What I Watched Today

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

General Hospital

Portia says she’ll be damned if she’ll allow Spencer to worm his way back into Trina’s heart again, and Curtis says he gets it. Just tread lightly. She says, it’s too late for that. She’s already made it extremely clear, and Spencer knows how she feels about the matter as well. He says he’s not talking about Spencer; he’s talking about Trina. If Portia tries to keep Trina from him, she might end up doing the exact opposite, and push her straight into Spencer’s arms.

Spencer thanks Diane for coming over, and she says, her fee for an after hours consultation is quite substantial, but he says he’s good. He’ll cover her retainer right now to prove it. She asks if it’s a criminal matter. He just got out of Pentenville, and hasn’t even had a chance to cash his commissary check yet. He tells her that he doesn’t need a commissary check, but don’t worry. This isn’t a criminal matter, but a civil one. She says she’s listening, and he says, it involves Esme Prince’s baby – full custody.

As they walk into the chapel, Elizabeth asks if Nikolas is sure the police found nothing at Windymere, and Nikolas says, it’s as if Esme was never in the north tower. She asks, how? and he says, Victor took care of it. She says, Victor knows? How did he figure out what they were up to? He says, Victor knows what he was up to; he left her out of it. She thanks him, and says, so the police are satisfied, and they’re not an immediate concern? He says, no, but his family is.

Esme is startled to find Laura there when she wakes up, and Laura says she’s so sorry. She was trying not to wake Esme up. Esme says, she’s not a doctor? and Laura says no, just an interested party. Esme asks how she got in here, and Laura says, funny. She was about to ask Esme the very same question.

Carly says, her guess is that Nina is in the lab getting her cheek swabbed, and Drew says, she agreed to be tested? Sonny asks if that’s why Carly came into the chapel. She didn’t guilt Nina into it, did she? Drew says, Sonny has this all wrong, and Carly says, it was Nina who laid the guilt trip. Sonny asks what Carly has to feel guilty about.

Willow tells Nina, get out, and Michael says, not now. Willow says, not ever. She wants Nina out of this room, and out of her life for good. Nina closes the door, and says she’s sorry. Willow’s life may depend on her. Willow suggests Nina talk to a shrink about that savior complex of hers, and tells Michael, get her out of here. On second thought, don’t give her another reason to drag them into court. Get hospital security. Nina says she’s not leaving, not yet, and Michael says he thinks Willow should hear what Nina has to say.

Laura tells Esme that one day, she just disappeared. Some say she went to Europe, and others say she stayed here in Port Charles, and committed some pretty heinous crimes. Esme asks what Laura thinks, and Laura says she’s not sure. Esme coughs, and Laura gets her some water, saying, that’s why she’s here actually. She gives Esme the water, and tells her, drink. She doesn’t want to get dehydrated right now. So tell her, where was she all those months she was missing, and how did she get here with hypothermia? Esme says she wishes she knew, and hands Laura back the glass. She says, so Laura sat here, watching her sleep, giving her a nice drink of water. Does she know Laura? Laura says, her name is Laura Collins. She’s the mayor of this city. Esme says, wow. She’s guessing, from what people think of her, Laura isn’t here to give her the key to the city, and Laura says, no. She’s here because she’s the grandmother of the baby Esme is carrying.

Portia says she needs another drink, when there’s a knock at the door. She tells Curtis, if that’s who she thinks it is… Curtis gets up, but she says she’s got this; she’s calm. She opens the door, and Taggert is there. She tells him to come in out of the cold. She didn’t realize he was back in town. He says he came back when he saw the photo of Trina with that Cassadine kid. Does he need to worry about his baby girl?

Sonny asks what Carly has done, when Dante joins them. He says he heard about Willow, and Sonny says he’s sorry he didn’t tell Dante. There’s a lot going on. Dante says, it’s cool. He stopped by Willow’s room, but Michael and Nina were there. He didn’t want to interrupt. Carly says, Nina was in Willow’s room? and Dante says, yeah. What’s her prognosis? Carly says, Willow has stabilized, but she’s in desperate need of a bone marrow match. Dante says he should get tested, and Carly asks Drew to show him where the lab is. Drew leaves with Dante, and Carly asks to talk to Sonny. They step away to a more private area, and Carly says, Nina is Willow’s mother.

Willow asks Michael to tell her what’s going on, and Nina says she doesn’t want to upset Willow. Willow says, epic fail, and Nina says she’s so sorry for all the arguments they had. She’s sorry for all the ways she’s disappointed Willow. Willow says, Nina’s told her this before; it’s just lip service. She never means it, and this time’s no different. Nina says, this time, it’s very, very different, and Willow asks, why? Nina says, now she knows Willow’s her daughter, and Willow laughs. She says, Nina has lost her mind, but Nina says, she just found out. It was kept from both of them. They lied to Willow. Willow says, Nina is accusing someone else of lying; that’s rich. She asks if Michael believes Nina, and he says he does, because it’s true.

