some chat with Willow to get Nina to contemplate legal action. Nina says, Willow was her second visitor; Carly was her first. She stormed in here, and demanded all the details about what happened between her and Sonny in Nixon Falls. Ava asks, how did that go? and Nina says she went all scorched earth; she held nothing back. Ava says, define scorched earth, and Nina says, she told the truth. That if she hadn’t said no, Sonny would have made love to her.

Nikolas says he’s sorry he didn’t tell Spencer he was alive, but he didn’t want to bring Spencer into the lie, and Spencer was better off. He can’t change his past mistakes, and will always regret hurting Spencer. Laura says, part of growing up is learning to forgive the people who’ve hurt us. Does Spencer want to keep carrying this pain around with him, or does he want to have a relationship with his father now? She thinks it’s time to let bygones be bygones, and move forward as a family. Spencer laughs, and gets up, and she asks if she said something funny. Spencer says, she sounds a lot like Uncle Victor.

At the Bistro, Doc assures Esme, Spencer will be fine. It’s just a family meeting. What has her so upset? She says she’s not upset. She just doesn’t like being dragged away from her boyfriend when he needs her. Doc says, he recalls Spencer asking her to leave, but she says, that’s because he didn’t want to look weak in front of his father. He asks if she thinks Spencer is weak, and she tells him, don’t try to shrink her. She knows a thing or two about psychology herself. He says, that’s right. How is that internship at Spring Ridge going? She says she’s enjoying it. She finds the criminal mind fascinating. She’s sure Doc can relate. She’s read his books on the subject. He says, has she? and she says, which is why she doesn’t understand how he can say Spence being with family makes him safe, considering his brother is Ryan Chamberlain. It’s hard not to notice the large succulent on the table, possibly some hybrid spawn of the moss bowl🎍. I’ll be keeping an eye on it.

Brad thanks Britt for standing up for him with Dante, and she says she’ll always stand up for him, but he needs to stop popping those antacids and strengthen that spine. Get his mojo back. Never mind how he got his parole; he’s out now. Leave that prison mentality behind, and start thinking, start acting like a free man. He asks if he wasn’t clear enough. his aunt’s hospitality comes with a price tag, and a huge spotlight. The last thing he wants is police scrutiny. She asks if his aunt has threatened him outright, but he says, not directly. In fact, Aunt Selena’s been very kind, while she controls his whole existence. That’s why he had to wait until she was out of town to visit Britt. He doesn’t know how to distance himself from her without creating offense. People who offend Selena Wu tend to disappear.

Ava says, Nina told Carly that Sonny wanted to have sex with her? Nina says, she was pushing and demanding specifics. She wouldn’t shut up about it. Ava says she knows how relentless Carly can be. But that she came to Nina tells her that Carly is worried. She asks if Nina has heard from Sonny, but Nina says, not since New Year’s Eve. Ava asks if he’s still staying at his place in Harbor View Towers, and Nina says, according to Carly, he’s home. He just wants his family back. Ava says, that doesn’t necessarily have to include Carly, and Nina says, since when? Ava says, she doesn’t know when the tide turned, but the fact Carly was here talking to Nina, instead of home, working things out, reinforces what Ava told Nina the other day. Sonny is still in love with Nina, and Carly knows it.

Sonny tells Michael, he wasn’t going to lie on the stand. Yes, Michael’s mother should have heard about Nina from him, but every time he wanted to say something, it wasn’t the right time. Michael says, Sonny could have found the time, and Sonny yells, he can’t change what happened. He can only be there for the family now; reassure them that they can count on him. Michael says, he was counting on Sonny to help him put Nina behind bars. Instead, they were all blindsided by what he said on the stand. Because of Sonny, the charges against Nina were dropped. That’s not protecting his family. They start to argue loudly, when Dante comes in and says, hey, enough!

Carly tells Drew, she can’t stay in the house with Sonny, because if she does, she can’t breathe, and can’t figure out how she’s feeling. He says, she needs to trust her instincts, and she tells him, Jason used to say that. Drew says, Jason knew her best, and she says, she’s going to be there in the morning when the girls get up, and she’ll be there at night to put them to bed. She wants to keep as much consistency as possible for them. He thinks it’s great she’s thinking about the kids. She’s an incredible mother; it’s obvious the kids are her priority. But does she know how, on an airplane, they tell you to put your oxygen mask on before your child’s? She nods, and he says, that’s because you’re not going to do your kid any good if you’re passed out. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do for you. That way she can be the best mom for Donna and Avery. She says she doesn’t want to break up her family, and he says, from what he’s seen, she and Sonny are the real deal. They’ll find their way back together. She says, what if they can’t? and he says, then he refers her to his original advice of trust her instincts. She thanks him, and says she owes him an apology.

Nina tells Ava, Sonny’s in love with her? She hadn’t even allowed herself to consider that, even though Sonny did say on the stand he was in love with her in Nixon Falls. Maybe more of his feelings survived when he got his memory back than Nina thought. Ava says, there’s no maybe about it. Carly is running scared for a reason. Obviously, she sees Nina as a threat to her marriage. Nina says, everything is nuts right now, but if Sonny and Carly separate, does Ava think there’s a chance for her and Sonny to be together here in Port Charles? Ava says, not if Nina sues Michael for visitation with Wiley. If Nina goes to war with Michael, she’ll lose Sonny forever.

Dante asks, what’s going on? and Michael asks what Dante is doing here. Dante says he came to talk to Michael about something else, but never mind that. Why are they yelling at each other? Michael says, his mom is living at the MetroCourt, and Dante says, he’s sorry to hear that. Michael says, she moved out because dad refuses to leave the house, and Dante says, he thought Sonny was at the penthouse. Sonny says he’s not giving up on his marriage, but they’re at an impasse, and he called Carly’s bluff. Michael says, she wasn’t bluffing, and Sonny says he didn’t expect her to leave; he’s not giving up. He’s getting Michael’s mother back. Michael says, by ignoring what she wants? and Dante says, it’s a tough situation for everyone, okay? Michael says, that’s easy for Dante to say. His mom’s not the one who’s got to stay away.   

Ryan says, his brother is a very dangerous man, but Esme isn’t really comparing Laura and Nikolas to Ryan, is she? She says, no. She just means people go on and on about how great family is, but psychopaths have families too. He says, yes, they do, and sometimes we’re hurt by the people we love and trust. She must been hurt when her parents died. She says, of course (🍷). She was devastated. He says, Spencer told him she has siblings, but he’s never heard her mention them. Were they separated when their parents died? She says, they’re not close, but they were talking about his brother; Ryan, his twin. Does he ever visit Ryan at Spring Ridge? She’s never seen him there. He says he monitors Ryan’s progress, but he doesn’t visit, and she asks if people with Locked-In Syndrome ever recover. He asks just how much time is she spending with Ryan? but she says, barely any. His case just stands out. Doc says, Ryan is not a simple case study. He’s a man who’s killed people, and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again, given half the chance. If she ever saw who Ryan really is, she woudn’t be intrigued. She’d be terrified, and she’d be right to be so.

Laura asks how she sounds like Victor, and Spencer says, Uncle Victor gave him a whole speech on family loyalty. Laura says, this is very important. Do not fall prey to Victor’s manipulations. Spencer asks, what happened to forgiveness? She doesn’t have any of that for Uncle Victor? She says she misspoke. We forgive the people who are truly sorry for having hurt us. That’s not Victor. Spencer says, Uncle Victor might not be the most popular person, but Victor’s always been good to him. Nikolas says he knows how important family is to Spencer, but he doesn’t have to turn to Victor. Nikolas is right here. He loves Spencer. He wants his son back.

Britt says, they can figure out a way to get the better of Brad’s Aunt Selena, and he asks if she’s been paying attention. The woman is formidable. She says, so are they. Formidable, and well-versed in wiggling out of trouble. He says, except when they get caught. He just doesn’t see a way out of this. His aunt has him under her thumb, and has already warned him to stay away from Britt. Britt says, so what? She’s there for him, no matter what his control freak aunt wants. He asks if she’s sure, and she says she’s stood up to worse than his Aunt Selena, and lived to tell. He’s her best friend. She’s not letting his aunt take him from her. He says, he’s lucky to have her, even if she did betray him by getting another wingman. She says, he’s back! She just had an idea. She might know someone who could help him.

Doc hopes Esme heeds his warning about Ryan. He’s not being dramatic; it’s for her own safety. She says, got it. How much longer does she have to wait before she can go back to Spence? He says, Laura will text when they’re finished. He asks if Esme is still worried, and says, she doesn’t need to protect Spencer from his family. It seems to him, not long ago she was pushing for a reconciliation. What happened? She says, maybe it has something to do with him being sent to a correctional facility, and his family is letting it happen. Doc says, Spencer committed a crime. There was nothing they could do about that. She says, Ava never had to press charges in the first place, and he says, she wanted Spencer to take responsibility. Esme says she guesses Ava got what she wanted, and he says, they’re all on Spencer’s side. She asks if he’ll excuse her. She needs to use the ladies room. She promises not to sneak out. He says he didn’t expect her to, but thanks for the heads up. She leaves, and he makes a call. He says, it’s Dr. Collins for Warden Brewster. It’s urgent. He needs to restrict who has access to Ryan Chamberlain.

Spencer says he wants Nikolas back too – without Ava. Nikolas says, this again, and Laura says, honestly? Spencer says, those are his terms, and Nikolas says, Spencer is being completely unreasonable. Spencer says he guesses there’s nothing left to say, and walks off. Nikolas tells Laura, he tried. He needs to go. Laura loudly says, same time next week, and Spencer stops and says, they’re doing this again? She says, he thought this was a one and done? Absolutely not. She’s not giving up on the two of them. They’re going to keep talking, because talking to each other is the only way they’ll be able to work this out.

Ava says, Nina knows how Sonny is about his kids. If he has to choose between Michael and Nina… Nina says, no contest, and any hope of her having a life with Sonny will be dashed, but what about Wiley? She doesn’t want that little boy growing up with Carly’s version of her; he’ll hate her. Ava says, Sonny’s on Nina’s side. He’ll get Michael to come around. Nina says, but won’t Michael just hate her even more because she broke up his parents’ marriage? but Ava says, seems like his parents’ marriage is exploding all on its own. Nina just has to stand back and let it happen. Maybe be around to pick up the pieces. Nina says, it’s a great fantasy, but Ava says, it’s not a fantasy. Just play cool. Play her cards right, and Nina can have Wiley and Sonny in her life. Isn’t that what she really wants?

Drew says, Carly has nothing to apologize about, but she says she does. When Jason came home, she got so caught up in having him back, she was totally focused on that, when Drew was having a hard time. He says, it was a crazy situation, and looking back, he didn’t handle it well. She says, how could he? He was still trying to come to terms with what happened to him, and who he was. He says, he pulled away from her and Sonny too; it was a tough time. She says she wishes she’d been a better friend, and he says she’s a great friend. He hopes she hasn’t been worried about this; he’s long over it. She says she doesn’t really know him that well; the real Drew Cain, separate from Jason. She’s glad she got a second chance. He says, him too. Look what she almost missed. They laugh.

Dante says, Michael is being protective of his mother; he’s being protective of his father. But neither of them are in the relationship. They’re on the outside, looking in, so they can’t judge. Decisions were made, and now they all have to deal with the consequences, right? Sonny says, that’s exactly what he’s trying to do, and Michael says, now, after the truth has come out. Sonny says he loves Michael’s mother. Does Michael know that or not? Michael says he does. He loves them both, but hates seeing mom in so much pain. Dante says, they’re all just trying to protect their family, and Michael says, that’s what he’s trying to do, but dad needs to give mom what she’s asking for, which is space and… Sonny gets loud, and yells, why does Michael keep asking him to do something? He can’t make amends if Carly won’t talk to him. Dante asks if Sonny is okay, and Sonny says, he’s okay. He’s just got to talk to Carly. Michael says, but he can’t push. Sonny says he doesn’t like waiting, but for Michael’s mother, he’ll wait.

On Monday, Laura asks if Curtis is ready to accept his father back into his life, Marshall asks why Epiphany isn’t following her dream, and Diane asks Carly if this is a step she wants to take.

🏥 In and Out Item…

Apparently, GH won’t miss a beat.

💖 Ten Years…

Not exactly the anniversary you want to celebrate, but it’s nice to look back. It was always my favorite of the ABC soaps.

👸🏼 Don’t Call Her Princess…

Felicia’s back and feistier than ever. I have a dog named Felicia, but so far no reaction when they say Felicia on GH. And no, she wasn’t named after the GH character, but after a character in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

🎢 VickiCoaster…

It seems she can’t decide whether she’s happy or angry about the break-up.

🧂 Salt Shaking…

What’s happening with The Real Housewives of Salt Lake.

And what’s to come.

💏 For the Gram…

I don’t know how they came full circle here, but I don’t know if I’m picking up what they’re putting down.

🏆 Bundling Awards…

Daytime viewers will be interested.

Probably the most people are interested, since it’s somewhat of an Oscar nomination prediction.

https://www.cnet.com/news/golden-globes-2022-the-full-list-of-award-winners/

And there’s the booze.

Fewer people will care about this.

https://ew.com/awards/sag-awards/2022-sag-awards-nominations-list/

And so few people cared, it’s not even happening.

https://ew.com/awards/critics-choice-awards-postponed/

🥀 Roll Call of 2021…

Those we loved and lost.

🐶 Sending You Off With a Doggy Bag…

Puppy Bowl 2022!

https://ew.com/tv/puppy-bowl-xviii-photos/

https://ourcommunitynow.com/sports/meet-the-super-cute-puppies-competing-in-puppy-bowl-2022

🐝 Quotes of the Week

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle (Or kick one out.)

