(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Today’s Friday Flashback GH– from April 1, 2015 – revisited when Luke went to the house he’d grown up in, and flashed back to April 1, 1963; the night he inadvertently killed his mother, and deliberately killed his father. It was also when Dee Wallace was on the scene as Luke’s sister Patricia.
🍊 Remember Her…?
You should. Jeana was one of my favorites on The Real Housewives of Orange County. An OG who only lasted a few seasons, she actually seemed to keep the real in the housewife. She and daughter Kara have seen their share of tragedies lately, but I’m sure Jeana considers her exit from the show a blessing.
I saw a millisecond of the RHOAReunion, but even done virtually in quarantine, the women all talked at once. I couldn’t understand why Andy didn’t just cut some mics off. That would have been sweet. Their mouths moving, but nothing coming out. Like it is with sound, minus the sound. NeNe was still telling Kandi that she’d never amount to anything. The one who had a couple of small parts on two now canceled series, telling the Grammy winner who just won The Masked Singer that she’s a loser. Okay.
🦍 Also recommended: Godzilla King of the Monsters, now on rotation on HBO, SHO or one of those O’s. Obviously, this is not something to watch for a great storyline, but if you’re craving special effects and giant creatures, this one’s for you. And they’re all in it. Mothra, Rodan, King Kong, a bunch of monsters who I have no idea who/what they are, and the king himself – Elvis Godzilla. I used to love those movies as a kid, and this is one of those times one hundred.
🦜 Quotes of the Week
We’re breaking the law; we don’t want to work with criminals. – Destiny (Constance Wu), Hustlers
No one looks stupid when they’re having fun. – Amy Poehler (I actually beg to differ on this one.)
The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off. – Joe Klass
Lana is real; anything can happen. – AnnieSuwan Toborowsky, 90 Day Fiancé: Pillow Talk, referring to a woman showing up who we all thought was a catfish.
Consistency is the true foundation of trust. Either keep your promises or do not make them. – Roy T. Bennett
With great power… comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later. – Rick Riordan
Aside from Dreidel, Dreidel, and that Adam Sandler thing, it’s an untapped market. – Arthur Spooner (Jerry Stiller), King of Queens, referring to Hanukkah songs.
I know that if we are to live with ourselves there comes a point at which we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead. – Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking
I cannot compromise my respect for your love. You can keep your love, I will keep my respect. – Amit Kalantri
There is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one’s self, the very meaning of one’s soul. – Edith Wharton
If you always do what is easy and choose the path of least resistance, you never step outside your comfort zone. Great things don’t come from comfort zones. – Roy T. Bennett
In every age, the good old days were a myth. No one ever thought they were good at the time. For every age has consisted of crises that seemed intolerable to the people who lived through them. – Brooks Atkinson (Boy, is that not the truth.)
How tall am I? Honey, with hair, heels, and attitude, I’m through this damned roof! – RuPaul
🌦 Trying To See Blue Sky…
It’s not looking good for my older dog, so if you’re so inclined, say a prayer for my little man; that if our time together is at an end, he go gently into this good night, to wait for me at the Rainbow Bridge. On the upside, my girl who had an old roughhousing eye injury come back to haunt her, is much improved and doing well.
Until we meet again, stay safe, stay human, and stay marching to the beat of a different drum. And add a little spice to your Memorial Day weekend.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the phone, Laura tells someone that it’s important to the city and her personally. She needs the details of Nelle’s lawsuit against the hospital. She sees Robert at the bar, and says if he doesn’t mind her saying it, it doesn’t look like he’s gotten much rest. Is he throwing himself into work? He says, it seems that way. The reports of Holly’s death have been greatly exaggerated. She asks if he has any new information, and he says his gut instinct tells him Holly is very much alive.
Maxie says the shots of Sasha are spectacular. She shouldn’t have doubted that Sasha would find a way to rally. Sasha is glad she’s happy, and Maxie says Sasha was a true wreck, but found a way to see the blue skies. Valentin comes in and looks at the photos. He’s pleased they have a signature look they can capitalize on. Maxie says Lucy led her to believe Valentin was going to be a silent partner, and he says he’s not going to make a habit of it. The launch is soon, and he wanted to see the literal face of the product. He’s leaving the beauty promotion in Maxie’s capable hands while he focuses on other ventures.
Ned talks to Tracy on the phone, and says, a third party is after Dylan’s shares… He’s trying to trace them. Apparently they’re searching for other parties willing to sell. He’ll let her know if he finds anything further.
Also on the phone, Olivia says no one’s ever said anything to her like that before. Brook walks in, but Olivia doesn’t know she’s there. Olivia says, they see through to her soul like no one else can. Brook clears her throat, and Olivia says she’s got to go. Brook asks if Olivia is going to pretend she didn’t walk in on an emotional phone call, and Olivia says, it’s not what it looks like. Brook says, it sounds like Olivia is having an affair behind her dad’s back.
Jax goes to Nina’s office, and she wonders if he’s checking up on her. He asks if she’d be upset if he was. He knows it’s a big day, and she asks if he’s there to wish her good luck. She doesn’t know if she should stand up for Nelle, but if she doesn’t, who else will?
Nelle swears to tell the truth with her hand on the Bible. Willow grasps Michael’s hand, and Carly shakes her head.
Laura tells Robert, she doesn’t understand. Did the ship not sink? He tells her, that’s not what he’s saying. Mac and Anna didn’t give him the whole story. The Bureau has a theory about the ship. Laura asks if Mac and Anna believe Holly survived, and he says he didn’t say that. They don’t know his ex-wife the way he does, but until he gets information on the Bureau’s theory about who sunk the ship, he can’t find whoever’s holding her. Does Laura think he’s nuts?
Olivia says she’s not cheating on Brook’s dad; she loves Ned very much. Brook says, when she came in, she clearly heard Olivia tell someone no one has ever said that to her before. Atrocious song lyrics, but it sounds like an affair. Olivia says, this is her house, and she doesn’t need to explain herself. Brook says, it’s Monica’s house. Alan gave it to her. (I laugh.) Olivia says, so they’re both guests in Monica’s house, and Brook says, if Olivia doesn’t want to tell her, she’ll tell her dad what she heard and he can judge for himself. Olivia says Ned has enough on his plate, not to mention the trouble Brook’s caused. How many times has she been arrested? Does the PCPD have a cell with her name on it yet? Brook says, they were misunderstandings, and Olivia asks if that’s what Brook is calling assault and disturbing the peace. She’s not having an affair. She was talking to a psychic.
Valentin tells Maxie, he brings good news. Deception is going to be one of the main sponsors of the 2020 Nurses Ball. Maxie says, the exposure alone will be huge, but she also thought it would be months before their launch party. Valentin says he’s excited about the shots, and Maxie tells Sasha, whatever she did to get her head back in the game, it worked. Sasha flashes back to the being given the vial of cocaine; a little something to get her through the shoot.
Jax says Nina told him that she had second thought; he’d like her to lean into them. She asks if he thinks it’s a mistake. Doesn’t he think Nelle deserves a second chance? He says, it’s true people change, but if she’s wrong, Wiley will pay the price. She knows the risk. Not only will a child suffer, she’ll feel responsible, and he doesn’t wish that on her. She says if she doesn’t stand up for Nelle, if she treats Nelle like everyone else does, and Nelle loses, there will be virtually no chance for Nelle to turn her life around.
Martin asks Nelle to tell the court how she felt when her baby was horribly and shamefully stolen. Diane objects, saying Martin isn’t asking questions, just giving his Southern fried opinion. The judge sustains it, but tells her to please refrain from descriptive adjectives. Martin asks what Nelle’s reaction was when the son she previously thought was dead, was alive. She says she was confused at first, and so overwhelmed that her little boy was alive. But she was also incredibly hurt to think Brad orchestrated the entire thing. She thought he was her friend. He switched her baby with the boy he adopted, and watched her grieve for nearly two years. How could he be so cruel?And when he asked Michael to be Wiley’s godfather, it was untenable. (Apparently, Nelle reads.) Martin says she wasn’t the only person hurt by Brad’s actions. Her new husband believed he was Wiley’s grandfather. She says, Jules bonded with the boy he believed was his grandson. Once he found out, the pain brought them closer together. Sam and Carly look at each other. She says they were shocked, but it gave them a connection – and possibly something more.
Brook asks where Olivia found a psychic? Late night TV? She laughs, and Ned says, enough. Brook says who spends good money on someone sitting in a call center? Olivia says the psychic isn’t in a call center. She’s well-renowned, and comes highly recommended. She’s sure it’s totally legit, and how else can she find out about Dante? Brook says she’s so sorry. She didn’t stop to think. Olivia says she never does, does she? She walks away, and Ned follows. He says he knows how bad she wants to be reassured about Dante, and Olivia says she doesn’t know what to do. Her letters come back unopened, and she has no way of knowing if he’s okay, or if he’s getting better. He says he’s sorry he hasn’t been available. He’s been so busy with ELQ, obsessing over who’s trying to mount a hostile takeover of the family’s shares, he didn’t see she’s obviously in pain.
Sasha tells Maxie, it was important to Deception, and a chance to prove herself. If the company does well, so will she. She knows a lot of people don’t trust her after she deceived Nina, and wanted to use every trick in the book. Maxie says that’s why they’re lucky to have her. Maxie suddenly stumbles a little, and Peter asks if she’s okay. She says she’s just a little lightheaded; probably too much coffee. Peter says, executive decision. She needs to take a break. She says, a short one, and then back to work. They leave, and Valentin asks if Sasha is okay.
Martin asks if Nelle and Julian are in love. Nelle says she would never speak for her husband. She respects him too much for that, so she’ll let him answer. What she will say is that Julian loves Wiley deeply. She knows he’d do anything to protect and keep her son safe. They have that in common, and the way Julian talks, she knows he loves Wiley abundantly, and will make an excellent co-parent. Sam looks sick, and Nelle says, Julian loves Wiley as much as she does. She could never find anything more appealing than that.
Nina tells Jax, she knows what it’s like to have no one in your corner, and hope things work out; what it’s like to be lonely. Jax says there are a lot of words he’d use in relation to Nelle, but Nelle isn’t lonely. Nina says Nelle feels abandoned, and with no one there to back her up, she might lash out. She might go back to prison. He says, if she does, it will be her own fault. Nina isn’t responsible. Nina remembers asking Nelle if she’s blackmailing Julian, and Nelle says she had to resort to desperate measures. Nina understands what mothers do to keep their child safe, and no one should be able to take them away.
Martin asks why Nelle feels she deserves sole custody of Wiley, and Nelle says she’s already lost two years with him. Then Michael cruelly kept Wiley away from her. He’s selfish and entitled; not lessons she wants passed on to her child. She’s paid her debt to society, has an amazing job at Crimson, roots in the community, and a husband who loves her son as much she does. She wants to dedicate the rest of her life to making sure Wiley has the home family deserves. Martin tells her, well said. He has no more questions. Diane says Nelle stated she has roots in the community, and wants to dedicate the rest of her life to make sure Wiley has the best family possible. Nelle says, that’s exactly what she wants. Diane asks her to tell the court, why on the night she allegedly discovered her son was alive, she raced to the apartment where Willow was taking care of him, and assaulted Willow? And then attempted to abduct Wiley, and take him out of the country. Martin objects, saying it’s inflammatory. Diane is clearly badgering the witness with pointless verbal assaults and unfounded accusations.
Laura tells Robert, they all believed Nikolas was dead, and were proven wrong. She’s the last person to give up hope of survival. She asks if Robert has any proof other than his gut feeling? Is there evidence? I have to interject, there’s about the same amount of evidence as there was with Nikolas – no body. Robert says the evidence is there, but he needs to find it. He could use a partner. He tried Luke, but his line has been disconnected. He asks if she has Luke’s current contact, but she says, sorry; she doesn’t. She thinks his best bet is to go through Tracy.
Olivia says, since when is someone is making a play for ELQ? and Ned says he’s had his suspicions for a while. Nelle sold her shares to an anonymous third party, and Tracy has rejected several offers for Dylan’s shares. He asks if they can talk about it later, and she says, of course (🍷). He tells her, Brook had no business eavesdropping, much less criticizing, but he’s not sure it’s the best way for Olivia to get help. Olivia says she feels helpless. Rocco had a Take Your Dad to School Day. He says, and Rocco didn’t have Dante. She says, even worse. Rocco could have taken Ned or Sonny, but he took Dustin. She confronted Lulu about why she was pushing Dustin on Rocco, and Lulu said it was Rocco’s idea. She’s only been seeing Dustin a couple of months, and Rocco is already looking at Dustin like a father figure. It’s like her son is being erased. If that happens, what motivation will Dante have to get better or come home? She feels like she’s running out of time. She gets that people think psychics are stupid or silly, but the psychic is the only person telling her it’s going to be okay. He says, if what’s happening to Dante happened to Brook, he’d go crazy, but doesn’t she think it’s possible the psychic is just telling her what she wants to hear?
Brook calls Linc, and says she saw his social media. She knows he’s staying in Port Charles, and needs a face to face with him.
Valentin says, he gathers Michael married Willow, but Sasha doesn’t reply. She picks up her bag, and he says, sorry about that. She says her personal life is personal. Their break-up had nothing to do with Deception, and doesn’t affect her role as the face of the brand or as a partner. Valentin says he genuinely wanted to check on her. He’s been where she is, and knows what it’s like to lose somebody based on something you’ve done. Nothing is ever as black and white as it looks on the surface.
Jax says Nina’s impulse to stand up for Nelle is admirable, but he doesn’t think Nelle is capable of accepting kindness; she’s too damaged. The worst outcome would be if she raised Wiley to follow in her footsteps, and he turns vindictive, and incapable of love. Nina’s phone makes noise, and she says she had an alert on it. If she’s going to testify, she needs to leave now.
Martin says there’s no evidence that his client was trying to flee the country; the charges were dismissed. Diane says, they were dismissed without prejudice, meaning they can be filed again, like with Nelle’s attack on Willow. She asks if Nelle loves her husband, and Nelle says, with every fiber in her being. Diane says, as of this morning, it would seem. She has no further questions. Michael asks what about sticking to the plan, and Diane tells him it never hurts to remind the court of the plaintiff’s alleged kidnapping charges. Martin calls Julian to the stand. Julian tells Nelle, he thought he wasn’t supposed to testify, and she says, buck up. Plans change, and it’s showtime. She doesn’t have to remind him what’s at stake. He sighs, and gets up.
Martin says there are a lot of opinions on their marriage, but the only two that are relevant belong to Julian and Nelle. He asks if it’s true that they want to give Wiley a loving stable home, and that’s why they married, and Julian says, true. Martin asks if it’s also true that Julian was the nurturing figure in Wiley’s life when he’s son Lucas tragically ended up in a coma. Julian says, when Lucas was in a coma, his husband Brad was an emotional wreck, and he stepped in to fill the void. Martin asks if it’s fair to say he loves Wiley as much as Lucas, and Julian says, that’s exactly how he feels. Martin says the elephant in the room is Julian’s prison record. He was sent to Pentenville. How long since he was released? Julian says, three years, and Martin asks, in that time, has he had any brush with the law? Julian says, not so much as a speeding ticket, and Martin asks what he does for a living. He says own Charlie’s pub, and Martin says, it has historical significance in Port Charles. Julian supposes it does, and Martin asks if it’s fair to say he cleaned up his life. Julian says he has, and Martin says they all commend him for it. He has no further questions, and Diane says, yes, the elephant in the room. Drug trafficking, assault, extortion, attempted murder… Martin says, not all of those have been proven, and she says, there was enough evidence to convict Julian. She asks who Alexis is to Julian, and he says, his ex-wife. Diane says, whose throat he held a knife to, and threatened to kill, as well as helping his sister (the other) Olivia try to blow up Port Charles. Julian says he was forced to do those things, and Diane says, he’s perfect for Wiley. She’s done with the witness. Nelle tells Martin, do something.
Maxie picks at her food, and pushes the plate away. Peter says she barely ate, and she says she’s not hungry. He doesn’t want to tell her what to do, but if she’s under the weather, maybe she should see a doctor. She says she loves that he’s looking out for her, but she doesn’t need a doctor. It’s just… He says, what is it?
Olivia tells Ned, they’ll have to agree to disagree. Her opinion about psychics is just as valid as his. He says he’s not trying to change what she believes, but he doesn’t want to see anyone take advantage of her pain. She says it’s the only thing giving her comfort. The doorbell rings. It’s Robert, who apologizes for showing up unannounced. He promises it won’t take long. Olivia tells him, come in, and Ned asks, what’s going on? Robert says, it’s not public knowledge, but Holly was on a boat that sank, and is believed to be dead. Olivia says she’s sorry, and Ned asks what he can do to help. Robert says, there are certain discrepancies in the Bureau’s report that don’t add up. He’d like to ask Luke for help, but the only way to contact him is through Ned’s mother. Ned says he’s been down that road with Luke, and Luke gets scratchy if he gives out the number. He’ll call his mother, and let her know what’s up. Robert says he appreciates it, and Ned goes to make the call. Olivia asks how Robert is holding up, and he says he hates every minute. The only thing worse than accepting the fact Holly is lost is that he’ll never see her again. Why does he have the feeling he’s not the only one who’s been through the wringer today?
Linc and Brook meet at the MetroCourt. He says he’s surprised she wants to hook up with him, but she says the only thing she has in mind is business. He says their business was concluded when she bought herself out. She says he never wanted her shares. He was just a front for a third party, and she wants to know who.
Sasha says she wishes she could trust Valentin. He says, it’s not tough. Talk to Lulu. She says according to Lulu, he’s always wrong. She posed as Nina’s daughter for the money, but she also knew there was no girl being cheated out of an inheritance. She knew he truly loved Nina, and the more she got to know Nina, it was clear Nina loved him back. Even after all this, she still has sympathy for what he was trying to accomplish. Sometimes you have to do the wrong thing for the right reason. He says that’s why he hired her; she’s a good person, and he knew she’s be a good daughter for Nina. She asks if he’s not sorry, and he says he is, and he’s sorry she’s still paying the price. If it’s any consolation, the brand is going to be a massive success, and make her a very wealthy woman. She says, too bad money can’t buy happiness, and Valentin agrees. He leaves, and Sasha flashes back to Michael telling her that he loves her, and her saying she loves him too.
Julian finds Sam in the hallway messing with her phone. She turns to him, and he says, Sam, please… She hauls off and smacks him good. As we all want to.
Julian tells Sam, he understands why she slapped him, but let him explain. She says, and make a bunch of excuses? Don’t bother. He asks her to hear him out. She says she told Lucas about his new stepmom. He says he’d hoped to tell Lucas himself, but she says she saved him the time. Lucas’s exact words were, Julian is dead to him, and after listening to his ridiculous testimony, she feels the same way. He says, Sam, please… and she says, don’t Sam please her anything. The worst part is he used the most painful thing that ever happened to Lucas against him, and allowed Nelle to weaponize Wiley to use against Michael. If Nelle gets custody, she was going to say she’d never talk to him again, but been there, done that. He’s dead to her too. He says everything he’s done, he did for his kids, and she says she’s not on that list anymore. She and Lucas are better off without him in their lives, and if Leo eventually comes to the same conclusion, they’ll be there to support him.
Olivia gives Robert some coffee, and he asks if she wants to talk about it. She says Brook overheard her call a psychic, and one thing led to another. She told Ned, and he was nicer than Brook was, but ultimately, he thinks the same thing. Robert says, who’s to say she’s certifiable? Not him. He spent time in the outback, and the Aborigines are a very spiritual people. What we look upon as superstitious, they look at as a natural part of life. He asks what she hopes to find, and she says, Dante. She needs to have some hope that he’ll be okay, especially since the whole world is moving on without him. She has to keep fighting, and believing he’s okay. If the only person who gives her hope is a psychic, Robert must think she’s crazy. He says she doesn’t want to give up hope, and he doesn’t want to give up hope about Holly. There’s nothing crazy about that. Ned comes in, as Olivia takes Robert’s hand.
Brook tells Linc, it all makes sense. The way he stonewalled, then agreed to let her buy herself out. The shares weren’t for him. He’s the front man. Who’s pulling the strings? He says, whatever decision he made about the shares is none of her business. She asks who he sold them to. She’s not leaving until he gives her a name.
Valentin sees Laura at the MetroCourt, and she tells him that she’s curious. Did he get an invitation to Windymere for the unveiling of Ava’s portrait? He says he did. He thought it was a joke, but doesn’t know if it was Ava or Nikolas twisting the knife. She hopes he chooses not to go, for Charlotte’s sake. And Nikolas’s. He doesn’t need any more trouble, even though he’s asking for it. He says he threw it away. He doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone in Port Charles.
Julian goes back into the courtroom. Judge Lowe asks when they can expect Martin’s next witness, and Diane says, yes. How long are they supposed to wait for this mythical witness? Nina and Jax walk in, and Martin says, here she is now. Not so mythical after all. Quel disappointment.
Martin calls Nina to the stand. Jax sits next to Carly, who asks what the hell they’re doing. He says he has no idea.
Maxie looks at a calendar on her phone, while Peter takes a business call. When he comes back, he says she hasn’t taken another bite. Is she sure she’s okay? She says, she’s sure it’s stress from work, but maybe he’s right, and she should see a doctor.
Sasha digs in her bag, and the woman who gave her the coke appears with another vial. She says, for next time, but Sasha says, it was a one-time thing. The woman says, keep it. You never know when you’ll need another boost.
Laura calls Anna, and leaves a message to give her a call when Anna has a few minutes to talk. She ran into Robert, and to be honest, she’s worried about him.
Ned comes back, and gives Robert the number to Luke’s latest burner phone, and says Luke is expecting his call. Robert thanks him, and says he appreciates it. Olivia tells Robert to look out for himself, and he tells her to do the same. After he leaves, Ned says Olivia seems like she’s feeling better, and she says she is. She guesses you never know who will come up with the right words to say.
Linc tells Brook, it was a one-time deal, and he has zero obligation to tell her anything. The person wants to remain anonymous. She says she still hasn’t gone public with what he did to her. Powerful men have lost careers because of me-too. He asks if she’s threatening him, and Valentin comes by. He says let him take it from here, and Linc leaves. He tells Brook, he’s been looking forward to this moment. He’s heard a lot about her.
Nina is asked if she’ll tell the truth. She hesitates. She looks at Jax, then looks at Nelle. She swears to tell the truth. So help her God.
There was no preview for Monday, but tomorrow’s GH is from April 1, 2015, and contains scenes from the original first episode in 1963.
The Real Housewives of New York City
Leah meets LuAnn for lunch. Both of them aren’t feeling well, with some kind of respiratory ailments. Hmm… In Leah’s interview, she says, the orchard trip was bullsh*t. They wait for Tinsley, and order in the meantime. LuAnn says, poor Sonja, and Leah says she did it to herself. We see a clip of Sonja throwing up in the limo, way too close to Tinsley. Leah says she loves crazy, but this is bad crazy. Dorinda, Sonja, even Ramona. LuAnn says, they have their issues.
Ramona, Dorinda, and Sonja go for a workout with Ramona’s instructor Bergen. Ramona says Bergen transformed her body. Dorinda says, yesterday was a long day. Bergen puts them through their paces. How any of them can work out after what they consumed the day before is mind boggling. It’s not like they’re eighteen.
Leah tells LuAnn that she’s sympathetic and empathetic. Dorinda is grieving and dealing with the break-up, but to say what she did to Tinsley… Leah wonders where it’s coming from. LuAnn says, there’s a lot of judgment on Dorinda’s part. They have to step in and help figure it out. Tinsley joins them, also coughing.
Sonja says, this is the worst punishment ever. In her interview, she says, workouts shouldn’t even be legal. Dorinda says she thought it was beautiful yesterday, and Ramona says it was a beautiful setting. Dorinda says she thinks Ramona is concerned about Sonja, and Sonja says when she sees them go off rails. Ramona was overly friendly and flirtatious. Ramona says Sonja wasn’t in control, and past the point. She wants Sonja healthy and happy. Sonja says she has to be careful out in public. Sonja asks what was with Dorinda yelling at Tinsley, and Dorinda says Tinsley has played the victim and little girl enough. They could all be victims.
LuAnn say she’s had issues with all the women in the past, and Tinsley’s reaction is defensive and yelling. In her interview, LuAnn says, Tinsley does the wrong thing. She screeches, and Dorinda reacts with aggression because she’s annoyed. Leah thinks the real issue is that Tinsley was born into a life that Dorinda puts on a pedestal. LuAnn says, that doesn’t mean she can judge and get away with it. Leah says Tinsley has to stop being defensive. In Leah’s interview, she says, if you let people walk all over you, and don’t make them respect you, it’s never going to happen. If Tinsley stood up to Dorinda, and said, bitch, mind your own business, Dorinda would back off. She says, Tinsley needs to thug her out, and LuAnn says Tinsley screams like a child having a tantrum. Tinsley stamps her foot, and says that’s just her.
Ramona tells Dorinda, Tinsley is mentally and emotionally not her age. She feels sorry for Tinsley. Dorinda says, God helps those who help themselves (which, BTW, is found nowhere in the Bible). In Ramona’s interview, she says, Dorinda thinks Tinsley plays the victim, but Dorinda is victimizing Tinsley. She tells Dorinda, it’s challenging to be around them. Tinsley is psychologically co-dependent, and Dorinda is frustrated. Dorinda needs to take a step back. Someone didn’t give Tinsley the right tools.
Tinsley says Dorinda is doing, and she’s reacting. Leah suggests an intervention, which doesn’t get a positive reaction. LuAnn says maybe at a health spa could be cool, as long as nothing gets broken. It’s totally up to Tinsley. Leah tells Tinsley not to go Cardi B, but go DalaiLama. Cardi Lama.
Dorinda goes to see life coach Daryl. She tells him that she recognizes where her anger is coming from; it’s frustration, and it comes out because she wants a person to be the best they can be. In her interview, she says she started with Dr. Daryl three months ago, to help her process what’s going on. It became too much, and she’s not good at asking for help. She tells Daryl that she and Tinsley are too different for her to tolerate Tinsley. Daryl says they can be respectful when they’re face to face. All we see is what’s on the surface, when underneath is a whole world we don’t know about. Dorinda says she handled it poorly because she’s going through something. In Dorinda’s interview, she says dealing with the house and the break-up is having an effect on her personality. She’s been going through the house thing for a year, and she’s not just throwing away part of her life. It’s under water, and too painful to go through, plus, it’s ruined. Daryl sees that it stirs up her emotions. Dorinda says, it’s making her angry toward people. She felt lost after Richard died, but instead of taking it on, and allowing herself to be in a sea of it, she pretended everything was okay. She didn’t acknowledge the tremendous loss, from motherhood down, that was making her angry. In her interview, Dorinda says, she never put a period on the life she once had. In the process of resurrecting the house, she had to let go of a lot of things that, without knowing it, kept her tied to the past. Daryl says, she feels stuck, and Dorinda thinks that’s what got her here. She was trying to explain it to John. She’s trying to be completely selfish, and mindful of herself about what’s going on. Daryl asks about John, but Dorinda says she hasn’t seen him. In her interview, she says her daughter said she and John met too quickly after Richard’s death, but you do what you’ve got to do. She doesn’t regret it, and she’ll always love John, but she’s in a different place than she was when she met him. Daryl tells her to focus on what she needs to do. She needs time and space. She says she’s sort of enjoying it; it’s a relief to just worry about herself. Her life is quieter, and she needed the noise to go away. She can’t take it right now. Daryl says she’s always been taking care of someone else. She can still do that, but put her own needs first. She says, it feels good.
In LuAnn’s interview, she says when she heard it would be a spa day, she didn’t think of a Russian bath house. We see a clip of Leah on the phone, saying she wants get the group to go to a place in the neighborhood. It’s an oasis of relaxation, and good for detoxing. Maybe they can get to a better place. They definitely need something to relax as a group. In her interview, Leah says, it’s a New York institution, and has more character than an East Side spa.
Tinsley wanders in, and the woman at the reception desk gives her a locked box to put her jewelry in. Tinsley tells her, thanks, but no thanks. Leah orders lunch for the women, and meets Tinsley at the vodka bar. It’s really cool. There are glass jars of fresh herbs and fruits that the vodka is strained through. Tinsley tries a ginger shot, and declares it delicious. The bartender tells her that Russians don’t sip; they down the shot. She says she’s American.
In the limo, Dorinda tells LuAnn that she doesn’t go downtown much, and LuAnn say she’s not thrilled. Dorinda says the only time she’s down there is for a legal certificate, jury duty, or jail. I actually had jury duty there once. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, past Canal Street, there’s a weather change; it gets greyer. Geez. Elitist much? LuAnn says she’s only been down there when she got a summons. LuAnn says she had lunch with Leah and Tinsley, and Dorinda says she’s sure she was the topic. LuAnn says they were trying to figure out how to approach her, so they can make things better. Leah thought gangster was the way to go. Dorinda says that’s why she and Leah get along. Leah is also a great mother, and Dorinda respects that. Leah has been through a lot, and Dorinda doesn’t want to live in a fantasy world like Tinsley.
Everyone – clients and employees – is given a Gilligan type hat to protect your head, but I’m not sure from what. In Ramona’s interview, she says the spa is rustic, and not what she’s used to. It reflects how Leah is; rough around the edges. Ramona tells Tinsley to let things go with Dorinda. She told Dorinda that she was being a bully. Leah says, positive vibes only.
As Dorinda and LuAnn approach the spa, Dorinda mentions there’s a strip club down the road. Sonja wanders in after them, and says, oh Lord. Inside, Ramona looks in the mirror and says she would pick up herself. In Tinsley’s interview, she says she’s going to let things go. She and Dorinda can stay on opposite sides of the room; that’s how they’re going to play it. Sonja comes in and asks if this is where jury duty is. In her interview, Sonja says, there’s graffiti everywhere. She avoids areas like this uptown, and downtown, it’s everywhere. Leah says they’re doing the dry sauna first. Sonja says, it’s like a prison; very bare bones. As they sit in the sauna, Dorinda informs Leah that Richard never knew she had fake boobs, and insists Leah feel them. They move on to a massage called banya. One of the couples on 90 Day Fiancé did this too. A couple of dudes hit them with branches as they lie on the tables. Ramona says she’s getting beaten by weeds. LuAnn feels like she’s being attacked by a tree. There’s some sexual banter, and in Leah’s interview, she says she thought she was horny. These women are more desperate than she is. In LuAnn’s interview, she says if she’s going to be beaten by a bush, she wants two hot guys to do it. I’m shocked they didn’t take this opportunity to show the clip that keeps on giving – LuAnn drunkenly falling into a bush. She says she’s turning over a new leaf, and probably wondering how she can include this in her cabaret act. Ramona thinks it’s a little sensual, and Leah says it’s the most action had in a while. In Sonja’s interview, she says she doesn’t know what this does, but after this, she might try S&M. Tinsley doesn’t want to do it (no surprise), and Leah tells her that she’s not being a part of things. In Tinsley’s interview, she says how does she know she’s not allergic to the branches, and it looks weird. Next is a foot scrub, which gets a little more interest, and now I’m jealous. They’re told to lie face down for the foot scrub, but Dorinda says, the last time she did that, she ended up with Hannah.
They go to a room with a private hot tub, where lunch is laid out; a beautiful spread of upscale Russian food, with caviar of course. LuAnn says crazy parties must go on in this room. The women descend on the caviar, since it’s something they recognize. Leah makes a toast, saying, when they first met, she thought she wouldn’t fit in as a downtown girl. But as time has gone by, they’ve opened up to her, and she appreciates it. They clink glasses. LuAnn thanks Leah for bringing them down there. She’s never seen anything like it. Ramona says she’s been looking into the group going to Newport, Rhode Island. LuAnn says, it’s gorgeous (truth! I’ve been there), and Ramona says it’s about a three-hour tour drive. In Leah’s interview, she says, before they plan another trip, they have some leftover drama to handle from the last trip. Nobody is talking about what they should be talking about. Leah says she feels like there’s an elephant in the room. She tells them, she speaks from the heart. After the orchard trip, she cried, and they need to acknowledge their sh*t. She saw people attacking each other a lot, and she thinks they should acknowledge that. Dorinda says she acknowledges it, and LuAnn says, Tinsley felt ganged up on, and rightly so. Dorinda says it was Tinsley’s flip comment that started it. We flash back to Tinsley at the orchard, mumbling about Dorinda being judgmental. Ramona says they want to figure out a way for that not to happen again. She tells Dorinda, there’s a pattern when she’s upset. She goes for the jugular, and hits below the belt. Ramona doesn’t think Dorinda recognizes it. Dorinda says Ramona does it all the time, so she can recognize it easily. In Ramona’s interview, she says there Dorinda goes, flipping it around, and pointing fingers at someone else, because she doesn’t want to recognize it in herself. Dorinda throws in how Ramona asked what she’d do if she found John texting other women when they were in a group. We flash back to that, and Ramona counters with the time Dorinda made a snide remark about a mug shot to LuAnn, and we flash back to that. Ramona says Dorinda does it all the time, and Dorinda tells Ramona that you don’t say things like that in a group, and she should pull Dorinda aside. In Dorinda’s interview, she calls Ramona a living vampire. She sucks the life out of people, Ramona tells Dorinda not to make it about her, and LuAnn says she’s not being specific. Leah says she wasn’t trying to blow up the table. She wanted to have a dialogue. She adores and respects all of them, and has a special bond with Dorinda. But she’s terrified that if she does something wrong, she’ll be on the other side of it. Ramona says Dorinda is scary, and Dorinda says she’s scared of Ramona. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, Dorinda goes for someone else, so it’s not about her. Tinsley says she respects Dorinda, and doesn’t judge her, and Dorinda insists she doesn’t do that. Everyone clinks glasses, probably because they gave up, and Leah says, a judgement free zone. Dorinda wanders off, and LuAnn says, a cease fire is good.
Leah’s sister Sarah comes by Leah’s place. In Leah’s interview, she says her sister is basically her times 100. They’re like twins, and share a bit of the same soul. It gets intense, but at this point they’re both adults, moms, and best friends. Leah tells Sarah that she has a salad from Pita Chip Guy. In her interview, Leah explains that Pita Chip Guy is a guy she’s dating who owns a kosher restaurant and pita bakery. She loves Jews; she can’t help it. He’s quirky, funny, and intelligent, and she wants to see where it goes. She tells Sarah that she took a nude picture with pita chips in a strategic place, and Pita Chip Guy sent the picture to her, thinking he was sending it to someone else. Sarah thinks he just made a mistake, and it’s not big deal. In her interview, Leah says she likes weirdos. She likes intellectuals, who are smart and funny, and likes dating ugly guys. She wants to be a beauty, and needs a beast. She asks Sarah how their mom and dad are, and Sarah says she doesn’t want to make Leah upset. Their mom is upset about her. In Leah’s interview, she says she and her mother are on speaking terms again. We flash back to Ramona advising her to talk to her mom in person. She says there was lingering tension, and now they’re just leaving it alone. She tells Sarah that she thinks their mom wants her to stop telling her everything. Sarah says Leah’s way to connect has always been bad behavior, and Leah says she needs to learn how to stop that dynamic. In her interview, she says she’s caught in an old dynamic with her mother, even though they’re different and the relationship is different now. Sarah suggests Leah engage in conversation that’s about their mother, not her. Its basic.
Ramona has a girls night at her place, including Elyse, Nicole, and a couple of other women we don’t know. In her interview, Ramona says it’s a great way to build relationships. She has different groups over, and plays matchmaker with her women friends. She tells Elyse that she’s feeling finally her new home. Elyse asks if Ramona has condoms in her nightstand, and when Ramona says no, Elyse wants to check for herself. In her interview, Elyse says that Ramona likes to play the innocent Catholic girl, but then talks about how horny she is, and how she’s never been hotter. Ramona says when she was in a relationship, she kept them for her boyfriend. Sometimes he needed extras. She says she’s embarrassing herself, like that’s possible. Elyse says she wants to sleep with Ramona if it’s that good.
Sonja arrives, bringing Ramona a dress to replace the one with the broken zipper. We see a picture of Ramona in it, and it’s very pretty – a lace overlay on a nude foundation. Dorinda comes in next, and in Ramona’s interview, she says it was a sh*t show with her and Dorinda yesterday, but she’d already invited her, so she hopes Dorinda is in a good mood, and being the old Dorinda. In Sonja’s interview, she says when they were in the locker room at the spa, Ramona said she should lose ten pounds because she’s beautiful. She’s beautiful with the ten pounds. Dorinda tells Elyse about the spa, and Elyse says she knows it from when she worked in the area, and businessmen would take strippers there. Ramona doesn’t want Dorinda thinking she doesn’t respect her, and Dorinda says that what Ramona did was wrong. Ramona says Dorinda takes people down all the time. Dorinda whips out her phone, and asks if Ramona knows what schadenfreude means. Elyse says, you don’t wish ill on people, but if something bad happens, you get pleasure out of it. Dorinda says Ramona will bring up something from years ago, when they’re supposed to be friends. She needs support. Ramona says Dorinda lashes out when she’s questioned.
