(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
The doctor tells Sonny, Carly, and Josslyn, he’s seen a lot of patients in hospice. The oxygen should keep him comfortable, and they’ll monitor him for any discomfort or pain. Josslyn asks if they can see him, and the doctor says, absolutely. He encourages it
Ava and Franco kiss. Someone takes a picture. Ava says she’s sorry, and he says he’s sorry. They can’t do that. They did do that, but they shouldn’t. Ava says it brought her back to their time in the city, before their lives went haywire. He says, before they were married to other people, and she says, yeah, before that.
Nikolas kisses Elizabeth. Someone takes a picture. Elizabeth backs up, and he says he forgot how good this felt; how they just fit. Does she remember? She say she can’t do this to Franco, and he says, why not? She just told him that she thinks Franco is interested in Ava. She deserves better, and she knows it. She says she doesn’t know anything for sure, and he says he doesn’t believe that. He thinks she’s looking for a way out of her marriage.
Trina comes to the hospital, and Portia asks, to what does she owe this surprise visit? Trina says she wants to thank Portia for clearing the air with Ava, and also letting her work the extra hours. She’s excited. Portia says if it makes Trina happy, she’s all in.
Dev asks if Cameron’s problem is that he can’t choose between Josslyn and Trina? Cameron says he doesn’t know how he got in this mess, and Dev says, come on. He doesn’t want to pump Cameron’s ego, but Cameron is an athlete, he’s popular, and he’s kind of smart. He’s not surprised girls are into him. Cameron says he doesn’t know if Josslyn and Trina are into him. Maybe they just want to stay friends. Either way, the whole thing is a mess.
Sonny, Carly, and Josslyn go in to see Mike. Sonny says, all right, dad. The doctor says he’s ready to leave, so they just want him to know they’re here for him; all of them. He’s not doing this alone. Sonny smiles at his father.
Elizabeth tells Nikolas, she’s not looking for a way out of her marriage. She loves Franco. She’s trying to save her relationship, not ruin it. He tells her, explain the kiss, and she says, it was a mistake. She was feeling insecure, and it was stupid and impulsive. It shouldn’t have happened. She apologizes if she gave him the wrong idea, and he says he’s sorry for giving in to temptation. He’s missed human contact. She’s right; it can’t happen. She asks if he’s being noble, and he says he wishes. She’s not the only one with a lot to lose. She says don’t tell her that he’s comparing their marriages. There’s no contest.
Ava tells Franco, she misses that kind closeness. If anyone finds out… Franco asks why she cares. Her marriage is a sham, right? She says, true, but his isn’t. Despite their recent closeness, she knows he loves Elizabeth and the boys, and knows he would never want that for Elizabeth. She would never want that for Elizabeth. He asks if this is her version of altruism; her effort to preserve his marriage. She shrugs, and he asks if she has feelings for Nikolas.
Portia asks if going to homecoming as a group is a thing, and Trina says, it’s their thing. Portia asks if it’s like they’re each other’s dates, and Trina says, they’re each other’s friends, without the drama of who’s into who. Portia asks if she’s good with that, and Trina says, why not? Portia says Cameron took her last time, but Trina says, as a friend. Portia asks, if Cameron ends up with Josslyn at the end of the night, will she be okay with that?
Cameron tells Dev, the three of them, and now Dev, are a package deal. He doesn’t want to do anything to mess that up. They’re better off if it’s left the way things are. Dev tells Cameron, he said himself, it’s a confusing mess. Dev thinks it’s best if Cameron makes up his mind. Pick one, go for it, and set the other free. Cameron says, it’s that easy? and Dev says, kind of. Cameron asks what Dev would know, since he’s asexual.
Sonny tells Mike, they don’t know how long it will be – that’s between him and God – but Sonny will be right there with him. Carly says, her too, and Josslyn says, and her. Carly says they love him so much. She’s going to let Michael know, and promises she’ll be right back. Sonny asks if Josslyn is okay, and she says she should be asking him that. Sonny says she went through the same thing with Oscar, and she says now she sees how lucky she was. She was able to say everything she wanted to. Sonny says, it is lucky, and she says, if it’s all right with him, she’d like to be able to do that with Mike. He says, of course (🍷), and steps aside. He asks her to do him a favor, and let him know if anything changes. She says she will. She’ll be quick. He tells her, take her time, and he leaves. She says, hey, grandpa. First off, she wants to thank him for always treating her like his own. Technically she’s not, but he’s the only grandfather she’s ever known. She can’t picture a future without him, and doesn’t want to.
Epiphany asks Trina how she is, and Trina says, it’s still hard, but she’s moving forward day by day. Epiphany says she’s glad Trina has direction. She tells Portia the new Chief of Staff will be there today, and Portia says, Cyrus’s right hand. Trina looks at her phone, and says, Josslyn’sgrandfather is in hospice, and it’s not looking too good.
Carly sees Sonny in the hallway, and asks why he’s out there. He says Josslyn wanted time with Mike, and she thanks him for giving it to her. He’s says he’s grateful Mike had time to know her. Alzheimer’s is difficult for anybody, but especially for a teenager whose not blood related… Carly says, it didn’t seem to matter to Mike or Josslyn, and Sonny says, it’s just… The fact that she loved him and welcomed him… Carly puts her head on his shoulder, and says, the best part is, it went both ways.
Josslyn says she’s so thankful for the time she got with Mike; real time. All of them living under the same roof. She finally got to know what it was like to have a grandfather, and she loved it. Does he know what else she loved? She laughs, and says it might sound weird, but the one time he thought she was his childhood friend Mary, and asked her to come play stickball with him. Of course (🍷) part of her was sad that he didn’t know who she was, but the other part thought it was so cool she got meet him when he was a kid, and got to be his friend. She starts to cry, and says, it felt special to her. How many people get to do that? Know the person someone was when they were younger. Him living with them made her think about her future in a different way, and now she’ll make sure all the milestones she has, he’s right there with her.
Josslyn walks into the living room, wearing a formal gown. Mike sees her and says he always knew she was a stunner, but wow. She should be declared homecoming queen right now. She thanks him, but says she decided not put her name in. There are other girls who want it more. He says she’s the queen for him, and tells her to look around. There’s something there for her somewhere. She goes to the bookcase, and says, a corsage. He says, of course (🍷). That’s what grandfathers do. She says, it’s gorgeous, and thanks him. He puts it on her wrist, and she says, how beautiful, and thanks him again. She says he’s always watching out for her, and he says, he always will be.
Josslyn tells Mike, she was going to have a good time at homecoming. She still will, because she knows that’s what he’d want her to do, but she’s going to miss him so much. He looks at her, and smiles a little.
Elizabeth tells Nikolas, there’s no comparison. She and Franco are in love. He says he and Ava are definitely not, and she says, the ridiculous post-nup trapped him in a marriage he doesn’t want to be in. All because he wants to hang on to his money. How can they be so mutually destructive? What’s wrong with him?
Ava tells Franco, she doesn’t have feelings for Nikolas. She despises the air he breathes. Franco says, so it’s a match made in heaven. She should find another outlet; somebody to take care of what she needs. She says, like a gigolo? and he says Nikolas would probably be grateful for something to keep her occupied. She says, he’d love it, but not because it kept her occupied. If she gets caught cheating, he gets everything; all the money, all the property, and she gets nothing. Franco asks how she signed off on something like that, and she says, it goes both ways. Whoever gets caught cheating loses it all. He tells her, that’s one crazy situation she got herself into, and she says, ain’t it though? He says so she can’t be with another human being; not at all? She says, until Nikolas screws up. Franco says, but what if he doesn’t?
Dev tells Cameron, what the hell’s with the asexual comment? and Cameron says Dev never talks about being interested in anyone. But now that they’re talking, is there a girl, or… someone he’s into? Dev says Cameron seems to have his hands pretty full with Josslyn and Trina. If he were Cameron, he’d stay focused on them. Dev walks away, and Cameron says he’s welcome for the soda. Dev yells back, thanks.
Finn asks if Epiphany is okay. He knows she’s tight with Sonny and his family. She says, Mike Corbin is a beautiful human being. Finn says he knows. It puts the fear of their new Chief of Staff in perspective. Britt appears, and says, she’s glad to hear it. Because she’s looking forward to working with him again.
Elizabeth says, wild guess, but she supposes Ava and Nikolas aren’t sleeping together. He says, God no, and she says, neither of them have had sex all this time? He asks if she thinks he wanted this. It was the only way to ensure Ava didn’t get his fortune. She says, it’s so twisted and dark. No sex or love until one of them cracks. She knows him, and he won’t be able to do it. He says he’s had practice. He was alone when he was recovering in Greece, and can do this. Ava will be first. She says, what if it doesn’t work? and he says, it has to. Do him a favor. Ava can never find out they kissed, and Elizabeth says Ava’s not going to hear it from her. She can’t risk Ava telling Franco. She says, Nikolas needs to fix this. He can’t keep living like this; he just can’t. She walks off, leaving him to ponder.
Ava tells Franco, she doesn’t know how she’s going to keep this up. Their kiss was a stark reminder of what she’s missing. She says, Nikolas can’t hear about it, and Franco says, Nikolas won’t hear it from him. She says, it will be their little secret, and Franco says she should reconsider the marriage. Find a way to fall in love with Nikolas, or make him fall in love with her. Franco leaves the gallery.
Carly tells Sonny how wonderful Josslyn has been with Mike, but it’s also been rewarding for her. To think back when Mike moved in, the man with the twinkle in his eye, and his amazing ability to enjoy life; Josslyn got to be around that. Even when Mike started to deteriorate. It was something else she had to go through with him, and learn from. Mike never disappointed Josslyn. She just got to enjoy and love him. Sonny says, what an incredible gift.
Josslyn tells Mike, after Oscar died, she let her grades slip. Everybody told her it was normal and she shouldn’t worry, but he knows her; she was worried. She’s been working at every extra credit project, and she’s almost at the top of her class again. If she continues – which she will – she’ll graduate with honors. If only he could be there to see it.
Josslyn walks into the living room wearing a cap and gown. Mike says, there’s their valedictorian. Is her speech ready? She says, of course (🍷), and he asks how he got such brave and brilliant granddaughter. She says he got lucky, and he says he sure did. He says there’s something for her somewhere in the room, and she sees a jewelry box in a bowl on the coffee table. She takes out a watch, and says, it’s beautiful; she loves it. He says, it belonged to Sonny’s mother. She says, Adela? Maybe he should give it to Donna or Avery. He asks, why? She’s every bit as much his as any of the grandkids. He doesn’t want her to ever think she’s different. He puts the watch on her wrist, and says he wants her to wear it to remember how fast time flies, and make the best of it, always.
Josslyn tells Mike that she wants to make him proud. She takes his hand and promises she will. She doesn’t know yet what she wants to do when she’s older, but she thinks that’s a good thing. It weirds her out when kids her age have their whole careers planned out, when they haven’t even left the house yet. She does know this. Whatever work she ends up doing, she’ll always make room for love in her life, just like he did, even toward the end.
Mike waits in a lounge area of the MetroCourt, when Josslyn comes out in a wedding dress. She says, the party is in the ballroom, but he says, it’s too crowded. He wanted to have her all to himself for a minute. She says he can have more than a minute. He says she’s the most beautiful bride ever, and she’s sure he says that to all the ladies. He says, not today. Today he only has eyes for her. He had a talk with that husband of hers. She looks a little panicked, and he says, nothing bad. He just let him know how important she is to him, and told him to take care of her heart for the precious cargo it is. She asks what she’d do without him, and he says she’d be fine. Fortunately, they don’t have to find out for a long time. Give him a twirl. She does, and he says, that’s my girl.
She tells Mike, whatever she does, however life turns out, she’ll always be his girl.
Carly tells Sonny, in the time since Mike came to live with them, he’s experienced love and joy, and given it right back. He’s got to know in his soul that he made his family’s life better just by being there.
Finn says Britt is the new Chief of Staff? and she says, yes, indeed. She congratulates Portia on being new Chief of Internal Medicine; she knew Portia had what it takes when they worked together. Epiphany says, when she ghosted the hospital a few months back? and Britt suggests Epiphany might want to rethink her attitude. Epiphany says Britt sounds like her mother, but Britt says, she’s nothing like her mother. The only thing they have in common is that she too, runs a tight ship. It’s a whole new day at General Hospital. Finn says, is it? Elizabeth joins them, and says she didn’t know Britt was back. Britt says, Dr. Westbourne to her. Epiphany tells Elizabeth that Britt was about to tell them about this new day she has planned for the hospital. Elizabeth says, she has plans? and Britt says, as the new Chief of Staff, it’s her job is to get the hospital whipped into shape.
Trina comes into the gallery, and Ava says she wasn’t scheduled, but Trina says she could use a distraction. She thought it was also a good time to start her extra hours, if it’s okay with Ava. Ava says, of course (🍷), and asks if Trina wants to tell her why she needs a distraction. Trina says homecoming is coming up, and it’s hard not to think about the last dance she went to. Ava says she knows it’s not going to happen again, right? and Trina says, it’s going to be different. All four of them are going – her, Josslyn, Cameron, and Dev – as friends. Ava says, so she and Cameron never kissed again? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Franco sees Nikolas sitting on a bench in the park, and says it looks like he had a rough day. Nikolas says he could say that. What’s up with Franco? Franco says, not much. He was supposed to meet Elizabeth for lunch. Has Nikolas seen her?
Britt says, everyone seems shocked that she’s the new Chief of Staff. She’s almost offended. Epiphany says, let her guess. Cyrus appointed her. Britt says, yes. He reached out to her in person. Elizabeth says, Britt knows he’s an accused drug lord, right? and Britt says she does. She kept up with the news, and remembers reading that he was framed by the Commissioner’s former colleague. Some cop named… Portia says, Taggert, and Britt says, Cyrus lost years of his life, and now he’s trying to do good. Finn says, tell them how she’s going to whip GH into shape, and she says she’s been studying the state of affairs there, and was horrified at how mismanaged the hospital has been since she’s been gone. As a former employee, she takes it personally. Finn says their reputation was good until Cyrus bulldozed his way in. Britt says, the way she sees it, the unethical actions of Monica and Bobbie put the hospital at risk. Elizabeth says, the surgery was successful, and Finn says, not to mention necessary. Britt asks if they’re both willing to go on record to condone the circumventing of law and parental rights. Epiphany tells Britt to let them know when she’s ready. She and Elizabeth have patients to attend to. She tells Elizabeth, they should go before they say something they’ll regret, and Britt says they might want to check their schedules. There’s been some reassignment, and Epiphany says, by whom? Britt says, the new head nurse.
Elizabeth tells Britt, Epiphany has been head nurse since 2006, and Finn says, the hospital won’t last eight minutes without her. Portia says she’s really new there, but Epiphany is the heart of the hospital. Britt says she has no intention of stripping Epiphany of her unofficial title, and Epiphany says, just her official one. Britt says, the Chairman thought it was time to make some changes. Elizabeth wonders if it has anything to do with Britt’s past history with Epiphany, but Britt says she’s not as petty as some people. The Chairman makes the decisions. It’s not her place to intervene, unless she disagrees, which she doesn’t. Finn says he has a long history of substance abuse, and asks if it’s going to be a problem with the Chairman. Britt says she’s not interested in personal issues; she’s interested in how he runs his department. She’d like to set up a meeting, but he says he’s booked solid. She tells him to make an appointment, and come prepared. Portia asks if her job is on the line too. Epiphany and Elizabeth look at the bulletin board, and Elizabeth says Epiphany has been bumped to an administrative position. Epiphany says, no patients? and Elizabeth says, just paperwork. Epiphany says, not for long. She’ll fight it. Elizabeth says, she’s no longer full time. She’s on the satellite crew, and has a whopping two shifts a week.
Nikolas tells Franco, he hasn’t seen Elizabeth. Franco says they were supposed to have lunch. Weird, since Elizabeth texted him that she ran into Nikolas. Nikolas says, strange, and Franco says, it is. Nikolas suggests Franco call her and sort it out, and Franco says he’s embarrassed to say it, but it’s his bad. It’s later than he thought. They probably just missed each other. The time does seem to get away when he’s hanging out with Ava.
Trina tells Ava that she doesn’t want to mess up her friendship with Cameron, and Josslyn needs them now. Her grandfather is in hospice, and probably won’t be with them much longer. Ava asks if Trina can hold down the fort. There’s something she needs to do. Call if she needs anything. Ava runs out.
Carly tells Sonny, she knows it doesn’t feel like it right now, but all the memories they’ve made with Mike are there with him. Sonny says he knows. She says, his dad is thinking how lucky he is he got be a part of the family, and Sonny gave that to him. He says, they did it together, and they hug.
Josslyn says she knows it sounds silly, but she wanted Mike there for all of it.
Mike and Josslyn play checkers, and she says he should really take it easy on someone in her condition. He says, you don’t mean… and she says she had a doctor’s appointment this morning. Guess who’s going to be a great-grandfather again? He hugs her, and says she’s having a baby. Boy or girl? She says they don’t know yet. She doesn’t think they’re going to find out. He says, it’s the best surprise there is. He can’t wait. She says she can’t wait for Mike to meet him or her. He tells her, congratulations. She’s going to be a great mom. What a blessing. Josslyn says, it really is.
Josslyn tells Mike, he’s the blessing.
Portia asks Britt, so what’s her fate? Britt says she has no ill will toward Portia. She doesn’t believe Portia was involved in the Monica and Bobbie shenanigans. She has every faith that Portia will do right by General Hospital. So does Cyrus. Elizabeth tells Finn, she’s been demoted, and Epiphany says, two whole shifts a week. He says, that’s insane. Why? Elizabeth says Britt is carrying out Cyrus’s orders. He’s trying to marginalize anyone who’s been there a long time. Finn says, anyone who knows the history of the hospital. Epiphany says, what that indicates to her, is that Cyrus is going to be messing with stuff he shouldn’t be messing with, and putting everyone, especially their patients, at risk.
Nikolas says Franco is going to be late because he was hanging out with Ava? Franco says they had a little disagreement about the portrait, but they sorted it out. Franco starts to leave, and Nikolas says, good luck. Franco asks why he would need luck, and Nikolas says he just means he hopes Franco finds Elizabeth. Franco says he’ll find her.
Trina flashes back to telling Cameron that she researched PTSD, and that’s what happened. Things got scrambled. It’s fine, but what’s not fine is making the kiss something it’s not. Nothing has changed between them. She sits down.
Sonny tells Carly, he couldn’t have done it without her, and she says he’s always got her. She’s going to grab coffee, and asks if she can get him anything. He says he’s fine. She says she loves him, and he says he loves her too. She leaves, and Ava comes along. She says she hopes she’s not intruding, and Sonny asks what she wants. She says she heard about Mike. Sonny wipes tears away, and she asks if there’s anything she can do to help.
Josslyn asks Mike if he wants to know a secret. She’s super competitive. She tells him, okay, it’s the opposite of a secret. It’s the challenge of making mistakes and trying to make up for them, like him trying to make up for leaving Sonny and his mom. She hopes she never has to do that, but if she does, she prays she can deal with it the way he showed her, and learn from the lessons he taught her. More than anything, she hopes he can hear her right now. She says, thank you, grandpa, for everything. I love you so much. His hands move, and he gives Josslyn two thumbs up.
We all cry like babies.
On Monday, Britt asks if she gets no welcome back from Felix, Olivia tells Robert that she’s going with him, Ava asks Sonny to trust her, and Jason says someone has his word.
What you’re thinking is what you’re becoming. – Muhammad Ali
It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. – e.e. cummings
He got distracted by a clapping ass; it happens. – Cynthia Decker, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiancé
I’m gonna give you a prostate exam with this foot. – Medea (Tyler Perry), Boo! A Medea Halloween
Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well. – Mark Twain
A room without books is like a body without a soul. – Marcus Tullius Cicero
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. – Mahatma Gandhi
A day without sunshine is like, you know, night. – Steve Martin
Make a pact with yourself today to not be defined by your past. Sometimes the greatest thing to come out of all your hard work isn’t what you get for it, but what you become for it. Shake things up today! Be You…Be Free…Share. – Steve Maraboli
Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11. – Barack Obama
🗑 There Goes Another One…
Crossing another week off the calendar, and hoping we’re closer to a pandemical solution. Or even just some bars opening. Regardless, venture out into the world, but stay safe, stay observant, and stay making room for love in your life.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Nikolas meets Elizabeth in the park. He says he came as quickly as he could. Her message sounded urgent. She says his screwed up fake marriage is screwing up her real one.
At the gallery, Franco talks to Ava about the portrait. She thinks maybe they should cut their losses. Being mistress of Windymere isn’t as fun as she thought it would be. He says he has to ask. Is she unhappy with his work? She tells him, don’t be crazy. She loves his paintings. He says he has an idea for a new portrait. He could make it less ostentatious. Make it more casual, and less static, more real. He admits he has no idea how to capture her free spirit and energy. When he thinks of her, he sees her in motion. Ava wonders why he stopped talking; she was starting to get excited about another portrait. He says he didn’t think it through, and can’t do that to Elizabeth.
Chipping Campden, England. Robert thanks Olivia for waiting, and she tells him to take his time. He says something doesn’t feel right about having a memorial. Prayers and condolences, what’s that got to do with Holly? Her lust for life, her taste for adventure, and incredible sense of humor. There’s no body, so what is he doing at a memorial? Olivia says, a memorial is as much for the living as the dead. It’s a chance for people to gather and reflect on the person they love, and remember what that person meant to them. Robert sighs, and says, oh, sweetheart. How could I ever forget you?
In the park, Josslyn says, too bad Trina couldn’t hang out with them. It’s been forever since all four of them were together. Dev asks if that’s not what homecoming is for; the four of them going as friends. Cameron says, before they know it, they’ll all be going to college, and going their separate ways. Dev says, that’s not for a couple of months; they still have time. Josslyn can’t imagine not seeing Cameron – not seeing all three of them. Cameron says they have the best times when they’re together.
Nina and Jax walk up to an apartment in NYC, and Nina says, it’s all really fast. Jax says they found the jeweler who fashioned the clasp. Maybe he’s the one who separated the original piece. She says, he hasn’t returned her calls, and he’ll think she’s some kind of nut. Jax says they’ll find out soon enough. Nina’s phone dings, and she says, it’s a bulletin from The Invader. Have you seen this woman? She tells Jax that she gets an alert whenever Nelle’s name is mentioned. They should keep an eye open for her. She can’t vanish into thin air, and could be anywhere. Even there. Jax pretends to agree.
At Turning Woods, Carly looks at the same bulletin and remembers yelling to Nelle to take her hand. Ned comes in and startles her.
Sonny tells Mike, he’ll be right back. He tries to compose himself in the hallway, and Stella comes along. He says he’s so happy to see her, and she says that’s exactly why she’s there.
Carly tells Ned, he startled her, and he says, sorry. She says she was lost in thought, and he asks if it was because of Mike. She says Sonny is spending most of his time there, and she’s all about supporting him. She was about to text Olivia regarding some hotel business, and asks if she’s with Ned. He says he’s there to update Sonny. He needs to know where Olivia is and what she’s up to.
Robert tells Olivia, the thing about Holly is she thought you lived life to the fullest, or survived at the other end. It was one adventure after another. We flash back to Holly and Robert when we were all practically children. Holly tells him, everything about him is new and exciting. They have their whole lives ahead of them. They toast, to us. Robert tells Olivia, what else can he say about Holly? She truly was one of a kind.
Stella asks Sonny how Mike is doing; be straight with her. Sonny says she knows he always is. She doesn’t let him be any way else. He says, it’s hard not knowing how long Mike will hold on. The nurses say days or hours. Stella says, once they stop eating, it’s only a matter of time. Sonny says he knows that in his head, but yesterday, Mike woke up and knew who he was, and spoke to him. Stella says, that’s the way the disease works. There’s a run of bad days, and still have a good moment. Sonny says he was talking about horse racing, and Mike perked up. He got permission to take Mike to the track. Stella says, what?! and Sonny says he took Mike to the stables. There was a horse there, and Mike looked like a little boy. Stella says, sometimes, when a person is close to passing, they have one final burst of energy. She’s always thought it was God’s gift, so the person can say goodbye to their loved ones. Sonny says he’ll never forget Mike’s smile. He was so happy, enjoying himself. She says it sounds like Sonny benefited from the break in the situation. She asks if she can see Mike, and he says Mike would love that. She goes into Mike’s room, and says, hello. She sits next to the bed.
Nina tells Jax, no. They shouldn’t do this. He’s retired, and they shouldn’t bother him. Jax says it’s her nerves talking, but she says, actually, it’s reality. If she doesn’t talk to him, she still has hope. Jax says he could give her a clue to find her child, but she says if he doesn’t, it’s the end of their leads. They have nowhere else to look. Jax says, whatever they find, or not, he’s here with her. She says, okay, and knocks on the door.
Josslyn says she’s heading to Turning Woods to visit Mike. She wants to say hi, even though he won’t realize she’s there. Cameron says if she needs anyone to talk to, she can talk to him – always. She thanks him, and says he’s the best. She leaves, and Cameron tells Dev that he thinks Josslyn might like him as more than a friend.
Franco says the time he’s spent with Ava is an issue, and Ava asks, why? Artists have had patrons for centuries. That’s how the art world works. He says before the unveiling, Ava did publicity that focused on his past, in particular Francophenia. Elizabeth isn’t a fan. Ava thinks Elizabeth should get over herself. What kind of wife doesn’t support her husband’s passion?
Elizabeth says Nikolas and Ava are making each other miserable, and Ava is clearly using it as an excuse to run to Franco. She says, Nikolas told her not to trust him, and Nikolas asks if she feels that way. Nothing will happen unless Franco is a part of it. Is this really just about Ava, or does she doubt her husband?
Elizabeth tells Nikolas, she loves Franco and knows he loves her. He says, that doesn’t answer his question. Does she have any doubts? She says, all couples fight, and some of theirs have been about Ava and him. Nikolas asks what he did, and she says Franco has always been insecure about their the history they share; how long she’s known Nikolas, and how well she knows him. Franco also knows she’s forgiven him. Nikolas says, she forgave him? and Elizabeth says he let everyone think he was dead for so long, but now that he’s back, she realizes how much she missed him. He says, they’ve been to hell and back, and their bond is something that will never go away, even if Franco wishes it would. She says she loves Franco, but he doesn’t pick her friends. Nikolas thanks her for giving him another chance. He won’t let her down this time; he missed her so much.
Franco tells Ava, when he was a bad boy artist genius of sorts, he was single. He wasn’t married and didn’t have three boys to raise. Now he has to take into account any publicity he gets might have a negative impact on his family. She asks if it ever occurred to him that Elizabeth’s failed dream to become an artist might affect if she honestly wants him to be a success. Franco says she’s wrong about that. Elizabeth wants him to have a great life. She says, as an art therapist, not as a painter whose work is sought after. She doesn’t think it’s fair that he should have to downsize his dream to fit Elizabeth’s soccer mom ideal.
Nina knocks on the door again, and a man answers. He says, sorry; he was on the treadmill. Jax asks if he’s Abraham Dokken, and he says he is. He retired five years ago, but he’d be happy to refer them to another jeweler. Nina says they’re not looking for a repair, but they were hoping he could identify a necklace. She shows him the half-heart, and asks if he made it. He looks it over, and says it’s his clasp for sure. He couldn’t tell her if he made the piece. He made hundreds of heart pendants – they’re big sellers around Valentine’s Day – but they’re usually a whole heart. Nina says, it was a whole heart originally, but was split to make two necklaces. Does that sound familiar?
Stella says Sonny told her about taking Mike to the race track, and how he got to bet on a horse. It must have been quite a time. She tells Mike, his son loves him very much; lots of people love him. Mike looks at her, and she says, hello there. She’s so glad to have a chance to sit with him again. It’s like old times. All they need is a deck of cards. She tells him, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Everything is going to be all right.
Sonny asks Ned how Brook is, and Ned says, she’s still at GH. Sonny asks about her voice, and Ned says, she has to make more progress before they can get a complete overall diagnosis. Sonny says, Brook is strong and resilient, and won’t let anything or anybody keep her down. Ned couldn’t agree more. Ned asks about Mike, and Sonny says Stella is with his dad. Carly leaves to go see her, and Sonny says Ned never told him why he’s there. Ned says Sonny has a lot on his plate, and it can wait, but Sonny says he needs a distraction. Ned asks if Sonny has heard from Olivia lately, and Sonny says, no; is she okay? Ned hopes so. She’s in Geneva with Robert. Sonny says, because? and Ned says, Robert said he could get her in to see Dante.
Robert thanks Olivia for indulging in his nostalgia, and she says his life with Holly is the stuff spy novels are made of. She hopes it eased some of his grief a little. He says, who needs a memorial when he can sit with her, and she can listen to him ramble on? She thanks him, and he says, it means a lot. He says, there’s got to be a decent restaurant around. They need to find it, and buy the best, most expensive bottle of champagne on the menu and toast to Holly. Olivia likes the way he thinks, and happens to have a spectacular travel app. She walks off, looking at her phone, and Robert sighs again. He says he doesn’t know whether Holly is out there, but if she’s not, he’s sure going to miss her. His phone rings, and he sees the caller’s name and number are blocked. He answers, and there’s a lot of static, but he hears, help… need you. He says, Holly?
Nina asks if Abraham remembers dividing the necklace, and he says he does. It was an usual request. Most people buy two matching necklaces; it’s less expensive, but she insisted money was not an issue. Nina asks if he remembers the woman, and he says he’s good with faces. Customers like it if you remember them, and it keeps them coming back. She shows him Madeline’s picture, but he says, she doesn’t look familiar at all. Nina asks if he at least remembers the time frame. He says he’s been in business for forty years, and can’t answer that off the top of his head, but he’s kept receipts. Does she have a rough time frame? Nina says, it would have been in 1991, and he says he’ll take a look. She thanks him, and he goes to look at his records.
Elizabeth says she, Nikolas, Emily, and Lucky shared an important part of their lives. Even though Nikolas infuriates her sometimes, she doesn’t want to lose their connection. He says he hates that he’s the source of conflict in her marriage, but she says Franco has always had a jealous streak, and Nikolas is intimidating. He’s a prince; they’re few and far between. Nikolas says Franco would have liked it better if he never came back, and Elizabeth asks if he’s making an undeserving accusation about him?
Ava says if Franco’s wife feels inferior she probably shouldn’t have married him. Franco says he’ll give Ava this much. She’s been supportive, and always made him feel like he could succeed. She says, his success has made her money, but he says, if she wants to be the heartless ice queen of Port Charles everyone thinks she is, he still knows how passionate she is, and how she’d do anything support the people she loves.
Carly sees Stella, and they hug. Stella asks how Carly is doing, and Carly says, okay, but Sonny is having a hard time. Josslyn arrives, and Carly says she thought Josslyn was hanging out with her friends. Josslyn says she couldn’t relax and enjoy herself. She kept thinking about her grandpa, and wanted to be near him. She realizes he doesn’t know she’ll be there, but Stella says, don’t be so sure. Even if he’s not responsive, he knows. Carly says she’s glad Josslyn is there, and Mike will be too.
Sonny asks how Olivia managed to see Dante, and Ned says, Robert pulled some strings at the Bureau. He knows the interim director. Olivia would have asked Sonny to join her, but she knows he can’t leave Mike. Sonny says he hates missing a chance to see his son, but she’s right; he can’t leave his dad. Did she say how Dante is doing, or give any indication when he might come home? Ned doesn’t know. She hasn’t made too much contact other than telling him that she arrived safely. Sonny tells him to call when she finds out. Ned says, with Brook in the hospital, and the situation with Mike, it wasn’t a great time for her to run to Europe.
Robert says, tell him where she is. The call cuts off, and he says, dammit. He makes a call, and says he needs something quickly. He just took a call, and it was a bad line. He needs it to be traced. It’s a blocked number, and he needs it asap. It would be a real favor; he owes them. Olivia comes back, and Robert tells her that he took a phone call from a blocked number. There was a horrible connection, and here’s the part that’s a bit nuts. Holly was on the other end asking for help. She asks, how can that be? and he says it was pretty garbled, and he does have Holly on his mind. She says, it probably just sounded like Holly, but he says he’d know her voice anywhere. She doesn’t believe him, does she?
Elizabeth asks what exactly is Nikolas saying? He says, it doesn’t matter. She tells him, ever since Ava dredged up Franco’s past, the past he’s tried hard to overcome, there’s been distance between them. She’s never been so alone when in the same room with someone. Nikolas promises she’ll never be alone, no matter what happens with Franco.
Franco says when Ava lost Kiki, she lost faith in herself, but look at her now in this ridiculous sham of a marriage. She tells him, don’t worry; she went into it with her eyes wide open. Some people would say they both deserve what they got. Franco says she deserves way better, and she says he’s sweet to say that. He says he’s saying it because it’s true. He wants her to have a good life too. She deserves to be with someone who believes in her.
Olivia tells Robert, she never said that, but he might have heard Holly because he wanted to hear her. He says, it was definitely her voice. He doesn’t mean to say she’s alive; it could have been a recording, but who would do that to him? If it’s not Holly herself, it’s someone who wants him to believe it’s Holly. He has to find out where it came from. Olivia asks if he really thinks the call was from Holly, and he says he thinks Holly is alive.
Sonny tells Ned, if his dad’s Alzheimer’s taught him anything, it’s that you can’t waste time where the people you love are concerned. If Olivia has the chance to see her son, she should 100% take it. He can’t go because of his dad. Ned says he’s afraid Olivia flew halfway across the world, when Dante might reject the idea. She’s setting herself up for heartbreak. Sonny says Ned knows enough to know no one can stop Olivia from doing what she wants. Ned says he absolutely knows that. He’s sorry to hear Sonny’s father isn’t dong well, and Sonny thanks him, and says he’s trying to make the most of the time they have left.
Josslyn goes into Mike’s room, and tells him that she loves him. She wonders what he’s thinking about, and asks if Mike is still there in his head. Stella says you can never be sure, but she’d like to believe he is. There are moments Mike focuses, and looks at them like he sees them, and she believes he has. Sonny comes back, and tells Mike that his family is there, including Stella. Mike stirs, and has a hard time breathing. Josslyn says she’ll get the nurse, and Sonny tells Mike that they’re getting him some help.
Abraham comes back with the receipt, and tells Nina, he found it. In September 1991, an alteration to a heart pendant to make two matching necklaces. Jax says Nina is a step closer.
Ava tells Franco, according to Nikolas, she’s a conniving wife; amoral, shallow, greedy, the list goes on. Does he really see good in her? He says he does. She’s her own worst enemy, but who doesn’t do that sometimes. He, for one, tries to live up to Elizabeth’s… everybody’s high expectations. Ava thinks he’s good the way he is.
Elizabeth asks if Nikolas means it; that he’ll always be there for her. Nikolas says he’s let her down, but she makes him want to be a better man. Ava doesn’t bring that side out of him. She says she can’t believe her marriage is on the rocks again. Nikolas says because of her generous heart, she gave Franco a chance. If he can’t live up to her expectations, it’s not her fault. She says she doesn’t understand how it fell apart so quickly, but he says, maybe it’s for the best. The way he sees it, she and the boys are better off without Franco in their lives. She says she feels like a failure.
Robert tells Olivia, his Bureau source should at least be able to tell him the location of the call. She says, then what? and he says, if there’s the slightest possibility Holly is alive, he’s got to know. If someone is using a recording of her voice, he’s got to know that too. She says she completely understands. She flew there because of the slimmest chance she could take to Dante. She had to try. Now Robert has to try to find out for himself. His phone rings, and he says it’s his source. He asks if they were able to trace the call.
The nurse comes out, and Sonny asks, what’s going on? She says his father has pneumonia. It’s common when a patient can’t swallow. They’re putting him on oxygen. Still by Mike’s bedside, Stella tells him that his family is waiting outside. She knows he’s tired, but hang on a little longer. They want to say goodbye.
Robert tells Olivia, they were able to trace the call to Monte Carlo, and she says, as in the Monte Carlo in Monaco? He says, that’s the one. She says he doesn’t seem happy, and he says he called in a favor. The WSB doesn’t waste resources looking for dead people. Monte Carlo’s not all that big. If Holly is there, there’s a good chance he can find her. He’ll get Olivia a ticket back to Port Charles. She says, no he’s not; she’s going with him. He says he’s grateful she was there for the memorial, but now it’s time for her to go home, and be with her family. He’ll be fine.
Nina says she can’t believe this is happening, and starts to cry. Abraham asks if she’s okay, and she says, more than okay. This is incredible news; these are happy tears. She takes the receipt, and Jax thanks Abraham. Abraham tells Nina, good luck with whatever she’s looking for. Now, if they don’t mind, his stories are coming on. (Think he watches GH?) They thank him again, and leave. In the hallway, Nina tells Jax, the customer is Phyllis Caulfield. He asks if she recognizes the name, and she says she does.
Olivia leaves a voicemail for Ned, telling him there have been developments in the situation. She can’t talk, but promises to tell him everything as soon as she can, in person. Robert asks if she made a reservation to go back to Port Charles, but she says, no. She’s coming to Monte Carlo with him. End of story.
Nikolas turns Elizabeth’s face to him, and moves in for a kiss. As he kisses her, someone takes a photo.
Franco kisses Ava, and someone takes a photo.