Elizabeth says, why would Victor want to keep evidence in a storage unit of Nikolas keeping Esme captive? and he asks why she thinks; leverage. She says, against who? Nikolas? That’s disgusting. He says, no, that’s Cassadine, and she says, so this isn’t over. Does he have any idea where the storage unit is? He says he has no idea, and she says, so that’s it. His uncle has the power to destroy them both. Nikolas says he’s quite sure Victor doesn’t know she’s involved, or he would have mentioned it. He has no evidence leading back to her, or Nikolas would already know. She says she doesn’t know how he can be so sure, and he says he can’t, but he can promise to do whatever it takes to shield her from any trouble he’s brought on her. He’ll take all the blame if that’s what’s needed, but right now, it’s not Victor they have to worry about talking; it’s Esme.

Esme says, Laura is Spencer’s mother? but Laura says she’s Spencer’s grandmother. Spencer’s father, Nikolas, is her son. Esme stayed with her and her husband Kevin when she and Spencer were together. Esme says, Kevin Collins, the psychiatrist? and Laura says, yes. Esme says she met him; he looked so familiar. Laura asks if she looks familiar, and Esme says, the guy who came to see her told her that his name was Spencer. She’s confused. Laura said Spencer is her grandson, but she’s carrying Laura’s grandchild? Laura says, it’s a lot of names to keep up with, and shows Esme a picture on her phone. She asks if this is the guy who came to visit, but Esme says, the guy who came was younger. Laura shows her another picture, and Esme says, that’s him, and smiles. That’s her baby’s father. We see it’s Spencer.

Diane says, take it from the top, and Spencer asks, how hard is it to gain full custody of a newborn? She says, there was a time father’s weren’t favored in family court, but that hasn’t been the case for decades. He says, what about custody awarded to another family member? and she says, that’s a little trickier. Given his family’s unusual history, she’d say Laura would be in the best position to petition. Don’t forget, Esme will need to be stripped of all parental rights. But given that Esme is Esme, she sees that as a possibility. He says, what about a sibling getting custody? and she says, a sibling of the baby? He says, does that happen? and she says, yes. It’s rare, but in this case there’s no… Esme’s baby isn’t his, is it? He shakes his head, and she says, is Nikolas the father?

Michael says, Drew confirmed it. Nina is Willow’s biological mother. Willow says, no. Drew was looking into her family, and would have told her this himself. Nina says, Drew didn’t know until Willow was hospitalized, and Willow asks how he found out. Michael says, new information came to light, and Willow says, and Drew told Nina? Nina says, Carly told her, and Michael shakes his head slightly. Nina says, they’re all very worried about Willow, and Michael tells Willow, they don’t have to have this conversation right now. Willow says, if not now, when? She may not have much time left. Michael says, no, but Willow says she doesn’t have much time to wait. She needs to know how this happened. And she needs to know now.

Carly tells Sonny, that’s why she came to find Nina in the chapel. She wanted to tell Nina that she and Willow are biologically related, and Nina needed to get tested as a bone marrow… He tells her that she can stop right there. How did she come by this information? She says, Harmony told her, and he says, Harmony’s been dead for months. How long as she known? She says, what’s important right now is saving Willow; the details don’t matter. (Ha-ha-ha! Okay.) He says, the details do matter. They matter to Willow, and they matter to Nina. And they sure as hell mattered to Carly, because she kept her mouth shut. He wants to know, if it’s true, why did she take so long to tell them? Drew joins them, and says, it’s true, and Sonny asks if he knew too.  

Nina tells Willow that she didn’t know she had twins, and Madeline gave one baby to Harmony. She made Phyllis Nina’s nurse, and had Phyllis give Nelle to the Bensons. Willow says, Nelle was her sister. She fought her own sister in court. After she found out Harmony wasn’t her biological mother, she had no relations, and now it seems she has two. Nina says, she has more. Her Aunt Liesl, and sweet little James. Willow says, if this is true, that makes… Wiley her nephew. Nina says, it is true. She thought she lost her only child, and Willow thought there was never going to be a chance for her to have a relationship with her real mother. Maybe this is a way for both of them to get something they never had before.

Taggert says he thought Trina was done with this Spencer creep, and Portia asks him to keep his voice down; she’s upstairs sleeping. And she thought Trina was done with Spencer too, but apparently, they’re friends again, no matter what they think. Taggert says, we’ll see about that, and Portia says she understands his sentiment, but thankfully, Curtis talked her off the ledge before she made things worse. Taggert says, oh he did, and Curtis says he was telling Portia that he thinks they should give Trina space to figure things out for herself. Taggert says, no offense, but he’s not Trina’s father.

