Category Archives: Lisa Vanderpump

April 9, 2024 – Nina’s Plans Take a Surprise Turn, Wait What, Schwartz Embraces His Pre-Midlife Crisis Mode, In the Valley & Never

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Trish tells Michael and Willow, as requested, the best table in the house. Michael thanks her, and she tells them that their waitress will be right with them. Enjoy their meal. Trish leaves, and Willow says, isn’t Michael the perfect husband, taking her out for supper. He says, only the best for his lovely bride. Happy anniversary. She says, just a little bit early, and he says, early or late, every single day with her is a celebration.

Nina asks Trish if everything is okay, and Trish says, everything is fine. She just thought Nina would want to know that her daughter’s here with her husband.

Kristina goes the penthouse and Ava answers the door. Kristina asks if her dad is here, but Ava says, he’s not really available. He’s resting. She’ll tell him that Kristina came by though. Kristina says she’s going to wait for him because she really needs to speak with him tonight, and Sonny says, who’s that? Just what he needs, a visit from one of his favorite daughters. She says she doesn’t know about that, and they hug. He says, definitely in the top three.

Drew calls Carly at Kelly’s, and she says, it’s really great to hear his voice. He says, and hers. He’s calling because he needs to get in touch with Jason and doesn’t have a way to reach him. She says, he has a phone now. She can give him Jason’s number. He says, just give him a message please. Tell Jason that he got a little visit from the FBI this afternoon.

Jason leads Diane into the Corinthos Coffee warehouse, and she thanks him for meeting her in the parking lot. It isn’t the best area of town. Why did he want to meet here in the first place? He says, because this – he opens a door – is going to be his office. She laughs and says, that’s Sonny’s office, and he says, not anymore. (I’m with Jason so far on just about everything, but taking Sonny’s office? Um… no.)

Nina says she didn’t know Michael and Willow were coming in tonight, and Trish says, they’re celebrating their anniversary. Nina says, but their anniversary isn’t until later in the month, and Trish says, there’s a note on the reservation that it’s an anniversary celebration. And somebody called ahead for a special dessert. Nina thanks her.

Willow says she can’t believe it’s a few more weeks and they’ve been officially married for a year, and he says he knows. And he knows their actual anniversary is in the middle of Brook and Chase’s wedding, so he thought they should celebrate tonight. But nothing says they can’t sneak off for some alone time that night too. She says she’s glad they did this. They have a lot of anniversaries to look forward to, but the first one is a big milestone and it’s nice to be here alone with him. He says he feels the same way and they kiss. A server comes over with champagne for the table, and Michael says he thinks it’s a mistake. They didn’t order that. Nina appears and says, that’s her gift. Happy anniversary.

Sonny tells Kristina to have a seat. Put her feet on the table if she wants. Is she hungry? He can grab her something to eat. She says, he doesn’t have to fuss over her, and he says, she can’t blame a father for worrying about his pregnant daughter. She says she knows, and she loves that about him, but she’s good. Ava says, how about something to drink then? and Kristina asks for a water. (Not loving Ava’s new bangs. They belong on a 12-year-old, and Ava is way too stylish for that.) Ava says, of course (🍷), and goes to the bar. Sonny says, it’s late. What’s going on? Kristina says she ran into Josslyn at Bobbie’s and they kind of got into it. There may have been some yelling. He asks what they were fighting about, and she says, him. He says, it’s not surprising because Josslyn isn’t one of his fans, and Kristina says, she’s definitely on the warpath. It drives her crazy that Josslyn always has to be right about everything. The holier-than-thou attitude is so annoying. He says, it doesn’t matter what Josslyn thinks because Kristina shouldn’t have to defend him, but Kristina says she wanted to. He says, these are his battles, not her battles, and she says she knows better than to engage with Josslyn anyway. She couldn’t help herself. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones, which are no joke anyway. Ava gives Kristina her water and gives Sonny a drink. Kristina looks from the drink to Ava, then back to the drink.

Carly says, the FBI questioned Drew about Jason? and he says, at least they came to his office and didn’t drag him in for a formal interview. They wanted to know how much contact he’s had with Jason since he resurfaced. She says, that’s ridiculous, but he says, not really. The FBI doesn’t know them and they’re brothers. They might have thought Jason would confide in him. She says she’s sorry he got dragged into this, and he says, at least they know Jason didn’t shoot Dante. Did he happen to mention where he’s been since 2021? She says, no. He hasn’t said much. Drew says, never does. Take care of herself. Stay out of whatever trouble he’s in, okay? If not for herself, then for Josslyn and Donna. They need her to take care of them. Jason can take care of himself.

Making himself comfortable in Sonny’s office, Jason tells Diane that he and Sonny were partners. He still owns 50% of Corinthos Coffee. Or he did. She says, no, he does. Or he will, once the necessary paperwork has been filed. He says, what about everything else? He knows he left his estate equally divided between Jake and Danny, and the other half went to Carly. Nobody’s asked anything. Nobody seems to know what’s going on. What happened? She says, the short answer is, his estate has been in probate the whole time, and he asks, why? What’s the problem? She says, because the law is complicated. There are a lot of hoops to jump through. Normally, it takes seven years for a certificate of death in absentia to be issued, and that was necessary in this case because they couldn’t find his body… which is now very evident as to why. He says, okay, and she says, and even with the notarized statements she had from witnesses, who all claimed no one could have survived that cave-in in Greece, it still should have taken several years. Strangely enough, the government issued a certificate of death in absentia for him the moment she filed the paperwork. Which leads her to believe someone behind the scenes was working in his favor.

Michael says, if they were going to order champagne, they would have done it themselves, and Nina says, that’s just the start. She arranged for the chef to prepare them a fabulous five-course dinner, only their finest dishes. Her treat. Willow says, the last time they spoke, she made it clear she doesn’t want to see Nina, and Nina says she didn’t mean to intrude. She’s just confused because they’re here, so she thought… Willow says, Michael asked her where she wanted to go, and she picked the MetroCourt because she’s always liked it and doesn’t want to avoid it because of Nina. She thought the fact that Nina hadn’t reached out for the past few weeks meant that Nina accepted and honored her wishes. Nina says she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to interrupt. She just thought because they were here… It doesn’t matter what she thought. She picks up the champagne and says she’ll cancel everything and won’t bother them again. She leaves, and Willow asks if that was as awful as it felt. Michael says, it was pretty bad, and she says, this is her fault. They should have gone to the Grill or Café Cherie. He says, she wanted to come to the MetroCourt because she loves their chocolate soufflé, and he wanted to bring her here because she loves their chocolate soufflé, and he loves her. She says, but it was wishful thinking that Nina would actually keep her distance. He says, that’s on her; it’s not on Willow. They’re here together, it’s their anniversary, the chocolate soufflé has already been ordered. So let’s just have a glass of wine and celebrate. She says, he really is the best husband, and he tells her, don’t you forget it, and they kiss.

Kristina says, that water really hit the spot. She thinks she dehydrated herself yelling at Josslyn. Sonny says, next time, she has to just take a deep breath and walk away, and she says, he’s right. What Josslyn thinks doesn’t really matter. He asks, what else is going on? How’s work? She says, work’s fine. Everything’s fine. She does have some good news actually. Allie – Blaze – is going to be the new Face of Deception. He says he knew that because he ran into Blaze’s mother at the MetroCourt when he was meeting with Lois. Natalia was going to talk to Brook about everything. She says, small world. It’s a smart move for both Blaze’s career and Deception. She thinks they’re going to have a lot of crossover exposure there. It’s cool. He says he’s just worried about how it’s going to affect her, and she asks what he means. He says, Blaze is going to be the new Face of Deception and get famous or more famous. Does she think she can deal with that with everything she’s got going on? She says, yeah. She doesn’t think that spotlight’s going to fall on her at all. Maybe if Allie were out publicly, but she made a deal with her mother to keep her personal life personal. He asks how Kristina feels about that.

As Carly flips over the sign at Bobbie’s to Closed, Olivia blows in and says she’s going to kill her. Carly is going to have to bail her out of prison because she’s going to kill her. Carly says, who? and Olivia says, Nina. She fired Pearce. Can Carly believe it? Carly says, the room service waiter? And Olivia says, yes. Some picky guest had a mix-up with the order, which has been known to happen during peak hours when the guy gets a little overwhelmed. Carly says, but they just apologize for him, comp the order, and pull back on the amount of orders he was filling, and Olivia says, of course (🍷). That’s what they would do, but not Nina. She looks at his record, she sees there’s a couple of complaints, and off he goes. (I guess it never occurred to them to maybe not have him scheduled for peak hours or, God forbid, let Nina know.) Carly says, Olivia has to hire him back, and Olivia says, of course (🍷) she’s going to hire him back, but the guy was heartbroken and mortified. The whole staff knew about it. Carly says she can’t believe Nina fired Pearce. He’s been with the MetroCourt since it opened. Olivia says, the woman’s been on a rampage ever since Sonny dumped her, but Carly says she thinks dumped is an excuse. She can’t believe Nina fired sweet Pearce. And she did it without input from Olivia, her partner. Olivia says, that’s not the only thing Nina’s done without input from her.

Jason says, if Diane has his death certificate, why is his estate still in probate? and Diane says, because there were various rumblings about money laundering and racketeering… He says, come on. They know the assets in his will are legitimate. She says, but that needed to be proved to the government’s satisfaction. The wheels of justice turn very slowly when an estate as large as his needs to be vetted. But this is great news because none of his assets have been disbursed and his estate is intact. He should be able to reclaim it with a minimum of fuss. He says, okay. What about Carly? Why is she running Bobbie’s? Why did she give up the MetroCourt? Diane says, she didn’t, and he says, then what happened? She says, in a word – Nina. (Oh, come on. How is it that Nina’s to blame for everything, even things she had nothing to do with? She bought it, but she wasn’t the reason Carly had to sell it. Not to mention she tried to give it back to Carly a couple of times. She even had to be talked into buying it in the first place.)

Willow asks Michael to tell the truth. If Nina hadn’t tried to comp the champagne, was he going to order a bottle? He says he thought they weren’t going to talk about Nina, and she says, he’s right. Consider the subject changed. He says, good, because they’re celebrating, right? and she says, yes. He says, and what is a celebration without – he reaches in his jacket pocket and takes out a jewelry box – a little gift. She tells him that they said no presents. She didn’t get him anything. He says he knows he said that, and he means it, because honestly, he has everything he could ever want. But she, his beautiful bride, deserves the world. She opens the box, sees a gold bangle, and says, it’s stunning. He says he’s glad she likes it, and she says, who wouldn’t like this? He takes it out and puts it on her wrist, and she thanks him. She loves it. She just wishes she had more places to wear it. He asks what she means, and she says, something this fancy doesn’t exactly go with her scrubs, but she’ll save it for special occasions. He says he’ll make sure that more of those occasions happen, and she says, it’s a deal. How did he decide on this? He says, Wiley actually picked it out. He brought Wiley to the jeweler’s, narrowed it down, and Wiley chose that one. She says, Wiley never said a word to her, and he says, Wiley is very good at keeping secrets. She says, it probably helps that Wiley is in bed asleep half the time when she gets home. She constantly feels like she’s playing catch-up and missing things with the kids. Sometimes she only hears about their day from Michael or the nanny. They’re only going to be this young once and she feels like she’s missing so much.

Olivia holds out a paint sample card and asks what color Carly would say that is, and Carly says, light yellow. Olivia says, yes, and thanks her. According to Nina, this is either off-white, chartreuse, or her personal favorite, greenish gold. (I was actually thinking off-white.) The woman is insane. Carly says, that’s for sure, and Olivia says, Nina’s taken advantage of her being distracted with Dante and the hospital and everything, and she painted all the bathrooms on the fourth floor that color. Carly says, that can’t look good, and Olivia says, everyone one of them looks like a walk-in corpse. Carly says, at least it was only one floor, and Olivia says, so far. Who knows what Nina is going to do next time she has her back turned? The woman is a menace. Carly says, for many reasons. Can she get Olivia something? A coffee? Olivia says she just needed to vent, thanks Carly, and hugs her. Olivia leaves, and a woman walks in. Carly says she’s sorry, but they’re closed, and the woman says she’s looking for Diane Miller. Diane asked her to bring these documents here for a meeting with Jason Morgan at this address. Carly says, he stays here, but he’s at his Corinthos Coffee office. Maybe she’s meeting him there. The woman asks if Carly has that address by any chance, and Carly says, actually, she’s on her way there. She can drop off those documents to Diane if she wants. The woman says, that would be a lifesaver, and thanks Carly, giving her the envelope. Carly thanks her back, and the woman leaves.

Jason asks what Nina has to do with the MetroCourt, and Diane says, where does she begin? Jason says, before he left for Greece, Sonny and Carly were back together and Nina was behind him. Diane says, their marriage fell apart shortly after he left. Details not necessary. Suffice to say, Sonny chose Nina over Carly. Then Drew and Michael hatched an ill-advised scheme to get control of ELQ by merging it with Aurora Media. Carly wanted to help; she wanted to invest. So she leveraged her half of the MetroCourt. Then when the deal fell apart, Carly took a huge hit financially. He says, she didn’t tell him any of this, and Diane says, Carly couldn’t buy back her half of the hotel, so Nina swooped in and purchase it. (I hate when they rewrite history. Heaving a Jason-like sigh.) Bobbie gave the diner to Carly to help her back on her feet. He asks why Nina would want the hotel, and Diane says, because Nina Reeves believes that Carly is the reason for everything that’s wrong with her life. So after she took Carly’s husband and her hotel, Nina turned Drew and Carly in to the Feds for SEC violations. Jason’s brother took the blame, did some prison time, but Carly had to pay a five million dollar fine and almost lost her house. Jason says, but she didn’t, and Diane says, no, she didn’t. Somehow, she’s managed to hang on and she’s building back her life. Carly’s not the easiest client she’s ever had, but she’s astonishingly resilient. He says, yeah, she is.

Kristina says she’s fine with the way Allie wants things to be, and Sonny says, really? She says, yeah. Blaze is a famous musician, and she works hard – Ava listens in – and a lot of people in the public eye want to keep their personal lives personal. They’re already on display so much as it is, so she gets it that Blaze would want to keep some things to herself. He says, that’s true, and she says, it would be the same thing if she were dating a male musician who was an up-and-coming hot new artist. She wouldn’t want to be joined at the hip with him either. She wants to be known as her own person and wants to be known for her own achievements, not being someone’s girlfriend. Sonny says, she works so hard. No one is going to think that. She says, maybe not, but she also loves her anonymity. She doesn’t want to be recognized in public. She’d have to think about looking good whenever she goes out. Is he kidding her? It’s not for her. But she’s proud of Allie. She saw Allie when she was going in for a meeting with Nina at Crimson, and she thought, Allie is going to be on the cover of Crimson, and she deserves it. She’s really happy for her. Sonny says, Nina’s at Crimson? and Kristina says she thought he knew that. He says he didn’t – Ava listens even harder – and Kristina says, she is and, no offense to Carly, but she’s really glad for Allie’s sake. She thinks it’s great Nina is back. She just has more experience, and with Allie being the Face of Deception, she’s going to need that. He says he’s happy for Nina. She always loved that magazine. But something seems off here. Ava asks what he means, and he says, why would Drew hire back the woman who put him in prison?

Drew gets ready to leave the office, when Nina comes in. She says, he’ll never guess what happened, and he asks if this has to do with Crimson. She says, no, and he says, too bad… She says she tried to do something really nice for Michael and Willow for their anniversary and she got completely shut down. She wanted to comp Michael and Willow dinner and champagne, and Michael, of course (🍷), immediately said no, and Willow felt she had to side with him. And she has no one. She needs some help. Drew can help her, help her find a way to get back into her daughter and grandkids’ lives. He says he can’t help her, but she says, all she needs to do is talk to Willow… He says, if she’s trying to get sympathy, she came to the wrong place, but she says she doesn’t want sympathy. She wants him to help her. He says, come on. She’s got to take responsibility for her actions. She’s the one who ruined her relationship with Michael and Willow. She burned that bridge. There’s nothing he can do. She says, that’s where he’s wrong. Now that she’s back at Crimson, he can appoint her to the Aurora Board of Directors. Then Michael will be forced to deal with her. And this will be the start of her way back in. He asks why he’d help her. What would he get out of this? She says, for one thing, it would drive Carly crazy.

Nina says, Carly expects all the men in her life – Sonny, Jason, Drew – to be wrapped around her little finger, no matter how poorly she treats them. Drew says, except he’s not in Carly’s life, and she says, but that doesn’t matter to Carly. Come on. He’s not this naïve. Carly expects him to be loyal to her, even though she’s not loyal to him. And he knows she’s right. Carly’s sense of entitlement knows no bounds. If he promotes her to the board of directors, Carly will think they’re allies, or maybe even friends. And that’ll drive Carly crazy, and she’ll come running to him, begging for his attention.

Diane says she has already started the process by having Jason’s accounts reinstated. Once that happens, he’ll have complete access to everything. He says, good, and she says, in fact, her paralegal was supposed to come to this meeting tonight and bring her some documents for Jason to review and sign. She’s guessing because of the hour and the location, they got too nervous to come down. She’ll have everything to him tomorrow, latest. He thanks her and she starts to leave, but he says, hold on. He needs her to do something else for him. She says, name it, and he says, Sonny made it very clear to him that he doesn’t want to see his face or hear from him again. So he wants her to let Sonny know that he’s taking back his half of the company and he’s going to be working right here.

Michael says, it’s up to Willow. What he said from the beginning still stands. He’ll support her if she wants to keep working and he’ll support her if she wants to quit. She says, getting her nursing degree was hard and she really wanted to get back to work, but the truth is, she does have the luxury of spending more time at home with their kids. Wiley’s school is half-day, but Amelia is still so little. She wants those sweet baby moments… and she notices he’s not saying anything. He says he doesn’t want to influence her, and she says, but? He says, but nothing. It really is her choice. They have plenty of money. She says, he has plenty of money, but he says, it’s her money too, because she’s family. Her, him, Wiley, and Amelia. And what’s best for their family is for her to do what she thinks is right. She says, it is an incredible luxury knowing she doesn’t have to work, that she could choose something different, something that gave her more time with the kids. And maybe it is time she really thought about it. He says, if she decides not to keep working at the hospital, there is other work she can do. More flexible, and she’d still be doing a lot of good. She says, please tell her more about this flexible do-gooding occupation he just described, and he says, his great-grandmother Lila was on the board of several non-profit charities, and they did amazing things. She could choose a charity, or charities, she’s interested in, and she could really make a difference. She could work it around her schedule with the kids and she’d have the best of both worlds.

Ava tells Sonny that she wouldn’t worry about it. If Drew is up to something, then Nina will figure it out. She can take care of herself. He says, she’s probably right, and Kristina says, it’s getting really late, and she has plans with Blaze, so she’s going to get going. She hates to drink and run, but… She hugs Sonny and says she loves him. He says he loves her too, and Kristina says goodbye to Ava. She leaves, and Ava says, other than her little tiff with Josslyn, Kristina seems good. He says, she does. So did Ava’s friend Nina tell her that she got her job back at Crimson, and Ava just didn’t mention it? Ava says, that’s not what happened. In fact, Nina’s phone must be lost under some photographs on her desk because she hasn’t heard from her. And maybe those divorce papers she hasn’t signed yet are there too. He says he didn’t know she was keeping track, and she says she just knows he wants things settled. It’s none of her concern. He laughs and says he guesses she’s right. They look at each other longingly.

Two guys beat the crap out of John in an alleyway, but they hear a car horn and stop. Carly yells, leave him alone! and gets out of the car. The guys take off, and Carly runs to John. She asks if he’s okay and takes his pulse. He groans, and she asks if he can hear her. She flips him over and realizes who it is.

Carly tells John to look at her. She asks if he knows who she is, and he says, she’s Carly Spencer. She says, that’s good. Thank God. She helps him sit up, but he says he’s got it. She says, he’s hurt. She’s going to call 911. They can’t have gotten far. He says, no. Don’t. They jumped him from behind. He can’t identify them. It’s pointless. She asks why they attacked him. Was it a robbery? Did they take anything? He checks to see if he has his wallet and says, they didn’t take anything. She says she must have scared them off when she pulled up and started yelling at them, and he says, either that, or robbery wasn’t their intention. He gets up and leans against the wall. She says, they have to get him out of here in case they decide to come back. She’s going to walk him to his car. Lean on her. He puts his arm around her shoulders, and she helps him down the alley.

Michael says he thinks Willow would be fulfilled raising their kids and working with these charities. And she’d be amazing at both. Taking his hand, she says, even after all this time, sometimes she still forgets how much he believes in her. He says, always, and she says, it’s kind of crazy. Growing up like she did, she never dreamed that one day she’d be in a position to have this kind of choice. He makes her feel like the luckiest person in the world. He says, right back at her, and they kiss.

While Ava and Sonny stare at each other, there’s a knock at the door. He says he has to get that, and opens the door to Diane. He says, it’s pretty late. What’s wrong? She says, there’s nothing wrong. She’s here on behalf of another client. He says, Jason, and she says, yes. With Jason’s return, his estate will immediately be pulled from probate. All of his assets will be returned to him, and he’s asked her to tell Sonny that he’ll be resuming his half-interest in Corinthos Coffee. He says, that’s not going to happen, but she says she just came from the warehouse where he’s setting up his office. Sonny says, message received, and walks out of the apartment. Diane smiles at Ava.

Nina tells Drew that just because Carly comes running, doesn’t mean he has to let her in. He already played hero for her. Do something for himself for once. He says, by doing something for her, and she says, by helping her get closer to her daughter. He says, Willow has made it very clear. She doesn’t want to get close to Nina. She doesn’t want to know Nina at all. Nina asks Drew to have some compassion. He knows what it’s like to be separated from his child. He asks, who’s fault was that? How dare she demand his help with her kid, when she got him locked away? She says she didn’t create those consequences. He and Carly did when they… He says, the excuses keep coming, and they both yell at the same time. He starts to walk away, but she grabs his arm, and his shirt opens, several buttons popping off. She says she’s talking to him, but then gets mesmerized by his abs. He asks, what’s wrong with her? and he realizes his lack of buttons. She wonders where the buttons have gotten to, and he takes off his shirt. He tosses it at her and says, they’re all hers.

In John’s hotel room, Carly says she wants John to see a doctor, but he says he just needs some ibuprofen. His head is pounding is all. She says, no surprise there. What the hell was he doing walking around the waterfront at this hour, two blocks from Corinthos Coffee? He says, that’s not important. He appreciates her walking him in. He can take it from here. She says, what he needs to do is sit down and rest. She’s going to get him some ice and water, so he can take that ibuprofen. He says, that’s not necessary. He can do it himself. She tells him, stop trying to be so macho. She’ll accept that he won’t go to the hospital, if he accepts that he needs her help. Deal? He says, deal, and she says she’ll help him sit down. Be careful. He may have some broken ribs. She helps him to the sofa, and he thanks her. He says she’s welcome.

Michael frowns at his phone and Willow asks if there’s something wrong. He says, no. It’s just Aurora business. He’ll talk to Drew about it tomorrow. Tonight is about them. She asks, how is Drew? Does he seem okay to Michael? Michael says, he seems fine. Why? She says she was just thinking how weird it is that when they were hiding Jason and taking care of him, they never asked Drew for help even though Michael works with him and he is Jason’s brother. He says, Jason and Drew aren’t very close. It never even occurred to him to tell Drew. Drew hasn’t said a word about Jason’s return, and he didn’t think he should be the one to bring it up. She says she just feels bad for Drew. It must feel like things changed overnight for him. One minute, Michael’s mom and Drew are a solid couple. Then Jason comes to town and Carly and Drew break up. The two of them basically stopped reaching out to him too. That’s got to sting. Michael says he doesn’t want to hurt Drew, but protecting her is his number one priority, and nobody can know they were involved with hiding Jason. She says she knows. He’s right, but she can’t help wondering how Drew is dealing with all of this. He says, because she has a big heart and cares about people, but not to worry. Trust him. Drew can take care of himself.

Drew asks if there’s something else Nina wants, and Nina asks if Carly ever told him that he has a nice body. He says, she’s only seen half of it, and she says, you boys. You’re all the same. You act so brave when you’re on your barstools or picnic benches and behind your desks. But what do you do when a girl takes you up on it – she moves closer to him – and does something like this? She unbuttons her blouse and says, do you cower? He unbuttons another button, and she touches his chest. He kisses her, then stops and looks at her. She says, he’s such a Boy Scout, and he says, a man lets a lady say no. She asks if she said no, and he kisses her again. He kicks the door shut, and backs her to the desk, swiping everything off with his hand. They start getting busy, and he throws her blouse at the camera.

Jason hears someone come into the warehouse, and says, hey, Sonny. Sonny says he doesn’t want Jason here. He wants Jason gone.

Tomorrow, Drew says, Nina is going to have to make it so worth his while; Carly says she’s staying right here and saving John from himself; Portia says she’s going to need Curtis to prove that; and Sonny says he doesn’t want Jason anywhere near him.

🤯 I’ve got to say, did not see the Nina/Drew thing coming.

Vanderpump Rules

Venice Beach. After driving Sandoval away, Ariana asks, what’s up with this? and Brock says he thinks she just castrated Sandoval and he’s sitting in the corner. Ariana says, he’s been throwing jabs at her. She’s allowed to feel a certain way. She never did anything to him. In Ariana’s interview, she says, now Sandoval is doing everything he can to make her seem like she was a horrible partner. If this is the type of conversation he has when everyone is present, he needs to STFU. Schwartz says he and Sandoval will go elsewhere, since he doesn’t want to jeopardize the vibe, and Ariana says, bye. Schwartz leaves, and Ariana says, he’s never going to get it. She wants him to jump in the ocean. Lala says, no way is this winning, but Ariana says she didn’t do anything to him, period. The Toms go to a bar on the boardwalk, and Schwartz says, Sandoval needs to get out of that house, but Sandoval says, Ariana paid for the dog, that means everything else is his. (Mwa-ha-ha-ha!) In Sandoval’s interview, he says he paid for everything the house needed. Pens, batteries, the electrical work, repairs, toilet paper, paper towels. Schwarz says, Sandoval got destroyed on the internet when he said that. Why bring it up again? In his interview, Sandoval says, when Ariana gets her own place, it’s going to be a rude awakening.

Brock suggests they go to the bar, and Scheana says, Tori is coming to the bar. In Scheana’s interview, she says she doesn’t have the best track record at matchmaking – we flash back to her encouraging Schwartz to make-out with Raquel – but now that Schwartz and Katie are totally over, it might be okay to set him up again. Lala says she loves Tori. They talked at Scheana’s wedding. In her interview, Scheana says, she introduced Schwartz to her former nanny Tori, and we see a clip of Tori saying she thinks Schwartz is hot. Scheana says, clearly, she misjudged things. When Katie heard about it, she said Tori should date her instead. But all’s fair in love and war, and with Schwartz and Katie, that’s really all you get. Katie calls Schwartz to tell him that he left his stuff, and Schwartz says, it was for a greater cause, Ariana’s feelings and the beach day vibe. He thanks her for grabbing it, but she says she’s just letting him know the stuff is there. They’re moving. The group heads for the bar. Schwartz and Sandoval flirt with some girls and buy them a drink. Sandoval toasts to Venice, sun and laughter, and a continued happy ever after. Tori arrives and introduces herself as Schwartz’s ex-wife. He asks what she wants to drink, and she says, he knows what she likes. He says, champagne, and in his interview, he says he thought Tori was super cute and super fly. When they were at Hotel Ziggy, she confessed that she thought he was fly as well. Some validation? He brings back champagne sparkling wine and not a champagne glass. Schwartz asks if she wants to go on a date, she says, okay, and they clink not champagne glasses. The others eat oysters in a booth, until Katie decides to invade Schwartz’s space. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, what a little c*ck blocker. He doesn’t know if Katie is into Tori or just competing. In Katie’s interview, she says, if Schwartz doesn’t like her taking his girl, maybe he should try harder. Schwartz leaves, and she calls him a weirdo.

James plays cornhole while Ally plays ping-pong with Brock. Lala tells Ariana that she can’t control what Sandoval does. She can only control herself. She wonders if Ariana has unresolved feelings, and Ariana says she understands her anger isn’t healthy, but they can never say she f***ed up. Lala tells her that she never said that, and asks if Ariana feels like Sandoval threw her away like she was nothing. She created a life with someone, and this is what happens when it unravels. There are no guarantees it will work out. Scheana suggests they get Ariana out of that house. Who cares about material items? They just want her to be happy. Ariana cries and says, it sucks. She put so much of her life, money, and time into making that her dream home. It was not only wrecked, but Sandoval wants to act like he’s someone deserving when she never did anything to him. In Ariana’s interview, she says she keeps her armor up because this sh*t is traumatic. She’s trying to find ways to go through it without making it everyone’s problem. (Too late.) She tells them that Sandoval is openly talking sh*t and has no remorse. Lala says, Ariana rose to the occasion, grabbed opportunity by the balls, and ran.

Katie talks with Tori at a picnic table, and says, while she hasn’t had a relationship with a girl, she’s had sex with a girl. Tori says, it’s better, and Katie says she would never put a label on herself. She likes people. In Katie’s interview, she says she’s always had an attraction to women. She thought she and Schwartz were forever, but that’s not going to stop her from doing anything. Tori says, Katie is so pretty, and she wants to kiss her. They kiss, and at another table, Lala says, they’re giving each other sex eyes. They kiss some more.

Jo meets Lala at a hot dog place. They order and sit down. Jo says, they look like a lesbian couple, and thanks Lala for coming here. Lala says, Schwartz suggested she talk to Jo. She saw Jo at Ziggy and saw she was not okay. We flash back to that, and Jo says, very much not okay. In Jo’s interview, she says she didn’t feel welcome. Schwartz loves his friends, and she wants to be welcomed into the group. Lala’s the ticket. Lala asks if Jo knew about Sandoval and Raquel, but Jo says, no. They hung out a couple of times, but she wasn’t paying attention to them. She was looking at Schwartz. In her interview, Jo says she thought Ariana and Sandoval had broken up. It’s crazy to think she’d pry and ask Sandoval how his relationship is going. Move on. Lala says, Jo and Schwartz are the strangest thing in the world, and Jo says, he doesn’t want a relationship, but they’re emotionally close. She’s being there for T-Money. That’s a random thing she made up. Lala says, T-Money and Joseph should be on their wedding invite, and Jo is like, no, but we all know she’s thinking, ooh, wedding.

Ariana, Katie, Ally, and James go to a golf range. James’s ball is a dud, and he says, it was a practice run. I laugh because I stink at golf. He asks if Katie remembers making out with Tori, and Katie says, they were chatting. He asks, at what point did it go from chatting to making out? and she says, Schwartz is going on a date with Tori. James asks if she’s moving in on Schwartz’s date, but she says, it’s not always about him. James says, it’s in the same month she slept with Max, and in James’s interview, he wonders why everyone is acting like this is normal. Katie married Schwartz in a white dress with vows and cheers. Now they’re divorced and dating the same girl who looks 21. Sh*t is f***ing weird. Ariana says she doesn’t want to be triggered, and Sandoval keeps throwing jabs at her. James says, Sandoval invited him to paintball, and Ariana says, there are group texts she’s not included in now. Seriously. I don’t know what either Ariana or Sandoval expect. No one wants to be in the same room with the two of them together. Katie tells James to take Ariana’s anger out on Sandoval, and Ariana says, Sandoval thinks he’s a professional paintballer. Ally asks how the house stuff is going, and Ariana says she’s waiting to see if he counters her counter offer. James asks, what if he rejects it? and she says, the letter says, after this many days, they’ll go to court and have the house sold. I didn’t quite catch it, but I think she added it would be a short sell, which is something you don’t want because that means doing it ASAP, and you’re not likely to get top dollar. Ally asks what Ariana’s dream place looks like, and Ariana says she wants treehouse vibes. Ally tells her to manifest that, and Ariana says she wants a place where this is hers and no one can take it.

Scheana accompanies Lala to the sperm bank, and in Lala’s interview, she says she loved being pregnant and knows she’d like to carry on her own. She wants to be fully in charge of her child and never wants the unknown. It may work out or you may enter into a custody battle and have to share the child. We flash back to her custody war with Randall, and she says she just wants to know her kid is hers forever. Director Brian comes out and asks how she’s doing, and she says she’s a little nervous. She never thought she’d be coming to a sperm bank, but she’s learned to never say never. She asks if most people that come to donate are looking for cash or just being good humans, and he says, a lot of donors desire to help others. She asks if they know the sperm is healthy, and he says, every donor has a psyche evaluation in addition to a genetic panel screening. The most important part of the process is donor selection. Lala says, in her mind, her daughter was conceived out of love, but because that type of love is taken out of the process, she wants this baby to know they’re all there, waiting for her enter the world. He says, they do their best to make the process simple, easy, and maybe a little exciting. He leaves Lala to process, and Lala tells Scheana that she’s going to form a family. She feels like part of something broken. Scheana says, Lala has a lot to think about, but at the end of the day, she’s an amazing mother and will provide an amazing life for her kids. In her interview, Lala says she pictured life how she grew up, with a mom and dad in the same household. That didn’t happen and it’s really hard. She feels like she deeply failed an innocent soul, and it wasn’t because of her. So she’s not risking that again. Scheana says, the beach was intense. She’s treading lightly with Ariana and doesn’t want to upset her. Lala says she doesn’t know if Ariana is trying to stand her ground, but she’s not going to win. It’s simple. Move out. If she’s choosing to stay, Lala can’t feel bad. Scheana says, it’s her pride. She can’t let go. Lala says, it’s more than pride. Your pride is saved living with the man who screwed you over? You’d have more pride living in a box on Sunset. Scheana says, one day, whenever this is over, it will make sense as to why it took this long, and Lala says she hopes so.

Schwartz goes to the hair salon where Jo works. He tells her to do anything to his hair, and she says she’s going to bleach it. He says he went on a date with Tori, who’s been very close to Scheana for ten years. Jo says she’d like to know why he’s going on a date with someone in the friend group, and Schwartz says, that’s changed since Katie slept with Max. Jo asks, how come she’s getting hate? and Schwartz says he has a tidbit. Tori made out with Katie before their date. It feels bizarre, and Tori is going on a date with Katie today. We see Tori and Katie doing some painting at Katie’s place, and Katie says she’s going to Bob Ross her way through this. Jo asks who liked Tori first, Schwartz or Katie? but he’s not sure. He tells her that he’s going to a singles mixer with Sandoval because Sandoval didn’t want to go alone, and Jo says she wants to go. She takes the bonnet off Schwartz, and he asks if he looks edgy. Jo says he looks like Eminem, but not agreed.

Scheana, Ariana, Katie and Ally have a girls’ night at a bar, and Katie and Schwartz going out with Tori is discussed. Lala thinks it’s weird, and Katie says, Tequila Katie is a ho. At the LA Singles event, Schwartz says, he’s feeling Kenergy, and tells Sandoval that he wanted to invest in himself. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he’s heard blonds have more fun, and it’s ringing true for him. He’s embracing his pre midlife crisis mode. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, Schwartz and Jo are on different pages. Jo sees their situationship glass as half full of a relationship, and Schwartz being Schwartz is giving her mixed signals. It’s part of his superpower. He’s charming all the time. Jo messes with Schwartz’s hair, which, IMO, is less of an I-love-you thing than a hairdresser thing. Kyle says, she’s not going to get him girls.

At girls night, Katie says she heard Lala and Jo got together, and Lala said she reached out to Jo, who wanted to give her side. Schwartz asked her to. Katie says, Jo means nothing to Lala, but she does. Why is she doing this? In Lala’s interview, she says, Jo is harmless. She’s not rolling up to steal their men. She says, Katie is her homie, but she called Jo a crackhead and is treating her like the bad one. Katie says, this isn’t making sense, and Lala says, it’s not her job for her life to make sense to Katie. Katie says she likes consistent, and Lala says, she’s not best friends with Jo or Raquel, but they need to let it go. If Katie wants to hang on to it, she wishes her the best. At LA Singles, the hostess gives the group wristbands – green for single, yellow for open, and red for wingmen. Kyle tells Schwartz that he can’t be with Jo always and expect to get girls. Sandoval talks to several girls, and Schwartz says he’s a make-out slut. In Jo’s interview, she says she had the impression they were here to support Sandoval, but when they got here, Schwartz was interested in other women. Is she chopped liver? In Schwartz’s interview, he says, maybe it’s not realistic to be as close as he and Jo are and go out with other people. He’s wondering if she’s in deeper than he is. She’s not his girlfriend. In her interview, Jo says, they are still hooking up and have said I love you, but it bothers her that he doesn’t want to share their relationship with his friends. It bothers her and she’s tired of feeling like a secret. She says she hates this and leaves.

The group, minus Ariana and Katie, meet for paintball, along with some other random friends. When they see his blond hair, Schwartz says, he woke up like this, and in James says he thought maybe Schwartz got sick of dying it the wrong brown. In James’s interview, he wonders if he’s the only person who’s realized Schwartz has been covering his grey hair for a long time. You can’t see the grey when it’s bleached blond. Sandoval asks Scheana how it’s going, and she says she’s not playing. She’s just here for moral support. She thought it was indoors, like a more of a laser tag situation. So there’s no VIP bathroom? Instructor Matt says, you can go blind or get your teeth knocked out, and Scheana says, that doesn’t seem fun. Agreed. Matt says, they have rattlesnakes too. When a paintball breaks on their body, they’re out. James is captain of Team One, and Sandoval is captain of Team Two. Sandoval tells his team to spread out, and Schwartz says, Sandoval is cold blooded and takes this sh*t seriously. The girls watch, and Scheana says, Sandoval is like a professional. Lala says, the energy at girls’ night took a turn, and Ally says, update her. Lala says she and Katie have been getting into it a lot, and Scheana says, Katie got upset that Lala went to lunch with Jo. Lala says, they grabbed a hot dog, and Ally says she’s glad. She felt bad for Jo. Lala says, Jo is hard to follow; she’s all over the place. Katie got upset, saying she liked loyalty and constancy, and Lala was like, hold the f*** up. Loyalty from a girl who just f***ed her ex’s best friend. She knows Katie’s been unhappy for a long time and she tried to baby Katie, but she isn’t going to be on the receiving end of her going crazy. It’s unclear who, if anyone, won the paintball game.

Schwartz comes home and Jo is there. He asks, what happened the other night? He’s confused and wonders if he’s sending mixed signals. They have undeniable chemistry and have a good time, but that being said, he doesn’t want a relationship. He wants to date other people. Jo says, imagine how she feels. They’ve been there for each other. Does she embarrass him? He says, not at all. People are saying they’re secretly dating. Maybe they need to not hang out as much. Jo says, or at all, and in Schwartz’s interview, he says, to hear her say that is gut wrenching. They had a fantastic voyage full of compassion and support. Maybe even love. It would be a tragedy if they never hung out again. Schwartz says girls he just wants to have fun, and Jo says, they have a weird connection. Everyone else sees it. It’s so easy with them together. They’d be disgustingly ugly and old and laughing. He agrees 100%, and she says, maybe they need time, because deep down, she has feelings for him. He says, it’s the same with him; he’s not denying them. Jo tears up and says, there’s nothing wrong with being honest. She’d never pressure him. She wants to let him do him. He says, same, and she says, the most amazing thing they have is the support, the laughter, and the banter. She’ll miss that. She thinks it only comes around once in a while. It’s okay to say he can find it somewhere else. In Jo’s interview, she says, it’s hard. She just wants him to be happy. He’s her favorite person in the world and that’s the goddam truth. She thinks the world of him. She cries and Schwartz asks if she’s okay. She gets up, says she wants to call her dad, and leaves. Schwartz weakly calls after her, because he’s a ballless dude who fears pretty much everything.

I hate this type of guy even more than a player. They mess with your feelings, but won’t commit, then pretend they don’t get what’s happening. I hope he rots.

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🐍 Valley Venom…

Jax: I just want to have a nice dinner, have some shots, and get drunk.

Me: Same.

When this show isn’t boring me, it’s giving me a headache with all the nonsense screaming and yelling.

🌴 Watching Out For That Tree…

Drop in tomorrow for a little soap, a little this, and a little that. Until then, stay safe, stay standing at least a foot away when talking to someone new, and stay never giving mixed signals. It’s the worst.

April 8, 2024 – GH Eclipsed, Drop Dead Gorgeous Blond Australian Stew On Deck, Poor Ant, At the Villa, Arguing Already, Farewell Too Soon, He Will Finish, Behold the Echidna & Total

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Not today, eclipse.

Below Deck

Fraser thinks Anthony bit off more than he can chew, and he’s worried the chef is not quite there yet. Jill badgers Fraser about the dinner start time, and I already want to smack her. Anthony tells Fraser that he’ll try to make the magic happen. In Barbie’s interview, she says she’s taking the brunt and giving a fake-ass bullsh*t smile that she doesn’t feel. She’s not a complainer. The captain joins the guests for dinner, and Fraser asks for the primary’s dinner preferences first. As Melinda tries to tell him, Jill butts in since she thinks she’s a primary. Anthony tells Fraser that instead one main course, he has to make three different main dishes at the same moment. He can’t build all the plates at the same time. Guest Jen ends up without a plate, but she tells the others not to wait. Jill says her food is cold, and Fraser says, it’s the worst day of his life. In Captain Kerry’s interview, he says, this is the worst dinner service all season, but if he looks pissed, the others will get pissed. To top it off, we have Jill. In Dylan’s interview, he says, when he was growing up, no one told him that he was good looking. Now he gets hit on by guys and girls. He tells Ben about dating a guest, and in his interview, he says he likes the hunt. When he sees a hot girl at the bar, he does pushups and asks, what’s going on baby? Seriously? I don’t care how hot he is. No, just no. The guests finish eating, but dessert isn’t ready, and Fraser says, they have to kill 20 minutes. The stews make up a concoction of rum and almond milk, with a touch of strawberry. The captain tells the guests about meeting his girlfriend on a ship, when the French chocolate souffle comes out. IMO, it’s well worth waiting for. Fraser says, Barbie seems quiet, and she says her fake smile only lasts so long. In the captain’s interview, he says he needs to talk to Anthony after the charter. There’s no use doing it now.