Stella comes out, and Carly says the nurse told them it’s pneumonia. She asks if the oxygen is helping, and Stella says, a little bit, but he’s having a hard time still. Sonny says, it’s the end, isn’t it? and Stella says, yes. It’s time for everyone to say goodbye to Mike.
Tomorrow, Dev tells Cameron to pick one and set the other free, Nikolas asks if Elizabeth is looking for a way out of her marriage, and Carly says Mike made his family’s life better just by being there.
The Real Housewives of New York City – The Reunion – Part One
Andy tells us, at long last it’s an in person reunion with The Real Housewives of New York City. He asks Tinsley how she feels, and she says she’s in a happy mood. Maybe she needs some resolutions, but she doesn’t care. Everyone fusses with their masks, and Andy says they only need them when they get up. Several of them have cool masks. Sonja’s has fringe, and LuAnn’s is a smile. LuAnn says, it’s a good start for today.
Andy says, season 12’s reunion is like a fever dream. They’re in a warehouse surrounded by relics of NYC reunions past. What makes it more monumental is, it’s the first time since March they’re having an in person reunion. He assures us it’s at a safe and socially distanced. He tells them that they look radiant, and asks if Leah is ready for her first reunion. Leah says she’s so ready. She’s wearing her sheer black number that she wore to Ramona’s party, and Andy asks if she wore it to piss Ramona off. He makes her stand up to show the dress off. Dorinda says she’s excited, and Andy tells Ramona it’s the best she’s ever looked. He asks how she’s feeling, and in true Ramona pretend-I-feel-nothing fashion, she says, it’s just another day. He asks how LuAnn is, and she says, Lu and improved, which is getting old. Andy says he loves Sonja’s new haircut, and something else is different. She tells him about her face lift, and says she was inspired by Ellen Barkin. Andy says, last, but not least, their princess from Chicago, Tinsley. Tinsley says it feels strange, but it’s a nice closing for her chapter in New York.
Andy says, before they unpack season 12, he wonders how quarantine affected the women, and asks if they were outside the city. Leah says, for the first five weeks, she was in Long Island, but since then, she’s been in the city. He says, Ramona garnered the most attention. She was in Florida hunkered down with her ex-husband and daughter Avery. Ramona says Avery suggested it, and it was a great experience; they became a family again. Andy asks if there were any moments she thought there would be another shot with Mario, but she says she loves him as a person; she’s not in love with him. Andy says Sonja was trapped at a spa in Palm Springs, and Sonja says she had to reel it in after the show; she was going off the rails. She did colonics for three weeks, and explains some things we didn’t need to know about that. Andy asks how LuAnn is keeping busy with no cabaret, and she says she’s still working on her shows, and working on a book. She’s been busy. He says the burning question is how everyone has been coping since the pandemic. Leah said she was disgusted with her castmates with their families, living it up in Florida. We see her Instagram story, and she says, they’re not taking this sh*t seriously, and laughing. It’s despicable and déclassé. She gives the finger; two of them actually. He asks who she’s referring to, like we don’t know, and Ramona says it’s her, but Leah has it wrong; she’s been cautious. Leah says Ramona has a total lack of awareness. People are dying who can’t say goodbye to their families, and she’s posting about her workouts, and doesn’t care if she’s not masked. She has a lack of empathy, when people are suffering in our country and the world. We see Ramona’s Instagram, where she and Avery are demonstrating Turtle Time. Ramona insists that she was up at 4 am, reading the day’s horrific news. It was scary, and they were living every day as best they could with what they had. And she donated to charity. We hear the sound of one hand clapping. Ramona says people told her that she was an inspiration. Was she supposed to cry all day? Leah says, it’s about acknowledging the situation. Ramona also lied about donating blood. Ramona insists she did. In February she had Lyme disease, but they weren’t testing for Covid yet. She went to Aspen and got better, then went to Florida. She’d been in quarantine for eight weeks, when the Boca Beach Club opened up for going to the beach and playing tennis. She was tested, and found out she had antibodies. The doctor said, when she had Lyme disease, she also had Covid. Sonja says she’s a walking petri dish, and Ramona says she was allowed to come back. Leah behaved low brow, giving her the finger. Andy says a lot of people got upset that she went to a party where Donald Trump, Jr. was, and then his girlfriend tested positive. Ramona insists she stayed six feet from everyone, and left after an hour. Dorinda says, it’s not very responsible, and Ramona says, she doesn’t have the virus. She keeps repeating it, like somebody wound her up. Leah says, God knows how many people Ramona gave it to, and Dorinda says, Ramona is un-virusable. Ramona says she had it in February, and Andy says, you can get it again. He’s scared of getting it again. Sonja says, you can also spread it, and Dorinda says, Ramona was at a speakeasy with no mask;Breakers with Harry Dubin. We can never get through an NYC reunion without Harry’s name being mentioned at least once. Leah says, people are dying, and Dorinda says, people are out of work. Leah says, Ramona doesn’t give a sh*t. It’s not about wearing a mask, you effing idiot. She was showing herself dancing. Everyone is talking over each other, and Andy yells, shut up! He asks if Tinsley isn’t glad she came. He says he has one comment, and Ramona says the discussion is over. He says she was putting it out there that she wasn’t compliant. We see a picture of Ramona and another woman, arms around each other, not wearing masks. Ramona says she was in Florida with a friend at a restaurant, and they took a picture. They were allowed to do that.
Andy says it’s been a crazy year so far, and they have so much to get into with the actual season. With an unapologetic sense and an aversion to tiki torches, new housewife Leah proved a force be reckoned with. We flash back to Leah throughout the season, and Andy says in the feedback they received, everyone thought Leah hit the ground running. When Sarah Paulson was asked to rate Leah’s freshman season from 1 to 10, she gave it a 25. John Oliver was asked if he thought her season was good, he said he wasn’t sure, but never laughed harder than during the episode when she trashed Ramona’s house. Leah says, it’s nice to hear, and a nice welcome. When it aired, the pandemic had started, and they were in lockdown. If thinks if she’d gotten negative feedback, it would have been debilitating. LuAnn says, Leah is a tough New Yorker. She came on as a younger mom and businesswoman. She was vulnerable, and LuAnn instinctually liked her. Sonja says when you have a conversation with Leah, she actually listens and doesn’t judge. Dorinda says Leah gave it a different angle, coming from Downtown. She was confident, and able to handle the initiation. LuAnn says, tiki torches will never look the same, and Ramona says she has them stored behind her garage now. Andy asks if anything has changed for Leah, and she says she stopped drinking, but not much else.
Andy asks Tinsley about her take, and Tinsley says she joined at a low point in her life. She was weaker, and not confident. She loved that Leah didn’t hold back and was super confident; they connected right away. She has a hard time with the others listening to her, and it was nice having someone who actually did. Andy says a viewer asks, what’s up with Leah’s age shaming, and saying she’s the only one with a period? Instead of making fun, she should be seeking wisdom from the women. Leah says she respects them, and doesn’t think she age shames. Dorinda says Leah does look to them for advice; she calls about Kiki all the time. Andy says Ramona, Sonja, and Dorinda shamed Leah and judged her for her tattoos; it wasn’t very welcoming. Leah says she wasn’t uncomfortable about it, and Ramona says she’s not used to tattoos. Leah says the only comment she felt icky about was Sonja saying she’d never have sex with her because of it. We see a clip of Sonja saying Leah’s tattoos are a deal breaker, and Leah says, for some reason, it made her extra offended. Sonja says it was joke because there was sexual tension between them. Betsy from North Carolina wants Leah to elaborate on her vagina wings, and asks if it really flies. Leah says, it’s a crazy story. When she was 17, she did some hallucinogenics, and went into another dimension of the universe. She had purple wings, and when she came to, she wanted them tattooed on her. Her back was too obvious, so she got them on her p*ssy. Dorinda asks, what happens when men see it? and Leah says, they love it. Dorinda marvels at that, and Andy asks about Leah’s family watching the show. She says her father has the biggest crush on Sonja, and Sonja says, he’s an amazing artist. Leah says her mother wasn’t thrilled that she was buck naked, and talking about peeing on a prince – obviously; she’s Leah’s mother. Leah says her daughter hasn’t seen the show, and Andy asks, what about Rob? Leah says she thinks he gets jealous, and turned into a Guido. Andy asks if her mom is really a shrink, and Leah says, don’t judge her mom by her; she’s good at her job. Andy says she wasn’t drinking before the show started, and asks if she was worried about starting again. Leah says, a little, since it was being filmed and she knew it could go wrong. She hadn’t had one sip of alcohol in a decade. LuAnn says they drove her to drink, and Leah says she’s happy she got to spend 9 months drinking with the funniest bitches ever. She has no regrets.
Andy says, on that note, there were a lot of layers in drinking this season, with no exception. We flash back to many drunken antics, and he says, Joe from Ohio says the season was tough to watch with the drinking. He asks if anyone wishes the sloppiness had been addressed more, and Andy wonders if seeing the show in quarantine altered their behavior. Dorinda says, of course. When the season ended, they all stopped drinking, but she’s not like Ramona, who goes out every night. Leah says being shamed in Newport bothered her. Everyone was out of control wasted except Tinsley. She was new to the group, and dealing with sh*t. She’d had a bad night, and Ramona made her feel terrible about herself. Dorinda says Ramona does everything to deflect from her own behavior, and Ramona calls her a liar. She says Dorinda is disgusting, and should go to church.
Okay, time to break out the cookies. Andy asks why Leah decided to stop drinking, and Leah says when the pandemic started, and they were in quarantine, she needed to be at the top of her game for her daughter. There was no way she could use alcohol in a happy, fun way. A viewer asks if LuAnn’s first sip of vodka on the show was really her first sip since getting off probation, and LuAnn says it was. She felt like she hit the reset button, and thought she’d try it, but she’s reeled it in and stopped drinking since the season ended. She doesn’t want to label herself though, or put pressure on herself, but she does have to watch herself, and she’s very aware. Briana from Nashville asks if LuAnn’s outburst (about Sonja) gave anyone pause, and LuAnn says she gave herself pause. She had to evaluate her use of alcohol. Andy tells them, viewers said no one else is as mean as Dorinda, and wonders why they defended her. Dorinda says Ramona said what she did as a zinger, and Ramona says she was petrified. Andy tells Ramona to let Dorinda finish, and asks why Dorinda gets defensive when her drinking is brought up. Dorinda says she’s sensitive about it. Ramona was accusatory, when Dorinda tries not to point out anyone else’s drinking or Ramona sleeping with people. LuAnn says Dorinda doesn’t like to be told about it, and she gets it, but she was just looking out for a friend. Dorinda says LuAnn does look out for her, but Ramona does it to be harmful. She says she’s for women, but she’s not. Andy says they’re talking about Dorinda, and Ramona says Dorinda is deflecting. I tell Ramona, STFU. Dorinda says it makes her uncomfortable that Ramona talks in front of the group, while LuAnn took her aside. She doesn’t know what else to say. It makes her uncomfortable. Andy says when she watched it back in quarantine, could she see it was about her relationship with alcohol, and not personal? Ramona won’t shut up, babbling about how Dorinda lies and won’t admit it. Dorinda says, it’s stress relief. She has no outlet to express herself, and uses alcohol, and it doesn’t turn out well. LuAnn says they’ve all had their days, but seen themselves, and realized they need to do something about it. Andy says they’ve all expressed concern with Sonja’s drinking, and Ramona says she knew it had to be an interaction with medicine. LuAnn says Sonja used to end the evening like that, but then it started happening at the beginning. Andy says, rosé and Coke? and Sonja says she was looking for any solution. Andy says, it sounds like a problem, and Sonja says she was shocked when she saw herself, showing up at LuAnn’s Halloween party. She’d been on a diarrhetic, and was also on it when she fell under the table after yelling at Bethenny. We flash back to that, and Sonja says she didn’t like the example she was setting for her young viewers. It slowed her motor skills, and it was the pills. Dorinda says she’s taken it for years, since menopause.
Andy says, Tinsley finally found her fairytale ending with Scott, trading hotel life and Housewives for her happily ever after. We flash back down Tinsley Memory Lane, and Andy says, to clarify, they’re still together? Tinsley says, they’re still together, thank God, and they’re getting married. Everything’s good. She shows off her ring, which is quite a sparkler. She says it’s weird sitting there, and Ramona corrects Tinsley about her own feelings, and says, it’s surreal. Tinsley says she got everything she wanted, and she’s going to Chicago to see Scott tomorrow, and be a family again. Andy asks if the one thing that was holding them back as a couple was her being in New York, and him in Chicago. She says, it was a big issue, and Ramona says she persevered; she gives Tinsley credit. Tinsley thinks her being with Bruce was trying to make a jab at Scott, showing him that she was in Chicago with someone else. Ramona says, it worked, and LuAnn says, the pandemic made Tinsley a solid housewife. Tinsley says she wanted to show Scott that she was this person too. He’d never seen her in a normal situation at home. When they’d get back together, they were always traveling. She adds that she’s never going to complain about traveling again, and Andy says he doesn’t think anyone will. A viewer says, it’s ironic that Tinsley had to leave the Housewives to be the only real housewife. Tinsley says she wants to do a lot of things. She’s been working with PETA and Paws Chicago, a no-kill shelter. Andy asks how she feels watching it back, seeing what everyone was saying, and who was supportive. She says, few people were supportive. Leah was, and later, Ramona and LuAnn, who’d been falling under Dorinda’s spell. Leah says she never heard anyone asking about Tinsley’s relationship, and LuAnn says they were doubtful, since Tinsley and Scott had broken up so many times. Tinsley says she felt embarrassed and humiliated, crying so many times about it. Sonja says they were happy for her, but became protective, and Tinsley says she couldn’t talk about wanting babies, or they’d be like, this again? Sonja says she brought it up all the time on the show, but Tinsley says it’s not a show, it’s her life. Andy asks if Scott made her choose between him and the show, but she says he never did. The show was still an issue, and she knew when they got back together, she had a decision to make. Dorinda says the show was how she met him, and Tinsley should say thank you. They talk at the same time, and Tinsley says, of course he let her finish the season, but she chose him over them. She didn’t want him to be in the mix, knowing it could be toxic for their relationship. Andy asks Ramona, if she dated a guy who didn’t want her to be on the show, would she quit? Ramona says, if he put a ring on it, and LuAnn says, her too. Tinsley says she proved how much she loved him, while Sonja puts hand sanitizer on her legs. Andy is like, what are you doing? and she says she needs some shine. Tinsley says, if she had to show how much she loved him by leaving, she was going to do it.
After a commercial break, Andy welcomes us back, even though we’re not the ones who went anywhere. He says, Tinsley wasn’t comfortable sharing all of her details, but Dorinda had no qualms about sharing her distain for Tinsley. We flash back to Dorinda being nasty to Tinsley, ending with her turkey baster comment. Tinsley looks pretty upset, and Dorinda pastes a smile on her face. Andy says he’s assuming they haven’t spoken since then, and Dorinda says Tinsley has only spoken to Leah. Tinsley says she and Dorinda were friends at one point. Her turkey baster comment was vile, especially when there are women who can’t get pregnant. Dorinda says she’s sorry she shamed Tinsley, and Tinsley says she was shamed for wanting a child and not having one. Dorinda is surprised she’s not already pregnant. She repeats that she’s sorry, and says, it was a bad joke. Tinsley says, it’s not a joke, and Andy says viewers thought it was mean. Tinsley says it will never go away, and a viewer asks what Dorinda’s issue is with Tinsley. Dorinda says she believes only half of what she hears, and all she sees, which is a variation on an old Navy saying – believe only half of what you see, and nothing you hear. She says a lot of stuff went on that no one saw, and Tinsley says after she and Scott broke up, she and Dorinda got in a horrific fight that wasn’t on camera.
Separating this paragraph because it’s such a good reveal, and explains a lot. Tinsley says she told Dorinda that Scott had given John money she didn’t know about. Dorinda took it as a betrayal, and took her anger at John out on Tinsley. The producers didn’t want her to stay in the house; they were worried for her safety. Dorinda says she never got involved in John’s finances, because once again, a Housewife has forgotten the cameras see all. In some unseen footage, we see Dorinda on the phone with John, screaming at him not to use her friends to ask for money, and telling him not to talk to Scott. Scott is not his friend. When she says not to do something, he’d better listen. LuAnn says she remembers that call. Tinsley says she hasn’t done anything to Dorinda, and Dorinda says she hates Tinsley’s life. Tinsley says, Dorinda is obsessed with her life.
Wowee, wow, wow.
Next time – The Reunion – Part Two – Dorinda is asked if she’s seeing someone, Leah makes fun of Ramona, Ramona’s comment about Leah being bi-polar is discussed, and Leah says she doesn’t think Dorinda hits below the belt. Is Leah sure she quit drinking?
🤸🏽 Hair Reborn…
Finally, my head has felt the freedom that is a color and cut. And with that, I bid you adieu until my next post, where I will pour you some tea, and we can laugh about how rich folks have to be just like us. For the most part. Okay, they still have it better, but we can laugh anyway. Until then, stay safe, stay amused, and stay not giving John any money.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
At the MetroCourt, Carly tells Bobbie, she should sue. Diane would gladly take the case. Bobbie says, another lawsuit would only hurt the hospital, and Carly says the hospital fired her. Bobbie says, Cyrus fired her, but Carly says, they both know he had help. They look over to see Valentin sitting with Martin.
Valentin thinks Martin should have a shot. After the antics of his last client, he could use one. Martin says he’s sure he doesn’t know what Valentin means, and Valentin wonders if Nelle’s latest disappearing act is for real.
Sam tells Jason, her actions caused Bobbie and Monica to be fired, but Jason thinks it’s reaching just a little bit. She says, is it? She gave Valentin consent to vote Danny and Scout’s proxy. He says, and she was assigned a new parole officer. She says, so he was able to move back in, and that’s great, but it left the hospital open for Cyrus’s control. He thinks it’s her fault, doesn’t he?
Alexis looks at the syringe, now sitting in a plastic bag. Julian says, the police are on their way to pick up the evidence. She says she’s not sure why, since it was accidental. He says, maybe he should take it, and reaches for it, but Alexis snatches it up. He says because of the prevalence of opioid deaths, the police are treating all drug induced OD’s as homicides.
Jordan asks why Cyrus murdered Neil, and he says, I beg your pardon? She says, it’s a simple question, and she’s not wearing a wire. He can speak freely. Why did he kill Neil? He says, all right; he’ll play along. Who’s Neil? She says he died of an OD, with no prior history of drug use, and he says, by definition, addicts are good at hiding their addiction. She says, like Bob and Mark? and he says, how hypocritical of them. They planted the evidence that framed him for being a drug lord, when they were sampling the wares. He can’t thank her enough for exposing their corruption. She says she doesn’t know what game he’s playing, but what’s the connection between him and Neil?
Josslyn, Cameron, and Trina go to Charlie’s. Trina goes over to say hello to Ava at the bar, and Josslyn says she’s been meaning to tell Cameron that she knows. He says, okay… She says now that she knows, they don’t have to be weird. She and Trina talked through everything, and she’s totally cool with it.
Alexis asks Julian if she’s supposed to believe Neil was a user all this time, when she had no idea. Not when he was her therapist, not when they were stumbling through their relationship, not even when he was in her own bed, but apparently, he was. There was the bloodwork, a puncture wound, and now Julian found the syringe under her bed. Julian suggests he hang on to it until the police get there, and Alexis says she was so certain that she was making a better choice. It turns out she was just falling for a better liar.
Valentin doesn’t suppose part of Martin’s service was to hustle Nelle off to an undisclosed location. Martin says, no, and Valentin wonders if he’s not saying anything because of professional ethics, or because Nelle owes him money.
Carly says, when Valentin took over, his first act was to bail on the hospital, opening the door to Cyrus. His second act was to fire Michael. Bobbie says, and now he’s having a drink in Carly’s restaurant. She doesn’t think so. Bobbie stomps over to Valentin’s table, and says she had the misfortune to marry his brother Stephan. He was bad, but Valentin is infinitely worse, handing the hospital over to the likes of Cyrus. He says, sorry, and she says she wants to smack the smirk off his face. Carly says she’s right behind Bobbie, and Brick walks in. He says, no doubt. It looks like he got there just in time.
Alexis tells Julian, she didn’t know Neil was an addict, but she’s good at spotting other addicts, since she is one. It’s like a funhouse, with everyone distorted in their own unique way. Julian says she doesn’t know for sure Neil was an addict. He could have been a recreational user; those people exist. Or he could have been a high-functioning addict. Plenty of successful people are. Alexis says she doesn’t know anything right now. She’s going to drive herself crazy, going over every detail of what Neil did or didn’t do. Julian says, from what he’s seen, Neil was a complicated guy dealing with a lot, including his emotions and feelings for her. Alexis gives him a look.
Ava says Trina has been holding out on her. She’s so talented. Her performance with her friends at the Nurses Ball was spectacular. Trina asks if Ava and Nikolas had a good time, and Ava says she knows what Trina is doing. Trina doesn’t have to look out for her. She and Nikolas know where they stand with each other.
Cameron asks Josslyn what everything she’s talking about, and Josslyn says, don’t worry. Trina says it’s not a big deal. He says, good to know, and she says she doesn’t want him to feel he has to keep it secret. Portia walks in, and Trina tells Ava that her counselor said she could get additional credit for working at the gallery, so she can give Ava ten extra hours. Ava appreciates her enthusiasm, but thinks Trina should speak to her mother. She might have other plans. Portia asks, does Trina mind if she and Ava take a moment to catch up? Trina asks if Portia promises to be nice, and Portia asks if Trina promises to be nice to Curtis. Train tells her, try not to break anything too expensive. Ava tells Portia, if this is about Trina asking for more hours, she said Trina needed to clear it with her first. Portia says she’ll bring that up later, but first, they need to talk.
Cyrus tells Jordan, he’s not aware of any connection between him and Neil. The first time he’s heard Neil’s name is when she said it just now. She says his innocent act is wasted on her, since he kidnapped her son, and made her turn a blind eye to his drug shipment getting through. He says he’s never kidnapped anyone in his life, and no one can make her do anything. She’s always had the power to make her own choices. She says, Neil died under similar circumstances to Mark and Bob; the same pattern. Cyrus says, people die all the time. That doesn’t mean he had a hand in it. She says, unless they were his drugs. Then he’s legally responsible. He says she exonerated him. Although now, she comes to him late at night, hurling accusations and innuendos, reviving a vendetta against an innocent man.
Jason says it sounds like Sam wants him to be angry with her, but she says she wants him to tell the truth. He asks when he’s lied to her, and she says, never. He doesn’t say anything, and she says, ELQ was supposed to bail out the hospital. She should have known Valentin was up to something. All she cared about was getting a new parole officer, and getting to spend time with him. He says she’s only responsible for the proxy she signed over to Valentin. Valentin took control of the majority, and it was his decision not to help GH. Those were his actions, not hers. She says, it was selfish. She got what she wanted, and because of her actions, people she cares about are paying for it.
Julian tells Alexis, he knows more than most people that it’s complicated to lead a double life. Neil was confused, and he may have been confused about a number of things, but he knows that Neil genuinely cared for her. She says, dying in her bed was a funny way to show it, and he tells her, she has no idea how many secrets Neil might have been keeping, but anyone could tell his feelings for her were genuine. She says he should go. She appreciates him coming by, but can’t have him there to turn to. He says, that’s different. If she needs anything, let him know. For what it’s worth, he’s sorry it happened. It was nice to see her happy again.
Trina sits back down, and Josslyn says she told Cameron what they talked about, so they’re all on the same page. No more secrets. Trina says she’s glad to hear it, and Cameron says, excellent.
Ava tells Portia, with all due respect, she’s already apologized for overstepping with Trina. Portia says, she did, and Ava says she’s not sure what more she can do. Portia says she realized she came on strong, and made assumptions about Ava’s motivations. Ava says, as a mother, in protecting one’s child, you can never be too careful; she understands. Portia says, whatever Ava’s motivation in helping Trina, she realizes it came from a genuine place, and thanks her. Trina’s work at the gallery is grounding, and she realizes it’s even more important now, in the wake of her father’s death. She believes Ava when she says her intentions were honorable. Ava says she appreciates that, and Portia says, but she doesn’t believe Ava has led an honorable life. She won’t prevent Trina from working at the gallery, but won’t be taking her eyes off Trina either.
Cyrus says Jordan exonerating him doesn’t seem that long ago He doesn’t think he dreamed it or imagined it. She says he threatened to kill her son unless she did what he wanted, and he says, what imagination she has. He’s making a fresh start, and exploring the possibilities available to a free man. He tells her, thank you, waits, then says, say you’re welcome. She says he’s made himself welcome enough. He doesn’t need to hear her say it. Since he’s an innocent man leading an innocent life, he doesn’t require the police commissioner. She’s met the terms of their extremely one-sided agreement, and they’re done. He tells her, don’t be so sure.
Sam asks if Jason is telling her that he’s okay with what she did. Jason says he hates that Monica and Bobbie lost their jobs; it’s awful and unfortunate, but it’s not permanent. She asks how he’s so sure, and he says, Cyrus is testing the truce already. When he breaks it, he’s gone. She says, what about Valentin? and he says, the Quartermaines have lost control of ELQ before. They’ll get it back. Michael is smart, with a cool head, and he’s not distracted by the custody case anymore. She says, it really doesn’t bother him that her actions are what set things in motion?
Jason says, it’s not like Valentin gave Sam a choice. He knows she acted in good faith. It’s done. It’s over. She can’t change it. Let’s just move on. Her phone rings, and she says, it’s Julian. He has the worst timing. She tells Julian that she’s in the middle of something. What does he want? He says he was at her mother’s. He just left, and Neil’s OD is hitting her hard. He found a syringe under her bed. They both know he’s not the right person to be with her mother, but Alexis shouldn’t be alone. Sam says she’ll be right over, and thanks him. She tells Jason what happened, and he says he’ll go with her.
Officer Gonzalez comes downstairs, and tells Alexis, there was no other paraphernalia, but forensics wants to look around. Alexis says she’s not going to be sleeping up there anytime soon, and Officer Gonzalez says if they have any more questions, they’ll contact her. Alexis says she’s fresh out of answers.
Cyrus says he appreciates Jordan’s faith in him adjusting to life outside, but it takes time, especially after such a long stretch. She tells him not to sell himself short. Clearly her services are no longer required. He says she’s gone from callous pessimist to wide-eyed optimist. She needs to split the difference, and become a pragmatist. An old friend might come in handy. Isn’t that what she was thinking when she invited Taggert back to town, or did she feel it was a mistake? Another hasty decision. Look at the damage that was done to that poor man.
Martin says, amusing as it might be to watch them deck his client, he’d be compelled to call the cops. Carly tells Bobbie, they’ll leave Valentin alone, and invites Brick to have a drink. Valentin says, good idea, and she says no one asked him. Bobbie tells Carly that Scotty is taking her out to dinner, and leaves. Martin tells Valentin, let it go, but Valentin says Bobbie is wrong. He’s nothing like Stephan, who was consumed with ghosts. Martin asks if Valentin’s ghosts are under control, and Valentin says he doesn’t believe in ghosts. Martin says he’d like to know why Julian was looking for him; does he miss his wife? Valentin says, Julian is looking to get out of a marriage of crippling inconvenience, which leads him to wonder what leverage Nelle had to get Julian to marry her in the first place. He had the impression the leverage was in Martin’s possession. Is it?
Ava says, normally if someone spoke to her like that, she’d tell them to go to hell. She’d say they don’t know about her, or what been through in her dishonorable life. Portia asks if that’s what Ava is telling her, but Ava says, on the contrary. If she was in Portia’s shoes, and her daughter was working for a woman with her… colorful past, she’d be… Portia says, cautious? and Ava says, livid. She’d never take her eyes off her daughter. As a mother, there’s nothing more important than a child’s safety or happiness. Trina is determined to work extra hours, but Portia should feel free to say no. Portia wonders if Ava is asking her to turn Trina down, but Ava says, no, but don’t feel obligated. Portia says, seven days is a big ask, and Ava says, if they start to drive each other crazy, she’ll send Trina on an errand. Portia says, when Trina returns with coffee in five minutes, what then? and Ava says she’ll send Trina to Tokyo to pick up on what’s trendy. That will take longer. Portia says, Ava is kidding, right? She does have a couple of requests. She asks Ava to keep an eye on Trina, and if she’s there to work, make her work. Ava says, of course (🍷). As if she could stop Trina. The gallery might seem like a placid boutique, but there’s a lot to do. She tells Portia, feel free to pop in and check up on Trina. Portia is sure it won’t be necessary, and Ava says, yet she has the feeling Portia will. Portia says, at least once a week. Maybe more. Ava says she’s always welcome, and Portia thanks her. Trina asks if everything is okay, and Portia says she’s giving Trina permission to work extra hours.
Julian comes in, and Ava says she hears congratulations are in order. He asks, for what? and she says she heard his wife – who makes her look like Mother Teresa – is gone. Why is he in a foul mood? He should be celebrating the end of his hellish marriage. He says his hellish marriage is far from being over. She asks what Nelle did now, and he says she claimed to have left a letter detailing his role in Wiley’s kidnapping with her lawyer. Until he gets the letter, he’s on borrowed time. She says Julian should have let her kill Nelle when she offered.
Sam says she thought Alexis was going to stay at their place, but Alexis says she couldn’t. Sam says Julian called her; she’s so sorry, Alexis wonders how she couldn’t know, and Sam tells her, don’t blame herself. Alexis asks how someone who presents themselves as a decent, wonderful person could do something like that? How could he?
Martin says his hypothetical sometimes client – he’s not naming names… Valentin says, Nelle, and Martin says, it’s hypothetical. Valentin suggests Medea, and Martin says, Medea it is. Medea has left some loose ends, providing actual proof of her departure is permanent. Martin doesn’t know what Valentin’s interest is, so why should he share secrets? Valentin says, Nelle is currently a friendless fugitive wanted for murder and attempted kidnapping, and wonders if Martin’s ability to keep secrets is based on the size of the retainer. Martin says he’ll take care Nelle’s affairs in any way he pleases, and Valentin says, just make sure his take precedence.
Carly asks if Sonny called Brick, but Brick says he was on his way to another assignment. He had time to stop by and say hello to Sonny. She asks if Sonny knows he’s in town, and he says he was at Turning Woods earlier. She says then he knows what’s going on with Mike, and he says, sadly, he does.
Julian tells Ava that Nelle left the letter with her attorney Martin, and Ava says, ugh. That man is a reptile in a linen suit. If Nelle left the letter with him, and it incriminates Julian, Martin will absolutely use it for his own gain. He says that’s why she’s going with him to help find it.
Trian asks Portia if she can stay longer, and Josslyn says her driver will drop Trina off. Portia tells Trina to text when she’s on her way, and not after Curfew. Trina says, definitely.
Cyrus says Jordan saw how Taggert’s poor family suffered. First, by his violent death, and then when she revealed how honorable Taggert was anything but. The shame rained down on that man’s family… But fortunately, families are resilient. Take hers for instance. She tells him, stay away from her family, and he says, or what? She says she doesn’t know. Neither of them know what she might be capable of. She doesn’t want to find out; does he? He says he’s sure it won’t come to that. Isn’t the motto of every police force to serve and protect? That’s what’s going to happen between them. She says, in serving, she’ll also protect him? and he says, that’s everybody’s job on the force, right? He tells her, goodnight. Oh, and if she ever decides to drop by for another late night chat, ask herself if it’s worth his trouble. She walks out.
Jordan runs into Portia outside of Charlie’s, and asks how Trina is. Portia says, fine. She’s loving her job, her friends, and school, so Portia can’t complain. Nothing will take away losing her father, but it does give her the structure she needs to heal and work through it. Jordan asks if there’s anything she can do, but Portia says nothing short of clearing Taggert’s name will satisfy Trina. Jordan wishes that were possible, and Portia says, there is one thing she’d like to clear the air about. She knows Curtis told Jordan about their conversation. Jordan says he did, and Portia says she wanted Jordan to know, woman to woman, she shouldn’t have brought up something that was clearly in the past. She has no designs on Jordan’s husband. Jordan laughs, and says she appreciates Portia making that clear.
Julian messes with the lock on Martin’s office door, and says Ava knows what to do, right? She says, if she sees something, text something, and tells him to make sure he notices. She asks if he has a secret spy code, and he says he doesn’t think that would make him look more innocent. She asks if he’s sure there’s no alarm, he says he’s not. He gets the door open, and she says, hurry up. He goes into the office.
Alexis says when she was lying next to Neil, and they were planning their future, he was waiting for her to fall asleep so he could shoot up. Jason says she doesn’t know what Neil was thinking, and Sam says, Jason is right. She doesn’t know what was going through Neil’s mind at the time. Alexis agrees, and says, Neil was a multitasker. He could have been planning his life and thinking about shooting up at the same time. Sam says Alexis sounds morbid, and she doesn’t want Alexis to be by herself. She suggests Alexis come home with them, but Alexis doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Jason says, Danny and Scout love having her there, and she’d be close to Sam, but Alexis says she has a lot of feelings right now, and they’re not pretty. She doesn’t want to have them in front of her grandchildren. Sam says she’ll stay there, but Alexis says, no. Jason just got home, and Sam should be home with her family. Sam doesn’t feel good leaving Alexis, but Alexis says she needs privacy. Sam says if she starts feeling depressed, or more depressed, call. Or call if she feels like drinking. Alexis says, yes to all of it, and thanks them for coming by. She and Sam hug.
While Josslyn is away from the table, Cameron says he can’t believe Trina told Josslyn about… you know. She says she didn’t want it to be a deep, dark secret. Now that it’s out in the open, it’s no big deal. He says he doesn’t want everyone talking, and she says, Josslyn isn’t everyone, and only three people know. He says, you know what they say about three people keeping a secret. In order for them to do it, two of them have to be… She says, what? and he says, never mind. Josslyn comes back, and says she has the best idea about the three of them.
Julian rifles through Martin’s files. Ava hears Martin telling Valentin that he is billing him for this. She texts, GET OUT NOW!!! three times. They get close to the door, and Ava tries to send another message, but it says communication failure. Martin puts his key in the lock, and Julian realizes they’re coming in.
Carly tells Brick, Sonny gave Mike one last afternoon at the track. It was good for him to be around the horses, and it was special to Sonny. Brick says he always admired Sonny, but seeing him care for Mike, being there for him, he admires Sonny even more. Carly says Brick was the one who helped Sonny step up for Mike. It was like using a Lamborghini as a golf cart. He says he was honored to help, but if he looks better to her, that’s even better. She says, it’s not fair. He comes there, flirts with her, and takes off on another mission. He asks if she’s telling him to stop, and she says, not a chance. They clink glasses.
Julian hides, and the fire alarm goes off. We see Ava has pulled it, like we didn’t guess that. Martin says, what the hell…?
Josslyn says, it’s almost homecoming, and suggests they all go together. Cameron says, the three of them? and Josslyn says, the four of them. They can’t forget Dev. Cameron and Trina say, sure they can, and Josslyn says they can still dress up and have fun, but no romantic drama. And they won’t have to worry about who they’ll kiss at the end of the night. Trina says, good idea, and Cameron says, he’s in.
Jordan tells Portia, forget she brought up the past. It’s better for them to move on with no tiptoeing around things. Their only worry is that Trina is still blaming Curtis for Tagger’s death. Portia says she keeps telling Trina that she’s dishonoring her father’s wishes, but does she listen? Jordan says, she’s more stubborn than Taggert is. Portia says, was. She still does that too; talk like he’s still there. Trina is young and headstrong, but one day she’ll realize there are few men with as much integrity as Curtis. Jordan says that’s kind of her to say, and Portia says, of course (🍷) Jordan and Curtis are lucky to have found each other.
Julian asks Ava, what happened? She says she had no reception, so she pulled the alarm. Why should he be the only one committing a felony? Julian says, if Martin has the letter, it’s not in his office.
In Martin’s office, Valentin says, someone was looking for something, and Martin says, obviously. The lookout probably pulled the fire alarm. In any case – he pulls the ELQ folder out of a drawer, and takes another from his briefcase – here’s everything Valentin needs to sign. Just put his John Hancock there. Valentin says Martin had it right there? and Martin says, except the final revision of the offer in question. He would have brought that too, but he didn’t know he’d be seeing Valentin. He makes a practice never to be apart from his most sensitive documents. We see Nelle’s letter in his briefcase.
On the phone, Cyrus asks Walker where they are on the new Chief of Staff. He can’t wait to meet them in person. He tells Walker that Neil OD’d, and wonders where he got the drugs that killed him. I wouldn’t be surprised if Neil had been Cyrus’s therapist, since Cyrus is so au currant.
Alexis looks at a glass of water, but sees a shot. She says, one day at a time, and takes a sip.
Sam tells Jason that she thought she was doing the right thing. To her, there was nothing more important than them being together. She was wrong, and she’s sorry for what it cost. Jason tells her, like he said, it’s over.
Tomorrow, Ava tells Franco that they should cut their losses, Elizabeth tells Nikolas that his fake screwed up marriage is screwing up her real one, and Nina speaks to the jewelry designer.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – The Reunion – Part Two (Home Edition)
Ugh. Even in the preview I hate the stupid faces they make. Denise eats chips. I get my vanilla wafers ready.