Laura asks why Esme thinks Spencer’s the father of her baby. Did he say he was? Esme tells her, he said it was possible. It is possible, right? Laura says, Esme and Spencer have quite a history, and Esme says she hopes he’s the father. He was so kind to her. He told her they used to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but they broke up. Laura says, yeah, and Esme asks if the first photo Laura showed her was of Nikolas. He’s her son? Laura says, yeah. Has he been here to see her? Esme says, not yet, but if he’s any but as nice as her and Spencer, she wouldn’t mind. Can she ask Laura a question? Laura says, of course (🍷), and Esme says she gets the feeling not many people in this town like her, and it’s weird not knowing if she’s guilty for the accusations about her or not. Someone must have cared about her other than maybe Spencer. Laura said Esme lived with her, right? Can Laura tell her anything about herself? There’s a knock at the door, and Dante says, sorry to interrupt. He was hoping to get some answers. Esme says she’ll try her best.

Spencer asks if he has a chance, and Diane says, the courts aren’t usually keen on taking a child from both biological parents, unless it’s for good cause. He says, it should be easy enough to convince a judge that Esme is unfit. Not only is she facing legal challenges, her state of mind and health are factors. Diane says, those are good points, but a good lawyer could argue all of them on behalf of Esme. He says, lucky for them, Diane isn’t just a good lawyer; she’s the best. She says, while flattery is nice, a good case is nicer, and he says he knows it’s possible, because Michael was able to gain custody of Avery. She says, correct. His Aunt Alexis won that case, but it was short lived. Ultimately, Michael gave Avery back to Sonny and Ava, and now they have joint custody of their daughter. But she’s assuming he doesn’t just want temporary custody. He says, no. If he gets his way, this baby will never know either of its parents.

Willow asks Michael to give her a few minutes with Nina alone. Please. He kisses her head, and says he’ll be close by, but she says, this won’t take long. He leaves, and Nina says, it’s a lot, huh? She’s reeling too. She sits by the bed, and says she spent years and years looking for her child, and the pain of that loss has haunted her every single day, but she has a daughter… who hates her. Willow says, don’t put words in her mouth, but Nina says, it’s no secret they fight with each other, but she’s hoping that ends here and now. That they can move forward, and build a new relationship. They can look back on this with a new sense of wonder about how they’ve come so far, and they can tell that story to Wiley, then tell that story to the new little one. Willow says, they won’t be telling either of her children stories. She asked Michael to leave to spare Nina some dignity, but make no mistake. The fact that they have a blood tie changes nothing between them.

Sonny asks if Drew hid the truth from Nina and Willow too, and Drew says, he would have told her if he’d known. Sonny says, so this is a vendetta, but Carly says, it’s not, and Drew says, Carly wasn’t trying to hurt Nina; she was trying to protect Willow. Sonny says, make that makes sense to him, and Drew says, Willow was furious after the visitation hearing, and didn’t want Nina anywhere near her. Sonny says, that’s because Willow didn’t know Nina was her mother. Carly asks if he’s forgotten the hell Nina put Willow through, and Sonny says, Carly can fool Drew all she wants, but she’s not fooling him. She wasn’t doing this to protect Willow. She was doing this to get back at Nina. Carly starts to protest, when Michael come by, and says, enough.

Diane says, Spencer has every right to feel betrayed, because he was, but he has no obvious legal right to his father’s child. She’s going to be blunt, because that’s part of her charm. She’s concerned a judge is going to hear the anger she just heard, and wonder about his motive. So she has to ask him, is what he’s trying to do in the best interest of the child, or is he seeking revenge against Nikolas and Esme? He says he doesn’t care about his father and Esme, although sticking it to his father would be the icing on the cake. She says, there it is again, and he says, this is about saving a child from an amoral mother and a dangerously selfish father. This is about breaking a cycle; a cycle he’s all too familiar with. When his father wasn’t pretending he was dead, he was choosing a woman over Spencer. This goes beyond bad parenting skills. His father is a toxic and damaging person. He doesn’t want to sit idly by while his father breaks another child’s heart or damages another child’s self-esteem. His little brother or sister deserves better. She says, as did he. Well said, and they can put forth that argument, but she has to tell him, the odds are stacked against him. He says, what if there was something he could do to even those odds?

Elizabeth says, it doesn’t appear that Esme will recover her memories any time soon, and Nikolas says, good. Elizabeth says, good for them; not for Esme. Nikolas says, a blank slate can be a blessing. Esme has no memories of the low-down dirty deeds she’s done. She doesn’t have to carry the guilt like he does. She says, it’s a double-edged sword. Being spared the pain is a blessing, but knowing there’s something you can’t access is torture. It’s just torture. He asks if they’re still talking about Esme, and she says she doesn’t think Esme is going to remember anytime soon, which makes Victor’s evidence moot. He says, it’s a pile of junk. Even with Esme’s DNA on it, it doesn’t pinpoint the time and location. She lived at Windymere for months on and off. As long as she doesn’t remember, they’re safe. It’s going to be okay. There’s no evidence, no testimony, no proof.