Ramona tries to get Dorinda to talk in private, but Dorinda won’t have it. In Ramona’s interview, she says it’s ironic that Dorinda doesn’t want her to bring things up in front of other people, but when they’re in front of people Dorinda doesn’t know, she’s going off like a crazy woman. Dorinda claims Ramona fat shamed Sonja, who called her up crying. Ramona loves for them to do well, but not better than she is. Ramona says Dorinda is so angry, and Dorinda says Ramona likes people’s misfortune. She likes to make people feel bad, and she’s a coward. Does she think it’s nice to bring up something from two years ago? Ramona asks if Dorinda thinks what she did to Tinsley was nice. She’s sorry Dorinda is unhappy, and sorry Richard died. She’s sorry Dorinda’s anniversary is coming up. Dorinda says she’s sorry so many men have come and gone in Ramona’s life. Elyse tells them to stop, and Dorinda jets with Sonja. Elyse says they’re both nuts. Ramona tells her, Dorinda said if there’s something negative to say, it should be done in private. Why does she do what she doesn’t want done? In the hallway, Sonja says she wants to be herself, and if she wants to be fat, why is Ramona shaming her? I see she latched onto that now. Ramona hunts them down, and says she loves them both. Dorinda starts crying, and says she needed support yesterday, wagging her finger in Ramona’s face. She just left a seven and a half year relationship. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, it’s not an easy time; there’s a slight depression. She doesn’t need to be knocked down; she needs a soft place to land. Ramona isn’t a pillow; she’s a concrete block. Dorinda says Ramona is like a sister to her. Ramona takes Dorinda’s hand, and asks her to come back; she loves them both. As they head back in, Dorinda says she knows her delivery sucks. She’s been trying with a life coach. She doesn’t want to be alone again. Ramona says she’s afraid she’s going to be alone forever, and she, Dorinda, and Sonja have a three-way hug. Elyse says the three of them could drive Mother Teresa to drink. In Ramona’s interview, she says she loves Dorinda, but she won’t admit how mean-spirited she is. When Dorinda is like this, nothing will work. There’s nothing you can do. Just shut your mouth.
Next time, a trip to Newport, Sonja says maybe she’ll get her mojo back, Leah goes on another drunken rampage, and Ramona doesn’t like the behavior.
🍤 On Top Chef, Melissa was bummed because Restaurant Wars threw her off, and she’d been on the bottom in the challenges. She was in an emotional rut. Stephanie was also down, having lost her brother to addiction a year and a half ago. In her interview, she said she’d come out stronger, and that’s why she was there – it was her victory song. Padma introduced the guest judge, pastry chef and three time James Beard Award winner SherryYard. Padma told the chefs that the Quickfire challenge was going to be a piece of cake. Sherry said baking was all about time, temperature, taste, and methodology. The chefs would get the basic pantry staples – dairy, flour, sugar, and eggs – but the rest of their ingredients would come from a blindfold taste test. They had five minutes to guess twenty ingredients. Whichever ingredients they guessed right, they could use, although they didn’t have to use them all. The chef who guessed the highest number of ingredients would get an hour, the next two would get forty-five minutes, and the last two, a half hour. All Padma would say about the winner is that they’d get a huge advantage in the elimination challenge that would be worth fighting for. Stephanie guessed the most ingredients – fifteen, with twelve seconds to spare. Next, Gregory and Melissa tied with twelve, and at the bottom was the other white Bryan, guessing only seven correctly. The biggest stumbling block seemed to be almond butter, which most of them guessed to be peanut butter. I thought this was kind of odd, since I find almond butter to have a very distinctive taste. After the chefs presented their desserts, the judges loved Karen’s flavor, but thought it was too aggressive; Bryan’s components fought on the plate; but Melissa’s flavors sang, and she was the winner.
Next, Padma said, let the games begin, and introduced the chefs’ helpers and guest judges Niki and Carole Nakayama, Michelin star chefs and co-owners of two Michelin star restaurants. In honor of the Tokyo Olympics, the chefs would be making food inspired by Japan – a kaiseki meal of six courses, the most formal way of dining in Japan, and similar to a tasting menu. They were told kaiseki is a celebration of nature, about protecting the integrity of the ingredient, and cooking with restraint, which made full of Malarkey quake in his shoes. Given two hours to cook, each chef would make one dish, and they would be cooking for a group of elite Olympic athletes. The Nakayama sisters treated the chefs to a kaiseki meal so they could get the vibe.
Before the dinner began, Padma said both sporting events and food bring people together. She was excited to be doing something joyous and traditionally Japanese. As usual, everything looked incredibly impressive, and sounded phenomenal, except for the piece of shell in Melissa’s crab dish.
Stephanie was the winner, with a balance of flavor and ingredients. She was quite shocked, and would also be going to the Tokyo Olympics. Unfortunately, we all know how that would eventually turn out. She joked that she was probably the least athletic of the group. Karen’s duck dish caused her to be told to pack her knives and go. In her interview, she said she’d been eliminated twice for a good dish, had done things she never thought she would try, learned tenacity, and cooked her ass off. It was on to Last Chance Kitchen for her, as she told us, never say die.
They never did reveal what the huge advantage was the elimination challenge winner would receive. I can’t imagine it was the trip to the Olympics. Next time, the finale goes to Europe, and a possible bail by Brian full of Malarkey.
🏖 Life’s a Beach Again…
It looks like the world is starting to open back up. As I’ve come to say every week, whatever happened to the Shahs reunion? All continues to be quiet on the Sunset front, and I have yet to see a ransom note. Regardless, see you tomorrow with some tea and words of wisdom. Until then, stay safe, stay exercising caution, and stay puffed.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Sonny tells Jason, the disease takes away everything that makes you who are, and you’re left with an empty shell. When he asks what Mike wants, Mike doesn’t say anything. Sonny doesn’t know if Mike doesn’t want to say anything, doesn’t understand, or he doesn’t know. If his dad wants to stay and fight, he has every right to do that. Jason says, of course (🍷), and Sonny says, then again, what is Mike fighting for? He has no quality of life – the doctors made that clear – and he has nothing to look forward to.His heart is still beating, but his brain can’t hold his memories. He’s lost his appetite, and they’ll have to feed him by putting tubes in him. Sonny doesn’t know how much more he should do, and his dad is confused. That’s where they’re at. Jason knows Sonny wants answers, but can only tell him what he’d want if he was in Mike’s place.
Laura opens the door to Lulu, who holds up an envelope. She says, see this?Nikolas and Ava are having a party to celebrate the unveiling of Franco’s portrait. Laura says she got one, hand delivered; fancy stuff. Lulu says she can send regrets for both of them if Laura wants, but Laura says, actually, it’s not what she wants.
At the MetroCourt bar, Nikolas tells Ava that he saw some of Avery’s drawings. She’s quite the artist. Ava says she can’t wait to show Avery’s stuff at the gallery, and he says, speaking of art, he ran into her favorite painter at the gym. She hopes he didn’t use Franco as a punching bag, and he says, why? Is there something or someone they should be fighting about?
Elizabeth tells Franco that Nikolas is trying be the person she used to know; trustworthy and loyal, and someone who values honor and integrity. If he ends up being that person, she’ll most likely be friends with him again. Franco says Nikolas is also the person who ran her sister out of town, and Violet has no mother now. Does she want to be friends with that guy?
Diane tells Michael and Willow to go ahead; she needs to talk to Carly. She asks if Carly is ready to be cross-examined by Nelle’s attorney. It’s not going to be pretty. Carly says she’s going to present herself as a loving grandmother and mother, who wants the best for Wiley, which happens to be true. The judge needs to know Nelle should never get custody.
Willow looks at a picture of her and Chase. She asks if Michael still has photos of Sasha, but he says he’s deleted them. Willow says she knows Michael is hurting like she is, but what makes it bearable is not being alone; they’re going through it together. Michael says when he needs a reminder of why they married, and why they’re there, he looks at this. He shows her a picture of Wiley.
Nelle practices her testimony. She say she doesn’t claim to be perfect, but has been given the most precious thing anyone can possess. She’s not asking for custody for herself, but for her son Wiley. Martin says, too saccharine, and not enough sincerity. Once more, with feeling.
Lulu asks if Laura is thinking of going to this charade. It’s just Ava’s excuse to patronize the little people, now that she’s queen of Spoon Island. Laura says Nikolas is still her son and Lulu’s brother, and Lulu says, he brought Ava into their family, and brought it on himself. She doesn’t see why he should inflict her on the rest of them. Laura says it’s important to show they still love him and he’s still part of the family, but Lulu says Laura wouldn’t be attending that ostentatious overblown party as Nikolas’s mother. She’s the mayor, and represents the city of Port Charles. Laura doesn’t think it’s a big deal, but Lulu says attending is giving Ava her stamp of approval; knowing Ava coerced Nikolas into marriage, and they’re both miserable, and that Spencer would rather stay in France than be there. Is she sure she’s prepared for that?
Ava tells Nikolas, like most talented artists, Franco is moved by powerful emotion, and she’s promoting his art. He says she’s promoting Franco’s ugly past, but Ava says he doesn’t mind. Nikolas says, Elizabeth does. She asks if he showed Elizabeth the letter from Spencer, and he says he told her that Spencer is willing to restore their relationship if he divorces Ava. Ava says Elizabeth must have loved that. Did he tell her how he responded to Spencer’s proposal? Did he choose his son or his fortune?
Nelle asks if Martin has any other unwanted advice. Is her dress too short? He says, just tell the truth, and let it stand up next to Michael, Carly, and Willow’s version. She says she’ll have Nina as a character witness. Julian comes in, and she says, her husband. He says, hello darling, and Martin asks if he’s been drinking. Julian says he had one shot for court, and Martin gives him a tin of mints. Martin leaves, and Nelle tells Julian that if she wins, Sonny need never find out that Julian knew about the baby switch. Stick to the script. Losing is not an option.
Diane asks Carly if Sonny will be in court, but Carly says, no; he’s with his father. Diane says it’s probably for the best, since his presence in the courtroom might be construed as intimidation.
Michael asks if Willow is ready to go head to head with Nelle’s attorney, and she says she has nothing to hide. He says he can’t say the same. He and his family are going to be dragged through the mud, and some of it is bound to splash on her. She says, for better or worse, and he says, they’re starting off worse. She asks if he means the honeymoon is over, and he says, when this is over, they’ll take Wiley and go somewhere fun. She says she’ll take him up on that.
Jason says he told the doctors before his first surgery, he didn’t want tubes and machines keeping him alive. Sonny says Jason didn’t have kids then. How would he feel for his kids to lose him? Jason says he’d never want his kids to go through what Sonny is going through; seeing him in bed, knowing he can’t recognize them, and can’t even feed himself. Sonny asks if he’d want them to sign a DNR, and Jason says he wishes Mike hadn’t put it on Sonny. Sonny says there’s a lot he and his dad didn’t talk about; a lot they didn’t share. Now it’s too late.
Ava says she’ll take Nikolas’s silence to mean he hasn’t talked to Spencer. Nikolas says, what if Spencer doesn’t want him without his money? Is Spencer really willing to lose the money and prestige that comes with being a Cassadine? She says, Spencer is still young. He’s still figuring out what’s important. But if he didn’t care, he would have been indifferent upon Nikolas’s return. Spencer loves Nikolas, and wants him, money or no money. He says, she’d like that because she gets it all. Guess again.
Elizabeth tells Franco, she knows Nikolas can be selfish, but he’s also incredibly sensitive, kind, and patient. Franco says it sounds like she’s already halfway there in forgiving him, and she says she’s trying to understand why one minute he’s a stranger, and the next, she sees flashes of the friend she used to know. He says, sorry; they don’t have to talk about it, but Elizabeth says they should talk. He admits they can’t pretend their feelings don’t exist, and she says her feelings for Nikolas are complicated. Like his for Ava.
Carly takes the stand, and Diane asks what the nature is of her relationship to Michael. She says she’s Michael’s mother, and Diane asks where she was when Michael got engaged to Nelle. Carly tells her, Ferncliff, a hospital for the criminally insane. Diane asks what was the reason she was there, and Carly says Nelle accused her of pushing her down a flight stairs at her baby shower. She was forced to plead temporary insanity. Diane says, with the help of friends, she managed to escape; isn’t that criminal as well? Carly says it is, but when the truth came out, she was exonerated, and her sentence vacated. Diane asks if Nelle ever visited, and Carly says she did, when she and Michael became engaged. Nelle said Carly was trapped, and she was going marry Michael, and in time, the family would forget Carly, and she’d be left to rot. She wanted Carly to know she’d won. Martin objects, saying her testimony is highly inflammatory, and Diane says, withdrawn.
Martin asks Carly what kind of business she’s in, and she says, hospitality. She owns the MetroCourt. He asks what business her husband is in, illegal or otherwise, and Diane says Sonny isn’t there to testify. Martin says, withdrawn, and asks Carly to explain what happened on April 24th, 1988. She tells him that Tony Jones kidnapped Michael, and received a suspended sentence. He asks what happened to Tony next, and she says she shot him. He asks what punishment she received for shooting her former lover, who was also her stepfather, and she says she went to Shadybrook mental institution. He says, and she’d believe her grandson would be safe in her less than stable care? Diane objects, and he says, withdrawn. Diane says, it’s a matter of public record that Nelle perjured herself in an attempt to secure a conviction against Carly for attempted murder. In simpler terms, Nelle lied to cause Carly grievous harm. She asks if Carly tried to retaliate, but Carly says, no. She would never do that. She loves her son and grandson too much to stoop to Nelle’s level. Michael is called to the stand.
Laura says Lulu always looks out for her, and Lulu says, translation; Laura appreciates her concern, but she’s going anyway. Laura says, someone has to look out for Nikolas, and Lulu says, he has a wife for that. Laura says, she’d love it if Ava would be the person to bring out the good out in Nikolas, but they know that’s not going to happen. Lulu asks if Laura thinks there’s still good to bring out, and Laura says, of course (🍷). Nikolas just needs the chance to show it. Lulu says Laura sees it that way because she’s Nikolas’s mom. What if he’s become a Cassadine through and through, and is as deceitful as the rest? Laura says, not Nikolas. She would never give up on him, just like Lulu wouldn’t give up on Rocco or Charlotte. There’s a knock at the door, and it’s Nikolas bearing flowers.
Franco tells Elizabeth, there’s nothing complicated about his relationship with Ava. She cares about his career. Elizabeth says, second only to Ava’s concern for herself. Ava comes by, and says that sounds like something her husband would say, and she wouldn’t put too much stock in someone who pretended to be dead for two years. She says she has something for Franco, and reaches into her bag. He says she doesn’t have snakes in her bag, does she? but she says, no; a check. It’s the balance due on her portrait, and he deserves every penny. I try to read it, and it looks like $16K.
Martin asks when Michael got to know Wiley. Michael says when he was asked to be Wiley’s godfather. He was honored to be included in Wiley’s life. Martin asks if that’s all he felt, and Michael says he felt a connection to Wiley; nothing supernatural, just the instinct that Wiley needed him. When he learned Wiley was his son, the bond grew stronger. He made a promise – a vow – to never let Wiley down or let anyone hurt him. Martin says, no one doubts his love for Wiley is true. He submits Michael and Willow’s marriage license as evidence, dated yesterday; the ink barely dry. Diane objects, and Martin says, he’ll rephrase. Given the timing, does Michael love his wife? Michael says, Willow is loyal and generous, and inherently decent. She’s courageous and compassionate, and sees the best in people, but she’s nobody’s fool. Yes, he loves her. Martin asks, then why didn’t he marry her earlier? Which begs the question, is he in love with her?
Michael says he loves Willow, but he’s not in love with her. Nelle whispers to Julian that she loves it. Martin says, Michael didn’t marry for love. He married to put on a show for the court; to project an image of a loving, stable couple. Michael says, it’s not that at all. He married for love. Willow’s love of Wiley is equal to his. Martin says he’s not asking if Michael loves his son. He’s asking if there’s mutual love that’s the bedrock of a genuine marriage. Absent of that, it’s a marriage of convenience.
Sonny tells Jason, he wonders if Mike is listening to music, something in his head, or nothing. They watch Mike, and Sonny says, they didn’t get lot of time when Mike left him and his mom. Jason says, Sonny got him back, and Sonny says he’s grateful for that. Jason says, not everyone gets a second chance. Look at Michael, fighting for the son he thought was dead. Now here Sonny is, fighting for his father, so Sonny will have him in his life. Sonny says he’s losing Mike a little more every day.
Nikolas asks Lulu how Charlotte is, and Lulu says, fine. He says, of all the mistakes he made, one of the worst was letting Charlotte believe he was her secret bodyguard. He hears Lulu is fighting again to keep her safe from Valentin. Does she have a court date yet? Lulu says she and Valentin agreed to continue with their 50/50 custody agreement, and Laura says she’s proud of Lulu, putting Charlotte’s needs first. Lulu hopes Nikolas doesn’t intend on giving her advice about raising children, and he says he supposes he can’t, but that’s why he’s there. He’s hoping they can give him some advice. Laura asks if something is wrong, and he says Spencer said he’s willing to welcome Nikolas back into his life if he dumps Ava. Nikolas gives Laura the letter, and she asks if Nikolas answered him. He says, not yet, and Lulu asks what he’s waiting for. His son in his life, and the wife he despises kicked to the curb. It’s a no-brainer. Laura asks, what’s stopping him?
Franco tells Elizabeth, check it out. Maybe they can plant the check, and get a money tree that will pay for Cameron’s college. Ava says the unveiling will be a huge success, and he’ll be swamped with business. Elizabeth says, along with a reminder of the past he worked hard to put behind him. Ava agrees it’s unsavory, but there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Elizabeth suggests Ava try working on bringing out the best in Nikolas, and Ava asks what makes her think it’s there? Elizabeth says she’s seen it.
Michael says he and Willow will work to provide a loving, stable home for Wiley. A marriage of convenience? Far from it. It came at a cost, but Wiley is worth it. Martin has no further questions.
On the stand, Willow tells Diane, adoption was the hardest thing, but she had to protect her baby from his father. Diane says, who was? and Willow says, David Henry Archer. He changed his name to Shiloh when he founded the cult Dawn of Day. Diane says, and before he married Nelle, he was previously convicted of murder, drugging women before he raped them, and kidnapping. The trial transcripts show the depositions of the women this man drugged and raped;this man whose widow wants to assume sole custody of Wiley. How did Willow feel when she learned another child was alive and her son was dead? Willow says, the grief was unbearable, but at the same time, she was so happy for Michael. Diane asks why she didn’t stay away, and she says Michael asked her to stay in Wiley’s life. Wiley had already been through so much, and been through so many changes, Michael knew the best thing he could do for Wiley was to give him a real family. One with the both of them. Martin asks if there was another side, a darker side of her involvement.
Laura says, so if Nikolas divorces Ava, he loses his money, Windymere, and Spoon Island. Nikolas says, Spencer’s legacy, and Lulu says, Ava is no dummy. Spencer is a good kid with expensive taste, and a long list of necessities. Laura says, all Spencer needs is his father. He felt betrayed because Ava backed up Valentin, and he’d do anything to punish her. Nikolas doesn’t need them to tell him what to do. Just be a father, and everything else will take care of itself. Lulu says she needs someone to translate, and Nikolas says their mother will. He leaves, and Lulu asks, what was that about?
Ava hopes Elizabeth can put aside her misgivings, and join Franco. Not for her, but for Nikolas. Elizabeth suggests she and Franco go back home together after work. She goes to finish up, and Ava says she thought by promoting Franco it would be good for him and his family. If he feels like he’s being exploited, or that it will have any negative impact on the boys… He says the boys know who he is, and the mistakes he’s made. He wants to be honest, and a good stepdad. He hopes one day they forgive him for who he was.
Martin says, Willow became a teacher of the third grade, and he asks if she’s still employed by the school. She says, no, and he asks, why not? She says her employment was terminated because of parental complaints. They said she kept inserting herself in her student’s lives, and disregarding their parent’s wishes. He asks if that’s how she intends to care for Wiley; ignore the wishes of the woman who gave birth to him. What if she decides she knows better than the father himself? Who will be there to protect Wiley from her?
Diane says the principal must have refused to give Willow a letter of recommendation, but Willow says, no; she received one. Diane submits into evidence, Willow’s glowing letter of recommendation, and asks who Willow’s current employer is. She says she’s part of a pediatric teaching program at GH, and Diane submits her current performance evaluation. She has Willow read it out loud, and it says she’s compassionate, caring, and respectful of other employees, her students, and their parents as well.
Jason asks if Sonny remembers when Mike was bartending. He could always connect, and find something to talk about; some crazy story. Jason didn’t realize it then, but he can see now that Mike was trying to win back Sonny’s trust, and be someone Sonny could count on. Then he’d gamble, lie, and get in trouble, and after that, Sonny would shut down. The disappointment was like a wall between them. And then Mike would go back to work, and try to find something else to talk about, trying to tear down that wall. Sonny says he should have been more forgiving, and not so hard on Mike. Jason says maybe he’s not saying it right. Mike never gave up. He just accepted the wall, because he knew it was his fault it was there in the first place, but he kept trying to tear it down because he’s Sonny’s dad. Mike loves him, and wants him to be okay. What Mike wants is for Sonny to be okay. If Sonny wants to keep him there or let him go, he’s going to be doing what Mike wants. Jason wipes his eyes (!), and says he’s going to take off. Sonny decides to stay a while longer. He wants to be with his dad. He tells Jason that he appreciates it.
Sonny says, all right, dad, taking the earbuds off Mike. He asks if Mike wants to watch TV. Maybe the Yankees are on, and continuing their home run streak. He knows MickeyMantle is up there, looking down on the Yankees, cheering. He says, guess what? He still has the baseball card Mickey signed and gave to Mike. He’ll never forget Mike telling him it was going to be worth more than gold. He remembers that.
Laura tells Lulu, she’s just reminding Nikolas not to underestimate Spencer. She thinks if he’s open and completely honest, Spencer won’t disappoint him. Lulu asks if there’s something Laura isn’t not telling her, and Laura says she can’t see into the future; she could be wrong. Lulu says, even if she is – which is highly doubtful – her capacity for forgiveness and understanding are amazing. Lulu is in awe of her. Laura says she’s in awe of Lulu, her sweet, loving, and smart daughter. She hopes Lulu’s brother has learned his lesson and is willing to change.
Nikolas calls Spencer. He says he got Spencer’s letter, and he’s ready to respond.
Ava says she looks forward to seeing Franco at the party, and kisses him on the cheek. She says, Nikolas is hoping to see him as well. She leaves, and he asks if Elizabeth is ready. She says, yeah, but seems distant, and walks past him. He takes the flowers, telling her not to forget them. They get into the elevator, Elizabeth still being weird.
Martin calls his first witness – Nelle. Willow takes Michael’s hand, and squeezes. They look at each other.
Tomorrow, Brook accuses Olivia of having an affair, Valentin says nothing is ever as black and white as it seems, Nina tells Jax that she doesn’t know if she should stand up for Nelle, and Martin asks Nelle why she deserves sole custody.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Garcelle got together with her equally gorgeous group of non-Housewives girlfriends. They talked about Garcelle’s divorce, and Garcelle said she’d been blindsided by her husband’s cheating, but her girls had been there for her.
Kyle said Denise would like them to think nothing ruffles her feathers, but Kyle wasn’t buying it. She was seeing another side of Denise, and wondered where it came from. I guess Kyle is so one-dimensional, she can’t understand that people can have different facets to them.
At Denise’s house, Sami was getting ready for her Homecoming date. Last year, she had gone with friends, but this time around, she had a real date with a boy she’s crushing on, and was getting pink hair for the occasion. In Denise’s interview, she said she was struggling with parenting. Sami was starting to behave badly, hoping for a reaction. She said she and Charlie hadn’t been the wild couple people thought. He was sober when she married him, and she was six-months pregnant when they divorced. Erika griped about Denise having an issue with her talking about the threesome in front of the kids, when Denise was free with her happy ending story, and no one judged her. Man, this issue is really pissing me off. For one thing, Denise isn’t coming from a place of judgement. She didn’t want her kids hearing an adult story. And apparently, Erika doesn’t understand, it was a different audience when Denise talked about her sex life. It was just the women on a camping trip. Like, is it really that hard to grasp? Erika had a private dance rehearsal for Chicago, because, you don’t want other people to have to work doubly hard to make your ass look good. The cast also sent her a welcome video that was really sweet.
HarryHamlin was off doing a play with Stephanie Powers. He was loving it, but sorry he couldn’t go to the DNA launch. Dorit and PK had a meeting with the restaurant guy, as Dorit was going to design a room in one. PK said by the time she was done, she would design the whole restaurant, put on another level, and add on a hotel. Dorit said she always gave 120%, which is mathematically impossible, and always irritates me when someone says it. I know, very Sheldon of me. PK was all interested in whether LVP knew about Dorit’s project (the guy said he had no reason to be telling her, and rightly so), and Dorit said she wasn’t trying to compete with or follow in LVP’s footsteps.
Erika invited everyone over to her house for a meeting with her astrologer friend, Shawn. LisaR showed up in the exact same pink jacket dress Erika was wearing, which caused LisaR to scream at the top of her lungs. Tom hung out for a drink with the girls, and was quite charming, telling a story about how he was in a John Wayne movie. He played a guy who was shot, and fell off a roof. In her interview, LisaR thought the evening could either be fun or an epic disaster, and we flashed back on several of the parties that were the latter, including the dinner party from hell. When Shawn arrived, Tom wisely took that as his cue to leave. Shawn talked about each woman’s sign, their moon sign, and ascending sign. He said Denise had an intensely complicated side, hidden to most. Kyle’s eyes bugged out, and got even buggier when Shawn said that if you break Denise’s trust, inside, she’d be figuring out how to even the score, and taking her time with it. In Denise’s interview, she said, she’s never plotted revenge. At least not yet. In Kyle’s interview, she wondered what Denise had in store for her. Because even in Denise’s sign traits, Kyle has to be the center of attention. Unless there was a lot we didn’t see, it seemed like all Shawn did was tell the women what kind of people they were, which seemed like a waste of time. He pointed out that Teddi gravitated to one person, usually an earth sign (Kyle), and Dorit said, if Kyle would just admit the rules that apply to the others don’t to Teddi, it would be all good. In Garcelle’s interview, she said that Kyle wants to be liked by everybody. They went over the Dorit freaking out because Sutton said she might freak out issue. Sutton said she didn’t deserve the way Dorit reacted, and Dorit said they weren’t friends yet, so she didn’t know if Sutton would make a scene. In a voice-of-reason moment, Kyle said that was the dumbest thing ever.
In her interview, Garcelle said, the more she got to know Kyle, she could tell Kyle was great with surface stuff – like, I love your bag – but she didn’t care enough to get to know people. These women were so wrapped up in themselves, she could do naked cartwheels on the table, and they wouldn’t notice. On the way back from Erika’s place, Garcelle, Denise, and Sutton shared a limo. Denise said Kyle always comes back to Kyle. In Garcelle’s interview, she said they were being catty, but that’s what girlfriends do. And Kyle deserved it. I like Garcelle. So far. Denise said Kyle talks at you, not to you. Back at Erika’s house, she said she thought the relationship between Kyle and Teddi was strange because Teddi could do no wrong, and Kyle claimed Erika had no close friends. Erika said she had plenty of close friends, and considered Kyle to be one of them.
Next time, a trip to Santa Monica, Teddi thinks Dorit possibly dislikes her, and LisaR confronts Denise – who can’t catch a break – about allowing Charlie’s hookers into her children’s lives. Unreal. Even Jesus ate with hookers, and I’m sure Denise doesn’t introduce them that way.
🗽 The Real King Takes a Final Bow…
Jerry Stiller left behind some fine work, and watching him in King of Queens never gets old.
I was surprised to find out Fred Willard was 86 years old, and then I realized how many things I’ve enjoyed him in for so long. It’s like he’s always been there.
Speaking of films, I caught The Joker this weekend on cable. Hey, I know I’m behind, but I’m not going to put a second mortgage on the house to go to the movies – God forbid I want popcorn. I thought it was well worth watching, but I did wonder if Joaquin Phoenix was allowed to direct himself. Just do what you want, Joaquin. I have to make some calls.
🌧 When It Rains…
I have a second sick dog. Thank God for small favors, it’s not as bad; an old eye injury has come back to haunt her. But it’s like, come on already. Entertainers are dropping like flies, along with the general public, but at least it looks like we’ll be able to venture out soon. How weird will that be? Stay safe, stay alive, and stay true to your school.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Carly, Michael, and Willow go to the MetroCourt. Michael wonders why Diane stayed behind, and Carly says she’s probably telling Nelle’s attorney to drop the suit, since Nelle married the least desirable man in Port Charles. Willow wonders why Nelle did it, but Carly says it’s not about what Nelle did wrong; it’s about what Michael and Willow are doing right for Wiley.
Sonny asks why Julian is throwing in with them, but Julian says he doesn’t answer to Sonny. He starts to go, but Sonny says Julian isn’t leaving; the conversation’s not over. Jason stands on Julian’s other side.
Nina finds Nelle at the Crimson office, and says she thought the custody hearing was today. Nelle says they’re on a break, and she stopped by to change. Long story. Nina goes into her office, and Nelle follows. Nelle says she also wanted to double-check on Nina testifying on her behalf. Nina says, the thing is… and Nelle says she’s fighting stay in her son’s life, and thought Nina would understand. Nina says she’s been thinking about the situation a lot, and reexamining her own. She’s going to find her child. She believes her daughter is alive. Nelle says she’s thrilled for Nina and her daughter. She knows Nina’s daughter will see Nina for who she is; the gold standard of moms.
On the phone at Charlie’s, Elizabeth tells Franco, sorry to be bailing, but she doesn’t think she’ll be able to see him before work. He says he’s had no chance to apologize properly. She says he did; he apologized right away. He says, of course (🍷) he did, but he thinks this requires a bigger gesture. She says she’s over it. She had a nice talk with Nikolas, and he gave her perspective as to what art means to her, and the value of her work. Franco says, princely, but Elizabeth says, he’s just being a friend. He asks if Nikolas has found her sister, or is Hayden still in hiding? and she says she’ll see him later. They exchange I love yous. Scotty sees that Franco has a bouquet, and asks if the flowers are for him. He thinks Franco must have done something stupid, or said something stupid. Franco says he couldn’t make it up to Elizabeth, and Nikolas beat him to it. Scotty says, it figures.
Nikolas shows Mike pictures of Spencer, but gets no response. He asks if Mike remembers his grandson.
Franco asks what Scotty means by, it figures. Scotty says he thinks Nikolas would do better in cheering Elizabeth up. They have a history that goes way back to when they were kids. Franco asks if Scotty has a point, and Scotty says, it’s all about the time they’ve spent together. If Elizabeth gets confused about anything, and needs reassurance, she might turn to Nikolas if Franco botched it up. Franco says, it’s ancient history, and has no bearing on the present day, but Scotty says he wouldn’t trust Nikolas, especially when it comes to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth watches as Nikolas tells Mike, Spencer is in Europe. He’s quite a character; unforgettable, like Mike. Spencer has found a finely tuned sense of right and wrong, and to be honest, he was more flexible when he was younger. Nikolas might have questionable ethics, but Spencer is a good boy. He hopes Spencer comes back someday. He tells Mike, hang in there. In the hallway, Elizabeth says she overheard him with Mike, and he says he was hoping Spencer might spark something. It looks like the illness has taken its toll, but it was worth a try. She’s guessing Nikolas hasn’t heard from Spencer since his letter, and he says he couldn’t bring himself to tell her, since he knows she’s disappointed in him. She says it doesn’t matter how she feels, and he says, it matters more than she knows. He says he’s been working on the other piece of advice she gave him; that he look at the part of himself that was worthy of her friendship. She says she can tell, or he wouldn’t be there with Mike. He says he didn’t know she was going to be there, but she says she sees him trying to be a better person and reconnect, and she appreciates it.
Diane tells Carly, sorry for the delay, and Carly asks if there’s any chance Diane negotiated an out of court settlement. Diane says she let Alexis know that her sleazebag of an ex married Nelle. Nelle heard about Michael and Willow getting married, and wanted to level the playing field. Carly says, and she chose Julian? and Michael asks if it won’t hurt her case. Martin walks in, and tells them not to count their chickens before they hatch. Nelle and Julian are making a nest for Wiley, just like Michael and his newly wedded wife.
Sonny asks what Nelle has on Julian, and Julian says, not a damn thing. Sonny says, he loves her? and Julian says when he was Wiley’s grandfather, it brought Lucas back into his life. Sonny says he buys that Julian loves Wiley, but that doesn’t explain why he married Nelle. Julian says, Nelle loves Wiley in her own way. She came into his bar, ready to cause trouble, and they started to talk. One thing led to another, and they clicked. They decided to form a team to make a good home for Wiley. Sonny says, if it’s that simple, get rid of his wife. Annul the marriage now.
Nina asks when Nelle is due back in court, and Nelle says they’re on lunchbreak. She needed to change out of her wedding dress. Nina says, her what? and Nelle says, Michael married Willow to get a leg up in the custody case. She had to fight fire with fire. Nina asks who she married, and Nelle says Nina knows Julian, right? Nina says she does. He originally hired her to take over the magazine. She had no idea he and Nelle were in a relationship. Nelle says Nina knew Brad, and he used to be her friend. She thought they were friends anyway. Julian was Brad’s father-in-law when Brad stole her baby, and Julian thought Wiley was his grandson. Nina asks if they were dating, but Nelle says, that’s not what it was like. She was already a wreck when she found out Michael married Willow, so she went to Charlie’s to grab a glass of wine. She and Julian got to talking, and realized it would be absolutely terrible if Wiley wasn’t in their lives anymore. So they decided to get married. Nina says, so it’s a ploy to get custody of Wiley.
Diane tells Martin, she’s curious, and he says he’ll be happy to enlighten her if he can. She says Julian’s rap sheet is longer and more colorful than his client’s; why choose him? He says, love operates in mysterious ways. He’s sure Michael and his bride of less than 24 hours can attest to that. Willow says she and Michael were friends long before this, and have been taking care of Wiley his entire life. Diane says she has a photo gallery to back that up, and Michael says Willow went to jail to protect Wiley from Shiloh, the other psycho Nelle married. Carly says, Willow has proven she’ll do just about anything for Wiley, and Martin says, including marrying Michael himself. Like Michael isn’t the best catch in town.
Julian tells Sonny, he’s not annulling his marriage because Sonny said so. It might be difficult to grasp, but Sonny doesn’t get a say in his life. Sonny isn’t in his life period. Sonny says, if the game Julian is playing is to sway the judge to grant partial custody to Nelle, he’s going to hold Julian responsible. Julian asks if Sonny speaks for Jason too. He might not be Wiley’s grandfather, but he’s still Danny’s grandfather. Jason says, and? Julian says he’s just checking to see if it mattered. Sonny says Julian needs to do what needs to be done before it’s too late, and he and Jason leave.
Elizabeth tells Nikolas, Mike is like this a lot. Nikolas says he feels bad; he should have visited sooner. All the things he should have done; he has so many steps to go in the right direction. She says, for what it’s worth, she feels better about the art thing with Franco. He asks if they made up, and she says, kind of. Franco is super sorry. Not bad for someone who was once incapable of it. Franco reminds her of Ava. Nikolas says, touché. He asks if it doesn’t bother her that Ava is exploiting Franco’s past, and she says Ava and Franco have a history; why not exploit the past? If it goes well, they can start a new venture. Nikolas agrees, and she asks, what’s going on? His tone makes it sound like something is up. He says, he just senses Ava and Franco have been getting closer in their sessions.
Franco asks Scotty if he shouldn’t trust his wife, but Scotty says, no. Don’t trust Nikolas, especially where Elizabeth is concerned. Franco asks, why? Does he think Nikolas is going to try and win Elizabeth back? Scotty says he knows Elizabeth loves Franco. She worships him, and cherishes him. Franco says he senses a reversal is coming soon, and Scotty says, when Franco belittles and dismisses her about her art… Franco says, there it is, and Scotty says, what he’s telling Franco is to keep an eye on Nikolas. He motions Franco closer, and says, when it comes to Ava, Nikolas is in over his head. Ava will make him nuts, and when she does, he’ll go right to Elizabeth; his tried and true old relationship. Why? Who knows? Franco says, why wouldn’t he, right? Franco doesn’t care. It’s not going to lead to anything; they’re fine. And even if they’re not, she’s not going to fall for Nikolas’s smarmy Prince Charming act. Scotty says, it wouldn’t be the first time, and Franco says, even if she did, she wouldn’t do that to him. Scotty says Franco is right. He’s just saying that because it happened to him. When it came to Laura, who knew letting her work at a disco at night with her friend Luke would go wrong? Franco asks if Scotty is saying he shouldn’t trust his wife, and Scotty says, verify things.