Andy says, this season Kyle was under attack for calling the women a group of fake-ass bitches. It made the group wonder if it takes one to know one. We flash back to Kyle being insulting, interrupting everyone, and being a moron in general. In one clip, she says she’s not friends with a-holes. I beg to differ. Andy asks why she thinks everyone came after her, and she says when she left L.A. to do her clothing line, then went to North Carolina for Halloween, she’d been going back and forth, and was tired. She felt like everyone was coming at her, and not being honest. Which answered the question not at all. Adam from Baltimore asks Dorit why she told everyone she had a life when she was late for Teddi’s retreat. It sounded self-centered and condescending, and she pissed Erika off. Erika admits to being pretty drunk, and we flash back to that. Yep. She was. Erika says they all have busy lives, and Dorit says Teddi claimed it made no difference what time they got there, yet she was attacked. Kyle says that’s extreme, but Dorit says she didn’t feel welcome, and had to defend herself. She didn’t mean the rest of them didn’t have lives. Kyle says she felt like Dorit was showing up to show off her outfit more than to support Teddi. Dorit says beforehand, she was taking pictures to promote her business. Teddi says everyone else keeps bringing it up; she had nothing to do with it. She didn’t think Kyle was defending her, just pointing out the obvious. A viewer asks how Teddi felt when Erika said she didn’t feel like being there. Teddi says she had to move on from it, and while they’re on the Teddi subject, Dorit doesn’t know why Kyle can’t acknowledge her friendship with Teddi is different from her friendship with the rest of them. Maybe it’s true. She says this like it’s tabloid fodder, and none of us have ever had a friend we’re closer to than our other friends. Kyle says, of course it is. Teddi is a better friend to her. It makes sense; they have more in common. Dorit is glad Kyle is finally admitting it. Seriously, are these women that bored? Kyle says Dorit acts like it’s a crime. She’s slept in the same bed with her friends and sisters her whole life; it’s not weird. Stirring the pot, even though there isn’t much to stir, Andy points out that Kyle insulted Erika by suggesting Erika didn’t have close friends. Kyle tries to cover her ass by saying she meant friends close enough to sleep in the same bed. Just an aside, while I wouldn’t mind sharing if necessary, being an adult, I’d rather have my own bed if it’s an option. Erika says they have different lives, and not everyone has that type of relationship. Just because they don’t have the same experience doesn’t make it wrong or bad.
Dorit wants to address the astrology party, where Kyle said she wasn’t as good a friend as she’d thought. Kyle says she was just frustrated and apologizes, but Dorit doesn’t listen and asks Kyle to justify telling her that. Kyle repeats that she apologized and explained, but Dorit says she hasn’t explained. Kyle says Dorit wanted to take credit for her fashion show, and her hiring Wilson Philips for her party. No surprise, Kyle won’t let Dorit respond, and just keeps babbling. Kyle says she never spoke against Dorit, yet Dorit threw her business under the bus, saying Kyle didn’t know what she was doing. There’s a break, and I realize I’m holding my breath.
Kyle says she was shocked, and we revisit Kyle freaking out when she checked out her line before the fashion show. We see Dorit’s interview, where she wondered how Kyle couldn’t have seen the pieces beforehand, and if she just woke up and said she’d throw a show together and be a success. No need for experience or know-how. Kyle says, of course she was freaking out; Dorit said she didn’t know what she was doing. Kyle once again refuses to let Dorit talk, and says Dorit came to her house and she felt like they were friends for life. Then Dorit made fun of her in her interview. She thought they were better friends than that. Dorit says she never slammed Kyle’s designs. She poked fun at Kyle for not being prepared, and she thought Kyle should have been. Garcelle says Kyle got more upset at her saying she’d felt glazed over than she did over Dorit hurting her business. She didn’t seem that mad. Dorit says Kyle just blamed her, but never spoke to her directly. Instead she went to Twitter and the press. Kyle says she was upset, thinking Dorit had slammed her business. Dorit says Kyle told everyone her fashion show was in a warehouse, and Kyle says she had to fight back. She wasn’t going to sit there like a moron. No comment. Too easy. Dorit asks why Kyle didn’t text her, and Kyle asks why Dorit said it in the first place. Andy wants to move forward, and Dorit says she’s very sorry, and wishes Kyle success. She adds she’s always there if Kyle needs anything, and Kyle says she appreciates it. I see why they had to focus on the whole Denise/Brandi thing this season. Apparently, they didn’t have a show without it. Wake me when it’s over.
Andy says, moving on. He asks why Kyle thinks Denise is a fake-ass bitch, and Kyle says Denise claims she doesn’t care about the glam thing, but then defended Dorit. She felt like everyone was putting on an act, and not being genuine, but she was singled out. Bob in Syosset says Denise is the sexiest women alive, and asks how she felt when Kyle called her a ragamuffin. Denise says she was surprised, but wondered if could trademark it somehow, like Ragamuffin Clothing. I actually like that idea. Kyle says, when she was a kid, if she left the house looking messy, her mom said, don’t run around like a ragamuffin. Andy asks if Denise was offended, but Denise says she didn’t care. No pot stirring for you there, Andy. Kyle says she apologized, and Denise says, after the backlash on social media. Denise says she was defending Dorit about being glam when Kyle got upset. It was like, how dare Denise defend her when she looks like a ragamuffin? Either they’re not glam enough or too glam. Andy asks, where’s the middle ground?
Dorit’s phone keeps repeating low battery over and over, and everyone is like WTF? Andy says Caleb in Topeka asks how Lois is, and LisaR says she misses Lois. She hasn’t seen her in five months. Lois is in assisted living though, and doing great. Andy says LisaR loves the spotlight, like this is news. Her daughter opened up about her anxiety on social media, and she was judged as a mother. He supposes it was attention she could do without. We flash back to everything Amelia, and Andy asks if LisaR thought about what she does on Instagram. She says, as a mother, she’s always aware. Garcelle tells LisaR, what she said wasn’t about shaming; it was just a reality check. Andy asks Teddi if she relates to the issue, and Teddi says as parents, they’re already coping with the struggle, and already feel guilty, so it shouldn’t be made part of a light conversation. Garcelle says she wasn’t being flippant, but Teddi says she said it in front of all of them; it was a low blow. Garcelle has no response. I’m not surprised, since this is stupid even for Teddi. Andy says, Sutton said LisaR’s dancing on Instagram was weird, and Sutton says, that’s not a bad thing. Dorit says, it had a negative connotation. I see she’s been reading again, and is using big words. Sutton says Dorit is making it into something bigger than it is, and LisaR says, it is weird. Dorit says if her daughter didn’t like her doing it, would LisaR continue, and LisaR says, of course not. She’d never do anything to hurt her kids. Andy asks if there’s an update on Amelia’s $6000 a month apartment, and LisaR says, $5700, but who’s counting,? and explains it’s all Amelia’s money from modeling. She’s doing well (apparently), and some days aren’t as much of a struggle, but she’ll always have issues. Charlotte from Birmingham says Denise looked horrified when LisaR said she’d taught her daughters the right way to do a BJ in her book. Did she think LisaR went too far? Denise says she doesn’t think they should judge each other (mic drop). Erika says, it was a lovely bomb LisaR’s daughters dropped on her in Tokyo, and we flash back to that. LisaR says her daughters could care less about reading any book, but one of their friends brought it out. Andy mentions LisaR’s latest nakey picture, and LisaR admits that she loves attention and pushes boundaries, like we didn’t know, and Kyle says, nobody owns it better. I choke on a cookie.
Garcelle asks if anyone is drinking yet. Jordan from Austin asks how Teddi’s baby is, and Teddi explains about how the baby’s head wasn’t formed right in utero, and she needs neurosurgery. She says, everyone says she’ll be fine, but Teddi is obviously distressed about it. Not that I blame her. I might not like Teddi, but wouldn’t wish that on anyone. FYI, baby Dove had the surgery since then, and everything turned out fine. Andy says Teddi’s pregnancy seemed to be an afterthought to the women. We flash back to Teddi’s interview where she says, apparently, she’s proceeding in this friend group as though she’s not pregnant. They talk about the name Dove, which Teddi wanted, but Edwin wouldn’t agree, until she pitched it by telling him that it was an emoji. Erika says, while Teddi ate a lot of Tums, she never used her pregnancy as an excuse for anything. Erika was freaked out more than Teddi was. Andy points out that the bunny is behind him, having made the trip to the Hamptons. Kyle says, it went to Bravocon and Watch What Happens Live in L.A.The bunny gets around. Andy says, the bunny is legendary, and asks if it’s LisaR’s go-to baby gift. LisaR says it is, and even though she acts like she’s not still upset about Kim giving it back to her, I think she is. She says the company went out of business though, so now she’ll have to get a different bunny. Zzzzzzz… What I said before about Denise. They talk about Teddi’s daughter Slate, and how she severed the tip of her finger when a door closed on it. Teddi says she put it on ice, and when she called 911, the first thing they told her was not to put it on ice. Good to know. She says she took it off, wrapped it in gauze, and put it in a Ziplock bag. She called several people, and Dr. Nassif met her at the ER. Andy asks if Teddi was as boring as Sutton thought she’d be, but Sutton doesn’t take the bait, and says she doesn’t think Teddi is boring.
Here it comes, in 3… 2… 1…
Andy says, Brandi dropped a bombshell that was like throwing a glass of wine at Denise. I guess he couldn’t come up with anything more clever, having pandemic brain. He says, the truth is everybody and anybody’s guess, and we flash back to all the Brandi bullsh*t. I shove cookies in my mouth. My husband decides to sit down and watch for a moment, and I tell him not to talk, and expect me to yell at the TV. Denise doesn’t even flinch as we stroll down Brandi’s Memory Lane. Andy says Denise claimed she barely knows Brandi, but Brandi showed the women a year’s worth of texts. There seemed to be a deeper connection. He asks if she has an explanation, and she says for every ten texts Brandi sent, she had one response. He asks if Denise has contacted Brandi, but Denise says she never did. Brandi was an acquaintance, and Denise was always nice to her. LisaR asks why Denise didn’t call Brandi from Rome, and Denise says Brandi isn’t a friend of hers. LisaR says Denise can’t keep lying, and Denise says LisaR can’t keep playing the same card in this game. She’s not friends with Brandi. Kyle says, not now. Andy says when Denise was asked about Brandi at Bravocon, she’d said they were friendly. We see a clip of Denise saying just that, and Denise says she had no reason to say anything negative. Andy is trying to discredit this, and it’s not cool. Andy says Denise called Brandi a friend. Will someone get that man a dictionary? Being friendly toward someone and being their friend are two different things. Denise says she didn’t, and they never socialized. With the exception of Garcelle, every single one of these twats twits asks, where is Brandi? and LisaR says, this is bullsh*t. Yes, it certainly is, and she heads the bull herd.
LisaR says Denise isn’t being upfront, and runs from the truth. Garcelle says LisaR didn’t like that Denise didn’t give her a satisfactory answer. Erika asks if Denise stopped Brandi from being at the reunion, and I say, she’s not on the show. Denise says, Brandi’s not on their show, and my husband marvels at my ESP abilities. Andy says there was a meeting, and they didn’t feel Brandi had anything else to add. After Brandi said she licked bleepity-bleep-bleep, there was nowhere else to go. They’d heard enough. What more was there to add? Denise says, they don’t know about the stuff Brandi sent her; it was so inappropriate. It was harassment. Dorit says if she was in this situation, she wouldn’t want to be around Brandi, and LisaR says Denise shouldn’t have done it. Denise says, done what? and LisaR says what she did with Brandi. Dorit says she believes Denise, but the problem is Denise giving them little bits, like when she said Brandi claimed to have slept with someone in the group. We flash back to that, and Kyle says it wasn’t her. I wonder why Kyle keeps assuming it was her, and again think if it’s anyone, it’s Kim. Andy asks why Denise wouldn’t say who it was, and Denise says, it’s not just one person. Brandi said there was one in the group, but also someone on the outside, who the group knows. She’s not saying who it is, and everyone – again minus Garcelle, since she’s actually a decent human – goes, say it! say it! like they’re five. Denise says it has nothing to do with her, and she doesn’t care what people think. She doesn’t give a sh*t. Kyle says, you can’t have a friendship without honesty. Andy asks, what about Denise talking sh*t about the women? and Denise says Brandi called her after she did Teddi’s podcast, and Denise said she thought Teddi was a sh*t stirrer. She never called Erika a cold bitch, but said Erika was condescending. She brought up LisaR, and Brandi asked why Denise’s friend had turned on her, and that was pretty much all she said. Teddi brings up how, in Denise’s interview, she said she’d called Teddi way worse things. Either say it and own up to it, or lie. Denise says, likewise, and beating a dead horse until it’s dead a second time, Andy asks what’s the worst thing Denise said about Teddi? Denise repeats, that Teddi is a sh*t stirrer, and LisaR says, after Rome, she said she didn’t like Teddi. Denise says the women are vicious, and LisaR says she thinks the cover-up is worse than the crime. Like this is some kind of high espionage and not a load of nonsense.
Next time, more rubbish. The cease and desist is discussed, Denise says don’t ask her husband questions they don’t want the answers to, and Denise is asked if she’s willing to show the text messages.
🎃 After this show, I had to watch Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Medea Halloween just to cleanse my mind. I was surprised to see the dude who played Brady in Too Close to Home in a blink-and-you-miss-him part.
👠 The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City debuts on November 11th. It looks promising, and I hope it’s not just another mean girl fest.
🙋🏻 She’s Gone, Girl…
Apparently, Denise has had enough. Will Garcelle honor her end of the pact?
Spinning the Dead off. Please, they picked the two people who have the least dialogue? If anyone deserves a spin-off, it’s Ezekiel, Eugene, and Princess.
For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m getting a haircut tomorrow. I haven’t been this excited about something since I got my last haircut, and thought someone would actually see it. Until RHONY reunites, stay safe, stay bold, and stay owning it better than LisaR.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
At the WSB Facility in Geneva, Dante does pushups. He flashes back to Dr. Kirk telling him that he wasn’t fully briefed on the operative, but it involves someone Dante knows, maybe family. Dante tells him, go to hell. He remembers asking Dr. Kirk, now that he’s willing to do the work, how long will it take? He doesn’t know how much of his family is still waiting for him. He throws a chair across the room. FYI, it’s a nicer room than the one he had.
Robert comes into the facility with Olivia, and the agent at the desk asks him to sign in. Olivia asks if the agent knows who he’s talking to. This is Robert Scorpio, the greatest agent in the history of the WSB. Robert says he’s sure the agent is too young to remember stuff like that, and the guy says he’ll notify Agent Wagner of their arrival. Olivia is nervous, as she pins on her ID tag. She thanks Robert for getting her in, and he says he hopes it works. She says, it’s got to. They need to remember what they said on the plane; think positive.
Lulu delivers some chicken parmigiana to Doc at the hospital. She says, she’s no chef, but it’s the recipe Olivia gave her when… Anyway, Dustin was supposed to come over, but got held up, and her mom was worried about how much Doc is working. He wonders if she’s campaigning for the world’s greatest stepdaughter, and she says she does have an ulterior motive. She’s wondering how long her mother is going to be staying in DC. Cyrus – who must sleep at the hospital now – comes by, and says he was wondering that himself.
Brando thanks Jason for finally believing he didn’t sabotage the motorcycle, even though it took a beating to convince him. Sam says, unless it was staged, and Brando asks if that’s what she thinks happened. She says, no. She thinks it happened like he said. Cyrus asked to help him, he refused, and Cyrus retaliated. Brando asks if he was that convincing, or is there something else behind her change of heart? Jason admits they were watching the garage, and Brando wonders if they were watching him. Jason says Brando told them Cyrus had come by, and it’s why they got there so fast. Brando supposes he should be grateful their surveillance worked.
At the MetroCourt, Valentin asks why Julian needs Martin so fast, and Julian says he wants to end his marriage to Nelle. Valentin is sure Julian isn’t the only one who wants to see the last of Nelle. Peter watches them from the doorway.
Alexis says, Neil died of a drug overdose? and Jordan says they’re not positive. She’s sure it’s a shock. The autopsy report… Alexis says, is wrong. Unless it was a fatal interaction between two medications Neil was taking. Jordan says, the drug in question is an opioid. Alexis asks if Jordan is telling her that Neil OD’d on opioids.
Valentin says, Nelle kidnapped Michael’s son, and Julian says, everyone is looking for her; he wants to separate himself as soon as possible. Valentin says, as her husband, he can’t be compelled to testify against Nelle, unless he’s charged as an accessory. Julian says he has no idea where Nelle is, and Valentin assumes the police and Sonny believe him, since he’s not in jail or worse. Julian says the sooner he gets ahold of Martin, the happier he’ll be. Valentin asks if he’s worried that Nelle is coming back, or that she’s not coming back.
Alexis tells Jordan, the medical examiner is wrong. She knows Neil wasn’t a drug addict. Jordan says it was just the preliminary report, and she’s sure they’ll know more when they get the final report. Dr. Meyer might change her conclusion, but if not, and they put it in context, they might figure out why it happened. Hadn’t Neil recently lost his medical license and position at the hospital? Alexis wonders if Jordan is asking if Neil was depressed. Of course (🍷) he was; who wouldn’t be?But he was able to process it. They’d been joking, and talking about the future. Jordan says she’s sorry she has to ask, but was it possible Neil was covering up his true feelings? Maybe the challenge of starting over was too much, and he took his own life.
Olivia repeats, positive, positive, to herself, and says, it’s not going to be easy. Robert says, it’s been months since Dante sent back a letter. He’s had time to reconsider. He’s there for a reason; to get better. She tells him, try explaining that to Ned. He just thinks she’s setting herself up for disappointment. He tells her not to buy into Ned’s concern, and she says he’s afraid she’ll get hurt again by being too vulnerable. He says, of course (🍷) she is. She’s a parent. When Robin was young, a tear or a smile would turn him into a mushy puss. He’s been that way since she was little. Olivia says he wouldn’t have it any other way, and Robert says, better to be vulnerable and feel something. It’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. She says Tennyson, and Robert says he learned it in school. It’s the only part he remembers. She says if she could pick one line, that would be the one to remember. He says, whatever Dante’s reaction, she’s not there to save the world. She says, just a tiny slice in Port Charles. The agent brings a man in, and says he’s Robert’s former colleague, Bryan Wagner. Robert says, and a great agent. Robert thanks him, and tells Olivia that Bryan is the interim head in Geneva, and the one who’s getting her in to see Dante. In the meantime, he has paperwork to do. He leaves, and Olivia says she can’t thank Bryan enough. He tells her, thank Robert. He must love her very much.
Cyrus tells Doc and Lulu that he has big plans for the hospital, and it would help to have the mayor’s input. When is she expected back? Doc says, she’s extended her trip, and he’s not sure when she’ll be back. Cyrus asks Doc to give her his regards when he speaks to her, and tells Lulu, always a pleasure. Is she there for a story? She says she’s there to drop off dinner to her stepfather, and Cyrus bets Doc wants him to improve the food in the cafeteria, but Doc says Cyrus would only try to poison him. Cyrus says, then Doc would have a reason to commit him, which he tried the last time they met. Doc says, if Cyrus fired him, he wouldn’t be the first. Lulu asks what Doc means, and Doc says, sorry. Cyrus made a staffing change and fired Monica and Bobbie. Lulu says, he did what? and Cyrus smiles.
Jason tells Brando, Sonny will worry about what happens next. While they can assume it was Cyrus who had Brando beat up, they have no proof, and there’s no proof Cyrus tampered with his motorcycle. Sonny will handle it when he’s ready. Until then, Brando will be protected. Brando says, good to know. Jason gets a text from Spinelli that says: Must talk, Your abode. Sam tells Brando to do what the doctor said, and don’t get up. Brando thanks them for scraping him up off the floor, and Jason says he owes Brando for saving Carly. Outside Brando’s room, Sam wonders if they should tell Sonny, but Jason says Sonny is with Mike. That’s more important, and Jason can fill him in later; it’s not urgent. If Cyrus wanted to break the truce, Brando would be dead. Sam says, Jason almost was, but he says, it was low risk operation, and Cyrus has deniability. Look how easily he took over GH. If they overreact, they’re playing his game. Sam says she’ll join him later. She has things to take care of first. They go their separate ways.
Julian says the cops think he might be helping Nelle, and Valentin says, is he? Julian says, no, and Valentin says he doesn’t see how seeing Martin quickly will help. He thinks Julian should stay married for now. Julian leaves, and Peter asks Valentin what Julian wanted. Valentin says, he was worried about Nelle. There seems to be a lot of that going around.
Alexis tells Jordan, Neil enjoyed his life. He enjoyed the opera, good food, good books, and even drag queen bingo karaoke. Last night they were talking about how much they were looking forward to the future. Does that sound depressed? Jordan says she’s just trying to understand, and Alexis says, so is she. Jordan asks if there’s a family history. Alexis says, Neil’s daughter took her own life, but before Jordan says ah-ha, while Neil was devastated, he used his experience to help other parents. Jordan thinks you never get over losing a child. Maybe Alexis was unaware of how much pain he was in. Was that possible? Alexis says, there was no sign that Neil would do anything drastic.There must be some other explanation. Jordan asks if it’s possible Alexis didn’t know Neil as well as she thought. When it’s something as insidious as drug use, those closest to the person sometimes don’t know anything.
Robert comes back, and says, the Bureau will never change. They could arrest three times as many people if not for the paperwork. Olivia says she’s deeply grateful, but also embarrassed. Robert’s friend seems to think Robert is in love with her. He laughs, and asks if Bryan said that. She asks if it’s so crazy, and he says any guy would find her irresistible. She says, nice save, Scorpio. Or should she say, James Bond? Dr. Kirk comes back in with Bryan, who says they have a problem, and introduces Dr. Kirk as Dante’s psychologist. Dr. Kirk says it’s not possible for them to see his patient.
Lulu tells Cyrus, Monica Quartermaine and Bobbie Spencer are vital to the hospital. He says, their actions left the hospital open to a malpractice suit, and it was the appropriate response to terminate their employment. His job isn’t to risk the head psychologist, one of his most valued assets, and the husband of their city’s most illustrious mayor. Doc asks if Cyrus is keeping him on as a favor to his wife, and Cyrus says he’d do anything to keep her happy. Doc’s phone rings, and he steps away. Lulu tells Cyrus that he’s too focused on her mother, and he says he has high hopes for a better relationship with her mother, and the rest of the family. I get a minute movie in my head of Laura saying she’s tired of her boring life, and wants to get back to her adventurous roots, then running off with Cyrus.
Jason goes to the apartment, and asks Spinelli, what’s going on? Spinelli says he has the vital evidence they need. Jason asks if he’s talking about the attack on Brando, but Spinelli says, it’s information incriminating Peter. Jason said they’d have to find proof even Maxie and Anna couldn’t deny, and they have it. From Peter, in his own words.
Brando tries to get up, but Sam comes back in, and tells him to lie down. He’s supposed to stay in bed. What was he thinking?
Julian sees Alexis at the hospital, and says she looks like she lost her best friend. Are the girls okay? She says, they’re fine, and he asks, who then?
Valentin asks Peter what the urgent phone call was about. Does he need help blowing up the world? Peter says, before Nelle took off, she disclosed private information, which, if it got to the wrong person, he could be a dead man. Valentin says, the wrong person being Jason.
Spinelli tells Jason, he encountered Nelle in the hours before she abducted Wiley. In retrospect, it was probably to divert his attention at the time, but he’s grateful for the information. Jason says, what information? and Spinelli says Shiloh confided to Nelle that Peter was involved in Drew’s abduction in Afghanistan, and leveraged the information. Jason says, that’s why Peter was on the pier with a bag of cash. Anything else? Spinelli says if Peter was willing to break Shiloh out, he could have sabotaged Drew’s plane, and engineered Franco and Andre’s attack. Jason asks, what about evidence? Spinelli says Maxie believes Peter is sincerely reformed, but what Nelle told him confirms they’re on the right path to proving he’s a liar. Jason asks if he has proof in Peter’s own words, and Spinelli says, exactamundo. Before he could complete the task of removing the camera in the garage, Maxie and Peter came in. Maxie had to leave, and he confronted Peter. Peter refuted his accusations, and he pretended to be cowed and slunk away, leaving Peter with the camera on. Peter obligingly incriminated himself, and Spinelli has the footage. They look at Peter on the phone.
Sam says, next time, she’ll let Brando fall on his face. He asks if she came back to lecture him, and she says she came to apologize. She’s sorry for accusing him of sabotaging Jason’s bike. He says he understands her suspicions, but wishes she’d taken the time to get to know him better. She says, it’s easy; he’s so transparent. He says if he’d lived his life like her, he’d be warm and cuddly too, and she asks, what makes him think he knows what kind of life she’s lived? He says, tell him.
Robert tells Dr. Kirk that he arranged for clearance, but the doctor says, right now, it’s not safe for Dante to have visitors. Olivia says she’s not a visitor; she’s his mother. Dr. Kirk says Dante feels he can’t control his actions, and would be a danger to family and friends; they could be a huge trigger. Olivia says she understands Dante wanting to protect her, but he’s wrong. He could never hurt her, but she can’t prove it unless she sees him face to face. Robert says, she has a point, and Dr. Kirk says, since she has clearance, he’ll allow access, but it’s up to Dante if he wants to see her. Olivia says she understands, and the doctor says, this way, and leads them to Dante’s room.
Lulu says Cyrus doesn’t know a damn thing about her family, but he says, on the contrary. He’s done his research, and Lulu and her mother have a lot of similarities. They were both impulsive in their youth, and couldn’t be contained. They were attracted to men with a thirst for danger, and tagged along on one adventure to the next, until the adventures stopped. Then they settled down. Lulu says she grew up. What’s his point? He says he’s fascinated with people who transform their lives and run away from their past. Tell him. Does she ever miss her old life?
Olivia tells the doctor, it’s not the first time Dante has tried to protect her. She tells him about Dante being undercover, and Dante hears them outside the door. Dr. Kirk tells her to wait. He’ll see if Dante will accept a visit.
Dr. Kirk goes into Dante’s room, and says his mother is out there. Dante says he heard her voice, and the doctor says she wants to see him. Dante wonders how she got access, and Dr. Kirk says, she knows living legend Robert Scorpio. Dante says, that’s his mother, and the doctor asks if he wants to see her. Does he feel like he’s sufficiently in control? Dante hears, complete the mission… complete the mission, in his head.
Lulu tells Cyrus that he got his details scrambled regarding her and her mother’s adventures. They didn’t tag along; certainly not her mother. Her mother was the dangerous one, which he’d do well to remember. Doc comes back, and says one of his colleagues has passed away. Cyrus asks if it was someone on the hospital staff, and Doc says, not since Cyrus took over. Cyrus gives Doc his condolences, and says he’ll give them privacy. He tells Lulu, if she’s ever so inclined, he wouldn’t say no to a home cooked meal. Cyrus reminds me of Richard III, and how he tries to romance Lady Anne right after he’s murdered her husband and father-in-law.
Sam tells Brando, before she was a P.I. and before she met Jason and became a mom, she chose a different lifestyle. He asks if she was a circus juggler or a game show host, and she says she was a con artist. He laughs, and says that’s better than what he could come up with. She says she’s serious, and he asks how she got into that. She says she had her reasons, and convinced herself they were good ones. They’re decent people, but their past is still a part of them. She says she’s bad at this, but she’s saying she’s sorry. She didn’t mean to judge him about trying to sabotage Jason’s bike, or what went down with Molly. He accepts her apology, and she thanks him, but she needs him to stay in bed. He has to get better fast. He’s Sonny’s investment, and they don’t want to disappoint him. He thanks her again.
Julian wonders if Neil turned to drugs because of his interference, and Alexis says it figures Julian would make it about him. He suggests she didn’t know Neil as well as she thought, but she says, Neil wasn’t battling any demons. Jordan comes out with the medical examiner, and says she’ll let Julian know when there’s any news about Nelle. Alexis says she’d like to know if Dr. Meyer still believes Neil died of an OD, and the doctor says she found the puncture wound where Neil was injected.
Olivia wonders what’s taking so long. What’s the doctor saying? Dr. Kirk comes out, and says he’s sorry, but Dante refuses to let her visit. He doesn’t think it’s safe. Olivia says, he’s wrong, but he says, Dante is the best judge of his own feelings. He’s made the decision; sorry. He’ll show them out. She says, the hell he will. She storms to the door, and tries to open it, but it’s locked. She says, this is his mother. Open this door. Dante Angelo Falconari, open the door. She knows he’s trying to protect her; that’s the kind of person he is. Concerned about other people, and always trying to do the right thing. Dante goes to the door, and she says she wishes she could say she taught him that, but it came from inside of him. It was there on the day he was born. She was just blown away at this perfect person she brought into this world, and he is. She cries, and says he’s perfect, and she loves him the way he is. Dante sits against the door on the other side, and she says, love is stronger than fear, and stronger than PTSD; stronger than this door. She bangs on it, and says, sweetheart, just listen. He’s got to trust her. Just open the door. Let her see his face. Let her tell him how much she loves him. She cries, and slides down the door, and Dante looks like he has a headache, sitting with his head in his hands.
Alexis asks Dr. Meyer if the injection was voluntary. Was it self-administered, or could it have been an attack? The medical examiner says, there were no defensive injuries, but Alexis doesn’t believe it. She says no way the man she knew took his own life. Not in her house, and in her bed. They’ve made a mistake, and she’s going to prove it. Julian says he’ll take her home, and follows her out.
Doc tells Lulu that Neil was a respected colleague. Neil turned over his patient files to him just last night. That’s another reason he wants to stay at GH, although a side of him wishes Cyrus would fire him like Monica and Bobbie. Sam comes by, and asks what they’re talking about. Lulu says they were talking about how Cyrus’s first order of business was to fire the Chief of Staff and the Head Nursing Administrator. Sam says, that’s… Lulu says, awful? Despicable? All of the above? Sam says she’s sorry, and jets.
After presumably looking at the video, Jason tells Spinelli, he doesn’t think it’s enough, but it’s a start. They need to track down the person on the other end of the call; either a confident or an accomplice. He knows Spinelli is worried about Maxie, but they can’t rush it. Their goal is to get hard evidence. He tells Spinelli, once they have it, they can move, and Spinelli leaves.
Valentin tells Peter, Jason is a dangerous man, and Peter says he knows that. Valentin says Jason shot Peter’s father, and holds a grudge. Peter held him hostage for five years. Peter says he saved Jason’s life, and Valentin says, and Anna saved Peter’s life. He’d be dead if she hadn’t intervened. Peter says, the point is, Nelle made incriminating allegations to Spinelli. He asks if Valentin will help him, and Valentin says, of course (🍷). It’s the least he can do after delivering Peter to his father to raise, and it’s the better option, being essential to Maxie and Anna’s happiness. But how do they do it? Bridge the gap from a past as dark as Peter’s, with the man who sits before him.
Olivia sits on the floor, and cries. Robert says, let’s go, and helps her up. She tells Dante, sweetheart, I love you, and know you’re going to get better. I know you’re coming home, and we’ll all be waiting. Take it easy. They leave, and Dante is super bummed.
Olivia tells Robert, her son doesn’t want her because he thinks he’s a danger, but he knows that when he’s ready to come home, there will be someone waiting who trusts him. One of these days he’ll be ready. It’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. Robert says he’ll book a flight back, but she says, no. They have Holly’s memorial; that’s more important. They made a pact. He supported her with Dante, and she’s going to support him with Holly. End of story. They made a bargain, and now it’s her turn. She couldn’t help her son, but she can help him with Holly. They’ll put one foot in front of the other, and the next step is going to Holly’s memorial together.
Dr. Kirk goes into Dante’s room, and Dante asks if his mother is gone. The doctor says, it couldn’t have been easy, but Dante says, it’s not safe for him to see her. He has to do the work first before he faces his family. The doctor says he admires that Dante wants to do the work, instead of taking the operative that would have been his shortcut home.
Doc tells Lulu, the more he experiences Cyrus, the more he needs a shower. She says she’s glad her mom’s not there to see Cyrus do his victory lap, and Doc says Cyrus has an odd affinity for his wife. Lulu says, and their family.
Valentin says Peter has to prove to Maxie and Anna that he’s worth loving. Be the man they think he is, and keep them close. Peter says, and Jason? Valentin says he won’t know about their conversation. They’ll go their separate ways, and he’ll do what he can to keep Jason from destroying Peter.
Sam gets back home, and asks Jason where Spinelli is. Jason says he sent Spinelli home, and she asks if he had anything they can use against Cyrus. He says, not yet, but they’re closer to a link between Peter and Shiloh. She asks what that means, and he says, nothing much yet. What about her unfinished business? She says she thought she owed Brando an apology for accusing him of sabotaging Jason’s bike. While she was at the hospital, she ran into Lulu and Doc. They told her that Cyrus fired Bobbie and his mother. This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t been able to take over GH. Go ahead and say it. He thinks it’s her fault.
A nurse brings flowers into Brando’s room, and he says, that’s a first. No one ever sent him flowers before. The nurse gives him the card, and says, enjoy. He reads, Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Let me know if I can be of assistance. Cyrus.
Julian helps Alexis look through the bedroom. She says, no evidence of self-injection. He looks under the bed, and finds a syringe. He tells Alexis, sorry.
Cyrus is reading at home, when there’s a knock at the door. It’s Jordan, who asks why he murdered Neil.
Next time, Alexis says she fell for a better liar than Julian, Sam says Bobbie and Monica are paying the price for her actions, Jordan asks Cyrus if her services are no longer needed, and Brick wonders if Carly is asking him to stop. She says, not a chance.
The Haves and The Have Nots
At the Cryer residence, a cop asks if Hanna recognizes Derrick. He said he works there. She says she doesn’t want to talk to him, and Derrick says, tell them… The cop says, sir… and Derrick insists he works there. He’s supposed to be there. Jim asked him to come and board up the door. He has the materials in the trunk. He asks Hanna to tell them, and she says she doesn’t know if he talked to Jim. He asks if she thinks he’s a liar, and she asks if he really wants her to talk about who he is. He asks the cop to please call Jim, but another cop says, there’s no need. They just confirmed it; uncuff him. He says Derrick can board up the door now, but Derrick says he doesn’t need to. He’ll just fix the locks and door jamb. The first cop asks if Hanna can show them what’s missing, which makes no sense, since she can’t show them anything if it’s missing. He says, the bedroom and master seem to be the only places, and they go upstairs.
They go into Kathryn’s closet, and Hanna says Kathryn had way more jewelry. Everything is gone. Kathryn’s car keys are gone, and she didn’t see one of the cars out front. The cop asks if she knows the make and model, but all she knows is that it’s a Mercedes. He asks if she can get the information and make a report, and she says, absolutely, jotting down some notes.
Candace calls Benny, and says Hanna is gone. She’s sitting outside, and wants to be gone before Hanna gets back. Benny says he’s supposed to meet Mitch, but he’ll come. She tells him, hurry up please.
Hanna gives the officer what she’s written down, and says, it’s all she knows. She asks if he’d mind walking her to her car. Outside, David sees Hanna, but she keeps walking. He asks if she doesn’t hear him, and she says she’s ignoring him. He says he’s just trying to find out what happened, and she says, it’s none of his business, but he says the Cryers are friends of his; it is his business. Jim asked him to come. She says she doesn’t answer to Jim or David, and he says if she thinks she’s working for Kathryn, and not working for Jim, she’s wrong. The two of them will always be together. Be careful about taking sides. She tells him, leave her alone, and he says just tell him what’s missing. She says, ask the police, but he says they won’t tell him. He tells her, she needs to call Jim; it’s his house. She says she doesn’t owe Jim a damn thing. She gets in her car and drives off, and David goes inside.
At the station, Officer Miller is taken out on a stretcher. Vinny tries to chat up the desk sergeant, and she asks him to show some respect. He doesn’t think she gets it, and asks if she’s suicidal. Another officer comes out and says she’s not. Vinny says cops around there are under pressure, but the officer says she’s fine, and takes her place at the desk. Vinny asks where his mother is, and the officer asks if he can take Vinny back, but Vinny says, no; bring her out. The officer says he has to call the chief, but Vinny says, just bring her out. Hurry up, and don’t make her nervous. He says, one more thing. If his mother has one hair out of place… The officer says, she’s fine. They got her a nice chair. Vinny says, a nice chair in prison. All right. Tell her Vinny is there. The officer goes in the back.
He unlocks Rose’s cell, saying, Miss Malone? and she says, call her Mama Rose. He says her sons are out there, and she says she thought so. He says he’s working as fast as he can to get her out. Is there anything else he can get her? She asks what happened to the officer who arrested her? Tell Mamma Rose. He says, the officer attempted to commit suicide, and she says, how sad. He says, it is, and she tells him, keep her posted. He says he will, adding that he has to call the chief and ell him. She says, he didn’t tell the chief she’s there? and he says, sorry. She asks, why not? and he says, the chief gets pissed if they call after hours. She says, if he knew it was about her, he wouldn’t get pissed. Call and tell him that she asked about Ashley, and how she’s doing in college. He says he will, and she says, do it now. As he starts to leave, she says, and son, relax… but not too much. He closes the cell door.