It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not.Andre Gide

Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people. – Spencer Johnson

Celery, useless except when used as a peanut butter delivery system. – Mike Baxter (Tim Allen), Last Man Standing

Tough times never last. Tough people do. – Robert Schuller

Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun. – Kent Nerburn

How to sell books in 2020: Put them near the toilet paper. – New York Times

The best proof of love is trust. – Joyce Brothers

Apology is a lovely perfume; it can transform the clumsiest moment in to a gracious gift. – Margaret Lee Runbeck

To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves – there lies the great, singular power of self-respect. – Joan Didion

Before you’ll change, something important must be at risk. – Richard Bach

Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity… successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results. – DuPree Jordan, Jr. (Getting out my tiara…)

Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. – George Addair

🥨 Late Night Snack Time…

Whether you call the next two days the weekend, or you refuse to bow to labeling days anymore, Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Until then, stay safe, stay having a dream, and stay not judging by skin color, but by content of character.

January 12, 2022 – Alexis Won’t Cooperate, Noella Pinpoints James & Stars

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Brook comes out of the hospital elevator, and literally runs into Austin. She says, her bad, and he asks what she’s doing here. He hopes she’s not terminally ill. She says she’s meeting Chase and Bailey; Chase brought Bailey in for her check-up. He’s such a devoted daddy. Austin says, probably just trying to make up for lost time. Not that it was his fault. Have a beautiful day. He walks away, but she follows him, saying, wait. She knows they got off on the wrong foot, and a lot of that was on her hands… He says, all of it was on her hands. Sorry, he interrupted. What was she going to say? She says, a lot has happened since they saw each other last. She was hoping they could hit rewind, and start over. He walks away.

Alexis meets Sam at Charlie’s, and Sam says, it’s good to see her. Molly sends her regrets; she got hit by some work thing. Alexis says she remembers working in the DA’s office and getting hit by that thing. Sam says they wanted Alexis to know how proud her daughters are that she’s the new editorial voice of The Invader. Alexis says it was her daughters who inspired her. Make sure Kristina knows that too. They’ve always held her to a higher standard. Sam says, don’t do that. Alexis deserved this; she worked really hard. She just hopes Tracy pays for what she did.

Tracy looks out from behind bars, and says, this is persecution. She’s being pilloried by the proletariat, all because she carries the Quartermaine name. Do they know what a burden that is? Dante says, she might want to drop the poor little rich girl routine. It’s not going to get her any traction with the jury. Ned says, good morning, mother. He just posted her bail. She’s welcome. She says, he wants her to thank him? Look how long it took him. He says, actually, the one she should thank is her lawyer. He’d like her to meet Martin Grey. Martin says, no thanks necessary. He took the case as a favor to his sister, Mayor Laura Collins. She says, the long lost brothers. The Kentucky fried lawyer, and the ponytailed gangster. He says, that’s them. So what does she say they get her out of here? Get this over with. Sit down and cut her a plea deal.

Olivia is at MetroCourt hostess stand, when Robert asks if the place still takes walk-ins. She says she thinks they can fit him in, and hugs him. She asks if there’s any news about her erstwhile mother-in-law, and he says, now, now. She says she knows. He can’t discuss the details of the case. The last thing she wants to do is put him in a compromising position… She means… He says he knows what she means.

Valentin goes to Nina’s office, and says, she summoned him? She says, he seems surprised, and he says, it doesn’t happen very often. The only time in recent memory is when Peter forced her, but she doesn’t seem to be in any danger. She says, yes, well… and he asks if she thinks he can’t refuse her. She’d be right. She says she’s happy to hear him say that.

Sonny looks at the message about renewing his prescription, when Avery and Donna run into the kitchen. He says, his two favorite girls, and hugs them. He says he packed up their lunches, and knows they already ate breakfast, but before Frankie takes them, they have to take their gummi vitamins. Avery says they’ll take theirs if he takes his, and he says, of course (🍷). He gives them their vitamins and their lunches, and Carly walks in. Avery says, daddy made them lunches, and Carly says, wow, daddy thinks of everything. She hugs them, and tells them, have a great day in school. She loves them. She thanks Frankie, and he leads them outside. She tells Sonny, she thought they agreed he wasn’t staying last night, and he says he guesses she thought wrong.

Alexis tells Sam, she’s not saying she’s forgiven Tracy for framing her for that DUI, and of all the reasons; Tracy was trying to hide what happened between Alexis and Ned. Sam says she’s sounding merciful, but Alexis says she’s just thinking that maybe losing Luke is punishment enough for Tracy. Sam says, what happened to Luke was an accident. What Tracy did to Alexis was deliberate. You can’t set out to destroy someone, and expect to get a pass when… nothing happens. Alexis turns around, and sees Harmony has come in.

Tracy says she wants Martin to get the charges dropped, dismissed, expunged. Make them go away. Martin says, the DA has enough evidence to send her for a not insubstantial stay at Pentenville, but Tracy says she has the influence of the Quartermaine name. Martin says, just because she’s a member of a prominent family doesn’t make her immune to consequences, and she says, really? She thought they were in Port Charles. Ned says, this makes no sense. There’s no reason for Tracy to stay here. She asks Martin his name, and he says, Martin Grey; they’ve met. She tells him that he’s fired.

Brook follows Austin into his office, and closes the door. He says, no. he’s not going to press stop and rewind, or whatever she said. She tried to get him fired. She almost destroyed his professional reputation. She says, look at little Leo. Thanks to Austin’s diagnosis, Leo is finally getting the help that he needs, and it brought her dad and Olivia back together. And the cherry on top is, look at him and her dear friend Maxie. They’ve become great friends, so what does he say? Can’t they just let bygones be bygones?

Nina says, Valentin has been through a lot since he came to her rescue in Nixon Falls. For what it’s worth (🍷), she’s very sorry about what happened with Bailey. He thanks her, and says, Charlotte’s taking it surprisingly well. Her attitude seems to be, I loved Bailey when Bailey was my sister, why should that stop just because she isn’t? Nina says, that sounds like Charlotte, and he says, Charlotte feels the same way about her, if she ever wants to stop by. She says she’d love that, and he tells her, say the word. Charlotte is almost a teenager. She says, God help him, but of course (🍷) he has Anna, and she’s sure Anna is full of wisdom about those things. He says, indeed, but she didn’t call him just for a catch-up. What can he do for her? She says, she was hoping they could join forces, and he says, they’re not talking about Crimson and Deception. She says, no. She’s talking about a personal threat. He asks, what kind of personal threat? and she says, she’s made a new enemy, and it turns out her enemy is also his enemy.

Carly says, she thought she told Sonny last night, if he was here this morning, she was going to leave. He says, he knows what she said, and she says, but here he is. This is how he respects her feelings? He says he respects their marriage enough to not leave it hanging, and she says, but not enough to tell her that he and Nina did everything except tumble into bed together. He says, he remembered who Carly was. He remembered her face, her hair, the way she walked and talked. That’s why it didn’t go any further with Nina, because he remembered who Carly was and how much he loved her. And how much he still loves her. Isn’t that enough? Yeah, well, we all know that’s not entirely true.

Harmony starts to leave, but Alexis asks her to join them. Harmony says she knows how hard these mother/daughter moments are to come by, so some other time, and Sam says she’s sure Harmony has something else to do. Alexis says, please. For her sake, could they come to some kind of a truce? She was alone in that prison for a long time, and then Harmony was her only friend. Not only that, on New Year’s Eve, she was sitting right there, staring at a bunch of champagne flutes that she was really thinking about downing, and Harmony stayed there and talked to her until she came to her senses. So things would have gone a lot differently if it weren’t for Harmony. She has Harmony to thank for that.

Ned asks Martin not to quit, and Martin says, he didn’t. Leona Helmsley here gave him the boot. Ned says he hired Martin; Martin is working for him. Tracy says, Ned is fired too, and Ned says, for the last time, she can’t fire her children. They’re not like husbands. Dante says, this is super fun and everything, but he’s giving them five minutes to sort this out, and he’s going to escort Tracy from the building so she can wait for her court case to start. He tells Tracy, it’s a blast as usual. He’ll probably see her back in here sometime soon, and Tracy says, et tu, Dante? She can’t believe he’s kept her as a villain. It was Alexis who went nuts and stabbed him. He says, yeah, that sucked, but she did her time, and went to jail, but got out early. Maybe the same thing will happen with Tracy. Ned says, listen to reason. Let Martin sit down with Robert on her behalf, and negotiate a deal. If Luke was here, isn’t that what he’d want her to do?   

Robert and Olivia sit at a table, and he says he’s been meaning to contract her. He wanted to thank her for telling him about Luke. He was touched she thought of him. She says, of course (🍷) she thought of him; he was the first person she thought of. Also, it gave her an excuse to call him. He says, she doesn’t need an excuse, but she says, really? Lately it seems like he’s been making himself scarce. He says, he thought he was doing her a favor be keeping his distance, and she says, because of Ned? He says he doesn’t want to get in the way of whatever is going on between them, but she says it wasn’t about Robert; it never was. He says he doesn’t know whether he should be glad or sad.

Austin says Brook really is a piece of work. She did everything she could to destroy him; then forced him to relinquish his rights to his own family’s legacy. Now she wants him to just let bygones be bygones? No. He can’t do that. He’s just not wired that way. She says, the rest of the Quartermaines are. She knows this may be new to him, but believe her, he came out of this pretty unscathed. He says, no, he didn’t, but at least she wasn’t as destructive with him as she was with Valentin.  

Valentin asks Nina to narrow it down. Right now, he’s focused on Brook. She says she hopes he’s not too hard on Brook, and he asks, why not? She says, because, Brook’s family made her feel like an outcast; he knows what that’s like. And she felt the only way back into the family’s good graces was to reclaim her voting shares of ELQ. He says, it would be one thing if he was the only one hurt, but Charlotte lost her sister. He’s not going to forgive Brook for that. Is that it? Is it something against the Quartermaines? She says, just one. Michael Corinthos.

Carly says she doesn’t doubt Sonny loves her: not any more than he should doubt she loves him. He says, then what are they doing sleeping in separate bedrooms, drawing lines in the sand? They have what most people would die to have; a marriage that’s stood the test of time. Whatever people have thrown at them, they’re still here. She says, she needs more than words and the memories they’ve shared. She needs time to deal with what he told her. Time to deal with the fact he doesn’t think what Nina did was criminal, and time to deal with what he didn’t tell her, and she found out on a witness stand; that he has feelings for Nina. That’s why she said if he wouldn’t give her the time and space she needed, she was going to leave. He tells her, people say all kinds of things in the moment, then the next morning, it’s a different ballgame. She says he’s doing it again. He’s acting like they can go back to the way things were before Nina. He says, forget Nina; that’s in the past. She says, then why was he with Nina on New Year’s Eve? And why the hell did she have to hear about it from Nina?

Alexis says, thanks to Sam, Tracy has been arrested, and Harmony says, the woman who framed Alexis? Alexis says, tried to. As it turns out she’s the only one who can send herself to the slammer. Harmony says she’s glad Tracy is paying for what she did to Alexis, and Sam says, she started to. Harmony asks what she missed, and Alexis says, she was protecting her family. Sam says, that’s no excuse for what Tracy did to Alexis, and no reason to ease up on her, and Alexis says, Sam’s not wrong. She asks what Harmony thinks, and Harmony says she thinks Tracy took away Alexis’s agency when she framed her, but Alexis is in control of what happens next. Alexis says, she’s right. She’s in control of what happens next. She asks them to excuse her; she needs to make a phone call. She leaves, and Sam tells Harmony, before she gets back, they need to get things straight about Harmony and her mother.

Olivia tells Robert, Ned was the one who crossed the line. He jeopardized their marriage when he cheated with Alexis. Robert says, so he really was just her plaything, and she says, stop it. It was more than that, and he knows it. He says, she found out she did love that bugger, and she says, guilty as charged. Robert’s phone rings, and he says he has to take it. Olivia says she has to go, and leaves. Robert asks, what’s up? and Alexis says she needs a favor.

Tracy tells Ned, Luke would expect her to fight, not cave to Johnny Law. Ned says, Luke seems to have rubbed off on her, and she thanks him, but he says he didn’t mean it in a good way. She says she knows. She won’t accept a so-called plea deal that involves jail time, probation, community service, or even the most tacit admission of guilt. Martin asks Dante for a word, and they step away. In the hallway, Martin says, Tracy is obviously impervious to logic. Dante has some kind of relationship with her; can’t he intercede with the DA on her behalf? Please.

Ned tells Tracy, no offense, but is she out of her mind? She says she’s never been more sure or sane in her life. Luke’s affairs need to be settled, and in order to do that, she has to get on a plane to Amsterdam asap. She can’t do that if these charges are hanging over her while she’s out on bail. He asks why she didn’t say that before, and she says, because it’s nobody’s business. And by the way, she’s not leaving this jail cell or the country until they’ve had a conversation about Ned’s daughter. He says, fine. Tracy hunted him down at the MetroCourt to tell him something about Brook. What is it? She says, it could be nothing; it could be something; it could be everything. He says, just tell him. Why is she being so mysterious? She says, it has to do with his granddaughter, and he says, Bailey? What about her?

Brook tells Austin, she’s genuinely sorry she hurt Valentin, and especially his daughter Charlotte. Austin says he doesn’t believe her. She had to have known what was going to happen. She had to have known people were going to get hurt, and she did it anyway. She asks if he’s really that different. Wasn’t he prepared to do anything for his father, to keep his promise to get him a seat at the family table Austin believed was rightfully his? Austin says, it was rightfully his, and she says she understands his sense of loyalty; she even admires it. So she’ll talk to the rest of the clan. They can’t give him a seat at the table, or ELQ shares, but she’s sure there’s something they can do. He says, sure. There has to be something she can do to buy him off.

Nina tells Valentin, Michael is furious, and there’s very little he won’t do to keep her out of Wiley’s life. She’s already lost a daughter, she’ll be damned if she’s going to lose her grandson, especially when New York state guarantees her rights. He says, rights are one thing, but if she’s going to take on Michael, she’s not just taking on the Quartermaines. She’s taking on the Corinthos family, and that means Sonny. He can’t imagine Sonny was too thrilled to find out she’d been keeping him from his family. She says, she and Sonny have made peace about her… decisions, but Valentin wonders how long that peace is going to last when Sonny finds out she’s going after his grandson. She says, he’s her grandson too. Mike understands that. He asks, who’s Mike? and she says, that’s the name Sonny used in Nixon Falls. He says, maybe Mike understands, but he doesn’t think Sonny ever will.