Dante shows Esme a picture of the ornament, and asks if it looks familiar. She says, it looks like a Christmas ornament, and he says, she had it on her before she was admitted. Can she take another look? It might give them a clue as to where she was before she ended up here. She stares at it for a while, but says, it doesn’t look familiar, and Laura asks to take a look. She says, it looks hand-painted, and Dante says, it’s probably part of a set. They’re trying to figure out who made them. Esme looks at it again, but says she’s sorry; it means nothing to her. Dante gives her his card, and says, if she thinks of anything, give him a call, but she says, no. Why would she help the police build a case against the girl she used to be?

Michael says, Willow’s life is imploding, and they’re out here fighting like children. Carly asks how she is, and Michael says, on top of the fact that she’s sick, she has to deal with the fact that the woman she actively hates, that she told to drop dead, is her mother. Drew says, they’re here for both Michael and Willow in any way possible, and Carly says she’s sorry. They’ll put aside their differences and focus on Willow, but why the hell was Nina’s first instinct to go talk to Willow instead of getting tested? Sonny says, Carly has no right to question Nina after what she’s done, and Carly says, go to hell. Michael says he needs to talk to Sonny in private, and they head for a less trafficked area. Michael says, Carly knew Nina was Willow’s family, and didn’t say a thing, and Sonny says, that’s because she wanted revenge on Nina. Michael says he doesn’t give a damn about Nina. Willow is his one and only priority. Sonny says, okay. He wants to help Michael. How can he? Michael says, by dealing with his feelings about what Carly did to Nina later; away from him and Willow. Sonny says he can do that, and asks how Michael is holding up. Michael says he doesn’t care about himself; he cares about Willow. She’s devastated, and he wants to make things better for her. Sonny says, that’s what Michael is doing. He’s looking out for Willow’s best interest. He’s there for her as a partner, and as a father. He’s doing all the right things.

Diane asks what Spencer means by even the odds, and he says he was with Esme for years. According to his father, he was only with her for one night. Who’s to say he’s not the father? She says, that’s an interesting wrinkle. She’s always and only about presenting the best possible case for her clients, so if he tells her that he’s the father, she’ll take that into court. But if he has even an inkling that a DNA test might prove otherwise, she’s not going down that road. She will not be a party to fraud. So if that’s what he’s looking for, he has to keep looking for another lawyer, and don’t forget, his father can bring in his own DNA test. And what does Spencer think those results will be? Spencer asks what his options are, and she says, here’s her charming bluntness. Again, it’s very difficult to strip a child away from its biological parents. It’s a long shot. And they would be fighting on two fronts. While Esme doesn’t have the resources his father does, she still has rights, but his father is going to level everything he’s got at Spencer. He’ll attack Spencer. Spencer is fresh from Pentenville. Not his first stint, but his second, so he’ll be playing defense. He says he’s sure she can handle that, and she says, of course (🍷) she can handle it. She’ll present a very effective case, but she’s got to warn him, she can’t guarantee him a win.

Dante tells Laura, chalk one up for nature versus nurture. Even in Esme’s state of amnesia, her instinct was to protect herself. Laura says she noticed that. She asks if the Christmas ornament is related to The Hook killer investigation, and Dante says, they don’t know yet, but they’re pivoting away from Esme as the prime suspect. Could she be involved on some level? Maybe, but there’s no way she committed the acts herself. Laura says, that’s a relief, but she’s still under investigation for the revenge porn charges? He says, yeah, and the drugging of Oz Haggerty. She says, Esme will be discharged soon. Will she be granted bail or held in a facility? He says, that’s above his pay grade, but he’s sure the DA will be calling her soon, and they can figure out the right answers. She says she’s not sure there is a right answer. No matter how they choose to deal with Esme, the public will be watching and judging.

Elizabeth says she should get going, and Nikolas says, the talk about memory loss seemed personal. Did she ever figure out why she was losing time? She says she’s sorry. She never told him, but she did. The sleepwalking and blackouts were the result of the illustrious Carolyn Webber using her psychiatric expertise to repress Elizabeth’s memory. He asks if her father knew, and she says, yes. She knows her situation isn’t the same as Esme’s, but she’s been where Esme is, and knows what it’s like to not be able to rely on your memory, or to be confused about the lack thereof. He asks, what happened? What made her parents so desperate for her to not remember?

Curtis tells Taggert, he may not be Trina’s biological father, but he is speaking from experience. She didn’t appreciate him weighing in on her personal life, and all but told her mother to butt out of her business before she went up to bed. Taggert says, Trina’s always been strong-minded and independent, but giving her space to make her own mistakes is a lot different than standing back and watching her put herself in danger. He and Portia didn’t let her play in traffic as a child, and they’re not going to let her play with the Cassadines. He knows that family too well. He tells Portia to have the princess call him when she wakes up. He’s sorry for ruining their evening. He leaves, and Portia says, Curtis knows she values him, his opinion, and his support. It’s just that when it comes to Trina, Taggert is territorial. He says he gets it. For now, he’ll just keep his parenting advice to himself. That is until they have their own. He hugs her.

Carly tells Drew that she can deal with Sonny’s anger; she expected it. But the way Michael avoided her eyes… He says, they all need a little time, and she says, and if it affords Willow more time, it will all be worth it.