Kathryn asks if that’s what Mama Rose does; threaten and bully. Rose says, yes, but she’s so much better at it than Kathryn. Kathryn laughs, and says, is that right? Okay. Rose asks what Kathryn means, and Kathryn says, when she gets out, she’ll show her. Rose says Kathryn will never get out, but Kathryn says, darling, you have no idea how resourceful I am. Rose asks how Kathryn’s daughter is, and Kathryn says, say what? Rose says, her daughter. She’s the one who committed suicide, isn’t she? Why doesn’t Kathryn do the same? Kathryn says she’s waiting for Rose. Rose says, Kathryn’s bastard son caused her heartache when he killed that little girl. She was just wondering what it would be like for Kathryn to be in the same cell with one of the girl’s family members. Kathryn says, don’t threaten her, but Rose says she’s not threatening, just wondering… Kathryn says she’s just telling Rose not to threaten her. Rose says, yes, ma’am. Kathryn says she might be behind bars, but she has a far reach. Rose says, why not reach for the keys? Kathryn wanted to know how her son was. He’s dead. Kathryn says if she finds out anything happened to her son, that will be the end of her reign, and Rose says, at least Kathryn knows she reigns. Kathryn says, don’t forget who’s queen, and Rose asks if Kathryn is the one tilting the throne. Kathryn says, is that what Rose calls it? Okay. She lies down, and laughs.
At the Iron Bone, Mitch’s phone rings. Benny tells him, Candace is locked out. He’s going to open the door for her, then he’ll be there. Sandy comes in, and asks for a double whiskey, neat. Mitch asks what the hell is wrong with him? and Sandy says, Uncle Vinny shot him. Mitch asks, who? and Sandy says, the officer who arrested Mama Rose. He was going off, and Vinny took out a gun and shot him in the police station. Mitch asks if Vinny was arrested, but Sandy says, no; it was crazy. Mitch wonders how they could not arrest Vinny, and Sandy says, another cop was there. He was scared to death, and Vinny told him the cop shot himself. Mitch asks if Vinny killed him, but Sandy doesn’t know. Mitch says, son of a bitch Vinny. Sandy says he’s going to be sick, and Mitch asks, what for? Sandy says he’s never seen that, and Mitch says Sandy acts like a big man, always wanting to run the family. Sandy says, that was insane, and Mitch says, call it what he wants. Does he think Vinny is going to jail? Mitch says, he probably should, and Sandy says he didn’t pull the trigger, but he was there. He’ll get through this, right? Mitch says he doesn’t get involved in the family business, but Sandy is going to have to handle it. Stuff like that happens all the time. Sandy wants another drink, and takes the bottle from the bartender. He tells Mitch, the kid was young, like 22. Mitch says, it’s a shame, but that stuff happens; it’s part of the game. Sandy drinks another shot, and walks away.
Jeffrey sees Justin waiting outside Madison’s apartment, and Justin asks what the hell Jeffrey is doing there. Jeffrey says Madison called him; what the hell is Justin doing there? He tells Justin, he’s there to see his man, and Justin says, Jeffrey and Madison are seeing each other now? Jeffrey says, stop this, and Justin asks if Jeffrey is just going to leave him like this, but Jeffrey says he was never with Justin. Justin says he can be better, and Jeffrey tells him, leave now. Justin says his brother came to see him, and threatened him. Jeffrey shakes his head, and Justin says he doesn’t know if he’s going to make it, between his family and Jeffrey’s mother. He doesn’t have anything. Jeffrey knocks on Madison’s door, and Justin says he’s just going in there with Madison? Seriously, what is up with Justin that he can’t take a hint? Madison comes out, and Jeffrey puts his arm around him. Madison says, Justin is still there, and asks Jeffrey if he wants to come in. Jeffrey starts to follow Madison, when Justin grabs his arm, saying, please, don’t. Jeffrey shakes him off, and says, stop it. Madison waves, and says, byieeee!
Inside, Madison asks if Jeffrey feels sorry for Justin. Jeffrey says he does, and Madison says, that’s because Jeffrey is a good person. Justin is something bad waiting to happen. Jeffrey wonder how long Justin has been out there, and says he’s spending the night. Madison says, the morning, and Jeffrey realizes it’s 2 am. He says he’ll sleep on the couch in case Madison needs protection. Madison asks if Jeffrey can’t protect him from his bed. He has to be at work in a few hours though, so let him rest. Jeffrey says he’ll try, and asks if Madison is really leaving Justin out there. Madison says, you can’t help everybody. Jeffrey says he knows, and they go into the bedroom.
David calls Jim and asks what Jim would like him to do. Jim thanks him, saying he knows it’s late. David says they’ve been praying for this for a long time, and Jim says he doesn’t know why David puts up with her. David says he asks himself that at least once a month. Jim says, is that all? Sorry. He knows he’s an ass. David says he knows too, and Jim says, very funny. David tells Jim that Hanna was there, and Jim says, Kathryn has her on the alarm call list. He asks what Hanna said, but David says she wouldn’t tell him a thing. She can be a bit of a bitch. She’s a nice woman and all, until she’s pushed. Jim says he’ll need David’s help later to find his son before he does something stupid again. David says he’ll try now, but Jim says, get some rest. Wyatt stole his car, and he’ll have it tracked in a few hours. Wyatt won’t be able to pawn anything until 10. He thanks David again.
Benny pulls up to Hanna’s house, where Candace sits on the stoop. She says, finally, and Benny asks if Hanna is there. Candace says, she’s gone, and Benny lets her in. She thanks him, and he asks where she’s going this late. She tells him, a hotel, and he says he’s meeting Mitch to talk about Derrick. She asks, why not wait until morning? but Benny tells her, the internet said he killed a man. She says she told him that she doesn’t think it’s the same guy, but what if Mitch gets more information? Benny asks if Mitch can do that, and she says, the Malones can do anything. Candace says she’s going to get her stuff, and he asks what if Hanna comes back. Hanna appears, and says she’s already back. Why are they there? She told them to get out. Benny tries to show her the picture from the internet, but she won’t look. She says they just steal that man’s money after everything Kathryn has done. She’s been good to them. Benny says Kathryn’s son hit him, and Hanna asks if he’s stealing his payday. He says he’s not going unless they talk, but Hanna says she’ll have his ass dragged out of there, like they did to her in that damn bar. Benny says it was for her own good, and she asks what he knows about anyone’s own good. He sounds like his sister. He says he just wants to ask her a question, and she says, keep disrespecting and disregarding her request. She gets out her phone, and says she needs the police. Benny asks if Derrick raped her, and she says, this is what he’s going to do? Candace says she told him that wasn’t the guy, and Hanna asks why he thinks that. Candace says her generation uses this thing called the internet, and Benny asks what he did to her. He looked it up, and the dude raped her. He tries to show her the picture again, and she says she didn’t say that. Benny says he’ll find out, and Hanna asks where he’s going. He says she wants him out of there; what does it matter? He leaves, and Hanna tells Candace, see? All this is her fault. Get her things and get out. After everything they’ve been through, Hanna thought Candace would do the right thing. All her hopes and prayers… Candace says, it’s millions, but Hanna says, it’s not hers. Candace says, it is now, but Hanna says she’s never going to get it. Her brother is going to get hurt. Candace says Mitch will take care of it, and Hanna asks, how? Candace says, he’ll throw Benny off. Make him take a look at someone else, not Derrick. Hanna tells her to get her stuff and get out.
In bed with a guy, Veronica says, it’s what she’s been missing. We see it’s David, and he says he’s missed her; he loves her so much. She says she loves him too. Why are they going through all this? He says he’s sorry he hit her, and she says she’s sorry for what she did to hm. She loves him, and he says he wants to stay with her forever. She asks if he promises, and tells him to hold her like he used to all night. They spoon, and he asks if he told her that he was in love with Hanna. Suddenly David is gone, and Veronica cries. I don’t think we’ve ever seen her cry in all these years. I almost feel sorry for her. Almost.
Sandy tells Mitch, it was insane. Benny comes in, and Sandy says, you’ve got to be kidding. Vinny is coming back; Benny can’t be there. Mitch tells Sandy, shut up. Benny asks, what’s going on? and Mitch says he did some research. He has a cousin Louise who works in county records, and she got access somehow. Benny asks what Mitch found, and Mitch says the records were mixed up. It’s not Derrick; they’re two different guys. He shows Benny a picture, and Benny says, good. He was about to kill Derrick. Mitch says he’s got to let it go. Benny asks why all that’s on the internet, and Mitch says, Benny knows how it is. This is the most real government issued background check. He says Benny’s got the wrong dude, and Benny thanks him. Mitch says he should lay off; pick his battles. Mitch wants to keep Hanna out of there. Mama Rose walks in with her boys, and Benny leaves.
Sandy says, what the hell? He told Mitch. Mitch says, shut up, and Rose tells them all to shut up. Mitch asks how she is, and she says, tired. He says it’s good to see her, and she says, same here, and hugs him. He says he loves her, and she says she loves him too. He asks if he can do anything for her, and she asks if he’s coming in. He looks at Vinny, and he says, nah; he can’t. She says, okay, then do something for her – leave. They have family business to discuss. He says, yes, mama, and Sandy says, don’t bring the Black back here. Mitch tells Sandy, watch his mouth in front of grandma, calling him a racist POS. Vinny tells Mitch, go, and Sandy asks how Mama Rose is doing. She says, she’s okay, and asks why he left the station. He says he had to get back to the bar. Rose says she heard he couldn’t handle it, and folded. Vinny says he did what he had to do. They can’t be disrespected in this town. He needs thicker skin. Rose says, two things. She’s tired, and thinks it’s time she joined their uncle in Florida. Tonight, Vinny proved he can run the business. It’s in his hands now. He thanks her, and she says, keep it going; keep the pressure on. He says he will, and she tells him, take her home. She needs to sleep. She stinks of jail. They’re about to leave, and she says, wait; she almost forgot. Kathryn Cryer was in the cell next to her. They paid to keep their son alive? Vinny says, true, and she says, $75,000? Vinny says, no; $50,000. She says, Kathryn said 75, but Rose said she wanted a million. Vinny laughs, and Rose says, that bitch wants to go to war with her? Find him and keep him until she gets her money. She gave Kathryn 24 hours.
Wyatt pulls up in front of a house, and a dude says, bro, what you need? Another asks if he’s a cop, and Wyatt says, with a car like this? Dude tells him, he says, it ain’t like cops don’t drive a nice car. Wyatt asks what he’s got, and dude asks if he has money Wyatt says he’s got jewelry; a nice watch. Dude says he’s not going shopping, and calls his friend over to check it out. Wyatt hands over the watch, and the second guy says, it’s cheap, but Wyatt says, it’s worth $45K. Dude pockets the watch, and says the only place they take jewelry in the middle of the night is the Iron Bone. Wyatt says he can’t go there, and asks dude to give him something. Dude says he can’t do that here. He tells his friend, that man says he wants drugs, and he’s got nothing but jewelry. A girl comes up to the car, and says, hey. Wyatt asks what she’s got, and she says she’s got what he needs. She asks to see the ring he’s holding, and says, damn. She gives him something, but he says, it’s not enough. She says she can get the rest. Let’s go for a drive. Wyatt gets out, and lets her get in the driver’s seat.
Candace brings down her suitcase, and tells Benny, this is it. Benny says, packed and ready to go. He asks where she’s going, and she thinks Atlanta. She’ll let him know when she’s settled. He says he’ll miss her, and she says she’ll miss him too. It’s a helluva start. He thanks her, and she thanks him, saying she means it. They’ve been through crap, and he feels her. He says she’s been there for him, and he appreciates it. She tells him that she loves him, and says, it’s not going sit well with mama. He says he knows. She asks where he’s going, and he says, a little place. Maybe he’ll buy it outright, in his name. He’ll get a tow truck, and get back in the grind with Mitch. She says, if Jim bothers him, let her know; he’s scared to death of the Malones. Be safe.
They walk out, and Derrick is waiting. Benny asks what the hell he’s doing there, and Derrick says he came by to talk to Hanna. Benny says, she’s not there, and asks what the hell Derrick did to her. He says that’s between him and Hanna. Candace says, and her apparently, and Derrick says, and her. Benny asks what they’re talking about, and Derrick asks to speak to Candace. Benny asks, what’s going on? but Candace says she doesn’t know. Derrick says, please, and she asks Benny to give them a second. He heads for his truck, and says, five minutes. Candace says she’ll give Derrick three. Derrick tells her that he had a drug problem as a teenager… when he did that to her mother. He’s regretted it every day since. He didn’t know anything about Candace, and he’s so sorry. He’s a much better man now. He’s not that little boy anymore. He’s so sorry, and he wanted her to know that. She says, okay, and he asks if there’s anything she wants to say to him. She says, yes, and he readies himself. She says, goodbye, and he says, okay. Sorry. She walks over to Benny.
Benny asks what that was about, and Candace says she hopes she can get a flight. She gets in the truck.
Vinny tells Sandy that he knows it was a lot for him to see. He got to know how the business rolls. Sandy says he gets it now, and Vinny says he’s is in charge. He’ll be doing things different. He needs to turn up the heat. Sandy asks what he’s thinking about, and Vinny says, the Cryer kid. He paid $50K. There’s something about that… Mama Rose said she thought it was $75K, but he got $50K. Mama wants her money, and they’ve got to get it. She also wants someone in a cell; a family member of the Castille kid. They see Wyatt come in, and Sandy says, you’ve got to be kidding. He wonders if he’s seeing things, but Vinny says he’s not. They just got a gift.
Next time, Vinny talks to Wyatt, Jim wants to know where his son is, Kathryn says no one is more ruthless than her, Jeffrey tells Justin to just leave him alone (for the five millionth time), and Vinny tells Sandy to kill Wyatt.
🌃 Another Late Night…
Saving the tea, and saying goodnight. May you stay safe, stay dazzling, and stay in Mama Rose’s good graces.
one life(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Today’s GH was from April 14th, 2020. If it was Friends, it would be called The One Where Violet Has a Birthday Party.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Jess comes out of the water, and says her heart is palpitating bad. She sits, and Alex goes to get her some water. The brood of vipers Malia tells her to take deep breaths, and suggests a hot shower. Jess stands under the guest shower on deck, and Malia calls Captain Sandy, saying, there’s a medical issue with Jess; she’s having heart palpitations. The captain tells Malia to have Jess come see her. Rob asks if Jess is okay, and she asks if he’ll walk with her to the shower. he tells her everything is going to be okay.
At the O Beach closing party in Ibiza, Michelle straddles Aesha, pouring something from a plastic cup into Aesha’s mouth. In her interview, Aesha says Michelle has been trying to do everything to get alcohol in her. She’s not resisting much, but Michelle is strong.
Tom asks, what’s wrong with Jess? and Bugs says, she’s not feeling well. Rob tells Jess, clearly what he said made her anxious, and she’s putting on a show. A-hole. Jess gets dressed, and Captain Sandy calls her to the bridge to check things out. Jess tells her about the heart palpitations, and says that it freaked her out. She’s never had that before, but feels better now. The captain takes Jess’s blood pressure, and says she takes her own every day. She tells Jess, it’s 154/102. She’s not sure about the numbers, so she texts a friend who’s a cardiologist. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she had that issue, and the end result was a heart attack. She says, as captain, she wants to stay on this, and make sure Jess is okay. Jess says heart disease runs in her family, and the captain says, hers too; both of her parents died from heart attacks. In her interview, Captain Sandy says she was in a cycle class when it happened. She gets a text back, and her friend says Jess’s blood pressure is not that bad. Jess says she feels fine now. She thinks riding the jet ski was too much, and Captain Sand tells her to go and rest. Alex asks if Jess is feeling better. In Jess’s interview, she says the relationship is taking a physical toll on her. Her worst fear is to be completely vulnerable, fall in love, and have it deteriorate. She tells Rob that she’s going to lie down.
In Ibiza, acrobats fling themselves in the air, while dancing girls with headdresses shimmy through the crowd. Michelle puts her crotch in Johnny’s face, and in Aesha’s interview, she says, Johnny is f***ed. Back at the boat, Bugs puts up string lights, and decorates the table for the Great Gatsby themed dinner. She asks if Captain Sandy is joining the guests, and the captain says she is. Aesha radios, saying the guests are ready to come back, and Bugs tells Malia, who bangs her head on the ceiling getting out of her bunk. No surprise, I laugh. Bugs attaches sparkly suspenders to Alex’s pants, and discusses the menu with Tom. Alex picks up the guests, and Michelle says they need to make their way back to Great Gatsby. Johnny makes an attempt to bat at some balls Alex is throwing, and strikes out twice, but gets a hit on the third try. In his interview, Alex says Johnny is in a good state of mind. He’s wasted. Johnny says he’s the best two strike hitter in baseball.
The crew gets ready, the deckhands and Malia in sparkly suspenders with bowler hats, and the stews in flapper outfits. Bugs tells Jess that she doesn’t have to be on service, but Jess says, it’s okay. Alex takes a picture of Bugs, and tells her the table looks great. The guests get ready.
Tom puts an apron on Malia that has a picture of cats and says Mallorca on it. Why? Michelle says, the tablescape is out of this world, and Johnny toasts in Spanish, saying, health, love, money; long time the tree of fruit. He announces that kids are easier than dogs, since you can’t take dogs everywhere like you can with kids. Um… never mind. In Tom’s interview, he says, in the galley, you try to do everything right, so if the guests don’t like it, it’s hard because you’ve invested yourself. You want to wow people, and that’s what hurts. Bugs brings Johnny’s steak back to be cooked a little more, and I guess Tom must be hurting. Upon return though, Johnny pronounces it perfect. Michelle says the food is fabulous, and even Captain Sandy says it’s delicious. The captain asks if the food is hot, and Johnny squeezes Michelle’s boob. I’m not sure what that means. Is that a yes? Malia tells Rob that he can turn in early and get an extra hour. Jess says she’s on early shift too, and they cuddle. Jess is worried about how much things have been changing in the last few days. He says he’s sorry about today, and she says, her too. Aesha calls Bugs a sh*t stain, and says it’s a term of endearment, but Bugs isn’t so sure. In Aesha’s interview, she says she doesn’t see bantering much with this group. Johnny, Michelle, and Adena (the one who got drunk and hurt herself last week) dance on the couches. Michelle yells, Ibiza! for no particular reason. Aesha says, they’re so fun, and the guests toddle off to bed at around 2:30 am. Johnny lingers on deck, and finally goes to the cabin. He tells Michelle, they do need not to have more babies [sic].
The early shift is up at 7 am, except for Rob. Jess tells him, it’s 7:20, and he ends up being 23 minutes late. He asks if Alex is pissed off, and apologizes, but Alex says it’s okay. In Rob’s interview, he says, it’s not okay, because it transfers to someone else’s hours of rest time. Malia sees Jess and Rob kissing, but keeps walking. Jess does the breakfast table, and Malia grumbles, the boat looks like sh*t. Rob gets coffee, and Malia radios him, saying, seriously? What the hell? She tells him that she doesn’t want to come out and see him and Jess kissing when things aren’t done. The boat looks like absolute sh*t, and he’s asking for coffee.
Malia rants that the morning is the most critical time, so they can prep the area before the guests get up. She points out various chores on a list hanging up, and says the morning people have to bust ass. In Rob’s interview, he says he knows better, but got totally lost in his romance with Jess. He’s not thinking clearly. Tom cooks breakfast, and Bugs tells Jess that the table is pretty. Jess says she’s feeling better, and Bugs says the laundry is looking great too. In Bugs’s interview, she says, the more time you invest in someone, the better they do. She’s happy she’s taken the time with Jess. She tells Jess that she’s doing really, really well. In his interview, Rob says, there’s a lot of sh*t with him and Jess, and it’s affecting his work. It’s not okay. Bugs tells Captain Sandy that Jess is doing great this charter.
The captain calls Jess to the bridge, and says she sees her clothes hanging in her closet. She thanks Jess, and tells her that Bugs says she’s killing it. Jess thinks she was never allowed the time to do her job effectively, and now she’s realizing it. in her interview, she says a compliment from Bugs and Captain Sandy. Did she die today? She tells Malia that the captain called her up for a compliment. Rob hears, and asks if it’s her first one, and congratulates her. Jess admits the structure is better, and in her interview, says she’s doing better at her job, but her relationship is getting worse. Alex asks Bugs for coffee, and she says, a special treat for a special boy. Johnny says he slept too good on the boat. The guests are just getting to breakfast, and it’s an hour before they disembark.
Jess asks Rob if he’s in his head, and he says he doesn’t want to think too much anymore with them. They should understand one another. Jess says she won’t ask anymore, so don’t think she’s ignoring him. The guests pack, and the captain gets ready to dock. Rob keeps missing throwing the stern line out. In Malia’s interview, she says, it’s like amateur hour. Losing the stern line is a disaster.
In her interview, Malia says they’re docking terribly, and are going to look like absolute fools. Malia tells Rob to do it quickly, and in her interview, she says, Rob is killing her. She tells him, it’s not locked off, and he finally gets it. Malia tells Bugs, she’s about to lose her effing mind. Rob says, everyone is allowed to make mistakes; it’s a bit rude. Malia tells Alex, from now on, she needs him on whichever side is critical.
It’s time for the guests to say goodbye. Johnny says, it was incredible, and Michelle says the food and service were amazing. The last charter was good, but this was way better. Johnny gives the captain the tip envelope, and the guests leave. Captain Sandy tells the crew to get out of their whites, and into their reds. Malia wants to talk to Rob, and tells him that the stern is super critical when they’re coming in. Once is a mistake, but he did it three times. Then they had to hustle, correcting the time he took with the line. In his interview, Rob says he’s trying to be present in the situation with both Jess and the boat, and needs to compartmentalize better. While they’re cleaning the cabins, Jess asks what happened with Aesha’s last relationship? and Aesha says, it was the same situation as Jess is in. It had been years since she’d had a boyfriend. We flash back to her and Jack, and she tells Jess, when they got back, Jack went back to his ex. Jess asks if they were at the I love you stage, but Aesha says they weren’t even at the sex stage. In Jess’s interview, she says that’s probably why Aesha doesn’t have a boyfriend.
Captain Sandy tells the crew, well done. Having Aesha on board is like a breath of fresh air. She tells Jess that the laundry situation is better, and thanks her. She says the food was so good, she was blown away, and tells them, cheers. The tip was $18,000, or 1500 euros per person. They clink glasses, and Bugs thanks Tom for a great charter. Aesha poses the question to Jess, if she fell in love, and found out the guy had a micro-penis, would she still love him? Is she trying to tell us something about Jack? Jess says, of course. Rob asks Aesha if the main export of Tunisia is sarcasm, but she says she thinks it’s sheep, or wool, or something to do with farming. Jess tries to get Rob’s attention, but he’s too busy talking sheep or whatever, so she asks if Alex wants to go shopping on shore. In Alex’s interview, he wonders if Jess is jealous. Jess asks why Rob isn’t talking to her, and he says she was having a conversation with Alex. She says, he was having one with Aesha.
Jess asks if she can talk to Rob, and they go outside. She asks if he’s looking for things to get upset about at this point, and he says sorry he was caught up in conversation and so involved. He wonders if she feels threatened, and she tells him not to get mad. She was trying to figure out how to get him some clothes, and he was ignoring her. He says, sorry he wasn’t seeing that. He was in a conversation, and there was a time crunch. She asks, WTF is this? and he says he was in a surface conversation, detaching from everything that was happening. She says she doesn’t want to bring drama into his life, and she’s sorry she’s not bringing him detached fun conversation. Geez, how old are we? It shouldn’t be this hard, or dramatic.
Alex and Bugs go shopping in Old Port Ibiza. On the boat, Rob says Jess feels like arguing, and he doesn’t want to. She says sorry she’s not bringing fun conversation to his life. Malia and Tom fool around, and he asks if she wants to have a sunset drink. Alex tries on a shirt, and Bugs says she might have to date him if he wears it. On deck, Aesha calls her brother Jared, and tells him, most of the crew are Americans. They’re lovely, but last year, there was good banter. We flash back to that, and she says, this crew is harder to get going so far. Jared tells her, give it time, and she says they’re going out drinking. He tells her to have fun. The crew gets ready to go out.
Rob tells Jess that they need to try to get better at communicating, so this doesn’t happen. In his interview, he says he thinks there’s jealousy because he was having playful conversation with someone, but it doesn’t mean anything. They apologize to each other, and Rob asks if they’re good. Malia and Tom watch the sunset, and Tom says he thinks the more prepared he is, the more ready he is for the next trip. That makes it easier, or the standard of food goes up. The last boat he worked on had three chefs; it’s a big difference. In his interview, he says he’s never had so much stress. Being the sole chef makes it three times harder. Alex tells Bugs, he wants to have a good night, and Bugs says they have to. Bugs puts glitter around her eyes.
Bugs, says, Ibiza, baby, and Aesha says she’s excited to go out. In Aesha’s interview, she says she was told she had a good time in Ibiza, but doesn’t know for sure. They go to a restaurant, and Bugs tells Alex that she’s the boss. He says, no, and Malia says, let’s get f***ed up. They order, and a mime comes by, doing some kind of illusions with a ball. In her interview, Aesha wonders how he’s doing that. The ball is literally floating. WTF? The crew applauds, and Jess asks Alex if he remembers when they worked together, and she was talking about the sexy South African who was with another guy. She thinks it was Rob, and says, it’s crazy. Rob, who seems to have lost all sense of humor and whimsy, says he’s there now, and she says, sorry. She’s just piecing it together, and realized she had a conversation about him before she knew him. In his interview, Rob says she can’t expect him to remember everything. He’s not an elephant. She asks Rob to respect it a little, and he says he does; he’s here. In her interview, Aesha says it’s the stupidest sh*t she’s ever heard. If they’re fighting this early, no way is it going to last. It is really stupid. I’m not even sure what it is they’re fighting about exactly. I look in my bag of vanilla wafers, and decide if a cookie is broken, it doesn’t count.
Jess asks if he can respect that (what? what is he supposed to respect? I’m not getting this), and he says, he does; he’s there. She asks if they can stop arguing, and he says he’s not; he’s there. She asks him to stop making her feel like this, and I want them both to stop making me feel like changing the channel. In Jess’s interview, she says, stuff happened before she got there, and he’s missing her point. Bugs announces that she’s putting face paint on everyone, and puts glitter on them. They move on to more serious drinking. In the taxi, Malia tells Tom that she doesn’t know if Rob and Jess are the best match, and he says, they’re the worst match. Rob is spiritual. Malia says, Jess is sweet, but the background on her phone is herself. That’s rich, coming from someone so completely self-centered. Tom says, Rob’s is probably spring flowers or something. They get to a club, and Rob tells Alex that Jess is acting weird. Is it me? Rob seems like the one who’s acting weird.
Rob says he can’t do anything right, and Tom asks what the actual problem is. He says he doesn’t know, and Tom suggests he have some beers and chill out. Jess is circumspect, and goes off by herself, while everyone else gets crazy. Rob sticks a beer can to Aesha’s hand. In her interview, Jess says she’s annoyed. Now she has to watch Rob flirt with Aesha. What the hell? Alex tells Bugs that he’s really into her. He’s never met a girl who made him nervous. She asks why he’s nervous, but he can’t explain. She’s the first thing he thinks of in the morning, and the last thing at night. They’re both effing weirdos. They kiss, and everyone starts dancing. In his interview, Alex says, buh-bye, friend zone.
Rob says he doesn’t like how Jess is being hot and cold. Jess thinks he’s done, and just looking for an excuse. In Malia’s interview, she says, it sucks to go out with them. It changes the mood. Rob tells Jess that he changed his ticket to go to Bali, and to stop being hot and cold; she keeps doing this to him. In his interview, Rob says he feels broken, and I roll my eyes so hard, my sister in Ohio can feel it. He asks if Jess is mad, and she asks him to get out of her face. She’s done. He says, for f***’s sake, and tells Alex, I’m an idiot, bru. No argument from me.
Next time, a guest wants cucumbers when Tom is busy giving his cucumber to Malia, Tom gets nasty with Aesha for no reason, Alex tells Rob and Jess that they have to figure out if it was real or a moment that went too far, Rob says maybe he and Jess aren’t meant to be, and the boat loses power before docking.
👠 Vicki and Her Men…
On September 17th, One Life to Live’s Erika Slezak (Vicki), Jerry verDorn (Clint), and Mark Derwin (Ben) will be having a special reunion to raise money for autism.
It’s Monday night crunch time, while I get tomorrow’s article ready for https://mupoentertainment.com/theresa-krakauskas/, so bidding you a quick goodnight. Hope your Labor Day weekend included some fun, such as it is these days. Until next we meet, stay safe, stay keeping your boundaries, and stay not being an idiot. Or at least making sense.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Finn gives Alexis some water, and says, drink this. Doctor’s orders. She asks if he has some rubbing alcohol to chase it with, but he says, the bar’s closed. He tells her to talk to him about Neil, and she says when she went to sleep, he was alive, and when she woke up, he wasn’t. He asks how she found out, and she says she brought coffee to him in bed.
Molly goes to the hospital, and asks TJ if he’s all ready to go. He says he is; today was a train wreck. She says she sees beers with their name on them at The Floating Rib, and he asks if she’d be okay with take-out. He’s going to have batting practice before work, and see what Brando is made of.
Not much right now. Cyrus’s two thugs beat the snot out of him. They start to leave, and one grabs a wrench to finish Brando off, but the other one stops him, and they jet.
Jordan walks toward her office while on the phone with Taggert. She tells him, stay out of Port Charles until they’re done with Cyrus. It’s hard enough without him coming back from the dead. She’s handling it. She opens her office door, and Curtis is waiting by a beautifully set table, wearing a chef’s hat and glasses. He says her table awaits, and she sits. I have to add, he looks super cute.
On the phone with Trina, Portia says sorry she’s going to be late, and tells Trina to order out healthy. She asks who Trina is hanging out with, and says, of course (🍷) she trusts Trina. It’s other people she doesn’t trust.
At the MetroCourt, Anna looks at the sonogram picture, and Maxie says she can’t stop staring at it either. Peter tells her it was too early to tell the sex, and I wish they’d stop saying that, since it looks like it’s practically ready for kindergarten. Maxie says James is neutral on the subject, but she thinks he’s too young to understand. She wants a sister for Georgie though. Valentin comes by, and says, be careful what you wish for. Sisters can be a handful. Like Anna’s sister, right?
Jason runs into the garage, gun drawn, and looks around. Sam and Spinelli come in, and Sam runs to Brando. Jason checks his pulse, and she asks if he’s alive. Jason says, for now. They worked him over pretty good. He tells Spinelli to call an ambulance, but Sam says they can take him themselves. Jason tells Spinelli to help get him to the car, then come back and get the camera. They take Brando out, and Sam closes the door.
Curtis lights the candles on the table, and Jordan says, what is all this? Did he think she’d be raiding the vending machine for dinner? He says they can’t have that, and welcomes her to Chez Cop, where they pride themselves on fine dining. Would she like sparkling water, or still water from the great state of New York? She says, sparkling, and he says, like her eyes. She laughs, and he says, tonight, the chef has insisted on picking out her entrée himself. She says, what a welcome surprise, and he says he just works there. She can take it up with her dinner companion. He excuses himself.
Molly asks if TJ and Brando are hanging out, and he says he thought he’d take a break and they could visit the batting cages. He can take out his obsession on someone else. She likes Brando, right? She flashes back to sleeping with Brando, and says she doesn’t know him well enough to like or dislike him; he seems like a good guy. TJ says she told him that he should widen his circle outside if the hospital. She thinks he should be a little careful, and he says, of who? Brando? Why? She tells him, Sam said he was recovering from an injury. He doesn’t want Brando to get hurt. She’s seen TJ transform into a relentless and dirty player as soon as he steps on the field. He says he’ll take it easy, but not too much. You never know when you’ll get blindsided. She says he should discuss it with Monica, but he says she’s no longer there. She and Bobbie were fired. Molly says, impossible, but he says the board fired them under orders from their new benefactor.
Curtis comes back in, after changing clothes, and tells Jordan, sorry he’s late. He hopes she hasn’t been waiting long. She says, no, but she might run off with the hot waiter. She’s going to give him a big tip. (I sit hard on a joke here.) He says he heard the cuisine is great, and lifts the cover on her plate. She says, lake trout, and he says, and sweet tea, straight from Baltimore. Like old times. She says, it’s not their anniversary or her birthday. What gives? He says he doesn’t need an excuse pamper his wife, but she says she was just wondering if he has one.
Finn tells Alexis that he’s sorry for her loss, and she says she is too. She’s sorry she doesn’t know what to say or how to feel. The worst part is… never mind. He says he’s calling a meeting here and now, but she says, that’s against the rules. You can’t have a meeting with two people. He says, it’s an exclusive club, and pulls out a chair. She sits, and he says she has a safe space. What’s the worst part? She says she and Neil finally decided to go forward together, and he died in her bed. She takes it very personally.
Valentin hopes he’s not interrupting, and Anna says she’s sure she’s held on to these lovely people way too long. Maxie says she has a meeting with Lucy, and Valentin asks if it’s about Deception. She says, it’s more of a concept meeting, but she’ll let him know what comes of it. Anna tells them, you two take care, or should she say three? They leave, and Valentin asks if he can join her. She says, please, and he says she’s happy to see him. She’s only happy to see him when she needs something. Does she need something? She says she’s going after Alex, and needs him as back-up.
Spinelli tries to reach camera, but can’t, so he gets a toolbox to stand on. He hears Peter and Maxie coming, and runs to sit in a chair. They walk in, and he says, Maxinista… and companion. Maxie asks why he’s there, and he says, car trouble. His van is increasingly temperamental. She says she thought he used his electric bike in warmer weather, but he says he didn’t want the van to suffer from lack of use. Peter says he needs a new crankshaft. The dealer said it would take two weeks to install, so he thought he’d try his luck with the local mechanic. Maxie sees the mess, and says, if this is the way he keeps his shop, she’s not sure Peter wants him working on the car. Peter says he can call the other company tomorrow, but Spinelli assures him, it’s worth the wait. He’s sure Brando just stepped out for a few minutes. In the meantime, they can chat; catch up, as it were. Peter looks like, huh?
Valentin says Anna is going after Alex? and she says she thought that would get his attention. He says Alex betrayed him. She exploited his infatuation with Anna, and performed a treasonous act, leaving him holding the bag. If not for her, he might have spent his career with the WSB. Anna says Alex wasn’t solely responsible for his fall from grace. He says she’ll never see him as a victim, and she says he may very well have been set up, but he crossed the line on his own. He says this is no way to ask him a favor, but she says she’ll be doing him a favor; he can bring Alex to justice. The waitress brings the drinks, and Anna wonders where to start. Valentin says he thought she lost Alex’s trail last year. She says she found it again, and he asks, why him? She says, it’s a two person job, but he says there are plenty of other agents. She says they would get in her way. She needs his talent. She needs his special brand of selective ethics. He asks how old the lead is, and she says, less than an hour old. Alex wants to meet her in Berlin. Alex claims she wants to stop running. He asks, why now? but Anna tells him, she didn’t say. Anna wants to find out, and she’s going to Berlin. She wasn’t sure about it, but then she saw him, and it all clicked. She wants him to come with her, and they can both bring Alex in together. Valentin doesn’t know who the greater fool is; her for going, or him, for going along with her.
Alexis tells Finn, before he met her, Neil had a career and a life. Now he has no career and no life. She can’t help but think she sent him to an early grave. Finn says she didn’t; she can’t bring on someone’s death by loving them. She says she cared about Neil. They had something. Finn tells her, then honor that.
Curtis wonders if all wives are this suspicious, or is it a hazard of the job? She says she should know better than to question a romantic gesture, and Curtis says he figured she was due for an interlude, given all the hours she’s been putting in, and the pressure. She says the main priority has been to find Nelle, and make sure she’s not out there plotting. Curtis says, and she has Cyrus to contend with. Does she have any idea what he’s up to? She says she knows he seized GH for the sole purpose of upping his PR, but she needs to uncover his plan, and put him away for good. He says, sounds obvious, but Cyrus is never far behind her – or him. No matter how hard he tries, he just can’t let it go. Every time he sees Trina, he asks himself, if he had made a different call, would her father still be alive? She takes it Trina is still giving him a hard time, and he says, only when she sees him. She says she knows him, and he needs to stop tiptoeing around. He says he tried confronting Trina. He tried talking things through, and tried to apologize, but no matter what he does, he just makes it worse. She thinks Portia might be able to help. If anyone can bring him and Trina together, it’s her mother.
Portia sees Brando in the ER, and asks what they have. Sam says they found him like this, and brought him in. She asks if he’s spoken, and Jason says, he has, but he’s not making sense. Portia tells them to get out, and Sam says, but… Portia says now. Outside, Sam says, this is Cyrus. Cyrus had to have done it.
Cyrus messes with his phone, and Molly tells TJ, you’d think someone who was a benefactor for the hospital would have asked Monica and Bobbie for guidance instead of firing them. They’re pillars of the hospital. If her mom was still practicing, she’d file a wrongful termination suit. TJ says, there’s always Diane, and Molly says, if Monica and Bobbie want to fight, it’s their choice. She’s going to mind her business, and behave. TJ says, she can if she wants, but he won’t. Cyrus approaches and tries to introduce himself, holding out his hand. TJ says he knows who Cyrus is, and don’t offer his hand unless he wants TJ to spit on it.