Carly says, Sonny spent New Year’s Eve with a woman he claims is in the past he left in Nixon Falls. He says, first of all, he didn’t spend the night with her. He was shaken with everything that went down at the hearing. After he left Carly, he went to Charlie’s. He had too much to drink, and it so happens Nina was there, and drove him to his penthouse. She says, and? and he says, then she left, and he woke up with a hangover. Does that make her happy? She says, none of this makes her happy. Does he think she enjoys thinking the worst about him, or suspecting him? Or wondering when’s the next time Nina just so happens? She hates it. She hates feeling like their marriage is built on quicksand. She wants to trust him without thinking about it, like she used to, but now… He says, he’s trying to be honest here, but since… Does she want to call it quits? Is that what she’s saying?

Tracy says she can’t tell Ned, and he says, why not? She was so fired up to tell him this little secret, she came out in the open, and got herself arrested. She says, it gave her time to think, and she needs more information before she gets him involved. He says, are they talking a crime or just a conspiracy? and she says, that’s what she has to find out. Go talk to Harlan Sanders, Attorney at Law, and she’ll find out exactly what Brook is hiding. He says, no. She can’t imply Brook is involved with something, then just drop it. Dante comes back with Martin and Robert, and says, good news, everyone. Robert says, the DA’s office revisited the case, and Martin says, they don’t have one. The guard opens the cell, and Ned says, excellent. It’s what Tracy wanted; let’s go. Tracy says, wait a minute. This is too good to be true. What changed? Alexis walks in, and says, she supposes she did.

Brook says, first of all, there’s no reason for her to buy Austin off. He already relinquished his claim; there’s nothing to buy. Austin says, agreed. Don’t even bother then. She says, there’s the family, and there’s the family business. The problem with a lot of people in the family, including herself, is they don’t separate the two. They literally don’t know how. He says he noticed that, and she says, if there was a document, a codicil to her great-grandfather’s will that said he’d recognized Austin’s dad, then that would be that, but there’s nothing. So for her to even suggest… He asks why she’s doing this. She’s just trying to ease her own conscience by purchasing his. She says, Mister Man of Principle. If he didn’t care about money, he never would have come knocking on her family’s door. Now that there isn’t any, he can say it was never his intention. He says, it’s just not about that. It’s about her family recognizing his father, and realizing he deserves to be remembered, and deserves to be respected. She’s so blinded by her privilege, she assumes everyone else in the world is as greedy and self-serving as she is. She used Leo, tiny little Leo, as a pawn in her game, when all he did was react as any doctor worth a damn would react. She asks if he’s finished, and he says he’s finished with that point, but he’s just getting started. He walks out of the office, and she follows him.

Nina tells Valentin, forget it. She got caught up in all the drama with Michael and the family, and got carried away. He says, when he learned she’d been keeping Sonny’s identity from him, he just assumed it was retribution for Carly keeping Nelle’s identity from her. She says, it was at first, and he asks if she had feelings for Sonny. Did they have feelings for one another? She says, they were both very lost in different ways, and he says he’s not judging. He thinks it’s better if he doesn’t keep track of the details of Nina’s life; he’s getting pretty good at that. She says, he’s moved on, and he says, it seems they both have. She says, which means they can help each other without complications? but he says he doesn’t know if going toe to toe with Sonny is without complications. She asks if he’s saying he’s not going to help her with Michael, and he says, it’s not just Michael, is it? She’s talking about fighting a war on two fronts, with a child in between. He can’t help her in that, but please don’t go against Michael. He’s not going to make life easier with Sonny. It’s good to see her. She says, he really has changed. Is he really telling her to turn the other cheek? He gives her a slight nod, and leaves.

Carly asks if Sonny is saying he wants to call it quits, but he says, he’s here, isn’t he? Even after she told him to leave last night, he slept in the guestroom. She asks if that’s because of his pride, but he says, it’s because he loves her; he doesn’t care if they sleep in the same bed. She says, it was her love for him that made her sleep apart from him, and he says, that doesn’t make sense. She says, it’s the only thing that does make sense, because if this marriage is going to work, they can’t force it. They need time to figure out what went wrong, and what they can do to make it right. He says, she’s over-complicating it. Here’s what happened. He fell off a bridge, and into the river. He went on shore, and woke up; he didn’t know who he was or where he came from. She says, and along came Nina, but he says, Nina can’t come between them if they don’t let her. She says, Nina is here. She’s in this room, she’s in their marriage, and unless or until Sonny can forget her… He asks if Carly is going to forget Nina. Or is she using Nina as an excuse not to get back with him because a part of her is already gone? And it went with Jason.

Sam says she knows Harmony has changed; she’s seen it, and believe her, she didn’t want to. Harmony thanks her, but Sam says, don’t thank her yet. She can’t imagine how hard it was to testify against Shiloh, but after what Harmony did to all of those women, and Sam’s sister… Harmony asks if Sam thinks it doesn’t make her sick, thinking she was helping those women when she was drugging them, including her own daughter. When she looks back on that time, it’s a hell of a nightmare to wake up from. She has to live with it every second of every day, and she’s doing everything she can to atone for that. So if there’s more she can do for Sam, or her mom, and especially Kristina… Sam says she’s glad Harmony asked, because actually, there is. Harmony says, name it, and Sam says, her mom is trying her hardest to turn her life around, and she’s doing a really good job, but she’s in a fragile state. One little slip, and she destroys everything. So Sam is asking Harmony to be straight with Alexis, as her friend. Harmony says, of course (🍷), and Sam says she doesn’t mean just being honest. if Harmony says she’s going to do something, do it. Harmony says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she truly believes that she and Alexis can help each other. Sam says, because Harmony is Alexis’s friend? and Harmony says, and because Alexis is hers, and that’s what friends do. Unless Sam thinks her mother would be better off alone.

Tracy assumes Alexis is there to gloat, and Alexis says, what about? She just informed Robert that she’s decided not to cooperate with The People versus Tracy Quartermaine. Ned asks what that means, and Robert says, without Alexis’s testimony, they won’t pursue the case. Dante says, not that they couldn’t. They still have Sam’s testimony, and his mother’s. Alexis says, but if she doesn’t cooperate, there is no victim, and Martin says, and in the absence of a victim, there’s no crime to prosecute. Robert says, as such, the DA’s office is going to pass on this one, and Tracy asks if she’s free. Dante says, unless Alexis changes her mind, and Ned says, they’ll take that as a yes. Tracy jets, and Martin says, not so much as a thank you. Ned says, he’d apologize for his mother, but… Alexis says she thinks that’s as good as it’s going to get from her, and Ned says, knowing her, she has another fire to put out. Dante says, she’s probably going to start one.

Austin says he’s glad he ran into Brook today. He’d almost forgotten the kind of people they come from, so thanks for the reminder. She says, he’s welcome. The Quartermaines are full of righteous indignation. He says, he noticed, and she says, but they never storm out of a room without figuring a way back in, but he did, which proves he’s not really one of them. He says, but he is; his father was. He was Edward’s son. She says, so what? and he says, that’s her argument? She says, bringing Jimmy Lee back into the fold was completely up to Edward. He didn’t do it, and now he’s gone, and the more Austin insists on having some claim on her family, the more reason they have to shut the door in his face. He asks if she thinks that’s going to stop him, when Valentin comes along. He asks Austin if something is wrong.

Carly says, she and Jason told Sonny everything. How their friendship turned into something more when Sonny was presumed dead, while Nina kept him from his family. So if he wants to compare that with what he kept from her since he’s been back, and not just what happened in Nixon Falls, but how he still feels about Nina… Is he kidding her? He says, it’s not just how he feels about Nina. She has to admit, there are more than three people in this marriage; there’s four. She says she’s not going to apologize for mourning Jason, and he says, of course (🍷). In time, Jason is going to be a memory; an unforgettable memory, but part of her past. As long as Nina is alive, there’s no chance for their marriage. He asks if that’s a threat, and she says, does he think she’d risk losing her kids to end Nina? That’s up to him. Sonny needs to kill Nina off, not physically, but in his heart. Until he does, there’s no chance for them, and they can’t both live here. She’s going to be the one to go, because Avery and Donna are so happy he’s home. She’s not going to traumatize them again by making daddy go away. She’ll be back in the morning to start their day, and come again at night to put them to bed. She walks out, and Sonny sighs and rubs his forehead.

Sam tells Harmony that Alexis is hardly alone. She has her daughters, Diane Miller, Shawn Butler; she’s got a great new job, and a really beautiful looking future. So whatever Harmony is selling, she’s not buying it. She puts on her coat, and Harmony gets up, saying, she’s not selling anything. Sam says she wishes she could believe Harmony, but after what Harmony did to her and her sister, she won’t forget. Harmony says, no one is asking her too. When she looks back on that time… She needs to prove herself, if Sam will just let her. Sam says, okay. Harmony can try, but she’ll be watching. She leaves. 

Robert thanks Alexis as she signs off on a document. She’s saved him and the city a lot of time, trouble, and money. She says, anything for Port Charles, and he says he’ll get on this right away, and have the charges dropped. Dante says he has to get back to work, and asks if Alexis is sure about this. She says she is, and he leaves. Ned says he knows his mother was less than appreciative, and Alexis says, surprise, surprise. Good thing she didn’t do it for Tracy. He says, then why? She didn’t do it for him, did she? She says she did it for Luke. A little bit for Ned, but she did it mostly for herself.  

Brook tells Valentin that she and Austin were just setting some things straight. Now if he’ll excuse her, she’s going to be with Chase and their baby. She leaves, and Austin laughs. He asks if Valentin caught that. She just twisted that knife a little bit. Valentin says, apparently, some people think he’s softened; that he’s lost his edge. Austin asks if he has lost his edge, but Valentin says, he doesn’t know; maybe Austin can help him answer the question. Has Austin forgotten how the Quartermaines treated him? Austin says, no, why? Is Valentin interested in making Brook pay for what she did to him?

Tracy runs into Brook at the hospital, and says, she thought she’d find Brook there. Brook says, she thought Tracy was in jail, but Tracy says, they need to talk. She pulls Brook into the elevator, and presses a button. Brook asks if they can’t do it later. She needs to see Chase and her baby. Tracy says, Brook means Maxie’s baby.

Nina sits at her desk, but can’t concentrate on work. She calls Martin, and he says, what a pleasure. Or should he be asking what Valentin has done now? She says, nothing, which is the problem. He says he doesn’t follow, and she says, it’s just a joke she has with herself. Is he free for lunch? She needs legal advice.

Carly sees Olivia at the MetroCourt, and Olivia says she thought Carly was working from home today. Carly says, as of now, the MetroCourt is her home. Olivia says she hopes it doesn’t mean what she thinks it means, and Carly says, it means the house isn’t big enough for her and Sonny, so she’s moving in here while they take a time out. Olivia says she knows it’s none of her business, but she’s going to butt in anyway. Is Carly sure? Carly says, one of them had to go. He couldn’t. She could. So she did.   

Sonny puts the scotch decanter on the kitchen island. He looks at his prescription bottle, throws it across the room, and pours a drink.

Tomorrow, Chase asks Brook how screwed they are, Anna needs Maxie’s help, Drew says he has some things to clear up with Victor, and Peter asks someone if they’re looking for anyone in particular.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

Heather and Max went to an intuitive reading of their auras. In Heather’s interview, she said she loved any kind of reading, and we flashed back to a psychic from several seasons ago. She says, it has two purposes. Mother/daughter moments are incredibly special and necessary. They went to the aura photography area, and had a photo taken of their hand on a sensor. Heather was disappointed in how hers looked, and in her interview, she said, a messy blobby aura is not cute. The reader said Heather needed to nurture herself to find balance. Max’s aura was one of the most social and artistic, and Heather told Max that she was excited to see her fly; it was her moment. In her interview, Heather said that Max suffered from social anxiety and became a shut-in during lockdown. She came out as bisexual during that time, turned it into a podcast, then turned it into a book.

Gina visited Noella, who said she found James. She had access to a credit card he was using, and she discovered he was in Mykonos, an island in Greece. A mid-life crisis made sense, but this wasn’t who she thought he was. In Noella’s interview, she said it was time she moved on. She needed to take off the dirty robe, get out of bed, and stop crying over a man who doesn’t deserve it. She told Gina that she wanted to slap a man. Maybe it’s not a good idea for her to date right now…

Heather, Emily, and Jen went to a sauna, and Emily hoped they’d be doing lunch too. Emily asked if Jen had always intended to be breadwinner, and Jen said, after she and Ryne had gotten married, her ex-boyfriend sued her. He said his gifts had been loans, and she and Ryne went through some hard times. In Jen’s interview, she said she’d met her ex after her father died. He was intelligent and wealthy, and said he was divorced. She broke up with him when she found out he was really just separated. Three days after she married Ryne, he sued her. We saw a headline that said, Billionaire Sues Cheating Ex. His purpose was to hurt her and her relationship. She told Heather and Emily that Ryne stayed home and watched the kids, and she was able to build her career. Emily asked about resentment, and she said she’d been there with Shane. In Emily’s interview, she said, there was a point when she didn’t think she and Shane were going to make it, and we flashed back to some of that. Her advice was to put the work in. No one dates a forty-five year old with kids in Orange County. You’d have to move. Emily took a sandwich out of her bag, and Heather reminded her they were detoxing. Emily said it was turkey, and in Heather’s interview, she wondered why Emily had a turkey sub in her purse. Eating a sandwich in the sauna was not a thing. They followed up the sauna with a nail appointment. Champagne was served, and Emily said the strawberries in it were her daily dose of fruit. Heather suggested a girls trip to Cabo, and asked how Jen was feeling about Noella. Jen said she’d texted Noella about going out for drinks, but there was no response. Heather said she’d invited Noella to Max’s book party, because she was sweet to Max, but now she knows that Noella’s been talking about her, calling her a phony bitch. And she’d be a phony bitch if she pretended she didn’t know what Noella had said. In Jen’s interview, she said, Noella was going through some things, but there was never an excuse to be rude and condescending. Heather wanted to say she was hopeful, but said, they’d see.