Nikolas says he’s hanging onto hope that Spencer will forgive him, and Elizabeth suggests he do what Spencer asks – leave Ava. It’s 90% of his money, but… He says, the remaining 10% is earmarked for Spencer, and she says, there you go. He’ll have Spencer back in his life, sacrificing his money for his son. Sonny and Jason show up, and Nikolas says he finally got around to visiting Spencer’s grandfather. Jason goes in to see Mike, and Sonny tells Nikolas that he’s heard from Spencer. Nikolas asks how Spencer is doing, and Sonny says, he’s wondering why he hasn’t heard from Nikolas. He gave Nikolas an ultimatum; just cut Ava off. Why didn’t he? Nikolas says, it’s not as simple as it sounds. Sonny says Nikolas dug his own grave when he married Ava.
Martin says, if Nelle’s union is suspect, Michael’s is equally so. Perhaps more. Willow will do anything to stay close to Wiley. Willow says, what about Julian? He’s putting Wiley at risk, marrying a known sociopath who went to prison because she let her fiancé drown, and tried to kill her baby’s father. Martin says she’s throwing a lot of slander around, and she says take her to court. She’d love him getting an independent expert to prove her wrong. She bets he can’t find one. She wonders how he can even consider representing Nelle. He says, what a marvelous maternal temperature she has. Michael gets in between them, and says, it’s time to regroup. Willow leaves with Michael, and Carly tells Martin, Julian wouldn’t marry Nelle unless she had something on him. Everyone saw the look on his face; he’s miserable. Martin asks if it’s just him, or is the hypocrisy level staggering? Diane says, he took a big fat retainer to help Nelle use an innocent child. Martin asks how different Nelle is, hooking up with a humble pub owner in order to be closer to her son?
Nelle tells Nina, what she’s doing is no different than what Michael is doing, but Nina says he and Willow have a friendship and a deep bond, and Willow has a strong bond with Wiley. Nelle says, Willow isn’t his mother, and she has no right to him. Nina is out there looking for her daughter; she understands the connection of a mother to a child. Nina says, there’s no relationship where Julian is concerned. Nelle says, Wiley is a baby, and loves him, but Nina asks, what about the tension? Nelle says, there won’t be any. All that matters is Wiley will be with her and not Michael. Marriages like this happen all the time. Nina says she had a quickie marriage with one guy to spite another. Her husband was in cahoots with her mother, and they gaslighted Nina, and put her in an institution to steal her money. She doesn’t want any of that happen to Nelle. Nelle says, Julian would never do that, and Nina asks how she knows. Nelle says, if he did, it would seriously backfire, and Nina asks, what does that mean?
Sonny asks Jason how Mike seems, and Jason says, he’s sleeping. Elizabeth says, Mike’s caregivers said he might sleep fifteen or sixteen hours a day. Sonny goes into Mike’s room, and Jason asks Elizabeth, what’s really going on with Mike? Sonny tells Mike, it’s him. How about those Yankees? After he left, they won. Maybe Mike could bring some of that luck to Michael for his custody hearing today. Does Mike remember? A long time ago, they thought Michael’s son was dead, and when Mike met Wiley, Mike insisted he was Michael’s son. They thought he was confused, but it turns out he was right. Wiley is Michael’s son. Mike’s got to stick around. Does he want to do that? Sonny gets closer to Mike, but Mike only sort of looks at him.
Sonny tells Mike that Michael is fighting hard to bring Mike’s great-grandson home so he can share his life with him. The way Sonny couldn’t share his life with Mike. Sonny tears up, and says, when he brought Mike home from Brooklyn to Port Charles, he thought they would have a lot more time to spend to make up for the lost years. Come on. Doesn’t Mike want that?
Elizabeth tells Jason, she’s had experience with people like Mike; sleeping a lot, refusing to eat. Mike is done fighting, and wants to let go. She thinks he’s just holding on for Sonny’s sake.
Nina tells Nelle, she knows Julian presents himself as a changed man, but he was involved in organized crime. He’s a dangerous man. He’s only in it for himself. Nelle says Julian values his life too much not to play by her rules. Nina asks how Nelle got him to agree, and Nelle tells Nina, she’ll just say that Julian knows the marriage is best for everyone, especially Wiley.
Carly tells Martin, the difference between the couples is, Michael and Willow want a safe and happy environment for Wiley. Nelle just wants to use him, and kids sense these things. Diane says, Carly is right. Michael and Willow will give Wiley a stable, loving home. Everyone knows that, and so does he. Save the theatrics for the court before he runs out of hot air. He says their time is running tragically short; can he get an order to go? Carly says, why order when he can just go? and he asks if he can quote her in an online review. She says he wouldn’t be the first. Diane says, if he thinks Julian is a surprise witness for her, there are questions she’s been waiting to ask Julian under oath for years. For instance, does he love this wife as much as his previous one? Is Martin aware that Julian held a knife to his wife’s throat, and threatened to kill her because he loved her. If he does that to a wife he loves, imagine what he’ll do to one he’d rather not have.
Nikolas hits the bag at the boxing gym. Franco comes in, and Nikolas says, funny, running into him there. Franco asks if Nikolas doesn’t think it’s important for him to be strong, and Nikolas says, it’s not that. He just saw Elizabeth at Turning Woods. Franco asks how soon Elizabeth is going to forgive Nikolas, and Nikolas says, they’re getting there. That’s not a problem, is it?
Elizabeth tells Jason, everything Sonny wants to do to keep Mike alive, like the feeding tube, will only prolong the inevitable. In her experience, it will also make Mike miserable. She’s sorry to tell him that, and Jason says that’s why he asked her. He knew he’d get a straight answer. She says, if Sonny wants to spare Mike any more pain, and ease his passing, he needs to give his father permission to go.
Sonny tells Mike, he doesn’t know what Mike wants him to do; what Mike wants him to say to the doctors. He tells Mike, keep sleeping, and he’ll come by tomorrow, and ask him again. He kisses Mike’s forehead. Mike moves his hand, but Sonny is already going out the door. Sonny tells Elizabeth, Mike seems more tired than usual, and fell asleep. Elizabeth says she has to get to work. She’ll come back later to check on him. Sonny thanks her for being nice and being there for Mike, and she says, of course (🍷). She leaves, and Sonny asks Jason what he missed.
Franco asks Nikolas why he would have a problem with Elizabeth forgiving him. She’s a very forgiving person, and he has no problem. Nikolas says, as long as he’s sure, and Franco asks why he wouldn’t be. Nikolas says, some men don’t like their wives having male friends, and Franco says his wife can be friends with whoever she chooses. He trusts her completely because they have a solid marriage. Nikolas says, of course (🍷) they do, and Franco asks what that means. Nikolas says, it means Franco and Elizabeth have a solid marriage. Franco says, it’s nothing like Nikolas and… never mind. Nikolas says, what? and Franco says, like Nikolas and Ava. Nikolas laughs, and Franco says, the only not funny thing about them is the post-nup. Nikolas asks how Franco knows about that, and Franco says Ava is a dear friend, like Nikolas is with Elizabeth. Ava’s been through a lot. Nikolas says Ava has told him some things, but she still has difficulty opening up to him. That’s why he’s grateful she has Franco to lean on. He actually enjoys listening to Ava, but she doesn’t enjoy talking with him, and Franco can get her to open up.
Nina says, Nelle is blackmailing Julian, and Nelle says, they made a deal; that’s all. She had to resort to desperate measures to ensure being a mother to her son. Nina understands, doesn’t she? What they have to do as mothers to keep their children safe? Nina’s daughter is hers, and Wiley is Nelle’s, and no one should be able to take them away.
Diane wonders who the judge will go for. Michael and the woman who went to jail for protecting her child, or an alleged mobster, and a woman who tried to murder two fiancés because they didn’t leave enough money on her dresser. Marin says, those comments are beneath her, and Diane says, sometimes, yes, but she’s talking about a gold-digger who married an alleged mobster. Martin says, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Carly reminded him just this morning about who her husband is.
Sonny puts earbuds on Mike, and tells him to listen to the music. He tells Jason, maybe Mike’s memory will come back. Jason says he’s sorry, and Sonny says Jason doesn’t seem surprised. What did Elizabeth say to him?
Nikolas says he can’t tell Franco how much he’s looking forward to the unveiling, and Franco asks if he’s not going to try burning it down like Ava did Helena’s portrait. Nikolas says he’s sure his princess bride and Franco created something beautiful. Franco says Nikolas sounds confident for someone who hasn’t seen the portrait, and wasn’t a fan of his previous work. Nikolas says, it’s a new Franco, a new Ava, and a new day. He’s sure it will be a painting for the ages, and a party to match. He playfully punches Franco.
Carly says it’s Martin’s funeral, and he says, is that so? How does she mean that? She says figuratively, of course (🍷). How else would she mean it? He says, literally, and Diane says, it’s your funeral is literally a figure of speech. Attend to his newlyweds, and she’ll attend to hers. They’re due back in court. He says, and none of them got lunch; a pity. He hopes it doesn’t make anyone cranky. He’ll see them in court. He leaves, and Carly tells Diane, she knows what Diane is going to say. Diane says, repeat after her. I must not issue death threats to opposing counsel. Trust her on this, and let her do the talking.
Michael pops back in, and Carly asks if he’s ready. He says, absolutely. He and Willow leave, and Carly sighs, turns around, and follows him out.
Nelle tells Nina, she has to go. They’re about to reconvene, and she’s so excited. Are they good? Nina is really her only friend, and she’d wanted to count on Nina this afternoon. Nina says she can do this for Wiley, and Nelle hugs her. Methinks Nina is going to do something for Wiley other than what Nelle thinks.
Franco goes to the hospital with the flowers, and tells Elizabeth, what he said was stupid. He’s sorry; forgive him. She says, there’s nothing to forgive. She told him, Nikolas helped her get over her insecurities about her art. He says he ran into Nikolas at the gym, and he seemed confident that he would be Elizabeth’s friend again. She says, he’s so lonely for friendship, and Franco asks how she’d categorize her relationship with Nikolas. She leaves to get water for the flowers.
Sonny tells Jason, music is good for cognitive function. The last time Mike was himself was when Brook gave him a concert at Turning Woods. He thinks it jolted Mike’s memories. Jason says, it was a while ago, and Sonny asks again what Elizabeth said to Jason. She’s a fantastic nurse, and Sonny respects her opinion. What did she say? Jason tells him, she said, when Alzheimer’s patients get to the place where Mike is – sleeping more than awake, not responding, and unable to eat – she said that usually means that they’re ready to go. She thinks Mike is just waiting for Sonny to give him permission.
Tomorrow, Elizabeth tells Franco that her feelings for Nikolas are complicated, like his for Ava; Ava asks Nikolas to choose his son or his fortune; and Julian tells Nelle, it’s not an option.
Vanderpump Rules
Dayna asks Brett how yesterday was, and he says, awesome. He felt weird leaving the dinner, and admits he’s interested in her, but that’s different than having feelings. In Dayna’s interview, she says she feels sh*tty about how Brett was screaming that he didn’t have feelings for her, but she knew he felt under attack and it didn’t come out right. She tells him what Scheana said seemed calculated the other night when she was throwing grenades. We flash back to Scheana saying Dayna and Brett shouldn’t have made out multiple times, and Dayna telling her, STFU. Dayna says she didn’t appreciate it, and it’s been back and forth all summer. In Dayna’s interview, she thinks Max loves the fact that his ex, a girl his best friend is interested in, and his best friend are feuding. Scheana asks why Brett is telling people she was trying to hook up with him when they did her video. He says she offered him a BJ, and she says she was joking. In her interview, she says no part of her wants to date him. She just used him as a piece of meat in her video. Dayna says the way Scheana was speaking at dinner made her uncomfortable, and she didn’t like Scheana’s conversation. Max made his bed. Scheana says, he’s hurt. In Dayna’s interview, she says, only a sex addict would say he has feelings for a girl, then screw five other girls, and try to get sympathy by doing her dirty.He’s trying to fill the hole in his heart by filling holes in other women.
Schwartz and Max go to Villa Rosa. In Schwartz’s interview, he says it’s Max’s first time there. Savor this, Max. He tells Max, don’t touch anything; she’ll know. They’re peasants. Schwartz tells Lisa that he’s missed her. Lisa says, the Hollywood Reporter is doing a profile piece on all of their businesses, and in her interview, she says they’ve done photo shoots for SUR, but this time, they’ll be using a couple of people from each restaurant. She tells Schwartz that everyone wants a big group shot, and they’ll have a drink afterward. She asks about James DJ’ing, and Schwartz says he has nothing but good things to say about James, who also had a moment at the pool party.
Ariana and Tom go to a spa, where Ariana is getting a beauty sculpt, and Tom is getting a facial. Ariana thanks Tom for cleaning the kitchen, and says they had a day and a half to pull off a party. She texted Brittany that she loves her, but not everybody has the same level of patience anymore. Tom says, Jax is an adult, and needs to act like one. In Tom’s interview, he says, it’s not a muscle flex. Jax expects a full investment, but only gives a fraction back. Ariana thinks everyone had fun.
Schwartz tells Lisa, he ended up going to Tom’s when Katie became the scapegoat for them throwing the party. Max says he didn’t go to either party, but he did go to Dayna’s comedy show. He had feelings for her, but she made out with his friend to spite him, and he’s frustrated. Lisa says he doesn’t like the fact that his friend took his chance of being with Dayna away, and Max says, maybe. Lisa tells them to promise there won’t be any sh*t aired in front of anyone. Schwartz wants to pinky swear instead of shaking hands, since it’s been a childish week.
Ariana tells Tom about Scheana texting Kristen about Stassi making fun of her house. Tom says, she was probably just making a joke, but Ariana says she doesn’t think it’s funny. STFU about how she’s living. Any time anyone has been over, they’ve been fed and had wine, and Stassi is acting like it’s cute to be mean. Ariana gets suction cupped on her thighs, and Tom gets some on his face. In Tom’s interview, he says there’s always new and innovative beauty technology to keep yourself looking young, and he likes to take advantage of that. He might as well stay looking as young as possible for as long as possible.
Stassi visits Lala, who’s making macaroons. She tells Stassi that she’s trying to be a housewife. In her interview, Lala says she loves her space, and has had no need to reside with a man. We see a clip where she tells Randall that keeping his toothbrush on the sink is not happening. She continues, saying, he is her fiancé. She should probably be living with her future husband. Brittany and Katie arrive, and in Katie’s interview, she says she and Brittany have never not spoken or had tension; it feels weird. They sit outside with some food, and Katie says, yesterday wasn’t normal. Kristen was sitting with Carter, and kept giving her dirty looks, and then texting her crazy sh*t like, go thrive and talk sh*t. In Stassi’s interview, she says Kristen does this when she’s bored. She makes sh*t up to get attention. Who uses the word thrive? Brittany says she’d told Kristen that she couldn’t bring Carter to their party, and Lala asks if they’re all good. Katie says they’re okay, but Brittany says, it’s so petty and got blown up. Katie says she was getting blamed for it. If Brittany wants to go there, when Katie rage texts, it’s not unfounded. She tells Brittany that she likes them, and Brittany suggests she try to get understanding. Katie says she’s done that. In Katie’s interview, she says, because she’s rage texted in the past, she should have no feelings now. We flash back to several times when Schwartz was on the receiving end of Katie’s texts. In her interview, she says she’s paid for what she’s done, and Jax needs to do his time. Brittany says, Jax messed up, but Tom is being petty. Katie tells her that Tom just said they have a pool, and if Jax was going to disinvite people, they could come to his house. There’s only one person to blame. Brittany says, Jax is struggling. He messed up on top of it, and he’s trying to fix it. He’s her husband, so they need to have respect for that.
James’s mom Jacqueline pays him a visit. In James’s interview, he says his relationship with his mom has been rocky for the past few years. We flash back to that, and he says she’s struggled with sobriety, but she’s been sober for six months, and still going strong. She tells him, it’s bad luck to cheers with water, and he wonders if he’ll never cheers again. She says he looks great, and he says, it’s been 45 days today. She says she should get the all clear on Friday. If she hadn’t gotten sober, she wouldn’t have gotten a job and had health insurance, which led to her getting a mammogram that detected cancer. Everything happened so fast, but it’s done. She had a double-mastectomy, and she’s really lucky that she’s not even sick. James cries, and says, it’s hard to talk about this. Jacqueline says she could tell he was holding it in at the hospital. In his interview, he says, finding out was the worst thing. His mother has had health issues before, and would deal with it by drinking. It’s the beginning of an amazing new era in their relationship. Jacqueline tells him that he doesn’t ever have to drink again, and he can have an amazing life. He says he couldn’t picture himself in that position, but Raquel saved him. In his interview, James says he owes everything to Raquel. He thought it was ridiculous when she asked him to stop drinking. He would never have found the person he is. It’s like he met someone new. He tells Jacqueline about Lisa asking him to DJ at SUR, and says maybe he’ll get his Tuesday nights back someday. She says he’s not letting up until that happens, and he says, why not?
In Beau’s interview, he says he wants a home by the time he and Stassi get married. Stassi will have to come up with the down payment, since he’s still living in the same rent controlled apartment he’s been in for years. He has a great job, but he can’t put 25% down on a house. He and Stassi look at a house, and Beau says, it has soul. Stassi loves the grounds, and the broker says it’s in a good school district, which they’ll pay a premium for. It’s going for $2 million. In his interview, Beau says he has some in savings, but not that much yet. Stassi wants a home with character, but Beau doesn’t think they should buy the first thing they looked at. She tells him that they have the party at TomTom later, and that Lisa is doing a photoshoot with a couple of different people from each restaurant. Beau says, that’s going to be at least forty people. Stassi says she used to do them for SUR. She’s glad she did it back then, since she was so hot. She was almost naked, but Jax was stuffing his pants with socks, and during the time Kristen had sex with Jax, he had to pose with Tom. She tells Beau that Jax and Brittany said they didn’t want to go to the TomTom event, but Beau says he bets they’ll show up.
Puffy! Lisa and Ken look at the new space along with Nick Alain and Schwartz. Nick shows them a mockup of the space, and it’s gorgeous. Schwartz says he’s amped about Nick’s vision. Tom runs in, apologizing for being late, and Lisa says, nice of him to show up. She says they have to make a decision; it’s crunch time. Are they going to keep it separate, or knock a hole in the wall? She’d be happy if they’re in, since she loves them, even if they’re a pain in her ass. We flash back to that, and she says, if they’re not in, she’s okay with that too. In his interview, Tom says, it’s tempting to use the money toward something else; it’s tough. He tells Lisa that he wishes she’d brought the checks… so they could rip them up, since it’s a definite yes. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, of course he’s all in. In Tom’s interview, he says, of course he thought about what he could do with the money, but he’s definitely investing. Schwartz says he’s never felt better about shoving all the chips in the middle of the table. Lisa says, knock down that wall.
At TomTom, photographer Chris tells Lisa to be ready in thirty minutes. Puffy! Everyone trickles in. Brittany says she’s glad they’re all there. Karrah from Vegas has joined them, and Max says, it’s unbelievable. He’s rattled right now. We flash back to Lisa discovering he hooked up with Karrah in Vegas. He says, Lisa told him that she’d invited Karrah, but she loves playing jokes and making people stress out for fun. She was not lying. In Scheana’s interview, she says Karrah looks so much like her, down to her nose scrunch. She’s Scheana circa 2012. (It is really weird.) Lala wears her Vanderpump Dogs tank, and says she always has to give them Lala. Lisa says she’d better. Max tells Schwartz that they had a great first year, and they’re still doing great. Schwartz says he almost cried when they met with Lisa earlier.
The photographer starts to pose people. Lala says it’s the one-year anniversary, and asks Jax if he’s coming. Jax says he might stop by for an hour. He’s good with Schwartz, but they have nothing to talk about. So good – you stay there and I’ll stay here. Brittany says, there’s no point in fighting about anything anymore. Lala says she and James finished their song, and she really wants them to hear it. At least think about it. Ariana asks if she can talk to Jax, and Brittany leaves to get a drink. Jax asks how the party was, and Ariana says it was fun and chaotic. He says he wasn’t as upset as Brittany was; she took it to heart. Ariana says she hates that Brittany was put in that position, and Jax says Tom did the same thing to Stassi with the texts, but Ariana says, Tom atoned for that. Jax says, Tom likes to put his nose in other people’s business. He doesn’t know why Tom shared the texts, and Ariana suggests he take the high road. Jax says he’s a human being. He f***ed up, and he will again. In Ariana’s interview, she says, these aren’t mistakes. They point to a choice pattern; a personality. It’s who this person is. Ariana says she’s not going to argue; Tom is her boyfriend. She tells Jax not to go around saying she’s miserable, and he says if people ask him questions, he’s going to answer. She says he’s been saying things about her all summer. He says he has no clue what she’s talking about, and she tells him stop talking about her, her house, and what he thinks goes on there. Just don’t talk. She tells him, goodbye, and walks away.
The girls fix their outfits, and in Dayna’s interview, she says when she started at SUR, they made fun of her not wearing a bra. Now, they’re joking about their sweaty asses together. It’s pretty full circle. Max tells Brett that he’s sorry he disappeared, and wants to explain where he’s coming from. He feels betrayed, and maybe he’s been too lax telling Brett about how he felt about Dayna. Brett says he didn’t know Max would react that way, since he’s four girls past Dayna. Max says, it’s an open wound. He’s vulnerable, and it felt weird. He thought Dayna was being conniving and spiteful, and dating Brett to get to him. Brett says Max needs to have a conversation with her. The only people who aren’t straight are him and Dayna.
Brittany says she sees Dayna wore a bra. The photographer prepares to take a group shot, and Tom says, it’s like a selfie, so everyone cram in tight. Lisa says they’re all so beautiful. She doesn’t know how she got so lucky. She tells Jax he should be wearing his uniform, and he insists he doesn’t have one. In his interview, he says he’ll wear what he wants when he wants. He doesn’t like to be put on the same level as the others. Brittany tells him that he should have at least worn a black shirt. In Tom’s interview, he says, they’ve always worn a black button-down. Lisa tosses him a shirt, and it lands on Danica’s head. In his interview, Tom says, it’s classic Jax, doing what he wants. Jax puts the shirt on, but looks pissed in the picture. Ariana says, that’s a wrap. The other Max (Lisa’s son) says Jax got all riled up, and Jax admits he’s mad. Brittany tells him, don’t start, and he says, don’t antagonize him. In her interview, she says, when Jax is in a sassy mood, he’s short and snippy with her.
Lisa asks Jax, what’s wrong? and he says, same old. She says, it’s not the same old, and he says he had a bad day; a bad couple of weeks. He gets angry. She asks, what about? and he says he goes off on people sometimes, and gets out of control. It’s been the biggest year of his life. She asks why he’s not happy, and he says he asks himself that question every day. On paper, he has a wife and a house, and he’s healthy. She wonders what’s going on in his brain, and he says, when you injure your leg, you put an ACE bandage on it. She says he hasn’t injured his brain. Take care of his wife. He says his marriage is great, but she says, it’s not great. He’s got a habit of being self-destructive, and needs attention. Four weeks ago, it was all about Jax. Now that he’s married, that’s different. He insists it has nothing to do with his marriage, and she says, it will. He says, that’s why he’s trying to fix it.
Getting ready for the TomTom party, Schwartz says he can’t believe it’s been a year. It’s surreal that he’s contributed to that with Tom. James sets up the DJ booth with Max helping. Randall arrives, and says he missed them. Ariana tells Katie that Kristen is going to be there, and she thinks Kristen is bringing Carter, since they’re dating exclusively. Katie says, Kristen finally made a decision. Max tells Karrah that he was thrown off by her showing up. He didn’t know she would be there. Katie tells Stassi that Kristen made it exclusive with Carter. In Stassi’s interview, she says they were called bad friends because they weren’t there through Kristen’s break-up, but the break-up was bullsh*t; they were never separated. Kate says Kristen chose an a-hole, but she’s glad Kristen made a decision. Kristen walks past them without saying anything, and in Kristen’s interview, she says she knows what to expect from Katie and Stassi, but she’s not afraid of them anymore. In Lala’s interview, she says she’s nervous. James wasn’t just bad to Randall – we flash back to that – he was horrible.
Ariana sits with Stassi, and they talk about taping up their boobs. Ariana says she feels weird bringing this up, but Scheana was texting Kristen during the pool party, and said Stassi was making fun of her house. Stassi gets Scheana’s attention, and tells her, get her ass over there now. Stassi says Scheana claimed she was talking sh*t about Ariana and Tom’s house. Scheana tells her that at dinner the other night, Stassi said she was a grown-ass woman, and not going to someone’s house who has no furniture. We flash back, and it’s actually Lala who said that. Stassi says she doesn’t even talk like that, and there were a lot of people there. Ariana says she sees a scenario where they’re making fun of her house, and Stassi says she’s annoyed, because she knows for a fact she didn’t say that. In Ariana’s interview, she says she’s choosing to believe Stassi, since she’s not the type of person who denies what she said. When all is said and done, they’ll have the most beautiful furniture. If anyone makes fun of it, they don’t get to sit on it.
Karrah, who’s been watching the conversation, sits near Stassi, who says, not now. Karrah asks if everything is okay, and Stassi says, it’s not actually. In Danica’s interview, she says, Karrah is obviously drunk, and trying to insert herself in a conversation she’s not a part of. Karrah says Stassi is being negative, and Danica approaches Karrah, saying she’s been watching Karrah trying to insert herself where she doesn’t belong. In her interview, Danica says Karrah is talking crazy sh*t, and she’s trying to tell her to get out of the conversation. She asks Karrah, what’s wrong with her? Kristen tells Karrah, move along, and Karrah says she can be anywhere she wants. In Kristen’s interview, she says she’s been down this road before. You do not fight in Lisa’s restaurants or in front of Lisa. Danica tells Karrah that she said to get out of the conversation. She doesn’t know them, and she’s acting like a psychopath. Karrah says Danica has nothing to stand on, and Lisa tells Danica to calm down. In Lisa’s interview, she wonders why Danica is acting like she’s five. She’s an assistant manager. Lala says when Danica pushed Karrah, Karrah’s wine spilled on her. In her interview, Lisa says, when someone is lying – she gestures as if dusting off her hands – sorry. She tells Danica, it’s time to go home. In Max’s interview, he says, Danica is finally 86’d from TomTom. It’s about effing time.
James raps to his own tune. In his interview, he says he’s back. More respectful and less loud, but he’s back. Lala joins in on their son, and James says he’s excited for people to hear it. People who don’t want to forget what he was like can s*ck his d*ck. Scheana dances on the bar. James says it’s good to see Randall, and he’s so sorry about all the bullsh*t that he ever said. In his interview, James says he was 100% wrong to judge Randall the way he did. Randall loves Lala more than anything, and they’re perfect together. He was the last to see he was being a smartass, and if Randall wanted to pull him aside and say he was an a-hole and immature, it would have been right. But he said amazing things about James, and it shows what a real man is. He says Randall will never hear anything like that from him again, and Randall hopes James is being honest. He didn’t think that’s who James was. James says he was being an alcoholic, and Randall says Lala has a lot of love for James, and he’s a big part of her life. He wants to invite James to the wedding; it would be awesome, and a lot of fun. James says he would love that, and they bro hug. Raquel asks James how it’s going, and she says, good. She’s so attracted to him, it’s insane. He kisses her.
Dayna tells Stassi that Brett slept with five people in the five weeks since they stopped seeing one another. Stassi says, Max is being a psycho; she did nothing wrong. Tom says he’s so happy, and glad Ariana, Schwartz, and Katie are there to share it. They have a four-way glasses clink, and Katie says the two Toms need to kiss in front of their picture. Schwartz says he doesn’t want to kiss Tom anymore, but checks his breath. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, kissing Tom is smoky, and Coors lighty, but still pleasurable. He tells Tom that his lips are softer than they used to be, and Ariana says it’s the Chapstick she gave him.
Max tells Dayna that he made himself vulnerable, and then she pressed a button that made him feel some type of way. He doesn’t want to hang out or talk to her. She says there were four people out of the photo who he slept with. Brett told her that he had sex with five people since they stopped dating, and he’s mad because she was kissing Brett. Who cares? He says she kissed Brett because she’s spiteful, and she says, it just happened. He says he loves that for her, but she says he’s trying to make her the bad guy. He tells her that she’s on her high horse, and she says he’s on the highest horse there is. All the time they hung out, he says he didn’t care who she went out with. He says he’s turned off, and she says, the feeling is mutual. She’s done with it, and him putting out negativity about her. In her interview, she says, Max is playing the sympathy card with a small violin. No one else can play with his toys, even if he doesn’t want to. He says she can’t hurt him because he’s over her; it’s the way she carries herself. She says she likes the way she carries herself, and at least she’s not screwing everyone to validate herself. He says don’t forget he hired her. She wouldn’t be there if not for him. Stay in her lane. She says she is in her lane, and he runs away walks off.
Lisa takes the mic, and says, it’s been a year. Have a drink, and celebrate. They’ve decided they’re expanding. She loves them all, and it’s been some incredible journey. This year, some of them became grown-ups, and some, not so much, but there’s always an opportunity to get better. She truly believes that. Cheers to a new beginning, cheers to the future, and thank you. Brittany tells Jax, she’s kind of buzzed, and kisses him. Jax tells Tom, congratulations. In Brittany’s interview, she says it’s super easy for her to forgive and forget; sometimes too easy, but Tom has more to prove to Jax than to her. Jax tells Tom that he’s at the end of his rope, and Tom says he’s at his wit’s end with Jax. Jax says it’s more like a relationship than a friendship.
Kristen tells Stassi and Katie that she’s been sad all summer. She doesn’t understand it. She thought she was done with Carter. Katie says she thought they were still together. Stassi says, the friendship hasn’t been the same for a long time. Katie says, Kristen wanted to hear what she wanted to hear, and when she didn’t, she got mad. That’s not love. At the bar, Tom says Jax was spiteful. He wasn’t invited to the bachelor party or the wedding. He wasn’t allowed a single disagreement in the eight months leading up to the wedding. Jax says, it was his wedding. I have actually never heard of a guy acting like a Bridezilla before. It’s mind-boggling. In Jax’s interview, he says being the groom’s bitch is part of being best man. He tells Tom that he was crying in Home Depot while he was buying flowers, and Tom says, that doesn’t give him a hall pass.
Stassi tells Kristen, she cries that she doesn’t know what she’s done, and goes to everyone. Then everyone says the same thing. Kristen asks what she’s done to deserve this, and Katie says, it’s always about Kristen. Tom tells Jax, it’s a constant one-up. Why can’t Jax be happy for him? Stassi says, the Witches of WeHo is done-zo. Her brain is going to explode. In her interview, Stassi says, it’s hard saying goodbye. When she first came there, she was the new girl, and Kristen was the cool older one. Kristen knew all the tricks at SUR, and taught Stassi how to steal wine. Kristen introduced her to this group of friends, and Beau. Then she didn’t know if Kristen would be standing up with her at her wedding, or even be there. Jax tells Tom, he doesn’t know what to do, and Tom says Jax will do the same sh*t he’s done for twenty years. In Tom’s interview, he says Jax has been his friend for a long time, but he doesn’t know if he has space for Jax’s negativity anymore. He’s wasting his love and energy on the wrong person. Jax asks what they should do at this point, and Tom says he’s establishing boundaries. He’s not doing this anymore. Jax asks if they should take a break or a little time out, and Tom says, sure. Stassi and Katie go inside, leaving Kristen to follow by herself. Jax tells Brittany that he’s done with things with Tom, who wandered off. In Lisa’s interview, she says she doesn’t know where to start. Years of friendship she thought would last forever, and everything turned upside down. She doesn’t know where they’ll go from here. Jax will realize one day that these were his lifelong friends. We flash back to all of them over the years.
Lisa tells Jax that he shouldn’t make himself more special than he is. They’re all human, fall in love, f*** up, and they’ve all lost parents. It’s not a tragedy; it’s what life is about. He’s got every chance in life to pull it together, and see how lucky he is. End of effing story. Everyone leaves the party.
Next time, the reunion.
If Loving You Is Wrong
After Eddie shows Natalie the video of Kelly happy kissing Lushion, Natalie tells Eddie, get out. He says, nice place. A little Afrocentric for his taste, but nice. He leaves, and Natalie calls Lushion, leaving a message for him to call. She immediately calls again, and says, call her now.
Alex finishes with Randal, and gets a drink. He says he hates her, and she says she knows. He asks why she turned up, and she says because she can. And she wanted to show him something. He says, that she knows how to swallow? and she says, yeah, her pride. And that she knows how to be submissive, but most of all, she needed to let him know how stupid he actually is. Just like most men. He thinks he’s so smart. He thought she was the poor little housewife next door. He says that’s exactly what she is, and she says he’s so wrong. He suggests she tell him what she is, and she says, he thought he was a big bad snake and she was a poor little mouse. It’s more like he’s the tiny mouse and she’s the snake. She laughs, and says he doesn’t get the fact she played him since day one. He says, do not, and she says she knew he wanted her, and she was in control because men are so stupid. He did everything she wanted him to do, when she wanted him to do it. She did this just now. He’s welcome. He says she’s so very naïve thinking that. Get the hell out. She says gladly, and digs in his back pocket for his wallet. He tells her again to get out, and she leaves.
He follows her out, and says, on second thought, he had her pegged from the first moment. He knew she was easy, weak, and vulnerable, and he knew. She asks what did he know? and he says he knew she wasn’t in love with Brad, and he went after her. She laughs, and says he can’t stand it, can he? He says she can’t stand that he’s right, and she says, which proves her point. Everything he says is true, which proves she went after him. He’s really not that smart. Eddie parks in front of them, and Randal asks what the hell he’s doing there. Eddie tells Alex, hi, whore, and she says, hi, bigger whore. He says he’ll take that as a compliment. He sees they’re back at it, and Alex says, they are. They just had great sex. Eddie tells Alex to get her ass back in her house, and she tells him to get his ass back in his house. Oh, wait. He doesn’t have a house. Randal asks why Eddie is there, and Eddie says Randal called the police. Randal says he called the real police, and Eddie says, the real police are there, d*ckhead. Randal said someone assaulted him. Randal says, go to hell, and Eddie says he can take Randal down to the station for making a false claim. Randal says he didn’t, and Eddie asks who assaulted him? Randal says, Natalie, and Eddie says, what is wrong with you people? All you ever think about is violence and killing. Randal says, someone should kill Eddie’s ass, and Eddie says, everyone tried and failed. Does he want to press charges or take a ride? Randal says, kiss his ass, and Eddie says he’s the law. Come with him or take a walk. Randal goes to his door, and Eddie says, best decision he’s ever made. He asks what Alex is still doing there, and she says she’s waiting for her ride. Unless he wants to give her a ride. He says he wouldn’t spit on her ass if it was on fire. He asks what she’s doing; what’s with this whole get-up? She says she’s going back to her roots, and he says it’s quite the hombre look she’s got going on. Go in her house. She says she doesn’t live there anymore. She left Brad and the kids. They can take care of themselves. Eddie wonders what’s going on, and heads toward Brad’s house. Alex jumps in the squad car, and takes off.
Eddie radios dispatch, and tells them to look out for his patrol car. The dispatcher says they can put a trace on it, and he says, then do it. She says, say please, please, and he says, please. Everyone laughs, and he says when he gets back, he’s going to put his foot in every one of their dispatch asses. Find his car. She asks how he lost it, and he says it was stolen by three Black suspects. One looked like Tyler Perry. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! They were wearing jeans and those oversized T-shirts they like. Alex gets on the radio, and says, that’s a bunch of sh*t. He tells her to get her ass off the radio, and she says he really said that about black people; he’s such a liar. The dispatcher wonders who she is, and Alex says she’s the Black male who stole the car. And she didn’t steal it; it’s not even 50 feet away. He’s not looking. Eddie says, she’s lying, and the dispatcher tells Alex, stay there. The police are on their way. Alex says, not a chance, and the dispatcher asks if Eddie wants to make a report. He says, write the damn report, adding, she must be Black. She calls him a racist SOB, and he says he’s coming back to the station.