Fraser tells Xandi that tomorrow is going to be the sh*ttiest night. Everyone is so sensitive, the energy is horrific, and they have no stew. Barbie sees Xandi and Fraser talking and tells Kyle that Xandi is talking sh*t about her. In Anthony’s interview, he says, dinner was disappointing. He doesn’t want to be on charter. He wants to run in his room and cry all night. Ben talks about choosing lead deckhand to Fraser, and says, Dylan is like a puppy, interested in everything, but Sunny knows the boat. On the minus side, obviously they’re sleeping together. In Ben’s interview, he says, on paper, Dylan is fantastic, but Sunny works well with the crew and he can rely on her. He has to assess their strengths and weaknesses. Fraser tells him that the person who puts the most effort in needs it. Barbie sighs as she works, looks in the laundry, and says, f*** you. I’m not helping. Stupid-ass bitch. Nice.

In Sunny’s interview, she says she wants to love and connect. She wants to feel feelings. She’s got butterflies over Ben (ick). Captain Kerry gets a text that a new stew is arriving. Anchor is in the pocket and the yacht is en route to Port Louis Marina. Xandi says, this trip might kill her, and in Barbie’s interview, she says she’s ignoring Fraser. She doesn’t know how to communicate with him. He dismisses what she feels, and she can’t win. She can’t be herself and feels defeated. Ben and Sunny are called to the bridge, and the captain says, today is windier. In his interview, he says, the wind is at over 30 knots. The last time he was in this kind of wind, he lost the bow. If anything goes wrong, he’s going to smash into the dock and hit a concrete bank. Fraser wonders why Barbie is ignoring him, and in the captain’s interview, he says, the wind is coming in and there are two steel workboats to the side. If the wind doesn’t back down, he’s going to hit them. It’s a very difficult docking. The wind is holding him off. Jill says, he’s in trouble, because she knows all about being a captain and docking a massive yacht.

Jill says, blah-blah-blah, and Melinda says, this is giving her anxiety. I’m not sure if she means the docking or Jill babbling about it. Captain Kerry manages to dock the boat without incident, and the crew change into their whites. To their happiness, the guests pack. In Fraser’s interview, he says he’s never wanted anything more than to drop these guests in the sh*tter. He’s done. Fraser tells Barbie, well done, and Jill says she’s so sad. She hates this part. They had fun and she hopes she wasn’t too much work. 😐 Melinda thanks the crew, and says, it’s the best vacation ever. The deck crew was flawless, and she knows they were the hardest to cook for with all their different preference. She gives the captain the tip envelope, and they finally leave the crew in peace. Captain Kerry says, that was a fun charter. He’s cracking a beer now. Fraser asks Barbie, what’s happening? and she says, nothing. Kerry calls Anthony to the headmaster’s office. He says he’s going to tell Anthony straight. Dinner service was bullsh*t. His food was cold and two guests were without food. What the f*** was going on? Anthony says he was looking for the best solution for the guests to find dinner amazing. He’s upset with himself. Captain Kerry says he shouldn’t have kicked off with sushi and been laser focused on one guest, and in Anthony’s interview, he says he failed this one. It reminds him of bad moments when he was younger. He was called a loser at school and sees the teacher in his head. Born a loser and dies like a loser. I feel badly for him, but not too dramatic. The captain tells him to do the stuff he can do with his eyes closed. Fraser tells Barbie that she seems off, and she says, it’s an off day. He says, when it’s aimed at him, he thinks she’s in a bad mood and it’s not conducive to the team. She says she went to bed pissed and woke up pissed. He could have told her that he and Xandi were going to the beach to meditate. He says, it’s not like they were chilling, and she wasn’t talking yesterday. She says she’s scared to communicate with him, and he says he can’t deal with it. She says she’s flipped the switch back, so it’s good now.

It’s time for the tip meeting, and Captain Kerry says, it feels like they’ve gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson. His hat’s off to them. The tip is $20K or $1667 each. We hear crickets, and in Kyle’s interview, he says, it’s the worst tip they’ve gotten, but it’s still a lot of money. His mom recently found out they have a Native American heritage and a huge extended family in Montana. He’s going to spend a couple years there, and it will be nice if he can support himself. The captain says, they have tomorrow off, and they’re heading to a resort. The new stew is arriving tonight and will meet them at dinner. In his interview, Fraser says he’s excited. It’s like Christmas has come early. The captain says, the new stew’s first day is a day off. He’ll drink to that. Ben says he’s going on a two-day bender. Barbie tells Kyle that she wants to quit, but he says, mama didn’t raise no quitter, which is pretty funny to hear with his accent. Anthony says he’s ready to party, but he’s sad inside. He feels people know he made a mistake. He’s trying to stop thinking about it, but it not going to be a great night. Kyle drinks some liquor straight from the bottle and says he’s good to go.

New stew Paris arrives at the restaurant. In their interviews, Ben, Kyle, Anthony, and Sunny all say, wow. In Fraser’s interview, he says he knows who Paris is. She’s the ex of a dear friend. We flash back to two seasons ago, and see Fraser with his friend Jake, who’s talking to Paris on the phone. Fraser says, to him that means she’s gold. He tells the others that he worked with her ex, but this is their first time meeting in person. In Paris’s interview, she says she’s a sailing stew. She’s outgoing, funny, and loves mayonnaise. She says what’s on her mind because she has no serotonin left and regains it though people’s suffering. She laughs and says, that’s not true. She’s not evil. She is Australian though, and in Sunny’s interview, she says she’s definitely jealous. Paris is drop dead gorgeous, blond, and from Australia. She feels a little worried about what Ben thinks. Barbie tells Paris that she looks like she can take it emotionally, which is actually kind of rude. Ben and Kyle talk on the side, mostly about Paris. Paris says she’s had four years’ experience, and Fraser says she must be competent with housekeeping. Anthony tells Barbie that he needs them. He’s alone in his department every day. In her interview, Paris says she started in the Mediterranean, then the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and America. She doesn’t know the dynamics on the boat and it’s like a new school. The crew gets back to the boat, and Paris finds out she’ll be bunking with Xandi. She meets Captain Kerry, who says, everyone is nice, but the captain is an a-hole. Sunny and Ben have sex in the bathroom (ick again), when Barbie asks if Sunny can throw out a tampon. It’s an emergency. Sunny says, they were c*ck blocked so hard. What happened to the tie on the door thing?

In the morning, on the way to the resort, Paris says she lives in the country, and they have two kangaroos. She tells them that the echidna (which kind of looks like a hedgehog – see below) has a four-headed penis. Fun fact! They get to the resort and head for the pool. I’m jealous even though I live near the Atlantic Ocean, one of the biggest pools in the word. I need to get a friend who has a pool or talk one of my existing friends into getting one. Barbie tells Ben that Fraser wants to fire her, while Fraser tells Xandi, in the beginning, Barbie was amazing with her work, but her attitude is feral. Barbie whines to Ben that she doesn’t eat or take breaks, and Fraser tells Xandi that Barbie is talking about him now, because he has bat ears. Barbie tells Fraser that she doesn’t feel like she can talk to him because she works for him, not with him. He says she’s horrible to work with when she’s in a mood, and she asks if Fraser wants her to go, but he says, no. He just wants her to accept that this is the job. She then whines to Paris, and in Paris’s interview, she says, this is awkward. Fraser feels comfortable venting to her, but he’s her boss. She just got here, and she feels like Dr. Phil. Everything can be fixed with conversation, a hug, and tequila. Fraser tells Barbie that if she can’t move on, he can’t, and she says she doesn’t feel safe telling him her feelings. He says, if she doesn’t like it, she can f*** off, and she says, that shows how much she can’t trust him. In her interview, she says, Fraser doesn’t like her even though he likes the way she works. He doesn’t care about her or her feelings. In Fraser’s interview, he says, speak up, bitch. Don’t be passive/aggressive. She tells Fraser that she loves him, but he says she doesn’t act like it. She’s a horrible person when she doesn’t want to speak. She says, he wants her to go, but he says he wants her to understand how this works. If she can do it, fantastic. If she can’t… She says, okay, cool, and they part company. In Anthony’s interview, he says he’s still learning. It’s tricky. The restaurant business is different. There’s a guy for everything, and here, he’s by himself. He promised his younger self that one day he’d be successful, and he has to keep that promise. Sunny wonders if Xandi and Ben could have been a thing, but Xandi says, if he was ten years older. Sunny asks if she likes them old, which would be like 40, and Xandi says she’s done raising people’s husbands, whatever that means. Paris asks Barbie if she’s okay, and Barbie tells Paris that she and Fraser are too different, and they clash. They don’t get each other, and personally trigger each other. Paris thinks there’s a resolution if they communicate, if they if don’t trigger each other’s defensiveness. Barbie says she can’t, and in Paris’s interview, she says she feels Barbie and Fraser are similar and the issues cause both of them to be defensive. They’re also out in the sun drinking, which makes them all drama queens. What started from a small issue has grown into a mole hill. She tells Barbie, if it doesn’t work out, it’s his neck on the line. Fraser tells Ben that he’s done with Barbie. Ben says, what about one more charter? but Fraser isn’t having it. He says, she’s impossible to work with. In his interview, Fraser says, he’s given more chances in the past than he should have, and now he’s not about giving more chances. You show your true colors after two chances. We flash back to Barbie’s first, second, third, and fourth chances, and Fraser says, if it’s not great after the fourth, you’re off. He needs to pull the cord earlier. He tells Ben that he’s done.

Ben hugs Fraser and suggests he sleep on it, and in Ben’s interview, he says he thinks Fraser is taking it too far. The problem is Fraser’s lack of management skills in making people gel. Dylan asks if Paris likes Steve Irwin, and she wonders what kind of question that is. He’s a national treasure. Dylan says he watched Steve while growing up, so it must count for something. Paris says, if he was here, he’d say, crikey, that’s cringe. In her interview, she says, Dylan is gorgeous, but so awkward personality-wise. If he was mute, he’d get more action. Dylan leaves and Ben comes along. Paris asks if he put out the fire, and he puts his hand on her knee. He gets even more handsy, and no surprise, Sunny sees. Xandi says, good God, and Sunny says, sayonara. In Sunny’s interview, she says, Ben touching another woman makes her uncomfortable, jealous, and angry. It’s mad disrespect. Paris tells Fraser that she thinks he and Barbie are upset because they’re similar, but he’s like, no way. Barbie calls her mom as she puts on her makeup and cries. She says she doesn’t want to be here and she’s mad at herself for giving up, but she has to quit. She wants to go home. Fraser tells Paris that he’s supported Barbie and tried it all. He won’t look after someone who speaks to him like she does. She’s a subordinate and he’s the chief. Barbie tells her mom that she can’t get through to him and can’t fix it. She has an amazing life at home and doesn’t need to be with people who don’t understand her and she clashes with so much. She doesn’t like giving up. Fraser tells Paris, welcome to the circus.

Next time, in Sunny’s interview, she says, Ben looks like an a-hole; Sunny tells Ben, it’s not okay; Anthony makes fish for a guest who doesn’t eat fish; Barbie says she’s sorry her and Fraser’s contention affected everybody; and Fraser goes to the captain about Barbie.

⚓️ Atlas Of the Deck…

It’s doubtful he’s carrying the show, but despite his faults, he’s one of the best chefs they’ve had.

🏰 Viva La Villa…

I started watching this and the venue is magnificent. Not so much the employees who are already drinking too much and arguing in front of the guests. But Lisa is there along with Puffy (!), so all will be well.

🍊 That Didn’t Take Long…

Apparently, Tamra is already causing problems and the horse hasn’t even left the gate yet.

🥀 Sad OC News…

Today’s PSA: Drug responsibly and for the love of all that’s holy, stay away from fentanyl.

https://people.com/real-housewives-lauri-peterson-son-josh-waring-dead-at-35-8627969

https://www.eonline.com/news/1398971/rhoc-alum-lauri-petersons-son-josh-waring-died-amid-addiction-battle-his-sister-says

🐎 Not Done Yet…

They lost me somewhere in season 4. I think it was a big mistake to open things up to the real world so early. Westworld stopped being Westworld and turned into something else.

https://ew.com/jonathan-nolan-still-intends-to-finish-westworld-8624582

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/westworld-season-5-storyline

🦔 Cute But Mighty In Its Own Way…

Behold, the echidna.

https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/echidna

But wait, there’s more.

https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/echidna

🌚 Stars Aligning Now…

Join me tomorrow for soap and VanderExploits. Until then, stay safe, stay not leaving puddles around the sink in a public restroom, and stay remembering that everything can be fixed with conversation, a hug, and tequila. And also, that the echidna has a four-headed penis. You’ll be a real hit at parties.

April 5, 2024 – Anna Visits Brennan In Pentenville, Come Monday, New Manager, Their Portrayal, Buddy Project, Poor Ann, Mutual Admiration, Dead Talk, Happily Ever Afters, X Quotes & Clearly

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Lois touches up her manicure in the nook, and Brook says, thank God she’s still here. She needs Lois. Lois asks if it can wait. She’s already late. Brook says, it’s about the wedding, and Lois says, whatever it is, they’ll fix it later. She promises. She starts to dash off and Brook says, fine. She’ll just have to get married without a wedding dress. Lois says, okay, you win.

Sonny sits at the MetroCourt bar and sends a text to Lois: I’m here. Where are you? Natalia comes up to the bar and says, Mr. Corinthos, we meet again.

Molly goes into Bobbie’s and Carly says, she just missed the lunch rush, so take a seat anywhere. She’ll have someone bring out a menu for her. Molly thanks her, and Carly says she wanted to tell Molly she did a great job in court the other day… at Jason’s arraignment. Molly says she’s surprised to hear Carly say that. She thought Carly would hold prosecuting Jason against her. Carly tells her, who says she doesn’t?

In his office pretending to be working, Drew picks up the phone and says, send her in. Jordan walks in, and he asks, what brings her by? She says, when they spoke the other day, he said he’d be open to Aurora promoting the city of Port Charles. She’s here to follow up.

At Pentenville, a guard brings Brennan to the visitor room, and Brennan says, look who it is. Anna says, good afternoon, and he says, it is now. She asks, why is that? and he says he likes being right. He told her that she’d be back to see him, and here she is.

Sam brings Dante into the apartment, and he says he’s got this as he slowly walks to the sofa. She asks if he’s sure about that, and he says he might need a little help. She helps him to sit, and he takes her hand and says he just wanted her to sit next to him. She says she’s missed this, and he says, him too. She says she was afraid she’d never have him here again in their home, and he says, see? All that worry was for nothing. She says she loves him so much, and he says, him too. She says, welcome back, and they kiss.

Sonny asks what brings Natalia to the MetroCourt, and she says she has a meeting and they’re officially late. He says, the person he’s meeting is late too, and asks if she wants to wait with him. She says she would like to, and takes a seat. She’s always surprised by people who just don’t respect the value of other people’s time, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him. He says he’s just waiting for a friend. Business is business. He asks what she’s drinking, and she asks what he’s having. He says, scotch, and she tells the bartender that she’ll have the same. He says, she doesn’t seem like the white wine type, and she says she’s found that business rivals don’t really respect a Sauvignon Blanc. He says he’s sure her rivals are impressed by her, and she thanks him. She asks if she can make a personal observation and he says, no… He laughs and says, go ahead, and she says, since they last met, he seems lighter, happier. He says, is that right?

Lois says, sit. Tell her everything. Brook says, when they decided to downsize the wedding, she called Sandrine and told her to stop working on alterations on Lila’s dress. But now that Dante’s feeling better – Lois says, thank God – and they’re having the wedding they originally planned, she called Sandrine back and told her to start working on the dress, and she said… Lois says, there was a fire, but Brook says, no, and Lois says, a broken pipe flooded everywhere. Brook says, ma, no, and Lois says, oh God, it’s squirrels again. Brook says, worse. She said the fabric is too old, that it’s falling apart, it won’t hold a seam. Bottom line, the dress cannot be altered. Lois says, that is a setback for sure, but Brook says, it’s more than a setback. The dress can’t be worn. Game over. Lois tells Brook to bite her tongue. She knows when things are impossible, that’s when they start to get creative. There’s got to be some way to salvage some part of Lila’s dress.

Rocco comes in with Scout, and says, Dante’s home. Dante says he is. He told them he was coming back, right? Rocco says, but now he’s here, and Dante says, he’s right, and Rocco’s here too. Sam asks, where’s Danny?

Molly tells Carly that she was assigned the case. She had to make the best argument she could. Carly says she knows Molly was just doing her job. If Jason didn’t make bail and Dante hadn’t woken up to exonerate him, she wouldn’t be in this good of a mood, but that’s not what happened. Jason’s free, Dante’s home with Sam and Rocco, and Molly’s niece and nephew. Molly says, and they’re crazy about him. She just hopes they’re not so excited to see him, they pop Dante’s stitches and Sam has to take him back to the hospital. They laugh, and Carly says, that would be awful. Kristina comes in and says, guess who’s on time? Molly says, not just on time, but early, and Kristina says, the end times must be upon us. She says hi to Carly, who tells them to take a seat – clearly, they can sit anywhere – and she’ll bring them menus. Molly sits, and Kristina tells Carly that she knows Nina is back at Crimson. Is she okay? Carly says she’s better than ever, and Kristina says, really? Carly says she’s busy enough here, and Drew’s a savvy businessman. She’s sure he had a reason for taking Nina back.

Jordan says, since Aurora is headquartered here, it benefits his company for Port Charles to be seen as the vital, thriving, culturally rich city it is. He says, as opposed to the smuggling mecca with outbursts of violence from organized crime get away from, and she says, that’s the image they’re trying to get away from. He says he’s sure the shootings at Selina’s warehouse didn’t help any, and she says she’s really glad they’re having this chat. He asks, why is that? and she says, there are some days she really misses being Police Commissioner, but he’s made it so she doesn’t miss law enforcement at all. They should do this more often. He says, they’ve got to find a way to make that happen. Starting with cleaning up the city’s image. She says she’s hoping Aurora Media will play a pivotal role in rebuilding the city’s image, from the streets up.

Brennan says, they told him that the Police Commissioner was here to see him. When did Anna take back her old job? She says, it’s been a couple of months, and he asks if Police Commissioner wasn’t a come down. International spy to small town cop. (Wow. It was a mecca just two seconds ago.) She says she could do worse. She could be wearing one of those jumpsuits. He laughs and asks if she doesn’t miss working intelligence, and she says, sure, but she actually enjoys doing local police work. He asks how that’s even possible. He remembers her back in the day, the ambition. She was downright scary. She asks if she’s scary now, and he says, she’s not not scary. She laughs and says, he was always such a smooth talker. He says, all Australians. It’s in the genes. He asks why she’s here, and she says, a name came up that made her think of him – Pikeman.

Jordan tells Drew that she wants to rebrand this city. Emphasize the art scene, their gorgeous location, its architecture… His phone rings and he says he thought he told his assistant no interruptions. He’s so sorry. The door opens and John walks in. He tells Drew not to blame his assistant, and Drew says he won’t. Who the hell is he? Jordans says, this is Special Agent John Cates with the FBI, and John says, Deputy Mayor Ashford, always a pleasure. She says she’s sure it is, and Drew says, as John can see, he’s at a meeting right now. What does he want? John says he needs Drew to answer a few questions about his brother Jason Morgan.

Molly asks if Kristina can be any more insensitive, but Kristina says, Carly is fine. Molly says, if she weren’t fine, does Kristina think she’d let on? This is Carly, for God’s sake. Kristina says, honestly, she doesn’t think Carly is crying many tears over her breakup with Drew, and Molly asks how it’s her business. Kristina says, admit it. She’s just as curious. Know how she knows? Molly hasn’t even asked her about… Molly says, oh my God. How’d it go at the doctor? She’s sorry she and TJ couldn’t be there. Kristina says, it’s totally fine, honestly. She’s laying there in what they have the nerve to call a gown. They put that goop all over her belly and roll that electric eye over it, and that’s it. She was totally fine doing it on her own. Josslyn comes in and Molly says, hi. Josslyn says hi back and goes to the counter. Carly asks if she isn’t sick of this place, and Molly asks Kristina, what’s up with her and Joss? Kristina says she has no idea what Josslyn’s problem is.

On the phone, Lois says, the bodice is completely unsalvageable?… How about those gorgeous pleats?… How popped and yellowed?… And the crinoline?… Oh no… Wait. What? They’re intact? Are they sure?… She’s going to put her daughter on the phone with them right now. She hands the phone to Brook, who says, yes? Hello?… Uh-huh… Oh my God, yes. That would be amazing… She can come in for a fitting anytime… Oh no. She’s so sorry. She can’t come in right now. She has a crucial meeting right now. She hands the phone to Lois, says, sorry, and leaves. Lois sees a bowl of ice cream on the counter and says, ooh, strawberry. She sits down, eats a spoonful, remembers she’s late, and runs off.

Sonny says he’s in the mood to celebrate a little bit, and Natalia asks, what is the special occasion? Sonny says his son is a cop, his oldest son, and he was shot in the line of duty. It was touch and go for a bit, and they thought he wasn’t going to make it. She says, but he did, and Sonny says, yeah. She raises her glass and says, to his son. He says, to Dante, and clinks his glass against hers. She asks if he’s still in the hospital, but Sonny says, he’s home today, and it’s going to take him a while to make a full recovery. She says, okay, but that’s wonderful. She’s happy for both of them. He says, thank you very much. He’s so happy. She says, that reminds her of something he said, that there is nothing more important than making sure your child knows you love them. She’s been thinking about that a lot lately. He asks if things are better with her and Blaze, and she says, yeah – she takes a sip of her drink – and no.

Scout tells Sam, Danny said he had to do something, and Sam asks if he mentioned what that was. Rocco says, no, but that’s just how he is. He’s not big on explanations. Sam says, all right. No big deal. She’ll just shoot him a text. Scout says, she can’t, and Dante asks, why not? Scout says, mommy took his phone when she grounded him, and Sam says, ouch. Scout’s right. She did do that. All right. She knows where to start. Dante says, she thinks he went to see… She shoots him a look, and looking at Sam’s phone, Scout asks why Carly would know where Danny is. Danny walks in with a bakery box and tells Dante, welcome home. Dante says, there he is. He’s back. Sam asks where he’s been, and Danny says, Eckerd’s. He wanted to get some donuts to celebrate Dante’s homecoming.

Natalia tells Sonny that she doesn’t want him to think less of her for saying this, and he says, there’s only one way to find out. She says she’s still struggling with mixed feelings about Allison, and he says, being gay. She says, yeah. She wishes she could wake up tomorrow morning and just feel enlightened and comfortable with the way she is. He says, it takes time, and she asks if it took him time with Kristina. He says, no, not really, but he thinks with Kristina, it took her so long to tell him because she was afraid he’d reject her, which he would never do. Natalia says she feels like it’s a little bit different with Allison, because she’s not altogether convinced that it’s not a reaction to the harassment and abuse she got from her former manager. He says, Linc Brown, and she says, that’s the one. She knows Sonny accepted her right away, but did he ever wonder with Kristina? Did he ever ask why? He tells her that he’d be lying if he said he never wondered if her bad experiences changed her and made her who she is. Know what he learned? That happens to all of us. Kristina was, is, and always will be Kristina. Natalia says, and she’s charming and beautiful, and he says, she gets that from her dad. She laughs, and he wonders if he can ask her something he thinks she may not like. She says, hold on, and takes a sip of her drink. All right. He asks if she thinks she knows what her daughter wants more than her daughter does, and she says, of course (🍷) she thinks that. Of course (🍷) her daughter doesn’t always agree with her all the time. He says, to daughters, and they clink glasses. Lois and Brook arrive and see Sonny with Natalia.

John says, if Jordan wouldn’t mind, but Drew says he wants her to stay. He’s got nothing to hide. John says, it’s fine by him. Has Drew heard from his brother? Drew says he has not, and John says, not since the charges were dropped? Drew says, nope, and John says, what about before? Drew says, the only time he saw Jason was at his arraignment, and John says, and they didn’t speak then. Drew says, actually, no, and John says, to his own brother? Drew says, they’re not that close, and John asks, then why go to the arraignment? Drew says, they have people in common. He was there for them. And that is the extent of their contact. John says he’s sorry, but he finds that hard to believe.

Brennan says, Pikeman, and Anna says, come on. Don’t tell her that he doesn’t know what that is. He says, of course (🍷) he knows. Armaments, defense systems, skilled mercenary soldiers. She says, very lucrative business, and he says, it was. He’s sure it still is. They were investigating them. She says, he was? and he says, the WSB was. Sadly, he no longer considers himself part of that institution. She says, what really amazes her is the fact that he was able to be the director of the WSB and head up Pikeman at the same time, and he says, what? She says, that was terrible, that look of astonishment. He’s not even trying. He says he doesn’t see how one can head a global law enforcement agency and a paramilitary defense contractor at the same time. But the fact she thought he could have, he’s quite flattered. She says, Pikeman has weapons. WSB needs weapons. That way we were able to… She keeps referring to the WSB as we. He says, institutional espionage is addictive. It’s a hard habit to break. She says, a partnership with Pikeman gave the WSB access to untraceable weapons, which allowed them to meddle in countries they were supposed to leave alone. He set it up perfectly. He says he did? He must be really good. She says, he’s one of the best. Then he got himself caught because he couldn’t leave Port Charles alone. Why? What’s so important here?

Kristina says, Molly was in the courtroom, so she didn’t see it, but she and Josslyn got into it before Jason’s arraignment. Josslyn went on and on and on about how Jason just had to be innocent. Molly says, which it turns out he was, and Kristina says, yeah, but no one knew that at the time. But did Josslyn listen? Nope. She was being totally unreasonable.

Josslyn sits down at the counter and says, Dex is becoming a cop, and Carly asks if she’s sure. Josslyn says, yes. He was here and he was reading the paperwork right over there. So what happens when Sonny finds out? What happens if Sonny takes him to the Pine Barrens and Carly isn’t there this time to stop him? Carly says she could try to talk Dex out of it, but if he’s that determined… Josslyn says, Dex should be able to do whatever he wants to do, but he can’t because of Sonny. The FBI should be investigating Sonny, and they should put him away in jail until the end of time like he deserves. Kristina gets up, and Molly says, no, just leave it, but does Kristina listen? Nope. She says, Josslyn is talking trash about her dad, and Josslyn says, in a private conversation. Kristina says, their voices carried. She might want to walk that back. Josslyn asks why she’d want to do that, and Kristina says, a lot of reasons. Everything her father’s ever done for Josslyn.

Josslyn says she’s sorry. What is she supposed to be grateful to Sonny for? Kristina says, he’s been wonderful to Josslyn. She grew up in his house. Josslyn says, he was her stepdad. She was a child. She had to live there. Kristina says, Sonny has always loved Josslyn and treated her like she was one of his own daughters, and what does she do? She tears him down behind his back. Josslyn says, call him over. She’ll say everything right to his face. It wouldn’t be her first time. Kristina says, Josslyn hates him like he is some terrible person. Her father has donated wings to hospitals… Josslyn says, where’s the money coming from that he donates these wings? His coffee imports? Kristina says she’s not discussing what her father may or may not be doing with his business… and Josslyn says, may or may not… Kristina says, about which none of them has firsthand knowledge. Josslyn says, Kristina might not, and Kristina says, Josslyn does? Carly walks over and says, they’re not having this conversation here. They need to take a step back. Kristina says, no, please, enlighten her. She can’t wait to hear this. What does Josslyn think she knows about what her father does? Josslyn says she knows Kristina’s father is a vicious thug and a murderer.

Brook hugs Sonny, and he says he didn’t know her mom was bringing her here. Lois says she wasn’t, but Brook was meeting someone here, and Natalia says, that would be her. Lois and Natalia introduce themselves, and Lois says she’s sorry they’re late. They had a wedding dress emergency. Sonny says, that happens, and Natalia says, does it? She’s never heard of a wedding dress emergency. Lois says, now she has, and Brook suggests she and Natalia chat somewhere more private. Sonny says he hears Blaze is the new Face of Deception. That is exciting. Natalia says, we’ll see, and Brook says, let’s take that table over there and let them catch up. Natalia says, have a nice lunch, and goes with Brook. Lois tells Sonny, she seems… nice.

Sam says, since they eat donuts with their hands, why don’t Scout and Rocco go upstairs to wash up? Scout asks if Danny is in trouble, but Sam says, no. Rocco tells Scout that their business is upstairs. Let’s go mind it. They go upstairs, and Sam tells Danny that she needs him to tell her the truth. No matter what, he’s not in trouble. When he went to get the donuts, did he go and see his father? Danny says, no, and she says, okay. He asks if she believes him, and she says, shouldn’t she? He says, yeah. He just didn’t think she would. She opens a drawer and says, how about this? She’s actually going to give him his phone back. She takes out the phone, hands it to him, and says, but under one condition. She is going to put the locator on, so she knows where he is. He says, so not only does she not believe him, she doesn’t trust him either, but she says she does believe him, and she trusts him. She just wants to protect him. He says, from his own father, and she says, his father isn’t someone he should be around right now. Jason leads a dangerous life. Danny says he’s got homework. He tells Dante, enjoy the donuts, and goes upstairs. Sam says, what? and Dante says, she’s the mom, so what she says goes, but respectfully, he thinks she might have made a mistake there.

John says, like Drew told him, he and his brother have people in common, most notably Sam McCall and Carly Spencer. Both of them were married to one, and both of them were involved with the other. Jordan says, none of which merits investigation from the FBI, and John says he was getting to that. She says, well, hurry, and John says, both Drew and his brother have been charged with a federal crime. His brother went to prison after a no contest plea, and Drew went to prison after pleading guilty to insider trading. He was granted early release, which means if Jason is involved in any criminal activities and Drew is implicated, he could be sent back to Pentenville. (Wouldn’t the FBI already know how close Drew and Jason are or aren’t?)

Brennan says he’s thought a lot about Port Charles. There’s so much to do in this city, so much to discover. Anna says, like a mission report on the defection they worked on together. Does he remember that? He asks, how could he forget? It was a dismal failure. She says, but then he found out she had a hard copy, and he couldn’t let that get out, could he? He says, because it went south? He’ll have her know that he’s been a part of more than one failed mission. She says, but none of those resulted in ten million dollars disappearing, and he says he remembers the ten million too. It’s funny, because back then they thought that was a lot of money. She says, they did, but it’s enough to provide seed money for Pikeman. That’s why he had to destroy the report and silence her in the process. He says, right. So if he’s such a diabolical mastermind, why is she still alive? If she’s the only person who can tie him to the missing money, why wouldn’t he just kill her? She says, it’s not for lack of trying, and he says, or maybe that’s what someone wants her to believe. She asks if he’s saying he’s being framed, and he says, like she hasn’t? She says, it happens to the best of us, and he says, someone didn’t like the direction he was taking with the WSB, and now he’s in here. Maybe she can help him get out. Maybe she can find out who framed him. For old time’s sake. She says she’ll consider it, if he gives her something in return. He says, such as? and she says, a name. With him in here, someone’s got to be running Pikeman. Who?

Josslyn says, Molly is the ADA. She must have access to the file on the assault of Cyrus Renault. Show Kristina. Kristina says, Josslyn wants to talk about thugs and murderers, Cyrus Renault is at the top of that list. Josslyn says, he used to be. Maybe he still is. It doesn’t matter. She should look at the file. And she should take a really good look at the photos and see what her beloved daddy did to a helpless old man who couldn’t fight back. Molly says, this isn’t accomplishing anything. They’re going to go. Josslyn tells Molly, show her. And then show her all of the information in all of the files on all of the lives Sonny has ruined and all of the people he has had killed. Carly tries to interrupt, but Josslyn says, then maybe Kristina will see him for who he really is. Kristina says she can’t be around Josslyn, and walks out. Molly looks at Josslyn, who says, if Molly wants her to apologize, she can’t. Molly says, Kristina is pregnant right now. She can’t handle this kind of stress. Even if she could, what good does it possibly do, rubbing her nose in how Josslyn feels about Sonny? He’s her father. She loves him. She has every right to. Molly leaves, and Josslyn looks guilty, as she should. She can be a mean girl.

Sonny says he thinks that’s a record. Two seconds, and Lois wrote Natalia off. Lois says, oh no. She’s as open as the next person. He says he can see that, and she says she means it. She’s willing to give anyone a chance, but come on. She’s been in the music business a little bit too long. She can spot a stage mother from a mile away, and she’s telling him, that Natalia is enmeshed in her daughter’s life. So much so, that poor kid isn’t going to be able to have a life of her own. He says, and no one can say that about her, and she says, there is no questioning how close she and Brook are. But her daughter is her own person, and she accepts the beautiful, brilliant, vibrant human being that she’s become. He says, and she is that, and Lois says, let’s see if that Natalia can say it about her own kid.

Brook asks what Natalia’s concerns are about Blaze becoming the Face of Deception, and Natalia says, she’s already a star. Brook says, she is, a rising star, and Natalia says, higher and higher every day. So forgive her if she questions some of Brook’s managerial choices. Brook says she’ll be happy to answer any questions Natalia may have. Fire away. Natalia suggests they start with the most obvious, which is that Brook has this wedding taking up all of her time. So will Brook even have time to focus on what’s best for her daughter? Brook says, yes. Next question. Natalia says, let’s just stick with this one. What if she had a wedding dress emergency and she had a meeting with a record label or a venue manager?

Dante says, the more Sam forbids Danny to see his father, the more he’s going to want to see his father. She says she doesn’t know what else to do. Does he have any suggestions? He says, talk to Jason? He doesn’t know. He may be biased right now because technically, the guy saved his life.

Brennan says he can’t tell Anna who’s head of Pikeman because he doesn’t know, and she says, might she remind him that she and Dante Falconari were targeted by Hume. Hume was employed by Pikeman, working under his orders. He says, if she has proof of that, by all means, show it to his attorneys. He’s sure they’d love to see it. As would he. Let him ask her. Does she have any evidence directly tying him to Pikeman? No? Then why does she think that is? She says she may not have anything to tie him to Pikeman now, but she can certainly tie him to it back in the day.

Sam says she’s grateful Jason helped save Dante’s life, but this isn’t about him and Jason. This is about her protecting Danny from Jason. She doesn’t want him to get sucked into Jason’s life more than he already has. Dante says, first of all, he’s not trying to make it about him. He’s with her. He’s just concerned that… She says, forbidding Danny from seeing Jason is only going to make him want to see Jason more. She knows that. She just doesn’t know what else to do. He says he’s going to do whatever it is Sam tells him to do to help her. She says, of course (🍷) he will. Because he knows what it means to be a father. And it’s more than biology. He’s the one who’s here. He’s the one who’s put in the time. He’s the one Danny can count on. He says he doesn’t know about that, but he knows he’s the lucky one, because he has her and those kids. She says, yeah, and they’re about to kiss, when Scout asks if they can eat now. Sam says, of course (🍷). Come on down. The kids all come downstairs, and Sam says she has some really good news. Olivia brought over some dinner, but she was thinking maybe they’d do something a little different. Since it is a celebration, maybe they could have dessert before dinner. Unless of course (🍷), they want to have dinner before dessert. Show of hands. Dinner first?… No? Dessert first? All the hands go up, and Sam says, dessert it is. Danny says, Dante gets first choice, but Dante says he’ll give his first choice to Scout. Scout asks if there’s a pink one with sprinkles and Danny asks what she thinks. She takes one out, and Sam asks what she says. Scout says, thanks Dante. Welcome home. Dante thanks all of them and says, this is the best welcome home ever. Now pass those donuts around.

Drew says, if John wants to investigate him, go for it. Sift through every detail of his life. John can audit his company. He has absolutely nothing to hide. He’s just going to give John a little bit of advice. Make sure he dots every i and crosses every t, because he’s going to make this very public. And he’s pretty sure the FBI doesn’t want John bringing on that kind of exposure for them. John thanks Drew and says he appreciates Drew’s time and cooperation. Drew says, he’s very welcome. So they’re done. John says, for now. If he does hear from his brother – Drew says he won’t – or obtain any information, give him a call. Drew says, John wants to bring down Jason, that’s on him. John leaves, and Jordan asks, who does Drew hate more, his brother or Very Special Agent (ha-ha!) John Cates? He says he definitely doesn’t hate his brother. It’s just, Jason brings on his own trouble, and he doesn’t want to be dragged down into it. She says, heard, and he thanks her for staying. She says she’s so glad she did. Drew tearing into Special Agent Cates was a thing of beauty.

Anna says, that mission report, and Brennan says, the one she believes he tried to have her killed over. She says, that one. It clearly states that he was instrumental in planning that operation where the ten million went missing. It put him in a perfect position to sabotage the op and abscond with the money. Everyone else involved with that op was either sidelined or demoted, but not him. His career skyrocketed. It’s almost as if someone in a much, much, much higher position at the Bureau not only approved of his actions, but was rewarding him for them. They were rewarding him with positions that were advantageous to him and to Pikeman. Pikeman is far too valuable to collapse in his absence. So who did he hand it off to? Who is running it now? He says he wishes he could help her, but alas, she’s wasting her time. He calls the guard and says, the Police Commissioner is done with him. The guard leads him away.

Brook tells Natalia, Blaze wanted to keep it at smaller venues for now, then move on to other ones once they sold those out. After all, it’s better to sell 300 tickets to a 200-person venue than it is to sell 500 tickets to one that holds 1000. Natalia says she happens to believe Blaze could sell out a 1000 plus seat venue, and Brook says, so does she, but this is Blaze’s choice and she backed Blaze because she believes in her. Blaze is her client. She and Blaze will decide what direction to take her career. Natalia says, Blaze might be Brook’s client, but this is her child. It’s her job to safeguard Blaze’s happiness. Brook says, Natalia’s not going to get an objection from her. They all want Blaze to be happy. Natalia says, to that end, she wants to make sure Blaze doesn’t publicize something she can’t take back later. So she wants Blaze’s private life to remain private. Are they clear? Brook says she doesn’t manage Blaze’s private life. And neither does Natalia. Whoever Blaze decides to spend her time with and whoever knows about it, that’s up to Blaze. A word of advice… Natalia says she doesn’t need Brook’s advice, but Brook says, trust her. She does. Sonny is Blaze’s girlfriend’s father, and he loves his little girl. He thinks she hung the moon. She doesn’t think he’d appreciate Natalia trying to keep their relationship a secret.

Lois says, thank God. She can see the relief in Sonny’s face. She can hear it in his voice. He says he’s been relying a lot on Dante lately. Not just as a son, but as a friend. Lois says, how so? and he says, Dante has a way of getting through to him – he lowers his voice – and he needs that in his life right now.

Carly says, Josslyn was right about Sonny, but Kristina refuses to see it. Of course (🍷) she does. Sonny is her father. Josslyn says, don’t tell her that she has to go apologize, and Carly says, no. She doesn’t have to apologize. Kristina isn’t a delicate flower, and she gave just as good as she got. But she’s worried about Josslyn. Josslyn is so angry about the situation with Sonny and Dex, and she gets it, but all that rage Josslyn has inside is only hurting her. Josslyn says, of course (🍷) she’s filled with rage. Sonny sent Dex to kill Cyrus and Dex was going to do it, but he felt like he didn’t have a choice. And she can’t be with someone who could do something like that. Carly says, that’s the choice Josslyn made and she’s proud of her for it. Josslyn says, even if she’s miserable? and Carly says, that’s how she knows it wasn’t an easy choice to make. And as far as if it was worth it or not, only Josslyn knows the answer to that. Josslyn says, all she knows is, she still loves Dex, and she misses him, and Carly says he understands. She’s been there. Josslyn says, but she’s terrified because Dex is going to become a cop, and there’s a real chance Sonny will have him killed.

On Tuesday (see below), Drew asks Nina what he gets out of this; Sonny asks Ava why Drew would hire the woman who put him in prison; Jason says he needs someone to do something else for him; and Carly yells for someone to be left alone.

👓 No Soap Monday…

It’s the solar eclipse, baby.

📋 Carly’s New Hire…

Meet Hunter.

🔬 A Little Mental Health On the Side…

When art imitates life. One of the reasons I love GH. They keep it relevant.

💣 Joining Forces…

I can see them as The Blues Brothers 2.0.

William deVry Updates Fans on His Project With Kin Shriner!

🍸 For Ann’s Sake…

But will she ever actually be working?

There’s no doubt it was stressful.

But apparently, the worm with a mustache doesn’t think it’s stressful picking up his dirty drawers and being a go-between for two people who shouldn’t be sharing a house in the first place.

💎 When Worlds Collide…

Definitely a meet cute.

⚰️ What’s Next In Dead…

New addition to the City.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/dead-city-season-2-update-sons-of-anarchy-actor-kim-coates-added-to-cast-01htqk16jafm

Thoughts on the Dead future.

🐶 Miracles Happen…

Best happy ending ever.

https://people.com/woman-viral-search-for-senior-dog-missing-from-animal-hospital-exclusive-8620174

That grasshopper must live!

https://people.com/zoo-vets-make-tiny-neck-brace-for-grasshopper-bug-8619996

He’s in love.

https://people.com/simon-cowell-cuddles-adorable-black-white-puppy-8620886

💡 Quotes of the Week

It’s not a lie if you believe it. – George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Seinfeld

I’d rather see my face aging than a face I don’t recognize at all. – Cameron Diaz (Thank you.)

Quitting can be a hard choice to make, but often it’s a brave one as well.Susan David

A polite enemy is just as difficult to discredit, as a rude friend is to protect. – Bryant H. McGill

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. – B. B. King (No one can take integrity away from you either.)

If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down. – Mary Pickford

Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable – and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God. – Henry Emerson Fosdick 

People will always have opinions about your decision because they’re not courageous enough to take action on their opinion. – Steve Maraboli

The man who insists on seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides. – Henri-Frédéric Amiel

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

⚡️Aftershocking…

Enjoy the eclipse then join me on Monday really Tuesday for what’s cringeworthy on Deck. Until then, stay safe, stay opening/holding the door open for any human immediately before or after you, and stay celebrating with dessert before dinner on occasion. Unless of course, you want dessert after dinner.

April 3, 2023 – The Wedding Plans Change Again, Sudsy Stuff, Dead Talk, VanderEmo, The Queen’s Villa, Farewell To a Funny Man, Parade & Rainbow

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Chase and Brook visit Dante, who says he’s resting up for all the dancing he’s going to do at their wedding. Chase says he’s going to need a little more than dancing from Dante.

Tracy sees Gregory at the hospital, and says, this is a nice surprise. He says he’s here so often, he should pay rent. He could put in a little café table and have his own Bobbie’s. She says she thinks the seating would be too limited to be profitable. What’s on his docket today? He says, Dr. Cramer. He’s having a follow-up. Her? She says she just had a blood draw for her annual wellness visit with Dr. Randall. It’s a perk of being a board member, although she thinks they’re playing a little fast and loose with the term perk in this context. He says he remembers when his doctor visits were annual. Looking back, it was a perk. Elizabeth comes by and says, if he’s ready, they can go to the exam room. He says he’s as ready as he’ll ever be. Maybe he’ll see Tracy later. He leaves with Elizabeth.