Shannon and her daughter’s visited Shannon’s mom Pat in Nashville. In Shannon’s interview, she said, with all the girls’ activities, it was easier for her mom visit them. Seeing how happy her mom was, made Shannon feel the need to come more often. They toasted to being together for the first time in a long time, and Pat said the girls had done a good job with the divorce. Shannon said they’d been exposed to an unhealthy marriage, and in her interview, she said her parents divorced when she was 17. She was a living example of repeating a parents’ patterns, and she didn’t want her kids to continue the pattern. She wanted to break the cycle. Sophie said she saw herself marrying boyfriend Reese one day, and Shannon said that broke her heart. In Shannon’s interview, she said she got married at 36, and Sophie was 20. In Sophie’s interview, she said she’d never been in a relationship before, and it was all new. She understood that her mom was nervous because she didn’t want to see her get hurt, but she already lived 1200 miles away, and was on her own as it was. Shannon said, her good part started at 55, and in her interview, she said she knew the girls were still carrying everything that continued to happen with David.

Heather invited Noella over, and Noella arrived while Heather was filming an infomercial with Terry. Heather motioned for Noella to stay quiet and sit down. In Noella’s interview, she said, Heather was the one who scheduled this. She wanted Noella to see it, and feel impressed. She wasn’t there to go toe to toe with Heather, but if Heather brought it, Noella would end it. After Heather was finished, she took Noella to her podcast studio, saying it was the only quiet place. In a fifty room house. In her interview, Noella said she had her suspicions before, but this was concrete evidence that Heather was a narcissist. If she wasn’t so creeped out, she’d be impressed. Heather told Noella that she’d heard some things, and felt weird not suggesting they sit down and talk. Nicole had said Noella called her a phony or fake bitch. We flashed back to that, and Noella said fake bitch. Noella told Heather that she was very emotional, and was really angry with James. Heather’s name was brought up, and she lashed out. Heather said she understood. When she heard all Noella was going through, she let it go, but Gina also said that Noella told her not to trust Heather. We flashed back to the racetrack, and Gina telling Heather that Nicole said she wasn’t to be trusted. Heather asked why Noella felt distrustful of her, and Noella said, she and Nicole had been friends, and Nicole changed based on a phone call with Heather. We saw a clip of Nicole telling Noella that she was a mean girl, and saying they weren’t friends. Heather said if there was a chance of friendship between her and Noella, this was no way to start, and Noella said, they started with her being in the house when Heather was slamming people up against walls and yelling. Heather said she didn’t slam anyone up against a wall, and in her interview, she said she was getting psycho vibes. Was she being punked? Heather said Noella had a lot going on, and she didn’t take it personally. Noella said she didn’t mean it personally, and Heather said she wasn’t sure she was the right friend for Noella. In Heather’s interview, she said she felt bad for Noella, but she wasn’t giving this life. Noella said she didn’t need deep friendships with everyone, and was happy with some social friendships. Heather said Noella should focus on her family and take care of herself.    

Noella’s driver picked her up for Max’s party, and I wondered how she was still paying for a driver. She talked to him about having to play Matlock with James, which I thought wasn’t the smartest thing, since she wanted to keep it on the DL. In Emily and Shane’s car, Emily talked about falling asleep early all the time, and in her interview, she said, every night, Shane asked what movie she wanted to sleep through. Maybe she needed to stop eating turkey.

Max’s party for her book, I’ll Give It To You Straight, was pretty crowded, and had a booth for chakra readings. In Heather’s interview, she said, despite Noella being off the rails, and telling tales about her, it was Max’s night. Enjoy yourself over there. We’re good. It’s worth noting that Nicole’s purse looked like a sparkly old school portable phone. Her other accessory was boyfriend Vic. Noella noticed there was no hug for her, and told Gina that she’d tried to invite Nicole to lunch, but Nicole hung up on her before she even got there. In her interview, she said, if Nicole can’t go deep at Noella’s deepest, most painful part of her life, the friendship was officially over.

Noella and Jen were friendly now, and in Jen’s interview, she said she was glad Noella was owning the lies she’d told about her, but she was still a little guarded. We saw a clip of Noella apologizing, and Jen said they were building trust. Taking baby steps. She was married to Ryne, and used to baby steps. Jen explains how Ryne changed the spelling of his name from Ryan, and in Emily’s interview, she said, all it did was confuse people and make it difficult to pronounce. Noella relayed the news that Shannon had taken the red-eye back, and woke up with chest pains. In her interview, Emily said that she and Shannon had a history, and still had not worked everything out. We flashed back to Emily confronting Shannon, and Emily said she was going to take any opportunity to take a jab at Shannon because she deserved it.

Travis hung out on the sidelines with Shane, who wondered if they were being rude or smart. Emily got her aura read, and said she thought the red energy in her vagina field might be a stop sign. She was 45, tired, and just wanted to watch Netflix. Heather said she and Terry had met on a blind date, and at the end, he said, let’s never speak again… because it couldn’t get better. Jen said for her, it was love at first sight, and Ryne said he was still coming around. In Heather’s interview, she wondered what he actually meant. Ryne hasn’t decided if he likes her? Of course he hasn’t decided on a name either. Emily mentioned Cabo to Noella, who said she wasn’t invited. In Noella’s interview, she said, the last time she and Heather met, she didn’t kiss Heather’s ass. She was sensing her invitation was going to get lost in the mail.

Heather got everyone’s attention, and thanked them all for coming. She said she was so happy to have them there. She was impressed with Max, at how raw, open, and honest she was; maybe too honest sometimes. What she’d shared was special, and she was proud of Max. Max took the mic, and said she wasn’t one for emotions, but she hoped the book would help readers with their mental health, sexuality, or whatever they needed. In Heather’s interview, she said, that her child could take a time in her life that sucked and use it to help others, what more could she ask for? Everyone partied, and Emily said she was so drunk, she should go home. Noella said she thought Emily and Shane must have the hottest sex of any of them, and Emily said, when she stayed awake. In Noella’s interview, she said, never count the little man out.

After doing a comedy routine using Nicole’s phone purse, Emily asked Jen if her ex had paid for her school, but Jen said he hadn’t. Emily wondered what why she had to pay him back for anything, and Jen said, it was anything and everything he could think of, and she did it to get him to go away. Emily asked if he was hot, and Jen said, no, but he was smart and interesting. Emily didn’t believe Jen was attracted to his personality, and told her to admit she liked the money. She yelled over to Gina, who quickly came over, and said she thought maybe it was time for Emily to go home. In Gina’s interview, she said she’d seen where these conversations tend to lead, and we flashed back to Emily’s confrontations with Kelly and Nicole. Gina didn’t want to end this night with a negative comment, and steered Emily away. Seeing Heather, Emily got excited about Cabo, and realizing she was loud, asked Heather if Noella was invited. Heather said, no, and Emily said, but she was invited, right? Heather said she was, and in Heather’s interview, she said, Noella had been lovely tonight, and brought a gift for Max, but she didn’t want to take a trip with someone who lied about her. They were good. Emily wanted Shane to help her pee, apologized for falling asleep the night before, and promised to put out when they got home. Shane wasn’t sure if that was likely.

Next time, the trip to Cabo, riding horses on the beach, Gina advocates for Noella to Heather, Jen is having a breakdown, and Noella shows up.

📤 Outgoing…

I’m hoping to catch an extra Z tonight. Or maybe even an LMNOP. Join me tomorrow for soap and hair-dos on the Runway. Until then, stay safe, stay living within your means if possible, and stay leaving the righteous indignation to the Quartermaines.

January 7, 2022 – Sonny Goes Back Home, Postponed, Luke’s Death, an Exit, Last Bow, Possible Wife, SI DUI, Ring Clap, Ringing It In, the First Dozen Quotes This Year & a Tale

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

At the Deception office, Chase asks if Brook is working late. She says he didn’t have to come himself. She would have called the baby nurse to pick up Bailey. He says, now that Peter’s awake, he doesn’t want to take any chances. If it were up to him, he’d never take his eyes off this little angel. (Bailey is really cute, and one of those very aware babies who seems to know what’s expected in a scene.) Brook says she appreciates that. Unfortunately, Peter isn’t their only problem now that her grandmother is back in town. He says, her grandmother Tracy? and she says, yes. If he sees her anywhere in the house, steer clear. He doesn’t want anything to do with her. He says, so she doesn’t want him to take Bailey back to the house? and she says, kind of like at the last possible moment. He tells Bailey, it looks like it’s just you and me, kid.

Trina and Ava are seated at the MetroCourt, and Ava asks for another place setting. Trina asks if someone is joining them, and Ava says, yes. This is a working dinner with their new employee. Spencer walks in, and Ava says, he’s right on time.

At Charlie’s, Cameron tells Josslyn, there’s a lull right now, so if she wants to vent about her mom and Sonny, now would be the time. Josslyn says she’s so pissed at Sonny, and he says, keep going. She says, he totally protected Nina in court. She’ll never have to pay for what she did. He doesn’t even view it as a crime. He’s completely betrayed his family, especially her mom. Cameron asks if her mom has said anything, but she says, not directly. He should have seen her on New Year’s; she was hurting so bad. He takes her hand, and says he’s sorry her family has to go through this, but he thinks everything will be okay. How many times have her mom and Sonny been married? She says, one more time than they’ve been divorced, and he says, exactly. He thinks they’ll get through this. She says, this time, she’s not so sure. She really thinks her mom and Sonny may have broken up for real. Esme walks in, and says, oh my God. That’s terrible. Josslyn says, it is, and thanks her. Esme asks if that means they can’t use the cabin.

Phyllis knocks at Nina’s office door, and asks if she’s interrupting. Nina says, is she kidding? Of course (🍷) not. She’s exactly the person Nina needed to see. She takes Phyllis’s hands, and says, as a matter-of-fact, she was going to drop by Charlie’s when she got off work. Phyllis is glad she saved Nina a trip, and Nina says she bets Phyllis can guess what she needed to talk about. Phyllis says, the hearing? and Nina says, it was crazy. She won’t believe what happened. Phyllis says she knows exactly what happened. It finally came out that Nina and Sonny fell in love. Nina says, it was a disaster, and Phyllis says, she’s right. So what is she going to do about it?

Olivia says, Sonny told Carly how he felt about Nina, and she was honest with him about how she felt about Jason on her wedding day, but has she been honest with Sonny about how she feels about Jason still? Sonny walks in, and Carly asks what he’s doing here. He says, he lives here, and doesn’t want to leave until they settle things. He asks Olivia if he can have time with his wife, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). She was just on her way out. She tells Carly that she’s rooting for her; don’t let her down. She leaves, and Sonny asks how Donna and Avery are. She says, they miss him. She told them that he was away on business. He says he doesn’t want them to think he’s gone, and she says, unlike Nina, she has no desire to keep him away from his family. He says, good, because he wants to come home. They’ve been apart too long. He knows he made a mistake, and he should have told her from the beginning, despite his reasons. She asks, what reasons? and he says he told her, Jason died. She says, then Sasha and Brando lost their baby, and he didn’t want to cause any more pain. He says, Sasha and Brando went through a terrible tragedy, and it broke his heart. Then they lost Jason, and Carly was able to express her hurt and grief. He lost his best friend, his brother, and he had to stuff all that inside. He had to be tough for her. He didn’t want to lose her, and didn’t want this thing with Nina to come between them. He didn’t say anything, and he should have, and it made it worse. But now, he’s been apart from her for nine months, and one night. He doesn’t want to spend one more minute without her.

Elizabeth sees Finn in the hospital locker room, and he asks if they’re still on for tonight. She asks, why wouldn’t they be? and he says he doesn’t know. Emergency? Family? Friends? The weather? She laughs, and he says, maybe she’s having second thoughts? She says, no, never. There’s no way she’s missing their first official date. She even brought a dress for the occasion. Don’t tell her that he changed his mind. He says, him? No. He’s just – he takes her hand – he’s just really happy if she feels like she can move on with him. She flashes back to putting her ring away, and says she thinks Franco would want her to be happy, and she is happy, with him. He kisses her.

Josslyn says, that’s nice. Her mother’s marriage is falling apart, and Esme is worried about a weekend getaway. Esme says she’s right; it was insensitive of her, and she’s truly sorry. Josslyn says, apology accepted, and Esme says, it’s just that all she can think about is Spence. He’s with Ava right now to discuss restitution. It’s torture. Not only this business with Ava, but the whole going to prison thing. She sits down, and says, the only thing Spence was looking forward to was their time in the cabin. Josslyn says she’s really sorry, but the last thing she wants is to ask Sonny for anything, and Esme says she understands. She doesn’t know how she’s going to tell Spence the weekend is off. On top of everything else, how can she take this from him too?

Spencer says he didn’t know Trina was going to be there, and Trina says, same here. She’ll leave if they’re going to be discussing… He says, please don’t leave on his account. He never minds seeing her. Ava on the other hand… He sits down, and Ava says, there’s no need to flatter Trina; he already has the job. He says, a job is usually paid for; this seems like indentured servitude. Ava says, court mandated indentured servitude. He owes her. The fake blood did damage to her gallery, not to mention the art itself. She opens the menu, and suggests they have a little something to eat before they talk business. Surf, turf, or both? Spencer says, he can’t afford to eat anything there. Ava has a stranglehold on his trust fund. Ava asks who he thinks is paying for this meal? She tells Trina to order whatever she likes. It’s on Spence.

Brook asks if Chase has heard anything about his suspension, but he says, not a peep. Which is fine. Not having to work means having more time to look after this little troublemaker, and when he’s not watching her, he fills his time with working out, and looking up brand new facts. Did she know the severed head of a sea slug can grow its whole body back? She says she doesn’t find that fascinating; she finds it repulsive. He says, why can’t it be both? and she asks if he’s really okay. He says, he was just so eager to get out of the wheelchair, and now that he’s able-bodied, he’s still kept from doing what he loves. It’s beyond frustrating. She says she’s so sorry, and he says, he told her, it’s not her fault. She says she can’t help but feel responsible. He was suspended for punching Valentin in her honor. He says he would do it all over again. Olivia comes by, and says, thank God Brook’s here. Brook asks if anyone is hurt, but Olivia says, not yet, but if Brook doesn’t talk her down, she’s going to Crimson, and rearranging Nina’s lying face.