Willow says, if there’s proof Nina is her biological mother, she’ll accept that fact, but she’ll never accept Nina. Nina continually tried to destroy their family. She kept Sonny away from his loved ones, then insinuated herself with Willow’s son, and ripping their reputation to shreds… Nina says, Willow isn’t well… and Willow says, she hasn’t been well in months, but that didn’t stop Nina’s torment. She accused Willow of having an affair with TJ, when he was supporting her through her diagnosis. Nina says she didn’t know, and Willow says, she didn’t care to know. She jumps to conclusions because Nina has been hell-bent on taking her and Michael down by any means necessary. And this is the same story she wants to tell Wiley someday? Not a chance. Nina says she thought Wiley was her only tie to a woman she believed was her only daughter. Losing a child left her broken and untethered. If anyone understands how that effects a mother, Willow does. A crime was committed against her, and Willow. Willow was taken without her consent. She couldn’t save Willow’s sister Nelle, but she’s saving Willow.  

Michael says he has to get back to Willow, and Sonny says, of course (🍷).

Nina says she’s the closest donor match, and Willow says, if she is, what does she want in exchange? Nina says, nothing. Willow doesn’t owe her anything. Does Willow think she came in here to emotionally blackmail her. Willow says she doesn’t know what she believes; she only knows she doesn’t trust Nina. Nina says, okay. She accepts the fact that this might not change anything for Willow, but she wants Willow to know she’s going to the lab to get tested. She looks at Willow, and says, they have the same eyes… This might not ever change Willow’s mind, but Willow is her daughter, and if she has the power to save Willow’s life, she’s not letting anything stop her. Not even Willow. She leaves.

Portia tells Curtis, discussing parenthood in the abstract is one thing. Bringing a child into the world is another. He says, all right. Let’s do more than discuss it. They sit down, and she says she loves him. He says he loves her too. They have their entire future ahead of them. She asks, in that future, does he really see himself as a father? He says he knows there are no guarantees, but hell yeah. He’d love to continue the Ashford name with a child of his own.

Diane says, if Spencer is serious about gaining custody of this baby, she will seriously consider taking this case. But he has to stop calling her Miss Miller, and call her Diane. He says, as long as he can call her, and thanks her, but she says, don’t thank her yet. It would be a long and arduous road. He says, understood, but she says, is it? The most terrifying thing about wildfires is, once they’re lit, they’re almost impossible to control. Once a case like this gets into a courtroom, it’s like a wildfire has been lit within a family. Look at Sonny and Michael, or more recently, Michael, Nina, and Willow. He says he doesn’t have much of a family, especially where his father is concerned, and she says, okay, but a decision like this will upend his young life. And it might impact ever single one of his relationships. So before he calls her again, she wants him to think long and hard about how far he’s willing to go. Once this wildfire is lit, it’s going to rage with unforeseen consequences.

Nikolas says he’s so sorry that happened to Elizabeth, and she says she’s sorry Victor is threatening him. He says, you have to love the irony of relying on Esme to evade both the law and his uncle. The fates must be laughing themselves silly. She says, they’re both at the mercy of Esme’s memory. She might be hypocritical, but her instinct for self-preservation is stronger than her empathy. She wishes there was a way they could make sure Esme wouldn’t get her memory back, but that’s next to impossible. She leaves, and he says, never say never.

Laura tells Dante, this is a very high-profile case, and unfortunately, she’s front and center. She doesn’t like to sound like a politician, but she’s painfully aware of the optics. Esme was her grandson’s girlfriend and lived in the house with them for a while. The baby she’s expecting could possibly be Laura’s close relation. They can’t let her go without consequences, but how can they prosecute a woman who can’t recall the crimes she’s committed? He says he doesn’t envy her and Robert right now; it sounds like a nightmare. She says she can’t help but feel for Cameron and Spencer. Their lives were so impacted by Esme’s actions. How do they get restorative justice for them? If they take it on faith that Esme’s memory is gone for good… Dante says, that’s a big if, and asks if Laura thinks she’s faking it.

Esme looks at the photo of the Christmas ornament again.

Drew says, revealing the truth was painful, but in doing so, Carly gave Willow a chance to survive. Carly says she hopes so; she prays. She thanks him for not making feel worse.

Michael goes in to see Willow, and says, talk to him. She says, why her? Why couldn’t it have been anyone else besides Nina?

Nina tells Sonny that she has a daughter. It’s Willow and Willow doesn’t want to have anything to do with her. He hugs her.

Tomorrow, Anna tells Valentin, shut up or give up; Martin says, everybody’s luck runs out; Sasha asks Willow if she’s refusing the transplant; and Sonny says, as long as there’s life, there’s always hope.