Finn tells Alexis, if she needs anything, she can call anytime. She says she knows that, and thanks him. He suggests she go to a meeting. She doesn’t have to share. She says she is going to go to a meeting – later. He says, later is the first step toward never, but she says she’s not avoiding it. She’s meeting the medical examiner. They owe her a favor, and she’s getting the preliminary report on Neil’s autopsy. Finn asks if Neil ever mentioned an underlying condition or family history, but she says, nothing. He asks if she and Neil had regular contact, and she says they’d been actively avoiding each other. Finn says it would have given Neil time to develop something, and she says, something she would have picked up on if she’d acted on her feelings sooner.
Cyrus says he has no idea what he’s done to merit TJ’s hostility. TJ says Monica and Bobbie deserved better than what Cyrus gave them. Cyrus says they opened the hospital up to a massive lawsuit, and were fired for cause. TJ asks if he considered the lives they’ve saved, their work in the community, and inspiration to others to work in the medical profession, like him. Cyrus says he had no idea they’d had such an impact on TJ, using his name. TJ says, Cyrus knows him? and Cyrus says he would recognize his mother’s fire anywhere.
Jordan tells Curtis, it doesn’t do any good for Trina to misdirect her grief about what happened to Taggert. She thinks Portia can help. Curtis says he didn’t want to confuse things, and Jordan says she thought everything was in the past. He says, it is, but he ran into Portia at Kelly’s after the Nurses Ball. They had a good talk, and he’d rather leave it there. They have enough going on with Cyrus. Why add one more burden? Jordan flashes back to being with Jason on the pier, and telling him that Curtis doesn’t know about Taggert. So much time has passed, if she tells him now, it could destroy her marriage. She tells Curtis, she and Taggert worked together on a difficult assignment, and he trusted her to have his back. She wants the gift of peace for Trina, and Curtis. Her desk phone rings, and he says, might as well get it. It will drive her crazy if she doesn’t. She answers, and says she’s on her way. She tells Curtis, sorry, and he says, don’t tell him; Cyrus.
Sam asks if they should call Sonny, but Jason says, he’s focused on Mike, and it’s more important. Sam says, maybe they should get the footage, and Jason says, it’s got to be Cyrus. It’s his way of pushing the boundaries of the truce without openly breaking it. Portia comes out, and Sam asks how Brando is. Jason asks if he’s going to be all right.
Valentin tells Anna, he has a daughter now. He has to consider things differently. He also just acquired ELQ, and the Quartermaines have the resources to take it back. He has to be there. She says, what if Alex is a threat to Peter?Peter’s grasp on happiness is fragile at best. He remade himself into a good man; he’s expecting his first child. If Alex undermines that, it could hurt Peter, Maxie, and the baby. You’d think Valentin would want to help Peter, given the way he messed up Peter’s life.
On the phone, Maxie tells Lucy, don’t sign anything until she gets there. They’re not risking Deception’s reputation on an untested product. She’ll be right there. She tells Peter, sorry she has to go. Peter says he’ll wait. If Brando doesn’t show up, he’ll go the other route. Maxie leaves, and Peter hopes it’s worth the wait, and Spinelli says, Brando should be back imminently. He tells Peter, it’s too bad Maxie had to leave, and Peter says, is it? He got the distinct impression Spinelli wanted to talk to him. Spinelli says, at the Nurses Ball, a little birdie whispered something disconcerting in his ear about Peter. He and Shiloh apparently go way back and far away, overseas even.
Cyrus tells TJ, he’s privileged to meet Jordan’s son at last. He sees they share passion. He’s grateful for her keen sense of justice. She freed him when he was wrongly sent to prison. TJ says where’s the justice in him firing Monica and Bobbie? but Cyrus says they were a liability, and had to go to preserve the hospital’s integrity. He wants to see the hospital survive and thrive. He hopes someday TJ can appreciate that, even to the point of shaking his hand. TJ holds out his hand, but fakes Cyrus out, and says, don’t hold your breath. I wonder how many times they had to do that without laughing. TJ and Molly walk off, and Cyrus goes to the elevator. Curtis is there, and says, bad strategy, when Curtis knows what he knows. Cyrus says, TJ works for him now. Sooner all later, everyone does. Cyrus goes into the elevator, and when the doors close, Curtis says Cyrus is going to find out he’s wrong about that, and a whole lot more.
Finn says he thinks Alexis is trying to make sense of something that happened to someone important to her, someone she cared about. She asks if he has any suggestion on how not to do that. He says, breathe, talk to someone, practice self-care. The verbiage is obnoxious (thank you, Finn! I think so too), but the concept is good. There’s a knock at the door, and it’s Jordan. She says she was told Alexis was with him, and asks if she can speak to Alexis alone. Alexis asks, what about? and Jordan says, Neil’s death.
Portia says Brando has multiple contusions and lacerations, and possibly fractured ribs. He’s going to get x-rays and a CT scan. Jason asks if he’s speaking, and Portia says he’s alert, and gave her permission to talk to them. Jason asks what the prognosis is, and she says, he has some healing to do, but he’ll recover. They’re keeping him for a few days for observation. Sam asks when they can speak to him, and Portia says, as soon as the nurse is finished. She leaves, and Sam says, that was convincing. Jason asks if she thinks it was staged, and Sam says, if Brando has thrown in with Cyrus, it’s what he’d want Sonny to see. Jason says no one knew Brando was being watched. His guess is that Brando is collateral damage, and they’re sending a message to Sonny. Sam says, or maybe Brando was going to come clean, and it was a way of discouraging him. Oh, come on. Brando could kill Cyrus and all of his associates, and burn down all of Cyrus’s warehouses, and Sam would still be like, I don’t know… Jason says, Brando’s story hasn’t changed. Jason believes him. Sam says, Brando admitted to Cyrus being in the garage, and Jason asks how hard would it be to tamper with his bike while Brando was distracted? Cyrus approaches, and asks how the patient is.
Molly tells TJ, that just now, was a thing of beauty. Cyrus isn’t used to someone speaking truth to power. TJ says he had no idea how Cyrus would respond. He didn’t know Cyrus would bring up his mom; it threw him off. Molly says, it didn’t work. He just kept hammering at Cyrus. Curtis joins them, and says he hopes they’re hungry. He doesn’t want the lake trout to go to waste. Molly says Curtis should have been there. TJ handed Cyrus’s ass to him, metaphorically speaking. TJ says, he doesn’t want to brag, but he was stoked. Curtis should have been there. Curtis says, yeah – to stop him.
Cyrus tells Jason and Sam, he heard Brando was in the ER. Jason asks where he heard that, and Cyrus says he takes an interest in every patient who comes through the doors of GH. He’s particularly interested with anyone who has ties to Sonny. Which reminds him. He understands Jason checked out against doctor’s orders. Jason says he’s fine, and Cyrus says, that’s more than can be said about Sonny’s father. Such a shame. So many tragedies on so many fronts. It’s all Sonny can do to keep his head above water. Jason says, that’s why Sonny has him.
Sam goes in to see Brando and asks how he feels. He says, like he should have gone back to Chicago. She tells him, the doctor says he’ll recover, which is good news. Does he remember anything? He says, besides waking up there, he remembers he got jumped. She asks if he knew the guys and if they said anything. He says, it’s fuzzy. One minute, he was fighting for his life, and the next thing he knew, he was there, with a doctor shining a light in his eyes. She says, if it makes him feel any better. She and Jason found him and brought him in. He says, great timing.
Alexis says she doesn’t know what she can tell Jordan that she didn’t tell Detective Spencer. Jordan asks if they can use Finn’s office, but he’s hesitant, so she says they can talk outside.
Valentin says Anna knows Alex is setting her up, and Anna says, of course (🍷), but she’ll never suspect Anna being with him. He asks what she’s going to do when she finds Alex. The WSB won’t prosecute; they’d rather pretend Alex doesn’t exist. They’re happier with her on the lam. Is Anna willing to arrange an untimely accident? He says Anna is hesitant and desperate; he notices her voice wavering. Alex will be waiting for her to make a mistake, and she can’t slip. Professional rule number one, objectively access the situation. Two, find the subject’s weaknesses, and three… She says, seize the initiative, and finish them. She’s going to play Alex’s game. She wants to set a trap, and wants Valentin to help her.
Peter tells Spinelli, unfounded rumors, and Spinelli says, as Georgie’s father, it’s his duty to make sure Georgie and Maxie are protected. Peter says his constant intrusion reads more like jealousy. Spinelli assures Peter that he’s content with Ellie. Peter wonders if Ellie would say the same. Spinelli says his personal life is none of Peter’s business, and Peter says Spinelli isn’t endearing himself to Maxie or him. He’s tried to get along, but Spinelli is making it hard, like he wants Peter as an enemy rather than a friend. Spinelli asks if Peter didn’t arrange for Drew’s kidnapping. Then, Shiloh used the information to make Peter help him escape. Peter asks, who’s spreading these lies? and Drew says Shiloh’s widow confided in him. Nelle is a known liar, but perhaps Peter will shed more light on it. In the meantime, sorry to trouble him. Spinelli says, good luck with his crankshaft, and leaves.
Alexis says she’s been through this with the detective, but Jordan says she wants to hear it directly. Alexis says, Neil came over, Sam was there, and Sam left. They talked. Jordan says, about anything in particular? and Alexis says they talked about their love for each other, and how they were looking forward to a happy future together. They went upstairs, made love, and went to sleep. Jordan says, Neil was happy, and asks if there was anything unusual about his behavior. Alexis says, he wasn’t hopping and skipping around. He was his usual self. Intelligent, articulate, and with a dry wit. What is this about? Jordan says she got the preliminary autopsy results, and Alexis asks how Neil died.
Jordan tells Alexis, the preliminary report says Neil died from respiratory failure of the heart and lungs. Alexis wonders what would make him stop breathing, and Jordan says, drugs. He died from an OD.
Molly tells Curtis, he doesn’t understand. Cyrus just fired Monica and Bobbie. TJ was standing up for them. Curtis says he applauds TJ’s integrity, but not his instinct. Do not pick a fight with Cyrus. TJ asks, what’s the worst Cyrus can do? Drop him from the medical program? Cyrus was exonerated. Curtis says, he’s still dangerous to a lot of people, but TJ says he refuses to be silenced. Curtis says, let it go. Nothing TJ says is going to affect Cyrus. TJ says, maybe he should take action, but Curtis says it could cost him a lot. TJ says, so he’ll be thrown out and not get a reference. He’ll transfer to Mercy Hospital.
Brando tells Sam, he had a run in with Cyrus’s lieutenant. He stopped by to ask if Brando needed help, and his implication had been clear. Sam asks what he said, and Brando tells her that he said no thank you. She can draw her own conclusions. Jason says he already has, and knows Brando had nothing to do with his accident. It was all Cyrus.
Anna comes into the hospital, and sees Finn. He says he wasn’t sure when he’d hear from her again. She says she wanted to let him know that she’s made the decision not to go to Berlin. She’ll figure out another way to deal with her sister. I’m guessing this is Alex, who is sending Anna on another wild goose chase while she wreaks havoc in Port Charles. Again.
Maxie calls Peter, who says he’s still at the garage. She asks if the mechanic ever showed, and he says, not yet. What happened with Lucy? Maxie says she got there just in time, before Lucy put them in dept to a Korean conglomerate for the next 13 years. She asks when he’s coming home, and he says he’s going to wait a little while for the mythical mechanic. He’ll let her know when he’s on his way. He hangs up, and calls Valentin. He says, Nelle Benson Jerome. He’s dealing with her. Valentin says, can he ask why? and Peter says, because she’s been running her mouth, and it could blow up his life. Spinelli watches on the laptop, and says, gotcha.
On Monday, GH will be a repeat. On Tuesday, Valentin talks to Julian, Brando thinks there’s something else behind Jason’s change of heart, and Olivia arrives at he WSB facility.
It’s sad that the best Brandi can do is talk about Denise, since she has nothing going on in her own life. No one ever said Denise was an angel. Brandi also needs to make up her mind about why she blabbed.
Do you think that’s a cultural thing?**It’s a bullsh*t thing. – Alexi and Loren Brovarnik, respectively, Pillow Talk: 90 Day Fiancé
We shall not be here forever. One day the kind old nurse will come and rock us all to sleep. Let us help one another while we may. – Unknown
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time. – John Lubbock
You are beautiful. Your beauty, just like your capacity for life, happiness, and success, is immeasurable. – Steve Maraboli
Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. – Dale Carnegie
You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. – Albert Einstein (The first guy to figure out Survivor.)
If this bitch was any dumber, you’d have to water her. – Joan (Regina Hall), About Last Night
There is so much wealth and so much misery at the same time, that it seems incredible that people can endure such class difference, and accept such a form of hunger while on the other hand, the millionaires throw away millions on stupidities. – Frida Kahlo
It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them. – Ida B. Wells
Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. – Dennis P. Kimbro
Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face. – Carol Moseley-Braun
Well-behaved women seldom make history. – Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. – Andre Gide
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try. – Beverly Sills
🥁 In Conclusion…
It’s here. A three-day weekend. Otherwise known as three consecutive days, if you work all the time or not at all. Whatever it is to you, stay safe, stay composed, and stay making hay while the sun shines. Or even when it rains.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the phone, Anna says, Alex? She says, if Alex is calling, she must want something. Alex says she wants to offer Anna congratulations, since she’s going to be a grandmother again.
Peter runs into an examining room where Maxie is sitting. He asks if he’s too late. Did he miss the ultrasound? She says the doctor is running late, and he says, it will be the first and last time work interferes. She says, it was a work emergency and understandable, but he says, priorities. She and the baby will always be his.
Robert asks if Olivia wants an aisle or window seat. She says, is he kidding? He’s taking her to see her son. She doesn’t care. She says sorry she couldn’t bring any manicotti, and he says, save it for the celebration. He has a few more strings to pull. Nothing bad; it’s all good. Olivia says she needs to stay positive. She wishes Ned wasn’t so upset about her leaving.
Spinelli tells Jason to secure a spot inside with an unobstructed view, where they’ll be able to see all that transpires. Alexis comes into the apartment with Sam and a suitcase. Spinelli wonders where she’s going, but Sam says, she’s reached her destination. Alexis is staying with them.
Brando works on a bike at the garage, and a cop comes in, introducing himself as Officer Williams. He has questions for Brando, and Brando says, let him guess. It’s about the stabilizer on Jason’s bike. The one that caused the accident.
At Turning Woods, Cyrus helps an old man with a jigsaw puzzle. He says the piece is a tricky one, and the man thinks it’s somewhere near the corner. He finds it, and places it, and Cyrus says, good job. Main thug Walker comes in, and says, Cyrus asked for him? Cyrus says, it’s time to pay their friend another visit, and see how he’s doing. He might need assistance. Walker leaves, and Sonny walks in. Cyrus says his day is complete. It’s a pleasure to see him. Sonny asks if he can join Cyrus. A nurse says it’s time for the old man’s walk, and he thanks Cyrus for helping him with the puzzle. Cyrus says, it’s been a pleasure. He tells Sonny that he’s impressed with the quality of care, and how the patients get regular exercise. He asks if Sonny’s father can still walk, and Sonny tells him, don’t ask about his father. The fact that Cyrus is there where his father lives broke the truce. Sonny could consider it an act of war.
Alexis says, to be clear, it’s only temporary, and Jason says she’s welcome there at any time. Sam says there’s something Alexis isn’t telling them, and Spinelli asks if there was something untoward. Sam says, Neil died in his sleep last night at her mom’s house. Spinelli says, it’s a most distressing turn of events. Can he ask how Neil’s life ended? Alexis says she’s waiting for the autopsy, but the paramedics thought it was a heart attack. Sam says she thought Alexis should spend time with them; her house is too morbid. Jason says the kids will love having her. Spinelli says, excuse them; they have a project to attend to. Sam asks if they found the answers they were looking for, and Spinelli says, that’s the plan. They leave, and Alexis asks if she wants to know what that’s about.
Brando shows Officer Williams the receipt for the stabilizer, and says when he heard about the accident, the first thing he did was call the company to see if they had any complaints about defective parts. They didn’t, but before Officer Williams asks, he knows he installed it properly. Whatever caused Jason to wipe out, isn’t his fault. Walker comes in, and Williams says he’ll be in touch. Walker tells Brando, nothing like a visit from the cops to direct your day, and Brando asks if he can help him. Walker says Cyrus asked him to come by to see if Brando needed any help. Like maybe making his legal issue go away?
The stewardess gives Olivia and Robert champagne, and Olivia says, Ned is worried about Brook. Robert says, it was a brutal attack; he’s right to be worried. Olivia says, there’s more to the story. Before the attack went down, there was a total implosion at ELQ. Brook was involved, and Ned was so angry, he kicked Brook out of the house. Now he feels terrible. Robert says, and Brook’s not in a forgiving mood. Olivia says, she’s not. Ned has apologized over and over, but she’s pushing the family away when she needs them most. Ned’s made mistakes, Brook’s made mistakes, but it’s so ugly and awful. Now Ned wants to jump in and undo the damage, but she keeps explaining that he’s got to take his time. Brook needs time and space to heal. Robert laughs, and asks if it doesn’t drive her crazy when someone she loves refuses to see what’s right in front of them, and keeps banging their head against a wall, insisting everything will be just the way they want it. She says they’re not talking about Ned and Brook anymore, are they?
Maxie tells Peter, she got everything backward with this pregnancy. She’s made imaginary obstacles, or at least blown things out of proportion. Like with Robert. He’s been unfair to Peter, but that’s only because… Peter says Robert despised his father, so Robert despises him. She says she knows the more time Robert spends with Peter, and sees how happy he makes her, he’ll relax. He’s always been suspicious of everyone she dated, but a baby brings out the best in him. Peter says, and her. She’s never been more beautiful. She says she loves it when he flatters her. Doctor Navarro comes in, and Maxie introduces her baby’s father. The doctor asks if they’re ready to meet their baby, and Maxie says Peter was there when she went into labor with James; he’s an old pro. Dr. Navarro says the story was all over the ward. Not many men could have done what he did. He’s a real hero.
Anna says, Alex has more on her mind than congratulations. Why is she really calling? Alex says she wants to stop running, and looking over her shoulder. She’s tired of this life. Now that the family is growing, it’s time for her to join them. Anna asks what she wants, and Alex asks Anna to meet her in Berlin. She’ll text the particulars. She has to go, but she’s begging Anna, please help her come home. Finn comes in, and asks if she’s okay, but Anna says, no, she’s not. Alex led her on a wild goose chase around Europe. Now she’s decided to call and say she wants to come back. Finn asks, why? and she says, allegedly because of Maxie’s pregnancy, but she’s sure Alex is avoiding consequences or trouble she’s in. Finn asks how Alex knew about Maxie, and Anna says, obviously Alex has her finger on the pulse of what’s happening in Port Charles.She’s going to use it to her advantage. Every word was chosen to bait Anna. Finn asks if she’s going to take the bait.
Brando tells Walker, they were just standard questions; nothing he can’t handle. He could use more business. How’s Walker’s car? Does he need a reputable mechanic? Walker says his car is fine. He was just checking in. Brando says, he’ll give Walker a little tip. The weather is getting hot, so he should top off his radiator with antifreeze. It will save him trouble down the road. Walker says he’ll keep it in mind. I wonder if that’s code for something or a real thing. Note to self: google that.
Sam tells Alexis that Jason and Spinelli are trying to figure out how Jason wiped out. Alexis says, so they’re not convinced it was an accident? Sam says, no. It was a faulty stabilizer that Brando installed the day of the crash. Alexis asks if that isn’t Sonny’s cousin, who Molly had the one-night thing with, and Sam says, that’s the one. They think he might be working with Cyrus. Carly and Sonny are buying his good guy persona, but the second she met him, she knew he was bad news.
Spinelli goes to the garage, and Brando says he recognizes Spinelli from the gym, where they traded blows with the heavy bag. Has the situation improved? Spinelli says, unfortunately, it’s become more dire, but that’s not why he’s there. It’s a more practical matter. His vehicle. Brando asks if it’s outside, but Spinelli says, it’s at the mini mart down the street. His domestic partner gave him a list of errands. He’d just completed them, and when he tried to start the van, there was nothing. He asks if Brando can take a look at it; it’s a block away. Brando says, sure, and locks up. They walk out, and Spinelli says he feared he’d have to call a tow.
Cyrus tells Sonny, let’s not overreact. It’s a misunderstanding. He’s not there to harass Sonny’s father or jeopardize the peace. He hopes to volunteer. So many people are strapped for time, they can’t give their loved ones proper attention. Sonny says, so Cyrus wants to fill in? and Cyrus asks if that’s so hard to believe. Brick appears and says, from him, it’s impossible to believe.
Jason just looks at the garage lock, and it magically opens. He goes inside. Okay, I exaggerated a little.
Anna tells Finn, Alex said she was calling about Maxie, but she thinks it’s about Peter. He’s turned his life around, and Alex could undo all his good work if he suspects for a second that she’s his mother. She has to find out what Alex is planning. Finn asks, how? and Anna says she’s going to accept Alex’s invitation to meet her in Berlin.
Peter asks Dr. Navarro if they’ll be able to see if it’s a boy or girl, but the doctor says, it’s too soon. She asks if they can see the baby on the monitor, but Peter says he doesn’t see anything. She makes an adjustment, and says, what about now? and Maxie says she sees it. Peter says, oh my God; him too. Maxie asks how the baby looks. Is he or she healthy?
Alexis says Sam never told her how she got rid of Delores, and swapped her out for a more lenient parole officer. Sam says she’s sure Alexis is curious, but thinks she’s avoiding talking about Neil. She knows Alexis is hurting. Alexis says she is, but she doesn’t want to talk about her. How did Sam get rid of Delores and secure her freedom? Sam says Alexis isn’t going like it, and Alexis asks if Sonny threatened a judge. Sam says, Sonny had nothing to do with it. She traded favors with Valentin.
Spinelli and Brando stand outside the garage, and Spinelli talks really loud, saying Brando has most impressive skills. He’s a computer whiz, but when it comes to automobiles, he’s lacking. Brando says Spinelli left the lights on and drained the battery, and Spinelli says Brando helped him out of a bind. He’d like to return the favor. Can he get Brando lunch? Brando says, thanks, but no, and goes inside, where Jason has disappeared, poof! in a puff of smoke. Spinelli asks what he owes Brando, and Brando laughs. He says if Spinelli wants his advice, get a new model. Spinelli says he prefers vintage; it’s a personal homage. Brando says he’s not taking Spinelli’s money. Save it and get a better vehicle.And remember to turn the lights off. Spinelli says he can’t thank Brando enough. We see the camera has been installed, and Jason watches on the laptop.
Sonny asks what brings Brick back to Port Charles, and Brick says he’s on assignment, but thought he’d stop by and pay his respects. It seems his time might be spent with something more important. He asks if Sonny needs help with Cyrus, but Sonny says, no. Cyrus is volunteering. He’s doing God’s work, right? Cyrus says it seems Brick knows him, but he hasn’t had the pleasure. Brick introduces himself, and says he’s a private security consultant. He knows a lot about Cyrus; none of it good. Sonny says, no need to bring up the ugly past. They’re all friends, or at least not enemies.
Sam tells Alexis, she had no idea Valentin was staging a takeover of ELQ, or that when he got it, he’d refuse to bail out the hospital, leaving it wide open to Cyrus becoming chairman of the hospital board. She wonders why Alexis isn’t saying anything, and Alexis says, Valentin kept his part of the bargain. Sam got a new parole officer. Sam says, she got what she wanted, and Alexis says, and Jason got what he wanted. Sam says actually, Jason had nothing to do with it. She had no idea why Valentin needed her voting proxy, but Alexis says, it’s fine. Sam made a mistake and was wrong, but honestly, after what she just went through, life is too short for regrets.
In the park, Spinelli says he was certain Brando would walk in on Jason, and did his utmost to stop him, but Brando insisted on going back to work. He was so worried, it took a year off his life. How did Jason know how to get out? Jason says Sonny has owned the place for years. He’s familiar with the layout, and used the back door. Spinelli asks if he had the time to install the camera, and Jason says, see for himself. Spinelli looks at the laptop, and says, it worked. They watch Brando, and Spinelli wonders if he’s waiting for Cyrus.
Cyrus says, he was just telling Sonny that patients benefit from interaction, but families can’t offer as much time as is needed, so he’s here to do that. Sonny says, it’s not uncommon for patients to be losing their memory, but Cyrus says, they’re still people, and deserve respect. Sonny says Turning Woods has ample staff, and Cyrus agrees he’s not needed, and actually has more on his plate than he’s used to. Sonny tells Brick, Cyrus is the chairman at GH, and Brick says, is that right? Cyrus says as his first official act, he hired a consultants. GH has practiced a lot of institutional rot, and he wants to do a big revamp to get them in shape for the challenges of the 21st century. Sonny is sure Cyrus has a plan, and he says he does. Change comes from the top down, as Sonny knows. He understands Jason checked out against the doctors’ advice. He hopes that didn’t set back Jason’s recovery. Cyrus leaves, and Brick says he’ll give Sonny three guesses why Cyrus wants to control GH, but Sonny says he’s way ahead of him.
Dr. Navarro says the baby is perfect for this stage of Maxie’s pregnancy. She has to remember to take her vitamins, and get enough folic acid. Peter says he has no idea what that is, but he’ll keep an eye on her. The doctor asks if they want to hear the baby’s heartbeat, and Maxie says she might lose it. Dr. Navarro says, that’s a common reaction; there are tissues behind her. Peter kisses her hand.
Finn asks if Anna knows she’s walking into a trap, and she says she does. She’s taking the necessary precautions. Ignoring her, so she’ll go away, is not the way her sister operates. She has to do this. He says, to protect Peter?It seems extreme. She says, Maxie and Peter are so happy, and Alex could destroy all that. He asks what she’s going to do when she finds Alex.
Robert tells Olivia, he doesn’t want to go to Holly’s memorial. Anna bulldozed him into it. She was relentless. She’s been all over him about his unresolved feelings for Holly. What did she expect? Holly was a huge part of his life. Olivia says she read the tribute in The Invader. Holly sounded like the perfect woman for him; adventurous, fascinating, a real women of the world. He says, the article didn’t even scratch the surface. She says, it’s a long trip to Geneva, and headphones don’t work. Talk to her. If she focuses on his life, maybe she’ll stop going crazy about her own. He says, once upon a time, Luke and Holly were an item. They’d been having an affair for some time, but had a falling out. Luke took off to the mountains to clear his head, and got caught up in an avalanche. He was presumed dead, and at the same time, Holly discovered she was pregnant. She was also about to be deported, so he stepped up and asked her to marry him just so she could stay in the country. Around this time, Holly miscarried and lost the child, but slowly, they both fell in love. Olivia says, it’s such an amazing story. No wonder he’s afraid to go to the memorial. He says he’s not afraid, but she says, of course (🍷) he is. He’s afraid same way she’s afraid to go to the facility where Dante is.
Brick tells Sonny that he’ll look in on Cyrus; he always has time for friends. Sonny says he appreciates that. He may need Brick’s expertise at some point. He thanks Brick for coming, and Brick says he needed an update. They sit down, and Brick asks how Sonny’s lovely wife is, and Sonny laughs, saying, off limits. Brick wonders how the kids are, and Sonny says, they’re good. He asks how Mike is, and Sonny says he thinks it’s getting to the end. Brick is sorry to hear that, and asks what he can do. Sonny says he keeps asking himself the same question, and can’t come up with an answer. Brick says he doesn’t have an answer either, but he does have a bottle of scotch with Sonny’s name on it anytime he wants. Sonny says he’ll take Brick up on it the first chance he gets.
Alexis tells Sam that she and Neil had a legitimate roadblock that kept them from being together, and when it was taken away, they created one of their own. She can’t tell Sam how much she regrets it. She could kick herself for not realizing sooner. Sam totally understands, and is glad Alexis had last night. Alexis says she’s happy they got to have one night. Her phone dings, and she says, it’s the medical examiner. They have the autopsy. Sam says she thought it would have to go through the police, and Alexis says someone owed her a favor. Sam asks if Alexis wants her to come, but Alexis says she doesn’t need a shadow. Sam says she could have Molly or Kristina meet her, but Alexis says, Neil is dead. She’s just going to find out how. If it was an aneurysm, a heart attack, a stroke, and really, what difference does it make? She apologizes, saying she didn’t mean to be harsh. She just wants Sam to live her life. Be with Spinelli and Jason, solve mysteries, and enjoy herself. She’ll go find out what happened to Neil.
Spinelli tells Jason that he can’t help thinking about revisiting the idea of his P.I. agency. He asks what Jason thinks of Jackal and Associates, Jason being the associates. He wants to vent about Maxie’s condition, and Jason asks if she’s sick. Spinelli says, Jason doesn’t know? Maxie is pregnant, and Peter is the father. He wonders what’s going to happen when she finds out Peter’s redemption is a sham. He arranged Drew’s death, and he’s every bit as heinous as his father.
Dr. Navarro tells Maxie to make an appointment for a follow-up in a week. Peter says he’ll be there, but Maxie says there will be a lot of appointments; he doesn’t have to come to every single one. He asks if she’d mind if he did, and she says, no. She looks at the sonogram, and says, the first baby picture of a bazillion, and he says he’ll love every single one.
Walker meets up with Cyrus, who says he and Sonny had a civil exchange at Turning Woods, and were interrupted by an unexpected friend; nothing that can’t be handled. He asks how Walker’s errand went, and Walker says the cops are investigating Brando. Cyrus asks if Brando accepted his offer to smooth things over, but Walker says, no deal. Brando thinks he can handle it on his own. Cyrus says, time for the next step.
Robert asks if Olivia is afraid of seeing her own son, and she says she is. She keeps trying to ignore what Ned said. He told her that she was flying to Geneva to break her own heart. Her letters were returned unopened, and the only thing Dante has said to her is, stop sending letters. That was back in November. What if she gets there, and her own kid wants nothing to do with her? Robert says he’ll be with her every foot of the way. Them together. They’ve got to get rid of the negative, and stay positive. She says he’s got a deal, as long as he lets her support him too. They clink glasses.
Finn asks Anna what she’s going to do when she sees Alex, but she says she hasn’t thought that far ahead. She literally just got off the phone. He says she’s determined to confront Alex, but what does she think is going to happen? How is she going to stop Alex, short of killing her? He tells her not to go. She’s admitted Alex was baiting her, and she played right into Alex’s hands. One mention of Maxie, and Anna comes running. Alex knows Peter is Anna’s weak spot. Anna says she doesn’t have a choice. She has to protect her family. He says let him know when she’s leaving. Violet will want to say goodbye. She says, come on, Finn, but he walks out.
Sonny sees Nurse Deanna at the hospital, and says he needs a favor. He needs to see Monica as soon as possible. Deanna says, Monica no longer works here, and he asks what she means. She says, neither does Bobbie. They cleaned out their offices. Cyrus fired them both. Um… don’t they belong to a union?
Brando flashes back to telling Cyrus that he expects nothing, and needs nothing that Cyrus has to offer. Cyrus says Brando can drive the cars he repairs, and he needs a chauffeur. An experienced mechanic could come in handy. Brando says he already has a full time job, but Cyrus says when he hears the terms, he thinks Brando will reconsider. Plus, there’s room advancement. Brando says, no thanks. He’s really happy there in the shop his cousin Sonny set him up in. Cyrus says, he can do better, and Brando tells him, he said no thanks. We see a guy messing with Jason’s bike in the back, while Brando is occupied with Cyrus. Cyrus tells Brando, take time to consider it, but Brando says he doesn’t need to. Cyrus tells Walker, the guy he hired to tamper with Jason’s bike didn’t know what he was doing. Jason is still alive, and as long as Jason is in the way, he can’t get to his real target – Sonny.
Alexis walks into the hospital, and Finn says, the AA meeting is upstairs. He’ll go with her. She says she’s not going to a meeting. She’s there because of Neil. She found him dead this morning.
Anna sits down, and Maxie and Peter run in. Maxie thanks her for waiting, and Anna asks how it went. What did the doctor say? Maxie says, so far, the baby is perfectly healthy, and shows Anna a picture of her new grandchild. The picture is so clear, and the baby so big, even I would have been able to tell if it was a boy or girl from the right angle. Anna says, beautiful, and Maxie says having her and Felicia as grandmothers, she’s sure it will be the smartest, most adventurous, best looking baby of all time. Peter says, the baby is lucky to have two magnificent grandmothers.
Jason tells Spinelli, Maxie sees what she wants to see, and this will entail breaking her heart. The more Spinelli tries to convince her, the more she’ll pull away. They need to find proof; something that neither Anna or Maxie can deny. Sam comes along, and asks if they’ve found proof that Brando is working with Cyrus.
Olivia tells Robert, there’s nothing worse than being alone when you’re scared. She suggests they make a deal, and lean on each other. That’s what friends do. She’s going to the memorial with him; end of story. He says he’s heard worse ideas, and they clink glasses.
Jason, Spinelli, and Sam watch the feed, and Jason says, Brando seems pristine.
The guy who rigged Jason’s bike walks into the garage, and Brando says he’ll be with him in a minute. Another dude follows, and asks if he’s Corbin. They stand on either side of Brando, and Jason says, this doesn’t look good. They start to beat Brando up, and Sam asks. who would do that? Jason says, it doesn’t matter. Let’s go. The three of them run out of the park, Spinelli clutching the open laptop.
Tomorrow, Anna tells Valentin that she needs him as back-up, Sam asks how Brando is doing, and Peter says he got the distinct impression Spinelli wants to talk to him.
The Real Housewives of New York City
It’s Christmastime in NYC – my favorite time there. Ramona wants to take a picture of Coco, but Coco isn’t having it. Ramona decorates her tree.
Sonja tells her assistant that Leah is the only one who RSVP’d. She calls Dorinda, who says she just had an operation, and is on all kinds of Vicodin. Sonja reminds her about drag queen bingo, and Dorinda says she has the best outfit. LuAnn will steal it for her next show.
Leah spars with trainer Martin.
LuAnn goes to the recording studio to meet with producer Desmond Child. In her interview, she says they met through friends, and hit it off. They decide to work together, and he said he had the perfect match for her – Viva la Diva. She feels lucky that they clicked and now they’re working together. She goes through the song, and sounds pretty awful. Desmond tells her to be more coy, and show more of her personality. I try to figure out how those two things go together. He thinks they’ve got it, and LuAnn says it’s about the diva in all of them. The inner strength and power that comes from deep within. She tells Desmond about Sonja’s party, and he asks if he can come. She says, of course.
Dorinda goes with stylist Luke to her old condo where she’s having work done. She says it’s becoming a classic, clean, efficient New York apartment. She’s wearing a sling, and in her interview, Dorinda says she had a bump taken out of her hand, and it was quite invasive. It was big and had all these legs on it. The interviewer reacts as we all do, by saying, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Luke wonders what’s next for her, and she says she was flooded, she broke a rib, and gutted the place. It started with just a facelift. We flash back to Dorinda telling her real estate agent that she’s doing a little renovation. She says, it’s representative of her life. She’s starting the new year off thinking about good things for the future. In her interview, she says she had to go through the murky waters, but it’s clear now; the water is calming. She tells Luke that she thinks 2020 will be a good year. Ha-ha-ha! We all did. She says she has to start growing. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, it’s a lot of me, mine, and what to do next. She deserves it. She’s a good person, and feels good about it. Luke picks up a flat, round piece of metal from the floor, and Dorinda says Robert leaves coins when he wants to wish her good luck. Since it’s blank, she wonders if she’s going broke.
Sonja is at her old townhouse, waiting for Ramona. She says she needs Ramona’s help. Ramona got rid of her old place, and is light as a feather now. She wants to be in the same boat. Ramona arrives, and Sonja tells her, it’s not fancy, but it’s clean and new. Ramona told her that she should put it on the market, and she talked to her daughter about it. In Sonja’s interview, she says the house is a financial and emotional drain. She wants to be footloose and fancy free. She’s worked hard to get to this point, and doesn’t want to be house heavy. We see before and after shots. Ramona thinks it’s perfect. In her interview, Sonja says now that her daughter is in college, she doesn’t need all this house. It’s time for a new family to make it their own. She’s ready for a place that’s just for her. Ramona says she’s proud of Sonja, and didn’t realize how attached she was to her apartment until she was closing. Sonja says she looks at it as the place where her daughter brought her friends, and had stability after the divorce, but once she was in college, it was different. Ramona says they’re going to all live life now. Ramona lies down on the new carpet, and Sonja takes pictures. Sonja’s assistant is like, omg.
Leah, Bunny, and Kier go to Abigail’s Kitchen for a gingerbread house decorating session. In Leah’s interview, she says she feels like she has so much to be grateful for, but she feels tired. She and Kier talk about going to Jamaica, and a guy at the table says he did paragliding in the Bahamas. Leah says Kier is trying to get her to do it, but she refuses; she’s scared. Bunny has a suggestion, and Kier says she knows what it is; no phone. Leah says maybe she’ll take a social media detox. In her interview, she says she appreciates her mom looking out for them. No matter how tumultuous their relationship is, family is everything. She says Kier missed her grandma’s speech; it was Oscar worthy. They’re in a better place than they were a few months ago, but she knows Bunny isn’t happy with all of her decisions. At the end of the day, she thinks Bunny understands and respects her. Bunny says she does, and Leah says Bunny told her to go to hell the other day. Bunny asks what Leah told her first, and Leah says, f*** off. In her interview, Leah says their relationship is a work in progress. She has to work on being more mature in dealing with her mom. More change is coming from baby steps. Leah is impressed with Bunny’s gingerbread house, but isn’t so crazy about her own. Kier says she’s hard on herself, and Bunny says it’s because of her. Leah tells her, she wasn’t going to say that.