Nina says, Phyllis knows what happened at the hearing? She was under the weather, so Nina assumed she was out of the loop. Phyllis says, one thing she’ll never take for granted again, in Nixon Falls, when she and Lenny had problems with their marriage, they never ended up on the news. Nina says, what? Phyllis found out about this on the news? Phyllis says, yes, and Kristina also filled her in on what happened at the hearing. Nina is sure Kristina had a mouthful to say about her, and Phyllis says, she did, but she’s hurt and confused, like Phyllis imagines Nina is. Nina says Phyllis has to believe her. She never wanted anyone to know about her and Sonny. No one, especially not like this. Now Sonny and Carly’s marriage was in trouble, and he was a wreck on New Year’s Eve. Phyllis says, she saw Sonny on New Year’s Eve? Alone? She’s asking for trouble.

Olivia says, then Willow testified that she heard Nina and Sonny talking about falling in love in Nixon Falls, which then Sonny confirmed, also on the stand. Chase says, poor Willow, and Brook asks, how’d Carly react? Chase says he has to meet his brother at GH, so he’ll take Bailey, and leave them to talk. Brook says, he’s introducing the baby to his brother? and he says, yeah. It’s going to be fine. He hands her a paper bag, saying, he almost forgot. He thought she might be working late, so he got her turkey on rye, her favorite. He added a banana because she always seems to steal his. Brook thanks him, but says, don’t think for a second her banana stealing days are over. He says he wouldn’t have it any other way, and says, goodbye, wheeling Bailey’s carriage out. When he’s gone, Olivia asks Brook to tell her every single detail. Brook says, about what? and Olivia says, her and Chase obviously.

Ava says, she and Trina came up with a list of projects Spencer can tackle at the gallery after he serves his sentence. Spencer says, if he’d thought this plea deal meant working for her, he’d have asked for more prison time, and Ava says, that’s gratitude for you. Luckily, she has good news. He won’t be working for her. He’ll be working for Trina.

Cameron tells Esme that he’ll break the news to Spence once he finds out what’s going on with Sonny, but Josslyn says, that’s okay. Esme’s right. They promised Spencer a fun time at the cabin, and considering it’s the last fun he’ll have in a long time… Esme says, that’s so decent of her. She knows it will mean the world to Spence. Josslyn says, the way she sees it, after what he did to her mom, Sonny owes her, and she could use some time away. Esme says she knows the feeling. Before they died, her parents were in the process of splitting up. It was brutal. Cameron says, it’s never easy; he’s sorry. What happened? Esme says, what didn’t? They both know the drill. He betrayed her, and they blamed each other. It was devastating. Josslyn says she’s sorry, and Esme thanks her, but says, she’s not. She may have been just a kid, but it taught her a valuable lesson. There’s a circle in hell reserved for people who tear families apart.

Nina says, nothing happened with Sonny, but Phyllis says, trust her. When the two of them are together, something happens. They have unresolved feelings for each other, and whether they act on those feelings or not is beside the point. Right now, being together, even casually, is inappropriate. Nina says, Phyllis is probably right, but Sonny has unresolved feelings for her. Phyllis asks what point Nina is making, and Nina says, she was chatting with her friend Ava, and it got her thinking. They all deserve happiness in life, right? She knows it sounds crazy, but right or wrong and not now, what if Sonny’s happiness lies with her?

Carly says, that’s the man she married, and Sonny says he thinks that’s who he is. She says, Sonny told her that he has reasons for keeping the truth about him and Nina from her. What reasons? He says, it doesn’t matter; it doesn’t exist. She says, that’s not the truth, and he asks what she means. She says, the reason he didn’t tell her was because he knew she’d ask the inevitable question. He asks if they have to do this now, and she says, yes, they do. She says she asked him last night, and she’s going to ask it again, and if he can’t answer it this time, he can turn around and leave. Does he have feelings for Nina? He doesn’t say anything, so she shouts, does he have feelings for Nina? and he says, yeah.

Trina says, Spencer’s working for her? But it’s Ava’s gallery. Ava says she won’t be there very much in the coming months. She and Nikolas are going to renew their vows. Their first wedding was last minute, so they want to plan something elegant, and in her absence, Trina will supervise. Spencer says, that’s no better. No offense, Trina. Trina asks if he thinks she wants this. Excuse her. She jets, and Spencer says, wait. Ava tells him, sit down. They’re not finished here yet.

Cameron says he knows how it feels. His family was torn apart when Franco was killed. He almost let his anger get the best of him. Esme says, sometimes anger can be fuel, and Josslyn’s phone rings. She excuses herself, and steps away. Outside, she asks Trina, what’s up? and Trina says she’s at the MetroCourt with Ava and Spencer, and things just went totally sideways.

Esme apologizes for getting intense, but Cameron says, she’s entitled. She thanks him, and says, it’s just that she didn’t grow up with her biological family, and the family that chose her imploded. That’s probably why she’s so devoted to Spence. He’s her family now. Cameron says, makes sense, but as far as anger… She says, he doesn’t agree? and he says, he’s sure she’s right. Anger can be fuel. But they can’t let it overrun them. Wasn’t it anger that drove her and Spencer to stalk Ava?

Sonny tells Carly, it’s complicated. He has feelings for Nina, but he’s getting over it. She says, you don’t just get over that, and he asks if she’s speaking from experience. She says, don’t do that. When he asked her about Jason, she was honest. He says, but she didn’t tell him right away, and she says, she told him within days. Didn’t she answer every question he asked? And she’s been asking for months for him to tell her what happened in Nixon Falls, and he was consciously keeping it from her. He says, that wasn’t him, but when she was with Jason, that was her. She says she doesn’t blame him for what he did as Mike, but he owes her the truth. He says they’re not going to be able to get through this if they’re not under the same roof, and she tells him, he said he wasn’t Nina’s victim. Now she realizes how true that was. Sonny was Nina’s accomplice.

Nina asks how many times Phyllis has told her, she and Sonny shouldn’t ignore their feelings for each other, but Phyllis says, she advised Nina to come to terms with her feelings. That’s very different. Nina says, if Sonny and Carly separate – if – does Phyllis think it’s possible for her and Sonny to be together? Phyllis says, first, she’ll answer the question Nina asked. Yes, it’s possible. Now she’ll answer the question Nina didn’t ask. If it’s possible, does she think Nina should act on her feelings? Hell no.

Josslyn says, basically, Spencer would be working as a handyman? Has he ever even held a hammer? Trina says she doesn’t think it’s just about the work. Ava isn’t making this easy on him. Josslyn says, he and Esme stalked Ava for months. They made implied threats to Avery, and, oh yeah, set Ava’s car on fire. She knows Spencer’s their friend, but after what he’s done, he’s getting off easy.   

Ava says she admits she had a little fun at Spencer’s expense, and he says, she means, kicked him when he was down. That’s low, even for her. She says, still not quite as low as leaving a teddy bear teddy with a murderer’s voice for her child to find. He asks, why involve Trina? and she says, besides paying for what he did to her, his true task is to make restitution to Trina. Does he think she needs the money him doing odd jobs at the gallery will save her? Restitution isn’t only about money. It’s about righting wrongs. Repairing what’s broken. Restoring what’s been stolen. He says he never took anything from Trina, and she asks if he can honestly say he didn’t hurt Trina. He says, one of his greatest regrets is how he treated Trina. He should have been honest. He should have told her that he already had a girlfriend. He shouldn’t asked her to cover for him, when she didn’t realize he was actually going after Ava. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to make that up to Trina, but Ava says, he can try. Him framing a few pictures with Trina at the gallery isn’t going to fix the trust that’s broken, but trying to make Trina’s job easier could go a long way.

On the phone, Trina says she thinks they calmed down a bit. It was looking pretty intense for a while. She thanks Josslyn for letting her vent, and Josslyn says, anytime. Trina knows Josslyn’s got her back.

Esme says, Cameron is right; about the anger thing, and what she and Spence did to Ava. She’s a work in progress. He says, they all are. Trust him, he’s not judging. If she knew what anger drove him to do when Franco was killed… She says, do tell, and he tells her, all he’ll say is, he was impulsive, and he was reckless. He’s very grateful he had people around him who were patient and forgiving. She says, angry Cameron sounds quite intriguing, and he says, she’ll never meet him, not if he can help it. Josslyn comes back in, and says, that was Trina. Sounds like Spencer’s super unhappy over whatever Ava cooked up for his restitution. Esme says, Trina’s there? Spence didn’t mention she’d be at the meeting. Cameron says, maybe he didn’t know, and Josslyn says, even if she is, what’s the big deal? They’re all friends here, right?   

Chase brings Bailey/Louise to the hospital, carrying her in a baby sling, and Elizabeth says it’s so nice to see her. Is she all snuggly and comfortable with her daddy? Finn says, it’s about time he got to meet his niece, and Elizabeth says, she’s beautiful. Chase says, that’s all her mother, and Finn says, definitely, but Elizabeth says she thinks Chase has something to do with it. She has to get back to work, and tells Chase, congratulations. She tells Finn that she’ll see him later, and leaves. Finn says he can’t believe his little brother is a father, and Chase says, Bailey’s not the only good news in the family. Is he imagining things, or do Finn and Elizabeth seem… closer? Finn says, he thinks he and Elizabeth have decided to see where this can go, and Chase asks, what finally changed? Finn says, she did; mostly. She’s been through a lot, and he thinks she’s ready now. Chase says, it’s been a tough year for both of them. He’s glad they can look forward to a future together. Finn suggests they not get ahead of themselves. And what about Chase? What does his future hold?

Brook tells Olivia that she and Chase are friends; there’s nothing going on with them. Olivia says she saw the energy between them, and don’t argue with her. She has a nose for these things. Brook says, that’s not why Olivia came there. How’s Carly taking the news about Sonny? Olivia says, that’s why she’s so steamed. Carly is so angry at Sonny right now, and rightfully so, but she’s also torn. She desperately wants to forgive Sonny, but it’s a massive betrayal to get past. Brook says, if Olivia can forgive her dad… Olivia says she’s forgiven him for many things, and Brook says, then Carly can forgive Uncle Sonny, can’t she?

Phyllis says, sorry she was so blunt, but Nina says, that’s okay. She just doesn’t want Phyllis to get worked up when she’s recovering. Phyllis says, some of the responsibility of this situation lies with her, and Nina says, no. What did Phyllis do? Phyllis says, if she’d been completely honest with Nina after Sonny regained his memory, Nina might not still be fantasizing about a future with him. As Lenny would say, it’s never too late for settin’ straight. So is Nina ready to get real?

Sonny says, Nina’s accomplice? and Carly says, he’s Nina’s protector. He told Carly to lay off Nina. He says, he didn’t want a war, and she says, look where that got them. He promised Nina would stay away from their family, but that didn’t stop the two of them from reminiscing in the hospital chapel. Is he kidding her? Is he going to stand in her way now, and asks her not to go after Nina, after she fired the first shot at the hearing? Is he? He says he doesn’t know what that’s going to accomplish; just forget about Nina. She says, like he has? and he says, she doesn’t want to trust him, and doesn’t want to forgive him. Is he wasting his time? Is she saying there’s no hope for their marriage?

Chase tells Finn, fatherhood has been great, so far, but without his job, he feels useless. Like he doesn’t have a purpose. And he gets the feeling he’s starting to bug Brook. Finn says, first things first. Being a dad is the greatest job there is. There’s nothing useless about spending time with his little girl. That being said, he understands Chase’s suspension has made him feel restless, but it’s not going to last forever. Chase says, here’s hoping, and Finn says, he thought Chase and Brook were good friends. Chase says, they usually are, but lately, their vibe has been off. Hanging out with Brook is effortless, but lately, it’s just awkward. He’s not sure what’s come between them. Finn laughs, and says, you’re wearing her, bro. Co-parenting Bailey with Brook has brought a new dynamic into their friendship. There’s bound to be some bumps in the road, but they’ll figure it out. Chase says, that makes sense, and Finn says, it’s going to all fall into place. Chase asks how Finn can be so sure, and Finn says, it comes from frequently being right. Just think of all the things Chase overcame this year, and he’s still standing, literally. Chase says, thanks to him, and Finn says, and Chase’s own resilience. He knows he’ll never have Chase’s optimism, but he hopes he can learn to embrace life like Chase does. Elizabeth goes by, whispers, hi, and Chase says, it looks like he already has.

Trina comes back to find Spencer heading for the reception area, and she asks where he’s going. He says he’s going to find a waitress. He can’t stand being here one more second. So he’s going to get his dinner to go. After all, he did pay for it. Trina says, Ava ambushed both of them. She didn’t know Ava was going to have her supervise him. She’ll decline. He says, no. He’s grateful to have the opportunity to work for her, if she’ll have him. She says, why not? Good help is hard to find.

Esme gets some coffee, and asks what she owes Cameron, but he says it’s on the house. She thanks him, and says he’s a life saver. She tells Josslyn that she hopes her mom and stepdad weather the storm, and if they can’t, Josslyn emerges strong anyway. She thanks Cameron for the caffeine, and Josslyn for the cabin, and says, she knows what it’s costing Josslyn. Esme leaves, and Josslyn says, is she crazy, or did Esme almost seem sincere?

Nina says, Phyllis has always been real with her. That’s why she values their friendship so much. Phyllis says she hopes they continue to be friends after she says this. Sonny may not see himself as a victim, but what Nina did, pretend not to know who he was, and keeping him from his family, including the grandson they shared, allowing Sonny to fall in love with her, that was a violation. And the only way to make this right is to leave Sonny alone. Nina says, what if he doesn’t want to be left alone? and Phyllis says, let Sonny and Carly figure this out. Whatever the next step is, it’s not hers to take. Phyllis gets her coat, and leaves.