Below Deck

Camille and Alissa argue within the guests’ hearing range, and in Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, screaming at the top of their lungs on charter is not okay. She tells them to stop, but they continue with you-no-you squabble. Fraser asks Hayley, what happened? and she says, the girls are shouting at each other. Camille calls Alissa a bully, and Alissa says she’s not taking this disrespect. The captain reminds them that they’re on charter. They’ve got to compose themselves. Camille tells Fraser that Alissa said she had an attitude, and threatened to go to the captain. Captain Sandy tells Alissa not to discuss it now; wait until after charter. They need to reset, and get through the night. In her interview, the captain says, on a scale of one to ten of how unacceptable it is for the crew to argue, it’s a ten. Holy cannoli. Captain Sandy calls Camille to the crew mess, and Camille says she’s so sorry. The captain tells her, it can never happen again. If it does, they’ll both be fired. Fraser comes to the crew mess as Camille is saying that Alissa was tarnishing her reputation. She was standing up for herself. Fraser tells Camille that she doesn’t need to be talking about this now, but the captain says, it’s not his call. In her interview, Captain Sandy says, there are three stories; their stories and the real story. She’s going to listen to both Camille and Alissa without judgement, and then make her judgement. Camille tells the captain that she’d just come back from the beach picnic, and Hayley said she had ironing. She told Hayley to just give her a second; she’d just gotten back on board. Then Alissa said she had attitude, and threatened to bring it to the captain, pointing out that Camille was on her last leg. Alissa said, everybody noticed Camille’s attitude, and everybody had a problem with her. Captain Sandy reminds Camille that, with this charter, she was giving Camille the opportunity to show her that she was in it to win it. Camille says, as far as she’s concerned, she’s done her job, and the captain asks, who started yelling first? Camille tells her that she said Alissa was childish, and that’s what started it, and the captain says, it wasn’t okay for Alissa to threaten her. Camille says, that’s when it escalated, and in Alissa’s interview, she says, Camille had the biggest attitude from day one. In Camille’s interview, she says she knows Alissa has been praying for her downfall since day one. Alissa says, she gives three chances, then she doesn’t deal with the bullsh*t. Bye. Camille says, Alissa gave her no chance, and she’s full of bullsh*t. Captain Sandy tells Camille that she requires mutual respect of co-workers. She won’t tolerate anything less. Camille promises not do it again.

The guests talk prices of Gucci, Lamborghinis, and other expensive stuff. Captain Sandy tells Alissa that she’s from the school of thought where there are three sides to every story, and asks, what happened with Camille? Alissa tells her that Hayley just let Camille know there was ironing, but Camille said she wasn’t going to listen, and got into it with her. Then Camille called her a bully, and started screaming in her face. She’s been letting Camille walk on her. The captain says, if Alissa is triggered on charter, she has to walk away. In Captain Sandy’s interview, she says, Fraser is the one who needs to worry about them. She expects her department heads to sort out problems. The interior isn’t being managed properly, or this wouldn’t have happened. She tells Alissa to reset. She thinks Camille’s been doing a great job. Alissa says, she thinks Camille has picked up the pace, but still isn’t working as hard as everyone else. The captain says, if that’s an issue, they need to talk it out. Screaming is unacceptable, and if it happens like that again, they’ll be off the boat so fast. The guests ask for snacks, and get up to dance. One of the guests leads the others in a dance routine. Fraser wonders if he should check on them, but Alissa says, the last time she checked, they were in a deep conversation. Apparently, not anymore. The captain tells Fraser not to do what he did in the crew mess to her again. He can’t do that in front of the crew. If she wants to have a conversation, she’ll have a conversation. It can’t happen again. Fraser thinks he needs to take a breather.

The guests get ready for their Bollywood Night dinner, and Captain Sandy calls Fraser to the bridge. Camille whines to Ben about Alissa threatening her job, and telling her that everyone is talking about her, notices her attitude, and has a problem with her. In Ben’s interview, he says, he’s a safe place for Camille, and a shoulder to lean on. It’s what he wants. He tells her that she’s doing a great job, and in his interview, he says, yachting is a lonely place, especially if you’re on the receiving end of a lot of bullsh*t. But it’s going to piss soon if Camille doesn’t change. The captain tells Fraser that she respects him and what he’s trying to do, but two people screaming at each other while on charter is unacceptable. In the captain’s interview, she says, Fraser is in the position where he wants to be friends and lead, but it’s impossible. You have to choose one. She tells him that he knows their personalities, so she’s leaving it with him, but she needs to know he’s aware of the seriousness of the situation. In her interview, she says, Fraser needs to step it up and figure it out. The situation isn’t being managed, and if you can’t manage, maybe you’re in a position you shouldn’t be in. In Rachel’s interview, she says, with everything that went on with last night’s dinner, she needs to smash the sh*t out of this one. They want an Asian menu with Indian canapes. Champagne is popped, and the guests toast to Bollywood. Primary Karan says, everyone is going to dance, and he’s going to judge the dancing, but he won’t be dancing himself. That does seem like a conflict of interest if you’re the judge. There’s applause for the starters, and Captain Sandy says, what a day. The food just keeps coming and it’s amazeballs. Guest Rahul, possibly the most obnoxious, says he likes seafood, but it stinks. Things slow up before the entrée appears, and Fraser tells Rachel, they’re getting impatient. Rachel says she’s feeling bad energy. Alisson says, this charter’s got everyone moody, and in Rachel’s interview, she says, it’s not McDonald’s. Three hours in, the entrée is plated, and Alissa says, they’re eating like wolves. In Alissa’s interview, she says, dinner was horrible; it wasn’t seven star service. She needs to entertain them. She gets out the hookah, and brings drinks. The guests decide it’s time to dance, and make an incredible mess; burning the table and breaking stuff. One guest tries to bring a lit sparkler in near the curtains, until he’s steered away. Rahul demands grilled cheese, and Alissa says she wants to die. Camille and Ben get busy in Ben’s bunk. It’s 4 am as Alissa makes the sandwiches. In her interview, she says she’s f***ing exhausted. The guests are still drinking as Tony gets up. Alissa tells him not to let them see him. They’ll never go sleep if they have friends. She says she feels like vomiting and crying at the same time. The guests finally go to  bed at almost 5 am, and Alissa says she hates them.