Eddie walks into Brad’s house, and Brad asks if he ever knocks. Eddie says, not really, and he asks what Marcie is doing there. Brad says, she’s cooking, and Eddie says it’s one crazy-ass merry-go-round they’ve got going on there. Brad suggests Eddie get off of it. Eddie says he is, but he’s trying to figure out what happened. Brad says, it’s a long story, and Eddie says he’s got all day. Brad says, Alex left him with the kids, but Eddie doesn’t believe it. He says, Brad isn’t thinking of keeping that bastard, and Brad tells him, stay away from the baby, and don’t call him that. Eddie says he’s not Brad’s, but Brad asks why that matters. Eddie says, it’s not Brad’s problem. Who cares?Take the baby to the hospital and pass him off. Let someone else take care of him. Brad says Eddie will never change, and Eddie suggests dropping the baby off at a shelter. Brad says, enough, and Eddie says, it would be a good time to take the baby to the border. Brad tells him, get out, and Eddie says everyone is always throwing him out. Brad says he’s always acting like this. Eddie says, if Alex is gone, can he have a room? Brad says, his kids sleep there, and Eddie says he’ll just go up and look around. He goes upstairs, and Marcie asks why Brad puts up with him. Brad says he doesn’t like it, and doesn’t like Eddie at all. Eddie comes back down, and says, it will do. Brad says Eddie’s not staying there; get an apartment. Eddie says, why, when he’s got this place? Brad says, no way, and Eddie says he’ll help with the finances; a couple hundred a month. Brad asks what Eddie does with his money, and Eddie says, the ABCs; asses, bitches, and cocaine, not necessarily in that order. He has to grab some things, but he’ll be back. They’ll see how it works out, and go from there. He looks at Marcie, and says she’s filling out the A in his alphabet.
Steven goes to Esperanza’s house, and looks around. She says, Eddie’s not there, but he says they don’t know that. She says she would smell him, but he says he’s still going to look. She says she can’t believe Alex is staying at a bar with a guy she barely knows. She’s got to call Natalie; Marcie won’t help. Steven says he knows Alex is her friend, but she seemed… Esperanza says, drunk? and he says, determined to do whatever she wanted. She says, Alex would never give up on her kids like that, but he says Alex isn’t her, and you never know what circumstances drive people. She asks how he got so understanding, and he says he thinks he’s a decent guy. She says he’s a douche. He dresses nice, but he’s a douche. He asks what she thinks of Eddie, and she says, he’s not a douche. He’s a douchebag, a tool, and a crazy person who belongs in an asylum. She thanks Steven for being a douche, and he says, you’re welcome? She thanks him for being a somewhat decent person; for just being him. What if she wanted to look into making this more? He says, why? She’s got all the say. She told him in the beginning that she was in control, and would say when he comes and goes. Is she going to tell him what to say too? Does she want him to move in? She says she didn’t say that. Stay a couple hours, and she’ll introduce him to her daughter. He says, it must be semi-serious, and she asks if he’d like to meet her daughter. He says he’d love to, and she says it’s a big deal for her. Eddie is the only man her daughter knows in her life. He says he’d love to take the time to know about Esperanza, and she says she agrees. He asks if she wants to do it, and says she always has to play hard to get. He kisses her, but she says she doesn’t have time. Stop it.
Larry calls Ian into his office. He asks if Ian has a newer version of his phone, and asks Ian to show him how to get email notifications. Ian shows him, and Larry tells him to sit and relax. He keeps messing with Ian’s phone, and talking about what a great case it’s in. Ian says he can get Larry one, but Larry says, that’s okay. Ian reaches for his phone, but Larry won’t let him take it. Larry says when that hot shot public defender Carl came in, he was so good, he offered Carl a job. Ian doesn’t think it’s a good idea, and Larry asks, why? Ian says he’s green, and Larry says he did tell Ian that Carl just got lucky. Ian asks if he can have his phone back; he doesn’t want to miss a call. Larry looks at the phone, and says he already missed two. They’re calling again now; take it there. Ian says he’s not taking his call in Larry’s office, but Larry answers. It’s Carl, and Ian says he’ll call back, and hits the disconnect button. Larry says Ian will have plenty of time, and Ian grabs his phone back. Larry says, tell him about it, but Ian says, there’s nothing to tell. He’s trying to protect the firm. Larry says Ian doesn’t have to worry about the firm anymore; he’s fired. Ian asks what Larry is talking about, and Larry asks if he stuttered. Ian says he’ll bury Larry, and Larry says he’d like to see Ian try. Ian says he’ll clean up his office, but Larry says, it was already done while Ian was there. Ian says, it’s going be a pleasure not to work for him.
Peter and Paisley come home, and Peter asks what Marcie is doing there. Brad says, cooking dinner, and he asks, where’s mom? Brad says that’s what he needs to talk to them about. Paisley asks what’s going on, and Brad asks them to sit. He says he and their mom have gotten a divorce, and Paisley says she told them. Brad says what she didn’t tell them was that she needed a vacation. She wanted to go away for a few days, and she might be back tomorrow or the next day, but she’ll be back. Pater asks where she went, and Brad says, she went away with friends. Peter asks if she’s okay, and Brad says, she’s fine. Peter asks if he’s sure, and Brad asks, why? Paisley says she was upset about the divorce; she was really sad. Brad says, the good thing is, he’ll take care of them until she comes back, and Marcie will be there to help out. Peter asks if they’re dating? Brad says, what? and Peter says, it’s a simple question. Brad tells them that he and Marcie are dating, and Paisley says they’re not kids anymore; they know what’s going on, and can understand too. Brad apologizes for keeping them in the dark, and Peter says they just want him and mom to be happy. Brad says they’ll talk over dinner. The kids tell him that they love him, and he says he loves them too. They go upstairs, and Marcie says he and Alex did something right. Brad says he can’t believe how well that went, and she hugs him.
Mica comes home, and sees Steven. She asks what he’s doing there, and Esperanza says that’s what she wanted to talk about. Mica says she doesn’t want to talk about it. She hears them having sex, and it’s disgusting. Her dad told him what a horrible person Steven is; he beat his last wife. Esperanza says, that’s not true. Mica says she wants to stay with her dad if Steven is there, and tells Steven, there’s the door. She doesn’t like him or the way he looks at her. Esperanza says Mica has never met him, and Mica says her dad told her that Steven was staring at her while she was in school. Esperanza says, that’s not true, and Steven says, they’ll talk later. Mica tells him, don’t come back. When he’s gone, Esperanza tells Mica, never ever be this rude to her friends again. Mica says, don’t be rude to her dad, and Esperanza says they’re not together anymore. Mica says, because of her; she’s a whore. Esperanza slaps Mica across the face, and says, never talk like that to her. Her father is lying. Mica says, Esperanza is the liar. She made him leave. She runs to her room.
Natalie leaves another message for Lushion, saying she’s called four times, and he needs to call her. The kids come home, and tell her that Justice was in a fight; they talked about his momma. Justice says he beat the fool down, and Natalie tells the others to go to their rooms and do their homework. Justice tells her, the kids won’t leave him alone, and they talk about his momma. She didn’t do anything to them, and he’s going to get a gun. Natalie says he’s not going to do that. He says he doesn’t want to talk to her, and she asks, what’s wrong? She’s sorry. She knows it’s hard, and she’s sorry, but it’s going be all right. He says everyone keeps saying that, but where’s his momma? Natalie calls Lushion again, and asks where he is. She needs to talk to him.
Mica calls Eddie, and says her mom had that guy over, and she told him to leave. He says, good for her. She says she doesn’t want to be there; she wants to stay with him. He says he’s staying with Uncle Brad while his house is being worked on. She says she doesn’t want to stay there; Esperanza slapped her across the face. He asks if her face is red. She says it is, and he tells her to take a picture of her face, and send it to him. Why did her mother hit her? She says she called her mother a whore, and he says, the truth hurts. She says it’s terrible there; she wants to stay with him. He says he knows it’s terrible, and wishes he’d picked a better woman to be her mother. She asks if he can he pick her up. He says he’ll be there later, and she asks if they can go to a hotel. He says, not tonight; he has to work the late shift. She says her mother drives her crazy, and he tells her to keep herself together. Keep speaking her mind; she gets it from daddy. Esperanza knocks on her door, and Mica says her father knows Esperanza is a whore, and wishes he’d done better. He said Mica doesn’t have to speak to her.
Esperanza asks Mica to come out, but Mica says her dad told her that she doesn’t have to talk to Esperanza. Leave her alone. Esperanza says she’s not playing. Come out. Mica says, leave me alone, you whore, and Esperanza tells her, please stop talking like that. Mica asks if Esperanza is going to hit her again, and Esperanza says she’s so sorry, but Mica can’t speak to her that way. Mica says, whore, and Esperanza walks away.
Esperanza calls Eddie, and he says, Mica is damn right to call her a whore, and Esperanza slapped her in the face. She shouldn’t have that boy in the house; he’s not playing. She says he thinks he’s going to get custody, but she’s going to tell the judge everything about how he’s using his own daughter. She wants to give Mica a better life, away from him. He says she’s the one Mica should stay away from. She says, she swears… and he says, bye,bitch. Steven texts her that he’s outside, and she goes out. She sits in his car, and he asks if she’s okay. She says, no, and he says he’s sorry. She says Eddie is using Mica against her, and says terrible things to Mica about her. He says, that’s Eddie. She can’t expect anything else. She says, the worst part is that Mica believes him, and she can’t talk to her. He says she can’t right now, but will when Mica is calm and ready. She has the devil in her ear. She says Mica has the devil as her father, and he says, that too. He hates what Eddie did to her. She says she’ll be all right, and thanks him. He says Mica just wasn’t ready, and she says she’s sorry. He tells her, don’t be. They’ll set her straight. She thanks him again, and he hugs her.
Lushion comes home, and sees Eddie. Eddie asks, what’s going on? and Lushion asks what Eddie is doing in front of his house. Eddie says he had a nice chat with Natalie, and Lushion calls him a son of a bitch. Eddie says he got that right. Lushion has no idea of the damage he’s about to face. She’s mad as hell. Lushion says, okay. Eddie sees Kelly coming home, and says, hey. Kelly tells him, don’t talk to her, and he asks how the fresh air is. She repeats, don’t talk to her, and starts to walk inside. He says, that’s where she killed that man. How does she sleep there? He wants to know. The man’s blood is in there, and she lays her head down peacefully. Lushion tells him, go somewhere, and Eddie says Lushion needs to go somewhere and work on his marriage.
Kelly goes inside, and Lushion follows. He says, it must be good to be home, and she says she’s sorry about that with Eddie. It’s totally her fault. He says, it’s all right, and she asks if he wants her to talk to Natalie. He says, no; he will. It will be better if he does. She says, if he needs her to come by, she will, and she thanks him. She says it’s hard being there. She wants to go in the back. He says he’ll go with her, and she wonders if that’s wise. He says Natalie needs to think about this. Trust him. He’s doing the right thing. He follows her into the back of the house, and I’m intrigued.
Natalie goes out on the porch and sees Eddie, who says, mm-mm-mm. Now she’s trying not to hear what he’s saying. She tells him, go to hell, and he says, they’ve been in there a long time. If he was her, he’d go check on what’s going on. Don’t knock. He can see the wheels spinning. Talking about himself in the third person, he says, Eddie has never lied to her. She strides over to Kelly’s house, and he says, don’t knock. Just put her ear to the door. She starts to knock, but then goes inside. He says, that’s it, and rubs his hands together, saying, he’s so good.
Natalie goes into the house, and walks to the back. She listens at a bedroom door for a moment, and busts in, yelling, you MF’ers!
Next time, Mica goes missing, Larry ask if there’s anything Eddie cares about, Brad asks if Ian thinks he’s the baby’s father, and Steven threatens to beat Eddie’s ass.
🥱 The Sun Also Rises…
It’s been a roller coaster with my sweet pup, but he’s still hanging in there, and so am I. Stay safe, stay resourceful, and stay on top of your stimulus check.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
The week is starting off well, since I missed the beginning. Right now, I have a very sick dog, and the care is endless. Not complaining, just making excuses. The high points are, Sam and Alexis are at the boxing gym when Alexis finds out she’s been disbarred; Jordan, Curtis, Molly, and TJ are having a meal at the MetroCourt; and Ava meets with a potential buyer for her penthouse, only to discover it’s Cyrus.
Nelle comes running into the courtroom, wearing a wedding dress and carrying a bouquet. She says she’s sorry she’s late, but the most incredible thing just happened. Addressing her as Miss Benson, Judge Lowe says, if she’s serious about the hearing, she wouldn’t be late. Nelle says the hearing is the most important thing to her, but she’s no longer Miss Benson. She and her new husband were unavoidably delayed.
Sam asks if Alexis can appeal. Maybe she should find an attorney to help her get out of it. Alexis says, it’s perjury, and a serious rule of law; there’s no coming back from it. Sam suggests she work on her second act. She had a great first one, with an amazing career, and she’s saved money. Why doesn’t she sit back, and figure out what she wants to do next? Alexis says she doesn’t want to do anything else, so she’s going home to binge watch TV. Sam says that’s not why she brought Alexis there. Sam’s phone rings, and she steps away. Alexis kicks at the bag, and Brando says she might want to tape her hands and put on gloves, but she says she’d rather kick it. He says it must be her first time boxing, and she says she was brought there against her will. He says, so it’s a hostage situation. Blink once if she needs to be rescued. She blinks, and Sam comes back. She asks why Brando is talking to her mother. He says, mother? and Alexis says, that would be her.
Sonny stops by, and asks if TJ and Molly are excited about their domestic partnership. Kristina told him about the domestic partner thing, and he guesses it’s more enlightened than marriage. He’ll take their word for it, but the main thing is, are they happy? TJ says, most definitely, and Sonny says he’s sorry about what happened. Is TJ okay? TJ says he and Molly are working to move forward. His only concern is not being able to give Mac more details about the kidnapping. It makes no sense. He was grabbed, and left alone. Not even a ransom request. Sonny asks what Mac turned up, and Curtis says he’s sure Mac is doing all he can. Sonny says he’s glad TJ is back, and TJ says he is too. Sonny congratulates them, and moves along. Molly says she never wants to go through that again. The weeks without TJ were awful. TJ says, it’s time wo work on their life together going forward.
Cyrus tells Ava, he was skeptical of Lucy. She has an excitable manner, but she understands real estate. Ava says he has her at a loss. Lucy said she had a cash buyer, but neglected to give her his name. He introduces himself, and she says she’s heard of him. She’s aware of his reputation. He says he’s aware of hers as well. She asks what he means, and he says she’s a gallery owner, and he’s a big art lover. He’s heard she’s going to be showing a new piece by Franco at Windymere. That should make for a memorable evening. Ava says, after what Cyrus has done, he won’t be on the guest list.
Josslyn, Dev, Cameron, and Trina go to the park. Trina says, Oscar’s meadow is green now. She loves when everything blooms. They sit at a picnic table, and Cameron asks how Josslyn is feeling. She says she guesses okay. It’s been a year, and she still misses him. She thinks she always will, but she doesn’t know. Now when she thinks about him, she smiles more than she cries. Trina says, that’s progress, and Josslyn says she owes them an apology. She knows she’s been absent lately. Dev thinks being kept on lockdown had something to do with it, and she says she hated house arrest, but she didn’t have to lean in as much as she did. She could have found ways to stay connected. From here on out, no more hiding with her journal instead of hanging with them. Cameron asks if she’s giving it up, and Trina says, admitting the problem is the first step. Josslyn is sure she’ll still write, but she doesn’t feel it’s as necessary. She’s glad Dustin suggested it, but she misses her friends.
Martin begs the court’s indulgence. A wedding is a blessed event, and his client is still elated at the happy news. Nelle says her new husband is here now, and Julian walks in. Diane says, just when she thought Julian couldn’t sink lower, and Michael says, Nelle just overplayed her hand. Nelle says they were married last night, and everything has been a happy blur. She’s sorry she lost track, and wasn’t on time. Judge Lowe tells Martin to get his client under control, and explain that she shouldn’t address the court unless and until she’s directed to. Martin tells Nelle, do herself a favor and don’t say anything unless she’s asked. The judge assumes there’s a valid license, and Nelle gives it to Martin, who passes it to the judge. Diane laughs, and Judge Lowe says it appears to be in order, but he’s calling a brief recess to check the validity. When he gets back, he expects to proceed with no more outbursts.
Willow asks what Michael meant by Nelle overplaying her hand. He says, Nelle couldn’t have picked a worse candidate. Julian is an ex-mobster. Diane says, whatever case Nelle thought she had, Julian just tanked it.
Sam introduces Alexis to Brando. Alexis says his name sounds familiar… She looks at Sam, and Sam nods. Alexis says she’s also Kristina’s mother, and they’re connected via Sonny. Brando has also met her third daughter, Molly. He laughs, and says Molly brought her car in, and he fixed her up. Alexis says she heard all about it, and Sam suggests they get back to their workout. He says, nice to meet her. Alexis tells Sam, no wonder Molly slept with him. Sam is like, mother! and Alexis says she doesn’t think Molly did anything wrong. He seems nice, has a sense of humor, and he’s cute; he looks like he works out. Sam says she doesn’t see it. Please. Even I see it.
Molly, TJ, Curtis, and Jordan clink glasses. Molly says it was nice of Sonny to send over champagne, and Jordan says she wants to thank him in person. She goes over to Sonny at the bar, and he says he hasn’t heard from her. She says, TJ is home safe now, and he asks if that means their collaboration is over. She says she doesn’t need his help, and he asks, what if Mac’s investigation leads to Cyrus? She tells him, stay out of her investigation. She’ll handle her own people.
Cyrus is surprised Ava isn’t more open to him, since she’s had struggles herself. She says, a few public incidents she’s put behind her. She’s not going back by getting involved with him. He’s responsible for a good friend losing her father. He’s says he’s sorry for her friend’s loss, but she was misinformed. He just got out of prison; his sentence was vacated. She says, how convenient, and he says he was exonerated from a wrongful conviction. Now he’s focused on building a new life, and looks forward to doing business with her. The penthouse suits him perfectly. He just needs the paperwork to close. Sonny listens in, and Cyrus’s phone rings. He excuses himself, and Sonny approaches Ava. He asks what the hell she’s doing.
Ava says she doesn’t care for Sonny’s tone. They were talking business. He says this always happens with her. She takes one step forward, and five back. Just when he thinks she has one ounce of humanity, bringing Avery to see his dad, she does business with a known drug trafficker. Does she know where Cyrus’s money is coming from? She asks why he’s so quick to think the worst of her. Trina interns for her, and Trina is devastated by her father’s death. He says, then why do business with the guy who’s responsible? and she says Lucy never told her who the potential buyer was.
Dev says, it’s the first time they’ve all been together, and they’re on their phones. Josslyn suggests they do something fun tomorrow after school, but Cameron says he and Trina are playing ultimate frisbee. Josslyn asks if it’s formal teams, or can anyone go? and Cameron says, it’s pretty casual. Dev says he’ll get to prove he’s better than Cameron at another sport, and Josslyn says it will be a nice change from volleyball. Cameron says he’s not sure how much playing time they’ll get, and Josslyn wonders if he and Trina don’t want them to go.
Jordan says, the MetroCourt ballroom is gorgeous, but TJ says they have the Nurses Ball coming up, and they don’t want something that fancy. Curtis says, there’s always outside, and it will be nice soon. Jordan says, Molly is quiet, and asks if they can have some girl talk. They both go to the bar.
Diane tells Michael and Willow, Nelle’s shotgun wedding might work in their favor, but she’s warning them not to get ahead of themselves. They’re going to stick to the strategy. Michael and Willow are loving, committed parents. She tells Willow, whatever Nelle and that sleazeball husband throw at her, don’t engage. Carly suggests Diane not call Julian a sleazeball, but Diane says she’ll have her game face when court starts. Poor Alexis. Just when she’s gotten herself together, now Julian marries Nelle. Michael says Nelle must have found something incriminating on Julian, and wonders what it is.
Martin asks what Nelle was thinking, showing up late married to Julian. She says they couldn’t wait, and Julian says they want the best for Wiley. Nelle says, and that’s for Wiley to live with them.
Michael says Julian must have run to Nelle and told her about him and Willow getting married, but Carly says she received a call telling her that Nelle already knew. Michael asks, who called? but she says, it doesn’t matter. He says it does to him; who called to warn her? She says, Sasha.
Curtis asks TJ to level with him. How’s he doing? TJ says, fine, and Curtis says he was kidnapped. He was just held hostage, and had to think he might be killed. It’s enough to freak anyone out, him included. TJ says he’s not sleeping well. He dreams he’s still a hostage, and wakes up in a panic. He tosses and turns, and then gets up because he doesn’t want to disturb Molly. Curtis says he’s sorry to hear that, and TJ says he checks the windows to make sure no one is lurking around. It’s lunacy. Curtis says, what TJ went through was traumatic, and he wants TJ to know he can reach out. Whatever TJ needs. TJ says, what he needs is to pull himself together before he drives Molly away.
Ava tells Sonny that Lucy didn’t tell her who the buyer was. He says, now she knows, and she says she can do business with whoever she wants. It’s not like Sonny is so picky with the associates he deals with. Yet he holds himself up like an excellent role model for Avery. What’s he going to do when Avery finds out who he is? He says he’s a coffee importer, and like her art gallery, his business is legit. It always cracks me up when anyone, especially Sonny, says he’s a coffee importer. Ava’s phone rings, and it’s Carly. She tells Ava that Nelle married Julian. Ava doesn’t believe it, and Carly tells her to ask her brother.
Molly asks Jordan if she said something wrong. Is Jordan upset they chose domestic partnership instead of traditional marriage? Jordan says, no. She’s upset with herself. She’s beyond mortified about the way she acted, and owes Molly a major apology. Molly thanks her, and Jordan says, her goal was never to hurt Molly. She thinks Molly and TJ are perfect together, and doesn’t want to see her son with anyone else.
Sam tells Alexis, this is probably better than hitting the bag, and hands her a jump rope. Alexis says, she’s good, but Sam says, it’ll work up a sweat. Alexis says, no; she thinks she’ll hit the steam room. Sam says she wants to work out, and Alexis tells her, suit herself. She leaves, and Sam approaches Brando. She asks if he has a minute.
Michael says, Sasha gave Carly a heads up? and Carly says Sasha was afraid Nelle would do something to stop the wedding. Michael says, that might be the Sasha he used to know, and asks Diane how Nelle showing up with a sudden husband will affect her case. Diane says, it’s not a good look. Julian’s shady past will bolster their case. Willow asks if pointing out that Nelle’s wedding was last minute, will magnify them doing the same thing, but Diane says, let the visuals tell the story. Nelle looks like a lunatic, and Julian looks like exactly what he is. And Michael and Willow look like what they are; a committed couple devoted to each other and Wiley’s well-being. Judge Lowe returns.
In her opening argument, Diane says, what’s at stake is the best for a young child, and the number one reason for sole custody to go to the biological father. Michael is the successful CEO of a multi-billion dollar family owned business, which gives him tremendous standing in the community. But he’s not an absentee parent. His first priority is his son. In an ironic twist, Wiley’s adoptive parents asked Michael to be Wiley’s godfather, a position he took seriously. He’s been in Wiley’s life since day one, as has his wife Willow. They live in a multi-generational home where Wiley will be surrounded by extended family who will make him feel loved and safe.
Diane tells Willow, Michael has perfected the art of the poker face; Willow, not so much. No matter what Martin says, she has to stay calm. It will be refuted in her testimony. Losing her cool does none of them any good. Willow says, understood. Nelle tells Martin that she’s counting on him. He says he knows. That’s why he’s charging so much. A heads up about her wedding would have been helpful though.
Brando says he knows what Sam is going to say; stay away from her mother. Could she do him a favor, and make a list of all her relatives? Then he can vet strangers to make sure they’re not related to her. Sam says, actually, she wanted to apologize. She’s sorry she gave him such a hard time at the garage. He says, in that case, he accepts. Should they start over, and be satisfied with a silent nod across the room? Sam says she’ll take that, and walks off.
Jordan and Molly come back to the table, and Curtis asks if Jordan is okay. She says, there’s a lot going on at work. TJ says, Cyrus? and Jordan asks what he knows about Cyrus. He says he read that he’d been put in prison ten years ago, Jordan figured out he was framed, and had him exonerated. Molly says she admires Jordan’s integrity; it couldn’t have been easy. Curtis says Jordan did what she needed to do to make things right.
Cyrus says he looked into Ava’s background, and knows she shares a daughter with Sonny. That can’t be easy. If she ever needs help to put Sonny in his place… She says she needs nothing from him, and he says, fair enough. Let’s talk about the penthouse. She says she’ll never sell it to him. She wouldn’t do that to Trina. And more important, don’t ever mention her daughter again – ever. She walks away, and Cyrus laughs.
Cameron tells Josslyn, don’t be silly. Of course (🍷) they want her and Dev to play. Trina says Josslyn is so competitive all the time, if she was ever on the sidelines, she might have a nervous breakdown. Josslyn says, her competitive? and Cameron says, a little bit. He looks forward to a worthy opponent. Trina says she thought he had one already. Dev says teams are supposed to build sportsmanship, and Cameron says they’re just having fun. Trina says she’ll text them the information tonight. Josslyn tells Dev that they have to head back; Tony is waiting. Cameron says he and Trina are headed the other way. Trina says she’ll see them tomorrow, and goes with Cameron. Josslyn and Dev sit back down, and Josslyn says, it’s not just her, right? She genuinely thought Cameron and Trina didn’t want them to go. Dev says he thinks Cameron has no idea how act around Josslyn, and Josslyn says Cameron has known her for her entire life. Dev says, but now he likes her.
Martin says what has already happened to Nelle is nothing short of a Greek tragedy. She was the victim of car accident, walking dazed and disoriented; left in the woods to give birth alone. When she came to, Brad had callously switched infants, and she had a dead baby in her arms. All those months, she grieved a baby she thought was dead. While in prison, she risked her own life to stop a vicious serial killer, and got early release for her heroism. Shortly afterward, she and Michael got the shock of their lives; their baby wasn’t dead, but alive and well. Lucas did the right thing, but instead of basking in the joy of their joint miracle, Michael only thought of himself, and petitioned the court to keep the child, when the child has been through enough. Then another miracle. Nelle fingers the half-heart necklace, and Martin says, Nelle found love. Nelle remembers telling Julian that she knows what he did. He caused an accident that almost killed his son. Lucas will never forgive him, but it doesn’t matter. If Sonny finds out, he’ll kill Julian. Martin says, it’s like Shakespeare. A love story of a brave young woman, just out of prison, starting a new life; and a man recovering his own life. Nelle thinks about Julian telling her, she was so desperate to keep Michael away from his son, she begged Brad to take him. Martin says, kindred souls married, and Nelle remembers telling Julian if he tries to persuade Sonny that Brad knew, Sonny will know he knew. Even if Sonny doesn’t kill Julian, there’s a sealed envelope to be opened in the event of her death or disappearance, and it will send the cops straight to Julian’s door. Martin says, plus there’s the concern that Wiley’s grandfather is a known mob kingpin. Nelle thinks of Julian telling her, there’s nothing left to say except, will she marry him? She says she doesn’t know. He didn’t get down on one knee. She’s kidding. Go get his suit on, and they’ll seal the deal. Martin says, what they did is blend two lives to make a family who will raise and give Wiley a loving home. It’s not as big as a mansion, but it will be filled with love. Nelle continues to play with the necklace.
Cameron tells Trina, he missed all four of them being together. She says she did too, but it wasn’t bad with just him. He says, likewise; it’s been great. She says, all the craziness, the kidnapping, her dad dying, and Cameron has been there. She doesn’t think she said thank you. He wants her to know he’ll always have her back; he promises. She says, pinky swear? and they do.
Dev says they should go, and Josslyn asks if he thinks Cameron likes likes her. He’s into her? Dev says, trust him. She’s the last to know. She says, itmakes no sense. For the past year, she’s been a mess. Why would Cameron start crushing on her when she’s at her worst? Dev asks if she remembers when she and Cameron fake dated to make Oscar jealous. She says, that was a million years ago, and Dev says, maybe it was real for Cameron. She asks why Cameron wouldn’t have said something, and he says, she was in love with Oscar. Then she was grieving Oscar. The timing was wrong. She asks what she does now. How will it not be awkward when Cameron is around. Dev says he wouldn’t worry. He’s sure Cameron will understand that she doesn’t feel the same way. He’s a really good friend.
Cyrus asks for a word with Jordan, and Curtis tells him, keep moving. Cyrus says Jordan changed the ground rules and included her husband, and he can put Curtis’s skill set to use. Curtis tells him, don’t push it, and Cyrus says, who’s pushing? He’s offering Curtis some business. The health of the Police Commissioner and her loved ones remains his top concern.
Judge Lowe says, the opening remarks have been concluded, so they’re going to have an hour’s meal break. Willow says, Diane doesn’t think the judge believes Martin, does she? Diane says, more important was how they maintained a calm demeanor. Keep it up. It won’t make them look cold; it will make them look smart. Carly suggests they walk over to the MetroCourt, and Michael says, sounds good. Willow says keeping a calm demeanor is tougher then she thought. Diane leaves to make a call, and Nelle asks Martin how he thinks it’s going. He says he’s pleased, but they should go eat. And Julian should join them. Julian asks if Martin is going to put him on the witness stand.
On the phone, Diane tells Alexis, Nelle just showed up in court with her new husband. Alexis says she’s surprised, but not shocked. Nelle isn’t going down without a fight. Who did she lure into marriage? Diane says, Nelle’s new groom is Julian.
Martin tells Julian, he’d like to avoid it if possible. If they paint Sonny as a threat, given that Julian is also affiliated with organized crime, it’s best not to open that line of inquiry. Nelle says, in that case, shall they? Julian says he’s not interested, but she says he agreed to be a loving husband. He says he’s starting to think some things are worse than death, and she says, okay. All married couples need time apart. She’ll see him after the break. Alone in the courtroom, Julian tells himself, get it together. Sonny walks in, and Julian supposes Sonny isn’t there to offer his congratulations. Sonny says, congratulations on marrying one of the few people he hates more than he hates Julian.
Tomorrow, Scotty tells Franco that he wouldn’t trust Nikolas when it comes to Elizabeth; Carly tells Martin, if he uses Sonny against Michael, it will be his funeral; and Sonny tells Julian to do what needs to be done.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht
Glenn tells Jenna, a couple of things have been brought to his attention. Interior had two people down at the same time, and they need to have two people available. He spoke to Madison, and knows both Jenna and Georgia were down, while Madison was doing cabins and laundry. Jenna says she can’t recall the day, but it’s frustrating to get negative feedback. He says she sounds defensive, and she says she put so much thought and effort into planning things out to make the guests happy. She’s not just effing off. He says she and Adam took a break at the same time, so they could chill together, and it’s drawing attention. He’s seen things, and can only imagine what he hasn’t seen. It’s not cool. Jenna asks where they’re supposed to be affectionate, and he says (and rightly so), that’s not his problem. They need to be discreet. She asks if she should tell Adam not to touch her, and Glenn says he’ll be happy to speak to them both as a couple, but they need to tone it down. He wants all of them to finish on a high note, and kick it up a notch.
Georgia asks Madison what the meeting is about, and Madison says she has no idea. She’s just trying to flip the boat. Georgia says she just wants the full picture, but Madison says Georgia knows as much as she does. I’m starting not to like Madison. I think she’s two-faced and jealous. I understand she has issues, but get some therapy. Dr. Yannopapas arrives, and talks to Chris. Chris explains that he hurt himself lifting the Seabob. The outside of his foot is numb and tingling. The doctor tells Chris to close his eyes, and touches him with a pokey thing (technical term). Chris says he can barely feel it, and the doctor says, it’s a problem. Chris needs an MRI as soon as possible. Chris asks if he can work, but the doctor says no. In Chris’s interview, he says he doesn’t want to end up with a long term problem. He’s never had pain like this. The doctor says, seriously, he wouldn’t risk it.
Jenna tells Adam that she doesn’t feel like doing anything; she hates this. Adam asks when her break is. He doesn’t want to get in trouble if they’re both not working. He tells Jenna to brush it off. It’s all you can do. She says she’s having a hard time with this, since she works her ass off, then gets a comment about not having the service up to par. Adam says he’s sorry they came down on her, and she says, people can’t be happy and working at the same time. Adam says he won’t touch her, but one last hug before they sign off. He looks around, tells her to hurry, and grabs her butt.
The doctor talks to Glenn, and says Chris has a problem with his nerve something, and goes into a bunch of medical terms which boil down to Chris’s nerve getting squashed. He says Chris needs an MRI as soon as possible. Until he sees the report, Chris can’t work, and needs complete rest. In Glenn’s interview, he says Chris is one of the best deckhands he’s had. He’s concerned for Chris, but they have the last charter tomorrow. What options does he have? Chris tells Glenn, he’ll get the MRI immediately, and if he can work, he wants to. He tells Paget there’s a chance he won’t be able to work. Paget says, there’s a problem already, and this isn’t helping. Glenn says after Chris gets the MRI, they’ll see how it goes. In Paget’s interview, he says they just got rid of someone who couldn’t do their job. Now someone has injured themselves. He can’t catch a break . He tells Ciara about Chris being possibly laid up.
Jenna tells Madison that she’s getting super frustrated. She doesn’t like people prying into her personal life, and Madison has talked to everyone. Jenna is annoyed that Madison went to Glenn about her and Adam showing affection. That’s what the meeting was about. Madison says, Glenn came to her, and asked if she had an issue, and she said she didn’t. She’s not saying sh*t. She’s just trying to work, and make the guests happy. Whatever you want to do in your personal life, do it. Jenna says she’s tired of having to hold their hands, and she picks up after them constantly. Madison says she picks up after Jenna all the time when she’s sitting down with Adam. In Jenna’s interview, she says it’s not anyone’s place to comment on their superior’s personal life. Being with Adam didn’t affect their professional ability. She tells Madison that she’d just said it didn’t bother her, but apparently it does. I think what bothers Madison is what she’s also been griping about. Everyone else is coupled up, and now that Parker is gone, she has no dude to focus on. Jenna tells Madison, they have one last charter. She’s at the point where she doesn’t give a sh*t. She’s going to do her job, keep her head down, and tell them nothing.
Chris goes into town for the MRI. Madison whines to Glenn that she’d said she didn’t have an issue with Jenna, but she just got reamed out for being the source of this sh*t. Glenn says he told Jenna that it didn’t come from her department, but somehow it escalated. Madison says she’s sorry; she doesn’t like drama. Glenn tells Jenna, they’re going to have a three-way chat in the master. In Jenna’s interview, she says they have to be effing kidding her. Come on.
Chris goes to the doctor on shore. Glenn tells Jenna and Madison, he wants to make sure they’re on the same page. In his interview, he says he’s not there to get in the middle of their personal politics. His concern is that they call a truce, and get to the finish. Madison babbles that Glenn came to her, after he had a conversation with Ciara. Glenn says, to be fair, he thought Madison did have an issue, but didn’t voice it. Jenna says Madison claimed she didn’t have an issue, and then flipped it. Why? Madison says she can have an opinion. Glenn repeats that it didn’t come from Jenna’s department, and tells her, don’t take it out on Madison. Jenna says she doesn’t like any environment that puts the kibosh on affection, and Madison says it’s hard to talk to Jenna professionally when she’s lying on top of Adam. Glenn feels like Jenna is getting defensive, and Jenna asks if they’re screwing in the crew mess? They’re just holding hands, and Madison has an issue with it. She feels like it’s an environment she doesn’t want to be in. Glenn thinks she’s justifying her actions, and defending her actions when they’re indefensible.
Georgia asks how Paget is, and he says he’s not hurt as bad as Chris. Glenn asks Madison and Jenna if they think they can move forward. Jenna says, sure, but her personal life is affected, and it doesn’t make her happy. In Glenn’s interview, he says he’s never seen this side of Jenna, and this side isn’t acceptable, but he’s in a tough spot. They have one charter to go, and he’s not making a dramatic change now, but they have to get through this. Jenna asks if they’re done with this drama. The crew decides not to go out, so they can get the boat ready. Glenn suggests Chris do night watch. Chris comes back, and Glenn asks how it went. Chris says, it was a strange experience, and Glenn asks how he feels. Chris says he has he can feel the pain in his back, and Glenn tells him to lie down until he gets the news. Everyone goes to bed.
A preference sheet meeting is called. Glenn says it’s the last charter. The primary is Nicole, a high-end real estate broker, and CEO of a luxury real estate company. Jenna reads that Nicole has never sailed, and is hoping the service is even better on a sailing yacht. Jenna says, she’s in for a big surprise, which Glenn doesn’t find amusing. She reads that Nicole wants a pink party, with a seven-course pink tasting menu. Paget reads that guest Nicholas wants a race, and Glenn suggests an area of shallow water where they can set up a regatta.