Carly says, if there’s any chance for them, Sonny needs to be honest with her. He says, he’s already admitted he has feelings for Nina. It’s confusing and complicated, and he doesn’t want to have these feelings. That’s as honest as he can be. She tells him, he said they didn’t have sex; did he kiss her? Did he touch her? He says, it doesn’t matter, but she says, it does to her. He asks why she wants to hurt herself; she’s already hurt. She says, she can’t forgive him if she doesn’t know what she’s forgiving. He says, it’s not going to help, and she says, it can’t be worse than what she’s imagining in her head. Tell her. He says, to move forward, you have to forget, but she says, for her to move forward, she has to know every last detail. He says, that was Mike; he’s Sonny. She points at a plate, and says, his daughter wanted him to have that cookie, and walks out of the house.

Trina goes back to the table, and says, Ava knows she’ll do anything Ava asks, but when she asked if Trina was comfortable having Spencer work at the gallery, Ava never mentioned she’d be supervising him. Ava says, she doesn’t want to supervise him, and Spencer’s the one being punished, not her. Trina asks why she’s being punished, but Ava says, she’s not; she’s being rewarded. Doesn’t Trina think it would be a little satisfying, bossing Spencer around after everything he’s done to her? Trina says, honestly, no, and Ava says she doesn’t know why she’s surprised. Trina is cut from a much kinder cloth than she is. Now she feels bad that she sprang this on Trina. Can Trina forgive her? Trina says, of course (🍷), and Ava says, good. Because Trina is going to run her own gallery one day, and she’s going to need this experience, boss’s orders. Trina says, when Ava puts it that way… They see Spencer, carrying a to-go bag, and waiting for the elevator. Trina catches his eye.

Cameron says, it was sincere for Esme, and Josslyn says, it certainly was a surprise, Esme confiding in them about her childhood. Cameron wonders if it was a good surprise or a bad surprise, and Josslyn says, that depends on whether Esme was lying or not. He says, it seemed like she was telling the truth, and she says, it did. She hates to admit this, but there may be an outside chance that there’s more to Esme than she’s given her credit for. He says, if Spencer likes her, how bad can she be?… Gotcha. He asks if they should give Esme the benefit of the doubt, just this one time, and Josslyn says, she gets an A for effort, but they’ll see if she passes the class.

A nurse hands Esme a bag at the hospital pharmacy, and asks if it’s a new prescription. Esme says, it is, and the nurse says Esme needs to speak to the pharmacist. Esme says, that won’t be necessary, but the nurse says, the dosage is strong. She advises a consultation to go over proper usage. Esme says, no need. She knows exactly how to use this.

Olivia says, thanks for the chat, and Brook says, anytime, walking her to the door. Brook says, huh, she actually meant that, and Olivia says, no one is more surprised than she is. Brook says, don’t tell everybody they’re getting along; she has a reputation. Olivia says, Brook definitely has a reputation, and thanks Brook for keeping her from punching Nina in the nose. Brook says, what Nina did was truly messed up, and Olivia says, but? Brook says, but she’s made choices she knew would hurt people. Sometimes for reasons people think are right in the moment, and dig holes that are just too big to climb out of. Olivia says, Brook’s made mistakes, and Brook says, one or two. Olivia says, but beneath all of Brook’s barbs and bluster, she’s got a beautiful heart. She loves without reservation, and Olivia thinks Brook just wants to be loved in return. Brook says, the heart is a muscle; it will atrophy without use. Olivia says, start using it, and Brook says, easier said than done. Olivia says she doesn’t know about that. Sometimes the very thing we’re looking for is right in front of us.

Finn thanks Chase for introducing him to his niece. He tells Bailey that he’s so glad to finally meet her, and Chase says he wants to get her home. Finn says he should probably go find a cure for a disease or two, and Chase says, only if he has the time. He’s thrilled for Finn. He was starting to enjoy curmudgeon Finn, but thinks he can learn to like nice Finn too. Finn tells him, don’t get carried away. He knows he and Elizabeth took their time getting here… Chase says, it took them forever. They were the last two people to realize there was a spark between them. Finn says, sometimes it works that way, right? There were some obstacles, but now it seems like nothing is standing in their way.

In the locker room, Elizabeth takes out her dress. Something falls out of the locker, and she picks up her wedding ring.

Sonny is all alone in the kitchen, without even the moss bowl 🎍 for comfort. He flashes back to when he was in the Nixon Falls clinic after the fire at the Tan-O. He remembers Nina saying, what they have is real. If he leaves, she wants him to know something. She honestly loves him. He takes a swig of his drink, then smashes the glass.

On the phone, Nina says she’s sorry. Her meeting ran late. She’s on her way. She’ll be in the conference room in five minutes. Carly comes in, and slams the door. She tells Nina, you’re gonna miss that meeting.

On Monday, Trina says she saw the Ava that Josslyn warned her about, Victor tells Spencer that it’s time he lived up to being a Cassadine heir, Sonny says he really screwed up, and Nina says there’s something else Sonny didn’t tell Carly about.

😷 Down But Not Out…

Supposedly, it won’t affect the schedule.

🧼 Good Soap Characters Never Die…

Since Tony Geary is still alive and well, and living in Amsterdam smoking weed, I’m not buying it.

https://ew.com/tv/general-hospital-killed-off-luke-spencer/

Relive the moments.

⚖️ Say It Ain’t So…

What the what? But he and Obrecht are so cute together.

🎭 Closing the Curtain…

One Life To Live liked her so much, she came back later to play a different role. I had no idea she was Arthur Miller’s sister though.

https://people.com/theater/joan-copeland-broadway-star-and-sister-of-playwright-arthur-miller-dead-at-99/

💎 Wifely Tease…

I wouldn’t mind seeing her added to the cast. I liked that reality show she had with Dave Navarro.

https://www.justjared.com/2022/01/07/carmen-electra-teases-possibility-of-joining-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-cast/

🏎 Influenced Wife…

Apparently using the Kim Kardashian filter on that IG post.

💍 In Defense Of Morganite…

It’s still a gorgeous ring, and it was still expensive. I think my engagement ring was around $500.

https://people.com/style/scheana-shay-claps-back-at-fans-who-criticized-her-pink-morganite-ring-i-didnt-want-a-diamond/

🎉 Happy Last Year…

You didn’t think I’d forget. The celebration continues, even if only in my mind.

Celebrity Celebrations.

https://people.com/celebrity/happy-new-year-2022-see-celebrities-celebrating-in-photos/

How Daytime does it.

📯 Quotes of the Week

The moment we choose to love, we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. – Bell Hooks

The question is whether any civilization can wage relentless war on life without destroying itself, and without losing the right to be called civilized. – Rachel Carson

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. – Soren Kierkegaard

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins. – Jim Stovall

A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure. – Bernard Iddings Bell

Art is not what you see but what you make others see. – Edgar Degas

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. – Maya Angelou

Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness. – Steve Maraboli

If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive. – Audre Lorde

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

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

Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them. – George Eliot

🌃 Into the Night…

It’s the second weekend of the new year. That two-day break from work if you’re still doing that, and if you’re on the resignation bandwagon, call it whatever you like. But whatever you call it, enjoy a change of scenery, even if it means moving your computer to another room. You’ve got an open invite to join me on Monday for soap and Deck adventures. Until then, stay safe, stay leaving them wanting more, and stay leaving it alone, if the next step is not yours to take.

January 6, 2022 – Ava Wants Every Delicious Detail, Real Housewives On the Runway & Colder

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Tracy tells Bailey that she’s had an interesting life so far. Or should she call her Louise? She wonders, if the baby could talk, would she tell her what Brook is up to. Brook comes back, and asks, what makes Tracy think she’s up to something? Tracy says, isn’t she?

Maxie runs into the office, and Lucy says, at least one of them is here. Maxie says, sorry she’s late, and Lucy says, not as sorry as she is. Tell her, is she the only one who’s excited about taking Deception public? Maxie says she’s excited too. She was just putting out a fire. Lucy asks, what is more on fire than their IPO? Think about the substantial amount of money they stand to make as a company and as shareholders. Not to mention the fact, the sense of accomplishment. Look at them. Three women who had a dream. They brought it to fruition. It’s a reality. Deception is their baby, and she wants to see their baby thrive. Maxie flashes back to asking Brook if Tracy knows Bailey is Louise, and Brook saying, Tracy just knows Bailey isn’t hers. Lucy apologizes, and says she shouldn’t have used the word baby. Baby’s a dumb word. What she should have said is, Deception is a beautiful flower that’s worth millions of dollars. Maxie says Lucy is right. Deception is their baby, and you’d do anything to protect your baby.

At the MetroCourt, Sam tells Alexis that she wants to celebrate Alexis being the editor of the new and improved Invader. Alexis says, yeah, and Sam asks if she’s having second thoughts. Alexis says, of course (🍷) she’s having second thoughts. Just because she edited The Law Review doesn’t make her a journalist. Sam says, there’s no one better than Alexis who will know how to get the paper out of the jungle, but Alexis says, which is why they have a legal department, which she can’t join because she’s not a lawyer. Sam says, but she does know the ins and outs of the law, and Shawn wants his paper to be able to fight for justice. And that makes her perfect for the job. Alexis says, what it makes her, is terrified. She likes that.

Brando meets Gladys at the bar, and they hug. Gladys says she’s so glad to see him in person finally, and he says it’s good to see her too. She says she’s been so worried about him, but she didn’t want to nudge him with a thousand messages. He says, just a hundred and fifty or so, and she says, it’s only because she cares. He says he knows she does, and she says, losing her precious little grandson is like a knife in her heart. She cries every day for Brando and Liam. He says, and for Sasha? and she says, of course (🍷). Isn’t she joining them? He says, she called to say she couldn’t make it, when Sasha walks in behind him. Gladys says, is he sure?

Ava walks into Nina’s office, and says, so, is it true? Did that judge in Pennsylvania throw out those ridiculous charges? No more trial. No more smug look on Carly’s face? They set Nina free? Nina says she sees Ava’s heard, and Ava says, yeah, she heard, but she heard from some gossip at the spa. Why didn’t Nina tell her right away? They hug, and Ava says she’s so happy for Nina. She really is. She told Nina that Scotty was a great lawyer, and Nina says, he’s certainly effective. Ava asks what kind of rabbit he pulled out of his hat this time, and Nina says, he didn’t pull out a rabbit, just a witness that dropped a bomb on Sonny and Carly’s marriage.

Carly tells Avery that she can have the last cookie, but Avery says she’s saving it for daddy. Carly says, that’s sweet. She bets Avery is wondering why her daddy didn’t come down for breakfast this morning. Avery nods, and Carly says, she doesn’t want Avery to worry. He’s not going away again; not like last time. Avery says, then where is he?

On the phone, Sonny tells someone to have Tony oversee the shipment. He’s going to have a sit-down with Selena Wu. There’s a knock at the door, and he says, come in; it’s open. Dante comes in, and Sonny tells whoever to have Tony text him when it’s finished. He asks how Dante found him, and Dante says he talked to Michael. How’s Sonny doing? The last time he saw Sonny… Sonny says, let’s just forget about New Year’s Eve. Dante asks how they’re supposed to forget about New Year’s Eve? Sonny is there at the penthouse instead of home with Carly and his kids.

Brook says she’s late for a meeting at Deception, and she’s bringing Bailey with her, and Tracy says, take your daughter to work day? Brook says, they have wonderful daycare, and Tracy says, quite the role model; juggling work and motherhood. Maxie’s going to be there too, isn’t she? Brook says, her point? and Tracy says, Felicia is concerned that Maxie is getting overly attached to Bailey, using her as a substitute for her lost daughter. Brook says, with all due respect, Felicia worries too much. If Maxie being around Bailey is helping her cope with her own loss, she doesn’t see the harm. Brook picks up the car seat, and tells Bailey, let’s go to mommy’s office, and Tracy says, very interesting. She never, ever thought of Brook as the maternal type. Brook says, neither did she, but it changed. Tracy says, maybe. Maybe she just got better at hiding it.

Sasha gives Brando a kiss, and he says he’s glad she changed her mind about joining them. Gladys asks if she can order something for Sasha, but Sasha says, no thanks. Brando says they haven’t really seen or talked to each other since Liam’s funeral, and Sasha says she’s sorry. She just needed to be by herself. He says he understands, and she says she knows. How is he? That’s a stupid question. He says, it isn’t a stupid question. He’s glad to see her out and about. He thinks it’s good for her, even if it means sitting down with his mom. Sasha tells Gladys that she’s sorry she didn’t return her text; she’s been holed up in her apartment. Gladys says, no need to explain. It’s good to see her. Brando says he’ll go grab them a table, but Sasha says, actually, she can’t stay. It’s a big day for Deception. They’re getting ready to launch their IPO. Gladys says, oh yeah. Deception’s going on the stock market. Is that about right? Sasha says it is, and thinks the best thing for her is going back to work. Brando says he thinks Lucy and Maxie will understand, and Sasha says, she knows, but she can’t stare at her walls any longer, where she’s reminded of everything she wanted to do with Liam. He says, of course (🍷). He understands. She says he told her that he was back at the garage, so she figured, why not get back to work herself? He says he’s glad she stopped by, and she says, her too. He tells her that he loves her, and she says she loves him too, and leaves, giving Gladys a wave. Brando tells Gladys, she’s okay, and Gladys says, mm-hmm.

Alexis says, here’s to lessons learned, and she and Sam clink coffee cups. Sam says, and bravery, and Ned approaches the table. He says he called Alexis’s house, and Kristina said he could find her here. She asks if he’d like to join them, and he says, for a few minutes, if they don’t mind. He sits, and congratulates Alexis on her new job. She says, she just got this job five minutes ago, and it’s news already? Sam says, welcome to journalism in the 21st century, and Alexis thanks Ned for his good wishes, but says, something tells her that he didn’t track her down to celebrate her new career. He says, no. He has some bad news. Luke died. Sam says, no, and Alexis asks if he was sick. Ned says, no. He was killed in a terrible accident. They might have heard about it on the news; the cable car in Austria? Sam says, Luke was in that? and he says he’s afraid so. Alexis asks where he heard this, and he says his mother told him.