Final day of charter. Captain Sandy radios the deck crew to haul anchor; they’re ready to go. They head for Rodney Bay Marina, and the captain says, it’s a nice riding boat. You can feel the weight. The guests toast to an amazing time. They dock, and in the captain’s interview, she says, Katie is doing a phenomenal job. She has a strong exterior, but the interior needs work… for sure. She calls the crew to the aft deck for the guest departure, and in Fraser’s interview, he says he’s thrilled beyond belief that they’re leaving. They’ve been on board far too long. Karan says he was happy with everything except the beach, and primary Kamna says, they had the best crew, and made amazing memories. In Hayley’s interview, she says, goodbye, you absolute wankers. Never come back. The captain says they have to turn the boat around, and they start to do some work, but then she calls for the tip meeting. I’ve never understood why they just don’t wait to start working. It can’t take that long to count.

Captain Sandy congratulates them for completing the charter. She knows it wasn’t easy, and they worked long hours. Alissa never stopped smiling, and she saw how hard everyone worked. She tells them, if the guests ever complain, but she doesn’t, don’t worry about it. There will always be people they can’t please, and her opinion is all they have to worry about. She says, the tip isn’t a reflection of their work. It’s $20K, or $1530 each. In Alissa’s interview, she says, it’s not acceptable. She thinks they should have kept a security deposit for these f***ers. They were burning sh*t – we see the captain finding the table, and says, that’s not okay – they were breaking sh*t – we see them break a glass. If you can’t tip the crew, go on a cruise; don’t rent a yacht. Fraser says, cheers to the freaking weekend. In their cabin, Alissa tells Hayley that she needs to stay away from Camille. Camille reminds her of her dad. In Alissa’s interview, she says, her dad is controlling and toxic, and constantly bringing her down. Her upbringing shaped who she is now, but at this point she’s not letting anyone bully her. She wants Camille gone. Camille says, they’ve got to figure sh*t out, and Alissa says she could have walked away, but come at her with an attitude, and she’ll have one. Camille thinks Alissa should take responsibility for her attitude, and Alissa says, that’s why she understands and is so forgiving of Camille. Camille says she needs less forgiveness, and more apology, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, guess who’s in the middle again? All she can do is watch and hope it sorts itself out… which is not happening. Ben says, the chicks next door are arguing, and tells them to stop, but Camille says, it’s got nothing to do with him, and shoos him out. Alissa says, if you call her crazy, you’ll get extra crazy back. She sees Fraser, and gets all teary-eyed.

Ross wonders what all the noise is, and Fraser tells Alissa to just get ready. Camille tells Katie, there’s no figuring it out, and Fraser doesn’t want to deal. Katie says, the deck crew has no problems unless Ross is in the doghouse. They get in taxis, and Rachel says she’s going to write a book, but instead of Eat, Pray, Love, hers will be Eat, Drink, F***. They get to the restaurant, Rachel thanks everyone, and they toss back a shot. In Katie’s interview, she says, Ross has to show her that he’s changed tonight. Every night out, ended up the same way. We flash back to Ross getting drunk, and trying to nail anything that moves. Katie says, her boyfriend was very unfaithful, and it was a huge trigger that he changed when he drank. Words are sh*t if you don’t put action behind it. They order, and Alissa stands at the bar with Ross, smoking, as she tells him that she’s not a smoker. She asks Ross if he and Katie are solid, and Ross says he guesses. In Ross’s interview, he says, Alissa is naughty, but he has real emotions with Katie. He and Alissa are just fun. Alissa says she’s a work horse at work, and a play pony when she’s at play. I decide that I don’t like most of this crew, when the food comes. Alissa talks nonsense, and in Camille’s interview, she says, Alissa is trying to get under her skin. She has to be fake, but she’s good at it. She could be an actress in another world. Hayley and Fraser go for a smoke, and Fraser says he’s fed up with the bullsh*t, but he doesn’t know what else to do. Hayley says, he could get rid of one of them, but Fraser says, they’re both great workers. Hayley agrees, when Camille comes by, assuming they’re talking smack about her. Hayley tells her, they were saying nice things, and Camille tells them, say what you want about her, she’s got herself regardless. Fraser says he’s trying to fix it, and in Hayley’s interview, she says, don’t come at her. How much drama does Camille need? She tells Camille that she hopes they find agreement, and steers Camille toward the taxis. Alissa gets in a taxi, saying, Ben’s girlfriend is a sloppy ass bitch, and he’s obsessed with Camille’s diseased p***y. Wow. In Rachel’s interview, she says, what the f***? This group is crazy. Alissa starts to cry, and tells Fraser that Camille has been talking sh*t to other people about her.