Kristina goes to Nina’s office at Crimson, and Nina says she’s so glad Kristina decided to stop by. Kristina says she wants to clear the air. She’s really not okay with what Nina did to Carly and Drew – she closes the door – but she is willing to accept Nina made an impulsive decision that spiraled out way beyond what she ever intended. Nina says, yes, that’s it exactly, and Kristina says, one bad decision doesn’t negate all the good Nina’s done, and she has done a lot of good, especially for Kristina’s dad. She knows how happy he was when he was with Nina, and even if he never admits it, she knows he misses Nina.

Cody pushes around hay in a stall, when Sasha comes in wearing super cute overalls that would look incredibly stupid on me, and says, put me in, coach. He asks if she’s sure, and she says, yes. She got her check from Deception and now she can finally do something besides worry about how she looks. He says, she still looks too good for this place, but she says, nothing and no one is too good for this place, and that’s a fact. He says, Comet isn’t here. She can save her flattery. He asks if her overalls are new, and she says, they may or may not be. As he knows, she’s looking for her new purpose in life. He asks if she thinks she’s going to find it here in one of these stalls. Believe it or not, this isn’t exactly the resumé builder she might think it is. She says, honestly, she doesn’t know what she’s looking for or where she’s going to find it. But she figured if she’s someplace comfortable that makes her happy, inspiration might find her sooner. So if it’s okay with him… He asks if she’s sure, and she says, come on. Put her to work. What’s the worst that can happen?

Elizabeth takes Gregory’s temperature and says, everything looks good. How is he feeling? He says he’s like to be honest with her, if he may, and she says she hopes he’s always honest with her. He says, unless he’s mistaken, this was a standard follow-up, and yet somehow, it merits the attention of the head nurse of a very busy hospital. She says she assists doctors and nurses all the time, but he says, she has more important things to do and they both know it. She says, he is important, and he thanks her. He says, while he’s honored to have her look in on him, he was hoping to keep some aspects of his life private, and she says she’s sorry if she made him feel his privacy hasn’t been respected. He says, she’s always very respectful, but as his disease progresses, he would like to keep his patient life completely separate from the other parts of his life. She says she understands, and he says, she’s very important to her son and to him, so he realizes that may be easier said than done. She says, not at all. It’s not a problem. He says he means no offense. He hopes she knows that. She says, none taken, and she hopes he knows that she never meant to presume. He says he does, and she says, if he’s ready, she’ll let Dr. Cramer know that he’s here. She thanks him for telling her, he thanks her, and she leaves.

Chase tells Dante that he and Brook were planning on downsizing the wedding to a civil ceremony at city hall and a family only reception at the Quartermaines. Brook says, they didn’t see the point in throwing a big bash without him there, and Chase says, they want him to be a part of it. Finn is going to be his best man, but he’d be honored if Dante would be his groomsman. Dante says, the honor would be his, and Brook says, that would be so wonderful, except she doesn’t want to put any pressure on him. Being a groomsman involves a lot of standing and walking and dancing and drinking. Does he think he’ll be ready for all that? Dante says, they’re getting married in like, a month. He’d better be ready. Brook says she hopes she is too. She has so much to do. Chase says, whoa, and she says, no. He’s been wonderful, but let’s face it, it’s crunch time. They still have a million details to lock down, and decisions to be made, and a seating chart that has to be finalized. Dante says he doesn’t care where he sits, but when the dancing starts, he wants to be dance with Brook after Chase, not some rando cousin. First Chase, then him. Chase says he booked that spot for his dad on Brook’s dance card, and Dante says, of course (🍷). He’s a gentleman. How’s his dad doing? Chase says, he’s not looking too great at the moment. He’s also not too good at telling them what his doctors have to say. Brook says, maybe he just wants a tiny bit of privacy, and Chase says, if he had it his way, he wouldn’t have told them he was sick at all. Brook says, that is because he’s a self-sufficient adult who’s losing control of his body and who he chooses to share or keep things private from is one of the few ways he still has agency. Chase says, but they’re his family. They love him and just want to help. Brook says, he just wants to be Chase’s dad. Not his dad who needs his help. Everybody deserves a little privacy sometimes, even from their family who loves them the most. Sam comes in and says, this is a nice surprise. She kisses Dante and gets next to him in the bed. He says, she just kissed a groomsman. So now they have to get him in rehab so he’s ready to go. She says, between her and the kids, they’ll have him fixed, and Brook says, good luck. He’s not known for his patience. Sam says she’s way ahead of them there, and Chase says, they’re heading out, so if Dante needs anything… Dante tells him to go protect and serve and stuff, and Chase says he’s on it. They leave, and Sam says she was going to take Dante on his morning walk, but he says he already walked with Chase. For a 90-year-old man, he didn’t do too bad. She looks at her phone, and he asks, what’s going on? A new case? She says, sort of. She asked Danny’s best friend at school to text her if he ditched any classes. So far, so good. Dante says, maybe she’s giving him a bit of a hard time, but she says, Danny’s made some bad decisions lately. She doesn’t know if she can trust him. She certainly can’t trust his father.

Nina says, Kristina thinks Sonny misses her? and Kristina says she does. That’s why Ava and Avery are still at his place. It fills up the quiet and helps him forget what he lost. She doesn’t know if Nina and her dad will ever work things out, but she hopes that they do. That’s all she came here to say. Nina thanks her and says, it means so much to her. Kristina says she’s always liked Nina and wants the best for her, whatever that might be. Nina says she wants the best for Kristina too, whatever is going on in her life. She looks at Kristina’s bump, and Kristina says she’s pregnant with Molly and TJ’s baby. She’s their surrogate. Nina says, that’s wonderful. What an amazing, generous thing she’s doing. Kristina says, it’s amazing, but it’s also difficult. The morning sickness has been hard, but the hardest part has been not being able to tell everyone. For the longest time she’s wanted to shout it from the rooftops and tell strangers on the street, I’m having a baby! She means she’s having a niece or nephew baby. Nina says, it’s probably the hormones talking, when there’s a knock at the door. Nina says, it’s her 10 o’clock, and Kristina says she’ll leave Nina to it. It was great to see her. Nina says, it was very, very nice (WOTD) to see her too, and thanks her for reaching out. Kristina says, of course (🍷), and opens the door. Blaze is there with Maxie, who says hi to Kristina. Maxie says she’s sure Nina recognizes her, but she wanted to introduce her to the new Face of Deception. She introduces them, and Nina says, of course (🍷) she recognizes Blaze. She’s a big fan, and congratulations. Blaze, who has barely looked at Kristina, thanks Nina and says, it’s nice to meet her too. Nina says she remembers Blaze from Sonny’s compound in Puerto Rico when they got married, and Blaze says, belated congratulations to her. Nina thanks her and says, so Blaze remembers Kristina, and Blaze says she absolutely remembers Kristina. Nina says, a big change for Deception, and Maxie says, it’s very new and Nina is among the very first to find out. Nina says she would hope so, since this is Crimson after all. Kristina says she’s going to head over to GH to visit her brother, so she’ll let them get down to business. She tells Blaze, wow. The Face of Deception. She can really see it. (Ouch!) Congrats. She leaves and Blaze looks unhappy.

While helping Cody, Sasha says she grew up around horses. She used to love brushing them and feeding them. She would just sit on the fence and watch them do horse things. Cody says, horse things. She really is sounding like a ranch hand. She says, one day her neighbor put a saddle on a horse and let her mount. She did and she fell off like, a dozen times, but she never cried, and she kept getting back up. So eventually, they a saddle just for her. The rest is history. He says, and maybe her future if her love of horses and stables continues. She says she loves being here… at the stables. What about him? What does he look forward to in his post-Deception future? He says he’s doing it right now.

In the breakroom, Elizabeth tells Finn that his dad had an appointment with Dr. Cramer and she told his assistant that she’d do Gregory’s pre-appointment check-in. He asks if everything’s okay, and she says, everything is fine, but he did tell her – in the kindest, sweetest way possible – that she’s overstepping. Which means… He says, that they’re all overstepping, and she says, mm-hmm. Finn says, that’s his dad and he loves him. They’re all just trying to support him. She says, it’s possible their support makes him feel like they’ve already decided, without consulting him, that the time has come for them to take over, but it hasn’t. Because he can still make his own decisions and do things for himself and really, they have to let him. Finn says he always feels like he doesn’t do enough for him, and she says, because he always feels like he should be doing more for everyone else all the time. It’s who he is. He says he doesn’t know. He reached out to this buddy of his who’s a neurologist to see if he had any advice for them. She says, and? and he says, they didn’t get much of a chance to talk. They worked Doctors Without Borders together in the Ukraine, literally putting people back together in a war zone. It made him kind of miss those days. It made him feel useless with what he’s doing here. She says, it must be contagious, and he asks what she’s talking about. She says, that’s how she feels at home right now, useless with Jake. Everything she does or says is wrong and she feels like she’s making everything worse. He says, she’s being hard on herself. She’s an amazing mom. She says she didn’t feel that way when Jason came by yesterday. It was a complete trainwreck.

Gregory tells Dr. Carter, fair to say things aren’t improving, and the doctor says he’s worried about Gregory’s shortness of breath. It’s gotten a little worse. Gregory says, but it’s manageable if he doesn’t push it, which he can accommodate, with one exception. Dr. Carter says, which is? and Gregory says he needs to know if he can still preside over his son’s wedding. The doctor says he’s not a psychic, and Gregory says he’ll settle for an educated guess. Can he make it through the month speaking and walking under his own steam? Dr. Carter says, this is no more than his educated guess, okay? But he thinks a month is a safe bet. Gregory says, and when his son comes by asking for an update… The doctor says he won’t discuss a patient with anyone, not even another doctor, without he patient’s express permission. Gregory says, that’s what he was hoping to hear, and thanks him.

Nina says, it was a pleasure meeting Blaze, they shake hands, and Blaze leaves. Maxie says, that person? That’s not an act. That’s who she actually is. Nina says she does need to know. What happened to Sasha?

Sam tells Dante that she doesn’t think she’s ever felt so betrayed in his life. She thought – they all thought – Jason was dead, and he shows up out of nowhere, and tells their son to keep a secret from him. With no explanation, no idea where he’s been the past two years. She doesn’t know if Jason is different or if she’s actually seeing him clearly for the first time. Kristina says, knock-knock. Is it a good time for visitors? Sam says, yeah, and Kristina hugs Dante. She says, it’s about time he woke up. Not that he did that on purpose or anything, but maybe try to be a little more careful next time? Dante says he’s all about the caution, but she’s done some growing. Kristina says, isn’t it crazy? She’s been waiting and waiting and waiting to show, and it finally happened. Stella walks in and apologizes for the interruption, but how would Dante feel about going home today?

Tracy asks how Gregory’s appointment went, and he says, the doctor thinks with some rest and some medications and continued use of his CPAP machine for breath support, he should be in good shape for Chase’s wedding. She says, he must be so relieved, and he says he is. She says she’s guessing Alexis will be relieved as well, and he asks, why is that? She says, Alexis is a very accomplished, bright woman… He says, spare him the preamble, and she says, but she’s not particularly close to Chase or Brook, and were it not for him, she wouldn’t make the guest list.

Nina tells Maxie, that’s more or less what Sasha said to her. As long as it’s Sasha’s decision, she’s behind her 100%. Maxie says, so they circled back to Blaze and the timing is perfect. Blaze expands their youth market and she’s got a flawless complexion which they’d really like to pair with their new face cream. If they do it right, it could be huge. Nina says, definitely. She’s on board 100% for all of it. Isn’t it really nice what Kristina is doing, acting as a surrogate for her sister and TJ? Does she think it would be too much if Nina sent Sonny just a casual note, congratulating him? Because that baby is going to be his great niece or nephew. (I get confused for a moment, thinking it’s his grandchild, because biologically, it kinda is.) Maxie says, that depends. Does she care if Sonny casually throws that note in the trash? Nina says, Maxie… and Maxie tells Nina that she said it herself. Her marriage is over. Nina says, not legally, and Maxie says, not yet. Nina says, Kristina was just in here, so she thinks it’s only natural if she offers good wishes, and Maxie says, to Molly and TJ, and then to Kristina. Nina says, and Maxie thinks it looks desperate if she also includes Sonny.

Tracy tells Gregory that she has time before her appointment with Dr. Randolph. She was going to get a cup of coffee while they run her bloodwork. Would he care to join her? He says, more than he could express. But his mission, which he had to accept, is just getting started. He has to have his blood drawn and an EKG, and then a nerve conduction study. She says, that’s a full day, and he says, there was a time ALS was just his diagnosis. Now it’s his fulltime job. She says, he’s much more than his diagnosis. He’s much more than a patient. He says, it’s hard to remember that on a day like today, and she says, let her remind him. He is terrifically charming… and a wonderful conversationalist, and he’s intellectually challenging, and… he’s not bad to look at. He laughs and says, you, vixen, you (then I laugh), and walks down the hall.

Finn says, Jake has more reason than most to be shaken up by Jason’s appearance, and Elizabeth says, shaken? That’s a mild way to describe it. His anger with Jason is all over the place right now. Finn supposes that’s understandable. How is it otherwise seeing Jason again? She says, it’s strange. He’s just so vague about everything. Where he’s been, what he’s been doing, why he never reached out to anyone. He’s never been a big talker, but even for him, it was maddening. He says he knows a little bit about that. Some of his past relationships, the things he just accepted… He wonders how that was ever enough for him. He thinks about her and what they have and it’s deeper. She says she feels the same way. She can’t believe she settled for someone so limited in what they could or would share of themselves with her. She’s glad she got it right this time. He says, him too, when Chase pops in with Brook and asks if they’re allowed in here. Finn says, they’ll bend the rules, and Elizabeth asks if everything is okay. Brook says, perfectly fine. Except… Chase says, they need Finn’s help to save their wedding.

Kristina asks Dante to try and spend some time with their dad if he can. Their dad’s been worried about him. They’ve all been really worried about him, but dad has been blaming himself. Dante says he will. Sonny can come visit him and he can get his exercise walking down the hall to see Sonny. She asks what he thinks, and he says, about what? She says, Ava’s still living there. With Avery of course (🍷), but the whole thing just seems a little weird. He agrees it’s weird, but he doesn’t think Sonny’s going to care one way or the other what he thinks about Ava living there. But he’ll keep an eye on it. She says, maybe just in his spare time. The most important thing is, she wants him to focus on a full recovery. He says he’s way ahead of her there, when Sam comes in. Kristina tells Dante that she loves him, and he says he loves her too. She tells Sam to let her know if they need anything, and Sam says, will do. Kristina leaves, and Sam says, there’s general rejoicing about Dante going home from the hospital today. He says, as there should be, and she says, but she did tell Olivia, no visitors until tomorrow. She knows he’s going to be exhausted tonight. He says he’s just going to be happy he’s home, and she asks if everything is all right with Kristina. He says yeah. Why does she ask? She says, it’s just something she picked up on when Kristina was in here. If it’s private, he doesn’t have to say anything to her. She shouldn’t even be asking. He says, no. She’s just worried about their dad, and more importantly, the fact that Ava’s living with him. She thinks it’s weird. So does he.

Nina says, Maxie thinks sending Sonny a casual note, and nothing more, comes across as her looking desperate? Really? Maxie says, yes, really. Because she is desperate. Nina says she’s not desperate. She just misses Sonny, that’s all. She doesn’t want her marriage to be over. Maxie tells her that she’s saying all the right words, but it’s her tone that gives her away. She wants Sonny back and she’s willing to do anything. Nina says she has two things that give her hope that she can get him back. The first thing is, she hasn’t signed the divorce papers yet. Maxie sighs, and Nina says, the second thing is, she has a secret weapon.

Sasha and Cody take a break, and Sasha says she must admit, Cody’s post-Deception life has very good coffee. He says he has a connection that can get him Corinthos Coffee whenever he wants, and she says, what more can he ask? He says, not much. He’s not one of those guys that’s sweaty with want. He likes his job. He gets paid enough to cover basic expenses, he’s got his own room and board, and Monica enrolled him in GH’s HMO, in case one of these buckos kicks him or puts a nail in his hand instead of a horseshoe. She asks if that’s ever happened, and he says, not here. But he hasn’t – believe it or not – always been the consummate horse whisperer she sees before her. Don’t tell James though. James will never let him live it down. She says, he is Maxie’s son, and Cody agrees and says, he’s a fun little dude. Leo too. Sometimes they have more kids here than horses. He loves it. It’s kind of like being part of a family. She says, he does actually have a family he could be part of if he’d just come clean with Mac, and he says, that might be a little bit more than he can handle. Horses are enough… What? She says, nothing, but he says, come on. Tell him the truth. Did he make himself sound like too much of a loner?

Tracy finds Stella reading a magazine in the Bistro. Looking over Stella’s shoulder, Tracy says she doesn’t think women should color their hair. Stella says, there’s a shock. She doesn’t think she could carry the green off anyway. Tracy says she doesn’t think the model does either. She happens to have some time to kill before the appointment Stella relentlessly insisted she make with Dr. Randolph. May she join Stella? Stella says, yes, she may, and she’s not apologizing for insisting. She needs to get back soon too. She just needed a cup that wasn’t from the hospital cafeteria. Tracy says she’d rather be audited, and Stella says she heard Deception’s new Face person was a woman of color. Tracy says, yes, Blaze, and Stella says, you sure wouldn’t know from anything in here. Tracy says, it’s too soon. She just signed on. By the way, in those magazines, women of any color make her feel like she’s from another planet. Oh, to be young. Stella laughs and says, amen, sister. Amen.

Tracy says, while she’s sitting here waiting for her blood to be centrifuged, may she ask Stella a question? Stella says, yes, she may, and Tracy asks why she’s still working. Doesn’t she want to retire? Stella says, and do what? Knit? If she was in Baltimore, she’d have a whole group of friends, mostly widows that she could hang out with, but if she didn’t have anything better to do with her life than play matchstick poker on Thursday nights with the family, she’d lose her mind. Tracy asks why she doesn’t play for money, and Stella says, fear… theirs. They laugh, and Stella says, but Tracy is from here. She knows everybody. Tracy says she does. She knows hundreds of people. But social acquaintances are just that. They’re cordial, superficial… Not that it bothered her mother. Her mother was gracious to everybody. She had more friends than she knew what to do with. Stella says she gathers Tracy takes after her father, and Tracy says she does. And she was proud of it. She’s still proud of it, but truthfully, it has its disadvantages. She doesn’t have a lot of deep, meaningful relationships with people, and one of the very few, she… he… He’s otherwise occupied.

On the phone, Finn says, Simon is absolutely right… He will… Thank you. He tells Chase and Brook that dad’s doctor won’t tell him anything about how he’s doing. Patient confidentiality and all that. He didn’t have to ask before because he used to go to all of Gregory’s appointments with him. Then Gregory asked him to stop. Chase says, so if they want to find something out… Finn says, dad’s going to have to tell them himself, if and when he chooses to, and Brook says, until his father decides to talk, can Finn please help them pull their wedding back from the brink? Elizabeth asks, what happened? She thought they had everything under control. Chase says, it seemed like dad was getting worse, then Dante was in the ICU. So instead of just canceling it altogether, they just thought they’d downsize. Brook says, significantly, and Elizabeth asks, how significant? Brook says, a courthouse wedding, two witnesses, Chase in a suit and tie, and her in something understated. No gown, no veil… Elizabeth says, they can relax because Dante’s being discharged, and Chase says, and now dad’s holding his own. Brook says, and now they want everything to go back to the way they originally planned it. Finn says, absolutely. They’re here for them, whatever they need. Elizabeth says, let’s get you guys married in the style you deserve, and Chase tells Brook, see? Everything’s going to work out.

Nina tells Maxie that Ava and Avery are still at Sonny’s because of security reasons, and Ava can act as her advocate. Maxie looks like she has a headache and says, if Nina was depending on Ava for anything, she’s going to be disappointed. Nina says she disagrees, and Maxie says, let’s name one selfless or generous thing that Ava has ever done. Not a nice gesture. She’s talking about something real where Ava put someone else ahead of herself. Nina says, Ava has nothing at stake here. She trusts Ava to act in her best interests. Maxie says she doesn’t think Nina knows what her best interests really are. Any man she has to plot to get back isn’t a man she’s going to keep. And to be honest, she never liked Nina as Sonny’s wife anyway. Nina asks, since when? and Maxie says, since she started being Sonny’s wife. It took over Nina’s life, and frankly, Maxie never thought she’d become one of those women. The Nina she knows was erased by Mrs. Corinthos, and she misses her Nina.

Sasha says she doesn’t think Cody is a loner. She’s spent enough time with him to know better. He says, that’s a relief, and she tells him that she would say there’s something a little aloof. He asks if that’s because he doesn’t give her long, lustful looks and try to manhandle her, and she says, then he’d be trading aloof for creepy. He says, she knows what he means. She made it very clear she’s not ready for anything. She says she knows, and she likes how comfortable and easy it is between them. He says, him too. That’s why he’s kept his very significant interest at bay. But he has to be honest. Sometimes he thinks two or three days of manhandling could be fun too.

Tracy asks Stella if it isn’t hard to work with people who are suffering. How does she keep from feeling sorry for them? Stella says, sometimes she can’t. But she doesn’t let those feelings keep her from treating that person as a person. They’re much more than the terrible thing that’s happening to them. Tracy thanks her and says she appreciates that. She has a friend that’s going to appreciate it as well. Nothing annoys him more than being handled. As a matter of fact, it annoys her as well. Stella says she never would have guessed. If Tracy is up for some matchstick poker, she’d be happy to leave Tracy humbled. Tracy asks how she feels about backgammon, and Stella says, love it. Be happy to beat you at that too. Tracy says, she’s on, and Stella says, all right, sister, and they clink coffee cups.

Sam’s phone chimes and Dante asks if it’s his mother asking what she should bring for dinner. Sorry. Or is that Danny? Sam says, it’s actually her mother seeing if they need anything when he gets home. And yes, she does admit she was checking to see if there’s an update on Danny and there isn’t one. He says, that’s good news, right? and she says, for today. But what about tomorrow or next week? They know Danny, and when he decides to do something, he does it. She knows he’s going to try and see Jason again. Dante says, maybe there’s a compromise in there somewhere, but she says she doesn’t think so. Danny being anywhere near Jason is dangerous. Dante is actual, living proof of that. He tells her not to blame Jason, but she says she does blame Jason for putting Danny in danger. And she will make sure it never happens again.

Gregory walks into the breakroom, and says, excuse him, but the desk nurse said he could find Finn in here. Finn asks what he can do for him, and Gregory asks if he called Dr. Cramer about his condition. Finn says, yeah. He just wanted to check in with him, and Gregory says, from now on, he’d appreciate it if Finn would check in with him. Finn says, understood. How did his appointment go? Gregory says, Dr. Cramer told him that he might have had a little slump, but he’s much better now. Finn says, that’s good news, and Elizabeth says, Chase and Brook just left. Does Gregory want her to call them? Maybe they can give him a ride home. Gregory says he can get his own ride, and tells Finn, don’t end run him again. He leaves, and Finn says, Elizabeth is right. He needs to step back. This is going to be hard. She hugs him.

Brook says she knows she and Chase have a thousand details to finalize, but the venues are booked, the flowers have been picked, the menus are approved. Her dress is still a work in progress. Chase says, what about the honeymoon? and she says, excuse me? He says, you, me, alone together somewhere romantic? She says, ha-ha, funny. They’re going to Palm Beach. Unless… Did he cancel the reservation? That would be totally fine, and they can probably just rebook it… He says, they still have their reservation, and she says, don’t scare her like that. He says he’s just checking in. Is she sure she wants to go to Palm Beach? She says, absolutely. They already went over the places that are in their price range. He says, his price range. Her family is paying for this big wedding; he wants to cover the honeymoon. She says, and he is, and it’s going to be amazing. She’s never been to Palm Beach, but everybody tells her it’s gorgeous. And the hotel they picked looks exquisite. He asks if she has any other superlatives that she wants to throw in there, and she says, just one. They are going to Palm Beach as Mrs. and Mr. Harrison Chase, and that will be perfect. She kisses him and leaves, and he says he can do better than perfect.

Tomorrow, Josslyn says, Dex can’t possibly think this is a good idea; Laura tells Terry that they need only one Chief of Staff to sign off; Heather asks Doc, what need is there to torture herself with things that are impossible; and Blaze asks Kristina if that’s going to be a problem for them.

🧼 All the Soap That’s Fit To Print…

So glad they said something. I thought maybe I’d had it wrong all this time. Although Jack and John are sometimes interchangeable. I have no clue why and always thought it was weird.

I thought it was probably regarding the time Carly subbed for Sonny too.

There are worse jobs.

I wasn’t worried.

https://www.soapsindepth.com/posts/general-hospital/cameron-mathison-says-his-new-series-wont-affect-gh

These two are super cute.

Reeling in the years.

In their Easter bonnets, or not.

⚰️ About Those Ones…

The consensus is, maybe or maybe not on Season 2.

https://ew.com/the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-creators-season-2-future-8622369

I love Andrew Lincoln saying [it] would’ve been a bit rude to kill off Michonne and Rick at the end. So very British.

https://ew.com/the-walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-finale-ending-explained-8622179

Someone actually took the time to make a detailed log.

https://thecosmiccircus.com/walking-dead-the-ones-who-live-review

🍸 VanderTease…

Like the last one wasn’t emotionally draining.

https://extratv.com/2024/04/01/lisa-vanderpump-teases-emotionally-draining-pump-rules-reunion-exclusive

🏰 Past the Rules…

I haven’t had a chance to check this out yet, but since LVP can do no wrong, I know I’ll love it.

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/lisa-vanderpump-vanderpump-villa-decadent-naughty-poignant/story?id=108727696

🧛🏻‍♂️ Goodbye Count Floyd…

SCTV was the best sketch comedy show ever. Even in its best years, SNL paled by comparison.

https://people.com/joe-flaherty-freaks-and-geeks-actor-dead-at-82-8623637

🐥 Peep This…

I’ve never gone to it, but this thing gets pretty crowded. I’d have to carry my dogs in tote bags or something.

🪺 Bobbin’ Like a Robin…

Join me tomorrow for soap and whatever gems can be mined from the entertainment pages. Until then, stay safe, stay not waiting for the right time (it will never come, so just do it), and stay remembering that any person you have to plot to get back isn’t someone you’re going to keep.

April 2, 2024 – Jason Gets a New Assignment, Circling the VanderDrain, High School Never Ends For Kristen & 500

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Curtis locks his wheelchair, and after struggling for a moment, he stands. Stella comes out and gasps. She asks how long he’s been able to do this.

Drew asks Nina’s assistant if she’s in her office, and Madison says, yes, but… Drew barges into the office, where Nina is on the phone. She sees Drew and says she’ll have to get back to them. She tells Madison that she said she was on a call, and Madison starts to answer, but Nina says, close the door on her way out. Drew says, Nina doesn’t have to pick on her assistant. He didn’t give her a chance to announce him. He just came by to see what she’s up to because he doesn’t know how to do his own work and has nothing better to do.

Dex goes into the station and tells the desk sergeant that he’s here to see Detective Bennet. Bennet says, right here, and Dex says, Dex Heller. Nice to meet him. Dex holds out his hand, but Bennet ignores it and says, follow him. They go into the interrogation room, and Bennet says, have a seat. Dex sits, and Bennet says, Commissioner Devane asked him to interview Dex. He’s an instructor here at the police academy. Dex says he knows. He looked Bennet up. He likes to know who he’s dealing with. Bennet says, so does he. So why don’t they start with the obvious question. Why does he want to be a police officer?

In Sonny’s old kitchen, Donna is dressed for cooking in an apron that says mini chef and chef’s hat. She thanks Carly, and Carly says, it’s a lot of work. Josslyn comes over with a pot of sauce and says, but it’s worth it. Donna wonders what they do first, and Josslyn says, first, they put the pasta sauce in the pan, making a thin layer. Donna says, she can do it, but Josslyn says, how about if she does this, and then Donna can spread it around a little. Carly asks what she should do, and Josslyn says, she can check the noodles and make sure they’re not too hot for Donna. (I don’t see the moss bowl🎍, and have concerns they’re making moss bowl🎍lasagna.) Carly says, check them how? and Josslyn says, touch them. Just don’t pick them up please. Donna says, they don’t want to scare them, and Carly says she’d be insulted if she didn’t know they were right. Josslyn says, they’re lucky she’s so happy today, and Donna asks why Carly is so happy. Carly says, why wouldn’t she be happy. She’s with her girls and her best friend is back. Donna says, Jason Morgan, right?

Anna opens her office door and thanks Jason for coming by. She thanks him for getting himself a phone. She had to wrangle with his lawyer for a good fifteen minutes before she’d relay that message to him. Jason says, Diane is very cautious, and Anna says she doesn’t blame her. she saw Dante. He’s awake. It’s relief. And Jason is exonerated. Jason says, it’s a relief for him too, and Anna says, even though he’s not facing capital murder charges, he’s still in a great deal of trouble and she’s been giving his situation some thought. She thinks they have mutual goals.

Donna asks if Jason is coming for dinner, and Carly says, probably not tonight, but soon. Donna says she wants to meet him, and Carly says, she knows him. She just doesn’t remember. Donna asks if Carly thinks Jason will remember her, and Carly says she knows he’ll remember her. He’s going to be so amazed at how much she’s grown.

Anna says she has information from a special sauce source that Sonny was doing business with Pikeman and suddenly stopped, which could be why he was suddenly targeted. So what can Jason tell her about Pikeman’s internal organization and their areas of involvement? He says, nothing, and she says, why not? Because she already knows he was a part of it. He says he can’t, and she says, because of Agent Cates? He’s on his way over. Her desk phone rings, and she says, send him in. She says, speak of the devil, and tells John, come on in. She thanks him for coming, and says, he already knows Mr. Morgan.

Bennet says, Dex served in the army, and Dex says, he did two tours in Afghanistan, Lahgman and Kandahar. Then he was promoted to a post in Germany. Bennet says, he was discharged for assaulting a superior officer, and Dex says, yes, but he can explain. Bennet says, it wasn’t a dishonorable discharge, so he’s guessing there was some level of provocation. Still, it’s a blemish on Dex’s record just the same. What did he do after he got out? Dex says he worked in private security, and Bennet says he sees that on the application, but he doesn’t see any names or references. Dex says, they were private clients, high profile, rich. He signed non-disclosure agreements. Bennet says, legitimate? and Dex says, yes, sir. Corporate heads, politicians, Silicon Valley guys. Bennet says, what about his last employer? Corinthos Coffee? It’s not included on the application. Why is that? Does he not consider that employer legitimate? Dex says, technically, yes. In reality, no.

Curtis says, honestly, he didn’t know Stella was here, and she says, obviously. He asks where she was, and she says she was in the kitchen dropping off a coconut cake for Trina. It’s her favorite. (I like them too, so if she has an extra…) Now that he knows about her, what about him? He says he’s taken a few steps lately, but he knows he needs a lot more practice, and she says, this is great. Why on earth is he keeping this from his family, especially his wife?

Nina tells Drew that she’s had her hands full with the fall issue, pulling Crimson back from the brink. Carly did huge damage. He says, the only damage that was done during Carly’s tenure was by Nina. She literally ripped out walls to sabotage that first issue, but it went out on time. All her major advertisers, her designers, her collaborators all stayed. There wasn’t a dip in sales or circulation. In fact, there was a little bit of a bump because people were kind of curious to see what Carly would do. She says, if things were so wonderful, then by all means, bring Carly back and she’ll just walk. He says she’s not going anywhere. She’s just a rich, spoiled brat (way to keep an employee), and although she can’t find true love or even a functional relationship, she does have everything money can buy, except for this. This magazine is his and she wants it, she needs it. She says, and he needs her because Carly is long gone.

Michael comes into Sonny’s old kitchen with Wiley, and Carly says, wait a minute. There’s supposed to be four of them. Wiley says, mommy and Amelia aren’t here, and Carly says, what? Wiley says, April fool, and Michael says, Amelia fell asleep on the drive over, so Willow’s upstairs putting her down. (I always think putting them down sounds like they’re shooting a horse or something.) So they’re having lasagna? Donna says, yes, and she made it… She helped. Carly says, a little bit, and Wiley says he can help too. Josslyn says, the lasagna is already in the oven, but they can help her set the table. Wiley says, that’s not fun (agreed), and Josslyn says she gets it, but if they help her, they can play some Star Wars. Donna says she gets to be Darth Vader, and Josslyn says, of course (🍷). She, Donna, and Wiley leave, and Carly says, okay. Before Jason turned himself in, he was with Michael, wasn’t he?

Curtis says, of course (🍷) he plans to tell his wife. He plans to tell all of them, just when he’s better able to walk. Stella does understand that, doesn’t she? She says she thinks she does, looking at his cane. After she had her stroke, she had to relearn things too. Not to the extent he has, but she had to put effort into being whole again. Look at her life differently and think differently about her health. But the hardest thing for her to come to terms with wasn’t just physical, it was mental. Accepting that she couldn’t do everything on her own, that she, too, needed help, that she wasn’t invulnerable. He says he gets it. This has motivated him more than ever. He just doesn’t want his family to have to witness him struggle, witness his baby steps, especially with everything he’s put everyone through. He just wants to be further along. She says she’s beyond thrilled and proud right now. She just wants the rest of the family to be able to experience the joy she’s having right now. They’re all on this journey with him. What happens to him affects them too, especially Portia. She’s been holding it down. Let her have some of this joy. Baby steps or big steps, let her experience it with him. Keeping secrets, even if your aim is true, it can destroy a marriage.

Carly says, Jason didn’t say anything to her, but the Quartermaine estate is the perfect place to hide, and Michael lives at the gatehouse. He says he and Willow were helping Jason, and she says, Willow? He says he knows he blindsided Willow when he told her Jason was shot and needed her help. She stepped right up. She took care of his wound and made sure he had the right medication. Willow’s the reason why Jason had such a good recovery. She says, he didn’t say anything about where he’s been, what he’s been doing? and Michael says, not really. Jason told him that he was picked up by somebody who has leverage over him and they had him working as a mercenary soldier. Did he say anything to her? She says, after the arraignment, Jason went straight to see Michael’s father. She was there, and surprise, surprise, so was Ava. He says, Ava’s been spending a lot of time with him these days, and she says, he thinks Ava is trustworthy and she and Michael are not. Which gives him a pretty good idea of how things went with Jason. He says, obviously, now dad realizes Jason didn’t shoot Dante, and she says, he also knows he was an informant for the FBI. He says, an informant? That’s what Jason couldn’t tell him. She says, and he didn’t say much more than that, which infuriated Michael’s father, and Sonny called Jason a traitor. She tried to calm him down. She tried to fix things, but it didn’t work, so she and Jason left. He asks if Jason said anything else, but she says, not really. They went to Bobbie’s and sat and talked, but he didn’t say anything about where he’s been or the FBI. And there’s a vacant room above Bobbie’s, so that’s where Jason is going to stay. He says, that’s good. It’s easier for him there than at the MetroCourt or… she says, the MetroCourt or with her? and he says, yeah, especially there. He’s been through something. She says she knows. She can see it. But Jason’s going to be okay. He’s got a lot of people pulling for him. Michael says, especially her. He knows it’s been an emotional ride. Is she okay? She says she hasn’t been this okay in a long time, and they hug. Willow comes in and says, Wiley needs Michael. He tells her, say no more, and leaves. Willow asks if she can do anything to help, and Carly says she’s been entrusted with the salad, so Willow can help her with that. Willow says she’s got it, and Carly says, hold on. She knows Willow really put herself on the line to help with Jason. Thank you.

John says he can’t imagine why Jason is here, and Anna says she told him to come. Jason says, Anna knows he’s working for John. He told her. John says, that violates the terms of their agreement, and Jason says, John lied when they made their agreement. Why should I continue to honor that, Jagger? John looks at Anna, and Jason says, John chose not to tell him that he knew him in high school. John knew his family. He knew Jason’s mother. And John engineered a scenario where he had to let her believe he was dead. John asks what it would matter if he told Jason something he can’t remember? It’s too bad about Jason’s personal life, but he took this deal of his own volitions, so don’t lecture him on the consequences of being Jason. Jason says, he couldn’t find anybody else to go after Pikeman? and John says, no one with Jason’s qualifications. No one he had leverage over dropped in his lap. He doesn’t give a damn how Jason feels about this job. He only cares that Jason gets it done.

Drew tells Nina that he’s going to save them both some time. They can keep playing chicken. She threatens to leave him. She goes to HR to star search for a new Editor-in-Chief. Or they can take that energy and focus it on the fall issue. (I was just thinking, Nina should put herself on the cover.) Nina says, let’s be clear here. We are not getting the fall issue out. She’s getting the fall issue out because she’s the driving force behind Crimson. That’s why he begged her to come back. He says he doesn’t beg anybody, least of all her. He came to her because there was a vacancy he needed to fill, and he knows how much she loves this magazine. He thought it was a bit of a win-win. He’s open to the possibility of them working together because they both get something they want. She says, it can’t really be that easy for him. Jason blows back into town and suddenly there’s a vacancy in Carly’s bed. Drew’s out; Jason’s in. He says, it was his choice to end things with Carly, but she says, he got out before Carly could dump him. And he’s standing here telling her that he doesn’t want payback? He asks what payback has ever gotten her.

Stella says, keeping secrets ended Curtis’s first marriage, and this one nearly ended before it got started because of a secret. The marriages that work best are the ones where partners can share. They can lean on each other and go through tough times together. Both he and Portia are strong enough to handle anything. And his desire to protect is admirable, but he’s got to ask himself, if he were Portia, wouldn’t he want to know? Portia conveniently walks in and says she’s home. Curtis wheels around and smiles at her.

Bennet asks Dex to clarify what he meant when he said, technically yes, but in reality, no. Dex says he worked closely with Mr. Corinthos. After a period of time, it became clear his business wasn’t one Dex could support. Bennet says, wasn’t he there nearly two years? and Dex says, it took him a while to figure out how to go about it, but eventually, he got out. He planned on leaving Port Charles for good, but… Bennet says, but what? and Dex says he didn’t like the idea of running away. So instead, he went to see Commissioner Devane. She suggested he become a cop, so here he is.

Willow tells Carly that she was more afraid that she wouldn’t be able to treat Jason correctly than she was about whatever legal jeopardy she’d be in. She was able to bandage him up and bring him antibiotics from the hospital, which lowered his risk of infection. Carly says, she took a huge risk, taking meds from the hospital, and Willow says she won’t lie. She was pretty nervous when the shortage showed up on the computer, but Michael called Spinelli… Carly says, and the shortage disappeared. Willow says, thankfully, and Carly says, Spinelli is a good person to know. Willow says, so is Jason. He helped save her from Shiloh. Michael loves him. So does Carly. He’s important to this family. Carly says, he is, but he was also a fugitive wanted for shooting a cop. And she knows it wouldn’t occur to Michael not to get involved, but it might have occurred to Willow. Willow says, sometimes you’ve got to put your own doubts aside and back the person you love. Michael’s done that for her. It was her turn to do it for him. Carly says she understands that because she knows what it’s like to have a special relationship, and Willow says, she must be relieved now that Jason’s back. So will he be all right now that the charges have been dropped? She still doesn’t understand what kind of trouble he was in or what happened to him. Carly says she doesn’t either. He’s said very little. Willow says, really. She thought Carly and Jason told each other everything.

Anna says, obviously, Jason’s cover is blown. He can no longer work for Pikeman as Alan Jacobs. John says, he can’t work there, but he still has value, and she says, how? They will have adjusted their protocols by now, and she’s sure they’ve relocated any personnel who have come in contact with him. John says, maybe, but he knows too much. Pikeman is going to want to shut him up. Jason is going to stay here in Port Charles. Out in the open. Anna asks if John wants to use him as bait, and John says he wants to draw Pikeman out. Jason says he’s not going to be a walking target in his hometown, surrounded by people he cares about. He’s not going to let anybody wind up as collateral damage. John says, then be real careful. Jason knows how Pikeman operates. Draw them out. He’s willing to bet they’ll send someone senior to deal with him. They turn the tables, take them into custody, and incentivize them to give up whoever runs the company. Jason asks how he’s going to turn the tables, and John says he’s sure Jason will think of something. He has an impressive skill set and he’s good at improvising. So what’s it going to be? Cooperate – Jason walks toward the door – or they use the information they already have and charge Carly Spencer with RICO violations and criminal conspiracy.

Jason says he’ll do what John wants as long as he leaves Carly alone, and John says, as long as Jason holds up his end, he has no use for Carly. Anna suggests they clarify the objective, and John says, Jason shouldn’t have involved her. It’s an FBI investigation. She’s not part of it. She says, but she is. They’ve already been over this. It’s her jurisdiction. She wants in. He says, the whole point of using Jason is, he’s not an agent. How they use Jason is at his discretion. He’s not going to risk a leak or open the door to some interagency turf war at this late date. She asks if he thinks any of that would apply to her. Why would it? He says, come on. She’s WSB and so is Pikeman.

Carly tells Willow, one of the great things about Jason is that even when he can’t tell her what’s going on, she knows she can trust him. He’ll let her in when he can. There were so many times Jason didn’t know what she was doing, but he trusted her anyway. Willow goes to the sink, and Carly asks why she has the feeling there’s something Willow wants to say. (I still haven’t seen the moss bowl🎍, and worry it’s part of the salad Carly is mixing.) Willow says she’s sorry. She didn’t want to bring it up. Drew told her that they broke up. Carly says she didn’t know Drew was going to say something to Willow. Not that it’s a secret or anything – it’s not. She just didn’t know how she’d feel when people found out. How is he? Willow says, she knows Drew. He puts on a game face, but she knows he was hurt. Carly says she loves him. She misses him. He went through so much with her and for her, and she really wanted to return that kind of loyalty, but… she didn’t know Jason was going to come back. Willow says, Drew is a good friend, literally her life saver. She hopes he can put his own life back together and find something that really matters to him.

Drew says, that’s Nina’s problem. When things don’t go her way, she focuses on the wrong thing. (I can’t stand this guy. He consistently talks to women like they’re five.) She says, right now, her problem is that she has a sanctimonious boss who barged into her office and now wants to lecture her about her shortcomings. He says he’s sorry he forgot to include victimhood complex in there. Nothing’s ever her fault, right? That’s how she justifies her actions. When she loses something, she just tries to take something from somebody else in return. Think about it for a second. She lost Nelle. She lied to Carly and made her think that she lost Sonny. She lost Willow and tried to send Carly to prison. Nina says, he’s still defending Carly. How pathetic. The best decision he ever made was to fire Carly and reinstate her. Why is he backtracking now? He says he’s not backtracking now. He’s not rewriting history. He has a very clear mind on what happened, and he has a very clear memory. But that’s in the past and they’re trying to move forward here, right? Hasn’t she ever heard that living well is the best revenge?