The crew puts the finishing touches on the boat. In Adam’s interview, he says he’d hate for something positive, like his relationship with Jenna, to leave a bad taste in Glenn’s mouth. Despite a little PDA, there’s no question he and Jenna are capable of doing their jobs. Paget tells Ciara that she’s just stressed, and wants to give her a hug, but she says she just wants to work. In her interview, she says, the crew is in that phase where they want to just get off the boat. Jenna meets with Georgia and Madison, and says she’s been frustrated. Some things need improvement, and time management is lacking. Georgia is lackadaisical, and Madison needs to focus on what she’s doing, not the next thing she’ll be doing. In Georgia’s interview, she says, every time she thinks Jenna is going to admit she’s wrong, Jenna talks it down to the hierarchy and their inadequate feelings. She takes no accountability, and it’s bullsh*t.
Provisions come in. Ciara feels like sh*t. Glenn tells everyone to change for the guests’ arrival in ten minutes. The crew greets the guests, Glenn gives them a welcome, and Jenna gives the tour. Glenn tells Chris not to lift anything until he hears from the doctor. Snacks are served. Guest Jeanette says she wants a job where she doesn’t need to wear shoes, but then what would she do with her investment in shoes? Adam talks to them about the seven-course dinner. Paget tells Ciara that he’s feeling some knee pain, and she tells him, don’t leave her. The boat shoves off. Guest Noelle tells Jenna that she’s glad the boat is large, since she doesn’t do well on small sail boats. Adam says he’s getting all kinds of ideas for the pink dinner now. The doctor gets the MRI results back, and Chris has a disc prolapse, which explains the pain. The doctor says it would be extremely unwise lift any weight, and he should refrain from physical activity. He can walk around, but he has to see a specialist.
Jenna calls Paget for more chairs, and Adam feels sorry for him. Ciara says she has a headache. Byron tells Glenn that the wind has picked up; it’s time to go sailing. Glenn calls Chris to help with calling the sails. In Chris’s interview, he says he went straight from school to working on boats. It’s been his life since 2011, and if an injury means he can’t do what he loves, it’s scary. They begin to sail, and Ciara tells Paget that she feels like sh*t. Chris meets with Glenn, and tells him that he spoke to the doctor; there’s an issue with his spine. Glenn says, it sounds serious, and Chris tells Glenn that he’s not supposed to lift anything heavy. After the charter is over, he has to see a specialist. In Glenn’s interview, he says, it’s not feasible to get someone else and bring them up to speed in time. It’s a tough spot to be in. Ciara tells Paget that she’s feeling dizzy, and they’re already down one person. She starts to cry.
Paget tells Ciara to go have a cold shower. Glenn tells Chris, they’ll work around his injury, and make it work. Chris can take the 11 to 6 shift. Paget says, and then there was one. He tells Glenn that Ciara was suffering from a heat stroke; she’s in tears. Byron says they’ve lost the wind, and Glenn says, he goes downstairs for two seconds, and they sail straight into a hole. The sails are brought down, and Chris hobbles back downstairs. Adam notes that Nicole has no goat cheese on her preference sheet, so he decides he’ll replace it with pink cream cheese. Jenna tells him, some of the guests joined the nap train. Georgia finds Paget, and he tells her that Ciara spent twelve hours in the sun, and had a heat stroke. He asks if Georgia is coming back for winter work, but she says she wants to give the music thing a bigger shot. He says he’ll miss her; she’s one of the goodies. She says, that’s not saying much, but she’ll take it.
Adam pinks up the food, while Jenna decorates the table with everything pink. Ciara tells Paget that she just needed a nap and to cool down. Guest Billy is the only one up, and lurks around the buffet. Jenna tells Adam, it’s weird. Nicole wakes up on deck, and says she wants to take a shower before dinner. Byron tells Glenn that he read horse manure is self-igniting in Spain, it’s so hot. One of the guests whines that they’re starving, and Jenna tries to hurry Nicole along. Adam yawns, and we see it’s almost 10 pm. Guest Jeanette says Adam must be exhausted. In Adam’s interview, he says he’s not being a diva chef; he cares about the food. The problem is, it’s going to go bad, and he doesn’t get a second chance.
Adam says, seven courses, ten o’clock. Nicole is still getting dressed, and says, it’s like her prom tonight. The other guests want to eat, and one suggests bringing all the courses at once. Jenna tells Adam, the guests are getting riled up, and Nicole finally shows. I have to say, she doesn’t look anything like someone who took so much time getting ready. I vote meh. Jenna calls Madison to the galley, and tells Adam, they’re good to go. Georgia sings while she does cabins. Nicole says, imagine the world in pink all the time. What a pretty world it would be. She asks guest Billy if he’s all right, and another guest asks if he’s okay. Jenna clears the table, and tells Adam that she thinks they might be on drugs. It’s really weird up there.
Jenna serves beet salad, and one of the guests remarks on Billy’s eyes. Billy gets up, and goes to the bathroom. Nicholas says, Billy is good; he’ll be back in five. We hear a sniff coming from the bathroom, and Billy comes back to the table. Jenna serves trout, and Nicole says they should take Adam back to New York. Jenna tells Adam, it’s effing delicious. In their cabin, Glenn tells Byron that he’s listening a book about our inner fish, how we’re evolved from fish, and still have sh*t from them. It’s incredible. Billy says, it’s all about the pink party. Chris wanders around, and Jenna asks Madison how it’s going. In Madison’s interview, she says, it’s not worth it to deal with Jenna. Glenn wants them to work together, so she’s going to bust ass, and be professional. Jenna thinks Madison should be further along.
Lobster is served, and Nicole claps like a five year old. Billy pronounces it phenomenal, and Nicholas says, who gives a sh*t? Chris tells Jenna that he saw something strange under Billy’s nose earlier. We see a clip of Chris glancing over at Billy, who’s sniffing. Jenna says they’re all effing high. Guest Noelle asks Nicole, what’s going on? and Nicole says, shady stuff. In Jenna’s interview, she says, if a guest brings drugs on board, they’re all at risk being charged. If she and Chris suspect something illegal, but don’t say anything, it could be a big problem. Nicholas says he’s taking care of his friends; they’re good. In Jenna’s interview, she says she’s not waking up the captain. If she says anything herself, it could escalate the situation, and the correct thing to do is let Glenn deal with it himself in the morning.
Adam brings out the final pink dessert, and asks Nicole if everything was pink enough. He’s glad they enjoyed it, and Nicole says it’s the best meal she’s had. Billy says, it’s early, and asks what they’re doing, but everybody wants to go to bed. Billy goes down to his and Nicholas’s cabin, and Madison cleans up. Holed up in their cabin, Billy and Nicholas are still awake at 4 am, and we hear one of them say, I love you.
Byron says, it’s the last day of the season, and Adam says he’s stoked. Glenn calls Paget, asking him to get the paddleboards out. Inside the room, Billy announces that he’s king of the MF’ing world. Adam asks how much sleep he got, and Billy says he’s not sure he slept at all. Adam says he knows how those nights go.
Jenna tells Glenn that she doesn’t like to be accusatory, but Billy had some kind of powder under his nose. Glenn asks if she actually saw it around his nose. In Glenn’s interview, he asks why he’s hearing about it now. He tells Jenna, there’s no way it’s makeup, and if illegal substances are on board, it’s serious. In his interview, he says he can’t think of anything worse than the boat being confiscated, him losing his license, and possibly going to jail. He asks if Jenna feels confident in her assessment, and she says, based on his behavior, yes; although he did eat a seven-course meal.
Glenn wakes up Chris, and tells him that Jenna said he’d seen something. It would have been good to know in the moment; or if he’d seen it for himself, it would be different. If Chris had to bet money on it, what does he think? Chris says, if he had to bet money on it, cocaine. On deck, Billy asks how early they want him to black out.
Glenn comes up on deck, where Billy is spouting gems like, it’s only water if you fall in. Glenn unobtrusively observes. Jenna asks Georgia if she’s seen any paraphernalia lying around, and she says she hasn’t, but she wasn’t looking through things either. Some of the guests do paddle boarding, and Billy acts like an a-hole. Glenn tells Jenna, he’d be surprised if someone flew to Corfu with cocaine. If a guest has a prescription drug, it’s no problem. He’s sure people travel with Adderall all the time, and there’s a chance it’s that. I guess because all people with Adderall prescriptions snort it. In Jenna’s interview, she says she doesn’t go around accusing charter guests of having illicit drugs, but if they have them, it’s the worst thing that could happen. Glenn tells her if only one crew member saw it, that’s different, but he’s heard it from two crew members. He’ll speak to Nicole, and if he finds anything, it will be the end of the charter.
Billy gets on a paddle board, and giggles like a jerk. In Glenn’s interview, he says, if a guest goes ashore and comes back high, that’s not his problem, but if they brought drugs onto the boat, they’re in deep sh*t. He asks Nicole if they can have a chat.
Next time, the finale, Glenn does a search, Billy says his vacation is ruined, and Georgia tells Ciara that she has a thing for Paget.
💰 The new season of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles begins on June 16th.
🗃 A Pandemically Helpful Resource…
I have an entire pot of tea, but I need to sift the leaves, so in lieu of that, I give you CNET’s list of free entertainment, to keep you entertained.
I’d thought this whole pandemic was going easy on me until my dog got so sick. It was the only thing I’d worried about to begin with, and like Job, the thing that I fear comes upon me. He has a bad kidney infection, and it’s still touch and go, but as in all things, I might be the biggest cynic you’ll ever meet, but I hope for the best. Tomorrow is a late night, so bidding you to stay safe, stay sending good vibes my pup’s way, and stay on the sunny side of the street (as long as you’re six feet apart).
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Today’s GHFriday Flashback was from March 30, 2018. Max Gail did the introduction, and basically said to get out the tissues. It was when the MetroCourt was turned into One Night at Luke’s. Eddie Maine performed, there were plenty of flashbacks, and Mike had the time of his life.
I just love the whole 90 Day Fiancé franchise. You’d think I’d write about it, but it deserves my undivided attention. It’s little gems like this that make it worthwhile. Long story short, Big Ed kinda looks like a troll. Don’t get me wrong, looks don’t matter. If you can make a woman laugh, you’re probably more than halfway there. Or if you have a sparkling personality. Or you’re rich. Big Ed is none of those things, and pretty much overall annoying, obnoxious, and fearful of anything outside his own world. His potential fiancé Rose was half his age and from the Philippines. She seemed like a lovely girl, but Ed alternated between treating her like he was predator grooming her, with exhibiting behavior that embarrassed her. The cherry on Rose’s cake was when she said she wanted to have two more children – which he knew before he ever made the trip to meet her – and he told her that he already had an appointment for a vasectomy because he didn’t want any more children – which he’d never even hinted at. Well, just look at some of the details yourself.
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow. – Mary Anne Radmacher
A person is not given integrity. It results from the relentless pursuit of honesty at all times. – Unknown
Accept me, Lord, as I am, and make me such as thou wouldst have me to be. – MaryLivingstone (Missionary in Africa)
I’m thankful for my struggle, because without it, I wouldn’t have stumble across my strength. – Alex Elle
I kinda get the willy-nillies when the dead guys come out. I have to go lie down. – an Atlanta local, talking about the Walking Dead being filmed there, Ridewith Norman Reedus
When deeds speak, words are nothing. – Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Happiness depends more upon the internal frame of a person’s own mind, than on the externals in the world. – George Washington
I’ll be fine, until I’m not. – The Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith), Downton Abbey
🏖 Life’s a Beach…
Hey, you made it through another week. And there are rumblings of things opening a crack. Get out and enjoy the outdoors. Just think of a mask as another accessory. God knows the designers are. Stay safe, stay at least six-feet away, and stay hoping drive-ins become a thing even after all the pandemonia is over.
Oh, and if Amy tells you I ran her down to meet Barry Bostwick that time at Town Hall, don’t believe her. I just gently pushed her aside.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
At Charlie’s, Finn tells Anna, the lab rans tests, and it was a rare case of alienitus. They quarantined the patient until last night, when his chest burst open, and out crawled a big slimy alien. Anna says, interesting, and he says, it turned out the alien was friendly, so he gave it a bath, named it E.T., and he’s bringing it home to Violet. Anna says, an alien? He says, let him guess. Her mind is on Holly. She says, you know the word frenemy? It’s cliché, but it pretty accurately describes their relationship. They were rivals and allies. They admired each other, but annoyed each other. Holly could run a con like no one else; even better than her. She had a lighter touch, and Anna was a little jealous. She knew Holly was on the other side of the world, but expected her to turn up there again one day. It’s not going to happen now. Finn says he’s sorry. Sometimes the best response to a sudden loss is a life affirming decision. She asks if he has something in mind, and he says he does.
Sasha lies on her bed, face down, fully clothed. The phone rings, and Maxie asks where she is. Don’t tell her that Sasha forgot about the photoshoot. The entire crew is waiting, and there’s no face of Deception for the cover. Sasha says she’ll be right there, and Maxie says she has five minutes, or she’s finding another model. Lulu comes to see Maxie, along with Charlotte. She asks how it’s going, and Maxie says, Sasha is late, the wardrobe mistress isn’t there, and the coffee is cold. The shoot is going to implode, and take her career with it.
Laura sits at Jax’s table at the MetroCourt, and tells him that she just came from the fundraiser breakfast. She found out he made a generous donation. He says sorry he couldn’t be there in person, but he has a meeting of his own. He’s waiting for Nina, but he’s all ears until she gets there. How did it go? She says, better than expected, thanks to him, and a couple of other generous donations. He says he’s sure her presence has something to do with the success. He’s grateful for her hard work and integrity. She says she’s only as good as the people she represents, and he tells her, don’t be modest. She’s not afraid to tell the truth, and has an amazing ability to inspire others. She says, one can only hope.
Sasha gets in the elevator, and Nina says, tough morning? Sasha says she has no idea, but Nina says, actually, she thinks she does.
Valentin meets Martin at the MetroCourt, and asks if Martin has good news. Martin thinks he’ll be well pleased at the progress. He’s acquired numerous shares from Quartermaines spread far and wide. Valentin says he doesn’t have controlling interest yet, and Martin says, not yet. Valentin says, not yet, but he’s closer than the Quartermaines realize.
Chase asks how he can help Carly, and she tells him that she’s pretty sure he’s aware that Willow and Michael got married. He says she must be very happy, and she says she regrets what the decision cost him.
Diane asks where Michael has been, and he says he was at Turning Woods; his dad was visiting Mike. She asks how Mike is doing, and he says, not great. They want to put in a feeding tube, and his dad is trying to decide. She says she’s sure he was a comfort to Sonny; however, moving forward his priority needs to be Wiley. He needs to be calm, collected, and focused. Taking away a child from its mother is difficult under the best circumstances, even a mother as awful as Nelle. He says, things may have gotten easier, and she asks, how? Willow walks in, and asks Michael how it went at Turning Woods. Michael says, rough; her? She says, the same. Diane says, what a gorgeous ring. One might say spectacular. Michael says it belonged to his great-grandmother, and now it belongs to his wife. He and Willow got married last night.
Finn says he and Anna have talked about it; it’s time to do something about it. She says, do something about what? and he says, the thing where people say I do. They can at least pick a date, and send invitations out. She says, after Violet’s party, he’s in the mood for another, and he says he’s learned to appreciate a good celebration. She tells him, he’s turning into a romantic, and he asks if that’s a good thing. She says, it’s a great thing. She looks at her phone, and says, August maybe. It gives them time to plan, and time to figure out what to wear. He says, August is perfect, and they almost kiss, but Robert interrupts. He says, isn’t this cozy? They’re acting like nothing happened, when they know something did. He tells Anna, stop running around telling people what he can and can’t be told.
Chase tells Carly that he doubts Michael wants to see him, but let Michael know he hopes they give Wiley the life he deserves. She says, that’s the plan. The custody hearing is today. He asks why she’s there instead of in court, and she says, there’s someone she needs to thank.
Nina says Sasha just broke up with Michael, and Sasha says Nina was right about her. She’s not good enough. Nina thinks the person Sasha hurt the most is herself. Sasha tells her, don’t be nice, not today, but Nina says Sasha put in the knife and she doesn’t feel like twisting it. She hopes Sasha finds peace and love, and hopes the pain she’s in is gone forever. Sasha gets out of the elevator, and Nina looks puzzled.
Maxie screams for the wardrobe mistress, and someone hands her hot coffee. Lulu says Maxie will be brilliant. She works best in a crisis. Maxie says she loves Lulu, but her pep talk isn’t working. This was her moment in the spotlight; taking a tired company from the 90s and turning it into a power brand. Does Lulu see a power brand happening? What she sees are Maxie’s dreams and plans disintegrating. Sasha comes in, and Charlotte says she thought Sasha was a model; she looks terrible. Lulu tells her to apologize, but Sasha says, Charlotte is just telling it how she sees it. Maxie asks if Sasha wants to tank Deception before it even launches, and tells the makeup artist to make his magic. Charlotte asks if she can watch, and Lulu asks if it’s okay. Sasha says, it’s time to turn this toad into a swan, and leaves with the makeup artist. Lulu tells Maxie, nothing but a straight road ahead, and Maxie says, until the next curve. She wanted to be boss, and all she can do is think of what Nina would do. Nina walks in, and says, she just asked the person she trusted most – Maxie.
Finn realizes Robert is upset, but tells him, take it down a notch. Anna says, sit down, and asks Finn to get some coffee. Robert says he talked to Mac, who said she had suspicions. Why did Mac have to tell him, and not her? She says, the WSB is still looking for the reason the ship sank, and Robert says, his shelf life has expired, so he can’t be told? She says she has no evidence of foul play. When she finds some, he’ll be the first to know. He asks what she thinks. Has she seen discrepancies in the report that point to murder?
Nina says she saw Sasha, and came to offer moral support. Maxie appreciates it, but it only makes her more nervous. Lulu asks if Nina will do her a favor. Charlotte begged to be taken to the shoot before she meets Valentin, and Lulu is late for an Invader interview. She has a deadline, and asks if Nina would mind taking Charlotte. Nina says she’d be thrilled; she was headed there anyway. She tells Maxie, just for the record, no one knows how to manage a shoot like her. She didn’t leave Crimson to second guess herself. She left to be boss. She finally decided to be a superstar, and she is. Don’t give in. Those who play small aren’t stars, and never will be. Toughen up, get the job done, and be a star.
Jax tells Laura that he’s surprised Valentin didn’t fight harder for the estate. He could have dragged it out in court for years. Laura says, maybe he realized the Cassadine estate is both a blessing and a curse. Jax says, a valuable one, and she says, don’t worry. She’s sure Valentin will find a way to make money.
Valentin asks if Martin had any trouble, and Martin says, nothing they can’t overcome. Ned is preoccupied with Brook, and Michael has the custody battle. Speaking of which, he has to get to court for it. Valentin says, Drew is dead, and Jason has no interest, but what about the children? He asks Martin to look into who’s controlling their shares.
Diane says Willow is a brave woman. She married into both the Quartermaine and Corinthos families. She’s sure Willow is aware that as individuals, they’re all a bit difficult, but as a group, they’re fearless, intelligent, and never boring. And Michael is the best of the lot. Willow says she thinks so. Diane says she doesn’t know why she didn’t think it. Of course (🍷) they’re a perfect match, and not just for a courtroom stunt. She thinks they’ll be happy and better parents for Wiley. Let her know where they’re registered. Willow says she thinks she can speak for Michael. The only gift they need is knowing Wiley is safe from Nelle.
Carly tells Chase, she used to think people who were noble were stupid, that they were suckers. Until someone she loved and respected made a sacrifice for the sake of her child. She didn’t appreciate it at the time, until she realized their sacrifice changed everything. What they did made Michael’s life better. Chase hopes it works out that way for Wiley, and she says, her too. When the judge sees them, they’ll see two people who love Wiley, and would do anything to ensure he grows up in a loving safe home. So if he ever crosses paths with the person who made it happen, let them know she’ll always cherish their selfless actions. He says he will.
Charlotte tells Valentin, they put makeup on Sasha, and she looks beautiful. Valentin says, it sounds like she had fun, and Charlotte says she used to be mad at Sasha, but now she feels bad for her. She doesn’t think Sasha felt good, but she still took pictures. He says it’s good she has compassion. It’s not good to be angry and resentful. Charlotte thanks Nina, and Nina says she’ll see Charlotte again soon. If they ask nice, maybe her papa will let them have a girls night out. Laura and Jax come by, and Laura tells Charlotte, what a surprise, and asks for a hug. Nina tells Jax, sorry she’s late. She needed to make a special delivery. Jax says it’s good to see Laura, and she says him too, and thanks him again for his donation. She leaves, and Jax asks Nina what she wanted to talk to him about. She thanks him for providing the hand holding when she was worried about Nelle. He says, no thanks are required, and she says, but she can’t lean on him forever. It’s time to take control of her own life.
Maxie says everything is under control, and Lulu says Maxie would make an excellent general if she ever choses to join the Army. Sasha asks where she’s wanted, and Maxie says she’ll leave that up to the photographer. Lulu says, while they wait, can she ask come pre-photoshoot questions? Sasha says, like what? and Lulu says, nothing hard core. Her Invader audience would like to know what it’s like to launch a new business. Where does she imagine it’s going, and where does she see herself in five years? Sasha says she hasn’t thought that far ahead. She tries to take it one day at a time. She doesn’t know what tomorrow looks like, let alone five years from now. She starts to cry, and Maxie comes in. She asks what Lulu said to her, and Lulu says she was talking about the future. Maxie says the makeup artist probably left already. Give them a moment alone. She tells Sasha that Lulu shouldn’t have asked; Sasha probably has no idea how Chase fits into her future. Sasha says she and Chase aren’t together. Maxie says, she wants to help take care of Sasha’s personal life, but not today. Today, they’re businesswomen, and their future depends on the Deception launch. She has a crew who cost a fortune sitting around waiting. Sasha needs to pull herself together. She can have a cry afterward, and Maxie will hold her hand. Maxie gave up great career for this, and doesn’t want to regret it.
Carly sees Martin, and asks where his client is. Still sleeping under a rock? Martin doesn’t believe they’ve been formally introduced and introduces himself. She says she would say it’s a pleasure, but she’d be lying. He asks if she doesn’t believe everyone is entitled to a fair hearing and worthy representation. She says she believes in justice for those who deserve it. He says he couldn’t agree more, and she says she’ll have to tell her husband they have something in common. Her husband is Michael’s father. He does know Sonny Corinthos, doesn’t he?
Sasha dabs at her eyes, and flashes back to Michael berating her and Chase. Michael says he just has one question to start. How long has this been going on?
Anna tells Robert, she has no proof either way. Finn comes back, and Robert asks if Anna thinks Holly might still be alive. She says that’s exactly the reason why she didn’t tell him; he jumps to conclusions. If he thinks she’s doubting it, he’ll go chase ghosts like he always does. Robert tells Finn, once before they thought Holly was dead in a plane crash, but she’d been in a car crash. Then she tried to return to Port Charles to recover. Finn asks, for what reason? To face death again? Anna says, a ship went down; Holly isn’t the only one missing, and Robert says, there were discrepancies enough for Anna to discuss it with his brother. Which leads him to believe she’s not sure whether Holly is dead or not. Finn tells Robert not to get his hopes up, and Robert says, take heart. In the meantime, he has a call to make.
A woman comes into the dressing room, and Sasha says, tell Maxie she’ll be ready in a minute. The woman says she didn’t come for Maxie, and gives Sasha a vial of cocaine. She says, something to get through the shoot. Sasha says she doesn’t, and the woman says she doesn’t either, except for really tough days.
Chase sees Lulu, and asks if the photoshoot is over. Lulu says, Maxie gave everyone a break; she’s trying to salvage the day. He asks, what happened? and she says, Sasha was a mess. She overslept, was hungover, and can’t stop crying. He says, sorry, and she says, it’s too late for apologies. She thought he was a decent, but he was just good at hiding what a jerk he is. Maxie and Lucy put everything into this, and won’t just lose their investment, but their reputations. He asks what he can do, and she says, Sasha is in makeup. Tell her whatever he needs to, so they can move on.
Martin says he’s well-aware of Sonny’s history, and how those who displease him disappear. He’s sure Carly has been instructed on how not to make incriminating statements. She says she has no idea what he’s talking about. Her husband is a businessman like any other. He does have powerful connections though, and an ambitious lawyer could find them lucrative. Diane walks in with Michael and Willow. He says, Michael Corinthos and Willow Tate, and Willow says, it’s Corinthos now. Martin says, a sudden marriage before a court date; he’ll have to keep an eye on her. Diane says, who is she to stand in the way of a committed, stable union?
Valentin sees Laura sitting at his table. He asks to what he owes the pleasure, and she says she’s just checking in. How was the drop off? He says, without incident. Charlotte is in school, safe, and he’s going to pick her up to go riding. Laura is sure she’s thrilled, and he says, Lulu agreed to 50/50 custody. He appreciates whatever Laura said to her. She says he can thank his daughter. She ran away when she thought she’d be separated from him. He says he intended on letting her go for her own good, but he realized to Charlotte, it looked like abandonment, and he was afraid it would have the opposite effect. He was abandoned, and look what happened to him. He doesn’t want that for Charlotte. Laura says she doesn’t either. She persuaded Lulu to compromise for Charlotte’s sake. Don’t make her regret it.
Lulu tells Maxie that she sent Chase to talk to Sasha. Maxie asks if she thinks that will work, and Lulu says she thought anything he would say was an improvement on what they had to offer. It can’t get worse. Maxie says, Sasha is still in love with Michael. She blew up her life, and if she and Chase have a mutual meltdown, this is over.
Chase asks if it’s a bad day, and Sasha asks what he’s doing there. He says Carly came by to say how grateful she was for what they did. She asks if Carly admitted she knew, and he says, not in so many words. As hard as it’s been, Carly appreciates what she called their sacrifice. Sasha admits, she didn’t think it would be this hard, and he says, he didn’t either.
Nina tells Jax, she ran into Sasha. She’s not having a good morning, and Nina felt the need to comfort her. He says it doesn’t surprise him. Did she? She says she tried. She guesses Sasha is good. She dropped in on Deception, and Maxie was drowning in self-doubt, and she had the impulse to build Maxie’s confidence, and Charlotte still needs her. He says she’s like a second mother. She says, her point being, she told him that she didn’t want to go down that rabbit hole and look for her daughter. Denying her feelings didn’t help. He says, it’s not something you get over, and asks if she wants him to help find her child. She says, absolutely not.
In the courtroom, Diane asks what Carly said to Martin, and Carly says she was reminding him of who Michael’s father was. Diane says Carly can’t intimidate him. He’s going to do his level best to goad her, and show the judge how much she despises Nelle. He’s going to paint her as a domineering and controlling woman, who wants to wrest a son from his loving mother. Don’t let him. Martin comes in, and Diane says, underneath that southern charm is a shark ready for blood. Don’t forget. The judge arrives, and the bailiff says, the Honorable Judge Lowe is presiding, Willow asks Michael, where is Nelle? Everyone waits.
Finn says he’s never seen Robert so upset, and Anna says, he and Holly had a unique relationship. They’d fight and make up; she’d leave, and he’d go after her. He’s never stopped loving her. Finn says, that’s why Robert needs her to be alive, and she says she’s afraid he’ll lose himself in this desperate quest to find her. He asks if she thinks there’s a chance, but she says she doesn’t know. There’s always a question. Until her body is discovered, Holly isn’t gone.
Chase tells Sasha, when Michael is granted full custody, everything they did will be worth it. She says she’s been telling herself that, and he says, the truth is, Michael and Willow might never know the part they played, but they did a good thing. She says, he’s coping better than she is, and he asks if she’s kidding him. He could barely get out of bed. The Chief of Detectives called, looking for him. All he can thinks about is Willow’s smile and the sound of her voice. Sasha knows how he feels. She can’t get out of her own head, and now she’s going to relinquish her dream. He tells her, make the dream start happening today. She says, tell Maxie tell she’ll be right out. He leaves and she looks at herself in the mirror.
Laura says, it’s been proven Valentin isn’t a Cassadine, and he asks, what’s her point? She asks if Nikolas and Spencer are free of retribution. He says he’s not a fan of Nikolas, but he has no plans for that. They’re both safe. She says he’s been given a second chance. It’s rare, and right now he can decide who he wants to be. He says he won’t argue with that, and she says she hopes he uses it wisely, and becomes the man he was meant to be. He thanks her, and asks who that is exactly. She says, a man who puts his family first, before money and power. He asks if she thinks he could be that man, and she says, the question is, does he want to be?
Maxie tells Chase, Sasha needs to be at 100%; make that 200%. Is she okay? He says he thinks so, and she says, that doesn’t sound like 300%. He says he explained what matters, and she says it’s hard to believe he’s the same guy she thought he was; Lulu was right. Sasha comes out, and says, it’s time to make their dream come true with the face that launched a million sales for Deception. Maxie tells Chase, get out, and tells Sasha that she looks gorgeous. We see the makeup table, and the vial is empty. Brilliant of her to just leave it sitting there.
Nina tells Jax, she appreciates the offer, but she doesn’t need him or anyone else undertaking a journey that should be hers. If her daughter is out there, she’ll sure as hell find her herself.
On the phone in the hallway, Martin tells Nelle that he can’t stall any longer. Get here now. He goes back in, and thanks the judge, assuring him Nelle will be there soon, and sends her deepest apologies. Diane tells Michael and Willow not to get ahead of themselves. Michael asks what the best case is if Nelle doesn’t show, and she says, the judge already has the arguments. He could decide to rule in Michael’s favor if Nelle doesn’t show soon. Judge Lowe asks if Martin’s client is in the courthouse, and Martin says he’s sure she is. The judge says he has a busy calendar, and they’ve waited long enough.
Nelle dashes into the courtroom, wearing a wedding dress, and carrying a bouquet. She says she’s sorry she’s late. The most incredible thing happened. She shows everyone her ring.
On Monday, TJ tells Molly that they have to work on their life, Nelle introduces her new husband, Cyrus meets Ava, and Jordan tells Sonny to stay out of her investigation.
The Real Housewives of New York
Leah meets Dorinda, Sonja, and LuAnn, at a bench in the park. Elsewhere in the park, Sonja and Ramona meet for a walk. Tinsley goes to boxing training with instructor Mike. He asks how Tinsley is, and she says, good, but not great. He says, that’s better than last time, and we flash back to Tinsley weeping and overwhelmed, saying she wants to live her best life. She tells him that she’s in a better place, and she’s single now. In her interview, she says, Mike isn’t easy to talk to. He forces her to fight with her fists and her words. She tells him there’s tension with Dorinda over nothing. Dorinda is saying Tinsley isn’t being open. Mike asks, where do they get these names from? In Tinsley’s interview, she says she doesn’t know where to go with Dorinda. She wants it to be pleasant, but Dorinda likes to fight. Mike asks if they had a fight, and what happened.
Dorinda tells LuAnn and Leah that she’s done with Tinsley. Tinsley is like a mint in her mouth; gone. In Leah’s interview, she says for someone Dorinda isn’t interested in, she spends a lot of time talking about Tinsley.
Tinsley tells Mike, they all jump in, and she can’t say anything. He tells her, he’s Dorito, and they’re going to box. Ha-ha! Loving Mike. He punches at Tinsley, and she cringes. He tells her, take it like a doormat. He asks why she’s unhappy, and she says she’s not. He wonders if that’s why she was crying the last time she was there, and she says she’s confused. She tells Mike, she’s done.
LuAnn tells Dorinda that Tinsley has an overbearing mother from the South, and she needs to be accepted for who she is.
Ramona tells Sonja, Dorinda is hard on Tinsley. She thinks something is going on with Dorinda, and Sonja suggests she’s jealous. In Sonja’s interview, she says, Tinsley is taken care of, and Rich took care of Dorinda. She misses that life. Ramona says, they’re all devoid of partners now, and Dorinda misses the past. Sonja says, when John tries to help Dorinda, she tells him she’s got this. It’s a different relationship, and her time with Richard was cut short. In Ramona’s interview, she says comparing Richard and John is like comparing apples and oranges. Richard graduated from Harvard, and she doesn’t know if John even graduated from anywhere.
Mike tells Tinsley that she has a down face. What’s the antidote? WTF does she want to do? Tinsley says she doesn’t know, but he says she’s known all along. She’s a legend. There will never be another Tinsdale. She says there isn’t one to begin with. Her name is Tinsley. I don’t think she gets his humor. She certainly doesn’t get that you have to hit back in boxing.
LuAnn visits Leah’s apartment. In Leah’s interview, she says she and LuAnn have shared similar obstacles, and are kindred spirits. LuAnn says she brought her food. She’s starving and thought Leah might be hungry. In LuAnn’s interview, a producer asks what she thinks of Leah’s apartment, and LuAnn asks if they really want to know, and laughs. She tells Leah, it’s really cool. Leah shows LuAnn around, and says, since Kier is only there half the time, she took all the closets. In her interview, LuAnn adds that she loves how humble Leah is. In Leah’s interview, she says, most people are impressed, unless they’re in the 1%. She’s not, and there’s no shame in that. It’s not about the size, it’s about the vibe. She says she heard LuAnn drank at the comedy show, and LuAnn says she thought it was water, and she was thirsty, but it was vodka. She took two sips or three, and went on stage. She was okay, but she never had a big problem. Except for falling into a bush on a crazy girls trip. We flash back to the gift that keeps on giving. LuAnn says she feels if she wants a drink at this point, she can. Leah says that’s how she feels too. For years, she didn’t drink because she’d been told it was death in a bottle, but she doesn’t believe it. She’s been in hell when she wasn’t drinking, with being over-medicated and in toxic relationships. In Leah’s interview, she says, you’re told you have no control, and it’s not empowering; it’s bullsh*t. It’s just a drink. What’s it going to do? We flash back to a naked Leah flinging tiki torches around, and yelling at Sonja. Leah tells LuAnn, she was in a different place when she stopped, and she’s done a lot of work on herself. LuAnn says she has to give herself a break. She’s been listening to herself, and it feels nice to give herself permission to say what she wants. She has a sense of control. In her interview, LuAnn says she lives moment by moment, and in that moment, she wanted vodka. It’s not a big deal. She’s taken off the life jacket, and she’s getting in the pool with the ladies. I used to work for Al-Anon, and I keep thinking of their pamphlet, A Merry-go-round Named Denial. LuAnn asks if Leah saw the Page Six article about Dorinda.
Sonja sees Dorinda on a bench in the park, and asks about the article. Dorinda brings it up on her phone, and it says she’s taking a break from long time boyfriend John. Dorinda wonders if Ramona planted it. In her interview, Dorinda says break-ups are terrible, but she had to do what was best for herself. Her expectation levels have grown, and she needs to find the right partner whose willing to be engaged that way. She tells Sonja there was no fight, but John feels bad because they love each other. She just feels like she’s grown so fast.
The article makes the rounds. LuAnn tells Leah, Dorinda needed John; he was there to pick up the pieces, and helped her at a bad time. She has nothing against him, but Dorinda feels like she’s outgrown him. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, it’s weird to find out about it on Page Six. In Leah’s interview, she says she knows more about Richard than she does about John. What does that say? In Sonya’s interview, she says, now Dorinda is single like the rest of them. In Ramona’s interview, she says she knew before Dorinda did. She’s not surprised. In Tinsley’s interview, she says, them finding out on Page Six, after Dorinda made such a big deal about sharing things makes her a hypocrite. Sonja tells Dorinda that they need to take care of themselves. Dorinda says she needs a house cat rather than one where, when the door opens, he dashes out. LuAnn thinks they need to do something to take Dorinda’s mind off of the breakup. She knows an apple picking place. In her interview, LuAnn says they need to take full advantage of the breakup, and forget the city for a day. She tells Leah that she needs a bigger coffee table.
The women get in a luxury van, and Ramona she’s excited for the trip. LuAnn says, it’s an orchard. They’re going to have lunch by the pumpkin patch, and there’s a corn maze, pumpkin picking, a hayride, and they’ll have a winery tasting later. There’s also a store that sells pies and apple cider donuts. It’s a perfect day for it. Ramona says, it’s gorgeous. In Sonya’s interview, she says she’s excited to be with the girls. She’s not excited to drink more wine though. She just wants to have a healthy day.