Leah, Kier, and Sarah are in a limo, and Sarah asks what they’re going to see. Leah says LuAnn has a new cabaret act, and Sonja is in it. Dorinda had surgery, so she gets a pass, but Ramona called to say she wasn’t coming today. In her interview, Leah says, the ladies seems sick of cabaret, but LuAnn has a new audience member since she hasn’t seen it. The venue isn’t a regular club, more like a rehearsal studio, and Ben says they’re taking it on road, and trying it out. He thanks the audience for coming, and says they appreciate it. LuAnn comes out to much applause. She says she was inspired to do Marry F*** Kill because they have a Q&A during the shows, and everyone always asks her that question. The material is based on sex and relationships. In her interview, she says, the fun things they never talk about. Her piano player asks if she has a New Year’s resolution, and she says her track record at this time of year isn’t great. She’s going to try not to get married, divorced, or arrested. In Sonja’s interview, she says, this is LuAnn’s idea of how to refresh cabaret. The material is getting old. LuAnn says she just got back from a vacation in Mexico with her girlfriends, and didn’t fall into one bush. She tells the audience that she has a problem with Harry Dubin. Every time she sees him, he asks if she’s getting married again. If he asks one more time, she’s going to kill him. Sonja yells, don’t kill Harry! She has a solution. LuAnn invites her up on stage, and asks who she would marry, f***, kill, between Dorinda, Ramona, and Tinsley. Sonja says she’d kill Ramona, but Tinsley is unf***able. Maybe she’d marry Tinsley after her second divorce. That leaves sex with Dorinda. In her interview, Sonja says, marry, f***, kill is nothing new. Some of them have f***ed everybody; the list is getting short. It’s a quick show for us, since we don’t see any more of it. In her interview, Leah thought it was a treat seeing LuAnn and Sonja perform together. She doesn’t know why Ramona wouldn’t want to come. Backstage, Leah says she’s glad Ramona isn’t there. She can chew gum and show her vagina to everyone. In LuAnn’s interview, she says Ramona loves to support women, but doesn’t support her. Sonja says she feels self-conscious. She’s had a lot on her plate this year, and let herself go. She tells Leah that she wants to work out, In her interview, she says she put herself on the back burner. Now she has to tackle things that have piled up, and take care of herself. Leah says she likes doing different things, and has an app that tells her what class is available that day. They make plans to work out the day after bingo. Leah says, no matter how hungover they are, even if they’re covered with glitter, and makes the appointment. In Leah’s interview, she says she’s come to love Sonja. She’s a free artist soul, misunderstood, layered, and complicated. She wants Sonja to feel her best. Leah makes a toast to friendship. She says LuAnn and Sonja have been friends a long time and have a special chemistry. She’s happy she and Sonja are working out together; it will be awesome.
Luke helps Dorinda get ready, and wonders if RuPaul is in her closet. I think he was out of any and all closets a long time ago.
It’s time for Sonja’s Drag Queen Bingo Party, where the bartenders wear elf hats and no shirts. Sonja loves the room, saying, it’s spacious and tinselly; it’s a winter wonderland. The party is about raising money for GLAAD, one of her favorite charities. In her interview, she wants them to have a good time, and celebrate their differences and similarities. It’s one big hot mess, which she loves. She wonders if one of them is a drag queen or housewife. Dorinda is dressed in silver, along with accessories of a turban and sling. In her interview, she says you’d think the queens went into her closet. She has half these clothes. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, there are few great hostesses in the world, and Sonja is one of them. She’s not great at accounting, but she knows how to throw a party. Leah wears Adidas sneakers with her gown, saying she wants to be comfortable. Desmond comes in wearing a huge black sunhat, and tells LuAnn it’s the hat’s premiere. Ramona brings her friend Ron, and Sonja asks why she brought a straight guy. Ramona says, he’s a garnish. In Sonja’s interview, she says, Ron is just a guy friend, but Ramona likes to flirt. It’s the reason she doesn’t invite Ramona to her gay parties. Read the invite, bitch.
Sonja asks LuAnn if she’s made out with Ron. He says they did, but she doesn’t remember. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she’s delighted to see Ron. At least he’s not Missy. Sonja insists that she’s written jokes for LuAnn, but LuAnn doesn’t think so. Dorinda tells Leah that Ramona never told LuAnn that she wasn’t coming to the show. Ramona pulls up the text LuAnn sent, and claims she didn’t see the invite. LuAnn says she needed to open the attachment, and Ramona tells her – business advice – she should put it in the header. By which, I assume she means subject line. LuAnn says – business advice – open the attachment. In Ramona’s interview, she says LuAnn called her at the last minute and she had a commitment already. Ron tells Leah that she’s quiet, and needs tequila. He says he and Ramona are super platonic, and in Leah’s interview, she says she thinks Ramona brought him because she likes straight male energy. She asks Ramona why there isn’t more between her and Ron, and Ramona says, it’s better that way. She has something in the works. Leah says she likes being single, and Ron says she should have a friend with benefits. At the mention of it, Ramona has to leave their presence, and Leah tells Ron that Ramona runs when anyone mentions sex. Ron says Leah is in her prime, and he can make her shine. That’s a no, and I’m like, uuuugh.
Bingo is about to start, and Sonja takes the mic, saying, before they start, the number one message is that this is an LGBTQ+ benefit. She also announces that she doesn’t know why Ramona brought a straight man. Ramona says, the invitation didn’t say gay only, and Sonja tells her not to bring her boring friends. Leah says, he’ll be gay by the end of the night. In Dorinda’s interview, she says she’s learned to have a specific permanent smile on her face, and demonstrates. Dorinda gets serious about the bingo game, and LuAnn says, when Dorinda isn’t doing aerobics, she must be at the Elk’s lodge playing bingo. Ramona yells that she likes the number 69 – having no clue about the sexual connotation. Honestly, I’m not sure how she made it to age 75 60. In her interview, she says she just likes the way it looks. It’s graphically pretty. Someone else gets bingo, and Dorinda says, they cheated. She needs a drink. Uh-oh.
Sonja introduces LuAnn, who’s performing her new song. LuAnn says they’re still working on it, so it’s just a preview. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, at least it’s not Happy Birthday. LuAnn starts to sing Viva la Diva, and I die laughing at Leah’s face. In Leah’s interview, she says, it really gets stuck in your head. Sonja says, it’s refreshing that LuAnn is owning up to being a diva. In LuAnn’s interview, she says she’s happy. Everyone is dancing and loving the song. She’s gone through so much, and now respects every day; every day is a gift. Since it’s the finale, the text tells us that LuAnn hasn’t been able to do cabaret because of quarantine, but she’s focusing on her memoir, and sold her round house upstate.
We read that Dorinda has a book coming out, Making It Nice; Making It Through. She won’t be wearing Jovani on the cover. In Leah’s interview, she says she’s grown so much, and she’s getting it right with her mom. She also has a new love for the Upper East Side. She’s ready to let go, and possibly be in a relationship. Her text says that she’s quit drinking, which strengthened her relationship with her mom. She understands that she’s not always liked, but she is always loved. In Sonja’s interview, she says she has all her ducks line up in a row. Sometimes you go off the rails, but then get back up, and fight the fight. We read that, despite the facelift of the townhouse, she had no bidders, so she took it off the market. Her own facelift was more successful in attracting attention. In Ramona’s interview, she says, you should never play the victim. It’s best when you’re real with yourself. The text says she’s settled into a new building, and moved to a higher floor with more Instagrammable views.
Leah thanks the women for having open hearts toward her. She says Tinsley introduced her to the group, and suddenly Dorinda loses her sh*t, saying she won’t give Tinsley that. Tinsley almost ruined their show. She keeps repeating that Tinsley breached her contract, and Sonja says, if you’re not there, you don’t get kudos. Dorinda starts getting all animated, and the women have to duck her recently operated on hand. LuAnn says, merry Christmas. Sonja says she invited Tinsley, but she’d gone back to Chicago. Dorinda says, she’s leaving, and bleepity-bleep-bleep-bleep. Ron says, wow. Leah says Dorinda didn’t give her a chance to finish. Tinsley left, and she formed a bond with them, and she loves them. That’s what she was trying to say. Before she leaves, Dorinda tells Sonja, Tinsley breached her contract, and she’s a bitch. LuAnn tells Leah that Dorinda has gone beyond her expectations of her as a person. I get what she means, but I would rephrase that to say beyond her expectations as an a-hole. She says, Dorinda has work to do. They all do, but you have to keep growing. Dorinda is a great example of not growing. Leah says she’s done with Dorinda, and LuAnn says, she’s not. Dorinda is in a lot of pain, and has a lot of sh*t going on. She came there after having surgery, but didn’t come to LuAnn’s show. She doesn’t want to come to the show. Leah says, that’s awful, and LuAnn says, happy effing holidays.
Next time, the Reunion – Part One – the show is live, with everyone together (but of course socially distanced), Tinsley joins the group, and Andy has to yell at them to shut up.
🍼 Toddling Off…
It’s been a long week, and I’ve gathered quite a bit of tea, but I’ll save it for the next post. Especially since there’s not much going on TVwise on Friday. For the time being, stay safe, stay composed, and stay keeping it more real than Ramona.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Anna tells Maxie and Peter that she wants to have a dinner party at her house to celebrate the happy news. It is happy news, right? Maxie says, it was a surprise, but they’re happy. Anna still can’t believe they’re having a baby, and Maxie says neither can she.
On the phone, Robert tells Spinelli that he’ll be out of town for a couple of days. Keep him in the loop about Peter. Nine months will go by in a flash. Before the kid pops out, he wants Maxie to know the truth about its father.
Olivia rushes around, and Ned says, she’s still determined to leave? She says she has to, but he says she doesn’t. She says she does if she wants to see her son again. Robert’s friend is only temporarily in charge, and doing him a huge favor. A month from now, there might be someone in charge who won’t let Dante have visitors. She has to go now. He asks where that leaves Brook.
Brook touches her throat. Lulu and Dustin come by, and Dustin asks if she’s up for visitors. She just looks at them, and Lulu says she doesn’t know how Brook is feeling, but she looks great. Dustin agrees, and asks how she is. Brook writes, Fantastic. You can go now.
Sasha meets Chase at the café, and apologizes for being late. He thanks her for meeting him, and she says his text made it sound important. He says he wants her to know that he’s prepared to tell Willow the truth about their affair, or non-affair. She says he’s out of his mind.
In the park, Michael spreads out a blanket, and Willow asks if they’re hovering. It’s the nanny’s job to watch Wiley. Michael says, it’s not personal; Wiley was just kidnapped. Willow says they can’t use that as a reason to turn into helicopter parents; it’s not fair to Wiley. He says that’s why they’re all the way over here. She says he makes it sound reasonable, and he says hovering time is only a temporary thing. They’ll be back to normal at some point. They’ve got to go back to work. Willow says, but not today, and he says, not today. Today they can hang out and watch Wiley on the swings, and appreciate that he’s home safe. She says she couldn’t ask for anything more, and he says, he could.
Carly and Sonny enter the stables, followed by Felix, pushing Mike in a wheelchair. Sonny points out a horse, and says, looks like a winner. Felix says Mike wants to see what the other options are before they bet. Sonny says, sounds like a plan, and Felix takes Mike over to the horses. Carly asks if Sonny is okay, and he says, it’s near the end. He can feel it, and just wanted to spend as much time as he can with his father; every day, every hour. Carly says, a wise man once said, sounds like a plan, and she kisses his forehead.
Carly says there’s something she has to tell Sonny. He knows how much she hates being wrong. That’s why they get along. He’s the only person who hates being wrong more than she does. He says, fair enough, and she says when he told her that he was taking Mike there, she got scared. She thought he was hiding from reality, and pushing Mike to do something he didn’t want to. She thought it was denial or magical thinking, that he was trying to make it better, but she was wrong. It was the best gift he could have given Mike. How wonderful is it to watch Mike enjoying himself. He says, absolutely wonderful.
Michael says he spoke to Diane. It will be tricky. He has full custody, but Nelle is still Wiley’s biological mother. They can go the abandonment route. Willow says she has no idea where he’s going with this, and he admits he’s all over the place. What he was trying to say is, once Diane can legally put the question of Nelle to rest, he wants Willow to adopt Wiley.
Chase tells Sasha, every reason Michael and Willow had to get married is gone. Nelle was banished, she literally slashed Brook’s throat, and kidnapped Wiley. That’s kidnapping and assault with intent to kill.There’s no way Nelle will be allowed near Wiley again. It’s over, and Wiley is safe for the rest of his life. He can tell Willow what happened, and why. Sasha asks what he thinks will happen then. Willow will say, great news, return Michael’s ring, kiss Wiley goodbye, and run into his arms? He says, she’ll be angry at first, but eventually she’ll understand. She loves him. She says, Willow loves Wiley more, the way a mother should love a child. In Willow’s heart, that’s what she is to Wiley. That’s why they did this. He can’t put something in motion, and think he can control the outcome. You can’t un-ring a bell, and no matter how bad he wants to, you can’t ungive up someone’s love.
Lulu tells Brook, they have something in common. She’s also known the terror of being stabbed and left to die. She’s sure Brook must have followed the Ryan Chamberlain nightmare. When she came to, she was terrified. It took a long time to get over the trauma. It felt like someone had stolen something so deeply personal, she’d never get it back. She gets it, and she’s around if Brook wants to commiserate. Dustin suggests they let Brook get some rest, and says he’ll check in soon.
Ned tells Olivia, Brook is in ICU, and refusing to see him. Olivia is the one – and he thanks her for it – who reached out, and put Brook up in the MetroCourt after he threw her out. Olivia asks why he’s saying this like she wasn’t there, and he says he wants to make her understand that she’s the only one Brook will allow to help her. She thinks he’s mistaken. She’d allow Sonny to help her, and Michael. Michael is probably dicey right now, since he’s technically a Quartermaine, and she wants to keep them out of her life. She gets how much he wants to make it work, and he says she can make help make that happen. She can be the bridge, and get Brook to accept his help. She says, it’s not about Brook accepting help, but accepting help from him. He says, because he’s her father, he needs Olivia’s help to help his daughter. And whether she wants to admit it or not, Brook needs him.
Anna says, it will be a small dinner party; them, her and Finn, Mac and Felicia. They can just sit back and be celebrated. Maxie says, sounds great, and Peter agrees. He says he couldn’t have imagined coming to Port Charles and falling in love. Anna says, and being a family man. Maxie says, before he knows it, he’ll be driving a minivan, but she still wants an edge. She says they have to meet Dustin and Lulu before their appointment at the hospital, and Peter asks if Anna is sure. Anna says, this is what you do when you celebrate family. Peter says, family. He likes the sound of that. Anna says, don’t mess it up, and Maxie says she won’t let him. Anna watches them leave, and Robert startles her. He asks if something’s wrong.
Sonny says, when he was a kid, his dad took him to the track; it was something fun to do. His dad was always so happy; he loved being there. He knew everybody, and everybody knew him. Carly says, it must have been so cool, and Sonny says, he thinks before gambling became an addiction, his dad was at his best at the track. He loved horses, and the people who handled the horses. He loved the whole experience. She says she understands what he’s saying, to a point. She thinks Mike is his best self when he’s with Sonny. She thinks that’s why it was so hard for so long, because Mike left parts of himself behind when he left Sonny. Now that he’s at the end, Mike is his best self all over again. Thanks to Sonny.
Willow says, Michael… and he asks if it’s too much too soon. She says, no. She wanted this. He doesn’t have to pay her back. He says, it’s not about that, and she asks if he’s sure. He’s conscientious to a fault, and trips over himself thanking her and giving her credit. It wasn’t the sacrifice he thinks. She was happy to testify, and loves being married to his family, and being Wiley’s stepmom. He says, it’s not about thanking her. He wants her to adopt Wiley for him, so legally, she has claim on Wiley, but also so Wiley has claim on her.
Sasha tells Chase, Michael and Willow are adults with feelings. They love Wiley, and are committed to making him happy. He can’t show up just because Wiley was kidnapped. Doesn’t that mean he’s playing God again? He’s counting on Willow choosing him, but why would she? He lied, and deliberately broke her heart. She won’t forgive him any more than Michael would forgive her. There’s no going back. Their only option is to move on. He says maybe that works for her, throwing herself into her career, but he’s in love with Willow. He can’t and won’t give her up.
Robert tells Anna that he’s going to Holly’s memorial; his flight is tonight. Anna is glad he’s out of his strange denial, and facing things head on. He says he thought he’d take one more crack at hers, but she says, it’s not about Peter. He says, when isn’t it? and she says, for him, never.
Carly says, such beautiful animals, and Felix comes back with Mike. Sonny asks how it went, and Felix says his father can be mayor if Laura ever decides to step down. Sonny says, it’s good to be with friends, and Mike nods. Carly says she saw a concession stand. She and Felix can go while Sonny has a chat with his dad. They leave, and Sonny starts to bring a horse over to Mike, but Mike gets up. Sonny helps him, and asks if he’s okay. Mike nods, and Sonny says, Carly was saying, they’re beautiful animals. Mike says, uh-huh, and Sonny asks if Mike’s sure he’s got it. Mike says, uh-huh, and takes the horses head in his hands. He runs his face along the horse’s nose and kisses it, and I’m going to burst out crying any second. Mike looks at Sonny, and Sonny asks, what is it? Mike puts his hand on his heart, and says, thank you, son, and kisses Sonny’s cheek. That squishing sound is Mike stepping all over my heart.
Anna says she knows what Robert is going to say, word for word. She’s playing a game, and he thinks she’s ignoring the warnings everyone has given her. She’s cleared the way for Maxie to allow the relationship to be serious, and now she and Peter are having a child together. Robert says, he murdered Drew, and she says, according to you. He says, according to a lot of people. She says, what if she finds out Peter is the evil mastermind Robert claims he is? Maxie will be devastated, more so than when she lost Nathan. Even worse, Anna allowed it to happen because she ignored the proof and her instincts to believe what she wanted, instead of going where the facts led her. Is she close? He says, wow. Clearly he doesn’t need to be having this fight with her. She’s having it with herself.
Ned says, please, and Olivia says he’s telling her that his daughter is more important than her son. He’s asking her to choose between their children. He says, Dante’s situation is terrible, but static. Nothing has changed in over a year. Brook is recovering, and rejected him. She needs him right now. She says she understands. It’s a horrible situation for him, but Brook is getting better. It’s not like Brook won’t be there, and can’t reach out. If he truly needs her to build a bridge, wait a couple of days. Ned says, so she’s flying to Geneva to break her own heart.
Sasha comes by Brook’s room, and asks if it’s a bad time. Brook writes, They’re all bad times, so… Sasha says she brought Brook something, and gives her a gift bag. Brook takes out a small box, and Sasha says, it’s Deception’s new moisturizer. Of all the things she hated when she was in the hospital, dry skin was at the top of the list. It’s amazing, and all natural. Brook writes, Thank you, and Sasha says, you’re welcome. She’s going to totally take advantage of the fact that Brook can’t talk. She can type all she wants, but Sasha will ignore her. Chase is not a dirtbag.
Willow tells Michael, of course (🍷) she wants to adopt Wiley. She wants Wiley to have claim on her forever. He says, but…? and she says, no buts. She’ll happily, wholeheartedly adopt Wiley, as soon as she’s legally able to, but – he says, there it is – since that hasn’t happened yet, and there’s a legal pause… He tells her, just say it, and she says she wants to make sure he’s not doing this because he felt like it was wrong to kiss her. Chase approaches, but stays behind some bushes. Willow says she doesn’t want him to do it because he feels it shouldn’t have happened or whatever. He says they promised to be honest, and not try to protect each other with lies, which is where Chase and Sasha ended up. He doesn’t regret the kiss. He regrets the timing, because he knows she’s still in love with Chase. He wants her to know that he completely respects that. She thanks him, and says, since they’re being honest, she doesn’t regret the kiss either. He and Wiley are too important to her, and she can’t mess this up. They can’t rush into things and make assumptions. He’s Wiley’s father, and there’s nothing more important than giving Wiley a stable, loving family. Chase listens.
Michael tells Willow, this is weird to say, but as horrible as Nelle is, he considers it a gift, waiting to see what happens. They can get to know each other and be a family. See where they are, and find their comfort level. Willow says she doesn’t want to rush, and he says they’ll take it day by day. She says, day by day is great with her. Remember how she told him Nina stopped by? He asks how it went, and she says, surprisingly well. Nina was really kind, which she’s never have believed would happen, since Nina tried to have her fired over Charlotte. He says, maybe Nina learned to appreciate her, and she says she’s learned to appreciate Nina too. Nina taught her how to play backgammon. He says, it’s a fun game, and she asks if he plays. He says, a little, and she asks how much a little is. He suggests they play, and she can find out, but she has the feeling she’s being set up. Behind that innocent face is the heart of a shark.
Sasha tells Brook, Chase is the opposite of a dirtbag. He’s the greatest guy. What happened with them, she was feeling overwhelmed with no way to solve Wiley’s problem. The only person who could keep Willow in Wiley’s life was Michael, if he married her. Chase wanted be the hero, but only Michael could. As for her, she was feeling alone and scared, and completely over her head. There was no way she was ready to be married, let alone be an insta-mom. She kissed Chase first, so don’t hold him responsible.
Ned says Dante has told Olivia that he doesn’t want to see her. It’s not a choice between kids; she can help Brook. This is just going to be another futile attempt at reaching out to Dante. She asks if he’s telling her that she’s wasting her time helping her own son, and he says he thinks she’s better off honoring Dante’s wishes, and leaving him alone. Olivia says she doesn’t understand how it’s possible for him to give her advice, considering he threw his daughter out of the family home like a common criminal. She would never abandon her children. She goes upstairs.
Anna says Robert can’t accept that Peter and Maxie are happy. It’s over. Does he want to accept that a beautiful, innocent baby is on the way, and represents a whole new chapter, or does he want to continue dredging up misery in his endless quest to be right? What sounds better? He says she has two choices. Keep avoiding the truth, or step up and face it. She says he’s going to be late for his flight, and he leaves.
Maxie and Peter get to the café, and Maxie says, sorry they’re late, but Lulu says they just got there. Maxie says they met up with Anna, and Peter says, she’s excited to be a grandma again. Maxie asks how Lulu and Dustin are doing, and Lulu says they just came from seeing Brook. Maxie says, was it horrible? and Lulu says, in a word, yes.
Mike says, sure is a beauty, and Sonny says, sure is. He’s been thinking a lot about the equestrian park. He asks if Mike remembers the night he spent there with Avery. He asks if Mike wants to sit, but Mike says, no. Sonny says, Mike and Avery got lost, and they were worried, but Dante found them. Does he know who Dante is; his grandson? Mike says, yeah, and Sonny says, Dante brought them home safe and sound. A lot has happened since then; a lot of loss, but a lot gain. He’s happy he was able to bring Mike there, a place where Mike just loves to be. They hug, and Sonny says he wants to play the ponies. He’s going to bet on the long shot, and asks Mike how much he should bet. Mike says, shoot the moon, son, and Sonny says, yeah. They’re going to shoot the moon. My heart is completely squashed flat.
Robert goes to pick up Olivia, who says he’s right on time.
Sasha says she knows Brook has to put up with her because they work together, and Chase also arrested Brook twice. Brook holds up three fingers, and Sasha says she doesn’t want Brook to think Chase is a hypocritical jerk. Believe her, if Brook was drowning, Chase is the person she’d want to jump in to save her. He’s a good guy. Brook makes a gesture, asking if they’re together, but Sasha says, who is not the guy for her. When they’ve blown their lives apart that bad, they can’t revisit that avenue. The only saving grace is that Michael got custody. That counts for something, right?
Michael looks at his phone, and Willow asks if everything is okay. He says his sole focus has been Wiley lately, as it should be, but his family is going through some stuff. His grandfather stopped eating, and his dad decided against a feeding tube. He completely agrees, but it means they don’t have much time. She says she’s so sorry, and he says his mom texted. Apparently they brought Mike to the track; he loves betting. Willow says she thought he meant a running track. That’s no place for his grandfather. He tells her that his mom says it’s going well, and he’s happy for his dad. They get to spend time together. Willow says Michael doesn’t have to stay if he doesn’t want to. His dad is losing his father, and that’s a really sad thing, but he’s losing someone too. How is he doing?
Carly and Felix come back, and Carly asks what they’ve been up to while she and Felix were eating junk food? Sonny says they’re making plans to come back, so his dad can pick the right horse. Felix brought carrots, and asks if he can meet Mike’s friend. While they feed the horse, Carly says Mike looks great. Sonny wonders how he’ll say goodbye to his father, when Mike doesn’t know it’s goodbye. They watch Mike and Felix give the horse carrots
Chase shows up at Brook’s room, but says he can come back. Sasha says she was just heading out. She’s already bored Brook to tears. She leaves, and Chase says he just wanted to check and see if Brook was okay. She writes, Is that it? He says, one more thing. He messed up pretty bad with Nelle, and she did a lot of damage as a result. Wiley is safe because of her, so he thanks her. She writes, So does that mean I get a free pass the next time you want to arrest me? He tells her, just feel better.
Robert says he’ll put Olivia’s bag in the car. Ned says, so this is it, and she says, this is it. He tells her, good luck. He hopes it works out for her. She says she wishes he meant that. He says, please don’t leave angry, and she says she’ll call when she gets to Geneva, and leaves.
Sasha heads for the hospital elevator, and sees Chase. She says, well? Did he talk to Willow? He says, she was right. It’s too late to take it back. What’s done is done. She says she’s sorry. The worst part about accepting reality, is that it doesn’t make it hurt any less. She gets in elevator, but he doesn’t.
Michael tells Willow, when he was little, he never understood the undercurrent between Mike and his dad. Willow asks, what undercurrent? and Michael says, Mike screwed up, and it took Sonny a lifetime to forgive him. Willow says she’d always thought Michael was named for his grandfather, but he says Michael is his dad’s name too. She says she learns something new every day, and Michael says, as wonderful as his grandfather was to him, the main thing he remembers is all the regret Mike had. He had a wife and son he loved very much. Life gives us endless chances, but we don’t always get those chances back. He enjoyed fishing with Mike, and they had fun at the track, but the biggest thing Mike taught him was what not to do. He won’t make the same mistakes Mike did, and squander Wiley’s childhood, leaving him hurting. He won’t put his career or ambition before his promise to himself, just to make up down the line. He’s committed to give Wiley the best life possible, and he wants her in it. He takes her hand, and she says, sounds like a plan. The phrase of the day.
Mike sits, and we hear that bugle that says, they’re off. Sonny asks if Mike is ready, and Mike gives both thumbs up. Sonny says, let’s go.
Lulu says she never thought she’d say this, but she feels bad for Brook. Maxie says, her too, and Lulu tells her, because of Brook’s bravery her nephew is safe, but Maxie says, what if Brook is never able to sing again? Peter says, it’s a possibility, and Lulu hopes it doesn’t come to pass. She suggests for one moment they stop talking about depressing things, and talk about the perfect, amazing, wonderful baby that’s coming. Maxie says she thinks Peter will be an incredible dad.
Anna receives a call from an unknown caller. She answers, Anna Devane.
Tomorrow, Anna says she’s going to Berlin to meet Alex, Sam tells Alexis that she traded favors with Valentin, Spinelli tells Jason it worked, and Sonny says he could consider it an act of war.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – The Reunion – Part One
I see Denise is already eating her feelings during the logistics set up. I’ll be joining her shortly.
Andy welcomes us to the reunion – virtual edition. No surprise, they’re still all dressed like they’re going to the opera, and Dorit says, it’s the reunion, and they have to bring it. The early 2000s called, and wants bring it back. Garcelle wearing a dress by Asa (Shahs of Sunset), and it’s beautiful; a yellow wrap-around with marabou feathers on the sleeve cuffs. Andy asks, who’s wearing shoes? Garcelle admits hers are off, but several others shove their adorned feet in our faces. Andy says, newest Housewife Garcelle isn’t afraid to let her unfiltered opinion fly, and we flash back on all things Garcelle. He says there was a lot response to her saying Kyle was the least welcoming when she was on Watch What Happens Live. We flash back to that, and Kyle says she was blindsided, and insists she was welcoming. Garcelle isn’t buying it, and neither is Denise. Garcelle says she really couldn’t remember anyone else’s name, and Kyle interrupts, prompting Garcelle to say Kyle is doing it already; let her finish. Dorit says she’s had issues with Kyle’s listening skills. It’s not nice to make someone feel their point isn’t valuable, and that they have a better point to make. Ha! If Dorit wants nice, boy, is she on the wrong show. We see clips of Kyle interrupting just about everyone. Kyle says, it happens, which sounds like something my husband would say. When he talks over me, which I despise, he says it’s how you have a conversation. Um… no. It’s called interrupting. Denise says Kyle talks at them, doesn’t listen, and the conversation comes back to her. Kyle claims she has respect for all of them. Frankly I think Kyle just has the attention span of a gnat. She accuses Garcelle of not paying on her bid in a charity event, which ticks Garcelle off. Garcelle says Kyle had better watch what she’s saying, because that’s not true. Denise and I laugh. Garcelle says Kyle waits until the show is aired, then gets on Twitter. Which is what I do. Garcelle says she was warned about Kyle, and Andy wonders who warned her, but Garcelle isn’t talking, and no one raises their hand. Garcelle says she told Andy how she was feeling, and how Kyle took it, is on her.
Andy asks how Garcelle feels to be the first Black Beverly Hills Housewife, and Garcelle says, it’s great to be the first anything. He asks if she felt any pressure, and she says, Black women are often labeled angry because they’re outspoken and strong. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have pain. Andy says she told Wendy Williams that she was hesitant, since Black social media might come at her co-stars. Garcelle says, it’s a fine line, since it can be perceived as racial if it’s directed at her. He asks if anyone wants speak to that, but apparently they’re afraid to, since it’s the first time they’ve all been quiet in… ever. Garcelle talks about being pulled over, and how she was glad one of her sons was in the car to see her reaction, which was respectful and calm. She feels hopeful of change, and says, it’s been a long time coming. Kyle says, people are scared to say something, and don’t know what to ask. Garcelle says she wants her friends to call her, and ask questions. They can all grow and move forward from it. Erika’s son being a policeman is touched on, but not much. At least she didn’t freak out like when it was brought up in her first season.
We see pictures of Lil Bit Blanche, Sutton’s new Ragamuffin cat. Andy calls her the queen of couture, and once again I’m confused as to why she doesn’t hold a diamond, since her air time is equal to that of the others. Did she fund the show? Did they run out of diamonds? I love her dress with a silver lace overlay, and she tells us she’s wearing Pamela Roland. Andy says people are surprised she’s on Match rather than a millionaire dating site, and she says the worst date she had was with a millionaire. Andy says she’s one of a kind, like the Dolce in her closet. I agree. She can be snarky, but I like Sutton; I think she’s got a good heart. Laura from Rochester asks why Dorit blew what Sutton said about freaking out, out of proportion. We flash back to Sutton quietly telling Dorit she might freak out, and Dorit claiming at dinner that Sutton loudly proclaimed she was going to freak the f*** out. The viewer asks, why lie and exaggerate? Dorit apologizes, saying she made it a bigger issue than it was. When she watched it back, she felt bad. Sutton says, if Dorit was concerned about how she feeling, Dorit would have pulled her aside, but instead, she shared it with the table. She didn’t ask about it privately, but wanted to announce it, and freaked everyone else out. This goes back and forth for a while, with Dorit apologizing, and Sutton finally saying they’re good. Andy asks what was in Sutton’s gift bag, and Kyle says, good sh*t. Garcelle says, Sutton is very generous. Not only did she give them the giftbags, she’d gotten rainboots for everyone when they were in Rome, and was nice enough to haul them to Italy for a surprise. Sutton jokes that she’s trying to buy friendships, and Erika says she has the best social graces. She’s a well-bred Southern woman. Andy says when they played the first impression game, it went from zero to sixty, when Sutton said she’d thought Teddi would be boring, and Teddi ended up in tears. Oh please. Andy says Teddi claims she wants her friends to be direct and honest, but was Sutton too honest? Teddi says, it wasn’t the boring thing. It was Sutton saying, ugh, even worse, she’s pregnant. Sutton says she was joking around, and Andy says viewers find Sutton’s unflinching honesty refreshing. Sutton says, they all have insecurities, but she thought she looked like a snotty a-hole, and that’s not who she is.
Andy asks if Garcelle is annoyed or just listening, and Garcelle says, both. She says, it’s tough to be in a place where people are judging and questioning you. Kyle says they’ve all had moments like that. That might be true, but both LVP and Denise had entire seasons; you can’t compare it. Andy says, last season Denise casually talked about her husband’s penis and a happy ending, but this year, she flinched. We see the clip where LisaR trotted after Denise and Aaron when they left Kyle’s barbecue, and Denise saying they were headed to a strip club for a steak. Denise said she even tweeted that she was kidding. She knew LisaR would run back to them and repeat it. Andy says he was confused about the quality of steaks at strip clubs, and asks Erika if the steaks at Shakers were top-notch. Erika doesn’t answer, and Denise says it was her experience that when the husbands were around, they didn’t really talk sex. LisaR brings up (no pun intended) Denise talking about Aaron’s penis, and Erika says Denise brought it up in every conversation and set the tone. Huh? I think she brought it up twice, and once was at a private dinner with just a few people. Teddi (zzzz…. I’m sorry, what?) says, it’s frustrating, and Erika says Denise tried to make them look like a-holes. I’d say they don’t need any help with that. Dorit disagrees, but Erika says Denise thought she’d malign them as a group, and make them look bad. Again, they need no assistance in that department. Denise says she wasn’t upset about it, and Erika says she was upset enough to go with her to have coffee and discuss it. Denise says that wasn’t the reason she asked Erika out for coffee, but Erika is too busy concentrating on what she’s already decided to say to hear it. Erika says she took on the chin and apologized, but then Denise took it to Teddi and Sutton. She says, blah-blah-blah, mofo; she’s out. I have no idea what her problem is, except maybe she just feels like starting the yelling early. She says, it’s bullsh*t, and Denise insists she’s not upset. She said she couldn’t believe they’d said that, and Erika wonders why Denise picked on her. Denise asks if Erika took it as her being upset with her personally, and LisaR says Erika is being gaslit. Denise says, it’s not a big deal, but they kept it going on. She didn’t say, shame on everyone. She talked to them mom to mom. It was awkward. LisaR says, it wasn’t awkward, and Denise asks how she knows. I hate when someone tells me how I feel. LisaR says she saw it on film, and asks why Denise wouldn’t tell her what she and Sami talked about. Denise says, because it was between her and Sami, but LisaR says she made it more about them as parents. Kyle admits that she’d never want her children to hear that; she would have died. Andy needs to do some pot stirring, so he says, perhaps Denise was upset about Erika saying teens already knew about threesomes, and were doing it. Erika said she was speaking about teens in general, not Denise’s kids in particular, forgetting about something called context. LisaR says the fans came at them, and Erika says Denise liked a comment that suggested LisaR was a racist and should be fired. Denise says she only saw the part about Erika, and when she realized, deleted it. We see the tweet, which is as long as tweets get, and part of it mentioned what Erika had said about Denise’s daughters. LisaR says, in liking the tweet, that said everything. They all talk at once, the thing I hate most about reunions, and LisaR says, it was in a public forum. It was vile and nasty, and Denise knew what she was doing. Don’t lie. (Ooh. She’s so angry.) Denise asks why she would have taken it down if she felt that way, and LisaR says because she was called out, and Bravo called her, which I actually find that hard to believe. If anything, they want drama. Andy asks Denise, when she said all the fun stuff (i.e. the penis and happy ending comments), did she sit the kids down and tell them? Denise says, it’s walking a fine line, but her kids don’t watch the show… Without letting her finish, LisaR says, that’s bullsh*t, and Denise continues that they’ve heard things from their friends. Erika says, blah-blah-blah happy ending, and demands to know if Denise thinks it’s just the group who says bad things. Denise says she doesn’t tell her kids about that, and LisaR says, the whole world knows that Aaron got a happy ending from a hundred year old woman. Since I’ve been waiting for this opportunity through the entire show, I say, YOUR NECK LOOKS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD. Ba-dum-chh! Erika wonders how much it cost, which is actually the only interesting question so far. Andy asks if Denise is consciously trying to change her image, but Denise says she was uncomfortable early on, since she was on the receiving end of being a target. Andy asks if she sees why people might be confused, but Denise says they should have agreed to disagree, and moved on. She wasn’t the one who kept bringing it up. LisaR starts to singsong, gaslighting, gaslighting, gaslighting. She claps and tells Denise, good job. Denise rolls her eyes, and Garcelle says, wow.
Next time, same sh*t, different week.