Portia says, Stella. This is a wonderful surprise. She’s staying for dinner, right? Stella says, no. She just came by to leave Trina a coconut cake. She left it in the kitchen. Portia says, that’s so thoughtful of her. It’s her favorite. Stella says, her pleasure, and she hopes they have a wonderful evening. She kisses Curtis on the cheek and says she’s sure they have a lot to catch up on. She leaves, and Portia says, Stella ran out of here so fast, she didn’t get a chance to tell her some good news. Dante woke up. Curtis says, that is good news. How’s he doing? She says, he’s amazing. He’s weak, but he’s coherent. Sam and Olivia are over the moon. She’s really happy for them. Does he remember how excited she was when he finally woke up? It felt like she hadn’t taken a breath in months. Then he opened his eyes and look at him now. He says he’d rather look at her, and she says she’d rather look at that cake. She runs into the kitchen. (A woman after my own stomach.)

Drew tells Nina, Carly never wanted to be the editor of Crimson. He talked her into it. She did it for him. Nina says, and it didn’t feel good at all to show her the door? but he says, no. That’s Nina’s petty way of thinking. He doesn’t want Carly to suffer at all. He gets nothing from that at all. He wins when he focuses on himself and builds something for himself. If she could only do that, focus on her talents and what she has and get out of her own way, she could probably eventually be happy. She says she was happy, happier than she’s ever been in her life. Does he know why? Because she had a family. Her surviving daughter was back in her life, she had two wonderful grandchildren, she was married to a man she loved and who loved her. She had a job she was great at too, and what does she have now? Nothing, except for Crimson, which is all she started with in the first place. He says, she bears no responsibility for those turn of events? Everything she claimed Carly had to begin with. Nina says she did not want anything from Carly. Things just happened the way they happened, and yes, she takes responsibility for keeping the truth about Sonny being alive in Nixon Falls from his family, but once Sonny remembered, it was his choice, and he chose her. She didn’t force him. It was Sonny’s decision. He says, she’s so big on choice. What about accountability? She asks if he wants to talk accountability. How about Carly? She chose to buy shares of Aurora and commit a crime, but was she held accountable? No. Carly always gets the pass. She even had Drew take the fall for her. He says, after Nina turned them in to the SEC, and she says, which was perfectly legal. But apparently unforgivable for her. Now she’s exiled from the man she loves and the only family she was ever able to call her own. Is that fair?

Josslyn sets the lasagna on the kitchen island, and Carly says, that’s so beautiful. It smells like heaven. Josslyn thanks her and says, it’s a great recipe. Carly asks when she learned how to cook lasagna. When did she learn to cook anything from scratch? Josslyn says, Dex was teaching her how to cook. He’s really good at it. Carly says, she misses him, huh? and Josslyn says she’s trying not to. She knows she has to let it go, and overall, she has. It’s just there’s that part of her that’s waiting for a text or call. Carly says, what if he does text or call? and Josslyn says she promised herself that she wouldn’t answer. Carly hugs her.

Bennet says he started off this interview asking why Dex wants to be a cop. Aside from him saying Commissioner Devane asked him to apply and stating he wanted to stay in town, he hasn’t answered the question. Dex says, yes, the Commissioner suggested he join the force. He could have refused, but he thought it over and realized he misses that feeling he had back in the army. Bennet asks, which is what? and Dex says, doing something good through service. The way he sees it, being a cop is like being a soldier. You go through a lot of tough stuff, but it’s for the greater good. It’s about serving others. Bennet says, Dex took an oath to serve his country and the Constitution in the military. Law enforcement officers take an oath to defend the Constitution and uphold the laws in their jurisdiction. Is he prepared to do that? Dex says, yes, sir. There’s another thing. He liked being a part of something bigger than himself. When he was in the army, the men and women he served with became his brothers and sisters. They were in it together and had each other’s backs. They were doing something real and important. It was hard as hell and it was challenging, but they had a purpose. They believed in a cause so strongly, they put their lives on the line for it. That gave his life meaning. To protect their way of life and their freedom was the goal. The goal in working private security and working for Sonny was to make money. That was a stupid and ugly reason to die.

Anna says, so now they get to the real reason for John’s attitude toward her since he came to town. Is she part of his investigation? John says, there’s no way to know, but they do know that Pikeman has longstanding and unhealthy ties to the WSB. She says, so he doesn’t like her poking around. He’s been playing nice to keep tabs on her, to keep her in check. He says he can neither confirm nor deny, but the ties between Pikeman and the WSB go back to her early days as an agent in the 80s. She says she can tell him flat out, she’s never had anything to do with Pikeman. Jack Brennan, who ended his rather brief tenure as head of the WSB by being shipped off to Pentenville, could tell him more. It’s alleged he was running both Pikeman and WSB. Unless he thinks she’s the new head of Pikeman and by packing Jack off to prison she was making a big power grab. He says, anything is possible, and it falls within the scope of his investigation. He wants Pikeman and everything affiliated with it to go down. That’s his focus. She says, it’s hers too, but how do they do it? and he says, that is the billion-dollar question. Hopefully Jason will get them an answer.

Portia says, it took every ounce of willpower she had to make sure… She sees Curtis standing, and he says, wait a second. He puts down his cane and takes a few steps toward her. He falters, but rights himself and says, looks like he’s going to need a little more practice. He could certainly use a good coach. She says, he’s got one, and takes his hands. He walks the rest of the way to her, and they hug, then kiss.

Nina says she could almost believe Drew if she hadn’t personally experienced his version of payback. Maybe he’s seen the light. Maybe he’s a kinder, gentler Drew, but she somehow doubts it. She thinks the rage and the anger is still in there somewhere. She wonders, if there was a button he could somehow push that would make Jason disappear again, and no one would know except for him, would he push it, knowing his brother would just go away and everything would go back to the way it was? Madison comes in and says, the article on how the wellness/fitness market is booming and evolving is in her inbox. Nina thanks her and says she’ll look at it right away. Madison leaves, and Nina tells Drew that she needs to get back to work. He says, so he heard. What’s this piece about? She says, it’s for the next issue. It’s about feeling good. It’s a powerful, profitable industry. Fitness and wellbeing are not just trendy buzzwords. He asks if she’ll forward it to him. He’d like to read it. She says she’s forwarding it right now, his phone dings, and he says he’s got it. He thanks her and says, maybe they can work together after all. He leaves, and she says, stranger things have happened.

Bennet says he gets what Dex did in the military. He respects Dex’s discretion about his private clients. He doesn’t like the gaps in Dex’s work history, but he’s familiar with that road and non-disclosures. What concerns him the most is Dex’s familiarity with the Corinthos organization. What he’s seen. What he’s done. Dex says, it’s because of the time he worked for Sonny that he wants this. He did things he regrets. Bennet asks if he thinks he can make up for them by becoming a cop. That’s not how this works. The Commissioner may have suggested this, but if he’s thinking of it as some kind of penance, don’t do it. Dex says he told Bennet, he wants a purpose in his life. He needs to do better for himself.

The kids run into Sonny’s old kitchen, and Josslyn asks, who won? The Rebels or the Empire? Wiley says, they haven’t finished yet. The Rebels will win. Carly asks how he knows that, and he says, because Josslyn’s playing for them and she’s the best. Michael says he plays for the Empire and he’s a pretty good pilot, and Josslyn says, they’ll see what happens. Carly says, before they sit down to dinner, she just wants to thank Willow, Josslyn, and Donna for making dinner. Cutest child in the universe Donna says, Carly helped too, and Carly tells her that it’s nice of her to say that. She also wants to say she loves them very much and how lucky they are that they have each other. And they’re lucky Dante is doing better, and they’re so lucky Jason’s back. They have so much to celebrate. Donna says, let’s eat, and they all move to the dining room with their plates.

Jason says he knows a lot about Pikeman, but he doesn’t know who’s in charge or the chain of command. But John is right. they’re going to want to shut him up. Anna say, the same way they tried to eliminate Sonny, but Jason says he doesn’t know. They sent separate teams for Sonny. The first team was at the MetroCourt, then Puerto Rico. He was on the third team, as they know, but their approach is not working. They’re definitely going to try something different with him. John says he regrets Jason has to be used as bait, but it’s real. He’s playing the hand he’s been dealt with now. The mission remains shutting Pikeman down. He leaves, and Anna asks if Jason is okay with this. Jason imperceptibly shakes his head and says, it just has to be done. She says, it all makes sense now. He didn’t become an FBI informant to protect himself. It was to save Carly. He says, she can’t know, and Anna asks, why? but Jason says nothing and leaves.

Tomorrow, Sam tells Dante that she doesn’t think she’s ever felt so betrayed in her life; Kristina wants to clear the air; Nina has a secret weapon; and Chase says, they need someone’s help to save their wedding.

Vanderpump Rules

Starting with a random fact. We find out instead of Play-Doh, in New Zealand, Brock had mud. The girls work out in the park, and in Katie’s interview, she says she doesn’t understand how fitness people are addicted to endorphins. It’s like they never drank wine or experienced true happiness. This isn’t it. Lala asks if Ariana and Katie are coming to the water tasting. She warns them that she invited everyone, including Sandoval. Ann comes to Ariana and Sandoval’s house dressed in a suit and tells Ariana that she came professional and prepared. In Ariana’s interview, she says, it might be rough with her roommate if she poached his assistant. But he didn’t respect her enough not to f*** her friend while she was at her grandma’s funeral, so she’ll poach gleefully. She says, Ann typically comes in at 11 and stays all day whether there’s stuff to do or not. Ann says she usually has to pick up Sandoval’s socks and underwear, and in her interview, Ariana says, he sometimes wears them for days in a row. Change your drawers, bro. Anna says she can’t wait to do more administrative work and she’d love to work for an amazing girl boss. She’d love to work with Ariana, but if it doesn’t work out, she’ll understand. Ariana says she loves Ann. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, Ariana’s already got his friends. Now she wants his assistant when she can hire anybody she wants. Ariana tells Ann, it’s weird now with the living situation, but once she’s out of the house… Ann says, they’ll keep in touch, and Ariana says, lucky for Ann, she’s the HR department.

Schwartz visits Scheana and Brock, bringing them a plant, his new M.O. He says, when he looked on Instagram, the first six posts were people having kids, and in his interview, he says, Father Time is knocking in the back of his mind. He’s not getting any younger. He’s not sure about a lot of things, but he’s sure he’d be a good dad. He hopes he’d be a DILF, but he’ll be 60 when they graduate high school. As I always say, there’s 60 and there’s 60. Although I’m not so sure Schwartz will end up in the latter category. Katie goes to see Ariana, and says she’s had six shots of espresso and she’s got to keep the buzz going. Ariana tells her about Ann coming for an interview. She had a suit on brought her resume. She told Ann that they could do something in the future, but right now it would be petty and vindictive. When she was getting ready to leave, she found Ann in the kitchen crying. Ann told her that Sandoval had been coming down on her; he was eavesdropping. Katie says she doesn’t like the invasion of privacy. She feels like hers was invaded by Scheana tracking her. Nice turning that around to herself, although she must be tired of being on the outskirts of Ariana’s limelight. We flash back to last week, and Ariana says, Scheana knows her location, but how many locations does she have? Katie says, it’s none of her business, and Ariana says she never had Sandoval’s location.

Scheana tells Brock that it wasn’t his place to talk about Katie and Max. And it backfired on her. Brock reminds her that Katie said she wanted to watch Scheana’s world burn, and we flash back to that. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, Katie was his closest friend, and he kissed Raquel once. She can be upset all she wants, but at the end of the day, he doesn’t feel bad. It’s not like they had an agreement. Lala texts Katie and Ariana about coming to her water tasting, and Ariana says she’s not feeling it. Considering it’s Lala’s thing, it makes sense Sandoval will be there. She’s trying to understand that this is part of Lala’s healing journey. In Ariana’s interview, she says, short of removing herself from the friend group, it’s not possible for her not to be in the same room with him. Lala is her friend, and she wants to find out what a water tasting is.

James tells Ally that he’s seen Lala’s water guy on the news talking about water. Well, we would assume if he was a water guy, that would be his area of expertise. We see a news clip with Martin, water sommelier, and James and Ally set up the backyard. Lala arrives and thanks them for hosting. James says, her water man is here, and Lala says she’s excited. In her interview, she says, since she quit drinking, she’s become a sparkling water connoisseur. She asks Martin how he is, and he says, living the dream. In James’s interview, he says he’s more of a Red Bull/Coca Cola kind of guy. The friends trickle in, Scheana bringing vodka because it goes well with sparkling water. I can’t argue with that. In Katie’s interview, she wonders if Brock telling Schwartz about Max is payback for her talking about his private life. We flash back to Katie talking smack about Brock seeing his kids and questioning his child support, and she says, so are they good? Lala thanks everyone for coming. She’s been sober for nearly five years. One day at a time. In her interview, she says, sparkling water was there for her when she wanted to go buck wild, when she felt stressed, and when she felt sad. It’s at the point where, if she can’t get the sparkling water she wanted, it can f*** up her entire day. Martin talks about some water from the oldest spring or whatever, and says, it might be dino piss. He tells them that he’s the Harry Potter of water, and shows them a bottle of still water, shakes it, and it turns into sparkling. He says, it’s natural carbonation, which I’ve never heard of and now want to check out. He shows them another bottle, and says, it’s the only cuvée water created and is $1000 a bottle. He pops it like champagne, and Sandoval asks why it’s so expensive. Martin says, it comes from two spring sources like a Bordeaux blend. They toast with it, and in Katie’s interview, she says, it tastes like water. This doesn’t compare to a wine tasting at all. Brock asks Sandoval what happened with Tii, and he says, they’re just chilling.

The girls gather inside, and Ariana gives a Medusa look to Sandoval when he comes through with the guys to get the pizza delivery. She makes a few snarky remarks, and in his interview, Sandoval says, it’s harder to be a wallflower when he hears Ariana making comments about him. He’s working hard to rebuild relationships and Ariana is putting pressure on their friends to choose her. The deck is stacked against him. The guys hang out in the back, and Sandoval says, Tii told him that Ariana was asking her questions at the bar, and we flash back to that. Sandoval says, she was talking sh*t when he was on a first date. It felt tacky. Brock says, Sandoval and Ariana’s change in status is still in the infant stages. They have to figure how to go through living together. They should have a conversation. Sandoval says, maybe everybody needs to chill, and Brock says, if he doesn’t want Ariana attacking Tii, he has to talk to Ariana, not them. Sandoval says he loves how people put it on him. Inside, Ariana wonders if Ann is okay, since Sandoval sent her home. Lala says, she’s not just an assistant, Ann’s their middleman. What’s the game plan? Ariana says she’ll probably have her lawyer do it, and Scheana says, she won’t have someone telling her when it’s all clear to go upstairs. Lala says, she’s got to figure it out, and in Lala’s interview, she says, Ariana’s lawyer has better things to do than mediate between Ariana and her boyfriend when Ariana is choosing to stay in the house. Katie goes outside, and Schwartz asks if she wants to talk. Katie says she thinks he does, and he calls her a dirty dog. She says she’s trying on his pants, but he says, don’t put it on him. He’s not mad, even though Max was literally his best friend and Katie roasted him into oblivion because he kissed Rachel. Katie says, he couldn’t respect one simple wish, and he says, it was a flimsy agreement, but he’s sorry he hurt her feelings. Katie says, everything felt flimsy to him, and her feelings didn’t matter. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, after he betrayed their agreement, Katie had an air of moral superiority. He says, she’s f***ed up too. It feels good to say it. She tells him that she’s let a lot go over the years, and he asks her to shake and start fresh, not delve into the past. He’s not saying be BFFs, but they can get dinner and just hang out. Katie jokes that she doesn’t want to until he makes better choices in clothing.  Inside, Brock asks about Ann applying to be Ariana’s assistant, and Ariana says Ann told her that she’d love to work for her, and the attempted dog murderer was eavesdropping. Once again, said attempted dog murderer is within earshot, and she says when she left for Katie’s, Ann was crying. Brock wonders who the attempted dog murderer is, and Sandoval says, she’s referring to him.

Sandoval says, Ariana left food out, and in Ariana says, Sandoval went into her room, where the door was closed. In Ariana’s interview, she says, he let Mya in and locked her in there for hours. While she was trapped, she chewed on a takeout container that had wooden skewers in it. His carelessness could have ended her dog’s life. Sandoval says, she never empties the litter box, and the argument begins. Ariana says she guesses she’ll have to take pictures, but no, she doesn’t, because Bravo has, and we see her cleaning the litter box. She asks if he wants to kill her dog over a litter box. It was her only safe space and he wrecked it. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, she’s quick to jump from accident to murderer. There’s no dead dog. Outside, Schwartz asks Katie if they’re fighting, and Ariana tells Sandoval to stop interrupting her. Her lawyer will deal with him, not her. Sandoval says, then her lawyer should be professional, and she says, he is and he’ll be sending Sandoval an email with a well thought out response. Sandoval says, it’s been two months, so it better be. Ariana asks why he’s talking to her. She also found the door wide open when she came home from SUR. One more example of his carelessness and callousness. He wants to destroy her dream house and her children. Get the f*** away from her. She keeps repeating this until he’s on his way, and she tells to never look her in the eye again, calling him a f***ing POS. He says, she has everything. She has all the campaigns. Now she’s taking his assistant. Ariana tells him to run for his life. He tried to kill her dog. Outside, James says, sorry dude, and Sandoval says, her dream home for her kids? Okay. He leaves, and Katie promises not to f*** any more of Schwartz’s friends. Ariana tells the table that Mya ate the shit from her taken container, including wooden skewers. She spent $6000 have that sh*t extrapolated. I’m guessing she means extracted because that word does not mean what she thinks it means. In Lala’s interview, she says, Sandoval shouldn’t have gone in, but the dog eating sh*t is Ariana’s fault. Throw you trash away. Didn’t you do a trash bag commercial? Sandoval calls Schwartz and says, Ariana called him a dog murderer, but he had to get in the room and either him or Ann, didn’t close the door. Throwing Ann under the bus is new – what a d-bag. Schwartz says, that stuff happens with dogs, and we flash back to him saying his dog ate laxative pills. He wonders if it’s a lowkey trial run to see if they can co-exist, but Sandoval says, it’s the rage he dealt with during the relationship. Schwartz says he should probably excuse himself and go. Ariana is still going on and on, and says, Sandoval is taking literally zero responsibility for locking Mya in her room. She made sure Mya wasn’t in the room and shut the door, which she does responsibly every time. Lala says, they need to have a productive conversation, but Ariana says she’s not capable of that with a sociopath, disgusting, psycho, narcissist, gaslighter, piece of sh*t person. In Scheana’s interview, she says, seeing Ariana upset breaks her heart. Ultimately, she has to figure out the best way to process her emotions and move on. Schwartz asks how the pizza is, and Ariana says, now she’s mad at him again because of association. Schwartz tells Katie to call him and leaves.

Ariana gets a text from Katie asking if they’re going to Scheana’s beach day or faking their deaths, but Ariana says she’s not missing out because of dumbass him. Brock and Scheana have the same old nanny discussion again because Gaby isn’t more available. Scheana says she hates going back to the drawing board, but Brock wonders how many times they’ve gone to the drawing board at all. In Brock’s interview, he says, before the pandemic, he co-owned a couple of fitness studios, but he sold them. Scheana became the bread winner while he was home with Summer. A nanny will help him figure out the next step in his career. Scheana tells him that he has to uninvite Sandoval after last night, and we flash back to two seconds ago. Brock says, if you can’t handle it, don’t go. What he saw wasn’t okay. Scheana says she’s assuming there was no interaction when they got home, but she’s curious if there was. Brock says, it’s childish stuff, and Scheana says, sometimes Brock gets heated quick. Who the f*** is he to judge someone? She hates that Sandoval did something irresponsible that sent the dog to the hospital. He says he doesn’t condone Sandoval’s actions, but Ariana needs to let it go for her own sanity. In Scheana’s interview, she says, what Sandoval did was the best thing to happen to Ariana. It brought her prosperity, wealth, and opportunities in life. She’s afraid if she says anything to Ariana about wanting to move past the anger and hatred, Ariana will cut her off.  

Interior designer Lucinda comes to see Ariana – which I could swear they did already – and in Ariana’s interview, she says, suffering through the water testing made it more clear that she has to get out of the house as soon as possible. She and Sandoval furnished the home together and Lucinda helped design and pick out everything. She put it in an inventory and has who paid for what. Ariana doesn’t want there to be any loopholes to f*** her over in her counteroffer to Sandoval. They go through house, and Ariana says she doesn’t care about the little things, like the penis flute Sandoval made Ann glue back together. In her interview, Ariana says she’s sure when Sandoval sent the letter of intent, he thought she’d say, great, thanks for the cash, and leave him everything. She doesn’t f***ing think so. She tells Lucinda that she’s going to attach the list to an email to her attorney, and then they’ll send it to Sandoval.

In James’s interview, he says, going to the beach in LA is work. You have to pack a picnic bag, go through traffic, and deal with parking. That’s why he has a pool now.  Brock sets up the canopy, and Scheana asks if Schwartz is ready to get a drink thrown in his face. We flash back to that, and Schwartz says, it’s beach day redemption. Brock wonders if Sandoval is coming, and Ariana says, when she was ready to leave, he had that stripy crochet thing in the dryer, so he must be planning on coming. Brock sees Sandoval in the distance wearing the stripy crochet thing, and says, Ariana was right on the money. Sandoval joins them, and James makes a literal line in the sand. Sandoval says he met a girl who puts on singles events in LA, and he signed up for one on Saturday night. Schwarz asks if Katie wants to be his date. Ironically, he thinks their divorce brought them closer together, and Katie says, he was getting it while they were together. Schwartz says he was pretty faithful, almost nil mistakes. Katie asks if Sandoval knew that Schwartz had kissed Scheana in Vegas, and we’re back. She says, Scheana can keep a secret, and Scheana says she buried that sh*t. Every guy in the group has been flirty with her at one time or another. Sandoval says, more like the recipient, and Brock asks if that’s what he told Raquel. Sandoval says, that was low hanging fruit, and Ariana says, the subject matter is disgusting. Have this conversation somewhere else.

Lala is late, having had to take Ocean to the eye doctor, and Katie says she heard Ann was out of a job. Sandoval says he didn’t fire her. He said, let’s take a couple days off. James asks who’s mediating, and Ariana says they haven’t crossed that bridge yet. He asks about Mya, but she says, Ann wasn’t Mya’s sitter. James asks if she feels Mya is safe, and Ariana says, now she does. Schwartz says, she and Sandoval are great pet parents, but Ariana says, the pets are hers. James asks if Sandoval agrees, and Sandoval says, no, but Ally says, Ariana paid the adoption fee. In Ariana’s interview, she says, Mya is her dog. She pays for everything, and she’s the only one who walks her and bathes her. He can suck her d*ck. Sandoval says, that’s one bill she paid. Since he applied for and got the loan for the house… Ariana tells him to stop speaking to her, like, twelve times, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, anything he does or says triggers Ariana. He had this delusional idea that they’d be more civil than Schwartz and Katie. Delusional. He might try taking into consideration that the circumstances are radically different. Lala arrives, and Ariana says, Sandoval is saying sh*t and she won’t do this again. He ruined her entire life. In Lala’s interview, she says, what the f*** did she just walk into? Brock says, Sandoval has been walking around with his tail between his legs all summer, and Schwartz says, when they go to the next spot, he and Sandoval will sit somewhere else. Ariana says, none of them put Sandoval in check, and in James’s interview, he tells us that he’s not saying forgive and forget, but the anger is consuming her life and she’d be more at peace if she released it. Ariana says, they should step in as men and tell him to STFU. He only respects men and they need to put him in his place because he’s in the wrong. Brock says, they don’t need to do all that. He left. Lala says, he’s going to be in defense mode about anything they say, and Ariana says she doesn’t need Lala playing devil’s advocate. Lala says she’s not, and in her interview, she says she understands Sandoval was an uber douche and it was a devastating break-up, but at what point do you choose inner peace? He didn’t win. Look at his life. You won. Ariana says, if Sandoval’s not going to be remorseful and take jabs at her, and they’re going to shove him down her throat, what do they expect?  

To be continued…

🍼 Down In the Valley…

Congratulations. In record time, this show has become a Vanderpump Rules, the early, even more immature seasons. Once again Kristen played telephone and got herself backed in a corner. Ho-hum. There was even one point where there were literal crickets chirping after Kristen’s firing from VPR was brought up. I don’t think Kristen is a racist and I don’t think that’s the reason she went after the girl whose name I’ve already forgotten in whatever season that was. But I do think she’s emotionally juvenile and not the brightest bulb in the box. It might not be cause for cancelation, but those crickets have their work cut out for them.

https://people.com/the-valley-recap-kristen-doute-revisits-painful-vanderpump-rules-firing-racist-actions-8623783

🐕 Seeing a Dog About a Dog…

Stop in tomorrow for soap and a heavy discussion about current events and politics. April fool. See? Works even better when no one’s expecting it. Until then, stay safe, stay extending more grace than you would expect or hope for were the roles reversed, and stay not keeping secrets from your significant other, even if your aim is true.

March 26, 2024 – Jason Breaks His Silence, Tea Is Spilled At TomTom But Sandoval Is Still the Most Awful, Valley Villain & My Girls

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Laura comes to the PT room to find Curtis doing his leg weights and tells him not to stop on her account. He’s doing great. He says, it’s nothing like his workouts before he got shot, but it does feel good to work up a sweat again. She says she’s so glad. Maybe it’s the music he’s listening to. Send her his playlists when he gets a chance. She doesn’t want to interrupt him, so she’ll let him get back to it. He says, if she needs someone to hang with, she’s more than welcome.

Chase and Brook come out of the hospital elevator, and Chase says he keeps thinking he’s going to walk into Dante’s hospital room and he’s just going to be awake. He never wanted to hear someone’s words so much in his life. She says she knows he’s worried Dante’s condition hasn’t changed, and she is too. It’ll happen. The Dante she knows and loves isn’t a quitter. He says, that is the last word he’d use to describe Dante. Besides, Sam would never let him quit on her. She’s been here around the clock sitting with him. Brook asks if that’s why he didn’t tell Sam that Jason turned himself in. He doesn’t want to distract her? Chase says, Jason Morgan has done enough damage. She’ll find out soon enough. Finn and Gregory come out of the elevator, Gregory heavily leaning on his cane and breathing heavily. Chase asks, what happened?

Michael goes to the penthouse and Ava answers the door. He says he’s there to see his father, and she says, he should have called. She doesn’t know if Sonny wants to see anyone. He says, that’s why he stopped by. He knows the news must have hit Sonny pretty hard. Sonny comes out and says, the news about what?

John goes into Bobbie’s, and Carly asks what she can get him. He says he’s not here for food. He owes her an apology. He suspected she was harboring a fugitive. He was wrong. She asks, what changed his mind? and he says, Jason Morgan is in custody.

An officer brings Jason into the interrogation room where Anna is waiting. He leads Jason to a chair and leaves. Anna says, hello, Jason, and he says, Anna. She says, just to be clear, he’s under no obligation to answer her questions without the benefit of counsel, and he says he understands. She says, but she wanted to see him and ask him face to face. Did he shoot Dante? He says, no, and she thanks him. She says she believes him, but her faith in his innocence isn’t going to do him much good.

Michael says, Sonny doesn’t know? and Sonny says he’s not in the mood to play games right now. Say what he’s going to say and go. Michael says, Jason turned himself in to the cops, and Sonny says, is that all? Michael says, he walked into the PCPD with Diane beside him and turned himself in. The arraignment is already scheduled for tomorrow. They don’t have much time. Sonny says, time for what? and Michael says, to help Jason. Sonny says, Diane’s with him. She’ll do everything she can. Michael says, so that’s it. Sonny’s not going to do anything to help Jason himself. Sonny says, Michael isn’t getting it. Just leave, now. Michael says, no. He’s not going anywhere. Ava looks like she’s watching a tennis match.

Laura asks Curtis if she’s that transparent. She guesses it’s no secret that Heather Webber is having her surgery tonight, and he says, no, it’s not. She says she’s a little concerned about Heather. She doesn’t want to minimize the horrible things Heather has done, but her situation is more complicated than most people realize. He says he’ll take her word for it, and she says she ran into Portia. Portia told her that Curtis was up here exercising, and she realized they hadn’t talked in a long time, so she came to say hi and make sure he’s not being too hard on himself. He says, there’s no such thing. He’s determined to start walking as soon as possible. She says she’s sure he will, and he thanks her. And about his playlist. That wasn’t music he was listening to just now. It was breaking news about Jason Morgan.

Chase asks, what is going on? Is Gregory okay? Gregory says, don’t worry. He’s fine. Chase asks, what happened? Do they need to call a doctor? Finn says he is a doctor. Remember? Chase says he meant, do they need to call dad’s specialist? and Brook says she can take care of that if they want her to. Gregory says, that’s not necessary. He just came from his office. Chase asks what he said, and Finn suggests they talk about it at home. Gregory says, it’s fine. He said… He runs out of breath, and Brook suggests they let Gregory have a few minutes of rest. Chase wants to help Gregory to a seat, but Gregory says, it’s not necessary. He’s fine. Finn says, don’t be so stubborn. Let them help him. Gregory yells that he’s fine. He can stand on his own two feet. He doesn’t need his sons to hold him up. Finn says he’s sorry, and Chase says, they didn’t mean to offend him. They were just trying to make things easier for him. Gregory says, well, they can’t. What’s happening to him isn’t a crisis or an emergency. It’s just a new normal. Finn says, they don’t have to do this here, and Gregory says he rushed down here just to have his doctor remind him that the symptoms are to be expected. It’s the same old song. The prognosis is hard to predict. He just has to take it day by day. Chase asks Finn if Gregory’s doctor really said that, and Gregory says he still hears just fine. So don’t talk about it like he’s not standing here. Finn says, they’ll talk about this later. Right now, he’s taking Gregory home so he can get some rest. Gregory says, not yet. Because there’s something he wants to say to all of them… Back… off.

Carly asks if John talked to Jason. Where did they find him? John says, they didn’t. Mr. Morgan was accompanied by his lawyer when he turned himself in. She says, so he brought Diane with him. That’s great. At least his rights are being protected. Did John see Jason, or did someone pass this information on to him? John says he saw him. He spoke with him. Although Jason didn’t tell him anything useful.

Anna says, so there’s this plausible theory, supported by evidence, that Jason shot Dante before Dante recognized him, but it’s good to hear he didn’t. Dante isn’t just a detective on her squad. He’s a friend. He’s someone she admires and respects. He says, him too, and she says, he’s been informed that there’s footage of him and another man on the roof of the warehouse at 257 Water Street – Jason nods – and the other man has a sniper rifle. Can he explain what he was doing there? He says he has nothing to say without his attorney, and she says, it just makes it all the more curious why he would waive his right to counsel in order to meet with Special Agent Cates, alone. And according to the desk sergeant, they were both in here for the better part of an hour, and she can’t believe that he would spend most of that time talking about the good old days. Jason asks what she means, and she says, high school. The two of them. Robin told her that they both fell in love with the same girl at one point. He says he can’t even remember anything about high school, and she says, but he knows John Cates was Stone’s older brother. He used to go by the name Jagger. Jason says he’s heard the name… but he didn’t know it was Agent Cates. Anna says, he probably had no reason to mention it. It was years ago and has absolutely nothing to do with why Jason is in handcuffs now. Jason bangs on the table, stands up, and says he’s been working for Agent John Cates since November 2021. (The floodgates are officially open.)

Laura says, so Curtis already knows they have Jason in custody, and Curtis says, it’s all over the news. She says, it must have come as a shock though, especially since he turned himself in. How is Curtis doing with all of this? He says he’s not sure, because if Jason took a shot at Sonny at the MetroCourt, then Jason is the one who put him in this wheelchair. She says she thinks it’s a good thing they have Jason in custody. Now they’ll get some answers about what’s really going on. He asks what she means, and she says she just has a very hard time believing Jason would target Sonny. He says, maybe she has a hard time believing it because that’s not what really happened, and she asks why he says that. Does he know something? He says, it’s nothing for certain, but everyone knows how close Sonny and Jason were. Jason was his righthand man. So Jason taking a shot at Sonny just doesn’t make sense to him. So if Jason wasn’t gunning for Sonny, then maybe he was still working for Sonny and he was the intended target. (Oh, okay. That’s new.)

Sonny says, it’s always something with Michael. Save it. He’s not interested. Michael says, he needs to hear this, and Sonny asks what part of I’m not interested is he not getting? Ava says, Michael heard his father. He’s done talking. It’s time to cut his losses and go. Michael says, he doesn’t understand… but Sonny says he does understand. Michael sent Dex to spy on him. Carly knew about it. The three people he trusted the most went behind his back and betrayed him. Michael says, they weren’t betraying him. They were keeping him safe. Sonny says, and Michael kept the secret that Nina turned Drew and Carly in to the SEC because he wanted to blackmail her to stay away from Willow and the kids. Why is that safe for him? Does he have the answer? Because everything’s about him. Michael says, that is not true… and Sonny says, now Michael comes to him when Jason left Dante at the pier to die. What is wrong with him?

Anna says, Jason is working for Agent Cates. In what capacity? Jason says, as an informant, and she says, for the FBI? He says, yes, and she asks how this arrangement came about. She doesn’t know how he got involved with Cates and the FBI, or how he wound up on a roof with a sniper, but if there’s any chance she can help him, he has to tell her the truth. He has to know that he can trust her. He says he knows, and they sit back down. He says, after the tunnel collapsed on Cassadine Island, he couldn’t make it back to Britt and the others, he found his way out. Anna says, go on, but he says he saw it in her face when he said Britt’s name. What is it? What’s wrong? She says she’s sorry. Britt died. She was murdered. It was New Year’s Eve, 2022. He exhales and asks if they know who killed her, and she says, the killer is in custody. She’s really sorry. He’s obviously distressed (at least as much as Jason can be), and she asks if he needs a minute. He says, Britt. She just had such a great smile. Anna says she didn’t know Britt, but she’s glad he has that memory of her, and he composes himself. He says, when he made it out of the tunnel, he started toward the main house. That’s when two FBI agents stopped him and placed him under arrest.

Carly tells Beth that she’s going to need her to hold down the fort for a little while. She’ll be back as soon as she can. Beth says, sure, and John asks where she’s going. She says she’s going to see that Jason’s okay for herself, and he blocks her way and says, she can’t do that.

Finn asks what Gregory means, back off, and Chase asks if he wants them to stop helping him. Gregory sits, and Brook says, their father obviously has something to say. Let him talk. Gregory thanks her, and says, at least someone in this family is paying attention to what he wants. Chase and Finn exchange glances, and Gregory tells them not to look at each other like their worried, like it isn’t just his body that’s going, but his mind too. Finn says, that’s not what they think, and Chase says, they’re worried about him. Gregory says he knows they are and he loves them both for caring about him. Brook says, they all do, and Gregory says, but he’s not an invalid and he refuses to be treated like one. Finn says, understood. He’s sorry if they made him feel like that. It wasn’t their intention. Gregory says he knows that too. It’s only natural to want to swoop in and take care of someone when they’re sick. But they both have lives to lead and he won’t let them put their lives on hold because of him. Chase says, no one’s putting anything on hold, but Gregory says, aren’t they? Finn has patients who depend on him. He should be attending to them, not sitting in on every single one of Gregory’s doctor’s appointments. If he learns something important, he’ll let them know. Finn says, okay, and Gregory says he knows how worried Chase is about Dante. Dante and his family need Chase right now. That’s where his focus should be. So go donate blood again or say a prayer in the chapel. Maybe even take Rocco to a movie and help take his mind off of what’s happening with his father. Chase says, that’s actually a great idea, and Brook says she bets Sam would love that. And it would be good for Chase to hang out with Rocco too. Chase says he’ll talk to her after this, and Gregory says, good. He’ll call a ride and head home – alone, which he’s perfectly capable of doing. He gets up and walks off. Chase says, okay, dad, and Finn says, see him at home. He tells Chase, for what it’s worth (🍷), he might want to consider moving up his wedding date.

Laura pulls up a stool and asks Curtis if he’s telling her that he thinks Jason was following Sonny’s orders when he shot Curtis and tried to kill him. Why? What possible reason could Sonny have for wanting him dead? He says he’s not sure. It’s just a theory right now. She asks if it’s his theory or somebody else’s, and he says, just looking at everything through a different lens. Everyone assumed that what happened to him was just bad luck, wrong place, wrong time. He believed it too. She says, but he doesn’t anymore, and he says he doesn’t know. Because ever since they found out Jason was alive, someone floated the idea to him that Jason’s death might be staged. If that’s the case, that means Sonny has himself a hitman that can’t be traced. Doesn’t that have a certain logic to it? She says, that depends, and he says, on what? She says, on who’s posing the question.

Michael says, Sonny really doesn’t trust anyone anymore, does he? and Sonny says, should he? Michael says, yes, he should. He gets that Sonny is hurt, but he’s seeing enemies behind every door, even when there is none. How could he possibly think Jason would shoot Dante? Sonny says, it’s not like he’s never been betrayed before. Repeatedly. Why would he think Jason wouldn’t do it? Michael says, because it’s Jason. He has no reason to shoot Dante. Sonny says, none that he knows of, but it doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. Ava asks if it isn’t possible Jason shot Dante by mistake. That in all the confusion, he didn’t realize it was Dante until it was too late. That would explain why he stayed and gave Dante first aid. Right, Sonny? Sonny says, anything’s possible, and Michael says, even forgiveness?

Carly tells John to get out of her way, and he says he doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Jason is currently in police custody awaiting arraignment. He can’t have any visitors. She says, that’s all Jason is to him, right? A criminal in police custody? He couldn’t be more wrong. He doesn’t know a damn thing about Jason. Jason has saved her more times than she can count. He would do anything for the people he loves. Jason is the best person she knows. If John knew anything about him… John says, she thinks she’s the expert on everything, but she couldn’t be more wrong. The name Jason Morgan means nothing to him, but Jason Quartermaine is whole other story.

Jason tells Anna, they brought him to Quantico and put him in a room with no windows, and John Cates came in. He played a recording for him. It was proof of RICO violations and criminal conspiracy. They offered him a deal. The FBI wouldn’t file charges if he agreed to act as an informant. She says, on Sonny? but he says, no. That would never happen. It’s a company called Pikeman. She says, Pikeman Security Group, and he says, yeah. Cates thinks Pikeman has been selling illegal arms to rogue states and anybody flagged by the NSA. But Pikeman has really close ties to the WSB. She says she’s aware, and he says, that’s why the FBI investigation couldn’t be on the books. She says, right. Because if the WSB learned of it, they risk them running interference with Pikeman. He says, so they couldn’t use a federal agent. They needed a civilian. She says, him, and he says, yeah. Another reason they couldn’t use an agent was, Pikeman promotes from within. So for him to get to whoever’s in charge, he had to start by signing on as a military contractor. She says, so he’s been working as a mercenary soldier, and he nods. She says, for how long? and he says, the whole time. He was at the warehouse. He was part of the team that was sent to eliminate Sonny.

Chase asks if Finn knows how hard it would be to change the wedding date, how much work it would take, and Finn says he knows it’s not ideal, but maybe they want to give it some thought. Chase says, Brook has worked so hard on this. Everything has already been chosen, from the menus to the color of Violet’s rose petals, and who’s to say all this will be available on another day? Finn says, the last thing he wants to do is disappoint them or Violet, but despite what dad just said, he’s not okay. He’s having respiratory issues too often, and they just don’t know where things are going from here or how fast. Brook says she thinks they should listen to Finn and move up the date, and Chase says, she does? She says, what’s important about their wedding isn’t about what entrée they’ll serve or any of the other choices they picked. It’s about having their family and friends celebrating with them. And the sooner that day comes, the more likely his dad will be okay and really be able to enjoy himself. Chase says, she’s right, and she tells him that he’ll have to get used to saying that more often when they’re married. He says, and she’s positive she’s okay about moving the wedding date? She says, absolutely. Any problems that come up can be solved. His father is most important. He says he’s never been more sure he’s marrying the right person, and Finn says, he picked a good one. Brook says, family comes first. There’s another problem though. They can’t have this big, beautiful, elaborate wedding when Dante is unconscious and fighting for his life. Chase asks if she’s saying they should call off the wedding.

Anna says, Jason can confirm Pikeman is targeting Sonny? and he says, yeah. They’ve tried three times that he knows of. The MetroCourt, Puerto Rico, and the other night at the warehouse. She asks if he was involved with the other shootings, but he says, no. Pikeman sent a different team each time. They were tracking him and the sniper due to the two other failed attempts. That’s how he knows about them. She asks if he knows why they’re targeting Sonny, but he tells her, Pikeman doesn’t say anything. There’s no information. The decisions come down from executive and it’s guys like him who carry out the orders. She asks if John knew he was assigned to eliminate Sonny, and he says he told John as soon as he got the assignment. He gave John all the information he had; the time, the place, and how to access the roof. She says, so when she and Cates went into that warehouse to confront Sonny and Miss Wu, he knew Jason was on the roof with the sniper waiting to target Sonny. He says, yes, and Anna looks pretty pissed off.

Carly says, Jason Quartermaine. He hasn’t been called that in a long time. John says, maybe not, but that doesn’t mean that person never existed, and she says, you’re right, Jagger. So he used to live here in Port Charles and Stone was his brother. She never realized he knew Jason. Were they friends? John says, for a while. Then they both fell for the same girl, and it all changed. She says, they both fell for Karen Wexler, and he says, yes. She says, so he and Jason competed over the same girl. So what? That was a million years ago. He says, that’s true, but even when they were rivals, he always thought Jason was a good person. He finds it hard to believe the Jason he knew became Sonny Corinthos’s gun for hire. She says, at least he didn’t grow up to be a liar.

Sonny says, it funny Michael brings up forgiveness. Did Michael know he used to be an altar boy? Michael says, no, and Sonny says, hard for him to believe, isn’t it? Michael says, dad… but Sonny says, let him talk. Michael says he’s listening, and Sonny says, Father Joe used to say, forgiveness belongs to God. Anybody else can put up or shut up. Michael says, exactly. That’s why he came here today knowing the reception he’d get. That’s him putting up. He’s willing to take whatever Sonny has for him because it’s important Sonny hear about Jason from him. Sonny asks if that’s his best. Go ahead and go. Michael says, okay, fine. If Sonny needs anything or Sonny needs someone to sit at Dante’s bedside with him, he’s here. Sonny says he won’t, and Michael leaves. Sonny walks over to the bar and pours a drink, while Ava watches him. He brings it to his lips.