The van arrives at Weed Orchards and Winery. Tinsley says, it’s never too early for wine. It’s called breakfast wine, and it’s normal. Funny. I’ve never heard of it. Dorinda gets excited about the petting zoo. Ramona says only Tinsley would wear heels to an orchard. Dorinda brings out a glass that’s almost as big as she is, and says they’re just going to have one glass. In her interview, Sonja says she wasn’t of the mindset to drink, but she’s with her girls, so hell to the no. She’s not missing out. They have lunch, and Ramona toasts to good girlfriends. I’m guessing those girlfriends must be on some other show. Sonja takes pictures, and Ramona asks Dorinda what’s going on with John. Dorinda says she’s not the person that John met; she’s changed. Ramona says Dorinda was broken when they met. Dorinda says it’s been a good process. It made her reevaluate things. In her interview, she says, going through the process with the house flooding, and making the decision about John, she was able to mourn Richard for the first time. Hannah is out of the house, and she’s decided to be alone for the first time, and she’s okay with it. She tells the women, it’s not easy to open herself up to criticism, and Tinsley mumbles, it’s called sharing. In her interview, she calls bullsh*t. Tinsley tells Dorinda that saying she might get judged makes her a hypocrite, and Dorinda tells Tinsley, don’t comment. She has gum that’s lasted longer than Tinsley’s relationships. She calls Tinsley invisible, and in Ramona’s interview, she says, Dorinda has outbursts of anger, but her anger at Tinsley is the worst. Elyse wants them to say something nice about each other. In her interview, Ramona thinks Dorinda is using Tinsley as a punching bag to be so vicious, but she’s glad, since she doesn’t want it to happen to her. Nice. Dorinda makes fun of Tinsley crying, and Tinsley says Dorinda sounds like a bully and mean. In Leah’s interview, she says, if this is Dorinda when she’s not interested in Tinsley, what does Dorinda being interested in Tinsley look like? She tells Dorinda, they should be holding each other up, not bringing each other down, but Dorinda says she can’t deal with dumbness. I guess she can’t deal with a dictionary either, since I assume she means stupidity and not being mute. Tinsley says Dorinda is a bully, and Dorinda says, don’t be judging her. Tinsley says she doesn’t judge Dorinda, and Ramona tells Tinsley, calm down. Tinsley, who has moved into screeching, says, let her finish. Dorinda sarcastically says she’s scared, and asks LuAnn to protect her. Sonja asks why Tinsley is getting in on the conversation, because she’s probably too drunk already to understand what’s going on outside of the world in her head. Tinsley says, for someone who doesn’t care about her, Dorinda says a lot of sh*t about her. She doesn’t like being ganged up on. She leaves the table, and LuAnn follows. She tells Tinsley not to cry. She’s been there, and don’t let them see you cry. Tinsley says she can’t say anything without Dorinda saying something.
Elyse thinks Dorinda is grieving, and Dorinda tells Elyse to stop analyzing her. She’s not mean or unkind. Um… In Elyse’s interview, she says she’s not analyzing Dorinda; she’s frightened of Dorinda. You don’t have to be a psychologist to see she’s mean. Tinsley tells LuAnn that she’s suffered, and if she’s yelling, it’s because she’s upset. LuAnn says Dorinda has a lot of anger toward Tinsley, but she doesn’t know why. Dorinda tells Leah that Tinsley should just be compassionate, and talk to her some other time. She knew she was triggering Dorinda, saying she was being a bitch. If Tinsley wants a bitch, she’s got one. In Leah’s interview, she says, the group, especially Dorinda, is hard on Tinsley for not being forthcoming, but she can understand why Tinsley would mutter under her breath. Leah says they all have kids, which is something Tinsley wants. Dorinda says she buried a husband – like we don’t already know – and she wanted to die. Leah says she got a family, and was loved. Dorinda says, it was a terrible day, and starts to cry. Leah sits next to her, and says she and Tinsley have nothing in common; she gets it. Dorinda wails that she came to the realization that she’s 55, and this is not what she planned. Honey, I’ve got news for you, most of our lives aren’t what we planned. She says she did everything right. She’s a good mother, and not dishonest, and this is what she gets. In her interview, Leah says she has the utmost sympathy, but what does that have to do with Tinsley? Dorinda says she almost became an alcoholic (almost became?), and realized she didn’t like who she saw in the mirror. Leah says she likes Dorinda because she’s real. LuAnn says they’re going on a hayride if it kills them.
Tinsley talks to herself as she changes into sneakers, and says every time she tries, she’s squashed, and has to sit in the corner. Dorinda says, it’s the best time she’s ever had, and talks to the goats. Now I’m confused. Tinsley tells Leah that she wants to climb a tree. She wonders if they’re allowed, and Leah says, who cares? No one will know. Tinsley asks if climbing trees solves problems, and Leah says, it does. In her interview, Leah says, she’d rather be smoking trees, but the Weed Orchard is apparently just an orchard. Tinsley climbs up, and says she can see the world. In her interview, she says she’s mad at herself for letting Dorinda get to her, and getting breaking down crying mad. She let Dorinda rile her up. LuAnn comes along, and says they need to find the girls for the hayride.
They sit in the wagon, and after they get going, Sonja demands to go faster. LuAnn says this was just a way to get them off the lunch table; they’re going to a corn maze. Dorinda says she doesn’t need a maze. In Ramona’s interview, she says, who needs to get more lost? When they get there, Sonja confuses eggplants for pot plants. She tries chatting up the owner, but he’s not having it. Elyse, Ramona, and Dorinda head into the maze, and a woman who works there says they’re going the wrong way. LuAnn asks, which way is the right one? and goes in with Tinsley, Sonja, and Leah. Sonja shucks some corn, and puts it in her bag, saying she’s friends with the owner. LuAnn say she doesn’t know where the hell she’s going, and Sonja wonders what the goal is. She says, if they follow LuAnn, they’ll never get out. Sonja squats to pee, and Leah says she’s fertilizing the soil. LuAnn suggests holding it, but Leah says it’s not good for your bladder. LuAnn doesn’t know how good corn shucks are for it either. In her interview, Lean says, there are two Sonja’s. Miss Morgan, who lives on the Upper East Side, hates tattoos, and comes from old money; and turnip Sonja, who she loves. She has the feeling if both Sonjas met, they wouldn’t like each other. Dorinda says, just lose Tinsley. She’d be good as a corn stalk. My God, that woman is obsessed. In Dorinda’s interview, she says the maze is fun, but they can get out any time now. It’s time to get back to the maze of drinks. She and her group find a gazebo, and Dorinda says they’ll wait until they’re rescued.
On the way back, Sonja asks the owner how much money he makes. Dorinda thanks Ramona for listening, and Ramona say Dorinda is in pain. So was Mario. The reason he cheated was because he felt inadequate. In Ramona’s interview, she says, Dorinda needs to focus on herself, not the reason her relationship with John is over. It’s okay to move on. In Dorinda’s interview, she says, endings are painful, but sometimes breakups are good, healthy, and needed. It’s easy to fall back into old habits, and then what? She tells Ramona that John will always have a seat at her dinner table. She never wants someone to say their life was less than because of her (except Tinsley?). She wants them to say their life was better for having met her. Ramona says they blessed each other’s lives, and in her interview, says, it’s something Dorinda needs to work out. She’s suffering.
Back at the main house, the women have some fruit, cheese, and wine. In LuAnn’s interview, she says, when Sonja drinks, she loses it, and becomes a caricature of herself. Ramona says Sonja is needy, and asks when was the last time she had sex? Sonja says she got pounded last night. They discuss d*ck pics, and in LuAnn’s interview, she says she doesn’t like to shop online. She likes to touch and feel things, so d*ck pics don’t do it for her. Tinsley asks why it has to just be about that; what about loving each other? Sonja says Tinsley would do anything for d*ck if it brings her a bracelet. Why Tinsley doesn’t haul off and smack Sonja is beyond me. Elyse says when she’s not in a relationship, she misses being held, and Sonja says they all want sex. LuAnn says, it’s time to go.
Next time, the women take an exercise class and do some Russian banya (it’s like a sauna plus), Ramona says Dorinda has a pattern, and Dorinda gets nasty with Ramona.
👨🏾🍳 On Top Chef, everyone was bummed about Kevin leaving, and we flashed back on his moments. The chefs were taken to a summer camp, in the mountains outside of L.A., where Padma welcomed them, and introduced guest judge Kelsey Barnard Clark, who was the Top ChefKentucky winner. Padma said that being out in nature made her excited for grilling season to begin. In honor of summer, the Quickfire challenge was to make a dish featuring Bush beans, choosing from a variety of options. Kelsey told them, get creative, have fun, and make a delicious meal. The winner would get $10K, courtesy of Bush beans. The chefs had thirty minutes. Lee Anne came out the winner for how she incorporated the beans in her dish, and her chef skills.
Padma told the chefs, they were not alone. A mom’s group was there for a weekend away from their kids, and to act like kids, and they were to send them off with full bellies and an unforgettable experience. The chefs were to work together to create a Sunday brunch buffet for 200 mothers. Another previous winner, Brook Williamson, would also be a guest judge. Kelsey wanted an impressive buffet, and Padma said each of them had to make two dishes. They had four hours to prep and cook for a 9 am meal, using whatever ingredients the camp had. Beforehand, they got to have some downtime with camp activities, like zip lining and bungie jumping.
For the 9 o’clock brunch, the chefs had to get up at 4 am. Lee Anne said she couldn’t sleep, hearing the karaoke going on below. They were a little disappointed in the lack of diversity in the camp pantry. Karen said there wasn’t much diversity and not a lot of ingredients. Melissa said it was straight up Hunger Games.
Bryan, Geoffrey, and Karen had the best dishes, and Karen came out the winner. The least favorite dishes came from Lee Anne, Melissa, and Brian full of Malarkey. Tom said they were at the place in the competition where mental mistakes start to happen. Lee Anne had to pack her knives and go, but she said it wasn’t over, since shed crushed it before in Last Chance Kitchen. That $10K probably wasn’t a bad consolation prize either. In her interview, she said she was moving into the next phase of her career, and life. After being a mom for five years, she was dusting off the cobwebs.
Next time, the chefs cook for Olympic athletes, and (gasp!) a piece of shell is found in the crab.
😵 Sleepwalking…
I’m way tired, since my sick child dog is back from the hospital, and needs a lot of care right now, so I’m saving the tea for tomorrow. The Shahs reunion remains a mystery, and I’m starting to wonder if they ever really existed. So for now, stay safe, stay keeping it real, and stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Chase is in the shower, and turns to find Willow. He asks, what about Michael? and she says she couldn’t stay away. It will always be him. They kiss, and he wakes up. Willow wakes at the Quartermaines, sees the rings on the nightstand, and remembers the wedding.
Brook says, dumb question, and asks Michael if he got any sleep. He says he did. His body must have known it had to be rested. She asks, honestly, how is he feeling? and he says, honestly, he feels ready. She says she admires him. He did what he had to do to win custody of Wiley. Now he’s married. They’re not all so lucky. He says it will happen for her, and she says, yeah? When? He says, one day when Leo is hitched, and she’s old and grey. She throws a roll at him, and says she’ll never grow grey. Willow teaches sick children, and gave up her baby to protect him from Shiloh. Not to mention that she’s sweet, kind, and drop dead gorgeous. She’s perfect for him, and a perfect stepmother for Wiley. In the end, that’s all that matters.
Ava brings Avery to see Mike, and Avery shows him her drawings. Mike recognizes himself, and Avery asks how he knew. He points to his bald head.
Olivia says she didn’t expect Carly to be in, and Carly says she didn’t expect to be there. She was sitting at home, climbing the walls, and figured she might as well make herself useful. Olivia asks if she can do anything, and Carly suggests dropping a house on Nelle. Olivia says she’s fresh out of tornados, but she can lend support. Carly asks if she has any words of wisdom on mother-in-law-hood. Olivia sees Lulu walk in with Dustin, and says, bite your tongue, exercise patience, and slap on a smile.
Robert rolls off the couch in his sleep, and wonders where he is. Laura walks in, and asks if she should be offended that he doesn’t remember. She tells him, good morning, sunshine, and he’s like, ugh.
Michael tells Brook, he and Wiley hit the jackpot with Willow. She’s everything they could hope for. Brook says, but… and he says he knows how much it’s costing her. How much she’s given up. She lost the man she loves. Brook says, that’s Chase and Sasha’s fault, not his. He says, Willow has sacrificed a lot, and thought she’d spend the rest of her life with Chase. Brook says, Chase turned out to be a giant tool, but even if he’d walked on water, Willow would still be trading up. Not because he’s loaded – although that’s a plus – but he’s an amazing guy. Speaking as a single woman, he’s smart, funny, loyal, would never cheat, and always puts family first. That’s not as important for all women though; some want stardom. She sees Willow, and says, but Willow has enough sense to appreciate him, right?
Chase scrolls through pictures of him and Willow. Mac calls, and asks if all his bones are broken. Chase says, no, and Mac asks if he stopped on the way to work to pull a cat out of a tree. Chase says, no, and Mac says, why isn’t he there in the squad room? Chase says he’ll be there in ten minutes, and jumps out of bed.
Laura gives Robert some coffee, and he asks where Doc is. She says he’s wrapping up an overnight shift at the psyche ward. Robert says she doesn’t want him in her hair, but she says, that’s all right. They have plenty of time to pick up where they left off. Robert asks where did they leave off? and she says, it’s kind of what you’d expect from two old friends with a lot of history, comradery, and chemistry. He puts his head in his hands, and she laughs. She says he showed up falling down drunk, and she managed to get him to the couch. She gave him a blanket and water, and went to bed. He says she’s a vision of true evilness, and she says she’s been called worse. She’d like him to tell her what brought him to her door in the middle of the night. Or is he going to make her guess?
Carly says she takes it Olivia isn’t a fan of Mr. Phillips. He’s Josslyn’s teacher, so that’s how she thinks of him. Olivia says it’s better than she thinks. Lulu and Dustin approach the bar, and Olivia asks if it’s a breakfast date. Lulu says Dustin gave her a ride to work; he’s meeting Brook there. They want to get a quick look at the ballroom, so they can prepare for the Nurses Ball. Dustin says he’d also like to ask Olivia about her culinary expertise, and Lulu says, Rocco needs cupcakes, and Dustin volunteered to oversee it. Carly asks if he cooks, and he says, not as well as Olivia. Rocco has a new recipe, but they feel it’s off. Olivia asks what the occasion is, and Lulu says, it’s for Take Your Dad to School Day.
Ava tells Avery to show her grandfather some of her other masterpieces. She steps into the hallway with Sonny, and he says he didn’t know she was coming by today. She says they dropped in, and hopes it’s okay. He says, Avery never needs permission to see her grandfather. How’s he been? She says, he took a while to warm up, but he’s been smiling ever since. He’s not talking too much though. Sonny says he hasn’t been talking a lot lately, and asks if Avery is scared. She says, no; Avery is fine. She’s had some experience with her mom being in Shadybrook. She’s so young, she doesn’t understand Alzheimer’s or what happened or what’s to come. Being there doesn’t make Avery sad like it might the older kids. She’s just spending time with her grandfather and loving him.
Olivia asks if Dustin is going to be there on dad school day, and Lulu says, that’s the plan. Olivia tells him to send the recipe, and she’ll get back to him. Carly asks to talk to Dustin about Josslyn’s curriculum, and they step into the hallway. Lulu asks Olivia if something is wrong, and Olivia says she could say that. Lulu has only known Dustin a year, if that. What’s going on? Is she actively trying to erase Dante from Rocco’s life?
Ava asks Sonny how Mike is doing. She takes it this is a good day. He says the good days are fewer and far between, so he’s stopped measuring the bad days, and stays in the moment. He keeps wondering if Mike is having coherent thoughts that he can’t voice, or has any thoughts at all. He just kind of rolls with it. Sometimes Mike makes a precise observation. Ava says that’s when Sonny knows his father is still in there. She owes Sonny and Mike an apology.
Laura says she can’t believe Holly is dead, and Robert says he’s been trying to put it together himself. How could someone like that – Laura says, young and full of life – be gone; cease to exist. She says she’s sorry, and he says he’s the one who should be sorry for dragging her out of bed. She says, it’s fine, and he says they’re talking about a person she didn’t have the greatest relationship with. She says, that was a long time ago, and people who are important to her cared about Holly; him at the top of the list. Was she ill? He says, it would be easier if that was the truth. She was on a ship that went down in a storm. Laura doesn’t remember hearing about a ship sinking, and he says she won’t. It was no ordinary ship. She asks if it was with the WSB, and he says Holly was doing contract work for them. He doesn’t know the nature. Another one of Holly’s secrets.
On the phone with Anna, Mac asks where’s the rest of the folder he’s looking at? There’s nothing there. Let him know if she turns up anything. Chase runs in, and says, sorry. Mac asks if Chase needs a day off. He senses even though Chase is there, he has something to take care of. Do it for all their sakes.
Brook tells Michael, good luck at the hearing. She says they won’t need it though. One look at them, and the judge will know Wiley belongs with them. She goes upstairs, and Michael tells Willow, he’s sorry Brook put her on the spot; she has a flair for drama. Willow says, really? She hadn’t noticed. He says, it’s funny how everyone is talking them up to each other. She says, you’d think they defy gravity, and he says he already knows how incredible she is.
Carly says she knows Dustin is a nice guy, and appreciates what he’s done for Josslyn. She doesn’t think he knows how fraught the situation is, and how hard it is on Olivia that Lulu is moving on, and not leaving room in her life for Dante. He doesn’t think that’s necessarily true, and she says she’s not judging. Lulu is her cousin, and Carly knows her. Her decision to move on is the right decision. It’s full steam ahead, which is great for Lulu, but she doesn’t think Lulu understands how it affects Olivia. She knows he can’t understand, but if her daughter-in-law walked in and casually mentioned she was bringing another man to Bring Your Dad to School Day, instead of his dad, Carly would kick her to the curb with half her hair pulled out of her head. Rocco’s dad isn’t a deadbeat who walked out, but has a severe case of PTSD, so she can imagine how hard it is for Olivia.
Lulu tells Olivia, no one is trying to erase Dante; it’s what she calls making Rocco happy. Olivia says he could have been happy with Sonny or Michael or with the mailman. Lulu says, when the day rolled around, Rocco didn’t want to feel left out. He came to them, and they sat down and decided together. Dustin is going to be Rocco’s honorary uncle, and he’s going to wear a Yankees hat to represent Dante. Olivia tears up, and says she wishes Lulu would have told her what she was doing. Lulu says it’s really what Rocco wants, and she thinks they both know it’s what Dante would want too.
Robert tells Laura that he and Holly haven’t seen too much of each other in the last few years. And when they did, it wasn’t always friendly circumstances. Laura says, Holly broke Robert’s heart and ran away with a piece of it. Part of him thought he’d get it back one day, and he has to accept that’s not going to happen.
Michael says he has something to say to Willow, and she says, her too. He tells her, ladies first, but she says, no; him. He says he made a promise to do whatever it takes to get custody of Wiley. Now that they’re married, it’s important that they tell the truth. The truth is, if he was going in without her as his wife, he’d be very, very nervous, but with her, he knows he’s going to win. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe in a counter-suit six months from now. It’s not going be easy. She says, the twists and turns are constant with Nelle, and Michael says, but they will get custody of Wiley. Her turn. She says she heard what he said to Brook, and she needs him to know that she doesn’t regret this. She can’t, and never will. Now she has to get ready for court. Her first appearance as Mrs. Michael Corinthos. She has to look the part.
Ava tells Sonny, when she wanted to press charges against Mike for kidnapping, she had so much going on, but that was no excuse. It was the wrong thing to do, and she deeply regrets it. She’s sorry. He appreciates that, and appreciates her bringing their daughter to see her grandpa. She says, anytime; she means that. They go back into Mike’s room, and Avery is drawing. She says look what she and grandpa made. Ava asks if they did it together, and Avery says, grandpa told her what to do and she did it. Ava says, it’s wonderful. It’s a boy on a bike, and Ava asks who it is. Mike says, his son, and Ava asks if Mike taught his son to ride. Avery says, daddy taught her, and Ava says, the best dads do that. They need to say goodbye; she has to get Avery to school. Avery hugs Mike, and Sonny tells her to have a great time. He tells Mike, what say they put it up on the wall? Out in the hallway, Avery asks if Ava will ever forget her like grandpa forgot daddy. Ava says, even if that happens, it will be far in the future when Avery has a family of her own. Avery asks if she’ll ever forget Ava, and Ava says, just try.
Dustin thanks Olivia for the advice, and she says, anytime. Brook asks if he wants to tour the ballroom, and Dustin says give him a minute. Carly asks Brook how Michael and Willow are, and she says, calm and focused. She can’t figure out Chase; she didn’t peg him for a cheater. The worst part is, he broke Willow’s heart, and now he’s walking around with puppy dog eyes; the guy who arrested her three times. She thought he was better than that. Carly says, Brook was arrested three times? and Brook says, the most recent was yesterday. She had the audacity to call out Sasha, and accidentally bopped her on the nose. Chase gave her a ticket, and she tore it up, like any sensible person would, and he hauled her to the station. Talk about a headcase. Carly says, excuse her, and Brook wonders if it was something she said.
Olivia says Lulu can’t get into Dante’s head, and doesn’t know what he’d want. Lulu says, maybe not the Dante he is today, but she has no doubt the Dante she knew before everything happened would want his son to feel safe with a man as good and kind as Dustin. She thanks Dustin for the ride, and leaves.
Sonny says he got Mike something. It was Jason’s idea. He puts earbuds on Mike, and says, it’s all his favorites; Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, Frankie Avalon, The Platters. He knows Mike hated his taste in music, and said he didn’t know about the classics, but he always knew when Mike was around. When he came home, his mom would put the Platters on. Sonny turns on the iPod, and Mike says, it’s loud. Sonny takes the earbuds off, and says, sorry. They’ll do this another time. Maybe one night when Avery comes to visit. What does he think of Sonny’s little girl? Mike laughs, and Sonny says he’s got to ask something. He needs to know what Mike wants, because next time he asks, Mike might not be able to say. Does he want help? Does he want to stay? Mike looks dreamy, and Sonny says, or does he want to go? The doctor pops in, and asks to speak to Sonny. Sonny tells Mike that he’ll be right back.
Chase tells Mac that he doesn’t need time off, but Mac says his record suggests otherwise. He’s arrested Brook three times. Chase says she was combative and belligerent, and Mac says, she’s a Quartermaine. They’re born that way. Chase asks if they’re supposed to get special treatment, and Mac tells him, get some perspective. Three times in three months? The review board might see it as abuse of power.
Laura tells Robert, she doesn’t mince words. Isn’t that why he came there. He says he drank too much, and gave the wrong address to Ride Share. She says, if he didn’t want it straight, he wouldn’t have come to her. He needs to grieve Holly, and say goodbye. She hugs him.
Dustin tells Olivia, he can’t imagine how difficult the situation is for her, and he doesn’t want to be an impediment to her relationship with Lulu and Rocco. He doesn’t want to take Dante’s place. She respects his willingness to put himself on the line. He says, it’s a strange position to find himself in, and she says, it’s just the way it is.
Lulu visits Laura, and says, sorry to just show up. Laura says, Lulu is her daughter. She can show up whenever she wants. Lulu says she needs advice. She thinks she just blew her relationship with Rocco’s other grandmother.
Sonny asks the doctor if a feeding tube will hurt his dad, and the doctor says they’ll provide pain medication, and keep Mike as comfortable as possible. The greater challenge is, it might further disorient him. He’s stopped eating, and without a tube, they can’t supply proper nutrition. Sonny asks what he recommends, and the doctor says, some patients make provision for life extending measures, but Mike left the decision up to Sonny. Sonny says he needs time to think, and the doctor says, of course (🍷). Michael arrives, and Sonny says he thought Michael was at court. Michael says he had time to see grandpa and tell him that he got married. Does Sonny want to talk? Sonny says they’ll do it after. They want to keep his dad alive with a feeding tube, and he doesn’t know if it’s what Mike would want, or would he want to let go? Michael says if Sonny can, he should ask Mike, and Sonny says, what if he can’t? Michael says, Sonny knows what his dad would want more than anyone, and Mike trusts that. Sonny says, selfishly, he’s not ready for Mike to go, and to be honest, he doesn’t think Mike is ready. It’s easy to say, but what if Mike wants to stick around and see his granddaughter, and see Michael and Wiley? What if he doesn’t want to die?
Robert goes into the station, and Mac asks if he’s wearing the same clothes that he had on yesterday. Robert says he is, and Mac says, interrogation room, now. They go into the room, and Mac says, what happened? He put Robert in a cab. Robert believes he washed up on Laura’s couch. Mac says, the mayor? and Robert says he felt like doing work to get his mind off of things. Mac says Robert isn’t working; take the day off. And take this with him. He hands Robert a folder, and Robert asks what it is. Mac says, a heavily redacted report from the WSB on Holly’s death. Robert asks why it’s so redacted, and Mac says, read it and see.
Willow comes into the station, and stands in front of Chase’s desk.
Robert says, it’s all black; there’s nothing here. Mac says, look closer, and see what he and Anna did. Robert says he has a screaming headache, and Mac says, there’s more to Holly’s death than what’s there. He and Anna aren’t convinced the ship accidentally went down.
Carly tells Brook, Olivia is Dante’s mother, and mothers don’t move on the same way. Sadly for Olivia, she might be waiting for Dante to come home for the rest of her life, and she’ll have to accept it
Olivia thanks Dustin, and he says he appreciates it. She says she’s not going to pretend it’s easy, but she’s happy Lulu found someone like him; a decent person. He thanks her, and says, it means a lot. She says, just so she’s clear, Dante is her son, and she’ll never give up on him. She’ll never stop hoping and praying, and doing everything in her power to bring him home. Dustin says they want the same things. Brook comes by, and says, shall we? She asks if Dustin needs a drink, but he says, it’s not even noon. She says, he knows what they say; it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
Michael asks Sonny how long Mike hasn’t been eating, and Sonny says, a few days. It’s not like he’s starving himself on purpose. It’s almost like he’s forgotten how to eat. When Mike was with Avery, he was so happy. Sonny could see it. Sometimes he thinks it would be easier for him to let it be over, but it’s not what he wants. It’s what his dad wants. With Avery, Mike had a moment; more than a moment, a connection. If keeping him alive – Sonny cries a little – if keeping him alive five more months will give him five more of those moments, who is he to say Mike can’t have that?
Chase asks what Willow is doing there, and she says, it’s probably not the place, but she has something to tell him that can’t wait. She and Michael got married last night. She didn’t want him to hear it from anyone else. He asks, why? and she says she thought it would hurt less coming from her. He asks if it matters to her what he thinks, and she says, it always will. Goodbye. He calls her back, and says, good luck in court today. She thanks him, and walks out. Carly walks in, and looks at Chase.
Tomorrow, Robert tells Anna that he wants to prove Holly was murdered, Valentin tells Martin that he’s closer than the Quartermaines realize, Chase asks why Carly is there, and Maxie says someone has five minutes to get there.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
The bickering continued at Denise’s dinner party. Sutton tried to explain to Dorit, that her saying she had a life resonated with Kyle. Since trying to explain anything to Dorit is like explaining something to a hamster, Dorit insisted she didn’t say it that way. She did. Kyle said it was offensive, and then made the mistake of informing Dorit that other people had lives, or as Garcelle put it in her interview, everybodyhas stuff. LisaR compounded things by saying that Kyle blindly supported others, but Kyle said, even when it was her sister Kim, she’d supported LisaR. LisaR said that wasn’t always the case, and cited her nasty impression of Erika Jayne at the party where she harassed Kim. This actually supported the argument that Kyle didn’t blindly give support, since it varied by the situation. Why Kyle didn’t say this was beyond me, but instead, she said, f*** you all, and removed herself from the situation. Teddi followed, which everyone else took as evidence of said blind support. In Dorit’s interview, she said, Kyle is upset; cue Teddi. In Denise’s interview, she said Kyle needed to be the center of attention and was childish. It pissed her off. While I totally agree that Kyle grabbed that crown and ran with it this season, I can’t blindly support Denise in this instance, since it was a case of the gang-up style the ladies love. Dorit reminded everyone that Kyle had called them fake-ass bitches. Teddi returned, and told them when someone was upset and crying, barraging them with questions didn’t make the situation better. Letting them recover was just common decency. LisaR insisted that talking honestly was the better choice, but with this bunch, that’s usually code for talking smack. Teddi said, when someone is upset, let them be, and LisaR said, but she wanted to fix things. Right.
Amelia had come back home, and she and sister Delilah had created a new clothing line called DNR. A launch party was planned, and LisaR horned in on the photo shoot. I think we can safely say, every single one of them wants to be the center of attention. Except maybe Denise.
Erika met Denise for coffee, and Denise said she hadn’t liked where the conversation was going at the party in front of her kids. Her oldest daughter Sami overheard them arguing over threesomes. In Denise’s interview, she said she didn’t want the kids’ friends going home and repeating what they heard. They’ve never been that house. She told Erika that she wasn’t thrilled with Kyle yelling, f*** off to everyone before she stomped away. Erika thought Kyle was under a lot of pressure when everyone came at her. In her interview, Denise said, bitch, we all have a lot going on. That’s no excuse to be an a-hole. Truth! She told Erika that she’d sent out a thank you to everyone, and Kyle was the only one who didn’t respond. Denise said Kyle must consider her one of those fake-ass bitches.
Garcelle had a birthday party for her twin boys, and in her interview, she said that kids’ parties in Beverly Hills were usually over-the-top, but her kids were fine with donuts and ice cream. Her ex-husband Mike was there, and they seem to get along quite well. In Garcelle’s interview, she said, after the divorce, she put things together quickly to co-parent, so the kids weren’t damaged. They didn’t see the ugly side of divorce. She told Mike that the kids were getting older, and it was freaking her out.
The women made plans to have cocktails at Erika’s pied-à-terre, go to the DNR launch, and then go out to dinner. Kyle didn’t want to be piled on again, but decided to suck it up and go. LisaR’s mom Lois, who is probably the only one who isn’t a fake-ass bitch, along with Denise, joined them. LisaR sort of apologized to Kyle, and Kyle insisted she didn’t blindly defend people, citing the example of standing up for Dorit at the expense of her friendship with LVP. She said she defended what was right. LisaR said Kyle was there when it matters, In Kyle’s interview, she said she thought LisaR’s apology was genuine, but also motivated by wanting them at her daughters’ event. LisaR said the event was going to be a collaboration, and they’d see when they got there. Sutton was concerned the collab was with LisaR’s makeup artist, who she had issues with. When they got there, she made the huge mistake of telling Dorit that she might freak out, which caused Dorit to be concerned about what Sutton might do. Like Sutton has a reputation for tossing wine glasses at people. I’m talking to you, LisaR.
LisaR hoped her daughters inherited her hustling gene. In her interview, she said she thought they’d gotten Harry’s intelligence and her hustle. They’d hit the gene lottery. The collaboration turned out to be with The Fat Jewish, and Sutton breathed a sigh of relief. Sutton explained in her interview, that she’d been worried it was with Joey Maalouf, at one time a mutual friend of hers and LisaR’s. He and Sutton went into business together, and apparently there had been some problems, which Sutton didn’t go into details about. She said the business survived, but she and Joey had a falling out. Kyle explained she had left Denise’s party because she wasn’t having a good time in that moment. In Denise’s interview, she said she loved Kyle’s half-assed apology, and Kyle only cares about what Kyle has to say.
At dinner, Dorit said she was uncomfortable when Sutton said she might freak out, since she didn’t know what that meant. Sutton said it meant she’d start to cry and want to go home, and explained how she thought it was a collab with the makeup artist. Somehow, this stupidly turned into LisaR claiming this was an attack on her kids, even though it had nothing to do with them. LisaR said if Sutton had caused a commotion, she would have thrown her out immediately. Sutton was taken aback, and in her interview, she said she’d never seen this aggressive side of LisaR (really?), and since LisaR had put her in this lion’s den, shouldn’t she be throwing Sutton a sword? Dorit acted like a complete a-hole, finally making Sutton cry, and LisaR kept saying, don’t come for her kids. Sutton told Dorit, she’d had her fun; let the mouse go. Kyle said Sutton didn’t have any bad intentions, and Dorit took this opportunity to remind everyone again that Kyle had said they were fake-ass bitches, and demanded an example. Kyle said it was like when Dorit got all glammed up for the retreat, and added how Denise acted all down-to-earth, yet dared to have an ice sculpture at her party. Dorit said Teddi hadn’t been very glam the first season, but changed her look for season two, and told Kyle that it was a double-standard. Denise tried to talk to Kyle, who (no surprise) wouldn’t let her finish a sentence. Denise said Kyle talked at them and not to them, and doesn’t listen. In her interview, Erika wondered where Miss Laid Back was, since I guess if you’re laid back, you can’t have feelings. Lois chimed in, saying they were going to look back on this, and think it was crazy. Then they’d wake up and be 81. LisaR said Lois was 91, and told her, don’t be a fake-ass bitch.
Next time, the women meet with an astrologer, and once again, Kyle wants to be the center of attention.
🍸 Behind the VanderScenes…
I still can’t imagine Scheana is the brightest bulb in the box.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
Brook tells Julian, as long as he does the occasional favor, she won’t have to tell Sonny. He helped Brad pass off a stolen baby as Willow’s. When Brad got squirmy, he tried to shut Brad up by sabotaging his car, and Lucas woke up in a coma. He shouldn’t complain, but be grateful it’s not someone worse than her. Nelle listens from the hallway.
Michael and Willow go to the MetroCourt, and Carly says she thought they’d be with Diane, prepping for tomorrow. Michael says, they did, and dropped by for a toast. Sonny asks what they’re toasting to, and he says Willow agreed to marry him. Carly says, that’s wonderful news, and welcomes Willow to the family. Michael says they agreed it was the best thing for Wiley, and Carly thinks it’s the best thing for all three of them. Sonny asks when it’s happening, and Michael says, tonight he hopes. He’s filing a flight plan. Sonny says he needs to talk with his son.
Lucy tells Sasha to leave the bag of ice on her nose. They need her beautiful face to be camera ready for the photo shoot tomorrow. The photographer was expensive, and he’s already booked and paid for. Sasha says her cheeks are numb, and Lucy says, they’ll thaw. She hates that she agreed to a non-airbrush campaign, and is going to sue Brook if they have to reschedule. Sasha says she’ll be fine. Lucy says she seems grumpy, and Sasha says she’s getting frostbite. Lucy tells her, take a deep breath. She’s been there, and understands what it’s like to be labeled the town tramp.
On the phone, Ned tells Tracy, he’s trying to salvage the Med Tech deal… He fully intends to continue on as CEO, but he can’t force Michael out of the company. Monica comes in, and asks if he minds telling her what’s going on.
Portia asks if Trina is feeling better. Trina says, a little bit, but because Portia is a great mom, not because she despises Jordan any less. Portia says, Jordan isn’t the bad guy, and Trina says, she knows Jordan isn’t. He is. Cyrus is walking toward them, and Trina jumps up and strides over to him. She says she knows who he is; Cyrus Renault. He says, Trina. He’s sorry to hear her father is dead. Trina says he doesn’t sound like someone who’s sorry. He sounds like someone who needs to be stopped. Curtis and Jordan arrive, and Curtis tells Cyrus, back off. Stay the hell away from Trina. Cyrus says he doesn’t believe they’ve been introduced, and Curtis says Cyrus knows good and well who he is; he’s Jordan’s husband. Cyrus introduces himself, and Curtis says he knows everything about Cyrus. Play his game somewhere else, and stay the hell away from Trina and Portia. Cyrus says, for the record, the young lady came over to him. He saw no harm in offering his condolences. Curtis asks if he wants to talk about harm, and Jordan says since Cyrus is there, there are some things they need to discuss. They step away, and Curtis asks if Trina is okay. She asks why he’s butting in now when he left her father to die in the warehouse.
Monica wonders why she has a missed call from the PCPD, and Ned says, it must have been Brook. Monica asks if Brook has been arrested again, and Ned says, yeah; disturbing the peace. She reached out to him, but he refused to rescue her. She tells him, be careful. Tough love can have unintentional consequences. Look at his mother and Edward. He says, it’s not that bad, and she says, not yet. What if he makes Brook fend for herself, and it makes the situation worse?
Sasha asks Lucy if she’s being labeled as the town tramp. Lucy says, no… well… Who cares what people think? People cheat on their partners all the time. She tells Sasha to put the ice back on, and Sasha tells her, stop. Lucy says, it looks better. One more minute. Please? For her? She tells Sasha that she’s there for her. She completely understands when a good person find themselves cheating on their partner. It takes time. She hurt Doc terribly a while back, and didn’t think he’d ever forgive her, but now they’re friends, and he’s happy with Laura, while she’s a successful entrepreneur. All’s well that ends well.
At The Floating Rib, Martin mumbles that Nelle is trying his patience. Where is the little nutcase?
Brook thanks Julian for the drink, and asks if he’ll take her home. He says he’s had enough for one night; take a Ride Share. His phone rings, and he says, hi, Olivia. He asks what Leo is doing with his mom’s phone. He tells Leo, calm down… Ned did what?… Where’s his mom? He says he’ll be right there; hang tight. He tells Brook, it looks like she’s getting a ride after all. He couldn’t understand Leo; he was so upset. Ned did or said something. Brook says, Ned would never hurt Leo, and Julian says, he’d better not have. They leave, and Nelle comes out. She calls Martin, and asks where he is. He says he’s at The Floating Rib, where they agreed to meet a half hour ago. She says she got held up, and he says he’s charging for his time and his dinner. She says, no problem. She’s on her way now. He says he hopes whatever kept her was worth it, and she tells him, she can’t say at the moment, but she has the feeling it could prove useful.