🪔 Perhaps LisaR should look up the definition of gaslighting.
I found this on Reddit. Not only does she explain why Denise might be reticent to discuss the Brandi situation, but fantasizes about having Kyle on the stand. It’s pretty funny.
I’m not sure how it happens, but even when I have extra time, it turns into running late. I’m looking forward to the long weekend – or another three days, depending on your viewpoint – so I can squeeze in some more work. No matter how you look at it, stay safe, stay cordial, and stay knowing the meaning of words before you use them.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
I swear the moss bowl got bigger. Carly gets coffee, and shuffles over to the kitchen island. She sees Nelle tapping at the door, but when she goes over, there’s nothing there. She turns, and Nelle is in the kitchen. She says she saw Nelle fall. Nelle says something I can’t hear because the music is so loud. Carly wakes up, and says, it’s just a dream.
Nina meets with jeweler Evelyn, and says she knows Evelyn’s time is valuable. She appreciates Evelyn looking into the necklace for her. Evelyn says Jax is her favorite client. His taste in jewelry is exquisite. She also enjoys the challenge of solving a mystery. Nina says any clues she may have found, could trace the necklace back to its original craftsman.
Willow joins Michael and Jason in the Quartermaine living room, and says, Wiley is in the kitchen. Cook is so glad to have him back, he’s helping with breakfast. Michael says, none of the family is ever allowed in the kitchen, and Jason says, it’s a special occasion. Michael thanks Jason, who says he wasn’t needed; Michael found Wiley himself. Michael says he and Willow were up half the night; they were never so worried in their lives. Jason says he’ll go check on Wiley (I’m not sure why, since he’ll just get kicked out of the kitchen), and Michael says he didn’t mean it the way it sounded. He’s still on overload. Willow says, last night was a big night, and we flash back to her saying, if anything had happened to Michael… and Michael kissing her. Michael says, yeah, it was.
Felix asks if Sonny wants to take a break, and get some rest. He can call if Mike needs anything. Sonny says, he’s decided against heroic measures, and Felix says, and he doesn’t want to waste a single moment. Sonny says, it’s not what he wanted. He wanted Mike to stay around forever. He’s not 100% sure, but if it’s what his dad wants, he respects Mike’s wishes. He doesn’t want Mike to be alone. Mike wakes up, and Sonny says, it’s okay. He’s there.
Olivia and Ned find Brook out of bed, and lead her back. Olivia tells her, since she can’t be talking, they thought this would help her communicate better. She hands Brook a tablet with a gigantic keypad.
Neil is in bed, and Alexis says she made coffee. She didn’t know if he likes it first thing in the morning, or likes a shower first. She was thinking a foot rub. She touches his feet, and says, they’re freezing. She says Neil’s name, and turns him over. She shakes him, and says, oh my God. She yells for Sam to come, and hurry.
On the phone, Alexis tells 911 that she can’t wake Neil, and doesn’t think he’s breathing. She sees Sam come downstairs, and Sam’s face says it all. Alexis says, just hurry.
Brook makes a sign with her hand like, go, and Olivia says, nice try. They’re not going anywhere. Ned says, as Quartermaines they thrive on overcoming the odds, and Brook types, U disowned me, and Olivia says Ned overreacted. He said things he didn’t mean, like when Olivia was mad at Brook’s mother. She said, Lois, you’re dead to me, but then they were playing stickball the following day. Ned says Brook is his daughter, and nothing can change that. Brook types, 2 late.
Michael tells Willow, they should talk about what happened. Willow says, the kiss? They probably should. Michael says, probably, and she says, definitely. She tells Michael, Wiley is running wild in the kitchen, and Jason wants to talk to him, and Michael says, later. She leaves, and Jason asks if everything is okay. Michael says, Wiley is fine, but Jason says he was talking about Michael. Michael says he’s still trying to process everything, and Jason says, sometimes it helps to talk. Michael ask if Jason just said that, which was what I was thinking, and Jason says, sometimes. Michael says he doesn’t know where to start, and Jason says, start anywhere. Michael says, it was a crazy night. Nelle was completely out of her mind. She started to believe her own lies, and saw herself as a victim, and completely justified. He was so afraid she’d do something to Wiley.
Carly hears a tap at door, but it’s Jax. She lets him in, and gives him some coffee. She says he’s there early, and he says he assumed she had a rough night, with the kidnapping and everything else that went on. She says he could have called. Is he there to see how she’s doing, or how Sonny reacted to Nelle’s death? He says, why not both? He’d thought they were on the same page. She says, Sonny doesn’t know. He’s at Turning Woods. Jax asks if something happened, and she says, Mike isn’t eating, but that’s been going on a while. They don’t know how much time he has left, and she doesn’t want Sonny wasting a second on Nelle. He says, Nelle is gone; let that be the end of it. Carly says, is she?Isn’t there a chance she didn’t die? He says she saw the drop. There’s no way. She says she saw the drop, but not Nelle’s body. Look at what happened with Ryan. If they don’t find a body, there’s a chance someone is alive. On soaps, sometimes even when they do find a body, there’s a chance someone is alive. Jax asks if that’s what she’s hoping. That Nelle survived.
Apparently dead, Neil is taken out on a stretcher. Valerie, who now works every case in Port Charles, says she’s sorry, but she needs to ask Alexis a few questions. Alexis says, there’s nothing to tell. When they went to sleep, Neil was alive, and when she brought him coffee this morning, he was dead. Valerie says, Neil was her former therapist? How would Alexis characterize their relationship? Alexis says she characterizes her relationship with Dr. Bern as over. What they were, or could have been, she doesn’t know, and never will. Sam hugs her.
Sonny looks at the racing form, and asks Mike what he thinks about this one. Does it sound promising? Tina’s Temptation; a beautiful horse, first year in the circuit. What does he think the odds are? Mike doesn’t respond, and Sonny says, it’s all right. Mike holds up two fingers, then one. Sonny says, two to one. See? Mike is great at odds. Felix comes in, and asks if everything is okay. Sonny says, it’s great, and Felix asks if there’s anything he can do to make Mike more comfortable. Sonny says he could bring Mike a horse to visit. Felix laughs, and says, Mike would love it. He knows how much Mike enjoys racing. Sonny says, it’s like being at home at the track, and Felix says, someone is chatty. Have they been studying the racing form? He thinks that’s why it’s a good day. Strong emotional ties do that sometimes. Sonny quietly says he wants to ask Felix something. He wants to take Mike to the track. Can Felix make that happen?
Michael tells Jason that Brook said Nelle had a GPS on Wiley. He got Nelle’s phone, and tracked her to the cabin. She had Wiley in the bedroom, and he heard Wiley making a noise. When he saw Wiley was fast asleep, he can’t describe the feeling. Jason gets it. It’s more than relief. It’s like you were suffocating, and can breathe again. Michael says, Nelle must have taken off. His mom and Jax showed up, and his mom went after Nelle. He doesn’t want to think about what would have happened if Wiley hadn’t made a noise. He was so close to losing control. Jason says, Nelle is pretty skilled at pushing someone to the breaking point, but Michael stood his ground to save his son, and didn’t crack. That’s all that matters.
Evelyn explains to Nina, that there are initials interwoven in the clasp. She was able to track down the artisan, who is working in Manhattan. Nina says, amazing, and Evelyn says she thinks it’s possible Nina’s mother might have purchased an identical chain from the same artisan. Nina says, if she finds the artist, maybe she can find the other necklace. She knows it’s a longshot, but she’s closer to the answer than she was a week ago.
Carly says, it’s best for Wiley and everyone if Nelle is dead, but she doesn’t know how she feels. Jax says, that’s why she’s having nightmares about what happened on the cliff. She says, that wasn’t it. She was getting coffee; it was normal and ordinary. That’s what made it scary. She heard a tap at the door, and it was Nelle. Jax says she had a traumatic experience, and Carly says, she locked it, then Nelle was sitting there in front of her. It was so real, she could touch her. He says, then? and she says she woke up screaming. She wonders how he can be so calm, and he says she had a nightmare; it’s perfectly understandable. He can’t imagine how hard it is to live with the vision in her mind of someone falling to their death. She thinks it’s more than the fall. She’s spent so much time looking over her shoulder, she doesn’t know what do if Nelle isn’t there. She hopes the fear goes away into the past where it belongs. Nelle can’t hurt anyone she loves again. I don’t think Carly really believes that.
Valerie tells Alexis, the paramedics think it was a heart attack. They’ll know more after the autopsy. She’s sorry, but she has more questions. Alexis says, just do it, and Valerie asks if Alexis knew if Neil had a heart condition. Alexis says, he never mentioned it, and Valerie asks if Neil ever complained of chest pains. Alexis says, no, and she can assure Valerie that last night he wasn’t complaining about anything. Sam thinks it’s a good time to rest, if Valerie has no more pressing questions. Valerie says she doesn’t, and she’ll be in touch when they know more. She’s sorry for Alexis’s loss.
Sonny says they should get Mike dressed, and Mike strokes his chin. Sonny says he knows what Mike is trying to say. He can’t go looking like a bum. He has to look sharp. Sonny thinks he can make that happen.
Ned tells Brook, he’s so, so sorry. He never should have implied that he didn’t want her in the family. She writes, Ucan’t take it back, and he says, maybe not, but he can admit he was wrong. Olivia made him realize how foolish he was. Brook types, Go away!!! and Olivia says, enough. She understands Brook has been through a terrible trauma. She doesn’t know when she’ll get to sing again, and singing isn’t just a pastime or hobby for her; it’s who she is. But find a little compassion. Her father was beside himself worrying that he’d lose her. Ned says he was, and no matter how mad she is, he can take it. Olivia says her father isn’t perfect; far from it. He often misses the point completely, and acts like a stubborn ass, but think about the times she needed forgiveness. He needs forgiveness now, and she promises it will make them both feel so much better. She leaves, and Ned tells Brook, Olivia is on her side, and believe it or not, so is he. He knows she’s going through something horrific, and he just wants to make things better for her. He hopes she lets them when she comes home. She gestures with her hand, and he says, of course (🍷) she’s coming home. She types, What home?
Carly’s phone dings, and Jax asks if everything is okay. She says Sonny just wants her to bring something by Turning Woods. He asks if she’s going to tell Sonny about Nelle, but she says, no. Like she told him, she doesn’t want to intrude on Sonny’s time with his father. Jax says, good idea, and she says she knows when she does tell him, and he realizes she’s been keeping it from him, he’s going to be upset. But now is the only time Sonny has with Mike.
Jason asks if Michael has talked to his dad, but Michael says, not last night. Sonny was at Turning Woods with Mike. He wonders if he should say something about… When he brought Wiley home to Willow, things got complicated. Jason says, Wiley seems happy, and Michael says, Wiley is great, but he and Willow were emotional after it happened. They’d been so terrified, knowing Wiley was home safe and upstairs, they got to talking and kissed. Jason says, wow. He guessed that would probably happen sooner or later. Michael says, really? Neither one of them expected it.
Sonny gives Mike a shave, and says this is what he taught his boys; shaving cream and clean strokes. A man should always know how to give himself a proper shave. That’s what Mike said to him, and what he repeated to Michael and Morgan. Michael will teach Wiley how to shave, and Wiley will repeat that himself. He finishes, and asks what Mike thinks. Mike smiles, and Sonny says, that’s nice.
Jason says, Michael and Willow trust each other, and love Wiley. It’s the foundation for a good life, if that’s what they want. Michael says he doesn’t want to pressure Willow, and Jason says, be honest. Tell her what he wants and let her decide what she wants. And tell Wiley congratulations for making it into the kitchen.
Willow tells Wiley, he needs to get dressed. He can’t run around in PJs all day. She picks out an outfit, and says she loves this one; it makes him look handsome. He’s looking more and more like his daddy, who also happens to be handsome, and very brave. Michael listens on the monitor, and she says, when Michael brought Wiley home, she was so happy and so relieved, but she never expected to kiss him. It just happened out of nowhere, like the most natural thing in the world. It’s crazy, right? His dad is a best friend to her, but she didn’t realize how easy it would be to kiss him. Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that she and his dad both love him very much.
Evelyn gives the contact information to Nina, who thanks her. Nina says she can’t wait to contact the artisan, and talk to them about the necklace. Evelyn hopes they remember; it’s been a long time. Forgive her, but… Nina says she knows. Don’t get her hopes up. Her mother gave her the necklace, not out of sentimentality or love, and it’s the key to a secret she’s meant to unlock. She’ll be damned if she lets anything stop her.
Willow tells Michael that either Wiley ate too many pancakes, or he’s worn out from last night. Michael says, that’s okay. It’s better not to bring him. He’s too young to understand, but it’s still important. Brook put everything on the line for Wiley, and they need to thank her. Willow says, let’s do it.
Ned says he understands why Brook feels the family home isn’t her home. He said what he said, and made her feel unwelcome, and can’t apologize enough. She writes, So stop trying. He says they’ve done a lot of damage to each other, and it will take a lot of healing for her to hear him. The point is to heal her throat first; that’s top priority. She doesn’t have to go it alone. She writes, My choice, and he says, she was stabbed, and nearly bled out. They had to rush her into surgery to save her life. He prayed to God, and anyone who would listen, to give him his daughter back. It’s going to be a rough road emotionally and physically. The best thing for her is to be home with the family. She writes, Nope, and waves goodbye to him.
Alexis tells Sam, she finally met someone who meant what they said, and said what they meant. A man who actually liked her. One that didn’t lie to her. Does Sam know how long she’s waited to be with a man who didn’t lie? They wasted all that time and worry about their jobs and feelings, and who hurt who. People hurt each other. Does Sam know what Neil did when he hurt her? He showed up, looked her in the eye, and said he messed up and he was sorry. Sam says she’s sorry; she doesn’t know what to say. Alexis says she can’t imagine anyone will know. Who the hell would believe this would happen? Last night, when they finally decided to get out of their own way and go for it, they went for it a lot. It was great. Apparently too great. Now he’s dead. She killed him. Alexis laughs, and says she wore him out. One night with her, and he’s dead. She laugh/cries, and Sam says she’s sorry. Alexis says she wanted more, and they hug.
Nina tells Jax that his jeweler didn’t have a complete answer, but it’s definitely a lead. The chain was a limited signature piece, and Evelyn gave her the name of the artisan. Jax asks, why isn’t she happier? and she says, initially, she was. She knows her mother divided the original pendant, and probably bought identical chains, one for each half. If that’s the case, the artisan can lead her to the other necklace. It could lead her to her child, but there are still a lot of dots to be connected. Jax says, true, but what’s the alternative? Give up the search when she finally got a lead? She says, not a chance. Never underestimate her ability to find a needle in a haystack. He says he wouldn’t dream of it.
Ned finds Olivia finishing up a call in the hallway, and says, that girl is her mother and his mother rolled into one. She’s refusing to go home. Not only that, she’s refusing his help. Olivia asks if he’s surprised. Brook is him, Lois, and Tracy all rolled into one. She has more pride than sense. She also has a neck wound where a psycho stabbed her throat. She needs time to recover from the physical and emotional trauma. She’s so messed up, she doesn’t know what to do, so she’s lashing out at the most convenient target. Give her the space to figure it out. When they get back, she has to pack her bag or she’ll lose her plane. He asks where she’s going, and she says she told him – to see Dante.
Michael and Willow go into Brook’s room, and Brook smiles.
Carly tells Mike, Hi, handsome. Come here often? She hands Sonny a gift box and says she hopes Mike loves what she picked out. Sonny says they’re going to the track, and Carly asks if he’s sure that’s advisable. He says it’s all right for him to check Mike out as long as he has the proper medical care. Felix set it up. She asks if it’s boys only, or can she tag along? Sonny asks Mike what he says. Is there room for one more? Mike smiles, and takes Carly’s hand. I tear up.
Ned tells Olivia, she can’t leave now. Brook is in the middle of a crisis; he needs Olivia. She says he doesn’t need her there. He wants her there, and she wants to be there for him, but he doesn’t need her. He says no one gets through to Brook like she does, but she says, that’s not true. There are a number of people Brook loves and respects. She listens to Michael and Sonny. He says he’s not asking Sonny for help, and she says he’s not going to make any progress if he keeps trying to control the situation. It’s going to take time. He just has to wait. She needs to talk to her son. Robert is doing her a big favor. She’s not going to leave him waiting. She leaves.
Michael says he and Willow wanted to thank Brook. Wiley will thank her too, when he’s old enough to understand what she did. If not for her, Nelle would have gotten away with Wiley. She stopped Nelle backstage, and risked her life. Willow says, she’s not surprised Brook found a way to speak, no matter how painful it was. Michael says, for once, Brook can’t change the subject. Let herself be thanked. Willow says she heard Michael talking on the monitor when he brought Wiley home, and she ran upstairs. It was the happiest moment of her life, seeing Wiley safe in his own bed. It was real because of Brook’s sacrifice. She knows Brook hates sentimentality, but it’s a beautiful day outside. They drove there with all the windows open, and sang Bob the Builder. Michael admits to knowing the lyrics, but says he doesn’t know Aladdin like Willow does. Tonight when they read Wiley a story, and tuck him into bed, there will be a special thank you to her. Willow says she made it all possible.
Sam strips the bed, telling Alexis that she doesn’t need to be there. Alexis opens Neil’s wallet, and touches his license. She takes out his ticket stub from Aida. She and Sam sit on the bed, and Sam holds Alexis while she cries.
Jax knows Nina must be chomping at the bit to get to the next step in her search, and asks if he can tag along. She tells him that she was hoping he’d say that. He says he’ll make arrangements… unless she wants to her. It’s her search. She says she’ll handle everything. She asks how Carly is doing, and he says, good, all things considered. He’s hoping she can finally get past all this, but Nina asks if he thinks that’s realistic. He knows how determined Nelle is, psychotically so. She’ll be back. He says he’s not so sure.
Jason asks if Mike is going somewhere, and Sonny says, they’re on their way to the track. Carly asks what Jason thinks of Mike’s hat. He’s wearing a newsboy cap, and Jason says, pretty sharp. She says, guess who picked it out? Unlike Jason, some people appreciate her input. Sonny says, Jason doesn’t have to, but he can join them. Jason says he has some things to catch up on, and Sonny says he’s missing out. Mike is all happy, and Sonny says, the ponies are waiting.
Robert tells Anna that she can keep avoiding the truth or face it, Michael wants Willow to adopt Wiley ,and Mike thanks sonny
The Haves and The Have Nots
Uncle Vinny shoots Officer Miller in the middle of the forehead. Sandy says, what did he just do? and Vinny says, relax. An officer runs out, and says, my God. Vinny shrugs and says, he shot himself. More cops come out, and Vinny says, he committed suicide. He points to the first officer, and says, he saw it, and the cop agrees. Vinny says they’ve got his mother back there, and one of the cops says, get an ambulance. Sandy says he doesn’t feel too good, and Vinny says, then get out. He’s never seen anything like this before? He tells one of his guys to take the kid outside. One of the cops tells another to pull the footage on the camera. Vinny asks if they’re going to get his mother out or what? Are they going to ignore him? An officer says, give them a few minutes, and Vinny says, hurry up; his mom’s in a cage.
In her cell, Mama Rose hears the gunshot, and says her boys must be there. Kathryn asks what she means, and Rose says asks if Kathryn knows that Rose knew his father. Kathryn says she didn’t, and Rose says he was in deep with her mob. It wasn’t like that, but they did a lot of business together around town. Kathryn says she didn’t know, and Rose says she should. That son of hers is really disrespectful. Kathryn says she knows, and Rose asks how she can raise a son like that. He’s got a drug problem, and goes to the bar and stabs her son. Kathryn says she’s sorry, and Rose says, is she really? Kathryn says she is, and Rose asks, how does that happen? Kathryn says, Wyatt has issues, and Rose says they all do, but they don’t do what he did. Kathryn asks if Rose is really judging her, and Rose says she is. Kathryn says Rose is in the mob. Do they call her mob boss? Rose says they call her mob queen, and Kathryn says she doesn’t think Rose has room to judge, but Rose says she does. All that money and all those opportunities, and Kathryn raises a kid like that. Kathryn says she thought Rose wanted to rest, but Rose says she wanted some information. Kathryn says she does too, and Rose asks if she wants to find out where her son is. She can do that. Kathryn says, no, and Rose says she thought Kathryn wanted to know. She wonders if Kathryn thinks she’s going to hurt him, and Kathryn says she paid Rose to call off the hit. Rose says she doesn’t know what Kathryn is talking about, and Kathryn says she has 75,000 reasons why Rose does. Rose says she thinks she’s had enough lies. Kathryn is pissing her off. She doesn’t think she likes Kathryn. Kathryn says, the feeling is mutual, and Rose asks, how much is he worth? What they paid her ain’t enough. She wants a million. Kathryn says she’s never getting that, and Rose asks if he’s not worth it. Kathryn says she’s done talking to Rose, and Rose says Kathryn really doesn’t know who she is, does she? Kathryn says, Rose doesn’t know who she is. Rose says, she’s Mama Rose, and Kathryn says, well, old lady, she’s her father’s daughter – Kathryn Hargrave Cryer. Rose asks if Kathryn wants to go to war with her, and Kathryn says, no, but she will. Rose says, one million in 24 hours, or the little prick is dead. Kathryn says don’t think she forgot what Rose did with Jennifer Sallison’s body. Rose says, that’s just a warm up, and Kathryn says, okay, old grey haired bitch, bring it. Rose says the only reason Kathryn isn’t a grey haired bitch is hair dye. She’s changed her mind; she likes Kathryn. This is gonna be fun. I say, yes it is, and Rose says, the first thing she’s going to do is kill Kathryn’s hair dresser. Kathryn points her fingers like a gun, shooting Rose.
Wyatt calls for the nurse. She comes in, and he says, it’s about time. He’s in pain. She says they gave him meds. He says, they didn’t work, and he needs to pee. She says a cup is over there, but he says he can’t reach. When she goes to get it, he steals her pen. She tosses the cup at him and leaves. He opens the pen and works the cartridge in the handcuff lock, opening it. He walks out.
Madison gets to his apartment, and Justin is in the hallway. Madison says, what the hell? Justin needs to leave or he’s calling the police. Justin says he’s not there to hurt Madison. He knows about getting his ass beat. His brother came to see him. Madison says he doesn’t know Justin, and Justin says he’s just trying to understand himself. He needs to talk to someone. Madison says he’s not a therapist, and Justin says he can’t talk to a therapist. Madison says Justin’s not coming into his apartment, and Justin says, please. He just needs someone to talk to. He’s sorry. He’s not going to make it. He’s going to end up killing himself. Madison says Justin needs to talk to somebody, but Justin says Madison is the only one who understands him. The stuff Madison told him made sense; he hates himself because he’s gay. Madison is glad he can admit it, and Justin says, please, let’s talk. Madison says what Justin did was unforgiveable, so leave. Madison’s phone rings, and Justin asks, who’s that? Madison says, none of his business, and Justin says he’s not upset. Madison says he doesn’t care, and Justin says he needs someone to talk to. Madison says, he’s not the one, and goes into his apartment, leaving Justin standing there.
Inside, Madison calls Jeffrey, who’s glad he made it home. Madison says he just walked in; he’s going to bed. Justin is there. He walked into the building. Jeffrey says, right there? In the apartment? Madison says, no; he doesn’t know where Justin is now. Jeffrey says, that’s crazy. What did Justin want? Madison says, he wanted to talk. He was being nice, so Madison knows he’s up to something. He doesn’t trust Justin. Jeffrey says Madison doesn’t need to tell him that. Is Madison sure he’s okay? Does he have a gun? Madison asks why he’d need a gun, and Jeffrey says, in case… Madison says he doesn’t need one, and Jeffrey says he’s coming over. Madison says if Jeffrey keeps this up, he’s going to start thinking Jeffrey cares about him. Jeffrey says he does. He’ll text when he’s on his way.
Wyatt runs home. He tries the doors and windows, but they’re all locked. He kicks the front door in, and the alarm goes off. He tries putting in a code, but it doesn’t work. He keeps trying, but has no luck. He calls security, and says he thinks his wife changed the code, telling them that he’s Jim. They ask for the password, and he says, Kathryn. The guy says, no, and he says, Amanda, but it’s still no. He says, sorry, and the guy says, the police are on their way. Wyatt says, dammit, and runs upstairs. Boy, does he move fast for someone who recently bled out. He gets his clothes on in record time, rifles through his drawers for socks, and puts on his shoes. He ties his shoes faster than I’ve ever seen anyone do it, goes to Kathryn’s bathroom and shoves stuff (presumably drugs) in his pockets. He moves on to her closet, and grabs whatever jewelry he can. He runs downstairs, and out to the car, and takes off. I see the police are really on the ball there.
Jeff finds David sitting in the dark, and asks what he’s doing home. David asks where Jeffrey is going, and Jeffrey says he’s going to Madison’s place. David says Madison just left, and Jeffrey says he knows. David says, oh, okay, and Jeffrey asks what that was for. Does David think he’s moving too fast? David asks if Jeffrey is using condoms, and Jeffrey says he’s good. David says, okay then. Jeffrey asks, what is it? and David says he’s not thinking about Madison; he’s thinking about the woman outside. Jeffrey asks, what woman? and David tells him, she says her name is Alissa. She’s a friend of Erica’s, and… Jeffrey says, what? and David says she showed him a video of Erica apologizing for what she’d done. Apparently she made it before she was killed. Jeffrey asks why she’s out there, and David says she came to show him the video. Jeffrey asks why she’s still there, and David says she wants to sleep with him. Apparently (WOTD), Erica told her a lot about him. Jeffrey says he’s not thinking about it, and David says, not at all, but he’s curious about how much she knows. Jeffrey suggests he let it go. He knows David loved Erica. David says he’ll see Jeffrey in the morning; he loves him. He decides to walk Jeffrey out, and sees Alissa is still there. He says he thought he told the guard to get rid of her, but the guard says she’s not on the property. Jeffrey asks if he should stay, but David tells him to go on. The guard apologizes, and says he’ll keep eye on her. He found out she was a prostitute. She went to college, and worked as a stripper. David says, bring her in. Jeffrey leaves, and the guard gets Alissa, saying, it’s her lucky day. He asks if he should stay, and David says no, but Alissa says she’d love to have both of them. David asks how old she is, and she says, 29. The guard confirms it, and she asks how he knows. He says he just knows, and David says he can go now. The guard says he checked her purse, and she’s clear, and Alissa asks if he wants to search her too. He says, it’s not necessary, and leaves. She shucks her dress off, and asks what David has to drink. He says he’d prefer if she kept her dress on, but she says she prefers it this way. Does he have music? He asks why she’s there; tell the whole truth. She says she wants to take Erica’s place. He has no idea what she would do for a man like him, as good as him, a man who takes care of a girl. Erica told her all the things he did for her; the car, the clothes. She promises to tell him what she knows. He suggests they go for a ride, and she says, on the couch? Okay. But he leads her outside. If she wants a good man like him, maybe she doesn’t want to do things like suggest a threesome. Just a thought.
Mitch pulls up outside of Hannah’s with Candace in the car. Candace says, she left; she’s not there. Mitch says, she’s going to be pissed, and Candace says, what choice did she have? Benny comes out, and asks where their mom is. Candace says, she left; she’s fine. He asks what they did to her, and Candace says, they needed to take her out. What other choice did she have? Benny asks where she is, and Candace says, she got in her car – obviously pissed – and left. Benny wonders if she’ll go back, but Candace says someone is posted outside the bar. They won’t let her back in. She asks where Benny is going, and he says to find out about Derrick. Maybe she’s there. Candace doubts it, and he says he’ll be back. Mitch asks if Candace is okay, and she says, yeah, but Benny isn’t.
Mitch asks Candace, what about Derrick? and she says she needs his help. Derrick was dating her mother, and apparently, she’s his daughter. Mitch says, he didn’t know… and Candace says Derrick raped Hanna. Mitch says, and she’s dating him? but Candace says Hanna didn’t know until she recognized his tattoo. Mitch says he’s sorry, and she says she doesn’t care, but Benny is going after him. They need to throw him off. Mitch says, maybe they shouldn’t, and she says, his name is Derrick David. She looks at her phone, and says, what the hell? She was bumped from her flight. She doesn’t have the keys, and can’t get in to get her stuff so she can get the hell out. Mitch says, it looks like she got her wish. Hanna pulls up, and Mitch asks if Candace wants him to stay, but she thinks it will just make Hanna more mad. She thanks him, and gets out. He says he loves her, and she says she loves him too. He says, a lot, and pulls out. I’m wondering if they mean the same type of love. Candace approaches Hanna, who says she doesn’t want anything Candace has to say. Candace says she just wants to grab her things, but Hanna says she’s not coming in. Candace let her thugs drag Hanna out. Candace says, for her own good, and Hanna asks how she knows what’s good for anybody. She ain’t getting nothing. Anything of value will go to the homeless. Candace says just let her get her passport; Hanna can have the rest. Hanna asks if Candace thinks running is going to keep him from finding her. She has $8 million; she doesn’t need anything from the house. He’s going to find her, and kill her and her brother. Candace says that’s why she needed Hanna to leave the bar. The Malones are handling it. Hanna says, okay, gansta princess. What else is she going to do? Send another thug to rough her up and threaten her? Hanna’s phone rings, and a man tells her, there was a break-in at the Cryer residence. She says she’s on her way. He says, the police need speak with someone, and she says Jim is in the hospital. Maybe they should talk to him. He says he’ll have an officer en route. Hanna repeats she’s on her way, and walks back to her car. Candace says, okay, cool, all right.
Veronica’s doorbell rings, and she opens the door to Benny. She says, well, well, well, and he says, let him in. She says, attitude already. He says he needs to talk to her, and she says she figured that. She hasn’t heard from him in a long time. What’s going on? He asks if she knows that Derrick dude, and she says he asked already. He asks if she knows where he lives, and she asks what Derrick did. He says Derrick has been dating his mother, and Veronica asks, what happened? Did he piss Hanna off? Did he hit her? He asks if she can tell him where Derrick is, and she says she can, but what is he going to give her in exchange? He’s dumb, but carries a big stick. He asks if she’s going to tell him where Derrick is or not, and she says she loves when he gets worked up; it turns her on. He asks her again to tell him where Derrick is, and she asks what he’s going to do for her and her body. He’s the best she’s had. He says, he appreciates that, but is she going to tell him? She says he’s angry; take it out on her. He says he doesn’t have time, but she says she’s been waiting for him, and kisses him. David comes in the front door, dragging Alissa with him, and Veronica says, what the hell? He can’t just walk in. He asks, who is this? and she says her young lover, Benny, but he says, who is this? indicating Alissa. She says she doesn’t know, but from the look of things, it’s someone who needs a facial, a bath, and probably antibiotics. He asks again, and she says, ask the bitch. Bitch, who are you? Alissa says her name, and Veronica says, see? She’s a little slut. Now get the hell out. David says she’s still doing this? Send someone else over and see what happens. He heads for the door, and Alissa says she’s not coming with him? He says, nope, and keeps going. Veronica asks Alissa what she’s looking at; get out of her house. Alissa says she can’t believe David did that; left her. Veronica says, girl, you’re not left; you’re gone. How is she still standing there if she’s gone? Alissa says he has her purse, and left her. Veronica says, that’s what men do. He slapped her to the ground, and tried to kill her in her own pool. That’s what they do; they’re men. She asks, what the hell’s that perfume? Ass? Get the hell out. Alissa says, oh, you’re her, and Veronica says, yes. She’s her; she’s that bitch. Alissa says she heard about her, and Veronica says, everyone has, and if Alissa knows about her, she knows it’s not a good idea to be standing in her living room. Alissa asks if she can have twenty for cab fare, looking at Benny. Benny says, all he wants, is to know about Derrick. Veronica asks if he’s going to screw her or not, and Benny says, never mind. He leaves, and Alissa trots after him, asking if she can get a ride. Veronica says, pathetic. Bye, little slut.
Outside, Alissa tells Benny, please. David brought her there, and took her purse. She has no way to get home. he says, sorry, and she says he’s Candace’s brother. He asks how she knows, and she says she was one of Candace’s girls. Candace was her pimp. He wonders if that’s supposed to make him give her a ride, and she says she knows a lot of people. She can help him find who he’s looking for. He asks what she knows about a guy named Derrick David. She says she doesn’t know him, but knows someone who will. Her friend Rod knows everyone. He asks who that guy is, and Alissa says, Rod is a she. He says she’d better not be lying, but she swears he’s not. He says, okay, and she gets in his car.
A cop comes into Jim’s room, and Jim says, what the hell is it? He says he’s Officer Payne, and Jim says, congratulations. Why is Payne waking him up? The officer says there’s been a break-in at his house. Jim asks, who did it? but Payne says, they don’t know. Jim asks what they took, and Payne says, that’s what he needs to talk to Jim about. It looks like they ransacked a closet. Jim asks, which one? and the officer says, there were women’s clothes. Jim laughs, and says that’s his wife’s closet. What did they take? Payne shows him photos, and Jim wonders if it was RK. The officer asks, who’s that? and Jim says, some cocky bastard who works at the hotel. He’s short, Black, and manscapes too much. Payne says, from the description, the perp was a white guy, and Jim says, hang on. He looks at an app on his phone, and says, oh sh*t. Payne asks if he knows who it is, and Jim says he does. The officer asks if Jim wants them to proceed, but Jim says, no. He wonders if he can ask a question off the record. Is his son still in custody? Wyatt Cryer. Payne says he believes so, and Jim shows him something on his phone, and asks, how can he be in custody? Payne has no idea, and Jim thanks him for his time.
Jim calls David, who says he’s dealing with Veronica. Jim asks what that ray of sunshine is up to now, and David says he’ll tell Jim tomorrow. Jim says he needs David to do him a favor. Wyatt broke into the house. David says he thought Wyatt… Jim says he broke into Kathryn’s closet, which is like a pharmacy. He wants David to check out the damage. David says, sure, and Jim says he appreciates it. They’ll talk later.
Alissa brings Benny to a bar, where she meets Rod. Rod says, girl, who’s this? and Alissa says, off limits. She needs some help. She asks if Rod knows a Derrick David. Rod asks why Alissa thinks she knows him, and Alissa says she knows everybody; he’s an ex-con. Rod asks if she thinks all ex-cons know each other. Who’s looking for him? Benny says he is, and Rod asks what’s in it for her? Alissa says she owes Rod, and Rod says that means she’ll be deeper in debt. Alissa says, come on, and Rod says, last she heard, he was on Collier (I think). Benny says he appreciates it, and thanks Alissa. She thanks him for the ride, and says if he needs anything, call her. And she means anything. He says she’s a pretty girl. She should think about not being so thirsty all the time. His phone rings, and it’s Mitch, who tells him to come by the bar. Benny says he’s still trying to find this punk Derrick, and Mitch says he’s got info. Benny says he’s on his way, and Mitch says, hurry up. Alissa asks if she can roll with him, but Benny says, no. She says she’s good company, but he says she’s too thirsty. Take care of herself.
Hanna goes to the Cryer house, and introduces herself. A cop asks for her ID, and asks what she’s doing there. She says she works for the Cryers, and asks, what happened? He says, someone kicked in the door. Can she tell if anything is missing? She says, sure, and he asks if she knows the place well pretty well. She says she does, and he says, before they go inside, they have a suspect. Can she tell them if she recognizes him? She says, sure, and they go inside. It’s Derrick.
Next time, Kathryn tells Rose if anything happens to her son, it’s the end of her reign; Rose tells Vinny to find someone (Wyatt?) and keep him until she gets her money; Derrick meets with Candace; and David tells Veronica that he was in love with Hanna – while they’re in bed together. Alrighty then.
Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles
The brokers set up cameras for social distancing interviews. No one seemed to grasp how to use them, and Josh Flagg said he’d appreciate a haircut.
Josh Altman and Tracy drove to meet a seller, and Josh jokingly told Tracy not to f*** it up. She said that if they were both called, that meant the seller called at four or five other agents. In Josh’s interview, he explained the property was the Barrymore estate in Hollywood. While it was built over 100 years ago, he’s seen it over the years, and getting to sell it was worth co-listing with Tracy. Tracy said she was hesitant since it had been on and off the market for six years. He told Tracy that the seller’s late husband, Tony Scott, directed his favorite movie, Top Gun. He’s Maverick, and she’s Goose. They pulled into the property, and Josh said it was insane. Tracy said there was true Hollywood royalty there.