Curtis says he just wants to know why he’s stuck in this wheelchair, and Laura says she knows. She gets it. And she’s not saying he should ignore the possibility that he might be the actual target. She’s just saying he should be careful. There are people out there who might profit from him turning against Sonny and Jason. So before he passes judgement on them, consider the source.

Brook says, of course (🍷) she doesn’t want to call off the wedding. Chase isn’t getting out of marrying her that easily. They just have to come up with the simplest solution that works best for everyone. Finn says he feels like he kicked the hornet’s nest a little here and he’s sorry. Maybe he should have just kept his mouth shut. Chase says, Finn was right to bring it up. Dad was already worried about being a distraction, so the more comfortable they can make him, the happier he’ll be. That’s what matters most to them. Brook says, they want to do right by Gregory and Dante. She doesn’t know exactly what that looks like just yet, but they’ll figure it out. Finn says he has to check on some patients. If there’s anything he can do, just let him know. Chase says, even if that means putting together new flower arrangements himself? and Finn says, especially if it involves that. He leaves and Brook says she’s going to make some calls, get the ball rolling, but Chase says, wait. He has to say something to her first. It means the world to him that she’s being so understanding about this, but it’s also important to him that she has the wedding of her dreams. She says, her dream has already come true. She gets to spend the rest of her life with him. As for the wedding, all of their problems can be fixed with one word. Downsizing.

Sonny asks why Ava doesn’t join him, and she says, why not? She takes a drink from him, and he says he always thought he could trust Michael, but it didn’t even seem to bother Michael that he betrayed him. Lesson learned. She says, hard lesson, and he says, now what he’s going through with Jason, he doesn’t even know who Jason is anymore. How could Jason not tell him that he wasn’t dead for two and a half years? Maybe she’s right. Maybe he shot Dante by accident, but it doesn’t really matter at this point. She says, not if Dante doesn’t wake up, and he says, no matter what happens, Jason isn’t the man that he knew. She says she thinks Jason stopped being that man the minute Sonny got back from Nixon Falls and found him with Carly. Jason might have thought Sonny was dead, but he certainly got together with Carly pretty quickly. A different kind of betrayal, sure, but it proves Jason isn’t a man he can depend on anymore. She touches his face and says, there is someone else he can depend on.

John tells Carly that he might not have been fully transparent, but he was up front about being an FBI agent. He told her that he was in town because he had a job to do. And that’s more than he owed her, so don’t go crying foul now. She says she’s not crying. She saves her tears for people who are worth it. And he – John, Jagger, or whatever the hell his name is – is not. Does the FBI know he used to be friends with Jason, and he’s always hated Sonny? Because those are clear conflicts of interest. So if he had any integrity at all, he would recuse himself from both their cases. And since he doesn’t, she wants him to get the hell out of her restaurant. Go find his food someplace else. She walks out, but he looks like he kind of likes it.

Jason tells Anna that he made sure the sniper missed, but he told him to leave his rifle. Cates said they could use it as evidence that they’re tied to some other aspect of this case. She says, the cache of weapons that went missing from the WSB turned up at multiple crime scenes. One was found at the shooting at the MetroCourt. He says, they left the rooftop and were headed toward the waterfront. They were supposed to meet the extraction team at Pier 50. Somehow Dante must have seen them and caught up to them on the pier. He told them to stop and he did. The sniper didn’t. He put his hands up, turned around, and he knew if Dante recognized him, all the work he’d done for the past two and a half years was gone. And he did. And that’s when the sniper shot him. She asks, where’s the sniper now? and he says, he’s dead. She says, there on the pier? and he says, mm-hmm. She says, they didn’t find a trace, and he says, Pikeman’s people are very thorough. She says she guesses that all tracks, except for one thing. Once the sniper was dead and Jason had called 911, Dante was in pretty bad shape. Why didn’t Jason stay with him until the first responders arrived? (Why does everyone keep asking this when the answer is obvious that he didn’t want to get caught?)

Chase says, it also means Brook can’t get everything she wants, everything that they planned. She’s been so excited about all this, he couldn’t ask that of her. She says, the thing she’s most excited for is getting to call him her husband. And she gets that whether or not her grandmother hires a string quartet to play her down the aisle. He says, there’s going to be a string quartet at their wedding? and she says, surprise. The most important thing is that his father is there and that he’s well enough to enjoy himself. If that means they have to have a smaller, more lowkey wedding, even at the house, it’s fine by her. He asks if she’s really okay with downsizing that much, and she says, absolutely. It actually saves her the headache of needing to deconstruct Aunt Lila’s dress and sew it back together. (She was going to do that herself? Why?) She was kind of worried about that. She’s just going to get a new dress. Don’t worry. She’s still going to knock his socks off. He says he knows she will because she looks absolutely stunning in everything, and they kiss. He says, okay. This is her last chance. Does she want to back out? She says, nope. She’s happy with her decision. He says he thinks he’s the luckiest man in the world, and she tells him, don’t you forget it.

Laura says she thinks she’s going to let Curtis get back to his physical therapy. She’s interrupted him long enough. He says, she was no interruption. He knows she’s only looking out for him and he’s grateful for her friendship. She says, he’ll always have it. She knows he wants justice, but she thinks the best way to go about it isn’t chasing after these shadows, but to maybe throw himself even further into what he’s doing right here right now. Just a thought. She leaves and Curtis ponders this.

Ava and Sonny look like they might kiss (again), but he says, it’s getting late. She says, they should call it a night and he says, they should. He takes her glass from her and suggests she get some sleep. It’s going to be a big day tomorrow. She says she and Avery have to get up early to go over her book report before school. He tells her, sleep well, and she says, him too. She starts to leave, and he tells her that he’s glad she’s here. She says she is too, and leaves.

Carly tells the desk sergeant that she heard Jason Morgan turned himself in. She needs to see him. He says he’s sorry, but that’s impossible. He’s in with the Commissioner.

Jason says he was trying to honor his deal with the FBI. If he would have stayed with Dante, he would have been arrested. He doesn’t think Cates would have wanted that. And he’d been shot and needed a place to hide and a place to heal. He called 911 for Dante. He knew the police recorded his voice, but he had no idea there was a shot of him on the roof with the sniper. He thought maybe he could go back to the FBI and if they couldn’t use him for Pikeman, they could use him for something else. She asks if that’s what he was discussing with John, and he says, if Dante dies, he gets charged with capital murder. Then he’s of no use to the FBI if he’s in prison for the rest of his life. She says, don’t give up on Dante. He’s a very determined man. By saving him, Jason might well have saved himself. Carly watches from the window.

Tomorrow, Kristina tells Molly to check her feelings at the door; Diane asks someone to give her something she can use; Danny punches Jake; and Sam says, Jason knows she’s right.

Vanderpump Rules

In Ally’s interview, she says, James picks out her clothes and steams her dresses. He doesn’t curl her hair yet, but she’s working up to that. Yay James. James says he’s doing a gig at Hotel Ziggy, and he invited Jo, and Ally says, she’s not trying to be besties, but she wants Jo to be comfortable coming to things. In his interview, James says he always invites everyone to his parties. He shows up and the venue has the best business they’ve seen in a long time or their money back. Ally says, the last time they were at Hotel Ziggy, it was awkward. It was the first time she met Raquel. We flash back to that, and James says, a lot has changed. Literally everything.

At Sandoval and Ariana’s house, Billie tells Sandoval that every time she comes over, she’s nervous about Ariana. She asks if he’s coming to Hotel Ziggy. She invited Tii, and wonders if Sandoval shouldn’t get back in the dating game. Not that he needs to jump into another relationship. Living with an ex-girlfriend is worse than living with his mother. He says he doesn’t know what’s going on with Ariana, but he loves this house. The ball’s in her court. This is the second time he’s said this. I blame pickleball. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, two months ago his lawyers drafted a letter of intent to buy her out at top market value. He tells Billie that he needs her to respond, and in his interview, he says, he wanted to make it clear that he’ll give her a check for the entire amount, and she can walk away free and clear. But he hasn’t heard back.  

On FaceTime, Ariana talks with Ann, who’s getting ready to see Taylor Swift. Ariana says she’s getting ready and leaving in 45 minutes and asks if Sandoval is bogarting the downstairs. She feels like she’s on the verge of full burnout and needs an assistant. She asks if Ann knows anybody, and Ann asks if she can please be in running. In Ariana’s interview, she says, Ann is so sweet. She deserves more than putting up with Ariana’s ex-boyfriend.  #SaveAnn. She says she doesn’t want Sandoval pissed off, but Ann says she wants to work for Ariana so bad. Okay, so Ariana wishes Sandoval death by a thousand paper cuts, but won’t hire Ann away from him when she wants to go? Por qué?

Lala meets Schwartz at a health food restaurant and they order syringes with smoothies in them. WTF? They sit outside, and Lala asks if Schwartz has had sober sex. Scwartz says, when he’s in a relationship, he loves it. Moderation is king, but he likes the occasional bender, sometimes with drugs and alcohol, sometimes with sobriety. He likes to fall apart once in a while in a good way and a bad way. Another WTF? They discuss Hotel Ziggy, and Schwartz says, they saw Jax at TomTom. Sandoval hasn’t seen Jax in years. We flash back to a million years ago, and then forward to Sandoval and Jax hugging it out at the steakhouse. Schwartz says he has post-Sandoval brain fog. They’ve all cheated. He was a make out slut. He even made out with Scheana 12 years ago in Vegas. Lala keeps saying, what? and he says he thinks he and Katie were dating, but it was at a rocky moment. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he just wants to let the record show that they’re all human and do dumb sh*t sometimes. It’s the summer of forgiveness. He tells Lala that they joked about it at the last holiday party, and Lala says she’s straight up over people lying to her face. In her interview, she says, she and Scheana have gotten close. It seems strange that Scheana never told her. She asks if Katie knows, and Schwartz says he doesn’t know if he told her. Maybe Schwartz needs some ginkgo biloba. Or needs to drink less.

Katie visits Lala, who’s putting away toys. She says she enjoys clean time when she doesn’t have Ocean, and Katie says she knows how Lala feels. It’s the same with the dogs, who gut their stuffed animals. Lala says she’s got to tell Katie something, but she might want to make a drink first. Katie makes a drink, and Lala says, Katie may or may not care, but she had smoothies with Schwartz, and he dropped on her that years ago, he made out with Scheana in Vegas. In Katie’s interview, she says, what the actual f***? She has so many questions. When was this and where? Was this the time he said he made out with a friend of Scheana’s? Was it really Scheana? We flash back to 2013, and Katie says, there are so many lies in the group, it’s hard to keep track. Lala says she doesn’t think she was there. She wants to ask Scheana about it, but wanted to talk to Katie first. In Lala’s interview, she says she went back and forth about who to talk to first and decided to talk to Katie first. She doesn’t want to give Scheana time to figure out a way to make it a pretty picture.

Sandoval shows up at Hotel Ziggy with Kyle and tells him that Ariana looks great. He wants to say something to her about the house, but he’s afraid to. Brock says he needs to try and figure out how to start a conversation. They’d all like to see them figure out how to talk. Schwartz and Jo come in together, and Scheana wonders if they’re dating. In Ariana’s interview, she says, Jo literally drove with Raquel to meet the Toms in Big Bear and left Raquel with Sandoval there. Come on, bitch. You knew. The girls try to get Jo to ditch her baseball cap, but in Jo’s interview, she says, it’s comfortable and looks good on her. Chill. She’s gotten a lot of hate from the girls. It’s 100% bullying and it’s horrible. Scheana says she’s going to drink, which she doesn’t do very often, and in Katie’s interview, she says, because maybe when she does, Scheana makes out with people like her boyfriend. Billie tells Sandoval that the girls are mugging behind him, and in her interview, Jo says, in the past year, the things they’ve said don’t go away. Insinuating she’s a crackhead is hurtful, and harmful to anyone who has ADD. It’s one thing to hear it on social media and it’s another feeling to see five girls talking sh*t about you. Jo plugs her ears. Ally tells the girls that Jo didn’t like questions about Schwartz. She said she feels emotional about him the same way she feels about her dad. She’s trying to come in peace… Katie says, she’s a psychopath, and in Ariana’s interview, she says, before anyone boohoos about how Jo is treated, she’s a full-blown mean girl bully. Jo didn’t give a flying that she spent Thanksgiving in Ariana’s home, while knowing Raquel was with her boyfriend in her home. Jo walks past with Billie, and Katie says, if Jo is uncomfortable, she’s thrilled. In the hallway, Jo starts crying.

Jo whines that she doesn’t like being attacked and wants to go home. She leaves and James does his thing. Scheana says she’s drinking for the first time, so they’ll see where this goes. Lala tells Ariana about Schwartz and Scheana making out in Vegas. He said they were joking about it, but it doesn’t like a joke; it feels gross. Sandoval approaches Ariana and says he doesn’t want to bother her, but he wants to make sure she got the email. She says, her lawyer has it, and Sandoval says, if she could have him respond, they can start working on stuff. Lala asks what it’s about, and Sandoval says, the house. Let him know since it’s been a while. He wanders off, and in Lala’s interview, she says, it’s taking Ariana a long time to rid herself of this house. The brand deals are endless. Trust her. Ariana can afford an apartment. Lala says, this is so awkward, and Sandoval talks to Tii, but who cares what he’s saying? In Sandoval’s interview, he says, Tii seems super chill and laid back. He always thinks dating people he just met is awkward. Maybe because he hasn’t experienced them in a long time. Maybe it’s time to rip the Band-Aid off. Katie tells Scheana that she doesn’t know how to bring it up, since it was brought up to her in an abrupt way. Lala was having juice with Schwartz, and Schwartz said when he was all f***ed up, he made out with Scheana in Vegas. Scheana says she and Ariana were there with her mom and sister for her sister’s cheer competition. Schwartz pulled her in to a corner and kissed her. She thinks she and Shay were just engaged. We flash back to Shay’s proposal for no good reason, and Katie asks why they made out, but Scheana says, it wasn’t a make out. She did make out with Ariana though. In Scheana’s interview, she says she wanted to pretend it never happened. She never told anybody and would have never told Katie, especially back then. It was the peak Tequila Katie hates Scheana days. We flash back to Katie hating on Scheana, and Scheana says, no, never. Scheana says, why blow up both relationships? and Katie says, now Scheana thinks it’s funny. Schwartz said they were joking about it over the holidays. Scheana says she may have made a comment that he was a make out whore and even tried with her, and Katie says she was looking over the course of their friendship. Scheana was even her bridesmaid, and it never come up at all. She was a broken person, a shell of herself and not confident about her self-worth. Scheana says she knew Schwartz had already done a number on their relationship. Why hurt her more? She wanted them to work it out and wanted Katie to have her happily ever after. Katie says, someone was part of that narrative, and in her interview, Katie says she’d expect it from Schwartz. Scheana had years to tell her. She hates lying by omission and wonders if she can fully trust Scheana.

Lala, James, and Ally meet Schwartz at a restaurant, and Schwartz says, Sandoval said he might pop in, but he’s on Sandoval time, so who knows? Sandoval does pop in, and Lala says, he looks happy. She’s used to him looking low. He says he is happy, but he had A/C issues and left the main bedroom door open. Mya got in there and ate weird stuff. Schwartz says, Mya once ate 500 laxative pills, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, she’s eaten pillows and hair color. He tells them, Mya shat on the top of the couch, and no one can believe he just used the word shat. In his interview, he says, Ariana is going to be upset with him no matter what, but it was an accident. Lala says she’s doing a water sommelier thing in a couple of days, and everyone is welcome to come. James says he’s down for it and asks how Sandoval feels about last night. Lala says she gets why Ariana gave him the cold shoulder, but she was wondering if it was weird for her to feel bad for him. Sandoval says he’s trying to move forward, and Lala says she knows how it feels to be held hostage to your past, or someone else’s version of it. Sandoval says he’s doing guided meditation and exploring other ways to handle his anxiety and anger. James says, meditation, therapy, and working out are good alternatives, and Sandoval says he’s working with a guy who does breath work and self-improvement. He asks if Lala wants to come, and in his interview, he says he doesn’t know if he and Lala were ever close, but it’s less about reconnecting and more about building something new. Lala says she doesn’t want to hold his past against him, but doesn’t know if she can participate. She appreciates him inviting her, but does he mind if she sleeps on it? Like he’s going to say he minds.

At Sandoval and Ariana’s house, Dr. Vuu gives Sandoval some breathing exercises. Lala walks in while he’s hyperventilating and the whole thing looks stupid, like this bioenergetics class I was forced to take in acting school. Dr. Vuu says, the universe prioritizes growth over comfort, and tells Sandoval to exhale with a big ass scream. He laugh/cry/ screams, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, it felt like an emotional orgasm. That sh*t was cool. They go outside, and Sandoval says he appreciates her coming. She says she thinks it’s amazing that he did it solo, and in her interview, she says, they reserve the right to evolve and f*** what anyone says. Sandoval has to sleep with himself at night. He doesn’t affect her life. Lala says, what happened last year was just the cherry on top. She feels like she tried for a long time. She texted him about how proud she was about the bar, but got no response. When her life went south, he never asked how she was doing. Not once. Sandoval apologizes and says he felt there was a disconnect with them. She says she wants him to know it’s not just last year for her. She doesn’t approve or understand the decisions he made, but sees the parallel to what happened in her life. It f***ed her up and she knows it’s not fair, but she’s working on it. She’s trying to heal and trust. She doesn’t want him paying for her experience with someone else. He says he wants positivity and wants to be positive with other people. He feels the way things worked was supposed to happen, and maybe for her too. She says she’s been held prisoner to her experience for too long. What he did isn’t her fight. She has to go into what she wants and feels good about, and she feels good about this. He says he appreciates her vulnerability and would like to be better friends. He’s invested in seeing where it goes.

Consultant Penny goes over the sandwiches with Ariana and Katie, and in Ariana’s interview, she says, the last time we saw Something About Her, it was just a blank slate… In Katie’s interview, she says, now it’s a beautiful, feminine, elegant sandwich shop. It’s like something out of a rom-com movie. Their progress was halted because of permit issues… Ariana says, but they have a lovely sandwich menu. TomTom’s manager Logan arrives, along with Lala, Ally, James, Brock, Scheana, and Schwartz, who brings orchids. They do a tasting, and in Lala’s interview, she wonders why they’re doing this again when they did this last summer. We flash back to that, and Lala says, they can they fast forward. We do, and she says, wait. This part is funny. Schwartz suggests something super savory, kill a hangover, and James says, Schwartz likes Sloppy Jo. In James’s interview, he says he had high hopes for the sandwich shop, but weeks turned into months that turned into more months, and it’s not much different that Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Little D*ck’s Schwartz & Sandy’s. Lala says she, James, and Ally went to do mocktails with Schwartz and Sandoval popped in. He said he was doing breath work and wanted her to do it with him. She doesn’t think they’re there, but there’s been some growth. They had the most productive conversation they’ve had in all her years of knowing him. In Ariana’s interview, she says, very cool. She doesn’t know if she buys it, but cool. Ariana says she had to go to the emergency vet with Mya because of Sandoval being insanely irresponsible with her dog. Mya needed an endoscopy. Ariana had takeout in her room, and not only did Sandoval let Mya in there, he shut her in for hours. She ate everything, including the wooden skewers. The bill was $6000. Sadly, I relate, having had a few large vet bills in my day. In her interview, Ariana says, the vet was able to get everything out and Mya is okay, but it’s added to the laundry list of why her ex can’t be trusted with decent judgement when it comes to anything. Lala recommends they have a conversation, but Ariana says she can’t have one right now without slitting his throat and being arrested. It’s not the first time Sandoval gave zero sh*ts about who she considers her children.

Lisa goes TomTom along with Ken and Puffy (!). She wants to taste the sandwiches, and Katie brings over a three-tiered dish of them. In Lisa’s interview, she says she can’t believe they’re still not open. They’ve been paying on the lease for over a year and it’s costing them a fortune for an empty space. Lisa approves of the sandwiches, and in her interview, she says, they’ve got a sh*tload of sandwiches and need to start. Katie talks to Schwartz in the kitchen and asks about him kissing Scheana. She says she’s glad they’re done for this same reason. It’s another thing she was kept in the dark about. He had it so good for so many years, but he blew it. He fumbled hard, but now he’s got Sloppy Jo. Schwartz says he’s got to go. Abort. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, didn’t we just work through this? She’s like Gordo with a bone. He won’t let it go. Katie tells Lisa that Schwartz orbits in her universe and fails. Ariana says, it’s arrested development. Schwartz tells Brock that he was just grilled about kissing Scheana back in the day, and they do a shot. In Brock’s interview, he says, Katie is overreacting about a kiss 10 years ago. She needs to get off her high horse. A double standard is happening. He tells Schwartz that they were partying, and Katie left with left someone in the friend group. Schwartz asks, who is it? and Brock says, his boy.

Schwartz says, Max? She f***ed him? In Schwartz’s interview, he says, Max is a former manager for TomTom. It’s a telltale sign of revenge. Brock says, after the party, Katie invited Max back to her house. It was bound to happen, In Scheana’s interview, she says, Katie invited Max to the party, and they left together. She tracked his location and didn’t think he lived in the same building as Katie. The next morning, she tracked him again and he was still there. Brock tells Schwartz that he calls Scheana the location collector, and in her interview, Scheana says she has 56 people whose locations she tracks, but it’s not weird or creepy. Sandoval comes in with Tii, and says, they went bowling. Schwartz tells Sandoval about Max and Katie, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, it’s a double standard when it comes to Katie. It’s so obvious how ridiculous it is. The Toms go to the garden to confer with Lisa about something, and Brock introduces Tii to Ariana and Scheana. Brock says, Tii and Sandoval went bowling, and Ariana asks how old Tii is. Tii says, 25, and Ariana says, that makes sense. She’s sure Tii has been given a different version of events, but don’t waste her time on a 41-year-old narcissist. Scheana tells Brock that she’s upset with him about spilling the Schwartz kiss tea, and he says he thought she was going to say something. In Scheana’s interview, she says she and Katie are in a good place. What the f*** is he doing? Brock says, she’s annoying the sh*t out of him. Ariana tells Tii that when she was at her grandma’s funeral, Sandoval was at her house f***ing her friend. You’re a prize. He’s not. Lala asks Scheana, what’s wrong? and Brock says, Scheana is upset that he told Schwartz about Katie and Max. Ariana asks, what happened? and Katie asks, what is he talking about? Lala asks if they have a thing, and Katie says, Max came over. What’s the big deal? Brock says, she put restrictions on Schwartz, but Katie says she just asked him not to f*** anyone in their friend group. Lala asks if Katie and Max slept together, and Scheana says she’s staying out of it. In Lala’s interview, she says she knows Katie talks revenge, but she doesn’t seek it. Scheana decides to get back into it and explains that she thought Max dropped Katie off, but she checked the next day, and he was still there. Brock saw her phone. In Lala’s interview, she says she feels like everyone is full of sh*t. Ariana is lying about her financial situation and the house; Scheana is following everyone’s location; Schwartz made out with Scheana; and Katie hooked up with Max. The way everyone in the group is moving is eech. She tells everyone, this group is chaotic. She’s leaving. She’s annoyed. She loves them all. Goodbye. Scheana says she wants to strangle Brock.

Next time, Brock thinks Ariana needs to figure out forgiveness is more powerful than being bitter and angry; and Ariana says, the group keeps shoving Sandoval down her throat.

🧰 In Lieu Of a Recap…

Nothing was online yet, but there is this.

🪱 Full Worm Moon Rising…

Join me tomorrow for soap and mid-week tidbits. Until then, stay safe, stay filling the tank after borrowing someone’s car, and stay considering the source before passing judgement.

March 19, 2024 – Dex Comes Clean About Everything To Anna, Sandoval Is About As Delusional As It Gets, Down In the Valley & Reputation

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Josslyn comes into Sonny’s old kitchen, crying. The moss bowl🎍is clearly distressed, and Carly asks her, what’s wrong? giving her a hug. Is it Dante? Josslyn says, no. It’s Dex. He’s not shot or anything. Carly asks what she needs, and Josslyn says she just needs her mom. Carly says, Josslyn’s got her, hugging her again, and Josslyn says, Carly is the only person who truly loves her, who doesn’t hide parts of herself from her. Carly asks, what happened? and Josslyn says she and Dex broke up – for good this time.

Anna answers the phone in her office and says, he’s here now?… Her specifically?… Yes, by all means. Send him in. There’s a knock at the door, and she says, come in. Dex walks in.

Sonny walks into Charlie’s, where Kristina has a cup of coffee waiting. He thanks her and says, the hospital coffee will kill you. She says, he was with Dante all morning? Why didn’t he tell her? She would have switched shifts and come to keep him company. He says, Ava was with him, and she says, good. So… He says, no changes. Dante’s still on life s support and there’s no sign he’s going to wake up.

In the boathouse, Jason gets up, but stumbles a little. Danny is suddenly there helping him.

Willow says, unless Elizabeth needs her, she’s going to head out in a few minutes, and Elizabeth says, they’re good. They see Chase headed for Dante’s  room, and Elizabeth asks, how many times does this make? Willow says, that’s Chase’s fourth time today checking on Dante, and he’ll be back later if he gets a dinner break. If not, he’ll sneak in just before lights out. Elizabeth says, Dante hasn’t been alone a minute since he’s been here. His friends and family have been here around the clock. It says a lot about how much he means to people. Willow agrees and leaves. John approaches the desk and tells Elizabeth that Dante has a lot of fans down at the PCPD. If he needed blood, the entire squad room would be here in a half hour. As a matter of fact, she can have his right now. Elizabeth thanks him and says, question. Who is he? He says, sorry. John Cates, FBI. He shows her his ID and says he’s here investigating a shooting in Port Charles – Willow listens in – and he overheard them talking about Detective Falconari. Elizabeth says, he’s stable, but still unconscious, and John says he’ll pass that on at the station. But he’s wondering if they might speak. He has a couple of questions. She says, about what? and he says, Jason Morgan.

Danny asks if Jason is okay, and Jason sits down, saying, he’s good. He thanks Danny, and Danny says, no problem. Jason’s timing was good. He just got home from school. Jason asks if anyone is going to be looking for him, but Danny says, no. They’re used to him taking off early. When he was younger, he used to love coming here because there was so much room here. Jason says he remembers. Danny was always asking to stay at Grandma Monica’s.

Willow continues to listen, and Elizabeth says she has patients to check on. What does John need to know? He says, the Bureau and the PCPD are still trying to locate Jason Morgan. They believe he’s responsible for shooting Dante Falconari at the warehouse, and subsequently jumping from a bridge to escape capture. Elizabeth says she’s seen the news, and John says, of course (🍷) she has. It’s probably impossible to avoid, but they have yet to locate a body, and he’s sure he doesn’t have to tell her what kind of damage a jump from that height would do. She says he doesn’t. So far, he hasn’t needed to tell her any of this. He says, bottom line, he knows she has a child with Jason Morgan, and they have a history. He’s sure she understands if he has to ask if she’s heard from Jason since the shooting. She says she hasn’t, and he says, Jason hasn’t tried to contact her or any members of her family? She says, no, and he says he had to ask. You never know where a person’s loyalties lie. She says, a very good man is lying unconscious in the ICU. If Jason put him there, she thinks the only thing that matters is the law, not her loyalties. She starts to walk away, and John says, if. She’s still saying, if he’s responsible. She says she hasn’t heard that anything else has been proven yet, and until it is, she thinks everyone should be saying if. Better yet, allegedly. He says, she’s right, so let him say this, if she’s lying, and if she’s harboring a fugitive, she could be facing federal charges. Willow jets.

Danny tells Jason that he thought high school was going to be different. New campus, new people, but it’s all the same stuff. (I tell him that I hate to break it to him, but it never changes. All of life is just different versions of school.) Sitting around, trying not to get caught looking at your phone… when he had a phone. Mom took his because he’s grounded and now school is more boring than ever. Jason says he would have hated every part of that, and Danny says, him too.

Josslyn says, there are parts of her that wish Dex had lied and denied everything that Nina said, and Carly asks how Nina was involved. Josslyn says, she was there. She watched it happen. Nina exposed a side of Dex she didn’t even know existed because she’s in serious denial about the real world. And as much as she hates Nina for it, thank God she did. Now she knows and she still can’t understand how she loves him this much. Carly says, it sounds really fresh right now. Maybe she’s going to have to sit with this for a minute, and Josslyn says, the person she loved and trusted almost more than anybody else isn’t the person she thought he was. All Dex had to do was look at her and she felt loved, safe, and respected. It’s all gone. She doesn’t even have the illusion of him to hang on to anymore. Carly asks, what happened? What did Dex do? Josslyn says, he was going to kill Cyrus because Sonny ordered him to, and Carly says she needs Josslyn to take some time. She’s going to have to get some perspective on this. Josslyn says, no amount of perspective changes the fact that Dex was going to kill him. This wasn’t war. This wasn’t self-defense. Cyrus was an old man lying in a hospital room. That’s premeditated murder.

Kristina asks if Sonny remembers the year she and Dante took their skis up to the roof and went back and forth trying to make the tracks of Santa’s sleigh for Donna and the kids. He asks if that wasn’t the year Dante twisted his ankle playing hockey, but she says, that was the cover story they told him. But really, he slid off Carly’s roof, directly into a pine tree. He had so many pine needles in his hair, it was crazy. There were thousands. They were trying to get them out and it took them forever because they couldn’t stop laughing so hard, but he did smell really good. (I relate since my Pekingese rolled in pine needles once. It was a nightmare.) Sonny thanks her for sharing that and she says, when he wakes up, don’t tell Dante that she told him about the pine tree. He says he’ll keep their secret… when he wakes up. Kristina says, when he wakes up.

Dex (who took a stupid pill along with Josslyn this morning) thanks Anna for seeing him. He knows she has a lot going on. She asks if it has to do with Sonny. She knows he’s distraught about Dante… but he says, it’s actually for him. He’d like to confess to an attempted murder. She says, of whom? and he says, Cyrus Renault. She says, he attempted to murder Cyrus Renault? and he says, yes, on Sonny’s orders.

Jason says, when Danny doesn’t have his phone, what else does he like to do? and Danny says, skiing. He snowboards too, but he likes skiing better. It’s faster and the runs are more challenging. Jason asks what he likes better, height or speed? and Danny says, both. He’s into dirt biking and mountain biking too, and he’s going to take auto shop as an elective next year. Fix up his own car someday. Put a turbo charger on it. Jason says, what about sports? Does he like any of them? Danny says, football. He was going to go out for the freshman team, but mom wouldn’t sign the stupid waiver because she thought he was going to get brain damage. Jason had brain damage, right? Jason says, not from playing football. He was in a car accident. Willow comes in and says, Danny should probably get back to the house before they send out a search party to look for him. Danny says he thought of that. He said he had lot of homework. She says, what if somebody decides to help him with it and he’s not in his room? and he says he guesses she’s right. He tells Jason that he’ll see him later, and Jason thanks him again. Danny says, no problem, and leaves. Jason asks Willow, what’s wrong?

Carly says, Dex was in an impossible situation. He was working for her and Michael, and he was working for Sonny. When Sonny gave him the order to go after Cyrus, Dex didn’t have a lot of options. Josslyn says, Dex could have gone to her and Michael. He could have told them what Sonny wanted. He could have done a lot of things. He could have gone to the police. Carly says, that’s not realistic option and Josslyn knows it. The choices that Dex had to make may have been deal breakers for her, but don’t be naïve about why he made them. Josslyn says, maybe he didn’t have a choice, but she has a choice, and she chose to be with him over and over again. And if she didn’t know what she knows now, she’d still be with him like some lovesick blind idiot. Carly says, come on. She’d be willing to bet Dex shared more with Josslyn than he has with anyone ever, and Josslyn says she never even considered the sweet, amazing guy she loves could kill someone while they’re helpless. How could she not see it?

Anna closes the door and tells Dex, it’s not a court marshal. He can have a seat. He sits, and she says, so walk her through this. Start at the beginning. He says he was initially hired by Michael Corinthos to infiltrate Sonny’s organization and gather information and evidence to incriminate him. She says, Michael hired him for this, did he? and Dex says, he felt Sonny’s choices caused unnecessary pain and risk to the family. She says she’s assuming this was all after the Nixon Falls/Nina situation, and he says, Michael eventually reconsidered. He decided sending his father to prison would rip the family apart, so he changed the terms of Dex’s employment and brought his mother into the circle of trust. They wanted him to monitor Sonny and give them any information if he were ever in any trouble. She asks, what kind of trouble? and Dex says, a situation he couldn’t handle and was in over his head. But other than that, he was supposed to continue working for Sonny and follow his orders like any of his other personnel. She says, so before Michael and Carly tasked him with being Sonny’s guardian angel, did he ever get anything incriminating? Dex says he did. He had evidence that Sonny was moving illegal arms for a company called Pikeman.

Sonny tells Kristina that he knows Dante’s technically not a kid, but Dante’s always going to be his kid. And he’s got so much more to give to the world and his family. Kristina says, and he will, and Sonny says he can count on one hand all the good people in his life, and Dante was one of them. If he could be half as good as Dante, he’d be very happy. He’s been through a lot in his life and done a lot of things he should have paid for. Not Dante. He should be laying in that bed, not Dante. She says, that’s it, and comes around the counter. She says she knows Sonny is sad and scared, and those aren’t comfortable emotions for him, but she’s not going to sit here and listen to him denigrate the dad she adores. She knows she wasn’t planned… He says, it doesn’t matter if she was planned. He and her mom always wanted her. She knows that. She says, he just proved her point for her. He’s always made her feel loved. Always. He says he’s her dad; that’s his job. And she makes it easy. She says, does she though? She sits next to him and says, the older she gets and she reflects, she realizes he’s her anchor. As flighty as she might be – and they both know that’s true – he always keeps her grounded. And there’s not a single thing she’d change about him, imperfections and all. He’s the best dad there is and Dante would be the first one to tell him that.

Willow puts a new dressing on Jason’s wound and asks how he’s feeling. He says he’s fine, and she says, Michael already warned her. He could be on fire and say he’s fine. This is important though. He’s lost a lot of blood, so he needs to drink a lot of fluids. If he doesn’t, he could go into hyperbolic shock and his organs could stop working. He says, got it, and she says, all done. She knows he doesn’t want to be in this boathouse, but please, please, please don’t push himself right now. He won’t make himself stronger. He’ll just use up reserves that have already been severely depleted and he’ll set back his recovery way back. She takes out a bottle of pills, shaking one into her hand. She says, take one now and every eight hours for seven days. Don’t forget. It’s an antibiotic. Don’t miss a dose. She hands him the bottle, and he says, where did she… and she says, don’t ask. He asks if she’s okay, and she says she’s fine. He says, she doesn’t seem like it, and she says, Michael would do anything for him, which is absolutely his right. And she’s okay risking herself, but involving Danny is the worst thing he could have done. He says he didn’t seek Danny out. Danny found him. She says, it won’t matter to that FBI agent, Cates. He’s turning over every rock in Port Charles looking for him. What does he think will happen if Cates get proof Danny helped him?

Aiden comes into the hospital, and Elizabeth says she didn’t know he was coming by today. He says he’s trying a new chocolate chip cookie recipe he got off TikTok, and sets a container on the desk. She asks if he needs a taste tester, and he says he does. She comes around the desk and says she’s not complaining, but why didn’t he ask Jake? Aiden says, Jake won’t exactly talk to him. He’s a little worried about Jake. She asks, why? What happened? He says, she knows how every time their families get together, Dante’s always the first one to get something fun going, like finding a game that includes everyone. And he always makes them laugh, but in a nice way. He never makes fun of anybody. She says, everyone loves him, and he says, Jake’s 100% convinced that his dad shot Dante. When he tried to tell Jake that they still didn’t know if Jason did it, Jake slammed his bedroom door in his face. She says she had no idea. He hasn’t said anything to her about it. Aiden says, he’s not going to either. He said he didn’t want to talk to her about it. She says, why not? and he says, Jake doesn’t want her to defend Jason.

In the nook, Danny is juggling some stones or something and drops them, when John comes in. He says, Danny Morgan? and Danny says, yeah. John says, John Cates, FBI, and shows Danny his ID. He was hoping to ask Danny some questions about his dad.

Dex says, Anna remembers Sonny beat Cyrus up pretty bad, and she says, enough to put him in the hospital. He says, and when the police questioned Cyrus, he said Sonny was responsible, and she says, he couldn’t have been happy with that. He says, so when Cyrus decided to press charges, Sonny decided if Cyrus were to be put down, any potential charges against him would go down too. She says, that seems a little short-sighted, doesn’t he think? Because if Cyrus had died and his death was related in any way to the beating Sonny had inflicted on him, Sonny could have been found guilty of manslaughter or maybe even second-degree murder. Dex says, that’s exactly what he tried to tell him, but Sonny didn’t see it that way. Sonny ordered him to take out Cyrus while he was still in the hospital. And he was prepared to do it. She asks, how? and Dex says he was going to inject his IV with fentanyl, but Sonny showed up at the last second and stopped him. She asks if Dex knows why he reconsidered, but Dex says, no. She says, he does understand that if he swears to this, he’ll incriminate himself as well as Sonny, and he says he does. But he did it and he’s prepared to pay for it.

Sonny says he hopes he never disappoints Kristina the way he disappointed her brothers, and she says, whatever he’s done or thinks he’s done, Michael and Dante will always love him. A lot. And so does she. There’s nothing he could ever do that would ever make her disappointed in him. He says, if there’s even a part of that that’s true, he’s a lucky man, when Natalia walks in. She says, Kristina?

Willow says, Cates seems laser focused on finding Jason. He even tried to intimidate Elizabeth Baldwin by dangling the threat of federal charges in front of her. Jason says, Elizabeth hasn’t done anything, and she says, but now Danny has. He says he never wanted anybody to find him, let alone Danny. He would never put Danny in jeopardy. She says she knows he wouldn’t, and he says he’s going to make sure none of them gets implicated. Not Michael, not her, not Danny. He’s going to make it like them helping him never happened.

John says he’s sorry. He didn’t mean to startle Danny. Yuri, he thinks his name is, let him in. Danny says, Yuri’s a good guy, and John says, he seems like it. He doesn’t want to keep Danny, but has he by any chance seen his father in the last couple days? Danny says, no, and John says, and he hasn’t heard from him at all? No phone calls or texts or emails or… Danny says, no, and John asks if he’s sure. It’s really important he find Jason. Danny says he’s sure, and John says, it’s just that he’s been gone a long time and all of a sudden, he’s back, and all Danny gets is radio silence? He’s Jason’s son. Doesn’t he think that’s weird? Danny says, not really. He hardly knew the guy before he was gone. He doesn’t know why he’s back, but he can tell John, it’s not because of him. Brook comes in and asks Danny to go somewhere else while she has a word with Agent Cates. Danny leaves, but listens in, and Brook says, John is a disgrace to his badge.

Aiden tells Elizabeth, no matter what he says or does, Jake gets mad, but she says, he’s not mad at Aiden. He’s mad at the situation. He doesn’t know what to do with his anger, so it comes out all sideways at Aiden and everyone else he loves. Aiden says, mostly him, and she says she knows and she’s sorry. She knows it doesn’t feel like it, but it’s not personal. She promises she’ll talk to him when she gets home. He tells her, good luck, and she says, just so he knows, they did talk about it when they first found out Jason was back and that he might be responsible for Dante’s shooting. She didn’t want to make things harder on him. Aiden says, it’s hard already for everyone, when Chase comes by. He asks if Elizabeth has a second, and Elizabth says, sure. Aiden asks if Chase thinks Jake’s dad shot Dante.

Carly says she wishes she’d never pressured Dex into staying with Sonny, but Josslyn says, Dex didn’t put up too much of a fight. Carly says, that’s because her mother and brother were pressuring him, and Josslyn says, maybe. She doesn’t know what to believe. Carly says she knows how things work in Sonny’s business. Trust is everything. She never thought Sonny would trust Dex enough to give him an assignment like Cyrus. Josslyn asks if Jason used to kill for Sonny. (Duh – what is up with this girl?)

Natalia says she’s sorry if she’s interrupting, but Kristina says, no, and introduces Natalia and Sonny. They shake hands, and Sonny says, his daughter talks a lot about her daughter. He’s glad they found each other. Natalia says, that’s why she’s here. To ask for Kristina’s help.

Carly says, Jason never talked about it, but he did some things for Sonny, and Josslyn says, did some things like kill people. Carly asks what she wants to hear, and Josslyn says she wants to hear, killing people because they’re inconvenient for Sonny is wrong. Carly says, of course (🍷) it’s wrong, and Josslyn says, then why is she hesitant? Carly says she’s not. She doesn’t want Josslyn asking questions she doesn’t want the answers to. Josslyn says she does want the answers. She’s just not always ready for the ones she gets.  Carly says, that’s because she’s judging everything from the outside. She wasn’t in Dex’s shoes, and she wasn’t in Jason’s shoes for that matter. She doesn’t know why they made the choices they did. Josslyn says she loves Jason too, but come on. All it takes is Sonny pointing at someone and saying, go, and that’s it? Carly says, it’s not that simple. It’s never that simple. She trusts Jason. If Jason killed someone, it’s because they were going to kill him. Josslyn says she doesn’t think so. She doesn’t think it would matter to Carly if someone was trying to kill Jason or not. She thinks Carly would stick beside him no matter what. And she thought that’s how she felt about Dex, but it’s not.

Natalia, Kristina, and Sonny sit at a table, and Natalia says, so when she walked into her daughter’s hotel room and found Kristina in her bed, she was shocked. Sonny says, well, anybody who would walk into their kid’s hotel room and find someone in their bed would be shocked, and Kristina says she understands Natalia was blindsided. Natalia says, even more so when Blaze said Kristina was her girlfriend, and Kristina says, that was a big step for them, being open about it. Natalia says she wasn’t ready for it. And obviously, no matter what she said or did, it was wrong. She knew that at the time, but she couldn’t stop herself. Sonny says, now she knows better, and she’ll do better next time, and Natalia says, they already had a next time, and she did not do better. Sonny says, she seems to be having a hard time with this, and she says, wouldn’t any parent? He says, you only worry if your kid ends up with somebody not good enough for them, but Blaze and Kristina are great and they’re great for each other. Kristina thanks him and says she thinks they’re great for each other too. Natalia asks if it was always this easy for him, and he says, was what this easy? She says, having a daughter that’s gay and being okay with it.