Carly says Willow is going to be part of the family. She can’t tell Willow how grateful she is that she agreed. Willow is a strong woman, and she admires that. She knows Willow isn’t Wiley’s birth mother, but she’s shown herself to be every bit his mother by her actions. She loves Wiley, and puts him first. She couldn’t pick a better person, but is this what Willow wants? She knows Willow was with Chase, and loves him. Willow flashes back to Chase saying he loves her, and loves being with her. He thinks it’s turning into something special, and instead of looking for all the ways it could go wrong, the should look for all the ways it can go right. He’d love it if she’d move in with him. Carly asks if she’ll be able let that go.
Sonny tells Michael, Willow is a courageous young woman. He’ll always be grateful for what she did for Kristina, but is Michael sure he wants to marry her? Michael says, completely. He knows how manipulative Nelle can be, and he’s taking no chances on losing Wiley. He wants to make the strongest case possible, and Willow will be the perfect stepmother. He knows Wiley loves her. Sonny says the marriage is going to last beyond the court date. Is Michael willing to live in a loveless marriage? Michael says love hasn’t worked out for him before. He and Willow respect each other, and have been friends for a while. He likes and trusts her, and they both love Wiley. Sonny asks if Michael thinks it’s enough, and Michael says he’s doing what he has to for his son.
Cyrus says Jordan’s husband is very protective. She says, that’s Curtis, but she doesn’t need anyone to protect her. He says she’ll get no argument from him. He remembers how capable and good she is at her job. He’s always admired her efficiency. He can’t thank her enough for seeing that justice was served and exonerated, even if it was detained. She says he doesn’t have to put on an act; there’s no one else there. He says, it’s just them, and he looks forward to her acting on his behalf, especially now that he’s a resident of the community she’s sworn to serve.
Portia tells Trina, maybe it’s easier to blame Curtis, but he didn’t kidnap her, or lure her father to the warehouse. Trina says Curtis left her father in the warehouse with four guys who had guns. Portia says her father instructed Curtis to get her to a safe place, and she’s grateful he did. Trina says, she’s not.
Sonny says he wants love and passion for Michael. Not somebody who’s just trustworthy, but someone who’s compatible. Michael says, Willow is making a sacrifice too, but they agreed that Wiley was the most important thing. Beyond Nelle, they can give Wiley stability, and a happy home, with parents who respect each other. He’s taking it as a win. Sonny says, okay, and they go back to the bar. Sonny says, so they’re doing this tonight? and Michael says he has the ELQ jet ready to go to Vegas. Sonny says, not Vegas. He wants Michael to get married in Port Charles surrounded by the people he loves. Michael says he doesn’t have time to get a license, but Sonny says, no problem. He’ll make some calls, and get one. Michael shrugs, and looks at Willow.
Monica tells Ned not to let her run him out if he has more work to do. He says he was going over the next quarter’s projections, and he’s ready to pack it in. She says she can’t thank him enough for stepping in while Michael looks after Wiley. He says, family looks after family; it’s the Quartermaine way. Brook comes in with Julian, and Ned asks what she’s doing home. And why is she with Julian? Julian asks where Leo is, and Ned says, he’s asleep. Julian says, he just called; where’s Olivia? Monica says, Olivia is sleeping. She had a migraine, so Monica gave her something to knock her out. Julian says, Leo was very upset. What did Ned do? Ned says, nothing, but Julian says he was sobbing, and mentioned Ned. Ned says Leo is playing Julian. He told Leo that he couldn’t have a pet snake. He’s been obsessed ever since Violet’s birthday party. Olivia said it was out of the question. Julian asks if Ned minds if he goes upstairs to have a chat with Leo, and Ned says, of course (🍷) not. Julian and Monica go upstairs, and Brook says she told Julian that Ned would never hurt Leo. Ned says, never mind that. What the hell is she doing with Julian?
Nelle joins Martin, who says, excellent. Just in time for the bill. What does she want to talk to him about? She says, strategy. She sees Sasha, and goes over to her. She asks if it was Willow. It looks like it hurts. Sasha says, get out of her face, and Nelle asks if Sasha is going to throw a drink on her like the friend she betrayed. Poor Willow can’t catch a break.
Jordan tells Cyrus, he’s right about one thing. She serves all the people in Port Charles. He tells her, have a lovely evening. He’s sure their paths will cross again soon. He walks away.
Trina tells Portia, Curtis could have gone back in to help her dad. She begged him to, and he refused. Now his wife is trashing her dad’s reputation with a lie. Portia says, as much as they wish it wasn’t true, her father and the other men crossed a line. Curtis joins them, and says Jordan didn’t want to expose Taggert, since she knew what motivated him. Jordan comes up behind him, and Curtis says, Cyrus is a dangerous man; steer clear of him. Trina says he’s just covering for Jordan. She’s the reason Cyrus is free in the first place. They’re just as bad as Cyrus is.
Lucy tells Sasha, she’s got to go. She doesn’t want to, but she’s got to. She’s needed at the Quartermaines. Sasha ask if everything is okay. Did something happen to Michael? Lucy tells her, brace herself. Michael is going to marry Willow, and Sonny asked her to officiate. Nelle says, Michael can’t marry her, but Lucy says, yeah; he can. Michael is a Corinthos and a Quartermaine. He’s Sonny’s son, and Edward’s great-grandson. He’s part of two great pillars of Port Charles. He’s also related to the Spencers, and can do whatever he wants to do with his power and money. Sasha flashes back to telling Chase that she thinks Michael will do his best to keep Wiley safe. And she thinks before Wiley’s third birthday, maybe sooner, Willow will be madly in love with Michael, and be the happiest woman on the face of the earth. Lucy says, it speaks highly to Michael’s character. She’s never seen him throw his weight around. It must be important this time to get what he wants. She tells Sasha, please go home and rest. She doesn’t need this aggravation. She’ll call Sasha later. Ta! Nelle stomps back to Martin’s table.
Brook says, I’m happy you’re out of jail and okay. How are you feeling?Those are the words a loving father would say. He wouldn’t hang up on her, and leave her to rot. She called Julian because he was the only one available. He asks if this is going to be a regular occurrence, being tossed in jail for disturbing the peace. She says she was defending Michael’s honor. She got into it with Sasha at the boxing gym, her glove accidently collided with Sasha’s face. She flashes back to that, and Ned asks if Sasha is going to press charges, and is it going to show up online. She says, no and no. Sasha got a bloody nose, and it would have been over, except Chase got on his high horse and wrote her a ticket for she doesn’t know what. The doorbell rings, and she says, that’s probably him to write her up again. It’s Josslyn, and she asks if Michael hasn’t called them. Ned asks if there’s a reason he should, and she says, Michael and Willow are getting married. Brook says, tonight?
Nelle tells Martin, it’s obvious what Michael is trying to do, and Martin says, if Michael chooses to marry a delightful young woman he’s known for over a year, and is devoted to Wiley, and who Wiley loves, he can’t imagine the court objecting. Nelle says they need a counter move. He needs to earn his money.
Monica comes downstairs, and asks if Michael texted Josslyn. Ned says, about the wedding? and Monica says, Michael and Willow are getting married; she couldn’t be happier. Ned says he sees the legal strategy, and Brook says he’s no expert, having been blackmailed into marriage by Kathryn Bell. Ned says, Michael is going to marry a woman he never even dated? and Josslyn says she thinks it’s great. Wiley loves Willow, and she might be good enough for Michael. Sonny, Carly, Michael, and Willow come in, and Michael says, good; they’re all there. Are they ready for a wedding?
Curtis says, Trina is right; Cyrus should be in prison, but Jordan was serving the greater good. Jordan says she’s sorry Trina is hurt, and Trina says, then tell everyone her dad is innocent. Portia tells Trina, they have a more pressing matter to discuss. Trina wanted to do battle with a dangerous criminal. Promise she’ll stay away from Cyrus. Trina says, if Portia promises to make Curtis and his wife stay away from her.
Brook congratulates Willow, and welcomes her to the family. God help her. Willow says, thanks? Brook asks if that’s what she’s wearing. She’d look gorgeous in a potato sack, but let her look in her closet for something better suited to the occasion. Josslyn asks if Monica minds if she looks around, and Monica tells her, help herself to anything she thinks she can use. Sonny says he appreciates Monica doing this, and thanks her for opening up her home, and letting Michael get married there. She says Michael is her grandson, and should be married there. She asks who’s officiating, and he says, Lucy. He couldn’t find anybody. She says, he couldn’t do better than Alan’s ex-bimbo? He says, she was the only one available on such short notice. He sees Julian, and asks what Julian is doing there. Julian says, his son lives there. Sonny? Sonny says, same. Julian says he was just leaving, and Sonny says, good. Julian tells him to give Michael and Willow his best wishes. Willow cares what happens to Wiley, and deserves be with him, not Nelle.
Martin says, Nelle has the best possible case she can. She has financial means, a house, and a job. She says Michael is a CEO and lives in a mansion. Now he’s marrying Snow White. He says he can’t prevent that any more than he can conjure up a husband for her. She says, he’s a genius, and he says they’re not getting married. She tells him, calm down; they don’t have to, and she leaves.
Michael finds Willow sitting by herself, and asks how she’s holding up. She says, just fine. She’s not the fragile flower he thinks she is. He says he knows she’s anything but fragile. He’s seen how strong she is, and how hard she can fight. He’s grateful that she’s marrying him. She tells him, stop thanking her. She loves Wiley, and when she found out he wasn’t her son, she can’t describe the loss she felt. Now Wiley will be her son again. If anyone is grateful, it’s her. He says, mutual gratitude isn’t a bad foundation for a marriage, and Willow says, it will work. He says, sorry it’s so last minute, but she says she’s not. She has no time to be nervous. He says he’s not nervous. He knows it’s right, and he’s grateful she agreed. He was hoping she would accept this ring. He takes a ring out of his pocket that looks a lot like Princess Diana’s engagement ring. She says, oh my God, and he tells her it belonged to his great-grandmother Lila. He doesn’t remember her, but he’s heard stories. She was generous and kind, and saw the good in people, but she was nobody’s fool. She never got distracted be things that didn’t matter; the infighting and bickering. She was better than his great-grandfather deserved, and she was an amazing mother. He thinks Willow would be the perfect one to wear her ring. She says, it’s beautiful, but it was his great-grandmother’s ring. Maybe someone in the family should have it. He says, she is family. Does she trust him on this? She says, yes, she trusts him, and he puts the ring on her. He says, perfect fit.
Sasha and Chase meet at the pier. He asks why she couldn’t tell him over the phone, and she says she doesn’t know why it’s hitting her so hard when it’s what they wanted. Michael and Willow are getting married tonight.
Lucy gives Sonny an envelope with the license in it, and says he certainly does have friends in influential places. The judge sends his best, and wishes Michael much success. She tells him, there’s a one-day waiting period, and he says he loves midnight weddings. Technically, it will be tomorrow when it’s over. Carly brings Wiley in, and says, look who woke up. She tried to get him to go back down, but no go. Sonny says, he can join the ceremony.
Chase asks if Sasha is sure it’s tonight, and she says Michael and Willow want to get married before the hearing. He asks how she found out, and she says she was at The Floating Rib with Lucy when she got the call. He says, it must have been tough, and she says, the hardest part was seeing Nelle, and knowing it didn’t have to happen. He asks if Nelle knows about the wedding, and Sasha says Nelle went zooming back to her lawyer. She wouldn’t put it past Nelle to bother them. Should they warn them? Chase asks, who would take a call from either of them?
Carly’s phone rings, and she tells Sasha, it’s not a good time. Sasha says, Nelle overheard Lucy at The Floating Rib. She knows Michael and Willow are getting married. Carly asks if Sasha has any idea what Nelle is going to do, and Sasha says, Nelle was talking to her lawyer, then left. She wanted to give them a heads up. Carly thanks her, and says she’ll take it from there. Nothing is getting in the way of this wedding tonight.
Jordan asks if Curtis found TJ, and he says, TJ is observing a surgery. He left a message. He wonders if Cyrus is gone, but she says, security said he hasn’t left the building yet. They see Cyrus walking around, and Curtis says, visiting hours are over. Cyrus says, that’s why he’s leaving. He asks Jordan if her son doesn’t work there. In fact, he believes TJ is working tonight. Curtis says, it’s none of his business, and Cyrus says his interests are far reaching. He wouldn’t underestimate that. He walks away.
Nelle goes to Charlie’s, but Julian yells, they’re closed. She bangs on the door like a madwoman, and Julian opens it. He asks, what’s wrong with her? They’re closed. She says, trust her. He’ll want hear what she has to say.
The wedding march begins. Willow comes down the stairs in a white lace halter gown, carrying a bouquet of roses. She and Michael join hands. Lucy says they’re gathered here to witness Michael and Willow join in the bonds of matrimony.
Chase gives Sasha a beer, and asks if she’d care to join him. She says, why not? As they drink, she asks if he knows where the phrase a far, far better thing comes from. He says he doesn’t, and she says, it’s from A Tale of Two Cities. It’s Dickens, and has a convoluted plot. Sidney is in love with a girl who’s in love with an aristocrat who looks like him. Sidney sends them off to live happily ever after, and takes the guy’s place at the guillotine. As he’s climbing the scaffold to his death, he says, it’s a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before; and it’s a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known. He says, at least they’re not getting their heads chopped off; so there’s that. She says, compared to Sidney, they’re getting off easy. They toast to Sidney.
Michael says his vows, and Willow follows. Everyone is all misty like this is a real love match. Michael puts the ring on Willow’s finger, and Lucy says, by the power vested in her by the state of New York, she now pronounces them husband and wife. She tells Michael he can kiss his bride. He and Willow kiss, and everyone applauds. Michael smiles at Willow, who looks a little dazed.
Tomorrow, Robert asks Laura why they don’t pick up where they left off, Avery asks if she’ll ever forget Ava, and Sonny needs to know what Mike wants.
Vanderpump Rules
The Toms go to SUR to clean the gender-neutral bathroom with toothbrushes. Lisa asks, what the hell? Is it blocked? Tom explains that it’s part of the softball deal. The loser had to clean the other’s bathroom. She asks why they’re wearing matching shirts, and Tom says, it’s the TomTom experience. She says they should have done something productive, like shave her legs. Schwartz asks if that’s still o on the table. In Schwartz’s interview, he says he’s having a moment. He can just picture it at Villa Rosa. Her dainty leg hanging over the tub; long, smooth, gentle strokes, making sure not to nick her leg. It smells like rose petals and $300 candles. Tom sticks a toothbrush in his mouth, and Lisa asks, what’s wrong with them?
In his interview, James says he’s back behind the booth. It’s like a new life, and it’s been a long time coming. He’s back, baby. Raquel says she’s so excited, and now she can tell her friends who have been asking about when he’s DJing. Schwartz and Tom come out of the bathroom, and Schwartz says they head by example. They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty. He supposes he should wash them. Brittany says, hi, pooper scoopers, and Tom tells her, last night, Jax told them they’re not invited, so they decided to have their own party then. Brittany says, that’s kind of messed up, and they don’t ever have people over. Tom says, they did last night. In Tom’s interview, he says he’s not dealing with the way Jax behaves. He’s over it. Brittany tells them, do what they want to do. Tom wishes Jax would stop… Schwartz says, being an a-hole.
Brett and Dayna go to Hyde, another restaurant Charli works at. Dayna is excited for Brett to see her in a comedy setting. Charli asks if flannel is Brett’s thing, and he says, no, but we flash back to seeing him only in flannel shirts. Dayna says, he’s like a sexy Paul Bunion, but Charli says, is he? In Dayna’s interview, she says she likes Brett, and wants to see where it goes. They work at the same restaurant, they’re both single AF, they’re both hot, and have the same interests. Brett tells her that he talked to Max, and asked how he felt. He can tell something is there, and that’s the kind of friend he is. In Brett’s interview, he says, he asked Max about lunch, and he was cool. He asked about kissing Dayna, and Max was cool, but when he asked about having sex, he hit a wall. They’re murky waters, but he’s got a big boat. Onward, going at 55 knots. In the parking lot, Dayna says, it was a great night, and they kiss.
Brittany comes home, and tells Jax that he’s not going believe it. She saw Tom at work, and he and Ariana are having a pool party at the same time they are. Jax asks, why? and she says she doesn’t know. Maybe they got mad about him texting Max. Jax says everyone begged him to have Tom back in the wedding, and he shouldn’t have. In Jax’s interview, he says, it’s been one thing after another. Tom didn’t come to the bachelor party, and made a scene about his pastor. Now he’s throwing a pool party the same day. What’s his problem? He asks Brittany, why are they doing this? It’s time they were done with Tom and Ariana. Brittany says it makes her sad. They have a blow-up slide coming. It’s petty. Jax says, Tom has been petty his whole life. He imitates Tom saying, oh, look what Jax wrote. He tells Brittany, he’s worse than a child. Brittany says she was there, and maybe if Jax wouldn’t have rage texted… Jax says, so she’s saying it’s all his fault? She says she’s just saying if he hadn’t messaged in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened. Jax says he’s going to the gym. Brittany says, it’s the third time today, and asks if that’s where he’s really going. He says she can track him on his phone.
On Instagram, Jax says he’s taking so many classes, his wife thinks he’s leading a double life. In his interview, he says, it’s his therapy. It’s like textbook 101; when you’re angry, walk away. Shouldn’t that be anger 101? Lisa goes to TomTom, and tells the Toms they’re doing a big photo shoot for the Hollywood Reporter. They’re going to highlight all of the businesses together. Tom asks, what about having a year anniversary party after the shoot? Ken says they actually made a profit in the first year. Do they want to nearly double their money? Lisa says they’re looking at next door, and they can knock through and make it part of TomTom, or keep it separate. If it’s part of TomTom, it will be called The Garden at TomTom, but if it’s separate, it will just be The Garden. Ken says, they can invest the profit, and have 10%. Lisa says she’d like see them throw in; it’s been a great year. Schwartz says, it’s been rewarding, fulfilling, and he’s learned so much. Lisa says she’s going to cry. In Schwartz’s interview, he says, at times, the partnership was rocky. We flash back to some of that, and he says, but they made it through the first year, and turned a profit. Holy sh*t. Lisa says they need to know by Monday. Tom says he has to talk it over with Ariana, and Lisa says, that’s what he should do. Lisa and Ken leave, and Tom says, it’s decision time. Schwartz says he feels like a stud.
In his InstaStory, Jax says the women instructors are hard. They make the male instructors look like little girls. Lala visits Brittany, and says she was just texting Brittany’s hubby. Brittany says, he’s being cray-cray. Jax calls Lala, and she says she’s going to Dayna’s comedy show. He tells her not to go to Tom’s pool party. She tells him, calm down, and go workout. He says he works out so much, his wife thinks he’s messing around. What wife yells at their husband for going to the gym? Brittany says, that’s not what she did. He’s spiraling out of control, and is doing the same things he did before, and he’s going crazy on her friends. Calm down, and stop texting. She loves him. She tells Lala, he hung up. She can’t keep dealing with this crap. She’s wondering why he’s acting like this again. Lala asks if he was reactive before, and Brittany says, yes. She doesn’t want him to go back to those ways. In Brittany’s interview, she says she worked hard to forgive Jax, but even though she’s forgiven him, she hasn’t forgotten. She tells Lala that Jax is stirred up again. She’s wondering if anyone is coming, and they need a DJ. Lala asks if she should ask James, and calls him. She says Brittany and Jax are having a pool party, and she thought she’d reach out to see if he can DJ. Brittany says they thought it would be fun. James stammers a little, and says he appreciates being invited, but he already said yes to Tom. Lala says she totally gets it. When she hangs up, Brittany asks why would Tom plan something at the same time? He’s being a jerk. One person does wrong, so the other person does too. Lala says, it’s sad, and Brittany says, it’s hard to deal with when Jax is texting all of her friends.
Once again Instagramming, Jax films the outside of the gym, and says, it’s his new house, where his wife is going to divorce him because spent too much time there. Lala arrives at the comedy club, and Beau and Stassi tell her that they’ve been practicing their comedy laughs. Max shows up, followed by Brett, and Stassi says, it’s sweet. They both came to support their girlfriend. Max gives Brett a reluctant fist bump. Max asks if Brett talked to Scheana, and Brett says she just texted, asking where they’re going afterward. Stassi says, somewhere nearby, and he asks if Nighthawk is around there. A guy comes out, and does a bit using Max and Beau’s names, then introduces Dayna, who, from what little we see, isn’t bad. In Stassi’s interview, she says, Dayna has a cynical view of world that’s actually funny. Her negativity makes Stassi laugh. Dayna joins them when she’s done, and they tell her she did good. On Instagram, Jax says he has an update. His ring is back on, and his marriage is still okay. A million people keep asking, where’s his ring?
Lisa goes to the bar at SUR, and asks Ariana how she is, and if all is well. Ariana says she’s seeing a lot of the work she did over the summer come to fruition, and their book is coming out. (FYI, I got it for Christmas.) Lisa is glad to hear Ariana is doing well, and reminds her about Covenant House. Ariana says she has some clothes and cosmetic stuff. In Lisa’s interview, she says, Covenant House is a place for at risk youth that helps them transition into adulthood. She says she’ll meet Ariana there, and Ariana says, the only problem going on is the pool party thing. Lisa asks what she means, and Ariana tells her that Jax and Brittany are having a pool party. Everyone was going, and Jax started uninviting everyone. Some of them said Tom and Ariana have a pool; why not have their own pool party? Lisa says, not on the same day and time, but Ariana says, if you bully your friends for years, that’s what happens. Everybody says, screw them. What’s anyone losing by not being friends with Jax? She makes Ariana promise that when they see each other at work, it will be productive and go with a positive attitude.
Lala tells Dayna, she can finally relax; she killed her show. The group goes to Nighthawk, and Dayna thanks them for coming. Stassi says, it was a relief that Dayna was so great. She should be proud of herself. Scheana joins them, and says she could literally walk there, but she didn’t because she’s going out after this. She brings up the competing pool parties, and Lala says, that’s effed up. Scheana says she’s shooting, so she can’t go to either of them. She asks if they’re picking one or pool party hopping. Lala says she’s not going to a frat house that has no furniture, and they don’t even know if there will be food. She’ll be at Jax and Brittany’s like an adult. Scheana says, Jax texted her that she was dumb, and shouldn’t have planned to video on that day. Stassi says, for real she has to talk to him. In Stassi’s interview, she says, someone needs to say something, and she feels she’s one of the only people who can. To be frank, she thinks Jax is kind of scared of her. Lala says she heard Brett and Dayna made out. In Dayna’s interview, she says, note to self; don’t tell Lala sh*t. Lala asks, what’s the vibe? and Dayna says, there’s no vibe. Max makes fun of Dayna, and she asks if he has a problem. What did she do to him? He says she made out with his best friend. He told her how he felt. She says, he was ambiguous. We flash back to Max telling Dayna, he’s cool, but not cool. He says, she needs to control her sh*t, and Stassi says Dayna doesn’t owe Max anything. Max says he also told Brett, and Brett says he’s been honest with Max. Dayna says, they like each other and have similar interests. Brett says he respects his and Max’s friendship, and Dayna knows that. Scheana asks why they were making out, and Dayna tells her, STFU. Max thinks Brett is lying to him, and tells Brett to look him in the eye, and tell him that he doesn’t have feelings for Dayna. Brett insists he doesn’t. He’s interested in her, and they’re close, she’s someone he likes having in his life, but he doesn’t have feelings for her. I’m not sure what he calls it then. Lala says, that doesn’t even make sense (thank you). Scheana asks why they made out multiple times, and Beau says Dayna is the one feeling the most embarrassed and hurt. Stassi says, everyone has to pick a lane. Lala says, ya’ll are real messy right now, and Max tells Dayna, don’t make out with his friends. Dayna tells Max, STFU.
Back on the Gram, Jax says the male instructors must have heard him calling them girls, and took it out on him. He just had two classes that were hard as hell. At Covenant House, Lisa, Brittany, and Ariana sort the clothes. Lisa remembers when she fit in them. She asks how Brittany is, and Brittany says, it’s been a rough couple of days. Jax was rage texting, and the others got mad. They started fighting, and it trickled over. Lisa says, these are the best moments of Jax’s life; he has a new house, and just got married. Brittany says, it’s sad. Tom hurt her feelings. Everyone had to choose where to go. She feels like she tried hard. Ariana says, maybe Jax hurt their feelings. Brittany is collateral damage. Brittany says she knows, but they need to have respect for her like she does for them. In Ariana’s interview, she says she wishes Brittany could just be mad at Jax, since he created the problem. She’s married to this guy, so she married the problem. Ariana says, if not for Brittany, she doesn’t know how many friends Jax would have. Brittany thinks everyone, except for Tom, and in her interview, Ariana says, she’s not friends with Jax now.
Katie and Schwartz go to lunch, and he tells her about the one year anniversary party. It’s special night; more than she knows. They have the opportunity to parlay the initial profits into an expansion, or they can take the check, and Lisa will create a separate entity. Katie says, parlay. In Katie’s interview, she says she feels like they’ve come a long way. She feels like they’re a team. She doesn’t want to tell him what to do, but thinks he knows. He says he loves her. Katie looks at her phone, and wonders, what the hell happened? Brittany texted and said Ariana let her know that the pool party was Katie’s idea in the first place. Schwartz says, propaganda, and Katie says, she got the same story from Lala. It’s not cool. Katie calls Brittany, getting all teary. Brittany says she’s not blaming Katie. She just said it happened because of Katie. Katie says, no one is saying that. Brittany says Katie rage texts all the time, and should go easy on Jax. Schwartz says Katie took accountability, and she’s being an idiot. Katie hangs up, and says, go easy on Jax? It’s 150% his fault.
Everything is set up at Jax and Brittany’s, including the giant slide. Jax comes in, and Brittany says he looks muscular. He says, that’s what happens when you go to the gym three times a day. He’s going through crap in his head, and says things he doesn’t mean, so instead he likes to go to the gym. Brittany says Tom still hasn’t apologized, and Katie isn’t coming. Jax says, and it’s his fault. Everything he’s done, they’ve done, but the spotlight is on him. He told Brittany, do not trust these people.
Tom and Ariana get ready. Tom makes James an unleaded cocktail. Katie tells them about the text she got from Brittany, saying the pool party was all her idea, and go easy on Jax about the rage texts, since she does it too. Tom says she texts at 3 am, and isn’t manipulative. Schwartz says he’s staying out of it. People start to arrive. There’s a tent in the backyard, along with a hookah, and James in the DJ booth. Tom thanks everyone for coming, and Ariana says, let’s get wasted.
Brit cooks, while crickets chirp. A lone rubber ducky floats in the pool. Jax says they only have eight people coming, but they’re the ones he wants there. Brett, Lala, Stassi, and Beau arrive. In Charli’s interview, she says, Tom and Ariana’s pool party is lit. Who wants to be at Jax’s retirement party anyway? He’s closer to her dad’s age than hers. Katie says, Dayna has two guys, and Dayna says, and half the commitment. She still doesn’t have a whole man. Brett says Max texted him, and said he felt super bummed out and betrayed. He doesn’t want to act like it’s okay anymore. He’s staying home. Brett says he’s always been bro’s before ho’s. In Stassi’s interview, she says she doesn’t know if Brett is a poet, a philosopher, or a d-bag. Brett says all they did was make out, and it’s like World War II. Jax informs Brett hat he used to put his d*ck in anything that moved.
Dayna tells Ariana that she’s hot. Someone should screw and love her, and she’s not doing either. Katie says, that’s healthy, natural, and normal. Ariana says, there are a ton of other dudes and ladies out there. Carter thanks Ariana for having them, and Ariana asks if they’re back together. Kristen says, they’re dating. Kristen says she got a text that Stassi is making fun of their party, and Ariana says, Regina George. Stassi is a snob ass bitch. Kristen says they were making fun at Tom and Ariana not having furniture. Ariana says if she hears anyone talking sh*t about her house, she’ll clock them.
Tom asks Schwartz what he thinks about Lisa’s proposal. Schwartz says, it’s tempting to just take the check. In Tom’s interview, he says, the bigger the venture, the more potential for failure. Schwartz says he poured his heart and soul into this place, and Tom says Schwartz is his effing boy. Schwartz wants it to be this way until the day they die. James comes in, and Tom thanks him. James says it keeps him busy, and that’s a good thing to be. Tom says James has come a long way. Monday. TomTom is having its one year anniversary party. Could he possibly DJ? James says, he’d 100% love to. Tom says James being humble pie is sexy. Schwartz likes it when James is cocky too. A little part of him misses the a-hole. Katie says, WTF? James has shown a vulnerability she hasn’t seen, and didn’t think he would ever show. He’s shown growth. She wanted to rip his head off, and put it in the paper shredder. James says he’s sorry, and they hug it out. James says he hasn’t felt this good in a minute.
Stassi tells Jax, they need to talk. She feels like with what he’s doing texting people, from the outside, it looks like he’s losing his mind. He says, he is. She asks, why? and he says he doesn’t know. In his interview, he says he’s sprained his brain. When you sprain your ankle, you don’t walk on it. That’s the way the brain works. He tells Stassi, on paper, it looks like he hit the lottery, but he’s not happy. He’s not allowing himself to have a good time. Stassi says, it’s not like he’s an a-hole once a year; he’s an a-hole all the time. He says he has downtime now, and wonders if he did the right thing. What if his wife thinks he can’t make her happy? Stassi says, she is happy, and he says, it’s a lot of pressure. Stassi says, he wants to sabotage his relationship; it’s a pattern he has. Jax says, how he hurt people used to be cheating. He’d take it out on someone else. She says he has to allow the struggle, feelings, emotions, and mental health, but he has control over how he treats people. He says he’s afraid he’s going to take it out on Brittany.
Next week, the season finale, TomTom’s anniversary party, SUR’s group photo, Lisa tells Jax to take care of his wife, Max says Dayna is on a high horse, Stassi says the Witches of WeHo is done-o, and Tom tells Jax not to act like he has an effing hall pass.
If Loving You Is Wrong
Kelly gives Lushion a huge kiss, and Carl thinks that’s his cue to say goodbye. Lushion says, it’s not a cue. Carl tells Kelly that he never wants to see her under these circumstances again, and she guarantees he won’t. He says he’ll say goodbye then; awkward. Lushion says, nothing is awkward, and Kelly asks if she can go now. Carl says, yes; they’re processing her. She tells him that she’d love to have him for dinner, and he says, great. She says she’ll call him, and thanks them both again. Carl leaves, and Lushion says, what was that? Kelly says she was just happy, and he says, good. She says, he didn’t think… and he says, it was kind of personal. She says she wasn’t coming on to him; she was just happy. She’s sorry he took it the wrong way. He says they can never bring this up again, and she says she wasn’t trying to make a pass at him; she was just happy.
Lushion says, they’re clear? and Kelly says, crystal. Eddie is standing there, filming with his phone, and says he’s got it on camera, crystal clear; full HD. Lushion says, give him the damn phone, or he’ll take it. Eddie says, it looks like Lushion took lip service, and Lushion makes a grab for the phone, but Eddie keeps it out of his grasp. Eddie says, it’s going to Lushion’s wife, and Kelly suggests they tell her themselves. Eddie says, why not wait until he adds music? Kelly walks past her cell, and Eddie asks where she’s going. She says, home. Even with everything Eddie tried, she’s still going home. He asks how hell that happened, and she says wouldn’t he like to know? What the devil meant for evil, God turned into good. He says there she goes with the God stuff again. Has she ever heard of, thou shalt not kill? Enjoy her freedom. It’s the last couple days. Lushion and Kelly walk off, and Eddie calls someone, and says he has a video to edit.
Larry approaches Eddie, who asks if he sees something he likes. Larry says he just needs the $50K Eddie took from him. It’s all fun and games, but this isn’t a game. Does Eddie want to play with him? Eddie asks what Larry is referring to. He didn’t take $50K. Larry says Eddie lied to him; he’d said everything was taken care of. Eddie says he has no idea what Larry is talking about, and Larry says he expects Eddie to reimburse him within 24 hours. Eddie says, keep dreaming; that ain’t gonna happen. Larry says he’s warning Eddie, and Eddie says he’s telling Larry, dream on. Larry says Eddie took money from some very powerful people, who will have no problem giving Eddie more pain and suffering than Larry ever could. It’s his funeral. Eddie says he wants a 21 gun salute, and Larry says, duly noted. Larry calls someone to come to the office; $50K is at issue. Eddie asks if that’s supposed to make him tremble, and Larry says, it’s not rocket science. Eddie says, see him soon, and hold his breath about the $50K.
Bennet (that’s his name, right?) has come home for lunch, and compliments Tanya’s cooling. She thinks he’s just trying to make her feel better, and wonders why Randal keeps throwing things out. It’s weird, right? Bennet tells her not to worry about Randal, and she says, he’s a dork. He just stays home; what does he do? He asks why she wants to know, and she says she’s just curious. He asks if Randal is still bothering her, and she says, no. She asks if Bennet did something, and he says he has to get back to the station. He’ll be home by 5. She thanks him for having lunch with her. She says she wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to leave her. She’s been thinking about calling her parents. They said she could come home. She knows how hard it is on him. He says he doesn’t want to hear about this. He’ll be home for dinner, and if anyone comes to the door, let him know. She says, he’s not going to do anything, is he? She doesn’t want him in trouble. He knows his temper. He says he’s fine. He just wants to know.
Bennet leaves the house, and Randal asks if they can talk a second. He wants to apologize for talking to Bennet’s wife. He thinks they got off on the wrong foot, and he’s really sorry. Bennet says, okay, and Randal asks if Bennet saw anybody come in his house. It was vandalized. Bennet says he didn’t see anyone, and Randal asks if it doesn’t bother him. He told Bennet that his house was just vandalized, and he didn’t say, sorry. Bennet says he really is; it’s terrible. He asks when Randal goes to work, and Randal says, whenever he wants to; why? Bennet says he can keep an eye on Randal’s house. Randal says he’s there all the time, and Bennet says, then how did it happen? Randal says he was seeing a patient. Bennet says, Randal has patients? and Randal says he does. He can help Bennet’s wife. Bennet says they’re good. Are they doing this again? Randal just apologized. Randal asks when Bennet gets back, and Bennet says Randal doesn’t want to test him. Randal says he’s not, and Bennet says he can be a demon from hell, and will protect everything he loves. Randal asks if that’s any way for a firefighter to talk, but Bennet says he’s talking as a former marine. He drives off. Randal stands there for a moment, and goes back inside.
Alex sits at the bar. Johnny joins her, and asks, who was that guy? She says, nobody to be concerned about. Johnny says, it seemed like he knew her, and she says, he’s her neighbor. Johnny says, be sure he doesn’t come around, and Alex says, he won’t if he knows what’s good for him. She needs another drink. He says, coffee for her. She needs to sober up. She says he’s ruining this party, but he tells her that he doesn’t want her to be sick in his bed later. She says he has to understand. She’s been locked in a house playing mommy for she doesn’t know how many years. She’s so tired of it. She wants to get loose, dance, do bad karaoke, and drink. Johnny says, drink coffee. She says, that’s a mom’s drink, and he says, there are a lot of hot moms out there; drink up. He wants her to feel good.
Johnny says it looks like Alex has more company. He’ll leave that to her. Esperanza comes in with Steven, and Alex says, Esperanza wants to ride the bull, but Esperanza says, no. Alex tells Steven, it’s really fun, but he says he’s good. It’s good to see her. She says, it’s good to see him too. Wait a minute. They’re together? Steven asks what she’s drinking, and she says, anything she can get her hands on, but now she needs coffee. Steven says he’ll be at the bar. Johnny tells Steven, if he’s not drinking, he’s got to wait outside. Steven asks if Johnny is sure about that, and opens his jacket, flashing his badge. Johnny says, his apologies. Steven is good to go.
Esperanza sees Alex is drinking coffee; that’s good. Alex asks, what’s up? and Esperanza says Alex is leaving right now. Alex says she’s not going anywhere. She doesn’t want that life anymore. She needs to be free. Esperanza says Alex’s son wasn’t breathing; remember him? She shows Alex a picture on her phone, and Alex looks at it absently. Esperanza wonders if Alex isn’t going to ask how he is, and Alex asks if he’s okay. Esperanza says, he’s fine. He was just sleeping, but Marcie was at Alex’s house, and put him on his stomach. Alex says, dumb bitch, and Esperanza says, Alex is his mom. Alex says, so she’s the dumb bitch now? Esperanza says her son needs her, but Alex says, he needs Brad. Her kids deserve better than her. Esperanza wonders where this is coming from, and asks if Alex is embarrassed about the online thing. Alex says she’s not embarrassed. She doesn’t want that life anymore. How hard is it to comprendé? Esperanza says, so she’s just going to walk away from her kids, and live in a bar with a guy she doesn’t know? She doesn’t know anything about him. Alex knows he’s not Brad, and she’s ready to be a free spirit. Esperanza says she doesn’t care that Brad and Marcie are with her kids? She can explain to the kids why she’s leaving Brad. This is wrong, but at least let them know. She owes them that. Alex says, okay. She has to pack anyway. She tells Johnny that she’ll be right back. She has to pick up some things. He says he’ll be waiting for her.