Seller Donna welcomed them to Seabright, the former Bella Vista. It was built in 1926, and she called it the octopus house because it shoots in different directions. They began by seeing the city and ocean views, and a massive 13’ deep pool. Donna explained that King Vidor had begun building the house, and John Barrymore took over. In Josh’s interview, he explained that Barrymore was an actor in the 1920s and 1930s; he was the Johnny Depp of his day, and has a famous granddaughter. Donna said Barrymore used to invite Esther Williams over, and they had parties with synchronized swimming. Josh said there had to be a speakeasy there, and Donna led them to the cigar lounge and bar, saying Barrymore used to play poker there with W.C. Fields. The 7 bedroom, 11 bath house had the original redwood floors, which were like nothing I’ve ever seen, the slices of the trunks making up the floor. The house was 6,976 square feet, had the original floors and ceramic tiles, and a chef’s kitchen. Richard Piccolo had been commissioned to paint a mural on the living room ceiling that depicted all of the Scott’s family members, and their pets. Donna suggested anyone moving in get a GPS, since the place was humongous, with all kinds of twists and turns. In his interview, Josh said the cool element was the vintage feel, which was part of the charm, but there were parts of the house that needed updating. It could cost a few million to bring it back to life. There was a wrap-around veranda, and Donna said there was also an opium den. They took a hand-carved ladder upstairs, and Josh said it was the coolest thing in the world. A potential buyer would love all the nooks. Donna showed them a telephone room where there were Barrymore sketches. As I mentioned last week, I knew someone who lived in a Barrymore vacation home, who also had found sketches left in the house. I wonder if John left them everywhere he lived. Like a breadcrumb trail. Tracy asked how high Donna thought he was when he did them. There was a wood-paneled library with an original 1920s fireplace, and an aviary that had been revamped, with a sub lower level where there was a converted guest room. Tracy said it was like a bunker with a skylight, and Donna said Anthony Quinn and Marlon Brando both stayed there. Josh thought any showings would take at least two hours. In Tracy’s interview, she said the house was a labyrinth. It had zero continuity though, and she wanted buyers to experience the architecture and history, but feel like it was a place they could live in. I thought, the hell with continuity. I’d move in tomorrow, but had to settle for eating my feelings some cookies instead.
Donna confirmed that she wasn’t living there, and Tracy said they knew it had been on the market at several alliterations and price points. She asks how it was marketed, and Donna said she thought it was pretty basic, but wasn’t sure about the outreach. Josh said she had the dream team, and they needed to get the reach to get the right buyer. It was a needle in a haystack, or what he called a specific house. Tracy said it would also require a ton of maintenance, but the hard part was the continuity; the flow was choppy. She asked Donna if she’d thought about staging it, and Donna said she’d been through generations of staging. Tracy thought it would bring continuity, and Josh let her take the reins on that, since she was good at it. He asked what a comfortable price point was, and Donna asked where they thought it should be. Josh said they wanted to be in the comp ballpark, and thought a hair under $17 million. It would give people who’d looked at it before the message that she was ready to sell, and they’d look again. Donna said she loved hearing what they were saying, and would love to work with them. She was open to any input. They priced the house at $16.995 million, and their potential commission was $424K and change.
David and James drove to Hidden Valley, a gated community in Beverly Hills. James David told David James that there was something said about the purity and privacy. Hidden Valley was also unassuming, since it just had a guard house. In James’s interview, he said Hidden Valley was tucked away in Beverly Hills, and there were only a handful of homes. The biggest celebrities worked there – so big, he couldn’t mention their names, but trust him, they were really big. Their boss Mauricio (from RHOBH; I didn’t know he was their boss) met them there. David was anxious, as he hadn’t seen the property in a while, and it had been under construction. After they all said, God save the queen, since the doors looked very British, they met with developer Joan. The house was 12,000 square feet, with a 30,927 square foot lot, 7 bedrooms, 6 en suite guest bedrooms, and 12 baths. The kitchen had a single slab of marble for the massive kitchen island, and a La Cornue range, Joan saying she had pictured herself living there, and created her own dream kitchen. In addition to it being a smart home, there was a humongous entertainment space downstairs, as well as a 10 car garage with turntables, which the guys played on, an elevator, a glass-enclosed wine room, a private movie theater, and a heated bathtub in the woman’s master bath. In his interview, James said the privacy was such, that people would feel far removed from the canyon where everyone commuted to the Valley. He was impressed with the quality of the construction, but with such a large size, there were no direct comps. Joan had also spent $40K in staging, and after working on it for four years, was trying not to be emotionally attached. James thought it should be priced at about $20 million, and Mauricio agreed, believing that would be the price point where they could get Joan the most money in the long run. Joan agreed, and they decided on $19.950 million, the potential commission being nearly $500K. Mauricio said it wasn’t their first rodeo together, and James said they didn’t want it to be their last either.
Tracy and Josh went back to Seabright to check out the staging. In Tracy’s interview, she said it looked too much like a Hollywood museum, and not a home, so they’d agreed on spending $25K to stage it. Tracy wanted it to feel modern, and less like a whiskey with your grandpa, and more like tequila with a friend. The stager said it was a challenge, but fun, and the common thread was eclectic with an intentional artsy edge. Josh was pumped, and in his interview, said he thought they were a good team.
James and David had an open house for Hidden Valley, wanting to get feedback on the price before their big event. James and/or David said the neighborhood was tight knit, so they knocked on doors to get buyers who might be a friend of a friend. In his interview, he said they hadn’t gotten the number of agents they’d hoped for, so they wanted to have an event quickly to keep the momentum going and get an offer as soon as possible. I noticed watching this show always makes me want to clean the house.
Josh was ready to divide and conquer, and he and Tracy decided to each take a side of Seabright, but also do a couple of showings together. In Josh’s interview, he says obviously, hosting an open house wasn’t the right move. They needed to personally walk brokers and buyers through the house, so they’d see why it was worth buying. After having to explain who John Barrymore and Tony Scott were, in Tracy’s interview, she said, clearly, not everyone knows Hollywood royalty. It wasn’t going to be an easy sell, and they needed someone who would appreciate the architecture, as well as have what was needed to bring it back to its heyday. In Josh’s interview, he said, relisting at a more aggressive price was the right move. Getting people through the door when it was a specific house wasn’t a sprint, but a marathon. They needed someone who could envision the future, rather than the past.
James and David decided on a 007 James Bond event, which David said was the perfect opportunity to show how good he looked in a tux. Spending $40K on the event, there was a red carpet, casino games, and a live band, as well as catering, florals, and candles. They felt the house had come to life. The bartenders said the featured drink was a margarita, and in his interview, James said, margaritas instead of martinis? Either someone missed the memo or Mauricio had something to do with it. We saw a clip of Mauricio calling it triple 07, and saying he was a Mexican/British guy. What did he know?
JoshA and Heather worked on their mom and dad’s night out, attending the 007 event. JoshF and Bobby picked up Tracy for the event, who said she couldn’t seem to kick Josh. She’d sold her house, and ended up in a rental four houses away from him. In his interview, Josh said he and Tracy had a ball. They both like vodka, and it was a convenient relationship. Bobby suggested Josh had become her third child. At the Hidden Valley house, Tracy said she felt the closet was big enough, and rarely said that. DavidJames Whoever said she was their demographic, rich and recently divorced. JoshA said he’d seen the house during construction, and basically bashed everything about it. In James’s interview, he said JoshA had an opinion on everything, and never had a nice thing to say about any of their listings. It was to be expected. JoshA told JoshF that they’d been super tight when they were selling the Razor house, and then JoshF disappeared from his life. JoshA insisted the asking price for Hidden Valley couldn’t be secured after he’d sold the Beverly Ridge house (i.e. the castle) for $14 million, but James said it was like a Game of Thrones house and a disappointing comp. Tracy and Bobby stayed out of it, playing dice, and David congratulated Tracy on the sale of her house. JoshF asked how JoshA was lucky enough to snag Heather, and wondered if Heather would rather JoshA have an affair with him or a hot chick. She said she’d grab a drink and think about it.
As it was the finale, we saw the brokers each doing their thing at home. David’s daughter celebrated her 2nd birthday in quarantine. JoshF was sharpening his cooking skills in quarantine, and when he found out chicken had to be washed before cooking, used soap. He’d done $302 million in listings the previous year, and even sold homes during quarantine. JoshA mostly wanted a haircut. James got buff during quarantine, had made 6 deals, and acquired 3 new listings. Tracy felt at peace and happy with where she was living, and hadn’t let quarantine stop her from living her best life. She and JoshA took Seabright off the market until quarantine was over, and David and James hadn’t had any offers on the Hidden Valley house yet.
😵 Parting Is Such Sweet…Zzzzz…
As usual, Tuesday is my toughest day, with a heavy TV night, as well as my deadline at https://mupoentertainment.com/theresa-krakauskas/, so until next time, stay safe, stay appreciative, and stay looking for that needle in a haystack, whatever it is for you.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Valentin sees Nina outside Kelly’s, and asks if she’s all right. He asks what he can do.
Valerie says if Carly is up for it, she has questions. Carly says she is, and Valerie says she tore out after Nelle. What happened? Did she find Nelle? Carly points to the scratches on her face, and says she got them from Nelle, so yeah, she found Nelle. Valerie says she’s lucky she wasn’t hurt worse; they know how dangerous Nelle gets when she feels cornered. Carly says, she was vicious, and flashes back to telling Jax that Nelle was begging and pleading, and could barely hang on. She grabbed Nelle’s hand, but Nelle slipped. Valerie asks, what happened next?
At Turning Woods, Sonny hesitates before going into Mike’s room. Mike lies in bed with his earbuds in. Sonny says he took a chance that Mike would be awake, and he’s glad he did. He asks if he can turn off the music, and takes out Mike’s earbuds. He listens, and says, Ella. It’s one of the songs Brook sang when she came to visit him. It was nice of her to come and visit; she’s a good kid. She’s going to be fine. When she’s feeling better, she’ll come and sing some more songs.
On the phone, Michael tells Ned, if Brook wakes up, tell her Wiley is home safe because of her. He and Willow owe Brook forever. They’re just a call away if she needs anything. Willow asks why Michael is thanking Brook, and he says, Brook told him how to find Wiley.
Jason calls Sam, and says he’s sorry it took him so long to check in. She asks if he feels okay, and if he has a headache, but he says he’s fine. She says she’s not surprised that he checked out of the hospital without telling her. She’s not happy about it, but she knows why he had to. She’s glad Wiley is safe. He says, according to Sonny, Nelle was hiding with Wiley in the cabin. She says she thought he was there, but he says, no. He got sidetracked.
Neil tells Alexis, she’d said they couldn’t be friends. He wants to know if she still feels that way, or does she want to see him as much as he wants to see her?
Sonny tells Mike that Wiley is with Michael, and doing great. That’s why he came. Michael is a great dad, and he wanted to see his dad. He takes Mike’s hand. I’m like, oh no. I don’t have time to cry today.
Neil says he tried to respect Alexis’s wishes, but it was too hard to see after what they’d lost. He’s sorry he had a hand in making her feel that way. He was even grateful that she’d lied, so he understands why she didn’t want to tell him that she was disbarred. She says she didn’t tell him because of her pride. She couldn’t bear it. Neil says, as much as he regrets how it turned out, he misses her, and hopes she misses him.
Sam asks Jason what could possibly be more important than getting Wiley away from Nelle? He says he’ll explain later at home, and she says he’s coming home? He says, if she wants him, and she asks if that’s a trick question. Of course (🍷) she does. Danny and Scout will be over the moon. He says he’ll grab some things from his apartment, and be right over. She say she can’t wait, and he says, him too.
Valentin asks what brings Nina out so late, and she says she’s waiting for news, and didn’t want to be home. He asks if she’s thinking about her child, and she says she’s always thinking about her child. She thought she’d had a daughter because of Sasha, but she really doesn’t know. She doesn’t even know if her child is alive. It’s the thing that hurts the most. He says he hates what he did to add to her pain. Sam comes out of Kelly’s, and says she has a few things she needs to say to Valentin. He suggests she call his office, and have his assistant make an appointment. Nina says be her guest, and Sam says Valentin left out some details when he bargained for her children’s ELQ proxies. He didn’t tell her that he’d refuse to help the hospital, and leave them wide open to a drug trafficker.
Sonny tells Mike that his kids are the best part of his life. He hasn’t been perfect. He wishes he was, but he’s lucky they don’t judge him like he judged Mike. He knows he was very unfair. They didn’t spend a lot of time together when he was young, and that’s on Mike, but as Sonny got older, the time not spent together is on him. He hopes Mike knows that he’s happier than words can say about the time they’ve spent together. He knows it’s coming to an end… Mike squeezes his hand, and Sonny asks him to squeeze it again. Mike looks at him sadly, and looks away, a tear on his cheek.
Michael tells Willow, Nelle had a GPS tracker on Wiley, and Willow asks, how? When did she have a chance? Michael says, it was in Mr. Hopsicle. They heard the fuss Nelle was making about the toy when she was last there. Willow says, and they told her Wiley never went anywhere without it. He says, Nelle had an app on her phone, and the police confiscated the phone when she transferred cars. Chase let him try and unlock it. It took a few tries, but he wouldn’t have known about it at all without Brook. She couldn’t talk, but she was able to tell him about the tracker, and he followed Nelle to the cabin where she was hiding out. If not for Brook, he couldn’t have stopped Nelle, and Wiley wouldn’t be home. Wiley and Nelle would be long gone. Willow says she always liked Brook. Now she likes Brook so much more. Michael says they owe everything to Brook, but Willow says, not quite. He rescued Wiley.
Carly tells Valerie, when she caught up to Nelle, she tried to talk Nelle into turning herself in. Nelle refused, and Carly grabbed her. They had a fight, and Nelle got the better of her. Valerie asks, how? and Carly says, Nelle threw her off balance, and she fell hard. By the time she looked up, Nelle was gone.
Valentin tells Sam, the terms were clear, and he kept his part of the bargain. She says he didn’t tell her that he was going to fire Michael as CEO. He says she wanted a sympathetic parole officer, and he got her one. She says he told her it was a good business move, but it was also about punishing Michael for protecting Sasha. Nina asks how Michael protected Sasha, and Sam says, when Sasha was posing as Nina’s real daughter, she talked about pressing fraud charges. Didn’t she think it was strange that Valentin talked her out of it? Michael knew Valentin had recruited Sasha to pose as her daughter, and told Valentin that he’d come forward with the information. So Valentin took over ELQ to punish Michael. His goal was revenge. Valentin says his goal was always to make ELQ more of a success, and more profitable, and Sam says, then he should left it under Michael’s leadership. Valentin says, Michael has his mind on other things. His son Wiley is safe, and they’ll all be happy. Nina says their prayers have been answered, and Sam says, exactly, and walks away. Nina asks how Valentin arranged for Sam to get a sympathetic parole officer, and he says he got lucky; someone owed him a favor. Now Sam can see who she wants, including Jason, without the threat of going back to Pentenville. Nina says she understands why Sam would take the deal, and he says, most people do what they have to, to be with the person they love.
Neil asks if Alexis thinks they can be friends again. He’d like it very much. She says she doesn’t think that’s what she’d like, and he says he appreciates her honesty. He starts to leave, and she says, let her finish. She’s spent a lot of time thinking; actually, it’s all she’s been doing. Taking stock of where she’s been and where she wants to go. She misses him. They made a crucial error in judgment, focusing on what they’d lost, and not what they’d found with each other. She doesn’t want to be friends. She wants to be a whole lot more.
Willow and Michael come downstairs, and Willow wonders how long they’ll keep checking Wiley every twenty minutes. Michael says maybe they should try every hour, then twice a night, like training for a marathon. Start small, and work their way up. Willow says she knows he’s safe, but she’s not sure her body knows the danger is over. Michael says he knows the feeling. I’ll bet. He tells her that he could use a distraction. Does she want to watch the movie? She has a different idea, and suggests they talk. He says it sounds like she wants to talk about something specific, and she says she does.
Valerie asks, by gone, does Carly mean Nelle ran away? Carly says, it happened so fast, and Valerie says, it’s all right; take her time. Jax asks if Carly wants a drink, but she says, no. Nelle shoved her to the ground, and she fell hard. When she got back up, Nelle was nowhere to be found. She must have run. Valerie asks if Carly saw what direction Nelle went in, but Carly says, no. She was so turned around… Jax says, when he found Carly, she was in the clearing, trying to get her bearings. Valerie says she’s Carly’s cousin. They’re family, and she knows how relentless Nelle has been trying to wreck Carly’s life, but she’s also a cop, and has to ask. When Carly fought with Nelle, did Carly hurt her?
Willow tells Michael that she made a big mistake that she doesn’t want to make again. When she decided to stay home, and not go to the PCPD, she should have been with him. Waiting and fearing the worst was torture. He says he’s sorry she had to go through that, and she says, other people felt the same way. She had a string of visitors; Nina, Jax, Lulu, even Sasha came by. There was some underlying tension, but it was a kind gesture. They used to be close. Sasha saw Nina, and made a graceful exit. Michael is glad it didn’t add any stress, but Willow says she made her own stress. Her point is that she never wants to split up again. He’s the only person who knew what she was going through. He says, and vice versa, and she says she wishes she’d been there. Despite the strange circumstances of them becoming husband and wife, she realized they’re stronger together.
Sonny says when Mike squeezed his hand, and looked at him, Mike knew he was his son, right? Can Mike stay with him a little longer? They had a moment, and that’s enough for him.
Jax tells Valerie, Carly already told her that Nelle knocked her down and was gone. An injured person wouldn’t have run off. Valerie asks if Nelle had a black eye or cut lip. Any information, however small, will help. Carly says Nelle might have some scratches, but no black eye or split lip that she recalls. Jax asks if he can take Carly home now, and Valerie says he can. She’ll need Carly’s official statement, but can get it tomorrow. It’s not just another case. The thought of Nelle looming constantly over them, being a never ending threat to Michael, Willow, and Carly, is something they don’t deserve, especially Wiley. Carly’s family needs closure, and she promises she won’t stop until she finds Nelle, and brings her to justice. Carly and Jax leave, and outside, Carly leans against the side of the cabin.
Willow says when she and Michael got married, they agreed to raise and protect Wiley as a team. She should have been with him. Michael says he agrees they’re a team, but 100% disagrees that Willow should have been there. Willow asks, why not? and he says Nelle already knocked her out once, and slashed Brook’s throat. If Nelle had hit Willow with that vase… She asks, why is she just hearing this now?
Nina says she’d thought Valentin was remorseful, and that’s why he helped Sasha. But the only reason was because Michael was blackmailing him. He says he wanted to protect their relationship and love, and she knows he goes to extremes. He went the extra measure to get her child back. Would Jax do the same thing?
Alexis says it’s clear she and Neil mean something to each other, but were too stupid to move forward like normal people. They did have professional issues and boundaries, but right now there’s no excuse to keep their distance. If he still wants to see where this can go… He says he wants that very much, and she says, so does she, very much. Neil says now that they’ve agreed, they don’t have to rush. They can take it as slow as she wants. She tells him, who said anything about slow?
Sonny says Mike looks like he lost a little weight, and that’s fine, but he doesn’t want Mike to be uncomfortable. He wants Mike to stay around forever, but if Mike wants to rest, if he wants to go, that’s up to him. He doesn’t want Mike sticking around for him. He’ll be fine, and the family will be fine. Mike needs to do what he needs to do. He deserves that.
Neil says, define not slow, and Alexis says she has all the free time in the world, and nothing but options. He says he knows the feeling. When he dropped off his patient files to Doc, he head a voice in his head saying, Bye, Doctor Bern. He started thinking that the last time he felt good about anything, was when he was with her. That’s why he ended up at her front door. He’d been thinking about their night together; it was amazing. She says, it was. One brief moment was all they got, then all hell broke loose. He says they can have a lot of moments, and should enjoy them. A carpe diem kind of thing. She says she loves when he speaks Latin. He should probably kiss her.
Jax tells Carly, she did the right thing. There was no need to volunteer that Nelle went over the cliff. She says she wanted to explain why she hesitated, and why she didn’t save Nelle, but Jax says Nelle might have pulled her over, and they would have both died. Knowing that, Carly still tried to save her. Carly says, too little too late, and he says, an ambitious DA would love the chance to try Sonny’s wife for murder. She says he doesn’t have to convince her again; she made up her mind. He says she can’t tell Michael and Willow either, but she says they’ll always be looking over their shoulders. He says if it’s found out, they’ll be accessories after the fact, and she says she can’t keep something that big from her husband.
Nina tells Valentin that Jax didn’t go behind her back looking for her child. They’re looking together. He says he thought she gave up to save herself further disappointment, but she says she changed her mind. Jax has a new lead. Valentin says, impossible,
Jason arrives home, and tells Sam that he was mentally prepared not to live there, and now reality has to sink in. She says Danny and Scout are sleeping, or she would get them. She has a question. What’s more important than finding Wiley? He says, right now, nothing. He had Spinelli track Nelle’s cell phone to Pier 55, but there was no sign of them. It was a dead end, but he walked into another situation. She asks what he means by situation, and he says, Taggert is alive.
Willow examines Michael head, and puts ice on it, saying, she didn’t break the skin. She asks him to let her see his eyes, and he asks if she’s okay. She says it was one of the worst nights of their lives, but it’s over. Wiley is safe; they all are. If anything bad had happened… He says, it didn’t. He’s okay. He smooths her hair, and then kisses her.
Nina asks Valentin why it’s impossible. They both know Valentin has lied over and over and over again. He says he exhausted every avenue and got nowhere. The most likely scenario is that her child died at birth. He’s sorry. She says, don’t be. Maybe he didn’t think of everything. Jax has a lead with the jeweler who separated the necklace for her mother. His associate is looking into it. Valentin says she’s hanging on to hope, and she says, it’s better than hanging onto them. Time and again he’s proven she can’t trust him. How does she know he hasn’t already found her child and hasn’t told her?
Jason explains to Sam that he brought Taggert to a safe house where Epiphany patched him up. She asks if Taggert is going to kill Cyrus, but Jason says, Taggert knew the only chance he had of reuniting with his daughter was to leave town, and let other people handle Cyrus. Danny stands at the top of the stairs, and asks if his dad is home. Jason says, sure am, and Danny asks if it’s just a visit or… Jason says he’s home to stay, and they hug.
Alexis lotions up for bed, and Neil asks how her wrist is. She tells him to stop worrying about her, but he says he enjoys worrying. She admits she doesn’t like a fuss, but when he does it, it’s sexy. She asks if he’s spending the night, and he says, absolutely. Tomorrow morning, they start new lives. He thinks he’d like to be a chef. She says she’s always wanted a personal chef, and asks if he has any specialties, but he says he’s pretty basic. He’s upping his game now. Does she have a secret fantasy job? She says, professional poker player, and he says he didn’t see that coming. She says, there’s a lot of overlap with attorney. She has to read people and look for tells, and crush people without breaking a sweat. Another dream dies. She doesn’t know about the future, but she’s glad he’s there. He says, him too.
Michael says, Willow… The doorbell rings, and he goes to the door. Valerie apologizes that it’s so late, but she wanted ask about Wiley. Willow says, he’s fine; he’s upstairs. Michael says the didn’t expect to see her tonight, and she says she has an update on Nelle.
Danny tells Jason about his video game, and suggests Jason see it now, but Jason suggests they wait until tomorrow. Danny needs to wind down, and not wake up his sister. Danny says, there’s no way he’ll fall asleep, and Sam says, it’s a special night. Danny can be up a little longer. Danny says he missed Jason, and Scout missed him like crazy. It will be better when they wake up with him there. Right, mom? Sam says, right, and they have a three-way hug.
Sonny looks out the window, and Carly comes in. She asks if Mike is just sleeping. Is he okay? Sonny says he’s asking her the same question. Why did she go after Nelle? She says she’s fine, and asks if Mike has been asleep the whole time. Sonny says Mike woke up and looked him. Mike squeezed his hand; it was amazing. She says she’s so happy he had that, and Sonny says, then Mike went back again. Carly says they had that moment, and he says he doesn’t think his dad will last much longer, so he told Mike to do what he’s got to do. If he needs to rest, they’ll be fine. Carly knows how hard it was, and she’s so proud of him. Sonny asks, what happened to Nelle? Is she in jail? Carly says, she got away.
Valentin swears he’d never keep Nina from her child, and asks why she’s continuing the search, when she doesn’t want to be disappointed again. She says, maybe she won’t be. MaybeJax succeeded where the great Valentin Cassadine failed. Jax comes along, and tells them, Wiley is fine at home. Nina asks, what happened with Nelle? and he says, unfortunately, she got away. Valentin says he’s going to go, and tells Nina, be careful. When he’s gone, Jax asks what that was about, and Nina says, nothing. He tried to discourage her from searching for her child, but she didn’t listen. She knows the necklace is the key to finding her child.
The cops look through the woods. We see the other half of the necklace on the ground.
Valerie says, the search is ongoing. Nelle is on foot, so she expects it will end soon. Willow says she’s going to check on Wiley, and Valerie says she sent a PCPD squad car to watch the house, on the slim chance Nelle tries to come back. She asks if Sonny’s people are also on the lookout, and Michael says, they are. She says she’ll get out of his way, and he thanks her for the update. He’s glad she’s working the case. She says, her too, and tells him, goodnight. Willow comes down, and they gaze at each other. Michael smiles.
It’s dawn, and Alexis brings coffee into the bedroom. She says, take it in, take it in; she’s so happy. She tells Neil, she made coffee, but doesn’t know if he likes it first thing in the morning, or if he likes a shower, or if he’d like another foot rub. She touches his foot, and says, it’s cold. I say, nooo! She tries to wake him, but nothing. No, no, no. They cannot do this to me. I mean, Alexis.
Tomorrow, Nina says she has the key meant to unlock a secret, Willow says she didn’t know how easy it would be to kiss Michael, Jax asks if Carly was hoping Nelle survived, and Sonny asks if that’s what his dad wants.
Below Deck Mediterranean
Aesha is back. She hugs Captain Sandy and snakeface Malia, and meets the rest of the crew. In her interview, she says she wants to get praise from Captain Sandy this season. We flash back to the captain saying she did a fabulous job. Aesha is her same bubbly self, and in her interview, she says, it’s awkward. Hannah isn’t there, and no one wants to tell her what’s actually going on. They pull out when it’s still dark, and head for Ibiza. Captain Sandy says, at 7 am, it’s smooth sailing. She couldn’t ask for a better time to go. Bugs shows Aesha around, and tells her about going to Ibiza. In Aesha’s interview, she says she was there a month ago. It’s known as the party capital of the Mediterranean. She’s so excited. She says she remembers the Damons, and they were super down to earth; Michelle is fun. We flash back, and yeah, I was right. Michelle is the one who caused trouble with the yacht parked next door. Aesha says, they’re not like snobby rich people at all. The crew gets ready.
Malia asks Rob if he’s all right. In his interview, he says he’d die happy not going to Ibiza. It’s a trigger. When he was younger, he knew if he went there, he wouldn’t come back. He decides he’s over-thinking it. Aesha asks Bugs, what’s going on? and Bugs says, the second stew left, so she came in to help. The chef left, and by an amazing coincidence Tom, who’s dating Malia, was visiting at the time. She’s vague about Hannah, just saying she left, so they had to run the last charter with just two interior crew members. In Aesha’s interview, she says she and Hannah are close, and she knows Hannah’s history with Bugs. But so far, Bugs has treated her with kindness, so there’s no reason to be bitch. Aesha tells Bugs that she wants to bring some energy, and Bugs says that’s what they need.
In Tom’s interview, he says Johnny being a baseball player makes him nervous. He’s got no idea what baseball is about, but thinks it’s like fast paced cricket. Aesha asks if Jess and Rob are romantically intertwined. She thinks it’s cute. We flash back to Aesha and Jack. In Jess’s interview, she says Rob and his ex were supposed to see each other in London when they got back. She found out by seeing the ex’s Instagram stories. She was like, get f***ed. Aesha suggests they have a cheeky pound before the guests arrive. She has their backs.
Bugs has a meeting with the stews, and says she’s excited to have Aesha. She has a ton of experience, and she’s very helpful. Bugs says Jess has gone through a couple of second stews. In her interview, Jess thinks Aesha is great, but why wasn’t she moved up? Bugs tells Jess that she’s on laundry. Bugs says, let’s show Captain Sandy how well it can be done, and says she’ll be up with Jess to set the table, since Jess is creative with table settings. Aesha thinks they’re a good team.
Balearic islands, Ibiza, Spain. In Malia’s interview, she says they’re docking in a tight spot, and have quite the audience. A crowd forms on the dock, and Captain Sandy says she feels like she needs a rearview mirror. Isn’t that supposed to be Malia? The captain curses the boat, or something, saying, this effing thing. Malia tells Rob that he’s on the lines, and they need to be quick. They dock, and the captain says, well done; nice work. Alex says, it was a tight squeeze, but they made it work. Tom says Malia killed it, and Aesha has a good feeling about the team. Tom says he has to google baseball. Bugs pours the champagne, and the crew lines up. Captain Sandy welcomes Johnny and Michelle back. In Alex’s interview, he says Johnny is their man from Boston. He hated Johnny when he went to the Yankees and got a haircut, but Johnny will always have a place in his heart. The captain says she’s glad they came back, so they can make it right, especially in the food department. Bugs does the tour, and Malia says, all crew on deck. The stern lines are released.
Aesha realizes she had Michelle mixed up with the Queen of Versailles, and we flash back to that. Guest Adena falls, and smashes her champagne glass. Bugs flies over to pick up the shards, and Aesha tells Malia they need the first aid kit; there’s a lot of blood. Adena wonders if it’s going to hurt, and Malia say she doesn’t think Adena can feel anything. Adena whines that it hurts. In Malia’s interview, she says as soon as they were off the dock, a guest was drunk, fell, and cut herself. This is Ibiza; she’s not going to last. In Bugs’s interview, she says, Aesha is ticking the boxes that a good stew should check off. She doesn’t want to jinx it, but it seems to be working. Aesha asks if Adena wants a plastic glass, and Johnny says she broke two at their wedding. Tom makes lobster on skewers, and I shove a vanilla wafer in my mouth. Anchor is dropped. In Tom’s interview, he says if a guest didn’t have a good previous experience, he has to be perfect.
Bugs sets a baseball themed table, while Alex and Rob set up the slide. Jess does laundry, and I wonder how many times I’ve typed that. Johnny says, the food is so much better this time, and we flash back to last time. Bugs tells Alex she’s an umpire, and he asks if that’s because he strikes out. Johnny says, it’s the best food they’ve had since they came to Spain. Tom tells Bugs, he learned it’s a white ball, so he’s doing a white chocolate parfait. It looks like a baseball, and the guests are all, oooh. Johnny tells Aesha to let the chef know they love it. Aesha tells Tom, and says, it’s so exciting. The slide is set up, but Malia tells the guests there are jellyfish in the water. Johnny says the slide is there, so they have to use it. Malia says she’ll put some of the crew in the water to watch, and Alex says he’ll protect them. Rob is on his phone, frowning, and Jess asks, what’s wrong? In his interview, he says his ex reached out, and she’s going through a lot, but he doesn’t know how to explain it to Jess. Alex gets in the water, and Johnny says, at least there’s one real man on the boat. Malia goes in, and Michelle and the other women screech that they see jellyfish.
Malia says Alex’s balls are about to get lit up, and he says, that’s okay; he’s already peeing on himself. FYI, that is not a real solution to a jellyfish sting. The guests use the slide, and paddleboards. Adena snores on deck. In Jess’s interview, she says she didn’t want to admit it, but since Bugs took over, they’ve had direction, and she thinks everything is running smoother. Some of the guests get in the hot tub, and Adena wakes up, asking where they are. She toddles out, asking, what happened? and says she just woke up. It was the best sleep she ever had. Mine was when I was under anesthesia. Aesha takes a picture of the group, and says they’re like a weird Brady Bunch. In Bugs’s interview, she says give her a theme, and she’ll run with it. She, Jess, and Aesha put on brightly colored tutus, and she says, it’s a funky neon party. What better way to add to it, than have the people who are serving be in funky neon too? A theme is a dream. Ron comes into the crew mess, and the captain asks if he’s okay. He says he’s checked out, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says she’s never seen anyone not even fake it in front of their captain. Rob seems out of it.
Malia tells Tom that Rob told her and the captain that he checked out. Captain Sandy is honestly worried for him to be on tonight. The guests dress in neon, and Bugs puts neon paint on their faces. I could think of a better theme than this. Seriously, WTH? Michelle says, the table is festive, and they toast to nothing in particular. Malia helps plate the food, and Michelle asks, who’s getting pregnant tonight? Dinner is served, and Captain Sandy questions Johnny about how hot his food is. He thinks it’s not super hot, but more warm. She says she wants it hot, and tells Tom that it was warm. He’s got to figure it out. Tom says, effing hell, and she suggests he put a bowl over Johnny’s plate. Malia brings it upstairs, and Bugs takes it from her. In Tom’s interview, he says if they say it’s warm and not hot, and it comes back, he’s going to lose his sh*t. Bugs drops the bowl, and half the food lands in it. Malia says, Tom is going to freak, and I laugh.
Malia tells Tom, but he says he’s not stressing out. The whole thing is crazy; it’s lucky he’s prepared. He makes a fresh plate in five seconds, and Bugs asks if Johnny is happy. The guests all say it’s delicious and amazing. Bugs tells Tom, they’re loving it, and the captain says, good recovery; Johnny said it was hot. Aesha brings up fireball and Jameson shots, and the guests repair to the cigar room. Guest Shanna suggests Michelle is wearing Spanx, and Michelle denies it, showing off her thong. Aesha tells Bugs, Michelle and the other girl are having a fight. When they get drunk, the claws come out. Michelle tells Shanna that her voice is annoying. Shanna stomps off, and Michelle tells Johnny that she called Shanna out, and now she’s having a hissy fit. Whatever dude Shanna is with, informs her, saying a woman is wearing Spanx is not a compliment. Bugs says, good times… Shanna approaches Michelle, and says she’s sorry. She made an a-hole comment. She loves Michelle. I think, especially since they’re paying for the trip. Michelle says she loves Shanna too. Alex tells Bugs that she’s killing it.
Formentera, Spain; second day of charter. Jess asks who’s on Rob’s phone, and he says it might sound strange, but his ex reached out, and he’s communicating with her. He asks if Jess is mad, and she says she’s not okay with it. He says, it’s not a personal thing, and she says, okay, and starts to leave. He says, don’t disappear, and in Jess’s interview, she says, she’s trusting him, but there are red flags as to why she shouldn’t. The boat gets to Cap Blanc, Alicante, and Bugs calls to confirm a VIP table at 3 pm. Anchor is dropped, and Malia radios the deckhands that there’s an end of season party, and to have the tender ready to go at 2 o’clock. Rob tells Alex that Jess is blowing things out of proportion, and he asked her not to make it about herself, because he’s an absolute moron. Alex says he should ask, what if he hadn’t told her? Tell her to be a grown up, and not give him sh*t. Rob says he has no control over who texts him, but it’s his choice to reply. She shouldn’t make him feel like he did something wrong. He just changed his flight, but maybe he needs to take a step back and see if he’s ready to spend time in Bali. Alex tells Jess not to let sh*t bother her. He sees both sides. Jess says the ex is invading both sides of their space. Alex suggests she be more understanding, and she says she gets it, but in her head gives him the finger. In her interview, she says, this is negative sh*t she has to deal with. Block the bitch.
Johnny asks Bugs if she’ll put makeup on them, and she says they need flair. Bugs says she’s sending Aesha to shore for the closing party. Rob says he’s going to take a nap, and asks how Jess feels. Jess says she has questions, and he says he can’t control his ex reaching out. I don’t know if I want to smack him more for saying reaching out every other sentence, or for allowing his ex to manipulate him at Jess’s expense. He says, she caught feelings, and thinks they should try to keep going. She’s pushing to create drama. Jess says she thinks so too, and can’t pretend it’s normal. He tells her that he feels empathetic, and she says, the old Jess would beat the sh*t out of her. In Jess’s interview, she says, demon Jess will emerge if pushed. She and her ex got in a fight, and she kind of destroyed his house. Bugs asks why Jess is rubbing her tummy, because we’re five, and Jess says, it hurts. Michelle and Bugs put makeup on everyone. WTF?
The guests are taken to shore, and it looks like a combination of Mardi Gras and the old MTV beach house in the 90s. In Aesha’s interview, she says, it’s like a real life acid trip; a real life drunken circus in a dream. It’s amazing. Captain Sandy tells the crew left on board to play on the water toys, and they use the slide, jet skis, and paddleboat. Alex takes Bugs on a jet ski, and says he can’t get her off of his mind. He’s happy on board; the dynamic has changed. He likes being around her. She’s the sh*t. She thanks him.
The party on shore looks way too crowded to be fun, but Aesha says, it’s the best trip ever. It reminds me of Times Square on New Year’s Eve. I had a roommate who went, and she hated it. When the crowd moved you moved, and she got beer spilled on her, as well as peed on. I never had the desire to go, and desired it even less once she told me that. Jess comes out of the water, clutching her chest, and says she needs to sit. Alex goes to get her water. In Malia’s interview she says, seeing Jess grab her heart is terrifying. She tells Jess to breathe.
Next time, Johnny acts like an a-hole, Rob makes the same mistake a third time, Jess calls Rob out for flirting in a bar, and Alex kisses Bugs and says, bye-bye friend zone.
🪀 Bravo Yo-Yo…
Oh, so now Bravo is open to bringing Dorinda back? Blowback anyone?
I’m a huge fan of Denzel. I used to cash his check when I was a teller back in the day. FYI, he’s not only a beautiful person, he has beautiful handwriting.
I caught Lovecraft Country a couple of weekends ago, and highly recommend it. It’s a story with many levels, dealing with both traditional and real life horror. The acting is phenomenal, the sets and effects are incredible, and even the soundtrack is brilliant. It’s on its third episode on HBO and HBO Max, and also On Demand. Whether you’re a fan of horror and/or despise social injustice, this is a genre-shattering series for you. Until next time, stay safe, stay staunch, and stay away from the Cthulhu.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 