They move on to a club, and Ross orders a round of tequila shots. Tony wisely goes back to the boat, stuffs his face, and goes to bed. Fraser tells Hayley that he wants to help make it better, but she says, they’re four charters in; it’s not getting better. Alissa tells Fraser, if they were one down, they could handle it, and in Frasers interview, he says, the captain told him to shut down what’s going on. As chief stew, he needs to fix it and make it right. He has a decision to make, and he hates it. They leave, and Rachel says, her romper has been romped out. Back at the boat, everyone goes to bed, and Camille gets in Ben’s bunk. In Tony’s interview, he says, here we go again. He’s trying not acknowledge it, but… He makes a noise like bedsprings squeaking.

In the morning, Captain Sandy tells Rachel that she was up at 6:30, and the boat was so quiet; it was great. Fraser tells Hayley that he doesn’t know how many more chances he can give. It’s hard because he’s been there. She asks if he wants to give one more, and he says, he’d been given chances when he needed them, and has hope in people. In his interview, he says, no one believed in him, so he turned things around for himself. He sees it in everyone. It’s 29 hours to charter, and Camille is surprised they have to work. Captain Sandy calls Fraser, Ross, and Rachel for the preference sheet meeting. Charter five’s primaries are Alex, who’s in real estate, and his wife Louisa. Louisa is 27 weeks pregnant, and requires extra meals. They want an around-the-world multi-course meal, all the water toys, and a beach picnic. The captain says she guarantees it won’t be like the last one. Camille asks if Ben is having fun, and says, it makes her sad that they only have three more weeks. It’s hard to stick with someone in yachting. Katie brings a bottle of champagne into the cabin, and she and Camille drink. They’re about to join Ross on the dock, when Fraser sees Camille with a drink in her hand. He asks what she’s doing, and she says she’s literally done with all her tasks. He tells her that she can’t drink on the job. It’s not a holiday. In his interview, he says, seeing Camille with a pint sized glass of champagne tells him she has no care or willingness to do the job. Rachel says, Camille has been drinking pretty much all day.

Rachel tells Fraser, it’s a very Camille thing to do, and Fraser says, effing hell. In Fraser’s interview, he says, they have to work. Tomorrow’s the charter. It’s not a holiday. Camille sits on the dock with Ross, and Fraser radios, asking her location. She says she’s on the aft deck, and Ross tells her, run. Fraser sees her jetting up the plank, and says, this isn’t the aft deck; it’s outside. He tells her that the cabins aren’t done, but she insists she did her jobs, and helped the girls do theirs. He shows her pictures on his phone of things not done, and in his interview, he says, Camille has an excuse for everything. He doesn’t know if that’s a good sign… He knows it’s not. He points out that she was also drinking the guest champagne, and says in his interview that he likes giving chances, but if you can’t play a role in supporting the bigger picture, you have no role on this yacht. Camille and Katie drink in the cabin, and in Fraser’s interview, he says he can’t get a wink of sleep. He’s terrified he’ll make the wrong decision. He loves Camille, but she’s not doing her job. What does he do with that?

In the morning, Fraser hints to Hayley and Alissa that he might be working on a new schedule. He asks to speak to Captain Sandy, and Hayley wonders if this is actually happening. Alissa tells her, it’s done. It sounds like they’re talking about an execution. Fraser tells the captain, as much as he adores Camille as a person, last night was his final straw. Hayley asks Alissa if she thinks they’ll manage, and Alissa says she’ll manage regardless. Captain Sandy says, Camille is the common denominator in the problems. She has a great personality, but they have to do what’s best for the boat. In her interview, she says she’s proud of Fraser. He took charge. It’s another growing experience, and she’s here to support that.

Three and a half hours to charter. Captain Sandy calls Camille to the bridge, and Fraser says, this is awful. Alissa says her stomach hurts, and Hayley says, Camille’s about to lose her job; it’s harsh. Camille goes to the bridge, and the captain says, this isn’t easy for her. Camille says, oh my God, no, and Captain Sandy says she’s letting Camille go this morning. Camille looks like a deer in headlights.

To be continued…

🥫 Full Of Beans…

Join me tomorrow for more soap drama and a spot of tea. Until then, stay safe, stay searching yourself before reading others, and stay never saying never.