Chase tells Aiden, Jason is only a suspect right now. He’s no different from anyone else, innocent until proven guilty. Aiden tells him that he has to say that, but he’s a cop. It’s not the same as asking a regular person. Elizabeth says, Aiden… but Chase says, it’s okay. He knows what Aiden means. His job as a cop is to follow the evidence, and right now, the evidence says, yes. Jason is the one who shot Dante. But the evidence also says, Jason is the one who called 911 and tried to give Dante first aid.

Danny continues to listen as Brook says, thank God Yuri called her before John had a chance to whip out his handcuffs. That really would have intimidated Danny, which is exactly what he was hoping to do, isn’t it? John says, no. He just wanted to ask Danny a few questions. He’s sorry Yuri disturbed her. She says, his unprofessional conduct disturbs her. Yuri told her how he barged in here to talk to a poor minor child without his parent or guardian present. He says, she can tell Yuri, that’s not illegal, and she says, no. It’s just lower than dirt. And she doesn’t need to school Yuri on the state or federal law. He’s familiar with them both. John made the wrong assumption and confused his accent with ignorance. John says he didn’t mean anything by the comment, but she says, yeah, he did. And at the moment, the only truly ignorant person in this house is him. He says he’s sorry if they got off on the wrong foot. Just to be clear, he didn’t come here to arrest Danny and he didn’t know Danny was going to be alone. She says, it didn’t stop him though, did it, from talking to a minor child about a father he hasn’t seen in years? A father he thought was dead. What’s wrong with him? He says, Jason Morgan is the suspect in multiple shootings, but she’s right. He went too far. She says, he should just stop talking and leave before he gives her any more reasons to sue. And trust her, she’s got plenty, and if it were up to her, he’d lose his impressive FBI badge. But since it’s not, she’ll just make sure he has to work real hard to keep it. He says he is sorry. Truly. If she’d please apologize to Danny and Yuri on his behalf. He leaves, and she tells Danny that he can come out now.

Anna asks if Dex has any proof about the attempt on Cyrus’s life, and he says, no, but Cyrus was suspicious when he woke up and Dex was in his room. So he could be a witness, and Nina Reeves also saw him… Anna says, she’s not going to testify. Cyrus might be willing to, but then he couldn’t truthfully testify about Dex’s intention, so his testimony wouldn’t amount to anything. The most he could get is conspiracy, and it would be Dex’s word against Sonny’s. He says, that’s it? but she says, no. Sonny would also have him killed. This isn’t the first time a situation like this has come up and she knows from experience she wishes she didn’t have, prosecution will go nowhere, and it will cost Dex his life. He says he’s willing to risk it, but she says, no. She’s not. That’s why this conversation never happened. Look at her. Does he understand? He says, yeah, and she says, okay. Justice might not have been served this time, but she really appreciates him coming in and trying. He walks to the door, and says, if she ever needs any help in taking Sonny down, keep him in mind. He leaves.

Danny says, Brook was awesome, and thanks her. She says, he doesn’t need to thank her. He just needs to promise her that he’ll never talk to the cops again without a lawyer present. Prison is full of people who talk their way in there because they didn’t wait for a lawyer. He says, grandma isn’t a lawyer anymore, so should he call Diane Miller? and she says, he’s a Quartermaine. He’s got plenty of lawyers, but they’re no good to him unless he uses them. She asks for his phone, but he says his mom confiscated it. She says, then she’s going to have to do something really old fashioned and takes a pad out of the credenza. She says she’s writing down the ELQ attorney’s number. She hands him a paper and says, commit it to memory. And do himself a favor and practice the Quartermaine code. That means, be polite, but do not freestyle with the cops no matter how friendly they seem. Unless of course (🍷) that cop is Chase. He laughs.

Willow says, with any luck, Jason will be able to move around in a day or two. Any idea where he’ll go or what he’ll do? He says he’s not sure yet. He’s just got to figure out what will cause the least harm to all of them, especially Danny.

Aiden asks what Elizabeth is going to tell Jake, and she says, the truth. If Jason did this, he’s going to have to face the consequences. But he’s not a reflection on Jake. Aiden tells her that Jake will just say, I know. Trust him. It’s not going to make Jake feel any better. She says, this situation is terrible, and she thinks being sad is the right way to feel about it. She knows Jake feels awful about what happened to Dante, but it’s not his fault just because he’s Jason’s son. If Jason did in fact shoot Dante, he alone is going to have to carry that guilt. She’s not going to let the weight of Jason’s sins crush Jake.

Carly says she respects Josslyn’s decision. She looked at Dex with clear eyes and saw things she wasn’t willing to compromise on. Josslyn says she just thought there would never be anything that would make her not want to be with him, and Carly says, unless you’re talking about your kids, there’s no such thing as unconditional love. There’s always conditions, and Josslyn found hers. Josslyn says she guesses. Maybe she could have made it work though. Carly says, maybe, and then she would have sacrificed a part of herself. Then she would have hated herself and resented Dex and hated him. As far as she’s concerned, Josslyn spared both of them a lot of misery. Josslyn says, in her gut, it was the right thing to do, and Carly says, but even doing the right thing isn’t always easy, and hugs Josslyn.

Sonny says, Kristina’s always been her own person. Ever since she could talk, she had an opinion. When she was so young, she was intelligent, and interesting. Then when she grew up, he could see pieces of her mother and him in her, and he kind of had an idea of what she was going to be like. And there were a couple things he was right on. They all want certain things for their kids, but their kids can’t be what they want them to be. It’s their life and they have to make their decision to be who they want to be. Natalia says, Kristina is very fortunate to have this man as her dad, and Kristina says she’s always known her dad loves her no matter what. He makes her feel really safe and like she can do anything. And she really wishes Blaze had that with Natalia.

John flops into a chair in his hotel room. There’s a knock at the door, and he hauls himself back up. He opens the door and Anna is there with a bottle of wine. She says she owes him a drink.

Tomorrow, Chase wonders if he should be a cop anymore; Anna tells John that she sees Sonny very clearly now; and Sonny tells Natalia that she can’t act on information she doesn’t have.

Vanderpump Rules

On FaceTime, Ariana says she’s glad she’ll be out of the house when Sandoval has his super cool pool party, and Katie wonders when it’s happening. Right now? Ariana guesses she’d be right. Downstairs, Sandoval explains to Schwartz that he and Ariana have an agreement. The party isn’t a surprise. Ariana asks how Katie feels about having dinner with Lala. She’d like to think it will blow over quick and they’ll have a nice dinner and asks Katie if she’s being too optimistic. Ariana leaves as the guests are having a shot.

Katie meets Lala at a restaurant and asks how Lala is. Lala says, not good, and asks how Katie is. Katie says, better than she was. She doesn’t like how it went, and Lala says, it’s the third time Katie has looked at her like the enemy, and we flash back to those. She asks if Katie feels that she hit below the belt, and Katie says she knows she has, and Lala says she’s retaliated and she’s not proud of that. In Lala’s interview, she says, Katie had been her ride or die for many years, but how they used to fit in each other’s lives is different. Now she’s trying to heal from trauma because doesn’t want to be a miserable bitch, but Katie is happy to be on the warpath. She tells Katie that she’s trying hard to drop the Sandoval thing. It altered her life, and her intent when bringing up her own experience is not to make it about her. Katie says she knows Lala is coming from a good place, but it’s not always received that way. Lala says she’ll work on it. Is there any version of Katie being a softer? Katie says her tone and delivery are a toxic trait, and Lala says she worries they’ll say something to be hurtful that there will be no coming back from. Katie apologizes and says she loves Lala. Lala says, ditto, and they hug.

The pool party is in full swing, and Schwartz wonders about potential romantic encounters. In Schwartz’s interview, he says she feels implicated as Sandoval’s wingman. He’s proud Sandoval is putting himself out there, but maybe he shouldn’t do it under the same roof he shares with the woman he cheated on. Scwartz says, this is weird, and leaves. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, Schwartz is trying to be diplomatic, but he’s not having an orgy in the living room. Billie introduces her girlfriend Tii, and asks if there will be an after-hours situation, but Sandoval says he doesn’t want to cause friction with his roommate. Some girls show up that Sandoval met at See You Next Tuesday, and everyone has more shots. In his interview, Sandoval says, the act of talking to people is like a muscle he hasn’t used. Sandoval is boring AF and tells the girls that his roommate is his ex from a 10-year relationship. He jokes that he keeps her locked in her room and crushes potato chips, putting them under the door for her to eat, but the girls are either appalled or don’t get the joke. Because he’s delusional, in his interview, he says he thinks he can get back into this pretty quickly.

Poor Ann (which is like her name now) cleans up the next morning, and Ariana tells her that Scheana is coming over. There’s so much sticky sh*t. In Ariana’s interview, she says, Ann’s job description has become cleaning up after Sandoval and doing his laundry. She’s taken on a mother role. She loves Ann, but Ann has a sh*tty boss. Ann tells Sandoval that Scheana is coming over and they’ll be downstairs, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, Ann’s duties include doing some housekeeping. He knows what he can’t get to, Ann will clean up, so he’s not leaving a mess. We see that’s not the truth, as dishes are piled high in the sink and that’s not the worst of it. Scheana arrives and sees all the bottles on the counter. She asks what they’re making, and Ariana says, that’s what she came down to after the sexy singles pool party. Scheana says she didn’t know the party had a theme, and Ariana says, that’s just what she’s calling it. She thinks she should have some people over and do a game night.

Ariana says, people have been telling her that Scheana is upset with her. We flash back to Lala and Lisa talking to Ariana about how she’s coming across, and Scheana says she doesn’t like people telling her how she feels or putting words in her mouth. Ariana says, Lisa told her that she’d mishandled her announcement about Dancing with the Stars, and Scheana says she’d thought she was being considered and wishes she’d heard it from Ariana. It was a punch to the gut, she was disappointed, and had a good cry, but she’s genuinely happy for Ariana. Ariana says she understands how Scheana feels, and Scheana says, Ariana can trust her. Ariana says she hopes she can trust that Scheana is being honest. Scheana says she and Lala have been together more often, and Lala rides hard for her. In Scheana’s interview, she says, Ariana used to be her person that she could talk to about everything, but lately it’s been difficult. She’s not super receptive about Scheana’s feelings. Scheana tells Ariana that when it comes to Sandoval, Ariana knew who he was to her up until March 1st, and Ariana says, she’s going to miss the person who maybe existed. But then things come to mind that are insidious. It’s hard to hear her best friend misses that person. Scheana says, if years from now she tells Ariana that she’s seen Sandoval did work on himself and he’s a completely different person, and she can see them being friends, how would Ariana feel? In Ariana’s interview, she says she thinks if Scheana is bringing this up, she has plans to be friends with him again. Scheana’s trying to soften the blow for when it becomes a reality. Ariana says she’d give Ariana the side-eye. Not a judgy side eye, but a you in danger, girl, side-eye.

Schwartz and Jo walk in the park, and in Schwartz’s interview, a producer says, it does look like a date, and Schwartz says he could marry Jo and be happy, but he doesn’t want that right now. He just got out of a 13-year relationship, and getting into another seems haphazard. He wants to explore and date some people. They get in a swan boat, and Jo tells Schwartz about how she lost a pet turtle in the sewer. He became a Ninja Turtle. In Jo’s interview, she says, meeting Ally was nerve-wracking because Ally is beautiful, but she’s got a good vibe. The other girls never gave her a fair chance, specifically Katie. Katie is a jealous ex, and Jo thinks whoever Schwartz is with will get a lot of hate. These two are boring squared.

In his interview, Sandoval says, since Tahoe, he’s been trying to reconnect with friends. Any step forward feels good. The group meets at the Belmont, and Katie and Ariana show up. In Lala’s interview, she says she can’t put into words how huge Ariana breathing the same air as Sandoval feels. It’s like Ariana is reclaiming her friends from Sandoval, and she’s here for it. Ariana is prettier to look at anyway.

In Ariana’s interview, she says she can’t let her ex prevent her from hanging out with her friends for the rest of her life. She’s not looking around in cased of stray eye contact, but she can feel Sandoval’s eyes buried into her. She asks the girls to hang out on the patio. Lala and Katie tell the others how they made up, and their safe word is croissant. Ally says, Jo texted her about doing her chart and having drinks, and she said, sure. Ariana says, you in danger, girl. In Katie’s interview, she says, where to start about Jo. Kristen Doute was her best friend, and now she’s infiltrating the rest of Katie’s life. The day of her divorce announcement, Jo texted her, saying she respects, supports, and loves Katie. Then a few months later, she’s living with Schwartz. The girl just moves in sketchy ways. Scheana asks Schwartz how things are over at the house. Ariana said Sandoval had a sexy singles pool party. Schwartz says, it sounds like the game of telephone, and Sandoval joins them. Sandoval tells her that people thought he was looking for a wingman, but the party was rated G. Scheana says she heard from Brock that Sandoval felt abandoned by Raquel. Can any part of him say he didn’t mean it and he’s sorry? In Scheana’s interview, she says, Sandoval used to live on a moral high ground. If he just had more self-awareness and understood it’s not just about the affair. Baby steps forward. She tells Sandoval that he hurt a lot of people. He needs to put his ego aside… He says, it’s not an ego thing, and she says, he’s getting defensive right now. He says he’s tired of being a scapegoat, but Scheana says, it’s about taking accountability. Sandoval says, he is. This is ridiculous. Scheana says, they’re just going in circles, when she’s trying to help, but he says, it’s not helping. She walks away. Outside, James tells Sandoval that he’s burning bridges, but Sandoval says he’s not groveling anymore. He’s out. He walks off.

In Brock’s interview, he says he’s been talking to Scheana about getting a nanny, but she’s very much not good at change. He tells her, it’s important that to have consistency in the house, but she says, their schedule isn’t consistent. Brock says, it hasn’t worked for him. She’s not listening. If she can’t have a schedule, that affects him. Scheana says she loves him, but doesn’t like him right now, and in his interview, he says he’s hoping she comes around. He wants to figure out what’s next for him and his career. Getting a nanny will help him figure out how to be the best dad, husband, and businessman. Gaby comes over, and asks Scheana, how was the Belmont? Scheana says, frustrating. She told Sandoval not to blame others for his situation. He’s not doing himself any favors. She doesn’t remember how it ended, but she walked away. Ariana and Katie were there. She and Ariana had a great conversation and talked about the things that hurt her, like hearing about Dancing with the Stars on Instagram. Brock says, his one concern is, with all the support she has, Ariana hasn’t had time to take a breath. When it slows down… Scheana says, hopefully, it doesn’t.

Ariana and Katie unpack groceries for the party. Sandoval works out in the home gym, and in his interview, he says he’s reflecting on last night. He doesn’t think he’s the reason Schwartz and Katie got divorced, but he’s willing to apologize. He wants to prioritize things important to Scheana because he wants to mend the friendship. Ariana gets a text from poor Ann that the boss man is coming downstairs to make a shake. In Katie’s interview, she says, when Ariana leaves the room, it gets cold and dark, and she can’t breathe. Sandoval comes down and asks if Ariana is having people over. Katie says, they’re going to play games, and Sandoval says he’s been reflecting on shit and wants to apologize for the way acted he last year during the divorce. He knows Katie was going through a lot and didn’t need extra sh*t. Katie says, apologies are just words. At the end of the day, he f***ed up big time. It’s fathomless the way he carried on an affair like that. Sandoval asks if she can’t fathom that happening, and Katie says she walked away from a marriage to someone she loved because she needed to be happy, but she still didn’t f*** Schwartz’s friend behind his back. In her interview, she says she was in love with somebody who couldn’t return the love in the way she wanted or deserved to be loved. Sandoval says he’s trying to look back and reflect. He’s doing the best he can, Katie says she thinks having parties with random strangers in the house he cohabits in with Ariana shows audacity. In Sandoval’s interview, he says he’s trying to take accountability and apologize. He was remorseful at the Reunion. We flash back to that, and Sandoval says, it’s still not good enough. Katie says he needs to try and do better. Stay out of the way and give Ariana more decency and respect. Sandoval says he and Ariana need to have a conversation at some point, and Katie says, Ariana wants to sell the house. He says, the ball’s in her court, and leaves.

Tom journals, and in his interview, he says, Raquel cutting him off is painful. It comes in waves. Journaling and not drinking connects her to him because he knows she’s journaling and not drinking. He shows Schwartz some photos of him and Raquel together, and says, he lost pretty much all his friends and now he’s losing Raquel. It’s a lot emotionally. Schwartz says, Sandoval is feeling sullen, and in his interview, Sandoval says, part of him thought when Raquel gets out, they’d both be in a healthy place to see each other again and connect. He’s figuring out that it’s never going to happen, and it really breaks his heart. 😭Waaah! He cries in the closet, looking at the photos and saying, it will never happen again. Scwartz tells him, never say never. If it’s any consolation, Schwartz feels in his heart and soul that he’s at the tail end of this. Sandoval says, that’s not remotely accurate. He’s being treated like Scott Peterson and that will linger. Schwartz says, didn’t he murder his wife? and Sandoval says, allegedly. He’s feeling destructive. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he doesn’t know how to help. He’s wracking his brain and needs someone with more expertise to show him better days are ahead. He tells Sandoval that he needs a little love. He’s got to break the Raquel spell. Schwartz is in his late life emo phase. It’s time to heal.

Guests arrive, and the Toms stop by to say hi before they slip out. Ariana is like, get the f*** out, and they decide to play Never Have I Ever. Ariana reads, never have I ever cheated on a partner more than once, because there are ever only sex questions in any game. Ally tells James, just drink. There’s a threesome question next, and Brock says he wasn’t involved, but he was in the room. In Scheana’s interview, she says she was once in an orgy with an A-list celebrity. Once upon a time, her body was a wonderland. I don’t know whether to say, congratulations, or be grossed out. Ally says, never have I ever dropped my pet in the middle of nowhere because I didn’t want it anymore. No one believes it’s the real question, but she shows them.

Jax texts Schwartz, saying he thinks it’s okay, but has to check with Brittany. The guys meet at TomTom, and Jo meets Ally for her reading.  Brock says, there’s a question mark about what Schwartz’s relationship is with Jo, and Schwartz says, they had a whirlwind romance a while back, but he doesn’t want to date. He does love hanging out with her. Brock asks if Jo knows that, and Schwartz says, yeah. Jo is a sweet soul. Ally gives Jo her reading, and says, Jo is the light at the end of the tunnel for many people. Schwartz is activating her house of friendship, and their bond is proven, but friends date. Your spouse should be your best friend. Ally says she wants Jo to feel welcome. At the end of the day, she’s Schwartz’s friend. Jo says she was called an anorexic crackhead whore, and her mom asked if she did crack. She’s never said a bad thing about them. Schwartz tells the guys that he wants to be single, like when they were all in West Hollywood together. Those times are rarer as they get older. It was the best of times and the worst of times. We flash back to that, and Schwartz says, it was always a little tumultuous with them. Jax arrives. Oh I see. Are we gliding into The Valley?

In Schwartz’s interview, he says, Sandoval and Jax haven’t communicated long time. They’re not friends, but deep down, he thinks they love each. Maybe. Jax says, advice from one person who’s dabbled in infidelity to another. He’s raising kids and living life. We see photos of that, and he says he’s opening a bar, Jax’s, in Studio City, a sports bar. They’re the last people he’d ask restaurant advice from. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, Jax always feels like they’re in competition, and we flash back to Sandoval whining, why can’t Jax be happy for him? Good times… He says, unfortunately they were best friends. He thinks as time went on, he realized nothing brings Jax more joy than celebrating other people’s failure and misery. Jax says he saw Sandoval’s pictures and he looks 50. He heard what’s going on. Sandoval seems to look better… minus the white nail polish. In Jax’s interview, he says, Sandoval lacks emotion, is tone deaf, and selfish. He says, what Sandoval did wrong. What he did was wrong too, but it’s the way Sandoval handled it. Sometimes it’s okay to tuck your tail between your legs. It’s humbling. Tom says, Jax must be humble. Jax is only interesting when he’s talking about him. He’s been relentlessly talking sh*t. Jax says, the whole world has been talking sh*t, and in Schwartz’s interview, he says, this is so bad. Sandoval asks if he dogpiled on Jax when Jax was down, and Jax says, actually, he did. Sandoval is him seven years ago. He owned his sh*t and now his life is the best it’s ever been. He worked his ass off to get where he is. He’s happy and Sandoval is literally a disgrace.

Brock suggests they take a beat. They haven’t seen each other in a while. Jax admits he came in guns blazing, but he was triggered and needed to get things off his chest. Sandoval was a huge part of his life, and if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t be here. He has Sandoval’s name tattooed on his arm. We flash back to that, and Jax says, they’ve all done the same thing. In Jax’s interview, he says she knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom. He had the best job on Vanderpump Rules, but because of his ego, he f***ed it up. We flash back to that, and he says he was in a dark place. He felt he’d lost it all. Financially, he didn’t know what to do, and his wife was pregnant. It was rough emotionally. He was thinking, it can’t be poor me, and he had to put his big boy pants on and start at ground zero. He tells Sandoval to call if he needs anything and they hug it all out. Jax says he didn’t mean to come in hot, but it’s been two years. In Jax’s interview, he says he didn’t care about anyone or anything. He was just selfish.

We segue into The Valley...

🍼 Same Pump, Different Day…

Golf and kids in the suburbs; a county fair themed party; Jax saying, a child out of wedlock, 14,000 times; and Jax and Brittany have a goddam storage unit just for Halloween decorations. But I can’t, so…

🕺 Stealing Your TikTok Dance Moves…

Join me tomorrow for soap and exciting news from around the globe. The latter is questionable, but it sounded good. Until then, stay safe, stay remembering your phone is not an appendage, and stay not letting your anger go sideways when you’re mad at a situation.

March 15, 2024 – Heather Gets Surprising News, Clarification, Next, Which Ones, Fallout, Awful Summer, Upcoming Dead, Latest In Pets (!), A Half Dozen Plus One Quotes & Feeling

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone at the hospital, Portia says she’s trying to locate a Dr. Paul Braddock… Yes, this is concerning one of his previous patients… Okay, she’ll hold. Stella, Marshall, and Curtis wait, and Nurse Sarah asks if Portia didn’t want these test results right away. Stella says she can take over and Portia hands her the phone. She leaves with the nurse, and Stella says, yes, she’s here… Yes, she understands Dr. Braddock has retired, but he was part of the Med Psyche Evaluation Faculty. Shouldn’t they be able to reach him?… She thanks them for looking into it. They can call her back at this number. Curtis says he guesses he was being a little overconfident, thinking they could drive down to Maryland and get answers. This Dr. Braddock is hard to find. Stella says, they’ll track him down eventually, and find out why he misdiagnosed Marshall with schizophrenia. Now go on. Marshall asks if she’s trying to get rid of them, and she asks Curtis, does he or does he not have physical therapy? Curtis says he does, and she says, then get to moving. Marshall says, best not to argue with the lady, and Curtis says, bye, Aunt Stella, as Marshall wheels him away.

Gregory thanks Finn, and Finn says, that’s the third time he’s said that. Gregory says, Finn has better things to do than proofread his copy, but Finn says he’s happy to. Gregory says, unfortunately, his keyboard game isn’t what it used to be, and Finn says he can tell. What’s that supposed to be? Gregory reads, went about his way, and Finn says, that makes a lot more sense. He can actually type this for Gregory. It will take him two minutes. Gregory says, it will actually take much longer than that, and Finn is a busy man. His son, the doctor. Finn says, no… when Portia knocks at the door, and Finn asks what he can do for her. She says she just got the radiology report from Heather Webber’s MRI, and Gregory says, that’s his cue to make his exit. It’s good to see Portia. He leaves, and Finn says he takes it there’s something interesting in the report, and Portia tells him, you could say that.

Nina goes into Alexis’s office and says, unbelievable. Alexis says, thank you… Oh, she didn’t mean that as a compliment. Nina says, far from it. That follow-up piece she put in today’s paper about the incident at the docks? Alexis says, what about it? and Nina says, it was an outrage, that’s what about it. Alexis tells her, like Nina said, she ran the piece; she didn’t write it. Nina says, so? and Alexis says, so that’s how it works in local news. Nina says she’s seen how it works, but it was a smear job on Sonny. Sonny knows she’s publishing this newspaper and the last thing she wants is to antagonize him. Alexis says, then quit. Better yet, why doesn’t Nina run the paper, and stop antagonizing her?

At the hospital, Diane looks at her phone as she walks down the hallway with Robert. She gasps and says she’s going to break her kneecaps. He asks, whose kneecaps? and she asks if she said that out loud. He says, she did, when Portia and Finn come out of the elevator. Portia says, DA Scorpio. Just the man she wanted to see.

Standing next to Laura, Doc asks if Heather can state her full name for him, and she says, Heather Grant Moore Taylor… No. Baker, then Taylor. He says, that wasn’t a fair question. How about, what is today’s date? She says, March… something. The days are just blending together. He asks, who’s their president? and she says, the guy with the aviators. She can’t focus. Doesn’t Laura understand? It’s too painful to look at him. All she can see is his brother.

In the hallway, Doc says he wishes he could report Heather is in her right mind, but… Robert says, sane or not sane, he doesn’t really give a damn. She’s being transferred today. Portia says she’d be glad to see the last of Heather Webber, believe her, but unfortunately, she’s not going anywhere.

At Dex’s apartment, he asks if Josslyn can hand him another box, but she says, no. He says, please? and she says, no. She’s not going to help him do the very thing she doesn’t want him to do and that doesn’t have to happen. He says, they’ve been over this, and she says, it still makes no sense. He loves it in Port Charles. He says he does, and she says, and he loves her. He says, even more, and she asks, then how can he leave? He says he’d ask her to come with him, but he knows she needs to stay close to her family, and she says she needs her family, and they need her, but she needs him too. They kiss, and he picks her up, carrying her to the bedroom where they get busy.

Alexis says she has a suggestion for Nina. Why doesn’t she run The Invader the way she sees fit, and leave her out of it? But she can’t, can she? Because she doesn’t know how to edit a newspaper. Nina says, nor does she have any desire to, and Alexis says, then let her do her job. Gregory walks in and says, here you go. Sorry, he didn’t realize she had… Nina snatches the papers out of his hand and asks what Alexis has him writing. Alexis says, Nina… and Nina says, call it quality control. She doesn’t want tomorrow’s paper resembling today’s. Alexis says, that is psychotic, let alone obsessive, and Gregory says, it’s an article on the police department outreach to kids ages 8 to 14. Alexis says, scandalous, and Gregory says, they do field trips, athletics, arts and crafts. His son Chase is one of the volunteer officers. Nina says, it’s highly unprofessional. Look at this, with all of the red marks, the cross outs, the typos. And why didn’t he electronically submit this? Alexis takes it out of her hand and says, if she wants the edition out by tomorrow, Nina needs to get out of her office right now. Out! Nina leaves, saying, whatever, and Alexis slams the door.

Portia says, these are Heather’s MRI images, showing Doc her tablet, and Robert asks, what exactly are they looking at here? Portia says, this is the reason she isn’t being discharged today, not in this condition, and Diane says she loves a good guessing game, but she has the feeling she’s not needed here, so good luck. Robert says he thinks he’s going to need it, and Diane leaves. Dr. Enoch joins them, and Portia thanks him for making the time. Laura asks if somebody can please tell them what’s going on, and Portia tells Dr. Enoch that he can actually speak in front of Mayor Collins. She holds Heather Webber’s health care proxy. Laura says she does? and Portia tells her, that’s what the paperwork says. Laura says, dear God. She supposes she might be the nearest thing Heather has left to family. Doc says, scary thought, and Robert asks if they can get back to the matter at hand. Dr. Enoch says, see these orbs of brightness? They suggest metallosis, specifically, cobalt poisoning. Laura asks how you get that, and the doctor says, fractured or slowly deteriorating hip replacement hardware. Doc says, so Heather’s hip replacement is poisoning her? and Dr. Enoch says, to confirm, they’ll need a blood test, tox screen, and a panel for heavy metals. Finn says, already ordered, and Dr. Enoch tells Doc, that’s the working theory, yes. It’s sometimes accompanied by a spectrum of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Have they noticed any changes, however subtle, in Heather’s behavior in recent years?

Curtis lifts his foot, and Don says, good. As he gets stronger, he can increase the use of weights. It’s going to help his quads and hamstrings. Marshall says, and they’re all for that, aren’t they? and Curtis says, how many reps? Don says, as many as he can tolerate. As long as his pain level doesn’t go above a three. Curtis says he knows Don has other patients. Does he mind if Curtis stays at it a minute? Don asks if Marshall will keep an eye on Curtis, and Marshall says, absolutely. Don says, let’s go for it, and leaves. Curtis thanks Marshall for staying and Marshall says he loves it, watching Curtis work so hard, He’s proud of Curtis. Curtis says he’s proud of Marshall. Confronting Dr. Braddock when he knows Marhsall had reservations. Marshall says, oh, that, and Curtis asks if he’s thought about what he’s going to say to him when they’re finally face to face. Marshall says, if it’s the same psychiatrist he remembers, it won’t be anything nice.

On the phone, Finn asks if there’s anything on those orders Dr. Robinson put through… Great. Thanks. He tells Portia that Heather’s test results should be in, and Portia says she’ll look them up. Here we go. She shows Dr. Enoch, who says his preliminary diagnosis is confirmed. Doc asks, what now? and Dr. Enoch says, the hip that’s failing needs to be replaced immediately. Robert asks if the federal pen of the women’s division can’t do it, and Laura says, Robert… He says, she’s a homicidal maniac, and Laura says, yes, but now they’re learning there may be a medical reason for that. He says, she’s always been a bit loony, and Laura says, loony, yes. She used to do crazy things. Like once she tried to give somebody LSD, and she ended up drinking it herself, but she’s not a murderer. She’s definitely not a serial killer. That’s just… Doc says, new, and Portia says she’s not a fan of Heather Webber, but this is about human suffering. She checked with Dr. Randolph, who agrees with her. If they fail to treat Heather Webber, they can be opening themselves up to an investigation for possible liability. Laura tells Robert that they’ve got to let this go, especially if it poses a risk to the hospital. Robert tells her, right, and walks away as he says, to think he missed breakfast in bed because of this.

The reception phone rings, and Stella answers, Dr. Robinson here… Can they say that again?… She thanks them for getting back to her, and watches as Doc goes up the stairs to his office.

Basking in the afterglow, Josslyn says she’s glad they’re still good at that, and Dex asks if she thought they wouldn’t be. She says, no. It’s nice to know, that’s all. They kiss, and he says he wishes they could stay in bed all day. She asks why they can’t, and he says he has to pack, and gets out of bed. She says, he’s still leaving? and he says he has to. She tells him to stop saying that. He doesn’t have to. He’s making a choice to do this. He says, it doesn’t feel like a choice to him. He realized he didn’t know Sonny as well as he thought he did. Maybe that’s how she feels about Jason now that he’s suspected of shooting Dante. She says, Jason did not shoot Dante, okay? That she knows. What he did do was wrap that bandage around him and call 911. You know how she knows that? The two of them are very similar. They’re both good, decent human beings. Just like how she doesn’t understand how he and Jason are so loyal to someone like Sonny. He says he was loyal to Sonny. He’s also afraid of him. Maybe not him so much, but who he’s becoming because of him. Maybe she should be too.

Alexis says she’s so sorry about Nina, but Gregory says, she doesn’t know. Alexis says she doesn’t care what Nina knows or doesn’t know. She had no right to talk to him that way. It was callous and it was rude. He says, maybe, but as her publisher, Nina is allowed to set standards. And after today, it’s become clear to him that he can no longer meet them. She says she disagrees, but he says, pretending otherwise does him no favors. Please allow him his dignity. He takes the papers out of her hand and says, this will be his last article for The Invader. He heads for the door, and she asks where he’s going with that. He says he’s going to make the corrections that Nina wanted, and then he’ll submit his final copy electronically like all her other writers do. She thanks him, he says, the pleasure’s been his, and he leaves.

As Curtis lifts the weights with his legs, he says he knows how Marshall feels about Dr. Braddock now, but what were his impressions of him at the beginning? Marshall says, Dr. Braddock was kind, at first. He was compassionate and understanding. When Marshall told him that he felt like everything was against him, and he meant that… Curtis says, money, work, and Marshall says, family obligations. He was sympathetic, and assured Marshall that it wasn’t his fault. Curtis says, a chemical imbalance, and Marshall says, the way he put it was, there was a part of his brain that was fighting itself. That was an explanation that gave him relief. It was an explanation as to why everything was going to hell. But he didn’t have insurance, so when the doctor prescribed him pills that he couldn’t afford, he was out there cobbling that money together. Don’t ask him how he did it. Curtis says he won’t, and Marshall says, anything to help him better take care of Curtis, his mother, and his brother, but those pills made him rigid. He couldn’t play. He could barely feel his fingers. His mouth was so dry, the reed just stuck to it. Curtis asks if he told the doctor, and Marshall says, that’s when the doctor offered him those shock treatments at the bargain price of $800 a pop. Curtis says, get out of here, and Marshall says he ain’t kiddin’. Curtis says, so what did he do? and Marshall says he blew up on him. He vented his anger, and he vented his frustration. Curtis asks, how did Dr. Braddock take it? and Marshall says, not well.

Heather says, metallosis? That sounds like something you get when your tongue freezes to the flagpole. (Ha-ha-ha! It does.) Portia says, Dr. Enoch believes the condition is what’s causing Heather’s symptoms, and Heather says, her symptoms? Laura says, both physical and mental, and Heather asks Dr. Enoch if he’s saying this poison is making her think things and do things she normally wouldn’t. Dr. Enoch says, it’s a very real possibility that metallosis has altered her perception and behavior, and Heather says, no doctor has told her anything ever except that she’s crazy. Dr. Enoch asks, how long has the pain in her hip been acute? and Heather says she’s not sure, but it feels like an eternity. He says, they would surgically remove the defective apparatus and replace it with a current model, and she says, he means like, buying a new car, and you just junk the old ship and replace it with this year’s model? He says, as with many surgeries, there are significant risks. A standard hip replacement takes approximately two hours. Hers may be double that. She’ll be under anesthesia and carefully monitored. However, in rare cases, patients experience complications from anesthesia. Heather says, complications meaning you never wake up? and he says, in rare cases. But before they do the surgery, they’re going to start her on cobalt chelation… Heather asks if she could just have a minute, indicating with Laura, and the doctor steps aside. She tells Laura that she doesn’t understand what he’s saying. She hears the words, but all that medicalese just sounds like white noise. Does Laura know what he’s talking about? Laura says she thinks she does, and Heather asks if Laura can just figure out for her, please? Laura is her guardian now. Laura says she’s not Heather’s guardian. It’s just in case she can’t make decisions for herself. She’s just in charge of Heather’s medical care. Heather says, as Laura can see, she’s having a hard time with that, and Portia says, she’s having a hard time with what exactly? Heather says, with making decisions. There should be a will. It’s in her file she thinks. Portia says, yes, she’s seen it, and Heather says, short and sweet. Portia says, she leaves her entire estate to her grandson Ace, and Heather says, not that she has anything to leave, but she doesn’t want to leave him. So what does Laura think? Should she have them take out her whole hip and put in a new one? Laura says, it’s a personal choice, and Heather says, please, help her decide. Laura says she thinks Heather should do it, and Heather exhales.

Finn says, Gregory’s back, and Gregory says he changed his mind. Finn says, about? and Gregory asks if he’d mind retyping this, after work. Finns says he doesn’t mind typing it right now, and Gregory asks if he’s sure. Finn says, positive, and Gregory thanks him and sits down. Finn asks, what was the verdict? Is Alexis a fan? Gregory says, Alexis usually likes what he writes, but he’s decided this will be his last article. Finn asks, how come? and Gregory says, the newspaper gig just isn’t for him. Finn says, it will certainly free up some more time. So he can finish up that Chaucer book he’s been working on. Or he always said he wanted to write a novel. Gregory looks at his shaky hand and says, it’s on his list. Finn says, start scratching a few things off, will he? There’s no time like the present, so they say. Gregory says, the present is all we’ve got.

Diane blows into Alexis’s office, tossing her bag on a chair, and marching up to Alexis’s desk. Alexis asks, what’s her problem? and Diane unfolds the paper and reads, Port Charles own redheaded mob lawyer shacking up with the District Attorney. She tosses the paper onto Alexis’s desk, and Alexis says she never said that. Diane says, her paper sure did.

Stella goes to Doc’s office and says she hopes she’s not interrupting. He says, nothing too important. What can he do for her? She says she was hoping to pick his brain, and he says, pick away. She asks if he ever encountered a psychiatrist by the name of Paul Braddock. He practiced out of Baltimore, but from what she gathers, he was fairly well known. Doc tells her, you could say that.

Alexis says she had nothing to do with that, and Diane asks, is The Invader not her publication? Alexis says, Diane seems to have forgotten she has a new publisher, who has shoved a gossip columnist right down her throat. She hasn’t seen anything about that. Diane says, she might want to start reading it. She assumes Alexis is going to print a retraction tomorrow. Alexis asks what Diane wants her to say, that she’s not a natural redhead? and Diane fake laughs. Alexis says she has something Diane might be happier about, and Diane says, thrill me. Alexis says, Nina has forbidden them to mention Sonny at all. Nada. Zip. Not a word. So Diane’s number one client is officially off limits. Diane asks if the woman has a single redeeming quality, and Alexis says, Diane tells her that like she’s going to follow Nina’s orders, and Diane says, a lawyer can dream, can’t she? Alexis says, she means a redheaded mob lawyer, and Diane fake laughs again.

Josslyn says, what if she told Dex that she’s coming with him? and he says he’d tell her that she was lying to him, but mostly to herself. her family is way too important to her. And that’s a good thing. He wishes he felt that way about his. She says, he’s important to her, but he says, that’s different. She says, yes. She loves her family, but she’s in love with him. He says he loves her too, so much. He’s never said that to anyone before. That’s why he wants what’s best for her and that can’t be him. She asks if it’s Sonny he’s worried about. If it’s that, she might be able to protect him. She’ll talk to her mom; her mom can talk to him. She knows they’re not together, and she knows they’ve been through it, but she has the feeling Sonny will still listen to her. He says, what if it’s already too late? when there’s a knock at the door. Josslyn says, what if what’s too late? and there’s another knock. She says she’ll get it and opens the door to Nina. She asks if Nina is looking for more backs to stab. Sorry. She’s fresh out.

Marshall says, it was nice watching Curtis work so hard, putting all this work into his recovery, and Curtis says, don’t do that. His recovery is quantifiable. If he does his exercises, he’ll be back on his feet sooner, but that wasn’t the same for Marshall. Marshall says, their situations are different. Does he know what that difference is? Marshall ran and gave up. Curtis didn’t. Stella comes in and says, working hard or hardly working? and Marshall says, she knows her nephew can’t stop, won’t stop. Curtis asks if she located Dr. Braddock, and she sighs. He asks, what’s wrong? and she says she’s got good news and bad news. Which do they want first? Marshall says, bad, and she says, Dr. Braddock died just before Christmas. Marshall says, they won’t find him mourning the man, and Curtis says, no one would expect him to. Marshall says he knew all this searching stuff would lead to nothing, and Curtis says, Stella told them that she had good news too. She says, the answers they’ve been searching for aren’t hiding in Baltimore. They’re right upstairs in this hospital.

Laura shows Heather, pictures of Ace on her phone, and Heather says, look how big he’s getting. Laura says, baby today, Mayor of Port Charles tomorrow, and Heather asks if Laura thinks he’ll follow in her footsteps. Laura says she doesn’t know what he’ll grow up to be, and Heather says, better Laura’s path than hers. That is for sure. All this went so wrong. When? How? Besides this metallosis stuff, what happened to her? Laura says she doesn’t know. If it makes Heather feel any better, she feels like she’s lived a few different lives, and sometimes she can’t always connect the dots between them. Heather says, that’s exactly it. It’s so random, so disjointed. Sometimes she feels like she’s in freefall, and the only thing worse than the fall itself is the ground rushing up to meet her. Laura asks if Heather knows the upside to having gotten it all wrong, and Heather says she didn’t know there was an upside. Laura says, there’s still time for her to get it right. (Do I smell a contract in Heather’s future?)

Nina asks if Dex is here, and Josslyn says she doesn’t know. She asks Dex if he’s here, and he comes to the door. Talking at lightning speed, Nina asks if he can relay a message to Sonny. She had no idea The Invader was going to run that story about him today. She’s only been running that newspaper for a very short time, and they don’t run anything by her. Josslyn says she doesn’t think she’s ever seen Sonny read a newspaper, and Dex says, he has not. But Sonny’s very well informed. He just gets his news through other means. Josslyn says, okay, great. So Nina’s in the clear. Okay. Bye. Nina puts her hand on the door and says, hold on. Is Dex going somewhere? Is Sonny going somewhere? Is Dex accompanying him as his guard? Josslyn says, first of all, that’s none of Nina’s business, and second of all, Dex is through with Sonny. Kind of like how Sonny’s through with Nina. Nina says, she is her mother’s daughter, and Josslyn says, and proud of it. Nina says she sees what’s happening here. Dex broke up with Sonny. And that can only mean Josslyn is next.

Alexis says she hates complaining, and Diane says, and yet… Alexis says, the newspaper business is… How does she phrase this? Diane says, miserable? and Alexis says, yes. In general, nobody reads anymore. They scroll. Specifically, it’s this place. It’s this publisher. She’s dishing gossip to make Nina Reeves happy. Who is she? What has she become? Diane says, that’s a rhetorical question? and Alexis says she’d take up the law again for free if it meant giving up this nasty job. Diane says, really? In that case, she has a proposal for Alexis. One that will get her out of this place and away from Nina Reeves for good.

Looking over Finn’s shoulder, Gregory says, the semi-colon should be a period. There are no semi-colons in newspapers. Finn says, noted, and makes the change. Handing Finn a paper, Gregory says, here’s the web address for The Invader worksite. He can post it there. Finn says, this is the password? and Gregory says, yeah. Finn says, all right, and types. There you go. His final article has been uploaded. Gregory says, excellent, and Finn asks if he wants to stick around and have lunch. He knows it’s not the MetroCourt, but the turkey chili is pretty decent. Gregory says, thanks, but he thinks he’ll get home. Try to squeeze in a nap before Violet gets home from school. He thanks Finn again for this, and Finn thanks him for everything. Gregory says he’s not done quite yet, and Finn says, better not be. Gregory says, see him at home? and Finn says, see him at home, and Gregory leaves.