Bennet goes to the police station, and tells Rick, he’d like to file a report. His neighbor is harassing his wife. He’s constantly harassing her, and going to the house when Bennet isn’t there, and knocking on the door. Rick asks if Bennet had told him to stop, and Bennet says he has, and he won’t. Rick asks his name, and Bennet says, Randal Holmes. Rick says, oh, and Bennet asks if Rick knows him. Rick says, they all know him. It’s something Randal does; it’s not the first complaint. Rick leaves to get the paperwork, and Eddie comes along. Bennet says he remembers Eddie. He’s the officer who helped with his wife. Eddie asks if he’s been keeping his bitch quiet, and Bennet says, his wife’s not a bitch. Eddie says, he’s one of those guys who still respects his woman. What’s he here for? Bennet says he’s filing a report, and Rick comes back with the paperwork. Eddie asks, on who? and Rick says Randal is harassing Bennet’s wife. Eddie says, he’s up to that again? He’ll take care of it. Rick gives Eddie the papers, and leaves. Eddie suggests Bennet skip the paperwork, and he’ll put a bullet in Randal’s head. Bennet says, this isn’t working, and Eddie says he can help out in a major way; all of Bennet’s problems will go away. Bennet says, thanks, but that’s sick. Eddie says, have it his way, and Bennet leaves. Eddie says, dumb ass, and walks away singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
Carl goes to Larry’s office. Larry says he asked Carl to come to discuss things. This firm needs him. Carl says, really? and Larry asks if Carl is impressed by the firm. Carl says, it’s nice, He’s familiar with their reputation, and hears they’re incredible. Larry asks how he’d like to work there. He can start at $250K, and they charge $500 an hour. Carl is a rock star. Carl appreciates it, and Larry says he’s impressed with the Kelly Isaacs case; how did Carl do it? Carl says he’s persuasive, and Larry says, clearly. Carl says Larry represents his opponent, and he shouldn’t tell him. Larry asks, why? He wants Carl on his team, and doesn’t want to be against him. It will be their little secret. Carl says he can’t do that, and Larry asks if he’s nervous. Carl says, no, and Larry says he spoke to Carl’s law professors, and they said he was a pretty average student. Carl says, he was great, and Larry says he’ll stop the bullsh*t. He didn’t bring Carl in to offer him a job, but he’s giving Carl a chance. Carl says, forwhat? and Larry says, tell him how and where he got the information. Carl says he can’t, and Larry says he can and will ruin Carl’s name. He’ll call the bar and tell them Carl made illegal charges. Carl says he didn’t do anything illegal, but Larry begs to differ. Carl says he’s leaving, and Larry says, if Carl walks out, he has no hope for a future law practice. Carl says, have a good one, and Larry says, unfortunate. Carl leaves, and Larry says, another one bites the dust.
Randal takes out a piece of garbage while Tanya is taking out her garbage. Randal says, hi, and she tells him to talk to her. He asks if she doesn’t think it’s weird they’re both out at the same time. She says, don’t talk to her, and he says, okay; he won’t. He wanders across the street, and I say, ugh, out loud. He looks in the garbage, and sees a can of spray paint. He takes it, and goes back home. He compares the color with what’s sprayed on his wall, and storms back out, leaving the can. He stomps across the street, rolling up his sleeves. I have to laugh at that, since he’s like a cartoon. Tanya says she’s going to call her husband if Randal doesn’t leave her alone. He says, so she paints. Has she seen anyone go into his house? She says, no, but he thinks she did. He stands in her doorway, and she tells him, move away or she’ll scream. He says she’s good at screaming, and she says, move. He asks, who was it? Who was good at screaming in her household? Her father, who killed her dog, or her sister? She says she doesn’t have a sister, and he says, somebody is on their meds today. She says her husband will be home soon. He doesn’t like Randal, and Randal needs to be careful of his temper. Randal asks if her husband has temper enough to break in and vandalize his house. She tells him, move away from her door, but he leans further in. He says she can’t get pregnant on her meds. She goes past him, onto the lawn, and starts screaming. Natalie sees, and runs out. Marcie looks out, and sees Randal gesturing and Tanya screaming. Natalie tells Randal to get his ass away from that woman, and he tells her to get in her own damn house. He thought they didn’t come out when they hear stuff. She tells Randal, leave that woman alone. Something bad is going to happen to him. He asks if she’s threatening him, and she says, no, but she’s praying she’ll be there when it happens. She’s calling Tanya’s husband. He’s big, and she can’t wait to see him kick Randal’s ass. Randal makes fun of her, and she grabs a huge tree branch and starts whacking him with it. He says he’ll call the police, but she says she doesn’t care, and chases him back into his house.
Natalie goes to Tanya’s house, and asks if she’s all right. Tanya says, Randal is just being his usual rude self. Natalie says, don’t let him bother her. Just grab a branch, and whack his ass out, then call her. Tanya thanks Natalie for not judging her. She knows her husband told Natalie about her condition. Natalie says he did. Just take her meds and keep going. If Tanya needs her, she’s right there.
Marcie meets Natalie outside, and asks, what about Randal? Natalie says, he was after Tanya. She asks if Marcie is watching the baby, and Marcie says, her and Brad. Natalie says, you’re not supposed to put a baby on their stomach, and Marcie says she didn’t know. Natalie asks if she’s sure, and Marcie asks what she’s saying. Natalie says Marcie knows you’re not supposed to do that, but Marcie insists she didn’t know. She would never hurt the baby; he’s beautiful. Natalie tells her, call if she needs anything. Marcie asks if Natalie thinks Alex isn’t coming back, but Natalie doesn’t know.
Marcie goes back in the house, and Brad comes downstairs. He asks if he heard screaming (note to self: never rely on Brad in an emergency), and Marcie says, it was the neighbor across the street. He asks if she’s okay, and Marcie says, Randal was harassing her. He asks if he should check on her, but she says Natalie already did. Alex rolls in, with Esperanza and Steven, and Brad asks where she’s been. She says she’s here to get her stuff, and Esperanza says, and talk to the kids. Alex repeats, and talk to her kids. Brad asks if she’s drunk; she smells like alcohol. Alex says, alcohol, and probably sex. She’s sure they understand. Back the hell up then, and she’ll be gone in a minute. Brad says, fine. He’s taking the house. She says, fine with her. He can have this boring, piece of sh*t, cookie-cutter bullsh*t. He says he’s taking full custody of the kids, and she says, thank you. It’s perfect for all of them. She heads for the liquor cabinet, telling Steven, excuse me, sir. Steven grabs her before she can grab the liquor. Brad says the kids can’t see her like this. She needs to clean herself up. Alex says Brad needs to back off. She starts to go upstairs, but Brad stops her. She says she tried, and flounces out the door. Esperanza tries to catch her, but she’s halfway down the block, and says, I’m out, bitches. She strides down the street. Esperanza tells Steven, she needs to come to her senses, but he says there’s nothing they can do for her. Alex bangs on Randal’s door, and he says, what the hell? She tells him that she needs a drink, and walks past him into the house. Everyone is like, what?
Steven tells Esperanza that Alex will be fine, and steers her back to the car. Randal asks Alex, what the hell is wrong with her? and she asks where the booze is. She finds some, and asks, what the hell happened in here? She laughs, and he says, get the hell out. She says let her finish her drink. She drains the glass, and he says, get the hell out of his house. She says, gladly, and unzips his pants. He says, get the hell… out of… his house…
While Natalie is cleaning up, Eddie walks into her house. She grabs a knife, and says, did he just walk in the door? He says, it was unlocked, and she asks if he’s lost his mind. He says, a while ago. She asks what makes him think he can walk into somebody’s house, and he says, white MF’ing privilege. He can do what he wants. She tells him, get the hell out of her house right now. He says the last time she came at him with a knife, he tazed her ass. He shows her the screen on his phone, and says, look.
Next time, Ian tells Larry that he’s trying to protect the firm, Eddie asks Randal what’s wrong with him, and Eddie tells Natalie to check on what’s going on.
🌇 Later Than Late…
Since I have to get some of that pesky sleep, see you at the same time tomorrow, but earlier. Meanwhile, stay busy, stay active, but don’t stay around too many people yet.
(rambling, random thoughts & annoyingly detailed recaps from real time TV watching)
General Hospital
On the phone, Brook says, disturbing the peace… Yes, it was Chase again… No; I’m not making a habit of it… Hello? Dad? Chase says, tough love, and she says her father is a busy man. She asks if she can make one more phone call, but he says she only gets one; like last time, and the time before that. She says, too bad there’s no loyalty program. He tells her, go ahead, and she asks, what’s the catch? He says, none. He’s just curious. If her father won’t help her, he wants to see who will.
Nelle goes into Charlie’s, and tells Julian that he’s just the man she wanted to see. He says they’re closed, but she says, the door is open. He says they’re just closed to her. She says, of all people, she thought he would understand her struggle to put the past behind her, while the Corinthoses hold it over her head. He says he doesn’t even sell Sonny’s coffee anymore, and asks what she wants. She says she wants to make him a generous offer. From the heart.
Diane tells Michael to repeat what she said. He tells her, I will not let Nelle bait me in court. She says, now, Willow, and Willow says she won’t let Nelle bait her either. Diane says, let Nelle roll out her manipulation and histrionics, while they remain calm and stay the course, and Michael will be the same loving, committed, stalwart presence that he’s always been. Michael asks if she thinks he can manage that, and she says, of course (🍷). But she’s seen Willow give way to anger in the courtroom against Shiloh. Nelle is just as bad, if not worse. Willow says she understands, and she’s ready for Nelle. Diane says the two of them make an excellent team. They both know Wiley’s favorites, how to put him down for a nap, and his first words. Nelle is practically a stranger. Michael asks if that doesn’t support Nelle’s argument that she deserves more time with him. Diane says, let Nelle argue what’s best for Nelle, and they’ll argue what’s best for Wiley. After all the trauma Wiley has been through, it’s crucial that he stay with people he loves and trusts. They’ve already proven they’ll do what it takes for him.
Julian tells Nelle, she has five seconds. She asks why he’s in such a rush. There’s a light crowd, and it’s not like he has any family to get back to. Is anyone even speaking to him, besides Lucas and Wiley? He says, time’s up, and she tells him, don’t be a baby. They have one horrible thing in common. They’re both victims of Brad. He left Nelle unconscious by the side of the road after she gave birth to Wiley. It’s too bad she didn’t remember until after it came out. Julian says, bad timing. What he finds tragic is that she expects him to believe Brad pulled a number on her. She asks if that’s a compliment, but he says, no. What does she want? She says she wants to offer him a spot in her son’s life. On one condition.
Brook says, Dusty, pick up, but gets voicemail. She hangs up, and Chase says, don’t tell him that she’s run out of people to turn her down. She says, cut to the chase, Chase, and he says, according to the report… She asks if says anything about abuse of power or false arrest. He didn’t like her calling him out for betraying his girlfriend, and if he had any decency, he’d admit she’s not the only guilty party, and let her go. She might have a big mouth, but she’s not a lying jerk like him. He flashes back to lying to Willow about having his pretend affair with Sasha, and he says Brook is right. She says, what? and he says, about him; about everything. Goodbye. She says he can’t just leave her there, and he says she still broke the law. She tore up the citation, and disturbed the peace. Being right doesn’t change that. She asks if she’s supposed to sit there until tomorrow, and he says she has a phone. Either find someone to get her out, or spend the night in custody. Either way, he doesn’t give a damn.
Diane says, Nelle’s lawyer might try to discredit Willow, as a woman unwilling to relinquish a child that’s not hers, but no one, aside from Michael has shown more backbone and been willing to sacrifice more than she has. And they have the legal documents to prove she’s put Wiley’s needs first. It’s gold. Willow and Michael thank her, and Diane leaves. Michael says, Willow heard her; she’s gold. Willow says he’s not so bad himself, and he says the only way she’d be a better advocate is if she married him.
Julian tells Nelle to run it by him one more time. She says, what’s complicated? Wiley’s custody suit is tomorrow. She wants him to testify on her behalf, as Wiley’s former grandfather and character witness, and tell them what a wonderful mother she is. He says he’d be lying under oath, but she says he knows the truth is that Wiley would be better off with his mother than with Michael, who’s not Julian’s favorite person. He laughs, and he says, the child in question, who he used to believe was his grandson, is better off with the same woman who left his father to die in a burning car? She says she was under stress because Michael was trying to take the child from her, and her hormones were raging. He says he’s not going help her, and she says he will if he wants to stay in Wiley’s life. When she has sole custody, Wiley can call him grandpa again if he wants. Again, it’s a very generous offer. Once she has sole custody… He says she likes saying that, like it’s a possibility. She says, it’s a lock. Once she has Wiley, he’ll never see a Corinthos or Quartermaine again – not even Willow – but he’ll have access. Julian says he can’t imagine Sonny being too happy, and she says, Sonny and Carly will suffer even more; they’re on the same page. He says, they’re not even in the same book. He loves Wiley, and cares about what happens to him. If anybody asks, he’ll say Wiley is better off with his father, and his mother is a heartless monster who only uses him as a weapon. So by all means, invite him to court to testify on her behalf. His phone rings, and he asks what the hell they want. Absolutely not. On second thought, he’ll be right there. Nelle asks if everything is okay, and he tells the waitress that he needs her to watch the bar. And don’t serve Nelle. She’s done here.
Chase goes into Charlie’s, where Nelle sits without a drink at the bar. He flashes back to Willow coming home, and telling her that he has wine and takeout, whatever she wants. She asks him to just hold her. Nelle says he looks like he could use a drink and some company. He says, no thank you, and she asks if he’s that afraid of her. He says that’s not the word he’d use to describe how he feels about her. She says, so he does have feelings for her. Now they’re getting somewhere.
Michael tells Willow, when they talked about getting married to protect Wiley before, it wasn’t an option for her. She says, it turns out, her situation has changed. She flashes back to seeing Sasha and Chase making out on the couch, and telling Chase that, never in a million years did she think he’d do this. When he said he loved her, she thought he meant forever, but she didn’t know him at all. She tells Michael, drastically, and Michael says, he knows it’s not how they imagined their marriages or futures, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make a partnership that works. She says, if they do this, she needs to be upfront, and he says he expects nothing less. She tells him, despite what he did, she’s still in love with Chase. He’s the first man she loved, and until they broke up, she didn’t plan on loving anyone else. She’s not sure she’s even capable of it. Can he marry a woman who will probably never be in love with him? He says if they commit themselves to loving Wiley, and raising him together in a family that respects and supports each other, that’s all he can ask for. She says, okay then, and he says she needs to know she’ll be marrying a Corinthos and Quartermaine. Two powerful families, unique in their traditions and customs, with a lot of secrets. It’s like joining a club you can’t resign from, and life will be very different if they do this.
Julian says he paid Brook’s bail; let’s go. She promises to pay him back, and he says, damn straight. She thanks him, and he says, don’t mention it. He might have left her there, but she stopped him from throttling someone.
Michael tells Willow, they may not love each other romantically, but she knows how much he profoundly values her friendship. He flashes back talking to her about the grief group and her introducing herself; him saying he was nervous about speaking in the group, but then saw her face, and talked about Jonah; her telling him that she’s wiling help Kristina by telling her about Shiloh; Willow telling Michael about the adoption, and him saying he’s glad Wiley has her. He remembers Willow in jail, and then playing with Wiley. She tells him that she feels the same way. He’s helped her so much, from the support group to everything since. He’s been her rock. He says she’s been there for Wiley, which means she’s been there for him, so she’s been his rock too. He relies on her honesty. She says she relies on his too. She wishes there was a better way to say it, but she’s in awe of his integrity. He says, some people call it self-righteousness, and she says, there’s that in there too.
Chase tells Nelle that he can pay for his own drink, and no one should accept a beverage from her without a toxicologist checking it first. Nelle asks if he wants to sit down, but he says, no. Life is short; he doesn’t have time for her games. She says, one would think he wasn’t single, and had a hot teacher warming his bed. They’re both single, so who knows? Maybe she’ll give him a second chance. We flash back to Nelle going to his hotel room in Florida, and seducing him. He wonders how it is she’s become more delusional. He would have thought she’d reached a threshold by now. She says she gets what she wants. She’ll get Wiley, and if she wants Chase, she’ll get him. Anyone who underestimates her, including his friend Michael, is delusional. Chase stomps out, and Nelle heads the other way. To the bathroom?
Finn calls Chase, and asks where he is. Chase says, Pier 55; why? Finn says he talked to Willow, and Chase clearly didn’t take his advice. Chase says he’s not in the mood for a lecture, and Finn says, what about a beer? Does he want to meet at The Rib in fifteen? Chase tells him, some other time. He hangs up, and looks at the water.
Julian hears Brook come into Charlie’s, and says they’re closed. She says she doesn’t want a drink, and he says he figured she’d be on her way home. Why did she decide to call him to spring her? Isn’t there a houseful of Quartermaines who will send a butler? She says they used to have a butler, but he left in the 90s; it’s just housekeepers now. He says, bailing her out isn’t in the job description? She says he wasn’t her first call. Or her second or third. She got tired of reaching out, and hearing, I told you so. He suggests she should have called her father, and she says he was her first phone call, and her first, I told you so. Julian asks what made her think he’d get her out? and she says she has leverage. He proved that when he showed up, but he says, it was a good excuse get out of a bad conversation.
As Chase looks at the water, he remembers meeting Willow when she was crying in her car, and seeing the pamphlet for the grief group. He flashes back on bringing her home for the first time, and her saying she has no interest in being in his lair; her apologizing for overreacting, and him telling her that he likes her, and wants to spend more time together as a couple; her saying she wants that too. He remembers her throwing away her letter of resignation, and saying she’s staying; her saying he’s her first relationship, and thanking him for standing by her through the Shiloh trauma; and him saying she’s the hero, and he was just the backup, and kissing her.
Finn finds Chase at the pier, and says he can see why Chase didn’t want to meet at The Rib. It’s much better ambiance there. Chase says, it’s perfect, and Finn says, the smell of fish… and whatever that is. Chase appreciates Finn coming and wanting to help, but he can’t. Willow is gone because he wanted her to go, but knowing it was right doesn’t make it hurt any less. Finn says, believe him, he knows.
Willow tells Michael, it’s just her way of saying she knows he’ll always be straight with her, and treat her with the respect she never had until she met him. Michael says, and Wiley. He loves everything about Wiley, of course (🍷), but he especially loves the way Wiley smiles at her. We flash back to Michael introducing Wiley to her as his godson, and her saying she’s not able to stay away. They smile.
Chase says he appreciates Finn tracking him down. He’s sorry he acted like a jerk. Finn says, if it’s any consolation, Willow probably thinks it’s a family trait. Chase asks what he said, and Finn says he mistakenly believed Chase took his advice, and told Willow the truth. They talked for a while at cross purposes, and she probably thinks he’s okay with what Chase did. Why didn’t Chase tell her it was staged? Chase says, that would have been selfish. It’s not about how bad he feels, but what’s right for Wiley. He knows what Nelle is capable of, and whatever it takes is worth it. Finn asks what he can do, and Chase says, not a damn thing. It’s already done. Finn gives him a beer, and Chase toasts to Willow, a beautiful and kind woman, who he will always love. He could have been happy spending the rest of his life with her, but she wouldn’t have been happy if Wiley was suffering or hurting. So this is what he had to do; this is how he shows his love. He drinks.
Brook tells Julian, if he’d turned her down, she would have called his bluff and gone to Sonny with her suspicions. He says thanks for reminding him how she holds his life in her hands. She says, fortunately, she doesn’t have to use her leverage. It’s best for everyone, especially Lucas. It would break his heart, and he’s been through enough. They toast to Lucas, and Brook says, accommodate the occasional favor, and she doesn’t have to tell anyone that he tampered with Brad’s car. They clink glasses, as Nelle listens in.
Chase tells Finn, the first time he and Willow met, she was sitting in her car crying. She didn’t seem helpless or fragile. She’s beautiful, even in tears, and he could tell there was something rare and strong about her. Then he got to know her. People must have thought he was trying to rescue her, but she didn’t need rescuing. She’s so determined, and so fierce in her quiet way. He laughs, and says, it took a long time for Willow to love him, but he was a goner in the first ten seconds. Finn says he hears that. Chase says he got used to thinking they had a lifetime, and part of him still can’t stop thinking they won’t. He tells Finn, thanks, and Finn says, for the beer? Chase says for respecting his decision, even though he doesn’t agree with it. Finn says he thinks Chase is a well-intentioned idiot. Love has a way of making fools out of all of them. Chase says, he appreciates Finn coming, but… Finn says, he’d rather be on his own? and Chase says, yeah. Finn tells Chase, call him, even if he just wants Finn to sit with him. Chase thanks him, they hug, and Finn leaves.
Michael tells Willow, his son loves her, and he knows she loves him. So if she agrees, they’ll still have a marriage based on love; for each other as friends, and love for Wiley. She gets up, and he asks what she’s thinking. She flashes back to Chase asking if she still considers his apartment his lair. She says she considers it the place where he is; the place she feels happy and safe because she’s with him. She remembers them telling each other, I love you, for the first time, and him saying he knows what a good person she is, what a good mom she’ll be, and how he definitely wants kids with her. She tells Michael, it’s not the marriage she imagined, and he says, him neither. She says, but she has faith they can make it work. He says, if that’s what she wants. If not, no harm, no foul. She says, Wiley deserves a safe, happy future. One with parents who love and care for him, and care about each other, and she would like to be part of it. So her answer is yes. She’ll marry him.
Tomorrow, Cyrus is sure he and Jordan will cross paths again; Lucy tells Sasha that she knows what it’s like to be labeled the town tramp; Nelle tells Martin they need a counter move now; and Michael asks if everyone is ready for a wedding.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht
Adam tells Jenna, he’s used to flying solo, and it scares him to change it. Jenna says, this isn’t what it should be like. It either needs to be fixed or he pissed all over something she believed was there. She’s put him first in a lot of things, and it hasn’t always been reciprocal. Adam says he can be closed off, and she says he’s not used to supporting a partner. He says she’s probably right. He shuts down. She asks if there’s a reason why, and he says, maybe it’s because he traveled so much as a kid. She says he readily showed her affection, so it’s there, but he needs to trust her, and she needs to trust him. He says he has hard time with that, and she says she does too. She’s scared. He says he’s sorry for what he said, and they hug. In his interview, Adam says emotional attachment is hard for him. His parents worked internationally, and he was moved all the time. He’d go in and out of schools, make friends, and then goodbye. He wants a great relationship, but didn’t think he was capable of it. A producer asks if he thinks he’s the problem, and he says he knows he’s the problem. He tells Jenna that he’s going to make a valiant effort not to clam up. He’s sorry for that.
Guest Dina tells Kerry, tomorrow is going to be her day, and Kerry says she’s going to bed. Jenna sits on Adam’s lap in the crew mess. Georgia comes by to ask Jenna a question, but says, sorry, as you were, and keeps going. In Ciara’s interview, she says, they’re so wrapped up in each other, they’re not paying attention to anyone else. It gives couples in yachting a bad rep. Georgia comes back, and says, trying this again. She asks when they’re starting in the morning. Everyone goes to bed.
Byron drains the oil that had leaked. Guests Jennifer and Mark meet with Glenn and Jenna. Jennifer says this is probably never going to happen again, and they want to make sure to get the most out of every moment, and do activities. In Glenn’s interview, he says, it’s heart wrenching. The guests could ask for anything. He wants to make it the charter of a lifetime. Jenna tells Georgia, sorry about last night. Georgia says she’s not changing her vote, but Jenna says, it’s complicated. They need to work out some things, and there’s more to it than Georgia knows. In Georgia’s interview, she says, since they’ve gotten on the boat, Jenna’s half the person she thought she was, and Adam is showing his true colors. This guy is going to screw Jenna up later.
Breakfast is served, and Jenna tells the guests they’re going to do water skiing, tubing, and waterboarding, then have cocktails on the beach. Georgia and Madison straighten up the cabins. Madison says, someone has to do the work, instead of sitting in the galley. Jenna pops in, and Madison isn’t sure if she heard. Jenna tells them she’s going to clear everything from breakfast. When she’s gone, Madison says Jenna makes her uncomfortable. Paget and Chris work on deck, and in Paget’s interview, he says, Chris has brought a new lease on life to the boat; he’s very spongy. Little does he know he has very small shoes to fill. The guests jump off the boat into the water, and Jenna asks Madison to relieve Georgia in the laundry room, so Georgia can go on break.
A guest asks Byron for some vodka, and he tells Jenna. She asks why they told him, and he says, because she’s not up there. Jenna tells Adam that she’s going to lie down, and he asks if she wants him to come; he’s got some free time. He asks if her minions are lying down, and she says, Georgia is on break and Madison is on laundry. She asks Madison if she wants be on service. In Madison’s interview, she says, whew!We’re good. Adam tells Jenna, it’s his first break all season. In Madison’s interview, she says, Jenna isn’t in her bed, and Adam isn’t in the galley. We’re supposed to be working, not sleeping on someone’s d*ck. Madison gripes to Ciara, and in Ciara’s interview, she says, if someone isn’t doing their job properly, someone else has to do it, and it’s not fair. Madison says she knows there’s just one more charter, but still… Chris watches the guests in the water, and in his interview, he says, it’s astonishing that Kerry has cancer. She’s such a positive, vibrant person. He’s always been positive, but it’s a reminder that, no matter how sh*tty your life can be, there’s always something to be positive about. In Jenna’s interview, she says, given that she’s given the majority of her life in yachting, at some point, she needs to be selfish. She deserves this feeling, and she’s enjoying every minute of it.
Glenn asks who’s on service, as he helps Madison. In Madison’s interview, she says, thanks for being a third stew. In Adam’s bunk, Adam tells Jenna, he wishes they could do this every day. Ciara tells Glenn, Madison is on service and laundry, so Jenna can take a nap with Adam. She left the guests. Glenn asks if the guests are okay, and she says, they are, but they can’t have no one on service. In Ciara’s interview, she says, it’s none of her business, but she can give her opinion if the captain is asking for it. She’s been working in yachting a long time. She tells Glenn that Jenna spends more time in Adam’s lap than working. She adds that the guests want the inflatable hotdog. Madison asks Georgia to check the cabins while the guests are in the water. Several of the guests try to get on the hotdog at once, and fall off. Glenn asks Madison if there’s a problem. She says she thinks as adults, they should be able to handle it, but it happened a lot this weekend. Although they just have one charter left. Jenna and Adam hug. The guests finally manage to get on the hotdog, and it takes off, pulled by the tender with Chris driving.
Jenna asks about the evening’s weather, and Glenn says, it’s not supposed to be windy. She tells him the guests are having a PJ party. Chris helps Paget lift a water vehicle called a seabob, and in his interview, he says, as he was lifting, he felt his back go out. He’s spent his life playing rugby and working on yachts; two of the worst things for your back. He’s used to just getting on with it. Guest Dino tells Kerry that she’s a role model for him; so positive and living in the now. Kerry says it’s a shame she had to go through this to wake up. Jenna tells the stews that at 6:30, the guests are going to the beach. Then they’re having a PJ party tonight. She tells Madison to get the PJs for the crew. Adam and Jenna go out on the tender, and Mark passes out the PJs they’ve gotten for everyone. In Chris’s interview, he says he has a high threshold for pain, and when he’s got a job to do, he just gets on with it.
Jenna comes back, and tells Madison, the guests are ready to go. She’ll clean up, and Madison and Georgia can go with them. In Madison’s interview, she says Jenna’s tone is demoralizing. I dunno. She sounds like a normal boss to me. Chris, Paget, and Ciara also go with the guests. Glenn looks over his glasses at Adam and Jenna goofing around. In his interview, Glenn says the last thing he wants to do is upset people who are face to face with the guests on charter, but he doesn’t want lovey-dovey stuff in the crew mess. It’s unprofessional, and needs to stop.
Georgia welcomes the guests to their private beach. Chris tells Paget, Georgia’s shorts are particularly short. Paget says Chris noticed, and Chris says, every day. Back at the boat, Adam cooks, and Jenna cleans up. On the beach, Georgia brings out her guitar. Kerry suggests Paget sing and take his clothes off. Georgia says they’ll do one of Paget’s songs. In Chris’s interview, he says he’s picking up flirtatious energy from Paget and Georgia. The tender starts to float away, and Chris runs to grab it. It’s time for the guests to go back to the boat, and Paget tells them that they’re the most fun guests yet. As Paget dismantles the umbrella, Georgia says something suggestive about getting it in the hole, and Paget says her mind is in the gutter. He asks, what’s going on with Chris? and she asks, why? Is he curious? He says he begs her pardon. In Georgia’s interview, she says, it’s difficult, because she finds him endearing. She has moments where she wonders how it’s possible someone is so like herself. She hasn’t found anyone she’s had a weakness for. Knowing the season is ending is torture for her.
Kerry tells the guests to put on their jammies. Glenn and Byron set up the dining table on deck. The stews put their PJs on, and they’re cute. Button down short sleeve tops and matching shorts, maroon with pinkish piping, and various sleep masks to go with them. Chris blows up helium balloons, and inhales some, giving a weather report in a helium voice. Ooh, the table has fairy lights; my favorite. Byron says Madison has been in a grumpy mood, and she says just because she isn’t perky doesn’t mean she’s in a bad mood, which definitely makes her sound like she’s in a bad mood. Byron tells Glenn that he looks like Aladdin in his PJs. Everyone comes up, and stands in a line in front of the guests. Jennifer tells them to take their walk, and they’ll judge them. The winner gets a prize. Everyone does a crazy dance or model walk, and the guests take pictures. Chris says if he’s going to do it, he’s doing it properly. He does a bump and grind, slides into the hot tub, and ends with taking his shirt off. In his interview, he says, did it hurt? Yeah, but it was worth it? 100%. Chris gets the prize of a fancy robe and $200. In his interview, he says, it’s fantastic. It will probably go into a massage for his back. The guests are served risotto to start, which always makes me think of Gordon Ramsay yelling at chefs.
Georgia tells Madison that she’s taking a break, and Jenna calls Madison to the galley to help serve the main course; surf and turf, with chateaubriand and lobster. One of the guests says, if food shuts the table up, it’s good. Kerry says she’s going to cry when they have to leave. Guest Jacque says, it’s a special gathering, and Jenna says, it has a lot of meaning. It’s nice to be part of it. Kerry says she’s never eaten so much good food in her entire life.
Chris takes some meds in the morning. Guest Mark dives off the boat. Paget drops his radio while lifting the seabob (which is now officially a pain in the ass), and slips. In his interview, Paget says he felt his hamstring go. In Chris’s interview, he says he swears their crew has been cursed. They have to just push through the pain or they’re screwed.
It’s the last day of charter, and some of the guests jump off the side of the boat into the water. Jenna tells Georgia that someone is leaving clothes piled in a ball in the laundry room. Adam says, it’s because clothes keep being left in the washing machine. In Madison’s interview, she says, Jenna and Adam are the Kim and Kanye of yachting. They’re pretty to look at, but you don’t want to be in a room with them for more than three seconds. Ciara asks if Paget is okay, and he says, it really hurts. Glenn wants to look over everything. In his interview, he says, after the oil accident, he wants to make sure all the i’s are dotted, and t’s are crossed. He doesn’t want anything else to bite them in the ass. He tells Byron that he wants to send Chris up the rig. In Chris’s interview, he says, it’s dangerous, going up 60 meters on the mast. He’s putting his life in the hands of someone else. There’s a lot of potential for things to go wrong, but it’s what he lives for. Should he be doing this? Absolutely not. Does he want to? Hell yeah. He gets into a harness, and goes up, Byron holding the rope below. In Glenn’s interview, he says, the mast is 62 meters from the water, or 190+ feet. In his interview, Chris says he feels most alive doing scary, fun, adrenaline filled stuff like that. It’s the way life should be lived. He finds that a light isn’t working, changes the bulb, and comes back down.
Glenn asks the deckhands to put away the swim platform. Adam makes breakfast, and Kerry calls it, the last supper. Jennifer says her favorite part of the trip was seeing them in the hotdog, and Kerry says she doesn’t think she’s laughed that hard in a long time. Glenn docks the boat. Madison complains about helping with the luggage, and Georgia says, it’s part of the job. In his interview, Paget says, life’s not fair. As rich as you are, you might not be here. You need to live every moment like it’s your last breath. There’s no excuse not be grateful. Jenna says their favorite part was making Kerry happy, and Kerry says, laughter is the best medicine. Dino says they’ll never know how much the trip meant. They leave, and Glenn blasts the horn.
Chris tells Glenn about hurting himself when he was lifting the seabob. He says he can still do the job, just slower. Glenn suggests seeing a doctor, and tells Chris about getting an injection when he was injured. In Chris’s interview, he says, it sucks. There’s no mercy when it comes to an injury. If you hurt yourself, you’re off the boat. Glenn tells him, keep an eye on it, and let him know how he’s progressing. Jenna tells Madison to start making beds. Glenn radios everyone for a charter debrief.
Glenn says, it was charter number eight, and the ultimate charter. It was the most challenging, having the hydraulic oil spill on the deck. He tells Chris a doctor will be coming, and they’re going to retire the seabob. He thinks service has dropped a little compared to earlier, and wants to talk with them about that. He wants to make sure they iron out any issues moving forward, and finish on a high note. In Jenna’s interview, she says, it’s complete bullsh*t. The guests are always happy, and that’s a result of her guidance. Glenn says, they have another charter tomorrow, and need to flip the boat quickly. Their tip was $12,700, or $1400 each. Georgia says, it was the sweetest charter. They made such an effort to help each other enjoy themselves. In her interview, she says, she’d love to have a friend group like these people. They’re her kind of people. Glenn tells them to eat lunch, and get back into it. They have a quick glass of champagne, and some food. Chris tells Madison to have a seat, but she says she has a lot to do. In her interview, Madison says she doesn’t think Jenna wants to accept responsibility for what transpired this season. She should have been called out long ago. Jenna tells Adam that she’s pissed. They should have come to her. Tell her what the guests said. She’s trying to control her rage.
Glenn requests a doctor for Chris. Chris finds Georgia in the laundry, and asks if she’s back in her hole already. She says it’s safer in there. Paget lies down. Georgia suggests to Madison that she shouldn’t have spoken to Ciara about her issue with Jenna, since Ciara will go directly to Glenn. Madison says, don’t flip on this; she needs someone in her corner. In Georgia’s interview, she doesn’t know if Madison likes to play the victim, or thinks she actually is the victim. We flash back to Madison bitching, and she says, they’ve all been effected. Madison isn’t the only one who has to deal with this sh*t. Madison says she’s not saying anything against Jenna. Georgia says, it’s a combination of things. Jenna’s lack of performance has gotten progressively worse, and Paget and Chris have been hurt. They’ll have to pick up the slack on the last charter. Jenna is on the defensive, so let her be angry, and when she calms down, they’ll see how she acts.
Glenn asks if Jenna has a minute. In his interview, he says Jenna made a choice to get involved with Adam, and now her work life and personal life have run together. He tells her, a couple of things have come to his attention, and they’ve got a big problem.
Next time, Chris needs an MRI scan, the last charter of the season, Glenn is concerned about illegal substances on board, and says a guest will be in deep sh*t if he finds drugs in one of the cabins. Captain Lee kicked someone’s ass off the boat for that once.
🛥 FYI, Below Deck Mediterranean will return on Hannah, Hannah, June 1st.
🏰 I watched the Downton Abbey movie over the weekend. Twice. It was great to see the Crawley’s back again, and all the servant politics. It’s the usual suspects, with the plot revolving around a visit from the queen. If you loved the show, you’ll love the movie.
🔎 Still Missing…
The Shahs of Sunset reunion. And absolutely no info. Zilch. Zero. Nada. What is it? A lawsuit? A restraining order? Everyone’s computers crashed on the same day? What?
🕯 Oh Say Do I See…
There seems to be the glimmer of hope on the horizon that we’re going to have a soft quarantine opening soon. Someday, you will know what day it is again. Until then, stay safe, stay following the guidelines, and stay remembering that giving yourself a haircut is a bad idea.
What I Watched - TV With Theresa 