Ava tells Nina that she wants to hear every delicious detail, but Nina says she doesn’t take joy in any of this. Ava says, but she does; that’s why she’s here. So tell her, who was this witness, and what was the big bombshell? Nina says, Scotty called Willow to the stand and asked her to reveal what she knew about Nina’s relationship with Sonny back in Nixon Falls. Ava says, and as God is her witness, she could not tell a lie, and Nina says, she told the truth. She overheard a conversation Nina and Sonny were having about how they fell in love when he thought he was Mike. Then Sonny and Carly… Ava says she can just picture it. Sonny, sitting there with his guilty conscience, and Carly wanting Nina to walk the plank. And her, without a front row seat.

Carly says Avery’s daddy is away on business, and Avery asks, for how long? Carly says she’s not sure, but he’s not far, and he’ll be back really soon. Olivia comes in, and says she hopes it’s okay, and Carly says, sure. They were just talking about how Avery wants to leave a cookie for her daddy. Olivia asks if Avery has a hug for her Aunt Olivia, and Avery hugs her. Carly asks Avery to check on Donna and Pilar, and Avery leaves. Olivia says, she’s getting big so fast. When she comes back in this room, she’ll be ready for the prom. Carly tells her, don’t say that, and Olivia says she’s been trying to reach Carly all week; she probably noticed this morning especially. Carly says, sorry. It’s been non-stop since she got back from Pennsylvania. Olivia says she knows Nina skated. What she doesn’t know is why. Carly says, because Nina fell in love with her husband, and it turns out he felt the same way about her.

Dante says, when he left Sonny last night, Sonny was three sheets to the wind. He took Sonny’s keys, by the way. How’d he get here? Sonny says, Nina showed up after Dante left. She wanted to drive him home, but he did as Dante asked, and told her to drop him off here. Dante says, and did she? Drop him off? Sonny says, if Dante is wondering if she stayed, the answer’s no. Dante says, did he want her to?

Alexis says, Ned’s been in contact with Tracy? and Sam says, the last they heard, she was on the run from the PCPD, and fell off the grid. Ned says he knows what his mother did was unconscionable, but Luke’s death has really hit her hard. Sam asks how Tracy got ahold of him. Did she email him, because the last thing she would want is to be in front of Alexis. Tracy comes in, acknowledges Sam and Alexis, and tells Ned that she’s glad she found him.

Brook dashes into the office, saying, sorry she’s late, and Lucy thanks her for joining them finally. Brook says she needs to talk to Maxie for a second, and grabs Maxie’s arm. Lucy says she can’t, and Brook says, but she is. Maxie says, give them a second to get whatever it is out of the way, and pulls Brook outside, Brook telling Lucy, they’re going to be ahead of schedule in no time. Outside the office, Brook says, Tracy not only knows Bailey isn’t hers, but she suspects she’s Louise. Maxie says, and she left the baby with Tracy? but Brook says, no. She brought her to daycare. Lucy tells them, come on; they have a lot of work to do. Maxie says, one second, and tells Brook, they need to bluff this out. See if Tracy’s actually going to pursue it. Brook says she doesn’t have a better plan, so… They go back in, and Lucy says, yay, finally. They have so much to do. They have to schedule a press conference to announce the actual date of the IPO. Then they have to arrange for all of them to get to the stock exchange, because one of the partners has to ring the opening bell. Since Deception is her brainchild, she volunteers to do that very high profile honor. Maxie says, too bad it can’t be the Face of Deception, and Brook says, she knows she’s only staff, but shouldn’t the face of the company be the face of the company when they go public? Lucy says, that’s a fair argument, but Sasha was only supposed to take maternity leave, and now it’s turned into bereavement leave, which means all of them have to stick together and pick up the slack. Sasha walks in, and says, that’s sweet, but it won’t be necessary. She’s back, and ready to give her all for Deception.   

Ava tells Nina, don’t stop now; they’re getting to the best part. What happened after Willow threw Sonny under the bus? Nina says, the judge called Sonny to the stand to confirm or deny Willow’s testimony, and Ava says, he tried to deny it, didn’t he? Nina says, no, he didn’t. He actually talked about his feelings toward her when he thought he was Mike. He not only talked about her falling for him, but also him falling for her. Ava says, so he told the truth. What did Carly do? Nina says, Carly left the hearing before the judge could dismiss the charges, and Ava says, Carly walked out on Sonny, and left him to Nina.

Olivia says, so Willow overheard Nina and Sonny talking about their past in Nixon Falls, but it’s still no secret Nina kept Carly from knowing Sonny was alive. Now they know why, because Nina had fallen for her husband. Carly says, and he fell for Nina, but Olivia says, according to Nina. Carly says, he didn’t deny it, and Olivia says, he didn’t know who he was, and Nina knew that, and took advantage of him. She’s not saying Sonny’s not a dog; all men are dogs. For example, Ned. Olivia happens to be a dog lover. But just because Nina had feelings for Sonny, doesn’t mean he has feelings for her. Carly says she asked him that question, and he said he loves her. Olivia says, and? and Carly says, she told him that wasn’t an answer. Then she told him not to come home. Olivia looks at her, and Carly says, what? Does Olivia think she was wrong? Olivia says, not at all, and she’s not comparing the two situations in the slightest, but what did Sonny say when Carly told him about her feelings for Jason?

Sonny tells Dante, part of him – the Mike part – wanted Nina to stay, but that was just a hangover from the past; the memories that were stirred up by the drinking, and thinking about the mistakes he made when he came home. It would have been very easy to just have her stay, think about Nixon Falls, and how easy it was, or how easy he thought it was. Damn. It’s like, Carly was the one who brought him back to himself. It’s who he wants; his home. Know what he did before he conked out? He was hoping when he woke up in the morning, Nina would be forgotten. So he wakes up, opens his eyes, and the feelings are still there. And you know what? He can’t get rid of them.

Tracy says she needs a word with her son, and Ned says, she needs to get out of here before someone tips off the police. Alexis says, actually, Tracy has just done her an enormous favor. She was just sitting here, worried she didn’t have the chops to be a journalist, but it turns out that Tracy, being the giver that she is, just gave her a brand new headline. It’s all about privilege and the abuse of power.

Brando tells Gladys, he tried backing off. He tried giving Sasha time to grieve. Gladys says, it’s killing him, isn’t it? You don’t want to send a single message or God knows, call her. You’re worried even the slightest gesture will make her think you’re hounding her. You’re worried if you don’t reach out, it will seem like neglect. He says she hit the nail on the head, and she tells him not to look so shocked. She understands because she’s been doing the same thing with him. Her instinct is to love bomb him like crazy; shocking, she knows. She’s been listening to this podcast about loss, and it says, grief is like a daffodil. You plant it in the wintertime, and wait for spring until it blossoms. Or wait. Is that the podcast on gardening? Maybe it’s both, but he gets the idea. He says he’s not sure he does, and she says, she’s just giving him space until he’s ready to talk about it. He takes her hand and thanks her, saying, he appreciates that. She says, he’s welcome. Anything for her son. So, is he ready to talk about it?

Maxie says, Sasha shouldn’t be here, and Lucy says, it’s too soon. Brook says Sasha needs to take care of herself, and Sasha says, losing Liam was the hardest thing she’s ever known, but it would dishonor his memory if she curled in a ball and stopped living. Brook says, in that case, she’s been keeping a folder with all the information on the IPO for her. Sasha thanks her, and Lucy says, actually, publicity has asked her if they have any new photos for the press release. Sasha says, she’s ready for anything, and a woman comes in with Bailey. She says she’s sorry to interrupt, but Brook must have left Bailey’s pacifier in her bag.

Nina says she hates to burst Ava’s bubble, but Sonny followed Carly out of the hearing, so they could talk things through. Ava says, of course (🍷) he did, and of course (🍷) Carly took him back, right? She wishes Nina would have given her a heads up. She could have used the information Willow had to extract a confession on the child custody front. Nina says, if Ava is going to make everything about her, when Nina’s done what she can to honor Sonny’s wishes and not come between him and Carly, she can go. Ava says she’s sorry. She knows it must have been hard when Sonny turned his back on Nina and returned to Carly, and they lived happily ever after. Or did they?

Carly asks what Olivia means about her and Jason? and Olivia says she was at the wedding. She saw Carly coming down the aisle, and she looked very much like a woman in love. Carly says she told Olivia before about bottling things up, and Olivia says she told Carly, it’s not healthy. Carly says, they were extraordinary circumstances she and Jason were thrown in, and Olivia tells her to go ahead and just say she fell in love with her best friend. Carly says she did, but when Sonny came home, she put those feelings aside. Olivia says, Carly bottled them up, and Carly says, okay, she bottled them up, but the point is, she went back to the man she loves. She chose Sonny. She made a choice. Obviously Sonny can’t do the same.

Dante hates seeing Sonny seeing tear himself apart like this, and Sonny says, it’s like there’s two of him. The father Dante knows, and the guy he never met, Mike. Carly never met Mike either. Dante says, Nina met him, and Sonny says, he’s gone and doesn’t exist. It’s like that place; it’s magic every hundred years. Dante says, Brigadoon? He had to do that musical in elementary school, about a magical town that shows up every hundred years. Sonny says she can’t see Dante in a musical, but Dante says he was pretty good, thanks to Sister Mary Joseph. Sonny says, then what happened? and Dante says, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy travels back in time, gets girl, and walks off into the sunset, and the curtain falls. Sonny says, that’s make believe, and Dante says, kind of what Sonny and Nina went through, except that’s over. Unless Sonny is telling him it’s still real.

Ned tells Tracy that she shouldn’t be out and about, but she says, she’s not an invalid. Sam says, but she is a fugitive, and Tracy says, and Sam’s mother is a so-called journalist, while the man she loves is gone. Alexis says she’s very sorry to hear about Luke. She and Luke had a very fulfilling, yet complicated relationship. Tracy says, he told her, but then her mind would begin to wander, and Alexis tells her, having said that, there is no such thing as bereavement leave when you’re on the lam. And her loss, devastating as it may be, has nothing to do with her not owning up to what she did. Tracy says, Alexis wants her to go to prison? She’s already in the house with Monica, who, when she’s not telling her, it’s my house, Alan gave it to me, is moaning about some Russian. Ned says, Belarus, and Tracy says, whatever. In any case, something is going on with Ned’s daughter, and she needs to talk to him about it. Don’t talk to her about privilege. Alexis says, Tracy avoided arrest by fleeing the country on a private jet, and Tracy says, and Alexis has become a so-called journalist by failing her way to the top. Or did she sleep her way to the top this time?

Sasha asks if Bailey knows how lucky she is. Her mommy and daddy are even luckier, because they have her. They will always have… She tells everyone that she’s fine, and Brook gives Bailey her pacifier. Lucy says, about those publicity shots… and Sasha says she called Suzanne, her go-to makeup artist, on her way over, and Suzanne should be there soon. So she’ll just freshen up before they take the photos. She leaves, and the women look at each other.

Nina says, if Ava is going to take everything she’s saying and use it as ammunition to hurt Sonny, then no. She doesn’t want Ava to use it to gain advantage involving Avery’s custody thing. Ava says she was just kidding around. Seriously, she doesn’t want to see Nina end up holding the short straw. Nina says she’s not. As a matter-of-fact, last night she was helping Sonny out. She found him at Charlie’s, all alone and overserved. Ava says, he was smashed at Charlie’s? Really? Was he a mad drunk, a sad drunk, or an amorous drunk? Nina says, none of the above. He didn’t have his keys, and didn’t want her to drive him home, so she drove him to a penthouse at Harborview Towers, and she dropped him off. Ava says, Nina didn’t go inside with him and make sure he got to bed okay? Nina says she made sure he was safe, they had a little conversation, and she left. Ava says, damn. Nina really loves that guy, doesn’t she?

Olivia wonders if Carly and Sonny are all that different. They’re strong-willed and stubborn as hell. She sympathizes because she and Ned have a lot of that too. They have their pride, albeit in significantly smaller doses. What they do have is Leo, and doing what’s best for him is bringing them back together. It makes her kind of guilty to talk about this because of everything Carly is going through, but Carly says, she’d love to hear some good news. Olivia says, they decided Ned is going to officially adopt Leo, and they’re going to renew their wedding vows, and Carly says, that’s wonderful. Olivia says she thinks so, and Carly says, it’s great because they’re going to have challenges ahead. Olivia says, honestly, the marriage part worries her more than the… She has to get used to saying it. Autism. Carly says, Leo’s a great kid, and Olivia says, that’s not going to change. Carly says, that’s a great way to look at it, and Olivia tells her, don’t waste time like she did. Marriages and families, there always going to be a challenge. Most marriages end in divorce. Families with cousins cutting each other out of the picture books. Don’t be those people. Carly asks what she’d do without Olivia, and they hug. Olivia says, Carly will never know; she’s not going anywhere. Carly and Sonny are destined for each other; until death do us part. The man even died and came back to her. Carly laughs.

Sonny tells Dante, the love he has for Carly and for his family is real. I suddenly notice a big plant in bowl on the coffee table. It’s no moss bowl 🎍, but still distracting, and I wonder who’s been watering that if no one lives there? Who’s been cleaning this place? Sonny says he doesn’t have to tell Dante that; Dante knows that. Dante says, of course (🍷), and Sonny says, when he was in Nixon Falls, he told Carly, he would always have this vision. He would dream, and see a blond woman. He’d try to touch her, and he couldn’t, and she woudn’t come to him. It happened quite a bit. Then, when he came close to dying, it all rushed back to him. The blonde woman was Carly, and he knew that’s where he belonged, with her and with his family. This whole thing with Nina, the feelings and all, doesn’t really matter. Dante says, he believes Sonny, and Sonny asks how he makes Carly believe him. Dante says he thinks Sonny has to stop telling him about it, and talk to Carly about it.

Ned says he’s taking Tracy home, but she says, not until she has a word with him in private. Ned says, excuse them, and they step away. Sam asks if Alexis is okay, and Alexis says she’s great. Mixing it up with Tracy is invigorating. Sam says, as amazing as that all was, Tracy needs to pay for what she did to Alexis.

Brando says, he admires the way Sasha’s able to cope, and Gladys says, he’s sweet to admire how well she’s handling this, but trust her when she says this. A woman can’t carry a child for nine months, and lose it, and turn the page overnight. You can’t wallpaper over a hurt like this no matter how hard you try.