On the phone Finn thanks Boden for getting back to him. Where did they send him this time?… Wow. He heard all hell’s breaking loose there. He realizes his timing is terrible, so he’ll make it quick. His dad’s been diagnosed with ALS… He thanks Boden and says he appreciates that. He knows the course of the disease is different with every patient. It seems to be accelerating with him, and Boden is the best neurologist he’s ever worked with, so he wants to know if Boden has anything. He doesn’t even know what he’s looking for. He thinks a little magic at this point, but… No, he knows the drill. Go save some lives and stay safe. He puts the phone down.

Diane tells Alexis that she doesn’t want to take another hit piece like that gossip columnist just leveled at her. She’s a phenomenal lawyer. Alexis says, Diane isn’t going to get any argument from her, and Diane says, also, she’ hates to think she’s the kind of person who cares what people think of her, but her reputation matters. And she doesn’t want anybody out there thinking she only takes cases for mob money. That’s not why she got into the law in the first place. Alexis asks, why did she? and Diane says she’s going to assume for the same reasons Alexis got in. To be of service. To strive for justice… even if the definition of justice seems to vary a little bit between her and Alexis. Alexis asks if Diane wants her to write a puff piece, but Diane says she just wants Alexis to zip it. Pay attention. Come work with her. Alexis laughs and says, as what? Her receptionist? Diane says, no, as her very esteemed, every other day, colleague. And if Alexis is very good and very nice to her, at some point soon, her partner. Alexis says she thinks Diane is forgetting the small matter of her disbarment. She’s not able to practice law anymore. Diane tells her, says who? and Alexis says, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. It was a swift and decisive ruling, she might add. Diane says, and it’s a ruling she’s betting she can get overturned.

Nina says, now that they’ve established that Josslyn is a chip off the old Carly block, she bets the only secrets Josslyn likes are the ones she keeps herself. Dex says, that’s enough, get out, but Josslyn says, no. What does Nina mean? Nina says, she should really aim that question to her boyfriend, and Josslyn asks Dex what she’s talking about. Nina tells him, don’t be shy. Tell Josslyn about the day she caught him dressed as an orderly coming out of Cyrus Renault’s hospital room.

The guard says, remember, no funny business, and Heather says, there’s nothing funny about surgery if you ask her. There’s paperwork on the tray in front of her, and she asks, who’s got a pen? Laura asks if she’d like Dr. Enoch to go over the procedure with her one more time in layman’s terms before she signs, but Heather says, no. It’s not necessary. Laura thinks she should do this? That’s good enough for her. Portia gives her a pen, and Heather says, gracias, doctore. She signs, and Portia says, they’ll submit her consent and get the ball rolling. Heather holds up her arm, and Portia says, yes, of course (🍷), locking the cuff again. Dr. Enoch says, they’ll talk soon, and leaves with Portia and the guard. Heather asks Laura, what’s Doc like in bed? And Laura says, excuse me? Heather says she was just wondering if there were any similarities with Ryan in that department, and Laura says she thought they were getting along so well. Heather says, they were. They are. Laura tells her, have a good day, and leaves. Heather wonders what she said.

Stella, Marshall, and Curtis sit in Doc’s office, and Doc says he understands Marshall was a patient of Dr. Paul Braddock. Marshall says, once upon a time, yes. He takes it Doc has heard of him. Doc says, he made quite a name for himself, and Curtis says, is this guy famous or something? Doc says, some might go with infamous, and Marshall says, he’s the one who diagnosed him with schizophrenia. Doc says, Stella told him, and Marshall says, gave him all these dire warnings about how it might progress, how he might hurt himself or his family, and the shame it would bring upon them if that happened. He was so scared, he left his boys and let his wife and Stella raise them without him. But none of it was true. Doc says, Marshall didn’t have what Dr. Braddock said he did, and Marshall asks, what would make a doctor tell him that he was schizophrenic when he wasn’t? Doc tells him that he can’t say for certain, and Marshall says, guess. Curtis asks if Doc won’t please help them out. They need answers. Doc says he believes Marshall was misdiagnosed because he was young, male, poor, angry, and Black.

On Monday, Doc says, Marshall just correctly diagnosed his misdiagnosis; Alexis asks Diane what any of this has to do with her; Olivia wonders if she should be relieved or terrified; and Nina asks Ava to advocate for her.

📋 Changing His Status…

Sounds like we’ll be getting another two years out of Stone Cold.

🛟 There Can Be Only One …

I don’t even remember Heather and I love Fraser, but there will never be another Kate. She and Captain Lee made a dynamite team that will never be topped.

💎 Diamond Come Back…

Judging from the photos in their social media, they must be taking Photoshop lessons from Kate Middleton. Where’s Dorit’s other foot???

🍸 Collateral VanderDamage…

The drinks weren’t bad isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.

🤽 Worst Of the Week…

What is wrong with that woman?

⚰️ Her Turn To Shine…

Michonne does double duty.

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/the-ones-who-live-episode-4-written-by-danai-gurira-release-date-and-new-photos-01hrsmz0c9cd

https://undeadwalking.com/posts/watch-rick-and-michonne-in-the-ones-who-live-episode-4-trailer-01hs1tsy8kt4

🐶 This Week In Pets…

He’s a trooper.

https://people.com/mark-wahlberg-four-pet-dogs-canine-costar-but-allergic-exclusive-8608149

More on that Mess(i).

https://people.com/oscars-2024-jimmy-kimmel-rehearses-jokes-with-dog-from-anatomy-of-a-fall-video-8606983

A PSA. I hadn’t even thought of this and I’m a helicopter pet mom.

https://people.com/keeping-dogs-and-cats-safe-during-total-solar-eclipse-expert-pet-advice-8609468

🎋 Quotes of the Week

I thought you married Jane because I was getting old. Then I realized it was because you had. – Mona Sterling (Talia Balsam), Mad Men

A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t. – Jack Dempsey (Apparently, I’m a champion every morning.)

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow. – Mary Anne Radmacher

Excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude. – Ralph Marston

Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.Suzy Kassem

I think the only answer is to live life to the fullest while you can and collect memories like fools collect money. Because in the end, that’s all you have – happy memories. – Sarah Strohmeyer

What would you rather have, a new car or Peanut the Elephant?The Beanie Bubble

🦘 Miles To Go Before I Sleep…

Enjoy the wearin’ o’ the green if you’re so inclined, then come back on Monday really Tuesday for soap and a Deck to behold. Until then, stay safe, stay not being an amateur drunk on St. Patrick’s Day, and stay scratching a few things off your bucket list, because the present is all we’ve got.

March 12, 2024 – Drew Questions Carly About Jason, Ariana Hands Out Ultimatums, Thoughts & Go

Standard

What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Sam holds Dante’s hand and says she thought if she kept it together overnight that she’d wake up and find it was just a horrible dream, but he’s here and he’s not awake. And no matter where she looks, there’s someone is telling her that Jason’s alive and Jason did this to him. Laura comes in and asks if there’s been any change, but Sam says, Dante’s the same and her world is in pieces.

On the phone, Finn tells Portia that he’d love to do a consult for her. Who’s the patient?… Oh boy.

Heather says Amy is a nurse. Isn’t she supposed to do more than stand there and watch her suffer? Amy says she’ll be taking Heather’s vitals. They’re just waiting for the doctor. Heather says, why doesn’t she write this in her notes? The next time she touches a patient, wear mittens. Her hands are freezing. Amy says she’ll do that, when Finn walks in. Heather says, it’s so nice to see a friendly face. It’s about the only warm thing in this place. He says his being here is not good news, and she asks if he means for him, but he says, for her.

In the elevator, Molly says she wishes there was something they could do for Sam. She seemed beyond exhausted and so shaky. Kristina says, seeing her big sister like that made her shaky. She’s always been a rock. Molly says, Sam’s still holding up better than she would be, and Kristina says, can she imagine. Your ex-husband comes back from the dead and could be the reason your live-in boyfriend is fighting for his life in the ICU. She’d be curled up in a ball somewhere. Kristina says, all they can do is support her. Starting with getting her some breakfast. She’s got to keep her strength up. Kristina says, Molly’s maternal instincts are already kicking in. She’s going to be such a good mom. This baby is lucky to have her. They get out of the elevator just as Blaze is coming by, and Kristina hugs her. She says she didn’t know Blaze was coming, and Blaze says, her girlfriend needs her. Where else would she be?

Carly sees the headline about Dante on her tablet, and that a manhunt is on for Jason as a suspect. There’s a knock at the door, and she opens it to Drew. She says, he didn’t have to knock. He says he wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to interrupt in case his brother was here. (I see. He’s going to start off in a-hole mode.)

Jason comes to in the boathouse and looks at his wound, touching it gingerly. He groans and sits up.

Finn tells Heather that Dr. Robinson asked him to consult because she’s presenting with a difficult case. Her test results determined she has cardiopathy, which means a weakened heart muscle. She says, no one’s ever accused her of having a weak heart before, and he says, it’s not really an accusation; it’s a fact, and probably the reason she fainted. She says, that’s the reason she was put on those pills? and he nods. He says, unfortunately, she’s not responding to the medication… She says she’s sorry. She can’t possibly concentrate on his beautiful voice when she’s in agonizing pain. She asks if Amy can possibly move her pillow, since she obviously can’t, and Amy adjusts the pillows. Heather says she’s not a doctor, but she’s learned the ins and outs of the medical profession by binge watching Grey’s Anatomy, and she’s also got quite an education over the years from being in various mental facilities. So she feels qualified to ask, why is the Infectious Disease Department’s very own Dr. Dashing checking out her ticker? He says, the two cariologists that examined her before him came back with nothing, so Dr. Robinson asked him to rule out everything else. To that end, has she ever experienced any problems breathing in the past? Heather tells Amy, could she please, higher with the pillow already? No. To the left. Amy pulls the pillow to her left, and Heather says, no, the other left. How many lefts does she have? She asks Finn if they can get Nurse Elizabeth in here. They really understand each other and she’s not vibing with this one at all. (Oh man, she cracks me up.) No offense. She’s sure there’s a few people who really like Amy in this place. Finn asks if Heather can focus for a moment. This is actually important. Her symptoms are important. Heather says she wishes she could, but she’s afraid she’s too distraught. Her complete devastation is swallowing her every thought. In fact, maybe he can help her and, in that way, she can help him. He says, with what? and she says she really needs to see her grandbaby.

Molly tells Kristina that she’s going to see if she can track down TJ and leaves. Blaze asks how Kristina is holding up. How’s her brother? Kristina says, Dante is out of surgery, but he’s still critical. They’re just hoping he wakes up soon and he’s okay. Blaze says, thank God, and Kristina says, it’s a huge relief. Her whole family is here, so Blaze shouldn’t feel like she needs to stay. Blaze says, Kristina is disappointed. She’s sorry. Kristina says, no, that’s not it. She just knows how busy Blaze is and she doesn’t want to be an inconvenience. Blaze says her girlfriend is never an inconvenience. Never. Not a minute goes by that she doesn’t wish she was with Kristina. Kristina says, girlfriend. It seems like that word is much easier for Blaze to say. Blaze says she can’t believe how lucky she is that she gets to say it, and Kristina says she’s lucky to hear it. Blaze says, believe her, if it were anything else, she’d reschedule her morning to be with Kristina, and Kristina asks, what is it about this morning that’s so special? Blaze says her mother.

Carly says, Jason’s not here, and Drew says, but he was last night. She says, yeah, and they go into the living room. Drew tells her, The Invader said that the police were called to search the Shoreline area and not coincidentally, she lives on Shoreline Road. But even without that, he knew Jason would come straight to her. Last night at the Quartermaines when she came to help with the kids, was he already here? Was he hiding out? She says, no, and he thanks her for that. He says, it was good last night. She really helped with the kids and he felt like they were in it together. He would have hated knowing that was a lie. She says she didn’t lie to him, and he says, but she didn’t call him either.

Jason slides himself across the floor and sits against a chair. Danny walks in, sees Jason, and says, dad?

Heather tells Finn, Laura brought little Ace in last night. He’s sick. Finn says, even if her grandson was admitted, he can’t just take her to see another patient, especially a minor. She says, but her baby’s baby was brought to this hospital. He didn’t come here on a tour, so obviously, something is wrong with him. She’s worried sick about what it could be. Please. There must be something he can do. She’s asking him as a grandmother. He says he’ll tell her what. How about she cooperates with him, and he’ll see what he can do for her. She says, okay. Other than the awful pain in her hip, she’s been bloated for a couple of months, which is kind of strange. She asks if Amy shouldn’t be writing this down, calling her ice paws, but Finn says he’ll take it from here. Amy says, good luck, and leaves.

Blaze tells Kristina that her mom called her this morning and asked if she was free so they could get together for breakfast. Given the way they left things, she felt like she had to say yes. Kristina says, Blaze doesn’t have to explain anything to her. It’s perfectly reasonable that she’d want to see her mom. She’s just curious though. How did she sound? Blaze says she’s not sure. Contrite maybe, but their conversation was really short, so she’s not sure. Kristina says, maybe she’s had some time to process and maybe she’s ready to hear Blaze out now. Blaze says, that’d be nice, but she’s not holding her breath. Kristina says she’d be happy to go with Blaze, and Blaze says, even after the way her mother treated Kristina?

Sam sits with Laura, who says she can only imagine how overwhelmed Sam must be with this whole situation, and Sam says, it’s got to be hard for Laura too. She was Dante’s mother-in-law. Laura says she does know what a truly wonderful human being he is. She hopes Sam knows she can talk to her, but Sam says she doesn’t know what to say exactly. It’s like she has all these thoughts roaming around in her head and she just can’t put words to them. These thoughts are swirling around in her head, and she can’t grab hold of one thought or feeling for more than a second. Laura says, that sounds about right, and Sam says she just doesn’t know what to do. Laura says, it’s going to take some time, and a little bit of rest will help a lot. Sam says, it’s like one second, she’s really hurt because Jason could be out there a fugitive, and the next second, she gets all weepy because she’s grateful that he’s alive. Then she has this voice in her head, and it keeps asking her, where has he been all this time? Why didn’t he try to contact her? She doesn’t know. Laura says, it’s very, very complicated, but Sam says, it shouldn’t be complicated, should it? She and Jason were long over before he disappeared. Laura says, yes, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was a very significant part of her life. She loved him. She had a child with him. They share all of those experiences, but she can’t expect herself to see things clearly right now while she’s still in shock. And Laura thinks she is. Sam agrees and says she feels she has to keep it together, if only for her kids. She’d asked the Quartermaines to keep Scout home from school, and she’s sure Danny has read the article in The Invader. Right now, he thinks his father’s the one who shot Dante. How is she supposed to help Danny process this if she can’t even process it herself? Laura says she wishes she had better answers for Sam, but she does know this. If she allows her love for her children to ground her and guide her, everything else just has a way of working itself out. Sam thanks her for saying that and for being here.

Danny and Jason soap look at one another for a moment, and Danny starts to run off, but Jason says, wait. He knows he has no right to ask Danny, but he’s in trouble and he needs Danny’s help. Danny asks why he should help Jason. And don’t say it’s because he’s Danny’s father. Jason says, because the police are after him and he didn’t do what they said he did. Danny says, he didn’t shoot Dante? and Jason says, no. Danny says, swear on it. Swear on something that matters to him. Jason says he swears on Danny’s life.

Blaze says she appreciates it, but right now, Kristina needs to be with her family. She can deal with her own. Kristina asks if she’s sure, and Blaze says she’ll be fine. Just knowing she has Kristina will get her through whatever her mom has to say. Kristina says, okay. She’ll be here when Blaze gets back. Blaze says she’s counting on it, kisses Kristina, and leaves.

Finn says, so for the past few months, Heather said she had ringing in the ears, some tingling in the extremities, and brittle nails. Heather says, which is strange because she always had really strong nails. She’s not saying she had a future as a hand model or anything like that, but does he think that had something to do with her heart? He says he thinks he needs to run some more tests, and she says, he can poke, prod, draw all the blood he wants, but after he finds out what’s going on with her grandson. Laura comes in and says, that won’t be necessary, and Heather says, with all due respect, your mayorship, the good doctor and I have a relationship that’s working just fine without you. Laura says hi to Finn and asks if he wouldn’t mind giving her a moment alone with Heather. They’re long overdue for a talk. Finn says, of course (🍷), and leaves. Laura closes the blinds and turns to face Heather.

Carly tells Drew that her first call last night was to Diane. That’s because Anna Devane showed up with Agent Cates and they told her that Jason was alive, and they had warrant and they wanted to search her house. He asks if that’s the first she heard about Jason, but she says, no. When she got back here when she left the Quartermaines, he was here waiting for her. She walked in her house, and he said her name and she recognized his voice. She turned around and he was standing right there and all she could do was hug him. She realized he’d been shot, so she ran upstairs to get a first aid kit and she came down. She was trying to bandage him up, and that’s when Anna started banging on the door. She starts to cry and says, he didn’t know her mom had died. Drew says, so she told him about Bobbie, and she says she was doing such a bad job at cleaning the wound, she mentioned that she wished she could call her mom and ask for help. He said not to, and that’s when she realized he didn’t know. She told him and she could see it hit his face. She wanted to tell him what happened, and that’s when Anna and John showed up. He asks if Jason told her how he got shot, but she says, no. They didn’t talk about it. He says, the police think he shot Dante, and she says, the police are wrong. He asks how she knows that if she and Jason didn’t even talk about it, and she says, because she knows Jason. He tells her, yeah, that’s what he thought she was going to say.

Jason gets up and tells Danny that he’s just a little dizzy. He’s going to sit over here. He sits on a bench near the door, and Danny asks what Jason needs him to do. Jason asks if Danny can bring him a first aid kit from the house, and Danny says, he was shot, right? Jason says, yeah, and Danny says, then wouldn’t he need more than a first aid kit? Should he go grab grandma’s medical bag? Jason asks if Monica is up at the house, but Danny says he doesn’t know. She might have gone to the hospital. Jason says, don’t get the medical bag. It’s going to draw too much attention. Get a first aid kit from the kitchen or the bathroom and bring it down here. Danny says, sure. He’ll be right back. He starts to leave, and Jason tells him, close the door. He does, and Jason takes his gun out of his waistband and sets it next to him.

Molly says, Blaze couldn’t stay? and Kristina says, no. She was a little surprised at first, but Blaze explained it and it’s not a big deal. Kristina asks if she’s sure. She went from elated to deflated in three seconds. She’s Kirstina’s sister. It’s hard to miss. Kristina says, she went to see her mother, and Molly says, and that’s bad? Kristina says, it’s not exactly bad, but Blaze’s mom’s not her biggest fan. Molly says, that’s ridiculous. Anyone who spends more than five seconds with Kristina loves her. Kristina says, not Blaze’s mother. Not since she found Kristina in her daughter’s bed.

Natalia meets Blaze at Kelly’s Bobbie’s, saying, good morning, and hugging her. She asks, what’s good here? and Blaze says, they’re known for their BLTs and their burgers. They sit at a table, and Natalia says, seems a little early for a burger (never), but a BLT may be too salty. Blaze says, that’s it? She wanted to get together to discuss the menu? Natalia says, if they’re going to end up getting something to eat, they should probably look at it, and Blaze takes the menu out of her hand. She says, this is a Port Charles institution. Everything in here is good, really good. There. They’ve covered the menu. Natalia asks why she’s acting like this, and Blaze says she’s not acting like anything. Natalia is the one acting like everything is the same as always and it’s not. They need to talk. Natalia says she knows, and she’s been doing some thinking. She knows things have changed and there’s something she wants to say to Blaze.

Heather asks Laura not to keep her in suspense. It’s not good for her weakened heart muscle. Is Ace all right? Laura says, yes. Ace has an ear infection, but other than that, he’s going to be perfectly fine. Heather says, fine for a child whose mother is dead, and Larua says, they all agreed… but Heather says, no, they didn’t all agree. Her daughter is gone, and Laura is telling her that her daughter’s child, her grandson, is fine. Just how fine can he be? Especially with Laura having Cyrus Renault and Ryan’s twin in his life. Laura is a mother. How could she not know how critical these early years are to a child’s development? Laura says she’s well-aware of that, and Heather says, and she thinks exposing him to the dregs of his gene pool is the way to a happy and healthy childhood? Good Lord. She might as well have him with her in Pentenville. Actually, a better caliber of people. Laura says, that’s actually why she came here to discuss this with Heather, and Heather says, keeping Ace with her? but Laura says, no. That will never happen. Heather says she assumes Laura came her to apologize for clocking her over the head, but she’s taking her sweet time getting to that, so it’s probably not the reason for her little drop-in. Don’t worry about it. She doesn’t need to apologize. She’s fine. Laura says she came to discuss Pentenville with Heather. She’s soon to be someone else’s problem. She had a conversation with Robert. Heather says, Scorpio? and Laura says, uh-huh. Heather says, how is their little DA? and Laura says, good. And he agrees with her that given Heather’s history of escaping and assaulting, they no longer feel Pentenville is an appropriate place for her. Heather asks if they’re sending her back to D’Archam, but Laura says, no. San Quentin Women’s Federal Penitentiary.

Michael asks Sam if everything is okay with Dante, and Sam says, he’s in critical but stable condition. Michael breathes a sigh of relief and says he saw Sam sitting out here instead of in there with Dante, and thought… It doesn’t matter. How is she? She says she’s not entirely sure, and he says, because of Jason. She says, amongst other things. It’s a lot and it’s nothing she was prepared for. He says, none of them were, and add to that worrying about Dante. She says, that’s kind of why she came out here. She needed a couple of minutes to clear her head. he says, right. He came and he took those away from her. He’ll grab a coffee and leave her to… She says, no. Don’t go. Please stay here. Welcome to her world. There’s always room for one more.

Carly says, Jason would never shoot Dante, and Drew tells her, the police said Dante was in pursuit of two suspects. What if Jason shot at the man who was chasing him without realizing it was Dante? She says, there were two suspects, like he just told her. Obviously, the other guy shot Dante. He says, it’s only obvious to her. She can’t even allow for the possibility that Jason made a mistake. Let alone the fact that maybe he shot Dante… She asks why he’s doing this. Why is he so convinced Jason’s guilty? He says he’s not convinced. He doesn’t know if Jason shot Dante and neither does she. She has no evidence. She doesn’t even have Jason’s account on what happened that night. All she has is how she feels about him and that’s enough for her. She walks to the other side of the room, and he says, it’s the two of them, Jason and Carly. They come first with each other. They always have and they always will.

Heather says, San Quentin. California? Laura says, it’s their professional opinion that it’s the best placement for her, and Heather says, please. Please do not do this to her. Laura says, Heather gave her no choice. She’s proven time and again that she’s a danger to this community. As a matter of public safety, she has to put as much space between Heather and Port Charles as possible to make it highly unlikely that she’ll ever come back again. Heather says, she’s letting Cyrus’s whispers get into her head. She knows Laura. She’s better than this. They used to be friends. Laura says she knows. She remembers. That’s what makes this so hard. Honestly, she’s been struggling to understand what happened to Heather. When they were young, she did some pretty horrible things to people, but she wasn’t this. She wasn’t a killer. Heather says, everything she’s done, she swears, was done out of love for her family. Laura’s a mom. You do things you would never think of otherwise. Laura of all people should understand. Laura says she doesn’t understand, and she never will. All she cares about is making sure Heather can never hurt her family again. Heather says, and there is it. Laura’s family. She laughs and says, this was never about a professional decision between Laura and the DA. It was always a personal one. This has nothing to do with her being a danger to their community. Laura tells Heather that her family is part of the community, and Heather says, damn her family. Ace has brought them together and she knows Laura doesn’t like it. He’s binding them together as grandmothers. It’s about Ace. That poor little boy has lost so much already. She can’t send away the only connection to his mom he’s got in the world. She’s begging Laura, please don’t separate her from the only family she has. Laura says, no. Ace is no longer Heather’s concern. She and Doc are going to adopt him. Heather says she’ll die before she lets Laura and Ryan Chamberlain’s brother raise her daughter’s son.

Kristina tells Molly that Blaze’s mother came in and saw her in Blaze’s bed. Blaze told her mother that she was gay, and her mom’s response was like, the room is messy, and she started folding. Kristina could practically see her brain short circuiting because of the cognitive distance. It was wild. Molly says, that must have been… She doesn’t even know. How does Kristina feel about it? Kristina says, they talked about it ahead of time about her family, so she guesses it wasn’t totally unexpected. Molly says, but experiencing it up close and personal is different, and Kristina says, it was tough. But her mom called her today to talk and that’s a good sign. Doesn’t Molly think? Molly nods, but Kristina says, what? What is she thinking super loud and not saying? Molly says, no, nothing. She hopes Kristina is right. Kristina says she knows what Molly is thinking. Of course (🍷). She’s thinking Kristina is being way too optimistic and this is a set-up for Ally to fall and it’s going to be bad for her, which is bad for them as a couple, which is bad for her, which is bad for the baby, which is bad for Molly because it’s her baby… Molly asks how Kristina even get there from… no. Has she said anything like that?

Natalia says she’s sorry for her behavior when she saw Blaze with Kristina and for when Blaze tried to explain. She’s sorry. Blaze asks if she means that, and Natalia says she does. Blaze has to know that she was totally caught off guard and her response was to completely shut down, but she’s not a fool. She knows what she walked in on, and she heard Blaze when she was trying to explain to her. Blaze tells her that she doesn’t know what to say. She was afraid she was going to go her whole life without Natalia ever saying anything like that. Natalia says she also feels that she should have known what was really going on. And why Blaze would feel more comfortable with a woman right now. Blaze asks what she means, and Natalia says, what happened with Linc Brown was so traumatizing. An experience like that would make almost anyone want to experiment.

Michael says he can’t believe Jason shot Dante, and Sam says, he doesn’t want to believe it. She doesn’t want to believe it either, but they won’t know who shot Dante until Dante wakes up… if he wakes up. Michael says, what Sam and Dante have is something really special. They don’t just love each other; they’re partners in every sense of the word. They work as a team. They co-parent. They have each other’s backs. They’re each other’s best friend. It’s inspiring. That sense of support and responsibility makes their love that much more powerful.

Jason dozes, gun in hand, when Danny comes back. Jason says, he came back, and Danny tells him that he said he would.

Laura says, it’s already been done, but she’ll make Heather a promise. Ace will always be safe, and he will always be loved and Heather can rest easy, knowing she will always take good care of him. But she can never see him again. Heather says, no, and looks super sad as Laura leaves.

Molly says, Kristina asked her for the benefit of the doubt. To trust she’d be responsible and healthy and do what’s right for the baby. So maybe she can ask Kristina to do the same for her. Don’t assume Molly is always judging her because she promises she’s not. Kristina says she can do that, and Molly says, they got into this whole thing because they trust each other more than anybody. Let’s not forget that. Kristina promises and says she loves Molly. Molly says she loves Kristina, and they pinky swear. Molly says, and that trust extends to Blaze. If Kristina thinks she’s worth fighting for, so does she.

Blaze tells Natalia, that’s not what this is about. At least not for her. She’s been with women before. Natalia says, if this is what Blaze needs to heal, being with Kristina, she supports Blaze. Blaze says she can’t believe her, and Natalia asks what she said. Blaze says, who she is, her entire being has nothing to do with what Linc did to her. And the fact that Natalia can’t accept that… She can’t. She gets up, and Natalia asks what she’s doing. Where is she going? Please, just sit down. Let them figure this out. Blaze says she’s lost her appetite and leaves.

Carly tells Drew that Jason’s her friend… No, that’s not true. She doesn’t know if there’s a word to explain how she feels about Jason, but that doesn’t change how she feels about Drew. He says he knows she loves him, and she says she does. She loves him so much. He says, and she loves Jax, and she loves Sonny. She loves Sonny a lot, but none of them will take Jason’s place in her life, let alone her heart. Jason is the one she turns to when she’s afraid, when she’s in trouble. He’s the one who keeps her secrets. He’s the one she counts on. She says, he’s never failed her, and Drew says, what about the last two and a half years when he let her think he was dead. That doesn’t count as him failing her?

Sam tells Dante that she’s gotten so used to him being there, she doesn’t think she ever realized how much she relies on him. She’s got this huge news and he’s the only person she wants to share it with. So she’s going to need him to do this thing that only he can do. Where he backs up her feelings and gives her a new perspective all at the same time. Can he do that now for her? Please?

Danny says he thought about calling the cops, and Jason asks, why didn’t he? Danny says, because Jason said he didn’t do it, and Jason thanks him. Danny hands him the first aid kit and sees the gun. Jason picks it up and says, the safety’s on. It’s that little switch right there. If Danny ever has to handle a gun, always make sure the safety’s on, okay? Danny nods, and Jason puts the gun down. He picks up the kit and opens it. Danny asks if Jason needs help, and Jason says, no, but he needs Danny to do something for him. He can’t tell his mother about this, that Danny saw him or where he is. Danny asks, why not? but Jason says he can’t explain that. He just needs Danny to trust him. Danny says, okay.

Tomorrow, Selina says, she and Sonny have been deceived; Curtis has some news that he should share with Marshall sooner than later; Danny needs a favor from someone; Anna tells Sonny, do not go after Jason; and Jason says, it’s not fair for him to bring Michael into this.

Vanderpump Rules

Tom comes home to poor Ann, and whispers, is Ariana here? In Ariana’s interview, she says, it’s the sound of Sandoval coming back from Tahoe. It’s like the Wicked Witch of the West. She would love to click her heels, but she’s already home. Ann asks if there were any fights, and we flash back to all those. Sandoval says, but they had resolutions, and in his interview, he says, all in all, Tahoe was pretty good. The stench of the scandal is wearing off and he’s being humanized again. He’s optimistic. He tells Ann that he’s going to unpack his clothes and his feelings. He’s going to journal.

Donut! Scheana visits Villa Rosa where Lisa is doing Donut training. Scheana says, the day after she saw Lisa in Tahoe was the most emotionally draining day. She realized she’s going through the stages of grief for her friendship with Sandoval. Lisa asks if she’s worried Ariana will be upset, and Scheana says, when she tries to tell Ariana how she’s feeling, Ariana doesn’t want to hear about it. She’s doing everything to be ride or die, but is it not enough? In Scheana’s interview, she says she’s afraid to express how she feels. It’s only about Ariana, but she’s struggling. When she tries to have a conversation with Ariana, she’s made to feel like her feelings aren’t valid. Lisa wonders if it’s because Ariana is experiencing a whirlwind of attention. Scheana says, someone else told her about Dancing with the Stars, and Lisa says she remembers Scheana saying she wanted it more than anything. Scheana says she took dance classes to prepare just in case. In her interview, Scheana says she can be happy for Ariana and sad for herself. Ariana has come a long way from being her back-up dancer. We flash back to that long-forgotten performance, and she tells Lisa, it was a punch to the gut. Lisa says, if their friendship is as great as Scheana says, she should be able to tell Ariana how she feels. Scheana says, when she does, Ariana shuts her down. She wants a relationship where she’s not the only one being supportive. It’s the story of her life. In Lisa’s interview, she says, Scheana tries to make everybody happy. It’s okay to say someone hurt your feelings. Not that she would say it… Lisa asks when Scheana is seeing Ariana, and Scheana says, they’re having a girls’ astrology night at Ally’s house. Lisa says, it’s up to her.

Lala and Ariana go for coffee, and Ariana shows Lala the photos from the shoot. In one photo, she’s smashing a TV, and she says she feels like she doesn’t let herself get angry. We flash back to a few very angry moments, and Ariana says she wants to hit things more often. She asks, what happened on the trip? Scheana called her crying. Lala says, the trip was weird. She’d never seen Scheana this upset. She thinks Scheana believes if she goes somewhere and Sandoval is around, can she enjoy herself and have fun on a surface level? Ariana says she’s not asking Scheana to fight Sandoval. The internet is ripping her apart about a f***ing photo. Lala asks if Ariana came to Scheana’s defense, and Ariana admits she hasn’t. Lala asks if she couldn’t tell her stans to knock it off, and Ariana says she guesses she could. Lala says, that would have been nice, and in Lala’s interview, she says, Ariana is constantly on social just a-scrollin’. She doesn’t want to post because she doesn’t want to be in the mix, but if she steps out of the house she’s in the mx. If she lifts her finger she’s in the mix. Lala tells Ariana that Scheana was very upset about the affair and caught a restraining order. She thinks Scheana needs closure. She needs Ariana to say they’ll always be best friends and whatever Scheana needs to do to heal, do that. Can Ariana say that? Ariana says she can tell Scheana that she loves her because she does, but her position hasn’t changed. She doesn’t want Sandoval having any access to her life, even through mutual friends. If she’s not down with him being around, she can remove herself if the situation is uncomfortable. Lala says, that’s what Scheana is nervous about, but Ariana says she’s not the person to come to for the Sandoval sympathy train. In Ariana’s interview, she says she’s trying to be compassionate, but Scheana is easily walked over. It’s Sandoval’s easiest route to go get them, and when they all come around, he can ice her out. Lala says, Scheana is nervous that she won’t have Ariana as a friend if she does what she needs to heal. Ariana says she wants Scheana to be happy, but she needs to do what works for her to be happy as well.

Kristina, Katie, Lala, and Scheana meet for dinner. Scheana says her daughter broke her arm, and Lala asks what color the cast is. Scheana says, pink. She wanted it to coordinate with Summer Moon’s wardrobe. In Scheana’s interview, she says, it’s just her luck. She’s terrified to let anyone else care for her kid, and right in front of her own eyes, her daughter broke her arm. They talk about Tahoe, and Scheana says, Sandoval was there. They had a spiritual healing meditation, and for the first time, she knows he shed genuine tears. Kristina says she thinks Scheana is sadder about losing the friendship than Ariana is about losing the relationship, and Scheana says, they’d been unhappy for a long time. Kristina wonders why Ariana would stay, and Scheana says, you don’t know when you’re in it. Look at Jax and Brittany. We flash back to their whole relationship, probably because The Valley needs viewers. Katie says, there are still stories about Jax running around town, and Lala says, it’s beyond. Katie asks where Scheana is at, and Scheana says she’s finally going through the grieving process. Ariana grieved her loss, she’s making millions, and living her best life. Scheana misses who Sandoval was before. When they were in New York, he was the only person who welcomed her into photos with the group. Katie says she’s not hanging onto twelve years ago, and in Katie’s interview, she says she wishes Scheana would wake up. Sandoval never gave a f*** about their friendship. She should cut ties, move on, and be a friend to Ariana. Scheana announces that she slept with the bartender here, and Lala says, recently? Scheana says, no, like 2013. Katie says she’s going to jump off the roof if they talk about Sandoval anymore, startling everyone. Lala says, they’re not talking about him, and Katie says, he never even offered an apology. He interfered in her marriage and made her out to be a monster to everyone. Anyone who’s having trouble getting over that trash bag of a human is a demon. Is it me, or is she the one bringing up Sandoval and proving his point by acting like a monster?

Lisa goes to TomTom, which has absorbed some of PUMP’s former staff. Sandoval meets her and she suggests they sit in the garden. She tells him that they want to make the restaurant more dining oriented, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says, it’s weird to make changes without him and Schwartz knowing. In Lisa’s interview, she says, she’d never consult a 2½% partner. Tom brings ice cream, which Lisa declines until she sees the lavender/honey matches the tablecloth. She asks how Tahoe was, and he says, everyone was kind to him. Lisa says when she saw him at Wolf, he looked like sh*t. He looks happier now. We flash back to that, and she says she doesn’t want to see any of them being that depressed. Sandoval says he’s worried about Raquel. He misses her. Lisa asks if he’s spoken to her, and he says, no. He wants to have a relationship, even if they’re just friends. Lisa says she wasn’t going to tell him, but she and Raquel spoke at length, and she didn’t seem happy with him. In his interview, Sandoval says, Raquel told him that when people are done the program, they often stay there for a while. He told her, the longer she stays, the harder it’s going to be. She seemed to be mad at him if he didn’t 100% agree with what the program said, and they were making him out to be bad for her. Nice to see that he really cares about what’s best for her. What a d-bag. Lisa says, Raquel wasn’t comfortable with lying, and he told her, life is lying. He says he didn’t. He’s worried sick and wants to know she’s okay. Lisa says, if she’s willing to talk to him… and he says, she blocked him. Lisa says, then it’s over, and in her interview, Lisa says, Raquel said she felt manipulated and didn’t love him anymore. She tells Sandoval that he’s got to go forward. She thinks it’s the past.

Lisa meets Lala, along with Jessica, aka Lala’s brain, at Lala’s office. Lisa says Lala is grown up now, and Lala says she’s rebranding. She’s got to get rid of Lala in the name. The products need to stand on their own. In Lala’s interview, she says, when she created Give Them Lala, she was shoving herself down everyone’s throat. She’s changed as a person. She’s more reserved and needs the brand to reflect that. She tells Lisa that she needs money for a sperm donor. Her child is now speaking. Lisa asks if Ocean told Lala that she needed one, and in her interview, Lala says she gets it’s not the norm, but going the donor route is the right decision. She tells Lisa that after this one, she’d like to adopt one, and if she meets a guy, they might have a baby. She’s going to have all the kids in the world. In her interview, she says she wants an absolute, and starts to cry. No matter what, it’s her baby. No one can come in and take it from her. She doesn’t want to share on Christmas. It will be just hers. She tells Lisa that she loves being a mom. Lisa asks if Tahoe was a respite, and Lala says, it was emotionally depleting, but she doesn’t have to be torn. Scheana does. She talked to Ariana about the internet dragging Scheana and told her, why not put out a message? Ariana said she didn’t want the headline, but Lala said, everything is a headline, and Ariana did it. She and Scheana need to have a conversation. Something has to give. Lisa says she sees a sh*tstorm coming.

Schwartz brings Jo to See You Next Tuesday, and they sit with Ally. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he knows some of the other girls have problems with Jo, especially Katie. James joins them on his break, and he and Ally agree that Jo and Schwartz give off BFF vibes. James asks if it’s with benefits, and Schwartz dances around that. He says he thinks Tahoe was a great success. There were mini breakthroughs. James says, part of him was stoked to see Sandoval, and in his interview, he says he and Sandoval are in a better place than they were weeks ago. Now what Sandoval does and says going forward dictates how the friendship goes. Sandoval comes into SUR, and Schwartz tells James that he’s been going down a YouTube rabbit hole with old movies. He thinks it would be cool to have a guy’s night Rat Pack style. They can go to a steakhouse. James says he’s in it, and Sandoval comes over. James invites him to sit down, and Sandoval gives James his pair of sunglasses. In Ally’s interview, she says, it feels like Sandoval is trying to buy James. She hopes this sad attempt at an apology doesn’t end up with James disappointed. Why waste time on a loser? James says, Sandoval was like an older brother, and he never lost one thing Sandoval gave him. Ally looks uncomfortable.

Jo and Schwartz go to a Skee-Ball bar, and in Schwartz’s interview, he says he and Jo never had a formal relationship. Last summer maybe he didn’t divulge how much they cared about each other. Partly because of Katie’s resentment. Jo’s not everyone’s cup of tea. He thinks she’s a great cup of tea. They talk about aliens, and he says he’s not convinced she’s not a tall grey. In his interview, a producer asks Schwartz, when was the last time he and Jo were intimate? but Schwartz says he doesn’t remember. In Jo’s interview, she thinks it was a month ago. She thinks they caught feelings for each other and they’re still there.

The guys meet at a steakhouse, while the girls go to Ally’s for their birth charts. In Ally’s interview, she says, when she heard Teardrops on My Guitar on the radio, she decided she wanted to be like Taylor Swift. We see a clip of Ally singing and playing guitar, and she says, but there can only be only one Taylor, so she decided to be an astrologer. Okay. That’s one alternative. Waitress Beatrice takes the guys’ drink orders and says the guy with the chips will be by. These aren’t nacho chips. It’s a Brazilian steakhouse where you flip the chip to green when you want meat. I went to one of these once and could barely move the next day. I was with a group and had a comedian among us who thought it was a riot to loudly say things like, is that parakeet coming next? It was kinda funny. The girls decide that, rather than one-on-one readings, they want to hear it all. This is not my thing, but here’s the gist of it. Ariana’s planet is about luck, wealth, and opportunity. It’s having a four-leaf clover in your pocket. In Ariana’s interview, she says she didn’t feel lucky when Charlotte died, and her grandma died, and her relationship died. We flash back to all that, and she says, maybe Tom was stomping on her four-leaf clover energy, but once his dumb foot was gone, she bloomed. Ally says, Scheana needs partnership to be shining, but she needs to fill her own cup before others. It allows her to shine brighter. In Scheana’s interview, she says she puts everyone first. It’s the story of her life. It’s how she was raised. But like on an airplane, she has to put her own mask on first. Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner! I love when I see one of them have a growth spurt. Ally says, this is not Katie’s first lifetime, and Katie says, before this, she was always a male. In Katie’s interview, she says, if anyone wonders why she has Big D*ck Energy, it’s because she had a big d*ck.

Ally tells Ariana that things are looking up. By March 2024, she’s going to be saying, thank God that happened. Scheana says, it must be tough to process, being separated but in the same house, and Ariana says she’s dealing with a lot of legal back and forth. The internet thinks she’s making millions of dollars, but that’s not true. She wasn’t prepared to move financially. Literally a week before it happened, she’d emailed her agent and manager and told them they have to try and do some sh*t because she’s not in a good place financially. In Ariana’s interview, she says, when she started making decent money, they decided to buy a house. After that, she was playing catch up, then put a bunch of money into the sandwich shop. In March, she was literally on her last $2000. Sandoval created a situation that sent her scrambling to get her sh*t together in a financially responsible way so she could move on to the next step.

James asks about Sandoval’s conversation with Lisa, and Sandoval says, Lisa talked to Raquel. He doesn’t like to talk about it in front of James, but James says he doesn’t need to feel weird. It’s a gentleman’s dinner. No one is going to flip over a table. Schwartz says, the night is young, and he’s only had one coconut [drink]. Sandoval says, Raquel’s not happy with him. He hasn’t heard from her in over a month. He keeps checking his phone, but he’s alone. He can’t do this. WOE IS ME!!! Schwartz says, he’s got to get out and start dating, and in Sandoval’s interview, he says he hasn’t dated in 15 years. Obviously, Raquel has made her decision. She couldn’t even give him closure. He doesn’t want to be in another relationship. He just wants female energy in his life. Schwarz folds first on the meat and is stuck paying.

Lala says, the guys are going to be besties and bond. Guys feel differently. Ariana says, James feels guilty, and Ariana says, that’s because he knows he’s betraying himself. Interesting. That’s the approach she tried with Scheana, like, it’s for her own good. Lala says, everyone is worried about losing Ariana as a friend, and Ally says, James lost both an ex-fiancé and a friend. Lala says, time passes, and the healing starts. She wonders what Ariana’s stance will be, and Ariana says she doesn’t f*** with that.  

Lala asks if James decides to kick it with Sandoval and Scheana decides to forgive him, are their friendships with Ariana at risk? Ariana tells Lala that she didn’t say anything about forgiveness, but she’s not down with people going out to dinner. In Scheana’s interview, she says this is what she was afraid of. She was going to have a conversation with Ariana, but seeing her reaction about James hanging out with Sandoval, she’s keeping her mouth shut. Lala says she gets it, but what she doesn’t want to see happen to Ariana is what happened to her. She was so invested in what everyone else was doing. Katie says, they can’t overlook Ariana’s situation, which is different from Lala’s, and Lala says, if she wants to apply her situation to reality, no one is going to like what she says. Katie asks, what kind of friend is that? Say it. Get it off your chest, bitch. Lala tells Katie not to talk to her like that, and they go back and forth for a moment, until Lala says, disengage. Ariana says, what Lala is telling her is that it was worse for her, and in Lala’s interview, she says, no one knows what it’s like. She did have to stay with a sh*tty person, and it will eat you alive. It’s like drinking poison and expecting it to kill the other person. She doesn’t want that for her friend. Lala says she rode hard for Ariana, and Ariana is putting her on defense mode. Why is Ariana bringing it out? She hasn’t done a damn thing to her. Katie says, that’s a bit much, and Lala says, Katie is a bit much all the time. Ally says, all they know is how Lala communicates, and they all communicate differently. In Ally’s interview, she says, universal love. We can all get along if we understand people’s birth charts. Lala says, her intention wasn’t to make it about her and have it get heated. At the end, everyone is laughing except Katie.  

This season, James sees babies in the future, but Ally doesn’t feel it; Schwartz and Katie are dating the same girl; Scheana doesn’t think she and Brock will be together forever; a boat ride in rough seas; Katie doesn’t want peace; a brunch hosted by Jax; Sandoval tried to talk to Ariana; and Scheana asks Sandoval what she means to him. He says, a lot, but she asks if that’s because of filming or life.

💭 Thoughts. I realize I’m just seeing the equivalent of a screenshot of people’s lives here, but I think Ariana is making some poor choices. I totally get why she hates Sandoval. I hate him too and would probably never want to speak to him or see him again either. I’m not a fan of being friends with an ex. I am friends with a couple of mine, but they’re also old friends and never cheated on me. As far as I know anyway. I also didn’t hang in a large, incestuous friend group like this. But I think she’s making a big mistake in saying she’ll just cut off anyone who relaxes enough to be friendly to Sandoval on a personal level. It’s not a good look, and it’s easy enough to put friends in categories. Gee. Just don’t tell the people who hang with him your business. Noteworthy too, is how she’s afraid of him icing her out when that’s exactly what she’s trying to do to him. I totally get her grief and anger over this situation, but she’s being rewarded in spades. Living well is the best revenge, but I have the feeling if you’re not gracious about it, you can be knocked down just as quickly. And Katie is really just along for the ride, but geez, leave that BDE in your other bag. I think Schwartz is insufferable and lazy, but it’s over. Quit proving Sandoval’s point.

🥔 Potato-ing My Couch…

Join me tomorrow for soap and at long last, the end of the RHOBH season. Until then, stay safe, stay putting the toilet seat down (you know who you are), and stay not being so invested in what everyone else is doing.

March 5, 2024 – Heather Corners Cyrus In the Chapel, Sandoval Is Even a Bad Sociopath & World

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What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

On the phone, Curtis says he can’t wait to show Portia the progress he’s been making at physical therapy… He’s getting some of his moves back… Him too. See her soon. Marshall comes in and asks if Trina is here, but Curtis says, she went out. Marshall says he knows Curtis is worried about her, but give her some time. She’s been through a lot, but it’s true what they say, time does heal all wounds. (I disagree, but I think it makes them easier to live with.) Stella tells him, says the man who ought to know. Did he tell Curtis? Curtis says, tell him what?

Cyrus sits in the chapel, when Laura comes in and clears her throat. He looks up and she says she’s sorry. Was he praying? He says, just thinking. How’s his little nephew? She says, they’re waiting for the test results, but Doc was here with a patient, so he’s with Ace now. Ace has been so brave. Cyrus says, he takes after his grandma, and she says, Cyrus can actually be sweet when he wants to be. Cyrus laughs and says he knows her surprise is justified by his behavior, but it still stings just a little. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for the people he loves. And there’s no limit to what he won’t do to anyone who tries to hurt them.

Heather continues to work at the lock, when she hears the guard say, copy that, on the phone. He says he’ll return the prisoner to Pentenville immediately. She works faster.

In the car, Josslyn says, they’re not going to get there any faster if Dex gets pulled over for speeding, and he says he’ll keep it at 10 over. She says she wants to get there just as badly as he does. From what Michael said, all hell is about to break loose, and he does not exaggerate. Dex says, it has to be connected to whoever tried to take Sonny out in Puerto Rico, and she says, that means whoever’s around him is in danger.

Anna tells Sonny, let’s try this again. Why was he here tonight? Please don’t say it was to set up a card game with Selina Wu. Sonny asks if he’s under arrest. Is Ava under arrest? She says, not at this time, and Ava says, then they’re under no obligation to stay. John says, it’s a federal investigation, which means he can hold the two of them for up to 48 hours without charging them. In fact, he doesn’t have to hold them at the PCPD. He can have them transported to an FBI facility. He knows Sonny’s had experience, but what about Ava? She might benefit from the experience. Sonny asks if Anna is okay with this. He’s threatening to take Ava into federal custody. On what grounds? Because she’s standing next to him? Anna says, Agent Cates has the authority to investigate this case any way he sees fit, but Sonny says, this doesn’t have to do with any case. Tell them what it has to do with, Jagger? It has to do with Karen Wexler.

Blood trickles from Dante’s mouth, and he says, Jason. Jason tells him, don’t talk. He’s going to help him. On the phone, he says he’s on Pier 55 (where everything happens). A man’s been shot twice in the chest. He says, Dante, but Dante doesn’t respond. He tells the operator, he just passed out. Get the paramedics here now.

As Olivia puts dishes away, Sam says, Drew put Scout to bed, and she fell asleep right away. She was exhausted. She kept saying how she was so excited that she had this birthday party. Olivia says, you can always tell the success of a party by how much cake you find around the house hours later. (For adults, it’s how much liquor is gone.) Sam says, she loved the cake, the gifts, and she loved most of all that her dad threw her the party. Olivia says, after all the time he spent away from her, she bets Drew enjoyed the party more than Scout did. Sam says, he fell asleep to him reading her The Ugly Duckling for the millionth time. She didn’t have the heart to wake him. Olivia says, that was Dante’s favorite book too. She read that book to him so many times, she thinks she could recite it by heart. She was always trying to skip over the pages to get to the end quicker, but he always caught her, every single time. Sam says she loves it. He’s so brave and solid, she can’t picture it in her head. She thinks she always forgets he was a little boy too once. Olivia says, he’s been through a lot, but he’s still that same sweet little kid who used to bring her flowers home from school. It turns out, they were Mr. Coletti’s prize roses, but she digresses. She loves seeing him so happy. She’s so glad he found Sam. Sam says she’s so glad they found each other, and she and Olivia hug.

Jason takes off his jacket to make a makeshift dressing for Dante’s wounds.

Josslyn says she’s going to call Brick and see if he knows where Sonny is, and Dex asks if she really thinks Brick is going to give her any information about Sonny. She says she’ll try. She’ll explain and hopefully, he’ll understand. On the phone, she says, it’s Joss. Does he know where Sonny is? She’s… Wait. Is he sure?… Okay. Dex says, what is it? and she says she’s looking right now. A police scanner in Port Charles is reporting gunfire on the waterfront. Authorities are looking to shut down the whole area. It’s got to be Sonny. What is he doing? He says, getting off at the next exit. Call a Ride Share and go home. He’ll call her when he knows more. She says, forget it. She’s not leaving him. He says he’d feel a lot better if he knew she was safe. He doesn’t have time to argue about this. She says, good. Then they’ll stick to the plan, and they’ll go into Port Charles together.

John says, they’re investigating attempts on Sonny’s life and a possible connection to another conspiracy. Sonny says, maybe that’s why the FBI sent you, but that’s not why you’re here… Jagger. Ava asks why Sonny’s calling him that, and Sonny says, back in the day, his name was John, but that was too ordinary. He needed a cooler name, so he named himself Jagger. And he had a girlfriend named Karen Wexler… John says, he told Sonny to keep her name out of his mouth, and Sonny thanks John for proving his point. John hates him for what he thinks Sonny did… John says he doesn’t think; he knows. He had a front row seat. So why doesn’t Sonny tell them? Tell them what he did. Sonny says, no, Jagger, you tell them.

Cyrus says he never claimed to be a saint. Far from it. Laura knows that better than anyone. But he does hope she knows his attempts to change are genuine. She says he does seem to be trying, and he says, being a part of a family, her family, filled a void in his life that he didn’t even know existed. He knows he hasn’t been trustworthy in the past, but he hopes she believes him when he says, spending time with her has made him a better man. She says she knows there’s goodness in him – she’s always known it – no matter how deeply he tried to bury it. But words are not enough, even words quoted from the Good Book. He says, then tell him how he can prove himself to her, and she says she can’t do the work for him. He needs to figure that out for himself. He says, okay, and she tells him that she will say this. She’s very grateful to him for tonight, for helping her get Ace to the hospital quickly. He says he’s so glad he was there, and she says, her too. He says he just hopes she can keep him away from his other grandmother, and she says, Heather Webber will be going back to Pentenville, so she will not be able to get close to Ace ever again.

The guard tells Heather that he has to get her home. Her cell’s waiting for her. She says she’s still in so much pain. Doesn’t the doctor have to okay her release? He says, that’s above his paygrade. He’s just following orders. She says, the pain in her hip is really unbearable. He doesn’t like to see an old woman suffer, does he? She’s so parched and the nurse left her water just out of reach. Could he please? She points to the pitcher and glass, and he says, okay, fine. Then we’re out of here. He starts to pour a glass for her, when she gets up on the bed behind him and wraps something around his neck, pulling him back onto the bed.

The guard is passed out on the floor, and Heather tosses his keys onto him. She says, he’ll be fine. She groans and says she’s seriously out of shape. She needs more ER time. She peeks out and sees Amy walking down the hall with another nurse. The nurse says she doesn’t know why everyone is so nervous around Cyrus all the time. She thinks his radio show is very inspiring. Amy says, that’s because she doesn’t know his history in Port Charles. That man is bad news. She just hopes lightning doesn’t strike the chapel while he’s in there praying for that adorable little nephew of his. They continue on, and Heather says, start praying for yourself, Cyrus. She slips out, closing the door behind her.

Curtis asks if Marshall is saying Portia was on the right track when she said he was misdiagnosed all those years ago, and Marshall says, Curtis’s wife is an excellent physician and a very perceptive woman. Stella says, Curtis’s father has been off his meds for an entire year without any symptoms. It seems obvious that he never suffered from schizophrenia at all. Curtis says, that’s great news. Marshall has had this information for a while now. How come Marshall didn’t tell him when he first found out? Marshall says, Curtis had a few other things going on in his life, and truthfully, he felt like a fool. He ran out on his wife and family, left Curtis and Tommy with no father, and all for nothing. He should have handled it all so differently. Curtis says, the past is the past, and Marshall did what he thought was right at the time, but he’s here now. He knows it doesn’t make up for all those lost years, but at least he doesn’t have the schizophrenia diagnosis hanging over his head. Marshall says, it’s like he’s traded one sword for another, since he still doesn’t actually know what was wrong with him. (My guess is an anxiety attack.) Stella says she knows how much he wanted to get to the bottom of this, so she’s been requesting old records and putting together a list of the revolving door of doctors who treated him for schizophrenia. Curtis asks if she found anything, and she says, actually, she did. She was able to find the signature of the so-called specialist that signed off on his father’s diagnosis. Curtis says, after all these years. This is great. So now they track down that doctor and get the answers they need. He knows there’s something Marshall wants to tell Aunt Stella. Marshall says, thanks… but no thanks.

On the phone, Jason says, yes, he’s still breathing. What’s the ETA on the paramedics?… Okay, well, he can live if they get here in time. He tells Dante, just hold on. He can make it. He hears the sirens in the distance, and tells Dante, they’re coming. He can make it. Jason jets.

John says, Karen was his high school girlfriend. She was smart and she was ambitious, and she was beautiful. She was a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. She repressed the memories, but it messed with her emotionally. Enter Sonny. He owned a strip club called The Paradise Lounge and he convinced Karen that she could empower herself, that she could take charge of her life by stripping. Did he mention she was underage? Ava asks Sonny if he knew that, and Sonny says he did. John says he’ll admit Sonny didn’t force her; he persuaded her. And when she got nervous about getting out there on that stage, he gave her drugs. Then in the end – John’s voice breaks – he slept with her. That’s the man Ava is standing next to, and that’s the man Anna is defending.

Sonny says, thirty years ago, he did own a nightclub called The Paradise Lounge, and it’s true he befriended Karen. She was curious about dancing, and he encouraged her, and he regrets it 150%. And if he had to do it all over again, he would do it totally different. Karen was abused and she was hurt, and she was acting out. That’s how she made her way to him, because she needed somewhere to go. He doesn’t care if John believes him or not, but he was there to help her. John says, by sleeping with her? By giving her drugs? Sonny says, by listening to her, by understanding what it’s like to be a young kid, powerless. You can’t stop somebody from hurting you. There’s a lot John doesn’t know about Karen, and that’s the real reason John hates him. John says, Sonny is like the Pied Piper from hell. He finds these damaged kids and pretends to save them, when really, he’s just exploiting them. That’s what he did to Karen, and he did it to Stone.

Josslyn and Dex arrive at the pier, and Josslyn says, Dante? They both run to Dante, and she says, it’s Joss. They’re going to help him. Dex says, someone did a field dressing, but she says, they have to do something else. Dex says, he’s got a chest wound. From the way he’s breathing, a lung’s collapsed. They have to plug these holes, so it doesn’t collapse more. He presses on Dante’s chest, and Josslyn gets on her phone. She says she’s on Pier 55 and a man’s been shot… No, there’s nobody else here. He’s alone… Yeah, she can hear the sirens. How long until the paramedics get here?… They need to hurry.

Olivia thanks Sam for sticking around and helping her clean up, and Sam says, of course (🍷). It was the least she could do. After all, Olivia helped with Scout’s party. Olivia says, the smile on her little face was thanks enough, along with the chunk of cake she has stashed in the fridge for later. Sam says she’s going to go. If Scout wakes up, have Drew handle her. She doesn’t want to impose on their time together. Olivia asks if that’s been a thing. Aren’t they getting along? She tells herself to shut her mouth and mind her own business, but Sam says, it’s okay. No one ever said co-parenting was going to be easy. She and Drew had their first disagreement about what’s best for Scout. Olivia says, that’s very normal. That’s going to happen. The stories she could tell Sam about her and Ned. Two big personalities, they butt heads all the time about what’s best for Leo, but at the end of the day, they talk it out, kiss, and make up. She’s not telling Sam to kiss Drew… Sam says she totally understands what Olivia is saying. She doesn’t want Olivia to think there’s friction between her and Drew. It’s not like that. The truth is, ever since Drew came back from Pentenville, something happened in there that changed everything about him. Olivia says she wishes she could tell Sam that she doesn’t have experience with that, but she does. When Dante came back with the PTSD, it was like he was a different person. After the torture and the brainwashing, it was like the boy she’d raised was out of reach. Sam says, they’re really lucky that Dante was strong and brave enough to come back to them, but Olivia says, luck had nothing to do with it. Her boy went through hell, and she didn’t think there was any way he was ever coming back. And then Sam came along.

Laura’s phone chimes, and she tells Cyrus, it’s Elizabeth. He says, good news he hopes, and she says, as a matter of fact, it is. Ace has a really nasty ear infection. He’s going to need a really strong antibiotic, but after that he’s fine. He says, then his prayers have been answered. Does this mean she gets to take him home tonight? She says, yeah. She just wants to fill this prescription while they’re getting him ready to be discharged. Cyrus wonders if Ace is old enough for lollypops (no), because he probably deserves a couple for being so brave. Doesn’t she think? She says, if not a lollypop, he probably does deserve some kind of a treat. She really likes how Cyrus is when he’s thinking about what’s best for Ace. It’s like he’s really learning how to be part of a family. He says, that really means a lot coming from her. Please keep him informed on how the little guy is doing. She says she will, thanks him, and leaves. He sits down, closes his eyes, and says, thank you, God. He hears the door open and says, forget something? He looks over and sees Heather, who says, never.

Cyrus asks what she’s doing here, and Heather says, what does anybody come to a place like this for? He’s a man of God now. He should know. She’s here to pray. He asks what she prays for, and she says, an answer. He says, the Lord is always willing to enlighten us. What’s her question? She says she wants to know why an old, lying, bankrupt weasel like himself gets to go on living, while her sweet Esme is dead. Does that seem fair to him? He reaches for his phone, but she says, don’t even try it, and takes out a huge surgical saw. She says, isn’t she a beauty? It’s amazing what you can find in a hospital, the tools they have to fix people. And then the other things you can do with them. She waves it around and says, I want you to suffer, old man, the way my Esme suffered.

Sonny says, Stone was his brother, but John says, no. Stone was his brother. He was a street kid that Sonny took in to run his errands, and when everything blew up with Karen, when Sonny was busted for underage talent, Stone became his ticket to respectability. Sonny says, he couldn’t be more wrong, and John says, Sonny was lower than dirt in Port Charles before Stone redeemed him. And suddenly he was Sonny Corinthos, mobster with a heart of gold, philanthropist. Who cares about his criminal record? All anybody could talk about was how good Sonny was to his brother. Sonny says he loved John’s brother, and he knows that, and John says, maybe he did. Maybe every moment he spent with Stone was sincere, but it still worked to Sonny’s benefit. Sonny is a shrewd investor, and this paid off for him in spades. Especially with Stone’s girlfriend. Robin treated him like a benefactor. She practically canonized him to the city of Port Charles. And to her mother. That’s the real reason Anna defends Sonny. Because Robin loves him; because he was there when Stone died, and she wasn’t. Anna asks if he’s quite finished.

Curtis says, let him get this straight. Marshall doesn’t want to find the doctor that misdiagnosed him? That mistake cost him his family, his future. Marshall says, it won’t change anything. It won’t give him back the years, the time he lost with Irene and Curtis and Tommy. There’s no getting that back. His focus needs to be on the life he has now. He thought he made that clear. Stella says, he did, and she heard every word, but that was his pain talking, the regret he feels, and she doesn’t want to add to that. It’s just the opposite actually. He’s been suffering as a prisoner for someone else’s mistake for 40 years. This is his chance to set himself free. Curtis says, Aunt Stella’s right. He knows Marshall is scared, but he’ll tell Marshall words Marshall told him when he found himself in this chair – you’re not alone. He misses mom and misses Tommy, but Marshall has him. This is right up his alley. Use his skills. They can pick up the thread Aunt Stella started. They can follow it wherever it takes them and finally put the past where it belongs, in the past. Stella says, Curtis is a smart man. Listen to him. Curtis says, let him do this with Marshall, okay? Let him help Marshall get these answers.

Josslyn tells Dante, the paramedics are on their way. She can hear the sirens. Just hang on. Dex wonders who fixed him up then left him, but Josslyn says she doesn’t know. Chase comes on the scene, and says, Dante. He runs over and asks, how bad is he? Dex says, from the amount of blood, it looks like multiple gun wounds to the chest, but they didn’t remove the pressure bandage, so they can’t be sure. He can’t find any other injuries. Chase says, the paramedics are on their way. He feels Dante’s neck and says he’s not getting a pulse.

Chase says he’s still not getting a pulse, and Dex says, the paramedics have to be close. Josslyn tells Chase to take over for Dex, who’s putting pressure on the wound. She’ll do rescue breathing while Dex does compression. Chase tells Dante to stay with them. They need him.

Sam says she can’t take credit for Dante’s recovery, and Olivia says, not all of it, no. He had to do the hard part himself, but Sam was a big part of that. After everything he went through with the WSB, seeing him talk about her – and they weren’t even a couple then, by the way – it was the first time she ever saw that spark back in his eye, the old Dante. It was the first time she allowed herself to hope that everything might be okay. Sam says, Olivia never told her that, and Olivia says she’s telling Sam now. Because she knows how happy Sam makes her son. She’s so grateful for Sam. She’s so grateful for her place in Dante’s life. Sam says she actually feels like the lucky one, because Dante was a bigger man, and he was brave, and he was able to fight those demons. Olivia says, he got that straight from Sam. Her son was at the lowest point in his life, and he needed someone to live for. And falling in love with Sam was a big part of that. So long overdue – thank you. She takes Sam’s hands and says, thank you for giving me my son back.

As they continue to work on Dante, Chase tells him, hang on. The paramedics are almost here. (They might have mentioned it was an officer down, not just, a man is shot.) Chase wonders where the hell they are, and Dex yells, we’re back here! He’s got a pulse. The paramedics arrive, and Chase says, hurry. His partner’s been shot. He’s got multiple bullet wounds to the chest that they know of. The paramedics go over to Dante, and Dex says, a pulse was detected. They did compression and rescue breathing. The paramedics do their thing, and Chase says, Dex and Josslyn may have saved Dante’s life. Josslyn says she hopes so, and Chase asks if they were the ones who bandaged him. Dex says, they found him like that. His legs were elevated and the sweatshirt was tied around him for a pressure bandage. Josslyn says, and somebody called 9-1-1. The operator was still on the phone when they got here.

John tells Anna that he’s here for a job, but the job isn’t to take Sonny down. That’s her job, and he looks forward to seeing her do it. She says, if she finds Sonny, or anyone else, doing criminal enterprise, then she’ll use every legal means at her disposal to bring them to justice. Ava says, wonderful. Now that they’ve both declared their mission statements, they can get back to their investigation, and she and Sonny will get out of their way. John’s phone beeps, and he says, one second. He has to go see one of the CSI personnel. He’s going to have to ask Ava and Sonny to stick around a while longer. He leaves, and Sonny asks Anna how long she’s going to let John drag this out, but she says she’s not letting him do anything. He has a case to work and the authority to work it. Ava says, after the show he just put on? He can’t be objective. He shouldn’t be anywhere near this case. (Agreed. And 30 years ago? Come on.) Anna’s phone beeps, and she says she has to take this. She leaves, and Ava says, for what it’s worth (🍷), she believes Sonny. About Karen. She believes Sonny was trying to help her. He thanks her, and she says, but Cates never will. And an FBI agent with a grudge is a bad enemy to have.

Cyrus tells Heather that they’re in a place of God. Please put the saw down. She says she doesn’t think so. She gestures with the saw as she talks, and says she wants him to listen to her. And she wants him to admit what he’s done. This little baby is going to help her make sure that happens. Her Esme came to him desperate and alone. All she wanted was for Cyrus to help her. It would have been so easy for him to do that, but he didn’t. Instead, he betrayed her. He says he knows that’s how it looks to Heather, but he was only trying to prevent… She says, to prevent something bad from happening. Yeah, so he’s said. But he didn’t and her little girl died, all alone, fighting for her last breath. Just imagine the terror she felt. Sheer panic as she fought to keep afloat until the current pulled her under. He says he didn’t want that. Nobody did. She tells him, how convenient that he says that now that her little girl is dead. But she will avenge Esme and become the mother to the son that Esme never got the chance to be. She moves closer while she talks and says, unfortunately, he won’t be alive to see it. Laura comes up behind her and clonks her in the head with something. Heather goes down, and Cyrus takes the saw. He and Laura look at each other, beathing heavily, and looking shocked.

Sonny says, they have another problem, and Ava says, just one? He says, Spinelli planted surveillance cameras all over the warehouse, and if the FBI finds them, they’re going to trace it to Spinelli. And they’re going to confiscate all the footage that happened tonight. She says, including the shooters on the roof, and he says, they can’t let Jagger see that footage before he does. They’re going to detain him here for probably 48 hours. They’re not going to detain her. She needs to get ahold of Dean. Have him take her to Spinelli’s and get that footage. Shed says, he’s trusting her, when Anna comes back. Anna tells Sonny that she has a squad car waiting to take them to the hospital. Dante’s on route to the ER. He’s been shot. He’s in critical condition.

Marshall says, Curtis would do that for him? and Curtis says he’d do anything to help Marshall. But he has to admit, he’d be doing that for all of them. The whole family was affected by Marshall’s diagnosis for decades. And now, thanks to Aunt Stella, they have a signature and a starting point. Stella says, and with his son’s expertise, they should be able to find that doctor and find out the truth. Marshall says he sees. It’s two against one. Talk about stacking the deck. Curtis asks if that’s a yes, and Marshall takes Curtis and Stella’s hands. He says, with his son by his side, he couldn’t lose.

A new guard has Heather, and she says, Laura hitting her in the head was a little extreme. Laura could have killed her. Cyrus says, Heather means, before she killed him, and Heather says, minor detail. Laura says, Heather left her no choice, but she’s glad Heather is okay, and Heather says, now there’s the Laura Webber she remembers. She was so sweet back in the day. Laura says, it’s Laura Collins now. He can take Heather away. Just make sure she gets checked for a concussion. Heather limps away with the guard, and Laura says, she doesn’t look well. She did hit Heather pretty hard. Does Cyrus think there’s anything wrong with her? He says he doubts it. She’s probably trying to escape again. He wouldn’t believe anything that woman says or does. In the hallway, Heather says she can’t breathe and falls on the floor. Laura and Cyrus come out of the chapel.

Olivia asks Sam if she can be a little bit nosy. Tell her to mind her own business and butt out if it’s too much, but since Sam and Dante spend so much time together, any chance of them making it official? Sam says, things are great between her and Dante right now, but she thinks they like things the way they are right now. Olivia says, fair enough. She can’t blame a mother for trying though. There’s a knock at the door, and Josslyn and Dex come in. Olivia says, they’re a little late for the party, and Sam asks, what’s going on? Josslyn says, they just came from the pier. Dante’s been shot.

An agent hands John a camera in an evidence bag, and John says, tell CSI to tear this place apart. They need to know if there’s any more of these here. These cameras are state of the art. The surveillance was obviously part of Sonny and Selina’s plan. He needs to know what network these cameras are running on, what’s on that footage, and most importantly, who’s got it?

Jason leans against a dumpster and feels underneath his coat. He looks at his hand and sees blood on it.

Tomorrow, Cody says, it was an opportunity to spend time with Sasha; Nina says, someone will just have to trust her; Ava finds Spinelli; and Olivia asks if Sonny had anything to do with this.

Vanderpump Rules

They play that sunrise music where I feel compelled to tweet like a bird. In Tahoe, everyone is doing their thing. Sandoval writes in his journal. Lala gets in bed with Scheana, who says, Brock got up at 5 for golfing. She was texting with Ariana last night. They’re not welcoming the Toms with open arms. Sandoval wouldn’t be here if it was their trip. She doesn’t think she can be friends with him again, but during the pandemic she had nothing coming in and he floated her. In Scheana’s interview, she says she woke up to several thousand dollars in her PayPal. Her podcast had been canceled, she was pregnant, and had no income. He was there for her when no one else was. She doesn’t want be best friends, but she’s struggling with not forgiving him. He’s a human and he’s been there for her. Lala asks if she’s feeling torn, but Schena says, no. She’s Team Ariana until she dies.

Ariana does a photoshoot for her new cocktail book, and Katie brings over lunch. In Ariana’s interview, she says, the cocktail book she did before was with Sandoval. He thought she couldn’t do anything on her ow. We flash back to Sandoval naming a cocktail and ignoring Ariana’s input. She says, this is essentially her breakup album. She’s trying to make lemonade out of lemons, but with vodka. She tells Katie that the book is the story of her relationship, and Katie asks if it’s dark. Ariana shows her the chapters: Honeymoon, Betrayal, Devastation, Resilience, and Ad Astra. It sounds like the five stages of grief. They laugh over the cocktail names, and Ariana does some shots outside. The photo kind, not drinks.

Sandoval greets Shannon, the yoga wellness instructor, and they lay out mats for the group. Shannon asks if there’s anything he wants her to touch on, and he gives her the Readers Digest version of Scandoval. He says, it didn’t tear the group up so much, but everyone hated him. This trip is the first time anyone’s let their guard down. Shannon says she’ll do a seated meditation where they work together. Lala, James, Ally, Schwartz, and Scheana show up and everyone remarks on the clarity of the day. Scheana wonders where Brock is. Shannon says the meditation is about awareness to self as well as everyone around you. Brock finally shows up, and Shannon says, they’ll sit by themselves first to center themselves, then they’ll do partner meditation, and end with bringing it to the full group. Allow themselves to be vulnerable and open to the full experience. They sit on their mats, and Shannon tells them to listen to their bodies and give themselves a few moments to be in the moment. Hear the lapping of the lake and feel the air on their skin. It almost feels like they’re playing a movie of their life. We flash back over Scandoval, and Shannon tells them to let go of their labels to help put themselves back together to feel whole. She asks them to sit back-to-back with the person next to them, and poor Scheana is sitting next to Sandoval. Since there are seven people, there has to be a triangle, and Scheana looks panicked when Brock sits with James and Ally. In Scheana’s interview, she says, this is the longest she’s gone in their 15 years of friendship, not speaking to or seeing Sandoval. She’s holding on to anger, resentment, and hatred, and she’s not ready for this. Shannon tells them to talk to the person and ask what they need. She doesn’t want anyone to hold back. Don’t say they’re okay just because it’s what they’re used to saying or walk eggshells. Scheana says she’s not okay and needs a break. She gets up and on her way inside, she says she still f***ing hates him.

Brock finds Scheana inside, and she tells him that she’d rather have done this with him, but he says, there’s other stuff here too. In Brock’s interview, he says he thought Scheana owed it to herself to have this moment and figure out the next step. He tells her that they’re here to figure this out. Outside, Schwartz says he saw this blue jay and it was massive. That’s his story. They’re supposed to symbolize communication and strength, and he thought it was a good omen. Brock tells Scheana that she’s got to be open minded. It doesn’t mean being best friends. It’s about talking through that. Scheana refuses to hug Brock, and he asks if she’s mad at him too. She says she just asked him to be back in time, and goes back outside. She tells the group that she doesn’t feel well and she’s uncomfortable. Shannon asks if everyone feels they’re okay, and Sandoval asks if Scheana is okay. Scheana says, yeah, and Shannon tells them to come back to where they feel whole. The moments in life that felt difficult made them who they are. We flash back over Sandoval and Scheana throughout the years. Shannon says she wants them to feel the beat of the heart and the rhythm of the breath of the person behind them. Then slowly and mindfully back away until their sitting on their own. Turn and face the person and imagine it’s the last time you’ll see them. Scheana looks like she wants to ugly cry, and Shannon asks how it feels to know they’ll never see them again or have them in their life. No matter what has transpired, remember there is much love before the loss. Scheana finally cracks and starts bawling. She says she needs to let go of the hate. It’s not good for her, but she’s still mad at Sandoval. She doesn’t know him. Sandoval says she does, and she says she knows who he is to her and what he did to her. He says, she doesn’t understand, and she says she doesn’t know if she needs to. Sandoval says he was thinking if it was the last day he’d ever see her and got very sad. Then he thought about the beautiful, amazing times they had together, took it in, and sort of celebrated it. Scheana says she thought about the last day many times during this because she was worried that he was going to do something to himself. She needs to let go of hating him, but he did this. Brock cries watching her, and she gets up. In Sandoval’s interview, he say she knows this is especially difficult for Scheana, and he appreciates that she’s willing to do it and be vulnerable with him. Shannon says, the last part is making a big circle, including Hippie (nee Graham). In his interview, Sandoval says he was hoping Scheana would be reminded that he’s not a ruthless, heartless villain. He’s a friend and misses her. He heaves a big sigh. Shannon thanks them and they thank her. In Scheana’s interview, she says, the mask fell and she saw there was still a soul inside. Her friend Tom misses her and their friendship and knows how bad he f***ed up. Schwartz says, they’ll chill, then go to the gondola. Lala finds Scheana and hugs her. Scheana says she saw genuine tears and cries some more. She tells Lala that she texted Ariana this morning, and it’s hard. She loves Ariana and has her back no matter what. Lala says, Sandoval can’t continue to be crucified day in and day out. He made a mistake, and it changed the dynamic of the group. There’s nothing they can do to change it.

Ariana tells Katie about Scheana texting her, and how she ended up with Sandoval as a meditation partner. She was sobbing and it was so uncomfortable. Ariana didn’t have time to ask the follow-up questions, so she just said, it sounds awful. Katie says, if someone wanted to be friends with Sandoval, Ariana’s not their friend? and Ariana says, yep. In Ariana’s interview, she says she’s made it clear. It doesn’t work for her to have mutual friends. She doesn’t want Sandoval to have access to her life in any way. She’s not making ultimatums or telling anyone what to do, but she’s only putting time and energy into friendships where she feels safe. We find out Katie’s date didn’t know what penne is, and she says she feels like in terms of life experience, they’re not in the same place. In Katie’s interview, she says, she already had to introduce Schwartz to the world. She doesn’t know if she wants another project boyfriend.

They get to the gondola, and Schwartz says, they’re one big f****ed up family. In James’s interview, he says, Ally wasn’t going because she’s afraid of heights, but he convinced her. He gets up during the ride, and dances, trying to rock the car, which does not amuse Ally. I identify because I had a boyfriend who did that on the aerial tramway to Roosevelt Island. I wasn’t amused either. James rides with the girls, while the rest of the guys ride in another car. Sandoval asks if the others got something out of the morning, and Schwartz says his relationship with Lala was strained. It was nice to reconnect. We see a clip of him telling her that she’s a good mom and has great eyebrows. Brock says, it was good, but Scheana was upset. She didn’t know how to handle the different relationship dynamic. Lala wonders what the boys are talking about, and Scheana says, her. She’s not wrong. Sandoval says, neither of them did any of this with the intention of hurting anyone. But the way they all reacted was with the intent to hurt them. Brock says, Scheana got slammed with a restraining order, and Sandoval says, because she punched Rachel Raquel in the face. In Brock’s interview, he says, Sandoval is taking 10% accountability, and 90% blaming others for his issues. Sandoval says, it was a hate crusade, and Brock says, Sandoval’s team spread rumors about him and Raquel Rachel. In his interview, Brock says, at the height of everything, Sandoval’s team said that Sandoval wasn’t the only one having an affair. When their team asked where it came from, they were told, off the record, Sandoval’s team. Guess it’s on the record now and I wonder if I need a team. Brock says, for the record, he and Raquel Rachel never looked at each other that way. She was like his little sister. Sandoval’s team was trying to save Sandoval’s ass and threw him under the bus. Sandoval says he’ll literally take a polygraph.

They get off the gondola, and the view is breathtaking. There’s a discussion about whether or not they’d go down a water slide from there. I think, maybe… Brock says, Sandoval is going to die on his own sword for a woman who’s not even here. He needs to stop it and move on. Brock says he needs a beer and tells Scheana that he lost it on Sandoval, although I don’t think that qualified as losing it. He doesn’t get it. brock tells Sandoval that he’s sorry he got emotional. They say what’s on the top of their minds and it’s not conducive to the conversation. Sandoval says he’s not discounting Brock’s feelings, but they it’s the constant kicking while he’s down from them. They saw him touring and they’re thinking he’s partying his balls off, but he had to. He had no money. He could have if he sold that house, but okay. Brock says, Sandoval’s choices of platform were incorrect, but he’s sorry for snapping. He saw Scheana was upset. Sandoval says he understands. In Scheana’s interview, she says, she was by herself last night, and hopped into a photo for someone’s birthday. They posted it and her arm is around Sandoval, technically. He just put himself in there, and now people are dissecting the photo. She’s reading, Scheana this and Scheana that, and it frustrates her. They don’t know she’s personally struggling and assume she’s betraying Ariana. Lala tells Scheana that she doesn’t think she should be reading that. They go in a small yacht to a gorgeous spot and some of them go into the in water. It looks like a blast.

Ariana, Katie and chief consultant Penny meet interview potential employees for the sandwich shop. In Ariana’s interview, she says, despite everything that’s happened, she and Katie’s vision is the same for the restaurant. Penny is working on the nuts and bolts, and she and Katie are focused on the front of the house. She’s never hired anyone and it’s weird to be on the other side of the table. She doesn’t want people to feel like they’re big, bad, boss ladies. First candidate Brent comes in wearing pickle tie because he’s a big dill. Penny seems to ask all the questions, and in Ariana’s interview, she says she appreciates Penny’s expertise, but she feels that she and Katie should be asking the questions. Brock and Schwartz swim out to a log, while Scheana finds a spot by herself on the boat and takes out her phone. No matter what she’s going to do, it’s a bad idea.

Scheana calls Ariana, who tells her that they’re interviewing. She asks if Scheana still feels sick, and Scheana says she’s depleted. They did the meditation whatever thing. Ariana says, Scheana wants healing, but doesn’t want to be put in the position to be friends. He did this to her and he’s not someone she wants to be friends with. She’s saying this for Scheana’s sake. Scheana says, it’s not like it used to be. The instructor had them imagine it was the last time they’d see this person and imagine this and that. Ariana knows how close they were, and it was a heavy loss. She’s struggling. She misses him, but they never be what they were because of what he did. Ariana says, he put everybody in that position, and Scheana says she felt like she got a genuine apology and genuine tears. She needs to let go of the hatred. She can’t keep hating him for Ariana. In Katie’s interview, she says, Scheana is getting close to crossing the line. She’s got the wrong audience. Scheana says she’s mad because she misses her friend. In her interview, Katie says, if Scheana wants to be Sandoval’s friend, Ariana will cut her off. She needs to think about her next move carefully.

In Ally’s interview, she says she’s nervous about James posting a photo with Hippie. Once you put it out there, it’s news. The cat’s out of the bag. Schwartz invites stew Arielle back to the house, and Sandoval passes around oxygen like it’s a bong. Lala asks if everyone had a good with him and he says, pretty much. She wonders if she can ask him a question. When he looks in her eyes says she needs to be real and honest with her life, knowing what he’s doing, how could he look at her and say that? He did an article the day before he got caught. Sandoval corrects her and says, the day of, and Lala says, it was such a mind f***. In Lala’s interview, she says, Sandoval said she has douchey energy and needs to be real. We see the headline and she says, how poetic it should come out on this day, and rich coming from him. Sandoval says, Lala’s life was a mystery for years, and in his interview, he says he lied for 7 months, when Lala lied for a few years about her 6-year relationship. They’re both liars. He calls this a wash. Wow. He just doesn’t get it. He’s even a bad sociopath. He could at least pretend. Lala says, he doesn’t get to talk about her past when he was doing what he was doing to them. She thought he’d say he f***d up and he’s sorry, but he’s not. He says he’s taking accountability.  

Sandoval says, they’re putting their lives out there and Lala isn’t, and she asks Scheana if she’s losing her mind. Sandoval wants to say she’s not real. In Lala’s interview, she says she thinks she overestimated the self-work Sandoval’s been doing. She tells him that she felt sorry for him for five seconds, and then he revealed that he’s terrifying. She’s happy with who she is and doesn’t care if he approves. She wanted to have a conversation where he’d be a human being. He says, she came at him, but she says she didn’t. He’s rehashed her past every year because it’s all he has on her. He won’t allow her to evolve, and even though it’s only been 4 months, she let him evolve. She tells him that he isolates and grooms. She doesn’t know him and doesn’t want to. He’s scary. Not being able to think of his own material, he says, she’s scary. Lala walks off, and Brock says, all they wanted was for him to say he’s sorry. No one wants bullsh*t. Sandoval continues to dig in his heels, and Lala says, all she wanted was for him to say he’s sorry. He f***ed up, but he brought up her past. Scheana says, Lala is asking for an apology and feels it’s hypocritical to tell her to be real. In Sandoval’s interview, he says his biggest issue with Lala is that she pulls out skeletons for motivation, yet he’s hypocritical for hiding 7 months of an affair. Lala says, all she wanted was for him to say he f***ed up, and Sandoval says he didn’t understand. Lala insists she’s not coming for him. She’s tired. Sandoval awkwardly hugs Lala and says he’s sorry. The last couple days meant a lot. He’s still processing and it’s a lot for everybody. Schwartz tells Arielle that they’re not usually like this.

Brock comes back drunk on tequila shots, and he and Schwartz talk about past relationships. Schwartz finally says, they’re too drunk to have this conversation. James calls his mom and says he spoke to Sandoval. He’s here. His mom says, no bueno, and James says he’s taking it day by day. Sandoval thanks Schwartz for inviting him. It was a huge breakthrough. In Sandoval’s interview, he says, in the beginning, he felt like a dog. Now at least they’re leaving him food on the porch. He can’t come inside, but maybe he can sleep in the backyard, not on the street.

Scheana tells Lala that she has to defend herself for how she’s standing in the photo. Lala tells her not to be searching for it, but Scheana says, it’s everywhere. It’s in all her mentions. Lala says, she’s searching for it and asks if Ariana came to her defense. Scheana says, of course not. When she tries to talk to Ariana, Ariana dismisses her feelings or says she shouldn’t feel that way. It’s like she’s a bad person for just telling Ariana that she’s struggling. Lala says, her feelings are valid, and Ariana is doing fine. She’s having her moment and deserves it. Scheana says she’s happy for Ariana. Even when she got Dancing with the Stars. Ariana knew how badly she’d wanted to be on it, but she was genuinely happy for Ariana and said she’d be there whenever Ariana wanted. She deserves what she’s getting, and Scheana is happy she didn’t go down a dark spiral, but she’s hurting still. Lala says she understands. Scheana can have Ariana’s back, but she has to acknowledge what Scheana’s been through. In Lala’s interview, she suggests Ariana pull her head out of her ass and remember who her friends are and what they’ve done for her. Scheana is ride or die and it’s time for Ariana to return the favor. Scheana asks why she can’t have a moment about her. She lost a very dear friend and she’s struggling with that. But she’s not allowed to feel that way because it’s about Ariana. She cries.

Next time, Lala tells Lisa that she’s trying to rebrand and get a sperm donor; Lala tells Katie that she’s a bit much; Sandoval is worried about Raquel Rachel; and Lisa says Rachel Raquel isn’t happy with Sandoval.

☔️ Jumping Puddles…

Slide into my blog tomorrow for soap and Part 2 of the horror that is Beverly Hills reuniting. Until then, stay safe, stay keeping your dog on a leash outside the dog park, and stay allowing people to evolve.