Brook wonders if someone should check on Sasha, and Maxie says she knows her experience with Louise is different, but Sasha might need some time alone to pull herself together. Lucy says, you never ever really get over a loss like that. Maybe this is too soon, and Sasha’s pushing too hard to get over it. Brook says, if she is, they’ll be there for her, and Maxie says, in the meantime, they just have to hope Sasha knows what’s best for Sasha.

Sasha looks at herself in the bathroom mirror, and says, get it together, Gilmore. Your friends and your partners are counting on you. Do not let them down. She takes a lipstick out of her bag, and her hand shakes, but she takes a deep breath, and puts some on.

Nina tells Ava that she’s never denied her feelings for Mike, and what she still feels for Sonny. Ava tells her, what Nina’s not saying is… Nina says, go ahead. Ava is dying to say it. So say it, and get it out of her system. Ava says, it’s clear how Nina feels about Sonny, but what Nina’s still not able, or willing, to face, is how Sonny feels about her. Nina says, she knows it’s hard for Sonny to forget what they went through together in Nixon Falls, but they’re back in reality, back here. Ava says Nina still doesn’t get it. Nina thinks Sonny is caught between the past and the present, but that’s not what this is about. He’s caught between Carly and Nina.

Carly says, she knows Sonny came back from Nixon Falls, but Mike came with him. Olivia says, Nina is the one who won’t let Sonny go, but don’t worry; she’ll get what’s coming to her. Carly asks if she promises, and Olivia says she does. They don’t call it karma for nothing. Carly needs to think about what she wants. After everything that happened in Nixon Falls, and knowing what she knows and how she felt about Jason, be honest. Can she expect Sonny to be there totally and completely for her, if she’s not there totally and completely for him?

Sonny tells Dante, he’s not sure Carly wants to see him right now, the way they left things. Dante says, she was hurt, and she was angry, and Sonny couldn’t make it better, so he tried to drink himself numb. He took his time out, and it didn’t work. So now he has to go back there and talk to her, and it’s going to hurt, but that’s the way it is. Dante’s phone rings, and he says, it’s Sam. Sonny tells him, go ahead, and Dante steps away. He asks Sam, what’s up? and she asks how soon he can make it to the MetroCourt. He says, it’s too late for lunch, and too early for dinner. Are they talking business or pleasure? Sam asks if it’s not too late to make an arrest.

Brando suggests Gladys grab a table while he settles the tab. She says he doesn’t have to, unless he insists. She asks if he knows how proud of him she is, and he says, of what? She says, he admires Sasha for being strong, and getting on with her life. She thinks he’s just as strong, if not stronger, for letting himself hurt.

Sasha says, sorry to keep waiting them waiting, and Brook says, she looks… wow. Maxie says, of course (🍷) she does; she’s the Face of Deception. Lucy says, yes she is, and Sasha looks awesome. She thought while they were waiting for Sasha’s makeup artist, they could what Sasha is going to say at the press conference. Maxie and Brook step outside, and Maxie asks what exactly Tracy did to make Brook think she believes Bailey is Louise? Brook says, it’s nothing she did or said. It’s that crocodile smile. Like she knows that Brook knows that she knows. Maxie says, can they trust her? She’s a liar and a schemer. Tracy would exploit them in a way that would benefit her own agenda. They need to come up with a plan. Before Tracy blows it, and Peter finds out they’ve been hiding his daughter in plain sight.

On the phone, Ned tells someone to let him know if there are any new developments. Tracy asks if he’s done, and he says, it was about ELQ. Normally she’d say, there’s nothing more important. She says, this time there is, namely, his daughter. He asks what Brook has done now, or rather, what is Tracy accusing her of having done. She says, it’s about that baby of hers. He says, Bailey? What about her? She says, Bailey. What kind of name is Bailey? While they’re on the subject… Dante walks over to Tracy, and she says, just a minute; this is important. He says she’s under arrest, and handcuffs her. Sam and Alexis clink coffee cups.

Nina tells Ava, Sonny loves Carly. End of story. Ava says, maybe this story has a sequel. She picks up her bag, and says, stay tuned. She walks to the door, and says, Sonny may love his wife, but he still has feelings for Nina and can’t shake them. Deep down, Nina knows it’s true.

Carly looks at her phone, and tells Olivia that her mom keeps calling her. She wonders what that’s about. Olivia says Carly should call her, and find out. Carly says, she will, but first, she wants to hear Olivia’s news. Olivia said she had something to tell her. Was it the whole Leo and Ned thing? Olivia says, no, but she thinks it’s Carly’s mom’s news to tell, but suggests they talk after, and about the other stuff they talked about. Sonny told Carly about how he feels about Nina. Carly told him how she felt about Jason on her wedding day, but has she told Sonny how she feels about him still? Sonny walks in.

Tomorrow, Ava tells Spencer that they’re not finished, Finn asks if Elizabeth is having second thoughts, Nina wonders what if Sonny’s happiness lies with her, and Sonny says he doesn’t want to spend one more minute without Carly.

Project Runway

There were seven designers left, and Chasity said she was feeling the pressure like never before. She felt she had to push harder. She had some little Black girls looking up to her as their hero, and couldn’t fail them. The designers gathered at the runway, where there were containers of apples, oranges, and flowers, and Christian said they played an important part in the challenge. This week, it was the Real Client Challenge. They’d be working with some women who were real, and knew what they wanted. From The Real Housewives of New York City, it was LuAnn and Leah; The Real Housewives of Potomac, Grande Dame Karen, Gizelle, and Wendy; and from The Real Housewives of Orange County, it was Shannon and Gina. The designers’ task was to create the ultimate Reunion show look for Real Housewife, Christian reminding them that each one had her own particular needs and wants. LuAnn said the Reunion was something they waited for a whole year, and they had to look amazing. More concisely, Leah said they needed to look effing fierce. We saw some clips from the Reunions.

The designers were paired up with a Housewife: Anna with Gina, Aaron with Gizelle, Chasity with Karen, Kristina with Wendy, Bones with Shannon, Shantall with LuAnn, and Coral with Leah. Leah told Coral that she wanted to look like a sexy Disney princess, but in Coral’s interview, she said she had more warrior goddess in mind. She didn’t do Disney. The designers were instructed to balance their personal vision with what the client wanted.   

They had 30 minutes and $700 in Mood. While Coral had promised Leah an emerald color, she was drawn to a fabric with cut-outs that was a nude, and hoped the color change was okay. Leah might have wanted flowers and ruffles, but she wasn’t doing that. Gizelle had told Aaron that she thought of herself as a Barbie, which he thought went along with his forte of fashion meets costume.  

Instead of models, the designers got the Housewives. In Aaron’s interview, he said, they don’t give a sh*t, are highly opinionated, and always extra. They needed to love their looks. Coral’s dress looked beautiful, but it definitely wasn’t what Leah asked for. When Leah first saw it, it looked like things might go south. Instead, Leah said it wasn’t what she was expecting, but it was epic. It was better than what she’d come up with in her own head. In Coral’s interview, she said she’d taken a huge risk, but it totally paid off. Leah said she effing loved it.

Since it’s impossible to have Housewives in a room without drama, Kristen had created a pantsuit for Wendy that had a bustier top with wide-leg flowy pants. Wendy said she’d just gotten new boobs and new butt, and wanted to show them off. She wasn’t mean, but obviously unhappy, and Kristina started crying. In Aaron’s interview, he said you could learn techniques in school, but the only way to learn to do custom work was to actually work with clients. Kristina ran out to calm down and have a smoke, and Anna and Gina followed her to lend support. They also told her smoking was bad for her, although that probably wasn’t the time for that lesson. Gizelle asked if Wendy had made Kristina cry, and Christian said, it was down to the wire, and Kristina was probably just emotional. In Kristina’s interview, she said it was very stressful and intense, and reminded her of school in Antwerp. She’d had a nervous breakdown, but the school had psychotherapy, and she took advantage of that. She recovered, and was able to go back to work. Still, she sometimes got emotional under stress. She and Bones had a drink, and let out a scream on the rooftop.

In his interview, Aaron said, it was runway day, and that meant chaos was about to ensue. The Housewives came for their final fittings, and Kristina had made modifications to the pantsuit, and added a long, flowing scarf. It seemed like Wendy still wasn’t too thrilled though. To be fair, Kristina had said she could do a gown or pantsuit, and Wendy had said she didn’t really care. In Bones’s interview, he said he thought Anna wasn’t as focused as she had been, and felt he’d be able to stay longer in the competition. Meow. The Housewives went to hair and makeup, and I thought the outfits didn’t look ready, although Wendy actually ended up looking pretty good.  

Brandon hoped the designers had gotten through the challenge without having wine thrown at them, and Andy Cohen was introduced as guest judge. It went this way. Gizelle wore a pink jumpsuit with one long, dramatic sleeve. In Aaron’s interview, he said she was perfection. She was using the sleeve, and living her best life. She was a vision. Karen wore a sparkly black gown, and in her jumpsuit, Wendy used the scarf all over the place. Gina wore a skirt and top; the top having space age shoulder pads, and the skirt being a more relaxed pencil skirt; the whole thing very boxy and constructed. Shannon wore a just above the knee black cocktail dress, with an asymmetrical hem. There were two sleeves – one of her must haves – but one was lacy with feathers. In Bones’s interview he said, Shannon’s ex should feel sad, because she looks sexy AF now. Leah’s neutral gown was sheer underneath, with the overlay of the cut-out fabric, strips of it flowing at the waist. LuAnn wore a black gown that was a combination of business and cabaret party, with one sleeve, a corset top, and a high slit skirt, lace peeking from the slit. All the Housewives worked the runway, and afterwards, Elaine said she felt like she just got off a roller coaster ride. Andy said, welcome to the Housewives.

The Housewives stayed behind as well, to give their opinions, and Elaine said they’d do it by franchise. NYC was first, and LuAnn said she liked to dress classically, but also loved cabaret. Nina said the dress was fit for a countess, and Brandon said it had gotten one of his highest scores ever. He said there was an understanding of women in Shantall’s work that was rare. I thought of Oscar de la Renta, since I feel that way about him. Leah loved her look as well, and Andy said he’d thought it wasn’t what she would wear, but he liked the overlay, which was hippie-ish and her style. Brandon said he was worried the color would wash her out on camera, but Elaine thought she looked commanding. From the OC, Andy thought Shannon’s look was her, but it was refreshing to see her in black. Shannon said it felt slimming, and Nina thought she looked fabulous. Andy liked the drama of Gina’s shoulders, but it wasn’t his idea of her. Nina thought it was poorly made, and that Gina had a hard time walking, and Brandon thought it felt gothic. Gina said she thought they were both trying to make each other happy, and Elaine said, communication was key. Representing Potomac, Elaine thought Wendy’s metallic hot pink was dated, and Wendy said it was more like compromise than collaboration because she knew it was a competition, and wanted Kristina to work in her wheelhouse. Gizelle thought Aaron had killed it, and she felt like she could cut a bitch out. Andy asked Karen what she thought about Gizelle’s outfit, and Elaine accused him of stirring the pot, but Karen said it was the best she’d seen Gizelle look. Aaron said it was about giving Gizelle a moment with the one long sleeve. Brandon said they made a good duo, and Gizelle said Aaron was going where she did. Elaine said it seemed like there were good vibes with Karen and Chasity, and Karen said Chasity was willing to listen, but put herself in it as well. Nina thought it was a little safe, and Brandon said the look wasn’t new, but Karen looked like she was in charge like the Grande Dame should be.  

Andy said pleasing Housewives was difficult, and he was impressed. Elaine said overall, they’d done a good job, and Andy said the Housewives were not only happy, they looked great. The judges deliberated, and Brandon said Gizelle looked comfortable and confident. Elaine said it was a match made in heaven. Andy said, LuAnn liked a sequin or 500, and the gown was a departure, but still in sync with who she was. Brandon thought she’d never looked better. Nina was disappointed in Chasity, although Andy said Karen was happy. Brandon said it was all about the client, but the gown wasn’t very original. Andy said Gina’s outfit would be savaged on Twitter; they wanted glam, not Goth. The Reunion was their Superbowl moment, and there was nothing Superbowl about it. Nina said, Wendy almost had a Janet Jackson moment, and Andy said she obviously wasn’t happy with the collaboration. Brandon said it was obvious there was a struggle, and a designer should quietly and poetically inject themselves into what they’re creating.

Everyone came back out, and Nina said Shantall was the winner, LuAnn’s gown being elegant, intelligent, and modern. Andy said it was elegant, sophisticated, and perfect for both LuAnn and the Reunion. Nina pointed out that was two in a row for Shantall, who said she was honored to be among such talented personalities. In Shantall’s interview, she said the win would help her be recognized as a designer, and would be an opportunity to make her brand grow. LuAnn told her that she was a great designer, and deserved it. Bones and Coral were declared in without fanfare. Nina said Chasity was in, however, she needed to push herself in the next challenge.

Elaine said it was painful to see the strongest designers up there. Nina said Kristina’s collaboration with Wendy didn’t go well, and the scarf was ill-conceived. Anna’s outfit for Gina was executed, and not appropriate for the Reunion. Anna was out, Bones’s prediction coming true, but Nina said she was still a huge fan of Anna’s work. She was sorry, but it was getting close, and the most painful part of the competition. Although she was crying, Anna said she appreciated their encouragement. Elaine said Anna would do incredible things, and in Anna’s interview, she said she was disappointed because she knew she could deliver more. She felt the competition helped her discover a part of herself she never had before. She said her goodbyes to the group, and Christian said she’d do unbelievable things. She made stunning, gorgeous clothes. In her interview, Anna said, Asian Americans were conservative and held themselves back a lot, and the competition had allowed her to show herself off. She was excited to see what she was going to do in the future.

Next time, collaborations with up and coming stylists, the look inspired by the hairstyle of the model; and Aaron wonders what he needs to do to win.

🚉 Next Stop…

Set a spell tomorrow for some soap, tea, and a knowledge drop or two. Until then, stay safe, stay cultivating common sense, and stay out of the spotlight if you’re on the lam.